Friday, July 31, 2009

"Timeless Treasures" Tip Sheet

Timeless Treasures and all the new stamp sets from this month are now available from the Gina K Designs store. I wrote up a few tips to go with this new stamp set...

There is a new digital paper pack, from Emily Giovanni, designed specifically to go with Timeless Treasures. The gorgeous papers can be used on cards, scrapbook pages or 3D projects, and work beautifully with the Timeless Treasures stamp set.

Pull out your old family photos or old fashioned portraits to scrapbook, using the vintage images in this set.

Stamp one of the larger images in a light color as a background and one of the quotes on top in a darker color.

Pull out scraps of lace or paper doilies to embellish projects using the cameo stamp.

Use the stamps to decorate a shadow box and embellish with old keys, bits of lace and old coins.

Make cards for the grandparents in your life. Grandparents day is the first Sunday after Labor Day, September 13 this year

Use the images to decorate a wooden keepsake box. Use Crystal Lacquer on the clock faces, hourglass and cameo.

Make a vintage bookmark.

Use distress techniques and layer the images for a collage look. Cut out the keys and dangle them from metallic cord or ribbons.

Use some of the images to make themed gift wrap by stamping on butcher paper, or Kraft paper.

Emboss the images with metallic embossing powders for an elegant look.

Decorate picture frames for your vintage photos.

Stamp the images in brown ink for a aged look.

Stamp on aged looking parchment or old newspaper clippings.

Embellish with old fashioned buttons and broken costume jewelry & chains.

Create an aged background by crinkling your paper, then smooth it out and run an ink pad over it, or sponge over it.


This is a card I shared at the release party. I used the key and lock from Timeless Treasures, and some of Emily's new Timeless Treasures digital papers. The images were stamped with Memento ink, then colored with Copic Markers and cut out. I sponged the background for both the oval and sentiment panels.

The brads and little metal embellishments are from Making Memories and purchased from Michaels. For my layout, I used the sketch found on the current challenge at Our Creative Corner.

FYI - Keep your calendar clear for a special Timeless Treasures blog hop on Monday night 10pm central. I'll be announcing my new guest designer, and a bunch of the Senior Design Team and Center Stage Design Team, along with a few friends, will be sharing samples using Timeless Treasures. Be sure to stop by Monday night or Tuesday to see all the action and for a chance to win my new set!

Thanks for stopping by. Have a Happy Friday!

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Gina K Preview Day 4 - Tropical Windows

Hello and happy Thursday! Today I am previewing the "free with three" stamp set for this month, called, Tropical Windows. I love this new set! It has two beautiful, framed silhouettes that are perfectly proportioned to work with rectangle nestabilities. There are also several sentiments that can go in the small rectangle frame like in my sample above, or they are perfectly sized to be used with oval and round punches or dies. This set will be available, starting Thursday at 10pm central, for three when you purchase any other three stamp sets from Gina K Designs.

I made the main panel by sponging So Saffron, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose and Real Red. Then I stamped the image and used my rectangle nestabilities to cut it out. I layered with black, pink and rose colored cardstock and used Basic Grey Eva patterned paper.


For more projects made with Tropical Windows previewed today, be sure to check out our other Senior Design Team Member's Blogs:

Gina, Cindy, Cathy, Donna, Emily, Erika, Kurtis, Jessica, Joanne, Lee, Lynn, and Melanie,

and, our CenterStage Spotlight Design Team member, Sue Morris is joining in on our previews today, showing off a card she has made with the new Free with Three stamp set - Tropical Windows.

Don't forget to join us at our Release Party tonight over on SCS starting at 7pm CST. There will be contests, challenges, lots of chatter as well as a ton more samples shared by the Senior Design team members and our CenterStage Spotlight team too! You won't want to miss it!

Thanks for visiting. Have a great day!

