French Foliage CASE

I was part of an online fundraiser recently for Breast Cancer and one of the samples made was a CASE of a CASE and consequently now I have no idea who originally made this card - but I love it and wanted to share my card with you. It's sort of another variation on a faux layered card, it doesn't look like a card made just from Whisper White card stock does it?? 

Did I ever tell you that the best value item in the entire Stampin' Up! catalogue are the stamping sponges - $6.50 #101610 for 3 that I cut up and make into 18, topped with the round tab punch labels so they don't get mixed up when I am using them.........bargain!

Stamps: Loving Thoughts, French Foliage 

Ink: Early Expresso, Soft Suede, Crumb Cake

Card Stock: Whisper White
Accessories: Linen thread, mat pack, paper piercer, paper snips, Dimensionals, stamping sponges.
Non-SU! Post-it notes

Autumn Days Scrapbook Double Layout

Well I found a load of scrapbook pages recently that I hadn't photographed so I will blog these over the next week or so - apologies if they use a few retired items as that's how long ago I made some of them! This layout is new as it's the one we did last week in class (see here for upcoming classes I have running). I wanted to keep the colours Autumny and also incorporate the new Pool Party seam binding ribbon from the Autumn-Winter mini catalogue.

I love the Timeless Type Junior alphabet! The centre panel above the die cut leaves was made using some patience and the stamp set French Foliage and a lot of sponging - I love making my own designer papers with stamps - so personal and unique. I also love the convenience of the Top Note die having a perforated decorative layer just inside the outside cut - makes it so easy to cut and layer with different colours, I also added some sponging to tie it in with the stamped designer paper. I am not sure if you can see it from the photograph or not, but I used a stylus (from the Simply Scored) and the base part of my Mat Pack and dry embossed veins onto each leaf after I had sponged the edges of each one, all the edge sponging was done in Soft Suede. Tip: I hold the leaves in place with Dotto whilst I finish my layout and then they can be easily removed when I add photos and re-stuck down permanently, but this way I don't lose any or forget which element was going where one the page!

The ribbon was done by running a line of adhesive over the strip of More Mustard card stock and then anchoring it behind before pleating it randomly with my fingers to form a decorative strip - I love how soft and shiny the seam binding is, so easy to work with.

Stamps: French Foliage
Ink: Soft Suede, More Mustard, Wild Wasabi
Card Stock: Pool Party, More Mustard, Spice Cake DSP (retired), Very Vanilla, Soft Suede
Accessories: Big Shot, Timeless Type Junior Alphabet, Top Note, Leaves #2 die, Pool Party Seam Binding Ribbon, Dotto, sponges.

Nature Walk Faux Postage

We did a faux postage class a couple of weeks ago and here's one of the cards from it, it also involved basic masking, sponging techniques. I love faux postage - such a great way to use your existing supplies to give a different effect. I tend to just print out the postage templates onto normal copy paper rather than putting card stock through my printer for the simple fact that if I make a smudge or mistake, it's no real issue to start again. I made the template for this one - if you want a copy of the PDF email me.

Stamps: Nature Walk, French Foliage, Autumn Days & Happiest Birthday Wishes
Card stock: Cajun Craze, More Mustard, Soft Suede
Ink: Black Stazon, Cajun Craze, More Mustard, Soft Suede
Non SU! copy paper

French Foliage Christmas

I am a big fan of leaf stamps - always have been and by now you would honestly think I had enough in my collection - but then I saw the French Foliage Set and went ekkkkkk!!!! It's just so nice and as I am finding - versatile! I love Christmas cards that you are able to make using non-Christmas stamp sets & that are simple enough to mass produce and the below fulfills both these criteria. Of course what would a Christmas card be without some sparkle, so I added Dazzling Diamonds to the bauble in the centre of the wreath.

Stamps: French Foliage & Word Play
Ink: Old Olive, Real Red & Basic Black
Card Stock: Old Olive, Real Red & Whisper White
Accessories: Stamp-a-ma-jig, Crystal Effects, dazzling diamonds glitter.