Category Archives: Steph Ackerman

Embellish Your Handmade Card with Polymer Clay

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by Steph Ackerman

Embellish Your Handmade Card with Polymer Clay

This month’s color theme is Sea Breeze. This color theme reminds me of water, vacations, cruises, and time at the beach. With this ocean theme in mind, I created a fun card that could be given to someone heading on vacation, or perhaps someone heading towards retirement. By mixing and matching embellishments you can create a wide assortment of cards.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1 hour

Directions

Ink embossing folder with Kaleidacolor Blue Breeze
Step 1

Ink embossing folder with Kaleidacolor Blue Breeze. Place white cardstock in the inked folder and emboss.

Mat embossed panel with kraft cardstock
Step 2

Mat embossed panel with kraft cardstock. Adhere panel to a blue card with foam adhesives.

Kaleidacolor Blue Breeze ink
Step 3

Ink canvas tag with Kaleidacolor Blue Breeze ink by dabbing different colors on the tag. Also, ink the twine.

Stamp the phrase on white cardstock with VersaFine Nocturne ink
Step 4

Stamp the phrase on white cardstock with VersaFine Nocturne ink. Die cut with an oval die and mat with a larger blue die.

Create a ship's wheel from Makin's tan clay with a pirate mold
Step 5

Create a ship’s wheel from Makin’s tan clay with a pirate mold. Ink with Brilliance in Pearlescent Chocolate Ink. Alternatively, you can create the ship’s wheel with brown clay.

Add elements to the card with On Point Glue
Step 6

Add elements to the card with On Point Glue, letting the tag twine flow freely across the card.

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Cardstock – White, Blue, Kraft
  • Spellbinders – Circle dies
  • Sizzix Embossing Folder
  • Sizzix Embossing Machine
  • Makin’s Clay
  • Creative Vision Stamps
  • Burlap
  • Pirate mold

Make a Cute “Gnome is Where the Heart is” Card

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by Steph Ackerman

Make a Cute "Gnome is Where the Heart is" Card. Joy Clair Stamps.

In today’s project, I created two cards with a fun garden gnome themes with Tsukineko inks. This month we had the opportunity of creating with Joy Clair stamps and I chose a woodgrain background and a whimsical stamp set. Who doesn’t love mushroom houses and gnomes?

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1 hour + dry time

Directions


Step 1

Stamp houses with VersaFine Clair in Nocturne on white cardstock.


Step 2

Color images with Memento Markers.


Step 3

To achieve color variations, ink the woodgrain stamp with Brilliance in Pearlescent Beige and Coffee Bean Inks and stamp onto white cardstock.


Step 4

Ink the woodgrain stamp with VersaFine Clair in Pinecone and stamp onto brown cardstock.


Step 5

Die cut house with circle dies. Ink around edges with Brilliance in Pearlescent Beige. Stamp fences with VersaFine Clair in Pinecone Ink.


Step 6

Mat die cut house with yellow cardstock and add to the background. Stamp “Hello” with VersaFine Clair in Nocturne. Mat with cardstock and add to the card. Stamp mushroom images along the bottom edge of an envelope.


Step 7

Die cut trellis from brown cardstock. Ink with VersaFine Clair Pinecone and spritz with Ink Potion No. 9.


Step 8

Mat woodgrain panel with brown cardstock. Fussy cut house and mat with brown cardstock. Add to card. Stamp “Gnome is where the heart is” phrase with Brilliance in Coffee Bean. Die cut and mat with larger die. Add trellis to the card, adhering sentiment on top. Add leaves, tiny flowers, and dew drops.

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Joy Clair Stamps – Gnome is Where the Heart Is
  • Heartfelt Creations – Leaves die
  • Cheery Lynn – Trellis die
  • Spellbinders – Circles, Ovals die
  • Prima Marketing – Flowers
  • The Robin’s Nest – Gold Dew Drops
  • Cardstock – white, brown, yellow, green

Project Swap: Create a “Dear Friend” Greeting Card

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Welcome back for another Artist Project Swap with Martha and Steph.

