Challenged? Try This Miracle Solution to Jumpstart Your Creativity!

Well, not exactly a miracle… but from time to time, I am challenged to come up with an appropriate and interesting blog post, and this is what works for me!.  Today I turned to two challenge sites:  Splitcoast Stampers and Mary Jo Price-Williams Techno Stampers.  I really should put these on separate blog posts… but then again, I’m sure some crazy card will pop into my head again in the next few days!   So, today I bring you SC298 sketch challenge from Splitcoast Stampers, and TSSC141 from Techno Stampers.

This first card sketch kind of surprised me because it is very similar to one I recently drew for a design team.. I haven’t stamped and/or created that card yet… but the round sphere in the center reminded me of a world globe, so my mind wandered…. to the Newsprint Designer Series Paper.. (yum!).  One of the paper print patterns just happens to include a map showing where I live!!!  Imagine that!!  So, for SC298.. I bring you an old joke… What is Black, and White and Read all over…the world, a globe, and an invitation to visit the state of Florida… right….. --->HERE (Insert dry humor here:)

And of course my second card share today, for the Techno Stampers TSSC141 Challenge… a Christmas card… the two parallel ribbons have been folded and cut at an angle reminiscent of a sled or sleigh, bearing tidings for the season.

The background for this card was actually created a couple months ago, and found while digging through my ‘inspiration basket’… It was made by adhering silver Waffle Paper to a sheet of Whisper White Cardstock, and then embossing with the Northern Flurry Embossing Folder and my Big Shot machine… A sanding block was used to lightly sand the raised surfaces before applying basic jewel rhinestones to the center of the snowflake embossed images and to dot the “i” in Christmas. 

I’m enjoying  the new Extra Large Designer Label Punch from the holiday mini catalog… just wish they would arrive in nested pairs (like twins:)  The punched/embossed image was inked on the outer edges with a sponge dauber and Night of Navy classic ink before pop dots were added to the back and attached to the card.

I ran Snail adhesive (double sided adhesive) down the back of the Night of Navy 5/8” Satin Ribbon and folded it in 1/2 before cutting the ends on an angle with Ribbon Scissors… thought it resembled the runners of a sled (work with me:)… perhaps too abstract… maybe not so much now that I’m writing this post.. what do you think?

Stamps, Cardstock, and Supplies used for today’s Challenge Cards:

SC298:

Stamps:  Compliments to the Chef

Cardstock:  Basic Black, Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler

Designer Series Paper:  Newsprint

Classic Inks:  Basic Black

Big Shot Machine & Accessories:  Clear Circle Bigz Die

Other Accessories:  Silver Brads, Mat Pack, Paper Piercing Tool, Pinking Hearts Border Punch, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Sponge Dauber, Signo White Gel Pen

TSSC141:

Stamps:  Occasional Quotes

Cardstock:  Whisper White, Night of Navy

Paper:  Silver Waffle Paper

Ink:  Versamark

Accessories:  Extra Large Designer label Punch, heat tool, powder pal, embossing buddy, silver embossing powder, stampin’ Dimensionals, Basic Jewels Rhinestones, sponge dauber

Well, tomorrow is another edition of Sketch Frenzy Friday… I hope you’ll stop by and say hi, perhaps play along with the design team too.  In the mean time, remember you can shop for these Stampin Up supplies and more at my Online Stampin’ Up Store!

Hugs,

Sharon

Technorati Tags: stamps,paper crafts,paper,ink,challenge,design team,splitcoaststampers,technostamper,SC298,TSSC141

Diva Coffee Break Designs Team Color Challenge DCBD #196

What a great challenge!  The Diva Coffee Break Design Team really rocks!  This week’s challenge is a very bright and colorful palette comprised of Pear Pizzaz, Regal Rose, Baja Breeze, and Concord Crush Cardstock… what is a DT member to do??  Here are the colors….

So, what do you think?  Are your wheels spinning yet?  I know when I see a color challenge, my mind just goes totally blank:)  Sketches I can do… themes, I can do… but color challenges are always something that stump me!!  Incorporating the help of the Fast and Fabulous and Word Play Stamp sets, using a traditional quilters color blocking technique… hope you like my card!

Word Play is a two step stamp set… basically you stamp the outline, and then fill it in with a second stamped image (or vice versa).  I like to look ‘under’ the stamp to align it, but many choose to use a stamp-ma-jig tool to perfectly align the images.   Another alternative is to simply paint in the images using an aqua-painter water color brush and ink from a reinker, the compressed lid of a stamp pad, or a stampin write marker scribbled gently onto a glass or plastic surface (a stamp case or glossy tile will work well for this function).

In my color challenge sample, the tall floral images were both stamped and colored with an aqua painter prior to running the image through a big shot machine using the lattice textured embossing folder.  Kind of a nice effect, don’t you think?  I added some metallic (gold) brads above and below one of the color blocked images…

The center of the top floral image has been appended with Champagne Glass Glitter.. a phenomenal new product from Stampin’ Up… adhered with Liquid Multi Adhesive, it’s not going anywhere!  The smaller floral image in the lower right corner has been touched up with a two way glue pen and dazzling diamonds…  a magical crowd pleaser just about every time I show the technique!

