Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Let's Stamp Something!

For the last day of 2013....let's stamp something! I wanted to share with  you how great the WorldWin cardstock is for stamping! (I originally made this card for a guest spot for Our Daily Bread Designs Stamps. I think you will agree, that is is worth a second look!)
I created a 5x5 inch card with Treasures Pitch Black cardstock. The Treasures line is a heavy-weight, textured cardstock. I use vast quantities of the Pitch Black and Deep Brown! It is thick, rich, and has just the right amount of texture!

I used some pretty papers from Graphic 45 for my background. I pierced around the blue square (with an old Stampin' Up piercing template). Some of the piercing was a bit wonky, so I distressed the paper to hide it. (Hey, we all have our secrets!) I love the boat and map stamp from ODBD (Surging Sea). I stamped it onto ColorMates Original Light Totally Tan cardstock and matted it with blue designer paper. The Light Totally Tan cardstock is my go-to "not quite white" cardstock. It matches the vintage look of the card perfectly!
I stamped the sentiment onto a scrap of Light Totally Tan cardstock and die cut it with a circle template. I sponged some blue ink onto the paper before removing the template. That gave me a border all around the circle to follow with my piercing tool. You can see I did not do a perfect job, but close enough.

Images and sentiments stamp so nicely onto the cardstock! Can you see why I like it so much?!

My favorite part of the card, aside from the stamping, is the "crumpled" edge. I simply placed a bit of printed paper at the lower right corner of the card, then I folded back the other layers to reveal the revers of the printed paper! So easy!
I really love how this card turned out. It's masculine, but still pretty. I love how rich the WorldWin cardstock looks! (I dipped into my Graphic 45 French Country papers. I love the 8x8 and 6x6 pads!)
 I also decorated the inside of the card. I lined the card with more of the Light Totally Tan cardstock, and then added a border from printed paper. I stamped the image onto Light Totally Tan, die cut it, and sponged it with ink. I cut a mat from a scrap of Treasures Pitch Black.
I carried the piercing into the inside as well. I did a bit better job this time!

Thanks for looking! I hope all of you have only rainbows in 2014! Happy New Year!

~ Gloria (Scraps of Life)


WorldWin Paper:
Treasures Pitch Black
ColorMates Original Light Totally Tan

Other:
Stamps: Our Daily Bread Designs Sentiment Collection 2, Surging Sea
Designer paper: Graphic 45 French Country 8x8 and 6x6 pads
Ink: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Clearsnap Colorbox Fluid Chalk French Blue
Die cuts: Spellbinders Standard Circles Large and Small
Twine: Really Reasonable Ribbon
Adhesive: Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L foam squares; Scotch 3M ATG tape

Monday, December 23, 2013

Soft and Pretty Christmas Cards

Hello everyone! It is down to the wire, and if you still need to make some Christmas cards, these simple designs will be great for you to try! (I originally made these cards for Couture Creations, but since I used all WorldWin cardstock, I decided to share the cards here as well.)

The two cards I want to share today are in a "country Christmas" theme. I wanted the cards to be fairly easy to mail. I also wanted to create some cards that use embossing folders - which show off the amazing cardstock - plus just a few, simple items so that you could make a bunch of cards at one time. (Both cards are standard size - 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 or A2.)
For this card, I simply made a card base from ColorMates Original Deep Racy Raspberry cardstock and lined it with Kraft cardstock (for adding a sentiment on the inside of the card). I then embossed another piece of Kraft cardstock with a Christmas-themed embossing folder that is folder and greeting all in one.
Using a Sponge Dauber, I gently rubbed white ink over the embossed cardstock. I love the "snowy" look of the white ink on the kraft cardstock. After I trimmed the panel to size, I rubbed more white ink around the edges.
To finish the card, I added some twine and a faux vintage button.
The card has a lot of texture and interest, but is actually quite flat, and easy to mail. If you are worried about the button making the card too bulky, you could just add the twine and leave the button off. 

I decided to create a second card using the "chalk ink" technique. This is one of my all-time-favorite embossing techniques. It's an oldie, but a goodie!

