I am not left-handed

Label Window Pop 'n Cuts Card - Love Birds

The Journey Collection is shipping to stores in the next couple of weeks and I could not be more excited!

This card shows off one of the two new "Window" Pop 'n Cuts inserts. There are two styles of insert with this fold - the Butterfly and the Label (used in this card). Window inserts allow the bigger image to come through to the front of the card when closed. Then, when you open the card, the item lifts and becomes part of the interior decoration as well.

Pop 'n Cuts inserts always have one or more decorator dies, and the Window Inserts share a couple of decorator dies - the Bigz Butterflies & Labels, which decorates both inserts leaving a small shadow, and the Bigz Edge & Scroll, which creates a decorative edged backing card to fit both Window inserts perfectly. I used both on this card. I also used the new Pop 'n Cuts 5x5 Square Base with Decorative Edge and the Heart & Flower Movers & Shapers Set.

Anna-Karin Evaldsson is on the Darkroom Door Design Team. I was unfamiliar with their stamps until Anna-Karin posted amazing projects using their stamps and I knew I would have to order some. (Well played, Anna-Karin!) For this card I used the Love Birds set. The stamps are unmounted red rubber and you have to trim them, but there is cling mount on the back and they come beautifully packaged and indexed in a storage DVD-style case. 

I used Stampin' Up! Stampin' Write Markers to color directly on the bird stamps and then highlighted the colors with Copics. I adhered the stamped image to a piece of chipboard and then fussy cut it with a craft knife.

The bird cage is also on the stamp set. I stamped it in black Staz-on ink onto a piece of thick Bazzill Plastic Paper, cut it out and used black pop-dots under the bottom edge. I used a white paint pen to add some detail dots to make the front half of the cage stand out more. I added a chain at the top, attached to the card with white brads.

I have a huge addiction to patterned paper, but Kelly Booth often stamps her own backgrounds and they always look stunning, so I waded through my large stamp collection for a suitabley "viney" background stamp. It was unmounted and I have no idea who made it, but it did the trick to give me that jungle feel. Maybe I'll make more of an effort to use my extensive stamp collection on backgrounds!

I'm including the link for the Journey Collection Preview video showing all the new inserts and decorator dies. You'll see how the Edge & Scroll is used to create the backing cards for the Window cards as well as how easy it is to fold them.

The Journey dies will be available at Sizzix retailers on or around the first week of June. I notice that Inspiration Emporium is doing pre-orders (with discounted pricing!) - scroll down until you see them.

  

As always, I love to see what you're making with my dies. Send me those links so I can promote you on Facebook and Pinterest!

Class: Wonderful Day Waterfall Pop-up Layout

I am blessed to have a loyal group of students at Scrapp'n Savvy who sign up for my class every month. Last month I taught the You Make my Heart Sing Mini-Album with the waterfall heart feature. We were talking in class about what other pop-up dies would work well in a waterfall, so I decided to show a couple of options with this month's class. (This class is this Saturday, May 18, 2013 - there are a few spots left!)

"Wonderful Day" is a Layout class where I've used a waterfall technique with my brand new Pop 'n Cuts Square Base die to make a decorative-edged waterfall complete with a couple of pop-ups.

We will make the full spread in class - everything you see here. You'll also have a full sheet of alphabet stickers (used for the word "day") in your kit. I only added a few photos to my sample layout to give a feel for how it will look with photos, but between the background and the waterfall, there is room for many, many photos! I suggest documenting a "wonderful day" when you were quite the shutterbug!

The title embellishment cluster features a few of my dies (Bigz Butterflies & Labels, Movers & Shapers Heart and Flower, Bigz Frame & Label, Bracket). You can choose a different second word for your title if you prefer - anything that you find wonderful, like family, life, garden, father, mother, son, daughter, granddaughter, DVR . .  you get the idea!

The decorative edge of the new Pop 'n Cuts Base die, plus the included flourish piece, really dresses up the look of the waterfall feature. Pull the tab at the right to engage the waterfall.

The first set of pages in the waterfall will reveal the first pop-up, a combination of two brand-new Journey Pop 'n Cuts dies - the Funky Label Insert and the Butterflies Movers & Shapers set. I've also strung some of the ribbons from the Label & Ribbon Movers & Shapers set as banners.

