For Love of Paper

Make Over Monday: Simple Tissue Paper Flower

I hope everyone enjoyed the nine days of Father's Day Frenzy! I have to say I have really enjoyed the week. As the days went by I thought of even more Father's Day ideas. I think I probably could have done Father's Day Frenzy Month, lol. But I figure after so many days of masculinity yall might enjoy something with flowers which brings me to todays Make Over Monday card.

I was inspired by this card created by Starla Nelson. For some time I've been seeing flowers made by scrunching up tissue paper. Then when I saw Starla's card the vision hit.

This card was so fast. One stamp, a little punching, ribbon and embellishments and viola a ten minute miracle.

How to make a tissue paper flower:

To make the flower just punch 6 to 8 layers of tissue paper. The easiest way to do this is to put about four layers of tissue paper between two sheets of copy paper or notebook paper and punch. Then punch or poke a hole for the brad through all the layers of tissue, insert the brad and scrunch, squish and fluff the flower.

The brad in the center of the flower is a combination piece. First I inserted a 5/8" silver brad and then used a couple mini glue dots to attach the large flat backed pear from the Pretties Kit.

As I was working on this blog post and looking at Starla's card again I got to thinking it would have been a nice touch to stamp a little swirl or something on the red tissue with some gold or silver Encore ink to give it a bit more texture. This usually happens. Once I finish a project I think of something I could have done to make it just a little better. Sometimes I'll take it apart or remake it and other times I just tuck the thought away for another project.

My challenge to you for the day is to do something simple.

 

Supplies

Stamps: Pretty Petals (111008)

Inks: Basic Black (101179)

Paper: Very Vanilla (101650) and Basic Black (102851)

Other: Eyelet Border Punch (113692), XL Fancy Flower Punch (118073), 5/8" Jumbo Brad (112533), Pretties Kit (109114), Valet Ribbon Originals (retired)

Where to find card making ideas.

When people find out I make cards they often comment that they couldn’t do that. They automatically assume every card I create is something I came up with but the truth of the matter is anyone can make cards and you don’t have to come up with the ideas yourself. The world is full of ideas and inspiration and lots of them for little or no cost. So where do I find ideas and inspiration?

Click here to read more.

Father's Day Frenzy

I wanted to let everyone know next week I will not be doing my regularly scheduled blog posts and instead will be posting a Father's Day Frenzy of ideas. Beginning tomorrow, Saturday, May 15th, for nine consecutive days I will be showing you examples of things you can make for dad. Be sure to come back each day for new ideas to show dear old dad just how much you love and appreciate him.

Leave comments & win!

Be sure to leave comments each time you visit. For every comment you leave you will be entered into a drawing to win a pick from my stamping goodie basket full of stamp sets.

Get the instructions for all nine projects!

Also be sure you're signed up for my monthly INKspirations Newsletter. At the end of the nine days I will be sending all newsletter subscribers links to directions on each project.

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Make Over Monday: Vintage Daisy

What is Make Over Monday?

Each Monday I choose a card, project or scrapbook page created by someone else and recreate it using only Stampin' Up! supplies I have on hand.

One of the great things about Make Over Monday is that it often forces me out of my comfort zone. If not for challenging myself to recreate this card done by Alice Wertz, I never would have put these papers together. Especially not in this manner.

As you can see my card isn't a direct copy of hers. I chose to leave off the butterfly and to attach my Top Note Die Cut onto a regular size card in Kraft. Remember if you see something you like you don't have to copy it element for element. Just use it as a jumping off point.

While my card is different I love the cute vintage feel it turned out to have.

Supplies Used:

Stamps: Thank You Kindly

Inks: Basic Black and Close to Cocoa Classic Ink and Stampin' Write Marker

Paper: Kraft, Sweet Pea DSP, Whisper White and Certainly Celery

Other: Sizzix Big Shot, Top Note Die, Birds & Blooms Sizzlits (leaf), Scallop Circle Punch and Jumbo Chocolate Brad

My challenge to you is find a card, project or scrapbook page you like but is a little outside of your comfort zone and make it your own.

Make Over Monday: Stitched Flower Card

One of the hottest trends in paper crafting is sewing. (Hmm, that sorta sounds like an oxymoron.) Anyway, when I saw the original card done by Melyssa Connoly I was immediately attracted to the stitching.

I decided to use two types of stitching on my card. Both started with piercing holes using the Mat Pack as a guide. The holes I had pierced for the flower stems I actually stitched using a needle and embroidery floss. The red stitching around the outer edge of the card isn't actually stitching at all. The wholes left from the paper piercer were just connected using a Real Red Stampin' Write Marker. 

Stitching on paper can also be done using a sewing machine. It's super easy and very quick if your sewing machine is already out. I remember in middle school home economics class we were taught to sew first on paper and then moved up to fabric, so it has to be easy.

Be sure to stop back tomorrow. I'll have a quick tutorial on the Mat Pack and adding stitching to your projects.