Hope you enjoyed today’s Diva Coffee Break Design Team Challenge… and hope you’ll play along too!  I hope you’ll play along with the design team this week!  Upload your Color Challenge samples HERE

Hugs,

Sharon

Technorati Tags: Diva Coffee Break Designs,Challenges,Design Team,DT,Cardstock,color,card

Utah Divas International Design Team Color Inspiration: UDI3… Chocolate!

Chocolate… yum!  Just a warning.. if you’re craving chocolate, you may not want to look at the UDI Design Team Color Challenge photo this week… it’s really very yummy!  Today’s UDI Color Inspiration:  Concord Crush, Chocolate Chip, and Very Vanilla.

And chocolate covered candy apples… made me think of children, Halloween, fall, and chocolate!  Lucky me… while salivating over the well dressed apples, I remembered that I had a stash of Kinder chocolate which my DD had brought me from Germany (and hiding chocolate in my house is a feat in itself!)  Chocolate satisfaction… and here is the card I created for today’s Utah Divas International Design Team UDI Color Inspiration Challenge:

LOL.. my friend Tee said I really needed to add some liquid appliqué to the little bear…  yes, maybe.. will have to order that from my friend Leslie!  I guess I could have run the CS through an embossing folder before cutting out with the sizzlet… hmmm!  I love doing the double loop ribbon bow on my fingers… (thanks Ilina Crouse for a fabulous tutorial.. no special equipment needed!)  Can you tell I love texture??  I’ve actually used three big shot machine embossing folders on this card (and of course the tiny Lil Paws bear is a sizzlet too.. )  A Basic Jewels Rhinestone was added to his Concord Crush beating heart.  Don’t you just want to pick him up and hug him?

Stamps and supplies used for todays’ Utah Divas International Design Team Challenge:

Stamps:

• Everything Nice

Cardstock:

• Concord Crush, Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip

Ink:

• Chocolate Chip

Big Shot Machine/Accessories:

• Lil Paws Embosslit
• Textured Embossing Folders:  Perfect Polka Dots, Vintage Wallpaper, Lattice
• Scallop Square Die

Other Accessories:

• Chocolate Chip Stampin’ Write Marker, sponge dauber, Stampin Dimensionals, mat pack, paper piercing tool, Very Vanilla 5/8” Ribbon, Basic Jewel
Technorati Tags: UDI Color Challenges,chocolate,stamps,challenges,Utah Divas International,Design team
• Rhinestones, and of course my fingers:)

Hope you enjoyed today’s UDI Color Inspiration Design Team Challenge today… and hope you’ll play along too!  Check out the other cards at Utah Divas International… and I’ll be watching for your card upload as well!

Hugs,

Sharon

 

Wonderfully Worn Quick and Easy… What a fun background!

When I first saw the Wonderfully Warn Large Format Background stamp on page 141 of the 2010-11 Stampin’ Up! Idea Book and Catalog, I knew I just HAD to have it… and then it sat on my shelf!  Why?? who knows… probably because there’s so much more eye candy in my stamping studio!  LOL.. you know what I mean.. shelves of stamps, drawers of embellishments and of course the fabulous Big Shot Machine and dies… no wonder this stamp sat dormant for two months!

Today, I’ve brushed it off and put it to good use.  I REALLY like this stamp!  The background on the card shown below was stamped with Crumb Cake Classic Ink onto Crumb Cake Cardstock.  I haven’t made too many fall cards… I suppose because it’s so hot here in Florida.  I really enjoy the cooler fall temperatures and the colors of the season as well (although we don’t see much in the way of fall colors in Florida… )  So.. today’s first simple and quick card share is a fall card featuring the Season of Friendship, Wonderfully Worn, and Thank You Kindly Stamp Sets.  Hope you like it!

Have you ordered your Timeless Trim Bigz XL die yet?  I’m really getting a kick out of it… in the card above, I’ve used it to simulate grass… hmm, might have to add that under a certain palm tree stamp too :)  Fall Classic Ink Colors:  Cajun Craze, More Mustard, and Old Olive.

Here’s another simple and quick card… I call it the magic mushroom stamp set… but it’s actually called “Funky Four”… is that supposed to be the Beatles getting on the Magic School Bus or the Yellow Submarine?  Dating myself now, aren’t I?  I’ve seen tons of adorable cards using this stamp set but can’t for the life of me, figure out why I bought it… it’s cute… perhaps if it came with a tiny toad?  It’s just missing something along the way…

Wonderfully Worn background stamped again with Crumb Cake Classic Ink on Crumb Cake Cardstock… brad layered buttons attached with mini glue dots to DSP… and a little DSRB Punch action (the little punch with a very long name:)  I’ve popped up and offset the focal image on this card to give it a bit more WOW power… it’s a fun card, easy quick Thank You card I’ll have to pop in the mail tomorrow too :)

Come on back tomorrow for a fun Utah Divas International Color Inspiration challenge… you won’t believe the colors Gretchen has cooked up this time!

