Four Ways Friday #39 - Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslit

This week's Four Ways Friday is all about the Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslit!

For this first 3"x3" card I began with a piece of glossy white card stock.  I then took a piece of freezer paper and added some drops of pink pirouette, melon mambo and rose red reinker.  I folded the freezer paper in half and smooshed the ink together and then opened up the freezer paper.  I then placed the glossy white card stock into the ink on the freezer paper.  Once I lifted it out, I stamped the glossy card stock with the uninked floral image from the Bliss stamp set.  I allowed it to dry and then ran the card stock through the Big Shot with the embosslit.  To finish the heart, I took a sanding block and sanded to raised dots to remove the ink.  I took a 3"x6" piece of Regal Rose card stock and folded it in half and then sewed a piece of Baja Breeze card stock to the card base.  I did some random sewing and then sewed the heart to the card.  Finally I stamped the words from Fabulous Phrases using Early Espresso ink.

This embosslit heart also makes a great letter!  Here I let it stand in for the letter "O" in "love."  I created the heart in the same way as the first card, but this time I stamped a bit in Baja Breeze using the floral image from the Bliss stamp set.  I stamped the other letters onto Whisper White card stock using Rose Red ink and the Lovely Letters stamp set.  I sponged the letters with River Rock ink and then used crystal effects to add some baja breeze glass glitter to the edges.  I began with a River Rock card base and then added a layer of Regal Rose.  I then took a piece of Baja Breeze card stock and ran it through the Big Shot with the Elegant Lines embossing folder.  Before adhering the Baja Breeze layer to the card base, I added a piece of Baja Breeze seam binding (which I crumpled up in my hands before tying to the card).  A small piece of Marina Mist ribbon adds a bit more color.  I adhered the heart to the card using dimensionals and used mono adhesive to attach the other letters.

Don't forget that when you cut out the heart you are left with a piece of card stock that can act as a stencil!  Here I used the "waste" from cutting out the heart for my first card as a stencil.  I taped the "stencil" down, using removable tape, and sponged with Pink Pirouette ink.  I then stamped over it with the floral stamp from Elements of Style using Early Espresso ink.  I removed the stencil and then used the same sizzlit to punch through a piece of scrap paper to create a mask that I adhered over the sponged heart using removable tape.  I then stamped the entire piece of Very Vanilla card stock with the En Francais background stamp and River Rock ink.  Then came the distressing and crumpling...my favorite part!!!!!  I adhered this panel to a piece of Soft Suede card stock.  I then punched a small strip of Soft Suede using the scallop trim border punch and added it to the card.  I also sewed a piece of Victoria lace to the card.  I then stamped "forever" from the Fabulous Phrases stamp set in Soft Suede and stamped over it with the Bliss floral stamp at half strength with Soft Suede and Pink Pirouette ink.  I punched it out using the Curly Label extra-large punch and sponged the edges.  I adhered it to the card with dimensionals and added a few pearls.  I then stamped the key from Artistic Etchings in versamark and heat-embossed with silver embossing powder.  I cut out the key and added a touch of linen thread and attached the key using 1/2 a dimensional.  The baja breeze panel was run through the Big Shot with the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder and the layers were adhered to a Pink Pirouette card base.

Of course, I couldn't let the stencil go to waste!  I decided to use it on my final card.  Here I used the stencil to first sponge a Pink Pirouette heart onto the Pink Pirouette card base.  I then took the stencil off the card and brought it to the sewing machine to do some decorative sewing on the edges of the stencil and on the bottom of the card.  I then adhered the stencil to the card using dimensionals.  Finally, I took a small strip of Whisper White card stock and stamped the word "beautiful" from Fabulous Phrases using Rose Red ink.  I was able to slip the strip underneath the stencil and adhere it with a dimensional in the center.  I cut the ends to make it look like a banner!
I hope you've enjoyed this week's Four Ways Friday and I hope you have a beautiful and creative weekend!!!!!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  It All Begins With A Single Spark!

Today's card began with a single spark - a simple idea - I wanted to use the Contempo Alphabet to create a background.  That was the only thought I had and I had no idea where things would go from there, but I sat down and pulled out the Contempo Alphabet set and things just started to happen!  I stamped the letters randomly onto Whisper White using Always Artichoke ink.  I then grabbed my En Francais background stamp and stamped the card using River Rock ink.  The spritzer tool came out next and I spritzed with both Always Artichoke and River Rock.  I couldn't stop, so I sponged around the bottom and side with Always Artichoke ink.  I then sewed a torn piece of Cajun Craze to the card front.  And then...I got stuck...so I walked around, sent some emails, twiddled my thumbs and then went back to the card :)  I stamped the "happy birthday" from Bring On The Cake onto Whisper White pieces with Always Artichoke ink.  I also stamped the "a little late" from the On Your Birthday stamp set.  All of these pieces were mounted onto Always Artichoke card stock and then attached to the card.  I then sewed a piece of 1 1/4" striped grosgrain ribbon to the bottom of the card and tied it with a small piece of linen thread.  Finally I added a retired designer brad.  I hope you like it!  Sometimes all you need is a single spark!

Amazing RAK & Cracked Glass Technique Bookmark!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Practice Random Acts Of Kindness (RAK)!

