#GDP309: A Black & White Christmas

This week's color challenge at Global Design Project is right up my ally - black and white with a pop of color! 

 

My first thought was to add a little bit of pink - I love that color combination! But laying in bed the other night, the idea for this card came to me, and I switched gears. When does your inspiration happen? I often think of my best ideas while laying in bed at night before I go to sleep. (Or, let's be honest, when I'm laying awake in the middle of the night, trying to distract myself from worrying about something.) Anyways... here is my card:

 

This card turned out exactly how I wanted it to! That Real Red Ruffled Ribbon is SO pretty - in fact, after I used it, several of my kids asked for a piece! 

 

Here is a full list of the products I used:

Stamps: Evergreen Elegance

Ink: Memento Black

Paper: Thick Basic White, Basic White, Basic Black, Pattern Party Host DSP

Embellishments: Real Red Ruffled Ribbon, Cute Stars Adhesive Backed Sequins

Tools: Versamark, White Embossing Powder, Heat Tool

Adhesives: Stampin' Seal+, Stampin' Dimensionals

 

 

Want a free tutorial for this card? I send a free card tutorial to my email subscribers every Monday, and this one is coming up next week! Join my email list here.

Happy Stamping!

Rachel

Hopping by to Just Say Hi

I've been waiting to share today's card with you for a long time! In April, my team leader did a fun creative challenge with our team. Those who participated were split into teams, and each week she gave us different criteria for creating cards. We got points for each of the items we included, and sometimes there were extra challenges like this one - a slimline card. This was probably my favorite card that I created during the entire challenge. Take a look!

 

I used the Layering Circles Dies to cut out some "windows" for my kangaroos. I was inspired by Erica Cerwin, who did a peekaboo card like this, although hers was not a slimline card. 

 

Here is a full list of my supplies:

Stamps: Kangaroo & Company

Ink: Coastal Cabana, Memento Black, Stampin' Blends Markers: Cinnamon Cider, Petal Pink

Paper: Coastal Cabana, Basic White, Flirty Flamingo, Pattern Party Designer Series Paper

Embellishments: Snail Mail Twine Combo Pack

Tools: Versamark, White Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Tasteful Labels Dies, Kangaroo Dies, Layering Circles Dies, Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine

Adhesives: Stampin' Seal+, Stampin' Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots

 

If you like this card and you'd like to receive a tutorial for it, be sure to join my email list. I'll be sending a tutorial for this card next Monday to my email subscribers!

 

Happy Stamping!

Rachel 

Have a Wild Summer!

As promised, today I am sharing the gifts I made for the teachers at school to thank them for a good year. I used the Wild Cats stamp set and some clever masking to come up with the tags for these cute gift bags!

 

The template for this gift bag comes from Ronda Wade. It's a pretty easy design that can be used with any patterned paper! 

 

You'll need a piece of cardstock measuring 3 1/2" x 3 1/2". Score each side at 1/2". Cut up one score line on each side to create tabs, and then use a strong adhesive like Stampin' Seal+ or Tear & Tape on the tabs to create the bottom of the bag. It will look like the bottom of a small box.

 

Next, cut a piece of Designer Series paper 6" x 12". Put Stampin' Seal+ or Tear & Tape along one of the short sides and one of the long sides. The long side will wrap around the bottom of your cardstock "box". Go slow so that you don't get any "bubbles" in your paper. When you've wrapped the paper all the way around, there will be some left that overlaps. This is the short side that you already put adhesive on. Let it fall into place and press to hold the adhesive. 

 

Pinch the top sides of your bag together, and punch a circle with a circle punch in the size you'd like. I used a 3/4" Circle Punch. This is where you will tie your ribbon through.

 

Finally, design a tag for the front of your bag. These bags are perfect for any occasion - birthday, Christmas, a little appreciation gift... In these we put some chocolates and a Sonic gift card.

 

One more note about my stamping - I did use a retired alphabet set - Skinny Mini Alphabet - to spell 'SUMMER'. You could also use the Playful Alphabet Dies. I found that the die-cut letters were just a little bit too wide for my tag, and I needed something quick and easy because I was putting these together last minute! The sentiment in the stamp set says "Have a wild birthday". I masked off the "birthday" before inking the stamp. Same with the "you're the beast" - I masked off the thanks before inking (although it was appropriate in this instance, I liked how the sentiments flowed better without it). I used the Tailor Made Tags Dies to make a little tag for each teacher's name.

 

I hope you enjoyed this project! I just love the funny play on words, and the teachers loved these too! Here is a full list of supplies I used:

Stamps: Wild Cats, Skinny Mini Alphabet (retired)

Ink: Crushed Curry, Memento Black

Paper: Blushing Bride, Evening Evergreen, Basic White, Pattern Party DSP, In the Wild DSP

Embellishments: Blushing Bride Metallic Ribbon, Evening Evergreen Open Weave Ribbon

Tools: Hippo & Friends Dies, Tailor Made Tags Dies, Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine, 3/4" Circle Punch (retired)

Adhesives: Stampin' Seal+, Stampin' Dimensionals

Happy Stamping!

Rachel

Wishing You Happiness

Today I am sharing a card with you that I made for a swap. It's a lot of fun to participate in a swap! I sent 20 of this card, and received 20 different cards back. Demonstrators often organize these swaps at the beginning of a new catalog so that we can get a variety of samples, some even using products that we might not own. It's always an exciting day when the returned swaps arrive in the mail! Here's what I created:

 

This card started with that heart-patterned piece of Designer Series Paper. It is from the Pattern Party stack of paper, which is a host exclusive item in this year's catalog. It's my favorite pattern, maybe even out of all the papers in the catalog! I also used the Scalloped Contours Dies to create the scalloped edge - isn't that a fun way to show off the paper and make the inside of the card a little fancier?!

 

The Scalloped Contours Dies were also used to cut the Bermuda Bay label for the front of the card. The sentiment comes from the Pansy Patch stamp set, and it is stamped on a white label cut with the Label Me Lovely Punch. White twine from the Baker's Twine Essentials Pack and a few Opal Rounds finish off the card. 

 

I hope you like this card filled with a bunch of my favorite things! Here is a full list of supplies:

Stamps: Pansy Patch

Ink: Bermuda Bay

Paper: Thick Basic White, Basic White, Bermuda Bay, Real Red, Pattern Party Designer Series Paper

Embellishments: Opal Rounds, Baker's Twine Essentials Pack

Tools: Heart Punch Pack, Label Me Lovely Punch, Scalloped Contours Dies, Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine

Adhesives: Stampin' Seal+, Stampin' Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots

 

Happy Stamping!

Rachel