Retiform Grid Tehnique

I had never heard of this technique before and certainly never made a card using this technique on the background, until it became a challenge on the Canadian Die Cut Exchange.
Once I saw what it was all about, I just had to try it out.

I chose to use only one colour, but I understanding is that more than one colour can be used to make the grid lines.

I found the demonstration of this technique very well done in this video

Supplies Used:
Stamps: Awesomely Artistically, Butterfly Basics
Ink: Sahara Sand
Papers: Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake, Pacific Point
Accessories: 3/8" Very Vanilla lace trim, dimensionals

Happy 75th Birthday - Try Stampin' on Tuesday #276

This is a birthday card especially made for Mother's out there.  My mother passed away many years ago now and I truly miss her.  She would have loved this card.  My mother was from Holland, and oh did she love her flowers.

 

I used the windows framelit to create a shaker window in the middle of a piece of Whisper White cardstock.The shaker elements were made using the heart border punch and Bermuda Bay paper mixed in with some silver paper.  Behind it I placed a striped piece of Have a Cuppa DSP.  The base card is Bermuda Bay.

Using the Petite Petal punch and the flower punch from the Accessory pack, I made small flowers  (they almost look like little tulips), punched some Old Olive leaves using the Bird Builder punch, and arranged these around the heart.  Blue glitter was placed in the center of each flower

The sentiment was black embossed on vellum and adhered to the window sheet using glue dots.

The age:  75 was die cut using gold glimmer paper. Ironically - I wasn't thinking about it at the time, but my mom was 75 when she died.

Supplies Used:

Stamp: Butterfly Basics

Ink: Versa Mark

Papers: Bermuda Bay, Have a Cuppa DSP, Whisper White, Gold Glimmer, Window sheet, Vellum, Old Olive

Accessories: Heart Framelits, Timeless Type Alphabet Junior Sizzlits, Petite Flower punch, Small flower punch from accessory pack, Bird Builder punch, Black embossing powder.

Flower shop Happy Birthday - Create with Connie & Mary #401

Where is Spring?  Oh, where is Spring?  We had a few nice days, the snow melted, and then I wake up in the morning and there's a foot of snow on my car!  I hear more is on the way.

This cool weather is not going to stop me from stamping flowers, hopefully to infuse a bit of spring spirit into my blog.

I made this card for the sketch challenge with Create with Connie & Mary  and I'm quite happy with the way its turned out.

On a 2 1/2 by 2 1/2" piece of Very Vanilla cardstock with rounded corners, 3 flowers were attached.  These flowers were stamped from the Flower Shop stamp set, with Calypso Coral ink and punched with the Pansy punch.  A small snip was made between the petals and the petals curled back using a bone folder.  The center was stamped using the flower center stamp from Butterfly Basics.  It was first stamped in Black Memento and then Calypso coral.  This center was punched using the 1/2" circle punch, and attached to the center of the flower using a small dimensional.

Before adhering the flowers, 2 leaf stems were die cut in Basic Black using the XL Bouquet die. 

They were attached first, and the flowers adhered around them using dimensionals. 

A 3 by 3 1/4" of Calypso Coral (Pretty Petals DSP) was adhered to the Very Vanilla card front.  The corners were also rounded using the corner rounder punch.

Behind the Very Vanilla piece, a piece of Black polka dot DSP (Pretty Petals) was punched at both end using the Triple Punch.  At one end a 1/4" piece of a different pattern of the Pretty Petals DSP was added.

The sentiment was from "Balloon Celebrations"

To finish up the card, some Wink of Stella clear glitter was brushed on the flower petals and center, and the leaves.

Supplies Used:

Stamps: Flower Shop, Balloon Celebration,Butterfly Basics

Inks:Calypso Coral, Basic Black, 

Papers: Calypso Coral, Very Vanilla, Pretty Petals DSP pack, Basic Black

Accessories: Pansy Punch, 1/2" circle punch, XL Bouquet die, Triple Punch, dimensionals, Wink of Stella clear glitter brush, corner rounder punch.

Birthday Blooms - Freshly Made Sketches #217

This stamp, used to make the card for the Freshly Made Sketches  sketch challenge gives you another sneak peak into what's coming in the new Occasions Catalogue in January.

• Base card is Pacific Point cardstock. layered with Mint Macaroon, then Pretty Petals DSP.
• the image is stamped in Black Memento ink, and coloured with Aqua painter and ink pads- using Soft Sky, Pacific Point, Night of Navy, Daffodil Delight, Crumb Cake, Mint Maroon, Pear Pizzazz, Always Artichoke.  Using the "dot" stamp, dots were stamped around the images.

