Okay, so yesterday I was just getting warmed up!! I took the easy way out by copying a card already out there. That's kind of like stretching before you exercise (or skateboard, I suppose)!
The next thing I did was just stamp the little guy a few different ways. I was trying to convey motion, and used the repetition technique in a variety of shapes and directions and I also just tried stamping and (without lifting) dragging the stamp across the cardstock. (The stamping & dragging is the top right sample; the other 3 are all variations on repetition.)
I know the colors of this are pretty blah!, but it did remind me of art classes again (or actually my days of space planning - I {heart} space planning; it was my favorite part of interior design - I know, I'm weird). So anyway, the days of art classes and space planning where you just try to work out an idea on scratch paper before you do the real thing. I actually recommend trying it - especially if you have a certain technique or stamp you want to just work with before you commit to anything.
I doubt I will make these into anything, but it did help me plan out some other cool cards. For those, you'll have to come back & visit again!!!
Now, I did do another totally different technique that I loved with my skateboard boyfriend. (I feel like me & this dude have a serious relationship at this point. At least for now, I am very committed to him, but he should watch out - later this week I think I am getting the snowboarder!!) But to see that other technique, you need to be receiving my newsletter!! I had a pretty cool tutorial video that showed how to do it today!!
Okay, I will also be demoing that same technique at a really cool two-day stamping & scrapping event later this month. My upline and I have joined forces and are hosting our first annual "Winter Wonderlude" on February 19-21. Although it's geared mostly toward Stampin' Up! Demonstrators, everyone is invited!! There will be make & takes, speakers, techniques, workshop wows, door prizes, swaps, and a few special guests (okay, one in particular - Stampin' Up!'s very own PAM MORGAN!!). And it's all taking place at my favorite hotel in the world - the Dolce Basking Ridge!! If you would like more info on this great event, check out the registration form here.
Okay, back to work!! I'll see you tomorrow!!
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Here is a project that we did the other night at my Technique Tuesday Class. It is a LOVE decoration and uses my favorite paper - Sending Love Specialty Paper. If you are looking for a cute & relatively simple 3d Valentine's project, you may have found it!!
Unfortunately you can't see the sparkles too well in the photo, but you know it's there!!! Of course I had to use the side of the paper that has the glitter in it!! The project was pretty eacy to put together - it uses a 1/2 sheet of Very Vanilla cardstock, 4 pieces of patterned paper (2.5" x 4"), then I used the Big Shot to cut out the letters LOVE (which of course are on 4 different dies!!), and then added embellishments.
I had a few new stampers at my class, and I think they were a little intimidated at first by all the projects, but I assured them (especially Cindy) that she could do it, and she would surprise herself. And guess what? She did!! She was so darn happy with herself when she left!! (In fact, she even got so comfortable that gave me back a piece of paper that wasn't cut perfectly, and had me fix it!!!! Love that!!!) So, Cindy, I hope you will be back, because you were a blast to watch!!
Okay, so back to the project. Here is a little close-up of the O & V. If you notice I messed up the V a little bit. (If you look at the way it is on the die, it's slanted, so part of the corner was cut off, but I just die cut another small piece and layered it underneath to fix it). I just love those new epoxy brads, too!! They are great for cards, and will be great for scrapbooking!! And the ribbon is our next satin ribbon from the Mini Catalog.
Hope you find some LOVE today!! See you tomorrow for some more fun!!
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A few weeks ago, I was looking for a new technique to use in my Technique Tuesday class, so I went to Splitcoaststampers for a little inspiration and I came across the Try a Technique Challenge. For that day it was the VanGogh Technique.
The basic concept of this technique is to color in a line image with markers without shading, then go back and add brushstrokes in darker colors and/or coordinating colors to add the shading and dimension. I really liked to look of the samples so I set out in search of the perfect stamp set, and all I really came up with was the Build-a-Bear stamps. Since they are a smaller stamp (a lot of the samples were larger images or scenery), I didn't think I could use the large brush end of the marker, so I used the fine-point end, which made it a little more like Georges Seurat, but I'm still calling it the VanGogh Technique.
So, here are the two cards I came up with. I had to do both the girl and boy versions! If you click on them, you can see them a little larger and see the details in the brushstrokes.
Here is a full recipe:
Stamp sets: Beary Best Friends, Beary Nice Wishes
Ink: Jet Black StazOn
Cardstock: Brocade Blue (boy), Bashful Blue (boy), Rose Romance (girl), Pretty in Pink (girl), Whisper White, Basic Black
Accessories: lots & lots of markers!!
See you tomorrow!!
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Here is a project we did at my last Technique Tuesday class, and if you are a subscriber to my newsletter, you can see a video tutorial of this, too! The video shows a different sample, but here is the one we did last week.
