Tuesday, November 27, 2012

SUOC59 - Fun Folds!


One of my favorite cards to make is one that has a fun little surprise for the recipient when they open it. No, I'm not talking about money or a gift card (although that is always a nice surprise!). I mean a fun fold, or pop-up, or slider.....something that makes the card more interactive.


That's the theme for this week's challenge at SUO Challenges; make a card that uses a different fold than just right down the middle. It can be a gate fold, or a swing card, or any number of fun ways to fold. My card is a Six Fold card, because that's how may flaps there are to open!


I used a ribbon belly band to hold it closed, but you could just as easily add a flower or popped-up circle with a greeting to tuck the flap of the image under.


Stamps: Polar Party
Cardstock: Cherry Cobbler, Gumball Green, Very Vanilla, Be of Good Cheer DSP
Ink: Staz-On black, Gumball Green, Cherry Cobbler, Daffodil Delight
Accessories: Big Shot, Delicate Doilies Sizzlits die, 2 1/2" Circle Punch, Very Vanilla Seam Binding Ribbon, Pearls Basic Jewels (colored w/ Sharpies), Stampin' Dimensionals

Monday, November 19, 2012

Online Extravaganza Begins!

It's here--our biggest online sale of the year! Check out my ONLINE STORE to see a complete list of all the products that are on sale--including items discounted up to 50 percent! And don't forget about our 24-hour-only doorbusters--20 percent off the Big Shot (I love Mr. Big!), Doctor's Bag, and Simply Scored Diagonal Plate today only through 11:50 PM (MT)! Actually, there are two ONE DAY ONLY doorbuster sales, on the first day (today) and the last day (Nov. 28). All the other prices are good throughout the promotion.  And now, my card for today.....


We made slider cards in my team meeting last week. They are really cute and fun, and not that difficult! The tutorial is available on Splitcoast Stampers. I modified it a bit for our purposes.  Here it is opened:


Busy week(s) ahead! I wish you all a blessed Thanksgiving and safe travels, if you are heading off to visit friends or relatives. 
From Millan.Net

Stamps: Snow Much Fun, More Merry Messages
Cardstock: Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla, Be of Good Cheer DSP, Silver Glimmer Paper
Ink: StazOn Black, Cherry Cobbler, Real Red, Gumball Green, Pumpkin Pie, Baja Breeze
Accessories: Stampin' Trimmer, Little Labels Punch Pack, Merry Minis Punch Pack, Very Vanilla 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon,

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

SUOC58 - CAS Holiday


Hello, peeps! This week at SUO Challenges we are highlighting CAS (Clean And Simple) holiday cards. Thanksgiving is next week (eek!) and before you know it, Hanukkah and Christmas will be here (double eek!). 

If you haven't been working on your cards already, you might want to consider the CAS style. It isn't too elaborate and time-consuming, but can still be beautiful and elegant in its simplicity. Be sure to check out what the Design Team made; they should give you lots of ideas for your own!

Those snowflakes are so fun to do. Just dot Multipurpose Liquid Glue (p. 177) all over and let dry thoroughly. Then sponge (or brayer) the ink all over. When complete, use an adhesive eraser (p. 177) to remove the dried glue dots - et voila! Snow!


Stamps: Zoo Review, Curly Cute
Cardstock: Whiper White, Midnight Muse
Ink: SatzOn Jet Black, Midnight Muse, Baja Breeze
Accessories: Blender Pen, Tombow Multipurpose Liquid Glue, Adhesive Eraser, Two-Way Glue Pen, Stampin' Sponges, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Folded Star






Smiley from millan.net

First of all, I would like to thank our veterans (and active military) for their service today. Without you we would not be here, so from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU and Happy Veteran's Day.

A few months ago Beate Johns from Splitcoast Stampers asked if I would do a tutorial on the folded star for the Holiday Blitz. Of course I said "Yes!", and promptly put it on the back burner, since it wasn't due for a few months. Life happened, Dad died, things came up, and suddenly it was almost due, and I hadn't even started it. Panic time!!!
Smiley from millan.net
Lucky for me, this is a super simple project, and I was able to finish the tutorial without giving Beate a stress-induced heart attack from being late. I even got the video finished in time!


This is one I made to use as a gift tag on a bottle of wine.  You can't see it, but there's some shimmer spray on the vellum to make it even more glitzy. Here's the back view:


I hope you all give it a try. It really is so simple, and can be used in so many ways (Hanukkah, holiday ornament, greeting card, etc.)

