7.30.2007

Tent Topper Card

This was a fun card to make. It was my first attempt at a Tent Topper Card. It was also very easy for such an eye catching card. You want to start with a base of 4.25" x 8.5" so that when you fold the card it measures 4.25" x 4.25". Then you want to make your tent topper. You can make it any shape or size you want. Once you're done with it and you're ready to attach it you want to figure out where you need to adhere it so that the height of the card measures 5.5". This will make the final size of the card 4.25" x 5.5", a standard card. You want to embellish the rest of your card however you want.

Recipe:
Stamps: Blooming with Happiness (retired)
Paper: Pixie Pink, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: Pixie Pink, Jet Black StazOn
Accessories: White grosgrain ribbon, paperclip, Large Oval Punch
Techniques: Tent Topper Card, Watercoloring

7.27.2007

Scrapbook Challenge


On SCS there is a weekly Scrapbook Sketch Challenge. This week was the 100th Challenge, so it was extra special. We had a great sketch by Becky Fleck. If you haven't seen her sketches you should check them out. This is my take on the sketch. These pictures are from Jan. 2004 at our first attempt at cooking a turkey. The turkey turned out really good and it was quite a memorable meal. I think the page turned out good, too.

Recipe
Stamps: Short Order Alphabet, Itty Bitty Backgrounds
Ink: White Craft Ink
Paper: Garden Green, Creamy Caramel, Night of Navy, So Saffron
Accessories: Pewter HPH, Hemp Twine

7.23.2007

More Christmas

Here's the other card we made at yesterday's Christmas in July. We used the Magic Snowflake Technique. These were a lot of fun to make. To do the Magic Snowflake Technique start with a piece of Glossy White cardstock. Stamp the snowflake using White Craft Ink and sprinkle on white or clear embossing powder. Shake off the excess and heat the image with a heat tool. Once your image is completely embossed take a cotton ball and apply some rubbing alcohol (cotton ball does not need to be soaked). Use two colors of reinkers and apply two drops of each onto your cotton ball (two drops of one color on the right and two of the other on the left so you have 4 separate dots of color). Clear as mud, right? Dab the cotton ball all over your piece of cardstock. Once again, heat your image and the ink will evaporate from your embossed image.

Recipe
Stamps: The Snowflake Spot
Ink: White Craft Ink, Night of Navy reinker, Not Quite Navy reinker
Cardstock: Whisper White, Glossy White, Night of Navy, Not Quite Navy
Accessories: Embossing Powder
Technique: Magic Snowflake

I hope to see you at Christmas in August.

7.21.2007

Quick Card

I made this for the Ways to Use It Challenge on SCS this week. The challenge was to do something to your corners. It's kind of hard to tell in the photo, but I used my ruler and white Signo Gel Pen to make some accents in the corners of the Pale Plum layer. I thought about doing something to the Perfect Plum layer, but I thought it might be too overwhelming. I watercolored the car image and used my favorite embellishment, white grosgrain ribbon.

That's all the time I have for today. I'm going to be MIA for a few days until I finish reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Oh, but I'll see a few of you at my Christmas Card Class tomorrow.

7.18.2007

Christmas Card Class Update

Change of plans....the Christmas card class for tomorrow is rescheduled for Sunday at 2:00. Please let me know if you plan on attending 24 hours in advance. Thanks!

7.17.2007

Poor Timing

It seems like Stampin' Up! always posts the new and exciting things on the demo side of the site on days I have to work. Then I don't get to obsess over it all day!! They need to start posting stuff on Mondays or Fridays. Just kidding!!!! I'm just happy to get the sneak peeks. Today's sneak peek is the upcoming Holiday Mini. It will be available Sept. 1. In the meantime I'll let you in on a few secrets.

First: The one I'm really excited about....Supersize Snowflake.........I think the name says it all.

Lots of snowflakes in the sets

A Christmas set that looks a lot like Priceless

Cute tag sets

Cute chipboard for making ornaments and garlands

A set that coordinates with the Boho West Collection

Mini Library Clips

Satin ribbon

Wrapping paper

Cute pumpkin set

and of course more Designer Series Paper

Oh, and did I mention that all the stamps in the Mini are coming die cut? No trimming required.


If you're not on my mailing list and would like to be to receive sneak peeks and the latest Stampin' Up! news send me an email and I'll add yo to the list.

7.16.2007

Are you in the Christmas spirit?

Well why would you be? It's July. But come Thursday you can come on over and get into the Christmas spirit at my Christmas in July class. You'll get a head start on your Christmas cards and enjoy the company of fellow stampers.

