the CLASSroom

Happy Heart Gift Card Holder by Sharon Harnist

Well, the holidays are officially in full-swing! I always like dressing up gift cards, to make them a little more special and help them not get lost amongst all the flying gift wrap, so here's a quick and cute gift card holder idea for you today:

My heart sure was happy when I discovered this fabulous new My Favorite Things "tag" Blueprints 9 Die-namic set:

I adore any kind of tag and this great set has a LOT of fun accessories to make it extremely versatile!  Like that pointed arrow looking shape on the far left?  That turns your cute tag into a pocket tag!  

My pocket tag was made from Memory Box Holly Berry Cardstock. Please visit the Blueprints 9 product page here in Ellen's store, to view a quick video that details how to make the pocket I made to hold a pull-out gift card:

I just cut a piece of white cardstock 3.50" tall by 3.75" wide, used the tab die to cut a black tab for the top, adhered the black tab to the top of the white pull-out card, then used a few Mini Glue Dots do hold the gift card in place ... easy peasy! Plus, you have the back of the white pull-out card to stamp a greeting or write a note.

Here's how I colored this adorable MFT Pure Innocence Happy Heart Snowman with Copic Sketch Markers. He was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto Neenah Solar White cardstock:

(Left) R22 and R24 for his heart, leaving a white highlight visible. (Right) T3 and T5 for his hat.

(Left) BV20 was used to give the snowman cool, icy shadows; then (right) 0-Colorless Blender softens out the harsh lines, blending them out to white.

Lastly, C0 was used to shade behind the snowman, to help make him stand out from the background:

Snowman was die cut with MFT's Pierced Oval Stax die and adhered to the front of my pocket tag, over Doodlebug Ladybug Twine.

It appears you all have already been doing your Black Friday shopping with Ellen's great special this weekend and a few of the items I had already made this project with have gone out of stock -- my apologies. But if you find an item out of stock or with a "Coming Soon" notation, simply click the box under the price and Customer Service will send you an email to let you know when it's back in the store!

Happy holidays! ~ Sharon

{Supplies}

MFT Clear Samp Set, Pure Innocence-Happy Heart Snowman	A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, 25 pk	Memento Ink Pad, Tuxedo Black	COPIC Sketch Marker R22, Light Prawn
COPIC Sketch Marker R24, Prawn	COPIC Sketch Marker T3, Toner Gray #3	COPIC Sketch Marker T5, Toner Gray #5	Copic Sketch Marker, BV20 Dull Lavender
COPIC Sketch Marker, 0 Colorless Blender	Sizzix Big Shot Machine, Powder Blue & Teal	MFT Die-namics, Blueprints 9	MFT Die-namics, STAX Pierced Oval
B8 Cardstock, Holly Berry	Memory Box Licorice Cardstock	Doodlebug Doodle Twine Spool, Ladybug	Teflon Bone Folder
High Tack Double-Sided Tissue Tape, 1/4"

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Joyful Greetings Photo Card by Heather Campbell

I love creating for Christmas and while I obsess over the card I'll send out to family and friends, I've also learned (the hard way) I have to keep it easy and something that the entire family can assist with.  It must be mail-able and it has to include a photo.  Not too hard, right?

Meet this year's card.

When it comes to mass production, I've learned a few things but it all can be summarized in three words - keep it simple.  I use a lot of dies because, well, my kids love to use my Big Shot.  Die cut projects like this will keep them entertained for hours with minimal supervision and allows them to share in the excitement of sending and receiving Christmas cards.

To create my card, I stamped my own background on Cranberry cardstock.  I love patterned paper but when I'm in mass production mode, I try to steer clear of it.

With my stamped background complete, I die cut the background using the new Mama Elephant Femme Frames to give it an adorable scalloped border.  This die set is too perfect for words.  

Next, it's time for the photo.  I printed and trimmed a photo to fit behind a die cut polaroid shape. 

To add some color to the polaroid picture, I die cut the 'joyful' from the same cranberry cardstock and stamped the 'greetings' in black to tie in the black and white photo.  To give it a finishing touch, I wrapped twine around the polaroid.

Because the card is relatively red & white, I wanted to add some interest without distracting from the color scheme.  I die cut snowflakes from silver glitter paper and nested them behind the polaroid photo.

 

I love how the twine gives the appearance of grounding the photo to the card while still being completely mailable.

Thank you so much for sharing part of your day with me here in the CLASSroom.  I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving tomorrow too! - Heather

Lawn Fawn Clear Stamps, Peace Love Joy	WPlus9 Design Studio Clear Stamp Set, Merry and Bright	Paper Smooches Wise Dies, Snowflakes	Lawn Cuts Dies, Say Cheese
Paper Smooches Wise Dies, Christmas Words	Mama Elephant Creative Cuts, Femme Frames	Shadow Ink: Mid-Tone, Red Royal	American Crafts, Pow! Glitter Paper, 12x12 Silver Solid, 2pk
Lawn Fawn Hemp Cord, Single Spool Peppermint	Memento Ink Pad, Tuxedo Black	BB6 Cardstock, Cranberry	A3 Cardstock, Neenah Environment Desert Storm, 25 pk
Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Ream	Sizzix Big Shot Machine, Powder Blue & Teal	Paper Trimmer, Tonic Guillotine 12"" x 6""

InLinkz.com

Hello, Monday 11.25.2013

(click on the pics to enbiggan)

Christmas will be upon us before you know it, and if you haven't started your holiday cards yet, fear not! *cheeky grin* I'm sharing 3 easy ideas that feature one super fun stamp set called Naughty or Nice by Hero Arts--totally love the greetings! This is one versatile set that will enable you to pair lots of other holiday themed items with ease!

