Mar 4, 2011 | Big Shot, Designer Series Paper, In Colors, Stamper's Club, Tags |
Way back in January at the Stampin’ Up! Leadership conference I bought some Stampin’ Up! In Color Bookmarks. I wanted something to give to my downline and my hostess club members. I got them home and they sat in my craft room. I want to present them in some fun way but couldn’t come up with anything – so they continued to sit in my craft room.
In February I needed to make some more tags for my customer orders. I usually make something out of things lying on my table or whatever my pop into my head. I decided I wanted to play with my Fancy Flower punch. I had my In Color Patterns Paper pack out from the candy wrapper project I showed the other day. So I decided to punch out some flowers. I remembered seeing flowers that other demonstrators were making where they just crumpled up the paper and stacked it up to make a flower. So that is what I did – for each one I punched 5 Fancy Flowers from different In Color Prints. I crumpled them up (when your mad at some one like your 14 year old that is a good project to work on).
I opened them back up and stacked them together and looked around for what I was going to use in the center. I was going to just use little brads but remembered I had a package of the In Color Glitter Brads – they were perfect for these flowers.
These are all Poppy Parade which I decided to use for my customer orders. I went back and added the tiny tag to the center it says “thanks so much”. I punched a hole in the back and tied some crochet thread through to tie them onto my order bags. I decided these were so cute I wanted to make some more in the different In Colors. Then I got the brilliant idea that I needed to combine these flowers with my In Color bookmarks and it all came together.
I cut tags using the Two Tags die and my Big Shot machine. I used the crop-a-dile to punch two holes in the tag and then cut in between to create a slit that the book mark slides through. I’m not sure you can tell but the bookmark is magnetic and is folded in half – so the back half is on the back of the tag. Then I added the matching flower above it with a dimensional. Here is what the whole lot of them look like –
They are super cute and the great thing is once the book mark is removed you can still use the whole tag or pull of the flower and just use the flower for something else. Now to get them out to everyone……tonight is Stamper’s Club so they will get theirs then.
Thanks for stopping by today – I’ll be going to pick up Kyle in a little while once he gets done with his last class at GT – and he’ll be home for the weekend.
And I almost forgot about American Idol – how did you do on your picks for the top 10? I got them all right and I didn’t even vote. Now we’ll see how they do going forward. They added 3 more but they weren’t any of my favorites.
Mar 2, 2011 | Birthday, Designer Series Paper, In Colors, Occasions Mini 2011 |
At the Stampin’ Up! Leadership Conference in January I participated in a candy wrapper swap and got some really great ideas that I’m incorporating into my classes and club meetings. This idea was from my friend Connie Babbert (from Create with Connie & Mary).
These are made from a 6×6 piece of Designer Series Paper. I decided for my Birthday class we would make these using the In Color Patterns Paper Pack that you can get as a Level 1 Hostess set. I let everyone choose the color that they wanted. There is just one score line to create the top fold.
We used a strip of Whisper White card stock that was punched with the Scallop Border punch and glued on the inside front panel. You can’t see them to well in the picture but we used a coordinating Stampin’ Write Marker to add dots to the scallops – everyone thought it was pierced and the paper was showing through the holes but it is just the marker.
Punch two hole in the top through the front and back layers using the Crop-A-Dile and tie a piece of ribbon through. The tag uses the Eat Chocolate stamp set punched with the Wide Oval punch and layered on the Decorative Label punch in the matching In Color. On the corner we added a Bitty Button – punch the button shape using the Punch Pack punch that matches the button shape. What I do is use a bit of snail and attach the button to the punched card stock. Then with a Paper piercer I pierce the button holes. Then I use a dental flosser to pull a piece of crochet thread through the holes and tie it in a knot. Punch a hole to add the tag to the ribbon.
Slide a skinny candy inside – something like a SKOR or Dove bar – you can use two mini glue dots to secure it on the inside so it doesn’t slide right back out. These were quick and easy especially if you use the 6×6 paper stacks so you don’t even have to cut the paper.
Thanks Connie for this great project!
