Stamp Club Olathe: August 2012

Can you believe it's September already?! I have some catching up to do, but I'm determined to get back in the saddle here in blogland this month, despite a number of things working against me.

I taught an "emboss resist" card in Olathe for the August session. Above are two possible layouts using the same set of elements. It is such a thrill to watch the clear-embossed "invisible" image appear as if by magic when you start to sponge on color!

When you sponge, remember to work from lightest to darkest ink color. Here I've used So Saffron, Regal Rose and Raspberry Ripple.

Inside, the card repeats the image using Regal Rose for the background images and Raspberry Ripple for the simple sentiment. The card combines an image from the must-have Serene Silhouettes with sentiments from So Sorry.

Here's an alternative color scheme in blues, using Just Believe for the stamped images. It's actually a Whisper White background, but I was editing the photo in bad lighting and seem to have overcompensated in the wrong direction! Anyway, as you can see, this technique is ideal for silhouette stamps and adapts well to a variety of themes.

Wish Big!

Here's a masculine birthday card that I CASE'd and then tweaked a little to make it my own. In an office full of guy's it came in handy!

Enjoy,
M.

Materials:
Card Stock: Pear Pizazz, Not Quite Navy, Cajun Craze, Very Vanilla, and Well Worn DSP (Ret.).
Stamp Sets: Word Play, French Foliage, Affection Collection, July Fourth (Ret.), and Happiest Birthday Wishes.
Ink: Early Espresso, Cajun Craze, River Rock, and Not Quite Navy.
Punches: Small and Large Stars (Ret.).
Misc.: Library Clip (Ret.) and Dimesionals.

Christmas in August

Hello again,
I created this card for our annual "Cool 'n the Gang" all day stamp extravaganza!  Oh my, and what a day it was!  Lots of fun, great projects and yummie food!  What more could you ask for!?!  Hope you like!

Thanks,
M.

Materials:
Card Stock: Real Red, Whisper White, Island Indigo, and Summer Smootches DSP.
Stamp Set: Scentsational Season.
Ink: Island Indigo.
Punch/Dies: Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border and Holiday Collection.
Embossing Folder: Perfect Polka Dots.
Ribbon: Real Red Polka Dot Grosgrain (Ret.).
Misc.: Clear Embossing Power and Stampin' Dimensionals.

Zindorf Inspiration

Hi!  I am Kimberly, Kathy's most recent recruit.  I am very excited to be posting my first card ever!  It's my first time posting I mean, not the first time making a card ;)  This is my attempt to CASE a Michelle Zindorf project.  I was pretty pleased with the result and hope that you will be inspired too.

This is a great way to use up scraps of DSP!  The "stitching" along the edge of the card is simply done by piercing a straight line of holes and then drawing the "stitches" in with my black marker!   

A Good Layout Stands on its Head!

I promised to show you more tricks with our "Rule of Thirds" layout.

Compare this to the horizontal format from the last post. You can see that the balloon panel is the 2/3 piece, and the stripe is the 1/3 (back to using the World Spectacular DSP that was featured this month at the Lawrence club). The banner has narrowed slightly into a half inch strip.

And once again, if you would rather use stamps, the same proportions work - I've cut a couple of strips of paper with the Adorning Accents Edgelits, embossed them with the coordinating folders, and added two images from the My Friend set (French version, why not?!).

So many looks, so simple. What are you waiting for?

-Kathy

Stamp Club Olathe - July 2012

How would you design a card that can be quickly modified for any recipient, any occasion? That was the hostess' challenge for the Olathe club this month!


I decided to focus on a good strong layout, using DSP as my main element. Patio Party seemed a good choice, since it contains general "birthday" themes as well as some patterns and also some florals.

Did you spot the "Rule of Thirds"? That's always a great place to begin. One panel is roughly 1/3 the width of the card, the other 2/3. The banner strip ties them together, and the medallion provides a focal point. Aren't the new Apothecary Accents Framelits great shapes? The birthday sentiment is from Itty Bitty Banners.

