One of the retiring stamp sets I will miss using with my customers is Owl Together Now.  At my Technique Tuesday class this month, I showcased one of the easiest ways to create a Faux Shaker card.

The biggest time saver is using a CD/Disk Envelope.  You can find these in almost any office supply or discount store.  I then cut one apart to use as a template when planning my stamped piece.  The white insert piece is 4.75" x 4.75". 

I punched out one Scallop Circle in Old Olive.  I trimmed off the edge on the left side.  I then trimmed the strip of textured Chocolate Chip card stock to look like a tree trunk.   The textured card stock does give the tree some dimension!  Do not use too much confetti – in fact, less is more!  I used small gold and red hearts.

Before attaching the tree parts to the Whisper White card stock, I stamped the branch in Old Olive and then stamped 3 owls in Chocolate Chip.  The hearts and the phrase were stamped in Real Red.  (Sorry for the fuzzy picture here)

I stamped the outside of the CD envelope with hearts and then sponged it with Chocolate Chip ink.  I inserted the Whisper White stamped piece into the CD envelope.  I put the confetti inside and sealed the envelope so the confetti doesn’t fall out!   I mounted the sealed envelope to a piece of Old Olive card stock and then to a folded piece of Whisper White.    Here is the finished card:

Supplies Needed:

• Textured Chocolate Chip/Old Olive/Whisper White Card Stock
• Chocolate Chip/Old Olive/Real Red Ink
• CD Envelope
• Confetti
• MonoAdhesive
• Sponge

What is VC Rocks…and why do I love it??  VC Rocks is an online community where members share their love of stamping before, during, and after the Stampin’ Up! convention.  If you can’t go (or even if you can) to convention, you can get your "stampin’ mojo fix" with challenges, swaps, and discussions!  I have "met’ many fabulous stamping demos and nondemos through this group.

Here is one of the examples for this week’s stamp camp:

I really think the crimping of the ovals add some fun to my fish!  Hope you enjoy this one!

To bleach as a stamp pad, you will need the following:

• some folded paper towels
• paper to protect work surface
• a small container
• household bleach
• card stock
• a clean and damp paper towel (to clean off stamps)
• ventilated area

Protect your work surface with scrap paper.  Put the folded paper towels inside the small container.  Pour some bleach onto the folded paper towels.  Using a clean stamp, press stamp into the bleached towel.  Immediately stamp onto the card stock.  Lift off the card stock and set the card stock aside.  It will take a while for the bleach to interact with the card stock.  Be sure to let dry completely before using on your project.

CLEAN YOUR STAMPS IMMEDIATELY – DO NOT LET BLEACH DRY ON YOUR STAMPS.  I always use a paper towel to clean off the bleach first, and then I use my Stampin’ Mist and Scrub for a final clean and conditioning.

Please note:

• Bleach affects colors of card stock differently – you may even get variations with the same color but a different dye lot.
• Once bleach reaches open air, its strength dramatically lessens.  You will need to add more bleach if you are stamping many pieces at once.

To bleach as a spritzer,  pour a small amount into a spritzer bottle.  Prepare your work area as above.  Spritz your card stock.  Set aside to dry. 

DO NOT LEAVE BLEACH IN THE SPRITZER BOTTLE.  RINSE OUT THE BOTTLE AND THE SPRITZER MECHANISM BEFORE STORING.

****Please be careful when using bleach.  I do not recommend bleach stamping with pregnant ladies, young children, and those who have allergy or sensitivity issues.

Although very pretty, it may not jump out at you in the catalog.  At last night’s class, I showed my stampers a great WOW technique – Brayered Specialty Paper. It works best with the Bride paper (white) and the Bridesmaid paper (vanilla), but it doesn’t work with the Groom paper as it is BLACK.  Just by using your brayer/inkpad/soft cloth (to remove excess ink from the glossy parts), you can customize the specialty paper to whatever color you want!  That same paper now coordinates with my Rich Razzleberry cardstock!  I even brayered an extra piece for my punches!  

This was definitely the favorite card last night!  I hope you like it too!

The glittery Sending Love DSP is to die for!  I can’t wait to use it all up!  That heart corner punch is darling too!  I absolutely love the font of Whimsical Words.  I am hoping to see more of this style in next year’s catalog.

I enjoy hosting an All About Men Stamp Camp each year.  Most of my customers find it difficult to stamp for the men in their lives.  As I told my stampers, even a floral stamp set can be used to create a masculine-themed card if they plan their colors accordingly. 

The background technique on this card is called brayered lines – all you need is a rubber brayer and an inkpad or two!   

Here is a sample I made recently.  I love the faux diamond dust technique – it is so sparkly!  The flower die cut is from the Sizzix tote die.

I have had lots of requests to share the technique.  I’ve included it after the card.

The Faux Diamond Dust technique is so easy with such a WOW effect!

All you need to do is this:

Take colored cardstock and liberally apply your Versamark pad.  Cover cardstock with Iridescent Ice EP. Tap off excess. Heat until sparkly.