Belle Papier {pretty paper}

Grab your coffee! I don’t usually write so much but…this is going to be one of those longggg posts.First of all…I’m super excited that the Scrapblocks release day has finally arrived. Here they are, almost as large as life. Scrapblocks are 6″ x 6″ square unmounted red rubber and are perfect for cards, altered projects and scrapbooking.

Vintage Text Scrapblock

Stitches Scrapblock

You can find these Scrapblocks in the CHF store: Vintage Text, Stitches Scrapblock

The Challenge:

I’m back with another Ways to Use it Challenge today. This week we’re focusing on a look that I think it big in the industry right now…text. It’s amazing how many places it is popping up. What’s it inspired by? I’m not quite sure as it is a great vintage trend as well as looking great on more graphic style designs. Perhaps all the interest in fonts and the computer generation has brought it to light. However you want to use it…it’s a great look. Use text as a background layer, stamp on it, add a definition block, use a vintage book, computer generate your own…use it however you wish and have fun with the challenge! Check out the details here.

 The Project:

I love scrapbooking and altered projects. Frequently though…I’m so short on time, I just stick with cards. The solution? Make a small mini-album. This little album is only 4″ x 4″ square but I’m just bouncing as I had so much fun making it. Ever done that? Create a project that you’re thrilled you finally got a chance to make? This is it for me.

This little album may be small but it’s packed full of love…it’s a mini album of all five of my babies. The really fun element in this project for me was all the clear elements. The covers of this project as Zutter Acrylic Covers. I stamped on them with my Vintage Text in Stazon Ink. I used the Text to tie the project together. Text is a great versatile look and it really doesn’t matter what it says…it’s all about the style.

Quick Tip: Crystal Accents and other dimensional glazes are great adhesives for Clear Card Sheet projects.

Inside my book, I alternated binding pages of stamped Clear Card Sheets cut to 4×4 size and patterned paper. On the paper pages, I adhered a 3×3 picture of each child, keeping it simple because of the mini size. The Clear Sheets are where the fun is. They are each stamped with a different Scrapblock or Backgrounder for a little variety. These pages hold the info and embellishing…an initial and birth date of the child. I love the way they give a peek at the baby underneath.

and so on….

Supply List:

Stamps: Sweet Bee (The Rummage Bin line), Vintage Text Scrapblock, Stitches Scrapblock, Sophisticated Swirl Backgrounder, Spanish Script Backgrounder by Cornish Heritage Farms

Ink: Black Stazon by Tsukineko

Paper: Patterned Paper by MME, Clear Card Sheets by Cornish Heritage Farms

Other: brad by Making Memories, flowers and lace by Prima, bling by Basic Grey, dymo label maker,  chipboard by American Crafts, Zutter Bind-it-all

And finally….

The Winner:

Thanks so much everyone for your wonderful ideas for using the Scrapblocks. They are really so versatile.  I used the random.org integer generator to pick one lucky winner….number  62  .   Tracey Gordon, that’s you!  Congrats! Please e-mail me with your address and I’ll get that rubber in the mail.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for staying with me through a very long post!

Julia

Recently I was going back through my old picture files and cleaning out unneeded images. What a huge job! But it’s something that needed to be done and really…I had fun revisiting some past designs. It’s interesting to see how styles and products change. While purging and making room for new files on my computer, I came across a fun card that I realized I never have shared on-line. It also makes a very fun challenge and so today seemed like the perfect time to dust it off, so to speak.

Do you ever find yourself wanting to create a design along a certain theme but don’t have stamps or product that really captures it? The great way to get around that without running off the store is to create your own image. It’s really easier than you might think and today’s challenge will push you out of your box if this is something you have never tried. You can put an image together using punches, create a shaped card such as a flower to create your image, arrange brads or buttons to create an image or draw out your own and cut it out of cardstock. I’m sure there are other ideas as well and I’d love to see what you create! Check out the challenge here.

***** Also…. if you missed the Revved Up Giveaway post, you have until 9 pm EST tonight if you want a chance to enter.

Ruff Day

To make this design, I created a fun little fire hydrant by simply using my paper cutter and a few circle punches. The edges were sponged to give it a little dimension and pull the design together. To create my inside sentiment, I simply found a font I liked and printed it out onto cardstock.

inside…

Supply List:

Paper: cardstock by Stampin Up, patterned paper by Crate Paper & Basic Grey

Ink: by Stampin Up

Other: hydrant brad by Karen Foster, circle punch, mini brads

Have a fun and creative day!

Julia

The other day I was thinking about techniques that I haven’t done in a long time and wanted to revisit. Faux Dry Embossing was one of them. Which also got me thinking about how many great ideas there were for stamping an image more than once. And thus another challenge was born. This week I’m challenging you to find Ways to Stamp an Image More than Once. I know it’s a long unwieldy title but hey…that’s what the challenge is. I hope you’ll play along.

