Stamp with Me!

Autumn Days

I have to admit, my favorite season is autumn.  Apple cider, falling leaves, funky sweaters and scarves, that crisp bite to the air....it's all good!  And Autumn Days is one of my favorite new stamp sets. 

I was playing with the shaving cream background technique the other day - trying to decide if it was too messy for class - and the colors reminded me of a late November day.  I actually was trying - yet again - to achieve a good "bubble" look.  I'm ready to give up on that technique.  I've tried several times, and I just end up with a piece of soggy - yet clean - card stock.  I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong - too much soap?  not enough refill?  too much water?  Once my card stock dried out, I smooshed it into my shaving cream mess and got this:

This piece went in at the end, so the colors are a little more muted, which I really like for this card.

Here's the list of supplies:
Stamp sets:  Autumn Days, All Holidays
Ink:  Classic refills:  Orchid Opulence, Crushed Curry, Lavender Lace; Classic Stampin' Pads:  Crushed Curry, Dusty Durango, Soft Suede
Paper:  Crushed Curry, Dusty Durango, Soft Suede, Whisper White
Accessories:  Big Shot, Texturz plate, Impressions Pad, Silicone Rubber, sanding block, Crop-a-dile, metallic eyelets, stampin' dimensionals, shaving cream

So while you're suffering through enjoying the dog days of summer, "think fall!"  I don't know why they call them "dog days," since it's kind of a negative connotation.  My dog's days are pretty cushy!  He sleeps when he wants, eats when he wants, gets up, stretches and takes another nap....The only negative (for him) is he lacks opposable thumbs, so can't open the fridge (thank goodness!) or his treat bag, so he has to depend on us for food.  But, still - he's got it pretty good.

So may your day be as peaceful and happy as my dog's!  There are some fun promotions coming in August.  I'll post them for you this weekend.

Another 'Bot!

I saw this guy a bunch of times before I realized he had an ice pack on his head and his arm was missing.  (So why is the ice pack on his head when it's his arm that's broken?  I guess maybe the bad arm gave him a headache....)

This is a very simple little card, but it was fun!  I stamped the image with StazOn on Whisper White, then colored with Watercolor Pencils.  I blended the color with Sansodor and blending stumps, just to be different. 

The card stock is Real Red, Going Gray, Basic Gray and Whisper White, and I used Basic Gray to stamp the hardware on the Going Gray card stock.  The ribbon is Real Red wide grosgrain.  I cut a slice beside the image layer and brought the ribbon from the back layer to the front - not because I wanted to be clever, but because I forgot to add the ribbon before I attached the 'bot to the Going Gray layer.  As Shelley is always saying in workshops, "It's not a mistake; it's an opportunity for embellishment!"  I have lots of those opportunities!

Bleach: It's not just for whites any more!

Well, I guess for this card, it is for whites!  

I stamped the flowers on Creamy Caramel with StazOn, then bleached them, using an old blender pen to apply the bleach.  See the yellow stamens?  Or whatever the center thingies are? The bleach did that!  Everything I bleached on this piece of Creamy Caramel turned that pretty banana color.  I wanted the petals to be whiter, though, so first I used my watercolor pencils to color them (after the bleach dried, of course!), but that wasn't bold enough.  I squirted a little Whisper White craft refill onto an old Pringle's lid, then colored with a watercolor brush.  Just for fun, I embossed with clear powder after. 

I was really surprised that the bleach didn't bleach the outline.  I usually emboss the image which creates a little fence and protects the outline, but I just used StazOn this time (trusting Diana Gibbs not to let me down! - and she didn't!).  When I used Basic Black years and years ago, it just bleached out everything and I had little white-ish blobs all over the card stock.  Not pretty!  But StazOn works great.

The rest of the card is pretty simple - the card stock colors are Creamy Caramel, Barely Banana and Perfect Plum, and the brads are circle fire.  

Remember - if you're going to color the image after bleaching, be sure it's completely dry first.  A heat tool will speed up the process if you're not very patient.  Otherwise, the color will disappear!

Have an awesome day!

Crystal Birds

I held off buying the "Friends 24/7" set forever, then ordered it with free credits.  Why did I wait so long?  (Probably, as the little birdy said, "Cheap!  Cheap!"  I get it honestly, right, Dad??) 

I used the catalog sample for this set as the springboard.  Now that I look at the two side-by-side, though, they're nothing alike.  Oh, ok, the background is the same technique and they both use the scallop edge punch.

I love the Poppin' Pastels background.  It's very soft and "old brocade-y," I think.  And it looks much prettier in person.

Here's the complete list of supplies:
Stamp set:  Friends 24/7
Ink:  Classic Stampin' Pads - Brocade Blue, Mellow Moss, So Saffron, Basic Brown; Stampin' Pastels
Paper:  Very Vanilla, Brocade Blue
Accessories:  Scallop edge punch, scallop oval punch, wide oval punch, Crystal Effects (on flowers and bird), Dazzling Diamonds glitter, stampin' dimensionals, sponge daubers

Check out the "Deal of the Week" on the right side of the blog.  And don't forget - you, too, can be a Stampin' Up! demo and enjoy lots of rewards and benefits, and you can get started for only $85.  E-mail me for the password, and you can sign up online, right on my web site!

