Crafty Happy Birthday

I needed a card for a crafty friend and wanted to participate in Global Design Project Color Challenge #281 - Bermuda Bay, Blushing Bride and Real Red.  I used an older DSP called Follow Your Art and The stamp set from an older SU! Ice Cream Bundle called Cool Treats- anyone remember that one.  We can make some real cool cards combining Cool Treats and Sweet Ice Cream (Newer SU! set). 

I am getting ready to offer my first Virtual Card class.  We will be making 3 cards using Quite Curvy Stamps and Dies. I will be showing at least 10 ideas to do with Quite Curvy- and here is another one.

Card Recipe: 

Stamp Sets: Cool Treats

Bermuda Bay(SU!) cardstock 8 ½ x 5 ½”  

Ink Pad: Memento Tuxedo Black

DSP: Follow Your Art(Retired SU!) and Individual popsicles cut out of Ice Cream Corner (Current SU!)

Pretty as a Peacock

I am playing along with AAA Birthday Card Challenges this month.  I have been sending birthday cards to co-workers all year and am always in need of inspiration.

The Challenge #22 was to use one large image. This is an older image from an unknown stamp set.  I cut her out by hand.  I stamped her using a combo of inks: Stampin; Up! Pretty Peacock and Gina K. Sea Glass.  I used a stencil for the background and kept everything pretty monochromatic.

I added a sentiment inside and called it a day.  Hope you like it.  I will be giving this to a co-worker tomorrow.

Card Recipe

Standard Tent Fold design 8.5in x 5.5 in card, scored at 4.25.  Front panel stamped on white card stock 5 3/8 in x 4 1/8 in.

Ink: 

SU! Pretty Peacock, Gina K  Dye ink -Sea Glass

Paper: 

White cardstock

SU! Pretty Peacock cardstock

Stamp Sets:

Images: Older stamp set- Hero Arts

Sentiment: 2018 Sale-A-Bration Set: Beautiful Peacock 

Other:

Stencil: Simon Says Stamping Bubblewrap ssst121488

SU! New Blending Brushes 153611

Dimensionals: 104430

SU! Triple Banner Punch 138292

Versamark Ink

White embossing Powder

Heat Gun

Techniques:

Stampin' Up! Blending brishes to color: Pretty Peacock and Sea Glass to get an Ombre look

Dimensionals to pop up the front panel

Gel Press

I have been having a lot of fun with my Gel Press.  Not that I don't have TONS of my own DSP Stampin' Up! Paper. It's just I enjoy combining the colors and creating some beautiful backgrounds.  I'll link a few videos from people who know more than I do about Gel press.  

I did find that I have more success with Acrylic Paint rather than ink or ink pads.  Acrylic paint is a lot cheaper and I didn't feel guilty when I continued to add it to the mix.

I hope you enjoy the samples below and find inspiration to make your own. I even did up the envelopes.  I'll tell you about a little trick at the end of the post.

For envelopes: Use a sticky note cut into a rectangle to cover up the area for the address

I still have tons more prints left.  I cut a few down, but left others on their full paper until I know what i want to use them for.

Some videos that I learned this process from:

Jennifer McGuire Gel Press + Many Cards

Carolyn Dube- Dos and Don'ts of Gel Press

Laurel Beard-How to Use the Gel Press in Card Making

Carrie Rhoades- Easy Gel Press Prints for card making

Let me know if there are videos that have given you some great Gel Press inspiration or tips.

Biggest tip= HAVE FUN!!! 

A Touch of Ink

This is such a fun card design I made for a friend of mine.  I used the free Sale-A-Bration stamp(2021), A TOUCH OF INK to make an interlocking gatefold card.  This is a beautiful 2-step stamp set that has the feel of water colors. This idea was inspired by Jennifer McGuire and you can watch her entire tutorial with a variety of different sizes here.

For my card, I started with 4 1/4 x 11 inch piece of Purple Posy cardstock. I scored 2 3/4 from each end.  I used Stampin' Up! Rectangle Stitched Dies.  I did cut out 3 stitched rectangle for the piece on the left side to give it stability.

For the inside I just stamped a simple sentiment- any stamp will do.

I finished off by finding a matching envelope and stamping it. 

This set is just stunning.  I didn't fall in love with it util I actually began using it and seeing it fro myself.

