Spring Card

Start by cutting the base for your card. Here I used chocolate chip. Cut to 10 1/2 x 5 1/4. Then fold the card stock in half making a 5 1/4 square. Open paper. Now fold the bottom side up to the center. As shown, creating a quarter fold.. Keep quarter fold on right, pull left bottom corner until it is even with the quarter crease. Open. And fold top left had corner down to quarter fold. Turn paper, now the quarter fold is on the left. Mark the center of the top. The sides are already marked with creases. Draw a line from the mark you made to the creases. These are the cutting lines. Now cut along the lines you drew. This will create a point. Apply a glue dot to the corner so it will stand up correctly. And finish the card. This is the one also featured in the cracked glass spotlight. I used "lovely as a tree" really rust, old olive, and close to cocoa. This card fits nicely in a 5 1/2 square envelope, and is really fun to recieve.

Cracked Glass

So I have my image prepared. I used really rust, old olive, close to cocoa, and sponged the color for the background. Next you will apply versamark liberaly to the top of your image. Then place image in your powder pal. Shake on the glassy glaze enamel (from Stampin' Up!) use your heat gun to set it. It takes 3 coats, to get the glass look. This is how it looks after the first coat. Look at the arrow, it shows how bubbly it is. So don't worry you have 2 more coats to go. Okay, once again apply versa mark, and Glassy glaze enamel. Heat set. And repeat one more time. You now have a very glassy like finish on your picture. Allow the enamel to cool completly. (good time for a tea break) When you come back the enamel is very stiff, when you fold it backwards it will crack. Then you can finish your card. This card I used "snow swirled" colors were bashful blue, almost amethyst, so saffron. I added a rhinestone to the middle for accent. Hope you like it, and yours turns out well. Don't get discouraged it takes a bit of practice.

Candle Stamping

SUPPLIES: candle, wax paper, tissue paper, image, ink. Start by cutting out your tissue paper to fit the candle. Then stamp the chosen image on the tissue paper. shown: is the stamped (or rolled in this case) the image. Then I just cut around the image, leaving less tissue paper. Next hold the tissue flat against candle, smooth out all wrinkles. Then very carefully lay the wax paper over the tissue paper. **with the wax side on the tissue paper. Now use your heat gun to heat the candle. What happens is the wax from the paper melts, and the candle absorbs the tissue paper. You are done heating when the tissue paper is fully absorbed. Like the top half of the picture here. Remove the wax paper, you may want to have a piece of nylon laying near by, so you can smooth the candle after you remove the wax paper. This step gives the candle a smoother finish. And there you go a custom candle. Makes a very classy, yet inexpensive gift.

Troy & Tiffany

I made this card for my boyfriends, Brothers wedding. I used elegant eggplant, cut at 7 1/2 x 5 1/2 scored on each end at 1/2 and 1 inches. Then embossed half at a time using my 'big shot' Used the cricut cartridge 'paper doll dress up' for the husband and wife. The boquet is colored with chalk, and the I also highlighted the peeps. I used 'Story book' for the Happily ever After saying.DSP- and prettiest kit to add some decoration. I was really pleased with how this card turned out. They did fall colors for their wedding, so I was trying to keep the colors fall. I later learned that Tiffany's favorite color is purple. Yay! for me. That is the basket that we gave them. Filled with massage stuff! Anyway just part of the great weekend I got to have.

Polished Stone

Supplies: *Piece of glossy cardstock, cut to desired size. *Piece of wood and a felt square. (these are conveniently sold at hobby stores) *Re-inkers in 3 complimenting, but different colors. Okie Dokie-first stick your felt bag onto the wood, or wrap it around if you are improvising. Then spritz the felt with alcohol (not rum, but isopropyl) Add a few drops of color, maybe 2 or 3 of each color. If desired you can use your gold or silver pen to dab on- in place of one color. If you get too many colors, or too much ink it will look muddy. Now slam your ink dauber all over ther cardstock. Keep going until you have the desired look. "Bat Crest" this one I used Razzleberry, and soft suede to make the polished stone. Then two-tone emobossed with black and gold powders. "Hunt for Candy" Razzleberry, Soft Suede, and gold were used on this one.. you can see though I used more soft suede in this one than the one above.

Shadow Technique II

"Trick or Treat" Another Shadow card I did. Colors I used were DSP-for the orange. Razzleberrry, creamy caramel. The bat is embossed in black on caramel paper.

Shadow Technique

Supplies: * line art stamp (wheel is easiest) * wheel and accessories. * white craft pad * darker ink pad * medium colored cardstock, dark enough so the white will show. But light enough so the dark will show too. Start by inking you line image on the white craft pad. If you are using a wheel, the wheel guide is great to help line things up. Before you roll, so you have precise measurement to line up the darker color. There is a line on all wheels of where the pattern begins and ends. Put that seam right at the edge of the handle. Now line up your wheel guide on the paper and begin rolling right at the edge of the paper. Ink up the wheel with the second color. As instructed before line the seam up, now move slightly one way or the other. This will offset the image just a little giving it the shadow look. Again line your wheel up right at the edge and roll. Whoa there is the shadow, very subtle, very cool. Now all you have to do is finish your card.

