Creation Station April Blog Hop—Heat Embossing

 

Welcome to the Creation Station Blog Hop for April.  Our theme this month is Heat Embossing.   We’ll be sharing heat embossing techniques and tips.  You’ll  see all of our projects and techniques by clicking on the “Next” Button at the end of each designer’s post. We hope you’ll be inspired to incorporate some of our ideas in your next project.

My projects are very different; however they are connected with my heat embossing techniques theme:  heat embossed backgrounds.  I used VersaMark ink (#102283), Gold Stampin’ Emboss Powder (Metallics Collection, #155555) and the Heat Tool (#129053) to create each of the backgrounds as well as other heat embossed elements on each card. All of the cards have a Basic White Thick card base.

My first project's background was created simply by using the VersaMark ink pad direct to the card stock and heat embossing with gold embossing powder.  I used the ink pad flat and also drew the edge of the ink pad across the card stock to create this look.  This embossed piece was layered over a piece of Gold Foil (#132622).   

The focal point is an image from the Lovely & Sweet stamp set (#162617) stamped in VersaMark and embossed with gold.  It was colored with Bubble Bath, Moody Mauve, Granny Apple Green, Gray Granite and Soft Sea Foam Stampin' Blends (the Gray Granite and Soft Sea Foam were used together on the almond pods). The greeting is from the Notes of Nature stamp set (#162630).  It was heat embossed in gold.

Other products used on this card were:  Festive Pearls (#159963), Lovely & Sweet dies (#162626), Notes of Nature dies (#163203) and Nested Essentials dies (#161597).

The Dots & Spots die (#159164) was used to create a mask of dots to create the heat embossed dotted background on this second card.  I used a blending brush to get the VersaMark ink evenly in all the dot spaces. The embossed piece was adhered to a Gold Foil layer.

The focal point on this card was created using three different floral images from the Artistically Inked stamp set (#154542).  They were stamped in Melon Mambo, Calypso Coral and Azure Afternoon inks then die cut using the Artistic Dies (#155371). The gold leaf images were die cut from Gold Foil using the same die set.  The Happy Birthday greeting is from the Artistically Inked stamp set. It was heat embossed in gold and fussy cut.  Also used on this card was Gold Simply Elegant Trim (#155766).  

The final card in this set was created using the Painted Posies 3D Embossing Folder (#159175).  The inside front of the embossing folder (the side with the Stampin' Up! logo) was covered evenly in Versa Mark ink using a Stampin' Brayer (#162936). A piece of Watercolor paper was placed inside the folder and then run through the Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine (#149653). Once dry embossed the piece was covered in gold embossing powder then heat embossed to create the gold background.

The posies were colored with Berry Burst, Highland Heather and Parakeet Party inks using a Water Painter (#151298).  The piece was then layered over a piece of Berry Burst card stock.  The greeting from Artistically  Inked stamp set was heat embossed in gold and die cut using a Deckled Rectangle die (#159173). Gold Simply elegant Trim completes the card.  

Now, head on over to Barb Pfeffer's blog,  Just B Stamping, to see her beautiful heat embossed creations.

To Barb's blog . . .

Happy Spring!

--Sara Nell

 

 

Lovely & Sweet Smile--#tgifc463

TGIF Challenges ha a great sketch challenge this week and as soon as I saw it, this card came into my head.  This usually never happens, I get an idea and then never know where it will lead me.  

The focal point on the card is the almond tree branch from the Lovely & Sweet stamp set (#162617).  It was stamped in Pebbled Path and colored with the following Stampin' Blends Combos:  Granny Apple Green, Moody Mauve, Bubble Bath, Gray Granite, Soft Sea Foam, and Pebbled Path.  The banner was stamped with a collage of images from the Notes of Nature stamp set (162630), all in Gray Granite.  The greeting is from Notes of Nature and was stamped in Pebbled Path.  Images from this stamp set were also stamped in first and second generations of Granny Apple Green on the Granny Apple Green card base, placed to peak out behind the Moody Mauve layer.  That layer was dry embossed with the stripes folder from the Stripes & Splatters 3D embossing folder set (#157980).

Other products used on this card:  Lovely & Sweet Dies (#162626), Nested Essentials Dies (#161597), 2023-2025 In Color Dots (#161620), and Parakeet Party metallic woven ribbon (#159196).

