Dec. 1 Class at MFT Boutique

I am having such a good time teaching at MFT!  The ladies who come to class are the best! This month we did three Christmas cards.  The first was a Peek-a-boo card using Birdie Brown's Secret Santa stamp set.  When you look at the front of the card you see the two children with an empty Christmas stocking and a pillow before they head to dreamland.  

When you open the card the scene changes and you see Santa hiding behind the Christmas tree as he seems to say, "Shhhh, don't tell!"  So cute!

This fold is fun and is much easier to make than you'd expect.  There are lots of different tutorials on line if you'd like to try making a Peek-a-boo card.  What I like is that they can be made with lots of different style openings so they will fit almost anything that you can come up with!

For the second card we used MFT's Snow Special Stamps & Die-namics, Snow Drifts Cover-up and Essential Speech Bubbles dies.  The little penguins are so cute.  It was fun deciding which colors I should use on their little outfits!  The background is made with Ranger Distress Inks: Squeezed Lemonade, Spun Sugar, Tumbled Glass and Broken China.  The Snow Drifts die was cut out of white card stock twice and then layered onto the background and the ground, penguins and sentiment were attached.

The final card was a simple one using MFT's Unbearabley Cute, Trio of Trees and Beary Best Friends stamps and Die-namics.  Filled With Joy Die-namics was also used for the snowflake behind the trees. The background panel was inked softly with Berrylicious and Grape Jelly ink.  The trees were stamped with the same two colors and clear glitter was added to the trunk and branches.  The sleepy polar bear was colored with Copic markers.  The bottom of the panel has a 4 x 3 piece of patterned paper from the Petite Plaid Paper Pack from MFT.  The sentiment was stamped onto white card stock cut with Stitched Fishtail Sentiment Strip Die-namics.  


I hope you enjoyed seeing my cards today.  Try to stay calm during this very busy month!  Happy Holidays :)

Janet

Guest Designer

One of my very favorite things to do each month is to sit with my computer and a glass of wine and look at all of the wonderful inspiration that can be found on the MFT blog, so it was a huge treat to be invited to be a guest designer...oh so exciting!! For my post today, I have three cards to share with you.  I hope you like them and that maybe they inspire you to do some stamping!

My first card is a Flying Easel card.  This fun fold works well with symmetrical images so when I saw the Playful Peacock stamp set, and the front facing peacock I knew I had to use it  to make a Flying Easel card!  I started by scoring the front of the card in the middle and then cutting a hole using the Stitched Tag-Corner Rectangle STAX.  Next I cut two frames using the Single Stitch Line Tag-Corner Rectangle Frames.  Cutting 2 frames makes the flying part of the card sturdier and allows you to glue the string between the two pieces. Next I stamped, colored and cut out 4 peacocks. I scored and folded them and glued them together with a string in the center between them.  Once this was dry, I glued the string between the 2 frames so the peacock would hang and spin in the center of the frame opening.  I then attached the frame to the card gluing only the part of the frame below the score line.

Because the inside of the card shows through the opening, I made a garden inside the card using the Love Buds stamps and dies, the Mini Cloud Edges stencil and the Grassy Edges stencil. The flowers inside are popped with foam tape so they can hold the easel in place when the card is open.  The sentiment is stamped and embossed onto a Tropical Teal strip cut with the Stitched Sentiment Strip Die-namics.  The peacock looks so pretty twisting and twirling in a breeze!!

For my second card I used the adorable Saddle Up and Celebrate stamp set.  The little cactus is darling and I thought it would make a great wreath so I combined it with some leaves and stems from the Playful Peacock set and a flower from the Love Buds set and did just that!!  To get the wreath shape I cut a wonky circle into the front panel of the card and then attached the panel and the circle to the front to the card with foam tape.  This gave me the perfect shape and size to build on.

I laid out the pieces adding layers until I had a nice full wreath.

Once I was happy with the layout, I took a photo so I could get everything back in place and started gluing.  I attached the tiny cacti with foam tape so they would pop!  I finished the card off with a sentiment from the Saddle up and Celebrate set and some borders cut from a coordinating paper (Dots & Stripes Bright Paper Pack) using the Stitched Scallop Edges Die-namics.  Here is the finished card...

The inspiration for my third card was the tiny bird in the Safari Friends stamp set.  He is so tiny and cute I thought it would be funny to have him nose to nose with one of the beautiful side-facing peacocks from the Playful Peacocks set!  The front panel of the card is a piece of patterned paper from the Dots & Stripes Bright Paper Pack.  I used the Stitched Domes STAX, Stitched Dome Frames and Grassy Fields Die-namics to make the setting for their meeting and attached it to the front panel with foam tape. The little bird needed something to stand on and this sweet little flower from the Love Buds set was perfect! The sentiment strip was cut using the Stitched Sentiment Strips Die-namics.

Here is a close up...

Thanks so much for visiting and thanks to MFT for inviting me to be a guest designer.  It was a lot of fun, I thoroughly enjoyed it!!