          Some glitter was added to the center, around the flowers and on bits of the petals.

          This is a close up of one of the flowers.

• After trimming it to size, the image was matted with Pacific Point cardstock. 

The image panel was adhered to the front of the card using dimensionals.
A strip of Whisper White matted with Pacific  Point was placed at the lower part of the image, and the sentiment was stamped on the middle of that strip. Metal rimmed pearls were placed at either end of this strip. This sentiment is from "Butterfly Basics"

Supplies Used:
Stamps: Birthday Blooms, Butterfly Basics
Inks: Black Memento, Soft Sky, Pacific Point, Night of Navy, Mint Macaroon, Pear Pizzazz, Always Artichoke, Daffodil Delight, Crumb Cake
Papers: Pacific Point, Whisper White, Mint Maroon, Pretty Petals DSP
Accessories: White Baker's Twine, dimensionals, Aquapainter, Wink of Stella glitter brush, metal rimmed pearls

Framed Black Eyed Susans - Fab Friday #68

I spent the day at a craft show today and did very well, but I am very tired.  When I came home I felt I needed to relax, and I relax best when I am colouring.  I stamped the image from Awesome Artistic and coloured away using ink pads and an aqua painter.
Then I saw the challenge sketch with Fab Friday and I realized that what I had coloured could be used with the sketch.

Card:

• The basic card is Old Olive cardstock, layered with Whisper white and then Pretty Petals DSP stack.

Image:

• The image was stamped with Memento ink and coloured with ink pads and an aqua painter- Hello Honey, Old Olive, Basic black
• Using a pair of paper snips, the image was cut around the flowers and leaves.
• An Old Olive frame was made using 2 sizes of Square Framelits.  Using the Scoring tool, I scored 1/4" from the inner edge all the way around. The frame was matted with Basic Black cardstock.  A piece of Whisper white was added to the back of the frame, and the cut out flowers were adhered to the center of the frame, overlapping some of the frame.
• From the stamp set "Papillon Potpourri" I embossed one of the butterflies in Black embossing powder.  It was coloured with Tangerine Tango, Daffodil Delight, and Basic black markers.  It was punched out using the Elegant Butterfly punch, and added to the top left of the frame using a glue dot.

Sentiment:

• Sentiment is from the stamp set "Butterfly Basics" and was stamped with Memento ink on Whisper White.  It was matted with Basic black and made into a banner.

Supplies Used:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Butterfly on Faux Tile background

I really wanted to place this butterfly on a brick background, but my brick embossing folder has not arrived yet, so I made a faux tile background instead.

The Faux Background:

• One inch score lines were drawn across a 5 by 3 1/2" piece of Whisper white cardstock, first in one direction, and then at right angles to the first lines.
• A scrap piece of printer paper was placed close to each score line, and with a sponge dauber and Smoky Slate ink, a very light layer of Smoky Slate ink was applied first above, and when finished, the paper was turned upside down and ink was applied below the score lines.  This is done in both directions.  Then, taking the spong dauber, the edges are sponged lightly with Smoky Slate ink.
• Using the fern stamp from Butterfly Basics and Old Olive ink the fern  was stamped twice from the right lower corner.

The Butterfly:

• On a scrap piece of Whisper White cardstock, using the triple stamping technique, the following colours were used to make the butterfly:  Soft Sky, Marina Mist, and Island Indigo.  The body was stamped with Black memento ink.
• The butterfly was then die cut using the Coordinating Bold Butterfly framelit.
• A second butterfly was die cut in Vellum, using the Butterflies framelit.
• The Vellum butterfly was adhered to the die cut butterfly using tombo glue.  Both were then adhered to the Faux Tile background at an angle, and the wings fluffed up.

• The sentiment was stamped with Island Indigo ink, punched with the small oval punch and matted with the Word Label punch in Island Indigo.
• Some rhinestones were placed in the upper right corner.

Supplies Used:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Wish Big - Hand Stamped Sentiments #213

I haven't done a colour challenge in a while.  Acutally, I haven't made a card in a while because I've been so busy getting ready to go to Vancouver next week.  My plant sale was on the weekend, and I'm still getting e-mails from people who want to purchase the ones I have left.  It's been a very profitable sale.
Now, back to putting some content on my blog.  If you're wondering about the blog header, my son is designing a new one, but in the middle of doing so his friend got hurt at work so he dropped everything to be with his friend.

This card is for the colour challenge with Hand Stamped Sentiments.  These are the colours:  Bermuda Bay, Calypso Coral, Crushed Curry and Mossy Meadow.

