Hello!

Hi!  Miss me?  Sorry I've been MIA for so long.  I had to step back from the stamping for a few days to get a grip on everything else around here!  Easter and Rebecca's birthday had me waaaaay behind on my usual tasks - I even missed paying a bill!  I have spent all week purging clothes and putting away the winter "stuff" - of course that means going through everything - deciding what is too small and what still fits - washing it etc etc etc.  Next weeks entertainment is the playroom.  Ugh.  THAT should be fun.  I tidied it 2 weeks ago but the influx of toys from Easter and the birthday have it out of control again.  The girls have authorized me to sell off some toys but I have to get at it - I expect it to be at least an 8 hour job.  Maybe Monday ....

I actually HAVE been stamping a little - I just didn't get around to photos and posting them so here we go ...

Thursday night I made 14 of these cute little 8 1/2" x 4 1/4" cards to pop in with my club orders.  They only took about an hour to make - they're so cute :)

I made them with the new Hello Blossoms stamp from the Summer Mini which comes into effect tomorrow.  So cute - and reasonable!  (only $9.95)  It's a great one to have.  I used my markers - Wild Wasabi, Poppy Parade (I'm using this color all the time lately!) and Daffodil Delight.  I punched the edge, put some Poppy Parade cs along the edge and tied it with some Daffodil Delight 1/4" grosgrain ribbon.  Quick and easy :)

I love this next card.  I have realized that when I NEED to make a card for someone or something I can put one together in about 20 minutes.  It's when I go down to make a card "just for the fun of it" that I struggle and sit for hours agonizing over every detail.  This one is an example of a 20 minute card.  I made it for my friend Pam.  For those of you in Edmonton - you may have heard of the little boy who was hit by a truck in St. Albert on Easter Sunday - this was Pam's boy, Carter.  Carter went to playschool with my daughter Alicia.  Needless to say Pam and her family have gone through hell for the last week praying and caring for Carter.  Pam and her family have a LOT of great friends who rallied around and helped out with everything from child care (for her other 3 children) to meals (another friend, Helen, organized a "meal train" and managed to arrange for 15 meals in only 12 hours!  BTW - check out "mealtrain.com" if you ever want to organize meals for a friend who needs help in this area - anyone with a new baby or going through life stresses ...).  I wanted to help Pam in some way but meals were pretty much covered so I thought it might help if I gave her some Thank You cards so she could thank the dozens and dozens of people who helped her through this horrible time (oh - I should say that Carter is now home (despite him suffering a fractured skull!!!) and is doing very well).  So - Thursday night I went down and made her 25 Thank You cards.  Here is what I came up with:

I got inspiration for my card from Julie Davison (juliedavison.com) from a card she posted on Stamper's Showcaes.  It uses the Paisley Petals DSP from the upcoming 2011-2012 catalogue (the one that was on promo last month) along with Not Quite Navy CS (and ink) and Crumb Cake CS (and ink) and the Crumb Cake seam binding.  I also used a jumbo eyelet in the corner.  The frame is from the Four Frames set (also from the upcoming catty) and the sentiment is from "Sweetheart" (page 58 of the catty).  It came together so effortlessly.  Pam was thrilled to receive them.  One less thing for her to have to go out and get and giving her more time to care for her beautiful boy.  We are all so thankful that he is home!
That's it for today - I need to make more cards.  It seems I forgot to make Rebecca a birthday card last week and Craig's birthday is Tuesday so pop back again next week to see what I came up with for them.  Hopefully they only take 20 minutes too :)

Have a fun weekend - thanks for looking in!

Tam

From the Archives

Happy Easter!

All the eggs are found and the sugar high is tolerable ... so far :)  The kids had a BALL on their scavenger hunt this morning.  These special moments are so much fun - it's just a shame that it doesn't last more than 33 minutes each year!

I feel like it has been FOREVER since I made a new card ... and it will be a few more days before I get a chance.  Today there is more Easter fun, the park and Grandma's for dinner - tomorrow is Rebecca's birthday.  No time for crafting ... myabe Tuesday :)

I thought I'd post a few "male" cards from my archives - since I only started this blog in September I'm pretty sure these ones didn't get shown off yet (sorry to my club members - you've seen 'em before)  This set is from last year's mini catalogue but it's one I'll keep for a few years yet - it's called "And Many Mower".  It's a good one.

