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23 posts from January 2010

Mon 18

A Valentine Ornament

I am a scavenger, a great hunter-gatherer, and a genetically-predisposed packrat.  I haunt secondhand/thrift stores, antique malls and flea markets, and attend auctions once or twice a week.  No matter where I am, I'm always looking for raw materials and ideas, and I'm always thinking of ways to repurpose items.  I found these great kraft papier mache heart ornaments at the local Michaels store (99 cents each) just before Christmas. I thought they would make up into great (easy and quick) projects using the Valentine's Studio release stamps and papers for my Gifts From the Heart class on either January 11th or 18th.  


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I began by coloring the edges of the heart with a gold Krylon pen, overlapping just a little bit onto the front and back of the heart. I then took another heart and traced its outline onto two pieces of the Gossamer 6X6 paper (10055), one for the front and another for the back.  I stamped the Branch Heart (E1310) in Memories ArtPrint Brown.  I used the same ink to stamp the Nesting Birds (D1315) and clear embossed them (Faith's).  I added hearts from the Tree of Love (D1312) in Memories Ruby ink above their heads.  I then adhered the papers to the heart, the stamped and embossed paper on the front of the ornament.  Later I will add a brief Valentine greeting and sign my name on the back.  


To change it up a bit, one might use a red or silver Krylon pen for the edges and choose different paper patterns than the one I used for the front and back.  I love using the Branch Heart as the focal image, but a different look could be achieved by adding the Owl Always image and sentiment (C1314) or the Tree of Love (D1312) in the center of the heart.  The Lovey Dovey Tree (E1308) with its hearts made from other Gossamer papers would create another unique ornament.  Think of ways to add embossing or glitter--I'm thinking I might use chunky glitter on the edges just for fun or emboss the hearts or even Stickles them!  Add Pearls or Jewels to the hearts on the Tree of Love! Or place them on the outside edge of the heart!  Or add them to the Branch Heart!  Oh, my!  I think there's another trip to Michaels in my immediate future!


Happy Stamping!



Sun 17

Owl Always Love You!

Owl Always Love You

Hi everyone, Melissa here with a cute Valentines Day card to show you.  I used one of my favorite images from the new Valentines Release, Owl Always Love You (C1314).

I have to say that this is one of my favorite stamps from the new release because it has one of the cute "side stamps".  I am absolutely LOVING how Memory Box is adding a little stamp on the side of the Woodblock to compliment the main image.  The sentiment stamped in the lower right corner of this card "owl always love you" is found on the side of the stamp.  It's like getting a two for one deal!!!  I also used another "side stamp" on this card.  The three hearts floating above the owls is from the Tree of Love (D1312).  Not only do these "side stamps" enhance your main image, but they can totally stand alone.

I am sharing this card with you today because there are a few things about this design, in particular, that really highlight some of my tried and true methods to creating a successful card.  First, I am always trying to find different ways to add dimension to my cards to make them really POP.  On this card, I used four different layers of paper on top of my Cream Notecard to really draw the eye into the main image.  I also used foam tape to adhere the pair of owls to the card that I first stamped onto patterned paper and cut out.  Secondly, I really like adding some sort of bling or sparkle to finish off my card.  As you can see I added a few of the Pearl Stickers in complimentary colors right below my sentiment.  I think that a little bling is a super simple way to help draw the eye right where you want it.   

Come and join me on January 28th @ 6pm at Colorful Creations in Hyannis, MA to make this card and more in my Lovely Valentines with Memory Box class.  I look forward to meeting all of my fellow Memory Box fans out there!  

Sat 16

Nesting Birds...

I am so thankful to be on the Memory Box Design Team... 

My name is Heather Brown and I found stamping about 5 years ago and have been in love every since.  I was even caught bringing stamps to the labor room when I delivered my 3rd baby (sounds silly me saying that now).  It's something that I use as a creative outlet and without it I wouldn't honestly have as much Joy in my life.  I LOVE teaching and having fun with my students... it's the most amazing feeling to have people walk out of my class with a smile on their face and new ideas on how to maximize their paper and stamps.  I am soooo passionate about what I do (that's just a nice way to make me feel that I don't have a paper and stamp addiction).  Along with stamping I also Homeschool my 3 kids and along with my amazing hubby we are youth leaders at our church for the past 5 years.  We have our hands in many different areas of life and we have fun with it every day!!  Thanks for looking today and be blessed.

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For this card I used the Nesting Birds stamp I also took 3 1/2 inchs off the truffle scallop edge and used to as an accent below the center panel.  

I will be teaching this card along with 4 other cards on Jan 30 at Stamping Details in Poway CA.  Call now to reserve your spot!!

 -Heather Brown

Thu 14

By way of introduction...

