berry burst – Artful Musings

Tag: berry burst

14
Sep
2017

Innovation Station | Washi, Washi, Washi

categories: Innovation Station, Stampin' Up!, Washi

Hello, crafty peeps and welcome to another Innovation Station post, a monthly feature focusing innovative tips and tricks. Each month I share an innovation that I find myself going to again and again.

This month’s innovation is washi tape. I seriously need a 12-step program for my washi tape addiction! Thin, thick, glittery, transparent, opaque … I LOVE washi! There are some wonderful tapes on the market today and some of my favorites are from SU! I especially like the face that SU coordinates their washi in complimentary color families. Today I’m going to share two of my favorite washi techniques: the washi die cut and the washi background. Both are super simple, yet add so much to your card making!

Washi is super thin which when layered over card stock makes it perfect for die cutting and background techniques. When I sat about choosing suites for this month’s cards, I knew what I wanted to use for each technique, but beyond the washi element, I wasn’t sure what the cards were going to look like. I almost scrapped both cards because I wasn’t happy with how either was coming together. Does this ever happen to you? Fortunately, inspiration struck and I am pretty happy with the way both cards turned out.

For the washi background card, I used the Delightful Daisy suite. I love this suite! From the stamps, to the DSP, to that great daisy punch … it’s one of my favorite suites in the annual catalog. I knew I wanted to “knock out” the daisy image (sort of the reverse of what might be expected) and have the washi showing through. In some of the photos you will see a version with two daisies that ended up getting scrapped (it was way too busy) in favor of the final card. I began with a Pool Party A2 card base. Using a corner rounder I rounded the upper left and lower right corners of both the card base and the Whisper White panel (4″ x 5.25″). I cut out a daisy in the upper middle of the panel using the Daisy Punch and added two leaves using the companion two-step stamps.

I cut a 2.75″ x 2.75″ piece of Whisper White and using the new Basics Pack 3 washi tape, added rows until the entire piece was covered. Using my bone folder, I burnished the washi down and using adhered it behind the daisy opening with Fast Fuse. I put one of the new clear Faceted Gems n the center of the daisy. Next, I cut a 4″ x 1.75″ piece of DSP from the Delightful Daisy DSP and a 3.73″ x 1.5″ piece of Whisper White, on which I stamped “Thank You” in Night of Navy ink. I rounded the corners of the white piece and adhered it to the DSP, which then was adhered to the main white panel. Inside I stamped “…for your kindness.” in Night of Navy ink. HINT: I could have applied the washi directly to the card base, but since washi is semi-transparent I didn’t want it to show the card base color so I opted for a Whisper White panel instead.

For the die cut washi card, I wanted to use the new “Happy Birthday” die, the coordinating stamp set, and especially the Foil Frenzy specialty DSP. I am in love with this kraft card stock foil paper! It is so beautiful and screams happy birthday! The process for die cutting washi is very simple. Begin with a piece of card stock large enough to accommodate your die and apply washi. Place this piece washi side up on your cutting matte and put the die face down over it. Add the other plate and run it through your Big Shot. Voila, you have die cut washi!

For this card I began with an A2 card base in Berry Burst. Using the largest solid layering oval, I cut a window out of the front of the card. In this opening I adhered a piece of polka dot foil frenzy card stock. I also cut the happy birthday out of a piece of Basic Black card stock. I glued the washi die cut to this black piece slightly offset to create a shadow. Once that was dry, I popped it up using the new mini dimensionals, cutting them in half to make sure they didn’t show. Using VersaMark ink and white embossing powder I added the sentiment “it’s your day” to the front of the card below the oval. For the finishing touch, I added a few flat backed gems by Little Things from Lucy’s Cards.

Thanks for hanging out with me, and learning (or relearning) a fun innovation! Join me next month for another of my go to innovations, watercolor backgrounds. Until next time, remember, creativity and imperfection live together in all we do. “Grace is the face love wears when it meets imperfection.”

~xoxo

Supplies Used:
Washi: Basics Pack 1 (144221) & Pack 3 (144223)
Happy Birthday Gorgeous Bundle (145301)
Foil Frenzy Specialty DSP (144125)
Daisy Delight Bundle (145361) & Delightful Daisy DSP (144137)
Card Stock: Pool Party, Berry Burst, Whisper White & Basic Black
Ink: Night of Navy, Lemon Lime Twist, Old Olive & VersaMark
Extras: Clear Faceted Gems (144142) & Flat Backed Gems

13
Jul
2017

Innovation Station | Inlaid Die Cutting

categories: Innovation Station, Stampin' Up!

