Yamstamps.com - Linda's Stamping Blog

May specials and the anticipation mounts...

May heralds the arrival of Stampin' Up!'s Retired list... in the meantime...
There's another great special!  Palette O'Prints!  For every $50 order (pre tax/shipping) you are eligible to purchase this 6x6 sampler pad of new designer paper - and let me tell you - it's FANTASTIC.  Multiples of these double sided papers in multiple colours - enough to use some & still be able to hoard! 
Until tomorrow,
Linda

Two Hole Bow Tutorial

AKA the bow on my wedding invite swap.  (Did you notice it was for Jessica Simpson & John Mayer?!  LOL.  What can I say, it was easier than making up 2 names).

First of all, I used the double rectangle punch to create the 2 holes.  Much easier than trying to line up a single punch twice.  The vellum paper is thin, so I could punch through that and the cardstock without issue.

Next, I took a length of wide organdy ribbon, and put an end through either hole, front to back.

Next, criss cross the ribbon in back.  I'm holding one end out of the way.

The end of the ribbon feeds to the front of the card, through the opposite hole.  (I'm still holding the one end of ribbon out of the way).

(Don't my nails look nice?  didn't even have to "edit" them with photo software!! LOL).

Pull the end through snugly....

Then repeat with the other end of ribbon.

Finish the ends.  Fold ribbon in half lengthwise, then snip on a downwards angle towards the fold.  I call this "Martha"-ing the ribbon - it gives a notched edge to the ribbon, looks nice & helps prevent fraying.  I originally saw it on Martha Stewart Living!

Once again, the finished project.

Wedding Invite Swap

I recently became a "swap angel" for a wedding invitation swap.  Basically, a person who had signed up for this swap was unable to participate, so after a call went out, I volunteered to take their place.  We were to make 12 wedding invitations and mail them to the swap hostess (Jacky).  We are in groups of 12, so you get one of everyone's cards back - a great way to increase your samples & get great new ideas.  I chose to use Roses in Winter, which is one of my favourite floral sets.  I used a combination of colours that I always seem to turn to for this set - Pale Plum, Perfect Plum, Garden Green & Brocade Blue.   I used a large post it note as a mask and centred it on the cardstock, then stamped all around the edges of the cardstock.   After removing the  post it note mask, I edged along the border with the gold end of the Zig Painty Pen.  I printed the words on vellum paper and set it aside to dry before trimming to an appropriate size and adhered it to the card using a 2 hole bow.  Not only does this add a layer to the card, but it also allowed me some room to play with the positioning to centre the script on the card.  The vellum layer is actually narrower than the card itself.  I basically shifted the vellum around til I thought the words looked centred, and trimmed the side of the vellum accordingly.  Much easier than either printing onto the cardstock (again, positioning issues) or printing onto exact sized vellum.  I am looking forward to seeing the wonderful swaps that I'll receive in return!

A Game of Tag

I was tagged by my friend Eleonor and apparently this means I have to list 7 random things about me.  (probably more than you wanted to know!)
1) In my teens, I was a member of the Burlington Teen Tour Band - a city marching band that travelled to many places.  The highlight during my years with the band was a trip to Europe to help commemorate D-Day plus 40.  There's a reunion to commemorate 60 years of the BTTB this June.  I still have to complete my registration to participate in this!
2) I have bungy jumped off the bridge in Queenstown, New Zealand.
3) I have essentially no ligaments left in my ankles, thanks to my days in gymnastics.  (Obviously I wasn't _that_ good!!!)  Too many sprained ankles.
4) My mother got me hooked on "Survivor" and I've been watching every season since the first!
5) I don't watch any movies of true substance (I get to see animated flicks with my son, or watch light fluffy things on my own). Or at least, very few.  I have enough stress in my life already.
6) Same goes for books
7) I don't usually respond to email forwards or blog games of tag!!!  LOL.
I'm also supposed to tag 7 people whose blogs I read.  Unfortunately, these people have also been tagged (some of them multiple times) already!!! LOL. 

