1 Card...3 Cardstocks

Hello everyone!! Long time no see!
Today I thought I would do a little cardstock comparison. It's something I talk about at every card class and something that every stamper should explore!
Now for this comparison I am only going to compare 3 basic types of SMOOTH cardstock. I'm not trying to leave out poor textured cardstock because he has his place in papercrafting too, but he isn't the best choice when stamping! We want a good smooth surface when stamping so that our image comes out nice and clean!
Below you will see photos of 1 card with the 3 types of smooth cardstock I'll talk about today!

Discount Cardstock:
When I say discount I mean the cardstock that is thinner and cheaper than Stampin Up's Whisper White cardstock. It's the cardstock you pay less for at Wal-Mart or Hobby Lobby.
While it has it's purpose, it does not give you a beautiful stamped image. When you stamp on the discount cardstock it isn't your fault that the image doesn't come out perfect or that the ink isn't as rich and colorful. It's just the paper!
Like I said it does have it's purpose! It's great for scrap paper or projects you don't stamp on! Practice makes perfect so practice on the discount paper!

Whisper White:
Whisper White is my most favorite cardstock to stamp on hands down. The weight is perfect. It isn't too heavy to use a punch with, but it's heavy enough to give you a beautiful, rich stamped image! The stamped image is cleaner and you really see how beautiful and rich your ink colors are!

Glossy White:
Some people consider Glossy White cardstock a specialty cardstock like watercolor paper. I put it in the category of cardstock because it is perfect to stamp on! It gives your stamped images a brighter almost cartoon or 3d look. The glossy finish gives a a fancy or store bought sheen!
Besides stamping on it there are SO many different ways to use glossy cardstock. In future posts I'm going to show you several different ways to use this product!

Tip: Always make sure that you use the same type of cardstock to stamp on that you use to make your sentiment. Different cardstocks look different when next to each other! Your project will look better when your sentiment cardstock matches your stamped cardstock!

To purchase the products mentioned above contact your Stampin Up Demonstrator or go HERE.

Supplies used above:
- Flower Stamps: Array of Sunshine
- Ink: Riding Hood Red and Night of Navy
- Cardstock: Whisper White, Glossy White, Riding Hood Red, Night of Navy
- Sentiment Stamp: Something to Celebrate
- Modern Label Punch

It's always interesting to me to see different products compared! It gives you a better idea what you like and might spark some creativity!
If you have any questions please send me an email at aprilmassad@yahoo.com!
Enjoy your Thursday!

Bye Bye Stars

Happy Friday!
As I mentioned on yesterday's post it's Stampin Up's retirement time! They will be retiring a ton of products that you can order until June 30th. They do this to make room in the new catalog for a ton of new stuff!
One of the retiring sets is Seeing Stars. I used it on today's card. This is another card using the inlaid embossing technique! This easy technique gives your card a quilted look and is perfect for 4th of July cards/projects!
I have shared supplies and instructions to make this card below!

Supplies:
- 4x5.5 White Card Base
- (3) 1 inch circles punched from Riding Hood Red cardstock
- (1) 5/8 inch circle punched from Riding Hood Red cardstock
- (2) 5/8 inch circles punched from Not Quite Navy cardstock
- (1) 2 inch circle punched from Not Quite Navy Cardstock
- (1) 2.5 inch circle punched from Not Quite Navy cardstock
- Whisper White Cardstock
- Scrap Piece of Riding Hood Red Cardstock (Optional)
- Stars #2 Big Shot Die and Big Shot Machine
- Square Lattice Embossing Folder
- Scallop Oval Punch
- Scallop Oval Die and Movers and Shapers Die for the Big Shot (Optional)
- Ink in Riding Hood Red and Not Quite Navy
- Sentiment or You're Invitied from the Sincere Salutations Stamp Set
- Seeing Stars Stamp Set

