Snowman Fun

Snowman Fun

Images © 1990-2007 Stampin' Up!

I have tried to edit the Let It Snow post several times with no success, technical issues with blogger... I wanted to share some tips and techniques for creating the snowman card. For the original card details, click here.

Sketch Challenge #146 for details about this sketch challenge, click here.

More Project Details

Snowman Shadow: I stamped to snowman on Shimmering White cardstock (not whisper white as stated in original post). I watercolored one of the snowman and cut out. On the uncut snowman I used Soft Sky re-inker and colored on the right hand side deliberately going outside the lines. When I mounted the cut out piece over the base image I placed it off center exposing this water colored side to create a shadow effect.

Snow Fun: When I began working with Liquid Applique (several years ago) I was not excited about the product because it was still squishy after being heat set. A dear friend, Sherri Retton, had shared a fabulous tip to harden the liquid applique and I loved the effect. I used this same tip here... to harden the snow simply add heat embossing powder over the top before heat setting the liquid applique. I used iridescent ice embossing powder for the glittering effect.

Scarf: To create the scarf I used my table top cutter to cut small slivers of Soft Sky designer paper. I tied these carefully around the snowman and curled the ends by wrapping them around the end of my paper piercing tool. I recommend using a few extra strands when doing this... despite being careful I broke several strands getting the knot tied.

*Let it Snow*

Let It Snow!

Images © 1990-2007 Stampin' Up!

My dear friend Gina Pacheco and I challenged each other to do some stamping, both of us have suffered a lack of stamping time. This was a fun sketch, glad I took the time to play! To see Gina's creation, click here.

Sketch Challenge #146 for details about this sketch challenge, click here.

Project Details
Stamps: Punch Pals
Ink: Basic Black, Soft Sky, Blue Bayou, Purely Pomegranite, Appricot Appeal, Creamy Caramel, Certainly Celery
Cardstock: Blue Bayou, Soft Sky, Basic Black, Whisper White, Soft Sky Designer Series Paper
Other: Black Brads, Black Grosgrain Ribbon, Silver Cord, White Narrow Organdy Ribbon, White Polka-Dot Ribbon (May Arts), Liquid Applique, Irredescent Ice Embossing Powder, Crafter's Tool Kit, 1/4" Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Word Window Punch, Scalloped Circle Punch

Sketch Challenge 118 Double-Lined Doodles

I Just Love You.... Sketch Challenge 118

I created this card using Sketch Challenge 118 from Splitcoaststampers. You can find more information about this challenge by clicking here.

Card Details
Stamp Sets: Polka Dots and Paisley (spots), Double-Lined Doodles
Cardstock: Real Red, Basic Black, Cool Caribbean, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black, Certainly Celery, Real Red, Cool Caribbean
Other: Black Organdy Ribbon (May Arts), Real Red brads, Large Oval Punch, Cutter Took Kit (Faux Stitching), 1/4" Punch (brad mats)

Techniques and Other Details: I created a Cool Caribbean marker by adding re-inker to a new blender pen. I also used the Faux Stitching with the Cutter Tool Kit again, I just love this look!! (use the perforating tool, drive it through lots of craft ink (whisper white was used here), and then drive it over the cardstock, re-inking as needed.)

Don't Forget about the Cards for Troops Contest,
for more details click here.

New Stamp Set from Regionals..... Double-Line Doodles

I Just Love You... Double-Line Doodles

Here is a sample using the new stamp set I received at Regionals. I wanted to use my new punch (spiral punch) too. The color combination was inspired from Color Challenge 92... The original color challenge used the following combination: Real Red, Cool Caribbean, and Whisper White. In creating the card I decided to bring in another tone so I used the Tempting Turquoise as well... hopefully this is not too far off the original color challenge. For more details about the color challenge, click here. This card also gave me the chance to play with a sketch challenge.... this card was created using Sketch Challenge 119, for more details about this sketch challenge, click here. I also had an opportunity to play around with the faux stitching technique I learned at Regionals this last weekend, using the cutter tool kit, see below for details. Enjoy!

Card Details

Stamps: Double-Line Doodles

Ink: Cool Caribbean, Real Red, Gable Green, Whisper White Craft

Cardstock: Real Red, Cool Caribbean, Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White

Other: Polka Dot Ribbon (May Arts), Red Grosgrain Ribbon, Real Red Brads, 1/4" hole punch (brad mats) spiral punch, large oval punch.

