Lynda's Quiet Time

P. S. I Love you Framed hearts

2012-01-27T07:39:00.000-08:00

Don't you just love the P. S. I love you set? So many cute images and sayings - I had to have it of course. Then the matching framelets die just got me hook, line and sinker. The base card is real red of course with whisper white layered on it. I took crumbcake CS and die cut the largest heart from the framelet die set. Took another whisper white and used the same die to cut another whisper white which I embossed using the Elegant Lines EF and layered it exactly over it and put some jewel rhinestones into the little circle embossed areas.

I stamped the little cherub in real red craft ink and angled it (yes, using the stamp positioner! Ouch!) and emobssed with iridescent ice EP and stamped the cicle heart in crumbcake. Stamped the modern label image in chocolate chip again on white and stamped the sentiment in real red and punched it out and used dimensionals to layer it. Added some more rhinestone jewels to make it look like the arrow was shooting out the message.

The little heart was stamped with Kraft white and embossed with iridescent ice- really sparkly in real person, then framelet cut with coordinating heart frame. Mount it with dimensionals to pop it up.

It is a really sweet card. Now if I would send it to someone......

Why is it that with all the cards I make, I still don't seem to be able to get it out to all the people I love? I end up just calling them at the last minute to tell them I love them or sometime not even that. But know this, I am thinking of you, and I really do love you and some day I may get my cards out to you so you would know for sure....

Happy Friday!

Lynda

My First Leadship Experience

2012-01-24T07:29:00.000-08:00

At my first Stampin Up convention umteen years ago I wanted to get a picture with Shelly Gardener the cofounder but the lines were an hour and a half long with all the hundreds of women who wanted the same. So I gave up and went to the bathroom and who came up behind me? Shelly! I was so excited I had someone take a picture of the two of us on my 24 picture instamatic- remember those before we went digital?- and Shelly told me that this was the first time she had been asked to get a picture taken in the bathroom. Well the sad story is that it was the 25th picture on my roll, and it never came out. I was hearbroken. But at the more sedate leadership meeting I ran into Shelly and I told her the story and how I had to have another. She then tells me she has had a few more incidents like that in the bathroom since. She was so incredibly sweet. Can you believe that she is over 50? Just beautiful inside and out, I tell you.

But Leadership was more than that for me. It was about stamping, swapping, learning about new items, give-a ways but it was really more about relationship and friends.

Mercedes and I got to room and hang out together and when she went up to Shelly, she remembered her and her beautiful cards that Mercedes had won. I feel honored to have such wonderful and talented person to call my friend.

We saw wonderful samples and creative ideas like this bracelet made of our buttons!

We saw demonstrations on stage and news about things happening at Stampin Up and ALL GOOD!

This was one of our make and takes using the Send Me Soaring set from the occasion mini. The polka dot kite was stamped then punched out with the heart punch. Darling!

My upline Tami treated her downlines to a dinner on the riverwalk where Shelly was dining with her family just outside the glass window at the same time. Such amazing talented women!

Tami is sitting, second from the left and Liz Price - our own amazing Artisan of the Year - on the far right. And my sweet friend Dena Rekow standing far right- she moved to Iowa and I was so happy to see her again!

They had some really fun stage action, dancing, harleys, and amazing demos. The theme was MY WAY- that you need to make this the way you want to make it work for you.

I was so inspired that I set a goal to go to Leadership every year if I can. It was the most amazing 3 days of my stamping life and I can't wait until next year to do it again!

Maybe some of you will join me!

Lynda

I WON!

2012-01-21T00:01:00.000-08:00

I was so excited to find out that one of my cards I submitted from the Occasion Mini won the card contest. I submitted several - which I will show you over the next week- but this one landed me this booty of sweet shop suite with the Designer paper, stickers (just gorgeous! ) and the Jelly bean brads.

This was my card that was hanging in the winner's gallery-shucks!

The base is Island Indigo with a layer of crumbcake stamped with A to Z stamp in crumbcake and sponged around the edges with the same ink. I cut a piece of First Edition DSP 3/4 inches tall and then stamped the You're My Type onto the crumbcake piece above the DSP. I then put a piece of scallop border ( but in the submission I useed a ribbon border punched out and cut in half lengthwise). I then stamped the typewriter and message in Island indigo and adhered it to the typewriter image on the crumb cake using dimensionals. (Note that I stamped the image on the bottom so I could see the handle on the right and left side but did not want to cut it out.... Take calendar alphabet ( and you can say practically anything) stamp your message coming out of the letter with island indigo- another card I made said - to my sweet...." you could put a heart inside to say sweetheart.... or put the words, sister, mother, friend, as you wish. I changed up the color to use pool party, Indigo and white and that one is also oh so pretty... I've been so jazzed up by this meeting- details and pictures to follow...

Lynda

Happy Leadership!

2012-01-20T05:37:00.000-08:00

I was promoted with Stampin Up to Supervisor and had an opportunity to go to Leadership which I had only heard of before with dreamy expression from my demonstrator friends and now I know why. I am in San Antonio having a ball!

For the first time there is a contest with each of the stampsets in the Occasion Mini - which is my absolute favorite of ALL TIME- of course I say that about each and every one- but really, truly, this is my ALL TIME favorite!

This was one of the cards I submitted using the Candy Conversation stamp- which I split into the heart and word image separately. Base card is Crumbcake, with a layer of real red then whisper white stamped with (down the line) pink pirouette, pretty in pink, regal rose, melon mambo and then real red. I used the cling stamps with clear acrylic block with the Clear Mount Perfectly Placed Guides- I aligned the middle heart with one of the lines so it was really easy to align it perfectly! Used the markers to stampe th arrow and sentiment (black and real red) then took a 1/4 inch real red grosgrain ribbon. Cut a length abouy 10 inches long then took the middle part made two bunnyears and tied it into a bow then taped the edges behind the red card stock to make a neat and tidy bow.

I am entering this into the contest but there was so many beautiful samples I am not sure I stand a chance but I still hope.....

I have so many samples to share with you. Stay tuned!

Lynda

Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night!

2011-12-25T08:47:00.000-08:00

Hopefully all my family would have received their cards for now so I thought it would be safe to post- this is my Christmas card for this year- I have 3 boys and with an engineering husband they really like moving parts so I try to make somewhat of an interactive card every year and this year I decided to do a water fall card.

Figured out the dimensions based on the pictures I wanted to print out. I was also tired of having to photoshop a picture to send out every year and thought separate pictures would be best. Basecard is whisper white with real red embossed with the Snowburst embossing folder (love the geometric pattern!). Take of strip of Holly Bouquet DSP - it has glitter on it - so sparkly! Took a piece of limeade CS with corner rounded for the right pull out side , scored it to make the waterfall- instructions are everywhere- here is one from Splitcoast Stampers- http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/waterfall_card/ . Added the pictures printed out wallet size. The cover image and sentiment is Beautiful Season from the IB&C. The image was stamped in black stazon and watercolored using the watercolor crayon then glittered with dazzling diamonds onto shimmery white CS.

Tyler, Kyle and Dylan in order and the three of them during camping this summer with sentiment from Four the Holidays set beneath. Some faraway friends got a short letter I attached to the back for a little update.

I attached a little handle made of roundtab punch- could not live without it!- 2011 stamped with Calendar Alphabet & Numbers in red and tiny snowflake from Snow Swirled in bashful blue.

The pictures have JOY on the right side bottom if you can see it - did not work out as well as I liked but it's like a secret message....

Happy Holidays to you All! and may the new year be filled with good healthy, happiness and good fortune for you all!

with much thanks and Love,

Lynda

Christmas Cards from friends

2011-12-24T08:36:00.000-08:00

Some adorable Christmas cards from friends using punches and cut outs I thought you may enjoy- The penguin is from Mercedes, my most amazingly talented friend and her adorable family- her blog http://mercedesweber.blogspot.com/ The Elf is from Marisa- It is SO CUTE! I had not seen this one before and it cracked me up. The Santa is from Bonnie, one of my workshop regulars. I am SO proud of her! Have a Happy Holiday season and may you all be blessed with friends as lovely as mine!

A simple thank you

2011-12-18T22:39:00.000-08:00

I can't believe Christmas is only a week away- This whole weekend was filled with just Holiday Card making, taking pictures of the kids- no group pictures this year to photoshop!- for the cards, putting the cards together and addressing all the cards. I am pretty awful with keeping up with friends- so many dear friends all over the world and life just gets in the way of staying in touch. So once a year I send out cards to family and friends from school to let them know that I am thinking about them. My birthday is right before Christmas so I never get a chance to relax with everything that needs to be done no matter what I promise myself at the beginning of the year- it always takes longer than I imagined......

but handmade cards are a labor of love.....much that is unspoken.

This is a little card I made using the Borderline (one of my current go to favorites from the Stampin Up IB&C) and Curly Cute sentiment set. Ink the stamp using the certainly celery ink then use Lucky limeade and artichoke markers to highlight some leaves then huff and stamp onto whisper white CS. Layer it on to Lucky Limeade CS and mount the whole strip onto whisper white CS. Stamp the sentiment of your choice using Lucky Limeade and a Clean and Simple almost one layer card you can whip up in a jiffy!

Do take a breath this holiday season to enjoy it for what it is!

Lynda

Only Ten more days 'til Christmas

2011-12-15T06:38:00.000-08:00

This was one of my favorite sets from the Holiday Mini but it was really a Valentine's set and hard to demo for my workshops when things are all so hectic and no one can think about anything after the holidays so I turned it into a Christmas card and I thought it worked. It also helps that it was a 6:30 in the morning the morning of the workshop inspiration and it just sounded good after being up all night. Take the heart from the You are Loved set and stamp it using the real red CRAFT pad- it is a pigment pad so it stays wet a lot longer to allow you to heat emboss it using the iridescent ice EP and it is gorgeous IRL ! Wrap the white cardstock with the cherry cobbler bakers twine. Stamp the sentiment image with love in the center from the same set with real red craft and emboss again with iridescent icet. Punch it out and mount it on the card using dimensionals. Stamp Merry Christmas from the teeny tiny wishes set- and again the red craft inke then heat emboss with iridescent ice to make EVERYTHING sparkle! Add 2 rhinestone on either side and easy peasy christmas card using what was originally a Valentine's image- I love it still! Use the same layout but keep the image with Love sentiment for Valentine's day. No one will ever know!

Eleven Days until Christmas

2011-12-14T00:01:00.000-08:00

I saw a variation of this in the Stampin Success - a monthly magazine for demonstrators. I liked the color combination but used the Box #2 to make it instead out of Crumbcake CS beacuse I did not have enough kraft gift boxes to use for the workshop. I used a small strip of DSP topped with white CS punched with dotted double scallop ribbon punch.

Diecut snowflakes from Northern Frost with Shimmer white and real red CS and add a rhinestone in center to add some sparkleand mount it on the box with a dimensional to add some depth. Punch a tag - stamp snowflake from Bright Hopes and sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes and tie it on with linen thread and voila! Another easy little box for someone special.

Twelve Days until Christmas

2011-12-13T16:57:00.000-08:00

We made this at a workshop and I loved the idea of incorporating fabric to decorate cards, packages and other items that we are using. Really mixed media. The new Spring Mini has big shot dies for Dresden plates that I am coveting - With the fat quarters they are now selling with matching stamps, Stampin' Up is bringing my love of fabric and paper together in a beautiful way.

The cherry cobbler Fancy favor box is covered with Deck the Halls DSP diecut with Tasteful Trim die. Punch 2 holes and thread Artichoke seambinding to the front and use a big button to secure.

Sentiment is from Tags til Christmas colored in with Cherry and Old Olive then punched out with scallop square.

A friend thought that this was a nasty sentiment but you just have to know my children!

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas.....

2011-12-12T00:01:00.000-08:00

Another bitty box.

One of my friends thought was a bit "Gaudy" but I liked th idea of the little poinsettia made with the Boho blossom punch to fit the postage size door to the peekaboo frame.

Diecut the box with Cherry Cobbler. Diecut the peekaboo frame using Baha Blue. Take a good size piece of whisper white and stamp an image from 25 & counting. Center the image on the peekaboo frame, adhere the frame on top then trim the whisper white to accent the frame.

Punch Boho blossom with cherry cobbler. I tried to glue on the fingle bell with different glues but none worked. Finally just used a needle and linen thread to thread it on and tape it on the back. Added leaves made out of same blossoms. Added some Dazzling Details on the leaves to add some sparkle (looks better in real life though...) then 2 way glue pen and champagne glitter to add that extra "Gaudiness"!

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas...

2011-12-11T00:01:00.000-08:00

Stampin Success is a monthly magazine from Stampin Up and in the November issue this year had a cute little box with colors and motif I loved so I cased it to make this little bag using the fancy favor die.

Take a 12x6 piece of whisper white CS and diecut with the fancy favor box die. Stamp the images from Pines & Poinsettias in real red.

Take a Real Red textured CS and die cut with tasteful trim die to get the perfect big scallops. (LOVE this DIE for the rickrack too!)

