the CLASSroom

2012 Photo Tray Calendar Q1 by Sharon Harnist

If you follow my personal blog at all, you know I have a thing for calendars -- I love them!  I like combining them with artwork to have on display in my home and most importantly -- right on my desk or in my office/creative space!  I also enjoy finding new ways to create them for gifts.  So here's a new one I came up with, that utilizes my 7 Gypsies Black Photo Tray:

               (Click on any photo for a larger view)

Each section of the tray measures 4" x 6" -- perfect for just adding family photos to your calendar, if you wish, or artwork close to the size of a standard A2 card.  I decided to make three months at a time so I would have additional room to showcase some different techniques for you, but you could easily make this a 6-month calendar if you wish.  Then if you give the tray as a holiday gift, you can easily follow up with additional months later in the year (if you don't get them completed all at once) and they will be easy to mail to the recepient.  I'll try to have each calendar quarter prepared a month in advance over the coming year, allowing you plenty of time to follow along and create your own calendar/months, if you'd like!

The beautiful coordinating papers I used this quarter are all from Lilybee Design's Head Over Heels 6x6 Tiny Tablet, designed by our very own multi-talented Miss Julia Stainton . . . I adore all these colors together!

The calendars are Ellen's 2012 PDF Downloadable Calendar -- printed at 75%, they are approximately 3" square.  Each one was matted with Memory Box cardstock: Lagoon, Raspberry, and Vanilla Bean:

January:

I used Tim Holtz Texture Fades Embossing Folders-Snow Flurries & Snowman for the top panel. The embossed snowflakes were rubbed with Adirondack Snow Cap pigment ink pad and sprinkled with Glitter Ritz Transparent Warm Highlights micro fine glitter and then heat embossed with Clear Embossing Powder (they were a little tricky to photograph, but show up a little better in the close-up views):

The embossed snowman was just hand trimmed closely to the embossed edges and the edges of both the snowman and snowflake embossed panel were sponged with Distress Inks. Pretty Zva Clear Swirl gemstones accent the Maya Road Mini Chipboard Snowflake which was also clear embossed with glitter. Hero Arts Pink Crystals accent the snowflake and calendar.

TECHNIQUE - Watercolor Two Ways:

I just recently discovered this gorgeous Hero Arts Felt Finish Natural White Watercolor Paper Ellen started carrying and LOVE that it comes in either Bright White or this soft Natural White color I used!  I used for both of these watercolor techniques.

February:

Lockhart Stamp Company's Love Angel was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black onto the watercolor paper. Using a Niji Waterbrush filled with Copic Colorless Blender Solution, I dipped the brush into Copic Various Ink Refills (BG11, BG13, R24, R81, and YR31 placed in a plastic paint palette) to "water" color the angel (clean up afterwards with Clear Blender Solution):

Copic Clear Atyou Spica Glitter Pen accents the angel's wings and a light pink crystal accents the heart she is carrying. Memory Box Raspberry cardstock, die cut with Tim Holtz's Heart Wings Bigz Die, accents the background and calendar:

March:

Lockhart Roses Daisies & Polka Dots was also stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black onto the watercolor paper, but then watercolored the more traditional way, with Adirondack Dye Ink Pads (Lettuce, Pink Sherbet, Pool, Raspberry, Sunset Orange, Sunshine Yellow).  You can just used the ink pad lid as a palette, by rubbing the ink pad onto the lid (as seen in the lower left of the photo below) -- this will usually transfer enough ink to watercolor with, if your pads are juicy enough:

Or you can place a few drops of reinker into the stamp pad lid and use this to watercolor with.  To finish this piece, I used a few dye-based Memento Markers to accent the flowers and color those tiny flower stems!

Memory Box Taffy cardstock, die cut with Tim Holtz's Tattered Florals die, accents the background.

Please let me know if you like this concept and if you'd like to see more months each quarter next year!  ~ Sharon

Stamps: Lockhart Stamp Company Love Angel (#7008), Roses Daisies & Polka Dots (#2122)
Paper: Hero Arts Felt Finish Natural White Watercolor Paper; Lilybee Design Head Over Heels 6x6 Tiny Tablet; Memory Box cardstock-Lagoon, Raspberry, Taffy, Vanilla Bean; 
Ink: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black ink kpad and Memento Markers; Ranger Adirondack Pigment Ink (January)-Snow Cap; Ranger Adirondack Dye Ink Pads (March)-Lettuce, Pink Sherbet, Pool, Raspberry, Sunset Orange, Sunshine Yellow; Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Inks (Jan & Feb)-Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy & (Mar) Worn Lipstick; 
Copic Markers: E33 & BG13 (Angel), Colorless Blender Solution; Clear Atyou Spica Glitter Pen
Copic Various Ink Refills: BG11, BG13, R24, R81, YR31 (Angel)
Dies: Sizzix Tim Holtz Bigz Die-Heart Wings and Tattered Florals;
Accessories: 7 Gypsies Black Photo Tray; Ellen's 2012 PDF Downloadable Calendar (printed at 75%); Niji Waterbrush; Sizzix Tim Holtz Texture Fades Embossing Folders-Snow Flurries & Snowman; Ranger Clear Embossing Powder, Heat It Craft Tool, and Ink Blending Tool; Glitter Ritz Microfine Glitter-Transparent Warm Highlights; Maya Road Mini Chipboard Sets: Snowflakes; Scrapbook Adhesives 3D Foam Squares; Zva Clear Swirl gemstones; KaiserCraft Pearls; Hero Arts Pink Crystals; Darice Plastic Paint Palette; 

The Gifted Stamper Class Spot Winners

Thank you for joining us and leaving such kind comments this past weekend as we celebrated our 5th Anniversary! The girls are busy packing your orders and we hope to be back to same day shipping by the end of this week - thank you so much for your support!

