RobinsCraftRoom.com

Aloha, all!

Usually when I talk about "challenges," I’m talking about the kind that happens when someone on a website challenges crafters to make a card or scrapbook page or some other papercraft using a particular set of parameters, such as a sketch for a card or scrap page.

My challenge today, however, was of a different kind.  You see, I’ve been in and out of my craft room all week trying to get a ton of different kinds of projects done for a variety of deadlines.  On top of that, I’ve had some non-stamping business to attend to, and my husband has been out of town for two days so I’ve had to take on dog-walking duties and make sure I close up the house when I leave to take on such chores and grocery shopping.  The result???

This. 

And I had to get at least 5 more Valentine cards done this weekend!!!  Have you ever SEEN such a mess???

The good news is that I have my craft room well enough organized that I knew where everything went.  It just wasn’t there, and I figured I’d better get it there pronto!

Half an hour later, I was ready for the Valentine card project.  Whew!

Tomorrow I’ll show off the cards that I was able to complete once I had things more under control.

Aloha, all!

Friday was my Sister-in-Law, Deb’s, birthday.  She and I are both "of a certain age" and no need to talk about what certain means!  Of course, as she is my Stampin’ Up! downline, I sent her lots of Stampin’ Up! goodies, one of which was this birthday card. 

I made the card to play in a challenge last month, but didn’t want to show it off until Deb had it in her hot little hands.  One part of the challenge was to have lots of layers.  I can’t remember how MANY layers, but I can tell you that this card has a ton of them – 10 to be exact.  I really enjoy cutting lots of layers for a card, as long as I only have to make one or two of the same card.  I just love how a teensy layer, just showing off 1/16" of color all the way around the layer above it, can really make a design look so very finished.

And all of the layers in this card are 1/16" different from the layer above.  To make that 1/16" difference, you just cut the next layer 1/8" narrower and shorter than the previous layer.  Here is the sketch I made to follow when I’m making this card.  I really like the layout, and you can use it to show off coordinating Designer Series Papers so nicely.

 The papers for this card are from the Designer Series Paper Set, Cottage Wall, with some 5/8" Old Olive Satin Ribbon and a Whisper White Jumbo Grommet to set it all off.  The stamps are from the Sale-A-Bration set, Happy Moments, a set YOU CAN GET FOR FREE with a $50 Stampin’ Up! purchase through the end of March.

Aloha, all!

I know that several of you have purchased Stampin’ Up!’s Treat Cups, and I’ve been playing around with them myself.  In fact, I’m thinking that I’m going to have trouble giving these up if Stampin’ Up! doesn’t continue them into the 2010-2011 Idea Book and Catalog!

Since Valentine’s Day is coming up, I thought I’d share a couple of cards I made using the Heart Treat Cups.  Not only that, I’ve created one of my "one-page tutorials" for you to use for your own cards. The tutorial just covers how to get the heart cup placed on the center of the card AND how to create a layer on the inside front of the card so you can get to those treats without tearing the card apart.  I certainly wouldn’t want to tear this creation apart!

For this card, I used the new stamp set, Sweetheart, which is also featured in the Heart Treat Cups flyer.   I am having a lot of fun with this set!  But the Heart Treat Cup is not just for Valentine’s Day!  Think of using it for a wedding or shower invitation with M&Ms the bride’s wedding colors!  You can even order up personalized candies and decorate the cards with matching colors.

I also used two new punches for the scallop trim border around the bottom layer.  The Scallop Trim Border punch is available through the 2010 Sale-A-Bration Catalog (yes, you can GET IT FOR FREE!)  The Scallop Trim Corner Punch is available in the 2010 Occasions Mini Catalog.  Both punches are in the new punch style.  

Aloha, all!