I created an card base with ColorMates Smooth and Silky Beach cardstock and embossed ColorMates Original Deep Berry Red cardstock with the embossing folder.
This time, I rubbed the embossed cardstock with a creamy white ink for a softer look. To add some extra fun to the card, I placed self-adhesive pearls on a few of the berries. (This makes the card a bit bulkier. You may need to add a sheet of thin cardstock to the inside of your envelope when mailing this one.)

The sentiment is something that I cut from designer paper and matted with Heritage Black cardstock. So easy! You can find lots of premade sentiments and sayings to make card making go quickly -  when you are in a last minute rush!

I also created a lace flower from a scrap of leftover lace. To make the little blossom, simply use some thread to place a running stitch across one long edge of the lace. Pull the threads to gather the lace, and tie off the ends. I added a pearl to the center of the flower. I also die cut a swirl from ColorMates Smooth and Silky Barley Grass cardstock to use behind my lace flower. 

I hope you are inspired to create some quick and easy Christmas cards! Thanks for joining me today! 

~ Gloria (Scraps of Life)


WorldWin Papers:
ColorMates Original Deep Racy Raspberry, Deep Berry Red, Heritage Black
Kraft
ColorMates Smooth and Silky Beach, Barley Grass

Other Supplies:
Designer paper: Heidi Swapp Believe
Stamping ink: Clearsnap Colorbox Pigment Cream White; Stampin' Up Whisper White
Button: Stampin' Up
Lace: Really Reasonable Ribbon
Twine: May Arts
Die cuts: Couture Creations Mimi
Embossing folders: Couture Creations Christmas Lyrics, Moonlit Berries
Self-Adhesive Pearls: Couture Creations

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Altered Printer's Tray - Naughty or Nice?

Good morning, WorldWin Fans! I know that most of the time we share "cardstock heavy" projects with you here. However, I wanted to share how you can combine several bits of the different types of WorldWin cardstocks into ONE great project! WorldWin has so many great papers to choose from!
I am a huge fan of altering "stuff." I have had this little 7 Gypsies printer's tray in my stash for a while, and I got the 7 Gypsies Santa's Journey 8x8 paper pad from my guest design spot at CropStop,com. Perfecto!  

This tray is 6 1/2 x 6 1/2 inches in size, which is great for a weekend project. I placed some of the Santa's Journey paper into the largest opening, and then matted the Santa image (cut from another piece of the paper) onto Petallics Wine Cup cardstock. Santa is attached with foam tape to the center of the opening.

I created a Christmas "spray" around the edge of the tray with die cut shapes (Couture Creations Missoni die) and a few other odds and ends. I cut the "vine" from Kromekote Silver cardstock. I rubbed the die cut shape with some sandpaper to "rough it up" a bit.
I die cut a paper rosette (Tim Holtz Rosette) from the Petallics Wine Cup cardstock, and then rubbed it with some white ink. I cut the ornament (Spellbinders Mix n Match Ornaments) from Kromekote Silver and White cardstock, and then backed it with a circle of the Wine Cup. It seems a bit fussy, but...so pretty and sparkly! I topped the ornament with some "rustic" twine and a Newsprint Candi Dot.

I found the sparkly pine cones in the craft store last year, and naturally purchased a whole bin of them! They make a great accent!
I fussy cut the Nice list is from the Santa's Journey paper. I used various layers of foam tape to attach the list, making it look "rolled and wrinkled." 
I die cut a reindeer (Tim Holtz mini reindeer) from Kraft cardstock. I rubbed the shape with some white ink. I cut a little tag for this corner of the tray. I stamped a sentiment on the tiny tag. Who knew I had stamps that tiny?! I added some Glossy Accents to the "25" to make it shiny.
For the middle opening, I embossed a small piece of the Wine Cup metallic cardstock (Couture Creations Jolly Christmas folder), then added a postage image that I fussy cut from the designer paper, and a bit of bling I found in my stash.  

For the last opening, I filled a bottle cap with Glossy Accents, and placed silver bells and some white and red microbeads inside. (Once the glue dries, the items stay in place.) I fussy cut another postage image for this area.
You can see that I only used bits and pieces of cardstock, but what a festive and shimmery impact! I hope you enjoyed my project for today. For a full supply list, see below.


