Favourite Swaps from the Stampin' Up! Melbourne Regionals 2011

Since I posted my swap for the Melbourne Regionals yesterday, I thought that I had better follow it up today with 2 of my very favourite swaps that I received that day. My top most favourite was created by demonstrator, Rachael Hecker and the second one was from a guest of hers, Kylie Slane. Here they are:

Favourite #1 by Rachael Hecker

The photo doesn't do it real justice but I can tell you that this card looks quite pearlescent. The white-ish parts were done in Frost White Shimmer Paint giving it a Mother of Pearl look - very elegant card.

project recipe
stamps: Established Elegance (WM 124966, CM 122532)
ink: Classic Stampin' Pad - Crumb Cake (121030), Jet Black Staz On (101406)
card stock: Basic Black (121688), Glossy White (106555)

tools: Big Shot (113439), Framed Tulips Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (121809), Top Note Bigz Die (113463), Brayer (102395), Boho Blossoms Punch (119858), 1 1/4" Circle Punch (119861), 1 3/8" Circle Punch (119860)
the added pizzaz: Basic Pearls (119247), Frost White Shimmer Paint (116854), Victorian Crochet Trim (118481), 3/8" Black Taffeta Ribbon (119962)

Favourite #2 by Kylie Slane (guest)

This is yet another elegant card. I don't possess the Established Elegance stamp set as I don't normally create vintage style cards. However, I do love Rachael and Kylie's card swaps.

project recipe
stamps: Established Elegance (WM 124966, CM 122532), Parlour Prints (WM 125026), Perfectly Penned (WM 125014, CM 122892), Music Notes Standard Wheel (120327)
ink: Classic Stampin' Pad - Soft Suede (115657), Crumb Cake (121030), Cherry Cobbler (119669)
card stock: Soft Suede (119982), Crumb Cake (121685), Cherry Cobbler (121681), Very Vanilla (106550)

tools: Big Shot (113439), Designer Frames Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (123130), Standard Stampin' Around Handle (102971), Brayer (102395), Large Oval Punch (119855), XL Oval Punch (119859), Decorative Lable Punch (120907)
the added pizzaz: Chantilly Crochet Trim (118480), Crumb Seam Binding Ribbon (122332), Stampin' Sponges (101610)

Hope you enjoyed these 2 favourites of mine.

xxx

Stampin' Up! Melbourne Regionals 2011 - Butterfly Surprise

Aside from an annual Australian/New Zealand Convention, each state hosts at least one Regional event per year. I attended my 2nd Regional event in mid-November and this year, I managed to create 25 swap cards compared to only 7 that I did last year. I got the idea for my swap from something that one of my sons did at school and a book I browsed through at Lincraft, combined the 2 ideas using Stampin' Up! products and thus achieved my swaps for this year. What do you think?

project recipe
stamps: Creative Elements (WM 124956, CM120647), Teeny Tiny Sentiments (WM 119185, CM 120024)
ink: Classic Stampin' Pad - Calypso Coral (122939), Lucky Limeade (122935)
card stock: Calypso Coral (124392), Whisper White (106549)

tools: Word Window Punch (119857), Owl Builder Punch (118074) for the medium size circle, Handheld 1/16" Circle Punch, Big Shot (113439), Beautiful Wings(118138), Top Note Bigz Die (113463), Stamp-a-ma-jig (101049), Circle Scissor Plus (112530), Circle Scissor Plus Glass Mat (112531)
the added pizzaz: Gold Brads (104337) or Silver Mini Brads (122941), Blender Pen (102845), Stamping Sponges (101610), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), 2-way Glue Pen (100425), White Baker's Twine (124262) or thin non SU gold cord

cardessence photo tutorial

 Photo 1

• Use Circle Scissor Plus to cut out 2 pieces of 3" Whisper White card stock;
• Stamp images as per photo 1 & 2 (below).
• Sponge edges as per this photo.

Note: I stamped this piece on both sides but only sponged the top side. Reason: so that when it is stretched out, this piece is patterned  on the top and underneath - not a necessary step but a matter of preference.   



Photo 2

• Stamp, punch, colour in with a blender pen, die cut, sponge to obtain all the pieces in this photo;
• Trim the 3" WW circle piece so that it's a fraction smaller - don't worry that it's not a perfect circle as the top piece will hide the uneveness;
• Use dimensionals to adhere the sentiment;
• Use a brad to affix the butterfly layers in place on the circle piece; lastly
• Adhere them to the Top Note die cut piece.

  

Photo 3

•  Fold the first (top) piece into quarters.











Photo 4

• Use a sharp pair of paper snips and cut in an arc from alternate ends as shown in this photo.

Photo 5

• Unfold gently and assemble as per main (finished) photo.

I hope that this tutorial is easy to follow as it's my first photo tutorial. Let me know if you like this form of tactile greeting card/bauble.

Bye for now,





Creative Elements Party

As I mentioned before, September & October are very busy months for me each year. September also coincides with the release of the new Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalogue every year. Hence, I think that I'll always be late having my annual SU IB & C party as I only managed to hold my party on 22 October. Be that as it may, better late than never.

For this year's IB & C party, the lovely people who came got to play with the Creative Elements stamp set. Many of them groaned about having to cut flowers and a butterfly out but I was gleefully unapologetic. We had a lovely afternoon and at times, the silence was deafening as they concentrated on their Make & Take task. Here it is.

 project recipe
stamps: Creative Elements (WM 124956, CM120647), Teeny Tiny Sentiments (WM 119185, CM 120024)
ink: Classic Stampin' Pad - Poppy Parade (119782), Pool Party (122938), Island Indigo (122937), Stampin' Write Marker - Poppy Parade (119801)
card stock: Poppy Parade (121694), Pool Party (124398), Whisper White (106549)

tools: Scallop Trim Border Punch (118402), Big Shot (113439), Square Lattice Textured Embossing Folder (119976), Stamp-a-ma-jig (101049),
the added pizzaz: Blender Pen (102845), Dazzling Diamonds (102023), Sponge Daubers (102892), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), 2-way Glue Pen (100425)

cardessence tips

• stamp the flower 3 times on WW card stock and cut out in 3 layers to get the 3 different flower sizes;
• for the 2 toned butterfly, I first inked it with Pool Party (always the lighter colour first) and then "rocked n rolled" it in Poppy Parade before stamping;
• don't forget to leave a thin white border when you cut out the flowers and butterfly as this technique will preserve the edges of your stamped images;
• stamp and colour your background piece before running it through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice embossing folder;
• depending on which look you like, you can daub the edges either before or after dry embossing (before embossing = soft edges, after embossing = worn look);
• I like my images precise and centred properly so I used the Stamp-a-ma-jig (SAMJ) to stamp the frame and sentiment.

Well, that's your lot for today, TTFN

An Angry Bird-day

Is there anyone out there who doesn't love Angry Birds? My second son is crazy about them and I used this as inspiration for his birthday card this year. This is a fun and easy card to construct but you do need lots of circle punches.

project recipe
stamps: retired stamp sets -  Wonderful Favourites, Happy Moments (SAB 2010), Tropical Party (2010-2011 Summer Mini Catalogue)
ink: Classic Stampin' Pad - Pool Party (122938), Real Red (103133), Old Olive (102277), Stampin' Write Marker - Basic Black (100082)
card stock: Pool Party (124398), Real Red (106578), Tempting Turquoise (108598), Daffodil Delight (121680), More Mustard (106569), Basic Black (121688), Basic Grey (121689), Whisper White (106549)

tools: 1/2" (1.3mm) Circle Punch (119869), 1" (2.5mm) Circle Punch (119868), 1-1/4" (3.2mm) Circle Punch (119861), Owl Builder Punch (118074), Cupcake Builder Punch (121807) Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack, Large Oval Punch (119855), non SU flower punch (for tail)

the added pizzaz: Aqua Painters (103954), Sponge Daubers (102892), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), Multipurpose Liquid Glue (110755), 2-way Glue Pen (100425)

cardessence tips

• along with the circle punches, I used the Owl Builder, Itty Bitty Shapes and Cupcake Builder punches to obtain the circle punch outs for the bird shapes and to build their eyes;
• use the L Oval Punch for the white bird and trim to shape - sand the trimmed edges to round off;
• cut out an equilateral triangle for the yellow bird - trim the corners and sand to round off the corners;
• the best way to achieve the non circular eyes, first punch a cresent shape on WW card stock before punching out; stick this WW piece on to BB card stock and repeat the process; this process is easier than trying to adhere and match the pieces after punching out every piece;
• I used the top of the Cupcake Builder punch piece to sponge cloud shapes with Pool Party ink on the large WW base;
• I stamped "son" and "happy birthday" on to WW, punched it out with the Cupcake builder punch and sponged the edges;
• cut out all the pieces by hand including the tails if you don't have a small flower punch in that shape;
• to make it all "POP", adhere the completed birds with dimensionals.

Have a punching good time

Grunge Rocker Son

It's been a while since I posted. September and October are always busy months in my household. There's Father's Day, both my sons had birthdays as well as the school holidays. Anyway, here's the birthday card I made for my eldest son who celebrated his 10th birthday in early September. My son loves playing the guitar and I used it as the theme for his card with the Grunge Rock stamp set. This beautiful set is ideal for both feminine and masculine cards, scrapbook pages and 3D paper projects.

project recipe
stamps: Grunge Rock (WM 122055, CM120555), Wonderful Favourites (retired)
ink: Classic Stampin' Pad - Pool Party (122938), Island Indigo (122937)

card stock: Pool Party (124398), Island Indigo (124390), Whisper White (106549)

tools: 1/2" (1.3mm) Circle Punch (119869), 1-1/4" (3.2mm) Circle Punch (119861), 1-3/8" (3.5mm) Circle Punch (119860), Owl Builder Punch (118074), Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (117335)

the added pizzaz: Rhinestones (119246), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

cardessence tips

There are no tricky techniques to this card hence, I only have two tips to share with you.

• to achieve a very light background on the WW base, ink up the stamp with PP and lightly stamp off on scrap paper before stamping on the WW base.
• cut out the guitars before mounting them, the punched out and matted crown and son images with dimensionals.

Thanks for looking but do come back again to see the birthday card I made my youngest son.