Four Ways Friday #6 - Circle Circus

Today's Four Ways Friday uses the Circle Circus stamp set.  I tried to introduce a few new techniques and a video!  I hope you like it!

 For this first card I decided to pull out my PearlEx powders and go to town!  I had never tried this technique before.  I had the powders stored away from a time when I played with polymer clay.  So today, powders met paper and this is the result!  I stamped images from the Circle Circus stamp set in Versamark onto Brocade Blue card stock.  I then used various PearlEx powders and pounced them onto the Versamark images with a stencil brush.  I sprayed a fast-drying fixative to the card stock to keep the powders from rubbing off.  Once the fixative was dry, I added sponging around the edges and into the center and stamped images from the Elements of Style stamp set in Basic Black and Brocade Blue classic ink.  Of course, I couldn't stop before adding some dazzling diamonds to the flowers :)  I matted the stamped panel onto Brushed Gold card stock and then to a Ballet Blue card base.  I realize that I used more than the Circle Circus stamp set for this card.  I was hoping it would give you ideas for how you can use the stamp set to create gorgeous backgrounds for other images!

This second card uses a fun technique - stamping in fun foam!  Rather than explain how I did it, I thought I'd make a quick video for you to watch.

What can you do with your stamps and fun foam?

For this third card I used Versamark to stamp the small Circle Circus image onto Dusty Durango card stock.  I also stamped the same image in Dusty Durango on Whisper White card stock.  Another image from the stamp set joined it :)  The card was finished with some torn strips of Tempting Turquoise and Crushed Curry, a length of Crushed Curry dotted ribbon with a faux bow, and a greeting from Short & Sweet.  The Circle Circus stamp set lends itself well to creating fun and unique backgrounds!

For my fourth and final project I decided to honor my mom and National Scrapbooking Month!  This is a 6x6 scrapbook page and the punched circles are a great way to frame a photo!  Some of the circles were adhered directly to the base card stock and others were popped up on Dimensionals.  I also used the new Rough Type stamp set from the summer mini catalog and the Introducing stamp set to add the place and date.  I hope you like it!  How else can you use your Circle Circus stamp set?  I'd love to hear about your creations!

Ways to Use Your Die Cut Letters

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Place Your Hand Over Your Chest And Feel Your Heartbeat

Today's lesson comes from a small book with a big message.  The book is called The Meaning Of Life by Bradley Trevor Grieve.  Two pages really stand out for me and here is what they say, "Place your hand over your chest and feel your heartbeat.  This is actually your life clock ticking, counting down the moments you have left.  One day it will stop.  That is 100 percent guaranteed, and there's absolutely nothing you can do about it.  So you can't afford to throw away a single precious second.  Go after your dreams with energy and passion, or you may as well stand back and watch them wash down the drain."  If that's not a big lesson, I don't know what is!

I decided to pull out all my extra die cut letters and have a bit of fun today.  I keep my extra die cut letters and numbers in this small hardware storage bin.

Big and small, plain or glittered, somehow letters will work together if you just give them a chance.  Don't throw those extra letters away - hold onto them for a day when you are inspired to play and then go for it!  I added a few buttons for a final embellishment.  I hope this inspires you to see what you can do with your extra letters!

So Sweet! Blog Award!

What a thoughtful and wonderful surprise to receive this Blog Award from my friend Judi Rose!  Thanks so much Judi - you made my day!!!!  Judi is an amazing person, artist and papercrafter.  You should definitely stop by her blog if you get a chance - I'm sure you'll be inspired!

As an award recipient, I am supposed to share with you a few things about myself...hmmm...what might be interesting to share...what about some of my favorite foods (can you tell it's close to dinner time?!).  I LOVE the balsamic vinegar from O&CO.  I warn you though, this stuff is totally addictive!  I am also a huge fan of Cadbury's Double Decker chocolate bars.  The lower deck of the candy bar is a crispy cereal and the upper deck is a chewy nougat; all wrapped in milk chocolate.  They used to carry them at World Market, but I haven't been able to find them there in a long time.  Guess I'll have to wait for a trip to London to get my fix!  To stick with the sweet theme, I have also been craving Horchata by Westsoy.  I am sure I could make a more delicious version, but they make it so easy since you just have to put the carton in the fridge and drink up when you're ready.  If you haven't tried horchata, it is rice milk with cinnamon and vanilla - mmmm, mmm good!  Thanks again Judi for the wonderful award! :)  I am passing this award on to another beautiful person and crafter, Brenda MacKellar.  You can check out her blog here.  She doesn't blog a lot, so I think we need to stop by her blog and encourage her to post some more!  She always inspires me!!!!  Thanks Brenda!!!!

Motorcycle Stamp - Summer Mini Catalog

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Send It...Even If They Are Better By The Time It Arrives!

