Saturday, April 30, 2011

May Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!

Hi, everyone.  So sorry I've been absent.  I was getting ready for my Stamp/Scrap Garage Sale today.  It went really well, there were lots of deals to be had.  I still have some stuff available, so let me know if you're interested in picking up goodies...

Today (hooray!) is the May Stamp of the Month Blog Hop.  If you've arrived here from Wendy's Blog, you've come to the right place.

This month's stamp set is called Chairs To You (funny, isn't it?).  It's got 6 different chairs, plus some nice sentiments.  If you haven't seen the set yet -- here it is!



The first card I came up with was inspired by the "window" at Nordstrom.  They had a bunch of circles, and one different one.  I love to look at the window displays, because they are flat and are always showing the latest color combinations and styles. 



The other thing I considered doing with this card was taking the green button off completely and leaving an empty space there ... and having the the sentiment be "Missing You."  I popped the sentiment up with foam mounting tape.


Supplies Used:  
Chairs To You (SOTM) (D1456, $22.95)
Creative Basics Wings Collection (X5812, $7.95)
Designer Buttons - Wooden (Z1387, $5.95 for 24 wood buttons)
Buttons - Green Assortment (Z1372, $5.95)
Colonial White Card Stock
Sweet Leaf Card Stock
Olive Card Stock
Cocoa Stamp Pad
Chocolate Waxy Flax (Z1088, $3.95)
Foam Mounting Tape

The second card I made I was trying to use those crazy chairs!  I stamped them and cut them out.  I thought that they looked like soldiers, when I put them all in a row, so I made them 'jaunty.'  It also reminds me of the Haunted House at Disneyland, where they chairs float in the air...  Odd, how my mind works.



I used the new Creative Basics Wings Collection.  I thought the stripes looked like wall paper.  So then, I decided to use the new Kraft Color Ready Borders for the "chair rail."  It's nice, because they are self-adhesive.  There's a LOT of them in a pack.  I got my pack in the Miracle Workshop Kit.  (Love it, because it has the pinwheel stamp set!).

Supplies Used:
Chairs To You (SOTM) (D1456, $22.95)
Creative Basics Wings  Collection (X5812, $7.95)
Miracle Paper Pack (I used the Workshop, so I got the borders and the stamp set in it...G1023, $29.95)
Kraft Color-Ready Borders (Z1377, $5.95)
Cocoa Stamp Pad
Colonial White Card Stock
Mocha Opaques (Z1333)
Sweet Leaf Marker
New England Ivy Marker
Parchment Marker
Sky Marker
Bamboo Marker
Foam Mounting Tape

Now, Hop On Over to Traci's Blog to see what kind of creativity she has to share with you!

If you want to check out the Stamp of the Month in person, come to a card class!  The next ones are Fridays, May 20 & 27 at 6:30 and Thursday, May 26 at 10am.  Can't come to a card class?  Order online!  It's all good.  :)   Plus, you can check out the National Scrapbooking Month special, too!  Call (425.255.3731) or email me to rsvp






Sunday, April 24, 2011

Another Mini-Scrapbook Thing

You know me, big card maker, not big scrapbooker.  Mini-scrapbooker, yes.  Big scrapbooker, not so much (although I'm working on it).

Here's the Christmas gift I made for my mother-in-law, my favorite person to give scrapbooking stuff to.  (SHE is a big scrapbooker, so she appreciates all this stuff.)  :)

I used the My Creations Mix & Mingle Album.  The album "pages" are 4"x4" and there are 3 clear and 5 white chipboard pages in die-cut shapes.  Very cool!   I did my project double-sided, so she could flip it over in 6 months and stare at new pictures!



It's hard to tell from the picture what shapes the clear pages are.  Some have the bracket edge, some are scalloped.  I used a ribbon to hang the whole project.  Little rings for hooking the pages together are included with the album.   I used the Miracle Paper Pack (current) and Veranda Paper Pack (retired).  I think I may have also used some paper from Twitterpated (retired).

The absolute BEST way to trim the paper to the shape of your "page" is to use use the Finishing Files.  (Love 'em!)  You glue the paper onto your "page," trim as close as you can to the "page" with scissors, then use the Finishing Files (like sandpaper) to get in close/soften the edges so they don't look cut.  They're like the man-tools files, just smaller.  They are perfect for smoothing edges on a page that's weird shaped, like these curves.  

I also used a bunch of retired stuff on the project.  (Why wouldn't I?  Gotta shop my stash!)

I hope you will try making a mini-album some day.  Call me for guidance if you want.  425.255.3731.  I'd love to help.

Supplies Used:
My Creations Mix and Mingle Album (Z1334, $8.95)
Miracle Paper Pack (X7133B, $12.95
Veranda Paper Pack (retired)
Twitterpated Paper pack (retired)
Colors Used:  Crystal Blue, Sweet Leaf, Desert Sand,  Sorbet, Twilight, Cocoa, Bamboo
Fresh Shapes Dimensional Elements (retired)
Just Blooms (paper flowers) (retired)
Felt Snowflakes (can't remember the name or number of the item)  (retired)
Corduroy Brads
Finishing Files (Z1091, $5.95)

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Hope For Japan


Friday - April 22, 2011

Our hearts go out to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Fukushima, Japan, and Close To My Heart is eager to help.  Even though it seems like it was ages ago, the earthquake and tsunami were just 5 weeks ago.  There is still a lot of recovery to be done.

