Warm Wishes BATIK

Try a New Technique! For this card, I used the brand new stamp set Winter Post from Stampin' Up!'s Holiday Mini Catalog to begin selling day after tomorrow. I LOVE this mini! It's full (I mean FULL) of great stuff. If you haven't gotten your mini catalog in the mail already, check it out online. And be sure to let me know you need one. I will reserve your copy and have it waiting for you at the next Stamp Club (Sunday, October 26.)

This technique is called the BATIK Technique and it is featured on SCS today. I used the ink refills Elegant Eggplant (which ended up looking like Perfect Plum so I decided to use Perfect Plum card stock) and Ballet Blue. Aren't they just lovely together?! Here are the instructions given to us by Lynn on SCS...

What is Batik?
The word batik (pronounced Bateek) means "wax written" and this is basically what batik is. It is a way of decorating cloth by covering part of it with a coat of wax and then dyeing the cloth. The waxed area keeps its original color and when the wax is removed the contrast between the dyed and undyed area makes the pattern.

What you'll need today:

Stamps
Watercolor paper
Versa mark
Clear Embossing Powder
2 or three Classic re-inkers
Water spritzer bottle (mini mister works great) - one for each color of re-inkers you will use
2 sheets of text weight paper (copy paper)
Iron set on high - no steam

Step 1: Stamp your images using versa mark onto your watercolor paper. Apply your clear embossing powder and heat until embossing powder is melted.

Step 2: A. Get your colorwash or make your own by placing several drops of re-inkers into a mini mister (or similar small spray bottle) and then adding water to the mister. I didn't measure my drops of re-inkers, but rather just added enough water to provide the desired color intensity. Shake to mix.B. OK, ready? Now mist your colors, one at a time, onto your embossed watercolor paper, dabbing with a paper towel if you get too much color, or to help blend blobs you may get. NOTE: Keep in mind, when misting colors onto the paper that two different colors mixed together will make a third color. Like in my sample, I mixed pink and blue and got the purple shade you see. So while it may look like I used three different colors, I only used two.

Step 3: Now place your watercolor paper onto a sheet of your text weight paper (embossed side facing up) and place another on top of your watercolor paper (to protect your iron). Using your iron press the watercolor paper until the embossing is melted and absorbed into the copy paper. You can check to see if it's all done by lifting the copy paper and if you still see shiny embossed areas, keep ironing.

Now step back and admire the beauty you have created. Now, just complete your card as desired. It's such a fun an easy way to create a big WOW. I hope you will give it a try.

Sketch Challenge #1 Creations

Here are two of my takes for the challenge posted to you here on the left of my blog. I REALLY like this sketch because I love working with the circle punches... or any punches for that matter.

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Have you ever noticed ALMOST ALL of the samples in Stampin' Up!'s Idea Book and Catalog have SOMETHING TRIMMED OR CUT OUT? Ya, check it out. Go to your catalog... (what? you don't have a catalog?! you need to email me right now and let me take care of that. wink.) look at at least five samples and see if there is something on each of them that has been cut out.

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Since I don't have time to CUT THINGS OUT all of the time, the next best thing to create this appearance is to PUNCH IT! Thus my reason for lovin' this sketch. My second sample sports blossoms punched with the Boho Blossom Punch and the 1/4" Circle Punch.

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SAMPLE #1 Uses the Holiday Blitz stamp set. I stamped the leaves in Kiwi Kiss on Kiwi Kiss. Then colored them in with the Versamarker (LOVE the Versamarker for this technique!) I used my Tangerine Tango ink pad on my pumpkin to coordinate with the Haiku (bless you!) DSP. Then I MARKERED over the stem and vine of the pumpkin with my Chocolate Chip and Old Olive Markers. SO EASY!

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SAMPLE #2 Uses the same beautiful DSP (no sneezing this time, he) only I "flipped" it with my card stock. I added some pretty to the blossoms by using the Pretties Kit. I LOVE the Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon. It is just so lovely! I only used a bit of it by tieing it onto my Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon. Then MAJOR TIP MAJOR TIP... I added a bit of Tombo Liquid Glue to the knot so it wouldn't untie or shift! My "Warm Wishes" from the stamp set Hugs and Wishes was suppose to end up a bit lower so as not to get into my flourish from Baroque Motifs. Rrrg! That is what I get for not using my Stamp-a-ma-Jig!

Septen-ten-tenber Stamp Camp

At the Septen-ten-tenber Stamp Camp THIS SUNDAY, SEPT. 28th from 6:30 to 8:30pm, we will create TWO EACH of the cards you see here in this post. TEN CARDS that take less than TEN MINUTES to create for only TEN DOLLARS... now, THAT is a bargain! Email me to register. Pay at the camp. If you end up unable to attend the camp, please be prepared to pay. Your card kits can be picked up any time or mailed to you.

The card you see above uses the "cover-all glitter" technique.

SO pretty!

The Big Shot proofs a plus in producing a super fast card.

I love how easy this window card is to create!