Have a great day!

Whatever I wear to work tomorrow......

....has to coordinate with Rich Razzleberry.  Here's why:

They really look a lot better here than in the first pictures I took.  I forgot to check to be sure the memory card was in the camera, and it wasn't; it was still in my laptop.  So....this is after many washings.  Looks like I've been cutting up plums!

So why are my fingers so inky?  Wellll.......I was thinking about techniques for Wednesday's Technique Class and decided the baby wipes technique would be fun.  So I made a little stamp pad out of a baby wipe and inked it with Rich Razzleberry, Crushed Curry and Melon Mambo refills.  After I had stamped several images, I still had a pretty inky palette, and being my mother's daughter, I couldn't just throw it away.  So I pounced it all over a half sheet of card stock for a cool background.  Here's how it all turned out:

The background kind of looks like a psychedelic dream, but I love the colors!  Here's the supply list:

Stamp Set:  Razzle Dazzle
Ink:  Rich Razzleberry Classic Stampin' Pad; Refills:  Rich Razzleberry, Melon Mambo, Crushed Curry
Paper:  Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry, Crushed Curry, Whisper White
Accessories:  Punches:  Modern Label, Scallop Oval, Eyelet Border; Stampin' Dimensionals, baby wipe

And here's good news--I made a bunch of cards today, so I should have a new project for you to look at every day this week!  Wooohoooo!  

Don't forget Technique class Wednesday, and the Deals of the Week!  I think the one coming up is the last. 

You can become a demonstrator for only $85 with the "mini starter kit" through the end of August. You get all the business items (order forms, catalogs, mini catalogs - beginning Aug. 1, postcards, etc.) plus 6 Classic Stampin' pads (the In Colors are recommended), assorted In Color  card stock (8 1/2" x 11"), and a pack of Whisper White card stock, plus the stamp set "For All You Do."  Just the stamps, ink and paper are valued at over $80, plus you get 8 catalogs, 8 minis (after Aug. 1), and all the other forms and supplies.  Of course, you can substitute any of the stamp pads, card stock and/or the stamp set for like items of equal or lesser price, and you can sign up on-line!  Just e-mail me for the password.

During the promotional period there will also be a standard Starter Kit incentive for new recruits who choose the standard Starter Kit instead of the Mini Starter Kit; new recruits who choose the standard Starter Kit will receive the following, along with the standard Starter Kit supplies:

• All six of the new In Color Classic Stampin' Pads
• One pack of In Color assorted card stock (8-1/2" x 11"

That's a value of over $43! 

Pink Bots and a Dorky Secret

Well, I did it without even trying.  I used all six In Colors on one card.  It wasn't a planned thing; it just sort of happened.

 I wanted to robot to be different - so here on my planet, they're pink (Melon Mambo, actually).  When I colored it, though, the eyes got lost, so I used brads for them.  It kind of reminds me of the robot (Number 4?) in "Short Circuit."  I wasn't really happy with how it turned out, so I just kept adding colors until it was ok with me.

So here's my dorky secret.  The main reason I got this set was for the binary stamp.  I'm not quite so dweeby as to figure out what the number is, though!  But it reminds me of one of Jonny's & my favorite jokes:  There are 10 types of people in the world - those who understand binary and those who don't.  (If you get it, you understand.)

Here's the supply list:
Stamp set:  Lots of Bots
Ink:  Jet Black StazOn; classic ink:  Soft Suede, Bermuda Bay; Stampin' Write Markers:  Melon Mambo, Bermuda Bay, Rich Razzleberry, Crushed Curry, Dusty Durango (just a little on the top, over the robot)
Paper:  Card Stock:  Crushed Curry, Bermuda Bay, Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry; Razzleberry Lemonade DSP
Accessories:  Whisper White grosgrain ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, Aqua Painter, 2-way glue pen, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, vintage brads

Have a great day!!

Razzle Dazzle Dreams

Here's another In Color special for you. 

 Stamp Set:  Razzle Dazzle
Ink:  Stampin' Write Markers:  Crushed Curry, Old Olive, Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry; Classic Stampin' Pads:  Rich Razzleberry, Crushed Curry, Melon Mambo
Paper:  Melon Mambo, Very Vanilla, Rich Razzleberry, Crushed Curry; Razzleberry Lemonade DSP
Accessories:  Punches:  Spiral, Modern Label, Scallop Oval, Wide Oval; Stampin' Sponges, Stampin' Dimensionals, Earth elements brads

I really like this one.  And the Razzle Dazzle stamp set coordinates really well with the designer series paper, don't you think?

That's it for today!  Don't forget the workshops Wednesday, July 15 and Sunday, July 19.  Both are at 3 p.m. in my studio.  We'll be using some new stamps and some old, and you'll have a lot of fun!  Be sure to RSVP so I'll have supplies for you.

