Stamp with Me!

Fancy Lunch Bags

...or gift bags.  You can do what you want with them.  Here are two I made.  They're just ordinary lunch bags fancied up.

Super, super simple.  This one is just covered with Holiday Treasures designer paper.  I added eyelets (not an easy task since my Crop-a-dile was at the office!!  Have you ever tried to hammer an eyelet setter inside a bag?) and some gold cord.  The bow was a lot prettier, but I untied it to kind of puff out the bag and make it look like there was something in it and the second tying didn't go as well.  And the bag still looks empty.  Mostly because, well - it is.

Ok - this reminds me of one of my favorite bumper stickers--
"Bad spellers of the world, untie!"

And here's my other fave --
"Visualize whirled peas."

Hey, at least I don't have a show tune stuck in your head.

Back to lunch/gift bags....

I suppose since this has a tag, it's definitely a gift bag.  I wheeled "Soft Holly" in black ink over the bag.  I was only going to do one wheeled image across the bottom, but that looked wonky, so I added several rows.  Looking back, I'd do them diagonally, because they kind of look like prison stripes marching along horizontally like that.  Happy, holiday prison stripes, but, still...

After I wheeled the holly, I chalked the berries and leaves.

The tag is Kraft card stock.  I stamped the poinsettia from "Christ Is Born" using Real Red and YoYo Yellow markers.  Then I glittered, of course, and added it to the bag with gold cord.

Here are two cards I CASEd from Stampin' Up!® today.  They were on the daily showcase; I kept the same layout and colors, but changed the stamp sets. 

This uses:
Always (stamp set)
Card stock:  Riding Hood Red, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White, Kiwi Kiss
Ink:  Riding Hood Red, VersaMark
Accessories:  Whisper White grosgrain, Scallop circle punch, 1" circle punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, Crafter's Tool Kit, Stampin' Dimensionals

The next one is very similar.  It would make a nice sympathy card or a thank you or thinking of you. 

Stamp sets:  Heartfelt Thanks, A Rose Is a Rose
Card stock:  Pink Pirouette, Riding Hood Red, Whisper White, Bella Rose DSP
Ink:  Kiwi Kiss, Old Olive, Pink Pirouette, Riding Hood Red, Regal Rose
Accessories:  Stamp-a-ma-jig, Stampin' Dimensionals

I actually used the Pythagorean theorem on this one!!  I have always used trial & error to cut diamonds, but I finally noticed - DUH!  That's a right triangle in the top corner there.  (I'm a little slow.  I mean, are you really supposed to use math in daily life?  Besides fractions and stuff in cooking?  Just kidding, there, kids.)  So I did the a² + b² = c² thing, knowing that the pink layer was 4" wide, so a & b were 2 inches.  Cool.  Now all I had to do was figure out the square root of 8.  (I guessed.....2.75 is close enough.)
The boys are always asking why they had to learn algebra (especially algegra 2).  And, seriously, I have never had to factor a quadratic equation outside of a textbook in my life.  So I excitedly told Wesley about how handy Pythagoras had been.  He was less than enthused.  Oh, well.  Have a great day!!  Use some math.

Guess I'm on a roll...

...with my "not-cards!"  Here's one I made today.  I got the inspiration from "Jan Tink."  What do you think?

It uses Holiday Treasures and a little Bella Rose designer paper, Kiwi Kiss card stock, and Old Olive wide grosgrain ribbon.  The "Love & Peace & Joy" is the Sizzix "Join in the Cheer" decorative strip.  I wasn't sure I'd like the strip, but it has so much potential!  You can use it on things like this, cards, scrapbook pages, or even make a garland for the tree or mantle.

I got an incredible idea from Mom yesterday, but I'm going to wait until the weekend to tell you about it.  It's really, really cool.  She is a very clever woman.  (Do I have you curious??)

I'll try to get back with more cards tomorrow.  Have a great day!

Another candle

Here's my last 3-D project for this week.  The idea was in Stampin' Success, our monthly stamping magazine from Stampin' Up!®  You just add a little card stock, a little designer paper, some hardware, ribbon and flowers, and you have a great little gift for someone.  I adhered it to the tile with mini glue dots.

