the CLASSroom

Snail Mail, Envelopes of Joy by Julia Stainton

We all love mail don't we?! As long as it doesn't contain bills! In this internet age sometimes we lose the art of staying in touch by snail mail but I'm guessing that if you're here today, you just might be a paper crafter who values making things and sending them the old fashioned way.

Today's project has two parts, a card and an envelope combo that will be fun to create and also receive. I'm reminded once again that everything pretty doesn't have to be inside the envelope. Why not decorate it as well? And while you're at it, why not MAKE the envelope out of some paper you have on hand. It's really not hard at all!

I'm crushing on this Technique Tuesday stamp set called Snail Mail. Aptly named, it is soooo cute! I just knew I had to have it and it has inspired today's project.  I adore Technique Tuesday and today I'm giving them a little love. Some of my very first stamps were by Technique Tuesday when I started scrapbooking years ago. Fabulous quality and style!

With all these  cute stamps, I wanted to stamp them onto an envelope and thought, why not make my own? I pulled out my Envelope Punch Board from We R Memory Keepers and decided to make the 4.5 x 6" size. It's perfect for  fitting in an A5 card, especially if you make them a little bulky like I do. To create the envelop you check the sizes and cut the card stock to size, then follow the punching directions.

I wrote a post awhile back on how to use this board with all the steps and if you haven't seen it done, I have all the step outs here.

You'll end up with an envelope like this...but don't adhere it together yet! It's so much easier to stamp on when you leave it open.

So here's where the envelope magically turns into Kraft! Actually, my design idea went a different direction and I decided instead of a plain white envelope I could get anywhere, I'd love to have a Kraft one! So I made one, quick as a wink!

 Now what I wanted to do was create a box for the address area so that I wouldn't stamp where I wanted to write. The Tim Holtz Ruler is amazing for this and I simply lined the ruler up with the edges of the envelope and then drew a box in pencil. Use light pressure so that it is easy to erase later!

Next I started stamping. I stamped some of the Snail Mail sentiments on the envelope in Jet Black Archival Ink.

And then, using the pencil marks for placement, I stamped a floral and leaf frame using another Technique Tuesday stamp set, Garden of Life by Cath Edvalson. Avery Elle Pigment Inks are some of my favorite inks and they are wonderful for stamping on Kraft!

Don't forget the envelope flap too! And just before you move on and put the envelope together, heat set the inks with a heat tool to prevent smearing.

 

Isn't the envelope cute?! Next step...make a pretty matching card!

I wasn't quite done yet since it came to mind that a sweet little envelope on the card front would make a great place to stamp another card sentiment and also hold a little gift card for the recipient. This one is the 3"x4" size and is created from a 6"x6" sheet of patterned paper. Once I put it together I sanded the edges to define them and add a little shabby vintage look.

Once the envelope is adhered to the front of the card, I added in some pretty coordinating die cuts from the Garden Leaves by Cath Edvalson die set. They are cut from both card stock and felt for lots of variation in texture and then adhered along with some sweet buttons from Lilac Lane and a little paper flower from Maya Road.

You can find all the supplies listed below to make things easy.

Do you love happy mail? I'm busy sending Christmas cards right now but this one is going out soon after the holidays.

Thanks for joining me today in the CLASSroom!

Julia

Supplies:

Technique Tuesday Clear Stamps, Snail Mail

Technique Tuesday, Garden of Life by Cath Edvalson

My Favorite Things Die-namics, Blueprints 13

Technique Tuesday Dies, Garden Leaves by Cath Edvalson

We R Memory Keepers Envelope Punch Board

Teflon Bone Folder

Sizzix Big Shot White & Gray

Cheery Lynn Designs Metal Adaptor Plate

Neenah Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, 25 pk

Pink Paislee Take Me Away, 6x6 Paper Pad

Taylored Expressions Cardstock, Granny Smith, 5 pk

Neenah Cardstock, Neenah Environment Desert Storm, 25 pk

Maya Road Vintage Paper Flowers, Small White

Taylored Expressions Felt Bundle, Greens

Avery Elle Pigment Ink Pad, Lemon Grass

Avery Elle Pigment Ink Pad, Pure White

Avery Elle Pigment Ink Pad, Mint To Be

Avery Elle Pigment Ink Pad, Orchid

Avery Elle Pigment Ink Pad, Thistle

Ranger Archival Ink Pad, Jet Black

Tonic Maxi 12 Inch Guillotine Paper Trimmer

28 Lilac Lane Embellishment Bottles, Cotton Candy

28 Lilac Lane Embellishment Bottles, Pretty Princess

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Hello, Monday 08.18.2014

(click on the pics to enbiggan)

The Mister and I will be celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary next Monday... WOOT!!! :)

So, I wanted to make him a card that was a little beyond the "ordinary".  An idea on Pinterest sparked this design--which, for lack of a better word, is kind of like a rebus! The rebus was pretty popular oh, about 20 years or so ago. They were so fun, though, and I am always hoping they will make a come-back! *chuckle*

If you are too young to remember them--I am totally dating myself--ack!!!--a rebus is a type of puzzle or message that contains letters, numbers, and symbols that represent words or syllables. Some rebus puzzles (rebuses???) are quite clever and the message may not be obvious at first glance.  Anyway, I thought it would be fun to do something along these lines by taking a look at my stamp collection and embellishments to see what I could come up with! SUPER FUN!!!

Because I did not have a stamp or die for one of the symbols, I had to improvise with a chipboard sticker, which I altered to make it look metallic! By pressing the chipboard piece into my Versamark pad, I could coat it with gold embossing powder, heat it and voilá! It looks like a gold metal charm! I did the same to my little Potty People Wood Veneers, too.

Enjoy the video here or in HD on our YouTube Channel. Thank you for watching and subscribing!

 

Were you able to figure out the puzzle? Here's a clue: A figure 8 on its side is the symbol for infinity! *cheeky grin*

Happy Mundane!

