Stretching Your Supplies by Jane Johnson

Today I am going to share with you how I make cards in a way that stretches your supplies a little further, which I find helps as we all know this hobby can really tug on those purse strings!!  This method allows me to create the matting for four cards from each 12"x12" piece of cardstock I buy!! There are also some other little tips for stretching your supplies of lace and ribbon.

Step 1.

Start with a 6" square of your chosen colour cardstock.

Step 2.

Cut a square from the centre of your 6" square cardstock leaving a 1/2" border all the way around.  You will end up with a 6"square frame and a square of cardstock as shown in the picture above.

Step 3.

You can now mat your chosen paper onto the 6" square frame created in step 2.

Step 4.

Take the smaller square of cardstock created in step 2 and cut your chosen image mat shape from the centre of it so that you still have the full square and your chosen shape as in the picture above.

Step 5.

You can now adhere your second choice of patterned paper to the square, covering the circle cut out in step 4.

Step 6.

This step allows you to stretch your paper supplies too!!  Using your smaller matted square as a guide, cut a square from the centre of the large matted square, ensuring it is slightly smaller to allow you to glue the small matted square over the top of the hole you will have created.

Step 7.

Your card base should then look like the picture above - and you can now save the square of paper you have cut out to use on another project!

Step 8.

Adhere the smaller mat over the top of the cut out in the base mat as shown in the above photo.

Step 9.

You can also be thrifty with your paper supplies.  I want to create a coloured paper background for my image on this card and have cut it from the centre of the paper so that I can use the rest of the paper for a base on another card.

Step 10.

Remember the circle (or your chosen shape) we cut out in section 4??  If you have nesting dies you can take the next die down and cut it from the centre of your shape - this gives you another shaped mat to use on another project!  I am going to use the circle frame created on this card.

Step 11.

In the photo above I have matted my circle of paper onto the scalloped circle frame shown in Step 10.

Step 12.

I also like to make my ribbons and lace go a little further.  If it is going to be underneath a layer or image mat I just use small pieces either side as shown in the picture above, rather than a full piece all the way across that will be hidden by the image.

Step 13.

For this card I wanted to create a mat for a sentiment, so I have cut it from the centre cut out in step 10 that we have reserved for another card - it doesn't matter that it has the middle cut out if we're going to use it to mat an image onto it!

Step 14.

I have used the little scalloped circle to mat my number nine, stamped with the new numbers stamp set.

Step 15.

I wanted to create a banner using the pennants die for this card.  Luckilly I had a small scrap of the same colour cardstock.  Again, if you cut your shape from the very centre of the cardstock this piece can be used to mat a rectangle element on a future card too!

Step 16.

In the photo above you can see my finished card and the leftover pieces created from all the mats as we went along that can now be saved and used on another card or project!

Here's my finished card.  As you can see I have added another little decoration cut from a scrap of green card using the grass die before adding my image of Soccer Ben that I have fussy cut out to complete the card.  I hope I've given you some ideas on how you can save a little bit of money while you're crafting!  Thanks for looking.

Jane

http://janeslovelycards.blogspot.com

Designer Spotlight ~ Jane Johnson

Whiff of Joy is lucky to have such a talented and diverse Design Team. Not only do we hail from different countries around the world, we all have different styles! It makes for tons of inspiration and fun! One thing we do all have in common is a love for all things Whiff of Joy!

This is our fifth spotlight in the series. To view the series, please click ~here~

Designer Spotlight ~ Jane Johnson

 

Her blog: Jane’s Lovely Cards

Jane is a stay at home Mum to two sweet children. She represents the UK on our team and is also the coordinator of our Whiff of Joy Challenge blog. She has been with us for several years and is a tremendously talented crafter and a lovely, lovely person :) Her colorations are perfection and her cards are always inspirational!

Here are her answers to my questions:

1. How long have you been stamping and how did you get started?

I have been stamping since February 2009. I bought a card making kit at my local garden centre saying to my husband "this will save lots of money buying cards and give me something to do too" lol - little did I know that it would do the complete opposite of save us money lol!!!

