Insane Stamper

Finally Completed a Challenge

2011-11-12T08:53:00.001-08:00

It has been a long time since I was able to complete a challenge. I check out the various challenge blogs and consider doing them, but then I don't. Now with my craft room all set up and its not a dumping ground, I can finally participate. This card was made for the Mojo Monday Challenge 214.

I really like there layouts, and I knew I could do this one. I kept the card simple as I'm just getting back into swing of things. I'm not into elaborate cards yet, but I'm hoping to get there.

This card features the Love Bug stamp set from Stampin' Up!. I love the little critters in the images and there fun to color. I just recently got the watercolor pencil crayons from Stampin' Up and I had to try them out. I didn't watercolor the images, but I will try that technique out one day.

The colors in this card are Cherry Cobbler, Pumpkin pie, Island Indigo, and Soft Suede. This color combo was inspired by a challenge over at ColourQ blog. Unfortunately I didn't finish the card in time to participate in the challenge.

I think the card turned out well. I hope you enjoyed it.

Take care

Birthday Invite

2011-11-12T08:53:00.000-08:00

My son's first birthday is coming up so I'm planning a party for him. I decided to make the theme Polar Bears, since he was born in winter and we have snow. I'm going to be making a polar bear cake for him to enjoy, so I thought I should make coordinating invitations. I used the teddy bear image from the Teddy and Train stamp set from Stampin' Up!. I stamped it in Sahara Sand and then used heat and stick powder to add dazzling diamonds. This gives the impression of a polar bear covered in snow. Since the invite his for my son's birthday, blue was the color. I used Bashful Blue and Marina Mist. Since he's only turning 1, I figured I could get away with using soft colors instead of bold colors. The card may seem to be babyish, but Caius is my baby boy. I don't want him growing up to fast.

For A Baby Boy

2011-11-07T20:23:00.000-08:00

It has been a very long time since I posted any projects. I've had a busy summer but now life has slowed down and I'm able to get back to creating again. I also moved my craft room into a bigger space and its organized. I also have more workspace. Today I have a card that I made for a good friend of mine who just had a baby boy. This is her first baby so I wanted to make a special card for her and her family.

I used the Teddy and Trains stamp set from Stampin' Up!. I love the softness of the images. The teddy bear looks so cuddly. The images are stamped in Versamark and coloured with Stampin' pastels. Pastels are perfect for baby cards as they are soft.

To keep the card boyish, I used boy colors. The colors are Brilliant Blue, Chocolate Chip, Pear Pizzazz, Baja Breeze and Marina Mist.

I used the side step fold for this card. You can find the tutorial for this fold on Splitcoaststampers.

I hope you have enjoyed this card as much as I did making it.

Take care and until next time,

Kristy

Candles, Candles, and more Candles

2011-06-11T08:51:00.000-07:00

Awhile back my mother-in-law asked if I could make her some candles for her dining area and living room. She wanted roosters for the dining area and lavender for the living room. With this as my inspiration I came up with 2 sets of candles. I really love the rooster candles. I stamped the image with Staz On on white tissue paper. I then watercoloured the image and then heat set on the candle. I added some ribbon and twine and Voila! They look really good on the wrough iron stands.

Since the lavender image I was using was small, I had to come up with a way to make a larger image. I decided to create backgrounds for the lavender. On the large candle, I brayered a sky with Marina Mist and Rich Razzleberry. On the middle candle, I sponged a sky with the same colors. For the small candle, the lavender image was the perfect size, so I added a bit of Bashful Blue around the lavender. Since Stampin' Up! doesn't have a lavender color I used Perfect Plum. For a ribbon, I used Certainly Celery striped grosgrain.

Being a Mom and Loving It

2011-06-05T08:05:00.000-07:00

Last November, my beautiful baby born came into this world. Since then I have had my hands full learning many new things. I'm not sure who's learning more, me or him. Its been 6 wonderful months and I'm looking forward to many more wonderful years, but I haven't the time to devote to a business. So as of the end of this month, I will no longer be a part of Stampin' Up!. I will still be playing in craft space every once in a while and I will share what I create. My current project is a scrapbook for my son. I've only finished a couple of pages, but he's only been around for a short while. This will definitely be an ongoing project that one day he will appreciate (or possibly a future wife).

Thank you for visiting my blog and I do hope you continue to stop by. I hope I have inspired you to be creative.

Kristy

2011-03-22T20:32:00.000-07:00

While checking out various blogs I came across one technique that was neat. I'm not sure what the technique is called or which blog I learned it from but I would like to pass the credit on to whom ever deserves it.

Basically, you stamp your image in black ink (I used Staz On) and then color however you want. I decided to color my flowers (I used a retired stamp set, Delight in Life) with the Aqua Painters and Stampin' Classic ink pads (Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink, and So Saffron). This creates a watercolor effect. Once I was done coloring, I covered the entire image with VersaMark ink (I used the Versamarker). I then added Clear EP and heated it with my heat too. Once the EP is done melting, you have a glassy image. I think this technique really makes the colors of the flowers pop. I added some ribbon (Certainly Celery Striped grosgrain) and embossed the background (Elegant Bouquet embossing folder) and I was done.

This card is perfect for any occasion, but I chose to use it as an anniversary card.

I hope you give this technique a try.

Kristy

Where I Surf

2011-03-12T08:26:00.000-08:00

You can't be a blogger without blog surfing. I do enjoy checking out other peoples blogs as well as blogging. I love to see what others have created and how they do it. Each blog that I visit inspires me to create and then I must share my creations. As of late I don't get a lot of time to create, but I do spend a few minutes surfing different blogs. So today I would like to share with you some of my favorite blogs.

Mik Inks: She does some cute but beautiful work. She has something different with each post, such as quick cards, cards she's CASEd, and non-card projects.
Stamp n Design: Her blog is full of different ways to use products and she has tons of tutorials. I love her tutorials. They are easy to read and they have pictures.
Valita's Designs and Fresh Folds: She does crazy awesome things with punches and is definitely worth checking out. You really can't look at any punch the same way after you see what she has done with them. She even gives complete instructions on how to and a video as well.
The Stamping Studio: She has very unique ideas. She comes with the neatest 3D projects and they're all beautiful.
Michelle Zindorf: She is the brayer QUEEN. She does absolutely stunning cards with a brayer. She actually travels all over the US to teach this technique.
Sunny Stampin' This blog is by two very talented ladies. They put so much work and effort into creating these projects and sharing how to make them. I have used several of their tutorials and they are well worth it.

The next set of websites are not personal blogs but online communities for papercrafters. What I love about them is all the ideas that every one has.

The final set of blogs that I want to share with you Challenge blogs. These are blogs that offer you inspirations for creating any project. The best part of these blogs is seeing all the entries. You get to do a lot more blog surfing.

Clean and Simple: They offer simple layout each week.
colourQ: Each week a new color combo is posted. Winners receive the colourQ badge for their own blog.
Stampin' Royalty: Each week they come up with new challenge that is different from the previous weeks. Its always exciting to see how they challenge you.