••••••••••••••••

SUPPLIES:

Studio Calico Take Note, Wood Veneer, Potty People	Studio Calico Abroad, Chipboard Thickers, Everywhere Map	Avery Elle Clear Stamps, Count on It	Avery Elle Clear Stamps, Bright Days
Mama Elephant Clear Stamps, Many Thanks	Technique Tuesday Clear Stamps, Big Thanks	Avery Elle Clear Stamps, Framed Fonts	Hero Arts Embossing Powder, Gold
Shadow Ink, Soft Granite	Delicata Ink Pad, Golden Glitz	VersaFine Ink Pad, Onyx Black	Memento Ink Pad, Love Letter
VersaMark Ink Pad	Hero Arts Spray, Gold Shimmer	Pebbles Jen Hadfield Homemade, 12x12 Gold Foil	Chickaniddy 12x12 Foil Paper, Goldie Lox
A Cardstock, Neenah Heavyweight, Classic Crest Solar White 110 lb, 25 pk	Bazzill Card Shoppe Cardstock, Licorice Twist, 10 pk	Bazzill Card Shoppe Cardstock, Licorice Twist, 25 pk	Tweezers, Stainless
Nesting Paper Punch, Circle 1/2"	Hero Arts Embossing Gun	Ranger Multi Medium, Matte Mini, 1/2 oz.	Scotch Double-Sided Foam Mounting Tape
3-D Foam Squares, Mixed	3-D Foam Squares, Mixed Black	Tombow Adhesive Dot Stamp Runner, Permanent	Tonic Paper Trimmer Guillotine, 8.5"

InLinkz.com

Diving into Project Life by Heather Campbell

Hello!  I'm so excited to sharing a little something I've been working on here at home this year.  When I was on maternity leave after my daughter was born in 2010, I made myself print and organize all the photos that I had stored on my computer since my son was born in 2007.  

Since then, this is about the extent of what I've done with them. 

Yep.  Sophisticated storage system, huh?  I had to do something.  I don't have a ton of time and I like making cards because it's quicker than scrapbooking.  I also felt intimidated, like my photos had to be perfect for a 12x12 layout.  I caught myself obsessing over matching the outfits my kids were wearing to the layout and nothing was getting done.  

Enter Project Life.  Project Life is designed to be fast and user friendly.  This is exactly what I needed to do.  

To introduce you to Project Life, I actually made a video. :) 

 

As promised, here are some photo shots of my Project Life layouts in action and a little about how I start them and some of my favorite tips and tricks. 

One of my favorite tools for Project Life are my 3x4 journaling card dies.  These fit the pocket pages perfectly.  They also allow me to crop my photo perfectly and I can see exactly what my picture will look like.  It's also great when I have an adorable picture of one of my children and the other looks *ummm* awful. (grin). 

I do the same thing with the new Lawn Fawn #awesome Instagram frame die.  

When I'm working on a Project Life Layout, I like to start with getting my photo pockets filled with photos first.  You can put in as many or as few as you want, that's one of the things I love most!  

Here I've basically saved myself 2 spots where I'll scrapbook.  Since I don't always have a ton of time, I will do this just to get my photos in the albums.  I find it keeps me less behind this way and I'm less likely to end up with a box of photos in my laundry room for months!  

Like I said in the video, I absolutely love the Project Life Lined Journaling and Grid cards.  I use these as a standard for my layouts.  

 

Next is the title. A good (scratch that) great alphabet die is a must.  My favorite is Avery Elle's Avery's Alphas.  It is such a great basic.  This trick saves my crafting budget in the long run since I don't have to invest in alphabet stickers and instead I can make my own with any color of cardstock I want!  To add adhesive, I simply run them through my Xyron!

Here I die cut the frame and photo as well as the title to create the beginning of my 4x6 pocket insert, now I just get to embellish it!  I give a little washi look, I trimmed down a piece of patterned paper.  

I stamped and die cut the little camera from the same Lawn Fawn #awesome set.  

Then I colored it in with Copics, adhered it to my 4x6 layout and stamped some of the hearts using Avery Elle Raspberry and Orchid ink. 

And a few hearts for some fun.  I always like to make sure I have something 'grounding' my photos.  Now I'm ready to add some journaling and put it into the pocket. 

I followed the same basic idea to do my son Parker's. 

A few die cut shapes and his name using the same alphabet die. 

I adhered them to my 4x6 journaling card and trimmed any overhang.  

Since these are on the same page and since I love it so much, I used the same Lawn Fawn #awesome Instagram frame die.  I just love how little the pictures are yet they are still highlighted so well! 

Again, I used more of that same patterned paper (Lawn Fawn Hello Sunshine 6x6 pad) and simply tore it on the ends to give it a washi tape look! 

 Sometimes I like to make simple journaling cards - here I'm using a 3"x4" piece. 

 I added a strip of patterned paper and die cut the word love and a few hearts. 

What I love about this is that this allows me to use all of my card making supplies and I don't have to invest a lot in premade journaling cards.  Don't get me wrong - there are a ton of fabulous ones but I really enjoy being able to make my own! 

Here's the end result for one layout.  

And here's the other!  

Thanks so much for stopping by the CLASSroom today and sharing part of your day with me! 
-Heather

Project Life Designer Album, 12 x 12 Honey Edition	Project Life Photo Pocket Pages, Big Variety Pack 1, 60 pk	Project Life 3x4 Lined Journaling Cards, 100 pk	Project Life 4x6 Lined Ledger Cards, 100 pk
Technique Tuesday Dies, Story Card	Lawn Cuts Dies, #awesome	Paper Smooches Wise Dies, Love Word	Avery ELLE-ments Dies, Avery's Alphas
Lawn Cuts Dies, Hearts	Crop-a-Dile Corner Chomper Tool	Lawn Fawn Clear Stamps, #awesome	Lawn Fawn Petite Paper Pack, Hello Sunshine
Avery Elle Ink Pad, Orchid	Avery Elle Ink Pad, Raspberry	Memory Box Cardstock, Bubblegum	Memory Box Cardstock, Persimmon
Memory Box Notecard & Envelope, Raspberry	Hero Arts, Layering Paper, Iris

InLinkz.com

12 Tags of Christmas with a Feminine Twist 2013 - Day 9 by Teri Anderson

Each year I excitedly await the response of each of our guest designer's - crossing my fingers that they will be able to participate once again. We are thrilled to once again share Teri Anderson's joyful style with you this year!

