Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Pleats for a dimensional look

I love the look of dimension on scrapbook pages and cards. Pleating paper is a fabulous way to add dimension. To add a pleat, simply take a piece of pattern paper and fold it back and forth and adhere to the layout or card. You can be precise with your folding, or you can just wing it as I did for this card. You can see in the first picture how I did my pleats. I didn't want all my folds to be exactly the same so I wasn't worried about the spacing. If you want to be precise you can measure.












I tore the bottom of my folded pleat. I then used this small pleated paper as well and layered it over the original piece. I just love the versatility of double sided papers!





Steps in assembling the card:

1. Cut a piece of cardstock for your base card 4 3/4 inches by 8 inches. Fold this in half to create your base. Ink around the edges of the front of the card base.

2. Adhere a piece of 1 1/4 inch by just shy of 4 3/4 inch piece of pattern paper to the top part of the card front.

3. Cut a 1 3/4 by 2 1/4 inch of cardstock. Ink the edges. Stamp the Rubber Romance "Hi" stamp towards the bottom. Adhere this in the bottom left corner of the card front.

4. Fold a double sided pattern paper as described above. Tear the bottom edge of it. Adhere the first piece to the bottom of the pattern paper mentioned in step 2. Take the small piece of torn pleated pattern paper and adhere the opposite side just over the top edge of the first pleated piece.

5. Add an embellishment like the felt snail above the stamped sentiment.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Box in a Bag Birthday!!!

Happy Friday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ugh, it's been such an amazingly long week for me. I just love making these box in a bags, so I created this quick one for you today. I started out with a piece of cardstock measuring 4.5" square, and scored it 1 inch in from each side.

Then, fold up the sides creating a box. Cut a piece of designer paper to 5/5" x 11".

Wrap the box "inside" of the designer paper. Firmly adhere the DP to the box using tacky/stripy strip.
This is what it will look like once the paper is rolled around the base.

Punch out 2 handles and a strip of paper (1" x 11") for around the bottom of the bag.
Here's another look at the finished project.

I colored the image with Copics and cut the image and mat out using oval nesties.
Happy Stamping!
Shannon

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Halloween Treat Tutorial

Hi everyone, Kathy here with a tutorial for you. I’m going to show you how to make these little treat holders. They are perfect for party or shower favors. I’m thinking I’ll do some baby shower favors using the Rubber Romance Cutie Pie line. I’m planning to make a bunch of these Halloween ones for my children's teachers and bus drivers. I like to give them a little something sweet at Halloween. These holders are quick to make and inexpensive, too. Hope you enjoy the tutorial and give them a try!Cut one base color of cardstock, the black one is the base here, to 3 1/4 X 11 inches. Score the cardstock at 4, 6 and 10 inches. Cut a coordinating piece of cardstock (the orange piece) to 3 1/8 X 3 7/8 inches. Cut one piece of patterned paper to 3 x 3 ¾ inches. This polka dot patterned paper is from My Mind’s Eye.
Stamp your chosen image on to cardstock. I’m using Sabrina from Rubber Romance Stamps; you can find her as well as other fabulous Rubber Romance stamps here. Isn’t she just the cutest witch ever? I stamped her with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on Papertreyink Stampers Select White cardstock. Crop the image down to fit on the front of your holder. Best to crop the image down before coloring, so you won’t waste time coloring parts of the image you won’t need. I cropped Sabrina down into a circle using nestabilities. I also cut an orange piece to mat the image with.Color and decorate the image. I used copic markers and some Stickles for a bit of sparkle on my image.
Fill a small cellophane bag with your choice of treats. Here I’m using Pumpkin Spice Hershey’s Kisses. The great thing about these small treat holders is that one bag of Kisses will fill 5-6 cellophane bags, depending on how many you sample along the way!
Fold your long piece of cardstock along the score lines. Add the small piece of cardstock and patterned paper to the front of the holder. Embellish the holder if you wish. I added some orange mini brads, and a scrap of cardstock punched with the Martha Stewart Drippy Goo border punch.Line up the cellophane bag inside the holder. Punch holes through all the layers. I used a Crop-A-Dile to get through the cardstock and cellophane bag all at once.
Tie a ribbon through the holes, to hold everything together. Adhere your image to the front and you are finished. Here is a side view of the holder, so you can see it with the treats in place.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Sketch Challenge - Sept 20

Here is September 20th's Card Sketch. Here are the rules for your chance to win:

1) Create a card using Rubber Romance Stamps, based on the sketch above and post it on your blog
2) To be entered into the random drawing link your blog post (link to the actual post, not your entire blog) by using our Mr Linky below.
Deadline Sept 27th at midnight eastern.



Here is my take on the sketch:

Friday, September 18, 2009

Tutorial - Gift Holder - Earrings

Good morning everyone!! It's Wendy Chang here, and I'm excited to share with you a project to make a gift holder. I have a pair of earrings I made that I wanted to send to a friend for her birthday. Wanting to do something a little different for packaging, I modified a birthday card. I loved how it turned out, so I thought I'd share.

Stamp Jane with Bling Bling stamp with Memento ink onto Prism's Simply Smooth cardstock.

Color with copics (my favorite skin combo is E000, E00, and E11)


Pick copics to match with the colors of the paper you will be using for the project and finish coloring Jane in. This paper is My Minds Eye, Abbey Road.

[I mostly use double sided cardstock for my cards. I love the finished look it gives to the card].