See what I mean?

I used a favorite set of number stamps, but you could certainly adapt stickers or dies to pull off the same idea...

I love that the Scattered Dots background stamp and Soft Granite ink add texture, but don't overwhelmin the focal imagery on this one!

A little bit o' bling can go a long way...this card may be sweetly simple, but it still sparkles and shines!

Enjoy the video here or hop on over HERE to watch it on our YouTube Channel! Hit the play button then click on the gear to switch to 720p for best video quality and thank you, as always, for watching and subscribing!

Happy Mundane (to the 3rd...)! *wink*

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SUPPLIES:

Hero Arts ClearDesign: Naughty or Nice	Avery Elle Clear Stamps, Count on It	Impression Obsession Cover-a-Card Cling Stamp Set: Scattered Dots	Savvy Stamps Dies, Sled
Memory Box Dies, Holiday Hats	Memento Luxe Ink Pad, White	Hero Arts Pigment Ink Pad, Unicorn	Hero Arts Embossing Powder, White
Inkadinkado Embossing Magic Bag	Powder Tool Adhesive Deactivator	Hero Arts Embossing Gun	Shadow Ink: Mid-Tone, Pale Tomato
Shadow Ink, Soft Granite	Shadow Ink, Soft Pool	VersaMark Inkpad	COPIC Sketch Marker R27, Cadmium Red
A5 Cardstock, Black, 10 pack	A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Ream	A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, 25 pack	American Crafts, Pow! Glitter Paper, 12x12 Silver Solid, 2 pk
Cosmo Cricket Wood Charms, Stars	My Mind's Eye Enamel Dots, Mistletoe Magic	Hero Arts Gemstones, Assorted Clear Crystals	Lawn Fawn Hemp Cord, Single Spool Peppermint
Tweezer Bee	Tweezers, Stainless	Glue Glider Pro	2 Way Glue, Chisel Tip
Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue, .88 oz	Accents, Mini Glossy	Accents, Glossy	Kool Tak White Foam Adhesive, 1/4 Squares (1/16 Thick)
Glue Glider Pro Plus Refill, High Tac 58'	Sizzix Big Shot Machine, Powder Blue & Teal	1.5" circle punch

InLinkz.com

Vintage Holiday Hanging by Julia Stainton

It's time to deck the halls and add some lovely holiday touches around the house. How about a project in a simple vintage style? I think it makes a sweet addition to an old dresser I salvaged, painted black and now use as a sideboard in my eating area.

 I've been DYING to use this stunning Meliss Frances hanger for SO long. It's so beautiful and the exciting thing about it is you can clip it to almost anything. As it's easy to remove and reclip, you can change up your design projects throughout the season and display them. {love}

 

Black and white is very popular right now and it also has a great vintage look to it. It seemd like a no-brainer to pick the color combo right from the hanger. A black and white and grey Christmas project? Hmmmm...it's different but I really love the look.

 

I've created my hanging project using Craft-a-Board. If you've never tried it, you really should. Put it on your to try list. The possibilities are endless and I love the soft vanilla color. So much nicer than grey chipboard.

For nice clean cuts, I adhered the patterned paper to the Craft-a-Board BEFORE cutting it with my Tonic Guillotine cutter. It makes really nice clean edges. If you're into exact measurements, the base is 4"x5.5" and the grey layer is 3.5"x5"

Likewise, I die-cut after the paper is on and die cutting the grey paper covered Craft-a-Board layer makes some sweet negative snowflake shapes. This is super easy to do with Movers and Shapers dies by Tim Holtz for Sizzix and the Magnetic Movers and Shapers tray. You'll see in later photos that at this point the layers are glued together and then stitched on my sewing machine. Yes you CAN stitch two layers of Craft-a-Board very easily on a sewing machine. Stitching is always a nice subtle detail and also has the added benefit of making your project extra sturdy.

Onto the sentiment...I've used some of my favorite chipboard letters and altered them with some Picket Fence Distress Crackle Paint. Love, love, love Distress Crackle Paint and how it crackles as it dries. It's perfect for any vintage themed project. My tip for you...just be patient and let it dry natural for the best crackle effect.

I wanted to add a little extra pop with these letters so while the paint is wet, I sprinkled on some Vintage Glass Glitter. It's another great vintage touch.

Next I needed a piece of cardstock to stamp my sentiment onto. Soft pink is always pretty with black and white and I need a subtle pop of color. The problem was that I didn't have the color I wanted. What to do, what to do...

Make my own of course. Yes you can color your own cardstock with Copic Markers. Alcohol based inks won't pill the paper the same as waterbased markers and you won't get streaks. The key to coloring your own paper is to saturate it well with the marker ink. Go over and over it in a circular motion until the paper is all one uniform color.  You'll want to wait until the ink is very very dry and then you can stamp on it.

My next step is a tip I learned from a student when I was teaching a class last year. It's so easy to make your own notched banner ends with a simple pair of scissors.

