shining stars card – october product of the month

shining stars card – october product of the month

WELL I THOUGHT I WAS EXCITED ABOUT THE OCTOBER PRODUCT OF THE MONTH BUT…

Now that I have it in my hot little hands it is so much better than I expected!!!!! TWENTY-THREE STARS and oh do I have plans for this $5 die set!!!

This is the first of many things you will see with this AWESOME incentive! Fabulous for both card making and scrapbooking too!

This is a simple rainbow color card using the embedded die technique so simple and so stunning!

Measurements:
BASE: Basic White CS: 4 1/4″ x 11″
scored at 5 1/2″, 4″ x 5 1/4″
Gorgeous Grape CS: 4 1/8″ x 5 3/8″, scraps for
star dies
Azure Afternoon CS: scraps for star dies
Granny Apple Green CS: scraps for star dies
Daffodil Delight CS: scraps for star dies
Pumpkin Pie CS: scraps for star dies
Real Red CS: scraps for star dies

I die cut five of the smallest stars out of each cardstock color so easy to do as there are 12 of that size!

Adhere the first row of 5 starts to the top of the 4″ x 5 1/4″ Basic White CS layer.
Adhere the Pumpkin Pie stars below the Real Red star dies.

Adhere four Daffodil Delight stars leaving the middle one out and stamp the “I’M LUCKY TO HAVE A” sentiment from the upcoming Friend Like You November Online Exclusive stamp set.

Stamp the Friend in the center of the layer below the Daffodil Delight stars and adhere a Granny Apple Green star on either side of the word.
Stamp “LIKE YOU” on the right hand side below friend and then adhere a line of Azure Afternoon stars below that.
Finish with a row of Gorgeous Grape stars to finish off this layer.
Run the star studded layer through the Stampin’ Cut and emboss machine in the Softly Woven 3D embossing folder!
Adhere this layer to a Gorgeous Grape 4 1/8″ x 5 3/8″ layer.
Adhere the Gorgeous Grape layer to the card front and attach Basic Rhinestone Jewels around the sentiment to finish off this sweet friendship card!

I am so excited about this Product of the Month – BEST ONE YET!!! This will not last long so if this appeals to you too – make sure to get an order together and follow along for all the fun things we are going to make together with this $5 incentive!

Now it’s your turn to create some artwork of your very own – one stamp – one star! at a time!

Happy Stampin’,
Natalie

The Friend Like You stamp set is a pre-order right now so as a reminder it is not available to customers until November and will not be listed in the photo links below.

elegant leaves water lift card

elegant leaves water lift card

I love this technique and I have shown it multiple times but somehow die cutting it into leaves hits differently! These leaves are stunning and the varigation of color that this technique produces is just awesome!

Follow along today to see how this technique is accomplished!

Measurements:
BASE: Calypso Coral CS: 4 1/4″ x 11″
scored at 5 1/2″
Basic White CS: 4″ x 5 1/4″, scraps for blending
technique, 1 1/4″ x 4″ for sentiment

Take a scrap piece of Basic White CS and using a glass matte surface choose three Fall colors to blend with blending brushes.

I started with Cherry Cobbler ink and a dedicated Blending Brush for that color – in a circular motion starting off the paper and transitioning on I blended two edges with this ink.

Next I blended Pumpkin Pie ink with a dedicated blending brush in other spots on this cardstock.
I filled in any of the white space with the last color Calypso Coral and went over any of the other colors to blend and increase hue if necessary.
Using a Water Painter I squeezed water into a puddle on the glass to the side of the paper and dipping the brush into the puddle I tapped water droplets onto the cardstock.

I dabbed off the excess and dried the paper with a Heat Tool – it is important that the cardstock be TOTALLY DRY prior to die cutting.
The Elegant Leaves are a delicate die with many thin strips the paper has to be dry before die cutting!

Die cut the Elegant Leaves dies from this blended background.

I blended the 1 1/4″ strip with the same three colors and then stamped the sentiment in Cherry Cobbler ink over the background and cut the end at an angle for added interest.

I embossed the 4″ x 5 1/4″ Basic White CS layer with the Rustic Check 3D embossing folder, wrapped the NEW Calypso Coral and Copper ribbon around the upper edge of the embossed layer and secured with Scotch tape on each end and adhered the layer to the Calypso Coral card base.
I popped up the sentiment piece with Stampin’ Dimensionals to the bottom left hand corner of the embossed layer.
I adhered the blended leaf dies around the sentiment piece tucking them under and over the sentiment.
I added Adhesive-backed Metallic Gems in Copper to coordinate with the ribbon around the sentiment piece to finish off the card with matching sparkle and shine!

You need to try this easy technique with the dies you have in your collection and see what you can create!

