A Happy Accident and a RAK

This card does not look quite the way I had intended, but I think I like it all the more for it! I have been itching to get this gorgeous background stamp, Baroque since seeing some inspiring cards using it for the "emerging colour" technique. But, I was in too much of a hurry to jump straight into that, and decided to have a play with my markers first. Straight out of the box. Without cleaning it. And, this was the serendipitous result! Somewhere below is my tutorial on solid stamps, where I explain that the manufacturing process can leave a residue that stops the ink from clinging well to the rubber, and that a thorough cleaning will do wonders. Well, this is what happens when you don't clean a new stamp! It's not often a mistake turns into a pleasing result, but I instantly realised that I couldn't achieve such an authentic sanded/distressed look even if I tried, and decided to go ahead and use the panel for my card.

I've used Night of Navy cardstock base, stamped with Sanded background in Night of Navy ink


Then I trimmed down the Whisper White Baroque panel to fit on a mat of Rose Red, and adhered these layers to the base.


Next I added some bands, white taffeta ribbon and a metal edge square tag topped with a 1 1/4" punched square, stamped with the Thanks and flower from the Live your Dreams set, popped up with Stampin Dimensionals.


Finally I added a few tiny half back pearls, not sure about those though, so they may come off later :)


So, who else has a tale of Happy Stampin Accident to tell? There's a RAK in it for my favourite story posted here as a comment, I'll choose next week.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy weekend!

Chocolate-free Chocolate Sliders

In my tutorial somewhere down below about making the chocolate bar sliders, I mentioned that the pattern could be modified to suit a number of chocolate-bar -ish shaped items, such as CDs, paper backs etc. Well, I have tested it out on a couple of DVDs, with (I think!) great success. By a happy co-incidence, a 12x12 sheet of our Designer Series papers fits very neatly around a standard plastic-cased DVD, with just enough for a strip of double sided tape to seal. And, the excess length is 2 inches, the perfect size for a decorative band when reversed to the opposite side.

Here I've used a pattern from the Outlaw pack

Here's a quick run down:

*Trim 5cm from one side of the 12x12 sheet and set aside

*Score approx 10cm in from the short edge, and again 1.5cm further in, and fold along these lines. Place the DVD against the fold and mark on the inside where the other side of the DVD ends.

*Score along this mark, and again 1.5cm further out. Fold and test with DVD.

*Place DST along the very edge of the underlap and all the way across the bottom edge. Remove both liner tapes, but seal the vertical seam first, then the bottom edge, pleating the sides at the base before scoring or crimping to get a firm adhesion.

*Punch a half circle through both layers at the top, and a horizontal slot about 1cm below this for the ribbon to thread through. Cut enough ribbon to go right around the DVD lengthways with overlap for tying and thread this through the slots.

*Slide the DVD inside, which pushes the ribbon down to the base.

*Decorate with the scrap band, a few layered punches, a stamp or two to personalise and it's done! Hubby was quite impressed with the contents as well as the wrappings, so all was good!

Bright and colourful from me!

This is my take on Col's Pretty Princess card featured below, I made it for a little girl turning 4! I'm told her big thing of the moment is mermaids, but I don't have a mermaid stamp, and I figure princesses can't be far behind right?? I haven't been able to give it to her, as her party last Sunday was postponed because of the wet weather, fingers crossed for a FINE WARM day next Saturday! Anyway, a Happy Birthday to Mackenzie for last Sunday!!

SU materials in italics: This card uses Pixie Pink as a base, stamped in Pixie Pink ink using the Polka Dot background stamp.

Next I cut some nesting scallops, one from "Friendly Felt", a stiffened craft felt that can go through the Cuttlebug, and one from Whisper White cardstock, I also embossed this one with the same Nestabilities.

I stamped the Princess from Pretty Princess in Stazon ink, and then used my Bold Brights Watercolour Wonder Crayons and a Blender Pen to colour the image. It's very easy to be precise with this technique, as you can scribble a little crayon colour on a scrap of cardstock, and pick up tiny amounts with the Blender pen tip - places like her shoes where the Crayon tip itself would be too chunky direct to paper.

Then I punched a Scallop Circle from Tempting Turquoise cardstock, and sponged it with Taken with Teal ink to give it texture to match the felt. This is topped with a 1 3/8 and 1 1/4" circle punch stamped with the Happy Birthday from Pretty Princess in Taken with Teal ink

Finally, I added some Tempting Turquoise Narrow Grosgrain ribbon and tied a bow, mounting the Scallop piece with Stampin Dimensionals.

Ta Da!! Hope you like it :)