On the CASE: Some Kind of Wonderful

by | Jul 17, 2019 | Encouragement Cards | 1 comment

What influences you to buy a stamp set?

As I was working on today’s CASE, the question came to mind. I think it’s two things for me. First, I’m influenced by the samples provided on the product page. I mean, who wouldn’t be? Designers and design teams have a way of making any stamp set shine! Then, I think about a few ways I could see myself using the set in my own way, and what occasions I’d use the set for. I share this observation with you because I realized that I like to CASE designs because they remind me why I bought the set in the first place!

(affiliate links are used in this post. When you click on them and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting my blog!)

I mean – who wouldn’t be bowled over by this sample from The Stamp Market? I love how the sentiment stands out on that black & white background! Then, when I looked at the stamp set, I fell in love with the fact that the sentiment stamp is individual pieces, not one big piece. So, you can easily stamp them on different colors (like the sample), or use the words separately if you want! No stamp surgery necessary 😀

Don’t forget to leave a comment at the end of the post to qualify for my monthly giveaway!

Stamps and Paper and Inks … Oh, My!

Stamps: Some Kind of Wonderful (The Stamp Market)
Paper: 8 1/2″ x 5 1/2″ Solar White 110lb CS (Neenah), 4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″ Solar White 80lb CS (Neenah), 1/2″ strips of Robin’s Egg (Bazzill), No. 2 Pencil (Lawn Fawn), Guava (Lawn Fawn), Blush (Altenew)
Inks: Nocturne Versafine Clair (Tsukineko), Unicorn White (Hero Arts)
Accessories: None
Other: White Embossing Powder (Ranger), Anti-static bag (Ranger), Heat Tool (Wagner), Stamp Positioning Tool (Tonic), foam adhesive (3M) Paper Snips (EK Success) or Silhouette Cameo & PIxscan

On the CASE Notes

(your step-by-step guide)

  1. Score the card base at 4 1/4″. Stamp the background leaves, allowing the image to go over the edge.
  2. Stamp the floral image on the 80lb. Solar White.
  3. Either fussy cut the image, or use a Silhouette Cameo & Pixscan sheet to cut the image.
  4. Stamp the sentiment on the colored 1/2″ strips using Unicorn White pigment ink (don’t forget the anti-static powder!)
  5. Emboss the sentiment pieces in white. Trim the strips to finished lengths.
  6. Adhere the flower to the card base with foam adhesive strips.
  7. Adhere the sentiment strips to the card with foam adhesive strips. Where the sentiment overlaps the flower, simply glue – don’t add extra foam adhesive.
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stamp background leaves

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stamp flower

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setup on Silhouette

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cut

190717-step-_0003_04

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perfect!

190717-step-_0005_06

190717-step-_0005_06

stamp sentiment

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emboss

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assemble

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190717-step-_0008_09

done!

How Hard Was It to Crack this CASE?

Difficulty Level: 2 out of 5 – Hey! This was an easy one! It’s nice when you can just look at a project and figure out quickly how it goes together. Now, I can play with the idea and make it more my own. Perhaps I’ll start by changing the flower and leaf color – maybe a light pastel? Then, take the text and make it more monochrome? How would you take this project and make it your own? Pop me a comment to share!

We hope our projects today inspired you to try CASE-ing our projects, or another project you’ve been eyeing!  We hope to see you again in 2 weeks when we’ll be On the CASE again!

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Get everything you need to make this project!

The supply list is right here! Just click a product to get started. The links I'm sharing are Affiliate Links, meaning that I will receive a small commission on your sale, at no additional cost to you.
This helps keep the lights on and the inspiration flowing here at Pixel Maven's Retreat!

The Latest...

  • FREEBIES!!! There's no catch - check out my Freebies Page for all sorts of downloadable resources to help take your crafting up a notch!
  • Need a Color Coordinator to inspire color choices for your projects? Get yours today! 2019-20 Coordinators are NOW SHIPPING!
    "I love this! I have a hard time getting color combos together and this takes all the guess work out so I can start creating right away! I think every stamper should have one thank you for this amazing product." - Sandra

Here's some other projects you'll like!

 

AECP: Level 3 Final – a Live Class

AECP: Level 3 Final – a Live Class

This is IT!
Strap in, people! This post is LOOONNGG and filled with lots of pics. We’re taking a look into Friday’s Altenew Educator Level 3 Final Challenge – my live class, and it was a good one!

AECP: A Floral Card for Any Occasion

AECP: A Floral Card for Any Occasion

Floral cards are great for any occasion.
I love it when I can craft up a design that will accommodate any sentiment. I find that lots of floral designs fit that category.

Festive Friday: Sunshine Emoji Smiles

by | Jun 28, 2019 | Encouragement Cards | 3 comments

Play along at the Festive Friday Challenge. DT members provide written or video instructions for their projects each challenge! Find us @festivefridaychallenge or festivefridaychallenge.com. New challenges every other Friday! #cardchallenge

It’s time for another fun festivity!

I think you’re really going to love our newest Festive Friday challenge! It’s right on track with the start of Summer and is great for so many occasions. It can be happy, sad, ROFL, blessed….. what? Yah – pick any emoji – we’re celebrating World Emoji Day!

(affiliate links are used in this post. When you click on them and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting my blog!)

Looking for ideas – here’s a few:

  • Have fun with all the possibilities! Pick your favorite emoji and figure out how to recreate it in paper or another crafty medium.
  • Go strictly sunny and come up with a fun design featuring the color yellow!
  • CASE one of the DT projects and add your own twist to our designs. Of course, if you blog about it, we would love for you to mention the Designer as your inspiration for your project. Here’s links to all of the Designers:

Here’s my take:

 

Don’t forget to leave a comment at the end of the post to qualify for my monthly giveaway!

Now it’s your turn to link up!

Now that you’re all inspired, what will you create? The clock is ticking away for #FF0037 and we want to see your design. Link up your project over at Festive Friday and you might just be named a Festive Fave!

Don’t Forget about my monthly GIVEAWAY!

Every month, I give away a sweet surprise to one lucky commenter. So, don’t forget to leave a COMMENT on today’s post to enter!

If you loved today’s project, I’d love to know! The blogosphere can be a lonely place, so please don’t lurk! Leave a quick word or two to tell me you were here!

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Get everything you need to make this project!

The supply list is right here! Just click a product to get started. The links I'm sharing are Affiliate Links, meaning that I will receive a small commission on your sale, at no additional cost to you.
This helps keep the lights on and the inspiration flowing here at Pixel Maven's Retreat!

The Latest...

  • FREEBIES!!! There's no catch - check out my Freebies Page for all sorts of downloadable resources to help take your crafting up a notch!
  • Need a Color Coordinator to inspire color choices for your projects? Get yours today! 2019-20 Coordinators are NOW SHIPPING!
    "I love this! I have a hard time getting color combos together and this takes all the guess work out so I can start creating right away! I think every stamper should have one thank you for this amazing product." - Sandra

Here's some other projects you'll like!

 

AECP: Level 3 Final – a Live Class

AECP: Level 3 Final – a Live Class

This is IT!
Strap in, people! This post is LOOONNGG and filled with lots of pics. We’re taking a look into Friday’s Altenew Educator Level 3 Final Challenge – my live class, and it was a good one!

AECP: A Floral Card for Any Occasion

AECP: A Floral Card for Any Occasion

Floral cards are great for any occasion.
I love it when I can craft up a design that will accommodate any sentiment. I find that lots of floral designs fit that category.

On the CASE: Quick Colored Hummingbird

by | Jun 19, 2019 | Encouragement Cards | 3 comments

Hummingbirds – they’re on trend!

They’re also in my yard! I think hummingbirds are such magical creatures. We have many in our area and lots of people keep them well-fed, so I get to see them in nature quite often. We even have a hummingbird house that we hope will attract a loving couple to lay their eggs. Did you know that hummingbird eggs are the size of Tic-Tacs?! 

Anyway, I know a lot of companies added hummingbirds to their lineup this spring, so I had to add one to my collection – but which one?! I went for a lovely folk-style image set from Pinkfresh Studio that will work well in a lot of different styles. Oh, and I love the sentiments that it came with — always a bonus to a good set of images!

(affiliate links are used in this post. When you click on them and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting my blog!)

Don’t forget to leave a comment at the end of the post to qualify for my monthly giveaway!

Stamps and Paper and Inks … Oh, My!

Stamps: Folk Hummingbird (Pinkfresh Studio)
Paper: 8 1/2″ x 5 1/2″ Solar White 110lb CS (Neenah), 4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″ Solar White 80lb CS (Neenah)
Inks: Black Dye Ink (Scrapbook.com), Copics: YG17, G29, Y19, RV23, RV25, Precision Pen size .01 (American Crafts)
Accessories: None
Other: Stamp Positioning Tool (Tonic), Big Shot (Sizzix), Folk Hummingbird dies (Pinkfresh Studio)

On the CASE Notes

(your step-by-step guide – click on the images to see a larger slideshow)

  1. Score the card base at 4 1/4. Use a ruler and .01 marker to draw a frame.
  2. Stamp the sentiment on the card base. Set aside.
  3. Stamp the flower and hummingbird images. Allow to dry, or use a heat tool to set the ink.
  4. Color images using Copics.
  5. Diecut the images.
  6. Adhere the images to the card base arranged as shown.

  • draw frame

  • stamp sentiment

  • stamp images

  • color images

  • diecut images

  • adhere images

How Hard Was It to Crack this CASE?

Difficulty Level: 2 out of 5 – This CASE is straightforward and will come together quickly. What I like about it is that colors can be easily swapped out, and it reminds us that Copic markers don’t always have to be blended. The ink lays down so nice as a solid color that there’s no reason NOT to use them all the time! So, go ahead, experiment with different color combos and create a whole pile of these CASE-worthy cards!

We hope our projects today inspired you to try CASE-ing our projects, or another project you’ve been eyeing!  We hope to see you again in 2 weeks when we’ll be On the CASE again!

Kick-start Your Creativity

Subscribe for for exclusive specials, updates and free tutorials & sketches

Subscribe!

Share and Inspire Someone Today!
Pin1
Share
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Share
1 Shares

Get everything you need to make this project!

The supply list is right here! Just click a product to get started. The links I'm sharing are Affiliate Links, meaning that I will receive a small commission on your sale, at no additional cost to you.
This helps keep the lights on and the inspiration flowing here at Pixel Maven's Retreat!

The Latest...

  • FREEBIES!!! There's no catch - check out my Freebies Page for all sorts of downloadable resources to help take your crafting up a notch!
  • Need a Color Coordinator to inspire color choices for your projects? Get yours today! 2019-20 Coordinators are NOW SHIPPING!
    "I love this! I have a hard time getting color combos together and this takes all the guess work out so I can start creating right away! I think every stamper should have one thank you for this amazing product." - Sandra

Here's some other projects you'll like!

 

AECP: Level 3 Final – a Live Class

AECP: Level 3 Final – a Live Class

This is IT!
Strap in, people! This post is LOOONNGG and filled with lots of pics. We’re taking a look into Friday’s Altenew Educator Level 3 Final Challenge – my live class, and it was a good one!

AECP: A Floral Card for Any Occasion

AECP: A Floral Card for Any Occasion

Floral cards are great for any occasion.
I love it when I can craft up a design that will accommodate any sentiment. I find that lots of floral designs fit that category.

AECP: Adding More Detail to Detailed Flowers

by | May 18, 2019 | Encouragement Cards | 4 comments

Altenew Educator Certification Program Participant Badge

Be adventurous – take a pen to your stamped images!

I’m on to Level 3 of my Altenew Educator journey. I have five classes to complete, and then a capstone project – a live event where I will teach a class how to make some projects in person, with my AECP team watching via live stream. FUN!!!

Anyway, for my first project, I thought I would revisit the idea of layered stamps as that is a core Altenew product, and I want to get better with them and find fun ways to use all the layers. 

(Be sure to check the end of the post for last week’s Blog Candy Giveaway winners!)

(affiliate links are used in this post. When you click on them and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting my blog!)

Class #1: All About Layering 3

The All About Layering series are FREE classes that help people get comfortable with the Altenew layered Build-a-Flower stamps. Each class features a different stamp set, so it seems to me that they will continue publishing new Layering classes as they add more stamp sets to their lineup. Getting these stamps aligned can take patience and practice, which is why I wanted to revisit this technique.

My Project

I pulled out the Beautiful Day stamp set since that has four distinct layers. I wanted to do a fun floral arrangement – another style where I need more practice. After I had all the pieces stamped, I felt like I still needed even more detail, so I reached back to a previous class (Beautiful Details) for an idea on how I could add even more detail to these already depth-filled stamps. 