Today's card is for my friend Judi's husband, Danny.  (shhh Judi, don't tell Danny :)  He hasn't been feeling well and I thought a little card might provide a pick-me-up.  Of course, since they live far away from Denver, it's possible that by the time this card arrives Danny will be feeling 100% - I can only hope!  I'm going to send the card anyway - hoping and praying that by the time he gets it he really won't need the get well wishes anymore :)  I think this is a great rule to have with cards - send them - even if the event will have passed by the time the card arrives.  As the saying goes, it's the thought that counts :)

The UPS man arrived at my door today with a Stampin' Up! package and I couldn't wait to break out this motorcycle stamp!  What a great all-purpose image to use - especially for masculine cards...although I'd be the first one to admit that motorcycles are as much for women as they are for men!  Except in Atlanta...I owned a motorcycle there and I think my mom added quite a few gray hairs to her beautiful head when she used to see me riding down her street and away from her house.  Motorcycles and crazy drivers in Atlanta are not a good combination...anyway, I digress...so, I used the faux wood technique for the background panel - I'll have to do a video - it's a super simple technique and it creates a great effect.  I used my bone folder to break down the fibers in the corners of the Very Vanilla panel and peeled back a layer of the card stock to give the corners a sueded look.  I did a ton of sponging (on the card stock and on my fingers)!  I hope you like it!  If you can't wait another minute to own this great motorcycle stamp, feel free to shop HERE now :)

Faux Wood Technique and Video!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there. - Will Rogers

In his book How To Get Ideas, Jack Foster says "The truth is:  There is no difference between (a) having an idea and not doing anything with it and (b) not having an idea at all."  I think about this as I watch people create and as I create - the only way the idea that is in our heads will ever get into this world is to actually do something with the idea!  That image of a butterfly that is in your head will never see the light of day unless you screw up the courage to put a pencil/pen in your hand and actually draw it!  What a gift you can give the world every day, by allowing your creations to come forth!  What idea can you bring to life today?

For today's card I pulled out a few of my new items from the Stampin' Up! summer mini catalog.  The Rough Type letters are great for creating your own words and embellishments.  And how cute is that owl?!  He is from the It's The Thought level 1 hostess set in the mini.  Too cute!  This card also uses a faux wood technique for the background.  I've created this video for you to learn how to do this simple technique!  Enjoy!

Decorated Book Frame

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Pay Tribute To Someone You Love!

Yesterday, May 9th, was the anniversary of my father's death.  I found it a fitting day to finally decorate this vintage book frame that I had posted about a week ago.  I knew the right day would find me :)  I felt like I was honoring my father by putting together this piece.  This creation is a tribute to him!  I love you Dad!!!!

I used hodgepodge hardware and rub-ons for the top of the book frame.  The Alphabet Simple Letters dies and the Big Shot were used to create the word "girl."  I die cut the letters in chipboard and To The Nines specialty paper.  The edges were sponged with Soft Suede and then I sprayed the letters with smootch spritz (which is difficult to see in this photo).  I used a rub-on for the word "little."  I just cut up one of the chit-chat rub-on greetings - it's amazing how many perfect words you can find!  I couldn't wait for my new rough type stamp set (it is arriving tomorrow) since I wanted to complete this project today...so, I used a non-SU! alphabet set for the word "daddy's."  I stamped the letters in Staz-On in Timber Brown and used my 3/4" hole punch to punch 4 additional layers of Very Vanilla card stock.  I stacked the layers, like you would to make a faux button, and then finished the tops of the letters off with Crystal Effects.  I hope you like it...if you knew my dad, you'd love it :)

If you'd like to shop for any of the products in today's post, feel free to click HERE!

Square Lattice Embossing Folder

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Take A Moment To Say Thank You!

We encounter so many opportunities each and every day to say "thank you."  The mailman delivers the mail - "thank you!"  The cashier at the grocery store hands us our change - "thank you!"  A friend spends time on the phone with us - "thank you!"  A stranger holds the door open for us - "thank you!"  It can be easy to miss these opportunities to say thank you due to distractions, cell phones, hectic schedules.  Today, stop and take notice of these opportunities...and let me say to you, "thank you" for stopping by to visit!

For today's card I opened the new Square Lattice embossing folder from the Summer Mini catalog!  I love it!  It provides a great POP of texture with minimal effort using your Big Shot!  The flower center was made by punching some tissue paper with my Boho Blossoms punch and crunching and fluffing until I was satisfied.  I sponged on a bit of Orchid Opulence and a touch of dazzling diamonds with the 2-Way Glue pen.  The Razzleberry Lemonade designer paper was punched using the Extra Large Fancy Flower punch and the edges sponged with Orchid Opulence.  The stem and leaves were made from gingham and chocolate chip ribbon.  The greeting, from Thank You Kindly, was colored on the stamp with Orchid Opulence and Pixie Pink markers before being stamped onto the card - I love the two-tone effect!  I hope you like it!  If you want to have some of these products to call your very own, feel free to shop HERE!  Last, but not least, a very big THANK YOU to my mom for being so wonderful!!!!  Happy Mother's Day!