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Gina K Preview Day 3 - StampTV Kit

Hi stampers! Today I am previewing the new StampTV Kit, Signs of Autumn. I love the colors of fall and always am drawn to them when I paint and color, so I in love with this kit!

It has two stamp sets, one a wonderful collection of images related to autumn, and the other contains a variety of expressions of gratitude, that can be used for nearly any occasion. The kit also contains a luscious collection of ribbons and fibers, gorgeous brads, an wonderful digital paper collection and TWO new cardstock colors, Green Apple and Pumpkin Spice (I used Pumpkin Spice for the cardbase in my card yesterday). I'm just giddy with excitement over these two new colors. Gina is posting a video at StampTV describing the Signs of Autumn kit, so hop on over for a closer look!

For more projects made with the stamps previewed today, be sure to check out our other Senior Design Team Member's Blogs:

Gina, Asela, Cathy, Cindy, Donna, Emily, Erika, Kurtis, Jessica, Joanne, Lee,
Lynn, and Melanie

Our CenterStage Spotlight Design Team member, Dawn Lusk is joining in our previews today showing a card today too. Remember to check out StampTV for the new video today - Gina will be showing a project made with the new Signs of Autumn StampTV kit!

Now, here are a few details about my card...

I stamped my sunflower image on Pure Luxury Ivory paper (from the kit), using Memento Tuxedo Black ink and then used Copic markers to color it. For this project, I decided to showcase colors found in the Copic Caio Box A collection. I started with YR07 just around the center of the flowers.

Next I added Y17 around the outer edges of the petals.

I used my blender pen and scrubbed in the center of the petals, allowing the color along the outside to bleed in somewhat, smoothing the transition from plain ivory paper to the yellow.

For the flower centers, I used E37 and Y17, leaving a small area uncolored.

Then I used my blender pen again to push the color to the uncolored area and soften the transistion. I came back with E37 to add a few more dark tones.

For the leaves, I first went over them with YG05, then added shadows with G05.

I used C3 to add some gray tones to the shadows, making them a little more olive in appearance. Then I used YG05 over the entire leaves to blend a bit.

Came in with my blender pen to push in some highlights.

I used my Versa Mark pen over the entire image and then heat embossed with clear embossing powder to do a little emboss resist sponging.

Next, I used oval Nestabilities to cut out the image. Then did some sponging with Certainly Celery ink while it was still in the die.

Sponged a little Old Olive ink.

For the left panel, I cut of strip of Pure Luxury Ivory and stamped the branch (from the kit) with Versa Mark. I knew I wanted the leaves to frame my oval image, so I placed it over the panel to act as a guide before stamping. After stamping the branch repeatedly, I heat embossed with clear embossing powder.

Then sponged with Certainly Celery and Old Olive inks again.


I assembled the card using Signs of Autumn designer paper, Green Apple cardstock, Chocolate Kiss cardstock, brads and ribbons, all found in the kit.

On the inside of my card, I stamped the flowers with yellow and then stamped the sentiment in black over the image. Added some more of the designer paper and backed with with more Green Apple.

Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you have a great day! Don't forget to join us tomorrow (Thursday) at 7-10 for our Release Party!

Monday, July 27, 2009

Gina K Preview Day 2 - Timeless Treasures

Hi Stampers! - it's day 2 of our Gina K Designs blog hop and today I am sharing a project made using my newest stamp set, Timeless Treasures, a collection of vintage inspired images. I used the clock, pocket watch and hourglass, all from the new set, on my card.

When I designed this set, I knew I had to ask Emily Giovanni to lend her uber talent and design some digital papers to go along with it. She came up with the most amazing collection of papers, also called Timeless Treasures and even put together and complimentary "free" set of digital papers that will be available at StampTV later this week. If you click on the photo above for a larger view, you will be able to see one of her gorgeous papers, which she added some of my stamp designs to.

