Friday, October 30, 2009

Happy Birthday, Karen!


 Lots of birthdays this month, and a holiday, too!  My friend, Karen, has a birthday on Halloween - how cool is that?!  I know she likes witches and pumpkins (a little bird told me), so I made this card for her.  Since I don't have any witchy Stampin' Up! stamps, I went with a Inkadinkado witch.  She's heat embossed with black Stampin' Emboss powder.  The "Happy Halloween" sentiment is from SU's Teeny Tiny Wishes.  That set has a stamp for just about every occasion you can think of (24 in all!). Well, except maybe, "Sorry you stubbed your toe".

(This is what I look like when I stub mine, except that's not a smile, it's a grimace of pain. Free Smiley Courtesy of www.millan.net )
Anyhooo, Karen came over today for the luminaria class, and said she liked the card, so I was happy!

Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes (115370), Delightful Decorations (116517), Inkadinkado, Penny Black 
Cardstock: Whisper White (100730), Old Olive (100702), Basic Black (102851)
DP: Cast-A-Spell Designer Series Paper (115677)
Inks: Basic Black Classic (101179), VersaMark (102283)
Accessories/Tools: Heat Tool (100005), Black Stampin' Emboss Powder (109133), Ribbon slide-Styled Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware (112454), Pumpkin Pie 1¼" Striped Grosgrain ribbon (115616)

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Daddy's Birthday


Monday was my father's birthday.  He's really big on nature, so I think he will like this card.  His summer home is in Montana, so he gets to see this view a lot!

I really like how the textured background looks like tree bark. ;-)  Kinda keeps with the whole natural feel, don't you think?
 
Technique: Stamped, Masked, Sponged
Stamps: Noble Deer (retired), Lovely as a Tree, Riveting (retired)
Cardstock: Bashful Blue, Night of Navy, Chocolate Chip, Watercolor paper
DP: Parisian Breeze (retired)
Inks: Night of Navy, Creamy Caramel, Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke, Bashful Blue
Accessories/Tools: 1-1/4" Circle punch, 1-3/8" Circle punch, Build a Brad, brads, Stampin' Sponges, Big Shot Die-Cut Machine, Sizzix Distressed Texturz Plate, Chocolate Chip ¼ inch Grosgrain Ribbon

Monday, October 26, 2009

Final Deals of the Week!



These are the Deals of the Week for Week 4. The final deals are from October 26, 9 AM (PT) through October 31, 10:50 PM (PT). Don't miss out on these great bargains!

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Fifth Avenue Get Well


I had some card kits left over from my last workshop and wanted to see what I could come up with for a get well card.  This is the first time I've inked up any of the Fifth Avenue Floral stamp set.  I think it turned out okay - not great, but okay.

The idea for the embossed border was CASEd from Sandi McIver's brilliant idea here. I never in a million years would have thought of that on my own! 

The rose was stamped in Melon Mambo on watercolor paper, softened with blender pens, then outlined lightly with Crushed Curry and popped up on Stampin' Dimensionals. The ribbon is the reverse side of the Rich Razzleberry Polka-dot Grosgrain ribbon.  I love that you get two looks from one ribbon!  Swarovski crystals completed the card.

Stamps: Fifth Avenue Floral (113734), Teeny Tiny Wishes (115370)
Cardstock: Rich Razzleberry (115316), Melon Mambo (115320)
DP: Razzleberry Lemonade DSP (115675)
Inks: Rich Razzleberry (115658), Melon Mambo (115656), Crushed Curry (115659)
Accessories/Tools: Tag Corner Punch (107215), Rich Razzleberry Polka-Dot Grosgrain ribbon (115613), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), Finial Press Textured Impressions Die (115963), Big Shot Die-Cut Machine (113439), Paper Cutter (104152), Swarovski Crystals, adhesive


Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Week 3 Deals of the Week!



These are a fantastic bargain! Now is a good time to build up the basics in your card making stash, especially with the holiday card season coming up :-D

Nativity Candle Holder


After doing the Halloween tea light luminarias, I thought about doing something for Christmas and had several ideas, but this is the first one to actually get finished.  There was some difficulty getting the vellum to stick, because it had curled a bit from being sprayed with shimmer spray*.  I found out, after I had assembled it with Sticky Strip on the seam, that Tombow Vellum adhesive is worthless for this application.  Within minutes the vellum had peeled off, so then I tried squeezing my hand in the assembled luminaria and adding Glue Dots.  That didn't work either, so I ended up disassembling the whole thing and starting over.  Sticky Strip to the rescue!  That sucker isn't going to fall apart now.

