Saturday Card Sketch 823 -Zany Zebras Birthday Card

There are 2 ways to interpret the sketch this week - as flat triangular layers, or as an Arrow Fold card.  Since the Arrow Fold is new to me, I decided to go that route.  I made a video and wrote a tutorial so that you could make one, too!

 

The Arrow Fold is pretty easy - it's just few diagonal score lines folded into that triangular shape.  Then you use adhesive to keep the folds shut.

🌞Joyful Stamper Tip: save paper by die-cutting pieces from the center of your cardstock mats.  In this card, I die-cut the Stitched Nested Label that the zebras are on from the center of the Whisper White mat.  The cut-out portion is covered by the Just Jade Designer Series Paper.

• Cut the card base to 5-1/2"x11" and score in half on the long side at 5-1/2"
• Mark the short side at 2-3/4".
• Mark the left and right long sides at 1-7/8", 3-3/4", and 5-1/2".
• Score from the 2-3/4" mark to each of the marks on the long side, both left and right sides.  You'll have 6 diagonal score lines when you are finished (3 on the left and 3 on the right), all radiating from the 2-3/4" mark.
• Watch the video to see how it's done!

Zany Zebras makes the cutest cards!  I wanted something fun and bright for my twin nephews' 6th birthdays.  After stamping the zebras, I went over them with a Blender Pen to fill in the image a bit with the stamped ink.  This is one of my all-time favorite techniques!  Add a pack of Blender Pens to your next order and give it a try - you'll see why it's a favorite! 

 

Pin, print, or save the tutorial for this card.  Measurements and supply list are included in the tutorial.

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Place a $35 order (before shipping and tax) in my store by midnight Sunday October 18 and I'll send you the packets to make my Facebook Live projects from Thursday's class.  You must use the October Host Code 4JHNU9Z when ordering. 

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Joy in being creative, community in sharing a common interest, purpose in what we make - this is stamping at its best!  Thank you, friends, for choosing me as your demonstrator!

Saturday Card Sketch 822 - Free As A Bird Sweet & Simple Card

It's time for another card sketch from Splitcoaststampers!  I look forward to these each week because this is how I so often begin a card or scrapbook page.  Sketches are THE BEST for inspiration...big fan here!

What I see when I look at this sketch: 

• There's a large background that could showcase a piece of beautiful Designer Series Paper (some of which is on sale right now!).
• Those two vertical lines could be ribbon or twine wrapped once or twice around the card.
• I've got lots of 1/2" wide strips left over from trimming down cardstock for mats - Layer 4 would be the perfect use for them as sentiment pieces.

  

A cheerful, bright card was what I was feeling so out came this sheet from the Ornate Garden Designer Series Paper pack and the Free As A Bird stamp set.  What could be more cheerful than a sweet little bird?

🌞Joyful Stamper Tip: Look at your dies in fresh ways.  That Cinnamon Cider "nest" is actually a die from Painted Labels!

I've got lots more tips for you, so watch the video below!

Pin, print, or save the tutorial for this card.  Measurements and supply list are included in the tutorial.

Sunday October 11 is the last day to sign up for October's Creativity Kit.  This month's kit features the beautiful Poinsettia Petals Bundle.  Details here.

Place a $35 order (before shipping and tax) in my store by midnight Sunday October 11 and I'll send you the packets to make my Facebook Live projects from Thursday's class.  You must use the October Host Code 4JHNU9Z when ordering.  

Designer Series Paper Sale

October 1 - 30 | Shop your favorites!

If you are enjoying The Joyful Stamper site

• Request a catalog package here, if you don't already have a demonstrator you love.
• Subscribe to Stampin' News, a weekly email that delivers fun, tips, and specials right to you.  Get a free exclusive Stampin' News Subscriber pdf tutorial as a sign-up thank you!
• Shop my store and to save money check out the Clearance Rack and Discounted Bundles.
• Use this month's Reward Code to earn points towards a $50 shopping spree - read the details here.
• Join me every Thursday at 11 AM ET for my weekly Happy Half Hour Live stamping show on my Facebook page.  

Joy in being creative, community in sharing a common interest, purpose in what we make - this is stamping at its best!  Thank you, friends, for choosing me as your demonstrator!

Saturday Card Sketch 821 - Poinsettia Petals on Red Velvet

 It's time for another Saturday Sketch from Splitcoaststampers!  The sketch challenge actually begins a few days earlier, on Wednesday, but since many people stamp on the weekends, I thought you'd find it nice to have something to jump-start the process.  As always, there is both a video and written tutorial for this week's card at the end of this post.

I pulled out Stampin' Up!'s Poinsettia Place Bundle.  I wanted my card to have velvet poinsettias popping off the edges for a full, rich look.  The sentiment is from For Unto Us.  That set is all Christmas sentiments and a great one to have on hand for the insides of your cards.  You can never have too many Christmas sentiments!

Did you know you can stamp on our Red Velvet Paper?  And emboss on it?  I used Cherry Cobbler to stamp these poinsettia images.  

🌞Joyful Stamper Tip: Stamp the velvet poinsettias first, then set aside to dry for a few minutes while you work on other card elements.  When you die-cut the poinsettias, make them the last things you run through your machine, just in case some of the ink is still wet and transfers to your cutting plates.  You can wipe off your cutting plates, but you don't want that ink transferring to your other pieces, hence why you cut them last.

The multi-colored sentiment is a technique I use a lot - it's just so fun to have that variety!  And it's easy and non-messy.  Win-win-win!  Use the brush tips of Cherry Cobbler and Garden Green Stampin' Write Markers to color directly on the stamp.  Breathe on the stamp to re-wet the ink, put stamp to paper, then lift to see the gorgeous results!

To make a rounded corner, I traced the largest (non-scalloped) circle die from the Layering Circles Dies on the back of the Poinsettia Place Designer Series Paper (it's on sale for 15% off this month in my store, along with other patterned packs!).  You could also use a Stampin' Up! embellishment container.  Use Paper Snips to cut along the pencil line, moving your paper (not your scissors) to get a smooth cut.

Create with me - Learn how to make this card - Anyone can do it!

Pin, print, or save the tutorial for this card.  Measurements and supply list are included in the tutorial.

Place a $35 order (before shipping and tax) in my store by midnight Sunday October 4 and I'll send you the packets to make my Facebook Live projects from Thursday's class.  You must use the October Host Code 4JHNU9Z when ordering.  

Designer Series Paper Sale

October 1 - 30 | Shop your favorites!

If you are enjoying The Joyful Stamper site

• Request a catalog package here, if you don't already have a demonstrator you love.
• Subscribe to Stampin' News, a weekly email that delivers fun, tips, and specials right to you.  Get a free exclusive Stampin' News Subscriber pdf tutorial as a sign-up thank you!
• Shop my store and to save money check out the Clearance Rack and Discounted Bundles.
• Use this month's Reward Code to earn points towards a $50 shopping spree - read the details here.
• Join me every Thursday at 11 AM ET for my weekly Happy Half Hour Live stamping show on my Facebook page.  

Joy in being creative, community in sharing a common interest, purpose in what we make - this is stamping at its best!  Thank you, friends, for choosing me as your demonstrator!

Saturday Sketch + Pinnable Color Combination

A little Saturday morning sketch to get your stamping started this weekend!  

I was feeling artistically daring the day this card was created, so I went with the ideas that came to me.  And while there are things about the card I don't like, there are other details that I'm very happy about!  

Happy #1 - the color combination of Mango Melody, Coastal Cabana, and Early Espresso.  I was a little unsure of putting these 3 together, but wow!  I'm glad I took the chance!  At the end of this post you'll find a color chart you can pin or save to your device.    

Happy #2 - sponging the die-cut pieces.  Using a Stamping Sponge, I lightly dabbed on color, starting with the lightest color (Coastal Cabana), then adding the darkest color (Mango Melody).  I LOVE the speckled texture of the sponge on the die-cut pieces!

Tip: Cut your Stamping Sponge in to 8 pieces.  3 sponges in a pack, cut in to 8 pieces = 24 sponges for just $4.  Add a pack to your next order and you'll have one for every color group (and they last a long time - I've had mine for several years now).

Happy #3 - the layered Ornate Frames Dies and triple Linen Thread bow.  All the scrolls and curls and ways to layer these dies get my mind spinning!  And SO many of our sentiments fit these dies.  Having options to present your greetings in unique ways keeps your card designs fresh.  

To get a full look to tied Linen Thread, cut 3 lengths and tie them in a bow, just like you would if had just 1 length of Linen Thread.  It's easier to shape and curl multi-strands of this.

Pin or save this color combination to always have fresh inspiration!

If you are enjoying The Joyful Stamper site

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• Subscribe to Stampin' News, a weekly email that delivers fun, tips, and specials right to you.  Get a free exclusive Stampin' News Subscriber pdf tutorial as a sign-up thank you!
• Shop my store and to save money check out the Clearance Rack and Discounted Bundles.
• Use this month's Reward Code to earn points towards a $50 shopping spree - read the details here.
• Join me every Thursday at 11 AM ET for my weekly Happy Half Hour Live stamping show on my Facebook page.  
• Looking for community, a hobby, or a way to make extra money?  My team of My Joyful Stampers has a place for you!  Read more here.

