by Jackie Bultje | Apr 11, 2018 | Big Shot, color theory suite, masculine cards, shadowbox card |
Hello stampers. Have you ever forgotten something? Well I have had this card sitting in the wings for almost a year!! I made it, meant to blog about it and do a class on it and then it never happened. Until today! This is a shadowbox card, or at least, that is what I am calling it. I love that from the outside it looks like an ordinary card, but when you open it you get a surprise. I have made a small photo tutorial and a video to show you how it is done. Then it’s your turn! Be sure to get those framelits if you don’t already have them since they are retiring. This is a total coincidence mind you, I had no intent on luring you to buy more stuff. Honestly!! Here is the card, I cased it from the very talented Lynn Starzl. Here is her card.
You can see the inner mechanism of the shadowbox card at the top. The card is made using dapper denim which I did know is retiring, so if you love this colour, make sure you enough cardstock and reinker to last you a while! The Color Theory Paper (and yes, I hate spelling it the American way) is also retiring. Here is a peek at the inside of the card:
You can see from the picture exactly why it is called a “shadowbox” card!! Here is a handy little shot of the dimensions used to make this card. You can get two cards out of one 12×12 sheet of cardstock.
After running the card base through the Big Shot with the label framelit you are going to put a piece of tear and tape on the little half inch flap. Before doing that make sure you use your bone folder to crisply score all your fold lines.
Now make sure that you do NOT adhere your card yet. Trust me, I have gotten ahead of myself before. The next thing you need to do is stamp your scene. This is also tricky. You have to make sure that your scene can be seen through the “window”. That means your sentiment needs to be in the middle and the birds have to be stamped very close to your words. Do you notice my accidental rhyming here in the last two sentences? Sorry, you don’t really care about that. Back to the card. Here is how I made sure that the images were in the right place. I did use my Stamparatus, it will be available in the new catalog on June 1.
So after I took this picture, I put the Stamparatus plate down and pressed it onto the stamp which is now positioned correctly and then I could move the card so I could stamp on the patterned paper without any overlap. Make sense?
One of the nice things about the Stamparatus is that it allows you to stamp the same image repeatedly and accurately to get a nice dark image. This great tool will be available in the new catalog on June 1. It is a must have in any stampers toolbox. After you have finished stamping this panel you can adhere it. The next step is to adhere the flap (see the video on how to do that most effectively). After that you can put on the white panel and lastly the front.
I had shared this card on my Facebook page yesterday and a follower shared a card that she had made after watching my video. I love her card so much. She added the lighthouse to the inside panel. Way to go Sharon Dalton. Sharon is from Australia and here is the link to her blog. Here is her card:
Finally, a reminder to get those items that are on the retiring list before they disappear. Today I used the following retiring products: dapper denim cardstock and ink, Color Theory designer series paper stack as well as Lots of Labels framelits. Here is the video showing you how to make this card. Happy stamping and have a super day!
http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCBKJD0M9qE
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by Jackie Bultje | Mar 31, 2018 | #loveitchopit, designer series paper |
Hello stampers. Now that is one strange title isn’t it? #loveitchopit This is the catchy title given to a very simple method guaranteed to get you using your designer series paper, or for those not used to such papercrafting “technospeak”, your patterned paper. We tend to buy paper because we love it and then we hoard it because we love it. So silly really. You should use the things you love. You can always buy more if you just want to look at it. So the reasoning behind this catchy title is that if you love it, you should chop it. That’s right, take a whole pack of paper and cut it up into usable pieces that will make it easy for you to make beautiful cards. I have found that you can cut two sheets of designer series paper at the same time, so this will also save you time.
For your 12 x 12 paper you simply cut it into four inch wide strips. Then cut the four inch strips into 5 1/4 inch sections. One sheet of 12×12 will give you six card fronts, so an entire package will give you 72 card fronts!! You will have 4″ x 1 1/2″ strips left over that can also be put to good use. Here are some examples:
You can see how I used the small 4″ strips as well. Here is another one using the same layout and paper.
You will be so very pleasantly surprised to see how fast you can put these cards together when you have all your patterned paper already cut. No need to reinvent the wheel each time as the cards are going to different people. Only the sentiment is stamped on this card. Easy-peasy.
This last card takes a little more time. The Bubbles and Fizz paper is in the background and then a piece of shimmer white cardstock. I stamped the sentiment in Memento black and then colour washed with Brusho to give a rainbow effect. Add a few rhinestones and you’re done!
It is embarrassing to admit that I have had this Petal Garden paper for almost a year without using a scrap of it. Once I used the #loveitchopit method I had a few cards made in no time at all. What is so lovely about our Stampin’Up! paper is that it coordinates beautifully together and with our cardstock so it always looks polished and professional. (sort of like mixing and matching coordinating outfits)
For the 6×6″ paper I find it most useful to cut it two ways, either into 3″ squares or into 2′ x 5 1/2″ strips. Both maximize the use of the paper with very little waste. In fact you can use the 1/2″ strips as well. Here is another card using the 3″ squares but with the addition of the 2″ x 5 1/2″ strip for a decadent use of paper!! Just kidding.
The third card using the Petal Garden paper and the #loveitchopit technique is super simple and perfect for those of you who don’t like tying bows. Simply wrap the ribbon around your strip of patterned paper and adhere it to the back. Not even a knot required!!
Now all this chopping begs the question, how do I now store this paper? I find it very convenient to store things in a similar way, so the best way in my humble opinion is in our wide clear cases. Label them and they store wonderfully right along with your stamp sets. Take a peek at what I did, and ask anyone, organizing does not come naturally to me, but once you start it sure does make your life easier!
The #loveitchopit method results in smaller pieces of patterned paper which now store beautifully in these clear cases. I am pretty excited about this. I find that when your products are all ready to go and stored in a logical fashion you will use them more readily and more quickly. Anything to make card making more easy right?
I will end this blog post with a short video that I shared earlier. A special thanks to Kylie Bertucci from Australia for coming up with this catchy title. It certainly piqued my interest and when I watched her video I saw that her method was very similar to what I was already doing and finding very successful. Kylie cuts her 12×12 paper into 6″ strips whereas I like to cut mine into 4″ strips. You will find the way that works best for you, as long as you don’t keep it on the shelf and hoard it!
http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B0Gx_3E-yc
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by Jackie Bultje | Mar 28, 2018 | Blends, Color Me Happy Project Kit, project kit |
Hello stampers. I think the Color Me Happy kit is aptly named (except of course for the American spelling!) For most of us, colouring makes us happy. It is relaxing and fun, and with the Blends it is even more special. A true testimony of this came from one of my Blends Club members. She admitted that she really didn’t like colouring. It stressed her out. Until she used the Blends. Now she loves colouring! Unfortunately the Blends are not available right now, they were so popular that they sold out of their inventory, so now you have to wait until June to get them. You snooze, you lose.
I thought I would do a blog post on this kit since you can’t find it in any of our catalogs. It is in the Blends brochure, but that has also not been widely dispersed. This kit is available on its own or as a bundle with the coordinating stamp set. The kit comes with 16 cards and 16 beautiful envelopes. It also includes tassels, gold tape, white baker’s twine and assorted sequins to finish off your cards with flair.
Here is a photo of the stamp set. You can choose to just get the kit and then make it a class I offer, but if you love the set or would like to make them on your own or use the lovely stamp set for other projects, then I would advise saving 10% and getting the bundle. My favourite image in this set is the birds. The one on the right looks like he’s had a rough day and the pink one on the left is trying to cheer him up a little. The Oh Hello is also terrific, especially with the stamparatus so you can stamp it several times to get a nice deep black tone.
Another reason for this blog post is that this bundle is available only while supplies last, so here is your heads up to not let this one get away on you and also to take advantage of this last week of saleabration!! Here is a shot of the kit components.
Do you see those envelopes? Trust me, anyone getting one of these cards in the mail are going to be quite excited knowing that they are getting very special mail indeed. It’s all in the details!! Add a small item to your order, only $8 worth and you will also qualify for a free saleabration product. If you choose to do so, please use the current host code: FFX3Z2H6.
Kits are a welcome sight when your brain needs a break but you still want to make something beautiful. That is all I took with me for my week away at a friend’s home on the lake. Made me very happy and stress free! I highly recommend it. Hope you all have a very blessed Easter!
http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMxrAY-BVfE
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by Jackie Bultje | Mar 17, 2018 | Birthday |
Hello stampers. Have you ever skipped over a stamp set in the catalog thinking it wasn’t that special? Then you see some cards that someone else made with it and you wonder, how did you not see that beauty right away? Well. I had that exact thing happen with the stamp set Perennial Birthday. I should have known better. I am an avid gardener and I LOVE perennials. So this one should have been calling my name!
One of my team members, Alison Reid, made a beautiful card with this set for one of our regular stamping events called Fab Four. I loved that first card. Here it is:
Isn’t it beautiful? I just love the colours Alison used here, pool party, berry burst and lemon lime twist. The story gets better. Alison made me four more cards in exchange for an embossing folder. Yes, I think I got the better end of the deal. I was so inspired that I decided to build a class around it.
The date of the class is way far away, not until May 9 with two time slots at 1pm and 7pm. I am offering the class now so that if you order the products needed for the class before March 31 then you will get a free saleabration item. You can even order online and then I will send you all the parts for the cards and a link to a video showing you exactly how to put them together! How awesome is that. There is only one requirement, you have to order with the host code EGVK3DTB. The class will include the Perennial Birthday stamp set and the Perennial Birthday Project kit. This amazing kit includes all the supplies to make 16 birthday cards as well as a beautiful box with dividers to keep your cards organized by category. If you sign up for the class you will only pay for the product but you will get to make the following three cards for free!! I love this idea.
Don’t you just love the colours on this card? Marina Mist and Lemon Lime Twist. It is perfect for spring. The stamparatus will help so much with this card taking all the stress out of lining up those sentiments.
What a lovely clean and simple card. Alison used some of my favourite products on this card: stitched shape framelits, metallic edge berry burst ribbon and Petal Passion paper. Wow!! The flower was stamped in Versamark and then embossed with white embossing powder. Then sponge daubers were used to sponge ink over top of the embossed image. So pretty!
Metallic thread, rhinestones, dimensionals, it’s all in the little details that makes this card shine. Pear pizzazz, melon mambo and whisper white are perfect for spring. The last card will not be included in the class, but you will be able to make this card later at home, especially if you are the winner of the celebrate you thinlets that will be a draw available only to class participants including those ordering online!
There are lots of things happening on this last card. Three different sized circles cut with the stitched shape framelits. The Celebrate You thinlets cut from our silver foil paper and the smoky slate card front run through the Big Shot with the Petal Pair textured impressions embossing folder. Sign up for the class and you might win the framelits or this card!
I am so happy to have discovered that this last card was the brainchild of Selina Merali. Absolutely lovely work Selina. If you want to see her card on her blog, here is the link!
Don’t forget to use the host code 6G3F2TC9 if you order online. Have a super rest of your weekend, I hope you were inspired by Alison’s cards. She received her inspiration from many sources online and from her own very creative brain. I am thankful to have her on my team.
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by Jackie Bultje | Mar 13, 2018 | masculine cards, True Gentleman |
Hello stampers! Doesn’t everyone just love a true gentleman? I am quite the romantic so the picture of a dapper, debonair gentleman is quite appealing to me. I love the old-fashioned men’s haberdasheries where you can get nice ties and cufflinks, felt hats and handkerchiefs. Throw in some worn leather chairs and some old books and oh my!!
Well our new True Gentleman suite evokes all of that. My father wore a top hat on his wedding day, so this also reminds me of him. I miss the days when couples got dressed up to go out for dinner. In the suite you will find awesome paper, matching cardstock in three coordinating shades (crumb cake, night of navy and tranquil tide) eight sheets of each, night of navy corduroy ribbon, faux wood buttons, a duo pack of markers (chocolate chip and tranquil tide) as well as a tailored tag punch. I used ALL of these products on the following cards.
I used the same layout for the first batch of cards, just switching up the sayings, the pattern of the paper and the placement of the button. For this one I coloured the stamp with markers: early espresso, night of nay and tranquil tide. I distressed with soft suede and used the splatter stamp from Awesomely Artistic. Crumb cake base (4 1/4″ by 5 1/2″) very vanilla layer (4 1/8″ by 5 3/8″) patterned paper (4″ by 5 1/4″) the smaller panel is 4 1/4″ by 2 3/4″ with a narrow strip of 3/8″ by 4 1/4″ along the bottom, a piece of corduroy ribbon 4 1/4″ long. The button is “glue-dotted” under the ribbon and then the bow is secured to the button with a glue dot as well.
Don’t you just love this paper? Did I tell you that my dad also smoked a pipe for a very long time? Not a good habit, but he is now 91, so I think he had it mostly clamped between his teeth, unlit! This paper reminds me of him. He is also a bit of a fox!!
For the card above I punched out two tailored tag punch shapes and layered them behind the sentiment. In the earlier cards I trimmed down the sentiment so that it would layer with the solid colour punch behind it. Works very well indeed. I also find that you can cheat with the twine. What I mean is that you can just tie a bow and use a glue dot to put it on the button and no one can tell that you didn’t thread it through, so unless you are a purist, go for it!
I like how the card above can be either for Father’s Day or just for a birthday. I love how the patterned papers just coordinate so well. Who says it is difficult to make masculine cards? Not me!
Now doesn’t this card remind you of a sharp dresser? Someone who is good at combining fabrics, textures and prints? Add a pair of great glasses, and my oh my! I think you will love how easily these cards come together. Choose a layout and then switch out the colours and patterns and you quickly have a stack of coordinating cards that will surprise any true gentleman on your list. This last card is super simple. Check it out:
For this card I started with a very vanilla base. The chocolate chip mat is 4″ by 5 1/4″ and then the patterned paper is 2 3/4″ by 3 3/4″ and 2 1/4″ by 3 3/4″. I wrapped a piece of the corduroy ribbon across the intersection and then adhered to the card base. The sentiment was stamped in night of navy and then punched with the 2 1/2″ circle punch. It is retired, but there is a circle framelit in that size as well. I used the scalloped circle framelit to cut a chocolate chip mat.
I hope you liked these fun masculine cards. We had fun making some of them at coffee and a card class this morning. I decided to make Father’s Day cards super early this year as most of it sold out last year well before the date. The lesson? If you see something you love, don’t put off getting it or you may regret it. Speaking of which, saleabration ends on March 31, don’t you want that awesome deal on the starter kit? Everyone who joins my team during saleabration gets to come to Diva day on Saturday April 14. What a lot of fun we are going to have together.
I almost forgot. Two things. One: the stamp set and the punch are available as a bundle which means you can save 10%. I also made a collage of the cards we made at coffee and a card, so I might as well share them here as well. You will see that True Gentleman works very well with the Waterfront stamp set.
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