Today’s Designer Spotlight is on Jennifer Ellefson an admitted paper addict living in Northern Virginia!

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Did you go to school for art or design?
In fact, it’s just the opposite! I went to school for International Economics – but my mom is an artist, and my dad an engineer, so I like to think that I have some strange DNA.

Tell us about your favorite die template, technique and Preferred Product
My favorite die template – boy, that’s like asking about my favorite child! I can’t create anything without my Nestabilities, if that helps narrow it down. I love making foam stamps with my Spellbinders die templates. You can make the coolest stamps that way! My favorite Preferred Product would be Lockhart Stamps. There is always the perfect image for any card I want to make. Plus, they’re so much fun to color!

What type of projects do you prefer to make?
I love it all, but find cards are easiest for me.

Tell us about your family.
I’ve been Married for 15 years now! My husband, two sons and I recently moved to Northern Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C.

About how much time do you spend crafting?
I think pleading the 5^th Amendment might be wise here…

When do you find the time to craft?
My sons are school-age, so I love creating while they’re in school. I pop in my iPod and spend the day creating!

What do you use most - paper, hybrid or digital?
Paper – love the tactile portion.

Where do you shop for supplies?
A little bit of both - local and online stores; I am really fortunate to have found a great stamp shop about 3 miles from my house, so they’re my first choice. If there is something that they don’t stock, though, I usually will order online.

How would you describe your style?
I’m very linear in my thinking, and I think my creations reflect that.

Other than paper, what other materials have you used?
I have a lot of fun experimenting with clay, and of course, the fun foam that I mentioned already.

Where do you look for inspiration?
It varies, sometimes magazines, sometimes stationery shops, sometimes online galleries.

What kind of workspace do you have?
I’m very fortunate to have an office on my first floor. I have white furniture and storage pieces, so it has a clean, cohesive look that I love. Since I’m in a house full of boys, there are frilly touches here and there – a girl has to have her space!

Jennifer chose these projects to highlight, I hope you find them as inspiring as I do!

Jennifer used S4-192 Blossom, S4-200 Flower Bouquet Miniabilities, S4-189 Labels 3, and S7-013 Grand 12″ Heirloom Scroll Border on her Cute Boy Layout.

This beautiful card uses S4-138 Petite Ovals, Large, S3-150 Ribbon Tags Trio, S3-004 Symbology and she used S4-142 Long Rectangles, Large to emboss.

This fun wreath is made from S4-192 Stars 5 and the (retired) Indulgence Font.

Thank you so much Jennifer!  Find out more about Jennifer on her bio, and visit her personal blog, Created From Paper.

Making frames is a fun and easy technique. Frames can be whimsical, elegant, funky, or whatever style fits your mood or project. With the versatility of Spellbinders’ Die Templates, the sky’s the limit!

Start with your favorite Nestabilities Die Templates, today my favorite is  S4-190 Labels Four. To cut a frame,  place the largest die template on the magnetic spacer plate. Then line up the smaller die template inside of the larger die template. Cut/Emboss in the Wizard and viola! You have a beautifully embossed frame to accent your art.

Consider using different shapes together. Look, you can emboss them too, for additional texture.
Try some Pop Up Glue Dots for even more dimension, or layer thin frames over thick frames, use different colors, different materials…is your head spinning yet? Mine is!  This example employs S5-005 Curved Rectangles and S4-112 Small Classic Ovals.

Blog Team Member Becca Feeken’s use of frames on these cards really adds to the interest, texture and elegance of project.   Becca used Classic Ovals and Classic Ovals Scalloped to make this frame.

On this card Becca used Classic Scalloped Circles and Classic Squares.

For this layout, I used S4-189 Labels Three and S4-194 Large Classic Inverted Scalloped Circles in the center, then added the center Classic Circle stamped with a Just Rite Stampers sentiment. (In case you were wondering, yes, those are my boys.  And yes, that’s how we get a picture taken, one decent shot amidst the rough and tumble! I’m so proud!)

Go ahead and frame yourself, you might like it!

Happy Saturday!

Beth

 

For the past month, Spellbindersâ„¢ has been hosting a creative party for a bunch of very enthusiastic crafters at Splitcoaststampers.com. Designers were asked to use Spellbindersâ„¢ die templates and submit projects in three categories: cards, layouts and altered items.

