Society of Stampaholics

Guest Designer Spot at Simon Says Stamp!

Hello, Card Lovers!

Just a quick note to tell you that I was invited to do a guest post at the Simon Says Stamp blog today (Thursday, October 16th) at 8:00 a.m., EST.

Here's a little sneaky-peaky....

Thanks for stopping and have a blessed day!

Deborah

Day #22: Use It Up! & Crop Stop Card

Welcome back from the holidays! At least, I assume you've been on holiday. I've been on a bit of a holiday and then, again, I haven't. In the midst of all the Christmas preparations, I'm attempting to deep clean (because my mom's coming to visit us tomorrow) AND swap some of our rooms around because we're going to be having an extended guest arriving later in January. So I've been BUSY.

Today is my last day to post on the Crop Stop blog as its December Guest Designer, and this time I played with the Thinking of You embossing folder by the Crop Stop's own design label, Creative Couture, as well as some lovely May Arts ribbon and twine they sent me.

I decided to do a tutorial for my last day. I'm presenting a tutorial for my card today. Although I had this in mind from the beginning of the month, I forgot to take pictures of my card in its stages, so I had to make it a second time so I could photograph the process. Can you spot the differences in my original card (immediately below) and the copy?

I N S T R U C T I O N S

STEP 1. Make a 4.25" x 5.5" card base from cardstock and fold horizontally.

STEP 2. Cut a matching cardstock panel (4" x 5.25") and a patterned paper panel (4.25" x 5.5"). 

Step 3. Emboss cardstock panel.

Step 4. Adhere patterned paper to front of card, then adhere the embossed panel in the center.

Step 5. Cut approximately 6-7" of three coordinating ribbons.

Step 6. The knot made by these three sheer ribbons was actually rather thick and added unwanted bulk to my original card, so I drew a threaded needle through the three, encircled them, and knotted the thread. The effect is the same but without all the bulk. (I used a contrasting thread here for ease of visibility.)

Step 7. Thread button with twine, coming from the backside so you can tie a bow in front of the button; apply a glue dot (to adhere the next bow).

Step 8. Tie a second, smaller bow from twine and adhere to the first bow.

Step 9. Adhere a wood veneer bird over the bows with a few glue dots.

Step 10. Cut "hello" three times from white cardstock for depth and stability. You can either layer and adhere three pieces of cardstock to one another and cut the sentiment, or you can cut the sentiment three individual times and then adhere one to the other before adhering the lot to your card in a stack.

Step 11. Adhere your ribbon accent to the card with glue dots.

Step 12. Adhere button, bows and bird to your ribbon accent with glue dots or Fabri-tac. Adhere the die cut sentiment. (I really like using the glue pen shown above for these types of tiny words because you get a strong hold with NO fuss or messiness.)

Step 13. Adhere pearls and then admire your handiwork - lol!

S U P P L I E S

Cardstock: Charcoal, Marshmallow (Bazzill); Patterned Paper: Timbergrove (Fancy Pants); Embossing Folder: Thinking of You (Couture Creations): Ribbons: May Arts; Button (Fancy Pants); Wood Veneer bird (Studio Calico); Die: Small Hello (Simon Says Stamp); Other: pearls, embroidery floss, twine.

Thank you to everyone here at the Crop Stop for a wonderful month and for giving me the opportunity to be your December Guest Designer!

Thanks for stopping and have a blessed day!

Deborah

Day #18: Use It Up! & Crop Stop Card

Wow - I just realized it's only a week until Christmas and I have yet to bake even one cookie.

Actually, this is not saying much. I never bake Christmas cookies (or any cookies, for that matter). Spouse does the baking around here.

Anyway... I still have a lot of Christmas shopping to do, and it's getting late! So as soon as I'm finished cleaning today, I'm off to the shops!!!

Today is my day to post on the Crop Stop blog as its December Guest Designer, and I chose to play with the Plush embossing folder by the Crop Stop's own design label, Creative Couture. (I have a few of this line's embossing folders, and I love all of their choices - and there are MANY of them!)