Here's a tip I learned.  If you make a decorated candle for someone, you want it to last as long as possible.  Let it burn down about an inch or so and place a tea light in the resulting indentation.  That way, you can burn the tea light, but the candle will stay pretty.  Just change the tea light when it burns out.  You also don't have to worry about any of your decorations catching on fire. Cool idea, huh??

More gift ideas

I had a great time today at the Stamp-a-stack.  It was great to see Donna Day - the first time since her wedding!!  And Karen brought me a flower, Amy brought me some adhesive (and let me borrow some Sizzlits), and Mom brought green beans and crackers.  I love Mom's green beans; mine are never quite as good.  And the crackers were wonderful at lunch time.  I ate Donna's, too.  It wasn't even my birthday - and everyone fed me, supported my stamp addiction and brought me pretty things.  Donna taught me some new signs (she's the ASL teacher).  Too cool.  (Amy - once you start eating the Crunch 'n' Munch, it's very hard to stop. Thanks.)

Here are two more of the projects I made yesterday.  These both use the new decor elements in Chocolate Chip and Rose Red.

I used Bella Rose for the Chocolate Chip designer paper around the box.  I have to admit to using some retired Rose Red Prints for the border.  I didn't have any other Rose Red paper.  But wouldn't this make a great box for cookies, or some loaves of bread or fancy cakes?  You could also use it to store greeting cards and envelopes - or to pack them in as a gift.  It would even work as an "Operation Christmas Child" box for Samaritan's Purse this Christmas.  So if you bought punch boxes last summer and haven't done anything with them yet, dig them out!  This didn't take very long; I decorated it in the kitchen during an episode of NCIS.

Here's another one with the decor elements. 

It's a little blurry; I've never pretended to be a photographer!  But it was sooooo easy.  The votive and cup were less than $1.00, I think.  I just added the flower and center and that's it!   I think it would make a cute party favor or small stocking stuffer. 

The other half of each flower is on a tile I made for a coaster. 

That's it for today.  Have a wonderful weekend!

3-D Day

Today I spent most of my craft time working on handmade gifts.  Most are well within the $5.00 range, so they're perfect for little "thinking of you" gifts or for those people on your list that you want to give a little something to - but not break your budget.  Of course, after you add your time, creativity and caring to the project, it's priceless! 

Since I'm not going to be in my stamp room again until Monday, I'm just going to show you a couple today. 

This is the cutest little box made with acetate (or "window sheets" or "overhead transparencies,"  whatever you want to call them!). 

I know - it's a little weird having Candy Corn in the box marked, "Don't open till Christmas."  But I wanted to use my Frosty Day designer paper, and Candy Corn went with it so well.

We'll be making these in workshops and classes next month, so be sure to get in on a class.  Here is the post on splitcoaststampers with the directions.

This would be perfect as a placecard for a family dinner.  You could put the person's name in the frame, and add a little candy.  You could even put in a small votive with some greenery.  (Don't burn it in the box, though, unless it's a battery operated one!)

This is a candy jar I made for Mike's real estate office.  The secretary, Susan, always has a jar of candy on her desk, so I thought I'd "pretty it up" a little.

Again, it uses the Frosty Day designer paper.  I  added a little piece of Bashful Blue card stock with some "Snowburst" snowflakes.  "sweet" is from a new baby stamp, and I just colored the word I wanted with a Chocolate Chip marker.  The frame is Styled Silver hodgepodge hardware, and that's Old Olive wide grosgrain around the top.

This one's filled with candy, but you could put a baking mix with a recipe, or small cookies, or bath salts. 

I'll show you some more tomorrow!

My Bucket List

If I had a bucket list (which I don't) and one of the items on it was, "Set self on fire," I could now cross it off.  Cool, huh??  Just like Richard Pryor.  Actually, I didn't really set myself on fire - and it was more of a "smolder" than flames, but no less startling.