I really bought this stampset because I LOVE the pine cone image. Colored it with markers using soft suede, old olive and real red onto white CS and punche it out with a circle punch. Using 2 way glue pen, apply dazzling diamonds to the pinecones and to sections of the bag ot add sparkle. Add a pool party Scallop circle and a piece of red ribbon looped over once and a simple little bag that looks like you spent some bucks on it for those not so small sized gifts......

On the Tenth Day of Christmas.....

2011-12-10T12:06:00.000-08:00

A simple little box using the Peekaboo frame and Bitty box.

Diecut the box in Cherry Cobbler. Punch 2 Doily Triple Layer in white and cut in half. Adhere each half to behind the frame. Stamp another white piece of scrap white CS with the one from 25 & Counting in cherry cobbler and add a rhinestone to the center. punch another piece of white CS and stamp Enjoy from You're a Gem in Cherry.
A quick and easy box for a little something for someone.....

On the Nineth Day of Christmas my good friend gave to me.....

2011-12-09T11:58:00.000-08:00

Tami my upline sent me this card using the Peekaboo frames die and I wanted to share it with you. Base card is artichoke, embossed with Northern Flurry EF and highlighted with shimmer paint. Then First Edition Specialty paper was stamped with the tree from Christmas Lodge set, distressed and mica flakes applied on top to add lots of shimmer. The frame was cut out of Cherry Cobler with christmas lodge stamped on top.

Inside the frame is the sentment stamped in artichoke. A ribbon was tied from the Chantilly ribbon and clipped on with the mini clothespin.

details of the mica flares- just lovely....

On the Eighth Day of Christmas my good friend gave to me.....

2011-12-08T09:37:00.000-08:00

Margery made these most darling tags using the Designer frames folders. The card if a long piece of CS folded over to make a little card. The one on left is stamped with Pennant Parade. Both tags are punched out with pennant builder punch. the santa hat also used the square scallop punch to make the white trim. Pompoms from the local craft store and some really quick and cute tags for the holidays.

On the Seventh Day of Christmas

2011-12-07T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Christmas Lodge makes me

feel so Christmas-sy- singing "there is no place like home for the holidays..." white Christmas and all that we never get in California- that is one thing I really miss about my old house in Ohio is sitting by the big bay window next to our Christmas tree looking down at the miles of snow and the tiretracks made by the few cars that dared to be out. Sticking your tongue out and letting the snowflakes melt. It's a ritual of childhood that I will always remember....

Stamped Christmas Lodge in Navy, the made an stencil with an oval cut out from the scallop oval original big shot die - I taped the scallop back on so I only used the oval- with bashful blue sponged around the house. I stamped the sentiment below the house, then the tree twice. Stamped the sentiment again in red and cut it out and layered over a red streip to make it pop. I added some dimensional snow with white liquid applique and added dazzling diamonds glitter on top of that and on the trees.

Corner round the cardstock and layer it onto a real red basecard- and it is almost a 2 layer card that has lot so dimensions that would mail easy for the holidays. So, if you haven't started your greeting cards yet, get your bottom going! before they become Happy New Year cards.....

Lynda

On the Sixth Day of Christmas

2011-12-06T00:01:00.000-08:00

I had this stamp from Stampendous of these poppies that I just love- but it was a bit plain until I put it on a back ground of poppies embossed on white with SU's flower garden die. I am giving a set of these in a box out to a girlfriend who loves Provence.

Stamp the image on watercolor paper using memento or Stazon black and color in as shown. Mount the piece onto real red CS and distress around the edges. Mount it onto another white CS that has been embossied using the flower garden die as shown.

Easy yet touchingly hand made gifts for your friends.

enjoy!

Lynda

On the Fifth Day of Christmas

2011-12-05T00:01:00.000-08:00

An Easy Christmas Card totally CASED from Margery Chen- Base card is white with Merry Chsistmas from Hand penned holidays heat embossed using silver EP.

Stamp Lovely as a tree in Garden Green and use 2 way glue pen to add dazzling diamond glitter to the trees and base- so sparkly but hard to tell here. Tie a red ribbon - this one is retired- around the card and voila - a card you can make in just a few minutes. You can make 10 of these in no time to send out to your friends and change out the ribbon to some color that you may have on hand.....

Thanks Margery your friendship and your Lovely (as a tree) Card!

On the Fourth Day of Christmas

2011-12-04T09:30:00.000-08:00

The matchbox die is one that I go to ALL the time to package a small gift and paired with the transparent wrapping and a pretty ribbon, nothing could be more elegant.

Wouldn't you LOVE to find one of these on your desk during the holiday? filled with chocolate, a ring or any other jewerly, set of tags to use at Christmas, it is a possibility with endless options.

The candies were wrapped with Holly Berry Bouquet DSP.

Base box is real red with transparent sheet to cover and real red satin ribbon with an antique brad - these are about 30 cents a piece and it just add that 'je ne sais quoi' that finishes it. "LOVE IT! " - you have to say it in that high pitched Miss Piggy voice....

Lynda

On the Third day of Christmas

2011-12-03T08:30:00.000-08:00

Do you remember my pumpkin from Halloween made out of 2 milkcarton boxes using just 3 sides? Well I complained that the bottom of that did not lay flat but then I thought for a christmas ornament that would be perfect so here is my milk carton ornament. I used gold paper and used soft suede and then versamark to ink up to add some color then with iridescent ice EP to add some sparkle- Tried to do it plain without any color and it made the decoration hard to see- using the swirl from Creative Elements set. Then I added some sparkle using the basic rhinestones.

I had some hairpins and beads/pearls from the pretties kit- remember that? I loved that kit, sigh!- and added that to the bottom to dangle after corner rounding the bottom panels and taping it closed. Used the hole punch and the gold ribbon- retired from SU also to tie it at the top and it looks so pretty on my tree!

Lynda

On the Second day of Christmas...

2011-12-02T08:15:00.000-08:00

This is a favorite gift to make for many occastions. Take a composition notebook from your local store- usually sells for under $2 or so- and cover it with the DSP of your choice. Here I used Beyond the Garden - and adhere it using the sticky tape around the border and tombow multimono liquid glue and it sticks realy well. I also use the sticky tape to adhere the ribbons to decorate and hide the seams.

I stamped Fabulous florets and sentiment in Not Quite Navy to break up all the yellow.

I continue the ribbon from the front vertical seam cover all the way around - keeping it loose from the top of the cover and attach a button as shown to use as a bookmarker.

I tied a daffodil ribbon and then gluedotted the ribbon to the button but you could sew it on as well- which may be stronger.

Easy gift for you to make for one of your favorite friends or teacher- and it also forces you to use up all those designer papers you have been hoarding- and you know who you are!

It takes no time at all - so make a few for easy gifts this holiday season.

Lynda

On the First Day of Christmas...

2011-12-01T07:11:00.000-08:00

I saw this little clipboard memopad and pen set at my local Michaels while looking for some quick gifts to make for a gift exchange for $3 and loved the memo pad and it was a perfect match to our melon mambo but just didn't love the funky 60's pad or pen so I tooke some Beyond the garden DSP and covered the front- did take some care to cut around the clipboard carefully - and glued it down with with our liquid multimono glue and sticky tape around the edges and presto perfect coverage. I did cover the back with another piece of same DSP in different color to finish. I also took a tiny piece of same DSP to cover the pen- put sticky tape on all four sides of the DSP after measuring and covered it- the pen clip is way at the top so just needed a rectangular piece which was easy peasy to do.

It did look a little plain so I punched a hole using my cropadile and like butter! it made the hole on the top of the metallic clip, added the flower brad with some crystal jewels, curled the brad legs around to hold it in place and a quick and easy home made gift for someone on your list!

You could personalize it with the recipient's initial stamped on the memopad but I kept it plain as I did not know who was getting this at the gift exchange....

Lynda

A princess birthday card

2011-11-14T07:05:00.000-08:00

One of my twins' friends were having a birthday party and I needed a card to hold the gift card so here it is. She is turning six and pink is her favorite color.

Base card is melon mambo with pink textured CS - with a layer of textured pink pirouette CS on top- then another layer of melon and whisper white stamped with Happiest Birthday Ever- hostess set- colored in with markers and embellished with crystal jewels.

This is the inside- I had another layer of pink pirouette that I cut little slits to make tabs that fold out to stand the little castle and the princess (not SU- Lizzie Anne Designs) colored in with markers and cut out.

This is how it looks from the side. I added a lot of crystal jewels on the dragon's wand and her crown to make it sparkle even more. I punched 2 little circles on the side of where I wante to slide inthe gift card then used my craft knife to cut an arch to slide in the card. I then taped the inside pink sheet well -be sure not to tape areas that need to be kept open- behind the gift card pocket and the fold outs for the pop ups.

Finally the detail on the princess.

May all you princess wishes come true. You know me, all boys- I really LOVE making girlie cards sometimes....

Lynda

Spotlighting with Up Up & Away

2011-11-10T07:18:00.000-08:00

This is one of the cards I will be demonstrating tonight at my workshop. It is spotlighting in a bigger way. The base card is Island Indigo.
1. Take a piece of whisper white CS.
2. Sponge the sky using Bashful Blue classic pad and a sponge using a scallop circle -I put two taped together to make a more irregular shape that I like.
3. Sponge the ground using Lucky Limeade using a ripped piece of Cardstock. (Put the template on top and sponge below it)

4. Using the Cutter/scorer cut down one inch inside the border of the white piece as shown.

5. Stamp 3 balloons-

More mustard ink on Daffodil CS

Island Indigo onto Bashful Blue CS

Lucky Limeade onto whisper white CS.

Cut out the balloons and Sponge the edges- this is important to make it more 3D

6. Figure out where you want the balloons to be and stamp the basket below the area in black.

7. Stamp the sentiment in black

8. Add a crystal jewel on the O of the YOU to add a little something.

9. Stamp the bird in flight using Island Indigo on the outside panel.

10. Mount the balloons with dimensionals. then mount the whole inside panel with dimensionals.

Hope your day is uplifting!

Lynda

a simple thank you

2011-10-27T00:01:00.000-07:00

I love to make a little thank you cards but it needs to be relatively easy to make since I don't have a whole lot of time and this was it- Base card is melon mambo. white cardstock with sentiment from Lighthearted set (in the holiday mini) in Old Olive. I punched the 4 sided flower from the itty bitty shapes punch then cut the 2 sides out to make a smaller heart to fit with the red glimmer paper (don't you just love the sparkle? I want to make a Judy Garland Wizard of Oz shoe with them! I saw a template for the shoes on line someplace....)

Stamp the flower from Simply Soft (hostess set) in black then with pretty in pink with the coordinating flower stamp then used regal rose and melon mambo marker to quickly add a spot of accent color (same technique we used before - pointed out to me by Marisa, thanks!) then lucky limeade and olive for the leaves and really quick but sweet thank you cards that I hope they willl regift. (I usually put a white cs or a stampin up post it so the receiver can reuse it.)

CAS141 sketch challenge

2011-10-26T07:39:00.000-07:00

My wednesday morning quickie version for the Splitcoast challenge for sketch here: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/2018072?cat=500&ppuser=9306 Base card is real red with white on top stamped with balloons and sentiment from Crazy for cupcakes, color the balloons in then take a small square of red stamped with dot dot dot with versamark then tied up with the daffodil 1/8 inch ribbon mounted with dimensionals. Really simple card but I thought sweet.

Lynda

Jungle thank you

2011-10-25T00:01:00.000-07:00

I needed a thank you card for the my two monkeys to send out and

searched through all my monkey stamps (and believe me I have quite a collection) but decided the SU ones really had the best expression so here it is.

The base card is whisper white with poppy red layer stamped with versamark using animal stripe stamp from Cornish Heritage Farms that I got before they closed- with sentiment from A note of thanks - a simply sent kit -retired - layered with chocolate chip then white - stamped the monkey twice using chocolate chip - stamped the bellies with simple alphabet from PTI and the branch from the Bird Builder punch.

Super easy card- I wanted a "swingin' by to say HI" or THANKS or something like that but couldn't find an appropriate sentiment- I'll just have to keep looking for next time.....

Lynda

Jungle Party Favors

2011-10-24T09:28:00.000-07:00

My twins wanted to have their party at the Jungle- a indoor playground of mazes and tunnels- I asked them what kind of theme they wanted and I expected Lego or pirate or something but not no response instead- so I decided to just go with the name- the Jungle- I had these grass strip dies from Sizzix- which I initially complained had blades that were too tall but worked out better for the jungle feeling. The animal diecuts are from Spellbinders that I got years ago on sale that I diecut with close to cocoa CS (retired, sadly) and embossed and colored in with chocolate chip die ink for the animals- Zebra was black on whisper white CS.

