rhinestones | If The Glue Sticks…Embellish

Summer Card Camp 2 Sketch and Color Challenges

Posted on July 31, 2013 by debbrooner

I always enjoy Jennifer McGuire and Kristina Werner’s online classes and their Summer Card Camp 2 did not disappoint. This card used one of their sketch and color combos from week 3.

I had just picked up the Sizzix Stamp and Die Set really cheaply at Michaels so this seemed to be a good time to try the set out. I stamped and die cut the butterflies out of white cardstock and colored them by tapping my Distress Ink pads on my craft mat and picking up the color with a water brush. I used the white cardstock purposely so that the colors of the ink would be true but I didn’t want the outer edges to be so white so I used the Frayed Burlap Distress Ink to color the edges. Much better!

The sketch used twine to wrap around the center of the card but since I happened to have purple thread on a bobbin I decided to sew the lines on instead. My machine was not exactly behaving itself so the stitching is a little wonky but that’s the way it goes sometimes. I still like the result.

I cut out a banner and swiped it through the puddles of Distress Inks to color it, dried it with my heat gun and then stamped the sentiment.

Both the butterfly and the sentiment were mounted on dimensional adhesives and then added some bling with rhinestones.

As I said, my machine wasn’t exactly cooperating with me for the stitching so I ended up making two panels and then trimming them to get the best results. I had this small piece of embroidered panel left and another butterfly from the same Sizzix set so I decided to make another card.

It was a “look into my drawer of stuff I haven’t used yet” kind of day so I pulled out my new Heidi Swapp hexagon stencil and used Broken China and Seedless Preserves to add color. I like the contrast between the hazy background and the not-so-hazy butterfly panel.

Butterflies: Sizzix Stamp and Die Set; Distress Inks: Milled Lavender, Seedless Preserves, Broken China, Frayed Burlap: Sentiment: Hero Arts CL351; Heidi Swapp Stencil;

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 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;

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!

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 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.

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.

Art Deco Texture and Silhouettes

Posted on January 20, 2011 by debbrooner

I got back from Haiti a couple of days ago and now that I am a bit more rested I’d like to show some of the cards using my new Art Deco texture plates from Cuttlebug and also two silhouettes of women cut using my Sihouette.

I lightly brushed some interference gold on the background, wrapped it with eyelash yarn, and added some beads to the silhouette.

Love these backgrounds, and love these silhouettes. Some rhinestones and a black Sharpie complete the look.