DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER

A card created last month that I didn't post -- but so beautiful.  This is truly a girly-girl card, that sparkles even with the lights are off (okay, maybe with a candle glowing).  And what girl doesn’t like diamonds?  Of course there was no way I could get all the sparkles to show up with my limited camera skills, but trust me; any girl would love to get this card in the mail:
 

You really need to right-click on this card with your mouse and select "open in new window" to see the sparkle and shine.  I totally love this card!!  It looks like a hard card to put together but it really isn't -- see directions below.

PRODUCT USED:

(Note:  Some of this product is now discontinued; i.e, card stock color & embossing folder, but just switch with current SU product.)
Stamps:  Parlor Prints Background and Teeny Tiny Wishes.

Card Stock:  Rose Red, Very Vanilla, and Basic Black.

Ink:  Rose Red Classic Ink and Illuminate Pigment Ink.

Tools and Accessories:  Dress Up Framelits; Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Folder; Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder; Embossing Buddy Static Remover; Heat Tool; Brayer; Rose Red Marker; Vanilla 5/8" Flower Trim; Rose Red Seam Binding; Rhinestone; Word Window, Modern Label, and Little Labels Punches (½" tiny postage stamp cut in half).

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cut 4 ¼" x 11" card base from Rose Red cardstock; fold in half.
2. Cut 4 1/8" x 5 5/16" piece of Very Vanilla cardstock and emboss with Vintage Wallpaper folder.
3. Use Illuminate Pigment Ink to brayer over the embossed Very Vanilla layer.  Use heat tool to dry before adhering to base of card (Rose Red).
4. Use a 2" x 5" piece of Rose Red cardstock to run the Dress Form framelit through the Big Shot.  Cut the bottom part of the dress form so you have two pieces.  Attach top half of dress form to Very Vanilla layer.  Set aside the bottom half until your dress is made (see #12).
5. Cut 2 pieces of Basic Black cardstock:  (a) 4" x 2 ½" and (b) 4" x 3" and run through both pieces in Big Shot using dress framelit to make the dress.  (The smaller Black cardstock piece is for the bottom of the skirt only.)
6. Use Embossing Buddy on both the dress and skirt, and then stamp with the Parlor Prints Background Stamp inked with Illuminate Pigment Ink.
7. Quickly apply Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder and set with Heat Tool.
8. Attach the skirt bottom under the full dress with Sticky Strip.
9. Wrap dress waist with Rose Red Seam Binding and make small bow.
10. Cut one rose from the Vanilla Flower Trim and color with the Rose Red marker.
11. Attach rose flower to the bow using Mini Glue Dots.
12. Attach dress to the dress form with the previously cut bottom piece of the dress form positioned under the skirt.
13. Use a scrap of Basic Black cardstock (that was stamped and embossed like the dress), to punch with the ½" postage stamp from the Little Labels Punch Pack. Cut diagonally across the square to make a diamond shaped neck choker with a diamond rhinestone in the middle.  Adhere to the neck of the Dress Form.
14. Punch Rose Red cardstock with Modern Label Punch.
15. Stamp "Thinking of You" (from Teeny Tiny Wishes) with Rose Red Ink on Very Vanilla cardstock, punch with the Window Punch, and adhere to Rose Red punched cardstock.  Adhere sentiment to the bottom-right corner and trim off excess.

And finally, additional pictures from my daughter's "You Are . . ." squash book album (see previous posts for other pictures):

Until next time,

Sandi

"He who glories, let him glory in the Lord."  --  2 Corinthians 10:17

STAMPIN UP: ROSES, CHALKBOARD, DRESS-UP, DAPPER DAD

Another beautiful day here in Michigan!!  Had a great day yesterday with my stamping buddies making cards at my monthly stamp get-together!!  We did a few oldie techniques they hadn't done in a long time or never, so that is always fun for me.  What I like most about sharing my love of stamping is how everybody puts their own style into their finished cards.  I am always amazed at their talent.

Here are the designs I did for yesterday's class:

This has got to be my all-time favorite for a two-step stamp set:  Stipple Blossoms (two-step) Stamp Set.  I also used the Bring on the Cake Stamp Set for the greeting.  Classic Ink used:  Old Olive, Always Artichoke, Rose Red, and the retiring Regal Rose (so sad, this is one of my very favorites!!).  I used the "masking technique" on this card  -- the ladies loved this stamp set and the technique (they were all amazed at how easy/user-friendly it was for the two-step stamping)

 

This was a new technique for all of my stampers:  Chalkboard!!  They had seen some of my samples and asked if they could do this at their next class, and it turned out to be another favorite technique for them.  I actually could not make up my mind what design I liked more (see below), so they got to pick which one they wanted to make or if they wanted to make one of each.  All of them ended up liking this one the best, so I'm glad I didn't go with my pick, which is below.  I love doing this technique because I am able to get all my clear stamps on one block which makes it very easy to do the embossing.  Product used:  Henry Says and Bring on the Cake Stamp Sets; White Craft Ink and Embossing Power; Versa-Mark Ink; and Sponge.

This is the card that nobody liked (sad face), but I did (consider the source and you would understand).  I used the new Bombs Away and Designer Typeset Photopolymer Stamp Sets. 

Another card the class wanted to create using the Dress-Up Framelits; Tea Shoppe Stamp Set (sentiment); and retiring Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Embossing Folder; Print Poetry Designer Series Paper Stack; and Pretty In Pink Card Stock (another sad face -- I love getting new colors, but don't want any old ones to retire -- LOL).

 

And of course a card for the males!!  Stampin' Up product used:  Dapper Dad and Happy Hour Stamp Sets; Chevron Embossing Folder; Ovals Collection Framelits; Bottle Cap; and Crystal Effects.

Until next time,
Sandi

"God does not demand impossibilities."  --  St. Augustine



CHALKBOARD TECHNIQUE & STUFF

Been playing with my stamps the last couple of days.  I rarely get a chance to do this, and really didn't have the time the last couple of days.  But I'm the kind of person who prefers to start a design then leave it overnight, so I actually only spent about an hour each day when I was watching TV and didn't want to fall asleep in the middle of a show like I would if I was just sitting on the couch -- LOL!!

So today I'm going to show you the good and bad (this is how I learn).  I have been wanting to do the chalkboard technique for ages after seeing so many beautiful cards done by others.  The technique is easy, just emboss your stamps in whisper white embossing powder, add a few highlights using your white watercolor pencil, then sponge a little Whisper White Craft Ink on your Basic Black Card Stock.  EZ, PZ!!  So here is my favorite one out of the group:

I just love this for a child's birthday!!  Stampin' Up supplies used:  the new Photopolymer Designer Typeset and Henry Says Stamp Sets; Calypso Coral and Basic Black Card Stock; Natural Composition Speciality Designer Paper; White Watercolor Pencil; White Gel Pen; Sponge; Whisper White Embossing Powder; and Word Window Punch.

I used the Blooming with Kindness Stamp Set for this card, with Summer Starfruit Card Stock for the card base.

This was my first try -- so be kind!!

I was just messing around with my new Dress Up Framelits for this card.  After I made this one I did some really gorgeous dresses -- but can't show them right now -- LOL!!  I really like to make my own "material" for the dresses.  I'll let you figure out how I made the material for this dress.



And lookie here!!  My new addition to my stampin' studio -- a ribbon storage unit!!  I so love it -- thank you Ronda!!!  If you look closely (or enlarge the picture by right-clicking and selecting "open in new tab"), you will notice some neat little tricks I have picked up from other stampers.  I love the idea for using the clipboard, with tin foil, for embossing.  You just clip your card stock to the board and heat (no more burnt fingers).  I also keep my embossing powder in a Keurig K-Cup Coffee Carousel.  (I love it, but need to get another for all the new Stampin' Up colors!)  I also use coffee filters to catch my embossing powder instead of the trays because I can dump the excess back into the jars without it sticking to the paper.

I hope you enjoyed seeing what I do in my "off-time."  I would love to get your comments.

Until next time,
Sandi

“And he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, understanding, knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze…” --  Exodus 35:31-32