Always Subtle

This card was interesting to make. I don't normally put this many steps into a card--especially when I'm making 20+ of them, but this design had to be professional quality. I started with Very Vanilla and trimmed it down to the size I wanted, then stamped the berry branch from the Always set in Versamark. Heat embossed with white embossing powder. That was stunning by itself, the white-on-vanilla look, but I wanted to increase the contrast a bit. So I used a stippling brush to swirl Creamy Caramel ink over the cardstock for a subtle emboss-resist effect. I punched the corners with the ticket corner punch, then matted it to a piece of Creamy Caramel (after punching those corners as well).

Those pieces sat around for about a week while I decided how I wanted to finish them. When I finally narrowed it down, I sat down and stamped out a bunch of hearts from the Always set in Mellow Moss on white. Then I carefully cut them all out, leaving off the dots around the outside edges. Though you can't really see it in this pic, the edges of the center heart are distressed with a sanding block. It's mounted on a dimensional. The others are just glued directly to the vanilla piece. Tied hemp twine around the vanilla/caramel piece. Tied a bit of Mellow Moss around the twine knot, trimmed the ends, then glued the whole thing to a Mellow Moss card base. One of the small sentiments from the Always set can be stamped inside.

So here's a summary:
Stamps: Always
Paper: V. Vanilla, W. White, Mellow Moss, Creamy Caramel
Ink: Versamark, Creamy Caramel, Mellow Moss
Accessories: White embossing powder, stipple brush, heat gun, sanding block, Mellow Moss ribbon, natural hemp twine, dimensional, liquid glue

Still here

Sorry it's been nearly two months since my last update. A car accident and kidney surgery have really gotten in the way of my stamping time! More stampin' project updates coming soon, I promise!

Another design for my November SAS. I love this card, and will very likely use this design for my personal holiday cards!

Stamps: Season of Joy
Paper: Whisper White, Certainly Celery, Real Red
Ink: White Craft, Certainly Celery
Accessories: R.Red, C. Celery markers, 1/4" R.Red ribbon, ticket corner punch
Non SU!: Cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder and slider die

Cheerful Wishes

This is one of the designs I have planned for my November Stamp-A-Stack. I don't see this stamp set used very much, but I think it's cute.

Stamps: Wishing You Cheer
Paper: Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Night of Navy
Ink: Versamark, Basic Black, Bashful Blue, Night of Navy
Accessories: Irridescent Ice EP, 1" Circle punch, tag corner punch, N.Navy marker, 1/4" Brocade Blue ribbon (retired)
Non-SU!: Cuttlebug swirls embossing folder and snowflake die.

Craft Fair Swap

These are set to go out in Monday's mail for a craft fair ideas swap (there are three more). It's another version of my gratitude journal, this time with Daisy D's Vintage Paisley paper and SU!'s In the Spotlight hostess set. Barely Banana, Pumpkin Pie, and Very Vanilla cardstock, Stampin' Write markers, Really Rust ink around the Barely Banana, Versamark on the tab, 1/4" square punch and round tab punch.

An inkpad holder for $6?

Yep, that's how much this thing cost me. Of course it required some careful measuring and a bit of effort, but two sheets of foam core are all I had to buy. And I still have half a sheet left over. It honestly took me three times longer to put together instructions and pattern pieces to share than to actually make the thing. (Can you tell I'm still working on completing my color collections? I'm about to order the rest of the Bold Brights. Then the Soft Subtles for Christmas!)

***PLEASE do not even consider using these instructions to build inkpad holders for sale! I clearly ask, both in the PDF file and below, that you not use my FREE instructions for monetary gain. I chose to make these instructions freely available for personal use only. Please do not abuse my gift. ***

You can download a PDF instruction file here. This file is COPYRIGHTED, so please do not distribute it! Please only use these instructions for your personal, non-commercial use. Do not use it for ANY commercial gain. PLEASE DO NOT ASK ME TO EMAIL IT TO YOU.

Check out Jamie's holder made with my tutorial!
And here's Tiffany's modified version for her ribbon!
And here's Annie's holder!
Check out Kimberly's holder, and her modifications!

Additional views:

True Friend Gratitude Journal

I've been playing around with ideas for the craft fair swap I'm in. This is one of those mini-composition books (Walmart, 77¢). I figured they'd make wonderful little gratitude journals.

Stamps: True Friend
Paper: Cat Stripes from Déjà Views, Old Olive, Almost Amethyst, Really Rust
Ink: Versamark, Basic Brown (inking edges of paper)
Other: SU! markers, generic glass beads and head pins, ¼" square punch, round tab punch