I diecut fancy favor boxes in real red, stamped the sentiment from Friendly Phrases set, stamped my kids' names with simple alphabet from PTI, assembled the box, wrapped the grass and used dimensionals to attach the animal diecuts, then added a chocolate chip textured CS strip with brads for handles. Filled them with jungle theme pencils, erasers, bracelets, a packet of tropical flavored starburst and a Lego minifigure- one of which was a zookeeper with a gorilla and a banana- very apropos.

Lynda

Altered milk carton

2011-10-23T09:10:00.000-07:00

Halloween is a-coming! A little project I had at my workshop last month using the milk carton die- to make a hexagon box. Diecut 2 milkcartons with 3 panels from the side of and including the connecting tab. Tape the 2 panels together on just one side so that is still lays flat. Wheel the image (or stamp and decorate as you wish) while it is flat. Here I used the Haunting Hill jumbo wheel - it goes aroung once over the 5 panels and the last panel starts to repeat the image so that's where I put the large tag punched out in black with the cat from Batty for you set punched out with 1 1/4" circle punch layered over 1 3/8" old olive circle. Score the triangle on top that is not scored automatically by the die. It is important to make the score symmetrical. (Once you assemble the box whether the triangle goes to the way top or to the score line below is not noticeable.) Then assemble the box . You may need to cut the bottom panels to about 1 1/2 inches so they will tape together. then punch holes into the top panel on either side of the triangle and run ribbon through.

Hardest part was runnning the ribbon through!

Lynda

Life keeps getting in the way of my stampin!

2011-10-22T08:21:00.000-07:00

Every day I wake up, do some work, feed my kids, get them to school, go to work, get home, make dinner, wash dishes, fold laundry, try to get the kids to do homework and piano practice, read them to bed and do some more work and the cycle starts all over again- don't you just love the glamorous life of a doctor? - Once a month on a friday night, I have a workshop that I just love but posting on my blog and Stamping in general just took the backseat to everyday life.
I got an email from Mary R whose words of concern really touched me and let me know that this is a community from which I had fallen out. I really needed her words to kick me back into the reality I want to make for myself - I know I am happier when I am being creative and that reflects on how I deal with everything else so thank you Mary from the bottom of my heart!

This is a little something I had for my workshop this month inspired by the owl I cased from Michelle Suit from Stampin connections- Demo only website from SU.
1. Diecut Fancy Favor box from 1/2 sheet 12x12 black cardstock
2. Stamp happy halloween from teeny tiny wishes set in versamark (white craft works too) and heat emboss using the Tangering Tango embossing powder.
3. punch out 2 1/2 inch circle in daffodil and stamp the branch from Out on a limb (the cute set with the little witch in the holiday mini) in black. Punch an owl and a large oval from black cardstock. Cut the oval in half and then holding the cut side, slide the half oval into a 1 1/4 circle punch from the punch opening to get the nice rounded edge. Hope this makes sense to you.
4. Sponge the edge of owl and wings with white craft and make the face with white gelpen and add white eyeballs and black pupils.
5. I cut 3/4 inch strips of tangering tango textured CS and attached it with brads to secure.

It is a easy and darling project that my class (and kids) loved!
Enjoy!

Lynda

A monochromatic GIve thanks

2011-09-23T07:26:00.000-07:00

I wanted to make a card to show my appreciation - something different, not too hard to make- I saw an envelope in the mini with the wreath from Bright Hopes set that I thought looked more graphic and not so christmas-y -is that a word?

The base is crumbcake with a layer of whisper white with right upper corner rounded- just adds a tiny bit more interest in that corner doesn't it? I initially stamped the wreaths in versamark but when I tried to stamp the sentiment, the embossing powder stuck all over it - so I just did it in Sahara Sand onto Sahara Sand Cardstock 3 times as shown then used embossing buddy to make sure everything was dry then Hand Stamped Sentiment- don't you just love the beautiful penmenship? using versamark and heat embossed it after sprinkling pewter EP- It is really subtley beautiful- not so blatant as silver - LOVE IT! I tried to add a white ribbon but it seemed to ruin the effect so I left it out. Round the corner and voila- I thought it would make a beautiful wedding card if I had the right sentiment in the same style- hear that Stampin up?

Happy Friday!

On the Grow

2011-09-10T06:39:00.000-07:00

Just a little project we worked on last month at my workshop. Scooter image from On the Grow- from the Stampin Up summer mini- stamped with staz-On and colored in with markers. Layered it onto pacific blue CS then onto Melon mambo. The strips of DSP is Beyond the Garden. The flower was punched using Blossom Bouquet triple layer punch with daffodil, melon and the leaves were made by folding it in half and running it through the crimper.
Accent with a crystal jewel center to add a little sparkle.

A special Birthday

2011-09-07T07:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my nurse Mary Lou's birthday and this is the card I made for her cased from someone (I lost the original info to give them credit- sorry!) The base is crumbcake with pear pizazz DSP scallop punched on the bottom and layer over a white CS stamped with sentiment from Bring on the cake with Staz On black and colored in with markers (to prevent any color bleeding). Add the 1/8 inch red taffeta ribbon now before you lay down the white cardstock ( instead of ripping everything off to squeeze it in later like I did because it looked like it just needed SOMETHING. tee-hee) Cone is Pennant parade inked in soft suede onto crumbcake and then punched out - don't you just love coordinating punches? then the cupcake tops from the cupcake builder punch in poppy, daffodil and pear pizazz and sprinkles from Create a cupcake stamped with chocolate chip (what else?) and cherry on top from the same punch in poppy (because I had leftovers- and color the stem with chocolate chip marker. I added a little sparkle to the cherry but you could leave it plain or add some crystal effects.

Life is less stressful if you CASE!

Lynda

SCS SC347

2011-08-24T06:51:00.000-07:00

A sketch challenge card for splitcoast SC347.

Base is poppy with Pear pizazz DSP stamped with the grass image from inspired by nature in wasabi . then a layer of pink pirouette. The flower white layer was stamped using pretty in pink craft and rose red craft ink but the stems were colored using wasabi directly on the rubber before stamping then embossing with clear EP (to make just the flowers pop a bit).

I added the wider twill tape (retired) stamped with the butterflies from Kindness Matters set and cinched it all using a vintage brad.

I then stamped a white scrap
with the butterflies and cut one out and colored it in with pool party and daffodil and adhered it using the multimono liquid glue in the center and a quick Wednesday morning card!

enjoy!

Lynda

Lace Ribbon border card

2011-08-22T06:41:00.000-07:00

Very simple easy to demo card. This is a case from Chanda Stehlik from Stampin Connection (demo only website).

Take whisper white - works in either direction. Take a strip of white and run it through the lace ribbon border- better to make it longer and center it after you punch it out. Use 2 way glue pen to attach 1 1/4 inch circles - here I used the 2011-2012 In color cardstock Pool party, wisteria wonder, calypso coral and lucky limeade. Then use dimensionals to separate it from the back ground white. I stamped the sentiment from Friendly phrases in Wisteria but you could have used any of the in colors. Added some crystal jewels and easy card you can whip up in no time. You can fit 5 max across the bottom. If you turn it sideways, it will fit 3 colors but it still looks good.

More ribbon border fun to follow in the coming weeks!

Lynda

CAS 130

2011-08-08T06:48:00.000-07:00

Today's CAS challenge was a sketch by Die Cut Diva that hugged the bottom and left borders - so here is my version using the Creative elements set stamped in basic grey, colored in with grey with some few added tiny blings. Really simple- I thought I would remake it for a simple wedding card- using a different sentiment of course.

Delicate Doilies emboss resist

2011-08-03T08:04:00.000-07:00

Splitcoast challenges this week were CAS129 belated birthday and CC324 White Gray and Turquoise. I thought this simple card fit the bill perfectly.

Base card is turquoise with layer or basic gray on top with corner rounded. Take a whisper white cardstock and stamp the delicate doilies using versamark then heat emboss with white or clear EP- I then used a dauber to dab on turquoise ink all over and stamped the sentiment using the same color ink. Easy peasy take ten card.

Variation of Flower Fest Dahlia card

2011-07-21T07:30:00.000-07:00

This is the same idea from yesterday but using a different flower from the same flower fest set. The color scheme is still the same: Regal rose, pear, white then regal rose stamped with versamark and embossed with white EP and colored in with regal rose and real red markers. Pretty in its own way. I will be trying this with other stamps in the set as well as other colors- any 2 coordinating colors will work for this, Im thinkin'.

Challenge yourself to CASE yourself!

Lynda

Flower Fest Dahlias

2011-07-20T07:19:00.000-07:00

Karen Barber is such an amazing stamper and she made a card using flower fest with highlighting that looked likd Dahlias that I had to try it out. This is a CASified version of her card. Base card is regal rose with a layer of pear on top then white stamped with sentiment in black on the bottom from Teeny Tiny Wishes then embossed with polka dots on the top side only.

The flowers and leaves were stamped with versamark then embossed with white EP. I repeated this with another scrap piece of regal rose CS and cut out although it looks just as pretty punched out. Used regal rose marker to add some color then real red to add just a little more pop of color to add more dimension. Added 2 loops of pear seambinding ribbon underneath the scrap piece flower and used dimensionals to pop it up.

It's an easy card that just LOOKS complicated. I thought it looked like those expensive Japanese papers I love so much.

Enjoy

Lynda

Flower Fest thank you

2011-07-15T20:16:00.000-07:00

After finding out that my tomato plants were being eaten by aphids, a friend of mine gave me some ladybugs to put in my garden. I wanted to send her a thank you for that and for so many other ways that she has been looking out for me and here is my little thank you using the flower fest set. All the flowers were embossed using white EP onto pacific blue, elegant eggplant, regal rose and daffodil and celery and pear using versamark and punched or cut out and adhered using dimensionals. Flower pot was made using cherry cobbler CS.

I did use a dauber to add a bit more of the same color to the center of the regal rose and eggplant and crystal jewels to the pacific blue starburst flowers.

The small script was embossed in white as well with gel pen to make the trail to the lady bug made with red and black cs and itty bitty circle punch. Split the red circle and dotted the back with white gel pen too and added a little bit of head detail with the detail end of the black marker.

Flower Fest on a Fence

2011-07-12T19:57:00.000-07:00

I was dropping off an order at someone's house and as I was backing out, I saw this little fence with red geraniums peeking through and I thought I've got to make a card that reminds me of this.

I admit when I first saw this set I thought this set was too "crayon" but the matching punches was just too irresistable, and I have seen some examples that looked elegant and gave in. This is a sample I made to play with the idea of the fence- using 1/2 inch left over white strips that I put into the pennant punch to make consistent triangle tips.

The clouds were punched from the cupcake punch. The butterfly was embossed white onto saffron and punched with little pearl jewels. The flowers were poppy embossed with white and then daubered in the center to add some dimension. punched with circle punch then scissor cut closer.

Sentiment from Heard from the Heart set was also embossed with white
onto the bashful blue base cardstock.

Happiness is not getting what you want but wanting what you already have.... if this would only be true with my stamping habit...

Lynda

Camping in Northern California

2011-07-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

Near Eureka in northern California are some of the most beautiful redwoods in the country. Ladybird Johnson Grove, Founders grove, so many places to explore with trees with bases as big as your house that are hundreds if not thousands years old. This is where we go every summer to meet friends and hang. We go to Fern Canyon- where they filmed some parts of Jurassic Park movies as it does look absolutely prehistoric with ferns growing and toppled trees and icy clear mountain water underfoot.

My kids even did a junior ranger tour on 'Who's pooping in the forest?'- I thought with all their talk of poop related things they would love it- we saw Banana slugs, deer and elk patties - fresh mind you! to name a few- but I am not sure they were as into it as they talk it. After seeing deer pellets I am totally off milk duds!

We checked out Agate Beach this time and this is the view from the top where we parked the car - and where the bathroom was- looking down at the beautiful beach - no matter how many times you ask your kids- make sure you go before you go down- there is always that ONE that has to go as soon as you are down there - right?

We also visited a replicated authentic Indian village - complete with a hand carved canoe and a dancing pit which my kids climbed all over.

and the Elk that roam the prairies that are just beautiful- I am teaching my 6 years olds to read- DAN GER and lots of other fun signs for them to read..... DO NOT ENTER... CLIFF EDGE.....BEARS.... TICKS....

I am looking forward to one day my DH saying- "honey, I am taking the boys camping this weekend- what will you do without us? " hmmmmm....

enjoy the outdoors!

Lynda

Pennant Parade Happy Birthday Wishes

2011-07-07T00:01:00.000-07:00

I wanted words on the pennant and was trying to figure out how many pennants would look good and horizontal cards max is really five. So words like Happy, Party, thank, uncle, mom- centered or a shorter word with an image like a heart or flower would work too. After I did happy - I looked for the words birthday wishes and my old standby sincere salutations had it. The colors and combination on the bottom were cased from a cute card by Amy O'Neill on stampin connection (for demos only) Base card is Pool party - a new in color with so saffron DSP and Lace ribbon border punched in white CS, tied with tangering ribbon. The pennants were stamped in olive, tangering and saffron and punched using the new Petite pennants builder punch, mounted with dimensionals and accented with crystal jewels in the corners. The little letters are from Calendar Alphabets and Numbers set punched out with 1/2 inch circle punch set off with dimensionals.

