Well Worn Birthday

Sometimes you make a card that is SOOO awesome you just can't part with it. This is one of those cards. I originally made this to give to either my dad or my father-in-law, since their birthdays are about 2 days apart. But I didn't want to send it before I took a picture of it since it is, in my humble opinion, completely and totally da bomb. And I didn't take a picture of it for a really long time, so guess what that means - it never got sent to either guy. Luckily I don't think either one will mind too much! (Sadly, the guys I know don't care about cards nearly enough, IMO)
This card started with a random sketch I have laying around my scrap area, and I layered and twisted and tweaked with my stash of stuff until I got it how I wanted it. It uses a bunch of my still-new-to-me goodies: the Well Worn DSP, Perfectly Penned stamp set for the sentiment, and the Blue Denim Jean ribbon. And after much trial and error with different techniques and spritzes and sprays and distressing tools, I settled on using the Wonderfully Worn background stamp and sponged edges to get the sentiment (and focal point of the card) to look just the way I wanted it to. Gorgeous!!!!! Not sure if the photograph does it justice or not, but I've got it in my stash if you ever want to see it in person!

Card Supplies: (All supplies from Stampin' Up unless otherwise noted)
Stamps: Perfectly penned, Wonderfully worn
Cardstock: Early espresso, Soft suede, River Rock (I think - it's been a while), Well Worn DSP
Ink:Not quite navy, Soft suede, Versamark
Other Stuff: Blue denim jean ribbon, sponges, Clear EP

Monsters, etc

There are a lot of times when I like to make goodies for my work or for the kids preschool classes, and I sometimes get myself in a little too deep. Meaning, I have great intentions, and come up with some awesome projects, but when I try and re-create them 50 times, I want to curl up and hide under my bed. Of course by the time I realize that I'm already too far in to turn back and I end up hating myself until I get all of the projects done. However, I am learning from my past miscues and the project I'm sharing with you today is super-easy and should not cause me to curse myself before I am done. These are little monster toppers that I am going to use with the 1 x 8 cello bags from Stampin'Up for my kids' preschool Halloween parties. I've even got the goodies to put in the bags already - a Halloween pencil and one or two glow-in-the-dark bracelets!! The Make-A-Monster set is fast becoming one of my favorites, after lingering on the 'I want this set but I want something else more so I push it to the bottom of the list list' for too long. I stamped and colored about 40 of these little guys about a month ago and now I just need to punch and assemble - with over a week to spare - now THAT'S scary!!!

Card Supplies: (All supplies from Stampin' Up unless otherwise noted)
Stamps: Make a monster
Cardstock: Whisper white, Pick your poison DSP
Ink: Basic black
Other Stuff: Scallop circle punch, regular circle punch, sticky note, markers, 1 x 8 cello bags, mini glue dots

Christmas Class Part II

The first part of my Christmas class series was a huge success! Everyone went home with 10 beautiful Christmas cards, a decorated box to keep the cards in, and a great sense of satisfaction of having their Christmas cards started in October!!! We are going to continue the fun with part II. This time we are going to make 10 more cards (5 each of 2 designs) and make a fully decorated and totally functional Holiday planner that will fit in (most) purses and keep all of your recipes, receipts, lists and anything else important for your holidays in one tidy and beautiful place. This class will be held on Saturday October 29 from 12-4. If you can't make the class you can still buy the kit and stamp the images on your own time. It is a great deal at only $25 per person. I need to cut all the pieces and assemble your kit so I need to know if you're coming by Wednesday October 26. I hope to see you all there!

Pennant race

Pennant races make me think of baseball, but since my Phillies are out of it now I'm applying it to the card I'm sharing today. This card uses one of the new 'in' things this year in stamping/scrapbooking: pennants. This has the Perfect pennants die, the Pennant parade stamp set and the Petite pennants punch (try saying that three times fast!)all on one card! The color combo is pretty cool too: Baja breeze, Rich razzleberry and Island Indigo. I was able to use three different types of ribbon in three different colors, which just goes to show you that when you have a bunch of Stampin' Up! stuff the stars really can align that way when you need them to!

Card Supplies: (All supplies from Stampin' Up unless otherwise noted)
Stamps: Pennant parade, Word play
Cardstock: Baja breeze, Whisper white, Rich razzleberry, Island indigo
Ink: Rich razzleberry, Island indigo
Other Stuff: Rich razzleberry & Island indigo markers, Petite pennants punch, circle punches, Perfect pennants die, perfect polka dots EF, Rich razzleberry 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, Baja breeze seam binding ribbon, Island indigo ruffled ribbon

