Posted in Aqua Painters, Blender Pen, encouragement, Stampin' Up! 2019-2020 Annual Catalog, Watercolor Techniques

It Starts with Art

A lot of us spend a lot of our time working in jobs that we may not like. The easy solution is to change to a job we do like. But that is not always possible. One way to “survive” your job is to “Start with Art”. Being creative is known to help improve your psychological well being. This Stampin’ Up! stamp set is retiring soon, so don’t waste any more time and let’s create a card to help you “Follow Your Art” no matter what your art may be!

This card is so fun because of all the color and the mixed designs! There are also a few Techniques thrown in there as well!

Here is the It Starts with Art stamp set. There are many exciting images to make a host of cards. I decided to use the stack of ribbon since it complimented the Follow Your Art Designer Series Paper (DSP) that I chose.

Measurements: Blueberry Bushel card stock (CS): 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches and 4 x 3 inches; Follow Your Art DSP: 5 1/4 x 4 inches and 4 x 3 inches; Coastal Cabana CS: 8 1/2 x 3 1/4 inches with a score line at 4 1/4 inches and Whisper White CS: two 4 x 3 inch pieces.

Let’s get stamping!

Stamp the sentiment “Follow your art” on one end of one 4 x 3 inch Whisper White CS in Memento ink. Leave space around the sentiment for the Tailored Tag Punch. Flip the Whisper White CS around and stamp the stack of spools on the opposite end.

For coloring the spools of ribbon, I did a bit of experimentation with markers and decided the Watercolor Pencils created the most appealing look. When I used the markers, I did not like the card. I actually thought it was ugly! The Watercolor Pencils made the card look so much better! I did use the Blushing Bride Stampin’ Write marker since there is not a Watercolor Pencil in Blushing Bride. The colors for the Watercolor Pencils are Pacific Point, Calypso Coral and Coastal Cabana. One of the Techniques is to use the Blender Pen.

I started coloring with the Blushing Bride Stampin’ Write marker on the middle spool. I tried to only put one layer of ink down and keep the color light.

I colored the top spool and the stripes on the bottom ribbon with the Coastal Cabana Watercolor Pencil. I did color a little darker in areas where I wanted a slight shadow.

I colored the middle ribbon with the Pacific Point Watercolor Pencil. The bottom spool and the ribbon on top are colored in Calypso Coral Watercolor Pencil.

Blending Technique The Blender Pen is a dual tipped pen filled with a specialized solution for easy blending. You just go over the Watercolor Pencil with a light touch and blend the color. To clean off the color, you just write on scrap paper until the fluid from the pen runs clear. I started Blending the Coastal Cabana Watercolor Pencil first.

Next I blended the Pacific Point Watercolor Pencil, and finally the Calypso Coral.

Now we need to fussy cut the spools of ribbon.

Tip: To fussy cut into really tight space, use the very tip of your Paper Snips and make very tiny cuts. I did try just leaving the center of the heart uncut, but I did not like the way it looked. Set this piece aside.

Punch the sentiment out with the Tailored Tag Punch. (I had to photograph this card twice because I did use the Stampin’ Write Markers initially. That is why the spools of ribbon are still there).

Prepare to use the Aqua Painter by squeezing the closed Blueberry Bushel ink pad to get a little ink on the lid. Add a few drops of water to the ink. Place the sentiment card piece on scrap paper as this technique can be a little messy. The black cardstock is just there so the sentiment card piece would show on the photograph.

Splatter Technique Flick the tip of the Aqua Painter on the lid to splatter the color onto the sentiment card piece. Clean the Aqua Painter by squeezing water out onto a paper towel until the water runs clear.

Squeeze the Calypso Coral ink pad and get some ink on the Aqua Painter. Flick the Calypso Coral ink in the same way as the Blueberry Bushel. Allow to dry, or use your Heat Tool to dry the ink more quickly.

Punch a label with the Tailored Tag Punch from the 4 x 3 inch Blueberry Bushel CS. Use the Paper Snips to cut the tag in half lengthwise.

