It is very cold here in Maryland. So far our local area is lucky, we haven’t really had any accumulation of snow today. A few flurries and that is about it.
Today I have been working on some Valentine ideas. These minature pillow boxes by Sizzix are actually usable. The one’s in the picture are empty, however they can easily be filled with candy, or maybe even a few small clear stamps. I discovered it is best to use the crease dye with this box and to use good quality CS (I recommend Stampin Up) otherwise you will have problem with the ends splitting. I also recommend using that red liner tape to hold them closed. Otherwise they tend to pop open.
I am so ‘re in love’ with my sizzix Big Shot (it is the same machine as the big kick) and totally in love with the new embossing folders from Cuttlebug.
In the sample cards you see above, I used the Sizzix Scallop punch for the ‘best friend’ saying, a small clip is attached above the two girls using E6000 glue.
The background is embossed with the cuttlebug embossing folder. There is glitter randomlly placed on the card. The hearts on the minature pillow boxes are also a sizzix bigz die.
Happy Stamping, don’t hesitate to email me if you have any questions!
Before I tell you about my happy discovery, the card above was made by sending a piece of vanilla card stock through my Big Shot machine using a cuttlebug embossing folder, it was then colored with sparkly pebbles chalk. I used a light coat of “make it last” sealer to insure the chalk would not rub off,
Then I used a scrap of patterned paper and folded the heart, attached it to a contrasting piece of pink card stock and created a matt for it using my sizzors. Then the ribbon was added and the tag (Stampin Up) was also added.
I’ve been working the last two days for items for www.sparklensprinkle.com, Margaret now has a sister store in California and all of her designers (including me) have been busy little ‘elfs’ stamping up a storm for this project. My box will be finished up and in the mail tomorrow. Check out her stuff online, be sure if you buy her products to let her know ‘Loretta’ sent you!
So now to my happy discovery.
I don’t know about you guys, but over time those acrylic blocks we used to stamp our Unmounted stamps, well — they get mucked up. They get cloudy, dirty, stained with Staz on and just plain mucky.
Try this, stick them in the dishwasher, yupper dishwasher. When the cycle is done, take them out, any remaining gunk or staz on is easily removed using un-du Adhesive Remover. I put alittle on the most stained areas let it set a few seconds and wipe off with a clean (old terry) rag. Repeat until all stains are gone. If it is still a little ‘cloudy’ clean it one more time with good ol’ fashioned windex. The results are simply stunning. They look brand new!
I have been anticipating the release of Scrap and Stamp Arts April 2008 issure for a while now. I’m pretty sure my “Never Ending Card” will be published in this issue.
Here are the instructions:
Happiness is Friendship (Never ending Card)
Stamps
All Stamps Sparkle N Sprinkle
Flowers Plate 210 flowers
Plate 234 flowers
Plate 270 flowers
584-260C spring daisies
Plate 258 Valentine heart
Bars & circles border 1543-303K
Tiptoe the tulip 815-271A
Card Stock
Coral light
Teal
Basic Blue
White
Other
Sizzix Die Flower Power #2
38-0989
Embossing Tape 99538
Sparkle N Sprinkle
Crystal 3-D Lacquer Craft store
Glitter G1038 Sunny Daze
Sparkle N Sprinkle
Crinkled paper I used a old grocery receipt
Double sided tape
Teal dye ink dark and light
Watercolor pencils
Blending Pen
Buttons
Glue
Card Construction
1. Cut 3” X 6” pieces card stock.
2. Score at 1 ½” from both ends and fold toward the middle.
3. Crease these two pieces thoroughly, unfold and re-crease from the opposite side.
4. Place two pieces horizontally on work surface.
5. Place the other two pieces vertically on top of the first two pieces. Make certain that all outside edges match as closely as possible. * It is important that the crease lines match.*
6. Carefully adhere the common corners of all four sides, use the strong embossing tape.
7. Card construction is now complete.
8. Be mindful to plan the placement of the stamped images or photos before actually putting them in place, because the opening of the card reveals another area. It is very important to plan carefully!