Here's what happened.  (I sound like Mr. Monk.)  I had a broken hair dryer.  Now, remember - my DH is an electrician, so if an appliance goes bad, we cannot throw it away.  At the very least, we have to snip off the cord or the plug, because you never know when you might need one.  Bear in mind that therapy sessions to deal with the twitch I have because of all the clutter in our house add up to thousands of dollars (ok, it's mostly stamping stuff, but still - it's therapy.  That's what I tell the IRS and I'm sticking to that story.  JUST KIDDING.).  A new cord or plug is about $2.00 at Solenberger's.  But, hey, what if you need said cord in the middle of the night and Solenberger's is closed?  So....my dear Jonathan fixed my hairdryer with a new/used plug. 

As I was "test drying," all of a sudden a spark shot out, the back of the hair dryer was in flames and I was scorched.  I hate "girls" who scream when things happen.  I mean, does Jessica Fletcher scream when she sees yet another dead body?  No.  She just gets that, "Oh, dear.  There's another one," look on her face.  But I screamed and dropped the dryer on the floor.  Then I thought about unplugging it.  (It had already started running again.) 

Here's my shirt.  It's actually Mike's shirt, but he gave it to me.  Really.

Please note - it was NOT Jonathan's handyman work that caused the fire.  He did a perfect job of fixing it.  Unfortunately, I had forgotten to clean the vent/screen thingy and it was pretty caked with dust, which was what was catching on fire.  (I blame the fact that it has been in the tool room for the past year, not my cleaning abilities.)  So now it's working fine, and if you get a hair dryer from me for Christmas or your birthday, it's in perfectly good condition.  Really.

So for suffering through the long story - here are today's projects.

Remember the Create a Calendar kit I put together a few weeks ago?  Well - as I mentioned yesterday, I took it apart and made it a little more original.  Here's the new version.

It stands up on your desk, and opens.  The calendar is on one side, and the other side is blank for stamping, notes, pictures or anything else you want to add.

Here's the inside.  (Hmmmm....Typepad is really starting to bum me out.  It's taking forever to upload images.  I'm going to try this one more time.)

Ok - I actually tried it 3 more times.  When this finally goes live, it will probably have 16 copies of the inside of this calendar.  It must know I'm in a hurry.  (I think we're heading to the gym.  Woohooo.)

 Finally.  There's lots of stuff to decorate it with, and it would make a great gift for a piano or dance teacher, scout leader, school teacher - or just a stocking stuffer.

I'm going to offer this class early in November.  The cost will be $12, which will cover the cost of the kit, shipping, tax, and a few "extras" - like the brad and flower on the front, extra card stock and rings.

Here's the other project I made today.  I wasn't really sure I'd like it, but it turned out ok.  The idea was a winning project in "Stampin' Discuss," our monthly stamp magazine. 

That wonky smudge on the left side is NOT on my card.  I guess it's from the scanner.  Weird.

I took some of the die cuts from the Piña Colada Simply Scrappin' Kit and stuck them to glossy white card stock.   After I brayed Chocolate Chip ink over it, I peeled off the die cuts and sponged a little Baja Breeze over the spaces that had been covered by the die cuts to tone down the white a little.  I added some Felt Fusion Too Accents and Elements, a square fire rhinestone brad, and some Vanilla hodgepodge hardware.  Just something different to show you.

So I'm off to update our fire insurance.  Have a great day!

Stamp-a-stack

Today was the first Christmas stamp-a-stack.  What fun I had!  I love watching a group of people take the same example and turn it into something of their own.  I'm looking forward to "group 2" on Saturday.

Here are a couple samples I made when I got home.  They're both splitcoast challenges this week.  This one is the "sketch challenge."

I know I've said this before, but the challenges really help when you're not feeling that creative.  And I think I left my "creative ideas notebook" in Mike's truck - so it was great to have a little springboard.

This uses Summer by the Sea.  I love this set, and I'm hoping it makes it back into the Spring/Summer catalog.  It's still available - just on the dormant list.

The little background flowers are from A Rose Is a Rose.  I stamped the girl in Jet Black StazOn on watercolor paper, then watercolored her with an aqua painter and watercolor pencils and crayons.  I stamped the Canvas background on the Kiwi strip in Kiwi Kiss, and crimped the Orchid Opulence strip, then dragged it through the same color ink.  And, of course, I had to add a little glitter to the flowers and butterflies.

