More Sticky Embossing - but not Christmas!!

Good Evening everyone.
You would think that after last weeks efforts at making Christmas cards I would be on a roll but I'm afraid that I have obviously had Christmas overload, so it was so nice to have a class yesterday that was totally unrelated to anything Christmas.
The technique that I have used involves Sticky Embossing powder, mica powders and foil and is actually described in step by step detail in my book 'A Passion for Papercraft - Rubber Stamping' by Search Press.
Quick plug over with , so now on to the cards.
All the cards I am showing here used floral stamps but the technique can be used with any image, although solid images definitely have the edge, in my opinion at least.It would work every bit as well with leaves and trees which would of course make fab Men's cards.
The pink and green card uses Hobby Art FL1445 Purple Toad flax and my favourite Hobby Art Birthday Greeting GR1455. A greeting cut from this stamped image can hide a multitude of sins, and stamped mistakes, as in this card!!

All the rest of the cards use Stampendous Agapanthus Cluster P107. My stamp is so well used that the code has worn off so I have just had to look it up on line.
Thanks Sir Stampalot your site always makes it easy to find an item.
The other stamps used are by Hobby Art - Diamond Background DC1921D and Checkered Background DC1928D. With Love GR1830B is also by Hobby Art and is just one of several stamps they make with that style of greeting.

I am so lucky to have such a wonderful stamp company right on my doorstep, and feel very honoured that they are prepared to take on board my requests for designs. I can't draw but I know what I like and it makes teaching so much easier when you have such fab designs to work with, especially if you have had a hand in designing them.
Sticky Embossing is actually a very easy product to work despite looking complicated. There is only one thing to remember DON'T OVERHEAT THE POWDER.


All the panels use a combination of images stamped and embossed using the sticky embossing powder, and images flat stamped with versamark. The embossed images must be done first and the mica powder and foil applied, before the flat stamped images are added. Do not try and stamp and emboss over the top of a previously embossed image as the two will blur into one another when the second lot of powder is heated.

If you want to add a further greeting either use Stazon or stamp and emboss the greeting onto a separate piece of cardstock. Sometimes you can get away with it, as I have on the With Love card but only where the image you are stamping over is not too solid.
The final two cards in this collection are created from a multiply stamped image which has then been cut into strips and mounted over beautifully co-ordinating background paper. As I have always said 'Don't forget the envelope'.
It is always so much nicer to receive a decorated envelope than a plain one. Decoration need be no more complicated than a small, leftover strip of background paper, as in this example.
I hope you like the cards. I'm posting this while I sit with all the family and catch up with the last four weeks of Merlin. The Grandchildren love it and it has become a little weekend ritual, but not one we manage every week - hence the telethon.
I am travelling up to stay with Janice and Andy at Sir Stampalot tomorrow after work. I am really excited. I always enjoy my stay there and go up several days early as holiday. Much more fun than sitting on a beach. I get to play in the shop for several days and hopefully make some new samples for them. There is always a challenge awaiting me - some stamps or a new product that Janice hasn't had the time to work with herself, so I am looking forward to seeing what she has got for me this time. I shall take my laptop with me, as always, so I will keep posted with what I make.
Hope you've had a great weekend.
Love Kimx

Anything but Christmas!

Have just got back from the Eternal Maker in Chichester. I travelled there with my good friend Corinne Amos. It was actually Corinne who taught me how to stamp all those years ago when Maggie Wright owned the Craft Barn, so it is really her fault that I am a 'Stamping Addict'
We had a superb day, sorted out dates and classes for next year - how scary does that sound - and then were treated to dinner by the lovely owners Sarah and Teresa. Thanks girls for yet another fabulous day. Looking forward to next year.
The class was billed as 'Anything but Christmas!' so we played with sticky embossing powder, pearlex and of course not a Christmas stamp in sight.
I hadn't had the chance to prep any cards for the class - not nearly as bad as it sounds since I tend to teach playing with the technique, rather than copying a specific card.
I managed to get several cards made while I was there which is always much more fun to do in store as it enables you to look around and match up background papers and ribbons and other wonderful things which are then totally current.
The panel on this card uses the Stampendous Agapanthus. Stamp and emboss using versamark and 'sticky embossing powder'. (Several makes available - Stamp and Bond or Heat and Stick) This changes very quickly when heated so do be careful not to over heat or the foil will not stick to the image. Once heated apply purple, gold and blue pearlex powders. A little gold and silver foil has been added, but does not show up well in this photo.
I have torn down the left hand side of the panel and used a corner punch on the right hand corners. Edge with pine cone coloured inkpad.
The main purple card has had panels of background paper added before the stamped image is attached. The finished card has been embellished with buttons, ric-rac ribbon, peel-off dots and a stamped greeting.
I hope you like this taster session. I will post the rest of the cards tomorrow but as it is nearly midnight I think I ought to get some sleep.
Sweet Dreams
Love Kimx

More Stamping with Clarity

These next two cards from Sundays TV show make use of some more handmade backgrounds. This time I have used the fantastic Starburst Stains available from The Stamp Man. They are mica based inks which create the most fabulous backgrounds.
Unfortunately my photographs don't do them justice as you loose all the pearlescents but believe me, they are wonderful. I have used a sheet of cream cardstock and covered it with several colours of the inks. While it is still quite wet I have placed a screwed up piece of clingfilm over the whole sheet.
Now you must be patient. This is dificult for crafters I know, but if you remove the clingfilm before the ink is totally dry you will ruin the effect,and it is so well worth the wait.
This first card uses the Daydreamer under the Tree stamped and embossed in black ink onto some of the handmade background card. Trim around the image and cuttlebug the lefthand side of the panel. Use a border punch along the right hand edge.
Mount onto black glossy, and then olive green card stock.
The main card has a panel of acetate attached to it. This has first been stamped with the bullrushes and a white stazon inkpad. Attach the main panel to the card and add brads to the corners.
As a final touch I have added the greeting which has been stamped onto shrink plastic.

The second card again uses the handmade background paper with the Daydreamer stamped on to it. This time I have cut out a panel using one of the nestabilities and then mounted it onto black glossy card.
These are definately one of my favourite things to play with at the moment.
Attach a piece of ribbon to the left hand side of a cuttlebugged panel and add this to a white card. Attach the main panel to this and embellish with brads and peel-off dots.
Will post the last of the cards tomorrow, but for now I'm just off to Pilates. That sounds posh doesn't it, believe me it's not but its about the only exercise that I get, crafting is just so much more fun.
Happy Stamping
Love Kimx

Cards for Clarity

I know that I promised to post the cards that I made for Barbara on Sunday after the show had aired, but I'm afraid I was just having too much fun.
I managed to finish 50 Christmas cards over the weekend!!!
That has at least made a dent in the amount that I need to finish.
I've decided that I will split Barbara's cards into several posts so that you don't get card overload. It will also give me the chance to tell you a bit about how they were made.
These first ones make excellent Men's cards, in my opinion anyway. It's always so difficult to make a card for a man, unless they have some sort of hobby that is, but I think these work perfectly.

This first card is my favourite, of the three. The bullrushes have been stamped onto white cardstock using adirondack ink pads. The image has been stamped out several times. There is no need to reink each time. The greeting has been stamped and heat embossed over the top of the bullrushes. Trim leaving a torn edge at the top and layer on black glossy cardstock. Embellish with a couple of peel-off lines. Stamp and emboss the bullrushes along the bottom of an olive green card and then add the panel.

This second card uses a piece of handmade background paper with the bullrushes stamped once onto it in black ink..
I love playing with inks and making my own background papers, but you could just as easily use a piece of pre-printed paper. Trim around the bullrushes and round the corners, mount onto black glossy card. A small tag is added to the right hand side made from green cardstock with rounded corners.Place a strip of backgound paper to the left hand side of a card having first trimmed it with a strip of white punched paper.Embellish this with peel-off lines and then add the stamped panel.

The final card again uses handmade background paper with the bullrushes stamped onto it twice using an Adirondack ink pad.
Stamp and emboss the greeting onto this using black ink and then trim. Tap all round the edge of the panel with a dark brown ink pad. This has then had three different sized tags added to it before it has been mounted onto a cream card.
Once again embellish with peel-off lines and dots.
Hope you like these. I will post some more tomorrow, but I'm going to go and play now.
Happy Stamping.
Love Kimx

Teatime with Clarity

Well this is the final posting of the cards that I did for Barbara. These last cards make use of the teapot and cup and saucer stamp.
All of the cards are made using blue and white, Delph colours, if not necessarily Delph patterns.

