That Old Black Magic

What we do, when we do what we do, and oh we do it so well...

Let me mesmerize and tantalize you with our black magic spell...

Hey, it's my blog I can do lame poetry if I want, right? Okay, I'll knock it off.  What isn't lame is this, lookie.....

Isn't it beautiful?  Do you know what this is?

THIS, my lovely friends is the Black Magic Technique (or velvet Elvis painting as I like to call it).   Do you see the printing/script to the left of the art?  THAT is detailed instructions on how you do this beautiful technique....and THAT is what we do every month at Technique Club.  Oh yes!

Every month I get together with my Technique Club ladies and we make a 6x6" embellished page with the technique instructions, the sample of the technique (which they add to a 6x6" scrapbook)...

PLUS...we make two projects in addition to learning the monthly technique. 

 

It's a fun afternoon (or evening) out, and since they always leave with a detailed/sample of what they learned...they have a wonderful reference to keep and can reproduce everything at home!

It's brilliant, really, we have such a great time! 

If you're in the Edmonton area and want to join or start a techniques class with me as your instructor, please contact me through the links in the header of this blog, or pop over to the Prairie Paperie page on facebook and send me a message!

When you do visit the Prairie Paperie page on facebook you'll meet some lovely people and see a variety of projects and my latest classes and events. 

I've also posted this for the amusement and enjoyment of your eyeballs and inner craftmonster, isn't it pretty!  Details are on the facebook page, come join us and say hello and introduce yourself why don't ya?

Do It Yourself (DIY) Postcard

If you're a follower on the Prairie Paperie page on Facebook you may remember when I showed you this digital design that I made using My Digital Studio (and I promised to show you what it looked like made into a real postcard that you can mail!)

In the next photograph you can see that I've printed the graphic out on GLOSSY 4x6" photo paper on my home printer. (hurrah for the home printer!). 

Note: in my settings I always choose vivid colour in the printer controls.

When you flip over to the back side of the glossy photo paper you have a GREAT canvas for stamping.  The paper on the reverse side is matte and has a bit of a grain to it, so Classic Inks will adhere very nicely to this surface....

To get the visual layout of a 'real' postcard I drew a line down the center of the card with a Stampin' Write marker and a small ruler.

Tip:  Use lighter colour inks when working on the back of the postcard, because the photo paper is thinner than cardstock and you do not want it to bleed through to the front.

I used my Winter Post stamp set to stamp the "Post Card" image in Sahara Sand Classic Ink.

For the 'post marked' image in the right hand corner I used a Stampin' Write marker, in Sahara Sand,  and inked up everything but the middle of the circle (which had a Christmas sentiment inside)...this technique is called 'omitting'.  I huffed on the stamp to remoisten the ink and stamped it onto the cardstock.

Next I inked up a small heart stamp from Holiday Blitz and the XOXOXO stamped it within the circular part of the postmark image. To finish it off, I watercoloured the heart with a blender pen and a pink watercolour wonder crayon.

My Digital Studio software, and all stamping products mentioned are guaranteed available through my Stampin' Up! store through June 30, 2010. You can go to the store by clicking HERE.  

What happens after June 30...our new catalogue is released with some brand new stamp sets and colours!

I hope you enjoyed your tutorial on how to make a DIY Postcard! 


Just think of the possibilities you have with your camera, My Digital Studio, your laptop/computer and your home printer!


~Dreena~

Pretty Vintage Butterfly

Here's a quick and sneaky peek at what I'm working on....I've prepared this for the 90 beautiful stampers and scrappers who will be our team meeting/training event next weekend and I sure hope they love it!

It's all kinds of pretty when you see the whole thing, but I can't show you the whole thing...it's a secret.

I can tell you it uses the new Elements of Style stamp set from the new and fabulous Summer Mini Catalogue (which you can see on my website).  Click here.

It also uses the butterfly die for the BigShot machine (every household should have one of these...I'm not kidding).  Whether you papercraft, sew, quilt or work with metal...this machine is amazing.  It puts the 'zing' in the word amazing.  Trust me. 

Have fun creating!

