Dry Embossing...

Another favorite technique of mine is dry embossing. I love that I can make my own embellishments for cards and scrapbook pages with just paper! I use the templates from Lasting Impressions because they are soo cute! To do dry embossing, you need brass templates, a light box, a stylus, waxed paper and paper to emboss on. You can emboss just about any type of paper but if you are using a heavy cardstock in a dark color, you will have a hard time seeing the template underneath. My favorite paper to use is Die Cuts With a View's cardstock stacks. They are great because they are textured and have a white core. The white core is important because when you sand over the embossed images, the white comes through!

Here is a quick how to...

First turn on your light box. On your lightbox, tape down a template. If it has words, put them upside down so you can't read them. Next, put your paper on top, face side down. Use your waxed paper to rub over the image that is showing through. Use your stylus to trace over the image. You don't have to push too hard- just quick and easy... When you are done, flip over your paper and check out your work! You can leave it as is, sand to bring the white core through, or distress using chalk or ink.

Here are a few examples that I made last weekend:

Supplies Used:

Cardstock: Bazzill; Die Cuts With a View (white core)

Patterned Paper: SEI's Silly Line

Others: Ribbon- American Crafts; Dry Embossing Template- Lasting Impressions #L9569, Polka Dots, and #L9280, Baby Assortment

Dry emboss onsie on white paper, cut out. Dry emboss polka dots on orange paper, star on yellow paper. Sand to bring out white core and then cut out. Cut mats to create background layers. Add ribbon and adhere all the layers together. To pop layers, use dimensional pop dots.

Supplies:

Cardstock: Bazzill, Die Cuts With a View (white core)

Patterned Paper: SEI's Great Aunt Gert Collection

Other: Dry Embossing Templates- Lasting Impressions #L37075, Large Dotted Flower

Dry emboss flower, with out the middle or leaf onto the pink flower. Dry emboss the middle of the flower on tan paper and the leaf on green paper. Sand all pieces and cut out. Leave a tab at the base of the leaf to adhere under the flower. Use the straight side of the template to create a square shape on white cardstock. Cut this out and mat it with green cardstock. Adhere all pieces together, using pop dots where you want to add dimension. I embossed the sentiment straight onto the card base. Instead of sanding, I inked it up a little so you could read it easier. When you are working with wording, remember to put your template upside down, otherwise your words will be backwards!

Supplies:

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Vanilla

Patterned Paper: Basic Grey's Sugared Line

Other: ribbon, source unknown but I got it at Recollections, Dry embossing template- Lasting Impressions #L9587, Rose

Dry emboss rose in layers on pink paper. If you do it in layers, you can pop it up for a dimensional look. I did two outer petals at the bottom as one layer, the opposite two petals as the second layer, the middle section as the next layer and the bud as the top. Cut each layer out separately, sand and layer. Emboss the petals on green and swirls on brown paper as shown. Sand and cut out leaving tabs to adhere to your rose. Add the patterned paper and ribbon to your card base. I was a little fancy here- I added the dotted paper to the inside of the card and cut a border around the rose on the vanilla cardstock. I also cut the brown paper to create a border on the top side of the rose.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy dry embossing as much as I do!

Photo Gifts

I am always trying to find fun ways to incorporate photos into gifts. For Mother's Day this year, I sent my mom, stepmom, and mother-in-law bracelets that showcase my beautiful little girls.

These bracelets are made from Naked Bracelette Kit by 7gypsies. It comes with a clasp, plain bezel charms, acrylic stickers to go over the paper/ photos, and the links to make it into a bracelet. To make it, I stuck the acrylic dome stickers over the photos and patterned paper I chose. I used a few papers from the Bohemia line by My Mind's Eye. I cut around the stickers (it is easy) and then used Diamond Glaze to glue them onto the bezel charms. After that, I just linked the charms together using the links included and pliers!

Just a card...

This one I made last night. I am planning on making 5 more and sending them into a swap I joined.

I used Stampin' Up's Always stamp set. It is a great on and I think it may be my most used set! I just love the heart!

I am really liking the color scheme of Kraft, Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, and Cameo Coral... They look soo pretty together!! Very shabby chic spring...

As for the techniques, I first inked up the edges of the kraft paper with a makeup sponge and Creamy Caramel ink. I stamped the sentiment in the corner. The berries are done using 2nd and 3rd generation stamping onto the certainly celery piece. I also tore the edge and rolled it up a little onto itself with my finger. I added the blue scallop diecut (Scrapdoodles) and trimmed the edge to line up with the kraft base. The heart is done using the emboss resist technique. To do this, I first stamped the heart with Versamark onto Vanilla cardstock. I embossed using clear embossing powder. I then used a makeup sponge to dab ink over the image. I started with Pretty in Pink, then added Regal Rose around the outside edges and finished by going over it with Cameo Coral to brighten it up. This technique is a lot of fun to play with!! I cut the image out and popped it over the same image stamped in Regal Rose. I cut this out and matted it with Cameo Coral cardstock. The ribbon was the last bit I added...

As always, please email me if you have any questions regarding my techniques or products. I am always happy to help out a fellow crafter!

Summer...

So with all the nice weather recently, I've been dreaming about summer! No, not the hot, sweaty, sweltering days but the fun things we get to do all summer long! I can't wait to splash around at the pool with the girls! There is this great one out in Manassas that Beth introduced me to last year...

