Sunday, September 29, 2019

Yummy Christmas CASE the Catalog

Hello and welcome to my blog; today I am going to share with you another Card for my CASE the Catalog bi-weekly series.  In this weeks posts we are going to tackle one of the cutest cards I've laid eyes on in the 2019 Holiday Catalog.  Yes if you read the title we are Casing the card on page 23.  The Yummy Christmas Card featuring that adorable little gingerbread house.  I am going to share with you some tips and tricks I learned while recreating this card last night.  If you have just joined me and have never heard of CASEing it means to Copy and Share Everything or Copy and Selectively Edit.  This is a great technique to know, and it helps you improve your card making skills plus it helps build your crafting wheel house.  Here's a look at my version of today's card.

Yes I colored all the pieces of this card for you today, I actually really like to color so it really wasn't that bad and it only took me maybe 45 minutes to figure out this entire card.  Here's a look at our inspiration piece.  As I mentioned before it's on page 23 of the 2019 Holiday Catalog.  If you don't have a catalog or a demonstrator you work with and your in the United States I would be happy to send you one.  Just click here to request a catalog and fill out the information.  Here's a look at the card from that I CASEd.
image by Stampin' Up! 
I couldn't tell from the photo in the catalog but I think the card base has been stamped with some of the small images as well, since I couldn't tell I just left my card base plain.  I did however stamp the small images on the Pool Party piece.  I don't think it's a huge difference so I am okay with that.  You will see in some pictures of the card that I did where I don't have the enamel dots, I knew they where there but got so excited about how my card was looking and started taking pictures of it as it it was done.  So once I realized I had forgotten them I went back and put them back on and snapped a couple more photos. 

So to start out recreating this card I had to figure out what all was used.  I knew figured out the colors and what supplies I needed and pulled them from my stash.  The Yummy Christmas stamp set is a photopolymer set so I also pulled my Stampin' Pierce Mat.  This provides the extra cushion you need for photopolymer sets; it allows you to get even pressure and ink coverage with detailed or background stamps.  I stamped the images that needed to be colored in Memento Tuxedo black ink (because I knew I was going to color with my blends).
I stamped my images on a piece of Thick Whisper White cardstock.  When coloring with blends or any alcohol markers it's a good idea to use the thick whisper white, you get much better coverage with the ink.  The alcohol ink in the blends gives a much brighter result once I switched to the thick cardstock.
Don't be afraid of putting colors together that you're not sure will blend or go together.  For example here I used the Soft Suede Blends together with the Daffodil Delight Blends.  I was totally unsure of what would happen but they produced a wonderful gingerbread color.  It has the perfect shade of crispiness.  I was afraid I was going to end up with a burnt gingerbread house, but was pleasantly surprised.
For the trees I colored them using just Call Me Clover light and dark blends, and the Dark Soft Suede for the trunk.  I added the dark Call Me Clover blends to where I knew my shadows would be, the points where the brunches overlapped the once below it.  And, then just blended it out to get the light I wanted on the trees, and wreath.  I only used Call Me Clover, Real Red, Soft Suede, and Daffodil Delight Blends to color this entire card.  As you can see with just those few colors I have a full range of hues and values.  So don't over think it.  Sometimes less is really more.
Once everything was colored and die cut out (by the way the matching dies to this stamp set are the Cuckoo Clock Dies) it was time to work on the rest of the card.  I used my Stitched Rectangles Dies to cut a piece of Pool Party cardstock.  I used the third largest rectangle.  Once that was done I took the small images from the stamp set and stamped them in Pool Party ink on the background in a random pattern.  Then it was time to layer up the card.  I placed the pool party piece in the center and just adhered it with some snail adhesive.  I then started by adding my gingerbread house, which I popped up on Stampin' Dimensionals.  The two trees closest to the house are also popped up.  The other two trees are adhered with snail adhesive and tucked behind the trees that are popped up.  Now it became time to figure out where they got the green baker's twine.   Well I realized they just colored it with the light Call Me Clover Stampin' Blend.  Duh!  Instead of the light I used the dark.
To color your whisper white baker's twine just pick the colored blend you want to use and lay it flat on a piece of grid paper.  Place the stampin' blend on top of it using the brush tip (make sure not to press to hard to ruin your tip) and simply pull it through on both sides until you have the desired color.  Set it aside to dry for a few minutes.
Next came the sentiment.  I stamped it in Real Red and Call Me Clover Inks on to some of the whisper white I had left from the gingerbread house and trees.  I used another one of the stitched rectangles to cut it out as well.  The 'This the and Season is actually one stamped perfectly made to fit the letters of the larger sentiment.  The other small sentiment in the set is done the same way.  This made me so super happy you don't even know.  There wasn't 45 minutes of trying to get them both to line up perfectly with the real red sentiment.

