SAILBOAT AT DAWN and CHRISTMAS IN JULY

Maybe this should be titled Sailboat at Sunset, but I think the background looks more like dawn.

In case you are thinking the background card stock is Designer Series Paper, you are WRONG.  The gorgeous colors we see in the background come from treating white card stock with shaving cream and drops of ink that have been swirled around.  This can be a bit messy, but the end result is well worth it.  Please don’t wear your best outfits to this Stamp Camp in case a bit of ink lands your way.  If you choose to do this at home, my suggestion is to plan on doing 10-20 pieces of cs to make the set up well worth the effort!  Judy has used her electronic cutter to cut the boat and swirly lines.  This is such a cool card.  I hope you plan on joining us at our June Stamp Camp so you can see the process and create a beautiful background!

I’m very excited to announce my first ever Christmas in July event.  Mark you calendars now for Thursday July 7th and Saturday July 9th.  We will be doing 8 cards – 4 each of 2 very different cards.  The cost will be $15.  On November 17th and 19th, we will have our second Christmas event and make an additional 8 cards – 4 each of 2 cards.  Although I cant tell you  now exactly what the November cards will be, I can tell you that for July, we will be doing a nativity scene card with a die from Taylored Expressions, and a “Season’s Tweetings” card with stamps and dies from Lawn Fawn.  So mark your calendars now!!!! 

Hope to see you for June Stamp – right around the corner:  Thursday June 2nd from 12 noon – 9 pm, Friday June 3rd from 2 – 9 pm, and Saturday June 4th from 9 am to 4 pm.  The 2016-17 SU catalogs are here and you can pick yours up and start browsing.  If you plan on attending June Stamp Camp, it is helpful if you can let me know.  Friday has been a poor to no attendance day and if I know that in advance, I can plan accordingly. 

Blessings, Rosemary – (h)630/759-3089 – (c)630/965-1965 – paperrose01@aol.com

In the Meadow

In the Meadow is a very gentle card that I felt was very appropriate for a man.  The deer image is stamped in Soft Suede on watercolor cs.    Several masks are available to mask the deer when the tree image is stamped.  The “huff-and-puff” marker technique is used for the trees.  Sahara Sand and Soft Suede are used to watercolor the deer with blender pens, with the Soft Suede marker used to clearly define areas as needed.   The trees are darkened with markers and a bit of Pear Pizazz and/or Wild Wasabi ink.   In this sample, the grassy area is watercolored in Pear Pizazz.  Several Tangelo Twist butterflies are stamped and Wink of Stella clear is added to the butterflies and several areas on the deer.  A Mossy Meadow framelit from the Lots of Labels Framelits set provides a picture frame for the watercolored oval.  The Wood grain Embossing Folder gives lots of texture to Crumb Cake cs that is heavily sponged and layered on Soft Suede and Very Vanilla cs. 

The second sample is done a bit differently.  Very Vanilla cs is used instead of watercolor paper.  The deer are stamped in Soft Suede but colored with markers.  The tree technique is the same but the grass is stamped in Wild Wasabi, Pear Pizazz and some marker.  Another sample on watercolor paper has the deer colored with markers.  In order to see the difference these techniques make, you need to look at the cards closely.  The watercolor version has more texture whereas the vanilla cs version is smooth.  Both are pleasing to the eye and you can choose which technique to use for your card.  I did try inking the wood grain folder prior to embossing but felt the darker wood grain took away from the watercolor picture.

We’ve seen 3 of our cards.  The final card is being prepped by a guest designer and is a shaving cream card.  As soon as this colorful card is available for pictures, I will send it your way. 

June is an epic month for you!  For any event you host with $350 USD or more in sales, you will receive $35 USD in Extra Stampin’ Rewards. You can do this with a catalog event or host a Stampin’ Up party in your home or mine.  This is a great way to earn extra stamps and dies, especially with the new annual catalog available with lots of new products.

Also in June every new demonstrator who joins my team during the month will get two FREE stamp sets in their Starter Kit. That’s an added value of up to $104 USD, depending on which stamps you choose. It’s a pretty big deal since that’s the same month SU launches the new catalog and the new stamps inside it. Plus, anyone hosting an event with me in June can also get Extra Stampin’ Rewards (see previous paragraph) which can be used towards their Starter Kit. Have the stars aligned or what?  Getting started is the best part! All you do is get the Starter Kit. You’ll choose $125 worth of Stampin’ Up! products, and SU will throw in some business supplies and free shipping. You’ll only pay $99! If you have ever thought about joining my team, NOW IS THE TIME!!!!  Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Blessings,

Rosemary – (h)630/759-3089 – (m)630/965-1965 – paperrose01@aol.com

DSP QUICK CARD

In my search for a quick and easy “manly” card, I reached out to 2 of my Designer Series Paper Stacks – Going Places and Go Wild.  I love the stacks – 48 sheets; 4 each of 12 double sided designs in a 6” X 6” size.  The price for these stacks in the new book is $10 which equates to $0.208 per sheet – you can make a quick and easy card AND keep the cost down!  The front and back usually coordinate which makes a DSP card very simple. 

