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?

How to Make Snow Backgrounds

March 14, 2021 Claire Taylor

And now for something completely different….

Over the last few weeks I have been making Christmas cards for my Christmas Card challenge. I have been going through my piles of designer series paper to find paper that I could use for a snowy background. As there is no current June to December catalogue and no Christmassy DSP in the the catalogue, I have been using some random sheets and colours.

I found some in the Artistry Blooms DSP and also the Flowers for Every Season DSP. They are gorgeous patterns but I thought that I would make my own. I have identified a number of ways to create snowy backgrounds.

Some are very simple, some are very messy, some take a while to create, others are super super quick.

All the techniques have been add to card which is 10.5cm by 29cm

Technique 1

This uses a Stampin’ Chalk marker to create dots, you could also use a white gel pen or the Craft White ink and a blender pen

Technique 2

This uses ‘tone on tone stamping’ this can be seen better on lighter colours, for this technique you use the same coloured ink to add snowflakes to the card.

Technique 3

This uses Versamark ink and embossing powder to create the background. Simply stamp in Versamark, add the embossing powder and heat using your heat gun. Do not forget to use an embossing buddy first, I would suggest that you emboss bit by bit to ensure that the embossing powder stays in place. The added advantage to heat embossing is that you can use the emboss resist technique and use blending brushes to create gorgeous blending on your card.

Technique 4

This uses White Craft ink and the snowflake stamp to create a snowy background, this needs time to dry or the ink can smudge and the snowflakes will not be as defined.

Technique 5

This uses the craft ink refill, add one drop to a block and spritz with water and use a paintbrush to flick the white water. This technique can get very messy.

Technique 6

This uses the white frost shimmer paint, add one drop to a block and spritz with water and use a paintbrush to flick the shimmery . This technique can also get very messy. you can use the Shimmer paint on its own, it does not create as many spots and I think creates a more abstract background than Snowy background.

I love the ink splatter background the best, even if it the messiest. Which is 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.

Card Measurements

My Metric

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

Inside White Panel – 9.5cm x 13.5cm

Metric

10.5 cm x 14.8 cm (10.5cm x 29.6 scored at 14.8cm)

Inside White Panel – 9.5cm x 13.8 cm

Imperial

4." x 5.5" (4 x 11” scored at 5.5”)

Inside White Panel – 3.5 x 5”

Snow Options

There are a number of ways to add Snowflakes:

Using the Stampin’ Chalk Marker
Using a Blender Pen and the Uninked Pad with white refill
Stamping the snowflakes in the White ink
Any white pen/ gel pen.

I love that you can change the look of the Snowperson on every single card. What is your favourite embellishment?

Snowman Season - Easel Card

March 7, 2021 Claire Taylor

I have to confess, I love sparkly snowmen and I love the Snowmen from Snowman Seasons. But I sometimes find the dark lines of using Momento ink to stamp the Snowman distracting. So I have been experimenting with different colours and types of ink to stamp the Snowman, whilst I am continuing with my Christmas card challenge.

I have tried to do something a little different creating a easel card which is simple to do and all you need is a scoring tool. Also the other thing to remember is only to glue the bottom of the card ( even I haven’t got this bit wrong.)

I have been using different colour combinations on these cards, these are:

Night of Navy and Balmy Blue

Night of Navy and Pool Party

Highland Heather and Blackberry Bliss

Highland Heather and Balmy Blue

Dimensions - Easel Card

My Metric

10.5 cm x 14.5 cm (Tent fold) – Score at 7cm

Outside Coloured Panel - 10 cm x 14 cm cut in to 5cm, 5cm and 4cm

Outside White Panel - 10 cm x 14 cm

Inside Coloured Panel – 10cm x 14cm

Inside White Panel – 9.5cm x 13.5cm

Coloured Panel – 9.5cm x 4cm

Inside Sentiment – 8.5cm x 3cm

Metric

10.5 cm x 14.8 cm (Tent fold) – Score at 7cm

Outside Coloured Panel - 10 cm x 14.3 cm cut in to 5cm, 5cm and 4.3 cm

Outside White Panel - 10 cm x 14.3 cm

Inside Coloured Panel – 10cm x 14.3 cm

Inside White Panel – 9.5cm x 13.8 cm

Coloured Panel – 9.5cm x 4cm

Inside Sentiment – 8.5cm x 3cm

Imperial

4." x 5.5" (Tent fold) – Score at 2.75”

Panel 3.75 x 5.25

Outside Coloured Panel - 3.75 x 5.25 cm cut in to

Outside White Panel - 3.75 x 5.25

Inside Coloured Panel – 3.75 x 5.25

Inside White Panel – 3.5 x 5”

Coloured Panel – 3.5” x 1.5”

Inside Sentiment – 3.25 x 1.25”

Measurements - ‘Normal Card’

My Metric

10.5 cm x 14.5 cm

Inside Panel - 10 cm x 14 cm

Metric

10.5 cm x 14.8 cm

Inside Panel 10cm x 14.3cm

Imperial

4." x 5.5"

Inside Panel 3.75 x 5.25

I love the supercute Snowman and think the Wink of Stella is a perfect addition to make him shine. I do love the Night of Navy Colour Combinations but I am a bit bias. Which is your favourite?

Snowman Season - simple Stamping

March 5, 2021 Claire Taylor

Another day, another Snowman Seasons simple card. Todays card uses stamp, inks and paper (do Stampin’ Write markers count?)

I saw a gorgeous card with this simple design on Pinterest and thought it was the perfect card for making multiples. I also thought that it was a fabulously gorgeous card.

You could stamp the Merry Christmas in lots of different colours. Also you could use any Stampin’ Write marker to colour the hat. I have seen some gorgeous combinations with Pool Party.