Simple Stamping Honey Bee Cards

As Stampin' Up! Demonstrators, we love to teach others about stamping & card making, and to show how easy it is, with just a few basic supplies, to make a lovely card.

But most of us crafters, don't like to stop there! Once you're bitten by the bug, you want to learn how to make more spectacular cards, so today's cards are an example of how to make a very simple card, and how to easily step it up and make it a bit more special.

My first card is about as simple as it gets! I used the Honey Bee Stamp set, and stamped the Hive image in Crushed Curry & the other images in Memento Black ink. I used half a sheet of Thick Whisper White card, folded in half to make my card base. But, if you are a beginner card maker, I'd suggest getting a pack of our Notecards, as they come with envelopes, so helps to keep the initial cost down. The only other thing you'd need would be a block to mount your stamps on. I also used a yellow pencil (raid the kids colouring pencils or treat yourself to a set of our watercolour pencils) to colour the stripes on the bees.

If you ordered those 5 items (stamp set, Crushed Curry & Memento black ink pads,  clear block & notecards) it would come to just £46. Until the end of March this would also entitle you to a free item form our Saleabration promotion. You could choose the beautiful Golden Honey paper (while stocks last) which coordinates beautifully with the Honey Bee stamp set.

For this card, I stepped up the same layout, by stamping the same images, using the same inks on to a piece of Whisper White cardstock which measures 3 3/8" x 5" (8.5cm x 12.5cm). This time, I coloured the stripes on the bees using a Dark Daffodil Delight Stampin' Blends Pen. I adhered my stamped piece to a piece of Basic Black Card measuring 3 1/2" x 5 1/8" (9 x 13cm) and attached that to the front of a card base made from half a sheet of Crushed Curry card. Still simple, but requires a few more supplies, which really make the images 'pop'!

For the final card (for now!) I've used exactly the same layout as the middle card, but this time I've also used die cuts cut using the Detailed Bee Dies.You can save 10% by buying the stamps and dies as a bundle (until June 3rd)

Instead of stamping the hive, I die cut an aperture, in both the whisper white layer & the basic black layer, using the Hive die. I cut the honey comb from basic black card, and adhered this between the 2 layers, so that it showed in the aperture. I stamped, coloured & cut the flowers & the bees, and attached the flowers using wet glue, & the bees using stampin' dimensionals.

Come back next week & I'll show you how I used some of the Golden Honey paper, to step up the same basic layout for a real 'Wow' card!

Hope you like my cards!

Thanks for stopping by

Jane x

Basket of Daisies

It's getting to that time of year when we're all fed up of winter weather and long for some spring sunshine. So I thought a basket of pretty flowers might cheer us all up!

Today's project is based on one I saw some time ago by another demonstrator. I've redesigned the basket so that it would fit a 9cm sphere of floral foam which I had in. I'm really pleased with the result!

The flowers were punched out of Daffodil Delight, Flirty Flamingo, Gorgeous Grape, Mango Melody & Melon Mambo Cardstock, using the Daisy Punch & the Medium Daisy Punch. You'll need about 6 large daisies & 12 medium ones in each colour.

Work the petals of each daisy by running your bone folder along it to start it curling. Then glue 2 of the same size & colour together, with a dab of Tombow, so that the petals are off set. When the glue is dry, using a floral pin and your paper piercing mat, push the pin through the centre of your daisy. Now run it through your hand to curl the petals up more. At this point you can also remove the pin, and rub the daisy, gently, between the palms of your hands to curl it even more.

For the small daisies, I then simply put the pin back through the central hole. For the larger daisies, put the pin through a small daisy and then through a large one, as in the close up above, to give a fuller flower. Then, simply arrange the flowers in the floral foam in your basket.

Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by

Jane

Basket Instructions

Cut your cardstock (I used Gray Granite) to 7 1/8" x 7 1/8" (18cm x 18cm)

If you are using a trimmer, use the ruler on the track, to accurately score to 2 1/2" (6.5cm) only, at 3 1/8" & 4" (8 & 10 cm). It is important that this measurement is accurate.

If you are using a scoreboard, mark each of the 4 sides at 2 1/2" & 4 5/8" (6.5 & 11.5 cm)
Use these marks to line up a ruler on your card at 2 1/2" (6.5cm) from the top, and score from the top to your ruler at 3 1/8" & 4" (8 & 10 cm).
Tip: Use a pencil to make your marks on the card, then, when you've finished this part, erase your pencil marks. This will stop you getting these marks confused with the marks you'll be making later! (Ask me how I know!! )

Your card should now look like this diagram

Now connect the ends of all all the score lines, using your scoring stylus, to score an octagon in the centre of your card, as in the diagram below.

Turn your paper through 45° so that the corner points upwards, and place your ruler horizontally (corner to corner) across the middle. Now move it up to line it up on the 2 score line junctions just above the ruler. Score on both sides of the octagon from the octagon to the edge of your card. Turn through 90° and repeat. Keep repeating until your card looks like this.

Mark all 4 sides at 1 3/4" & 5 3/8" (4.5 & 13.5cm)

Cut up all 8 score lines that are vertical or horizontal in the diagram, just to the central octagon.

Line your card up on your trimmer, so that the 2 marks adjacent to one corner are on your cutting line, and remove the corner. Repeat for all 4 corners.

Your card should now look like this (dashed lines are scored, solid lines are cut)

Fold & burnish all remaining score lines.

Now bring up 2 of the corner flaps and overlap them, leaving the central flap inside the basket. You may find it helpful to place your floral foam sphere, temporarily, inside the basket at this point, to check how much overlap you need. Adhere the 2 corner sections together, leaving the central flap loose.

Repeat for the opposite side, ensuring that the overlap is the same on both sides.

Use the Braided Border Punch on a piece of card of A4 length (or 11" long if you are using American sizes) to make the handle.

If you would like the handle to be fixed, Assemble the 2 remaining corners in the same way as the ones you've already done, but adhere the end of the handle between the flap and the 2 corner pieces i.e. adhere all 4 layers in the order (going from outside of the basket to inside) corner flap, corner flap, handle, inside flap.

Alternatively punch holes in each of the 3 sections (2 corner flaps & inside flap), being careful to ensure they all line up, and use a brad to connect the 4 pieces in the same order as above. This method enables you to move the handle, which makes inserting flowers around the handle area much easier.

Now put your floral foam sphere inside the basket, and use floral tape to attach it to the 2 loose flaps.

Decorate with your flowers.