Four Ways Friday #34 - Nature Walk Stamp Set

This week's Four Ways Friday is all about the Nature Walk stamp set in the Occasions mini catalog.  I am in love with this set!!!!!  I know I shared a card with you yesterday that used this set...but I figured it couldn't hurt to show you more ways to use it!!!!

I received one of these adorable post-it note holder awhile back.  I don't know who came up with the idea originally (if you happen to know, please let me know so that I can credit that person).  I decided to use the Nature Walk designer paper along with a bee that I stamped in chocolate chip onto Very Vanilla card stock.  If you look at the "notes" label, you'll also see that I stamped the floral image from the stamp set at half strength.  Here is a look at the inside of the notes holder (I used 1/2 a pad of post-it notes).

I have a feeling I'll be posting a video next week to show you how to make these adorable note holders!

 For my second card I just used basic black ink with the stamp set to make a monochromatic background with the bird and "no. 147" stamp.  The greeting is heat embossed (I used versamark, black ink and clear embossing powder...I've never been good at keeping black embossing powder where it needs to be, so this is a great solution!  Stamp first in Versamark and then onto your black ink pad and then pour on the powder and heat).

For this third card I stepped it up a bit by using my markers to color in the stamped images.  You can use black Staz-On or the Basic Black classic ink pad with coloring.  I used the classic ink pad, let it dry and then colored and didn't have any smudging issues.

For my last project, I had an odd sized piece of Whisper White card stock on my craft table, so I decided to score it so that there was a bit of the back half showing through on the edge.  I stamped the bird and floral images in basic black and the eggs in Going Gray.  I combined coloring and leaving the images alone and I really like the combination.  The love greeting and the hearts were part of an experiment that I was doing with the Lots of Love letterpress plate.  I embossed a piece of wax paper and then ironed it against glossy card stock.  I then brayered the piece with Melon Mambo ink and cut out and punched the card stock for the pieces you see here.  When you iron the wax paper, any images on the wax paper (including creases) will act as resist areas when you layer on the ink.  I'll have to play with the technique some more - I like the distressed look of these pieces.  I hope you have a wonderful weekend!!!!!  I'm finally feeling better (yeah!) so hopefully I'll be 100% by Monday!!!!!

Nature Walk DIY Background Paper

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Other People Are As Nutty As You Are :)

We had a small snowstorm move through late this afternoon, but that doesn't deter us from walking our dog.  I guess we're like the postal service in that way - rain, snow, sleet or hail, he's getting his walk :)  As we walked up to the park I wondered if there would be other nuts like us traipsing through the snow to get their pooches to the park.  And, sure enough, the usual suspects were there, freezing their toes off, while the dogs played and rolled in the snow.  It's nice to know I'm not the only nut out there :)
The Nature Walk stamp set lends itself beautifully to creating your own background papers (I'll be sharing a few more of the papers I created in future posts).  Here I stamped the butterfly, the leaves and the "no. 147" stamp multiple times onto Whisper White card stock.  I then used my markers to color in the images and finally sponged over everything with some Perfect Plum ink.  A bit of dazzling diamonds, applied with a 2-way glue pen, adds some interest to the wings of the butterflies.  I made a small hole in the card with my crop-a-dile and ran a piece of chantilly lace ribbon through the hole and knotted it.  The small tag, using the Tiny Tags stamp set, adds a finishing touch.  I hope you like it! :)

Springtime Vintage Fabric Bookmark

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  When Was The Last Time You Sewed Something?
I went to a local craft store looking for a particular magazine.  You know, one of those magazines that you hope holds the secret to finally organizing and uncluttering your craft room :)  Well, they didn't have the holy grail magazine, but I couldn't leave empty handed.  So, I looked at the other magazines on the rack and chose one I had never read before - Sew Somerset (Winter 2011 issue).  I am not very adept at sewing, so it seemed like quite a stretch.  But I thought that stretching can be a very healthy thing.  So, home I went with the new magazine in hand.  Well let me tell you...I started reading it in bed at night and got to p. 14 and that magazine rocked my world!!!!  On pages 14 & 15 there was a project shared by artist Joy Gabler.  She had bins of fabric and decided to figure out a use for them.  Her idea was to make bookmarks and they are beautiful!!!!!!  (You can check out some of Joy's beautiful creations on etsy - her seller name is thevintagerabbit).
So when I woke up this morning it was time to dust off the sewing machine (I was afraid I had forgotten how to use it and thread it since it has been months and months since I last played around with it).  I pulled out the gorgeous Springtime Vintage fabrics and went to town!  I also decided to breathe new life into a few retired items - the ribbon and the Rough Type stamp set.  I am so pleased with the result!!!!!  Thank you Joy for the amazing inspiration!!!!!!  Maybe it's time we all thought about sewing something...I'm also wondering what awaits me beyond p. 15...I better keep my sewing machine out...just in case :)

Lots Of Love Letterpress

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Things Come Easier With Repetition

In today's world of instant gratification and instant information, it can be easy to expect that you can do things well the first time around.  We need to be a bit more patient with ourselves.  Just as a seedling does not grow into a tree overnight, so too, we need time to grow and learn.  I've been making a lot of paper flowers in the craft room (I decided to take a break for today's post, but don't worry, more are on the way).  What I am discovering is that the first one was hard - I needed to write down what I was doing and experiment.  Now, with certain flowers, I can just sit down and do them without even thinking.  It's coming easier and easier.  Sometimes things come easier with repetition and some patience :)
For today's card I pulled out the Lots Of Love letterpress and the Big Shot.  You can use the letterpress with or without ink for different looks.  Here I used the letterpress to create a debossed look and then sponged the edges.  I also stamped on the twill tape - I love how you can customize ribbon this way!  I hope you like it!!!!

3-D Scallop Circle Punch Flowers Video!!!

Last week I posted a card with these adorable flowers and now I'd like to show you how to make them!!!!  No Big Shot required.  You just need the 1 3/4" scallop circle punch.  Enjoy!!!!