Rich Red Wreath Card

I’m working on a video for Lindy’s Stamp Gang and I’m going to admit I’m really nervous. I’ve got this great product to work with, and amazing design team-mates, so I am just a wee bit anxious about doing a fabulous job. I’m hoping to get the video up in a few days. Wish me luck!

In the meantime, enjoy this preview of the card from the video. I used Starburst Stains in Dark Chocolate Truffle and Poinsettia Red Gold. There are so many ways to use these sprays and stains, I’m discovering something new every time I use them!

Here I stamped and gold embossed the wreath from Festive Frills Stamp set. Then I mixed together a bit of Liquid Glass and Poinsettia Red Gold and applied it to some of the berries on the wreath. Shiny, dimensional and gorgeous!

How’s that for holiday glitz? These sprays are fab, I tell ya.

Wait, what?

Bad lighting and twenty photos later, a masterpiece in the making.

Silly pen test

Okay, not really my best work. I’m testing my stop-motion video skills for something a bit better than this. And my kids think the video is hilarious for some reason.

Here’s a much better example of a stop-motion video. No post-production editing, it’s all done with giant billboard sized photos. Kind of amazing.

Lindy’s Stamp Gang Black Friday SALE!

Ah, Black Friday. It’s not named after me (Tresa Black) but it should be. Yes, I’m one of those crazy people hunting for bargains on the day after Thanksgiving.

Want to get in on the deals, without battling the crowds? As a new design team member of Lindy’s Stamp Gang, I’m going to share a can’t miss opportunity! This weekend their entire product line is 30% off! If you haven’t heard of Lindy’s Stamp Gang products, well you’re in for a treat! Their sprays and stains are amazing. The color vibrancy is out-of-this world and every color has a beautiful shimmer.

The Try-Me kits are my fave, a sampling of products in a color coordinated theme. Try the Sweet Treats with Candy Pink and Dark Chocolate Truffle Brown……

or the Tiffany’s Chocolates for the most gorgeous blues paired with yumm-o Crème Brulee Cream spray.

I’m getting’ hungry just thinkin’ about these! There are lots of other color kits to choose from, something for everyone!  The 30% off sale is good until November 28th. Use coupon code BLACK30 on checkout. Hurry up, it’s while supplies last!
Click here to shop.

Living Room Re-Do Update

Just had to share my progress! There are still more changes to make, but I just couldn’t keep you waiting any longer.

The chocolate brown accent wall is absolutely fabulous! The soft grey walls are very subtle, I was worried they’d be too dark but once I got the color up it was almost too light! But once I painted the baseboards white I was pretty pleased with it.

Another huge update is the fireplace. Before it was grainy oak, with a shiny brass and glass screen. I painted the woodwork white and removed the screen. After I scrubbed 25 years of ash and soot off the interior of the fireplace, I painted it black inside with high heat paint. We don’t use this fireplace, so there’s no need for a screen, but if it ever does get used again the high-heat black paint is safe for burning.

I’m far from done, you’ll see that I have no artwork on the walls, the window trim isn’t painted white yet, and I want to paint the sideboard. Then I’ll be spiffing it up with throw pillows and new blinds… whoo hoo, welcome to this century!

Let’s take a look at the stuck-in-the-80’s house pics before:

And after:

Double Slider Card

My computer has been in the shop ALL week, I’ve been limping along on the laptop but soooo glad to have my big desktop back so I can finally get some bloggin’ done! But enough about computer, let’s talk about Christmas cards!

Double slider cards are like a little surpise all wrapped up in a card. Pull the tab and ta-da! Not one but TWO panels slide out!

This card is perfect for a small photo, but you can add anything you want to the double sliding portions of the card. 

You can watch me make this card on my ustream class, click the link below. There are LOTS of ways to assemble double sliders when it comes to the outer part of the card, but the inside is essentially always the same, a strip of plastic wraps around an inner panel, then attach the two panels to the plastic. When you pull one panel down, the other panel slides up. Or side to side, if you orient the card that way.

WATCH THE CLASS HERE.

Supplies: Festive Frills stamp set, Magnifique level 2 paper pack, Prisma Glitter, Liquid Glass, Silver Embossing Powder.

Whatever Wednesday

Almost as much as movie theater popcorn, I love watching previews of coming attractions at a movie theater.  Sometimes the trailers (previews) are better than the movie. A good movie trailer gives you brief glimpses into the characters, the mood and the plotline, and entices you to want more.

