Sketch Sunday: Card #12

Sketch Sunday:Card #12

Today I have another card layout for you. This is a simple layered card with one non-rectangular element and some very simple embellishment. I hope you'll give it a try; I did and I loved it! Here is the layout:



And here is a sympathy card I made using it. I normally HATE making sympathy cards, and I feel my creativity goes on vacation every time I need to do one, so having this layout as a starting point really helped! I wish my photo were better, but it was pretty dark when I got the card done (winter is definitely coming!) and I couldn't get better lighting. The flowers and vase are a FranticStamper stamp, to which I added some flowersoft flowers on little paper-wire stems and some mini-pearls. I hope you will enjoy my card!

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Halloween 31 (Design Team Project)

by Lis Whiting

Halloween 31

Hi everyone! I’ve started seeing ghosts and witches on front lawns! You know it’s that time of year!

When Halloween came around, my sister and I would walk the neighborhood, knocking on doors and going as far as we could before we came home exhausted with a bag full of candy. Oh, the candy corn and apples and goodies we had!

My Halloween card was inspired by those neighborhood travels.



My materials:


I used The Townscapes Alterations die and some grungeboard to cut out the town. I colored it with some walnut distress ink which gave it an old woody kind of look. I wanted the windows to glow and I wondered, “Now how can I get windows to glow?” I used some gold stardream paper behind the grungeboard.

My card mat is in black cardstock and is flicked with silver paint. Looks pretty good, don’t you think?

I cut a circle out of silver glossy and added that to my card. I attached the houses with mounting tape to give it some lift.

I needed to add some kind of sentiment to the cover to identify my card. What better than “31”? I got the number from Tim Holtz’ Seasonal Stickers.

Here are some close ups of my card.





I hope this card inspires you to make some scary cards of your own! Until next time!

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Technique Thursday: Friends Furever

Today we would like to share a few projects from We R Memory Keepers, using their Friends Furever line of papers and embellishments. We thought you would enjoy seeing how versatile line is as the materials are used in a variety of ways. The paper, stickers, brads and more that are used in these projects are available at Frantic Stamper, your one stop paper crafting store.

First up is a doggie treat jar, decorated with Treat Jar (WRM-P-61471) and Lazy Time ( WRM-P-61466), a cute tag from the Layered Chipboard Tags (WRM-S-41878) and some chipboard letters.



Next we have a card made with items from the 4"x6" pad (WRM-4x6-41877).



Now we have a card made using Embossed Stickers (WRM-S-41880), Fabric Brads (WRM-BR-41888), an embossed tag called Cat Notes (WRM-T-41871), You're Purrfect clear stamp (WRM-CS-41887), and papers from the 6"x6" pad (WRM-6x6-61478).



And lastly we have a picture frame made with Pawsitively Perfect (WRM-P-61469)paper, and items from the 12"x12" Scrapbook Pad (WRM-Pad-61476).



We hope you have enjoyed seeing these great Friends Furever projects from We R Memory Keepers. You can see these and more ideas using Friends Furever papers in the We R Memory Keepers idea gallery.

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Paper Storage

Tip #1
I try to keep my paper stored vertically. I purchased the Clear Bags sizes so that I can see exactly what I have.

Tip #2
All my holiday papers are stored separetly. Christmas, Halloween, etc are stored each in their own plastic envelope along with embeliishments. All I have to do is grab the right holiday bag and Im ready to go.

Tip #3
I purchased a two shelf bookcase cheap. I store my paper vertically in that. I have enough room to be able to put the plain papers in color order and the patterned papers on the next shelf.

Tip #4
You can also purchase paper trays like those used in stores. There are clear stackable trays available. They stack in a "tower" up to 30 trays high. I like to keep my papers in these types of trays sorted by color families.

Tip #5
Be sure to keep your papers away from direct sunlight so they don't fade.

Tip #6
If you live in a high humidity area, store your papers in closed boxes and put a silica pack inside the box. Silica packs usually come in the box when you buy shoes, or inside purses, or toner cartridges. I save all mine and reuse them when I want to keep moisture at bay.

Tip #7
I was fortunate enough to find a paper storage cabinet when a local stationary store was going out of buisness. It has 24 cubby holes, each just the right size for a ream of 8 1/2" x 11" paper. It is a great idea to shop at stores that are closing...you never know what kinds of treasures you can find in their shelving!

Tip #8
I use a full size "Iris" cart to store scraps. Each drawer is for a different color family. I keep it right under my work station, so I can always check scraps first or quickly grab a piece for a matt.

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A 7 Gypsies Card (Design Team Project)

by Lis Whiting



Hi everyone! Today I want to share with you a card I made with some of the new 7 Gypsies items! I really like collage and that old fashioned style. The latest 7 Gypsies release really appeals to me for that reason.