Hugs,

Sharon

Technorati Tags: stamp,stamping,ink,embellishments,season,card,big shot

 

 

Are you ready for Christmas? Mojo Monday157 and CSAYL65

Do you enjoy doing card sketch challenges?  How about themed challenges?  Today I’m sharing the cards I made for the Mojo Monday 157 Sketch Challenge, and the Christmas Stamping All Year Long Inspiration challenge.  Hope you’ll play along too!

First in the lineup, MOJO157… a fun sketch that had me wanting to put bells on my card (but I didn’t…)

And here’s my card featuring the  A  Wish For Peace Stamp Set as the focal image…

Of course “A Wish for Peace” is a Christmas themed stamp set… but here I’ve added a few extra element:  En Francais, Medallion, and Kind Thanks Stamp sets along with diecut leaves, timeless trim, Basic Jewel Rhinestones, and brad layered button.  A little rearranged from the original MOJO157 sketch… but all the elements are still there!

Christmas Stampin All Year Long’s CSAYL challenge used a photo for inspiration:

The photo had so many wonderful holiday elements… a beautiful tree, stockings overflowing, and a nativity…. Here’s my card:

LOL… it appears that SANTA has left the building (the stockings have already been stuffed… )  I love the new tiny oval punch from the Holiday Mini Catalog… if you blinked you may have missed it.. I’m looking forward to all the items SU will come out with to coordinate with this adorable punch :)  The crest on Santa’s suit was punched with the tiny oval punch after stamping the image from Tags Till Christmas Stamp set.  His suit is embossed with polka dots EF, and the Northern Flurry EF was used for the “fur” on his suit.  This was one of the cards we made in last weekend’s Red Christmas Themed Card Camp!  His belt is of course crimped… and those Antique Brads… perfect for his belt, don’t you think?

The supplies for these very simple cards are really very basic… I hesitate to list them… but you have asked, so I will!

MOJO157 Stamps & Supplies used:

Stamps:  Medallion, En Francais, Thank You Kindly, A Wish For Peace

Cardstock:  Baja Breeze, Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake

Classic Inks:  Always Artichoke, Baja Breeze, Versamark, Crumb Cake

Sizzix Big Shot Machine and Accessories:  Timeless Trim Bigz XL Die, Little Leaves Sizzlet

Other Accessories:  Mat Pack and Paper Piercing Tool, Candy Lane Big Bold Buttons, 5/8” Neutrals Brads, Mini Glue Dots, Basic Jewels Rhinestones, Crumb Cake Stampin’ Write Marker, Sponge Dauber

Christmas Stamping All Year Long CSAYL65 Stamping Supplies Used:

Stamps:  Tags Till Christmas

Cardstock:  Riding Hood Red, Whisper White, Basic Black

Big Shot Machine and Accessories:  Northern Flurry and Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder

Accessories:  Neutrals Brads, Mat Pack and Paper Piercing Tool, Paper Crimper, Antique Brads, Stampin Dimensionals, Stampin Write Markers, Small Oval Punch

Hope you enjoyed today’s card shares… I’ve got two simple cards for you tomorrow, hope you’ll stop by and say hi!

Hugs,

Sharon

Technorati Tags: MOJO,CSAYL,Challenge,Stamps,Cardstock,Ink,Christmas,Cards

 

 

 

Super Saturday Tutorial: Post It Note Plaid

Welcome to the Super Saturday Tutorial Feature for Created By You!  Each Saturday, I try to bring you something new, fresh and fun via a pictorial or video tutorial.  This week, I started off making something completely different… and ended up making a fun plaid background inspired by… none other than a pillow from the sofa in my great room!  (One never knows where inspiration will be found :)  It’s been such a crazy week with my first ever Splitcoast Stampers Video and Pictorial Tutorial, lots of business and networking meetings… it was really nice to just sit down and stamp!

Today’s card will be shared at the end of today’s Super Saturday Tutorial… Scroll all the way to the bottom of this post to see it, I hope you like it!  And, of course all the stamps, papers, inks and stamping supplies for today’s free tutorial are available at my Online Stampin Up Store … just click the Shop Now button to have your order delivered to your door!

Post it Note Plaid Tutorial: 

 

 Stampin Up Supplies for Today’s Super Saturday Tutorial Technique

Cardstock:  Very Vanilla 5 1/4” x 4”

Classic Inks:  So Saffron, More Mustard, Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler

Accessories:  4 wedges of Stampin’ Sponges, Grid Paper or Graph Paper, 3” x 5” Post It notes (12 per project), Hermafix Dotto or other repositionable adhesive (you can use tombow liquid multi for this if you let it dry completely before attaching it to your grid paper.)

Are you ready??  Let’s make plaid!!