1. Notch your banner strip at the end where you want the "v" to be. Just cut in at 90°
2. Cut from one corner to the end of the notched cut.
3. Cut from the other corner to the end to form your notch.

It's so much easier and more accurate than trying to cut your angles right off from the start.

Here's a detail of the dried and crackled letters and I've wrapped the sentiment banner over them from the back on the left side.

I just couldn't resist a picture of the beautiful vintage style hanger. It makes it super easy to make any project gorgeous.

I loved creating this project and can't wait to create more to span the seasons. If you're not into creating home decor, you can create a holiday card by just creating this project onto a card base. It's the perfect size for that as well.

Have fun creating for the holidays, have a fabulous weekend and thanks for stopping by the CLASSroom!

 

Supplies:

Melissa Frances Flower Hanger	Tonic Paper Trimmer Guillotine, 12x6	Krystallos Vintage Glass Glitter	Essentials by Ellen: Craft-a-Board 6x12, 12p
Tim Holtz Mirrored Stars	A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, 25 pack	Tis the Season 6x6 paper pad	NEW Archival Ink Pad, Jet Black
Distress Ink Pad, Brushed Corduroy	Accents, Glossy	Sizzix, Tim Holtz, Movers & Shapers Magnetic Die, Mini Snowflakes Set	Movers and Shapers Base Tray
Sizzix Big Shot Machine, Powder Blue & Teal	Lisa Chipboard Alphabet	COPIC Sketch Marker R20, Blush

InLinkz.com

 

Blog Candy Winners

We are excited to share the winners of our welcome blog candy with you today! Each of the following individuals will receive a $25 certificate to our store! We will be working on getting emails sent out to the four winners today :)

Welcome Heather Winner

Welcome Kittie Winner

Parker & Molly Blog Winner

 

 

 

 

Kittie Krafts Blog Winner

224      Rachel V said...

Wow! Look at all that wonderful dimension on your card! I love all the kitties too! Amazing work!

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Online Card Classes Holiday Card Workshop is well underway and it has been fabulous! You still have time to join in the fun- the projects have been wonderful! Don't delay and get registered. 

Following are the names of the lucky winners who were enrolled :)

Holiday Card Workshop Winners

 

Thank you once again for taking the time to share your love with our designers here in the CLASSroom - we appreciate you stopping by and sharing your support!

Poinsettia with PanPastel by Kittie Caracciolo

Growing up in my mother’s flower shop gave me  a true love for flowers. When I first began playing with paper and stamps years ago creating a dimensional flower involved multiple stamped images, coloring and lots of tedious fussy cutting.  Paper crafting has been kicked up a notch with the wonderful dies and coloring mediums available to us today. My project today showcases coloring the Poppystamps Blooming Poinsettia with PanPastel.  I make no claim to being an expert with PanPastel as they fairly new to me.  But they are very easy and fun to use.

I cut my flowers in white so the veins of the petals would show well after the color was applied. I began by applying a light pink layer to the whole flower.

Next using a very “light touch” I began applying and blending bright red starting in the center and working out on the petals.

I use one side of the mini applicator for applying the pastel and the clean side to blend and smooth out the colors.

Notice how the veins of the petals show through.

I used the same steps to color the green leaves, pine branch and holly.

Before assembling the sections I form all the petals with my stylus and molding pad to add dimension and “life” to the flower. I used the same steps to form the pine and holly.

Here’s a close view of the finished poinsettia.

I attached the pine and poinsettia to the card base with glossy accents and finished by tucking in a few pieces of the holly vine.

I hope my step by step photos show you how easy it is to play with PanPastel. 

I am so happy you joined me in the CLASSroom today and I especially want to thank you for the lovely warm welcome I received on my post last Friday.  I hope you have Happy Thanksgiving!

Poppystamps Dies, Blooming Poinsettia	Sizzix Rachael Bright, Thinlits Die Set, Frame Layers & Flowers, 4 pk	Impression Obsession Dies, Pine Branch	Memory Box Dies, Holly Vine
A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Ream	PanPastel Ultra Soft Artist Pastel 9 ml, Permanent Red Tint 340.8	PanPastel Ultra Soft Artist Pastel 9 ml, Bright Yellow Green Shade 680.3	PanPastel Ultra Soft Artist Pastel 9 ml, Permanent Red 340.5
PanPastel Ultra Soft Artist Pastel 9 ml, Hansa Yellow Shade 220.3	Sizzix Accessory, Tool Kit inspired by Susan Tierney-Cockburn	High Tack Double-Sided Foam Mounting Tape, 1/2"	Accents, Glossy
Tim Holtz Tonic Retractable Craft Pick	Tonic Paper Trimmer Guillotine, 12x6	Teflon Bone Folder	PanPastel Sofft Mini Applicators, 12 pk

InLinkz.com

Hello, Monday 11.18.2013

Normally, I'm a girl who gravitates towards color--vibrant, explosive color... But lately I've been very drawn to black, white & kraft inspiration boards on Pinterest--for the holidays! I could be completely off base about the Nordic influences I see within this particular trend, but either way, I like it! The interjection of kraft seems to soften it, giving it a "modern rustic" look that I find extremely appealing.

