Faux Petina Technique

I learned this great technique and just had to share it with you! It is so gorgeous! I love the different colors blended together...

 ...and the flecks of gold kissing the embossed details. How elegant! So, how do you create the Faux Petina look?

 First ink up your brayer with Crumb Cake ink, then roll it onto the upper half (the side with the logo on it) of your Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder. If you don't have a brayer (like me!), you can just rub and pat your ink pad directly onto your folder.

Then put your Whisper White or Very Vanilla card stock inside and run it through your Big Shot. Don't worry about your embossing folder, it comes completely clean with just a quick rinse. Even if you leave the ink on for a few days (like somebody you know *cough cough*).

Next, you sponge Marina Mist over the whole thing (it will look more blue than it does in the pic)......

 then lightly with Early Espresso. That last round of sponging really transforms it!

 The last step is the heat embossing. Take your Versamark pad and VERY lightly brush it over your beautiful card stock. Sprinkle your gold embossing powder on it (I brush off the excess, or spots that shouldn't have it, with a paintbrush), then heat set with your Heat Tool.

There is your beautiful Faux Petina! To see the blog I learned this from, or to see more colors used, click here! On the completed card I use the ever wonderful From My Heart set, Labels Collection Framelits Dies, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Aqua Painter, Pearls Jewels, Very Vanilla 1/2" Seam Binding Ribbon, Early Espresso Card Stock & Raspberry Ripple Ink in addition to the needed items used in the technique.

Thanks for stopping by & Happy Stamping!

New Strater Kit for a new Stampin' Up! year

How exciting! A new Starter Kit. If you thought the last one was great, wait till you hear about this one!

With a price of just $99, the new, completely customizable Starter Kit can be as unique as your own creativity! It’s the perfect way to get your business off to a great start—your way. The new Starter Kit comes with:
· Up to $125 worth of exclusive Stampin’ Up! products that YOU choose
· A business supplies pack (valued a t $65)
The total kit is valued up to $190, but the Stampin’ Up! opportunity can be priceless!
You can look at the business supplies pack, a suggestion of products, the career plan and what it means to be a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator here.
Contact me for more information or for help ordering your kit!

Last Chance Retiring Stamps List is HERE!

As we get closer to the new catalog (coming out June 1st!) we remember that we will have to say goodbye to some of or favorite sets. FOREVER! *sob!* I have the list of those sets for you to take a look at and order before they are gone. But you have to hurry, they are only available until May 31st! If you want to see them in action, contact me and we'll set up a time for you and your friends to play with these sets before they leave us forever.

Card Class Results!

We had another great card class this month! I always enjoy the classes, having other stampers come over and the conversations. Not to mention the cards we make! This month we focused on birthdays. Here are the finished cards.

This one uses two of our Sale-A-Bration items, the Everyday Enchantment DSP and Elementary Elegance stamp set.

I love the Twitterpated DSP we used on this one! We also used the Happiest Birthday set.

Yellow and blue has been my favorite combo lately, so we did this one with Daffodil Delight and Night of Navy. The stamp set is Vintage Vogue.

Soft and subtle was to feel of this card. This one also uses a Sale-A-Bration stamp set, Fresh Vintage.

Message Board Madness!

 

I'm offering a special class! 

I saw this and had to have one of my own. So, I thought I'd share my awesome find with you! They are great as a functional addition to your home, or as a gift for someone you love. There are plenty of choices of fabric, so look at the selection below! The fee includes the fabric (the whole package of all three designs!), ribbon, brads and everything else you will need to create your own message board. When you sign-up, contact me with your name and fabric choice.

Date:  Sat. March 10
Time: 2:00 - 4:00 pm
Place: 6501 Los Rios Dr, Mesquite 75150
Cost: $30.00 (due by Feb 29)
Includes: Designer fabric of your choice
5 yards coordinating ribbon
Brads
Board
Sign-up Deadline: February 29 by 11:59pm 

Click the "Buy Now" button to purchase online!

Beau Chateau with Soft Suede 3/8" Taffeta Ribbon

Candy Cane Christmas with Real Red 5/8" ribbon

Deck the Halls with Cherry Cobbler 1/2" Seam Binding

Flirtatious with Whisper White 5/8" Satin Ribbon

Spice Cake with Soft Suede 3/8" Taffeta Ribbon

Sweet Stitches with Chocolate Chip 5/8" Satin Ribbon

Springtime Vintage with Rose Red 1/2" Seam Binding

Twitterpated with Riding Hood Red 3/8" Taffeta Ribbon

Timeless Portrait with Cherry Cobbler 1/2" Seam Binding

 

Stamp on!

