Monthly Archives: April 2009

I love white. It’s so clean and fresh and the possibilities are pretty much limitless. Think about it. White cardstock is a staple in your craft supply. Often though, we limit ourselves by only using it to stamp on a sentiment. Today I’m challenging you to find ways to use only white cardstock. You can alter it or go clean and simple. Stamp on it, or not. And extra brownie points if you use some white embellishments. 🙂 I know you don’t see too many white embellishments in this design but check out the Prima flowers. They were white and I altered them.  Check out the challenge here…

Once in a While

To create my own custom background, I stamped the Double Damask Backgrounder onto white cardstock with Versamark ink and then embossed with clear embossing powder. The embossing powder will resist waterbased product and show the white paper underneath. To create a beautiful shimmery background, I sprayed the layer with two coordinating colors of Glimmer Mist. I love the subtle variations. You can see the exact colors of the Glimmer Mist if you take a look at the altered flowers. I sprayed one flower with one bottle and the second with another. Glimmer Mist can be a little messy but it’s oh soooo pretty! I’ve just put more colors on my list.

To create the sentiment panel, I stamped the main sentiment in Black Memento Ink and a very subtle “sub-title”, Once Upon a Time in Aqua Adirondack ink. Stamping the word over and over fills in the layer and adds interest.

Quick Tip: Glimmer Mist is a dye based shimmer spray. It’s great for spraying on many different kinds of surfaces. Try spraying it on cardstock and embellishments for a custom matching look.

Happy stamping and have fun with the challenge!

Supply List:
Stamps: Double Damask Backgrounder by Cornish Heritage Farms
Wedding Centers (MLM line) by Cornish Heritage Farms
Once Upon a Time stamp from Story Book stamp set (The Rumage Bin line) by Cornish Heritage Farms
Ink: Black Memento Ink & Versamark by Tsukineko, Aqua Adirondack ink by Ranger
Paper: Simply Smooth White cardstock
Other: buttons by Autumn Leaves, grungeboard and White Distress Crackle Paint by Ranger, glimmer mist

I mentioned yesterday how addicted to Fine Gingham I was. Today’s design uses another stamp set that I just keep coming back to… Kim Hughes’ Collage Elements. I love all the elements  but the one I just can’t keep from putting on every design is the friend definition stamp. I’ve also been having fun incorporating chipboard letters into some designs. Of course, Cosmo Cricket always has really “yummy” paper. The colors are so fab!

Friendship Wish

Quick Tip: Double-sided patterned paper is a lot of fun to work with. It’s a little more expensive but the options for each piece of paper, not to mention how well it coordinates makes it a good investment.

Wishing you joy!

Supply List:

Stamps: Collage Elements 1 (Kim Hughes line) by Cornish Heritage Farms
Ink: Black Memento by Tsukineko, Espresso, Lettuce, Aqua Adirondack inks by Ranger
Paper: Kraft cardstock by Prism, patterned paper by Cosmo Cricket
Other: 1 3/8″ circle punch, stapler, ribbon by Prima, rhinestones by MAMBI, chipboard

I love gingham. It’s one of those great classic patterns that you can use for so many things. It’s pretty in pink for a girlie card. Sweet in pastels for a baby. Ready for a picnic in red. Fresh for spring in green. In brown on Kraft it makes a great masculine texture. I love how it mixes up with almost any other print and looks great in a vintage look as well as current trends. CHF has a new Fine Gingham Backgrounder that I just can’t seem to put down. Want to know how addicted I am to it? I’ve already made SEVEN cards with it. Seven. Here’s a couple to share with you today…

Gingham Friend

It’s been a long time since I created a pocket card. This one is super easy. Just a half a sheet of cardstock cut vertically, folded and then the top folded to the front. Inside I glued the edges with some strong adhesive and then tucked a little stamped insert inside. Fun !

