embossing folders | If The Glue Sticks…Embellish

Stick To It- Tapes of All kinds

Posted on May 19, 2014 by debbrooner

I love tape! Any kind will do, whether it is Washi Tape, decorative tape, handmade tape, or print and cut versions. Even small bits can add a real oomph to a project.

Up first-real Washi Tape cards. I am especially fond of applying the tape to the cardstock and then running the piece through my Cuttlebug with an embossing folder. The embossing gives the tape just a bit more dimension.

The second type of tape I use Decorative Tape ( Scotch brand). It is shinier than the Washi tape but comes in some really fun patterns, like this arrow pattern which reminds me of Frank Lloyd Wright’s stained glass windows.

“Faux washi” is also fun to make and use. Any artist paper can be used by applying double-sided tape to the paper and then trimming it down to the width of the tape. Here I used a transparent pink rice paper.

Silhouette has several files for washi tapes. They can be cut out of any solid paper or cardstock or can be filled with designs or patterns and treated as Print and Cut files. I used white cardstock and printed these tapes to match my embellishments. I like the slightly thicker look as a result of using cardstock instead of paper.

If you need ideas for the use of tape Pinterest is a great place to look. So what are you waiting for? Grab some tape and start embellishing!

Deconstructed DS 112 and 113 Challenge

Posted on August 9, 2013 by debbrooner

You get 2 Deconstructed challenge cards this time because I didn’t get 112 done until after the deadline. I’ll start with 113.

I came up with a technique I hadn’t thought of before. I decided to place a row of pearls at the bottom of the card and I wanted them evenly spaced. Most of the time I just eyeball it but the more pearls there are to be placed, the more likely that they will go wonky. I laid my row of pearls (still on their backing) where I wanted them on the card and then placed a sticky note directly below them. I then made little tick marks to show where each pearl was to be placed and then put the pearls on the card. The sticky note ensured that not only were the pearls evenly spaced but that they were all the same height. Wish I had have thought of that a long time ago! Here is the picture with the sticky note in place:

All of the papers are from American Crafts “Color Crush” 6×6 pad.

I white embossed both the turquoise hexagon and the sentiment and then used an embossing folder to add dimension to the sentiment hexagon.

Sentiment: unknown; Hexagons: Hero Arts Hexagon Stamp and Cut ;Martha Stewart edge punch: Lattice Arch; Cutttlebug embossing folder: Swiss Dot

This is DS112. Love the colors of the striped paper! All of these papers were from the My MInd’s Eye 6×6 pad called “Memorable”. I really liked this pad because the papers are two-sided. There are lots more color options that way.

Sentiment: unknown; leaf die cut: Sizzix Little Leaf; Stickles

Silhouette Sketch Cards 2

Posted on July 18, 2013 by debbrooner

This is round 2 of the cards I have made using sketches from the Silhouette Store. I am really getting to like these sketches. They are kind of like having a rubber stamp that can be made into any size. And they don’t take up space in my stamp drawer! I am still using the Amy Chomas pen holders (see this post: https://ifthegluesticks.com/2012/07/25/silhouette-ske…as-pen-holders/) and love them. I will say one thing however, while I ordered both the small holder and the large holder it is the large one that I use all the time. I can’t seem to find pens small enough to fit in the small holder. Something to think about.

This could have made up as a one layer card by stamping a border under the definition and using a bit of yellow stickles on the dandelions.

Dandelion Sketch #32314; Laughter Definition: Stampabilities Definitions

Okay, this card has it all. Sketched flowers, rubber stamping, distress ink, die cut banner, dimensional adhesive, and letterpress using an embossing folder. Gasp. I started out by sketching the floral motif and then used a Hero Arts shadow stamp to highlight the blossoms. It still looked like it needed something so I brayered the concave side of an embossing folder with distress ink and ran the panel through my Cuttlebug. Since I cut out my banner in white cardstock I was able to use the same ink for it that I had used for the background. When I placed the banner on the card I found that the background was showing through the word cutouts so I traced the banner on another piece of cardstock and inked it with the purple ink. That looked much better! I glued the bottom (purple) banner directly to the card and then used dimensionals to add the top banner. Lots of fun.

Flower Motifs: #43709; Banner Words-Life: #37895; Hero Arts Scalloped Solid; Paper Studio: Horizontal Script; Distress Inks; Pumice Stone, Ripe Persimmon, Dusty Concord, Shabby shutters.

I sketched these little guys and then stamped the dots on the blossoms. I like the wonky kind of look I get with this technique. Remember what I said about being able to make these any size? The original file for each flower was a little over eight inches. I scaled them down to an inch and a half.