Teri continues to be one BUSY lady as she continues inspiring us on her blog a bit of this. a bit of that., working as a PaperCrafts Go-to Gal, designing products for Technique Tuesday and as a designer on the Paper Smooches team! Be certain to visit her blog as she is sharing 12 in 12 (yes, 12 cards in 12 days) this year!

Thank you so much Teri for inspiring us with this fabulous tag! It makes me want to lace up and head to the local ice rink! -Ellen

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Hi again, everyone!

Teri here, and I’m excited to bring you today’s installment of the 12 Tags of Christmas with a Feminine Twist series.

Let me warn you: Today’s tag may look simple, but there are lots of good, old-fashioned details and techniques involved.

 

Mmm. Mmmmm.

So let’s get started, shall we?

You will want to start with a basic No. 8 tag. I used a manila tag, but consider using a kraft tag if you want a more vintage look.

Flip the tag over and use a pencil and ruler to draw four lines like so.

I started each line about half an inch from the tag’s edges. After you have drawn your lines, you should end up with a rectangle in the middle. Use a paper trimmer or your scissors to cut that rectangle out.

Flip the tag over and color the tag with Fired Brick ink. Be sure to place either a craft mat or scratch paper under the tag to protect your work surface.

Now, we want to do something different. We want to give the tag a bleach-like finish so spritz it a few times with water. If you don’t have a misting bottle, use a paint brush to flick a few drops of water onto your tag.

And then use a heat gun to dry the water. When finished, you should get a look similar to this.

Flip the tag over one more time. Cover up the back with vellum so your tag looks like it has window!

Now, use a sewing machine to stitch a border around the tag’s window.

Now, set the tag aside. Let’s get going on the skate.

Die-cut a ice skate from white cardstock. Brush watermark ink along the skate’s blade.

Sprinkle silver embossing powder on top.

Heat up the powder, and you’ll end up with something like this.

Sponge Old Paper Distress Ink onto the skate and then bring string or floss through the skate’s holes. Tie a bow at the top.

Now, die-cut “Noel” two times from cardstock and one time from patterned paper.

Adhere all three words on top of each other so you get something that looks like this.

Mount the skate and sentiment to the tag. Also, die-cut some snowflakes from vellum and adhere them to the tag.  (Wondering what I used to mount them? Simple. I used Glossy Accents. It works great for holding them in place.)

Add a gem to the skate. If your gem isn’t the right color, use a Copic marker to change the color like I did.

Finish your tag off by giving the die-cut word a little more pop. You can do this by adding one thin layer of Glossy Accents over the top of it.

Remember, be gentle. Don’t put too much Glossy Accents on it or you’ll have to wait a long time for them to dry.  Just a little bit of coverage will go a long way.

And there you have it!

Thanks for letting me join you in the CLASSroom today! It’s a pleasure to here with all of you!

Happy holidays!

Sizzix Tim Holtz, Bigz Die, Ice Skates	Technique Tuesday Dies, Say It - Noel	Paper Smooches Wise Dies, Snowflakes	Lawn Fawn Petite Paper Pack, Peace Joy Love
A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, 25 pack	Bazzill 40 lb. Vellum, 25 pk	Inkssentials Surfaces, Manila Tag #8	VersaMark Ink Pad
Distress Ink Pad, Fired Brick	Distress Ink Pad, Old Paper	Ranger Super Fine Embossing Powder, 1 oz. Silver	COPIC Sketch Marker R29, Lipstick Red
Hero Arts Gemstones, Smooth Clear Round	Accents, Glossy	Ink Blending Tool

InLinkz.com

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Please join us in thanking Teri for once again sharing her fun-loving style with us! Leave your comment below to be eligible for the random drawing of the $25 gift certificate to our store www.ellenhutson.com - be certain to do so before noon on December 13th to be eligible (one comment per person please.) Join us tomorrow when we debut a new tag designed by Jill Foster!

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

Hello, Monday 07.08.2013

(click on the pics to enbiggan)

I don't typically work with paint--mostly ink. But I'm finding the Ranger Distress Paints to be very intriguing. To alleviate any confusion, especially for those not already very familiar with the Ranger Distress line, please note that Distress Crackle Paints are a different type of paint but these are all part of the same Ranger "Distress" line. Distress Paints come in 24 hues of the main "Distress" color palette/range.

As I mention in the video, these are unlike any other acrylic paints I've ever worked with.  They are very fluid--they actually flow and glide across the paper surface very differently from normal acrylic paints.

The first time you open and use the paint, depress the dauber end against your work surface just firmly enough until you hear a little "crack/pop" noise; you can gently squeeze the bottle to get the paint flowing out but avoid squeezing too hard or paint could literally gush out.  This is not a pleasant situation to contend with.  Ask me how I know... *chuckle*

I used my favorite bristol for this project because its heavy weight can withstand paint AND water fairly well, but if you're not adding a lot of water/diluting the paint, try whatever card stock you have on hand and see if you like the results.