Make time to stamp as often as you can...it's good for you!!

Janet

August 18th Class at the MFT Boutique

I taught my 2nd class at the MFT Boutique on Saturday and it was a blast.  I had the most delightful group of students, and they all did a fabulous job on their cards!!  For the first card, we made a birthday pendulum card using MFT's Aussie Animals stamps and Die-namics.  We also used a few stamps from the Birthday Bear set to add some birthday embellishments.  

I took a video to show you how the koala's branch shakes when you rock the card, but my computer won't let me download it (I really need a new computer).  I'll post the video on my Instagram account at Bizzy32765, so you can look there if you want to see it in action :)  I made the base of this card by tracing around the cover of a large oatmeal container because I didn't have a circle die big enough.  The oval for the sky was cut with MFT Oval STAX 1 and the mat was cut with Inside & Out Stitched Oval STAX.  The grass was cut with Grassy Fields Die-namics and the sentiments were stamped onto Slanted Sentiment Strips. 

The second card was an encouragement card using Love BUGS and Love BUDS stamps and dies from MFT.  The background for the card was stamped with the Bundles of Blossoms background stamp and Versamark ink and then embossed with clear powder.  It was then inked with Distress Oxide inks, Peacock Feathers, Lucky Clover and Twisted Citron.  Blending with Oxide inks is such a pleasure!   

Once the blending was finished, I cut the piece down using the Stitched Rectangle Frames Die-namics.  This gave me a cool looking blended frame that I could use for another card (see below) and the piece that I needed for the center of my card.  I cut another frame from Tropical Teal card stock using the same frame die, then I attached the frame to the card using foam tape and added the flowery piece in the center.  I added the Sending Hugs and embellished it with the ladybug from the Love Bugs stamp set and some bright flowers that were stamped with the Love Buds stamp set.

Below is the card that I made using that spare frame from the card above!  I love getting 2 for 1!!  I used the same sending hugs cut from card stock that was inked up with the 3 oxide colors used on the background of the card above. Then I cut some flowers using the Love Buds Set. Love Buds is quickly becoming one of my favorites, it works with everything!!

The last card was a quick and easy one using the crocodile from the Aussie Animals stamp set.  I thought he would make a good "guy" card with "you party animal" as the sentiment!  The grass is cut from Safety Orange and Elf Green card stock using MFT's Grassy Edges Die-namics.  The letters for the party animal sentiment were cut with the new Birdie Brown Alphabet dies.  They are tiny but  perfect to use on cards!!

The "party animal" needed a nice big balloon and the one from the Pure Innocence Cupcake Day stamp set was perfect! He needed a goggly eye, too!!  Here's a close up...

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you liked the cards today.  

Janet

MFT & Friends

Hi! I am super excited to be joining the design team for this month's MFT & Friends blog hop featuring the amazing August release!  There were so many fun stamps and dies in this release that I kind of went overboard with ideas and cards. I just couldn't help myself!  

For my first card I used the new Painted Poppies stamp set...so beautiful!  I used MFT reinkers and a few Ranger Distress reinkers to paint the poppies, leaves and background.  Reinkers are easy to paint with and I really like the vibrant color you can get when you use them for watercoloring.

The dies that I used to make this card are the Full of Heart Cover Up, the Single Stitch Line Tag Corner Rectangle STAX and Hearts in a Row - Vertical for the sentiment strip.  The sentiment is from the Aim for the Clouds sentiment set.

My second card features the new Birdie Brown Frightfully Sweet stamp set.  The little animals are so cute in their Halloween costumes and make such a cute shadow box! I used Copic markers to color the animals and then die cut them using the coordinating dies.  The MFT Home Sweet Home Die-namics, Trees in the Forest Die-namics and Grassy Hills Die-namics helped to complete the scene!!  I used the Inside & Out Stitched Circle STAX and the Linked Chain Circle Frame Die-namics to cut and embellish the circular window.  

When I was looking at the Take the Stage Die-namics I thought how cool it would be to use it to highlight a photo!!  Just think of the possibilities...an anniversary couple, a recital, a wedding, a birthday boy or girl...so many photos would work...and just imagine the recipient's surprise when they open the curtain and see their picture there!!  I added folds to the outer and inner curtain with Copic markers and added the sign which was cut using one of the A2 Rectangle STAX dies.  The sentiment and stars are part of the Friendship Rocks stamp set.  I used a favorite Halloween picture of my son for the star of my show!!

Here's how the card looks when you open the curtain...

I made a video of this card opening and closing but my computer is so old I had trouble getting it to download.  It looks strange so I hope it works.  In case it doesn't, I'll post the video on my Instagram account so you can see it in action at Bizzy32765.  I adore this card!!

I know, I made too many cards, but I have to share my last card, too.  For this one I used the Take the Stage Die-namics again with the Friendship Rocks stamp set.  The girls are so cute and fun to color.  The background was done with Distress Oxide Inks.  I have a friend who loves to sing...she is always singing to me...I can't wait to send her this card!

