Fun Friday with Your Next Stamp! Celebrations :)

Hi Guys,

This months Your Next Stamps Fun Friday's theme is celebrations! I created the following card using Tags Galore (Stamp and Die).

My layout is Mojo 225. 

I outlined the stamped writing with my Grey and Red Glitter Spica Pens. I can't seem to leave stamp writing just 'plain' lol. 

The beautiful lace ribbon and dots ribbon are both from Really Reasonable ribbon. Probably one of the smartest monthly clubs I have ever joined.

Please take a few moments and come visit us at the YNS SCS Fun Friday Forum and check out all the Fun Friday Celebration projects from this month!

Also, please take note: Due to some crazy life situations (work and an eye surgery) I will be taking a slight break from stamping :( I've shed a few tears over this - trust me, but I will be back soon as I am able!!!

Thank you to all of you for the wonderful support and comments!

Fun Friday with Your Next Stamp!!!

Hi Guys,

Today is another Fun Friday with Your Next Stamp. This months theme is Birthdays and Celebrations! 

For my card today I used Yippee Fhiona. 

This is the perfect card for celebrating any kind of accomplishment :)

I wanted it to be as bright as possible - this is blinding, but I love it lol. Bright orange is one of my favorite colors to work with.

Don't forget to visit us over at the YNS SCS Fun Friday thread to check out all the Celebration Fun Friday projects for today. 

Also, we have a great new look over at the YNS website. Make sure to check it out if you get a chance.

Thanks for visiting :)

Your Next Stamp Christmas in July!

Hi guys,

Just a reminder to hop on over to SCS and check out The Your Next Stamp Christmas in July thread. You can see all the cards that the Your Next Stamp Design team created for the Month of July. 

Stay tuned, we have a fun theme coming up for August as well!

Fun Friday - Christmas in July

Hi guys,

This weeks YNS Fun Friday is celebrating Christmas in July. I used our Holiday Snow Globe set that was released Christmas 2011. I also used our Light Up the Holidays Die, that was from that same release.

I love making Christmas cards early. I used some Polar White Flower Soft for snow inside the globe. I added one of my famous (lol) Bottle Caps. These are so fun to make, so many options with a bottle cap!i purchased the bottle caps at Hobby Lobby Craft Supply. My paper I purchased at Hobby Lobby The Paper Company's Four Season Stack.

My favorite part of the card was adding the Martha Stewart Drippy Goo Punch with Velium Paper to make icicles on my string of lights.

Also, make sure you visit us at SCS on The YNS Fun Friday Xmas Thread to see all the Christmas in July cards that were made by the DT for this month!

Thanks for Visiting :)

Fun Friday YNS - Slotted Buttons

Hi everyone :) Here is the card I created for Fun Friday with Your Next Stamp  to celebrate the upcoming 4th of July :) 

I used the Ellie Loves Butterflys stamp, but I altered her a little bit for the 4th of July.

TIP FOR TODAY: Use Slotted Buttons

These things are great to use because they are very easy to thread thinner ribbon through. I love using slotted buttons on my project whenever I can.

Thank You for visiting and I hope everyone has a Happy and Safe 4th of July.

Fun Friday YNS - Handmade Reptile Textured Cardstock

Today is Fun Friday with Your Next Stamp. I created my card using Fhiona's Pet Turtle. 

I used Mojo Monday 242 for the sketch.

I also incorporated some felt clouds using our Puffy Cloud Die. The textured reptile paper I created myself in both brown and green.  If your interested in creating your own, look below.  I put together a video tutorial with step by step instructions. 

You get really cool shiny reptile skin :) 

So fun to make :) 

On a side note (and a freaky coincidence lol), as I was doing my blog post Kelly called me out to the yard and asked me to bring my camera. Lo and behold look what was creeping around my yard, a snapping turtle lol! 

It's been so hot here, we are in the start of a heatwave going into this weekend. As you can see he's very DRY! So since Kelly was watering flowers he decided to give him a bath to cool him off some. He seemed to have enjoyed it!

I never seen one in my yard before, so I just had to post these here since they are a perfect match for my card today :) 

Thanks for visiting! 

Fun Friday YNS - Glossy Accents

My tip for today is to not forget about your Glossy Accents! Glossy Accents is the perfect add on to any card that has liquids, drinks, water etc...

