Runs with… Designer Paper!
Welcome, and be careful where you step today. Lots of itty bitty pieces scattered all over the floor and one never knows what may be crushed that shouldn’t be crushed. The scissors have been working overtime today because today’s cards are all about paper piecing.
I was so excited to see 6×6 paper pads in the new Penny Black release. I have a drawer full of paper pads, most of them with only a few sheets used because those are the designs I liked in that pad and the rest didn’t inspire me. Not so with the Penny Black designer papers! The designs are perfectly sized for card making and would enhance any scrapbook layout. The designs and colors work well with each other which allows for easy mixing and matching. I won’t be hoarding these paper pads; they are way too much fun to use.
If you are struggling with coloring some of your images, give this technique a try. It is a very relaxing and almost fool proof technique for “filling in the blanks” on your stamped images. I’ve used only two of the pads today, Gentle Whisper and Painted Blooms. I’ve also used some of my very favorite Penny Black stamps which made it a double win for me today.
The sentiment on each of my cards is a sticker from the new sticker sheet Sentiments. What a relief to know that I can’t ruin a finished card by adding a crooked or smeared sentiment. Thanks, Penny Black!
By this time in February, we are all weary of winter and yearn for spring. I can’t do anything about the weather, but I hope this explosion of flowers helps. I die cut a sheet of designer paper using the Petals die, cut it in half and applied it to the right side of the designer paper on my card base. I stamped, embossed and fussy cut an assortment of flowers and leaves from the Petal Party transparent set and attached them to the card base. I added white dots using my white Irresistible Pico Embellisher. It’s one of my newest favorite things and you will see it on all of today’s cards.
I stamped the brick background stamp with gray ink onto dotted designer paper. Hung a banner and attached some clouds to create a space for Miss Hedgie from Tiny Wishes to hang out. Did you notice the image was first stamped on dotted grey paper? Miss Hedgie is pleased with her freckled look.
Well, the Valentine dinner was a happy success.
Because my dining table only seats eight and we had thirteen for dinner, I set up an extra table for five in the living room. The smaller table was dubbed “the kids’ table” and we assigned those seats to the younger guests and they were happy with that distinction. (Note: I sat at the larger table).
One of my guests so enjoyed the decorations and the meal that she took photos and emailed them to me the next day. I made the Swedish meatballs and another guest brought the Asian coleslaw. We had home made dinner rolls and a scrumptious chocolate cake for dessert.
After dinner we pushed the tables together so we could all be involved in the same conversations. It was all happy talk with much laughter and I’m sure some good ideas for saving the world.
I shared my roses and sent each lady home with a couple of blooms.
This is another example of an image, Bunny Kisses, that is perfect for the paper piecing technique. I especially love how the Easter basket turned out when stamped on colorful designer paper. I couldn’t have colored that basket as well.
This Tweet Talk stamp is the same image I used for the baby card I sent to welcome granddaughter Evelyn Rose into the world. I will save it and send this version to her for her second birthday this summer.
While the human beings all enjoyed the Valentine dinner party, the furry member of our family was not too pleased.
Runs with… Designer PaperHere he is all spiffed up and freshly groomed for the party; and hiding out in the craft room. Sadly, the large crowd and all the noise was more than he could handle. He tried, but for a shy dog used to living in a very quiet house it was just too much. After greeting the first few people at the door, he spent some time hiding behind my legs before I finally settled him with his bed and some peace and quiet. We’ll try again next time!
We are slowly working our way through February. The best thing about this month of the year is that it only has 28 days. Someone somewhere wisely decided that was about all we could stand of this cold and snowy, sometimes dreary month.
What I would like to know is why February was chosen to receive the extra day during a leap year. Wouldn’t we rather have an extra day in beautiful June instead?
Well, it’s time to take out the vacuum and put away my poor exhausted scissors. There will be no more running with scissors today. Hmmm… perhaps napping with scissors is on the agenda.
