My Attempt at Vintage

Okay, so I really love all the Vintage stuff that people create, but somehow never feel thrilled with how my attempts work out.  I decided to give it another go -- and here is what I came up with.  I was inspired by a beautiful project I saw on Stampin Connection by Andrea Brewster.

The Love Letter Designer paper, paired with the Newsprint DSP, makes for a winning combination, no matter what direction you choose to go.  I love how the Artisic Etchings stamp set matches the paper, so I created this little art journal using stamps and papers that match -- I always love that!  I used the Big Shot adhesive sheets to adhere the paper to the journal -- first cut your paper to the correct size -- for outside of covers, use a 6 x 6" square, and 5 1/8x5 1/8" square for the inside covers.  Apply your adhesive to your designer paper, punch your holes using the spiral border punch, push the paper over the spiral binding, remove the adhesive liner, and adhere to the chipboard -- using a bone folder to smooth it out perfectly, and wrap it around the edges to the inside so that the edges of your chipboard are covered.  Make sure to cut out a little square notch at the corners so it will fold smoothly to the inside of each cover.

 Inside front cover. 

Here is the back of the journal.
We will be making journals such as this one, at my upcoming Journals class on March 20th at 2 pm.  Everyone can choose their own papers, and can make their "journal" into a recipe book, art journal, baby book, Mother's Day gift -- or whatever else strikes their fancy!

Supplies List:
5x5 chipboard art journal
Love Letter and Newsprint DSP
Ink: Ridinghood Red, Black, Crumb Cake
Stamps: Artistic Etchings, Define your life
Decorative Label punch, small oval punch, spiral border punch
Big Shot and Fun Flowers Die
Vintage Brads
Big Shot Adhesive sheets

Pink Dogwoods Build a Blossom

A few weeks ago, I posted some photos of dogwood blossoms I made with the new Blossom Petals punch.  I planned to try it making pink dogwood flowers, but just now finally got around to it.  We will be doing a version of this card at my April stamping class -- for a Mother's Day card.  For this card, I first stamped a 1 1/4" strip of Regal Rose card stock, with the Flourish stamp ( a FREE stamp you can get during Sale-a-bration!) with Regal Rose ink.  I then fed that strip into my petals punch and punched out the short/fat petal.  I then stacked two petals together, snipped the "tails" off (only about 1/8"), turned the stack around and took a "bite" out of the tips with the small round punch from the Itty Bitty punch pack.  After making the petal tips brown with my Early Espresso marker, and curling each petal with my bone folder, I spritzed all the petals with Champagne shimmer mist (add Champagne shimmer paint to rubbing alcohol, shake well, and spritz liberally for lots of sparkle!)  Here is a link to the previous post with more details. http://stampedwithflair.blogspot.com/2011/01/design-contest-dogwood-build-blossom.html

The colors used in this card are: Early Espresso, Regal Rose, Pear Pizzazz, and Whisper White.

Happy stamping!

A Custom Etsy Order

Recently, I received a request in my etsy shop (www.stampedwithflair.etsy.com) to make some custom letters to match some "cloud blue" frames from Restoration Hardware, Baby.  I always love a challenge, and Bashful Blue seemed to be the closest match. She wanted chocolate accents and a slightly antiqued/roughened up look, so I used white craft ink around the edges of the letters and the "Sanded" background stamp to add a vintage touch to them.  I hope she likes them! :)

Frightfully Bright Blooms!

For those of you who follow my work, I'm not accustomed to using the really bright colors routinely, so this card was a stretch for me. :)  This the last of the 8 cards we are making at my SAB card buffet this weekend.  It features the little free ribbon and button pack Sale-a-bration item.  I LOVE that ribbon, and there are a lot of buttons so there's plenty left over for lots more projects.  The big flower is made using the new Fun Flowers die from the Occasions Mini.  I plan to work with this die a bit and come up with some more cute things.  One idea I have is to do a covered journals class and use this die with some of the Newsprint type designer papers to make a kind of vintage looking journal.  There are many possibilities! :)

Anyways, back to the card...  to make the stem, cut a 1/4" strip of olive card stock, run it through your crimper, and you have a cute stem that can be curved or bent however you like.  The "grass" is just a 1 1/2" strip of old olive that I used the Heart border punch to punch the edge of.  That's pretty much it -- a perfect little girl's birthday card!

Supplies list:
Card stock: Pacific Point, Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White, Old Olive
Ice Cream Parlor ribbon and button pack -- FREE Sale-a-bration item
crimper
Blossom Petals punch (for the leaf), Heart border punch
Big Shot + Fun Flowers die, and various embossing folders -- polka dotted, vintage wallpaper, square lattice, finial press

Eiffel Thanks

This is a simple card using the "Artistic Etchings" stamp set.  The saran wrap technique is used on the background -- around the tower -- loosely wad up a pc of saran wrap, and "pounce" it lightly on your ink pad (here Crumb Cake) and then onto your paper to make a textured, vintage looking background.  It's also a great way to create a "sky" using blue ink.

Supplies used:
Card stock: Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla
Stamps: Artistic Etchings, Perfect Punches
Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Early Esspresso
Accessories: Big Shot and Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, 1/8" Vanilla Tafetta ribbon
Punches: Scallop oval, wide oval, large scallop circle, corner rounder

Medallion Birthday

Here is another card we will be making at my upcoming card buffet next weekend.  The Medallion background stamp is great for making quick, yet beautiful cards.  As with any background stamp, the best way to get a perfect stamped image is to thoroughly ink up your stamp, lay it down -- face up -- on your work surface, position your card stock on top, then cover with a pc of scratch paper -- hold it firmly in place and rub over entire surface.

In real life, this card is super sparkly.  I used the two way glue pen to outline the entire edges of the large medallion and then added Dazzling Diamonds Glitter.  Love that glitter.  It goes on so evenly and has just the perfect blend of sparkles -- i.e. there aren't weird colors in the glitter that don't match the project like some other glitters out there.

The Rich Razzleberry color is such a beautiful color of purple.  Here, I've paired it with the Blushing Bride, which softens it a bit, I think.  The center punch out is a stamp from the Circle Circus stamp set.  And, of course, the Basic Pearls once again!  Elegant, easy embellishment -- and you get a LOT for your money!  Gotta love that!

Supplies List:
Card stock: Whisper White, Blushing Bride, Rich Razzleberry
Ink: Blushing Bride, Rich Razzleberry
Stamps: Medallion Background stamp, Perfect Punches, Circle Circus
Punches: Round Scallop punch, Decorative Label punch
Accessories: two way glue pen, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, 5/8" satin Rich Razzleberry ribbon, Perfect Pearls

Sunshine in February

If you're needing a little sunshine in your life right about now, this card will do it for you!  A super simple card featuring the stamp set, "Friends Never Fade" and the Greenhouse Gala Designer paper.  I'm generally not a huge fan of yellow, but the new color, Daffodil Delight, really does remind me of daffodils -- some of my most favorite spring time flowers.  I know it isn't spring YET, but none-the-less, I was wishing for some sunshine -- so here it is -- in the form of a card! :)

To make the center of the flower yellow, I used a sponge dauber to add just a little yellow.  Then, I used Crystal Effects on the center of the flower to give some dimension.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Daffodil Delight, Pear Pizzazz, Whisper White, Tangerine Tango, Greenhouse Gala DSP
Ink: Tangerine Tango, Daffodil Delight
Stamps: Friends Never Fade
Scallop trim border punch
Crystal Effects
sponge dauber
1/4" celery grossgrain ribbon

Blissful Elegance

Here is another simple card we will be making at my upcoming "Sale-a-bration card buffet".

The new, FREE, Sale-a-bration set called "Bliss", is simply -- elegant!  While I'm not generally inclined to use the word, "Bliss", on projects, the rest of this set is very versatile and easy to create with. This card is created entirely with this stamp set. That flourish stamped behind the butterfly is a great size -- not huge, but not tiny, either.  I know I will be reaching for this set for years to come.

