Edgeabilities, that is!   And what a difference embossing makes!  I wanted to share a few more examples from our wonderful designers.  You’ve seen Holly Craft’s Wedding Ensemble here before:

Here’s a close up of her card to the bride and groom which she kept the die cut intact on the front of the card, and used reverse stenciling to ink the debossed areas in a darker green.  On the seating card for the reception Holly trimmed the die cut to use just the flower portion.  Holly used the S4-044 Rose Blossom Edgeabilities on these projects.

Product Designer Toni Kelly also used the S4-044 Rose Blossom Edgeabilities.  She cut and embossed onto white paper.  Easy yet so very elegant!

Here is another comparison of 2 designers working with S5-004 Sunflower Garden Edgeabilities. Design Team Coordinator Cathy Chlebana cut, embossed and inked the paper, then used the aperture to highlight a stamped verse.  Can you see how the embossed border outlines the project?

This is 2008 Design Team Member Holly Craft’s artwork with the same die template, S5-004 Sunflower Garden Edgeabilities.  She also used a stamped verse, but used reverse stenciling with brown ink to highlight the embossed border, as well as stenciling through the die template to further color the embossed areas of the die cut.

Thank you ladies!
Beth

Creating stamps using Spellbinder die templates is super easy, giving you another versatile way to use our products. Today, I’m going to share a few simple steps and some fabulous art to inspire you to give this a try.

First, you’ll need to gather some supplies:

Your Wizard and favorite die templates
Fun Foam
Stamping Inks
Wood or acrylic stamping block
Double-sided tape
Papers and other fun creative supplies

Here is what you do, it couldn’t be more simple…

1. Choose a die template that you want to make into a stamp.
2. Cut and emboss the template from fun foam.
   Cut Sandwich: White master mat, spacer plate (white plastic for purple machine and magnetic for raspberry machine), die template with cut ridges up, fun foam and white master mat.
   Emboss Sandwich: white master mat, die template with ridges up, fun foam, embossing pad and white master mat.
3. Use double-stick tape to temporarily stick the stamp to a wood or acrylic block.
4. Ink the stamp and impress it onto your project.

These are so fun and easy to make and will last a few stampings. Check out some of the great art that our designers created using this amazing technique.

By Jennifer Ellefson

Jennifer used the Labels One (S4-161) die template and inked and stamped it in four different colors, providing a background for her butterfly stamps made from Nested Butterflies (S4-171) die template. She gave it a fun, textural look with embossing powder.

Embellished Frame Card by Holly Craft

Holly often adds stamped images to cardstock, creating the look of subtly patterned papers. Here, she used the Floral Accents (S4-199) to enhance the paper behind the photo

Decorated Flower Pot by Holly Craft

Holly created a whole garden party ensemble and this is just one of the elements. She created the stamp from the Sunflower Two die template (S4-158) to embellish her flower pot. Beautiful!

With all the fun we’ve been having around here with the Impressabilities, I wanted to try them out with our stamp making fun.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Emboss fun foam with the Impressabilities template of your choice. Mine was the Butterfly Impressability. The embossing seemed to be so slight, I didn’t think I would get a very good image. But I wanted to know for sure.
   
2. Cut the fun foam with die template of your choice. I chose the Nested Birds (so springy).
3. Place the die cut onto a stamping block. I used an acrylic block and double stick tape.
4. Ink the die cut. I used a metallic ink in spring green.
5. Impress the stamp you made onto chosen paper.  Green grass by WorldWin (Are you noting a “springish” trend here?)
6. Be amazed at what a cool image it is..subtle but clear.

I finished the project with a sentiment, doodling around the edge and a ribbon for a gift tag. Voila!

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

Reverse Stenciling.  We’ve been tossing these words around like you all know what we mean.  Today’s Savvy Saturday is a tutorial on Reverse Stenciling, so you really will know what we mean.  I hope you try it and like it, because it’s really fun and easy, yet impressive and allows you to take your Spellbinders’ Die Templates to another level.

First, to use your Spellbinders’ Die Templates as a stencil, you would apply chalk, ink, paint or your favorite embellishing product to the paper from the back side of the die, the side with the openings.  The openings are what allow for embossing.  By applying ink to the back side, you are coloring the embossed area of the die cut.

For reverse stenciling, we will be coloring the debossed area of the die cut.  To do that, we need to apply ink to the inside of the die, from the cutting side, and apply it before we feed the die into the Wizard.  When using the geometrically shaped die templates such as the Nestabilities, reverse stenciling makes a beautiful crisp edge around the die cut.

