Sketch Sunday: Card #8

It is time to share another sketch...

I always struggle to use circles in my cards even though I have a lot of circular dies and punches. I am hoping that this sketch will be one I can go to when I want to use circles. I hope it will help you, too!



And as always, if you decide to use this week's sketch, the design team would love it if you would share! Upload a photo somewhere (Flickr, Picasa, Photobucket, etc.) and then share a link with us in the comments. To share all you need to do is add the following codes to your comment, and then replace the word "link" with the actual link to your photo:

      <a href="link">My Card</a>

Your comment will then contain the words "My Card" which will link to your photo. The design team really looks forward to seeing your work!

Smiles,
Kathy

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Coupon Envelope Book (Design Team Project)

by Sharon Jeffs

Coupon Envelope Book

I made this book for storing coupons using envelopes, coordinations card stock, and distress inks reinkers with an oldie but goodie technique! Here are the step-by-step instructions for making your own book.

• Cut the brown CoreDinations card into a strip that measures 4 ½ inches by 12 inches. Score fold lines at the following points from the right edge –
• 2 inches
• 2 1/8 inches
• 8 ½ inches
• 8 5/8 inches


• Fold along scores to create book cover.




• Using the envelopes, open the top flap of each and lie them down flat. Adhere the flap to the underside base of the next envelope so that you have a long line of pockets running down it. Accordion-style fold them together.




• Adhere the back of the last pocket onto the cover. Cut the green CoreDinations card to a rectangle measuring 4 ½ inches by 6 3/8 inches. Adhere this to the top of the envelope stack.




• Fold closed the cover and adhere a length of ribbon along the back and sides of the cover. This will be used to tie the book closed.




• Fill a cup with approximately 1 Tablespoon of dish detergent, 1 teaspoon of water and 3 measures of the Peeled Paint ink. I measured my ink with the bottle top applicator and therefore used 3 lots of this.
  
  Use a straw and blow into the solution until bubbles appear over the top of the cup.




• Lay white card piece over the top of the bubbles, allowing the bubbles to touch the card. Pull up and pop any attached bubbles, leaving an ink residue.




• Continue in this manner until the whole card has been coated in a bubble texture. Allow to dry then trim to 4 ¼ inches by 6 1/8 inches.




• Choose one of the Autumn Leaves flourishes and ink with the Black Stazon pad. Stamp along the edge of the bubble textured card.




• Using the silver stamp pad and one of the Chandelier stamps, stamp and emboss with silver embossing powder, a Chandelier onto the bubble textured card.
  
  Ensure you dab the entire surface with a static pad before beginning otherwise the bubble texture will also pick up embossing powder.




• On a spare piece of the white card, stamp the large label with Black Stazon ink. Apply a drop of the Mustard Seed and the Fired Brick reinkers to a piece of glass. Using a paintbrush and water, colour in the flourishes on the frame.
  
  I did mine by beginning with pure ink at the ends of the flourishes and as I progressed along, added more water to dilute the colour. By doing the same thing with both colours, I got a strong gradient effect.




• Cut out and attach over one side of the Chandelier using Foam mounting square




• Adhere this whole piece to the centre of the Green CoreDinations piece on the top of the envelopes. Add a title using the Thickers alphabet stickers.
  
  I also chose to print and punch out additional letters to form a second line for my title.

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Technique Thursday: Martha Stewart Crafts

Today we would love to share a couple of videos from Martha Stewart Crafts. Please note that the products shown in the videos are available at FranticStamper.com.

First up is a video sharing how the double and embossing punches work. They work a llttle differently from a standard craft punch, but they are worth getting used to since they do a lot more than the standard punch!



Next we have a video sharing some great techniques for Martha Stewart glitters.



We hope you have enjoyed today's techniques from Martha Stewart Crafts and that you'll check back with us soon.

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Warehouse Wednesday: Your input makes us a better place to shop

Your input makes us a better place to shop

After a long week of shopping at CHA (we didn't actually go, but still had to do all the shopping from home), we're exhausted!!   We've seen so many great new products, but something is "lacking" and we're not sure what.

