fresh & fun

Gina K. wrote the Misting with Alcohol Marker tutorial for SCS a while back. The tutorial was in the newsletter last Wednesday, so I created a video for it. Since Gina wrote the tutorial, I used her stamps for the video. Plus…I REALLY LOVE these Christmas sets.

I used the bird stamp from Holiday cheer and colored it with Copic Markers (R39, R59, YG95, YG99). Next I filled a mini mister with rubbing Alcohol and sprayed the stamp. The image was stamped on Neenah Solar White cardstock, cut with Label 4 Nestabilities and sponged first with Scattered Straw, then with Vintage Photo distress inks. It was layered on the next size bigger label that had been cut out of Chocolate chip cardstock.

The card base is (surprise, surprise….my two favorite things together) a 4 1/4″ x 8 1/2″ piece of Chocolate Chip cardstock. The edges of the card front as well as all other chocolate cardstock pieces on the card were sponged with Walnut Ink Distress ink.

The edges of a 3 3/4″ square of The Merry Days of Christmas My Mind’s Eye paper were sanded, then sponged with Old Paper ink for an aged look before it was stitched to a 3/16″ bigger piece of Whisper White cardstock. The red paper is also from The Merry Days of Christmas and measures 2 1/2″ x 3″. Three Ice Circle Rhinestone brads were added to the top left of that layer.

I punched a hole a bit off to the lower right of middle of the layers with my Crop-a-dile and tied White May Arts Organza Ribbon through it. The sentiment is also from the Holiday Cheer TV kit. it was stamped in Walnut Stain on Whisper White cardstock, punched out with the large oval punch and sponged first with Scattered Straw, then with Vintage photo ink. It was layered on a Chocolate Scallop Oval punch-out and attached to the lower left side of the image with dimensionals.

Here is a video for the visual learner:

I got to play with three gorgeous new sets from Our Craft Lounge a little bit ahead of time. The release is tomorrow. Make sure you come back for a chance to win a set.

Check them out. I LOVE these new sets. Lots of elements and scrapbook stamps. Since I didn’t have time to get new photos of the kids to create a mini book, I decided to make a file folder card. I haven’t made one of those in  a while.

I started out with a 5 1/4″ x 7 1/2″ piece of Chocolate chip cardstock. It was scored at 4″. The patterned paper is from the Early Bird paper pack from Cosmo Cricket. The swirl on the top left was stamped in Vintage Photo and is from the new set Love Notes .

Over the patterned paper is a 1 1/2″ x 5″ strip of sponged (with Fired Brick ink) Riding Hood Red cardstock that had been punched with one of the new Martha Stewarts Punch Around the page. May Arts Chocolate satin Ribbon was tied around it.

The sentiment is actually pieced together from the two elements/scrapbooking sets Life is and The Journey. First I stamped the oval frame in Walnut Stain ink, then added the sentiment pieces in the same color. Last I added the swirl from Love Notes in Scattered Straw ink. I hand cut the oval and sponged it first in Scattered Straw, then Vintage photo. It was layered on a Riding hood cardstock piece. It had been cut with Label 6 Nestabilities and sponged first with Fired Brick, then Walnut Stain ink.

The card inside is created with sponged Riding Hood Red and Very Vanilla cardstock. The neutral cardstock had been sponged with Old Paper Dsitress ink. The swirls were stamped in the same color. The sentiment was stamped in Walnut stain ink.

The Flower was created by adding two Red Prima Daisy Doodles on top of each other, then a Basic Grey Button, which was topped off with a large Kaiser Rhinestone.  To tie in the rhinestone I added smaller ones of the same color on the card front and the sentiment.

