Free Workshop/Class

I am holding a Mystery Workshop this Saturday at 2.00pm at my house.  It will be run similar to a workshop so there is NO FEE, with orders over $50 (otherwise $10).  You will make 2 different cards (the first being the last male card posted on my blog (below).  As well as another that I am yet to publish but will do so shortly.

Numbers are limited so let me know asap if you would like to come along.  I will be gving away one Stamp Set to a lucky guest on the day.  So come and join me for a few laughs, some creativity and your chance to win a stamp set.

Regards
Lisa

Lisa Bowcock
Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator
...And lovin' it!! http://lisabowcock.stampinup.net

Final Male Card

Well, I must say, this would have to be my favourite.  A CASE (copy and share everything) of a card made by Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, Teneale Williams (her work is amazing).  Anyway, I am pretty happy with my final result.

This card uses Basic Black card stock, Cherry Cobbler (of course), Love Letter Designer Series Paper.  It also uses a smaller piece of Cherry Cobbler and Love Letter DSP for the square on the front.  The tree from the Lovely As a Tree Stamp Set is stamped onto Very Vanilla using Chocolate Chip Ink.  I have used a Dauber and River Rock to add some sponging to the edges and then used the distressing tool from the cutting kit to distress the edges and curled one corner.  The sentiment is from the Ocassional Quotes Stamp Set (current hostess stamp set) .  Some Basic Black Ribbon where the DSP and Cherry Cobbler card stock meet, with a Vintage Brad wrapped around the end of the ribbon.  I've added some Choc Chip Jumbo Brads to the top left hand side (think I would like this better in the Metallic brads - note to self - get some of these).

I would like to know what your favourite is.  So, I will be giving away a free Stampin' Up! Ink Pad to the person that leaves what I think is the best comment in relation to all the male cards made to date.  You have one week from today to leave me your comment.  The winner will be notifed asap following this date. 
Offer not available to existing Stampin' Up! Demonstrators!!

Once again, thanks for looking.  Stay tuned for some nice, girlie cards!

Regards
Lisa

Lisa Bowcock
Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator
...And lovin' it!! 
http://lisabowcock.stampinup.net

Sponging on a Male Card

I think I have just about exhausted the Male Card area for the time being.  I do have one more to post after this and then I will move onto the pretty cards again.

I have attempted the sponging technique on these three cards.  Can you guess which one is my favourite???

I have used Wisper White Card Stock for the sponging.  All of the cards have been sponged in Chocolate Chip and the top card I have added some (can you guess which colour??), that's right, Cherry Cobbler to give a red tinge.  To sponge, grap your inkpad and dauber, just dab off the excess on your dauber on a scrap piece of paper then apply to the Whisper White card stock using a circular motion.  Use as much or as little ink as you like but best to keep the bottom portion darker and lighten as you get towards where you want it to finish.    There is no hard or fast rule as to how high up to take your colour, just wherever you want it to finish.  I have then applied the ink using the same technique with Basic Black ink at the top but have only done this very lightly as you don't want it too dark, leaving a blank white space in the middle. 

To stamp the trees, grap an everyday post it note and have handy.  Ink up the tree from the Lovely as a Tree Stamp Set (page 83) in Basic Black.  Place your post it note on yoru stamp, over the bottom portion of your tree and then stamp your tree so that the bottom of the tree is in the area that you haven't sponged. Reink your stamp and stamp again, as many times as you like, remembering to place your post it note over the bottom portion of your stamp before applying to your card.  By making sure that you stamp the base of your tree in the ink free area, it will give the appearance that the base of the tree is covered in snow. 

The deer is using the Dasher Stamp (page 161), which I have stamped in Chocolate Chip and, again used a post it note and covered his antlers.  I have then added just a bit of Whisper White Ink with a dauber to blend the colour and give a misty look to the snow on the ground. 

Lesson Learnt In the Making?? 
Make sure you stamp your dasher before you apply your Whisper White Ink to avoid dasher looking like he has a no neck!!

Using a White Gel pen, I have added snow flakes to the tree tips and sky and a little on the ground. 

To embellish, I have used a few different ideas including the Big Shot Vintage Wallpaper and Square Lattice Embossing Folders, Scallop Edge Punch, Scallop Trim Border, Eyelet Border, various ribbons, Jumbo Eyelets and Brads.  Basically, anything you can find in your Stampin' Up! Idea Book and Catalogue.

Well, maybe one more male card to come??

Thanks for looking at my blog and I hope you enjoy it!  Keep your eyes peeled for loads more projects coming your way!!

Regards
Lisa

Lisa Bowcock
Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator
...And lovin' it!!
http://lisabowcock.stampinup.net

Male Tri-Fold

I really like the look of this card, which is quite versatile for both a male and female, you only need to change the picture or the Designer Series Paper.  I like it because it is different from normal folded cards.  If you are looking for a bit of a WOW factor, this is a great card.