Just a quick note today to make an announcement – I’d like to FEATURE YOUR CARDS on my blog!  Have you used one of my templates, either from recent posts or from any of my tutorials?  If so, just e-mail me a picture and I’ll be glad to post it here for my blog followers to ooh and aah over!  And believe me, they will.  I know that I look at some of my cards and think, "Oh, that’s just an ordinary card."  But they I get a compliment out of the blue and remember that everyone is different.  I may have made the same basic card several times, but there are those of you out there in blog land who’ve never made a card like that!  We all love any ideas that we can get our hands on.  Of course, there are those that make us want to drop everything and go create.  I find those to be rarer.  But I learn something new from EVERY card I see (well, unless it’s a totally complete copy of another card – and that really doesn’t happen that much).  When I hold a class, even when I cut papers ahead of time and put the same inks and embellishments out for everyone, every card ends up being different – and interesting!

So e-mail me a photo (or photos) of your creations, and I’ll showcase them here!

So now I realize I can’t just put out a pictureless blog post!  So here’s an idea of how I worked with a card that ended up having two slightly different looks.  I’m still not sure which one I like best, but both make me think a bit as I look at them.

Here’s the first card.  The paper is from the Designer Series Paper set, Razzleberry Lemonade.  I really enjoy looking at the paper.  But I have found it hard to use much as a background because there’s just so much color and design in it – everything else is overwhelmed – including that blank piece of Melon Mambo Card Stock!  Hmmm.  But now that I look at it again, maybe it’s not so bad….

On to the modified version.  I slipped in another strip from the background paper.  What do you think?

Aloha, all!

Whenever I do a class that involves a particular card layout, I try to make a sketch for the class participants.  Sometimes I just give them a picture of the card on which we’re working.  But I also include the dimensions so they can go to their own craft rooms and make other cards using those same dimensions. 

Yesterday I shared the sketch with dimensions of the card I featured.  For today, I’ll share some other sketches.  I’m going to try to do that more often in both my blog posts and my newsletters so that you can have a blank slate to use even if you don’t have all the cool Stampin’ Up! products that I used to make mine.  Of course, I’m ready and able to help you purchase any of the products I use.  I only use CURRENT Stampin’ Up! products, so you can be assured that you can order (or at least earn) anything I share here.

This sketch is the one for the Birthday Card I showed off in one of my watercolor posts earlier this week.  Just imagine your own stamped image on the top layer of the squares, and your own border punch and embellishments to top it off!

This is the sketch for the first watercolor card from earlier in the week, featuring Flower Fancy and Sincere Salutations.  There’s a much larger area to show off stamps, texture and embellishments on the top layer of this card. 

Aloha, all!  No, I didn’t use the new stamp set, I {Heart} Hearts, in my watercolor class!  But now that I think about it, I believe I shall have to watercolor a Valentine while there’s still some time!

But I did demonstrate one more card using one of my "old" favorite sets, Flower Fancy.  A few days I showed off a Get Well Card using this set and some watercoloring.  Today’s card is a card for any occasion: Get Well, Birthday, or even just "Thinking of You."  Stamp a greeting from my other "old" favorite set, Sincere Salutations, and you’ve got yourself a complete card!

While I used quite a few different colors on the earlier Flower Fancy card, for this card I stuck with a bright pink that’s very nicely accented by some Melon Mambo 1/2" Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon and a couple of Fire Square Rhinestone Brads.  I layered up some Crushed Curry and Melon Mambo card stock, and made the basic card using Confetti Cream card stock, which I think nicely accents the off-white of the Watercolor Paper.  (Question:  why do they call the heavy stuff "paper" and the lighter stuff "card stock."  Just rambling.)

When I sent my newsletter out this week, I was still feeling pretty achy, and I managed to make a couple of typos, including one in the "sketch" of the card that was the main part of the tutorial.  That’s what comes of not being able to sit for long enough to proofread properly!  Anyway, I thought I’d use a blog post to make the correction.  That got me to thinking (a dangerous occupation for me right now).  As long as I had dimensions already made for my class participants, why not share them with you as I post my cards?

Here, then, is the sketch for today’s card.  Note that the small squares are so EASY because they use PUNCHES!!