Glue one half of the Tailored Tag Punch to the bottom half of the sentiment card piece. Now glue the other half on top.

Now to stamp the inside of the card. Use the larger button stamp to stamp onto the second 4 x 3 inch Whisper White using the Blueberry Bushel ink. Remember that an odd number of images seems more pleasing to the eye than an even number.

Use the smaller button stamp to stamp in Calypso Coral ink and Coastal Cabana ink.

Fold the 8 1/2 x 3 1/4 inch Coastal Cabana CS at the 4 1/4 inch score line. Use the Bone Folder to get a nice crisp fold.

Adhere the 4 x 3 inch Follow Your Art DSP to the front of the little card. Adhere the piece stamped with the buttons to the inside of the little card.

Adhere the 5 1/4 x 4 inch Follow Your Art DSP to the 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inch Blueberry Bushel CS. Now adhere the little card to the center of the Blueberry Bushel card piece.

This card is a little different. Fun, fun, fun!

We will use Stampin’ Dimensionals on the back of the sentiment and the spools of ribbon.

I decided that the sentiment did not show up as much as I would like. I stamped the sentiment onto a scrap of 1/2 inch Whisper White CS. I placed it onto the sentiment piece to size it and then adhered it in place.

Adhere the spools of ribbon in place.

Viola! You have a card to keep around to help inspire you to “Follow Your Art”! Or you can send it off to someone else who may need encouragement!

Thanks so much for coming by today! I hope you are doing well, and if not, I hope you have an opportunity to try to start with art to lift up your spirits!

I am an Independent Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator and I sell the products I used for this card. If you are interested in purchasing some product to get yourself started on creating at home, please comment or send me an email at theresastreasures.az@gmail.com.

Click on the photo below to get to my Online Store and purchase that product.

Product List

Have a wonderful and creative day!

Posted in Avid Stamper, Fun/Fancy fold card, Stamping-off technique

Graduation Card and Gift Card Holder

This time of year is so exciting for many folks! Graduation from High School or University is such an accomplishment! What better way to help the person celebrate than sending a handmade card that holds a gift card!

The actual idea for the gift card holder came from my stamping friend Dawn. The image on the front of the card has been posted by several folks on Pinterest. The combination is my original idea.

This card is more involved than the cards I have been posting. There are a lot of supplies needed which I will show first. A complete list will also be at the end of the instructions. Let’s get started!

The card base is an 11 x 4 1/4 inch Basic Black scored at 1 3/4 and 5 1/2. Along the 4 inch side on the left end, make a small mark at 2 1/8 inches with the scoreboard.

The front of the card is a 4 x 3 1/2 inch piece in the school color (for this card I used Pacific Point), and a 3 3/4 x 3 1/4 inch Whisper White.

The inside of the card is Whisper White in 5 1/4 x 4 inches, 4 x 3 1/2 inches and 4 x 1 1/2 inches. Along the 4 inch side of the 4 x 1 1/2 inch piece, make a small mark in pencil at 2 inches.

For the graduation cap you need a 4 1/4 x 1 inch piece of Basic Black. The diploma is made from a 1 1/2 x 3/4 inch piece of copy paper.

This card uses 3 different Stampin’ Up! stamp sets: Beautiful You, Itty Bitty Greetings and Wood Words.

Ink: Memento and Stampin’ Up!’s Pacific Point (or the school color).

Stampin’ Write Markers: Basic Black and Pacific Point (or the school color). Stampin’ Blends Alcohol Markers: Dark Basic Black, Dark Granny Apple Green, Dark Daffodil Delight (or other hair color) and Light Petal Pink (or other skin color).

Stampin’ Up! punches: 1 inch circle, 1 1/4 inch circle (retiring) and Triple Banner.

Clear blocks: C and E.

You will also need embroidery thread in the school color and in black.

Most of the adhesive I used is the Multipurpose Liquid Glue. In order to ensure the gift card holder was secure I used Tear and Tape adhesive.

