New Make N Takes: June 29 - July 3

Hello Paper Crafters! It's Monday, which means we have three new Make N Takes for you to create.

Haven't heard about our Make N Takes? Each Monday, Creations Galore offers three new, gorgeous cards for you to create. Each card is only $2 and includes all the tools and materials needed to create it. Just bring along your own adhesive. This is perfect for beginner to advanced card makers. It's self paced with step-by-step instructions, someone is on hand to demonstrate if needed, and it always includes new products and techniques for everyone to try!

Stop into Creations Galore any time during store hours -- The Make N Take station is always open! We recommend coming in at least one hour before close. For more information, feel free to give us a call at (920)983-0033. 

This weeks cards will be available until 6:00 PM on Friday, July 3rd. Please note we're closing early this Friday and will be closed for the holiday on Saturday, July 4th. We apologize for any inconvenience. Hope to see you this week!

Card One: Celebrate

SUPPLIES Cardstock: Paper Cut, American Crafts. Patterned Paper: Fancy Pants. Dies: Spellbinders, Sizzix. Extras: We R Memory Keepers (Adhesive Cork Sheets), Sequins, Pearl Pen (Silver). 

Card Two: Hola

SUPPLIES Cardstock: Paper Cut, Copic (X-Press It Blending Card). Patterned Paper: Crate Paper (Journey). Stamps: Paper Smooches. Inks: Memento (Tuxedo Black), Copic Markers, Clorox (Raven Black). Punch: Marvy (Circle). Extras: Pearl Pen (Silver).

Card Three: Spurs

SUPPLIES Cardstock: Paper Cut, American Crafts. Patterned Paper: Anna Griffin. Stamps: Deep Red Stamps. Inks: VersaMark Watermark. Embossing Powder: Adirondack (Espresso). 

Behind The Make N Take: Embossed Backgrounds

Thanks for joining us on the blog today. We're highlighting the Peace. Happiness. Joy make n take which recently got lots of attention. Due to the numerous questions asking how to create the unique background, we threw together a quick video of the card process for today's BEHIND THE MAKE N TAKE.

The background is both dry and heat embossed. Below the video you'll see step-by-step instructions and product descriptions to help you best recreate this technique!

We started with a scored A2 card with a white layering swatch on the inside and outside of card. To create the background...

1. Use an embossing folder to create a design on a piece of colored cardstock. For this step, you'll see we used a Spellbinders Reversible Embossing Folder. The specific style, Holiday Magic, is a unique two-sided folder. 

2. After running the cardstock and folder through a die cutting machine, add VersaMark Watermark to the raised design. By lightly running the ink pad over the design, it should only stick to the raised parts. You can use any type of pigment or embossing ink. VersaMark Watermark is almost clear in design, making it our favorite for heat embossing. 

Another option is to use the VersaMark Watermark Pen to draw over the design. 

3. Next sprinkle embossing powder of your choice over the design. From the card image, you'll see that the embossing ink didn't hit every part of the design. We actually love the distressed look. Using Ranger Distress Embossing Powders, which have a matte finish, will add to that vintage feel. We used used Faded Jeans Distress Embossing Powder here. Make sure to use a heat tool to cure the powder.

4. You now have your super embossed background! Add it to your card and decorate as desired. 

This Week's Make N Takes

Happy Monday! We're back with three new, gorgeous cards for you to create. Each card is only $2 and includes all the tools and materials needed to create it. Just bring along your own adhesive. This is perfect for beginner to advanced card makers. It's self paced with step-by-step instructions, someone is on hand to demonstrate if needed, and it always includes new products and techniques for everyone to try! 

Stop into Creations Galore any time during store hours -- The Make N Take station is always open! We just ask for you to come in at least an hour before close. For more information, feel free to give us a call at (920) 983-0033. 

This week's cards will be available Monday, December 2nd through Saturday, December 7th. 

