Inkspiration for Stamping and Scrapbooking

Embrace Life

Last week was my Embrace Life class. A LONG time ago, I gave you a sneak peek at the cards. Wouldn't you  like to see them in their entirety? I know when I am teased with a sneak peek, like when SU! sneaks a few new products into our demonstrator-only magazine a month or so before a new catty, I'm always hoping they'll show us more sometime soon.

This was a class designed for intermediate and above stampers and all 5 cards used the Embrace Life set. Here we go!

Rub-ons and the build-a-brad, along with gentle shading all add wow to this card.

The template for this card is found here.

Wouldn't this make a great anniversary or wedding card?

Felt fusion and rhinestone brads add tons of fun and bling to this square card.

Pocket card using new stylized silver Hodgepodge hardware ribbon slide and dyed Pretties flowers.

The insert for the pocket card features a popped up stamped flower. A punch out from the Word Window punch, folded in half forms the pull tab for the insert.

This is the deluxe version of the card I showed you last week, here.

What can I say, it's just plain gorgeous and I wish I had dreamt it up entirely myself, but I didn't. The main idea for this one came from Sophia Landry. 

I promised last week to show you how to do the vellum flowers, so I will be back with a tutorial on that VERY soon, so stay tuned.

The inspiration for these cards have come from a variety of beautiful stampers including Corinne Somerville, Debbie Olson, Sophia Landry, Vivian Swain, and Kristin Moore. A few of the cards I changed up a bit, some were just perfect the way they were, that all I did was CASE them. The ladies who attended last week's class were definitely wow'd by these cards, and the people who will be the recipients of their cards will be too! We felt so grateful for all the talented stampers who so graciously share their talents online!

Til next time, happy stampin' and blessings! - Ann

Monochromatic Embrace Life

Do you remember the sneak peek of my upcoming Embrace Life class? If you missed it, you can see it here. It's not too late to join that class, but if you'd like your own set, we won't be able to get it for you before the class - you'd have to use mine for the night.

Anyway, I have a total hands-on party on Thursday night (can't wait - this group of ladies is ALWAYS a lot of fun to be around!) and we decided that we'd simplify one of the cards from next week's class for this group. Yes, this is the simple version!

I LOVE these colours! The very first card I made with the (then) new In Colors used Groovy Guava with Really Rust and I'm coming back to that colour combo for this card. You can see it here - unfortunately I can't point you to a post, just a photo, as that was back in my blogspot days, before I started this typepad blog. Anyway, I stamped the flourish from Baroque Motifs with Really Rust ink directly onto the patterned paper from the Ginger Blossoms dsp, added the greeting and the flower is popped up on dimensionals.

I'll explain more about the technique for the flower next week after the Embrace Life class. MAYBE I'll even do it as a tutorial - it's been a while since I have done one. Let me know if you'd like a tutorial for the flower by leaving me a comment.

And enjoy the balmy weather - there's a hint of spring in today, at least here in Elmira ON and it's wonderful after the brutal February we went through!

Happy stampin' and blessings,

- Ann

Embrace Life Class - Sneak Peek

For those of you signed up for my upcoming Embrace Life class, I'm giving you a little sneak peek at our cards. For those of you who haven't signed up yet, you still have time to get in on this fabulous class - sign up closes February 29th so we have our sets in time for the March 12th class.

We will be making 5 over the top, drop dead gojus cards!Here's your peek:

The inspiration for these cards have come from a variety of beautiful stampers including Corinne Somerville, Debbie Olson, Sophia Landry, Vivian Swain, and Kristin Moore.

We'll be allowing about 1/2 hour for each card - yes, these are some deluxe cards and when you're finished you'll want to give them to those special people - the ones you KNOW keep your cards!

See class schedule for more details. to join us for this class, just email me. I'm looking forward to seeing you here!

Guest Artist Embraced

Doesn't this card have a slightly Asian flair? I love the "feel" the artist created. The artist is Jamilla Ivits, a member of my team of demonstrators.

At first glance, I thought Jamilla stamped on designer paper, a huge trend right now. Instead, Jamilla created the effect of designer paper by stamping two images on the Groovy Guava piece. The leafy image is white embossed and then she overstamped the flower image with Ruby Red ink. The embossing resists the ink - neat, eh?

ETA: Jamilla's technique was to stamp the leafy image in Versamark on vanilla cardstock and emboss with clear embossing powder, brayer over top with Groovy Guava and then stamp the flower stem with Ruby Red. Wow - great effect, eh?!

She used 3 brads for some visual interest on the left, and tore and rolled the Kraft cardstock. The Kraft cardstock is stamped with the Define Your life set - this set is SO versatile for cardmakers and scrapbookers! And the rub-ons from the Urban West collection set off the sentiment.

Thanks so much, Jamilla, for participating in my New Set swap, and for allowing me to share your card.

I have had my eye on that Define Your Life set for awhile, now! Maybe I'll earn it for free as a bonus during Sale-A-Bration. If you LOVE that set, you can get it for FREE during Sale-A-Bration - it is the bonus set added to the starter kit for anyone who starts their own Stampin' Up! business during Sale-A-Bration. AND another bonus - Stampin' Up! announced over the weekend that the starter kit is on SALE during Sale-A-Bration - 20% off. That's just $208 + PST for over $400 worth of product! I'd love to tell you more, so just email me for information.