Supply List

Stamps: Whimsical Words

Inks: Bashful Blue, Crushed Curry, Basic Black and Certainly Celery Classic Ink, Real Red Stampin' Write Marker

Paper: Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery and So Saffron

Other: Sponges, non-SU buttons, white crochet thread, green embroidery floss, Sizzix Big Shot and Stampin' Up! Birds & Blooms Sizzlits, Mat Pack and hole piercer, 1/4" Red Grosgrain Ribbon and Large Oval Punch

More Sale-a-bration Extravaganza Photos

I thought yall might enjoy seeing a few more photos from our Sale-a-bration Extravaganza Event. It was great fun. This is the second year we've held this event and we're sure to do it again next year!

 

One of my favorite customers, Alice with my mom, Belinda

This card was created by fellow demonstrator, Melissa Smith and features the 2 Step Bird Punch. A very versatile tool!

Another Scallop Square Rag Purse done by fellow demonstrator Carol Bardin.

Wonderful layouts done by fellow demonstrator Lisa Besler. She created these using My Digital Studio.

 

Make Over Monday: Teal Butterfly

This weak I had to choose something quick and easy because my son has been sick for four days and I'm way behind on everything.

The original of this card was created by Cheryl Rowley. I really liked the bold colors and the layout of the card. And I'm all about using my Sizzix Butterfly Die and Embosslit any time I can. I'm not a huge butterfly person under normal circumstances but I really love the Sizzix Butterflies.

I also found it rather interesting that Cheryl had actually CASED her card from this one.

Seeing the way different people interpret someone else's card is always interesting. We each pick out different parts that stand out to us.

Supplies Used:

Stamps: Full of Life

Inks: Basic Black, Taken with Teal and Close To Cocoa Classic Ink

Paper: Taken with Teal, Whisper White and Sweet Pea DSP

Other: Stampin' Dimensionals, Sizzix Big Shot, Beautiful Butterflies Die, Beautiful Wings Emosslit, White Tafetta Ribbon, Scallop Trim Border Punch and Corner Punch

Stamping Off Technique

Last week I challenged everyone to make a card using one color and one neutral. Here is a wonderful card created by my mom, Belinda. I love it when readers take the challenge and email me their creations. It's always fun to see how YOU interpret the challenge and I love sharing your results with everyone.

In this card she used Soft Suede and Whisper White. To get a little variation in color she said she "stamped off" before stamping the tree tops. Stamping off is a great technique to use when you want a slightly lighter version of any color. Just ink your stamp as you normally would, then lightly stamp it on scrap paper and then stamp it on your project.

I would love to have more people participate in the challenges I lay out to you from time to time. You can submit a challenge project any time. It doesn't have to be right away. 

Thanks for participating mom!

Sale-a-bration Extravaganza was a blast!

I belong to a local group of demonstrators known as the Lone Star Stampers. Yesterday we held our second Sale-a-bration Extravaganza. Over forty people attended and had a great time. Here are some photos from yesterday.

Brenda on the right demonstrating My Digital Studio and Kathleen sewing on the left.

Yes, I did say Kathleen was sewing. See the way cute black and white purse? That was made using the Stampin' Up! Scallop Square Sizzix Die (#115950). You can also see the Fabric Flower Pin I made for everyone, to show off, on her shirt. Yes the tutorial for these flowers is coming!

I just fell in love with these little name tags Kathleen created. Not until I was looking at the picture today did I realize the base of the name tag was made with the Two Tags Sizzix Die. How clever!

This year for Sale-a-bration Extravaganza we decided to have a $10 mini class. Each participant made the matchbox and coordinating card pictured below and got to take home half a package of the Sweet Pea Stitched Felt Flowers. What a deal!

Matchbox and coordinating card perfect for an Easter or Mother's Day gift. (Just add jewelry!)

I apologize for the coloring in the photo but I really wanted to share this with you because I thought it was so cute. (Plastic tables do not make a good backdrop.) This was made by Carol, the coordinator of Lone Star Stampers. All I need to say about Carol is that she's awesome! She and her husband have nine children, she home schools and still has time to wrangle all of us crazy stampers. This little bag of jelly beans has rub-ons from the Eggscellent Eggs Kit on it. Never thought to put rub-ons on the clear bags. The topper is made from the Sizzix Top Note Die and embellished with ribbon, a flower from the kit and an epoxy brad. I didn't realize until I saw the kit yesterday that it included bling! Hmm, maybe it will be in the new catalog in July? Keep your fingers crossed.

Each customer that RSVP'd by the deadline received this little gift. The container was made using one of the Sweet Treat Cups and was filled with an assortment of Corduroy Buttons.

Even better there was a slider so you could remove the buttons and keep the container.

So if you didn't make it yesterday I hope you enjoyed your virtual tour and be sure to check my calendar often so you don't miss anymore awesome events.

Click here to see the calendar and register early.