InkPaperStamps

Charming/Dreams du Jour: First Butterfly of Spring

A single butterfly, harbinger of spring. . . .

Okay, eveybody who is ready for spring to arrive, raise your hand. 

Yup, that looks like just about all of us.

This winter has been so long and cold that it sent my stampin’ mojo into hibernation.  To get a jump start, I signed up for Jamie’s (aka stamper_jamie) butterfly swap.  The thought of all those butterflies swapping and swirling their way to my house added sunshine to the bleakness of January.

But alas, that alone did not amp up the mojo.

So I cruised SA’s Thursday sketch challenges hosted by Paula (aka scrapshappen) and settled on this challenge’s layout. Pink and green were a natural choice for a spring-y butterfly card.  But with spring just beyond the horizon, my creative mood was tempered.

So here’s how it all played out:

Swatches of spring color starting to appear against the stark, drab gray of winter. . . a panel of faux silk enfolding the faint promise of butterflies yet to be. . . and one solitary creature, the last fading drops of dampness glistening as it takes flight.

The first butterfly of spring. . . halleluia.

(For an enlarged view, click on photo once.  Click again to zoom in further.)

RECIPE – ‘First Butterfly of Spring’ card

• Ink:  Basic Gray, Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery
• Paper: Going Gray, Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery, Whisper White, tissue paper
• Stamps: Charming, Dreams du Jour, Tiny Tags
• Etc: Stampin’ Sponges, glue stick, paper snips, Crystal Effects, microbeads, Sticky Strip, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Big Shot, Texturz Plates (Stampin’ Up Backgrounds #1, Stampin’ Up Perfect Details)
• Techniques:  faux silk, sponging, dry embossing

Free Updates from InkPaperStamps

quick easy cute fun:  projects for papercrafters

Set of Bottle Flags and Decorated Tin: And the Winner is. . . .

Thank you to everyone who entered our giveaway for the set of bottle flags and decorated magnetic tin.  I hope y’all enjoyed the blog hop projects–if you decide to create your own version, do come back and let me know.  I’d love to see where the inspiration takes you!

And now, the moment we’ve been waiting for. . . .

*drumroll, please*

According to the random number generator at Random.org, the winner of our InkPaperStamps blog candy is. . . .

Leslie Jones, who said Thanks for sharing! I LOVE the grill! Too cute! I am a member of SA too! CreativePzazz is my name!

Per the terms and conditions, our lucky winner must e-mail me their name and U.S. mailing address by February 27, or an alternate winner will be selected.

Congratulations, Leslie!

Big Shot Bigz Tulipe: A BBQ Invitation that Sizzles (punch art grill)

What's a back yard without a BBQ grill?

Did your family have a round Weber grill in the back yard when you were growing up?  In our neighborhood, it was probably easier to count up who didn’t.

No matter how sooty or weathered it got, firing up the grill was a sure-fire way to bring out the neighbors.

Before you knew it, an impromptu potluck dinner was in full swing.

 This gate fold card captures the splendor of summery suppers gone by, swinging open to reveal your invitation.  Recognize the sparks? They’re the leaves stamp from Trendy Trees.

Take this card over the top with a little scratch ‘n’ sniff action–which just *happens* to be featured in this week’s technique challenge at Stampin’ Addicts. 

One tip: use your VersaMarker to just hit a few sparks here and there for embossing with your special blend of dry rub and embossing powder–go too heavy and the poor mailman will have every dog on the block chasing him.

Better send him an invitation too, just to be safe. 

For a closer view, click on the image once to enlarge, and again to zoom in further. This project was first presented in the 2010 Stampin Addicts Birthday Blog Hop.

RECIPE:  Punch Art BBQ Grill Invitation

• Ink:  Real Red, Basic Grey, Bashful Blue, Garden Green
• Paper:  Only Orange, Real Red, Summer Sun, Going Grey, Basic Grey, Whisper White, vellum cardstock
• Stamps:  Trendy Trees, Mark the Date
• Etc.: Big Shot (Tulipe die), punches (1 3/4″, 3/4″, 1/2″ circle, Word Window, corner rounder, ornament), mat pack, paper piercer, silver brads, VersaMarker, embossing powder (clear), Embossing Buddy, heat tool, BBQ dry rub
• Techniques: scratch ‘n’ sniff, faux tearing, scruffing, punch art, gate fold card

Free Updates from InkPaperStamps

quick easy cute fun:  projects for papercrafters

Happy 1st Birthday, Stampin’ Addicts!

