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

Dreamweaver May Challenge

Our Dreamweaver Stencils May challenge is to create either black and white cards with a POP of color, or graduation themed cards. We always love it when you play along with us, so please join our challenge for the chance to win some great stencils! Post your creation on the DREAM it UP! blog through the Mr. Linky tool or email a picture of it to Lynell at lynell@dreamweaverstencils.com.
It's just like the lottery, you have to play to win!
This week I want to share a sneak peek of one our new designs that will be released this month to our stores. Some people may not think this is a graduation card, but it COULD be, for that special, music-loving graduate you know!

Electric Guitar - LL3028

This card features the new Electric Guitar (LL3028) stencil with Crackle Paste. Here's how you do it:

• Tape the stencil to white cardstock with removable tape
• Apply a layer of Matte Yellow Embossing Paste (DMYP) over the stencil using the Paste Spreader (LM2010)
• Remove and clean the stencil, let the paste dry
• Reposition the clean and dry stencil over the dry yellow paste and tape in place with removable tape
• Apply a layer of Crackle Embossing Paste (CEP) over the stencil with the paste spreader
• Remove and clean the stencil, let the paste dry
• Reposition the stencil over the dry paste layers and use small stencil brushes to apply color to the design
• Remove the stencil and use the left over ink in the brushes to add some color to the background
• Mount into a great card by adding some "strings" to one side of the card before attaching the guitar to the other side (notice there are 6 strings because most electric guitars have 6 strings!)
• This one won't get lost in the pile of "regular old graduation cards!"

No graduations coming up? This would also make a great birthday card or even a Father's Day card for that hip dad who still loves his music (or is that a dad that needs a hip....hmmmm!).
There are 12 new designs that will be released this month, so be sure to check with your local stamp store for the other great designs.
I'll be featuring another one of the new designs in my upcoming class at Stampology Chicago on May 19th. We'll be using the beautiful new Stylized Dahlia (LG743) in three different techniques. Here's a peak at one of the cards we'll be doing that day.

Check out the creations from the rest of the team too, just click on their names below.

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

Happy Creating,
Louise

Spring Clean (and simple)

The "extra" day of February didn't seem to help me catch up with everything I wanted to accomplish last month! But here we go with March and a new challenge from Dreamweaver Stencils. Thank you to everyone who play along with us last month, it definitely was challenging to come up with multiple creations using the "Green" theme! During the month of March our theme will be Spring Clean (and simple), meaning keep your design simple with clean lines (well, that's how I'm interpreting it at least).
Spring is one of my favorite times of year (fall's my other). I love the longer days, the warmth from the sun, the bulbs starting to grow, new life everywhere. Spring also brings the Easter season, and the beautiful new Open cross (LJ918) from Dreamweaver is the perfect design for your Easter cards. Its clean, simple lines fit the challenge theme perfectly. Here's  what I created with it:

With a little touch of Zentangle added to the open design, this cross suits the clean and simple theme of this month's challenge. Here are the steps:

• Tape the Open cross stencil to white cardstock
• Use an 01 or 02 black Micron pen to outline the design
• Remove the stencil
• Use a pencil to lightly form the curves of the vine
• Use the Micron to create your vine and add leaves all along it
• Add some scrolls to each section of the cross
• Color with COPIC markers
• Mount on a small black mat, then onto a green card
• Simple but beautiful, the perfect Easter card

I hope you will take the time to play along with us this month. Don't forget, you have all month to add a link to your creation or email Lynell a photo and she will post it for you. And, of course, you won't want to miss the other designers' blogs to see what Spring Clean(ing) they have created today. Just click on their names below to "spring" over to their sites (sorry, I just had to say it!).

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 

My upcoming classes are at The Cottage Stamper in St. Charles, IL on Tuesday, March 13th, and at Stampology Chicago on Saturday, March 17th. Both classes are featuring Zentangle with Dreamweaver Stencils. Check out their websites for samples.