I had a very hard time picking out which paper I was going to use. 7 Gypsies has 6x6 pads which are great for card makers. I used Gypsy Market (Isn’t that a great name?) It’s full of muted colors and designs, distressed and double sided! Who could want more?

I also have some of their very new Tissue Paper. I was surprised at how many sheets there are in each package. The main color reminds me of pattern tissue (the kind you buy to sew clothes). The one I used is full of birds and bird cages, music notes and such. Very pretty. I just had to use some on my card! I decided to do a fan fold. It was really pretty easy. I used a quarter of a sheet and cut a curve in it to make a quarter circle. I held the tissue at the top and made my folds. I added glue to the paper and glued the folded tissue on. Simple! You will see that I left the bottom untrimmed. I thought that made an interesting accent.

I used spellbinders label dies to cut the rectangles. I printed out a photo onto some sticky canvas (Ranger) and cut out the picture. Since its sticky backed all I did was attach it to the paper.



I used mounting tape to add some dimension. When I added my stick pins, I stuck them in the mounting tape.

I used a non traditional button ribbon for the card. The color really accents the card.

I hope that you enjoyed my card today.

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Today we'd like to share a couple of inspiration videos for our scrappers provided by Basic Grey.





Be sure to check out the wonderful lines of Basic Grey available at FranticStamper!

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Warehouse Wednesday: Copic Certification

Copic Certification

Monday, I had the pleasure to attend a Copic Certification class with Kathy and Sherie, taught by Debbie Olson, in Sacramento.  We had a great time, and we learned soooooo much information!  To boot, the weather was so nice for our 5 hour drive.  It was almost like a mini vacation!

We cannot wait to share with you all the knowledge we acquired during the day-long class.  We learned how to test papers and inks for compatibility with Copic markers, how to color, shade and blend, how to pick colors, and how to care for your markers.  It's going to take us some time to play and practice, to test products and create projects, but in the end, we hope to have an entire "Copic Corner" on the blog with tons of resources for you.

If you ever have the opportunity to take this class, I highly recommend it.  It was well worth the price to learn so much and to feel much  more comfortable about using this coloring medium.  We all know what an investment they are, and having the knowledge really adds to the value of these tools.

Happy Paper Crafting!
-Fran

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Pop-Up Snowflake (Design Team Project)

by Sharon Jeffs

Pop-Up Snowflake Card

I know many people are making Halloween and fall cards right now, but I am getting a start on my holiday cards, and I have one I wanted to share with you.

Ever since I was 18 and I received my first ever pop-up card, I have been hooked.  I love the playful nature of opening up a flat card to find a dimensional object inside. Pop- up cards are actually pretty easy to make so long as you understand the mechanics behind making them work.  One of the easiest to construct is one that features layers and I’m going to show you how to create a layers mechanism for a Christmas card.   Here is what it looks like finished …



To begin, you will need to find an image that you prefer.  An ideal image is one that is very symmetrical so that when you combine the layers, they smoothly transition together.  For my card I googled “free snowflake clip art to find mine.  If you’d like to use this image, you can find it here.

Once you have selected your image, print two copies that are exactly the same and cut them out.



Next, layer them both on top of one another (this would need to be different if your image has a distinct top and bottom) and cut along the dashed line as seen here.



Then on both of the snowflakes, fold along one of the thin lines, alternating sides on each (for example – the left side on the first and the right side on the second).  These folded parts will make the tabs for attaching your snowflake into your card.

To assemble your snowflake, slot the first snowflake together with the second through the cut slots until both halves are aligned.



Make sure that the snowflake that has the folded tabs is to the back of the snowflake.

Create your card base, open the base and lay flat on your workspace.   Open up your snowflake to the way you want it to look when the card is opened. Once you are happy with it, place a small amount of strong glue on one of the tabs and press down in place.



To make sure your pop up closes flat, flatten the snowflake to one side as it would when the card is closed then place a small amount of adhesive onto the final tab and close the card.  The tab will then adhere in the perfect place for a flat closure.   Once dry, have a go at decorating the front of your card in a similar theme.  Here’s what I did with mine …



I used a range of Memory Box dies to complete my card.  (http://franticstamper.com/memorybox-dies.htm)  These are great dies because they have such pretty designs at such an affordable price.  I finished off my card by coating the snowflakes and decorative swirls with some Ice Stickles.

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Warehouse Wednesday: Cleaning House

We're Cleaning House!!

Sweeping the cobwebs… we're finding lots of products to put on the "Bargain" page. 

If you've not visited our bargain bin lately, get ready for a treasure trove of wonderful products at up to 75% off!   There's flower, stickers, papers, stamps, and embellishments for everyone!  Don't let the deals pass by…. some items are in very very limited quantity and will NOT be reordered.

Have fun!

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

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Warehouse Wednesday: BasicGrey Samplers

BasicGrey shared this project with us, and we thought you would enjoy it, too. Be sure to check out all the wonderful BasicGrey papers available at FranticStamper.com

Easy. Simple. Fast. Fun. What new product is the talk of the town?

