December Bloom Box Still Available

I can’t say this enough, but I really, really love Fun Stampers Journey Bloom Box monthly card kit. I have made a variety of beautiful cards with the December kit. Of course, my group of Bloom Box Girls take the step-by-step instructions and make our own version of the card designs provided in the kit. The official promotion picture of the assembled cards from the December kit is below:

Each kit provides a unique technique, which is a great way to expand your creativity and apply this knowledge to other amazing creations you make.

Here is our first card we made with our December kit:

We decided to add another two branches to the bough, and a small pinecone to the this card. We used the Just Because ATS to add a sentiment.

Card #2:

We used our FSJ Color Burst Pencils to color the stamped wreath image. The only change is the sentiment of “Hello” from the FSJ Be Amazing stamp set.

Card #3:

Using vellum over the stamped card images adds a touch of elegance to an already beautiful card. We changed the sentiment and used the “So Cute” from the ATS So Cute stamp.

Card #4:

This is such a cute card. We stamped our wreath onto the base and stamped another image onto some FSJ Whip Cream cardstock. We fussy cut it out (the center and the outside), added some Journey Glaze to the berries and made a double bow. Oh yes, by the way, I love the wow factor a double bow gives a card creation.

Here are two more cards I made using this set. The wreath on the Oatmeal Cookie and Cranberry Bliss background was a Top 3 pick at Paper Craft Crew website. The other card I made using a SU! woodgrain background stamp and the Christmas sentiment from the FSJ Holiday Script. I did have to use my MISTI to stamp the sentiment about 5 to 6 times to get a good enough impression on the busy background.

It is not too late to sign-up for the December Bloom Box and 5 more months of Bloom Box card making kits. You can go to my website and order the kit here.

201612/21

Top 3 – Paper Craft Crew Challenge # 222

Whoo hoo, I made top three on Paper Craft Crew Challenge #222. I am super excited about this pick because I used my Fun Stampers Journey, December Bloom Box stamp set Welcome Wreaths to make this card. I absolutely love this stamp set and the kit as well. Here is the winning card.

I wanted to keep everything about this card FSJ, and I did except for the sequins. I just haven’t acquired enough FSJ bling, . . . . . yet. If you click the picture, you will be redirected to the original post.

I love everything about Fun Stampers Journey and I can’t wait to make more amazing cards using their products.

201612/13

Welcome to The Holidays – PCC222

This week’s Paper Craft Crew Card Sketch #222 challenge inspired me to use Fun Stampers Journey December Bloom Box stamp set Welcome Wreaths. Here is their card sketch:

I think wreaths are a great way to welcome in the holidays and the FSJ December Bloom Box Welcome Wreaths stamp set is the perfect set to create a welcoming card featuring a wreath. I began this card with an base using FSJ Oatmeal cardstock. The bottom portion of the card has a FSJ Hazelnut Blend mat with a FSJ Cranberry Bliss mat. The Cranberry Bliss mat is stamped with the berry cluster from the stamp set in FSJ Cranberry Bliss ink. I cut a banner out of FSJ Hazelnut Blend cardstcok and cut out a “v” shape in both ends. The entire card was sprinkled with FSJ Dark Roast silk.

The wreath was a “work in progress while creating”. LOL You know what I mean. You start off with one idea of how to make something unique; and, well, . . it kinda doesn’t turn out like you expected . . . .so, you begin experimenting with different ways to create something beautiful out of a …. pig’s ear …. lol. I started off with the branch stamp and using FSJ Lemon Grass ink went about stamping the curved branch into a wreath shape (o.k. a circle). This took multiple turns around the circle because I wanted a full and bushy wreath. When I was finished stamping, I thought the wreath look flat and dull. Hmmm,….. what can I do to make it “pop”. I thought, why not fussy cut lots of branches and layer them onto the flat, dull base. Oh, yes I did! And, I think it created the look I was trying to get from the beginning. I must say, it really didn’t take that long to fussy cut the branches (it really didn’t and it was so worth it). I stamped the small pine cones in FSJ Hazelnut Blend and colored them with my FSJ Color Burst Pencils and fussy cut them out. I stamped the berry cluster with FSJ Cranberry Bliss (all of this was stamped onto FSJ Whip Cream cardstock). I fussy cut the berries out as well. No, booing and hissing from the peanut gallery – it’s those little extra steps that make a super cute card. I took some FSJ Cocoa Gingham Ribbon and made a double bow and adhered everything onto the wreath with glue dots. I then put the card together using craft glue and I popped out the wreath and banner using Journey Foam Squares (medium). For a little extra touch, I flicked Dark Roast silk onto the wreath. Last but not least, I added a little bling by placing some dark chocolate sequins onto the card.