During April, purchase the exclusive “Hope for Japan” A-size stamp set for the special price of only $5 (retail value $7.95) and Close To My Heart will donate 100% of the profits to the American Red Cross' tsunami relief efforts in Japan. This beautifully designed stamp set reminds us of how our hearts are hopeful for those who are in need.  It's easy to donate.  Just add the Hope For Japan stamp set to your order.  All of the $5 will go towards helping the Red Cross' Tsunami victims.  Click here if you would like to start shopping now.  Be sure to check out the "While Supplies Last" section for screamin' deals on retired products.  :)




This is the card I made with the Hope For Japan (A1118) stamp set.  I totally scraplifted the idea from Kandi Gallegos-Garcia.

I liked the box pleats that are on the side of the card.


We're making this card in class tonight (April 22)!  Call me at (425) 255-3731 if you want to join us!


Supplies Used:
Hope for Japan (A1118, $5 during April Only)
A Little Everything (D1408, $22.95)
Sweetheart paper pack (X7134B, $12.95)
Cotton Candy Card Stock (in Sweetheart pack)
Black Card Stock (in Sweetheart pack)
White Daisy Card Stock (for small heart) (in Sweetheart pack)
Cotton Candy Stamp Pad (Z2193, $5.25)
Archival Black Stamp Pad (it's smellier than I would like, but I liked it better than the regular black stamp pad, which looked almost grey when I stamped it on the pink paper)
Sponge Daubers
Scotch Tape
Foam Mounting Tape



Thursday, April 14, 2011

Got Milk? er...Milk Carton?

I love this cute little candy/anything holder.  We made it at a recent team meeting, and I'm excited to teach it at my classes this month.  I am putting chocolate Kisses in my cartons, but you really could fill it with anything...except liquid, of course!



Start with a 8 1/2" x 6 1/2" piece of card stock. 

I think if you click on the diagram, it will get larger.


Here's the scoring diagram.  It really is important to score your card stock.  Otherwise your folds won't be crisp.  I used our Fiskars Paper Trimmer and the Bone Folder.  (Or you could use a scoring blade with the trimmer.)

It's a little bit of work to score the card stock like in the diagram, but I think it's worth it.

Cut out the "cut" sections.  Fold on the score lines, but don't adhere anything yet.  Make sure your carton goes together as it should.

Use Terrifically Tacky Tape first on the side flap.  Then use some on the bottom to keep it together.  Whatever adhesive you use has to be really sticky.  You don't want your milk carton falling apart at the seams!

Also, to adhere the (non-opening) top part of the milk carton, I used a little bit of Liquid glass in between the folds (3 places).  

TIP:  To keep your Liquid Glass and card stock in place while it's drying, use a small binder clip as a vice.  I discovered that the binder clip left little "bite marks" in the milk carton, so I used a very small piece of card stock in between the binder clip and the carton, so it didn't get dented where the clip was.

You could close up the carton completely, but then your friend would have to tear your beautiful creation to get the treats inside.  (Or you could secure it with a cute decorated clip.)  (Besides, you don't want them to rip it, your milk carton will be much to gorgeous to have them tear it apart in 2 seconds.)  That's why I left the spout open.

For the flowers, I punched two flowers, and gently bent all the petals on one flower up.  I offset them slightly, glued them together with Liquid Glass, and then put a decorated green button on it.




I made 3 sets of punched flowers, and put one on 3 of the sides.  Plus, I stamped a little sentiment, cut it out freehand and edged it with Smoothie ink.

I hope you are inspired to create something today!

Supplies Used:
Mayberry Paper Pack (X7136B, $12.95)
Smoothie Card Stock (included in Mayberry Paper Pack)
Treasures (D1375 , $22.95)
Honey Card Stock (X5668, $9.50 for 24 sheets)
Desert Sand Stamp Pad (Z2118, $5.25)
Round Sponge (Z697, $1.25)
Smoothie Stamp Pad (Z2196, $5.25)
Green Assortment Buttons (Z1372, $5.95)

Colonial White Waxy Flax (Z1081, $3.95)
Euro Personal Paper Trimmer (Z338, $29.95)
Bone Folder (Z1204, $4.95) (OR you can use the paper trimmer with a scoring blade)
Liquid Glass (Z679, $7.95)
Terrifically Tacky Tape
Flower Punch
Glue Dots
Small Binder Clip

Sunday, April 10, 2011

What I did today...scrapbooked!

Today I scrapbooked with some friends.  (Shocking, I know.)  I mini-scrapbooks are my favorite thing to make.  A beginning, a definite ending, not too many photos, not too much pressure!  I took the easy way out - took a Level 1 Lucky kit and cut it up into 6x6 pieces. 

I love the Level 1 Kits because they're already half done.  One of the reasons that I picked the Lucky kit was that two of the layouts can be cut into 6x6 squares, and you instantly have 8 pages done!  The other thing I love about Level 1 kits is that they come with coordinating stickers.  yeah!

I was really happy with the way the album turned out.  I made it for my friend's little boy's 3rd birthday.  I didn't use any extra pieces of paper (that didn't come in the Kit).  My friend is notoriously bad at sending me photos, but she does post them on facebook, so I copied them onto my computer and printed them out .  There were a few that were a bit grainy, so I printed them smaller.

I used few bitty brads (for accents) and I stamped one sentiment on one of the pages.  I also distressed with sandpaper and Desert Sand ink.  That's it!  I have tons of alphabet stickers left.  I think I'll send them to my friend along with the album.  He's a cutie pie.  Hope you like it!  (if you are getting this post via your subscription, you might not be able to see the pictures, but if you go directly to my blog, you should be able to see them.  I haven't yet figured out how to get around this problem...)



Supplies Used:
Lucky Level 1 Kit (X7137A, $9.95)
My Creations Display Album (Z1054, $7.95)
Desert Sand Stamp Pad (Z2118, $5.25)
Sponge (Z697, $1.25)
Sanding Kit (Z1294, $3.50)