And remember to check the "Deal of the Week" each Monday either on my web site or the top right column of the blog.  They change every Monday, so if you like something, be sure to order quickly!  They'll be on my blog in the afternoon, but should be on the web site as soon as the new "deal" is announced.

More New Stamp Sets!

My new stamps came Wednesday, and I didn't have time to play until today.  Sad, huh??

I dithered about this one.  I really like it, but had decided not to "pre-buy" any more hostess sets.  Now that they last a whole year instead of just six months, though....well, obviously, I gave in to the voices.

My first layer needs to be a little taller.  I think the crimped piece got stretched a little between the time I measured and the adhesive!

The images are stamped in StazOn on Whisper White, and I watercolored with stamp pads, markers and an aqua painter.  Then I used a VersaMarker and clear embossing powder over the flowers and dragonfly, and added glitter to the dragonfly with a 2-way glue pen.  Finally, I colored around the image (Bashful Blue and Crushed Curry) and then crimped.

After crimping, I sponged very lightly with Dusty Durango over the crimped "hills." 

Here's the complete list:
Stamp Set:  Asian Artistry
Ink:  Jet Black StazOn, Stampin' Write Markers:  Crushed Curry, Dusty Durango, Mellow Moss, Bermuda Bay, Soft Suede; Bashful Blue, Crushed Curry, Dusty Durango, Soft Suede Classic Stampin' Pads; VersaMarker
Paper:  Whisper White, Dusty Durango, Soft Suede, Bermuda Bay card stock; Razzleberry Lemonade DSP
Accessories:  Aqua Painter, clear embossing powder, crimper, ticket corner punch, 2-way glue pen, dazzling diamonds glitter, stampin' sponges, wide oval punch, scallop oval punch, heat tool, stampin' dimensionals

I have a couple other cards I made today, but I'm going to try to space them out.  Last week started off so well with several blog days in a row, but then I dropped the ball.  So maybe this week you'll have more to look at!!

Later!

Back in the ice cream....

Sock Monkey sure loves his ice cream!  That's probably why he's such a favorite around here.  I have three ice cream lovers (four, if you count the dog) in this house, so we have to hide it from the monkey.  He found the chocolate mocha, though.

This was my second attempt at the watercolor pencils/sansodor watercoloring technique.  I actually used the right paper this time, and, you know what?  It does make a difference!  The colors blend so much better on Whisper White paper.

Here's the supply list -
Stamp sets:  Sock Monkey, Sock Monkey Accessories
Ink:  Basic Gray, So Saffron classic; Watercolor pencils; Going Gray Stampin' Write Marker; VersaMarker
Paper:  So Saffron, Basic Gray, Basic Black, Whisper White card stock
Accessories:  Ticket corner punch, crimper, Photo Corners punch, Crystal Effects, Fine Supernova glitter, clear embossing powder, heat tool, Basic Black grosgrain
Non Su! - Blending Stumps, Sansodor

I also scored along the waffle lines on the ice cream cone, but you can't tell.

So, I'm off to see if Mr. Sock left any ice cream for me.  Starbucks Mocha Java Chip is my fave!

This is supposed to be a gift.....

I hate it when I make something to give away, and then I don't want to give it because I really like it.  Like this notebook.  (I'm a notebook junkie.)

This is one of the art journals in the Stampin' Up! catalog.  It's 5x5", and the perfect size for card sketches and notes.  But, alas....I have to give it away.  *sigh*

It's kind of a hodgepodge of techniques.  I knew I wanted to use Smackin' Acetate for the cover.  Here's how to do it:

Take a transparency sheet and scribble on it with markers.  I used Melon Mambo and Rich Razzleberry.  Then spritz it with water.  When the colors are melded like you want, smack your paper down in the mess.  It looks really neat, but it wasn't quite bold enough for me. So....

I took Melon Mambo and Rich Razzleberry refills and dripped them down into the schmutz on the paper.  Then  I dipped the card stock again.  I really like the "artsy" look with the blobs of ink.  I was going for more "kitch" than pretty. 

The flowers are stamped in StazOn on Whisper White card stock.  I used the Sansodor/Stump watercoloring on them with the Watercolor Pecils, but the background was so bold, they got lost.  So I recolored them with an aqua painter and ink pads.  (Melon Mambo and Rich Razzleberry)  Looking back, I'd use different colors, because now they kind of blend in with the background.  Although, they look a lot cooler in real life.  I'm actually happy with the way they look. 

I cut them out and embossed them with clear embossing powder. 

Here are the supplies:
Stamp Set:  Embrace Life
Ink:  Jet Black StazOn; Watercolor pencils; Classic pads, Stampin' Write Markers & Refills - Melon Mambo & Rich Razzleberry; VersaMark
Paper:  Rich Razzleberry, Melon Mambo (inside covers), Whisper White card stock
Accessories:  5x5" art journal, clear embossing powder, spiral punch, sticky strip, stampin' dimensionals, heat tool, aqua painter
Non SU!-Transparency sheet (yeah, I could have used one of our window sheets, but I really didn't want to waste one!), sansodor, blending stumps

Off to convince myself I don't really need another notebooki!!