Lynda

A Sweet Folded Ribbon total CASE

2011-07-05T00:01:00.000-07:00

I was looking to do a card using the texture plate and I ran across a card from Julie Beltramo and I knew I would have to case it. The colors were so pretty. Bridal bliss base with crumbcake layer followed by white CS textured with texture kit #4 (retired)The word friend from the textured paper was punched with word window. The pretty postage stamp was stamped using bridal bliss and same color CS punched using the postage stamp punch and layered using the dimensionals. The stitched polyribbon was stuck on with sticky strip in a random fashion. Super simple and oh so pretty...

Happy Fourth of July!

2011-07-04T00:01:00.000-07:00

This was a challenge card that I did for splitcoast few weeks ago for CC328 and SC338. I dreamt about the card and how I wanted to do it and it came out exactly how I envisioned it (that rarely happens though...)

Basecard is crumcake with cherry cobbler layered on top stamped with Open Sea with versamarked. Next the layer of navy cut with circle cutter and the rest cut with the a straight edge and a smaller version in white.

After swishing a embossing buddy over it, I used versamark to heat emboss the patriots (Rubber Monger). I then stamped the flag (Ann-ticipations) with cherry and blocked it to stamp the lady liberty(Stamp in Hand). I used the dauber to add some more navy and crumbcake, distressed the edges to add more old world charm, added a star brad (stampin' Up -retired) to finish it out.

Thank heaven for all the brave men and women out there that make possible our freedom and way of life! possible today!

Lynda

Embedded Embossing

2011-07-03T00:01:00.000-07:00

June workshop was all about embossing and this is one of the cards my friends made. The inspiration is from a card I saw by Michele Reynolds on Stampin Connections.

The base is pink pirouette with celery CS layered onto it. The white CS layer has little leaves diecut and glued on as well as flowers made with Boho Blossoms and itty bitty shapes punches. A 1/8 inch hand held punches were used to make the little center circles. Once it looks the way you want the way you want, insert the whole thing into the square lattice embossing folder to emboss all the layers in one fell swoop. The Four frames stamp is stamped in chocolate chip then punched out usng the decorative label punch. Punch 2 more out of the pink CS and cut it as shown previously to creative layers behind the stamped image. Warp a piece of celery satin ribbon and tuck the end under the celery layer before permanently taping down. then mount the frame using dimensionals. Biggest challenge is punching the flowers and not losing the little bitty centers!

Enjoy!

Lynda

Beautiful Wings CAS in Eggplant.

2011-07-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

This is a layout lifted from Jen Sannes from simpleandsincere.com. I have been cleaning up my stamping room- it always gets my mojo going- sometimes when I have too much stuff, it gets overloaded and you need to reboot to get you going again. Since there was a lot of Elegant Eggplant CS on my table, I decided to just use it as a base, stamped the sentiment from Short & Sweet with versamark and embossed with white embossing powder. Diecut the white CS using scallop rectangle and cut a saffron piece slightly bigger. A piece of Pear Pizazz Stitched poly ribbon was laid on the bottom. Saffron piece was mounted with dimensional. The butterflies were diecut in pear, pacific and melon mambo- If you make 3 cards, you can rotate the colors - save the extras for another project. Mounted them with the Multipurpose liquid glue just in the center so you can lift the wings later and added a little pearl to add a little interest.

Pretty simple and easy- just the way I like 'em!

Lynda

Beautiful Wings embossed 3 ways- heat, folder and embosslit die.

2011-06-29T00:01:00.000-07:00

I wanted to do a make and take using the Beautiful wings but it can get a little backlogged if each person has to diecut the butterflies in several different colors. So I just wanted to use just one color and since it was an embossing workshop thought it would be fun to incorporate heat embossing with the sentiment heat embossed with white EP onto Elegant eggplant CS and Old Olive CS embossed using the Elegant Lines EF and the Beautiful Wings Embosslits diecut the butterflies in white- showing 3 different embossing techniques- Easy to demo and do as make and takes. I did add some pearls before I took the picture - for some bling- I had the class use Smooch Illuminate Top coat to add some sparkle which was pretty in a very subtle way.

The sentiment was - yet again- sincere salutations.
Make sure you swipe the cardstock with the embossing buddy before you stamp it with versamark pad to avoid any stray powder sticking- it's a must in any heat embosser's supply list.

Lynda

Embossed Reverse Highlighted Window

2011-06-28T12:22:00.000-07:00

A technique with no name- hmmm.

It's a embossed window but with the reverse of the highlighting technique- gotta love it!- Did take a little thinking to figure out what to do though.

This combines 2 challenges from SCS TLC331 and CC329 for suede, mambo and crumbcake.

The base is soft suede with a layer of melon mambo embossed with Elegant lines EF.

Then another layer of soft suede in a oval, then a crumbcake oval, stamped with suede using Just Believe stampset and then whole thing was embossed using the Square lattice EF.

I cut another oval slightly larger than the opening in vanilla - and although I usually just "eyeball" stamp, I did take out my stamp positioner to amek sure I got the right position for the images I wanted to use in the vanilla oval- used wasabi, then wiped the flower parts with the blender pen and then reinked it with the melon marker, added a little bit of highlights with soft suede on the leaves- then huffed and puffed and stamped the image. The whole window is raised using dimensionals.

The ribbon is crumbcake seambinding that I gathered by pulling just on the middle thread of the ribbon. Added the sentiment punched out with curly label - the layer is done with 2 curly labels punched soft suede pieces cut in half and spread out in both directions to add a bit of color behind the sentiment. Enjoy! Lynda

Double embossed Notably Ornate CASE

2011-06-27T00:01:00.000-07:00

The stampin success magazine had a double embossed card whose colors I loved so I CASE'd it for my embossing workshop. The base card was pear pizazz with a razzleberry layer. The top layer was vanilla stamped using River Rock with the Notably Ornate stampset. the bottom was Newprint DSP that was double embossed. Using the Vintage Wallpaper EF, ink the SU logo printed side( on the inside) with versamark the emboss it using the big shot. Use black embossing powder and heat emboss it. I wrapped the pear pizazz stitched poly ribbon - put it through a hole and spread it out and taped it to minimize bulk. the flower is Fancy flower punched out 3 times with razzleberry, wet it well then crumple it. The center is the Boho blossom in black and the smallest paper daisies pierced and held with a black brad.

Most of this came out of not having the exact stuff they used to make their sample. But I guess that's where creativity and resourcefulness comes into play. I think some of my best work comes from just not having the stuff I thought I wanted and trying something different and have it work out - some times for the better- or at least I think so.

There are no mistakes in crafting- just creative opportunities!

Lynda

Fabulous Florets embossed two ways

2011-06-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

This is a card we made for class last month using Fabulous florets in a out of the box and masking technique. Stamp the flowers in poppy color onto the white CS. Stamp again on elipse paper or post-it note and cut it out. Use the masks to cover the flowers and stamp the leaves in pear pizazz. Cut a rectangle going around the flowers to create the out of the box effect. Emboss a piece of pear pizazz using square lattice EF. Emboss a poppy CS using the flower garden EF. Stamp the sentiment in poppy onto the Beyond the Garden DSP as shown. Mount it as shown and it was a reasonably easy card that demonstrated a lot of different techniques that someone can take away from the workshop.

Lynda

SCS challenge WT328 and CC328

2011-06-25T00:01:00.000-07:00

This is such a straight forward card - I saw the color challenge for navy, cherry and crumbcake and I am going mad for it- and the no white cardstock challenge was no problem.

The punch out with ribbon tied around it is from a card I got from my upline Tami and also inspired from a card made by Mercedes Weber. I heard that Picasso once said "mediocre artist copy, the great ones steal!" I welcome you all to CASE away! as I often do from so many talented people. Just please try to give credit to people you are casing- that's only fair. The base card is navy (although my picture color is a bit goofy), with layer of cherry on top- then a layer of crumbcake, stamped Upsy Daisy in cherry and punched out the corner with decroative label punch. then tied the 1/8 inch taffeta ribbon in navy (retiring but 25% off now so get it while you can before it runs out!) then stamped the sentiment from Perfect Punches - punched out with the corrdinating extra large oval- stuck on with dimensional- seriously folks, forget take ten, this is really take five! The thing that took the longest was tying on that frigging ribbon!

Lynda

Welcome Baby Pack

2011-06-24T00:01:00.000-07:00

One of my DH's friends just had a baby girl and I wanted to make her a card. While I was a M*chaels they had Jolee's stickers with these goofy duck chicks that were just so cute. I was eyeing it for this purpose and this week they were on sale for 40% off so I had to get it. It came in a pack of 9 so here was an opportunity to make a whole set of them.

The base card is saffron with Welcome Baby in soft suede from Something to Celebrate from the Occasions Mini (retired). The white cardstock is diecut using the scallop rectangle clearlit (one of my favorites!) layered with pink pirouette. Little pearls in the corners add that something sweet and special. Added a piece of blushing bride 1/2" stitched poly ribbon then put the rectangle up with dimensionals to raise it up a bit. The little duck is self adhesive so nothing else doing. I figured if you had twins you could have the 2 ducks face each other (they come looking in both directions).

My sister has been clamoring for me to make her some baby cards but did not know if she needed girls or boy ones so I stamped the card with the sentiment and made some scalloped accents in pink and blue with the dimensionals on it without them peeled ( so she can peel it stick it on herself ) and the coordinating ribbon stuck on the back as well as some of the ducks on the acetate sheet it came on.

I figured it would be really quick cards she would only have to pick the color accent, stick the ducks on, peel the dimensionals and stick it above the sentiment and she would be ready to go. I did make a girl sample just in case so she would know what to do with it all. I put the whole thing in the clear mount stamp cases and she will be good to go.

If you want the stamp cases order them now as the prices go up in the next catalogue.

Welcome summer!

Lynda

Flower Garden embossed - a little more complicated

2011-06-22T00:01:00.001-07:00

I had this little card in my mind but making it was a little more difficult. The idea was to put a piece of cardstock with the embossing folder going all around it except it did not fit through the big shot at the angles I needed to use it. I have never considered buying the Pro version for the REALLY big dies but I could see how it could be used for exactly this purpose since the width is wide enough to allow for all sorts of contortions I was trying to do but until SOME day when I will have the space enough to have one of those at home, I embossed one image on the white CS and embossed 3 other pieces of white cardstock that I ran through the embossing folder and colored using the aqua painter and the stamppad lids from saffron, eggplant and wasabi and then - yikes- yes cut them out - and used the multimono glue to glue it down. Hard to tell it was cut and I love the effect but it was a bit of work. It still looked pretty I thought. After stamping the sentiment in Eggplant, I layered the cardstock on eggplant then onto so saffron basecard.

Easy Peasy One layer embossed Flower Garden

2011-06-22T00:01:00.000-07:00

This was a easy technique card I had at my last workshop using the Flower Garden embossing folder. The one on the left top is embossed with the Stampin Up logo on the bottom and the one on the right is with the logo on the top.

The one on the left is watercolored using the lids of so saffron, wild wasabi and elegant eggplant stamppads and aqua painter. The sentiment was stamped using the elegant eggplant. The one directly to the left here was colored using daubers and wht same ink pad colors. The one on the right side top with also colored with daubers using bridal bliss, pretty pink and wasabi pads. I think I did all 3 cards in less than 10 minutes. The sentiment is an oldie but a goodie- Sincere Salutations- which will be available through next year in the new Stampin' Up catalogue. Love it!

I have a really cool card using the same techniques as above tomorrow so come back and check it out!

Lynda

Gift Cards Set for a school Teacher

2011-06-21T06:48:00.000-07:00

This is a card set mad using stamps from Penny Bl*ack.

These was designed by Diedre at Cranberry H*ill in Sunnyvale using twinkling H20's in red and green but I thought the colors were a bit harsh so I brought it home and changed it up a bit.

The base cards are all white and the same DSP onthe box is used to accent the image- one 12x12 to make a set of 4 cards and the box- not bad idea.

I colored them using copics and the background on the accent piece in blue- I think the extra blue makes the image really pop,

I did not like the fourth image so just stamped the rose image twice and colored it in.

This is the box that we made with the DSP on the top and the reverse polka dot image on the sides. It is really easy to make with a scorer. It's about 1 1/2 inches deep and it fit more than these 4 cards so I added extra cards with envelopes I hoped she could use and wrapped the whole thing with crumbcake seam binding ribbon. I hoped she would like it.

Lynda

A radically different way to Clingmount SU stamps

2011-06-20T06:15:00.000-07:00

There is nothing that frustrates me more than trying to stamp something and have that stamp fall off from the acrylic block because the clingmount was not holding and ruin my image. As much as I LOVE Stampin' Up stamps the plastic image you put on the back often just does not STICK! Arggggh! I wanted it to stick but I also like to see the image especially words - I have stamped things upside down before. So here is my radical approach. It's a bit scary but it does work - at least for the new stamps. The rubber on a new stamp often

do pull aprt from the cling foam as shown in the first image. ( Be gentle and do not ruin the foam- if it does not pull away, I would not try this technique ). I put the foam down on my craft sheet (that does not stick to anything ) with the sticky side down.

