Magic Ingredient to Up Your Background Game

Plain stamped or stenciled backgrounds on a card base can be rather boring but I have discovered a magic ingredient that takes our cards to a whole new level and I share many cards with it in my newest video here. I show step by step how I made this card with the pretty Crocus Stencil from Pretty Pink Posh. The magic ingredient that added so much interest and beauty to this and all my cards is the Waffle Flower Postage Stamp Collage Die. I raised the center postage collage piece, added some dragonflies from Paper Rose Studios and some gems. Here are a few more stenciled cards I share in the video and all are so much more interesting and unique because of this one easy finishing touch:

Both cards were made in just minutes with stencils from Altenew and istencil, then I added a sentiment and layered on an A2 card base. 

I saw a card on Facebook a while back that combined Tim Holtz Eyechart Stencil and a really funny set of stamps from Unity. I didn't want to case the card exactly and when I did some stenciling and inking then cut the background out with the Waffle Flower Postage Collage die, my card came together in minutes. 

In the new video, I show how easy these cards are to make and share many more examples made with the Waffle Flower Postage Collage line. They have announced they will be adding more to that line all year and I can't wait to see what is coming!

Crealies Hexagon Shaped Stitched Beauties

I think shaped cards are so much more interesting and fun than rectangle or square cards, and when you add layers of stitching, the cards reach a whole new level of beauty! I had fun designing with the new Double Hexagon Card with 2 Layers and matching Frame and Inlay die sets from Crealies for my new video here.  Here is the first hexagon card I designed:

The outside hexagon frame is raised and I inlaid the stitched Frame and Inlay Hexagon Arda cut out with foiled floral paper. I added a flower created with two offset layers of the Fantasy Flower A small. Here is the tri-fold card I show how to create in the new video:

On this card I show how to use the new Double Hexagon Card and Frame and Inlay Hexagon Barbara in many different ways. Here are a couple more views of this tri-fold card:

I am happy to share that Crealies dies shown can be purchased either on the Crealies website OR in the United States at the Frantic Stamper website here.

More Spellbinders Betterpress and Mirrored Arches

Spellbinders did it again- they hooked me with some of the gorgeous releases in March so I just had to go back again and get some more. The Luxe Backdrop and Border 3D embossing folder was so pretty and unique, and this is a quick card I made with it. I had received some of the Mirrored Arches release and just had to go back and get the Mirrored Arch Labels layered die set. Here are a few of the cards I made with that die set and other Mirrored Arch products:

Adding that die set to the Mirrored Arch BetterPress plates just takes the cards to a whole new level. I also couldn't resist the Floral W and Sentiment Press Plate for easy classic sympathy cards:

All I did after pressing the W and sentiment was die cut the shaped card and add some pearls. Here is another card I made with the W and the Mirrored Arch Labels dies:

I also loved the Copperplate Sentiment BetterPress Plates I received and had to go back and purchase the "Thinking of You" as that is my favorite cardmaking sentiment. Perfect for so many reasons. Here is a card I made with colored mirror card, the Thinking of You Copperplate and the Mirror Arch Nested Sprigs press plate:

Spellbinders knocked it out of the park with these March releases and I highly recommend you check them out here. 

I am entering the last card in the Anything Goes challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday. 

March Class Cards - How to Add Foil Without any Machines AND TWO GIVEAWAYS!

The theme of my March classes at Harts n Scraps in Rothschild, WI was how to use foil without a laminator or MINC and we had fun making the following cards:

Many thanks to A Colorful Life Designs for the donated layered camo stencil and Therm O Web for the donated Duo Gel! 

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY AND YOU CAN WIN A PRESENT TWO DIFFERENT WAYS! #1 WATCH THIS VIDEO AND COMMENT PER INSTRUCTIONS FOR A CHANCE TO WIN TWO SPELLBINDERS PRESS PLATES AND SEVERAL HANDMADE CARDS.    