We are thrilled to announce the winners of our random drawing for spots in Julie's class The Gifted Stamper. Congratulations ladies!

Please contact us at [email protected] and we will get you enrolled in class!

You still have time to join in the fun and be there when class starts on Thursday, December 1st. The Gifted Stamper class with all the videos, pdf's and instruction will be there for a lifetime, but to be involved in class discussions with the instructor, Julie Ebersole you will want to take the class during the December 1-12th time frame. For complete details visit HOWnow School of Creative Arts. We look forwards to seeing you in class!

Anniversary Celebration: Color Swatch Challenge by Julie Ebersole

Are you enjoying the festivities so far?!  Well, let's just add to that fun!

I'm here today with a Color Swatch Challenge and a fun card sample!

Brace yer-selves . . . I used this combo to make a HOLIDAY card!  Now yours doesn't have to be holiday themed--you just need to focus on the colors used. I just decided I wanted some sugar-plum colored snowflakes on mine! *wink*

Some of the snowflakes were stamped 2nd generation onto a scrap of white card stock, then punched out with various circle punches. Next they were coated over the top with Xyron Adhesive, and then covered in Cool Highlights micro-fine glitter for ultra shimmer!

Can't wait to see what ya'all do with these yummy colors! And, thanks for playing my challenge!

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Supplies & Materials:

Hero Arts Cleardesign Snowflakes Set
"Seasons Greetings" from Hero Arts Cleardesign Merry Christmas Trees Set
Versamark Ink
White Embossing Powder
Adirondack Inks in Stream, Willow, Cranberry, Shell Pink
Neenah Solar White Card Stock
Core-dinations Adirondack Card Stock
Xyron
Glitter Ritz Cool Highlights Transparent Glitter

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Oh what a fun color scheme! We invite you to join in the fun by using the color combo Julie has provided above. Once you have completed your project please be certain to link directly to your project using the InLinkz tool provided at the end of this post. You have until 11:59pm Pacific Time Wednesday, November 30th to complete your project. All entries for this challenge will be included in a random drawing for the special prize package shown above. Have fun!

Anniversary Celebration: Sketch Challenge by Julia Stainton

Welcome to another challenge at the CLASSroom Anniversary Celebration! I am so thankful to be part of this fabulous place of inspiration, learning and an incredible team. Congratulations Ellen on five wonderful years!

Today I have a fun sketch challenge to get you creating this holiday weekend. I think you'll enjoy it! Feel free to flip or turn the sketch and let your creativity run wild! I've designed it to be a 4.25"x5.5" card size but you can also make it taller or alter it to be a square card design. I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Here's my take on the sketch....

As you can see, I stayed pretty true to the sketch and had fun getting into the holiday mood. Christmas is coming soon, don't you know?!

The circular element on this sketch is a great place to stamp or, as I've done, turn it into an embellishment. I like to cut the side pieces in random sizes and it is a great place to use up scraps. Make sure you keep the edges in nice clean and square cuts so that you can butt each layer up to the next for a really smooth seamless look.

To create my sentiment, I've used some Tim Holtz Kraft Resist letters. I love how vintage they look and they are fabulous for inking any color you want. I've sponged Barn Door Distress Ink on them to make them coordinate my project.

The Baker's Twine is tied around my card and a gorgeous Maya Road Antique Button Trinket makes the card extra special.

Enjoy the rest of your Thanksgiving weekend and happy creating!

Julia

 

Supplies:

Solar White cardstock by Neenah, Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink by Ranger, Barn Door Distress Ink by Ranger, Deck the Halls 6x6 paper pack by Melissa Frances, Snowflake Transparency by Maya Road, Tertiary Sew Easy Baker's Twine by We R Memory Keepers, Kraft Resist Chipboard letters by Tim Holtz, Antique Button Jewels Vintage Trinkets by Maya Road 

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Come join in the fun and create a card using the fun sketch Julia provided above! Once you have completed your project please be certain to link directly to that project using the InLinkz tool provided at the end of this post. You have until 11:59pm Pacific Time Wednesday, November 30th to complete your project. All entries for this challenge will be included in a random drawing for the special prize package shown above.

Anniversary Celebration: Back In Time Challenge by Sharon Harnist

For this challenge, we would like for you to go "Back in Time" through the blog posts on any one of our blogs and choose a project that you can use to inspire a new version of that project.

Ever since Ellen introduced us to the Burnished Velvet (glitter) technique, I've loved doing it . . . what's not to love about glitter?!!  In this CLASSroom blog post last September, Ellen shared a fabulous Halloween/Fall card with the technique. In that blog post, you'll find links to a few other projects with the Burnished Velvet technique and complete instructions for the Burnished Velvet technique in THIS InTouch post.  