In addition to Timeless Treasures, a new set from Rupa Shevde, called Are We There Yet? is being previewed, so for more projects made with the stamps previewed today, be sure to check out our other Senior Design Team Member's Blogs:
Gina, Asela, Cathy, Cindy, Donna, Emily, Erika, Kurtis, Jessica, Lee, Lynn, and Melanie

and, be sure to check out our CenterStage Spotlight Design Team member's blogs for a card, made with Timeless Treasures, by Shannon Bracken, and Brenda Turner has a card to show us, that she made with the fun Are We There Yet stamp set, too!

And now a few details about my card...

To create the background, I scribbled some YR14 ink from a Copic marker on my Scor Mat. Then I added a few little spots from YG95.

Next, I spritzed on some Copic blending solution over the marks I made earlier. I gave it just a moment for the blender solution to spread out a bit, then I placed a piece of white card stock on wet ink and smooshed down. I lifted and smooshed again until it looked like I had picked up most of the ink from my Scor Mat.

Then I let it dry before proceeding. You can speed that process up by heating it (carefully) with your heat tool or a blow dryer.

Next, I used Tim Holtz Vintage Photo Distress ink and my Alcohol Ink Applicator to apply the ink around the edges.

Next I used a Tim Holtz mini mask on the corner and applied just a bit more ink.

Here it is after removing the mask.

I stamped the pocket watch and hour glass using Creamy Caramel ink, in opposite corners. Then I stamped the sentiment in the center.

I colored the clock with Copics and then cut it out. (C1, C3, E31 and N5)

I layered my main panel with Chocolate Kiss (GKD), one of Emily's new Timeless digital papers, more Chocolate Kiss and placed it on a Pumpkin Spice card base. The spinner is from a Tim Holtz embellishment pack.

I have several more samples, using Timeless Treasures, that I will share at the Gina K release party on Thursday (7-10 central). I hope you can come. We have a lot of exciting things in the works, so stay tuned!

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day!!!

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Gina K Preview Day 1 - Shoot for the Moon



Hi, and welcome to day one of the Gina K Designs previews! Today, the design team is showing projects using two fabulous new stamps sets, Inspiration Mosaic by Melanie Muenchinger and Elegant Post by Nina Brackett.

I am sharing a project using Inspiration Mosaic. This set contains an amazing mosaic background stamp, along with a variety of sentiments and geometric shapes. For my sample today, I just used images from this stamp set, to show how wonderful it is all by itself, but I think the most exciting thing about the large background stamp is how well it will combine with nearly any other stamp set in your collection. I think it will breathe new life into some of my older stamps that haven't seen ink in a while. There are so many options - popping up the two center panels, stamping on DP, paper piecing, windows and flaps, layers or single layer and, can you imagine all the fun techniques that will go along with this stamp?

I have some additional details about my card below, but for more projects made with the stamps previewed today, be sure to check out our other Senior Design Team Member's Blogs:
Gina, Cathy, Donna, Emily, Erika, Kurtis, Jessica, Lee, Lynn, and Melanie,

and, don't forget to check out our CenterStage Spotlight girls joining us in Previews today: Sue Walsh is showing an Elegant Post card today and JenMarie Taylor has a card made with the new Inspiration Mosaic stamp set.

And now a few details...

I started by stamping my image on a piece of Pure Luxury White paper, using Stazon Black in, then heat embossed. I knew I wanted to sponge over the image and embossing the image, prevents the black ink from smearing.

Next, I masked off the surrounding area from one of the panels, using post-it notes, and sponged using Bashful Blue ink.

Then I used one of the geometric shapes and stamped in a random pattern. I then did the same for the remainder of the blue panels.

Next, I did the yellow sections in the same manner, using So Saffron ink. Then stamped another of the geometric shapes. After doing the yellow, I repeated the same process with the remaining sections, using Lavender Lace ink and another geometric shape.

I stamped the sentiments in the two main image panels and added some piercing under them. Then I trimmed the image, added some brads and layered with Pure Luxury Black cardstock. the card base is Bashful Blue (SU).

