Technique of the Month - May

Here is the Technique of the Month for May. It's called "Cut Borders" I got this idea from Technique Junkie This is a pretty simple technique. You can do this on any size card, using one or more images stamped one under the other. Depending on your stamp (clear mount, acrylic, or wood mount) you may want to use a stamp-a-ma-jig. To start, fold your card in half, then open card base and stamp your images, one under the other. Have them touch or overlap is good. Then cut along the outer edge. Depending on the images used, you may want to color in your image. On my sample, I used two blue colors. To help this stand out, I also matted the inside of the card. Now le'ts see some of your samples!



















Below are a couple of other projects we did at my May Technique class. The first is a slider card, showing it closed, then opened. The second is called Quilted Paper. Another really simple technique, but a bit time consuming. Using the Stampin' Up! score board with the diagonal plate makes it real easy. If you're going to be at my uplines shoebox swap May 9, I'll have it with me and show you how simple it is to do!

 See you soon!

May Happenings.

Well it's been another month since my last post, sorry. I was going to post a couple of weeks ago this book I made for my mil for Mother's Day, but one thing leads to another and it just never happened. I got the idea from my Stampin' Success magazine that I get each month from Stampin' Up! I had such a great time making this book and my mil absolutely loved it. I must say, I do have a wonderful mil. She has been there for us when we needed her & we're there for her when she needs us. 

Back & Front of Wonderful Mother Book

The next is the inside cover & first page. That first page took a long time to make, but I love the way it turned out!

first inside pages

The page on the left has a small pocket to put little messages in for her to read about why we love her.


 These next pages show one side of an envelope that is used as a page as well as some place for additional pictures or memorabilia.

Lately I've been prepping for a class I'm doing for the Girl Scouts and my open house this Sunday! There's another thing on my "To Do List"! is get out my email for that! Besides all my stamping, I've been working in my garden, that's close to being done. My asparagus should really be producing by next season. It takes a few years to establish before you can harvest. My blueberry bushes are finally going to give me some blueberries this year! That's another plant that takes awhile before you get anything from it as well. My strawberries are coming in and looking good. I still have to thin them out and hope to pick the berries before the birds! The rest of the garden has been planted & weeded. I just have to put down mulch to keep the weeds down & it helps keep the roots cool & damp from the hot sun over the summer. The rest of the yard is coming along. I'm close to being done with all the weeding. I'm waiting for a delivery of mulch for that and then it's just a weekly maintenance thing. But everything is looking good! Here is one last picture. My husband made me for mother's day. It's a garden work table. He put a slide out for catching loose dirt when planting, so I can reuse. I want to put some hooks on it for some tools, but I just love it. We're also going to re-finish a cabinet so I can keep tools I want out of the weather also. BTW, that's part of my garden in the background.

April Technique of the Month

Well I know it's late this month, but I had to re-schedule my class a week late, so hopefully next month will be earlier. So this month the technique is paper quilling. This is something I've been wanting to do for a very long time. Stampin' Up! even had a video & tutorial on this a few months back (probably last year!). It really is very simple to do, it just takes a little practice. Hopefully I'll get a chance to make more samples. There is really so much you can do with this technique. I also was a vendor at a local crop this past weekend and did a demonstration on this technique. Some tips before you get started. My sample shows regular Stampin' Up! cardstock, which works fine, some might find the DSP is easier because it's thinner. In one of the videos she used a bone folder on the paper first to break down the fibers. Also, to dampen the end of the strip helps to get it curling around your tool. Also if you go to youtube & search paper quilling, you'll find quite a few videos. I can't seem to find the original video I saw but here are a couple of links for watching a video: paper quilling video 1 and paper quilling 2 Below are my instructions on quilling.

Paper Quilling

 By Cyndy Ponczek

SUPPLIES

Strips of cardstock 1/8” wide

     About 4 ¼” & 8 ½” long

Cardstock for base of card

Coordinating stamp(s) & ink

Liquid adhesive (ex. 2 way glue)

Scissors

Paper piercer

Embellishments

DIRECTIONS

1.   To make basic flower, you will need 5 strips of 8 ½” long cardstock. Wet the end you will start with and begin to roll it around your paper piercer tool. Roll to end of strip.