• Place a small bit of repositionable adhesive on 4 corners of Very Vanilla Cardstock, align with lines of grid paper and attach to grid paper.  This will hold your cardstock firmly in place while you are sponging.  (As seen in next photo)
• Remove TWO post it notes to prevent bleed, keep layers together, and align vertically 1/2” from short end of cardstock as seen in photo (below).  Use the grid lines to align and ensure that your post it note is perfectly straight.
• Use one wedge of the Stampin’ sponge, and So saffron ink to gently rub across the exposed 1/2” strip of cardstock… use a sweeping motion as it will provide more even color (vs. a pouncing motion).
• Move your post it note over two more grid lines (1/2”) and align with grid as shown in photo (above).
• Use a fresh layer of two post it notes to mask the layer you have already sponged.
• 
• Use Old Olive Classic Ink and a wedge of stampin’ sponge to sweep color onto cardstock… the photo above shows the uneven results you will achieve with pouncing motions… below shows the even color results
• Use a fresh double layer of post it notes to move over another 1/2” and align with grids.
• Using a fresh layer of TWO post it notes and align with grid, moving over 1/2” …  masking both right and left sides.  Using two sets of two post it notes to use when sponging So Saffron, and two sets of post it notes to use when sponging Old Olive Classic ink will help achieve clean and crisp lines without cross contamination of your sponges.
• From time to time, lift the left post it note to check to see if you have achieved uniformity in color.  When placing back on the cardstock, be sure to align with the grid marks again.
• Continue sponging, rotating, and moving post it notes until the entire Very Vanilla cardstock piece has been covered with ink from edge to edge.
• Throw away the 4 post it notes… they are probably quite saturated at this point.
• Detach your Very Vanilla cardstock from grid paper, and rotate 90 degrees before sticking it back down… again, be careful to align edges with the grid paper
• This time you will need two layers of two post it notes.  Layer them together so that the sticky edges align, so that they cover the entire 5 1/4” of your cardstock extending beyond the edges a bit too..
• and place them 1/2” from the vertical edge of your cardstock (being sure to align post it notes with grid paper:)
• Sponge Cherry Cobbler Ink across the exposed left edge of the cardstock

• Check for color and intensity before removing post it notes, and set aside to be used with Cherry Cobbler Ink.
• Now you are going to grab 8 more post it notes, and layer them again as you did earlier so that they extend and protect all 5 1/4” of your Very Vanilla Cardstock. 
• Mask the left side of your cardstock 1” or 4 grid marks over from the Cherry Cobbler line.

Use 4 more post it notes to mask 1” of the right side of the Very Vanilla cardstock.

•   As you can see… there is 1/2” space left between the two sets of 4 post it notes…
• Remove the Post it notes, and reserve for use with the More Mustard Classic Ink
• Reattach the Cherry Cobbler Post it notes and continue working across the post it note with the same spacing as done in the prior steps (moving over 4 grids and masking last sponged line +2 to leave 1/2” to be sponged).. Alternate placing More Mustard and Cherry Cobbler post it notes and ink color until you have covered the entire piece of cardstock
• Note:  Your sample will have two 1/4” lines of Cherry Cobbler ink at the top and bottom edges of the cardstock… I had to trim my cardstock after inking to use on my card. 

 

Wasn’t that fun?  Want to see my inspirationwhat I did with my post it note plaid cardstock?

• Baroque Motifs, large swirl image inked first with Versamark in, and then with Crumb Cake before heat embossing with Clear Embossing Powder.
• Buttons layered with metallic brads to balance them with a wonderful vintage brad.  Note:  skipped 5 holes between piercings with Mat pack to leave enough room and space.
• Although is doesn’t really show as well in the photo, the Perfect Punches greeting was actually stamped twice.. once with Cherry Cobbler Classic Ink, and a second time with Old Olive Classic Ink.
• The Cherry Cobbler Image was punched with a scallop circle die… and
• After punching the center of the Joy greeting with a 1 1/4” circle punch, the edges were lightly sponged with More Mustard Classic ink before attaching with pop dots to the Cherry Cobbler punched image, and pop dotted onto the card.
• Ooooh.. and before I give you the shopping list… here is a snippet of the original sofa pillow which served as inspiration!
• Before you leave… I want to offer just one more tip for using your mat pack with dark colored cardstock!
• Have you noticed that the edge of the mat pack can be difficult to line up when using dark cardstock:
• To remedy the situation, simply slip a post it note :) or copy paper between your cardstock layer and the foam pad which comes with the mat pack… it will brighten everything up for you!

Hope you enjoyed today’s Super Saturday Post It Note Plaid Tutorial… scroll down for a complete shopping list of items used to make today’s card (not just the pretty plaid paper:)

Stamps and Supplies used in today’s Pretty Plaid Embossed Card:

Stamps: 

• Perfect Punches #117022(wood) or #120516(clear)
• Baroque Motifs #113490 (wood only)

Cardstock: 

• Very Vanilla #101650
• Old Olive #100702

Classic Inks:

• Cherry Cobbler #119669
• So Saffron #105213
• Old Olive #102277
• More Mustard #103162
• Crumb Cake #121030
• Versamark #102283

Punches:

• Scallop Circle
• 1 1/4” Circle

Embellishments:

• Neutrals Designer Buttons #119743
• Metallic Brads #119741
• Vintage Brads #117273

Additional Tools & Supplies

• Mat Pack #105826
• Paper Piercing Tool #116631
• Stampin’ Sponges #101610
• Clear Embossing Powder #109130
• Grid Paper #102787
• 3” x 5” Post It Notes (Office Supply Store)
• Heat Tool

Visit my online Stampin Up Store to order your supplies… and I’ll see you tomorrow with another fun card design (or two)!

