Technique Thursday

Using Background Stamps

1]   With the background stamp face up, ink the stamp completely by tapping the ink pad on the rubber.

2]   Place the background stamp face up on your stamping surface.
3]   Place the card stock on the inked stamp.
4]   If the card stock is smaller than the stamp, cover the card stock with a piece of scratch paper.
5]   Rub the card stock with smooth, firm strokes, making sure to rub all areas of the stamp and to keep the card stock from sliding.
6]   Remove the scratch paper and carefully lift the card stock off the stamp.
QUICK TIP
Create a multicolored background by applying two or more inks to the background stamp.

Technique Thursday

Using Heat & Stick Powder

1]   Stamp image with VersaMark^® or Craft Stampin' Pad.

2]   Apply Heat & Stick powder to the inked image. Shake off excess powder onto the Powder Pal or a piece of scratch paper and funnel it back into its container.

3]   Heat image with the heat tool just until powder turns to liquid. Do not overheat.
4]   Pour glitter onto the inked image, making sure that the image is coated completely.
5]   Shake off excess glitter as described in Step 2.
6]   Heat again briefly to set.
QUICK TIP
Our Powder Pal is an excellent alternative to scratch paper for saving excess powder and glitter. It also makes cleanup a snap!

Pete the Christmas Penguin

Let me introduce Pete the super cute Christmas Penguin.
He is one of my Punch Art projects


Supply List

• 1119859 Large Oval Punch - for Arms (102851 Basic Black)
• 119863 Small Oval Punch - for Mouth (105117 Pumpkin Pie)
• 119851 Curly Label Punch - for Feet (Pumpkin Pie)
• 119873 3/4" Circle Punch - for Eyes (Basic Black)
• 119871 Corner Rounder Punch - for Body
• 119883 Full Heart Punch (106578 Real Red card stock)
• 113463 Top Note Die - for Body Front (100730 Whisper White) Not yet available in the UK but there are other similar Sizzix dies 
• 109034 Real Red 1 /4" Grosgrain Ribbon
• 105021 White Gel Pen
• 106578 Real red cardstock
• 106565 Bashful Blue Cardstock

National Baking week ~ Carrot cake

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 175g (6oz) wholemeal self-raising flour
• 1 level tsp baking powder
• 1 level tsp ground mixed spice
• Pinch of salt
• 150ml (1/4 pint) sunflower oil
• 175g (6oz) soft light brown sugar
• 3 medium eggs
• 100g (3 1/2oz) raisins
• 250g (8oz) carrots, peeled and grated

For the topping:

• 200g (7oz) cream cheese
• Few drops vanilla extract
• 3-4 level tbsp icing sugar

Method

1. To make the cake, tip the flour into a bowl and stir in the baking powder, spice and salt. Then stir in all the remaining ingredients until well mixed. Pour the mixture into a 1kg (2lb) loaf tin, buttered and lined with a strip of baking parchment.
2. Bake in centre of oven at 180°C/350°F/gas 4 for about 1 hour, until just firm to the touch in the centre. A skewer should come out clean after being inserted into the middle.
3. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 mins, then turn out on to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
4. To make the topping, beat together the cream cheese and vanilla extract. Add icing sugar to taste.

Recipe from Good to know recipes 

The most moist Carrot cake I have ever made

Festive punch art

Earlier in the year I fell in love with punch art, which is basically using uour punches for a whole variety of projects to create characters & pictures using a variety of Stampin' Up punches.
So here is the first of my festive punch art




All of the products used on this project are from Stampin' Up & are available to purchase through me.

Happy Halloween Punch Art Pumpkins

Punch art Pumpkins so easy, but very effective & the super cute little scallop square Bats.

Supply List

Basic Black Card Stock 121688

Whisper White Card Stock 106549

Pumpkin Pie Card Stock 108601

Old Olive Card Stock 106576

More Mustard Ink pad 103162

Sponge Dauber 102892

5 Petal flower Punch 119880

Top Note Die or similar

All of the above items are from Stampin' Up & are available to purchase through me as an Independent Stampin' Up demonstrator.

EMAIL ME if you'd like to order any of the supplies to make this card.

Spooky punch art

I have been looking around for decorating ideas for Halloween & found this great punch art character that i've made to share with you.


All of the products used on this project are from Stampin' Up & are available to purchase through me.

Technique Thursday

Heat Embossing 

Technique A:  Heat Embossing

1]   Place your card stock in a Powder  tray or over a large piece of scratch paper.

2]   Rub the Embossing Buddy across the card stock you want to emboss. This keeps the embossing powder from sticking anywhere but on the ink. 

3]   Stamp the image with Craft, VersaMark, or embossing ink.

