Four Ways Friday #17 - Bella Toile Background Stamp

This week's Four Ways Friday focuses on different ways to use the Bella Toile background stamp!

For this first card, I stamped the Bella Toile stamp onto Whisper White cs using a combination of Versamark ink and Basic Black ink.  If you ink up your stamp with Versamark first and then ink over it with your classic ink pad and then stamp, the ink will stay wet enough to use embossing powder.  I used clear embossing powder and heat embossed the image and then used sponges with Soft Suede and Basic Black ink to color the background.  A piece of torn Basic Black cs was added and the greeting from Sincere Salutations was punched out with the Extra Large Oval punch and the edges were sponged with Soft Suede ink.  This yummy Basic Black 1 1/4" striped grosgrain ribbon was tied around the layer and then the entire layer was adhered to a Soft Suede card base.

For the second card I stamped the Bella Toile onto Very Vanilla cs using Basic Black ink.  I then took my 1" circle punch and punched out 8 circles.  The circles were adhered to a piece of Basic Black cs.  It's hard to see it in the photo, but the central image is very "thick."  I actually punched out six 1 1/2" circles using my punch and then glued them one on top of the other to create a think central embellishment.  The top layer was stamped with the word "love" from the Things I Love stamp set and then the entire "stack" was adhered to a 1 3/4" Basic Black circle.  I used the Big Shot and the Naturally Serif decorative strip die for the letters in the word "you."  Finally, I added some dazzling diamonds to the Bella Toile circles using my 2-way glue pen.

I used the Poppin' Pastels technique for this third card - I couldn't seem to get a great picture of it.  I stamped the image in Versamark onto Whisper White cs and then pounced over the image with Certainly Celery and Perfect Plum chalks using my sponge daubers.  This technique is a lot of fun!  I sponged the edges with Perfect Plum ink and then used the color spritzer and my Perfect Plum and Certainly Celery markers to add a bit of "spatter."  The center piece of Elegant Eggplant cs was stamped with the Bella Toile stamp as well, using Elegant Eggplant ink.  The modern label punch was sponged and then adhered to the panel using antique brads.  The greeting, from the Always stamp set was stamped and punched out with a circle punch.  I then used my crop-a-dile to adhere the eyelet so that I could attach the greeting to the card using linen thread.  Finally, I used sticky strip to attach the Certainly Celery satin ribbon to the card in a ruffle fashion and finished it off with a button.

This background stamp was calling out to be cut down!  I stamped the Bella Toile stamp onto a piece of Whisper White cs using the combination of Versamark and Basic Black ink and then heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  I then cut out this portion of the image and began coloring it in using different colors of markers.  Finally, I added a bit of glitz with my 2-way glue pen and dazzling diamonds.  The greeting is from the Because I Care hostess set and was stamped in Elegant Eggplant onto Whisper White cs.  I used my spiral punch on the edge of the Elegant Eggplant panel and finished the greeting panel with a piece of knotted Pretty In Pink taffeta ribbon.
I hope you've enjoyed this week's Four Ways Friday!  If there is a product or stamp set that you would like to see featured in a future Four Ways Friday please let me know.  I'll do my best to respond to your requests!  If you can't stand going another minute without owning the Bella Toile stamp, you are always welcome to shop HERE now :)

Simple 3x3 Thank You & Card Play Video - Episode #1

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Some Things Are Just Right!

Buddy and I used to pass a man on our morning walks.  The man usually had headphones on and he always had his black standard poodle along for the walk.  About a year ago, we saw the man walking alone and realized that his dog had passed away.  For months we have passed the man - we try to say hello sometimes, but he always has his headphones on so he doesn't hear us.  Today our walk was extra special because there was the man, no headphones, with a very young black standard poodle puppy with him!  We said "hello!" and he said "hi" back!  I wish I would have said to him "that's a very good look for you!"  A man and his new puppy - some things are just right!

Today's card was inspired by a pad of paper on my desk at the hotel I stayed at earlier this week.  I used the Dot, Dot, Dot background stamp on Very Vanilla cs and stamped with Baja Breeze ink at 1/2 strength.  You may notice I had used the extra large oval punch to create a mask so that part of the card stock did not get stamped.  I kept the mask on and then stamped a portion of a stamp from Baroque Motifs in full strength Baja Breeze on the same card stock.  Then the mask was removed and I used my stamp-a-ma-jig to stamp the greeting from Sincere Salutations in Early Espresso ink.  I adhered this piece to a piece of Early Espresso cs.  Then I took a piece of Whisper White taffeta ribbon and sprayed it first with a mixture of Baja Breeze ink refill and water that I keep in a small spray bottle.  Then I sprayed it with my mister of Champagne shimmer paint and alcohol.  I used my heat tool to dry it since I didn't want to wait :)  The ribbon was knotted around the card stock and then the layer was adhered to the Baja Breeze card using dimensionals.  The finished size of the card is 3x3.  I hope you like it!  Here's a video to show you how I made it, step-by-step!

