Simple Thanks

I needed thank you cards for Daniel to send for all of the generous gifts he has received for graduation. I will need about 25, so it has to be something I can make a lot of! His school colors are red and gray. This is the card I came up with. The background is Tres Chic, and the sentiment is from Sincere Salutations. My favorite punch, the ticket corner, adds interest without adding too much work.
Supplies (all SU): Stamps: Sincere Salutations, Tres Chic; Paper: Whisper White, Basic Gray, Real Red; Ink: Basic Gray; Accessories: Ticket corner punch
Happy stamping!

Faux Tooled Leather

I first saw this fabulous technique on Beth Fox's blog. She saw it on Michelle Zindorf's blog. I loved the effect but wanted to simplify it a little and use all SU product.

This is my final card so you can see the full effect. For this card I started with a 3 1/2" square and used the smaller swirl from Priceless. I know the copper cardstock is retired, but it was just too perfect for this project! While I wouldn't do this for a workshop, I did it with Rhonda, Pauline and my mom for our shoebox swap, and they all just loved it!
For the tutorial photos, I used a 4" square of Creamy Caramel cardstock and the large swirl from Priceless. The first thing I did was make a dot in the center of the square with my Versamarker. (You could really use anything if you are going to put something in the center like I did.)
I used my Stampamajig to stamp the swirl 4 times in Versamark then I embossed with clear EP.
I brayered Basic Brown ink over the square in both directions. The first layer will look uneven, but the second layer in the other direction will help even out the color. You could also use Chocolate Chip. Let it dry for a few minutes and then wipe the excess ink off the embossed areas.
Next I stamped the berry branch from Always in Chocolate Chip between the swirls. Wipe away the excess ink again.
Next, I stamped Sanded background in Basic Brown. Again, wipe away the excess ink.

The last step (not shown) is to sponge Basic Black around the edges. I used a dabbing motion rather than my usual swirling motion for a more mottled effect. And again wipe away the excess ink from the embossed images. Then I roughed up the edges with the Cutter Kit.

For my medallion, I chose an image from Baroque Motifs. I stamped it with Chocolate Chip craft ink onto Creamy Caramel cs and embossed with clear EP. I sponged Creamy Caramel ink over the whole thing so the color would match the background better. I cut it out and adhered it to a Really Rust scallop circle. I attached the medallion to the background with a copper brad and used a Really Rust mat. The sentiment is from Sincere Salutations.

Supplies (all SU): Stamps: Baroque Motifs, Priceless, Sincere Salutations, Sanded; Paper: copper (retired), Creamy Caramel, Really Rust; Ink: Versamark, Basic Brown, Chocolate Chip (classic and craft), Basic Black; Accessories: clear EP, Versamarker, copper brads, scallop circle punch, sponge, heat gun, Stampamajig, cutter kit

Happy stamping!

Saturday Challenge # 18--It's All in the Technique

This week's challenge is to try a new technique or revisit an old one. The technique I've used here is Poppin' Pastels. I can't remember the last time I did this one! I was inspired by JanTInk, who did this technique with this stamp a while back. The layout is this week's sketch challenge from Beate.
For those of you who've never done Poppin' Pastels (or have forgotten it), you stamp the image in Versamark then color it with chalks. The chalk sticks to the Versamark but not anywhere else.
If you play along, please link your card here so I can admire it! Use ISC18 as a keyword in the SCS gallery.
Supplies (all SU): Stamps: Always; Paper: Cameo Coral, Chocolate Chip, Soft Sky Prints, Bali Breeze DSP; Ink: Versamark, Chocolate Chip; Accessories: Corner rounder punch, Chocolate Chip polytwill ribbon, Stampin' Pastels
Check back in the next couple of days for a tutorial for an AWESOME technique that you may not have seen yet. Also, I am coming up on 20,000 hits and it's almost a year that I've been blogging, so I'm thinking some blog candy is required...
Happy stamping!

