PAPER TAGS & LEFTOVERS

As I finish up the last Paper Tags post for this week, I'm also giving you a sneak peek of what is to come next week.

The Paper Tags stamp set has a couple of sentiments that work very well to combine with a Happy Birthday greeting.  You saw one of them on Monday's card, and this one on today's card is also perfect for birthdays.

I used another of the Paper Tags dies to add a pretty border to the large tag die.  When using these dies a little heart is die cut in the opening where the ribbon can slip through.  I saved the little heart and added to the front of the tag.

The background for this card was made using the Shaving Cream Technique.  It was a "leftover" from a Learning with Friends technique video and was just to pretty to throw away.

Do you have lots of partially completed card bits?  Things like this background sheet, or other elements, die cut, sentiments, etc. that you created but ended up not using at the time.  I have two boxes full of these perfectly good "leftovers" that are just waiting to be used.  So this is my sneak peek into next week.  I am going to use some more of those leftovers.  It's so much fun to get creative and try to make cards with "stuff" that is already finished.

I actually had a couple of Shaving Cream Technique Sheets in my box that were made with very similar colors.  They look different because no two Shaving Cream Technique Sheets will ever look the same, but the colors are "close enough".   So I cut the 2nd smaller sheet into a couple of strips and used one on the inside of the card and the other on the envelop flap.  

Because many of my "leftovers" were made over the last 2 - 3 years, not all of them represent current products.  Many would tell me that I should only show current products in my posts.  Maybe they are right, but my goal is to inspire you to look through your leftovers and see how you can combine them into pretty cards that come together quickly.  

Just like Mom used to serve us leftovers for dinner, let's use some of our paper leftovers to make pretty cards.

Use this link to download a copy of the tutorial.

A list of the products used is shown below.

Product List

Paper Tags Bundle (English) [165462]	Coastal Cabana 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [131297]	Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [121045]	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [166780]
Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708]	Coastal Cabana Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [131164]	Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [131158]	Gorgeous Grape Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [147164]
Adhesive Backed Sparkle Gems [161288]	Baker's Twine Essentials Pack [155475]	Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine [149653]

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THE SHEPHERD'S PEACE

Today's card was another Coffee Club challenge card.  Our challenge was to use our favorite Technique to create a card.

My all-time favorite technique is the Shaving Cream Technique.  It creates fun, unique, and interesting backgrounds.  It forces me to ease up on my desire for "control".

I demonstrated the Shaving Cream technique when Kathi Ondus and I were creating videos for our Connect to Create series.  It has been at least a couple of years so I probably should make an updated video, but since the technique hasn't changed, the information is still valid.  If you aren't familiar with this Technique, watch the video and see how much fun it is.

I used the shaving cream technique to create the sky for today's cards.  The Ink Refill colors  used were Night of Navy, Azure Afternoon, Balmy Blue, Fresh Freesia, Lemon Lolly, Crumb Cake and Gray Granite.  Rather than randomly dropping the ink on the shaving cream for this card I was a little more selective about where I placed my ink drops.  I wanted to try to make it look like the star was casting its radiance on the City of David and the Shepherd.  

It took me a couple of tries to get it "close" to what I had in mind.  HINT:  When you lay your cardstock on the pile of inked shaving cream you obviously put it face-down in the shaving cream.  This means your color patterns are reversed when you flip it back over.  

I wanted my light to go from top right to bottom left to shine on my shepherd, but in my first attempt it was shining from left to right.  I didn't think about it being reversed (or mirrored) from the pattern in the shaving cream.

You also don't have complete control over where the colors are going to end up.  I had pictured more yellow up higher in the light beam and more crumb cake towards the bottom, but, well, the ink and the shaving cream had something else in mind.  I actually really like the "surprise" result.  After finishing the technique I used the So Swirly Embossing Folder to add swirls of texture to the background.

All images were colored with Stampin' Blends and because the Sheperd's Care Stamp Set does not have coordinating dies, the images were fussy cut.  

What do you think?