Welcome back for another Artist Project Swap with Martha and Steph. For the Month of May, we challenged our artists to exchange tutorials and create each other’s designs in order to see how each of our artists interprets style and choices. The receiving artist did not know who designed the project, nor did they receive any images! In today’s post, Steph writes the directions and recommended supplies list and Martha created the project.

Create a “Dear Friend” Greeting Card by Martha Lucia Gomez

This month the Artist in Residence team made a wonderful exercise or swap project challenge. Each designer created a project and send the instructions and photo to our coordinator. Then we received another project to follow the instructions, without a photo or who exactly created it. This is the swap project I received and can you believe that after made the card I discovered who was the author of the instructions…I recognize the style!

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 30 minutes + dry time

Directions


Step 1

Create the base of the card using olive card stock. The size of my card is a regular size 4-1/4″ x 11″ with a score at 5-1/2″ for the centerfold. Cut a white cardstock of 4″x 5-1/4″. Place a background pattern stencil on the white panel and ink with Brilliance in Pearlescent Lime.


Step 2

Ink sheer ribbon with lime ink. When dry, wrap around the matted panel. Knot with twine on the right side of the panel. Added the panel to the card with foam adhesives.


Step 3

Using a stamp positioning tool and a flower stamp, ink the steam and leaves with the Brilliance in Pearlescent Lime. Ink the flower with the Memento Marker in Angel Pink. Stamp image onto white cardstock. Re-stamp the flower using the Memento Marker in Rose Bud around the edges. Fussy cut the flower.


Step 4

Die cut brown and white cardstock shapes with graduating sized dies. Adhere together with Tear It Tape. Place on left side of the card with foam adhesives, overlapping the ribbon. Trim shapes as needed to align with a patterned piece on the left edge. Adhere the stamped flower on top. I used square cross stitched die cuts from Gina Marie Designs. Stamp “Just For You” sentiment. Ink edges and mat with brown cardstock. Add near the top of the card with foam adhesives. Reading through Steph’s instructions I realized I didn’t have a “Just For You” sentiment so I replaced with “Dear Friend” which is just as nice.

Definitely, it was a very good experience to swap projects and the best part that was I could replace materials and give to the project my personal touch.

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Cardstock – Whisper White, Old Olive, Early Espresso
  • Hero Arts – Honeycomb Stencil
  • Stampin Up – Birthday Blossom Stamp set
  • Gina Marie Designs – Square Cross Stitched dies
  • Big Shot die cut machine
  • Sheer ribbon
  • MISTI or Stamparatus stamping tool
  • Double sided foam tape or Dimensionals

Original Design by Steph

What did you think of Martha’s interpretation of Steph’s design?

Comment below!

Project Swap: Let Your Dreams Fly Greeting Card

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Welcome back for another Artist Project Swap with Martha and Steph. For the Month of May, we challenged our artists to exchange tutorials and create each other’s designs in order to see how each of our artists interprets style and choices. The receiving artist did not know who designed the project, nor did they receive any images! In today’s post, Martha writes the directions and recommended supplies list and Steph created the project.

Let Your Dreams Fly by Steph Ackerman

This month we were given another team member’s project to re-create. What a great way to see how someone else approaches cardmaking! I love creating backgrounds using stamps and inks, but don’t generally have a lot of “white space” on my cards. I’ve always felt the need to cover white spaces. This project challenge taught me that you can use white spaces to create amazing projects. See how I did it!

Skill: Beginner
Time: 30 minutes

Directions


Step 1

Ink background stamps with VersaMagic in Cloud White on white paper and let dry.


Step 2

Using daubers, ink panel with Memento in Morocco, Rhubarb Stalk and Peanut Brittle which should create a warm hue.


Step 3

Cut the panel to fit the card. Save the scraps. Die cut a circle from the center of the panel and set it aside to use for a second card design later.


Step 4

Ink a paisley stamp with VersaMagic in Cloud White. Stamp it several times in the circle. Re-ink paisley stamp with Memento ink in Rhubarb Stalk and Morocco. Stamp each color several times around the circle, stamping off the circle. Stamp phrase in center of the circle with VersaMark and emboss with White Embossing Powder.


