Stamp set Goodbye part 2

Today I am uploading FIVE cards! So if you don't like one, scroll on down and see what else I have to offer. All of the stamps (and most of the ribbons) that I used in this post retired TODAY! Get them before they are gone!

Eastern Blooms

Here is a card that I made with a Stamp set I will really miss, Eastern Blooms.  I used the Masking technique to make it look like one of the flowers is in front of the others. (I hope to do a tutorial on Masking soon.) To get the two toned flowers I used the Rock & Roll technique.  Here is how you do that. First, ink up the entire stamp with your lighter color (Baja Breeze in this case). Then get a little bit of the darker ink on the outside edge of the stamp by touching it to the pad at a slant and rolling it around so that the outside edge touches the pad but the center does not.  Then just stamp like normal! I stamped the first image (the one in the foreground), then masked that and stamped two additional images. The base is Pacific Point cardstock. The strips of paper in the back are all slightly less than 1” wide (about 15/16”) and 4¼” long. One is Pear Pizzazz, one is Baja Breeze and three are Whisper White. I stamped the three Whisper White Strips with smaller images from the Eastern Blooms stamp set to make a “create your own designer paper” effect. These are stamped in the same colors, Baja Breeze, Pacific Point and Pear Pizzazz. I added a 5/8” Certainly Celery grosgrain ribbon, and matted the main image with one layer of each color of cardstock, each mat was 1/8” bigger than the previous layer.

One the card was completely assembled, I used the small end of the Tombow Multi liquid glue to apply very small dots of glue to the center of the flowers on the main image and sprinkled with Dazzling Diamonds glitter. That’s all for this card.

I also wanted to show you a few cute little 3x3” cards I made with retiring stamp sets.

Baby Steps

The Congratulations (elephant) card is made using the Baby Steps stamp. I colored that with Marina Mist and Regal Rose Stampin’ Write Markers, then stamped it on Whisper White cardstock. I rounded the upper corners, punched a 3/16” hole at the top with a Crop-o-dile and added a little piece of 3/8” Pretty in Pink taffeta ribbon. The base is Marina Mist textured cardstock. I used the Eyelet Lace border punch on a ½” x 3” strip of Marina Mist textured cardstock and adhered that to the bottom of the card. I adhered the image along the top of that. I used the Paper Piercer and mat pack to pierce a decorative line along a ¼” x 3” strip of Pretty in Pink cardstock and adhered that where the two pieces joined.

A Flower for all Seasons

The froggie card is made using the Flower for all Seasons stamp set. The base is Daffodil Delight cardstock and the designer paper is from the In Color 6x6” Designer Paper pack that is a retiring Hostess Gift. I stamped the image in Stazon Black and colored it with Blender Pens using Sahara Sand and Pear Pizzazz inks. Then I colored in the flower centers, froggie’s eyes and the flower centers in the designer paper using the writing tip of a Daffodil Delight marker.  I punched out the image with the 1 3/8” square punch.  I also punched out a Pear Pizzazz 1 3/8” square and cut in in half long ways. I attached the halves to the back of the image and attached that to the card front. Voila!

Tart & Tangy

The "let’s celebrate" card uses the Tart & Tangy stamp set. I colored the images with Real Red and Old Olive Stampin’ Write Markers and stamped them on Whisper White cardstock, then punched them out with the Postage Stamp punch. The sentiment is from the On Your Birthday set (not retiring). I mounted them on a 2½ x 2½” piece of Old Olive cardstock. The card base is Real Red textured cardstock. I added a piece of Old Olive 1 ¼” Striped Grosgrain ribbon around the base, then attached the Old Olive piece with images to the front. Super easy!

Engraved Greetings

And last but not least, this classy Happy Birthday card. It uses the Engraved Greetings stamp set.  I stamped the image in Versamark on a 2½ x 2½” piece of Brushed Gold cardstock, then heat embossed with Black embossing powder. I attached a piece of Basic Black ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon below the sentiment, and put all of that on a 3x3” Basic Black Textured card base. So easy but stunning!

Thanks for visiting my blog, I hope you enjoyed all the cards. If you would like to purchase any of the items used here, please visit my business website at http://www.trina_kuriger.stampinup.net/



Stamp Set Goodbyes and Tutorial for a Super Easy T-shirt Card

Stampin' Up! will be retiring lots of stamp sets at the end of this month, and so I have been busy in my craft room saying goodbye to a lot of my retiring stamp sets. I love these sets! I know I can still use them after they retire, but as a demo, so many of the things that I make need to be done with current stamps. So for now, I am just going to use these babies as much as I can!

