Brusho!

I am in love with Brusho, a product that Stampin' Up is now carrying. It is so much fun to use!   Brusho really is a one-of-a-kind, unique painting medium! The colours are a transparent, highly-pigmented water-colour ink that comes packed in small drums which contain the dry, crystalline powder. ... Once the Brusho is applied, you really have no choice other than to let the paint do the work!There are several ways to use it, but my favourite way is to sprinkle the powder onto glossy card stock, spritz with water, and watch the magic happen!

Here is how I made the card; the item numbers of each product are listed in brackets.
First, cut a piece of white glossy card stock (144240) to 3" x 5"
(you will also need to cut a piece of Old Olive card stock (100702)  to 3 1/8 and 5 1/8 for matting, and a piece of Thick White card stock (140272) at 5 1/2" by 11" then folded in half )
Second, stamp the desired image ( I used the set You're Inspiring 145808) with versamark (102283) then emboss with white embossing powder (109132)
Third, sprinkle your desired colours of Brusho (144101) onto your image. Here I used yellow and moss green.
Fourth, spritz with water and watch. The colours will burst and spread and melt into one another. To get the desired look I was after, I used an aqua painter (103954) to paint it where I wanted it.
Finally, I used my heat tool to dry it up a bit, then blotted up any leftover colour with a tissue.
Try and experiment with it. They will never be the same twice!

        As you see above, there is more blue and more blending with the first image than the second. That is what makes it so fun!
To order any of these products, visit my online store.

Chalkborad Technique and Tutorial

One of the cool techniques I taught at my technique class was the Chalkboard technique. It is super easy and so fun! It requires Basic Black card stock, Whisper White craft ink, an embossing buddy, a sponge and a stamp set...lined images work best.

1-cut your basic black card stock at 5" by 3 3/4"
2-take your embossing buddy and smack it on the card stock...it will generate powder. Shake off excess.
3-stamp your images in white craft ink.
4-take your sponge, dab it in the white ink, and lightly sponge around some of your images, and near the corners. Not too much!
5-adhere your black card stock to a mat measuring 5 1/2" by 4"
6-adhere mat to card base.

I chose to add pop up flowers and a sentiment to my card. Get creative! This technique is so fun!
I used the stamp set Raining Flowers (# 122765) and the sentiment from Made For You (#126342)

Took a few minutes to create this morning...

I took time to create just for me today. I finally used my ticket wheel and ticket punch today...it is really cool! I know there will be stamps available in the Occasions catalogue to go with the ticket punch, so I am super excited about that! I hope you enjoy the following instructions and you will be able to find all the products used in the Idea book and Catalogue or the Holiday catalogue.

Card Instructions:

-cut card base from Always Artichoke (cut at 5 1/2" and score at 4 1/4")
-cut designer paper at 5 1/4"x 2" for top layer, 5 1/4" x 2" for bottom layer
-roll Take a Ticket wheel (page 32) on Very Vanilla card stock so you have 3 full tickets
-use the Ticket Duo punch (page 182) to cut out 3 tickets
-adhere them across the middle, covering the lines between the top and bottom layer of designer paper
-use the 3rd size from the middle of the Window Frames Framelits (page 30 of the Holiday catalogue) to cut out Always Artichoke layer
-use the 2nd size from the middle of the Window Frames Framelits to cut out designer paper
-place the Festive paper piercing sheet (page 30 of the Holiday catalogue) over the Always Artichoke frame and pierce the holes
-stamp Blissful Bird (page 72) using Cherry cobbler ink
-punch the bird and wing using the Bird Builder punch (page 185)
-use Stampin' Dimensionals to pop up the bird and the bird's wing
-Run the Little Leaves Sizzlets (page 191) on Certainly Celery card stock through the Big Shot
-you will need to tear the leaves in 3, so they will all fit under and around the bird

If you would like to create this card, then please register for my All Day Crop on Saturday November 24. You can read about it HERE.
You can register by email: comestampwithme@cogeco.ca

Fun and Fabulous Friday...friend card

Welcome to another Friday, where the cards are fun and fabulous...and easy to recreate.
The colour combination is Crumb Cake, Pool Party, Early Espresso and Very Vanilla.
The stamp sets are Everything Eleanor and Friendly Phrases.
The card base is Crumb Cake; mat with Pool Party; mat with Very Vanilla.
I stamped the swirl in Crumb Cake and the bird in Early Espresso.
I attached a piece of retired designer series paper.
I attached the Pool Party seam binding, using glue dots to make my ruffles at the top.
I stamped the sentiment in Early Espresso, punched with the 1 1/4" circle punch; I cut a scrap of Early Espresso card stock with the 1 3/4" circle punch and adhered them together.
I stamped an image with Pool Party ink onto Pool Party cardstock and punched it out with the 2 3/4" scallop circle punch.
I used dimensionals to adhere the sentiment to the Pool party piece, and dimensionals to adhere the scallop piece to the card.
A ten-minute card!

