Not the Card I Had Planned on Posting

I had hoped to finish a card with coloured pearls. Didn't have crimson so I thought I would try to colour white ones. FYI: dye ink, pigment ink and Tombow markers don't work!
Hunted down a Copic marker and it worked! Another reason to invest. When I realized how many "cranberries" were in my image, I decided to colour the image with the Copic instead. Hope to get that finished soon.

This card illustrates the use of individual letter foam stamps. Create a short title by stamping individual letters with ink on cardstock and cutting them out. What about "Noel"? Of course, smaller letters will allow you to build longer words, such as "Believe" or "Peace". And these are just examples for Christmas...

Card Recipe
Stamps: Making Memories
Paper: red & green cardstock (stash), patterned (MM?)
Ink: Colorbox
Accessories: ribbon (stash), poinsettia punch (Marvy)

Faux Stitching

I'll admit it--I'm too lazy to lug out a sewing machine to make a card. Instead, I paper pierced the holes in the top layer of this card and connected them with a white gel pen. Bet you couldn't tell?!

Natalie

Card Recipe
Paper: pink cardstocks (Bazzill), patterned (Basic Grey)
Accessories: sticker (Mrs. Grossman's), Spellbinders, ribbons (stash), white gel pen (Signo), paper piercer (Making Memories), mouse pad

Just Patterned Papers

I didn't want this small, beautiful, butterfly patterned piece of paper to go to waste so I made it the focal point of this card. I balanced the layout of the card by wrapping the scrap in ribbon and a bow and putting the two brads in the opposite corner.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Paper: white cardstock base (stash), patterned (SEI Chocolat)
Ink: Colorbox Queue
Accessories: ribbons (stash), brads (stash)

Less is More

Our first instinct is usually to use glitter as an accent. Here I have glittered just one part of the image to draw the eye to it. I thought this was appropriate for the focal point of this Valentine to be the heart.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: PSX
Ink: Staz On Timber Brown
Paper: off white & rose cardstock (stash), patterned paper (stash)
Accessories: glitter (Art Institute), glue (white)

Using Ovals for More than Matting

Can't justify buying that oval punch or set of Spellbinders? Ovals can be used to create things other than layers for images. Here I've punched several ovals to create a flower.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Close to My Heart
Ink: Staz On Jet Black (necessary for vellum)
Paper: purple cardstock (stash), patterned paper (stash), vellum (stash)
Accessories: oval punch (Stampin' Up), brads (Bazzill), button (Buttons Galore), circle punch (Marvy)

Combining Companies' Images

Combining images, especially from the same company, may help you pull together a card. In this instance, the circular "joy" image made me think of a wreath and what wreath is complete without a bow.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamps: Inkadinkado
Paper: burgundy cardstock (stash), green (Bazzill), patterned (Tinkering Ink)
Ink: Colorbox Queue
Accessories: Spellbinders, ribbon (stash)

To Frame or Not to Frame

Here I have made two cards with the same stamped image. The first was framed, while the second was cut out. See what you can come up with by using the same image in two different ways. The results are dramatically different. Thanks to Wendy for the use of her stamp.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: All Night Media
Paper: off white & burgundy cardstock (stash), green cardstock (Bazzill), patterned paper (CTMH)
Ink: Memories Pine Tree Green, Adirondack Raisin
Accessories: ribbon (stash), Sparkles (PSX)

Window Pane Card

This look is achieved with a brass stencil. Emboss the cardstock with the brass stencil and leave it attached. Ink your stamp and stamp the image on the cardstock, right over the stencil. With the stencil still adhered to the cardstock, let the ink dry before the next step. Next, use a clear ink to cover all of the tiles. Then, remove the stencil. Apply clear embossing powder and heat.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Hero Arts
Paper: white & burgundy cardstock (stash), patterned (Basic Grey)
Ink: Colorbox
Accessories: stencil (Dreamweaver), clear embossing powder (PSX)

Button, Button, Whose Got the Button?

Not having the right size and colour of buttons brought to mind the clear buttons that I had in my stash. I stamped a small piece of off white cardstock with a background stamp, in the same colour of ink used on the other parts of the card. I used a paper punch to cut out a circle the size of the clear button and adhered the two circles together. Note: though I used a die ink, the glue pen did somewhat change the colour of the ink.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: folk art image (Basic Grey), background for buttons (Stampin' Up)
Paper: off white cardstock (stash), patterned (CTMH)
Ink: Memories dye
Accessories: clear buttons (stash), ribbon (stash), stencil (Ornare)

Block It!

By dry embossing a four square brass template I created
a base for my block letters. I thought this carried the alphabet block theme well.

Natalie

Card Recipe

Paper: white cardstock (stash), yellow cardstock (Bazzill), patterned paper (Paper Patch)
Accessories: Sizzix Block Alphabet dies, Dreamweaver brass stencil, Offray ribbon

Not All Roses are the Same

Had to share one of my recent purchases. Though I have many stamps, most of them are not "chunky" (solid). Solid stamps allow you to stamp in colour, rather than have to colour in a stamped image. Unlike many chunky stamps, this one has pattern (dots) within it. Something else to enjoy!

