A Piece of Cake!

When I saw the above stamp, Cake Stack D2284, I immediately thought Inchies, and that is what I did the minute it arrived. Here's the result.

1. The image was stamped using Brilliance Galaxy Gold on Neenah Classic Crest Solar White Super Smooth cardstock.  I used Twinkling H2O's to paint the cakes.  I frosted them with Gesso and used Glossy Accents to highlight the fruit and heart.  Added some Dazzling Diamonds glitter to the Gesso with the strawberry, and tossed some little Red Rocketts into the Gesso on the top cake too.  I trimmed around them and used 3D Pop Up Dots to mount them on the die cuts made below.

2.  The smallest Spellbinder Large Square Die was used with Curious Ice Gold text weight paper that had been put through the Cuttlebug for cutting and embossing.

3.  The Vintage Cuttlebug die shown was used with Stardream Metallic Bronze text weight paper.  They were assembled as shown.

4.  The background on the bottom half of the card was created using Brilliance Red Rocket pigment ink on Swirl Background L2025, and then heat embossed after applying Clear Embossing Powder.  It was trimmed to 3.25"x 4.0".

5.  The top portion of the background is just regular Curious Ice Gold Text weight paper trimmed to 2"x4.0".  I taped the bottom and tops together and mounted them on Stardream Metallic Bronze 4.25"x5.5".  The May Arts ribbon was taped on the back and mounted across and behind as shown.  The bow is tied using the Martha Stewart technique and was attached last.

6.  I had a 50% off coupon when I was wondering through Michaels with a friend.  My friend said, oh, I love my Martha Stewart Circle Maker, it is just great.  So I bought it and used it for the first time to make the circles for this card.  It really was pretty handy.  I used the Curious Ice Gold and Bronze, and Stardream Jupiter.  The size was increased 1/8" for each circle.  The white dots around the tag are Gesso.  Gotta love that stuff.

7.  The words are from Sweet Hearts 3109 XL and were stamped with Brilliance Pearlescent Chocolate.  I used my heat gun to dry it quickly.

8.  Mark Richards Crystal Stickers Ruby Elements were used for the bling.

Hope you enjoyed my card and thanks for stopping by to look and share.

 

 Shirley

 

Friendship Challenge

Well, it's an Impression-Obsession Friendship Challenge Day with the Design Team members and I've been invited to play too.  This is my first challenge ever.  Friendship makes me think of flowers and I have been wanting to use the new Rose Vase Stamp, I-O's new designer. The stamp is also available in a clear set, Flowers For You.  As you can see in the card below it is lovely.  The word is from the Sweet Hearts Cling Set 3109-XL by Leigh Hannan.  I find the set, although it looks like it is for Valentine's Day, very versatile and use the stamps year round.

1.  Rose Vase was stamped with Brilliance Galaxy Gold ink on White cardstock, heat embossed to speed up drying the ink, then painted with Twinkling H2O's.  It was highlighted with Stickles Yellow on the flowers and Stickles Diamonds glitter glue on the vase, then it was cut out with scissors and an X-acto knife.  The vase was highlighted with Rangers Crackle Accents.

2.  The White oval background is a Cuttlebug embossed Textile Texture die cut from Spellbinders Large Oval die set.  Then it was mounted on another oval piece of Pink cardstock done with the same die.

3.  The large White embossed background is from a Leaves Dreamweaver Stencil.  It was mounted on a 4.25"X5.5" piece of Pink cardstock.  The ribbon was mounted and taped on the back of the cardfront.

4.  The ovals were mounted as shown.  Dimensional Glue Dots were then placed on the back of the image and it was mounted on the ovals.

5.  The ovals for the word were punched using leftover scrap paper.  The word was stamped with Brilliance Galaxy Gold on the White oval.  It was heat embossed to speed up drying, and then mounted on the Pink cardstock and then the cardfront as shown.

6.  The bow was tied using the Martha Stewart technique and mounted.

7.  Mark Richards Crystal Stickers Pearls were mounted. It was then mounted on a 5.5X8.5 folded White piece of cardstock.

If you want to see some really beautiful Friendship Challenge cards with new stamps, check out the Design Team blogs below:

• Daniela Dobson
• Dina Kowal
• Julie Koerber
• Kellie Richardson
• Laura Fulcher
• Michelle Giraud
• Tina Werner

Thanks for stopping by to look and don't forget to check out the new stamps at 'the store' too.

 

 Shirley

 

Hearts For All Seasons

Hi everyone, my name is Shirley Ross, also known as shirleyone on Yahoo groups, and just plain Shirley on my blog.  Mitra has invited me to post projects and techniques that I hope you will find fun and interesting too.

