Celebrate Your Independence

This week we're celebrating our indepence with the red white and blue. This weekend I'll be joining family and friends (about 200 of them)at the bay for a BBQ and all around good time. In the meantime I'm having fun stamping. Today I'm sharing a card that I have posted on Splitcoaststampers. Every wednesday they have a sketch challenge so be sure to check them out and participate. This was my version of the sketch. I chose an easel card to showcase the stunning Eagle Couple along with the Framed Flag. The easel card is quickly becoming one of my favorite cards to make. It's very simple but still gives you the wow moment. This easel card is 5 ½" x 5 ½" and is propped up with stars that were cut using the Cricut. If you are using the Ultimate, from Crafters Companion, the scores are gate fold us letter and half fold us letter. if you are using any other scoring tool you'll score at 2 ¾" and 5 ½". Thanks for stopping by. Don't forget to comment and let our designers know they're loved. While you're at it...tell us what you're doing to celebrate your independence. Have a great week.

Hearts for the Red White & Blue

Today was a little bit of a challenge for me. I needed to make a lovey dovey card and I wasn't quite feeling it. I thought it was a good time to do something with the red white and blue, so I chose hearts with patriotic colors. I knew I wanted to make a gate fold card but as I started to put it together I thought it would be great to have a little window. After doing one side, I decided I liked the way one side shows two hearts perfectly and decided to stay with one side making the mats to fit. It was quite easy actually. I cut the mat to fit one panel whole, then traced the punched window on to the mat and punched using a larger circle to frame. Once my card was finished, I needed to take pictures...but there was no camera. My husband went site seeing with a friend and took the camera (we really should have an exra here). Finally...I decided I would take pictures with my phone...really...I did. The only way to get them on to my computer for editing was to send them to myself via email...so I did. The file is small but I love the way this card turned out. The card measures 7 1/2"x5 1/2" and is scored at the 'gatefold us letter' turned 1/2 turn and scored again using the Ultimate from Crafters Companion or at 2 3/4" on both sides for any other scoring tool. For the inside of the card I used Heart Strings and on the outside I used Fluerididy 1. The Ultimate also has a great bow maker, which was used to make the beautiful blue bow. Pearl Jelly Dots finish off this fun card. Thanks for stopping by and have a great week.

Have a sweet birthday

Here is a quick clean and simple born on the 4th of July card for you. The cupcake is paper pieced and the sprinkles are colored with copics and coated with glossy accent.

I had some fun with the sentiment. I masked the first and last words with some tape and inked up the sweet part with red distress ink, removed the tape and inked up the rest with blue. I LOVE how it came out!

Thanks for stopping by!

Tesa

Celebrating With Cupcakes

It's my birthday today!!! I hope you will celebrate with me! This card is all birthday....Hey Cupcake is a really fun set...and this sentiment is perfect for a birthday...a reminder to seize the moment!! I used paper piecing on this card. I love the designer paper that looks like sprinkles and I added adhesive thing-ys that remind me of the ones used in baking!

I created a little tag to write your message on....the little cupcake looks adorable...and if you're going to have ONE cupcake, you might as well have FOUR, no?! These I colored with Copic Markers. Hope you have a happy day!!

Michelle Pearson

http://www.inspirationblooms.blogspot.com/

Eat More Cupcakes

Here's a clean and simple card featuring the awesome Hey Cupcake set by The Rubber Cafe. This layout is the perfect excuse to use up scraps of paper. I colored my whole image in with copics to match the DP but an even easier way would be to stamp the frosting on some patterned paper and let the design do the work for you. It would make for some GREAT looking frosting.

I've adorned my sweet little cupcake with a pearl studded flower. These always seem to be my favorites at the cupcake shop, regardless of the flavor. There's something about that perfectly formed sugar flower that is irresistible!

PS - Have you seen there is an open call for The Rubber Cafe Design Team? This is your chance to join a great group of stampers sharing in the love of creating with FABULOUS images! Respond to this link if you're interested, the time to submit has been extended.

Design Team Position Update

The search is on...

Would you like to become a part of our growing design team? The Rubber Cafe is starting a search for 2 new design team members. We're looking for great artists using very clean designs with cards as well as 3-D projects. In the comments, please provide a link to your artwork and tell us why you would like to become part of The Rubber Cafe family. From there we'll contact you with details and challenges. We'll post the artwork and make a team decision. We look forward to hearing from you.

In the meantime, check out the fun cards from our design team members and don't forget to comment letting them know how great they are.

***Update*** Deadline is now July 7th.

At that point our design team will pick 5 of you. We'll send you challenges and more information. From there we'll narrow it down to the final two. Good Luck and have a great week.

Card File Tutorial

This tutorial was originally posted sometime back in Dec. of 09. During a few scrapbook conventions, I had demonstrated the Ultimate and ways to make this fun card file box. Several customers wanted an update on the original tutorial to include the Ultimate.