This project was inspired by the feeling of summer! I got the little paper mache' pie piece from Recollections before the closed... it was 90% off so I only paid a few cents for it!! I used the Summer Picnic Line by Stampin' Up (in their current mini catalogue) to decorate it, along with some black buttons. The word summer is stamped in black ink, cut out and then diamond glazed and sprinkled with fine glitter. I love this technique and use it quite often! Zoey's photo is held up by a clothes pin I painted red to match. I love it!

I know some of you are waiting to hear about some more up coming classes... I am planning an open house at the beginning of June! I'll let you know more details as I work them out. I will be holding it in Woodbridge so I hope you all will be able to make it!

Something different...

No stamping or cards today! I thought I'd post something else crafty I made! It is a homemade fruit bouquet. They are simpler then you would think...

I made this bouquet in honor of Jess for her wedding shower a couple of weekends ago. I used fresh strawberries, pineapple, cantelope, honeydew, and red grapes. I even dipped some of the fruit in chocolate! A head of lettuce is hiding in the pitcher as an edibile 'frog'. I was suprised that it didn't take that much time to do. I thought it turned out pretty cute!

We've been busy celebrating the girls' birthdays this week! Zoey turned 3 on April 24th, and Natalie turns 1 on the 29th! Here are some pictures from thier birthday party we held on Sunday:

Can you tell it was a luau theme? We tried to hold it outside but the rain wouldn't let us... We had lots of fun though and Grandma Becky and Grandpa Bill were there with us so that made it even better!!

Have a great weekend!

Fast & Fun- Get Well Soon Card

I thought that today I'd share a card with some of my favorite things on it!

Some products used are from Stampin' Up!

Stamp Set: Fun and Fast Notes

Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Summer Picnic Design Series Paper

Ink: Basic Black- to stamp with; Rose Red, Pretty in Pink, Bashful Blue, Brocade Blue, Certainly Celery, Old Olive, and Real Red for watercoloring

Accessories: Rub-ons, ribbon, Liquid Pearls (by Ranger)

So, my favorite things???

The Fun and Fast Notes stamp set is great because it has a little image for just about any occasion. I can create a card for a birthday, a shower, a baby announcement... it is great! I feel like I get more for my money when I can make so many things from one set! I also like it because it is a drawn set that you get to color in. If you knew me when I was young, you would see how true this was! I remember coloring pictures for my friends, even when I was in high school! I just loved to color!!

The Color Combo I chose is also a favorite of mine. I love bright colors and these were inspired by the colors in the Summer Picnic Designer Series Paper. They are classic and pretty! I also like to use black to make things pop off my pages and cards. The black mat around the image really brings your attention to the sentiment! I also love the look of the black rub-ons on the green patterned paper.

Rub-ons have long been one of my favorite embelishments. They are easy to use and very versetile! This was the first time I've used the ones from Stampin' Up. They were easy to transfer and went down very smoothly! No weird halo to worry about! Fresh out of the package, they smelled a little weird. I had to let mine air out a little and now they are fine. I added Liquid Pearls to the centers of the little flowers after I put them down. Don't you love them!

And, last but not least, my favorite technique, Watercoloring! I've long been a fan but never truely mastered it until recently! I've tried watercolor pencils and crayons; chalks with blender pens; even watercolor paints! This way is definitly the best for me! I use an aqua pen and water-based dye ink pads! Since this post is already a little long, and my babies are getting hungry for breakfast, I better save the 'how to' for another day...

Happy Crafting!!

-tessa

Birthday Whimsy

With Zoey and Natalie's Birthdays coming up, I've been in the mood to celebrate!! I made these cards last weekend and am just now finding time to add them to my blog...

All products are by Stampin' Up.
Birthday Whimsy & A Little Birthday Cheer Stamp Sets
Inks: Real Red, Bashful Blue, Only Orange, Certainly Celery
Paper: Summer Picnic Series, Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Old Olive

The Birthday Whimsy stamp set was part of the freebies I earned during Sale-a-bration! I love freebies and this one has been very useful! The Summer Picnic paper series is also very cute in real life. They are double sided patterned papers that work together soo nicely! The colors in this set are very vibrant and perfect for celebrating! I've almost used my whole pack already making little things to display at my workshops...

Anyways, the cards are pretty straight forward. For the 'happy birthday' card, I cut my papers for the background first and adhered them to the card base. I added ribbon around the middle and tied a knot on the side. Next, I stamped out plenty the balloons in different colors and cut them out. I stamped the sentiment and cut around it, leaving room for an eylet on the right. Then I matted it with orange paper and popped my eyelet in. After that, I just adhered it all to my card using dimentional pop dots. I then added the hemp balloon strings to tie the balloons down to the sentiment. Pretty cute!

For the 'make a wish' card, I started by cutting and adhering my background papers. Then I stamped plenty of balloons in different colors on white paper. I also stamped some on the white strip in the background to give dimension to my balloon bouquet. Then, cut out all your balloons! After cutting them out, I adhered a couple straight onto the card, added the next few with demensional pop dots, and added the last one with 2 layers of dementionals. I stamped my sentiment at the bottom and just drew in the balloon strings! Pretty easy really!

I am planning my first workshops now so hopefully I'll have some more exciting things to post soon! If you see something you like in my cards, or in the Stampin' Up catalogue please send me an email and I'll get them ordered for you!

-tessa