Empressor Mat Tutorial

I'm working on my samples for my workshop this month and we're using the Empressor Mat, so I thought I'd add a bit of a tutorial here.

Here is the mat and the empressor tool:

The mat has gridlines spaced 1/4 inch apart on one side and 1/2 inch on the other side.

Place your paper on top of the mat and line it up on the appropriate line. Run your tool along the edge of the mat to create and embossed line on your paper. Slide your paper over to the next line you'd like to use and score again.

Once you've mastered the scoring you can experiment with different designs and styles.

Tip: Try scoring one line and then flip the paper over to score the next line. You can create raised frames!

We're headed off to a wedding, but I'll try to post some cards and other empressor samples tonight or tomorrow. Enjoy!

7 Things about me.

I haven't had much time to stamp this week. I've been trying to get more exercise and Josh and I have been trying to work out our new schedule, now that he's a working man. I'm sure we'll settle into the routine soon.

But since I've been "tagged," I better get hoppin! If you're reading this and have been tagged yet... consider yourself tagged. Share your 7 random things about yourself in your blog and then leave me a comment so I can come check it out.

7 things about me... this is hard. I'm pretty much an open book and I tell everyone weird stuff about me all the time...but I'll try....

1.) I love ice! I think all drinks should come with ice. And crushed ice is even better! No room temperature water for me; the colder the better.

2.) I'm a navy brat, but we never moved out of Southern California. Somehow Dad worked it out so that he was always stationed here.

3.) I love the outdoors! The sound of the ocean, smell of pine trees, rustle of the wind, sound of the birds, gorgeous views...all make me happy and at peace and feel closer to God.

4.) I'm a numbers gal. I have never really had an "interest" in accounting or math, but numbers just seem to haunt me. I remember them. Seriously... you could ask me for the phone number of most of my friends and I can tell you. I can probably tell you their home number and their cell number.. and all my bank account numbers, all the ss#'s for everyone in our family... it goes on and on. Josh thinks it's hiliarious! I tell him not to tell me a number out loud because I don't want to remember it... so he'll repeat it a few times... He just added his bank account number to my repetoire. Who needs a pda when he has his mom?

5) I love public speaking. Put me in front of a crowd and I'm ready to go. Talk to me one on one before I know you very well... and I'm shy and uncomfortable.

6) I hate tomatoes and love salsa, ketchup and all things tomato sauce.

7) I love alternative rock. I'm horrible about remembering the names of the bands, but kids love it when I drive because we can listen to "their" music.

Bulletin Race

One of my callings at church is the bulletin. That means I type it up each week, photocopy it and fold it. It would be my favorite calling if it wasn't for the folding part. For some reason, I just don't like folding the bulletin. Lucky for me, I have a kid. I drag him along with me every week and while I still don't like folding the bulletin... he at least makes it entertaining.....

Every week we have a race to see who folds more. Now, if I was smart, I'd let the boy win. But the only thing worse than folding the bulletins, is standing around watching someone else fold them...so we just work fast and get it done....

Every week Josh dreams up some new way to torture me while we fold....this week....he discovered the bell.

Every time he folded a bulletin, he rang the bell. That got old FAST. I tried putting the bell in my pocket, but he just reached around and tapped the bell while it was in my pocket. Of course, it wasn't loud enough or annoying enough so he stole it back. While he was busy, I stole a whole stack of bulletins. The less he has to fold... the less rings of the bell..... That backfired. Then he started ringing the bell after every fold. (we have tri-folded bulletins).

The whole time we were fighting over the bell, I was frantically trying to catch up to him in folds... see, I got a late start and he was ahead...but he didn't know I was still racing.... Suddenly he figured it out and realized that the stack I stole from him would probably put me ahead...so he stole 3 back....

And guess who won....by 3??? I call for a rematch next week....

More WSW Challenges

I didn't quite get as many of the challenges done as I planned... life got in the way... but it was still a really fun day. Here's a couple more that I completed.

First Stamp - Yep, we had to drag out the first stamp we ever bought. I might've had some random cheapy kid stamps before, but This Much Bear was my very first D.O.T.S. stamp I ever bought. I used this bear so much!!

It was definately a blast from the past to stamp with it again. I actually had to ink it and stamp it about 5 or 6 times before I could get a good image. I cannot believe how different it is to stamp with wood again. It takes a lot more effort. At first I thought something was wrong with the stamp. I cleaned it, re-inked it, finally I stood up and stamped it.

Since it was such an old style stamp, I went with the look and pulled out old cardstock and paper lace! I haven't used paper lace in YEARS.

Next challenge - Alphabets

All day long I kept trying to think of a card to use an alphabet set on, when suddenly I thought...work smarter, not harder... I need to work on Dad's Navy Album and I'm planning to use Alphabets... Unfortunately I haven't quite put together everything else I need for his Navy Album so this page is a bit simple and plain...but it's using alphabets so it's another challenge done.

I Love a Challenge

I love stamping challenges. They help me to break out of my stamping rut and try something new. This weekend there are a ton of challenges over at Two Peas. The stamping message board is running a "worldwide stamping weekend." They have challenges and rak's all weekend long. Too Fun!!!

Here's what I've done so far....

Challenge - Stamped Background
I random stamped a piece of colonial white cardstock with C1234 Nature Walk. (Olive, Autumn Terracotta and Sunflower, sponged with Bamboo)



Then I used the stamped background to create little bag topper treats for my Croppin Safari crop in July.



Next Challenge - Stamps Only
You have to use stamps only. No background paper. No layers. Just stamps...

This was so fun! I might make a couple more. It made me reach back into my stamping past. I used a creme cardstock base and placed a post-it in the middle of the card. I used the Nature Walk stamp set to stamp a border along the edge of the card. I used New England Ivy and Olive stamp pads. I sponged around the edges of the card and the post-it with New England Ivy. After I sponged, I removed the post-it and it left a nice little frame.



I stamped the saying in the middle, but it still needed something... so I trimmed the post-it down, put it back on top of the saying and sponged a little frame.



Time for a stamping break. I have to go take the recycling in and photocopy the bulletin for church tomorrow... be back later for more stamping fun.

It's Safari Time

Next month's crop theme is "Safari." I'm using our new expedition papers and showing some fun jungle/zoo ideas. I've had a few people ask me to show random stamping/one sheet wonders again, so I thought I'd oblige. Besides, it helps me to grow my card stash quickly!!!

What happened?

Ah, well... life was a bit crazy last week and I felt like I didn't have anything to post...even though I had plenty. Weird eh?

First up... I've been playing with sculpting foam! I've tried all sorts of clays over the year and scultping foam is my absolute favorite. It is so easy to work with and it's very lightweight.



I sponged the edges of all of the papers with Desert Sand Ink. For the letters I stamped them in Desert Sand, rolled them in Outdoor Denim and stamped them into wet foam. I cut them out with scissors and then let them air dry overnight. After the foam dried, I sponged the edges with Desert Sand. Super Easy and fun!

(All products, except twine are Close To My Heart. Paper is the Majestic Blue paper packet.)