Here is the finished card:

Supplies: All product used can be ordered from my FSJ website. Click here. Note: Everything is Fun Stampers Journey except as noted.

December Bloom Box – Welcome Wreaths
Cardstock: Cranberry Bliss, Whip Cream, Oatmeal Cookie, Hazelnut Blend
Ink: Hazelnut Blend, Cranberry Bliss, Lemon Grass
Coloring: Color Burst Pencils
Silk: Dark Roast
Ribbon: Cocoa Gingham Ribbon
Miscellaneous: Sequins (not FSJ)

201612/12

Frosty Christmas To You – FMS #266

It is another week with a wonderful card sketch challenge from Freshly Made Sketches #266. Here is their challenge sketch:

I wanted to take advantage of the Christmas season, yet again. I pulled out my Fun Stampers Journey (FSJ) Frosty Fun ATS and coordinating die to use on this challenge. As I was pulling this card together, I tried various colors of cardstock for the background, but every color I chose took away from the Frosty Snowman stamped image. I realized I had the perfect background die I received this past Friday from Fun Stampers Journey. It is the Persian Gardens die. I cut the base and the background die cut out of FSJ Whip Cream cardstock. I adhered the die cut onto the base using FSJ Craft glue which dries in a matte finish.

In place of the heart image, I took a large snowflake from the FSJ Snowflake Elements and applied Journey Glaze to the snowflake and then covered it with Sparkle Dust. I burnished the Sparkle Dust onto the snowflake with my finger. I cut the square piece out of FSJ Cool Pool cardstock with the FSJ Square pierced dies. I adhered both of these accents to the card with the FSJ craft glue. I stamped Frosty Fun onto FSJ Whip Cream with Black Licorice ink and colored him with FSJ Color Burst Pencils. For the circle element, I replaced it with some FSJ Tinsel Trim. I popped Frosty out with Journey Foam Squares (medium). I stamped the Christmas sentiment from FSJ Holiday Script with coordinating die in Cranberry Bliss ink and die cut it out. I adhered it with Journey Foam squares.

This is a cute card to give to a friend or family.

Supplies:

Fun Stampers Journey (all products used can be ordered through my FSJ website – click here).

Stamps: FSJ Frosty Fun (ATS – artist trading stamp) with coordinating die
Cardstock: FSJ Whip Cream, FSJ Coo Pool
Ink: FSJ Black Licorice, FSJ Cranberry Bliss
Dies: FSJ Square Pierced Dies, FSJ Persian Gard Die, FSJ Frosty Fun die
Coloring: FSJ Color Burst Pencils
Ribbon: FSJ Tinsel Trim
Miscellaneous: FSJ Foam Squares, FSJ Snowflake Elements, FSJ Craft Glue, FSJ Journey Glaze, FSJ Sparkle Dust

201612/02

Let’s Go To Granny’s House – PCC221 Color Challenge

I made this card Wednesday using the supplies from Fun Stampers Journey November Bloom Box. Their design is quite different from the one me and my Bloom Box Girls created. When I saw Paper Craft Crew #221 Color Challenge today, the light bulb kicked on and I knew this card creation was the perfect fit. Here is the challenge:

Using the supplies for the November Bloom Box card design listed as “As American As Apple Pie”, here is their design (to the left, we began making our woven mats. Of course, I did not read the directions, I just jumped right in and sponged the edges of my paper strips and began weaving right away – not really paying attention to the shape of my mat. After about five minutes of weaving, Debbie held up her mat and said, “My mat is more of a rectangle. I think I did something wrong.” The minute I looked up and saw her mat, I knew what we could make out of a more rectangular than square mat – a BASKET!!! When a great idea happens, I tend to act as though I am on an overdose of caffeine. I jumped up, found some Oatmeal Cookie cardstock, cut a handle using FSJ circle dies, I took my last strip of paper for the mat and placed it along the handle to give it a woven look and voila – the super cutest basket you could ever lay your eyes on with apples overflowing was sitting there for us to use on our cards.

