Colorful Seasons Fall Card

Here's another card featuring beautiful, colorful leaves. This time the leaves are stamped instead of die cut. The stripe across the front is cardstock that has been scored along every line on the Simply Scored. The lighter colored leaves were created by stamping off, which basically means stamping a second time before re-inking.

Here's the inside of the card:

 

 Supplies:

Stamps: Colorful Seasons

Ink:  Crushed Curry, Early Espresso, Garden Green, Pumpkin Pie

Cardstock: Crushed Curry, Early Espresso, Garden Green, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White

Big Shot: Layering Circle Framelits, Stitched Shapes Framelits

Tool: Simply Scored

Happy Halloween - Something Good To Eat

Happy Halloween! I have two cards for you today. I used elements from the Something Good To Eat Kit Paper Pumpkin kit on both of them. This kit is still available for purchase.

Supplies:

Stamps: Something Good To Eat; Jar of Love; Label Me Pretty

Ink: Basic Black, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie

Cardstock: Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White 

DSP: Color Theory

Tools:  Everyday Jars Framelits, Pretty Label Punch

Accessories: Black Rhinestones, Baker's Twine (it was on the Clearance Rack when I made this card, but it appears to be gone now; you could substitute Thick Black Baker's Twine or a color of your choice)

This fall card features the stamp set Colorful Seasons. The leaves are done with the Rock and Roll technique. The banners are made with leftovers from the Something Good To Eat Paper Pumpkin kit and a strip of retired Close to Cocoa, which seemed to match the stripes. Other colors on this card are Cajun Craze, Crushed Curry, Garden Green, and Whisper White. I can't tell from the picture, but I think the sentiment is stamped in Early Espresso (or I could have used my retired Close to Cocoa ink pad - either would work).

If you ever need cardstock in retired colors, such as the Close to Cocoa used on this card, please let me know. I probably have some since I have just about every color since I became a demo in 2009. I also have some retired inks available, but the supply is more limited.

NC Stampin' Up! Demos September Blog Hop - Get Techie

Welcome to this month's North Carolina Stampin' Up! Demonstrators Blog Hop. Our theme this month is Get Techie - no, not technology. It's all about techniques. I love a good technique and if you don't now, I'll bet you will by the time you're done with this month's blog hop.

I love the Rock 'n' Roll technique -- especially with leaf cards. It's pretty simple in theory, but sometimes takes a few tries to get a feel for it. Once you get it down, though, it adds a lot to a card with only a little extra effort on your part.

 See how pretty those leaves look in two tone. The third one up actually has three colors. To do this technique, first ink up your stamp in your lighter color. Always do the lighter color first. Otherwise your ink pad can end up a big mess. Next, roll the edges of your stamp on your darker color ink pad. When you look at your stamp, you'll be able to see the two colors of ink. Then, stamp it where you want it.

If you get ink on your block you may want to wipe it off before you stamp, just to make sure you don't mess up your project. Also, be sure to clean your stamp before re-inking. Otherwise you'll leave dark ink on your light pad.

One of the fun things about this technique is that each one can turn out different. To me, it makes the leaves look even more natural. After all, they don't all turn at the same time in nature.

Here's another card I made with the Rock 'n' Roll technique. I did the sentiment as well as the leaves on this one. The stamps on both cards are from Colorful Seasons.

On this card, the leaves have a similar amount of color on the outside edges. Since I wanted that look, I  used the same rolling motion each time. For the top card, I wanted more variation, so I alternated how much of the edge rolled into the ink pad. The more you practice, the more control you will have how much ink you pick up on the roll.

 We are making the top card in this month's class, along with two other cards. There is one session left, on Tuesday night. If you are local and would like to come, let me know. I can be reached at the email address in the header or message me on my facebook page.

Have you used this technique before? If so, leave a comment to let me know which set you did it with. Or maybe share your favorite technique. I always like hearing about a new one. And now on to the next blog in the hop, Sue Stapp, who will have another technique for you. Happy Stampin' and thanks for dropping by.


Blog Hop participants:

Tamra Davis

Jo Anne Hewins

Melissa Kerman

Tracie Evans Langley

 Laurie Meier

Sue Root - you are here

Sue Stapp

Kathy Svedberg

Frances Wagner

Christina Walker

NC SU Demos Blog Hop - Colorful Seasons

Welcome to this month's NC Stampin' Up! Demos blog hop. I'm happy to be participating again this month. The theme is: Let's celebrate America and what is great about being an American! I thought a little out of the box for this one.