Here is a video for the visual learner:

Make sure to check out more sneak peek samples on these blogs:

Bird and Groom -Beth
Hang it Up Cupid - Lila
Hearts & Hugs - Holly, Kendra
The Journey - Charmaine
Life is - Charmaine
Love notes - Kisa, Joy
Out for a spin - Carol
Fairy Dust is a must - Kendra, Vicki
Grandma’s Truffles - Broni
Jungle Love - Heather
Shamrock Blessings - Pam
Sweet on you - Cami
Wanted - Kisa

Today’s tutorial on SCS is written by Carole Burrage and is called Faux Torn Mosaic. Create a different looking background by tearing patterned paper in pieces, sponging them and taping them over a piece of cardstock.

For my sample I used a new set from Taylored Expressions. I had ordered it on Saturday and BAM I already received it in the mail on Wednesay. Taylor is FAST! I thought the flower from Celebrate Life would be perfect for this technique. I needed something bold that wouldn’t be overpowered by the background.

The flower was stamped in Stained Walnut on Very Vanilla Cardstock, then overstamped with Scattered Straw Distress ink. The image was cut out with Label 4 Nestabilities. I left the die on and sponged the image first with Scattered Straw, then a bit with Vintage Photo distress ink. It was layered on the next size up Label 4 die cut out of Chocolate Chip cardstock that had been sponged with Walnut Stain ink. The flower was finished off with a layer of Crystal Effect.

The card base is a 4 1/4″ x 11″ piece of Chocolate chip cardstock folded in half. The edges of the card front were sponged with Walnut Stain ink. For my background I tore up Penny Lane My Mind’s Eye paper. The torn edges were sponged with Vintage Photo ink. The torn layer was stitched to a 3 15/16″ x 5 3/16″ piece of Very Vanilla.

The sentiment is also from Celebrate Life. It was stamped in Walnut Stain on Very Vanilla cardstock, punched out with the large oval punch and sponged with Scattered Scraw and Vintage photo. It was layered on a sponged Chocolate Chip Scalloped Oval punch-out. Three small Lippy Red Kaiser Rhinestones were added underneath the sentiment.

I sponged a Maya Road Swirl with Walnut Stain ink, added more Lippy Red Rhinestones and placed it on the top right of the image. I punched a slit on the lower right of the image and tied May Arts Organdy white ribbon around the left hand side of the layers.

Here is a video for the visual learner:

When it was time to shoot a video for the Magic Snowflake tutorial, I had to think for a while to come up with a sample. After I created the focal point, I had to put it aside for a while before I finished it.  I just couldn’t think of a layout. Mojo works on it’s own schedule I guess.

The card base is a 4 1/4″ x 11″ piece of Chocolate Chip cardstock sponged with Walnut Stain Distress ink. A 3 3/4″ x 5″ piece of Very Vanilla cardstock was embossed with a cuttlebug folder, then sponged with Vintage Photo distress ink, layered and stitched on a 1/4″ bigger piece of Vanilla cardstock.

A 3″ x 4 1/4″ piece of Merry Days of Christmas was stitched to a 1/4″ bigger piece of sponged Chocolate chip cardstock. The horizontal strip started out as a 1 3/4″ x 3 3/4″ piece of Vanilla cardstock. Vintage Wallpaper was stamped on it with Walnut Stain ink. It was sponged with Vintage Photo and Walnut stain ink and layered on a slightly wider strip of Chocolate chip cardstock. The bottom of the Chocolate strip had been punched with the scallop edge punch from Stampin’ Up! Cream May Arts Silk ribbon was tied around it.

The main image is from Flourishes Forest of Trees stamp set. It was stamped in Snowcap Adirondack pigment ink on Glossy White cardstock and embossed with clear embossing powder. Old Paper and Vintage photo distress ink reinkers were used with rubbing alcohol to create the background. The image was cut with Label Nestabilities, layered on a sponged vanilla layer and a scallop chocolate chip rectangle.

The sentiment is from the Dove and Holly set. It was stamped in Walnut Stain ink on Vanilla cardstock. The Holly was stamped in Antique Linen distress ink. The sentiment was punched out with a 1 1/4″ circle punch, sponged with Antique linen and layered on a 1 3/8″ sponged Chocolate chip circle. The circles were stitched together and Kaiser Rhinestones were added to finish it off.