Fun and Fabulous Friday...Hearts

I swapped a lot at convention. Swapping is a great way to get new ideas. This card was based on a swap, though I changed it up quite a bit. The main idea I got from the swap card was using the Hearts framelits to cut the heart shape, then add the strips of paper behind it, so it kind of looks quilted. COOL!

Here's how to make this card:
-Cut your Soft Suede card base 5 1/2" by 8 1/2" and score at 4 1/4"
-cut Midnight Muse mat piece 5 1/4" by 4"
-cut Very Vanilla piece 5" by 3 3/4"
-emboss Very Vanilla piece with the folder of your choice (I used Chevron)
-Use the Hearts framelits, 3rd size from the smallest, and place on your Very Vanilla piece and cut.
-cut 5 strips of Designer Series paper 1/2" by 3" and place them behind the heart.
-Adhere the Midnight Muse to the card base, then adhere the Very Vanilla piece to the Midnight Muse.
-Take the heart shape that you cut out and pop it up.
-Pop up sentiment over both hearts.

Enjoy!
Also, my Fun and Fabulous card class is tonight at 7.00pm! Hope to see you!

Versamark Resist Tutorial

I tried to be productive today. My table looks like a hurrican blew through. I tried several times to come up with a great design using this leaf set, French Foliage. After about 8 hours or so, I finally put this together.
I love the Versamark Resist technique for the background. I just wasn't sure what to do with the rest of the card. So this is what me, my husband and my neighbour voted on.They didn't see it with the popped up leaf, but it HAS to have a popped up leaf.
So, what does everyone think? I need to make this 24 times, for 24 demonstrators, so I want to make sure it's good.

Versamark Technique in Three Easy Steps
You will need:
-glossy card stock
-versamrk pad
-brayer
-ink pad
-your favourite stamp set

Cut Glossy card stock to the size you want.
Ink your stamp with the Versamark pad and stamp randomly on the glossy card stock.
Run your brayer in your ink, and brayer over the versamark images. The darker you go, the more the images pop.

I hope you will try this technique!

Dreams

This is one of the cards we made in my last card class. We did an altered lunch box and 10 cards. This was probobly my favourite though. This is called a joy fold card and you can find the instructions here:

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/joy_fold_card/

My weekend was incredibly busy with a workshop Friday night, an altered lunch pail and 10 cards class Saturday night and a mom and me card class Sunday afternoon. I'm a little bit tired. :)

What I did today...

I found the directions to make these cool foldy cards on someone's blog, but I don't remember whose it was. As soon as I find it, I'll post the link. These are really fun to do!
So today, I made like 12 of them, just because I had the time. You never know when one will need a foldy card. Of course, I HAD to use the "punch trio"...the scallop punch, 1 3/8" circle punch and 1 1/4" circle punch. From now on, I will call them the "punch trio" as that is much less typing for me.

EDIT: OK, HERE'S the link for the template, and HERE'S the link to the first blog I saw this on.

Christmas gift bows

These Christmas gift bows are so easy to make! You can make 2 bows from 1 sheet of double-sided paper. For the tutorial, click HERE.

Triangle Box Tutorial

What you will need:
-paper trimmer
-stylus or score blade
-4" x 8" neutral card stock
-hand-held circle punch
-ink
-stamps
-15" of ribbon

1-cut card stock 4" x 8".
2-With the 8" side against the trimmer, score at 4" (middle).
3-Turn card stock so the 4" side is against the trimmer. Make a little mark at 2" at the top and the bottom. This will show you where the middle is.
4- Position the card stock so that the top middle is at the score line on the trimmer and the middle is at the score line of the trimmer. This will be a diagonal. Score from top to middle. Do this on all 4 sides.


I have marked in black where your score lines are. Your card stock will look like this.

5-Random stamp the whole surface of your card stock.
6-Fold the scored edges inward.


