Movin' right along... card #3

Hello there, stamping friends!

Here we are at Wednesday and it's time for another card using the masterboard you created.  Cards 1 and 2 used the top half of your masterboard and now we are going to make 4 cards out of the bottom half of it.
Before we go any farther, let me refresh your memory with a photo showing the cutting lines for the bottom half of your sheet.

So, as you can see, card #3 uses a panel that is 3 inches by 5 inches.  

And now, here's the very easy card that you can create with this panel.

Again, start with a half sheet of white cardstock, folded in the middle to create a card base that is 5 1/2 by 4 1/4.

Cut a strip of Tangerine Tango cardstock that is 5 1/4 inches long and about 1 1/2 inches wide.  Glue it under the right-hand edge of the masterboard panel, so that the whole thing is 4 inches wide.  Wrap this finished panel with some Chevron ribbon in Crushed Curry and adhere it to the card base.  I created the flower using Real Red, Tangerine Tango, and Crushed Curry cardstock and the following punches:

Blossom Punch Pansy Punch, Boho Blossom Punch, Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack.  After punching out the flowers, I used the Square Lattice embossing folder to add some texture and interest to the flower.  I used glue dots to assemble the flower.  Those things really hold.  I stamped the sentiment (from Lots of T\hanks on page 29 of the annual catalog) on a strip of white card stock and adhered it to the ribbon with glue dots.  

Again, please don't think your card has to look like mine.  If you leave off the sentiment, you'll be able to 

see that pretty chevron ribbon better and you'll have a card that is ready to send for any occasion or "just because."  

Thanks for stopping by today!  Hope you are still playing along with me.  This masterboard method is so versatile that you can use it for any season.  Wouldn't some fall cards using a masterboard of fall leaves in rich autumn tones be fun to make?  Or how about some wintry cards with snowflakes stamped in several shades of blue with some silver accents?  Think of the pretty Valentines you could make with hearts and flowers in several shades of pink.  Oh, the possibilities are endless!  I hope I've inspired you to create more masterboards.  

Please come back on Friday for card #4.  It's another very easy card, I promise!

Happy masterboarding!

Susan 

Onward to masterboard card #2

Welcome back, stampers!
Hope your Monday and your week is off to a smooth and happy start.  If not, maybe more coffee would help.

Hope you all enjoyed a relaxing and restorative weekend.  I'm also hoping you took a little time to make card #1... the center-opening card, and that you are ready to move on to card #2.
Before I start giving you the measurements for this super-easy card, I'll show you a photo.  This one could not be any easier.

For this card, you'll use the other panel from the top section of your masterboard.  Cards #3 through 6 use the bottom half of your board.

The card base for this card is a half sheet of white cardstock ( 5 1/2 by 8 1/2, folded to make the standard-sized card that is 5 1/2 by 4 1/4.  On top of that, I've layered a panel of Real Red card stock that is 5 1/4 by 4.  Next, I added the masterboard panel, which I cut down to 5 by 3 3/4.  I cut some strips of card stock in Crushed Curry, Real Red, and Tangerine Tango and flagged the ends with scissors.  I added a white label shape (cut with the Label Collection Framelits on top of the banners and decorated it with tiny butterflies cut with the Bitty Butterfly punch (page 83 of the big catalog). I ran the butterflies through the Big Shot, using the Square Lattice embossing folder and blinged them up (I don't think "blinged" is a real word, so please forgive me) with some rhinestones.

Once again, choose a shape that will accomodate the sentiment you want to use.  It doesn't have to be the label shape.  Depending on what you'd like to say, you could use a circle, an oval, a square, a deco label, or even a heart.  There are so many framelits to choose from (pages 186-187 of the big catalog).  The sentiment on my card is from Remembering your Birthday on page 16 of the annual catalog.  I love this birthday set because it has paired sayings.... one for the outside of the card and a coordinating saying for the inside.

Okey dokey, stampers!  That's card #2.... so very easy, yet so colorful!  Now it's your turn to make it!
Have fun and please come back on Wednesday for card #3... another easy-peasy card!

Happy Stamping!
Susan

Masterboard class, Day 2!

Hello Stampers and Happy Friday to everyone!

I hope you are following along with this series of posts. On Wednesday I showed you what my masterboard looked like.  There were two photos.  The first one showed you my masterboard with just the main images on it.  The second photo showed you how it looked with all of the white spaces filled in.  If you haven't stamped your sheet of card stock yet, go ahead and do it.  It shouldn't take that long to stamp a full sheet of 8 1/2 by 11 card stock.  Choose 3-4 colors that you like together and use a bold image stamp set, such as Simple Stems on page 33 of the Occasions catalog.  Betsy's Blossoms on page 87 of the big catalog would also work well. , as would Polka Dot Pieces on page 85 of the big catalog.

Now, let's start chopping up our masterboard to make 6 different cards, shall we?

