It's time to start making Christmas cards again, already!! And this month I have struggled to use the new layering photopolymer set Good Greetings from Stamping' Up. I loved the set but when I say "struggled," I mean I was trying out different ways to stamp it, in different colors, trying to get it lined up perfectly, etc.

Anyway, if you are a beginner stamper, layering stamps might  not be the way to go as they are just a little bit more challenging. Finally, I found the correct colors after trying Old Olive and Always Artichoke, I changed to Old Olive and Garden Green which gave a much better color for the holly leaves.

Also, stamping this on plain cardstock just didn't do anything for me as holly leaves are shiny. With this in mind I switched to glossy cardstock for this example.

If you've ever used glossy cardstock before you know that you have to be careful not to rock or even slide your stamp slightly when removing it from the paper, which is difficult to do because of the slick surface. Also, the drying time is a little longer between ink colors so smudging can be a problem for us impatient stampers!!

I've shortened this video tremendously as I didn't want it so long and I would like to share a tip that I show in the video that really helped line up the stamps. When I tried to line up the berry stamps on the image, the stamp stuck to the glossy card surface more than the lid of the stamp positioned, which pulled the stamp off the lid and it stayed stuck to the glossy surface of the card... not exactly making me happy!

To counteract this problem, I used a couple magnets to hold the glossy in place and then put a piece of acrylic sheet overtop of where I wanted to place the berries. Then held that down with another magnet. Then the stamp was positioned on the clear sheet where I wanted it and when I closed the lid the stamp stuck to the lid and even though the acrylic sheet lifted, it could be peeled off the stamp without moving it on the lid.

I hope this explanation is helpful and I'm sorry to have you read all this text but I was hoping it would better explain my shortened video!

Anyway, Happy Stamping and Enjoy!! To watch the video in full size on YouTube click here.

When embossing with white embossing powder on a white or watercolor paper with a clean VersaMark ink pad it is difficult to see where the ink is until the powder is on it. With this card I wanted to stamp three of the same images across the top, alternating the position. I tried this with the single image on an acrylic block, but as you will see in the video, they were not level. So, how could I get them level every time?! I thought about using the MISTI, but then had to figure out where to put the stamp so that it didn't move, but the paper would. In this video, I share how to accomplish this and you will see that the leaf image is well lined up across the paper.

It's been awhile since I've done anything, but now that I have a new hip, maybe my stamping will improve! LOL Anyway, I just made this card using the This Little Piggy set from Stamping' Up and wanted to share with you. The background is a discontinued stamp, because I didn't have a newer "geometric" one. I think the card needed either stripes or some geometric background, so whatever you want to use will work as long as it isn't too detailed. This pig is so happy rolling in the mud that I had to share him, a way to use the stamp in a different way than it was meant to be used.
Anyway, enjoy, and don't forget to give it a "thumbs up!" on YouTube!

Color Layering Stamping
There are several stamp sets that use a technique called "color layering," and the one I'm using today is from Hero Arts called Color Layering Fuchsia. I am also using a sentiment from Stamping' Up's Dragonfly Dreams. I am using two colors of green for the leaves and stem: Old Olive and Garden Green, and four shades of pink or purple. One of the purples I am using is Lovely Lilac (a discontinued Stampin' Up color - sorry!) and three NEW colors available June 1st from Stampin' Up: Fresh Fig, Berry Burst, and Powder Pink (which I accidentally call Power Puff Pink in the video!).

FYI: There are four sentiments in the Hero Arts set, but I wanted different sentiment. The four that are in the Hero Arts set are: "Thank you," "With sympathy," "you're precious," and "one of a kind."

Since I am making several of these cards, I've lined up my stamps ahead of time on two MISTI's and one Hampton Art Stamp Perfect stamp position tools.
Here's the video and if you like it, give it a "thumbs up!"

Another video for stamp camp next week! This was not my idea, but one I found on Jennifer McGuire's blog and I thought it would work well with this stamp set. Hope you like it!