What a fabulous response we had. All toll, over 170 projects were submitted. Today we are here to announce the winning entries (via random.org) from each category. Designers were added to the list, one time for each category they entered.

So, without further ado:

Card Category Winner is Pammyjo who submitted this card.

Layout Category Winner is buzsy who submitted this layout

Altered Item Category Winner is vdutchr who submitted this altered item

Each of the above crafters will receive $50 in Spellbindersâ„¢ die templates. If you are Pammyjo, Buzsy or Vdutchr, please send an e-mail to spellbinderseditor@yahoo.com.

Thanks to all who participated and filled the Splitcoaststampers gallery with some amazing projects featuring Spellbinders’ projects.

Until next time, Ciao! Eli

We reintroduced Spellbinders’ Pierceabilities not too long ago, here.  Thanks Eli, for the 101! Lets take another look at some more examples.

I made this quick card to use as a lesson for Spellbinders’ Pierceabilities Die Templates.

1. Cut white cardstock 8.5″x5.5″, fold in half.

2. To make the decorative edge on the white cardstock, line up the cut edge of S4-173 Fancy Scallop Pierceabilities die template with one edge of the card.  Secure the die template with household tape.  Cut this edge, no need to emboss it.

3. With a piece of peach Worldwin Double Mates cardstock 5.5″x4.5″, align the cutting edge of the Pierceability with the edge of the cardstock.  Tape in place.  Cut and emboss in the Spellbinders Wizard.

4. Leaving the tape on, you can embellish through the die template like a stencil.  I used ink applied with a sponge applicator for a subtle look.

5. Place die and paper (still taped) onto a foam pad.  Use a piercing tool to poke through the small holes in the die, through the paper.

6. Remove the tape, adhere the pierced cardstock to the front of the card.  Be sure to line up the decorative edges.  Trim excess to fit card front.

In this example I cut and embossed both Long Rectangle die templates.  Then I cut and embossed the S4-165 Pinking Pierceabilities die template along one edge, as above.  I pierced the design while the die template was still taped in place. I traced the outline of the Pierceabilities die template design with a Copic Spica Atyou pen, then traced the Long Rectangle die templates.
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Each Spellbinders’ Pierceabilities Die Template comes with a clear guide. Don’t poke through it! This is used when you want to line up a Pierceabilities Die Template for precision piercing.

Simply decide where you want the pierced design to be, lay the clear guide over the selected spot, then slide the die template underneath the clear guide.

Pierce through the die template, embellish through the die if desired.

You don’t have to cut or emboss with the die template to use the piercing holes.

Wendy Weixler’s Journal of Thanks used the Pierceabilities Die Templates to make the background border on this altered notebook. Wendy used S4-165 Pinking Pierceabilites and S4-147 Labels Trio.

Heidi Blankenship airbrushed with Copic Markers through the die templates and over the flower Impressabilities.  She used S4-173 Fancy Scalloped Butterfly, S4-171 Nested Butterflies, L2-1004 Impressabilities Flowers.

A follow-up to two previous entries by Beth: Embossing 101 and Embossing 201. Check those out if you want to see some of the basics of embossing with the Wizardâ„¢ and using the W-003 Charm Embossing Kit. The following technique also employ the Charm Embossing Kit so you’ll need that if you want to do try this. Today we’re going to explore how to: Flatten bottle caps!

To refresh your memory, the pieces included in the W-003 Charm Embossing Kit are:

A tan embossing pad

A blue master mat that is slightly thinner than the white master mats and will help accommodate thicker objects such as charms or texture plates

A black charm replicating mat. It is a different density and thickness than the tan polymer embossing pad.  Use it as you would the tan mat but when you need a bit more resistance.  It’s not used often, but is a handy little guy.

Let’s talk about smashing bottle caps. I know, you LIKE using your hammer to smash and smash away, letting all your frustrations out on that poor little cap (but not giving you very acceptable results). Why not try this, think of a happy place, a serene valley with a stream running by…now, get out your Wizard and the following: 1 white master mat, the blue master mat, the tan embossing mat, a piece of scratch paper and a few bottle caps (you can purchase unused bottle caps at many web stores selling brewing supplies). Layer the elements as follows:

White Master Mat
Piece of scratch paper
Bottle cap with flat side resting on the scratch paper (If you put the flat side up, when you run the sandwich through the machine, you will embed the bottle cap into the mat…very challenging to remove!)
Tan embossing mat
Blue Mat

Here is where the serenity really takes over…Use the normal cranking motion to get the sandwich through. It won’t feel like anything is happening and you may need to push/pull the sandwich through with both hands…but open it up and Voila! A perfectly flattened, perfectly round, no pounding bottle cap! OHM!

