Clean and Simple!

Well, we have almost made it through January! I will be so happy to have some days with above zero temperatures!
The Dreamweaver Stencils design team has an extra week this month to share more great samples from the new release of stencils. This week I'm sharing a fun card that could be used for a boy or man's birthday, or for someone you know who loves elephants!

This is very easy, here's how it's done:

• Tape the Pop Rectangles stencil (LJ929) along the left side of an A6 (4 5/8" x 6") piece of  green cardstock with removable tape
• Use a palette knife and paste spreader to apply Glossy White Embossing Paste over the design
• Remove and clean the stencil, let the paste dry
• While that is drying, tape the Open Elephant stencil (LG756) to white cardstock with removable tape
• On a piece of freezer paper place a small dollop of Glossy White Embossing Paste and about 1/4" tsp of Pewter Metallic F/X Powder, mix them together using a palette knife
• Apply the colored paste to the Elephant stencil 
• Remove and clean the stencil, let the paste dry
• Cut a small green mat (1/4" larger than the elephant layer) for behind the elephant and a white layer for behind that (1/8" larger than the green layer)
• Cut a white card A6 size (6" x 9 1/4")  and fold in half
• Round the corners of all the layers
• Mount the Pop Rectangles layer on the card front
• Mount the elephant on the small green and white layers
• Use foam tape to adhere the elephant to the card front

The Open Elephant is also great for Zentangle. I will be teaching a Zentangle class featuring this great stencil at Memories and Beyond on Tuesday, February 4th. Call the store to sign up! Here's what we will be creating:

Now hop on over to these other team member blogs for other samples.

Dream It Up!

Louise Healy

Cyndi Bundy

Terrece Siddoway

Cherylynn Moser

Lyn Bernatovich

Pam Hornschu

Lea Kimmel

 

Happy Creating,

Louise

Mists, Drizzles and Showers!

This is our last Thursday posting for the Dreamweaver Stencils April challenge of Mists, Drizzles and Showers. I can't say that I'm sorry to be leaving this theme behind! I am really looking forward to the May flowers all those April showers are supposed to bring. My daffodils are finally in full bloom, and add a bright cheerful touch to the dreary landscape. We are supposed to have some nicer weather this weekend so maybe Spring is truly here to stay.
This week I am featuring the Umbrella stencil (LG737) again. It is so amazing how many different techniques there are to play with on these beautiful stencils.

This is what I call my "Monet Impression" (pun intended). Here are the steps:

• Tape the Umbrella stencil to light tan cardstock with removable tape
• Use a palette knife and paste spreader to spread a coat of Pearlescent Embossing Paste over the design
• Remove stencil and place in water
• Use a soft paint brush to sprinkle various colors of Metallic F/X powders randomly over the umbrella portion, use Cocoa (FX18) on the handle
• Set aside to dry
• Use the paste spreader to spread a very thin coat of the Pearlescent Embossing Paste over another square piece of matching cardstock
• Work quickly to sprinkle the entire piece with various colors of the Metallic F/X powders
• Let dry
• Clean and dry your stencil
• When both pieces are dry, use a piece of Swiffer cloth to buff away any excess powder
• Layer into a beautiful "Monet" inspired card

Next Tuesday, April 30th, I will be teaching a Dreamweaver class at Memories and Beyond in Downers Grove, IL. Give them a call to sign up, there are still a couple of spots left. Here's what we'll be creating:

LL543 - Sm Fuschia

Be sure to hop over to the other team blogs for more inspiration this week.

 Dream It Up!
Alison Heikkila (guest designer)
Lea Kimmel
Stacey Rumsby
Terrece Siddoway
Caroline Duncan
Pam Hornschu
Cherylynn Moser

Happy creating,
Louise

Get Inky with Stencils

It's hard to believe that it's the last week of September already! Our month of getting inky with stencils is coming to an end already but, of course, we'll continue having fun with ink and stencils long beyond this month!
I have been spending the week with my daughter-in-law and granddaughter so it has been such a fun week! It is amazing to me that she is already 1 month old! Here's a shot I got yesterday of her while she was napping:

So needless to say I haven't been doing a lot of creating this week. I hope you will enjoy these cards that I recently created for my upcoming class at Memories and Beyond in Downers Grove IL.

We will be getting inky doing the shadow technique on the blue card, the red card features the Molten magic technique, and the third card shows how stunning just plain white glossy paste can be. I'll be teaching this at Memories and Beyond on October 23 at 12:30pm and 6:30pm, hope to see you there.
Be sure to check out the rest of the team blogs for more great inky ideas, just click on their links on the side of my blog.
  Happy Creating, Louise

Summer Fun!

