Tattered Angels & Spellbinders™ are in a blog hop all month long! Today, our Design Team Member Karen Taylor will inspire us with her project. Please go visit her blog and see what kind of eye candy she has in store for us! Come back to our blog and find out who is next on the hop!

Taking Eli’s Savvy Saturday’s idea of using craft foam, I took it to another level to make a cushy project of my own. Instead of only using the foam as a stamp, why not use it as an element for my home decor too. I had a red tin bucket and wanted to do add something to display on my hallway table.

From my Spellbinders™ collection, I got out: S7-017 On The Vine Border Grand and S4-230 Labels Six die templates #6 #4 & #3 (#1 being in the smallest).

First with the 4.5×12″ strip of craft foam, I cut/embossed S7-017 On The Vine Border Grand. I left the craft foam in the die template and sprayed Tattered Angels’ Gold Glimmer Mist. Carefully, take out the die cut to set aside to dry. Clean your die template immediately to avoid staining.

With the JustRite Stampers’ Times New Roman Uppercase Font Set 50 pt. and the smaller Horizontal Wood Stamper, I stamped “Fall ‘09″ on a piece of cream cardstock and proceeded to cut/embossed with the S4-230 Labels Six die #3. Taking an orange cardstock from my scrap stash, I cut/embossed the S4-230 Labels Six #4 to mat behind the stamped cream cardstock.

Using Cosmo Cricket Early Bird Collection, I cut/embossed the S4-230 Labels Six #6. Then I cut/embossed a part of S7-017 On The Vine Border Grand with craft foam to use as a stamp. With the various colors of the Clearsnap Queue Inks, I stamped parts of the leaves and vine onto the label.  Then adhered the matted “Fall ‘09″ image onto the stamped label with foam adhesive to give it a 3D effect.

With adhesive dots, I adhered the foam vine onto the tin bucket and then adhered the “Fall ‘09″ label in the middle. Now to add some gourd and squash! It’s ready to display for little “treat or treat” visitors and even for that Thanksgiving dinner!

Hope it makes you look at craft foam in a different way!
MargieH

World Card Making Day is Saturday (tomorrow), October 3rd!! We’re having a little fun over on Facebook:

Post a card using Spellbinders Die Templates on Spellbinders™ Facebook page on World Card Making Day and be entered to win a Spellbinders Die Template. We will randomly draw a name from all the participants!

Hey there scrapbooking fans! Here’s one for you today. I just had to share these pics of my family enjoying a Fall day in the park. I love the feeling of movement in them. Design-wise, I tried to include a variety of shapes to keep things interesting: ovals, lines, circles…These ideas can be applied to any card or layout.

I started by printing my photos at home and cutting them using the Oval Nestabilities®. The first attempt yielded an oval that was too big. As you can see below, the top and bottom edges of the photos’ white frame show… now, we can’t have that!!!

Not to worry…

The brilliant thing about Nestabilities® is that you can increase or decrease the size by just an eighth of an inch increment, providing a great deal of flexibility when designing.

So (now stick with me here), I began with S4-138 Petite Ovals, Large #6. (When counting die numbers, start with the smallest die template and count out to the largest.) This happens to be the largest in the set. If I went to #5 in the set, I would have a 1/4″ decrease. I thought that would crop too much of the photo. So I chose the largest in the coordinating set, S4-140 Petite Ovals, Small #5 which was 1/8″ smaller. It gave me the  perfect size.

And guess what? Since I wanted a 1/8″ mat around the photo, I used the first die template I used, S4-138 Petite Ovals Small, #6, to cut pink cardstock. Boy, these Nestabilities® sure are handy!!

