Get your Skinny on with my unique tri-fold card featuring Blockheads newest stamp collection!

'An Indian Summer' Thank You Card

~~Unique and Skinny Style~~

Howzit Stampers!

I've got a super fun tutorial for you today!  I have a stamping style I like to call 'Unique and Skinny'.  So here's the 'skinny' on how to create tri-fold cards that are 100% unique coz their shape is based on the images you use.

For this tutorial I'm featuring one of the newest stamp collections available from Blockheads Paper Arts called Victorian Eccentricities and two sentiments from the Painted Butterflies set.   Both sets are simply gorgeous and you can get your hands on the full sets and the individual images unmounted or cut on cling cushion.

The images from the Victorian Eccentricities collection carry me away to far off lands on the Indian Ocean and hot summer nights of tropical British Colonial Victorian homes in India or Africa.  My card design has the rich warmth typical of a Colonial colour palette consisting of dark woods, deep red, green, blue and gold.  I used PrismaColor pencils and Tea Dye Distress Ink to achieve this look and the way I cut my card to follow the stamped designs, getting narrower and taller as I progressed through each fold, creates a super skinny card that is truly unique!

MATERIALS

 Blockheads Paper Arts stamps:
Victorian Eccentricities collection
Painted Butterflies set
Distress Ink Tea Dye ink pad
Versafine Onyx black ink pad
PrismaColor pencils:
Crimson Red, True Blue, Yellow Ochre, Lime Peel, Olive Green, 

Tuscan Red, Sienna Brown, Dark Brown, Black and Metallic Gold

Cream cardstock
Crafters Companion Scoreboard
Scissors
Paper Towel

Stamp the Flourish Bird Cage in Versafine Onyx Black ink onto the bottom left hand side of a sheet of cream cardstock and score a fold line right up against the right hand side of the image.  Fold along the score line and cut away the excess cardstock by closely following the outline of the stamped image.  Stop cutting once you reach the fold.

Turn the cardstock over and stamp the Tulip Vase left of center so that when the first panel is folded in front the placement of the Vase lines up with the right hand side of the bird cage.  Score a second fold line on the left of the Vase and continue trimming away the excess cardstock by following the outline of the flowers.  Stop when you get to the fold.

Assemble the small and large Blossoms and Gecko stamps together on an acrylic block so they form one design.  Stamp the design twice on the third panel and cut away the remainder of the cardstock.

Colour all the images with PrismaColor pencils.

Antique the entire card, including the coloured images, with Tea Dye Distress Ink and a piece of scrunched up paper towel.  This gives the card a beautiful vintage warm glow.

Stamp 'Thank You' on the front panel and 'Your Kindness' sentiment on the center panel in Versafine Onyx Black ink.  Both stamps are from the 
Painted Butterflies set.

I love the look of this card, it's so striking and truly unique.
I hope I've inspired you to try your hand at some uniquely skinny cards too ;0)  Here's some more views of my creation.

FYI:  some of the photos in this tutorial can be enlarged by clicking on them.

I've got plenty more Blockheads Design Team creations in store for you!  I'm thrilled to share that I will be designing for Blockheads up until the end of August for this current term AND the fun doesn't end then coz I've been invited to continue into a new term starting in September!!  Woohoo!  I'm so excited LOL! 

For my next Blockheads installment I've got a couple of ATC projects to share with you so stay tuned!  Don't forget to also check out the blog of my fellow Blockhead, Karen, for a fabulous Victorian Eccentricities tag featuring some of the same images I've just shared with you!

Happy Stamping!

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN
Blockheads Design Team

Steampunk TagART featuring Blockheads new Victorian Invention stamps!

Howzit Stampers!

I'm back with another Blockheads Design Team creation for you to check out!  I had a lot of fun designing this Steampunk TagART which showcases Blockheads Paper Arts newest stamp release Victorian Invention!  This collection of 6 stamps is awesome and will appeal to all the Steampunk enthusiasts as well as stampers who enjoy the Victorian Vintage style too.  It's available unmounted or cut on cling cushion and you can also get the individual images too!