 

 

 

I used Rainy Day Fhiona for my card.  

The puddle at her feet I drew in (it's not part of the original stamp). I then  added the Glossy Accents to really make it stand out.  Adding a water puddle to your stamping is so fun!

 

Thanks for visiting and don't forget to use that Glossy Accents if you have it.

Fun Friday YNS - Think Outside the Box

Today is another Fun Friday with Your Next Stamp!

Today my tip is to think outside of the box (or maybe on the box ? lol) and use laminating for your projects. I purchased my laminating machine at Walmart for 25$ and I love it. I can now expand my horizons and create things that can be for outdoor use. Laminating protects your images and projects, and allows them to stand up to the weather. 

I purchased this awesome birdhouse at Lowes last week for $9. It's made of 100% cedar and very well built.  I'm an avid backyard bird watcher and I have many birdhouses. My 8 acre yard is a certified Wildlife Habitat registered with the National Wildlife Federation, so I encourage the birds to stay permanently once they visit. Each year I add new items to my yard, and this is a new addition for this spring. Of course I had to spruce it up a bit lol.

I left the front plain. I felt adding to the front may discourage the birds from setting up house there if they smelt something with a plastic covering, so I decorated the back instead. This will be hanging in a tree so the back will be very visible as well. 

Here is the now newly decorated back. I figured if I 'welcomed' the birds, maybe I would get lucky and someone will set up house in it this spring. I'm hoping the birds can read :)

   I used the Fhiona's Pet Bird for this. This was so fun to make!  We also have several other BIRD STAMPS that could be used as well or for similar projects. My new birdhouse looks awesome hanging in a tree.

Don't forget, think outside the box and utilize laminating to weather proof your projects! My birdhouse sustained a serious rain storm the other night, and looked fine when I inspected it the next day.

BONUS PIC: 

A very cute female Downy Woodpecker visiting one of my Suet Feeders.

Thanks for visiting.

Fun Friday YNS - Making Chipboard Buttons

It's another fabulous Fun Friday with Your Next Stamp.

(click images below to enlarge and get a closer look)

For today's card I used the new Dress Up Fhiona Stamp and Die set. This set is amazing and so fun to use. I love doing cards that have bee's, so I was thrilled when I realized this set allows you to create a bee. 

I used my Cricut Expressions and Critters Cartridge to create the Bee Hive. How cute is that - eppp!!! I also used Stickles for the wings and rhinestones for the antenna. I incorporated cork board for my background. I love using this medium on card making. It has such an awesome natural look.

My sentiment is computer generated. I used Boston Traffic font, which I downloaded for free online. Just Google 'Free Fonts' and there are several sites that offer free font options you can add to Word. The options are endless.

I added my sentiment on a piece of Vellum (remember that stuff lol). I always struggled with how to use Vellum best, and I love it for sentiment flags. This way you can still see threw it and not disturb the integrity of the desogn on your card. 

I did not have a black button for my project, so I created this one with chipboard. 

SCROLL DOWN to see my Tutorial on how this is done.

 

Making a Button from Chipboard Tutorial

(you can click on any picture to enlarge it)

Step 1:  Take any existing piece of chipboard regardless of the size. Choose any size and shape nestibility that you want your button to be and place it cutting side down. I had a larger round piece of chipboard, (which was too big for a button), and I chose the smallest size nestibility circle. Tape down your die which helps to hold the die in place, so when you run it through your Die Cutting machine, it will not slip and move on you.

STEP 1

 STEP 2:  Most Die Cutting machines will not cut all the way through, I just needed the indent from the die.  If you can get it to cut all the way through, skip this step. My Chipboard was extremely thick. I used my heavy duty scissors and I cut all the way around.

 

 STEP 2

At this point you can take a fine grit sandpaper and sand around the cut edges to smooth things off. I did not so this, but next time I will.

 

STEP 3:  Use whatever sharp object you have to create two holes. You may also do a four hole button pattern as well.  

STEP 3

 

STEP 4: Using a 100 Black Copics Marker you can proceed to color the button. You may do this with the marker itself, or if you have the Copics airbrush system use that. Use double sided tape to to hold the button down so it does not move while coloring.