Now peel off the paper off the cling side.

I normally would use my Tsukineko tack n' peel but did not have one big enough so used double stick tape on my a large clear block that fit the rubber- and it works just fine.

I stuck the bare rubber stamp onto the tape.

I inked the rubber well with Stazon black - it dries quick and is permanent.

Then I stamped the cling side of the foam putting the rubber exactly over the foam shape - the clear acrylic helps you see!

See? a perfect image.

I clean the stamp with stamp cleaner as soon as possible to get rid of the stazon so it is not permanently black.

then I peel the foam off my craft sheet carefully and place it over the back of the rubber.

A perfect stamp with no plastic to impede the stickiness of the clingfoam. You can trim it now to your heart's content.

Now, if I can have Stampin Up do this instead of me, it would be just perfect!

Lynda

Direct to Paper

2011-06-12T07:54:00.000-07:00

This week's tutorial on SCS was Direct to Paper- Gosh I had not played with this is such a LONG time, it was really fun and so easy. It would have been fun to have the stampin' spots - the little cube stamp pads - but alas I did not have any so I used the big pads. Before I did anything though I embossed the sentiment on the right with clear- you could have used white- and then ran down the colors on a white piece of cardstock- I just picked a color group and went down the list- daffodil, pumpkin, tangerine, regal rose, melon mambo, real read and rich razzleberry. No thinking is even required.

After it was all done, I thought a dark silhouette image would look good and since I am on the Fabulous Floret bend, used it AGAIN! The words are from the WordPlay set. Have fun with it- it's like going back to kindergarten!

Lynda

A simple Fabulous Floret

2011-06-11T17:20:00.000-07:00

I am told that the older you get the faster time goes by and somehow a whole month just zipped past with doing this and that without me posting once. I feel like I am going way past the speed limit and no one is pulling me over. I've got to slow down and get back into my stamping groove. The new catalogue is coming out and I feel inspired to clean up my space- that always makes me feel better-

This is the Fabulous Floret set from the summer mini- the minute I saw it, it called to me- " buy me, buy me, it said, I am oh so pretty and I've even got a matching DSP...."- Oh why oh why do they keep coming out with new things I want?

Anyhow, this is a very clean and simple version using one of my favorite sentiments from the retiring hostess set Occasional Quotes. Basecard is whisper white with the leaves stamped in wild wasabi. Sentiment is stamped in black and the flowers punched out using the MS flower and center from my favorite $1 punch from M*chaels in red and white. Simple as can be- literally a 5 minute card- maybe not even.

Happy almost summer!

Lynda

Lego man thanks

2011-05-09T15:05:00.000-07:00

I told you I could not find a Lego stamp anywhere so I carved one- yes- from an eraser- remember potato carving, eraser carving? Before rubber stamps were so popular when I could not find an image I used to carve it- pencil erasers in shape of little stars, hearts, flowers. Thank goodness for artist so I don't have to do this. I saw an image kind of like this on line that someone was selling but could not find it when I went to buy it so what was I to do? Bring out my old linoleum carving tools. Yep, I kept them. That's why my room is bursting at the seams. This is the final product but I wanted to show you the process.

This was an earlier version because I always try to do one layer but it doesn't always work out. I made the border using a Sizzix embossing folder- I think it is one of Tim Holtz' -that I thought looked Lego-ish and selective embossing technique using a template I made with 2 pieces of chipboard with the window in the center that I cut out to fit the picture I wanted. Sentiment is one from a set from a $1 stamps from M*chaels.

I drew the figure in pencil onto the eraser and then rough cut it- this is what it looked like initially.

Then I cleaned up the parts that still stamped that I did not want. Getting better.

I tried some color combos - Tyler told me to use these colors- very 'Lego'

Each minifigure comes with a wrapper and a folded peice of paper inside with all the lego figures in the series printed on it. I was able to cut out the Lego symbol and paste it over the body to make it more "official".

I want to make a Lego block stamp but that is a bit harder-making perfect circles- I will try this weekend maybe.

This is what happens when you have 3 boys in tow......I wouldn't trade it for anything!

Lynda

Tyler's 10th birthday party favors

2011-05-08T15:09:00.000-07:00

I love my kids when they tell me 9PM the night before school that they need special treats for the class because it's their birthday- I had made up the birthday party favors and was planning for the party this weekend and had not thought to do something for the class- so this is what we made. Ran to the store - thank God they are open 24 hours now- made 36 chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting- all homemade mind you- given all these allergies in school, you have to know exactly what you are sending off. Sprinkles and a toothpick with Airplane from PTI Valentine treats and Tyler Rocks- that's what he wanted it to say- from Simple Alphabet also from PTI stamped on copy paper and adhered to the toothpick using sticky tape. I kept the back side of the tape unpeeled so it would not be sticky and it worked great, colored in green and orange like he wanted and cute little treats made in 3 hours.

He wanted to give out lego minifigures for his birthday treats so we got Lego- I mean building block- candy- some little doodad toys, erasers and we made these bags using SU Fancy Favor Die- I swear I use this everytime- it is just a perfect size for party favors. stamped his name- premade somewhere- sentiment also from simple alphabet from PTI. I wanted a Lego stamp but could not find one ANYWHERE so I used Calvin and Hobbs dancing on the back from Stamp Happy that I got eons ago. It is just so Tyler.

Best Medicine

2011-04-29T00:01:00.000-07:00

I have a weakness for this little girl- stamp by Heather Ellis for MFT - had the little girl with a bear for a while and just got the nurse one and thought I would pair it up.

Base card is real red with a piece of SU DSP. Stamped the sentiment on the bottom in black and wrapped real red satin ribbon as shown before adhering it down.

I stamped the 2 girls onto whisper white and colored it in using my cop*c markers. I also die cut the armchair- from cottage cuts die that I bought from a LSS from an old SU DSP (from sale-a-bration eons ago that I have 5 extra packs). Accented the creases with blue marker to create shade and mounted it with dimensionals to make it more 3D.

In the stamp the girl with the bear is actually standing but I cut her knees off and scalloped the skirt to make it look like she is sitting and added extra dimensionals to make her knee s pop up more under the bear whose legs ar -sorta- fold forward. Hard to see her but I hope you ge the idea. Just round off her knees at the top and you can make any standing figure sit!

Enjoy!
Lynda

Growing Green

2011-04-28T14:06:00.000-07:00

A little play on Growing Green stamp in pear pizazz- I thought green was appropriate color for the card- I stamped the sentiment- retired SU- and used the decorative label punch to punch it out and used 2 pear pizzazz labels punched to make the layer behind it to match- a little technique Makani brought back to my attention- used 1/2 inch stitched poly ribbon in pear pizazz - put the ends behind the label for a clean look and mount the sentiment using dimensionals- I ltried couple of different positions but I like the off to the right best- I think- a little less formal maybe. Easy peasy cards that you can whip out in no time using any stamp for background and a central sentiment. I'll have to play with some variation using different colors and stamps.

Lynda

Happy Easter from Mercedes

2011-04-24T04:46:00.000-07:00

I opened my mail up and found this wonderful surprise from my most talented friend Mercedes for Easter and I thought I would share it with you. She is an amazing artiste and Stampin Up would be foolish not to recognize her.

The face is the upside down ornament punch and the ears are from the oval punches.

She shares her technique in a tutorial on 4-9-11.

Check out her blog at http://mercedesweber.blogspot.com/

Happy Easter to you all!

Lynda

Easter Blossoms silhouette

2011-04-21T07:15:00.000-07:00

I was not sure how I liked this girl from this set- the silhouette is pretty but I wasn't sure how I wanted to use her. A simple monochromatic approach seemed best but I didn't want anything with too sharp a contrast and crumb cake on vanilla seemed to suit my taste. Then I saw the CC319 challenge on SCS- Concord Ivory Cake- pair it up with concord? I had not thought of that one- I was working on the CAS 115 challenge on a real simple cardsketch that I loved with the button and tucked under ribbon detail so I just combined the two and whipped this up.

Base card is concord crush, with crumbcake embossed with the polka dot on top and square lattice on the bottom to give 2 different textures, added the crumbcake seam binding ribbon with the fold detail that I wanted to use. Die cut Frame, oval scallop with very vanilly CS and just use the oval - stamped the silhouette in crumbcake and sentiment in concord. Stamped the egg with concord on vanilla CS and cut it out and attached with a dimensional and literally a 10 minute card from thought to picture!

Lynda

Easter Blossom Kimono

2011-04-09T14:35:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons I wanted the Easter blossom set was because I wanted to do this. I have a few other ideas how to use this set still, all very Asian I am afraid.

I die cut the kimono and used my airbrush to color it in -using Cop*cs markers R20 and 24 onto SU shimmer CS to make a grade which is really pretty in person. Stamped the Easter blossom with black and used markers to color it in but decided it was too dark so used a Stazon white marker to color the flowers to make it pop out. I also used my Gold Lame Smooch-it looks like nailpolish but has a fine point foam tip that allows for great control without any mess. all my smooch are now sitting on my valuable desktop space- I used it over the collar area and used it to go over the branches and edges of the kimono to add that subtle shine. I used the square lattice EF for emboss just the half of the whisper white CS. Layere it over poppy CS. I attached the kimono using dimensionals and a teensy strip I had left over of a yuzen chiogami that kind of went with it. clean and simple!

Happy weekend!

Lynda

Folded flowers

2011-04-04T00:01:00.000-07:00

I have such a hard time with "just playing." Mem*ries Live On, one of my LSS near me have a make and take on fridays that I happened upon and this night they had whole bunch of dies, papers and inks to play with. Holly told me to go to town and PLAY.....and I froze.

But I did fall in love with the paper rosette dies from Sizzix Tim H*ltz alteration lines. We've all seen them before and made them with the scallop punches but I hated to score all those lines and here it goes so fast because it is all prescored- I made all 3 of these in less than 5 minutes! But what to do with them? The papers they had were craft and plum colors so I used these colors to work off it and make a card. Rich Razzleberry matched perfectly.

I used the fall set embossing folder from sizzix to emboss the card base. I did not want to use the pumpkins on the bottom so I just wanted to emboss the top but the new embossing folders are a tad too long to put it sideways into my bigshot so - GASP!- I cut the ends off the folders where the image stopped and ya know what? it worked fine. (somebody needs to have a talk with these Sizzix designers - what were they thinking? ) It added just a touch of interest to the background without detracting from the folded flowers.

Added piece of textured gold cardstock for the strip on the bottom and for the scallopped round piece under the big flower button too. Stamped the sentiment form Something to Celebrate from SU occasion mini hostess set. Cut and trimmed a piece of leftover gold paper with a scallop scissors (remember those?) to make the stems.

I used the linen thread to sew up the center of the Vintage buttons from PTI- The photo does not do the colors justice but it does all work well in real life.

Holly, this one is dedicated to you!

Lynda

Easter Blossoms with an Asian twist

2011-04-03T00:01:00.000-07:00

I tried to resist it- I really did. I looked at it and really loved parts of this stamp set but was not sure about others and thought I would do without it but it kept calling to me and calling to me and I finally gave in. I am sure many of you know that feeling. I thought the branch would lend itself to a lovely Asian background and thought it would make for a nice arrangement.

The base is bridal bliss CS with a layer of basic black on top of that. I used architectural accent #2 from Sizzix to diecut the corner pieces from the black CS before I mounted it on- waste not want not!- then added a layer of crumbcake embossed with square lattice.

I inked the branches using a small stampin spot to be able to only ink the parts I wanted. ( You could use a marker) Make sure it is thoroughly dry before inking it with a bridal bliss so it does not run. I punched the 4 sided flower from itty bitty shapes punch set and added a pearl in the center in those and some of the stamped flowers as well.

The vase is the ornament punch turned upside down and trimmed in basic black. I brushed it with Illuminate top coat Smooch which makes it look like shimmer paper. so pretty.... I added a teeny piece of yuzen chiogami with a pink tone so I used it to accent the vase and a pretty little card with an Asian flare. it would make a loverly Mother's day card I thought.

Lynda

Presents for my sister Chris

2011-04-02T00:58:00.000-07:00

My sister asked me for some notepads for BFF messages- so I made matching ones that 2 BFF could share- this one used some matching DSP in lavendar - I was requested to make something purple. I know my sister reads this blog and I am only a few weeks late for her birthday present so I wanted her to know that it is coming! I used the dotted ribbon punch for the center strip and used the retired felt flowers to accent. It is really sweet in person.

This is a cleaner more modern version in turquoise- with pattern pack DSP using some of the new Designer big buttons- love them! I left the front otherwise blank in case she wanted to stamp something like BFF or name of person or whatever! This is one I made especially for her. She is a designer for a clothing company and I thought this would be kind of fun for her. Used the Sweet Stitches DSP wit pompom trim and and fabric designer brad.