I want to say a few words about the supplies.  You can substitute many of them with what you have.  An example would be Copic markers, etc. instead of watercolors.  If you would like a closer look at photos, click on them.  So let's get to it!

I. CARD FOLD AND BACKGROUND - (GATE FOLD AND EMBOSS RESIST)

Supplies:

• 1 piece White Cardstock 8.5"X5.5"
• Large Swirl Background Stamp L2025
• 1 4.25"X5.5" White Glossy Cardstock
• VersaMark Ink Pad
• Heat Gun
• Clear Embossing Powder
• Ancient Page Flamingo Pink
• Sponge
• 2 pieces 2 1/8"X5.5 Stardream Bronze text weight
• 2 10" pieces of May Arts Pink with Brown Dots ribbon
• 2 pieces of 10" ribbon

Steps:

1.  Place your cardstock on the Scor-Pal and score at 2 1/8" from each end lengthwise as shown.

2.  Flip your cardstock to the other end and score at 2 1/8" from that end too.

3.  Fold at the scored points. If you used a ruler to find your points, fold so the flap is even with the edge of the paper on each end. When I use this method I use my fingernail to smooth along the fold. The folded flaps should meet in the middle. Set aside.

4.  Tape the back sides and mount from the center edge to the outer.

5.  Ink the Swirl background stamp by turning it over with the rubber part up as shown. Then pat it while holding the pad. (I ink all of my stamps this way. If the the pad has lots of ink it won't smear as easily and you will still get a better impression.

6.  Place the Glossy cardstock glossy side down on top of the inked stamp as shown. Press evenly with hands, without moving the cardstock, to get a good impression. Lift straight up carefully when done.

7.  Pour Clear Embossing Powder over card.  Tap off extra by tapping the back.

8.  Heat emboss with heat gun. Hold the gun in the middle of the barrel. I have actually seen guns die or be dropped because their fingers were on the air vents or at the end waving it around.

9.  When the embossing powder starts to melt it gets clear/glassy looking. Move the gun from place to place until it is all done. Some people like to put it on a surface and hold it down with a paper piercer, etc. so they don't get burned.

10.  It is best to use a dye ink on emboss resist, but I have used watercolors, Brilliance pads, etc. You don't want to have to heat it to dry it or resist will melt taking on the color. Ask me how I know. :-) When I use Brilliance pads, I blot or rub the area down after a few seconds to let the color sink in a little.

11.  The size of your Resist is 4.25"5.5". Trim the length first to 3.75".

12.  The width should be trimmed to 5.25". Save the pieces to trim the inside of your card and lower left hand corner of your envelope.

13. Cut your piece into 2 pieces 1 7/8" wide.

14.  Tape the back of the pieces. Mount the ribbon on each side on the back, about 1/8" from the top. You may want to tape over where you placed the tape on the back to make the hold on it stronger.

15. Add your leftover pieces as shown in the photo. I used tape for the card and Scott Quick-Dry Tacky Adhesive for the envelope.

II.  IMAGE:  WATERCOLOR AND FOILING

 

Supplies:

• 1 4.25"X5.5" White Cardstock
• Valentine Rose Garden G2310
• Brilliance Coffee Bean or Pearlescent Chocolate or Mica Magic Bronze
• Heat Gun
• Niji Waterbrush 9MM (Small tip)
• Twinkling H2O Cherry Sorbet
• Twinkling H2O Warm Pecan
• Stickles Copper Glitter Glue
• Foil Glue that dries sticky
• Jones Tones Pearl Swirl Foil
• Glossy Accents, Crystal Effects, etc.
• Spellbinders Curved Rectangle - 3rd from the largest and Cuttlebug
• Sponge

Steps:

1.  Ink Stamp as shown. You get a more even spread of ink by doing it this way.  It is also less likely to smear when you stamp with it.

2.  Center stamp in the middle of the cardstock to leave room for the die cut. Press evenly over the surface of the stamp.

3.  When done I hold the cardstock at one end and lift up on the stamp to release it.

4.  I am heating the image because I don't want to wait or smudge.  Notice how I hold the gun. I like to watch it as it heats and I move along with the gun.  I don't shake it. That just wastes energy and I used to burn it because I had to get so close to get it hot. This way I start further out and move in if needed. All Brilliance and Mica Inks raise up if you heat them. Look HERE to see what I mean. I really am not as close as it looks. I have at least an inch between the gun and the paper.

5.  The Cuttlebug sandwich for Spellbinder Dies is A, B, Cardstock, Die facing down C. Others reverse the plates and die, but I like to see where I am cutting. :-)

6.  I also embossed the edge with the following sandwich. 3 pieces of blank cardstock on top A, B, die (sharp side up) image facing down inside, Spellbinder tan emboss matte, B plate.

