Four Ways Friday #38 - Engraved Greetings

This week's Four Ways Friday is all about the Engraved Greetings stamp set!  You can get this set for FREE with a $50 product order during Sale-a-bration (which runs through March)!

When I saw this stamp set, I knew I had to do some faux metal embossing!  I covered a piece of Whisper White card stock with Versamark ink and then heat embossed using gold embossing powder.  As soon as the embossing powder melted I added more and heated it again.  I repeated adding and heating the embossing powder four times - until it was thick.  As soon as I turned off the heat gun the last time, I stamped the "thank you" greeting into Versamark and then into the hot embossing powder - the stamp will leave the impression in the embossing powder giving you a faux metal effect!  I then punched it out with the decorative label extra large punch.  I crumpled some striped Neutrals designer paper and then sponged it with Soft Suede ink.  A large grommet was added and a button placed in the center.  For the background I took Whisper White card stock and stamped it with a variety of stamps:  Antique Cracking (retired), Office Ephemera (retired), and Sense of Time in Soft Suede at full or half strength.  I spritzed with the spritzer tool and did a little sponging too :)

I was having so much fun embossing, I couldn't stop!  For this card I first stamped the "HB" greeting with Versamark and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  The remaining stamping and inking was done afterwards - this is called emboss resist.  I stamped the Bella Toile background with Rose Red ink and then sprayed the card stock with a mixture of water, Chocolate Chip reinker and Champagne shimmer paint (all in a spray bottle).  I then sponged with Bravo Burgundy ink and wiped off the embossed area.  The Cherry Cobbler seam binding was added using sticky strip.  An antique brad finishes the look.  The finished card is 4"x4".

This set lends itself well to simple heat embossing too!  Here I stamped the "HB" greeting onto a piece of designer paper and then heat embossed with black embossing powder.  I sewed the piece to my Pear Pizazz card base.  I then sewed a piece of black satin ribbon onto the card and finished it off with an extra large silver brad.  I think this would make a great masculine birthday card!

Last but not least is this fun thank you tag!  I thought this would look great on a bottle of wine or sparkling cider :)  I took a piece of muslin and sprayed it with a mixture of water, Chocolate Chip ink and Champagne shimmer paint.  (I had already stamped the muslin in Rose Red with my Bella Toile background stamp, but decided to spray over that - that's way you see a bit of red color on the fabric).  I sewed the fabric to a white tag.  I then stamped the tag (yes, I know that's backwards, but sometimes that's how my art process works :) with the Striped stamp and Chocolate Chip ink.  Next came some additional stamping with the flourish from the "thank you" stamp and the flourish from the Bliss stamp set - again in Chocolate Chip.  I then stamped the "thank you" in Chocolate Chip onto a Whisper White piece of card stock and added some stamping from the Bliss stamp set in the upper right corner at half strength.  I sewed this onto the tag and then added the little rhinestone bling!
I hope you've enjoyed this week's Four Ways Friday!  Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you have a wonderful and creative weekend!

Four Ways Friday Coming Later Today!

The creative muse finally found me...but so did an unexpected opportunity that I couldn't pass up!  I was expecting to follow the muse Thursday night, but instead I was given the opportunity to be an "extra" for an episode of "Unwrapped" on the Food Network!  It sounded like fun so I left the craft room and went to the shoot.  Who knows?  I may end up on the cutting room floor, but at least it was a new experience :)  I am planning to follow the muse (barring any other unexpected opportunities) and posting Four Ways Friday a little bit later today...it is going to focus on the Engraved Greetings stamp set.  I can feel some faux metal embossing in my future :)

Waiting For The Mood To Strike

 It's Wednesday evening and I have been waiting for the mood to create to strike...and it just doesn't seem to be coming.  Maybe it's something I ate...or didn't eat...or something in the air...or not in the air :)  I will sleep and see if inspiration comes in the morning.  Thanks for your visit.  Please check back later today...inspiration can't hide from me for long! :)

From The Kitchen Of - Recipe Booklet

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Can You Stop The Self Abuse?