Every now and then you just run out of creative juices. That happens, it's normal. I do. When that does happen, look for inspiration in magazines, websites, books, blogs and even things like clothes. What ever you do, don't stop creating! Maybe switch to a different craft for a few days to restock the creative stores of your crafting true love. In my case, I'll switch from stamping to sewing, then back to stamping. But, I don't stop. So stamp on!

Happy Valentine's Day

It's Valentine's day.  The day we like to express our love to one another.  We spend tons of money buying things like cards, flowers and gifts for each other.  Well, this year, I made those things for my lovies.  Okay, I haven't made flowers for them, but there is still time for that!  Here are some of the cards that we made at Stamp-a-Stack and at a private class. I love them and couldn't wait to give the ones I made to my family!

The Starter Kit is on SALE!!

Right now, through March 31, both Starter Kits are on sale!  They are just $125 plus tax, but shipping is FREE! Here are some of the details about the kits:

The Standard Kit:
Contains everything you need to get started; stamp sets, ink, card stock, technique tools and business supplies (just to name a few).  The best part about this kit is that it's customizable, if you want different colors of card stock, change it!  A different stamp set catches your eye, trade out for that one!  As long they cost the same or less, the possibilities are end less.  All of the goodies in this kit come to a total value of more than $345, so at just $125, that's over 60% off!

The Digital+ Kit:
Comes with the My Digital Studio software, stamp sets, ink, card stock, and business supplies. You'll be ready to start creating digitally in no time! This kit can be customized as well. Everything in this comes to a total value of over $340, it's over 60% off, too!

What a steal!  There are additional add on packages you can purchase if you want, they are at a discount as well.  And if that wasn't enough for you, for every month left of 2012 after you buy the kit, you will receive a FREE pack of Designer Series Paper (DSP) or Digital download with your fist demonstrator order of the month!  The DSP starts at $10.95 a pack! You do the math on what you can save through this AWESOME sale!
Go to Join My Demonstrator Group page or my website to learn how you can take advantage of this great deal!

Design cards, scrapbooks and more with My Digital Studio Express for FREE!

If you enjoy creating items on your computer, then you will love this! Stampin' Up! will offer a 30-day My Digital Studio Express trial version beginning February 1, that you can take advantage of. The best part is this is an ongoing offer!

With the FREE trial, you'll get:

•Full access to the software at NO COST.

•Full design functionality.

•Exclusive artwork that comes with My Digital Studio Express.

•Opportunity to purchase additional downloads from designer templates to stamp brush sets--and everything in between.

•Access to our professional print services.

You can download it from my website.

If you don't already have the My Digital Studio software, make sure to take advantage of the free trial!!  Tell your friends!

Here is one of the things I made just last night:

Style

Trying to define your style is difficult.  Defining your style isn't essential for being a crafter, it can help you pinpoint what you like though.  I looked at several websites and took some quizzes to try and figure mine out.  In home design they call it Polished Casual: clean lines, simple patterns and subtle color, all of it is comfortable, though.  In fashion it's called Classic Chic: timeless yet sophisticated, elegant and clean, appropriate for each setting or occasion.  And it sounded absolutely like me!  However, I couldn't find a quiz to define your crafting style.  So, I figure my craft style must be along the same lines as your fashion and home style. I looked at my craft room, and what did I see?  Clean lines, timeless furniture, simple patterns in certain areas. The color is quite bold, but it's calming at the same time.  I think I'll call my crafting style Casual Chic then.  Yes, I like the sound of that.

I'm Back!

I'm back after the holidays!
  Getting ready for Christmas took a lot of hard, but fun, work! I made all of our Christmas cards and almost 20 gifts. I was quite pleased with how everything turned out, and everyone else seemed to like them, too. Then it was time to get ready for the Rubber Stamp and Scrapbook Show. Boy was that fun! I met a lot of great stampers there and am looking forward to getting to know some of them better.

 Now, I'm ramping up for Sale-A-Bration! It's going to be awesome! Here is a card I made with some of the free items I earned from the SAB brouchure:

 

I just love that Designer Series Paper, it coordinates with two of the stamp sets from the brochure (and I have both of them!). We'll be making this at some of the workshops I'm demonstrating at. If you want to make one, let me know!