Christmas in July - trees

Christmas in July for Christmas Card Club Challenge - Trees

Stampin' Up! will launch its winter catalogue in September so with just a few sets in the catalogue this challenge from Christine has not been as easy as you would initially think with a simple Christmas theme of  'Trees'.  However where there's a will there's a tree!  

I've made a very simple card using the new Heirloom frames dies and embossing folders.  I added some Versamark ink to the embossing folder before adding my die cut frame to the folder.  Once dry embossed I added silver embossing powder to the frame for heating.  It has a enhanced the dry embossed texture, not perfectly but just enough to highlight the detail of the frame.  Using the middle die cut section of the frame I've added a silver heat embossed tree from the Rooted in Nature set, a Stampin' Up! favourite, and a gold heat embossed sentiment from Itty Bitty Greetings.  I've layered the image and frame onto a matt layered dry embossed with the Subtle 3D folder which does exactly as its name suggests - adds a subtle texture.  

A trio of rhinestones give a little more sparkle for a finishing touch.   

For beginner stampers you could cut a frame using a trimmer and stamp a pattern onto it, or indeed use a ruler and pen to create a frame directly on your card or then cut out with paper snips. 

It's been a very busy fortnight for us getting Charlie ready for a very important interview which he did really well in and also getting kit sorted for his trip to South Africa to research elephant migration patterns, bird counts and also some open water diving.  Our first message from him said "here safe, bags arrived too, at camp probs wont talk much!'   I guess I should be pleased to know he is there safely.  Teenage boys hey......

There's more inspiration for Christmas card making on my fellow Christmas Card Club ladies blogs so do take a look as July is traditionally a good month for early prep for the festive season and getting your handmade cards made.  

Thanks for popping by. 

Zoe x

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Autumn Masculine Card for MAWTT

Rooted in Nature hand made card perfect for those masuline cards

Join our Moving Along with the Times challenge this week to share your autumn themed cards. Jodie chose the theme and I have create a mixed media card all with Stampin' Up! products.  There's a little faux torn edge in there along with actual torn edges and I've used daubers to add ink to my tree stamp from Rooted in Nature stamp set to get those autumnal shades in there. I've used linen thread and a brad as well as Wood Textures designer series paper.

I used to Postscript background stamp to add a stamp faux torn edge on the paper then tore the edges to suit and sponged ink on the torn edge to join the colours together. I've also used the torn edge to sponge further faux tears and second and third generation stamping of the postscript to give a faded look.

My sentiment is a combo of Merry Christmas To All and Tabs for Everything on a stitched circle die cut where again I've used smudging with sponges and second generation ink stamping to soften the edges of the circle and tone in with the sentiment and embellishments.

A busy card, but fun to make even though I had very inky fingers at the end.  I used Old Olive, Cajun Craze, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake and Soft Suede inks.

I just love the papers which backdropped my stamping so perfectly.

Don't forget to join in the challenge at MAWTT and see all the other Design Team inspiration and other entries.

Hugs Zoe x

How to make a simple male card

We all struggle with making cards for the boys for some reason but here is a simple layout that you could use with any stamps and any papers.

Punch circles of various sizes or use circle dies in coordinating papers. I've used the very varied,  and really good for male cards, wood textures. They are 6" x 6 " papers and with 4 sheets of each design you can afford to just punch! .  Adhere these circles in layers to a matt layer of card. I've used whisper white and that is on a thick white base card.

Stamp and die cut or punch an image, in my case a tree from Stampin' Up! Rooted in Nature and add it with stampin dimensionals.  A sentiment in coordinating colour, here early espresso, and you have your card for your man or boy.  It's really easy and you could use squares or another shape to create the artwork.  Simple, effective and can be used time and time again as the papers and colours will make each design an original.

Do come back and tell me if you tried it and what you used.

Thanks for dropping by.