I love seeing your cards in the Penny Circle Flickr Gallery and look forward to seeing what you do with the new 6×6 Designer Paper Pads. Thank you so much for the time you spend with me here on Penny Black’s blog.
Shop for today’s featured Penny Black supplies:
- Stamps: 30-113 Petal Party, 30-026 Tiny Wishes, 40-137 Brick Wall, 40-302 Bunny Kisses, 40-022 Tweet Talk
- Creative Dies: 51-042 Petals, 51-099 Hugs and Kisses, 51-033 Silver Linings
- Designer Paper Pads: 80-008 Gentle Whisper, 80-009 Painted Blooms
- Stickers: 10-226 Sentiments
- And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter!
Creative Dies, Day 5
Join us as we explore products from our newest release, Bring on the Happy. Each week you’ll find a special designer showcase, videos, and card samples with complete supplies and instructions. This week we take a closer look at our newest Creative Dies.
If you want to give your next project a “wow” factor… try reaching for one of our intricate Creative Dies, such as 51-123 the Garden.
Download complete supplies and instructions HERE.
While not every die cutting machine and personal “set-up” is the same, we asked our designers for their tips and techniques for using our Creative Dies in their machines of choice. Click HERE to download their tips and ideas. And here’s one more tip we learned at the recent CHA tradeshow for cutting intricate dies like the one shown above (especially if your machine is not applying even pressure to the die): Use a removable tape (like a washi tape) and adhere the edge of your die to the paper you are cutting. Run the die through the machine. Once you run it through, if there is a specific spot that did not cut, use a small cardstock shim for this uncut area only and tape this shim directly over the section that did not cut. Run this through your machine again. If it still does not cut, add more cardstock to the small shim, tape, and run it through the machine again until you find a shim “thickness” that is a match for your machine.
Before you go… don’t forget TGIF!
Follow us on Facebook for exclusive inspiration by Birgit Edblom!
Shop for today’s featured Penny Black supplies:
- 51-123 the Garden
- 30-297 Sprinkles and Smiles
- 51-007 Tagged
- And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter!
Featuring Creative Dies, Day 4
More SIMPLICITY fun debuts today!
And now scroll down for die cutting delights…
Join us as we explore products from our newest release, Bring on the Happy. Each week you’ll find a special designer showcase, videos, and card samples with complete supplies and instructions. This week we take a closer look at our newest Creative Dies.
With our beautiful floral Creative Dies, you can also take a stroll through the garden, creating a bouquet of your favorite blooms! Coloring your Creative Dies doesn’t have to be difficult. Birgit cut 51-121 Sun Fire from textured cardstock and then simply colored it with Distress Inks and a foam applicator tool.
Download complete supplies and instructions HERE.
On Jill’s card, she used this same die but colored it with markers.
Download complete supplies and instructions HERE.
Just imagine what you could create with these other pretty flowers using Jill and Birgit’s techniques and layouts!
51-117 Glamorous, 51-118 Playful Posies, 51-112 Poppy Pair
Shop for today’s featured Penny Black supplies:
- 51-121 Sun Fire
- 30-283 Snippets
- 30-281 Flower Sparks
- 51-057 Polaroid
- 51-007 Tagged
- And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter!
Featuring Creative Dies, Day 3
Join us as we explore products from our newest release, Bring on the Happy. Each week you’ll find a special designer showcase, videos, and card samples with complete supplies and instructions. This week we take a closer look at our newest Creative Dies.
Double-DIE-take…here are two more cards featuring our trendy new Creative Dies, 51-130 Geometrics.
To begin, Heather used Geometrics as a golden embellishment for her elegant floral card.
Download complete supplies and instructions HERE.
And Jill used Geometrics as a background for her collection of sentiments.
Download complete supplies and instructions HERE.
Shop for today’s featured Penny Black supplies:
- 40-331 Gentle Whisper
- 2833K Oh Spring!
- 51-108 Envision
- 51-130 Geometrics
- 30-283 Snippets
- 40-387 Fresh
- 30-240 Textures
- And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter!