A toast to Stampin Addicts--long may we stamp with her!

Today, I’d like to raise a toast to Stampin’ Addicts.

In just one year, a small group of avid Stampin’ Up fans has grown into a thriving community that welcomes SU lovers from around the globe. How’d that happen so quickly?

Well, the growing gallery features members’ creations made with SU’s latest stamp sets, and those ‘golden oldies’, too–I love seeing all the styles that can be achieved with what’s already in my craft room.

And SA offers a mix of weekly challenges that help me stretch my creativity and jump start my stampin’ mojo.

But mainly, it’s just a bunch of friendly people looking to use their talent to brighten the lives of those they care about. In today’s world, that’s an oasis.

Plus they laugh at my jokes, God bless ‘em.

So here’s to you, Stampin’ Addicts, and to all those who love her: may your ink pads be juicy, your heat tool run hot and your paper snips always be easy to find on your craft desk.

And may the SA community continue to bloom!

For a closer view of the photo, click on the image once to enlarge it; click again for an even-closer view.  If you’d like to join Stampin’ Addicts, click here–and tell ‘em HollyLogic sent you!

RECIPE – ‘Time to Bloom’ Technique Trio Card

• Ink:  Regal Rose, Certainly Celery, Versamark, Whisper White Craft
• Paper: Regal Rose, Certainly Celery, Naturals White, Glossy White, Whisper White, Basic Black
• Stamps:  Bella’s Blooms
• Etc.:  Stampin’ Pastels, embossing powder (clear), Dazzling Diamonds, Powder Pals, Embossing Buddy, heat tool, stampin’ sponge, Many Marvelous Markers (Rose Red, Old Olive), Stampin’ Dimensionals
• Techniques:  Chalkboarding, Emboss Resist, Faux Silk, Sponging

Free Updates from InkPaperStamps

quick easy cute fun: projects for paper crafters

BBQ Birthday (& Blog Candy)–All Hail the Grill Meister!

Welcome to Stop #8 on the Stampin Addicts 2010 Birthday Blog Hop! 

If you’re hopping in order, you’ve just been admiring Marie’s work at From Combat Boots to Rubber Stamps–what little girl wouldn’t be delighted with such creations?

Fussing over the frills of a feminine fete is fabulously fun.  But what about those times when your guest of honor isn’t a girly girl but a manly man?

Many stampers start to stress when the occasion calls for masculine stamping.  Relax!  There’s one theme that will work for most every red-blooded guy on the continent:  red meat.

Yup, it’s one of those immutable laws of nature that guys like to eat–and more often than not, headlining the Top-Ten-Things-He-Loves-To-Eat list is meat.  If your guy’s like mine, his favorite way to eat meat is barbecued on the grill in his own backyard.

Nothing starts a party like sizzling meat.

So make life easy; make the party all about your Grill Meister.  Just follow these easy steps. . . and then get the heck out of the way.

Step 1: Invite your guests.

This colorful invitation whets the appetite by capturing the precise moment when meat meets grill and the sizzling begins. 

If your Grill Meister has a favorite dry rub, mix a pinch of it in with embossing powder.  Heat emboss a couple of the sparks here and there and voila! 

Now you’ve got a scratch ‘n’ sniff card that will have ‘em drooling with anticipation.

(For an enlarged view of any image, click on the image; click again to zoom in further.)

So, what is on your Grill Meister's menu tonight? More meat than you can shake your BBQ tongs at.

Step 2: Buy meat.

Lots of it.  Lots and LOTS of it. Lots of kinds of it.  And when you think you’ve got enough, get more. 

Remember, this is the day you celebrate your Grill Meister. 

Don’t embarrass him in front of his buddies by providing a few paltry patties and a couple of wee wiggly weenies. 

You wouldn’t hand Picasso crayons, would you?  You wouldn’t ask Shaun White to ride a cafeteria tray into the half pipe, would you?  You wouldn’t pull the mask off the ol’ Lone Ranger, would you?

No, you would not. 

