Thursday, January 30, 2014

Laughing Lola Card Workshop Kit Card - You can never have too much Happy


I wasn't so sure about the Laughing Lola paper pack at first.  I really don't like paisley, but I LOOOOOOVE purple!  The Laughing Lola card kit workshop makes these super cute cards:


I love the stamp set that comes in the kit -- 


The kit includes: The stamp set (above), 2 sheets of the paisley (front side) and purple (back side) paper, 5 sheets of coordinating card stock, 15 White Daisy cards and envelopes, 10 yards of grey and black Baker's twine, 108 purple (rhinestone) gems, instructions (yay!).  You can make 5 each of the cards above. All for just $24.95!  

Don't wait too long, it's retiring on 1/31/14!!

6 months ago, we made the "Cheer Up" card (above) in class, which is really cute.  You can change the sentiment so that it works for you (which is what I love about stamping).

This month in card class, we used this same workshop on the go stamp set to make this card:

You know this sentiment is true!

I LOVE flowers (as you know); I cut these out with the Cricut (Art Philosophy - 3 sizes:  3/4", 1", 1 1/4") and layered them up with puffy tape.  I bent the petals up (gently) so they would be curved up.  The purple rhinestone you see (lower right flower) comes in the Laughing Lola workshop.  To make the other two flower centers, I used a 1/4" single hole punch (like you use in school) and punched a little circle out of the zip strip at the top of the Laughing Lola (paisley) paper.  After attaching it to the flower, I used a blob of Liquid Glass and made it hard and shiny.  SO COOL!  Most people in class didn't even recognize it as just the paper in the kit with a little Liquid Glass.  Love using old stuff for a new look!!

Also, banners are hot right now, so I cut a glittery banner (1" wide) to accentuate the gold in the paper.  I like it!  (The paisley piece is 3" wide.)

TIP:  To make your banners symmetrical at the bottom  -  you COULD fold the paper to make a little crease at the bottom (I don't like doing this, because then there is a little crease in my paper.  Also, it doesn't work with stiff paper like glitter paper.)  My favorite way to get evenly cut banners is to:

          1. At the bottom of your strip find the approximate center, cut about 3/4" up with your scissors (or 1" or more, if you want a deeper "V" at the bottom.
          2. Now cut from the corner of the strip to the top of your center cut.
          3. Repeat with the other side.
          4. Your banner should be even!  (HOORAY!)  Sometimes after I make the center cut (#1), I turn the paper over (because I can't see where I cut).  This is especially true with the busy paisley pattern.

Good luck - have fun!  And keep stamping!!

Supplies Used:
Laughing Lola Workshop on the Go (G1064, $24.95)
Card Stocks Used: Lagoon, Black, White Daisy, Glitter (I used the Gold sheet in the Brown & Tan pack: Z1830 $5.95 for 3 sheets: Bronze, Gold, Brown)
Ink Color:  Saddle (who knew this would be such a great match for the gold tones in this paper pack??)
Cricut Art Philosophy (Z1686, $99)
Liquid Glass (Z679, $6.95)
Other:  1/4" single hole punch, foam mounting tape, MicroTip scissors, Lisa's blog to make awesome, symmetrical banners (haha)

Want anything to add to your collection?  Click here to shop now!  :)

Happy stamping!

Lisa




Monday, January 27, 2014

I'm SOOOOOOOOO excited, my new Spring Catalog is here!!

I'm SO excited about the new Close To My Heart Spring/Summer Catalog!  The night they arrived, I fell asleep looking through it.  (Nice bedtime reading.)

Here's a sneak peek at the cover:





I know, I know, you can't judge a book by its cover...but really, this one has lots of fun great stuff in it!  There's seven new paper packs, over 65 new stamp sets, Cuttlebug embossing folders, new accessories, new OWL stamp sets (yippee!), a Picture My Life Scrapbooking Program (like Project Life - easy, easy memory keeping with no adhesive required), Crush Books (like Smash Books - fun little binders with cute papers and designs), and LOTS MORE!


Picture My Life - Avonlea



It's nice that they've coordinated the papers with existing papers, so you can add your own papers to your scrapbook, if you want.

Picture My Life - Babycakes - I love set this better than the actual paper pack!
Want to get your own copy of the catalog?  Schedule your own get together with some friends!  Want to get it early?  Schedule your gathering for February!  (The new catalog starts February 1.)