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Basic Grey
Paper: white cardstock (stash), red & green (Bazzill), patterned (K & Company)
Ink: Colorbox Queue
Accessories: pearls (Kaiser), ribbon (stash)

Gotta Get Glimmer

I've gained a greater appreciation for Glimmer Mist now that I've used it to accent my card. Though the scan may not due the product justice, I can assure you that the shimmer is beautiful. I used two colours of mist on this card and love the effect the product left on the patterned paper, but even more so on the dark cardstock.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp:
Paper: off white & burgundy cardstock (stash), patterned (CTMH)
Ink: raisin (Adirondak)
Accessories: burnt red & gold Glimmer Mists, brads (stash)

A "Do Over"

Anyone who had seen this card at the wonderful workshop I attended today would notice something different about this card. Yes, I'll admit it; I got home and pulled it apart to antique it. I hope you can see the "crackle" on the stamped image. I stamped the Santa with raisin coloured dye ink and then I stamped the "crackle" with soft wheat dye ink. I love the vintage look.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Santa (PSX), crackle (Judi Kins)
Paper: off white cardstock (stash), patterned (CTMH)
Ink: raisin (Adirondak), soft wheat (Memories)
Accessories: Spellbinders Nestabilities, button &embroidery thread (Making Memories)

Gettin' It On with Glimmer Mist

I've just started using this product and learned a few things already. When using a stencil, make sure that it is well adhered to the cardstock to avoid seepage. Use a heavier weighted cardstock to avoid buckling of the paper. Spray the card from a distance in a sweeping motion to get consistent coverage. The mist may be blotted if you prefer a softer look. When removing the stencil pull straight up so that the mist which has accumulated on the stencil will not run off of it. Next, I plan to use the same product as an accent.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: PSX
Paper: white & metallic silver (stash), pink (Bazzill)
Ink: metallic silver
Accessories: Glimmer Mist, stencil (Stampendous), rhinestones (Kaiser)

Break it Up

When using sentiment stamps we can fill empty space on one part of a card and use the remainder of the words on the inside of the card. In this case, the inside of the card reads, "that it takes such a long time".

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Cloud 9
Paper: black, white & kraft cardstock (stash), patterned (Basic Grey)
Ink: Versamark
Accessories: frog die (Cuttlebug), brads (Bazzill), ribbon (stash)

Take from Paul to Give to Peter (Rabbit)

Don't hesitate to use supplies for other crafts on your cards. Here I have gave the bunny a three dimensional tail with a pom pom. This enhances the rabbit I made by embossing cardstock with a brass stencil in my Big Shot. A Cuttlebug will do the same job. Try it, you'll love it!

Natalie

Card Recipe
Paper: white cardstock (stash), patterned (Chatterbox)
Accessories: brads (Bazzill), stencil (Lasting Impressions), pom pom

Scrap a Border

A great way to use up scraps of coordinating paper is to cut squares of equal size to make a border for a card. Simply find inks matching the colours in the patterned papers to stamp an image that compliments the paper designs.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamps: flower (Close to My Heart), sentiment (Stampin' Up)
Ink: PSX Sentiments and Staz On Timber
Paper: white cardstock (stash), patterned (KI Memories)
Accessories: button (Making Memories)
Accessoires

Companies with Coordinates

Companies who sell embellishments that match their paper take the hard work of matching colours out of the picture. Don't hesitate to buy ribbon, buttons, brads or other items from the same product line.

Natalie

Card Recipes
Stamp: butterfly (Inkadinkado), sentiment (Stampin' Up)
Paper: cardstock (Bazzill), patterned (All My Memories)
Ink: Colorbox Queue
Accessories: brads (stash), ribbon (All My Memories), Spellbinders

My New Toy

Had to make a card today with my new Quickutz Revolution Butterfly die. Unlike most dies, it comes with two parts, allowing you to make the "veins" in one colour and the base in another.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Stampin' Up
Paper: cardstock (Bazzill), patterned (Chatterbox)
Ink: Staz On Timber
Accessories: butterfly die (Quickutz), pearls (Kaiser), ribbon (Stampin' Up), oval punches (Stampin' Up)

In a "Paper Jam"

I have been trying to complete this card for days, struggling to find cardstock that matched the surface of the White Wash with the blue back side. To solve the problem, I stamped my image on vellum with Staz On ink; then I coloured the image on the underside of the vellum.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Hero Arts
Paper: red cardstock (DCWV), blues (Bazzill), Core'dinations White Wash, vellum (O.C. Scrappers)
Ink: Staz On Jet Black
Accessories: ribbon (stash), button (Making Memories), snowflake (Zellers), embroidery thread (stash), Spellbinder regular and scalloped ovals

3 for 1 Vintage Colours with Vintage Images

Trying to make up for not posting yesterday. My apologies, but my absence was craft related and it it was worth every minute of it!

Just wanted to note that colours associated with vintage design, such as burgundy and off white, lend themselves well to stamp images of the same style.

Card Recipe
Stamp: Stampin' Up, sentiment (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Adirondak Raisin
Paper: off white cardstock (stash), patterned (CTMH)
Accessories: scalloped rectangular die (Stampin' Up),
brads (stash)


Once again, I have added something from around the house to embellish my second card. Though buttons can be expensive, reuse those you find on your own items or in second hand stores.

Card Recipe
Stamp: Creative Images
Ink: Adirondak Raisin
Paper: off white cardstock (stash),
patterned (CTMH)
Accessories: die (Stampin' Up, button (stash)




Below I have used a combination of two different patterned papers. Hope you're not sick of my attempts to use up old stock!

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: PSX, sentiment (Amuse)
Ink: Adirondak Raisin
Paper: off white & burgundy cardstock (stash),
patterned (DOTS)
Accessories: ribbon (stash), Spellbinders, Crystal Effects

Around the House

Don't have the appropriate stamp image? You can always recycle paper elements from around the house. In this case, I have used a tea bag package. Get creative!

Natalie

Card Recipe
Paper: off white & burgundy cardstock (stash), patterned (CTMH)
Accessories: ribbon, button & embroidery floss (stash)