How I choose and use Designer Series Paper

April 13, 2021 Claire Taylor

When it comes to choosing Designer Series Paper, I look through the catalogue to identify DSP which I can use and also which is versatile. I also where possible sign up for a paper share to receive a taster of all the papers as it can be difficult to judge papers from the catalogue.

I love the Playing with Patterns paper as it has made gorgeous cards for birthdays, Easter and Christmas (although Non – Traditional for Christmas.)

I love the colours and also that some of the patterns are suitable for stamping on rather than just using them as background to add layers on to. I love the appearance of the dark night of navy on the patterns,

When I order a pack of DSP, I check to ensure that I have card stock and inks in the co-ordinating colours (I have nearly all the colours although Pumpkin Pie is one, I never remember to add to my order). When receive a pack of DSP, I check the colours recorded on the packaging and also in the catalogue (the packets do not always have all the colours on.) I go through looking at the colours in the papers, sometimes there are some extras. I pull out all the co-ordinating papers and make card blanks and layers for all the colours.

I also pull out all the ink, Stampin’ write markers and also blends, so when I begin creating I do not need to start looking for them.

Next, I look for sketches which will work with the papers and then choose a stamp set which will work with those sketches. My favourite birthday set was Itty Bitty Birthdays, but it is retiring on May 3rd. I have included some of my favourite sketches on here.

Sketch 2 and 3 are my go to Sketches. I love the simplicity of them and they don’t take a lot of brain power to create a beautiful card.

How do you choose and prepare your designer series paper?

Last Chance to buy - Still Scenes

April 8, 2021 Claire Taylor

One of my favourite Christmas sentiments is part of the Still Scenes stamp set. I love the message for inside the card, I also love the concept of the snow globe and that you can place whatever you like inside. I think that it is super pretty, I have an older snow globe set in my stash with a Ballerina, but this set called out to me due to the gorgeousness of the sentiment and the base which looks amazing if stamped in Versamark and embossing powder added and heated.

The cottage is a perfect stamp to practice colouring on, my video shows the different ways to use watercolour pencils.

My first card uses the cottage and sentiment. The second uses the snow globe, cottage and sentiment. The third uses the sentiment and snow stamp. I have used the inside sentiment on all the cards.

Measurements

Cards 1 and 2 - Cottage Cards

My Metric

10.5 cm x 14.5 cm

Inside Panel 10cm x 14cm

Metric

10.5 cm x 14.8 cm (10.5 by full length scored at 14.8cm)

Inside Panel 10cm x 14.3cm

Imperial

4." x 5.5" (4” by full length scored at 5.5”)

Inside Panel 3.75 x 5.25”

Card 3- Gold Embossing Card

My Metric

10.5 cm x 14.5 cm (10.5 by 29cm scored at 14.5cm)

Gold and Inside white Panel 10cm x 14cm

Navy Panel - 9.5cm x13.5cm

Metric

10.5 cm x 14.8 cm (10.5 by full length scored at 14.8cm)

Gold and Inside white Panel 10cm x 14.3cm

Navy Panel - 9.5cm x13.8cm

Imperial

4." x 5.5" - (4” by full length scored at 5.5”)

Gold and Inside white Panel Inside Panel 3.75 x 5.25

Outside layer – 3.5” x 5”

I am super sad that this set is retiring. It is definitely a set that I shall be keeping in my Stamp Library. What are you planning on keeping?

Sparkly Perfectly Plaid Trees

March 28, 2021 Claire Taylor

I am like most crafters, sometimes I require a bit of inspiration to create a card which I love. Usuallly this inspiration comes from a Video, Facebook post or Pinterest Pin. I can spend hours scrolling, watching and pinning. Sometimes though rather than be inspired by other peoples cards, I look through old cards I have made and try to recreate things with a different twist.

When Perfectly Plaid was released, contained in the same catalogue was a chunkier glitter than Stampin’ Ups! Annual Catalogue glitter. But alas, both are now retired. Around that time (september 2019? maybe along time ago) I made a snow scene card using the pine trees. I used that card as inspiration and created another one.

I used my blender brushes on the stamp to make the mossy meadow softer. Using blender brushes on the sky to create a blended background which I think looks like a dark sky. I ensured that I used the darkest colour at the top and then blended down lightly to the trees (no masking required) and then addded ‘snow’ using the detailed glue and I pulled the glitter out of my stash but lots of places sell glitter and you can choose any you like!

Measurements:

My Metric

10.5 cm x 14.5 cm (10.5 by 29cm scored at 14.5cm)

front panel - 10cm x 14.5cm

Inside White Panel – 9.5cm x 13.5cm

Metric

10.5 cm x 14.8 cm (10.5 by full length scored at 14.8cm)

front panel - 10cm x 14.8cm

Inside White Panel – 9.5cm x 13.8 cm

Imperial

4." x 5.5" (4” by full length scored at 5.5”)

Front Panel - 3.75” x 5.5”

Inside White Panel – 3.5 x 5”

I forgot to clean my stamps and my second version ended up an interesting purple colour! whoopsee! But a handmade card is appreciated by everyone and it just makes it individual. The video below shows how to make this gorgeous simple card.

So the moral of the story is always clean your stamps! So embarassing! I do love the random colour though, what do you think?

CASEing my favourite design

March 21, 2021 Claire Taylor

I love searching for inspiration either by searching Google images or using Pinterest, although I can spend hours searching and not enough time crafting. Whilst looking for inspiration for a snowman card, I found an amazing card created by Karina’s Kreation’s the card can be found here. I loved the simplicity and that it had layers but not what I would call ‘normal layers.’

I have to confess that my first card that I tried, was not that amazing. I think that the snowy panel is too large and the Stitched Shape die is too small. I then went back to the drawing board, looking at the panel sizes and also the snow banner.

I finally came up with a size that I liked, which I felt is balanced for the card.

Measurements:

My Metric

10.5 cm x 14.5 cm

Inside White Panel – cm x 13.5cm

Panel 1 – 11.5cm x 7.5cm

Panel 2 – 11.3cm x 7.3cm

Snow Panel – 10.5 x 3.9cm (to fit in 1 ½ inch groove in the triple banner punch)

Metric

10.5 cm x 14.8 cm

Inside White Panel – 9.5cm x 13.8 cm

Panel 1 – 11.5cm x 7.5cm

Panel 2 – 11.3cm x 7.3cm

Snow Panel – 10.5 x 3.9cm (to fit in 1 ½ inch groove in the triple banner punch)

Imperial

4." x 5 ½ "

Inside White Panel – 3 ½” x 5”

Panel 1 – 4 ½ ” x 3”

Panel 2 – 4 6/16 x 2 14/16

Snow Panel – 4” x 1 ½

I used traditional blue snow colours, but I think that this would work with lots of different colours. I prefer the Night of Navy and Balmy Blue, whats your favourite?

Simple Ink blended Snowman Seasons cards

March 11, 2021 Claire Taylor

I decided that I would doesomething slightly different today and use the Snowman Builder Punch. It is a super cute punch which creates the snowman, a hat, a nose and two arms when punched. It makes quick simple cards and tags really easy and multiple card making a dream.

I have also been inspired by a number of butterfly cards recently which has ink blended backgrounds. I am in love with the new blender brushes. I have a collection, from Amazon to make up brushes and even other companies. The new Stampin’ Up! brushes are super soft and amazing at creating gorgeous backgrounds.

My tips for using a blending brush are keep a brush for each colour family, tap off the excess ink before blending the colour on the card and use a light touch, you can add colour but you can not remove excess.