Month: January 2021

Stretching your Supplies Saturday with Essentials by Ellen: Aloe You Vera Much!

| @popsofpaper

Hi Friends and Happy Saturday! I really enjoy stretching my supplies and using my stamps and stand-alone dies in fun new ways. When I saw the “Aloe You Vera Much!” Sentiment in the EBE Succulent Sentiments, I knew I wanted to pair it with the Aloe Plant from the EBE Modern Succulent Stamp Set for a Punny Valentine-Themed Card. 

To turn the everyday Modern Succulents into a Valentine Card Set, I combined elements from the Confetti Kisses & Tic Tac Toe EBE Die Combo and added bright pinks, reds and purples into my coloring and accents.

Card-Making Details

Coloring

  • I prepared my images for Zig Clean Color Brush Marker Coloring by stamping on Bristol Smooth Paper with VersaFine Clair Nocturne Ink and then heat embossing with Clear Embossing Powder. I like adding the clear embossing powder as it helps me color in the lines when water coloring.
  • I colored the images by directly applying ink from the Brush Markers to the paper and then using my detailed water brush to fade out the colors. After the images dried, I added white gel pen elements for a little extra POP!

 Die Cutting

  • I ran the Confetti Kisses die through my die cutting machine with a piece of red glitter paper that I had in my stash. Then I added the die cut hearts to the center of each Aloe plant.
  • To stretch my supplies even further, I used the Tic Tac Toe Die to create the “quilted” stitched square background on my purple card. I started in the middle of my card with the first 9-Box Grid and then added the additional grid lines around the middle being sure to carefully line-up some of the grid lines that would overlap (Hint: I missed perfectly matching up one of the grid lines but I covered it up with the Aloe Plant)

Finishing the Cards

  • For the Purple Valentine Card, I added the Aloe Plant to the quilted stitched background with foam adhesive and then added some red glitter Confetti Kisses X’s and O’s using liquid adhesive.
  • For the Red Valentine Card, I added Red Stripe and Black Polka Dot Washi tape to the background. This is my favorite trick to “ground” images to a Clean and Simple Background. Then I added the Red Aloe Image to the center of the card with thin foam adhesive.
  • I created two sentiment strips with Ebony Cardstock and White Embossing Powder and the sentiment to each of the card designs. 
  • To finish the cards, I added the decorated panel to an Ebony Cardbase.

So there we are friends, two Punny Succulent Valentine’s Day Cards. I hope you enjoyed my post today and it inspires you to stretch your cardmaking supplies in fun new ways! Big Paper Hugs!

The Supplies:

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Taylored Expressions Mini Slim Essentials Release Card Making Inspiration

| @popsofpaper

Hi Friends and Happy Tuesday! It’s release day over at Taylored Expressions and it’s all about the Mini Slim Card Size! The mini Slim Card is one of my favorite new card sizes to work with as it’s not too big, it’s not too small…it’s just right if you’re looking to play with something different from the A4 card size. The Mini Slim is like the bite-size candy bar of cardmaking 🙂

Let’s get started with some cute critter cards using the new Little Critters Stamp Set, Just Saying Stamp Set and Square Window Die and then a Hexagon Tri-Fold Valentine using Love from Millie and Max. Be sure to keep scrolling for a Two-For Idea using the new Mini Slim Diagonal Cover Plate. 

Little Critters and Square Window Die

The Little Critters Stamp Set is absolutely adorable and images are a perfect fit with the Mini Slim Square and Circle Window Dies. For my card, I stamped the llama image three times, colored him with Zig Clean and Clear Brush Markers and then nestled him into the square windows so he was peeking around in all different directions. The sentiments from the Just Saying Stamp Set are perfectly sized to add in between the windows. I stamped “Peeking in to Say Helle” with Oreo Ink and then added the white heat embossed “Hey Girl Hey“ sentiment strip from the Fun and Funny Mini Strips Stamp set. The card panel was attached to a Lollipop Top-Fold Card Base with foam adhesive. For a little extra love, I added a few Bits and Pieces Hearts to each of the window openings. 

Llama Llama Little Critter Supplies:

Release Promotion Details: January 26th through Sunday, January 31st (or while supplies last), you can get the Little Critters Mini Slim Bundle for 15% off! The bundle includes the Little Critters stamp set, the Just Saying stamp set, and the Mini Slim Square Window Cutting Plate die. The discounted bundle price is only available through Sunday, January 31st.

Tri-Fold Hexagon Valentine Card

Taylored Expressions has added two new shapes to the Tri-Fold collection: Circle and Hexagon to go along with the original square tri-fold. This was the first trifold card I have EVER made and the templates, dies and tri-fold pre-made cards made it so much easier than I thought it would be. I also love the idea of creating a little story when your recipient opens their card. I thought it would be fun to open up little love notes as you opened up the Hexagon Tri-Fold card starting with Happy Valentine’s Day with Millie and a Colorful “daytime” set of balloons then I love you so much and for the final reveal…I Love You To The Moon and Back with Millie soaring up to the moon with her bunches of balloons in “nighttime” colors.

Hexagon Tri-Fold Valentine Supplies:

Mini Slim Diagonal Two-For Card Design

I love it when you can maximize your supplies and boy does the Mini Slim Diagonal Cover Plate deliver! To create my two cards, I ran the cover plate through my die cut machine first with a piece of Sugar Cube Card Stock and then with a piece of Oreo Card Stock. Then I just swapped the Striped Inlay Die Cuts to create the two different cards. 

