Fuse Creativity System: Endless Possibilities

    Fiskars has a great new die cutting-embossing-stenciling machine coming out next month. They just revealed it to the Fiskateers and they said I can share it with you guys. Looks like it is going to be fun! Can't wait to really see it in action.

Shaped Bottom-Front Edge Thank-You Card

     Since my first pair of orange-handled Fiskars scissors when I started sewing at 9-years old, I have been a lover of all things Fiskars. So, when I was given the opportunity to become a Fiskateer, I jumped at the chance. Fiskateers are ambassadors for Fiskars.
     I am also a Fiskateer Card-Lifter. Each week the Card Lifters are given a card from which to draw inspiration. The first thing that drew my attention with the card we were shown earlier this month was its shaped bottom-front edge. Here's the card I created from that inspiration.

    After trimming about an inch off the front edge, I used my Spellbinders Grand Calibur and the Assorted Fresh Fruit die collection to die cut the apples, pears and canning jar. I glued them in place and added the sentiment from Fiskars' All Year Cheer collection. I thought it turned out really cute and thought I must share it with you guys.
     If you are interested in becoming a Fiskateer, click on the Fiskateer  button in the left margin or go to www.fiskateers.com .  Thanks so much for stopping by.

* * * New Way to Look at Bills * * *

   

  One of the challenges I answered a few days back during the Fiskateer National Scrapbooking Day Crop was called Upcycle It! We had to upcycle something we would normally throw away. Well, I had been noticing that some of the security envelopes that my bills come in have different patterns inside and some are very interesting so I started saving some of them. I made this card using five different patterns.



    I'll never look at my bills the same way again. Now I can't wait to get them opened! lol  My stepdad, Wendell, will be getting this card for Father's Day. I know he will love it because he hates throwing away paper as much as I do. For those of you who know Wendell, shhhh!

National Scrapbooking Day

   Today is National Scrapbooking Day. There is a great online Scrap going on over at the Fiskateers site. I'm having lots of fun participating in that. If you care to join me, go to www.fiskateers.com . There are a lot of fun challenges.

Published in Paper Crafts Magazine

Bleach Painting

      Paper Crafts magazine just published one of my cards in their May/June 2012 issue. If you have never been on the Paper Crafts website or seen their magazine you are missing out. I get so much inspiration from them. Check them out here: www.papercraftsmag.com/ .

    

     I am so excited to share this card and my bleach painting technique with you!

     To begin with, I made a 5x7 card out of light gray cardstock. On a separate sheet of gray cardstock, I heat embossed the image of the birch trees. Heat embossing forms a kind of dam for the bleach-paint keeping the bleach from bleeding outside the lines.

     To paint the trees, I first mixed one part bleach to two parts water in a small bowl. I dipped a Q-tip in the bleach solution and painted the tree trunks with it. It may take a bit to see the complete transformation of the cardstock so be patient and don't overwet your image. You may want to paint a second coat if you want to go even lighter. Let the paint dry completely.

     Next, I trimmed the image and added black and burnt orange panels.

     The stamp for these trees belongs to a friend who is currently at her cabin in the remote areas of Alaska far away from phones (even cell phones) so I was not able to ask her who made this stamp. But, Northwoods Rubber Stamps has a stamp that would work even better with this technique. The stamp is Three Snowy Pines in Woods. Their website is www.northwoodsrubberstamps.com/

     Designer Tips

     This painting works great on a lot of different stamps. I find that it works great too to add highlights to heat embossed, stamped flowers.

     This technique does not work on coated papers. Regular, smooth cardstock works best.

     I would love to see the cards you make using this method. Send me a link to your card and I might just highlight it here on my blog. Thanks so much for your time and patience. Hope you have a wonderful day!