If you want to try your hand at this layout or use it for inspiration for another project, you’ll need the following supplies: W-001 Wizard™, S4-138 Petite Ovals Large, S4-140 Petite Ovals Small, S7-017 On the Vine Borderabilities® Grand, S4-235 Fancy Tags from Spellbinders™

along with Chatterbox Fabulous bird rub-on, green patterned ribbon, epoxy sticker; The Paper Company Chocolate Brown, Sable papers; Cosmo Cricket Girl Friday patterned paper; Core’dinations pink cardstock; Creative Impression pink ribbon; SCRAPBOOK ADHESIVE by 3L, 3-D squares, Photo Tape; brown ruched paper, white opaque pen, sewing machine and thread

Now go out and PLAY!! Eli

We’ve had almost a whole month of awesome posts on Impressabilities™ and I thought it would be fun to remind you of a few techniques you might have learned this month, teach you a new one and use it all on a card…with Partial Impressabilities™, Impressabilities™ Letterpress, Chalk over Ink and using one of our most popular Limited Edition die templates…all in one card. Sound like too much?

Naaaaah, we like to put it all together.

So, just to remind you, Beth put together this tutorial on how to use Impressabilities™ as a Letterpress and Margie put one together last Saturday on how to use a Partial Impressabilities™. So I used both those techniques but also want to share with you a technique that Stacey Caron created. It is simply called “Chalk over Ink”. It’s not too challenging but gives a great “wow” effect. Let’s check it all out, step-by-step.

Gather your supplies: Wizard™, S4-227 Pumpkins Nestabilities®, I2-1001 Impressabilities™ Paisley, S4-235 Fancy Tags, The Robin’s Nest Halloween Swirl patterned paper, Cosmo Cricket “Girl Friday” patterned paper, Clearsnap ColorBox cat eye inks in Chianti and Picante, Taylored Expressions sentiment stamp, Creative Impressions ribbons, 3L SCRAPBOOK ADHESIVES–Black 3-D Adhesive Squares and Photo Tape, Decorating chalks, Hole punch, Green staples, Stapler

Next you might want to go review the techniques in the links above. You’ll need to cut one of your Impressabilities templates and letterpress some paper using a slow-drying pigment ink. I started by using green ink as in this example but tried orange and used it for the final card.

Then just color away with your decorating chalks. I like to use my bare finger to rub color over the inks and around on the smooth cardstock. You’ll notice the ink seems to grab onto the chalk, intensifying the color. I used several colors–red, orange, green and yellow–on this to get the desired effect.

Next, cut the letterpressed paper using the largest Pumpkins Nestabilities™ so that the letterpress image shows right where you want it. I do not emboss over letterpress as it tends to flatten the image.

The rest is up to you…After creating the Letterpressed pumpkin, trim a background mat to 5-1/4  by 5-1/4″ and add it to the card base (11×5-1/2″) folded in half. Punch a hole in the stem of the pumpkin, thread the ribbons through it and staple to secure. Stamp a sentiment onto paper and cut/emboss it with S4-235 Fancy Tags. Adhere the pumpkin by placing a double layer of 3-D adhesive squares down the middle. Add 3-D squares to the sentiment tag and add to the card: VOILA a lovely, fall friendship card, using several techniques.

Eli

For most, we are in full swing of “Back to School” mode - the early mornings, the bag lunches and the routine. Here in an empty (and quiet!) house, I was cleaning my closet and found a box of pictures of my boys in their younger years…they were so cute! What happened? They grew up…a little! LOL!

As the theme is ”back to school” today, I am learning something new. I thought I’d try my hand at Karen Taylor’s technique of using the Impressabilities to make a “Back to School” layout of my oldest when he hit first grade. Then add into the mix, my favorite technique of letterpressing.

First I gathered what I needed from my Spellbinders’ stash: I2-1010 Impressabilities™ Pebbles, S4-230 Labels Six die #5 & #6 (#1 being the smallest size) and a retired tag die template.

I had some foam shapes and letters in my sticker binder for awhile so it was a great excuse to use them! After reading how Eli and Beth heated the Impressabilities™ to emboss, I thought what about heating the foam instead?