~Dreena~

Vintage Mother's Day Card

Remember this?  Do ya?  If you caught my first (ever) video for Ruffled Grosgrain ribbon...this is the finished project.  Voila!

Don't tell my mom I've posted her Mother's Day card here...it's a secret...and we don't want to ruin the surprise right? 

I've been asked how I did the main flower...and it's so easy you're going to die....IT'S a STENCIL! 

Yes! From the Stampin' Up! Definitely Decorative line of products (decor elements and stencils).  This one in particular is part of a VERY LARGE (bigger than 12x12") stencil.   I just used one small portion and applied the ink with a sponge dauber.

I love finding new ways to use my tools, don't you?

The other highlight of this project (okay I confess I love the whole thing).....is this....

Can you see it?  It's the new vanilla SMOOCH Spritz from the Stampin Up! Summer Mini Catalogue. 

It makes me want to SMOOCH everything.  Everyone should SMOOCH.  Hurrah for Smooch-ing!
Smooch. ---okay I'll stop. Back to the card, the Vanilla smooch spritz adds a pearly, glowy and gorgeous shimmer to the whole project.  It is hard to catch shimmer or glitter with a camera, so you will just have to trust me that this is completely radiant in real life!

So, three things to remember.

1. Go have a look at the new Summer Mini Catalogue and promotions on my retail website
2. Stencils are awesome you can see the newest stencils and decor pieces on my website too (including fun and functional chalkboard decor elements) .....really, these are so cool!
3. Smooch, you know you wanna....

Join us on the Prairie Paperie Facebook page - Something fun happens when we reach 500!

If you enjoyed this blog post, please SHARE and test drive my "Tell a Friend" link at the very bottom of this post. 

Roundup - I Want Candy

Here it is!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the "I Want Candy" colour challenge in March. We had the deadline open for almost the entire month and we received a GREAT VARIETY of projects to share.

You all created beautiful samples and I wanted to do something fun and pretty to showcase your creations...

I used flowers and soft colours from the Candy challenge inspiration piece we saw back in March and turned your submissions into a bouquet of pretty spring posies! Have a look...



In randomly selected order from 1-8...I present to you the lovely creations of:

1. Lori-Anne
2. Sharon
3. Hanway Ink
4. Lori-Anne
5. Leslie (CrookedStamper)
6. Paper Batty
7. Kerri
8. Leslie (CrookedStamper)

Please click on the linked names and go view the projects large and beautiful! While you're visiting..share some love and leave a comment. We like comments.

Thanks for visiting, and thanks for participating!

Dreena

Easter Bunny Carrots

Don't you just love a card that is a little bit different from the usual?

I do! Stamps just give us such versatility with creation...if you can think it/dream it, chances are you can find something to make it.

Without further ado I give you the Easter Carrot:

So the carrot is actually made using the Pick-a-Petal stamp set!

When you look at the set, all you think of (as the name suggests) are various petals to make flowers. Isn't it more fun to think outside of the box though? YES IT IS!

MINI TUTORIAL:

1. Inked the solid petal image from Pick-a-Petal with pumpkin pie classic ink

2. Take a blender pen and remove colour from the stamp (the lines/striations)

3. Clean the pen tip on a scrap paper, go back and remove more colour... (I repeated until I had a fairly decent looking carrot)

4. "Huff" and stamp on whisper white cardstock.

VOILA! Carrot! Stinkin' cute hey? I know. I squealed...

Next steps...

For the leafy greens on the carrot:

1. I've used the filigree from the Baroque Motifs stamp set
2. Inked up only a small PORTION of the stamp with a Garden Green Stampin' Write marker (this technique is called OMITTING).
3. "huff" or breathe on the stamp to re-moisten the ink
4. line up your stamp with the top of the carrot, and press down.
   

You have just created the most cute and whimsical Easter Carrot! You rock with your uniqueness!

Speaking of uniqueness, please be sure to check out more Easter Carrots here: The Crooked Stamper, my dear Twitter friend Leslie made an irresistable card that was a springboard for my own carrot creation!

