StampsandScrapbooks.com

Thinking of You Card with Flowers

Posted by Cathy Parlitsis

· April 7, 2014

People always appreciate knowing they're in your thoughts which is why I love "Thinking of You" sentiments on my cards. My original intention was to make this a masculine card but I couldn't resist the bow! So, I figured I'd go all out and add the flowers too! LOL – I love making my own Paper Flowers but although they can get expensive, sometimes the pre-made work even better. Btw…Thank you for the comments! I read every single one and they truly make me smile! Leave one today for a chance to win one of FIVE BLOG CANDY PACKAGES this week!!

Cut Smoky Slate Cardstock (SU!) 4-1/4" x 11". Score and fold at 5-1/2".
Run the front of the Smoky Slate Cardstock piece through the Big Shot in the Modern Mosaic Embossing Folder.
Cut Island Indigo Cardstock 3-3/4" x 5".
Run Island Indigo Cardstock through the Big Shot in the Alphabet Press Embossing Folder.
Run a Silver Encore Ink Pad gently over only the raised portions of the embossing.
Wrap a piece of Whisper White Organza Ribbon across the front of the Island Indigo piece and secure in the back with Glue Dots. Attach this piece, at an angle, to the front of the Smoky Slate card using Stampin' Dimensionals.
Create a Double Bow (See Video for typing a double bow using your fingers HERE) and attach to the ribbon with Glue Dots. Cut the "tails" at a decorative angle. Use Glue Dots to position the "tails" of the bow.
Apply 3 roses to the bottom left corner of the Island Indigo piece using Glue Dots.
Cut a piece of Smoky Slate Cardstock using the smallest Banner Framelit Die.
Stamp "Thinking of You" from the Express Yourself Stamp Set onto a piece of Whisper White Cardstock using Island Indigo Ink. Cut it down to about 3/4" wide. Using Paper Snips, create a banner edge to the greeting piece and attach to the Smoky Slate Banner with Stampin' Dimensionals.
Attatch the Smoky Slate Banner to the card front using Stampin' Dimensionals.
Spray the entire card front with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz Spray.
Add a Large Rhinestone Jewel to the bottom right corner of the card.

As you can see, there's LOTS of dimension on this card – from the bow to the banner to the flowers - and even the top layer was added with Stampin' Dimensionals to make it pop.

Challenges:

Just Add Ink/Layers

Crafting By Designs/Anything Goes

Crazy Challenge/Bling It On

Artistic Inspirations/Anything Goes

Craft Hoarder's Anonymous/Pick A Stamp, Any Stamp

Categories : Cards

Frame with Embossing Paste, Stencils and Vinyl

Posted by Cathy Parlitsis

· April 6, 2014

Today's Challenge was to create something using Vinyl and my Cricut for Scrapbooker PhD. I had a bunch of ideas but I wanted to do a Faux Leather-ish Frame that said "It's All About Family" because, at the end of the day, that's what it's really all about for me.

The Vinyl words are adhered to a Window Sheet so you can change the saying without altering the frame.

I started with a cheap dollar store wooden frame and applied Gesso with a foam brush.
Next, I painted the frame with TH Antique Linen Crackle Paint and allowed it to dry.

I used 3 Crafter's Workshop Sencils – Mini Harlequin, Antiquities and Time Travel, and applied Dreamweaver's Crackle Embossing Paste to the frame through the stencils and allowed to dry.

Once the Embossing Paste was dry, I applied Vintage Photo Distress Ink to the entire frame over the Embossing Paste.

Then, I applied SU! Chocolate Chip Ink to the frame and Embossing Paste.

I cut a piece of Manila Cardstock to 4-1/8" x 6-1/8".
Applied Distress Stains to a Craft Sheet and spritzed with Water.
Ran the cardstock through the Distress Stains and dried with a Heat Tool.

Used a Spritz & Flick Technique to drop water onto the cardstock and heat set.

Applied Vintage Photo Distress Ink to the cardstock and then inked the edges with Walnut Stain Distress Ink and a Blending Tool.

Cut Brown Matte Vinyl with Cricut and Cursive 101 Cartridge to create "It's all about Family."
Cut a Window Sheet to fit the size of the frame opening (mine was 4-1/4" 6-1/8").
Put Window Sheet over Grid Paper and marked where letters should go.
Applied Letters to Window Sheet.