This glassine shaker pocket is a fun way to incorporate the look--I just love the confetti and wood stars, diffused by the glassine. And even tho the trees are black, they feel magical to me, with their little white sprinkles of snowflakes! :)

Enjoy the video here or hop on over to our YouTube channel. Click on the play button, and then click on the little gear icon to choose 720p for best viewing quality. As always, thank you for watching and subscribing!

Have a happy Mundane! ;)

SUPPLIES:

Savvy Stamps, Merry Christmas Brush Styl	Memory Box Dies, Pine Trio Background	Lawn Fawn Clear Stamps, Let it Snow	Savvy Stamps, Snowflake Trio
Savvy Stamps, Happy Holidays Brush Style	VersaFine, Onyx Black	Hero Arts Memories Pigment Ink Pad, Unicorn White	Cosmo Cricket Wood Charms, Stars
Paper Accents Glassine Envelopes, 3.5x3.5	Project Life 12x12 Designer Paper Collection Pack, Heritage Edition	A5 Cardstock, Black, 10 pack	A3 Cardstock, Neenah Environment Desert Storm, Ream
A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, 25 pack	Sew Easy Baker's Twine, Black	Paper Trimmer, Tonic Guillotine 8 1/2"	Sizzix Big Shot Machine, Powder Blue & Teal
Kool Tak White Foam Adhesive, 1/4 Squares (1/16 Thick)	Glue Glider Pro	Glue Glider Pro Plus Refill, High Tac 58'

InLinkz.com

Thankful for You by Sharon Harnist

With Thanksgiving less than 2 weeks away, I figured I might need a card or two for the occasion, so this little sweetie got some coloring time this weekend:

My Favorite Things' Pure Innocence line of clear stamps has long been one of my favorites and this It's A Sign combines another one of my current favorite trends -- chalkboards ... what could be better?  Not much, in my opinion!

To create the backgrond paper, I used this pretty Hero Arts Lisa's Painted Maple Leaf wood block stamp, inked and stamped with some of Hero Arts new Ink Daubers (Butter Cup, Cup O' Joe, Field Greens, Pale Tomato) onto Neenah Classic Cream cardstock:

I always like choosing or creating my background paper first, and then color the image to coordinate. I find my projects turn out more cohesive that way. With 358 Copic colors to choose from, I can usually find the perfect match! I chose a sunny Copic marker (YR21) to match with the yellow stamped background leaves and airbrushed around the edges of my die cut image while it was still in the die (MFT's Blueprints 1):

Again, choosing tones of Copic markers that would coordinate with the stamped leaves, I used E43 and E44 for the chalkboard's (W7) wood frame. See how nicely the frame coordinates with that brown leaf?

I finished coloring the PI girl with these Sketch Markers E00 & E11 (skin); E23 & E25 (hair & shoes); R22, R24 & R27 (dress & socks); W0 & W1 (shadows):

Above -- I used Memento's new Luxe White pigment ink to stamp the first part of the sentiment on the chalkboard and let me tell you, I have found my new favorite white ink -- oh, my! Look how nice and crisp that image stamped!

To make a color coordinated mat for the stamped image, I used the brown (Cup O' Joe) Hero Arts Ink Dauber to color the edges of the cream die cut cardstock mat.  I did the same with a cream top-folded cardstock card base, golden (Butter Cup) stitched accent piece and round red (Pale Tomato) sentiment piece, for perfect color coordination!

All those colored and stamped layers were popped up with Copic's X-Press It Foam Tape, for lots of dimension. And let me tell you how much I'm loving My Favorite Things' Blueprints dies . . . they make cardmaking easier than it's ever been!

Thanks so much for joining me here in the CLASSroom today and since it's my last post before Thanksgiving ... I hope your holiday is wonderful!  ~Sharon

{Supplies}

Hero Arts Wood Block Stamp, Lisa's Painted Maple Leaf	Hero Arts Ink Dauber, Butter Cup	Hero Arts Ink Dauber, Cup O' Joe	Hero Arts Ink Dauber, Field Greens
Hero Arts Ink Dauber, Pale Tomato	My Favorite Things Clear Stamp Set, Pure Innocence-It's A Sign	Copic Sketch Markers	Memento Ink Pad, Rich Cocoa
Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Classic Cream, 25 pk	MFT Die-namics, Blueprints 1	Copic Airbrush jSystem Starter Kit 1N	High Tack Double-Sided Foam Mounting Tape, 1/2"
Memento Luxe Ink Pad, White

InLinkz.com

Totally cool snowman by Heather Campbell

One of the things that is most important to me is that we provide the best education and inspiration to all those of you who support us here at Ellen Hutson LLC. It is with much excitement today that we announce two wonderful additions to our design team as they join our fabulous group who inspires and educates here on a regular basis in the CLASSroom! Heather Campbell lives right here in the Pacific Northwest - her cheery smile warms my heart each time she stops in here at the office! Thank you Heather for your willingness to help on the spur of the moment and always going above and beyond! 

As a Paper Crafts magazine Go-to Gal, a member of the Avery Elle design team and a mom who works, we are so very lucky to have her here as well. You can find more of Heather's clean and simple work on her blog Parker & Molly.