I made the background by using Versamark all over a piece of white card stock and embossed with the silver embossing powder (yes, it uses a LOT!)  Then I ran the paper through the Big Shot with one of the textured plates.  Probably would have been a lot faster to use a piece of tin foil but embossing is always fun :)

Here is another one - I love they layout:

One more "guy" card just for fun :)

This uses the retired "To The Nines" Designer Series Paper and another retired stamp set ... it was from SAB last year "Vintage Labels" - another "keeper"

Hope you have a fun day - I'll post a brand new card as soon as I can :)

Tam

Ahhhh Sunday :)

I love Sundays :)

I've had such a great, relaxing weekend.  Yesterday was my Special Day Out with Rebecca.  Every year, just before her birthday, we go out shopping for her pretty birthday dress.  I actually bought her dress about a month ago so yesterday we went to the hair salon (each for a cut) then for lunch and then shopping for new shoes and general "stuff".  We had a great day together, topping it off with a Blizzard from DQ on the way home.

Today was fun too.  My Aunt June, cousin-in-law Noelle and her three daughters were in town from Calgary for a skating competition and they came over from brunch.  I haven't seen them in about 5 years!  It was nice to catch up.  This afternoon I spent an hour or so in my craft room finishing off some cards for a customer.  I'm now waiting for my husband to finish cooking dinner and then I'm thinking a little "Tangled" with some popcorn and my girls (although I seem to have more interest in seeing it than they are!)

My cat Charlie had a fun day today too.  He caught his first mouse of the season.  How nice that he decided to bring his fresh kill into the house and play with it on Craig's freshly washed winter jacket!  (THAT will teach him to leave his jacket on the floor!)

OK - onto some cards!  Here is an easy Easter card for those of you who still have time to make and mail them:

It's the same layout I used for the baptism card a few weeks back.  I used the lily from Fifth Avenue Floral with Sterling Silver embossing powder - the sentiment is from Fabulous Phrases.  I used the tulip embossing folder, sponged with a little pretty in pink around the edges.  PIP card stock and 1/4" taffeta ribbon finish it off.

Here is another Nurses Week card.  It is the same layout as the one I posted last week but instead of the hat I made a band-aid as my customer felt the younger nurses couldn't relate to the hat - I guess I'm dating myself on that one :)

The DSP is Night & Day (currently available on the Clearance Rack).  I used REal Red cs and ink.  THe black oval is the Large Oval punch (1 3/4" x 7/8") and the "you" in the middle uses the new Medium Oval that was in the holiday mini (it looks round but it IS oval).  The sentiments are from Wonderful Favorites and from Fabulous Phrases.  The buttons are from the nautrals Latte and from the retired brights collection.  I made the bandaid with a 1" x 2 3/4" piece of Blushing Bride cs and stamped it with the Dot, Dot, Dot stamp with Blushing Bride ink.  I then used a piece of 1" x 3/4" piece of BB and popped it up with dimensionals.  Apparently it looks VERY real as my mom thought it WAS a real band-aid :)

Hope you had a fun weekend -

Tam

Bits & Pieces

Happy Friday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm SO excited that it's Friday.  I'm even MORE excited that the pressure of today has been relieved.  I had SO much going on today my head was spinning.  Things all came together yesterday and two of my major commitments were removed.  Phew.  I went from being on the go from 7:00 am until 2:00 pm from having the house to myself until lunch time.  Yay!  LOVE when that happens.  NOte to self:  DON'T overschedule yourself like that again!!!

I was so busy this week I haven't had time to post my cards!  I DID come up with cards for my party tonight but it is all the way in the basement and I'm too lazy to go get it, take a picture, resize it and post it.  So instead you get a picture of the Anniversary Card I made for Craig (our 7th Anniversary was yesterday).  I simply tweaked the Petal Paisley DSP card I posted the other day to make it more "guy" friendly and Wa-low!  2 minute card that he approved of :)

This uses the retired Always Artichoke DSP with Early Espresso paper and ink along with Sahara Sand paper.  The button is from one of the neutrals retired button packs but any chocolate button would do.   I used the corner rounder, some dimensionals and the greeting is from Something to Celebrate - level 2 hostess set from the mini.

Here is another card I made this week.  I designed it about a year ago but had a customer recently purchase a number of them so I thought I'd post a picture.  I LOVE this card.  I lot of work but worth it for that special Thank You.

This used the Pink Pirouette DSP with Chocolate Chip DSP, card stock and ink.  I used the scallop trim punch and my hand held punch to get the little circles (your white and chocolate chip 5/8" brads work great on this project but the cost really adds up so I punched paper circled and attached them with mini glue dots or tombow (glue dots are easier!))  The sentiment is from from Full  of Life and the 5-petal flower punch with a brad in the middle finishes it off.  LOVE it!

That's it for today - I'm off to make the beds ...

Have a fun weekend  :)


Tam

Anything Goes

OK - so - today's mission was to decide what three cards to make for my hostess' party this Friday.  Yes, I know today is Tuesday and I should have it figured out, cut and packed up by now but ... well ... I don't.  (I do however have all of Rebecca's birthday invitations made and handed out!) 