4]   Pour powder onto the inked image, making sure that the image is coated completely. 

5]   Shake off excess powder into the tray and funnel it back into the container.

6]   Heat the stamped image only until the powder changes to a shiny liquid and rises.

7]   Allow embossed image to cool. 

Technique B:  Emboss Resist

1]   Follow steps 1-7 above, using Stampin' Emboss clear embossing powder.

2]   Apply ink with a sponge directly to the paper over and around the embossed image.

3]   Wipe the embossed image with a tissue to remove the excess ink.

QUICK TIP

Avoid overheating the powder and burning the paper when working with a heat tool.

Spooky invitation

Your invited to be scared, be very scared with this spooky card or invitation to a Halloween party.

Supply List
Rich Razzleberry Card Stock 119981 
Pumpkin Pie Card Stock 108601
Basic Black Card Stock 121688
Whisper White Card Stock 106549
Crumb Cake Card Stock 121685
Large Tag punch 119866
1 1/4" Circle Punch 119861
Scallop Square Punch 119884
All of the above items are from Stampin' Up & are available to purchase through me as an Independent Stampin' Up demonstrator.
EMAIL ME if you'd like to order any of the supplies to make this card.

Okay own up?

How many Christmas cards have you made so far?


I have made quite a few but in all fairness I was the crazy lady who started to make her Christmas cards in July, in my defence I only started that to inspire you.
I was trying to think of some cute cards for Christmas & when I think of cute Forest Friends always springs to mind

 The background of the card was sponged on using the Marina Mist ink pad, making a beautiful sky. The Lovely as a Tree single tree is stamped 3 times onto the background using Garden Green. The snow layers are Whisper White card stock torn & edged with Frost White Shimmer paint. The Rabbit & the deer from Forest Friends are stamped onto Crumb cake cardstock using the Early Espresso ink & Highlighted with a white gel pen.

The greeting is from Sincere salutations & stamped in Night of Navy onto Bashful Blue cardstock & punched out using the scalloped oval punch & popped up using Stampin' Dimensionals.
All of the products used on the above cards are from Stampin' Up & are available to purchase through me as a creative coach.

How to Clean Rubber Stamps From StazOn Ink

StazOn solvent ink by Tsukineko is one of the most versatile crafting inks on the market. StazOn is perfect for rubber stamping on glass, plastic, metal, foil and other nonporous and semiporous surfaces. Once a stamping project is complete, you'll need to use specially formulated cleaners to take this hard-to-remove ink off your rubber stamps.

Things You'll Need:

• Stampin' Mist spray cleaner by Stampin' UP!
• Stampin' Scrubber by Stampin' UP! 
• StazOn All Purpose Cleaner
• Old toothbrush
• Clean rag

Using a Stamp Scrubber

1. 1
   Spray Stampin' Mist cleaner on wet side of Stampin' Scrub or Double-Sided Stamp Scrubber (indicated by embossed raindrops). Scrubber should be moist, but not soaked.
2. 2
   Rub stamp vigorously on wet side of scrubber until clean. Foam will form on the stamp and scrubber but will not damage the stamp.
3. 3
   Rub stamp on dry side of scrubber (indicated by embossed umbrella). Press firmly so bristles reach into any crevices. Continue until stamp is dry.
   
   
   So what is Staz on pad ?
   
   
    Well, it’s a linen-fabric covered ink pad that holds a solvent-based ink that works on non-porous surfaces. Unlike a pigment-based ink, which only works on porous surfaces such as paper, chipboard, and wood, the StazOn ink will work on plastic, aluminum, shrink plastic, glass, vellum and more.
   
   
   Here are a couple of pointers when using Staz On:
   • Make sure you keep the lid on when not in use. Solvents dry quickly.
   • Buy the re-inker. For the above reason, it’ll get dry quickly but re-inking restores your pad.
   • Don’t expect it to be super juicy. Solvents just aren’t.
   • Not the best pad for rough surfaces, because it isn’t super-juicy!
   • Be careful when stamping on glossy surfaces. Too much pressure and your stamp will slide.
   • Use a shot of a heat gun to make sure your ink is set on plastics or glass.
   • StazOn will scratch off of some surfaces, so seal with crystal effects.
   
   
   
   

Punch Art Puppy

Thank you for all of your comments where podge had vanished too, I don't know what happened to his picture, but he is now back.

Podge the Puppy

Punches:

• Full Heart - head
• 1/2" circle - eye patch
• 3/4" circles cut in half - for ears
• Boho Blossoms punch - one petal for the nose & the tongue 
• Tiny Tag - name tag

The eyes are brads, the tuft of hair above his head is hand cut as is the collar.

