Sara Jane's Studio

Live and Learn

OK- this is another one of my posts where I confess my mistakes.  Hopefully, as I live and learn, you can too!

About one year ago, I was playing with Petal Pots from Create & Treasure.  I used crackle glaze over a dark green base, and put on a top coat of a Jacquard Lumiere paint in gold.  Then, I over stamped with StazOn solvent-based ink in Forest Green.  Finally, I added some highlights in the bight green Citrine color of Lumiere.

This is what it looked like last year:

The other day, I pulled it out of my inventory to take it to an event as an example of one of the many things you can do with rubber stamping. 

Much to my surprise, this is what it looks like now:

 

Close up of one side.

The dark green StazOn ink has faded to a golden brown color.  It's either because this color has no particular staying power, or it's due to some kind of interaction with the Jacquard paint.  I have never seen StazOn fade like this before, but I have mostly used black.

The good news is that it still looks okay in real-life.  Phew!  At the same time, I am glad this is not something I had given as a gift!!  Next time, I would stamp with a dark colored acrylic paint on top of the Lumiere if I want to be sure it holds its color over time.

But, now I know, and so do you!

Keep creating!

 
 
 

Spooky Treats

This is a no-stamping required card which is none-the-less delightful.  It uses the Cast-A-Spell Designer Series paper, and the Spooky Treats rub-ons.  This is the same rub-on set that I used for the Haunting Halloween post a few days ago  The rub-on I used there was a white rub-on from the set, whereas these are the black versions.

The Halloween decoration on the front uses two of the same rub-on image, applied to two different colors of cardstock, and then cut or punched out and layered on top of each other.

 I used Crushed Curry, and Pumpkin Pie cardstock for the two rub-on images.

You can then cut out each image with scissors.  Or, it just so happens (!!) that each one can be punched out with one of SU's paper punches.

The word Halloween was punched with the Modern Label Punch.  The label shape was punched with the Designer Label Punch.

The key to success with these is to apply the rub-on first, and then to look at the punch from the bottom, so you can precisely position the image before punching it out.

I mounted them together using Stampin' Dimensionals, and then (also using Dimensionals) on a piece of the striped pattern from Cast-A-Spell, cut to 1-3/4" X 2-1/2".  The corners were rounded with a paper punch and then mounted on a piece of Basic Black cardstock 2-3/4" X 2", whose corners were also rounded.  A black brad was placed in each corner.

For the background, I cut of piece of Cast-A-Spell designer paper (the small purple skulls) to 4-7/8" X 3-3/8", and mounted it on Basic Black cut to 5-1/8" X 3-5/8".  A ~16" piece of 1-1/4"-wide Basic Black-striped grosgrain ribbon was wrapped around the background and tied near the bottom in a simple knot.  The image was the mounted on top with Stampin' Dimensionals.  ANd the whole was then placed on a Perfect Plum A2 card (4-1/4" X 5-1/2").

This would be a fun design for invitations to a Halloween party- or even a seasonal greeting for a friend, just for fun!

House of Haunts

This is another fun card using the House of Haunts stamp set from Stampin' Up!.  (You can see another cute greeting here.)  It also uses two of the new InColors.

I first stamped the trees and the house image using Crushed Curry ink on Crushed Curry cardstock.  This gives the shadowy background behind the black house image. I used my stamp positioner to help me place the images.

Again, using my stamp positioner, I stamped the house image on top of the same image that I had previously stamped with Crushed Curry.  I used Basic Black Craft ink, and embossed with Black embossing powder.  Just make sure that your previous images are completely dry before you emboss, and use your Embossing Buddy first to make sure you don't get any stray black specs from the embossing powder.

This image was trimmed to 3-1/4" high by 3" wide, and I added a 1/8" wide strip of Rich Razzleberry at the bottom of the image.

A piece of Old Olive cardstock, cut to 3" X 1" was torn and distressed along the long edge, and attached at the bottom of the Crushed Curry. 

For the greeting, Happy Halloween was also stamped using Basic Black Craft ink on Whisper White, and embossed with black embossing powder. This was trimmed to 3-1/4" X 1-1/4".  A piece of Rich Razzleberry was cut to 3-1/4" X 3/4", and was torn and distressed, and attached to the top of the white piece.

All parts were then mounted on a Basic Black card, 3-1/4" X 6-1/2".  This size card fits perfectly into the small open-ended envelope for mailing or giving.

Keep creating!

 

A Cute Halloween Wish

This is a cute and quick little 3" X 3" card.  The card itself is from Perfect Plum cardstock, with a piece of Halloween-themed paper from the Cast-A-Spell Designer Series paper. 

