We’ve had almost a whole month of awesome posts on Impressabilitiesâ„¢ 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 Impressabilitiesâ„¢, Impressabilitiesâ„¢ 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 Impressabilitiesâ„¢ as a Letterpress and Margie put one together last Saturday on how to use a Partial Impressabilitiesâ„¢. 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: Wizardâ„¢, S4-227 Pumpkins Nestabilities®, I2-1001 Impressabilitiesâ„¢ 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 Nestabilitiesâ„¢ 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

Hello!
Hope everyone is recovering from all the CHA reveals especially our CHA Blog Frenzy winners! Again, congratulations!!

It’s Savvy Saturday!
Last month, we did a card using the S4-214 Eyelets Borderabilities®. Today, I thought I would show you how I make my favorite flower. A new twist for me is instead of using strips of paper, I am using this Borderabilities® to give it that extra humph!

This is what the flower looks like. I placed it on a small notebook that I covered with My Mind’s Eye paper and inked the edges with Clearsnap Queve ink. I love how it looks and hope you do too!

The Spellbinderâ„¢ die templates used are:
S4-205 Eyelets Pendant and accent piece
S4-214 Eyelets Borderabilities® #2 (this die template has a continuous cut line perfect for making coordinating accent pieces)
S4-195 Small Classic Inverted Scalloped Circles #4 & #5

First, we cut/emboss the S4-205 Eyelets Pendant and its accent piece using Core’dination cardstock. Set aside.
Take the S4-195 Small Classic Inverted Scalloped Circles #4 & #5 and place them both down on the Magnetic Spacer Plate in a nesting position. Cut/emboss with the Core’dination cardstock. Set aside.
Then cut/emboss three S4-214 Eyelets Borderabilities® #2: two with Core’dination cardstock and one with My Mind’s Eye paper (make sure to stencil the last one with Clearsnap ink to give it a beautiful embossed accent to the Borderabilities®).

With the two Core’dination cardstock S4-214 Eyelets Borderablities®, score every 1/4″ and accordion fold both. I am using a darker color cardstock in the picture instead of white so that you can see the creases better. Adhere the ends with wet adhesive to make a continuous strip (make sure you have each strip facing the same side) and let dry. When dried, adhere the other ends together to make a ring.

Spread wet adhesive to the center of the S4-205 Eyelets Pendant. Flatten the ring down to form a pleated circle (make sure its center is a small open circle - you may have work it as cardstock can be stiff) and place it on top of the wet adhesive on the Pendant. Hold for a few moments so that the adhesive sets and then place the White Master Mats on top and let dry flat.

After the flower is completely dry, adhere the S4-195 Small Classic Inverted Scalloped Circle onto the flower. Insert the decorative pins in between the pleats and adhere the Pendant accent piece to the center.

Then all you have to do is to adhere to your favorite card, layout or altered piece and you’re done. I hope you enjoy this flower technique.

How about trying it on one of your entries to our Pendant Project Contest (hint! hint!)?! You still have time…deadline is Monday, August 10th (11:59PM EST) - good luck!!

MargieH

For today’s Savvy Saturday, I’d like to show you all one of our newest Borderabilities®, the S4-214 Eyelet Pendant Petite Borderabilities®.

You may recall that we introduced these products during our recent Blog Frenzy. Design Team Member Jennifer Davis had created such a wonderful project and provided a video to show her steps through the process.

In the video, she had mentioned that the set of two Borderabilities® each having a different function. One (we will call Border #1) will emboss all the way around BUT will cut on one side only. The other (Border #2) will cut and emboss the entire die template to become a beautiful accent piece. I love the choices with these Borderabilities® sets! I will show what I did using the Borderabilities® on a card I made.

Using my 4.5″x6″ card base that I made from Core’dinations Color Core Cardstock, I edged my card by using the Border #1. I fold the card inside out and sandwich the magnetic spacer inside with the Border (cut side away from magnet). You may wish to use removable tape to line up the border to the card base. Place all between the two White Master Mats and put through the Wizardâ„¢ to cut.

Next fold the card back to its original position and then carefully replace the Magnetic Spacer with the Tan Embossing Pad. Again, place all between the two White Master Mats and put through the Wizardâ„¢ to emboss.

Then using a lighter tone of the card base, I cut/embossed Border #2 which I plan to layer on top of the edge card base. Note: after cutting/embossing, take great care when pulling out the piece from the die template. Many of the new Borderabilties® have intricate cuts and will be delicate. I used my embossing tool (the one with the rounded tip for dry embossing) or a tooth pick is helpful too.

