Elegant Monochromatic With Pop Of Colour

Anna’ Stampin’ Cave – Elegant Monochromatic With Pop Of Colour

Wow! It’s hard to believe, but today is last day with My Hero Stamp Set from Stampin’ Up! Yep, 5 weeks have passed!

For my final project, I’ve created this striking yet elegant, almost monochromatic card, in shades of grey but with a pop of colour in form of dainty orange flowers.

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For the base of my card I took an A4 sheet of Smoky Slate cardstock, cut it in half at 4-1/8″ and folded in half at 5-7/8″. I run the front of the base through Big Shot with Festive Embossing Folder. The panel is a piece of Basic Grey cardstock that measures 2″ x 5-7/8″. I adhere it to the base with Multipurpose Liquid Adhesive.

Next, I created my floral composition using Botanical Builder Framelits Dies. I die cut a couple of leaves from vellum and six flowers: three tiny flowers and three small 3D flowers from a scrap of Whisper White cardstock.

Savvy Tip: Don’t know what to do with random off cuts that are to small to use on cards or to punch anything out of them? Don’t throw them away! I save all my off cuts and use them up when need to die cut small elements, flowers, etc using framelits dies

To add a little bit of colour to my flowers I sponged the edges of the tiny flowers with Watermelon Wonder. For 3D flowers, I decided for more ‘dramatic’ look I sponged entire flowers using Pumpkin Pie ink pad and a dab of Watermelon Wonder to the centres. I also added a large rhinestone to each centre. You can’t really tell from the photos (blame the awful English weather) but I’ve added a touch of shimmer using Clear Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush to each flower (tiny ones too).

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Next, I took a strip of vellum ( 1/2″ x 4-1/8″) and stamped a ‘Celebrate’ from My Hero Stamp Set in Versamark. Of course, I’ve used an Embossing Buddy prior to stamping. I heat embossed the sentiment with Silver Stampin’ Emboss Powder.

Tip: For best results with heat embossing always treat your cardstock, dsp, vellum, etc with embossing buddy. I takes off the statick from the surface of your paper, and makes the powder stick only to the areas you stamped.
Tip 2: If you don’t have an embossing buddy or any other antistatic tool you can use cornflour instead. Just sprinkle a little amount of flour over the surface of your cardstock, spread it with fingers or paint brush, and shake off the excess. Now you can stamp and heat emboss.

I assembled my composition using Glue Dots and liquid adhesive. Two tiny flowers on the vellum banner are hiding adhesive that I’ve used to adhere the banner to the card base.

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I really like how this card turned out. I love the monochromatic, cold look of greys with a pop of bright orange. And what do you think about this colour combination? Do you like it? I would love to hear from you in comments below.

Thank you for stopping by and have a blessed day,

You Are My Hero

Anna’ Stampin’ Cave – You Are My Hero

 

Another week has passed by, and it’s that time again when our little group of demonstrators is showcasing you this lovely stamp set called ‘My Hero’. I love the versatility of this set, as it covers all major holidays/occasions throughout the year. But not only that. This is Ronald McDonald House Charities stamp set, which means for every set purchased, Stampin’ Up! donates £2 to the RMHC. Visit www.stampinup.com/giving_uk to learn how you can help too.

For today’s project, I’ve chosen ‘You are my #1 hero’ sentiment. I’ve seen many beautiful samples using this stamp. It’s perfect for all those oh-so-hard-to-make masculine cards. But I decided to make a card with a feminine twist. After all, women can be heroes too.

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This is a very simple card. For the card base, I chose beautiful and very vibrant Emerald Envy cardstock (standard A6 size). Next layer is a piece of DSP from Playful Palette Designer Series Paper Stack. I took half of the sheet of my chosen design ( 3″x 6″) and trimmed 1/4″ from both sides. I adhered the larger piece to the base first and next, those tiny strips on each side of the panel, but reverse side up. Because the base is smaller than 6″ wide, I trimmed any overhanging paper using my scissors. It’s easier, and for sure you won’t end up with a too small panel. Unfortunately, my strips slightly ‘disappeared’, when adhered to the card base. So I draw few black lines along the edges using Project Life Journaling Pens.

Tip: learn from my mistakes! If, like me, you chose a design that has a kinda symmetrical pattern on the reverse, make sure you trim your panel so you have the same pattern on both strips you’ve trimmed.

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Now to the focal point. I stamped my sentiment in Flirty Flamingo, on a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock and fussy cut it. It’s an easy shape to do so. I distressed the edges slightly. To make the sentiment ‘pop’ I decided to add a square Basic Black cardstock underneath. I could dry emboss it but instead, I decided to create a fun panel using Layering Squares Framelits. I’ve seen this idea just recently, on Carolyn Bennie blog and just had to try it myself. Carolyn is an amazing Australian demo. You should definitely check her out.

