A Flash Friday Tip

Office supplies, such as binder clips, can be useful crafting tools!

  

They are wonderful for creating a vise.

Here a small brad is held steady for coloring and embellishing treatments.  A great alternative to using tweezers which require constant pressure to hold the item.  Plus the item can be left to dry without disengaging it from the clip which protects areas treated with inks, glues or glitter.

  

With the addition of a small piece of florist wire a hanger can be fashioned to hold buttons that have been treated with inks, glues and glitter and can be left to dry without either side being marred.

Here the binder clip is used as a clamp on the corner of a piece of chipboard that has been wrapped and covered with papers.  This is helpful to keep the papers tight and in position as the glue dries.

Tip/Hint:  Wrapping a small piece of clean white cardstock around the area before “clamping” helps prevent clip indentations from being molded into the paper as the glue dries.

The binder clips are also available in a wide range of sizes which adds to their versatility.  The small ones are adorable for card embellishments!

Enjoy,

Elizabeth

Sending Hugs

More hugs to share today….

This square card base was created by trimming a Penny Black “Les Petites”. 

Tip/Hint:  Saved the trimmed portion to make mini cards as shown “here”.

A second elevated base was cut from white cardstock and stamped with the sentiment in Onyx Black VersaFine and heat embossed with clear powder.

A strip of Fall Festival cardstock stamped with a flourish in Habanero VersaFine was matted with a black piece of cardstock edged in Delicata Golden Glitz ink.

For the medallion, the hedgie from Party Time was stamped, colored and then mounted to a white die-cut circle that had been sponged with Bahama Blue Memento ink.

The fun colored envelope is from the Les Petites Gumdrop collection.

Tip/Hint: Create a pocket in a rectangular envelope with adhesive applied to the inside left and right envelope edges to prevent the shifting of a smaller size card.  This can be a helpful alternative to using a square envelope (for which additional postage is required) or for envelopes that may be too small to meet postal mailing size requirements.

Have a wonderful day,

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: Party Time 30-049, Flowers Sweet 30-096, Mimi At Play 30-111

Penny Black “Les Petites” Gumdrop 90-003

Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Storm 01-001, 01-003, Fall Festival 16-002

3M Scotch Dimensional Foam Tape

Copic Markers

Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Habanero VersaFine, Bahama Blue Memento, Delicata Golden Glitz, Sponge Dauber, Clear Embossing Powder

Framed Hugs

Combine rubber stamping with card making to create decorative easel frames to display special moments captured on film.



Published in CardMaker, July 2012.  Complete instructions and supplies listed on pages 64-65.



Penny Black’s Paisley Outline gives this shapely Spellbinder die cut a lovely pattern.

Tip/Hint:  For die cuts with rounded bases that will be displayed in a standing position, “rocking” can be prevented by trimming a small (horizontal) strip off of the rounded back base edge.  

Since this concept is based on a layered card design, these photographic treasures are easy to mail to friends and relatives with additional space to enclose a personal note or journaling.

  

A special thank you to Meagan Sell for sharing this beautiful photograph with me!

Share a hug today,

Elizabeth

Grateful For You

Soon summer will be giving way to crisp breezes, autumn leaves and brightly colored pumpkins!

These cheerful Pumpkins from Penny Black (illustrated by Mo Manning) were stamped with Onyx Black VersaFine and heat embossed with clear powder on a Labels Fifteen die cut from white cardstock.  

After coloring the pumpkins, the sky and ground were added in using sponge daubers and Summer Sky and Olive Grove Memento inks.  A square of Summer Sun cardstock was attached for a quick mat before elevating the piece onto a Grand Canyon card base stamped with Paisley Outline in Espresso Truffle Memento ink.

Tip/Hint:  Aligning elements in a linear fashion can be helpful in balancing a design.  In this sample, the linear focus runs from the top left to the bottom right.  The brad fills the open space above the sentiment while drawing the eye diagonally down toward the smallest pumpkin and then onto the knot in the ribbon.

