Art of the Possible

Spring is Coming Card

This is the other card that we did in our Card Making 101 class.  The nesting tag punches make it so easy to make a card like this.  I used the Rock and Roll technique to add dimension to the images.

In rock and roll, you ink up your rubber stamp in one color (in this case, certainly celery) and then you roll it on another color (ballet blue) so that only the edges and tips of the design touch the ink.  That gives you the contrasting edges.  The flatter you roll it, the more the color invades the center of the design.

Cardstock:  certainly celery, ballet blue and garden green.  Ink:  certainly celery and ballet blue plus Versamark (background flowers).  Stamp Set:  All Through The Year

All stamped images copyright Stampin' Up! 1999-2008

Question: Art and Boys

This is not stamping.  Nor is this artwork mine (I hope that by now you can recognize that, right?).  The artist, however, is mine--my seven year old son.  Can anyone tell me why a poor, defenseless peanut man has to become a blood sucking vampire?  (Note red dental protrusions)  Anyone else have a son?  I feel for that poor teacher.

The Red and Black Flower

During our recent Cardmaking 101 class, we made this striking, yet simple card.  Usually, I'm pretty free and easy with two step stamps--it is important that my cards look home made and minor mis-alignment helps with that.  This set, however, looks best when the solid fill image lines up tightly with the line overlay.  To acheive this, I used a Stamp a ma jig.  This simple tool allows me to line up my stamps exactly.  Need to know how?  Just check out the tutorial here. 

Ink:  real red, basic black.  Cardstock:  real red, basic black, whisper white.  Stamp set:  Heartfelt Thanks.

All stamped images copyright Stampin' Up! 1999-2008

The Gift--A Mark to Keep Her Place

And finally, a book mark.  I used another slanted piece and I think it lends itself beautifully to the shape of a funky bookmark.  Now she has a fun, coordinated set of items to take with her on her trip or to enjoy when she returns home. 

Gift giving does not have to be elaborate.  How many times do we hear that?  It is said often because it is true.  However, it is heard often but not implemented.  I don't know if we are afraid that simple gifts speak ill of us or if we just have shopping habits.  I know that I would be thrilled to receive (in fact, I have been thrilled to receive) gifts with a little of the giver in them.  And such gifts don't have to complicated or difficult to convey to the recipient our love and regard.  A little thought and a little ink go a long way.

All stamped images copyright Stampin' Up! 1999-2008

The Gift--Her Third Card

This card also takes advantage of the diagonal cut left from the notebook project.  I think I like this card the best.  You could get 8 cards similar to this from just stamping one piece of cardstock.  If you cut it in quarters, each piece is the same as the front of the card.  If you cut each of the quarters in half, you have the accent pieces for 8 cards.  So, with 4 pieces of colored cardstock (plus 8 1/2" wide scraps of black) and 1 whisper white, you can make 8 cards.  And all that with just one quick stamping and some artful cutting.  Quick and sweet.

All stamped images copyright Stampin' Up! 1999-2008