I am a big hoarder of pretty buttons and trims but my little sis is worth breaking out the pretty brads. I love you Sis! Happy belated birthday! I swear your package is in the mail!

Lynda

Chris and Gabrielle's Flower Hair Clips

2011-04-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

My sister Chris sent me these pictures of hair clips she and her talented little girl Gabrielle made "inspired" by my hair clips I made using the crocheted flowers from SU here http://stampingdoc.blogspot.com/2010/04/flower-hairclips-for-gabrielle.html and I thought- My little grasshopper has surpassed her master- (you have to say it the old Kung Fu show way) Aren't these just darling? They used packaged flowers in different colors with brads with matching color hair clips.

so pretty!

and here is Gabrielle, our crafter extraordinaire modeling her creations! Oh So Pretty!

Funky Four

2011-03-31T00:51:00.000-07:00

Just love this little set- Funky Four- got it for saleabration with the So Happy for you set sentiment- - it is just so sweet - wanted to use it for a simple thank you cards with a single layer using white CS but I decided to layer it using olive and red mimicking the colors I used in the marker to color the shrooms.

Then I used a textured olive CS then layered red under the white and a little different card- I just can't leave a clean and simple card alone- but I do like this better maybe.

A bouquet of flowers

2011-03-24T01:50:00.000-07:00

I just love this card- I was tempted to send it in to SU but thought it was too simple. I've done variations on this before but I just love the First edition DSP for this. It just looks like newspare. Took a little square of it left over from another project, maybe 2x2 or so and glued it in the front overlap and tied it with linen thread as they would in a french open air market. Embossed the crumb cake CS as shown here http://stampingdoc.blogspot.com/2009/10/embossing-selective.html and stamped just for you from the teeny tiny wishes set in white. I punched a bunch of flowers from the itty bitty shapes punch set, rolled it using he stylus as shown yesterday and stuck a tiny pearl in the center- I think I've gone through 3 packs of these pearl jewels from Stampin Up in the last few month- I just love them so. I punched a bunch of leaves using the two step bird punch using old olive and set them up to look more 3 D using dimensionals behind some leaves and flowers- yes I did cut them into quarters so they would not show. Try your hand at this. It is reasonably easy with the beautiful punches we have and the DSP makes it just look perfect. Enjoy!

Lynda

A bouquet of flowers

2011-03-23T01:52:00.000-07:00

I had left over 1 1/4 circles and a small oval that was punched out in red CS and you all know how I hate to waste anything so I spiral cut them and dropped a little pearl in the center, set them on top of the leaves from the xtra large bird punch, (Trina Kuriger did a versions of this that I loved on Stampin Connection- website for demos only) tied them up with a 1/8 inch ribbon and voila simple cards made from left overs.

I did want to make a frame around the flowers so I used the square lattice EF to selectively emboss the oval area around the center- previously shown here. http://stampingdoc.blogspot.com/2009/10/embossing-selective.html

I just used a balsa wood oval frame - less than $1 at M*chaels- Then I wanted to make it simpler for my workshop and I had seen punched flower on the success magazine (monthly publication for SU demos only) where they used the itty bitty shapes punch to make flowers with a pearl in the center and I just loved it so I changed it up a bit and this is what my "girls" made.

The punched flowers are rubbed with the stylus to make a bowl shape over the spongy piece of mat pack (a mousepad or any slightly soft surface will work too)

I used the saleabation set So Happy for you for the sentiment- which you can substitute for any other saying in the set as it all fits perfectly.

Change up the color of the flower and the ribbon and you can make it for lots of different occasions. Almost a single layer, eh?

A variation on this will be posted tomorrow - so check it out.

Lynda

3D Daffodil

2011-03-21T07:29:00.000-07:00

I am a freak for flowers- I have been amassing - and that really is a good word for this- shapes for punching flowers for so long my collection out rivals most stores- and when Stampin Up came up with their Blossoms Petals Punch I HAD to have it. Although there has been some glitches with the SU punches I am pleased as punch (heh heh) about the shapes they deliver. My daffodils were blooming outside and I thought it would be perfect for that. I brought in one of my blossoms and studied it to see if I can make one. The base card is Poppy embossed with the tulip folder for the pretty edge. The sentiment was stamped in versamark and embossed in white EP. The wild wasabi CS was cut into 1/4 inch strip to make the stem and folded to free shape the leaf. I glued only part of it so that I could shape it. The flower is cut with 2 shapes. The skinny big leaf for the petals. I used the 6 sided flower from the Boho Blossoms punch to glue the petals down onto it so make spacing a little easier- I did overlap the leaves a bit on it though. I then punched daffodil CS using the circle 1 1/4 inch punch to make the bottom part of the daffodil center then used the scalloped leaf from the same blossoms petals punch to punch out the top part. The center part is about 1/2 as tall as the petals are long I figure. Sponged the edges of all the pieces. The center part is a bit tricky. I tried to figure out how I was going to make it stand up and stay. The dimensional did the trick but it was not so sticky on the side so I put a little line of glue around the edge of the dimensional and wrapped the petal around it - I used a tiny clothespin to hold it in place while it was drying which took about 1/2 hour. I then sprinkled some microbeads into the center which stuck to the dimensional. Although not exactly true to life, not a bad replica. If it would only smell like the morning dew........

Happy first day of spring!

Lynda

Happiness shared

2011-03-16T01:48:00.000-07:00

I don't know why but I just really like this set- this and every moment has been on my want list for a long time and I finally gave it. I like the simplicity of the image, a chance to color- it's the kindergartener in me I guess. Sometimes I go overboard with punches and all the embellishments but I find the simple cards really appealing to my senses-
Base is real red, with a old olive on top of that stamped with the leaves from the same set all around to just add a little interest. top note in white die cut. Stamp the flower and sentiment in StazOn and color in with the water color crayons directly to paper then use the aqua painter to blend it in. Stamped the flower in old olive over the sentiment.

As it stood, it kind of looked blah so I added a little pearl in the center but I wanted the stamen of the flower to stand out a little so I used the Black Chunky Essential Glitter to make the anther part pop out a bit and I thought it looked a lot better. I jsut used a little bit of two way glue pen to apply just a little bit of glue where I wanted it and it just stuck. I did use the piercing tool to take some of the glitter that stuck on the pearl though - I guess I did not do well with the glue.... oh well.

enjoy!
Lynda

Cupcake gumball machine

2011-03-14T01:36:00.000-07:00

My friend Mercedes is so creative- when she came up with the gumball machine using the cupcake punch, we all knew we would have to case it and here it is- Take a 12x12 Melon Mambo textured CS and cut it into 6 inch squares to make 3x6 cards. I took a 1x6 strip of Ice Cream parlor DSP from sale-a-bration and used the scallop border on daffodil paper on both sides to make the strip to accent.
The white CS is diecut with scallop rectangle clearlet and the rectangle is cut in crumbcake. The gumball machine is melon mambo as well. The top of the machine is punched using the top of the cupcake cut in one piece using a 1/2 inch strip of melon I slipped into the punch to just punch the top part. The 1 1/4 inch circle punch in white- I think I ruined it trying to punch the clear plastic to put over the top, heh heh- I told my friends at the workshop to use the white circle to scissor cut the clear plastic and it worked better- oh well. The gumballs were punched using turquise, pacific blue, old olive, pumpkin pie and daffodil- mostly from little scraps of paper that I had been saving for just this occasion. The silver paper is punched using the small oval with a silver brad on top. The whole thing is mounted with dimensionals and it is so sweet- literally!

I tried to put a sentiment on the top onto the daffodil strip and bunch of other ways but I liked it without the sentiment on top - so I took a 1/2 strip of white I had left over, cut the corners like a banner and stamped the sentiment and stuck it inside and I like it a lot better. Wishing you a wonderful day!

Lynda

Variations on the easter basket

2011-03-08T11:47:00.000-08:00

I am having so much fun with this stamp- again the same easter basket carrying girl from Pure Innocence (MFT)- this time carrying spring flowers. Used the lattice square embossing folder with an old oval frame to selectively emboss the whisper white CS. I then stamped the girl image and the sentiment on the center of the oval, stamped the girl again on Sunny Gardens DSP and cut out the dress part to paper piece- then colored it in using Cop*cs and then punched out little teensy weency flowers- $1 punch from M*chaels- my favorite for small centers of flowers because they are So tiny- although I would like them to come out with a hand punch- with long handles like the circle punches that they used to have- it would be so much easier on my hand than these dinkie punches that are sometimes really hard to punch a lot-

This is the detail on the flowers - this is a great way to use up those little tiny left over pieces you have left over from all your projects- I have a plastic container filled with small flowers that I punched out from left over cardstock that I was going to throw away anyway- where do you think I got these flowers from? I did add some green ones to add interest as leaves and put gold lame Smooch to add a little sparkle in the center. Added the wreath on her head and a flower that dropped on the floor and another way to use all your easter basket stamps- fill them with flowers!

Lynda

My day off

2011-03-07T14:43:00.000-08:00

The office is undergoing demolition so it was closed for a day and it gave me a chance to catch up on my laundry, grocery shopping and of course on my way home from the grocery I HAD to stop by my favorite LSS to see what new stuff they got from CHA. I have bought Pure Innocence by Heather Ellis on line as a digistamp years ago before MFT started to carry it- and lo and behold this LSS carried some of it- cost a little more but I like local stores to survive and I love to touch and feel stuff I buy so I don't mind paying a little extra to support the local stores. This was an Easter stamp but I thought it could be a St Paddy's day- You know my rules- I have to be able to use the stamp for at least 3 different things to buy it-

Used an old wood frame to selectively emboss the polka dot EF from Stampin Up. The Sentiment is from Teeny tiny wishes- stamped the image in black and colored with copics as shown- I thought about paper piecing but I drew extra heart shapes on the dress to make a clover so I just colored it in with little polka dots. the basket I colored in T9 to make it look like a pot of gold and the eggs were colored with gold pen to make it look like coins. I think it is so sweet.....

Hope you have a lucky day!

Lynda

A cupcake birthday

2011-02-25T06:41:00.000-08:00

There are lots of cupcake punches out there but I had been resisting because I knew I wanted the one from Stampin Up. It comes with a cherry on top, a candle and sprinkles and I just love it. I also love the coordinating stampset- These guys are marketing geniuses I tell ya- either that or total enablers to stamp addicts like me!

I used the tangerine base, with white on top of that with happy birthday from the same set stamped in chocolate chip. Is it not the sweetest little font?

Ran the tulip embossing folder over the pear CS to fit the smaller profile- ran the cardstock then took it out and turned it around to reimpress to get the smaller size I needed and it reimpresses the corner to make it perfect- LOVE IT!

then a daffodil circle punched then the large scallop circle in white. Cut 1" strips of melon mambo and chocolate chip CS, stamped the cupcake top and the base with coordinating stamppads before punching them out. I punched a heart - I think I am using this red glitter paper for EVERYTHING! Just love that sparkle it adds- I thought it looked like it was missing something though- I had mounted the cupcake using dimensionals so I slid in a small piece of ribbon behind it and just tied it in the front and it just added that special something that I thought made it look complete.

I used this card at my workshop to show people how to partial emboss using the tulip folder and it was not too difficult- but FYI-it did make it easier to tie the bow AFTER you mount the cupcake. Just put the dimensionals low enough on the cupcake bottom to slide the ribbon behind it. This would be such a fun card for a kid's or anyone's birthday. You can try using a vanilla color for the frosting and putting some different color sprinkles, in all the in colors would be fun too.

enjoy.

Lynda

faux pressed flower

2011-02-24T06:29:00.000-08:00

This was a technique I saw on line I thought made an easy card using the Thoughts and prayers set and all the flowers including bottles of Primas that I have been acquiring.

I stamped the stem in olive on a white CS and also on corners of the crumbcake CS base. Stamped the sentiment in black and then glued the flowers and the white cs and pressed the whole thing using the lattice embossing folder.

Love the effect and really easy!

Time to get out your flower collection and finally put them to use.

My Love card

2011-02-23T06:06:00.000-08:00

I was playing with a bunch of ideas for valentine and this was the final card I had for my workshop. I used the tree, quote box and sentiment from Valentine defined and the 2 birds from Aviary- I thought there should be some little animal but I wanted 2 animals facing each other. The bird in the tree legs were too long so I only inked up part of it. The tree was stamped in Garden green then the branch part removed with blender pen then reinked using the chocolate chip marker. I used the blender pen to color below the tree to ground it a bit. The 2 birds were inked with chocolate chip. The quote box in real red then added a punched glitter heart in center. It was mounted on garden green CS corner rounded. The red CS was pressed using the Lots of Love letterpress plate.

I stamped the love in red then punched out with modern labale punch. I then ran the ribbon through a hole on the left and mounted with dimentsionals. Added a crystal jewel to add a little sparkle- fits perfectly over the O!