Brayer Background

"Spooks are Out" The following tutorial will show you how to .....SOOT STAMPING: To create a moon in your background, cut out a circle, or crescent star, IDK let those juices flow. Adhere with removable tape. Load up your rubber brayer with the lightest color, and apply where you would like it to shine. The color used here was Apricot Appeal Ok, the next color, used here was pumpkin pie. Slightly overlap the first color. Now you are ready to apply the last color. I used razzleberry for this one. You can at this point remove your moon. I used a sponge to daub 0n some clouds.

More Halloween Cards

"Black Widow Mannor" I stamped the house from house of haunts in black on the top note die. Water colored with the wonder crayons, using summer sun, green galore, and pumpkin pie. I trimed the white top note die, so the black die would outline it. I used green galore, and summer sun to age the edges. The spider from from the crypt and the frightful fence are stamped on velum. Then cut out and adhered to the card. I used some paper from last year (maybe 2 I can't remember) for the background. "Devils Halloween" Colors on this are dusty durango, razzleberry, soft suede. I used the markers to color the image then stamped it onto glossy CS. The background was run through on cuttlebug folder. The edges are distressed. "Did you say trick or treat" I actually used the reverse of the top die. Layered some DSP behind and used a cuttlebug folder to emboss. Then I punched the designs out, and layered black behind them. From the retired trick or treat set I embosssed the words. And used a black marker for faux stitching. "Devils Eye" From the Crypt used once again. The image is stamped in black and water colored with the wonder color crayons. The green strip was put through on a cuttlebug folder. Colors used were Dusty Durango, Artichoke, Bravo Burgandy, and white. I also put on a gem for the eye. Remember the move 'The Rescuers' This reminded me of the diamond they were searching for.

Soot Stamping

To begin soot stamping you need a very large flame, and glossy card stock. Tips: cut yourself a larger than you need piece of paper, so you have place to hold. If you touch the soot it will rub off so treat gently. Keep the flame moving, and away from the edges. Or you will have fire. Which is ok for the little pyro in all of us! You can add some optional color to your project before you soot it up. Just use a brayer to roll the color across the glossy cardstock. Then proceed with the flame. Here it shows the soot being applied. Don't get discouraged, with practice and a lot of wax you will accomplish a look you can be proud of. When you get the desired amount of soot on your cardstock. Gently put your image onto the soot. After removing the image. Try to only touch the area you left for a handle. You now need to spray with hairspray, or clear acrylic spray, to seal the picture. After the spray dries you can proceed, and finish your card. I made a lot of Halloween cards. I got the new 'From the Crypt' set, and had so many ideas that I had to make. I even dragged my boyfriend into the process. The soot technique intrigued him. So he had to play. "Skull Candy" Colors: black, pumpkin pie, elegant eggplant white. I pre-colored the glossy cardstock with brilliant blue before firing. I used from the crypt, and decorated with some ribbon, and a piece of top note die. A couple brads to tie the galore green in. On the background I stamped the skull in pumpkin pie, and edged with black. "House on Haunted Hill" I precolored this one with pumpkin pie, then stamped with house of haunts. I made a faux metal tag. I used the pumpkin emboss folder for the cuttlebug on the back ground, and aged it in black. There is a little ribbon holder at the top from SU, and on the corners I used the ticket punch. "Haunted Forest" This one Idid case from SCS. Of course I made it my own. I just did this on white glossy cardstock. Using the wood grain background stamp first, then applied the trees from lovely as a tree over the top. Of course used some acryclic spray to seal it, and finished the card with basic gray, and black paper, and some old black ribbon I had laying aroud. "Bloody Mary" I love the look of this one. It is dark and mysterious. Just like me LOL :) I colored the glossy with rich razzleberry, then fired it and stamped the skull on top. Using an oval system I cut out the window for the skull, and placed it behind. (don't forget to seal!) The bats are black embossed on razzleberry paper, and adhered with dimensionals. I used the cuttlebug to imprint the swirls. Before imprinting I colored the template with black ink, then rolled it through the cuttlebug. Adhered the whole thing to a black background and voila! Very fun card to make. I don't know who I will send this to. "Burn" This is my favorite one I made-so it was chose for my clubs on Friday and Saturday. I hope you ladies love this one, because I am very excited to teach you "soot stamping" My BF liked this technique, and he made a card of his own. Which is proudly displayed on his desk at work. Colors I used were Soft suede (I am in love with this color) razzleberry, & black (of course it's halloween) Regular soot staming used. I stamped soft suede on the background. I hope it turns out to be fairly easy for everyone to do.