Here is another sample using another sentiment from the Lily of the Valley stamps set.
I dropped the next card right on top of one of my ink pads and got an ink splotch on the upper corner – I always say mistakes are creative opportunities so this sample got an extra die cut over the ribbon and ink splotch!
And finally the blended and water lifted paper was just to pretty not to use the negative – so here is a card made from the negative die space and the NEW Softly Woven 3D embossing folder as a background.
Now it’s your turn to create something with this blended and water lifting technique – one stamp at a time – see what you can make!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

reverse hot foiling

reverse hot foiling

I HATE WASTE! That is one of my pet peeves and before Stampin’ Up!~ introduced our NEW Stampin’ Hot Foil System – I had never done any foiling. Being new to the process I thought I was going to hate using only a fraction of the foil and having to throw it away mostly unused BUT…I didn’t know about the process of Reverse Foiling and it is SOOOOO COOL!

Not only can you use the same piece of foil twice but you can make double the projects!
I was so excited when I learned about reverse foiling and today I am going to show you the cards I made with some of the foil I saved from my first blog post on July 17th!

I saved the foils from the Sweetly Sentimental hot foil dies and the Butterfly Flight Hot Foil dies that made this card below! You will see that the butterflies are gold outlined and not foiled on the inside. When you reverse foil you take the same piece of foil so that the hot foil image will be totally reversed!

Turn the machine on the white on button will light up and the red light will blink while heating up – once the plate heats to temperature it will beep and you will place the foil directly onto the plate surface.

(The foil in this picture is one that folded on itself during the process and is just being used here for the photos as I forgot to photograph the actual foil!)

Place the cardstock over the foil.
I am using the large flat surface on the back side of the Garden Silhouette Hot Foil die but the NEW Hot Foil release Available to customers on September 1st has a Reverse Plate for sale that is made for this purpose! Place the flat side down on the the surface over the cardstock and press the white button. The yellow light will start to flash. This is heating up the die plate and will take 1-2 minutes.

Once this beeps all the lights will be on and you can place the Hot Foil Shim over the die and then the Hot Foil Plate on the top of the sandwich. Unplug and run slowly through the Stampin’ Cut and Emboss machine.

#170043 Reverse Hot Foil Die $27.00 this is flat on both sides and is made solely for the reverse foiling technique.

The Garden Silhouette works for most reverse projects and you get the bonus of a lovely image on one side to use for beautiful cards!
Your choice!
#170041 Garden Silhouette Hot Foil Die $37.00

This is a photo of the Garden Silhouette die hot foiled on Basic White cardstock.
I saved the foil and ran it through with the reverse Hot Foiling technique and this is what the reverse foiling looks like!

(Watch for what I do with the regular Garden Silhouette foiling next week!)

In July I used the Butterfly Flight and Sweetly Sentimental Hot Foil Dies and saved the foil.

I ran both through the machine using the Reverse Hot Foiling Technique and this is what I got!

This is the difference between foiling and reverse foiling with the Sweetly Sentimental bundle.
Both bundles come with cutting dies and I ran them through the Stampin’ Cut and Emboss machine to cut out the foiled images and words – I also used all the extra foiled paper for the smaller double butterfly die.
Measurements:
BASE: Basic white CS: 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″, (2) 4″ x 5 1/4″ for foiling,
(1) 4″ x 5 1/4″ for embossing

I embossed one of the 4″ x 5 1/4″ layers with the Fern & Flora 3D embossing folder and adhered it to the Basic White Base card for a great white on white background.

I adhered two of the larger reverse Butterflies and four of the smaller dies to the card along with the Sweetly Sentimental sentiment die in the middle popping up everything on Stampin’ Dimensionals except the four small butterflies.

I added three gold Adhesive-Backed Metallic Gems to finish off this stunning card!
Measurement for Card #2
BASE: Basic White CS: 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″, 4″ x 5 1/4″, 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″

I used the reverse Garden Silhouette hot foil in silver and cut the individual flowers out.

I embossed the 4″ layer with the Forever Plaid embossing folder and adhered it to the card base. I layered the flowers some popped up and some tucked behind and added a Classic Greetings hot foil sentiment underneath the bouquet. I added Basic Rhinestone Jewels and finished off this bonus reverse card.

Have you had the opportunity to see it – I will be demonstrating it at my August Studio Stamp-a-Stack on August 24th. Come and stamp with us and create some artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

christmas (fun fold) in july

christmas (fun fold) in july

It’s Christmas in July – and here is a Double Flap fun fold card featuring the adorable Woodland Wishes stamp set.

I love coloring – as a child I had loads of coloring books and I continued to love it as an adult – our Stampin’ Blends alcohol markers and so fun to color with – whether just straight coloring between the lines or fancier blending and shading – they can do it all! I made this card for this month’s Christmas and Holiday Demonstrator’s swap and I colored in all the animals in this set and had so much fun doing all the coloring for these cards!

Measurements:
BASE: Poppy Parade CS: 4 1/4″ x 11″, 2 3/4″ x
5 1/2″, large scrap for circle die, 3/4″ x 5 1/4″
Crumb Cake CS: 2 3/4″ x 5 1/2″
DSP: 2″ x 5 1/4″
Basic White CS: 2 1/2″ x 5 1/4″, 4″ x 5 1/4″, scrap
for circle die, 1/2″ x 4″, scraps for animal
stamps

Score the base card at 5 1/2″ and fold. Cut 2 3/4″ off the left side of the fold line.
Stamp the Woodland Wishes “animal” Christmas Tree in Hybrid Black ink and cut to 2 1/2″ x 5 1/4″ if not already that size.
Score the 2 3/4″ x 5 1/2″ piece of Crumb Cake CS at 1/4″.