Manhattan Flowers Embossing Folder - Sympathy Cards

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Be Kind To Your Body
In the September 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times, editor Elizabeth Turner shares The Dirty Dozen.  This is a list of the 12 fruits and vegetables most likely to be contaminated with pesticides.  The list may surprise you:  celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, blueberries, nectarines, bell peppers, spinach, cherries, kale/collard greens, potatoes and grapes (imported).  Be kind to your body.  If at all possible try to find the 100% organic version of these fruits and veggies to reduce your exposure to pesticides.  After all, if we truly are what we eat, I'd prefer being 100% natural :)

These are two takes on a sympathy card using the Manhattan Flowers embossing folder, the Define Your Life stamp set and the letter "M" from the Lovely Letter Alphabet.  Natural images seem so fitting to me for sympathy cards since life and death are all a part of the natural cycle.  For the monogrammed card, I stamped the "M" at half strength and used my stamp-a-ma-jig to stamp the greeting in full-strength right over it.  This is a great way to get multiple shades from the same ink pad - in this case, Soft Suede.  I hope you like them!

In A Word Sympathy Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Begin Whatever Calls To You!

Today's lesson comes from the book Living Juicy by SARK.  If you don't know SARK and you are an artist, you need to check her out!  She is such an inspirational spirit!  There are some books that find their way to my bookshelf and sit there and then seem to find their way back into my life when I need them.  SARK's books definitely fall into this category.  I always feel uplifted and inspired when I read her encouraging words.  What is calling to you?  What is your inner voice tempting you to try?  Don't get in the way...go for it!!!!

A friend's mother passed away the other day and I felt it was time to make a few sympathy cards to have on hand for these moments difficult moments.  This card came together quickly.  I put the Very Vanilla panel through the Big Shot with the Manhattan Flowers embossing folder.  I rounded 3 of the edges and left one square.  The greeting is from the In A Word stamp set and was stamped in Early Espresso onto Very Vanilla cs and punched out using my 1 1/4" circle punch.  A separate 1 1/2" circle was punched out of Early Espresso as a layer for the greeting and the greeting was popped up on dimensionals as was the entire embossed panel.  A knot of Very Vanilla satin ribbon finishes the look.  I hope you like it.  Now, go and begin whatever calls to you - you are still here and there is no time like the present!!!!!

Friends Fur-ever Birthday!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  It's Amazing What You Can Do When You Set Your Mind To It!

For those of you that have been following my blog, you know that in March I decided to start running.  I couldn't run for more than a few minutes (if that) without wearing myself out.  Well, I want to give you an update...yesterday I went for a 16-mile run!!!!!  You read that right - 16 miles!!!!  I am sooooo proud of myself!  I am following Jeff Galloway's running program.  He advocates a run/walk approach so I run for 5 minutes and then walk for 1 minute...and I did that for about 3 hours, bright and early, before the day turned hot.  I still can't believe it!  It truly is amazing what you can do when you set your mind to it.  All you need to do is decide to begin!  Now I have my goal out in front of me - Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C. in October - watch out world, here I come!!!!!

I am still addicted to the Friends Fur-ever stamp set!  It is just too cute!  This is a birthday card for Michael's mom.  I stamped the dog and the presents in Basic Black onto Whisper White cs and cut them out with a hobby blade.  I then stamped the cart onto Crumb Cake cs with Basic Black ink and also cut it out.  The tire was colored with a Basic Gray marker and I added a cute little silver bead for the tire center.  The presents were colored with markers and then glitzed with 2-way glue and dazzling diamonds...as was the dog's color.  The ground was made by cutting curves into a piece of Certainly Celery cs and then sponging a bit on the edge and the cs in general with Certainly Celery ink.  The greeting came from Happy Everything - one of my favorite, although retired, stamp sets.  I hope you like it!  If you have to have the Friends Fur-ever stamp set, feel free to shop HERE now :)