I used the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to position the windows and images on the vellum.  After stamping them with StazOn, the back side of the image was colored with Stampin' Write Markers and then cut it out, leaving about 1/4" - 1/3" extra for adhering.  The windows were stamped on the Shimmery White cardstock with VersaMark and heat embossed with gold EP.

Although I carefully cut out the windows by hand, Jan Tink has a terrific video tutorial for using the Movers and Shapers dies to make windows in luminarias.  Check it out - she's so stinkin' clever!!!

Note: This luminaria uses one whole sheet of 8½ x 11 cardstock.  Place the long side of the paper against the fence of your scoring tool and score the short side at 2-5/8", 5-1/4", 7-7/8" and 10-1/2". Rotate the paper 90 degrees and place the short side against the fence, then score the entire 11" length at 2 5/8".

*Fill a small mist sprayer bottle with about 1/2 oz. rubbing alcohol and add 3 drops Champagne Shimmer Paint.  Shake well and use to add shimmer on cardstock, flowers, ribbon, etc.

Stamp: Holy Triptych (110370)
Cardstock: Shimmery White (101910), White Vellum cardstock (101856)
Inks: Jet Black StazOn (101406), VersaMark (102283) 
Various Stampin' Write Markers  
Accessories/Tools: Eyelet Border Punch (113692), Heat Tool (100005), Paper Cutter with scoring blade (104152), Eyelet Border Punch, Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder (109129), Sticky Strip (104294), Stamp-A-Ma-Jig (101049)

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Punchy Pumpkin


My upline, Rosalie, is an absolute whiz with punches and I think it may be starting to rub off on me (just a little!).  I was playing around with the Large Oval punch and some scraps of Pumpkin Pie textured cardstock and came up with a cute little pumpkin, with leaf, stem and tendril.  He sat on my desk, faceless, for a few weeks waiting for me to think of something to do with him.  Last night I decided to try to make a face for him, using only punches.  I used the Large Oval punch and took a bite out of a scrap of black cardstock, then I went in deeper with the Small Oval punch to get the "grin".  The eyes and nose were made with a (non-SU) hand held heart punch.


I think he turned out kinda cute.  What do you think?

Stamps: Sanded (109294), Twick or Tweet (116497)
Cardstock: Pumpkin Pie - Earth Elements Textured cardstock (108697), Really Rust (100661), Old Olive (100702), Chocolate Chip (102128) 
Inks: Chocolate Chip (100908), Dusty Durango (115654), Creamy Caramel (103220)
Accessories/Tools: Natural Hemp Twine (100982), Button Latte Chocolate Chip button (114333), brads, Modern Label Punch (116630), Movers and Shapers platform (114506),  Punch Windows dies (115953), Big Shot Die-Cut Machine (113439), Finial Press Textured Impressions Die (115963 )

Saturday, October 17, 2009

More Spooky Stuff


I came up with this card for a teen workshop I'm doing in a couple weeks.  The hostess wanted to do something fun for Halloween since she and her friends are a bit too old to go door to door.  It will be held on Halloween, but fortunately it's in the afternoon, so I still have time to get home and see the adorable little trick-or-treaters.  

There is a little tab to pull on the side, which exposes the sentiment.  The bat was heat embossed, cut out, and popped up on Stampin' Dimensionals. 

Stamps: From the Crypt (115460), House of Haunts (111574)
Cardstock: Basic Black (102851), Basic Gray (108692), Whisper White
DP: Cast-A-Spell Designer Series Paper (115677)
Ink: Basic Black Classic (101179), VersaMark (102283)
Accessories/Tools : Black Stampin' Emboss Powder (109133), Heat Tool (100005), Pumpkin Pie ¼" Grosgrain Ribbon (109030), Clear Circle Rhinestone Brads (113144), Horizontal Slot Punch (105089), Round Tab Punch (108340), Paper Cutter (104152), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Scenic Greetings


Here's the other card we made at the workshop last Saturday.  I totally CASEd this card from Splitcoast Stampers, but I didn't use the brayer technique that was used in the original card HERE(I have yet to get satisfactory results with the brayer, but I know it's just a matter of practice.)

We did sponging instead, which I think produced as beautiful a card as the original, and was easier for the differing skill levels to handle.  I must say, I was really impressed with my stampers!  They all made awesome cards - none of the cards looked like newbies had made them!  This is how I feel about my stampin' ladies...
Free Smiley Courtesy of www.millan.net
After cutting the Top Note from Shimmery White cardstock, we punched a circle from a sticky note to use as a mask for the moon.  Then we sponged Tempting Turquiose (getting lighter toward the bottom) and Night of Navy (down about half way) over it.  After removing the mask, we used a sponge dauber to add Crushed Curry to the moon.  Another sticky note was used to mask the sentiment on the Scenic Season stamp, because it was too long for the Top Note.  After inking up the stamp with Basic Black Craft ink, we removed the sticky and stamped the trees.  The sentiment, stamped in Basic Black Classic ink, is from the Snow Swirled set and fits perfectly!


