Simplified MOJO154 Easy Christmas Card

Still thinking about Stamp A Stack Possibilities, I thought the Mojo Monday sketch for this week could be neat as a simplified card.  It has a lot less layers than I would normally use but is perfect for making in assembly line fashion.  Cherry Cobbler and Always Artichoke are so rich for Christmas, and the Come to Bethlehem set is perfect with them.

Thinking about Christmas anyone?

I still have several more Stamp A Stack options to make, but I thought I'd go ahead and post this first one....

I like the O Come All Ye Faithful quote even if the music is well, something entirely different. :) I think this card would be fairly easy and has a nice pop of Christmas-y colors, Real Red, Very Vanilla, Certainly Celery and Basic Black.

Stampin' Addicts Holiday Mini Blog Hop 2010

Welcome Stamping Friends!

You've likely arrived from Sara's Ink Spot Blog where you enjoyed Sara's Fang-tastic projects with the Fang-tastic set! Should you get lost or want to chat about the blog hop, visit the Blog Hop Chat Thread on Stampin' Addicts for a list of all the participating blogs in order.

I'll be showing some of the fun things you can make with Stampin' Up!'s new Big Shot Candy Wrapper Die.

On the left is a Back To School or teacher appreciation gift using the apples from the Tart and Tangy set as well as the adorable school boy and girl from the Greeting Card Kids set in the big catalog. To make the hostess thank you candy wrapper on the right, I simply used the Greenhouse Gala Designer Series Paper with the Friends Never Fade Set. The new punches and dies really made these round tags quick and easy!

Halloween is looming on the horizon, so here is a sweet Halloween example using the Fang-tastic set.  You don't have to only make a wrapped candy shaped container. You can also make a few cuts and seal one end of the die into a flat bottom and leave the top open as shown in the Holiday Mini. To fill the mini bag, I made white chocolate covered (dyed orange, purple and green) pretzel stick Witches' Wands for extra fun.  Her wand is simply a piece strip of Certainly Celery cardstock with Dazzling Diamonds glitter on the end.  I paper-pieced her hat so that she would fit on the container with just a little out of the box, and the Rich Razzleberry 3/8 inch taffeta ribbon sweetens the pot. I love this set.

I love the way the peppermint striped paper design from the Candy Cane Christmas Designer Serier Paper makes the candy wrapper die remind me of a peppermint in fluffy, scrunchy cellophane.  Just add a cozy scarf-wrapped penguin tag from the Tag Alongs set and a quick Christmas treat is ready for giving!

For this next candy wrapper I imagined something one might give for a teacher gift with a few chocolate kisses inside.  How about a Christmas pin too? The Deck the Halls designer series paper and fabric with matching seam binding give us a variety of great Christmas craft possibilities. 

I used the small flower from the Island Floral Big Shot Die to cut three small-size poinsettia layers that are a nice small scale for a brooch. When combined with what I consider a poinsettia designer brad, they make a sweet pin (that I obviously think would look nice on a jean jacket). I edged one of the fabric poinsettia layers with a Real Red marker (Cherry Cobbler looks brown on the fabric) for added homespun appeal, but it certainly wouldn't have to be there if that isn't the look you are trying to attain.  The Cherry Cobbler cardstock circle can be a part of the pin or not...I'm going to let my Christmas Gift Class customers decide that for themselves.

Now it is time to click and continue to the NEXT STOP on our tour for Krystal's lovely display featuring the Paisley Prints set on Krystal's Cards and More.

   

Stampin' Addicts Holiday Mini Blog Hop Sneak Peek

Just a little sneak peek to remind you of the Stampin' Addicts Holiday Mini Blog Hop this weekend.....I've used the Candy Wrapper Die to create several things for the fall and winter.  Hop along between Noon on Friday through Midnight on Sunday to see a nice variety of projects and cards.

For this candy wrapper, I tied both the black 1/8 inch taffeta ribbon and the Old Olive 1/4 inch Grosgrain Ribbon on the ends.... A bit of the Wicked Fun DSP and we're set. I think this Jack-O'Lantern is much scarier looking than the rest of the Fangtastic set. I think he looks like he is hatching a truly evil scheme, but maybe, I'm just a suspicious person?

Stampin' Addicts Fourth Tuesday Fun Fold

An oldie but goodie for this month's Fun Fold Technique Challenge on Stampin' Addicts....the Criss Cross Card.....I think the Welcome Christmas Stamp made a decent batch of images for Criss Cross card....Designer series paper also really livens up this type card.  The rich Artichoke and Cherry Cobbler cardstock have matching Seam Binding Ribbon in the Holiday Mini Catalog which I really enjoyed using.

I encouraged everyone to be creative: leave off the belly band, add a medallion in the middle, whatever.  Also, if a stamper prefers, he or she can use two cardfronts size pieces of card stock, cut one on the diagonal and sticky strip them together.  I used the folded card style since to me it is easier.

1. Make a card base in typical 4-1/4" by 5-1/2" size.
2. Turn the card horizontally and so that the fold is at the bottom, and cut the front of the card from the top left to the bottom right in a diagonal (this is what suited my needs).
3. Flip the piece that has been cut off down to the bottom right corner. (You may choose to add a layer before gluing at the point.)
4. Use sticky strip to seal both edges of the card and a bit in the middle (being careful in the middle not to have any sticky strip that might catch on the pull out portion).
5. You may create a belly band for the card or not.
6. The base for the pull out portion of the card is 4-5/8" by 3-7/8".
7. Embellish and Stamp at will.