Have a wonderful weekend,
Elizabeth 

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: Pumpkins 40-145, Paisley Outline 40-048, Foliage Fancy 30-138

Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Grand Canyon 03-002, Summer Sun 17-003

Copic Markers

Dimensional Foam

Spellbinders: Labels Fifteen (S4-291)

Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Summer Sky Memento, Espresso Truffle Memento, Olive Grove Memento, Sponge Daubers, Clear Embossing Powder

Magnetic Attraction

Transform your favorite stamp designs into magnets!

This Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko “Artist in Residence” project uses a colorful array of Memento inks and GooseBumps Clear Texture Spray with Penny Black’s “Soft Wings” to create unique magnetic art.

To view and print the complete instructions and supply list, please click “here”.

Thank you for visiting,

Elizabeth

A Tiny Trio of Halloween Cards

Over the next two weeks, Penny Black will be spotlighting their designers and contributors.  There will also be some fun Q & A’s which you can read about “here”.

For my designer spotlight project, I created this tiny trio of Halloween cards.

  

Create three cards in three steps....

1. A “les petites” card was cut into three sections and color blocks were added with Memento inks and sponge daubers. 
2. Elements from “Cat Spell” were stamped on a separate piece of white cardstock with Onyx Black VersaFine and heat embossed with clear powder. 
3. After coloring and trimming, they were added to the prepared cards with dimensional foam.

Enjoy….

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black “Les Petites”

Penny Black Stamps: Cat Spell 30-132, Best Witches 30-131 (trick or treat sentiment)

3M Scotch: Dimensional Foam Tape

Copic Markers

Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Pear Tart Memento, Tangelo Memento, Sweet Plum Memento, Clear Embossing Powder, Sponge Daubers

A Frightful Halloween

Having a frightfully fun time stamping….

White cardstock die cuts of Spellbinders Label Three create the base of the card as well as the elevated frame.

The frame was completed by die-cutting a square from the center and stamping Crystal Pattern in Teal Zeal Memento ink. 

Tip/Hint:  For a two-tone effect, the dots on the top and bottom of the frame were colored with a black Glaze pen.

After the Moonlight Owls were stamped on white cardstock with Onyx Black VersaFine and heat embossed with clear powder they were colored with Copics and then fussy cut.  The left side of the branch was glued to the back of the frame.

For the background, a circular mask was used to protect the area that would become the moon while the sky was distressed with Memento inks.  The branches from Hoot of A Time were stamped over the inks in London Fog Memento. 

TIP/HINT:  A reverse or negative mask is helpful to protect the background while the exposed area is being inked.   For this sample, a circle was punched from a large square of Judi Kins Eclipse Tape which provided both the positive and negative portions.    

To finish the design, the sentiment and bat from Hoot of A Time were used to accent the moon.

FUN NEWS * FUN NEWS * FUN NEWS

This weekend Moxie Fab World is having a giveaway featuring Penny Black stamps!!  Click "here" to read more and to enter the drawing!

Thank you for visiting,

Elizabeth 

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: Moonlight Owls 4287H, Hoot of a Time 40-152, Crystal Pattern 40-162

Copic Markers

Dimensional Foam

Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Dandelion Memento, Cantaloupe Memento, Tangelo Memento, Pear Tart Memento, Pistachio Memento, Grape Jelly Memento, Lilac Posies Memento, Teal Zeal Memento, London Fog Memento, Tuxedo Black Memento, Sponge Daubers, Clear Embossing Powder

Judi Kins: Eclipse Tape

Sakura: White Gel Pen, Black Glaze Pen

Spellbinders: Labels Three (S4-189), Classic Squares Sm (S4-128), Standard Circles Lg (S4-114)

Season's Tweetings with Les Petites

More fun with Penny Black’s “les petites” and their new transparent sets…..

A cute little Eskimo from A Cool Christmas with a happy sentiment from Cold Nose Warm Heart.