Flower Sketches: #30091, 30092, 30093, 30094

These cheery dots just screamed “use the word ‘happy'” , so I did. Sketched dots, distress ink and rhinestones made a very fun panel. The nice thing about having the word happy on the outside of the card is that the inside can say “birthday’, “day”, etc. Very handy, especially for me as I never seem to have the right sentiment at the right time.

Polka Dot Sketch: #19374; Sentiment: 38773; Distress Inks: Picked Raspberry, Dusty Concord, Ripe Persimmon, Shabby Shutters

And finally, this card. Am I happy happy happy with the white gel pen that I used to shadow the letters? No, no, no. This copy is for my portfolio so no one will receive a card this messy!

I typed the word “happy” in my Silhouette and then played with spacing of the letters until they touched. Using white cardstock letters and words is really a good idea. Just a bit of ink in the color you need and you have coordinated your card elements.

I used 3 different inks for the flowers and loved how they coordinated with some cardstock I had on hand. I used the middle value of the purple inks to edge the flower panel. It is not obvious but it does help give it a finished look.

Flower Sketches: 44160, 44161; Distress inks: Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord, Seedless Preserves

Kraft Cardstock Mania 4

Posted on April 2, 2013 by debbrooner

This is the last of my Kraft + color posts. Hope you have gotten some ideas to try for yourself.

This is hands-down my favorite of all of the cards. It is fairly flat so it could be sent through the mail without any problem. This was pretty much a Cuttlebug card- the honeycomb background, the sentiment, the poppies, and the embossed dots on the side of the card were all done with my mighty bug. I am not a big fan of a lot of the Tim Holtz stuff but the Papillon stamp set is awesome.

Cuttlebug: Honeycomb; With Love; Friends Forever

This one looks a little wonky because it is. If you tilt your head a little to the right…never mind, it doesn’t help.

I am choosing to leave this one in because of a technique that I have started using a lot. I have been gluing gold Momi , which is a medium weight , gold crumpled paper. It looks like this:

When it is glued to a piece of cardstock and then run through an embossing folder it looks like it has actually become part of the cardstock. It almost looks like the cardstock is gilded.

Inkadinkadoo: Illuminata; Cuttlebug: Paper Lace 2

Now for two completely random pictures-

I love the way this store used chevrons. There is a card idea ready to pop out.

Okay, this is weird, I must admit. Does anyone know what this is? Is there anyone else out there who photographs their trash? This reminds me of a Jeffrey Dever polymer clay piece.

My next series will be dealing with small wall quilts so it won’t be paper related. However the ideas could certainly be used for paper arts. Stay tuned.

Kraft Cardstock Mania 2

Posted on March 8, 2013 by debbrooner

Welcome to the second installment of my Kraft cardstock series.

This pink one could almost be called a one-layer card. I really like the stamped layered effect which gives some depth and interest. I used all of my ink choices on this card: distress, pigment and archival. That way all of my ink pads would not be jealous…The pearly finish of the pink cardstock contrasts nicely with the matte Kraft cardstock.

Text: Tim Holtz French Market; background stamp: Tim Holtz Multimedia; Butterfly: Inkadinkadoo Mindscapes.

For the big butterfly on this card I used my Silhouette and cut a butterfly pattern 3 times, with each cut slightly smaller than the last. I stamped the largest and smallest ones with Tim Holtz’ Papillon stamp then glued them all together on the bodies only. I used the same stamp set for the 3 small butterflies on the bottom.

The Kraft background was embossed with a new folder I just got called “Cindi Loo”. Now I ask you, what could be more fun than using a great folder with a really fun name?

Butterfly Cutout: #12423; Cuttlebug folder

Five more cards to go! See you next week, and may all your butterflies be on your cards not your stomach.

Kraft Cardstock Mania 1

Posted on February 26, 2013 by debbrooner

There is just something wonderful about Kraft cardstock for me. It has just enough color to add interest to a project and is neutral enough to not detract from any other color I wish to add. So here I sit with a dozen sheets of Kraft cardstock and a sense of anticipation. For the next 3 weeks I will be showing you the cards I have made using this awesome media. I hope you like them and that they provide a springboard for your own creative process.

The first card using a Queen Anne’s Lace stamp is crisp enough to add interest without adding any color at all. I cut out the Hello with my Silhouette ( not sure what font I used- sorry) and used Tim Holtz’ distress ink for the ‘thinking of you’ sentiment. I am not very good at adding more than 1 sentiment to a card so this is my first attempt at doing so. Adding several pearls finished it up nicely.