Here's a sample of what we'll be making at the Christmas in July class. We will make 6 cards, 3 each of 2 designs. The other card will feature the Magic Snowflake technique. To learn more about the class see my earlier post, here.

Recipe
Stamps: The Snowflake Spot
Ink: Real Red, Old Olive
Paper: Real Red, Old Olive, Whisper White
Accessories: Whisper White grosgrain ribbon

7.14.2007

Tool Box

I recently purchased a bunch of plain white chipboard coasters (with no idea what I was going to do with them). After playing around on SCS for a little bit and decided to make a box. I colored the edges of my coasters with a Sharpie. I cut my Prints Designer Paper down to the size of the coaster (4x4) and rounded the edges. I adhere the Prints DSP to both sides of the coaster, Polka Dots on one side, Stripes on the other. I then measured out the holes for my ribbon and punched them with my Crop-a-dile. The Crop-a-dile cuts through chipboard like butter. Now here comes the tricky part. Threading the ribbon. I guess it wasn't really tricky, but time consuming. And I had to do it 4 times. I stamped my snail and dragonfly and colored them in and cut them out, as well as punched some flowers with the Spring Flower punch and stamped Tools and rounded the corners. Really it's an adhesive box, but tools was a shorter word to stamp. Also there is a coaster on the bottom that is glued in place.
















Recipe
Stamps: Unfrogettable, Short Order Alphabet
Ink: Almost Amethyst, So Saffron, Jet Black StazOn
Paper: Almost Amethyst, Almost Amethyst Prints Designer Paper
Accessories: Whisper White grosgrain ribbon, Spring Flower Punch, Small Corner Rounder punch, 4x4 Chipboard Coasters, glue

7.11.2007

Happy Stamper

With all the new excitement of the new catalog I'm pretty excited today cause I got my Stampin' Up! order today. OK, I admit, it's not "new" stuff from the new catalog, but it's all current stuff. I ordered some of the stamp sets, ink, cardstock and punches I've been wanting to get for some time as well as two preview sets.

Here are the details.

Stamps:
The Snowflake Spot
A Tree for All Seasons
Hugs and Wishes
Holidays and Wishes
Punches:
Large Oval
Round Tab Punch
Ink:
Not Quite Navy
Baroque Burgundy
Whisper White Craft
Not Quite Navy reinker
Night of Navy reinker
Paper:
Not Quite Navy
Baroque Burgundy
Accessories:
Stampin' Mist refill
Black gingham ribbon
Black embossing powder
Bonus:
Level I Hostess Simply Scrappin' Kit

I've already mounted two of the stamp sets. Off to mount the other two before bed time. Hopefully I'll have time to play with them tomorrow.

7.08.2007

Christmas Card Club

Do you want to get a head start on your Christmas cards? Me, too. Well that's what my Christmas Card Classes will be about. On the third Thursday of each month from July through November I will host a class for you to create 6 cards (3 each of two designs)(envelopes not included). If you come to all 5 classes you'll have 30 cards ready to go by December. Each month will feature a different stamp set and that stamp set will also be my Stamp Set of the Month which can be purchased through me for 10% off through the date of the class. July's class will feature the stamp set The Snowflake Spot. I wish I could show you a sample of what we'll be making, but currently UPS has my stamp set. :o)

The only commitment on the Christmas Card Class is that you RSVP by the due date, but I will have a special gift for anyone who comes to all 5 classes at the end of November.

Christmas in July featuring The Snowflake Spot
July 19th, 7:00-9:00 pm
My house!
Cost: $12
RSVP by July 17th

7.06.2007

Scrap candy

Today's topic of conversation, incorporating stamping into your scrapbooks. There's a few ways to do this. Today I will focus on making accent pieces. Here is some scrap candy I made the other night. All these pieces are on dimensionals and can go straight from the bag to your scrapbook page. These are great for accenting your pictures or as the little something in that blank spot on your page.

Starting in the top left I used the Tag Punch on the piece of gable green. I then took some Basic Black and used the Word Window punch to make the hanger. I attached the hanger with SNAIL and then put a silver brad on it. I stamped the paisley from Polka Dots and Paisleys on Whisper White with Jet Black StazOn. I watercolored in in Pink Passion using a blender pen and picking up ink from the lid of my ink pad. I cut out the paisley and attached it to the corner of the tag. One accent done.

The top right piece is just a rectangle of Gable Green layered it on a piece of Basic Black. I stamped the circles image from Tagger's Dozen onto a piece of Pink Passion and punched it with the 1 1/4" circle punch and adhered it to the rectangle.

