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April 2014

Challenge Winner!

We have a winner! 

Thanks to all the players of the "Outside of the Box Challenge!

Oh my goodness... you guys outdid yourselves this time. We have the BEST challenge players!

Our winner is... Lisa808

Please email Jeanne for your Gift Certificate info.

Check out Lisa's pretty party favors!

Have a great day!


Wedding Card by Jenny Gropp

We have a gorgeous wedding card to share today from Jenny Gropp.

Jenny used #CL316 A Good Marriage, #CL491 Life Stuff Sentiments, Tiny Flowers #DIE-140-D, Large Bow Die #DIE063-I, Banners and Tails #DIE123-P and  Flags #DIE015-F

 

 

Wedding season will be here soon, so I made a card to be ready! I used the new Tiny Flowers Die to create my open flower background. You can see in the below picture I used the Sizzix Magnetic Plate to line up the die to get multiple cuts and create a background of cut out flowers. I cut a few blue flowers to pop back in the cut outs. I added a black little flag in the corner with some pearl embellishments.

 

This was my first time using the magnetic platform for something like this. It works wonderfully. No tape or anything... just put your paper and die in place and the magnetic platform holds it perfectly. I used small plates . The small flowers just seemed to make it quick and easy! One tip----you need to use a pretty flat plate on the bottom, meaning not warped.

 

 

On the inside I created a little gift card pocket and topped it with the Large Bow Die to make it a little more "gift" looking. I added a sweet sentiment from the clear set A Good Marriage.

 

I stamped the sentiment from the clear set Life Stuff Sentiments and framed it with
the Banners and Tails Dies.
 
Have a great day!

 

 

 

 


Mason Jar Shaker by Dina Kowal

I love this card from Dina Kowal using the Mason Jar die. How incredibly clever!

Here's how the shaker looks behind the card panel - there is an embossed acetate layer between the opening and the shaker pouch, and the pouch is stuck onto the back side of the panel. I used a small spoon to put dew drops into the opening.

I watercolored a shadow under the jar, and added a few dew drops to the card front to make them look like they're spilling out. So fun! The lid is popped up on a strip of foam tape.

 Have a great day!


Easter Basket by Dina Kowal

We have a sweet die cut card from Dina Kowal to share today.

I had this scrap on my desk from a video tutorial I had been working on - the technique uses a stencil, and the one I used on this piece was a little too intricate so it didn't make the cut. I thought it was cool though, and the chevron design along with the softer colors reminded me of Easter eggs, so I die cut a few using the larger egg in the Egg die set. I also used the Basket die and Large Bow.

 Have a great day!

 


New Impression Obsession Challenge - Outside of the Box!

Welcome to our new challenge - Outside of the Box!

Use a stamp in an unusual way, or do something that is outside of your normal "box".

Get inspired by the wonderful Impression Obsession  Team (listed below). 

When you've finished checking out our DT creations, please join us by posting your own challenge project at the bottom of this post!

IO Blog – You are Here
Anna Wight
Daniela Dobson
Dina Kowal
Ellen Taylor
Jeanne Streiff
Jenny Gropp
Kittie Caracciolo
Laura Fulcher
Vicki Garrett

Follow the guidelines below to enter challenge and have a chance to win a $25 Gift Certificate for use in our online store. Good luck!

Challenge Guidelines

Use all IO dies/stamps (please list stamp names and/or item numbers on your blog or gallery entry with a  link to Impression Obsession). Other nesting dies may be used for card shapes & mats.

Your entries have to be new (no back dating older projects). 

You may use this entry with multiple challenges (no more than 5) but this challenge must be listed first and it cannot be combined with other projects in the same post - unless those projects also follow the rest of our challenge guidelines.

You may enter more than once but each entry needs to be be in a separate post.

Use a direct link to your project (no general links ) to enter at the bottom of this post.

Challenge will be open until Tuesday, April 29th at 7 p.m. CT.

Winner announced April 30th. Winner must respond within one week of the day the challenge ends to collect prize.

Have a great day and good luck! If you have questions please email Jeanne (see sidebar).


Fly by Jenny Gropp

Oh my! Check out this gorgeous card from Jenny Gropp!

Jenny uses Clear Set #CL476 You can Fly, Large Bird on Branch #DIE161-N, Alphabet Typewriter Lowercase #DIE159-M, Feather Die Set #DIE143-R

 

 

 Hope you are enjoying the great die ideas the team is sharing as much as I am! For today's card I chose to make the new Large Bird on Branch Die the focus. I used the Square Shaker Frame to frame the bird. I cut it twice, once in ivory and once in blue. I used a square die to cut away more of the inside on the blue frame to get a layered look. 