Keep pulling the tab and the first section will close and slide under and the next section will open. This is a picture/journaling spread - fill it however you like!

 

Keep pulling and the final spread will open, featuring the Spinning Platform die with the new Funky Label Framelits on top. The beauty of the "oldie-but-a-goodie" pop-up die is that it will spin the item out of the fold to lay flat and you can therefore use photos and rigid items on the platform without worrying about folds through people's faces.

Here is a Vine video showing the waterfall in action:

 WHAT TO BRING LIST:

• Scissors & Trimmer
• Tape Runner or favorite paper adhesive
• Mini-glue dots
• Scor Tape or Red Liner Tacky Tape
• Fine line glue pen (see that black flourish? Enough said!)
• Pop-dots/foam squares
• Tiny Attacher Stapler & staples
• Brown ink and blending tool (I used Vintage Photo)
• 12x12 page protector (if you want me to show you how to alter it to hold the waterfall)

See you then!

Video Tutorial: Bigz Door Die

Today I'm blogging on the Sizzix blog with a product spotlight on the Bigz Door die. There are larger photos of the video project plus awesome door projects from Gretchen Schmidt, Kelly Booth, Helen Cryer, Fran Sabad and Anna-Karin Evaldsson. 

Sizzix Supplies:

 

Other Supplies:

Cardstock - Bazzill Card Shoppe

Patterned Paper - Glitz "Yours Truly" collection

Rubber Stamps - Hero Arts (woodgrain, sentiment); Art Impressions (laughter)

Inks - Stampin' Up! (red, brown), Ranger (distress)

Other/Stash items - paper flowers, twine, pop-dots

 

CLASS: "You Make my Heart Sing" Pop-up Mini-album

This Saturday, April 13th, I will be teaching this pop-up mini-album class at Scrapp'n Savvy in Spring, TX. There are some seats left if you're interested. The cost is $35 and includes all materials to make the project as shown.

Optional after-class purchases to decorate your album further will include a coordinating alphabet sticker sheet and a paper with journaling cards and captions.

If you'd like to make more of these albums in other colors you can also purchase Karen Burniston products after class including the Echo Park Interactive Chipboard Album, the Pop-up Heart die, the Photo Wheel die, the Love Sizzlits Set and the Heart & Wing Movers & Shapers set. 

 

The front of the album features a waterfall card with a bit of a twist - I've used the Pop-up Heart die three times to make it a pop-up waterfall feature. I am never a fan of things "flopping" in mini-albums, so there is a heart twist closure to keep the waterfall secured to the page when not being used. Simply spin the heart out of the way before pulling.

The chipboard album has built-in pull-out pages, making it the perfect choice for a pull-tab pop-up. I simply attached the end of the waterfall's pull tab to the album's tab so that pulling out the page will also engage the waterfall. Each of the three waterfall spreads features a pop-up heart with room for photos, journaling and embellishments. I did a modest amount of decorating of my album to show some ideas, but the choices are all yours for how to combine your photos, journaling, stickers and embellishments. Your kit will include the embellishment sticker sheet that you see featured on my pages.

Inside the album are two more spreads to hold photos and journaling, plus the pull-out pages. 

On the final interior page is a Photo Wheel. I thought it would be fun to cut the front of the photo wheel from Bazzill Plastic Paper (also available for purchase at the store) so all the photos are visible, but then when you spin the wheel one photo is highlighted in the window with a white frame.

The back of the album also has a pull-out and space for more photos. This album can hold a lot of memories! 

The papers are all from Echo Park's For the Record 2 "Documented" collection, by Lori Whitlock. I love this collection and how gender-neutral it is. Decorate your album with photos of anyone (or anything) that makes your heart sing!

Here is a Vine video showing the waterfall in action:

 

Please bring the following items to class:

• Scissors
• Trimmer
• Tape runner or favorite adhesive for attaching paper to chipboard
• Big Bite or 1/4" chipboard hole punch (for punching the holes back - we can share)
• Crop-a-Dile (small hole for a jump ring - we can share)
• Craft Knife and Cutting Mat
• Red liner tacky tape (any size, but 1/4" will be the easiest)
• Glue dots 
• Tiny Attacher stapler and staples
• Paper piercer
• Pop dots
• Two pairs of pliers (if you have them) to open and close a stiff jump ring
• White Sharpie or paint pen (if you have one) to highlight the photo wheel window frame. I will bring mine to share.