Hi!  My name is Debbie Fitch.  I teach and demo at Baas Junction in Toledo, Ohio.  I have loved Memorybox stamps and their distinctive style for years.  I like the fact that you can use these stamps to make a classic, timeless design or something whimsical.  I've been stamping since around 2004.  My style ranges from clean and simple to distressed, to anything in between.  I love learning new techniques and sharing ideas with my stamping friends.  Baas Junction is a warm, welcoming place where learning is easy.  I am so enjoying playing with the beautiful Gossamer papers and all the new Memorybox products.  Being a part of this talented team is wonderful. 

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This is one of the cards I will be teaching in my January 23rd class.  It uses the rich Soiree Mars paper.  I painted a two-inch chipboard square with white pearlized paint.  While that was drying, I stamped the D1313 Batik Birds with Cranberry Adirondack ink onto white cardstock.  Trim around the image and attach it to the dried chipboard square.  Stamp C1311 Sonoma Print in Versamark diagonally across your 4" Mars card.  Emboss with Ranger Seafoam white.  Attach your finished square to the center, and you have a card that would be perfect for an anniversary. 


Wed 13

Love Birds

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I have to confess....these two stamps - Branch Heart and Batik Birds are real favorites of mine from this new Memory Box release. Though, truth be told, I also really love Sonoma Print.  Nesting Birds is so sweet and Owl Love You is just too cute! Ok, I guess I have many favorites! If you've had the chance to play with some of these images, then you know just what I mean, right?! They are so fun!

When making this card I actually altered the Batik Birds stamp just a bit by using the Porcello Flourish (B1128) to "stamp off" some of the Brilliance Chocolate ink and then stamped the image onto cream paper. I added another layer of cream and used a distressing tool on both to rough up the edges. I stamped the Branch Heart onto a Script pattern paper from the new Gossamer 6x6 paper pack - also using Brilliance Chocolate ink, and I tore the bottom edge to mimic the new cream cards from Memory Box.  I over-stamped the Heart image again using Encore Gold ink for subtle glitz. I added 4 gold brads to the corners and wrapped gold ribbon around that layer. Finally, I adhered it to a MB cream card base. 

I think this card is appropriate for Valentine's Day, a wedding or an anniversary. It's one of the designs featured in my class at Ink About It on Jan 30th.

Lorisig-sm

Tue 12

Another Introduction

Angelaclass
 
Hello!  My name is Angela Finet, and I have been teaching stamping and book binding classes across the United States for 10 years.  Nearly 7 years ago, I opened Angela's Happy Stamper, a rubber stamping and paper crafting shop in Reston, Virginia.  As a book binder, I would say my style reflects simple design with lots of symmetry.  As a shop owner with a staff of 10 and a busy mother of two, this is my first leap into the world of guest designing/blogging.  But Memory Box stamps and papers are just too wonderful to resist!

Since I own the shop where another Memory Box instructor teaches, I'm always looking for new ways to incorporate my stamps and papers.  Once I started thinking "outside the box", it was only a matter of time before I started thinking "ON the box."  For my Valentine's Tin for Kids class on January 18th, I stamped a long strip of text weight paper with Memory Box penguins and fish and colored them with pencils.  I then used Modge Podge to adhere the strip of paper to an empty tin of Cafe' International Coffee and filled the inside with candy kisses.  A wonderful keepsake box!

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For my Look Again Punch Art class on February 6th, I'm using punches in common shapes like circles, hearts, stars and more to create the cutest critters.  For this card, I used new papers and stamps from the Memory Box Valentine's release and incorporated punches as a final embellishment.  Stamp the E1310 Branch Heart with Memento Ink.  Adhere the punches to create the owl.  Stamp the sentiment (C1314) at the bottom of the card with Memento ink.  Adhere the card piece to the new Truffle Scalloped A2 postcard.

Mon 11

From Scraps to Patchwork Cards

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The Gossamer paper is so lovely that I have been hoarding the scraps that I have left over from all my projects. This card was pieced together using scraps from my scrap pile.

Recipe:

  1. The base card is 5" x 7" from a Soiree card stock.
  2. Start with your largest scraps and position them on the front of the card.
  3. Place all other scraps in position and cut to fit.
  4. Sponge edges of all pieces using brown dye ink. (Take them off and sponge them and then return to position so they don't get out of place.)
  5. Identify which stamps you would like to use on the different pieces and stamp them using a pigment ink.
  6. The nest with the birds was stamped using Versafine Vintage Sepia on white card stock and then was colored using watercolor pencils and accented with Uni-Ball Signo white gel pen.  Cut out and attach using a pop dot.
  7. The butterfly was stamped twice on two different pieces of patterned paper. Cut out and layer. Attach button to center with knot tied through the center. 
  8. The batik birds are stamped using a pigment ink on a pattern paper. Using a Versamark marker dab spots on the background and emboss using light pink embossing powder. Tie twine and button around image.
  9. Attach each piece onto the card front.
  10. Accent with buttons, twine, pearls and coloring.

