Mojo Oak

I couldn’t let Mojo Monday 100 pass me by without creating a card. I rushed home right after school and began creating! My husband, bless his heart, made supper, while Brady made puppy chow for dessert. (I know…not your typical dessert, but you have to remember that this is a 19-year-old male, and it is one of the few things that he can make! It’s the thought, you know!) Luck was with me, as was my mojo, and this card flew together quickly. I love the strength and majesty of the mighty oak, so I armed myself with the Autumn Splendor stamp set and Autumn Meadows Designer Series Paper. A little ink distressing and a little linen thread completed the rugged look I was trying to achieve.
  • Prepare a standard card base from textured Very Vanilla. Distress the edges with Chocolate Chip ink and a Sponge Dauber.
  • Select the “Leaf Montage” and “Wood” patterns from the Autumn Meadows Designer Series Paper and ink distress the edges. Layer onto Really Rust textured card stock. Add a snippet of Tempting Turquoise 1/4″ Grosgrain Ribbon layered over Dusty Durango Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon at the interface of the two papers. (Tip: Because the ribbon was in stark contrast to the distressed paper, I “muddied” them with a Sponge Dauber and Chocolate Chip ink.)
  • Ink the “Oak Leaf” image from Autumn Splendor with Basic Brown and stamp onto Very Vanilla. Color with Blender Pens and Dusty Durango, Creamy Caramel, Really Rust, and More Mustard inks. Snip out with Paper Snips and distress the edges with Chocolate Chip. Pop onto the “Grid” pattern from Autumn Meadows, which has been layered onto Wood Cuts. Once again, the edges have been ink distressed.
  • Punch a Taken with Teal scalloped circle using Nestabilities and the Big Shot. Pierce the center of each scallop with the Paper Piercing Tool and distress with Chocolate Chip. Layer the image mat on top, and add four Vintage Brads in each corner of the image.
  • Thread Linen Thread through the holes in two of the bottom scallops and adhere to the card base.
  • Ink the “Acorns” with Basic Brown and stamp onto Very Vanilla. Color with Blender Pens, along with Creamy Caramel and Close to Cocoa inks. Punch out with the 1-1/4″ Circle Punch. Ink distress the edges with Chocolate Chip and pop onto a Nestabilities scalloped circle using a Stampin’ Dimensional. Position and adhere on top of the linen threads and ribbons. Add four Vintage Brads to each corner, and add to the card base.
Details, details and details are the trademark of this card. I love the “Wood Grain” pattern from this Designer Paper collection. When I first saw it, I really did not think I would. But seeing it used this way has changed my mind about it. The same thing was true about the Wood Cut sheets. Now I find that I use the Wood Cuts any time that I want to create a card with a more rustic look! And in case you are wondering about the linen thread, I wanted to create the illusion of a hanging sign.
There is still time to participate in the Pals Paper Arts inspiration challenge. Mr. Linky will close at Noon CST Tuesday! Will you be the next Pals “Artist Pick”?
Thanks for all of your “Good Luck” wishes as I started my school year. It was great to reconnect with my colleagues and get back into the swing of things. The only one who somewhat suffered today was “Missy the Boxer”. Boy, was she ever happy to see Mom! She has spent the entire evening at my feet. Tomorrow will be an incredibly long day, however. Not only will we be putting in a full day of meetings, but our district’s Open House and New Student Orientation begin right after our contract day begins. Yowza!
Please bear with me as I transition into the school year. I really do appreciate your comments! Many times they serve as an inspiration to me! And please do not hesitate to email me if you have a question! Until next time…

Please Click Here to Order Your Stampin’ Up! Supplies Now!
Stamp Set: Autumn Splendor (116503—Available September 1)
Inks: Basic Brown (104315), Chocolate Chip (100908), More Mustard (103162), Really Rust (102549), Close to Cocoa (103139), Creamy Caramel (103220), Dusty Durango (115654)
Designer Series Paper: Autumn Meadows (116769—Available September 1)
Card Stock: Very Vanilla (101650), Wood Sheets Texture Cuts (116309), Taken with Teal (101584), Really Rust textured (108697—Earth Elements assorted), Very Vanilla textured (108693—Neutrals assorted)
Tools: Paper Piercing Tool (116631), Mat Pack (105826), 1-1/4” Circle Punch (104403), Big Shot (113439), Blender Pens (102845), Nestabilities
Embellishments: Vintage Brads (109109), Dusty Durango Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon (115609), Tempting Turquoise ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon (109038)

Good-by to Summer…No Card Today

The last day of summer vacation has always been bittersweet. I love returning to school and my students. I love the organization and the daily routine. I have always said that I could have been a “professional student”. Yet the end of summer vacation also means an end to spending time with my family. Brady will be off to Western Illinois University for his sophomore year by week’s end, and Missy the Boxer will be left to guard the house alone. I will miss the time that I have spent with them. Hours of doing whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted will now be replaced with preparing for classes and in my case, grading papers.

