ThePowerOfACard: September 2021

Tuesday, September 21, 2021

Embossed Vellum (Featuring Black Gingham Ribbon)

Vellum is a wonderful paper product that many people overlook. Perhaps the reason is that it is nearly transparent and it’s easy to miss it in the catalog. But more likely, people just don’t know what to do with it! The technique I’m featuring is called dry embossed vellum. There are two variations I show in my video - the first is one I had forgotten about and was happily reminded of it by a demonstrator from The Netherlands called Kim Goleij. It uses our Pierce Mat and the Take Your Pick tool. The second one is with embossing folders and the Stampin’ Cut and Emboss machine. I am so excited to share this technique with you - watch my video to see the technique come to life before your very eyes!

Gather your supplies:

Cardstock: Basic Black 8-1/2" x 5-1/2" and 2-3/8" x 3-7/8"; Basic White 2" x 2" and 4" x 5-1/4"; Vellum 2-1/4" x 3-3/4"; Pattern Party DSP 4" x 5-1/4"
Stamp Sets: Nature's Harvest and Encircled in Friendship
Layering Circles Dies
Ink: Stazon Black
Take your Pick Tool
Stampin' Pierce Mat
Black & White Gingham Ribbon
Adhesive and Tools

The card I’m starting with is striking in black and white. In fact, I fell in love with the ribbon I used as an embellishment (a black and white gingham that is a dream to work with) and decided to feature it on all the cards in this blog. I had just received this ribbon and I love it so much, I ordered three more rolls!

I decided to use my Stamparatus to stamp the flowers onto the vellum with Stazon ink, just in case I needed to stamp a second time to get a vivid black image. Now comes the magic… using the ball shaped tip on your Take you Pick tool and the Pierce Mat, gently press on the reverse side of the vellum, starting with the petals. As you press, the vellum becomes more opaque and whiter. There are two sizes of the tip - I used both of them as I continued to “whiten” the image, even the parts that have a lot of ink. I kept my strokes in line with the design of the artwork. The result is so lovely, don’t you agree?

On the basic white square, stamp the sentiment. I chose a sentiment from Encircled in Friendship because I wanted something that would fit inside of a circle. I stamped it in Stazon before die cutting it with the third smallest circle die.

Now it’s time to assemble. For the vellum, I added glue on the flower, leaves and stem and spread it around a bit with the tip of the applicator. Because of the dry embossing, it really doesn’t show when adhered to the black mat. Fold the 3" piece of ribbon and attach it to the back of the black mat with Seal+. Add the polka dot DSP to your card base (which has been folded in half and creased with the bone folder). Add the flower panel approximately 1/2” from each side of the top right corner with Black Stampin’ Dimensionals. Add the circle sentiment to the opposite corner, making sure you only put Dimensionals toward the left and bottom of the circle and glue on the part that overlaps the flower panel.

My second card features one of the Sale-A-Bration (SAB) sets (Counting Sheep) and is a perfect for this technique because of the sheep. When I used my tool on these cute critters, I made circular motions to give a more wooly look. I added a little bit of Basic Gray Stampin’ Blends to the hooves on the back side of the vellum to make them darker. With the Granny Apple Green card base, the gingham ribbon just pops!

The next three cards use embossing folders. These designs turn white in the same manner - just faster! The first example uses a full panel that is embossed with the Timeworn Type 3D folder (new in the July - December mini catalog). It makes an interesting backdrop to the incredible pumpkins in black and white. A few touches of color in the flower/leaves and sequins brighten this black and white card. I colored the ribbon with Pale Papaya Stampin’ Blends to balance out the flowers in the opposite corner.

Wintry 3D, another new folder set from the annual catalog, is what I used in my next two cards. The partial panel of evergreen boughs looks so dramatic on the Shaded Spruce card. A simple circular sentiment, a bow with the ribbon and some black mat dots make this a quick and simple Christmas card.

The second folder in the set is snowflakes and boy are they pretty! I only cut a small piece of vellum for this card and mounted it on basic white before matting it with DSP and black. The Peaceful Prints DPS is another free item from the SAB catalog. The card actually has a pocket to hold a gift card. I finished the card with a simple greeting, a few Subtle Shimmer sequins and another gingham bow. I really love this card, especially because it works equally well for the women and men in my life.

