Archive for the ‘Tutorial’ Category:
My Latest Accordion Album
Aloha, all!
When I said "accordion album" to three different people, they each described a different album to me – and I’ve made all three! Today’s album is sometimes called an "explosion album." Explosion albums can be large or small, and today’s is a very small album that I will demonstrate to a group of Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) later this month. They each will have a kit of papers from the Patterns Pack III which is currently a Level 1 Hostess Set, along with some coordinating ribbons and punched card stock for decorations. I’m going to encourage them to mix and match their kits if they’d like – more fun for everyone!
But they have to have a sample so they can see the possibilities for this easy little album, and here’s what I’ve prepared. I have my brand new pack of Tea Party Designer Series Paper and I’m having a blast with it already. I’d used up most of the first couple of packs that I bought when it first came out, and now that it’s Spring, I need MORE!
Above is the cover of the album, made with light cardboard (the stuff that comes with those packs of wonderful Designer Series Paper!) covered with some of the Tea Party papers. I punched a Scallop Circle topped with a circle punched with the 1-3/8" Circle Punch, all sealed together with one of the Pretty in Pink Corduroy Buttons featured in the current 2010 Occasions Mini Catalog. The ribbon I used is a So Saffron Ribbon from the ribbon set Elementary.
Now for the inside of the album. I made this one with three squares of 6" paper, and it holds 4 square photographs inside. I decorated the triangles formed by the diagonal folds with punched imaged using the Boho Blossoms Punch and the Heart to Heart Punch, using So Saffron, Bashful Blue and Pretty In Pink Card Stock. I cut the photos at 2-3/4" square, and the So Saffron Mats at 2-7/8" square.
I also put two photographs on the outside of the album – after all, there are two blank square pages there – why waste them!? Here’s the outside of the album.
Note that I "captured" the ribbon on the back cover of the album under a Pretty in Pink Scallop Circle Punch image, layered with a So Saffron Boho Blossom Punch image. I actually used transparent ("Scotch") tape to anchor the ribbon, then I used Sticky Strip to adhere the Scallop Circle elements to make sure that the ribbon was safely in place. Oh, and that tape was covered nicely by the punched elements, thank you!
Of course, I have one of my "One-Page Tutorials" for this project! Click here for the latest version – updated from years ago when I first made this project.
Have fun with this – and, of course, if you need any of these fabulous papers, ribbons, punches or card stock, you know where you can order 24/7! Right here!!!
Subscribe to the comments for this postStampin’ Up! a Storm!
Aloha, all!
Well, it was a tsunami, not really a storm. And it had all of us here on Hawaii’s Big Island transfixed as we watched the (thankfully!) light tsunami move water in and out of Hilo Bay. Finally we can breathe easily!
Despite the excitement, I had a stamp group scheduled for this afternoon – just a few of us getting together to test out a card and a few other designs I’m planning for some March classes. I got the idea for today’s card from two other Stampin’ Up! demonstrators, Connie Babbert and Tammy Fite, both of whom are members of an online group to which I belong called SUDSOL. The classes I’m going to be doing are made up of quite a few people who have never made anything with products such as those offered by Stampin’ Up! So I had to keep it simple. But I also wanted it to be a nice-looking card, and one that uses some of the newest Stampin’ Up! products.
This card fits the bill to a ‘t’! It uses three products that are in the current Occasions Mini Catalog – the stamp set, Vintage Vogue, the set of designer series papers called Sweet Pea, and a beautiful Pretty in Pink Epoxy Brad. I added in a scalloped edge using the Scallop Trim Border Punch that you can get FOR FREE! from the Sale-A-Bration Catalog if you spend at least $50 on a product order.
Here are the basic measurements for the sketch that I made for this card. Think of papers and stamps and embellishments that you have in YOUR CRAFT ROOM, and I’ll bet you’ll make a card that’s ready to present at a workshop, too!
A Heartfelt Shamrock
Aloha, all!
This morning I was in the grocery store and I could not believe that I was seeing a bag of GREEN M&Ms! Oh, no! I had to have them for some kind of St. Patrick’s Day project! But I couldn’t see Stampin’ Up! coming up with a shamrock treat cup (although, if they did, I’d be first in line to buy them). What to do, what to do. Just about everyone who knows me knows that, while I can take someone else’s idea and jazz it up to make it my own, I managed not to be in line when they handed out the genetic make up for true creativity. So it took me awhile to figure out how I was going to make the Heart Treat Cups into a Shamrock. Believe me, there’s lots of scraps of various green card stock all over the craft room, most from failed efforts to punch hearts into shamrock submission.