Other things that are groovy about this card:

• the FREE scallop trim border punch (FREE with a $65 dollar order from my online store because it's Sale-A-Bration! until March 31)
• The polka dot dry embossing (a BigShot embossing folder)
• The Easter sentiment which is a NEW clear mount stamp from the Occasions Mini catalogue.
• all of these things and more can be seen on my website (links on sidebar)
• Questions? Contact me Links are on the top of the page!

Stamp Happy and go make something pretty now!

Dreena

Giraffe!

This is one of those cards that can really be anything, for any occasion, and THOSE are the best kind of cards! I love the flexibility that stamping offers!

Let me tell you about this card.

First of all, I'm a technique junkie and I never get bored with stamping, I love learning new things...see the plaid background, that's not a fancy shmancy paper...OH NO...I did that. Me. It's my 'faux plaid' technique...well I'm sure there could be many names and I don't claim to be the inventor of this...it's really just playing with chalk pastels and scrap paper...but here on this card...it's all mine!! (PS. my contact info and class schedules will be on my Stampin' Up! website HERE)


Now, take a peek...look reallllly close at that Giraffe too....

The Giraffe is from the new Fox and Friends clear mount stamp set (which is ONLY $19.95) seriously, you need this stamp set (or I'm not talking to you).

You can stamp baby cards, fun cards, birthday cards, romantic cards...YES, EVEN romantic cards with this set. This giraffe could be saying "wanna neck" very flirtatiously with it's husband or wife. OK, if that's not to your liking it could be saying 'thank you for always sticking your neck out for me'. It is always good to thank people, it's the right thing to do! Why not do it with a giraffe?

See the spots on the giraffe's neck? Those are itty bitty teeny weenie hearts that were left over from punching with my "pinking hearts" border punch. I applied them all ever so lovingly with glue and tweezers.

The yellow card stock is dry embossed with the BigShot 'Perfect Polka Dots' embossing folder. I can't tell you how much I love that machine! Do you have a BigShot? Don't you just LOVE the embossing folders? Squee!

The ribbon was a cute little trick I learned from Mary Dawn's blog 'My Pink Mexico' (and my friend Kerri) thanks ladies! Now, last but not least...the four 'quilt squares' behind the giraffe are punched scallop squares.

Cutie patootie. I love this card. It makes me smile.

PS. Lori-Ann, does this qualify as a submission to my own colour challenge (wink)...it's pretty close? I think it does!!

I WANT CANDY - Enjoy the Little Things Colour Challenge

It's time for another crafty colour challenge!

Sorry it's taken so long to post an inspiration picture....I kept waffling back and forth and I was quite indecisive about what the next colour challenge should be.

I wanted something different from the last batches of colour and I wanted to stay away from MY personal 'go to colours'...which always seem to be chocolate and "insert colour here".

I said out loud to myself (and I'm so pathetically food centric) "what do I like other than chocolate..?" and then my inner-self replied "candy". I know, right? <--pathetic!!

So I give you the "I WANT CANDY" or "ENJOY THE LITTLE THINGS" colour challenge. OH and since candy is little, that's why you should have several. I'm just sayin....


So you have two weeks to submit your crafty goodness using the following colours:

• pretty in pink
• almost amethyst
• apricot appeal
• barely banana
• sage shadow
• whisper white (not listed but always accepted)

You do not have to use ALL of the colours listed, but be assured that if you DO...I will totally be WOW-ed. You will have wow-ed me.

OH, and see that little crown on the bubble gum wrapper...if you manage to work in a crown into your project(s)...I will be SUPER WOW-ed.

So who remembers the song "I Want Candy"? Who's got that going through their head now? What is your favourite candy? I'm curious...talk to me, leave me comments!

For those of you playing in the challenge, the deadline will be March 28, 2010 ( I'm feeling generous with time!!). Go crazy! Go create!

Please remember to submit a DIRECT link to your project (not just your blog address, but the link to the atual post that you want us all to admire!). If you don't blog, no worries...you can use a photo site such as Flickr or if you've posted to a gallery like Splitcoast Stampers...just hook us up through there!

Happy Creating! Please use the submission tool here: