Out Comes the S

We've had a pretty cold spring so far, so even with the crazy winds we've been getting the last few days, at least there are some glimmers of sun!

I've been hoarding a few products lately so I decided to sit down and make myself create something with them. The first is the Cloudy Day textured impressions embossing folder (TIEF) and the second is Bootiful Occasions. I was drawn to the gumboot stamp in Bootiful Occasions as I grew up in a rainy location on the West coast. I'm used to moisture. My first pair of footwear was probably a pair of gumboots. My elementary school's logo was a gumboot. There's even a restaurant name the Gumboot Cafe.  I was enamoured with this stamp but when it came down to using it, I was perplexed. I decided to just go with a simple and straightforward design and I have to say, I like it. It brings some cheery memories of my time splashing in puddles (which I get to do again now that I have two toddlers!).

 

Nothing too glitzy or complex, just some bright colours set on a moody background of Baja Breeze and Basic Gray.

I was happy my photo actually shows the glitter! I stamped the gumboot in Jet Black StazOn and then coloured it in with a Daffodil Delight Stampin' Write Marker. With my two-way glue pen, I coloured inside the clouds and then sprinked Dazzling Diamonds glitter on top and shook off the excess. 

A few small scraps of Bright Blossoms DSP and some paper snips make quick flags for a fun pop of colour and design.

I hope you find some sunshine of your own today!

Tamara

 

April My Paper Pumpkin -alternate designs

Expecting My Paper Pumpkin is just one more reason to look forward to the mail!! Nowadays, I mostly get bills or junk mail so it's such a nice treat to have this wonderful box arrive each month! 

I wanted to share with you some other layouts that you can do with using only the supplies provided in April's kit. 

Without delay, here are my 4 versions:

The only other supplies I used were glue dots and Snail adhesive. 

Hope you like these alternate layouts!

Tamara
 

En Francais

I had some fun with bleach recently as I shared a bit in my last post. It's a bit smelly so be sure you are in a well ventilated area and also wear clothes that aren't extremely important, just in case the bleach decides to misbehave :)

This card came about as I was trying to come up with some make & takes for my team meeting. I had wanted to showcase the bleaching technique.  I didn't end up doing this for the meeting, but I had fun making this card and it's definitely a technique I will do again! (Maybe even at an upcoming class!!)

I love how the bleach spread a little bit after I had stamped En Francais. It's an instant antique! The bird cage image is from Nature Walk. It just looks old, which is good. I was going for that look. 

The image is punched out with the Extra-large Oval Punch. I also punched out an oval from Poetry Prints DSP (the little paper stack in the Spring Mini Catalogue). Some light sponging creates some depth. 3 pearls created a subtle frame for the focal image. 

Vanilla Seam Binding Ribbon formed into a triple loop bow gives a bit of glam to the top, otherwise barren portion of the card. Mmm-mm! Love those antique brads!

I had fun putting this card together. I don't often just do my own thing, but I decided to give it a whirl! What are your thoughts? Do you think there is enough going on or is there too much vacant space? I'd welcome your suggestions or comments!

Until next time,

Tamara

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamp Sets: En Francais, Nature Walk
Card Stock: Basic Gray, Very Vanilla, Print Poetry Designer Series Paper (mini catalogue)
Ink: Basic Gray
Accessories/Tools: Antique brad, Very Vanilla Seam Binding Ribbon, XL Oval punch, Paper snips, Stampin' Dimensionals, Basic Pearls
Other: Bleach


 

Bleaching Out

Do you ever have a card that isn't really working for you, but you go with it anyway? That happened to me recently. I wanted to try a technique using bleach that I had seen in the most recent Stampin' Success (a magazine for Stampin' Up demonstrators). I started with Basic Gray card stock and the Sweet Floral background stamp. Now that I'm writing this post I realize I should have taken progress photos....

Here's the "after": 

The bleach took the colour out of the Basic Gray card stock and left me with a neutral yellow kind of colour. It wasn't quite Very Vanilla but it wasn't So Saffron either. I was having some issues coming up with something to go with it so I thought about colouring the bleached parts. So I did. I used an Aquapainter, Old Olive, and Primrose Petals classic inks to colour in the image. I didn't like it at first. Not at all. But, it's started to grow on my since then.

