Can't Leave Well Enough Alone...

I love my electronic cutters, both my trusty workhorse Cricut Expression and my fancy Silhouette Cameo. Many times my card designs end up being hybrids of both cutting systems, like this one from last week:

The original card idea started with an SVG file for a simple queen anne's lace floral 3" square gift tag from Lettering Delights. I wanted to make an A2 sized card out of the image, so I welded a solid rectangle onto the bottom of the tag file and resized it to 8 1/2"  wide x 5 1/2" tall. This gave me a panel at the bottom of the card that would hold a sentiment.

 

After cutting out the basic card, I adhered a Glacier blue 4 1/4" x 5 1/4" panel to the back of the card front.

 

This left me with a pretty card, but it was simply a solid peacock green silhouette against a lighter aqua base. I added Canary yellow and White Daisy panels to the bottom of the card and stamped a sentiment using the new Peacock ink color from CTMH. Better... but....

 

I wanted to get the white queen anne's lace flowers on there, but how to do it without having to glue on a gajillion teensy tiny bits of paper?

 

Make a new layer!

 

Going back to my Silhouette, I used the trace tool to make a copy of the floral area of the basic card. With the knife tool, I started cutting out and discarding the flower stems. I was careful to leave some shorter stems intact so the white florets could be cut out in one lacy piece. As a final touch I used Silhouette's point editing feature to extend the florets at the bottom so they would appear to spill over the edge of the window.

 

I cut this white lace layer from Close To My Heart White Daisy cardstock, because it's thicker and tougher, making it less likely to tear when I removed it from the cutting mat. Remember my tips for cutting White Daisy? Use a well-broken-in mat and double cut!

 

After I glued the florets in place using my Bonding Memories Dual Action Glue Pen (get one here from Sally's CTMH shop!), I was pretty happy.

 

Nice. Still needed something.

 

Leaves!

 

The September stamp of the month from Close To My Heart is called Paper Garden, and it has some very pretty images including leaves:

 

 

 

Happily, this stamp set is compatible with the Artiste Cricut Cartridge  from Close To My Heart. So, I cut a lovely pair of leaves using my Cricut and stamped the leaf image from the top right using the Peacock ink.

 

The leaves look a lot lighter than the sentiment, which used the same ink color. That's because I inked the stamp, stamped onto scrap paper, then stamped again onto scrap paper, THEN stamped onto the Glacier blue leaves I had cut out with my Cricut. Third generation stamping left a shadowy image on the leaves that I liked very much!

 

Almost there... still needed something. I added white Spun Sugar Stickles to the florets and a yellow organdy ribbon bow.

 

That's it! It's a card!

 

I love the result and it's proof that you don't need a lot of fancy patterned papers to make a pretty card. They're nice - but with creative touches, cardstock and a little ink, you can get lovely results.

 

And speaking of getting, want to get that Paper Garden stamp set?

 

Paper Garden is just $5 with a $50 order!

(or you can get it at its full price of $17.95 if your order is under $50).

 

It's only available through September, so hurry on over to my website! www.auntsally.ctmh.com

 

While you're there, check out the beautiful new ink and cardstock colors! Peacock is my favorite, but oooooh, aaaaah... there's also Poppy, Pomegranate, Sapphire, Saffron, Fern and Eggplant!!

 

I love new colors...

 

I've Adopted...

... some new stamps!

Yes, yes, I know... did I really NEED them?

Well, maybe not, but since I have a birthday coming up I gave myself permission to give these poor unfortunates a home. After all, they were there HANGING ON HOOKS in a cold, drafty craft store without access to ink or paper. Isn't that abuse of some kind? Psychologically, it seems very bad for them, if you ask me. Stamps need ink and paper to be happy and well-adjusted! So, although I couldn't rescue all of the little stamp babies in the store, I was able to bring these guys home to a place where they will be loved and cared for!

 

 Top left: "Hedgehugs" by Fawn Lawn. I can't say enough about how much I love Fawn Lawn stamps. They're photopolymer and the artwork is just too too cute, the sentiments clever. Since the store where I got this was having a 20% off "Made in the USA" sale, I got a great price, too!

 

Right: "Poppin' By" and "Life's A Circus" from Gourmet Rubber Stamps. This company is new to me, which is what I like about shopping at stores outside my local area. You find things you've just never seen before. These mini stamps are unmmounted red rubber and were under $6 each. Did you see the face on the little slice of toast? Could you leave that face on a shelf? I couldn't!

 

Left: "Good Luck" by Avery Elle. The Magic 8-Ball. It even has the border for the floaty triangle thingie. Do I have to say more? "My sources say no"! Am I going to have fun making cards with this set? "It is certain"! Am I in love with these stamps? "Without a doubt"! I was so overtaken with joy that I never even looked at the price tag. They were a must-have. Luckily, Made in USA so I saved 20% today.