I hope you check each of these blogs out. And don't forget to leave a comment. Its always nice to read comments . And hopefully you leave each blog with a little bit of inspiration.

Good Day

Kristy

It's Been Awhile

2011-03-07T20:45:00.000-08:00

Its been a very long time since I participated in a challenge. But today I took the time to make a card to enter into the CAS challenge #130. I always love their layouts as they are Clean & Simple. This card was easy to come up with. My color inspiration came from a new sampler pack of In Color dsp (hostess set) and the color coach. I just love Concord Crush and it was the perfect color for today. I wanted something bright and fun that would remind me of summer. I paired Daffodil Delight and Pumpkin Pie with it and VOILA!! Don't you just love the look of a simple card?

Have a great week and here's to hopin' for summer

Kristy

Mmmmmm...Birthday Cake

2011-03-05T11:03:00.000-08:00

This is a card that I made a few months back. It's simple birthday card that is perfect for a guy, but can be given to a lady. The stamp set used is the Hostess set Birthday Bakery. I also used the Vintage Labels stamp set for the sentiment. The colors are Cherry Cobbler, Daffodil Delight, Soft Suede, and Early Espresso, I colored the cakes with markers and I sponged the edges with Early Espresso for an aged look. I used the Scallop Trim border punch to add some flair.

Have a great day

Kristy

A successful Attempt

2011-02-21T08:00:00.000-08:00

Almost everyone in the stamping world has heard of Michelle Zindorf. And if you haven't, you must check out her blog. She is an amazing artist. She works magic with a brayer and ink. And her work inspired my to try out the brayer technique. So I browsed through her cards and chose one that I thought would be an easy start. I chose a card that used an old hostess stamp set, Asian Artistry. It was one of my favorites and I used it a lot. I do wish hostess sets would show up in future catalogues. Here is the tutorial for the card, Farewell Asian Artisty.

It is my first attempt and I think I did a very good job. Of course there is always room for practice, and practice I shall. What I love about Michelle's work is that she creates scenes with just ink. Then she adds stamped images. I also love this color combo, very bold. I don't usually go bold but I liked this one.

I recommend browsing her blog and trying out this beautiful technique. I believe she has a tutorial for all skill levels.

Take care

Kristy

Sale-A-Bration Punch Bunch

2011-02-13T10:33:00.000-08:00

When I first flipped through the Sale-A-Bration brochure I was immediately drawn to the Punch Bunch stamp set. I liked the little images plus the fact that they coordinated with punches. I immediately got it along with all the punches that I needed. That meant I got the new Two-step Owl punch. This punch is such fun to play with. You can make so many different looking owl with just the punch and different papers; but now I have a little owl image to use.

With this stamp set and the coordinating punches, I was able to create 4 different cards and a pillowbox. I also decided to use the in Colors as well. Here is what I came up with:

The Pillowbox Bigz die is used to make the pillowbox and just used some dsp, some ribbon, and an owl to decorate it. Along with the coordinating punches, I also used the Scallop Trim Border punch. The cards are all very simple, but the punches add the dimensions.

Try using your punches today to add some dimensions to your card or scrapbook page.

Take care

Kristy

Passionate about Faux Silk

2011-02-07T09:08:00.000-08:00

I love the look and feel of this faux silk card. I came across this technique in Stampin' Success (the Stampin' Up! demo monthly magazine) but there is also a Faux-silk tutorial on Splitcoaststampers by Beate Johns.

This technique is perfect if you want to add some elegance to a card with out a love of work. Its super simple and quick and just requires a stamp, some ink, tissue paper, cardstock and glue. Just stamp, crinkle, and glue. Voila!!!

I also created a paper pierced border, which highlighted the stamped image.

Supplies that I used include "Inspired by Nature" stamp set; Pear Pizazz, Crushed Curry, Very Vanilla and More Mustard cardstock; Pear Pizazz Classic Stampin' ink; and the mat pack with piercing tool. This card took only a few minutes to make and it turned out great.

Try out a new technique today and see how it changes the look of a card.

Take care

Kristy

Pierced Valentines

2011-02-03T08:48:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is only a couple of weeks away. So for Valentine's Day, I made a simple but elegant card. The layout is simple and plain, but what makes this card pop is the paper piercing around the circles. The large bow just finishes it off.

I used the "I {Heart} Hearts" stamp set; the Mat Pack and a paper piercer; 1 1/2" striped grosgrain ribbon (Pretty in Pink); Blushing Bride, Perfect Plum, and Sahara Sand card stock; valentine's rub-ons (I can't remember the name) from the Occasions mini; and Perfect Plum Classic Stampin' ink.

I found wonderful directions for piercing circles over at Splitcoaststampers. Click here for the tutorial by Beate Johns, who does wonderful tutorials.

I hope you give paper piercing a shot, it really does add to your cards.

Have a wonderful month full of love

Kristy

Happy New Year

2011-01-10T10:31:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Everyone!!!

Its been a few weeks since I last posted, but its been a busy Christmas. December was a month of relaxing and getting to know my new baby boy, Caius. We spent our Christmas at home and took it as easy as we could (a few sleepless nights). I still haven't been able to get to craft room, but I'm hoping that I will be able to very soon. However, I did have a few cards made up before my son arrived and I will share those with you.

Valentine's Day is the upcoming holiday, so I have a two love notes to show you. Both cards were created using the Letterpress Plates from the Holiday mini. They have carried over into the new Occasions Mini, so please check it out. The letterpress plates require Craft Ink. Previously you could purchase full size ink pads in all the colors, but now you can only purchase the Craft ink spots, Craft Ink refills, and a uninked craft pad. I still have a few colors in the full size ink pads, so I used Real Red. Before I explain any more things, I will show you the cards.

I used the Twisted Pyramid technique on both cards. I came across this technique on a fellow Stamper's blog, Lynn Pratt at Stamp n' Design.

She provides all the directions and a free template.

I really enjoyed making these two cards. I love the look of the twisted pyramid. You can use any large stamp image, such as a background stamp or scenic stamp. I used the letterpress plate, Lots of Love.

These 2 cards have lots of layers and textures. The letterpress plates imprint the image onto card stock, therefore adding texture.

On the first card, I used Very Vanilla satin ribbon, and mini library clips. The color combo is Real Red, Night of Navy, and Very Vanilla.

On this second card, I used brads from the Metallic collection and 1/8" Real Red taffeta ribbon. The color combo s Real Red, Basic Black, and Very Vanilla. This card is perfect to give to the Man in your life for any romantic occasion.

Since it is the new year, I have a New Year's Resolution. My resolution is to post at least once a week, and to share a new technique each week. I'm hoping I can keep to this promise, but with a little one around, I may get behind. Please be patient.

All the best in 2011 and I hope you enjoy each day.

Kristy

New Baby

2010-12-10T16:56:00.000-08:00

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I've been away because I had a baby. My due date was November 18th, but the baby didn't arrive until November 28th. During those 10 days I was occupied with getting some last minute things done around the house and finishing my Christmas cards. I actually finished my cards the same day that my water broke. Anyways, since the baby arrived, I've been busy being a new mom. I did have a few cards made prior to the arrival, so I will share them with you.

