Shout Outs! Brad tute, Amazing help dieters...

Okay, I have to tell you that I recently began my "new life style" aka diet. LOL! I am thrilled to announce that I have hit the 10# mark! Now to repeat that 9 more times.... anyway, I want to share the website that is super for tracking what you eat, finding the help you need to get and (I hope) keep you motivated and so much more! It's called Sparkpeople and you can find the link at the right of my blog. Did I mention the entire thing is free?
Oh, they even have a Sparkgroup for rubberstampers, yea it was the first one I added myself too. LOL!

Now, for the other shout out. For a long time I have been wanting to put together a tutorial on dressing up brads. I don't have to anymore because at Mel Stampz you will find a wonderful article with great inspirational pictures to boot! If you don't have her site in your google reader (Okay I snuck another shout in but this is where I keep up with all the blogs I love so easily) add it!

Have you ever noticed my writing meanders just like my mind???

Leafing It to Autumn

So much to learn and do and so little time! I bet you can relate to that statement too right?

While at the Artists of the Round Table bash recently, one of the attendees taught us a couple types of marbling. The first sample uses the easiest form aka Suminagashi.

Autumn is my favorite season of the year and tonight’s class utilizes three main dies by Spellbinders that have leaves on them. I am not going to go into how to use the Wizard the instructions are on a DVD you now get with the machine. The three dies are:
S4076 Assorted Leaves
S4011 Harvest 2 Leaves
S3092 Foliage

In this first sample I cut three leaves from the Suminagashi paper I made. I spent an entire day watching all of season five of Smallville and made papers what fun! I have a nice stash ready. I made them in card size.

Encaustic wax technique.

I used regular and pearl crayons on black glossy for this one. The next few show different samples I prepared. I like how when I ran it through it kind of took a little off the edge so I pulled some off the veins on purpose.

This is another easy and fun tech. You will also note I used the oval dies to make the window and one of my new textures to add the dimension to the layered piece. Cindyc loves her textures!!!


This scan looks messy but the card is gorgeous. After cutting out the leaves, I used the discarded paper with the leaf shape holes as a stencil and chalked on color using my Judi-Kins Color Dusters.

I then traced with a Stardust pen. You can't see it in the picture but it is stunning!

You know how Northwoods always has glitter cards that stop everyone in their tracks? They are just the right light touch of glitter. Well this is that look without the hassle! Just trace and you get just a perfect hint of sparkle. They will be great with the new snowflake dies too!

TIP: If you cut your shape from thin craft foam you could use paste for a thick design.

On to 4:
Now Spellbinders does have a nice slim doll type die that they carry but those who know me wouldn't recognize me trim... giggle. So I used the child doll die for me. Much better!

If you looked ahead you will see what I used for her clothes and wings. In this case it was Kroger’s version of Dr. Pepper cans. Yes, pop cans! The thin aluminum in most soda cans works fine. I would guess most beer cans too but can't say for sure. Just cut & emboss like paper in your Wizard. I then added Adirondack alcohol inks.

The doll was stamped and the background made using the polish stone technique then stamped too with a leaf stamp from HIT.

Notice the pop cans in the next pic and then the following pic shows the embossed cans before coloring. A pretty look all by itself.

On to 5!

Now this one is a bit more complicated as I couldn't stop myself. First notice the following pic; it is a scrap piece of butcher paper left over when I made my scarf with the Adirondack color sprays. I have a lot of it and it is gorgeous! Lol

First I die cut some Harvest 2 leaves from fun foam aka craft foam. I then used them as stamps. I decided I wanted some dimension so I traced the leaves with an embossing marker and poured on Ranger Distress Powders and heated. Remember with Ranger Distress Powders you shake, pour on, heat, and rub off excess to get the “grains” out.

Once the leaves were done I added the flowers. Then it needed something down at the bottom. I chose a thin metal charm that comes in a silver color. This one says “create.” I usually use these to emboss into aluminum foil tape.

I wanted color and texture so I used one of my new textures and ran through. It gives it a lot of angles to catch the light. I then did the polish stone technique on it as well.

See that big yellow circle in the large flower? It is a Great Big Brads! The brads are about the size of a nickel and come in colors and metallic! I plan to emboss those.

Ok, see 6:

Just to throw more ideas at you…. Here the leaves and acorns from the Harvest 2 die are cut from wall paper (via free books). After dry embossing I added more color to the veins by brayering ink on. ‘So simple! I then cut strips from the paper for borders to complete the card.

See 7: What do you see?

I’ll tell ya a Dominos pizza ad! Yes, Scoutdogs, I cut a pizza. Lol! Don’t toss those glossy ads... very handy and aren't the colors perfect?

Ok, on 8: I used a technique I had forgotten about, the lost Burnt bag technique! I used cereal cardboard instead of brown bag. After cutting your shapes smear white school glue all over. Then heat the glue over a hot candle or fire starter. Put it in the fire and keep moving. It will get very sooty. Then set aside to be sure glue is dry. Once dry and cool gently wipe off the soot.

You will get a shiny surface that is very cool. Leave as is or add metallic rub-ons or… take it a step further and add the butterscotch Adirondack alcohol ink. It is super yummy! These would make great hair barrettes or other embellishments.

Try it you will be surprised!

TIP: Keep a tub of water handy just in case. Safety first!

