GraniteStateStamper - Michelle Ide, Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, Laconia, NH

Gently Falling Thanks

Even though Summer is definitely my favorite time of year, I love the colors that appear as the weather turns a bit colder here in New England. So, when I saw the stamp set Gently Falling in the Holiday Mini, I knew that I had to have it. 

I ordered it as a Clear Mount set and love how easy it is to line up the images to create the two-step stamping.

It's hard to tell from the pictures but I used the technique Rock n' Roll for the leaves and to add a little extra color I misted it using the Pool Party Marker and the Color Spritzer Tool.

When I cut the Very Vanilla card stock for the front image I left it 3/8" longer than I needed so, that when I finished stamping it, I could cut off the strip to use on the inside of the card.

If you were make several of these cards you could actually stamp and entire sheet of Very Vanilla and then cut it to size.

The products that I used for this card are :

• Gently Falling stamp set - Clear Mount (#123804)
• Trendy Trees stamp set (saying) (#113258)
• Early Espresso Classic Ink (#119670)
• Tangerine Tango Classic Ink (#111834)
• Cajun Craze Classic Ink (#119671)
• Pear Pizzazz Classic Ink (#119784)
• Garden Green Classic Ink (#102272)
• So Saffron Classic Ink (#105213)
• More Mustard Classic Ink (#103162)
• Pear Pizzazz card stock (#119795)
• Early Espresso card stock (#119686)
• Very Vanilla card stock (#101650)
• Early Espresso 3/8" Quilted Ribbon (#124104)
• Modern Label Punch (#119849)
• Word Window Punch (#119857)
• DImensionals (#104430)
• Mini Glue Dots (#103683)
• Pool Party Marker - In Color 2011-2013 Assortment (#123002)
• Color Spritzer Tool (#107066)

Thanks for visiting and happy stamping!

~ Michelle

Quilted Celebration Card

I have so many small pieces of retired Designer Series Paper that I need to use and thought that a quilt card would be the perfect way to use them.  I decided to use some Greenhouse Gala DSP

The hard part was done for me, picking coordinating patterns, so I used my 3/4" square punch (retired) and punched 4 squares from each pattern that I wanted to use.  I glued them onto a 3" x 3" piece of scrap card stock (doesn't matter what the color is because you will  never see it) and then sent it through the Big Shot (#113439) with the Square Lattice embossing folder (#119976).

The base of the card was created using Chocolate Chip card stock (#102128) and running it through the Big Shot with the Scallop Square Bigz Clear Die (#115950) keeping the top fold just inside of the scallops.  I also used Crumb Cake card stock (#120953), Real Red card stock (#102482) and Whisper White card stock (#100730) to complete the card.

The saying is from On Your Birthday stamp set (#111664) was stamped using Chocolate Chip Classic Ink (#100908) and was punched out using the Large Oval punch (#119855), the small oval punch (retired) and the Scallop Oval Punch (#119856)

Thanks for visiting and happy stamping!

~ Michelle

 Click here to order Stampin' Up! from my online store 24/7!

An Eerie Shadow Box Card

A 3-D card is always a big hit when it's opened up so I've been trying to stamp more of them lately.  I know that this spooky one is going to be a huge hit with all of the kids on Halloween.

It really couldn't be any easier to make.  You take two pieces of 4-1/4" x 5-1/2", score them at 1/2" and 1" on each end, cut a window out of the front piece, stamp a scene on the back piece and then glue them together on the two edges.  I used Concord Crush card stock (which is a current In Color) for the front and Glossy White card stock for the back.  

I used Jet Black StazOn to stamp the image from House of Haunts onto the Glossy White card stock.  When the ink was dry I placed a Post-It Note mask (punched with the 1-1/4" Circle Punch) over the owl and then sponged Daffodil Delight, Tangerine Tango and Concord Crush Classic Ink over the scene.  When I was done sponging the colors I peeled off the mask and then used the Moonlight Smooch Pearlized Accent Ink the paint the moon.  This gives it a nice shimmery-ness.  :-)

Quick Tip : When sponging the ink, make sure to cover the Glossy White card stock completely so that when anyone looks down into the card they don't see any of the white card stock peeking through.

