Wednesday, August 31, 2011

New Artistic Outpost Stamps!

Hello Everyone! 

New stamps from Artistic Outpost today!  Woohoo!!!  Love new stamps!

Here are the 3 new sets:


Whimsical MelangeDesigned as background and embellishment images, this collection features whimsical frames sized perfectly for cards and ATCs as well as unique scrollwork, pennants in two sizes, and other whimsical bits.  Mix and match these stamps with our other collections to add a touch of something special and unique to all your projects.


TypographyFrom Mark Twain to Winnie the Pooh to Bob Marley, this collection of unique sayings and sentiments includes our favorite quotes from some of our favorite artists and characters. Designed to mix and match with our other stamp collections. Stamp sheet measures 8.5" x 5.5". Stamps are available as an unmounted sheet of red rubber or pre-trimmed and mounted on EZMount cling foam.
A Favorite Book

Favorite BookFeaturing vintage images of children reading, this collection provides focal images of something we wish our kids would do more of....slowing down, being quiet, and enjoying a good book. Images are designed with our other background collections in mind, such as Ephemeral Backgrounds and Whimsical Melange.

Be sure to look at all the other Design Team blogs for more inspiration!  You'll especially want to check out what they did with A Favorite Book, the set I didn't work with for this release.

  • Gerrie Johnnic

  • Lisa Somerville

  • Judy Hayes - you are here!

  • Lynn Stevens

  • Barbara Washington

  • Stephanie Severin

  • Connie Paxman

  • Suzanne Czosek

  • Louise Granlund


  • For this release, I chose to work with Whimsical Melange and Typography.  All the Artistic Outpost stamps work so well with each other!  I've combined the new stamps with a few others for one of my cards.

    My first card has a verse from Typography with images from Whimsical Melange.  How well they work together!

    I stamped the frame collage with Distress Chipped Sapphire on a pale yellow check paper from Authentique.  I added a little Tumbled Glass around the edges.  The verse is stamped with Warm Red Chalk Ink from Clearsnap.  I trimmed around the collage and layered it onto a red mat. 
    I stamped the little birds with StazOn Midnight Blue on the piece of aqua twill tape.  It's wrapped around the edges of the collage.  A button balances it.
    The card front is a piece of pale aqua check paper from My Mind's Eye.   I rounded the top corners and stamped the flourishes from Whimsical Melange with Warm Red ink.  I added a pale yellow strip across the bottom with portions of the ruler stamped at each edge.  It's wrapped with some bakers' twine.  I added touches of Distress Wild Honey and Tumbled Glass along the edges.
    This is a much brighter, lighter color combination than I usually use for my Artistic Outpost samples.  I really like the color combo!



    For my second card, I used an image from Gatsby along with images from Whimsical Melange and a verse from Typography.

    This is a little more my traditional style!  I started my collage by stamping Daisy from Gatsby using Ranger Cranberry and Espresso inks on white cardstock.  Then I added the circles, triangles and grid from Whimsical Melange with a combination of Espresso and Cranberry inks.  I added shading with Antique Linen ink.  Some of the red from my stamping moved with Antique Linen ink adding pinkish shading. I like the effect!  I have a photo below showing the stamping before any shading.  Then I heat set the inks really well.  I knew I wanted to stamp and emboss the verse.  If the inks around the verse were wet the embossing would stick to everything.  The verse is stamped with Versafine Onyx Black ink and embossed with black EP.  When it was hot, I added clear EP and heated it again.  I wanted the letters to be dark and a little glossy.  My black EP was dull.  By adding the clear over it, I got some shine without losing the crispness of the letters.  I added more Antique Linen after I cut it out with Spellbinders Grand Large Labels and while the die template was still in place.  That left the edges lighter.  I added a black glossy mat and black brads in each corner. The card is ivory card stock.  I stamped the grid with Antique Linen and rubbed more ink along the edges. 
    To assemble the card, I adhered a piece of designer paper cut with Spellbinders Labels Twenty-Three - a new die template - to the card front.  I actually cut it in half to get more exposure along the edge of my collage.  I added some lace and adhered the collage over top.  I finished it with a stack of bows: a sheer bow, a silk bow and a button with string.  I tucked in a piece of lace and added 2 pearl head stick pins.
    Remember to do a little blog hopping to the other Design Team member blogs!  Lots of wonderful creations!

    Thanks for stopping!
    -judy

    Friday, August 26, 2011

    Another Small Card...


    ....just 2 3/4 x 4"!  Perfect to tuck in with a gift!

    I used Spellbinders Presto Punch® machine again for this card.  I cut the frame with both Labels C and Circles punch templates.  The tiny flower is from the Petal Pack punch template set. I added dots of paint from a brown Viva Paper Pen to the center.
    The verse is from JustRite's You Inspire Me set.  I really like the verses in that set.  The designer paper is from My Mind's Eye Stella and Rose collection, Gertie "Friends Forever".   I added a contrast band of paper and a piece of yellow pearl cotton across the card.  Simple and quick to make!!! 

    The Spellbinders Presto Punch machine will be in stores very soon!  

    Have a great Saturday!
    -judy

    Wednesday, August 24, 2011

    Simply Amazing Card

    Here's a little card to share with someone who's amazing! 

    This card is just 2 3/4 x 4".  Not quite big enough to mail!  (Unless, of course, you put it in a 3 1/2 x 5" envelope!) Perfect size to include with a gift!

    The verse and design around it were stamped with stamps from JustRite's You Inspire Me set. 
    The frame was cut with Spellbinders™ Presto Punch® machine and punch templates.  I used Presto Punch Labels C #3 (#1 being the smallest) for the outside edge of the frame and Labels A #2 for the inside.  I cut a Labels A #3 to tuck under the horizontal band.  The edges were sanded to reveal the inner white of the paper.  The little black dots were added with Ranger Black Glossy Accents. 
    The blue band with black squares is a piece of ribbon not Glossy Accents.   All papers are from My Mind's Eye Hattie Collection. 

    This is a quick, easy to make card! It's simple to change out the verse and papers to fit any occasion!

    Thanks for stopping!

    Saturday, August 20, 2011

    Christmas Wishes in Purple!

    I have a holiday card to share!  It's never too early to start making Christmas cards!  I'm always happy to find some in my stash come December!

    I created this card with stamps from Artistic Outpost's Frosty and Friends!  Love the retro images!!!

    I challenged myself to work with purple on this card. Not one of my "go-to" colors! 

    I started by stamping this cute little girl with Versafine Onyx Black ink.  I watercolored her using Distress Stains as my color palette.  I dabbed some stain on my craft sheet and picked up the color with a waterbrush.  I like the soft colors.
    I cut her out and layered her onto a cream blossom cut with Spellbinders Blossom Tags and Accents and a picot edge circle cut with Spellbinders Picot Edge Circles #4.  I  used Distress Antique Linen Stain over the picot edge circle.  It also has snowflakes stamped on it and embossed with Winter White EP. 
    On my card front is a mat cut with Spellbinders Labels Twenty-Three  (love this shape!) cut from Cosmo Cricket paper.  I added Eggplant Distress Stain over it. Then I stamped and heat embossed snowflakes with Winter White EP.  That's layered onto a purple mat and then onto a cream card front.
    I added lace and seam binding across the bottom. The seam binding was colored with Eggplant Distress Stain.  I tied a bow with the ribbon and then added another bow above it.


    "Christmas Wishes" is stamped with Ranger Eggplant ink and clear heat embossed.  I added some Distress Antique Linen ink over it.  I cut a narrow strip with notched ends.  It's fastened to the card with a pearl head stick pin.  I tucked in 3 little holly accents.  These were cut with Spellbinders Holly Accents.  I cut apart the border to use just the holly piece.  I water colored them using dye ink for color.  The berries are dots of Viva Red Paint Pen with Winter White EP over the top.  I actually sprinkled it on while the paint was still wet and heated it.  The paint held it's shape!  The berries look frosted!