Valentine Treats

2011-02-05T08:10:00.000-08:00

It's that time of the year again! Valentine's Day is just around the corner and it is time to make 63 valentine's treats for 3 classes- I had to make it not too difficult so here it is. Little valentine posies. There are specialized dies to make just these kind of things but of course I do not have any so I used my old Island floral die to make these but any large flower die would work.

I punched a larger hole in the center to fit the tootsie pop I wanted to use. I cut through one of the leaves and petal between so I could roll it up a bit to make it more dimensional. I even used the stylus and a mouse pad to add some leaf lines as you can see.

after I put the lollypop in the center then I used some tape to overlap one of the petals.

I overlapped the petal fully to make a 4 petal flower.

The leaf petals were only overlapped about 1/2 to make an asymmetrical leaf as shown.

This is what the completed flower set looks like. Easy peasy flowers.

When I was at the local M*chael's - with generous gift cards I received for Christmas, I saw these ribbons for 50% off and I had to have them. 4 yards for a buck- not bad! I cut off each happy valentine's day and punched a hole with my cropadile to pierce it and threaded the lollypop bottom as shown on the right.

I wanted to add a tag so that my kids would have to write the names of the recipient so I used this retired stamp that matched the tag punche in red to make easy tags. Originally I had added the tag with linen thread but my kids had a hard time tying it- they are supposed to make their own valentines- so I used the modern label punch and 1/4 inch circle punch to make a tie the way like those bread ties. I just cut through with scissors and it stayed on the lollypop reasonably well. It does shred after the while so I would have the kids sign it in the back and put it on at the end.

and here it is. My kids are having a ball making these- I hope you do too.

Lynda.

A simple card

2011-02-04T09:49:00.000-08:00

Julie just had a birthday
and of course my card was about 2 weeks late- how can it be that someone that makes as many cards as I do cannot remember to send a birthday greeting to people they love in time? Got me! My mom just got a phone call this year... Shame on me.

But better late than never so I sent an unbirthday card to Julie and a few cards that I stamped with her name on it. The sentiment and the alphabet stamp are from PTI. You're a Gem sentiment from the Occasions Mini from SU. Crystals jewels from SU. I layered white with Poppy Parade then another layer of whisper white. I stamped the sentiment and then used my black pen to draw a line between the sentiments and 1/4 inch away from the edge. I tried both crystals on either side of her name and to dot the i. A clean and simple cardset for a real gem of a person!

Lynda

Bun in the Oven

2011-01-31T11:55:00.000-08:00

I was at a local scrapbook store and found this oven stamp from Art Gone W*ld and thought it would be perfect for a someone who is expecting a baby- unfortunately they did not have the coordinating oven mitt and content inside stampset so I had to make do. I used base whisper white CS and used real red . I stamped the oven on the red and then cut what would be the inside to make a recessed window- see technique here http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/recessedwindow/ I then took a basic grey cardstock and drew in the back of the oven and the racks using a black pen and mounted the bread (from comfort food set- SU retired) I stamped on white cardstock and colored in and mounted with dimensionals. I stamped another oven in white, cut out the oven door- around the top and sides and scored the bottom to allow it to open and mounted it on the red CS. I did stamp the oven mitt and colored it in but should have put the hanging tab on the left instead of center but oh well- too late. I then hand wrote the sentiment and pierced the margins to add a little more interest.

Inside is a sentiment from Occasional Quotes(hostess set) and a gift card. I stamped a few images from Clear Art st*mp company to add some baking accoutrements and voila! a fun little play on word card for someone expecting.

Lynda

My little list book

2011-01-16T05:00:00.000-08:00

You've seen them before- the yellow notepads- you buy them by bulk and have an office supply store cut it in half for you lengthwise to get these notepads. I've covering them and giving them as gifts for a while but I was never happy with the closure. After my Christmas card closure idea I made this variation and it is not bad and I like the neatness of it.

It has a little pocket on the left for any loose papers or to add something in.

I took an 8 1/2x 11 poppy cardstock and scored it at 2 5/8, then another 2 5/8, then 1/4, 2 5/8, 1/4. This is all detemined by your notebad width and thickness. So score it 2 times, the width of your pad, once the thickness, once the width then the thickness again and what is left over is the closure. Because the pad was not quite 8 1/2 inches, I scored the bottom 5/8 inches so that the pad would fit perfect (and folding over the CS makes it more sturdy- for getting kicked around in your purse bottem!)

I used an oval cutter to cut the closure part.

I folded over the cover part and punched out a heart - but you can punch out any shape.

I also cut out the bottom of the pocket so that the pocket bottom would not be so bulky

When you open it up this is what it should look like.

Ii stuck a piece of packing tape on the pocket side so that the sticky would peek out from the other side- I KNOW you will be tempted to touch the sticky part but DON'T or you will not have a very strong closure and will have to rip it off- carefully and replace the tape. I freehand cut the S shape so the pocket could be easily used but you could just do it at an angle using your cutter. Try to do this before you add the tape so it does not stick to your cutter.

I took another cleanly cut piece and laid it - STICKY SIDE UP - so that it is sticking to my finger on the picture -on top of the heart shaped punched out that has the sticky side peeking through it and centered it and stuck it to the heart- this is going to be on the closure but I wanted it centered to the heart. It is now somewhat free floating but once I close the notepad it will be centered perfectly on the closure to receive the sticky from the heart shape.

When you close the closure flap over the note pad and put the cover on it the sticky heart sticks to the tape on the closure flap and keeps it closed. I just hated the velcro ripping off the notepad as I kept using it and magnets were more bulky although I like it a little better.

This is what the closure mechanism looks like.

I covered the notepad top with a decorative paper to match the cover.

Put a lot of sticky tape to adhere the notepad to the base.

and these are a few variations on the card. The DSP on top is Sunny Garden. The green DSP is Certainly Celery and the saffron paper is retired Sale-a-bration paper that just happened to match. I also punched out 3 little hearts (small heart punch) from the Glimmer paper from the new Occasions Mini- you get 2 12x12 sheets of most fabulous paper - it punched- like butter!- I was worried because it had a lot of texture but no worries! I stamped Love from the Valentine Defined set on the bottom. The one on the left is going to a sweetheart of a gal who babysat my 3 little monsters over Christmas- She did not want to be paid but I just have to thank her in some way! They are some vouchers for my workshop that she attends faithfully as a thank you. How to make those using MDS will be another post.

You know those Weeble? They wobble but they don't fall down.... remember?

I feel like someone just whacked me and I was really wobbly for a while but I think I am finally standing upright again and better than ever! Thank you all for your support through these difficult times - All your words of encouragement really hit home and I so appreciate them!

and more Fun Posts to come- I have been making a bunch of stuff- just didn't have time to post but I'll be better!

xxxooo

Lynda

My Playdate

2011-01-15T06:43:00.000-08:00

I have a few girlfriends who asked me for a playdate- my kids have them, why can't I? Just casual, bring stuff to play with -sort of thing. It was so much fun. Margery brought over a make and take of this dog card- above using the Owl punch for the face and large oval for the body- is he not the cutest? The right side is the close up of the face and if the dog is sick, the variation on the right. Does he not look absolutely ill?

These are the incredibly creative ladies at work, Makani to the left, Margery, and Sachi- who made this most yummy salad that even my KIDS ate it!

Bonnie, Makani and Sheryl made the trek over a big hill to come play. Bonnie is holding the make and take I made- a little notebook holder- I will post details on that later.

We had been playing with the idea of the owl punch being used as a face of Rudolf in the December workshop and Margery was playing with it and made a squirrel face so I went NUTS- and had to make the whole squirrel with it (hee hee). Here is the detail on the squirrel, holding the nut from the Day of Gratitude set.

The background is Woodgrain in Soft Suede. Ribbon is pumpkin and DSP is from Margery. I was at the Used stamp sale at Cranberry hill last year and I bought this ziplock bag full of cut up paper from Marsha- I bought it because it had some flocked paper and I thought I would it use it -some day- and the day had come at last- I punched out the owl body and the large oval for the body, black and white CS for the eyes, pretty in pink for the nose- heart is form M*chaels- $1 punch- used a black marker for the facial expression. The hand is from the Boho blossoms punch that I free form cut from the small flower leaving just the 3 scallops. I tried to figure out how the tail should be after I made the body by drawing it on a scrap paper and used it as a template to make a tail- I had my kids decorativve scissors near by so I grabbed it to make the scallop part. The sentiment is from PTI- My Punny Valentine set. The scallop and oval is made using Nestab*lities.

I love how the exchange of ideas took the little dog into this squirrel. Each of us kept egging each other on, adding the background, the tail, the nut, looking for the perfect sentiment all came out of us just being together and talking. This is Margery's version with the curly tail.

I love you girls!

Lynda

Christmas card 2010- A tree stands alone

2010-12-26T09:07:00.000-08:00

This is my Christmas card for 2010. Now that hopefully most people would have received it by now I wanted to share it with you all. It took me a long time to figure out how I wanted to do this card and it went through several trials before this mechanism worked. I wanted my friends to open the card and have the tree stand up without having to hold it. The cover is medallion in garden green and the Merry Christmas is from all holiday in red punched out with circle punch. Satin real red ribbon tops the wreath. My DH thought it was confusing to open the card - feels like you're going to rip it- he said so I added the sign that says open in whisper white craft ink.

When you open the card there is a SU retired sentiment embossed with silver EP using versamark and my - yes photoshopped again!- picture of my three little not so wise men on the right.

I added a flap of cardstock in red that you fold back and you stick it on the oval and voila the tree stands up on its own.

This is how I envisioned everyone would see the card.

I die cut the X-mas tree using the big shot and the star from the matching tree decorations sizzlet in gold cardstock. I diecut 2 of the same star with the bottom slit and glued them together so they would lay flat on the tree. I also embossed the tree using the petals-a-plenty folder- it was hard to fit the whole thing as it had variable thickness so I had to run it back and forth on 4 sides to make it emboss- it would have taken a lot more time embossing individual pieces although it would have been easier- when you are making close to 90 of these, you have to cut SOME corners!

On some of the trees I did add some sparkle with the 2 way glue - making little dots in the middle of the poinsettia with red and others in the fine cosmos glitter pack.

THe bottom piece to stand it up needs really good taper so make sure you use sticky tape to make sure it really adheres. Unfortunately this piece almost always gets too deeply cut and I have had instances where it tore.

To ensure a good and long lasting mechanism so it could be opened and closed for many years to come, I added a strip of scot tape on the other side to make sure it held well.

The tree standing mechanism was really a tough one for me. I tend to be pretty good at engineering things but I had a really hard time- I thought of a picture stand type back and played with many different variations which all failed on one account or another. My MIL brought over some pictures she had developed at Costco and I saw that the closure on the envelope was done with adhesive tape and BAM! it hit me- I could use the same type of idea.

SO I punched a oval on the bottom of the card where I wanted the tree to open and stick and stuck a piece of packing tape underneath so that the sticky part would show on top - it's the same idea as the glitter window, remember that technique?- then I stuck another piece of tape where the sticky would touch on the side of the picture opened (see picture to the right- yes I know the tape is somewhat unsightly but I embossed the words and the tape is clear so it does not show SO terribly much). When you close the card this sticks to the sticky oval.

The thing that keeps the tree up is the sticky on this side that when you stick to the oval allows for temporary stick that keeps the tree up but you can unstick and close to store flat.

This was what the card looked like completed.

This is the detail on the tree and the ornament top.

This is the detail on the tree skirt- I stamped snowflakes using bliss blue onto premium copy paper- it is thinner so it flattens out better although it costs more than regular copy paper it is definitely worth it. I cut quarter sheets of it trimmed to line inside of dark cardstock cards to have a white writing surface too.

The extra real red CS was about 5 x 3 1/4 or so scored on one side with sticky tape on it to again really stick to allow for repeated play with the tree.

This sentiment is from Peaceful Season the level 2 hostess set from the holiday mini. I love all that elegant scroll work.

I'm going to make some birthday cake cards like this too to see how well it holds. I have not been able to find a way to make this mechanism work with a standard card without it flopping all over the place but I think it is worth the extra paper and postage- what do you think?

Happy Holidays!

Lynda

To you and yours one layer card- well, almost

2010-12-16T06:06:00.000-08:00

I really am trying to simplify my life and I guess it is reflecting some on my cards as well. The ideas of a simple one layer card especiallyf for Christmas keep coming up in my head. I also wanted to meet the SCS challenges this week: the CAS layout, the F4AFriday for a christmas card on a fly, and TLC303 to use sponging and then the color challenge of grey concord and marina mist. Thsis image(retired SU) came up to mind which I think is perfect in marina mist.