Here's my updated version for a sweet polar bear Christmas card:

(Click on any photo for a larger view and to see the sparkles!)

The quick and easy steps:

1. Stamp Memory Box's sweet Fredward Bear with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto Neenah Solar White cardstock; color the bear's scarf with Copic R81 and R85 Sketch markers.

2. Die cut bear with Memory Box Fredward Bear die.

3. Die cut a piece of Be Creative sheet adhesive with bear die. Peel off protective film from bottom side of tape and adhere to colored image.

4. Peel protective film from front side of tape and cover with Glitter Ritz's Transparent Micro Fine Warm Highlights glitter; burnish glitter into tape with finger. 

5. Alternately, while protective film is still on front of colored image, carefully use a craft knife to cut around bear's scarf and remove protective film. Cover exposed area of tape/scarf with your choice of colored Gitter Ritz glitter; burnish with finger. Remove rest of protective film from bear and cover with White Opaque glitter; burnish with finger.

6. Stamp Karen Lockhart's Season's Greetings stamp with Adirondack Watermelon dye ink onto Neenah Solar White cardstock and trim into a banner shape.

7. Paint Maya Road Mini Chipboard Snowflake with Claudine Hellmuth Studio Acrylic Paint-Blank Canvas and sprinkle with Flora Craft Twinklets Diamond Dust. Allow to dry.

8. Cut two pieces of Memory Box Yuletide 6x6 patterned cardstock and adhere to a Memory Box Cherry Blossom Notecard. Assemble card.

We can't wait to see your "Back In Time" projects!  ~ Sharon

Stamps: Memory Box Fredward Bear, Lockhart Stamp Co-Seasons Greetings, 
Dies: Memory Box Die Fredward Bear, 
Paper: Neenah Solar White cardstock; Memory Box Yuletide 6x6 patterned cardstock, Cherry Blossom Notecard,
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Ranger Adirondack Watermelon dye ink; 
Copic Sketch Markers: R81 & R85,
Accessories: Sookwang Be Creative Tape, Glitter Ritz Microfine Glitter-Transparent Warm Highlights; Maya Road Mini Chipboard Sets: Snowflakes; Flora Craft Twinklets Diamond Dust; Claudine Hellmuth Studio Acrylic Paint-Blank Canvas; 

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Find a project here on the CLASSroom that inspires you and create your card or project based on that post! Once you have completed your project please be certain to link it using InLinkz below. You have until 11:59pm Pacific Time Wednesday, November 30th to complete your project. All entries will be included in a random drawing for the special prize package shown above.

Thankful for and HOWnow School of Creative Arts

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! My wish for you on this special day is that you have the time to think about the things that you are grateful for. I am allowing myself that indulgence today and because it is our FIFTH anniversary (which I can hardly believe) I am going to begin this post by listing five of the things I am most grateful for in conjunction with this business. You are going to definitely want to read the bottom of this post if you don't have the time to go through all my "mushy" stuff because we have a fabulous gift to share with you today!

1. It all comes down to the people --- YOU, I am grateful for you! Little did I know when I first began to blog back in June 2006 that anyone would be interested in what it is that I do. I was teaching classes in some of the area stamp stores and thought - I should start a blog. Oh my goodness, look where that led. It was a "simple dream" that YOU made a reality. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! (and yes, my eyes are filled with tears as I type this, so please excuse any typos - LOL!)
2. The women I work with, here at Ellen Hutson LLC, on a daily basis - Ann (yes, we need to add a new picture to our About Us page, but just haven't had the time yet) Carina, Erica, Julia, Maddi and Shirley - I am so blessed to have you in my life! These ladies are SO very special! The kindness that they have shown me, the tenacity with which they stick to tasks, the enthusiasm with which they approach new projects and the steady, don't panic "too much" and just get it done attitude is unsurpassed - I am so very grateful for each of them and love and care for them deeply! I sincerely miss Beth, Cathy, Malin and Malena and thank them for their contributions - each of these women have added so much to the development of the company that is now Ellen Hutson LLC.
3. The ubber creative and talented designers who blow my socks off with their creativity and projects here in the CLASSroom! Currently Julie, Julia and Sharon work their magic to inspire you, and frankly, they inspire me as well. Whenever I need them to do anything additional (like in the next three days) they are right there beside me willing to pitch in. Words cannot express how much I love these women; their never ending support means the world to me. Thank you girls for all you do! This portion of my thanks cannot go without adding in all the others who have also shared of themselves previously here in the CLASSroom - each of their names is listed in the Alumni and Guest Designer section of our blog to make it easier to find the "normal homes" or blogs of these talented women. Becky, Cindy, Debbie, Kim, Lisa, Susan and Trudee - once again I would like to thank you for having been here and for being a part of what has made us what we are today! Thank you for being a part of my life!
4. I am also grateful for the manufacturers who create such fabulous products and do so much to support what it is that we do. Karen Lockhart - Karen, I am SO very grateful for you. Your friendship and support mean the world to me. I would not be doing this today if you had not come into my life. I am eternally grateful for the mentorship, support and love you have shared with me over the years! The other first is Dave of Memory Box. These were the only two manufacturers I worked with when I first started --- I am so blessed to still be able to work with both of these wonderful people/companies! Many thanks also go out to the myriad of others - Ranger, Hero Arts, Sizzix, Melissa Frances, 7 Gypsies, Stampers Anonymous/Art Gone Wild, Graphic 45, Basic Grey, Cosmo Cricket, Jenni Bowlin, Tsukineko, Elizabeth Craft Designs, Paper Smooches --- there are so many more and I know I'm going to kick myself when I look back and realize I forgot a key relationship, but... the service provided us by these companies has been so very appreciated!!
5. Lastly, I am grateful for the opportunity that has come my way as I try and make a difference in others lives through sharing creativity. I believe that life just takes you to the places you are destined to head. You can buck that trend or you can just put every ounce of your being into doing your best. It has taken courage, determination, much learning and loads of incredible people to back that dream. To be able to go into my studio is an amazing gift! To be able to sit at my desk and just let ideas emerge is rejuvenating. I am grateful for that opportunity. The many heartfelt notes and comments received over the years make my heart swell with joy. Once again I thank you for sharing that with me and allowing me the opportunity to be creative!

