Technique Tuesday: Sponge Daubers to the rescue!

If you like to be creative with inks instead of just stamping with them....read on!

Tonight's cards feature sponge daubers and inks - a match made in heaven. And not just a few ink colours but 7. I was inspired to create this card based on a birthday card made for my son Alec last year. I wanted to do something similar for my good friend Kyle A and knew he'd love this. 

The inks I used were supposed to represent the rainbow, but you can use any colours that suit your project and the recipient! How great would this look with neutrals or traditional Christmas colours? Use your imagination and let me know what you came up with!

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Use-Up-Your-Scraps!

Tonight's Creative Escape focuses on using up some scraps. We all have them, don't we? You cut off a piece from a 6" x 6" patterned paper pack and have this left over strip (or strips!). Don't waste them...use them with this simple layout:

In my video below I show you how to use our Pick a Banner punch to flag the ends of your DSP as well as how to use your scissors. Alternatively, leave them as straight edges or blunt cut them this way and that! Your paper will guide your creative choice on that score. 

Here are a few other layouts I made tonight using the same pieces:

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Technique Tuesday: Inlaid Embossing Technique

Inspired by a card from last year, this week's Technique Tuesday features the Inlaid Embossing Technique. What a difference in the final product depending on the fullness of the embossing folder! Here are the two made for the video:

By embossing your patterned paper on a full layer, you get the look of a quilted pattern! So cool!

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How scribbling makes a beautiful background for your projects!

I was reminded of a simple way to create a background piece this past weekend during an event for Stampin' Up! demonstrators called Creativity Now. I thought this is something I need to teach my customers and followers. Here are the cards:

Which do you prefer? I love them both...I think even a not so light colour palette works well for this idea. Grab your favourite colouring tool of the moment (markers, Stampin' Blends, Pastels/chalks, watercoloring pencils, whatever!) and get scribbling!

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Kit Collection: Notes of Cheer with Elmira Community Living

Today's class with the Elmira Community Living crafters went so well thanks to our Notes of Cheer Card Kit. This kit comes with everything you need to make 9 cards (3 of each of the designs shown below) complete with matching scalloped edged envelopes:

For the Community Living Crafters, we use Stampin' Dimensionals and Tear 'n Tape to put our creations together. That meant a few adjustments to the cards in order to get the most out of them! Here are the final cards we made - again each of the 10 crafters made 9 cards. A supplies list is below showing the extra supplies used to create these!

Supplies List:
Top Left - Card #1
Card base: Misty Moonlight (retired). The white layer is the original cardbase cut in half so that the front layer can be embossed with the Brick & Mortar 3D embossing folder and the other half placed inside the card. With a retired butterfly punch and glimmer paper, we added a focal point and the greeting was cut down to just be "a little note"

Top Right - Card #2 - No changes!

Bottom Left - Card #3
Card base: Just Jade (retired). The card was intended to be a butterfly shaped card, but I cut it in half and placed the coloured butterfly on the front of the card and the white "back" on the inside. 

Result: 10 happy crafters!

Tomorrow is Free Shipping Day and combined with Kit Collections on BOGO (buy one get one half price), these will be a super deal to get on Tuesday, June 21, 2022.

Seasonal Trees

Some beautiful trees for Spring and Summer using the Amazing Silhouettes stamp set and several Stampin' Blends for the colour. The real "WOW" in this card is adding colour to the tree trunk. It just pops!

It's a quick technique with a great result. Follow the instructions in this video to make yours!

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Easy Layout when you have minimal supplies at hand

This week's Creative Escape recorded as a Facebook Live June 13 is all about using minimal supplies to make a great card. Super fast and easy for making duplicates and a fun paper cutting technique to boot!

You know that crafting moment...you just want to make a quick card or set of cards and it's a lot to pull out tonnes of supplies. Or, you're at the trailer or cottage and have the basics. Don't run into town and buy more - use what you have!

Check out the Video with all cutting measurements so your strip of Designer Series Paper slips right into place! If it's a little snug, as you will see happened to me in the video, I share a easy fix that keeps you crafting away!

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Dust off your Markers! Time for a Technique Tuesday Tip

And when I say..."dust off"...I mean it! It's been a while since I've pulled my Stampin' Write Markers out to colour with! One of the easiest techniques is called "Direct to Stamp" where you literally colour various areas of your solid stamped image - or greeting - with different colours. The question becomes, how does that colour transfer to the paper if it dries while you're applying the various colours? Read on and watch the video for the answer!

On the above card, I used the Amazing Silhouettes stamp where the colour is applied across the stamp in horizontal strokes. The tree is recessed and will take on the colour of your cardstock. A great stamp to do on Basic White or Very Vanilla. I used the Brights Stampin' Write Markers for these bold colours. 

In this sample, I combined the Direct to Stamp technique with Thumping for a speckled look:

And one more Marker Technique: Water Wash. Remember to use Watercolor Paper for best results!

If you missed the Facebook live, here's a quick link to the video for making all 3 cards:

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Let's be Creative Monday Escape

If you missed it on Facebook, here's a fun fold gift card holder idea shared with me by another demonstrator, Dana Hancock. I just had to duplicate it with the Happy Friends Bundle to show off this adorable suite of products.

The measurements are standard and quite simple:
Gray Granite Card base: 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and score at 2" and 6"
So Saffron Layer: 2 3/8" x 5 3/8"
DSP Layer: 2 1/4" x 5 1/4"

Add two white rectangles - one for the front and one as an insert on the inside. I used the Scalloped Contours dies for my rectangles. Then embellish away!

Here's Dana's original version featuring the brand new Elephant Parade Bundle which is now on my must-have list.

I also made another version during the Facebook Live featuring the Symbols of Fortune DSP (retiring end June so don't miss out on getting it!) and my oh-so-loved Ladybug Punch. 

Watch the video for step-by-step instructions on making this pretty gift card holder and let me know in the comment below what supplies you used:

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Technique Tuesday: Colouring with Soft Pastels

 Looking for a soft and elegant look? Grab some chalks or pastels. Stampin' Up! Soft Pastels Assortment did the trick for me! Love how I could use my sponge daubers to apply the colour directly from the pastel rectangle over top of a versamark inked image. Read on!

Without being too "Easter-y" I opted for the Gorgeous Grape, Daffodil Delight and Coastal Cabana pastels and paired them with the Butterfly Brilliance stamp set. All you need is Versamark ink and your sponge daubers and you're set.

Check out all the steps in my video tutorial here:

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New Way to One-Sheet-Wonder!

Hope you caught my video on how to do the One Sheet Wonder technique a new and different way!
Here are the cards from Monday, May 30 demonstrating this. Instead of stamping all over, you divide the 8 1/2" x 11" white (or vanilla) cardstock into 8 equal segments with a pencil & ruler, then stamp around those guide lines. What - what? Yep..the end result is kinda nice! Here is a photo of one of the 8 cards I did before the video - you know - just to try this out first: 

This first set features our NEW 2022-2024 In Colors for a super pop of colour!

Then during my Facebook Live I taught how to do the same and flip your cards on the landscape layout for a twist. Aren't these colours just gorgeous? Melon Mambo, Garden Green, Daffodil Delight and Night of Navy for the win!

Here's the video in case you missed it - now posted to YouTube:

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