To continue you will need
• Ten 1 ¼” X 2 ¾” pieces of light blue card stock.
• Twelve 1 ¼” square pieces of light blue card stock.
• Six 2 ¾” square pieces of light teal card stock.
• Ten 1” X 2 ½” pieces of white card stock
• Twelve 1 ¼” square pieces of white card stock
• Six 2 ½” square pieces of white card stock
FRONT
1. Stamp and color border and flower images.
2. To create texture, crumple up a piece of paper, dab into light lavender ink and then apply to the paper.
3. Adhere.
FIRST FLIP
1. Stamp and Color flowers as shown.
2. Cut out sizzix flowers and apply to card front, embellish with glitter.
SECOND FLIP
1. Stamp images from valentine plate and adhere.
2. Stamp tulip over border and adhere, cover with crystal lacquer and let dry.
3. Stamp sentiment and adhere.
4. Apply sizzix flowers and adhere, embellish images with glitter.
BACK
1. Stamp images and Color, apply crystal lacquer to tulips and embellish the flower with glitter.
Complete instructions for this may be viewed on the web at www.hgtv.com it was featured on the Carol Duval Show, Episode CDS-1452. This is my version of the card using the Sparkle N Sprinkle designs.
What a treat to learn how to make this intersection mini album. Special Thanks to Linda Heller at for her inspirational and instruction on how to make this innovative project. I am a big fan of ‘see it stamp it’ and usually employ this technique when I am teaching classes.
To view more pictures of this project, please visit my picture trail gallery at www.picturetrail.com/ms.rhetta.
JUST MUCKING ABOUT
My Favorite Things stamps, this is a new set of stamps I bought directly from the websight, for those of you who are interested in their stamps/products, please check out my main blog page for the link.
I used Staz On Black ink to stamp the images and water color pencils and a blending pen to color them. The girls boots are watercolred and then coated with a light coat of Diamond Glaze and then glitter is added for a glittery slick effect.
This is a standard card and measures 4 1/4″ X 5 1/2″. As always, please do not hesitate to email me at: ms.rhetta@verizon.net with any questions or comments.
Current swaps; Valentine Swap, make 5 identical valentine cards get 5 back, sing up from now until Jan 16. Cards are due in my hands no later than Jan 28th, please send them in a zip type baggie inside of a SASE with same amount of postage you mailed them with plus an additional stamp (if the extra postage is not used it will be returned). The best swap will receive a prize! What ever stamps/company embellishment, etc., you want to use for the swaps are fine. Please email me to sign up and receive my snail mail information.
All Swaps will be scanned and uploaded to my picturetrail sight.
This Thank you card is very easy to make, here is the recipe
Card base (finished) measures 5 1/2″ X 4 1/4″. It is cut out of stamping up card stock in Pretty in Pink. The embossed section measures 5 1/4″ X 4″ it is very vanilla card stock and is embossed using the new cuttlebug folder stencils. I embellished the backgroud with chalk and then used a spray fixative. The “Thanks so much” is from the sincere salutations set. This set is still available from stampin up.
The “Thanks so much” is raised with a pop dot and the card is finished off with ribbon and glitter. I really like the way this card finished off.
I made eleven of them. Ten are for folks who supported my mother and my family during the loss of my sister. Of course, I sent one off for possible publication in “Just Cards”. By the way I have two cards in the Dec/Jan (Winter) issue of Just Cards. I’m thrilled.
This card will be a valentine swap card. I also used a cuttlebug embossing folder, it is embellished with glitter and the sentiment is by katie & Co. I used a marker to colro just the ‘I love you’ part and it was stamped onto a piece of whisper white cards stock punched out of the scallop punch (Stampin Up).
Please do not hesitate to check out my other blogs and my picture trail sight. As always I am available to teach private and group classes (Reasonable rates, all supplies included). Just contact me via email or phone. Email is ms.rhetta@verizon.net and phone is 301-490-1719. I look forward to speaking with you!