I am going to close this portion of my post with a sentiment I shared in my very first blog post. "I have a Simple Dream - I dream of enriching the lives of all whose paths cross with mine, through my actions and creativity. I also dream of filling any new project with the energy and enthusiasm that lies at the core of my being. As I head into the future, this blog (and now everything else connected to Ellen Hutson LLC!) will allow me to share my dreams in a whole new way. It'll connect me with new friends around the world, in an instant. So please take the chance to share your thoughts and feelings with me, and people everywhere, by dropping me a line now and then. I hope you'll be inspired to dream your own dreams, and to believe that they too can come true! So... no matter who you are, where you are from or why you stopped in... WELCOME!"

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HOWnow School of Creative Arts

A new dream is being realized today! This has been a long-time dream in coming - the dream of having a place where we can provide a level of education that is unsurpassed. To be given the gift of now having the opportunity to work together with Julie Ebersole and helping her realize her dreams gives me goosebumps. It is an absolute thrill and honor to share our vision with you, so click on through to visit HOWnow School of Creative Arts.

Please know that this site is still a work in progress and as we learn new things we will be making continued improvements! It is an adventure in the making and we hope that it will become a place you will enjoy visiting and participating in! We have been madly working to make this one of THE best spots for learning and it is not the simplest of tasks - LOL! What I can tell you is that the classes that will be taught in this special environment will be TOP-notch!

So what's with the name? I have to share this little "adventure" in naming with you. One of my biggest "hmm" moments is the name of our store, Ellen Hutson LLC. It was back in the day when I didn't realize what it would become and all I really wanted to do was teach, or write a book, or??? I would have NEVER picked my name if I had thought about the possibilities and what it might become - LOL! I don't like seeing my name all the time; it makes me uncomfortable, BUT it is what it is and so we just go with it and I try to forget that I don't like having it be my name - ha, ha! Creating this special "school" was an opportunity to start anew without completely getting away from "what is." So the brainstorming began. OW - letters representing "On-line Workshops," seemed appropriate and so we started through the alphabet. BOW, COW - oh dear - LOL! Well as luck would have it my last name is Hutson so HOW was one we stopped at and gave some thought. HOW - that is precisely what we would like to teach, how to... you fill in the blank. It is fun to have a catchy name and it all goes back to the COW above - we literally started laughing out loud when I recited "How now brown cow" - yes, the school of elocution. OK, so we won't be teaching you how to enunciate your "ow" sounds but perhaps this jovial greeting (and yes, sometimes it is used that way) will bring a grin or two, but we will just stick with the HOWnow because we want you to enjoy learning "how" in the present moment, rather than one in the future. We look forward to welcoming each student who enrolls and hope that the education and laughter that this place will provide will bring new creative thoughts and happy moments to your days.

Now here is the FUN part! We want to hear from you - leave a comment below to be included in a drawing for THREE spots in Julie's first class "The Gifted Stamper: One Dozen Easy-to-Make Gifts For All Occasions." You have until Monday, November 28th at 11:59pm to be included in the random drawing for these spots! We will be sharing the names of our new students on Tuesday, November 29th. If you happen to register for the class and you win this spot we will happily allow you to decide if you would like a refund or gift your win to a special friend.

Thank you again for always being here, for supporting us and believing in us. We will always attempt to do our very best for you --- Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

FIVE YEARS - Anniversary Celebration!

We are excited that you are here to join in our special anniversary celebration - FIVE years - it is hard to believe!

To honor the five years that you have been with us we have five ways in which we are celebrating.

ONE NEW PLACE TO LEARN

It is with much excitement that we share the link to HOWnow School of Creative Arts. You can read more about our new learning environment in this post. Don't forget to leave a comment on that post for a chance to win a spot in Julie's first class!

TWO PLACES FOR GIVEAWAYS

This is one of the locations that we will be giving away some "presents" over the next five days. The other is our Facebook page - be certain to like us and see what special surprises we will have for you there.

THREE FUN CHALLENGES

Be certain to return here to the CLASSroom on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for the special challenges the girls have awaiting you. We would love to have you join in the fun!

SOMETHING "FOUR" EVERYONE

When you place your online order we will be including a free gift with every order (while supplies last because we really never know what to expect - we think we have plenty, but one never knows as you always seem to surprise us!) In addition I have designed a special thank you note in honor of this special occasion. So place your order early and see what we have slipped into your box.