More soon
Zoe x

Simple Monotone

I mentioned when I shared my Stampin Up incentive trip swaps that I made different colour versions. Here's another left sentiment free so that I can use it as and when. I stamped the leaves in black and smoky slate and have added a small sprinkle of gold pearls.

I used a thick whisper white card base and then layered whisper white card to give depth and frame my stamping without overpowering it.  The pearls just lift the monotone stamping.

I have to say I was with others on questioning Merry Merlot, Mossy Meadow and Night of Navy as neutrals but I'm now loving the neutrals colour family more and more and suddenly with the addition of some 'colours' to the neutrals they all become more attractive and of course being neutrals they go with so many other colours.

If you missed my original post about my design you can see it on this stamping scene post.

Thanks for dropping in.

If you like Rooted in Nature stamp set or are still thinking about joining Stampin' Up! to benefit from a set of 10 bonus FREE ink pads you can visit my website www.zoetant.stampinup.net for more information.

Hugs Zoe x

Swaps for Alaska

When Stampin' Up! demonstrators gather they usually make 'swaps' ie cards to share with other demonstrators. They swap their makes with others for inspiration and ideas for personal use or to inspire their customers and friends and offer different styles and ideas.

Of course the Alaska Incentive trip is no exception and I've joined the swap organised by Stampin' Up!. Today I'm handing in my 26 cards and later this week I will be able to collect a lovely bundle of mixed, varied and beautifully created swaps in return from demonstrators across the globe.

I've used one of my favourite sets for mine, Rooted in Nature.  A simple, elegant design that can vary with colour choices and I used my Stamparatus to position the leaves in the right place each time to achieve perfect placement.  For this version I used Lemon Lime Twist with Smokey Slate.

I made two colour ways and added different embellishments. The one above was made by cutting the silver trim away from the edge of our metallic edge ribbon and I've added some silver thread also.  

On the one below I used mini sequin trim. 

This version used new Stampin Up neutral colour Merry Merlot with Lemon Lime Twist.  Lemon Lime Twist also worked well with Mossy Meadow another returning colour but now a neutral.  You can get all the neutral ink pads free when you join Stampin' Up! UK in July.  Click on Join Stampin Up in the headings of this page for more information or JOIN NOW

I'll be sharing all the swaps I receive on my return so check back for lots of different inspiration.  

Hugs Zoe x

You - Are Simply The Best

Rooted in Nature Stampin' Up! New Tree set with dies

Playing with ink is one of my favourite parts of my crafting.  It always fascinates me to watch what the ink does and where it goes depending upon what you've done with it.  My stampin' re-inkers come into their own on days like this.

First of all I stamped and heat embossed white leaves on a piece of water colour paper to create a resist effect over the paper.  To add the colour I  painted small parts with water to give the ink that I then added somewhere to 'run'.  As the colour ran I moved about the paper adding new patches of water and different colours so that as they ran they would blend into each other.  You can use any colours that blend, but be careful not to go too mad or you can end up with brown or worse.

Also remember to paint the reverse of the card with a thin layer of water as this helps to stop the paper from bending and curling.

Once this had dried completely I used a die which is for embossing only to add some more texture in the form of veins to the leaves.  I didn't have the embossing mats at the time I made the card so just put the die face down onto the paper and ran through the big shot.  It left enough of an indentation to give the effect I wanted and allowed me to line up the die better with the stamped leaves, although this isn't always a perfect fit as I didn't want to tape the die in place as it risked tearing the water colour paper when I removed the tape.

I also cut two leaves from whisper white card and used the die to emboss them also.  I wrapped silver thread around the stems to add a mini detail and some rhinestones.  The sentiment is a combo of products but the black lettering makes it pop and the black matting layer helps project the colour.

Have some fun with your ink and also take a look at the embossed leaves I created in my White on White Christmas Card.

Thanks for stopping by.