Happy Creating,

Louise

Sneak Peeks Day 3

Wow, this week is flying by. I've been busy, busy, busy creating more samples with the beautiful new stencils from Dreamweaver Stencils. It has been so much fun and it will be great to finally meet up with the other team members at CHA to get more great ideas! Be sure to let your local store know you are anxiously awaiting the arrival of these fabulous designs!
Today I am featuring the new Tall Poppy stencil (LL3023). It have a retro feel to it , and lends itself well to many techniques. This one uses the Stampee Foils (purple and green), black Fun Flock, and crystal glitter. The new thank you stencil (LS1009) was the perfect finishing touch.  The Tall Poppy will be the featured stencil in my upcoming class at Stampology Chicago on February 18.

Speaking of upcoming classes, here are the cards we will be doing at The Cottage Stamper on February 7th.  This class is featuring two stencils,  LM136 Water Lily, and LS1006 Sm THANKS, both yours to take home after the class.

I hope you have the time to stop over at the rest of the team blogs to see more sneak peeks. We just love being able to share our ideas with you and always welcome your comments!

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

Happy Creating,
Louise

Thursday Dream Scheme

Welcome to another Dreamweaver Stencils Thursday Dream Scheme! If this is your first visit, thanks for joining us! Every Thursday the Dreamweaver Design Team posts creations using the beautiful products from Dreamweaver Stencils. Sometimes we are given a challenge (usually either sketch challenges or color challenges), and sometimes we are free to create whatever we choose. This week is a free design week, so be sure to check out all the wonderful ideas from the whole team.
Lynell recently released some beautiful new stencils that are 6" x 6" and were inspired by Hawaiian quilt patterns. Check them all out by clicking on this link. Aren't they fabulous! This week I am sharing with you a piece of framed art that I created using the Torch Ginger (LX7008) stencil.

The technique was simple. Tape the stencil to a piece of white linen cardstock (6" x 6"). Use stencil brushes, the Picasso (LL332), and Brilliance Inks to color the design. Remove the stencil, clean and dry it, then tape it back over the colored image.  Apply Dreamweaver Translucent Embossing Paste (DEPT) over the image using the Paste Spreader (LM2010). This new tool is just perfect for these large stencils! Remove the stencil, clean and dry it, always making sure you keep your stencil flat while you wash and dry it. While the paste was drying, I cut my other layers: a small black layer to edge my design (6 1/4" x 6 1/4"); a lighter green layer to compliment the image (7 1/4" x 7 1/4"); another small layer of black (7 1/2" x 7 1/2"); a dark green layer (8 1/2" x 8 1/2"); and a final layer of black (8 3/4" x 8 3/4"). The white mat around the image came with the black frame (10" x 10"), so I used it as my final layer. I removed the glass from the frame before adding my artwork (the translucent paste will protect the image). This could be a great gift for those quilters in your life (or just for you!).

My schedule for the next few weeks is:
Saturday, November 12, 2011 - 1:00 pm Stampology Chicago - Dreamweaver Class
Thursday, December 1, 2011 - 6:30 pm The Cottage Stamper - Dreamweaver Class
Tuesday, December 6, 2011 - 12:30 pm and 6:00 pm The Cottage Stamper - Christmas Mirror
Tuesday, December 13, 2011 - 12:30 pm The Cottage Stamper - Dreamweaver Class (repeat of 12/1)

Hope to see you in a class if you are in the area.
Now head over to the DREAM it UP! blog for more inspiration, then off to the other team members to see what they came up with this week!
Happy Creating,
Louise

Fall is in the air!

There is defiantly a chill in the evening now, but I love this time of year! Bright, sunny days and crisp, clear nights, fall is a beautiful season! The trees here in northern IL have started to turn colors and the days are getting shorter and shorter (it's the one part of fall that I don't like). Fall is all about colors. The beautiful shades of reds, oranges, golds, browns and greens, with a little purple here and there, blend together into a gorgeous collage everywhere you look!

This week's Dreamweaver Stencils Thursday Dream Scheme is a designer's choice week, so I just had to use some of those great fall colors when I created this week.  Here's what I came up with for you:

I know you don't normally associate a fern with fall, but this beautiful Sm fern frond (LM2006) stencil just seemed perfect for the serene feel I was going for on this project. The backgrounds were done with alcohol inks on glossy cardstock, the fern was paste embossed with Glossy Black Embossing Paste, edged with a black marker and it was all layered onto a black card. VERY easy!

Check out more great ideas on the Dream Team blogs, just click on their names on the left side of my blog,  Click here for the DREAM it UP! blog.