My goal for this card, was to use a black and vanilla plus one neutral color scheme.  I used a strip of designer paper from the "Newsprint" series, and a piece of the croquet trim to tie it all together.  Add a couple of the basic pearls, (one of my most favorite new embellishments), and it's a perfect wedding or anniversary card!  Of course, the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder that I embossed the Sahara Sand background cardstock with, DEFINITELY makes the card as well.  LOVE that folder.  I reach for it all the time.

Supplies List:
Card stock: Sahara Sand, Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Newsprint DSP
Ink: Sahara Sand, Basic Black
Stamps: Bliss Sale-a-bration stamp set
Punches: ticket corner, scallop edge border, scallop oval, extra large oval
Big Shot plus Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder
5/8" Victoria crochet trim
basic pearls

Birthday Owl

This little owl is a stamp from the Free Sale-a-bration set called "Punch Bunch".  He is so cute and easy to stamp and quickly punch out.

 I used a 2" strip of some designer paper from the "Greenhouse Gala" series.  It's jut perfect to give some great pizzazz to this little birthday card.

Supplies list:
Card Stock: Pear Pizzazz, pumpkin pie, Early Espresso, Whisper White, Daffodil Delight, Greenhouse Gala DSP
Stamps: Punch Bunch, Short and sweet
Big Shot and Polka dotted and square lattice embossing folders
Punches: Dotted scallop border punch, modern label, 1 3/4" round circle, owl
Googly eyes

A Poppy For You!

Here is another of the cards we will be making at the "SAB card buffet".  It features the FREE Sale-a-bration stamp set -- "Punch Bunch".  I stamped the little poppy image in Certainly Celery ink, then again in Poppy Parade ink -- cut out the little poppies and added them with dimensionals.  Then, I stamped the background with the daisies image from Upsey Daisey stamp set.  Very simple card, but lots of color for winter!

Supplies:
Poppy Parade, Whisper White, and Pear Pizzazz card stock
Stamps: Punch Bunch, Upsey Daisey, Friends never fade
Basic Rhinestones
Poppy Parade ribbon
Scallop edge border punch
Round scallop circle punch

Ornate Blossom Beauty

I have been wanting this stamp -- Ornate Blossom -- every since I first saw it in the catalogue this year, and was thrilled when it showed up as a FREE Sale-a-bration stamp!  It is so elegant and easy to use in several different ways.  Here, I just plain stamped it -- but it looks awesome using the "kissing" technique, or colored with markers in contrasting colors, as well.

I love the fact that the Greenhouse Gala designer paper matches this stamp, as well as the "mini ornate blossom" from the "Friends Never Fade" stamp set -- I stamped the little blossom in Baja Breeze ink on the background of this card.  For that marvelous blue glitter around the circle, I used the Mono Tombo multi glue -- the stuff with the green lid -- put a little line of glue around the edge, and dumped the new Baja Breeze chunky glass glitter (from the new Occasions Mini) on it.  It really makes the central image POP!  LOVE IT!!! :)  I hope they make this glitter in lots more colors.  It's gorgeous and unique!

Supplies list:
Card stock colors: Baja Breeze, Whisper White, and Early Espresso
Stamps: Ornate Blossom, Friends Never Fade with Baja Breeze and Early Espresso ink
Big Shot and Scallop circle die, clear circle die
Early Espresso Satin ribbon
Greenhouse Gala designer paper
Basic rhinestones -- colored chocolate with a brown Sharpie
Baja Breeze chunky glass glitter

Sale-a-bration Card Buffet

It's Sale-a-bration time with Stampin' Up! -- a FREE stamp set, ribbon/button combo, MDS download, or chalkboard Decor Element with every $50 purchase!  And, yes, I just ordered a whole bunch of stuff because I really loved a lot of the free sets this year -- a better selection than we've had in a while, in my opinion. :)

So, what better way to celebrate than with a "card buffet"?  We are doing these 8 cards at my upcoming class on Feb 18th and 20th -- you can see all the class details on my meetup group site.  Here's the link -- http://www.meetup.com/Flathead-Valley-Stampers/events/16179645/  If you live in Kalispell, MT, then by all means, come and stamp with us! :)  And, if not, then draw some inspiration for some simple, yet elegant cards from my stash.  I tried to do a variety of colors and layouts.  Hope I succeeded.

Happy Stamping!