Just in case you missed it! ;-)

Hi all and Happy Wednesday. Julie here! Recently, Flourishes pulled the lid off it's February release and one of the stamps-- Tea Rose Background -- is a brand new background that is just too elegant and feminine.

Because of it's unusual shape, I recently did a tutorial on my blog on how to use it. I thought we'd showcase that "how to" here... just in case you missed it! First things first, here's a peek at what the stamp looks like on the block. See the criss cross pattern?

After inking it up with black ink, this is how it stamps....

The fun thing is, once you line the tea rose background up, you get a pattern that could repeat from here to eternity!
And, after lining it up and stamping, then the fun begins with coloring and creating! Here's a peek at my finished card.I also used elements from the new Let's have Tea set! If you'd like to know more about the card mechanics, you can click HERE to see.

Remember, Flourishes New Release Bundle featuring all four stamp sets is on special for one more day only! This bundle combines all four sets into one package price which is 10% less than if you were to buy each set individually! Great deal!

Thanks for stopping by! We'll see you back here soon!

I'm in distress

That's distress mode...one of my favorite styles! Today I am going to show you a messy and fun technique that I haven't done in a long time, but it was so much fun that I can't wait to do it again! I have used Sweet Peas and chosen the smaller image from the set. This way it was easier to color up 3 samples quickly and I wouldn't feel so bad if I ruined one...and I did *blush*

So here we have Distress Ink in Tea Dye, a re-inker and a pad, and a Mini Mister filled with water. I also use a disposable rectangle aluminum pan.


First I stamped my image with Memento Tuxedo Black dye ink (waterproof!) on Flourishes Classic White Card Stock and colored with Copic markers.


Next I crumpled it up! Yes, I said I crumpled it up. Go ahead...you can do it! Done? Not so bad, right? Scary yes, but it felt kinda good...I know it did.



Now pull out that pan I mentioned and place the image in the center and give it a good misting with water. And I mean good. I don't want your paper to be completely limp and fall apart, but you want the water to start soaking in so that the next step will flow easily. You can kind of see that there are tiny puddles in the folds of my paper.



Okay, put the image aside just for a minute while you add a couple of drops of ink to the pan. Now mist those drops really well and swirl the pan around until you see blobs of diluted color like in the picture below.

This is a small image I am using. I have been known to add lots more ink and water, mixing colors, and really soaking my image. Even dropping the ink directly onto the paper and letting it run. That's really messy-but the results are gorgeous!


Okay, now if you thought crumpling was scary just see what you have to do now! Take the image and smoosh it face down into the ink puddles. Yes, smoosh and swirl, and keep picking it up and turning it over to make sure you have sufficient ink coverage. You might like the whole thing covered or just some of the image. I like to cover the whole thing! Add more ink if necessary until you like the results.



Now you just need to let the image dry. Or if you are like me and impatient, then you can hit it with the heat gun. I usually do that and then re-ink if I want to deepen the color. This is what it looks like dry.



Okay, just one more scary step, I promise! I slightly crumple the image again, it will fold in all the same creases originally created, and then I lightly swipe the ink pad over the top just highlighting the folds.



Now you are ready to use your image on a card or project. This is what mine looks like all finished.



This is really fun and the result are never the same twice! Give it a try!

Create a Little Monday Magic!

This week's SCS's Weekly Inkling featured a fabulous 'Tutorial You May Have Missed' segment. Why, you ask? Because it featured a fantastic technique and Beate Johns gorgeous take on Flourishes Waterlilies set! You'll want to click and watch!




Enjoy & Happy Monday!

Stained Glass Beauty...

Just in case you missed it, Beate Johns with Splitcoast Stampers created a beautiful tutorial last week showing us all how to create a faux stained glass mosaic. The results are absolutely stunning! Click on the box below to see just how she created this beautiful card!


For those that don't want to watch the video, there is a photo tutorial on SCS that you can take a peek at too! Just click HERE! Thanks Beate! You always inspire!

Easter Blessings!

Hi! It`s me, Yvonne. I hope you`re all having a wonderful Sunday!
Christmas is not here just yet, but I`m already preparing for Easter...

This week I`m sharing a card using the beautiful Easter Blessings set.



I also thought I`d share a little tutorial on how I use the Distress Inks to color my images. I know that most of you use Copics these days, but I still hold on to my Inks:)


These are my supplies. I use an aqua brush to pick up the color from the palette. You can use both reinkers and pads.


Starting to color the cross with Antique Linen.


Using Vintage Photo to color up the darker parts of the cross. These are the two steps I usually do - a lighter color first, and a darker color for the shaded areas.


Shabby Shutters for the leaves. I've used a stamp pad here. Pick up the color from an acrylic block or directly from the pad.


I like my leaves a little more vibrant, so I'm adding color from a marker. Picking up the color just like I did with the stamp pad.


Then I add some Peeled Paint for the shading on the leaves.


For the flowers I`m using Fired Brick. Starting where I want the darkest color...


...pulling the color towards the middle.


Repeat on all the flowers. One of the things I love about watercoloring is that you can add more color at any time - even after drying.


To create a luminous effect, I added some yellow color from a marker around the cross. I also added some yellow to the flowers for a warmer color.


For this card I stamped, colored and cut out two of the flowers a second time, and added them using dimensionals. I also used a white gel pen for highlights and added pearls.

I hope this inspired you to pull out whatever coloring medium you like to use, and have some fun!

See you back here next Sunday!

Create a little Monday Magic!

Have you ever seen the Magic Snowflake technique? Well if you missed it, Beate Johns recently created a tutorial over on Splitcoast using this technique and our Forest of Trees set! The result is a GORGEOUS and fun creation that really makes great use of a fun background technique! Thanks Beate for sharing!

Framed Nasturtiums

Hi everyone! It's Yvonne. I am absolutely thrilled to be here today as the Limelight Designer for December! I hope you will enjoy this little project of mine.

I guess it`s no secret that I love my Spellbinders dies, and I thought I`d share with you a simple way to take your dies to the "next level". This frame will show off your favorite image in a beautiful and elegant way, I think.


I used the Nasturtiums set for this card, and colored it with Distress Inks. Here is a little step by step on the frame:



I`ve used Spellbinders Classic Frame. I cut out two white frames and two green ones. I also used the Labels One dies to create the "inner" frame.


Cut the frames as shown on the photo.


Glue the white pieces onto the green pieces as shown. Using a darker color at the back creates a shadow-effect and gives depth to the frame.


Glue the four pieces together as shown.


Attach the Labels one- frame as shown. I sponged the frame lightly with brown ink. Decorate with some Pearls, and your frame is ready to go!

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope you`ve found some inspiration to how you can frame your favorite images. And I sure hope to see you back here next Sunday!

How about some Monday inspiration?

If you need a little creativity to get you through your week, we thought we'd serve up some here! Recently Beate Johns did a fun tutorial over on Splitcoast called faux stained glass using the Bird and Vine set! Thanks Beate for sharing!

Nesties, Needle and Thread

I love my Nesties! Who doesn't, right? Today I am sharing a few simple ways to enhance Nestie Die Cuts. Yes, I said needle and thread in the title, which is usually a turn off to me -- but all of these tips are simple and easy. I am showing three different ways to "dress up" your Nesties.

I started my card out by creating a simple background, stamping the Flourishy Outline image from Oranamental Elements set. I colored the flourish in using a R29 Copic and then used a fine tip red pen to fill in the really small lines as needed.

I gold embossed the sentiment from the Holiday Greetings set.
I used Versamark ink and Gold Detail Embossing Powder.

I die cut all my elements to build my card using various Nestie shapes.

When I die cut the Gold Square Scallop, I left it in the Nestie Die.... using the die's edge as a guide to place holes in each scallop. I used my Japanese Screw Punch, but you could easily use a hole punch for this as well.

Using some red fuzzy fiber and a large craft needle, I just threaded the fiber around the square Nestie, going up through the back of each hole. I used a little piece of tape to hold the start and finish of the fiber string to the back of the Square.

On the Oval for the Sentiment. I used the Petite Scallops - there are four die cuts here and they are already adhered together as seen in this picture. I used some gold sparkly embroidery floss for this one - separating two strands to use from the group of floss.

Again, secure the end of your floss on the back of the oval using a piece of tape and just start winding the floss around the oval, using the notch in between each scallop for your floss to "nest" in. Continue until the floss nests between each scallop of the oval.

This picture shows a red scallop square glued to an ivory base. I then used my Japanese Screw Punch, with the 1/16" hole tip, to add little hole punches around the edge.

Using one strand of the gold floss doubled up, I then used my craft needle to stitch around the edges of the Ivory Square. I use a large paper crafting needle to to all of the threading. It is large, with a dull point, easy to handle and most importantly has a large eye to easily thread your fiber or floss through. It is not as tedious as sometimes a small sewing needle can be.

I am starting to pull all my elements together, building the card from the base upwards. I added some pearls to cover up the holes on the Ivory Square to give it a "different" threaded look. I use the tip of my craft knife to pick up and place my adhesive pearls on to the card.

Not having any Ivory pearls in my stash, I used a Copic to color some white pearls..... adding these now "ivory" pearls to the outermost Red Square's edge.

Here is an up close pic of how it all came together. Finishing it off with a tiny silk bow. Final card size is 4.75" Square. Click on any pictures above to enlarge for a better view.

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Thanks for letting me share my tips on Nesties and Needles! I hope you picked up something useful from the pictures or my instructions!

--Jenny Gropp--
visit my little corner in Blogville: One Krafty Kat

Need some creative inspiration???

Recently Beate Johns used her incredibly creative eye and whipped up a gorgeous Joy Fold card with the Dove and Holly set over on Splitcoast. I thought we should share it here just in case you missed it!!! Thanks Beate!

Frame it with Ribbon!

Today I have some ribbon tips to share with you. I do love ribbon, any and all kinds! I am using the new Christmas Tea set on this card and working with some yummy Red Velvet Ribbon.

I first stamped my teapot image, I knew I was going to paper piece the teapot so why mask it if you don't need to??? Shortcut is my middle name! So you can see I just added in the holly branch images under the tea pot.

I colored the holly with Copics. I was going for a centerpiece type look with this image. So I wanted to ground it by adding a line to use as the base. I just added a simple Black line using a Fine Tip pen and a ruler. I used a Rectangle Nestie to cut out my image, drawing an inner frame before removing from my die.

Hmmm... a little explaining for this pic, at the end I decided that I did not like the paper I used for the Tea Pot.... it was too grey, so in the end I switched it out. Sometimes things just don't look right and you have to change it up! You can see I added color to my Holly Berries and also airbrushed a bottom layer in my picture using Copic W5.

Using my drawn frame line around the edge as a guide to keep me straight... I used double sided adhesive tape to line the edges of the stamped panel.

Removing the adhesive backing one side at a time as I worked around the frame, I added my velvet ribbon. I let the ends overlap on each other in each corner. Gently lifting them up a tiny bit, enough only to get my scissor tip in there.... I cut the two ribbons at the same time, insuring the cut ends would match up just right. This leaves a perfectly clean looking mitered corner.

My little scalloped table cloth was made using the same Velvet Ribbon and cutting it with a Scalloped Oval nestie. Then I attached it to my stamped image, lining the straight edge of the ribbon up with the straight line I drew in the middle of the panel.

I blinged it up with some mini crystals over the berries. And you can see the new tea pot, from my DP switch-a-roo! Finished by adding the sentiment with velvet touches to that as well!

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Thanks for letting me share my Ribbon Tips!
I hope you picked up something useful from the pictures or my instructions!
Jenny Gropp

visit my little corner in Blogville: One Krafty Kat