Inserted Window Sheet into the opening behind the frame and then put the Background Cardstock behind it. Secured with tabs behind the frame.

Challenges:

Scrapbooker PhD/Anything Goes Vinyl – DT

ShoppingYourStash/Faux Sure

Simon Says Stamp Monday/Anything Goes

Crafting By Design/Anything Goes

Just Add Ink/Layers

Little Red Wagon/Masculine

Crafting Cafe/One For The Boys

Make My Monday/One for the Boys

Cute Card Thursday/For a Guy

All Sorts Challenges/Use No Flowers

Papertake Weekly – Anything Goes

Paper Crafting Magic – Masculine

Categories : 3D Items, Distress, Masculine, Stencils

Masculine Thinking of You Card

Posted by Cathy Parlitsis

· April 5, 2014

Creating Cards for a specific person is always easier for me than when I try to create randomly. Isn't that funny? Parameters seem to reign in the zillions of choices in my craft room. I have a few masculine cards that need to go out so I started with Core-dinations Cardstock. Very cool – especially for vintage! (BTW: Got my vintage camera today!!!!! It's the Miraflex in the background. Another JB Mercantile find! Happy, happy!)

Base Card is 5-1/2" x 4-1/4" Chocolate Chip Cardstock – scored and folded at 4-1/4". Edges were distressed with a Distress Tool.
Next layer is 5-3/8" x 4-1/8" Crumb Cake Cardstock. Edges were distressed with a Distress Tool.
Core-dinations Cardstock was cut at 5-1/4" x 4" and run through the Big Shot in the Houndstooth Embossing Folder and then sanded.

Ink the "background" stamp fromThe Open Sea Stamp Set (wood #128454/clear #123032) by lightly rubbing a Baked Brown Sugar Ink Pad across the surface (instead of inking the image by tapping onto the stamp pad) and stamp it onto Very Vanilla Cardstock. This will give you a lighter image.
Tear the edges of the cardstock and sponge with Chocolate Chip Ink.
Stamp "Thinking of You" from the Sassy Salutations Stamp Set onto the cardstock with Chocolate Chip Ink and emboss with Clear Embossing Powder and a Heat Tool. Adhere to the Core-dinations Cardstock using Stampin Dimensionals.

Adhere a piece of Canvas Ribbon across the front of the card using Sticky Strip.
Pull out a row or two of the strings on the edges to distress the ribbon.
Stamp the Ship from the same stamp set and emboss with Clear Embossing Powder.
Cut around the top of the image with Paper Snips asnd tear along the bottom edge.
Sponge Bermuda Bay Ink on the bottom of the image where the water would be.
Sponge all around the cardstock with Chocolate Chip Ink.
Adhere to the front of the card using Sticky Strip for the bottom of the ship – where it will adhere to the Burlap/Canvas Ribbon and 2 Stampin' Dimensionals behind the top of the ship.

Stamp the Globe onto Very Vanilla Cardstock and use Stampin' Write Markers to color it. I scribbled the markers onto a piece of plastic – Island Indigo, Gumball Green and Baked Brown Sugar - and then used a Blender Pen to pick up the colors and quickly color the image.
Once the image is colored, cut it out with Circles Collection Framelits and adhere to the front of the card using Stampin' Dimensionals.

Stamp the compass in Chocolate Chip Ink onto Very Vanilla Cardstock, emboss with Clear Embossing Powder and punch out using the 1-1/4" Circle Punch.
Adhere to the card using Stampin' Dimensionals.

Finish the card off with a Designer Brushed Bronze Button tied with Linen Thread and adhered using Glue Dots.
All Supplies are Stampin' Up!

Challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday/Anything Goes

Crafting By Design/Anything Goes

Just Add Ink/Layers

Little Red Wagon/Masculine

Crafting Cafe/One For The Boys

Make My Monday/One for the Boys

Cute Card Thursday/For a Guy

All Sorts Challenges/Use No Flowers

4CraftyChicks/Color a Stamped Image

CCEEChallenges/UseThree Different Images

Paper Crafting Magic/Masculine

Categories : Cards, Masculine

Another April Tim Tag and a Video

Posted by Cathy Parlitsis

· April 4, 2014

I finally finished the VIDEO for my April Tag for Tim's Tags of 2014 but…I couldn't let the day go by without showing you something new so I created a second version too. You can see the ORIGINAL TAG post HERE. The Video is below as well as a couple of Paper Flower Videos. You can Subscribe to my You Tube Channel for more Paper Crafting Videos. Thanks so much for visiting! 😀

Begin by prepping the tag as detailed in THIS post HERE.
Cut a piece of Chipboard using the TH Scrollwork On the Edge Die.
Paint the die with Broken China Distress Paint and allow to dry.

Sand lightly and apply Vintage Photo Distress Ink over the top and sides of the die. This will give it a distressed, almost rusty, look.
The rest of the tag was created using the same techniques as the Video Below.

Here's the Video for the first April 2014 Tag. (The Alternate Flower Videos Below as well.)

Video: How To Create Paper Flowers Using Stampin' Up!'s Bigz Spiral Flower Die:

Video: How to create Paper Flowers using a Fancy Flower Punch

Challenges:

Tim's 12 Tags of 2014

STAMPloration – Stamps and Your Favorite Technique (Distress)

Papertake Weekly – Anything Goes

Stampinfortheweekend – Spring Colours

Pile It On Challenge – Floral Fantasy

Crazy Challenge – Bling it On

Artistic Inspirations – Anything Goes

SuzyBees Bloomin' Challenge – Spring Flowers

Categories : Cards, Distress, How To Videos, Paper Flowers, Tags

Shabby Chic Tag for April 2014

Posted by Cathy Parlitsis

· April 3, 2014

This is my version of "My Boyfriend, Tim's" April 2014 Tag. (The Video of this Tag will be up tomorrow.)

I really enjoy making Tags! They're so simple and small that you can just fill them up with all kinds of goodies in no time! This challenge is always fun to do because you really have to stretch yourself to find things that you do have to substitute for the things you don't have. Now, I am as much of a hoarder as the next Paper Crafter but I know that as hard as I try, I just cannot have everything! So, I've tried to stay true to Tim's Tag with this version. I hope you like it. I filmed a video while creating this. Subscribe to my YouTube Channel to be notified when it posts.

Put a couple different Tissue Tapes onto a Manila Tag.
Run Weathered Wood Distress Paint over the Tag and spritz with Water. Blot some of it off and then heat set.
Ink Tag with Walnut Stain Distress Ink and a Blending Tool. Spritz and Flick water over the surface of the Tag and heat set. This will give you the Mottled Look like the Tag in the photo above.

Use the TH Honeycomb Die to cut out various cardstocks, cork, mirrored pieces, etc. For this tag, I improvised with Kraft Resist Cardstock and then sponged over it with Chipped Sapphire and Fired Brick Distress Inks. Then, I used a Salvage Sticker for the map pattern and a scrap of Craft Metal which has a shiny silver side.
Cut a Honeycomb from Chipboard and apply Broken China Distress Paint and allow to dry.
When dry, sand the surface in places and apply Vintage Photo Distress Ink to those areas with a Blending Tool.
Sponge the edges of the Honecomb inside pieces with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.
Adhere to Tag using Glossy Accents.

Sponge Newsprint with Spun Sugar, Tattered Rose and Scattered Straw Distress Inks.
Use the Newsprint to cut two roses using the SU! Spiral Flower Die. (If you don't have a die, you can View the Video on how to make a rose using a punch.)
Apply a little Vintage Photo Distress Ink to the edges of the roses.
I inked Newsprint with Bundled Sage Distress Ink and used the leaves from the Secret Garden Framelits to cut out two leaves.
Spritz Crinkle Ribbon with Water and apply Spun Sugar and Scattered Straw Distress Inks to the ribbon to color it. Crinkle it and heat it.
Adhere a "clean" Tag to the back of your Tag.
Wrap the ribbon around the tag and tie a bow.
Adhere the leaves and the flowers to the tag using Glue Dots.
Spray the Tag with Tattered Angels Guilded Gold Shimmer Mist.
Rub Broken China Distress Paint into the letters of a Philosophy Tag. Attach a jump ring to it and then attach it to a Trinket Pin.
Attach the pin to the ribbon.
Finish the Tag by tying a piece of cord through the hole in the Tag and fray the edges.