Inkadinkadoo stamp “Meadow”; Hero Arts “Everyday Sayings”One of the things I promised myself that I would do was to go through my stash of die cuts and use a bunch of them up. I used Wild Honey Distress Ink to color the banner and some white flowers that I had cut long ago and used another Distress Ink for the “awesome”. In order to ground the flowers I used an embossing folder border along the bottom of the card. This card was not my most favorite but it was okay and again I used 2 sentiments. Whoot whoot!

Cuttlebug “Just My Type”; Silhouette “Spring Flowers 1” #8179; “spring Flowers 2” #8180; “Embrace Banner #37895; “Awesome” #37880;

Stamping Queens Cards and ATC’s

Posted on August 10, 2012 by debbrooner

I just joined a new Yahoo group called Stamping_Queens. There appear to be lots of different swaps going each month so I am hoping to get a little of everything- cards, ATC’s, inchies, and sketchs.

The card above was made with the Spit Coast Stampers sketch 164. The paper is from Basic Grey’s Out Of Print collection. Love those papers! The little retro background is from Silhouette.

retro background:#23521; Cuttlebug Embossing folder:Swiss Dot: Sentiment: Stampendous “Friendship Assortment”

The theme for the ATC’s this month was pink and black- not hard for me to do since any color plus black is right up my alley.

I don’t usually like old timey silhouettes, but this little girl holding a butterfly called my name. I stamped the definition on the ATC, added Worn Lipstick Distress Ink to the edges, and then cut out a tiny butterfly that I folded in half and glued to her hand. A thin strip of polka dot paper finished the ATC off.

I cut the butterfly out and then ungrouped the design, got rid of the inside pieces, and cut the outline out so that it would be a solid shape. I glued the 2 pieces together on the body only, cut the butterfly in half, glued the butterfly to the card, and then bent the top layer of wings up. I didn’t forget the antenna which was emboidery floss stiffened with glue. Fun.

assorted butterflies filligree set: #26282; girl with butterfly border: #29236; lace butterfly: #27233

This last card I made is a Silhouette product. I don’t usually buy the cards that I could design myself, but for some reason I did this time. I was pretty pleased with the results and will definitely use this card again as it is very quick to make but doesn’t look like it is.

I stamped the 2 side panels and used dimensional adhesive on all three panels so the holes in the middle panel are more obvious.I did add an extra piece so I had a place for my sentiment.

A2 size cared: # 28261; sentiment: Stampendous “Friendship Assortment”; Background stamp: Great Impressions “Scroll and Leaves”

Silhouette Sketch Pens and Amy Chomas Pen Holders

Posted on July 25, 2012 by debbrooner

I decided to try the sketch pen feature the other day. I used the basic pen set that Silhouette sells but unfortunately there was not enough ink in them to do the background designs that I had picked out. Bummer. I purched a great tree sketch so I thought I’d just nip over to the store and get a small brown pen from Sihouette. Big problem- no brown to be found.

I had seen ads for Amy Chomas’ Pen and marker holders so I went to her sight to see if they were something I would want. I ended up getting both holders(one holds pens, the other is big enough for markers, so there is a size for everything) and have been really happy I did. The upside to these holders? I can now use Sharpies,gel pens, Pigma Microns- you name it. Since I can use full size pens I can sketch larger designs without running out of ink. It also means that I don’t have to stick with the very limited colors Silhouette offers. Take look at Amy’s blog and see what you think.

For the card above I used some cool gel pens called GellyRoll Gold. They come in a pack of 5 and have red, purple,blue, green, and olive. The neat thing about these pens is that they write both the color and gold together. I used the green and red ones on this card.I made a rectangle around both elements, hit the “line styles” button and picked a perforated line. It all sketched out perfectly. I added a white tab which I colored with the green pen, some black rhinestones to the middle of the flowers, and a punched strip on the left side. I used a Cuttlebug embossing folder for the cards base and that was it. Pretty easy, actually.

Sketched Flowers: #1176; Dream Create Inspire: #1595; Cuttlebug Embossing Folder: Geometric Rings

For this card I just used a lattice background and the word, which I colored in after it was sketched. I found this lovely black feather in my stash and some gold rhinestones tha finished it up. I love the card base. It is gold on the front and blue on the back.

3 backgrounds: #28032; Imagine: #7787

New card bases from Silhouette

Posted on April 28, 2012 by debbrooner

I just purchased the new card bases and envies from the Silhouette Store. I thought I’d show you what you can do with them. Since I don’t have the Cameo I couldn’t cut out the envelopes, but since the cards are a standard 4.25 x 5.5 inches I can just use rather boring but servicable white ones. This first picture shows what the card bases look like when open.The only difference in all of the cards is the shape of the card front. Now for the finished cards which, by the way, refused to stay in an upright position when placed in the frog, hence the thumb showing in each one. Sorry about that.

