Merry Christmas Card

Greetings! It's Topflight Stamps Tuesday! This week the TFS team is celebrating Christmas/Winter in July! There's also a Christmas in July Sale which means that all items in the Christmas/Winter category are 25% off!

Here's my Christmas card, created with Katzelkraft's Les Chats/Cats Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set and the Les Drôles d'Accessoires/Funny Accessories Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set. The sentiments were created with  Lavinia Stamps' Musical Notes Small Clear Polymer Stamp Set, Seasonal Words Clear Polymer Stamp Set, and the Christmas Greetings Clear Polymer Stamp Set. The Bubble Talk Die Set 72 and the Polaroid Pop Die Set DI-89 by AALL and Create were also used as was the Distress Plaid 8x8 Patterned Paper Pad by Creative Expressions.

Topflight Stamps Products Used:

Les Chats/Cats Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set by Katzelkraft

Les Drôles d'Accessoires/Funny Accessories Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set by Katzelkraft

Musical Notes Small Clear Polymer Stamp Set by Lavinia Stamps

Seasonal Words Clear Polymer Stamp Set by Lavinia Stamps

Christmas Greetings Clear Polymer Stamp Set by Lavinia Stamps

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko

Spruce VersaFine Clair Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko

Bubble Talk Die Set 72 by AALL and Create

Polaroid Pop Die Set DI-89 by AALL and Create

Distress Plaid 8x8 Patterned Paper Pad by Creative Expressions

Other Products Used:
Solar White Classic Crest Cardstock by Neenah Papers

Dark Green Textured Cardstock by Bazzill Basics

Copic Markers:

 Cats: C6, C5, C4, C3, C2, C1, C0, C00, RV92, RV91, RV42, R81, E04, G43, G40, G20

 Santa Hat: R39, R27, R24

 Mouse: E43, E31, E30, RV93, RV91, R30, R05, R02 R01, R000

Repositionable Sticker Paper by Avery

Low-tack Tape 

Sage Dye Ink by Catherine Pooler Designs

White Gelly Roll Gel Pen by Sakura

White Fun Flock by Stampendous

Border Die-namics Die by My Favorite Things

Ribbon Slide Die by Spellbinders

STAY-tion by Wendy Vecchi for Ranger Ink

Glassboard by Glassboard Studios

Stamping Platforms

Instructions:

1. Create a 5" x 7" card from dark green cardstock. Set aside.
2. Place a panel of white cardstock onto the base of a stamping platform and secure with magnets and/or low-tack tape.
3. Use Tuxedo Black Memento Ink to stamp the Santa Hat from Les Drôles d'Accessoires/Funny Accessories Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set twice — once about 2 ½" down on the left side of a white cardstock panel and once onto repositionable sticker paper.
4. Fussy-cut the sticker paper version and place it over its counterpart on the image panel as a mask.
5. Position the grumpy cat stamp from the the Les Chats/Cats Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set facedown on the image panel so that the cat's ears and the top part of his head sit on the the masked Santa Hat. 
6. Press the platform's lid onto the back of the grumpy cat stamp and lift. 
7. Ink the grumpy cat stamp with Tuxedo Black Memento Ink and stamp twice — once on the white cardstock panel and once onto repositionable sticker paper.
8. Fussy-cut the sticker paper version and place it over its counterpart as a mask.
9. Position the mouse stamp from the the Les Chats/Cats Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set facedown so that it's next to and slightly behind the grumpy cat. 
10. Press the platform's lid onto the back of the mouse stamp and lift. 
11. Ink the mouse stamp with Tuxedo Black Memento Ink and stamp twice — once on the white cardstock panel and once onto repositionable sticker paper.
12.  Fussy-cut the sticker paper version of the mouse and place it over its counterpart as a mask. 
13. Repeat the above process with the singing cat from the Les Chats/Cats Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set.
14. Remove the image panel from the stamping platform and place it onto the STAY-tion secured with magnets and/or low-tack tape.
15. Place a piece of low-tack tape horizontally across the image panel to cover the base of the critters and the bottom of the image panel.
16. Sponge or brush Sage dye ink over the tape and the masked images to add a background color. 
17. Reposition the tape so that it's covering the top part of the image panel then heavily sponge the same Sage dye ink to ground the images.
18. Remove the masks and the tape. 
19. Use Copic markers to color the image panel. 
20. Use the Gelly Roll White gel pen to add highlights to grumpy cat's eyes and the the mouse's nose.
21. Use the largest die from the Polaroid Pop Die Set DI-89  to cut the image panel.
22. Edge the image panel die-cut with the Sage dye ink. 
23. Cut a piece of dark green cardstock ⅛" larger than the image panel die-cut and use to mat the image panel die-cut. 
24. Add liquid glue to the pom-pom on Santa's hat.
25. Add white Fun Flock to the glue.
26. Set the image panel aside to let the glue/Fun Flock set.
27. Brush the Sage green dye ink onto a small panel of white cardstock. 
28. Use one of the speech bubbles from the Bubble Talk Die Set 72  to cut the inked cardstock. 
29. Place low-tack tape across the back of the speech bubble shaped aperture on the inked cardstock panel and place the speech bubble die-cut into the opening so that it's held securely by the tape. 
30. Place the inked speech bubble panel onto the base of a stamping platform and secure with magnets and/or low-tack tape.
31. Position the word "Joy" from the Seasonal Words Clear Polymer Stamp Set facedown and centered in the speech bubble die-cut.
32. Press the lid of the stamp platform on the back of the word sentiment stamp and lift.
33. Ink the stamp with Spruce VersaFine Clair Ink and stamp.
34. Remove the sentiment stamp. 
35. Position musical notes from the Musical Notes Small Clear Polymer Stamp Set facedown on either side of the "Joy" sentiment, press the platform's lid onto the back of the music stamps, ink them with Spruce VersaFine Clair Ink, and stamp. 
36. Remove the speech bubble die-cut from the tape, discard the tape, and edge the speech bubble die-cut with sage green dye ink. Set aside.
37. Position the "Merry Christmas" sentiment stamp from the Christmas Greetings Clear Polymer Stamp Set facedown onto the green-inked cardstock, press thelid of the platform onto the back of the sentiment stamp, ink the stamp with with Spruce VersaFine Clair Ink, and stamp.
38. Use a ribbon slide die to cut the sentiment. 
39. Edge the ribbon slide die-cut with Sage green dye ink.
40. Select one of the green plaid patterned papers from the Distress Plaid 8x8 Patterned Paper Pad, cut to 4 ¾" x 6 ¾", and edge with Spruce VersaFine Clair Ink.
41. Adhere the matted image panel die-cut to the patterned paper panel as shown.
42. Adhere the speech bubble die-cut to the top right of the image panel die-cut.
43. Use a ribbon border die to cut dark green cardstock, then thread the border die through the ribbon slide/sentiment die-cut. 
44. Adhere the combination to the bottom of the plaid patterned paper panel as shown. 
45. Adhere the card front to the reserved dark green 5" x 7" card.

Thanks for visiting today!

Bon Voyage!

I'm back with my second post my April guest designer gig for A Colorful Life Designs! If you're not familiar with with this company and love stencils, I urge you to check them out. They also carry clear stamps and Bling!!! 

Here it is!

This time I've created a 5" x 7" Bon Voyage card with the wonderful Layered Arches Stencil Set, which is a five piece stencil set comprised of the blank arch, the stone/bricks, and three masks that cover the interior arches. 

I also the used the Cloud Edger Stencils, a two part set, to create the clouds at the upper part of my card. 

I won AALL and Create's Milk Train Heist Clear Stamp Set in an Instagram Contest. I was supposed to win just one set, but they sent all three of the special prize sets! This is the first time using one of my prizes, but it certainly won't be the last!

Products Used:
Layered Arches Stencil Set by A Colorful Life Designs

Cloud Edger Stencil by A Colorful Life Designs

Raven Cardstock by Bazzill Basics

140 lb. Mixed Media Paper by Strathmore

Rustic Wilderness, Mowed Lawn, Twisted Citron, Tumbled Glass, and Pumice Stone Distress Inks by Tim Holtz for Ranger Ink

Desert Sand Memento Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko

Pouncy Tool (looks like steel wool on a wood stamp mount)

Milk Shake Train Heist Clear Stamp Set by AALL and Create *

Deep Scarlet Red, Cobalt, Ultramarine, Sky Blue, Light Pthalo Green, Dark Pthalo Green Pitt Artist Pens by Faber Castell

Amethyst, Butterscotch, Pumpkin red, Pink, Tan, Yellow Marvy Le Plume II Pens by Marvy/Uchida

Lt. Grey, Dark Grey, Burnt Sienna Chalk Pencils by General's

White Gelly Roll Gel Pen by Sakura of America

Silver Startdust Glitter Gel Pen by Sakura of America

Classic Sentiments Clear Stamp Set by Hefty Doodle *
Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko *

Fancy Nameplate by Spellbinders

91% Isopropyl Alcohol in a Mister

Low-tack Tape

Post-It Notes by 3M

STAY-tion by Wendy Vecchi for Ranger Ink

Stamping Platform

Please note:

The products with asterisks, except the Milk Train Heist stamp set, can be purchased at Topflight Stamps. The train car that is part of AALL and Create's Sugar Delights Clear Stamp Set 1045 would have worked for this layout.

Instructions:

1. Create a 5" x 7" card from Raven cardstock. Set aside.
2. Use magnets to secure the plain arch stencil from the Layered Arches Stencil Set over a piece of 6" x 8" of Mixed Media Cardstock on the STAY-tion so that the bottom of the stencil is flush with the bottom of the paper.
3. Tear a piece of scrap paper in half and place the top half horizontally below the arches.
4. Brush Rustic Wilderness Distress Ink across the top of the torn paper and the arch stencil.
5. Move the torn paper downwards and brush Rustic Wilderness Distress Ink across the top of the torn paper and the arch stencil. 
6. Repeat Step #5, then remove the torn paper mask.
7. Brush Mown Grass Distress Ink to fill in the bottom of the background.
8. Brush Twisted Citron Ink to lighten the grass. 
9. Keeping the arch stencil in place, place the bottom side of the torn scrap paper over the grassy area as a mask..
10. Brush Tumbled Grass Distress Ink over the top of the torn paper and the stencil to create a blue sky in the top of the arches.
11. Remove the torn paper mask and set aside.
12. Use magnets to secure the two half arches and the arch masks from the Layered Arches Stencil Set to the image panel.
13. Place a ruler, secured with magnets, horizontally across the top the image panel flush with the top the plain arch stencil. 
14. Brush Desert Sand Memento Ink over the bottom of the ruler and across all of the arch maskss to create the base of of the arches.
15. Keeping the arch masks in place, remove the plain arch stencil and set aside.
16. Use magnets and/or low tack tape to secure the brick/stone stencil over the arch stenciled in Step 14.
17. Brush Desert Sand Memento Ink over the brick/stone arch stencil.
18. Use a smaller brush to darken the Desert Sand Memento ink along the outside edges of the arches.
19. Remove the brick/ stone arch stencil, keeping both the ruler and the arch masks in place on the image panel.
20. Use a pouncy tool to add Pumice Stone Distress Inks flecks to the arched bridge.
21. Remove the ruler from the image panel and replace with low-tack tape so that the top of the arched bridge area is covered and protected.
22. Place the Cloud Edger Stencil at the top of the image panel.
23. Brush Tumbled Glass Distress Ink over the top of the Cloud Edger Stencil.
24. Move the Cloud Edger Stencil downwards and rotate it.
25. Brush Tumbled Glass Distress Ink over the top of the Cloud Edger Stencil.
26. Repeat Steps #24 and #25 until the area between the top of the arches and the top of the image panel looks like a cloudy sky.
27. Remove the stencil.
28. Use magnets to secure the image panel to the base of a stamping platform.
29. Position the engine and train car from the Milk Shake Train Heist Clear Stamp Set facedown on the image panel so that the wheels of the train are flush with the top the tape.
30. Press the platform's lid onto the back of the stamps and lift.
31. Ink the stamp with Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink and stamp.
32. Re-ink and stamp again if necessary to attain a good impression.
33. Remove the stamp from the stamping platform. 
34. If necessary, remove the image panel from the stamping platform*.
35. Heat set the image panel.
36. Place the image panel back onto the base of the stamping platform and secure with magnets.
37. Place the other train car from the Milk Shake Train Heist Clear Stamp Set facedown onto the image panel so that its wheels are flush with the top of the tape and the bumper is against the bumper of the train car to the right.
38. Press the platform's lid onto the back of the stamps and lift.
39. Ink the stamp with Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink and stamp.
40. Re-ink and stamp again if necessary to attain a good impression.
41. Remove the stamp from the stamping platform. 
42. If necessary, remove the image panel from the stamping platform, prior to heat setting.
43. Use Pitt Artist and Le Plume pens to color the train cars.
44. Use the white gel pen to add white highlights to the train.
45. Use silver glitter pen to add glitter to the train wheels and hubs.
46. Use a grey chalk pencil to add steam above the locomotive.
47. Remove the tape from the image panel.
48. Use chalk pencils to add details and shading to the bricks on the arches.
49. Using a stamping platform, use Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink to ink the "Bon Voyage" sentiment from the Classic Sentiments Clear Stamp Set onto white cardstock. 
50. Ink and stamp again if necessary to attain a good impression.
51. Heat set the cardstock.
52. Use a narrow rectangle die to cut the sentiment.
53. Use a fancy nameplate die to cut raven cardstock and use the die-cut to mat the white sentiment.
54. Trim the image panel to 4.75" x 6.75".*
55. Adhere the image panel to the reserved black card.
56. Adhere the sentiment to finish the card.

Notes: 

• The Layered Arches Stencil Set is so versatile because the masks were included. Gotta love that.
• The Layered Arches can be trimmed to various heights which makes it even more versatile.
• If you have any questions about my instructions, please contact me and I'll try to explain further.

Thank you for visiting today!

A Season of Surpise...and Delight?

It's Tuesday, my day to share a project created for Topflight Stamps. This week my teammates and I are focusing on Winter or Christmas. I've created a daft wintry scene with the skiing bird from the All Mad Here Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set and the flying hippo from the Jungle Animals Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set — both by Katzelkraft.

Here it is!

Topflight Stamps Products Used:

All Mad Here Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set by Katzelkraft

Jungle Animals Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set by Katzelkraft 

Snowflakes Clear Polymer Stamp Set by Lavinia Stamps

Fairy Bugs Clear Polymer Stamp Set by Lavinia Stamps

Winter Snowflakes Clear Stamp Set by Hobby Art Ltd.

Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko

Gelly Roll Bold Line Stardust Clear Glittering Ink Pens

Other Products Used:
Solar White Classic Crest Cardstock by Neenah Papers

Blue Cardstock by Bazzill Basics

Tuxedo Black, London Fog, and Summer Sky Memento Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko

Silvery Shimmer Delicata Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko

Copic Markers: 

Bird's Plumage: E21, E23, W1, W2, W3, W4, B41, B45

Bird's Beak: Y1, Y23, Y26, Y28

Bird's Legs and Talons: E43, E44

Bird's Eyes: BG11, BG23

Bird's Skis: B00, B02, B14

Hippo: BV000, BV00, BV01, BV34, C00, C0, C1, C2

Hippo's Eyes: YG21, YG23

Hippo's Wings: RV00, RV93

"Uh Oh" and "Zoom" Sentiments by justjohanna/Odd Bird Planet Stamps

"Surprise and Delight" Sentiment by A Muse Studio

Tiny Oval Die: Source Unknown

Sentiment Die: Source Unknown

Speech Bubble Die: Source Unknown

Removable Sticker Paper by Avery

Stamping Platform

Public Service Announcement: 

If I were you, I'd click on over to Topflight Stamps to check out all the great new products!

Instructions:

1. Cut a piece of blue 12x12 cardstock in half. Score one piece at 6" and fold to form a 6" square card. Set aside.
2. Using a stamping platform, stamp the skiing bird from the All Mad Here Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set and the flying hippo from the Jungle Animals Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set with Tuxedo Black Memento ink twice — onto white cardstock and repositionable sticker paper. 
3. Fussy-cut the sticker paper versions and place them over their counterparts on the image panel as masks.
4. Cut a piece of epositionable sticker paper and place it under the images to create a ski slope and protect the bottom part of the image panel.
5. Sponge Summer Sky and London Fog Memento inks over the masked images onto the image panel to create a cloudy sky. 
6. When moderately happy with the coverage and blending, lift all masks.
7. Use Copic markers to color the bird, his skis, the flying hippo, and the snowy slope.*
8. Use a Gelly Roll Bold Line Stardust Clear Glittering Ink Pen to add glitter and shimmer to the ski slope. 
9. Using a stamping platform, position the snowflakes from the Snowflakes Clear Polymer Stamp Set (Lavinia Stamps) and the bursts from the Snowflakes Clear Polymer Stamp Set facedown on the image panel. 
10. Press the platform's lid onto the back of the stamps and lift.
11. Ink the stamps with Silvery Shimmer Delicata ink and stamp. 
12. Clean and dry the stamps, 
13. Re-position the snowflakes facedown on the image panel. 
14. Press the platform's lid onto the back of the stamps and lift.
15. Ink the stamps with Silvery Shimmer Delicata ink and stamp. 
16. Replace Steps #11 through 14 to fill the sky with snowflakes.
17. If there are still gaps, repeat Steps #8 14 with the smaller flakes from the Winter Snowflakes Clear Stamp Set by Hobby Art Ltd.
18. Remove the image panel from the platform and heat set the snowflakes. They won't melt! 
19. Use Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko to stamp "Uh Oh", "Zoom", and the "Season of Surprise" onto white cardstock.
20. Use dies to cut the sentiments, then edge with Silvery Shimmer Delicata ink.
21. Adhere the sentiments as shown.
22. Trim the image panel to 5.75" square, edge it with Silvery Shimmer Delicata ink,  and heat set the image panel.
23. Adhere the image panel to the reserved blue 6" square card.

Notes:

• I'm really not happy with the way the bird was colored but I had fubarred the card twice already so I had to let go of my inner Virgo. If you must know, my Copic marker puked all over the colored hippo once and then I dropped my inkpad facedown onto the image panel. 
• Next time I'll color his body with soft greys and lighter colors. 

Thanks for visiting today!