DIY Puffy Paper Quilt Card!

Hi friends! I was so pleased with the way this card came out and I am so excited to share the technique with you!

What I really love is how each section of the “quilt” puffs up and the whole stamped quilt panel is one sheet of regular white cardstock!

You can use any small stamps for this but the stamps I am using are by Rubber Stamp Tapestry and they have a coupon for 20% your order of $10 or more mounted (aka peg stamps) with the coupon code QUILT through July 10th! They have so many fun sets and single peg stamps to pick from. What I love about the website is that they tell you if and what set any single stamp is from so you can avoid buying duplicates or get just the one stamp you want rather than a whole set.

Watch the video to see how I made this!

This technique is so much fun and you can recreate any quilt block you want using the steps I showed you. You can even print out free quilt block templates from the internet if you don’t want to draw them but I promise it is easy.

Supplies:

• Small Stamps (I am using stamps from our sponsor Rubber Stamp Tapestry) Sets I used, Brambly Rose, Retro Sundress, Between the Paving Stones, Dogwood Forrest, Aunties Strawberry Garden
• Ink (memento, Aletenew, any dye ink is fine)
• Ink blender sponges or brushes (I have Color Dusters)
• Cardstock in white, green and kraft (or accent colors that you prefer, you need white though)
• Hot glue
• Foam mat (AKA fun foam or a mouse pad)
• Piercing tool (you can use a thumbtack or paper piercer but I like the piercing bug from EK Success/ScorePal)
• Grooved scoring board (optional)
• Ruler
• Black waterproof pen (Micron 03)
• White Gel pen (optional, I like the uniball signo)
• Ball end stylus (or something round like a bead or marble you can emboss with)
• Bone folder/scoring tool
• Post-it notes

  Follow along with the video and have fun! I hope you give this tutorial a try, it was a lot of fun to make you you can use any quilt block design you like! Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!

Easy Freehand Watercolor Pots to Stamp in!

Hi friends! Don’t you hate it when you can’t find the perfect stamp to tie a card together? Well, today I will show you how to freehand some sweet pots that you can use your small flower stamps with!

The small pegstamps I am using are from our sponsor Rubber Stamp Tapestry. SAVE! Use coupon code: WATERCOLOR to get 20% off all mounted stamp orders of $10+ at Rubber Stamp Tapestry through 7/2/16

Video!

Supplies:

• Stamps (Rubber Stamp Tapestry), Brambly rose, Pansy Garden, Azalea Terrace , Aunties Strawberry Garden, Bright New Day
• Watercolor Pencils (Spectrum Noir)
• Waterbrush (Prima)
• Ink Pads or Waterbased Markers (I used dye ink pads from Memento, altenew and Stampin Up and I prefer the small pads so I can have more colors on my table)
• Water spritzer (spray bottle with a fine mist)
• Watercolor postcards or watercolor paper cut into 4″x6″ pieces
• For sealing: Wax and a heat tool

Directions:
1. Sketch pots on a watercolor post card using a watercolor pencil.
2. Use a wet brush or waterbrush to liquefy the pencil.
3. Stamp flowers in the pots. You can mist the stamp before pressing it to the watercolor paper for more vivid and painterly results.
4. To seal your postcard (to protect it from moisture en route to your recipient) rub clear wax, like a candle or canning wax, on the surface and then melt the wax with a heat tool if desired.

Tip! Look at your stash and see if you have stamps of items that would be nice to plant your flowers in! Mason jars, tea cups, urns, wheelbarrows, windows, arbors, fences and building would all look fantastic with some flowers!
Don’t forget to use the coupon code WATERCOLOR if you go shopping at our sponsor Rubber Stamp Tapestry this week! Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!

Aloha Card & Selective Die-Cutting Technique!

Hi friends! Today I am going to share a technique that will help you get more use and versatility from your frame dies such as Nestabilities.  I will show you how to safely use your dies to partially cut a frame or window. You can use this technique on cards, tags or scrapbook pages and is really useful for shaker cards!