Tomorrow I’ll share some more sketches from recent cards.

Aloha, all!

I’m still trying to get back into my routine after being a bit "out of it" for awhile.  I’m still not 100%, but it’s driving me crazy not being able to do what I want to do when I want to do it and for however long I want to stick with it!  Did you get all that?

When I taught my watercolor class last week, I couldn’t just do one project.  And while I could sit and paint designs from Flower Fancy for a long time (and I’ll share another with you tomorrow) I needed to use something else that required a bit of a different technique.  This card uses one of the stamp sets from the 2010 Sale-A-Bration Catalog, Happy Moments.  While that stack of gifts would stand very nicely by itself, stamped on some colorful paper, I thought some watercolor might help it stand out in a different way.  For the bottom two boxes, the technique was to have a darker color around the perimeter of each box, with the fill a lighter color, to give the boxes some depth and even what looks like a bit of shine.  The top box has its own "shine" courtesy of a few dabs of Crystal Effects.  It’s been dry enough here in East Hawaii the past few weeks that the Crystal Effects dries much more quickly than it usually does here.

There are two more brand new products feature on this card.  The Scallop Trim Border Punch is one that you can get FOR FREE as part of this year’s Sale-A-Bration.  You may already know the routine – purchase $50 worth of Stampin’ Up! products on one order and you get to pick something FREE from among dozens of current Stampin’ Up! products, many of which you can ONLY GET during Sale-A-Bration.  While this punch will be around after Sale-A-Bration, my thinking is why not get it for free while the getting is good?!

Finally, another delightful "find" from the 2010 Occasions Mini Catalog is the Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper Stack.  As I mentioned yesterday, I was reluctant to purchase the Sweet Pea Stitched Felt, but now I can’t imagine why – it’s so versatile.  It’s the same with the Designer Series Paper Stack.  What stood out in the catalog (for me at least) was all those pictures of trees that really don’t "fit" here in Hawaii.  But I talked myself into buying the paper and let me tell you I will be using it all – and probably not use a tree ever.  There are so many gorgeous geometrical designs,using eight colors (according to Stampin’ Up! – a lot more than that according to what I’ve been using!)  I used Pumpkin Pie as an accent color, and Pumpkin Pie is one of the colors mentioned by Stampin’ Up! as being featured in this paper set.  But I also used Tempting Turquoise on this card, and it seems to me to be a great "match" for this particular paper.  Sure, I could have used Taken With Teal, but it wouldn’t have been nearly as bright and cheery, IMHO!

Tomorrow a bit more watercolor, then back to some Valentine Cards!

Aloha, all!

Oh, my, it’s been awhile since I’ve taken the time to sit and chat.  The problem has been in the sitting, as my back has really been giving me a hard time over the past couple of weeks.  So it’s been hard to keep my focus and do everything that I’m used to doing.  But I’ve been hanging in there.

For one thing, I’ve been able to spend some time in my craft room because I do most of my papercrafting standing up.  That has nothing to do with my back; it’s just the way I like to work.  I may have to analyze that one day.  But for today, I’m going to take some time to try to catch you all up on what I’ve been doing.

To begin, I have a friend – Marcia – who has also been under the weather.  So a get well card is definitely in order.  Getting that designed and made fit right into a watercolor class that I presented last week.  For that class, we used Stampin’ Up!’s Watercolor Pencils.  These are one of the hidden gems in the Stampin’ Up! catalog.  I’ve taken art lessons on and off for the last 20 years or so, and watercolor is the medium in which I work most of the time these days.  So taking a wet brush in hand is just a delight, especially when I can use Stampin’ Up! products.

There are quite a few Stampin’ Up! products in this card, some old and some brand new.  You’ll probably recognize the "old" stamp sets, Flower Fancy and Sincere Salutations.  It seems to be that I’ve been using these sets since I became a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator.  And I never time of them.  They’re comfortable old standby stamp sets that I can turn to for every need.