Card One: Get Well Soon 

SUPPLIES Cardstock: Paper Cut. Patterned Paper: Bo Bunny. Stamps: Sweet Stamp Shop. Inks: Tombow Marker, Adirondack Espresso. Punch: Martha Stewart Crafts. Ribbon: Vintage A Muse. 

Card Two: Peace. Happiness. Joy.

SUPPLIES Cardstock: Paper Cut. Embossing Folder: Spellbinders. Stamps: Penny Black Inc. Inks: VersaMark Watermark, Adirondack Denim. Embossing Powder: Ranger Colbalt. 

Card Three: Smile

SUPPLIES Cardstock: Paper Cut. Patterned Paper: Bo Bunny. Stamps: Penny Black Inc. Inks: VersaMark Watermark. Embossing Powder: Ranger Super Fine Detail Gold.

Creations Galore Gal, Megan Daul: Make It Shine!

Hello paper crafters! We have a beautiful layout from a talented customer to share with you today. Megan Daul has kindly handed over her page to show a few techniques that we just love! Let's take a look. 

This page shows off a few pictures from when Megan got to see the Mirror Ball Trophy from Dancing With The Stars up close. She mimicked the mirror's shiny appearance throughout the layout by adding rhinestones and metallic papers. 

For the page background, Megan chose this foiled paper by Reminisce. Using her Cricut, she cut out letters from our metallic paper collection by Paper Cut. This collection is best known for wedding invitations and special events. We love that she tied it into her scrapbooking pages!

Another non-traditional scrapbook element Megan brought to her page is the use of Spellbinder dies. The Lacey Ovals die, popular among card makers, was used to create a journaling spot. She then added journaling in gold and strategically placed rhinestones on the die to add even more shine! Curious about the twine she added? Megan added two rhinestone brads to the page and wrapped silver twine around the two to create line on the page. 

Thank you so much Megan for sharing your talents with us today! We hope you all have been inspired to add some metallics to your layouts! To see more of Megan's work, visit her blog Creative Happiness.

Creations Galore Gal, Julie Stroobants: Christmas Cards

Hello paper crafters! Today we're bringing you two cards created by Creations Galore customer, Julie Stroobants. Julie creates cards, scrapbooks, and altered projects. She's known to use lots of flowers, die cuts, and bling! The two cards below are more clean and simple compared to most of her projects, but we just couldn't resist sharing. Take a look: 

A little close up: 

Julie added different patterned papers to olive green cardstock, keeping the same card style, stamp design, and color combo.

The white shimmer cardstock was cut from a Spellbinders die and stamped with this gorgeous stamp. She colored the image with Copic markers. Because the marker is alcohol based, the ink dries well on glossy and shiny papers -- No smearing! She completed each card with some ribbon and rhinestones. 

Beautiful! Thank you so much Julie for sharing your Christmas cards with us! 

We'd love to see what you're creating! Stop into Creations Galore and show us some of your projects. You just might find yourself featured on our blog! 

Stamping With Markers

Do you remember seeing this card available as a Make N Take this week? It's made with A Muse and Bazzill papers, Unity stamps, and Marvy markers... wait. Markers? 

That's right! Stamping with markers rather than an ink pad allows you to achieve multiple colors without too much fuss. Today I'm sharing a quick tutorial on how it's done!

You'll first need a surface to stamp on. You could create squares, circles, or any other shape. I chose Spellbinders Labels One Dies. 

Gather together your stamp and markers. Marvy markers are my go-to product for this technique, but I recommend trying it with whatever you have on hand. 

This step is simple... Color your stamp! This is a great technique for floral stamps... Color your petals with one color and the stem with another. For this example, the outer edge of the apple was colored green, the heart red, and the center and stem brown. 

Behold, a nice, multicolor image!  

To create color consistency, I inked up the sentiment with the same brown marker rather than using an ink pad in a different brown. 

Gather the final components of your card, adhere together, and ta-da! You've got a card to send off to a special someone. 

There's still a few days left for you to make this exact card at Creations Galore in Green Bay. For more details on our weekly Make N Takes, visit this link.