Nov 18, 2010 | Big Shot, Bingo, Cards, Christmas, Holiday Mini Catalog 2010, In Colors, Valentine's Day |
In the Stampin’ Up! Holiday Mini Catalog Stampin’ Up! introduced a new crafting option with the Big Shot machine. They are called Letterpress Plates and let you create an inked debossed impression. I demonstrated these at my meeting Saturday night and had three cards for everyone to make. Here are a few of my notes:
There are four Letterpress Plates
#120980 Trick or Treat
#120983 Lots of Love
#120981 Joyful Season
#120982 Northern Trim
What you need to use your Letterpress Plates:
- Letterpress plate
- Craft ink – pad or spot
- Brayer – optional
- Paper – watercolor paper is best – porous, card stock and textured card stock also work
- One cutting pad – newer is better, no lines
- Multipurpose platform on Tab 1
- Baby wipes
Build sandwich on a flat surface like this – Multipurpose Platform on Tab 1, a shim if needed, LetterPress Plate, Card stock (it works better to use dotto and secure to the bottom of the cutting pad), cutting pad. I tried some other combination’s but this one worked the best. I also think that the bigger plates are thicker – or seem to be than the smaller ones.
Use dotto to adhere paper to cutting pad so it doesn’t slide or move. There are several ways to ink your Letterpress Plate.
- Use a full size Craft Ink pad and apply directly to the plate.
- Use a brayer and apply ink from either the ink pad or an ink palette create with a refill.
- Use a Craft Ink spot
- Ink areas with mulitple colors using the ink spots
- Ink only portions of the plate using ink spots – the uninked portion still debosses
- Use VersaMark ink on all or portions of the plate
I found that for my Big Shot it worked well for me to use a cardboard shim underneath – I used the thin card board that comes in the package of Designer Series paper.
Here are the cards that I created:
This first one used the Northern Trim Letterpress Plate.
I used Watercolor paper and a full sized Craft Ink pad. I filled an uninked pad with Wild Wasabi Craft ink and we used it directly on the pad to get it inked up. 
To finish the card the watercolor paper was layered on a piece of Bashful Blue card stock and adhered to the front of a Wild Wasabi card base. The base was stamped with the Northern Hearts hostess stamp set which matches this Letterpress plate.
The card was finished with pearls in the center of the flowers, a Bashful Blue punched snowflake and “merry” in the center on Whisper White card stock.
You can’t see it in this picture but I finished the card by spraying the whole thing with a mixture of Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint mixed with Rubbing Alcohol – it adds a fine shimmer to the whole card – you just can’t see it in the picture.
For this next card I used the Joyful Season Letterpress Plate.
I used Confetti White card stock and Craft Ink spots in Real Red and Old Olive to ink the plate.
The card is very simple – just layered the piece on a Real Red card base. You could dress it up more with ribbon/buttons/etc. But we had a lot to do at the meeting so I kept this one very basic.
The third card used the Lots of Love Letterpress Plate. This one turned out to be my favorite.
The card stock is Blushing Bride and I inked the plate first with a VersaMark pad and then used a Craft Ink spot in Chocolate Chip to ink only the large LOVE. I saw this technique on a video that another demonstrator had created – I think I saw it on Stampin’ Connection. The plate is much larger than the card it is about 8″ x 6″ – so you can position your paper to where you want it on the plate.
To finish the card I tied a piece of the Blushing Bride ribbon around the card stock and then layered it on a Chocolate Chip card base. I punched some hearts using the Heart to Heart punch out of the Blushing Bride Designer Series paper (it is in the In Color stack). I sponged these a little bit on the edges and popped them up on Stampin’ Dimensionals.
From what I heard this was everyone’s favorite of the three. I do like how the VersaMark makes the debossed words pop.
I hope you learned something about using the Letterpress Plates.
I have heard several people are close – needing only one more piece in multiple rows – maybe today will be the day we have a winner.
It’s BINGO TIME! We are playing Round 6 of Monika’s Blog Bingo. I have now filled group 7 and won’t be taking any more names right now – I”ll be taking a Bingo break after group 7 plays – I may play again in the future so I hope you will continue to visit my blog. See this POST for more details on how to play and the previous winners.