Supply List:
Stamps: Fine Gingham Backgrounder by Cornish Heritage Farms
Ornamental Beauty (The Rummage bin line) by Cornish Heritage Farms
Ornamental Borders Scrapblock by Cornish Heritage Farms
Ink: Black Memento by Tsukineko, pink Adirondack by Ranger
Paper: Simply Smooth white cardstock by Prism
Other: flowers by Prima, felt button, ribbon by Making Memories

Fresh Gingham

Of course, I just had to stamp the Fine Gingham Backgrounder with white pigment ink onto Kraft cardstock. I just adore this look. This card is so ultra-simple but so fun and fresh for spring.

Supply List:
Stamps: Fine Gingham Backgrounder by Cornish Heritage Farms
Ornamental Beauty (The Rummage bin line) by Cornish Heritage Farms
Ink: Black Memento by Tsukineko, White pigment ink by Colorbox.
Paper: Kraft & Simply Smooth white cardstock by Prism
Other: flower by Prima, brads by Making Memories

Quick Tip: Try stamping background stamps with different inks and on different papers. It can really vary the look making background stamps a great resource.

Have a fabulous day!

 If you’ve had children for any length of time, I’m sure you’re like me and wonder how on earth they can be sooo unappreciative some days.In fact, it seems to me that they all get together and plan it. Today, let’s be extremely selfish and ungrateful to see how much mom will take. Of course…I’m sure they don’t but it does seem that way sometimes. Actually, I have really good kids and they’re just being kids right? I have to admit that I never understood the true unselfish love my parents had for me until I became a mother myself. I appreciate it more and more as the days go by. With age comes wisdom, right? I’m so glad that I took the opportunity to thank my mom before she passed away.

I love this sentiment that is part of the new Father’s Day Centers set. I paired it up with some sweet Jenni Bowlin mini papers and the darling Tree Swallows stamp. I thought this darling pair of birds would be a pretty addition and if you use your imagination…they must be parents too, right? 🙂

The Love of Our Parents

Quick Tip: I stamped my sentiment onto white cardstock but it didn’t go with the rest of the design on more natural colored papers.  To quickly solve this problem, I lightly rubbed some distress ink over it to make it coordinate better.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supply List:

Stamps:
Father’s Day Centers (Mona Lisa Moments line) by Cornish Heritage Farms
Tree Swallows (April SOTM) by Cornish Heritage Farms
Paper: Natural Smooth by Prism
mini papers by Jenni Bowlin
Ink: Black Memento by Tsukineko, Latte by Ranger
Other: Prima Voila felt die cut, ribbon by May Arts, Stapler

I guess today’s design isn’t THE most simple design I’ve created but using a sketch REALLY makes things simple when designing. I love how it simplifies the thought process. This design uses this week’s CPS 111  sketch and I really enjoyed finding some time to play with one again. It’s also Earth Day so I’m doing a little easy recycling by using this cardboard as part of the design. It was some wrapping that came around one of my new computer parts and I snagged it up in a hurry before someone could toss it. I love the texture it adds and texture is one of my favorite ways of adding interest to masculine card designs.

Father… a special blessing

This design uses the just released Father’s Day Centers set from the Mona Lisa Moments line. I love all the sayings and with Father’s Day, as well as my dad’s birthday coming up, I’m sure to put them to good use. You can also see a hint of a new Backgrounder stamp, Fine Gingham stamped on top of the patterned paper. I used a very subtle New Sprout Memento ink to add a hint of pattern. I hope you’re not tired of seeing bits and pieces of Ornamental Beauty still but I couldn’t resist adding an elegant flourish to the corner of the design.

Have a simply wonderful day!

Stamps:
Fine Gingham Backgrounder by Cornish Heritage Farms
Father’s Day Centers by Cornish Heritage Farms
Ornamental Beauty (The Rummage bin) By Cornish Heritage Farms
Ink; Black & RIch Cocoa & New Sprout Memento Ink by Tsukineko
Paper: corrogated cardboard, Natural Smooth cardstock, Basic Grey 6×6 paper pad
Other: ribbon, twill, buttons by AUtumn Leaves, twine