Hugs,

Sharon

Technorati Tags: Super Saturday,Tutorial,Post it Note,Plaid,stampin up,stamps,paper,ink

 

Sketch Frenzy Friday SFF092410

Welcome to Sketch Frenzy Friday!  Today’s sketch is brought to you by design team member Tina Taves.  I was checking my blog posts earlier this week… and realized that I had already (inadvertently) shared the card for today’s sketch challenge.. so back to the drawing board aka stamp room I went!

Featuring a whole lot of stamps, paper, and accessories from the Holiday Mini Catalog… I chose the Day of Gratitude Stamp Set along with Deck the Halls Designer Series Paper… I know a lot of people are using Day of Gratitude for their fall cards… and of course, Deck the Halls Designer Series Paper for Christmas cards and Scrapbook pages… but what if??

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the antique brads from the Idea Book & Catalog… and of course the Big Designer Buttons from the Holiday Mini Catalog are loads of fun too.  In this card I’ve paired Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding with Cotton Twill Tape.  Seam Binding is really meant to be used for sewing, and on a card can be quite flimsy… it’s a very thin medium.  To circumvent the overly soft hand of the seam binding, I generally pair it with lace or ribbon… just gives it a little more stability and presence.  It really bothers me to see a button attached to a card or scrapbook page without thread… I do it occasionally, but it just seems unfinished.  In the sample above, I’ve used two layers of linen thread to cross sew the button before attaching it to the card with 4 mini glue dots.  The glue dots allow the button to be securely attached without adding extra depth/dimension.

If you’re looking at the Deck the Halls Designer Series Paper in your Holiday Mini Catalog right now on page 18, you’re noticing that the paper in the book doesn’t have the pretty cherry cobbler border, right?   The border was added using Vintage Frames Decor Stencils (page 22), a stampin sponge, and Cherry Cobbler Ink.  I thought it was a fun addition to an otherwise plain (but pretty) background paper.

Another new product on this card, the Scallop Squares Duo Bigz Die!  The smaller (center) die measures just under 2” and the larger one measures 3” square.   If you were cutting fabric for a miniature quilt, the Scallop Squares Duo Bigz Die and the Big Shot machine would make fast work of it… I’ve cut a lot of tiny pieces for miniature quilts, and even with a rotary cutter and ruler, you really can only cut 2-4 layers at a time, and risk getting crooked cuts.  With the Bigz steel ruled dies, the precision cuts are exactly the same each and every time.. imagine being able to cut through 6 or 8 layers of 100% cotton fabric all at once… Can’t you see a beautiful Trip Around the World in Miniature right now?  Of course using a standard 1/4” seam would yield  a block appx 1 3/8” for your quilt.  I’ve always sewn my tiny miniature quilts with a fat 1/8” seam… less bulk to trim away before quilting… so my blocks would be a bit larger than 1 1/2” using the smallest square… you get the picture!  All the supplies for today’s card can be purchased at>> my online stampin up store. <<(click the shop now button).  Scroll down to the bottom of this post to view a complete supply list :)

I hope you enjoyed today’s card share, and invite you to play along with the Sketch Frenzy Friday Design Team.  Upload your SFF092410 Card to your blog or online gallery, and then visit the Sketch Frenzy Friday Blog to upload your sample! 

On to the next Sketch Frenzy Friday Design Team Member: Tammy Baldwin – Creative Apple Scrampers…

Stamps and Supplies used for Todays’ Sketch Frenzy Friday Design

Stamps:  Day of Gratitude

Cardstock / Paper:  Deck the Halls DSP, Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla

Classic Inks:  Early Espresso, Always Artichoke, Cherry Cobbler

Big Shot Machine:  Bigz Scallop Squares Duo Die, Vintage Wallpaper Textured Embossing Folder

Accessories:  Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding, Cotton Twill tape, Vintage Brads, Stampin Dimensionals, mini glue dots, stampin sponge, mat pack and paper piercing tool, Early Espresso Stampin’ Write Marker, Decor Elements Vintage Frame Stencil

See you tomorrow with another Super Saturday Tutorial!

Hugs,

Sharon

Technorati Tags: stamps,cardstock,holiday mini,design team,designer,challenge,paper,ink

 

 

Mini Scrapbook Travel Album for the World Traveler!

Quick post today… It has been a whirlwind week!  I’ve heard from many of you who saw my new tutorial on Splitcoast Stampers (Faux Barn Board)… and I’m still catching up with all the emails and comments!  Thanks to all of you for your supportive and encouraging comments!  Today I’m sharing a mini scrapbook or travel album measuring 4x4... in black, white and red… Hope you like it!

