Punch Happy Cards!

As most of you know, I am a bit of a Punch maniac!  I am always so impressed when I see cards that have used the punches in such new and creative ways ... well I hope that I've got one for you! 

I made a flower using the new key tag punch that kinda looks like a dandelion on account of the colours I chose *chuckle*  I used the oval scallop punch for the clouds and although you cannot see it, the large circle scallop as the base and guide for my key tags.  Then filled in the center with the large blossom from the boho blossoms punch (trio)

What do You think?

Then I did some standard layouts with boarder punches - very frilly looking.  I love them.  I only have the corner punch for the scallop trim and hope I'll be able to get the scallop trim boarder too (I missed it from sale-a-bration!) but I have both corner and boarder pinking heart punches.  The new celery green satin ribbon just so pretty too!

It was Hubby's Birthday too so I made one for him as well!  Large oval punch, folding tab punch, corner round punch and the new small heart punch but I had to hand trim the wood grain heart with my snips.  The large heart punch that I have would have worked perfectly for the blue dotted heart stamped in the background.  Note the new bashful blue satin ribbon?  And the sweet tiny little library clip?

 

I hope my cards inspire you to try some of your own! 

Don't forget - let me know if you are running low on any supplies!  I am always happy to have a Mystery Hostess Party with everyone getting a chance to earn free stamp sets and product! Or call a few of your friends and host your own stamping party - just let me know where and when and I'll do the rest!

Contact me today!

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas ...

When my latest order arrived, the inspiration hit and so I made some Christmas cards.  I also had a little stamp together with a bunch of my best customers last week and it got the ball rolling.  So here are a few of the cards that we made and a few shots of how they came together.  Hope this gives you some ideas and gets your inspiration started too!


I bought the new snowflake punch and the first thing I did was to test it out on a scrap piece of velum.  Then I used it as a stencil with craft Whisper White and a dauber to make the background on my first card.  I then used the trio of small snow flakes from the Serene Snowflakes stamp set with Encore Silver to accent between the large white flakes.  I used Real Red to mat the whisper white stamped with the small Snowman from the Snow Buddies Level 2 stamp set from the Holiday Mini (09).  I coloured him in with Bright Bold markers and then highlighted the "snow" with White Frost shimmer paint.  Used the Season's Greeting stamp from the four the Holidays stamp set and wrapped a bit of silver elastic cord around the whole thing as an accent.  I love how it turned out and can't wait to send it off to some lucky friend or family member to enjoy!

The next card that we made is a single layer card and I have to say, I've wanted to try this technique for a while and finally have and I'm pretty impressed with how it turned out.  I've always had a hard time with single layer cards but this one just shouts "I'm Awesome!" *chuckle*

To get started, I used the new ornament punch to cut out the shape in a scrap piece of cardboard (used a piece that came in the back of some paper) - keep the ornament that is punched out too so you can use it to mask off to overlap your ornaments!

I used the platinum shimmer paint with a dauber, Real Red and Glorious Green (markers and ink pads), 2 of the 3 small stamps from the Delightful Decorations stamp set and the Merry Christmas stamp from the Four the Holidays stamp set.

Lay you stencil over your card front and then with the dauber, brush lightly along the edges towards the center to create your boarder of the ornament.

If you space them apart, then you won't need to do any blocking.  But, if you want to layer your ornaments, put the ornament that you cut out, onto the one you just finished and move the stencil over and repeat the process.  Use the template again, to help block for the decorations.  Using the small stamps in Green & Red (alternate between ornaments to change it up a little.) Don't forget to use the cut out of the ornament to block the overlapping pieces.

I used a ruler and the Real Red & Glorious Green Bright Bold markers to draw a boarder around the edges of this card after stamping Merry Christmas from the Four the Holidays stamp set.  I also used the Soft Suede marker to draw the strings to the top of the card.  And here is the final product...

I'm so pleased at how it turned out and the stamp together group really liked it too.  I alway enjoy how everyone puts their own little twist on their card that makes each one so special! 

For the next card, I started off by using the snowmen stamp from The More the Merrier stamp set, a level 3 hostess set from the current catelogue.  I stamped using basic black onto a piece of whisper white card stock, then using the in colour markers to colour them in.  I then used the new frost white shimmer paint to accent the snow and high light each of the snow men.  I assembled my card using Bermuda Bay card stock for the background and ribbon accent and Taken with Teal to mat my whisper white.  I embellished my card by stamping with Taken with Teal the onto whisper white card stock and punching out with the 3/4" circle punch 2 small round stamps from the Delightful Decorations stamp set and jazzing them up with some blue glitter.

I used a couple of dimensional dots to lift up the accents a little and tied a knot in the ribbon and that's another card done.