Card base 1 has these fun scalloped edges. I cut the overlay out of white cardstock and then used the internal offset to cut a slightly smaller overlay out of patterned paper. The bird file is one of my favorites and the ability to cut out the ” beautiful you” so cleanly still amazes me. Due to the size I did end up double cutting the phrase. I found some yellow butterflies in my “yellow” box, so I put 2 of them together and added them as well. I felt the yellow cardstock needed some help so I ran it through my Cuttlebug Polka Dots embossing folder. Doesn’t the background now look like a giant yellow Lego? Oops.

card_base_1_C01686_20509; bird_on_branch_C00648_19547; beautiful_you_phrase_C00987_20509;

I love the colors on this card. They are all from then Tropical AC Cardstock pack. Originally I had intended on using rhinestones to cover some of the black polka dots but I didn’t have the right colors so I just punched out several of each color of cardstock, added them to the card, and then covered each of them with Glossy Accents. Easy cheap coordinating embellishments.

card_base_2_C01688_20509; paisley_C00413_31857; background stamp Stampabilities Polka Dot Background; sentiment Fiskars All Year Greetings

This next card is pretty busy for me, but I did get to used up several bits and pieces I had laying around. I cut the fancy border in two parts and used them to border the top and bottom of the card front. I used the Cuttlebug Forest Branched folder on the red cardstock and then turned the pattern sideways and cut a strip. I ran the black butterfly through my Xyron, front side down, and then pulled the backing off of just the butterfly wings and added glitter. I learned a very important lesson about black cardstock and colored glitter. Yellow glitter appears green and orange apppears brown. Tricky stuff, that glitter. I then removed the backing from the body and added black glitter. I got the idea for the butterfly from yesterday’s A Cut Above online class.

I made the flower on the tiny label by cutting 3- 12 petal flowers, covering them withDistress Ink, and then curling the petals and layering on top of each other. The flower almost looks like a small dried one.

card_base_3_C01690_20509; elegant_border_C00105; assorted_butterfly_filigree_C01438_20387; 12_petal_flowers_C00667; 5_petal_flowers_C01237_20509; leaves_C00027_23445; 5_labels_C01207

You know how often farm dogs are “outside dogs”? Well this bird is an “outside bird”. He hangs around the cage but never in it . Just thought you’d want to know.

This is a pretty simple card, actually. I really like the birdcage and sentiment. The set comes with 2 more birdcages, several birds and one more sentiment that is bird related.

card_base_4_C01629_20509; 3_bands_C00965_20509; TAC Studio Vintage Birdcages

This last card is probably my favorite. I really like the teacup and the frilly edges of the card front go well with it.

The dotted background is from a blogsite called Mel Stamps. If you haven’t been to her site then you are in for some fun! She has lots of free templates and background papers as well as cards she has made. Prepare to spend some time there, though.

This is one of those cards that ended up being a “flub fixed” one. I ran all of my letters throught my Xyron but found out that I had run one of the T’s and O’s in backwards. I really didn’t want to have to recut just 2 letters, so I used the misglued letters for the word “two” and addeds glue to the front of the W. I then added clear embossing powder to the word and heated it. Now it looks like I intended that word to be glossy. Take that, goof up monster.

card_base_5_C01694_20509; 4_flourished_tea_cup_set_C00656_19210: background stamp Hero Arts Word Pops

Six more cards to go. See you next week!

Easter Cards

Posted on April 5, 2012 by debbrooner

I love little cards! For Valentines day I made 3×3 inch cards (40 of them) and gave them away.You can see all of them here What fun!

The size is big enough for me to do pretty much whatever I feel like doing yet small enough to finish quickly. The amount of cardstock is also minimal and I can hand them out without envelopes if I feel like it.

I decided to stick with one design for the cards that I made for the ladies I play bells with. With my trust Silhouette I was able to cut out lots of teeny tiny flowers, greenery and baskets. I used one of the new teeny tiny cards files to make the cards. Since the cards were very dimensional I decided to put them in envelopes. I had 12 envelopes cut out and ready to fill in a very short period of time! Here’s what the cards ended up looking like. Cute, huh?

teeny_tiny_card_kit_-_25_x_4_bracket_C00054_96084; decorative_ easter_egg_C01413_20387; flower_basket_C00778_31857; flower_set_C01289_20508; leaves_C20090902002518_18816; star_leaves_C00497_20387; leaf_spray_C01298_20387; cute_grasses_2_Coo237_41853; nature_set_C00970_20387

This next card is small too. It is 4″x2 1/2″ and is another of the tiny cards files from the Silhouette store. I embossed the card front with a Cuttlebug folder.

