Tim Holtz Valentines

Hello stampers!

I wanted to share two cards I made for an upcoming class that I'm teaching at Scrappin' Great Deals.  Kim & I are huge fans of Tim Holtz and are collaborating to teach as many techniques as we can fit into three hours, while making four Valentine's Day cards.

I'm pretty happy with how this first card turned out.  I used Tim's videos and Christmas tags as reference.  The butterfly is Kraft glassine, that I've sponged with alcohol inks, stamped with archival ink, then die cut, crumpled, distressed with Walnut, and adhered with the mini stapler.  The background is from the Paper Stash pad.  I've inked with Picket Fences stain, heat set, then added some pink stains, heat set again, then stamped with archival ink.  The bottom border is made with Kraft core.  I've embossed it with a folder, then sanded it, distressed it with several inks, sprayed with two colours of Glimmer Mist and added the long fasteners.  I've distressed them with the texture hammer.

Here's the second card:

Here I've used some Perfect Pearls, as well as tissue tape, and the rosette die (I LOVE this die!).

Happy Stamping!

Sarah

xx



MFT Tea Set Cards

Hello Stampers!

Here are a few of my favourite things:

- Tim Holtz distress inks

- MFT stamps & dies

- Kraft paper

- twine

This is a class I'm teaching at Scrappin' Great Deals on Feb. 4 using the My Favorite Things Always Time for Tea stamp & die set.  I love stamps with matching dies and this set has a fabulously versatile array!



I've also used one of my favourite 6x6 paper pads, Little Black Dress, by Basic Grey.  This is one of those sets that I hoard preciously in preparation for when I can no longer buy it!  It has the most beautiful leopard print paper in it.  Too delicious for words!

Those of you in the know can probably tell that I took the "Clean & Simple Card Making" online class.  What a fanastic class!  I so enjoyed it.

Happy Stamping!

Sarah

xx

Inky Valentine's

Welcome our new little stamp friends at SGD from Inky Impressions! This little guy is Mischievous Christopher.

I thought he seemed just right for a Valentine's Day card to a Daddy (bless!). I used my new favorite 6x6 paper pad from My Mind's Eye called "Love Me".

I love that it has cute banners in it - and isn't all pink & white. PERFECT for a child's card too! Little Christopher is stamped on XPress It with Memento Tuxedo Black and coloured with Copics (see colours below).

In fact, my 7 year old, Samuel, loved it so much that he sat down beside me to create one too! Here is the card that he created, with a little cutting help from Mummy of course.

Copics: E01, E00, E000; E35, E31, YR20; R27, R24, R22, R20; BG09, BG07, BG05, BG02; B00; G05, G02, G00; BG10; C1, C0, C000.

Clean & Simple Card Making - Day 9, part 2

Hello Stampers!

I can't tell you how much I am enjoying this online class "Clean & Simple Card Making"!  The instructors are fantastic, the videos are so helpful, and the projects are stunning!  Very helpful to get the stamping mojo working, that's for sure.

This class has been one of my favourite to date, and challenges us to use one stamp in three different ways.  I LOVE this technique we learned - which uses Primsmacolors over white ink on black cardstock.  Talk about a wow factor!

I've used a whimsical Hero Arts wood block stamp I found at Michaels.  The button is one of my treasures found on Etsy.

Happy Stamping!

Sarah

xx

Clean & Simple Card Making - Day 9, part 1

Another great online lesson on day 2!  You can still sign up to the Clean & Simple Card Making class online, it isn't too late.

I've used SU! kraft & SU! wild wasabi paper & ink.  The sentiment is from Paper Smooches (LOVE!) and the main image is a sweet little Hero Arts wood block stamp from Michael's.  The great tip in this class was to run a black marker around the edges of your cut out piece - genius!

Happy stamping!
Sarah
xx

Clean & Simple Card Making - Day One

Hello stampers!

I have absolutely fallen in love with this online class called "Clean & Simple Card Making"!  My goal this year was to embrace this style of paper crafting and learn some new techniques.  This class couldn't have come along at a better time for me!

This is my version of one of the sketches given to us as inspiration by Kristina, one of the awesome instructors.

I've used a beautiful Hero Arts wood block stamp, inked with SU! sage shadow onto SU! sage shadow.  The card is 4 1/4" square.  I've punched the flowers with an SU! punch out of SU! turquoise and pop dotted them.  The sentiment is from a clear Hero Arts set which I've heat embossed with white embossing powder.  I've used a ruler with a white gel pen to draw the border.

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping

Sarah

xxx

Hello Birdie

Hello stampers!

