Pansy Punch Simple!

Happy Saturday ... and happy 1st full day of summer break!

... as you know I always look forward to summer break ... for a while ... but then I crave the schedules and routines!  We had a great start to the break yesterday.  I picked the girls up, we headed to McDonald's and then to the spray park.  It was fun, relaxing and hot! .... of course it only took Alicia 6 hours and 36 minutes to say "I'm boooooored".  Oh Dear Lord.  I'm thinking this could be a looooooong 8 weeks *lol*  Today is a new day, though ... and she had a decent night sleep (for the first time in a long time!) so I'm hoping for a few more smiles and less complaining!

So!  When we came back all hot and tired from the spray park we headed to the basement.  The girls hit the XBox and I hit the craft room.  I wasn't sure WHAT I wanted to make ... it didn't really matter for the first half hour as I needed to find the top of my desk before I could do ANYthing!  (I'm certainly not the tidiest stamper!!!).  Once I found a little 5x5 area to work on I looked around for a new stamp set and/or toy to play with.  My eyes fell on the TWO new punches I bought ... now a NORMAL person would have two new DIFFERENT punches ... not me ... I had TWO of the new Pansy Punch!  *sigh* ... apparently I REALLY wanted that punch ... once I realized there WAS a new punch!  I didn't notice it the first 17 times I drooled over the new catty ... then I saw a project on Mary Fish's website USING said new punch ... low and behold ... check out page 183 - $21.95 - the new Pansy Punch ... you'd think the white *NEW* label would have given it away for me ... *lol*  alas ... in all my *new catty* excitement I inadvertently ordered it twice ... so I figured I better start using it to justify the $43.90 I spent on them!!

Here is what I created:

Very summer-y, no?  I was actually inspired by this card by Mary Fish (www.stampinpretty.com)

I know, I know ... it looks nothing like it!  That's how this CASEing gig works with me - I start with a layout or stamp set I see elsewhere and then once I start making that project it morphs into something completely different!  In this case I started with the front layer cut smaller than the base and off-set it to the right.  My PLAN was to use some DSP like Mary did on the left hand side but ... well ...

... I got distracted.  I started punching pansies ... I quickly decided on Melon Mambo and Daffodil Delight ... and had a few other kicks at the third color before I realized the color combo was looking a lot like the Gingham Washi Tape ... so I grabbed that and check out the color combo.  The plan was to then put a strip of the Washi Tape down the left hand side rather than DSP ... alas ... it looked stupid ... so I aborted ... but I did stick with the color combo or Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight, Island Indigo (MAN I love that color!!!) and Pear Pizzazz.  I fiddled and played and added and removed and then settled on adding the embossed image on the left from the Adorning Accents Folder set (page 190 - $10.95)  I love how it's just a subtle touch - nothing to *busy* or *heavy*.  I stamped the sentiment in Pear Pizzazz from the Feels Good set - page 24 - $22.95 clear; $31.95 wood.  I popped the whisper white layer (measuring 5" x 3 1/4") up on dimensionals and then attached the pansies ... oh ... I used my bone folder to curl the petals up a little.  The centre of each flower is a Whisper White 3/4" circle - the circles are on dimensionals too.  The finishing touch made me squeal ... CANDY DOTS!  Ok - you guys SERIOUSLY have to get these things ... they are just to easy and fun to add to everything!!! ... and that's it!  Quick, cheery and cute!  It actually reminds me OF a "Mary Fish card" in that it is clean and simple but so ... *WOW*!  It just pops! I think it's a great first crack at using this new punch ... so go ahead and order one ... or two *lol*!

I plan to craft-for-fun a lot more in the coming days ... after all it IS a long weekend ... AND summer break ... I have nowhere to be and nothing to do :)  Enjoy the day ...


Tam

Washi Tape Grunge

Happy Tuesday!!1

Hope it's dry and warm where you are ... not so much here in Alberta lately!  It's been raining seemingly for EVER!!  You may have seen the flooding that happened in Southern Alberta.  We have been luckier in Edmonton ... just a lot of rain - the odd street is flooded here and there but nothing remotely CLOSE to what Calgary and surrounding areas got!!  Of course I LOVE rain!  I am NOT like my BFF who THRIVES in 40 degree Vegas heat ... my maximum temperature is a lovely 24 degrees ... 21 is just fine by me!  I really should live in San Diego ... it fairly consistent at 21-24 every single day.  THAT I could take - heat, nope.  Rain ... no complaints here!  As you know my favorite day is a cold, rainy Sunday ... rain all day.  That bring back fond memories as a child of roast beef smells filling the house while I sat at the kitchen table doing my paint-by-number ... you remember the ones .... they were black velvet ... I often did a cat ... or a horse ... and I had to use toothpicks because the spaces were too small for the cheap, fat brushes that came with it.  Now that I'm older a rainy day means one thing .... stamping (and if I'm REALLY lucky, napping!)  Now although it has been raining for weeks and weeks around here I certainly haven't had the opportunity to spend as much time stamping as I would like! 