My hostess had some specific requests
1) a 3-D flower card using the new Blossom Petals Punch
2) a project using Versamark and
3) a project using the SU fabric. 

Hmmm - tough order!  I tried making a card with the 3-D flower but it was WAAAAAAAAYYYYYY too time consuming.  Had to scratch that idea.  I'm hoping to make a project using the Big Shot Fun Flowers die but it is on backorder and I might not get it in time.  Rats.  Oh well - moving on to her second request.  Versamark.  Instead of doing the usual heat embossing I decided to use the versamarker and do the "poppin' pastels" technique.  I also wanted to offer an Easter project so here is what I came up with.

The beauty of this card is that it can easily be made into a Mother's Day card ... or any other sentiment really - it is an "anything goes" card for sure!

I used the Fifth Avenue Floral set for the Lily and Well Scripted (ARGH!!  Another one that I didn't realize was retired!!!!!!!) for the sentiment - I used Perfect Plum DSP, ink and card stock.  You can't see it very well but the flower is mounted on Very Vanilla CS and the ribbon is the Very Vanilla 1/4" grosgrain (oh look - it's still current - woo hoo!)  To color the flower I used the Versamarker on the petals and then a dauber in the Perfect Plum chalk and popped it over the flower very lightly.  I used the So Saffron marker for the stamens of the flower (are they stamens?  I forget my high school biology ...) The eyelet border punch and some dazzling diamonds to finish things off and "wa-low".  Quick Easter Card.

Right.  So request #2 is met.  Request #3 - a project with fabric.  No-can-do.  I don't have the fabric.  So ... instead ... let's go with ... a butterfly .... no ... there is no sensible correlation here but let's go with it.  I like my hostess parties to have quick, simple projects that also use some In Colour items.  This one fits the bill.  It also uses the Big Shot which I LOVE showing at parties.  I like this one a lot:

It uses the Beautiful Butterflies die, Bring on the Cake stamp set, pearls, whisper white taffeta ribbon and Poppy Parade DSP and ink.  The Scallop Trim border punch finishes it off nicely.  Of course ANY sentiment will work with this card making it another ... you guessed it ... "anything goes" card :)

So - two projects down one to go - I'm gunna go check the UPS website to see if my flower die is going to come soon ... fingers crossed.  Tune in soon to see what the third project is - hopefully I'll have it done before Friday :)

Have a fun day!

Tam

Rebecca is turning 8!

Wow - 8 years old.  I won't say it - we all say it - so I won't say it.

Rebecca's birthday is on Easter Monday this year.  She INSISTS on having her party on the actual date of her birth so Easter Monday it is (I just hope everyone isn't going to Grandma's house for Ester dinner and that they can come to her party!)  She decided on a bowling party (skating and swimming were in the running but for skating the helmet would squish her hair and for swimming she couldn't wear her pretty dress ... not to mention the fact that she can't swim!) so bowling won.  As usual I made her invitations.  I LOVE them :)  They took a lot longer than I thought they would to make but a crafting mom's gotta do what a crafting mom's gotta do, right?  Here's what I came up with:

Yes, it's another penny spinner card.  Hee hee - once again I sit and giggle at my card (there is a distinct possibility that I'm "losing it"!)

I used a clipart picture from the internet for the bowling pins.  I cut them out, colored the red stripes and popped them up using dimensionals.  I used the word window punch for the slit for the bowling ball, which was made with the 1" circle punch.  I used whisper white craft ink and a Q-Tip for the white dots (my white gel pen wouldn't co-operate!)  The squiggles are from my very first stamp set that I got in my starter kit.  The name escapes me but it has been retired for about 4 years.  I use this stamp on LOTS of cards (and LOTS of envelopes).

I have another card to post but have to run so you'll have to come back tomorrow to see it.  I know, I'm a card tease :)

Have a fun day!

Tam

National Nurses Week ...

is May 9 - May 15.  I had a friend ask if I had any ideas for a card.  Here's what I came up with ... don't you just LOVE it??!!??  Hee hee - it makes me giggle it's so flippin' cute ...  (and it only took me 20 minutes to make!!!  Guess I have those creative juices a flowin' today!)

I made the little hat as follows:
Start with a whisper white piece 3" x 1 3/4".  Score 1/2" up from the bottom of the 3" side and fold up.  To get the angle, cut from the score line up to the top 3/4" in (that makes no sense, does it?  If you really want instructions e-mail me and I'll try to explain it better!)  The DSP I used is from the retired "Night & Day" (which coincidentally I just bought more of on the awesome Clearance Rack deals they had last week!).  The buttons are retired but you can still get Real Red buttons in the current catty, just a different design.  I made the cross starting with a little square made using the (gasp!) RETIRED little square punch (who knew?!) and cut out the corners with my paper snips.  The sentiment is from Wonderful Favorites and the "you" is from "Celebrate Everything" (retired).  The "you" is punched out using the new medium oval punch (in from the holiday mini but is still available for ordering) and the Large Oval punch, popped up on a dimensional.  The red border uses the Eyelet Border punch.  I think that about covers it!