I sanded both borders (to give emphasis on the embossing) as well as the card base edge. Thread the ribbon through Border #2 before adhering with Scrapbook Adhesives to the card base and add Hero Arts Pearls to both borders.

Add ribbon in the middle of the card base and single knot to secure (you may wish to adhere the back for more security). Using Crafty Secrets’ Cotton Scraps Flowers, I frayed the edges and inked with Clearsnap Queue. Then matted onto Core’dinations cardstock and adhered to card base. Stuck two stick pins into the knot to complete the look of the card.

I hope everyone has a wonderful and memorable 4th of July here in the U.S.!
Happy Birthday, America!!!
MargieH

Happy Saturday!
Today I want to show a savvy way to emboss!

Have you ever wanted to personalize your embossing…something just for you? With 3,000 pounds of pressure, you can emboss just about anything in our handy dandy Wizardâ„¢! So come and join me as I personalize my embossing with a non-traditional item (non-scrapbook item). I find that flat materials work best for me such as lace, onion bag and doilies.

From the bottom, the sandwich for embossing is:
White Master Mat
Mesh
Paper
Tan Embossing Pad
White Master Mat

Pass the sandwich through the Wizardâ„¢ once and take a look…wow, instant gratification!

Using Core’dinations paper, I embossed with mesh that was packaged around my wine bottle to give my card some texture. I used S4-161 Labels One #2, #3 to frame my image from JustRite Stampers which was stamped with Clearsnap Queue. I sanded the paper with fine grade sandpaper - love how it turned out! Then I adhered it with Scrapbook Adhesives’ 3D Foam Squares to pop it up. By using papers from My Mind’s Eye, Denna’s Penny Lane Collection, I was able to finish off my “DAD” card for Father’s Day.

Something really unique was embossed by Design Team Member, Janine Blackwelder. Can you guess what she used? The answer…a piece of gutter guard! Something you can grab from the hardware store or maybe some left over in the garage? Aren’t our design team members clever?! She embossed a piece of 12″x6″ foil using gutter guard to create a metal panel in the center of her very cool layout. WOW!!!

See what you can find around the house and emboss it!
Thanks for stopping by for Savvy Saturday!

Hey all,

Thanks for your patience in waiting for the Savvy Saturday as it is now Sunday. Our team arrived in Phoenix, AZ on Tax Day, April 15th. We had lots more fun gathering in PHX than the rest of the nation had dropping those envelopes in the mail. Not only ’cause of how much we loathe paying the IRS…but because this group of women is astonishingly creative, funny, caring and more. Here’s a little pic from our arrival at our “home base” for training…

Arrival of Design Team Members

For the next three fun-filled days, Stacey Caron, Kim Hupke, Cathy Chlebana and me, Eli, trained our 15 new Designers every currently invented way to cut, emboss and stencil with the Wizard and our die templates.

Terre learns a new technique

We missed Beth who was doing her duty at a Distributor’s event in California.

As if that weren’t enough, our cadre of special guests included: Tobi Hall, VP of Marketing for Spellbindersâ„¢ who gave an amazing look into the world of Marketing. (Several of us wished she had been our college marketing professor…). Katherine “Kat” George presented an amazing session on Design Principal.

Tobi Hall, VP of Marketing and Katherine "Kat" George, Design Consultant

Heidi Blankenship, returning Design Team Member, taught a session on how to condition our new JustRite stamps, donated to the team by JustRite.  Last but not least, Marianne Walker from Copic Markers trained our design team in the lost art of “coloring.”

Marianne Walker, Queen of Copic Markers

As if THAT weren’t enough, we all got to bring home a pile of amazing products, some of Spellbindersâ„¢ faves. Our team got products from Copic Markers, Fancy Pants, My Mind’s Eye, Magic Mesh, 7 Gypsies, Taylored Expressions, JustRite Stampers, Glue Dots, 3L, oh gosh…there were more but I must get this post out before the day is over.

Kimberly Crawford shows off some of our Cross Promotional Products

We had a photo shoot with all the Designers and Christy Kerr, new DT member, who is a hair dresser EXTRAORDINAIRE! was our amazing stylist to make sure each member looked perfect.

Christy Kerr adds some final touches to Holly Simoni's "do" for her headshot.

During our free time, we all laughed together as we shared meals and a few moments of relaxation. We even had a swap among the team. Each designer brought something from home that shared a bit of themselves and their home town.

Design Team Swap "bootie"

When all was said and done…I think we would all agree that this week was a total blast, full of learning, sharing, growing and mostly being really thankful to the Carons (Jeff and Stacey) for creating such an amazing line of products and for choosing such a phenomenal group of women to share the next year producing art together…with the BEST product in the business…

Cheers to all…Eli

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!