Clearly iStamp: May 2010

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May 2010

May 10, 2010

May Clear Dollar Stamps Featured Friend

It's time again to feature a stamping friend whom we have found in blog world using Clear Dollar Stamps!

For the May Featured Friend, we would like to introduce you to

We found Brandi when she posted some of her CDS work in her SCS gallery and when she participated in the Clearly i Stamp blog challenge.

We asked Brandi a few things about herself and here is what she told us:

How and when did you discover stamping?
My mother-in-law, Donna, is a stamper and got me started in 2003. She bought me my first stamp set and set of ink. My husband and I moved a lot after that, and I didn't really stamp for quite a while because everything was always packed away. I started getting my stamping supplies back out and seriously started stamping in 2007.
How would you describe your stamping style? I am definitely a clean and simple stamper. I love lots of white space with clean lines and layouts. I collect ribbon, so I rarely make a card without it. I have noticed that I tend to use a lot of neutrals (especially brown) when I create a card, so I am trying to break out of my rut and use some color!
When did you discover Clear Dollar Stamps? I found out about Clear Dollar Stamps from a discussion on Splitcoast Stampers. There was a discussion about everyone's favorite stamp companies and I saw Clear Dollar Stamps mentioned more than once. I clicked on the link and checked it out, and it wasn't long until I placed my first order.
What do you like best about Clear Dollar Stamps? I love the variety of images available at Clear Dollar Stamps. I find something fresh and interesting just about every time I browse the store. Also, the stamps are great quality at a great price, and you can't beat that! Before ordering from Clear Dollar Stamps, I hadn't really used anything other than rubber. I can't tell you how pleasantly surprised I was to find out how well the stamps from Clear Dollar Stamps stamped!
Do you have any other hobbies other than stamping? For the most part, my only hobby is stamping. I do occasionally pick up some cross-stitching, but not often. I volunteer in my free time with a local animal rescue group, and I have 3 dogs and 5 cats, so my husband always jokes that the animals are my hobby.

And now for some examples of Brandi's beautiful work with Clear Dollar Stamps!

Featuring Bitty Botanicals

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Featuring Monster Mash

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Featuring Rock On

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Featuring The Grind

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We are so thrilled to have Brandi with us this month! She does a beautiful job with her CDS stamps! Make sure to visit her Split Coast Stampers gallery to see more of her wonderful creations!

Hope your day is filled with blessings and stamping galore!

Posted at 07:00 AM in CDS Featured Friend | Permalink | Comments (4)

May 07, 2010

Clearly Inspired Challenge #13 (CIC13) - April Showers Bring May Flowers

Welcome friends! Its Katie here to welcome you to the 13th Clearly Inspired Challenge. Before we get going I wanted to share a bit of change to the challenge. It allows your more time and it also means a BIGGER PRIZE.

Don't worry, we'll keep reminding you and of course this will give you time to enter multiple times which of course means a better chance of winning :)

With that... remember I said that there is going to be a bigger prize?

The prize is going to be your choice of the CHALLENGE MONTH'S New Release STAMP SETS or the following MONTH'S RELEASES.

That is one each of all the stamp sets released on the 1st of the month. It will be your choice whether it be May's releases or June's releases... talk about the agony of decision making.

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May's Challenge theme is all about the FLOWER. April brought us showers so it is up to us to bring those flowers.

Use a floral stamp, a floral background, floral embellishments, a card shaped like a flower... use your imagination.

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Here are the basic details for our challenges, they are sweet and simple and

one of you will definitely go away with a prize.

These challenges will occur the 1st Friday of the Month
You have until the following 1st Friday of the next month to link your project using Mr. Linky (below)
Challenges will vary each and every time
Your work is important so there will be 5 Inspirational Cards/Projects chosen to be featured here.
Use CDstamps if you have them... IF NOT PLEASE PLAY ANYWAY... use what you have!
We even have a Free Digital Image for you to use as well. Click HERE with full instructions and a tutorial on how to use it.
A PRIZE will be awarded to a randomly chosen winner of an entire set of New Release Stamps.
If you upload to Splitcoast Stampers or another online gallery please use CIC13 as one of your keywords

This Challenge will close on June 3rd and winner announced on June 4th along with the new challenge post.

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And finally, to get you in the spirit of things check out some of our fabulous DT members' creations. As always, I'm so impressed with their ideas.

Linda Anderson - featuring Pansy Stamp Set

Joan Ervin featuring Air Flair

Tracy Johnson

Tricia Traxler featuring Plumes and Blooms, Pretty Little Scriptures, Jesus Paid it All

Gloria Dojlido - featuring Peony

Laurie Wilson - featuring Flower Trio

Rebecca Ednie - featuring Horse Poetry

Cassie Trask - featuring Bold Bouquet

Lisa Lara featuring May Flower of the Month

Please use the Mr. Linky below. All I ask is that you post on your blog that you are playing along with Clearly Inspired Challenges sponsored by Clear Dollar Stamps and provide a DIRECT link to your new card and/or project! You have until June 3rd to join the fun and get a chance to win an entire set of New Release Stamps!!! Can't wait to see your cards/projects.