Funky fall

The Spice Cake designer series paper that Stampin'Up! has in their holiday mini catalog uses a color combination that is absolutely 'out there' and completely AWESOME in my opinion. They use 'normal' fall colors like Soft suede, More mustard and Very vanilla, and then they go totally crazy and add in Pool party, of all things!!! It kicks the whole thing up a notch and modernizes the entire look. It seems like EVERYONE has been making a variant of the card I'm sharing today, using these colors together. I'm throwing my creation into the mix as well. This was the second project we made at Stamp Club this month, and I changed up the 'typical' card I've seen by embossing the leaf in gold and adding a fabric flower to the mix. Funky, yet lovely, right???
Stay tuned . . . I am hoping to figure out a date for the second installment of my Christmas card class. I'm thinking the last weekend in October or the first weekend in November, but I'm only doing it ONCE this time!!! If you have an opinion either way of when to have it, send me an email, text or comment on this blog.
Card Supplies: (All supplies from Stampin' Up unless otherwise noted)
Stamps: En francais, French foliage
Cardstock: More mustard, Soft suede, Very vanilla, pool party. Spice cake DSP
Ink:Soft suede, more mustard, soft suede, pear pizzazz, pool party, versamark
Other Stuff: Gold embossing powder, sponges, Fun flowers die, Spice cake fabric, vintage brad, glue dot

It's fall, y'all

I've been on a big home-organization kick lately. If you know me at all, you know that while I am very organized and 'with-it' for my job, not so much at home. I have LOTS of things that need organizing, and I am sure there is at least one person out there who is shaking their head saying 'Yeah, that's the understatement of the year!' (Hi Mom!) Anyway, so far this fall I have cleaned out the garage (all three bays!), my pantry, the junk drawer in the kitchen, my son's closet, the kid's toy area, and tomorrow I am taking the day off and tackling my bedroom closet (wish me luck!). Anyway, this relates to stamping because I just cleaned out my tote bag that I take to work and realized that there are about half a dozen cards in there that have not seen the light of day on this blog!!!!! So I am going to do my best to play catch-up and show you some of the cards I've made and failed to share with you.
Today's card is one that we made at our most recent stamp club. It is a criss-cross card with a coaster we made thrown in for good measure. I thought that this would be a really cute way to do place cards for a holiday meal or wedding, where you could have a favor in with the card (the coaster is the favor I chose, since I wanted to show the ladies at club how easy it is to use the Sizzix dies to cut through not just paper, but fabric and other materials like cork like butter). I'm thinking of using this for my very own Thanksgiving festivities, although it would mean taking time to actually make 10 or so of these, and while I'm good at coming up with these ideas, follow through to completion is not my strong suite. Although those turkeys sure are cute . . .

Card Supplies: (All supplies from Stampin' Up unless otherwise noted)
Stamps: Fabulous phrases
Cardstock: Soft suede, very vanilla, more mustard, pool party, pear pizzazz, early espresso, whisper white, cherry cobbler, cajun craze, Spice cake DSP
Ink: Soft suede
Other Stuff: Punches: Tab, Owl, 5 petal flower, scallop circle, heart to heart; glue dots, cork sheet, multipurpose adhesive sheets, 3 1/2" circle die, Spice cake fabric

Just be happy

Last night I was up in my stamp room and I actually had a somewhat original idea. The little acorn is CASED from a bunch of different cards I've seen here and there, but the rest of the card is pretty much mine. It put an extra bounce in my step, something that's been lacking lately. I didn't have any really good Thanksgiving sentiments that I thought fit the card, so in a moment of inspiration I inked up the Pursuit of Happiness stamp set for the first time. I love the way the cards turned out and have decided to take it's advice and just be happy in the moment.

Card Supplies: (All supplies from Stampin' Up unless otherwise noted)
Stamps: Day of gratitude, Pursuit of Happiness
Cardstock: River rock, soft suede, pool party, very vanilla, more mustard, basic black, Spice cake DSP
Ink: River rock, Soft suede, Melon mambo
Other Stuff: Pool party, more mustard and soft suede markers, So saffron glimmer brad, black brads, paper piercer, paper crimper, ornament punch, large oval punch, medium oval punch (retired), small circle punch from itty bitty shapes punch pack, square lattice EF, sponge dauber, Gold glow smooch spritz

Notepad holder

Here is my most favorite project that we've made in Stamp Club so far. It's a notepad holder made out of a file folder. I used a tutorial from Splitcoast stampers and then decorated it myself. I find myself using this almost every day for different notes to myself and it makes me smile every time I pull it out of my bag. These colors, Pool Party and Island Indigo, make me happy.
I wish I had more cards to show you but it seems like lately I've been so busy with the ribbon share and my Christmas class and my sister's bridal shower that I haven't made anything original in a while. I'll have to try and take a picture of the favors I made for the shower this week.


Card Supplies: (All supplies from Stampin' Up unless otherwise noted)
Stamps: Delicate doilies, Jaynes type alphabet
Cardstock: Pool party, Island indigo, Whisper white
Ink: Pool party
Other Stuff: Circle punches, Perfect pennants die, scallop trim border punch
Non SU: file folder, velcro closure, notepad