It's a cold, snowy day here in London so I thought this card was just right to brighten up the mood!  I'm trying to move more towards a CAS style in my cards this year, at least that's my 2012 goal, we'll see how it goes!  At the same time, I want to continue to include my beloved Copics!

This card is in my absolute favourite colour, and some of my new favourite things.  I am in LOVE with Paper Smooches stamps!  They are cute as can be.

I love the whimsy of these little "chubby chums" and I love the fun little dies!

Happy Stamping!

Hello Birdie

Size:  4 ¼” x 5 ½”

Stamps:  Paper Smooches  Paper:  Stampin’ Up (Turquoise), Copic Xpress It.  Paper:  Jillibean
Soup (Apple Cheddar Soup).  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black.  Markers:  Copics (Various).  Twine:  The Twinerie.  Adhesives:  3M Scotch ATG, Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue.  Dies:  My Favorite Things (Branch and clouds).

 Tip:  Use a permanent pigment ink on a coated cardstock, and allow to dry, before coloring with Copics to avoid smudging.



Mother's Day Cameo

Hello stampers!

Here's a card I put together to get my Spring style started!  I think I've stamped enough snowmen to last me a lifetime - and I'm happy to pull out my brightly coloured cardstock & papers!

I've also created this for one of my new fave challenge sites, Moxie Fab World.  They have a great new challenge on right now for die-cutting - which I LOVE to do - especially on my new Vagabond that I got for Christmas (thank you Santa!).

I love this new paper I picked up from My Mind's Eye.  And it just called out for some MFT dies I thought!  I have finally (I think) started to get the hang of my rolled flowers dies so I've put them to use here on a Mother's Day card.

I really like the touch of a little green paper flourish behind the flowers.  And I always put a pearl in the centre.  I've jazzed up the cameo a little too - by stamping a pattern, then spritzing with Perfect Pearls.  The MFT stamp & die set comes with the crackle effect.  I've added that in pink.  Then I used a Unity Doily stamp to spruce up the cameo frame.

Happy Stamping!
Sarah
xx

Cardstock: SU! Pumpkin Pie. Paper: My Mind’s Eye Happier. Dies: My Favorite Things Flourish, Cameo, Rolled Rose, Edge. Stamps: My Favorite Things (Cameo & Sentiment). Unity (Doily). Adhesive: 3M Scotch ATG, Imaginisce I-Bond Cordless Hot Glue Gun, Ranger Glossy Accents. Pearls: SU!. Other: Ranger Perfect Pearls Mist (Heirloom Gold), Tsukineko Goosebumps Shimmer Texture Spray.

Maps are cool!

Hello Stampers,

I'm trying to keep up with the trends in the paper crafting world this year.  The first one I'm onto is maps!  I've created this card for a challenge over at "Moxie Fab World" because I couldn't resist a good challenge!  Especially one that's on trend.

I've used all things Tim Holtz (or Lord Tim as he's affectionately known in my circle).  The papers are from his 12x12 collection.  The map was too dark to stamp on, so I've inked it up with Picket Fences stain and then heat-set it (twice).  Then I've used one of his fab edge dies (Bless) and stamped it with one of my new fave stamps by Unity.  Have you seen their Smash Kits?  Wow.  I adore them!  Then I spritzed it all with some Glimmer Mist in Heirloom Gold and further distressed the paper a little.

I used the car & arrow die set in the base tray to punch out with the same Tim Holtz designer paper.  I've inked the edges with some distress ink (antique photo) and sprited with the Glimmer Mist in Heirloom Gold again.

Et voila!  An homage to maps.

Happy stamping!

Sarah

xxx

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Stampers!

Wishing you a year of health, love, and happiness!

Here is one of my first creations for the year, for a class I'll be teaching at SGD Feb. 4.

I'm a big fan of MFT stamps and dies, and this uses a set from their last release, "Time for Tea", as well as the oval doily die.  I LOVE this Time for Tea set!  Not only are all the teapot and cups cute as can be, but I love the sentiments too.

I love all things British (including my husband, hee hee!), and I think this card is very English.  By the way, if you're looking for a tv series to get into on dvd, check out "Downton Abbey".  I am OBSESSED and watched 5 episodes in a row yesterday!  I love it!  I definitely think I lived that experience in a past life.

I've used one of my favorite new designer papers, Basic Grey "Little Black Dress" 6x6 paper pad.  It has a leopard print design in it, Bless!  LOVE!  I've coordinated some Bazzill in Ivory and Ash.  And I used the Viva Decor Pearl Pen to create the little pearls.

My favorite way to create - coordinating stamps & dies - and a perfect paper pad!  Match made in Heaven. 


Happy Stamping!
Sarah
xxx