FIVE% EXTRA SAVINGS FOR EARLYBIRDS, 15% FOR EVERYONE ELSE

For nine (9) hours beginning at 12:00am Friday, November 25th Pacific Standard Time (3:00am Eastern Standard Time), running through 9:00am Pacific Standard Time, save 20% on every item currently in stock (this sale must exclude Copic products due to MAP pricing requirements.) Upon checkout please enter the following one time use promo code: earlybird5

This offer cannot be combined with any other coupon code. Please note that upon completion of your order the discounted price will be listed on each product line of your invoice.  

As always, if your merchandise total, less any discounts applied and not including shipping is equal to $150 or more, domestic orders will receive free shipping and a $10 discount will be applied to shipping on International orders. Remember to check your total before paying because when you apply a 15 or 20% discount your product total changes dramatically and we don't want you to miss out on the free shipping because the order dropped below $150. :-D

If you are not an early bird continue to enjoy savings of 15% from Friday, November 25th 9:00am through Monday, November 28th at the stroke before midnight Pacific Standard Time. Upon checkout please enter the following promo code: 5yearsold

This offer cannot be combined with any other coupon code and is valid on in stock merchandise only.

We have placed over 1500 items into our Warehouse Sale category! Please be certain to visit this section for incredible savings - with prices this low and an additional savings when using the coupon code, these items may not last long! Just a quick word of warning - when you put an item in your cart and it says it is "in stock," that item is not necessarily yours until you check out and pay for your order. Unfortunately we have seen it happen numerous times, where the last item gets purchased by someone, before your checkout may be complete. If you go to check out and someone else has completed their purchase and the item is now "Out of Stock" you will need to remove that item from your cart or your cart might lock up.

You can do some "pre-shopping" using our Wish List feature (this is an awesome little tool if you would like to share your wish list with those who ask what you are dreaming of this holiday season) or put your items in your cart in advance. The items should remain in your cart for up to 14 days as long as you don't clear your cookies.

Shop early for best selection! 

Colorful Diecut Thank-You by Julie Ebersole

Well, I can think of a few more words I'd love to see to accompany this style of die by Memory Box Co. because I had so much with it! Oh, DaaaAAAvve!!! More, please! *grin*

I was playing with this die in my studio and decided to deviate a bit--oh, don't worry, I didn't stray too far! *wink*

The letters on this die are designed not to cut along the bottom of the letters, enabling you to pop them forward for dimension!  But, I actually popped them inward and folded them back inside the card so I could have a sort of word "window" on my card!

Here's how I did it:

This is going to be the top panel of the card and it measures a 1/4" smaller all around than a standard A-2 card (standard A-2 measures 4.25 x 5.5" when folded). I used a straight edge to position the die 1" from the bottom of this panel, and used a little piece of Washi tape to hold it in place and keep it from moving in the Big Shot--you could also use a little piece of Eclipse Tape or even a Post-It Note for this purposes.

Here you can see where I've pushed the letters inward, instead of outward.

I laid down a strip of X-press It Tape to secure the letters down on the back so they wouldn't pop back up while I went on to the next step.

Like most peeps, I have tons of scraps, so I just went dumpster divin' and cut some colors that I liked together into strips, and adhered those to the back side of the letters (this is white core paper, so the color is on one side and the back side is white).

I left the letter "N" un-backed, knowing the base card color would show through.

I rounded the upper right corner of both the brown panel and the base card with the Corner Chomper, wrapped the left side with lime baker's twine, and did some faux stitching with a white gel pen.

The finished panel was then 3D mounted to the base card with dimensional adhesive.

Isn't this a fun look?! I just love how bright and bold it is and how the "N" has a kind of drop-shadow effect!

Thanks for stopping by today!

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Supplies & Materials:
Memory Box Pop Up Thanks DieParsley Card StockVanilla Bean Card StockDoodle Twine in LimeadeCrop-a-dile Corner Chomper ToolUniball Impact Gel Pen, WhiteX-press It Tape, 1/4"3D-Dots, 1/16" thick

Acrylic Block Grid Technique by Julia Stainton

I love experimenting with different ways to use standard stamping supplies. Have you ever thought about the very humble acrylic block? If you stamp with cling rubber or clear stamps, you'll definitely have these on hand.

I'm always on the lookout for great stamping tools and I recently treated myself to some new acrylic blocks by Tim Holtz for Advantus. What drew me to them was the myriad of sizes included and the great grid on each block. I find grids on acrylic blocks to be a real lifesave when lining up a sentiment.

When you are placing a clear stamp onto an acrylic block, make sure that the entire sentiment lines up straight on the grid. Sometimes these stamps can bend slightly making for a skewed sentiment. Not fun.

While I was playing with my new blocks, my mind started spinning. Did you know that you can actually use the acylic block to stamp with? This is great if you want a plain square or rectangle background shape in your project.

Looking at the grid on my new blocks, I wondered about coloring in the grid in squares with dye markers. Would it work? I set out to try it. Above you can see the grid squares half colored in with two colors of Memento dye markers. When doing this you'll want to note that you color the side of the block that doesn't have the grid etched in it.

Once they were all colored, I "huffed" on the block to remoisten the block with my breath and then stamped it down.