Stamps: Scenic Season (115354), Snow Swirled (111690)
Cardstock: Shimmery White (101910), Basic Black (102851), Whisper White (100730)
Inks: Tempting Turquoise Classic (100814, Not Quite Navy Classic (103008), Crushed Curry Classic (115659), Basic Black Classic (101179), Basic Black Craft (102192)
Accessories/Tools: Top Note Bigz die (113463), Big Shot Die-Cut Machine (113439), Organza Ribbon (114319), 1¾" Circle Punch (112004), Stamping Sponges (101610), Sponge Daubers (102892), White Gel Pen (105021), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), sticky notes for masking

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Marker Club Techniques



My marker club will be exploring ways to use their markers, and this is one of the cards they'll make.  Quick and easy, using just basic coloring on the image and inking the edges of the cardstock.
For the second card, we'll do the stained glass technique, coloring on the back of the image that has been stamped on vellum cardstock.  In addition, I'm going to introduce the Color Spritzer Tool for spattering on the sentiment.  I toyed with the idea of using Real Red to make it look like blood splatters, but figured that would be a bit much.  Heh heh.  Besides, the red didn't go with the other colors.
Free Smiley Courtesy of www.millan.net

 Top card
Stamps: Twick or Tweet (116497)
Cardstock: Old Olive (100702), Basic Black (102851), Whisper White (100730)
DP: Cast-A-Spell (115677)
Inks: Staz-On Jet Black (101406), Basic Black Classic (101179), Creamy Caramel Stampin' Write Marker (100078), Close to Cocoa Stampin' Write Marker (100072)
Accessories/Tools: Scallop Edge Punch (112091), Scallop Oval Punch (114889), Large Oval Punch (107305), Small Oval Punch (107304), Big Shot Die-Cut Machine (113439), Movers and Shapers (114506), Movers & Shapers Punch Windows (115953), Paper Cutter (104152)


Bottom Card
Stamps: House of Haunts (111574)
Cardstock: Basic Black (102851), White Vellum Cardstock (101856)
DP: Cast-A-Spell (115677)
Inks: Staz-On Jet Black (101406), Barely Banana Stampin' Write Marker (100039), Yoyo Yellow Stampin' Write Marker (100050), Pale Plum Stampin' Write Marker (100036)
Accessories/Tools: Color Sprtizer Tool (107066), Designer Label Punch (107590), Ticket Corner Punch (107214), Designer Label Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware (111325), Basic Black ¼" Grosgrain Ribbon (109027), Paper Cutter (104152), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)



Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Razzle Mambo-ade Cupcakes


Mmmmmm, cupcakes.  Cupcakes with lots of frosting.  Cupcakes with lots of frosting and a cherry on top.  Fat-free, calorie-free, guilt-free cupcakes!  

We made this card at a friend's workshop a couple days ago (hi, Dani!).  The hostess had requested something using the Crazy for Cupcakes stamp set, so this is what I came up with.  The Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Series Paper is just a riot of fun In Colors, and I have such a hard time deciding which side of the papers I want to use!  There are 12 designs to choose from, and I managed to work three of 'em into this card, so it satisfied my sweet tooth desire for lots of color. :-D

We spotlighted water coloring with the Classic ink pads and blender pens on this card.  This is really a fun technique that even novice stampers can do with great results.  Tomorrow I'll show you the other card we made. ;-)


Stamps: Crazy for Cupcakes (111618)
Cardstock: Rich Razzleberry (115316), Watercolor Paper (105019)
DP: Razzleberry Lemonade DSP (115675)

Inks: Staz-On Black (), Rich Razzleberry Classic (115658), Melon Mambo Classic (115656), Crushed Curry Classic (115659), Soft Suede Classic (115657), Real Red Stampin' Write Marker (100052), White Gel Pen (105021)
Accessories/Tools: Rich Razzleberry Polka-dot Grosgrain Ribbon (115613), Blender Pens (102845), Ticket Corner Punch (107214), Large Oval Punch (107305), Scallop Oval Punch (114889)

Monday, October 12, 2009

Stampin' Up! Deals of the Week!