Here is card #1.  After you take a look at it, I'll give you the measurements of all of the pieces so you can re-create it yourself.

As you can see, this card opens in the center.  To get the two panels for the front of the card, first cut your masterboard across the center, so that you have two pieces that are 5 1/2 by 8 1/2. Then cut one of those pieces again at 4 1/4 .  Cards #1 and #2 each use 1/4 of the masterboard.  To help you visualize the cuts you'll be making, here are some pictures of the sizes you'll be cutting.

This photo shows that you've cut the top half off of your masterboard.  Each of these cards uses a 5 1/2 by 4 1/4 panel.  Then you'll cut these down slightly to make them the correct size for the cards.

This photo shows the bottom half of your masterboard, with the measurements of the panels.  You'll have just a few strips of your masterboard left over.

OK, so back to card #1...

To make this card, start with a piece of neutral card stock that coordinates with the colors you've chosen.  

This will be the base of your card and should measure 5 1/2 by  8 1/2.  Lay it across your scoring board and score it at 2 1/8 and 6 3/8.  Fold the panels in toward the center to make a center-opening card.  Now all that is left is to add some colored  cardstock to the front panels and then layer on the printed masterboard panels.  The solid cardstock panels should measure 2 1/8 by 5 1/2.  Adhere these to the side panels.  Now

trim the masterboard piece to make 2 panels measuring 5 1/4 by 1 7/8.  Adhere these on top of the solid colored card stock.    Here is the card again...

To decorate the front, I cut a white label shape and a slightly larger Real Red label shape, using the Label Framelits.  It is glued to the left hand side of the card only, so that the card can be opened in the center.  I punched out some flowers with the pansy punch, put them through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice Embossing Folder and then adhered them to the card with several glue dots for extra holding power.  You really cannot beat glue dots when you want to make sure that an embellishment really sticks.  

Of course, your card doesn't need to look like mine.  Maybe you'd like a different shape to bridge across the center opening.  You could use a circle, square or rectangle... whatever fits the sentiment that you have chosen. Please let me know if you are having trouble following along.  This is the most difficult card.  The rest are very straightforward and super easy to put together.  

Please come back on Monday when we'll chop up more of your masterboard to make card #2!

Have a wonderfully relaxing weekend, everyone!  Enjoy the sunshine!

Hugs to all,

Susan

Masterboard cards... play along with me!

Hello stampers!

So glad you came back today, because I have a little challenge for you and I'm hoping you'll want to play along.  I know I've done a class or two like this, but I've never featured a class on my blog until now.  If you follow along each day, you'll end up with six great cards.

The first step in this process is to find a color combination that you like.  You'll need at least three to four colors that coordinate well.  You can choose pastel colors from the Subtles color family, or you can choose some brighter, warmer colors like I did from the Brights and Regals color families.  I wanted a "hot" color palette, so I chose Real Red, Tangerine Tango, Crushed Curry, and Daffodil Delight.  You can't get a much hotter color combo than that!

The second step is to choose a stamp set with bold images, where there are large areas of solid color, instead of "coloring book" stamp sets with images that are outlines to be filled in with markers or ink. The set I chose is the Simple Stems set on page 33 of the Occasions catalog.  An example of a "coloring book" stamp set can be found on the facing page, page 32 (the So Very Grateful set).

Now that you've chosen your colors and stamps, it is time to get busy.  You'll need one sheet of white or vanilla card stock.  When you are trying for a randomly stamped look, it is best to start in the upper left and work diagonally across the paper, from upper left to lower right.  Start with the largest image, then the next largest in a different color, then the third largest in a third color.  Here is what my sheet of paper looked like after I stamped my three images on it.

The last step in creating your masterboard is to fill in all of the white spaces between the images.  I decided to use the daisy-like image in the Simple Stems set.  I didn't want it to compete with the stronger colors I had already stamped, so I chose Daffodil Delight, a lighter yellow than the Crushed Curry that I had already used.  This is how my paper looked after I filled in all the white space.  Don't worry if some of the images overlap.  That is OK.

Notice how almost all of the white space is now covered.

OK, I'll take a break here and let you pick your colors, your stamp set, and then stamp your 8.5 by 11 inch sheet of card stock.  When I come back on Friday, I'll start showing you the six cards you can make from this one sheet of card stock.  I think you're going to be amazed!

Please come back on Friday for the continuation of this blog-based class!
Happy stamping!
Susan

Fun and Foxy

Hey there stampers!
Happy sunny Monday!

Will we reach 70+ degrees today?  Or not?  The 7 day forecast from KGW says that we'll get all the way up to 72 today!  Time to break out the capris and sandals!  Or, as you well know, the forecast could change in an instant.

What a fun card I have for you today!  It is the creation of Janet Jones, one of the demonstrators in my group.  I love Janet's clean and classic style.  When it comes to cards, we think alike.  Check out this foxy little guy...

