Monday, May 30, 2011

Sailing into Father's day

Yet another card for Operation Write Home! I so adore this new stamp set from Stampin' Up, called The Open Sea. My father is retired Navy, and I've always loved the old sailing ships from days gone by. We even have the world's oldest active sailing ship, an iron-hulled beauty called the Star of India, right here in San Diego! With the release of the latest Pirates of the Caribbean movie, I want to say "arrr" when I see these ships.

Anyhoo, this stamp set is going to make those always-difficult masculine cards a whole lot easier now!!!  I really hope this set will carry over into the new Idea Book & Catalog.
If you look reeeeeally closely at the hemp twine, you'll see I tied an Anchor Knot, heh heh! I had to look it up, and found a great site that shows animations of different knots. But it still took me a few many tries to get it right....


Stamps: The Open Sea (greeting from $1 bin at M's)
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Autumn Spice DSP (retired)
Inks: VersaMark, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, So Saffron, Peach Parfait and Soft Suede Classic Stampin' Pads
Accessories: Finial Press embossing folder, Big Shot, Hemp Twine, 2-1/2" Circle Punch, Spiral Border Punch, 2"x1-3/8" Oval Punch, Old Olive 1-1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder, Heat Tool

This will be the last card for a week or so. I'm dealing with a very ill family member, and won't have a chance to play in the stamp cave for a while. (Cue the violins.)  

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Grunge Birthday

Today's card uses the guitar from Grunge Rock again, but this time for a teenage birthday. I think it would work for either a girl or boy, though the colors seem a bit more masculine.  Still on the mission to use up my way-too-large stash of designer paper!!!
Stamp: Grunge Rock
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, Baja Breeze, Elegant Soiree DSP
Ink: Soft Suede and Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pads
Accessories: Birthday embossing folder (non-SU), Big Shot, Basic Eyelets (retired)

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Rockin' Someone's World

Here's a card that is sure to put a smile on the face of a service person's loved one back home.  I can just picture a guy or gal in fatigues choosing this one to send home to a special someone.....I sure hope they like it!  You might not be able to see it, but there are three tiny pearls on the guitar to represent knobs. Yes, I realize the knobs are usually below the strings, but they wouldn't have shown up in the swirly design. :)

Stamps: Grunge Rock (greeting from $1 bin at M's)
Cardstock: Baja Breeze, Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, Elegant Soiree DSP (still on the "use it up" mission!)
Ink: Soft Suede and Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pads
Accessories: Elegant Lines embossing folder, Big Shot, Early Espresso 5/8" Satin Ribbon, Basic Pearls

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Patriotic Father's Day

What father of a deployed service person wouldn't love to receive a patriotic card from their son or daughter? The red, white and blue stars are perfect! (I really wish SU hadn't retired that smaller star punch!) A bunch of these were sent to OWH on Saturday.
Stamp: All Holidays
Cardstock: Real Red, Whisper White, Night of Navy
Ink: Real Red and Night of Navy Stampin' Write Markers
Accessories: Night of Navy 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon, Square Lattice embossing folder, Big Shot, Large Star Punch, Star Punch (retired), star brad (non-SU)

And here's one of the "ANY HERO" cards included in the box.
Stamp: Hero Mail (AMuse)
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Real Red, Night of Navy, Autumn Spice Specialty DSP (retired)
Ink:Soft Suede Classic,  Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic Sketch Markers
Accessories: Night of Navy 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon, Real Red 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon, Decorative Label Punch, Finial Press embossing folder, Big Shot, star brad (non-SU)

Monday, May 23, 2011

Semper Fi(do)

There were a couple of these sent to Operation Write Home, as well.  I'm sure Sandy's dog, Ciara, will like this one!  Dogs are such loyal companions that the Marine motto of Semper Fi (semper fidelis - always faithful) really applies. I hope the message has real meaning for the hero that sends this one home!

I couldn't resist putting a little Crystal Effects in the dog's eyes and nose for that shiny-eyed, wet-nosed, healthy look! Gosh, I miss having a dog.....
Stamp: Maker unknown, greeting printed by computer
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, Autumn Spice Specialty DSP (retired)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic Markers
Accessories: Early Espresso 5/8" Satin Ribbon, Modern Label Punch, Word Window Punch, Neutrals Brads, Finial Press embossing folder, Big Shot, Crystal Effects

Sunday, May 22, 2011

What a Weekend!

Well, we're still here. ;) Yesterday afternoon I sent a batch of cards to Operation Write Home, some of which you've seen. (I'll be showing more over the next few days.) Then, last night, DH and I went to see our fave band, the Moody Blues, in concert. Always a great show, though I have to wonder how much longer they'll be touring. Graeme Edge looked more than a bit tired last night.