It's cool and cloudy here, and I am so loving the fall weather after the awful heat this summer!  We had a big pot of cioppino with crusty french bread for supper last night. YUM!!!  This is great weather for getting creative and inspired by the upcoming holidays. 
Free Smiley Courtesy of www.millan.net<<< Me, thinking about the holidays.

Look at these AWESOME deals of the week from Stampin' Up!  The dies are for use with the Big Shot die cutting machine.  I found out recently that you can use the Big Shot to cut FABRIC to make QUILTS!  It can handle six layers of regular quilt-weight cotton fabric.  If you would like to see some amazing quilts made with the Big Shot, check out Jill Olsen's quilts HERE.  Be sure to come back and look at these, too:


 
115961 Perfect Setting Bigz XL die - regular price $42.95 sale price $25.99. Create cupcake holders and napkin rings from card stock, Designer Series paper, or other material. The cupcake holder is designed to hold a standard-size cupcake.


114515 Flower Burst Embosslits die - regular price $11.95 sale price $5.99Check out some lovely cards made with this die HERE, HERE and HERE.

 
116760 Pop-Up Three Tier Cake Bigz XL die - regular price $39.95 sale price $25.49.  This is so cool inside a card - you open the card and the cake pops up!  Great for birthday, wedding, baby showers.  I'll bet you could also use it as a place card at a shower or wedding rehearsal dinner, or reception. See some cute ideas HERE and HERE.

I need to snap some photos of a few cards and get them posted here, maybe later troday.






Friday, October 9, 2009

A Close Call. Oh, and a Luminaria!

Well, I had a near-disaster today, and if it weren't for my wonderful husband, who is a whiz with computers, I'd be locked up in a rubber room tonight.  (Hmmmm, rubber room doesn't sound so bad to a stamper, heh heh.)
  
We had a (scheduled) power outage today so the utility company could replace some poles.  Of course, I forgot it was scheduled for today, and awoke to the sound of our two UPS/surge protectors beeping incessantly - for - over - three - hours.  Beep beep beep beep (five second pause) beep beep beep beep (five second pause) beep beep beep beep.......By the time the batteries finally wore out I was on my last nerve.  Just before DH got home the power was restored, but the UPSs needed to be reset, which he did when he got home.
  
All of a sudden there was a  loud buzzing, and sparks and smoke coming from the back of my computer!  I thought for sure it was DEAD, that I had lost everything (and there is a lot) stored on it. I numbly went and sat in my stamp cave, and then the tears started.

But my knight in shining armor came to my rescue!  He's the one who had built it for me a couple years ago, and he thought that maybe, just maybe, the power source had gotten fried, but not the hard drive.  And he was RIGHT!  WOOHOOOOO!!!  So, the pictures I had just uploaded a day ago weren't lost, and here they are:


I found the LED flicker tea lights at the dollar store (2 pack!), so I feel safer using them instead of a real candle.  You can't even tell the difference!


I like the way the inside pattern of the DP shows through a little when the lights are out.  Did you notice the little skull next to the stamped one? :-D

Have a great weekend!  I have a class and a workshop on Saturday.  Yipppeee!  I'm looking forward to sharing the fun of stampin' with others!


Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Flower Pot Card


My upline, Rosalie, had us make this card in our stamp club last weekend.  I really love that color combination, Dusty Durango and Always Artichoke.  And I adore that Hostess Level 3 set, Kind & Caring Thoughts (which I don't have, yet).  Ginko Biloba leaves are so pretty, don't you think?

Anyhoo, I do like this really pretty, very simple card.  Really simple.  Easy to do.  Simple.  

But after I got it home, I started thinking about how I wanted to dress it up a bit so it wasn't so, well... simple.  I tend toward more elaborate cards like this one, but I really am making an effort to tone it down a bit.  :-D

Soooo, after a discarding the idea of adding glitter, rhinestones, pearls or beads, and since it already had ribbon, I looked over at my trusty Big Shot, and started forming an idea of where I wanted to go with it.  I grabbed a Sizzlits die and a leftover piece of Always Artichoke cardstock, and dressed that little card right up!

Stamp: Kind & Caring Thoughts (#115324, Hostess only)
Cardstock: Dusty Durango (115321), Very Vanilla (101650), Always Artichoke (105119)

Ink: Dusty Durango Stampin' Write Marker (from set #116329), Always Artichoke Stampin' Write Marker (105113)

Accessories/Tools: Dusty Durango Polka-dot grosgrain ribbon (115609), Eyelet Border punch (113629), Modern Label Punch (116630), Big Shot Die-Cut Machine (113439), Sizzlits Swirls Scribbles die (113441)