2. What is it about Whiff of Joy Stamps that drew you to joining the Design Team?

I love how Whiff of Joy has such a variety of images, from cute to elegant and sentiments in gorgeous fonts too!

3. How would you describe your style?

Oh, this is a tough question. I don't think I really have a style as I try to create a card that suites the image I'm using at the time so I end up with a lot of varying styles of cards. I do like to have distressed edges on almost all of them though!

4. Whom or what do you draw inspiration from?

The image I'm using mostly but also from visiting lots of gorgeous blogs!

5. Time to confess. Are you a messy crafter or a super neat one?

I'm afraid to say I'm a very messy crafter. I have a great big desk and always end up with a 7" square space to work on surrounded by piles of things. Every so often it gets to me though and I have a big tidy up but it usually only lasts about a week!

6. What is one of your all-time favorite color combos?

Chocolate, teal and cream is probably my all time favourite, although as the seasons change I tend to get a new all-time favourite!

7. What is your preferred coloring medium? Copics, Prismacolor pencils, Distress Inks, H20s?

My preferred medium by far is Copics but I also dabble with distress inks and Prismacolor pencils.

8. What are some of your favorite tools? The ones that you use every day and couldn't live without?

My number one favourite tool is my lovely Vagabond machine, then my glue gun, also distress inks, copics and lace, I love lace!

9. What is your favorite Whiff of Joy metal die?

The sweet tag with hearts die is my absolute favourite!

10. Finally, if you were a Whiff of Joy stamp, which one would you be?

Melinda with Muffin Basket, I love her clothes and hair and I am always baking muffins too lol!

**edited to add that this stamp is unfortunately out of stock **

Thanks so much Jane for answering all my questions and for the loads and loads of inspiration you bring to the team!

I hope you have enjoyed getting to know lovely Jane!

Thanks for stopping by. More spotlights are on their way so stay tuned :)
Hugs Jeanette xxo

Create Your Own Embossing Folder by Jane Johnson

Hello!  Today I want to share with you how to create your own embossing folder using the gorgeous baby dies from Whiff of Joy!!  You can, of course, adapt it for use with any of the other dies too!  I'm thinking the butterlfly dies would be nice too!  I have also created a baby card using the embossing folder and will show you the step by step details to make that too!  

You will need:

Bundle of Joy dies

Hallo Baby dies

Fancy Hearts Border die

Cardstock

Ribbon

1.

 Cut out the Bundle of Joy die shapes several times from scrap cardstock.  Use the thickest cardstock that your die cutting machine will cut with the dies.  I cut out the shapes four times.

2.

 Arrange the die cut shapes in a random pattern on a piece of cardstock and glue down.  You will achieve a more natural looking embossing pattern if you let some of the shapes overhang the edges of the cardstock as shown.

3.

 Trim the pieces that overhand flush with the edge of the cardstock.

4.

 Your custom embossing folder is now ready to use!!  I use a Vagabond for die cutting/embossing and I simply ran my embossing folder through with a rubber embossing mat above and below the mat and the cardstock I was embossing (ie: rubber mat/embossing folder/cardstock/rubber mat) but you will need to experiment with whatever machine you're using to find out what you'll need to create the best impression on your cardstock!

5.

 I have chosen to emboss a piece of pale pink pearlescent cardstock, which you can see in the photo above after it has been embossed!  The rest of my instructions are the step by step to make my baby card.

6.

 Round the top corners of the embossed cardstock and then ink the edges with pink chalk.

7.

 Create your card blank and then die cut the bottom edge with the Fancy Hearts border die.

8.

 Cut out the Hallo Baby shapes from white cardstock.

9.

 Trim the bow from the rattle die cut so that it looks like the one in my photo above.

10.

 Attach the embossed panel to the card and add a piece of ribbon along the bottom.  I have used the gorgeous ribbon from Whiff of Joy.  Add the rattle and Hall Baby die cuts to the card as shown.  I have added foam pads underneath the rattle for some extra dimension.