This card once again uses the nestabilities. I have first stamped the teacup and saucer all over a piece of white card and then sponged all over it with the same blue ink. This has then been mounted onto a light blue card. I have then used one of the nestabilities to cut a panel from a piece of background paper, which I have placed in the centre of the card.
I have attached a TEABAG rosette to the centre of this - it just had to be done didn't it!!- and then added two teacups and a teapot.
Finally the greeting was stamped onto white shrink, cut out with the same shape nestabilities and a little blue ink sponged over it, before it is shrunk.
Peel-off dots complete the card.

This second card again uses the teacup stamped and embossed randomly over a piece of blue cardstock. I have then painted the images with bleach, cheap, thin, undiluted bleach.
This is the nearest I get to cleaning, just ask my family.
This technique will not work on all cardstock, but once again it is worth experimenting because the effect is amazing, and just so easy. The greeting has been stamped onto white card stock, lightly sponged with blue ink, and the trimmed panel has been attached to the lefthand side of the card.
If I am honest this panel actually started out as something completely different, but on the basis of not wasting anything it ended up here, and I like it, so I guess thats all that matters.

The final card in this set is very simple, using only the greeting, once again that nestability shape got in there, and the teacups and teapot. These have been attached using silicon, which enables you to add a little shaping to them - see I am getting better with this Janice!!
Peel-off lines and dots add the finishing touches.

I hope you have like the cards, I certainly had fun making them. I am looking forward to my next surprise parcel from Barbara. At least this time I will know where I am going when I deliver them.
Must finish now as I am just about to go to Davina's to teach a class on Quick Christmas cards.
I can feel some more posting coming on.
Love for now Kimx

Christmas Poinsettia

Had a wonderful afternoon on Friday, popped over to see Jenny at Hobby Art with my friend Anna.
We spent the time drinking coffee and brainstorming the next clear stamp sets so watch this space!!
Its amazing how being with like minded people can get your creative juices flowing. I came home and felt immediately inspired to make some Christmas cards.
I don't know about you but I have a 'box of bits' that seems to expand every year. These are bits left over from prepping a class or half made cards that I never seem to get the chance to finish.
I decided to sort through them, once again, its amazing what you find when you do that!! Why DID I keep that badly stamped image? What ever was I going to do with that little scrap of background paper? So many things that obviously seemed like a good idea at the time.
All these bits get put into a bag and sent with my Granddaughter Megan to Craft Club at her school. The kids seem to love all the bits and pieces that I send there way. One mans rubbish and all that!!

While I was sorting I found these lovely poinsettias so have made them into a card. I hope you like it.
The Poinsettia is of course Hobby Art. I have stamped it on to both red and green background paper, so no colouring in involved.
This is a great way of making a card if you are in a bit of a rush, and of course by putting some of the card through the cuttlebug you know that everything will co-ordinate beautifully.
Once again I have highlighted the cuttlebugged background with metallic rub ons and have added a little bit of sparkle with the clear stardust pen.
Finally I have added a greeting. This always puts a finishing touch to a card and the stamp I have used is one of my favourites Christmas wordstamps as it is just so versatile.There is also a Birthday greeting available and the wonderful thing with both of these stamps is that you can use all or just part of the greeting. Each line will cut away seperately, as I have done on this card, and then a tiny brad at each end of the greeting finishes off the whole thing.
Must get back to my Christmas cards, only another 100 or so to finish!! Thank goodness it's only once a year.
Love Kimx

What a busy week!

Well I've had a really busy few days so this is my first opportunity to post.
Wednesdays class at Davina's went really well. It was a very small class which is lovely, although not so good for the shopkeeper I know. The girls thoroughly enjoyed themselves and we are going to do the cards as a separate class in the New Year.
On Thursday I received a parcel from Barbara Gray. Thats Clarity Stamps Barbara Gray for those of you that don't know.
I had chatted to her when we were at Port Sunny in October and she had asked me if I might do some samples for her next TV show, and now here were the stamps.
I didn't manage to make contact with her till Friday late afternoon, only one complication she needed the samples by today!(Thurs 19th)
Easy you might think. Only trouble was I had the Waterfall class for Lavender Lane on Saturday to finish, then a Quick and Easy Christmas card class to prep for Davina so that she could have the samples early before I could even think about samples for Barbara. No pressure then!!
So the weekend was a bit of a blur of furious cardmaking activity.