A couple months ago, I made this fun little travel album… the design was based on a tutorial someone shared with me… but I give up!  I have been looking for the site or youtube video for hours and still cannot find the link.  I’ve gone paperless… so I don’t kill thousands of trees printing out page after page of cool ideas anymore so I’ve totally lost the source for this fabulous little book.  I know I emailed you and asked if I could post your link when I posted my book.. and you graciously said yes… but I can’t find you!!  If you’re still out there somewhere and recognize the book, PLEASE Contact Me!  I’d love to link to your fabulous and easy to follow tutorial!!  So.. here’s the mini travel album, complete with pockets, pages, and pull-outs!

Front Cover – the ribbon wraps around to hold the inside pocket closed.. isn’t it fun?

Inside pages and pockets:

The ribbon closure is for a pull –out journaling page

 Here’s the back of the page and the inside decor…

Another set of pages… the pockets are on the reverse side!

 

Inside view with all the little pockets…

 

Back cover…

 

Supplies?  You’ve probably already guessed… Love Letters and Newsprint Designer Series Paper… bind it all tool and coil; assorted ribbon, Very Vanilla, Basic Black and Cherry Cobbler Cardstock/Ink; Artistic Etchings and Charming Stamps by Stampin’ Up!

See you tomorrow with a Sketch Frenzy Friday Design Team Share, hope you’ll play along!

Hugs,

Sharon

Technorati Tags: splitcoast stampers,scrapbook,mini album,tutorial,stamps,paper

Breaking News: New Splitcoast Stampers Tutorial

Totally meant to share and blog this earlier… but life got in the way.  Have you checked out the new Splitcoast Stampers Tutorial which was posted today?  It’s for none other than Faux Barn Board!  The tutorial featured on my tutorial tab was re-written as a special edition just for Splitcoast Stampers just a few weeks ago and, with the help of my very techie friend Tee (Design By Tee) created a You Tube video tutorial was also made… check out the full pictorial and video at Splitcoast Stampers HERE.  I was so excited and honored to be asked… Hope you like it!

Hugs,

Sharon

Technorati Tags: splitcoast stampers,tutorial,video,you tube,Design by Tee

Diva Coffee Break Design Team Sketch Challenge DCBD #195

 I’ve really enjoyed being a member of the Diva Coffee Break Design Team!  Each week, the sketches push me to create something special just for you.. and this week is no exception!

Have you seen the Big Designer Buttons on page 17 of the Holiday Mini Catalog?? They are fabulous for scrapbook pages.. but when one of my friends commented that she didn’t ever forsee using such large buttons on a card, I just HAD to do it…  Combined with paper daisies, I think they performed well and created a balance within this fabulous sketch… Here’s my card:

 

It was very easy to add polka dots to the Paper Daisies.. I simply used the brush end of my Blushing Bride Stampin Write Marker and allowed the ink to bleed into the paper until I had a polka dot.  It is a quick process… and I think it complimented the other textures on this card as well… what do you think?

I hope you’ll play along with the Diva Coffee Break Designs Team this week… I love seeing all your sketch based projects… and that can include a scrapbook page or ATC as well!

Stamps and Supplies used in today’s card share:

Stamps:  Word Play page 147 Idea Book & Catalog

Classic Ink:  Blushing Bride

Cardstock:  Whisper White, Blushing Bride

Big Shot Machine and Accessories:  Lattice and Pretty Polka Dots Textured Embossing Folder

Other Accessories:  5/8” satin ribbon in Whisper White, Paper Daisies, Candy Lane Big Designer Buttons, Stampin Dimensionals, Mini glue Dots

You can purchase these stampin up supplies and more at my Online Stampin Up Store … it’s open 24/7!

Hugs,

Sharon

Technorati Tags: DCBD #195,challenge,rubber stamps,ink,paper,cards,Diva Coffee Break Designs,design team

Technical Difficulty & UDI Color Challenge #2

A little technical difficulty this morning… but I think I’ve got it all worked out… sorry for any inconvenience!!

Are you having fun with the new Utah Divas International Color Challenge Design Team?  Gretchen is really stirring things up with some very unusual challenge color combos and inspiration as well!  This week’s inspiration is one of my favorite things:  A Shoe!!

Lots of colors here.. and you know the rules:  you can only add very vanilla or whisper white cardstock while using ALL the colors in the challenge!  At first glance, the shoe appears to be covered with polka dots… upon further inspection, you’ll realize they’re really cherries.  I just couldn’t use cherries without introducing old olive for the stems… so I went with the polka dot theory LOL.  Here’s my card for this week’s UDI#2 challenge… and I didn’t even use Vanilla or White!

 

Stamps & Stampin Up Supplies used in today’s UDI Color Challenge #2:

Stamps:  Afterthoughts (hostess Level 1.. free with your $150. merchandise order!)