STEP 4

 

This is the air compressor that I use for my Copics airbrush system. Kelly purchased this for me at Hobby Lobby and used a 40% off coupon. I love it, and works perfect for the small amounts of airbrushing needed for making cards, and YES it's orange like the rest of my craft room lol.

STEP 4: Using tweezers, hold the wet painted button and use your 100 Black Copic Marker to color the free edge.

 STEP 4

STEP 5:  Allow the button to dry and decorate as you like. 

 

STEP 5

Finally Results! 

Fun Friday YNS - Making Planter Stakes

Today I have a super fun project for those gardeners like myself out there! And a great tip on how to use your Fancy Frame Die set to create them.

This is the time of year when I start planting up my vegetables for Spring. I start my seeds indoors, grow them for 2 months and then plant them outdoors come May when they are strong enough. 

Using the Your Next Stamp Fancy Frame Die Set - I created these... 

 This way I can easily identify my seedlings and make sure I am giving each the proper care before I plant them outside. 

On the back of the Planter Markers, I either have added the variety that I planted, or left the tag blank so I can write in when I planted them and the variety name.

It makes planting seeds to create seedlings indoor a breeze.

If you are wanting to use these tags outside, you can simply laminate them to weather proof them. I will do so to mine once I move my plants outdoors and place them in there permanent planters.

These where so much fun to make. There are so many options once you get started. The hardest thing will be deciding how many you want to make lol.

 

I will be making at least 10 more of these for the remainder of my pots that I have started indoors.

Now in case you are not a gardener, have no fear. You can use these labels anywhere in your home. You can label jars, containers, shoe boxes, storage boxes and on and on. The possibilities are endless. 

Use that Fancy Frame for labeling just about anything!

Thanks for visiting today! :)

YNS Fun Friday - Stamp Storage

Hey Guys,

Today for Fun Friday I created the following card using Flower Fhiona.

 

I used SC373 for my layout. I added a little St. Patrick's Day twist to this card. Her original hair clips where hearts so I re-stamp the image and cut out a few extra hearts, and changed them into shamrocks :) 

I added tons of Stickles as always.

I also used the sentiment that came with this set. I love all sentiments that have the dream theme in them.

Today's tip is to show you guys how I store my Your Next Stamp Sets.  I purchased these boxes at The Container Store. 

 I absolutely love these boxes. They are so convenient and can be used for so many different supplies. Then when you place them in your storage shelves, desk etc, they look good!

The YNS Stamp Sets fit in just PERFECTLY. 

My large sets are placed into sandwich size Ziplock Bags. 

Then, I just fold under the extra piece. The smaller sets are placed in 4x6 protective photo pockets. I cut them down slightly to make a better fit. 

I lay the large sets across the top and the smaller sets along the bottom. It really does fit perfectly. I can stack 6 or 7 sets in each pile. That's a good 50 sets in just one box :) 

I have tried so many methods of storage, including binders, and this works best for me. I can easy flip threw the stacks and see exactly what I have. It makes it so easy to pick a set to use.  i hope you guys enjoyed today's post. What is your favorite form of storage? - I would love to hear about it. Leave it in the comments below.

Thanks for visiting and Happy Friday!

YNS Fun Friday - Embossing

It's another Fun Friday with Your Next Stamp. Today my Card is using the most adorable Fhiona Bad Hair Day Stamp Set.  I have been having a ton of bad hair days lately, so I thought this was perfect for today :)

I used SC372 for my layout. It's simple, but so effective when you are wanting to showcase a stamp. 

My tip for today is to not forget about embossing! I wanted to use the designer paper as my backdrop for the sentiment, but regardless of what ink I stamped with it was smearing. This particular DP has a smooth surface and makes it's difficult to stamp on. Instead of compromising, I decided to use embossing instead. Anytime you have issues stamping on DP with regular ink, this is your best alternative. This way you don't have to deal with any ink smearing.

I paper pieced her outfit to match the DP as well. Now I was able to use my Dp of my choice and not have to change things!

Make sure you check out the YNS Blog post for today to see all the other Fun Friday Cards and Tips and a chance to win free stuff. Details are on 

We are also have a great clear out sale at Your Next Stamp. Karen is doing a little early Spring Cleaning so make sure you check it out. We have items up to 87% Off !!