Friday, August 12, 2011

VC Rocks August Blog Hop

 I hope you are enjoying your VC Rocks blog hop.  The featured items from the new Stampin' Up! catalog will leave you with a long wish list!  Today, I made some cards with the new hostess set, Happiest Birthday Wishes.  This set of 11 birthday sentiments are perfect for punching out after stamping.  I made masculine,  feminine and  baby birthday cards.

The happy birthday on the left side of this card looks like a wheeled image.   I just stamped it twice in a row.  Since this was masculine, I used only the curly label punch.





Although I planned this card for a baby, it could be used for other birthdays also.  The punches used are extra large oval and decorative label.  I also used the Big Shot ovals die for the back 2 layers.  I love to layer Stampin' Up punches and dies.





And for my final card, I am still deciding if I like it or not.  What I always say is when in doubt add a layer, and every card deserves ribbon.  This card may prove those to be false.  What do you think?



These punched layers for the sentiment are so right!
I used 1" circle, 1 3/8" circle, 1 3/4" circle and 1 3/4" scallop circle punches.  The concord grape circle is from the Big Shot circles #2 die.

To go backward on this blog hop, go to Fancy Nancy K's blog.
To go forward, go to Elaine Wright's blog.
Happy hopping!!
Elizabeth K.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Reflections Tutorial

Do you remember this card from a blog hop earlier this summer?
 I taught this class about mirror images on the VC Rocks yahoo group.  If you try this technique, please let me know.  I would love to see your creations!

Two ways I do reflections: 


First and easiest way: Read through the steps and reminders before starting.
Stamp image. Then turn either the paper or stamp around to stamp reflection below the picture.










**Remember to stamp off first for lighter image on the reflection. Also keep in mind, you need to find your light source, so the reflection is leaning in the correct direction.  My light source is coming from the top left.  This works well with trees and shrubs, but may not work for animals and ships.



For the class, I stamped on white paper.  But for easier placement of stamped images, I advise you to put color on your paper first, then stamp the images. Most of the time I will brayer or sponge on ink, but if you are more talented than me, you could watercolor, use the pastels, sponge daubers, direct to paper ink technique.  Also after stamping I usually have to come back and sponge in a little color, to cover my mistakes.  Lol.  See the card from above.

Second way to do a reflection is by using the smooth side of the plastic sheet from the stamp-a-ma-jig (SAMJ).  Make sure it is clean first.  You will not need the SAMJ positioner for this part.

The first thing you stamp will be the reflection. Since you are going to use the plastic sheet, you will not need to stamp off the ink before stamping the sheet.
If you plan to use dark or vibrant colors, I suggest stamping with Basic Black classic ink. If you go with pastel colors, you will be able to use the Basic Gray.
You can see how I stamped on the smooth, shiny side of the sheet. Also the image is not perfect because of the slickness of the sheet, but that is perfect for a reflected image.
Next flip the sheet over and then firmly hold it in place with one hand while you rub the image off with the other hand. Once again the
image will be a little blurred, but thatʼs what a reflection is.
I used the clear mount stamp of The Open Sea set from Stampin' Up!, so it was easy to see where to place my actual image. Since it is in or near the water, it looks better if
your images overlap just a bit.


I also challenged myself with a more complex reflected image.  For this card I could have used either method of making reflections.  For the row of trees I needed to use my stamp positioner from the SAMJ to get them straight across the card.

Okay, a few variations: 
1- Instead of using the plastic sheet, you can use acetate or cellophane bag. Some people even brayer over the inked up stamp and then roll the image onto the paper. 
2- Use a torn piece of post it note at the middle where the images meet and then stamp, to give you a little texture at the water/grass line. 
3- Use this for a mirror image effect, just flip sheet over on the side. Since the mirrored image will not be as dark, you can fill in those weak spots with a marker. Use permanent marker if you plan to color in the image. 
4- A mirror image can also be made by stamping on vellum, then turning over and adhering next to your first image. 
5- Use this reflection technique on houses, which look pretty reflected on the street in the moonlight. And ice skaters need a reflection on the ice, right?

You can see more reflections cards at Stampin' Stace Blog.  Just scroll down for several entries.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Winner of Blog Candy is Artistic Inkspirations!!

Congratulations "Artistic Inkspirations" !  I can't wait to send you some goodies,
so you can get started on your own journal.  

Please email me (eberzaskratzer at gmail dot com), 
your snail mail address.  
Thanks for hopping with us, everyone!
Elizabeth K.