The two samples above use 1 – 6” X 6” DSP trimmed to 5 1/4” on 1 side with a 1 1/4” strip  cut, and the remaining piece trimmed to 4”.  I use the boldest side for my 1 1/4 X 5 1/4 strip, and the side with the least contrast for the 4 X 5 1/4 piece.  As you can see above, I chose a black card which coordinated with both patterns.  I used Lost Lagoon on the Father’s Day card to border both the black and white center strip and the sentiment scallop circle.  Pretty quick and easy!!!  For the birthday card, I chose Tip Top Taupe for the center strip trim and die cut black for the sentiment scallop border.  I added die cut feathers in black and taupe and adhered them with a small Tip Top Taupe Thick Baker’s Twine bow.  An assortment of 6”X6” sheets have been pulled from the 2 DSP stacks we will be using.  If you don’t find one you like, you can look thru the stacks for one that you prefer.  The DSP will need to be trimmed to size – either by you or me.  You will choose the trim color cs, sentiment, and message.  Your card will be a true original!

The message layer for the birthday card also features a feather but remains relatively simple,  quick and easy. 

Of course The quick and easy DSP cards don’t have to be “manly.”  Check out the graduation card below for our niece.  What I really like about these cards is that I don’t have to think really hard about what I am going to do.  I pull a 6X6 piece of DSP from a stack and cut away.  The thinking part comes into play with my sentiment layer on the front and the message layer inside as I like to make each card a bit different.  Make sure you check out the 3 DSP stacks available in the new catalog.  I absolutely love the Little Foxy DSP Stack which coordinates with the new Foxy Friends stamp set and the Fox Builder punch.  These 3 items are on my June 1st buy list!!!

This is the feminine graduation card I previously referred to.  It is very simple and feminine.  6 rhinestones embellish the bold center strip, and a small punched flower and rhinestone add a touch of bling to the sentiment.  Thick Baker’s Twine adds texture and motion.  The sentiment is from the Class of 2015 stamp.  I used Washi Tape to mask off the 2015 for stamping, and die cut the 2016 numbers.  I’m using this sentiment for all my graduation cards this year. 

Remember to check out the Clearance Rack which changes weekly.  The Retiring Products, Clearance Rack and Occasions Catalog can all be pulled up from the Store Page. 

Looking forward to seeing you on June 2, 3 or 4!  2 more “manly” blogs to come!

Blessings, Rosemary – (h)630/759-3089 – (m)630/965-1965 – paperrose01@aol.com

CELEBRATING THE MEN IN OUR LIVES

Well Crafters, it is almost June!  Where does the time go?  For our June Stamp Camp, we are going to make “manly” cards.  So many times, we make our celebratory cards with flowers and lots of pretty images.  My stereotypical masculine card tends to be bold with darker colors.  This first card is definitely “manly.”

I’ve entitled this card “Going Places.”  There is a strip of the Going Places DSP stack on the front cover.  The Early Espresso card has a Crumb Cake front  embossed with the new World Traveler Embossing Folder and sponged with either Crumb Cake ink or a retired brown chalk.  The Happy Father’s Day card was sponged with ink and the Happy Birthday version received chalk.  The chalk can be erased but the Crumb Cake sponging gives a richer color.  You can choose either method.  The compass image is from the Going Global set and is stamped with Jet Black StazOn, die cut and centered on a die cut Basic Black circle.  The compass centers feature a small glittery star or a Crumb Cake Candy Dot.  The sentiment is stamped in black on Very Vanilla, die cut , sponged with Crumb Cake and layered on a 3/8” ribbon.

The message layer of the birthday card is stamped in black and embellished with candy dots.  Washi tape in black with tiny beige dots provides texture and a border to this layer.  Other messages are available for Father’s Day. 

To me, this is a great “manly” card and one of four we will be making at our June Stamp Camp.  Dates and times for  the June Camp:  Thursday, June 2 from 12 Noon to 9 PM; Friday, June 3 from 2 – 9 PM; and Saturday, June 4 from 9 AM to 4 PM.  You can come when it is convenient for your schedule.  The cost remains $12 and covers all supplies.  Water and soda pop are always available as a dehydrated crafter is a sad crafter!  All you need to provide is yourself!

