I have been using the So Many Stars stamp set from the 2019 Holiday Catalog a lot lately. Well, I've been using the matching Stitched Stars dies a lot and adding on a greeting or one stamped image from the stamp set. I haven't really been using the stamp set, at least not to its fullest. So, today, for this week's Color Throwdown Challenge (ctd567), I pulled out the stamp set and challenged myself to make a card with it and without using the Stitched Stars dies. Boy oh boy, am I glad that I did! I figured out some fun tricks with this stamp set that I hadn't noticed before.
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I didn't realize that when the curly radiance line stamp is stamped in a line, the curls on the ends meet up and create a continuous pattern. On top of that, the more solid radiance stamp can be used to fill in the center of the curly one. This makes an awesome pattern for the edge of a card!

In December, I will be teaching a class at our local community college through their Continuing Education program. It's pretty close to Christmas and a little late for starting to make all of your Christmas cards, so instead, we will be making a dozen gift tags and then turning a couple of them into full-sized cards. So today, I have been working on making some samples to advertise the class. And you get a sneak peak!

I used the Brightly Gleaming Designer Series Paper from the 2019 Holiday Catalog and three stamp sets. Two of the sets are retired. One is from last year, Beautiful Blizzard, and the other is from over 10 years ago, Season of Joy. This is the one with the Christmas tree. I love it! It is such a fun, whimsical Christmas set. The third set is from the 2019 Holiday Catalog, So Many Stars. 

Click here to see a complete supply list for all of the currently available supplies. 

It was so much fun making these tags! I hope my students in December have as much fun learning some basic stamping and papercrafting techniques on these mini canvases.  

Are you ready to get messy? Today's technique involves quite a bit of mess, but lots of fun and beautiful results! 

Supplies needed:

• Window Sheets (142314), acetate sheets, or Photocopier Transparency Film
• Shimmery Crystal Effects (Holiday Catalog p. 41, 150892)
• White tissue paper
• Re-inkers (I used Bermuda Bay 131156, Pacific Point 111840, Pool Party 122933, and Crushed Curry 131158)
• Light colored cardstock
• Versamark ink (102283)
• Embossing powder (I used white 109132, copper 141636, gold 109129,  black 146956, and white 109132)
• Heat tool 129053
• Embossing buddy (103083)

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Years ago (10+), I bought a package of Plain Paper Copier Transparency Film on clearance. I've trucked it through at least 5 moves, including twice across country. I knew that some day - some day! - I could use it to make window cards. Since I still hadn't used 1 sheet out of the hundred in the package, I decided it was high time I used it for something. I browsed through some technique tutorials on SplitCoastStampers and came across this gem by Beatte. It's an oldie, but since Stampin' Up! has Shimmery Crystal Effects in there upcoming Holiday catalog, it seemed like perfect timing. 

I stamped a number of different pieces to try out different color combinations. ​

Cut a piece of light colored cardstock just a smidge bigger than your piece of window sheet and a piece of tissue paper that has about a half inch overhang on all sides. 
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After you've applied the Shimmery Crystal Effects, put a couple of drops from your re-inkers on different areas of the glue. I used two different colors and added one drop of each. Start with just a drop or two. If it's too dark, you can add more. 

When your image is dry, trim off the excess tissue paper and cut the image to the size you desire. I found that the white and silver embossing powders showed up the best. The black, gold, and copper tended to get lost in the background design unless you turned them to the light just right.