Friday, July 30, 2010

Old and new together

I love that SU brought back some of the old colors, especially Baja Breeze! My downline, Rhonda, and I are sharing some DSP, and she got Greenhouse Gala, which has lots of Baja Breeze in it. My card uses a Dare to Get Dirty sketch from SCS. Be sure to check out the DTGD challenges if you're a fan club member!
Supplies (all SU): Stamps: Whimsical Words (SAB); Paper: Greenhouse Gala DSP, Whisper White, Baja Breeze, Early Espresso; Ink: Early Espresso, Tangerine Tango; Accessories: ticket corner punch, scallop border punch
Happy stamping!
Jana Signature

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Keeping it simple

I brought some stamping stuff with me to CA, but my supplies are limited. That requires some creativity! For this week's workshop wow, I decided to offer up a limited supply challenge: use stamps, paper, ink and one accessory.
For my card, I did reverse masking to create my focal image. I sponged Sahara Sand ink around the edges then inked up my stamp with Cherry Cobbler, Daffodil Delight and Wild Wasabi. I stamped 2 of the flowers from the same set (Vintage Vogue) with Cherry Cobbler and Daffodil Delight and then cut them out. I added a vanilla button to the flower center and stamped the sentiment in Sahara Sand.
Supplies (all SU): Stamps: Vinage Vogue; Paper: Confetti White; Ink: Sahara Sand, Cherry Cobbler, Wild Wasabi, Daffodil Delight; Accessories: neutrals buttons
Happy stamping!

Jana Signature

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Winery photos at last!

Here I am with Kristen at the Maurice Carrie winery in Temecula.
This is the winery itself.

Grapes at the Wilson Creek winery.
Me at Wilson Creek winery.

Jana Signature

Monday, July 26, 2010

Wine country revisited

Here's a photo of Kristen and me at the Maurice Carrie winery in Temecula. I took more pictures, but my camera has decided not to share them. I'll work on that!
Guess what else I did this weekend? I stamped! OK, there's no stamping on this card, but you know what I mean. I made 3 cards on Sunday, so that means I can do my usual 3 posts this week. Whoohoo!
I made this card for my friend Susie's WICKED challenge to create a paper quilt. I'll add a sentiment after I get home. This is an easy peasy project. I found 2 pieces of DSP that had patterns I liked on both sides. I cut 2 1 1/2" squares from each sheet. Then I cut each square in half diagonally and flipped one of the halves. The gray mat is 3 1/2", and the Concord Crush mat is 3 3/4".
Supplies (all SU): Stamps: none; Ink: Basic Gray marker; Paper: Lap of Luxury DSP, Pretty in Pink, Basic Gray, Concord Crush; Accessories: neutral buttons, very vanilla taffeta ribbon
Happy stamping!

Jana Signature

Sunday, July 18, 2010

On the road again

I'm traveling on business again! This time I'm in CA for 3 weeks. I brought some stamping stuff with me, so I'm hoping to have some projects to share with you. My posting will probably be sporadic, so thank you for your patience!
Happy stamping!
Jana Signature

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Double challenge card

Today's card was for two different challenges. One was for this month's WICKED challenge. My good friend Susie Nelson is our WICKED stamper this month. One of her challenges was to make Diana Gibbs' faux tin ceiling. I was able to use a piece I had embossed using Rhonda's cuttlebug. What a fun technique!
The other challenge is this week's Workshop Wow challenge: the forkbow. I saw this demonstrated at regional this spring, and yes, you use a fork to make the perfect bow. That's how I made the bow on yesterday's card. TIP: Taffeta works best for the forkbow because it's thin and pliable.
This card is a redo of a card I just made a few weeks ago, and we also made it at my workshop last week. The other change in the card is that we used thumping to add more color and depth to the hydrangea.
Here is my photo tutorial for the forkbow.

First of all, you need a fork with an even number of tines. The size of the fork will determine the size of the bow. The fork in the picture is the meat fork that came with my silverware. Start with 12" or so of ribbon (longer ribbon if you use a bigger fork). Fold it in half with one half in front of the fork and the other half behind the fork. The back part should be a little longer than the front.

You will always work with the same piece of ribbon, which starts out as the back piece. Bring it around to the front of the fork and put it through the center slot below the front piece.

Pull it tight.

Bring that piece up and back through the center slot again (this time you're bringing it from the back to the front).

Tie it nice and tight. I found that the bow will lay better if you pull the two ends vertical (straight up and down) after the first tie but before knotting.

Slide it off the fork. Here is your finished bow. You can cut the ends short or wrap the extra ribbon around your cardstock.
Happy stamping!
Jana Signature

Monday, July 12, 2010

Quick and easy Inspired by Nature

Here's a quick and easy one for you today using Inspired by Nature. I started with Bashful Blue cardstock (3 X 3 1/4). Bashful Blue is a light enough color that you can stamp on it and the colors still stay true, so I thought it would be great for the sky. (If you wanted a sunset-ish background, you could use So Saffron.) I got my color combo from the new Color Coach: Bashful Blue, Rose Red, Old Olive. I stamped the flowers in Rose Red and the grass in Old Olive. Gold Glow Smooch Spritz is the final touch. I adhered the Bashful Blue piece to a Rose Red mat, added the Old Olive satin ribbon and tore the right edge of the mat. (I'll be showing you how to make this bow on Wednesday; it's awesome!) At first, I used an Old Olive cardbase, but that was WAY too much Old Olive. So I changed it to Bashful Blue, and I liked that much better. Old Olive grass makes a great background that mirrors what's going on in the main image.
Happy stamping!
Jana Signature