I used a woodgrain cardstock for the cross but found that the lily spray included in the file was just too small to cut nicely so I used a die from Memory Box and cut it into pieces for the spray. This is the Floral Square:My only problem with using this die cut was that I had to cut it into pieces, resulting in a lot of waste, so I didn’t make more than 1 of these. Maybe next year I’ll make more.

teeny_tiny_card_kit_-_25_x_4_rounded_C00055_96034; cross_with_lilies_C01045_20508; Cuttlebug Textile embossing folder; Memory Box die Floral Square

I love this holiday! Because of Jesus’ death on a cross for our sins and His resurrection the grave has been defeated. We can know for sure where we will spend eternity. Take some time between now and Sunday to crack open your Bible, read through one or all of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John) and ponder the gift that has been given for you.

It is fitting that I will go to the funeral of a brother in Christ on Monday and celebrate the fact that he is with Jesus. We will grieve with family, but we will also celebrate. It’s an amazing thing, this eternal life with Christ.

Faux Poste Card

Posted on March 23, 2012 by debbrooner

This is a quicky since I really need to get going on my Easter cards. The card design is from Becky Fleck’s Card Maps. I liked the postage placed on little tiny artisan pages. I embossed the card itself with the Cuttlebug Polka Dots folder and used the “Viola” paper collecxtion by Memory Box.

I used the Silhouette for the artisan pages, the stamps, the butterfly and the flourish then stamped the cancellations and the sentiment .

filigree_butterfly_set_C01045; flourish_C02802_; 3_artisan_pages_C00135_24282;postage_stamps_C00046_41853;

“Thinking” by Fiskars’ “Just Between Friends”; “Luxe Cancellation” Hero Arts

Stay tuned for two and three-inch Easter cards!

St. Patrick’s Day and baby cards

Posted on March 15, 2012 by debbrooner

I have 3 cards to share today. The first is a St. Patrick’s Day card. I have never made one of these before, but since I have a friend who celebrates the day I decided to make one to send to her. This card has it all- stamping, distress ink, Silhouette images, and glittery brads. Love the brads! The size is 4.5z’ x 5.5″ and the fold is at the top.

cut_out_shamrock_banner_kit_C00001_96084; clover_flourish_C00994_179086, Inkadinkado background and Great Impressions Scroll & Leaves; Crushed Olive, Peeled Paint and Shabby Shutters Distressed Inks

This bunny is so cute, and quick to put together. Next time, though I will probably run all of the pieces through an embossing folder before I assemble it. Each piece was edged with distress ink before I put it together for more definition. I used a Cuttlebug border embossing plate at the bottom and then the stamped sentiment and a pearl. Is it just me or are baby sentiment stamps hard to find?

bunny_Coo784_2581; Cuttlebug Just My Type border;Studio G stamp

After I made this card I realized that I had made this little outfit out of the same paper as the last card I made. Hmm.. guess I really like this color combination! I used a Cuttlebug border for this card as well but I added a bit of pencil to the indentations to give the design more definition. This card is pretty close to being clean and simple.

baby_boy_motifs_C00257_31857; Cuttlebug Just My Type folder;Studio G stamp

Acacia tree Clean and Simple Card

Posted on March 8, 2012 by debbrooner

I don’t remember where I got this free GSD file for the tree, but it is awesome! It seemed to be just right for this Clean and Simple (FTL 180) card. I embossed it with my Cuttlebug Swiss Dot folder and then lightly swiped a yellow pigment ink pad across the leafy parts.

The black and yellow cardstock is from a designer pad by Teresa Collins called Carolina Breeze. It also contains several patterns containing gray. Since gray and yellow are really in right now I will probably make several other cards from this group as well.

The label and the bird are Silhouette files. It is super fun to cut out a bird that is only 1/2″ in size!

The yellow epoxy sticker in the corner was so old it wasn’t sticking anymore, so I just added a drop of Glossy Accents. Problem solved, sticker is stuck!

bird_collection_C00012_28466; artisan_shapes_set_Cooo90_41853

25 Christmas Cards Part 6

Posted on December 19, 2011 by debbrooner

Okay, this is frustrating- I finished the blog for the last 3 cards, hit the “save” button and….nothing appeared on the page. Hopefully things will work out better today and I can finish up this series.

This would be a quick card to make if you had a lot to do. The card front was run through an embossing folder and lightly swiped with Versmark ink then dusted with green PearlEx. The deer was embossed and the sentiment was stamped with Versamark and green PearlEx was brushed on. I used an edge punch to make the ribbon and added a piece of hendmade paper behind (next time I would probably lay a thin strip of the handmade paper on top of the ribbon, not under it). That’s it! The background could be stamped, as could the deer, if you don’t have any way to use the embossing folders.