And now for today’s piece – Here is piece #15 –the cat from All in the Family stamp set (stamped in Peach Parfait). 
Anybody have Bingo? Make sure you send me an email when you get your 5 in a row. 
Sep 29, 2010 | Big Shot, Bingo, Birthday, In Colors |
Have you tried the Mini Milk Carton Big Shot die from Stampin’ Up!? Yesterday I posted this cute project for the UDI color challenge.
I got mine not too long ago and started to play around with it. My first few tries were a bit of a mess. First I had to figure out the perfect sandwich to get it through my Big Shot so it cut in the right places and scored in the right places. You may need to play a little too to get it just right – and then my suggestion is to stick a label on your die so you remember it for the next time you use it. For my die and my Big Shot I ended up using this combination – starting from the bottom – cutting pad, piece of card stock for a shim, Mini Milk Carton die, piece of card stock that I’m cutting, Crease Pad. This is the perfect combination for me but yours might be a little different.
After that it was the trial and error of actually assembling it with out turning it into a mess. This is what I finally figured out and so far it works perfect every time. I hope this makes sense to you.
first fold all the straight lines on the box and if you want to decorate the panels it might be easiest to do that while it is flat. Don't mess with those diagonal score lines at all.
The Tag punch is the perfect size for the Mini Milk carton – so any images that you have that fit the tag punch will make perfect decoration for the sides of this.
glue the tab to form the box shape and then glue the four flaps to create the bottom of the box. Then locate the two sides at the top with 2 diagonal score lines.
Take your hands and hold those two sides so that you can poke your finger in between the diagonal scores on both sides. As you push in on the two sides with your fingers close the top of the box.
Now your top is shut - for my example I have a mini library clip holding the top shut, but you could do a variety of other things. If you want to open it like a milk carton see the next picture.
One side of the top has score lines and tha is the side with the milk carton spout. So fold back on those two score lines.
Then push the spout open - just like you opened your milk carton when you were in elementary school!
So basically don’t mess with those diagonal score lines until you fold in the top and they take care of themselves to form the top of the box and the spout.
And now for the frosting on my cupcake – 
I used the Frost White Shimmer Paint and put a small amount in a plastic tray and then added a drop of Concord Crush ink refill. I mixed them together – I actually used a q-tip to mix them together and used it to “paint” the frosting on my cupcake.
As for the little button – its the same as the one on the Birthday Bakery card I posted a couple of days ago. I just threaded some frayed ribbon through the bitty button and attached it on top of a punched heart.
And one more thing – I will be at the Baltimore Stampin’ Up! regional on Friday – if you find me and tell me that you are one of my blog visitors I’ll have a surprise treat for you! I hope to see you there!
Let’s play Bingo…..
It’s BINGO TIME! We are playing Round 4 of Monika’s Blog Bingo. I’m currently taking names for Round 6. See this POST for more details on how to join, how to play and the Round 1, 2, and 3 winners.
Here is piece #2 –the floral image from Tiny Tags tamp set (stamped in Pear Pizzazz).
Sep 28, 2010 | Big Shot, Birthday, In Colors, SU Buttons, UDI Color Challenge |
Welcome to week 3 of the new weekly Color Challenge over at the Utah Diva’s International Blog. All I can say about this weeks color inspiration – is where can I get some of those? I need one now! Look at what Gretchen has for us this week – 
Yummy! I was kind of late with this one and didn’t have any ideas at all so I started to play with the colors and throw a card together and before I was done I threw it right in the trash – well not exactly I saved all the pieces that I hadn’t messed up already. So it was time for a do over because that first idea did not work out at all. I left and ate some dinner and came back with a new idea. This one turned out cute – I just wish I had some chocolate to put inside – well I actually do have some chocolate – Greg brought some back to me from his trip to Paris – but I have it hidden in a secret place so I won’t eat it too quickly. Anyway here is my second attempt at a creation with these colors:
I’m going to add some more details later with step by step pictures on how I make my mini milk cartons – mine come together perfectly every time but I have a little trick. And I’ll tell you how I made the frosting for the cupcake too! Come back on Wednesday for the details on both of those. Now it is your turn to play with these colors – then go to the UDI blog and add your creation to the linky section. I can’t wait to see what you come up with!