The base card is just 4 1/4x4 1/4 ( so that it could be mailed in the standard envelope). I scored te edges 1/4 " so that it would have a border without adding another layer. I then punched out a scrap piece of paper using the 2 1/2 inch circle punch and used the paper as a mask to stamp the image in arina mist. Then I sponged some grey on the bottom and some concord on top. Unfortunately some of the color rubbed onto the house image and it muddled it up a bit- and I really like the crisp white of snow on the house so I used the signo gel pen to add some white back over the roof line and in front of the house whern the snaw would be and a little on the trees where there were supposed to be snow too. I then stamped the sentiment in concord grape. I diecut a snowflake from the Northern Frost die ( actually it was a left over from another project but who would know?) and added a crystal jewel to the center then used 2 way glue pen to adhere the dazzling diamond glitter to it and some parts of the card, the roof, the snow and the trees to add a little sparkle. It is a simple card and one layer- if you don't count the snowflake that is.

One Layer Christmas Card- Medallion

2010-12-14T07:09:00.000-08:00

This came out of a request by my friend Helen who wanted to use medallion for christmas in an easy to make card so this was what I came up with. Stamped the Medallion in Garden Green onto whisper white CS. Stamped the Merry Christmas from All Holidays set in real red onto another piece of scrap whisper white, punched it out with 1 3/4 inch circle punch and mounted it with dimenstionals. Added a 5/8 inch real red satin ribbon and it really is a simple 5 minute card that you can make on a fly. I thought you could add some red dots around the wreath but thought it better to keep it simple.

One Layer Holiday Cards

2010-12-13T06:52:00.000-08:00

I was thinking about creating some simple one layer holiday cards and this is one I started to play with at my last workshop. I still love the Lovely as a tree set but wanted to make it more winter snow covered scene. I ripped a piece of paper to make the snow covered ground and stamped the image using versamark on top of it so that the bottom part of the stamp would be hidden by the "snow". It was stamped onto whisper white CS and embossed with clear embossing powder (but you could also use white if that's what you have) . I then sponged bashful blue- I think it had some celery in it from an old project so it had bluish green hues which was actually quite pretty.

I took sentiment Peace on Earth from Four the Holidays set and embossed with versamark with iridescent ice EP to make a simple wintery card. You could add a little gliter along the snow with 2 way glue pen if you want. Hope your day warms up!

Lynda

Greeting Card Kids winter

2010-12-09T12:16:00.000-08:00

I just can't enough of this sweet stampset- love the little girl- I have a picture of myself when I was about 7 or 8 with pigtails in a coat just like this one. The sketch is a challenge from splitcoast SC310 herehttp://www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/card-sketches-f41/sketch-challenge-310-12-8-10-a-t514333.html. The base card is Artichoke. The image was stamped with memento black and colored in with copics except for the scarf which was pretty in pink marker. After coloring, I used 2 way glue pen to add dazzling diamonds to the trim. Layered it on artichoke as well.

I used the Deck the Halls DSP to layer, then added cherry seam binding ribbon to it on top then diecut snowflakes which I glittered with dazzling diamonds as well and added some jewels for sparkleas shown.

Layered the image onto another piece of DSP paper and voila! It literally took me 15 minutes to make it- the longest was getting the little chads out of the snowflakes after diecutting!

Enjoy!

Lynda

A RAK from Tami- my version

2010-12-08T13:59:00.000-08:00

My upline is so super supportive, when I meet my goals for the month, she sends me a little surprise. This month it was a white on white card that I thought was really cool but of course I had to do a variation of it to make it "mine"- wink wink- but the basic card idea is from her. Take shimmer white CS and stamp Always elegant on it in crumb cake. Emboss elegan lines with vellum CS then add pearl jewels and tear the top to add texture. Tie a vanilla seambinding ribbon around the cardstock and tie a ribbon . Tuna brad around the ribbons and close off to secure the ribbon (not using any holes to secure the ribbon. Stamp Mr&Mrs in crumbcake, then add a pearl. Secure onto ribbin with a dimensional.

I added a line of 2 way glue and sprinkied dazzling diamonds on the front edge to add a little subtle sparkle and easy wedding card.

Emboss Resist Foliage

2010-12-07T13:41:00.000-08:00

The Technique lover challenge this week is emboss resist- one of my favorite techniques- . Here I combined it with the color challenge 300 from splitcoast using artichoke, cherry and pretty in pink with a little daffodil and cajun sponged in as well. The base card is artichoke. the leaves are stamped using versamark on white glossy CS using clear embossing powder and heat embossed. The cardstock is then sponged with variey of classic ink colors to blend and make the images pop out.

I had stamped a sentiment in the corner but it looked really flat- out of necessity as no punch shape would fit over my booboo- I tore it out which I REALLY liked. I then stamped the sentiment with versamark and embossed it with gold EP as shown.

a
The other challenge was CAS96 for bows- I love mixing up the challenges and trying something different.

I auditioned the artichoke and cherry seam binding ribbon but the vanilla seem to fit better and less intrusive. I stamped the snowflake from snow swirled in artichoke and punched it with the 1/2 inch circle punch, and used the build-a-brad to make a custom brad- don't you just love it?

Mounted the torn piece onto the cherry piece, then I pierced the hole where I wanted the brad legs to go and used it to hold down the ribbon through cherry cardstock. I then mounted the whole thing on the artichoke base card and another easy card. Three challenges in one card whew!

It's almost snowing!

2010-12-03T07:25:00.000-08:00

This is another card we made at my last workshop from a card I recalled seeing somewhere. This is how I made it - It looks tricky but it isn't. The base card is bliss blue . Emboss the sentiment from Four the Holidays with white embossing powder. Die cut the snowflakes using the shimmer white CS with the new northern frost decorative strip using the big shot.

Take a 1/2 sheet of vellum paper and fold and emboss the polka dot folder onto one side . Now I taped the back side near the fold to the back side of the blue cardstock so that the tape would not show on the front. Then I tore the vellum sheet to show the words and then taped the vellum where the snowflakes would be stuck on so the tape would be minimally visible. Then I stuck on the snowflakes. I guess I could have used

a dimensional adhesive but the parts were so delicate it was sort of hard to do. A lot of chads with the snowflakes but oh so pretty!

Falalalalaaaalalalala!

I love December! My favorite month of the year! Here is counting down to Christmas!

Lynda

Workshop Holiday Bells and Boughs

2010-12-01T07:31:00.000-08:00

I love this set- can you tell? I love the old fashioned look about it but it is still clean and modern. Best of both worlds. This is a case from Iliana Crouse that I used for my workshop which looks complicated but it isn't. It's also pretty easy to mass produce for the holidays. I took Always artichoke CS Base, added a layer of cherry cobbler and then a layer of Deck the Halls DSP. The DSP was cut 4x 5 1/4 so I could get 6 pieces out of the 12x12. I did cut from the edge so that every card would have the border white design going around which I thought was so pretty. Then I stamped the image in stazon black and used watercolor crayon directly on paper then used the aqua pens to dilute it out some and make it a little soft watercolored look and easy peasy image. Layered that on artichoke CS then on cherry. I then ran multimono in a thin layer around the edge of the cherry after it was all mounted, then a sprinkle of champagne glass glitter. Let it dry and it will not fall off mind you!

I then took 1/2 seam binding ribbon in cherry cobbler, made a bow using 2 rabbit earys tied together and then stuck it on with a little glue dot and it was the easiest card of the 4 that we made.

Enjoy! and Happy December

Lynda

Good Morning Cup

2010-11-15T08:30:00.000-08:00

I've been so busy with my trip to Atlanta, the school work with the kids, the office still not up and running trying to get that up I have not had time to even think about cards. But I started to feel tired, lackluster, not my usual over the top bouncing off the wall self- I needed to get some time off to stamp is what I think. I am taking just a few minutes to stamp for the CAS93 challenge and it really feels good. I got this set Morning cup few months ago and it still sat in its original package so I dug it out for this challenge. It seems so appropriate given how I've been feeling.

Take bridal bliss basecard. stamp the percolator with black and do it on several other pieces of DSP- here I took itsy bitsy pieces left over from sending love DSP retired and put it on top. the handle is too much to cut out so I just colored it in with markers. The mug was done the same way with real red colored in heart then crystal effects on top. The chocolate chip circle was cut out with the circle cutter to layer. Add a piece of chocolate ribbon and mount the circle and the mug with dimensionals. The sentiment was stamped in black, punched out then mounted with just regular double stick tape with little pieces of bling added for that just little extra sparkle.

Thanks splitcoast for your inspiration! You can find the challenge here: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/clean-simple-cards-f239/cas93-sketch-ltecler-11-15-10-a-t512119.html

Lynda

texting thanq

2010-11-06T15:13:00.000-07:00

I marvel at modern technology. I am sitting at an airport waiting for my next flight and they have wifi that allows me to get on the internet and with the picture that I took of the card that I made for a tech friend I am able to post it to you right now. What an amazing world we live in.

I have been having some technical difficulties at work to put it mildly. It is enough to make me pull out my hair and sympathize with my staff that they would want to quit. I do too, except I can't. I am learning patience and with people showing me their willingness to continue to work with you despite these difficult times is a true test of your relationship.

There is this tech guy who has been on my speed dial and he even got up bright and early on a Saturday morning before his and my little kids got up to configure my computers at home and I wanted to send him a thank you. He laughed that I am so backwards that I did not text on my phone even so I thought it would be appropriate to send him a card with a text message. The base card is real red with 0101 image from lots of bots to the right side bottom and on the daffodil piece I added behind the blackberry. I stamped the image from Stampend*us in memento black and then colored it with my copics in different shades of blue, yellow and grey and cut up some words to spell his name and the sentiment in black. I mounted it on dimensionals onto daffodil stamped with the 0101 image, then mounted the whole thing on pacific blue CS for a simple thank you card. Inside I stamped U ROCK! from PTI in versamark then embossed it in silver to make it pop then attached a gift card to Starbucks as a simple token of my appreciation.

This could work for any techie man or kid in your life with all sorts of fun messages. The set comes with a variety of texting sentiments, some I still have not figured out what it means.

I am being dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century- I just got myself a texting phone- but I had to get one with a touch keyboard because my short fat little fingers keep getting those screening touchpads from typing accurately!

Lynda

A little Asian feel card

2010-11-03T08:31:00.000-07:00

I was at Papers*urce store and they had this really sweet blossom stamp and I just had to get it. with the Peach Parfait coloring and mellow moss onto vanilla CS, it gave a really soft Asian-y feel. the word stamp is part of a koi stamp that I have that I inked with black and red marker. I have no idea what it says but it was a nice size font. If anyone knows what it says I would dearly love to know. I took a little piece of japanese paper that I had left over from another project and put it on the bottom to anchor the card and used some papercording to make the knot and I glued it in place with some small glue dots to really secure it. The whole thing is mounted on retired mellow moss CS and peach parfait card.

A really simple card that I really liked.

Lynda

witch's hat mini reese's candy holder

2010-10-28T08:22:00.000-07:00

This was one of the projects we made at our last workshop. It is a little witch's hat treat that I cased from Stamping Moon http://www.stampingmoon.com/2010/09/wicked-witch-hat-treats.html .
Take Wicked Fun DSP paper and use circle cutter to cut 3 5/8 inch circle, cut it into half (you get 2 hats out of one circle) and put sticky strip half way up on the straight end.

Put sticky strip pieces into individually wrapped MINI reese's peanut butter cups, stick the straight sideup and down on the candy with the candy and wrap the curved side around the candy and close with the sticky strip side - try to keep the top of the hat pointy.

Take the sticky strip cover off AFTER you wrap the cone and then peel and stick it in case you have to adjust the cone while you are forming it.

(My computer does weird things and I am not sure why my horizontal pictures keep getting loaded up vertically)

Use the dimensionals to attach the reeses to the 2 1/2 inch black circle- cut with either circle #2 die or the new large circle punch.

So here is the hat bare completed. You can finish it however you wish.

Here I used the black lace ribbon. It is slippery and hard to keep the ribbon down so I did use a little clear tape to keep the ribbon in place though.

Add bats, flowers, glitter, jewels, whatever you wish to decorate it and have fun.

Happy Halloween

Lynda

a simple christmas card

2010-10-25T06:56:00.000-07:00

I am in love with this waffle paper. I wish they would change the name though to something more glam though. I wanted to show you a very simple christmas card you can change up with any accent you wanted.

Here I took a real red basecard. Took a strip of Deck the halls DSP 1/2 inch wide, added a 3/4 inch strip of real red behind it, added sticky strip to the 2 edges in the back and used waffle paper strips to add some pleats. I also used sticky strip to stick the whole thing on to the base card. Remember that there is a shiny and matte side to the waffle paper and use the side you want to show on both sides. I stamped the dec 25 image from tags for christmas set in red craft ink onto crumbcake to sort of match the DSP, then embossed the whole thing with clear embossing powder to make it shine although hard to see here. The whole thing was punched out with the matching decorative label punch- Don't you just LOVE the matching punch thing? The tag was mounted with some dimensionals to make it pop a bit and easy peasy card for a monday. I love these really simple cards. You can add any accent piece where the tag would go, the ornament punch, a large circle, or whatever. I may try some different ones too.

Happy Monday!

Lynda