witticisms by Jess Witty

September 11, 2012

Boards & Beams and Home for the Holidays...



Come on... you know you're singing it, aren't you?

I'm humming it as I welcome you to Papertrey Ink's September countdown posts :)
The new products being featured today will be available for purchase on the 15th.

And the new product I'm featuring?

Today's stamps are familiar {the previously released Boards & Beams and Home for the Holidays sets} but they've got a whole new life when the coordinating dies are added in.

A few of the details...
Each die set consists of 6 dies.
The Boards & Beams die set has both houses, tree, double topiary (2 topiaries are cut with one die), and 2 long fence dies (one for the straight fences and one for the rounded fences).

The Home for the Holidays die set is clever, clever... the 2 swag dies, 2 window dies, and wreath die are all designed to cut several images at one time.  For example, the window die used below cut all 5 windows at one time.  Sweet!  This set also includes a die that cuts the snowman, Christmas tree, and 2 lamp posts with wreaths all at once.


I started off my projects today with my take on a traditional Home for the Holidays Christmas card.  I used the new large house and rounded fence dies from Boards & Beams and the Christmas tree die from Home for the Holidays. 

Before I get into all the details on the dies... one note on the sentiment.  That's from the new Gingerbread Lane set.  The sentiment is actually a straight stamp... I just curved it on my block to frame the house a bit.  Easy trick ;)

The fence dies are super handy. I just stamped the larger fence image a few times and filled in the spaces with the smaller image... very simple.


Kinda loving how the dies give you the opportunity to build depth.  I just used one layer of foam tape behind the tree and two layers behind the fence.



For my next adventure in dies, I added a little reverse die cutting...

The key with dies is that there's more than just one way to use 'em :)

And the more ways you use them, the more variety you get out of the stamps you already own... or might now need ;)

For this sweet little Welcome Home card, I die cut the townhouse shape from the patterned paper first.  {Hint... when I'm using patterned paper as a popped up layer, I like to beef it up with a sheet of scrap cardstock behind it.  So the striped paper is acutally adhered to a piece of cardstock, THEN die cut.}  Once the shape was die cut, it was just a matter of placing that layer on the card front and stamping the townhouse image right through the opening.  That gave me the perfect placement right off the bat.



I couldn't resist adding in that depth again so I added the tree image to the upper layer. Between the tree, the wreath, and the buttons I was trying to go for an autumn vibe.  That's actually how I chose the colors for the house... I wanted the fall colors in the leaves to really pop.

{And... ahem... I'd like to note that in real life, that third button there coordinates with the townhouse quite nicely.  In the picture... hmmm... not so much.}




And, of course... I had to try and pull off a bit more of a clean and simple design...


Yup... that's me... never gettin' tired of the vellum, people.  It just ain't gonna happen ;)

For this design, the key elements are a Soft Stone cardstock, a vellum cardstock overlay, and the townhouse die cut using the die from Boards & Beams.



I figured out my layout and used a bit of temporary adhesive to stick the townhouse down on the Soft Stone layer.  Doing it that way made it super simple to repeat the town house images around the die cut.

Once those were all finished, I put the vellum overlay back on the card base, stamped the sentiment, and added the die cut townhouse image.


That vellum... if you've never given it a shot, let me encourage you to once AGAIN ;)

I actually first created this card without the overlay on a white card base and it was just too busy.  The vellum softens the background just enough to let the focal image and sentiment stand out.


Speaking of standing out... I know Nichole, Heather, and Danielle all have brand new projects to check out...
Nichole Heady


That's all for me, folks... but not for long...
I'll be back at ya on Thursday.

In the meantime... give me a shout on your thoughts on today's projects :)
I hope you found a little bit of enjoyment in it today. 
{Not gonna lie... I found the Boards and Beams set just a tad bit intimidating.. all those beautiful projects out there with that and the Home for the Holidays set! }


And before I go, just a personal note... I'm up in the middle of the night, blogging... and unable to tear my eyes away from all the 9/11 documentaries.  Anyone else?  Somehow... when the personal stories of that day come on, I'm just unable to turn away. 

So this is me... remembering with you.


