Find ideas, instructions and materials used to make a variety of paper-craft projects using Stampin' Up! products. As an independent Stampin' Up! demonstrator in New Zealand I love to share my passion for creating things with paper including cards, boxes, gifts and decorations. I find that making things is a fun and relaxing past-time which relieves stress and gives me a purpose to be active every day. If you have any questions or want to learn more about Stampin' Up! feel free to contact me.
The Sand & Sea products are one of my favourite collections in the new mini catalogue by Stampin' Up!
All the products work so well together -- Friends Are Like Seashells Photopolymer Stamps, Seaside Seashells Dies,Seashells 3D Embossing Folder, Opal Rounds self-adhesive gems, Seaside Shells stickers, Pearlescent Specialty Paper, and the Sand & Sea Designer Series Paper. You can stamp five of the shells on the large die cut image and them emboss them all in one go with your Cut & Emboss Machine!
Then you can use it as one large background image on a card or you can cut away each seashell to use them individually.
I even combined the two methods by attaching five stamped shells onto the large die cut image (Old Olive cardstock) and placed them on some Sand & Sea DSP.
You can get a stunning look by just embossing on the Pearlescent Specialty Paper.
For another card I highlighted the raised spots on the large die cut image using some Heat & Stick powder with the Gilded Leafing embellishment to make an elegant birthday card.
I created a card with the embossed background and added some sheen by sponging the Mossy Meadow cardstock with some Frost White Shimmer Paint. The shell and starfish were stamped on a piece of Sand & Sea Designer Series Paper before die cutting.
I sponged some Seaside Spray ink on Basic White cardstock which was embossed with the Painted Texture 3D folder to make it look like my seashells have been washed up on a sandy beach.
I used some blending brushes with the PearlescentSpecialty Paper to create realistic looking seashells and combined them with some of the beautiful Sand & Sea Designer Series Paper.
The coloured pearlescent shells also stand out well on a white embossed background.
I show you how to create this gorgeous card in my YouTube video below.
I've also made a few quick videos to show you how to get the best use out of the Sand & Sea dies and 3D embossing folder. You can see all of them on my C & C Designs channel.
There are so many things you can do with this fabulous collection that I am sure it will keep you crafting for a long time!
I decided to make several cards to leave in my neighbours' letterboxes to bring a bit of cheer to them during New Zealand's countrywide lockdown. I copied an embossing technique I saw online from a fellow demonstrator in the USA, Connie Tumm.
It's a quick and easy card to make as long as you have six different embossing folders. If you don't have that many folders, or none at all, you can create the card without embossing the coloured cardstock or maybe just emboss a few pieces.
I used cardstock from the five 2018-2020 In Colors plus Gorgeous Grape to make a my 6-colour rainbow cards. I know there are 7 colours in a rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet) but I didn't have enough room on my cards and I think it looks just as good without a second blue colour.
For the base of the cards I used Whisper White Note Cards & Envelopes which are 5" x 3-1/2" (12.7 x 8.9 cm) and I cut a Basic Black cardstock mat to 4-1/2" x 3" (11.5 x 7.5 cm). I also used 4" x 2-3/4" (10 x 7 cm) coloured cardstock -- Lovely Lipstick, Grapefruit Grove, Pineapple Punch, Call Me Clover, Blueberry Bushel, and Gorgeous Grape.
After embossing each coloured cardstock with a different 3-D Embossing folder (Brick & Mortar, Tin Tile,Hammered Metal, Country Floral, Scripty, Button Button) I cut each piece into 5/8" (1.5 cm) strips which gave me enough to make 6 cards.
I decorated the front of each card with a different sentiment in Memento Tuxedo Black Ink using the Stitched So Sweetly diesexcept for two cards which I fussy cut. Some of the cards were embellished with epoxy shapes or jewels to add a bit of sparkle to them. I even stamped the back of each envelope using my Stamparatus for accurate placement.
Back of envelope stamped with 'Stamping Your Way to the Top' stamp set
Instead of signing the cards and sealing the envelopes, I made up a poem to put inside so that the recipient could share the card with someone else.
