UFO, Bonus Crafting Tool, Fun Electric Die Cutting Technique

I finally got around to applying Distress Ink (Faded Jeans) to this cardstock I "kiss-cut" (just cut the surface of the paper, in this case with my Cricut Expression 2 with the Gypsy set at 2).  Since I didn't have an applicator for this color, I used the little foamy bit that comes in every package of Tim Holtz Embossing Folders. It doesn't work the same as a dauber, but I liked the effect. The cuts really stood out when the ink is on them. The coloring on the side of the foam is from an experiment where I wrote backwards and then stamped it on paper. It worked well, but I'm not sure why it would be an advantage over just coloring lol. Still fun to try and it does produce a different effect than writing normally (because I wrote backwards).

Final steps, spritzed with water and then dried with my Heat It. It doesn't have a designated purpose yet, but at least the ink is on it : D.

Make It Monday #174 Diamond Wallpaper Stamping

The Diamond Wallpaper stamping was a bit of a challenge until I remembered that I had a long straight line stamp in my Kitchen Sink Plaid stamp set (stamped in Black Soot Distress Ink). The flowers are from Paper Tray stamp set (stamped in PTI Pure Poppy and Mustard Yellow Distress Ink). The sheep is from the Cricut Imagine More Cards cartridge (for the Imagine) and the Hiya comes from the Say It with Style stamp set. The mat is Vintage Cream and the cardbase is Simply Chartreuse.

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I took the picture in the middle of stamping, that's a first lol. Using some of my favorites, Tim Holtz and Papertrey Ink.  To the right is one of the larger of the Tim Holtz Grid-Blocks. I cannot say how much I love these blocks. It might be the thinness of them that lets me get right up where I want to be, or nearer than I can with the thicker blocks.

They take up less space. So much so I'm actually selling some of the thicker blocks at my garage sale ... well once I get rid of the hornets that have build themselves a spray proof nest in an unseeable corner uder the stairs... well unseeable unless I stick my head under the stair and look straight up, but I'm thinking that would be a bad idea lol. The red is some fun foam I've been stamping on top of, it really makes a difference in the quality of the stamping. But it stains, so I'm thinking I'll put the fun foam under the non-stick mat.

If you want to see more crafty spaces around the world, head over to Julia's Stamping Ground and have a gander. A goose you'll have to find on your own : ).

updated to add: The diamond stamping came down to lining up the gridline on the Tim Holtz block, it just made it so much easier when I can tip the block to angle it up then stamp. 

updated again to add the finished card and to clarify, it's not that I care if the fun foam is stained, but that if it isn't well scrubbed, any ink that's left on it can stain the back of the stamping project. I've been spoiled by a quick swipe of the nonstick craft mat lol.

Making Lemonade, Just Because : D

This card is made entirely from things previously used, that could have been better. I stamped the dog for a Make It Monday challenge, but decided to dress it up by turning it into a mat on a different card base, only I sneezed and it went on wicked crooked.

So I trimmed that one off so there is a peek of Simply Chartreuse under the Vintage Cream, but I like it. The Sweet Blush card base was going to be used for a different card but I changed my mind at the last minute and it tore a smidge... but totally covered by the new mat. I added some of the very very very thin gold tape from Papertrey Ink's Make It Market kit: Luxe Letterpress and finished it with a big "Hi-Ya" for a Just Because card worthy of the Simon Says J is for . . .

Stamps: Papertrey Ink Come All Ye Faithful (dog), a stamp made from fun foam from the Come All Ye Faithful die set (dog coat), Say It with Style (sentiment).
cardstock: All Papertrey Ink (Vintage Cream, Simply Chartreuse, Sweet Blush

Papertrey Ink July 2014 Blog Hop

Here's my take on the July 2014 Papertrey Ink Blog Hop.The card base is Hibiscus Burst, a mat of Stamper's Select White stamped with Background Basics: Gingham with True Poppy ink, a small doily with a flower from Rosie Posie stamped with True Poppy and Simply Chartreuse.

Hope Your Day Sparkles and Shines

Another variation on the Make It Monday #173: No Outline Watercolor and Simon Says Embossed though technically it's the backside of the impressed so it's debossed? The mat is Papertrey Ink Vintage Cream, the card base is Hibiscus Burst. The stamp set is Simply Magical from Taylored Expressions (I changed the cherry to a heart for the cupcake with paint). And because I stamped the cupcake and the unicorn in Antique Linen Distress Ink, I used a marker on the features to make them stand out. The embossing is done with the large impression plate from Papertrey Ink's Make It Market kit: Luxe Letterpress.

If you look hard at the unicorn and cuppie,  you will see they sparkle (thanks to macro pearl Pearl Ex). The sentiment is nearly obscured by sparkle in real life thanks to Stampendous Crystal Embossing Powder, but not so much in the picture. 

I made the caption by stamping the sentiment, painting a bubble around it and then cutting it out with a pair of scissors.

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I love this die storage bin from Art Bin... only now that they are organized and I know what I have and where it is.... I've felt free to order more dies... It's a vicious cycle. Right now I keep the larger dies in bags on top of the magnetic sheets.  To the left is a little storage bin that is my watercoloring pot.

I sort of went on a water color binge. This is one of my favorites, It's all stamped and painted over except for the little bit of wash under the pot and cup. Some of my favorites, Papertrey Ink's Tea for Two (teapot), Tea for Two Additions (cup), and Make It Market kit: Beautiful Brushstrokes (sentiment).

I'm not exactly sure what I'm doing with it, but it's here, it's here! That's a magnet stuck on the front of the bottle! I'm buzzing with possibilities : D.

To see more creative spaces around the world, head over to Julia's Stamping Ground and have a gander. Better yet join in the fun : D.

Mid-Summer's Portable Projects

While in reality I'm working at my craft-table, but in my imagination I'm sitting in at a table in a campground with a stack of these pre-stamped mats ready to color. Then bring them home to add a sentiment and attach to a cardbase (or use in a scrapbook layout or journal page). These projects are just the ticket for such mid-summer fun.

The technique is this week's Make It Monday #173 No Outline Watercolor. This mat is stamped with the Nuts for You stamp set. All of the mats are cut from Papertrey Ink's Vintage Cream cardstock. The only products that aren't Papertrey Ink are the water colors and Antique Linen Distress Ink.

This one reminds me of mid-summer so I'm entering it in Simon Says A Mid-Summer's Challenge. The flowers are from Friendship Jar Filler and the sentiment is from Forest Friends Sentiments. The cardbase is Hibiscus Burst.

It's difficult to see in the photograph but I used white watercolor and it does alter the flower from cream to white in a translucent sort of way lol.

This is with Forest Friends and Forest Friends Sentiments with a Simply Chartreuse cardbase.

Tea for Two, Tea for Two Additions and Make It Market kit: Beautiful Brushstrokes. This one really reminds me of a Jane Austenesque illustration.

 On My Couch (reminds me of a leather chair) image and sentiment with an Ocean Tides cardbase.

And another On My Couch card.

Make It Monday #173: No Outline Watercolor

Heather at Papertrey Ink shared a new (to me anyway) method of using line stamps and watercolors at Make It Monday #173: No Outline Watercolor. I used regular watercolors instead of re-inkers since all my re-inkers are brown and black. And I used Antique Linen Distress Ink instead of Papertrey Ink's Fine Linen (since I don't have that one yet).  The cardstock is all Papertrey Ink. The flowers are Pretty Peonies and the sentiment is from Forest Friends Sentiments.

Reading Rainbow

Another rainbow medallion card for the Make It Monday #172 Rainbow Medallions, and since it has circles and even has the word "spot" on it, for Simon Says Spots and Dots.

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink Stamper's Select White and Classic Kraft.
Stamps: Papertrey Ink, All Booked Up
Inks: Color Box and Black Soot Distress Ink.

Wishing You a Simply Magical Day

For this shaker card I punched a matching hole in the card base so the sentiment stamped on the window is more visible. Since the new challenge at Simon Says is Spots and Dots, I thought this card fit the bill with the round window and sequins.

 The unicorn stamp actually has it standing on a cloud but I had to cut it off to fit better in the window. I used lots of Stickles which adds a little extra weight and lots of extra sparkle.

The foam tape was two layers high to give a little more depth to the shaker. That meant there was twice as much adhesive for them to stick on. I covered the inside edge with Stickles to add a little extra sparkle and to cover the stickiness. I also added a few dots on the the inside of the window. The front window is cut from "clear cardstock", the back window is from clamshell packaging because it is a bit sturdier.

Just a mention that when cutting foam tape I am so grateful to have a pair of Tim Holtz non-stick scissors.

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink Stamper's Select White and Hawaiian Shores.
Stamps: Taylored Expressions Simply Magical
Sparkles: Stickles, Darice 8mm Crystal sequins, Holograpic Paper scrap Martha Stewart punch.
Patterned Paper: K & Co. Happy Trails

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I've been having a ridiculous amount of fun making shaker cards. I am loving my Tim Holtz nonstick scissors for cutting very sticky foam tape.

Craftsy has a lot of free classes including a cardmaking class with a gift card pocket, slider card, shaker card and pop-up card. They also just added a free Stamping class. They sell supplies too, but if you are like me, you can shop from your stash lol.

Since I've been stamping and heat embossing so much when Wendy Vecchi said there was a 20% off sale at Simon Says Stamp on all Ranger products (a couple of weeks ago) I jumped at the chance to get a Heat It. OMGee, why did I wait? It's so quiet, it doesn't blow the embossing powder around and I don't feel like it is a fire hazard waiting for gravity. I had one I bought on sale that was about half the cost (noisier, blows things about more and it got so much hotter), but this is worth every penny.

Another unsolicited shout out. I don't know when I bought this but it had to be at least 14 years ago.  I bought it before I knew there was a difference between pigment and dye inks (I've only recently started stamping with pigments again). I needed rainbows and this filled the bill beautifully. I'm guessing they really don't want people waiting 14 years to use their products, but in this case, I'm glad I kept it around.

If you wan to see more crafty desks, head over to Julia's Stamping Ground and have a gander. 

Rainbow Medallion

A simple card made for  Make It Monday #172: Rainbow Medallions. I used one of the Papertrey Ink Embellishments stamps, and a House Mouse stamped on a circle punch I had on my desk (on Aqua Mist cardstock?).

Unsolicited shout out to Color Box.  I didn't have a rainbow of Papertrey Ink inkpads so I went to the vault and pulled out an ollllllldddddddd inkpad set (seriously at least 14 years old). And it still had color to spare. And it made stamping the rainbow easy peasy.

T Stands for Tuesday

Today I used my Slushy Magic Cup to make an Iced Tea Slushy it was just the ticket for a muggy hot day. I sipped and shook my new Stomp for Joy shaker card. I think I need to make more of both. Though it's not quite Tuesday, it is time for T Stands for Tuesday with Bleubeard and Elizabeth (which turns One today).

Stomp for Joy

A Stomp for Joy Shaker card using clear acetate cardstock so a second entry in the Simon Says Let's Be Clear Challenge. I was inspired by one of my favorite scenes in Jurassic Park where the water starts shaking as the T-Rex approaches (I keep a glass of water by my bed, it's also useful to see if there is an earthquake). I used my monster stamp on Papertrey Ink Melon Berry patterned paper and Opaque White Zing Embossing Powder. The sentiment is handwritten because I don't have a stamp for that and I'm trying to get over the "ack my handwriting thing".

Here's a close up of the shaker with everything settled.  The little lines around the monster are left on the stamp from the carving process. I decided I liked them as they give a sort of "wood block" feeling. The ovals are cut with the Papertrey Ink Make It Market Shakers and Sprinkles kit, and so is the "sugar" used in the shaker.

Clearly More Fun

This is a rescued card... I had started with the patterned paper (Papertrey Ink Melon Berry) and then went in a different direction with a different card. The Simon Says Let's Be Clear Challenge provided me another opportunity to try again. I used a blue Spectrum Noir marker on the inside of the clear cardbase.  I adhered a piece of Papretrey Ink Ripe Avocado with a little Glossy Accents behind the patterned paper and used a hole punch and some stitching (Papertrey Ink White Twine at the bottom) and some leftover twine at the top with some sequin stars and a bit of scrap paper. The washi tape is Scotch Expressions. The cow is made with the Cricut Imagine, the sentiment is from Taylored Expressions Simply Magical (with Stazon Ink)  and the oval is from Papertrey Ink's Make It Market kit: Shakers and Sprinkles.

One of my favorite things to do with a clear card is use a folded double sided mat for extra writing space.

Sprinkled with Happiness

This card is for two challenges: this week's Make It Monday #171: Pop Up Die Cuts and Simon Says Start from Scratch. I die cut the word Sprinkles so the bottom of the word opened to rain down sprinkles to make a monster.  The "sprinkles" are made from scratch with a glue pen and embossing powder. The monster is also made from scratch by hand-carving, but I finished it last week. The inside of the card says "with Happiness".

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink Vintage Cream (mat) and Limeade Ice (cardbase).
Inks:image pigment (heat embossed with Zing Cricket Embossing Powder) and sentiment Papertrey Ink Ocean Tides.
Dies and Stamps: monster hand-carved stamp, sentiments Papertrey Ink's Make It Market kit: Shakers and Sprinkles..

WOYWW 266 and RAK winner

I finally finished my monster stamp and I've been having heaps of fun with it. The two images on the large sheet of paper are watercolor crayons (and spritzed way too heavily lol). The green image in the front is pigment ink which actually took off some of the Walnut Distress Stain that remained after scrubbing the stamp several times. So stamping and extra cleaning in one go lol. The monster cameo card has a lot of things going on and can be read about here if you're curious.

The close up.

The winner of last week's RAK (random act of kindness) is Heather.  If you are wanting to see more crafty spaces around the world, head over to Julia's Stamping Ground.

Make It Monday #170 Masking with Die Cuts

I can't believe I never used a die cut to make a stamping mask before.  Make It Monday #170: Masking with Die Cuts.The die cuts and stamps are all from the Make It Market kit: Beautiful Brushstrokes I applied the die cuts and spritzed the card with Postbox Red and Pure Sunshine Dylusions Spray Inks. Then stamped the flowers with Papertrey Ink Raspberry Fizz and Pure Poppy Inks. The top note was stamped with PTI Hawaiian Shores and Ocean Tides inks. The sentiment was stamped with Black Soot Distress Ink.

Cameo Appearance

Lots of white (Simon Says W is for White Challenge) and a cameo appearance using the monster stamp I finally finished carving. I used Papertrey Ink's  Background Basics: Woodgrain with clear embossing powder, then made an oval rosette out of cream watercolor paper and the Tim Holtz Rosette die (stretched out in an oval shape). The frame from Papertrey Ink's Simply Jane (stamped with Versamark and embossed with clear embossing powder). The cameo is made with a  coral pigment ink (on my monster stamp) and clear embossing powder. I'm also entering this in Papertrey Ink's July Inspiration Archive.

WOYWW 265 and RAK

I'm still chipping away at my stamp. I did move it to work on a few other projects, and I discovered a downside to clear stamps... they can really blend into the background lol.  At the back there is a package all set to go. The scissors are to angle the edges of the stamp.

It has been very warm and muggy (not by Florida or Georgia standards, but still warm), so I finally put in the air conditioner because I'm not fond of crafting in front a fan, especially when I'm going to be embossing or other delicate things.

Eliza (of Eliza & Yoda) suggested that I send some Tim Holtz clearance finds overseas, so I decided share some of them. All you have to do is post a comment and mention that you'd like a chance to win the RAK. I did repackage one item so it fit in the mailing envelope better.

Head over to our chief desker Julia's Stamping Ground to see more crafty spaces around the world.

Updated to add: An RAK (Random Act of Kindness) to me means a sharing of good fortune in the form of a giveaway, no strings attached aside from some indication that you would like a chance to receive it (and some way to contact you should you win the draw). And the stamp is sort of a dinosaur/monster hunter (Godzilla) homage so I can make a birthday present for my friend (who doesn't read my blog lol).

T Stands for Tuesday

Today I'm drinking Cucumber Water. It tastes even more refreshing since the weather is warm and muggy. The glass has a bamboo design on it. I am very fond of Tiki Room themed items lol. Head over to Bleubeard & Elizabeth's Altered Book Lover Blog for more Tasty Beverages.