Heather will be contributing every other Wednesday here in the CLASSroom, so be certain to stop by and leave her comments from time to time to cheer her on. Please help us welcome her today both here and on her blog, Parker & Molly! As our way of thanking you for taking the time to do so you will have two chances to win a $25 store credit - one here in the CLASSroom and one over on Heather's blog! Please do so before Monday, November 18th midnight Pacific Standard Time to be a part of our random drawing.

Welcome Heather! We are thrilled and honored to have you here - thank you for sharing a fun way to use the Project Life products in such a fun way! Big hugs and a warm welcome - Ellen

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Hello everyone!  Heather here and I am thrilled beyond belief to be here today as an official part of the CLASSroom!  I am so excited!

For my introductory post, I thought it would be appropriate to do something that is extremely my style.  

I have a confession. I love journaling cards.  One of my favorite tricks these days is creating my own journaling cards and the Technique Tuesday Story Card dies make this so easy!

I die cut my journaling card and stamped the snowman from Good to Snow by Technique Tuesday.  

Since I wanted him to appear on top of the snow line, I needed to cover the white space inside the snowman so ink doesn't go through him when I stamp.  This will allow the snowman to appear on top and in front of the snow line.  This term is often referred to ask masking and is definitely one of my favorite techniques  

Then, I stamped the background of the journaling card using Hero Arts' Tiny Ink Spots DesignBlock, using the same masking technique to keep the snow of the snowman and on the ground white, putting the snowman in front of the falling snow. 

I added some snowflakes using the same Hero Arts soft pool ink and stamped my sentiment. 

One I had my background done, I peeled off my masking paper and added paper pieced the scarf, earmuffs and heart.  I also outlined the snowman and the snow with my lightest shade of blue copic marker to make them appear extra white. 

Ta-da!  Journaling card done and it's so cute!  I could have easily made this into a tag but I really wanted to put it on a card. 

I stamped some of the snowflakes on kraft and then wrapped it with twine.  

Since I didn't want a lump behind the journaling card, I punched holes with a small hole punch and threaded my favorite twine ever around the layer of kraft cardstock so that the journaling card could sit flush

Here's how it looks from behind. I used washi tape to secure it on the back so the knot wouldn't cause any lumps. 

A strip of the new My Mind's Eye Mistletoe Magic decorative tape and it's adhered to the card and I love how it sits nice and flush to the card.

Thank you so much for stopping by the CLASSroom today!  I'm thrilled to be here!

Technique Tuesday Clear Stamps, Good to Snow	Lawn Fawn Petite Paper Pack, Peace Joy Love	My Mind's Eye Decorative Tape, Mistletoe Magic	Lawn Fawn Hemp Cord, Single Spool Peppermint
Technique Tuesday Dies, Story Card	DesignBlock Tiny Ink Spots Background	A3 Cardstock, Neenah Environment Desert Storm, Ream	Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, 25 pack
Shadow Ink, Soft Pool	Hero Arts Shadow Ink, Soft: Sand	Memento Ink Pad, Tuxedo Black	Crop-a-Dile Corner Chomper Tool
Sizzix Big Shot Machine, Powder Blue & Teal

InLinkz.com

Christmas Staircase Scene by Kittie Caracciolo

It is such a privilege to welcome Kittie Caracciolo to the CLASSroom as one of our design team members today! Kittie will be posting for us every other Wednesday, opposite Heather. What a lucky woman I am to have these incredibly talented women joining us here in the CLASSroom.

When I first discovered that Kittie was linking to our store several years ago I reached out to thank her, as I never want to take advantage of others who help us. It was my lucky day that day I discovered her kindness! I am going to get a little sentimental here - Kittie has been such a blessing in my life over the past year, she has stood beside me through the tough times. I am so grateful Kittie that you have always been willing to step in and help whenever I needed assistance - thank you for your love, support and kindness.

Kittie is also a member of the Impression Obsession design team --- she does a beautiful job showcasing the dies and stamps together in the gorgeous scenes she creates! You can find more of Kittie's amazing work with dies on her blog Kittie Krafts!

I would like to invite you to leave a welcoming comment here and on Kittie's blog, Kittie Krafts. Once again we would like to thank you for taking time out of your day to do so by offering a $25 gift certificate both here and on Kittie's blog! Please do so before Monday, November 18th midnight Pacific Standard Time to be a part of our random drawing.

Thank you Kittie for the kindness you have shown me and for your constant support. We are overjoyed to have you joining us here in the CLASSroom as you share your creative talents with all those who come here for inspiration and education! The scene you have created for today's post makes me so excited for the Christmas season ahead! Big hugs and thanks! - Ellen

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I am thrilled and honored to be a joining Ellen’s wonderful team of CLASSroom designers.  Julie, Sharon, Julia and Ellen have been inspiring for many years. For my first post I thought it would be  fitting and fun to share two of my favorite things.  I love making dimensional die cut scenes especially with Christmas themes and images. 

The first time I saw the Memory Box Staircase die I knew I had to have it.  It is such a perfect scenery piece to decorate for a holiday card. I had to study it a bit to figure out how to highlight the stairs and banister and allow them to show with coordinating paper.  After lots of thinking I finally figured out that I just needed to cut the second staircase out of whatever colored paper I was using for my project and I attached it slightly below the stair line so the white steps would still show.

I scored white cardstock and attached to the card base and staircase wall.