Design Team Member Holly Craft provided us with some step photos. Holly used an ink brayer to ink the cut side of the S4-044 Rose Blossom Edgeabities with a darker green ink. You could also apply the ink pad directly to the die template.

Holly cut and embossed the papers.  The debossed area is colored with ink.

She can then apply a different color of ink to the embossed area, using the die as a stencil and applying through the opening on the back side of the die template, or directly to the die cut as shown.

Now Holly has a multi-toned die cut.  These pieces were done for Holly’s daughter’s wedding.

Here are a few more examples of how our Design Team Members have created amazing artwork using the reverse stenciling technique.

Wendy Weixler’s Flower Wreath using the S4-200 Flower Bouquet Miniabilities is just gorgeous!

Heidi Blankenship’s layouts utilize reverse stenciling on some of the flowers and the moth, and the suitcases.  Isn’t her son adorable!

Thank you ladies! To see the detail even closer, you can click on the pictures. Have a wonderful Saturday!!
Beth

This week we have the pleasure of spending a little time with Holly Craft (and yes, that is her real last name!).  Holly is a two time Design Team Member, she was on the very first team in 2005 and came back in 2008.

What led you to crafting?
I have always enjoyed drawing and sewing and photography and making cards. As a five year old, I would draw the comics and I would sew clothes for my Barbie doll. My father was a painter and photographer, my mother a seamstress and wonderful cook and my grandmother did needlework. I learned from all of them. I began scrapbooking in the early 90’s for the PTA at my children’s elementary school before there were any decorative papers even available. I would make cards as a child with pieces of plastic flowers….hmm; maybe someone should put flowers in a bottle and sell them?

Do you have a background in art or design?
Yes, my Associates Degree is in art and I also did studies in Graphic Design as an adult.

Tell us about your family.
My two children are both married. My daughter lives in Memphis, TN and is a high school history teacher. My son lives in Tuscaloosa, AL while his wife finishes law school and he works at a bank. My husband and I live in the metro area of Atlanta, GA where we have lived since we moved “north” from Florida in 1986.

Do you ever teach classes?
I always wanted to be a teacher as a child, so I really enjoy teaching classes. It takes a lot of time and work to prepare a class. I have taught throughout the southeastern US, but have not had the time lately, unfortunately.

Do you prefer to make cards or scrapbooks or altered art?
I enjoy all three equally….just depends what the die tells me when it “talks to me”.

Do you work outside of the home?
Crafting is full time for me. I do work for several companies and would like to get back to teaching classes when I have the time. The last full time job I had was doing artwork, displays and floral in a major supermarket. I enjoyed doing that, but once I discovered stamping, it took over my life….and house!

What kind of workspace do you have?
My workspace is cluttered with an appearance of being unorganized. I have an organized mind however, so I know where most everything is located. Perhaps I will make it a goal this year to become more organized, but I will never have one of those neat freak white studios like you see online. It just isn’t me. I am, however, always on time with deadlines.

Besides paper, what other materials do you use in your art?
I have been called the Queen of Road Trash as I am always finding things to put through the Wizard or to use as found objects. I love using metal, leather, coffee filters, etc. I have a collection of different gutter guards that I use to emboss a quilting pattern on my cards.

How would you describe your style?
I think my style would be called classic and eclectic. I don’t usually do real funky stuff or cutesy, but I feel that I can do whatever style is called for with given materials. I do like the vintage look.

Besides paper crafting, watercolor, calligraphy and photography are some of my favorite things. Luckily I can use them all together in my crafts. The examples below show my love for watercolor and nature (on the card with flower and butterfly), my love for calligraphy and photography and fonts and travel (on the layout) and my love to experiment with many materials like handmade paper and metals (the Mr. Fix It pencil box). I have been designing with the Wizard since 2004 and the ranges of things I can do with it (such as flower pounding, something I figured out in 2004) still amaze me.

To see more of  Holly’s handiwork, you can visit her Blog Frenzy Introduction, her Savvy Saturday on Impressabilities, and her personal blog, Today’s Creations.

Thank you Holly!

Beth

Hey piercing fans! Spellbinders Pierceabilities are back and ready for action. You can now order them at SpellbindersPaperArts.com. Or you can head to your local scrapbook store soon to pick them up soon.

We thought you might enjoy a little refresher course on how to use them.

Lights! Camera! Action!

To create this project, begin by gathering supplies.

Make sure you have some kind of piercing tool (specific piercing tools can be found on the web or, in a pinch, try a push pin).