So today, I'd like to ask for your input!  As customers, you know what you like, and what you would like us to stock.  We love to get your input and opinions.  That's what makes us the store you love to come back to.  We've been looking and looking through dozens upon dozens (if not hundreds) of catalogs and we're stumped.  Do we buy "My Little Shoebox", or "Jillybean Soup", or "3 Bugs in a Rug"?   Do we add stamps from "TJ Desings", or "Wplus9 studios", or another company?  



Our question to you today is:   is there a stamp company you would like us to carry?  Or a scrapbook line you just can't live without?   

Please use the comments section to share with us, or email me at fran@franticstamper.com We will take your suggestions into consideration and continue to make Frantic Stamper the best place to shop online!

Hugs,
-Fran
www.franticstamper.com

P.S. The items above are (in order left to right) from Jilly Bean Soup, wPlus9, and 3 Bugs in a Rug. See our dilemma?

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Tip Tuesday: More Money-saving Ideas

Today the design team would like to share some more money saving tips.

Tip #1
Jewelry can be taken apart and the pieces can be used on projects as embellishments.

Tip #2
As a group consider buying supplies in bulk. You will get a better price buying as a group rather than individually.

Tip #3
Use empty cereal boxes. Open up the box, lay it flat and cut the ends off. It makes a mat to stamp on. Also, cut the box up to card size. Insert the pieces into envelopes to protect nice cards from bending.

Tip #4
Purchase plastic see-through placemats at the Dollar Store and create templates for tags. You definitely will save money creating your own rather than buying the ones sold.

Tip #5
Use your scraps! They can be used for tags, ATCs, parts on cards, cardstock for punches, etc.

Tip #6
Think in terms of “reduce, reuse, and recycle”. Make it a habit.

Tip #7
Collect buttons, ribbons, feathers, etc. for embellishments.

Tip #8
Try organizing your projects according to occasion/season you are working on. Your local craft store will have sales by occasion/season. Especially take advantage of sales after holidays; merchandise will be marked down to the lowest prices!

Tip #9
Always shop the sale aisles of stores with crafting in mind, no matter what kind of store you might be in. Opened packages often go for cents on the dollar, but still have a great deal of use for a crafter. For example, recently I hit my local department store which is undergoing a remodel. They have moved all sorts of items into two aisles, for quick sale. I picked up several opened packages of buttons for $0.25 each, got a deck of miniature playing cards that had been opened (a few cards were bent, but the rest were fine) for $0.50, and an opened roll of wallpaper border for $1. Lots of crafting for next to nothing in cost!

Until the next time...
The Design Team

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Sketch Sunday: Scrap #7

It is time to share another sketch... This one is a "progressive" sketch... start with the smallest one, add it to the next level, and then the next, or stop anywhere along the way. I hope you will enjoy it.

Level 1 (4 1/4" X 5 1/2")



Level 2 (8" X 8")



Level 3 (12" X 12")



Smiles,
Kathy

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Circle Card (Design Team Project)

by Joanne Wardle

Circle Card

I made this circle card with a Mestabilities scallop die and a humorous birthday stamp by inkadinkado, and finished it with a piece of green apple grid ribbon. Isn't it a fun card?

I used the largest die in the scallop Nestabilities set to cut a circle card by overlapping it over the fold of the card.

I used the same die to cut from patterned paper and attached it to the card.

I used the 3rd smallest die to cut a white circle, then stamped and coloured the image. I stamped it again on scrap, coloured and cut out just the head and neck, and attached them to the card with dimensional adhesive.

I attached the white circle to the card. Lastly, I decorated the card with ribbon tied around the fold of the card.

I finished the card by cutting a flat edge on the back of the card to allow it to stand.

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Technique Thursday: Ranger Products

Today we would love to share some fun Ranger products. We hope you will enjoy these informative videos on products you don't necessarily see all the time but are a lot of fun to use and are great ways to create your own embellishments for your projects! Many of the products mentioned in the videos are available at FranticStamper.com

The first video shows great ways to color on Shrink Plastic using Ranger coloring products.