Hope to see you there!

UStamp with Dawn and Friends Big Shot Roundup Project #2: Amour Dress Card

 

My second project for the current UStamp with Dawn and Friends event has been posted to the site. Members can log in and get access to the PDF supply list/instructions plus a private video tutorial for how to create this card using the Stampin' Up! exclusive Pop 'n Cuts Card Base plus the Dress up Framelits.

This card is a standard A2-size, meaning it will fit in a regular envelope. When the card is closed the dress is flat. Open the card and the dress expands. Here is a quick Vine video to show this card in action: 

This is the third time I've been a guest designer for Dawn's events and I have enjoyed every one of them. I have already agreed to design for her next event as well. What's so nice about these worldwide online events is that a new project is posted every 12 hours but you can log in at any time and view/download/save any of them. There is a photo gallery where you can upload your own versions of the projects and live chats where you can interact with the other students and designers as well as meet new friends and win fabulous prizes!

The majority of the designers and students are Stampin' Up! demonstrators, who find the projects very helpful for re-teaching to their customers. For example, Cyndi is registered for the event and taught my first project, the Floating Framelits Card, to her customer, the fabulous Shelly Hickox, and together they made this gorgeous version of the card, including taking the idea further with additional techniques.

You do not, however, have to be a demo to join this event. You just have to love Stampin' Up! products (and who doesn't?) and love being inspired by cool ideas! 

Amped-up Pop 'n Cuts Class - Scrapbook 'n Such

For National Scrapbooking Day Weekend, May 3-6, 2013, I'll be heading to Scrapbook 'n Such in Wichita Falls, TX to teach a Pop 'n Cuts card class, plus I'll be doing several demos of Sizzix dies and machines, including the eclips. 

I am sending a set of original cards to the store, but in the meantime, here is a video preview of the class projects so you can see them in action.

 

We're going to do three "amped up" Pop 'n Cuts cards with dies that are available now (and you can purchase after class) and then one bonus card using dies from the new Journey collection, and you can pre-order those dies.

The first "amped up" card will be the Star birthday card, showing how to use the "stand-up" Pop 'n Cuts inserts for a horizontal cascading effect.

*NOTE* You are always welcome to bring coordinating inks and blending tools to "grunge" up your cards. Typically I show them "clean". Ink colors that would work well for this card would be a medium blue or green.

Next up, the Floating Floor for the Frame Pop 'n Cuts insert.

For the frame card I used a little Vintage Photo distress ink on the edges - bring brown ink if you like this look.

For the final "amped" technique, I decided to make a "Hello" version of my mirror card. This is a fun technique for use with any of the word Pop 'n Cuts inserts. By purposely die cutting the piece backwards and then orienting it upside-down, the word will read correctly when viewed in the mirror, which is suspended into the background of the card. The effect is fun - a "floating" word.

For the three cards shown, your kit will have everything pre-cut so we can finish all three cards. I will demonstrate the steps for how I die cut each pop-up and you will receive full supply lists and instructions for recreating the cards.

For the BONUS card, you will be some of the first to play with the new Journey collection dies, which will ship in June. This Father's Day card uses the Chair Pop 'n Cuts Insert, the Foyer Textured Impressions Set, the Heart & Flower Movers & Shapers set and the Wavy Labels Framelits Set.  You will do the embossing in class and the other pieces will be pre-cut. Coloring your embossed scene is optional and will not be done in class. Chalks or markers will work great for coloring. I used Copics on my sample:

Please bring these tools and supplies to class: 

• Scissors & Trimmer
• Tape Runner (or favorite paper adhesive)
• Mini glue dots
• Fine line glue pen
• Scoring tool & ruler (I recommend an embossing stylus if you have one)
• Tiny Attacher (if you have one)
• Needle-nosed pliers (if you have them) - helpful for working with jump rings
• Sanding block
• Coordinating inks and blending tools or sponge
• Optional: markers or chalks for coloring embossed scene (this can always be done at home later)
• Camera or smart phone for taking photos of all my sample cards (I bring A SUITCASE FULL OF SAMPLES!)
• Recommended: print out photos of these cards to refer to during class. You will receive small color photos on your handouts, but full-size photos would be even better!

Would love to see you there!

