Embossing With a Digital Stamp and a Dish Rag

I recently saw this amazing post from Faith ~ using her Cuttlebug, some digital images, some embossing....  after contacting her I have now permission to post this here for your enjoyment.
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Boy, oh boy, do I have a lot to share with you tonight! I had two hours alone with my Cuttlebug toady and came up with some interesting embossing techniques. AND I printed on the inside of a cereal box–probably not acid free, but a lot of fun!

There are also a couple of software hints and shortcuts in this post that will speed up your time on the computer, so you can get to crafting your card quickly. These cards are EASY and have so much texture and dimension!

I used my digital stamp “Mitten” for these two cards. You will want to pick this digi up in my store for just $1, because it is so versatile!! It’s perfect for “Warm Winter Wishes” for the upcoming holiday’s or a winter birthday.



Challenge Card for:
 Pixie Cottage- Stiching
Sweet Stampin Challenge Blog: Ribbon
Our Creative Corner: 3 Embellishments (buttons, twine, twill tape, ribbon)
Paper Romance: Buttons
 365 Cards: Try a New Technique (create your own embossing “folders”)
Mark’s Finest Papers’ Friends: Stitching

We’ll start with the red card.

You will need to trim a cereal box or something similar to fit in your printer. I trimmed this box to 7 x 10 inches. I also set the lever on my printer to envelope, so that the box would feed through easier.

Computer Hints

I used Microsoft Word to create a document the size of my cereal box (7 x 10), and I inserted the digi stamp into the .doc. I made the Mitten 1.5 inches tall, and set the Text Wrapping to “Through”. This allows you to move it anywhere on the page. While the mitten was selected, I hit ctrl + c to copy, and then ctrl + v to paste. This way you do not need to set the Position or Text Wrapping each time.

With this second Mitten, I mirrored it by Position  > Flip Horizontal, and then placed it below the first mitten. With one Mitten selected, press ctrl and click on the other mitten. Both mittens will be selected. Hit ctrl + c, then crtl + v, and this will copy both and paste them. Now drag this group of two over, and you have four. Repeat until you have eight–four the original way, and four mirrored.

This is the printed cereal box:

Cut the Mittens out using sharp scissors. You will also need hemp twine and tape.

Tape or glue the twine to the back of the mittens to make pairs.

The Cuttlebug sandwich will be Plate A, cardstock shims, Plate B (if your Plate B is as used/rough as mine, see below, then you will need a smooth piece of cardstock on top of it.),…

On top of the smooth surface, arrange your cut out Mittens. Then place your cardstock to be embossed, the Spellbinders Tan polymer mat, and finally, Plate B.

Run this through your Cuttlebug.

And you will have custom embossed paper using a digital stamp! Punches work well too.

Here’s my card using the digi stamp for embossing, and then using the Mittens I cut out from the cereal box, as the focal point of my card.

I used some warm grey Tria markers to color my Mittens before adding them to my card.

Embossing in this way, preserved the texture of my Bazzill cardstock.

 

Blue Card

Here’s how you can create your own textured cardstock. I used some smooth SU! Bordering Blue cardstock, and an old dish cloth that I crocheted.

Cuttlebug sandwich for this: Plate A, Plate B, Dish Cloth, Cardstock, tan polymer mat, Plate B.

Here’s what you get: And as you can see,  my dish cloth is now pretty flat. lol! But it’s an old one, and it was worth it. :) Maybe it will be reshaped in the wash.

I used a large scalloped rectangle Nestabilities die to created this scalloped edge:

Insert your cardstock into one edge of the Nestie. The paper will be under one side, and over the other side.

Make your Cuttlebug cutting sandwich: Plate A, Plate C, Nestabilities Die with the the ridge facing up, and cardstock over the cutting ridge on one side, Plate B.

Here’s what you end up with:

You could use this as a card base. I cut mine way down to use under my twill tape and ribbon, and distressed the other edge.

If you want one Mitten to stick up higher than the other, you can double up the foam tape.

And here’s the completed card. I LOVE the crocheted texture on the cardstock!

I have many more ideas to try, and I will keep you posted on my experiments. :)

I hope this has sparked some creativity in you, and I would love to hear what you think. What are you going to press through your die cutting machine?

