Where Do You Stamp?

At home by yourself?  At classes?  Workshops?  Bunco?  Yep, I said bunko!  One of my customers has been in a bunko group with the same group of women for about 12 years.  Now that is a lot of dice rolling!  But their group has evolved - they don't play bunko much anymore.  Instead, the hostess of the month chooses the event for the evening.  Sometimes they go to the movies, sometimes they just sit around and catch up since they don't all work together anymore and if Denise is hostess, they make cards with me!  Most of my customer base are seasoned stampers but this group is not and I love getting back to the basics.  It is cool to hear a "wow" come out of someone's mouth when you run some cardstock through the Big  Shot using an embossing folder or when you pull out a punch in the shape of a butterfly.  This card was CASE'd by Darlene McCallum - thank you Darlene!  I added the little butterfly to the card - just for my personal touch.

Don't forget to finish the inside of your card!

Forever Stampin',

    Cathy Williams

Product List

Butterfly Basics Clear Stamp Set [138816]	Coastal Cabana 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [131297]	Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [121045]	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730]
Basic Gray Classic Stampin' Pad [126981]	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708]	Coastal Cabana Classic Stampin' Pad [131175]	Pool Party 1/4" Cotton Ribbon [134568]
Stylish Stripes Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [132174]	Punch Corner Project Life [135346]	1/8" Circle Handheld Punch [134365]	Bitty Butterfly Punch [129406]
Rhinestone Basic Jewels Embellishments [119246]

From the Herd - A Twist on Last Week's Card

Last week I posted a card using this stamp set and said that I would have another one that was inspired by that one - do you remember?  Well, here it is - and I love it!  I liked the planks that were on the other card but it got me thinking that this merry band of misfits probably would be found behind a fence, so I made one!  I stamped the crumb cake cardstock using the Hardwood background stamp (make sure to stamp both sides) and then cut it into strips and used the Banner punch to create the tops.  I cut two narrower strips for the cross beams.  I wrapped the linen thread around two fingers about four times and then tied them in a knot.  A glue dot holds it in place.

 Here's how the fence opened up to reveal a portion of the sentiment.  The narrow fence strips were cut long so they could be attached to the Chocolate Chip mat on the back.  Also, on this card, I used the Blendabilities to color the animals as opposed to the regular  markers and I am very pleased with the results.  I love the fact that there is no streaking!

Finally, here is the inside of the card.  These guys just make me smile!

Forever Stampin',

    Cathy Williams

Product List

From The Herd Clear Stamp Set [138834]	Hardwood Clear-Mount Stamp Set [133035]	Chocolate Chip 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [102128]	Island Indigo 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [122923]
Very Vanilla 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [101650]	Crumb Cake 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [120953]	Versamark Pad [102283]	Island Indigo Classic Stampin' Pad [126986]
Chocolate Chip Classic Stampin' Pad [126979]	Black Stampin' Emboss Powder [109133]	Linen Thread [104199]	Banner Punch [133519]
Window Word Punch [119857]	Stampin' Blendabilities™ Markers Smoky Slate Assortment [131005]	Stampin' Blendabilities™ Markers Night Of Navy Assortment [131001]	Stampin' Blendabilities™ Markers Daffodil Delight Assortment [130998]
Stampin' Blendabilities™ Markers Old Olive Assortment [130999]	Stampin' Blendabilities™ Markers Crumb Cake Assortment [131004]	Stampin' Blendabilities™ Markers Pumpkin Pie Assortment [130997]	Pink Pirouette Assortment Stampin' Blendabilities Markers [133625]

Tips for Painted Petals & Butterfly Framelits

 I was so thrilled when I saw the butterfly framelits in the Occasions catalog this year!  They are so pretty and I am having a fun time working with them.  This card is pretty basic and I will list what all you need to make it below but I wanted to use this post to give you some information about working with these framelits -- at least, my experience for getting good results!

 

Here's my recommendation - although it may need some tweaking depending upon your Big Shot as the pressure on each machine is different.  Here's the sandwich that works best for me (working from the bottom up):

• Magnetic Platform
• Acrylic plate
• Piece of copy paper
• Cardstock you want cut
• Piece of wax paper
• Acrylic plate

When you run it through the Big Shot, I go back and forth twice so it goes through a total of 4 times.  This seems to always give me a good cut on all the little pieces.  The copy paper behind the cardstock gives the die something to cut into after the cardstock and before it stops in the acrylic plate.  The wax paper makes it easy to get the cardstock out of the framelit.  In fact, most of the time, it just drops out or stays down on the platform.  You will need to pull the wax paper out of the framelit but since you usually don't care if it is destroyed, it is no problem.  In this card, we actually used the wax paper butterfly and not the cardstock piece!  I had to cut a bunch of butterflies for a different project and held onto the wax paper butterflies to use for this project.

 



Here is my second tip for this blog post and it has to do with the Painted Petals stamp set.  Unless you are a die-hard wood mount person, order the photopolymer of this stamp set.  One, it is cheaper but more importantly, it is so much easier to line up the stamps in the two-step stamping process.  I have the clear mount set and trying to get those stems/leaves to line up properly was a challenge!  In fact, I started out working with the other flowers in this set but quickly gave up because I had such a difficult time lining up the leaves.  If I had such a difficult time with it, I figured  my customers would as well.

Well, there's two hints for the price of one today!  Not a bad day, huh?

Forever Stampin',

    Cathy Williams

Product List

Painted Petals Clear Stamp Set [138822]	Wetlands Clear Stamp Set [126697]	Pear Pizzazz 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [131201]	Blushing Bride 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [131198]
Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730]	Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad [126948]	Blushing Bride Classic Stampin' Pad [131172]	Pear Pizzazz Classic Stampin' Pad [131180]
Spring Flowers Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [137365]	Butterflies Thinlits Dies [137360]	Ticket Duo Builder Punch [126883]	Pear Pizzazz 1/4" Cotton Ribbon [134562]
Melon Mambo 1/4" Cotton Ribbon [134566]