World Diabetes Day

Today, November 14^th is World Diabetes Day, and a day that I felt the need I had to mark.

At the age of 23 our son Russell was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and immediately went onto a regime of daily insulin injections, quickly progressing to 4 per day. Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the pancreas causing it to produce little or no insulin. This means that the body is unable to process glucose. Despite active research there is currently no cure for Type 1 Diabetes, just treatments to manage the condition.

In June 2017 our son died from complications arising from his Type 1 Diabetes. He was just 31 years old.

The International Diabetes Foundation has designated November 14^th World Diabetes Day and in 2018 and 2019 the theme for World Diabetes Day will be The Family and Diabetes. The colour for diabetes awareness is a blue circle so you may see this in various places today.

For my project I decided to concentrate on the colour blue, and a sentiment that speaks to my heart.

PEARLY BLUE BACKGROUND

I began by creating the background for my project on a layer of Whisper White Card. I roughly mixed a little of the Frost White Shimmer Paint with a few drops of Bermuda Bay ink.

Using a paint brush I painted the coloured Shimmer Paint across the card horizontally, allowing the paint to form areas of lighter and darker blue. Then I set the piece aside to dry overnight.

THE CARD BASE AND LAYERS

Next, using my Stampin’ Trimmer I cut and scored a piece of Smoky Slate Card. Then I folded it along the scored line and sharpened the crease with a Bone Folder to create a card base.

Next I wiped a layer of Whisper White Card with an Embossing Buddy to remove any oils and static. Then I used VersaMark ink to stamp the wind image from the Beautiful Blizzard Stamp Set in the top right and bottom left corners. I sprinkled Silver Stampin’ Emboss Powder onto the sticky ink and tapped off the excess. I removed a few stray specks and then melted the rest using my Heat Tool set on 2 (high). This layer was then fixed inside the card base using liquid glue.

To provide coordination on my project I used the same technique to emboss the wind image in the centre of the flap of a Whisper White Medium Envelope.

EMBOSSING AND STAMPIN’ BLENDS

I love to colour but the alcohol in Stampin’ Blends can react with heat embossing and strip away the shine. So to prevent that happening on my project I needed to find a different process.

I started by placing the Shimmer Paint panel onto my Stamparatus. Then I mounted the snow couple from the Spirited Snowmen Stamp Set onto one of the plates. I inked up the image with Bermuda Bay ink and stamped it onto the pearly surface. Then, leaving the stamp attached to the plate, I set aside the Stamparatus to use again later.

It was now time to use my Stampin’ Blends to colour in the snow couple image. I used the light and dark Shaded Spruce, Real Red and Rich Razzleberry, light Night of Navy, dark Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie and Smoky Slate, and finally Bronze.

With the image coloured I could now emboss on top of it and this was where the Stamparatus was needed again.

I wiped the Shimmer Paint layer with the Embossing Buddy and then placed it back onto the Stamparatus. With the stamp still attached to the Stamparatus plate I inked it up using VersaMark ink and then stamped it in exactly the same place as before.

This was also the perfect time to add the sentiment from the Beautiful Blizzard Stamp Set. So I stamped that with VersaMark ink in the top right corner of the piece. I sprinkled the VersaMark ink with Silver Stampin’ Emboss Powder, tapped off the excess and removed some stray specks. Finally I melted the remaining embossing powder with my Heat Tool set on 2 (high).

FINISHING TOUCHES

To complete the card I attached the panel to a layer of Whisper White Card with liquid glue. Then I mounted it onto the front of the card base with Stampin’ Dimensionals and my project was complete.

I also decided to use my Big Shot to cut out a layer of Whisper White Card using the Blizzard Thinlits Die. I plan to put all the snowflakes inside the card when I mail it so they fall out when the envelope is opened.

STAMPARATUS NEWS!

A little while ago Stampin’ Up! announced the release of additional hinge plates, foam mat and grid paper for the Stamparatus stamp positioning tool. These are great, but one thing that many people have asked for was a way to store and transport the Stamparatus. Well have I got news for you!

From December 5^th customers will be able to purchase the new Craft and Carry Stamparatus Bag for $39 plus shipping and taxes. In addition, if you don’t yet have the Stamparatus and want to order both the tool and the bag you’ll be able to order them together using one single item number.

This bag will also appear in the 2019/2020 Annual Catalogue when it is released in June 2019.

My Stamparatus bag is on order and I hope to receive it at the end of next week. Once I do I’ll be able to give you a closer look at the bag and answer any questions you may have.

BUNDLE BONUS – The Beautiful Blizzard Stamp Set and Blizzard Thinlits Die used for today’s card project are available separately, but you’ll save 10% if you buy them using a single bundle item number. For this reason you’ll find links to both options in the product list below.

PRODUCT LIST