• 2 weekends ago on my perfect rainy Sunday I was at Brownie camp.  It was 9:30 am ... I had 3 cups of pretty *average* coffee down my throat ... was standing outside in my not-so-flattering Barbour jacket and baseball hat (and I do NOT pull off a ball cap very well!!) - with a map - and 10 underslept 7-year olds about to wander through the forest looking for hidden signs. 
• Today it has been POURING rain all day - my house was clean and my chores were done.  Alas, rather than hiding in my craft room with the cat on my lap and the dog at my feet I was at the local Leisure Centre ... with 200 grade 4, 5 and 6 students.  We spend the morning swimming.  Have I ever mentioned that I completely believe I was a cat in a previous life?  I do.  I love napping in the sun and hate swimming.  So naturally I wasn't REALLY thrilled at the prospect of today's field trip.  I somehow survived 2 hours of ear-shattering noise ... only to spend the next 2 hours in the ice arena area helping 4 girls put on their skates ... and then watch them skate ... and wish I were home stamping.  Once I survived THAT fresh hell I got to drive through driving rain to the other side of town to take the girls to their swimming lessons.  Yes - although I love being able to help out with the girls' field trips today has sucked everylast ounce of energy out of me and I am now counting down the second until I can go to bed (I figure it's 10,800 seconds ....)  Again - not my ideal rainy day kind of activity!!

On the bright side!  The forecast is for the same all-day rain tomorrow that we had today ... and I HAVE NOTHING ON THE CALENDAR!!!  Woo Hoo!!!  Guess you know what I'M gunna be doin'??!!!  Yep - once that dog is walked I'm hitting my sexy yoga pants and holey tank top and heading to my "happy place".  Yee Ha! .... and to top it off - tomorrow night is CRAFT NIGHT!  Weeeee!  I have 6 other addicts heading over to hang with me and craft up some loveliness.  Yes ... tomorrow is my little island oasis in a week of crazy business!  (Thursday is games day at school so the THIRD day this week where I'm there!) ... and of course Friday is the girls' last day ... and a half day ... and then it's summer break ... so really, tomorrow is my last *sane* day for the next 8 weeks *sniff* (*lol)

Right!  Enough rambling of a water-logged exhausted Mom ... onto my fabulous project of fabulousness!  Last night I spend some quality time stamping with my youngest, Alicia.  (We needed some bonding time ... but that's a WHOLE other story ... which some of you have already heard!!)  We made the Fishin' Around card from my post the other day ... she made it for her show and tell at school today.  Once we were done it was 7:30 pm ... time for the girls to start their bed-time-show.  That's when I also realized that I still needed to crack of 25 cards for my Club Girls orders (which I was planning to start delivering TODAY!)  So!  I needed quick, I needed easy, and I needed AWESOME!  I think I nailed it:

I LOVE this card!  I know, I know ... I say that about EVERY card I post ... but I DO!  This is SO not my style!  .. and I've been saying THAT a lot lately too ... which makes me wonder WTH my style IS anyway!!  ... but I digress ...

Back to the card!

This is slightly smaller than a standard card - it measures 5" x 3 3/4" rather than the usual 5 1/2" x 4 1/4".  I was DETERMINED to use that damned Washi Tape ... so I grabbed the 3 rolls of Epic Day tape (page 155 - $6.40 for all 3 rolls!)and stared at it.  Then I grabbed the coordinating DSP (page 154 - $13.50) ... then I grabbed my catalogue to see what colors were IN the DSP ... Pool Party, Crumb Cake and Calypso Coral.  I wanted a simple Thank You sentiment.  I found it in the Oh, Hello Set - page 34 - $22.95 clear; $31.95 wood - and stamped it in Calypso Coral on a 1 1/2" x 3" piece of Whisper White card stock.  This washi tape just screams Grunge to me ... so I grabbed (dare I say it ...) one of my new favorite sets - Gorgeous Grunge - page 109 $21.95 clear; $30.95 wood and my Pool Party, Crumb Cake and Calypso Coral ink pads and stamped randomly on the pages.  The sentiment piece needed some grounding to I cut the DSP to 1 3/4" x 3 1/4".  Then came the Washi tape ... I placed the DSP and sentiment on the base ... tore some washi tape and attached it!  No snail, just washi tape ... no rhyme - no reason - no thinking - no being careful - I just tore and stuck.  And I absolutely-flippin' LOVE how it looks!  And quick?  I checked the clock and it took me exactly 36 minutes to crack of 24 of these little beauties!!!  I was done and still had time to watch the end of the girls' show with them!  That is MY kind of card!  I said it a few days ago and I'll say it again - this catalogue has been the best one for me "creatively" speaking in my 8 years of stamping.  This is SO not my style ... but the products I used just made it SO quick and easy ... and lovely!  I'm inspired by every set, DSP and embellishment.  Seriously.  I can't even stand it.  And wait.  Just WAIT until you see the holiday catalogue that is coming out for August 1st.  Flippin' heck, Ladies.  I truly might need medication to help me get over my excitement for that one.  Wait.  You'll see.

OK - I'm getting myself all worked up here ... and I now have only 9,480 seconds until bedtime .... so I better start winding down ...

Pop in again soon to see what I'm hyperventilating over next!  Until then ... have a stampy night :)


Tam

Timeless Talk

Happy Sunday!

Just a quick post today as I'm planning a big dinner for a belated-Father's Day meal for my Dad (and Mom) as Alicia and I were away last Sunday at Brownie Camp.