Stamps (for back of gift tag): Snowflake Soiree, More Merry Messages, Fabulous Phrases
Cardstock: Early Espresso DSP, Very Vanilla, Champagne Glimmer Paper, Cardstock Vellum
Ink: Soft Suede, Early Espresso
Accessories: Simply Scored Scoring Tool, Big Shot, Snow Flurry Bigz Die, Stampin' Trimmer, Early Espresso Scalloped Tulle Ribbon, Brushed Bronze Designer Buttons, Very Vanilla 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Mom Stamps!


Mom came to visit a few weeks ago and while she was here, she wanted to learn how to make cards. Um, I think I can show you how to do that, Mom! She had fun, and said she could get addicted to it too easily, lol. Both of my parents have (had) an artistic streak in them which, thankfully, I inherited. So naturally Mom took to stamping like a duck takes to water. That is her creation shown above.  She wasn't too into doing the fussy-cutting (hands shake a little), but she was very happy with how it looked when it was finished!

My sweet Mommy

Stamps: Everything Eleanor
Cardstock: Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, Melon Mambo
Ink: Midnight Muse, Wild Wasabi
Accessories: Scallop Trim Border Punch, Whisper White 3/8" Taffeta Ribbon, Stampin' Sponges, Stampin' Dimensionals

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

And The Winner Is.....

The random number generator produced the number 6, and of the valid comments (duplicates were deleted), Barbara V was number 6, so Barbara please contact me with your mailing address so I can send your blog candy this week.  If I don't hear from you by Friday, I'll choose another from the remaining entries.

This weekend we had the estate sale of my father's belongings, and it was a long, exhausting weekend.  I totally forgot to do this Sunday night, I apologize.

Edited to add: A very happy Barbara contacted me, and her goodies are on their way. Congratulations, Barbara!

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Holiday Ornaments


The ornaments on the cover of the Stampin' Up Holiday Catalog have been a big hit, with lots of people wanting to know "How did they DO that?" Fortunately, some very talented, creative ladies got a few tips from SU, and then set out to figure them out.  One of them, Linda Heller, posted a couple of videos*, and since she did it already, I'll just link to hers......no sense in reinventing the wheel, right?


This is one of the ornaments we made in the Holiday Decor class last Saturday.  This is an easier version of the stamped one on the catalog cover.  Using Designer Series Paper makes the process a bit speedier, because you don't have to stamp the same image 15 times, and cut them out one at a time with the Framelits. Not that I'm impatient, or anything.
Smiley from millan.net 
I just like to have fabulous results in a timely manner, that's all! That's not asking too much, is it?

My point being, you can cut three layers of DSP with the Framelits, thus making the "getting ready to assemble" process much quicker! Five passes through Mr. Big versus fifteen passes.... as Martha would say, "It's a good thing."

Stamps: None
Cardstock: Be of Good Cheer DSP
Ink: None
Accessories: Big Shot, Holiday Ornaments Framelits Dies, Simply Scored Scoring Tool, Cherry Cobbler Scalloped Tulle Ribbon, Gumball Green Stitched Satin Ribbon, Vintage Faceted Designer Buttons, Large Pearl Basic Jewels, Dazzling Details, hot glue gun (non-SU)

*Video links:
Longer video (stamped ornament)
Shorter video (DSP ornament)

And now, if you scrolled all the way down here, here is my big (to me, anyway) announcement that I mentioned a week or so ago..........

I've been invited to be a Control Freak!

If you have spent any time at all perusing blogs for stamping inspiration, then I am sure you know who I'm talking about......some of the most esteemed names in stampdom!  Uber-talented folks like Wendy Weixler (one of this year's SU Artisan Award winners), JanTink, Lisa Martz, Connie Babbert, and Mary Brown, just to name a few.  People whose work I have admired forever!

That I have been invited to join the group is a HUGE honor for me. Once I've participated in a Control Freaks swap (as soon as the Spring catalog comes out), then I can join in the Tour de Freaks blog hops. Can't wait!

So, that was my big news, and if you stuck with me this far, I have a little blog candy for ya:


That's a package of the Large Pearl Basic Jewels, and a roll of Gumball Green Stitched Satin Ribbon. Just leave a comment, and Sunday night I'll use Random.org to pick a winner!