    Supplies:
    Artistic Outpost Frosty & Friends, Sleigh Ride
    Spellbinders S5-056 Holly Accents
                            S4-345 Picot Edge Circles
                            S5-072 Blossom Tags and Accents
                            LF-347 Grand Labels Twenty-Three
    Ranger Distress Stains: Eggplant, Antique Linen, Peeled Paint,
                                               Wild Honey, Spun Sugar,
    Ranger Eggplant ink
    Cosmo Cricket Mitten Weather Flurries
    Sparkle & Sprinkle Winter White EP
    Viva Paint Pen - Red
    Bazzill purple
    Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L - 3D Foam Squares
    Seam binding
    Lace
    Pearl head pin

    

    Tuesday, August 16, 2011

    Pure Joy Scrapbook Page

    Here's a cute little scrapbook page I created awhile back.


    Alysssa was having so much fun conquerring this new feat - going down a spiral slide!  I just had to scrap it!  This is one of my Spellbinders projects featuring the Presto Punch.  Hooray! Presto Punches are now shipping!

    This is really a very simple layout!  I cropped the photo almost square.  It's matted with pink and white and fastened to an 8 x 8" page.  Along the photo I added some "faux stitching" created with several letter "w"s glued together!  I added 2 strips of My Mind's Eye papers at the opposite top corner.  The name tab was cut with Presto Punch Template Labels A.  I stamped Alyssa's name on it.  The date tab is a tiny tag that comes with the Presto Punch machine.  I stamped the date and added a little loop of pearl cotton.  For the title, I stamped "pure determination" on white cardstock.  I added "& pure joy" with letters cut with Presto Punch Plain Jane alphabet punch templates.  These letters are such a great size for scrapbooking!  I used a little heart from P3-005 Hearts to dot the "j". 
    One of my favorite scrapbook pages!

    Supplies:
    Spellbinders PP-101 Presto Punch with punch templates
    Spellbinders P3-008 Labels A, P3-005 Hearts, PT-F02 Plain Jane (lower case), PT-F01 Plain Jane (upper case)
    My Mind's Eye - Jack & Jill Favorite Thing, Little Miss Muffet Delight, Hello Beautiful, That's My Girl
    SCRAPBOOK ADHESIVES by 3L E-Z Runner, 3D Foam Squares
    JustRite Brayton Font 25 pt., Times New Roman 15 pt.
    Worldwin Treasures White paper
    Clearsnap Blush Rose Chalk ink
    Bazzill Prismatics - Baby Pink Medium
    DMC Pearl Cotton - pink

    Sunday, August 14, 2011

    A "Feel Better" Scrap Card

    Greeting to all my blogger friends!

    I had great day creating yesterday.  I often spend time on Saturdays working on some kind of project.  Not all are as productive as yesterday.  Things seemed to flow.  Always a good feeling for me!

    So I have a card to share!

    This is another one of my my scrap cards!  Or you could call it a card created with cast-off parts!  I put together this card after working on a project for Spellbinders. 

    I love this color combo of colors from Cosmo Cricket.  The line is called Odds & Ends.  I used "Remnant", "Sampler" and "Trinkets.

    The only pieces for this card that I  cut just for it are the polka dot piece for the card front and the darker stripe Labels Eighteen  shape in back.   All the other pieces I had cut in my creative process of designing another card.  It was just a matter of arranging the pieces to make this design.

    The photo below shows all the pieces that I used.  I've added lines (not so straight) to show cutting lines.

    The verse from Penny Black is stamped with Warm Red Chalk ink.  I like to stamp first and then cut and emboss with my Spellbinders die templates.  That way I can get the alignment just right.  I use removable tape to hold the die template in place for cutting. 
    After cutting and embossing it, I layered it with foam squares onto a Lacey Oval cut from Bazzill red paper.  I added little cream dots with a Viva Paper Pen.  There's also a couple dots on the swirl ends of the tag.
    I layered the tag onto the floral Lacey Square set diagonally.  I added little cream dots to this, too.  I usually add any embellishment like this at the very end so I can set it aside to dry without messing it up!!!  I'm writing it as a step here but it can easily be done later.   Next I arranged the red Scalloped Oval behind the Lacey Square.  Actually, it's set slightly askew to get the scallops to balance.  I trimmed off the lower half, the part that doesn't show.   I set this tag/verse portion aside while I assembled the card front.