See how simply substituting the floral DSP for the cakes makes immediately more feminine? I thought the butterflies made a nice combination with the flowers.

 
Wait, what happened?! It's doing tricks. A strong layout can easily be turned in another direction, as you can see.

If you prefer to use stamps instead of DSP, you can still get the same effect. Here I've collage-stamped an image from the set Papaya Collage, then added a banner strip (using another image from that set) and medallions as above.

In my next post, I'll show you how to turn this layout on its' head! 

Stay tuned,

Kathy

Class: Silhouettes II

If you missed this class the first time around, you won't want to miss it again! Just look at these projects, all using techniques that are perfect for showcasing your silhouette stamps:

I'll be taking registration a little differently this time. If you are interested in the class, please e-mail me  (catalina_los_ojos@hotmail.com) no later than Wednesday, July 25, 2012. Once I have a list of interested persons, I will contact you and we will set a date that works for all those taking the class. We will make a total of five cards, and the class cost is $15.

Hope you can join me!

-Kathy

Stamp Club Lawrence - July 2012

The hostess for club this month wanted some ideas for decorating little boxes (she volunteers for a program with at-risk teens, teaching them how to make jewelry). I showed them a 3D flower made from the blossom punch, a pinwheel that might appeal to a younger recipient, and this medallion option that could be more masculine. Everyone chose what they wanted to affix permanently to their box (which incidentally are also just the right size for gift cards). The boxes also feature the new World Spectacular DSP, which I think would be equally applicable to all audiences.

In addition to the box, each person made a gift card and decorated envelope using the You're Amazing stamp set. It has such fun images in it!! It may be my newest "go to" set, because what occasion would that not apply to??! (OK, so maybe there would be a better choice for a sympathy card.) You already know that when you start with something tiny, like the SU! 3 1/8" square envelope, you're guaranteed "cuteness factor".

Inside the card, we made an unexpected pop-up of the sentiment (and can anyone guess where the corner pieces came from??). I just love it when everything coordinates!

Hope you're staying cool and hydrated,
Kathy

Technical DIfficulties- Thanks for your patience!

Hello friends,

I appreciate your stopping back by after my absence. I've had technical difficulties, i.e. my computer hard drive melted down and it was just ugly. I not only purchased a new computer, I switched from a PC to a Mac so I have had a pretty steep learning curve to work with all new versions of programs and equipment! In case you don't know me well, I always have to be dragged kicking and screaming into technological advances.

In addition, my little Mama has been undergoing radiation for melanoma this summer, and I have needed/wanted to spend considerably more time on that front than I had been. But I think I'll be up to speed here soon, so keep checking back to see what I've been up to behind the scenes!

Kathy

2012-2013 Stampin Up Catalog

Please Click on Photo to view the New Catalog!

Goodbye, Die!

As you know, it's our annual retirement season for those of us affiliated with Stampin' Up! I had purchased the Bitty Box & Envelope die several months ago, but in all the other activity I'd just not managed to break it out. It's the story of many a love affair... realizing too late how much the object of your affections means to you! (giggle-by the way, as of this moment, you can still order this die! It is being discontinued May 31 or when supplies are exhausted.)

The box/envelope accommodates 3x3" cards, which I made from naturals ivory CS with Old Olive accents. Don't you think "wittle" things have built-in charm?! The beautiful thing is, the die cuts little envelopes too, a perfect way to use up some scraps of DSP! My sister just gave me a duplicate set of Clearly for You, and the images are ideally sized! I've used Early Espresso and Old Olive classic inks.

If you haven't yet, check out the list of retiring stamps and accessories. There are some nice deals there, don't let 'em get away!  -Kathy

Stamp Club Olathe - May 2012

The hostess for this month in the Olathe club wanted to recreate the card on p.116 of the 2011-12 IB&C using the two-step stampin' set Flower Fancy. However, she also wanted to incorporate the framelits labels. This is a great little mental exercise, and I think the results were simply charming. We gave some thought as well to gussying up the inside of the card. Version two, using hostess set Simply Soft, was created by the ladies at the second table (we split the group for practical reasons, less wait time and more elbow room!). We used a Stamp-a-ma-jig for this image, since it's smaller and more complex and we wanted to get the color on the allium inside the lines.