For those of you that might be wondering, I had a baby boy. His name is Caius Alexander and he was 7 lbs, 4 oz. And he's a sweetie.

In honor of the new arrival, I have a couple baby cards.

This is a pocket card that I made as a baby announcement card. I will be slipping a picture of the little man with his birth informaiton into the pocket. I made these prior to his arrival, so I picked gender neutral colors.

This is a super simple and sweet card that's perfect as a Congratulations card.


This card uses the same layout as the previous card, but I tweaked it a little. I added more layers and a tag.

I used the Soft Subtle DSP for all three cards and I also used cardstock from the Soft Subtle family.

I used the following stamp sets:
                 Teddy and Trains
                 Animal Stories
                 Introducing (retired)

These stamps are perfect for all baby related projects. I will be using them when I make a scrapbook of my baby.

Take care and Merry Christmas

Kristy

A Cute Gift

2010-11-18T00:00:00.000-08:00

I love candles. I love stamping on them. They make a perfect gift. Over the last few years, I have made several candles and given them away.

This year I made a Christmas candle and a matching card. Its so pretty I think I might keep it for myself. But you never know.

I used the Home for Christmas stamp set for this candle. I love the image of the door with the wreath and its perfect for watercoloring. I stamped the image on white tissue paper and coloured it. I then melted into the candle with my heat tool. I added a little ribbon and a tag and Voila!!

So what do you think? Would you love to receive this for Christmas?

Here is the matching card. I used the same stamp set and coloured it the same way. However, I made a side step card. I found the directions for this card from fellow Stampin' Up demonstrator, Julie Davidson. You can visit her blog for the instructions and template.

The card looks fabulous but is easy to do.

I left the space on the right blank, so that I can write a personal message to the recipient.

I enjoyed making this card, and plan to make many more.

Now all I need to finish this gift off is some gift wrap. I think I will make a matching gift bag.

Thats all for today.

Enjoy

Kristy

First Trade Fair

2010-11-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

Spruce City Skate Club asked me if I would have a table at their Christmas Shopping Night. The event was a fundraiser for the club and I agreed to participate. As this was my first trade fair, I was a little nervous on how it would turn out. However, it went well.

Here are some photos of the table.

I only had one table, so I didn't have a lot of room.

I put out several samples of cards, several catalogues, and a door prize.

Here is the door prize. The basket consisted of a border punch, a stamp set and the supplies needed to make 10 cards. I also included a catalogue, ink spot, and "Hand Stamped by" stamp.

The winner of this basket was so excited. This was the prize she wanted to win. And it happened to be her birthday when I phoned her.

Here I am 8.5 months pregnant. The apron does a good job hiding the belly from the front, but not from the side.

I think the evening was a success. I made a few contacts and I look forward to see these ladies at classes in the future. Of course, I'm not doing any classes as I wait for the baby to arrive. But in the new year, I do plan on having a class once a month.

Enjoy your day

Kristy

An AMAZING Deal

2010-11-15T07:22:00.000-08:00

Stampin' Up! has come up with an amazing offer on the starter kit.

It's 50% off!!!!!

If you have ever considered joining, now is the time. You get the full starter kit or Digital + Starter kit for only $107.50 (reg. $215). There's over $375 worth of products in the kit. If you're new to stamping and don't have a lot of the basics, this is an excellent deal. You can purchase the starter kit and choose not to be a demo and there is no penalty. That's how I starter out years ago.

If you would like to take advantage of this great deal, visit my website (click on Join Now). You'll need my recruit password which is M@uve07. I would love to have you join my team.

Have a wonderful day

Kristy

Let it Snow Part 4

2010-11-04T15:00:00.000-07:00

I have the final card in the Let it Snow Series. I hope you have enjoyed all the cards that I have created.

Christmas is my favorite time of year for making cards. I come up with so many ideas, but I don't always have to time to make and share them all.

Here's another simple card. I really enjoy simple cards at Christmas, because I make so many. But simple doesn't have to mean bland. I used pastels to color the tree, which adds a soft glow (which you can't see in the picture). The satin ribbon and taffeta ribbon adds some elegance. The Cherry Cobbler makes the image pop.

All of these cards will be available at my booth at the Spruce City Skate Club fundraiser. The event is this Friday from 7 -9 pm at Heather Park Elementary.

Enjoy

Kristy

Let it Snow Part 3

2010-11-04T09:48:00.000-07:00

Here is the third card of my Let it Snow series.

This card is really simple to make. However, it does take a bit of time. I made a stencil using the Ornament punch and sponged two ornaments on Very Vanilla. The bulb portion of the ornament is sponged in a different color from the cap portion. I also stamped an ornament image from Delightful Decorations and punched it out. Again, I used a piece of dsp from Jolly Holiday DP and paired it with Old Olive and Crumb Cake.

Such a simple card, but fun to make.

Later, I will have the final part to the Let it Snow series.

Enjoy,

Kristy

Let it Snow Part 2

2010-11-02T19:22:00.000-07:00

Here is the second project in the Let it Snow series.

This card features the Emboss Resist technique. I love how using Emboss Resist makes an image pop. I stamped the tree image from Paisley Prints with VersaMark and then embossed with Clear embossing powder. Once it cooled, I sponged Old Olive Classic Stampin' ink all over the paper. Then I wiped the ink off the embossed image.

Again, I used a piece of dsp from Jolly Holiday.

The colors used are Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive, and Very Vanilla, which are in the Jolly Holiday dsp.

I added a gold brad to the tree top for some bling and some Very Vanilla grosgrain ribbon for elegance.

I hope I have inspired you.

Have a great day

Kristy

Let it Snow Part 1

2010-11-01T15:19:00.000-07:00

I know you don't want to hear someone singing "Let It Snow, Let it snow, let it snow" but it is that time of year. And before its too late, you'll want to start preparing for Christmas. This week I'm going to show you a couple of projects that I have put together for a business fair that I'm participating in this weekend.

I have made up 4 different cards to sell and I will be showcasing other cards as well.

Here is the first card:

I wanted to feature the Big Shot. I decided to use the Top Note die and layer it. I used the Home For Christmas stamp set and colored it with Aqua Painters and classic ink. This gives it the appearance of being water colored. And a Very Vanilla Satin Ribbon tied in a bow finishes the card off.

The color combination I used was Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, and Very Vanilla. This combination coordinates with the Christmas DSP from the Idea Book and Catalogue (I can't remember the name of the dsp).

I hope you like the card.

Tomorrow I will have another card for you.

Kristy

Happy Halloween

2010-10-31T17:20:00.000-07:00

As it is Halloween, I have a couple of Halloween projects to share. I made these last year, but have never shared them with you.

I used the Batty for You stamp set for both cards. I really love this stamp set. Its fun and you can do so many different designs with it.

I also used a crimper to add texture.