So to finish off the card I added some of the Toile Tidings Glitter Enamel Dots around the card.  I tied my colored baker's twine in a large bow and attached with a mini glue dot and placed my sentiment over it with a few stampin' dimensionals.
I hope that you have enjoyed my version of  the Yummy Christmas Gingerbread house card from the catalog.  If you need any of the supplies you have seen today you can pick them up in my online store.  I will see you tomorrow with another fun project.
Happy Stampin' 
Rick 

If you live in the US.  I would love you to choose me as your demonstrator.  If you would like to purchase any of these products you can click on the Shop Now Button or by clicking on any of the images below.  Alternatively, you can also contact me by email to place your order.  Please be sure to use the monthly host code and I’ll send a little something out to you the following month to say Thank You!  
September HOST CODE:  SQ2WWJZN
  1. Spend any amount with me this month and receive the Creative Stampers Tutorial Bundle featuring Fancy Fold or Interactive Projects.  Plus get a gift from me in October. 

Please remember that if you use the host code you cannot use that order towards my KCRP’s (Kinmon Crafty Reward Points) that would be double dipping and is not allowed.  For more information on KCRP’s click here. 


Don't forget about my fundraising effort!  When you purchase the Nature's Beauty Stamp Set using the Host Code above from September 28, 2019 until October 10, 2019 I will donating 20% off all the sales from that set to NAMI.  Which is the National Alliance for Mental Illness.  As my gift to you you will get two VIP Card Kits to go along with the Stamp Set FREE.  My goal is $1500!  Help me help others in need.  Click here to purchase this set.  

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Saturday, September 28, 2019

Nature’s Beauty Simple Scene Building for Rick’s Saturday Simple Stamping Episode 33

Hello and welcome to my blog; today for Rick's Saturday Simple Stamping I am going to share with you a quick simple winter scene card featuring the Nature's Beauty Stamp Set from the 2019 Holiday Catalog.  This is a beautiful stamp set and features some lovely line art animal images perfect for any winter scene, and it's a wonderful set to do simple stamping with.  So it was perfect for today's card.  


For this week's simple stamping episode I am going to show you how to create a super simple scene for your cards using just stamps ink and paper.  How could life get any better you may ask!  Well, there is a plus to purchasing and using the Nature's Beauty Stamp Set that we are using today.  When you purchase this stamp set Stampin' Up! will donate a part of all the sales to a Mental Health Organization in each country.  For the US they have chosen NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness), as the recipient.  Each country will has a different organization that has been selected to receive this wonderful donation.  And, you can help with that by purchasing this stamp set.     

A Little About NAMI:

NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.  
The organization was started as a small group of families gathered around a kitchen table in 1979; and has blossomed into the nation's leading voice on mental health.  Since that time they are an association of more than 500 local affiliates who work in the community to raise awareness and provide support and education that was not previously available to those in need.  You can read more about them on their website by clicking here.   I am super excited that I can help raise money along with Stampin' Up! to help this wonderful organization  
There are over 44 million American adults that have a mental health condition and sadly that number keeps growing everyday.  People with mental illness looks just like you and I and not always what you see on TV, so it's very important that we educate ourselves and learn what signs to look for to help others in need.  And that's just what this small little purchase can do.   Help others, there's nothing more important than to serve and help others.  