On the extra piece of FSJ Butter Cream cardstock, we stamped three apples (we used only two), two apple slices, one pie, and the bunch of wrapped cinnamon sticks. We colored the stamped images using our FSJ Color Burst Pencils (yes, all of us have purchased them and they are awesome. Some of the penciled areas needed to be blended better, and we did this using the FSJ Fusion Blend and Blending stumps.

We stamped the sentiment with FSJ Black Licorice ink and began to adhere all of our pieces to the mat cut out of FSJ Cranberry Bliss cardstock. The card is so cute. Now, here’s how the FSJ Dark Roast Silk was added to the card. I took the card to show my husband, and when I went to put it back up, there was a spot of grease on the base mat. Hmmmmm…. all was not lost. I took the Dark Roast Silk and splashed some on the base making sure to cover the other areas of the card with a sheet of copy paper.

And……here is the finished card. I just love it. And, I love my Bloom Boxes I get every month.

If you are interested in ordering any Fun Stampers Journey products or subscribing to the Bloom Box kit (the kit is a six month commitment), please click here .

201612/02

My Super Heroes! – Fab Friday 101

My little kiddos love to play any type of Super Hero. It can be Captain America, Wonder Woman, Super Girl, Superman, Batman, and it goes on and on. This was the reason I purchased Darcies Super Heroes rubber stamp set at the Stamp and Scrapbook Event back in September. I stamped the images when I got home and colored them with my brand new Fun Stampers Journey (FSJ) Color Burst Pencils, and then they have been moved between the kitchen and craft room many times until today. I, finally, took the time to make a card with my buddy, Jacob, because he asked me to make a card with the super hero images he found laying around last week in my office. I suggested he make a card with his image, and I would make a card for my super hero girl, Sam.

I chose my layout based on Fab Friday’s Sketch Card Challenge #101. Once I got started, the card fell right into place. Here is their sketch:

The base of the card is FSJ Whipped Cream with two mats on top of it FSJ Cranberry Bliss and FSJ Catalina Splash cardstocks. I took some FSJ Lemon Drop cardstock and using the FSJ Sun Rays die I ran them through the FSJ Platinum Machine. I DID NOT punch out the negative of the cut image, instead I applied adhesive to the backside of the pieces still in the die and carefully tuned the die right side up (the cardstock is on the bottom side of the die) and centered it on the FSJ Catalina Splash mat. I pressed each piece down and then lifted the die creating a negative image sun ray onto the mat. Using FSJ Circle dies, I cut a large pierced circle out of FSJ Cranberry Bliss cardstock and a smaller circle out of FSJ Catalina Splash cardstock and layered them over the negative image of the die circle. The final step involved me stamping the sentiment onto FSJ Lemon Drop cardstock and die cutting them out with FSJ Star dies. Since they blended into the background, I matted them onto FSJ Cranberry Bliss cardstock. The Super Hero girl is raised using FSJ Foam Squares. I LOVE THIS CARD! Sam wanted to hold her card, and I said no – LOL. How ’bout we get a picture of you in a super hero costume, and we can make a scrapbook page to keep for a long time? That sounded good to her – wow, missed that bullet of the card, more than likely, getting torn up and/or mutilated.

Here is the card:

The next card is Jacob’s creation. I helped to adhere everything and the image was already stamped, colored, and cut out, but he directed where everything needed to be placed. He did place his stars into position. I suggested a couple of thin Catalina Spash strips a little more than half way down and he nixed that idea. He’s just keeping it simple! He is my super hero.