I can share some pictures of the Christmas Waterfall card with you but in my haste to get the cards to Davina I forgot to photograph them , so I will have to share them with you after the class next week.
I managed to get a few more than the 3 cards that Barbara had asked for finished but not until Tuesday evening. I was in a bit of a panic about getting them to her in time given the nature of the British Postal system at the moment, so I enlisted the help of my next door neighbour who very kindly drove me to Barbara to deliver the cards in person.
In case you were wondering, those of you that don't know me, I don't drive and I had no idea of where Barbara lived in relation to the nearest train station. Glad I didn't try to get there by train as she lives miles from anywhere way out in the sticks!! It was lovely to see her, even if only briefly.
I have been a member of her monthly Stamp club for years and she always puts in a lovely newsletter which often describes her surroundings. It will be so nice next time to be able to picture exactly what she is talking about.
I am sworn to secrecy over the show so I will let you see the cards after it has aired this Sunday 22nd on Create and Craft (Channel 671)
I am going to see Jenny and Chris at Hobby Art tomorrow so I'm hoping that there may be some new designs for me to play with soon.
I'd better get on now. I don't seem to have sent out any Birthday cards again this month. All this play for other people is great fun but there never seem to be enough hours in the day to make things for me, and Christmas is just round the corner......again. Where has yet another year gone to!!
Good Night
Kimx

More Exploding Gift Boxes

Well just as I promised yesterday here are some more examples of the Exploding Gift Boxes. As I have said before it is very easy to get carried away, and also amazing just how different the samples can look when you have a whole new set of stamps to work with.

This class is one that I will be teaching at Lavender Lane in Stoneleigh Broadway on Saturday.(http://www.lavenderlanecrafts.co.uk)
Each of the boxes is made using either 2 or 3 pieces of card depending on the size of the box, and of course the size of the card stock.

As with the previous samples I decided that I would make a card to go with the box as they make fantastic gifts. These ones have a votive candle inside them. Please don't try lighting the candle inside the box, it is merely a means of transportation!!

The red and gold box has been made with Christmas in mind and has been decorated with fabulous Christmas papers cut out using the nestabilities. There was no stamping involved, so I just had to get some in on the card that goes with it. You could also make a gift tag to place inside the box along with your gift.

The other 2 boxes involve stamping, embossing and watercolouring. The flowers on the blue box and card have been painted with bleach. Those of you that know me know that this is one of my favourite technique, its just so easy and you are never quite sure the colour that the card is going to turn to once you have painted it. Not all card stock will bleach so you do need to experiment, but isn't that half the fun anyway.
Anyway I had better get this posted or another day will go by and as I'm back at work tomorrow the playing has got to stop.
Happy Stamping, Kimx

Exploding Gift boxes

Well Friday came early!!! I finally have my new computer and it is wonderful. I got back from visiting Maryetta at Greenacre Cardcraft last Thursday and found that my laptop had arrived a day early.
I am sitting in bed now writing this post. You don't know how fantastic it is to be able to do that after all the agro that I have had over the last few weeks. You are right Gill this is fun!!
I've just had a few day holiday from work so I've tried to get on top of some of the class prep as I promised, but I've just been having too much fun to blog. Still I've got two classes this week making Exploding Gift Boxes so I thought that it was about time I stopped playing and shared some of my samples with you all.
The first class is on Wednesday evening at Davina's http://www.stampcraftcards.co.uk/
The gift boxes are really a lot easier to make than they may at first appear, and I have to admit that I got a bit carried away making the samples, but thats nothing unusual for me. I told you I had far too much fun!!
I've been making a real effort to use up all the 'bits' from a class, and so with this in mind I thought that it would be the perfect opportunity to make some cards to go with the gift boxes. All of the card examples are made out of the left over bits from making the boxes, very little extra was stamped. People often ask me where I get my ideas from.
I can honestly say that until I sit down to play I could no more tell you what the samples are going to look like than I could fly to the moon. Often a card will just develop out of the left overs, and these are no exceptions to that rule.
I'm never sure how much info about the making of the items to put onto the blog and so I need to be guided by you all for that. Let me know if you want more detail or are just happy with pictures.
I'd better get this posted now so I can get back to more playing.
I will let you see the samples for the other Boxes class tomorrow as they are all different.
Good Night for now. Kimx