Next, take your sheet of base cardstock, and cut it at 5.5", then cut it at 9" - You should have a 5.5x9" piece.

Next, score the card at 4.25" and 4.75." I used the groove of my fiskars cutter and a stylus. (One day I will get the scor-pal, but for now, this works)

Here you can see the score lines more closely (this is the backside of the paper I just scored)

Fold the scores. Take what is remaining of your cardstock and punch a tag. I had some die cuts from the same line, and this ribbon holder was perfect to hang the earrings... This is the inside of the project (and the gift).


Cut another piece of cardstock from your scraps from the main base cardstock, and emboss. This piece is approx. 3.5x4.75"


Adhere to front of card base.


Mat your Jane image, then use another scrap to give the image a base, with a equal mat around 3 sides, and about 1" on the bottom. Punch the bottom edge with a border punch. Wrap a ribbon around the bottom and adhere. Slip a smaller piece under the first ribbon and just tie a knot.


(as you can see, I used the cheater method to attach the ribbon in the back)

Doing it in the two step way leaves a nice flat knot

Cut a coordinating piece of cardstock to 2.5"x12". Score this piece at 4.25, 4.75 and 9.25"
Use a border punch on both sides


Fold and adhere where the ends meet. Now you've got a nice binder thingie to slip around your card.


Adhere Jane over the overlap in the paper

Then slip the entire wrapper around your card. Attach a sentiment.

To make sure that the wrapper fit, around the card easily, it is slightly loose. You need to anchor it on one side. I just wrapped a ribbon through a regular office binder clip.
Next, apply some stickles on the bling to make it pop



Voila! You are done...



enjoy! Thanks for stopping by.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Getting to know... Robin


It was always my dream to own my own business and that dream came true in 1997. I started Rubber Romance Stamps with my cousin Carlyn Hampton Causer with a few designs and allot of hope! We discovered there was a void for romantic, girly type designs. About 6 years ago I designed the first DIVA, Melanie, and the rest is history as they say! Carlyn left the company 2 years ago to join her husband in their family business. I continue to keep the Rubber Romance Style alive and fresh with my designs and new ideas from other artists as well. I would call my own style sophisticated with a bit of whimsy. I love to work with different color combinations and girly embellishments. I have a very talented daughter, Alexandra, who has started to design for the company as well. She hopes to be a fashion designer one day and I believe she will be if she can just put down that surf board! I love to stamp and I love beautiful things. With stamping you have the opportunity to create our own little "works of art". My stamping motto---"think outside the box". I am honored that you have taken a moment to visit our blog!

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Getting to know the Design Team - Stephanie J


Hi! I’m Stephanie Jake, and I’m so excited to be a part of the first Rubber Romance Design Team. I’ve always enjoyed crafting. In fact, my mom owned a small craft and candy store when I was younger which allowed me to explore many things from jewelry making to decorative painting. About 10 years ago, I was invited to a Stampin’ Up party. I fell in love with stamping at that moment! It was so great to create cards, but I mainly stuck to my Christmas cards until about 2 years ago when I came across Splitcoast Stampers. From that point, I’ve been hooked! Christmas cards are just the tip of the iceberg!! I really enjoy creating all types of projects from cards to gifts to altered items. I especially love the people I’ve met through the many online galleries/discussion boards I belong to and through blogging.
I live in western Pennsylvania, about 1 hour from Pittsburgh. I teach gifted students in grades K – 12, which I love and keeps me on my toes! I have a sweet & energetic cat (Coco – short for Coconut) who thinks the best hangout spot is on my craft table – ugh! Besides papercrafting, I love to shop (besides pattern paper, shoes may be my biggest weakness), cook & bake, watch reality TV, read, and tend to my flower garden. I’m very honored to be a part of the Rubber Romance team and delighted to be working with such talented ladies!

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Getting to know the Design Team - Julie D


I have been scrapping for over 12 years now. I love to scrapbook my family. I have been married to my best friend, Don, for 12 years. We have a 6 year old daughter named Sydnee and a 2 year old daughter, Shay. Of course I scrap the “big” moments, but I mainly just scrap those special everyday moments. My family is the main reason I scrap, and they are the main subjects of my layouts. I have had the honor of being published in Creating Keepsakes, PaperCrafts, CardMaker and Memory Makers. I am super excited to be working with the Rubber Romance Team!! Thanks for this amazing opportunity.

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Getting to know the Design Team - Sherry C


Hi! I’m Sherry and I am Mom to an 18 year old son (really!). I work in management for a regional trucking company and I live in Suffolk, Virginia just west of Virginia Beach. I started stamping in February 2006 when someone invited me to a workshop. Once I tried it I was addicted and haven’t stopped since. In addition to stamping I enjoy cooking, reading, going to the beach, shopping and spending time with my family, friends and my big and fluffy dog, Dixie. I am passionate about life and the ones I love. I have loved Rubber Romance stamps for some time now and I am excited to work with this team.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Getting to know the Design Team - Kathleen C


Hi everyone, I’m Kathy. I’m so excited to be a part of Rubber Romance’s first design team! I’ve been stamping for about 5 years and really love it. I started off as a scrapbooker and after attending a SU workshop I was hooked on stamping. I’ve been married for 8 years and am a stay at home mom to three little guys. They keep me hopping all day, but at night when everyone is sleeping, that is my free time. I hole up in my office and create! My crafting style is girly; I love sparkle, shine and bling. I especially love stamped images that can be colored. I am really looking forward to creating some fun projects with Rubber Romance stamps.