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5 OF MY FAVORITE ESSENTIALS BY ELLEN PRODUCTS

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Yup—it’s your lucky day! Ellen Hutson is having a 25% of sale on the Essentials by Ellen product line! My stamp sets/die designs are part of that line, so yes! That discount applies to my exclusive designs, too! Yippee!!! Here’s a direct (affiliate) link to the sale category: Essentials by Ellen

The sale ends December 17th, 11:59pm Pacific and don’t forget to use code EBEDEC2021 at check out!

Aside from my own designs, tho, Ellen’s shop carries a number of other exclusives that are among some of my all-time faves!

5 ESSENTIALS BY ELLEN PRODUCTS I RELY ON:

  • EBE Storage Envelopes - When Ellen first started producing my designs, she asked what kind of packaging I would want, from a crafter’s perspective. I mentioned I’d really love it if they came in storage sleeves/pockets that were so sturdy I could keep and organize them in the same, without the need to invest in something else extra. She nailed it!

  • EBE Crystal Clear Plastic - I use this not only for shaker windows, but also for clear cards, as support for various pop-up mechanisms, making DIY clear overlays, as a mixing palette for watercolor paints and so on and so forth. Sometimes acetate can have a slight haze or cloudiness but not this one; it’s always literally crystal clear!

  • EBE Ebony Black Card Stock - It’s a nice rich black, and at 100# it’s also got a nice heft to it. It’s my go-to black card stock.

  • EBE Teflon Bone Folder - Ellen actually gifted me my first teflon bone folder many years ago; at the time I was skeptical that it being teflon made any kind of difference. I later ate my words, because after my first use it became a tool I can’t imagine being without. It creases my fold lines all buttery smooth, and doesn’t leave a shine on the paper. Truth.

  • EBE 40# Vellum - A frosty but translucent finish that is also weighty enough to serve as a card base. That’s what I’m talkin’ ‘bout.

I can’t say enough good things about the above products—they are/have been long-time staples for me! If you haven’t tried any of ‘em yet, now’s a good time!

Hope your week is going well, and thanks for popping in!

ANNOUNCEMENT

Also, I wanted to give you a heads’ up that I am going to be transitioning to a new email platform; currently my blog’s RSS feed goes out via MailChimp to those of you that signed up. But, how those emails look has always bugged me (like really, really bugged me!), so I’m moving over to FloDesk.

If you’d like to continue receiving updates/news, other yadda yadda via my email list, please sign up! There’s a new form along the bottom right of my site’s home page you can fill out.

If you’re not interested, no worries; I just didn’t want those who are accustomed to receiving that RSS feed via email to miss out when I finish the transition.

Thanks muchly!

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ELLEN HUTSON'S ANNUAL 12 TAGS OF CHRISTMAS

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Every year, Ellen Hutson hosts the 12 Tags of Christmas, and this year’s theme was Holiday Carols, and you can see my post with all the tips and catch the video at the link above (under the photo). My chosen carol was Holly Jolly Christmas and my friend, and talented fellow stamper, Chari Moss joins me with her interpretation!

Along with the hop there are challenges and a chance to win a shopping spree! You can see all the details there and check out all the gorgeous tags shared by the Ellen Hutson Design Team Members and guests!

For as long as I can remember, my favorite rendition of this carol has always been by the one and only Burl Ives. And, yes, every year I still watch the classic stop-motion animated Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer as an adult.

In my video towards the end, you’ll see me reference a great recipe for a cheese log. Cuz I do love me a good cheese log! My daughter brought one to our Thanksgiving Feast and our whole family went bonkers over it and I had to have the recipe! I love that it can be a “make-ahead” appetizer and that is so easy, beautiful, colorful and incredibly yummy! I’m sharing the link to it here: Easy Cranberry Pistachio Cheese Log by Jen, author of Carlsbad Cravings.

I hope this Season finds you able to safely enjoy some in-person time with family and friends! My family LOVES food and FOOD GIFTS are always a huge hit—I’m totally gifting these cheese logs, with the appropriate tag, too. #handmadegiftswithloveforthewin

Happy Holidays!

ANNOUNCEMENT

Also, I wanted to give you a heads’ up that I am going to be transitioning to a new email platform; currently my blog’s RSS feed goes out via MailChimp to those of you that signed up. But, how those emails look has always bugged me (like really, really bugged me!), so I’m moving over to FloDesk.

If you’d like to continue receiving updates/news, other yadda yadda via my email list, please sign up! There’s a new form along the bottom right of my site’s home page you can fill out.

If you’re not interested, no worries; I just didn’t want those who are accustomed to receiving that RSS feed via email to miss out when I finish the transition.

Thanks muchly!