    I sewed around a 4 x 5 1/4" piece of dot paper. It's really kind of fun to sew on paper!    I didn't add it to my card front yet.  I like to hide the thread ends so I usually wait to the end to fasten it to the card front.
    To the dot paper,  I adhered the striped Labels Eighteen.  I cut a portion of the Picot Edge circle with 7 points and adhered it along the bottom of the Labels Eighteen.  The striped strip covers the edges of it.  I sewed along the edges of the stripe piece through all layers.
    Then, I set the tag portion on top and adhered it in place.  I tied a narrow silk ribbon around one loop of the tag. That's it!

    I challenge you to look at some of those cast off pieces!  I know you keep them somewhere, right??!  See what you can create!

    Cut pieces shown:
    1. Spellbinders Fancy Tags S
    2. Spellbinders Lacey Ovals #3
    3. Spellbinders Lacey Squares #3
    4. Spellbinders Scalloped Ovals LG # 4
    5. 1 1/4" strip
    6. Spellbinders Picot Edge Circles #4
    7. Spellbinders S4-310 Labels Eighteen #5

    Other supplies:
    Penny Black "Feel Better" stamp
    Clearsnap Warm Red Chalk ink
    Cosmo Cricket Odds & Ends: Remnant, Sampler, Trinkets
    Worldwin Treasures Oatmeal cardstock
    Cougar Smooth Cream cardstock
    Ivory Silk Ribbon - 1/4"
    Viva Paper Pen - cream



    I'm heading outdoors for awhile!  It's a beautiful sunny day here!  I have some yard work to do.  Then I'll tackle a few of the weeds in one or two of my flower beds. 

    Have a creative day!
    -judy

    Sunday, August 7, 2011

    A Tiny Reindeer Greeting!

    Today, I posted this card on Artistic Outpost's blog!


    This wonderful little reindeer image is from Frosty and Friends, a new set from Artistic Outpost!


    Most of the scene is colored with Copic markers and stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black.  The tree and
    "greeting" card were stamped separately.  I added color to the stamp with water based markers and stamped each on a scrap of paper.  I cut them out and glued them to the image. I used a glue pen on the tree and sky to add "Sugar Shimmer" Fairydustglitter. 
    The image is cut out with Spellbinders Postage Stamps die template. I matted it with a square green Bazzill paper cut with Classic Squares SM #5.
    The card front was an experiment!  I embossed a piece of white cardstock using Spellbinders Snowflakes Impressabilities.  Before removing the paper, I dabbed Brushable Glue from Sparkle & Sprinkle over it.  Yes, glue got on the Impressabilities, but it washed right off!  I sprinkled Clearsnap Fairdustglitter "Sugar Shimmer" over it.  It wasn't quite the look I wanted!!!  Looking back, I think I should have brushed the glue on.  The dabbing didn't give full coverage.    At that point I didn't feel like re-doing it!  It's still a great background of shimmer and embossed snowflakes!
    I added bakers twine stuck to a piece of 1/8" red line tape.  To that, I glued on a tiny bow with a gold jingle bell.

    Supples:
    Copic markers: E13, E30, E31, E55, B0000, B000, B60, R27, Y28, C1, W3, 0
    Red, green water based markers
    Glue pen
    Clearsnap Fairydustglitter - Sugar Shimmer
    Bakers Twine
    Tiny gold jingle bell
    Bazzill green cardstock
    White cardstock
    Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L - 3D Foam Squares
    1/8" red liner tape
    

    Saturday, August 6, 2011

    A Tiny Project from Spellbinders New Website!

    Spellbinders' new website went live last week!  Have you checked it out?  It's beautiful!   Lots of inspiration in the Idea Gallery!!!   I'm excited because now that my projects are on the website, I can share them with you!

    When you watch the scrolling images on the Spellbinders Home page, you'll see some of my projects! 

    My Edgeablities cards are featured on one slide.  I posted most of those photos on my blog on July 15, 2011.  Click here to see that post. 

    On the Presto Punch slide you'll see a little box with roses and tiny coordinating card that I made.   I thought you might enjoy seeing some close up photos of that!