Zoe x

Christmas Card Club - WOW Theme

We've got a WOW theme going on at Christmas card club this fortnight.  If you haven't come across that before it does mean wow cards, but in this instance as a theme it means White on White. Which I love tinkering with, but they are not so easy to photograph especially in the sunshine we are so lucky to have at the moment.  Thank you to Christine for this challenge. 

I was inspired by a beautiful card I saw by my lovely friend Shannean Moncrieff down in Australia. She used the Rooted in nature stamp set and dies to create a Poinsettia with the traditional colours that it usually comes in. I've used her clever idea and turned it white and have used my new embossing mat bundle from the Stampin' Up! catalogue, page 221 to cut and then emboss the texture onto the white leaves/petals and I've also heated embossed in silver onto vellum using the coordinating leaf stamp.  You can build the flower really easily and if you have a silicone mat you can put a blob of tombow glue onto it and build the flower on it. Add more glue when required to layer the petals and then allow to dry.  The flower then peals straight off the silicone mat and you can use Stampin dimensionals to adhere it to your project.  

I've added a sentiment from Snowflake Sentiments, also silver heat embossed and some dry embossed lines using my Stampin' Up! Simply Scored Scoring Tool.  A few rhinestones to look just like the tiny  yellow centres of Poinsettia and also some new Stampin' silver pearls.  A couple of matting layers just adds a little more luxury to my DL sized card.  

Don't forget to see the other ladies in our challenge group for more WOW inspiration.

Thanks for stopping by and remember  if you have a BIG Stampin' Up! wishlist in July you can get £130 product + £63 ink pads for only £99 with free shipping and become a discount shopper. It's so easy to do.  

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More soon Zoe x

Simple, but effective Christmas Card

Christmas Card Challenge with Stampin Up Rooted in Nature 

Ooh what a busy time..... Friday we dropped Charlie at camp where he was helping with the Scout regional camp, Saturday we drove to visit Olivia at Uni and to take her out for a fun birthday celebration meal.

A couple of my favourite people

I'm sure many of you, gentle readers, have had children go off to Uni and so you understand when I tell you how hard it is to get used to the fact that your daughter is no longer a little girl, but an adult and capable of ruling the world!!! It still scares me though how much it shocks when she casually replies "Sex on the Beach" to the question "What is the name of your cocktail?"  I guess I will get more used to the whole idea, but for now am happy to be proud and pleased that she is happy in her world.  A fab, fun evening celebrating her birthday.  

My card today is very simple. Our challenge of 'Anyting but a square' was set by the lovely Sylvie.  I have to say I've not been very adventurous following a late night my mojo has been MIA - missing in action and so I've played safe with a rectangular card with circles.  By now you realise I'm a little bit addicted to Rooted in Nature and have used it once again for this simple tree and my new sentiment is from the Itty Bitty Sentiments the set replacing Teeny Tiny Sentiments which we had had for some years.  It's perfect for neat easily punched out short wording and is all that was needed for this simple card. I started by also using a new embossing folder, Striped Scallops to add some detail to the base and then added polka dot flocked net ribbon, real red ribbon and rhinestones, gold thread and glimmer star to a whisper white back drop with real red, old olive, garden green and early espresso stamping.  

I hope the sun has shone with you this weekend and that it continues through the week.  

Have a good one

hugs Zoe x

Rooted in Nature with Sponge Brayering

I just adore this new Stampin' Up! set, Rooted in Nature.  It's got so so much potential and I'm seeing so many fabulous projects made with it.  You can see another design from me at Rooted in Nature coming soon.

For my card I created a stencil using window sheet and then used a sponge brayer to add three colours starting with the palest of Grapefruit Grove and working through with Melon Mambo and Fresh Fig.  The sponge brayers are great if like me you're not great at using rubber brayers.  It allows gentle, more controlled addition of colour to your card.  I then stamped the tree branch cross section in Fresh Fig directly on top. then added a stamped on vellum and die cut tree, rock and rolled and die cut leaves, burlap and ribbon which were stapled on and just peek out.  I've layered my decorated top layer onto Fresh Fig card and a whisper white card base.  I added the black rhinestones as the top right hand corner one hides a finger Blurp!!! We all do them and usually just as you finish your creation so I didn't want it spoilt lol.