Instructions:
1. Adhere your circles to the card front as shown in the photo above. (Use a glue stick to adhere the circles and stars for best results after embossing)
2. Die cut your stars out of Whisper White cardstock using the Stars #2 die.
3. Use temporary adhesive to adhere your stars to a flat stamping surface. Use the Stamp-a-ma-Jig to stamp your die cut stars with the Seeing Stars stamps. Adhere your stamped stars to the card as shown in the photo above.
4. Trim the excess cirlces and stars from the edges of the card. (I have a rotary blade trimmer and to trim I simply lay the card face down and trim the excess off)
5. Use a corner rounder to round the top right corner of the card. (Optional)
6. Place your card front into the Square Lattice embossing die and run through your Big Shot.
7. Use your Movers and Shapers die to cut out a scallop oval from your scrap piece of Riding Hood Red. (Optional)
8. Stamp your sentiment onto Whisper White and punch out with the Scallop Oval punch. Adhere onto the red scallop oval.
9. Use foam adhesive squares to adhere your sentiment onto the center of the largest star.

This card would be perfect for invtations to your 4th of July picnic! One of the best things about the Big Shot are the steel rule dies. These dies allow you to cut multiple layers of cardstock at one time! This is great when mass producing cards!
I hope you enjoyed today's card and the fun inlaid embossing technique!
If you have any questions about Stampin Up's retiring products, receiving a new catalog, or today's card send me an email at aprilmassad@yahoo.com!
Have a super fab Friday!

Finally Friday Father's Day Card

Well it's finally Friday! The week is ending but Brodey's school isn't out until Wednesday!
Today I thought I would post a Father's Day card we made in my May Stamper's Night Out!
This fun stamp set is from the Stampin Up Summer Mini Catalog. It's called Best Dad Ever! Even though this card wouldn't work for my Dad, I LOVE the ties!

The girls at SNO had a great time heat embossing on this card with the clear embossing powder. Clear embossing powder really makes your stamped images POP! It makes the color brighter and it gives a handmade card a little WOW!
If you have never heat embossed before you have to try it! It's so much fun! I have a How To HERE and below I'm sharing the directions to make this card!

Supplies:
- 4x5.5 inch card base
- 4x5.5 inch piece of Basic Gray cardstock
- 2x3.5 inch piece of Riding Hood Red cardstock
- .5x3.5 inch piece of More Mustard Cardstock
- 2.25x3.5 inch piece of Whisper White Cardstock
- .5x3.5 inch piece of Whisper White Cardstock
- Small Circle punched from More Mustard Cardstock
- Brad
- Basic Gray Ink
- Markers in Basic Gray, Riding Hood Red, and More Mustard
- Clear Embossing Powder
- Powder Tray (Optional but helpful to pour powder into and refill)
- Heat Gun
- Versamark Ink
- Stamp-a-ma-Jig
- Best Dad Ever Stamp Set
- Corner Rounder (Optional)

Directions:
1. Take your large piece of Whisper White cardstock. Temporarily adhere it to your work surface with temporary adhesive. Use your Stamp-a-ma-Jig to position your stamp to stamp the center of the carstock.
2. Take your markers and color the ties. Once all the ties are colors huff on the stamp to remoisten the ink and stamp. Clean your stamp off.
3. Use your Stamp-a-ma-Jig again to postion the tie stamp right over the stamped ties. Ink your tie stamp with Versamark and stamp right over the ties again.
4. Pour your embossing powder over your stamped image over the embossing tray. Very lightly tap off excess powder and heat with the heat gun just until the embossing powder turns shiny. (Overheating will cause your powder to burn and yellow.)
5. Allow to cool and use your corner rounder to round the top two corners of the cardstock.
6. Take your strip of More Mustard and stamp the Best Dad Ever stamp onto the left side with Versamark ink. Use your clear powder to heat emboss the sentiment.
7. Dry Emboss your piece of Basic Gray cardstock and adhere to the front of your card.
8. Take your strip of Whisper White cardstock and stamp Happy Father's Day with Basic Gray ink. Adhere to Red Riding Hood Cardstock.
9. Take your circle of More Mustard and poke a hole in the center. Feed the brad through and attach to piece of Red Riding Hood cardstock.
10. Adhere your pieces to the card as shown in photo.

Such a handsome Father's Day card! So many different color combos will work if you aren't into these! I was going for more of a retro look! ;)
Well I hope you like today's card!
Don't forget to comment on yesterday's post for a chance to win a copy of the new CK Scrapbooking Tips and Tricks Flower Issue! It's a good one!
Enjoy your fab Friday!