Last week I was playing with yet another new set I got (... and I wonder why my Visa is about to self destruct this month!!)  "Timeless Talk" - page 19; $20.95 clear; $27.95 wood.  I hemmed and hawwed over this set for the LONGEST time.  I loved the images ... but then I wasn't sure what I was going to DO with them ... but I was drawn to it over and over and I eventually decided that yes ... I had to have it!  Again, I seem to be low on images lately!  Here was my first kick at using it:

I love it!  ... almost ... it's lacking "something".  I put 99% of it together in about 5 minutes flat ... and then I spent the next 1 1/2 HOURS trying to find that "something" ... I never did find it ... although my friend Wanda suggested a darker background (maybe the Baked Brown Sugar or Crumb Cake) and the image layer edged in some way - corner rounded or scalloped edge ... something!  I plan to play around with it but figured I'd post what I had so far and play another day.  Oh!  Another option I thought of was to use the Natural Compostition Specialty DSP as a background.  That DSP has a sheet with embossed musical notes on it ... I figured it would be PERFECT ... but then I discovered that the pack I ordered last year didn't included that sheet!  There was an error in packaging and instead of getting the musical note sheets I got double of the flower sheets :(  Oh well ... I'll come up with something I'm sure!

So!  For this card I used Very Vanilla, Early Espresso and Crisp Cantaloupe papers.  The image is in Early Espresso and the sentiment and musical notes (from the wheel - page page 100 - $7.95) are in Baked Brown Sugar.  The button is one of the new Very Vintage Designer Buttons (page 169 - $7.95) that I colored with a gold Sharpie.  I was surprised how well it matched the Baked Brown Sugar color!  Alicia and I had tried making our OWN buttons with the new Buttons & Blossoms mold and clay (page 167)  We made Crisp Cantaloupe buttons.  Hers turned out much better than mine did!  We added a few drops of reinker to the clay and squished it around to make it the right color.  Then we pressed the clay into the molds.  The flower molds were a lot easier to use than the button molds ... Iforgot to take a picture of them ... The flowers didn't look quite right on this card and I kept mangling my buttons getting them out of the mold so I aborted and used the vintage one instead.  The molds and clay are FUN ... I just have to play around with them a little more to figure out the knack of it ... I know I was pressing the clay in too hard ... definately a knack to it.

So that's it for this week.  Pop in again soon.  I'm not sure when I'll have a project to share - I'm at the school all week helping out with the girls' field trips as their last week of *school* wraps up.  Until next time ... have a stampy day!!

Tam

Wetlands

Happy Saturday!

I've said it before and I'll say it again ... I love my *job*!  I love my stampers, my customers, my friends ... I love everything about this crazy addiction of mine.  Thanks for a great night, Ladies.  I hope you had as much fun as I did :)))

I have a lot on today so I guess I'll get right to it ... my card today is another quick, clean and easy card ...

Does it look a little familiar??  It should ... I cased myself with THIS card:

I just love the clean, crisp layout!!  For my latest creation I used yet another of my favorite new sets "Wetlands" - page 69 - $20.95 clear; $26.95 wood.  I fell in love with these little ... sandpipers?  Whatever they are I love them and they make me smile :) ... that and the font ... you know it's all about the font with me and this one is right up my butt .. I will never part with this set because of the size and font of the sayings.  Love it!  Did I mention I love it?  Love it!  So it's pretty straight forward!  I stamped the birds on Very Vanilla cards stock with Early Espresso ink and punched it out with the ovals framelits (page 186 - $32.95).  I used the larger oval for the mat in Early espresso.  They are on a mat of Crumb cake (which is matted with Early Espresso on a Vanilla base).  I used the Gorgeous Grunge splotches (page 109 - $21.95 clear; $30.95 wood) in Early Espresso ... the sentiment is from the Wetlands set, in Espresso as well.  I added 3 medium pearls for a little texture and interest.  That's it!  I like it as a Thinking of You card but it's a quick and easy masculine birthday card too!

That's it for today ... I'm off to wrap birthday presents for the party this afternoon.  Pop in again tomorrow for another project.  Until then ... have a stampy day!


Tam

Chalkboard Lots of Thanks

Happy Friday!!

Woo Hoo!  Once again the week has flown by ... and now there is only one week left of school.  EEK!  I have a love/hate relationship with summer break.  I pretty much hate it for the first week ... the kids bicker and fight the entire week while everyone gets used to being together pretty much 24/7.  I love the next 4 or 5 weeks as we all get into sleeping in and playing all day every day.  I hate the last week or 2 as everyone goes back to bickering and fighting.  On the upside ... no packed lunches for school ... on the downside ... packed lunches for parks and days out ... on the upside ... sleeping in ... on the downside ... the kids stay up late .. on the upside ... no schedule ... on the downside ... no schedule.  I really enjoyed this last week - lots of crafting, a little organizing and I even snuck in a day-out at Ikea with my mom ... and tonight I have a Private Class with many of my favorite peeps.  I can't wait!  You've already seen two of the cards we'll be making ... the Washi Tape card:

The Fishin' Around card:

Aaaaaaaaaaaannnnndddddd .... drumroll please .... my Chalkboard Thank You card:

Isn't it fun?  I tell ya ... this catalogue has me SO inspired!!!  Every set I pick up makes a quick and easy (yes great!) card!!!  Everything just "goes" together (or maybe I just have everything that possibly COULD ever go together!!)  Cards have just been SO easy to put together this week!  I came up with this idea before I even HAD the main stamp set "Lots of Thanks" - page 29 - $20.95 clear; $27.95 wood.  I spotted the main sentiment "I can't thank you enough" from the Chalk Talk set (page 12 - $22.95 clear; $31.95 wood) and figured it HAD to be stamped on black card stock in Whisper White Craft Ink ... since it IS a chalk-type image.  So that's what I did.  From there it just seemed obvious to have all kinds of "thank you"s stamped all over the rest of it ... so once I got my Lots of Thanks set I cracked it open and started having fun making a mess of the "chalkboard".  All of the stamps are from that one set (except the main image).  They are all stamped in craft ink ... see the bottom left hand corner?  There are some streaks on an angle ... that is from the "Gorgeous Grunge" stamp set - page 109 - $21.95 clear; $30.95 wood ... a MUST MUST MUST have set!!!

For the Main image I used black Staz-on stamped on Whisper White and punched it out using the Apothecary Accents framelits (page 187 - $31.95)  The little punch of red on the heart is one of the new CANDY DOTS!!!  Yep - SOOOOO gunna use these like crazy!!!  Check out page171 - $7.95 for 100 of the colored dots (in whichever color family you want) and $3.95 for the brad bases, if you want them - that's the great thing about these dots ... they have a glue dot on the back of them so you can either put them directly on a card (like the rhinestones or pearls) OR you can attach them to the brad base and turn them into a brad of ANY COLOR YOU WANT!!!  LOVE it!!!

This is a quick, easy and FUN card to make .. not to mention versatile!!  You could crack off 10 of them for teachers, coaches, assistants ... ANYONE you need to give a Thank You to next week!!  I have more cards to share, so pop back again tomorrow to see another quick and easy MASCULINE card (we ALL need those!!).  Until then ... have a stampy day!

Tam

Soho Subway Birthday

Happy Thursday!!


Today is a short day for the girls ... and I have a private class to prep for tomorrow night ... so I'll be brief today!

Here is the card I was talking about ... TOTALLY different than my *usual* style!

What'd'ya think??  I can't decide if I love it or if it looks like something the cat yacked up!  I THINK I like it!  (and let's face it ... the alternative is kinda gross!)

I just wanted to play ... and play I did ... I started by running some of the Cherry Cobbler Core'dinations Card Stock (page 149; $29.95) through the new Alphabet Press embossing folder (page 191 $9.95) and then sanding it with our sanding block (page 157 - $5.50) to get the rough 2-tones effect.  I did the same with a small piece of the Early Espresso Core'dinations card stock but instead of running it through the embossing folder I simply roughed it up with the sanding block.  I also used the distress tool on both pieces for roughed-up edges (page 157 - $6.95).  I put a small piece of Crushed Curry cards tock behind the Cherry Cobbler.  Funny ... when the Crushed Curry was an In Color a few years ago I HATED it with a passion ... never used it once ... but now I like it!  Go figure!  I stamped the HBD in Early Espresso ink on the Soho Subway DSP (page 151 $13.50) and punched them out with the new Artisan Label Punch (page 181 - $21.95).  I popped the "B" up on a dimensional.  I wrapped some linen thread around the Early Espresso piece.  I mounted it all on an Early Espresso layer that is on a Sahara Sand base.  Phew!  A lot of new toys, a lot of payers and a LOT of mess ... but I had a lot of fun!  It was great to step outside my *norm* and my comfort zone and try something new.  Give it a go and see what you can come up with!

Pop in again tomorrow to see another quick and easy card.  Until then - have a stampy day :)


Tam

Fishin' Around

Happy Wednesday!

Wow.  So yesterday I was bored ... bored!  When does THAT ever happen???  I really couldn't think of anything pressing to do ... so ... after I showered and walked the dog I hit the craft room!  It felt weird being down there before noon!  I almost ALWAYS have to wait at least until 2:00 pm ... when I feel all my *chores* and *must-do*s are done before I'm *allowed* do play ... I mean work ;)  Naturally there were projects I SHOULD have been working on ... but I just wanted to play, so play I did (well, once I found the top of my desk ... which was burried under 3 layers of stamps, paper and general crafting "stuff" *lol*.  I made two fairly quick and fun cards ... but you don't get to see those today.  Nope.  Today I promised you a fun little card that you just HAVE to play with.  So - without further adeau ...

Hee hee :)  This just makes me giggle!  Here is a close up of the fish bowl ...

Can you guess what's *inside* the bowl?  It's hand soap!  Fun!!!  I can't take credit for the idea ... I CASEd it from Dawn Griffith (at www.dawnsstampingthoughts.typepad.com) a few months back when she made this little cutie:

So fun!  Dawn made a video on how she made her card ... check it out ...