Before I started my experiment, I had everything for my Wizard™ all set up so I can make that mad dash to the sandwich of (from bottom):

White Master Mat
Favorite Impressability
Foam Shape or Letters
Tan Embossing Mat
White Master Mat

Using my tweezer, I heated the black foam arrow with its white backing intact (I cut the shape from its sticker sheet) and the surface turned into a shiny coat. Quickly I put the heated foam face down, placed the Tan Embossing Mat and White Master Mat on top. Passed the sandwich through the Wizard™. Repeat the process for the foam letters that spelled out “Back To School.”

After heating all that foam, I used the letterpress technique that I had posted last month by using Clearsnap Queue ink (notice the frame behind the journaling box?). The journaling was written on S4-230 Labels Six die #5 and the letterpressed frame, I used S4-230 Labels Six die #6. For more details on how to letterpress, please refer HERE.

With Cosmo Cricket “Boyfriend” collection (papers, ribbon and rub-ons) and chalking the edges with Clearsnap Fluid Chalk Ink - Chestnut Roan, I was able to complete a real fun layout for my first grader of long ago! LOL!

Today’s Savvy Saturday is all about  Letterpress.  This technique dates back to the year 1450, with thanks going to Johannes Gutenberg, as the main method of printing until the invention of offset printing. That is today’s history lesson.

You can do this technique with Spellbinders’™ Impressabilities™!  I started by playing with ink.  I rolled my brayer across an ink pad, then onto the I2-1004 Impressabilties™ Flowers.  I built my sandwich this way:

• White Master Mat
• Inked Impressabilties™ (ink side up)
• Paper
• Embossing Mat
• White Master Mat

Feed the sandwich into the Wizard™.  One pass in the Wizard™ will emboss the paper and transfer the ink into the debossed areas. This is the result with Clearsnap ColorBox White Pigment Ink and black cardstock:

Then I tried acrylic paint. This is the result with Ranger’s paint.  This is a fast drying acrylic paint, and despite working quickly, I am not 100% happy with the coverage in this example. We’ll come back to paint another time.

So then I got to thinking, if ink works, what about ink and embossing powder? I used the brayer to apply Clearsnap Top Boss Watermark Ink to the Impressabilities™, fed the sandwich through the Wizard™ and then applied Sparkle and Sprinkle’s Outerspace Embossing Powder. I heated the paper to melt the powder. Oh my! Its beautiful! Check this out:

Then I did the reverse stencil technique with Clearsnap Black Pigment Ink and S4-234 Ribbon Tags Trio  2, the oval shape. I stamped “thank you” from Hero Arts onto the label with the same ink, and added ribbon from my stash.  It needed just one more thing, so I cut an oval using S4-112 Classic Ovals, Small #4, from the same patterned paper, which is Fancy Pants Caroling.  I mounted that onto black cardstock.

I love the texture and sheen from the embossing powder, don’t you?

Spellbinders™ Die Templates used: S5-019 Labels Eight, S4-112 Classic Ovals, Small #4, S4-234 Ribbon Tags Trio 2, I2-1004 Impressabilities™ Flowers.

Here are a few examples from our Design Team Members:

 Janine Blackwelder also used Impressabilities™ Flowers for this bookmark.  She cut the Impressabilties™ apart and letterpressed a small section.  Clearsnap ink, Hero Arts stamps, and the S4-112 Classic Ovals, Small as well as S4-113 Scalloped Classic Ovals, Small were used on this project.

Julie Overby embossed her chipboard letters with Impressabilities™ Flowers. On the card she used S5-019 Labels Eight; 12-1004 Impressabilities™ Flowers;  Cardstock; Patterned paper; Cosmo Cricket and Maya Road chipboard; ClearSnap Colorbox Ink.

Have a wonderful Saturday!
Beth

PS. Don’t forget to go over to “When Creativity Knocks!” - and vote for Impressabilities™ in the Great Crafter’s Tool Hunt…you could win something cool and we would win ultimate fame and glory (maybe even a trophy? who knows). Click HERE for more info.  Voting closes September 8 at midnight PST.