I embossed my panel and then swiped it with embossing ink and powder to further highlight it. I also used some May Arts ribbon they sent me - it was the ribbon, actually, that supplied the color palette for this card.

S U P P L I E S

InLinkz.com

Not pictured: Desert Coral Dark cardstock (Bazzill); stamp from Christmas Blessings 4x6 set by The Craft's Meow.   

Thanks for stopping and have a blessed day!

Deborah

P.S. Check back tomorrow for Card #19 in the Use It Up! December Card Challenge!

Day #2: Crop Stop GD & Day #11: Use It Up!

It's my second day to post over at the Crop Stop blog as the December Guest Designer!

Today I used some of the goodies the Crop Stop folks sent me: namely, a gorgeous doily die, some fantastic ribbon, and a lovely gem that I colored with a Copic marker to make it more blue-green in color.

S U P P L I E S

InLinkz.com

Other supplies not pictured: American Crafts Charcoal cardstock, embroidery floss

I N S T R U C T I O N S

1. Make card base and round corners.
2. Cut patterned paper and adhere.
3. Die cut doily and snowflake, layer and adhere.
4. Tie loop of floss and bow from ribbon; adhere both.
5. Color gem with Copic BG57and adhere in snowflake center.

T I P

If your colored gem isn't exactly the right shade, doctor it with a Copic or Sharpie marker. If you decide you don't like it, just remove the ink with alcohol.

Thanks for stopping  and have a blessed day!

Deborah

P.S. Check back tomorrow for Card #14 in the Use It Up! December Card Challenge!

P.P.S. If you've never shopped at Crop Stop, you're really missing out. Not only do they have a great selection of goodies, they also have their own product line (Couture Creations) - including killer embossing folders and dies!

Day #1: Crop Stop Guest Designer aaaand Day #4: Use It Up! Card Challenge

Hey, there! I'm excited to announce that I'm the December Guest Designer over at the Crop Stop blog! I'll be posting there every Wednesday this month, so I'll hope you'll check it out.

If you've never shopped at Crop Stop, you're really missing out. Not only do they have a great selection of goodies, they also have their own product line (Couture Creations) - including killer embossing folders and dies!

I received a very generous supply of goodies from Crop Stop to use during my design month - and they all match the Fancy Pants Timbergrove products I'm using this month - so thank you, Crop Stop, for aiding and abetting my Use It Up! challenge!

(Pardon my overexposed photo - we've had no sunshine for several days now, so I've been forced to go with GE 60-watt bulbs as my light source.)

S U P P L I E S

Fancy Pants Timbergrove 6x6

Fancy Pants Small Decorative Tags

FP Timbergrove Button Set

Couture Creations- Bliss - Magical Christmas Dies

Couture Creations Cafe Creme Pearls

InLinkz.com

Other supplies not pictured: Stamps: Inside Christmas (The Craft's Meow); Ink: Ranger Distress Embossing Ink; Embossing Powder: White (Hero Arts); Cardstock: White, Cocoa (Colormates); Twine; clear gems; Adhesives: glue dots, adhesive tape runner; Tools: corner rounder, ScoreBuddy, scissors, heat tool

I N S T R U C T I O N S

1. Make card base and round corners.
2. Die cut snowflake and adhere to card.
3. Stamp sentiment on tag, heat set embossing powder and adhere tag.
4. Braid three 12"-pieces of twine, tie into double bow, trim ends, and adhere with glue dots. 
5. Adhere button over center of bow and adhere pearl in center.
6. Adhere pearls and gems

T I P

I find twine to often be a little too limp for my hands to manage. Braiding it  gives it both body and interest and is very easy to do. Cut three 12"-pieces of twine and align ends, knotting them about 1" in from the end (so you get a "tassle" effect). Use Washi tape to temporarily adhere the knotted end to your work surface, then proceed to braid the strands. Knot the ends when you have about an inch left (again, you'll have a "tassle" at the end). Now you can use it however you like! When you're finished arranging and adhering it, trim the ends for neatness. 

