Monthly Archives: July 2007

OK….I’m almost done with this Text Boxed stamp set….for a while anyways! 😉 I KNOW I’m going to pull this one out a lot in the future as well. I wanted to give the star image in this set a whirl. When I think of stars, I think of wishing and dreaming and so I thought this would make a neat graduation design. I had to show you two different photos. One to get the shine of the ink and the other to get the idea of the see-through vellum window. Now that I think of it, this design could be altered for anyone. After all….a girl’s got to have dreams, right?!

Starry Dream

To create this card, I started off with a top hinged 4.25 x 5.5″ black card base. I first stamped the faux ribbons across the design in Gold Brilliance ink. To plan the window, I then stamped my box onto the black cardstock. After stamping, I took my Perfect Layers tool and lined up the1/4″ mark with the edge of the stamping. I carefully cut a 1/4″ larger window out in this manner. ( I then discarded the black cut-out stamped box)

Quick Tip: Brilliance Inks by Tsukineko work great and dry quickly on vellum and cardstock.

On a generous piece of cardstock vellum, I then stamped the reverse star image again. I carefully trimmed a 1/2″ border around the image with my perfect layers tool. Using my xacto knife again, I cut out the stars for a peek-a-boo inside effect. The sentiment was then stamped onto the panel as well so that it would show up as part of the main detail.

To put it all together, I lined up my vellum over my window making sure all the borders were equal. I then stitched the vellum panel on top with my sewing machine. To finish it off, I stamped a trail of stars onto the black card. I had so much fun designing this card. I love the way the vellum window lights up when it is displayed. It is always great when you try something a little out of the box and it works! 🙂

Supply List:

Cardstock: Basic Black, Vellum – Stampin Up

Stamps: Text Boxed, Faux Ribbon – Papertrey Ink

Ink: Gold Brilliance, Black Stazon – Tsukineko

Other: Sewing machine, x-acto knife, Perfect Layers

So many birthdays in the house when you have a large family! My son David turned twelve last week! Can’t believe how fast the time flies by! I had made a different card for his birthday but my oldest son, told me it was wayyyy too young for him so I had to try again. I’m thinking this one turned out a little old but hey…he seemed to like it! Sigh…. they get grown-up, way  too quickly!

Starfish Birthday (click on pic to enlarge)

I pulled the color scheme of this card from some of my Scarlet’s Letter patterned paper from Basic Grey. I was digging through my stash, looking for some inspiration…not too much paper that works for masculine designs in there! When I found this Basic Grey paper, I was thrilled because it really works well! Distressed look, stripes, great masculine colors!

To create this design, I started off with a 5″ square card base of Buckaroo Blue (one of the 2006 SU In Colors) and layered it with the striped paper and a black mat. I just love acetate layers…they work on any card but especially well on masuline designs. I stamped the acetate sheet with my Black Stazon and the swirly starfish from Shore Thoughts by Lizzie Anne Designs. To attach it to my design, I decided to try out a different idea and to hand stitch it to my card base. I punched tiny holes into the cardstock using my paper piercer and mat pack and then stitched through them with linen thread. I love the contrast in textures this adds and it gives a subtle photo-corner look to frame the design.

For the main image, I stamped one of the shells stamps in Bordering Blue and then the sentiment. After sponging the edges, I matted the image and attached two little brads for embellishment.

David with his Ice Cream Cake

Now I haven’t forgotten that I promised train photos from Friday. I’ve been so swamped here that I haven’t been able to edit or resize them….but they are coming! 🙂 We had a wonderful day.

I just adore flowers…. You probably already know that by the amount of floral images you see in my designs. They are just so versatile, how can you resist flower stamps? I always think I have enough but, you know…. something really cute comes along and it somehow makes its way into my collection! 🙂

Thinking of You Floral Wheelbarrow

This little Floral Wheelbarrow stamp is from Gina K Designs. It is so cute, I just had to try it out with a shabby, warm soft of look. Because I’ve been working on so many blue or beach-themed designs, the pink floral was a fun change. I wanted to pair up this image with my Daisy D’s patterned paper…I’ve been using so much of this line…it is so flexible and easy to use! It is 12×12 paper but the scale is small and perfect for card designs!

For this design, I started out with my 5″ square kraft base and layered it with squares of the patterned paper. To add to my shabby look and define the edges, I sanded the edges of the floral paper. I love sanding paper! I also added a row of zig zag stitching to the top of my design. I used a printed twill ribbon for my sentiment and attached it at both ends withe eyelets set with my Crop-a-dile.

My main image is stamped onto Whisper White cardstock with Palette Noir ink. After watercoloring with my aquapainter and allowing to dry well, I sponged the edges with Close to Cocoa ink and adered these darling little pearls from Ellen Hutson for the flower centers. The final touch was to add a little piece of Hodgepodge Hardware to the top of the image and tie on a ribbon. I love Hodgepodge Hardware and purchased two sets of it two years ago. It REALLY does last a long time, even when you make as many projects as I do. I’m down to my least favorite pieces of the sets and now my goal is to find ways to use it up! 🙂 Hopefully I’ll be coming up with some new ways to use it over the next weeks.

Quick Tip: To keep loose hardware from shifting on  your design, apply a mini glue dot to the back before you attach with a brad. This works well for photo anchors or larger pieces.

Supply List:

Cardstock: Kraft, Whisper White

Patterned Paper: Daisy D’s

Stamps: Flower Wagon – Gina K Designs

Ink: Close to Cocoa, Regal Rose, Certainly Celery – Stampin Up, Palette Noir – Stewart Superior

Other: Hodgepodge Hardware, ribbon – Stampin Up, sewing machine, twill ribbon – Creative Impressions, pink pearl stickers, eyelets – Making Memories, Crop-a-dile – We R Memory Keepers

I like Saturday designs to be quick and easy. It is always a nice break for a busy day and really, you don’t need complex designs every card you create! I decided to use this little dress stamp from A Muse for today’s design. It is so cute and flirty and paired up with a little Tres Jolie paper from My Mind’s Eye, it is all you need!

Dotted Dress Design

I found a few scraps of this Tres Jolie paper and put them to good use. The polka dots were the perfect scale for this little dress. A larger pattern would have been overwhelming. I also used lots of empty design space in the image box to keep it nice and clean. Empty space can work well in a design, just don’t be afraid to use it.

To create this design, simply stamp your image onto the vanilla paper and then onto the patterned paper. Trim out the patterned dress carefully and adhere on top of design on cardstock. Stamp sentiment and mat image layer. The striped paper was then trimmed to fit and the edge scalloped with my small corner rounder. Adhere striped paper and punch with crop-a-dile. I also shortened the front panel by 1/2″ so that the back panel peeks out at the side. 🙂 A little Prima and brad finish it off! Quick and cute!

Supply List:

Cardstock: Soft Sky, Very Vanilla, Blue – Stampin up

Patterned Paper: Tres Jolie line – My Mind’s Eye

Stamps: A Muse Art Stamps, Simply Sentiments – Lizzie Anne Designs

Ink: Palette Noir – Stewart Superior

Other; Brad – Making Memories, small corner round – EK Success, Prima flower, Crop-a-dile – We R Memory Keepers