As Beth extended her borders onto her wonderful notebook project, I am extending it onto my one page layout today.

I am using one of my favorite Borderabilities®, the S4-218 Lattice Borderabilities® #1 die (the border die - the one that cuts/embosses one edge and can be used to make continuous cuts). On this page, I also used several other die templates: S4-190 Labels Four #2, S4-195 Small Classic Inverted Scalloped Circles #4 and S4-160 Nested Birds #1…notice the W-027 Die Carry Case? I am so happy that these will be available SOON! I definitely need many of them!!

Using a 12″ x 1 1/2″ strip of Core’dinations cardstock, take a piece of household tape (took off some of the adhesive by tapping it on my jeans - very technical! LOL!) and tape the border die cut side down onto the strip. The tape should be on the non-cut/embossing edge of the die (please refer to the picture).

We start by cutting the border first. The cut sandwich (from bottom):
White Master Mat
Magnetic Spacer Plate
S4-218 Lattice Borderabilities® Border (cut side UP)
Cardstock
White Master Mat

After cutting, we will emboss using the following sandwich (from bottom):
White Master Mat
Embossing Mat
Cardstock
S4-218 Lattice Borderabilities® Border (cut side DOWN)
White Master Mat

Carefully remove the tape and set aside…we will be using it again. Take the die and poke out all the paper bits that are left in the die by using a toothpick or paper piercer. To continue to cut the border, shift the die over to the next section of the strip to be cut.

Line up the die like the first run and repeat the cut/emboss process again. Note: when embossing, make sure not to overlap the Tan Embossing Pad onto the embossed area from your first cut or it will flatten out. Trim any excess. Since I was going to bulk up with embellishments at the end of the border, I did not cut an entire 12″ border and left an inch of empty space underneath the embellishments.

Using Cosmo Cricket, I made a page about the boys’ first experience with Shabu Shabu. It is a traditional Japanese dish where each person swishes a slice to thinly slice meat into a boiling pot of dashi soup (the name, Shabu Shabu, came from this swishing action) - takes seconds to cook. YUMMY! OK…back to what I was doing!

I inked the edges of the papers, accents and border with Clearsnap ink. Adhered all the papers and pictures onto the layout. Placed pearls on the border and adhered the border to the bottom of the layout. I cut all the Spellbinders die templates: S4-190 Labels Four #2 (journal spot), S4-195 Small Classic Inverted Scalloped Circles #4 (frame for the flower accent) and S4-160 Nested Birds #1 (cut with felt as an embellishment). Then added some embellishments from my huge pile in my scrapbook area and..Tada! Another page of good (eating) memories done!

MargieH

With all this talk about Pendants and using them with their coordinating Borderabilities®, I figured today I would pair up two different Pendant pieces to make one project.

Since I have the S4-209 Tulips Pendant and the S4-204 Fleur de Lis Pendant, I used a combination of the Tulips Pendant and the Fleur de Lis Center pieces. With these components along with the Cosmo Cricket Early Bird Collection, I did an altered home decor for a friend’s retro themed kitchen - a perfect combination!

The base is a 4″x 8″ canvas panel that I purchased from an art supply store. I inked the edges with red acrylic paint on both the canvas and the background paper which was cut to cover the canvas. Then set aside to dry.

I cut and embossed my S4-209 Tulip Pendant (with its center in place). After embossing, I took out the center piece (for another use) and left my cut piece in the template. With Clearsnap Queue, I inked to contrast the cream cardstock. I also cut and embossed with Core’dinations red cardstock another Tulip Pendant piece. The red Tulip Pendant will be saved for another project but I wanted the tulips to fill in the gaps in the cream Tulip Pendant by popping them up with Scrapbook Adhesives’ foam tape.