For the first card, I added the Oreo inlays to the Sugar Cube Cover Plate Frame which created a bold black and white striped pattern. Then I painted the Sketchbook Florals in purples and green Karin Markers. I combined the two floral images with liquid adhesive and then tied a piece of purple baker’s twine. The Sentiments are from Building Blocks Love Additions (Hello) and an Asymmetrical Cut Sentiment Strip.

For the second card, I used the flowers as my color palette and selected several ink colors to match. Then I used blending brushes to add the different colors to the Sugar Cube stitched stripe die cuts. Using liquid adhesive, I added each stripe to the Oreo Cover Plate Frame. To finish the card, I added the Hello Word (Oreo Cardstock) and Shadow Die (White Glitter Cardstock) and an Asymmetrical Sentiment Strip. 

Two-For Mini Slim Diagonal Cover Plate Supplies:

So there we are friends bright, cheerful “bite-size” cards using the Mini Slim Essentials Taylored Expressions Release. I hope you enjoyed my post today and inspires you to have fun with the Mini Slim Stamps, Dies and Stencils!

Big Paper Hugs!
Emily

Taylored Expressions Snarky, Fun and Funny Mini/Simple Strips Release Inspiration

| @popsofpaper

Hi Friends and Happy Tuesday! Have you seen the latest Taylored Expressions Release? It’s a New Simple/Mini Strips Release and it’s full of Fun & Snarky sentiments along with a new Asymmetrical Sentiment Strips Die!! 

For me the sentiment on a card is everything! It’s most often the inspiration to make a card for someone or occasion and/or purchase a stamp set. It was hard not to laugh out loud while making these cards as the sentiment pretty much sums up a few of my moods these days…and for someone who loves a good funny Valentine…these also hit cupid right on the nose. I hope you’re ready for a little snark and some funnies! 

Fun & Funny You’re Weird Valentine

Let’s start with the Mini Strips Fun & Funny Stamp Set. The sentiment “You’re Weird, Never Change” is perfect for these two Little Monsters. These cuties just crack me up and for all those silly people in my life…I Heart You!

The Card Making Details

To create the background, I used the Heart of Hearts Layering Stencils. For the first layer, I used Plum Punch ink. Then for the second layer, I used Jelly Donut and Lavender Glaze and then added Moon Dust Stickles for extra sparkle. I colored the Little Monsters with Karin Brush Markers in purples, aquas, pinks and green and cut them out using the coordinating dies. Then I joined them together and attached them to the large heart using foam adhesive. To finish the card, I stamped the Mini Strips – Fun and Funny Stamp with VersaMark Ink and heat embossed with white embossing powder to Oreo Simple Strips Stacks. Then I used the Mini Strips Die to cut all the sentiments at once-this stamp and die combo is such a clever design! I also added a heat embossed sentiment from the Building Blocks-Love Additions Stamp and Building Blocks Die to complete the Valentine. 

Fun & Funny Supplies:

 

Simple Strips Snarky & Asymmetrical

Now it’s time for a little snark that is sure to receive a little snort or giggle. The Hot Flash Grumplings were a perfect match with the Simple Strips Snarky Stamp and Asymmetrical Die. I stamped the Simple Strips Snarky with VersaMark Ink and heat embossed with white embossing powder to Oreo Simple Strips Stacks; then I die cut all the sentiments at once using the Asymmetrical Simple Strips Die. 

Snarky Hedgehog Valentine

I used the Hedgehog image to create the perfect “we’ve been married for many, many years” Valentine Mini Slim Card…LOL. 

The Card Making Details

I stamped the Hedgehog image on Bristol Smooth Card Stock (watercolor paper would also work great) and colored her with Karin Brush Markers. Then I cut the Hedgehog image using the coordinating die. For the background, I used the dotted grid image from the Field Notes Stamp Set with Cookie Monster Ink. To assembly the the card, I die cut a scallop and stitched slimline card panel and adhered them to a Jelly Donut slim line base that I created by cutting a piece of Jelly Donut cardstock to 7.5 (scoring down the middle) x 6 inches. Then I pieced together the Hedgehog and added the sentiments from Snarky Sentiment Strips/Assymetrical Die and Mini Strips-Valentine/Mini Strips Die. For a little extra love, I added hot pink heart embellishments.

Snarky Hedgehog Supplies:

 

Snarky Panda Hugs

I created the “trippy” Panda card by layering the dotted grid image from the Field Notes Stamp Set with Fruit Punch and Pineapple Inks. This combination gives a dizzy effect that I think works perfectly with the Panda’s expression and the Snarky Sentiments (which I also combined with a sweet sentiment from the Sentiment Strips Background Stamp that I cut with the Asymmetrical die). The Panda was colored with Karin Brush Markers and cut using the coordinating dies. I adhered the Panda to the dotted grid background with foam adhesive and then positioned the sentiments asymmetrically below the Panda image. The snarky decorated card panel was then added to a Pineapple Cardstock Base. 

Snarky Panda Supplies:

 

So there we are friends, some snarky and funny cards using the latest Mini Strip and Sentiment Strips Release at Taylored Expressions. I hope you enjoyed my cards today and you’re leaving with a little more giggle in your day. Be sure to check out the Taylored Expressions promo below. New colorful Mini Strip Storage Labels are also now available!! Enjoy!

Big Paper Hugs!
Emily