Here's one of the cards sent out yesterday. OWH always needs Love You, Miss You, Thinking of You cards! Since I'm on a mission to use up as much DSP as possible before the launch of the new IB&C, I made a bunch of these:
Stamps: Friends Never Fade (greeting from $1 bin at M's)
Cardstock: Not Quite Navy, Whisper White, Greenhouse Gala DSP
Ink: Not Quite Navy Classic, Note Quite Navy and Old Olive Stampin' Write Markers
Accessories: Stampin' Sponges, pearls (non-SU)

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Many Thanks

Today I tried the new Melon Mambo Stampin' Emboss Powder, and really like the way it turned out! The zinnia blossom in Fabulous Florets was perfect for this.  The leaves can be stamped before or after you emboss the flowers.  I did both, because after it was embossed, I found it needed another leaf for balance. The Old Olive ink wiped right off the embossing!
Stamps: Fabulous Florets, Pretty Postage
Cardstock: Basic Black, Whisper White, Night & Day DSP (retired, but available as digital download)
Ink: VersaMark, Old Olive, Pear Pizzazz, Basic Black
Accessories: Postage Stamp Punch, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Black Glimmer Brads, Heat Tool, Melon Mambo Stampin' Emboss Powder

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Fête des Pères, Parisian Breeze Style

I admit it, I'm a paper hoarder.  I buy lovely patterned papers and want to save them all for some "special" future project.  This, of course, presents a problem when the old stamp cave starts really feeling cave-like from the encroachment of the ever-growing stash. But of all the papers I've acquired in the past three-plus years, Parisian Breeze is my all-time favorite.  The colors, the patterns (BOTH sides of ALL the sheets!), the lovely heavy textured cardstock......*sigh*.
Free Smiley Courtesy of www.millan.net
Never before or since has there been anything that even comes close. Needless to say, I have been very carefully hoarding that particular stash, using a little snippet here, a tiny piece there. (I even have a unopened pack!)

Well, I finally found a cause worthy enough to use some of the opened pack, and that's some CAS Father's Day cards for OWH.  Lookee!
Stamp: All Holidays
Cardstock: Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Parisian Breeze DSP (retired, darn it!)
Ink: Baja Breeze, Crumb Cake and Chocolate Chip Stampin' Write Markers
Accessories: 5/16" Jumbo Brads (Neutrals)

Monday, May 16, 2011

Any Hero

In addition to Father's Day cards (and others), I'm making "Any Hero" cards to send to Operation Write Home. These cards are to the service members, thanking him/her for their service to our country. This one uses the new Land of the Free single stamp in the Summer Mini.  It was so easy to ink the stars with a Night of Navy marker, and the lyrics with a Real Red marker.  Sponging the edges of the mat, the stars and the stamped image with Soft Suede really gives the card an aged, vintage feel.
Stamp: Land of the Free
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Real Red, Night of Navy, Autumn Spice DSP (retired)
Ink: Soft Suede Classic, Real Red and Night of Navy Stampin' Write Markers
Accessories: Finial Press embossing folder, Big Shot Die-Cut Machine, Real Red 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon, Night of Navy 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon, Large Star Punch, Star Punch (retired), Stampin' Sponges

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Open House Make & Take

This was the easy-peasy card that was the make & take at the Summer Mini Open House yesterday. I love that the punched flower from the new Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer Punch fits perfectly in the sun/flower image in the Touch of Kindness stamp set! It's almost like SU planned it that way..... :-D

Another set of cards going to OWH later this week!
Stamp: Touch of Kindness
Cardstock: Melon Mambo, Regal Rose, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: Melon Mambo, Old Olive and Basic Black Classic
Accessories: Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer Punch, Finial Press embossing folder, Big Shot Die-Cut Machine, Basic Black 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon, Clear Rhinestone Brad

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Another OWH Father's Day

Gotta be quick today...I'm getting ready for the Summer Mini Open House this afternoon!  Here's another from a batch going to Operation Write Home later this week:
Stamps: Plane & Simple
Cardstock: Cherry Cobbler, Basic Gray, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black
Accessories: Big Shot, Square Lattice embossing folder, square brads (non-SU)

A Huge Milestone!

Today, Operation Write Home shipped off the ONE MILLIONTH card to our deployed military heroes! The deadline for Father's Day cards that they can send home is next Saturday, so I've been busy getting some cards for dads done.  Here's one of them:
If you compare this stamped image to the Sail Away stamp, you may notice a couple of extra birds. There were a some ink spots where there shouldn't have been, so.... seagulls to the rescue! (And you never would have known if I hadn't told you.)  :-D

Stamps: Sail Away (Summer Mini), Teeny Tiny Wishes
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Soft Suede, Deck the Halls DSP (retired)
Inks: Early Espresso, Soft Suede
Accessories: Early Espresso 5/8" Satin Ribbon, Antique Brads, 1-3/4" x 7/8" Oval Punch, Word Window Punch, Blender Pens