Pop-up 2Torial: Sizzix Bigz Circle & Ribbon Platform Die

Today I'm blogging on the Sizzix blog with a video tutorial for how to assemble the Bigz Circle & Ribbon Platform die.

My inspiration for the video card was my completed Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2013 April Tag, which I made first, then decided to expand into a pop-up card.

For the tag itself, I generally followed Tim's instructions for the background, although my patina ended up a little muddied, so I sanded it and overstamped some words in Broken China Distress Paint (my favorite!). I used birds from the Artful Flight stamp set.

I carried through the same styling and colors from the tag into the card's interior, which features the Bigz Circle & Ribbon Platform die.

Here is the video tutorial:

 

You will see additional photos of the card on the Sizzix Blog post, plus a supply list for the video card and links to great cards by other designers using this die. 

What I love about the Circle & Ribbon Platform die is how generic it is. It has no theme, so you'll be able to use it for anything. It can also be used to animate larger objects, as shown in the PDF instruction sheet.

Here's another card I made using this die:

This card combines Jenni Bowlin papers and embellishments, Bazzill cardstock, and some of my other dies from the Hello Sizzlits set, Birds on a Wire Sizzlits strip and Bigz Fancy Frame die to create an eclectic collage-style "Create" crop night invitation.

 

Bigz Circle & Ribbon Platform Die

 

If you're looking for a great all-purpose pop-up die that you'll be able to use year-round for any occasion, the Bigz Circle & Ribbon Platform die is a great choice! 

SU Project for UStamp with Dawn & Friends - Easter Pop 'n Cuts Card

I was a last minute addition to the current UStamp with Dawn and Friends online event, Grow Creative Love as a guest designer.

If you want access to the supply list, PDF instruction sheet and private video tutorial for this project you would need to go to UStamp with Dawn and Friends to purchase access. I can't remember exactly how many projects were posted by the amazing designers Dawn has assembled, but it was a lot! 

Easter Pop 'n Cuts card using Stampin' Up! Products

I've been invited to guest design at a future UStamp event this year, so I'll post the particulars when I know more.

Heading to California tomorrow and will be teaching all day at Stampers Corner on Saturday. The classes are sold out but there is a free demo from 1:00-2:00 pm if you want to stop by and see Pop 'n Cuts dies in action.

Pop-up 2Torial: Stampin' Up! Pop 'n Cuts Floating Floor *FREE* template + video

If ever a Pop 'n Cuts insert was calling out for a Floating Floor template it is the Stampin' Up! Exclusive Dress Form Pop 'n Cuts insert. (Floating Floor templates for the Sizzix Base Die and the Frame inserts can be found by scrolling through the category of "Free Templates")

With all of Stampin' Up!'s stamp sets there are endless combinations of cute items waiting to be animated with a Floating Floor!

Since I didn't want to hide any of the dress form to support the floor, I drafted a template to build the floor underneath the Pop 'n Cuts piece.

Learn how to use the template in this video:

 

You can download a copy of the template here:

Download SU Floating Floor Template

Demonstrators, the answer is YES! You may use this template for classes (leave my logo on it, please) and you may embed my template and video on your own sites. Did I mention that I'm here for you? I'm here for you! *grin*

PRINTING NOTE - with PDFs, your printer may default to "shrink to fit" or something similar. When you send the file to print, just take a look-see and make sure it says "no shrinking" or "no page scaling" or "scale=100%" or "print full size" - however your printer likes to say it. If you're printing templates for a class, then you print ONE first, take out your ruler, check that the width is 4.25", and then print the rest. 

Here are some photos of the Queen of Hearts card that I make in the video. 

 

For the front of my Queen of Hearts card, I used the new Honeycomb Textured Impressions folder, some bakers twine and a single stamped heart.

Inside the card I've fashioned a Queen of Hearts dress from the Dress Up Framelits and used stamped & colored hearts popping up throughout the floating floor. 

I used all Stampin' Up! products on my card. 

Interested in the dies used for this card? You can click on the images below to go to the SU website and find a demonstrator in your area. I highly recommend supporting your local demonstrators - they offer so much valuable education, ideas and customer service!

 

In case you haven't seen it, here is video tutorial for these three dies.

