LMac's Catered Crops

Cockadoodle Rustic Rooster

I love this new hostess set, Rustic Rooster. I love the collage look you can get with the ensemble, and I thought it would be beautiful to use with the "baby wipe" technique. And, lastly, because the rooster image makes such a great focal point, I thought it would be fun to make as a tent topper card. Gee, that's like three techniques in one card - oooo, I love these kinds of projects. So, check it out.

 

Even though we Virgos are supposed to be modest, I gotta crow about this a bit (yes, pun intended). I love how it turned out.

Here's a link at Splitcoast Stampers that tells you how to use the baby wipe technique to make your own multi-colored ink pad. I used Robin Hood Red, Really Rust and More Mustard re-inkers to make my pad. Just a word of caution - whenever I use this technique, I always get a lot of ink on the wood of my stamps. I just think that makes the stamps look more loved, but, if you like your stamps in pristine condition, you may have to take extra precautions.

The paper is Kraft, Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, and More Mustard that was run through an embossing plate. The pattern paper is the Robin Hood Red designer series paper. 

Tent topper cards like this one are easy to make.  To make the tent of the card (the Chocolate Chip/Robin Hood Red/More Mustard bottom part of the card), cut your cardstock 4-1/4" by 8-1/2". Fold that to make a 4-1/4" square. You can use any shape and size to top off your tent (my Kraft/Chocolate Chip/Robin Hood Red Designer Paper/Rooster piece), including a circle, oval, scallop, or rectangle. You just have to make sure you construct it so that the combined tent and top aren't higher than 5-1/2" or your card won't fit into our standard envelope. 

I realized I didn't have many birthday cards for men, so I attached a tag that says "It's your special day." I hope whoever I give this to gets all cocky about what a great card it is (yep, another bad pun).

Rustic Rooster Potpourri

Tonight's post is a bit of a potpourri - a tip about the new catalog, a Pillow video, my latest project, and a tease about an upcoming stamp camp - oooo, I'm excited about all of them. 

Since you've indulged me so long with my ramblings about Obama, Pillow, nursing home inspections, and just about anything, let me get you straight to the latest project. Hold on to your knickers, 'cause I freakin' love this project.

 

You're just dying to know how I made this, right? Okay, first, my stars were aligned perfectly in the galaxy when I found these frames at the Target dollar spot, three for $2.50. Then, I found this beautiful card among my blog searches, by The New England Stamper.

She used a technique from the Technique Junkie Newsletter called Faux Designer Paper. It works like this:

1. Stamp several of the swirly images (those that appear white) with Versa-mark on Very Vanilla card stock and heat emboss with clear embossing powder. 
2. Sponge More Mustard, Really Rust, and Robin Hood Red classic ink and then stamp the french words in Really Rust.  (The clear embossed areas resist the ink). 
3. Remove the clear embossing powder by placing a piece of printer or copy paper over the top and heat with an iron. 
4. Finally, stamp the Rooster on top with black Stazon and sponge the edges with the More Mustard, Really Rust and Robin Hood Red ink.

I framed the image in Robin Hood Red and Basic Black cardstock, and then also in Barely Banana cardstock run through the Big Shot with an embossing folder. Add a little ribbon, and it's finished. I love this project because it looks so difficult, but really, it's so easy.

So . . . onto some catalog news. The project index that used to be in the back of the catalogs is not in the new catalog, which, at first may seem like a bummer. I mean, really, the catalog is such a great idea list, and, with the list of ingredients in the back, we could copy the projects without a lot of brain power. So why, Stampin' Up!, why?! Okay, they actually had a pretty good reason. 

Taking out the index list meant more room for more goodies! Hooray! The project index is still available, though, and with little thumbnail pictures so you don't have to thumb back and forth through the catalog to connect which ingredients go to which projects. Hooray again! You can download the project list by clicking on the "Supply List" picture on my sidebar whenever you want. It will open up a *.pdf file that you can save to your computer and keep indefinitely.

My Caitlin and her Pillow pup visited us this weekend, and my son gave me a great Flip Video camera for Christmas. Here's a long-promised video of my GrandPuppy. My daughter is such a great puppy Mom, she's taught her little puppy to sit, shake and lay down, so here's Pillow showing off her tricks.

Are you still with me, precious readers? I just want to give you a heads up that I'm working with some of my fellow Stampin' Up! demonstrators to give you a fantastic Open House and Stamp Club in February. We're working on the details, and I'll have more news later, but if you're in the Central Texas area, be sure to mark February 21 on your calendars and save the date. You will NOT want to miss it. We're talking door prizes, freebies, classes, product demos . . . and just a lot of excitement.