If ordering from Stampin' Up! and you do not have a demonstrator, please add my name as your demonstrator before ordering.  I would love to help support you in your paper crafting adventures.

Pro. Tip:

Stamp your envelopes. If you are going to the trouble of mailing a card to someone, let the excitement and enjoyment begin before they even open the card. I used the Touch of Ink stamp set for the hummingbird, but I also used the sponged dots in this same set for the border of the card.

Products:

One of a Kind

#387 Sketch 25

 I had some fun with this challenge from Less is More and trying a new challenge group: AAA Cards-Clean and Simple.  It truly is One of a kind.  The challenge for AAA#132 was masking- and keeping a majority of the space white. I used Ranger Distress Oxide inks to create the one of a kind color by blending Broken China and Faded Jeans colors together with a blending tool. I used Post-it tape to tape off the sides and get the sharp edge.  I worked top to middle, then bottom to middle and overlapped.  What's so great about Distress Oxide inks, is how they react to water.  In both examples, I flicked water on it to create a distressed look.  In the first example, after it dried I used some Crystal Effect glue drops to create a 3D water droplet over each splatter.  I left the water droplets alone in the second example.

Here is the Less is More Sketch and AAA directions that these are based off of:

AAA #132

Card #1: You're One of a Kind
What I did:
Stamps and Products: Sea of Textures (SU! 2018/19 catalog)
Cardstock & Paper: Whisper White(SU!) cut 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 scored at 4 1/4, White cardstock 4 1/8 x 5 3/8, adhering it to the card base with Stampin’ Dimensionals Whisper White cardstock(SU!) scrap to stamp the Octopus.
Ink: Ranger Distress Oxide inks: Broken China and Faded Jeans 
Other: Classic Label punch, Tear & Tape (SU!) Simply Scored (SU!) Scissor snips. Post-It Tape



Card #2:  Celebrate Your Day 
What I did: 
Stamps and Products: Hello Cupcake (SU! 2018/19 Sale-A-Bration)
Cardstock & Paper: Whisper White(SU!) cut 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 scored at 4 1/4, White cardstock 4 1/8 x 5 3/8, adhering it to the card base with Stampin’ Dimensionals Whisper White cardstock(SU!) scrap to stamp the Octopus.
Ink: Ranger Distress Oxide inks: Broken China and Faded Jeans. The cupcake was stamped using Gorgeous Grape(SU!) and Pineapple Punch(SU!)
Other: Tear & Tape (SU!) Simply Scored (SU!) Scissor snips. Post-It Tape

Visit My Store if you are interested in any of the Stampin' Up! Products.

Stampin' Up! Store

Sweeeet!

 This week I am entering a single card into two challenges. This is the first time I have participate din a Global Design Sketch Challenge. I tried to stay true to the original sketch.  I don't have the Lots of Labels Framelits, so I got creative with my Scallop Topper punch.  I also use my favorite Triple Banner punch and centered my small banners so I avoided having to hand cut the banners. I can never make my banners even.
The Global Challenge Sketch is below.

 I am also submitting this design for this week's Muse Challenge. I took inspiration from the Sweet sentiment, the sweet stamps, and the strawberries.

Here are my inspirations and Challenge sketches for this week:

Global Design Project

Muse Challenge #250

What I did:

Stamps and Products:

Stamp: Sweet thing stamp from (Penny Black (Michael's Store))

Sentiment: Cool Treats (Stampin' Up!)

Paper: Tutti Frutti DSP (SU!) cut 4 x 2

Cherry Cobbler cut 11 x 8 1/2, scored at 4 1/4,  Banner 5 x 1

Whisper white 4 x 5 1/4,  small banners 2 1/4 x 3/4 and 4 x 2 for Scallop punch.

Triple Banner Punch

Scallop Tag Topper

Tuxedo Black (Momento)

Stampin' Blends 

Dress,hair band, bow, and cherry: Cherry Cobbler light & dark

Hair: Ivory and Bronze

Flower: Daffodil Delight light

Copics

Skin: E00, R01

Cupcake: R01,R20,R22

Wings: YG41

Mini Dimensionals

Cool Treats

Scallop Tag Topper

Stampin' Blends

Tutti Frutti 6x6 pack