Check out this project created by one of our former design team members, Holly Simoni who will be returning to the team in April. She used the Wizardâ„¢ to flatten all of the bottle caps and added her daughters name using the Spellbinders’ font, Vintage (retired), that fits right into the flattened caps.

Our Blogger, Beth created this set of tags, using the same font as Holly. She created a nice collection using the round top tags. If you don’t have the round top ones, try the S3-028 Standard Tags. Each tag got a different treatment of die cuts and stamping. See the Festive Stocking (second tag) and a few other retired dies.

Jennifer Ellefson’s layout of a beautiful photo in Rome is enhanced by three flat bottle caps, including an extra large one from Maya Road.

Linda Hoffaker, also from a previous design team, flattened the caps and turned them into magnets for this fun and funky To Do Metal Easle.

Look out Portland Oregon!

We’re sending Stacey, Eli and Mary to town!

They’ll be teaching at the Creating Keepsakes Convention at the Portland Convention Center. This terrific trio will be teaching under the Scrap Mart sponsorship.  The classes are Card Free For All, The Choice is Yours, and Totally Techniques.  3 awesome classes, 3 awesome ladies!

Check the schedule for the days and times, you don’t want to miss out.  The Spellbinders’ Wizard and Spellbinders’ Die Templates will be available for purchase at the Scrap Mart booth inside the Vendor Faire.  Don’t forget to check out the CKC website for all the details.

Stay tuned to this blog, they’re letting me loose next!

Beth

Open your mind to apertures!  Technically speaking this would be a hole, an opening, or using the negative part of the die cut.  Its really pretty easy and makes fabulous results, as you’ll see.  Spellbinders’ Die Templates work wonderfully for this technique, their thin profile makes it easy to slide into a card and even emboss the edge around the opening.

So we’ll start with  piece of paper, I’m using a piece of double sided paper.  Fold the paper to make a card.  Place the die template on top of the card, cut side down, line it up to the exact spot you want the opening and tape it down with some low tack tape. (I use regular household tape, touch it to my jeans to make it less sticky.)

Now, with the die template in place, fold the card the opposite way so the inside of the card is on the outside and the die template is in  the middle of the card.  Slide the spacer plate into the card.  Place this between the Master Mats and feed it into the Wizard. Notice that the die is now facing cut side up!

Now you have an opening cut into the card.  Remove the Spacer Plate.  I usually put a piece of scrap cardstock between the die and the back of the card, the scrap piece will emboss slightly instead of the card back.  Leave the card folded as above, but this time place the tan embossing mat on top of the card.  Place in between the Master Mats and feed the sandwich into the Wizard again.

Carefully remove the die template from the card and fold the right way again.  You have an embossed opening!

You could embellish the opening by reverse stenciling, ink the die template before hand.  You can use the die template as a stencil and color through the holes in the die.  You can use the die cut to embellish the inside of the card.  You can use the opening to make a shaker box.

Check out these beautiful examples from our Design Team Members!

Linda Duke used chalk to stencil through the S5-005 Decorative Frames die template, and further embellished with glittered S3-146 Butterflies 2.

Holly Craft used stamps to further embellish her oval aperture.

Donya cut the frame opening and embossed the larger sized S5-006 Mega Curved Rectangle frame as well, to really accent the opening.

Jeni Calkins used the S5-005 Decorative Frames set to highlight this photo for a Fathers Day card.  See how using masculine colors can bring a whole new life to this flourishy and flowery die template?

This was a Make and Take from our CHA Winter 2008 show, isn’t it stunning! We used the S4-137 Classic Scalloped Hearts to cut the front of the card, and layered S4-136 Classic Heart die cuts on the inside.  The patterned paper is from Kaleidoscope Kreator Software.  Here is a tutorial on this Layered Heart Card!

Your cards and projects will take on a new dimension when you open your mind to apertures!

Have a wonderful day!
Beth

Grab your winter weather gear and head up to Minnesota to visit with Heidi Blankenship today. Heidi has been a member of the 2008-2009 Design Team, and will be continuing on with our creative journey as a member of the 2009-2010 Spellbinders’ Design Team. Congratulations Heidi! I can’t wait to see what else you create.