Next, you’ll need some kind of mat that you can pierce INTO. Again, you can find piercing mats on the web or grab something around the house that functions as an equivalent unit…hmmm…how about a piece of thick cork, a yoga mat or even a spongie mouse pad? Now, I haven’t tried these myself but know you can experiment with a variety of household items to save a bit of money. (Which’ll leave you more for the really important stuff: more die templates.)

Don’t forget to collect your Pierceabilities die templates, Wizard, Mats, Pads and papers too.

Begin with the cut/emboss step that we use so frequently here. Notice that Pierceabilities only has one cut edge. This gives you versatility to cut a card edge, create a border or cut, flip it around and cut again for a strip. Cool.

You might be asking a question: Why didn’t Spellbinders make templates that already punched the holes? We did think about it. BUT again, we want to provide versatility. If the template punched all the holes, you wouldn’t have any choices. This way, you can choose which parts you want to pierce, or NOT pierce…nice, huh.

So, you’ve cut/embossed to get something like this:

Then, it’s time to use your Pierceability for what it was made:

1. Place your project onto the piercing mat.
2. Align the template onto the original embossing or wherever you want to pierce.
3. Use the piercing tool to punch through the template holes and paper.
4. Try to get the piercing tool to the same depth each time a providing consistent holes.
5. Use your piercing tool perpendicular to your project, or as vertical as possible, also for consistency. Complete all the holes desired.
6. Remove template and enjoy the results.

Let’s enjoy some of our Design Team members “results” with these three projects.

Card by Holly Craft. Altered Pillow Box by Jennifer Ellefson. Layout by Wendy Weixler.

Funny that I should call this part 2, because I’m going to show that you can take apart the Spellbinders™ Impressabilities™ Templates and use Parts where ever your little heart desires.

The Spellbinders™ Impressabilities™ Templates are made of metal, but thin enough that your craft scissors can cut through the small sections.  No need to for heavy equipment on this technique.

Design Team Member Holly Craft cut this Impressabilities™ Snowflake Template so that she could emboss the outside of a card front.  she also inked the template, so that the debossed portion was colored after she passed the embossing sandwich through the Wizard.  You can see she kept the small snowflakes, cut them apart, and can use them to emboss anywhere on the project.  She could also color those with Copic Markers and use the individual pieces as an actual metal element on a project.

In this example, Holly cut up the Impressabilities™ Paisley Template to ink and emboss a corner of her project.  Wouldn’t that look beautiful on an envelope?  How about a journaling block?

Below is an example of the Impressabilities™ Snowflake Template.  This time Lead Design Team Member Cathy Chlebana cut the template so the snowflakes were all in a line, then embossed it into a strip of Core’dinations Cardstock and sanded it.

You can cut the Spellbinders™ Impressabilities™ Templates into any size you like, and emboss them in any position.

Here’s one more example, this quick example of using the Impressabilities™ Butterfly Template.  The cardstock is a glossy black from Worldwin, and the Impressabilities™ Butterfly Template was embossed and the card was sanded.

So the question remains, if you cut up your Impressabilities™ Templates, can you still use them as a whole?  YES!  With a thin magnet you can place your pieces back together and emboss as a whole.  Or, you could buy 2 templates, keep one full size and have fun with various sized pieces of the other.  The price is affordable enough to be able to have a whole lot of fun and impress your friends at the same time.

Beth

Spellbinders™ Impressabilities™ is a new embossing tool to use with the Spellbinders™ Wizard™.   Spellbinders™ Impressabilities™ templates are made for embossing, debossing, embellishing and more. The templates measure 4.5 x 5.75″, and are made of thin metal. Spellbinders™ Impressabilities™ emboss in the Wizard™ using the same sandwich you would use to emboss Spellbinders™ Die Templates, which is:

White Master Mat
Impressabilities Template
Paper or other material to emboss
Tan Embossing Mat
White Master Mat

Design Team Member Holly Craft had a chance to play with the Impressabilities™ and is sharing her artwork  today. Shown above is the poster she made for the CHA Innovations display. Lets delve deeper into the artwork.

On this card, the dark blue background is embossed with Spellbinders™ I2-1002 Impressabilities™ Butterfly onto velvet paper. The focal point square is embossed and letter pressed, then Holly added butterflies that she cut from the unused portion of the paper. To achieve the inked look, first apply ink to the Impressabilities template. Then build your sandwich as listed above, with the inked template facing the paper. This will apply ink to the debossed areas of the paper. Then, while the ink is still wet on the template, put another piece of paper in the sandwich and run it through the Wizard™ again. You will get the same embossing result, but a lighter, second generation inking. Use this for matting.

