4 Season Calendar

Canada Post recently made an announcement that postage rates were increasing to $1.00 and they were no longer going to deliver rurally and door to door.

That got me thinking about my craft sales where I sell my cards.  I think this will put the brakes on some of my card sales so my emphasis this year is going to be 3D and DYI items.

I saw this neat 4 Season calendar on Pinterest, designed by Lee Ann Graff, that reminded me of a calendar I used to make using another stamp set.  So, I decided to give this one a try. Each season has its own design and 3 month calendar.  You can use the tutorial from here.  The tutorial includes a link to 12 month calendar appropriately sized for the project.

I cased the majority of this calendar, although I did use different stamp sets.

A 5 1/2 by 8 1/2" card was turned into an easel calendar.  Each card front was stamped for each season.

Measurements:
.Basic Black main card 5 12 by 8 1/2:
.4 pieces of Whisper White card stock 4 by 5 1/4"
.Basic Black easel piece 2 by 4 1/4" scored 1" from each end.

Calendars measure 1 3/4 by 4 1/2" with a black mat of 1 7/8 by 4 5/8"

The easel piece was adhered to one end of the calendar underneath the Whisper White layer.  The scored ends act as an easel once its tucked up the other side.

Products Used:
Spring: Best of Sale-a-Bration, Papilion Potpourri stamps, Rich Razzellberry, Old Olive markers, Daffodil delight ink, Butterfly punch, rhinestones.
Summer: Delicate Doilies stamp set, Daffodil Delight, Pacific Point, Primrose Petals ink, Itty Bitty punch shapes, l" circle punch, 3/4" circle punch, rhinestones, large pearls
Fall: Gently Falling stamp set, Tangerine Tango, Summer Starfruit inks, 5/8: crochet ribbon trim, Antique brad
Winter: Serene Snowflake stamp set, Marina Mist ink, rhinestones

I think this would make a great project for my first class of the season.

Gently Falling - an Autumn Card case

I saw this card on Pinterest and tried to track down the original artist but could not find out who it was.  This card is almost a CASE of this card.  I did change a few things.
If you recognize this card as yours will you please get in contact with me and I will give you credit.

Technique:
The card itself - I embossed a second Very Vanilla layer with the Fancy Fan folder and die cut a Label framelit shape in the middle of it.  Into this shape I stamped the sentiment.
The leaves were stamped with Chocolate Chip ink onto Whisper White paper and sponged different colours on them before cutting them out.  I used a combination of Summer Starfruit, Tangerine Tango and Old Olive.
After cutting them out, I adhered them to the outer left edge of the die cut.

Stamps: Gently Falling, Word Play
Inks: Chocolate Chip, Summer Starfruit, Tangerine Tango, Old Olive
Papers: Early Espresso, Very Vanilla, Whisper White
Accessories: Fancy Fan embossing folder, Labels Framelits, Victorian crochet ribbon, Naturals Button

Gratitude - Sunny Challenges & Creations SC 085/13

No, the leaves haven't turned colour here yet, but I expect that by the middle of the month a subtle change in colour will occur.  I hate for summer to come to an end, but I do like the fall (except for what comes after).  Considering that its the middle of the summer, the temperatures sure have been cool.  I just heard on the radio that it willl be 9 degrees C tonight!

For the challenge with Sunny Challenges & Creations here I thought I would make an Autumn card.

 

Techniques:

The leaf was stamped using the 2 stamping method and the edges then sponged with Soft Suede ink after it was cut out.

The circles were cut using the Circles framelits.  The Very Vanilla circle was stamped with the En Francais stamp set.

The doily I dyed using Soft Suede reinker in a bit of water.  I just love the colour it turned out.

Stamps: Gently falling, En Francais, Harvest of Thanks

Inks: Summer Starfruit, Tangerine Tango, Soft Suede, Soft Suede reinker, Chocolate chip

Papers: Chocolate chip, Very Vanilla, Sweater Weather DSP, Soft Suede, Whisper White

Accessories: Doily, Circles framelits, 1/2" Linen ribbon, Bitty Banners framelits, dimensionals

Gently Falling Collage Thank You - Challenge 192 LNS

With the cool nights and the warm days the leaves on the trees are really starting to turn to brilliant red, yellows, oranges and some brown.  It's absolutely breath taking.
The challenge with the Late Night Stamper's Group is "tearing" and I try to emulate some of the colors I have seen.

Technique:
The Early Espresso card base is layered with Whisper White, and then Core'dination Early Espresso card stock embossed with the Wood grain folder.  The latter was lightly sanded.
Panel:
I took a panel of Whisper White and sponged the following colors on it:  Riding Hood Red, Cajun Craze, Lucky Limeade, Tangerine Tango, and Daffodil Delight.
Then, using Soft Suede ink, the images of the stamp set "Gently Falling" were stamped all over the panel in a random fashion.
Now comes the tearing part.  I tore both long sides of the panel and then sponged the edges with Soft Suede ink.  The panel was matted with Crumb Cake card stock, which was also torn down the long sides and sponged with Soft Suede ink.
Embellishment: 
Three leaves were die cut using the Autumn Accents die, folded in half and embossed with the Woodgrain folder.  They were then sponged with the same colors was the panel, and spritzed with gold smooch.  Stampin' Dimensionals were used to adhere the leaves together.
The ribbon is Crumb Cake seam binding held in place by a ribbon slide, and adhered to the embellishment with a dimensional.