Finally – voila! I had my Shamrock Treat Card! Not only that, I used THREE products that were meant to be either for Valentine’s Day or for something related to engagements/weddings. For this card, I used the Heart Treat Cup, the Stampin’ Up! Heart of Hearts Embosslit, and the Sweetheart Stamp Set that’s advertised in the Heart Treat Cups flyer. I used the Full Heart Punch to make the opening for the treat cup, and also to make the shamrock stem.
The small shamrock that I used for the background stamp is from the stamp set, Holiday Blitz, and the small greeting at the bottom right is from the set, All Holidays.
The colors I used for this project are Garden Green (for the darker background and Sweetheart stamp), and Green Galore.
The instructions for making the treat cup card are in (as always) a one-page tutorial!
Lots of Layers – and Happy Birthday, Deb!
Aloha, all!
Friday was my Sister-in-Law, Deb’s, birthday. She and I are both "of a certain age" and no need to talk about what certain means! Of course, as she is my Stampin’ Up! downline, I sent her lots of Stampin’ Up! goodies, one of which was this birthday card.
I made the card to play in a challenge last month, but didn’t want to show it off until Deb had it in her hot little hands. One part of the challenge was to have lots of layers. I can’t remember how MANY layers, but I can tell you that this card has a ton of them – 10 to be exact. I really enjoy cutting lots of layers for a card, as long as I only have to make one or two of the same card. I just love how a teensy layer, just showing off 1/16" of color all the way around the layer above it, can really make a design look so very finished.
And all of the layers in this card are 1/16" different from the layer above. To make that 1/16" difference, you just cut the next layer 1/8" narrower and shorter than the previous layer. Here is the sketch I made to follow when I’m making this card. I really like the layout, and you can use it to show off coordinating Designer Series Papers so nicely..jpg)
The papers for this card are from the Designer Series Paper Set, Cottage Wall, with some 5/8" Old Olive Satin Ribbon and a Whisper White Jumbo Grommet to set it all off. The stamps are from the Sale-A-Bration set, Happy Moments, a set YOU CAN GET FOR FREE with a $50 Stampin’ Up! purchase through the end of March.
Sweet Treats!
Aloha, all!
I know that several of you have purchased Stampin’ Up!’s Treat Cups, and I’ve been playing around with them myself. In fact, I’m thinking that I’m going to have trouble giving these up if Stampin’ Up! doesn’t continue them into the 2010-2011 Idea Book and Catalog!
Since Valentine’s Day is coming up, I thought I’d share a couple of cards I made using the Heart Treat Cups. Not only that, I’ve created one of my "one-page tutorials" for you to use for your own cards. The tutorial just covers how to get the heart cup placed on the center of the card AND how to create a layer on the inside front of the card so you can get to those treats without tearing the card apart. I certainly wouldn’t want to tear this creation apart!
For this card, I used the new stamp set, Sweetheart, which is also featured in the Heart Treat Cups flyer. I am having a lot of fun with this set! But the Heart Treat Cup is not just for Valentine’s Day! Think of using it for a wedding or shower invitation with M&Ms the bride’s wedding colors! You can even order up personalized candies and decorate the cards with matching colors.
I also used two new punches for the scallop trim border around the bottom layer. The Scallop Trim Border punch is available through the 2010 Sale-A-Bration Catalog (yes, you can GET IT FOR FREE!) The Scallop Trim Corner Punch is available in the 2010 Occasions Mini Catalog. Both punches are in the new punch style.
A Few Card Sketches
Aloha, all!
Whenever I do a class that involves a particular card layout, I try to make a sketch for the class participants. Sometimes I just give them a picture of the card on which we’re working. But I also include the dimensions so they can go to their own craft rooms and make other cards using those same dimensions.
Yesterday I shared the sketch with dimensions of the card I featured. For today, I’ll share some other sketches. I’m going to try to do that more often in both my blog posts and my newsletters so that you can have a blank slate to use even if you don’t have all the cool Stampin’ Up! products that I used to make mine. Of course, I’m ready and able to help you purchase any of the products I use. I only use CURRENT Stampin’ Up! products, so you can be assured that you can order (or at least earn) anything I share here.
This sketch is the one for the Birthday Card I showed off in one of my watercolor posts earlier this week. Just imagine your own stamped image on the top layer of the squares, and your own border punch and embellishments to top it off!
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This is the sketch for the first watercolor card from earlier in the week, featuring Flower Fancy and Sincere Salutations. There’s a much larger area to show off stamps, texture and embellishments on the top layer of this card.
Did I Mention I {Heart} Watercolor?
Aloha, all! No, I didn’t use the new stamp set, I {Heart} Hearts, in my watercolor class! But now that I think about it, I believe I shall have to watercolor a Valentine while there’s still some time!