 I came up with this 3 piece TagART idea when I imagined the eccentric inventor carrying this tattered bundle of jotted notes and sketches around with him.  The pages are well worn and torn and falling apart and held together with fibers and metal clips.

So let's get our fingers inky!

MATERIALS

Blockheads Paper Arts Victorian Invention stamp set

 
Two standard manilla shipping tags and 1 smaller tag
Distress Inks - Tea Dye ink pad
Ancient Page dye ink pads - Lemon Peel and Sienna
Versafine Onxy Black ink pad
Memento Rich Cocoa ink pad
Walnut Ink Antiquing Solution Spritz
Page of foreign text
Paper Towel
Glue stick

Crafter's Pick The Ultimate glue
Craft iron
Small and Tiny hole punches
Silver square brad
Watch parts
Tiny gold round brad
Regular stapler and staples
1 Clipiola - Italian round paper clip
A selection of colour co-ordinating fibers

I used 3 tags for this piece, 1 small and 2 standard manilla shipping tags.  Start by distressing the small tag (Tag#1) and one of the standard tags (Tag#3) by scrunching them up and applying Distress Ink Tea Dye directly to and spritzing them with Walnut Ink in a random fashion.

To mute the colours and to flatten out the creases I like to wet the tags by holding them under running water briefly.  Pat dry on a couple of layers of paper towel.  I didn't want the second standard tag (Tag #2) to be as distressed so I just put it under the other tags while I was patting them dry and some of the inks got transfered to it.  Peel off the circle hole protectors on the tags if they didn't already fall off.  I then ironed the tags with a craft iron until they were flat and dry.  Glue the hole protectors back on now but if you don't want them stamped then glue them back on later, just a personal preference really.

Spritz Tag#2 gently with Walnut Stain.

Apply a bit of Tea Dye Distress ink to it with a piece of scrunched up paper towel.

Tear up a page of foreign text and adhere to all 3 tags with a glue stick.

Age the torn text areas first with Ancient Page Lemon Peel.

Then with Ancient Page Sienna.  I used Ancient Page coz it's the inks I have but any dye ink will do the trick!

Stamp the Steampunk flying machine onto Tag#2 with Versafine Onxy Black ink.

 

Stamp the Pen nib image in a row of 3 on all 3 tags with Memento Rich Cocoa.

Stamp the Ether Meter and Gears Diagram on all the tags with Memento Rich Cocoa.

Stamp the Penny Farthing (the vintage bicycle) onto the front and the back of all 3 tags with Memento Rich Cocoa.

Then stamp the Prof. Camus banner in Versafine Onxy Black ink onto Tag#1 and #3.

Then stamp the Steampunk Flying Machine onto Tag#3 in Onyx Black.

Tear tag#2.

This is what the front of the tags look like after all the stamping is done (left to right: Tag#1, #2 and #3).  Lay Tag#2 on top of Tag#3 and punch a small hole.

And a view of the backs.

Punch a tiny hole in the center of one of the clock images on Tag#1 and attach a watch gear with a tiny gold brad.

Embellish Tag#1 and #2 with more watch parts and I also added silver staples to the pen nib images and other areas on all 3 tags to give them an industrial feel.

Attach Tag#2 to Tag#3 with a square silver brad.

Put Tag#1 on top and secure all 3 tags together with a selection of colour co-ordinating fibers.  Finish off with an antique clipiola (Italian circle paper clip) to keep the tags stacked and when you want to view them just slide the tags out to the left.

Thanks for joining me on my Steampunk Creative Adventure today!  I really enjoy reading your comments and would love to hear what you think of my Steampunk TagART!

Here's a sneaky peek at my next Creative Adventure into Blockheads land.  I'll be giving you the 'skinny' on creating with images from the new Victorian Eccentricities Collection so stay tuned ;0)

For more Blockheads inspiration check out Karen's Victorian inspired card that's blooming with texture and romantic faded colours featuring the Victorian Eccentricities collection!