Sizzix Triad Leaves, Sizzix Reindeer #2, Martha Stewart Arch Lattice, Hero Arts Holiday Sayings

This is the first card I made. It is a Silhouette card and I didn’t do a whole lot to it. I did emboss the front, use pearls instead of cutting out berries and green pearls insted of brads.

christmas_card_C001244_20509, Sizzix Triad Leaves

I used American Crafts Pearl paper in white to make the trees. The paper shifts from white to gold when it is moved. Love it! The trees are Silhouette die cuts and the background is handmade paper with a small gold floral print. I cut another piece of the paper, turned to to the back side and used it as a floor for the trees . It never hurts to look at the backside of handmade paper- often it is usable as well.

Well, that ‘s it. I hope you enjoyed these cards and that some of them were springboards for your own creations. Write me a comment and send me pics of the cards yiou made.

25 Christmas Cards Part 5

Posted on December 14, 2011 by debbrooner

I had cut out the green background quite a while back, not even thinking about using it as a Christmas embellishment, but I needed something to use as a backdrop for my stocking and it seemed to work. Again, I used the offset function to cut out a red mat . Easy peasy. I thought the stocking turned out super cute, and the Silhouette cut through my glitter paper like butter.

irregular_squares_mesh_background_C00378_21585, 4_christmas_icons_C01274_20509, Sizzix Dotted Flower Rings, Hampton Arts A Very Merry

I would NOT recommend this next card if you are doing a whole bunch- unless you plan to start making them in January! The cutting out? Very quick. The gluing to the card? Not so much! After I got all of the pieces on the card I decided it needed something more so I ran it through my Cuttlebug using the triad leaves folder. I don’t remember what font I used for the Joy banner but it is great to be able to use any TrueType font with the Silhouette. Because the berries were so small I used Stickles instead of red cardstock.

whimsical_tree_C20091012182328_20508, Sizzix Triad Leaves

I don’t usually do square cards because I don’t like either the extra postage due if the card is mailed in a square enelope, or the half-filled envelope that you get from mailing a square card in a regular rectangular envelope. However, this card needed the square format to work, so half-filled envelope here it comes. I added a some Stickles Icicle glitter to the doily that I cut out and embossed the Noel with a swiss dots folder. This was a very fast card to do.

If you don’t have a Silhouette you could use a purchased paper doily and stamp the Noel on a piece of cardstock.

noel_title_C00539_20387, doily_lace_decoration_C00600_20387, Cuttlebug Swiss Dot, A Lost Art background script

I used the same resist technique that I did for one of the Tiny Bundle cards, but the background stamp I used this time was an alphabet collage. This too was a very quick card. The silk ribbon I used was some that I had purchased quite a while ago. It was so pretty I was hesitant to use it, but use it I did, to good effect.

Ali Edwards Good Cheer, Tim Holtz Seasonal REflections, Unknown Alphabet Collage

What can I say? This card is busy ! There’s the embossing (2 different folders), 2 different patterned papers, 3 colors of cardstock, and 3 different die cuts. MOJO Monday would probably be proud of me, but I must admit it gave me a bit of a tic to look at it after it was finished. I did like the bird on the branch embossed piece , though. The sentiment was stamped with Versamark ionk and dusted with Spring Green PearlEx.

3_borders_C00678_20509, artisan_label_set_C00178_41853, Sizzix Bird on Branch #2, Cuttlebug Paper Lace #2, Hero arts Holiday Sayings

Not quite enough room for the last 3 cards, so see you tomorrow.

25 Christmas Cards Part 4

Posted on December 13, 2011 by debbrooner

Miscellaneous cards

I wanted to do a card that wasn’t my usual 5″ x 4.5 “, so I made one that fits a standard business size envelope. Everything on this card makes me happy, from the dotted border to the “joy” embellishment. I used Versamark ink for the bottom dotted border and white pigment ink for the music .The holly corners are from my Silhouette, as is the “joy to the world” embellishment. This same embellishment could be made by stamping a sentiment and then cutting around it leaving a border. Layer the piece on to some colored cardstock and trim again.

holly_corner_C20090907225746_18816, joy_C20091008175557_19210, Hampton Arts music border, Hero Arts Tiny Jubilee Dots

I used the same dots stamp and Versamark on this card. Kraft card lends itself to Versamark ink very well.

I decided to cut a hole in the card front and then affix the ” Merry Christmas” stamped image on the inside of the card. Since I used dimensional dots to secure it the image stands out even when the card is closed.