This card used some DSP from last years Halloween package.

This is a 12" x12" scrapbook page. I don't have any halloween pictures to put on it, but maybe next year.

I hope y'all have a wonderful Halloween.

Kristy

BLUE - Just Add Ink 39

2010-10-16T08:53:00.000-07:00

I finally had the opportunity to participate in a challenge. I'm so excited. Its been ages and I'm really happy with how this one turned out. Over at Just Add Ink, they issued a challenge to use the colour BLUE. I went with a monochromatic scheme plus white for my cards. I was able to make a set of four cards and card holder. I used some retired DSP from a few years ago (yikes). I seem to have a lot of retired DSP, which I'm in the process of using. I also used a retired stamp set, Take Three. Its one that I have only used a few times, as I never really found a good card for it. This time the stamp set was the perfect choice.

Here are the pictures

Unfortunately the pictures aren't very good. I haven't found the perfect spot for placing my projects for portraits. Once my craft room is fully organized and clean (like that will ever happen), I'm hoping to have a shelf that I can display my projects.

What you can't see in the picture, is that I used the same embossing folder (I can't remember which one and I don't have my catalogue on hand) on each card. The colors are Baja Breeze (so happy its back) and Not Quite Navy (glad they kept it). I also used silver brads and Whisper White 1/4" grosgrain ribbon. I used a few different punches as embellishments on the cards.

The card holder is made out one sheet of dsp. I used a scrap of dsp (from the same package) to decorate the front.

I love make sets of cards that coordinate. I'm hoping I can do the same for all my Christmas cards.

Happy Fall and take care,

Kristy

First Fabric Attempt

2010-10-06T14:22:00.000-07:00

Stampin' Up! has released a fabric line this year in the Holiday Mini Catalogue. I decided to try out the Deck the Halls fabric, which coordinates well with the Deck the Halls Designer paper and with Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke, and Crumb Cake colors.

Here are two cards that I made using two of the fabrics.

I used the Top Note die to cut the fabric (works really well) and then I used sticky strip to adhere it to the cardstock. I also cut a small strip of fabric from one of the other patterns. I used this to tie a knot.
For the second card, I used the left over fabric from the first card. The second card is a reverse image of the first card.

I think I did alright for a first attempt. However, with the rest of the fabric, I'm going to attempt to make a pillow.

Enjoy

Kristy

Christmas Ornaments

2010-09-25T09:36:00.000-07:00

A couple of years ago, I received a set of beautiful hand decorated ornaments for Christmas (from my parents). They were remarkable and add that extra something to my Christmas tree. This year I decided I wanted to make these ornaments. They are super easy to make and are wonderful to give.

Here they are:

I purchased clear Christmas bulbs from my local Michaels Craft store. They have a variety of sizes and shapes. They come in a nice case which makes wrapping them up as a gift easier.

Here is what I used:

Night of Navy Classic Stampin' refill
Rose Red Classic Stampin' refill
Handsome Hunter Classic Stampin' refill
Gold Glitter from Martha Stewart Crafts
Silver Glitter from Martha Stewart Crafts
Rub on images

I found putting the rub-ons a challenging task. I've decided that rub-ons are meant for flat surfaces not curved, such as glass ornaments.
The easy part was putting the ink in with the glitter. All you do is add a few drops of ink to the inside of the ornament. I also added a drop of water to help move the ink around. I then covered the opening and shook the ornament until the ink was evenly distributed around the inside of the ornament. I poured out the excess ink and then added the glitter. Again, I shook the ornament around until the glitter was all over. I also had to pour out the excess glitter. Voila, your done.

Here are some close ups of the ornaments.

As you can see they sparkle in the light.

I do plan to make more of these before Christmas.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Kristy

Halloween One Sheet Wonder

2010-09-23T16:45:00.000-07:00

Halloween is just over a month away and I decide to make some cards. Of course I asked myself what I would do with Halloween cards, but that wasn't the important thing. For these cards, I chose to use a One Sheet Wonder method. I created 10 cards using one 8 1/2" x 11" piece of cardstock to make these cards.

I used one stamp set (Batty for You), three different ink colors (Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, and Cajun Craze) and two base cardstock colors (Basic Black and Rich Razzleberry).
I stamped the various images from the Batty for You stamp set all over the Whisper White card, thus creating my own patterned paper. I then used a template that I found on Splitcoaststampers to cut up my new patterned paper.

I then decorated 10 card bases with the patterned paper, extra cardstock, and greetings.

Here are some close ups of some of the cards.

One Sheet Wonders are a great way to create several different cards quickly. You can create One Sheet Wonder templates for both 8 1/2" x 11" and 12" x 12" cardstock or you can visit different websites to find templates that others have created.

Have a great Halloween!!!

Kristy

Because I Care

2010-08-21T09:55:00.000-07:00

One of the new hostess sets is called Because I Care and its a beautiful set. It has an image of a hydrangea and two sentiments (Thank you and Because I Care). The set is really versatile as you can make thank you cards, thinking of you cards, just because cards, birthday cards, and blank cards.

The first card I made was a thank you card.

I wanted to try out the Smooch Spritz and the Presto Patterns Specialty Paper and this is what I came up with.

It takes a bit getting used to the Smooch Spritz and getting the look you want. I over sprayed a little too much in my practice runs and got lots of blobs of the gold ink (not what I wanted). After some practice, I was able to get a more even spray. The great thing about the Smooch Spritz is that you can spray has much or as little as you want, all depending on the effect you're looking for.

The Presto Patterns Specialty paper is perfect for using the Smooch Spritz. The paper is white with glossy white designs on it. You need to use ink on it to highlight the images, and thats what the Smooch Spritz does.

For this card, I chose the piece that had script background and used the Gold Glow Smooch Spritz to bring it out. Its sets a for elegant background for the Hydrangea.

I wanted a classy look so I went with colors from the Neutral Collection, Early Espresso, Basic Black, and Very Vanilla. To add a bit of a aged/distressed look, I crumpled the paper up. With a little bit of Basic Black 1/4" Grosgrain ribbon, you have a simple but elegant card.

I could have stamped any sentiment on this card, but I chose to go with a simple Thank You.

I must say, I really do like this stamp set.

As its a hostess level 1 set, you can only earn the stamp by hosting a workshop. If you would like this stamp set, just give me a call to book your workshop.

Enjoy the end of summer.

Kristy

My Stampin' Up! Story

2010-07-26T14:40:00.000-07:00

This month I was invited to join the Stampin' Up! Recruit Crew. This is a training program to help demonstrators recruit and expand their business. I'm hoping I will learn many things beyond recruiting and since my husband and I are expecting our first child this winter, I would like to expand my business so that I can stay home with our baby.