Joy in being creative, community in sharing a common interest, purpose in what we make - this is stamping at its best!  Thank you, friends, for choosing me as your demonstrator!

Saturday Sketch + Embossed Tile Technique

Hello, friends!  This embossed tile technique is SO simple and SO beautiful, anyone can do it!  I featured it in my weekly Facebook Live class, The Happy Half Hour, this past Tuesday.

It began with this sketch from Splitcoaststampers.  All I saw when I looked at this was squares of Designer Series Paper (DSP).  What a fantastic opportunity to use up those scraps, right?

Since Parisian Blossoms DSP is retiring June 2 and it's a favorite of mine, I pulled it out.  I cut (3) 1" x 12" strips, then trimmed those strips into 1" squares.  If you have a die or punch in that size, go ahead and use them instead.

Glue the squares to a 5-1/2" x 4-1/4" piece of cardstock (Cherry Cobbler used here) and don't worry about getting the spacing perfect.  Look closely at my card and you'll see that mine aren't perfect.  It's ok!

But let's not stop there - let's emboss that finished piece!  After the DSP squares are glued on to the cardstock, place that panel in an embossing folder (I used Ornate Garden 3D) and run it through your die-cutting & embossing machine.  The subtle texture and pattern it adds is stunning!

But let's not stop there, either!  Pull out some Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint and dip an Aqua Painter or paintbrush in the jar.  Hold it over that embossed piece and smack it near the brush end with a bone folder.  Do you see the little flecks?  In person, they shimmer and sparkle!  So pretty!  Plus, it's fun to whack that Aqua Painter and watch the mist splatter everywhere.

The metal key charm from Bird Ballad Trinkets (also retiring June 2) was the perfect embellishment for this DSP.  I tied it on with some twine wrapped twice around the card base.  

The "merci" was die-cut twice using Parisian Dies, once with Champagne Foil and once with Basic Black cardstock, then glued with a Fine-Tip Glue Pen, slightly off-set.  

Two scraps of Very Vanilla Scalloped Lace Trim were tied into the Petal Pink Metallic Edge Ribbon bow.

I adore the details of this card and how all the simple touches add up to one fancy project!  You could make this!

Get the project sheet with measurements and linked supplies list here.

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May Reward Code = New In Color Sampler

Use the May Reward Code on orders placed in my store of $50 or more (before shipping and tax) to get a free 2020-2022 New Stampin' Up! In Color sampler!  Sampler packs will be sent out by the end of May PLUS you'll get a new catalog package from me! 

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Timeless Tropical for Splitcoaststampers Card Sketch 790 + Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks

It's never too late for an old dog to learn new tricks....me being the old dog.  I spent yesterday hanging out with my 7 year old niece, who is a whiz at jumping rope.  She's in a traveling club at her school.  I learned all kinds of jump rope moves and routines - combinations of heel and toe moves; front, back, and side kicks; in and out - and I learned this at almost 45 years of age!  In my front yard!  In front of my neighbors!  It was so fun, I took my niece to a PJ Dance Party at my local library that night and threw myself into jumping, skipping, shaking, wiggling, and spying for animals in the jungle.  It was exhilarating!

Have you been considering trying something new?  How about stamping? 

• Pick a sketch 
• Pick a pack of Designer Series Paper
• Choose three colors of cardstock that coordinate from the Designer Series Paper 
• Pick a stamp set and one color of ink

Let's break down how I followed the steps above.  

• Pick a sketch: Splitcoaststampers weekly card sketch 790 used here
• Pick a pack of Designer Series Paper: I used Tropical Oasis (LOVE the wild bursts of color)!
• Choose 3 colors of cardstock that coordinate with the DSP: Lovely Lipstick, Old Olive, and Daffodil Delight work!
• Pick a stamp set and one color of ink: the Timeless Tropical set and an Early Espresso ink pad 

Many stampers' first technique was heat embossing.  I used it on this card.  Stamp your image in Versamark ink, sprinkle embossing powder on the stamped image, and tap off the excess.  The powder will stick to the Versamark ink and you then use a Heat Tool to melt the powder.  Just plug it in, turn it on, and point the heat at the image.  Then watch the magic happen!  The powder melts and turns shiny!

Download, pin, or print the step-by-step tutorial to make this card.

Did you catch this week's Happy (half) Hour Stamping Class?  

You can find the project sheet for Tuesday's Happy (half) Hour Live projects here.

Click here to watch the video.

Remember, any order of $35 or more (before shipping and tax) receives the project kits from Tuesday's Live!  Be sure to use Reward Code AHKD9ZWS for orders under $150.  Orders over $150 will get their own Stampin' Rewards plus the project kits.  Place your order by Midnight ET Friday!

If you are enjoying The Joyful Stamper site

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