{Home for the Holidays} card
Supplies not available now but available 9/15: 
Stamps - Gingerbread Lane
Die - Boards & Beams, Home for the Holidays
Supplies available now:
Stamps - Boards & Beams, Home for the Holidays
CS - White, Vellum

PP - Enchanted Evening
Ink - VersaMark, Tuxedo Black (Memento), Copics
Other - Simply Chartreuse ribbon, Filigree White embossing powder



{Welcome Home} card
Supplies not available now but available 9/15: 
Die - Boards & Beams, Home for the HolidaysSupplies available now:
Stamps - Boards & Beams
CS - White
PP - Fine Linen
Ink - Rich Cocoa (Memento), Dark Chocolate, Copics
Other - vintage buttons, corner rounder






{No Place Like Home} card
Supplies not available now but available 9/15: 
Die - Boards & Beams
Supplies available now:
Stamps - Boards & Beams
CS - Soft Stone, Vellum
Ink - True Black, Going Gray (SU), Copics

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

You, you you you you ....you makea my dreams come true!
I have the Board and Beams set . Hemmed and hawed over getting the Home for the Holidays set.( He who hesitates is lost!) But I am going to CAS at least 2 of your cards. So well done, great techniques. Guess I'll be adding one stamp set and 2 die sets to my order! Thanks a lot, Jessica (feigned sarcasm)!

Cheryl B. said...

Oh I didn't mean to be anonymous. I just forgot to put my name in! Doh!

Debbie Brackett said...

Love the new dies and stamps! Great cards.

Carolynn said...

Lovely and clever... and that vellum overlay reminds me of a quiet misty morning in town... Yes, remembering too... bless you

Leigh Penner said...

Fabulous projects, Jessica! I love the third one especially, with the vellum!

Rhonda said...

Great projects Jess! Oh the things you can do with vellum. LOVE it. Remembering 9/11 as well.

Sue in Grapevine said...

Love these -- esp. the fall-themed card!
(tiny, picky thing = your supply list says new items available 7/15. Didn't know if this might cause any problem.) Sorry, that I notice these things.

Denise E said...

Jess, you outdid yourself, again...as always! Those are very intimidating sets, but you have some awesome, amazing, stupendous projects here! Thanks so much for sharing. And, that vellum, yes, it is beautiful and so easy! Thanks again for sharing. And, yes, we will all be remembering together today.

Larissa Heskett said...

WOW!! LOVE your creations for today!! Such GREAT ideas and the FUN colors you used make them pop even more!! THANKS for sharing and have a FABULOUS WEEK!! =)

AnneC said...

Very nice cards. My office was located a mile from the Pentagon when 9/11 occurred. Our entire building shook when the plane hit the Pentagon. A horrible devasting sight as I travel by the Pentagon every day. We smelt the burning fuel for many, many days. My thoughts and prays are with the families and friends of those who perished on that dredful day.

Susan Gosman said...

Love your cards - they are cute and sophisticated at the same time.

Connie and Jack said...

Jess, your cards are absolutely AWESOME! I can't decide which one is my favorite. ALL of 'em, I guess. Great tips on how you put them together too!
-- Connie C.

Deborah said...

Jess, I love your style; these cards are absolutely gorgeous!

Annheidel said...

I adore these sets and can't wait to get my hands on the dies. Love your reverse-cut house card! I mean, they are ALL great, but I can't wait to try that technique myself. :)

Tere Azua said...

I'm with you. I had a really hard time thinking how to use those dies.
But now, thank to you, I can see the reason they were design!
Thanks for the inspiration!

conil said...

Love the versatility of this stamp set and the dies make it so much easier. Your houses are perfect.

MORMOR said...

Oh my goodness!! I want to copy your your home for the holidays card right now. I just recently discovered Papertrey dies, and I now have an ever growing list of items to purchase. Oh what fun it will be when I get my first order.

Jill Norwood said...

Remembering with you on 9/11! Blessings to all who were lost and those that are missing them still...

Beautiful cards...love the vellum one and need to try it for sure! Pinning away!!!
:)

Nancy said...

Love your style and fabulous creativity . Please forgive me if you have already answered this question before but what do you use to adhere the vellum so it is hidden?

kiwimeskreations said...

love the way you use the vellum - I am starting to think out of the box I was stuck in.
Blessings
Maxine

jintyoo7 said...

I was wondering if you could do something with vellum - haha! Beautiful, absolutely beautiful, I love your vellum overlays, so classy :)

Gypsy 2 said...

I am surprised anything would intimidate you Jessica!

Fabulous projects and you have had success.....I will give vellum on more try....hahahaha

Unknown said...

you have done very fabulos job. its extreamly impressive projects and learn much.. thanks. I have also collected some portfolio of Unique holiday greeting cards from postcardsandinvitations.

Kari D said...

As always...amazing projects. YOU are the person who hooked me on yellow and grey (yes, YOU, and your very fun yellow and grey houndstooth card!) so I was loving the red door on the no place like home card. BUT woman, I love it when you do a negative die cut....so the welcome home card is just calling to me! THANKS for sharing you great ideas!

Ohhh Snap said...

Love your cards! Is the vellum just on the front? And if so, how is it attached so there are no visible glue spots.