Here is my Stampin' Up! story:

I've always been into crafts, ranging from paper crafts to needlework. Then about 4 or 5 years ago my mother (my upline) introduced me to a new craft: rubber stamping and card making. At that time I was already into scrapbooking and thoroughly enjoyed it so it made sense to try rubber stamping. At first I wasn't into the card making but it didn't take long for me to fall in love with it. For awhile I borrowed my mothers supplies and then when I saved enough money, I purchased the starter kit. It was ideal as I didn't have any of my own tools. I was able to get all the things to start at a great low price. At the time I was a student and chose not to do the business.
I continued to purchase new stamps and supplies as I could afford and when my husband and I moved to a new town I decided to rejoin Stampin' Up! so that I could get a discount on anything I buy and to meet new people. Through holding workshops I have the opportunity to meet new people and share my love of Card Making and Rubber Stamping.

I hope y'all enjoyed my little story. I will be back to share with you some new projects using new products. Have you checked out the new Idea Book & Catalogue? If not, you can download it from the sidebar.

Enjoy the rest of you day.

Kristy

Manly Cards

2010-06-08T21:04:00.000-07:00

June is a busy month of occasions for myself. There's Father's Day, my husband's birthday, my father-in-law's birthday and my anniversary. Needless to say, I have a need for masculine cards. I've been working on a couple of ideas and here they are. I will be featuring these two cards at my next workshop on June 15. Visit my Stampin' Up! website for more details.

The first card features stamp sets from the 2009-2010 Idea Book.

The second card uses a stamp set and dp from the Summer Mini (you can view this catalogue on the sidebar).

Let me know if you think these cards are manly enough for the men in your lives?

Catch y'all later.

I hope to be posting more frequently now that I have my craft room set up again.

Kristy

New Mini

2010-05-01T09:43:00.000-07:00

Its May 1st and that means there is a new MINI!!!

There is some amazing things in this catalogue. (You can view it on the sidebar.)

I've already purchased the Sentimental Journey thats perfect for men and women. Its a fun stamp set that has a retro-vintagy style. You'll have to check it out to see what I mean.

Also in the catalogue are some totally new products, such as Smooch Spritz. This spray can add some shine to any image or paper.

For all you scrapbookers, there are two new 6x6 albums. One is in Bashful Blue with Only Orange pinstripes. The other album is Old Olive with polka dots. There are great and they are at a even greater price of $14.95.

Give me a call if you want to see more of these great products and book your next workshop with me. You can earn a FREE Smootch Spritz.

Have a great day with May Flowers.

Kristy

Sorry

2010-04-06T08:56:00.000-07:00

Sorry....I know I haven't been around. I've been busy moving into my first home. Now I'm all moved but I still have to unpack. It will be a little while before I post any projects that I'm working on.

I'm hoping in the next week I will have my new stamp room set up and ready to go.

Here is the list of events I'm hosting for the next couple of months. If you are interested in attending any of the classes, fee free to email me.

April 19: Gifts for Mom
        Learn how to stamp on a candle and make a beautiful coordinating card.

May 11:   Mini Album
Create a mini album thats perfect for the coffee table or in your purse as a gift.

June 8: Manly Cards
        Create two very masculine cards for the important men in your life.

For more information visit my website.

Have a wonderful day and enjoy the warm weather.

Kristy

Faux metal attempt...

2010-03-16T11:16:00.000-07:00

Considering I'm suppose to be packing and cleaning, I sure seem to be making lots of cards.

Oh well. The card I have made today is an anniversary card and it is also a submission to the challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments. Today's challenge is a technique challenge and the technique is faux metal. I didn't follow the instructions provided. I decided to tweek the technique. I'm suppose to cover a piece of cardstock with gold or silver emboss power and heat it up. While it is warm, I'm suppose to press an image into embossing powder. Instead, I dry embossed a piece of Whisper White cardstock using the Big Shot. I then applied silver emboss powder and heated it up. This way the embossed imaged stood out. It still looks like metal.

Here is the card:

The faux metal isn't perfect. You can still see white, but I think it adds to the card. It gives it a rougher look. For a little color I decided to add a So Saffron flower from Vintage Vogue.

There you have it. Definitely give it a try.

Happy Stamping

Kristy

Supplies:

All products are Stampin' Up!® unless otherwise stated:

Whisper White cardstock
Basic Black cardstock
Not Quite Navy cardstock
So Saffron cardstock
So Saffron Classic Stampin' Pad
So Saffron 1/2" Striped Grosgrain ribbon
Vintage brads
Modern Label Punch
Vintage Vogue stamp set clear mount

Think Green

2010-03-14T18:58:00.000-07:00

Since St. Patrick's Day is coming up, all the challenges seem to be GREEN themed. I found it very difficult trying to work with just greens and neutrals, but I managed. I decided to use the Green Challenge from Stampin' Royalty, the sketch challenge from Stamping 411, and the inspiration challenge from Hand Stamped Sentiments to create this card. The card is not necessarily for St. Patty's day but it is green and springy.

The inspiration challenge had a beautiful picture of a summer patio.

Doesn't this picture inspire you to create a warm and beautiful card?
It sure inspired me. I also think I might recreate this scene in my backyard.

Here is my card:

I know So Saffron isn't green, but its still related to St. Patty's day (think GOLD). The Vintage Vogue stamp set really reminds me of warm weather and good friends, which St. Patty's day is all about (maybe not warm weather, but warm atmosphere).

What does St. Patty's day mean to you?

I'm off to make more warm cards, possibly Easter ones.

Have a great day stamping.

Kristy

Supplies:
All Stampin' Up!® unless otherwise stated:

Old Olive cardstock
Vintage Vogue Stamp set
Very Vanilla cardstock
Chocolate Chip Classic Stampin' Pad
So Saffron 1/2" grosgrain ribbon (discontinued)
Bella Bleu DSP
So Saffron Classic Stampin' Pad
Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad
DSP from 2009 SAB (discontinued)
Hostess Set DP Level 3

Crazy Color Combo

2010-03-11T15:31:00.000-08:00

I was browsing through the different Color Challenges that I follow and I decided to try one out. Diva Coffee Break Designs has a color combo that is a little crazy. At least I would never have thought to put those four colors together. At first glance, I didn't know how to put them together. I decided to flip through some of their past sketch challenges and found one that I thought would be perfect for this color combo.

Here is the Color Combo:

Can you understand my initial reaction?

Here is the sketch I used:

I used a few more layers on my card so the colors wouldn't over power each other.

Here it is:

With this color combo I was worried the Bermuda Bay would too bright and overwhelming, but with just a hint, it works perfectly.

I love the Vintage Vogue set (118598 Clear mount). I just got it in the other day, but I love it. I'm after I've finished moving, I will be able to sit down and make a whole pile of cards using this set.

Until next time, happy stamping.

Kristy

Supplies:

All Stampin' Up!® unless otherwise stated:

Soft Suede cardstock
Soft Suede Classic Stampin' Pad
Bermuda Bay Cardstock
Cameo Coral Cardstock
Cameo Coral Classic Stampin' Pad
Certainly Celery Classic Stampin' Pad
Very Vanilla Cardstock
Vintage Vogue clear mount

Petals and Flowers, Oh My

2010-03-10T13:56:00.000-08:00

Right now I'm in the middle of packing my house in order to move. One of the rooms that I packed up was my crafting room. I didn't pack everything as I left out a few essentials so that I could continue stamping until I was completely moved. I didn't think I would have time to sit down and do any major projects, but I was wrong.