Products:

  • B1181 Periwinkle
  • E1035 Bird Branch
  • E1036 Blossom Branch
  • F1043 Antique Damask
  • B1264 Cappa Flourish
  • E1308 Lovey Dovey Tree
  • E1309 Scripted Bird
  • C1311 Sonoma Print
  • D1313 Batik Birds
  • D1315 Nesting Birds
  • Memento - Rich Cocoa
  • Versafine - Vintage Sepia
  • Ranger Queens Gold Embossing Powder
  • Light Pink Embossing Powder
  • Versamark Watermark Ink
  • Watercolor Pencils
  • Versacolor Burgandy
  • Signo Uni-Ball White Gel Pen
  • Memory Box Pearls

The second card is a smaller version of the patchwork and the pieces are overlapped and cut together.
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The Flowers are stamped using versamark and colored using Pebbles Iridescent Chalks.  The flourishes are stamped using the Versafine - Toffee. The Hearts are punched using a Marvy Uchida Heart punch.

Products:

  • Soiree Card
  • Gossamer Paper
  • Versamark Watermark Ink
  • Versafine - Vintage Sepia
  • Versafine - Toffee
  • Twine, Charm
  • Hero Arts - Heart Pearls
  • Pebbles Ink, Iridescent Chalk
  • C1311 Sonoma Print
  • B1175 Valentines Greetings
  • D1312 Tree of Love
  • C949 Meso Flourish
  • E1309 Scripted Bird
  • Marvy Uchida Heart Punch

Hope you enjoy your scraps!

Suzz


 

Sun 10

Sweet Talk

Sweet Message

Batik Birds, from the Valentines Studio Collection, is quickly becoming another one of my "go-to" stamps.  It's versatile, easy to use and works well with so many inks and papers.  I've also added a new Design Adhesives version of Dave's Curly Q motif and sprinkled it with Peridot Glitter.  It's so easy to use, just cut it out from the sheet of assorted Memory Box patterns, remove the opaque liner and burnish the pattern onto the stamped Kraft Cardstock. Next, remove the clear liner, sprinkle glitter over it and tap off the excess. Glittering doesn't get any easier! 

Have fun with these great new "toys"...

Jean 

Read more...

Fri 08

Whoo Loves you?

  You're reading this from the "Queen of Procrastination" and I'm sure I'm not alone---right?  And how many of you share my New Year's resolution to plan ahead...no more last minute panic parties?  Good.  Let's start creating our Valentine cards NOW. Today I have another idea to share and hopefully inspire you to start your cards. 

  My husband and I were engaged on Valentine's Day 33 years ago so this has alway been a very special holiday for us.  Here's a look at his card this year using the new Valentine Studio stamps from Memory Box.  
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I started with a wonderful celery Soiree notecard and layered a scalloped truffle card on top. These scallop cards are the same size as the celery cards and I wanted it narrower so I cut the scallop card in half horizontally and cut away about an inch and slid the two sides together again.
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 The striped paper covers the seam and becomes a colorful background to the focal image. Add a small strip of baby pink twill then mount the layered owl image ( C1314) on top.  I used prismacolor pencils on the owls and tree branch using Dave's blending techniques.  Have you seen his book?  It's the BEST for learning the finer points of working with color pencils and watercolors.
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  A little paper piecing was added to the owl wings to show off another patterned paper from the Gossamer paper line and adds interest-don't you think?  

   Stamp the "Owl always love you" message (included on the side of C1314) then add 3 hot pink pearls beneath.  Presto!  A cute card for your honey... by the way, if you see my husband don't tell him about his card...it's a surprise! (and it's already finished---no procrastination---O' yeah!)

   I will be teaching this card and 4 others in a class on Saturday, February 6th at Jazi Crafts in Oceanside, Ca.  Call ahead and we'll save a place in class for you!


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Wed 06

Be My Valentine

When I think of Valentine's Day, I tend to think in terms of pink and red with ribbons, lace and delicate papers.  These make great for cards for Moms, daughters and other gal pals, but not necessarily for guys.  I wanted to create a more subtle card for the special men in our lives...

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 The base card is a yummy Mocha A2 notecard.  The patterned paper is from the Gossamer 6" x 6"  paper pack and was trimmed to 4 1/4" x 2 3/4".  A strip of Truffle scalloped notecard was adhered underneath the left side of the patterned paper.  These layers were then adhered to the base card.  The Valentine Greeting was stamped with Memento Cocoa ink on the lower right corner. Three tiny pink pearls were added to the lower right of the patterned paper.  A very simple, very quick card for that special guy in your life!!! 

Supplies include:  A2 Mocha notecard; Gossamer 6" x 6" card pack; Truffle scalloped A2 notecard; Pink Pearls; Valentine Greeting stamp; Memento Cocoa ink

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