Summer Smooches Joy Fold Card

Pin It Now! Here's a bright, pretty card I offered at my Stampin' Buffet yesterday, with a matching Petite Purse, all from the new Summer Smooches collection.


I love the special fold of this card, it looks very "wow" without any fuss. Perfect for beginner cardmaking.  You can see a tutorial on Splitcoast Stampers here.  You can see another sample that inspired this card here on Jennifer Timko's blog.


Lots of these were made at the party yesterday, and the matching purses make a great gift topper!


Have a blessed & creative day! Erika. www.erikaclark.stampinup.net

Summer Smooches Sketch Swap

Pin It Now! I whipped up a dozen of these bright pretties for my local monthly card swap in record time!  Two hours!!!  
Thank you, Keurig!  Coffee helps with productivity :)



This month's swap theme was this sketch! Yay!  I love a sketch, and this one's clean and simple.



Each vase of Bright Blossoms is topped with a luscious Designer Fabric Brad. They're big and beautiful!
A little bling on the patterned paper circles, some polka dot embossing, punched sentiment, and some grosgrain ribbon.



The inside is simple, but done.

Hand Stamped Sentiments #114 {Black Magic Technique}

Pin It Now! I have to tell you, crafty friends, that this week's HSS Challenge was way, way out of my comfort zone!  Yow!  But that's what a challenge is all about, right?!  Here's the finished product, but the road to get here was a comedy of errors!

The challenge is Black Magic, for which there are plenty of tutorials and samples out there.  I'd never heard of it!

I decided that I would incorporate it into a card I would normally do, to add the Black Magic portion as a step along the way.  Turns out, no matter what you do, this technique takes center stage!  I used layers, frames, die cuts, doilies, ribbon, brads, pleating, sponging, punching.  And yet there it still is!  Haha!

But I digress.  My black magic technique was a little different from many of the samples I looked at.  First, I didn't want to use black, so I used Rich Razzleberry.  Second, I had no colored pencils, as I'm away this week (Have Stash Will Travel), so I used Watercolor Wonder Crayons.  Third, my gel pen is being a brat, so I used Frost White Shimmer Paint and a toothpick.  Here's my process:

 Stamp the image onto dark cardstock with Whisper White Craft Ink.  Set with a hair dryer because you may not have a heat embossing gun :). Color the image with Watercolor Wonder Crayons, Pretty in Pink and Baja Breeze used here.

 Here is where the "magic" occurs.  Apply gel pen or (in this case) Shimmer Paint around edge of stamped and colored image, which makes the image really "pop". I admit, it is a striking technique, and my 2 sons graded it an A Plus.  But they are certainly buttering me up.

Then came the layering, embossing, etc.  Tucked underneath the three layers of Edgelits is a Doily die cut, which I shimmed the wrong way, and none of the die cut pieces completely cut through.  But I loved the way it came out in one piece, so on it went, as the very bottom layer.  You can see it in the second photo, where the card is standing upright.  Then many other layers, listed from bottom to top:

- Edgelits

- Lucky Limeade embossed with Vintage Wallpaper

- Rich Razzleberry punched with Scallop Edge Border punch

- First Edition, cut 12" x 1-1/2", pleated and adhered

- Lucky Limeade 1/8" Organdy ribbon, wrapped 4 times around, and knotted with Lucky Limeade Bakers             Twine and Linen Thread.

- Designer Fabric Brad from Summer Smooches

- Finally, the bird, cut from Rich Razzleberry and Pretty In Pink, embossed, sponged, and layered.  Her eye is a Linen Thread knot.  

So there it is, come what may!  

I hope you will try this technique out for yourself, there are so many ways to use it!  Link up your creations at Hand Stamped Sentiments, and check out all the other samples for inspiration!