    The card is just 2 1/2 x 2 1/2".  The verse from JustRite's "You Inspire Me" cling set is just the perfect size!  The box is 3 x 3".  I colored the top of a jewelry gift box I had in my gift wrapping stash!  It took lots of Tattered Angels mists to cover the original color!  All the tiny roses were cut from Graphic 45 "Baby 2 Bride" Endless Love paper using the flower and leaf punch templates included with the Presto Punch


    A little Brushable Glue and Crystal glitter from Sparkle and Sprinkle
    add lots of shimmer to the flowers and frame. 


    In order to get the domed effect for my flowers on the box, I wadded up a piece of paper for a base.   I glued the flowers to it.  I tucked in a few leaves and narrow sheer ribbon.  Under the flowers are glittered scalloped circles cut with Spellbinders Presto Punch "Scalloped Circles". 

    I'll be sharing more projects soon.  If you can't wait, look at the Spellbinders Idea Gallery!  You'll see a number of my things.

    Thanks for visiting! 

    Have a creative day!
    -judy

    Tuesday, August 2, 2011

    A Beach Wedding

    Today, I have a scrapbook page to share!
    This was my final project for the Spellbinders Design Team contest! 
    I chose a photo from my son's wedding in Mexico and paper to coordinate with the color of the ocean and sky.   I love shades of aqua! That might have influenced my color choice!!!


    My assignment was to use Spellbinders S5-034 Parisian Accents on a 12 x 12" scrapbook page.  There's only one other die template used and that's a circle on the medallion.  All the other pieces are from Parisian Accents! 
    The long pieces on the borders are cut and embossed from white cardstock.  Then I cut and embossed the same pieces from silver foil tape adhered to card stock.  I glued each white die cut to a silver one offsetting the edge to get a narrow silver edge along the shaped edge.  To add a silver edge along the straight edge, I cut narrow strips of the foil covered cardstock and glued each along the back. 
    Each corner has 2 of the same shape facing each other, overlapped and glue together. The piece towards the photo is silver (foil covered paper). The other one is white card stock with silver behind for a tiny reveal.   I've added crystal gems along the outside strips as well as the corner pieces.  Probably not visible in the photo is  sheer ribbon threaded between the long edge pieces.  If you look closely in the medallion photo, you can see it.  It adds some texture interest, sheen and a slight color change. 
    Once I had all the edges created and laid out on the aqua 12 x 12" page, I decided how big to cut the photo.  It started as an 8 x 10" which I cut to 7 1/2" square.  I added white and silver mats (foil tape on cardstock).
    The corner medallion with the names is again white cardstock matted onto foil pieces to create silver edges. I stamped the delicate silver border with a JustRite stamp from the set "You Inspire Me" using Versamark ink.  I heat embossed it with silver detail embossing powder.  I fussy cut along the edges and glued it to the medallion.  For the center, I stamped just "love" from a stamp in the JustRite Victorian Nested Frames set using black ink.  I printed the names on vellum using my computer and printer.  I clear heat embossed them.  The vellum is cut into a circle to fit the stamped center.  I used a vellum adhesve to adhere it over the word love.  The vellum makes the stamped "love" lighter so it recedes behind the names.  Again there are gems on the medallion. 
    To add the date to the lower left corner of the photo, I used my computer and printer to print it on inkjet acetate in black and clear heat embossed it.  It's glued in place with Glossy Accents. 

    Lots of pieces to cut!  But so beautiful! 

    I hope I've inspired you to try some layering of die cuts!  I use the same technique with letters for a shadow effect. Just glue together offset! 

    Thank you for visiting today! 

    Supplies:
    Spellbinders S5-034 Parisian Accents
    Spellbinders S4-116 Standard Circles SM #2
    JustRite® “You Inspire Me”
    We R Memory Keepers Hippity Hoppity Textured Cardstock – Aqua
    Cougar Smooth White Cardstock
    Silver Foil Tape
    May Arts Aqua Sheer Ribbon
    Hero Arts Gemstones – Crystal
    Tsukineko Ink Pads – Versamark, Memento Black Tuxedo
    Ranger embossing powders – Silver, Clear
    The Paper Cut Inkjet Vellum
    The Paper Cut Printer Friendly Acetate
    Scrap Cardstock – 2-3 sheets
    Crafters’ Pick The Ultimate Craft Glue
    Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L – EZ Runner, 3D Foam Squares
    Ranger Glossy Accents
    Vellum adhesive