Friday, July 30, 2010

LET'S GO TO THE HOP (OH, BABY!)

Hello, and welcome once again to the Stampin' Addicts MEGA blog hop! We're so glad you joined us!!! This time we are featuring products from Stampin' Up!'s new Idea Book & Catalog.  If you have followed the hop from the beginning, you probably arrived from Joyce's blog Stampin' Central, where she's showcasing the Just Believe stamp set.  If you just happened to pop in here first, don't worry.... keep clicking the links at the bottom of each blog on the tour and you'll come full circle!  The hop lasts until Sunday at midnight, so grab a cuppa, get comfy, and enjoy!

Today I'm featuring the Countryside stamp set.  I adore that old truck, because it reminds me of my husband.  No, not because he's old (though he is, heehee), but because we both love classic cars. In fact, he's working on restoring a '54 Chevrolet Sedan Delivery!  And, as we all know, 1954 was a very good year. ;-)

Anyway, I thought the first card should have an aged, vintage look to match the vintage vehicle, so there's lots of tearing and distressing, with some spatters thrown in for good measure.
Sentiment Stamp: Teeny Tiny Wishes
Cardstock: Early Espresso, Old Olive, Very Vanilla, Watercolor Paper
DSP: Patterns Pack - In Color (Hostess Level 1)
Ink: Soft Suede and Poppy Parade Classic
Accessories: Antique Brads, Metallic Brads, Linen Thread,Color Spritzer Tool, Aqua Painter, Square Lattice Embossing Folder

This next card uses two other stamps from the five piece set.  Again, I thought the vintage look was appropriate, but with a more feminine feel.
Sentiment Stamp: Silhouette Sentiments (Hostess Level 1)
Cardstock: Baja Breeze, Very Vanilla, Early Espresso
DSP: Elegant Soiree
Ink: Early Espresso Classic
Accessories: Elegant Lines Embossing Folder, Chantilly Crochet Trim, Vintage Trinkets, Scallop Edge Border Punch, Jewelry Tag Punch

For the last card, I just HAD to watercolor that truck! After stamping it with black StazOn ink on Watercolor Paper, I used an Aqua Painter with Classic ink pads to paint it.  Isn't that blue gorgeous? The clouds in the background were sponged on over a mask cut from sticky notes.
Background Stamp: Woodgrain
Cardstock: Early Espresso, Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Pacific Point, Watercolor Paper
Ink: Jet Black StazOn, Pacific Point, Marina Mist, Poppy Parade, Soft Suede, Basic Gray, and Always Artichoke Classic
Accessories: Early Espresso 3/8" Taffeta Ribbon, Aqua Painter

For my final project, I made a little produce basket, since that stamp set makes me think of a farm stand.  I don't have any apples growing in my garden, but since I do have an abundance of cherry tomatoes, I figured they could be pretend apples. :-) They're so yummy, I could eat them like candy all day long!!!
Background Stamp: Sanded
Cardstock: 12x12 Very Vanilla
Ink: Soft Suede, Poppy Parade
Accessories: Antique Brads, Poppy Parade 1/2" Stitched-Poly Ribbon, Scallop Edge Border Punch, Blender Pens

That concludes my little stop on the hop - I hope you were inspired!  Next stop is Mickey's blog, Paper Conversation, where she's going to wow you with the Aviary stamp set!  When you are all finished hopping, be sure to check out Stampin' Addicts, where the nicest creative people gather to share ideas and support.  Stampin' Up! demonstrators and customers are welcome!!!


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Thursday, July 29, 2010

RAMBLINGS

Couple of quick notes here, as I come up for air from my stamping frenzy.  First, I want to remind everyone about the Stampin' Addicts New Catalog Mega Hop tomorrow, showcasing goodies from the newly released SU Idea Book & Catalog!  I'll be featuring the Countryside stamp set; doesn't it just give you a homey feeling?  No, not homey as in home-boy.....sheesh.  I love old cars and trucks, and this truck just really appeals to me.  It ap-peels to me, too, get it?  
Free Smiley Courtesy of www.millan.net
Be sure to check back any time between tomorrow morning and Sunday night to see what everyone has done with their featured stamp set and/or accessories.  You can start here and just follow the links to the next stop that will be posted on every page.  It it scheduled to go live at 9:00 a.m. Pacific time and end at midnight Sunday.  You will be inspired!!!

