Cork and Chalkboard Valentine

Happy Monday!  I spent part of the weekend working on the reorganization project in my craft room, but I managed to carve out a little time late last night to put together a card for a couple of challenges at Splitcoast Stampers.  The Ways to Use It challenge asked us to use cork on a card.  I have a big roll of cork but I never think to use it on my cards, so this was a fun challenge.  

The other challenge I tried is a new one to me, the Fan Club Central Theme challenge.  This month's theme is "dirty laundry", and let me tell you, this one hits close to home for me!  The only way to access my craft room is through the laundry room, so I have to walk past Mount St. Laundry whenever I want to make a card!  One of the options was to make a card using color combinations from the clothes in our laundry baskets.  I surveyed my laundry and noticed a lot of black and red, so I decided to use those colors for this card (and white, in honor of the big pile of towels my kids used for their baths!).  

I also have a "dirty little secret" (another challenge option): I used a little piece of plain old Scotch tape to clean up the extra bits of embossing powder that stuck to my black card stock before I heat embossed it.  I've found it pulls away the excess powder much cleaner than the brush I usually use.  I also used Scotch tape to hold the twine in place on the back of my red panel.  That stuff is handy!

Here's my card:

I started by die cutting the cork to make a frame, then set it aside to make my chalkboard (to see more about the chalkboard technique, please see this post).  I stamped my image and sentiment in white craft ink on black card stock, then heat embossed them using white embossing powder.  I sponged white craft ink over the panel and rubbed it with a towel to create the look of eraser marks.  I adhered the black panel to the cork frame, then attached the framed piece to a panel of Real Red card stock.  I wrapped red and white baker's twine around the red panel and secured it with Zots and a decorative white button.  Finally, I attached the red panel to a heavy white card base.  

I'm really excited by this month's Fan Club challenges ("laundry" is normally a dirty word at my house, no pun intended!) and look forward to trying other options in the challenges.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Products Used:

Ink: Craft White (Stampin' Up!)

Stamps: Heart (Stampabilities); Be My Valentine (Hambo Stamps)

Paper: Classic Crest Solar White 110 lb. card stock (Neenah); 

Real Red card stock (Stampin' Up!);  black card stock (unknown)

Tools and Accessories: Stampin' Emboss Powder White (Stampin' Up!); frame die (Sizzix);

Zots (Therm-O-Web); baker's twine (purchased from Strands Etcetera on Etsy); cork; button

Something Has Changed...

Today's post is much different than the post I'd anticipated writing.  Today's card is a Valentine's Day card, and I'd planned to write about this romantic, sweet sentiment I found that I just knew would be perfect for Valentine's Day cards for Operation Write Home.  I wanted to share this card with you in such a different way than I will today.  But this card was made prior to the horrific events that unfolded at Sandy Hook Elementary School.  This card was made before my heart was broken.  And so today's post is not the post I'd planned to write.

I was picking up my son from school on Friday when I heard that a gunman had opened fire in an elementary school in Connecticut.  I was chatting on the phone with my sister and watching my son walk out with his class when my sister asked if I'd heard about the shooting.  She didn't have any details or know of any casualties at that point, so I pushed it to the back of my mind and figured I'd hear more later.  I got out of the car, spoke with the teacher for a few moments and walked my son to the car while we talked about his day.  It was as normal as normal could be, until we got home and I saw the news for myself.  Then nothing was normal anymore.

So while today's card was created as a Valentine, today its message takes on a special significance and reaches far beyond a sweet Valentine's Day sentiment to true, deep, devoted and determined love for all who hold a special place in our hearts:

I'm holding those I love a little tighter today.  My kids are getting extra hugs and kisses, my husband is getting extra attention, and I'm focusing on present moments instead of worrying about all the stressful parts of holiday preparations.  I'm taking my kids out for ice cream and going on "adventures" with my son.  I'm having deep, important conversations with my husband.  I'm reaching out to friends and family.  I'm holding on to those I love, and they are holding on to me.  God has blessed me with wonderful people to love, and for the moment, at least, we are here on this journey together.  I don't want to waste a single opportunity to hold them close while I still can.

