Attitude of Gratitude

It's my last week at the guest designer with Crafty Meraki, and the theme for this week was Thank You.  I'm a pro at thank you notes as they seem to be the  most frequently produced in my craft room.  I wanted to stray a bit from the holiday theme that I've been working with the past few weeks and I made a card with an earthy color palette to wrap up the month, featuring a fun technique to stretch my supplies--I dry embossed with a hot foil plate!

So here's the lesson plan:

1.  Head to the Crafty Meraki blog to see the creation of the card :)

Product Line Up:

• Crafty Meraki June Meraki Floral Dies
• Crafty Meraki Marrakech Hot Foil Plate
• Crafty Meraki Gilded Greetings Stamps
• Crafty Meraki Gilded Greetings Die

The above products can be found HERE, which is an affiliate link to the Crafty Meraki shop.  Affiliate links just help me fund this hobby at no additional cost to you and create more lesson plans and creativity for all of you--I appreciate your support! 

Class dismissed!

Two for One Christmas Tags!

Welcome class!

I'm here with another project for Crafty Meraki!  This week's theme was tags, and I had a great idea to use their Merry Slimline Tag dies along with their EAP Festive Floral Wreath suite of products to make the first of my holiday tags.  Their EAP products make things so simple!  I'm looking forward to making some of my Christmas cards next year using some of these products.

So here's the lesson plan:

1.  Head to the Crafty Meraki blog to see the creation of the card :)

Product Line Up:

• Crafty Meraki EAP Festive Flora Wreath Paper
• Crafty Meraki EAP Festive Flora Coordinating Die
• Crafty Meraki Merry Slimline Tag Die

The above products can be found HERE, which is an affiliate link to the Crafty Meraki shop.  Affiliate links just help me fund this hobby at no additional cost to you and create more lesson plans and creativity for all of you--I appreciate your support! 

Class dismissed!

Lil' Foxy Christmas

Welcome class!  

Happy Friday!  Today's card is a simple watercolor card using Karin markers as well as the Snow Buddies stamp set from the Festive Fun release at Simon Says Stamp! I'm not a watercolorer, but I'm enjoying having the chance to play with my Karin markers with these images and trying out a few different techniques.  A little stenciling in the background helps to give the dimension I wanted for this card. Let's get to it!

So here's the lesson plan:

1.  Pick your colors.  I'm using some Tim Holtz Watercolor paper with this, mounted on some black cardstock with a white base.  That image needs to do the coloring.

2.  Color the things!  I scribbled my markers on top of my glass mat and used a wet brush to give basic color to the image, then I went back with the marker directly to the paper with the wet brush to spread the ink around.  On the package, I colored the entire thing light green, and then just colored the stripes with a dark green marker.  I used a pale blue to provide some shading to the base in the snow.  Stencil the things!  I used some white texture paste from Michaels with the Falling Snow stencil on the top of the panel. Emboss the things!  White emboss a sentiment from the Snow Buddies on black cardstock. 

3.  Assemble!  Add some Starshine embellishments, tie the sentiment on with natural twine and it's a card!

Product Line Up:

• Simon Says Stamp Snow Buddies Stamp Set
  
• Simon Says Stamp Falling Snow Stencil
• Tim Holtz Watercolor Panels
• Simon Says Stamp So Very Black Cardstock
• Simon Says Stamp Embossing Ink
• Simon Says Stamp White Embossing Powder
• Simon Says Stamp Starshine Embellishment Mix
• May Arts Natural Twine

The above links are affiliate links, which just helps me fund this hobby at no additional cost to you and create more lesson plans and fuel creativity--I appreciate your support!

Class dismissed! 

 

Merry Alcohol Ink Christmas!

Welcome class!

Another deep dive into my alcohol ink backgrounds stash for this pretty simple Christmas card using the new Reeded Ornament at Simon Says Stamp.  I had a full sheet of purple-pink alcohol ink which I rationed like a hiker rations food on Everest to pull this card off--LOL!  Let's get to it!

