Stamps, Paper, and Ink

My First Video Tutorial

I know I'm a wayward blogger who's been distracted gone for way too long. Enough said.

The good news is - I'm back with the video tutorial I promised you! After two or three consultations with my Apple guy, and an hour long phone session for tech help with my son - I discovered that my old camera was NOT compatible with my new Mac. So I went to great lengths for you, sacrificing *wink* to buy a new camera and figure out how to use it. Please bear in mind that I have BARELY figured out how to use it after much trial and error.

The project I'll be showing you is from the post  A Gift of Love and features a box and matching pouch or gift bag using Box #2 Die. If you have any questions, please let me know in my comments box. I'd love to know what you think of my project and video too! If you'd like to see more videos, I'd love suggestions of what you'd like in the future. Thanks for joining me today!

 

 

Mouthwatering!

 Good morning! 

I'm sharing the other projects we made at my club last week using the Mouthwatering and Fruits and Flowers set.

 The card is a CASE from the Idea Book & Catalog on page 99. I changed it by using punched flowers and the Berry Blossoms Designer Series Paper instead of stamped images, but kept everything else the same. Making a mock up of the card with My Digital Studio helped me get the right dimensions and placement of the squares and rectangles for the layout. I printed it out on copy paper and then measured the shapes. What a help to take the guesswork out if it!

The water bottle topper has been around awhile but was fun to revisit with the Cherry Scented Embossing Powder. My Digital Studio enabled me to create a sheet of printed tags to be punched with the Curly Label punch. 

Hope you have a cheery day!

  All supplies by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Mouthwatering, Fruits & Flowers, Petite Phrases

Paper: Lucky Limeade, Whisper White, Berry Blossom DSP,

Ink: Lucky Limeade, Real Red Craft

Accessories: Stampin' Write Markers, 2-3/4" Circle punch, 1-1/4" Square punch, Scallop Punch, 1" Circle Punch, Wild Wisteria Ruffled Ribbon, Brads (silver), Lucky Limade Baker's Twine, Cherry Scented EP

Posies To Brighten Your Day

I've missed being able to post but there's been quite a lot going on! 

Hope this bunch of posies will bring a smile to you today! 

Last night we had our club meeting at our house featuring products from the Berry Blossom Suite. Each person in the group made an individual flower using the Mixed Bunch set and enjoyed the mini Peanut Butter cups perched in the flower centers. 

I enjoyed creating this little bouquet for my hostess who is the sweetest {hugs}. You'll never guess what I used for the base - my favorite BOX #2. I punched holes in the box top with the Crop A Dile and stuck the cookie sticks in, but the flowers were a little tipsy that way. So I cut another box but an inch shorter, lined up the holes and stuck it inside to stabilize the "stems". My hostess liked it and I hope you'll give it a try. Really was fun to make. 

I haven't forgotten about my tutorial for last week's Box #2
project. I've made the VIDEO and now must figure out how to inbed it with the Mac. If anyone wants to share a 'how to' I'd love it!

I'll end with this photo of our beagle, Josie, all wrapped up in her comfy crate taking a nap. Like her, I'm kind of tired but content as we traveled 700 or more car miles over the weekend and then I had lots to do to be ready for club last night. Yesterday was the push, today is the catch up---- I'm glad to catch up with you! 

I'd love to hear from you today and appreciate everyone who stops by. 

Nifty Notepad Gift

Happy Monday!

I am so excited about what I have to share with you today, because it's the kind of gift I know is really practical and very easy for you to reproduce. This was one of my club projects last month and the ladies loved this clear mount stamp case holding a notepad inside.

We used patterns from the Santa's Helper Designer Series Paper and the variety of designs was fabulous! Inside the case is a notepad where you can keep all those holiday lists you need and a handy pocket for receipts is made by adhering an open-ended envelope.

This is such a great way to use your extra sheets of double-sided patterned paper! Cut a piece at 10-1/2" x 7" and slip it inside the plastic cover. It stays put, I found no need to adhere it. For the notepads you can buy inexpensive packs of Jr. Legal pads at an office supply store. You will need to have these cut at the store to 6-7/8" otherwise they're about an inch too long to fit in the case.

You'll need a 2 x 5" strip of paper to wrap around the top of the notepad, and another piece to line the envelope. "My receipts" was stamped using the Empire Alphabet Lower stamps and Early Espresso ink.