I arranged five scalloped squares dies on a piece of Basic Black cardstock, but offset them slightly. I secured dies to the paper with washi tape and run it through the big shot. Before I removed my dies, I’ve added washi tape underneath of the panel, to keep the squares together. I took another piece of Basic Black cardstock and adhered my die cut squares to that panel. I trimmed it to the 2-3/8″ square.

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I adhered my fun square to the card base with a couple of dimensionals. Next, I’ve added my sentiment on top of it, with regular snail adhesive. Few rhinestones on the corners of the badge finish off my card.

Thank you for stopping by and have a blessed day,

You Put The Merry In My Christmas

Anna’ Stampin’ Cave – You Put The Merry In My Christmas

 

Hello, and welcome! Today I’ve got for you a couple of rather traditional Christmas cards. As you probably remember we are showcasing My Hero RMHC Stamp Set by Stampin’ Up!®

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Aren’t they lovely?! And they are so easy to make.

The card base is standard top folded A6 in Very Vanilla and I’ve used beautiful This Christmas Specialty Designer Series Paper for my panels. These were supposed to be simple, straightforward cards, but then again, I can’t make things that are too easy, can I?! So I decided to turn them into a split panels cards.

The panels I prepared earlier were 4 x 5-6/8″ in size. To create split panels, I cut them diagonally into 3 and removed the middle piece. I cut narrow strips of Garden Green and Cherry Cobbler cardstock and glued them underneath my split panels to accent the’split’. I adhered the panels to the base using snail adhesive.

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Using my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig I stamped the sentiment in the ‘split’ area. Next, I created these uber cute mini Christmas trees. To make them, I die cut a scalloped circle from a sheet of the same DSP, just a different design. I cut it in half, fold it into ‘tree’ and secured my folds with mini glue dots.

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Because design on this paper is quite ‘busy’, you couldn’t really see the trees, once attached to the card. So I die cut 2 scalloped circles in Very Vanilla and run them through my big shot with Festive Embossing Folder.

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Next, I die cut 2 slightly bigger scalloped circles: one in Garden Green and one in Cherry Cobbler to create mats for Very Vanilla pieces. Adhered them together (de-bossed side up) and then added my trees on top.

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First I thought to pop my circles up with dimensionals. But because these cards got quite of dimension anyway, I adhered them to the base with snail adhesive.

Super easy, aren’t they? I hope you like them. As always, if you wish to purchase any of the products I have used, simply click the images below to go directly to my online shop and don’t forget to enter the hostess code for the month of September RKW34AHD, to receive a gift from me.

I’m also adding my card to Craftyhazelnut’s Patterned Paper September 2016 challenge

Thank you for stopping by and have a blessed day,

Negative Die-Cutting

Anna’ Stampin’ Cave – Negative Die-Cutting

 

Hello everyone and welcome! Today I’ve got for you super cool & easy technique to try out: negative die-cutting. Just a reminder: each week we are using Ronald McDonald House stamp set ‘My Hero’.

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For today’s project, I’ve decided to use this lovely umbrella image. To create my card I started with a Very Vanilla card base and a Very Vanilla panel, slightly smaller than my base. First, I arranged the layout of my card using the Umbrella Weather Framelits. When I was happy with the placing, I die cut the umbrella first and the handle next, from my panel. But instead of using the die-cut piece on the card (as we usually do, don’t we?), I’ve used the negative image. Savvy tip: Don’t throw your die cuts away. You can use them for your next project.

I took my panel, placed it on the card base without adhering it, and I stamped the umbrella and the handle through a die cut holes. Stamp-A-Ma-Jig ( I love this tool!!!) was a big help to position my stamps perfectly. To create an ombre effect on umbrella image, I coloured the stamp with Crushed Curry and Tangerine Tango Stampin’ Markers (Crushed Curry to the top and Tangerine Tango in the middle). And, because I don’t own the 2015-2017 In Colour Stampin’ Markers, I carefully dabbed Watermelon Wonder ink pad to the bottom of the stamp.

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When I was done with the stamping, I trimmed my layer at slightly ‘wonky’ angles, and run it through the Big Shot with a Seaside embossing folder. This folder is intended to imitate the waves, but if you turn it aside, it looks like rain streaks on a window, which is totally cool 🙂

I took a piece of Watermelon Wonder DSP from 2015-2017 In Color Designer Paper Stack (there are four different designs to choose from, but I’ve gone for dots). It was slightly bigger than my top layer, but I  didn’t want to use it all on my card. I only wanted it to peek from underneath my top layer where the ‘wonky’ angles were. So I measured it up, trimmed the piece and adhered it to the base. next, using dimensionals, I’ve added the top layer.

