Author Archives: Pat Baker

Today is National Inspiration Day!!!

Posted on January 2, 2017 | Comments Off

What is better for inspiration than a new year? Welcome 2017! 2016 started with such promise, and has ended with so much ANGST! I don’t like to be negative, and try to find the positive in everything! This sentiment sums it up! I was leafing through the Stampin’ Up! annual catalog and found this stamp set.

Feather Together Stamp Set $17

I love feathers and I plan to make a card using the feathers and the sentiment together – for my first card of 2017.

How will you celebrate National Inspiration Day – and what is your inspiration for 2017?

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Posted in Uncategorized

Fashion Inspiration

Posted on September 30, 2016 | Comments Off

I am a color-addict! There! I have admitted it! These are some of the 2017 Pantone colors that are hitting the fashion runways and I am over-the-top inspired by them!

Fashion Inspiratiion

I plan on using this color combo on my next card using these Stampin’ Up colors:What colors are YOUR fashion inspiration for this fall?

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Posted in Coloring Challenge

Project Life CARDS! (Sneak Peek)

Posted on April 26, 2016 | Comments Off

Yes, this is a SNEAK PEEK at my upcoming class, Project Life CARDS! We will be taking apart a project life card pack and making 18 STINKIN’ CUTE cards! For beginners and seasoned card makers too, we will cover tons of techniques that you will want to use over and over again! All the materials are included, cardstock, envelopes, Designer Paper, inks and more. Learn to use copic markers, watercolor paints and Stampin’ Up inkpads to achieve perfect blends of highlights and shadows. When is this fantastic class, you ask? Sunday, May 22nd, 1pm-5pm at the Art Gallery of Fell’s Point (1926 Fleet Street, Baltimore, MD 21231). Cost $70, Early bird $10 off ($60) special through May 8th. Class size limited to 7, so sign up early to get your spot!

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Posted in Cards, Crafty Techniques, Workshop

BIG Thank You!

Posted on April 10, 2016 | Comments Off

My BIG Thank You stamp on a card! Love how this looks in real life – so glittery 🙂

I embossed the Thank You stamp in gold and then stamped the flower, and colored it with my new fave method – real watercolors! Somewhere in my travels I acquired a sample card of Daniel Smith watercolors. Just dabs of dried watercolor paint from the tube on a light cardboard sheet. I just wet my brush and tap it on the little “blob” of watercolor, and voila! – brush the watercolor on my image. I’m still experimenting with layering colors and light and shadows, but I love the look! This isn’t even watercolor paper – it’s Stampin’ Up’s Shimmery White, my go-to card stock for card fronts or fussy cut images. I stamped the flower again on plain paper and cut it out to mask the flower, then spritzed the background with Smooch Spritz colors (love the shimmer!!!). That purple was a little overwhelming, but I soaked a bunch up with a paper towel right after I spritzed. I also wiped off the “thank you” portion with a damp paper towel when everything had dried so the gold would stand out. Peel the mask off the flower and there you have it! Do you have someone to send a BIG Thank you to? Message me or click on the link to my online store to get your own “Another Thank You” stamp set. I know I will definitely be using this BIG Thank You stamp again!

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Posted in Cards, Crafty Techniques

So Very Thankful!

Posted on April 6, 2016 | Comments Off

Today I am VERY thankful! I just received my Stampin’ Up! order and APPARENTLY I had ordered both of these stamp sets! At first I thought, Well THAT’S a LOT of Thank Yous!, but then, really, I am Thankful for so many things – and I should send Thank You cards more often! (just like birthday cards!!!) I’ve always liked having LOTS of fonts at my disposal, and there are so many lovely ones with these stamps! I know I’ll be embossing the BIG Thank You in GOLD and spritzing or stenciling a pretty background. What can YOU create with these sentiments…and what are you So Very Thankful for???

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Posted in Cards, Inspiration

Sheltering Tree Spring Card

Posted on March 27, 2016 | Comments Off

I was so inspired by a photo this week of the trees in bloom, that I created a Sheltering Tree Spring card! By inking the “leaves” stamp with Versamark and heat embossing with white embossing powder, I created a “resist” that I could spritz several blue inks over and wipe off the embossed portion so that the inks show up as a background. This makes a simple one-layer card with a 3-D look! A little sparkly ribbon (Pool Party 3/8″ Glitter Ribbon 140561 10 yds/$5.50-Occasions Catalog) to finish it off! Lots of options with this stamp set for EVERY season! Visit my online store by March 31st to take advantage of Sale-a-bration – earn a free stamp set, paper or embellishment for every $50 in orders. Make your own set of Sheltering Tree Spring Cards to send or give as a gift!