Stamps  Gently Falling, Perfectly Penned
Inks: Riding Hood Red, Cajun Craze, Tangerine Tango, Daffodil Delight, Lucky Limeade, Soft Suede
Papers: Early Espresso, Whisper White, Early Espresso Core'dination card stock, Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake
Accessories: Ribbon slide, 3/8" Crumb Cake seam binding, Autumn Accents die, Woodgrain folder, Gold smooch

Gently Falling - Thanks - Challenge 144

This is another card for tomorrow's class - again using the ink refill drop technique.

 

Stamps:  Gently Falling, Grateful greetings

Inks: Soft Suede, Reinkers (Pool Party, More Mustard, Early Espresso), Early Espresso

Papers: Chocolate chip, Whisper White, Autumn Spice Designer Paper, More Mustard, Shimmery White paper

Accessories: Square lattice embossing folder, 1 3/4 by 7/8" oval punch, 3/8"  Pool Party ruffled ribbon, self adhesive pearls, dimensionals

Gently Falling - Inkspirations Challenge #89

This was a fun sketch challenge to do.

Stamps: Gently Falling, Day of Gratitude
Inks: Early Espresso, More Mustard, Pool Party
Papers: Chocolate Chip, More Mustard, Autumn Spice designer paper,  Very Vanilla
Accessories: Linbes embossing folder, Word Label Punch, 1 3/4 by 7/8" oval punch, pearls, Crystal Effects.

The two step stamping method was used to colour the leaves.  They were first stamped with early espresso, and then stamped over with More Mustard, followed by pool party.  Each leaf was cut out and covered with Crystal Effects.

Medallion Wreath

A version of this wreath is featured on Page 6 of the New Holiday Mini Catalogue. As soon as I saw it I knew that I wanted to make it - as a decoration for  my booth this weekend at the craft show.
Retired Autumn designer paper, and some current card stock was used  to make the wreath- as I was uncertain on how it would turn out and I didn't want to waste my good paper.
.

The circle wreath base was made from cardboard that comes with the designer series paper.  I traced a circle using a dinner plate, and traced a smaller circle within that using a cake pan.  The fun part was cutting the circle out. ( I fully intended to buy the base in the Dollar store, but of course there were none there today - so I put on my thinking cap)
To strengthen this base I cut 2" strips of "the snake" that had previously been ironed and folded, and wrapped it around the circle.
It was reinforced at the back with masking tape.
Just in case the medallions didn't cover the entire base I took 3 ink and colours and smeared them on the front - More Mustard, Chocolate Chip and Old Olive.
After I made the different medallions,hot glue was used to adhere them to the base.
A Leaf from the Gently Falling stamp set was stamped twice in each of these colours:  More Mustard. Old Olive and Cajun Craze.  After cutting each out, they were randomly placed around the wreath.

Stamp: Falling Leaves
Inks: More Mustard, Cajun Craze, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip
Papers: Retired autumn designer paper, Perfect Plum card stock, More Mustard, Cajun Craze, Very Vanilla
Accessories:  Simply Scored tool, 3/4" circle punch, 1" circle punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, Scallop circle punch, Boho Blossom punch, 1 1/4" Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon, 3/8" Chantilly Lace crochet ribbon, antique brads, card board from designer series paper, other non Stamping Up embellishments. hot glue gun, Pearl, twine.

If any of you would like to see how I made the base, I would be glad to make a video.  Please let me know in your comments.

Gratitude - Create with Connie & Mary #164

For the sketch challenge at Create with Connie & Mary here I used a technique I haven't used for a while - the smooch technique.  To step it up a notch I added Frost White shimmer paint to the mixture.

I started out with a base of Cajun Craze cardstock 5 by 10" which was folded in half to create a 5 by 5" card.  This was layered with Very Vanilla cardstock embossed with the Houndstooth embossing folder.

The image panel was made using the smoosh technique. Place one or two drops of reinkers (Cajun Craze, More Mustard, Soft suede) and two drops of Frost White Shimer paint on an opened plastic bag that had been cut on 2 sides.  Squirt a bit of water onto the mixture, and close the bag at the fold line and smoosh with your hand.
Open up and place a precut piece of cardstock onto the mixture, daubing it onto the coloured mixture until the card stock is covered. This can get messy.
Let dry.
Stamp image onto the dried card stock


Stamps: Gently Falling, Days of Gratitude
Inks: Reinkers:  More Mustard, Cajun Craze, Soft suede, Black Stazo
Papers: Cajun Craze, Very Vanilla, More Mustard, Early Espresso
Accessories: Hounstooth embossing folder, Scallop edge punch, Early Espresso quilted satin ribbon, 5/8" silver brads embossed with a mixture of Tangerine Tango, Basic black and silver embossing powders

Close up of image panel

Close up of embossed brads.