Posted at 08:00 AM in CIC | Permalink | Comments (30)

May 04, 2010

Happy Mother's Day Jewelry Box

Welcome to another Tuesday Tutorial. Its Katie here wishing and hoping that you are having a fabulous week so far. Today, I've got a super cute project for you to make for yourself (hubby and kids could fill it for you) or for your own Mom or for your friends/family members who are Moms. We are a large group out there (lol).

Be fore warned though, there are lots and lots of pictures for today's tutorial, but in all honesty this is not a difficult project at all. What I love about it is that there are so many options to create such different looks by changing colors of cardstock, inks, and stamps!

Ok, so here we go. I've got a general picture of most of the tools you will need, but as always there are tools that you can swap out or that you might not even need.

You will want to create your drawers first. You will need 3 pieces of cardstock measuring 6"x6"

To create one drawer, you will want to score your piece at 3/4" and 1 1/2" on all 4 sides. This is the way I accomplish this with the Scor-pal.

Line the left edge of cardstock with the 1/4" mark on the Scor-pal and create your score mark at the 1" mark.

Next, move your entire sheet of cardstock so that it butts up next to the left edge and score at the 1 1/2" mark.

After all 4 sides are done, fold on all your score marks and your cardstock will look like this. I've marked where you will cut and what pieces will be discarded.

I flubbed a bit and rotated my cardstock when I took the picture, but the cuts are correct.

After I have cut away the excess pieces, I always snip my edges. This allows for a much easier fit.

Here is a photo of one corner that has been snipped compared to the corner that hasn't. It is really well worth the extra bit of time.

Once all the corners are cut and snipped its time to fold in the sides. Apply adhesive to the four outside flaps.

Its important at this point to make sure that you fold the sides that have the tabs attached FIRST.

Lift up the sides with tabs and turn tabs inward.

Fold the other two sides up and over the flaps.

Repeat 2 more times...

Now for the drawer wraps. You will need 3 pieces of cardstock measuring 3" x 8 1/2"

Score at 2 1/2", 3 1/4", 6 1/4" and 7" .... you can still score using the Scor-pal using the same method that I used to score the drawers or you can just measure and mark with a ruler.

Now just fold over the drawer and attach at bottom.

Repeat 2 more times.

The next step is to attach the 3 drawers together. I used Scor-tape... just keep in mind which layer you are taping.

I found that the easiest way to keep things even and aligned was to layer them sideways on your surface.

Now its time to decorate. Since this box can't be sturdy enough... layer, layer, layer.

I grabbed a piece of Tickled Pink and cut it to 2 1/2" x 9 1/4"

Score this piece so that your middle section measures 3"... I opted to go with the extra 1/4" on the measurement because it wraps around the box and takes up that extra little bit when wrapping.

I chose to random stamp my background using the set called Damask Designer with 2 different shades of pink ink.

Flip over and apply adhesive - ONLY ON THE 2 OUTER SECTIONS.

Then wrap around the drawers.

Then I decided that I wanted to have the drawer fronts match as well, so I cut 3 pieces of the Tickled Pink cardstock measuring 3" x 3/4".

This filigree stamp fit perfectly, but to get them aligned on my stamp block correctly, I placed the 2 images onto my cardstock first.

Then set your acrylic block on top of the stamps.

Lift up and remove cardstock. Then just ink and stamp. Then attach to front of drawers.

When I thought of this box, I knew that I wanted the Nestability Labels One as my top and bottom. I used the largest die to cut the foundation piece.

I then used the 2nd largest die to create the inner layer.

Using the same set that I used for the drawer fronts, I stamped the top of what will be my box top.

One top and one bottom.

Now in order to make it easier to evenly place the top on the drawers, flip it all over and make a light mark. This will guide you.

Add your adhesive. Because the top will sag a bit, take the drawers out and insert your fingers to make sure that the top is attached to the your set of drawers, same with the bottom layer.

Repeat for your bottom, but I didn't have to make a mark because the second white layer (Labels One) allowed for easier placement.

Now to create the handles for your drawer. I found these awesome embellishments from Tim Holtz called Hitch Fasteners. They actually screw together and they are very round and stick out.

If you don't have these, you can always use brads, double up on buttons, if you have plastic jewels, etc. Anything that will stick out. I would also suggest using a glue gun too. Here is a box lid that I created a handle for using a button with a shank and a glue gun.

You will need to use a hole punch and punch a hole in the center of each drawer front then just attach the fasteners.