Here is the inspiration sketch from the TGIF Challenges team:

Have a great weekend!

--Sara Nell

Creation Station March Hop: Sweet Delights and Sugared Dreams

 

Welcome to the Creation Station March, 2024 Blog Hop.  Our theme this month is Sweet Delights and Sugared Dreams.  What a treat (pun intended)!

This month we are creating with all things sweet:  treats, drinks, sweet and cute animals and characters.  There will be lots of variety so make sure you click on the "Next" link at the end of each blog post to see each designer's interpretation 

of this theme.

Being a baker and candy maker, I love to gift "just because" homemade treats.  Stampin' Up!'s 2023-2025 In Color Treat Bags (#161752) are perfect for a little sweet treat gift.  I used the Lovely & Sweet Bundle (#162627) and the Notes of Nature Bundle (#162640) from Nature's Sweetness Suite to decorate these bags. The plants in the Lovely & Sweet stamp set are ones from which my favorite sweet baking ingredients come:  chocolate, vanilla and almonds. Used together the two stamp and die sets are great for layering and creating a focal point for the treat bags. 

The theobroma cacao plant is one from which lots of chocolate products are made.  The plant was stamped in Pebbled Path on white and colored with Granny Apple Green, Pecan Pie and Flirty Flamingo Stampin' Blends.  It was die cut and layered over circle die cut using the Stylish Shapes dies (#159183)and stamped with a few images from both stamp sets in Gray Granite ink.  The greeting was stamped in  Pebbled Path and die cut with a label die from the Lovely & Sweet dies.  The flag was made using Pebbled Path card stock and embossed using the Stripes & Splatters 3D embossing folders (#157980).  It was wrapped with a piece of Natural Wavy Trim (#161517).  I used a Pebbled Path treat bag for this one.  A piece of Parakeet Party metallic woven ribbon (#159196) closes the bag.  A few Pebbled Path dots (2023-2025 In Color Dots, #161620) finish the bag decoration.

The vanilla orchid (vanilla planifolia) is featured on a Wild Wheat treat bag, tied closed with pieces of Wild Wheat jute trim (2023-2025 In Color Jute Trim, #161637) and gold Simply Elegant Trim (#155766). The plant was stamped in Pebbled Path and colored with Lemon Lolly, Soft Sea Foam and Wild Wheat Stampin' Blends, then die cut.  It is layered over a basic white rectangle die cut using the Nested Essentials dies (#161597).  The rectangle was stamped with a splatter and small graph designs in Pebbled Path and Lemon Lolly.  The greeting from Gorgeously Made stamp set (#161193) was stamped in Pebble Path.  A leaf sprig die cut in Soft Sea Foam is also adhered to the rectangle under the vanilla orchid.  The rectangle is layered over two die cut Wild Wheat vines. Wild Wheat dots finish the bag design.

The prunus dulcis is species of almond tree.  I love almonds--especially with chocolate!  Because the flowers on the tree are pale pink with darker centers, I used the Moody Mauve treat bag for this one and layered it with a rectangle of Moody Mauve card stock embossed with the Timeworn Type 3D embossing folder (#156505).  The plant was stamped in Pebbled Path, colored with Old Olive, Soft Sea Foam, Gray Granite, Bubble Bath and Moody Mauve Stampin' Blends and die cut.  It is layered over a circle die cut using the Stylish Shapes dies and stamped with a collage of images stamped in Gray Granite.  The greeting is stamped in Pebbled Path and die cut using the label die.  The treat bag is closed with pieces of Moody Mauve Jute Twine and Sweet Sorbet woven metallic ribbon (#159200) tied in a bow on the front of the bag.  Moody Mauve dots complete the design. 

I can't wait to fill these pretty bags with treats featuring chocolate, vanilla and almonds!  But, for now, we need to head over to Julie Beltramo's blog, Just Julie B's Stampin' Space, and see what sweet delights she has to share.

To Julie's Blog . . .

Have a wonderful week!

--Sara Nell

 

Happy Valentine's Day--#tgifc458

This week has been a big one as far as love is concerned here in my home!  February 1st was my husband's and my 49th wedding anniversary. Yesterday, was my husband's birthday--just like our anniversary number, it is close to a milestone one.  When I saw this week's TGIF Challenges color challenge, I decided just to keep going with all the love feelings and create a Valentine's Day card.  The color challenge of Real Red, Bubble Bath and Vanilla is perfect for one.