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

On the Grow

This is from one of the new stamp sets in the Summer Mini catalog.  Isn't that scooter with the flowers in the basket just adorable? It reminds me of Audrey Hepburn tooling around Rome on a scooter in "Roman Holiday"!
Stamp: On the Grow
Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Basic Black, Watercolor Paper, Pretty in Pink DSP
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Soft Suede, Daffodil Delight, Wild Wasabi, Sahara Sand, River Rock, Baja Breeze, Cajun Craze, Basic Black
Accessories: 1-3/8" x 5/8" Oval Punch, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Basic Jewels Rhinestone, Pretty in Pink 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon

Monday, May 9, 2011

May Swap

This month's stamping club swap theme was "Tulips, in spring colors, with a bow to tie it all together".  I wanted to use some of the Woodland Walk DSP, but there wasn't any pink in it, so out came the brayer and Pretty in Pink Classic ink pad, and ta-daaa.....a lovely pale pink background for the Maidenhair fern patterned paper!
The tiny tags greeting is from the Teeny Tiny Wishes set.  I just inked the words I wanted with a Stampin' Write Marker, stamped them, then punched with the Jewelry Tag punch. It was sheer luck that the font from "Happy Birthday" and "Friend to Friend" was the same!
Stamps: A Flower for All Seasons, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Cardstock: Garden Green, Very Vanilla, Rose Red, Woodland Walk DSP
Ink: Rose Red, Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink, Garden Green, Soft Suede, Daffodil Delight
Accessories: Framed Tulips embossing folder, 1-3/4" Circle Punch, Jewelry Tag Punch, Big Shot, Blender Pens, non-SU also used - 2" circle punch, 1-5/8" circle Nestabilities die, twine

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Totally Grateful

Our kitchen drain has been sluggish since right before Easter, and by sluggish, I mean clogged. My wonderful husband tried his darndest for over a week to get things moving, but we ultimately had to call in the professionals (which I had timidly suggested at the beginning of said week-plus, as this particular pipe has been a problem since we bought our house years ago, so I knew we needed the "big guns").

Anyhoo, the plumber made short work of the problem, and was a real nice guy to boot. His wife is a scrapbooker, so when he saw my stamp cave, he immediately recognized the signs of an addiction, lol.  This is the card I'm sending as a thank you (and as a little advertisement, too).
The wrench was heat embossed on Brushed Silver, cut out and popped up on Dimensionals. You can't see it very well in the photo, but the screw and bolts stamp from Lots of Bots was stamped on the left un-embossed side of the Basic Gray panel using Sahara Sand ink. I wanted it to be subtle, but it turned out a little too subtle.

Stamps: Totally Tool, Lots of Bots
Cardstock: Brushed Silver, Basic Gray, Basic Black, Poppy Parade, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black Craft, Sahara Sand Classis
Accessories: Square Lattice and Perfect Polka-Dots embossing folders, Big Shot Die-Cut Machine, Black Stampin' Emboss Powder, black brads, ribbon (non-SU)

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Technique Tuesday Tutorial

Tuesday is such a neglected day, isn't it? Monday has a bad rep because it's the start of the work week. Wednesday is hump day; halfway to the weekend. Thursday is the day before Friday, which is almost the weekend. But poor Tuesday doesn't get any recognition at all. So, I'm going to try to post a technique every Tuesday to help this poor little day have some self esteem. :-D

Today I'm going to show you how to do the technique shown on the Poppy Parade card in last weekend's blog hop.  To do this, you'll need:
  • 2 different embossing folders (I used Flower Garden and Square Lattice)
  • Big Shot Die-Cut Machine
  • VersaMark ink pad
  • Embossing Buddy
  • Embossing Powder
  • Heat Tool
  • Cardstock
1.  Rub the Embossing Buddy all over your cardstock.


2.  Starting with your main focal image embossing folder, tap the VersaMark pad all over the side of the folder that has the image indented. Be sure the entire side is covered thoroughly, but don't press so hard that the ink gets into the indented areas (which I unfortunately did when making this tutorial).


3.  Place the cardstock on the dry side of the folder with the Embossing Buddied side facing the inked side and carefully close the folder without shifting the cardstock.  Run the folder through the Big Shot, then carefully remove the cardstock.  Cover entirely with embossing powder.


4.  Tap off excess powder and, using a fine paint brush, brush off powder in image areas.  Don't worry if the embossing powder gets accidentally knocked off areas on the edges, since they will be trimmed off. Heat with Heat Tool until powder is melted and shiny.


5.  Trim the image to the size you want, and run through the Big Shot with the other embossing folder.

Have fun playing with this technique!  I can't wait to try it with different embossing folders and the yummy (pun intended) new colors* in the Summer Mini catalog!!!

* Melon Mambo Stampin' Emboss Powder (123223)
   Tangerine Tango Stampin' Emboss Powder (123106)
   Wild Wasabi Stampin' Emboss Powder (123224)