Tomorrow, I will be sharing a project using my new stamp set, followed by two more days of previews, before the big party on Thursday in the Gina K forums at SCS.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day!

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Boots

Sorry to blow you away with the exciting awesomeness of my post title! LOL. Do you struggle to come up with something interesting for the title, or am I the only one? Cammie had a great one once, called "How Do You Like Them Hooters," for an owl card. Isn't that too funny?

Anyway, here is a card I made several weeks ago, that I deemed not blog worthy, but here I am working on a bunch of stuff that I can't show you yet (new release coming soon!), so I pulled it out of the reject pile. Apparently, this card isn't even title worthy!


There is one very cool thing about this card. It's just two layers! Yep, all the top "layers" are digital papers that I layered in Photoshop. I printed it out and then stamped the boots from Out West in the circle.

The boots were colored with Copics. I used E37, E35, YR14 and my blender pen on the lower section.

I used E57 and E55 on the top part of the boots.

Used the my Cocoa Memento marker to go over the stitching on the boots, then heat embossed with clear embossing powder.


Then I did just a little bit of sponging in that circle area, with Creamy Caramel ink.



I added some brads and a "lasso," then slapped the single layer on a Pure Luxury Soft Sand(GKD) card base. Easy peasy!

Have you been seeing the snippets on Gina's blog for our next release? It's been so much fun reading all the guesses. I'll give you a hint about my set... It has nothing to do with camping! This set is quite a bit different from my previous two and I am really excited about it.

Previews for the new Gina K release start Monday, with the release party on Thursday. And then the following week there will more fun! More on that later....

Tomorrow is my last Flourishes Limelight post. I hope you'll check it out.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a fun weekend!

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Scrappy Camper

Good morning! This is the last week with Deb Neerman. She has posted two projects for you to see, one yesterday and one today. Hop on over and be sure to read til the end of the post. It's too funny! It's been so fun seeing all her wonderful projects these past four weeks. Thank you so much, Deb!

Today I am subjecting you to another scrapbook page using Happy Camper. I'm trying to get better at scrapbooking and have set myself a goal of a page a week. This page also works with Jessica's scrapbooking challenge at StampTV to scrap summer photos.

Here are a few photos...

On the right bottom corner, I stamped the mountain scene from Happy Camper, using Versa Mark, on Pure Luxury Ivory paper. Then I heat embossed with clear embossing powder.

Sponged around all the edges using So Saffron, Creamy Caramel and Choclate Chip. The embossing resisted the ink, leaving a subtle mountain scene.

I also used the sign from Happy Camper, and colored it with Copics, E57, E35, E33, E31 and my colorless blender. I used a black marker to write "Yosemite Park - Sept 1998," which was the full extent of my journaling on this page. I am a horrible journaler. I'll try to do better next time.

In the lower left corner, I stamped some trees from Tree Silhouettes, using Creamy Caramel. I stamped twice before re-inking to get a few ghost impressions in the background.

In the upper corners, I stamped the branch from Winter Foliage. I used Bravo Burgundy (SU) cardstock to matte my photos and the back of the page.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a fun, stampy day!

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Wonderful Butterfly

Hello! This card was for the Featured Stamper challenge at SCS the other day. I chose this card for my inspiration. The challenge is to case and change at least two things. I changed...

Different stamps
Different Layout
Added sponging

I used three different stamp sets from Gina K Designs, Many Wishes, Take Flight and Tropical Flowers. I accidentally deleted most of the photos for this one (oops!), but here are a few...

First I cut a rectangle using my Nestabilities and sponged with Old Olive ink while it was still in the die, leaving a narrow white border. Then I placed post-its around the edges to mask off the border before stamping my flowers.

I used Copics to color the butterfly. (Y23, E35, E37, YG93 and YG95)

I layered with Pure Luxury Black Onyx and Soft Sand, and SU Old Olive.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope your day is wonderful!