How did you start crafting?
I have been doing some type of crafting ever since I was a little girl. My grandma was very crafty and I can remember she was always trying out new crafts and she would let me try them along with her. I received my first rubber stamps as a Christmas gift when I was seventeen and I have been stamping ever since.

What inspires you?
I can be inspired by everything around me, from my family to my supplies. But I would say most of my inspiration comes when I am listening to my favorite music.

What do you like to make?
I really enjoy making cards, but over the last year I have also found a love for altered projects. I love the challenge of being able to take something and completely change it up.

Tell us about your family.
I am married and my husband, Eric is wonderful and very supportive of my crafting. We have two boys, Dusty who is 15 and Evan who is 6. We live in Albert Lea, a small town in south central Minnesota.

How much time do you spend crafting?
That would depend on what kind of projects I am working on and any deadlines I have to meet and if I am teaching any classes. On the average I would say a minimum of 30 hours a week and sometimes more.

When do you usually craft?
I craft whenever I can! Once the kids are off to school and I have had a couple of cups of coffee I start in on my work for the day. I will work on my projects throughout the day in between all of the other not so fun stuff (cleaning, cooking and laundry—LOL!) until the kids come home. I also work on my crafting projects after the kids are in bed for the night.

Do you shop for supplies locally or online?
Both, I do try to shop locally whenever I can to support the local stamping/scraping shop but I also purchase several supplies online.

Please describe your style?
I think I have a very broad range of style, I can do the simple quick 5 minute cards to very detailed. I appreciate many different styles but I would have to say the style I am most drawn to would be vintage or artsy.

What has been the hardest thing to learn?
I think the most difficult thing is trying to keep everything organized. With paper crafting there are so many supplies from the very tiny to the larger items and all of the tools. I think this is something that most paper crafters are always looking for, new and different ways to store and organize our supplies. Please tell me I’m not alone in this! *wink* Being on several design teams, including JustRite Stampers has been a wonderful and challenging opportunity to stretch my creativity.

Do you teach classes?
Yes, I have been teaching classes for several years. I teach classes in my home twice a month and I have also taught classes at several stores and for community education. Currently I am also teaching classes at our local stamping/scrapbooking store, Scrapping on the Go.

What kind of craft space do you have?
I have a craft room down in our basement. Well, if truth be told I have taken over most of the basement except for the laundry area. The only problem with being in the basement in MN is that it gets really cold in the winter so I tend to move upstairs into the kitchen which is OK, but not ideal. So I am currently in the process of creating an additional space on the main level of our home that will be out of the way and not in the kitchen.

What else do you like to do?
I enjoy spending time with family and friends. I have enjoyed trying several different crafts over the years and painting is another favorite of mine. My mom and I took some painting classes together when I was younger I have been painting ever since. I also enjoy doing floral design, jewelry making, photography, listening to music and being outside gardening in the summer time. Since I like doing several types of crafts I also like to combine them with each other whenever I can.

Heidi wants to highlight these projects:

Heaven’s Flowers

I made three dimensional flowers using a paintbrush to curl the petals and foam tape. I also added some glitter and a little bit of bling to the Fancy Pants large flourish, as well as rub-ons from Fancy Pants.  I used S4-109 Flower Creations Three,  S4-121Doodle Parts,  S4-110 Classic Ovals Large,  S4-111 Classic Scalloped Ovals Large, and the Mystic font on this layout.

Rose Blossom Bird Feeder

I altered the bird feeder using a crafting foil and filled in the back to keep the rose shape from the die and then painted a base coat and colored with Copic markers. I  used S4-044 Rose Blossoms Edgeabilities,  S4-121Doodle Parts and S4-123 Flying Beauties die templates on this bird feeder.

Sweet Cupcake
Using the polka-dot die template from the S4-174 Deckle Scalloped Edge Petite Borderabilities I made a polka-dot background for the card. For the S3-156 Cupcake I used a mirror cardstock on the foil part and a combination of liquid applique’, brown ink refill and clear dimensional glaze for the frosting and added some beads for sprinkles. The mat for the cupcake is the S4-161 Labels One die template.

Thank you Heidi, we look forward to seeing more of your designs! To keep up with Heidi, you can see her bio and read her personal blog, Embellished Dreams.