Alright! Now that you have the supplies, let’s see how to make the card! Warning- this is a long post but well worth it! There are several Tips along the way.

Lay the 5 1/4 x 4 inch piece of Whisper White on the right side of the inside of the card. Fold at the score lines and burnish with the bone folder.

With the card folded closed, use the Basic Black Stampin’ Marker to draw a line. Set aside.

Use the Memento ink to stamp the lady onto the 3 3/4 x 3 1/4 inch piece of Whisper White. Tip: Be sure to leave room underneath the lady for the sentiment.

Using Memento ink stamp the sentiment “Congratulations” under the lady. Set aside.

Next we will stamp on the inside card pieces, the 4 x 1 1/2 inch and 5 1/4 x 4 inch pieces of Whisper White. We will only be stamping on the right side of the line drawn on the larger piece.

Starting with the 4 x 1 1/2 inch card piece, use the Stamping Off Technique with the school color ink (Pacific Point) to stamp the stars onto the card piece.

Stamp until the card piece is full of stars. Set aside.

For the 5 x 4 1/4 inch Whisper White card piece, use a copy paper mask. Tip: Do not use a cardstock for the mask because there will be a white space between the line and the stamped image if you do. You will see a little white space even with the copy paper (shown later).

Again use the Stamping Off Technique to stamp the stars on the right side of the black line only.

Tip: Take care not to push the stamp into the ink pad too far. The ink will get around the stamp and leave a halo on the card. Fortunately, this halo was very small so I did not do anything about it.

Continue Stamping Off and fill the right side with stars. Note the white space between the second and third stars and the black line. This can be minimized by pressing a little more firmly when stamping.

Tip: Mount the sentiment “Happy Graduation” about 1/4 inch from the top edge of the C block to aid in spacing the sentiment. Take extra care to go straight down and up when stamping without rocking.

Use the top edge of block clear block to line up with the top edge of the paper for the first stamped sentiment. Thereafter, line up the top edge of the block so it is underlining the sentiment you just stamped.

Repeat the process on the smaller strip of stars. Set the card pieces aside.

Using the Dark Black Stampin’ Blend Alcohol Marker, color in the lady’s dress to make the graduation gown. Leave the ruffles under the skirt uncolored.

Draw in the sleeves of the gown to complete it.

Color the hair. I used the Dark Daffodil Delight Stampin’ Blend. Then color the ruffle and legging in the school color. I used Pacific Point.

I used the Light Petal Pink Stampin’ Blend for the skin color and the Dark Granny Apple Green Stampin’ Blend for the grass.

In order to get the graduation cap right, I punched the 4 1/4 x 1 inch Basic Black piece with the Triple Banner Punch. I used the smaller piece.

I used the Paper Snips to cut parallel to the punched edges to create the diamond-shaped graduation cap.

Pierce a hole into the center of the cap using the Stampin’ Pierce Mat and the Paper-Piercing tool.

Using the black embroidery thread, tie a knot on one end. With the knot on the top side, thread it through the hole in the graduation cap. Secure the underside with scotch tape.

Trim the tassel and set aside.

You will need the 1 1/2 x 3/4 inch piece of copy paper, the Paper-Piercing Tool and the school colored embroidery thread for the diploma. Use the end of the Paper-Piercing Tool to start rolling the diploma.

Trim the excess copy paper once you like how the diploma looks. Tie the school-colored embroidery thread around the diploma and make a double knot. Trim the excess thread. Set aside.

Take the stamped 4 x 1 1/2 inch piece of Whisper White and place the 1 1/4 inch circle punch so that the small mark you made at 2 inches is in the middle. Use about 1/3 of the punch to create the thumb notch.

Take the Basic Black card base and place the 1 inch circle punch so that the mark you made at 2 1/8 inches is in the middle. Punch using about 1/3 of the circle punch to create the thumb notch.

Finally! We have all the pieces and we can start putting everything together! Start with the inside of the card. Adhere the 5 1/4 x 4 inch stamped Whisper White on the right-hand side and the 4 x 3 1/2 inch blank Whisper White in the middle.