Simply Sent - Remembering You samples

This is one of the alternate card designs that we did in the Simply Sent - Remembering You free class the other evening.  Everyone who purchased the kit was eligible to attend this free class where we used the contents of the kit to come up with alternate designs.  This particular kit includes 3 watercolour crayons & an aquapainter; all kits include pre-cut & pre-scored cardstock, adhesive & accessories.  Stampin' Up! includes instructions for 2 different card designs, so the class featured 8 other card designs, just using the kit supplies.  It was a small class, but we had a good time stamping & chatting!  Check out the album for more alternate samples! (click on each photo to enlarge) Off to prep for this week's workshop, and next week's Punch Class!

Thank You Card

This card uses Flower Fest which I pulled out when prepping for a workshop I had this AM (thanks, Alison!).  I haven't used this set as much as I should! This card is based on the card we did in the workshop, but I used green ribbon on the corners (we used blue this AM) and I added "thank you" from Wonderful Words, since I needed a thank you card!   That would be the joy of having word sets - one design, many possibilities - the other words in this set are: friendship, love and celebrate.   I also popped up the flower portion with stampin' dimensionals.
Card Recipe: 
Stamp Sets:  Flower Fest, Wonderful Words
Cardstock:  Whisper White, Bashful Blue & Barely Banana
Inks:  Bashful Blue, Brilliant Blue and So Saffrong
Accessories: Stampin' Dimensionals & Celery Grosgrain

One last Easter card!

Made this cute bunny card for a friend.  Card is naturals white, so it has little flecks in it, which I thought made the bunny stand out a little more.  I punched out squares of the various Easter-like colours for the background.  The bunny itself is made from many punches, and was inspired by bunnies I've seen hopping around various blogs & websites, including Splitcoast Stampers (that's probably where it was first seen, I'm guessing).

Anyway - head is the large circle punch, ears are the 2 oval punches.  Smaller circle punches for the eyes, nose & ummm....upper lip? snout? what's that area called on a bunny?  I added a dot of white to the eyes with the white gel pen (love that pen) and drew in (rather badly...further evidence as to why I'm a stamper, not an illustrator) whiskers with the stampin' write black marker. 

This card was also photographed rather than scanned.  Any feedback?  Prefer one method over another?  Feel free to leave a comment & let me know...and thanks for the input!

Last chance to post some Easter cards!

Here's a few shots of a trifold Easter card that we did in class this week.  I took pics with my camera vs the scanner because the scanner is acting up, plus I think a picture gives a better idea of how the card "works".

This first shot is the card closed (I actually had to use some Dotto temporary adhesive to hold it shut for the photo!).

This next shot is the card slightly ajar so that you can see that the pink tag bunny is actually on the middle layer.

I pulled out my crimper to do a strip of lavender lace for the edge of the trifold - I like it!!  I think it looks like a little ruffle.

All the colouring on the bunnies was done with blender pens & Stampin' Pastels.  Another tool I hadn't used in a little while - so time to pull the pastels out again!

The open card.  The sentiment is stamped in versamark & lavender lace pastel is dabbed onto it.  I love how all the SU colours coordinate -  makes my life so much easier, and that's VERY important to me!!

Hope you all have a Happy Easter.  I have one more Easter card to share, will schedule it to "publish" later 'today' (since it's verrrrrrrry late here)

One of tonight's cards

This is one of the cards we did in the spring class.  Using Doodle This with stazon jet black ink, watercoloured with aqua painters & reinker.  One drop of pink passion reinker did 6 cards (and probably could have done at least 6 more?!)!  Hey - I could use this as a Frugal Friday tip!  LOL.  The reinker means that even with the watercolouring technique, you can still get quite vibrant colours if you wish.  I am veering towards this colour combo a lot lately it seems.  I really like the bright pink & green together (Can you tell I'm a child of the 80's with these preppy colours?!), and brilliant blue is one of my favourite colours anyway.  This card was scanned, but I'm going to try photographing cards soon, as I find the scans don't seem to do the cards justice. 

OK off to watch my PVR'd Survivor!

More photos uploaded

I've finished uploading a few more swaps into the spring mini photo album.  Burlington spring card class was this evening, tomorrow is Hamilton & I'll post our class cards soon thereafter....don't want to spoil the surprise for the class attendees.  So until then!