A Tiny Little Kitchen Trick = A Big Difference

This post is way off my beaten track but bear with me.

Have you ever spent untold time, energy and scouring pads trying to clean off the burnt on grease that stubbornly clings to your stove burners? If you have a self-cleaning oven, I've got a tip that will change all that. It was something I discovered after my own countless and futile attempts to clean my burners.

It occurred to me that burners are made to withstand the high and sustained heat of cooking, like an oven. I figured if the burners could withstand the heat of the oven, they could probably withstand the much higher heat of a self-cleaning cycle. Sure enough, the next time I set my oven to self clean, I placed the burners inside. Hours later when the cycle was over and the burners cooled to the touch, I sponged and rinsed them off and...VOILA!...clean burners. They actually looked like new again after all that accumulated schmutz (that's a technical term) was removed. One year I needed to have a repair made to the stove and I mentioned this to the repairman. He looked at me in surprise and said, "Wow, I'm gonna tell that to my customers."

You're welcome.

Ballo ergo sum
- Gitana, the Creative Diva

Tips and Tricks

(Note: Click on image for a larger view)

In my Respect Mother Earth tutorial, I took you through the specific steps I used to create the card you see to the left, but as I mentioned there is no reason you can't change things up a little bit to suit your personal taste. Here are a few adaptations you can use in creating just about any card with this layout:

Change the focal panel:
- Instead of stamping the tree image repeatedly to create the panel across the center of the card, you can just as easily use a patterned paper or even a pretty wrapping paper. This can save you time.

- How about some texture? You can opt for running your center panel through an embossing folder instead of using an image. A pretty foil or shimmery paper would look wonderful with an embossed texture.

- Deckled edge? Any decorative edge could work just as well. Even an edge punch could be used to create some interest. Or you can choose to use no decorative edge and cut it straight.

- Substitute the center panel with a beautiful wide ribbon, maybe something velvety or glittered.

Change the orientation:
- Who says the layout has to be horizontal? Turn it on its side. Or try looking at the layout in a mirror. Sometimes just a shift in the way you look at things can open up a whole new creative insight.

Change the colors:
- With the exception of the base layer, my card was monochromatic in shades of green with gold as an accent. You can spice things up with more color. It doesn't have to be a lot to make a big difference. Just imagine my card with a yellow base layer and a red polka ribbon on it. That would have a totally different feel to it.

Making Multiples:
- Okay, I'll confess. I had been creating several cards that incorporated the same central tree panel. Of course I didn't cut and stamp each panel individually. I cut, stamped and gilded several lengths from 12 x 12 cardstock. I did the same for the dark green layer below it. I glued them together and cut them to fit my cards as I needed them. When creating more than one or two cards at a time, it's always faster to work in "batches". Stamp a batch of main images and sentiments, cut a batch of ribbons, etc. Often you will end up with leftover scraps large enough to use on another card.

These are just a few of the many, many options open to you when you're creating cards. Your art is a expression of yourself and you are like no one else. So don't confine yourself to "cookie cutter" cards. Add your personal touch to the layouts you like and make them your own.


Ballo ergo sum
- Gitana, the Creative Diva