So show your respect.  Get thee to a butcher shop and procure a palette of protein worthy of your Grill Meister’s prowess. 

Which leads us to. . . .

Bottle flags: the ultimate reminder to get the beer.

Step 3: Don’t forget the beer.

An appreciative audience and major-league meat are fundamental to any grill meister’s performance.  But dude, forget the frosty beverages and you can forget about your Grill Meister being the toast of the town.

No, he’ll be forever branded ‘That Guy Who Served Ice Water’.  Because you forgot.  And that’s just wrong.

Here’s how to make sure you bring it home:  bottle flags.

Now you may ask, do guys really need bottle flags to keep track of their beer?  Do guys even want a bottle flag on their beer?  The answer to both these questions is, of course, no. 

BUT, make bottle flags and you will not forget the beer–it’s essential to your presentation, right?

On the day of the party, show your Grill Meister how cute they look on the bottles.  Then sweetly say, ‘Honey, would you be too terribly disappointed if I saved them to use as scrapbook embellishments instead? I worked so hard on them, and your friends do tend to slosh things around a bit. . . .’ 

The relief on his face will confirm these eternal words:  behind every great grill meister is a great grill meistress.

So, would you like to win a set of 12 bottle flags in a decorated magnetic tin?  For your chance(s) to win, submit up to five entries in this giveaway, one for each of the following:

• leaving a comment below with your favorite technique or embellishment to use on masculine cards
• being (or becoming) a member of Stampin Addicts (click here to join now)
• posting about the Stampin Addicts’ Birthday Blog Hop (with a link) on your blog
• playing in the Stampin Addicts’ Birthday Stamp Jam
• being a subscriber to InkPaperStamps’ free updates

***To submit a separate entry for each listed action you take, click here.***

Winner will be randomly selected from all entries submitted by 11:59 pm (CT) Tuesday February 23th. Terms and conditions apply.

Now it’s time to continue on the hop.  Your next stop is Heart’s Delight Cards, where Cindy (on Stampin Addicts, you know her as CindyE) is featuring lovely ideas for the grown up girls on your birthday list.

Free Updates from InkPaperStamps

quick easy cute fun:  projects for papercrafters

REDRAW – Mini Milk Carton die cuts: And the Winner is. . .

As you may recall, Kim won the blog candy–an assortment of Mini Milk Carton die cuts–that InkPaperStamps offered for the Occasions Mini Blog Hop earlier this month.

As it turns out, however, Kim already owns the Mini Milk Carton die cut and has been busy creating lots of crazy fun things with it, like this tall mini milk carton treat box.  So, Kim has graciously asked that we draw again, so someone else can share in the milk carton love-fest.

And now, by Kim’s special request. . . . *drumroll, please*

The random number generator at Random.org generated the number 17.  That means the winner of our InkPaperStamps blog candy is. . . .

Cherie, who said ‘Great projects! TFS!’

Per the terms and conditions, our lucky winner must e-mail me their name and U.S. mailing address by January 23, or an alternate winner will be selected.

Congratulations, Cherie!

Technique Panels, Medallion Insert: And the Winner is. . .

Thank you to everyone who entered our giveaway for the assortment of technique panels and the medallion insert.  I also appreciate your kind words for my SAB Blog Hop projects.

And now, the moment we’ve been waiting for. . . . *drumroll, please*

The random number generator at Random.org generated the number 9.  That means the winner of our InkPaperStamps blog candy is. . . .

Holly/catrules, who said ‘Holly wowzier!! Love the house very cool!! Love all the techniques you showed too. Awesome job!’

 Per the terms and conditions, our lucky winner must e-mail me their name and U.S. mailing address by January 23, or an alternate winner will be selected.

Congratulations, Holly!

Free Updates from InkPaperStamps

quick easy cute fun: projects for paper crafters

Last Call: Blog Candy

Thanks to everyone who visited InkPaperStamps during this weekend’s blog hop.  Today is the last day to enter to win the blog candy, a set of six technique panels plus a charm insert. 

If you haven’t entered yet, please leave a comment on the blog hop post sharing which technique you like best with the Bella’s Bloom stemmed flower.

Good luck!