Here’s a few ideas…

• faux dry embossing - stamp in white craft ink then over stamp in a color that matches your cardstock
• repetition stamping…stamp an image multiple times without reinking to get a movement effect
•  repeatedly stamp to create a background
• stamp in a different color for a shadow effect…example: stamp a sentiment in black and then slightly off-set and stamp in a color

Now I’m really sorry this example did not photograph that well. The light this morning just wasn’t picking up the subtle shadows of the darker ink on the cardstock.

Nothing Ventured

You can get a slightly better look at the shadow in this image. Basically I stamped the image in the dye ink and then the white craft ink. I didn’t even use a stamp placing tool as lining up the corners of my scrapblock with the paper made it so much easier.

Supply List:

Stamps: Encouragement Expressions (Mona Lisa Moments line), Fiery Floral Scrapblock, Ornamental Beauty (The Rummage Bin line) by Cornish Heritage Farms

Ink: White craft ink by Clearsnap, Rosebud & Black Memento Ink by Tsukineko

Paper: cardstock by Prism

Other: ribbon by Melissa Frances, flower by Prima, brad by K & Co.

Happy stamping!

Last week the Ways to Use it Challenge was to use all white cardstock. I had so much fun with this challenge and also with the concept of finding new ways to use those basic supplies that we all have on hand.I thought it would be fun to keep the challenge on basic supplies for a few weeks. After all…they are the ones we turn to time and time again and finding new ways to use them or just looking at them in a different light can be a good thing.

Today’s challenge is to find Ways to Use Black. Unlike last week’s challenge, you don’t have to use all black but do make sure you use it. I love pairing up black with white for a monochromatic look. Pairing black cardstock up with vibrant colors really makes them pop. Stamping directly onto black cardstock is another great look and I’m sure you have more great ideas as well. Check out the challenge here. Hope you can play along!

Ornate Thank You

This card uses very basic supplies..white & black cardstock, a couple stamps, one ink pad and some simple and inexpensive embellishments. I love playing up on pattern with black and white. It always gives such a clean and graphic look and is always timeless. The background of this design is stamped with the Ornamental Borders Scrapblock. To create a “frame” for my embellishment tag by Making Memories, I stamped the corner flourish stamp twice. I designed this stamp so that you could use it on four or two corners of a larger image or photo or make the mini frame with it.

 Happy stamping!

Supply List:

Stamps: Ornamental Borders Scrapblock by Cornish Heritage Farms
Ornamental Beauty (The Rummage Bin line) by Cornish Heritage Farms
Ink: Black Memento ink by Tsukineko
Paper: black & Simply Smooth white cardstock by Prism
Other: tag by Making Memories, brad, flower by Prima, rhinestone sticker, sewing machine

We’re inching along here with the craft room plans. I’m getting it planned out so that when hubby can finally work on the cabinets and trim, I’ll be ready with exactly what is needed. The room is just over 8 feet square and I have a lot of stuff so I’m planning carefully. I know many, many crafters have a much larger space but I’ve never had a space to call my own and I’m just thrilled. What started me drawing up this whole plan is some great craft organizers I saw at my local scrapbook store. I have a super lovely credit there and since I’ve been thinking I couldn’t afford these, now I can! yay! So…did I have room to fit them in? I ran home to draw up a plan. Sigh…it’s pretty rusty and who ever heard of drawing a floor plan in Photoshop instead of CAD. You’d never guess I took Architectural Technology in college would you? There’s been a lot of water under the bridge since then. Oh well…this very rough drawing served it’s purpose and yes…I can fit in two organizers in there because they are on casters. I can move them out of the way if I really need to get into that tight corner. I almost bought the one tall unit but thought it would be a perfect space for my two Clip-it Ups if I purchased the two shorter ones. Here’s what I just ordered…Kit P

Anyhoo… you probably came to look at a stamping design rather than listen to me ramble so here’s todays…

Hang in There

I thought you might like a little change of pace here and decided to share a fun and quirky design today. It’s also Thursday and you know what that means…another Ways to Use it Challenge. This week I’m keeping it super simple (I think I may have freaked out a few people last week with the foil challenge lol) and we’re having a label challenge rerun. Find ways to use labels in your project. You can use a label maker like I did or use Avery labels or just any kind of label. I can’t wait to see what you come up with!

This sweet monkey image is from Kim’s Zooper Fun stamp set released last week. This monkey is sooo fun! I colored him in with Copic markers and used a fresh green and blue color combo to pretty him up for spring. I adhered a few different Creative Impressions ribbons down the right side of the design for a fun look.

Quick Tip: The scalloped layers are Doodlebug’s Paper Frills. Use the reverse side of the blue frills to get the white scalloped layer. How easy is that to get double the value?

Also…just a quick reminder that my giveaway ends tonight at 9pm EST. If you haven’t entered…check it out here.

Have a fabulous day!

Supply List:

Stamps: Zooper Fun (Kim Hughes line) by Cornish Heritage Farms
Ink: Black Memento by Tsukineko
Paper: Simply Smooth white by Prism, American Crafts
Other: Copic Markers, ribbon by Creative Impressions, paper frills by DOodlebug Designs, flower by Prima, rhinestone by Daisy D’s, punch, dymo label maker