Isn't it awesome??  For my card I used the little bags from the dollar store and added some Soft Soap hand soap.  I couldn't find any blue hair gel (... I THOUGHT I found some but it turned out the BOTTLE was all that was blue ... now I have a lifetime supply of clear goop I will likely never use *lol*)  Ok ... my card is now higher in the post than I can see so let's look at it again, shall we :)

I used Pool Party and Calypso Coral for my colors.  I picked the Pool Party as it matched the soap color really well .... but I don't love it on the card ... it doesn't "pop" as much as I would like ... so I think I'll re-do the card with a different color scheme ... but not today :)  I stamped the "Smile" (in Pool Party) from the new set Happy Day (page 112 - $20.95 clear; $26.95 wood) ... LOOOOOVE this set (again, for me it's all about the font ... and love the sizes and fonts in this set!!!)  The fish bowl is "Fishin' Around (page 58 - $10.95 wood only) ... so stinkin' cute I can't even STAND it!!!  I stamped the fish bowl in Staz-on and then used my 1 3/4" circle punch to punch the fish out.  I kept the fish aside to use later.  I used my 3/4" and 1/2" circle punches for the colored bubbles.  I colored the fishy with Calypso Corak, Crumb Cake, Bermuda Bay and Daffodil Delight markers.   I taped the fish that I punched out onto the card and then (just using snail) taped the bag of soap on top of it.  I then used dimensionals to pop the top layer up, giving the soap bag a bit of room.  When you see this card you just HAVE to touch it!  I hope my instructions make sense ... it's pretty straight forward ... especially if you watch Dawn's video!!  Give this card a try - it's so fun (and not just for the kids!!)

Pop in tomorrow for a peek at a card that is COMPLETELY out of my *norm*!  Until then - have a stampy day :)


Tam

Cute Candle!

Happy Tuesday!!!

Yes, I'm a little behind this week ... but I have a really good excuse .... Brownie Camp ... oh my!  There is a REASON why I don't have 19 children!!!  It was a lot of fun but it will likely be a few more days before I completely recover *lol*.  The mixture of a 6:00 am start to a 16 hour day along with 12 hours of fresh air, excercise and 19 happy little 7-years olds made Saturday exhausting!!  I fully expected to collapse in a heap into bed ... but I didn't realize I would be *sleeping* (and yes, I use the word VERY loosely!) on the equivalent of a concrete slab!  My back was NOT impressed!  I survived Sunday none-the-less ... although all of the kids ... and the adults were well and truly *done* by lunch time.  An action packed fun weekend was had by all ... but I still may to make an appointment with my chiropractor *lol*.  Here are a few shots of Alicia and I having fun ...

Walking on a wire ...

 ... THIS didn't do my back any favours *lol*

 ... earning her fire building badge (ironic that she's scared to touch a butter knife at home but I quite happy to whack a sharp knife with a piece of wood!!)

  "bouldering" ... aka inside rock-wall climbing ...

 ... earning her "cooking over a camp fire badge" .. she *cooked* bannick ... which is essentially bread on a stick ... I'm not sure why we used a stick and not a pan ... but what do I know ... I'm certainly no camper ....

... and this is what I think of eating goopy bread ... cooked on a manky old stick found in the forest ... over a smoky, stinky open flame .... 

 ... zip lining - woo hoo!

So yes, that was my camping experience for this decade ... I do SO much better in my warm, bug-free house with central heating ... and good coffe :)

 

Right!  Enough about my wilderness adventures!  On to a card!!!  I have quite the bizarre mix of cards this week.  I made three yesterday ... and I don't think they could be more different from each other!  I'll start with today's 2 minute card.  I'm really enjoying the simplicity of the stamp sets available this catalogue - you CAN make a card crazy over-the-top complicated and beautiful  ... but you don't HAVE to!  Some times you just need a card in a hurry ... this one fits the bill perfectly!  Approximately 2 minutes from start to finish!

I mean REALLY!  Does it get any easier???  What took me the longest was deciding whether or not to add a green Candy Dot to the banner ... I spent about 15 minutes on that ... and then my "opinionators" Alicia and Rebecca voted it off the island!  I sued Whisper White, Midnight Muse and Gumball Green for the colors.  I used the new stamp set on the FIRST PAGE of the catty - Cycle Celebration.  SOmething about this set just *grabbed* me ... and I realized that I really am running low on stamp sets that have IMAGES ... I've been buying so many SENTIMENT sets lately ... so this was one of the first sets on my pre-order.  It's the perfect set for quick and easy.  This card is case-in-point!  The candle just makes me happy - it's TOTALLY the candle that we all had on our cakes growing up (not the crazy ones you can get these days!).  I colored the flame with my Daffodil Delight marker - the candle is Gumball Green.  I stamped the sentiment (from the same set - woo hoo!) on a 3/4" wide strip (in Midnight Muse) and made a dovetail on the one end.  I bent the strip slightly in the middle to give it a *wave* and then taped down the two ends of the banner.  That's it!  That's all!  A very simple card that works for adults OR kids, male OR female!!!  My favorite kind of card!

That's it for now - Koda wants his walk!  Pop in toorrow when I'll show you a super fun little card that you just HAVE to play with!!!  Until then - have a stampy day!!


Tam

 

Washi Tape Greeting

Happy Monday ... again!!

MAN I'm on a ROLL this week (if I do say so myself!!)  I'm LOVING every card I make!!! 