Thanks for stopping  and have a blessed day!

Deborah

P.S. Check back tomorrow for Card #5 in the Use It Up! December Card Challenge!

Check Out the Die Cut Divas

I'm afraid that in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon tragedy, I completely forgot that the lovely Die-Dut Divas (AKA: Hannah, Arlene, and Paula) spotlighted me on their blog!

I am thrilled they chose me as a subject, and I hope you'll go visit their blog, as I have a feeling their efforts may have been neglected by readers who were engaged in following the media coverage of the marathon bombings.

They interviewed me, and I made some birthday cards for the occasion. Here's one of the cards I made for them using some of the latest Memory Box dies:

I N S T R U C T I O N S

1. Print computer-generated sentiment on cardstock.
2. Make card base and round corners.
3. Die cut dressmaker's form, dress, and bow.
4. Use a Sharpie and Krylon silver leaf pen to color the metal bits of the dressmaker's form and to outline the grooves at the bottom.
5. Adhere pearls to wheels of dressmaker's form. Set aside for inks to dry.
6. Assemble bow, adhere gem and attach to dress.   

T I P

That dress bow is teensy-weensy, so you can't bend the cardstock like you usually would when making a larger paper bow. Instead, curl the bow shape around a stylus and use a glue dot to hold the two ends together (where they meet in the middle). Once you have both sides of the bow implanted in the glue dot, carefully apply a few drops of Glossy Accents to cement the bond.

S U P P L I E S

The supplies listed below are for all three cards I made for the Die Cut Divas post:

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Wonderful Whale Memory Box Die School of Fish Memory Box Die Tall Dress Form Memory Box Die Ava Party Dress Memory Box Die Tiny Bow Memory Box die Woven Basket Memory Box Die Summer Border Memory Box Die Happy Birthday Banner Memory Box stamp Happy Birthday Special Combo Memory Box stamp *Bazzill MARSHMALLOW Card Shoppe Heavy Weight 8.5 x 11 Cardstock Graphite Memory Box Colored Cardstock Cherry Blossom Memory Box Cardstock Kraft Memory Box Cardstock Taffy Memory Box Cardstock Lavender Memory Box Cardstock Eggshell cardstock (MB) Dill cardstock (MB) Pea Pod Memory Box Cardstock Mocha Memory Box Cardstock *Memory Box BRIOCHE 6x6 Paper Pack 101193 Thistle Morocco Patterned Paper (MB) Currant Distressed Dots Memory Box Patterned Paper Squash Gingham Memory Box Patterned Paper *Creative Hands 100 BLACK GOOGLY EYES *Hero Arts Bling GEMSTONES CLEAR Gems ch181 *EK Success TWEEZER BEE Precision Tip Craft EKCB05 *Martha Stewart MINI SCORING BOARD Score Craft Tool 42-05013 New 2012 *EK Success STAMP-A-MA-JIG Stamp Positioner EKSTP02 *Tim Holtz Tonic Craft SCISSORS Non Stick Micro Serrated *Tonic Studios 12"" INCH PAPER TRIMMER Guillotine Cut Trim *We R Memory Keepers Cropadile CORNER CHOMPER *Memory Box METAL ADAPTER PLATE For Intricate Dies 981009 Vagabond Die Cutting Machine *Tombow Adhesive Craft Stamp DOT PATTERN Runner 62162 Permanent *Scrapbook Adhesives 126 3D WHITE FOAM SQUARES Adhesive *Tombow MONO MULTI Liquid Glue Two Applicators 62191 VersaFIne Black Onyx Ink *Krylon SILVER Leafing Pen Sharpie Markers *Ranger ENAMEL ACCENTS Black White Opaque Dimensional Glaze Inkssentials

InLinkz.com

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Thanks for stopping and have a blessed day!