For more information on Cuttlebug Sandwiches and Nestabilities, please see my previous post about embossing a frame with Nestabilites.

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thanks Faith for sharing this with us.

Dawn

A tutorial for hand embossing + Decorating a die cut flower

Hello Everyone,
   
Today I am going to show you how to make a simple but elegant card with more details and textures.
        

This is a very simple card, you have your stamped card base your layer , and your embellishments

now its time to add some texture.

Step 1,  The layer for your base: (option get the basket weave embossing folder and stip this step)

Cut a 3 3/4 x 5 piece of cardstock and line it up against the envelope template of the score board (if you have the Martha Stewart Scoreboard) an score every 1/2 inch.

    

Rotate cardstock 90 degrees (NOT FLIP) and continue scoring every 1/2 inch, till you get it to look like this basket weave design.

Step 2,  Cutting your flower:
To cut the Tim Holtz  Bigz dies (in this case the tattered florals) in your bigshot you will need the following sanwhich recipe as shown.

From bottom up: Acrylic plate, bigz die(facing up),cardstock, and the other acrylic plate.
Run through machine and pop out flowers.

Step 3, Embossing and distressing flowers:
Choose 2 embossing folders and place your flowers inside them,

For the Bigshot use tab 1 of the Multi purpose plate, and sandwhich your embossing folder between that and the 2 acrylic plate, run through.

Next get the distress ink of your choosing ( I used faded jeans for the demo)

and apply to your flowers.

So the flowers aren't so stiff, begin taking 1 at time and fold and/or crumple the petals inwards, I think it really helps the flowers stand out and gives a soft feel to the card.
 Next apply a pop dot in-between the flowers for even more depth to the card.

Step 4, making leaves with a circle punch:

Punch a piece of cardstock and put the circle you just punched back in half way to get your leaf shape.

To color your leafs you can color with pencils, markers/copics, or distress inks, if you are using darker background colors, make sure to use darker greens, to match.

Step 5, Making your Butterfly punch come to life:

Punch 2 butterflies and distress each side then stamp your text only on 1 side of each with text sides facing out adhere the body leaving the wings to hang free

Place a pop dot in between each wing, or for a side view fold the body over one set wings

And Now you have all your elements ready to place on your card!

Have a Great weekend, I'm going to get ready to make pizza, and go to the Forest park Hot air balloon glow and then watch them race the energizer bunny tomorrow : )

More Vintage Inspiration

Good Day Readers!

It's time to post some more inspiration and today,  I have some "vintagy" goodness to share with you, using a resist technique over patterned paper.

...And a Nestie Die of course!

Supplies:

Hero Arts Old Letter Writing S4878	Fiskars swirl border punch	Tim Holtz Victorian Velvet Distress Ink	Hero Arts Antique Flower background S5264	Hero Arts Large Plaid pattern S5447
Hero Arts friends CL351	Clear Embossing powder	Spell Binder Nesties Large Circles	Hero Hues Latte Dye Ink	Hero Arts Clear Gemstones

InLinkz.com

Have a great week!

Posting more cards soon

Hello everyone,
 Sorry for not posting lately its been a little busy on my side of theworld.  Tomorrow I will be working on a bunch of cards for OWH though,and plan to share them at least by Sunday.

see you all soon!

More old fashioned idea's

Hello all,

I just wanted to give some idea's to help you think of the meaning old fashioned for this months challenge.      

                                      
 Think of your grandmother and the things she did as a girl, think of the old automobiles and trucks. Gingham material, sewing, black and white and sepia photographs, on dusty old scrap pages with heirlooms and hair ribbons, or even little girls wearing frocks or pinafores.

Do you remeber how your grandmother always said not to waste things? I do! and in doing so I have a boatload of scraps to use on other creations, you can enter cards just following that rule, it may not look old fashioned but you just went by an old fashioned rule! ; )

Arlene for example used a kleenex box  to make a frame for this lovely vintage card here

The Above not an option? just use distress inks no matter how modern the look, distressing always gives a vintage feel.

I hope this helps you get started! and in advance thanks for playing along.

Hannah

Sew old fashioned!

Hope you are having a great weekend!

Today I have an old photo that I hope will hope inspire you for this months challenge.

 Any creative juices flowing yet?  it certainly is for me, now if I can just get the time to do it!

