If you follow my blog, but do not receive the Stamp Express newsletter, you may not be aware that I’ve been hospitalized with blood clots in my lungs. Recovery is slow. But, I am getting stronger each day. Hopefully I can post some projects in a few weeks. I’m sorry I haven’t kept up, but I’ve been unavoidably detained!
Thanks to all who sent cards, e-mails, phoned, and prayed. I am grateful.
Jackie
Rubber Stamp Tapestry makes adorable teeny stamps of flowers, leaves, and ferns to arrange in all sorts of floral bouquets. They are on wooden peg stampers and easy to store. I thought “what fun!”. But let me tell you, they are not as simple as they seem. After taking Sonya’s class, here is what I stamped. Much better than teaching myself. For one thing, I didn’t realize that there is a line on each stamp indicating where the design is right side up. Keep that line facing the center of the design and it helps with positioning. Second, turn the paper as you work. Stamp the main theme images at 12o’clock, 6, 3, and 9 for a balanced placement. Then fill in between these images with lighter colors and some of the smaller stamps. The company reccomends that you stamp off to get a lighter shade, but we just used a lighter color of ink and it worked well. Masking the shape for your center helps, like the hearts used here. When you remove the mask stamp a few ferns or vines that hang into the center of the design for a more realistic effect. The double heart card used chalk applied around the mask first, then was stamped on top of the chalk. Sponging or airbrushing could also be used. E-mail us if you have questions. Once you know the tricks of these little gems, you’ll LOVE them!
Stamps: Rubber Stamp Tapestry
Inks: Tsukineko Memento
Cardstock: The Paper Cut
Tag Die: Sizzix
Chalk: Craf-T
When my cousin had a hip replacement before Christmas, I sent her this adorable puppy image with her leg in a bandage. What a great get well card from Stampavie. Now at least a half dozen customers at Stamp Express have had knee replacements, hip replacements, and foot surgery since the holidays. These cards are for you. And, you know who you are. We hope you will all be on the mend soon.
Sick Doggies
Doggie Stamp: Stamp Avie
Markers: Copic
Cardstock: Paper Cut
Circle Die: Nestabilities from Spellbinder
Flowers: Prima
Hello Stamp: Hero Arts
Other accessories: from our spare parts bin
The backordered Santa stamps from Stampavie finally came in. They are just in time for those who make their cards at the last minute like me. See how adorable the jolly old elf looks when colored with Copic markers and accented with Stickles. We also got to try the new tag trio set of dies from Spellbinders when making the buckle at the top of the card. The airbrushed background was an experiment, but not bad. I hope you enjoy our card and your holiday season. Merry Christmas!
Santa
Santa Stamp: Stampavie
Word Stamp: Impression Obsession
Markers: Copic
Glitter: Stickles
Cardstock: The Paper Cut
Tag Die: Spellbinders Tag Trio #2
When the new stamps came in from Stampavie, I couldn’t wait to stamp them all. So far these are the 3 I finished coloring (with Copic Markers of course) and made into cards. One other that was a get well card got sent to my cousin to cheer her up after a hip replacement. I’ll redo that and share it with you another time. Please enjoy these, and sign up for our Copic class on Dec. 12 if you haven’t already taken it. It really is helpful.
All of these cards used the following products:
Cardstock - The Paper Cut
Designer paper - Creative Imaginations
Markers - Copic
The 1st card also used a border punch from the Martha Stewart Collection
I couldn’t resist sharing this card with you. When the double sided paper came in from Creative Imaginations, there were several “cooking” theme papers. The fudge on this one looked especially delicious. Susan Radcliffe was in the store and said it would be a fun birthday card for one of her friends. We ran with the idea and came up with this one. It reads “AWW FUDGE, ANOTHER BIRTHDAY”! Try it, you’ll like it!
Aww Fudge!