SUPPLY LIST:

STAMPS:  Printed Petals, Fabulous Phrases

INK: White Craft Ink

CARDSTOCK: Pretty In Pink, Rich Razzleberry, Lucky Limeade

DSP: First Edition, Summer Smooches

ACCESSORIES:  Edgelits, Edgelits embossing folders, Doily die, Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, Scallop Edge Border Punch, 1/8" Lucky Limeade Organdy ribbon, Lucky Limeade Bakers Twine, Linen Thread, Elegant Bird Bigz die, Summer Smooches Designer Fabric Brad, Watercolor Wonder Crayons, Frost White Shimmer Paint, Basic Rhinestones, Tag punch.

Layered Butterfly {Thanks for Your Kindness}

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Hi crafty friends!  

Today I should be painting. My soon-to-be craft room.  But Oh, Lord, I hate to paint walls.

So I thought about it, and felt properly guilty, and dodged my husband who IS working hard, and made a card.

Kindness Matters!  The butterfly is die cut layers of patterned paper and punched cardstock.  I placed a Hat Pin down the center of the butterfly, and looped Organdy ribbon onto it...I think it looks like ribbon candy!  Rhinestones are doubled up along the top and bottom, back to back.

Here's a closer look at the ribbon candy body with the bling.

 ...And the inside, a simple thanks with the technique taught in the latest issue of Stampin' Success, called Tap Dancing.  You tap-tap-tap with Stampin' Write markers onto the stamp, giving it a pretty mottled look.

My color combo was from Colour Q, truly a challenge, as I had to pick from three packs of DSP and make my own Pumpkin Pie paper with a punch, a Stampin' Write Marker and a sponge!  I am all over the place with this supply list!

And the sketch is from Freshly Made.  It was a great choice, as the colors are bright and busy, and this sketch helped me to keep it simple.

 SUPPLY LIST:
STAMPS:  Kindness Matters
INK:   Poppy Parade, Pumpkin Pie, Basic Black
CARDSTOCK:  Whisper White, Lucky Limeade
DSP:  Attic Boutique (Poppy Parade pattern), Mocha Morninig (Basic Black flocked pattern), Summer Smooches (Lucky Limeade pattern)
ACCESSORIES: Beautiful Butterfly Bigz Die, Stripes embossing folder, Scallop Ribbon Border Punch, Scallop Edge Border punch, Hat Pin, Basic Rhinestones, 1/8" Lucky Limeade Organdy ribbon.

Petite Purses! {Sneak Peeks}

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Yesterday, Wendy & I got together for a little crafty time & Jojo's Cupcakes {amazing peanut butter chocolate buttercream}. FUN and YUM.  What more is there, really?

We got to play with a fantastic upcoming product in the June 1 Stampin' Up Idea Book & Cat, Petite Purse Bigz die.

Here's what we accomplished during our awesome sugar rush...





Too cute, right?  New paper pack coming June 1, Summer Smooches, matching fabric brads, Calypso Coral CS and ribbon, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder.



Sale-A-Bration DSP Everyday Enchantment. I'll be SO sad when this goes away.  Calypso Coral, Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, Butterflies Embosslits, Vanilla Seam Binding ribbon.

Keep going, they only get cuter...



Ahem....real fabric, tiny purse! New Summer Smooches Designer Fabric.  I ironed it onto SU's Fabric Adhesive Sheets, this gives it stiffness and workability.  It took only a few extra minutes to iron up a piece of the fabric to make this, it was worth it!  Leftover Christmas Occasions mini button, Brights button, Basic Pearl, Real Red grosgrain ribbon.



Backpack!

Wendy and I discovered a little cutie much like this on Mary Fish's blog.  So we CASEd with Celebrations DSP (retired), Basic Black scalloped polka dot grosgrain ribbon, (2) 3/4" x 1-3/4" black recgtangles, 1/2 of a 1-3/8" circle punch, scallop punch, brads from my Build-A-Brad stash and a black rhinestone from SU Clearance Rack.  I just flattened and squared off the purse flap to make a backpack shape.



Here's the backside.  It's just a loop secured with Sticky Strip and adhered to the back at an angle.



Here are the lot of them, all together.  This die is phenomenal! It is so easy to crank them out and assemble them!  They measure about 2" x 3" and also die cuts the purse strap, but we used ribbon for ours.