Here is your almost finished box.

Add a few more embellishments or you could add monogram letters or whatever your heart desires. Fill up those drawers with any sort of fun treat or trinket.

I hope you enjoyed and get a chance to make your own. Thank you for hanging out here at Clearly iStamp and have a wonderful Tuesday.

We've got another challenge coming up this Friday so make sure to come on back!

Posted at 06:00 AM in Gift Ideas, Tutorials | Permalink | Comments (28)

May 01, 2010

Spring Whispers Clearly Coordinating Collection is here!

Hello Everyone!

Today is the big shopping therapy day! Time to collect some of the items you have been drooling over the last three days!

May is the month for Spring Whispers! Take a look:

The first row is the ribbons, the second is the Tombow markers, and the third is our Clearly Coordinating cardstock!

As you can see, we are still looking for a solid Peach Taffy ribbon, but we are certain we will find one soon! In the mean time, we have found a Peach Taffy and Lemon Zest combo ribbon....so pretty!

Spring Whispers Tombow Marker Set

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Take a look at some samples with our new cardstocks and ribbons!

Peach Taffy and Soft Mint Cardstock and Ribbons

Created by Cassie Trask

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Cotton Candy and Pineapple Twist

Created by Lori McCroskey

What happens when you can't find paper in the colors or pattern you want? You make your own!

I did just that with my Tombow markers Cotton Candy Tombow 623, Pineapple Twist Tombow 20, and some watercolor cardstock! Here is how I did this:

Step one: Draw lines on your watercolor paper with your Cotton Candy Tombow with ruler. I started with a line from corner to corner and worked out from the center drawing my lines 1 inch a part.

Step 2: Take your water brush or paint brush and watercolor your line. I didn't want anything precise, I just wanted a sketchy line.

Step 3: Color circles of Pineapple Twist Tombow marker in the center of your squares.

Step 4: Take your water brush and watercolor your circles to look sketchy as shown.

NOW WASN'T THAT EASY-SHMEEZY (as my youngest daughter always says)?

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Complete recipe for Butterfly Bunny Mother's day card:

Clear Dollar Stamps: Butterfly Bunny and Happy Mother's Day

Cardstock: Clearly Coordinating Pineapple Twist, Cotton Candy, and Water color Cardstock

Markers: Tombow markers Cotton Candy Tombow 623, Pineapple Twist Tombow 20, Worn Parchment Tombow 992, Sweet Cheeks Tombow 772, Waterbrush by Yasutomo - Medium

Ribbon: Pineapple Twist and Cotton Candy

Tools: Spellbinders - Ribbon Tags Trio, Nestabilities - Classic Scallop Oval Large, Nestabilities - Classic Ovals Large

Other: Versamark embossing pad, black embossing powder, foam dimensional dots

To see all of the items that are in the Clearly Coordinating collection go here!

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Lemon Zest and Lime Juice (Summer Fun collection)

Created by Lori McCroskey

This background I created by printing of my circle background paper (see below) and coloring the circles in to match.

Complete recipe:

Clear Dollar Stamps: Pond Pals Clear Acrylic Stamps

Cardstock: Clearly Coordinating Lemon Zest, Lime Juice, and Cottonball White

Markers: Copic markers Lemon Zest , Lime Juice

Ribbon: Lemon Zest/Lime juice sheer 5/8 inch

Tools: Marvy Scalloped Circle Punches

Other: Memento Dye Ink Pad - Tuxedo Black

I've created this background paper for you to print for yourself and color in! It is set up to print on a 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of cardstock and all you have to do is color it to match your project!

If you are using your:

Tombow markers print it on the Pure Silk Water Color Lightweight cardstock,

Copic markers print it on Neenah Solar White cardstock

Download for FREE!

Download CircleBackground

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Peach Taffy, Budding Lilac, and Soft Mint

Created by Lori McCroskey

This background I created by embossing the stamp pattern on watercolor paper. The stamp is Tender Heart Swirls. I then colored in the areas with my tombow markers and watercolored. I wasn't careful so as to create the variation and water lines on the background of lavendar (budding lilac). This took about 10 minutes...not very long!

Clear Dollar Stamps: Oliver Ostrich Clear Acrylic Stamp, It's been a long time Clear Acrylic Stamp,

Tender Heart Swirls Stamp

Cardstock: Clearly Coordinating Cardstock Peach Taffy, Budding Lilac, Water color Cardstock

Markers: Tombow markers Peach Taffy, Budding Lilac, Soft Mint, Lemon Zest (beak), Smoke Stack

Ribbon: Budding Lilac 3/8 inch satin

Tools: Marvy Scalloped Circle Punches, Nestabilities - Labels Four

Other: Versamark embossing pad, black embossing powder, foam dimensional dots

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Billowing Clouds and Cottonball White