Happy Stamping!

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

Blockheads Design Team

"All Aboard For Dad's Day!" Part 2 featuring the newest stamp releases from Blockheads Paper Arts!

Howzit Stampers!

As promised here's my 2nd 'All Aboard for Dad's Day' card to inspire you!  I decided to post earlier than I said I would too coz I just couldn't wait to show off this handsome card ;0)  I've been busy creating masculine style cards that are perfect for the guys and I shared my first card on Monday, click on the photo below if you missed it!

Both of my cards have a blue monochromatic colour scheme and feature the exciting new stamp designs by Blockheads Paper Arts!  The new images are awesome especially if you're into Steampunk!  But my cards demonstrate how you can use them even if you're not a fan of the Steampunk craze.

Today's tutorial features stamps from the Vintage Railway sheet.

All Aboard for part 2?  Then let's get stamping ;0)

MATERIALS
Blockheads Paper Arts Vintage Railway sheet:

Vintage Train Illustration
Boston Railroad Tickhet
'All Aboard' text

White/blue mottled cardstock
Indigo blue cardstock
White cardstock
Distress Ink - Weathered Wood
Ancient Page dye ink - Indigo
5 x 7 Cuttlebug Embossing Folder - Clockworks

Spellbinders Circle dies
Spellbinders Ribbon Label die
Sizzix Sizzlets Wingo Zingo Alphabet die strip
Paper Trimmer
Stamp Positioner
Scoreboard
Marvy Southwest corner punch
Double-sided sticky tape
Permanent Adhesive Tape Runner
Pop Dots
Silver Metallic Paint Pen - broad point
Scissors
Ribbon from Michaels
Glue stick

See below for the tutorial photos!
Stamp the Vintage Train Illustration in Ancient Page Indigo ink on white cardstock and cut it out with a circle die.  Edge the circle with a broad point silver metallic paint pen.

Cut a slightly larger circle from Indigo cardstock and adhere the white panel to it with permanent adhesive tape.  Edge the Indigo mat with the silver paint pen too.  Punch out the letters in Indigo cardstock with the Wingo Zingo alphabet sizzlet decorative strip die by Sizzix and adhere to the panel with a glue stick.

Emboss a sheet of the white/blue mottled cardstock with a Clockworks Cuttlebug embossing folder.

Apply Weathered Wood Distress Ink to the embossed design using the Direct to Paper method, for newbie stampers that just basically means you apply ink directly to the cardstock with the ink pad, making sure the ink just goes onto the embossed design.

Trace the inside edge of a Spellbinder Label die with a pencil onto the white/blue mottled cardstock and with the aide of a stamp positioner, stamp 'All Aboard' from the Vintage Railway sheet in Indigo Ancient Page dye ink.

Punch out the Label die from Indigo cardstock and adhere the stamped panel to it with permanent adhesive tape.

Stamp the Vintage Railroad Ticket in Indigo Ancient Page dye ink onto the white/blue mottled cardstock and cut out.  Adhere the ticket to a scrap piece of Indigo cardstock and trim.

Make a folded card from white cardstock and use a scoreboard to score the fold.  Cut a mat from the Indigo cardstock slightly smaller than the white folded card then cut the Clockworks embossed cardstock slightly smaller still.  Corner punch all 4 corners of the embossed panel with a Southwest design corner punch.  Adhere the Clockworks panel to the Indigo panel with permanent adhesive tape.

Then adhere the focal point of the card, the train panel, with permanent adhesive tape to the upper right hand side.

Cut a length of colour co-ordinating ribbon and thread the Label onto it.  Put two pieces of double sided sticky tape on the back of the large Indigo panel and a small piece on the back of the ribbon Label and ribbon.  Position the ribbon Label on the front of the card and wrap the ends of the ribbon over the edges and adhere to the back of the Indigo mat onto the pieces of tape.  Then adhere the large mat to the white folded card with double-sided sticky tape.