Just want to check it out?  Come to one of my card classes.  The next classes are 

Friday, February 21 (6:30pm)
Saturday, February 22 (10am) 
Thursday, February 27 (10am)
Friday, February 28 (6:30pm).  

We'd love to see you!!  We'll be making some FUN cards with the new goodies! 

Let me know if you are in the Seattle area and want to join us!

Lisa

Friday, January 17, 2014

Wheeeeee! Spinning Monkey Card!

I love interactive cards - they are so much fun!!  This one was inspired by my team member, Michele, who taught a similar card at a recent team meeting.



If you pull on the string hanging down, the monkey spins around...click on the video below.  It's SOOOOOOOOO fun!!



Supplies Needed:
Card Base (I made mine 4" x 5 1/2")
Chocolate Card Stock - 4" x 5 1/2"
Babycakes' Polkadot B&T (Patterned Paper) 3 3/4" x 5 1/4"
Chocolate sunburst (3 1/2") - Art Philosophy
Sunset sun shape (3") - Art Philosophy
Colonial White sun shape (2 1/2") - Art Philosphy
Buttercup B&T (patterned paper) 1/2" x 2"
Sunset Card Stock - 1/2" x 2 1/4" (for pull tab)
Chocolate Stamp Pad
Sweet Leaf Stamp Pad (for edge distressing the Buttercup B&T)
12" Baker's Twine - Natural Assortment - Z1701, $4.95.  The Sunset color in the Paradise Assortment (Z1702) works great, too!
Wild Wonders Stamp Set - C1558, $13.95
Holiday Tags - D1560, $17.95
Glue Dots

It's not hard to make the spinning mechanism, but it's a little counter-intuitive...
In addition to the items listed above, you will also need these supplies:

1- Brad with long prongs in the back.  Doesn't matter what the top looks like, it will be covered.
2 - 1" circular pieces of clear plastic (like the backing sheets that the sparkles come on)  - They don't have to be perfect circles, 2 1" squares with the corners rounded will work fine, too.
2 - 1/2" or similar pieces of foam mounting tape (you can round these corners, too)
Piercing Tool

So the whole thing spins on the brad.  Here's what you do to make the spinning "sandwich":

Take the Piercing tool, and poking a hole in the center of each item, put the items on in the following order
(so that the #1 item is closest to the wood handle of the Piercing Tool):
1.  Sunset sun shape
2.  Puffy Tape (remove both pieces of protective backing so the tape sticks to the Sunset paper (above) and Item #3, below)
3.  Puffy Tape (remove both pieces of protective backing so the tape sticks to the other piece of Puffy Tape (Item #2, above) and the acetate circle (Item #4, below)
4.  Clear acetate circle
5.  Clear acetate circle (this one don't stick to anything, it just rotates freely)
6.  Chocolate sunburst shape

Keeping everything on the Piercing Tool, poke a hole in the Polkadot B&T (Patterned Paper) so that it is centered horizontally on the paper.

Keeping everything in the same order, remove your "sandwich" from the Piercing Tool and stick the "sandwich" on the brad.  The Sunset sun shape will be closest to the 'head' of the brad.

Attach the 'loaded' brad to the polkadot paper, through the hole you made.  Open the prongs in back to keep it in place.

Now you can put everything else together - the Chocolate card stock to the card base, the polkadot paper (with attached "sandwich") to the Chocolate card stock.  Stamp the monkey on the Colonial White sun shape, and attach that to the top of the spinning mechanism.

Put a Glue Dot on one end of the twine. Carefully stick it on the two pieces of puffy tape in the center of your spinning thing.  At the loose end of the twine, tie a knot.  Fold the small Sunset piece of card stock in half, and secure it to the twine with a Glue Dot.  Write "PULL" on your Sunset tab.  Cut a "V" out of the bottom of the tab, so it looks like a flag.

Wind your twine around your spinning thing.

You are done!  The first time it spins, it makes you laugh!!!  (maybe the 2nd and 3rd time, too!)  Have fun with it. SO worth all the effort!

Lisa

PS - I know this was long, but if you like this kind of post with actual instructions, let me know by leaving a comment.  Thank you!!


Thursday, January 9, 2014

Dressing up your leftovers...

My sister-in-law turned 50 last week.  I made her a set of cards for a birthday present.  I used some of the extra Laughing Lola paper I had.  I LOVE being able to make things out of paper that I have hanging around.  (It makes me feel like I'm being productive and frugal by shopping my stash!)  Um, I think that might be why SCRAPbooking and card making appeal to me.  Waste not, want not, right!!??