 With "stamp camp" only seven days away and me struggling for what to do and what to make, I decided to mix it up a bit with this project. A trial-fold window card. You will need a sheet of 12" cardstock cut to 5 ½" x 12". The white piece that will show through the window is cut at 5 ½" x 3 ⅞" to allow for folding the layers so they lay flat.
 In the video I try to tell you all the marker colors I used but ran out of "recording time" so they are here:

• Always Artichoke
• Old Olive
• Garden Green
• Pear Pizzazz
• Smokey Slate
• Crumb Cake
• Real Red (mixed with Chocolate Chip)
• Chocolate Chip
• Wisteria Wonder
• Marina Mist

Seems like a lot of different colors, but you are "watercoloring" a scene. I have used watercolor paper, but Bristol Smooth works fine, too. The stamp I am using is from Art Impressions #UMM3175 and is a lighthouse with Ps. 91:1 in script around the outside of the image. 

 If you like the video, be sure to give it a "thumbs up" and subscribe to my channel! Enjoy!

Another snow day in the Northeast!! We had 28" of snow as of last night so I had a chance to use my new My Monthly Hero set that arrived this past week. Hero Arts has a monthly subscription plan that I recently subscribed to. This month was a cute garden set with dies to match 3 rabbits, gardening tools, ducks, veggies, a picket fence, and a die to make the earth to stick the veggies in. Here's some of the cards I made (also using the paper that came  and a little light blue vellum from last month's kit):

I stamped all the images on XPress paper with Black Momento because I was coloring the images with Copic markers. I'm not an expert on those markers by a long shot, but I was happy how they turned out just the same.

 I didn't color them with bright colors, but more natural colors for the veggies.

 I just love the picket fence and the watering can.

 This one would be really cute if I only had a stamp that said, "I dig you!"

This shows the die that I cut out of the brown cardstock that allows you to stick the veggies down into the "dirt." I trimmed the tips off some of the carrots so they wouldn't stick out.

 Had to use the ducks somehow!

      

Just in case we don't get that snow storm, I decided to add another video to the collection! Here's one using the Hampton Arts stamp positioned. Many people have done comparison videos online between this one and the MISTI, and they are very similar, except the MISTI will hold a full 8 ½" x 5 ½" card base where this one measures 5 ½" x 7 ⅜" and does not hold the full card base. However, Hampton Arts makes a 10" x 10" version. Since I make more cards than scrapbook pages, I like the MISTI better (even though it's about twice as expensive) because I need to get the whole card base in for the inside greetings. However, this one works fine for card fronts that are a little smaller, as you will see in this video:

Making A Medallion

Thanks for joining me for this card making tutorial! Today we are using the new Sale-A-Bration set "Make A Medallion" from Stampin' Up! to make this relatively simple card. I say "relatively simple" because if you've not seen how to do partial die cutting before, this card uses that technique. I have been offline lately because besides having a full-time teaching job, I've also agreed to direct our school drama production... less time for card making and more time making props!! My husband says we are getting another "Noreaster" tomorrow night so maybe another snow day is in store?! One can only hope!!

Anyway, here's the video for this card and I hope you like it! If you do, subscribe to my channel and give it a "thumbs up!"

Another SNOW DAY!!! Which means I get to use some more of my new stamps. Today I was looking around to see what would inspire me to use Stampin' Up's new High Tide set. I didn't think I liked this set when I first saw it in the catalog, but when I saw what you could do with it, well, enough said! I'm sure you all have had stamp sets that have impressed you this way before.
I was going to show you how to do a scenic card with the lighthouse and all, but got distracted by Michelle Zindorf (who does really artistic scenes with a lot of sponging. Her card is here:  and I've always liked her cards. But again, I must say I am not an artist like she is, and this is my version.
Enjoy!

Hey Chick! Revisited

This SAB set is just SO cute I had to make another card, but when I saw the Neat & Tangled, "Happier Than," set with the "fox in a henhouse" stamp I knew it went along with this set. So, sorry for combining all these stamp sets but it was an idea that flourished into this card!
Anyway, the video is a little longer, but I trimmed some out so you won't see much stamping but I do tell you everything I use. The sizes and colors of the cardstock used are as follows:

• A2 white card base (8.5" x 5.5")
• Real Red (4.25" x 5.5")
• Solar White Neenah (4"x 5.25")
• Smokey Slate (4.25" x 5.5" before stamping) After stamping the Hardwood in Smokey Slate ink on it, trim off a lengthwise strip that is 1" x 4.75" and trim the rest to 5" x 3.25"
• Strip of So Saffron that is 1" x 4.5"

I stamped the chicks on Solar White Neenah cardstock in Versafine Black Onyx ink and colored them in with markers.
Enjoy!

The three cards are on the right that we'll be making this month, so watch the videos below which show 2 of them.

What a day for a "snow day!" Since I was home all day I decided to get the videos for February done (well, at least 2 of them!). I hope you like them, they are both the technique that we will be doing at the February stamp camp on Friday, February 16th. This year Valentine's are up to you, so get stamping your cards early as we will be already heading to spring and Easter! These two new sets from the spring Occasions catalog lend themselves to watercoloring easily-- and such great results!

As I told you before, I am not an "artist" and have no formal training along those lines so I won't be layering lots of colors. These are pretty plain and simple and use the Stampin' Up markers and water brushes. (The NEW watercolor pencils I would have loved to try, but they unfortunately are on backorder right  now, but maybe by the 16th they'll be here and we can check them out!)

Here's two videos, one for the Easter Message set and one for Beautiful You. (I have another for camp, and will upload the photo of the three cards soon, so check back!)
Also, the die sets I use that I'd promise to have a link for here are Sizzix Tim Holtz stitched rectangles and Lawn Fawn's stitched rectangles. I just love these two sets and you can get them here or order them from me at camp.

Beautiful You:


Easter Message:

There are a few things I've done with my MISTI stamping tool that I found helpful if you are stamping many cards at once or just want to make the tool a little more useful. The tool is VERY good as is, and after you use it awhile you might begin to think, "I wonder if this would work..." so I've put two videos together, one to show you some helpful hints and things to do to make using the MISTI more productive, and another that shows how to use the tips to make 6 card fronts at the same time using two different types of stamps, one a rubber stamp and the other a photopolymer.
Enjoy, and if you like the videos, subscribe to my YouTube channel!
Here's the first:


And here's the one making the card fronts:

Today it's cold out and so what better thing to do that sit in my stamp room with my dog and create this card for you. It uses one of the 2017 SAB sets from Stampin' Up and some older cardstock that I found. It also uses one of the "card dies" that is from Concord & 9th, that I must have just loved because I found I bought it twice!! I know some of you have done the same thing, too!

These card creating dies need a little bit of instruction to use so I've created a video. You can also find their dies at Simon Says Stamp or at Ellen Hutson.
The dies use a piece of 12 x 12 cardstock cut to 12 x 5 1/2" and I found a whole pack of Lavender Lace (Stampin' Up - discontinued) that had faded a bit on one edge, so I was able to trim that edge off and still use the paper. I thought it went well with the new double-sided 12 x 12 paper from Stampin' Up in the new Occasions catalog (Succulent Garden) so I added that to the card.

So, with all that explained, here are the directions:

Happy New Year!! This is exciting because NOW you can order from the new Occasions 2017 spring catalog that I've been showing you things from. This video shows a way to use a "tag" set that is in the new catalog without creating a tag with it. I've had the set for weeks and was trying to figure out a way to use it, but no one online has given me any ideas!! (Can you believe that?!) Anyway, this is a simple card that we'll be making in January. It does use a rectangular stitched die from Lawn Fawn.
Enjoy!