I didn't expect to craft today ... I woke up with a cracking headache, still had my chest cold ickiness and felt generally *ugh*.  So naturally what did I do?  I dug out my running shoes, my workout DVD and spent the next 20 minutes torturing myself with Jillian Michaels!  Afterwards I didn't know if I was going to throw up or faint ... so naturally I took a shower *lol*.  My arms were so sore I couldn't bear the thought of holding a hair dryer ... so naturally I flopped down on the bed ... and promptly dozed off for half an hour (you can imagine the FABULOUS hair day I had after THAT!).  Feeling mildly better I walked the dog and spent the rest of the day doing odds and ends.  As the day went on I felt increasingly better.  After dinner I made it down to the craft room, not sure WHAT I was going to create ... but I knew I wanted to TRY to work with the new Washi Tape.  Now I gotta admit ... I really don't GET this whole Washi Tape gig.  Heck, I didn't even know what it WAS until a few months ago!  Not letting fear of the unknown get the better of me I (of course) now own all of the Washi Tape that Stampin' Up! sells.  My mission was to USE the darned stuff before it retires *lol*.  I sat.  I stared.  I tore a piece off.  I stuck it to card stock.  I peeled it OFF the card stock.  I stuck it to my table.  I unstuck it from the table.  I stuck it back on the card stock.  I stared at it.  I grabbed a stamp.  I placed the stamp on top of the washi tape to see how it looked.  I put the stamp away.  I peeled the tape off the card stock.  I stuck the tape to my table.  I aborted the mission.  I moved on.

I grabbed my new set "Label Love" and my new favorite color Bermuda Bay.  I stamped it and punched it out with the new Artisan Punch.  I grabbed an image from Mosaic Madness and stamped it.  I layed the punched piece on top of it.  It was very clean and very simple ... but it lacked something ..... washi tape .... all of a sudden my card morphed from clean, simple and monochromatic to THIS little piece of fabulousness *insert squeal of excitement here*:

I have been wanting to make a card for a few of my friends lately using this sentiment.  There are about 4 friends who have been going through a bit of a rough patch lately and this card is for them!  Let's disect it, shall we?

I used Whisper White and Bermuda Bay card stock.  The bottom stripe of Burmuda bay is the stamped image I used from Mosaic Madness (I TOLD you this was going to be one of my favorite sets for a while so expect to see a lot of projects made with it!)  - page 123 - $22.95 clear; $32.95 wood.  The pink and yellow strips are WASHI TAPE!  Woo Hoo!  (page 171 - $6.50 for (3) rolls in different designs).  No, I still don't really get the whole dealio with the tape but I'm moving outside my comfort zone and givin' 'er a go!  The sentiment is from Really Good Greetings - page 38 - $17.95 clear; $22.95 wood (cheap like borcht!)  I stamped the image in Bermuda Bay and punched it out with one of my oval framelits (page 186 - $32.95), used a finger dauber with Melon Mambo ink on the edges and popped it up with dimensionals.  It need a LITTLE something more so I grabbed my Itty Bitty Shapes Punches (page 180 - $22.95) and my 1/2" circle punch ($7.95) punched out shapes in Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo and Bermuda Bay and used glue dots to attach them.  3 Rhinestones finished it off and Wa-low!  A card I absolutely, positively LOVE!  It's SO not my usual style ... whatever *that* is!  This is so fresh and colorful (not vintage and neutral!) .. and I looooooove it!  OK ... maybe Washi Tape isn't so scary after all.  See what you think!  Give it a try!!

Pop in again soon to see what else I come up with ... The "Stampin' Man" (as my kids call the UPS driver) should be here tomorrow so I'll be spoiled for choice of sets to play with ... and I already have one half designed ... I'm just waiting on a certain set to finish it off *eeeeee* - can't wait!!  Until then ... have a stampy day!!

Tam

Simply Sketched Take II

Happy Monday!!

Ok ... so wish me luck ... today I'm starting yet another 30 day challenge.  This is my 3rd one to date.  The first challenge was to go 30 days without yelling at the kids.  Epic fail.  I lasted 2.7 days *lol*  The second challenge was to eat to the Weight Watchers plan and excercise every day for at least 17 minutes, not including walking the dog.  Nailed it.  The last challenge was going well ... it was the 30 day Squat Challenge.  I made it to day 26.  I stoped on Friday ... I made it up to 220 squats (NOT my idea of a good time let me tall ya THAT for free!) ... but then I got some sort of chest cold thingy that made it rediculously hard to breathe, let alone breathe heavy from excercise.  I thought I might try to do them Saturday ... no good ... I was worse Saturday.  Sunday ... meh ... now I've lost the will to even try and have moved on *lol*.  SO!  Next challenge ... Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred DVD.  I have a few friends joining in on the *fun* and of course that WILL keep me on track.  We will be doing the video 6 days a week with one day of rest.  If anyone misses a day other than that they need to buy the rest of us EACH a $10 coffee card.  That can get expensive so I'm pretty sure we'll all do it (barring back injuries or chest colds!!!)  So wish me luck - hopefully I won't cough up a lung!  (and hopefully I'll see some weight shift!  After 60+ days of eating well and excercising I'm still only down about 6 pounds .... and I lost that in the first WEEK!  ... but it's all good ... I know I HAVE gained some muscle ... and I can fit a pair of jeans I couldn wear 2 months ago so I'm REALLY trying not to be discouraged by the scale ... it's just a number, right??!!)