This is the question I have been asking myself this week.  I find that from the moment I wake up, the things that I say to myself in my mind are often not the most positive.  As a matter of fact, I think I'm quite abusive to myself - telling myself things like "you're not doing enough" or "you're not good enough" or "you should be (fill in the blank)."  What I'm realizing is that all of these unkind messages to myself are beginning to add up and are beginning to make me feel down and out.  So, can I stop it?  I believe that I can - as a matter of fact, I KNOW that I can.  I just need to get aware of the messages and replace them with something more kind - something more compassionate.  I am going to start right NOW!!!!!  I'll let you know how I'm doing :)
Yes, I'm still into my little booklets :)  I recently purchased the From The Kitchen Of stamp set and decided this was a great opportunity to make a little recipe booklet!  I left color up to the Color Coach and just opened to a random page.  Gotta admit that when Pacific Point came up I was a bit nervous.  But, once I got over the nerves I realized that this color combo (Pacific Point, Melon Mambo, and Pumpkin Pie) makes my recipe book look like a festive circus!!!!  Can't wait to fill it with a bunch of yummy recipes!
I used the Dot, Dot, Dot stamp with Pumpkin Pie ink to stamp the Pumpkin Pie card stock.  I used the Broadsheet Alphabet stamp set to stamp the letters onto Whisper White card stock.  I used a combo of Pumpkin Pie and Melon Mambo ink.  I ran a piece of Melon Mambo card stock through the crimper before sewing it to the front of the booklet.  Once Melon Mambo was a part of the color combo I had the perfect excuse to pull out this ADORABLE pom-pom trim and add a piece to the front (again, I sewed, but you can use Sticky Strip or another adhesive).  On the inside pages I just stamped the recipe card image in Basic Black ink.  My real innovation came when I realized that if I really brought this little creation into the kitchen it would be at the mercy of all kinds of liquids!  Yikes!  So, I quickly thought back to those great book covers we would make for our grade school books and decided to make one out of a sheet protector!  Here's how it came out...

 

Now it's ready for the kitchen!  I hope you like it! :)

Medallion Booklet

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Leave Color Up To Chance!

This color combination is not one that I intuitively would have put together!  What I find in my art is that I tend to be drawn to certain colors over and over again.  When I look at other people's art I see wonderful color combinations and it makes me question why I don't stretch out of my color comfort zone.  So, this time, I left color up to chance!  I took out my Color Coach and closed my eyes and randomly selected a page.  When I opened my eyes, Cajun Craze was staring up at me!  I turned the card over and there were 2 combinations to choose from - I chose Perfect Plum, Always Artichoke and Cajun Craze.  This is the result!
I stamped the medallion stamp with versamark and Perfect Plum ink and then heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  I then took some images from the Vintage Vogue stamp set and stamped them at half strength on the front and back of the booklet.  The Always Artichoke card stock was run through the Big Shot with an embossing folder and then sponged with Always Artichoke ink.  I then tore the card stock and sewed it to the cover.  The Perfect Plum card stock strip was run through the crimper multiple times in multiple directions and then sewed to the cover as well.  I was committed to adding this crocheted doily to the front, so I sewed it on and then added a small button with a glue dot.  The torn piece of muslin was stamped with the Calendar Alphabet in Perfect Plum ink.  I hope you like it!  Why not try leaving color up to chance?! :)

Nature Walk Sewn Booklet

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Decide Whether It's Worth Getting Upset Over

I have to admit that at times I have not been the best business traveler.  There were days when being informed of a delayed or canceled flight would send me over the edge!  Well, I had my chance to challenge my emotions this past Friday.  I was flying back to Denver from Arkansas, via Houston (since there were no direct flights) and when I arrived at the airport in Arkansas I was informed that the flight was delayed and there was a very good chance that I would not be making my connection and would be spending the night in Houston.  Now mind you, spending the night at a hotel near the Houston airport was the last thing I wanted to do.  However, I made a choice in that moment that it just was not worth getting upset over.  I had the agent check to see if there were any other routes home that evening and I was conscious to remain calm and kind.  There were no other options, so I just rolled with it.  I got on my delayed flight once it finally arrived and I didn't get my panties in a bunch (don't you just love that expression?!).  Are you ready for the good news????  I ran like Forrest Gump through the Houston Airport and actually made the connection since the continuing flight was slightly delayed since they had to wait for the flight attendants!!!!!!  Maybe that was the Universe rewarding me for choosing not to get upset over it and just go with it :)
I am quite addicted to making these little books right now.  If you are not into little notebooks, you can, of course, adjust the idea for a card front.  I used a combination of stamps from Nature Walk, Bliss, Well Worn and Fundamental Phrases.  I added some sewing and a bit of fabric, string and beads.  I focused on using the following colors:  Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip, Marina Mist and Basic Black.   I hope you like it! :)