Northwest Stamper

Tag: witches brew

  • Tags 4 You Card Gift Set

    Well, it is my turn again to be the guest blogger over on the Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration blog and I’ll admit I was totally stumped on what I could post that would be a neat idea that was also more than just some random card.  But as I looked hopelessly around my craft room for absolutely any idea to work from, I saw my Tags 4 You stamp set…. and then it hit me!

    I’ve always been a big fan of stamp sets that have coordinating punches.

    I’m an even bigger fan when the stamps in the stamp set are generally the same size because that means you can trade images in and out on your cards for lots of variety.  So, I thought, why not do that for this?

    Here’s the general idea:

    • 1 card design
    • 1 stamp set
    • 1 coordinating punch
    • 4 different patterns of paper
    • ==== 1 Card Gift Set with 4 Unique Cards!

    Once you have that first design, you can just keep whipping out card after card after card and still keep them all unique and with their own bit of pizzazz.  So, here is what I came up with for my set:Tags 4 You Card Gift Set

    So, just in case you can’t tell from the picture above, the stamp set includes sentiments for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day.

    Tags 4 You Bundle

    Tags 4 You Bundle – #133294
    (ps – get the bundle and save 15% on both the punch & stamp set!)

    I got started by designing one layout using the Tags 4 You stamp set and the coordinating Bracket Label punch.  Ok, actually I started out by embossing each of the sentiments in different colors of cardstock and embossing powder…. then I started trying to figure out what the heck I was going to do with them. 🙂
    But I liked the idea of the “peek-a-boo” cards where you have a patterned paper that peeks through punched holes in a cardstock layer.  So, that is what I started with…

    Tags 4 You Valentine's Day Card

    However, once I had my two bracket punches punched out, it looked like too much pattern paper showing through, so I knew I had to do something different.  So, I took one of the punched out bracket punches and cut it in half and overlapped each half on the right and left sides of the Vanilla cardstock layer… check out the picture below to see what I mean.

    Using the Label Bracket Punch for a border

     

    Then to break up the Very Vanilla plain layer, I grabbed my Basic Black marker, ruler, and my Grid Paper and drew a border.  Add my embossed layer and done!

    Take that same design and stamp set and just switch out the colors and design paper and you have a fun set of 4 cards ready to go in no time!

    Halloween & Thanksgiving Cards

    Tags 4 You Halloween & Thanksgiving Card

    Halloween Card Supplies:
    Pumpkin Pie & Basic Black cardstock, Black Embossing Powder, Witches Brew designer paper

    Thanksgiving Card Supplies:
    Crushed Curry & Chocolate Chip cardstock, Early Espresso Embossing Powder, Sweater Weather designer paper

    Christmas & Valentine’s Day Cards

    Tags 4 You Christmas & Valentine's Day Card

    Christmas Card Supplies:
    Gumball Green cardstock, Gold Embossing Powder, Season of Style designer paper

    Thanksgiving Card Supplies:
    Real Red & Basic Black cardstock, White Embossing Powder, Polka Dot Parade designer paper

     

    So, grab a stamp set and give it a try.  It is a great way to build up your stash of cards in no time!

    Thursday Flash Sale!  It’s All PUNCHES!! Woo hoo!

    Stampin up thank you sale 10-17-2013

    Just a reminder that today is Thursday and so there is a new One-Day-Only sale!

    That is right, get any (or all) of the following punches in my online store for 25% off:

    • Artisan Label
    • Bitty Butterfly
    • Mosaic
    • Hexagon
    • Pansy

    If you want one or more but need to save a bit on shipping, let me know by emailing jennifer@nwstamper.com and I’ll be putting in a group order by 10pm PST!

    See today’s great deals and fab samples here

    And if you missed the NEW weekly deals, get the full scoop here – 10/15 to 10/21 Weekly Deals

     

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  • Fun and Funky Card–Can You Guess the Paper?

    So, earlier this week, I had planned to create a card for the Card Sketch challenge over at Stylin Stampin Inkspiration.  I had great intentions…. but then life happened and I didn’t get it finished until now. 

    But I wanted to send a card to a fabulous lady who just joined my Fun n’ Crafty Stampin’ Up! demo group (got to love that $25 starter kit promotion), so it was the perfect kick to get moving on this card.  Plus, I had such a fun time coming up with it, that I had to share!

    This is the sketch I was following:  October Card Sketch

    I originally thought I was going to do a Halloween card, and so I started pulling papers and patterns…. but then this came out:

    Turns out I was so drawn to the funky Black & White chevron pattern that I started designing the card around it!

    So, here is the fun part…. Can you guess the designer paper I used for this card?

    Would you believe me if I told you it was the latest Halloween paper from Stampin’ Up?  Hee Hee!  That is right, I totally designed this card around Halloween paper and it looks nothing like Halloween to me!  I love when I can do that with a themed or holiday paper pack. 