BasicGrey's Samplers!

Check out this one by designer Amy Friend. As you can see, it is a symphony of simple shapes (You could do the same with punches and circle cutting tools) and easy techniques. Featuring Picadilly paper and embellishments, this example is just one of many ways you can decorate them for a great and personalized piece of home decor!



Needlepoint, scout badges, photographs, paint, glitter, paper, fabric, ink and every embellishment you can think of--this project works with them all. Looking for a new creative way to use every tool and product in your collection? Look no further. You are only limited by your imagination!

Until Next week!

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

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Tip Template Tuesday: Cylindrical Pop-up

Cylindrical Pop-up





Start with a piece of card-stock 4 1/2" x 8 1/2" and the following template. Cut on the solid lines; Score on the dashed lines.




Decorate the front as desired. I stamped mine with a Snag'Ems stamp and colored with COPIC markers.



Fold on the score lines, and then add strong adhesive to the tabs as shown. (This mechanism is upside-down from the way it will be inserted into the card.)



Insert the mechanism into a pre-folded card that has been cut down to fit inside a standard card with a small border, placing the small tab side about 3/4" from the fold, but ensuring that the other side doesn't extend beyond the edge of the card. The long tabs should extend UNDER the mechanism and toward the left of the card.

Next, pull on the long tabs until the cylinder pops up as much as desired. Keeping the cylinder popped up, adhere the ends of the long tabs to the inside of the card.



Carefully close the card so that the long tabs fold as the cylinder slides back flat. Crease on those folds. With the card again opened, hand-draw the mug's handle.

Insert the smaller card into the standard sized card and decorate the left inside as desired, being careful not to cover beyond the fold in the long tabs.



Decorate the front of the card as desired.



Materials I used include:
COPIC Ciao Markers Y06, Y25, YR16, R27, E00, E11, E15
Paper and card-stock: by Bazzil and K&Co.
Stamps: "Encouraging Words" by Stampendous, "You make me smile all over" by Inkadinkadoo (modified by hand-writing word "hot"), and "three leaves" Snag'em Stamps by Imaginisce.
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black
Embellishments: 3 square mini brads, 12" of brown ribbon
Other: black marker, atc gun, strong double-sided tape

Hope you will give the template a try!

Smiles,
Kathy

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Sketch Sunday: Card #11

Today I would like to share a sketch for a square card. Though originally drawn as 6" square, you could make the card virtually any size... 4 1/4" square, 5", 6", whatever! If you make it 4 1/4" or smaller, you could add it to a standard sized card as a layer! And this card sketch could be scaled up and used as a scrapbook layout sketch, too.



Unfortunately, the design team didn't have time this week to make any samples with this sketch. If any of us get time this coming week, I'll be sure to add them to this post at a later time.

OR if you make something with this sketch and want to share it, email a quality photo of it to me at FranticStamperSketchPhotos@yahoo.com and I will add it to the post!

Smiles,
Kathy

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Technique Thursday: Memory Box Dies

Today we'd like to share a few videos from Memory Box showing how to use their dies.

First up is a video showing how to use the dies with their matching rubber stamps. We shared this once before, but the information is so useful, we thought we would share again, especially since they have so many great new dies available at FranticStamper, and because they are so much more fun with their matching stamps!



Now we have a video that will fill in some gaps that might have been left in the first video.



And now a video on using the Rosette die with the standard plates in a die cut machine.



We hope you enjoyed the videos!

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Warehouse Wednesday: Dies and embossing folders

Dies and embossing folders are the hit of the summer!

This summer, it's all about the die cutting and embossing. I'd say this is our number one selling category this summer with Memory Box dies and Cheery Lynn dies leading the pack in popularity. Also very very popular are the Marianne Creatables dies from the Netherlands.

Some of my favorite designs are the 3 deer from Memory Box, the Rosebuds & Leaves from Marianne, and the Fanciful Flourish by Cheery Lynn


Our newest additions in the embossing folders are from New Zealand: Couture Creations and Craft Concepts. These 2 sister companies release a new collection of folders every month. The folders are only made 1 time, so once they are gone, we cannot get them anymore. The designs are fantastic!


Our friends at Darice are also jumping on board with a nice selection of more simple embossing folders. The price on these is quite low too, so they are perfect for budget projects.


Let's not forget Sizzix, Spellbinders (have you seen their new interchangeable border dies?), Crafts-too, and Provo Crafts also have some great choices in dies and folders!

Here are links to the dies on our site:

     Memory Box
     Marianne
     Cheery Lynn
     Craft Concepts and Couture Creations
     Darice embossing folders
     Crafts-too embossing folders
     Spellbinders
     Sizzix dies
     Sizzix embossing folders
     Provo Crafts


Let's get those die cut machines to work!!

Hugs,
-Fran

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