Challenges:

Tim's 12 Tags of 2014 – April

Simon Says Stamp Monday – Anything Goes

Categories : Cards, Tags, Vintage

Looking For High Quality Videos and Unique Projects?

Posted by Cathy Parlitsis

· April 2, 2014

Imagine sitting down and clicking a button or two and seeing a page of beautiful cards and 3D projects just waiting for you. You can watch the video instruction or download a written PDF so the information is on your terms. Watch them in the middle of the night, watch them over and over!

Just click HERE and begin saving time for less than $1.00 a day!

Categories : STAMP ACADEMY

Metal Make a Wish Birthday Card

Posted by Cathy Parlitsis

· April 2, 2014

It's Wednesday…aka "Craft Metal Day" in the Studio! I wanted something young and fresh and shiny for the Dazzling Divas Design Challenge so I took the Pucker Me Pink Craft Metal Sheet from Add A Little Dazzle and a little – okay… a lot of Gold Sequin Trim to put together this Metal Make a Wish Birthday Card. I am having so much fun photographing these cards for you guys! The masks in the background were made by hand by a Mask Maker in Venice, Italy. I had to have them and then, when I got home, I thought: What are we ever going to do with these?! So, now…I know! I bought them for all of you! (And I guess now they're tax deductible too! LOL) I'm certainly no photographer but I'm having lots of fun pretending to be!

Cut White Shimmer Cardstock 5-1/2" x 4-1/4". Score and fold at 4-1/4".
Cut Pucker Me Pink Craft Metal Sheet to 5-3/8" x 4-1/8" and run through the Big Shot in the Perfect Polka Dot Embossing Folder.
Attach two strips of Gold Sequin Trim vertically down the front of the metal. Adhere in the back using Glue Dots.
Attach two strips of Gold Sequin Trim horizontally down the front of the metal. Adhere in the back using Glue Dots.
Attach the Craft Metal to the card using Sticky Strip Adhesive.
Rub the Embossing Buddy over a scrap of White Shimmer Cardstock to remove the static.
Stamp "Make a Wish" from the Perfect Penants Stamp Set in Versamark Ink onto the cardstock and emboss with Gold Embossing Powder and a Heat Tool.
Cut a piece of Golden Glimmer Metal Sheet to 1-3/4" x 2-1/4".
Cut a piece of White Shimmer Cardstock to 1-3/4" x 2-1/4"
Fan the 3 pieces out and adhere together.
Attach to the front of the card using Stampin' Dimensionals.
Attach a Gold Sequin to the spot where the corners of the cardstocks meet.

Challenges:

Dazzling Divas Design Challenge/#18-Sequin or Anything Goes (See Photo Below)

Simon Says Stamp/Monday-Anything Goes (2)

Artistic Inspirations/Anything Goes

Crafty Girls/Anything Goes

Little Red Wagon/Bling It Up

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday/Birthday Card

Categories : Cards, Craft Metal

Lion Card in Shades of Tan and Brown

Posted by Cathy Parlitsis

· April 1, 2014

I've never been a "girly-girl" but it always surprises me that browns and tans are my favorite colors. I decorated my entire house in those shades! I find them inviting and soothing. I try to remember to use other colors in my Card Making and Paper Crafting Projects but it is tans and browns that make me the happiest.

I also love animal prints and lions. (I decorated my house in those too! LOL) In fact, I was roaming around my house looking for "props" to put in the photo and I noticed that the background of this card was very similar to the walls in my Living Room (which is my favorite room in the house)! I included a picture to show you. Funny!

Put a few different Distress Inks and/or Stains onto a Craft Sheet. (I used Gathered Twigs and Brushed Cordury Distress Stains and a Scattered Straw Distress Ink Pad.) Spritz with Water and swipe a 4" x 5-1/4" piece of Manila Cardstock through the inks and heat set.

Drop a few water droplets onto the cardstock and heat set.

Stamp the Lion from the SU! Zoo Review Stamp Set in Chocolate Chip Ink onto the manila card.
Ink the edges with Frayed Burlap Distress Ink and a Blending Tool.