This card features the Country Bouquet punch (#160382) with the greeting from the coordinating Country Bouquet stamp set (#160377).  The background layer is the gold and white plaid pattern from the Most Adored Specialty designer series paper pack (#162976), which is a Free Sale-a-Bration choice with a $50 purchase, now through the end of this month.  I used a Blending Brush (#153611) to blend Bubble Bath ink into the paper to cover the white.  The flowers were created out large Real Red hearts and small Bubble Bath hearts punched out with the Country Bouquet punch.  They are backed with Very Vanilla die cuts using a die from the Cheerful Daisies dies (#161296).

The greeting was stamped in VersaMark ink, heat embossed with Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder and die cut using a Stylish Shapes die (#159183).  A splattering of Brushed Brass Butterflies (#158136), a Real Red layer and a Very Vanilla card base complete the card.

Wishing you a Happy Valentine's Day with plenty of chocolate!

--Sara Nell

Creation Station February Blog Hop--Sale-a-Brate Friendship

Welcome to the February, 2024, Creation Station Blog Hop. 

This month we are Sale-a-Brating friendship and highlighting Sale-a-Bration products you can earn free with a minimum $50 or $100 purchase.  Click on the Next link at the end of each blog post to see each designer's projects--you will probably decide that one or more of these free products are a "must have" for your future stamping projects. 

My friendship projects feature the Softly Stippled designer series paper (#162975) which is a Free with $50 purchase Sale-a-Bration product.  This paper coordinates with the Stippled Roses Bundle (#162667) in the current Mini Catalog and I have used the greetings and a leaf image from the stamp set and several dies from the die set in that bundle on my projects.  I have also used a couple of "hidden" gems from the Sale-a-Bration Brochure:  the Opaque Faceted Gems (#162979) and the Pool Party 5/8" crinkle ribbon (#162980), each free with a $50 purchase.  

This congratulations card has used two different texture patterns from the paper pack, one in Pool Party and the other in a light shade of Wild Wheat.  The Wild Wheat pattern was die cut using the Nested Essentials dies (#161597).  The lighter Wild Wheat leaves were die cut out of a textured Wild Wheat patterned paper and the darker, larger leaves out of Wild Wheat card stock.  The floral bud parts of the larger leaf die cuts were pieced with buds trimmed from identical die cuts made with Pecan Pie card stock. The flowers were die cut out of Pool Party card stock.  The greeting was stamped in Pecan Pie.  Pecan Pie faceted gems from the Sale-a-Bration gems pack, a piece of the Pool Party crinkle ribbon, a layer of Pecan Pie card stock and a Basic White Thick card base complete the card. 

This birthday card was created with two layers of patterns from the paper pack on a Wild Wheat card base.  The leaves were stamped in Wild Wheat on Basic White and die cut.  The background leaves were die cut out of Wild Wheat card stock.  The birthday greeting was stamped in Pebbled Path.  Pool Party faceted gems from the Sale-a-Bration gems pack complete the card.

This thank you note card features two patterns from the Softly Stippled Sale-a-Bration paper pack.  The background is a Calypso Coral roses pattern die cut with a Scalloped Contours die (#155560).  It is layered over a piece of Wild Wheat card stock adhered to the front of a Basic White note card.  The roses were fussy cut from another pattern in the paper pack.  The Pebbled Path rose cluster was colored using Watercolor Pencils Assortment 1 (#161700).  I used Calypso Coral for the roses and a combination of Daffodil Delight and Old Olive for the leaves.  The penciling was smoothed out with a barely damp Water Painter (#151298). The small background leaves were die cut out of Wild Wheat card stock.  The greeting was stamped in Pebbled Path.  Three Calypso Coral faceted gems from the Sale-a-Bration gems pack complete the card. 

Now click on the Next Button and head on over to Dani Dziama's blog Dani's Thoughtful Corner to see her projects.  I'm excited to see what she has created for us today!

To Dani's blog . . . 

Have a happy week!