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ECLIPSE DIE CUTTING EFFECT

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I have seen a number of questions regarding how I achieved the effect on the “Oh What Fun!” card; at the time, I was literally outta’ steam and just couldn’t pull off a video prior to sharing it for the Holiday Release.

Eclipse cards are among my most favorite to make—the technique is simple, not messy, and the end result is one that always seems to fascinate folks. While that’s the focus of my video, I also threw in 2 other techniques that I just happened to combine on these cards, so you’re actually getting a trifecta, LOL! Oooh, go me!

The other two are Ombré Inking, and Faux Embossing Folder (I have no idea if it’s actually called that; it’s what I call it because that’s what it reminds me of), neither of which have to be used in conjunction with the Eclipse Die Cutting, but at the time, that’s the direction the mojo went so I rolled with it. I ended up loving the end result so much I think it was worth the extra time and effort. I wouldn’t necessarily mass produce this type of card, but if I wanted to make an extra special card for someone’s birthday, it is an absolute stunner!

So, would you make a one-off card like this for special occasion? I think something like this would be suitable for a birthday, anniversary, wedding or new baby. If I were making a stack of these, I’d most likely skip the ombré inking and the faux embossing folder effect and just go for the Eclipse.

ANNOUNCEMENT

Also, I wanted to give you a heads’ up that I am going to be transitioning to a new email platform; currently my blog’s RSS feed goes out via MailChimp to those of you that signed up. But, how those emails look has always bugged me (like really, really bugged me!), so I’m moving over to FloDesk.

If you’d like to continue receiving updates/news, other yadda yadda via my email list, please sign up! There’s a new form along the bottom right of my site’s home page you can fill out.

If you’re not interested, no worries; I just didn’t want those who are accustomed to receiving that RSS feed via email to miss out when I finish the transition.

Thanks muchly!

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REPOST: FIT TO BE PIED

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Because it’s apropos for today, which is Thanksgiving, I’m reposting one of my favorite Bear card designs!

And, if you’re shopping online while waiting for the big bird to finish roasting, heads’ up on the sale going on over at ellenhutson.com right now:

 
 
 
 

I hope your Turkey Day is indeed “fit to be pied”! (big grin)

HAH!!! Mama Bear and Li’l Bear have been busy making pumpkin pie. WOOT!!!

I usually refrain from coloring Bear; I just like him in white. But I do like to outline him with a soft color and often reach for Copic Milky White. All of these were stamped with Gina K Amalgam Jet Black Ink, which is alcohol marker friendly. You could also use colored pencils, water-based markers, etc. Normally, I reach for Versafine Clair Nocturne when stamping my images in black, but it does not play nice with alcohol markers unless you clear emboss it.

I also have a quick tip for using stamps that have coordinating SOLID dies. I used the Bear from All Inside for the demo, but this works for any solid die. You can watch right here or over on my YouTube Channel.

If you look closely, you may be able to see how some of the smallish images were outlined outside the lines with a pale blue—this can actually make white images appear even whiter (like the plate and the whip cream atop the slice of pie).

I used Orange Stickles on the pumpkin, but you can substitute Diamond Stickles in a pinch.

Have a fab day and thanks for stopping by!

STITCHING ON CARDS AND HOT FOIL STAMPING


If you enjoy hand-stitching on your paper craft projects, you’ll fine the new Essentials Stitched Arches and Hexagon Dies right up your alley! They work well with the original Essentials Arches and Hexagon Dies.

I die cut the stitched arch first through a woodgrain textured paper, then nested the appropriate fitting plain arch inside and ran it through my machine to get the window effect. After blanket stitching the perimeter, I mounted it with foam tape to a grey base card, and then added the other elements.

Creating these stripes was relatively quick and easy—I actually wished I had some metallic floss at the time I was making this sample; it would have been so pretty! Note to self: Snag some metallic floss ASAP!!!

For the above sample, I had watercolored several backgrounds onto quarter sheets of watercolor paper and set them aside for some future project when it struck me that the Hot Foil Snowflake Stamp would really look pretty against it, so I whipped out my Gemini Foil Press and tried it! I can’t even tell you the monkey clapping that went on when I peeled back that foil sheet and saw my gorgeous, shiny snowflake!

Now, truthfully I thought the card was gorgeous as it was, without the baker’s twine, but I added it, crossing my fingers that I hadn’t just ruined perfection . . . WHEW!!! It’s a nice addition—not necessary, but it doesn’t detract, either. That’s kinda rare for me—usually when I had more, I ruin things.

So, I’ll take it—three card making WINS!!! Go, me! (virtual high five)

We’ve been dealing with high wind storms and power outages this week—hope y’all are staying safe out there and thanks for stopping by!

SUPPLIES:

Disclosure: I include affiliate links to the products used in my projects and make a small commission when you purchase via those links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for buying all the things!