So You Think You're a Big Shot Stamper?

April Stamp Camp Theme:  "So You Think You're a Big Shot Stamper?" 
(projects with cool techniques involving the Big Shot)

This card reminds me of a pretty prom dress.  It includes the "faux tin" technique--the silver paper you see here was actually blue card stock, that was coated in silver embossing powder, then sent through the Big Shot machine to cut out the flower die (the two smaller flowers were made with a punch).  Then the flower die was sent through the Big Shot one more time to add the texture that made the same background for the white portion of the card.  Fancy schmancy, wouldn't you say?

I saw this technique online--and had to watch a whole tutorial to figure it out!  How did I make the flat strip for the words in what seems to be the middle of the flower design?  Easy!  I put the embossing folder on twice--sideways both times, so I could exclude the last 1 1/4" of the card the first time, and then include only that last 1/2" or so the 2nd time.  Pretty tricky!

The Big Shot's gray texture plates we use usually don't make as pronounced a design as the embossing folders, unless you use this technique:  rub ink (on this card we used Marina Mist blue) all over the gray texture plate before running it through the Big Shot.  The impressed image will appear raised and outstanding.  We added a jumbo wheel design (in dark brown) and a few extra flowers for extra texture.  It's all about the texture for me, baby.  Love that texture.  Or is it--Lovell that texture?  : )

I love this technique--after sending your paper through the Big Shot in this fancy embossing folder, flip it over and brayer ink over the recessed image!  We also made the words here with a Big Shot die--very easy to do if you add adhesive to the back of the letters before you punch them out (probably a lot easier to understand if you see the demonstration...maybe this blog will have tutorials in its future?), then press the letters to the card individually with a stylus or the back of a paint brush, and peel the excess card stock away. 

Here's a closer view so you can see the fancy glittery flower centers, etc.

Here's a pretty card that I created (kind of copied, kind of not) while I was planning for the camp, which was not chosen for the camp.  It includes the "embedded" Big Shot technique. 

The blue circle was adhered to the orange before it was all impressed together with the Big Shot embossing folder.   Pretty cool.

One other design here that didn't make the cut for the camp, but you get to see it as a bonus Big Shot design here!  (Don't you love bonuses?)  Again, I was experimenting with the "embedding" technique, adhering the hearts (all but the front Vanilla heart) before running the green and Vanilla card stock through the Big Shot together. 

This is the inside of the above card.  I think it's a clever, fun saying, and I can't wait to see who I send this card to : ).

I hope you enjoyed seeing what we made at today's Big Shot camp! 


Jenna asks:  What makes you a Big Shot, for real?  What is something else that my stamping friends (YOU) love to do, besides stamping?  What is your number one favorite pastime besides being creative?  (...Mine's playing racquetball!)

Theme: Spring Cards

March 2011 Stamp Camp Theme:  Spring Cards

This card has a fancy fold--it opens upward just on the right half.  We pressed the vase directly into the ink pad surface for a new inky-texture.

My campers were relieved to find out that this little funny guy wasn't as tricky to put together as Goofy (see the previous post), so we had a lot of fun with this card : ).

Another fancy fold here--the card opens on the right, but only the bottom half opens (the words you see on the top are already on the "inside" of the card).  Kind of like those doors where you can open the bottom or top half of the door and leave the other portion locked, only the top portion of this card is missing.

This basket is easily colored with the coordinating Stampin' Write markers.  I love that Pink Pirouette (the lightest pink) is now a permanent part of our color collection!  The faux button here is just a 1/2" circle punched out of paper, with tiny holes punched for the linen thread to tie through; then raised with a Stampin' Dimensional, of course.

Jenna asks:  Have you ever sent a card anonymously to someone who needed it?  I'd love to hear about it.

Theme: Love and Laughter

February 2011 Stamp Camp Theme:  Love and Laughter

Watercoloring isn't everyone's favorite...but I love the way it looks!  **Tip:  if you paint the image with plain water before you paint it with color, it will help your colors land much more smoothly on your finished product (and possibly stay in the lines better, if you want!).  I just love this Totally Tess lady, she's quite the versatile one.

What could be better than hearts and swirls?

There are other ways to use line-art images besides just coloring inside the lines.  Line them up in repetition for extra line-like fun (heh, heh).

Goofy was a little bit of a bear to put together, but well worth the effort, don't you think?  Such a fun card.

Jenna asks:  do you remember the first thing you stamped?  What was it?

Theme: Birthday Cards

January 2011 Stamp Camp Theme:  Birthday Cards

The scallop circle punch plus the crimper, and a cherry on top, are perfect for making cupcakes!  I'm a scallops fan...

I love this row of beautiful cakes (heaven knows I was not born a baker or a cook, so I admire other peoples' creative edible works of art, even if they're only made of paper).

I thought the use of tin foil made this birthday card perfect for boys and men--and I'm always running out of masculine birthday cards.

I always feel like I'm stepping out of my box a little when I use bright and bold colors.  This one with the dark blue though made it regal enough for my taste : ).

 Jenna asks:  what type of cards do you like sending the most?  Birthday, Thank you, Christmas, Thinking of You, Humorous...other?  What type of cards do you like receiving the most? 

Dear Lovelly Stampers and Friends...

Hello, My Favorite Creative Friends!

I've been doing a lot better with posting on my family blog lately, so I decided I am ready to start a blog for just my stamping and otherwise-creative friends.  I hope I can keep your interest here with photos of my monthly stamp camp projects, and plan to share tips and techniques as the revelations come to me (most often of course will come to me in the form of other people's creations).  Who knows...maybe I'll even be able to host some contests here in the future with prizes?  Only time will tell.  Please let me know of your interests and I'll try to post accordingly!

Happy stamping, everyone!
Jenna

This is me in my little creative corner of my bedroom.  I sit on my bed to work at my "desk"...leaves lots of room for dreaming someday of having my own craft room!  It's small, but it's happiness : )!  

Jenna Asks:     What does your creative space look like??

P.S.  I live for your comments...please post generously!