Hi! Apparently I haven’t posted on the blog in a little while….oops! Here I am, asking for forgiveness by sharing this Ornate Garden Thank You Card. It’s made using the Early AccessOrnate Garden Suite of products that will be coming in the 2020-2021 Stampin’ Up! Annual Catalogue.
It probably would would have been more appropriate to use the Ornate Garden Specialty Designer Series Paper…but in my defense, I really like the Parisian Blossoms paper. It is okay to mix and match suites of products to come up with something you like! In all reality, though, I think it’s because I had pulled out a few sheets to look at, and then moved everything to one side to clear a spot so I could work on a card design, and just grabbed a sheet that caught my eye. This is what happens when you tend to create in chaos, and are living through a pandemic that tends to sap your energy and mojo. Is it just me??!! Well, that’s my excuse, and I’m sticking with it.
Stampers Club is moving online this month. We usually get to meet in person and craft, but this month we’ll be meeting virtually, but still crafting together! If all goes well, I’m hoping to offer this format for future Monthly Card Classes as well. Club members (and some of my demonstrator group “Eh” Team members) are going to be the test run. Wish us luck! New club members can start their six month membership at any club meeting, so if you’re interested in joining us, you can message me for information, or see the description on the YamStamps Events Page.
The YamStamps Newsletter is out tomorrow, so if you’re subscribed, watch for it around 1pm Eastern! Just like the Ornate Garden Thank You Card says – thank you for making my day by stopping by!
I love Stampin’ Up!’s Parisian Dies! I used them to make this Eiffel Tower Thank You Card.
I had the great good fortune to be able to travel to France last June, so had the opportunity to see the tower in person. We only had a few hours, so I ended up choosing to wander around (okay, actually walk purposefully since our time was limited LOL) Paris and see as much as possible, rather than climb the stairs of the Tower. Maybe my next trip to Paris?!!
cheesy tourist shot at the Eiffel Tower!
There’s actually NO stamping involved in this card! It’s just ink and die cuts. I chose Gold Foil Sheets for the die cut tower and word (don’t lose the dot for the “i” when you’re doing this one), and then just sponged inked onto a strip of cardstock. You can choose whatever colours you like -so you could mass produce this card but have a number of different “looks”! If you are subscribed to the YamStamps Newsletter, you should have received a tutorial video showing a similar card and technique when you signed up.
We can’t travel right now, but we can still at least make cards and scrapbook pages that celebrate it – like this Eiffel Tower Thank You Card. My staycation is over so I don’t have quite as much time to spend in my craft room, but I’ll be trying to make a point of doing so because it’s a great break from the craziness of everyday life right now. I hope to get onto another Facebook Live in the next while, so be sure to like and follow the YamStamps Page to be notified when it happens! In the meantime, I hope that you are staying healthy and finding the chance to be creative.
Why is it that “springing forward” means I often will not have a spring in my step for the first few days?! Anyway – here’s a die cut poppy card to brighten your day, and here’s hoping you’re not as discombobulated as me today.
This card was less fussy to produce than you might think….really. The poppy background flower and detail die from the Poppy Moments Dies were both cut from Poppy Parade cardstock (because why think so hard when it’s given to you like that?!). To make the detail die cut stand out just a little bit, I sponged Poppy Parade ink onto it – it’s amazing how it just gives a little bit more depth to the cardstock colour and makes it distinctive but not distracting. I did the same for the leaves in Old Olive. To keep everything cohesive, I stamped the sentiment from So Sentimental onto one of the die cut leaves in Tuxedo Black Memento Ink. The Tufted 3D Embossing Folder adds a bit more interest to the background, again without being too distracting.
To add the detail die cut on top of the background, I typically either use dots of the Multipurpose Liquid Glue in strategic spots (usually where the die cut is larger, because I’m messy…) or pick up some of the glue with a bit of a Stamping Sponge and dab it on the back of the die cut. I also work on top of one of the silicone craft sheets so 1) my die cut doesn’t get stuck down before I even get it onto the piece and 2) I don’t have a super sticky work surface afterward so everything else gets stuck down too.
Time is running out on Sale-a-Bration – it will end on March 31st, but remember that the freebies are also “while supplies last”. Three rewards are already gone forever – Golden Honey Designer Series Paper, Metallic Baker’s Twine & Sequins Combo, and the Kerchief Card Kit (see photos on the YamStamps Facebook Page in this post). Be sure to grab the rewards you want before they’re gone! Contact me if you have any questions or need assistance placing an order. Otherwise, you can shop online in the YamStamps Online Stampin’ Up! Canada store – shortcut yamstamps.com/shop.
