New Twist on Ribbon

This card started with the ribbon. I absolutely love-Love-LOVE this wide striped grosgrain because it's such a strong partner anywhere you use it. I wanted to feature it in a way I hadn't seen before, so I was messing around and I came up with this... and of course, the ribbon* set the color scheme for the card, then I added some of that wonderful old-fashioned "Newsprint" DSP, and then I had to repeat the red and black to tie it all together, and I was thinking about favorite Christmas movies and tunes (White Christmas with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye. The scene where those two are impersonating a pair of sisters is so funny even they have a hard time getting through it!)... and there it was. You could easily stamp a sentiment, punch it out, and pop it up on some dimensionals to tack onto the upper left corner of the skater square if you wished.

*Hindsight is 20/20: If making it again, I would tuck the raw edge of the ribbon at the top of the card under the panel of DSP to conceal it, rather than pulling it up and over to the back of the card, where it shows... -Kathy



Stamps- Winter Post
Ink- Real Red classic
Paper- Real Red and Naturals Ivory CS; Newsprint DSP
Accessories- Photo Corner punch; 1/8" black taffeta & 1 1/4" Real Red Striped grosgrain ribbon; Tombow Multi-Purpose adhesive

October 2010 Stamp Club

Our hostess for stamp club this month requested to learn the approach to creating landscapes using stamps which I most often associate with demonstrator Michelle Zindorf. Her results are genuinely unique among stampers. I designed two options using the same basic steps (both feature one of the best things about winter - the sunset sky against a tracery of stark branches), and I've included photos of a 3rd idea for "switching it up" into a Christmas card. Note that both examples use stamps from Christmas sets (Winter Post and Welcome Christmas) in a more general "seasonal" way. I always look for sets that have this sort of flexibility. And of course, Lovely as a Tree works for just about any subject you care to name! It's one of my top two recommendations for beginners in the entire Idea Book & Catalog. As you can see, silhouette stamps work best for this technique, so pull yours out and see what you can do! -Kathy

Winter Post Set Sampler- Gift Card Holder

Last year I saw this project on several blogs, so when I got my own Big Shot you can bet it was one of the first things I made! It's so simple - just cut two Top Note pieces from card stock for the front and back covers. Lay them together and punch a hole near the top center with the large oval punch. Stamp as desired. Trim a miniature lunch bag so that it's just shorter than the Top Note pieces. Use Sticky Strip to attach to the inside faces of the covers. Punch again to remove the bag that shows through the original holes (doing it this way reduces the number of the layers you have to punch at once, which is much easier on your hands!). Tie closed with wide striped ribbon. (Confession: I bought extra of the red stripe last year, ha ha, so you may want to vary the color scheme for the project to match this year's options - although I think it would be cute stamped in red with the chocolate chip ribbon. So, thinking ahead to when the mini catalog expires on January 4... do you have plenty of silver and gold elastic cord? 'Cause you're gonna see it throughout the year in other contexts and YOU WILL WISH YOU DID.) Finally, stamp the "December 25" element onto Naturals Vanilla and punch out. Add a 1/16" hole and thread gold elastic cord through, then tie onto striped ribbon.

There you have it!

Kathy


All supplies Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted.

Stamps: Winter Post
Ink: Real Red classic
Paper: Kraft and Naturals Vanilla CS
Accessories: Large Oval and Designer Label punches, Gold Elastic Cord, 1 1/4" Striped Grosgrain ribbon, Sticky Strip (miniature paper bags purchased locally)

Winter Post Set Sampler- Contemporary Stag

Sometimes I like the simplicity of the "contemporary" look, where the negative space in the composition causes you to look immediately at the focal point of the card. I stamped just three times, layered, and did a row of piercings to add a little definition. Since it didn't bother me that the snowflake overlaps the stag, no masking was required.

Just the kind of card that's ideal for mass production!

Counting down the days with you,

Kathy


All supplies Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Stamps: Winter Post, Warm Words
Ink: Real Red and Going Gray classic
Paper: Going Gray, Real Red and Whisper White CS
Accessories: Paper-Piercing Tool and mat. Tombow Multi-Purpose Adhesive

Winter Post Set Sampler- Skaters on Kraft

I've taken the same "skaters" stamp that Monique used on her card and featured it alone on a panel just larger than the image. Isn't it funny how the image looks bigger? This effect is enhanced by the low contrast created by using the neutrals (Very Vanilla and Kraft. If I had used white and teal, on the other hand, I would have created high contrast.) I added some polka dot DSP from one of the 6x6 pads you can choose as a hostess freebie, to reinforce the sense of snowfall created by the random flakes stamped to the left. And I decided I was tired of standard card sizes, so I left a "partial front" as a little surprise when you go to open the card. A quick knot of Dusty Durango ribbon adds dimension and pulls together the colors and patterns.

As in yesterday's sample, I've pulled from other stamp sets to provide the sentiment for the card. This is "legal" in a set sampler, as the focus is still on the images in the designated set. Adding sentiments from other sets allows you flexibility far beyond what may have come in the original grouping.

Stay tuned tomorrow, when we'll go contemporary with the stag!

Kathy


All Supplies Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted.

Stamps: Winter Post, All Holidays (sentiment)
Ink: Dusty Durango classic
Paper: Kraft, Very Vanilla, Dusty Durango, Patterns Pack DSP
Accessories: 1/2" Polka Dot grosgrain ribbon in Dusty Durango, Tombow Multi-Purpose glue

Winter Post Set Sampler- Snowflake Card

Want a simple, wintry look? I stamped the Winter Post snowflake randomly in white craft ink onto Almost Amethyst CS. A large snowflake made with the Big Shot is attached with pop-up glue dots (now that I think of it, a clear sparkly brad from the Pretties Kit or one from the Ice Rhinestone brads would have been perfect in the snowflake center!), and the sentiment is silver-embossed in the bottom right corner. Ta da! The "Clean and Simple" look.

Tomorrow I'll show you a warm "contemporary country" look using a neutral palette.

See you then,
Kathy


All Supplies Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted.

Stamps: Winter Post, Heard from the Heart (sentiment)
Ink: White craft, Versamark
Paper: Almost Amethyst, Whisper White CS
Accessories: Snowflake #2 Originals die, Silver embossing powder, pop-up glue dots

Winter Post

Materials: All materials Stampin! Up.

Paper: Very Vanilla, Always Artichoke, Bravo Burgundy, Real Red and Baja Blue.

Ink: Always Artichoke, Bravo Burgundy, Real Red and Chocolate Chip.

Stamps: Winter Post.

Punch: Designer Label.

Misc: Stampin Dimensionals.

Good Morning!

I made this card earlier this year for a Christmas Stamp-a-Stack that we put on and had great fun. I used a couple different color schemes as you can see, which changes up the look and gives a completely different feel to the card. Have you gotten your Christmas cards out yet? If you need help, give us a hollar we'd be happy accommodate you any way we can! Hope you're staying warm!

Thanks,

Monique