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I hope you enjoyed my cards!  Also a big thanks to My Favorite Things for inviting me to join in the fun today!!  Click here to get back to the MFT & Friends blog hop.  You'll find lots more inspiration there for using the fabulous August release!!

Make time to stamp every day, it's good for you!

Janet

   

July Class at My Favorite Things

I have some big news!  I am teaching classes at the MFT Boutique in Eustis, FL!  I still can't believe it, but I'm very excited and happy to have been invited!  It's like a dream come true!!  This post is going to be long so I'm going to get right to the cards from my July class.

The first card is a Box in a Card fold using the Splendid Swans stamp set and dies from MFT.  This stamp set is peaceful and beautiful and I really like the variety of swans, the cattails, vines, lily pad and lily that are included. I cut the base card using Wild Wisteria card stock.  The layers are Neenah Solar White and Lavender Fields.  To add some tiny dots to the Lavender Fields layers I used the Itsy Bitsy Polka Dot background stamp and Sweet Tooth Pigment Ink Pad.  If you like dotted paper, you need this stamp.  It is fabulous!  I know I will be using it all the time.  Here is the front of the card...

The sentiment box on the front was cut with Stitched Rectangle Scallop Frames and Stitched Mini Scallop Rectangle STAX, and the swans and cattails were cut from No-Line coloring card stock and colored with Copic Markers.  

When you open the card and push on the right side, a box forms with a scene inside.  I really enjoy making little scenes so this is one of my favorite folds.  

The oval window for the little scene and the oval for the sentiment were cut with the Inside/Out Stitched Oval STAX Die-namics.  I used the Splendid Swans, Grassy Fields, Puffy Clouds and Stitched Circles STAX Die-namics to complete the inside of the card.  Here is a close up...

The second card was a fun celebration card with a flap fold. It's always fun when margaritas are involved, right?  I cut 2 margarita glasses using the Margarita Shaker Window Die-namics.  The glass extends over the edge of the front so there is a matching glass inside of the card.  The inside of the glass is inked up with Sour Apple Hybrid ink and covered with Clear Wink of Stella so it shimmers and looks especially delicious!  The front of the card was inked using the Geometric Stars Stencil and Sour Apple, Summer Splash and Lemon Chiffon Hybrid inks.  I used the same colors to ink up a piece of card stock and used Cheers Die-namics to cut out the sentiment.

Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville song came into my head when I was making this card so I had to include the parrot from the Polynesian Paradise stamp set!  He was colored with Copics and attached to a circle cut with the Stitched Mini Scallop Circle STAX.  I used a Copic marker to color around the edge of the circle instead of making another layer.  The opposite side of the flap has a matching circle with green around the edge that says, Sip, Sip, Hooray from the Spirited Sentiments set.  I had to cut the stamp in half so it would fit but no worries, it is really easy to position the two pieces back together.  The polka dot paper is from the Birthday Blowout paper pack.

The last card is a beachy friendship card using one of the crabs and the umbrella from the Just Beclaws stamp set and the clam from the Beach Buds stamp set.

The frame was cut using the Stitched Square Scallop Frames and the Stitched Mini Scallop Square STAX.  I love how they look together!  Stitched Sentiment Strips Die-namics was used for the sentiment and the happy little star is from the Beach Buds set.  The ocean water was cut from metallic card stock using the Ocean Waves Die-namics and colored using the polished stone technique and alcohol inks.  If you've not heard of this technique, google it, there are  video tutorials that show you how to do it.  This technique worked well and gave the water some shimmer and shine!

I really enjoyed teaching this class and meeting some new friends.  I hope you like my cards!  Thanks for stopping by.  Make time to stamp, it's good for you!!

Janet  

Astronaut Girl

Today I have a card that I made for my daughter-in-law a while ago.  On one of their visits we took a trip to Kennedy Space Center and we found out that when she was little she loved everything to do with space travel and wanted to be an astronaut!  I thought the MFT set by Birdie Brown called Space Explorer would make a great card for her birthday.  My only problem was that I wanted the astronaut to be a girl.  I stamped some astronauts and had a go at changing the face so it looked more like a girl.  Adding eyelashes and a smile worked!

I stamped, colored and cut out the astronaut, all the planets, the rocket and plenty of stars. I cut the box card using Lawn Fawn's Scalloped Box Card Pop-up Die and navy card stock.   Then I used white acrylic paint to spatter white spots to make it look like deep space.  Next, I assembled the box and attached a planet and the rocket to the back of the box card.  Everything else was put onto acetate strips and then added to the box.  I wanted the little astronaut to look like she was taking a space walk so I added a piece of silver cording between the rocket and her space suit for her life line.  

Here is a front view...

This card was fun to make and my daughter-in-law loved it!  If you have a stamp set that isn't exactly what you need, see if you can make a little change that will make it perfect!

Try to find some creative time every day!  It's good for you!! 
Thanks for stopping by,
Janet