The new monthly challenge for Dreamweaver Stencils starts today! Our new challenge is to create cards or projects with a "Summer Fun" theme. The timing is perfect because here in northern IL we definitely know it is summer! It has been very hot and we are having one of the driest summers that I can remember in the 20 years we've lived here. Needless to say, it is great to stay indoors and create fun summer themed cards rather than spending too much time outdoors.
Here's what I came up with for our first week of the challenge:

LL379 - Tall palm trees with
Distress Embossing Powders

This was created with the Double Glitter technique that we featured all last month, but instead of using glitter, I used my Distress Embossing Powders. Yes, you have to heat it to set those powders. I made this card for my monthly Lunch Club group. We all do the same technique and exchange cards. It is amazing how one technique can look so different depending on how it is used.
It's only two weeks until CHA and the Dreamweaver Design Team is VERY busy getting beautiful samples ready for the show. Maybe we'll even be able to give a sneak peek soon! Stayed tuned for more news about the new designs.

Today I am at Creative Cuts and Crafts in Elmhurst, IL teaching a fun Zentangle class using the Rolling Hills stencil. It's too late for you to get in that class, but I'll be at Memories and Beyond in Downers Grove, IL on July 12th teaching another Zentangle class using the Dreamweaver Pear stencil. You can still call and reserve your spot in that class!

Check out my post below for another great class that my friend Dirk and I have coming up. It's a beautiful home decor project called Seasonal Tower.  It is a combination of Tim Holtz die cuts and Distress products.

I hope everyone is having a fun, relaxing summer, it is going by too fast! Now be sure to stop at the rest of the team blogs to check out more summer fun!

Dream It Up! blog
Pam Hornschu
Laura Drahozal
Wendy Jordan
Terrece Siddoway
Kristi Van Doren
Georgia Sommers
Lee Kellogg
Jessie Hurley
Liz Martin
Cyndi Bundy
Cherylynn Moser

Happy Creating,
Louise

UPCOMING CLASS

Here are the three cards we'll be creating in my upcoming class on June 19 at Memories and Beyond in Downers Grove, IL.  There are still a couple of spots left, so give them call to reserve yours! We'll use the beautiful new Stylized Dahlia stencil (LG743) from Dreamweaver Stencils and learn three techniques, the stencil is yours to take home.

LG743 - Crackle Paste technique

LG743 - Distress Powder technique

LG743 - Molten Lava technique

Hope to see you there.
Happy Creating,
Louise

Black and White Theme Continues

It's hard to believe that we're already coming up to Memorial Day weekend! Where do the days go??? This month the Dreamweaver Stencils Design Team was given a choice of Graduation themed cards or Black & White with a POP of color. It's been fun to see everyone's ideas and we love that some of you are playing along with us! Don't be shy, just send a picture of your creation to Lynell at lynell@dreamweaverstencils.com and she will post it for you on her blog. You might even win a prize!

This week I've created another card incorporating both themes, a black & white card with a POP of color that would (and will) make a great graduation card. We have several graduation parties coming up and this will be the perfect card (our local colors are red and gold). Here's my card:

This is an easy technique that really catches people's attention.

• Tape the Globe stencil (LM289) to black cardstock with removable tape
• Use the paste spreader to apply Glossy White Embossing Paste across the design
• Remove and clean the stencil, let the paste dry
• Tape the Globe stencil to white cardstock with removable tape
• Use the paste spreader to apply Glossy Black Embossing Paste across the design
• Remove and clean the stencil, let the paste dry
• Cut each dry image in half, being careful to cut them as close as possible to the same spot
• Attach half of a black image and half of a white image together on a small piece of cardstock aligning the design
• Trim to even the edges
• Attach a small white mat behind the black side and a small white mat behind the black side
• Add colored mats (to go with your school colors) behind the image
• The black panel on the front of the card was embossed with a Big Shot machine and the Angles stencil (LJ807). It's hard to see in the picture, but it rally adds a lot when you see it up close and personal
• Adhere the black embossed panel on the left side of an A2 size card
• Attach the globe layer so the cut in the image lines up with the split in the background color

This is a "twofer" card because you have enough pieces to make 2 cards each time you do this!

Be sure to stop over at the rest of the team blogs for more inspiration.

DREAM it UP!

Pam Hornschu
Laura Drahozal
Wendy Jordan
Terrece Siddoway
Kristi Van Doren
Georgia Sommers
Lee Kellogg
Liz Martin
Cyndi Bundy
Cherylynn Moser
Jessie Hurley

I'm sure some of you heard that The Cottage Stamper in St. Charles closed its doors at the end of April. It is so sad, and they will be dearly missed. Good luck to Nancy, Barb and Liz!
In addition, it was announced that Elaine Benedict (our fabulous Dreamweaver sales rep for WI and IL) is retiring and moving to NC. Good luck Elaine, keep sending us those beautiful design ideas!
I'm happy to tell you that I have been asked to replace Elaine as the Dreamweaver rep in those two states! I'm a little nervous, but excited too because you know I love promoting Dreamweaver Stencils! On that note, here are my upcoming Dreamweaver classes for June:

June 5th - Creative Cuts and Crafts, Elmhurst IL (LL374)
June 19th - Memories and Beyond, Downers Grove IL  (LG743)
June 28th - Creative Cuts and Crafts, Elmhurst IL (Dreamweaver Mirror project)
June 30th - Stampology Chicago, Chicago  IL (Zentangle with LG707)
Call the stores directly to reserve a spot. Hope to see you soon!

Happy Creating,
Louise