Supplies: If you would like to order any of the Fun Stampers Journey products, please click here .
Stamp Set – Darcie’s JCS281
Coloring Tools: Fun Stampers Journey Color Burst Pencils with Fusion Blender and Blending Stubs
Cardstock: Fun Stampers Journey – Cranberry Bliss, Catalina Splash, Lemon Drop, Whipped Cream
Dies: FSJ Sun Ray Die, FSJ Circle Dies

201611/29

Eat Dessert First! – PCC220

I made this post to Paper Craft Crew Challenge sketch #220 by the skin of my “apples” – LOL. I had to post the picture right away to meet their deadline and then come back and write about this card challenge. Nothing like playing the game “beat the clock”. This was the sketch for Paper Craft Crew Challenge:

When I sat down to create my card for this challenge, I knew exactly the perfect stamp set for this awesome layout. It is Ala Mode stamp set which is the stamp set included in Fun Stampers Journey’s November Bloom Box card kit. The base of the card is FSJ Limeade Splash cardstock. I stamped the apple slices using FSJ Clear Pigment ink to add some subtle dimension and interest to the background. And, for a little FUN, I used Dark Roast silk on the base (I decided to go back and add a little more – the mat covered most of my silk accent). The focal point of the card is a base mat of FSJ Cranberry Bliss cardstock with FSJ Whipped Cream cardstock matted on top. The sentiment is stamped directly onto the FSJ Whipped Cream cardstock using FSJ Black Licorice ink. All of the other stamped images were stamped on FSJ Whipped Cream cardstock using FSJ Black Licorice ink, colored with FSJ Color Burst Pencils (I used some FSJ Fusion Blender with the FSJ Blending stubs to create a smoother colored effect on each colored image). The apple is highlighted with FSJ Glaze, and the apple is accented with FSJ Sparkle Cuts.

I think this card makes me hungry. Too bad the Thanksgiving holiday is over and I’m back to limiting my sugar intake to almost ziltch. I guess I could bake an apple with a little maple syrup and cinammon . . . . .hmmmm.

If you would like to have this stamp set in your collection, you can become a Bloom Box kit Girl. The Bloom Box is $24.95 a month for a six month commitment (does not include shipping and tax). I can say my Bloom Box Girls can’t wait to get their box each month. We get together and make the cards and have a super time together. Note: This set is exclusive to the kits and cannot be ordered from the regular catalog line-up. Click here to become a Bloom Box Girl (the kit with this stamp set must be ordered by November 30th).

Bloom Box | Card Challenge | Cards | Fun Stampers Journey

220, apples, Bloom Box, color burst pencils, fsj, fun stampers journey, limeade splash, november bloom box, paper craft crew 220, pcc220, red, sparkle cuts

martyz

201611/28

Joyful Frosty Fun – FMS #264

Thanksgiving is over, and I’m on track this week to posting some card challenges. The first one of the week is Freshly Made Sketches #264.

I have the perfect stamp to make a super cute and simple card. It is Fun Stampers Journey (FSJ) ATS (Artist Trading Stamp) Frosty Fun and its coordinating die. I stamped Frosty in FSJ Black Licorice ink onto Whipped Cream cardstock. I colored him with FSJ Color Burst pencils. Once I finished coloring him, I cut him out with his coordinating die. The circle is cut out with the FSJ pierced Circle Dies using FSJ cardstocks Pool Play and Whipped Cream. Frosty is attached using FSJ Foam Squares (medium). I accented the background with FSJ Silver Splash and added a sentiment in FSJ Candy Apple ink using the word “Joy” from the Holiday Script stamp set. Here is the main attraction:

All supplies used are from Fun Stampers Journey. If you would like to create this card for yourself, please feel free to check-out my FSJ website to place an on-line order (click here).