Hello my crafty peeps and welcome to another Innovation Station post! This is a monthly feature, focusing innovative tips and tricks. During the 2nd week of each month I plan to share an innovation that I find myself going to again and again.

This month’s innovation is inlaid die cutting. Inlaid die cutting is the process by which you place the negative space pieces back into the die cut creating a one layer background. This technique works well with background dies, but it also works with shapes and words. Inlaid die cutting adds color and interest to full panel die cuts and allows you to create many different looks. Inlaid die cutting is pretty straightforward, which is what makes it such a wonderful card making staple. Basically you run the item through your die cut machine over and over, using different card stock and/or pattern papers. It’s really that simple. I have come up with a few tips that I find helpful, which I share at the end of this post.

Now onto the cards. For the first card I used the Hello cover plate from Poppy Stamps. I started with a top folding card base and I die cut the plate into the card face. I set those letters and inserts (the inside of the O’s and E’s) aside. Next, I die cut the plate from several pieces of card stock in the new InColors (lemon lime twist, tranquil tide, powder pink, berry burst, and fresh fig) and I cut a slightly smaller backing for the card front, which I turned into a sticker by adhering it to a piece of Stick It! adhesive and placed it behind the card face. Finally, I began inlaying letters, making sure to include the white inserts for the O’s and E’s. For the finishing touch, I added two silver enamel hearts to one of the O’s.

For my second card I die cut Winnie & Walter’s Multifaceted cover plate out of a piece of Emerald Envy card stock and also out of a piece of the Pick a Pattern DSP. Using Stick It! adhesive, I turned the Emerald Envy die cut into a sticker and adhered it to a Flirty Flamingo card base. Next, I began placing all the shapes from the DSP using the outline version to help me figure out which pieces went where. I stamped the label frame in Emerald Envy and the sentiment in Flirty Flamingo and colored in the letters using a Flirty Flamingo marker. Using my Flirty Flamingo reinker, I dyed a piece of white seam binding and also punched out the frame using the new Pretty Label punch and popped it up on dimensionals over the ribbon.

I took a friend to the airport at 4am this morning and I was leaving the house when I remembered another style of inlaid die cut I had planned to show: using smaller dies to create a background. The wheels were turning (both my car’s and my brain’s) and by the time I returned from the airport this card was almost completely designed! Bonus! I created it using the Frozen Treats dies and it shows how creative you can get with inlaid die cutting. HINT: To get a seamless one layer cut for the ice cream cone follow these steps. Cut the cone out of the white panel first and then overlap the ice cream die so it looks like one clean cut (see below left). Next, place the panel back on the BigShot’s magnetic platform, inserting the proper cone in its spot and placing the ice cream die in position in the hole left by the first time you die cut it. Run that through the machine again and voila, the cone and ice cream meet up and look seamless. I finished off the card with one of the sentiments from the Cool Treats stamp set cut out using the Layering Ovals.

TIPS & TRICKS: A few things I’ve learned along the way… If the die has a lot of pieces I often adhere my frame to a piece of Stick It adhesive sheet so that thin, edge to edge adhesive is showing through the negative spaces where I will put the die cuts in. I love Stick It! because it’s double sided adhesive so you can glue your panel to the card front and the negative spaces also have adhesive! When I do use glue I tend toward Multi Matte Medium or SU! Fine Tip Glue Pen as both provide pinpoint application, dry clear and give a strong bond. I will sometimes die cut something out of a lot of different colors and patterns and save them up for future cards. I will often store these die cuts in the pocket with the dies. With intricate full panels I will often us the version I cut out of DSP to help me figure out where all the little pieces go. The best thing about inlaid die cutting is that you can dress them up with a sentiment, but visually they are interesting enough to carry the card without needing much more.

Thanks for hanging out with me, and learning (or relearning) about inlaid die cutting! Join me next month for another of my go to innovations, marble backgrounds. Until next time, remember, creativity and imperfection live together in all we do. “Grace is the face love wears when it meets imperfection.”

~xoxo

Supplies Used:
Dies: Winnie & Walter Multifaceted, Poppy Stamps Hello, Frozen Treats (142756), & Layering Ovals
Card Stock: Whisper White, Emerald Envy, Flirty Flamingo, Lemon Lime Twist, Tranquil Tide, Fresh Fig, Powder Pink & Berry Burst
Designer Series Paper: Pick a Pattern (144163) & Cool Treats
Stamps: Pieces & Patterns (143843) & Label Me Pretty (143861)
Inks & Markers: Emerald Envy & Flirty Flamingo
Extras: Metallic Enamel Shapes (141678), Stick It!, Tweezers, Pretty Label Punch (143715) & Seam Binding

22
Jun
2017

Fun-n-Crafty | Let’s “Lemon Lime” Twist Again

categories: Fun-n-Crafty, Stampin' Up!