--Sara Nell

  

 

 

January Creation Station Blog Hop: Fuzzy & Furry

 

Welcome to the January, 2024, Creation Station Hop!  We are an international group of Stampin' Up! Demonstrators who hop every first Sunday of the month.  This month our theme is Fuzzy & Furry so get ready for some fun animal inspiration this month!

Be sure to click on the Next Button at the end of each post to hop around to each designer's blog.

My fuzzy (?) and furry critter is the bear from the Wildlife Wonder stamp set (#157923).  I have used this bear on a lot of cards--especially masculine birthday cards, so I tried something different this time.  Still masculine, still a straightforward design, simple but with the two Artistic Mix decorative Masks (#159178) that create a plaid design and some fun texture.  I used the same color palette on both cards: Lost Lagoon, Pretty Peacock and Copper.  (I was going to use Copper Clay for the layer on both, then switched to Copper Foil in the end, not realizing it is retired. Copper Clay card stock looks great with this, too.) 

For the plaid on both cards, I used a blending brush (#153183) and Pretty Peacock ink with the large square mask for the first layer and then the small square mask and VersaMark ink to create the second layer.  I used Copper Stampin' Emboss powder (#155555, Metallics collection) with the VersaMark ink to heat emboss the second layer.  The bear was stamped in Pretty Peacock on Lost Lagoon card stock.

To create the plaid bear, I stamped the bear image over the plaid in VersaMark ink, heat embossed it with Clear Stampin' Emboss Powder (#155554, Basics collection), then fussy cut it out with my Paper Snips (#103579). The Lost Lagoon layer was embossed with the Timber 3D embossing folder (#156406).   I chose not to put a sentiment on either card.  I like the simplicity of just the image on the background. 

Next up is Dani Dziama, one of the talented 2024 Stampin' Up! Artisan Team members on the Creation Station Design Team.  I can't wait to see her fuzzy and furry design!  Head over to her blog, Dani's Thoughtful Corner, to be inspired.

To Dani's Blog . . .

Have a Very Happy 2024!

--Sara Nell

 

Creation Station December Hop: Santa's Workshop

 Welcome to the December, 2023, Creation Station Blog Hop!!!

Our theme this month is Santa's Workshop.  Wow!  Lots of possibilities and I am sure you are going to get plenty of ideas and inspiration from this month's hop.  Be sure to click the "Next" link at the bottom of each post to hop around and see all of the ideas we are sharing today!

This Santa's Elf created a Christmas Match Game using the images in the Festive & Fun stamp set (#162078).  Doorbell, my grandson's Elf on a Shelf, is magically stopping by this week to take it to Easton at some point before Christmas!

There are two each of 5 designs. The cards are each 4-1/2" x 2-1/2".  The images were stamped in Tuxedo Black Memento ink and colored with Stampin' Blends.  After coloring, the cards were backed with the Copper Clay design from the  O Holy Night designer series paper pack (#161986).  I used a retired corner rounder punch to finish the edges of the cards.  Before Doorbell grabs the card box, each of these cards will be laminated to handle all the use by a 4 year old and his buddies.

The cards fit inside this box designed to look like a card deck box--only a bit bigger at 4-3/4"l x 2-3/4"w x 1/2"h.  It was created with Copper Clay card stock and the same pattern designer series paper as the backing on the cards.  A Copper Clay deckled circle (#162286)  was decorated with a fussy cut greeting and bird image from the Festive & Fun stamp set and a Shaded Spruce "tree" die cut with a die from the Gorgeously Made die set (#161202).  The box is closed with a piece of Copper Clay textured ribbon (#161629). I used a retired 1-1/4" circle punch to make the thumb notch in the front of the box and a retired corner rounder punch to round the corners of the box lid flap.  

Here is a sketched pattern for making the box.  It is 7" wide scored at 1/2", 3-1/4", 

3-3/4", & 6-1/2".  It is 6-3/4" high scored at 1/2", 5-1/4", 5-3/4".  It is also scored at 4-3/4" between the 3-3/4" and 6-1/2" vertical score lines.  The photo shows the scored lines as dashes and the cutting lines in pink highlighter.

Hope I've inspired you to check out your stamps to make your own little Match Game.  It will make a great stocking stuffer!

Now let's head over to Yvonne's blog, The Creative Teacup, and see what she has made to inspire us!

To Yvonne's Blog . . .

Wishing you a very blessed and merry holiday season!

--Sara Nell