Give a gift with your card... a corner bookmark!

This pocket gift card will be perfect for the upcoming holidays!

BOXtober is coming soon!

My second annual BOXtober Stamp Camp is scheduled for Sunday, October 26 from 6:30pm to 8:00pm.

Mark your calendars NOW and send in your registration fee to save your spot. Seating is limited and will fill up quickly. I will open a second date if attendance demands.

This camp includes ALL SUPPLIES needed to create everything you see above and below in this post. Everything will be precut and prescored. All you do is have fun putting it together and stampin' where neccessary. How about that?! Plus you will receive step by step instructions so you can go home and make more. Consider your Christmas gift giving taken care of now!

All four of these adorable boxes along with the gifts inside the boxes were made from only half of one Stampin' Up! Simply Scrappin' Kit! Can you believe it?! Just wait til you scroll down to view what all this camp includes. Check it out!

The box you see here above includes five precious little notecards and envelopes.

This box pictured above includes ten sweet little Christmas gift tags.

The box pictured above includes an adorable little mini pocket album.

See inside pages of this album below.

Quite possibly my favorite, this box encases a wonderful mini accordian album.

See the front and back view of this abulm below.

You make all EIGHT PROJECTS (well, actually it's more than eight if you count all the notecards and gift tags) at this Stamp Camp for only $25. As I said, all supplies are included in this camp fee and everything is precut and prescored for you.

Save your spot early by sending your camp fee to me right away. Contact me by email to tell me you are ready to register. This would be a great camp to do with friends. So get those stampin' buddies together and get those Christmas gifts completed in a jiffy! Email me right now!

Although the benefit of attending the camp is personal assistance, you can also order the CAMP KIT (all supplies plus step by step instructions for everything you see shown above) and everything can be mailed to you for the same cost of only $25 which includes postage. Email me with inquiries.

Love you THIS Much!

I love this card THIS much! he he he... Seriously, the "Under the Stars" stamp set from Stampin' Up! is quickly becoming one of my favorite sets! The minute I saw this little guy in the catalog, I just knew he was saying, "Love you THIS much!" Unfortunately, SU! didn't realize he was saying it because the phrase is not included in the set. Hm. Soooo... I had to hand write that part. I guess it turned out alright. I used the little heart image from the "Moose You" stamp set.

If you would like to have the Under the Stars stamp set at a 15% discount, act fast and contact me as this discount will only be available until the end of September! To see all of the images in this set, check it out at http://www.stampinup.com/ or contact me for your very own Stampin' Up! Idea Book and Catalog. Better yet! Host a workshop (PARTY) and I will show you specifically how I made this adorable card. Email me today!

Holiday Gift Packaging

Stamp Club this past Sunday was a BLAST! We did things with the Big Shot that turned out "oh-so-cute!" If you missed this past club, not to worry. Our next get-together is on Sunday afternoon, September 28th from 2:00 to 6:00. Immediately following Stamp Club will be our Septen-ten-tenber Stamp Camp from 6:30 to 8:00pm. Check back soon for pics of the projects we'll be stampin'.

This holiday gift bag was demoed at this past Sunday's club. It is SO SUPER EASY to create. This is my absolute favorite way to package any gift for the holidays. It's fast. It's inexpensive. And it's fabulously gorgeous!

I used the 4x8 white sacks from Kaiser's in New Albany. First, I trimmed the sack to 6". The front piece is from the absolutely beautiful Holiday Treasures Designer Series Paper by Stampin' Up!. It measures 4.1/4 x 6. The back piece is a 4.1/4 x 8 piece of Kiwi Kiss (gotta love those In Colors!) I stamped on both using Baroque Motifs (with Chocolate Chip and Kiwi Kiss.) I used this stamp set to coordinate with the little swirls in my "for you" image. Love, love, LOVE this year's Ronald Mc Donald House Charities Stamp Set! A sets of four squared images that coordinate with SU!'s new Scallop Square Punch. Love it! I stamped that image in Riding Hood Red and then punched with the Scallop Square Punch.

Be sure to attend Stamp Club on September 28th! You just might win this beautiful package as a door prize! Oh, and wouldn't it be yummy if it were filled with something sweet?! Hmmmm... stamps are always sweet to recieve, huh? wink.

Big Shot Grab Bags

I am absolutely LOVIN' the new Stampin' Up! BIG SHOT!!! Look at these fun things that can be created with only a couple of dies! Aren't they great?!

The card above is the FREE make & take we will be making at this Sunday's Stamp Club. You won't want to miss it since club is FREE itself. You need only place a minimum order of $15 while at club. Members receive special bonus. Everyone gets to make the card above and KEEP IT. It was created with the help of the BIG SHOT.

The items below were also created with the help of the BIG SHOT. Everyone attending club this Sunday will receive a goodie bag filled with an assortment of precut dies to play with. The basket and birthday card you see below are part of what fill the goodie bag. This is yours FREE just for attending this Sunday's club.

It's going to be FUN! Better make plans now for a little stampin' R&R at Stamp Club!