I will also show you how to make the cute drink umbrella from a scrap of patterned paper. Watch the video to see how it’s done!

All the stamps I used are from our sponsor Rubber Stamp Tapestry  SAVE 15% with coupon code: SUMMERSUN (15% off all individual mounted stamps & peg stamp sets. Coupon expires June 18, 2016.)

Supplies:

• White Cardstock
• Vintage postcard, photo or advertisement (for inside of card)
• Peg Stamps from Rubber Stamp Tapestry: Aloha, Seashells, Crab
• Dye based inks
• Blending sponges or color dusters
• “Frame” style die cut like Nestablilities
• Craft knife and mat
• Thin patterned paper
• Bamboo skewer or toothpick
• Circle cutter or 3.5″ circle to trace and cut by and

Directions:
1. Trace die cut inside of frame on card.
2. Stamp images and let some fall inside of the traced die.
3. Use a craft knife to cut around the images inside the frame.
4. Tuck the cutting die under the cut image and align with pencil marks.
5. Run through die cut machine.
6. Embellish card as desired.

So tell me, will you try this technique? I hope you do because it will multiply the use you get from your dies. Learning new ways to use older supplies is a great way to stretch your stash and keep the hobby fun! Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!

 

Clay Play Day! Tips for Beautiful Beads and Stamped Pendants (with and without fancy tools!)

Hi there! We have had some stunning days in Maine this week. It was so nice outside I brought my clay supplies into the back yard and made some beads and pendants for jewelry:

Watch the video for full instruction as well as tips for making these beads and pendants with or without tools. I will also post tips below the video for your convenience. If YOU have any polymer clay tips to share please leave a comment!

Video!

Today I am using stamps from our sponsor Rubber Stamp Tapestry Use coupon code BEACH16 for 15% off any order of $10 or more through May 21, 2016

Supplies:
Polymer Clay: Sculpey 3
Ink: Versafine (any pigment ink is fine)
Stamps: Rubber Stamp Tapestry : Starfish and shells, Crab Small,  Crab, Sea Turtle Mama, Compass or you can check out all of the nautical stamps they offer.
Jewelry findings: earring hooks, earring posts, headpins, eyepins, jump rings, beaded chain, clasp
Tools: pliers, oven, needle tool, potters scraper or palette knife

Clay Tips!

• Condition the clay by kneading it well before use, or the beads will be brittle.
• Remove rings before working with clay so you won’t have to clean off the residue later.
• Sculpey 3 is good for chunky beads like we made today, it is also easier to conditions BUT if you are making thinner items use Premo or Fimo as they are more durable.
• Use an oven thermometer to make sure your oven is accurate, otherwise you might burn your clay.
• Use a timer so you don’t over bake the clay (your smart phone has a timer on it!)
• Use pigment ink, chalk or mica powder on raw clay and it will become permanent when you bake it.
• Use an acrylic based sealer if you wish to seal your clay after baking. Oil based spray sealer or nail polish my make your clay sticky down the road.
• Rough edges can be sanded and holes may be drilled after baking if desired.
• Avoid mail ordering polymer clay in the summer as the clay can get “Truck baked” if it gets hot. Most big box craft stores sell polymer clay and it often goes on sale for 88 cents a brick. Those sales keep stock fresh and fresh clay is easier to use.
• And the most important tip is to have fun!

This was a lot of fun! I like to make extra beads when I have my clay out to use on future projects. I hope you try this and let me know how it turns out. If you have never used clay before you can get a pack of 30 colors of 2 oz blocks of clay at any big box craft store for about $25 (or less with a coupon) that is a great way to get started and then pick up the 4 oz block in the colors you run out of when they are on sale. If you think your friends would like to try this project feel free to share it using the handy-dandy sharing buttons below, I sure do appreciate you spreading the love! Thanks for stopping by ad til next time happy crafting!