As you can see, it doesn't give a perfect impression as the dye ink tends to group together a bit but I thought it made a really fun, unique and interesting background.

I'm really loving this new Hero Arts Christmas stamp set for this year. I love stamps that bring me back to the first Christmas. The image and sentiment are stamped in black ink and a tiny rhinestone accents the star.

I couldn't forget the inside of the card and added a little stamping. Like many of the Hero Arts stamp sets, this set comes with lots of beautifully coordinating sentiments so you can match the outside and inside to finish off your design.

Supplies: Cleardesign: Greatest Gift Stamp Set by Hero Arts, Solar White Cardstock by Neenah, Jet Black Archival Ink by Ranger, Summery Sky and Lulu Lavender Memento Markers by Tsukineko, Paper Distresser by Tim Holtz, Grid Blocks by Tim Holtz

Framed Snowglobe Shaker Decor by Sharon Harnist

             (Click on any photo for a larger view)

Hello and welcome to the CLASSroom!  Today I have this framed snowglobe shaker home decor piece to share with you.  This 4" x 6" framed artwork was easy to create and I love that it's interactive . . . people will walk by this piece on my foyer table and shake it all season long!  Here's how to make it:

1. Stamp this year's Lockhart Stamp Company-2011 Limited Edition Nicholas Sings Carols image with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto Copic X-Press It Blending Card and color with these Copic Sketch Markers:

2. Stamp the image again, positioned on a 4" x 6" piece of Authentique 6x6-Wonder patterned paper where you want the shaker to be. Using a craft knife, cut out only the globe, leaving the base of the globe on the patterned paper. Color the base with Copic T4 and T6:

3. Cut a 4" x 6" piece of Ellen's Crystal Clear Medium Weight Plastic and adhere it to the back side of the patterned paper you cut the snowglobe out of, using Copic's High Tack Double-Sided Tissue Tape. The plastic helps give the patterned paper extra stiffness so it will sit up over the stamped image well:

4. Next, using 3D Foam Squares, build a barrier around the hole you cut in the patterned paper.  Stay away from the edge of the circle, so the foam tape won't show from the front.  Be sure all the edges of the foam tape are touching, so your "snow" won't escape from the shaker! This will also make the patterned paper/plastic piece sit up over the stamped image and hold your shaker material (snow) in place.  Here, I'm using chunky Twinklets Diamond Dust.  It only takes a very small amount of the Diamond Dust -- a lot less than you might think:

5. To create the banner across the top of the frame, I covered three of Maya Road's Mixed Scalloped Triangle Banner pieces with more Wonder paper.  Those little scallops can be tricky to cover, but Basic Grey's Precision File Set makes it easy.  I've had this file set for almost 5 years -- it was one of the very first things I bought from Ellen's store when it first opened!

6. Next, I colored Maya Road's Noah Alphabet chipboard letters with Ranger's Adirondack Cranberry and Snowcap Pigment Inks and clear heat embossed them:

7. The banner was attached to the top of the frame with Doodlebug Assorted (Red) Twine and Craft Glue Dots:

The final embellishment is a Maya Road Mini Chipboard Snowflake, colored with Versamark Frost Dazzle ink and clear embossed.

You can find previous years of these darling Lockhart Limited Edition Christmas globe stamps Ellen still has in stock here:

2010-Auntsy Nancy Reads to Nicholas,
2009-Nicholas & Kitty,
2008-Nicholas First Train,
2007-Grandpa & Grandma Flurry with Nicholas,

Each deeply-etched red rubber wood-mounted stamp is hand colored, signed, numbered and dated!  How cute an entire set of these framed snowglobe shakers would look on your holiday mantle!

Happy crafting!  ~ Sharon

Stamps: Lockhart Stamp Company-2011 Limited Edition Nicholas Sings Carols,
Paper: Copic X-Press It Blending Card, Authentique 6x6-Wonder, 
Ink: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark Frost Dazzle; Ranger Adirondack Pigment Inks-Cranberry & Snowcap,
Copic Sketch Markers: B0000, C1, R20, R22, R24, R29, T4, T6, YG61, YG63, YG93, YG95, YR12, Y23, Y26
Accessories:  Essentials by Ellen-Crystal Clear Plastic Medium Weight; Scrapbook Adhesives 3D Foam Squares Mixed; Flora Craft Twinklets Diamond Dust; Doodlebug Assorted Twine; Maya Road Mini Chipboard Sets: Snowflakes, Mixed Scalloped Triangle Banner, Noah Alphabet; Basic Grey Precision File Set; Ranger Clear Embossing Powder & Heat It Craft Tool; Copic High Tack Double-Sided Tissue Tape; Craft Glue Dots;
Other: 4" x 6" dollar store photo frame 

The Journey with Susan Tierney Cockburn

 

Life is a Journey and like Dorothy, I am thankful for the friends, I’ve met along the way, who have taken this journey with me.  This concept is key when I was inspired by Eileen Hull’s “suitcase” die cut by Ellison/Sizzix and, like Dorothy and the friends she met along her way, I’ve found my way back home thanks to my friends. These last eighteen months, after losing our daughter Kelly to breast cancer, it’s been my friends who have given me support, helped me find love in my heart again, and shown me courage to help me continue on my journey.