The 2016-17 Stampin Up Catalogs have arrived and you can pick up yours when you come.  The catalogs are provided at no charge.  Don’t forget to check the list of retiring items as some are marked down as low as 50%.  When these items are gone – they won’t return.  Check out the retiring items at Retiring SU Products. 

Check back soon for another “manly” blog.  I hope to see you for June Stamp Camp.  It is helpful if you can let me know if you plan on coming or would like a kit, but this is not required.  Please don’t hesitate to contact me with questions or concerns.

Blessings, Rosemary – (h)630/759-3089 – (c)630/965-1965 – paperrose01@aol.com

Summer Roses

I am amazed at the beautiful rose crafts that are being made with the Rose Garden Thinlit Dies.  The Rose Wonder stamp set is great, but it is the rose thinlits that do all the work.  For our May Stamp Camp, we will be doing 2 cards that use the Rose Garden Thinlit Dies.  These are wonderful cards to honor the women in our lives.

The first card is a tad bit formal.  Done in Smoky Slate, Blushing Bride and Whisper White, the Rose Garden Thinlit Die highlights the use of  negative space.  The rose actually slips into the die cut cs like a puzzle piece.  Embellishments are limited to 2 pink butterflies and a few pearls.  The message is stamped on white scrap in Archival Basic Gray, and outlined in Smoky Slate.  The matching die from the Rose Garden Thinlit Dies makes this sentiment a breeze. 

 

I have seen the rose die used many different ways. 

 

I have seen this rose die used many different ways.  I thought it might be fun to do a watercolor background and let the negative space feature the blended colors.  This is almost a sunrise background with a Crushed Curry rose.  After wetting my watercolor cs, I started with a dab of Daffodil Delight and swirled it around on the cs.  Then I added a bit of Tangelo Twist and finally some Real Red.  Additional water is added and the Aqua Pen blends the colors beautifully.  The watercolor cs has a thin border of Basic Black which accents the colors and keeps them from blending into the Melon Mambo card

 

This card features a background of Melon Mambo, Island Indigo, and Garden Green.  The Melon Mambo decided to form a “hurricane” and flows to the bottom of the watercolor cs.  The Garden Green is noted in the bottom left corner.  The mixed colors appear slightly lavender and Elegant Eggplant cs is used for both the rose and the card.  The sentiment is stamped on white scrap, outlined in Melon Mambo and die cut with the matching thinlit.  A few butterflies are added for interest.  Although very hard to see, the negative space of the rose has been colored with the Wink of Stella Clear Glitter Brush and sparkles in the light.

 

This striking birthday card features a background of Tempting Turquoise, Real Red and Tangerine Tango.  Pacific Point cs gives us a striking rose and a Melon Mambo card coordinates well.  Wink of Stella Clear Glitter Brush is used to color the actual rose outline and the negative space of the rose.  Note the thin gold strands under the birthday sentiment.  This is the marvelous gold metallic thread.  I purchased it in both gold and silver and like it so well that I ordered an extra roll of each in case it is not carried over to the new catalog which will be out the beginning of June.  Lots of surprises coming!!!!

The final sample is monochromatic done in Elegant Eggplant, Perfect Plum, and Wisteria Wonder.  I was surprised how much blue is in these colors.  The card features a Melon Mambo rose and is on a Perfect Plum card.  Wink of Stella Clear Glitter Brush is used is color in all the negative space as well as the rose outline.  Water coloring can be wet, messy work.  This is a good stamp camp to wear really old clothes!!!  My hands were multi-colored by the time I had water-colored all the samples. 

 

 

The Rose Garden Thinlits Dies also includes a smaller rose die seen here on the sentiment layer.  One or two of these roses could be used on a card front.  There is a stem of negative space leaves and a small flower die as well as the label die included in this set. 

I hope you can attend the May Stamp Camp.  We are doing 2 additional fun cards not shown here.  Dates and times are Thursday May 5 from 12 Noon to 9 PM, Friday May 6 from 2 –9 PM, and Saturday May 7 from 9 AM to 9 PM.  If you know what day you might come, it is helpful – but not required – if you can let me know.  The cost remains $12 and includes all tools and supplies.  If you would like a kit prepared, the cost is the same.

Don’t forget that the current catalogs are discontinued on May 31st.  The new catalog is available online on June 1st.  I will notify you when my catalogs are in and you can stop by and pick one up.  Check out the retiring list at 2016 Retiring SU items.  Some items have been discounted. 

Mark your calendars now for June Stamp Camp – masculine cards for the men in our lives.  Dates are June 2, 3, and 4.

Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.  Hope to see you on May 5, 6 or 7. 

Blessings, Rosemary – (home)630/759-3089 – (cell)630/965-1965 – paperrose01@aol.com