7-Take your hole punch and punch through all 4 layers at the top.
8-Pass your ribbon through the holes and tie.
9-You can add a tag, if you like.


Your finished triangle box should look like this!
I put 2 doggie treats in mine and gave it to my neighbor (for her dogs).

Tea Book Tutorial

These little tea booklets make great gifts! There'sa lot of measuring,scoring and folding, so I hope you can follow along.

Booklet: cut a piece of card stock 6 1/2" x 3 1/4"...score it at 3 1/2" and again at 3". Fold along the score lines.
Cut a piece of card stock 2 3/4" x 3"...this will be a layer piece.
Cut a piece of white card stock 2 1/2" x 2 3/4".
Stamp your image on the white piece. Adhere to the layer. Adhere the layer to the front of the booklet.


Insert: Cut a piece of printer paper at 6 1/4" x 6"...score at 3 1/4" x 1/4" (The 1/4" will fold over to "close" the tea insert). Turn the paper and score down the middle at 3 2/16" x 2 14/16". Fold along score lines.
Cut a piece of ribbon 18" long. Adhere it along the back of the booklet.


Take a circle punch (I used 1 1/4") and place half-way at the edge of the folded insert. This will create a place to grab the tea bags out of their pockets.


Your insert should look like this:

Now, put adhesive along the 1/4" score you made earlier and fold.

OK, now take a jumbo wheel and run it along the front and back of your insert.
Place the insert in the booklet, making sure it is centered.
Take an eyelet hole punch and punch a hole in the center of the booklet, near the top and bottom. Set your eyelets. This will ensure the insert stays put!

I took my circle punch and made a little message for the back of the booklet. This just helps to keep the back ribbon attached.
Put a tea bag in each of the pouches, close and tie the ribbon! A gift ready for giving!

Cracked Glass Tutorial

Cracked Glass is one of my favourite techniques, and it's easy to do, though a bit time consuming!
1-stamp your image.
2-colour your image, if necesary.
3-cover your image with Versamark.
4-pour on the Ultra-Thick Embossing Powder (SU Glassy Glaze).
5-heat with a heat gun.
6-repeat steps 3,4 and 5 TWO MORE times...(total of 3 times).
7-place image in freezer for 2 minutes.
8-remove from freezer and IMMEDIATELY bend the paper. It will crack.
9-rub the image in Chocolate Chip ink, making sure to get ink in the cracks then wipe off the excess with a Kleenex.

See, easy peasy!

CS:Old Olive, More Mustard, White (SU) and black Bazill
ink: black Staz-On, Chocolate Chip
acc: Old Olive, Chocolate Chip and Summer Sun watercolour crayons, water colour brush, twine, pop dots, Versamark, Glassy GlazeEP.

Gift Bag Tutorial

I love making gift boxes, so I thought I'd attempt a tutorial! Hopefully you can follow along and it makes a bit of sense!
First, take a piece of 8.5" x 11" sheet of card stock. Put the 8.5" side up against the top of your trimmer. Now, move the paper so the edge of the card stock rests at 2". Score. Turn the card stock around so you are able to acore at 2" on the opposite end. You should have a piece of card stock that is scored at 2" on each side.
Next, place your card stock so the 11" side is against the top of your trimmer. Move the card stock until the edge rests at 4". Score. Turn the card stock so you are able to score at 4" on the opposite end.

Now, take scissors and cut the middle lines, stopping at the center score line.

Fold up all the score lines:

I turned the card stock over and stamped the outside of my box.

I cut 2 pieces of white cardstock 4" x 2.5" and stamped at will. I adhered the white pieces to the front and back of the box.

Take sticky tape and put a strip along both sides of the white cardstock:

Cut 2 pieces of ribbon 15" each. Beginning at the bottom of one side of the white cardstock, place the ribbon on the sticky strip. Bring it toi the top of the box, then down the other side. Do the same to the other side of the box. This makes your handles.


Fold the box up and use sticky tape to adhere the sides together.
Decorate at will!

Scallopped Edge Tutorial

First, I apologize for the poor photo quality. I did my best.

First, cut a piece of card stock the length of your card (for this one, I cut 5.5")Then place your slit punch as far as it will go...this will ensure your scallops will be the same. Punch, then move your punch over, only very slightly overlapping your last punch. Continue the whole length of the strip.



Now, pull the scallopped edge away from the card stock.



Adhere your strip to the inside edge of your card. You can cover it later if you like.



Decorate your card.


Fini! Now you try!