But I did demonstrate one more card using one of my "old" favorite sets, Flower Fancy. A few days I showed off a Get Well Card using this set and some watercoloring. Today’s card is a card for any occasion: Get Well, Birthday, or even just "Thinking of You." Stamp a greeting from my other "old" favorite set, Sincere Salutations, and you’ve got yourself a complete card!
While I used quite a few different colors on the earlier Flower Fancy card, for this card I stuck with a bright pink that’s very nicely accented by some Melon Mambo 1/2" Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon and a couple of Fire Square Rhinestone Brads. I layered up some Crushed Curry and Melon Mambo card stock, and made the basic card using Confetti Cream card stock, which I think nicely accents the off-white of the Watercolor Paper. (Question: why do they call the heavy stuff "paper" and the lighter stuff "card stock." Just rambling.)
When I sent my newsletter out this week, I was still feeling pretty achy, and I managed to make a couple of typos, including one in the "sketch" of the card that was the main part of the tutorial. That’s what comes of not being able to sit for long enough to proofread properly! Anyway, I thought I’d use a blog post to make the correction. That got me to thinking (a dangerous occupation for me right now). As long as I had dimensions already made for my class participants, why not share them with you as I post my cards?
Here, then, is the sketch for today’s card. Note that the small squares are so EASY because they use PUNCHES!!
Tomorrow I’ll share some more sketches from recent cards.
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What I Like About Stampin’ Up!’s Clear Mount Rubber Stamps
Aloha, all!
In a couple of discussions over the last few days, I’ve found myself repeating my reasons for being crazy about the new Clear Mount Rubber Stamps. So herewith my list! If you have anything to add, just let me know!
- I can see what I’m doing through the acrylic blocks
- I can see the label image through the acrylic blocks
- The stamps themselves aren’t acrylic – they’re the same wonderful Stampin’ Up! rubber!
- I can put several stamps on one block to stamp a grouped image
- The Stampin’ Up! acrylic blocks have a wonderful groove around all four sides which make handling them super easy
- The stamp cases are so thin!
- When the stamp cases are lined up on the shelf, not only can I see the name of the stamp set, I can see copies of the images on the spine. No more having to pull each set out to see what’s in it!
- Even the smallest of stamps stay put in place inside the stamp case. So I can see right away which stamp I want to pick up.
- It’s so much easier making sure that I have the label on right side up (you don’t even want to know how many labels I’ve had to rip off wood blocks because I got them on backwards!)
- Did I mention that I can see what I’m doing through those acrylic blocks?
If you’re in my area of Hawaii’s Big Island, come on over and I’ll show you how wonderful they are. If you’re not, you can watch my video on how to set them up!
Clear Mount Rubber Stamps – A Video Tutorial
Aloha, all!
Here’s that Video Tutorial I promised yesterday. I hope that you can tell that I now wish that EVERY stamp set was a clear mount rubber stamp. I understand that it’s fairly easy to remount my current stash of wood mounted stamps to use on the acrylic blocks. But I just looked at said stash, and I think it would be summer before I’d ever get back to making cards and scrapbook pages! So, for now, the wood mounts will stay as they are. But I’m buying clear mount rubber from now on!
If you have any questions or comments about the video, please let me know!
A Great Use for Punches!
Aloha, all!
This week I’m playing with all my wonderful Stampin’ Up! punches, trying to figure out how to make the most of them while I’m making Holiday Cards. Back in October I made a video about how to use Stampin’ Up!’s punches as stencils to make lovely cards. But durned if I didn’t neglect to post the card here for you to see!
For this card, I used the Jumbo Snowflake Punch and Whisper White Craft Ink to stencil the design on the card. I finished up with some dots of White Gel Pen, an embossed greeting from Four the Holidays Stamp Set from the 2009 Holiday Mini Catalog, and a piece of Whisper White Organza to wrap everything up nicely!
Here’s another card that I made using the same stenciling technique.
But I also punched a Snowflake from Real Red Card Stock. The greeting comes from the Teeny Tiny Wishes Stamp Set, and the paper is from the Designer Series Paper set Christmas Cocoa Specialty, also from the Holiday Mini Catalog.
To help you make your own Handmade Christmas Cards, I’ve made a video tutorial about this technique! I hope you enjoy it.
Even though I’m just now posting these on my blog, those of you on my mailing list were treated to these samples – and more! – a lot earlier in the season. It’s not too late to sign up for my newsletter, with my detailed instructions for making these and lots of other Holiday Cards! Add your name to my mailing list now and I’ll get last week’s newsletter – with some other fun uses for punches – out to you right away!