    But yes, the Chevron patterns and the Summer Starfruit pattern both come from this Halloween Pack:

    image

    Witches Brew designer paper

    The black and white paper is the pattern behind the “monster munchies” pattern.  The yellow pattern is the one on the right behind the patterned black paper. 

    The rest of the card came together with little bits here and there.  Like the doily that I cut off two ends so that it is squat and just peeks out from behind the sentiment.  Plus the happy sentiment in Bermuda Bay to mix things up a bit.

    Stampin’ Up! Card Supplies
    Stamps – Yippee Skippee
    Ink – Bermuda Bay
    Paper – Summer Starfruit, Bermuda Bay, Basic Black, Very Vanilla, Witches Brew designer paper
    Accessories – Tea Lace Doilies, Neutrals Candy Dots

    And if you are looking for more traditional Halloween ideas using this designer paper, stop back by the blog later this week because let me tell you – I’ve been having a BLAST with this pattern paper (I swear I didn’t know what to do with it when I first got it, but I’ve changed that tune this week!)

     

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  • Getting Out of a Crafting Slump w/ a Holiday Catalog Hop!

    I know me, and once I let life overwhelm me and I set my crafting aside because I’m busy trying to deal with the house, family, etc; I find myself getting into a crafting slump.  You know, that time when you look at your craft supplies, get so excited to create something cute (or find yourself needing that last minute birthday card) and you sit down at your table….. and just stare at your supplies.

    That was me.  I saw so many great ideas at convention, had some cool topics for blog posts, but was having the hardest time finding the mojo to get started.

    But – that is why I said YES! when I was invited to join the Stylin’ Stampin’ Squad and their monthly blog hops.  Because I know me and to get me out of my slump, I needed a theme to focus on and a deadline that I had to get it done by. Smile  And it worked for me!  I sat down with a few ideas, started pulling out some paper and by the time I was done with my first card I had ideas for a few more and couldn’t wait to have time to play more!

    August Blog Hop – Holiday Catalog Projects

    Card 1 – A Stenciled Halloween

    When I first checked out the Holiday Catalog, I wasn’t too excited by the Build-a-Banner kits.  But then I saw all the fun projects created with them at convention and I had a major change of heart.  I love the banners and can’t wait to make my first one, but I was even MORE excited by the stencils!  I know, I know, there isn’t anything new about stencils, but –hey- they are new to me! Smile 

    And for my first attempt with them, I figured why not try to do some heat embossing while I’m at it?  I don’t own any current halloween stamps but I loved the fact that I could still do spooky without even needing a stamp at all!

    So to make the “boo” on my cardfront, I tapped and smeared VersaMark ink over the stenciled opening (starting with the “b”) and quickly picked up the stencil, sprinkled white embossing powder, and heated with my heat gun.  Then repeat for each letter as you go through the word.

     how to heat emboss with stencils

    The rest of the card came together quickly as well because I used the new Witches Brew designer paper which had those cool orange spiders in the perfect spacing for me.  Sponge the edge with some White craft ink and layer over a Basic Gray cardbase and you are done! 

    Card 2 – Bow Tie Celebration!

    But one card just wasn’t enough for me.  I told you, when I was done I had more ideas I wanted to play with.  Well, this next card was using the new Gift Bow Bigz Die.  I had seen a card by Ronda Wade that had a more flat looking bow and I wanted to try to create one myself.  Ta-da!

    The neat thing about this bow is that all the pieces for it is cut out of 1-sheet of designer paper from the new Season of Style designer series stack (you know, those paper stacks that are 4.5” x 6.5”?)

    See, check it out

    gift bow cut outs

    Then all you have to do is cut that top die cut shape in half to make your two flat bow “loops”.  I found that if you lined up a flat edge at 2” you will cut straight down the middle too.

    cutting to make a flat bow

     

    I glued my bow together with sticky strip and Stampin’ Dimensionals and adhered it over some of the new Burlap Ribbon.  Finally, I stamped my sentiment from Seasonal Sayings but thought it needed some extra pop so I coated it with Crystal Effects.  Makes it feel more like a celebration to me. Smile 

    And with that, I even created one more card for tomorrow’s blog post and I’m back in the groove!

    So if you are in a mojo slump, here is my challenge to you!

    1. Visit the incredibly talented stampers participating in this month’s blog hop (see the full list below)
    2. Find 30 minutes this week and head to your craft room
    3. Pick an item you were excited to purchase, but haven’t even used it yet! 
    4. Create something, anything, even if you have no idea what to make, start cutting and stamping using the item you picked.  Copy a project you’ve seen on the hop or visit one of the many great challenge blogs and inspiration blogs out there to help get you started if you need it.
    5. Finish and share your project by 8/16! 
      Show it to a friend, post it on Facebook, or come back and leave a comment that you’ve completed the challenge and share it with me!  Feel free to link to your project too so we can see what creative project you’ve created.

    Ready to be inspired?

    Check out all of the great talent in this month’s line up!

    Blog Hop Participants:

    Enjoy and have fun creating!

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