Ships and Blogs

Well (as most of the blogging world knows) Blogger went down yesterday like a sinking ship and took with it all of the comments left by my awesome readers. So...if you left a comment on any of this weeks posts THANK YOU!!!
Speaking of ships I promised yesterday I would share a card made using the brand new Open Sea stamp set and Nautical Expedition Paper from the Summer Mini Catalog!
This card is very quick to put together. Just make sure you don't stamp the compass upside down like I did! Hehe! ;) This card could be for Father's Day, graduation, birthday, or just about any manly occasion!
The sentiment is not a stamp. I typed it out and printed it onto Marina Mist cardstock. This was a card in my Stamper's Night Out Class and I wanted it to be an all occasion card. I used the Happy Father's Day stamp from the Best Dad Ever set and stamped the inside of the card. There are many sets that include Father's Day sentiments like All Holidays, Teeny Tiny Wishes, and there is even a set called Word Play that has a stamp that says "You Mean the World to Me."

To make this card you need:
- White Card 5.5x4
- Not Quite Navy Cardstock cut (or ripped) to 3.5x5.5
- Red Striped Piece from Nautical Expedition Paper cut/ripped to 2.5x3.75
- Marina Mist Cardstock cut/ripped to 2.75x3.5
- Whisper White Cardstock cut/ripped to 2.5x3.5
- Antique Brad
- Baker's Twine
- Open Sea Stamp Set
- Ink in Not Quite Navy, Basic Gray, Riding Hood Red, Crumb Cake

1. Stamp the ship stamp in Not Quite Navy in the lower right corner of the Not Quite Navy piece of cardstock. Adhere to the card.
2. Adhere your piece of red striped paper about an inch from the left side of the card.
3. Stamp the ledger stamp onto the Whisper White cardstock with Crumb Cake ink. Stamp the world stamp onto the left side with the Not Quite Navy ink. Stamp the anchor to the left of the world in Basic Gray. Stamp the compass stamp in Riding Hood Red at the bottom of the world.
4. Adhere the stamped piece onto the piece of Marina Mist cardstock. Use a paper piercer to punch a hole through both pieces and insert brad.
5. Tie the baker's twine around the paper and wrap around the brad. Trim ends.
6. Adhere about a quarter of an inch from the left side of the card.

Now wasn't that easy!?! Beautiful, but manly, cards are sometimes a challenge to come up with! Here is one that would be perfect for any aged boy OR woman!
If you have any questions about this card please email me at aprilmassad@yahoo.com! Also if you would like a Summer Mini Catalog mailed to you just send me an email with your mailing address!

-My next card post will be a baby card I made a while ago for a dear friend who is having a baby soon! I used the Animal Stories stamp set and was inspired by....a kitchen towel! Haha! I'll even post a pic of the kitchen towel!
Well folks have a fabulous Friday!

Heartfelt Thanks!

Howdy folks!
Today I wanted to do a super quick card using the Sweetheart stamp set!
This set was created to use with the Heart Treat Cups, but there are so many other ways to use this super cute set!
One of my favorite customers purchased this set recently to make little Valentine's cards with the Treat Cups. I wanted to show an easy alternative way to use this stamp set year round and without the treat cups!
I simply stamped the scalloped heart three times in Riding Hood Red, So Saffron, and Baja Breeze.
I used the Heart Punch (which is also perfect size for the Treat Cups) and punched three hearts. I dry embossed the three hearts with the Elegant Lines embossing folder. I adhered the punched hearts to the center of the stamped hearts with foams adhesive squares.
I then punched a strip of red cardstock with the Scalloped Border Punch and added it to my card.
I stamped my sentiment and punched it out with my Small Oval Punch and adhered it to a scalloped oval I punched with my Scalloped Oval Punch.
I LOVE the little birdie stamp so I stamped him on top of my sentiment and embellished with two cute little flowers I stamped with the Punch Potpourri set and punched out with the coordinating Boho Blossoms Punch.
This card took no time to put together! You can shop for any of these items 24/7 on my website OR you can come to a Stamper's Night Out to create fun cards just like this one!

If you have any questions feel free to send me an email at aprilmassad@yahoo.com!

Well I hope you enjoyed this card and have had a fabulous Friday!