To decorate the front of the card I stamped the pumpkin image with Concord Crush Classic Ink randomly over the front and then stamped the saying onto Glossy White card stock and sponged it to match the inside.  This was attached to the front using dimensionals.

I love how it came out and think it's so cute!  What more can you ask for, quick easy and definitely a big WOW!

Thanks for looking and happy stamping!

  ~ Michelle

• House of Haunts stamp set (#111574)
• Concord Crush card stock (#119792)
• Tangerine Tango card stock (#111349)
• Glossy White card stock (#102599)
• Jet Black StazOn Ink (#101406)
• Concord Crush Classic Ink (#119785)
• Tangerine Tango Classic Ink (#111834)
• Daffodil Delight Classic Ink (#119667)
• Moonlight Smooch Pearlized Accent Ink (#119969)
• Stamping Sponges (#101610)
• Stampin' Dimensionals (#104430)
• 1-1/4" Circle Punch (#119861)

 

Presto Paper Pals Challenge Card

Sorry that it's been a few days since I posted here.  As much as I would like it to be, stamping is not my full time business.  I have a small day care in my home and it has required a lot more of my time these past couple of weeks but everything is settling back into a positive routine again.  Yeah!!  I love peace, happiness, nice sunny weather and stamping time!!

I was able to stamp last night and used this weeks Pals Paper Art Challenge for my inspiration.  This weeks challenge was a sketch so I combined it with Kristina's color challenge and came up with this card :

Here's the inside :

I used the Presto Pattern Designer Series Paper that is available in the Summer Mini catalog and watercolored it.  I love how pretty it turned out and how soft the image it.

The base of the card is Bashful Blue with Brilliant Blue framing the image layer.  The colors that I used to watercolor with are Certainly Celery, Summer Sun, Brilliant Blue, Bashful Blue and Elegant Eggplant.

To finish the front used the Pinking Heart Border Punch, White Organza Ribbon, a button from Button Bouquet and a large Clear Rhinestone Brad.

The inside was stamped using the Elements of Style stamp set with White Craft Ink.

I was actually able to stamp two cards last night, this one and one for this weeks Mojo Monday challenge.  I'll post that card tomorrow.

Thanks for visiting and happy stamping!  ~ Michelle

Stamps : Elements of Style

Paper : Bashful Blue, Brilliant Blue, Presto Patterns DSP

Inks : Bashful Blue, Brilliant Blue, Certainly Celery, Summer Sun, Elegant Eggplant

Accessories : Pinking Heart Border Punch, White Organza Ribbon, Button Bouquet, Clear Rhinestone Brads, Dimensionals, Aquapainter, Sponge Dauber

Upsy Daisy Birthday

I wanted to create a simple, clean card today using a sketch that I jotted down a few weeks ago and this is what I came up with :

The front :

The inside :

I love how it came out but wish that I would have taken the pictures against a darker background.  The card gets kind of lost in all of the whiteness.

I knew that it had to have Chocolate Chip as one of the main colors because of the Dots & Designs Rub On image and then I chose Certainly Celery to go with it.  Mainly because the ink and card stock were already on my stamping table.

It is a basic design but all of the elements together make it such a WOW card for me.  I will definitely be using this layout over and over again.

I haven't made a video in a bit and wanted to make two of these cards (got to make one to keep you know) so I filmed a video and put it on my video blog.

** Click here to view the video for this card **

This video ended up being over 20 minutes long so it was quite a challenge  to get it down to 10 but I finally did.  Let me know what you think.

Thanks for visiting and happy stamping!

  ~ Michelle

Stamps : Upsy Daisy

Paper : Confetti White, Chocolate Chip, Certainly Celery

Inks : Chocolate Chip, Certainly Celery

Accessories : Circle Ice Rhinestone Brads, Dimensionals, Dots & Designs Rub Ons, Stamp a ma jig, Sponge Dauber

I scream, you scream . . .

Today is the first really warm day that we've had this spring and what could be more perfect than this ice cream card.

Here's the inside :

To create the textured background layer I took a piece of Presto Patterns Specialty DSP, sprayed it with the new Log Cabin Smooch Spritz and when it was dry, I blotted off the extra color.  I love, love this paper!!  It is so easy to color coordinate it to any project.

