Stamp Action

Valentines Stamping: The Cat’s Pajamas

The Cat’s Pajamas makes wonderful stamp sets not only because they contain very clever designs but because they are packed with many little stamps that make a huge impact when stamped together!  Our Thursday, February 2 class will showcase these stamps and I will share a few samples with you today.  Most of these samples are inspired by samples on the various companies’ blogs.  For more information on our Thursday class, click here.

“Admit One” Clear Set

The first set I will showcase is the “Admit One” clear set.  I chose a variety of papers (from all different vendors) and brought them together with some die cut hearts, ribbon and red twine.  The ticket of course is the star of the card and every little stamp on the ticket is in the set!  The ticket is die cut with the Big Ticket die.  I love this die because you can cut a single ticket or a line of tickets quite easily.  Hint:  Die cut the ticket first then stamp the ticket outline and add your other stamped images.

This card uses a completely different color combo (Doodlebug Sweet Cakes papers) but again the ticket is the centerpiece of the card.  I love the “seal” stamp which can be added as a background.  I inked the stamp in Memento Rosebud ink then stamped it off on scratch paper first so the stamped image on the ticket would be lighter.

To finish this card I die cut the TCP Heart Trio (it cuts 3 hearts at once!) from 3 different papers and layered them together to form the heart.  The tiny “I love you” is part of the same set.  The border below the ticket is cut with the TCP Circus Border die.

“Love Letters” Clear Set

Another TCP clear set that’s full of wonderful little stamps is “Love Letters.”  This set also has a matching die called the Stamp Trio die.  Unfortunately it was back ordered at the time I made these cards so I had to use other tools to add the postage edge.  On some of the samples I cut the stamps out using postage edge scissors – I cut away from the stamped edge but it still gave the postage look.  For a more authentic postage stamped edge you could cut the stamp out with scissors.  That was far too tedious so I used my Japanese screw punch to punch out the semicircle edges and this worked great.  Needless to say I am looking forward to receiving the die!

Who would think of using cherries paper for a Valentines card?  Well, it’s cute and colorful and forms just the right background for the three “love” stamps.  Hint:  To add color to the middle of the stamps while still leaving a white border, I created a reverse mask using Eclipse paper.  This let me adhere the reverse mask over one stamp at a time and sponge on a little Memento Pear Tart ink.  To finish the card I added a little green ribbon and a heart die cut with TCP’s Heart Trio die.

This card is just so much fun.  Again I took my color theme from the colorful background paper which is actually a holiday paper (My Mind’s Eye 12 Days of Christmas Merry and Bright)!  I stamped 9 stamp outlines (it’s easy with clear stamps!) and then added the inside designs.  The bear and his heart are from another wonderful set called “A Beary Good Year” which lets you add all kinds of little holiday icons to the bear to celebrate every holiday and card-sending occasion throughout the year!  Love it!  The “letter” the bear is holding is made with stamps from the “Love Letters) set.  Hint: I enhanced the bear’s eyes and nose with Enamel Accents in black from Ranger.  By the way, the mat behind stamps is the reverse of the background paper!

We now move from bright to more somber colors to create a card perhaps better suited to men.  The decorative papers are from My Mind’s Eye (State of the Heart and Love Me collections) plus one paper from the new Basic Grey Kissing Booth collection.  I used the same reverse masking technique described above, this time using Memento Angel Pink ink.   The frame around the stamps is created with Spellbinder’s Mega Curved Rectangles.

The color theme for this card is classic black, white and red (check out our “Black, White and Red” class here).  I stamped and white embossed the sentiment (from TCP’s Simply Said set) on black cardstock and adhere this to the red background.  Next I added two postage stamps using Memento London Fog and Lady Bug inks.

What a cute little bear bearing a Valentine heart and letter to the lucky recipient of this card.  The script strip (say that 3 times fast!) behind the postage stamps is stamped with the new Newspaper background stamp from Hero Arts.  The rest of the card’s images are similar to ones described above.  See the airmail border in the lower left?  It’s in the set too!

Whew!  That’s a lot of cards from two sets of stamps!  Let me share with you some other stamps and dies coming from TCP this week:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Black and White and Red

Saturday, Feb 4 at 10am our class will be all about Valentines in black, white and red!  We will start by making a fun criss-cross card with an insert.  The decorative papers are by Kaiser (Ebony and Ivory) and stamps by Memory Box and Hero Arts.  The hearts are die cut with the Spellbinders Nested Hearts.  The next card we will make has an embossed background (Cuttlebug embossing folder) and a focal image made with Spellbinders nested hearts and heart circle dies.  The red rhinestone heart is by Want2Scrap and matches the nested hearts perfectly.  Our last project in this class will be making a candy presentation package using black and white papers and the same nested hearts.  For more information on this class please click here.

 

Everything’s Better with Chocolate!