 

• The base card is Bermuda Bay, layered with Crushed Curry, and then the image layer which is Whisper White cardstock
• The image of the flower was stamped with black Stazon ink, masked, and stamped again, a little highter and off to the other side.
• Using markers and an aquapainter, the images were coloured- the flowers with Crushed curry, with Mossy Meadow combined with Crushed Curry for the stamens.  I used the marker itself to provide highlights and insert shadows in some of the spaces.  The stems were coloured with Mossy meadow and an aqua painter.  Again I used the marker to colour in some shadows.
• Using a stamp from "Butterly basics" the honeycomb background was stamped with Bermuda Bay ink
• The sentiment is from "A Dozen Thoughts" and was stamped with Calypso Coral ink.
• To finish the card, tiny Calypso coral butterflies were die cut using the now retired Beautiful wings embosslit and rhinestones were placed in their centers.  A SAB calypso coral ribbon was added to the bottom of one of the flowers.
• A card has to have bling, so I applied dazzling details to the outline of the flowers. 

Supplies Used:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Also used the retired Beautiful wings sizzlet and the SAB calypso coral ribbon.

Butterfly Basics Just for You - Technostamper 364

Finally, I got some time to sit down and create something.  It seems all week I've been running here and running there, but tonight is my time.

For the sketch challenge with Technostamper I thought I would stamp and colour an image rather than use DSP.  I used the stamp set "Butterfly Basics" and coloured it using the new in-colours ink pads and an aqua painter.

 

• The basic cardstock is Delightful Dijon, layered with Whisper White and then Cherry on Top DSP stack.
• The image was stamped with Black Stazon ink onto Whisper White cardstock and coloured with ink pads and an aqua painter.  Some dazzline details was used on the flowers.
• The image panel was then cut into 3 pieces: 1/2" at the bottom, and then at 1".  When applied to the DSP a 1/8" space was allowed between the cut pieces.
• To make the ribbon flower, I cut a piece of 1" Delightful Dijon dotted lace trim, and with a large eyed needle, and linen thread, I placed stitches along the unscalloped edge.  Pulling the thread forms the flower.  After tying the linen thread off, a 5/8" neutral brad was inserted in the middle, and the unit was adhered using a glue gun.

Close up of ribbon flower

• The sentiment is from Teeny Tiny sayings, and punched using the Word Window punch.

Supplies Used:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Eggshell Mosaic Technique - Technostamper 361

It`s finally nice to have some time to just make cards and do some challenges.  I`ve been so busy the last few months with craft shows, classes, tutoring sessions that I just haven`t had the time for anything else.

Today was such a beautiful day, that I started outside this morning splitting perennials and getting ready for a plant sale the end of May.  My son had done the digging last night, and today I split the plants and put them in little pots.  The sun felt so warm, the birds were singing, and you could almost hear the trees bursting out in bud.

But this afternoon, I came inside and started mading cards.  I wanted to make a card using the Eggshell Mosaic background technique as I am doing that in class this week.  Splitcoaststampers have a wonderful tutorial that I followed, except I used reinkers instead of alcohol inks.

I`ve been saving eggshells since Christmas, and the shells are well disinfected and dry, so I don`t have to worry about the students getting ill with Salmonella.

 

 I made a 5 by 5`square card using Old Olive as my base, matted with Whisper White, and then Flowerpot DSP.

I used the tutorial to make the Eggshell mosaic background, starting by die cutting an oval using Vanilla Coasterboard.  It was fun breaking the eggshells onto this oval which had matte Modgepodge all over it.  I made quite a mess!

Instead of using Alcohol Inks, I used Reinkers - Old Olive, Tempting Turquoise, and Pink Pirouette.  The eggshells were sprayed with 90% rubbing alcohol before applying the reinkers, and again after.  I just allowed the eggshells to dry at room temperature, but the process could be increased by using a heating tool (very cautiously).  Prior to applying the gloss Modgepodge I sprayed the background with a glitter spray, and when this was dry I applied the Modgepodge.

It took about an hour for the background to dry, but when it did, the edges were sponged with Tempting Turquoise ink, and matted with a Tempting Turquoise oval die cut using the Oval framelits.  The mosaic background was adhered to the die cut using dimensionals.

Close up of Eggshell Mosaic background

To add interest to the eggshell background, I added some tiny pink pirouette flowers punched with the flower punch, and rhinestones were placed in their centers.

Behind the oval focal point, an Old Olive banner was embossed with the Zigzag embossing folder, and the edges then sponged with Old Olive ink.

The sentiment is from Butterfly Basics, die cut using the smallest of the Ovals Framelit.