The cases (#119105) come in a pack of four for $5.95. Do you have children on your gift list? Imagine their delight to receive a personalized notepad with their name spelled out on the front. Adding a pocket for stamps, or a loop for a pen instead of the envelope are other ideas and I'm sure you have more. Hope this inspires you today.

 

  All supplies by Stampin' Up!

Presentation is everything!

I am often reminded as I prepare for cards and classes that "Presentation is everything!" My good friend Donna likes to encourage me with those words too. I just came home with make up I bought at the mall, and they package it in a shiny-bold-black-and-white-striped bag with bright red tissue paper. They say the best things come in little packages, but it sure helps if they are also beautifully wrapped.

At convention we learned how to make a darling gift box using two of the Mini Milk Carton Dies. Here's my take on it for Christmas. I made it for the Fancy Folds challenge at Our Creative Corner.

I used silver metallic card stock and embossed it top and bottom with Pewter embossing Powder (I really love that stuff!) and the flourish image from the Creative Elements set. I put a rhinestone border around the top for bling.

To make this little treat box, you need to cut out two of the dies. On each one, cut off the panel on the end without the tab, then just adhere them together with sticky strip. It's important when folding in the bottom flaps, to adhere opposite flaps together overlapping them only about 1/4" to keep the six-sided shape.

You can just push down at the top and it will stay closed, or as I have done, punch holes all around and tie it with twine. Now that I've made this one, I can't wait to make another!

When you give it a try you're for sure going to see how easy it is to put together. But you will need a Big Shot.

I have good news about that!

The FREE Big Shot Offer has been extended until November 11. Check out all the details on THIS post.

If you already have the Big Shot, how about $100 of free merchandise?

 

  All supplies by Stampin' Up!

Stamps:  Pines & Poinsettias

Paper:  Metallic Silver, Whisper White

Ink:  VersaMark

Accessories:  Pewter EP, markers, Cherry Cobbler Quilted ribbon, Rhinestones, Mini Milk Carton Die, oval punch, Rhinestone Brad

Spice Cake Thankful Banner

Good morning!

One of the best perks about being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator is getting to buy porducts at great discounts! When I received my Spice Cake Bundle of Designer Paper, the Big Buttons, and fabric to match I was determined to design a project that used all three.

I did it with the help of the Perfect Pennant Die. Lookie!

One way to see the details is to come to the class I'm having on this next Monday if you live in the area of Fayetteville, NC.

The letters H, N, and F are decorated with die cut leaves. I did use the fabric on a rolled flower on the U, and tied a strp of fabric into the button on the T.

These are so much fun to make I couldn't stop at just one. Here's a wedding banner!

  

  I made this in about an hour! At each end is a doily from the Flirtatious Specialty paper. The sentiments stamped are "Happy I do day!"  and  "Happiness Always."

If you have this die, I want to encourage you to try a banner or two. If you don't have the Perfect Pennant die, contact me to order yours!

I only wish there was a better way for me to photgraph them. I've been editing and fiddling with re-edits until my eyes are crossed. Hope you can catch the idea. I'd love to hear from you about how you like my projects today.

All supplies by Stampin' Up!

 

Christmas in July, continued....

I got a few better photos and want to share them with you. I know July is a little early to be thinking of the Holiday Mini and Christmas, but I hope these projects make you want to stamp and create something beautiful! I know you'll be ready to receive your own Holiday Mini soon and be thrilled and inspired!

 Get ready to unwrap some beautiful gifts, bedecked with felt die cuts and glitter paper. It will be available in red and dazzling silver!

 A stocking using the new Bigz die and the Christmas Lodge DP. Don't you love the little jingle bell wreath? They are a fun new accessory.

 There will be a new stamp set and matching punch featuring these cute images.

 See the mica flakes scattered - a new bling just perfect for snow or shaker cards! It will be so easy to make pleated medallions using our new Simply Scored tool!

I'd like to wrap up this post with a special offer. If you've been reading my blog thinking, "That is so exciting! I'd love to part of a company that makes such fabulous products" then I'd really like for you to think about joining my team. When you receive your Starter Kit you'll be so excited at the opportunities that await you! Not only that, but if you join THIS month, you'll receive a kit to make this gorgeous Christmas Keepsake box!

You'll find information HERE about all the details, or e-mail me and I'd love to chat with you.