Friday, July 8, 2011

VC Rocks July 2011 Blog Hop

Welcome to the VC Rocks ABC Blog Hop - Anything But a Card.
Today I am excited to show you my Junque Journal.  It's a work in progress.  This "art journal" has also been called a glue book or junk journal or smash book.  (I learned how to make this by watching you tube videos by tangiebaxter.)   My journal is loaded with those little pieces of junk that I know I am not going to scrapbook, but want to keep, like:
concert tickets,
notes that my kids wrote to me when they were young,
prayer cards,
pretty postcards from our trip to Galveston,
letters my mother and grandmother wrote to us....





I used a regular old dollar store composition book and pulled out my Stampin' Up! retired and current Designer Series Papers.  I cut them to size, glued them to different pages, added embellishments from previous swaps (ATCs, inchies), even corner punched some of the pages.  This makes for a big bulky journal and the ribbons I used throughout the book hold it together very well.
What I used for the cover is the current SU Flirtatious Specialty DSP.  I put plenty of glue on the backside. (Stampin' Up! glue is perfect for covering these composition books.)  









Other items I used to decorate the cover are:
Alphabet Simple Letters and 3" circle sizzix dies,
Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Pretty in Pink, and Melon Mambo cardstock,
Antique and metallic brads,
Victoria Crochet trim,
retired felt and crochet flowers,
Early Espresso, Melon Mambo, Cherry Cobbler, Soft Seude and Pear Pizzaz inks.
Stamp sets: 
French Foliage, Artistic Etchings, Elements of Style,
Delicate Doilies, Notes and Details, In a Word (retired).

Inside the journal some items I added:
a card from the kids, the year after their dad's cancer,




inspirational cards, ATCs from swaps,




letters from my mom and grandmother,


and hairstyles from the past years.  (My hair was much thicker then. Lol)

Thanks for joining us this month.
Leave a comment for me, and on Monday a randomly picked commenter will win an assortment of items like those I used to decorate this journal!

If you want to go to the beginning of the swap, go to VC Rocks Blog.

 









Monday, July 4, 2011

Independence Weekend at Galveston, beach

Mandy loved the ferry ride to Galveston.

She did get upset when she realized she couldn't reach the water.

Here she is covered up and sprayed with SPF 50 sunscreen.  
(Shh, don't tell the oncologist.)

Mandy anticipating the next wave to "overtake" us.

Mommy and Mandy, riding the waves - Mandy style!

Mandy did well with the outing.  We went shopping on The Strand and it turns out that ducking into every other shop keeps you cool.  
Richard said she needs to get used to waiting for the ferry.  I said that if she is crying the ferry is moving too slow.  What do you think?




Thursday, June 23, 2011

Hope Card & peek at 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog new items

 Strength & Hope stamp set in the Summer Mini Catalog.

 Two new In Colors:  Island Indigo & Pool Party.  
New Chocolate 1/2 " Scallop Dots Ribbon.
The new Lace Ribbon Border punch at the bottom is cut in half, to make a thinner border.

New Paisley Petals Designer Series Paper.
The sentiment is from the new Perfect Words hostess set.
The birdcage from the Nature Walk stamp set (Occasions Mini Catalog) is in the new IBC.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

More of my VC Rocks! card swaps

This was for the Big Shot swap:


Kid's Birthday Swap:


Simplicity swap:


For the Boys swap:


Trend swap:


Birthday swap card:

Saturday, June 18, 2011

May VC Rocks Card Swaps

This was for the Get Well/Sympathy swap.  I will miss you, Puns from the Past stamps!

Ebony and Ivory swap - that really is Whisper White & Basic Gray.
The embossing folders for the Big Shot are so easy to use and add so much to a card.


Kindness for the Floral swap.  I used the new Stampin' Up! triple flower punches.

For the Sugar and Spice swap, I pulled out my Heat & Stick powder and my Irridescent Ice.
I love, love, love Tiny Tags!  So cute, easy to punch and adds that little something extra.

For the fancy folds swap, I did a simple gate fold card.  There's that triple punch flower again.
Here it is opened.
I hope you liked these cards.  Tomorrow I will add more of my swap cards. 
Until then, happy stampin'!
Elizabeth

Friday, June 17, 2011

Scrapbooking Swap & RAK




I am a hostess for VC Rocks Scrapbooking Elements Swap.  
Above is an example for the swap, using triple flower punch, 
Bold Blossom and Notes & Details stamp sets.


This RAK has new items from the Stampin Up! Idea and Catalog Book 2011-2012.
The new in color is Wisteria Wonder.  
The Designer Series Paper is Flirtatious.
Two new hostess stamp sets are Posy Punch and Perfect Words.
The bling comes from Jewel Basic Rhinestones.