Deborah

If you enjoyed this post, please hit the G+ button below (listed next to the Twitter button right above the comments). I need to establish my author rank ASAP for professional reasons. Thank you so much!

LPC's Greatest Hits: GD Amy Burckhard

I originally wrote and published this interview at Lily Pad Cards.

Amy Burckhard

Today’s Guest Designer is the very talented (and pretty darned cute) Amy Burckhard!

Hello, Amy! Let’s get to know you better….

Where are you from? 

I am a 28-year-old card maker from Devils Lake, North Dakota, who currently lives in Fargo.

Brrrr…. The only thing I know about Fargo is it’s cold and always pops into my mind when I see a woodchipper now – LOL!

Do you have any interests outside card making?

I love playing softball and volleyball, and I love, love, love dogs.  I don’t have one yet (ah, apartment living) but now that I’ve found a stable job, I hope I’ll get one soon.  My parents and brother each have one, so I try to get my puppy time in when I see them.

Do you remember how you got addicted to card making?

I’ve always been into making cards, even when I was little. I received a Cricut as a Christmas present, and I haven’t looked back. I’ve been following many blogs and I really want to get more involved with the card making community. When Lily Pad Cards came along I had to play. I hope to become more involved over the next year and my ultimate hope someday is to be part of a design team.

I definitely see that goal being achieved in your future.

How do you support your habit?

I graduated from college about 18 months ago, so I’ve been trying to find my big girl job. In the process I worked for a hotel and a temp agency.  The temp agency was probably the best choice I’ve ever made since the skills I learned helped me land my current job at Cargill. I just started recently, and I love what I do.

Do you have any partners in crime?

I’ve brought my card making home to my mother, and she was bit by the card making bug, too.  She is a wonderful sounding board for all my projects, and I call her all the time. When we can get together it’s all “paper this, glue that” – LOL! My family and friends are really supportive of my card making hobby and recently they have been keeping me busy with orders. My mother and I have also been selling our cards at a farmers market and have had good feedback from our customers. It’s really wonderful to have others appreciate what I’ve made, since I just want to make people smile with my cards.

Is there a significant other?

I have a wonderful boyfriend who supports my crafty craziness!

What’s your favorite ink?

I have a few. I love Memento, Ranger Distress Inks and VersaMark. I also have recently discovered Distress Stains, and I think I’m going to use them more often.

Sister-girl, we are SO on the same page here!

What’s your favorite tool? 

My computer, Make-the-Cut, and my cutting machine.  I couldn’t do what I do without them.

What’s your favorite stamp at the moment? 

I’ve been in love with Stampendous – Agapanthus Cluster and Ditto – Hello Friend (wonderful sentiments for cards).  I’ve also been trying to use my Alpha Blocks set from Papertrey Ink.

What paper line consistently calls your name?

Oh, my goodness! I have a few – anything by Basic Grey, Cosmo Cricket, Crate Paper and Echo Park.  Their papers are right up my alley with bold colors and patterns.

Here, here!

What’s your favorite technique?

Die cutting using my cutting machine and embossing using my Cuttlebug. (It’s crazy I didn’t emboss anything this time; I’m surprised at myself.)

What are your go-to colors?

I’ve noticed I lean towards colors that match my current favorite patterned paper.  So when I go to make a card I pick the patterned paper first and then try to find something in my stash that matches it.

We are a lot alike in our processes!

How would you describe your card making style?

While making cards lately I realized that I am into clean and simple cards. I’m not sure if my style will stay that way because mostly I play with my supplies until the card is the way I want it.

Thanks, Amy, for sharing! And now let’s look at some of Amy’s cards!

NOTE FROM AMY: Some of the card sizes are a little odd.  I found some wonderful envelopes from a company called Daler – Rowney at a local art store and I was making cards to fit them.