The bottom left is my favorite one. I made a faux tag by punching a piece of Whisper White with the 1 1/4" circle punch and layering it on Basic Black punched with the 1 3/8" circle punch. I stamped the word adorable from Warm Words on a piece of Gable Green and stamped the flower image from Tagger's Dozen in Pink Passion on Whisper White and cut it out. I layered all the pieces on each other and punch a hole in the top and threaded the Basic Black grosgrain ribbon through and tied a knot.

The last accent piece was really easy. I stamped the background flower from Polka Dots & Petals in Gable Green on Whisper White, then stamped the bolder flower in Gable Green, then again in Pink Passion. I punched it with my 1 1/4" circle punch and layered it on a piece of Pink Passion cut from the 1 3/8" circle punch. I again attached a silver brad in the center.

All the pieces are on a piece of wax paper so when you're ready to use them they come right off.

7.04.2007

Work in progress

I've shared pics of my workspace before, but I've got another for you. I say work in progress because I'm not entirely finished with this space. First, I've moved everything to the other side of the room. I'm trying to utilize the walls without facing them. That's my number one rule for my workspace. I will not face the wall. I also decided that I love my desk that I got at Target, but I need a wider workspace than the 12 inches it provides, so I've put it up against the wall and now it will be mostly for storage. I have another "desktop" piece since they came in a two-pack that I'll probably use on the lower units to make a shelf.
Starting on the far left, I have my paper in the top drawer, but that might have to change since it's kind of far away. My Sizzix and dies are in the lower drawer. On the table top is my scrapbook and my radio/clock. In the middle I have a power strip where I've plugged in my heat gun , radio and Ott Lite. In the first basket is my ribbon and twine. The second basket holds staples, paperclips, large paperclips, badge holders, etc. Above the desk on the wall is my punch storage. I used two of those cheapie curtain rods. The smaller one is a 1.5" projection, the larger one is 2.5" projection. The key to using the curtain rod with your large punches is not to extend the rod or it will sag in the middle. I have two new large punches coming to me, so I might need another rod. :o) As you can see I'm also using the extra space to hold my water bottle, crimper, brayer, wheel handle, Crop-a-dile and Stamp-a-ma-jig. Oh, under the desk spaces is a paper holder which has all my Bold Brights paper in it (I thought this was how I was going to store all my paper, but now I just don't know). Behind that is my baskets of cards. Back to the top of the desk. On the right side are my ink pads. This is temporary until my grandpa is finished building my ink pad storage unit. In the drawers below are things such as tools, pens, cello bags, envelopes, StazOn ink pads, and embellishments. The big drawer holds my 12x12 cardstock and my paperboard (cheap chipboard).
My table has my large paper cutter and at this moment my laptop. I don't always have my laptop down there with me, but if I want it I can put it toward the back of the table and still have plenty of room. Also my Ott Lite is attached to the back corner of the table, next to the phone(hiding behind the laptop). On the right side of the table is a basket full of adhesives. Oh, and the table is covered with white poster paper to protect the surface.
Then I have my IKEA Antonius storage cart. The top is my catch-all. My catty sits up there as well as my stapler and whatever projects I just finished. At this particular moment there was a can of Diet Coke sitting on my White Sox coaster (rare occurance). The top two baskets hold my current stamps, the third one holds my retired sets that I can't part with. The 4th basket is my paper scraps and my travel paper trimmer as well as pictures that need to be scrapbooked. The fifth drawer has another scrapbook that is in progress as well as my Watercolor Pencils, Stampin' Pastels, and other odds and ends. The bottom basket holds old stamping magazines, old SU! catties, and misc. supplies like cotton balls, wax paper, rubber bands and candles that are begging to be altered.
The white blob on the bottom of the pic is my trash can, which tends to move around. My chair is a Freecycle find. The seat cushion was all tore up, so I recovered it with this awesome animal print velvety fabric I got in the remnants section.

My future plan is to add the extra shelf on my Target desk, get a larger (longer) table for my main working area, get a chair on wheels as well as a mat for it and possibly a different storage system for my stamp sets (maybe a book shelf). I'd also like to paint the room (to match the Purdue curtains) and utilize more of the wall or at least hang pictures or something so they're not so plain.

I still have some stuff on the other side of the room that I don't use very often that I don't know what I'm going to do about, yet. I have an over the door shoe hanger that has some scrapbook store embellishments, sharpies, and I don't even know what else!!! I also have a dresser and some storage boxes that need to make their way over (maybe).

Well, thanks for taking the time to stop by my stampin' space!

7.02.2007

The new catalog

If you've not yet taken a look head on over to the Stampin' Up! website to view the new catty. Better yet, click on the catalog cover below and be directed there.