 

I have to give a shout-out to Ivy, the sweet cashier at Flower & Home Marketplace who checked out my order. Today the store was very busy and the cashiers had to inspect EVERY item to see if it qualified for the "Made in USA" sale price. She was jovial, very accommodating and helpful, and even cheered me on when I combined a birthday coupon with some customer rewards to save big money on my order! If you're in the Lancaster, PA area, check out Flower & Home Marketplace in Blue Ball / East Earl. Make sure you sign up for their customer rewards and e-mails, and tell Ivy I sent you!

Hello Christmas!

More Christmas cards - or maybe I should say "Kitty-mas" cards!

I got these SVG files from blogs - sorry, no idea whose blogs - way back when the Cameo was new. They've been sitting in a folder for all that time, and when I happened upon them the other day I thought they'd make adorable shaped Christmas cards! Kitty makes me want to say, "Hello, Christmas!".

Here's how I did it:

First, I resized the files so they would fit into an A2 envelope - no bigger than 5.5" tall and 4.25" wide.

The original files had details that would have made WAY too many teeny tiny pieces to glue together, so I deleted some of them, such as stripes on the shirt and the buttons on the clothing.

TIP: When cutting out little pieces, use a piece of Post-it label paper as a "parking spot" so the tiny bits don't get lost. Post-it label paper has Post-it glue ALL OVER the surface, so it's tacky enough to hold onto the tiny pieces but they are easy to remove when you're ready to glue the shape together!

To create a cut file for the card back, I traced the outline of the black Kitty base shape using the trace tool. Then, using the line tool, I drew a perforated line across the top of the traced shape about 1" from the top. This creates a card back that can be attached to the front at that 1" wide top edge. Bending the card back slightly at the perforated line creates a card that stands up beautifully. If your cutter doesn't have a way to draw a perforated line, simply omit this step and score the card back with a bone folder after cutting.

I cut the card backs out of Close To My Heart White Daisy cardstock***, stamped a sentiment on them and then attached them to the paper pieced card fronts. Added some bling and ribbon embellishments, and Tada!!! Paper pieced shapes are now adorable cards!

Close To My Heart cardstock cuts beautifully in all electronic cutters. The smooth texture and even grain of the paper prevents those blade skips and hanging chads that can be so frustrating! If you like creating with your Cameo or your Bug, give it a try! I think you'll like it!

***A note about the White Daisy cardstock - I love it, it stamps great, BUT - it's heavier than other CTMH papers and clay-coated, so it really, really REALLY sticks to Cricut and Silhouette mats! You'll get a great cut and no paper stuck to your mat if you use

Sally's Secret Method to cut White Daisy:

 

1. Select a well-broken-in cutting mat that's not too sticky. Do NOT use a new mat for White Daisy or any clay-coated stock!

 

2. Grab a roll of painter's tape (Scotch Blue works great!) and tape the corners of the cardstock to the mat. This keeps your paper from shifting, just as insurance, because remember, the mat hasn't got a lot of sticky left. You can also use washi tape if you have no painter's tape, but it hurts my heart to use that pretty washi for such a pedestrian purpose!!

 

3. Select the right setting for your machine. All cutting machines are different, so I highly suggest testing settings on scrap before you cut a project! On my Silhouette Cameo, I use a ratchet blade setting of 5. On my good old Cricut Expression, I set the blade to 6.

4. Double cut. Your blade setting is deep enough to cut through your paper, but some heavy papers are fibrous as well as thick, and the double cutting gets all the way through those extra-tough bits.

Happy cutting!!

It's Here! It's Here!!!

...the NEW Close To My Heart Idea Book!!

Ready to shop??? Browse?? Drool???

GO!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Shop Sally's CTMH Website!!
(Don't forget to click on "Join Sally's September Gathering" before you load your cart up with joy!!!)

Have fun!!!

Gonna Have To Face It...

...I'm addicted to markers!

Who doesn't love to color? When I was a very little girl I loved those watercolor books with the pigment right on the page - just add water! Later on down the road, Prang watercolor pencils and a small set of Peerless watercolors were my coloring media of choice, in addition to the ubiquitous Crayolas, of course.

In my high school days I had two favorite writing instruments: the Bic ballpoint pen that wrote in 4 different colors - redgreenblueblack; and my  beloved Flair felt-tip pens in hot pink, aqua and red. I still have my old notebooks with the lovingly doodled margins.

These days I've thrown over the old Crayolas for more sophisticated forms of joy. I confess, I frequently indulge in rampant pen acquisition. Gotta have 'em. Annnnnnnd store them just so:

All comfy cozy, in ink type and ROY G BIV order. It makes me happy.

Those racks, by the way, are from Totally Tiffany's Metal Maid line. Currently they are out of stock after a sale, but as soon as they come back in, I'll be getting more. They perfectly double-face on my IKEA shelving and hold any pen, plus there's that nifty reinker/spray ink/paint dauber storage on top.

I feel it only fair to state that this picture does NOT show my Stampin' Up markers, in every color, past & present (140+), or my Tim Holtz Distress markers in every color (50+). They are in two other racks keeping my Close To My Heart ink pads company. And my Spectrum pens? Don't ask. I'm trying to avoid counting them. Let's just say if you need a color, I'm your girl.

Why so many?

Like the colors they hold, they are all different. Different colors, different ink formulations, different properties that give a variety of effects. Some are more comfortable in the hand. Some blend better, some give dimension or sparkle to the finished work. All are useful, and are used, frequently.

My favorites, the ones I recommend, are these:

Alcohol-based markers: I know, you think I'm going to say Copic or Spectrum.

Nope.

I have not (as yet) fallen prey to Copic mania. My entire collection consists of the six markers on the bottom row of the rack on the right. I found the sheer number of colors and expense involved in acquiring them intimidating, to say the least. Instead, when I decided to try alcohol coloring, I opted to get Spectrum markers. Although I liked them at first, I found some problems. The old-style square barrels made my index finger fall asleep every time I used them, and in more than one pack, at least one pen was dry when I bought it, leading me to believe the manufacturing process left something to be desired.

My winner? Last year Close To My Heart began carrying Shinhan Touch Twin Markers. I was eager to try them and very pleasantly surprised. The barrel is slimmer and the caps close tightly. The pens have a chisel nib and a fine point nib. The laydown of ink is ultra-smooth, making the marker very enjoyable to use. Currently there are 24 colors plus a blender to choose from in the CTMH line; Shinhan offers over 200 colors, reinkers and replaceable nibs as well.

One of the things I most love about these markers is their blendability. The inks blend seamlessly and can be layered over one another to create new colors. I found that for most coloring tasks the 24 CTMH colors worked very well either alone or combined, making them an economical choice for testing the alcohol ink waters, as it were. And if that wasn't enough, now there's this:

The Close To My Heart Marker Rollup holds 25 Shinhan markers (or other similar pens), rolls up and snaps closed for travel. Sweet!! I tested it - you can fit two slimmer pens in each loop, too - I plan on using mine to pack various brands of pens for cropping on the go!

 

Water-based Markers: Years ago I invested in a set of water-based markers from Stampin' Up, and I still use them. They come in lots of colors, hold up well and last forever, it seems. BUT - my current favorite water-based markers are...

 

Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers. They are unique, different, and take practice but are incredibly FUN to use. The end of the pen is not a nib, but an actual brush, so you really feel like you are painting with the marker. You can blend with or without water, use a watercolor blender, even blend colors using a clear Wink of Stella glitter marker. Your pen stroke can be made thicker or thinner simply by increasing or decreasing the pressure you put on the brush. It is very easy to get beautiful blends, and because the pen is really a brush, you can transfer ink from the tip of one brush to another, blend on your project and then simply scribble to clean it off without contaminating the pen. Brilliant!

 

Specialty Markers: We all have certain specialty pens we love, whether it's the fine line zentangle liner, the glitter pen or the ever-elusive white ink pen of the moment. Here are mine:

 

Zig Wink of Stella brush pens. Glitter was never so easy! These pens are water-based brushes that contain ultra-fine glitter in suspension. They give a beautiful shimmer without flaking off, don't clog and come in several colors. The clear WOS pen is the most versatile, allowing you to add a touch of sparkle to almost anything. Be careful to store them upright with the brush end facing UP, because they can leak if stored sideways or brush down. And when your WOS brush begins to go dry, add a bit of water and shake to get the last of the glitter!

 

Sakura Glaze Pens. I love these, my favorite being the white glaze. This ball-point pen goes on clear but dries to an opaque white with a slight sheen, as the name "glaze" implies. The other colors of glaze pens dry to a shine that is more pronounced. Lovely on areas where you want some shine but not gloss. They are very wet when applied so you have to let them dry completely but once dry they are lovely!

 

What do you like to color with? Let me know!

 

...And if you'd like to try the Shinhan Touch Twin markers from Close To My Heart, contact me and mention this blog post for 25% off your first pen!

 

Happy coloring!!

 

Before You Know It, It'll Be Labor Day...

...and that means papercrafters nationwide are shrieking, "OMG!!! I haven't started my Christmas cards!!!!"

The best time to start making handmade holiday cards is, of course, six months sooner than you actually start. But, we late-to-the-party crafters can comfort ourselves that at least we have company. LOTS of company.

So, in the quest to provide a bit of relief, I'm offering some quick-to-finish card ideas for wishing a Merry Christmas to your family and friends! Just add adhesive and BAM! you're jingling all the way!

First up: Reindeer Roundup!

I used cutting files from Silhouette America and files I created from free clip art to create these quick cards. Kraft and white card bases are covered with diecut panels and deer silhouettes. Some Shimmer Trim from Close To My Heart, a little bling and a simple stamped banner completes them.  My favorites are the ones with the birch trees, but I love them all!

A Monumental Birthday Wish!!

Today I made a very fun, satisfying project: A big ol' birthday card for someone I've never met.

Yup. Total stranger. Sort of.

Why? There's a story there. Isn't there always a story?

But, the story comes later. For now, check out MEGA CARD:

This card had to be BIG, so I started with Club Scrap 12x12" cardstock from their Equestrian collection. I hinged two pieces of plain cardstock to make the card base 11 3/4" wide x 12" tall.

The card front is made in layers separated by foam tape. The first layer is that rust colored paper at the top, which is actually a beautiful copper foil. Shiny, reflective but not too bling-y.

If you look very closely at the tan paneled paper you can see the shadows of a pair of running horses on the left. I wanted to echo that silhouette with my diecuts.  I fired up my trusty Silhouette Cameo and with a quick drive-by the internet for some free clip art, I created cut files for the running horses.

Layer two is the tan paneled border paper. I cut the tooled faux leather border along the top curve and reserved it to use later; then adhered the remaining paper to the card with foam tape.

For layer three I pop dotted a single running horse cut from the last scrap of a beautiful coffee brown shimmer paper from Wausau. The border from top of the main sheet was flipped and applied with foam tape over the identical border at the bottom.

I added a birthday sentiment stamp with rope border from CTMH (D1525, Casual Expressions Sally's Close To My Heart Site ), more copper foil and a silver concho with twill. Ta-daaaa!!! BIG CARD!

What? You want to hear the story? OK...

Anyone who spends a bit of time with me knows I'm crazy - CRAZY - for just about any movie with men on horseback. Cowboys, knights, the occasional fantasy character - put that guy on a horse and I'll watch!!

I trace this fixation back to my teen years when my father ruled the TV and as far as he was concerned, TV meant WESTERNS. Gunsmoke. Bonanza. The Rifleman. The Virginian. The Big Valley. Death Valley Days. Wagon Train. All of those were about as exciting as watching paint dry, as far as I was concerned, so I spent my time upstairs attempting to watch sci-fi on our old black & white set - the one with no aerial and tinfoil on the rabbit ears, that got maybe three channels IF you liked watching through a grainy snowstorm.

On the frequent evenings when the signal was just not cooperating, I retired to my room to read a book or thumb through the latest copy of Tiger Beat or 16 magazine. On one memorable evening in 1967, however, the reception was crummy, all my books were boring and there was nothing to do. Dad, however, had something to do: tune in to his new favorite western, the one with that "pretty Mexican girl", The High Chaparral. Oh, great. Another horse opera.

I sat down, preparing to be bored as usual.

I was not bored.

Thanks to intelligent writing, authentic looking sets and great acting, I was not bored. I also attribute my lack of boredom and continued devotion to men on horseback to this man - Henry Darrow:

Oh. My.

By 1968, women all over America were watching this western, and NOT for the horses. Besides being not too bad to look at, Henry Darrow is a great actor. He created a complex, fully realized character and had wonderful chemistry with the show's other actors, including my Dad's "pretty Mexican girl", Linda Cristal. More importantly, he, with his fellow cast members, accomplished the seemingly impossible: my dad and I finally had a TV show we could agree on! We never missed an episode.

That was a long time ago. The High Chaparral was canceled in 1971. Henry Darrow went on to act in countless TV shows, daytime TV, stage and movies. He won several awards, including an Emmy and an ALMA. Currently he lives in North Carolina with his wife, Lauren Levian. On September 15, he will celebrate his 82nd birthday.

Hence the BIG CARD. I have never written a "fan letter" to anyone, but I have enjoyed watching Henry Darrow's performances for so many years, and I want to thank him for sharing his talent with his audience. I also owe him a debt of gratitude because thanks to Henry, I pay attention to those other men on horseback. You know the ones - Sam Elliott, Tom Selleck, Ed Harris - but there will never be another Henry Darrow!

So, in the spirit of "thank people for the little things", I'm writing a letter to enclose in the big ol' birthday card. According to his friend Jan Pippins, he reads everything he gets, so I hope he reads it and understands how fondly and affectionately he is regarded by one he has never met.

Feliz Cumpleanos, Henry!!