Place the tear tape as close to the outside edge as you can. This allows enough space for the gift card to fit.

Flip the card base over. First adhere the lady to the 4 x 3 1/2 inch piece of the school color (here it is Pacific Point). Then adhere the combination to the front panel of the Basic Black card base.

Tip: Use the Paper-Piercing Tool to slide under the protective cover of the Tear Tape. This is an easy way to remove the covering. Close the panel toward the inside of the card. Press firmly to ensure the Tear Tape securely adheres. Place the gift card in the space.

I used a Stampin’ Dimensional on the graduation cap.

I used a generous amount of the Multipurpose Liquid Glue to adhere the diploma. Note: Since there are raised portions on the front of the card, place an extra 5 1/4 x 4 inch piece of Whisper White cardstock over the front before mailing. This card can be mailed in the USA with a regular US postage stamp.

Congratulations! You have made it through – and you now have an extraordinary Graduation card and gift card holder to help that special someone celebrate their accomplishments! Thanks to everyone who stuck with me! Visit my Facebook Page at Theresa’s Treasures Arts and Crafts Store to see this card in more colors on the post from April 19, 2019.

Stampin’ Up products used include: Stamp Sets: Beautiful You #143637, Itty Bitty Greetings #146667 and Wood Words #143928; Punches: Triple Banner #138292, 1 inch circle #119868, 1 1/4 inch circle(retiring, available only while supplies last!) #119861; Cardstock: Basic Black #121045, Whisper White #100730 and Pacific Point #111350; Ink: Memento #132708 and Pacific Point #147098; Stampin’ Write Markers: Basic Black #100082 and Pacific Point (available in a set-Brights Stampin’ Write Markers #147157); Stampin’ Blends Alcohol Markers: Dark Basic Black #147941, Dark Daffodil Delight #144585, Light Petal Pink #146866 and Dark Granny Apple Green #146877; Clear Blocks: C #118486 and E #118484; Stampin’ Pierce Mat #126199; Paper-Piercing Tool #126189; Paper Snips #103579; Tear and Tape #138995; Stampin’ Dimensionals #104430; and Multipurpose Liquid Glue #104430.

The Stampin’ Up! 2019-20 Annual Catalog is just around the corner! For now there are great deals, up to 60% off of the Clearance Rack and a complete list of all the retiring product. Select the Click Here for My Store or Shop Now button above to go to my Stampin’ Up Webpage and then select “Shop” to get to the store. Enjoy!

Posted in Fun/Fancy fold card

Butterfly Explosion Card

This is a really great card that I made for a special Fancy/Fun Fold Swap at Onstage in San Antonio. Several people have asked for the directions so I am going to do my best here.

Here is how the card “explodes”!

Start with an 8 1/2 x 8 1/2 inch piece of Designer Series Paper (DSP). This design is from the Animal Expedition pack.

With the design facing the way you want it, fold down the top to fold it in half.

Open it back up and then take the left hand corner and fold it across to make a triangle.

Open it up and do the same with the right hand corner.

Open it back up. Now fold the left handed middle fold line inward.

Fold the right handed fold line inward. Note that where the 2 fold lines meet, it is the middle of the triangle.

Take the top left hand bottom corner and fold it to the middle. Do the same with the right handed bottom corner.

Flip it over and do the same on the back side.

Open it up and fold the ends inward on the fold line.

Flip it over and fold the backside ends inward on the fold line.

Cut a 4 1/2 x 9 inch piece of coordinating cardstock and score at 4 1/2 inches. This cardstock is Call Me Clover. Apply adhesive to one side and lay it down in the card as shown. Be sure that the top point is on the fold line.

While holding the folded DSP closed, apply adhesive to the topside. Close the card over the top and press firmly.

Open it up and viola! You have an explosion card!

The Fancy/Fun fold swap was so much fun! I got 12 great ideas to use in my classes. I always try to do a fun fold in each class. I hope you enjoyed learning about this card. I really enjoyed making them and swapping them!