What I didn’t expect was how well they coordinated with one of Stampin’ Up!’s newest product lines, felt embellishments.  You may remember the Felt Flurries of Christmas 2008.  The newest felt line, Sweet Pea Stitched Felt, has so much more to offer!.  I have to tell you that I couldn’t quite get myself to but any when we available to preorder from the 2010 Occasions Mini Catalog.  But Stampin’ Up! gave me these free when I received my My Digital Studio certification.  Can’t have something lying around and not using it, can I?!

When I get myself back to where I’m comfortable staying in one position for any length of time, I’ll prepare some kind of a tutorial on the use of the watercolor pencils.  For now, I think I’ll take a break and go walk around a bit.

Aloha, all!

What fun my neighbor, Deme, and I had this week!  Well, I had the fun, Deme did the work. 

You see, there was this bag that I’d seen made using the Stampin’ Up! Exclusive Sizzix Die, Scallop Square.  And I was just dying to make one.  Only problem is that, since I’ve moved to Hawaii, I no longer have a sewing machine.  We moved here with very little in the way of possessions.  That’s a long story, but a good one.  We did the ultimate in downsizing!  A story for another day for sure.

But here I was with the Stampin’ Up! die and people all over the internet showing off these wonderful bags/purses made using the Scallop Square Die to make the squares for the projects.  And I had the die and I even had the fabric (courtesy of a long ago birthday gift from my friend, Janet, who’s in Maryland).  AND my neighbor, Deme, had the sewing machine.  We did a little bit of bargaining, and, in a win-win situation, I ended up with the bag to show off!.

Is this not the cat’s meow???!!!  Beautiful watercolor greens and blues and a bit of retired Stampin’ Up! Ribbon and a button from Deme’s collection.  I am definitely showing this off all over the place!

So–are you the quilter or seamstress??? If so, I have got to tell you that the Stampin’ Up! Sizzix dies are to (well) die for!  They cut fabric superbly and in large multiples!  Think 8 squares cut with the turn of a handle!  This bag took 36 squares (for the inside as well as the outside) so that was just 5 turns of that Sizzix Big Shot handle!  A bit of cotton batting, some ribbon, some thread, a sewing machine (I still do not have one, but I’m thinking it’s not that far away) and, Voila!  You’ve got yourself the perfect accessory for any outfit in your closet!

Oh, and there’s more!  I’ve got another die that makes just the cutest project (check it out later this week)!  Sigh.  Wish I hadn’t committed to that Watercolor class this week.  Um, no, I don’t; I’m having a lot of fun with that, too.

Oh, with Stampin’ Up! there’s just too much fun to have with too much stuff in too little time!

Aloha, all! 

I know my manners aren’t very correct in a Victorian sense.  But I had to make a quick card for a member of one of my clubs who was married on Christmas Day.  The good news was that no one batted an eyelash when they saw the greeting on this card (you’re not supposed to "congratulate" a bride!).  So I guess I’m off the hook from being embarrassed by my lack of etiquette!  Nonetheless, I am happy that this card turned out so beautifully.

And I’m thrilled that Karen is so happy!  She’s always so upbeat, and to see her even more upbeat at this month’s club meeting was just a delight!  So – Congratulations on being so happy!  And Best Wishes for your future and continued happiness!

For this card, I used Brushed Gold Card Stock for the background and to mat the top Whisper White layer (embossed with one of the designs from the Stampin’ Up! Backgrounds I Sizzix Texturz Plates) and the greeting layer.  For the larger white layer, I used one of the papers from the Bride Specialty Paper, which I punched with the new Scallop Trim Border Punch (which you can get FOR FREE in this season’s Sale-A-Bration catalog!)

I used Gold Stampin’ Emboss Powder to emboss the Congratulations Stamp from the new set, Well Scripted, which can be found in the 2010 Occasions Mini Catalog (click to the right to see a copy of the catalog).  I tied everything up with some of the luscious Whisper White 5/8" Satin Ribbon.  

I think this looks VERY bridal!