Next we would like to share some basics for using the Ranger melting pot.

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Warehouse Wednesday: More CHA news…. and Copic Price Increase Annoucement

More CHA news…. and Copic Price Increase Annoucement

I'll start with the bad news…. we have just learned that Copic will be raising the prices on their markers (and refills) as of August 1st, 2011. The new prices will be 50 cents more per pen. Be sure to beat the price increase by ordering before July 31st.     

Now for some fun news from CHA.

We now have all the Tim Holtz new stamps ready for pre-order.  They are due to arrive in Mid-September. The new Spellbinder dies are also ready for pre-order. Both of these product lines are eligible for a 10% discount when your pre-order is placed by July 31st. Check them out here and place your order soon!

 

All Ranger new products are ready for Pre-orders as well, and what's even better is that MOST new Ranger items will arrive NEXT WEEK!!!

 

And finally, I want to remind you to check the "new products" page often for new CHA reveals and new products we are adding to the site daily!!! 

  Happy Creating,
-Fran
www.franticstamper.com
541-826-2500

 

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Tip Tuesday: Paper Piecing

Today we would like to share some tips for paper piecing.

Tip #1
When cutting apart a die cut, cut to the outside of the dotted areas.

Tip #2
Have a fine set of tweezers at the ready for those tiny pieces like eyes and bowties.

Tip #3
Instead of exact cutting you can tear your paper piecing project. Think of palm trees and beaches.

Tip #4
To ensure a perfect match between two halves of a pieced die cut, use temporary adhesive to glue the two pieces together before cutting, then separate the pieces. The pieces will match perfectly since they were cut together.

Tip #5
Not all parts of an image have to be pieced. Stamp the main image on the background or base paper. Stamp it again on patterned paper. Cut out one or two focal pieces out of the patterned paper and glue in place on the base. Sometimes less is more.

Tip #6
Use paper punches to create "pieced" quilts. Punch small shapes out of paper, then punch squares around the hole that was punched. Place the same shape punched from a different paper into the hole. Especially fun to use this technique with little ducky punches and pastel colors for a baby quilt. Mix up patterned and solid papers to build your quilt.

Tip #7
Torn papers are great for piecing fuzzy critters like bears, bunnies, puppies, etc. Mulberry papers are especially good for torn paper piecing techniques. To tear the paper more easily, wet the paper where it is to be torn with a fine paint or water brush.

Tip #8
Use fine-tipped, sharp scissors only when paper piecing. The right tools are essential to get the best results!

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Sketch Color Challenge Sunday: Primary Colors

Today I would like to offer you a slightly different challenge; a color scheme challenge. Every 6 weeks or so I will be giving you a color challenge in lieu of a sketch, just to change things up a little bit and offer some of the readers who aren't fond of sketches a little something they might like to try instead.

For this challenge I would like to challenge you to think of bright primary colors... red, blue, and yellow... and to use them to make your creation. Make an ATC, a card, a scrapbook page, an altered item, anything!




If you do, then it is simple to share your work with me, the rest of the design team, and the blog readers! Upload a photo somewhere (Flickr, Picasa, Photobucket, etc.) and then put a link to it in the comments by adding the following codes to your comment, and then replacing the word "link" with the actual link to your photo:

      <a href="link">My Color Challenge</a>

Your comment will then contain the words "My Color Challenge" which will link to your photo. The design team really looks forward to seeing your work!

Until the next time,
Kathy

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Three ATC's (Design Team Project)

by Erika Taylor

We didn't get to share all of the wonderful work created for us last year by our now former design team member, Erika Taylor. She made these wonderful ATC's last summer, and we wanted to share them with you now, because we think they are timeless! Here is what Erika had to say about her work...

I love trying different paper crafts and one that I often go back to is making ATC’s. Those little gems are the perfect way to focus on one aspect; whether it is stamping, coloring or collage, ATC’s are a great way to hone your skills.



To make these I used Pink Paislee 365 degrees papers and stamps from FranticStamper's own rubber stamp line (plate #85.) The images were stamped with Momento tuxedo black and rich cocoa inks from Tsukineko and colored with Copic markers. Here are the step-by-step instructions for how I made the three trading cards.