Step 5

Add the circle to a card placing it slightly off the card. Cut off the excess. Using the scraps, cut two different sized strips. Ink the edges of the scrap pieces with Memento Rhubarb Ink and add to the card. Add drops of IrRESISTible in Wedding Dress around the card.


Step 6

Using the punched panel create a second card. Ink the die cut panel with Memento in Rhubarb. Add the panel to a white card base. Stamp the Mary Elizabeth Frye paragraph from Whimsy Stamps with Memento in Rhubarb on a smaller die cut circle. Mat with medium sized kraft die cut. Add to center of the card. The two additional dies can be size from the Spellbinders stackable sets. Stamp “With Sympathy” in Rhubarb Ink on a leftover scrap and mount with foam adhesives, slightly overlapping the circles.

These two card designs come together quickly if you plan to coordinate the original circle punch.

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • JustForFun – Rubber Stamp background
  • Joy Clair Stamps – “With Sympathy” sentiment stamp
  • Whimsy Stamps – Mary Elizabeth Frye paragraph stamp
  • Spellbinders – Circle stackable dies
  • Die cut machine
  • Cardstock – white, kraft

Original Design by Martha

What did you think of Steph’s interpretation of Martha’s instructions?

Comment below!

Blog Hop with Precious Remembrance Shop Day 2

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Welcome to Day Two! We are pairing our ink with Precious Remembrance Shop stamps to make a perfect match! Precious Remembrance is a maker of photopolymer clear stamps that offers a super cute style with a variety of options for cardmaking and scrapbooking. Thanks so much for stopping by! Be sure to leave comments (one per blog, per day) during these 2 days so you can be entered to win a School Days & Totally Stamp Set from Precious Remembrance Shop or a $30 Imagine Gift Card!!! Winners will be announced on the Precious Remembrance and Imagine Blogs at the end of the month.

Let’s get started!

 

Precious Remembrance Shop Blog

Lisa Elton 

Kelly Lunceford

Greta Hess 

Helen Gullett

Rosemary Dennis

Steph Ackerman

Melissa Andrew

Nadine Carlier

Martha Lucia Gomez 

Roni Johnson

Jowilna Nolte 

Kyriakos Pachadiroglou

Iris Rodriquez

Elina Stromberg 

Kassy Tousignant

Jennifer Vanderbeek

 

Follow us on social media!

Precious Remembrance Shop: Facebook, Instagram
Imagine Crafts: Facebook, Instagram

1 Winner: School Days & Totally stamp sets from Precious Remembrance Shop
1 Winner: $30 Gift Certificate from Imagine Crafts

 

Blog Hop with Precious Remembrance Shop Day 1

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In this week’s blog hop, we are pairing our ink with Precious Remembrance Shop stamps to make a perfect match! Precious Remembrance is a maker of photopolymer clear stamps that offers a super cute style with a variety of options for cardmaking and scrapbooking.
Thanks so much for stopping by! Be sure to leave comments (one per blog, per day) during these 2 days so you can be entered to win a School Days & Totally Stamp Set from Precious Remembrance Shop or a $30 Imagine Gift Card!!! Winners will be announced on the Precious Remembrance and Imagine Blogs at the end of the month.

Let’s get started!

 

Lisa Elton 

Kelly Lunceford

Greta Hess 

Helen Gullett

Rosemary Dennis

Steph Ackerman

Melissa Andrew 

Nadine Carlier 

Martha Lucia Gomez 

Roni Johnson

Jowilna Nolte 

Kyriakos Pachadiroglou

Iris Rodriquez

Elina Stromberg 

Kassy Tousignant

Jennifer Vanderbeek

Precious Remembrance Shop Blog

Follow us on social media!

Precious Remembrance Shop: Facebook, Instagram
Imagine: Facebook, Instagram

1 Winner: School Days & Totally stamp sets from Precious Remembrance Shop
1 Winner: $30 Gift Certificate from Imagine Crafts