using calendar downloads

Did you receive one of those calendar templates for 2011?  If so, you’ve probably made one or two calendars, but then what?  Here’s a way to make the most of those digital calendar files – make a card celebrating a special day by printing out one month and circling that day.  Here is a clean and simple card using this technique and the same sketch as yesterdays card.

The calender used here is from the Amuse Calendar download – which offers downloads in several different size calendars.  This one is the mini calendar.  I printed it out on vellum, then mounted it on vanilla and chocolate cardstock.  I circled one of the days in January – so you can use this  for birthdays, valentines day, or even Christmas.  The rhinestone in the corner was clear – I colored it with a brown copic marker.

The pink cardstock is from SU, which was stamped with a cherry blossom image from Stamp Camp in Memento Rich Cocoa ink.  I also stamped the inside of the card with the same image.    A chocolate velvet ribbon at the top adds just a little more  softness to the card.   

Thanks for stopping by today – check back tomorrow for one more card using this sketch.

clean and simple monday

Today’s clean and simple challenge at SCS is the technique of “kissing”.  To do this ink up one stamp – a solid stamp works best – then ink up another stamp and press the second stamp onto the first, then onto paper. 

Here’s my card:

I started with one of those shadow stamps (from Rubbernecker) and inked it up with Palette Ballet Blue ink.  Then I took a Cherry Blossom image (from Stamp Camp) and inked it with a cocoa ink, and pressed it onto the inked shadow stamp.  Then I pressed the shadow stamp onto a piece of white cardstock.

Using a Martha Stewart “All Over The Page” punch (more on these punches later) I punched the label out of a piece of textured cardstock to make a window and sponged more  Ballet Blue ink around the window edges and outer edges of the square.  The stamped piece was placed behind the window and everything was mounted on a piece of chocolate cardstock. 

To add a little interest I used a stardust gel pen and highlighted the cherry blossom image, but you can’t see this in the photo.  It looks very nice irl.

The textured white cardstock is Bazzill, the blue and chocolate cardstock is SU, the ribbon is chocolate satin from Offray.

A note about the MS “All Over The Page” punch.  The punches consist of a top and bottom which are held together with strong magnets.  You separate the two pieces, place your paper in between them, then line up the top and bottom sections and punch.  Lining up the top and bottom is not as easy as it sounds – you need to be careful that the paper is straight and not off kilter.  Then to punch it takes two hands – and if the top and bottom magnets are not perfectly aligned it will not work.  I purchased the punch prior to getting a Big Shot Pro because I wanted to be able to punch anywhere on a piece of paper.  Now with the Big Shot Pro and its very large cutting platform, I can use my nestabilities dies anywhere on the page.  This MS punch may be banished to the “sell” box of my craft room. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today.  I hope you will join us at SCS for this weeks Clean and Simple challenge!