• Cut 3 cream cardstock pieces at 2 ½” x 3 ½”. Cut denim cardstock at 2 3/8” x 3 3/8”. Set aside.
• Cut Pink Paislee patterned papers at 2 ¼” x 3 ¼”. Stamp script image using Memento ink onto patterned paper. Adhere to 2 3/8” x 3 3/8” Denim cardstock.
• Stamp images on cream cardstock with Memento black ink. Color and shade with Copic Markers.
• Cut images out using serrated scissors.
• Adhere to ATC front using foam circles.
• Add decorative brad to corners.
• Adhere entire ATC front to 2 ½” x 3 ½” base.

Thanks so much for stopping by today and sharing some stamping on ATC’s with Frantic Stamper Stamps.

Toodles
Erika

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Technique Thursday: Hero Arts and Distress Inks

Today we would love to share two terrific videos from Hero Arts, using Distress Inks in fun ways.

First up is a video for making beautiful backgrounds with a watercolor technique done with Distress Inks.



And next is a video on watercoloring your stamped image with Distress Inks.



Hope you have enjoyed these takes on two really fun techniques!

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Warehouse Wednesday: Summer CHA Preview

Summer CHA Previews

With Summer CHA just around the corner, we're seeing a lot of exciting new product previews!  We're taking a little break from our "Meet the Team" series to whet your crafting appetite with some sneak peeks.  

First from Prima, we're thrilled to announce their new collections will be available late August.  Six gorgeous paper collections with embellishments, fabulous stamps and of course ever-so-gorgeous flowers!   We are accepting pre-orders for everything Prima.  Be sure to check out our "New Products" page for a link to the Prima pre-order page (as well as other pre-order opportunities!)



Spellbinders is currently holding their "Blog Frenzy" revealing new dies every day.  You can follow too at this link .   We'll be ordering all these dies of course.  My favorite so far (so far, I said!) is the Spiral Blossom which helps you create the cutest scalloped edge flowers!



  Tim Holtz is also revealing new things daily on his blog.  Here are a couple of samples. 



As soon as we have pricing and release date information on all these new goodies, we will post them to our site and start taking pre-orders.  Remember, some companies don't let us post things until after CHA, and not all CHA product arrives at the same time.  It makes it a little crazy for us, but we do the best we can!!

  Hugs,
-Fran
www.franticstamper.com
541-826-2500

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Tip Tuesday: Jump Starting Mojo

Today we'd like to offer some tips for jump starting your mojo. We all go through perods when we have a hard time feeling creative, where we just don't seem to be able to get the juices flowing. Here are some things we have done to get out of that rut, especially when we HAVE to get something made...

Tip #1
Go on a little shopping spree. There is nothing that gets my creative juices flowing as much as a new tool to play with, or new ink, stamps, or paper to try out!

Tip #2
Re-create a card or layout that you've made before, but use different colors or different photos. Don't try to do exactly what you did before, but use it as a jumping off point.

Tip #3
Start with a card layout that you find appealing...then just add decorative papers and embellishments you love. Let the layout and the papers do the bulk of the work.

Tip #4
Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. Visit a card gallery or peruse a magazine and try to make a card just like one that jumps out at you.

Tip #5
Don't try to do too much. Sometimes when my mojo is on vacation I use the time to stamp images, die cut dies, make paper flowers, tie bows, or just reorganize my supplies. All these things save time and effort when I am feeling creative again, but am low on time.

Tip #6
Get together with a friend to stamp. Your friend may inspire your creativity, but at the very least you will have a good time visiting!

Tip #7
Make Serendipity paper out of your failed attempts at stamping. Glue down torn scraps of stamped images, torn decorative paper, bits of paper lace. Stamp more images randomly over the paper. Cut into shapes. Run some through a crimper for more variety. It's a great way to both recycle those failures and to be creative!

Tip #8
Go back to basics. Just stamp an image, on a single layer, add a simple single saying and one embellishment. Check out this simple black and white card for an example.

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