WATERCOLOR EMBOSSING FOLDER

I just love re-purposing my embossing folders!  This technique is so beautiful and really showcases our bolder embossing folders.  And of course the who doesn't like an easy way of water coloring?? 

Here's what you do:  Take your favorite embossing folder and daub colors onto the raised area.  Next, spritz folder and insert your watercolor paper.  Push down to "stamp" the water color paper.

As you can see, the more you spritz the more blending the colors will do.  The plastic of the embossing folder will make the water kind of "bubble" up like it does on a waxed vehicle.

The bolder your embossing folder, the bolder your pattern.

I used some bold bright colors.  (which all retired in May)  You can use any colors you'd like, just daub away and spritz.  Then you can coordinate to any occasion or style.

WAX ON, WAX OFF

Did you know what I meant by the title???  Wax On,  Wax Off??  Well if you did...I bet you're thinking about karate right now :)  

In my version of Wax On, Wax Off...it's with Wax Paper.  I used an embossing folder with wax paper to create this unique background.

Are you a little perplexed?  Confused?  Fanscinated?  I know I know....let me explain a bit.  The Wax On part is because we're utilitzing the wax ON the wax paper.  We run the wax paper through the embossing folder (with out the glossy card stock...that comes next).    After you have your embossed Wax Paper, you're going to place it over the glossy card stock.  You want the side touching the card stock to be the pattern you want revealed at the end.  Place a paper towel or thin dish cloth over everything and IRON it.  Make sure not to use steam when you iron it.  You want to iron it evenly.  You can see on this card, I did't get the bottom very good.  What you're doing is melting the WAX OFF of the wax paper and onto your card stock.  SEE WAX ON, WAX OFF :)   After you have all your wax melted on, you're just going to use sponge daubers and reinkers to go over the background.  Easy peasy.

This technique is great when you want to customize your colors.  You could easily find out the school colors and make it match.  Or for a birthday card, see what their favorite color is as well.

Colors are:  Rose Red, Elegant Eggplant, and Calypso Coral

Check out different EMBOSSING FOLDERS HERE!!!

THANKS! LOVE DOVE COOKIES AND CREAM!!!

Oh how sweet some of my co-workers are!  They know I don't like chocolate chocolate so they bought me some Cookies and Cream Dove.  And could these sayings be a little truer for me?!?!

Especially this one.

I GUESS if it said...AND AWESOME....it'd fit me perfect.  But I'll take fabulous anyday!

I'm not sure about the "Smile More" saying....I smile and laugh so much already!  Yowzers!

POLISHED STONE Technique

I always love to do interesting techniques.  I love the ones where your card comes out different every time.

This technique definitely has that quality.  The Polished Stone technique utilizes re-inkers to create a wonderful and unique background.  You also use rubbing alcohol, glossy paper, and cotton balls.  I know, what a combination!  And what a beautiful creation too!

I wanted to make a more "MANLY" card since I just don't do enough of them.  I thought this one was nice with the Garden Green, Basic Black, Crumb Cake, and Gold colors.  It's almost like the Packer's Colors!!!

First you take rubbing alcohol and cover your whole background.  You then take one cotton ball and your re-inkers.  You drop a few drops of each color onto the ball (remember not to use basic black since it turns purple in color).  You just dob the cotton ball all over your glossy card stock.  Make sure you change direction too so the pattern gets interrupted.  You'll notice that the colors won't be so pronounced as you go and will start melding together.  Don't get them too mushy though as they'll turn sloppy.

After I liked the background, I used a gold ink pad and just dobbed some gold on the background and it made this cool "fleck" look.  To enhance it, I added gold basic glimmer brads (which are now retired....sad face....super sad face).

See here how some of the colors are bolder than others.  Those were a few of the first dobs with the cotton ball and then the more muted colors where when the cotton ball was running out.

Heat dry your card stock if still saturated and finish your card :)

I found these directions in the forums at www.splitcoaststampers.com 

I hope you enjoyed this little post :)  HAPPY STAMPIN'!

FAVORITE PAST TIME AND PRESENT TIME :)

I just LOVE LOVE LOVE summer!   And of course with the hot weather comes ice cream!  Every time we go to a new ice cream shop, the boys just have to see if they have Blue Moon.  Well this little drive-in in Wisconsin Rapids had their favorite!  And like usual, with little shops like this, a regular cone is like a 3 or 4 scoop cone!  MMMmmmm!!!!!!!!!!

We stopped here after Alex's soccer tournament Father's Day weekend.  As you can see Alex was in full soccer mode....PINKY was out for the summer :)

The next couple photos are just some funny ones....it's hard to look good while eating ice cream :)

The BLUE MOON ice cream reminds me a lot of my childhood.  I grew up in Stratford and when we were lucky enough to go to the Marshfield Mall (about 20 minutes away) we often would go to the little ice cream shop they had inside.  It was all, now as they call it, hand scooped ice cream cones.  We had two favorites:  BLUE MOON and BUBBLEGUM.  My sister Holly's favorite I think is still Blue Moon.  

When I took this picture of the boys, I uploaded it to facebook.  And as we were driving back I heard my phone make a noise that meant I had a notification from facebook.  Of course, I was driving so I said to Brian, "I bet ya $5 it's Holly commenting on the picture of you two eating the Blue Moon ice cream."  He said he'd take that bet.  I asked him who he thought it was and he stated it didn't matter....anyone but Holly.  Well he looked....AND IT was Holly....asking where hers was!  Thanks for the $5!

Refresh the Retiring Stamp Camp #2

DELICATE DOILIES, LARGE RHINESTONES & RUFFLE STRETCH TRIM RIBBON

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw my precious Delicate Doilies stamp set on the chopping block.  I just love love love them.  I understand....everyone and their mother probably bought this set when it first came out and it's not selling anymore....blah blah blah.  I don't care :(   Anyways...I showcased this set in a simple manner...monochromatic.  I love the simplicity of this card.

Gifts for Club Members

WOW!  I finally got back into my craft room after about a month!  It's been crazy busy around our house and way too nice outside to be inside.  Well it's getting a little wet outside lately so I took that time to jump into the craft room.  AFTER cleaning it of course, I was able to get a few projects done.  

The project I'm working on here is re-purposing packaging.  I hate throwing away good boxes if I don't have to.  So I used these old boxes (I get these when I order my bulk adhesive).  They're perfect.  They're already white, assembled, and don't have much writing on the outside.  

I can't show you the finished product yet as not all of my club members have received their gifts yet.  But you can see a lot of it!

Clubs are in the process of restarting!  Club details are:

*6 people per club      *Club meets every other month

*Each member gets to be a "hostess" one month and receive the hostess benefits

*When you're not the hostess, you agree to purchase at least $30 (5 meetings) so each member has a least a minimum show of $150.  For a min. show, you get $20 in free merchandise (or more depending on specials)

(a $30 purchase gets you a punch on your preferred customer card as well!)

*At each club meeting, we'll prepare 3 projects.  These projects are usually more in depth than items at my stamp camps since we have a reduce number of participants.

*COUPONS!  You'll receive 20% off one item during your birthday month & a FREE stamp camp too!

Plus many more coupons throughout the year!