Cut a piece of DSP to 2 1/2″ x 5″.

Adhere the DSP to the large panel.

Adhere the 1/4″ tab to the center back of the short side of the 4″ x 5 1/4″ Basic White piece.

Put Stampin’ Seal around the back of the 4″ x 5 1/4″ layer including the 1/4″ tab.

Adhere the DSP to the Crumb Cake cardstock if not done already.
Adhere the Basic White layer to the inside panel of the card base.
Stamp the inside sentiment in Poppy Parade ink and the little hedgehog image in Crumb Cake ink to the left side of the sentiment on the 4″ x 5 1/4″ Basic White layer.
Stamp the outside sentiment in Hybrid Black ink on the Basic White strip.

Adhere to the Poppy Parade strip and cut into banner edges on either side.

Die cut a large circle from the Spotlight on Nature dies in Poppy Parade CS and then next one down in Basic White CS.

Splatter the Basic White circle with a Water Painter and the Poppy Parade ink.

Adhere the Basic White circle to the Poppy Parade circle and then adhere the strip sentiment to the circles.

Color the animals on the Christmas tree image with your choice of Stampin’ Blends.

I colored the cardinal and the Christmas bulbs in Real Red, Pecan Pie for the bear, Smoky Slate for the squirrel, Crumb Cake for the doves in light and reindeer in dark, fox in Cajun Craze, owl and stars in Golden Glow, greenery in Granny Apple Green and asterick in Balmy Blue.

Adhere the tree image to the outside panel of the card base.
Flip the Crumb Cake flap over the Poppy Parade flap.
Adhere the sentiment circle dies to the Crumb Cake flap.
I colored and fussy cut one bear, one fox and one deer for around the outside flap and sentiment circles.

Adhere these animals around the sentiment.

Adhere some Natural Matte Dots to the finished card and you have a great Christmas fun fold.

Now it’s your turn to make a Christmas card to celebrate Christmas in July or to start planning the cards and supplies you are going to need for this Fall to start making your Christmas cards to send to all those special people.

Now it’s your turn to create some Christmas artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

more color mondays – pretty peacock, lost lagoon and pool party

more color mondays – pretty peacock, lost lagoon and pool party

I have been on a little monochromatic tear recently but I love these three color blues together and thought they would be pretty cool used with the new Butterfly Flight masks!

I am loving our new Stampin’ Hot Foil System – it is so amazing and I love the elevated effect it gives your cards and projects!

Check out today’s More Color Mondays color challenge with Pretty Peacock, Lost Lagoon and Pool Party accented with the gold foil!

Measurements:
BASE: Pool Party CS: 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″
DSP: 4 1/8″ x 5 3/8″, 3″ x 4″
Basic White CS: piece large enough to cover
the Butterfly Flight hot foil die
Pretty Peacock CS: piece large enough to cover
the Sweetly Sentimental hot foil die

I used three of the Butterfly Flight hot foil butterfly dies from my first card introducing the new Stampin’ Hot Foil System in last Friday’s blog post.

I placed the die cuts back into the negative die spaces to hold them in place for the mask coloring.

Check out Friday’s post if you want to see the Stampin’ Hot Foil System in action and the details of how to make the Butterfl;y Flight Hot Foil Dies.

I placed mask #1 over the paper with the three butterfly dies in it and drew a pen line around the notch in the plastic mask (I also placed a line down the left hand side of the edge so that each subsequent mask will line up in the same place.)
Using a blending brush and the Pool Party ink brush through the mask openings until all the open spots are inked.

Remove Mask #1 and replace with Mask #2

Using Mask #2 and the Pretty Peacock ink – blend through the holes over the three butterfly dies until desired color is reached.
Lastly remove Mask #2 and place Mask #3 over the three hot foil butterfly dies. Brush through the openings until you are satisfied with the coloring.
Remove the mask.
The end result is stunning and so easy to professionally color these!
Using the same set up and directions as in Friday’s blog post set up the Sweetly Sentimental Hot Foil dies and create a lot of great sentiments for this and future projects!
I love the options with the Beautiful Ordinary Life DSP gorgeous, colorful watercolor washes on one side and black and white on the other.

Adhere the 4 1/8″ x 5 3/8″ DSP layer to the card base – I choose the black and white side for the larger layer and the colorful side for the smaller layer. (you could reverse them for a totally different look!)

adhere the 3″ x 4″ DSP colored. side up a llittle askew over the black and white DSP layer.

Pop up the butterflies with Stampin’ Dimensionals and choose your sentiment and pop that up with Foam Adhesive Strips in the center of the card.

Adhere Sunset Sparkle Sequins to the card and you have completed an easy DSP card for a special birthday!

Let me know if you would like to know more about the Stampin’ Hot Foil System and now it’s your turn to create some artwork of your very own -one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie