Technique Tuesday

Often at Monday Madness, the ladies want to make birthday cards. This card has been CASEd quite often in one way or another. The "key" to this card is the "sprinkles" that are created with the beads on top of the frosting.

First we stamp the cupcake in a waterproof ink. Next, watercolor the image in the colors desired. The next step is to apply Tombow Multipurpose Adhesive to the sprinkle stamps. The last step is a bit time consuming but worth the effort...place a bead over each spot of adhesive. You could also just apply the adhesive all over the frosting and then pour on the beads for more of realistic sprinkled-cupcake. Make a sprinkled cupcake and then comment here so I can see your creation.

Bleach as a stamp pad

This original idea came from a demo meeting a few years back at Melissa's house (my upline). I've always enjoyed using bleach on background stamps...each color of cardstock is so different when you bleach it. I like to apply bleach to a background stamp with a sponge. The key is to not apply too much bleach. The front medallion can either be stamped on a paper towel that has drops of bleach on it or use the sponge method like the background stamp. Bleach makes an awesome "distressed" look so I find I use it most for masculine cards.
Card Recipe: CS: Basic Black, Bravo Burgundy; Stamps: Sanded, Baroque Motifs; Ink: Basic Black; Accessories: Metallic Brads, Crimper, Dimensionals, Sponge, Bleach

Twin Skaters

My son attended a birthday party for his friends that are twins. The sketch for these cards came from Taylored Expressions TECC54. I always love Taylor's sketches...but time hasn't allowed me to play with the sketches for awhile. Here are the "twin" cards I made for the skater boys...

I love the new "Family Accessories Too." I already LOVE "All in the Family" so this was the PERFECT addition to this stamp set! I can't wait to use the crown on a girl card or scrapbook page.
Here's the wrapped gifts w/ their matching envelopes...
Cards Recipe: CS: Really Rust OR Summer Sun, Close to Cocoa, Whisper White; Ink: Really Rust, Summer Sun, Close to Cocoa, Going Gray, Basic Brown, Blush Blossom; Stamps: All in the Family, Family Phrases, Family Accessories Too; Accessories: 1 3/4" circle punch, Circle Scissors Plus, Glass Mat, Aquapainter

Gift Wrap Recipe: Stamps: Happy, Happy Birthday Jumbo Wheel (retired); Ink: Creamy Caramel Jumbo Cartridge; Accessories: Jumbo Handle, White Wrapping Paper (retired)

Bleach Shadow Stamping

As I was preparing to teach my bleaching class this week, Stampin' Up! posted a new "how-to" video tutorial about bleaching...perfect timing or what?!?!

This is stamped first in Chocolate Chip and then again in bleach. It doesn't matter where you line the stamp up to stamp over your first image because it creates a beautiful shadow no matter where you use it!
Card Recipe: CS: Regal Rose, So Saffron; Ink: Chocolate Chip; Stamps: Upsy Daisy; Accessories: Chocolate Chip 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, Cutter Kit, Bleach

Bleaching

The next few days you'll see projects created with different bleaching techniques. This was the focus of our club technique night this month.

One of the easiest ways to use bleach is to emboss an image and then "highlight" inside the embossed image using bleach. You can apply bleach with a q-tip, a dried-up blender pen, or even by filling your aquapainter with bleach. Just be sure to rinse your blender pen or aquapainter after you project is completed. The bleach will eat away at whatever you "store" it in so be sure to only store it in it's original container.
Card Recipe: Cardstock: Elegant Eggplant, So Saffron; Stamps: Dreams du Jour; Inks: Versamark; Other: Big Shot, SU! Backgrounds I Texturz plates w/ matching pads, Elegant Eggplant ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon, DRIED blender pen, bleach, dimensionals

Challenge Thursday--Song Title

Today's challenge is to use a song title to inspire your project. Of course, it was easy to use as a title for a scrapbook page.

It worked perfectly for these pages from my grandpa's funeral. It's exactly what I wanted to say..."I Will Remember You." Be sure to comment on this post when you take the song challenge so I can be sure to see your work! Happy Thursday!

Scrapbook Recipe: CS: Kiwi Kiss, So Saffron; Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Basic Black Marker; Stamps: Short Order Alphabets; Accessories: 5-petal flower punch, eyelet border punch, Flower Asst. Brads, Paper Piercer, Kiwi Kiss Satin Ribbon, dimensional

Cello Bag Toppers

Sorry for the late post...I have a sick little lady today. I'll spare you of all the yucky details. Last night I attended a women's church event where we made treat baggies to share with those whom we love. Lucky for me, the lady who did the event loves Stampin' Up! so I was able to create with paper and stamps.

I just added four cookies to each baggie (which were delicious!) and then folded over the top of the cello bag. I cut the Designer Series Paper (it's retired paper) at 4"x4", folded it in half and then adhered it to the top of the cello bag with adhesive. The only punch that was available was a 1/16" punch so I opted for the hemp twine in the one I punched holes and ribbon around the other one. The tag was stamped in Chocolate Chip ink and punched with the Tag punch, punched w/ the 1/16" punch, and tied on with hemp twine. All finished! Super easy project...but very fun to give to those I love :)

Birthday Wishes

Today is our niece's birthday. Since her birthday is close to Valentine's day, I pulled out my "Happy Heart Day" and came up with this card from scraps on my desk:

Since this is Technique Tuesday, I'm teaching how to add a little sparkle to your projects with a 2-way glue pen! I love how easy this technique is....stamp your image, apply 2-way glue, and then dip in Dazzling Diamonds glitter (or any glitter of your choice)...and you're done! Add some glitter to your project today!
Card Recipe: CS: Close to Cocoa, Riding Hood Red, Very Vanilla, Candy Lane DSP; Stamps: Happy Heart Day, Hugs & Wishes; Ink: Close to Cocoa, Riding Hood Red; Accessories: 2-way glue pen, dazzling diamonds glitter, clear rhinestone brad, crafter's tool kit

Bag w/ Scallops Die!

I'm loving all my new dies I got with my first order!! So of course, I had to order MORE dies with my first SAB order! Can't wait until that package arrives!!!!

This box is die-cut into three pieces and you just stick them together w/ sticky strip. I've decided that for sure I'll do the Box #2 for the kids' valentines just because they're quicker to assemble. :) For this sample, I lined the outside with DSP, stamped the scallop flap, and added ribbon...how simple is that!
Box Recipe: CS: Kraft, Candy Lane DSP; Stamps: Happy Heart Day; Ink: Riding Hood Red; Accessories: Big Shot, Bag w/ Scallops, Riding Hood Red Taffeta Ribbon, Sticky Strip

YEAH!!!! Sale-a-bration time is here!

This is one of my FAVORITE promotions Stampin' Up! offers. You should have received your sale-a-bration mini catalog in the mail this past week. If you did not and don't currently have a demo in the US, contact me and I'll be glad to get a SAB mini to you. There's something for everyone this year...Congrats stamp set, Ribbon Bundle (2 of my favorite colors...Certainly Celery & So Saffron), Yummy stamp set, Delcate Dots Designer Series Paper, Polka Dot Punches stamp set (of course, each stamp set matches a punch!!!), and Botanical Blooms stamp set.

As a customer, for every $50 you spend, you'll receive one of the above mentioned items for FREE!!! Doesn't get much better than that!

As a hostess, you receive a FREE SAB product for every $300 in addition to all the other AWESOME hostess benefits.

As a recruit to my team during sale-a-bration, you'll receive a discount of 15 percent on the starter kit ($335 worth of product for $169!) PLUS ANY stamp set from the Spring-Summer 2009 Catalog for FREE.

Want to make this adorable box and four other Big Shot projects? Sign up for February's Stamp Camp on Feb. 21.

Box Recipe: CS: Kraft, Vanilla; Ink: Real Red; Stamps: Yummy; Accessories: Real Red 5/8" Grosgrain, dimensionals, sticky strip, Big Shot, Box #2 Die