Free Updates from InkPaperStamps

quick easy cute fun: projects for paper crafters

2010 SAB Blog Hop: Bella’s Bloom – Treats, Techniques & Trinkets

Welcome to Stop #9 on the Stampin Addicts 2010 Sale-a-Bration Blog Hop!  If you’re hopping in order, you’ve just been admiring Cindy’s creations with the Scallop Trim Border Punch–I just love her work!

A cozy cottage conceals a tiny treat.

Here at InkPaperStamps, we’re featuring Bella’s Bloom (and a small blog candy opportunity at the end of this post).  This is one of the regular catalog sets that, for the first time time this year, you may choose as your SAB reward.

Bella’s Bloom offers two sentiments as well as a stemmed flower and a blossom-esque image.  This set gives you the impact of bold images with the interest of line art, the best of both worlds.  That’s a lot of stamping power and versatility in a 4-stamp set!

I paired Bella’s Bloom with the Mini Milk Carton die (a Stampin’ Up! exclusive from Sizzix) because the ‘From our house to yours’ just cries out for a milk carton cottage. 

Did you notice Bella hiding in the bushes?
 

(To view a close-up of any photo, click on the image–click again to zoom in.)

A trio of techniques.

For all you technique lovers, the stemmed flower makes a great companion to many must-try techniques.

As just a few examples, the ‘It’s Time to Bloom’ card shows off (from left to right)

• chalk boarding
• emboss resist
• a hybrid technique I’ll call faux rock & roll*

* (unless you think targeted thumping’s a better name for it. . . )

Trio of techniques #2.

Adding to the array of techniques, the sentiment-less card displays (from left to right)

•  polished stone
• halo-ing (or faux blurred watercoloring, if you prefer)
• faux silk over sponging

Now how many sets have images that can go through that many wardrobe changes that fast, and looking that good, too?

Double click on this one. . . . I think you'll like it!

But before you leave, there’s one more technique you have to see Bella model: 

Faux Metal.

Yup, that’s our Bella–the Bella’s Bloom blossom, to be precise– voguing a bronze medallion on a Simply Adorned charm insert.

Tres chic, non?

So, would you like a set of the six technique panels (shown on today’s two cards) and a medallion insert?

Just leave a comment sharing which technique you liked best–or one you’d like to try–with Bella’s Bloom. With a little bit of luck, the technique panels and the medallion insert may be yours!

Winner will be randomly selected from all entries submitted by 11:59 pm (CT) Tuesday January 19th. Terms and conditions apply.

Now it’s time to continue on the hop.  Your next stop is Rubber Stamping and Cardmaking with Yapha, where Yapha (on Stampin Addicts, you know her as, well, Yapha) will be showing off the fun set D is for Dog (and Biscuit, too, I bet–hi Biscuit!). 

Free Updates from InkPaperStamps

quick easy cute fun: projects for paper crafters

Mini Milk Carton Bigz L die: Retro Percolator

Who wants a nice, hot cup of coffee?

One of my Occasions Mini Blog Hop projects was this retro percolator.  (Click on the photo for an enlarged view.)

A Big Shot creation using the new Stampin’ Up! Mini Milk Carton die by Sizzix, the treat holder was inspired by the old percolator my grandparents had when I was little. 

I loved watching the little bursts of coffee perk through the glass insert in the knob–and the grown-ups loved that it kept me fascinated (and quiet) until they could have some coffee and start their day.

Another thing I remember about that percolator is the cord.  Round and thick as your pinky finger, the cord was covered in a black and white herring-bone fabric.  Gramp really had to drill it into me that cords were not to be played with, as electrical equipment must be respected and handled with care.

Maybe that’s why my favorite feature of this percolator is the cord and 2-prong plug–finally, one I can play with!

RECIPE – Coffee Lover’s Percolator Treat Holder

• Ink: none
• Paper: Brushed Silver, Basic Black, vellum cardstock
• Stamps: none
• Etc.: Punches (Boho Blossoms, Full Heart, Modern Label), Big Shot, Stampin’ Up!-exclusive Sizzix dies (Mini Milk Carton Bigz L, Tulipe Bigz), black gingham ribbon, metallic eyelets (silver), Crop-a-Dile, sticky strip.
• Techniques: die-cut art

Free Updates from InkPaperStamps

quick easy cute fun: projects for paper crafters