So here's the lesson plan:

1.  Pick your colors.  That pink purple alcohol ink piece drove this project, and I wanted them to stick out on the background so I went with So Very Black Cardstock from Simon Says Stamp. 

2.  Emboss the things! I didn't need to do this, but I liked the texture the Wonky Concentric Circles background stamp had on the background embossed in clear ink.  Die cut the things!  I cut the ornaments with the Reeded Ornament Die, and the tops with matte silver cardstock. 

3.  Assemble! I used a lot of foam tape on this one, and trimmed the edges of the ornaments that hung off the sides. A simple sentiment using the CZ Reverse Typed Christmas sentiments fit the bill perfectly!

Product Line Up:

• Simon Says Stamp Reeded Ornament Die
  
• Simon Says Stamp Wonky Concentric Circles Background Stamp
• Simon Says Stamp Matte Silver Cardstock
• Simon Says Stamp So Very Black Cardstock
• Simon Says Stamp Clear Embossing Powder
• Simon Says Stamp Embossing Ink
• Simon Says Stamp CZ Designs Reverse Typed Christmas Sentiment Strips

The above links are affiliate links, which just helps me fund this hobby at no additional cost to you and create more lesson plans and fuel creativity--I appreciate your support!

Class dismissed! 
 

Use Those Scraps + Alcohol Ink Techniques

Welcome class!

Here on this Monday morning with a super, super simple card that you can make...and use up some scraps that you may have in your stash.  I don't know about you, but I have a bin in an IKEA cart next to my desk that has all sorts of too-bit-to-recycle scraps of stenciled papers, as well as my alcohol ink background stash.  See, my husband is less than a fan of the off gassing of alcohol inks (even though I don't use them in the house). When he goes out of town, I set up shop in my garage and make dozens of backgrounds and put them in the bin for when inspiration strikes to use them.  My stash is actually getting kind of small, which is why I just have this one small scrap of green to use on this card for one of my favorite techniques--embossing, then sanding!  Let's get to it!

So here's the lesson plan:

1.  Pick your colors.  Because I wanted the alcohol ink strip to do the talking, I kept the background simple white with  black sentiments. 

2.  Emboss the things!  I use the Fluted Forest Decor embossing folder from Simon Says Stamp's Festive Fun release. Sand the things!  Take a sanding block and lightly go over your embossed image so that it's lighter on the top, giving it more dimension and helping the design stick out on the embossed background. 

Die cut the things!  I used the CZ Simple Peace die with glossy black cardstock.  Emboss (more) things!  I used a sub sentiment from the Holiday Messages stamp set.

3.  Assemble!  A little foam tape and some Prism Pawsitively Dazzling Gems and it's a super simple card using some scraps (and it's a layout that is a go-to often in these parts!)

Product Line Up:

• Simon Says Stamp CZ Simple Peace Wafer Die
• Simon Says Stamp Fluted Forest Decor Embossing Folder
• Simon Says Stamp Holiday Messages Stamp Set
• Simon Says Stamp Glossy Black Cardstock
• Simon Says Stamp Prism Pawsitively Dazzling Gems
• Simon Says Stamp Clear Embossing Powder
• Simon Says Stamp Nocturne Black VersaFine Clair Ink Pad

The above links are affiliate links, which just helps me fund this hobby at no additional cost to you and create more lesson plans and fuel creativity--I appreciate your support!

Class dismissed! 

Rainbow Birthday Celebration!

Welcome class!

It's another Saturday installment of Crafty Meraki goodness!  Did you have a chance to check out their new release this week?  My card today is not a part of that new release but it's a creative use of some of their older products.  The theme for the week is celebrations, and with a 16th birthday that happened this week, I used the opportunity to make a birthday card for my niece!  The gift boxes are from the Spruce Up Layering Tree die set...those presents can be other places than under a tree!  I got to work with my Pinkfresh ink cubes and made a rainbow of the presents as I cut them all out of white cardstock and got blending. I went glam and use some of my holographic cardstock for the bows and placed it all on some Oh So Black Cardstock from Simon Says Stamp.  For the sentiment, I reached for my Gilded Greetings stamps from Crafty Meraki, which are super convenient--you can cut SOOOOOO many sentiments at one time!  I grabbed the Happy Birthday sentiment and placed it on a vellum circle.  A few sequins later and we have a card!