This cute fox, along with his other forest friends (mouse, raccoon, hedgehog, and bunny) can be found on page 21 of the Occasions catalog.  The name of the stamp set is Life in the Forest.  The outlined images are just begging to be colored.  Janet stamped the fox in Jet Black Staz-on ink on watercolor paper and then used some Baked Brown Sugar ink and her aqua painter to color the fox.  The Coastal Cabana panel was embossed using the Woodgrain embossing folder, which gives a nice woodsy feel to the card.  The designer paper is from the Fresh Prints Designer Paper Stacks on page 33 of the Occasions catalog.  You get a nice thick stack (48 sheets) of coordinating prints in a 4 1/2 by 6 1/2 inch size for only 6.95.  The banners were cut with the new Banners Framelit Dies on page 27 of the Occasions catalog.  The fun saying is from the Just Sayin' stamp set on page 36 of the Occasions catalog, which coordinates with the Word Bubble Framelits on the same page.  Some linen thread tied around the top of the banners adds another rustic touch to this cute card.  Thanks, Janet, for allowing me to share your card today!

Just a word of advice.... I would suggest sending this sentiment only to those in the under 40's crowd.  As we age, those of us in the upper age brackets tend not to appreciate the focus being on our age, but instead prefer people to acknowledge our positive attributes, such as our superior card-making skills, our great color sense, our culinary genius, our ability to wrangle grandchildren, or our gardening skills.  There's so much more that can be said when birthdays roll around.  Why focus on something that can't be changed, like age?
Little kids, on the other hand, love being reminded of how old they're getting!  So send a greeting like this to a five-year-old and it will make his day.  Your 75-year-old aunt, not so much!

Hope you can all get out there and enjoy the sunshine!
Don't forget to come back on Wednesday for another classic card!
Be happy!
Susan

Finally Friday!

Yippee, it's Friday!  Too bad the sun isn't shining, but at least the weekend is almost here, and for those of  you working peeps, I'm sure you're excited about having a little down time over the next couple of days.

As I mentioned on Wednesday, I'll wind up the week with the final card and the box that we'll be making on Saturday at my Spring in a Box class.  I've still got a few spots open, so send me a quick email if you'd like to join in the fun.

So.... let's get right to the card, OK?

The box is casting a bit of a shadow over the card, but I think you can still see it.  This is the fifth and final card in the set.  Of course we're still using the Polka Dot Pieces stamp set and the Polka Dot Parade designer paper that I mentioned on Monday and Wednesday.  The colors today are Daffodil Delight, Old Olive, and Rich Razzleberry.  I loved this color combination so much that I decided to use it on the "belly band" for the gift box as well. I used the Blossom Punch and the Pansy Punch, as well as the 1/2 inch circle punch to create the flower.  Before I glued the layers together, I sent them through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice embossing folder to add a bit of interesting texture.  The front panels on the box were embossed with the Decorative Dots embossing folder from Sale-a-bration.  

How are you spending your Friday?  I'm going to be working in the kitchen, preparing some yummy snacks for the class on Saturday.  Whatever you've got on your agenda, I hope your Friday goes smoothly and that you'll enjoy a relaxing and restorative weekend.  On Monday, I promise that there will be no more polka dots for a while.  I think we've seen enough of them to last a long time!

Be happy!

Susan 

Seeing Spots...

Hello Stampers and happy Wednesday to all!

I hope your week is going smoothly, despite the gloomy weather.  It's all downhill to the weekend after today, so that's something to be happy about.  Oh, and the weather man says that it is possible that we might reach 70 degrees on Tuesday.  Let's hold a positive thought for a sunny and warm Tuesday, shall we?  It would be a most welcome change!

I hope you are ready for more Polka Dots today, because here are the second and third cards we'll be making at my Spring in a Box class this coming Saturday, April 5th at 1 in the afternoon at my house.

I realize that my photo quality is not all that great, but I think you can still see the cards.  I'm not trying to win an award for my amazing skill at photography.  My skills are almost nil, yet I'm hoping you can see enough to be able to reproduce what I post if you like the cards.  That's all I'm hoping to accomplish and to be honest, I don't have a lot of extra time on my hands to pour into becoming a better photographer.  If there's any time left over in my day, I'd prefer to use it stamping for fun, something for which I rarely have time.

The stamp set is the very versatile Polka Dot Pieces and the colors today are Daffodil Delight, Marina Mist and Old Olive.  In order to keep this card set mailable, there are no knots, pearls, lumps or bumps anywhere on these cards. Who wants to get a beat-up card in a ripped envelope?  Sometimes it is best to just keep things simple.  Of course if you were planning on handing them out rather than mailing them, then you could embellish to your heart's content.

I hope these bright and sunny cards give you a boost today!  I think you'll love making them if you are able to join our crew of happy stampers on Saturday at my house.  Thanks for stopping in today and if you come back on Friday, I'll have the final card and gift box to show you.
Hugs to all,
Susan