2.   Remove from piercing tool and put aside to let the paper rest. Repeat Step 1, four more times.

3.   Take one of the “curls” you just made and put some liquid adhesive on the end and hold it to the “curl” until set. This should take about 15 seconds or so, depending on the adhesive you’re using.

4.   Once you’ve glued all your “curls” you want to pinch a section to create a tear drop look to each “curl”.

5.   You’re now ready to assemble your flower. Stamp the stem of your flower on the cardstock base.

6.   Using the liquid adhesive, put some on the bottom of each petal and place on cardstock base, putting all points toward center.

7.   If you want to make a “bud”, repeat Step 1. While the strip is still on your tool, apply your adhesive, keeping the paper tight. Hold together while glue dries. To give it a bit of a dome effect, use the backside of your piercer or something that has a bit of a curve. Adhesive to flower as in Step 6.

8.   Finish flower/bud with a half purl, button, or brad.         

Mosaic Pages

Well last Friday night, yes Friday the 13th, my upline Tina, had us over for a girls nite out. Those who were interested, learned how to do the mosaic technique. Dale Morin and I showed how this was done. Here is the page I worked on. I still have to finish it with a title and some journaling.



















Here is Pauline's page, she finished first! She had some beautiful pictures.

Next is Dale's page.

Hope you've enjoyed this. Now I have to add this to my calendar to teach a class!

Retired Stamps

Well Stampin' Up! came out with their retired stamp set list. This year the list has come out earlier because the new catalog will be coming out a month earlier (June 1). It's a very long list. Stampin' Up! is redesigning the catalog and all the new stamp sets will be available in wood or clear mount! The accessory list will be coming out on the 25th, but be advised that this list will also be long! They will be retiring the Decor Stencils, Decor Elements, Simply Adorned, and the In Colors introduced in 2010. So get them while they're still here.  As in year's past the stamp sets were available until the end of the calendar year (May 31, 2012) and the accessories were only available while supplies last. So if you want anything, order it now, before it's too late!

Sympathy Card

Well a co-worker just lost one of her dogs so I had to make a card for her. I felt so bad since I just lost one of my dogs early January. I don't really have any dog stamps, so thought something like this would be just as appropriate. Our pets can be such an important part of our lives and when they're gone, it can leave such a hole in our hearts. I used some of the ideas right from the cover of the Occasions Mini. I got this stamp set but haven't used it yet and think it's such a beautiful one. Hopefully I'll get time after taxes are done and my plants are in to do more stamping. Wanted to get this in before more time goes by between posts. Have a blessed Easter and Passover.

Cyndy

April Showers

Well here's another card I actually did at least a week ago, but just now getting a chance to post. I was very over due to give one of my nephews a birthday card and thought it would be fun to use the maze games in the Occasions Mini. It was real simple to use, our 2 1/2" circle punch works great with this. You can use the piece of cardstock that comes with the maze or punch or own and stamp as well. There is also a stamp set that coordinates with the mazes but I didn't purchase that. If you do use these mazes be careful not to loose the tiny beads that come with the game piece. I'm in the process of making some of those baskets for my nieces & nephews for Easter and putting together a couple of door prize baskets. A local Girl Scout troop will be holding a Tricky Tray in May I believe and I'm donating a basket for that event. I'll post more details when I get them. I'm also participating in a crop run by a local church and need to put together a doorprize basket for that event.

Here are the details for the "Crop for a Cause" event. First of all, it's a fundraiser for the Ignite Student Ministries for their summer mission trip to Black Mountain, Arizona. It takes place on April 28 from 8am to 8pm. Cost is $35 per person before April 15 and $40 after 4/15. It will be held at the Evangelical Free Church of Blairstown, 11 Lambert Rd, Blairstown, NJ. They will have a tool area with the CriCut, Ellison, & Sizzix machines, large comfortable area for cropping, various workshops, vendors, doorprizes, goody bags, continental Breakfast, lunch & dinner along with beverages & snacks available throughout the day. If you're interested and would like to pre-register, please contact me and I can send you a registration form.