This card layout is one of the simplest and the best way to use up paper!

The purple is the back side of the crazy bold paisley pattern.

I really like the NEW Teal Shimmer Trim (glittery tape), which is coming out February 1.  SOOOO sparkly!  (and it's much easier to get the protective backing off on this one.)  I also used a piece of the black tulle that we used to carry, behind the monogram.  (Did you know all the monogram stamps are retiring at the end of this month????  Get them while you can!!  See the retiring items section of my website to see all the fun stuff that's going away on 1/31/14.  The monograms are going away, too, but they are shown HERE.

The scallop punch I used was one I had hanging around. 

Yes, I know, it's not fancy, but hey, I got something done!  I think that's what I'm here for -- to show you how to get something done.  I could make some super elaborate card, but you might never get around to making it, because it's too complicated.  Simple is good.  AND it makes the person you're giving it to think that they might be able to do that, too!  Share the love, ladies.  :)

You could always make a dressier card by cutting a Cricut card with a swooshy edge.

I hope my sister-in-law liked the cards.  She likes bold designs.  It doesn't get much bolder than Laughing Lola!

Supplies Used:
Laughing Lola Paper Pack
Monogram "L"
Teal Shimmer Trim (coming 2/1/14)
Whisper c/s
Black stamp pad
Baker's Twine (to tie the tulle in the middle)
Black Tulle
1 1/2" scallop punch
Hot glue gun (to stick the monogram, tulle and card together)

Friday, January 3, 2014

Cloud Nine - Winter Special! January 1-31


Hello!  Happy January!  Did you know that it's National Papercrafting Month?  It is, and Close To My Heart is celebrating with the Cloud Nine winter special.  It's only available during the month of January with your qualifying order (spend $35 and get the kit for just $15!)

You can also get the kit for FREE when you sign up to become a Close To My Heart consultant in January and you submit $300 in orders before June 30.



If you've arrived here from {Sheila's Blog} - you are in the right spot!

If you've gotten lost and need the complete list of hoppers with links, click here

Here's the goodies that come in the kit.  On the far left (that you can barely see) is a pack of cards and envelopes.  It also comes with instructions on how to put the cards together.  The white sheet has a bunch of cutouts (already punched).  After you've made these original cards up, you can cut more shapes out with your Cricut cartridge.  (yippee!)



Included in the Kit:
Cutting guide and instructions
Exclusive to this kit, Swirly Sunset B&T paper
Sunset Card Stock
Lagoon Card Stock
Cutouts for the projects
Stamp set (see below)
(NEW!) Gold Polka-Dot Washi Tape (also sold separately - Z1920, $7.95 for 15 yards)
(NEW!) Teal shimmer trim (also sold separately - Z1918, $4.95 for 5 yards)
(NEW!) Triangle Studs Durables (also sold separately - Z1928, $3.95 for 48 studs in 2 sizes and 2 colors)!
White Daisy Cards & Envelopes (10)

Close up of the stamp set:





Not a big fan of mustaches, but the other stamps I like ok. 
Here's the 5 "official" cards that you can make in the pack:
(I stamped everything in Lagoon...)


Oops, I rotated the card before I put the mustache on.  I kind of like it...it's a faceless face.


 Love the clouds...and the Star Trek-like triangles...


I cut a tiny glitter heart out of the Shimmer Trim by hand.


This card (above) is my favorite out of the kit. 




Still dealing with my Washi Tape Phobia...but I may be getting the hang of it...

Here's a couple more that I made with some leftover pieces...


I adhered the Teal Glitter Tape to a piece of paper that was 3/4" wide, trimmed the bottom and made it another flag.  The dots on the corners are from the Aqua Dots embellishments (Z1853, $3.95 for 108 dots in 4 different sizes and 3 different colors)


I used one of the larger hearts in the kit and made like a heart with an arrow through it.  The reason the stamped image is fuzzy, is I twisted it after my original stamp.  It blurs the stamped image.  I like it, even though it's a little weird looking.  Also, I used some Paradise Assortment Baker's Twine (Z1702, $4.95 for 10 yards each of 4 different colors).  The twine is one of my favorite accessories!

If you want to shop away and qualify for this special - shop here!

If you want to hop on over to {Karen's Blog} , click on the link.

I hope your year is filled with blessings, smiles and good health,  Like the beauty pageant contestant says - I wish for WORLD PEACE.  (With all the people wishing for it, why is it that we are still searching for it??)

Lisa