Last-minute Valentine Card

     I did it again...I lost track of time and forgot to do my last Valentine card. So right on Valentine's day, I am making my final cards. It is a simple two-for-one card, and again I used my Heart Happiness stamp set along with my Ribbon of Courage and Flourishing Phrases stamp sets.

     I believe that there is beauty in simplicity, and there is something to be said with making simple cards and stepping them up as well. My cards for today involved just heat embossing. I used my Versamark and white embossing powder on my Cherry Cobbler cardstock (3 1/2" x 5 1/2") and then reversed it on my Whisper White cardstock (same dimensions) by stamping my images with Cherry Cobbler ink pad instead and then clear heat embossing it. The important thing to note is that you'll need to use a stamp positioning tool for this to make sure you get two exactly identical pieces of card fronts. Unfortunately, I haven't received my Stamparatus yet, so I'm still using my old positioning tool. 

stamping images on Cherry Cobbler cardstock using Versamark pad for white heat embossing

re-stamping images on white cardstock with Cherry Cobbler ink pad for clear heat embossing

   

     This is what my card fronts look like after all my images and sentiment have been heat embossed. I could have left it like this and it would've been a nice simple card, but I wanted to step it up a bit. So I taped both cards together and cut them both on the diagonal. And then I did a little switcheroo after. Here's what that looks like.

     These card fronts were then just adhered onto my Basic Black A2 sized card base with foam tape for additional dimension. Now I wanted to of course add some shimmer, so I used the silver glitter washi tape from last year's SAB. And for embellishments, I added these white sequins. These sequins didn't come in red, so I improvised and just colored them in with a red sharpie. Problem solved!

     So from very simple cards, I stepped them up a bit by cutting and a bit of switching, and adding some embellishments. Here's my final cards. 

     I'm not sure which version I liked better...the simple or the stepped-up ones. One thing for sure, experimenting fuels creativity. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed today's cards. Have a lovely day! (It's almost the weekend...yay!!!)

Simple Heart Happiness

     I have just received my top secret Display Stamper supply box from Stampin' Up for the upcoming OnStage in April, and I have been too engrossed with playing with my new toys that I completely forgot to make another Valentine card for my blog! (So much for my time management!) So because I'm pressed for time, I created this very simple and easy-to-do card using the Heart Happiness stamp set.

     For this simple card I chose my background from the Petal Passion Memories & More card pack. This card pack is just chock-full of beautiful paper that you can easily turn into cards...not just for scrapbooking! My hearts are heat embossed on Sweet Sugarplum cardstock using my Versamark pad and white embossing powder, and then I just fussy cut them as I do not have the coordinating dies for this. My sentiment is from the Sale-a-Bration stamp set Happy Wishes...'You make me so' is white heat embossed on Basic Black cardstock and 'Happy' is stamped on Whisper White cardstock with my Memento ink pad.

     To put my card together, I put some dimensionals on my 'happy' sentiment and the small heart, and scattered some sequins for embellishment. I then just adhered my card front to my Pink Pirouette card base, and that is my card! This card took me little time to make, so this would be awesome for mass-producing! I hope you enjoyed my simple card for today crafters and have a lovely week ahead of you!

Hedgehugs Mirror Image Technique

     Have you ever wished that a stamp was facing the other way instead? Well that's what I wanted to do as soon as I saw the Hedgehugs stamp set...I wish those cute critters were facing the other way too! I have an image in my mind of two hedgehogs facing each other and holding a heart in between...so I had to learn how to do mirror image stamping!

     

     I tried a variety of techniques...from using a piece of window sheet, the flat back of a stamp, to using a stamping material designed for my cutting machine. None of them worked as well as using my embossing mat on my stamp positioning tool. The embossing mat just provided enough cushion and is less slippery than the other materials I tried so there is less chance of smearing. 

          I enjoyed this technique so much that I made two cards with it! Watch my video tutorial below and see how easy it is to do this technique. I already have another card in mind for using this technique again. Until then, see you next time and have a lovely day crafters!

PRODUCTS USED:

• Chocolate Chip cardstock
• Crumb Cake cardstock
• Whisper White cardstock
• Old Olive cardstock
• Gold Foil sheet
• Hedgehugs stamp set
• Heart Happiness stamp set
• Sealed With Love stamp set
• Woodlands embossing folder
• Chocolate Chip ink pad
• Crumb Cake ink pad
• Soft Suede ink pad
• Pool Party ink pad
• Old Olive ink pad
• Big Shot
• Gold embossing powder
• Embossing buddy
• Versamark pad
• Paper snips
• Tombow multipurpose glue