Here are the supplies I used:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

In addition, I used:

• Matte Modgpodge
• Glossy Nodgpodge
• 90% rubbing alcohol
• Home made glimmer mist
• Eggshells

Happy Birthday - Hand Stamped Sentiments #207

This week's challenge is a colour one.  I can't believe I'm doing another colour challenge as I haven't done one for a while.
For  the challenge with Hand Stamped Sentiments these are the colours to use:  Blackberry Bliss, Blushing Bride and Wild Wasabi.

The resultant Birthday card I made is one my son says I should make more of.

 

The lower edge of the  Whisper White cardstock was first  die cut using the Adorning Accents Edgelits.

Before stamping the flowers, the sentiment from "Butterfly Basics" was stamped with Blackberry Bliss in the middle of this die cut piece.

Using the stamp-a-ma-jig, the flowers from "Stippled Blossoms" were stamped first with Blackberry Bliss, and then with Blushing Bride.  The Leaves were stamped with Wild Wasabi, and again with the same colour of ink, only the stamp was stamped off once before stamping on the leaves.  Tiny pearls were placed in the center of each flower.

The Adorning Accents Edgelit was used again to die cut a piece of Blackberry Bliss, and this was attached to the lower edge of the card, allowing only a small amount to show.

Supplies used:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Also used tiny pearls which were placed in the center of each flower

This panel was adhered to a Blushing Bride card base.

I hate this when it happens, but the linkz closed before iI could post it to the site.

Sending Wishes Your Way

This card was made using a new Technique - making backgrounds with blendabilities and alcohol on glossy cardstock.  I did a photo tutorial on my tutorial blog here as I couldn't get my video camera to work.  There's still some learning to do here.

I stamped 3 flowers from the "Petal Poutpourri" stamp set using black stazon ink onto one of my background pieces.  In this instance I used Crumb Cake, Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight, and Wisteria Wonder.

The flowers were punched out using the coordinating punch.  The center of the flower was punched from a different part of the background piece that had more yellow on it.  First I used the 3/4" circle punch, and then the 1/2" circle punch.  They were adhered together, and then added to the flower with a dimensional.

The fern leaf is from "Butterfly Basics" and is stamped with Old Olive ink.  The fern beside it was stamped without reinking the stamp.

Once the ferns were stamped, I made an executive decision to use only 1 of the flowers as 3 made the card look too busy.  I added it near the bottom of the card using dimensionals.  A piece of melon Mambo ribbon was attached underneath the flower.

An itty butterfly was stamped and punched out with the Itty Bitty Butterfly punch and added to the top left of the card using a glue dot.

Here are the supplies used:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

In addition, I used Glossy Cardstock and Rubbing alcohol.

Happy Birthday - Indescribable Gift

This stamp set is originally an Easter stamp, but I thought it would make a wonderful birthday card. It uses the stamp set "Indescribable Gift".

The basic card is Strawberry Slush card stock embossed with the Script Embossing folder (retired).  A Primrose Petal ribbon spans the width of the card.  This ribbon is also retired.
To the left is a panel of Pink Pirouette embossed with the Fancy Fan embossing folder is matted with Strawberry Slush card stock.

The focal image is stamped on Whisper White cardstock using Black Memento ink.  The flowers are coloured with blendabilities (Pink Pirouette, Melon Mambo, Old Olive, Crumb Cake).  This focal image is first matted with Pink pirouette, and then Strawberry Slush.
It is attached to the card with the left side overlapping the panel, and the right side (with dimensionals) to the rest of the card.  Because a card just has to have bling, I added Dazzling Details to the edges and inside of each flower.

A butterfly, stamped with Strawberry Slush ink, is die cut using the butterfly framelit, and added to the upper left of the card.

The sentiment is from Butterfly Basics.

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Decorated Note Pad with Butterfly Basics

I have a craft show next week, so I promised myself I would work on show-related stuff for the rest of the day.
One of my best sellers is the decorated note pad.  This one I chose to decorate with the Butterfly Basics stamp set which will be available Jan. 6, 2015

I have made other note pads that open from the middle, but I decided to make this one open like a book."
For a lot of my craft show items I used retired DSP and this is no exception.

I start with an 81/2 by 11 piece of cardstock and trim 1/4" off the bottom.  On the long side, I score at 5 1/2 and 5 3/4.  Then I decorate as desired.

Here are some other posts related to decorated note pads:
1.  http://craftymariasstampingworld.blogspot.ca/2014/10/more-decorated-note-pads.html
2. http://craftymariasstampingworld.blogspot.ca/2014/07/flower-patch-decorated-note-pad.html

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

In addition I used the following, all of which will be available in January.
1.  Butterfly Basics stamp set
2.  Sky Blue Blendabilities
3.  Bow Builder Punch