This card makes me think about sitting on my deck with family and looking out over my back yard, which makes me think of living the American Dream. And, of course, that makes me smile.

I have a lot more pines and hardwoods than pretty flowering trees in my back yard, but I appreciate the ones I have. I used Colorful Seasons photopolymer stamp set on both cards as well as the Seasonal Layers Framelits and Big Shot on the second card. Indeed, life is a beautiful thing,

I hope you enjoyed today's projects. Head to the next blog in the blog hop and enjoy the other's interpretation of this month's theme while you see some great projects.

Tracie Evans Langley
Laurie Meier
Sue Root - you are here

Don't forget about this month's promos:

1) Buy $50 worth of Stampin' Up! products (before shipping and tax) and get a Bonus Days coupon for $5 off an order in August.

2) Join Stampin' Up! in July and receive a FREE Essentials Gift Pack including Paper Snips, SNAIL Adhesive, Grid Paper, two D Blocks, and a Bone Folder. That’s an added value of $52 US! And to give you a taste of the perks of being a demonstrator, SU! will also include the Carols of Christmas Stamp Set from the holiday catalog for FREE ($20 US)!

Go here and click Shop Now to take advantage of the first special and click Join The Fun to take advantage of the second one. This month's current hostess code is 3CTEX222. Be sure to use that when you order online to get a special thank you from me.

New Catalog Blog Hop - Colorful Seasons

My upline's team is called the Wagstampers and we are having a blog hop to highlight items from the new catalog. With the holiday weekend only a few people could do it, but I'm sure you'll enjoy the other posts -- and on the bright side, it won't take long to do the whole hop ;)

I have two cards for you using the Colorful Seasons bundle which is made up of the Colorful Seasons Photopolymer Stamp Set and Seasonal Layers Framelits. I love making backgrounds and have used a different one on each card.

The first card uses a technique that started when Stampin' Up! began offering clear mount stamps, which need acrylic blocks. I use it often on my personal cards, but am not sure I've posted many. The blue background is made by inking up an acrylic block and then laying it flat on the cardstock. The ink transfers to the cardstock and leaves this cool looking background. I recommend holding the block down for a few seconds to allow for maximum ink transfer.

The Adirondack chair was cut with my Big Shot from a piece of Designer Series Paper in the Wood Textures DSP pack and a die from the Seasonal Layers Framelits. The words are from Colorful Seasons. The grass, birds, and waves are all from High Tide. This card was CASEd (Copy And Share Everything) from a card I saw on Pinterest by Cindy Elam.

I sponged the background on the second card. Be sure to use a big, round, yellow sponge (Stamping Sponges) as it will make a lighter, airier background than a Dauber. Plus it goes a lot faster and is easier to blend.

The Adirondack chair is made the same way as the other card, just a darker wood grain. The words are from Colorful Seasons. I believe the cloud dies are from the Up and Away Thinlits.

As I said, this is a team blog hop. Interacting with, getting ideas from, and becoming friends with other team members is just one of the many benefits of being a demonstrator. Contact me to discuss more of the reasons it's great to be a demo. There are even more reasons to join with the Christmas in July promotion.

Purchase your Starter Kit by July 31 and you will receive a FREE Essentials Gift Pack including Paper Snips, SNAIL Adhesive, Grid Paper, two D Blocks (one for you and one for a stamping friend!), and a Bone Folder. That’s an added value of $52! And since as a new demonstrator you can get your hands on new products before anyone else, we will include the Carols of Christmas Stamp Set from the holiday catalog for FREE ($20 US)! With so many basic items included with your kit, you’ll be able to spend your Starter Kit dollars on the fun stuff—like your favorite stamp sets and accessories!

One more bit of savings news - BONUS DAYS are back! Woo hoo! For every $50 US you spend July 1–31 (before shipping and tax), you’ll get a $5 US Bonus Days coupon that you can use August 1–31. There is no limit to how many coupons you can earn, so shop all month! Plus, as a thank you from me, if you earn a Bonus Days coupon ordering with hostess code JUM6Z3F6 or send me a $50 or more order by 7/10, I'll give you a free SNAIL refill.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today. Now it's time to head on to the next blog in the hop.


Blog Hop Participants:

Elaine Pelletier
Frances Wagner
Sue Root (you are here)