The Technique & Design

The first step when working a paper bouquet is to decide on a color palette. I decided to go with pinks and purples picking out both the Spring Bouquet and Shades of Purple cube sets. The Green Fields cube set is a go-to for greenery. I knew that I would probably want to make up more floral pieces than I needed, so I didn’t hesitate to fill up a full sheet of Solar White cardstock with blooms, leaves and buds. After diecutting them out, I could start arranging.

But, I felt like something was missing. Though the flowers and leaves looked fairly detailed, they were still missing a “pop” that would make the dimension really come to life. So, I thought about what I learned in the Beautiful Details class and pulled out a precision pen to add even more detail to the images. To really make the stamen come to life, I added dots of All-Purpose Ink in Vegas Gold. I couldn’t be happier with the outcome!

A simple ink blended vellum background brought the layout together in a way that lets the florals shine.

Don’t forget to leave a comment at the end of the post to qualify for my monthly giveaway!

Crafter’s Toolbox Video

Let’s take a closer look at how easy it is to add extra detail to stamped images!

The End is Near!

No, not the apocalypse – the end of my AECP journey! It’s not really the end, but the beginning of what will hopefully be a great, ongoing relationship with the Altenew brand. If you love Altenew products, or are just discovering and think it’s love at first sight, then, I encourage you to check out all their classes and the AECP program.

Blog Candy Winners!!

Thanks to everyone who left comments on last week’s roundup here and on Instagram.

The GRAND PRIZE winner is:

Sue D

Runners Up:

truthinlove_2001 (Instagram)
Traci Davis

Congratulations! Please email me with your mailing address and I’ll have your prize shipped out right away!

Kick-start Your Creativity

Subscribe for for exclusive specials, updates and free tutorials & sketches

Subscribe!

Share and Inspire Someone Today!
Pin4
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4 Shares

The Latest...

  • FREEBIES!!! There's no catch - check out my Freebies Page for all sorts of downloadable resources to help take your crafting up a notch!
  • Need a Color Coordinator to inspire color choices for your projects? Get yours today! 2019-20 Coordinators are NOW SHIPPING!
    "I love this! I have a hard time getting color combos together and this takes all the guess work out so I can start creating right away! I think every stamper should have one thank you for this amazing product." - Sandra

Get everything you need to make this project!

The supply list is right here! Just click a product to get started. The links I'm sharing are Affiliate Links, meaning that I will receive a small commission on your sale, at no additional cost to you.
This helps keep the lights on and the inspiration flowing here at Pixel Maven's Retreat!

Here's some other projects you'll like!

 

AECP: Level 3 Final – a Live Class

AECP: Level 3 Final – a Live Class

This is IT!
Strap in, people! This post is LOOONNGG and filled with lots of pics. We’re taking a look into Friday’s Altenew Educator Level 3 Final Challenge – my live class, and it was a good one!

AECP: A Floral Card for Any Occasion

AECP: A Floral Card for Any Occasion

Floral cards are great for any occasion.
I love it when I can craft up a design that will accommodate any sentiment. I find that lots of floral designs fit that category.

On the CASE: Geometric Landscape

by | May 8, 2019 | Encouragement Cards | 4 comments

Everyone can fussy cut this project!

Today I’m CASE-ing a new stamp set from Altenew – Geometric Landscape. I can envision a lot of amazing cards with this set. But, I thought I’d start with a design that was inspired by one of the samples. 

(affiliate links are used in this post. When you click on them and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting my blog!)

Jaycee Gaspar was an April guest designer at Altenew and is also enrolled in the Altenew Educator Certification Program (AECP) – just like me! If you get a chance, stop by his blog and see the samples he did. Two words come to mind – thoughtful and balanced. There are quite a few other designs that he’s shared that I have on my list for inspiration. I hope you like his portfolio too!

I started by pulling the cutouts from his design – cutting on my own lines instead of mimicking the ones he’d selected. I also added in a background geometric layer with some of the leftover pieces. I changed the color thinking that green is a more hopeful color. The color, combined with the angled upward geometric (think – climbing up, or achieving new heights) tie into the encouraging sentiment.

Because the geometric is heat embossed, it’s super easy to fussy cut! So, if you’re typically a non-fussy-cutter, or if you’re new to papercrafting, give this one a try as it’s a great introduction to cutting around the lines.

For On the CASE with Ann & Nicole (January 2019). Featuring, Oh, Hello turnabout (Concord & 9th), and Heat Embossing. For more details including step-by-step instructions for CASE-ing this card , click through. #pmretreat #concordand9th #hello #handstamped

Don’t forget to leave a comment at the end of the post to qualify for my monthly giveaway!

Stamps and Paper and Inks … Oh, My!

Stamps: Geometric Landscape (Altenew)
Paper: 8 1/2″ x 5 1/2″ Solar White 110lb CS (Neenah), 2: 4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″ Evergreen CS (Bazzill), 4″ x 3/4″ Gold Mirror CS (Altenew)
Inks: Versamark (Tsukineko)
Accessories: none
Other: Black Fun Foam Sheet(Amazon), Black Embossing Powder (Ranger), Gold Embossing Powder (Ranger), Anti-static bag (Ranger), Heat Tool (Hero Arts), Stamp Positioning Tool (Tonic/Tim Holtz), Paper Snips (Tonic/Tim Holtz), Picket Fence Distress Spray Stain (Ranger/Tim Holtz)

On the CASE Notes

(your step-by-step guide)

  1. Score the card base at 4 1/4″. Set aside.
  2. Stamp and heat emboss the background geometric panel using Versamark and Gold Embossing Powder on one of the Evergreen cardstock panels.
  3. Stamp and heat emboss the sentiment using Versamark and Black Embossing Powder on the Gold Mirror cardstock strip.
  4. Add Picket Fence spatter to the other Evergreen cardstock panel. Allow dry time, or use a heat gun to dry.
  5. Cut out the geometric layers to your preference. 
  6. Adhere the spattered background panel to the card base, then adhere a background geometric layer (optional).
  7. Trace the geometric shape onto a black fun foam sheet. Cut the foam and adhere to the panel.
  8. Finish the card by adhering the sentiment and adding the top geometric layer.

  • stamp & emboss background

  • stamp & emboss sentiment

  • spatter panel

  • cut layers

  • adhere back layer

  • add foam sheet

  • finish assembly

How Hard Was It to Crack this CASE?

Difficulty Level: 2 out of 5 – This is a “Quick & Wow” card. If you have just a few extra minutes to do the heat embossing, you can whip this one up last minute style for any occasion you need. Not enough time for heat embossing? Just stamp it high contrast – like green on white or monochrome like dark purple on lavender, and you’ll end up with the same great result. Cut the geometrics different each time, or go cookie cutter – your choice!

We hope our projects today inspired you to try CASE-ing our projects, or another project you’ve been eyeing!  We hope to see you again in 2 weeks when we’ll be On the CASE again!

Kick-start Your Creativity

Subscribe for for exclusive specials, updates and free tutorials & sketches

Subscribe!

Share and Inspire Someone Today!
Pin3
Share
Tweet
Email
WhatsApp
Share
3 Shares

The Latest...

  • FREEBIES!!! There's no catch - check out my Freebies Page for all sorts of downloadable resources to help take your crafting up a notch!
  • Need a Color Coordinator to inspire color choices for your projects? Get yours today! 2019-20 Coordinators are NOW SHIPPING!
    "I love this! I have a hard time getting color combos together and this takes all the guess work out so I can start creating right away! I think every stamper should have one thank you for this amazing product." - Sandra

Get everything you need to make this project!

The supply list is right here! Just click a product to get started. The links I'm sharing are Affiliate Links, meaning that I will receive a small commission on your sale, at no additional cost to you.
This helps keep the lights on and the inspiration flowing here at Pixel Maven's Retreat!

Here's some other projects you'll like!

 

AECP: Level 3 Final – a Live Class

AECP: Level 3 Final – a Live Class

This is IT!
Strap in, people! This post is LOOONNGG and filled with lots of pics. We’re taking a look into Friday’s Altenew Educator Level 3 Final Challenge – my live class, and it was a good one!

AECP: A Floral Card for Any Occasion

AECP: A Floral Card for Any Occasion

Floral cards are great for any occasion.
I love it when I can craft up a design that will accommodate any sentiment. I find that lots of floral designs fit that category.