On this card Holly embossed the Spellbinders™ Impressabilities Paisley template into craft foil, and sanded the embossed areas of the foil. Then when Holly cut/embossed the Classic Heart die template, the original embossing flattens out, but still leaves the beautiful pattern.

This card employs two techniques with ink and Impressabilities Snowflake.  The background of the card is letter pressed, as explained above.  The square mounted on the scalloped die cut is embossed.  Then when Holly took the sandwich out of the Wizard she flipped it over, took off the White Master Mat and applied ink to the paper thru the Impressabilities template, just like you would with a stencil.  So yes, you could ink the template from either side for 2 different effects!

On this card, Holly first embossed the Flower Impressabilities template onto Core’dinations cardstock, then sanded it to reveal the colored core.  Then she airbrushed Copic markers onto a piece of Premium Craft Foil, cut/embossed it, and then sanded off the embossed areas of the metal die cuts.

This last card requires an extra tan embossing mat.  Holly used a circle cutter to cut this mat.

Instead of using the entire embossing mat, Holly only used the cut-out circle on the part she wanted embossed.  Holly calls this selective embossing.  She placed the Spellbinders’ Impressabilities template on the White Master Mat, placed her paper on top of it, then the circle, then the White Master Mat and fed the sandwich into the Wizard.  Just the section covered by the the tan circle embossed!  Additional tan embossing mats are available for purchase if you want to experiment with this technique.

Thank you Holly for starring in today’s Savvy Saturday!

Spellbinders’ Impressabilities will be shipping to your favorite Spellbinders’ retailer the first week of March.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Beth

Now we are beginning to really have some fun. We keep out-pacing ourselves: So far, we’ve awarded 4 die template sets: one on day one and three on day two. (Maybe I should get my calculator out for this) Well, today we’ll match that total (I know, mind boggling) and give away 4 more: First remember Holly Craft’s reveal on Day three: S4-199 Floral Accent . Thanks Holly for your amazing artwork on your Today’s Creations Blog. Then see the two previously released die template sets. (Pick Me! Pick Me!)

We had a more than 2100 entries on Holly’s Blog for her 48 hours of fun.

I went over to Random.org and we got:

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

1292

Timestamp: 2009-01-09 14:32:14 UTC

With that, our winner is:

Maggi of House Springs, MO

Maggie will receive the dies seen above: Floral Accents, Labels Four, Small Classic Inverted Scalloped Squares and Large Classic Inverted Scalloped Squares

When we contacted her, she said:

Thanks to all who played this round and keep entering for more chances to win and ever-increasing number of die templates.

A housekeeping note to start off today, we will be announcing winners of the daily contests as soon as we have made contact with them.  Watch your email!

Do you love learning more about the designers?  Stay tuned to this blog for complete spotlights on the 2008-2009 Design Team, coming in February and March.  Our talented designers have a lot more to share with us, and I love learning more about them and their creative processes.

Today’s hostess and designer is Holly Craft, and yes, her real last name is Craft!  Holly was on the original design team in 2005 and has joined us again for 2008-2009.  Holly is a wife, and mother in her real life, and enjoys papercrafting, scrapbooking, photography, travel and sewing. Her latest hobby is knitting.  Holly has always enjoyed coloring and working with paper and was always drawing and making cards as a child. She majored in art in college and enjoyed doing watercolor and all types of crafting.

She began scrapbooking in the early nineties, before it was “cool” and then discovered rubber stamping in ‘99. “Life has not been the same since for her…or her husband, or her house,” she says! Within 6 months of her discovering stamping, she was published in Rubber Stamper. Since then, she has been published in Legacy, Memory Makers Magazine and others. Holly’s work has been on the websites of many companies, including Inkadinkadoo, Serendipity Stamps, Scor-it, Websters Pages and Craf-T.

In addition to crafting, Holly enjoys photography and travel and now has time for that since her two children are married and away from home. She enjoys teaching classes and has represented several companies at conventions.

Here is one example of Holly’s creative mind.  Thank you so much Holly!

Subscribe to Spellbinder’s Blog (on the upper left hand side of this screen) so you don’t miss the tutorials, designer spotlights and creative inspiration we have planned.  Don’t forget to visit Holly’s blog, Today’s Creations to see todays product reveal and to enter to win the dies from days 1,2, 3!