Supplies: Card stock: Bazzill, Coredinations (Cocoanut Creme); Echo Park (For the Record: Borders patterned paper, Stamp of Approval & Noteworthy);  SVG Cuts – Threaded Rosettes #4; buttons from my Grandma; Barbara’s Hand Font and Cricut Vinyl; pop-dots; embroidery floss; glossy accents; Zip Dry

Instructions:

1. Cut card base in white cardstock – 8.625” by 8.5” and cut brown cardstock – 8.625” by 4.25”.  Score white cardstock at 4.25” and adhere the brown to the front of the card.
2. Cut border out of For the Record – Borders paper and adhere .75” down from top of the card.
3. Cut #4 rosette with a width of 1.25” out of For the Record – Stamp of Approval.  Then Cut the same rosette with a width of 1.5” out of For the Record – Noteworthy.  I removed the score lines before I cut the rosette and then scored the rosettes on my scoreboard.  I then used the needle and thread to gather the rosette at the center and taped the ends together.  To get the rosette to hold its form I pushed it flat on my magnetic cutting mat and used strong magnets to hold it down, I then filled the center with glossy accents and waited for it to dry.
4. Use embroidery floss on the buttons and then glue buttons to rosettes using Zip Dry.
5. I used the Chevron and square SVG in the Basic Shapes of Make-the-Cut.  I welded them together to make the banner.  It measures – 1” by 6” for the coconut cream layer and .875”by 5.875” for the white layer.  I sized the font to fit the banner and welded the letters together and then cut it out of Cricut Vinyl to make it easier to adhere.
6. I glued the tan rosette onto the card with Zip Dry and then popped the banner up and placed the red rosette over the end of the banner using 3D foam.

Supplies: Card stock: Core’dinations (Blue Moss), Bazzil Basics (Turquiose); Ranger Distress Stain (Picket Fence); Cosmo Cricket (Wanted Mini Deck); We R Memory Keepers (Autumn Splendor 6×6 Paper Pad); Zip Dry; pop-dots; embroidery floss; handmade plane, cloud & banner SVGs

Instructions:

1. Cut White Cardstock – 8 ½ by 8 ½ score and fold at 4 1/4.
   1. SVGs:  I found my inspiration in the We R Memory Keepers paper to make a plane pulling a banner. (I don’t have any computer programs for drawing so I made it this way).
   2. I first drew a rough draft and outlined the main layers with a black permanent marker.  (Pictures Below)
   3. I then traced each layer and cut them out of plain white printer paper.
   4. (This next step I realized I could skip by just scanning with black paper behind the pieces)  I traced the pieces onto black paper and cut them out (the reason I drew them backwards is because I didn’t want to scan the silver permanent marker lines).
   5. I then scanned the black pieces into my computer and traced them using Make-the-Cut.  (I also did this for the clouds)
2. I made a rectangle 8” by 3.75”, joined the clouds to it and cut it out of Core’dinations – Blue Moss.
3. I made a banner 4” by 1” and created a shadow layer inside 3.875” by .875”.
4. I sized the plane to make sure it and the banner fit inside the cloud rectangle.
5. I cut the banner background and the body of the plane out of We R Memory Keepers Autumn Splendor.
6. I cut the wings, propeller and the bottom of the windshield out of Cosmo Cricket – Wanted.
7. I cut the windshield out of Bazzil Basics – Turquoise and the color was a bit bright so I used Distress Stain – Picket Fence to mute it down a bit.
8. I cut the inside of the banner and the window glare out of white cardstock.
9. I used a font Called BlackJack and welded the words together to make them easier to glue.  I cut them out of the Cosmo Cricket – Wanted paper and used my Xyron to adhere them to the white banner.
10. I glued everything together with Zip Dry.
11. I then popped off the cloud layer using the 3D foam, it makes the clouds look so great!
12. I used White Embroidery Floss to attach the banner to the plane and popped the whole thing off the card with 3D Foam.