This is the last of my posts this week, thanks so much for coming along to enjoy the sights with me. Next week I'll be back to sharing my original projects with you.

my Refuge

 Ever pick up something because it's ON SALE, and then get it home and wonder what you are going to do with it? That's what happened to me when I stumbled upon these cheap ($2.56 cents!) framed art pieces. AHA! I said, to myself, seeing a perfect opportunity to alter and create to my heart's content. They turned out to be frames without even a back to them - (yes, there's another one waiting in the wings...) but they did have a neat panel in the front which I pried off. Ripped the paper and staples off, I was having fun by now!

Here it is made new.

 I chose the Botannical Gazzette papers first because they were a good match for the style of the frame. The Nature Walk set was then a given, and the sentiment is one of my very favorite verses of Scripture.

Again I found so much satisfaction from breaking out of my cards only mode. I love the variety of what I can do with my Stampin' Up! stamps, paper, and ink! This only took me a couple of hours from start to finish, much easier than I thought, and just iin time for the Recycling theme challenge at The Paper Players.

As for what I'm gonna do with this project, it has found a home in my kitchen next to one of my talented Mom's gorgeous paintings. They look like they were made for each other.

 
What do you think?

Here are a few details. (To see the details better, click on my photo to enlarge.)

Stamping: I inked my square stamping block with Crumb Cake and stamped in the bottom right corner of the paper, adding the bird and floral image.

This small panel was sponged and torn diagonally then layered on the darker cherry cobbler patterned paper. Both were adhered to the larger panel.

The gold frame around this panel is from the original art, it's a piece of fiber board. The sentiment panel is adorned with the Tulips EF and matted with Pear Pizzazz card stock.

I love resting under the wings of my God who protects me and who created the wings of birds and butterflies. Of course I added one of those using the Beautiful Butterflies die and a few pearls.

Hope you have a great day!

   

Charming Gift Set

I decided the necklace and pretty packaging that I made (scroll down for yesterday's post) deserved a few note cards to make it a personalized gift set.

The challenge at Our Creative Corner to make an ATC to add to a project sounded intriguing, especially since the colors required fit right in with the colors I had chosen. We were to use kraft, white, black and one other color. I added a hint of Marina Mist.

 Here's the card that I made attaching the Crumb Cake panel which is the ATC.

 The hostess set Silhouette Sentiments supplied the image and the words are from the You're a Gem set. In keeping with the stlye of the necklace, I stamped the medallion circles from the Charming set, and adorned the sentiment with Basic Rhinestones.

Adding a box, it's now a boxed gift set! The box is lined with Night and Day DSP and it holds the necklace plus two 4-1/4" square notecards and envies.

  

Here's a picture of the front of the box.

I really enjoyed making this project and I relish the thought of giving it away soon. Hope you've enjoyed seeing it, thanks for peeking in today!

Let me know what you think!

     

Supplies~  all supplies by Stampin' Up!

Charming Necklace

Thanks to everyone who wrote comments when I was MIA last week, you have no idea how it makes me smile to know that you missed me! I'm back to normal and getting crafty again was so much fun! I can't wait to share today's project.

When my club hostess requested that we stamp on dominoes and make a necklace, I was a bit hesitant, thinking everyone in the group must have done or at least seen that technique (a few years ago, LOL!) But I LOVE challenges and did some research. We made these classy necklaces last week.

 
This was simple to make! If you'd like to give it a try, begin by soaking your dominoes in bleach for 2 hours to remove the glaze. You'll have a matte, porous surface to stamp on using Black StazOn ink. I stamped the text and floral images from the Charming set, using the heat gun to set the ink. I adhered the bead on top with Crystal Effects.

I wondered how my ladies would safely get these home. That's when I got my idea to dress it up with a pretty package.

They say, "Packaging is everything!" How do you like it?

I made the necklace holder using the Two Tags Die and the Big Shot, cutting out two tags. After stamping the images, I added a foam square to hold the necklace and wrapped the cord around to the back, arranging the pieces in a Y at the top and securing with a small strip of tape. Attaching the front to the back was easy using foam dots, and they allow enough space for the cord to be folded up and hidden inside.

Here's a close up.

 

I have to tell you I had so much fun making this project that I went even further and added more items to make a special gift set which you'll see on my blog tomorrow or Wednesday, so be sure to check back!

For those who've asked about my health, I am feeling well but still need to follow up with a cardiologist soon, and I think staying in on a cold rainy day like we're having today will be just what the doctor ordered. :) That means you can expect to see more posts this week. I hope that if you've enjoyed my project you'll take the time to let me know, or ask any questions that you have. I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks so much for visiting!

   

all supplies by Stampin' Up!