I attached 1/2” mounting tape to the back of the staircase and attached it to the card base.  Popping the staircase up adds dimension and interest to the scene. I know it may look like I went a little overboard on the mounting tape but I wanted it to have a strong base for attaching the tree.

I love the Elizabeth Craft Designs 5 Part Pine die set.  The different sized tree parts attached together create dimension and I love crimping the pieces to add another element.  I think it is important to attach the pieces together with mounting tape to create good separation between each section.

I love adding a homey feel to my scenes by including an animal or two or three.  LOL!  I think it’s always better to design with odd numbers. I love the Impression Obsession Cat set and knew I would be using them lots for my scenes.  I have included a few step by step photos of how I color my die cut animals.  My secret weapon and new favorite tool for coloring small objects is the Sofft Mini Applicator.  These applicators are not just for PanPastel.    There is a very unique texture to the sponge that allows color to be applied and blended perfectly.  I always turn to my Distress Inks for this kind of coloring job as they blend so perfectly.

I want to emphasize the word “lightly” and I will be using it a few times during this section.  I lightly touch the sponge directly on the Antique Linen pad to gather ink.  I gently touch the sponge to the paper and move it lightly in a circular motion to apply and blend the ink. I cover the whole cat with the light brown.

I turn to Vintage Photo for the darker shading and use a very, very light touch when gathering and applying the ink. A little bit of this dark brown ink goes a long way so tread softly. 

I pulled out lots of different dies for accessorizing and decorating my scene. I used the Memory Box Christmas Lights set along with metallic gold cord string to create a string of lights to decorate the tree.  I attached the light to the string with glossy accents.  I thought the Memory Box Train Set would be perfect along the bottom of the tree. The Christmas presents, bows, candy canes and star tree topper were all made using the Impression Obsession Bare Christmas Tree set. The evergreen on the staircase was made using the Impression Obsession Pine Sprig Cluster. The Memory Box Bright Lantern was embossed with gold embossing powder to create my wall sconce. I tucked a few cats into the scene for the final finishing touch.

I hope you have been inspired to pull out your dies and try your hand at creating a scene project. They are so much fun to make and a real gift for the recipient. 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Memory Box Dies, Classic Staircase	Memory Box Dies, Christmas Lights Set	Memory Box Dies, Train Set	Memory Box Dies, Bright Lanterns
Impression Obsession Dies, Cat Set	Impression Obsession Dies, Bare Christmas Tree	Impression Obsession Dies, Pine Sprig Cluster	Elizabeth Craft Designs Die, 5 Part Pine
String by the Spool, Metallic Gold	VersaMark Inkpad	Ranger Super Fine Embossing Powder, 1 oz. Gold	PanPastel Sofft Mini Applicators, 12 pk
Distress Marker, Barn Door	Stickles, Yellow	Accents, Glossy	Fiskars Paper Crimper, Straight
Distress Ink Pad, Vintage Photo	Ranger Distress Ink Pad, Antique Linen	High Tack Double-Sided Foam Mounting Tape, 1/2"	Memory Box Cardstock, Dill
B8 Cardstock, Holly Berry	A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Ream	Memory Box Cardstock, Sage	Teflon Bone Folder
Tonic Paper Trimmer Guillotine, 12x6	Memory Box Dies, Metal Adaptor Plate	Sizzix Big Shot Machine, Powder Blue & Teal	Tim Holtz Tonic Retractable Craft Pick

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Hello, Monday 11.11.2013

(click on the pics to enbiggan)

Ever have a never-ending love affair with a particular trend? That's me. With woodgrain. I have no idea if woodgrain is trendy any more, truth be told. Regardless, real bois, faux bois... it makes no never mind... It's a look I never get tired of and my eyes immediately glom onto anything and everything that incorporates it.

I've had the idea in mind for a while now to make a holiday card with some Real Wood [veneer] sheets, and the instant I spied them, I knew I had to incorporate the Deer Trio die by Impression Obsession into the design--the deer are so graceful and majestic...and somehow, I just knew they'd be stunning in woodgrain...

The inlaid effect turned out even more sophisticated than I had imagined and the little Studio Calico Wood Veneer Snowflakes were kinda the icing on the cake, adding one more aspect of dimension and color of woodgrain! I love LOVE the end result!!! *giddy*

When you watch the video you'll see how I keep my precious collection of wood veneers organized and stored--seems to be working very well for me!

I have a few tips to mention when working with Real Wood sheets, in case you don't catch them in the video:

• I've found I get the best, clean cuts using a guillotine trimmer/cutter like the Tonic
• When stamping, pigment inks (such as Brilliance, Ranger, Memento Luxe) yield the most crisp impressions and don't "feather" into the woodgrain like dye inks tend to; if necessary, use an embossing gun to heat set the ink
• Avoid waste by using a Stamp-a-ma-Jig; there's nothing worse than eyeballing an impression, getting it wrong and then having to discard high quality materials. Ouch!

Enjoy the video here or head on over to watch it HERE on our YouTube channel. After you hit the play button, you can click on the little gear icon and opt for 720p, for best viewing quality. Thanks for watching and subscribing!