I’m off to do work on an online class that I’m hoping to launch in the next few weeks, so stay tuned! I might also need to take a nap as well. What time is it? Enjoy the die cut poppy card in the meantime while I figure out which way is up.
Today I’m sharing this inlaid die cut card…with a twist. Literally. I think I’ve shared other examples of inlaid die cuts – where you die cut a word or shape, and then inlay the same die cut in a contrasting colour. This time, I die cut the Designer Series Paper and gave it a quarter turn (or maybe it was a half turn….) before adhering it into place. I love how it gives a little more interest to the background but doesn’t totally draw your eye away from the cute taco image!
True confession – I didn’t think I actually “needed” the Witty-cisms stamp set from the Jan-June Mini Catalogue that’s featured in this card, but it’s been one of my favourites! I think part of what I like is that the images aren’t super huge, so they’re quick and fun to colour. This image was coloured with Stampin’ Blends and I always feel artistic when I colour with the alcohol markers. I love how there’s no streaks or lines, and the shading blends in so well. I have used other alcohol markers in the past as well (still have a few in my craft room) but what I love about the Stampin’ Blends is the easy coordination. There’s a light and dark version of the same colour, and it’s matched with the Stampin’ Up! colour families. If I recall correctly, it’s light and dark Mango Melody on the taco shell (which coordinates with the backing cardstock) and Light Granny Apple Green for the lettuce portion, which coordinates with the Granny Apple Green Cardstock around the image. The Designer Series Paper is the ever so cute Birthday Bonanza.
So I die cut a Layering Circle out of the Designer Series Paper, and adhered the piece with the hole onto the cardstock. I adhered the die cut circle back into that hole, but turned it so the pattern did not line up. I think this technique works best with a stripe or more plain directional image. Easy Peasy!
Come to a card class or join Stampers Club if you want to pick up other fun crafting tips and techniques just like this Inlaid Die Cut Card! See the upcoming dates on the YamStamps Events Page, and contact me to reserve a spot or to ask questions.
PS I am totally realizing now that I should have saved this card for a Tuesday post. *sigh* (well, maybe I’ll share it to the YamStamps Facebook Page on Tuesday!)
This Birthday Cake Card is today’s clean and simple card. Quick and easy to help someone celebrate!
This card is made even easier by lining everything up with the Stamparatus. If you’ve been following this YamStamps Blog for a while or have attended a class with me, you’ll realize that the larger oval is cut from the centre of the backing Night of Navy Cardstock. I used the Country Club Designer Series Paper for the background – using the argyle side rather than the obvious golf side. The main image on this card is actually three different stamps – the cake stand and outline of candles were stamped in Smoky Slate, and the cake was stamped in Early Espresso. I lined everything up on the Stamparatus so that it was easy to reproduce.
If you’re making multiples – and die cutting the stamped image, the easy technique is to line your stamps up on your Stamparatus. Place your cardstock in the corner of the Stamparatus, and stamp it. Remove the cardstock from the Stamparatus, then die cut with a Layering Oval die. Place the piece of cardstock (the one with the hole in it) back into the corner of the Stamparatus, and use that as your template/guide. For the next images, die cut the oval first, then place it in the hole in the cardstock in the Stamparatus so that your images will be in the right spot. Clear as mud? Check out this video I have on the YamStamps Facebook Page to see this technique in action. Oh – and don’t be like me in the video – place the magnet over a corner of the die cut shape so it doesn’t move…LOL.
Quick and Easy, Clean and Simple – this birthday cake card will be sure to please the recipient, and you’ll be able to whip one up at the last minute and still have time and energy to enjoy the celebration!
I am calling this a Die Cut Double Time Stamping Card….only because I don’t know how else to describe it. Many years ago I did a triple time card – you can see that old post here which is where you layer pieces of card stock and stamp on them at the same time to make a continuous pattern. (You can see a super old video tutorial I did here).
This is a variation on that technique – and it’s even easier!
This card uses the Positive Thoughts stamp set – I love this sentiment. It’s perfect for so many card-sending occasions (including non-occasions!). On this card it’s combined with the Stitched Nested Labels Dies. The sentiment and images are stamped first, then the centre area cut out with the smaller Stitched Nested Label Die first, then again with the larger nested label. The Mossy Meadow cardstock is cut with the same larger nested label die – this way, when the card is assembled, the additional row of stitching around the edge of the stamped cardstock shows around centre portion.
I’m planning on doing a Facebook Live showing the construction of this card, so be sure to “like” and “follow all notifications” for the YamStamps Facebook Page to be notified when I go live.
I love the effect of this technique, so call it a Die Cut Double Time Stamping Card, or call it what you will, it’s a great way to add interest quickly and easily to your handmade creations!