So here's the lesson plan:

1.  Head to the Crafty Meraki blog to see the creation of the card :)

Product Line Up:

• Crafty Meraki Spruce Up Layered Tree Die
• Crafty Meraki Gilded Greetings Stamps
• Crafty Meraki Gilded Greetings Die

The above products can be found HERE, which is an affiliate link to the Crafty Meraki shop.  Affiliate links just help me fund this hobby at no additional cost to you and create more lesson plans and creativity for all of you--I appreciate your support! 

Class dismissed!

Thanks and Gratitude

Welcome class!

I love love love how this card turned out and I'm happy to be sharing it with you.  One of my favorite things to do when designing cards for Simon Says Stamp is to combine products from many different releases, which is what I did here! I also made sure to include several little techniques that I see designers use all the time but never think to include myself that really made this card pop.

So here's the lesson plan:

1.  Pick your colors.  I went with the Blue Lagoon Pawsitively Saturated Ink Cubes, and wanted to complement them with the Purple Fields set as well.

2.  Emboss the things!  I embossed the Thank You text background with clear embossing powder using the VersaFine Nocturne ink.  Stencil the things!  I used Picket Fence Studios Pint Sized Paper Pouncers to stencil the Stems and Leaves on top of the embossed background.  Die cut the things!  I cut out several blooms from the Aurora Blooms die set from white cardstock and ink blended on top.  I also ink blended on top of the thanks sentiment in a gradient of green.

3.  Assemble!  I tore a strip off of the right edge of the stenciled layer and cut off half of the front of the card base so that there was a torn edge on the front of the card but a full size base.  I also used Copic markers to add accents to my ink blended die cuts.  The only piece of the Festive Fun release that I used her was the gratitude sentiment strip!  

Product Line Up:

• Simon Says Stamp CZ Designs Simple Thanks Wafer Die
• Simon Says Stamp Gratitude Sentiment Strips
• Simon Says Stamp Stems and Leaves Stencil
• Simon Says Stamp Thank You Text Background Stamp
• Simon Says Stamp Aurora Blooms Wafer Dies
• Simon Says Stamp Pawsitively Saturated Inks:  Blue Lagoon
• Simon Says Stamp Pawsitively Saturated Inks:  Purple Fields
• Simon Says Stamp Clear Embossing Powder
• Simon Says Stamp Nocturne Black VersaFine Clair Ink Pad
• Picket Fence Studios Pint Size Paper Pouncers

The above links are affiliate links, which just helps me fund this hobby at no additional cost to you and create more lesson plans and fuel creativity--I appreciate your support!

Class dismissed! 

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

Welcome class!

I'm here with another card featuring the adorable Oliver the Snowman die from Simon Says Stamp's Festive Fun release!  I can't get enough of using it, and I'm so glad he's got a papa Snowman in Arthur the Snowman....he needs to come to live in my craft space too!

So here's the lesson plan:

1.  Pick your colors. I went with a blend of the inks from the Pawsitively Saturated Ink set Blue Seas for the background, and cool greens and purples for the accent colors.

2.  Blend the things!  I blended the plain white panel that served as the base with the Blue Seas inks.  Hot foil the things!  I used my Royal Sovereign laminator with the Falling Snowflakes Acetate Foil Transfer Sheets. I had it super hot, then used some Deco Foil in Silver. Die cut the things!  I cut out Oliver, as well as the Thin Frames in Black, along with the rolling hills.

3.  Assemble!  Glue the frame on top of the acetate snowflakes.  Place the cut sentiments from the Reverse Sentiments Winter pack on top of the acetate.  Glue the acetate down to the blended layer putting the glue where the sentiments are foam taped onto the panel. Place the rolling hills (one glued to the panel, the other popped up with foam tape).  Later I went back and added some glitter strips to the bottom of the hill because it looked too plain to me.  Assemble Oliver and tuck him in the hills.  Add a few white gel pen accents because you just can't help yourself--LOL!

