Ink It Up! with Jessica Taylor

Think You're Not Creative?

Before I was introduced to rubber stamping and card making, I did not consider myself to be creative. What makes someone creative? To me being creative means making something beautiful or more useful. I can be creative by making a beautiful card or figuring out a new way to use something I already have.

Reasons to Live Creatively

• Creativity makes us happy!
• Creativity makes us healthy.
• The more we use our creativity, the more creative we will be. 

How to Live Creatively

• Make it a Priority
• Keep a Creativity Journal

 

Ready to get started on your own creativity journal?

Click here to read the "rules"and get started on your Creative Challenges.

Framelit Fun Fold Card

I am just so stickin' excited about this card!  Awhile ago I did a video on how to make a fun fold card with the Movers & Shapers die.  Cool, but you have to have the Movers & Shapers die to make it.  This card can be made with any shape framelit die that you have!

 

Watch the video below to see how I made this card.

 

Supplies Used:

Upsy Daisy stamp set	Fabulous Phrases stamp set	Wisteria Wonder Classic Stampin Pad	Concord Crush Classic Stampin Pad	Whisper White 8-1/2"x11" Card Stock
Wisteria Wonder 8-1/2 X 11 Card Stock	Concord Crush 8-1/2X11 Card Stock	Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	Labels Collection Framelits Dies	Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder Die
Wisteria Wonder 3/8 Inch Ruffled Ribbon	Stamping Sponges	Snail Adhesive	Bone Folder

InLinkz.com

Sweet Shop Birthday Card

Yesterday I shared about how I taught my daughter Rachel how to make a card that looks good.  Of course her younger sister had to get in on the stamping too.  Here's the card that Emily made:

She's been eyeing up my Sweet Shop Designer Stickers ever since I got them, so she chose to use an ice cream cone as her main image.  I did help her put the pieces together, but she picked the colors and ribbon by herself.  Pretty good for a 5 year old!

Supplies Used:

Sweet Shop Designer Stickers	Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	Labels Collection Framelits Dies	Whisper White 8-1/2"x11" Card Stock	Pink Pirouette 8-1/2"x11" Card Stock
Cheerful Treat Designer Series Paper	Melon Mambo 1/2" Scallop Dots Ribbon	Snail Adhesive	Stampin' Dimensionals

InLinkz.com

 

How to Make a Card that Looks Good...

This weekend Rachel, my 7 year old, asked me if I would teach her how to make a card.  I told her that she already knew how to make cards - she makes them all the time!  She responded that she wanted to learn how to make cards that look good, like mine.  How nice that she thinks my cards look good and that I can teach her something!

I had her pick a card that she liked and said I would teach her how to make it.  The card she chose was this Cherry card from my March Virtual Stamp Club Class.

To begin, I had her pick a main image.  She chose to use the watermelon stamp from the Mouthwatering stamp set with Calypso Coral and Lucky Limeade markers.

From there I had her pick the colors of card stock she wanted to use, the design she wanted on her designer series paper, and the color of ribbon.

Next I showed her how to cut her card stock, use the Big Shot to cut out her label and put it all together.

Here is Rachel's finished card:

I think she did a great job!  A couple of things that make it easier to make nice looking cards are knowing what size to cut your card stock and following the design of a card that you like.

You might not be able to stamp with me in person like my daughter, but Video makes it possible for you to watch me make this card. 

If you'd like to watch the video, print directions that include measurements and make your cards look better, join my Virtual Stamp Club.

 

 

Vintage Wallpaper Dream Card

Yes, I am still alive!  I've had a crazy busy week with spotty internet access and just haven't found the time to blog.  Yesterday I had a friend over to stamp and this is one of the cards we made.  The Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder was our most used tool of the day!

Lots of texture on this card!

The Rich Razzleberry flower is from the Blossom Builders Designer Printed Kit. I never would have bought this kit, but it was given to me and I love it!  It's got pre-printed flowers in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors that you can just punch-out and quickly use.  Gotta love time savers like that!