Giving chocolate candy is traditional at Valentines and in our Saturday afternoon class on Feb 4 I will show you how to make the presentation as yummy as the candy!  First we will make a darling card with a whimsical sentiment.  Next we will a cute topper to put on a cellophane bag of chocolates.  Both these samples are made with My Favorite Things “Who’s That Chocoholic” stamp set. Lastly (photos not ready at posting time, but you can see them now on our class page – click here) we will make 2 more candy presentation ideas.  Please join us for this fun class!

 

What’s in Store

New dies and stamp from Memory Box and Poppystamps – get them now as they sell out quickly!!!

New papers from October Afternoon (Kitchen Cupboard); Pink Paislee (Nantucket); Kasier (Ebony & Ivory); Basic Grey (Kissing Booth); Doodlebug (Sweet Cakes)

Stop in soon!

Valentines Stamping: Hero Arts

Happy New Year stampers!  I know it’s been forever since I blogged.  After returning from vacation I was confronted with “undecorating” the house, switching the store around to put Christmas merchandise in the ‘corner” and bring out the Valentines stamps, etc.  I quickly discovered that I had no Valentines merchandise.  Ugh!  That meant I had to do some quick ordering and fortunately my vendors responded quickly so we have lots of wonderful Valentine-themed merchandise in stock.  And that’s what I want to share with you in the next few blogs.  Most of these samples are inspired by samples on the various companies’ blogs.  If you are interested in making these cards, come to our "Hugs and Kisses" class this Saturday, January 28 at 10am.

 

Hero Arts

Here’s a great example of using individual (clear) stamps (from the new XO set) to form a background.  Choose your stamps, mount them on an acrylic block, stamp in Versamark ink and emboss in opaque white EP.  I added a yellow scallop border (Memory Box die) and a heart (The Cat’s Pajamas Heart Trio die).  Another tip:  the “sending hugs” stamp was one long sentiment and I needed it to be short so I simply cut the two words apart and it fit my heart perfectly!

 

This is another example of using all the stamps in one set to make a lovely card.  I stamped the various words in Memento Rosebud and Dandelion.  I added a bit of ribbon, some crystals and 2 die cut hearts for a very colorful and fun card.

 

 

I love this card!  And it is simple – no cutting!  First make a revere mask by die cutting a (Spellbinder) heart from Eclipse masking paper that is cut as wide as your card.  Adhere the Eclipse paper to the front of a white cards (A2 size) and stamp the XOXO (from the XO set) in Memento Lady Bug ink.  Remove your Eclipse paper to see your “XO heart!”  To finish the card add the sentiment (same set) stamped in black Versafine ink and embossed in clear on vellum.  Hint: To elevate the vellum over the heart, use small pieces of foam tape hidden behind some of the letters!

 

Here’s a great year-round card that’s made with the new set “Year Round Sentiments.”  I think it’s self-explanatory but here’s a hint.  Stamp the sentiment first and key your hearts off the sentiment from the bottom up – they will all line up perfectly!  I used various Memento inks.

 

Love this colorful card!  Start by stamping the new Zig Zag background in Memento Angel Pink ink.  I have found the best way to work with these large background stamps is to ink them well and place the folded card directly on the stamp.  Then I use a small acrylic block to rub the paper into the stamp.  Carefully remove the paper and you should have a very clear, crisp image.  Once your background is finished, ink the “friends” heart (from the new 4 Hearts cling set) in Memento Rosebud ink and stamp on white cardstock.  Cut out leaving a small white border all the way around.

Next ink the XO heart in Versmark, stamp on blue cardstock and emboss in white.  Cut out the blue heart.  Mount the two hearts, add some paper scraps and wired string and stamp the sentiment (from Year Round Sentiments) in black.

I will be back tomorrow with another post with Valentines from The Cat's Pajamas!

Classes ... Classes ... Classes

I love calendars and especially like making calendars with stamps!  Saturday afternoon (Jan. 28 at 2pm) we will make this calendar which is mounted inside a 7 Gypsies Printers tray which conveniently has 12 openings!  The good news is that you can mount your calendar pages wiht just a little double sided tape so you can update the calendar next year!  If you are interestedin attending the class, give me call at 915-833-9500.  Can;t come this Saturday?  Just call me and we will make a date that's convenient for you!

Thanks for stopping by.  Please come in an see what's new -- here's a few things to tempt you:

Memory Box and Poppystamps -- tons of new dies and stamps -- gorgeous!!!

Art Impressions -- A whole collection of very funny "Girlfriend" stamps and sentiments -- you gotta see these!!!

Deadbeat Designs -- Hot Air Balloons and sayings to coordinate; new sentiment stamps; lovely new delicate fern stamp.

Decorative Papers -- Colorful, cute, bright and bold -- you need them!

See you soon!