I created the inside to reflect the outside of the card and to show off that gorgeous Vintage Wallpaper background stamp. It was stamped again in Walnut Stain on Vanilla cardstock and sponged with Aged Mahogany ink. The tree was stamped in Antique Linen. I love those Distress inks. They are my kind of colors!

Here is a video on the Magic Snowflake Technique:

For the last Flower Soft Review I shot a video on how to apply Flower soft to stamped images. I used Polar White Flower soft, my favorite color.

The card base is a 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ piece of Chocolate Chip cardstock folded in half. A 3 3/4″ x 5″ piece of Merry Days of Christmas paper from My Mind’s Eye was stitched to a 1/4″ bigger piece of White cardstock and adhered to the card base.

The image is from OCL’s Tweet Winter Wishes. It was stamped on Kraft cardstock in black Memento ink and colored with Copic Markers. The image was cut with Label eight Nestabilities. The edges were sponged with Snow Cap Adirondack ink. I also sponged white pigment ink where I wanted to add Flower Soft. White Flower Soft is a bit translucent. To make it look white on Kraft cardstock, it’s better to add white ink underneath.

The sentiment was stamped with Black memento ink on White cardstock. It was punched out with the small oval punch, the edges were sponged with Willow Dye ink from Adirondack.

Here is a quick video for the visual learner:

Ever since I saw the sneaks for Flourishes Dove and Holly set, I knew I NEEDED that set. Marcella creates the most amazing stamp sets.

So when the set came right before I had to come up with a video for the Joy Fold card, I knew I was going to use it. And to mix it up a bit, I created a square Joy fold card….because, I LOVE square cards.

My card base is a 4 1/4″ x 6 1/4″ piece of Chocolate chip cardstock scored at 4 1/4″. The edges were sponged with Walnut Stain Distress ink. For the backing I layered a 3 3/4″ square piece of Basic Grey Boxer paper on a 4″ square of Very Vanilla cardstock. The layers were stitched together and adhered to the card base.

A 1 7/8″ x 4″ piece of Basic Grey Fruitcake paper strip was adhered to the front flap. Behind the front flap I taped a strip of Vanilla cardstock that had been punched with an EK punch. It was sewn to the card front. May Arts Olive Silk Ribbon was tied around the flap.

The flap base is a 3″ x 6″ piece of Chocolate Chip cardstock, sponged with Walnut Stain ink and folded in half.  A 2 1/2″ square of Old Olive Cardstock was stamped with Vintage Wallpaper and Peeled Paint ink, the edges were sponged and it was sewn to a 2 3/4″ square of Vanilla cardstock.

The doves were stamped in Rich Cocoa Memento Ink on Gina K’s Pure Luxury Ivory cardstock and colored with Copic Markers (E51, E55, E57, YR23, YR24, YG93, YG95, R46, R59, W1). It was cut with Circle Nestabilities, sponged with Antique Linen and layered on a Burgundy cardstock scallop that was sponged with Aged Mahogany. It was attached to the flap with dimensionals. Crystal Effect was added over the Holly berries.

The inside of the flap was layered with a 2 3/4″ square of Old Olive cardstock and a 1/4″ smaller piece of Pure Luxury Ivory cardstock. The holly stamp was stamped in Rich Cocoa Memento ink in the right bottom corner and colored with the same markers that were used for the Dove image. Again Crystal Effect was used to enhance the Holly berries.

Here is the video for the visual learner:

Today’s tutorial was written by Birgit Edblom, aka. Biggan. She created a gorgeous card for one of the challenges and I asked her to write a tutorial for SCS. She was sweet enough to do so.

For my sample I stamped the leaves from Unity’s Gratitude = Joy first in Peeled Paint, then in Shabby Shutter distress ink over a 3 1/2″ square of Penny Lane My Mind’s Eye Paper. The paper was cut apart first in 1/2″ strip, then in offset 1″ pieces, to create the wall look. To add more depth, I sponged around each “brick” with Antique Linen Distress ink.