7.  I never spray in my pot unless I am going to sponge with it. Instead I use a drop of water from the pen. I painted the roses by rolling the brush in the paint on its sides to 'load' it. I did the leaves the same, except I used Kleenex to pat each leaf as done to make it lighter than the outside ink. You can erase by using a little water on top of the spot and then soak it up with Kleenex.

*When done with one color squeeze a drop of water holding the brush over the pot. Wipe the brush on the sides of the pot and use a Kleenex if it needs more cleaning. Let the pot dry out.

8.  I used the bottle you see near the top of the photo for the petals. You could just use the Foil Glue tube too. If you do I also suggest something like what I call my 'nudger'. Put on thin. Last time I saw a 'nudger' was at AC Moore in the art section. It has a rubber tip and I can move glitter glue, this stuff, etc. without leaving residue behind.

9.  Put the image aside for about 3 or 4 hours to set up. It will still be sticky, but more shiny and more firm.

10.  Use the foil with the shiny side up, facing you, and the dull side down toward the image. I have had this piece of foil forever. If you look to the left you will see some places still not used. I will keep using it until it is absolutely gone. When you press down Your tacky glue picks up what hasn't been used and you can keep going until your image won't pick up any more. It won't make a snappy noise as you as you pull it up.

11.  Add a thin layer of Glossy Accents. It gives it a finished look and if you happen to not cover all of the glue, this will seal it so it doesn't attach to the envelope later when someone opens it.  :-(  Let that dry.

12.  Apply the Copper glitter glue to tiniest leafs and let them dry.

13.  If you look close or click on the image, you will see a thin dark line already on the edges. I very carefully ran the edge on the pad. The reason I picked this color brown is because it is close to the dots in the ribbon. ;-)

14.  Tape the back top portion and mount in the middle of the closed two flaps as shown above.

III.  Embellishments and Tag with Supplies:

Supplies:

• *Slot tag from Scrap Cardstock
• *Sentiments I Clear Stamps (Just For You) WP16
• *Brown Ink of your choice
• 4 5-6mm Filigree Gold (Brass) bead caps (These look like little baskets)
• Chain Nose Pliers or Cuttlebug
• Mark Richards 2 and 3mm Crystal Stickers Pearls

1.  The tag is pretty self explanatory.  You punch it, stamp it, heat emboss to dry and not smudge.  Tape in place and set pearls.

2.  Bend the little prongs of the little basket a little outward, just a tad.  It doesn't take a lot.

3.  The Cuttlebug stack will be A, B,'basket' prongs down, Spellbinder emboss matte, B. ( If you look closely in the center of the drawn square, you will see the bottom of the basket.

4.  Hold the top B plate firmly while putting it through the 'bug'. You will usually hear a snap when it flattens.

5.  Lift the B and matte and see the flat cross.

6. The is usually still a little nub of a basket in the center. I used my chain nose pliers to flatten it as shown.

7.  When I taught classes the women had a lot of trouble with the rhinestone and pearl stickers because they were trying to peal them off without the sticky backing.

If you look closely at the photo, you can see how I peel underneath the sticky part (lifting it up) and go behind the pearl to cut so it attaches to my scissors on the top of a blade.

8.  When at the place to mount I slide and push it off the scissor edge and press down. Repeat until all the pearls are on the bead caps and on the ends of the tag.

9.  At LAST, bring the ribbon together on the bottom half of your image, on the left side, and tie your bow. This is a long tutorial and I broke it up into 3 parts in case you just want part of it. Give this to someone who doesn't throw cards away.  Ha!  :-) I am definitely going to try to keep my other tutorials shorter......maybe. I was also leaning TypePad this time too.

If you would like to let me know what techniques you would like to see or what questions you have, I will list them here and do a tutorial, refer to a site, or answer the questions too. You can also reach me by email on the upper right sidebar, under Mitra.

Thanks for stopping by to see me and you can reach me on my blog too in the upper right-hand side bar.

 

 Shirley

 

 

 

 

Design Team Appreciation Weekend!

As I have spent a lot of time updating our Design Team's galleries recently, I really had time to look at the huge amount of work they've done for IO. They've all done so much to spread the word about our stamps and while there is compensation for their work on a regular basis, it's never as much as I'd like to give them.

So as a special "thank you" to them, I am lowering our free shipping threshold from $100 to $30 for three days and I am going to give 25% of our sales from the weekend to our DT members. So if there are stamps you've been waiting to buy, now is a great time to do it and at the same time support the talented women who work so hard showing you projects on their blogs and on our site.

This special promotion will run from 8:00 am (EST) Friday, March 6 through midnight on Sunday, March 8.