This little card was made for you
to brighten up your day.
If it made you smile then its job is done
and you should send it on its way.
Please give it to someone you know
to pass along the cheer.
Since all of us need to know
there is always someone there!
Have a look at my video for more details on how to make your own rainbow cards and for lots of tips on using embossing folders.
Brightening someone's day by giving them a handmade card is very satisfying, even if you don't see the recipient's face when they open the envelope.
I started off the New Year playing with my free stamp sets from the Sale-A-Bration brochure. There are so many wonderful projects which can be made from the new Occasions and Sale-A-Bration catalogues and in this post I showcase the Power of Hope Bundle which includes a stamp set and the Stone 3D Embossing folder. You can get both these items for free with a qualifying order until 31 March 2020.
I've made simple, casual and avid crafter projects to satisfy everyone with this stamp set. All you need is some cardstock, ink and the Power of Hope bundle to make some lovely cards and decorations for the new year.
Sometimes the simplest projects turn out to be the most elegant. My first card only used three colours of cardstock (Whisper White, Basic Black and Real Red) along with ink and the stamp set.
I stamped all the images from the set using Tuxedo Black Memento ink. I used the Stitched Rectangle dies to cut the three white pieces which I then layered on black cardstock to give some contrast.
I arranged the layered pieces on the red cardstock to decide where to put the sentiments and then used my Stamparatus for perfect placement. I left the inside of the card blank so it can be used for any occasion.
My next design was inspired by the paper lanterns I see at the Auckland Lantern Festival. I stamped the image on Petal Pink cardstock, cut it out with a circle die and then scrunched it up in my hands to give it a worn look. I used Lovely Lipstick cardstock for the top and bottom of the lantern, cut with the Stitched Rectangle dies.
The black centre section was embossed with the Stone 3D Embossing folder and layered on a piece of Lily Impressions designer series paper (also a Sale-A-Bration freebie). I used some Rose Metallic Thread as the handle for the lantern and behind the sentiment, which was heat embossed in black on Petal Pink cardstock.
I stepped things up a bit with my next card by turning it into an interactive card. When you press on the word 'power' in the sentiment on the front of the card the little lanterns light up!
The base of this card is basic black cardstock with whisper white layers. I stamped the front with Black Memento ink and then coloured each image with Stampin' Blends markers (Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Cajun Craze, Crumb Cake, and Call Me Clover). I stamped the lady on a separate piece of thick Whisper White cardstock and coloured her in with Flirty Flamingo, Bermuda Bay, and Basic Black Stampin' Blends and then cut the image out so I could layer her on the front of the card.
I turned the front piece over and put copper tape, mini flat led lights and a battery on it to make the lanterns light up. I then used Foam Adhesive Strips to attach it to the front of the card. I watched several YouTube videos to see how to create the light up feature and this was the first time I had tried that technique. Since the Stampin' Blends bleed through the paper it was easy for me to place the led lights in the correct spots.
For my next project I made a little lantern on which I stamped the images with Memento black ink. I used a rectangle piece of Petal Pink vellum and left the ink to dry for several minutes before I cut strips into the sides. I then used some gold thread to attach the Petal Pink Tassel to the bottom of the lantern.
Putting Petal Pink cardstock at the bottom and top of the lantern helped to hide the joins and hold the gold thread in place. I used some Petal Pink cardstock for the handle as well. I then cut several blossom images with the Seasonal Layers dies on the vellum and cardstock to decorate the lantern and to hide the seams.
I had a little hanging light leftover from a lantern I got last year so I created a hanger for it out of a paper clip, bending it into the shape I needed. I had originally planned to use a battery-powered tea light for the lantern, but that idea had to change after I attached the tassel to the bottom.
I made a video to show the light up features for the card and the lantern because the pictures don't do these projects justice.
I plan to make more detailed videos on how to create these projects in the near future so subscribed to my YouTube channel if you'd like to see them. Don't forget to check back here soon for more Sale-A-Bration and Occasion catalogue projects!