Nature's Beauty Card: 

Since I've taken a little bit of your time and got on my soap box let's get back to the card shall we.  As I mentioned before I wanted to show this week how to create a super easy Winter scene card.  I started off my card with a 3 x 5 1/2" piece of the Let it Snow Specialty Designer Series Paper.  I picked the coastal cabana and white piece that looks like snowfall.  
 The first thing I did to this beautiful little sheet of paper was to stamp on it.  Okay, close your mouths it's okay to stamp on it when you have an intent.  I stamped the dear from the Nature's Beauty Stamp Set in Early Espresso ink over to the bottom left of the card about 1/8" to 1/4" up from the bottom.  From that point I started adding in some of the smaller images from the set.  I stamped my grass in a couple places.  And then I stamped the twigs or little bare bushes around the deer.  Next I stamped the small trees in the background.  When I did the trees I stamped them using generational stamping.  Meaning I stamped one at full strength.  Then without reinking my stamp I stamped again in a different area, and then repeated that again.  This allows me to have trees that look like they are further away int he background.  Once I had all the trees done my little wintry scene was complete.  I told you this was super simple.  
 Once I had everything stamped on my designer series paper it was time to add it to my card base.  I used a piece of Thick Whisper White Cardstock.  The Whisper White Cardstock was cut at 4 1/4 x 11 and scored it at 5 1/2 to make my top folding card base.  After folding the card base in half I added my designer series paper with a little Snail adhesive.  Which is my recommended adhesive for a new crafter, since it's a little more forgiving then some of the more permanent adhesives.   
To hide the line from the designer series paper I added a 1/2" strip of Coastal Cabana Cardstock (from my scrap collection).  I placed this over the area that the designer series paper and card base met.  This allows for a cleaner look and helps to hide any on wanted seams.  This little strip was also added with a little Snail Adhesive.  
To finish off the card I stamped a simple Hello there sentiment from the Here's A Card Stamp Set in Early Espresso ink in the bottom left-hand side.  This helps to keep your eyes moving around the card, but also adds an anchor point for the eye to stop.  When you have an anchor point on your projects that stops the eye from leaving your wonderful piece of artwork.  

Video Tutorial: 

If you are viewing this post by email you may not see the embedded video.  Sometimes mail servers will not show them; if that is the case you can click here or click on the image below to go to the video.  

Fundraiser: 

Since this stamp set is a our Making a Difference Stamp Set this year; and I want to help draw awareness to such a wonderful cause and organization.   If you purchase the Nature's Beauty Stamp Set from me using the Host Code SQ2WWJZN from today (September 28, 2019) until October 10, 2019.  I will send you two free VIP Card Kits for you to create two fun cards using this stamp set.    I will send the you the card kits in the mail after your order has shipped, but remember you do need to use the host code provide and purchase the set in my online store.  
I've created a shopping cart with just this stamp set so that you can pick it up super easy.  All you have to do is click on any of the links throughout this post and it will take you to my shopping page.  All you have to do is click add to cart and then put in the host code before you complete your check out.  Here's a closer look at the stamp set and the other images inside.  
Thanks for dropping by today for my next episode of Saturday Simple Stamping.  I hope that you will help me raise some money for this wonderful cause.   If you live in the US.  I would love you to choose me as your demonstrator.  If you would like to purchase any of these products you can click on the Shop Now Button or by clicking on any of the images below.  Alternatively, you can also contact me by email to place your order.  Please be sure to use the monthly host code and I’ll send a little something out to you the following month to say Thank You!  
Happy Stampin' 
Rick 



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