Supplies Used:

Blossom Builders Designer Printed Kit	Loving Thoughts stamp set	Rich Razzleberry Classic Stampin' Pad	So Saffron Classic Stampin' Pad	Rich Razzleberry 8-1/2"x11" card stock
So Saffron 8-1/2"x11" card stock	12X12 Textured Card Stock - Brights Collection	Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	Blossom Party Die	Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Embossing Folder
Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder	Stamping Sponges	Designer Buttons - Brights Collection	Mini Glue Dots	Snail Adhesive

InLinkz.com

Birthday Wishes Card

This is one of those cards where I was just playing around with a couple of techniques. 

I love how the embossed butterflies turned out.  I stamped the butterflies in VersaMark ink, added clear emboss powder and heated.  They just seem to delicately fly off the card.  Beautiful!

The oval was embossed with the Designer Oval Frame Folder and the Big Shot.  After embossing, I tore the edges and sponged both the edges and the raised dots with Crumb Cake ink.

The butterfly is from the Elementary Elegance stamp set.  You can't buy it, but you can get it for free during Sale-a-Bration (until March 31). 

With every $50 purchase, you can select a free product.  Stamp sets, Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Paper (used on this card!) or even the Designer Frame Embossing Folders can all be selected as your free Sale-a-Bration gift with your $50 purchase through the end of March.  Shop Now!

Supplies Used:

Bring on the Cake stamp set	Poppy Parade Classic Stampin' Pad	Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pad	VersaMark Pad	Very Vanilla 8-1/2"x11" Card Stock
Poppy Parade 8-1/2"x11" Card Stock	Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	Designer Frames Textured Impressions Embossing Folders	Stamping Sponges	Extra-Large Oval Punch
Heat Tool	Clear Emboss Powder	Snail Adhesive	Stampin' Dimensionals	Bone Folder

InLinkz.com

3-D Flower Happy Birthday Card

Just when it was starting to feel like spring, we got snow dumped on us last night.  It is a beautiful snow though and the girls are enjoying sledding this morning since there is no school today. 

I'm ready to move my card making to spring though, so here's a fun card made with the Spring Fever Simply Scrappin' Kit.

Supplies Used:

Stamps: Bring on the Cake stamp set (121899 Wood or 121958 Clear)

Ink: Pear Pizzazz (119784), Melon Mambo (115656) and Basic Gray (109120) Classic Stampin' Pads

Paper: Spring Fever Simply Scrappin' Kit (124006)

Accessories: Big Shot (113439), Flower Folds die (115970), Lucky Limeade Baker's Twine (125572), Brights Designer Buttons (119747), Bone Folder (102300), Stamping Sponges (101610), SNAIL adhesive (104332), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), Mini Glue Dots (103683)

 

Don't you just love the 3-D look of the flower?  I used a bone folder to curl the petals and sponged Melon Mambo ink onto the edges to give the flower more dimension. 

Want to learn more about the Sponging Technique?  To learn this technique and others, take my free eCourse: 5 Stamping Techniques Every Card Maker Should Know.

 

Build-a-Bear Workshop Die Cuts with Costumes!

I was going through my Leadership pictures for ideas and came across these cutie-patooties. 

They were all made using the Build-A-Bear Workshop Bear Die by Stampin' Up!

Seriously, how cute are these?  Here's a few close-ups of my favorites...

Lots of them also use the Beary Essentials Die along with other punches, stamps and embellishments.

Want to make your own Build-a-Bear cards?  Check out Stampin' Up!'s Build-a-Bear workshop dies and stamps.

Big Shot Framelits Tip

This was my favorite tip from the Stampin' Up! Leadership Conference last week.  It was one of those "Why didn't I think of that?" moments.

Put down your card stock with the stamped image on it.  Place your framelit die on top and then use a Post-It note to hold the framelit in place!

Viola!  Perfect cut!

How pretty is that?  It's an image from the Apothecary Art stamp set cut out with one of the Labels Collection Framelit dies.  Guess what's on my wish list now?

 

Elegant Anniversary Card

When I started this card, I had a totally different plan for it.  But, I stopped right here because it was just elegant in it's simplicity.

Colors are Cherry Cobbler and Very Vanilla. 

I chose the Happy Anniversary greeting because it was the most elegant scripted one that I had, but you could certainly use any greeting for any occasion.

The Textured Impressions Embossing Folders are the quickest and easiest way to make elegant cards.  If you don't have the Big Shot yet, it would make a perfect Christmas gift for you!