The second one was the color challenge.  The colors were Kiwi Kiss, Pink Pirouette and Chocolate Chip.

I haven't used the Fresh Cuts set for awhile, so I dug it out tonight.  I wanted to do something a little different, so I stamped the background in Kiwi Kiss on Confetti Cream.  Then I used the aqua painter to blend and blur the ink, and to add some Pink Pirouette to the flowers.  I used a few drops of refill for this.  You can squeeze your stamp pad together and use the ink in the lid to watercolor with.  For light colors, though, I put a couple drops of refill in the lid and pick that up with the water brush.

The flowers are Flower Fusion Too Accents & Elements, and they're held together with Vintage brads.  I have loads of retired colored eyelets and even some shaped ones from many years ago, but no current "metallic" ones.  So I finally broke down and ordered some.  I like the antique brass ones, so that's what's in the top corner.  Before putting everything together, I distressed the edges of the cream card stock with the cutter kit.

The vine on the bottom is stamped in Chocolate Chip, and the designer paper is from the Bella Rose colection.

Tomorrow, my planned project is to make a desk calendar with the "Create a Calendar" kit from the Holiday mini.  If it goes well, I'll post it.  If not....well, you'll know, because you won't see it.  And Jonathan is doing better, if you're wondering.  His foot was pretty sprained, but I did manage to get him to stay off of it last night (for several hours, anyway), and to keep it propped up with ice.  Wesley, of course, is always fine.  He backed the Expedition out of the driveway like a pro (and if you've seen our driveway, you know that's not the easiest thing in the world).  He had to maneuver between Mike's car, Jonathan's car and Mike's truck.  I've found he does much better if I keep quiet--again, not the easiest thing in the world - but I did manage. 

Don't forget the Stampin' Up!® birthday special this month, as well as the great hostess promotion.  (Hostess a $350 or more workshop and select a set from the Fall/Winter Sampler free - in addition to all the regular hostess benefits you receive.)  Call or e-mail me to schedule your workshop!

I'm not starting a theme!

First - sorry I didn't post anything yesterday.  I spend most of the day cutting paper for the Stamp-a-Stack.  I'm really excited about this one!  I like all the cards we're doing, and I think everyone will have a lot of fun.

You know how some people - musicians, artists, writers - get on a theme?  I promise I'm not starting that with sunset/sunrise cards.  I was driving to Oratorio Society rehearsal last night, and this is what the sky looked like.  (I know - I called it a "sunrise" treeline, since I have so many sunset cards already.  I guess this is what the sunrise looks like.)  Ok - it's been awhile since I brought in show tunes, but how many of you are singing "Fiddler" songs now?  And why am I humming Wonder of Wonders instead of Sunrise, Sunset?  At least it's blocked out the "West Side Story" tunes Mike & I were humming all weekend.  Long story for another day.  It started with Paul Newman.  (I told you, the inside of my head is a scary place.)

It's very like some of the others I've done.  But, hey - there's no moon in this one!  It was the time of night after all the colors of the sunset are gone, but before the moon and stars are out.  Or - it could be the very first light of the sunrise. 

I stamped and embossed the treeline with black embossing powder, then sponged color.  The last of the sun (or the beginning, depending on what time of day it is) is So Saffron, and the sky and ground are sponged in Going Gray, Night of Navy and Going Gray.  I added a little Chocolate Chip to the ground.  There may be a little Perfect Plum in there, too.

I love the Prestwick DSP, and added the clip and an eyelet for some hardware.  This is a very manly card, don't you think?  Looks more like a sympathy card, though - but the sentiment is just clipped in, so I can change it if I need to.

I was hoping to have something else to show - but I'm in a slump and pressed for time this afternoon.  Life interrupts my stamping plans so often!  I was trying to do something with the onyx glitter that's in the Chunky Essentials glitter stack that I bought over a year ago, but it didn't go well.  Let's just say I am covered in black glitter.  And everything I've touched is covered in black glitter.  Even the dog is covered in black glitter - and he's an oversized black dog anyway, so he looks like a Baskerville hound.  He kind of likes it, though.  Maybe we'll take him for a walk like that on Halloween and scare all the trick-or-treaters.  Could be fun.