201611/07

Snow Buddy Like You FMS261

In about a week and a half, it will be my annual Christmas Stamp-a-Stack. I have two card designs ready to go, and I’m waiting on my Fun Stamper Journey order to make my third design, which will feature an angel heralding the birth of Christ. I really enjoy Freshly Made Sketches card challenges. Their sketch this week is #261:

I am uploading my second design, which is a snowman card. Every year I have to have a snowman card featured in my stamp-a-stack event. This year I chose to use Fun Stampers Journey Frosty Fun and its coordinating die. I stamped Frosty Fun on FSJ Whipped Cream cardstock and colored him with FSJ Color Burst Pencils. I accented the berries and his nose with FSJ Glaze. The snowman is adhered using FSJ foam squares to pop him up. I used Pink and Main rounded stitched rectangle dies for all the mats. The base mat is FSJ Candy Apple cardstock, the next mat (diagonal stripes) is SU! Fresh Prints DSP as well as the patterned paper belly band, and the snowman mat is SU! Marina Mist and FSJ Whipped Cream cardstocks. The top edge of the snow was cut using a die I got last year from Poppy Stamps (I can’t remember the name – sorry). I stamped the snowflakes from SU! Happy Scenes onto the Marina Mist with SU! Whisper White craft ink, and I stamped the sentiment from the same SU! stamp set in FSJ Candy Apple ink.

I try to make my stamp-a-stack cards fairly simple since my stampers will be making 15 cards at this event. I think this card is just adorable.

Card Challenge | Cards | Fun Stampers Journey

candy apple, card, cards, Christmas, christmas cards, frosty fun, fun stampers journey, snowman, winter

martyz

201611/03

You Ain’t Looking Ruff – You Looking Good! PCCC #217

Well, Cheyenne and I got together on Wednesday and made the most adorable card EVER! She had purchased Tim Holtz’s Dog stamp set with coordinating dies. She came over to my house whipped those stamps and dies out of her little black bag, and we got off to a ruff start (ha, ha – do you like the pun). Anyway, she wanted to create a dog with textured hair. She had a picture to go by from a Pinterest pin, and I tried to pick out Spectrum Noir colors that were a close match. We got half of our dog’s faces done and she didn’t like them. They weren’t the correct color. So, upon her insistence, we started with a fresh dog stamped in SU! Smokey Slate. The first one was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black, but we wanted the hair to over-balance the stamped image’s outline. That’s when I said, let’s make our card using the Paper Craft Crew Challenge #217 (why not kill two birds with one stone). So, she pulled the sketch up on her phone and we began again.

We took our stamped image and gave it a base color of Spectrum Noir EB1 and LV1. Then, we took my Fun Stamper Journey Color Burst pencils and began to create shading (darkest brown) along with several other colors to create lighter shading and depth to the dog. Once all of this was accomplished, we kept our pencils sharpened and began making flicks of color onto the dog image. This took a LONG time. It takes a very light touch, and when you flick the pencil lead, you need to lift at the same time so your hair image looks light and hairy. We used several different colors with the black pencil giving more depth and a white gel pen was used to add light effects on the hair. Cheyenne said my dog looked mad and her dog looked scared.

Once we were happy with our hair and color of our dog, we cut out a nose and popped it out and added Journey glaze to give it a nice shine. A bone and ball were added to my card. Cheyenne added a leash to her card, but I couldn’t add one to mine because my matted dog was in a different place on my card than her card. I took the Fun Stampers Journey ATS stamp and stamped the sentiment onto FSJ Oatmeal Cookie cardstock. I made faux washi tape out of cardstock and placed a Journey twine bow up at the top of the card (I did have my twine on the smaller mat as in the sketch, but it pulled your eye away from the focal point – the dog). Last but not least, the dog, the mat the dog is on, the bone, tennis ball, sentiment, and the smaller piece of washi tape are popped out. I used fun foam for everything but the washi tape. All of the printed paper is from The Pets Stack paper stack which was purchased from Hobby Lobby a long, long time ago. The base of the card is FSJ Oatmeal Cookie cardstock. The mat for the dog was cut out using a rounded corner stitched rectangle die from Pink and Main. Here he is. He thinks you are “Looking Good.”

Hope you enjoy!

martyZstamps

creative papercrafting

Category : Card Challenge