Even more fun... re-cut movie trailers. Amateur filmmakers create "new" trailers for famous movies, completely changing the premise of the film. You can find plenty of examples by searching youtube. Below are three of my favorites. 

What if "Mary Poppins" was a horror movie?

What if "The Shining" had been a romantic comedy?

And can you picture Meg Ryan in "Sleepless in Seattle" as a crazy stalker?

White OUT!

I am on a mission.

 I've been living with the semi-gloss white walls in my home for far too long, they are on their way out.

Current project: the living room.

Old color scheme: the never-flattering shiny white.

New color scheme: pale grey and dark chocolate. 

If you're a CTMH fan, it's Cocoa and Grey Flannel.

But first, a bit of goofing off.

Have fun kids, it's a giant blank canvas just begging for some artwork. But don't drip anything on the carpet.

And just a warning. If you plan to paint a lovely shade of chocolate brown, you will have cravings for chocolate. Oh yes... you will.

Finished room photos coming soon!

Lindy’s Stamp Gang Design Team

I’m happy to announce that I have added one more feather to my cap, (don’t worry, I have a huge head capable of many, many feathers). I’m honored to join the design team at Lindy’s Stamp Gang! I’m still a Close to My Heart consultant, and the Lindy’s Stamp Gang products work so well with CTMH, I’m just tickled pink! Well… purple and green right now.

The card above is from my first video using Lindy’s products. I used Starburst Stains from the Haunted Halloween collection, Freaky Frankenlime and Witch’s Potion Purple, plus Moonshadow Mist in Golden Doubloons. I started out sponging  and stamping the background of this card in Sky ink, from Close to My Heart, then oversprayed with green and gold.

Let me tell you how cool these sprays and stains are! The Starburst stains are incredibly vibrant. No wimpy watered down colors, these are striking! The entire card shown here is done on Colonial White cardstock, an off-white color (well, the dark brown tree mat is Cocoa cardstock, but everything else is Colonial White). They come with a dauber cap or a spray cap, and you can order extras and swap them out. The lace design above was created so easily. I just set a piece of cheap-o lace over the cardstock and spritzed right over it. Remove the lace and ta-da!

The watercolor effect on the trees above is done with a dauber cap. Just pat the color onto the stamp and plop it down on your cardstock. Instant hand-painted look!

If you like distressing and aging your cardstock, the Moonshadow mist is awesome. It’s based on the old-school Walnut Inks, (blast from the past!) but it has a sparkly addition that glimmers when the light catches it! In fact, ALL the sprays, stains and mists have a glimmery base. This Golden Doubloons color looks dark brown from some angles, I did my best to catch that amazing golden glint. Here’s another angle…

Want to talk prices? The sprays and stains are just $3.95 each, and even less per bottle when you purchase them in coordinated sets of five. Check out the Try Me Kits, perfect little sample packs of a single color in each product.

Watch me make the card here!

Feel free to laugh at how wiggly I am in the beginning. I can’t seem to sit still. I’m not just a talking head, I’m a bobble head apparently.

Whatever Wednesday

Redneck mansion. Nuff’ said.

Blogtoberfest Buds!

Thanks to all the bloggers who joined me in the Blogtoberfest challenge! Lots of great tutorials and info, lots of fabulous posts in the month of October. Thanks also to all the readers who visited my blog and clicked on the sidebar links to visit my Blogtoberfest Buds.
If you haven’t visited, check ‘em out! While you’re browsing, leave a comment, we love that!

Gift Card Holder to the Rescue!

Need a quick gifty for a friend, teacher or co-worker? A gift card is always nice, but a little impersonal. Jazz it up with a handmade gift card holder!

This is the card I made on my ustream class last night. If you missed it, you can watch it below.

The basic card is so quick and easy to whip out., make a bunch and have them ready when you’re in a hurry!

As I promised in the class,  the measurement of the card base is 5” x 12”. Score at 3-1/2”, 6” and 8-1/2”. You’ll want to watch the video to see how to put it all together. If you’d just like to see the card base assembly, without all the decorating, click here for the shorty version.

Supplies for this card:
A Timber stamp set (just $7.95, wowee!)
Mistletoe level 2 paper pack
Cranberry Grosgrain ribbon (another fabulous deal, $4.95 for 20 yards. Double wowee!)
Red Sparkles
Ink colors: Cocoa, Bamboo, Garden Green

Watch the show:

Live Class Tonight!

Tonight’s class, gift card holder with 3-D tree embellishment.
Live at 7 pm pacific, 8 pm mountain, 9 pm central, 10 pm eastern.
Show will be recorded for those who can’t make it.
Go to my channel.