Constantly Stamping

Global Design Project #GDP013 Color Challenge

We have a color challenge this week at Global Design Project.

I think that Real Red or Old Olive stamped on Crumb Cake has a very vintage feel to it, so I decided to make a Curvy Keepsake Box. I have been wanting to use this wonderful chevron stamp that comes in the Project Life Seasonal Snapshot 2015 stamp set and I love that it fits perfectly on the Curvy Keepsake Box. If you love to stamp you will enjoy making this box. 

I stamped the pattern several times in Real Red ink on Crumb Cake cardstock. To keep with the vintage theme, I sponged Crumb Cake ink on all the edges. Just like most of the boxes I make, I wanted this one to be easy to open, so I tied some Sahara Sand 7/8" Lace Trim around the box and tied it in a bow. To remove the bow, just slip it off the box.

While I was stamping, I decided to do a companion box with the opposite color scheme. This box is exactly the same except it is stamped in Old Olive ink. To add a little more interest to both boxes I attached a wooden snowflake element to a mini clothespin using a mini glue dot. Then for extra security I tied the linen thread around the front of the clothespin, around the snowflake, and through the button.

I love that I can get these boxes prepared ahead of time and then I can fill them just before I actually need them.

Be sure to join us over at the Global Design Project Challenge Blog to see what what the other design team members created.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Artisan Wednesday WOW - Blendabilities Markers

A few weeks ago I told you about the new line of Stampin' Up! alcohol markers called Blendabilities. I am super excited about these new markers. I have always loved to color and these new markers make it so much fun. They aren't available to our customers just yet, but they are coming soon. We received several colors in our May box and I have been having a blast working with them. They do take a little bit of practice, but I can almost guarantee you that you will fall in love with them right out of the box. You can use them in so many different ways which makes them even more of a great value. One of the best things about alcohol markers is that they don't cause your paper to "pill" when you color. Also, our markers are designed specifically to be used with our Whisper White cardstock. You do need to make sure that you use a Memento stamp pad and make sure the image is completely dry before colors.

For this project I used a pocket card from the new Everyday Adventure Project Life Card Collection. Several of the cards in the kit make great backgrounds for greeting cards. They will be available to purchase on June 2, 2014. I trimmed off 3/4" from the top end of the card so it would layer perfectly on a standard A2 card base. Be sure to save that little strip that you cut off. I used mine on the inside to help coordinate the finished look of the card. I also love that this particular design has the perfect place for a greeting from the Lots of Thanks stamp set.

I stamped different flowers from the Peaceful Petals and Secret Garden stamp sets and colored them with the Blendabilities. For some of the flowers I stamped and colored them 2-3 times, cut them out and then put the layers together with Dimensionals. This is a great technique for adding depth and dimension.

One of the great things you can do with these markers is color our clear Rhinestones. I colored several different sizes and added them to the front for some added interest. I also tied on some Linen Thread and a button to give this card an extra touch of texture. Here's one more look at the card.

Now, be sure to hop on over to see what Erica Cerwin and the rest of the design team have created.

Artisan Wednesday WOW - Project Life® by Stampin' Up!®

Welcome to another week of the Artisan Wednesday WOW Blog Hop by the Stampin' Up! Artisan Design Team. In our May box we had a lot of delicious goodness from the upcoming annual catalog. One of the main things we received in our box was the new Project Life® system by Stampin' Up!®. They have been working closely with Becky Higgins, the creator of Project Life®, to design our very own line of products.

I think it is safe to say that most of you don't visit my blog because you think I have mad scrapbooking skills. Truth is, I would rather do just about anything than scrapbook. So when we were asked to create a project with the new Project Life® by Stampin' Up!® I was a little hesitant. However, it turned out to be fun. The entire system is designed to simplify scrapbooking. There are pockets designed specifically to hold your 4"x6" photos so all you have to do is slide them into the pockets of the page protectors. Most people chronicle a week of their lives at a time (photo diary). Since I don't have any little ones running around and I am definitely not a domestic goddess, I decided instead to be "event" oriented.

I did a little research on Project Life® before I began and I noticed that many of the layouts that you see posted on-line are not simple at all. It seems that people just go nuts and spend lots of time creating very artistic pocket inserts. I tend to think that takes away from the concept of making scrapbooking quick and easy. That is why I decided to stick mainly with the contents of the kit for my first page. Seriously, the only thing extra on this layout is the linen thread on the top left pocket and the digital stamp on the top center photo. (I added that in My Digital Studio before printing.)

It took some time to get used to the idea of keeping it simple. I had to keep telling myself it was OK not to spend hours and hours on one scrapbook page.  You can use the kit straight out of the box like I did here or customize it to fit your own needs...it is really up you you!

There are also framelit dies in the new catalog (beginning June 1, 2014) that make creating your own custom pocket cards super simple. You can stamp your own design or cut your favorite designer series paper to fit inside the pockets. Of course, the obvious thing that I like to do is stamp. The good news is that there are three new photopolymer stamp sets in the upcoming annual catalog that are designed specifically to coordinate with Project Life® by Stampin' Up!®. I love the idea that I can create my own card designs in the colors that I choose. Just for fun, I sat down and made a few inserts that can be used on future pages. I was very impressed with the quality of the stamped images.

That is all I have for you today. Be sure to hop on over to see what Erica Cerwin and the rest of the design team have created with the new Project Life® by Stampin' Up!®

Want to learn more about the new Project Life® by Stampin' Up!®? Here is a great blog post by Arika at the home office.