Last night, I had a workshop in which we used the Petal Party Simply Scrappin' kit. The idea was to make 2 6x6" scrapbook pages, but we made cards instead. As I only had two ladies attending, I had lot of supplies left over. So this morning, I decided to make some cards. I used just the cardstock, dsp, and self-adhesive die cuts, along with some ribbon.

Here is what I came up with:

Thats 12 cards that are all unique. I used the So Saffron and Pixie Pink cardstock, along with two sheets of the DSP. With one Simply Scrappin' Kit you can make 32 cards or 8 12x12" pages, or 32 6x6" scrapbook pages. I love these kits.

Here are some close up shots of the cards:

What can you make with just one kit? I love to see what you come up with.

Have a great day stamping.

Kristy

Supplies:
All Stampin' Up! unless otherwise stated:

Petal Party Simply Scrappin' 113059
Old Olive 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon 111368
So Saffron 1/2" Striped grosgrain ribbon 113699

Friendly Inspiration

2010-03-05T11:21:00.000-08:00

I'm really into challenges this week. I love how they inpsire you to do something you may not have thought of doing. This week over at Stampin' Royalty, they are challenging us with a photo.

We are to use the photo as inpsiration to come up with a card, scrapbook page, or 3-D project. I chose to do a CAS card (after I posted this the first time Clean & Simple, put up a challenge using circles).

Here it is:

I used the blackboard as inspiration for my base. I then used the white room as inspiration for my background. The colors are inspired by the flower pots and the image was inspired by the grass.

At first, I thought this was going to be a difficult challenge. But soon parts of the photo grabbed my attention. I used these parts as the inspiration. The best part, was this card took me no more than 10 minutes to make. Its perfect for thinking of you, thank you, or birthday cards. I might have to make up a batch.

Thats all for today. I encourage you to check out the various blogs that feature challenges. You might surprise yourself.

Have a great day stamping.

Kristy

Supplies:
All supplies used is Stampin' Up unless otherwise noted

Basic Black cardstock
Whisper White Cardstock
Real Red Cardstock
Old Olive cardstock
Brocade Blue cardstock
Dusty Durango cardstock
Crushed Curry cardstock
1/4" Very Vanilla grosgrain ribbon
Old Olive Classic Stampin' pad
Basic Black Classic Stampin' pad
Circle Punches: 1/2", 1", 1 3/8"
Pocket Silhouettes stamp set

Double Double Challenge

2010-03-03T15:11:00.000-08:00

Today I decided to tidy up my workspace. If you know me, that means a big job. Well I got it done and as a reward I decided to mess it up again. I mean make a card. I chose to do two challenges in one card. It really wasn't that hard as one challenge was a color combo and the other was a sketch challenge.

The other day I got an order in and I was excited to use all my new toys. One of the stamp sets that I got was the Animal Stories (120227). This stamp set can be earned for free by spending $65 or more on products. Call me today or visit my website.

The color challenge (from colourQ) was to use Certainly Celery, Baja Breeze (In Color 08), Night of Navy, Sahara Sand, and Whisper White. This color combo screamed BABY. And since I had the Animal Stories set I knew exactly what I was going to do.

The sketch challenge was from Diva Coffee Break Designs. This sketch is super simply and quick. I literally made this card in 10 minutes.

Here is the card.

I stamped the whale image with Baja Breeze and kissed it with Night of Navy. The Kissing technique is a great way to add more dimension to an image.

Here's how:

Stamp you image (solid images work best) in a light color.
Roll the edges of the image in a darker ink. Do not ink the whole image.
Stamp on to paper.

Give it a try.

I used the Scallop circle to punch the image out. I also used the Diamond Texturz plate to emboss the back layer. To embellis the card I used Certainly Celery 1/2" ribbon and Whisper White 1/4" Grosgrain ribbon. The Certainly Celery ribbon was from last years SAB. Unfortunately its not available any more.

To finish the card off, I had to add a sentiment. I used the "Small Wonder" from the Whimsical Words stamp set. This stamp set you can also get for free during Sale-a-Bration. Give me a call or visit my website to take advantage of this offer.

What do you think? Did I fully complete both challeges?

Enjoy the beautiful Spring Day.

Kristy

Sale-A-Bration Reminder

Just a reminder that Sale-a-Bration ends on March 31. Take advantage of some of the great products available today. To see the full brochure click on the catalogue link on the sidebar.
Three ways to earn these stamp sets:

Spend $65 on any products from current catalogues
Host a workshop totalling $395 or more
Join Stampin' Up and receive 15% off the starter kit.

Visit my website to order or join.

Supplies used today:

Night of Navy cardstock
Sahara Sand cardstock
Certainly Celery cardstock
Baja Breeze cardstock (discontinued)
Whisper White cardstock
Scallop Circle punch (109043 $22.95)
Animal Stories (120227 FREE SAB)
Whisper White 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon (109025 $7.50)
Certainly Celery 1/2" ribbon (discontinued)
Baja Breeze Classic Stampin' Pad (discontinued)
Night of Navy Classic Stampin' Pad (102977 $7.95)
Texturz Plates Stampin' Up! Backgrounds 1 (114512 $15.95)

Challenges...

2010-02-23T20:18:00.000-08:00

I've been a little busy lately but today I decided I would make a card. I had 3 different challenges to inspire me, but due to be too busy I didn't make the card in time to submit it to all the challenges. Anyways here's the card.

The three challenges that inspired this card are:

The layout is slightly different from the the FTL challenge. I didn't had the cute ribbon cut on the end of the Glorious Green cardstock. I thought that was too feminine for this masculine card.

The colors were a bit of a challenge. I would never have thought to put these colors together but they work well. I love the sharp contrast with the black background. I really like the Only Orange cardstock. I really need to use it more.

Making the card masculine wasn't too hard. I just had to find the right stamp and a the Cheers to You stamp set was perfect. What man doesn't love beer?

If only I had this card done in time to submit it to all the challenges...maybe next time.

I really do enjoy doing challenges. They make me think. The best part is I get to try things that I wouldn't necessarily think of on my own. I really do encourage you to challenge yourself.

Supplies for Cheers Card

All supplies is Stampin' Up! products unless otherwise stated.

Stamp Sets:

Cheers to You (114944)

Paper:

Basic Black cardstock
Glorious Green cardstock
Summer Sun cardstock
Only Orange cardstock
Whisper White cardstock

Ink:

Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad

Techniques:

I cut out the foam part of the image and popped it up using Stampin' Dimensionals.

To order any of the supplies that I used, please visit my website.
Thanks for stopping by. I hope you have a great day and remember to challenge yourself.

Kristy

Still Available...

2010-02-19T17:36:00.000-08:00

Stampin' Up! has released a list of products from the Holiday Mini Catalogue that are still available to order and will be carried over to the new Idea Book & Catalogue.