The great news is that by creating your stencil/mask with window sheet you can wipe off the excess ink and keep for future designs.

I'm hosting the next challenge on Moving Along with the Times this week so check back Thursday for my design and the reveal of the challenge.

Thanks for dropping in.

Zoe x

Christmas Card Club - Christmas Trees

Another fortnight another Christmas card club challenge. Shaz chose trees either indoor or outdoor. I've gone with some outdoor from Rooted in Nature one of Stampin' Up! 's new catalogue sets. I've shared this set before and you probably now know that I love it. I like this card but having chosen a white background i've struggled to get good pictures so I hope you'll see them ok.  I've used the glitter splatter technique and you can find out how to do that in my Totally Techniques blog hop post.  

I stamped the trees which come in a pair and a single if that makes sense ie two stamps having inked them using two shades of green.  I coloured the trunks in basic black using my stampin write marker directly onto the stamp.  I also added a sentiment heat embossed with gold powder onto the stitched frame lit die cut in whisper white.  The sentiment is from Snowflake Sentiments which first appeared in last winter's catalogue, but is a returning stamp set in the new Stampin' Up! catalogue.  I've added a matt layer of a die cut oval in spruce green a new colour coming with the colour revamp.  

The splatter technique is fun and easy to do with some tombow (ova glue) and water.  It really looks like snow falling and adds a my favourite touch of sparkle.  The finishing touch is a real red ribbon bow and a matt layer of real red card.  

All these goodies will be available to order from 1 June so don't forget to inquire about a catalogue or visit my online shop.  The retiring list with some reductions is available until May 31 so don't miss out on products you've had your eye on as once they are gone they are gone! 

Thanks for checking in and I hope the sun is shining with you. We've more work to do shredding all the prunning we've done and are hopefully the rain will stay away that is forecast for later today. 

Happy half term week to all.

Hugs Zoe x

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Rooted in Nature coming soon to Stampin' Up!

I adore this fabulous new bundle from Stampin' Up!. It's called Rooted in Nature and includes a set of stamps and a set of dies.  It's perfect for male cards, but will lend itself to memory keeping, Christmas cards and lots, lots more.  I've made this card using the dies and stamps and you can also see that the leaves which I die cut for the background are also embossed with leaf veins as the dies include 3 pieces that don't cut but emboss your card or you can emboss the die cuts that they coordinate with.

We have some new pearlised doilies too which you can see immediately on this card as I've fussy cut off the scalloped rim and used the reverse of the doily and sponge brayered it with Cajun Craze ink.

I created the back ground as I've mentioned by die cutting and embossing leaf shapes in two sizes which I then stuck with tombow to a piece of very vanilla card.  It's tone on tone but sufficient to give a texture background. I cut the piece to the required size and matted it onto a piece of Soft Suede card.  I've then built up my focal point using burlap ribbon, copper foil die cut and embossed leaves and stamped leaves on a stitched frame lit circle.  The sentiment is part of the Rooted in Nature set which i've cut into strips and used the parts I wanted having stamped the images in different colours. I can keep the pieces I didn't use for another card.  I've also added a wooden element which is retiring soon so maybe think about stocking up now before they disappear at the end of the month.

This is such an awesome set of stamps and dies that are fab for multimedia creations with so much texture already in the bundle.

You can see it in the new catalogue from 1 June and if you've shopped with me in the past 6 months you'll receive a complimentary copy of the 2018 - 2019 Stampin' Up! annual catalogue. If you haven't  shopped, but would like a copy of the catalogue please contact me at zoetant@live.co.uk

Thanks for checking in today. I hope you'll love this set as much as me. Be assured I'll be sharing more projects using it soon.

Hugs Zoe x