Paper and Cardstock:  So Saffron, Chocolate Chip,  Regal Rose, and Real Red, Brights Designer Series Paper Pack

Classic Inks:  Chocolate Chipk, Rose Red

Big Shot Machine and Accessories:  Timeless Trim Die, Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder, Blossom Party Die

Additional Accessories:  Linen Thread, Decorative Label Extra Large Punch #120907, Basic Jewels Pearls, Itty Bitty Clear Buttons, sponge daubers, stampin dimensionals, snail, and tombow mono adhesive

Of course you can order these stampin up supplies and more at my online stampin up store …

You can view all the design team cards and play along with us at Utah Divas International be sure to leave a comment and let us know how we did this week!  I’m looking forward to seeing your color challenge based creations!

Hugs,

Sharon

Technorati Tags: UDI Color Challenges,splitcoast stampers,stamps,ink,design team,shop online

Are Your Christmas Cards Done… Recipe Request!

These are two of six Christmas cards we made in last Saturday’s Christmas Card Class… the other cards/designs have been featured in past posts on my blog… all the cards were festive in shades of Cherry Cobbler, Real Red, and Riding Hood Red.  We used lots of embellishments, brads, embossing, and dimensionals too… it was a fun and friendly day of stamping!  Next weekend we’ll make more Christmas cards… but this time the primary colors will be Brushed Gold or Silver.. you get to choose!

This card features the fun Candy Lane Designer Series Paper from the Holiday Mini Catalog… the background on this card comes right out of the package full of fun, glittery dots!  The timeless trim Sizzix die was used for the fabulous edge treatment… and we added Basic Jewel Pearls at the intersections.

I always try to have something for everyone at my classes and camps… while the card above had a more contemporary feel, the card below is more aligned with and old world or traditional Christmas card.  Everyone really loved the Deck the Halls Designer Series Paper background combined with Naturals Ivory and Cherry Cobbler Cardstock.  A sash/knot of seam binding combined with twill tape gives more body to the seam binding, and an element of interest to the card!

Since this was a morning class, I decided to serve a sweet and salty fare for snacking… and of course immediately encountered recipe requests.  As promised, today’s post includes my Cherry Crisp and Beer Cheese Recipes… not for the dieting crowd :)  Hope you enjoy them !

Sharon’s Cherry Crisp

Preheat Oven 325 degrees

Ingredients:

2 cans Comstock More Fruit Cherry Pie Filling

2 cans Tart Cherries, Drained

2/3 Duncan Hines Yellow Cake Mix

1/2 cup each: 

• Flour
• Sugar
• Quick Cooking Oats
• chopped pecans

1/4 tsp cinnamon

2 sticks (1 cup) melted butter

Add cherries to bottom of a 9x13 pan

Cover with 2/3 of the cake mix (more if you want to)

Mix together Flour, Sugar, Oats, Pecans, and cinnamon

Top with melted butter

Bake for  45 minutes

12 servings

Sharon’s Beer Cheese… without the beer!

Ingredients:

14 oz. Kaukauna Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese

6 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese

1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp garlic powder

3 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp liquid smoke

Directions:

Warm cheeses to room temperature, then mix together.

Mix in all the other ingredients, stirring well.

Refrigerate for 3-4 hours to allow flavors to meld.

Serve with pita chips, or pretzels.

Stamps and supplies used in today’s Card Shares:

Stamps:  Jolly Old St. Nick & Bright Christmas; Leaf Lines & Perfect Punches

Cardstock / Paper:  Whisper White, Real Red & Candy Lane DSP; Naturals Ivory, Cherry Cobbler & Deck the Halls DSP

Classic Inks:  Basic Gray; Always Artichoke & Cherry Cobbler

Accessories:  Big Shot Machine, timeless trim die, corner rounder, basic jewels pearls, 1/8” whisper white taffeta, Brights Buttons, stampin write markers & mini glue dots; Aqua Painter, Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding, Twill Tape, stampin dimensionals, gold brads, scallop circle punch, stampin write markers

All these supplies and more are available at my online stampin up store… hope to see you tomorrow for the second installment of the UDI color challenge!

Hugs,

Sharon

Technorati Tags: stamps,paper,ink,holiday cards,Christmas,online stampin up store,recipes

A2 Drawer Box from Splitcoast Stampers… Newsprint DSP Again!

Holly McMillen wrote a fabulous Drawer Box tutorial for Splitcoast Stampers a couple months ago… and the World Wide Web was immediately flooded with hundreds of boxes!  Then, someone, I’m not really sure whom… came up with the idea of making the top of the box into an easel.  Again, tons of boxes hit the worId wide web.  You’ve probably seen it all by now… and I really meant to make one when all the snafu and fuss was going on… but all my other creations just got in the way!  So… today’s share is my easel/drawer box featuring the Newsprint Designer Series Paper… and four very simple yet fun cards!

Are you ready?  Here’s the box… I chose not to add the paper handle… the B&V design just seemed to call out “simplify, simplify”…

I can see it has had a little rough handling … it’s been passed around my friends and customers quite a few times.  I couldn’t help it.. had to use the printing house words from the Newsprint DSP on the front of the drawer… just seemed appropriate.