Daniel's a graduate!

Last night, Daniel graduated from high school. Whoohoo!! There were 315 graduates in his class.
Mark, Daniel and me
Grandma Shirley, Daniel and Grandpa Larry (Mark's parents)
Granny Pat and Daniel (my mom)

Rhonda's latest project

Is this card gorgeous or what? Rhonda is SO talented.
Here's a close-up of the chipboard star. Here's what Rhonda did: First, she inked up the star with Black Staz-on. Then she stamped Tres Chic in Silver. She suggested laying the stamp rubber side up to ink and stamp so you can choose which word is centered on the star. Next came a coat of Versamark followed by Hologram Highlights EP. It's even more gorgeous in person. Thanks for sharing, Rhonda!
Happy stamping!

P.S. Today my darling son graduates from high school!! I'll post pics tomorrow.

New Rubber!!!

Last night, Rhonda, Pauline, my mom and I had a shoebox swap. We wanted to get together to stamp while my mom is visiting. We met at Pauline's at 5:30. Rhonda picked up a yummy taco pizza at Papa Murphy's, and I brought apple pie squares from the bakery at the grocery store. (Pauline doesn't like chocolate! What's up with that? LOL)
Well, I knew my Fresh Cut Notes set and note cards were arriving yesterday. Of course, they weren't delivered until 4:45! So I didn't really have time to play ahead of time. But I did make a card in my head. My color combo was based on a shirt I wore on Sunday: Soft Sky and Old Olive.
We inked the large background (I read on SCS that it's 3 1/4 X 3 1/4.) in Soft Sky and then thumped it with an Old Olive marker. I also ran Old Olive around all of the edges. (On Rhonda's card, which is on the right, she colored in some of the images instead of thumping.) Then we punched out the 5 Petal Flower punch using Soft Sky Prints DSP and adhered that behind the opening. Last, we added a felt flower and gold brad. (My mom's image was higher up on the card, so she added a sentiment at the bottom of hers.)

After I got home, I added one more thing. I cut a 3 3/4" square of Bali Breeze DSP and adhered it to the inside of the card so it covers the opening. It adds that nice pop of color and covers up the flower and brad so you don't see it on the inside.

Happy stamping!

Jewelry!

Today, I'm showing you how to make this gorgeous necklace. I originally got the idea from Jan Wakeland, another SU demonstrator. I bought a kit that she made. The supplies you need are waxed thread, washers, rub-ons, and embellishments. Here I used the Pretties Kit and Eastern Elegance rub-ons. You can also use eyelets as spacers and crimp beads.

I found this waxed thread at Michael's in both white and black. That is also where I got the lobster clasps, and I got earrings too. My mom was thrilled to get some clip earrings because her ears aren't pierced.
After applying the rub-on to the washer, cut your thread to the desired length. Make sure you add enough to knot the ends. Fold the thread in half and put the ends through the washer hole.
Put the ends through the loop and pull tight.
Add embellishments as desired.
Thread the lobster clasp onto one side of the thread.
Tie a knot and pull tight, moving the knot as close to the clasp as possible. Trim the excess.
Make a loop with the other thread and tie a knot just like the one you made for the lobster clasp. Trim the excess. (As you can see here, I laid my necklace out flat so I could make the loop even with the clasp.)

A note about the thread and embellishments: For some reason the white thread is thinner than the black even though they look the same. Only the white thread will go through the smaller pearls in the Pretties Kit. They fit fairly snugly so your embellishments will stay put. Otherwise, I used the silver eyelets as spacers and then crimped one at the top to keep all of the beads in place. I bought some clear thread, but it didn't work well. So I'm sticking with black and white.

A note about the washers: They are very inexpensive! I got a whole bunch in different sizes at my local hardware store and only paid $4. I found some thinner ones that were called fender washers so they aren't so heavy.

I forgot to take pictures when I made the earrings, so I will make another pair and post those another day.

Happy stamping!