Second, I wanted to post a quick card that was made for my sister to give her friend, who just lost her brother after a long illness.
Stamps: Upsy Daisy (111710), Teeny Tiny Wishes (115370)
Cardstock: Bravo Burgundy (105123), Always Artichoke (105119), Very Vanilla (101650), Basic Black (121045)
Ink: Bravo Burgundy Classic (105215), Basic Black (101179)
Accessories: Styled Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware (112454). Basic Black 5/8" Satin Ribbon 117285)

Okay, back to the stamp cave for more creativity!  Hmmmm, maybe I need to run to Starbucks first. 
Free Smiley Courtesy of www.millan.net
See you tomorrow!!!

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Aaahhh!


I am really enjoying visiting with my red rubber, inky friends.  How I've missed them so!  I was able to get a card made today for my DIL, who just graduated at the TOP of her accounting class.  It's about two weeks late, but I know she understands I was under a lot of work stress.  I'm so happy to have her in the family!  She's really a remarkable woman, and my son is happier than I've ever seen him.

Her favorite color is blue (I knew there was a reason I liked her, lol), so I pulled out my favorite SU blue, Pacific Point.  Colored direct-to-stamp with the markers, then matted the stamped image twice, on Wild Wasabi, and Pacific Point.  The pearls, in three sizes, are in the new Idea Book & Catalog - woohoo!  I love the new bling!!

That's a fork bow tied in the ribbon.  You can find .pdf instructions for making it HERE.  Note: I used a meat/salad serving fork to make a larger bow.  The DSP peeking out at the bottom is some Pacific Point (retired) that I've been hoarding (she's worth it!).  I don't know why it looks different than the Pacific Point on the rest of the card.  It matches perfectly IRL.

Stamps: Friends Never Fade (118750), Well Scripted (from Occasions Mini, not available)
Cardstock: Very Vanilla (101650), Pacific Point (111350), Wild Wasabi (108641)
Ink: Pacific Point Classic Stampin' Pad (111837) plus Stampin' Write Markers - Pacific Point (120968), Wild Wasabi (120976), and So Saffron (105114)
Accessories: Very Vanilla 5/8" Satin Ribbon (117291), Basic Pearls (119247), Ticket Corner Punch (119867), Scallop Trim Border Punch (118402)

Monday, July 26, 2010

Swappin' Christmas in July


Free at last!!!  While I have barely tolerated greatly enjoyed my time working these past few months, all good things must come to an end, and today was my last day at work.  Here I am, doing the happy dance:
Free Smiley Courtesy of www.millan.net
Now, mind you, I will miss the income, and I anticipate that in a couple of months, I'll be griping about the bills.  But for now, I feel free as a bird, and I plan to spend some seriously QUALITY time in my stamp cave for the foreseeable future!!!

This card was made for a demo swap over at Stampin' Addicts.  I hope the other swappers like it!  It was a difficult decision on whether to make it elaborate and WOW them, or keep it fairly simple, so they could show their customers a card they could do without too much stamping experience.  It does use a few basic techniques - heat embossing, dry embossing, and sponging.

By the way, here's a helpful hint: The Cherry Cobbler cardstock that was cut for the dry-embossed band was cut the exact length of the white.  After running it through the Big Shot in the embossing folder, it 'shrank' a little bit, due to the peaks and valleys of the embossing.  You might want to cut your CS a bit long to make up for the shrinkage.  *Snerk* I can hear Elaine saying, "It shrinks?!"  (George, "Like a frightened turtle.")  Elaine, "I don't know how you guys walk around with those things."
Free Smiley Courtesy of www.millan.net
Stamp: Gifts of Christmas (115372)
Cardstock: Cherry Cobbler (119685) and Crumb Cake (120953) (why am I hungry all of a sudden?), Whisper White (100730), White Vellum Cardstock (101856)
DSP: Presto Patterns Specialty Designer Series Paper (117175)
Ink: Cherry Cobbler Classic (119669) and Soft Suede Classic (115657), VersaMark (102283), Cherry Cobbler Stampin' Write Marker (119681)
Accessories: Big Shot Die-Cut Machine (113439), Petals-A-Plenty Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (116824), Gold Brads (104337), Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder (109129), Heat Tool (100005), Mini Glue Dots (103683), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

Sunday, July 25, 2010

4 You

Just goofing around with textures on this one.  The layers of texture appeal to me, even if the color combo in this card didn't make my skirt fly up. ;-)

I stamped off the Poppy Parade and Pear Pizzazz ink to make the image softer.  Then I spritzed it with Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint spray (tiny mist bottle with rubbing alcohol and a few drops of Shimmer Paint mixed in).