The little Jack-O-Lantern is from the House of Haunts stamp set.  I used Only Orange craft ink, and then embossed it with clear embossing powder.  I used my Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker to color in the face.

The Happy Halloween greeeting is from Teeny Tiny Wishes, and the finishing touch is a piece of Elegant Eggplant 1/4" grograin ribbon.

You could adapt this design to a larger card by using three little Jack-O-Lanterns in a row, and the larger Happy Halloween greeting from the "House of Haunts" stamp set.

Happy Haunting!

A Holiday Card Swap

Who is up for a Holiday Card Swap??

I am organizing a Holiday Card Swap for anyone who is interested.  The requirements are simple:

• Contact me by October 24 to sign up.  This swap will be limited to 20 participants.
• Make multiple copies of one card design (the number will depend on the final number of participants).  You won't have to make more than 10-12.
• The use of Stampin' Up! products is preferred, but not required.
• Mail of your completed cards (with envelopes!) to me by November 20.  Include a self-addressed envelope with enough postage on it to  cover the cards that you will receive back.
• I will package all of the swaps up for each participant and mail them back to you by November 27.

Sara Jane's Studio has had many successful card swaps in the past, with many cardmakers and scrapbookers creating unique, beautiful, and high quality cards.  You can see some previous swaps for Birthday Cards and for cards with an Autumn theme, here.

Don't delay, as participation will be limited to the first 20 people who contact me!

 

A Haunting Halloween

In Massachusetts, Columbus Day is a state holiday, and many companies give their employees a three day weekend.  Fortunately, I am one of the lucky ones!  I spent all day in the craft studio, playing with Halloween-themed stamps, colors, and papers.  Honestly, it reminded me of when I was a girl, and my mother would call to me and tell me to go play outside when I was busy making doll clothes.  I probably should have been out enjoying the pretty autumn day, but I just could't help myself. 

I'll share my projects over the next few days.  And if you are receiving my newsletter (part of the 12 Weeks of Christmas), you'll see even more Halloween projects that can also be adapted to other fall and winter holidays.

This particular card is made from the All Hallow's Eve stamp set from Stampin' Up!.  And it's very quick to make.  The card is a standard size, 4-1/4" X 5-1/2", from Basic Black cardstock.

The image is the size of a background stamp, but set horizontally. I stamped it using Elegant Eggplant on Perfect Plum cardstock, and trimmed it to 4-1/4" wide.  The skull portion was re-inked with Basic Black, stamped onto Whisper White, and cut-out. 

You could use "googly" eyes, but I inserted two clear rhinestone brads instead. 

The skull image was mounted with Stampin' Dimensionals.

The finishing touch is the white rub-on from the Spooky Treats rub-on set.  I put it on Basic Black cardstock, and it punches out perfectly with the Wide Oval paper punch.  It's mounted with Stampin' Dimensionals, but not before adding a piece of Basic Black 1/4" grosgrain ribbon.
 

More to come!!

Spooky Brocade

I have been dying to try my hand at Stampin' Up!'s Decor Elements, but honestly could not decide what to try first.  And, honestly, I was pretty shy about applying something I didn't know anything about to my walls!

My problem was solved when I saw the "Spooky Brocade" applique in the Definitely Decorative Catalog.  I loved the design, it is relatively small (8" X 6-7/8" for the small size- there's a bigger one, too!), and relatively inexpensive ($8.95). 

So after I purchased it, the only other thing was to find a jar.  This particular one is from Crate & Barrel- it's their one gallon cannister with lid, for $11.95.  (Interestingly, one of the big box craft stores had the same jar, but it was $5 more!  Go figure!)

And to my pleasant surprise, with no experience, it took me 20 minutes, tops, to get this great treat jar for Halloween.

The first step is to transfer the image from the "backing sheet" to the "transfer sheet".  This is easily done by rubbing with the transfer tool.  Just go slowly, and if a piece isn't transferring, lay the backing sheet down and keep rubbing.  Below is the Spooky Brocade in the process of transferring to the transfer sheet.

Then you carefully lay your applique where you want it to go. 

And you smooth it out- side-to-side and top-to-bottom.

 And you rub, again, with the transfer tool.  Keep checking while you are rubbing to make sure it is transferring to the surface.  You can gently peel back the transfer sheet to check the progress as you go- as shown below.

And when you are done, you are done!!  It looks store-bought- you cannot see the edges of the applique on the surface.  And it will transfer exactly as you place it, without shifting around.

 

Given all of the great designs, in all kinds of styles, colors, and sizes, I am definitely doing this again!  And even on my walls!!
 

More Halloween fun to come!