Have a great day,

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Les Petites

Penny Black Stamps: A Cool Christmas 30-128, Cold Nose Warm Heart 30-129

Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Storm 01-001

Copic Markers

Dimensional Foam

Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Peanut Brittle Memento, Crimson Red VersaFine, Delicata Golden Glitz, Sponge Daubers, Clear Embossing Powder

Mark Richards: Crystal Gem Sticker Elements

Score-Pal

Spellbinders: Classic Ovals Large (S4-110), Lacey Ovals (S4-314), Create A Flake 1 (S4-222)

Les Petites & Gift Giving

Penny Black has a wonderful new line of white folded cards called “les petites”!  These tiny treasurers measuring 3 3/8 x 4 ¾ are perfect for any card style and have six dazzling envelope colors to choose from: White, Berrylicious, Wild Cherry, Orange Fizz, Gumdrop or Chestnut Crème.

In this sample, two of Penny Black’s new Christmas backgrounds (Diamond Pattern & Christmas Story) were paired with Gift Giving to make this holiday card in 4 steps!

    

1. Stamp “les petites” card base with Diamond Pattern in VersaMark Watermark ink and heat emboss with white powder.  Edge the sides with a Delicata Golden Glitz ink pad.
2. Stamp Christmas Story on a 2 ¼ x 3 3/8-inch piece of Forest Glen cardstock in Pistachio Memento.  Edge the sides with a Delicata Golden Glitz ink pad and attach to the front of the card with dimensional foam.
3. Stamp Gift Giving on a separate piece of white cardstock in Onyx Black VersaFine and heat emboss with clear powder.  Color and trim the image.  Attach to the front of the card with dimensional foam.
4. Accent with three crystal gems.

TIP/HINT:  Heat embossing your favorite stamped patterns in white is an easy way to add texture to card bases.

More "les petites" card ideas to come....

Smiles,

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black “les petites”

Penny Black Stamps: Gift Giving 40-155, Christmas Story 40-164, Diamond Pattern 40-169

Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Forest Glen 07-001

3M Scotch: Dimensional Foam Tape

Copic Markers

Image Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, VersaMark Watermark Ink, Pistachio Memento, Delicata Golden Glitz, Clear Embossing Powder, White Embossing Powder

Other: Crystal Gems

Foliage Fancy (Mini Wreath)

No need to wait for fall to start collecting autumn leaves!  You can create your own colorful array with Penny Black’s new Foliage Fancy.



To create this miniature wreath (4 ¾ round), I repeatedly stamped the maple leaf in VersaMark Watermark ink on white cardstock and heat embossed with gold powder.  The leaves were water colored using ink from Memento markers placed on a plastic palette and transferred with a paintbrush.

TIP/HINT:  For added glimmer, the leaves were painted with a thin coat of Gold Psst Sheer Shimmer Spritz.

After trimming the leaves, they were assembled on top of ring base made from circular die cuts.

The sentiment was stamped on a Spellbinders Label Eighteen and edged with Peanut Brittle and Olive Grove Memento inks.

Have a happy, colorful day!

Elizabeth



Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: Foliage Fancy 30-138

Dimensional Foam

Spellbinders: Labels Eighteen (S4-310), Classic Circles

Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, VersaMark Watermark Ink, Olive Grove Memento, Peanut Brittle Memento, Memento Markers, Gold Psst Sheer Shimmer Spritz, Gold Embossing Powder, Clear Embossing Powder, Sponge Dauber

Christmas Kiss

Here today with Penny Black’s new Christmas Kiss…..

It was so much fun pairing her with the designer papers from the new 6 x 6 Madison paper pad!

Instructions:

• Create a 3 7/8 x 4 ½ top-fold card from white cardstock.  Cover the front with a piece of red patterned paper from the Madison designer paper pad and distress the edges with Love Letter and Espresso Memento inks.
• Cut a 3 ½ x 4 1/8 piece of blue snowflake paper from the Madison paper pad and distress the edges with Peanut Brittle Memento.  Stitch onto a 3 5/8 x 4 ¼ piece of Sticks & Stones (02-003) cardstock.  Attach to the front of the prepared card with dimensional foam.  Accent the snowflakes with a sparkle gel pen. 
• Stamp Christmas Kiss on white cardstock with Onyx Black VersaFine and heat emboss with clear powder.  (Optional:  Repeat this step two more times for an extra Christmas bulb, dress and holly for dimensional layering.)  Stamp the sentiment “Merry & Bright” in the center of the bulb with Onyx Black VersaFine and heat emboss with clear powder.
• Color the stamped images with Copics then trim with scissors.  Add additional layering components if desired.
• Attach the trimmed image to the front of the card with dimensional foam. 
• Accent the lower left corner with three pearls.

