Thursday, February 23, 2012

SSC243 & HSS106 & A Little Tutorial

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I made a pretty little monochromatic birthday card with the Stamping 411 sketch:

and using the color block technique from the Hand Stamped Sentiments challenge this week:

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Here’s a closeup of the color blocking:

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In the P.S. I Love You set from the mini, there’s a circular heart image, and SU has very kindly popped out the center rubber, which I saved and used as a stamp!   I inked it up with Wisteria Wonder ink, stamped once on scrap paper, then stamped on Whisper White.  I did this three times, then stamped the outline floral image from Fabulous Florets.  The rest is pretty straightforward—--an embossed background embellished with some pearls, a little  lace from my stash and a shabby bow!  A lot of people have asked how I make my shabby bows, so here is my really, really easy technique:

  1. I use seam binding for my ribbon, either white that I dye with reinkers, or one of the coordinating colors from SU.  I’ll start with the pre-dyed ones.
  2. Cut off a liberal amount of binding; if you’re going to make some, you might as well make a stash of it!  Wet the binding; squeeze out all the water.  Crumple it up in a ball; you can twist a rubber band around it a couple times if you like (think tie-dye), pop it in the microwave for 45-second intervals until it is completely dry.  Uncrumple it after the second drying to see how it’s progressing.  It usually takes three dryings for my microwave. 
  3. Unravel it and you should have a nice crumply shabby-chic wad of seam binding!  I then just make a loopy bow and tie it with another piece of binding or some floss. 
  4. If you want to hand-dye your ribbon, get a little bowl or container and place a few drops of reinker ink and a couple drops of water in it.  (Wearing gloves is helpful unless you don’t mind getting your fingers stained.)  Crumple up the seam binding, swish it around in the dye until it is the color and intensity that you want.  You may need to add more ink if necessary.  I like to start light; you can always add more, but it is difficult to take the color away!
  5. Continue as in step 2; I sometimes wrap the binding in a paper towel if I’ve dyed it; this just helps you get the moisture out without making any more of a mess in the microwave!
  6. To adhere my shabby bow to a card, I usually resort to my handy-dandy hot glue gun.  Sometimes it’s just quicker and I know it will stay put! 

Hope that’s helpful to you!  Remember, if you have any questions, please feel free to email me, but be sure to give me an email address to which I can respond.

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Little Miss Congeniality!

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21 comments:

Becky said...

Gorgeous card...thanks for the info on the seam binding. I don't have any but it is on my wish list, lol (along with a gazillion other things)! What a cutie Miss Congeniality is!!!

Kim Evans said...

Love this, LeAnne! Love everything about it :) Love your little Miss, too!!!
Kim xoxo

Hi, I'm Lee Conrey! said...

Totally Gorgeous!!! Thanks so much for letting us know how to do the crumpled ribbon too.

Tammy said...

So pretty!! Love the ribbon--thanks for the "how to"!!

Sylvia said...

Your card is lovely LeAnne! Fun way to do your seam binding, I wet mine, wad it up and use my heat gun. I usally spritz it with something or other. Cassidy is getting prettier every day! Enjoy your day.

Carol L said...

I love the colors, and embossed dsp! TFS the tutorial - I have yet to try any seam binding, but maybe one day :)
I love Miss Cassidy's dress! She's growing up so fast and has a smile that lights up a room!

Betty Benton said...

That embossed background is maravillosa (I'm working on my Spanish!) And look at the little cutouts on the striped bottom edge! Cassidy is bright eyed and ready to embrace the day! I'll be looking for that rosette!!

Anne Marie Hile said...

LeAnne, you are so creative, my friend! Love how you did the color blocking in a new and fun way and the monochromatic color combo is positively gorgeous! Very, very pretty! :) Little Miss C is charming as ever with that big ol" toothy grin of hers. So sweet!

Linda Fisher said...

Love this card and many thanks for the tutorial on the ribbon. BUT what I want to know is how did you stamp that flower so perfectly inside the leaves without the leaves showing? I have a couple theories, but I'm sure your way is alot simplier. Another tutorial please! Cassidy is one SWEETIE pie!

Selene Kempton said...

I was about to ooze about your card when Miss Congeniality stole my heart. Thanks for sharing your talents and that beautiful little smile.

Krista said...

Very pretty card, indeed! Great idea to use the rubber circle from another stamp as a stamp!! I like that you stamped that circle a few times to accent the flower for the color blocking. And that bow, wow! So pretty!! Thank you for joining us at Hand Stamped Sentiments.

Unknown said...

This is a total WOW card!! Love everything about it and those circles you stamped over your image is awesome!! I will be featuring this card on My Crafty Picks #54 with a link back to your blog on 2-26-12. Make sure to stop by to check out all the picks and to pick up your blog badge to display on your blog for being featured!!

If you wish to decline please email me by responding to this comment to let me know.

Thanks and take care
Tiffany Bauer
http://www.mycraftyworld.blogspot.com

Linda said...

Beautiful card! Great idea to make a circle stamp.
I cook my seam binding in the oven for 15 min. at 250. It even get a little brown.
Tomorrow Cora turns 2. I wish I was there for the celebration. We are going to Skype.

Denise Willerton said...

what a fabulous card LeAnne ~ thanks SO for the tutorial ~ darling Cassidy...you make me smile :-)

gbarron56 said...

LeeAnne -- absolutely amazing! Your bow is fabulous! Thanks so much for playing along this week with the Stamping 411 Operators! Blessings, Gretchen

Linda Callahan said...

Beautiful card! And microwave manufacturers are now scrambling to add a ribbon button right under baked potato :)

Just a Thought... said...

Beautiful card!!! I love how you used the color blocking technique on this card!! So effective!! GREAT JOB!!! Thank you for participating this week with HSS!! Amy L.

Sue Rowe said...

What a fab card. Thanks for the tutorial also. Cheers Sue x

Darlene Gabriel said...

Beautiful card. Gorgeous bow - thanks for the tutorial. I love all the pearls accents.
This is a wonderful picture of Cassidy - she looks so happy - love those big eyes of hers.

Bada-Bing Creations said...

I love the circles as the blocks! I never think of that with this technique but it works so well! Thanks for playing at HSS!

Oma said...

Re: dry embossing - did you emboss the designer paper on its own or had you already adhered it to the cardstock and then embossed? Love this card and Cassidy is such a sweetie! I am lucky that I have 3 adorable granddaughters and a lot of cards I make are for them. The 2 oldest 6 1/2 & 4 1/2 love making cards with me and have acquired quite the cardmaking stash much to their mother's chagrin! LOL