OK - enough random rambling ... you came to see a project I'm sure ... so ... here is a QUICK little card I put together yesterday:

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE it!!!  So quick, so clean, so *POP* ... I don't know what that means ... it just seems to *pop* in person ... go with it ... it might catch on *lol*.

I used the hostess set Simply Sketched with the little birdie dude.  LOVE him - he just makes me smile!!!  And the font on the sentiment (same set) - love that too!!  The base is whisper white, with a mat of basic black and then the newwwwwwww Smokey Slate.  I used my Oval framelits (page 186 - $32.95) to make a Going Gray oval mat and to punch out the bird (on whisper white).  The bird is stamped in Balck Staz-on but the black that is stamped on the gray is the basic black classic ink (it doesn't smudge on colored card stock ... oh ... and by the way ... Stampin' Up! has rectified the smudging problem they had with their basic black ink so you can use it on white and vanilla again ... I just haven't purchased a new pad yet - the pad I have will smudge so I still use Staz-on)

The weed that is stamped on the Smokey Slate is from the stamp set "Love & Sympathy" - page 68; $14.95 clear; $19.95 wood ... seriously ... you need to own this set ... you won't regret it!!!  I used my black marker to ink just the stem/leaf/weed thingies and stamped it in the corner.  I was going for a masculine card but couldn't resist adding three rhinestones for a little "something".  When I consulted Craig on it later he said it wasn't really a guy card anyway - the bird was too *girlie*  lol ... ok ... I guess it's a girl card, then *lol*

So that's it for today.  My boxes of new stamp sets, ribbons, framelits and CANDY DOTS should arrive today or tomorrow so you may not see me for a day or two while I try to focus on picking just ONE project to make .. something tell me I'm going to struggle with that! 

Until next time .... have a stampy day!


Tam

Marble Technique

Happy Sunday!!

Yep ... I SHOULD be napping ... but we're knee deep in play dates again today so I'm just putzing around and finishing off bits and pieces here and there. 

I thought I'd post a picture of the Technique card we will be making in class this week ... using the "Marble Technique".  Thanks to my friend Joan Jeffery (over at j-jcreations.blogspot.com) who recently made a card using this technique and made me realize that while I had HEARD of this technique I had never actually  TRIED it!

First thing you need for this project is marbles!  Naturally, having two DAUGHTERS and no SONS in our family I didn't have any marbles on hand (well ... I knew there was ONE hiding somewhere in the playroom ... but after quickly searching through 5 buckets of small toys I gave up, threw on my sunglasses and a hat and headed to the local dollar store to buy some!  *lol*)

I came home, opened my spanky new bag of marbles and whipped this up:

Here is a close up of what the background paper ... which was made using the marbles ...

Fun!  There are lots of videos posted on how to do this on YouTube.  In a nutshell, you grab one of your plastic stamp boxes, drop a few drops of reinker in the box, drop a bunch of marbles inside, close the lid and shake the marbles around.  For my project I used the new Baked Brown Sugar reinker.  I used about 4 itty bitty teeny weeny drips of reinker ... and 6 marbles.  I rolled the marbles around for a minute until they all had ink on them.  You then take the layer of card stock you want inked, tape it the inside top of the box, close the lid, flip the box over (so the marbles are now on top of the paper) and roll the marbles around.  (get it??  It's hard to explain ... find a YouTube video if I've completely confused you!!)  Since the marbles have ink on them they leave a trail of ink on the card stock.  When you are happy with the tracks you made flip the box back over (so the marbles are on the bottom of the box and the card stock is on the top), open the box and remove your paper.

For MY project I used a second plastic box with ONE itty bitty, teeny weeny drip of Cherry Cobbler reinker and ONE marble and made a few Cherry tracks on the paper.  In most of the tutorials I watched they would just drop both reinker colors in ONE box but I didn't want the colors to get too "muddy" and/or blended so I just used two seperate boxes.

I really like how it turned out.  I then figured I better make the card into a Father's Day card with that big day coming up pretty quick, so I headed to my stamp sets for inspiration.  I found yet ANOTHER set I have TRIED to use quite a few times but never actually completed a project with it ... the "Morning Post Alphabet" set - page 131 of the catty - $42.95 clear; $57.95 wood.  This set works PERFECTLY with the background image!  I inked each letter in Cherry Cobbler and then punched them out with the NEW Artisan Label Punch  - page 181 of the catty - $21.95.  I taped the letters onto a 1 1/2" x 4 1/2" strip of Baked Brown Sugar that I ran through the Striped embossing folder, dovetailed and had put through the marble technique.  I added a thin strip of Cherry Cobbler card stock and underneath stamped "love you" (in Baked Brown Sugar) from the new hostess set called Express Yourself.  I just LOVE LOVE LOVE the font on this set.  I already know this is a set I will NEVER part with!!  To finish the card off I added 3 mini silver brads (page 170 - $7.25)  I think it's a great card for Dad - masculine colors, no bling and not too "mushy"!

This is a really fun technique ... so go raid your kids' marble collection and give it a try!  Pop in tomorrow when I'll share a quick, easy card made with my other favorite hostess set - Simply Sketched!  Until then ... have a stampy day!


Tam

Father's Day Fun

Happy Friday!!!

Yay!  Friday!  .... WHY is it I get excited about Fridays??  The weekends are pretty much the same as weekdays for me ... except that there are 3 people getting under my feet ... I really should DREAD Fridays, by all accounts!