I purposely made the pink frame and pearls very subtle. The beauty of kraft cardstock is that it can be brightened up (like the card above) or left neutral. Either way works.

square_nested_C01065_18816, Hero Arts Tiny Jubilee Dots, Printworks Holly andBerries, Magenta Merry Christmas

The next 2 cards contain the phrase “Wise Men Still Seek Him”. Cutting these words out is so quick and easy.

For the background on this card I stamped a poinsettia pattern with Versamark ink and then embossed with clear powder. I cut the panel into to pieces, trimmed each one a bit, and then applied them to the card. I used a Versamark pen to make the dots on the letters. I love the rich red rhinestones that go so well with the background.

wise_men_still_seek_him_C00762_19547, holly_C00780_19547, Penny Black Poionsettia Script

Placement of the words is made even easier by having a mat underneath. I placed the phrase on the desktop and then hit the offset button. I played with the settings until I got to the place whereI had a mat that had the words touching but there was still some open space. I used the same cardstock for both the phrase and the mat and then I ran the mat , right side down, through my Xyron and sprinkled glitter on the sticky side.

wisae_men_still_seek_him_C00762_19547, A Lost Art background script, Bella Bohemia corner flourish

I wanted to do a card using a nativity scene die cut but the ones I bought last year just wasn’t working for me. I got very frustrated. But this year there was a new nativity scene and it worked beautifully. It fit just right on a 61/4″ by 4 4/8″ card. I got the idea for the background from a video made by Paper Try Ink.

1_pc_nativity_C00539_31857, Bella Bohemia corner flourish, Inkadinkadoo O’ Come phrase

This is one of my favorites. I had embosseed a white piece of cardstock with the Dotted Flower Rings folder but hadn’t used it. One day, out of boredom, I took a Sakura Stardust Gelly Roll pen and colored in all of the flower centers. The result was a great subtle shimmer that would worked well for a white and gold card. The wreath was cut out of a piece of AC Specialty Pearl paper. The paper shifts between white and gold as it is moved around. The bow, berries, and the phrase were all cut out of a gold specialty cardstock. Love the way the phrase is cut out so cleanly!

bow_christmas_wreath_C01349_20508, joy_to_world_C200912022115604_18816, Sizzix Dotted Flower Ring

See you tomorrow!

25 Christmas Cards Part 3

Posted on December 9, 2011 by debbrooner

Precious Gift Stamped Image

I found this stamp at Michaels recently and really liked the way it dealt with the best gift ever in a slightly different way. What a Christmas gift we all have been given!

I have always intended to try an easel card but somehow was scared by the prospect of finding enough images that would work together. Not that big of a deal, I found out. Love the cheery Christmas colors. Since it doesnt work very well to put dimensional pieces on the flat part of the card (the “noel” part) I cut out the holly and then filled the berry holes with red Stickles. Looks like they are above the surface, but they aren’t. The directions for an easel card can be found at the Splitcoast Stampers site. Look under “resources”.

holly_C00780_19547,basic_folding_easel_card_C01456_17986, Inkadinkadoo Winter Trails, Recollections Noel, Stampendous Precious Gift

This card is not my favorite, but in order to get to 25 cards it has to be counted! I sized the scroll label to fit my stamp and added Stickles Icicle glitter to all of the scrolls. For the background I used Versamark and then brushed red and green PearlEx on the image. A quick swipe with a Swiffer dusting cloth and the excess powder was gone. Swiffers are the best for cleaning up glitter as well.

I used the “kissiing technique” for the background of this card. Check out Jennifer McGuire’s blog to get more info. I started with white glossy card and Distress Inks by Ranger. I first inked up a damask background stamp using Peeled Paint ink. I then used Pine Bough ink on a Tim Holtz Reflections stamp and stamped it onto the damask stamp (notice- nothing stamped on paper yet). THEN I stamped the damask stamp on the glossy card. Since the reflections stamps have the words backwards the final result is a stamped image with the words the right direction. Fancy that.

lace_border_0856, Stampendous Precious Gift, Hero Arts Classic Fabric Design, Tim Holtz Seasonal Reflections

The embossing folder I used for this card is a Sizzix one called Triad Leaves. You will see it again several more times. The border is so easy with the Silhouette. I just cut out the green top layer and then ungrouped the image, got rid of the dots and teardrop shapes, and cut out a white piece that fit perfectly behind the green one. I have to admit that originally I started with a border that I had punched out with a Martha Stewart punch. I wanted the border to have white behind it so I glued the green piece to some white paper and pondered the prospect of doing some really fiddly cutting. Fortunately about that time a voice boomed out, “drop those scissors, dummy, use your Silhouette”. Duh.

