Sale Ends Monday and a fun technique to try

A quick reminder that the 25% off 25 Stamp Sets Sale ends tomorrow. Don't forget to place your order and make the most of this great offer. I am putting in an order on Monday morning, so if you live close enough to me to come and collect,  email me with your order and save on the £4.95 postage & packaging.

Yesterday I held the fourth in the series of the Techniques Classes that I've been running and this time we tried out the Double Embossing Technique. 

I had a few hiccups along the way with my preparations for this class - the first couple of attempts came out all wrong - the VersaMark was not transferring to the card stock so the embossing powder was not sticking. I managed to figure out that I needed to close one of the tabs on the Big Shot Multipurpose Platform. By closing the tab, it meant that the embossing folder closed tighter and the VersaMark transferred to the card stock much better.

I like to think that my Technique Classes are informal and fun. There is of course a formal part, which is where everyone makes their own technique instruction card including a few small samples. But, once this is completed everyone has free rein of my craft room (and stash) to make some cards using the day's technique. I think that this is the part that people enjoy the most. More so because I'm the one that has to clear up afterwards! I enjoy the class because I get to sit and make things too, all the time enjoying the company of some lovely ladies.

Here's a few of the cards that I made at the class. Actually I had made the embossed parts before hand and then put a couple of the cards together during class.

Wildflower Meadow embossing folder and Gold Embossing powder

I didn't manage to get complete coverage with the VersaMark so the embossing powder is a little thin at the edges but I quite like the distressed effect from it.

Stampin' Up! supplies used:

Stamp set : Regarding Dahlias
Card stock : Basic Black and Real Red
Ink : VersaMark
Accessories : Wildflower Meadow Embossing Folder, Gold Embossing Powder, Artisan Label Punch, Real Red Taffeta Ribbon

Northern Flurry embossing folder and Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder

This looks lovely in real life but the light and my camera (my phone) does not do it justice.

Stampin' Up! supplies used:

Stamp set : Teeny Tiny Sentiments
Card Stock : Pool Party, Whisper White and Island Indigo
Ink : VersaMark and Island Indigo (greeting)
Accessories : Northern Flurry Embossing Folder, Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder, and Scallop Oval Punch

Flower Garden embossing folder and White Embossing Powder

I love the colour combination on this card. I wasn't too sure to start out but it has certainly grown on me.

Stampin' Up! supplies used:

Card stock : Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight and Tempting Turquise
Ink : VersaMark
Accessories : Flower Garden Embossing Folder, White Embossing Powder, and Daffodil Delight Stitched Grosgrain

There were some lovely effects going home with people, I only wish I had thought to take some photos. Next time.

Triple Wildflower Meadow

So today should be Friday and I'm hoping that this has posted as planned because I am probably flying over Iceland or Greenland as it should post.

In case you haven't noticed,  I've been playing with the format of the blog and I hope you like the new style. I decided to simplify things a little as it was starting to look a little cluttered. Gone is the background and I hope that this simpler style will make it easier to see things and more importantly the actual posts.

On Wednesday I shared two cards that I had made using the Happy Day stamp set, today you are getting the Wildflower Meadow three ways.

All three cards had the images stamped in Whisper White. I had planned to heat emboss the images but my ancient heat tool (must be at least 10 years old) decided to give up on me. Luckily it was before I had sprinkled any embossing powder. In the end I just left the images to dry before I did anything else with them.

From left to right - Island Indigo and Pool Party, Burnt Brown Sugar with Pistachio Pudding and Crisp Cantaloupe, then on the right Coastal Cabana with Crisp Cantaloupe and Strawberry Slush.

On two of the cards I also used the matching Wildflower Meadow Embossing Folder, but I did not use it on the Strawberry Slush card on the right.  I just love that name. It makes me think of a long cold summer drink with lots of crushed ice.

If you look closely at the photo above you can make out the embossed parts (not the humming bird). The card stock was cut out using the Floral Frames Collection dies. I used the three largest and ended up having to put them on a larger card than normal (5-1/2" square). The trick is to cut the shape first and then emboss the image. That way you avoid squashing the image when you run it through the Big Shot.

The image was embossed on this card too but I simply mounted it onto a piece of Whisper White before putting it on the base card using Dimensionals. I added some Pool Party Seam Binding Ribbon and some Basic Pearls for good measure. The greeting comes from the Happy Day stamp set.

On this third card I had to figure out where to cut the image so that when mounted onto Whisper White card stock it fitted onto the Crisp Cantaloupe mat with even spacing all around. I have to say that this was the most difficult card but only in terms of the mathematics not the stamping. I added some Basic Rhinestones to these flowers rather than the Pearls. It's a simpler card and I wanted to add just a little bit of bling. In case you are wondering this is known as a triptych card (three panels).

Tomorrow I am off to Woodley for the Charity Craft Fair in aid of the MS Society. Please pop along if you get a chance.  I'll be back on Sunday with another post for you.

Last challenge for June...

and another sneak peek thrown in for good measure.

Today you are getting two for the price of one as I have two cards that I've made for a challenge over at Clean & Simple Stamping. It's a sketch challenge which means I can use any colour that I'd like.  Here's the sketch for Challenge 246 - click on the sketch for the direct link to the challenge.

 

Here's the first of my entries - made using the Lacy and Lovely stamp set.

                             

    

Stampin' Supplies used:

Stamp Set : Lacy and Lovely
Card stock : Whisper White, Basic Grey, Primrose Petals and Summer Starfruit
Ink : Basic Grey, Primrose Petals and Summer Starfuit
Accessories : Stamp-a-ma-jig and Basic Rhinestones

For the second card I have used one of my sneak peek stamps and inked it using my Stampin' Write Markers. This meant that I could pick out the elements of the stamp that I wanted to use. I used the same colours for both cards - Basic Grey, Primrose Petals, and Summer Starfruit. Although I also used Pink Pirouette for the second card.

 Stampin' Supplies used:

Stamp Set: Wildflower Meadow and Create a Cup Cake

Card stock : Whisper White, Basic Grey, and Primrose Petals

Ink : Pink Pirouette, Summer Starfruit, Primrose Petals and Basic Grey Stampin' Write Markers

Accessories : Stamp-a-ma-jig

Please feel free to leave comments as I'd love to hear what you think of the two different cards.

PS can only link one but didn't know this until I'd already put the first one up. Sorry should have checked.