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I decided not to use any additional sentiment on my card, as I think the one on the umbrella says it all. To embellish the card I’ve used White Perfect Accents. But hey, you say, these are clear, right? But did you know that you can peel off the white, sticky backing from your  White Perfect Accents, and you get these super awesome clear, perfectly round embellishments?! It’s cool or what?! But, of course, once you peel the backing off, you need to use glue to adhere them.

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So, did you liked my project?! I hope I inspired you to give this technique a go. It’s really cool and you will be hooked in no time!

Thank you for stopping by and have a blessed day,

Halloween Treat Holders With Popcorn Box Thinlits Dies

Hello, everyone! From today, for every Thursday, for the next 5 weeks, I’m gonna showcase My Hero Stamp Set by Stampin’ Up!Stampin' Up! My Hero Stamp Set

The stamp set is called ‘My Hero’ and what’s amazing about this particular set is that it’s a Ronald McDonald House Charities Stamp Set.

If you haven’t heard about it, here’s how it works: through the Making a Difference program, which Stampin’ Up! launched back in 2003, we partnered with Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC). Each year, Stampin’ Up! design an exclusive stamp set to promote the partnership with RMHC, and donate a portion of the proceeds from each sale of that set. To date over $1.5 million has been donated from RMHC stamp set sales!

But let’s get back to my project. For this week I’ve decided for something fun and created these Halloween treat holders using Popcorn Box Thinlits Dies.

Anna' Stampin' Cave Stampin Up Popcorn Box Die Halloween Treat Holders

Aren’t these cute?!! You won’t believe how quick and easy they are to make. For each holder, you only need one die-cut piece (for the box you need two). Next, you trim the larger flap, varnish well all the score lines and use a strong adhesive. I’ve used Tombow Multipurpose glue.

Anna' Stampin' Cave Stampin Up Popcorn Box Thinlit Dies Halloween Treat Holder

To create panels from Designer Series Paper you just simply die-cut the box and hand cut them following shallow lines created by the die.

For my treat holders, I’ve used two different colour combinations: Basic Black with Pumpkin Pie and Elegant Eggplant with Old Olive. I think these colours suit Halloween perfectly.

I’ve used ‘face’ stamp from My Hero Stamp Set, which I believe supposed to be a pumpkin face (!!?), and created these uber cute spiders. For their legs, I’ve used a wavy die from Popcorn Box Thinlits Dies. And yes, I know that spiders supposed to have 8 legs, but come on! These are mine and they only have six lol The sentiment is stamped using  Brushwork Alphabet Stamp Set and the panels underneath are just cut-outs I have left after die-cutting the box itself. These tiny strips of paper in my treat holders are also created using cut-offs. I love it – cute and frugal! For a final touch, I’ve added a piece of Metallic Foil Doily in Silver and also Basic Black and Silver Metallic Threads under the sentiment.

Anna' Stampin' Cave Stampin Up Popcorn Box Die Halloween Treat Holders Basic Black Pumpkin Pie

Elegant Eggplant with Old Olive treat holders I have turned into cute Frankenstein. For the hair, I die-cut a circle from a piece of Basic Black cardstock and gave him a trim with scissors. Not that I’m talented hairdresser but hey, for Frankenstein it’s just perfect.

Anna' Stampin' Cave Stampin' Up Popcorn Box Die Halloween Treat Holders Elegant Eggplant Old Olive

To create black doilies I took the smallest of Metallic Foil Dollies and deepen them in Basic Black Archival ink pad. Remember to set them aside for a while, as it takes some time before the ink dries. I also added few loops of Gold Metallic Thread under the doily. For the sentiment, I’ve stamped (randomly) ‘sweet treats’ from Teeny Tiny Sentiments Stamp Set on the diagonal white stripes. I put some purple tissue paper into my treat holders. I coloured the smallest dot from White Perfect Accents, using a golden sharpie – it holds the overhung tissue paper in place.

Anna' Stampin' Cave Stampin Up Popcorn Box Die Halloween Treat Holders Pumpkin Pie Basic Black

Anna' Stampin' Cave Stampin Up Popcorn Box Die Halloween Treat Holders Old Olive Elegant Eggplant

So here they are! I really hope you like my little project and that you will try to make these cute treat holders yourself. These would be super cute for Christmas treats too.

Thank you for stopping by and have a blessed day,