For the inside of the card I used a couple of the trimmed scraps from the technique sheet.  I always like to make my technique sheet larger that it's finished size because then I can use the scraps I trim off to decorate the inside.

Use this link to download a PDF of the tutorial.  The tutorial includes a link to the Shaving Cream Technique video, so once you download the tutorial you will always be able to easily find the video. 

A list of the products I used is shown below.

Product List

Shepherd's Care Cling Stamp Set (English) [164300]	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock [159229]	Night Of Navy 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [100867]	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [159276]
Berry Burst, Old Olive & White 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Glimmer Specialty Paper [163769]	Smoky Slate Classic Stampin' Pad [147113]	Night Of Navy Classic Stampin' Pad [147110]	Night Of Navy Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [103033]
Azure Afternoon Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [161668]	Balmy Blue Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [147168]	Fresh Freesia Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [155612]	Lemon Lolly Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [161671]
Crumb Cake Classic Stampin’ Ink Refill [121029]	Gray Granite Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [147171]	Pecan Pie Stampin’ Blends Combo Pack [161674]	Balmy Blue Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [154830]
Blueberry Bushel Stampin’ Blends Combo Pack [161679]	Gray Granite Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [154886]	Crumb Cake Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [154882]	Stampin' Blends Color Lifter [144608]
So Swirly Embossing Folder [163791]	Drusy Adhesive Backed Embellishments [164223]

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THE ROAD AHEAD

My last Covered in Sunshine card for this week uses the same sentiment as my Simply Monday card.  I thought it was appropriate to start and end the week with a sentiment that draws our attention to the road ahead.

Spring is a favorite time of year for me as it feels full of hope and renewal.  And when we have hope, we tend to think about what the future may hold for our "ROAD AHEAD".

If you are wondering which "designer series paper (DSP)" I used behind the wildflower die cuts, I didn't use DSP.  I made the design using my favorite technique, Shaving Cream!  The shaving cream technique always makes unique and pretty backgrounds.  And the fun part is that no two ever look the same.

If you are unfamiliar with the Shaving Cream Technique, here is a video I made several months ago that shows you how to do it.  It is so much fun!

The sentiment is heat embossed with Black Embossing Powder and to make some of the words in the sentiment stand out, I also heat embossed those on three of the colors that were in the Shaving Cream background.  I then snipped them out with my Paper Snips and adhered them to the sentiment with dimensionals.

My "Wildflowers" were die cut with two of the dies from Harvest Dies.  Again, colors from the Shaving Cream Background were used.

The pattern on the Basic White card front was made with the Stitched Greenery Die.  I feel like this is a bit of a "sleeper" die -- at least it was for me.  I've had it for several months, but never got around to using it until recently.  I love the subtle look it adds to a card.  My mom would have said, "It just does something to it"!  I agree with her.  It's subtle, but it does add just a little something to jazz the card up a bit.

When I make a Technique Sheet of any kind, I usually try to make it larger than the finished size I want.  That way I have leftover "scraps" to decorate the inside of my card and sometimes even enough to decorate the envelope.  

If you would like to make this card, please download the free tutorial at this link.  It provides cutting dimensions and step-by-step instructions.  But if you have any questions, please just ask!  I'm here to help you with all your crafting needs.

A list of the Stampin' Up! Products that were used in this card are listed below.  If you decide to purchase any of the products, don't forget to use the April Host Code.  You will be entered into a drawing to receive a small gift from me!

Product List

Covered In Sunshine Cling Stamp Set (English) [160726]	Stitched Greenery Die [155451]	Harvest Dies [156504]	Bermuda Bay 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [131197]
Gorgeous Grape 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [146987]	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [159276]	Highland Heather 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [146986]	Mango Melody 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [146989]
Shimmery White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [101910]	Versamark Pad [102283]	Bermuda Bay Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [131156]	Gorgeous Grape Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [147164]
Mango Melody Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [147162]	Granny Apple Green Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [147163]	3/8" (1 Cm) Gorgeous Grape Sheer Ribbon [154572]	Basics Embossing Powders [155554]
Heat Tool (Us And Canada) [129053]	Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine [149653]

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