6_labels_C01078_20509, scalloped_flower_border_C20090810003018_19210, Stampendous Precious Gift, Sizzix Triad Leaves

Next up: “wise men” and kraft cards.

25 Christmas Cards Part 2

Posted on December 8, 2011 by debbrooner

Nontraditional Colors

The colors for this first card came from the Print and Cut wreath from Silhouette (the colors are off slightly, seems that this magenta color is a difficult one to get right). I printed out the wreath on white cardstock and then added Glossy Accents to the baubles for some extra dimension.

This card could be made without having the a Silhouette. Pick out several fun colors of cardstock and go crazy punching out leaves or branches. Shape into a wreath, add circle punch-outs, layer on coordinating papers, and your card is finished.

I really like the Sizzix Dotted Flower Rings I used for the background , so prepare to see it several other places. Kinda reminds me of the texture of a sea creature.

mod_wreath_pnc_C00574_31857, Sizzix Dotted Flower Rings, Recollections Noel

The die cuts for this card were done with my Silhouette, but it could just as easily be done with snowflake stamps, white ink and white embossing powder. Stamp and emboss the snowflakes on dark cardstock, layer onto a white piece of cardstock,and cut the edges with a stamp-edged scissors. Tie a ribbon around the piece and mount it on a light color card . Add a snowflake embellishment and some pink brads.

snowflake_stamp_C00760_23067, Fiskars Winter Wonderland

Here is another snowflake card, this time in browns, pinks and mint green to match the paper I used. I used a (nontraditional) ledger background stamp and colored the snowflake shaped rhinestone in the middle of the embellishment with a brown Sharpie. I ran the green snowflake through my Xyron machine and added glitter to the sticky side. A much easier way to apply glitter!

4_snowflakes_C00810, classic_snowflake_set_C01124_20387, scalloped_border_set_C00318_31857,Inkadinkadoo Joy Peace Love Mini, Hero Arts Luscious Ledger

I really liked this brown Print and Cut wreath- I think because of all the funky colors. I don’t think of brown as being a christmas color but it worked for me here.

wreath_with_ornaments_pnc_C00557_31857, border_strip_layered_C00253_20509 , Inkadinkadoo Christmas Sayings

That’s all for today. Next time I will show you the cards I made using a new stamp I purchased at Michael’s recently.

25 christmas cards part 1

Posted on December 7, 2011 by debbrooner

My friend Barb sent me an email saying that she had finished 160 christmas cards! While I can’t imagine making that many cards, it did get me thinking. After watching Kristine Werner’s “25 days of Christmas” videos I decided that I could give making 25 a try. For someone who has the attention span of a gnat making only 2 of each design was great fun! I have roughly grouped them according to technique, new product or miscellaneous. While some need specific tools, most may made using other techniques or tools. Have fun looking through them.

Hero Arts stamp/emboss combo cards

Hero Arts has new sets that contain both a stamp and an embossing folder to match . It is a really simple process: just stamp the image on a piece of cardstock and then place it in the folder. The images line up perfectly in the folder and you end up with a fun card that looks like you spent a of time on it. Here is a close-up of the card:

The next card uses the same combo but with silver metallic ink and embossing powder. I used a french script stamp and a strip of silver glitter paper as well.

I used Versamark watermark ink on this last card.. I like the tone-on-tone effect . The faux post is an old stamp but I still like it a lot. I used watercolor pencils for the leaves and red Stickles for the berries.

That does it for today’s cards. Check back tomorrow for cards made with an adorable new stamp I purchased this year.

Krafty Cards

Posted on August 20, 2011 by debbrooner

I like working with kraft cardstock. It lends itself well to use with colored pencils and can be combined with almost any other kind of paper. The card above uses so many of my favorite techiques- die cuts, embossing, colored pencils, stamping, fibers, Versamark ink with gold PearlEx powder dusted on,and even a rhinestone. Whew!

The closeup shows the colored pencil and the french knots done with metallic thread. Loooove metallic anything.

For this card I used the same rubber stamp but a different colorway. I love the combination of pebble cardstock, handmade paper and kraft cardstock.

Green glitter paper and pink corrugated cardboard both work well with the kraft cardstock on this card. I used a white gel pen as well. More fiber and rhinestones finished the card.

I bought a sheet of this cork-covered paper ages ago but hadn’t gotten around to using it. After I colored the hearts and cut them out I was looking for the right backing paper. The cork paper fit the bill.

I made the flower vase 3D by coloring and cutting out an extra vase then placed it on the panel with a dimensional stickie foam.

The magenta striped hand-made paper and the turquoise embossed card pulled colors from the floral panel.

Simple but effective.

So there you have it! Grabsome kraft card and some colored pencils and get going.