Stamping 2.6.10 and 2.8.10

The card above is a direct case (except sentiment changed) from Claudia Perry, a fellow demonstrator in Columbus, Georgia. See her card here. (Just click on the word "here" and it will take you there - scroll down as there are a couple of other "kissing" cards before you see this one. I decided to learn to do links!) The technique demonstrated is "Kissing." Appropriate for February, I thought! The butterfly is the piece on which that technique was used. (See directions below for how to kiss! : ) ) I learned about printing the designer series paper from My Digital Studio from reading her blog - it is from the Sweet Pea download - and printed on Pretty in Pink cardstock like she did. Other items used: Pretty in Pink cardstock and ink pad , Chocolate Chip cardstock and ink pad, white cardstock, chocolate chip 5/8" grosrain ribbon, Pretty in Pink 1/4" grosgrain ribbon (even though it looks white here, it is pink in real life), Butterfly Accent stamp, Sanded background stamp, kite string, eyelet border punch. I did change the sentiment and punched it out with wide oval punch. Both butterfly and large oval adhered with mini glue dots I believe. The sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes - which is one of the best sentiment sets ever! I scanned the directions that I had at each station below each card, but I must have done something different than last time. They weren't readable. If you want the directions, please email me and I'll send you the Word document.

I also encouraged everyone to develop the habit of stamping "Hand Stamped By" on the back and putting their name or initials. I need to work on developing that habit too.

This card was created by juls716. I found it posted on splitcoaststampers on July 29, 2009. See her card here. I just loved the colors in this - especially the pastel chalks used on the peacock. The stamp is from the Very Thankful set on the inside back cover of the Stampin' Up! catalog - it is a Ronald McDonald stamp. In class the Bermuda Bay A2 card front piece was textured. (Mine pictured here is not textured - it is regular cardstock - because I wanted to save the textured for class use.) The pink grid piece is from the Razzleberry Lemonade pack of designer series paper. Then a Crushed Curry layer, and the Whisper White layer with the peacock adhered on top of that. The peacock was stamped in Versamark and then the chalks were added using sponge daubers. I tried q-tips first, thinking they would work better for the small areas - but actually the sponge daubers worked best. The Q-tips smudged the chalk more when I went to put it on the peacock. Sponge daubers daub better. Photo Corner punch also used.

The other things I learned are:

- Can see the Versamark better on the Whisper White cardstock

- Works better to do this in the daytime in good light (like under kitchen table light and with the window blinds open to let in natural light). Was a challenge to see the Versamark image the night before when I was using a different white cardstock and didn't have the better lighting.

The above butterfly card is cased from cmstamps on splitcoast. She uploaded the card on December 14, 2009. See her card here. I did change the border punch - used the Scallop Trim border punch rather than the pinking hearts punch that she used.

Products used, all Stampin'Up!: Whisper White cardstock, Bashful Blue cardstock, Pretty in Pink cardstock, Sage Shadow cardstock and ink pad. And from the Occasions Mini catalog (which lasts through April 30, 2010): Well Scripted stamp set for the sentiment, Scallop Trim border punch, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Beautiful Wings embosslit die (punches out 5 butterflies and embosses them all at the same time).

Extra Large Two Step Bird Punch

What a super Play Day we had last Saturday! Really good turnout - about 8 of us! I walked out one time and came back in and looked at the dining room table while everybody was in the midst of working -- meant to go get camera and take a picture, but forgot -- it was REALLY, REALLY COVERED!!! Delightful picture of everyone working hard!

While cruising Splitcoast, I came across this different idea for using the Extra Large Two Step Bird Punch that is in the present Occasions Mini catalog. So that is what I worked on Saturday. For those of you that weren't there, I wanted to share the cards below with you cause I thought the rosebuds were SOOO neat! (You know I love it when someone comes up with "out of the box" - new way to use something ideas.) (For those of you that were there, there is one card at the bottom you haven't seen yet.) I am so LOVIN' this bird punch!

Thought I'd show this card first of the normal use of the Bird Punch and how the bird normally looks. The wing has been punched out of designer paper so that it is different from the bird. Isn't she sweet? (Started to say "he," but decided this was a "she" since she is pink!)



And here is what I was entranced by -- one of the posters - windyredbird -- who posted these on Splitcoast on January 25, 2010, used just the wing part -- 3 of them - and made a rosebud. I loved her creativity! (Maybe because I remember doodling back in high school and drawing rosebuds. But mostly because she did something different and innovative.) The stem part is part of the punch also. I cut off the topmost leaf so that the rosebud could be cradled in the two leaves you see here. Pretty in Pink cardstock, Old Olive cardstock.

Then next I decided to try yellow - Barely Banana cardstock -- since she had also made a yellow one. And because I like yellow.

And then, since it is close to Valentines, decided to try a Real Red cardstock one.

And then I rememberd that Earl's Mom likes white roses. And she likes lavender. And she reads my blog. So Mom - this white rosebud is for you! I've decided I like the tips of the rosebuds close together, like the ones above. The tips of these white ones could be a little bit closer together. Cardstock is Lovely Lilac - or Lavender Lace. I had pulled both out to play with.

Then, another day, windyredbird had this cardinal! (She posted it January 27, 2010).
So I tried that. The tuft on top of his head is the wing, situated just so. The cardinal is sponged some with Basic Black ink around his beak and on his feather. I punched just the beak out of Crushed Curry. I was able to position the punch to just punch his beak, so didn't use a lot of the Crushed Curry.

And -- the birds can be turned around and used either way. Bird positioned on the right is above. Then I turned him over and decided to position him on the left - see below. I added an eye with permanent marker on the pink one at the top and this cardinal below (forgot to add it on the above cardinal). I like the eye added.

Then I also saw a bird punch card using the little Kisses notes that are in the Occasions Mini -- I really like the way they are shaped and how they dress up the card. They come 20 to a packet for $3.95. The bird is punched out of designer series paper (a retired pack). This is still A2 card size. I love the size and shape of the Kisses note cards! They are one layer, so work perfectly for embellishment like on the card below. "Love You" is from the Well Scripted stamp set with the "much" covered up. This card below is red all the way to the edges. All the cards above the colored cardstock is 1/4" less on two sides so that there is 1/8" of the white cardbase on each side of the colored cardstock after it is layered on. Then the white top part is 1/2" off on two sides so that the white top layer is 1/8" smaller on each side than the red.

Windyredbird also decided to try some other birds. She posted cards with a chickadee, robin, goldfinch, and a bluejay. Yes ... I printed them out. I think my next ones to try are the robin and the bluejay. The bluejay is similar to the cardinal in that the wing is used to make the tuft at the top of his head.

Sue Robertson posted a Peace redbird - it had the branch cut out of white cardstock in its mouth. Anfimem also crafted a chickadee.

There were several cards that made the birds into lovebirds -- two birds facing each other and a heart either between, below or above them.

And some used part of the branch to make more tree limbs.

I've just had the best time playing with this bird punch!