Here are the products:

116821 Stampin' Up! Magnetic Movers & Shapers Holiday Windows $39.95
116819 Stampin' Up! Bigz XL Table Setting Die $57.95
116820 Stampin' Up! Embosslits Folder Merry $15.95
116823 Stampin' Up! Sizzlits Merry Details $7.50
116824 Stampin' Up! Textured Impressions Folder Petal-a-Plenty $10.95
116822 Stampin' Up! O Christmas Tree Pop-Up Bigz XL die $57.95
118140 Stampin' Up! Tree Decorations Sizzlits Die $7.50
116794 Ornament Punch $22.95
116806 Shimmer Paint Champagne Frost $8.95
116854 Shimmer Paint Frost White $8.95
116807 Shimmer Paint Plantinum $8.95
116829 Decor Elements Decor Blocks $13.95
116519 Charming stamp set $26.95

All princes are in Canadian Dollars.

If you would like to purchase any of these great products visit my website. I also have a few Holiday Mini Catalogues left. If you would like one, please email me.

Have a wonderful day.

Kristy

SWAPS...Here they are

2010-02-18T09:43:00.000-08:00

Like I mentioned in my last post, the swaps have arrived. I have decided to post my favorite ones. As you will notice, the popular set is Vintage Vogue. I will definitely be purchasing that stamp set.

Before I post the other swaps, I will show you the card that I sent in.

I wanted to make a simple card that demonstrated the Sizzix Big Shot. This card is perfect for birthday, sympathy, or thank you. And it can be adapted to any color combination and stamp set. Here is the list of products used:

Sahara Sand cardstock
Rich Razzleberry cardstock (In Color)
Pale Plum cardstock
Big Shot Top Note die
Pocket Silhouettes stamp set
Inspired by Nature stamp set
Sahara Sand Classic Stampin' pad
Rich Razzleberry Classic Stampin' pad
Modern Label punch
sponges

This card is super easy and quick.

What you can't see in the picture is that I sponged Sahara Sand around the card base.

The funny part of this swap was that my mother and I used the same stamp set for our swaps. We didn't arrange this. Of course, we received each others swap. So here is her card.Her card is super easy as well.

Here are some of the other SWAPs.

This card was made by Kristy Taylor.

What I love about this card is the color combo and the sponging technique. I really love the stamp set.

This card was made by Leslie Slanisky.

I love the background on this card. I like how there are three different different backgrounds and they had different dimensions and textures.

This card was made by an anonymous SU demonstrator.

I love the sharp contrast of the black and white.

This card was made by Elizabeth Green.

I love the clean lines and the simple layout. The colors are bold but soft. This card would be perfect for a man.

All the swaps I received were amazing. I will be using them as inspirations for my next projects.

This SWAP was open to demos only. If you would like to particpate in a swap like this, join Stampin' Up! today. You can do so by contacting me or visiting my website.

Have a great day stamping. I know I will.

Kristy

New Inspiration

2010-02-11T22:00:00.000-08:00

As a Stampin' Up demonstrator, there are some awesome benefits. One of these perks is a demo-only website that allows all demonstrators to connect. One fellow demonstrator (Desiree Spenst) decided to host a SWAP. A totally Canadian swap (saves on postage). I decided to join in. I spent one whole weekend making my swap cards (20 to be exact). On Feb. 5 the swaps were mailed back to the participants. And today I got mine.

Boy was I excited. I had new inspirations. Some of the cards were absolutely amazing. I will definitely share with you my favorites, but another day. I noticed that Vintage Vogue was a popular set. I think I will have to get it before it disappears forever (after April 30th). I was really impressed with all the work. I would definitely join in another swap.

If you're interested in purchasing this absolutely gorgeous set, visit my website or email me. Remember this set is only available until April 30th.

For those of you that aren't part of the Stampin' Up! family here are some of the other great PERKS.

20% discount on all products
Able to get products in advance of everyone else
A huge community of fellow crafters
Earn free products and trips
Share what you love doing
Making new friendships

If you're interested in joining, visit my website. I would be more than happy to answer any questions.

Thats all for tonight.

Kristy

recruit password: m@uve07

Lazy...Sorry

2010-02-10T08:57:00.000-08:00

So sorry for not posting. I've been a little lazy due to a bed rest order. That order has now been lifted and some much needed stamping is coming this way. I'm lacking some inspiration, but I'll find it. Looking out my window at the beautiful snow (don't shoot me) isn't inspiring me. All I can think about is spring and golfing. But thats a few months away. Any ideas to inspire me would be greatly appreciated.

But before I went on bed rest, I did create some cute candles. Candle stamping makes such a great gift. I just love doing it. So here are 2 candles that I stamped.

This candle uses the Asian Artistry hostess stamp set. (You can earn this stamp set when you host a workshop with minimum sales of $395, contact me today.)

I really love working with this stamp set. I colored the stamp set with Melon Mambo (bird) and Soft Suede. I used hemp twine to wrap around the candle.

These are close up images of the details. I also stamped my name on the back. I would give this candle to someone special and with a coordinating card.

For the next candle I used the Good Neighbor stamp set. I stamped a little scene of nice home. This candle would make a perfect housewarming gift.

The scene on this candle wraps around the front half. I used the Pumpkin Pie striped ribbon to add a finishing touch. I really love the colors. The sentiment is from the Warm Words stamp set.

If you have never done candle stamping, don't worry. It's super easy and quick. Here's how you do it.

Supplies:

Candle: a white or vanilla candle works best. Solid color ones have white inside and this shows through if you heat it too much. If you want to use a colored candle, use one that is marbled.

White Tissue paper: cut to the size of the image you are stamping. Make sure the tissue is flat.

Heat tool

Stamp set and inks

Embellisments: ribbon, tags, brads, etc

Directions:

Stamp your image on the white tissue.

Place the tissue on the candle in the position you would like it.

Using the heat tool, lightly heat the wax until the tissue paper settles into the wax. Be careful not to heat it too fast or it starts to run. This may take practice, but be patient. The tissue paper looks like its disappearing, but the image stays.

Once the wax has cooled, you can decorate the candle with a ribbon, a tag, or whatever you would like.

Voila, you have a beautiful hand made gift.

Thats all for today.
Have a great day stamping.

Kristy

Dressy Notebook

2010-02-06T13:18:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I spent the day blog surfing. I visited various different blogs, mostly other Stampin' Up! demonstrators (they have some awesome projects). However I did check out Splitcoast Stampers, which is for stampers of all sorts. The featured project was a file folder notebook. You can find the tutorial for this project here. Jenn Dierks (creator of this tutorial) used a fancy folder from the Thoroughly Modern File Folders (Stampin' Up!). I didn't have one on hand, but I did have the plain jane ones you get at any office supplies store. Once I figured out the folds, I decorated my new notebook cover with old DSP from Stampin' Up!. It was time I did something with this paper.

This is the notebook in the closed position.

I used Kiwi Kiss Satin Ribbon to tie the folder shut. This ribbon coordinates perfectly with this DSP. On the right flap, I cut a slit that would allow the ribbon to be fed through easily.

