Halloween cards from the class

Finally got to post the halloween cards we made at the Halloween Card Class on October 13th.

The stamp set used in this one is Cookie Cutter Halloween. I heat embossed the skeleton with VersaMark and white embossing powder on Basic Black card stock, which was then mounted on a piece of Halloween Night Specialty Designer Series Paper. The other pattern paper layers on this card are also from that same set. 


The 'swirly bits' are cut with Swirly Scribbles thinlits, and the bat is punched first with the Elegant Butterfly punch, and then the bottom of the butterfly is punched out with the Bitty Butterfly punch, to make it look like a bat.

The second card is also using the Swirly Scribbles thinlits. Here you can cut both pumpkins at the same time (the smaller circle fits inside the large circle centre, so you have no waste!. The leafs are stamped with Swirly Bird stamp set using Emerald Envy ink. The background splatter is from Swirly Bird stamp set and the sentiment is from Work of Art stamp set and I used Emerald Envy and Sahara Sand inks.

The third card uses again Cookie Cutter Halloween stamp set. The background smutch is painted with a paint brush and Crushed Curry ink refill. The leaves are cut out using Leaflets Framelits. The orange leaf is then embossed with Woodgrain embossing folder, and the Delightful Dijon maple leaf is texturized by breaking the card stock apart.

This creates a 'suede' feel and look to the card stock. This is how I did it:

1. cut out your shape
2. use a bone folder to break the paper fibres by 'curling' the piece in different directions. This curling motion will break the fibres, and you will see that the paper layers start to peel apart. Just be careful with your curling, specially smaller parts may break. Even my leaf had some tears, but I made sure those parts are covered with the other leaf.
3. once your layers start peeling, gently tear the layers apart.

And the last card uses the same Cookie Cutter Halloween stamp set and the Halloween Night Specialty Designer series paper. The sentiment is stamped with Labeler Alphabet stamp set, and the background behind the scarecrow is stamped with a stamp from Butterfly Basics.

Both scarecrows are coloured with Blender Pens.

Mojo Monday 471

Some of you might remember me taking part in the 'Mojo Monday' challenges a while back.

As life happens, I just got too busy with other 'stuff', so the challenge got dropped.

Now I'm getting back to it (hopefully sticking with it too), and here is the challenge template.

As I was creating my card, I had all the intentions of keeping the card upright as in the template, but when I was cutting the background circle, I cut the wrong edge, so I ended making my card landscape instead 

there are no mistakes in crafting, 

just opportunities to be creative! 

The stamp used to create this card is from 'Wetlands' and the pattern papers (both in the circle and at the background) are from Serene Scenery Designer Series Paper Stack. The image was first stamped off to a scrap paper and then onto the Whisper White card stock to get a more subtle image.

The colours are Old Olive, Crumb Cake and Delightful Dijon. The thinlits used for the cutting are: Flourish Thinlits, Sunshine Wishes thinlits and Layering Circles thinlits.

Halloween Card Class

Pumpkin Spice, Cinnamon, Hot Chocolate.... Fall is here!

So I have been making these fall cards now for couple of weeks. I just love the colours and the cool crispiness in the air.

The first card is Soft Suede and Delightful Dijon card stocks and the leaves are cut out of Old Olive, Crushed Curry and Cajun Craze card stocks using the Flourish thinlits set. This card was inspired by a card I saw on Pinterest.

The second card was part of my Fall Card Class selection.
The background is Pumpkin Pie and the Hardwood is stamped with Early Espresso on Crumb Cake card stock.

The leaves is cut with Leaflets framelits. The second leaf is cut out of Champagne glimmer paper (retired), but looks very similar with Gold glimmer paper (I had stacks of the champagne one, so I ended up using that one instead - sorry).


The tree and the leaves are from Totally Trees and the line is from Mountain Adventure. The pumpkins are from Swirly Bird and I hand drew the lines on the pumpkins (I just didn't have small enough pumpkin stamps!)