If you are in the Chicagoland area here's my upcoming schedule:

• Saturday, Sept. 24, 2011 - 10am - 12n Dreamweaver Demo and Trunk Show at Stampology Chicago
• Saturday, Sept 24, 2011 - 1pm - 3pm Zentangle Class at Stampology Chicago
• Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2011 - 12:30pm - 3:00 pm Dreamweaver Mirror Class at The Cottage Stamper
• Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2011 - 6:30pm - 9:00pm Dreamweaver Mirror Class at The Cottage Stamper
• Thursday, Sept 29, 2011 - 6:30 pm - 8:30pm Dreamweaver Demo and Trunk Show at Stampology Chicago
• and if you're feeling adventurous, Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011 - 12n - 3pm Dreamweaver Demo at Artist and Display in Milwaukee for National Card Making Day.

Hope to see some of you there!
Happy Creating,
Louise

Thursday Dream Scheme

Welcome to this week's Dreamweaver Stencils Thursday Dream Scheme.  This week is another designer's choice so I've decided to share three cards that we recently did in a class at Stampology Chicago.  We created three great cards using the Necktie stencil (LG735), just in time for Father's Day or a birthday for your favorite someone. Here they are:

 For this card, dry emboss the necktie stencil on white cardstock, and again on a decorative stripe. Lightly sand the embossed edges of the tie on the decorative paper and cut out the necktie.   Use a coordinating color marker along the edge of the paper to hide the white cut edge. Mount the cut tie on the white embossed layer, then on to a black mat.  Create a center fold card and add strips of matching decorative paper to each side.  Attach the tie layer to the left side of the card.

 Paste emboss the necktie on tan washi cardstock using Glossy Black Embossing Paste.  With the stencil still in place, use a soft paintbrush to sprinkle Metallic F/X powders (Gold Dust and Moonstone) randomly over the wet paste.  Remove and clean the stencil, let the paste dry, buff the extra powder of with a Swifter cloth, and mount on decorative paper.

And finally,  use Translucent Embossing Paste on decorative cardstock with the necktie. Remove and clean the stencil, let the paste dry, cut out the tie, edge with a coordinating marker.  Dry emboss the necktie on white cardstock.  Mount the pasted tie on the white tie, then on a small black layer.  Add black "photo corners" and a pearl gem as a tie tack.  Adhere matching paper to the front of card, then use foam mounting tape to add the tie layer. Three easy cards that can be done in a variety of colors and patterns.
Be sure to check out the DREAM it UP! blog for several great ideas from the team, as well as the team member blogs.  It's easy, just click on their names on the left side of my blog.

Happy Creating,
Louise

Class on Sunday, March 6th

This Sunday, March 6th, I will be teaching a Dreamweaver Stencils class at Stampology Chicago using the beautiful new Owl on Oak stencil (LL3014).  We'll be creating three cards using three different techniques and you get to keep the stencil. Give Donna or her staff at Stampology a call to register for class.  Hope to see you on Sunday.
Here are the cards:

Happy Creating,
Louise

Another Dreamweaver Class

Hi everyone. Here are the samples from my upcoming class at Stampology Chicago. We'll be using the beautiful new Tole Heart (LL3010) from Dreamweaver Stencils. Class is on Saturday, January 22nd at 1:00 pm, so give Donna a call to register. We learn three great techniques using various Dreamweaver products including embossing paste and Metallic F/X mica powders. Hope to see you there!

Happy Creating,

Louise

Upcoming Class

Crackle Paste

Shadow Technique

Glitter Technique

Isn't this a beautiful stencil! This great Holly Sprig (LL3005) is another wonderful Dreamweaver Stencils design. We'll be featuring this stencil in my class at Stampology Chicago on Saturday, November 6, 2010 at 1:00 pm. As usual, I will teach three techniques with one stencil to feature the versatility of these easy-to-use products. So if you are in the Chicagoland area, give Donna at Stampology a call to register for this fun class. The great thing about Dreamweaver classes is that it doesn't matter if you've never used a stencil before, you will create three beautiful cards and the stencil is yours to take home, so you can keep on creating!

For a chance to win some Dreamweaver Stencils, my fellow Dream Team member Wendy Jordan is hosting a Dreamweaver Challenge on her blog, Paper Therapy. Just click on the link to learn how you could win some great stencils.

Happy creating,

Louise