To make this card, cut a piece of cardstock (I've used Basic Black) approximately 15.5cm x 28.5cm.  Score the 28.5cm side at 9.5cm and 19.5cm then fold.  Cut a diagonal line on the front panel from 7.5cm, measuring from the bottom of your card, all the way to the scored line (that you have scored at 9.5cm). 

I have then cut 2 pieces of  Designer Series Paper 8.5cm x 15cm.  I have used the Love Letter DSP from the 2010-2011 Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalogue (page 125) and stuck one piece to the last panel and the other to the second panel on the opposite side.  If you lie the card flat you should have the front piece (where the diagonal cut is) as the first panel on your left, a plain second panel and one piece of DSP on the third panel.  Turn your card over and lie it flat and you should have one piece of DSP on the middle panel.  (I hope this all makes sense). 

Decorate the front panel as you wish.  I have used Cherry Cobbler (have I ever mentioned that I love this colour???) and Very Vanilla, distressed using my River Rock Inkpad.  A mount in Cherry Cobbler and the surfer from the Seaworthy Stamp Set (page 73) stamped in Basic Black onto Very Vanilla.  The saying is also from the Seaworthy Set, which I have stuck on with Dimensionals.  The clip is from the Clips Assortment set (page 139) and the ribbon is Very Vanilla 1/8" Tafetta Ribbon (page 137), tied in a knot around the Clip.   The clip was then just clipped to the Sentiment (dimensionals used just to hold it in place).

I hope you like it!!!  I would love your feedback.  Feel free to leave me your comments!

Regards
Lisa

Lisa Bowcock

Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator

...And lovin' it

http://lisabowcock.stampinup.net

Another Male Card

As promised, here is another male card. 

This one uses Bravo Burgundy as a base card, Baja Breeze mount run through the Big Shot using the Square Lattice Embossing folder, River Rock mount, a Baja Breeze belly band and Bravo Burgundy again run through the Big Shot using the Square Lattice Embossing folder .  I cut this piece into pieces of 3cm wide (x2) and 6cm wide and mounted on top.  The square is using Baja Breeze as a base and Very Vanilla.  The boat is stamped in Pacific Point (stamped off once) from the Seaworthy Stamp Set and I have distressed the edges using the distresser from the Cutting Tool on both the Baja Breeze and the Very Vanilla pieces.  A little curl on the bottom right hand corner just because I can!!  The "4U" is cut using the Timeless Type Junior Alphabet Set in Baja Breeze.  Not a pretty card by all means but fairly masculine I think.

I hope you like it!!

Regards
Lisa

Lisa Bowcock
Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator
...And lovin' it!
http://lisabowcock.stampinup.net

Happy Birthday Dad!!!!

Mens cards are such a challenge.  Designing something that is not too pretty, doesn't have bling, masculine without the usual "golf clubs", "ties", "cars" that are on shop bought cards always presents a challenge.  So I have been desiging a few male cards lately.  Here is the first of them. 

I started making the card using Soft Suede as my base and a Baja Breeze mount, run through the Big Shot using the Square Lattice embossing folder.  I have also been doing a bit of distressing lately because I really like that look.  The white mount card is distressed using Soft Suede (the easiest way I find to distress is the lay your card onto your inkpad and gently touch the card to the inkpad).  I then created another mount using Baja Breeze and stamped the tree from the Lovely As a Tree stamp set.  The letters were cut using the Stampin' Up! Big Shot Timeless Type Junior Alphabet Sizzlit Die (my new favourite toy).  The card was missing something so I pulled out my Colour Coach and matched the Soft Suede and Baja Breeze with colour suggested by Stampin' Up!, another favourite, Cherry Cobbler.  The match was perfect.  What do you think????

I will be posting more male cards soon so thanks for looking at my blog and stay tuned.

Regards
Lisa

Lisa Bowcock
Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator
...And lovin' it!!!
http://lisabowcock.stampinup.net

Ahhh! Bliss

How beautiful is the Bliss Stamp Set that is one of the Sale-A-Bration sets??  I know so many people that are loving it and using it on everything. 

My mum was asking me the other day about colours and how hard she found it to create different looking cards when you tend to use the same colours.  So out came the old colour wheel (or Colour Coach) to take the guess work out of complimentary/coordinating colours.  Once we were pointed in the right direction, Mum had lost her motivation so I made this card using the colours that she had chosen from the Colour Coach and using the Bliss flourish.  The colours chosen were Elegant Eggplant, Old Olive and More Mustard.  I added Whisper White and stamped the flourish in Elegant Eggplant.   I really like the way the colours just gel together.  Maybe I need to use the Colour Coach a bit more often????

Lisa Bowcock
Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator
...And lovin' it!
http://lisabowcock.stampinup.net