On this project I was attempting to use the paint to create a water-color effect and they work quite nicely for this, but it's important to note a few things:

• It's fairly fast drying and once dry, it is permanent; it cannot be reactivated and manipulated with water or other wet mediums when it has dried so you may need to work more quickly than you are accustomed to with true watercolors

• It will even dry on plastic, metal (removal from such surfaces may require some fairly aggressive scraping/rubbing with a tool of some sort) and fabric

• The teflon craft sheet makes a great temporary palette and work surface; you can apply puddles of the paint, water it down, spray it, etc. and then easily clean it off with a baby wipe after you're finished with your project

• Keep a bowl of water handy for cleaning your brushes as needed while you work

• Distress Paints will clean off your skin easily with a baby wipe; aggressive scrubbing/scraping may be required to remove it from your nails, however

• At full strength, these paints are fairly opaque, however they can be diluted with water for "wash" effects; just remember that even when it's diluted, once it has dried, what you get will be permanent

• This paint leaves very little, if any, detectable texture; you'll find your paper does NOT stiffen or crack when this paint is applied!!! This totally increased the cool factor for me personally! ;)

In the video I also mention that I later used the paint to watercolor just a little over the top of a stamped greeting (which you see in the finished card pictured above); I stamped with Versafine but in hindsight, any time I'm going to color with any kind of water-based medium over the top of an ink, I prefer to stamp with a bleed-proof ink such as Archival, Staz-On, or even heat-set Brilliance.

You can view the video here or over on YouTube. Thanks for watching and for subscribing to our channel!  Be sure to switch to 720p for the best quality viewing, too! If you're not sure how to do that, click on the play button then hover your mouse over the lower right area of the screen until you see a little "gear" icon pop up; this will give you the option to choose the quality.

Happy Mundane!

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SUPPLIES:

Technique Tuesday Clear Stamps, Incredible by Ali Edwards	Distress Paint, Broken China	Distress Paint, Mustard Seed	Distress Paint, Barn Door
VersaFine, Onyx Black	NEW Archival Ink Pad, Jet Black	Hero Arts Dye Ink, Black	Hero Arts India Ink, Black
Essentials by Ellen, Julie's Smooth Bristol, 10pc- 8.0 x 11	Studio Artist Brushes	Studio Calico Sundrifter Wood Veneer, Shapes	Be Creative (Sookwang) Tape, 5mm (1/4")
A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Ream	A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, 25 pack	Enamel Accents, Black and White	Accents, Glossy
Non-Stick Craft Sheet

InLinkz.com

Hello, Monday 05.20.2013

(click on the pics to enbiggan)

Today I'm stamping with Ranger Ink's Distress PAINT (not the Crackle type, the water-based acrylic) on kraft card stock. I'm impressed over the opacity of the colors on this type of card stock--the colors remain vivid and bold. Yeah, yeah... I'm into bold lately.  Some day mebbe I'll get into a "delicate" mood. But, today is not that day.  BAH HAHAHAHAAAA!!!

So, by now y'all know me... It's rare I dabble in anything remotely messy (dreaded inky fingers syndrome). But this is a CLEAN techique--er, ahem--RELATIVELY clean technique. It's just basic stamping, we're not gettin' crazy or anything...

I do have a few tips to share:

• Shake the bottle prior to use, to make sure it's well mixed. With the cap on, of course! You'll hear the little ball bearings clickety clack around in there; that's a good thing, as Martha would say
• If this is a first-time use, depress the dauber tip to some scrap paper and you'll here a little "snap" or clicking noise. I'm not exactly sure why it does that, but it seems to get the flow of the paint going
• Apply paint directly to the stamp by daubing and tapping; avoid squeezing the bottle so that you dont' get an unexpected gush of paint (been there, done that...)
• Try not to dawdle; that doesn't mean you have to move like greased lightning, BUT this paint as a short "open" time and can begin to dry on your stamp
• Keep a water-filled mister bottle handy to spritz your stamp immediately after stamping; it helps keep the paint active and while you set your project aside to dry, you can spend a minute getting your stamp cleaned right away so the paint doesn't gunk up permanently in the crevices. 

Sidebar: Gunked up crevices are something I personally cannot abide, so I'd rather spend a few seconds cleaning it up right then instead of crying/whining over what a buggah it is to clean later on... I'm just sayin'...

• This paint will run/bleed while wet and/or if you add water to it, but once dry, it's permanently dry and cannot be reactivated. This can be good or bad, depending on what you're trying to do, but in any event, something to keep in mind while you're working
• While this paint will dry permanently, including non-porous surfaces (yes, it can be scratched off, but for all intents and purposes, you can pretty much consider it a "permanent" type paint), you can easily clean the paint off your skin/hands with baby wipes! This does not apply to your FINGERNAILS, however... If you have a beautiful manicure you don't want to get ruined, you may want to don some protective gloves

All in all, the Distress Paint is quite fun to work with, and I'm amazed at how the surface of the paper does not change at all! With most paints, you can feel the texture of the paint on the surface of the paper but these are almost completely imperceptible when you rub your fintertips across the top! Waaaaay cool!

Enjoy the video here or hop-skip over to YouTube and check it out there! Thanks for subscribing! 

 

Happy Mundane and thanks for watchin'!

 

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SUPPLIES & MATERIALS:

Impression Obsession Cling Stamp, Worn Rose Branch	Technique Tuesday Clear Stamps, Love Always Wins by Ali Edwards	Distress Paint, Barn Door	Distress Paint, Broken China
Inkssentials Mister, 2 oz.	A3 Cardstock, Neenah Environment Desert Storm, Ream	String by the Spool, Natural Burlap	Teflon Bone Folder
Ultra Clean, 2 oz.	Martha Stewart Scoring Board, Mini	Tweezer Bee	Paper Trimmer, Tonic Guillotine 8 1/2"
Honey Bee Non Stick Scissors

InLinkz.com

Hello, Monday 02.18.2013

(click the pics to enbiggan)

I've been having a ball with sequins and wanted to share a few card ideas I've been playing with in the studio that incorporated these pretty, PRETTY things!!! I just can't get enough of them! The iridescent sparkle and shape make them a perfect accent--they also make fabulous filler in a full card-front shaker pocket! SWEET!!!

Seriously, I am obsessed with sequins as much as I am with Washi tape! Eep!!!