Isn't this bookmark AMAZING!!!!  I was delighted to open my mailbox and find a beautiful card with this gorgeous bookmark inside.  They came from my friend and artist Peggy!  How sweet is this?!  You can check out Peggy's blog HERE.  It was an amazing random act of kindness and it made my week!!!!  When was the last time you practiced a RAK?  Today would be a great day!
The bookmark also inspired me to try my hand at creating one :)  Here's the result:

Here's a picture of both the front and the back...

I began with a piece of Whisper White card stock and stamped the floral image from Elements of Style using Crumb Cake ink.  Next I stamped the bird image in Marina Mist and the greeting in Early Espresso.  I then stamped the front and back with the Linen (retired) background stamp in Baja Breeze to create some texture.  I love this background stamp!  For the back I stamped the Ephemera (retired) background stamp in Crumb Cake and then the bird and "take note" from the Notably Ornate set in Early Espresso.  I then did a bunch of sponging on the front a back with River Rock, Soft Suede and Chocolate Chip.  Finally, I sprayed the front with a mixture of champagne shimmer paint and water in a spray bottle and let it dry.  Once dry, I applied versamark to the entire front of the bookmark and added clear embossing powder (I used ultra thick embossing powder, but you can use regular clear embossing powder for a similar effect).  I heated the embossing powder and, once it had melted, I applied another layer of versamark and clear embossing powder and heated again.  I repeated this about 4 times until the melted embossing powder layer was nice and thick.  Then I placed the embossed bookmark in the freezer for a few minutes.  When I took it out, I carefully bent it to create all the "shatter"/crack marks in the embossing powder - it is such a great look!  Finally, I made a hole with my crop-a-dile, added a large eyelet and some lace and seam binding ribbon.  I hope you like it!  I really love my RAK from Peggy!!!!!!!  Thank you so much Peggy!!!!!!!

Beautiful Wings Inlaid Embossing "Thinking Of You" Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  There Will Be Free Shipping Another Time

This post is as much for myself as it is for anyone else reading this!  I have found myself drawn to "free shipping" offers and discount coupons lately, even when there is not a thing that I need!  I see the coupon and start to salivate and wonder what I'm missing!  The truth is, I'm not missing anything!  If I didn't buy a new craft supply for the next 50 years, there would still be plenty in the craft room to keep me busy!  Now don't get me wrong, I like fresh craft supplies just like anyone who is reading this post :)  It's just that I need to not "react" to each new coupon that finds its way into my mailbox or my inbox!  I need to not be enticed by these limited time offers because the truth is...there is always the next limited time offer :)  Maybe I need to look a bit deeper to try to understand the urge to keep buying more...it seems I always go back to the realization that the more time I spend shopping and buying, the less time I spend creating.  I'll keep working on this and in the meantime I'm going to ignore those darn coupons!
Today's card is a wonderful embossed inlay technique that was in the Stampin' Success magazine recently.  I ran the Beautiful Wings embosslit through the Big Shot twice - both times with Perfect Plum card stock.  I then took a piece of River Rock card stock and adhered the first layer of butterflies (not the butterflies that you see providing dimension to the card) using Tombo Mono multi adhesive.  I then stamped the greeting and ran the enter River Rock piece (butterflies and greeting on it) through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice embossing folder.  When you do this it appears that the adhered pieces are actually a part of the same piece of card stock as the River Rock - almost as if they were inlaid.  I then adhered the panel to a Perfect Plum base and then added the additional butterflies with the same adhesive to give the card a bit of "lift."  I hope you like it!

Punch Bunch "For You" Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Changing Your Perspective Changes Your View

There was a light snow the other day and when I went out for my morning walk I noticed how beautiful the branches of the evergreen trees were.  The snow had stuck to each green needle and it was gorgeous!  Buddy and I walked for quite some time and on our way back home we passed the same evergreen trees.  From our new perspective, however, things looked very different.  Facing in this new direction we were no longer able to see how gorgeous the needles were.  From this direction, everything looked a bit gray and dull.  I wonder if we can try to remember this about our own lives.  Sometimes when things feel gray and dull we need to remember that if we just change our perspective our view might very well change too!  What seems dull and gray when looked at in one way, is delightful and inspiring when seen from a different angle!
For today's card I pulled out the adorable Punch Bunch Sale-a-bration stamp set!  You can earn this set for FREE during Sale-a-bration with a $50 product order!  I started with a River Rock card base.  I then tore a piece of Soft Suede card stock and sewed a cut and frayed piece of striped grosgrain ribbon (pretty in pink) to it.  I also sewed a small piece of designer series paper (I believe this one was Nature Walk and is retired).  I then stamped the floral image from Punch Bunch a couple of times - first in Pretty In Pink ink and then in Pear Pizazz ink.  I punched out the pink version using my scallop circle punch and popped it up on the card using dimensionals.  I then used my 1 1/4" circle punch to punch out the center of the Pear Pizazz version and cut out an additional pink flower that I had stamped onto Whisper White card stock.  I used dimensionals to adhere the circle.  I then added some dazzling diamonds to the cut out flower and cut off a few of the petals and added a rhinestone jewel.  I attached the flower to the card with 1/2 a dimensional.  Finally, I sewed the entire Soft Suede panel to the front of the card.  I hope you like it!