~ Gloria (Scraps of Life)

WorldWin Papers:
Petallics Wine Cup
Kromecote White, Silver Foil
Kraft

Other:
Designer paper: 7 Gypsies Santa's Journey Paper Pad
Embellishments: Candi Dots Newsprint; Pine cones, silver bells (craft supply); Paper Stdio bottle cap
Ink: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black; Ranger Distress Vintage Photo
Paint: Ranger Distress Picket Fence
Die cuts: Tim Holtz Alterations Rosette, Movers and Shapers Mini Reindeer; Sweet n Sassy Stamps TagSpellbinders Mix n Match Ornaments; Couture Creations Nesting Dies, Circles, Sophia, Missoni
Embossing folder: Couture Creations Jolly Christmas
Tray: 7 Gypsies
Stamp: Flourishes
Twine: May Arts
Deco scissors: Provocraft
Adhesive: Ranger Glossy Accents; Couture Creations foam mounting tape; Scotch 3M ATG tape

Monday, December 16, 2013

In the Bag

If you want to make your gift bags look special this year, why not decorate them.  WorldWin's Petallic Papers are so sparkly- they add a touch of glamor to any project.

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I stamped JustRite Christmas Holly Background onto Elan Metallics (Moss) and embossed it with silver powder.  I colored in parts of the image with Copic Markers to bring out the design more.  I layered this panel with JustRite's Vintage Labels Six die - and used the script portion of the Merry Christmas Background stamp for the central oval (on Petallics - Silver).  I created a flower using Spellbinder's Layered Poinsettia -  cut from Petallics - Wine Cup and used May Arts silver leaves to frame it.  I finished the rest off with other May Arts ribbons and some blingy Christmas greenery I got at my local craft store.  Now I just have to finish my shopping to have something to go in this pretty little bag!

Friday, December 13, 2013

White Christmas

Clean and simple cards (CAS) are all the rage these days. I confess that this is a style that I am not very good at, but I think this card shows my own version of CAS.


I created a card with the ColorMates Original Deep Berry Red Cardstock. I trimmed a scrap of printed paper to decorate the top of the card. This card design is a great way to use up paper scraps!

I embossed WorldWin Paper Kromekote White cardstock with the Couture Creations Peaceful Ornaments folder. I trimmed off the bottom portion of the embossed image so that only the ornaments are visible. I made sure that the embossed cardstock and the printed paper were the correct size for my card front, and then I tied a green seam binding ribbon around the seam before attaching the panels to the card front.

I added self-adhesive gemstones to each of the embossed ornaments. You need some bling at Christmas!


I added a sentiment, which is one of my very own stamp designs, put out by Hampton Art. I stamped onto Heritage White cardstock and cut out the sentiment with a shaped die template. I rubbed the edges of the sentiment with green ink.

I lined the card with more of the Heritage White cardstock.

I hope you are inspired to create some quick and easy and trendy Christmas cards! Thanks for joining me today! 

~ Gloria (Scraps of Life)

WorldWin Papers products:
ColorMates Original Deep Berry Red, Heritage White
Kromekote White

Other products:
Embossing folder: Couture Creations Peaceful Ornaments
Die cut shapes: Couture Creations Victorian Rectangle
Designer paper: Heidi Swapp Believe
Stamps: Hampton Art/Gloria Stengel Designs Merry Little Christmas
Stamping ink: Clearsnap Colorbox Archival Tree Frog, Red Devil
Seam binding: Really Reasonable Ribbon
Gems: Couture Creations

Monday, December 2, 2013

Spectacular Spin Thank You Card



Good morning,! It's Gini here and it is great to be back after a nice long Thanksgiving break.  I have to admit, I had gotten some of the Spellbinders tuck and fold dies awhile back, and hadn't really done much with them.  But I have pulled them out to show you how spectacular they look, when paired with WorldWin Papers Double Mates.

I used the Spring Green (which has the darker green on the backside).  I cut the 3 different sized medallions from the Spectacular Spin die and folded and layered them.  I layered the medallion on Colormates in French Malt. This made a really flashy card in a matter of minutes.

So if you know you are going to have lots of Thank You notes to write, this is an easy card that still will have people wondering how in the world you did it.