 Product Line Up:

• Simon Says Stamp Oliver the Snowman Wafer Die
• Simon Says Stamp Falling Snowflakes Acetate Foil Transfer Sheets
• Simon Says Stamp Pawsitively Saturated Ink:  Blue Seas
• Simon Says Stamp CZ Design Reverse Winter Sentiment Strips
• Simon Says Stamp Layered Hills Wafer Dies
• Simon Says Stamp White Glitter Cardstock
• Arteza Medium White Gel Pens

The above links are affiliate links, which just helps me fund this hobby at no additional cost to you and create more lesson plans and fuel creativity--I appreciate your support!

Class dismissed! 

Oliver the Frosty Snowman!

Welcome class!

I'm here with a card using products from Simon Says Stamp and the new Festive Fun release that went live this week!  I am featuring the new Oliver the Snowman die with a rainbow of hats and scarves to wish happy holidays in a snowball background.  Let's get to it!

So here's the lesson plan:

1.  Pick your colors.  I went with my good friend Roy G. Biv here and had a rainbow theme, with some white glitter paper in the background to give sparkly new snowfall vibes.

2.  Die cut the things.  Gotta admit I used a lot of scraps to get these snowmen ready to go.  I also used white glitter paper cut out in different sized circles for the background.

3.  Assemble!  I put some white gel pen accents on the hats and scarves for detail, and used a sentiment from the Winter Reverse Sentiment pack.  This one was easy peasy, but looks super cute!

 Product Line Up:

• Simon Says Stamp Oliver the Snowman Wafer Die
• Simon Says Stamp Winter Reverse Sentiment Strips
• Simon Says Stamp White Glitter Cardstock
• Arteza Medium White Gel Pens

The above links are affiliate links, which just helps me fund this hobby at no additional cost to you and create more lesson plans and creativity for all of you--I appreciate your support!

Class dismissed!

Get Creative With Your Dies!

Welcome class!

I'm here with another card as the guest designer for Crafty Meraki this month.  The challenge for the week was to use stamps, which had me in a bit of a pickle because I only have sentiment stamps.  So I put my thinking cap on and found some old craft foam in a drawer and made my own stamps using the Merry Tag die set and that big chunky Merry die....which made a perfect stamp!  It turned out all graphic and grunge, which is just the vibe I was going for.  A simple gold sentiment with a coordinating burgundy Christmas for contrast and we have another card for the Christmas stash. 

So here's the lesson plan:

1.  Head to the Crafty Meraki blog to see the entire step by step creation of the card :)

Product Line Up:

• Crafty Meraki Spruce Up Layered Tree Die
• Crafty Meraki Jolly Holly Hot Foil Plate
• Crafty Meraki EAP--Gilded Holiday Greetings
• Crafty Meraki Gilded Holiday Greetings Coordinating Die
• Crafty Meraki Sparkle Red Rhinestones

The above products can be found HERE, which is an affiliate link to the Crafty Meraki shop.  Affiliate links just help me fund this hobby at no additional cost to you and create more lesson plans and creativity for all of you--I appreciate your support! 

Class dismissed!

 

Gilded Happy Holidays

Welcome class!

I'm happy to be joining the Crafty Meraki team for the month to share some inspiration with you!  I don't know about you, but I like to get a head start on my holiday cards and not be panicking at the last minute to send them all out.  I've made the bulk of my cards for this year already over the summer, but I saved a batch to make for my guest spot this month!

So here's the lesson plan:

1.  Head to the Crafty Meraki blog to see the entire step by step creation of the card :)

Product Line Up:

• Crafty Meraki Spruce Up Layered Tree Die
• Crafty Meraki Jolly Holly Hot Foil Plate
• Crafty Meraki EAP--Gilded Holiday Greetings
• Crafty Meraki Gilded Holiday Greetings Coordinating Die
• Crafty Meraki Sparkle Red Rhinestones

The above products can be found HERE, which is an affiliate link to the Crafty Meraki shop.  Affiliate links just help me fund this hobby at no additional cost to you and create more lesson plans and creativity for all of you--I appreciate your support!