If you've never played with two-step stamps, give it a try! They're perfect for a casual look, and so quick and easy.  -Kathy

Summer Smooch Wreath

Paper Rosette Wreath

DSP - Summer Smooch
Brights Button Collection
Whisper White 5/8" Stain Ribbon
Linen Thread
Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer Punch
1-1/4 Circle Punch
Simply Scored Scoring Tool 
Mulit-Purpose Liquid Glue (aka-Tombo)
Sticky Strip
Glue Dots
Non-Stampin' Up! Wood Cut-Out Frame
Non-Stampin' Up! Hot Glue Gun

Current Carry-Over Product/Mini Catalog

Here is the Current Mini Catalog Carry-Over List.


Item Page Description US Price CA Price

125585 9 Cherry Cobbler Dazzling Details $2.50 $3.25
125593 10 Elegant Bird Bigz™ Die $21.95 $26.95
125482 11 Bordering on Romance Clear-Mount Set $21.95 $26.95
125480 11 Bordering on Romance Wood-Mount Set $27.95 $33.95
125412 12 Twitterpated Designer Fabric $9.95 $12.50
125597 12 Dresden Designs Bigz L Die $32.95 $40.95
125406 13 Twitterpated Designer Series Paper $10.95 $13.50
125603 17 Blossom Punch $16.95 $22.95
125432 19 Chamomile Standard Stampin’ Around® Wheel $6.50 $7.95
125582 23 Pool Party 1/2” Seam Binding Ribbon $6.95 $9.50
125577 26 Large Pearl Basic Jewels (8 mm) $4.95 $6.50
125594 28 Designer Rosette Bigz XL Die $42.95 $52.95
125433 29 Wedding Words Jumbo Stampin’ Around Wheel $8.50 $10.50
125572 35 Lucky Limeade Baker’s Twine $2.95 $3.95
125573 35 Calypso Coral Baker’s Twine $2.95 $3.95
125574 35 Pool Party Baker’s Twine $2.95 $3.95
125575 35 Island Indigo Baker’s Twine $2.95 $3.95
125576 35 Wisteria Wonder Baker’s Twine $2.95 $3.95
125590 35 Vanilla Scented Stampin’ Emboss Powder $5.95 $7.50
125596 35 Fashionable Hearts Embosslits Die $11.95 $14.95
127034 35 Melon Scented Stampin’ Emboss® Powder $5.95 $7.50
127035 35 Cherry Scented Stampin’ Emboss Powder $5.95 $7.50
124106 40 Kraft Gift Box $2.95 $3.50
127081 40 Occasions Sweet Pressed Cookie Stamps $16.95 $20.95
125152 40 Holidays Sweet Pressed Cookie Stamps $16.95 $20.95
125599 6, 14 Hearts Collection Framelits $26.95 $32.95
125598 6, 24 Labels Collection Framelits $26.95 $32.95
125595 7, 11 Adorning Accents Edgelits $9.95 $11.95
125601 7, 11 Adorning Accents Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folders $8.95 $10.95
125592 7, 26 Paper Doily Large Sizzlits® Die $21.95 $26.95

Carry-Over List-PDF Version

Daisies #2 Project

Materials  List

Dies

114520 Flower, Daisies #2  $19.95
125598 Framelits "Labels Collection" $26.95

Card-stock

So Saffron CS
Chocolate Chip CS
Whisper White CS

Inks

More Mustard Classic
Chocolate Chip Classic

Extras

112533 Jumbo Brads 5/8"   $6.95

Non-SU Jumbo Paper Clip ( found at a local Office Supply Store)

Stampin' Up! *Retired List

 

 

Here is the List!