StampWithJane.com – Jane Hignite, Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator

Word Play and New In Color DSP

I taught my customers the Sanded Core'dinations technique at my July Technique Tuesday event.  Such an easy yet fun technique!  This is one of the examples I shared with them!

This example uses the Elegant Bouquet Embossing Folder and the new Word Play stamp set.  Early Espresso ink and card stock and the new In Color Blushing Bride DSP from the In Color DSP Pack!  I LOVE the new options for DSP packs!  Want to see what else is in the Word Play stamp set?  (All images copyright Stampin' Up!)

I love these phrases…the Remember When is a great phrase to use with Campbell Soup (err, I mean Greeting Card) Kids stamp set!

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2010 August Card Kit

To welcome the kids back to school, I wanted to showcase this brand-new stamp set – GREETING CARD KIDS.  This set is also known as Campbell Soup Kids to my customers!!!!  All images copyright Stampin' Up! -

This adorable stamp set is in the main 2010-2011 Stampin' Up! Catalog on page 36.  You have both the wood-mount option at $20.95 or the clear-mount option at $15.95.

I've also used the Tart and Tangy stamp set on the Real Red piece (stamped in VersaMark).   Isn't this card perfect to make for the first day of school?  Better yet, why not make a packet of them for your child's teacher!  What a great way to earn some brownie points! 

I created several different versions of the card to show the versatility of this card design. 

These cards use the same 2010 August Card Kit items, but just rearranged differently and using other stamp sets!  This card format is so versatile, and the colors used are perfect for holiday cards and even masculine cards!  I know my customers always need new ideas for masculine cards!    

I posted my August Card Kit page – you can find all the details on ordering this kit by clicking on the Card Kits tab and picking the August Card Kit.  Orders for the August Card Kit need to be in by August 20th.

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Smores Card – Scored Background Technique

Welcome to the third 2010 VC Rocks Bloghop.. you've most likely arrived here from  www.tinataves.blogspot.com/

At my Technique Tuesday class last week, I taught my customers the Scored Background Technique.  This is really a very easy way to give a card some texture and dimension.  The supplies should be in your stamping stash too!  All you really need is card stock and a scoring tool.

If you are going to stamp the background piece, you should stamp before scoring.  Then you need to decide if you want to scored background to  have "hill" or "valley" scores.  Score the stamped piece upside down for "hills"; score the stamped piece facing up for "valleys".

You need to score the piece both horizontally and vertically for "squares" – however, you can choose to do it just one way for a different look.

Find your middle of the card stock and start the score there.  I like to start in the middle because then it is balanced on both ends.  Start in the middle and make your score lines at the same intervals, then move back to the middle (or flip if you need to) and score the remaining section.  The size of your score intervals can be large or small, depending on the look desired.  I personally like the 1/2" score size and look. 

Turn your cardstock a half turn and then do the same to create "squares". 

This is also a great technique to create windows or even Hershey Bars!  My kids love to make Smores in the backyard firepit which inspired this card: 

Supplies Needed

• Under the Stars/Teeny Tiny Wishes Stamp Sets
• Cajun Craze/Early Espresso/Crumb Cake/More Mustard/Whisper White CS
• Cajun Craze/Early Espresso/Crumb Cake Ink
• Scallop Circle #2 Die/Big Shot/Polka Dot Embossing Folder
• Scoring Tool with Measuring Guide
• Sponge
• Distressing Tool
• Large Square/Word Window/Modern Label Punches

Directions

• Stamp smore in Early Espresso all over Cajun Craze piece. 

• Turn over and score 1/2" apart horizontally.

• Turn cardstock a quarter turn and score vertically.

• With piece of Early Espresso, score horizontally and vertically also.  Cut a square from this for your Hershey bar.  Be sure to cut just beyond the score line for the best effect.
• Punch out square in Whisper White for marshmallow and use distressing tool on edges.
• Sponge all over square to get marshmallow colored to your liking.
• Run a piece of Crumb Cake through the Polka Dot embossing folder.  Use square punch to cut out graham crackers.
• Run the Scallop Circle die through the Big Shot with More Mustard card stock.
• Stamp phrase in Early Espresso on Whisper White and punch with Word Window punch.  Punch Modern Label with Cajun Craze.
• Mount and adhere all pieces.

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.

Thanks for stopping by, and now your next stop is -   www.theloveofstamping.com

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So Easy Faux Shaker Owl Card

Welcome to the second 2010 VC Rocks Bloghop.. you’ve most likely arrived here from  www.scrappin-for-sanity.blogspot.com .  If you want to start at the beginning of the blog hop, you can start here – www.vcrocks.blogspot.com

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.

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Happy Grad Card – Red, Kraft, and Blue

This was one of the cards I created for my Milwaukee Regionals Presentation.  This background was made by dipping a Koosh Ball pencil topper into bleach and pouncing it all over the Night of Navy card stock. 

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Shimmer Paint Techniques

I love the Shimmer Paints!  I think my favorite has to be the Shimmer Frost White – there is so much you can do with it!  For my Technique Tuesday class this month, I featured Shimmer Paint in two aspects of the card my stampers created.  First of all, we tinted the Shimmer Paint with Summer Sun dye ink refill (one of our retiring colors).  We then stamped the Upsy Daisy image on a cut-off Top note Die using the dyed paint as an "inkpad", set it aside, and let it dry.  Then we painted the dyed Shimmer Paint on the flower from the Pretties Kit.  WOW…so sparkly! 