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Posted in Cards, Crafty Techniques, Products

Sheltering Tree Inspiration

Posted on March 25, 2016 | Comments Off

Sheltering Tree is a stamp from the Annual Stampin’ Up! Catalog – I was reminded of this stamp when I was
driving today on N. Charles Street in Baltimore – the trees are in BLOOM and are soooo beautiful! I immediately thought about how I could recreate these beautiful trees on a card using the Sheltering Tree stamp set. Stamp the tree base in Early Espresso (on my favorite card stock, Shimmery White), stamp the “leaf” part in versamark ink and emboss with white embossing powder. Either leave the background plain or spritz or lightly sponge the background with several blues. The embossing powder will resist the ink and the blue will just show in the background.

White Embossing Powder

While this stamp is in the Annual Catalog, you can STILL order it (Photopolymer $25), along with Shimmery White paper ($8/10 sheets), White Embossing Powder ($5), Early Espresso Inkpad ($6.50), Versamark Inkpad ($7.50) and with your $52 order, get a FREE item from the Sale-a-bration catalog through March 31st! Spring is officially here! Is there a “Sheltering Tree Inspiration” in your yard or your travels this weekend?

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Posted in Crafty Techniques, Inspiration, Products

Rose Wonder Sympathy

Posted on March 22, 2016 | Comments Off

Rose Wonder stamp set, a new stamp in the Occasions Catalog, is a beautiful, BIG image that lends itself to so many inking possibilities! For this card, I used my copic markers, which I love for their ability to blend. There are soooo many colors (and I am a color FREAK!) It’s hard to believe how many markers I used for the rose and leaves! I stamped the image again on a sheet of copy paper and fussy cut around it to create a mask, then covered the whole thing with a mesh bag from some oranges and sponged with Lost Lagoon. I spritzed with some gold smooch spritz and splattered some Night of Navy, removed the mask and popped the Sympathy sentiment from the same stamp set. The huge number of sentiments that come with this stamp set are perfect for so many occasions! You have until May 31st to order this stamp set (which also has matching dies), but only until March 31st to order and get FREE merchandise from the Sale-a-bration catalog! No time to lose – You will LOVE the Rose Wonder stamp set all year long!

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Posted in Cards, Crafty Techniques

Boho Hearts Inspiration

Posted on February 14, 2016 | Comments Off

In honor of Valentine’s Day, here is a fabulous Boho Hearts Inspiration Photo. I want to make these, eat these and WEAR these. So COLORFUL! But wouldn’t these make a great CARD, too? Stamp or draw your favorite heart outline and fill in with doodles or even Zentangle. Different color markers would make this so easy.
You could also take this idea and “marker” your stamp – below is a perfect image from the Bordering Blooms stamp set in the 2015-2016 Catalog for this technique. Embellish the stamped image with dimensional dots or crystal effects to add texture and bling! What will YOU do with this Boho Heart Inspiration?

Bordering Blooms

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Posted in Inspiration

#imbringingbirthdaysback

Posted on February 11, 2016 | Comments Off

One of my fave’s from Stampin’ Up!, Shannon West, has come up with a brilliant idea, called #imbringingbirthdaysback! The premise is that we have gotten away from sending birthday cards and become more dependent on the quick and easy social media way. Now who doesn’t LOVE a birthday card (or any card, really) that you receive in the mail??? I used to send a ton of them out, and I have gotten out of the habit, too! Stampin’ Up! thought this was SUCH a good idea that they are now going to issue a stamp EXACTLY as Shannon made her own above. As soon as it is available, I’ll post a link, but no need to wait to jump onto this great idea – start your own revolution! If you want a great stamp set with birthday sentiments and images, too, “Endless Birthday Wishes” would be a great start! If you want a hand-stamped birthday card from ME, just comment with your request, and message me privately with your name, birthday and address, and VOILA! your card will hit the US Mail when the time comes! #imbringingbirthdaysback – how about you???

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