Christmas..?

...is not actually next, but as soon as I saw the Merry Melody embossing folder, I wanted to combine it with this stamp set that happily carried over from last year. And I finally got time to try it out! 
I used the latest Sunday Stamps sketch and I think it worked out really lovely. I tried a few different colors and I like them all! Do you have a favorite?

Supplies:

Stamps: For Unto Us
Ink: Cherry Cobbler / Shaded Spruce / Memento Black
Paper: Very Vanilla card stock, Metallic Specialty Paper (from the annual catalog page 135, #7)
Accessories: Merry Melody Embossing Folder, Dimensionals, big shot (retired)

I also used a lot of Dimensionals on these, because each layer is popped up from the next, to make the "white on white" look pop! 

Tips: For using up the 6x6 paper (which I struggle with!!) Trim 2" off one end, flip it the other direction and cut 2" strips. Altho for this card I wanted the music to show, so I only used 1" strips of the gold paper.

Like this: 

A Tip!

Happy Thursday!
This feels like a good day to share a little tip I've been using a lot lately.

I feel like I've used a lot of dies in my projects recently. Some of them are tricky to fit back on the cardboard sheet... I like the sheet because I can quickly see exactly what dies are included that I have to choose from. So I've been tracing around the die shapes with a pencil, so I can easily put them back and make it all fit! Like this: 

While we're discussing storing dies, this is what I do. I slide the die sheet to the back of the envelope, with all the dies showing.
(And I usually have a toothpick in there too, to push out the little tiny bits... altho we do sell a handy little brush tip on page 153 that probably works better) 

And then the front of the packaging faces the flap of the envelope. That way I can see it's actual name, and the flap doesn't catch on any of the dies. 

At the moment, I store my dies in the same bin as my stamp sets, next to the one it bundles with. That may change when I get a craft room in the next few months, but for now that's what works for me.

Quick and Cute!

Today I decided to take some stamping time and put this card together. This will definitely be part of my next class- it was so quick to make and it's really cute!
The color combo came from the latest Global Design Project challenge, and the sketch came from Fab Friday!

Supplies:
Stamps: Forever Lovely
Ink: Rococo Rose, Mint Macaron, So Saffron
Paper: So Saffron, Whisper White & Mint Macaron card stocks
Accessories: Rococo Rose Scalloped Linen Ribbon, Glue Dots

And then, I have a quick tip to share. I know occasionally with brand new rubber stamps, especially with a large solid area, sometimes won't stamp clearly. The ink sort of beads up on the rubber, rather than covering the whole image. I haven't had that issue with the photopolymer stamps at all, until today. The flowers didn't seem very clear, and then the leafy image, even tho I used markers the first try, didn't come out well at all! Hmm. The solution? Scrub it across your jeans, or even the palm of your hands. Then clean it to make sure there isn't lint (or hand oils) and ink it up again. Then it came out great!