Crafting Forever -- Just A Note

09/05/2017

Hi There!

Today's post provides the how-to's for creating one of the cards designed for the Stamp Review Crew Blog Hop featuring the Crafting Forever stamp set. To see a line up of all the Stampin' Up! artists who participated in the hop, click here. To begin the hop, click here.

When I saw the Crafting Forever stamp set in the 2017-2018 Annual Catalog, I was immediately drawn to two of the stamp images: the set of three pens and the container of paintbrushes. This is because these images evoke strong memories of my parents and their respective creative talents. The pens image reminds me of the custom pens my father created using his lathe and the container of paintbrushes reminds me of the wide variety of painting that my mother accomplished throughout her life.

My father used many different types of substances to craft pens on the lathe. He also turned bowls, made finials for Christmas ornaments, made salt and pepper grinders, and bottle stoppers. In addition, he was a skilled furniture craftsman and woodworker. My parent's home, my home, and the homes of all of my brothers and sisters (there are 6 of us) contain ample evidence of his skill. On days when I'm missing my father intensely, it's a comfort to see his work around me, remember him at work in his workshop, and hear his voice in my heart.

This card begins with a card base of Early Espresso cardstock. A panel of Painted Autumn Designer Series Paper was stamped with the group of pens image from the Crafting Forever stamp set using Early Espresso ink. I began at the center of the panel and then stamped above and below the center image. Then I stamped slightly above and to the right of the center image and then above and below that image. Finally, I stamped the pens slightly above and to the left of the center image and then above and below that image. The panel was adhered at the center of a slightly larger piece of Cajun Craze cardstock.

A strip of Early Espresso cardstock, with banner tails cut into the left end of the strip, was adhered near the bottom of the Designer Series Paper panel with the bottom edge of the banner strip 3/4" above the bottom edge of the paper and the right edge of the banner strip aligned flush with the right edge of the Cajun Craze panel. A piece of Burlap ribbon, with banner tails cut into the left end, was adhered near the end of the Early Espresso banner strip with the banner tail of the Burlap ribbon offset to the right of the Early Espresso banner tail. A Mini Glue Dot was used to adhere the Burlap ribbon to the Early Espresso strip.

A strip of Very Vanilla cardstock was stamped with the "Just a Note" greeting from the Better Together stamp set using Early Espresso ink. The greeting was stamped toward the right end of the strip and banner tails were cut into the left end of the strip. The strip was adhered along the center of the Burlap ribbon with the banner tail of the cardstock offset to the banner tails of the Burlap ribbon by 1/4". Mini Glue Dots were used to adhere the cardstock to the ribbon. A small piece of Lemon Lime Twist Ombre ribbon was wrapped around the right end of the Very Vanilla cardstock strip and Burlap ribbon with the ends of the Ombre ribbon adhered behind the Burlap ribbon. (Note that the left end of the Burlap ribbon is adhered to the Early Espresso strip, so work from the right end of the Burlap ribbon.) Fold the right end of the Burlap ribbon under the Cajun Craze cardstock and adhere. Adhere the completed panel at the center of the card base.

Stamp the pens image on Cajun Craze cardstock using Early Espresso ink. Using Paper Snips, cut the pens from the cardstock. Adhere the fountain pen (has the pointed tip with the slit at the tip) to the card front so that the tip of the pen points to the "J" in "Just" and the body of the pen adhered to the card front using Mini Stampin' Dimensionals. The remaining two pens are used for the inside sentiment area of the card.

The inside sentiment area of the card was lined with a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock. A thin strip of Cajun Craze cardstock was adhered behind the bottom edge of a strip of Painted Autumn Designer Series Paper. This strip was adhered along the top edge of the liner. The "Hello, let's talk soon" sentiment, from the Better Together stamp set, was stamped near the upper center of the liner using Early Espresso ink. The remaining two pens cut out from the Cajun Craze cardstock were adhered vertically at the lower right corner of the liner. (Note that the area between the pocket clip and pen body for each pen was removed using an X-Acto Knife.)

The pens image was stamped repeatedly on the back flap of the Medium Very Vanilla Envelope using Early Espresso ink. The first image was stamped at the center of the flap just below the fold line and then stamped again immediately above the first image. The image was stamped above and to the right of the first image and above and to the left of the first image. Finally, the image was stamped slightly below and to the left of the row of images to the right of the center image and then immediately above the image. This process was repeated for the images along the right end of the envelope flap.

Here in Florida we are anxiously watching Hurricane Irma, preparing for the worst, and hoping for the best. Living along the East Coast of Florida means that this is a part of life for us. It doesn't make it any easier to deal with when the time comes, it just means that we prepare accordingly. So now it's time to get back to the preparing.

Card Measurements --

Cajun Craze: 4-1/8" x 5-3/8", 2" x 3", 3/8" x 4"; Early Espresso: 7/8" x 3-7/8", 4-1/4" x 11" scored at 5-1/2" along the 11" length; Very Vanilla: 3/8" x 3-1/4", 4" x 5-1/4"; Painted Autumn Designer Series Paper: 4" x 5-1/4", 1/2" x 4"; Burlap ribbon: 4-1/4"; Lemon Lime Twist Ombre ribbon: 2"

Supplies I used to make this card --

Stamps: Crafting Forever, Better Together; Inks: Early Espresso; Cardstock: Cajun Craze, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla; Designer Series Paper: Painted Autumn; Embellishments: Burlap ribbon, Lemon Lime Twist Ombre ribbon; Adhesives: Fast Fuse, Mini Glue Dots, Mini Stampin' Dimensionals; Tools: Stampin' Trimmer, Simply Scored Scoring Tool, Bone Folder, Paper Snips; Other: Medium Very Vanilla Envelope