Happy Mundane! :)

SUPPLIES:

 

Memory Box Wood Mount Stamp, Simply Wonderful	Impression Obsession Dies, Deer Trio	Real Wood Cherry, Thin, 8.5x11	Real Wood Cherry, Thin, 6x12
Studio Calico Wonderland, Wood Veneer, Snowflakes	Brilliance Ink Pad, Coffee Bean	COPIC Sketch Marker E09, Burnt Sienna	A Cardstock, Essentials by Ellen: Woodgrain Embossed #110 Cardstock, 10 Pack
A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, 25 pack	Paper Trimmer, Tonic Guillotine 8 1/2"	Martha Stewart Scoring Board, Mini	A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Ream
Stamp-a-ma-Jig	Be Creative Tape, 65mm (2.5)	Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue, .88 oz	Accents, Glossy
Sizzix Big Shot Machine, Powder Blue & Teal	Crop-a-Dile Corner Chomper Tool, Angle & Photo Corner	Crop-A-Dile Eyelet & Snap Punch	Nesting Paper Punch, Circle 1/2
Tweezer Bee	Tweezers, Stainless	Kool Tak White Foam Adhesive, 1/4 Squares (1/16 Thick)	Glue Glider Pro
Glue Glider Pro Plus Refill, High Tac 58'	String by the Spool, Natural Burlap

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Today & Always by Julia Stainton

Last winter we were blessed with a special celebration in our family. My oldest son was married two days after Valentine's Day. It was a gorgeous winter wedding and to see them both so happy was an incredible joy.

One of my favourite photos of this special day has been sitting in my craft room for ages and I was excited to finally get it onto a scrapbooking page. I'd like to share a little of the process with you here today.

 

One of the elements I really love to design around is texture. While we usually start with some cardstock as a base for a scrapbook page, I decided to experiment with some beautiful corrugated cardboard to make a strong and beautifully textured base.

A great way to highlight texture is to brush paint across it. The paint adheres to the highest points of the textured surface and allows the lower sections to remain untouched.

To create pattern as well as texture, I used a template over the corruaged paper and then applied my paint. As you can see I left some of the template unpainted so that the pattern and paint just seem to fade off in the design.

I used the Harlequin 12x12 template by Crafter's Workshop. You can find other great templates to get a similar look here.

The most important part of almost every layout is the photo. Placing the photo and larger elements into the design first is the best place to start.

From there on, I just keep adding little details until it "feels" right.

The chipboard elements in this project have been coated with the Silver Leafing Krylon Pen and the sweet wood buttons with Shell Pink Acrylic Paint.

These shimmery dark silver letters were a great way to add a title to the design.

Finally, here's a close-up of my wonderful son and daughter-in-law.

Thanks so much for stopping by the CLASSroom! Have a fabulous weekend!

 

Supplies:

Vintage Edge Mum by Maya Road	Vintage Pale Pink Pearl Ball Pins	raspberry Beads Vintage Findings by Maya Road	Adirondack Pigment Ink Pad, Snow Cap
Silver Krylon Leafing Pen	Shipping Tag Canvas Pieces	Medium Fabric Leaves	Scallop Frames Chipboard Set
Kraft E-flute Corrugated Stock	laraine pearl white flowers	Cork Sticker Circles	kraft vintage edge envelopes
Silver Glitter Thickers	Studio Artist Brushes	Wood Alterable Buttons	Shell Pink Paint

Online Card Class Holiday Card Workshop 2013 Registration Info and 3 Seats to Class!

Join instructors Kristina Werner, Jennifer McGuire, Laura Bassen, Shari Carrol, Debby Hughes, and friends for Online Card Classes Holiday Card Workshop 2013! This holiday card-focused class is sure to give you plenty of ideas for sharing the holiday spirit with your friends and family. With over 17 videos and even more cards, go-anywhere instructions, inspiring techniques, a helpful forum, an inspiring gallery, shopping discounts, and giveaways galore, this class is truly the pre-holiday gift that keeps on giving. 

The holiday magic starts on November 11, 2013 - we hope to see you in class!

For more information and to register, visit 

Online Card Classes.

ETA - This drawing is now closed please stay tune for the lucky winners!

We are excited to be giving away THREE seats to class! All you need to do is leave a comment below - tell us one thing you have loved about past Online Card Classes or what you are looking forwards to with this class. Please leave your comment by midnight PST Saturday, November 9th, 2013 to be included in our random drawing for seats to this fabulous class!

Hello, Monday 11.04.2013

(click on the pics to enbiggan)

I adore single-layer holiday cards--so easy to mail! This design features a bright color combo--the ornaments, from a lovely holiday set called Four Ornaments, by Hero Arts, were stamped in ombré fashion, using pigment inks, like Memento Luxe and the Adirondack Pigment line.

Pigment inks work beautifully for this technique because they are so easy to blend--and another benefit is that they will stay "wet" on the stamp surface quite a while, so you can ink up several images consecutively and then stamp without worrying the ink will have dried too quickly to get a good impression.

I couldn't achieve this lovely blended look without one of my favorite tools: Sponge Daubers! They are a great way to apply ink to select areas of an image (often interchangeably referred to as "omitting"), as you'll see in today's video! As I mention, I'm fond of the ones with caps... ;)

Another fun feature of this design is custom glitter tape--a super easy way to add beautiful glam to any design! With all the colors of beautiful glitter available, you have limitless options.

Enjoy the video here or you can catch it HERE on our YouTube channel! Thanks for watching & subscribing and be sure to opt for 720p after you click on the play button for optimal video quality.

Happy Mundane! ;)

 

SUPPLIES:

 

Hero Arts Wood Block Stamp, Four Ornaments, Set of 4	Hero Arts Wood Block Stamp, Tiny Christmas, Set of 10	Savvy Stamps, Scattered Dots	Sponge Applicator, Sponge Dauber w/ Airtight Cap
Adirondack Pigment Ink Pad, Lettuce	Memento Luxe Ink Pad, Love Letter	Memento Luxe Ink Pad, Bahama Blue	Delicata Ink Pad, Golden Glitz
VersaFine, Onyx Black	Be Creative Tape, 12mm (1/2)	A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, 25 pack	A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Ream
Stamp-a-ma-Jig	Teflon Bone Folder	Martha Stewart Scoring Board, Mini	Tweezers, Stainless
COPIC Multiliner SP - 0.3, Black	Junior T-Square, 12	Stickles Dry Fine Glitter, Gold	Stickles Dry Fine Glitter, Golden Rod

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Copic Fall Leaves by Sharon Harnist

Happy first of November to you all!  The days are getting cooler and nights/mornings a bit nippy. I love Fall -- especially one of its iconic symbols: brilliantly colored falling leaves!  So to celebrate the season, here's my November calendar:

These Copic leaves are easy to create, and will look fabulous on anything this month ... birthday cards, sympathy cards, thank you notes, Thanksgiving cards, dinner menus and/or place cards, and scrapbook pages!

Make your own brilliant colored background paper to die cut the leaves. I used two different methods:

1. Scribble/drop Various Ink Refill colors onto Non-Stick Craft Sheet. Here I used YR27, YR04, R24, YR21, and E35 (click on any photo for a larger view):

Spritz inks with an alcohol-filled Mini Mister to move the color around a little. Lay Glossy Cardstock (glossy side down) into the ink and lift the cardstock up (don't just smoosh/swirl the cardstock all over the inks, or you will end up with mud!).

Continue pressing the cardstock into the inks, to cover the entire surface with color. If there are still white areas left on your cardstock after you've used all the ink from the work surface, squeeze one small drop of color (I used my lightest YR21) to fill in any remaining white areas:

You could stop here and have a softer blended palette. I ended up adding a few drops of a little deeper color of E37 (Sepia):

2. The second method is to drop/scribble the Various Ink Refill colors directly on the Glossy Cardstock surface. By doing so, you will get a little deeper, more vibrant color (because you haven't diluted the color with alcohol). Here, I started with YR21 (Cream):

Then added YR04 (brighter Chrome Orange) and YR27 (darker Tuscan Orange):

Then YG95 (Pale Olive):

Keep adding color until the desired look is achieved. Finally, finish with more YR21 to fill in any remaining white areas. As you can see, this dropping method will cause the inks to move around on the surface of the glossy cardstock and create interesting ring patterns:

Here are the two different methods and color combos, side by side, with the Copic Various Ink Refill colors I used:

Next, die cut your custom background paper with Tim Holtz Bigz Tattered Leaves Die in Sizzix Big Shot machine.

For calendar front, cut a 5.50-inch piece of Ellen's Woodgrain Embossed Cardstock, then die cut with Impression Obsession Square Shaker Frame die to create a frame for the calendar. Accent the woodgrain embossing of the white cardstock with Antique Linen Distress Ink with an Ink Blending Tool. Pop woodgrain up with 1/2-inch Copic Foam Tape over a 6-inch brown cardstock base.

Print Ellen's 2013 Ring Binder Calendar at 85% (to yield a 3.25-inch calendar) onto Neenah Natural White Cardstock. Trim calendar closely and adhere to brown cardstock base below the woodgrain popped up piece.

Die cut brown cardstock with My Favorite Things' Jumbo Ric Rac Die and adhere to right side of calendar front. This will serve as an anchor/guide for arranging the leaves. Adhere leaves to ric rac with foam tape and/or Glue Dots.

Finish calendar by adhering Essentials by Ellen Satin Gold Sequins with Glossy Accents onto calendar front.

You could also use this same idea and layout for a greeting card (either birthday or Thanksgiving -- just circle the important date on the calendar!), or scrapbook page (just replace calendar with a photo). I hope you have fun with these leaves!

~ Sharon

{Supplies}

Non-Stick Craft Sheet	Glossy Cardstock, White, 10 pk	Mini Mister, Individual	Copic Various Ink Refill, E35
Copic Various Ink Refill, E37	Copic Various Ink Refill, R24	Copic Various Ink Refill, YG95	Copic Various Ink Refill, YR04
Copic Various Ink Refill, YR21	Copic Various Ink Refill, YR27	Sizzix Tim Holtz Bigz Die, Tattered Leaves	A Cardstock, Essentials by Ellen: Woodgrain Embossed #110 Cardstock, 10 Pack
Ranger Distress Ink Pad, Antique Linen	Ink Blending Tool	High Tack Double-Sided Foam Mounting Tape, 1/2"	Ring Binder 2012-2013 Calendar PDF
A1 Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Natural White, 25 pack	My Favorite Things Die-namics, Jumbo Ric Rac	Essentials by Ellen: Sequins, Satin Gold	Accents, Mini Glossy

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