Stampin’ Up! Supplies:
- Card stock: Concord Crush, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla
- Ink: Chocolate Chip, Stampin’ Write Markers: Concord Crush, Crumb Cake; Ink Refill: Concord Crush
- Stamp sets: Birthday Bakery
- Frost White Shimmer Paint
- Mini Library Clips
- Big Shot Die-Cut machine, Mini Milk Carton die
- Large Tag punch, Small tag punch, Heart to Heart Punch
- Bitty Buttons
- Concord Crush ribbon
- Concord Crush Designer Series Paper
To order Stampin’ Up! Supplies to make this project click here.
I’m going to post my Bingo information in a separate post later this morning – so check back on my blog in a little while.
And one more thing – I will be at the Baltimore Stampin’ Up! regional on Friday – if you find me and tell me that you are one of my blog visitors I’ll have a surprise treat for you! I hope to see you there!
Sep 24, 2010 | Bingo, Birthday, Blog Tour, Cards, In Colors |
Did you read the little quote for this stamp set?
“if you are what you eat, eat something cute!”
What a great little saying! So I had to make a cute card to go with it. The stamp set is called Birthday Bakery and it is one of the new Stampin’ Up! Level 1 Hostess sets.
For this card I used a Pear Pizzazz card base and then added a piece of Blushing Bride Designer Series Paper. The line of cakes is stamped in Black StazOn ink on Whisper White card stock and that is backed with a piece of Soft Suede that I punched with the Scallop Trim Border punch on one edge.
The cakes are colored in with Stampin’ Write Markers. 
I tried to get a closer view of the cakes because I used the Smooch Pearlized Accent inks on them to give them some glimmer and shine.
The other cute accent is the Bitty Button. I used the little heart button and the Heart to Heart punch has the matching punched heart which is layered behind it. The little fibers that I threaded through the button are from the Blushing Bride Stitched Poly Ribbon. What I did was trim off the white edge of a small piece of ribbon so it would fray and then I took some of the frayed pieces and used a floss threader to thread them through my button. Then tie them in a knot and you have a cute little accent for this card. I hope you like it!
You can also go visit the Royal Blog Tour site – I am on there today as the featured Queen. Mark your calendars for the tour which will be November 5th – 8th. You can also win prizes if you want to play along with the games.
I’m hearing lots of reports that everyone is close to Bingo – just one away in multiple places so it can’t be much longer now…..
It’s BINGO TIME! We are playing Round 3 of Monika’s Blog Bingo. I’m currently taking names for Round 6. See this POST for more details on how to join, how to play and the Round 1 and 2 winners. If you have emailed me in the last few days I will get back to you either today or tomorrow.
Here is piece #15 –the bird from Season of Friendship stamp set (stamped in Chocolate Chip ).
Is it you? Do you have BINGO?
I opened them back up and stacked them together and looked around for what I was going to use in the center. I was going to just use little brads but remembered I had a package of the In Color Glitter Brads – they were perfect for these flowers.
These are all Poppy Parade which I decided to use for my customer orders. I went back and added the tiny tag to the center it says “thanks so much”. I punched a hole in the back and tied some crochet thread through to tie them onto my order bags. I decided these were so cute I wanted to make some more in the different In Colors. Then I got the brilliant idea that I needed to combine these flowers with my In Color bookmarks and it all came together.
I cut tags using the Two Tags die and my Big Shot machine. I used the crop-a-dile to punch two holes in the tag and then cut in between to create a slit that the book mark slides through. I’m not sure you can tell but the bookmark is magnetic and is folded in half – so the back half is on the back of the tag. Then I added the matching flower above it with a dimensional. Here is what the whole lot of them look like –
They are super cute and the great thing is once the book mark is removed you can still use the whole tag or pull of the flower and just use the flower for something else. Now to get them out to everyone……tonight is Stamper’s Club so they will get theirs then.