So I'm off to play Nancy Nurse.  Jonathan stepped out of the van today and twisted his ankle, so I'm going to get him some ice and make him get off of his foot.  Easier said than done!

The Only Reason....

...I do housework is to have more stamping supplies.  Here's what I mean.

I do laundry so I have used dryer sheets to stamp on.  (Not really - but it is a perk!)

This is so fun.  When you first stamp on the dryer sheet, it looks a little sad, but when you're finished, it really is pretty.

Here's what I used and how I did it.

Stamp sets:  Dreams du Jour, Upsy Daisy
Ink:  Tangerine Tango, Summer Sun Classic
    Stampin' Pads; Stampin Write Markers -
    Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Summer Sun
Paper:  Frosty Day DSP, Confetti Cream,
    Tangerine Tango, Summer Sun card stock
Accessories:  1/16" circle punch, Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware, Stampin' Dimensonals, Crystal Effects, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, Sponge Dauber, Blender Pen, Desinger Label punch.

I inked the daisy stamp in Summer Sun, then added some Tangerine Tango to the edges of the flowers.  Then I stamped on a used dryer sheet.
You can use a Xyron machine to make a "sticker" out of the dryer sheet, but this was too big for mine, so I used Crystal Effects.  I just spread some CE on Confetti Cream card stock, then laid the dryer sheet on it.  The hardest part is to flatten the dryer sheet out without getting your hands all sticky.
Before it dried, I sprinkled on a little Dazzling Diamonds.

Several days later.... (Ok - it doesn't take this long to dry, but I was working on other things) - mitre the edges of the dryer sheet (not all the way to the corner), then glue under card stock.  I layered it to Tangerine Tango, then to Summer Sun.  There are tiny little butterflies at the top of the Tangerine Tango card, and I added two little pieces of Frosty Day DSP to the edges of the Summer Sun layer.  I figured since you wouldn't see most of it, why waste a whole strip of designer paper? 
The tag is a "Dreams du Jour" stamp.  I colored it with markers, stamped, blended the color with a blender pen, then punched with the Designer Label punch.  I added it to the card with the Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware and layered the whole thing to the Tangerine card with dimensionals.

So that's it for this weekend.  Unless something miraculous happens (like God stopping time again and giving us an extra 3-5 hours), I won't get to post again until Monday.   Have a happy weekend!

Here's what I've been doing...

...when I should be cutting paper for Sunday's workshop!  Here are some holiday treasures I've been making.  I'll be offering a class early in November, and here's what you can make for $20!  (There are a lot of images, so they'll be small.  Click to see bigger pics!)

                 
 These are the four boxes.  Inside the brown one and a red one are these cute albums.              

Inside another red box are some note cards, and inside the green box with the handle are these cute little tags.
          

These would make great gifts or stocking stuffers!   Here's the little notebook I finished today.

This is the front.  I used the Bella Rose designer paper for the cover, and backed it with Riding Hood Red.  The flowers are Flower Fusion and Flower Fusion Too Accents & Elements, with rhinestone brads from the Pretties Kit.  That's the Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware under the flower with some Kiwi Kiss card stock.

I stamped the rose from "A Rose Is a Rose," cut it out and attached it with dimensionals.  It's all held together with more Pretties brads and some taffeta ribbon.

Here's the inside (and that's not my hand.  It belongs to the "man-child.")

Each page is stamped with flowers from "A Rose Is a Rose."  The inside cover is more Bella Rose paper with Pink Pirouette behind it.  I put a layer of cardboard (the stuff that comes with the DSP) between the card stock for a little extra weight in the cover.  And do you know what?  The Crop-a-dile punched through it all!

Obviously, I've been having fun today.  In the picture of the note cards, you can see a little dryer sheet on top of my clock/CD player.  I'll finish up the project with that and show you tomorrow.  My boys think I'm crazy, because I asked them to save all the dryer sheets after they come out of the laundry.  Did they learn nothing in all those years of homeschooling?  Besides, it's my way of recycling.  Wait till you see what the Big Shot will do to a soda can...