Stamps: Flower Fancy, 2-Step Stampin' (111578), Tiny Tags (118592)
Cardstock: Early Espresso (119686), So Saffron (105118), Whisper White (100730)
Ink: Poppy Parade (119782), Pear Pizzazz (119784), Basic Black (101179), So Saffron (105213)
Accessories: Big Shot (113439) with Perfect Polka-Dots (117335) and Vintage Wallpaper (120175) embossing folders, twill tape (119970)

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Mom's Birthday Present

I saw this neat-o stationery box on Splitcoast Stampers a few weeks ago, and decided to give it a try.  Unfortunately, the Parisian Breeze DSP paper used in the original is no longer available (why, oh why, Stampin' Up??? It was my all-time fave!).   This is my mom's birthday gift from me this year.  She's going to be 75!  She'd shoot me if she knew I blabbed that to the world.  Lucky for me she isn't savvy to the ways of the Internet, lol!!!

I do like the Greenhouse Gala paper on this, but it isn't the heavier, textured weight of Parisian Breeze *sigh*.  The box really needed something sturdier, so I used regular textured cardstock and adhered the DSP to it.  There are six customizable cards included, two each of three designs, and a variety of greetings ready to be attached as needed with Stampin' Dimensionals already on the backs.  Just peel and stick!  There is also a covered Post-it note pad next to the pocket with the labels.  Here's a shot of the cards inside:
I sure hope Mom likes it!  HERE is the link to the instructions for the stationery box.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Happy Retirement

This is a card I made before things went crazy at work, and I forgot to take a picture and post it.  See the texture on that coconut?  I got that idea from Jan Tinklenberg over at Stamps, Paper, Scissors.  It was made using the "Distressed" texture plate from Texture Plates Kit #4 (114531) on some Early Espresso cardstock, after stamping the image in black StazOn ink.  After embossing, I cut just the coconut husk, then stamped the image again on Whisper White to get the white coconut meat (and straw with umbrella to color).


Want to know how to fold a shirt like that?  You can find the instructions HERE.  Note that I started with a 5" x 7" sheet of paper so the finished shirt would be small enough to fit on the card. :-)

Monday, July 19, 2010

MIA

Yikes! I can't believe it's been almost three weeks since I have posted anything!  In my defense, I have been working horribly long hours (10-12 per day), with very few days off.  Last week I had almost 15 hours of overtime, which means I'll have the $$ for what I want to order out of the upcoming Holiday Mini catalog.  Holy cow, is that catalog gonna knock your socks off!  I know it did me!!!

I did manage to eke out a couple of cards, so here is one of them:
Asian-theme for this month's card swap, so I used the now-retired Haiku DSP, along with the also-retired Asian Artistry Hostess stamp set.  The Poppy Parade paired perfectly with the patterned paper.  (Like that alliteration?) LOL

Anyhoo, this is all I have for you today.  This should be the last week of work for me, so next week it will be back to regular posts.

And you won't want to miss the upcoming Stampin' Addicts New Catalog Mega Blog Hop next week!  You'll see lots of wonderful goodies from the new SU Idea Book & Catalog!  I'll be showcasing the Countryside stamp set. :-)

Thursday, July 1, 2010

WOOHOO! Today is THE DAY!!!

Today Stampin' Up! is launching the new 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog (click on catalog image at right), and it is chock-full of glorious new goodies, and beautiful projects made with those goodies.  They don't call it "Idea Book" fer nuttin'! 
Today is also my OPEN HOUSE, where you can come and fondle some of the wonderfulness for yourself, and make a card, remarkably like the one shown above, LOL. :-D  Oh, and you can also eat some yummy stuff!  Brownie sundae, anyone? Or perhaps some fresh fruit, if you are one of those health food nuts.  You know who you are!!! 

That's new the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder on the Pear Pizzazz (In Color!) cardstock.  And the beautiful image is from the new Studio Sketches stamp set....absolutely lovely still life sketches, which can be used for just about ANY occasion!
I dressed it up a bit with some Gold Glow Smooch Spritz, as you can see in the close-up, and a bit of the new 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon, which is cuter than a bug's ear!  I think it is going to be my new favorite ribbon!

Hope you can make it to the Open House!  It will keep going until 9:00 p.m. Pacific today.  There will be a mini Open House Saturday from 4:00 until 7:00.