Featuring Creative Dies, Day 2
Tuesday stamping time…SIMPLICITY inspiration HERE!
And now more delicious die cutting…
Join us as we explore products from our newest release, Bring on the Happy. Each week you’ll find a special designer showcase, videos, and card samples with complete supplies and instructions. This week we take a closer look at our newest Creative Dies.
Here’s another technique to add “pop” to your projects with Creative Dies… dimensional watercolor.
Watch directly on YouTube HERE.
This technique also works beautifully with intricate dies such as 51-131 Harmonious.
Because the inside portion of the flower is “open” you can paint both the die cut outline of the flower as well as the inner portion, giving you lots of fun shading and design options.
Shop for today’s featured Penny Black supplies:
- 51-118 Playful Posies
- 51-131 Harmonious
- 30-283 Snippets
- And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter!
Featuring Creative Dies, Day 1
Join us as we explore products from our newest release, Bring on the Happy. Each week you’ll find a special designer showcase, videos, and card samples with complete supplies and instructions. This week we take a closer look at our newest Creative Dies.
Today let’s stroll through Elizabeth Allan’s designer showcase of cards using our new Creative Dies. Her first card uses two of Penny Black’s coordinating dies: 51-137 Swirling Wings and 51-132 Flights of Fancy.
These two dies are a fabulous combination to create intricate, glittered scrollwork.
Elizabeth has shared a few behind-the-scene photos to show you how to make this sparkly sensation.
Using 51-123 The Garden, emboss the design on a 3 x 5-inch piece of white cardstock. Ink the edges with Delicata Golden Glitz ink and adhere to a 3 1/8 x 5 1/8-inch piece of white cardstock. Attach the matted piece to a 3 ½ x 5 ½-inch card base with dimensional foam tape.
Die cut 51-132 Flights of Fancy from white cardstock and ink with Dandelion and Love Letter Memento Luxe inks. Die cut 51-137 Swirling Wings from black cardstock.
Working in small areas, apply Fruit Punch Stickles to the die cut and sprinkle with Carnelian glitter. Once dry, add Espresso Dimensional Pearls to the body and antennae. Attach the glittered wings to the inked body using a glue pen.
Die cut 51-114 Flower Portrait from white cardstock. Ink the frame with Delicata Golden Glitz ink and trim the length to measure 2 ¼-inches. Cut a piece of white cardstock to fit under the largest piece of the frame and sponge with Teal Zeal Memento ink. Stamp the sentiment (30-297 Sprinkles and Smiles) in black ink. Attach the frame to the sentiment by using a glue pen. Arrange the elements on the front of the prepared card base as shown using dimensional foam tape.
Elizabeth’s next die-namic design captures a taste of the Orient with a splash of bold red and black.
51-130 Geometrics gently set atop a stencil background, 25-014 Oscillations, and trimmed with 51-136 Stitched Edges, captures a rich simplicity.
The beautiful sentiment is from our 30-286 Heartfelt T for Transparent set.
Bonus: Click HERE to download complete instructions and supplies.
As we finish our die cutting tour, we end with a profusion of flowery happiness.
A dramatic statement is made with 51-117 Glamorous.
If you look closely, you can see another stenciled pattern from 25-014 Oscillations in the background and more trimmings done with 51-136 Stitched Edges.
And do you like the golden sheen on these flowers? We have another bonus…
Download complete instructions and supplies HERE.
Shop for today’s featured Penny Black supplies:
- 51-114 Flower Portrait
- 51-117 Glamorous
- 51-123 The Garden
- 51-130 Geometrics
- 51-132 Flights of Fancy
- 51-136 Stitched Edges
- 51-137 Swirling Wings
- 30-286 Heartfelt
- 30-297 Sprinkles and Smiles
- 25-014 Oscillations
- Mix and Match Cardstock: 01-001, 01-003 Storm Cardstock; 15-003 Coral Reef Cardstock
- And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter!
alexandra’s Sunday scrapbooking – Stenciling with White Acrylic Paint