Card stock - Real Red, Black, River Rock, More Mustard, So Saffron, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede. 

What is it? Shimmer Paint

Pigment ink with a touch of shimmer

■ Available in 3 colours: Champagne Mist, Frost White, and Platinum

■ Champagne Mist and Frost White are translucent—wash them over your project and you’ll get a delicate layer of shine that’s more understated than glitter

■ Platinum is opaque—it will cover your surface completely, so you’ll want to use it as an accent colour instead of using it to cover your project

■ Apply it with a sponge or sponge dauber directly to a stamp or paper

■ .5 oz. each

■ Nontoxic

“Shimmer paint is pigment ink, so you can do almost anything with it that you can do

As with ink—you can stamp with it, cover an entire section of card stock or paper with it, or apply it over a stamped image or Rub-On. It works on a variety of surfaces: paper, fabric, wood (such as our Texture Cuts wood sheets), leather, and more.” To stamp with shimmer paint, apply a thin layer of paint to the stamp using a sponge dauber or stamping sponge and then stamp as usual (don’t overload the dauber or the paint will seep into the recessed areas of the stamp). Because Champagne Mist and Frost White are translucent, images you stamp with them will be very light. Images stamped with Platinum shimmer paint will be more dramatic. Shimmer paint dries quickly; you don’t need to heat set it on paper or most material.

You can use shimmer paint on natural fibre fabrics, such as cotton, wool, silk, etc., but you must heat set it to make it permanent. To heat set the paint, iron the fabric with the iron set at the appropriate temperature for the fabric. Once the paint is heat set, the shimmer paint will not wash off or smear.

Shimmer Paint can be used in much the same way as the Liquified Pearl-EX .

Shimmer Mist using Shimmer Paint as a base ingredient thus allowing you to create

Shimmer cardstock, ribbon etc.

The formula: 1.5 tsp rubbing alcohol in a mini mister bottle... dip the 'straw' of your

Mister into the shimmer paint, scrape on sides of mister bottle (inside) 5  times.

Replace top, shake vigorously and spray onto porous surface.  Cardstock, ribbon, etc, and will not wipe off.

What's the difference?

Have you ever wondered what the difference is in the Stampin' Up ink pads?

Classic Stampin' Pad
The Classic line features linen-covered felt pads inked with Stampin' Up!'s popular, fast-drying, non-smearing, acid-free dye inks, ideal for cards, gift wraps and more. The linen fabric covering the 100 percent felt pad provides a more even distribution of ink to the stamp.

Craft Stampin' Pad
The new Craft line presents all 45 exclusive Stampin' Up! colors in fabric-covered foam pads containing thick, rich, fade-resistant pigment inks, perfect for preserving long-term scrapbook pages, embossing, and stamping on fabric and other craft items. This stamp pad is made with foam to hold and release the thicker pigment ink*. This archival and acid-free stamp pad creates permanent, more opaque images, perfect for any craft project.

Stampin' Write Markers. Using markers is a great way to ink a portion of an image or to create dramatic details. You can purchase Stampin' Write markers individually, as a color family, or all together as Many Marvelous Markers.

Pens and Journalers. Create final touches on your projects using our selection of pens and journalers. Choose from Blender Pens, a White gel pen, journalers, and more.

Watercoloring. Watercolor your projects using one of Stampin' Up!'s watercoloring products including watercolor pencils and our award-winning Watercolor Wonder Crayons.

Pastels. Add soft color to your projects by chalking them with Stampin' Pastels. It's the most cost-effective way to get all of Stampin' Up!'s exclusive colours.

Stampin' Around cartridges. Choose between inked cartridges in some of our most popular colors (for both jumbo and regular wheels) or our un-inked cartridges for custom colour using our ink refills.

In Colours collectors club

This year we have the first introduction of the beautiful In-Colours.  These colours will last for two years before being retired and we will get 5 new colours each year. 

If you would like to collect the fabulous In Colours on a monthly basis then have a look at my collectors club below.

I need FIVE people for this club and it will run for 5 months 

Each month you will be assigned one of the five in-colours and during the month you will receive the following items in that colour.

CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD

A4 CARDSTOCK (24 smooth sheets)

1/2" STITCHED-POLY RIBBON (13.7M)

8 SHEETS OF 12X12 PATTERNED PAPER

STAMPIN' WRITE MARKER

INK REFIL

Each person in the club will be made the hostess for one month.  On that month as a Hostess you will also receive One pack of Rhinestones or Pearls

 A Level 1 Hostess stampset and

£15 to spend as you wish from the Idea book and catalogue. 

This club will cost £29 per month if you collect the your items 

or 

£32 if you have them posted out to you.