I'm off to McDonald's now with the girls - feeling good that I got a project off my plate!!


Tam

Spring at last!

Yes, it seems to have FINALLY arrived!  In the same way that I get the itch to spring clean, go for walks and change the flannel sheets to cotton I also get the itch to start crafting using brighter, springier colors - it's time to push the neutrals aside for a while and start reaching for the brights!

I had been eyeing the "Bold Blossoms" set in the mini for some time now and I finally bought it (actually I earned it for free!) and got it out yesterday.  It didn't tkae me a FULL 2 hours to make this card but it did take a bit of time to get the color combination just the way I wanted it :)

I made it into a penny spinner card :)  Once again the picture doesn't reflect the proper colors - much prettier in real life!  I used Poppy Parade (took me a while to warm up to this color but I find I'm using it more and more these days!) Wild Wasabi and Daffodil Delight.  I used the 1" and 1 1/4" circle punches for the flowers and the 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" circle punches for the butterfly.  For the body of the butterfly and centre of the flowers I used the rhinestones and colored them with my green sharpie.  Sooo pretty :)  I added glitter to everything for that extra punch of bling.  I love that you can use any sentiment in the little window.  Teeny Tiny Wishes covers most occasions you would want.

Funny how I spent 2 hours on yesterday's "quick & easy" card and then went downstairs at 7:00 pm and came up with this in about 20 minutes:

Again - the color stinks in the picture but is really pretty "live".  This card easily designed itself.  I have always wanted to try the "baby wipe" technique.  After 5 years of crafting I finally tried it and this was the result.  I like it!  (Guess what technique we'll be learning in tomorrow's class?)  Solid images work best for this technique and I had it in mind when I bought this set ($2 from the sale of each of this new Strength & Hope set goes towards Breast Cancer research).  I used More Mustard, Cherry Cobbler and Chocolate Chip reinkers on a baby wipe creating my own custom ink pad.  I used the same "ink pad" for all 3 stamped images.  I layered the butterfly and the swirl on More Mustart and Cherry Cobbler cs and added More Mustard brads.  What a fun technique!

That's it for now - I'm going to try to work on my National Nurses Week card and a few workshop cards today ... but we'll see what happens.  It's a half day for Rebecca and gymnastics this afternoon.  I have to set up for my class (since tomorrow is full of errands and deliveries!) and of course there are the usual daily chores that need doing.  Fingers crossed I can get a little stamping in :)

Have a fun day!

Tam

Seriously?

2 HOURS PER CARD today.  Seriously!  My creative juices were very slow in flowing today I tell ya!  I had a great PLAN for the day - ship the kids off to school then spend 3 hours in my craft room.  I had SOOOO much work to do - design Rebecca's birthday invitations, make (and mail) Easter cards, send a Thank You card to a friend, design a card for National Administrative Assistant week, design a card for National Nurse Week, decide on a technique for FRIDAY'S class, DESIGN the technique class for Friday's class, design two other projects for Friday's class, make a card using my new stamp set and DSP, make a 3-D card using the flower punch or flower Big Shot Die .... the list is a looooooooong one.  Of course when you leave things until the last minute the only thing you can be sure of is your plan will never play out the way it was supposed to.  Alicia woke up this morning feeling "queasy".  Hmm - I knew she wasn't faking because she was having a party at school today - kids don't fake being sick when there are parties (only when there are tests!)  Well, she had a bit of soup (for breakfast!) and went off to soup feeling so-so.  Fearing I would get a call from the school I jumped in the shower and put on some "slap" do I woudn't scare the children if I DID have to go to the school.  Yep - as I finished "the process" I got the call.  Alicia still didn't feel well.  So much for my plan of uninterrupted crafting!  I DID manage to get some cards done but it was a PAINFUL process.  Seriously - I literally laugh when I look at the simplicity of this card knowing that it took me close to 2 HOURS to make it.  2 HOURS!!!!!!!  LOOK AT IT!  Sheesh!  While I love it I can't believe it took me so long!  I just sat and stared at the paper for EVER.  The paper is fantastic but it's just so busy that the rest of the card HAS to be simple - here's what I came up with (yes ... after 2 hours ...)

I used Bravo Burgundy cs, ink and button (retired so if you don't have the buttons just stamp a button from Button, Button and punch it out with the 3/4" circle punch!).  I also used the corner rounder and the sentiment fromg Bring On The Cake (that's a MUST HAVE set!!)

OK - have to put the kids to bed ... tune in tomorrow for my other 2-hour projects (that will only take you 20 minutes to re-create!)

Tam