What you'll need:
· 12" x 12" cardstock or decorative paper
· The Ultimate from Crafters Companion
· The one and only tape or glue
· Embellishments (a great way to use up your scraps)

1. Score your cardstock at the gatefold 12x12 line and half-fold 12x12 line

2. Turn your cardstock 1/4 turn and score at the gatefold 12x12

3. Turn your cardstock 1/2 turn and score at the gatefold 12x12

4.Using any score line, score diagonally on each of the top two corners as shown

5.Trim off each corner with scissors or trimmer

6.Cut into each score line, below the diagonally cut corner, up to the intersecting score lines as shown

7. add adhesive and decorate. (here I used our One and Only adhesive)

Files can be made to show birthdays or holidays. This is also a great box for scrapped recipe cards. To make your box sturdier, add a little extra cardstock around the inside of your box. This gives it a finished decorative look but also sturdies it up a bit.

The stamps used in this tutorial are

Top box left: Winter Fun Labrador and Kitty, Elegant Snowflake Border, Merry Christmas

Middle box right: Small Trailing Butterfly

Bottom Box: Small Thistle Flower

Original Post can be found Here

MOM!

I know you celebrated Fathers day in US yesterday but I thought I’d share a mom card today. I love my mom but am not that good at telling her… But when I got the beautiful mom stamp from The Rubber Café in my last DT package, I decided I’d make her a very special mom card for midsummer. And here it is.

I kept it simple and black and whit eto capture the beautiful stamps in it’s full splendor. I really like the look of a very detailed stamp like this with a perfect clean stamped result as is without coloring. It makes the card making process a little easier and quicker too…  I added some pearls as center of the flowers just to have some texture and flaire. I’ve used Spellbinders small scalloped circle as card base, so the card measures approximate 4x4, a perfect size for the Handpicked floral stamp. The sentiment is from Give Momma Some Love set. Love this stamp!

Hope you like it!

Tesa

Sweet Birthday

Oooh, a sweet little birthday card today using Hey Cupcake....featuring paper piecing. A simple way to make an eye-catching card! I just LOVE all of the little cupcake accessories this set comes with! This cupcake has a little glittery heart popped on top! This set comes with a nice variety of five sentiments, loving the font of this one!! ~michelle~ http://www.inspirationblooms.blogspot.com/

Dog-Gone Good Birthday

Here's a little masculine themed birthday card using the adorable Birthdays and Balloons set. I love the funny and pun inspired sentiments that come with this set, it's a must for any dog lover.

I've colored this little guy in with copics and then decided to make a panel for just the dog and his bone. I mounted that on a separate panel with the sentiment and finished off with a touch of ribbon secured by a beefy star brad.

Design Team Positions

The search is on...

Would you like to become a part of our growing design team? The Rubber Cafe is starting a search for 2 new design team members. We're looking for great artists using very clean designs with cards as well as 3-D projects. In the comments, please provide a link to your artwork and tell us why you would like to become part of The Rubber Cafe family. From there we'll contact you with details and challenges. We'll post the artwork and make a team decision. We look forward to hearing from you.

In the meantime, check out the fun cards from our design team members and don't forget to comment letting them know how great they are.

***Update*** Deadline is now July 7th.

Have a sweet birthday!!

Another fun card made with the super fun Hey Cupcake set from The Rubber Cafe. I simply stamped my cupcake three times onto white cardstock, colored them with my copics and cut them out ever so carefully!! Those little cherry stems were alittle challenging but doable. Then I used a simple layout with some Basic Grey Lemonade Paper, tied a big fun bow around the center panel and stamped my sentiment right under the bow. The cupcakes were then popped up on dimensionals. Very simple very easy.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Hope you enjoyed the card I had to share with you. Have a great day!!

With Sympathy

Happy Tuesday.

This week I sat with a friend who lost her best friend. Her dog Taz. He was a fun cocker spaniel that passed away in the night. He was 19 so he lived a long life for a dog. This stamp is the perfect just that moment. Labrador Love from The Rubber Cafe also comes with a cute little cupid and the very useful saying "I wuff you". The bone comes from the set Birthday's and Balloons.

This cute caring dog is colored with copics (E33 & E35), flocked and glossed. The wings were flocked with white flock mixed with ultrafine glitter and the heart was done with red flock and the same glittler. The head hearts were glossed with glossy accent as well as the bone. The cute brown bow was done on the bow maker of the Ultimate by Crafters Companion. Inside reads "with sympathy".

Thanks for stopping by and when all else fails don't forget to hug the dog (or cat).

Eat more cupcakes!

I have a CAS card for you today. I love cards that are made in minutes and still looks great. I’ll let you judge whether this looks great or not, but it sure was made in minutes! LOL! The stamps used are a sentiment and a cupcake from the Hey Cupcake set. (it’s my favorite!!!)

The card base measures 5x3 and is made out of Bazzill Kraft cardstock. I stamped the little cupcake on four pieces of scrap paper: on kraft, pink patterned paper, white  and red cardstock. I punched out the kraft cupcake with a “1 punch and then cut out the other cupcake pieces and mounted them with thin 3D foam for some dimension.

