2 Stamp Sets / 3 Ways Post #2

Stamp Sets : Ornamental Snowflakes and Snowmen Nativity

Ink : Palette Noir and Beaux Arts Blue, Dew Drops VersaMagic Sea Breeze, Moonlight White

Paper : Premium Heavy Weight Cardstock (works beautifully with prismacolor and gamsol as well), Strathmore Watercolor Paper (cold press) 140lb.

Embossing Supplies : Tsukinek Clear Embossing Powder, Marvy Heat Tool, Small Tidy Tray, X-Static,

Other : Dusters, Deckle Scissors, Blue Stickles, White Fun Flock, eyeshadow applicators, foam brush, Scor-pal, bone folder (to crease the score edges) .

Punches : Marvy Uchida and Martha Stewart

Click on the product links to view the some of the supplies used in this project at my online catalog/store. If you cannot find them locally, then you can order from my online store and TAC will mail them directly to you. Shipping is $6.95 or 10% of totals at or above $69.50.

Card Base Instructions : I had so much fun making this card. I've been wanting to use my Scor-pal more, so I went to Scor-pal.com and check out some of the projects they have posted in their projects pages. Lots of really cool things you can do with the Scor-pal, so when you get a chance check it out. ***BTW, if you life in Jacksonville, you can get a Scor-pal at A Small Cleverness. Donna still had alot of them last time I was there, and if she doesn't, then she can order one for you. She can get them for you cheaper than I can. *** I decided to do the Cami Tri-fold. I used a white cardstock 10 3/4" x 5 1/2". Score at 4" and again 7 1/2". The tutorial at scor-pal shows you how to do it step by step. But basically, the front of the card folds back behind itself (that is where my snowman is adhered. And a window is cut out of the front to create a window. The inside is blank. I tried the Martha Stewart Snowflake border punch, but I'm going to see if I can return it. It doesn't look like the packaging indicates it will look, so I was very disappointed in that.

Ink to Water colors Technique : I designed the background paper myself. I didn't have to worry about shopping for matching paper. I love it when I can use my products in more than one way. Did you know you can turn your Palette and Versamagic inks into water colors. I used Watercolor Paper (Strathmore) cold press 140lb. I pounced the ink (VersaMagic Sea Breeze), on a plastic surface ( I have a rectangular piece that I keep in my tool bag just for this technique ). Wet a foam brush, drop some water on top of the ink, move the brush around to mix the water with the ink and then load the brush. Apply to paper using long strokes. I wanted the color to be uneven and look like wind was swirling behind my snowman. You can actually add a few more drops of water directly on the paper and move the color around some more if you need to. I wanted a small amount of darker shade mixed in, so I then did the same technique but in a smaller amount using Palette Beaux Arts Blue. After this dried, my paper was a little warped, so I ironed it face down (you don't want to get the ink on your iron). Then to make it a little lighter around the snowman, I sponged on a little Brilliance Moonlight White. After that dried I began stamping and emobossing the image as described below.

Snowman Image : Isn't this little snow angel so stinkin' cute. I tried to cute a close-up of him, but you still can't really tell that I used fun flock on him. I so wish you could see it and touch it!! I used a glue pen to apply mine. I used a tooth pick to push it back from over the eyes, nose, and buttons. I cut him out and used some thick glue to apply him to the background so that he would just barely pop up. BTW I stamped him on the background paper as well in Moon Light White Brilliance Dewdrop and embossed with clear embossing powder so the little snow flakes would show up, then I went over the tops of his stick hands with black marker. Last but not least, I applied a little Blue Stickles to his wings. I thought that a few more snowflakes were in oreder, so I added a few more with a white gel pen (uniball by Signo).

Front panel - Window : I use coordinating Marvy Uchida oval (purple-Giga) / scalloped ovals (green-Extra Giga) for this project. I punched the oval first, creating a window in a 3 1/2" by 4 1/2" piece of white paper. Then centered the scalloped punch around the oval window and punched, creating a scalloped border for the window. We will set this aside and adhere it around the edge of the front panel window later. Cut front panel from white cardstock 3 1/4" x 5 1/4". Punch an oval circle creating a window. Stamp and emboss snowflakes 1-2 at a time using VersaMagic Sea Breeze and embossing with Tsukinek Clear powder as you go, using a Embossing Heat Tool. After you have all of your snowflakes in place, apply VM Sea Breeze using a duster brush. Load ink onto brush, and lightly swirl it, and pouncing it over the panal. Do not completely cover. There should be variations of color. I did the same over the border I punched as well (do back and front on this because the back will show when you open the card). Load an eye shadow applicator with same ink and lightly brush the edges with this, creating a darker edge. I did the same with the border ane along the inside and outside edges of the scalloped window border we created earlier and set aside. Cut another white cardstock panel, 3 3/4" x 5 3/4". Place your panel over this piece(centered) and using a pencil, trace the oval window onto this panel. Cut a square around this oval and remove, creating a window. Adhere the snowflake panel to this piece of white cardstock. You should have cut the window big enough so that no part of it shows from behind your front panel. Use deckled sissors to trim around the snowflake panel, creating a decorative edge. Keep in mind that the decorative edge needs to be wide enough so that the final dimension is 3 3/8" x 5 1/2". Adhere your border along the bottom of the front panel from the back. The punched border will over lap the edge of the card base at the bottom but should be shorter than the entire card, so that you can see the inside of the card along the bottom border. Adhere your oval scalloped border around the edge of your window. Place the front panel over the front of the card base and trace the oval window using a pencil. Cut around the pencil lines a little larger than the pencil lines. You don't want any part of that panel to be seen through your window. Adhere the snowflake panel you have created to the front of the base.

Center and adhere the Snowman/blue background panel on the inside panel that is folded back behind the front of the card. Now you should be able to see it peeking through the window. Tie your ribbon from behind the front panel of the card. I adhered the front window panel to the snowman panel only along the edges. This is allows the window to stand up a little. I used my tape runner just along the edges. Now you should be able to open the card to a blank inside which you can choose to add a sentiment or more stamping as they showed on the Scor-pal site.

The finishing touch was some Blue Stickles dotted in the center and on some of the snowflake branches.

Whew, I did't realize how hard I worked on this one until I typed all this up! But it was worth the effort. I love the results.

Don't forget to check back friday for the final post for these wonderful winter sets!!