Layers on Cards

Have you struggled with layering cards? Do you sometimes feel like you waste card stock trying to get the layers to look the way you want? I did that too! After 17 years of card making some of the layer sizes are now stuck (probably forever!) in my brain. So let me share some tips for cutting with you!

The Stampin' Up! card stock comes in 2 sizes 8 1/2x11 and 12x12 inches. The 8 1/2 x 11 is usually what I use for a basic card. It can be cut easily in half to create a basic card. It can be cut vertically to create two (2) 4 1/4 x 11 pieces or horizontally to create two (2) 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 pieces. Either of these folds in half to create a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 card.

Once you have your card base then you want to add the layers! Some people like very thin mats on their layers and measure in 1/8ths of an inch. I very rarely do this as it feels more difficult and doesn't usually change the view/look a lot. I generally cut mats that are a 1/4 inch smaller than the previous layer which when centered leaves a very nice 1/8th inch all the way around. You can get four (4) 4" x 5 1/4" layers from one sheet of card stock. The card stock is cut 1/4" smaller in each direction. 

If you choose to use foil paper or even card stock you can die cut or punch something from the center to use later if you plan to cover this layer with another layer of card stock. I do this frequently to save paper or to decrease the weight of the card.

The next layer is cut a quarter inch smaller than the previous layer or a half inch smaller than the card base (front). It will be 5" x 3 3/4". If you are planning to add some designer series paper to your card this is a great way to bring in 2 colors from the Designer Series Paper. You could add 4 pieces of Designer Series Paper or a strip down one side. These are easy layouts that work well for lots of card types/occasions.

I do hope this was helpful to you. You may want to cut a piece of copy  paper to these measurements to use as reminders when you are creating cards. You can line them up to see how something might look before cutting card stock!

Kissing Technique

Kissing is a technique that I remember from my early stamping days. Back then we used a solid

stamp and now we can use our acrylic blocks. Inking up a textured stamp, especially one of the large background stamps and transferring the ink to the block allows you to use it in a variety of ways.

I inked up the Burlap Background in Soft Seafoam ink. After inking the stamp I pressed the acrylic block onto the background stamp.

Next, I pressed the block onto the card stock. Transferring the ink from the block to the card stock.

After lifting the block from the card stock and cleaning it, I finished adding images and finished the card.

This is another example of a card I created using this technique.

Written On Your Heart Event

THANK YOU!!

I would like to personally thank each and every person that stopped by the studio to make a card during the Written On Your Heart event on January 4th! Since that is not exactly possible (although I tried to speak to everyone at the event and express my gratitude), I will say it now as part of this public expression of my gratitude! Thank you so much! Written On Your Heart, Kelly and I all appreciate the time you took to come to the studio and create cards for survivors of human trafficking!! 

Here are a few stats from the event:

• more than 20 people stopped by to create cards!
• 70 cards were created and donated!
• Over $80 were collected as donations for postage and other expenses!!

So once again THANK YOU for helping a very worthy cause! 

Easy, Fun technique

This is an easy, fun technique to try with your embossing folders!

Choose your embossing folder and card stock.  I chose this one as I was working on a masculine card and had an idea for using the debossed (indented side of the card stock).

Use your Big Shot to emboss the card stock. I chose Smokey Slate to enhance the masculine theme I was working on as well as the Designer Series Paper I planned to use.

When I removed the cardstock this is the embossed (raised) side of the card stock.  I flipped it over to the debossed side so that the main design is pressed into the card stock. 

I then ran my Basic Gray ink pad very LIGHTLY across the card stock trying to just touch the raised parts. This revealed the outline of the hexagon shapes.  To me they look like the nuts that screw onto a bolt!

This is the card beginning to take shape. You can see how well the Designer Series Paper works with the embossed card stock! 

Cling Stamps

Have you had problems with the clear-mount stamps falling off the acrylic blocks?

Were you confused by the name clear-mount when they were not clear stamps but red rubber?

You are not alone!!

Stampin' Up! has been having these issues and concerns reported for sometime. They have been working hard to come up with a good solution! CLING STAMPS are here!!!

Beginning with the Occasions Catalog (products available Jan. 3rd - June 3rd while supplies last) the red rubber stamps that attach temporarily to the clear acrylic blocks are referred to as Cling Stamps. These stamps give you the fabulous, crisp image you have come to expect from Stampin' Up!'s red rubber stamps while clinging well to our wonderful, ergonomic acrylic blocks!

These stamps stick so well that Stampin' Up! even created a video about how to apply the labels and how to remove them from your acrylic blocks with out damaging your stamps. Click here to watch the video.

If you have questions or concerns please call or email me!! I am always happy to help!