This image shows how the folder opens.

This is the open position of the notebook holder. As you can see I decorated the inside as well.

This is an excellent project for recycling old file folders and using retired DSP. Give it a try.

That's all today folks. Enjoy your weekend.

Kristy

FTL 76 from Clean & Simple

2010-02-04T11:54:00.000-08:00

Heres my attempt at a Fall to Layout sketch from the Clean and Simple blog. I chose to try out two different stamp sets but I really like my first attempt.

For the first card I used the For all You Do stamp set. Its an excellent set for using pastels on. As you can tell from my previous post, I'm loving my pastels. This week as been dedicated to pasels. I also used the Hostess Level 1 DSP (remember if you host a workshop, you can earn this paper for free) and Whisper White 1/4" gingham ribbon. I really love the simplicity of this design. This layout can be applied to any stamp set and color combo. I think I might spend a day doing up a bunch of birthday cards using this layout. I could have a years worth plus some extra cards done.

I used the Good Neighbor DSP from SAB (Only 2 months left to get this paper for free) and the Good Neighbor stamp set. I like the warm colors of Pumpkin Pie, Crushed Curry, Old Olive and Kraft. I slightly adjusted the layout and I didn't use a sentitment. I just didn't have the right sentiment. This card is for someone that just bought a home or had a baby. A welcome home sentiment would be perfect, but I don't have one.

Well I'm off to make more cards. I'm going to continue to use the Good Neighbor set.

If you're interested in getting this stamp set for FREE, visit my website or email me.

Have a great day.

Kristy

Poppin' Pastel art

2010-02-03T08:58:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I decided to spend the day making cards using a new technique. Most of you probably have used this technique many times, but it was my first time. I decided to use my pastels and do the Poppin' Pastels technique. WOW!!! I can't believe how amazing these cards turned out. I had so much fun doing them. I'm going to be going through my stamp sets and looking for more stamps to use this technique with. Here are the cards

I used Asian Artistry for both the cards. I really do love this set. You can earn this stamp set by hosting a workshop of $395 or more. Right now, during Sale-A-Bration, you can another stamp set on top of the hostess one. If you're interested in hosting a workshop, just email me or visit my website Here.

On this card, I stamped the Dragonfly image on the base card (Lavendar Lace) and used the Lavendar Lace pastel to color the image. On So Saffron, I stamped the Grass image and used Old Olive and Lavendar Lace pastels to color it. Doesn't the image just pop out. WOW!! I used Not Quite Navy and Old Olive as the background layers. On the bottom I stamped the quote on So Saffron, colored it with Not Quite Navy pastel and punched it out with the Modern Label. I stamped Confucius name on the base and used Not Quite Navy to color it. These pastels make the images glow with color and I love the effect it has on words.

I really really love this card. It turned out way better than I expected. I used the following color combination (from the Color Wheel).
        Sage Shadow (base)
        Bravo Burgundy (bottom layer)
        Pretty in Pink (middle layer)
        Whisper White (image layer)

I used Sage Shadow and Bravo Burgundy to color the image.

On the bottom of the card I stamped the quote and colored it with Bravo Burgundy.

All you really can say is WOW!!

This card was so simple to make. The best part about pastels is that you have all 48 colors to work with. Its a must have when first starting out. I can't believe I waited this long to really use them.

For those of you that don't know the technique, here are the directions.

Stamped the image with Versamark.
Using a sponge dauber (you can purchase these through SU), color the image with the pastels.
Blow of the excess powder.
You're done. Sit back and admire.

Before I leave I will show you a few other cards I made using this technique.

Have a wonderful day.

Kristy

Asian Artistry

2010-02-02T12:03:00.000-08:00

I just love the Asian Artistry hostess set from Stampin' Up. I just got in the other day and am having lots of fun with it. Its a perfect set for watercoloring and using markers. So here are a few cards I made with this set.

The first card uses a different fold. I'm not sure what the correct name for this fold is, but I'm calling it a tri-fold. As you can see the card has two flaps, which cause the card to open in the front.

The measurements for the cardstock are 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and score at 2 1/8" from either end.

I stamped the flower image from Asian Artistry on to Sahara Sand cardstock with Basic Black Classic ink. I then colored it in using Stampin Write markers from the In Color set.

The dimensions for the cardstock are as follows:

Sahara Sand: 2 1/2" by 2 1/2"

Crushed Curry and Dusty Durango: 2 1/4" x 2 1/4"

The Crushed Curry square is not whole. I trimmed one corner off so that the card stock was flush with the edge of the card face.

I used the Elegant Bouquet Impressions Embossing folder to add texture to the front flaps. I embossed one flap at a time.

To finish the card off, I stamped Happy Birthday on the top left corner.

This next card uses layers. I used Sahara Sand for the base, Old Olive for the back layers, and Good Neighbor DSP (from SAB) for the top layer. I stamped the grass image from Asian Artistry on to Very Vanilla with Old Olive. Before stamping the image, I wiped away the ink on the flower portion of the image. I then used the Melon Mambo Stampin Write marker to ink the flower image. I then stamped the image on the card stock.

I used Melon Mambo to stamp the greeting, then punched it out with the Modern Label Punch.

Here are the dimensions for the layers:

Top left layer: Old Olive: 2 1/4" x 2 1/2"

DSP: 2" x 2 1/4"

Top Right layer: Old Olive: 1 3/4" x 1 3/4"

DSP: 1 1/2" x 1 1/2"

Bottom layer: Old Olive: 4" x 3"

DSP: 3 3/4" x 2 3/4"

Image layer: Old Olive: 2 1/2" x 3"

DSP: 2 1/4" x 2 3/4"

I placed the greeting on to Old Olive punched out with Designer Label punch. You can use any sentiment for this card and any color combination.

I'm going back to the drawing table to come up with more gorgeous cards. Let me know what you come up with.

Have a great day stamping.

Kristy

Blog Virgin

2010-01-27T08:26:00.001-08:00

To be honest, this is my first blog. I never consider starting a blog until recently. I'm a crafter, with particular focus on stamping, card making, and scrapbooking. Because of my interest I joined Stampin' Up! As a demonstrator I've been exposed to other blogs. I have found that they are fascinating. I've learned a lot of new things from these blogs and now I would like to share my wisdom through my blog.

I think I may of gone insane for doing this, but its worth it. This will be an adventure.

To start of this blog, I wanted to show you my plea for spring to come. I live in the north, and mother nature is teasing us with ideas of spring so I made a card.

I used all Stampin' Up products. The stamp set used is "Inspired by Nature." I also used a masking technique with the Stamp-a-majig to stamp the image. The In Colors inspired the color combination. I used Old Olive, Crushed Curry, and Dusty Durango. I also used the Sizzix Big Shot and the Top Note die to add a little something to the card.

This card will be featured at my next stamp workshop. Hopefully it will bring some ease to my stamping friends and they can forget about winter for one evening.

Thanks for joining me

Kristy