Create a 1-7/8" x 3-5/8" Tag in the same manner as the card.
Stamp the sentiment from TH Life's Possibilities Stamp Set in Versamark Ink onto the Tag and emboss with Clear Embossing Powder.
Apply Frayed Burlap Distress Ink to the edges of the tag with a Blending Tool.
Cut a piece of Early Espresso Cardstock to 4" x 1-3/4" and punch the top with the Tag Topper Punch.
Punch the tag with the Tag Topper Punch, layer onto the Early Espresso Tag and embellish the hole with a TH Reinforcer Sticker.

Ink a couple of Salvage Stickers from the French Industrial Pack with Distress Ink.
Cut a piece of Burlap and pull a few of the strings out from the edges.
Cut a 4-1/4" x 11" card from Soft Suede Cardstock. Score and fold at 5-1/2"
Layer a piece of 4-1/8" x 5-3/8" Early Espresso Cardstock onto the Soft Suede Card.
Adhere the card front to the card. Attach the Burlap, embellishments and tag.
Cut a piece of 4" x 5-1/4" Very Vanilla Cardstock and sponge with Frayed Burlap Distress Ink. Adhere to the inside of the card.

Challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday/Anything Goes

Artistic Inspirations/Anything Goes

Crafty Girls/Anything Goes

Creative Moments/Anything Goes

Ladybug Crafts/Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday/Anything Goes

Crafts and Me/Anything Goes

Through the Craft Room Door/Anything Goes (1)

The Sisterhood of Crafters/Animals

Eureka/Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday/Anything Goes With Buttons

Categories : Cards, Distress, Masculine, Tags, Vintage

Sympathy Card

Posted by Cathy Parlitsis

· March 31, 2014

Sadly, I had to make a Sympathy Card today. Of course, I want to make a pretty card but I'm always afraid to go overboard. It's a conundrum (The word of the day). I started with Basic Black Cardstock but I didn't want it to be morbid so I embossed the flap with the Beautifully Baroque Embossing Folder and then ran a Silver Encore Ink Pad over the raised portions to soften the look.

Cut Basic Black Cardstock 4-1/4" x 6-3/4. Score and fold at 5 1/2".
Run just the little flap through the Big Shot in the Beautifully Baroque Embossing Folder and then gently rub a Silver Encore Ink Pad over just the raised portions of the cardstock.
Cut a 4-1/8" x 5-3/8" piece of Silver Cardstock.
Emboss a 4" x 5-1/4" piece of Very Vanilla Cardstock with the Beautifully Baroque Embossing Folder and gently rub a Silver Encore Ink Pad over just the raised portions of the cardstock.
Adhere the Vanilla Cardstock to the Silver Cardstock.
Apply Sticky Strip to the back side of the Black flap and center the Silver/Vanilla Piece over the Black card. Do not apply the Sticky Strip across the entire flap – leave about 1/4" on each side as the Silver/Vanilla layer is 1/8" smaller than the flap. Gently close the flap with the Sticky Strip so that it adheres to the Silver/Vanilla piece. This will insure proper placement.

Cut 2 Designer Series Paper (this is Modern Medley) Strips 1-5/8" x 3-7/8" and layer onto 1-3/4" x 4" pieces of Basic Black Cardstock. Adhere to the card front.
Stamp the sentiment from the Love & Sympathy Stamp Set in Versamark Ink onto Very Vanilla Cardstock and emboss with Black Embossing Powder and a Heat Tool.
Cut out using the second smallest Oval Framelit Die and the Big Shot.
Cut out a piece of Silver Cardstock using the third smallest Oval Framelit Die and adhere the Vanilla Sentiment piece on top. Attach to the card front using Stampin' Dimensionals.
Using strips of attached pearls (Pearl Basic Jewels), adhere around the seam where the Vanilla Cardstock Oval meets the Silver Cardstock.
Punch out 3 flowers using the Petite Petals Punch and stack on top of each other. Insert a Silver Mini Brad in the center and smoosh the petals up to form a flower. Adhere a Pearl on top of the brad and attach the flower to the bottom of the oval sentiment piece.
Attach 3 Pearl Basic Jewels to the Black card flap.
Cut a 3-3/4" x 5" piece of Very Vanilla Cardstock and adhere to the inside of the card.
Spritz the entire card with Vanilla Smooch Spritz Spray.
All Supplies are Stampin' Up! and can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE and delivered to your door!

Challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday/Anything Goes

Mojo Monday/#339

Artistic Inspirations/Anything Goes

Crafty Girls/Anything Goes

Left of Center/Ribbon and/or Flowers

Little Red Wagon/Bling It Up

Creative Moments/Anything Goes

Ladybug Crafts/Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday/Anything Goes

Crafts and Me/Anything Goes

Through the Craft Room Door/Anything Goes (1)

Categories : Cards, Embossing

Shabby Chic Card with Paper Flowers

Posted by Cathy Parlitsis

· March 29, 2014

Shabby Chic is always a fun style to use in Card Making. When I see a sketch or a challenge theme, I usually immediately get an idea in my head that I can use as a jumping point. Not today. LOL. I couldn't think of a thing! So…I just looked at the cards I've been creating and realized I haven't done anything in Wisteria lately so that's where I began. I wanted buttons and bows for a couple of challenges and spring and Easter for a couple of other ones. Paper Flowers are always a nice addition to any Paper Crafting Project so I threw in a couple of those. Whaddya think?

Cut a piece of Whisper White Cardstock 5-1/2" x 4-1/4". Score and fold at 4-1/4". Distress the edges with a Distress Tool.
Cut a piece of Wisteria Wonder Cardstock 5-3/8" x 4-1/8". Run through the Big Shot in a (TH) Embossing Folder. Run a Silver Encore Pad gently over only the raised portion of the embossed cardstock. Distress the edges with a Distress Tool.
Cut a piece of Silver Designer Vellum 5-3/8" x 4-1/8". Cut it at an angle and adhere to a piece of Wisteria Cardstock cut the same size as the vellum using Vellum Adhesive.
Adhere the Wisteria Wonder/Vellum piece to the front of the card using Sticky Strip only on the bottom and right side to create a pocket.

Cut a piece of Smoky Slate Cardstock 2" x 4" and use the Scallop Tag Topper Punch to create the decorative tag edge. Sponge and distress the edges of the entire tag.
Cut a piece of Whisper White Cardstock 1-3/4" x 3-3/4" and pass through the Big Shot in the Lacy Brocade Embossing Folder (retired). Gently pass a Wisteria Wonder Ink Pad over the top of the raised portions of the cardstock. Distress the edges and adhere to the tag.
Stamp "Happy Easter" from the Delightful Dozen Stamp Set in Wisteria Wonder Ink onto Whisper White Cardstock and emboss with Clear Embossing Powder. Tear around the greeting, sponge the edges with Wisteria Wonder Ink and a Stampin' Sponge and adhere to the tag with Glue Dots.
Slip the tag into the "pocket" that you've created with the Vellum and Cardstock.

Run a piece of White Satin Ribbon (retired) down the side of the embossed Wisteria Wonder piece of cardstock and adhere to the back using Glue Dots.
Adhere the entire Wisteria Wonder piece to the Whisper White card using a strong adhesive, like Sticky Strip.
Tie a double bow (See Video of How to Tie a Double Bow Using Your Fingers HERE.)
Adhere a strip of Vintage Faceted Designer Buttons across the top of the Vellum using Glue Dots.

Punch out Wisteria Wonder Cardstock using the Fancy Punch – 2 times. Use your Bone Folder to "work" the cardstock to break the fibers in the cardstock and you will begin to see the papers separating. Gently pull the paper apart which will give you 2 flowers for each punch. This is the "Faux Suede" Technique.
Stack the flowers on top of each other and poke a hole in the center using a Paper Piercing Tool. Insert a Brad to keep the flowers together.
Spritz flowers with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz Spray and "smoosh" together until you're happy with the result.
Adhere a Vintage Faceted Designer Button in the center of the flower using Glue Dots. Adhere the flower to the bottom corner of the Vellum.
Punch 3 flowers from the left over Faux suede flower pieces using the Flower Punch from the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack. Layer 3 of them on top of each other using Glue Dots. Put a Rhinestone Basic Jewel in the center and fluff them up a little. Attach to the tag with Glue Dots.