Friday, July 9, 2010

Awash with markers

Last weekend, I got to go stamp with my friend Karen! I am terrible when it comes to figuring out what to take with me if I don't have the projects planned out in advance. (Pauline, I know you're laughing! LOL) I always end up wishing I had something that I left at home. But I managed to mostly make one card and get a start on a couple of others at least.
This is the card I mostly finished. (I didn't have the modern label punch with me. I decided to leave the sentiment off since I didn't have a recipient in mind.) All of the images here were done entirely with markers. I'll admit I haven't used markers much, but since I got the color kit of 13, I've been using them a lot and loving them! It was especially handy for doing that big flower as I could use a different color for the center. I also used the Wild Wasabi marker to give the stems a little extra color. The butterfly was made with one of the flower stamps. I used the Early Espresso marker to draw the body and antennae.
I hadn't used the spiral punch in ages, so I decided to use that as well. Those little holes are perfect for the narrow taffeta ribbon to fit through!
The colors I used are: Daffodil Delight, Cherry Cobbler, Wild Wasabi, Early Espresso, Marina Mist, Pink Pirouette and Tangerine Tango.
Happy stamping!

Jana Signature

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Tropical beach scene

We made this card at the workshop I had last night. There are several fun techniques here. The first is moonlighting, which is masking to create the sun. Punch a circle out of a post-it note and use the hole to sponge in the ink. Then put the punched circle over the sun to mask it from the sky color.
Next up is masking and brayering. Adhere a big post-it note at the top of the cardstock then tear off across the bottom to expose the area for the sand. Brayer with Crumb Cake ink then spray on Gold Glow and Log Cabin smooch spritz. To create the sky, take the torn bottom part of your post-it note and cover the sand. TIP: Use hermafix adhesive for this since it's temporary. Remove the top part of the post-it note, make sure your circle mask is over the sun, and brayer with Bashful Blue. TIP: Don't have a full-sized ink pad to ink your brayer? Use reinker on a foam plate.
Next I stamped the palm trees and palm fronds. Because I was using clear mount stamps, I could bend the trunk of the palm tree!
The last technique is bargello. I cut 4 strips of striped DSP (2 are 1/2", 2 are 3/8") then adhered them to the Garden Green mat, varying the pattern of stripes and alternating the 2 sizes of strips.
Please try this and practice brayering. It's so much easier than you think! Repeated rolling helps even out the color, and you can also sponge and swirl ink over any remaining uneven areas. TIP: Store your brayer resting fully on the handle (rubber roller facing up). If you store it resting on the roller, you can get a flat spot.
Supplies (all SU): Stamps: Tropical Party, Sanded, Teeny Tiny Wishes; Paper: Very Vanilla, Pumpkin Pie, Garden Green, Travel Journal DSP; Ink: Bashful Blue, Crumb Cake, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Early Espresso, Garden Green; Accessories: 1" circle punch, smooch spritz, sponge, brayer
Happy stamping!

Jana Signature

Monday, July 5, 2010

Emboss resist medallion

Today's card uses the emboss resist technique with the Medallion background stamp. This is very similar to the card I made last week with the Medallion stamp. In fact, I stamped and embossed both pieces at the same time!
First I stamped the medallion onto glossy cardstock with VersaMark ink. Next, I poured on clear EP and heat embossed. I sponged the center of the medallion with Marina Mist ink and the next section with Pacific Point ink. The rest of the cardstock was sponged with Cherry Cobbler. Then I set it aside to dry. After the ink was dry, I spritzed a paper towel with Stampin' Mist and used that to remove the excess ink from the embossed area so it would be nice and white. Just be sure not to wipe on the glossy areas!
TIP: I used glossy cardstock so the ink will blend better. The ink doesn't dry right away on glossy cardstock; that's how I could get the color nice and smooth. I also used a swirling motion with the sponge rather than a dabbing motion.
The cardbase is Pacific Point with a slit punched into the fold with the retired horizontal slot punch. A piece of white organdy ribbon finishes the card.
Happy stamping!

Jana Signature

Friday, July 2, 2010

Non-traditional grad card

I needed one more grad card, and this is what I came up with. It's definitely not traditional! I started with some Presto Patterns DSP, which I sponged with Marina Mist and Elegant Eggplant. TIP: Be sure to lightly wipe the DSP with a paper towel to remove the excess ink from the glossy pattern so it pops.
I had seen a beautifully colored hydrangea on Kerin Sylvester's blog that inspired mine. I stamped the image with black StazOn onto Confetti White cardstock. Then I colored the leaves with an aquapainter with Certainly Celery and Old Olive and the flowers with Marina Mist and Elegant Eggplant. I added white gel pen to the flower centers.
I stamped the sentiment with Basic Gray ink, added a Marina Mist flower, and punched it out with the small oval punch. A few dots of Mono Multi adhesive adhered it to the hardware. Elegant Eggplant grosgrain ribbon keeps the hardware in place.
Supplies (all SU): Stamps: Because I Care, Teeny Tiny Wishes; Paper: Confetti White, Basic Gray, Presto Patterns DSP; Ink: black StazOn, Marina Mist, Elegant Eggplant, Basic Gray; Accessories: aquapainter, white gel pen, sponge, small oval punch, horizontal slot punch, Styled Silver hodgepodge hardware, Elegant Eggplant grosgrain ribbon
Happy stamping!

Jana Signature