Good Luck.

The Old Fashioned Way - Sept 2011 challenge

Hello Everyone,
It's the first day of September which means the begining of a new challenge, and This months theme is "Old Fashioned" or doing it the old fashioned way.

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This Months Prize:
a 10 dollar ecard for Simon Says Stamp!

To enter join our flickr group and upload your cards to the Sept challenge post.
Remember:
1. Limit of 4 entries for each challenge per month
2. Random Drawing will be held the last day of the month
3. If a moderator is not hosting a challenge for the month, the moderator can enter the challenge

Have Fun! and don't forget to check our blog for idea's, to help you with this months challenge.

August Challenge ~ Giggles and Grins and the winner is...............

Gina H VV with this beauty

We had 6 very cute and funny entries.. and I used Random Org to chose for me...

Thanks for playing along.... call back soon to see what the next challenge will be...

Cheers
Dawn

August Challenge ~ Giggles and Grins

Hi there.... it's my turn to host the monthly challenge  The theme is "Giggles and Grins"  so pull out your die cut machines and let us see what humorous or just down right funny cards, ATC's, scrapbook layouts, or other items you can come up with....

Here's a couple of cards to get you started....

So come over and join us on the Flickr group.... here and lets have a giggle....

Cheers
Dawn

Now & then - with a tutorial

Hi everyone,

This week I thought I would share another card that I made based on an earlier card I had made.  Plus I decided to inflict on you share with you a tutorial on how I made it. 
Here are the two cards:

Ok now for the tutorial.  I think this may be my very first tutorial so please be patient with me :D.

This is what I used.  I forgot to add the scissors & Copics.  I used my scallop circle nestibilities in two sizes for the water & Lily pad.  The frog stamp is by Kaiser craft.

As you can see I've made the "water" bigger than the lily pad just for a bit of contrast.  I have then lined up the scallops (this isn't necessary) before piercing a hole in the two layers. 

 Next punch two flowers out & place together & put a brad in the centre.  Then put the brad through the two layers of scalloped paper & open the prongs.  You should be able to move the Lily pad (top smaller scallop) away from the bottom.  Next step is to attach the frog.

This next step depends on the size of your stamp.  After cutting around the stamped coloured image, I eyeball the size for the flap.  I score about 1/4 inch from each end & apply double sided tape to the ends (on the same side of the c/s).  I then work out how far up the stamped image I need to place the flap & adhere the flap to the image.  After bending up the frogs legs I then attach the other end of the flap to the lily pad.  Just to note it's a good idea to lay your image flat on the card to see if where you have placed it is in a good spot to fit inside an envelope :D (learnt that one the hard way ;P). 

This is the card folded up ready to go into an envelope.  If you look you can see where I've bent up the frogs legs (just so he sits nicely when up) & I have also pushed the flower up around the brad just for interest. 

Well I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial :D.  Sorry if its a bit long.  I think that this type of card would be great for any sort of scene.  Like a bird in a tree or clouds.  Fish swimming in the sea. 

Have a great week everyone & happy crafting xoxoxoxo

June's Winner & July's challenge :D

Hi everyone,

Hasn't the month just rushed right by?  I can't believe we are into July already. 

Here is our winner for June's challenge - Recycle, Re-purpose & Re-use:

Rosemary, congratulations.  This is one gorgeous card, it looks amazing!  To see more of Rosemary's work please stop by her wonderful flickrstream here.
Also for the month of July I am the hostess.  This month I want to challenge you all to pick a project ie: Card/ATC/LO or anything else you have done & re-do it.  I am calling this challenge "Now & then". 
Just to give you an example here is a card I did when I first started out cardmaking:

This card is the basis for my make over card.  When I made this card it was my first attempt at a new technique Emboss resist. I didn't have a lot of supplies (no cuttlebug either). So I decided to give it a make over.

My "Re-do" card.  I used another new technique - Distress inks on water colour paper. As you can see I've also embossed (cuttlebug this time) & added a nestie. I can't wait to see what you all come up with.

If you have any sort of Die Cutting/ Embossing machine you are most welcome to join in & play along with us over on our flickrgroup.  To enter just go here & follow the prompts.  Thanks for stopping by & I can't wait to see what you all come up with.  Happy Crafting everyone xoxoxoxoxo