Grassy Grove Stampin’ Up! set gets the vintage and distressed treatment

 

 

Do you ever get a creativity block? This happens to us all, even Stampin’ Up!® demonstrators. Perhaps especially Stampin’ Up!® demonstrators because some of feel the need to create new content all the time for our crafty audiences.

I think we all need to let go of the idea that every creation should be brand new and original. After all, there is no point in reinventing the wheel. 

Vintage distressing techniques with Inked & Tiled Stampin’ Up!® cards

 

 

Last week I showed you three Stampin’ Up!® projects I created using my September Mood Board for inspiration. Today I have three projects using the Inked & Tiled stamp set, taking inspiration from a colour combination. 

Retiring product focus: Brick Wall embossing folder (cracked glass technique)

Crafty Friday back at the beginning of the month was a chance to show the ladies the cracked glass technique. We were a small group but that worked out well as I’d forgotten just how many layers of clear embossing you need to get it thick enough to crack! We all made slightly different cards...

... And I’m pleased to say that retiring products on here are minimal. The only things which are going are the Brick Wall Embossing Folder (shame – it’s one of my faves!), Hearts & Stars Elements, the Natural Trim and the Crushed Curry Chevron Ribbon.

Lift Me Up and Wood Words (which we used for the greeting) are both carrying over.

That Thing You Did joy fold card

I wish the Grim Reaper would leave our National Treasures alone! With so many sad losses from the entertainment world this year already – Terry Wogan, Ronnie Corbett, David Bowie, Alan Rickman, Paul Daniels, Frank Kelly… and it’s still only April!, it feels like our childhoods are gradually being eroded. Yesterday’s loss of Victoria Wood was a huge shock and shook many people, including me, to the core. I found out yesterday, as soon as the news broke on the office TV, and actually gasped. What was also shocking was that several younger colleagues had never even heard of her. Let’s hope they seek out her back catalogue so that they, too, can enjoy the classic Ballad of Barry and Freda and so much more.

From my teens onwards, I watched Victoria Wood avidly and still think she’s the funniest comedian ever to have graced our screens. I appreciate that friends across the Pond will most likely not have heard of her but you will know her great friend and comedy partner, Julie Walters as Mrs Weasley from the Harry Potter films. They had a comedy show together in the early days and reunited for several projects across the decades, including one of my favourite sitcoms, Dinnerladies. Comedian, writer, singer, musician, actor; she did it all so well and my transatlantic friends need to check her out on Youtube. Stampers – largely being women ‘of a certain age’ will particularly appreciate her humour. 

As a taster, I’m sharing this gem about the menopause… 


hope these links work outside of the UK.

But if it’s a stamping project you’re after, here’s a birthday card I sent to a friend ‘of a certain age’ to celebrate her milestone birthday. Yes, it’s very similar to this project but, when you’re pushed for time, why reinvent the wheel? 

That Thing You Did Photopolymer Stamp Set [138730] £15.00	Farmers Market Designer Series Paper [138448] £10.00	Timeless Textures Clear-Mount Stamp Set [140517] £18.00	Tin Of Cards Photopolymer Stamp Set [138946] £15.00	Old Olive A4 Card Stock [106576] £6.50
Blackberry Bliss A4 Cardstock [133682] £6.50	Whisper White A4 Card Stock [106549] £7.25	Linen Thread [104199] £4.25	Blackberry Bliss Classic Stampin' Pad [133642] £6.00	Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad [126953] £6.00
Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pad [126975] £6.00	Tip Top Taupe Classic Stampin' Pad [138325] £6.00	Clear Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush [141897] £7.25	Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack [133787] £15.50	3/4" Circle Punch [119873] £11.50
1" Circle Punch [119868] £11.50	1-3/4" Circle Scallop Punch [119854] £16.00

Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

You're So Vintage joy fold card

I had fun making this project, using lots of vintage-y distressing with my new favourite set, Timeless Textures, and finishing off with some shimmer on the stars. 

It’s a joy fold card – I have no idea why they are called that, but the main panel is a small card which opens at the left. The key is to have something at the left on the front left panel which will hold it closed; I’ve used a star and swirl from the That Thing You Did stamp set. I love this set, and do hope it makes the cut when it comes to the retiring list, which will be released very soon on 18th April!

That Thing You Did Photopolymer Stamp Set [138730] £15.00	Timeless Textures Clear-Mount Stamp Set [140517] £18.00	Tin Of Cards Photopolymer Stamp Set [138946] £15.00	Pretty Petals Designer Series Paper Stack [138442] £7.25
Watermelon Wonder Classic Stampin' Pad [138323] £6.00	Lost Lagoon Classic Stampin' Pad [133644] £6.00	Tip Top Taupe Classic Stampin' Pad [138325] £6.00	Delightful Dijon Classic Stampin' Pad [138327] £6.00
Watermelon Wonder A4 Cardstock [138341] £6.50	Whisper White A4 Card Stock [106549] £7.25	Basic Black A4 Card Stock [121688] £6.50	Clear Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush [141897] £7.25

Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

You're So Vintage distressed baby wipe technique

I may have invented a technique. Or at least developed it. 

Or it may be that everybody is doing this already but just forgot to tell me. 

What is it? Well, obviously, I don’t know its name as I invented it (probably) but it’s a variation on the baby wipe technique and was born out of a lack of baby wipes. 

I wanted to create a multi-coloured effect using this oh-so-groovy “You’re so vintage” stamp. The obvious choice would be the baby wipe technique; where you create a makeshift ink pad using ink refills and a pad of baby wipes. But, as I just mentioned, I had no baby wipes in the house.

However, I’m a crafter and we will always find a way, so I took some sheets of kitchen roll, folded them into a pad and dampened it by spritzing with water, to create a simulacrum (great word, eh?) of a pad of baby wipes. Then I dripped ink onto it and allowed the colours to bleed together. My multi-coloured ink pad created, I began to stamp. 

And here’s where the fun happened. I realised that, due to the textured nature of the kitchen roll, I was getting a textured effect in my stamped image. This pleased me greatly as I was going for a vintage look, and the image looked beautifully shabby and distressed. So that’s my new technique.

I expanded on the theme with the rest of the card, choosing DSP which reminded me of a vintage fabric print, and sponging pretty much everything to give it a worn look. I added age spots with Gorgeous Grunge and even some vague white stripes to look like it had been sanded. 

Now I want to make another one!

138730	138442	106576	138341	121688
106550	116202	130517	135304	133787
119247	138425	135346	126975	101731
122934	100531	122933	102109

Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com