This card is made with Sheltering Tree using Cajun Craze, Pumpkin Pie, Crushed Curry and Delightful Dijon colours. 

The Bakers Twine is Crushed Curry and the tree trunk is stamped with Early Espresso.

This is one of my favourite stamp sets. So quick to use and works for every season.
But I have to say, I just LOVE to use it with all the warm fall colours!

Fall card galore

What a busy fall it has been! The BOGO event was super well attended. I need to start ordering more stamp sets so that I have some retired stamps to sell next year....

I had my first fall card class last week, and we created some great cards. The next card class will be Halloween cards, and the class is scheduled for October 13th (Thursday after Thanksgiving).

The first card from the fall card class uses the new Totally Trees stamp set. I LOVE THIS SET!!! I have been making so many cards with this set, using different colour combinations.

This card is made on Crushed Curry card stock, and the torn leaves are made with 'faux suede' technique.

The colours used on this one are Mint Macaroon, Crushed Curry and Pool Party.

Faux Suede:

Cut out your shapes, then curl them with bone folder to different directions to loosen the fibres. Be careful, as the pieces get fragile (some of my leaves ripped, but I was still able to use them by tucking the torn part under). Once the paper layers start peeling, you can tear the pieces apart

The next card using the Totally Trees was inspired by Pinterest. The card stock is Bermuda Bay and the inks are Pear Pizzazz, Pool Party & Sweet Sugarplum. I also used the new glitter ribbon in Sweet Sugarplum (the pack has 2 spools, the other spool is silver)

This third card pair is using same stamp set, but again with different colour combinations.

As you can see, the colours make a huge difference!

The one above and below this, can easily be used throughout the year, whereas this pair is definitely made with fall colours. Not that you could not use those colours throughout the year, but for me, they definitely are fall cards.

Now this last card is the same as the first card, but instead of the faux suede leaves, I used the swirls from the Swirly Scribbles Thinlits. I also used some ink and a brush to make the watercolour effect behind the trees. The colours on the trees are Dapper Denim, Crushed Curry and Pool Party. And I used the new narrower Burlap Ribbon on this one.

I will post pictures of the other cards in the future postings.

Hope you enjoy your weekend!

getting ready for BOGO event

BigShot stuff

okay, I have been working now for 2 days to sort through my stuff. I hadn't removed the retired items from my shelves (as I was gone all summer), so I had to do it now. Let me tell you it is not easy... you go through the new catalogue and see what stamp sets are still available. Then I have to look at the clearance rack, as I don't necessarily want to sell stuff, that I technically could still use at a class.

papers

Then I have to look if there are things that I still want to keep for my personal use. And I always keep stuff, but funny enough, I never end up using them. I always say "maybe when I'm no longer a Stampin'Up! representative...."

This time I was much stricter on what I allowed myself to keep. Few christmas and halloween sets, and some sentiments. I always think that I can use old sentiment sets as long as there is something similar in the current catalogue.

stamps, papers, embellishments....

So this time, I really have tons of stamp sets, plenty of Designer Series Papers, Embossing folders, framelits, embellishments and punches to sell. And tons of bundles (matching stamp set and punch/framelits)

I needed to get all the stuff out of my craft room so I could get some cards done too!

Long silence....

I know, I know.... 

I was supposed to post things during my summer - of all the things I did, crafting and travelling.... oh well... 

I did do both, craft and travel

I was in Finland for June and July, Tom joined me for the month of July. We spent most of the time at my parents cottage near the Russian border, some time in Helsinki area and we did make a 3 day trip to St. Petersburg, Russia. 

Here are some pictures from that trip. But before that, let me just warn you my Canadian friends.... if you plan to travel there, the easiest way is to either go with a cruise line, as you can travel without a Russian visa (3 days). If you wish to take the train, like we did, be prepared for a bunch of paperwork. I mean, list your schooling, all your trips within the past 10 (!!) years (max 30 trips, so if you travel a lot, then just pull out your current passport.