Stamp Set Focus: Layered Letters Alphabet

Stampin' Up! offers many great alphabet sets, and today at Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration, the designers are featuring a few of them. My focus is on the Layered Letters Alphabet.

I'm on a mission to create a thank you card (or project) for as many posts this month as I can. That made it easy to decide what I was going to spell out with my alphabet stamp set. However, then I wondered what else I would do. The Crazy About You stamp set was delivered today, and as I was putting it together, the Just Sayin' jumped out at me.

My suggestion for you is this: if you are purchasing a set that has lots of phrases, and little ones at that, such as Crazy About You; invest in the wood-mount. You will get a crisper image when you stamp with it.

Also, I had heard to put the Stampin' Pierce Mat under your project when you're stamping with photopolymer stamps for a crisper image. Typically I don't have issues with my photopolymer, but this alphabet set (which only comes in photopolymer) was giving me fits. The pierce mat trick definitely works!

How else would you use your favorite alphabet stamp set?

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Creating A Background

Stampin' Up!'s Designer Series Paper is a great addition to almost any card because it's an easy element or background to really elevate that card. However, sometimes you may not have exactly what you're looking for in your DSP stash. Today at Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration, we are creating our own Designer Series Paper for Technique Tuesday.

Creating your own background is super easy. In my example, I used one stamp set, Garden In Bloom. I stamped each stamp in random patterns, covering my entire layer. This really allowed me to use my background as my focal point. What is your favorite Stampin' Up! stamp set to create backgrounds with?

Today, I fell in love with Mossy Meadow all over again.

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Memorial Day

When I think of Memorial Day, I see flag-lined cemeteries and the city band playing at the All-Veterans Memorial. That is what inspired my card for today.

I did look up the history of Memorial Day yesterday. There is lots of controversy over which town first celebrated Memorial Day. Regardless of who started it, the reason behind it was the same. To honor those that lost their lives in the Civil War. To those, and the ones who served before them and after them, thank you.

Modern Medley Designer Series Paper

$10.95

Real Red 8-1/2X11 Card Stock

$6.95

Labels Collection Framelits Dies

$26.95

Festive Paper-Piercing Pack

$7.95

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Bursting With Thanks

Do you have those stamp sets that really don't move you the first time you look at it in a catalog? For me it was Starburst Sayings in the Occasions Catalog. However, I started seeing really cute things made with this set and it started growing on me. Now that I own it, it is quickly becoming my favorite. You might have guessed that, since I'm using it two days in a row!

This card features a technique I have struggled with in the past, Embedded Embossing. I just never felt it looked quite right when I tried it. Today, I think I mastered it! I used the starburst stamp to create a background. To give it some extra dimension, I also used the stamp-off technique. In this case, I stamped twice before inking up again. Next, I used the smallest Starburst framelit to cut pieces from the Kaleidoscope Designer Series Paper. Once I glued those down, I ran the whole layer through the Big Shot with the Honeycomb embossing folder.

I felt that the card needed a little contrast so that my sentiment would stand out. The Basic Black Chevron ribbon came to the rescue. I knew I wanted to use the "Thank you so much" sentiment from Starburst Sayings. (Side note, I love the coordinating framelits! Could you imagine how frustrating it would be cutting THAT out by hand?) I knew I wanted a layer behind the thank you, but the next size up Starburst felt a little too big for this card. Then it hit me, "hexagon punch!" It was the perfect size and tied in with the embossing folder.

A note about adhering everything together. I used glue dots to glue the ribbon to the back of the Whisper White layer. This leaves the front loose and gives the illusion of the sentiment floating. The Crushed Curry Hexagon is attached to the ribbon using Sticky Strip. This way I am sure it is not going to fall off. When gluing down an embossing layer, I always use the Tombow Multipurpose Liquid Glue. Otherwise you could flatten some of the embossing by pushing too hard if you were using SNAIL or a glue stick.

My favorite thing about this card is that it is one big optical illusion! If I look long enough the starbursts seem to be rocking back and forth. While I love the chevron ribbon, it is not nice to my eyes while putting it on a card! My eyes play lots of tricks on me, which could be lupus-related, caused by the lupus meds, or just attributed to the fact that I'm getting old! Does anyone else think the ribbon is wider in the middle than it is on the left side? Oh, and while the ribbon is actually black and white; mixed with the Smoky Slate and Basic Grey on this card, it appears to be black and grey.

Basic Black 3/4" Chevron Ribbon

Hexagon Punch

Kaleidoscope DSP

Starburst Sayings Framelits Bundle

Honeycomb Embossing Folder

Other supplies used:
  Cardstock: Smoky Slate, Whisper White, Crushed Curry
  Ink: Bermuda Bay
  Tools: Paper Trimmer, Simply Scored, Bone Folder, Big Shot, Magnetic Platform
  Adhesive: SNAIL, Tombow Multipurpose Liquid Glue, Glue Dots, Sticky Strip

Time To Celebrate!

Today marks my 10th year as a Stampin' Up! Creative Coach. WOW! I have enjoyed every minute of it. Let's see, there was my first, very nervous workshop; the workshop a year or so later when I dumped my entire pastels case on my floor in the middle of a workshop; making everything for my own wedding, as well as making or help make items for several other weddings. Through the countless events, workshops, and classes I have held I have met so many wonderful people, several of whom have become close friends.

Today I wanted to make a special thank you card. I share this with everyone today as I think about each individual who has made my business possible through orders, referrals, and reading my blog.

I love shaped cards, and I love easel cards, so I thought, "Why not combine the two?"

Supplies used:
  Cardstock: Smoky Slate, Tempting Turquoise, Very Vanilla
  Stamp sets: Simply Sketched, Express Yourself
  Ink: Tempting Turquoise, Smoky Slate
  Framelits: Labels Collection, Bitty Banners
  Embellishments: Large Basic Pearls
  Tools: Sponge Daubers, Big Shot, Paper Trimmer, Simply Scored
  Adhesive: SNAIL, Stampin' Dimensionals

I'm celebrating today over at my Facebook page by giving away $100 in Stampin' Up! goodies! Click on the picture below, then share and comment the giveaway post for your chance to win! I'm planning to celebrate all year long on my Facebook page; I'd bet you don't want to miss out!