Quick Shaped Card Bases using Framelits

Want to do something a little less square for all or some of your Christmas cards this year?

How about a card with a scallop oval border?  You could use any of the nesting framelits, last year I used the labels collection framelits, maybe next year it will be the floral frames.

This is another great card that change the colours and/or the greeting and it can be a thank you, birthday, just for you, wedding, any sort of card.

While this first one took a bit of time to put together with quite a few discarded ovals littering my craft room floor, it's going to be a very quick & easy card to duplicate and make a few of.

When you're cutting the base card use a normal folded card base, this one is a folded A5.  Place the framelit so that a small amount is over the folded edge.  This will mean that when the card is cut that small piece will still hold your card together.

The whisper white layers were cut and then embossed using the Square Lattice Textured Impression Embossing Folder.  Always cut first and emboss second so you don't crush the embossing.

I used: - 

Greetings of the Season Stamp Set - 128030 (wood), 128033 (clear)
Cherry Cobbler A4 Cardstock - 121681
Whisper White A4 Cardstock - 106549
Gold Foil Sheets - 132622
Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin' Pad - 126966
Stampin' Sponges - 101610
Big Shot Die Cut Machine - 113439
Ovals Collection Framelits - 129381
Square Lattice TIE Folder - 119976

Tips & Tricks - Simply Pressed Clay

Remember plasticine as a kid and I think a lot of us had our Fimo phase. I remember working with my Mum when she made bead necklaces with Fimo.

I've also tried air dry clay in the past but it always seemed too dry & never that easy to work with and the ones that were easy to work with always needed to go in the oven to dry.  There was one memorable occasion when I messed up Farenheit and Celsius and yuck burning clay does not smell good. 

Received as a Swap from Shirley Fisher.

So I am back in my plasticine phase with the Stampin' Up!® Simply Pressed Clay, it's so therapeutic to smoosh between your fingers and I'm loving how easy it is to get out of the moulds. I've made up a lot of flowers and a few buttons now so I don't have to wait 24 hours for them to dry.




If you've got the Simply Pressed Clay or want to find out a bit more about it before you buy it have a look at the video  featuring Bonnie Thurber from the Stampin' Up!® Home Office.

Bonnie mentioned popping the clay in it's mould in the freezer for a few minutes for the buttons.  I find it helpful if I do this for the blossoms as well.  

Tips & Tricks - How Important Is Your Stamping Surface

I was reminded quite by accident just how important the surface underneath your card stock layer is.

I'd had a fabulous morning out with a friend and came home and decided it was time to make up some spare make & take kits to have on hand for thank you cards.  The afternoon had turned cold and I found myself moving everything I was doing closer to the heater and ended up with my cutting mat, topped with grid paper on the carpet in front of the heater.

I stamped away as usual and this is what happened.  You'll always get some halo effect (gaps in a stamped image across layers) with the Triple Time Stamping technique but wow this was huge.

Realising my error and cursing a bit because I should have known better I moved over to my glass topped coffee table.

Still some halo effect because of the layers but a big difference having a solid surface.

 

Having the layers hides the missing part of the image and creates the Triple Time Stamping technique popularised by Dawn Olchefske.

Everything used to make this project can be purchased through me. Click on the 'Shop 24/7' button below to place your order. 

Tips & Tricks - Changing a Snail Refill

What's the first thing you pack when you go out crafting?  For me it's my Snail tape runner and a refill.  Even if it was a brand new unused snail I'd still pack a refill.  I think if I ran out of snail my crafting would just grind to a halt.

So how to you change the refill?

With your thumbs pull the snail apart at the point indicated by the arrow. 

Throw the clear piece away.

Take the new refill out of it's packaging and remove and throw away the piece of yellow spacer card.

 Snap it back together and you're done.  All ready to use again.