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Punch Art-Vase of Tulips

I am certainly not the first to post a card using this punched art example.  The tulips are made from the 2-Step Bird Punch (the tulip pieces are made from the wing from the bird); the vase is the ornament punch (with a little piece cut off).  I loved using the Polka Dots Embossing Folder for this card – it really pops!  I was surprised how much more the dots were popped out than the Texturz Plate (not that there’s anything wrong with the TPlate – it is just different).

I also used Pale Plum and Mellow Moss to showcase some of our retiring colors.  The Pale Plum/Mellow Moss/Perfect Plum combination was one of my first "go-to" color combos when I first became a demonstrator.  I will miss it, but truly I haven’t used it that often in recent years.

Here is the card (colors are a bit off in this photo):

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My Workshop WOW at Milwaukee Regionals

I was truly honored to be a Workshop WOW presenter at Milwaukee Regionals this week.  My presentation focused on Stamping With Bleach.  I promised the attendees I would post instructions and samples on my blog.

I love to work with household products in my stamping.  I also love to stamp quick and easy cards.  Bleach stamping accomplishes both!  When you use bleach in your stamping, you are taking out the dye in your card stock. 

First things first – safety is important when stamping with bleach.   I do not recommend bleach stamping with pregnant ladies, young children, and those who have allergy or sensitivity issues.  If I am planning an event in my home and will be using bleach, I notify my stampers ahead of time.  If I want to showcase a bleach technique at a workshop, I will feature it as a demonstration not a make and take.  I’ll substitute water for the bleach but bring samples of each step so they see the bleaching results.  If you do take bleach along with you to a demonstration, make sure you store it in an opaque container that is tightly sealed. 

Please note:

• Do not let bleach dry on your stamps.  Bleach can damage the rubber.  Clean your stamps immediately after you are finished.  I usually use a wet paper towel to clean the bleach residue off and then I will use my Stampin’ Mist and Stampin’ Scrub to do a final clean and conditioning.
• Clean off any other materials the bleach comes in contact with.
• Once bleach reaches open air, its strength dramatically lessens.  You will need to add more bleach if you are stamping many pieces at once.
• Bleach affects colors of card stock differently – you may even get variations with the same color but a different dye lot.

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

• paper to protect work surface
• some folded paper towels
• 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 wet paper towel to clean off the bleach first, and then I use my Stampin’ Mist and Scrub for a final clean and conditioning.

Here are some of my examples of using a bleach pad:          

 To bleach with a spritzer,  you will need the following:

• paper to protect work surface  (the new COLOR CATCHER would be great for this technique)
• spritzer container
• household bleach
• card stock
• ventilated area

Pour a small amount of bleach 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.

I’ll be inserting samples for this technique early next week.

To bleach with a Sponge Dauber,  you will need the following:

• paper to protect work surface 
• sponge dauber
• small container
• household bleach
• card stock
• ventilated area

Pour a small amount of bleach in a safe container.  With a clean sponge dauber, tap into the bleach and then pounce the dauber all over the card stock where you want to bleach.  Set aside to dry.   Once dry, you can even stamp inside the space you bleached!  If the bleach sits out a while, you will have a softer effect (see the Garden Whimsy sample).

RINSE OFF THE SPONGE DAUBER WHEN FINISHED AND TAP OFF THE EXCESS WATER – BUT PLAN ON DESIGNATING THIS DAUBER AS YOUR BLEACH DAUBER!!!

To accomplish the bleach brushing technique,  you will need the following:

• paper to protect work surface 
• paintbrush or AquaPainter
• small container
• household bleach
• card stock
• ventilated area

Pour a small amount of bleach in a container.  With a clean paintbrush or AquaPainter, dip into the bleach and lightly brush your tool over the card stock.  Variations in depth of bleaching depends on how much bleach you use and how long the bleach has sat out.  Set aside to dry.  You can stamp or emboss right on top of the bleached portion.  I love to tear the edges of the bleached section to highlight the bleaching effect.  You can also use two pieces of scrap paper, tear them, put them over card stock as a mask for part of the card stock, and then bleach in between the torn mask pieces.

BE SURE TO THOROUGHLY RINSE OUT YOUR AQUAPAINTER OR PAINTBRUSH WHEN YOU ARE FINISHED!

  Sorry for the bad picture – this is Brushed Gold card stock bleached out!

 I love to find different tools or items around my home to incorporate into my bleaching.  Here is one item I love to use with bleach:

It is a pencil topper Koosh Ball!  I can’t remember which of my three boys received it and for what I occasion, but I snatched it for myself.  It makes great background designs by just dipping it into an inkpad, but the design it leaves behind when you dip it in bleach is fabulous!   Use the same directions as sponge dauber bleaching, but dip the koosh ball into the bleach instead of the sponge dauber.

Believe it or not, this is just a start to all the ways you can incorporate bleach in your stamping.  Since I only had 5 minutes to do the presentation, I had to stop there! 

Follow my blog for more bleach and other techniques!

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Vintage Vogue Brayered Specialty Paper

Today’s card features the new Vintage Vogue stamp set.  I absolutely love this card for a several reasons:

#1.  I’m using my favorite card format – the tent card.

#2.  I’m using one of my new favorite techniques – brayered specialty paper.

#3.  I’m using one of my favorite color combinations – Brocade Blue, So Saffron, Silver, and Whisper White

#4.  I love the colored brad insert for the Filigree Flower brad.

I hope you like it too!

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2010 March Card Kit

I posted my March Card Kit page – you can find all the details on ordering this kit by clicking on the Card Kits tab and picking the March Card Kit.  I created this card for my Birthday Blowout stamp a stack this week.  It is a Z Fold Card.  Orders for the March Card Kit need to be in by March 19th.

I created several different versions of the card to show the versatility of this card design. 

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