Have a blessed & creative day! Erika.

'Cheer'ful Summer Smooches {Early Peeks}

Pin It Now! Wow! I'm having a bright & shiny day. Spring is coming early here on the Eastern Shore, it's blue skies and 80 degrees, and it's just as pleasant here in my craft room.

Put your sunglasses on, you might need 'em ;)


This is brand new paper from SU, "Summer Smooches", with the coordinating fabric covered brads.  These brads are huge and make a big impact!  They remind me of my Gram's polyester double-knit pants from the '70s, and they rock my world :D!!!

I made two pinwheels, a 2" and a 2.5", and layered them with a 1" circle punch cut into the center, and brad to anchor it all down.

The little pennant is a 1" strip of Real Red, run thru the crimper, and snipped upward into triangles...it's all one piece.  I nestled 1/2" circle punches into the insets with alternating colors. 



You can see the stamping inside peeking here!  This is Bright Blossoms, and it's wonderful too.  Great for layering and building a cool retro look.


BRIGHT!

Here's the inside.



I used Hand Stamped Sentiments' challenge #109 HSSTC109 for the color inspiration.  I think they're all represented here!

..and Mojo Monday's layout sketch.  This one looks so simple, but was hard to pull off in my opinion.  Just as a challenge should be!


Have a blessed & creative day! Erika. www.erikaclark.stampinup.net

Summer Smooches Early Peeks!

Pin It Now! I got a new shipment of fresh summery supplies, right on the tail end of a weekend at the beach!  I wanted to scrap this photo of my boys dipping their toes in the Gulf, and tell the story that my younger son told me this morning.  {I just love it when they get along!} These bright, cheerful patterns are just right for the beautiful blue water and sky.

I prefer a simple, scrappy design on most of my layouts, that are a little inky, but keep a lot of neutral space so that the photos really stand out.

The title on this layout is "Warm My Heart".  I used the Petite Pennants punch for the banner triangles, punched from the new DSP set, Summer Smooches.  I alternated rectangular banner pieces, they're 1-1/4" x 1", and stamped with a blossom image from the new Bright Blossoms stamp set, available June 1.  Before adhering the banner across the layout, I flipped the triangles over and used them as a mask with Shimmer Paint and a sponge to repeat the banner pattern between the large and smaller pictures.  I also used the Spritzing Tool to add some fine spritzes of Soft Suede. 


I sponged and added the tiniest bit of glitter to the title letters with a flat round paintbrush. 



I had a lot of scraps left on my table, so I made a card to match, inspired by the theme of the layout...my sweet boys helping each other and playing so nicely together {it's not always like that, lol}



It's a fairly clean and simple layout, but I added a quilled paper flower with (another new item!) a Summer Smooches Designer Fabric Brad.  The leaves are from the same stamp set, Bright Blossoms.



The flower adds a lot of dimension and texture to the card, with the wonderful fabric and bright patterns.


If you'd like to make one for yourself, it's super easy! I put together a little visual tutorial below.  It's just a strip of any DSP 12" x 3/4".  Thinner patterned paper works much better than cardstock.

 A couple of tips:  Stick a glue dot on the end of your piercing tool before beginning to wind it tightly onto the end.  Keep the "good side" in.  Use a glue dot here and there while rolling to help keep it from loosening, and one more when finished rolling.  Place it flat on your work surface, and gently fold the cut "petals outward, into a blossom.  Work them around a little.  Finally, press a large brad firmly into the center, and the petals will splay outward.  So easy!

I hope you've enjoyed my little project!  If you make a flower, please link up in the comments section, I'd love to see what you do!

P.S....I'm submitting this blog post as a "tryout" for my very favorite weekly challenge site, Hand Stamped Sentiments. I love that their challenges vary by theme, and they encourage scrapbooking and other projects, as well as greeting cards.  I highly recommend their challenges, even if you don't submit your own projects, for the wonderful inspiration you'll find by the team members and the bloggers that play along.   So...wish me luck! :D 

Have a blessed & creative day! Erika.