Hello my crafty peeps! I’m happy to be here again this month as part of the Fun & Crafty blog hop. This month we are highlighting the new 2017-19 In Colors from Stampin’ Up. I am always amazed at how well the new colors weave into the existing palette as well as coordinating with one another. These new In Colors are no exception. I decided to focus on my favorite of the five new, Lemon Lime Twist. This color is a light and vibrant green that works well with many other colors including these: Pool Party, Island Indigo, and Melon Mambo. To see the full range of In Color combinations for all the new In Colors, please click here. Today I am presenting two original cards.

For the first card I began with a Whisper White A2 card base. Next, I ran the Split Chevron cover plate from My Favorite Things through my Big Shot three times: once in Lemon Lime Twist card stock and two times out of Lemon Lime Twist Fresh Florals DSP. I love inlaid die cutting and decided to fill up the Chevron pieces using these three colors and letting the Whisper White show through in some spots. For the finishing touch I wanted to add a die cut sentiment in Pacific Point card stock but realized I didn’t have any on hand. Fortunately, I have the ink pad and using a dauber, I was able to turn Whisper White card stock into Pacific Point card stock. Because the background is inlaid (essentially one layer) I decided to add some dimension for the sentiment so I die cut it three times (twice in white). I glued these together with the inked one on top and, ‘Voila!’, dimension.

For the second card I began with an A2 Whisper White card base. I added a Lemon Lime Twist mat (4″ x 5.25″) and then cut Fresh Florals DSP strips in various sizes. I glued the DSP strips down to the mat leaving a place for the sentiment. Using my MISTI I was able to stamp the whole sentiment at once, making sure it was well positioned within the allotted space. There are several great hostess sets, and Dare to Dream is one at the top of my list.

BONUS: over the past month and a half we (the Fun-N-Crafty team) have been playing with the new SU products. Below are two cards I made at recent events, one from a shoe box swap with my SU team (card by Kathy) and the other from a catalog party I helped a fellow team member with (card by Nicole). Both cards feature Lemon Lime Twist along with Berry Burst.

There is a ton of inspiration throughout this hop. Since you started here, I encourage you to grab a cup of tea and visit the other talented team members listed below to leave them some blog love! Next up is the talented Pamela over at Stinky Tofu. Until next time, remember, creativity and imperfection live together in all we do. “Grace is the face love wears when it meets imperfection.”

~xoxo

Christine – Artful Musings (you are here)
Pamela – Stinky Tofu
Kathy – Stampablog
Merit – MB Squared Designs
Susan – Stampin’ By the SF Bay
Jennifer – NW Stamper

Supplies Used:
Card Stock: Whisper White, Lemon Lime Twist, Berry Burst, Chocolate Chip, & Kraft
Ink: Lemon Lime Twist (144086), Berry Burst (144083), & Pacific Point (126951)
Stamps: Thankful Thoughts (141522), Dare to Dream (143769), & Colorful Seasons (143726)
Dies: Seasonal Layers (143751) & Sunshine Wishes (141489)
Punches: Banner Punch (138292) & Pretty Label Punch (143715)
Paper: Fresh Florals DSP (144131), Vellum (101856), & Metallic Doilies (138392)
Embellishments: Bitty Bows (144217) & Silver Thread (138402)
Extras: Paper Trimmer, Score Board, Adhesive, Big Shot, Sponges/Daubers & Scissors

08
Jun
2017

Innovation Station | White Washed

categories: Innovation Station, Stampin' Up!

Hello my crafty peeps and welcome to another Innovation Station post! This is a monthly feature focusing innovative tips and tricks. During the 2nd week of each month I plan to share an innovation that I find myself going to again and again.

This month’s innovation is white washing as a coloring technique. White washing is just what you might think, it’s the process of coloring an image with white chalk ink using a water brush and then using markers (Distress, Stampin’ Write, or ZIG Clean Color) or ink pads to add color over the top of the “whitewash”.

You start off by rubbing your embossing buddy over your card stock and then stamping your image in VersaMark ink. Pour white embossing powder over your image and then heat set. HINT: Let your heat tool heat up for 8-10 seconds before putting it over your image and the embossing powder will melt faster and cause less paper warping. Once the embossing powder is cooled you can begin white washing a layer of craft white over the image using a water brush and ink in the lid of your stamp pad. Never put your water brush directly onto the stamp pad.

