Faux Water Painting

There was a lovely card in the Summer Mini Catalogue featuring the Love and Care stamp set, I made the card using other stamps, but using the same layout and colours. I love what a useful resource the Catalogue and Ideas Book & mini catalogues that Stampin' Up! are and never throw them out after you can no longer purchase from them.

Faux water painting is such a fun technique, just ink, hold the spritz bottle filled with water about 20-25cm from the stamp and spritz the stamp with water spray, then stamp as normal, it gives a lovely and unique image every time. Isn't the Medallion stamp in Crumb Cake on the background just lovely as well, almost like a watermark.

Stamps: Medallion, Because I Care (hostess level 1), Heartfelt Thanks (retired), Sand roller wheel
Ink: Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake
Card Stock: Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Old Olive, Crumb Cake, Pumpkin Pie DSP (retired)
Accessories: Spiral Punch, linen thread, Chocolate Chip button, Spritz tool.

Growing Green CASE

I saw a lovely card over on Utah Diva's by Leonie last month and knew I had to remake it as it was just lovely. It involves a lot of cutting, more than I thought when I started the card, but the final result was so totally worth it! Isn't that organza ribbon delicate - the bow is a faux one as they are easier to do and tend to sit nicer than the normal tied sort. 

Stamps: Oval Alls, Growing Green
Ink: Basic Black, Wild Wasabi, Melon Mambo
Card Stock: Wild Wasabi, Baja Breeze, Water Colour paper, Melon Mambo, Whisper White
Accessories: Fire Circle Rhinestones, Organza Ribbon, Scallop Trim Die, Water Colour Crayons, Aquapainter, scallop oval punch, large oval punch, Dimensionals

Hmmm Chocolate.............

Some stamp sets are cute, some are artistic and some are just plain fun and the Eat Chocolate stamp set is definitely that - FUN!!! This set makes so many different styles of cards - I love the bite out of the corner with the scallop circle punch on this one.

Stamps: Eat Chocolate

Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Chocolate Chip

Card Stock: Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Cherry Cobbler

Accessories: Real Red satin ribbon, scallop trim border punch, Decorative Label punch, scallop circle punch, Dimensionals.

Birds & Cupcake Clouds

I love using punches for other than the obvious shapes they punch out. The cupcake punch top part makes gorgeous clouds (instead of cupcake frosting), sorry the lighting for the photograph isn't the best, but you can see how awesome the clouds are, some are glued flat and another on a Dimensional and all are sponged, such a lovely effect don't you think?

Leave me a comment and let me know what your favourite punch shape is and why!

Stamp: Cheep Talk
Card Stock: Wild Wasabi, Marina Mist, Whisper White, Early Expresso
Ink: Wild Wasabi, Marina Mist, Rich Razzleberry & Early Expresso
Accessories: Stamp-a-ma-jog, Basic Rhinestones, Dimensionals, Scallop Trim Border punch, stamping sponges

Hints & Tips for Corner Rounder Punch

Do you have questions about using your 3/16" (0.5 cm) Corner Punch? Do you even know which one it is? Check page 147 of the current Australian/NZ Idea Book & Catalogue and it is number 23 #119871. Is it working the way you wanted it to? Or has it sat on the shelf never to be used? If you're having trouble achieving the results you want, try these tips: 

• Make sure that the corner of the paper you are trying to round is your cut square. Your paper should have straight sides for the punch to work properly. 
• Your paper should fit snugly into both edges of the guides and into the back of the punch. It is critical that you don't try to centre the paper by looking through the bottom of your punch;  instead, align your paper using the guides.
• Set the paper fully into both guides, as well as the back of the punch, almost pressing your paper down into the guides by curling the outside edge of the paper up. Push your paper flush against the guides as far as it will go into the back of the punch. If your paper isn't fully set against both guides, you will not get a good, clean punch. 
• If you don't get a perfect corner, try centring your paper in the guides and punching again; your design should punch correctly. Don't worry; sometimes it takes some practice.
• Cut only one sheet at a time. This punch is designed to cut only one sheet of card stock or Designer Series Paper at a time.

Here's a tag I made using the corner rounder punch recently with the stamp set Friends 24-7,  I find it just adds a nice finish to the project.

Do you have other questions about this punch? Please leave me a comment and I will endeavour to answer it!

Do Cupcakes Get Any Better Than This???

I first made this style cupcake last year, but of course promptly gave it away and forgot about it, until I was looking to make a super special gift voucher holder this week........

These are just so cute! It uses lots of gorgeous ribbon, paper punches flowers (Boho Blossom) and an awful lot of hot glue, but the results are fabulous. This one I also edged pieces with Crystal Effects and dusted with Dazzling Diamonds to make the entire thing sparkle.

I love making them and recipients love the way that the top comes off to reveal a gift voucher - either a commercial one or as in this case a custom made voucher. I took the colours for this one from the Elegant Soiree Designer Paper (Baja Breeze, Very Vanilla, Soft Suede and Crumb Cake) and the greeting came from my super favourite birthday greetings set On Your Birthday.

Would you like to come and join in the fun and learn how to make this unique and very special gift card holder? I have a class coming up soon (click here for details via my Facebook page or here for my website calendar) which includes a cupcake gift holder similar to the above, a matching tag and card with envelope. Any questions please let me know.

Ice-Cream Anyone?

I am loving the new Cupcake punch from the Autumn-Winter mini catalogue - too much fun - of course there's a lot more to make with it than just cupcakes! I also love the new Tasteful Trim Big Shot die and the multi-purpose adhesive sheets in the new mini catalogue as well.

Stamps: Create A Cupcake & You're A Gem

Ink: Pretty in Pink, Chocolate Chip & Real Red

Card Stock: Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip & Pretty in Pink

Accessories: Tasteful Trim die, Big Shot, Multi-purpose adhesive sheets, Polka Dot textured impressions embossing folder, Crystal Effects, Square Lattice textured impressions embossing folder, 1" circle punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, Dimensionals, Stamping Sponge, Dazzling Diamonds.

Sweetheart Layered Flower Card

This was made a while ago as part of a class based around the Sweetheart stamp set. This is a very simple card in terms of colours and elements, but multi-layers on the flower really make this card "pop".

Stamps: Sweetheart
Ink: Basic Black
Card Stock: Riding Hood Red, Basic Black, Love Letter DSP & Very Vanilla
Accessories: 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, Scallop Trim border punch, scallop circle punch, Dimensionals & Neutrals Designer Buttons.

Pirate Party Hearty

Here is a card I CASEd from Kristy B. I adore this stamp set, when the new catalogue came out last year it was the first stamp set on my wish list and I still absolutely love it 9 months later, my only regret is not using it more often - which sets do you wish you used more often?

Stamps: Beware Pirates, Party Hearty
Ink: Basic Grey & Versamark
Card Stock: Real Red, Basic Grey, Very Vanilla & Newsprint DSP
Accessories: Black Embossing Powder, Cutter Kit, metallic brads, Stampin' Sponges, powder pal, embossing buddy, heat tool.

Dog Thanks

This is the thank you card that I made for the wonderfully generous donors and people who placed orders at the RSPCA fundraising afternoon in April. I love how fast roller wheels make gorgeous custom backgrounds and how the paper piercer and mat pack really add extra dimension to a card without any bulk!

Stamps: D is for Dog, Afterthoughts, P is for Paw (roller)
Ink: More Mustard & Early Expresso.
Card stock: More Mustard, Whisper White & Early Expresso.
Accessories: 1" circle punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, stamping sponges, mat pack & paper piercer, roller wheel handle, Dimensionals.