Finish off by adhering the Vintage Railroad Ticket with pop dots for dimension.

I love the monochromatic colouring of this card and the ribbon just adds that extra touch without making it too fussy!  A very handsome card that's perfect for the guys!

I hope I've provided you with some inspiration for making masculine cards and for trying your hand at monochromatic colour schemes!

Here's a sneaky peek at my next Blockheads project!

Check out my fellow Design Teamster's blog for more Blockheads inspiration, Dreaming and Creating with Karen!

Have a great weekend and Happy Father's Day to all the guys!

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN
Blockheads Design Team

Announcing the Winner of my Kinetic Challenge sponsored by Blockheads Paper Arts!

Congratulations go to Rhonda Sarver!  

You are the winner of my Kinetic Challenge and will receive the awesome $25 gift certificate to Blockheads Paper Arts!  Well done!  Your Leaf Ladder Folio is gorgeous, you did an amazing job with my template ;0)  

Thanks so much for taking up the challenge!

  Rhonda based her Challenge submission on my 

Imagine the Possiblities Ladder Folio project.

  Karen, my fellow Design Teamster, will be hosting a new Challenge soon!

You don't want to miss out on a chance to win more prizes so pop on over to the Blockheads Facebook Page and Facebook Challenge Group for more Challenges.

Happy Stamping!

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

Blockheads Design Team

"All Aboard For Dad's Day!" 2 Part Card Series featuring the newest stamp releases from Blockheads Paper Arts!

Howzit Stampers!
Are you guys in need of some Father's Day inspiration?  I've been busy creating two masculine style cards that are perfect for Father's Day!  
I'm going to share them as a two-part series, this one today and then the second on Friday!

'All Aboard for Dad's Day'

Only 2 days left for my Kinetic Challenge for Blockheads Paper Arts!

Happy Friday Everyone!

I'm hosting the first of our new Design Team Challenges for Blockheads Paper Arts!  The deadline to submit your entries to the Blockheads Facebook page is only 2 days away!

So if you're a Blockheads fan and would love to enter then here's all the info!

I challenge you to create one of my 'kinetic' projects and submit your creation on the Blockheads Facebook page to win a $25 Blockheads gift certificate plus more incentives (see below)!

What's a 'kinetic' project you ask?  Basically it means a work of art that depends on moving parts for its effect and I've designed two projects that fit the bill.
  

Check out my 3D Pop-Up Easter Egg card and my Ladder Folio tutorials.  

Click on the photos to view the tutorials!

Spring 3D Pop-Up Easter Egg Card

Imagine the Possibilities Ladder Folio

To enter my Kinetic Challenge all you need to do is decide which project you'd like to try your hand at and get creating!  Feel free to alter my templates slightly if you need to change something to suite your creation.  The themes of your projects are also up to you, i.e they don't have to be the same themes I used!

Challenge deadline is June 12 

The winner will be announced in the next Blockheads Newsletter.

KINETIC CHALLENGE CRITERIA:

For your Challenge entry to be considered you must either use only the Blockheads line of rubber stamps and/or images from the other stamp companies Blockheads sells! 

 Please ONLY use the images that Blockheads carries so double check Blockhead Paper Arts' website!

Please include the details of the stamps you use with your entries! 

As an extra incentive to use only the Blockheads line of stamps you will also receive 1 point per card submitted to a maximum of 5 points towards earning Blockheads Rewards!  Those of you who have ordered from Blockheads Paper Arts this year, have probably noticed you can earn points, through purchases, toward a $20 gift certificate.  Enter the Challenge and give your points total a boost to earn your $20 gift certificate even faster!

The winning entry will be posted on the Blockheads blog, on my blog and Karen's blog (my fellow Design Teamster) for everyone to enjoy too!

So who is up for my Kinetic Challenge? 

Good luck & happy stamping!

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

Blockhead Paper Arts Design Team