 

Supplies: Solid Cardstock:  Recollections – 151232 (cream cardstock), Cosmo Cricket Color Picks (Peacock: Earth); Patterned Paper: Cosmo Cricket (Social Club – Manhattan and Cocktail); Stamp:  Ditto/Studio G (Hello Friend); Versamark ink; Zing! embossing powder (white); ribbon:  Offray Designer Ribbons (Red Feather Edge) and old ribbon from my Grandma; Zip Dry; pop-dots

Instructions:

1. Cut cream cardstock – 12” by 4 3/8” and score it at 6”.
2. Cut Manhattan cardstock – 5 ¼” by 2 7/8”.
3. Cut Cocktail cardstock – 4 ½” by 1 ¼”.
4. Adhere Cocktail cardstock just under Manhattan cardstock and center on card front using Zip Dry.
5. Glue ribbon to card 1” from the left, creating pleats as you work from the top using Zip Dry.
6. I made the Point Banner in Make-the-Cut and sized to 3 ¾” by 1 ¾” cut out of Earthcardstock.
7. Add a shadow layer in Make-the-Cut with Shadow Width settings at 0.0625” and the Corner Join at Mitered.  Cut it out of cream cardstock.
8. I made my own embossing buddy using cornstarch and some leftover fabric and I rubbed this on the Earth cardstock before I stamped.
9. Use Versamark to ink your stamp and stamp on Earth cardstock, cover with White Zing and heat with heat gun.  Then adhere Earth to cream cardstock.
10. Then pop banner off card using 3D foam.
11. Cut red cardstock – 5 7/8” by 4 ¼”.  Using stylus and score board emboss three lines at 1/8”, 2/8” and 3/8” in from edge, on all sides crossing over at the corners.
12. Cut white cardstock – 4 7/8” by 3 ¼” and glue in the middle of the red.  Glue entire piece in the inside of the card.

Supplies: Card stock: We R Memory Keepers Out & About Cardstock Pad (charcoal grey);  Recollections (151232); Patterned Paper:  Crate Paper (Portrait: Bouquet in 6×6; Stamp:  Ditto/Studio G – Hello Friend; Memento ink (Tuxedo Black); SVG Cuts (Breezy Meadow Butterflies: #6 bottom); Zip Dry; pop-dots

Instructions:

1. Cut charcoal cardstock – 8 ¾” by 6”.  Score at 4 3/8”.
2. In Make-the-Cut size butterfly to a width of 2.875” (keep proportions locked) and a rectangle to a size of – 5.25” by 3.875”.  Place the butterfly .5” in from the top and left hand side of the rectangle and join together.  Cut out of cream cardstock then round bottom corners.
3. Cut a rectangle sized – 3.25” by 2.75” out of Bouquet paper and glue on card base withZip Dry under where the hole will be in the cream cardstock.
4. Round Corners on cream cardstock and stamp sentiment onto cardstock.  Then adhere to front of card using 3D foam.
5. Cut white cardstock – 4 ¼” by 5 7/8” and use stylus and score board to emboss a line 1/8” from the edge.  Glue to inside of card.

Supplies: Card stock; Patterned Paper: Basic Grey (Oxford: Debate Team, Dean’s List, Study Hall, Ivy League; Memento ink; Zip Dry; pop-dots

Instructions: 

1. Cut tan cardstock – 11” by 4 ¼”” and score at 5 ½”.
2. Cut Study Hall – 5 ½” by 1 5/8”.
3. Cut Ivy League – 5 1/2” by 2 5/8”.
4. Cut Dean’s List – Just cut off one line and make it 5 ½” long.
5. Glue down Study Hall and Ivy league and glue the strip from Dean’s List over where they join using Zip Dry.
6. Stamp U and R on the Dean’s List Strip.
7. Cut the upper left hand corner on Debate team and pop off of card using 3D foam.

If you want to see more of Amy’s amazing creations, check out her blog.

Thanks for stopping and have a blessed day!

Deborah

If you enjoyed this post, please hit the G+1 button below (listed next to the Twitter button right above the comments). I need to establish my author rank ASAP for professional reasons. Thank you so much!

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