#2 COMMENT ON THIS POST ON MY INSTAGRAM FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A BEAUTIFUL FOIL PLATE FROM PINKFRESH STUDIOS AND SEVERAL ON MY CARDS. 

FOR BOTH GIVEAWAYS YOU WILL NEED A USA MAILING ADDRESS AND TO  COMMENT PER INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE 4/1/24. I WILL NOTIFY THE WINNERS BY REPLYING TO THEIR COMMENTS SO BE SURE TO CHECK BACK. 

I am entering the last card in the Anything Goes challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday. 

Windmill and Corn Scenery Cards from Blue Knight Rubber Stamps & A BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY!

I have the great honor of being a guest designer this month for Blue Knight Rubber Stamps and this week we are all featuring the new Windmill and Corn. Scenery stamps work great on beautiful designer paper like the ones on both cards also from Blue Knight Rubber Stamps. Here is another view of this tri-fold card:

The windmill in this set can be made to turn as with the wind by attaching it with a brad on a spacer. Here is another picture showing the windmill spun to the right:

The sentiment strips in both cards are from an amazing set from Blue Rubber Knight Stamps called "Did You Know." 

I want to thank Blue Knight Rubber Stamps for letting me play with their wonderful stamps this month and join  the design team as a guest designer. 

I am entering the last card in the Anything Goes challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday. 

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY AND YOU CAN WIN A PRESENT TWO DIFFERENT WAYS! #1 WATCH THIS VIDEO AND COMMENT PER INSTRUCTIONS FOR A CHANCE TO WIN TWO SPELLBINDERS PRESS PLATES AND SEVERAL HANDMADE CARDS.    

#2 COMMENT ON THIS POST ON MY INSTAGRAM FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A BEAUTIFUL FOIL PLATE FROM PINKFRESH STUDIOS AND SEVERAL ON MY CARDS. 

FOR BOTH GIVEAWAYS YOU WILL NEED A USA MAILING ADDRESS AND TO  COMMENT PER INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE 4/1/24. I WILL NOTIFY THE WINNERS BY REPLYING TO THEIR COMMENTS SO BE SURE TO CHECK BACK. 

So Many Crafty Companies Jumping On the Press Plate Bandwagon!

In my new video here I share many cards made with press plates from many different companies such as Pinkfresh Studios and Altenew as seen above. I loved the Fairytale Frame Press Plate from Pinkfresh Studios and the Beautiful Butterfly Press Plate with matching dies and stencils from Altenew. Here is a card with the same butterfly with stenciled color and a classic frame press plate from LDRS Creative.

Here is another way to created with a press plate:

You can emboss with a press plate just like you can with a die using a rubber mat in the sandwich recommended by the manufacturer of your machine. Watch the video here for many more ideas with press plates and visit my Instagram here for a chance to win a giveaway! (Look for the two prize packages pictures and comment accordingly.)

Foolproof Press Plate Frame and Background Techniques

Press plates for the Spellbinders BetterPress System are popping up all over the place from many different companies. The selection is amazing! In my newest video here I share many cards made with press plates from many different companies such as Pinkfresh Studios shown above. I show how to make the background with two layers of the Breezy Blossoms Press Plate and the cover plate technique. The Heart Rays cover plate is from Kat Scrappiness. Here is a look at the inside of this card I made in the video with more pretty pretty press plates from Pinkfresh Studios:

I show how to make a double plaid background with the fun Stippled Plaid Press Plate from Pinkfresh Studios. The heart was created with a Kirigami Heart Die from Anna Griffin and here is a look when the cord is pulled up showing the layered "forever" sentiment from Gina K Designs:

I also shared a couple other cards with these same techniques and press plates:

The flowers on the Pinkfresh Studios Breezy Blossoms Press Plate colored with layered stencils which are very easy to color with as I show in the video here. I am giving away a Pinkfresh Studios Hot Foil plate which will work in your BetterPress system or in any hot foil machine on my Instagram account here. Just comment on the picture of the prize before 4/1/24 and you could win!