I gotta say today I feel like I spend 12 hours in a smoke-filled bar ... my lungs are ACHING!!  I don't know where the heck this came from but yesterday I woke up with a tight chest and today it's worse.  I know it will result in me losing my voice in the next day or two ... which will be nice for my family *lol*

While I DIDN'T spend 12 hours in a smoke filled bar yesterday I DID spend a few hours in my craft room.  I was mass producing yesterdays Teacher cards and finishing off some kits I put together for a few customers.  I also spent a few hours HIDING from 4 squealing, shrieking, giggling little girls who were invading my house all afternoon!  The girls each had a friend over!  While I was HOPING to get a nap in to try to kick this chest thing I got goin' on I couldn't bring myself to *shush* them ... they were having so much fun ... so I ran to the craft room and had my OWN kind of fun!  While I had planned to play with a few of my newest toys I gravitated towards my old sets ... I think I was overwhlemed by all the new and found comfort in the familiarity of the old *lol*.  Here is what I came up with:

Love it! (then again what DON'T I love these days *lol*)  I grabbed my "A Fitting Occasion" stamp set (page 86 of the NEW catty *insert sqeal of joy here!* $33.95 clear; $46.95 wood.  Now ... as often happens ... I've HAD this set for ... oh ... at least a year now ... and I've used it exactly .... oh ... let's see ... ZERO times!  Shame on me!!!  It's such a cute set!!  I think when there are small images like these one we often don't know how to fill up a full-sized card.  Sometimes less is more ... like this one I made!  I love it's simplicity!  I simply stamped the mustache, coffee cup and tie in black Staz-on, Baked Brown Sugar and Cherry Cobbler, then punched them out with the 3/4" circle punch.  I used the 1" circle punch for the larger circles and popped each one up on a dimensional.  The sentiment is in black Staz-On and is from Delightful Dozen (page 27 - $30.95 clear; $40.95 wood ... this really is a MUST HAVE set!).  That's it!  That's all there is to this one!  It was "Craig approved" in that it is clean, simple, no bling and no ribbon.  A guy card nailed!

Pop in again soon to see what else I can cook up.  Until then - have a stampy day!

Tam

Teachers Rule!

Happy Thursday!

So tell me ... how is it that every Thursday I think it's a good idea for both girls to have a friend over for a playdate for the afternoon ... and every Thursday it ISN'T???  *lol*  I'm not sure there is enough Tylenol in the house to fix the damage that 4 little girls can do to a Mom's head!!!  Actually it IS very cute to listen in on their playing .... so sweet and innocent ... makes me smile (in between the wincing from the squeals, giggles and shrieking!).

So!  Quick update on life!  Last week I had my Catalogue Launch / Open House / Garage Sale.  Although it is a LOOOOOOT of work to put together I always have a LOT of fun!  "They" say that Stampin' Up! is more about the relationships than anything else ... and "they" are right.  I really have made some great friends over my 8 year journey with stamping and I love bringing them all to my house for some snacks, wine and laughs!  Thank you to everyone who came out!

I was really looking forward to this last week.  The only think I had on the calendar was a coffee date and helping out at Alicia's field trip.  The PLAN was to stamp, sort, tidy and play with all my new toys from the new catalogue.  Of course ... the best laid plans .... Rebecca had a nasty cold and cough (which started last week and carried over to this!) and that changed my plans significantly.  But have no fear!  When I don't get to PHYSICALLY craft I DO get to MENTALLY craft ... I also get to spend a lot of time on Pinterest ... and that is where I got my inspiration for the card I DID manage to make yesterday.  This one has me giddy!  SO quick, SO easy, SO cute and SO perfect for my Teacher gifts ... check it out:

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!  LOVE it!!!!  When I saw this card on Pinterest (from a post by "Sow and Graham Chicago" ... a paper novelties web store):

I KNEW I had to make it Stampin Up! style!  I was PRAYONG that no one bought the retired pack of "Story Time" DSP at my garage sale and was thrilled when I found they hadn't (truth be told I was really on the fence on whether or not I wanted to PUT that DSP in the Garage Sale ... but I put it in thinking "I haven't used it so far ... what are the chances I will now that it's retired?")

This card literally took me minutes to put together.  There are two sheets of DSP in the pack that are colored rulers ... so I just cut them up into 5" lengths, taped them to the 5" x 3 3/4" whisper white layer, mounted that on a 5 1/4" x 4" black layer, mounted that on a standard 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" whisper white base ... stamped "You Rule" (from the now retired You Rule stamp set) in the corresponding color ... punched it out with the Modern Label punch, popped it up on a dimensional and Wa-low!  A quick and easy card for the Teacher!  The REALLY awesome part is that you get 28 rules strips out of ONE SHEET ... and there are TWO in the pack ... so I can make 56 cards super quick and easy ... PLUS I have little 1" strips left over that I plan to use for a little gift for the teachers ... they can give them to students when they "rule"!  LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!!!  Here is a shot of all the colors used:

Pool Party, Real REd, Wild Wasabi, So Saffron and Basic Gray.  I'm off to mass produce them now ... I will make all 56 and then package them up to give to the girls' teachers for their end-of-year gift. 

That's it for now!  Until next time .. have a stampy day!


Tam