Then I cut and embossed the S4-204 Fleur de Lis Pendant center piece which I lightly sanded to show the embossing. After gathering various embellishments to fit the theme, I adhered the pieces to the background paper and then on to the canvas to complete the altered home decor for my friend.

There you have it…two Pendants in one project! Does that give you more ideas for your Pendant Project Contest entries (hint! hint!!)?! Remember the deadline (Monday, August 10th) is around the corner but you still have time! There will be five (5) winners. Curious about the entries? Take a look HERE! There are a lot of talented people but you don’t know unless you enter so GOOD LUCK!

Thanks to Kimberly Crawford for that adorable card and the beautiful holiday project (she’ll be posting a tutorial on how to make the book on Friday!). Amazing what you can do with the S4-231 Labels Seven die template and the I2-1005 Impressabilities® Circles together. WOW!

For those of you entering our Frenzy contest, don’t forget that you have until July 16th (11:59 PM EST) to send in your email. The link is in Kimberly’s blog.

OK! Next up for Day Eight is Design Team Member Julie Overby and she is here to reveal S7-016 Poinsettia Borderabilities® Grand.

Do you have a scrap room or a scrap area?
We have a walk-in closet…or so it used to be. My sweet husband has so graciously allowed me to convert half of it into my “scrap space.”

Are you a messy crafter or an organized crafter?
Messy, for sure!

Who is your favorite promotional partner?
I was beyond thrilled when I found out that Cosmo Cricket was on Spellbinders’ promotional partners. I love their papers!

Do you have a favorite snack while creating?
M&Ms and pretzels…I’m a sweet and salty kinda gal!

Are you more of a “collector” or an “as needed” crafter?
I’m definitely an “as needed” crafter. However, if something new comes out that I think I can’t live without, I pretty much talk myself into why I “need” it but then I do use it!

Here are some of Julie’s most recent projects to share!

What a great home decor idea that Karen Hunsaker did by using S4-229 Labels Five set - thank you! A reminder for those who are entering our Frenzy contest, you have until July 12th (11:59PM EST) to send your email…the link is in Karen’s blog.

As we approach Day Four, we will be visiting Design Team Member Kazan Clark who will be revealing S4-234 Ribbon Tag Trio 2 set.

Get to know Kazan as we posed a few questions her way!

Do you have a scrap room or a scrap area?
I am lucky to have a scrap room that is part of our walkout basement. I do share it with our girls who have a craft table there but 99.9% of the area is mine! To top it off, we have a big screen TV and large sliding doors that lead out into the garden. The shelves on the walls keep my goodies organized and within easy reach. During the summer, I can watch the girls play outside and in the winter, the snow is equally inspiring.

Are you a messy crafter or an organized crafter?
Both! When I create, my desk is filled with everything from papers to embellishments plus the tools I need to work with. After each project, I clean my desk by packing away everything in the right containers and then start from scratch. All my products are organized into baskets and containers so I know where to find something when I need it.

Are you an altered arts, scrapbook or card kinda gal?
Cards come first, then scrapbooking and finally, altered arts. I do enjoy working on all three immensely especially if I am inspired with a project. So the order of that list can change depending on what I am working on.

Who is your favorite promotional partner?
Hmmm..I especially love My Mind’s Eye and Cosmo Cricket for their pattern papers. Everyone loves Core’dinations cardstock - it is amazing to work with. Clearsnap’s ink is so smooth and delicious…then there are those amazing JustRite Stampers too! And lately, I’ve been into vintage so Crafty Secrets products have been top on my list! Oh, boy! Did I just name almost all of them?!

Favorite music or TV programs while creating?
I have so little time to watch TV so I usually put on a news channel like CNN and have that playing in the background. I am a bit of a news/political junky so I get the best of both worlds: News & Crafting! If the girls are crafting with me, it is Angelina Ballerina or a Princess Barbie DVD.

Here are some of Kazan’s works of art!