Hello stampers. When is the last time you really played with your stamps? This retiform technique is a great one for encouraging just that. Retiform means “netlike”. The Webster dictionary says:
Definition of retiform. : composed of crossing lines and interstices : reticular netlike; specifically : being the connective tissue cells of the framework of the lymphatic glands.
Well, we are not interested in the lymphatic glands, but the crossing lines and all the other fun stuff involved with this technique is truly addictive. Here is what you need to have on hand to do this technique. Two coordinating colours of ink, a lighter shade and a darker one. A sponge. Sticky notes of varying sizes. The five inch by three inch is ideal and then the smaller square ones are great too. Rather than describing the technique in writing, it is much easier to simply watch the video, so I will post that at the end. In the meantime, check out the various cards that I have made. I was originally inspired by a video I saw on Pinterest by Randi Collins. Here is the link to her video.
For this card I used early espresso for the stamping and soft suede for the sponging. I used the stamp sets Night in Bethlehem, Hearts Come Home and Musical Season. I accidentally stamped the one drummer boy in soft suede, but it still looks good I think. For the next card I used the exact same stamp sets but switched it up a bit. No two cards are alike, and that is the fun part.
This one is different mainly because of the straight segment at the top of the card. Do you think this adds to the card or takes away from it? The next two cards use the stamp sets So Many Shells and High Tide and the colours marina mist for sponging and dapper denim for stamping.
The next card is done by my customer and friend Heather Adams. She left a bigger white line between segments and I really like that look as well.
The last card has a bit of a twist in that it uses a pop of colour. I used the stamp sets Painted Harvest and Vintage Leaves. Colours are soft suede, early espresso, crushed curry and cajun craze.
This last card was made by my team member Aileen Boersma. She made it for her grandson using No Bones About It.
So there you have it! A great new technique called “retiform” which sounds more complicated than it really is. Just mask off sections with sticky notes, sponge and stamp till you fill up your card front. Watch the video for full details and then get down and dirty and make some of your own. I would love to hear how you make out with it. If you need any supplies and you live in Canada, please use the host code on the side bar when you place your order and I will pop a card in the mail to you as a thank you. Are you a true addict? Then save yourself a bunch of money and join my team by getting the starter kit, it really is the best deal in the entire catalog. Click here to do that, or message me if you have any questions.
Hello stampers! Have you seen all the amazing cards out there using Painted Harvest? What a beautiful stamp set this is. I have seen so many different versions of the sunflowers, so I decided to make a card with the nuts. Nuts? Yup. There’s an acorn in that set and I don’t think it has been given its due. Using stamps to make pretty background paper is a lot of fun, so that is what I have done with this first card. I used the acorn, the leaves and the stipple stamp to make this nice effect. What do you think?
Another stamp set that pairs well with Painted Harvest is the Burlap background stamp. If you ink up the stamp using a sponge you get a more subtle effect that lends itself to stamping images right on it. The sunflower was stamped with crushed curry and cajun craze with an early espresso centre. The saying is from Cool Treats.
The last card also uses the technique of stamping over a background image. You could use patterned paper, but this is the Sheet Music background stamp. I also used a sponge and crumb cake ink to gently ink up this stamp. I totally cased this card from the talented Linda Dalke from Australia.
I used marina mist and night of navy on this card as well as the new Everyday Label punch from the holiday catalog (page 12)
I love lemons. I love their colour, their taste and their shape. My favourite gelato flavour is lemon. So it is no big surprise that I also love this stamp set. What really made me fall in love with this set however is not just the lemon image, it was all the great sayings that go with it. There is a lot of wisdom here. I am an optimistic person and I really do believe that you have to make the very best with what life gives you. We do not become stronger, better people by having good things happen to us. God makes us and molds us into better, more useful people by allowing hardships and trials in our lives. Life’s short, live it with zest. Life’s short, squeeze it for all it’s worth. Happy birthday…to my main squeeze. Ok, that one is a little cheesy, but still fun. If you want to get a little sassy, “If life gives you lemons, chuck them right back!”.
Do you see how there is a beautiful matching punch with this stamp set? AND an embossing folder that looks amazing with the 3D leaf effect? I also love the way the stamped image have an ombre effect. Very artsy and very real.
I used the samples from the catalog to jump start my creativity. I wanted to try it with a darker green, so I used Garden Green instead of Lemon Lime Twist. What do you think?
What I really love about this card is the unexpected discovery that the Merry Little Christmas designer series paper has a leaf print that perfectly matches this Lemon Zest stamp set. How versatile is that? I seem to like the combination of lemons with black and white. The next card uses gingham ribbon (almost black and white) which I just love.
This card is just so fresh with all the different shades of citrus: lime, lemon and grapefruit. You could almost get skinny looking at this card!! Add the night of navy gingham ribbon and you get a picnic feel as well. This set would pair well with Mixed Drinks and Half Full.
I love the fold for this card, but do you think I could remember what it is called? It took me about ten minutes of “googling” to find it. It is called a Joy-Fold card. If you watch my video you will see how to make it. The dimensions for the lemon lime twist panel is 3″ by 8″ scored at 4″. We are making these cards at my coffee and a card class tomorrow morning at 10am. I offer this class every Tuesday unless it happens to be a major holiday. We gather in the kitchen for coffee, tea and baked goods and then we head to the stamp room to make three cards. If you live near Chatham, Ontario, I would love to have you join us. Just message me if you want to come. Here is the video. I hope you have a super day and thanks for joining me today.