The embossing folder is "altered" because only part of the cardstock is actually embossed. If you want to check out how I did it, here is the link to the video.
Here is the recipe for this sample:
Stamp Set: Thoughts & Prayers
Ink: Chocolate Chip & Old Olive
Cardstock: Whisper White & Old Olive
Accessories: Finial Press Embossing Folder, Big Shot, Wood Frame from craft store
And speaking of Thoughts & Prayers, I updated my post from a couple days ago about the Gangis. The accident happened in Florida and their local CBS affiliate down there picked the story up. Right after I saw it, I checked the Facebook page and there were 3,048 fans. Check it out now & see the amount. Totally unbelievable!! Keep it up people!
And while you are praying, pray for a safe flight for me. Tomorrow morning I am heading to Pheonix for Stampin' Up!'s Leadership convention and to visit with some old high school friends. Between Facebook and my upcoming high school reunion, it's been great getting back in touch with people. If it weren't for Facebook, I wouldn't know that one good college friend and 3 good high school friends were all in the Phoenix area!!! Gotta love social networking!!
Here is a sample from yesterday's Technique Tuesday Class. I learned this on Diana Gibb's blog. It uses the new Sizzix Finial Press Embossing Folder. Here the rest of the recipe:
Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes Cardstock/Paper: Whisper White, Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry, Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Series Paper Ink: Rich Razzleberry Accessories: Big Shot, Top Note Die, Finial Press Embossing Folder, Word Window Punch, Modern Label Punch, 1-1/4" Square Punch, Black Marker, Dimensionals, Sponge
I wanted to share one of the cards from last month's Technique Tuesday Class. It's basically a watercoloring technique that looks like a sepia photograph. I read about this technique from my good friend and sideline, Diana Gibbs.
Since sepia photos are shades of brown, I started with kraft cardstock and stamped my image (line images with detail work best) in Basic Brown ink. I then used Very Vanilla Craft Ink and Chocolate Chip Classic Ink to paint on highlights & shadows. I then sponged the edge of the kraft cardstock with chocolate chip ink and voila!!! A sepia photo!!!
Here is a complete materials list:
Stamps: Echoes of Kindness (level 2 hostess set), Warm Words Ink: Basic Brown, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla Paper: Kraft, Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Manchester DSP Accessories: Very Vanilla Hodgepodge, sponge, Designer Label Punch, paint brush
If you try out this technique, send me a copy and I'll post your sample right here on my blog!!
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I had a great holiday weekend!!! We had great weather and I had high hopes for getting odds & ends jobs done around the house - and we did it!!!!!!!!!!! When does that EVER happen????
I also spent some time getting some class samples done for my Technique Tuesday Class today. I'll take some pictures of them and post them later this week.
Looking forward to our Spring Crop Weekend starting this Friday!!! I will be teaching a scrapbooking 2-page spread class. Check back tomorrow for the sample.
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This was one of the cards I did as my make & takes for our National Scrapbooking Day Event. It uses the Manhattan Flower Textured Impressions Die (#114715). After running it through the Big Shot, I sponged on color in a circular motion. The raised images where the fibers in the paper were broken down, took more of the color and gave a darker hue on the embossed edge, but a softer, lighter color around the image. It was a really simple technique.
Here is the recipe:
Stamps: Sincere Salutations Cardstock: Blush Blossom Ink: (sponged in this order) Pink Pirouette, Blush Blossom, Creamy Caramel, and Close to Cocoa for the stamped greeting Accessories: Manhattan Flower Textured Impressions Die, Big Shot, sponges
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Here is another card I created using the rubber brayer. I actually was inspired by Splitcoast's Color Challenge last week for
this card, so used Pink Pirouette, Rose Red, and Going Gray. I thought this could create more of a sunset look. There are so many more things that can be done with this technique!! Let me know what you think about this one!
Here is the recipe:
Stamps: Thoughts & Prayers, All Holidays
Paper: Pink Pirouette, Whisper White, Basic Gray
Ink: Pink Pirouette, Rose Red, Basic Gray
Accessories: Brayer, Basic Gray Taffeta
Enjoy your Technique Tuesday!!! :-)
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I've never done a sneak peek on a Technique Tuesday class before (maybe because I usually finish up the day before!!!), but I have one sample finished already and I thought I would share!!
This is a "Hair Gel" Card using the mini catalog set, Just Beachy (#113796). If you'd like to know how to do it, well, then you have to come to the class. :-) It's this Tuesday night at my house in Randolph, NJ at 7:00 PM. As of right now, I only have 4 spots left.
And if you don't live in the Morris County New Jersey area, then you can find out how to do this by subscribing to my mailing list. Every month in my newsletter I feature a technique. This technique will be featured in May and I'll have a video tutorial to show you how it's done!!