TIP/HINT I:  Replace difficult to trim stamp components, such as bulb hangers, with wire tinted with StazOn.

TIP/HINT II:  Paper pierce evenly spaced holes and hand sew with thread for an alternative to machine stitching.

TIP/HINT III:  When stitching two pieces of cardstock/paper, place a small amount adhesive in the center to keep the pieces from shifting yet away from the perimeter.  This will keep the needle from becoming sticky while sewing.

Be sure to check out the Penny Black Blog to see more new stamps being showcased during the week!

Have a merry and bright day,

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: Christmas Kiss 40-175, Christmas Fashion 30-127

Penny Black Papers:  Madison Designer Paper Pad 80-001

Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Storm 01-001, Sticks & Stones 02-003

Copic Markers

Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Love Letter Memento, Peanut Brittle Memento, Espresso Memento, Jet Black StazOn, Clear Embossing Powder, Sponge Daubers

Mark Richards: Pearl Stickers

Sakura: Sparkle Gel Pen

Other: Silver Wire, Needle and Thread

Hocus Pocus

No tricks with Penny Black’s new Halloween collection – just all treats!! 

This fabulous witch called “Hocus Pocus” was colored with Copics and then trimmed.  She was then set aside while the other three embellishment accents (cat, bat and banner/Cat Spell, sentiment/Best Witches) were stamped, colored and trimmed.

Stamping Note:  All elements were stamped in Onyx Black VersaFine and heat embossed with clear powder. 

The background layers are portions of Spellbinders Label Twenty-Two die cuts. 

The top layer was created from white cardstock and then distressed with sponge daubers and Dandelion, Morocco, Tangelo and Grape Jelly Memento inks.  To add to the appearance that the spooky branches are in the far distance, they were stamped in London Fog Memento.

The branches “Winter Ledge” used in this design is a new Christmas stamp and is so versatile for creating all kinds of scenes and patterns. 

The distressed and stamped background was matted with black cardstock and attached with dimensional foam to a white card base that was inked with Teal Zeal Memento and Sea Breeze VersaMagic.

The design was finished by attaching all the Halloween elements with dimensional foam.

Hocus, Pocus….you're done!!

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: Hocus Pocus 40-147, Best Witches 30-131, Cat Spell 30-132, Winter Ledge 4271L

Copic Markers

Dimensional Foam

Spellbinders: Labels Twenty-Two (S4-346)

Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Dandelion Memento, Morocco Memento, Tangelo Memento, Grape Jelly, Teal Zeal Memento, London Fog Memento, Sea Breeze VersaMagic, Sponge Daubers, Clear Embossing Powder

A Flash Friday Tip & Exciting Penny Black News

A piece of cardboard placed behind light-weight papers/vellums when heat embossing or drying inks adds great stability. 

It gives the paper a “backrest” so the air from the heat tool does not cause the piece to flip back and forth or over on itself.

And now the news flash......

I am excited to tell you that the new Penny Black Christmas and Halloween stamps are here and I will have new designs to share with you starting next week!  Have fun browsing through the new catalogs "Christmas here" and "Halloween here"

Have a wonderful weekend,

Elizabeth  

A "Beary" Happy Wednesday

Hello friends!

Today I have two cards with watercolored bears from Penny Black’s cute and cuddly Teddy and Company transparent set.

My favorite way to start a watercoloring project is to stamp the image in Onyx Black VersaFine and heat emboss with clear powder.

TIP/HINT:  Striped ribbons offer both vertical and horizontal visual interest.

Thank you for visiting,

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: Teddy and Company 30-034

American Crafts: Ribbon

Canson: Watercolor Paper

Prima Flowers

Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Clear Embossing Powder

Watercolors