The two-toned ice cream was done by first inking the stamp with Pretty in Pink and then Rock n' Rolling it in Rose Red.  This is such a fun and easy technique that give a lot of Wow to any card.

Thanks for looking and happy stamping!

  ~ Michelle

Stamps : Sweet Scoops

Paper : Pretty in Pink, Close to Cocoa, Whisper White, Presto Patterns Specialty DSP

Inks : Pretty in Pink, Rose Red, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip

Accessories : Log Cabin Smooch Spritz, 3/16" Corner Rounder, Rhinestone Brads, Sponge Daubers, Dimensionals

 

Trying Watercolor Mist without flowers

I wanted to create a card using this technique but without flowers and I really like how the letters turned out.

Card Recipe (All SU!) : Stamps - Jumbo Outline Alphabet; Paper - Watercolor, So Saffron, Baja Breeze, Certainly Celery, Sweet Slumber DSP; Ink - Riding Hood Red, Certainly Celery, Baja Breeze; Accessories - So Saffron Grosgrain Ribbon, Aquapainter, Paper Snips

The color combination that I used on my Mother's Day card is what inspired me to do this card.  I don't know if anyone picked up on it when they looked at that card but this pattern of Sweet Slumber DSP doesn't have a Certainly Celery stripe in it.  There are Very Vanilla and So Saffron stripes next to each other so I took my Celery Marker and colored over the Vanilla.  It was a little dark and splotchy while it was still wet but when it dried the color evened out and lightened up.

Have you tried this technique using stamps other than flowers?  If so let me know. TFL!

Have a wonderful day and happy stamping!

~ Michelle

*** Remember that until May 31, when you purchase 3 packs of Designer Series Paper you will get 1 FREE.  This includes the 4 specialty papers!

I'm sure that you've seen . . .

. . . the new water coloring technique that was shared by Connie Ingram at the Seattle Stampin' Up! Regionals. 

It is a super quick, super easy way for you to achieve a beautiful watercolor look without having to work on it for more than a few minutes.  Seriously, the most difficult part of this technique is cutting out the images after they dry.

Here's a birthday card I created using my take on this technique :

Card Recipe (All SU!) : Stamps - Embrace Life; Paper - Watercolor, So Saffron, Old Olive, Ruby Red, Whisper White; Ink - VersaMark, Old Olive, So Saffron Classic Ink Refill; Accessories - So Saffron Grosgrain Ribbon, Dimensionals, Scallop Edge Punch, Aquapainter, Ruby Red Brads, Paper Piercing Tool, Chit Chat Rub Ons

The instructions for this technique are :

1. Stamp a large, outlined image (I used the flower image from Embrace Life) onto Watercolor Paper with VersaMark and then emboss it with Winter White Embossing Powder. 
2. Once the image has cooled down, mist it with water until it creates puddles in the embossed areas.
3. Color the areas by touching the tip of an Aquapainter that has been dipped in Classic Re-Inkers to the puddles.  The colors will spread through out the area and can be blended with darker colors.  Make sure to clean your Aquapainter between colors.
4. Let the image totally dry before you cut it out.  It took mine 10-15 minutes.  You can also use the Heat Tool to speed the drying time up.

I will be demonstrating this technique during my May Stamp Club class.  If you'd like to attend send me an email at michelle@granitestatestamper.com  or call me at 603-998-0118.

Have a wonderful day and happy stamping!

~ Michelle

Rock n' Roll with Petal Pizzazz

When I sit down to create a card I always try to have a starting point.  For this card I knew that I wanted to use this patterned paper from the Raspberry Tart DSP and the Petal Pizzazz stamp set.  This is what I came up with.

Card Recipe (All SU!) : Stamps - Petal Pizzazz, Best Yet (retired); Paper - Whisper White, Cameo Coral, Real Red, Raspberry Tart DSP; Ink - Real Red, Cameo Coral, Kiwi Kiss; Accessories - Dimensionals, Circle Rhinestone Brad, Scallop Circle Punch, Paper Snips, Real Red Grosgrain

Thanks for looking and happy stamping!

~ Michelle