See 9:

I made this for CHA (Spellbinders) a couple of years ago. The leaves on the box are copper that have been heated for color. I think Stacey hauled that box everywhere for about a year. It has been places I will never get to, lucky box. Ü

See 10:

The leaves here were done the same way. The bottle caps were flattened in the Wizard and the polished stone letters are from the Vintage font aka spellbinders! (Two fonts in one). The turkey was colored with chalk

See 11:

“Boo” and the “ghosts” were done with vellum, perfect for this. The pumpkins were transferred in the Wizard using an inkjet printer and “Stewart Superior Transfer Medium” to muslin.

The frame was cut and textured in Wizard too.

Samples as well as instructions are copyrighted and may not be used without the owners permission. Thank you.

Today I am Thankful For..."

The amazing friends I have made over the years thanks to stamping and the web. YOU all know who you are. You have enriched my life in so many ways. I only wish I could meet and create with you all!

The Cat's in the Bag©

By Cindy Cade

SUPPLIES:

Scot-It Board
Movable Parts “Just Cats”
Fishing Line or nylon thread
Glue
Tape
Heart template
Copper Tooling Foil
Stylus
Scissors
10 pieces of cardstock cut to 6” by 10” (five for the back of the pages and 5 for the fronts)
Stewart Superior Memories Chestnut Brown ink pad
Ranger Industries Library Green Dye ink pad
“Hearts” and “Cupid” dies by Sizzix
Wizard Die Cut Machine by Spellbinders
Alphabet Stamps
You can find most of these items available at Terryfic Times great prices and service!

DIRECTIONS:
PAGE BACKS:

I chose to use different colors for the fronts and backs. This is optional.
Simply score in the centers (five inches) fold and flatten with your score tool or bone folder.
TUNNEL PAGES:

Score every two and ½ inches producing two mountain folds and one valley fold. Fold and flatten with your score tool or bone folder.
HEART TEMPLATE:

Free cut a heart shape that is approximately 3 ½” wide by 3” tall. Fold in half and use this to score your heart shape on the tunnel pages.

Simply fold the page in half and lay the heart over the fold and trace the template with your stylus or light pencil. If using a pencil it is best to score on the back of the page. Cut out your heart. Now use this first page as your template for your other tunnel pages. Unfold and lay on top of each page and score. You will get the same placement this way.

HEART CHARMS:

I used a Sizzix die to cut out my hearts. I ran it through my Wizard twice producing 8 hearts. I also used the Sizzix Cupid die cutting two.

Use a strong adhesive (I used my 3m tape in my ATG runner) on the back side of four hearts and one cupid. Add your nylon thread and sandwich the matching shape to the back. Now take the hearts to your Scor-It Board and texture.

Tape these to the back center fold of your tunnel pages just above the cut out so the charm dangles freely in the center of the opening.

ASSEMBLY:

Choose the order you would like your charm pages to be and assemble as shown. Take your time to do this right. I used my ATG runner for this.

COVERS:

I simply cut some brown craft paper to layer on the front and the back and taped in place. Score one of the cut out hearts and add chalk to highlight. Adhere to cover.
Now is the time to add those adorable cats. I used my Xyron to make them stick.
On the back page, I used the “Just Cats” card as a stencil and colored with Chestnut Brown Memories Ink. It makes a great stencil!

Finally, I made a little bag to put my book in. With all of those charms wanting to dangle outside the book you couldn’t use a simple enclosure. Besides how fun it is to say; the cat’s in the bag!

If you wish to make a bag simply wrap paper around your book. To avoid having to measure, I just creased the sides where they would fit around the book, took the paper to my Scor-It Board and scored. Then wrap around your book again and tape to form the bag. Slip a box inside and fold the bottom edge as you would a present. Cut the top with pinking shears and add the “Cats” word cut again from the piece that you cats came on.

You are done.

My tip for you!

If you use your Scor-It as much as I do you may find this helpful. Keep a block of beeswax nearby and rub the groove of your tool on the edge. It will now glide on your paper. Repeat as necessary.

Creatively,
Cindy Cade
cjcmlc@horizonview.net

Today I am Thankful For...

A new addition to my blogs will be the "Today I am Thankful For..." comments. You are welcome to pop one of yours up in the comments section. I will be reading them.

You see, I have this problem with so much negativism in my world. I want to add more balance and joy to my life!

Naturally, as a Christian, I would be amiss not to say thank you to my Heavenly Father for sending His son Jesus, to bear my sins of disbelief and self will which are the sources of all other sin. Andre' Crouch used to sing in one of his songs. "He (meaning Jesus the Christ) looked beyond my faults and saw my need." That touched my heart and still does. No one is perfect, believe me, I never was and know I never will or can be in this world, but I am accepted and loved. What a great and liberating concept!

I am also grateful for my family, my faithful and loving husband, all of my children, my pets past and present and my parents, siblings and yes even in laws.

Don't worry future thankful blogs will be shorter! It may even be a simple word or sentence.

So, is there anything you are thankful for?

creatively,

Bamboo Purse Blanks aka Mats and a Great Source!

I promised I would post if folks shared where they found the mats.

The best deal I found (Wow) is from Mrs. Lins Kitchen On sale for $4.25 each! I can't touch that price! And they have all the colors!

My buddy Laurie Hunt found them at Two Sticks for $9.00 each but they did not have the natural color.

I found a seller at EBAY that has them for $11.99

Another friend, Diane Adams, said she found some at her TJ Max.

And with that it is time for me to move on to new subjects on this blog. ;-)