I layered the cupcake on two more punched out circles to frame it nicely. The sentiment is stamped at the top of the card base. If you find it difficult to get the rubber sentiments straight, use a ruler and make a straight line on the back which can be seen through the acrylic piece you use for stamping. After adhering the cupcake, the frame is doodled with the help of a ruler. For some flair, I added some stickles on the cherry. Done.

It took like 15 minutes. The cupcake is really great cause it’s easy to cut out, no fuzz that takes time. Perfect for paper piecing that is!

Have a great week!

Tesa

Shasta Daisy!

This card features the Shasta Daisy image from The Rubber Cafe. This is a gorgeous image that really makes the Copic Markers Shine! Select 3 or 4 coordinating hues and have fun with the flowers. I start with the darkest colors and go towards the lighter ones. I finish off by adding another touch of the darker colors as needed. I use 2 coordinating hues for the leaves. I stamped the image on white cardstock and then cut it out with a detail scissors and craft knife. I framed the image with a Cuttlebugged Nestibility scrap. I used oval and scalloped oval Nestibility dies under my stamped image. Photo corner punches are dressed up with butterfly punches in two sizes. I love this image. I did it in oranges last time I used it....gardens are full of color though....so I'll be experimenting with my copic colors more!! Copics used: R39, R37, R22, R21, YG67, YG23

Zero Calories

Here's a sweet little card I made with the mini cupcake image from the Hey Cupcake set by The Rubber Cafe. The photo didn't come out so well but I was going for a butterscotch theme on this card. Doesn't a chocolate cupcake frosted with a thick layer of butterscotch frosting sound yummy? When I color in these cupcakes I'm thinking about what flavors they would be and how they would taste just as much as I think about the colors I'm using. This little cupcake image is so easy to color in and has simple lines which make it a snap to cut out for a special popped up image.

The best part about all that cupcake day dreaming is, zero calories just like the sentiment says!

Whats up Cupcake!!

One of the newest sets from the Rubber Cafe is this awesome set called Hey Cupcake. It comes with 20, yes I said 20 images in the set for all of your fun cupcake card needs!! I created a very simple card today using a few layers of Basic Grey Lemonade paper. I mounted the top layer up on dimensionals and then I stamped the cupcake images twice. Once onto plain white cardstock and once onto my dp. I cut everything out and glued the dp to the cardstock for some stability and then glued the entire image onto my top panel. I added some light blue ribbon and a few brads for embellishments and called it a day!!

I hope you enjoy todays card. Go check out the rest of the set over at the Rubber Cafe. Have a great day!!

Ann @ www.stampwithme-ann.blogspot.com

Birthdays and Balloons!

Here is a fun card using the Birthdays and Balloons set from http://www.therubbercafe.com/. This pup is wishing the recipient a happy day!

I colored the image with Copic Markers and doodled a frame around the image. I used the little bone image to dress up my corners on this card. I used Tim Holtz distressing ink and some vintage notions to warm up the card a bit.

Be sure to check out this set in the store....it has FIVE fun sentiments in addition to another dog and THREE additional images!!

Happy Monday everyone!! ~michelle~ www.inspirationblooms.blogspot.com

Fresh Flowers

The Grater Floral image is one of my favorites out of the new stamps over at The Rubber Cafe. I've been wishing I owned a box grater so I can recreate it ever since I saw it. I think I'll be on the look out for one at a garage sale or the Goodwill this summer. How often can you say you get all the crafting joy that comes with a great image AND inspiration for decor at the same time?

I colored in these flowers with copics and added the Happy Birthday sentiment at the bottom. I wanted to keep this layout simple to let the image shine...literally! I added diamond glaze over some of the flowers to give it that special something and a few dew drops.

Thanks for looking!

All the Love

I cant tell you how much I am loving the latest release from The Rubber Cafe!!! There is just something for everyone!! For todays card I used the beautiful stamp called Hand Picked Floral. There are endless coloring possibilities with this bouquet. I chose to work off of the pretty MME Lush paper that I had and went with a pinky peach theme. I started by stamping my image and coloring with my copics. I went with a very simple layout to just focus on the image but chose to put a sentiment inside which came from the Give Momma some love set. All I did to finish things off for this one was add a few pearls and some lace ribbon. I hope you enjoy this card today. Stop on over at The Rubber Cafe to check out the rest of the release!!! Have a fantastic day!!

A little bit of Love Bug

Playing with the Ultimate from Crafter's Companion, I've been asked to make a few cards that weren't on the menu. Something not in the book or online. I decided to make this cute card using one of the Love Bugs. Isn't he cute. I started with a 12" x 4" piece of paper. Each score line in the box lid section is 1/2" apart so I used that section to do my score lines...score at 2", 4" then turned and did the same to the other side. From there just connect the first score line criss cross with the center of the card. do that for both sides. As the lines are folded it forms this cute card. On one side XOXO, on the other Love Bug. Something that was in the book was the envelobox. I used the very simple direction for just the right size and poof...a matching envelobox. I think I'll leave this for my husband to fine when I'm not here.