Also, I wanted to mention a few extra tips:

• You might be tempted to color white/vanilla sequins with your Copic Markers, but be advised that the alcohol ink will more than likely ruin the iridescent finish of your pretty sequins.

                Ask me how I know...

• Glossy Accents is a perfect adhesive for gluing individual sequins into place as it dries clear and sets up very quickly
• A few sequins can go a long way--start with a little, then add more when filling your pocket...
• As I mention in the video, if you're good with a sewing machine, you can create your pocket that way; I am not so good and found Washi tape an easier, full-proof method for creating my pocket--the added bonus is that it is repositionable and enables you to interject some additional color and pattern to your project!  BOOYAAAAAAH!!!

Enjoy the video here or in HD on YouTube and thanks for subscribing to our channel!

 

Thanks for joining me!

 

SUPPLIES & MATERIALS:

 

Technique Tuesday Clear Stamps, Bring on the Sun by Ali Edwards	Lawn Fawn Clear Stamps, Bee Mine	Lawn Fawn Clear Stamps, Sophie's Sentiments	Memento Ink Pad, Tuxedo Black
Shadow Ink, Soft Granite	VersaMark Inkpad	Crystal Clear Plastic, Medium Weight 8 1/2"" x 11"" (10 pk)	A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, 25 pack
A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Ream	H4 Cardstock, Dove Gray	EEE3 Cardstock, Pool	My Mind's Eye Decorative Tape, Red & Turquoise
Shape 'N Tape, Teal Blue	3D-Dots, 1/16" Thick	My Favorite Things Die-namics, Flat-Bottom Clouds	Studio Calico Darling Dear 12x12 Vellum, Hepburn
Essentials by Ellen: Sequins, Iridescent Peach	Essentials by Ellen: Sequins, Iridescent Sky	Essentials by Ellen: Sequins, Iridescent White	Essentials by Ellen: Sequins, Iridescent Daffodil
Essentials by Ellen: Sequins, Iridescent Orange Flame	Studio Calico Darling Dear Wood Veneer, Triangle	Glue Glider Pro Tool with Pro Plus PermaTac Cartridge	Glue Glider Pro Plus Refill, High Tac 58'
COPIC Sketch Marker Y35, Maize	COPIC Sketch Marker YG21, Anise	COPIC Sketch Marker YG95, Pale Olive	Embossing Gun
Accents, Glossy	Hero Arts Embossing Powder, White	Sew Easy Baker's Twine, Black	Doodle Twine Assortment, Boy
Sizzix Big Shot Machine, Black & Pink	EK Paper Shapers Punch, 1/2 Circle	Tweezer Bee

InLinkz.com

Hello, Monday 01.28.2013

You know me.  I don't like to get my fingers inky. I'm kind of an oxymoron in the stamping world. Hah! But, I love color--bold, sassy, eye-poppin' color! And, that's what you get with Dylusions Sprays.  

I will admit, however, that I wore gloves. And a full body apron. And I protected my work surface under the camera.  Cuz these sprays, my friends, are very inky business...!!! But, oh, my they are wicked FUN!!!

By the way, I got myself a new non-stick craft sheet... I didn't know that if you FOLD them, you "break" the glass fibers. This causes wet mediums to LEAK.  BOO.  So, I got a new one, so I could stuff like this, and now that I know better, I will never fold it for storage; I will roll it up and clip it.

Enjoy the video here or in HD on YouTube!

Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel and thanks for joining me today!

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SUPPLIES & MATERIALS

 

Technique Tuesday Clear Stamps, Incredible by Ali Edwards	NEW Archival Ink Pad, Jet Black	Dylusions Ink Spray, Squeezed Orange	Dylusions Ink Spray, Cherry Pie
Dylusions Ink Spray, White Linen	Inkssentials Mister, 2 oz.	Essentials by Ellen, Julie's Smooth Bristol, 10pc- 8.0 x 11	Cardstock, Black, 10 pack
Crafter's Workshop Templates, 6x6 Chunky Chevron	Crafter's Workshop Templates, 6"x6" Flower Frenzy	Non-Stick Craft Sheet	Embossing Gun
Craft Knife, Fingertip	3D-Dots, 1/16" Thick	Paper Trimmer, Tonic Guillotine 8 1/2"	Shape 'N Tape, Black
Uni-ball Impact Gel Pen, White	Gemstones, Black Crystals

InLinkz.com

Favorite Finds from CHA Winter 2013 - Video

Hi, everybody!

In lieu of a Hello Monday video, we're sharing some of the things we found at the CHA Winter 2013 show!  

CHA is the Craft & Hobby Association Trade Show that occurs every winter, typically down in Anaheim, CA. The show is open to the trade only (retailers, manufacturers, and other industry related businesses) and showcases products and lines that manufacturers are debuting for the new year.

Ellen and I arrived a day ahead of the show, and took classes to learn more about some of the exciting new products being released, such as the new Ranger Distress Paints!  This water based paint is very unique and features some very interesting properties, unlike any other paint we've ever worked with before! Watch the video to see and hear more about these paints and some of the other items we were *monkey clapping* over! 

You can enjoy the video here, or on YouTube!

Thanks for joining us, and we hope you enjoyed getting a glimpse of some of the coming new products!  Keep your eye on the "Coming soon from CHA Winter 2013" category to see what will be arriving soon!

Hello, Monday 01.07.2013

(click on the pic to en-biggan)

I am an absolute sucker for things postal related--it was love at first sight with this 3D Mailbox Die!

Had to use the Galvanized card stock because I think it makes it look just like the real deal in miniature!  EEP!!! Can't take it!!! 

Along with some chocolates, I also made a sweet and quick little note to tuck inside, complete with Washi tape using the new Shape & Tape!  It's just like Washi Tape only in sheet format! You can die cut it, cut it with your scissors, punch it, trim it with your paper trimmer--they even have a "Tape It" set of dies designed especially for working with the Shape & Tape! It comes in a variety of colors and patterns but you can also custom tint it, like I show in today's video! WOOT!!!

I have a few little tips in the video for assembling the mailbox, once you've die cut all the pieces--nothing jaw-dropping, but just "nice to know", if ya' know what I mean. *grin*

Enjoy the video here, or in HD on YouTube! And, don't forget to subscribe to our channel!

Thanks for joining me today and I sure hope your Mundane is a happy one! *wink*

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SUPPLIES & MATERIALS FEATURED:

 

Technique Tuesday Clear Stamps, Love Always Wins by Ali Edwards	NEW Archival Ink Pad, Vermillion	Paper Accents Glassine Envelopes, 1.75 x 2.75	A Cardstock, Essentials by Ellen: White Linen #100 Cardstock, 25 Pack
COPIC Sketch Marker R29, Lipstick Red	Shape 'N Tape, Black	Lifestyle Crafts Dies, Mailbox	Curious Metallic, Galvanized Cardstock
Magnetic Snaps, Small	American Crafts Elements, Mini Brads, Black	Tweezers, Stainless	Ruler, Tim Holtz Design
Craft Knife, Fingertip	Be Creative (Sookwang) Tape, 5mm (1/4")	Sizzix Big Shot Machine, Black & Pink	Sizzix, Cutting Pad, Extended
Sizzix, Solo Platform & Shim

InLinkz.com

Hello Monday 12.31.2012

(click on the pic to enbiggan)

Some beautiful watercolor images recently inspired me to pull out my watercolor tools/supplies and mess around in the studio. Mind you, I don't watercolor the traditional way... This is the Julie-Ebersole-slop-the-paint-around-and-leave-some-white-space-here-and-there technique. How's that for a mouthful?! *chuckle*

You can use watercolor paper for this, but I have a fondness for this paper HERE because it actually has a smooth (but toothy) surface and you get nicely crisp and even impressions when you stamp on it. SWEET!!!  It also accepts colored pencils and other dry coloring mediums beautifully, because of that toothy, but not lumpy/bumpy surface! It's also a nice 100# weight--so *plush*!!!

Also lovin' the Stickles Dry Glitters--this stuff has an incredibly fabulous sparkle!!! *monkey clapping*

Enjoy the video here or in HD on YouTube!

Thanks for joining me today!

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SUPPLIES & MATERIALS:

Technique Tuesday Clear Stamps, Loving Words by Ali Edwards	Studio Calico, Mister Huey's Color Mist, Pretty Pink	Studio Calico Mister Huey's Color Mist, Boss Lady	Studio Calico Mister Huey's Color Mist, Custard
Studio Calico Mister Huey's Color Mist, Sherbet	Studio Calico, Mister Huey's Color Mist, Leaf Green	NEW Archival Ink Pad, Jet Black	Essentials by Ellen, Julie's Smooth Bristol, 10pc- 8.0 x 11
Studio Calico Mister Huey's Droppers	2 Way Glue, Chisel Tip	3D-Dots, 1/8" Thick	Stickles Dry Fine Glitter, Diamond
Stickles Dry Fine Glitter, Silver	Plastic Paint Palette	Tim Holtz Water Brush, Broad Brush Nib	Tim Holtz Water Brush, Detailer Brush Nib
Waterbrush, Small	Be Creative (Sookwang) Tape, 3mm (1/8")	Mini Clothespins, Natural, 25pk	American Crafts Elements, Mini Brads, Silver
String by the Spool, Metallic Silver	Lifestyle Crafts Dies, Nesting Hearts	Lifestyle Crafts Dies, Nesting Squares	Crop-A-Dile Power Punch, 1/16"
Martha Stewart Scoring Board, Mini

InLinkz.com

12 Tags of Christmas with a Feminine Twist 2012 - Day 6 by Teri Anderson

We are thrilled to welcome Teri Anderson back to the CLASSroom! Her joyful crafting style can be seen in the new line of stamps she has created for Technique Tuesday - I absolutely love the bold, clean and simple lines of her designs! As well you will continue to find her madly (now I saw madly, because I would quite frankly be losing my mind trying to keep up with this pace - LOL!) creating 25 cards in 25 days on her blog a bit of this. a bit of that. You must head over to be inspired! Now how she does this all, simulatenous with being a PaperCrafts Go-to-Gal, and doing design work for Lawn Fawn, Paper Smooches and Technique Tuesday I'm not quite certain, BUT she has also shared her creative genius with us here today!!!

Thank you Teri for sharing another clever creation with us here today - I absolutely LOVE your twine wrapped trees!!!

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Hi everybody! So happy to be back in the CLASSroom today with a tag for the 12 Tags of Christmas with a Feminine Twist!

I have to admit that one of my favorite activities during the holidays is to hit the holiday craft fairs. I just love seeing what other crafters dream up. Something that caught my eye at recent craft fair was a set of homemade Christmas trees. These clever, fun and funky trees were wrapped with yarn and fabric. It was just so fun.  I loved the look so I decided to show you how to make your own fun and funky trees with Baker’s Twine for today’s tag.

So let’s get started.

Start by using a pen and ruler to draw a triangle on a piece of chipboard. (The chipboard I am using is just from the back of a 6x6 pad of patterned paper.) 

Cut the triangle out with your scissors. Place a mini Glue Dot on the bottom of it and start wrapping green twine from Doodlebug’s Baby Girl Twine Assortment around it.

Keep going (and going) until your tree is completely covered with twine. Place another Glue Dot on the back of your tree and place the end of your twine piece in it.

Repeat these steps. This time, make a second triangle a little bigger. And then wrap the second tree in pink twine.


When you are finished, you’ll have something like these two trees.


Set the trees aside and cut two squares from white cardstock. They should be large enough to fit across a #8 sized tag. 


Cut a curved line through each square.
 

Arrange the cardstock pieces to fit on your tag so it looks like there are hills of snow.

Use Crystal Stickles glitter glue to add a line of glitter along top of each curvy hill of snow.

Place the trees on the snowy hills.


Repeatedly stamp one of the snowflakes from the Magic of Christmas by Ali Edwards 
with Spun Sugar Distress Ink onto a manila tag. When you stamp, be sure not to rock the stamp so you get nice, clean impressions.

Stamp Joy from the December Daily 2012 stamp set on white cardstock with Onyx Black ink.

Fussy cut the word out and adhere it to your tag. Stamp “celebrating” over the adhered word with Onyx Black ink.

Tie twine through some green buttons and adhere them to your tree with Glue Dots.


Give your trees one more funky touch: Randomly adhere some Diamond gems on top of them.

Add some accent pearls randomly the top of the tag near the snowflakes.


Finish your tag off by tying a little twine through the top of it. And ta-da! Thanks for joining me today and letting me be part of your day!

Technique Tuesday Clear Stamp Set, December Daily 2012 by Ali Edwards (Limited Edition!)	Technique Tuesday Clear Stamps, Magic of Christmas by Ali Edwards	Glue Dots, Mini (3/16")	Doodle Twine Assortment, Baby Girl
Accent Pearls, Small	Diamond Gems, 5mm	A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, 25 pack	VersaFine, Onyx Black
Distress Ink Pad, Spun Sugar	Stickles, Crystal

InLinkz.com

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We would very much appreciate you sharing your appreciation with Teri for her oh so clever and fabulous feminine tag in the comments section below! Leave your comment below to be eligible for the random drawing of the $25 gift certificate to our store www.ellenhutson.com - be certain to do so before noon on December 13th to be eligible (one comment per person please.) Can you believe we are already half-way through our series?!? Be certain to return tomorrow for yet another beauty!

Hello, Monday 11.19.2012

(click on the pic to en-biggan)

I love a lot of different things, so whenever I'm asked what "my style" is, I struggle sometimes with defining it.

This design is an example of wanting to create a "vintage-looking" embellishment or focal point, but executing the overall design with the clean and simple style I'm so fond of.

The Savvy Stamps 3D Star Die was my starting point--I wanted to recreate the effect of a beautiful vintage ornament so I die cut the shape from a pretty collaged sheet from Basic Grey's Aspen Frost collection. It has score lines built into the design--you could use the stars flat, but I thought the dimensional look was a nice effect and gave this card a lot of visual "pop"!  I actually cut a bunch of stars all at once so I could use them later on different projects--I think they'd be darling to dangle on gift packages or to make a garland.

LOVE LOVE LOVE this Silver Stickles Dry Glitter--it's the same they use in their Stickles and it is INCREDIBLY sparkly, hence the sentiment from the Be Jolly set by Technique Tuesday... *wink*

I did reach a point where I debated on whether or not to add "one more thing", cuz y'all know how going down that path can subsequently lead to the circular file, but in this case, one of my favorite stand-by tricks polished the card off perfectly. 

Enjoy the video here or in HD over on YouTube!

Thanks for joining me this Monday! Have a gooder!

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SUPPLIES & MATERIALS:

 

Technique Tuesday Clear Stamps, Be Jolly	Savvy Stamps Dies, Folded Star Die	VersaMark Inkpad	Stickles Dry Fine Glitter, Silver
A Cardstock, Essentials by Ellen: White Linen #100 Cardstock, 25 Pack	Basic Grey Aspen Frost, 6x6 Paper Pad	A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Ream	A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, 25 pack
Ranger - Super Fine 1oz. Embossing Powder, Silver	Mixed Accent, Neutrals	2 Way Glue, Chisel Tip	3D-Dots, 1/8" Thick
3D-Dots, 1/16" Thick	Soft Grip Embossing and Stylus Set	Crop-A-Dile Power Punch, 1/16"	Sizzix Big Shot Machine, Black & Pink
Tweezer Bee	Tweezers, Stainless	Craft Knife, Fingertip	Heat It Craft Tool

InLinkz.com

Hello, Monday 10.29.2012

(click on the pic to en-biggan)

Do you love the look of collage, but feel somewhat intimidated at how to pull it off, like me? *wink*

Freestyle collage is a popular trend right now in paper crafts that I am completely intrigued by! I'm particularly fond of the ones that embrace white space (if you know me at all, you know how I adore me some white space, and lots of it!) and feature a small, tightly clustered group of design elements.

The fact that the elements are deliberately and slightly askew adds to the charm and is also rather liberating and fun!

Enjoy the video here or in HD over on YouTube!

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SUPPLIES & MATERIALS:

 

Technique Tuesday Clear Stamps, In Stitches	Prima Press, Typewriter	Tim Holtz, Spills and Splatters	Delicata Ink Pad, Golden Glitz
Brilliance Pad, Pearlescent Chocolate	Distress Ink Pad, Scattered Straw	Adirondack Dye Ink Pad, Peach Bellini	Impression Obsession Dies, Leave
A Cardstock, Essentials by Ellen: White Linen #100 Cardstock, 25 Pack	Basic Grey Clippings, 6x6 Paper Pad	A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, 25 pack	A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Ream
Sponge Applicator, Sponge Dauber with Airtight Cap	3D-Dots, 1/16" Thick	Sizzix Big Shot Machine, Black & Pink	Martha Stewart Scoring Board, Mini

InLinkz.com

WCMD 2012 Challenge 1: Holiday Greetings with Julie Ebersole

(click on the pic to en-biggan)

Yay for World Card Making Day!

My challenge for you today is to create a Holiday Greeting!

The instant I saw it, I fell madly in love with this awesome set by Ali Edwards for Technique Tuesday, called "Jingle All The Way"!  My inspiration design here may seem complex, given the stamp set I used, but it's actually a lot easier than you think. *wink*

I mounted all the sentiments I wanted to use onto one single acrylic block--this initially took a little time, to make sure they were all straight; an acrylic block with grid lines really helps! This way, I could ink and stamp all at once, making mass production of this design a breeze!

It was then very easy to "fill the gaps" with the darling accent images in the set like the bell, holly and stars, in different colors.

A little bit of twine and some Rock Candy Stickles was all that was needed to finish it off!

Can't wait to see what Holiday Greetings you create and thanks for joining me in this challenge for World Card Making Day!

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SUPPLIES & MATERIALS:

Technique Tuesday Clear Stamps, Jingle All the Way by Ali Edwards	Shadow Ink, Soft Granite	Memento Ink Pad, Love Letter
Memento Ink Pad, Dandelion	Memento Ink Pad, Pear Tart	Shadow Ink, Soft Pool
A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Ream	A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, 25 pack	H4 Cardstock, Dove Gray
Doodle Twine Spool, Gray	Distressed Stickles, Rock Candy	Clear Acrylic Block 3" x 4" Rectangular with Grid
3D-Dots, 1/16" Thick

InLinkz.com

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HOLIDAY CARD CHALLENGE

We hope that this challenge helps give you a jump start on your holiday cards! Create a card to use this upcoming holiday season! Once you have completed this challenge please be certain to link directly to that specific project in our WCMD Challenge Blog Candy post!

BLOG CANDY

What is your favorite time of year to pull out your card making supplies and create?

Be certain to leave your answer in the comment section on this post to be entered in a random drawing for the following goodies. All comments must be made by 11:59pm Pacific Time on October 7th to be eligible.

Thank You Circles by Teri Anderson

One of my absolute favorite aspects of going to the Craft & Hobby Association shows is having the opportunity of meeting the many incredibly talented women in this industry. It was with great excitement that I finally had the opportunity to meet Teri Anderson at the last show! This talented young lady is one of PaperCrafts magazine Go-to-Gals. As well she is a design team member for THREE of fabulous stamp companies we carry - Lawn Fawn, Paper Smooches and Technique Tuesday!

It is such a pleasure to have Teri with us today showing us a fantastic way to use circles in designing a card! We would LOVE to have your help thanking Teri - please head over to her blog a bit of this. a bit of that. and leave some lovin' in the comments section of her post there - you know you are in the correct spot if you see the following pic!

Thank you Teri for sharing your creativity with us here in the CLASSroom!

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Hi Everyone! Welcome to the CLASSroom!

Circles are one of my favorite design elements on cards. I want to show you a few fun ways to incorporate circles on your cards with stamping and with using buttons by sharing this card with you.

First thing is first. I'm going to do some stamping and make one really big layered circle. I just love using circles in this!

I started by cutting a 2 1/2" circle from Bayou cardstock. I used a circle punch, but a circle die would work just as well!

Then I stamped the "gratitude" definition from The Family Circle on to the circle. You'll notice that I stamped it just a little bit off the circle. That's because it really is just a design element. I don't expect anyone to actually read it.

I set the circle aside and then grabbed the Thanks circle and stamped it with orange ink on white cardstock.

I used a circle punch to cut it out and then set it aside.

Now comes the hard part! (Hee hee!) I used the large circle stamp from The Family Circle and stamped it with black ink on to my card panel. Here's how it looks all stamped up. Easy, right?

 

Then I just started piling things on.

I added the Bayou circle and then I added the Thanks circle.

To give a little extra dimension, I used foam tape to pop that small circle off the card. Here's a peek of how things look when all finished.

Love that extra pop the foam tape gives!

Another nice way to add circle elements to your cards is to use round buttons. I use buttons plain like this all the time.

I use buttons plain like this all the time. But, sometimes I like to sauce them up.

And Copic markers are a great way to do this. Just take a pen to your buttons of choice and start doodling with it. For my card, I selected three markers slightly darker than the buttons and then just lightly and selectively added color to parts of each button. If you try this at home, be sure to test it out on a few buttons first. That way you can make sure the colors work well together.

The end result of my button doodling looked something like this.

My buttons (plus some more I colored) look pretty cool on my finished card.

Thanks for joining me in the CLASSroom today!

Teri

 
stamps: Technique Tuesday - Thanks Seal, The Family Circle and A Million and One

paper: My Mind's Eye 6x6 On the Bright Side Two Paper Pad, Memory Box - Bayou, Parsley, and Jack O Lantern; Neenah Solar White

ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Orange Ink

Copic markers: BG72, YR07, G99

other: October Afternoon 9 to 5 Buttons, circle punches (or circle dies), jute

A Tribute To My Sweet Girl On Her Graduation

As I sit here tonight reflecting on the past 18 years I am grateful - grateful for my two very special daughters! My heart is bursting with pride as we celebrate with our oldest daughter Maddi, as she graduates from high school today. I wanted to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the amazing young lady she has become.

Maddi's kind and caring heart is probably the trait I am most proud of. The goals she sets for herself constantly amaze me and she works towards them with fierce determination, putting in the hours of work necessary to make them come true.

Maddi, congratulations on meeting your goal of running a 1/4 mile in less than 60 seconds and setting a new school record together with your teammates in the 4x400 at State this year.

Congratulations on your many scholastic achievements - to know that you love science and math as much as I do just makes me grin from ear to ear. You will do something amazing in life... of that I am certain!

Creating this simple card was an absolute joy, because as I created it I was able to reflect back on the past and remember the moments of joy, tears, and laughter. Your quirky wit is definitely something you get from your dad - my goodness but you can make me laugh! We are so very proud of you as you head into the next phase of your life. Congratulations once again my sweet girl!!!

TIP: It doesn't take much time at all to create a card for a graduate in your life. Use their school colors as your jump-off point. Apply Be Creative Tape to Solar White cardstock and cut out your numbers before applying glitter and burnishing. "Cap" it off with a mortar board and you are well on your way to congratulating someone special.

stamps: Technique Tuesday Grad, Lawn Fawn Chevron Backdrops

paper: Neenah Solar White

ink: Library Green Archival Ink Pad

accessories: My Favorite Things By the Number Stamps and Die Set, Silver Microfine Glitter Ritz, Be Creative Tape