Once the white washed layer is dry you can begin adding color using ink in the lid of your stamp pad and a water brush. I typically lay dark color in the corners and then using the water brush pull it through the space. Once you are satisfied and it is dry you can use a damp cloth to wipe the ink off the embossed areas. Typically this technique is done on kraft card stock, but I’ve also had fun results on gray so I’m showing that as well. Here are flowers, two on kraft and two on basic gray card stock. Both sets use Calypso Coral and Lemon Lime Twist over the Craft white. The colors look different over the gray versus the kraft, don’t they? Lastly, I will sometimes add some clear Wink of Stella over the image for that little bit of shine.

Open stamps work best for this technique and it is perfect when paired with floral images because it adds a dreamy quality to them, but it will work with any stamp with large open spaces.

Thanks for hanging out with me, and learning (or relearning) a fun innovation! Join me next month for another go to innovation, inlaid die cutting. Until next time, remember, creativity and imperfection live together in all we do. “Grace is the face love wears when it meets imperfection.”

~xoxo

Supplies Used:
Stamps: Thinking Of You, Beautiful Bunch, & Butterfly Basics
Ink: Versa Mark, Calypso Coral, Lemon Lime Twist, & Berry Burst
Embossing Powder: White
Tools: Water Brush, Heat Tool, Embossing Buddy
Card Stock: Kraft & Basic Gray

11
May
2017

Innovation Station | Custom Dyed Ribbon

categories: Artful Pursuits, Innovation Station, Stampin' Up!

Hello my crafty peeps and welcome to my first Innovation Station post! This is a new monthly feature, focusing innovative tips and tricks. During the 2nd week of each month I plan to share an innovation that I find myself going to again and again.

I’ve been “innovating” since I bought my first stamp at The Stamp Cabana in Winter Park, FL back in 1997. Over the years I’ve seen things come and go and come back again! In all this time, I’ve found myself going “back to the well” for techniques that never seem to get old.

There’s nothing worse than finishing a card only to realize it’s missing something! Often I find what’s missing is a textile and my go to textile is ribbon. Many times I can get by with an off the rack neutral ribbon (black, brown, gold, silver), but there are times when I think, “If only I had a color-matched ribbon, all would be right in the universe!”, which brings me to this month’s innovation: custom dyed ribbon.

My go to ribbon for this innovation: seam binding. It’s cheap, readily available, and holds up well, but you could use any ribbon for this process. You can use many things to dye ribbon (Color Burst powders, Distress stains and sprays, or Perfect Pearls) but my favorite for custom color matching is reinkers or ink pads. Here is what you need:

White Ribbon or Seam Binding
Craft Mat
Reinkers
Ink Pads
Water bottle
Heat Tool
Baby Wipes
Craft Scrubbie
Ribbon Iron (optional)
Gloves (optional, if you don’t like inky fingers)

Custom dying ribbon is a very simple process. First, cut the length of ribbon you need for your project. Next, place a few drops of reinker, or smear the ink pad, onto your craft sheet. I start with 2 drops of reinker (you can always add more if needed). Add water to the ink.

Using the ribbon, soak up the liquid, making sure the entire ribbon is saturated. If needed, you can also spray water onto the ribbon. After the ribbon is completely covered you can add more ink if you want a deeper color.

Once you are happy with the color, dry the ribbon with your heat tool (if you have time you can let it air dry). Sometimes I scrunch it up so it looks “ruched” and other times I dry it flat and run it through my ribbon iron. I hold it in my hand, moving it around until it’s completely dry and volià, custom dyed ribbon, a perfect finishing touch for any card or scrapbook layout.

By the time you are done dying ribbon your fingers are quite inky (left hand) so it’s the Craft Scrubbie to the rescue (right hand). Inky fingers don’t stand a chance when you have the Ranger Craft Scrubbie.

Thanks for hanging out with me, and learning (or relearning) a fun innovation! Join me next month for another of my go to innovations, white washing. Until next time, remember, creativity and imperfection live together in all we do. “Grace is the face love wears when it meets imperfection.”

~xoxo

Supplies Used:
Inks: Berry Blast, Fresh Fig, Lemon Lime Twist, Powder Pink, & Tranquil Tide
Ribbon: Hug Snug Winter White Seam Binding
Ranger Craft Scrubbie
Ranger Craft Mat
Distress Water Bottle