11.

 Tie a bow from the ribbon and attach to the rattle to replace the original bow cut off in step 9.  Try my bow tutorial here to tie the perfect neat bow!!

12.

Here is my finished card!  Don't forget to keep your custom embossing folder!  I hope you like my tutorial and have fun creating your own embossing folders!

Jane x

http://janeslovelycards.blogspot.com

Tussie Mussie - by Jane Johnson

Good Morning!  Jane here, and as today is the day we're all previewing one of the gorgeous images from the up coming summer stamp kit I thought I'd show you how to create a Tussie Mussie seeing as the image is Victorian themed! 

You will need:

12x12 cardstock in your chosen colour

Two pieces of 6x12 tissue paper

ribbon

flowers

edging punch (optional)

1.

 Using some twine tied around a pencil draw an arc onto the cardstock from one edge to the other, whilst holding the end of the twine in the bottom left corner of the cardstock.  You can vary the size of your Tussie Mussie by starting further up or down the edge of the cardstock.  I started about 2" down from the top left corner for mine.

2.

 Cut along the arc you've drawn to create the shape shown in the above photo.

3.

 If you wish you can punch the curved edge of the cardstock.  I used a corner punch to create the edging on mine.  Next, place double sided tape along the curved edge, underneath the punching as shown.

4.

Fold one of the pieces of tissue paper in half to create a double thickness 3"x12".  Attach the folded edge to the double sided tape, pleating the tissue paper as you go, as shown in the photo above.  This piece will cover approximately half of the curve.  Repeat the process with the second piece of tissue paper to the end of the curved edge.  Add double sided tape to one of the straight edges and roll the cardstock into a cone, securing with the tape.  To ensure the point end is nice and neat start rolling at this end and create a nice point before sticking the rest of the edge down.

5.

 Add a length of ribbon to form a handle and add bows of matching ribbon at each side where the ribbon is attached to the cone.  I used a glue gun to adhere my ribbon but you could also use double sided tape.  Now you can add more ribbon, lace, ruffle trim and flowers to decorate your Tussie Mussie and your chosen image to the front of the cone.

Here is my finished Tussie Mussie using the gorgeous preview image from the summer kit.  The sentiment will also be part of the kit.  I hope you enjoyed my little tutorial and have a go at creating one yourself!

Jane x

http://janeslovelycards.blogspot.com

Heart Shaped Easel by Jane Johnson

Hi, Jane here.  I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas and New Year with your family and friends.  After our Christmas break it is time to start thinking about Valentine's Day creations and with this in mind I thought I would show how to create a heart shaped easel card. 

You Will Need:

1 x A4 cardstock
1x 6x6" cardstock
2x 6x6" paper
Image and embellisments
Heart shaped template or die cutting shape

Step 1.

Firstly, the principle is the same if you are using a die cutting heart or a heart template as I am here.  Place your A4 piece of cardstock onto your scoring board and find the size of your heart shape as in the picture above (mine is 5").  Remove your template/die and score the cardstock 1/8" smaller than the measurement of the heart (so in my case I scored at 4 7/8").

Step 2.

Place your template/die so that the rounded ends of the heart protrude over the fold as shown in the photo above.

Step 3.

Now, either draw around your template and cut it out or pass the die and cardstock through your cutting machine.

Step 4.

Open the folded heart shape out again and place on your scoring board as shown.  On the heart on your right hand side score a line half way down the heart - in my case this meant scoring at 7 3/8".

Step 5.

Fold this score line and you will now have the base of your easel card as shown above.

Step 6.

Cut out a complete heart shape from the 6" square cardstock.  Add glue to the part of the base indicated by diagonal lines in the photo above and adherer the heart shaped piece of card to it, matching the shapes together.

Step 7.

Your card base should now look like the photo above and is ready to decorate with papers, image and embellishments.

Here is my finished card using one of the fabulous new images to be released on 5th January.  For more details on how I embellished my card please see my blog post here.

Jane x

http://janeslovelycards.blogspot.com/