MOJO151 SACC62 Because I Care Mambo Hydrangea

Now that Stampin' Up! has the new colors available in pastels, I am excited to offer a Poppin' Pastels card for my class attendees.  You just stamp with Versamark and dab the pastels onto your image for a quick image that still has a variety of color and shade variation.  I sponged Early Espresso on all the edges and stamped the Teahouse background stamp (love this new background!) for added interest.

I used a Mojo Monday sketch (MOJO151) and the Stampin' Addicts Color Challenge for this card.  The colors were Pear Pizzazz, Melon Mambo and Tangerine Tango.  (I cheated just a bit on the Pear and used Certainly Celery and Old Olive Pastels since we don't have In Color Pastels. We were allowed to add the Early Espresso.)

SASC63 Stampin' Addicts Sketch challenge

I don't think I was supposed to flip the sketch to portrait, but I'd already made my card :).  I used the Level 1 Hostess Set Birthday Bakery for this fun (and I think gender neutral) confection. I love the bright colors with the bits of light colors in the sweets.  Easy as pie (or should I say cake?) for September 16th's Quick Chicks and Chocolate Class.

Stampin' Addicts Technique Challenge #65 Reverse Faux Letterpress

What a long name for this technique, huh?  It is really fairly simple, and I'd love for you to play! Here is a link to the thread on SA so that you can post there if you'd like to show off your creation: http://www.stampinaddicts.com/forums/technique-challenges/5954-technique-challenge-65-8-17-10-reverse-faux-letterpress.html

I was inspired by my friend Trina Caraway's recent Christmas card swap which was so pretty and came up with this card.  I used four types of ribbon on the card to create the look of Stampin' Addicts Sketch Challenge # 61, and it makes a nice sample of our ribbons for your customers too. 

Here is a quick little tutorial: The ink is applied to the texturz plate and instead of going out onto the embossed portion of the plate stays on the flat unembossed portion of the cardstock. I took a few pictures just to illustrate though they are likely not needed:

Step A:
Ink the texturz plate and place your cardstock on the plate.

Step B:

Cover the plate with typing paper and run through the Big Shot as usual.

Step C:

Remove your cardstock and admire your work.

Step D:

Finish your card.

Black Craft Embossed Watercoloring

Last month, we watercolored on regular Very Vanilla cardstock and only used Black StazOn to stamp our image.  It created a nice hazy look for the cowboy image. For September technique class on the 2nd, we will use Black Craft Ink and Clear Embossing Powder to create a crisp image on watercolor paper that keeps the bright colors bright.  You should try this watercoloring technique if you haven't.  It is so clean and makes it easy to color.  Class attendees, I will have the images embossed before class to save time for you.

I love this cute image!!  The designer series paper is from the In Colors hostess level 1 paper pack.  I think it really looks like pumpkin vine. I used the new Decorative Label punch from the Holiday Mini, as well as inking just the happy halloween 31 from a stamp in the dark and dreary set.  The bat punch, new black lace trim and a pumpkin pie button add some eye-catching accents.

Tuesday's Technique Challenge on Stampin' Addicts Use a Clear Block to Stamp

Rather than spend time sponging inside a square or rectangle for a focal point for your card, why not just stamp a rectangle with one of Stampin' Up!'s clear blocks?

I discovered this technique while perusing my downline Kris/Paper Fairy's convention swaps. She had a gorgeous card from Veronica Inouye. So I copied the contact information and emailed. Veronica's daughter, Lorene Inouye-Salvo help me to find the creative demonstrator who first thought of the technique, Sharon Field. Happily, Sharon agreed to be featured as a technique challenge on SA. Thanks so much for sharing Sharon!

For a complete tutorial and links to a variety of creative ideas using this technique, see Sharon's post about this technique on her blog: Created by You.

What a fun and simple technique! If you try it, be sure to upload to SA, so we can all see your card...here's a link: http://www.stampinaddicts.com/forums/technique-challenges/5888-technique-challenge-64-8-10-10-clear-block-stamping.html

Here's my simple "how to":

1. Ink your Clear Block onto the color of your choice. Veronica mentioned that you can drag it across the inkpad horizontally and vertically to create a near linen look for an alternative after original inking too!

2. Place a foam pad (either what comes with the mat pack or a child's foam sheet) under your cardstock.

3. Stamp your Clear Block onto your cardstock.

4. Stamp something else (image, sentiment or both) to finish your vignette.

Christmas Swaps

My daughter thinks it is crazy to make Christmas cards when it is 105 degrees outside, but we all know Christmas will be here before we know it!  I love the ideas I get from swapping with other demonstrators.  Here are two cards I swapped recently:

I had tried this in gold, but it was too thick for the fine image (for example the camel reins), so I used Elegant Eggplant Craft ink and iridescent ice embossing powder which I think looks great with the rich Concord Crush cardstock.

There is also iridescent ice embossing powder (IIEP) mixed with gold EP half and half on the sentiments.

This card is an update using the new Jolly Holiday designer series paper, Elegant Lines embossing folder and Scallop Dot Ribbon Border. With three of the small pearls, there is a lot of nice texture on this card.