We did one more project together and I cased this idea from Split Coast Stampers after the project was highlighted on their newsletter a few weeks back check out the Luminary project and see the step by step instruction as well as a video clip.  For my version of the luminary, I again used the Snow Buddies level 2 hostess set from the 2009 Holiday Mini and the phrase "Some of my best friends are Flakes" from the retired stamp set Flakey Friends.  I used my ruler, the lines from my SU work mat and my embossing styles to score the luminary at 2.5" intervals, as I do not have a score pal - this technique works just fine in a pinch.  I also needed to use an alternate method for putting the oval windows into each panel of my luminary.  I used a hand cutting tool with a template instead of spellbinders or a bigshot (either of these would have worked much better for the number of luminaries I had to cut out for my stamp together - the cutting blade on my alternate tool went dull before I was finished and did not cut as smoothly for the remaining luminaries - sorry gang!)

Cut 4 pieces of velum slightly smaller then the frame of each oval window, 2 3/8th" to 2 1/4" wide.  I used craft whisper white to stamp the phrase "Some of my best friends are flakes!", Encore Silver to stamp the snowflakes around the corners and then heat embossed it with Iridescent Ice.  I used the snow swirl in Encore Silver as well to stamp around the oval windows on the outside of the Luminary.  Then flipped it over to place the velum panel on the inside using a bit of glue in each corner and along the bottom.

 Here I am using the small snowman from the Snow Buddies stamp set on the velum, adding a toque and arms, I then coloured him in using the 2009 In Colour Markers, and Bashful Blue from the Soft Subtle markers for a bit of highlight.  Stamped the snowflakes from the same set (small & medium) around the edges with Encore Silver and then put him into the next window.  Each window was slightly different by changing the stamps used and the accessories that went with them so that each side of the luminary will be different.

Once all 4 windows are completed, use tacky strip to stick all the edges and the bottom together, add an LED flame less candle and viola, you're done!  Cute eh?  You can decorate or embelish these little devils however you like - check out the SplitCoastStamper's gallery to see more examples of this craft (including this very project!).

That's all for now Crafters!  Hope you give these a try and let me know how you did!

Have a great day!

e

Deck the Halls ... The How To Part

Well, now I've done it!  I started off with Stampin' Up! Designer Series paper in my original "Deck The Halls ..." post and then I got a comment on how you can also make them with ribbon!! Oh boy!

The Supplies You'll Need!!

So, here is what you will need to complete this project.  Styrofoam ball(s), flat head pins, ribbon (I am using 5/8" wide grosgrain ribbon and 1/4" satin ribbon for the loop to hang it from the tree with), scissors and I highly recommend a thimble as those pins will make your finger tender after a while (especially if you try to make 2 within 24 hours without a thimble!!)

Step 1: Making Your Triangles

When you get started, if the end of your ribbon is not already squared off, snip a straight cut across the end to make it so.  Then fold one corner across to the opposite edge, then flip it so you are pinching the folded edge.  Then, on the same side as the first fold, bring the excess ribbon down.  Again, flip it so that you can pinch the tip (pressing the folded edges firmly) while you snip the excess ribbon straight across the bottom, leaving a nice equilateral triangle.

** Note:  If you want to try this with paper, the steps are the same, but you will have to cut your paper into 1"x2" strips, then fold as above and continue with the steps outlined below.

 Step 2: Covering the Bottom

Once you have snipped your new triangle free from the remaining ribbon, take a pin and put it into the point of the triangle and  pin it to the center of the bottom of the styrofoam ball.  Pin each corner in place and line up the other three triangles (repeat step 1 to make all the triangles you need).  The four points into the middle will make a nice neat square when you're done this step.

 

Step 3: Starting the Next Row

Turn the square to a diamond so that the corner points up.  Lay your next triangle with the point to the center and the long edge cutting across the point of the diamond.  Only pin the 2 corners and not the center point for the rest of the rows going forward. Try to keep your triangles centered on the seam of the triangle beneath.

Step 4: More Rows & Adding the Loop at the Top

Continue adding rows, over lapping the previous seams with the point of the new triangle and pinning the corners outside the center of the triangle beneath.  Before you have added to many rows, you'll want to add a piece of ribbon, folded in half with the edges hanging halfway down the ball.  I've added a pin at the center top of the ball as well to help secure this in place until the rest of the rows are in place.  Keep adding rows until your work your way to the top.

Ooops!  I ran out of blue ribbon with only 4 rows to go!  No problem.  I just switched to the same size ribbon, in green!!  It sort of looks like a blue strawberry now, instead of a pine cone but that's ok.  I like it anyway!  Bet it will look even cooler if you alternated 2 or more colours of ribbon with each new row??!!  Oh man!  I am gonna have to buy a thimble!! *laugh*

         

As you can see, you will have to over lap and close the gap and might only have room for 2 final triangles to finish off the top.  At this point you can garnish your ornament however you like.  Add a bow, some bells or some fancy pins.  I like the look of the fancy red shiney ball pins  for the base, kinda looks like berries.

And 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 you are all done!  I tell you again, if you plan to make more than 1 or 2 of these, I highly recommend a thimble to help push those pins in!

  

Now it's your turn!  I want to see what you come up with - send me a picture or send me a note to let me know how you did!

Have Fun!

e