One of my dearest friends, Ellen Hutson, who I’ve come to lean on considerably, has even designed a ruby slipper to complete this profound project of mine.  I’m in awe of every one of her shoe creations, but I have to say, this ruby slipper is the best ever!  It became the perfect “vessel” to show off my red poppies--the ones that put Dorothy and her companions to sleep and the symbol of my state of mind after such a great loss.

Lastly, I have to mention Graphic 45’s “Magic of Oz” paper that finishes the project.  The gingham design for Dorothy’s suitcase is a perfect match and the “cards of the characters” gives the box a familiar look to enhance the story.  However, it’s not just a story I’ve watched on television as a child based on the book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, but a greater meaning I’ve discovered watching it as an adult.

These little suitcases can hold the most wonderful “treasures”!  And, just like my mother, I love chocolate, and always have a stash when I need some!

The Scarecrow’s Suitcase--he thinks he lacks a brain, but his common sense helps guide this unusual group and develop a plan to save Dorothy in their quest to reach the Wizard so she can return home to Auntie Em and Uncle Henry in Kansas.

The Cowardly Lion--a sweet character, afraid of his own shadow until his friends need him.  He has the courage to help Dorothy in her most perilous situations.

The Tin Man--probably my favorite, who longs for a heart from the Wizard.  However, he has the biggest heart of all and puts his friends first when they need him. I felt as if a piece of my heart was gone when Kelly died and relate to the Tin Man seeking one.  My friends have put warmth back into my heart as I continue on my journey.

I hope you all think about the friends in your life that you take with you on Life’s Journey when you look at this project--I know I do and feel so blessed by their presence.

Ruby Slipper Downloadable Template with PDF Instructions - coming soon!

Eileen Hull’s Suitcase die cut by Ellison

Ranger: Foil Tape Sheet

Distress Ink: Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain

Cherry Veneer Paper

Craft-a-board by Ellen Hutson

Crinoline fabric (about 1/8 yd), Raffia, Sculpy Clay, Viva Pearl Pen/Black, Masonite box, Montana Gold Acrylic Paint/7090 Coke, Brads - Copper, Silver, Bronze, Red

Graphic 45 - “The Magic of Oz” Yellow Brick Road and Journey to Oz

Flower Soft - Shamrock Green and Ultra Fine Black 

Crafter’s Pick “The Ultimate” glue

Copic Markers - R14, R29, 100

Poppy:  Punches - Punch Bunch: Medium Begonia Petals, Small Alpine Snowflake, Small Sun, Small Grape Leaf

Neenah Solar White Cardstock, Green & Black cardstock

Coach and Graduation Thank You Notes

This is probably one of THE simpliest projects I have ever shared here. Sometimes out of necessity one just needs to get things done. Well this was one of those occasions. I was so pleased with how this turned out I thought I would share the idea here, just in case someone else finds themselves in a bind and needs a quick coach, school-themed thank you notecard.

I am so lucky to have a very active daughter and as a senior in high school it has all ramped up even more. Being the captain of the x-country team she was responsible for coach gifts. In need of several thank you notes it was all very last minute, so this was our quick fix.

We simply used the school logo, printing two Spartan heads on Neenah cardstock. We then cut the sheet down to create two notecards. To add a touch of personality to these simple notecards we added the "thank you" by stamping with Distress Embossing Ink and applying and heat setting the ultrafine silver embossing powder.

Simple, affordable and classy --- these are going to make great graduation thank you notes as well!

stamps: Hero Arts ClearDesign: Congrats

ink: Distress Embossing Ink Pad

paper: Neenah Solar White

accessories: Silver Super Fine Embossing Powder

Kraft Bag Advent Calendar by Julie Ebersole

*click on the pics to en-biggan*

My house isn't decorated for Christmas just yet, so you'll hafta pardon the wrinkly tablecloth back-drop. *wink*

Every year, I think I'm going to create an Advent Calendar and every year I don't. There are so many absolutely darling ideas out there, but usually, the ones I fall in love with would take more than I have time for as a busy, working mama. I need something I can do in about an hour or two max. If you're anything like me, then this is the advent project for you!

*see supplies & materials list below*

Before I get started, I would like to mention that I don't currently have any number stamps or stickers, BUT I just happened to have a numbers die that worked, so I used what I had.  But, it did take a bit of time to glue each of the numbers all down.  This project actually would have gone faster, if I'd had stamps or stickers. A set that would work well for this project is the Hero Arts Garamond Numbers.

The first thing you want to do is stamp your little ATC Kraft bags--they are so stinkin' cute--one package will provide 25 bags, but you might as well pick up an extra package while you're at it, because after you're finished making the advent calendar, there are all kinds of other projects these babies are fun to use in. Trust me.

TIP: Whenever I'm stamping something like a bag that will have some uneven areas due to the bottom flap being folded up on the back side, I like to insert a piece of card stock into the bag to help create a nice flat surface under that front side. This helps me get the nicest, most even impressions.

When the bags are all stamped, just set them aside to dry while you work on the next part of the project.

Punch out 24 1-inch circles from some pretty patterned paper--I love this red ledger style patterned paper from the Wonder 6x6" Paper Pad by Authentique, and I was able to punch 24 circles from just one sheet.

Apply your numbers (or stamp them with black ink).