Technique Details: I used the faux stitching technique I learned at Regionals to create this background on the spiral punched piece as well as the real red piece. You use the perforating tool, drive it through lots of craft ink (whisper white was used here), and then drive it over the cardstock, re-inking as needed. I was excited to see this new technique, it does an amazing job as a faux for the stitched look.... I have grown tired of the faux stiching using the gel pens and paper piercing kits, so this was a fun twist and a new technique I am likely to use again and again.

Crab and Company II

Crab and Company "A Pinch to Grow an Inch"

This card was designed using Card Sketch Challenge #87 from SplitcoastStampers. You can view more information about this sketch by clicking here.

Card Details:
Stamps: Crab and Company

Cardstock: Petals and Paisleys Designer Paper, Regal Rose, Cool Caribbean, Old Olive and Whisper White

Ink: Basic Black, Regal Rose, Tempting Turquoise

Other: White Gel Pen, Olive Brads

This Week's Sketch Challenge

Rhapsody

I absolutely love the card sketch challenge this week on SCS. You can find more details about this sketch by clicking here. I modified my card to omit the 3rd layer, I tried several different things and couldn't find anything to go there that I liked... working with this patterned paper was kind of tricky (the colors are just off enough from the SU colors that it was hard to use our cardstock with it). Our newest scrapbook store has some amazing patterned papers, I have had these for a while and couldn't decide what to do with them... there are several different patterns from the Rhapsody series used on the card (not sure which ones, I didn't keep the ends)

Card Details:

Stamps: Happy Harmony

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip

Ink: Perfect Plum, Pale Plum, Sage Shadow and Chocolate Chip

Other: Patterned Paper is "Rhapsody" series from Three Bugs in A Rug

Techniques: Faux Paper Piercing, Micropearl Watermark

Wild About You... Little Guy

Wild About Penguins

So far I think the Penguin is my favorite of all the images from this stamp set. The dimensions for this card are 4.25 x 4.25. This card is also very fast to put together. More faux paper piercing with the same partial lines as the previous card, I think I like this look. It adds a very unique balance to these cards.

Card Details:

Stamps: Wild About You
Cardstock: Basic Black, Pretty in Pink, Cool Caribbean and Whisper White
Other: Black Grosgrain Ribbon

Wild About You... 3 Fun Friends

Card Details:

Stamps: Wild About You

Cardstock: Basic Black, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Cool Caribbean and Whisper White

Ink: Basic Black, Regal Rose, Tempting Turquoise

Other: Black Grosgrain Ribbon, Basic Black Eyelets

This is project #2 for the Creative Meeting today. The animals were stamped on a crap of white paper using various inks and then punched out with the 1 1/4" hole punch, matted on basic black circles created with the 1 3/8" circle punch and popped up. I have been having a lot of fun with the faux paper piercing but usually tend to be an all way or nothing kind of girl... and yet I find myself liking these partial lines in this card and the next. What do you think?

Wild About You.... Finally Gets Inked!

~Wild About You ~

I purchased the set Wild About You several months ago and haven't taken the time to mount it, let alone stamp anything with it. This set is adorable, I fell in love with it at Convention last year in SLC. They had some great samples using this adorable set.

My downline is meeting today for our Creative Meeting. We hold 2 meetings a month, one is a business meeting (see technique book for more details) and the other the creative meeting. During our creative meetings we focus on the stamped projects. Stamped projects are the foundation of our business so naturally we want to spend some time tweaking these areas as well as the discussing business. If anyone is interested in the notes from this meeting, please post a reply with your email address and I will get them to you (they will probably be sent out on Sunday).

This months Creative Meeting topic is sketches. I sketched 6 different cards and have assembled 3 for them to make. I will hopefully have time to create the other 3 cards before the weekend to share with you as well as possibly the sketches for them. Be sure to check back for those.

Card Details:
Stamps: Wild About You, Delight in Life
Cardstock: Basic Black, Cool Caribbean, Tempting Turquoise, Regal Rose and Whisper White
Other: Black Eyelets, Black Grosgrain Ribbon

This card feels very simple to me and is probably my least favorite of the 3. I will probably revisit this card before the weekend is through. There is a lot of faux paper piercing on this card as well as other fun dots drawn in with a Basic Black Stampin Write marker and the paper piercing template from the crafter's tool kit. The background dots from Delight in Life were used at the top of the card for a light background.