from my ink pad to yours

Twitterpated Happiness

One of the new sets of Designer Series Papers from the soon-to-be released Occasions Mini Catalog is Twitterpated. I might not have ordered it if it weren't that as a demonstrator I was able to preorder it in a bundle with other items I wanted. As it turns out Twitterpated is a pure delight to use: lots of delicate textures for spring cardmaking. Here' s the first of the cards I put together with this paper:

• The greeting/focal point is from the set "Pursuit of Happiness".
• The cute little heart is from "Take it to Heart" and is clear embossed on Cherry Cobbler card stock.
• This second shot might show it a little better and also gives a peek at the strip of DSP that I cut with one of the new Adorning accents edgelits to perk up the inside of the card.
• You can't see them, but the Stampin' Dimensionals that pop up the white layer carry a lot of weight in my stamp studio. It seems like I use them on almost every card. They add dimension without bulk that causing trouble with the post office.
• Embossing folders Square Lattice and Finial Press add a last little bit of dimension , a nice contrast with the silky seam binding.

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today.

Have a Happy New Year too!

More Apothecary Art on So Saffron

Here is another of the Apothecary labels from the So Saffron sheet I filled a few weekends ago:

This monochromatic card takes some added elegance from the Very Vanilla trim cut with the new edgelits die from the upcoming Occasions Mini Catalog that goes into effect on January 4, 2012. The tiniest of pearls underline the elegance without overpowering the ensemble.

Here is a peek at the inside:

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog!

Chris

Embossed Framelit update

I've had some questions about embossing with the framelits.  I use tab 2, the same tab on the multi-purpose platform that we use to cut the framelits. There are basically two things that are different from cutting with the framelits.

1. The lower cutting mat is replaced by two silicone mats. I've tried it with one and that doesn't work on my Big Shot, which I think is just a little bit on the tight side. For those of you with only one silicone mat, I have successfully done some of the smaller framelits with the silicone mat folded in two. 
2. The framelit is placed with the cutting edge facing up. If you need to shim I would put the shim between the cutting edge of the framelit and your cutting mat.

You will get a little shadow, was you see from my previous post. I find this to give an elegant finish to the card.

Sorry no extra pictures as my battery is charging - I just added an extra battery to my Christmas list.

Have fun with this if you are a demo and can try this with your preview supplies. Do leave me a comment about how it works for you.

If you aren't a demo, I am anxious to do it with you in January!

Dry Embossed Framelit

I was messing around with my Big Shot tonight and figured out how to dry emboss the framelit.

The sandwich for this is:

1. Multipurpose paltform, Tab 2
2. two silicone mats
3. cardstock
4. framelit with cutting side up
5. Cutting mat
6. copy paper - optional, I wasn't sure if I should have paper between the framelit and mat

The colors on this card are Blushing Bride (Card stock and marker) and Regal Rose.  Dazzling Details on he hearts and "stitching".

ETA:

I've had some questions about embossing with the framelits.  I use tab 2, the same tab on the multi-purpose platform that we use to cut the framelits. There are basically two things that are different from cutting with the framelits.

1. The lower cutting mat is replaced by two silicone mats. I've tried it with one and that doesn't work on my Big Shot, which I think is just a little bit on the tight side. For those of you with only one silicone mat, I have successfully done some of the smaller framelits with the silicone mat folded in two. 
2. The framelit is placed with the cutting edge facing up. If you need to shim I would put the shim between the cutting edge of the framelit and your cutting mat.

You will get a little shadow. I find this to give an elegant finish to the card.

Have fun with this if you are a demo and can try this with your preview supplies. Do leave me a comment about how it works for you.

If you aren't a demo, I am anxious to do it with you in January!

 

 

 

More Doilies

To be very honest the Paper Doily sizzlet went on and off my wish list. I was intrigued by the look but afraid I'd spend hours making a mess while I punched little pieces.  It turns out that you can get a lot of the pieces out by rolling the doily around a pencil.  (This particular doily was in better shape before I took it off the card to try putting a ribbon underneath. The ribbon didn't end up adding anything so I took it off anyway, arghh!). The image in the doily is from Fresh Vintage, a set that you can free during Sale-a-bration.

 

My second doily card features an image from Bordering on Romance and a second greeting from Petite Pairs. I used mini glue dots to attach the ribbon. Dazzling Details lends a little sparkle.

Bumblebee Bunch

I don't recall that I've ever met a flower I didn't like and the flowers from Mixed Bunch along with the matching punch are no exception.

Tips:

• Combine Daffodil Delight with More Mustard for extra dimension on the flower center and houndstooth texture.  I brayered the embossing folder with More Mustard ink before running a piece of Daffodil Delight through the Big Shot.
• More dimension comes from curling the petals outward.
• Cut a bunch of Tasteful Trims and keep a supply handy in your designing area.

Happy Stamping!

 

Apothecary Christmas

I splurged on Stampin' Up!'s Occasions Mini pre-order, even express shipped it so I could play with it during my recent 3-day weekend. Needless to say I was impressed with what I saw in the catalog, but I've had even more fun than I expected playing with the new Big Shot "toys" and coordinating stamps.

Paper Player's challenge this week is to make a Christmas card out of non-Christmas stamps and colors. That challenge combined with my new box of goodies led to this:

Apothecary Art is a new set of 6 stamps that I thought might be a little more coloring than even I enjoy, but it really does color up quickly. I had a whole page stamped on So Saffron, colored and ready to cut up with the new Framelit Labels Collection in no time. I used the same framelit to cut the label as I did to cut the opening into the front of the card. This gave me a sort of dry embossed frame on the card in which to set my colored label.The roses were colored with Regal Rose and Blushing Bride; the leaves with Pear Pizazz and Lucky Limeade. The picture may not have caught it but Dazzling Details adds shimmer to the roses and border on the ribbon.

The Pear Pizazz label cut out of the first card ended up as a background layer for my next label image, after running it through the Snow Burst embossing folder. Once again the label is stamped on So Saffron. oloring is with the white gel pen and Pear Pizazz with Dazzling Details. Several of the Petite Pairs greetings will work on these labels if you offset them.

Stay tuned. I've got photos already of even more...