Now mount the number discs to the bags, atop the stamped snowflakes.  I wanted a little dimension, so I popped them up with foam mounting squares.

Figure out what you want to tuck inside--little trinkets are cute, and candies are fun, as well--just consider whether or not it will hang above a blazing fireplace because you wouldn't want any CHOCOLATES inside to melt.  Ask me how I know. 

String up your festive twine (twine ended up being 7' long, to leave enough length for tying, etc.) where desired, fold the tops of the bags down and clip them to the twine--I hung mine by the corners and let them overlap as you can see.

OK, seriously, aren't these teeny clothespins just the cutest things ever?! Eep! Um, yeah, I always get 2 packages because, just like the little bags, they are gobs of fun to use on other projects.  Just sayin' . . .

•••••••••••••••••••

Supplies & Materials:

Hero Arts Clear Design Snowflake Stamp Set
3D Foam Squares, Mixed
Adirondack Pigment Ink Pad, Snow Cap
Authentique 6x6 Paper Pad Wonder
ATC Mini Bags, Kraft 25 pk
Little Clothespins, 25 ct
Doodlebug Twine, Primary Assortment
EK Success 1" Circle Punch

Other:  Numbers die cut from black card stock

Little Red Wagon

This month's thank you note is this oh, so cute wagon filled with toys by Karen Lockhart. I love that Karen's stamps always have that hand drawn look and in this case it is perfect for these vintage toy-filled wagon. We have a special surprise for you this week only --- the Wagon of Toys is going to be our stamp of the week at 25% off! So I wanted to share a project with you that might help you "recycle" your little thank you note and give you a simple and not too fussy design you could use for your Christmas cards.

I felt that it paired beautifully with the word "dream," because it is fun to dream of the days when we were young - the anticipation of something new to play with, friends and family gathered to eat and play games together, snow covered hills to go sledding on... all delightful things to dream about! 

Dream from Tim Holtz Sizzix Mover and Shapers series is just the right size to fit on a card front. Simply sit it in the Base Tray and butt it right up to the edge, centering it to make it easy to know where to place your cardstock. Position your cardstock and place the cutting pad on top and simply run it through your machine.

Next take an ink blending tool and add a little color around the word to define the edges. I am DELIGHTED to tell you that the new Iced Spruce Limited Edition Distress Ink Pad is a wonderful coordinate to Copic colors BG72/BG75. If you love these colors you may just want to pick these pads up.

To color in the wagon of toys I used the colors shown above. Simply start with the lightest color and adding depth with the darker shades.

The final steps when coloring are to use a very well sharpened color pencil and add additional depth with a slight cross-hatch pattern to the tree and bear to create texture. As well add a little glitz with the Copic Spicas - I used gold, lipstick and turquoise.

You will notice a "snowy" appearance on the Kraft cardstock. Yes, I'm a convert to the Mister Huey Calico White - it is definitely THE most opaque mist I have used. It should be on our shelves later this week so stay tuned on Facebook for an update when it arrives.

Thank you for stopping in again here in the CLASSroom and have a wonderful week ahead!

stamps: Lockhart Wagon of Toys

ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Iced Spruce Distress Ink, Copic colors shown above

paper: Memory Box Kraft and Red Pepper CS

accessories: Tim Holtz Dream Movers and Shapers Die and Base Tray, Mister Huey' Calico White Mist, Ink Blending Tool

Ho Ho Snowglobe by Julia Stainton

With holidays on the horizon, I've been busy creating lots of Christmas cards to share this year. One of my recent favorites this this sweet holiday snowglobe card. I love matching die and stamp combos and I love this Memory Box duo. Memory Box even has more coordinating stamps making me excited about all the fun possibilites.

Today my snowglobe holds the sweet Santa Globe stamp. I'm thinking I'll have to try making this card again and put a family photo into the globe. Wouldn't that be fun?

To start off with, the Memory Box Globe die comes in one piece. This is fine if you are just die cutting layers but I wanted to die cut a window and so I cut them apart. super easy with some strong scissors. And how cool is it that the globe comes with a gridded window for easy placement?!

 

Putting together the card is super easy in layers. Notice that I use a smaller separate layer of white to stamp the image on. It makes it SO much easier to line up the stamped image inside the snowglobe this way.

In  order...white card base, red layer, stamped image white cardstock layer, Crystal Clear Plastic layer, Die cut window layer.

 

Here it is all adhered together. You can see the shine that the plastic layer adds making it look more like a glass globe.

I love stamping sentiments on tags and this little fragment is the perfect place for an "icy" ho ho ho sentiment.

For final embellishment touches, a little twine and snowflakes makes for a fun and festive design.

Have fun getting your holiday craft on and thanks for stopping by the CLASSroom!

 

Supplies:

Solar White cardstock by Neenah, Season's Greetings 6x6 paper pad by Echo Park Paper Co., Grand Snow Globe Memory Box Die,  Santa Globe Stamp by Memory Box, Holiday Sayings Stamp set by Hero Arts, Fragment Charms by Tim Holtz, Red and Brown Baker's Twine by Jillibean Soup, Crystal Clear Medium Weight Plastic by Essentials by Ellen, Jet Black Archival ink by Ranger, Snowflakes Mini Chipboard by Maya Road, Picket Fence Distress Crackle Paint by Ranger, White Snowflakes Transparencies by Maya Road