I hope you give this technique a try - it is just so very cool! And hurry to get your free SAB items - they are only while supplies last or until the end of September!

Karen

ThePowerOfACard@gmail.com

Etsy Shop: The Power of a Card

https://karensliwinski.stampinup.net

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Product List

Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[121045]

$8.75

Pattern Party 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Host Designer Series Paper

[155426]

$18.00

Vellum 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[101856]

$10.00

Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[159276]

$9.75

Nature's Harvest Cling Stamp Set (English)

[156495]

$21.00

Encircled In Friendship Cling Stamp Set

[155408]

$19.00

Layering Circles Dies

[151770]

$35.00

Jet Black Stāzon Ink Pad

[101406]

$10.00

Take Your Pick

[144107]

$10.00

Stampin' Pierce Mat

[126199]

$5.00

Black & White 1/4" (6.4 Mm) Gingham Ribbon

[156485]

$7.00

Paper Snips

[103579]

$10.00

Stampin' Seal+

[149699]

$12.00

Bone Folder

[102300]

$7.00

Multipurpose Liquid Glue

[110755]

$4.00

Stampin' Dimensionals

[104430]

$4.00

Black Stampin' Dimensionals Combo Pack

[150893]

$6.00

Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine

[149653]

$120.00

Monday, September 6, 2021

Not So Plain Sentiment Labels

Sentiment labels are a staple in our card making process. Most of the time, we gravitate to plain cardstock, usually in white or a light color. Sometimes we get adventurous and emboss our sentiment onto a dark cardstock. But labels don't have to be plain - they can be jazzed up and become a real focal point of your card. Watch me demonstrate as I make this beautiful card in my latest video.

Gather your supplies:

Cardstock: Crushed Curry 8-1/2" x 5-1/2" and 3" x 2-1/4"; Basic White 4" x 5-1/4" and 1-1/2" x 2-3/4"; Early Espresso 3-7/8" x 5-1/8"; Cajun Craze 3" x 1-1/4"; and 6"x6" Regals DSP 3-3/4" x 5"
Stamp Bundle: Gorgeous Leaves
Stamp Set: Simply Succulents
Painted Labels Dies
Ink: Crushed Curry and Early Espresso
Early Expresso Stampin' Write Marker
Adhesive and Tools

Fold your card base and crease with your bone folder. On the small piece of white, stamp the large speckled background using Crushed Curry. Add the sentiment in Early Espresso. Then using the Stampin' Cut and Emboss machine, cut out the leaves, label and branch (which is cut from the middle of the Early Espresso Layer. Adhere the DSP layer to the Early Expresso, then attach to your card front.

Using a small amount of Multipurpose glue, attach the branch and two leaves to the left side of the label. Pop this up in the lower right corner of your card with Dimensionals. Lastly, spritz your label with the Early Espresso marker. If you don't have this one, the black one will be a great substitute.

On this card, I stamped with Pear Pizzazz, Old Olive and Garden Green on white. I then cut out a Nested Label and added Birthday in black ink and embossed Happy using Versamark ink and white embossing powder. I used a blending brush to add just a little Pear Pizzazz so the there was no stark white on my label. I love this look because the label almost looks like Designer Series Paper!

For my next sample, I stamped my sentiment on white. This variation works best with a bolder sentiment. Around the words, I added some leaves cut out from Merry Merlot. The space around the words was filled in with the tiny dots background and then I used a label from Tasteful Labels to cut it out. The final step in making this cool label is to emboss it (I used the new Timeworn Type embossing folder). Not only does it give the entire label a fun texture, but it presses the die cut leaves into the white paper, making it looks like one piece rather than leaves layered on top.

Labels can be made from DSP too, as long as it it not too busy that you can't read your words. I used the wreath-like die and cut out my label from a green pattern from You're a Peach DSP. I glued on a lot of leaves (Pear Pizzazz and Garden Green) around the outside and added a few pearls and a linen thread bow.

My last sample is my favorite! For this one, you must use your Stamparatus. Position your white layer and stamp your first leaf. Then open the plate and add the label in the center. Add a little scrap paper around to cover up the first leaf and stamp in the same color onto the label. By covering up the first leaf, you won't get a darker color on the "outside". Remove your label and reposition your leaf. Stamp the remaining colors in the same manner. Then pop the label up onto your card - the leaves cascading across the card will match exactly with your label. My final touch was to add a few sequins in fall colors.