I am also saddened as I will no longer have as much time to create my cards and share them. I remember when I first became a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator. I had no desire to maintain a blog or post daily. But with the encouragement of Mary Fish, I entered into “blogland”. Making a card daily and posting have become second nature, as has communicating with you, my readers. Brady, bless his heart, has tried to come up with suggestions as to how to balance stamping and teaching, none of which would meet with the approval of my administrators. As much as I would like, I don’t think I can justify teaching about the chemistry of ink, complete with stamping lab, or how rubber is processed into stamps, also with lab! (Leave it to Brady!)

But, my sadness only lasts for a day. As soon as tomorrow morning rolls around, I will be stepping back into what has been my routine since 1976. And when I meet my students on Thursday, it will be as if I have never stepped foot outside of the classroom. So bear with me for a few days, as notebook paper replaces designer paper and report cards replace card stock!

As always…

Fall is in the Air

With my school year starting Monday, I decided to spend my last Saturday of summer vacation celebrating my favorite season…Fall. Autumn Splendor, available September 1, is a beautiful stamp set, perfect for watercoloring. This time I paired the Maple Leaf image from this set with Autumn Traditions Designer Series Paper. The very versatile sketch is Splitcoast’s Sketch Challenge #241. A quick card to create, it features doubled buttons, wood cuts, and ink distressing. Doesn’t it just exude autumn in all of it’s colorful glory?

  • Prepare a standard card base from textured Really Rust. Distress the edges using a Sponge Dauber and Chocolate Chip ink.
  • Round opposite corners of the More Mustard pattern from Autumn Traditions Designer Series Paper with a Corner Rounder, and layer onto the card base.
  • For the wider vertical element, ink distress the “Small Maple Leaf” pattern from Autumn Traditions Designer Series Paper and layer onto Always Artichoke. Do exactly the same for the narrower element, this time using the “Stripes” pattern from the same Designer Series Paper. Adhere these vertical mats onto the card base.
  • For the image, ink the Maple Leaf stamp from Autumn Splendor with Basic Brown and stamp onto Stampin’ Up! Watercolor Paper. Color using Blender Pens and the following inks: Rose Red, Close to Cocoa, Dusty Durango, Always Artichoke, Summer Sun. Ink distress the edges and mat onto ink distressed Wood Cuts, followed by Really Rust. Wrap with Linen Thread and pop onto the card base with Stampin’ Dimensionals.
  • For the finishing touch, prepare three button accents using selections from the Playground and Button Latte collections. Adhere to the card base as illustrated with Mini Glue Dots. (Tip: My buttons were created by using flat Real Red buttons and sewing on the tiny flower buttons with Linen Thread.)
Autumn Splendor is one of my favorite sets from the Holiday Mini Catalog. I love it paired with either of the new “Autumn” Designer Series Papers. Whether it’s Autumn Meadows, which is especially lovely with the Oak Leaf stamp or Autumn Traditions with the Maple Leaf stamp, you have the combination for a winning card!
Have you “Played @ PPA” yet? Are YOU the next PPA “Artist Pick”? Check out the action at Pals Paper Arts. But before you say good-bye, please leave me a comment. And, if you have any questions about a card that I may create or a technique I might use, please drop me an email. Your comments and emails are important to me! Until next time…

Please Click to Order Your Stampin’ Up! Supplies Now!
Stamp Set: Autumn Splendor (116503—Available September 1)
Ink: Basic Brown (104315), Ruby Red (102259), More Mustard (103162), Close to Cocoa (103139), Always Artichoke (105219), Really Rust (102549), Dusty Durango (115654), Chocolate Chip (100908)
Designer Series Paper: Autumn Traditions (115668)
Card Stock: Really Rust textured (), Always Artichoke (105119), Stampin’ Up! Watercolor Paper (105019)
Tools: Corner Rounder (109047), Blender Pens (102845), Sponge Dauber (102892)
Embellishments: Linen Thread (104199), Playground Button Collection (116313), Button Latte Collection (114333)
Other: Stampin’ Dimensionals (104430), Mini Glue Dots (103683)