 

Video Tutorial: Stampin' Up! Pop 'n Cuts (Dress Form)

The 2013 Stampin' Up! Spring Catalog includes three exclusive dies for the Pop 'n Cuts system. You can click on the images below to go to the SU website and find a demonstrator in your area. I highly recommend supporting your local demonstrators - they offer so much valuable education, ideas and customer service!

As promised, here is video tutorial for these three dies.

 

If you're new to Pop 'n Cuts, you might also want to check out my video series of Pop-up 2Torials for additional ideas and techniques for using Pop 'n Cuts. You can adapt the ideas for use with the SU designs.

As an example, I used the Doublewide Pop-up 2Torial technique with the Stampin' Up! Pop 'n Cuts dies to make a wedding card.

By folding my paper lengthwise before die cutting, I was able to cut a card that is 7" wide but maintains the built-in closure of the Card Base.

Inside the card the folding technique resulted in two dress forms! Fun!

A Vintage Label stamp with mirrored paper makes a nice backdrop behind the happy couple. I created the tuxedo from black and white cardstock. I printed a photo of a tuxedo from the internet to use as a guide. The dress is the sleeveless Dress Up Framelits, extended to make a full-length dress.

This angled view shows the pop-up. I cut pieces of Designer Series paper to cover the "wall" and "floor" of the card. I used a craft knife to remove a rectangle from the papers corresponding to the footprint (and wallprint) of the tables. The rectangles that were removed were then slid under (and behind) the tables so the pattern would continue.

To decorate the dress I used a paper flower and snipped all the petals off. I layered the petals at the bottom of the dress and used lace above them and across the top of the dress. The veil is tulle, bunched together with a strip of lace at the top.

Here's a visual of where I placed my fold to create the Doublewide Dress Form:

If you place your fold just next to the closure it makes a nice double and you don't end up with any closure pieces in the center of the card. If you'd like to eliminate the center table leg just move the fold more to the left until the entire table leg is outside of the fold. The dress forms will be closer together and share a single table. You can even get the fold close enough to join the dress forms at the hips! (Got twins?)

Here is the video tutorial for making Doublewide Pop 'n Cuts cards. If you want to skip right to the Pop 'n Cuts technique, it starts at about the 3:00 mark.

 

I'll end this post with a few Frequently Asked Questions about the Stampin' Up! Pop 'n Cuts:

Do the Stampin' Up! Pop 'n Cuts interchange with the Sizzix Pop 'n Cuts?

Yes! All Pop 'n Cuts inserts fit in ALL Pop 'n Cuts Bases. 

Why would I buy the Stampin' Up! Pop 'n Cuts Base instead of the Sizzix Pop 'n Cuts base?

It's going to come down to personal preference. The Stampin' Up! base is an A2-sized card with a decorative edge and built-in closure. You might prefer the added function of the closure and the pretty edge to the base. People might also prefer the SU! base if they just want a decorative card without using any Pop 'n Cuts inserts at all. The Sizzix A2 Pop 'n Cuts Card base comes pre-bundled with an insert, whereas the SU! base is sold separately. Can't decide? Maybe you need both! :)

Will there be a similar dress form Pop 'n Cuts insert available from Sizzix?

No way! I designed that exclusively for Stampin' Up! You can find a local demonstrator using the Find A Demonstrator tool on SU's website.

Will there be more inserts available through Stampin' Up! in the future?

I hope so! I definitely hope that Pop 'n Cuts are successful with Stampin' Up! so we'll have expansions to the line. 

How did you get started with Stampin' Up!? Are you a demonstrator?

My association with Stampin' Up! is entirely through Sizzix. Sizzix manufactures the dies and machines for Stampin' Up! and I was able, through my relationship with Sizzix, to pitch Pop 'n Cuts to Stampin' Up! My contract is with Sizzix and I am not a demonstrator. However, I have a lot of demonstrator friends and purchase a lot of Stampin' Up! products. My goal with my videos and samples is to provide support to the demonstrators for promoting and educating on these products. Demonstrators are encouraged to use my ideas as sales tools. As much as possible, I try to limit my supplies to only Stampin' Up! when working with SU dies. Some of the SU products I've used are retired, but at least you will get the general idea and can re-make the cards with current product.

One last piece of news. I am a guest designer for the current UStamp with Dawn & Friends event. The event just started and you can still get early bird pricing through February 3rd. The projects from all the designers are fabulous and are made entirely with Stampin' Up! product. The focus is on product in the new Spring catalog.