A Bright Christmas Star a tutorial

Ever wonder what to do with the Mercury Glass Acetate Paper in the Holiday catalogue?

For this card, I die cut a fairly large star using a Stitched Star die using this Mercury Glass window sheet-like paper, and adhered it over a sponged background.

The card is partially cased from a card made by Sarah Fleming 

Stamps :  So Many Stars, Making Christmas Bright

Inks:

• Sky:  Sponged with Shaded Spruce and Daffodil Delight on Whisper White card stock
• Small Stars & edges: stamped  and edges sponged with Shaded Spruce ink,
• Sentiment :  Real Red
• Embossing:  Versa Mark  

Papers:

• Real Red       5 1/2 by 4 1/4"  Card base
• Shaded Spruce  4 by 5 1/4" first layer
• Whisper White 3 3/4 by 5" Art piece
• Whisper White 2" circle for sentiment
• Whisper White to die cut star swirl and smaller stars

Accessories:  Stitched Star dies, dimensionals, glitter white embossing powder, 2" circle punch.

Putting card together:

1. Fold  Real Red base at 4 1/4" and burnish fold
2. Adhere 3 by 5 1/4" Shaded Spruce layer to card base  - set aside
3. On Whisper White layer, emboss stars with glitter white embossing powder.
4. Then sponge Daffodil Delight in upper right corner of the art piece and Shaded Spruce ink on the rest. Blend the two colours together a little bit. With a clean dry paper towel, wipe off the ink over the embossed stars.
5. Die cut the star swirl and small stars using Whisper White and adhere to art piece
6. Die card medium star with Mercury Glass Acetate paper and add to art piece using mini dimensionals.
7. Stamp sentiment on a separate piece of Whisper White and punch with a 2" circle punch.  Stamp some small stars over the sentiment with Real Red ink. Add punched circle to art piece with dimensionals partially covering die cut star and swirl
8. Add completed art piece to card front.
9. Finish inside.

Rustic Retreat - Try Stampin on Tuesday #432

Today I was at a Craft show in Lindsay where a team mate had a booth and I was surrounded with Christmas crafts, some traditional, some more rustic.  Christmas is coming closer every day, a fact the weather this week reminded me of rather briskly.  Heavy rain, intermixed with freezing rain made for somewhat difficult driving conditions.  But the trip was worth it.

Some of the Christmas decor reminded me of the card I made for the sketch challenge with Try Stampin' on Tuesday #432  which also had an optional theme of mixing patterns.

The patterns I used were from the Wrapped in laid DSP

In a 2" punched circle, I stamped the image of a rustic cabin which was coloured with Stampin' Blends and watercolour pencils with snow and glitter added to make it look wintery. BRRR!

This was adhered to a background of 3 different patterns of  Wrapped in Plaid DSP.

Three different colours of Stampin' markers were used to stamp the sentiment, which was punched with the Everyday Label Punch.

Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Rustic Retreat, Merry Moose
Inks:  Black Memento, Stampin' Blends (Shaded Spruce, Crumb Cake, Cajun Craze, Smokey Slate, Whisper White, Seaside Spray) Stampin; Markers (Real Red, Shaded Spruce, Soft Suede)
Papers:  Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White,   Wrapped in Plaid DSP
Accessories:  2" Circle Punch, Every Day Label Punch, Puff Paint, SU Glitter

Free As a Bird Boxed Note Card Set - a Case & Catalogue Sneak Peak

Have I mentioned that I like the Bird Bundle in the new annual catalogue?  Maybe once or twice??

I saw this boxed note card set on Pinterest and loved it so much I cased it. Unfortunately I cannot find the original author to give her credit, so if anyone recognizes her work please let me know.

The notecards are 4 by 8" Whisper White scored at 4 to form 4 by 4" note cards.  If you use a 12 by 12" sheet of Whisper White you can cut all four from 1 piece - with a little bit left over.  Each card front is matted with Petal Pink card stock followed  by Free as a Bird DSP (bird cages)

A 2" circle punch used to punch birds directly from the DSP, is matted with a stitched Petal Pink larger circle.  This is adhered to the DSP using dimensionals.

Each note card has a different sentiment on the front.

Envelopes for the note cards were made using the Envelope punch board.  This wonderful tool is retiring.

The envelope punch board was also used to make the box, which was finished in a similar manner to the cards. In addition two clusters of flowers were cut from the DSP and added to the lid, and a bow made of 5/8" organdy Petal Pink/white ribbon was added over the image.  I also added a Free as a Bird trinket.

Supplies Used:

Stamp:  Free as a Bird

Ink:  Soft Suede

Papers:  Whisper White, Petal Pink, Free as a Bird DSP

Accessories:  Envelope punch board, 2" circle punch, Stitched Circle Framelit, Free as a Bird trinket, 5/8" Pink and White Organdy ribbon, dimensionals

Lovely as a Tree with Woodland Embossing Folder

Today I wanted to bring back my favourite stamp set and pair it with the Woodlands embossing folder

I haven't done stamping directly onto an embossing folder for a while and I was surprised to learn that my students have never done this technique before.  Guess what they're going to be doing in class!!??

My favourite stamp set?  Lovely as a Tree!

Using the sponge brayer directly onto the embossing folder (the side with the logo on it) Smoky Slate ink followed by Pool Party ink was applied,

Then using Mossy Meadow ink and the largest single tree, I stamped directly onto the embossing folder three times.

Then I inserted a piece of Whisper White card stock onto the uninked side, closed the folder carefully so as not to shift the paper, and ran the folder through the Big Shot.  Magic!!

After trimming the focal piece to a 4 by 5 1/4" piece, some 3/8" mini chevron Old Olive ribbon as added to the lower part and the focal piece then adhered to the card front.

The sentient, stamped from "Colorful Seasons" was punched with a  2" circle punch and added to the card front with dimensionals.

Two blue birds, from the "Swirly Bird" stamp set were provided a bit of color to the card.

Supplies Used:

Stamps:  Lovely as a Tree, Colorful Seasons, Swirly Bird

Inks:  Mossy Meadow, Basic Gray, Pacific Point

Papers:  Always Artichoke, Whisper White

Accessories:  Woodlands embossing folder, 3/8" mini chevron Old Olive ribbon, dimensionals, 2" circle punch