The stamps I am going to miss the most are the “Extreme” silhouette stamps. I own them all except for the surfer. (We don’t have a lot of surfers in Minnesota.) These were my absolute favorites for making cards for teens and young twenty somethings. Also I used them a lot for my brother who is a lot older, but still plays like he is twenty something.  So when I saw this fabulous T-shirt card on Splitcoast Stampers by darhm, I had to try to recreate it. I loved the way her card looked, but I know it can be easier if the card fits a standard envelope. So I adjusted the sizing to

4¼ x 5½” so that it would fit into a standard A2 size envelope.  See the end of this blog post for a tutorial on how to make this card.

I also thought I would show you a card I made a while back using the Extreme Guitar stamp. I love how this turned out. I used Extreme Elements and Fabulous Phrases to create the background, which I then cut up and reassembled to give a mosaic effect. I also knotted and then frayed some Basic Black ¼” grosgrain ribbon to complete the chaotic look.

Now on to a different theme, weddings! Here is ona card that I made using a couple of retiring stamps. This monochromatic card is simple to make but I think it is stunning. I stamped the Bella Toile Background stamp along the bottom half of a 4x5¼” Very Vanilla card front in Rich Razzleberry. Then I added a piece of Rich Razzleberry 3/8” taffeta ribbon.  I stamped and hand cut the butterfly from the Great Friend set, attached it with glue dots and added a few of the largest size of Basic Pearls. The sentiment is from Sincere Salutations (not retiring).

Tutorial for a super easy T-shirt card

This card is just made from one piece of cardstock cut to 3¼” x 8½”, scored at 4¼” and two 1¾” squares, plus a little bit of matching designer paper. (Two strips 3/8 x 1 ¾”.) It is so easy to put together.

1. Stamp the image on the front of the card. You should do this before assembly so that the card is flat. (After you attach the sleeves, it will keep the card from being completely flat and keep you from getting a good image.) Use an embossing buddy first to prevent stray embossing powder from sticking where you don’t want it. Make sure that you stamp the image far enough down so that there is still room for the collar.

2. For this card I stamped in Versamark and embossed using Wild Wasabi embossing powder. You can use a small brush to wipe away any embossing powder that sticks where you don’t want it. Heat with your heat gun (I use a clothes pin to hold it so I don't burn myself.) Then fold and crease at the score line.

3. Cut out a partial oval from the designer paper using the 1¾” x 7/8” Oval Punch. This should be slightly less than ½ of a complete oval, about 3/8” high.

4. Punch out a ½ oval from a strip of black cardstock, and throw that out. Then line up the oval punch along the line where you just punched, so that the thin strip of cardstock is all that shows.  Punch this out to use as the collar.

5. Attach this along the designer paper partial oval along the edge to form the collar. I used the Tombow multi liquid glue to glue down this little piece.  Trim off any overhang if necessary. Put this on the front of the card above the image along the fold line.

6. Attach one of the 3/8 x 1¾” strips of designer paper to one of the edges of the square. Repeat with the other square.

7. Attach these squares to the back side of the front layer of cardstock, so that the designer paper shows forward and is positioned to look like the edge of the sleeves. You may want to assemble this on grid paper or on an envelope so that you do not make the sleeves stick out any wider than 5½“ total width, so that this will still fit in a standard A2 envelope.

8. If you want to line the card, you should use a 3 x 4” piece of cardstock. I didn’t put a liner in mine because I thought it would be a really fun card to write on with a gel pen.

Thanks for reading my blog and tutorial! If you would like to purchase any of the stamp sets shown here, get them before they retire on June 30th! You can purchase them on my business website at www.trina_kuriger.stampinup.net

Happy Stamping!

Some Emboss Resist Cards from the Past

Hi everyone!

I have been busy in my stamp room, but everything I made is for my class this Wednesday. So I will have to wait until after Wednesday night to post those items. For now, I decided to upload some my favorite cards that I made in the past. I am going to show you three cards that use the emboss resist technique. This is absolutely one of my all time favorite wow techniques! Come to think of it, I think I may do an emboss resist tutorial sometime soon!

Here is the first card

This card is just a base with no layers, but I think that it is really outstanding . I started with a base of Whisper White cardstock. I masked areas across the top and bottom with Post-It notes, and then I stamped the images from the Upsy Daisy stamp set in Versamark and embossed them with clear embossing powder. (I took the post-it notes off before using the heat tool, and brushed away any embossing powder that got trapped under the post-its.) I placed fresh post-its and sponged on Classic ink using Sponge Daubers. I used Pear Pizzazz ink along the bottom and Marina Mist ink along the top, so that the inks came together in a wavy line that gave the effect of a landscape. Then I added a little bit of Pacific Point ink along the top edge and to the left corner to add dimension. I buffed excess ink off the image with a paper towel. Then I removed the post-its and stamped the sentiment from Thoughts and Prayers. I used a Pacific Point marker to ink up just part of the sentiment so that I would only get the “thinking of you” part. I finished it off by inserting the bottom edge into a Square Lattice Embossing Folder and ran it through my Big Shot. That all there is!

Stamps: Inspired by Nature, Thoughts & Prayers (sentiment) 

Paper: White 
Ink: Versamark, Pear Pizzazz, Marina Mist, Pacific Point 
Accessories: Clear Embossing Powder, Sponge Dauber, Post-it notes, Square Lattice Embossing Folder 
Techniques: Sponging, Heat Embossing, Emboss Resist, Masking 

Here is my next card.

By chance, it is another one that uses Upsy Daisy with Emboss Resist. I stamped the image in Versamark on Very Vanilla cardstock. I embossed with clear embossing powder. Then I sponged on Chocolate Chip ink around the image and added a bit of Early Espresso ink in the bottom left. I buffed excess ink off the image with a paper towel. I stamped the sentiment with Early Espresso. I matted with a piece of Chocolate Chip cardstock, and then another piece of Very Vanilla. The card base is Chocolate Chip. The strip behind the main image is inked with Early Espresso using the Baroque Border wheel and then sponged with Chocolate Chip. I added a piece of Very Vanilla 5/8” Satin Ribbon around this strip, and assembled the card. Then I tied a bow from the same ribbon and attached it with Glue Dots. I hope you like it!

Stamps: Upsy Daisy, Baroque Border Wheel 

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla 
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Early Espresso, Versamark 
Accessories: Clear Embossing Powder, Vanilla Satin Ribbon, Glue dots, Sponge 
Techniques: Sponging, Heat Embossing, Emboss Resist 

This last card uses the Emerging Color Technique, which is a variation of Emboss Resist.

To do this technique, you stamp an image in colored ink. (In this case I used a non-SU stamp that says “Peace on Earth”, stamping in Night of Navy ink on Whisper White cardstock.) Then you stamp over the original image using different image in Versamark and emboss with clear embossing powder. (I used the Medallion stamp.) Then after you have sponged ink around the embossing, the initial image shows through the area of embossing that resist the sponged ink. (Hence the “emerging color”.)  On this card I brayered Pacific Point all over the card front, then I sponged on Night of Navy ink around the edges and in random spots along the card. I buffed excess ink off the image with a paper towel, so that the words showed through the Medallion. Finally I stamped on snowflakes from the Serene Snowflakes set in Encore Silver ink. I added a piece of silver satin ribbon from my ribbon scraps drawer.  I matted this card front on Brushed Silver cardstock, and then attached that to a Night of Navy card base. That about sums it up!

Stamps: Medallion, Serene Snowflakes, “Peace on Earth” sentiment 

Paper: Night of Navy, Whisper White, Silver 
Ink: Versamark, Pacific Point, Night of Navy, Encore Silver 
Accessories: Clear embossing powder, Brayer, Sponges, Silver Ribbon 
Techniques: Emerging Color, Sponging 

Thanks for reading my blog! If you would like to purchase any of the items used here, I would love to have you visit my business website at www.trina_kuriger.stampinup.net

Wedding Card and Melted Ribbon Flower Tutorial

Sorry it has been so long since I posted, I have been busy getting ready for my stepson’s wedding. Since I have this and several other weddings coming up in June, I have definitely been in a wedding card mood. Here is one that I made for a friend’s bridal shower. Please see the end of this post for the tutorial on how to make a melted ribbon flower.