Designer Paper: Creative Imaginations
Cardstock paper: The Paper Cut
Words: Computer generated
I may be running late, but I’m just beginning to think of the holiday season. When this adorable House Mouse of the month arrived I couldn’t wait to stamp it. Mouse E. Claus colored with Copic markers just matches the new Christmas double sided paper that arrived from Creative Imaginations. Embossing with the Cuttlebug Swiss dot folder gives a snowy feeling to the scene.
Then while in the spirit of things I tried an inchie design with a pine branch. They were showing similar ideas on the inchie website (inchiearts.com). This is a quick easy one if you plan to make a lot of cards.
Mouse E. Claus
Stamp: Stampablilities
Markers: Copic
Cardstock: The Paper Cut
Designer Paper: Creative Imaginations
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder (Swiss Dots): Provo Craft
Pine Bough Inchies
Pine Bough Stamp: Stampendous
Pine Bough colored on stamp with Marvy markers
Word Stamps: Hero Arts
Cardstock: The Paper Cut
Rain Dots: Cloud 9
Dotted Paper: Karen Foster
Background stamped with Versamark ink by Tsukineko
These are not new or up and coming designs, but iris folding still seems to attract a lot of attention. It looks so difficult, but is actually a sort of “paint by number” process. Cut strips of paper 1″ wide and approximately 6″ long. Fold these in half to have half inch strips. Cut out the design and place the pattern behind the hole. Then use the letters and numbers to fill in with the folded strips keeping the fold towards the center of the design. These patterns are available from www.circleofcrafters.com. We have shrunk them to better fit the standard card. Enjoy!
Click here to go to our patterns and templates page
Holly Iris Folding Card
Christmas Bell Iris Folding Card
When The Greeting Farm stamps came in I could hardly wait to stamp them. So far I have stamped them all, but only have had time to color these two. Soooo adorable! The Greeting Farm stamps are red rubber, unmounted, with a cling ability for use on acrylic blocks. The only drawback is that you need to trim them yourself. But the designs are so very cute with “fat faced kids and teens” basically. Anya and Ian are the stars of the line. We will show you more as we get caught up with our cardmaking. The first card features one of Ken’s favorite Nesties, the labels #1. He cut a window out of the label with a scalloped rectangle where the words show through.The second card uses the peony Nesties as background. I shaded them just a bit by airbrushing with Copic markers. Below is a list of Ken’s 5 favorite Nesties. Enjoy!
Ink: Tsukineko Memento
Markers: Copic
Cardstock: Paper Cut
Designer Paper: Creative Imaginations
Word Stamp: Hero Arts
Winter Girl Stamp: The Greeting Farm
Nesties: Spellbinders
Flowers & Ribbon: from Jackie’s stash
Ink: Tsukineko Memento
Cardstock: Paper Cut
Designer Paper: Daisy D’s
Markers: Copic
Word Stamp: Penny Black
Anya Hippie Stamp: The Greeting Farm
Nesties: Spellbinder
KEN’S FAVORITE NESTIES
Labels One
Labels Four
Curved Rectangles
Scalloped Ovals
Peony
Our new designer, Sonya Sheaffer came up with this adorable 3″x3″ card. It would also make a great placecard for Thanksgiving dinner. Just print each person’s name instead of a Halloween greeting on a sticky label. The technique uses dye-based reinkers. After stamping the pumpkin and embossing on coated paper, spray with a fine mist of water. Use a water brush to add drops of re-inker to the wet image and let the colors blend together. Dry well before cutting out and adding to card. When you cut, be careful to leave an edge around the embossing. Don’t cut through it, or it flakes off. The background looks like worn fabric, but in fact is a piece of color core cardstock that has been torn and sanded. A tiny piece of knotted ribbon completes the look. What a great gift card for a fruit basket or house gift over the holidays. Make one at our “Try Me Table” as a FREE project Sept28 through Oct 3. Your family and friends are going to love this one!
Happy Halloween
Pumpkin Stamp: Hero Arts
Words: computer generated
Reinkers: Marvy
Color Core Paper: Core’dinations
Water Brush: Aqua-flo from Hero Arts
Embossing Powder: Ranger
Other Cardstock: Paper Cut
Ribbon: May Arts