 

 It's very difficult to see, but I spritzed the image with shimmer paint in a stampin' spritzer mixed with 70% alcohol. It adds a pretty shimmer in person.

One of my favourite elements of this card are the butterflies. I inked Sweet Floral stamp with White Stazon solvent ink and then stamped it onto vellum. I let it dry for a minute or two and then punched out two sizes of butterfly. I like the look of the pearls for the body.

This card was a challenge. I admit that 100%! What do you think? Is this a technique you might try? Just ink your stamp with a bit of bleach and touch it to the paper. Wait for it to dry completely and then colour it in with ink and an aquapainter.

Hope you have had a great weekend so far!

Tamara
 

Here's to You!

Here's to YOU, my friends and customers! I appreciate you all so much! You're what allows me to keep doing what I love: Creating & Sharing!

 I'm late sharing these photos as I think these may have been some order Thank You cards from January or February. They were too cute to just pass by though so I thought I'd share them now ;)

It's just a 3x6 piece of Basic Black cardstock folded in half thus becoming a 3x3 card. Layered on top is a 2 3/4" square of Pretty In Pink with a red scallop heart from the cute valentine's DSP in the still current mini catalgoue - More Amore specialty designer series paper.

After that, I stamped a piece of Very Vanilla card stock with the chevron oval stamp from Oh, Hello. I punced it out using the large heart punch and stamped here's to You in Real Red. (Here's to You is from Friendly Phrases).

Vanilla seam binding ribbon is peeking out from behind a single flower from the Vanilla Flower Trim (spring mini catalogue). I used a Pretty in Pink stampin' write marker to just add a smidge of colour to the edges of the rose. So sweet and simple. These were so quick to whip up a bunch, but still have some extra touches to make it special.

Pretty in Pink will be retiring at the end of May so be sure to stock up on card stock and reinkers if it's one of those colours you just can't do without!

Hope you enjoyed today's little card :)

Tamara

Elegant Butterfly Birthday

Butterflies! What is it about butterflies that draws us to them? Is it their beautiful colourings? Bright colours set against darkest black? Maybe it's the way they flutter from here to there and come to rest so delicately on a flower or even our hand? There's something about butterflies that is so elegant and beautiful...

 Today's card was one I found on Pinterest and then changed just a bit. I'm not sure to whom I owe the credit, but Thank You! This is probably my favourite of the Stamper's Dozen Birthday card class I did this year.  

The colours are Daffodil Delight, Whisper White, and Basic Black.  The scallop border punch adds a border for the whisper white pennant that's been run through the Big Shot with the Fancy Fan TIEF for that gorgeous texture. The butterflies from Papillion Potpourri were inked in Daffodil Delight and then punched out using the Elegant Butterfly punch. A trio of rhinestones lends them some "je ne sais quoi".  The sentiment is from Bring on the Cake.

Hope this brightens up your Friday!

Tamara

Guest Stamper Jaimie!

I'm back with some great cards to share! I received some beautiful handmade cards from some very special people so I thought I would share them with all of you! (Kudos to those of you who still check in regularly. I know I've been MIA for a bit. I still don't have a new laptop which has made blogging a challenge.)

Today I'll be featuring a card by one of my best friends, Jaimie! She's part of my downline and sent me this sweet card for my big day! *(Addition -Jaimie has a blog! Visit it here to see what she's up to!)

 Everything about this card reminds me of Jaimie! She's a stay at home mom to a wonderful little guy name Parker. Jaimie keeps busy with knitting, sewing, DIY stuff, gardening, and baking. She's basically a super woman who can do lots of different things! I guess it's really the canning jar that makes me think of her most. She's always finding fun things to do with Mason jars!

 Loving the subtle touch of delicate lace tape here!

 She snipped out the cute blossoms from Oh Hello and put them in the mason jar! How cute is that?!?!?

 Hope you've enjoyed Jaimie's card today!

Tamara

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamp Sets: Bitty Banners, Perfectly Preserved, Oh Hello (spring mini)
Ink: Jet Black StazOn, Tangerine Tango, Daffodil Delight
Card Stock: Crumb Cake, Tangerine Tango, Tea for Two DSP (Spring mini)
Accessories: Delicate Lace Tape (spring mini), Linen thread
Tools: Perfectly Preserved framelits, Big Shot die cutting machine