The first of four simply layered cards, this one features the baroque motifs stamp set and the Word Play stamp set.  Funny story… while sharing the new 2010/11 Idea Book and catalog with a friend in a one on one preview, she said “sick, isn’t that cute?”  I said “what??”… I’d been reading it sssss… ICK… focusing on ICK…  never saw the whole word!

The greeting on this card also comes from the Word Play Stamp set… I added a basic jewel Rhinestone to the star on Wish… by creating a long narrow panel for the focal image, both the newsprint DSP and sentiment have a real wow factor, don’t you think?

A little Vintage Wallpaper embossed column, a stapled bit of ribbon and a layered photo corner embellished with a couple brads… I borrowed a black and vanilla background from the Love Letters DSP to include on this card… kind quite worldly feel.. had to use that sentiment!

Music, and love.. and hearts and diamonds.  I took my cues from the DSP when adding elements to this card… I LOVE the new DSRB punch (dotted scallop ribbon border punch) but I really don’t care for the name at all, what a mouth full!

Well, that’s all for now folks, if you’ve got a little extra time, check out Hollie’s tutorial link at the top of this page… it’s pretty cool.  OR, just take a moment to visit Splitcoatstampers… tons of ideas, tutorials, and resources for stampers there… they even have a Stampin Up! Gallery!  Hope you’re having a very pleasant weekend!  I hope to have tons of new stuff to share with you this week… hope to see you then, you guys are the best!

Hugs,

Sharon

Technorati Tags: splitcoaststampers,splitcoast,newsprint,box,stamps

Super Saturday Tutorial: Two Glass Glitter Background Techniques

Did you like the Glass Glitter cards I shared with you last Sunday in THIS POST?  I think everyone at Stampcation did!  Glass Glitter is featured on page 21 of the Stampin Up Holiday Mini Catalog… it’s really shiny and bright, and REALLY chunky!… just perfect for the holiday season!  Today’s Super Saturday FREE Tutorial features not one but TWO techniques to create your very on very special Glass Glitter Backgrounds!

Of course, you can attach glass glitter to almost any project using Red Sticky Tape… similar to the edges on this Glass Tile Magnet (NOT part of today’s Super Saturday Glass Glitter Background Tutorial Feature):

First up, the glittery background shown in this snipped of last Sunday’s card… I think you’re really going to like this technique!

To make the Ribbon of Glass Glitter Background, you will need the 4 supply items:

• Glass Glitter – Silver (#120995)
• Snail Adhesive (tape runner)
• Whisper White Cardstock (or cardstock of your choice)
• Sanding Block

Step 1:

Draw two Side by Side curvy bands of adhesive onto your cardstock using the nose of your Snail Adhesive. (It doesn’t have to be a curvy line, it could just as easily be a straight line of double sided adhesive.)

Step 2:

Pour Glass Glitter over the Adhesive band you just drew, and gently pat it into the adhesive using your sanding block, and shake off excess.  Do NOT use your fingers, the Glass Glitter is very sharp (I cut my thumb on it!)  The glitter will be very bumpy, textured and sharp: 

Step 3:

Use one long side of the Sanding Block to gently smooth out the glitter, using a back and forth motion.  In just a few whisks of the sanding block, you will see the ribbon of glitter develop into a flat, glittery, smooth surface… like a river of silver!  Isn’t it fun?

 

Remember that Glass Tile Magnet at the beginning of today’s Super Saturday Tutorial?  The edges, covered with Glass Glitter were actually very sharp and difficult to handle… check out how smooth they were after I used a sanding block on the edge!

 Glass Glitter Sparkle Background:

 
To make this super sparkly background accent piece, you’ll need just 6 Supply Items:

• Glass Glitter
• Dazzling Diamonds
• Whisper White Cardstock (2”x 4” used in this sample)
• Tombow Multi Adhesive,
• Clear 2” Wide Packaging Tape
• Sanding Block

Step 1:

Cut a piece of Clear Packaging tape slightly longer than your Whisper White Cardstock

Step 2:

Scribble Tombow Multi Adhesive on the smooth, NON Adhesive side of the Packaging Tape, and glue to Whisper White Cardstock.

 

Step 3:

Sprinkle randomly with Glass Glitter…not too much, and don’t worry about the Tombow showing… by the time you’re done, it won’t!

Step 4:

Cover with Dazzling Diamonds.. isn’t it fun?

Step 5:

Smooth very gently with Sanding Block… just enough to ‘knock down” any high spots in the Glass Glitter if needed.

Step 6:

Trim off excess tape, and add to your card or project!

Tips:

Do NOT use Red Sticky tape to adhere the packaging tape.  Red Sticky tape, although suitable for many projects doesn’t work well for this one.  It’s yellow coloration will show through the packaging tape and your glittered surface will have ugly brown lines on each side… hard to photograph but I think you can see it down the sides in this picture. 

Hope you enjoyed my Super Saturday FREE tutorials… you can order these supplies and more at my Online Stampin’ Up Store – or contact me to place an order with my other hostesses and customers!

Hugs,

Sharon…

Technorati Tags: Tutorial,Glass Glitter,Super Saturday,stamps,glass,glitter