 

 

 

 Here's the base of the card. I used a square die to cut out a window in the card base and the front layer panel. I wanted the opening to go all the way through since I was going to use vellum. The vellum would allow some light to come through. I lightly distressed the edges with a Creamy Brown Chalk cats eye ink pad. 

 

 

 

 Here you can see my card coming together. The bird and branches are tucked in between the ivory and blue frame. I used foam tape in between the two frames as well to give it more dimension. 

 

 

 

 I backed the frame with vellum before adhering it to the front panel. You can see it is a thick vellum... my fingers are just shadows behind the vellum. But when the card opens it lets the light come through nicely. I added "fly" using the new Typewriter Alphabet Die.

 

 

 

 Here's the inside... I used the clear set You can Fly for the sentiment. This set is full of great sentiments to go along with our Feather Dies or any of the Bird Dies.

 

 

 

When the card is closed, the vellum is thick enough not to show the inside of the card. The finished card is 5" square and opens at the bottom tent style. 

 

Have a great day!


Butterfly Wishes by Jenny Gropp

Jenny Gropp shares a beatiful card today using  F8864 Paris Postcard, CS377 Kate (sentiment),
and DIE015-F Flag Die Set

 Well.... This card is simple and could be reproduced fairly quickly... I worked on it for over two hours. I'm not even kidding. I die cut a lot of layers using different colors and played around mixing and matching. I ended up with all white! Sometimes the mojo flows and sometimes not so much! I used only a portion of the Paris Postcard image as the focus of my card.
 
 
You can see I stamped the butterfly twice and then cut the second butterfly, cutting along the butterfly edge. Not a lot of technique on the coloring, just add colors around blending one color in to the next. Y23 covers the entire butterfly as my last layer of color. 
 
 
I gently bent the wings of the second butterfly. I glued the body down flat and then the wings are supported using dimensional silicone. The silicone will dry with the cve in place, which means the wings will never go flat.
 
 
       On the inside.... I used the Scalloped Flag Die to add my sentiment. You can also see I     added a plain white layer on the inside... this just gives the back flap of my card a little extra support. I also prefer to use 110# paper for may card bases, especially when the card is made from delicate dies.

Have a great day!

 


New IO Challenge! You Are My Sunshine

Welcome to  our Color Challenge - You Are My Sunshine!

Get inspired by the wonderful Impression Obsession  Team (listed below). 

When you've finished checking out our DT creations, please join us by posting your own challenge project at the bottom of this post!

IO Blog – You are Here
Anna Wight
Daniela Dobson
Dina Kowal
Ellen Taylor
Jeanne Streiff
Jenny Gropp
Kittie Caracciolo
Laura Fulcher
Vicki Garrett

Follow the guidelines below to enter challenge and have a chance to win a $25 Gift Certificate for use in our online store. Good luck!

Challenge Guidelines

Use all IO dies/stamps (please list stamp names and/or item numbers on your blog or gallery entry with a  link to Impression Obsession). Other nesting dies may be used for card shapes & mats.

Your entries have to be new (no back dating older projects). 

You may use this entry with multiple challenges (no more than 5) but this challenge must be listed first and it cannot be combined with other projects in the same post - unless those projects also follow the rest of our challenge guidelines.

You may enter more than once but each entry needs to be be in a separate post.

Use a direct link to your project (no general links ) to enter at the bottom of this post.

Challenge will be open until Tuesday, April 15th at 7 p.m. CT.

Winner announced April 16th. Winner must respond within one week of the day the challenge ends to collect prize.

Have a great day and good luck! If you have questions please email Jeanne (see sidebar).


Baby Clock by Ellen Taylor

Ellen Taylor shares how she made this adorable clock! 

Impression Obession Products~

From Ellen:

I picked up this clock with a clear glass front at the dollar store in anticipation of new dies to play with, so I created a clock for a new baby's room   I love dies for creating 3d projects and gift giving. 

~  I took the front and hands off the clock, traced the clock circle on blue card stock and hand cut it out. I sponged here and there with Memento Summer Sky.
I cut the  Sun  out with yellow paper and sponged the edges with Memento Dandelion ink.
~Added some  Clouds  and the name Alex with Alphabet Plain LC DIE157-E .
~ Die cut the Stork and color the legs and beak with Memento Cantaloupe Marker.  
~Sponge the bottom area with Memento Bamboo Leaves and  adhere some Grass  over top.
~ Die cut some Tiny Flowers and cup the using a sponge pad and a stylus.  Adhere to grass.
~Add some glitter glue to flower centers, clouds, baby bag, and sun.
~Reassemble clock.