I used Whisper White for the card base. Then I embossed a 4x5¼” piece of Whisper White with the Finial Press embossing folder and attached it to the cardstock using Sticky Strip. I used the Pinking Hearts border punch to punch the edge of two 1x4” strips of Daffodil Delight cardstock, and then I attached them to a 1¾ x 4” piece of Whisper White and attached that to the front of the card (once again with Sticky Strip). I stamped the “happiness always” from Happy Greetings with Pear Pizzazz Classic ink on Whisper White cardstock, then I punched that out with the 2½” circle punch. I cut out a scallop from Daffodil Delight cardstock using the largest scallop from the Scallops Circle #2 Bigz Die and adhered that behind the Whisper White circle. I attached that to the card, then made the melted ribbon flower out of Daffodil Delight 5/8” Satin Ribbon and added that (sticky strip again!).  I have found that Snail Adhesive doesn’t work very well if both of your pieces of cardstock aren’t totally flat, so when I emboss cardstock I always use sticky strip to attach it to the card and to attach things to it. For directions on how to make the flower, see the flower tutorial below.

Melted ribbon flower tutorial

1.Cut out a base for the flower from Sticky Pages. For this flower I used the 1 ¾” circle punch to cut out a piece of Daffodil Delight cardstock.

2. Then I traced that cardstock to draw a circle on a piece of sticky pages and cut it out with scissors.  Don’t try to punch out the Sticky Pages with your punch, it will gum it up. (Hang on to the cardstock circle, you will use it later.)

3. Cut out a 21” piece of 5/8” Satin ribbon. (If you start with a larger circle, you will need a longer piece of ribbon)





4.  Cut that ribbon at 1” intervals, but not quite all the way through. Just cut until you are about 1/8” from the edge.  If you get to the end and your last segment is less than 1”, that’s fine.

5. Peel the red cover piece off of the sticky page circle. (My fingers look yucky! I have to remember to use lotion before I take these photos!)

6. Adhere the end of your ribbon to the edge.

7. Keep adding the ribbon, gathering it so that it is ruffled along the edge.

8 When you get back to where you started, start adhering the ribbon further in to start another row of ruffles.

9. Keep going until you get to the center.

10.You will have to add a few glue dots in the center to be able to stick down the last of your ribbon. (If you end up with too much ribbon, just trim the excess off.)

11. Warm up your heat gun for about 2 minutes before you start. Once your heat gun is warmed upstart slowly melting your flower along the outside edge. You will need to use something to hold it down so that it doesn’t blow away. (I usually hold onto my tool while doing this, but I can’t take a picture that way!)

12.I try to just melt it until the cut edges of the ribbon start to round up a little bit. Take the heat off of it when you need to turn it, otherwise it will overheat and the flower will get too messy.  Once all the edges are done, move to the center and melt the cut edges there.

13. Now turn your flower over and take the white cover paper off of the sticky sheet.

14. Attach your cardstock circle that you made in step one onto the exposed sticky sheet. You do this because sticky sheet is clear, and you don’t want the colors of the card base to show through your flower.

15. To make the leaves, take a 3” strip of 5/8” Satin Ribbon (I used Certainly Celery) and cut a notch in it at the half way point (1 ½”) but once again, don’t cut all the way through.

16. Lay the ribbon flat and add a glue dot to one end.

17. Then take the other end and slide it around until it is on top of the other piece.

18. Hold this with a clothespin to keep it flat, and heat only the cut end (you want the rest of the ribbon to remain flat so that it will lay neatly behind the flower.

19.Once the edges are curled up a bit, stop heating it, take it out of the clothespin and attach it to the back of the flower with glue dots. You can repeat this step if you want additional leaves. 

20. Add a few pearls or rhinestones to the center to dress it up a bit.

21. Attach your flower on the card with glue dots and enjoy!

A couple of pointers

1.I have noticed that a lot of people hold the heat gun a little too close, trying to make the flower melt quickly. You will have a lot more control get a better result if you kept the heat gun a couple of inches away and melt it more slowly.

2. Don’t over melt your flower. You will not be able to get it perfectly symmetrical, but you will drive yourself nuts if you try. Just soften up all the edges and call it done!

If you would like to order any of the items used here today, please visit my website at www.trina_kuriger.stampinup.net

Thanks for reading my tutorial!