I often get asked where I get my inspiration from. I would say that the number one source of inspiration is other demonstrators. There is so much talent out there and people post their work on Pinterest, on Facebook, Instagram and other groups as well as their own blogs. A quick Google search where you type the name of the stamp set and the word “Stampin’Up” and you will get lots of ideas. I try to always give credit if I copy someone else’s work, but the truth of the matter is that there is nothing new under the sun. We are constantly soaking up ideas and sometimes they combine to form a new idea. It could even be something we came across years ago. The nice thing is that you can make beautiful cards even if you don’t have a creative bone in your body. That is why I fell in love with card making. I wasn’t good at art, or at least I didn’t think I was, but the stamps are already beautiful and all you have to do is ink them up and stamp them on paper and the beauty has begun. The stamps unleash your creativity with their own beauty. Let’s take a look at the rest of the swap cards.
This first card is by Mo Dickie. I am in awe of this fancy cutting on the front of the card. I will have to recreate it to see how she did it, but it looks great! It also uses one of my favourite bundles in the holiday catalog, the musical season bundle. I love the nostalgic feel of this stamp set, especially the drummer boy, but also the gorgeous instruments. Great sentiments too! “May the spirit of the season be the melody that plays in your heart all year long”.
Have you ever been to busy to get your Christmas cards out in time? I have, and that year I made New Year’s cards. It was so liberating! I had fun making the cards in that beautiful time between Christmas and New Year. The next card is perfect for that. Linda Yamamoto made this great card using the Cheers to the Year stamp set. Notice how perfectly it coordinates with the gorgeous Year of Cheer specialty paper? Do you see that sparkly strip in the middle? It is the coordinating washi tape. Wow, what a great suite this is.
Do you have a nativity set that you set up every year in its own special place? I got one when the kids were small so that we would all have a visual reminder of the true meaning of the season. The Night in Bethlehem bundle reminds me of that and I do love it so much. Genevieve Ko made this stunning card and she added some silver glimmer paper and silver-rimmed pearls to step it up. She also used the Starlight thinlets from the annual catalog.
One of the first “techniques” I learned as a card maker was heat embossing. Oh the magic of watching dry embossing powder turn into a raised shiny thing!! Clear embossing is also a beautiful yet subtle way to add interest to your card. Liane Binder used clear embossing on her tea cup in this lovely card. I love the tea bag!! Our linen thread is just the perfect thing to use to attach it as well. There is no substitute out there for Stampin’Up! linen thread. I hope they never stop making it. The stamp set used here is Merry Cafe and the embossing folder is called Winter Wonder.
The last of my swap cards was made by Karen Duke. I absolutely love this clean and crisp card. What a great bundle this Carols of Christmas is. I especially love that both the deer and the trees can be used entirely on their own without needing a stamped image. The gold embossed sentiment really makes it pop.
Good morning stampers! 20 Canadian demonstrators participated in this swap and 90% of us made Christmas cards. I really do think that most stampers are suckers for Christmas cards. I try not to get started on them in my classes until October, but it sure is rewarding to have a big stack of them all ready to out on December 1 so that there is no stress about making them. It is also so very nice to have enough hand made cards to give to everyone on my list. The first card I am sharing today is a clean and simple card by Sharon Davies. It really is stunning in its simplicity. The Winter Wonder embossing folder, silver foil sheets and rhinestones work so well together. Cheers to the Year is the stamp set used. I love you this set can be used not only for Christmas and New Year but also for weddings!
This next card uses the faux silk technique and was made by Winona Semler. It uses the stamp set Painted Harvest and the coordinating leaf punch. I love the soft look Winona created with the repeated leaf stamped background and the Layered Leaves embossing folder. The glitter enamel dots add just the right amount of sparkle to keep it lively.
This fun assymetrical card (big word that basically means things are at an angle or slightly offset) is made by Anne Granger. She used the Winter Wonder embossing folder and the stamp set Merry Cafe. The great thing about this set is that it coordinates with the Coffee Cafe suite in the annual catalog. This set embraces so many occasions. Fall with the pumpkin spice latte, Halloween with “witches brew with scream & sugar”, apple cider, Valentine’s Day with “love is brewing” and “I love you and coffee”. There is also a saying for tea lovers, for Christmas and for New Year.
Do you love traditional, sparkly Christmas scenes? If so, you will fall in love with this card by Cynthia Millan. She used embossing paste and dazzling diamonds glitter for the snow. The star of this card is the Hearts Come Home bundle. This bundle was at the top of my wish list for this holiday catalog.
This classic card by Alison Solven in black and white with a touch of red and green is stunning. She used the Carols of Christmas stamp set, the Merry Music Specialty paper and the 7/8″ striped ribbon from the Merry Little Suite of Christmas on page 11 and 12 of the holiday catalog.
The next card involves embossing on vellum which almost makes the vellum look like frosted glass. Great job Lisa Althouse. Lisa used Snowflake Sentiments and Winter Wonder embossing folder. I really like how she used the stitched framelits and the layering squares framelits to make a unique focal point with the sentiment.
So this is the end of the second batch of swap cards. There will be one more batch tomorrow. I hope you are enjoying these cards as much as I did. The only hard thing will be deciding which card to CASE first!
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