Catching up with Clean & Simple

Due to LIFE getting in the way, I have not been doing my daily "homework" for the Clean & Simple online Card Classes, running this week and last. However I did have some time today and will try and get caught up, going backwards!
So the topic yesterday was creating your own simple embellishments.  Kristina Werner (see her blog HERE) created a simple dimensional flower by punching out six circles from double-sided paper and pinching in the sides, along two edges. When I tried it, my pieces fit together to make a five-petaled, rather than a six-petaled flower, which I preferred. 

The front of the card was stamped with "Intrinsic Backgrounds" from Close to My Heart. Kristina's card was stamped with a back-ground stamp on the left side only, and twine was wrapped vertically (I tried to cut and paste her original card for illustration, but wasn't able to). In my version, the stamp lent itself to stamping on the lower half of the card, instead. I outlined the cut-away with running stitch in Lemondrop twine from The Twinery. 
Simple yet satisfying. Enjoy your day!

Clean & Simple, continued...

Here is another card, inspired by the Clean and Simple Card Classes (see link listed in my last posting). A sketch was provided, but the fun part was using the "negative," left-over paper from die-cutting letters, as the card focal.

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Editing this post to include in Suzanne Dahlberg's April 1st, 2013, April Fool's Day blog challenge: 

re-posting your ugliest card ever...

This one was well-intentioned (aren't they always?), following the prompt from last year's Online Card Classes' Clean & Simple. Just too much going on! And that fuzzy fibre looks like a bunch or caterpillars crawling all over the card... Needless to say, it was never sent! TTFN!

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Here I used prints4animals from The Stamps of Life, as well as boxes4abc for the word YOU. The dies are the old, original Funky Serif letters from SIZZIX. I inked the edges of the letters to make sure they showed up against the plain card background. I wrapped the stamped piece in some furry yarn and added a twine-threaded button. Simple but wild!

Clean and Simple

This week, I have been "attending" online classes on Clean and Simple Card-making.

You can find the link HERE. Even though the classes started this past Monday (and run for TWO WHOLE WEEKS!), you can register and join in any time. The classes are available for review with lifetime access.  They feature an instructional video, three examples and links to even more. Plus a gallery to which you can upload your creations.
As I have not had much time to "play" this week, I've managed only one card so far.

The first class focussed on simple sketches, like this:

In my version, the outer frame was stamped leaving a masked space in the middle. I used a left-over die-cut shape for my mask, loosely adhering it to the centre. I stamped my background image, Universal Backgrounds, by Close to My Heart in quilting quadrants, in two shades of teal ink. I stippled around the edge of the mask, to give it extra definition. I decided my sentiment looked better overlapping the outer frame, rather then in the middle, as in the sketch. "Missing you" was heat-embossed in Archival Black. I added three little buttons for an accent.
I thought the combination of the vintage script (like old love letters), the empty space in the middle and the muted, monochromatic colour scheme contributed to the feeling of wistfulness. I used the mask itself as a focal on the inside of the card.

I can't wait to try out some of the other ideas featured on Days 2, 3 and 4. Happy Stamping...

Sweet!

Here's my attempt at a CAS-style card. Debby Hughes gave a great example and description of CAS earlier this week (See her showcase the style at the "There She Goes" blog).
I'm not sure if I left enough blank white space, and once I started stamping those candies I couldn't seem to stop! However, the overall effect is quite pleasing, I think.
I dry-embossed a simple border on the white card, used a Sizzix scalloped die for the mat and heat-embossed the sentiment with white pigment ink and powder. The stamp set is from {The Stamps of Life}'s December release, "candy2share." I stamped the background images and interiors and added shading with markers, then cut them out and mounted them with foam tape. Couldn't resist a little shine with Stickles, Liquid Pearls and Liquid glass, as well.

This is the "candy2share" set; it has a companion set which will also be fun to use, "jar4candy":

I can think of lots of things to put in that jar, or to leave it empty as a "miss you" card!

Happy stamping...

Approaching the Twelfth Day of Christmas...

   Now that the New Year is here, Christmas seems to be almost over. In our house, most of the baking has vanished, the decorations are slowly being packed away again, and the new gifts are being used/worn/read/listened to... However, the season really lasts until January 6th. Our neighbours used to have a Twelfth Night party, which was a great time to get together and relax after the rush of the holidays. In that spirit, I submit my poinsettias:
   Sorry the staging leaves a little to be desired... I was trying for some dimension and texture with these. Making 3D objects with paper is a lot of trial and error, but mostly fun.
ONE: The top flower was created using a brass stencil. The idea was lifted straight from the Paper Wishes website (see the Webisode, here). Three colours of Pearlescent pigment ink pads were used, and I added some Diamond Glaze for extra dimension at the center.
TWO: The second flower was created with a Kirigami template, also from Paper Wishes. Kirigami is a bit like Origami--you fold the paper, Trace the design, cut out sections, then unfold. Parts of the design are lifted & curled, and I added some gold Stickles and a Starburst center from McGill Punches.
THREE: The last design also uses McGill Paper Blossom Punches, for the Lily. This one took a few tries and some internet image-searching before it looked right. Adding lots of veining on the leaves with an embossing stylus helped make it more realistic.
Anyway, just one more pop of beautiful Christmas red, before the season ends. Happy New Year!