If you're still reading this post, bless you!  I always provide a recipe for my cards, and today will be no exception.  Here's how I made this card:

I started with a base of black card stock and covered the front with patterned paper.  I stamped the sentiment in Memento Tuxedo Black on white card stock and adhered it to a piece of black card stock.  I die cut a scalloped border from white card stock, then adhered the sentiment panel and border to the card front.  I added some shimmer spray to the sentiment panel for this card, but I plan to make another card like this without the shimmer spray so I can donate it to Operation Write Home.  This card is quick and easy, but its message is powerful.

 

I am submitting this card for the current challenge at Shopping Our Stash (use a sentiment as the focal point of the card). 

Thanks for taking the time to visit and read my post today.  I hope the message of this card found its way to your heart.

Products Used:

 

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Stamp: 7 Gypsies/Hampton Art

Paper: Solar White Classic Crest 110 lb. (Neenah); "My Heart"
patterned paper (Karen Foster Designs); black card stock (unknown)

Tools and Accessories: Big Shot (Sizzix); Die-Namics Open Scallop Edge (MFT);
Sheer Shimmer Frost Spray (Tsukineko)

 

Once Upon A Time

No matter how many color combinations I explore, I often gravitate back to a couple.  One combo I use often is black, white and red.  I just love this color combination!  So here it is again, this time on a card for a challenge at a brand-new blog, 'ABC' Challenges 

Since this is their first challenge, they required us to use something new on our cards, whether it be something we actually purchased new or something that we just haven't used before.  Since I'm working on love-themed cards for Operation Write Home, I thought this would be the perfect time to try out a new die I purchased.  I bought it (along with several others) at a scrapbooking sale where crafters sell off supplies they are no longer using.  I came home with several dies this year, which was really exciting!  (I love getting a good deal almost as much as I love making cards!)  So the heart die cut on this card is my "new" for this challenge.  This ribbon might be a "new" also, because I don't recall ever using it before.  It was in my stash and who knows how long it's been there?!

Here's my card:

I really love this sentiment and the set that it comes from.  The stamp is definitely not new to me, as it's one of the stamps I used for my wedding.  This one always brings a smile to my face when I use it.

I started by stamping my background in craft ink on white card stock, then heat embossing it with clear embossing powder.  I wrapped my ribbon around the white panel, die cut my heart, stamped my sentiment and added some rhinestones to the heart.  I adhered the heart to the panel with dimensionals, then adhered the panel to a black card base.  I think this card would be appropriate as a general "I love you" card or as Valentine's Day card.

Here's a tip about dimensionals: For this card I used Stampin' Dimensionals (Stampin' Up!) to adhere the heart to the panel.  I love these dimensionals because they are only 1/16" thick.  I have purchased several other brands and many of those are 1/8" thick, which I feel is often too thick.  If you buy 1/16" thick dimensionals, you can always stack them to make them thicker if you want a different effect.  Stampin' Up! is not the only company who offers dimensionals in 1/16" thickness, so if you're shopping for another brand, just check the labels carefully.  You can also find tape that offers a dimensional effect, but again, check the thickness.  It's not such a big deal in cards that I'm hand-delivering, but when they go through the mail, that little bit of extra thickness is not always desireable. 

My craft room table is a bit of a disaster this week, so I'm planning to do some reorganizing before I do any more stamping.  I hope to have another card to post for you in the next couple of days.

Thanks for stopping by!

Products Used:

Background Stamp: Tres Chic (Stampin' Up!)

Background Ink: Craft Black (Stampin' Up!)

Sentiment Stamp: Fairy-Tale Wedding (Stampin' Up!)

Sentiment Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)

Die: Hearts, Tipsy (Sizzix)

Tools: Big Shot (Sizzix); Mrs. O'Leary's Clear Embossing Powder; rhinestones;
ribbon; Stampin' Dimensionals (Stampin' Up!)