Swaps!

This weekend will be the Stampin' Up! Regional Event in Dallas. I love going to Stampin' Up!'s regionals and Convention. This time I will be going with my downline, Brandie, this will be her first time at a Stampin' Up! event, and she is very excited.

Whether there is an event or not, one thing we like to do is swap card fronts. They are great for ideas and for having a sample of a card that uses a product that I may not have. Here are the cards I made and will be swapping.

This is a My Digital Studio Hybrid Card. What makes it a hybrid? I printed the images on Bashful Blue cardstock and then added the tires textured with the Square Lattice Embossing Folder, and embellished with Dimensionals and Silver Brads. I then cut the sign with the Curly Label Punch in Riding Hood Red cardstock, stamped Happy Day from the Ciao Baby! stamp set and then punched it out with the new Mini Curly Label Punch that you can get Free with a $50 order (before tax & shipping).

 

Here is another My Digital Studio Hybrid card. I made a similar version of this card for the San Antonio Regional last year. The Hybrid part is the flower using the Blossom punch and Daffodil Delight, a Rose Red circle embossed with the Polka Dot Embossing folder and the butterfly die cut from the Beautiful Wings Embosslit. I made 2 versions of this card because I couldn't decide which I liked better. Inspire Others from the So Typefelt MDS Brush Set or the Just Because from the Vintage Verses set which you can get for Free with a $50 order.

 

This next card has to be my favorite out of all them. I used a technique that I had seen a lot of but was too afraid to try just because I was sure I was going to make a mess of it, and a new technique that I discovered completely by accident.

The first technique is to brayer color on the inside of the embossing folder, but only on one side of it. What I found to be very helpful was to use a temporary adhesive to hold the cardstock down on the side that didn't get brayered with ink. This holds it in place, because it never fails, as soon as I move the folder or even just place the cutting plate on top the cardstock moves. Then run it through the Big Shot.

The second technique I found out one day when I was prepping for a class and couldn't decide on an embossing folder. After the cardstock has been embossed run it through a second time in a embossing folder that either has a different overall design or in the case of this card has an open unembossing area such as the Framed Tulips Folder. It flattens the design so you have a nice "watermarked" type impression in the cardstock. This techniques works with or without ink.

I also decided I liked having the sentiment at an angle, it just gave it a little something extra.  

Oh, and this will be one of the projects for the February 18, 2013 Ladies Classes.

The products I used on this card are:

• Feels Good - Clear Mount, Wood Mount
• Print Poetry Designer Series Paper Stack
• Lacy Brocade Embossing Folder
• Crumb Cake Seam Binding Ribbon or Taffeta Ribbon (Retired)