I taped the bricks to a slightly bigger piece of textured white cardstock. The edges had been sponged with Antique Linen. That was layered on a 1/4″ bigger piece of Chocolate chip cardstock. White Organza ribbon from May Arts was tied around the layers. A Basic Grey Button was tied over the bow with Linen thread. The sentiment was stamped with Walnut Stain Distress ink on Textured White cardstock, cut with Nestabilities tag dies, sponged with Antique Linen and attached with the same Linen thread. The layers were adhered to a 4 3/4″ piece of white textured cardstock with Scor-Tape.

The card base is a 5″ x 10″ piece of Old Olive cardstock folded in half. The leaves were stamped in Peeled Paint all over the edges of the card front. Then the edges were sponged. The card front layers were attached with dimensionals to the card base.

Have a wonderful day! Here is a video for the visual learner:

I made this meander book so I could shoot a video tutorial for the little book. We had several questions about how to fold those pages.

The patterned paper is from Fancy Pants All Fall paper pack. Ribbon is from Stampin’ Up!, Flower from Daisy Doodles Prima Flowers, the button from Basic Grey. The button was threaded with waxed linen. I love that thread. It’s a bit sticky so you just have to tie it once and it sticks!

The sentiment is from Unity’s Bevy of Butterflies. It was stamped in Walnut Stain Distress ink on White cardstock. Floral Edge was stamped over it with Old Paper ink. The sentiment was then glued in an Ornate plate and attached to the book front.

The inside pages were created from a Chatterbox paper. They were stamped with the Floral Edge stamp in Shabby Shutter and layered with a 2 1/2″ square of Chocolate Chip cardstock. I left the right side blank for photos. The left side was layered with a sponged and stamped piece of Vanilla cardstock that was stamped with a swirl from Growing in Unity in Frayed Burlap.

Here is the video for the Meander book:

If you would like to see one of those Meander books up close and personal, add your info to this Mr. Linky. I will raffle the two meander books I made for this tutorial away. I will pick winners on Wednesday around noon EST.

Today is the last day of the Holiday Blitz week on Splitcoaststampers.  Angie Tieman came up with a Pizza box covered with Top Note die cuts last year and she agreed to write a tutorial for us. Make sure to check out her Top Note Box tutorial. It’s easy, fast and GORGEOUS!

I used Kraft colored cardstock for my box and stamped images from the Vintage Christmas set from Crafty Secrets on the box with Frayed Burlap Distress ink. I sponged the edges of all pieces with Frayed Burlap as well.

The main image was stamped in Tuxedo Black Memento Ink on Neenah Solar White cardstock and colored it in with Copic Markers (W00, W1, W3, Y28, E44, R29, R59, Yr14, YR21, E30, BG96, E51, R12).  The image was cut out with Oval Nestabilities, layered on a slightly bigger black oval and a scallop red oval. Green May Arts Silk ribbon was tied around the box and the image was attached over it with dimensionals.

To finish the box off I added some Dimensional pearls on the Holly on the Santa hat and another Snowflake Medallion on the top left. The snowflakes were cut out with Create a flake 1 dies from Spellbinders, sponged with Shabby Shutters ink and Shard Vintage Glitter was added with Crystal Effect.  The medallion was topped off with a button from my Mom’s stash and Linen thread.

Here is a video for the visual learners:

Today’s Holiday Blitz tutorial is for a double ball ornament. It was written by Carol Dunstan. It’s an easy, fast and fun project that I plan on repeating with Rebecca. I think she will enjoy making some of these ornaments.

That hatpin, pearl and glass bead are all from Stampin’ Up!’s Pretties kit. The paper is from My Mind’s Eye The Merry Days of Christmas Pack. The ribbon is White Taffeta ribbon.

Here is a quick video for the visual learner: