Halloween Treats Bite Me Style

Helloooooooooooooooooo ... and Happy Tuesday!

I seriously can't believe it has taken until today for me to post these projects - where do the days GO???!!!  We're into the home stretch over here ... another two weeks of stupid crazy and I will start to see the light at the end of the tunnel!!!  At the moment I'm just keeping my nose slightly above water and convincing myself I can make it to Sunday morning at 9:00 am.  That is my first major hurdle for the next two weeks.  My Birthday Stamp-a-Stack is on Sunday ... and in usual Tamara style I have nothing designed yet.  Ya, ya, I know ... it always manages to get donw SOME how ... but this time I'm really not sure HOW!  Normally 6 days would be LOTS of time to design and prep ... but this morning (around 4:23 am) I thought of a few other things I have to do before Sunday morning.  Let's see ... today we have sort 26 customer orders ... deliver a few of those which are *rush* ... then I'm out for dinner with my BFF ('cause it's been about 2 months since I've seen her!!!) ... tomorrow a.m. I take Rebecca to the doctor to have a planters wart removed (niiiiiice ....) in the afternoon I'm a helper for Alicia's field trip.  Wednesday night Rebecca and I have our Mommy/daughter night (bumped up one day since she so kindly volunteered to bake for her class party on Thursday).  Hmmm ... I need to finish Rebecca's friends' Halloween Treats (Alicia and I made hers already ... and because I had nothing better to do I made 30 for all the school staff too!).  Thursday is Halloween (need I say more?!).  Friday is Dad's 75th birthday ... perhaps I should buy him a present and make him a card before going to his party Friday night.  Saturday I would LIKE to go to a stampin function with 69 other stampin crazed women ... but something tells me that's not gunna happen as I'll be designing cards for Sunday's gig.  .... and there we have it.  My life for the next 6 days - can anyone RELATE to this crazy??? *lol*  So instead of DOING some of that I thought I'd post those Halloween treats I mentioned above (yes, I know, I'm my own worst enemy :) ... it's all part of my charm!)

Oh!  First up ... in my procastinating on doing what I was SUPPOSED to do LAST week I went out and bought a new storage unit (yes ... on the day that my youngest was home puking her guts out ... Mom came to watch her while I went on a popsicle and storage unit run *lol*).  I LOVE storage that works!  Check it out:

I picked this 12 bin unit at Canadian Tire on sale (only $39.99!!) and it works GREAT for my Big shot dies, retired punches, embossing powder containers and a few other bits and bobs.  Sale is on for another 2 days Canadian Gals ... run out and get one!!

OK - onto the projects.  The first one I made is for the staff at the girls' school.  I like sending treats in for all of them a few times a year.  What I loved best about them is that the treat is hot chocolate!  Very economical to make 30!!

 

 

These were so quick and easy to whip up (well ... I DID have some help from the lovely Rae Ann last Friday night - thanks Rae Ann!)  They are quite simply a piece of 5" x 3" Witches Brew Designer Series Paper scored at 1 1/4".  I stamped some creepy spiders from the Bite Me Photopolymer ($17.95) set using Basic Grey ink (it actually looks pretty close to black when stamped on whisper white, ya know!).  I used the Label Bracket Punch from the mini ($21.95) to punch out two black pieces, stamped the sentiment from Tags 4 You (with grey on Summer Starfruit) and punched it out as well.  I wasn't convinced I needed this punch originally ... but in true Tamara style I bought it anyway.  I'm glad I did!  I have already used this stamp set and punch more than I ever thouigh I would!!  Once the sentiment pieces were taped on I stapled the DSP to the hot chocolate package (you get 35 of the fancy hot chocolates at Costco for about ... $14?  Something like that.  The regular Cadbury's hot chocolate is 50 to a box for only $8.99.  That's what the kids' friends are getting!)  I then took I small snippet of the retired Halloween ribbon from last year, folded it and stapled that on.  Wa-low!  Done!

 

Here are the ones Alicia and I made last night.  It only took us 1 hour to make 30 and they turned out really great.  I love Mommy/daughter nights!

Alright - enough rambling ... I have enough time to make a quick delivery before picking up the kids so I better scoot.  Pop in again ... umm ... soon? ... Ya - soon - you KNOW I'm gunna procarastinate a little longer by posting before doing what I SHOULD be doing, right?!  Until then ... have a stampy day!!!


Tam

Anniversary Flip Card

Happy Thursday!

I caught my breath a little yesterday and am feeling a lot less stressed :)  In my procrastination to do my excercise workout I got a LOT of those piddly little things done that seem to weigh me down.  You know the things I'm talkin' about ... book the cat for his shots, book a dentist appointment, book a haii appointment, schedule your 10-year-olds immunizations ... I can actually see the front of my fridge now that all those loose pieces of paper have been dealt with!  ... and yes, I got that workout in ... and managed to pull as muscled in my butt insodoing!  After all that I FINALLY got down to my *happy place* to finish off my parents' 50th Anniversary card.  Yes ... their anniversary was last Saturday.  What's your point??  Her it is:

 



It took me QUITE a while to put this one together.  I spent a few hours fiddling with a few different ideas before deciding on doing a flip card.  I really like how it turned out.  There are a lot of different elements to it, so bare with me!

First off, the base card stock is the Naturals Ivory - page 156 of the catalogue for $9.25.  Have you ever noticed these card stocks on this page?  I overlook them ALL the time but they really are beautiful and are something you should keep in your stash of papers for just such *special* cards.  I also used the Brushed Gold from this page - $9.95 - another stash-worthy paper!  I also used Early Espresso Card stock and a Tea Lace Paper Doily (also page 156 - $3.95)  The ribbon is our beautiful 5/8" Victoria Crochet Trim (page 173 - $9.50).  I used my Beautiful Wings Embosslits (page 188 - $14.95) for the little butterflies (punched out of the brushed gold card stock) and my Tyoeset Alphabet Bigz die for the *50*, also in the brushed gold (page 192 - $110.95)  Oh - the 1 3/4" Circle Punch is what I used to punch out the Early Espresso Circle.

For the sentiments "Wonderful" and "Forever & Always" I used the stamp set "Loving Thoughts".  I inked just one word at a time in the Gold Encore Ink (from the mini - page 28 - $12.95).  For the *&* I used a different set ... "Onr in a Million"(page 58 - $22.95 clear) ... it's from the sentiment that says "above & beyond".

Now!   For some of the details.  Here is a trick I used in order to get the circle cut out on the gold brushed card stock so that it matches the circle cut out on the base.

First I ran my brushed card stock through the Pretty Print embossing folder (page 24 of the mini - $9.95)  It looks amazing in person!

 I then taped it to my 6" x 5 1/2" piece of Naturals Ivory card stock.  Now!  In order to get the circle flippy part the orientation that I wanted I needed to put down my magnetic platform, then my clear cutting pad then I had to place the circle framelit cutty thingy UNDER the card stock (raised edge facing up) ... then the card stocks ... then my top cutting pad ... and run it through the Big Shot.  It was a bit of a tight squeeze due to the extra layer of card stock but it went through and cut everything just fine ...

 Once it was through, I used my scissors to finish cutting the un-cut part of the circle (the whole circle doesn't get cut ... part of it is just embossed ...):

 My piece was too long so I cut it at 2 1/2" to fit the base:

 Ta da!

I didn't take pics of the next step ... the doily.  See how it looks:

It's embossed too.  I ran it through the same Pretty Prints embossing folder.  Being so thin parts of it WERE cut all the way through so I would recommend running a through doilies through at once to avoid that.  I didn't ... but the cuts really just added to the vintage look of it so I left it.  I used my sponge with a little Early Espresso ink to rub over the embossed *words* to make them stand out a little more ... and to add a little age to the white doily.

Next I had to die my ribbon.  It was too creamy ... so I used my Early Espresso ink and my finger dauber to ink it up.

The *love* came from the Expressions thinlits (page 36 of the mini - $30.95) and was attached with my 2-way glue pen.  The butterflies were added with mini glue dots.  I think that's it!  This is one of the only cards I have ever made that I only made one of ... too time consuming and time is not something I have a lot of these days ... so I won't have my own copy of this card for my records.  Pictures will have to do!

Now ... if I can just remember to GIVE the card to them sometime in the next 2 weeks *lol*

Pop in again soon - I have an AWESOME idea for another quick and easy Halloween treat for the girls' friends ... and the teachers at the school.  I can't wait to pop down and make it happen ... right after I work out ... and walk the dog ... and it's a half day of school so I better crack on!

Don't forget to check here to check out the Thursday ONLY deals - some great framelits are on sale today only!  E-mail me or click here to place your on-line order!!

Until next time - have a stampy day!!


Tam

Last Chance ...

Happy Monday!

Oww.  My aching arms.  Jillian Michaels.  I have a love/hate relationship with her!

I don't have a project to share today - I just wanted to post that today is the LAST DAY for you to join my Trail Blazers Team of Demonstrators for only $25!!  Pop over to my here - click on "Join the Fun" in the top right hand corner to get started!!

While the $25 price tag ALONE is a great reason to sign up  there are LOTS of other benefits as well - saving money, making money, meeting new friends ... I could go on and on (but for once I won't ... I could REALLY use a shower!!)

The ONE benefit I want to tell you about is that whether or not you want to "do the business", you can save at LEAST 45% on a number of stamp sets starting tomorrow!!!!  You don't have to do what I do to save money for yourself!!!

Tomorrow Stampin' Up! will be announcing a special ... some stamp sets are going to be 25% off .... BUT ... if you join under the $25 deal TODAY then you will be able to get those stamp sets for at LEAST 45% off!!!! 

It's only $25 to join, Ladies.  You can save some money, you can make some money, you can be a part of my team.  What have you got to lose???

Call me, e-mail me or sign up directly through the link above.

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


Tam

Bite Me!

Happy Sunday!

Phew!  What a whirl wind month it has been.  Between Alicia's birthday, Mom and Dad's 50th Anniversary and my brother and SIL being in town we haven't had a true *down day* in AGES ... so today's the day!  Pajama day today and loving every minute of it!  I even tried to go back to bed for an hour.  Of course trying to sleep around here on a Sunday makes about as much sense as trying to teach a chicken to play the violin ... epic fail!!! ... but at least I tried *lol*.  Now it's on to making soup, crafting and doing a whole lot of nothing!  Today's project are these cute little Halloween treats I finished off this morning:

They were quick and easy to make ... thank you Witche's Brew Washi Tape!

I started off with a bag of  CeMoi chocolates from Costco:

They are so cute - they all have little Halloween faces or designs on them.  Two fit PERFECTLY in our 4" x 6" cello bags.  I used my Chalk Talk framelits to punch out the medium tag shape our of Basic Black Card Stock.  I then stamped the sentiment from the Bite Me set with black Staz-onm and punched it out with my Large Oval punch.  My Crop-a-dile punched a hole in the top of the tag and my Witche's Brew DSP attached the sentiment to it.  That stuff rocks!  I grabbed my baker's twine and attached the whole kit-and-kaboodle to the chocolates.  Done! 

In reality that's probably all that I will get done craft-wise today ... then again I DO have a new Halloween foam kit that I want to put together with the girls so that just MAY happen after I do a little paperwork :)  Pop in again soon.  There is a chance I'll have an anniversary card made for my parents (then again I just gave Alicia her birthday card two days ago ... yes, her birthday was 2 weeks ago and yes, I did MAKE the darned thing 2 MONTHS ago *lol*)  Until next time - have a staaaaaaampy Sunday!


Tam

Another Thank You Painter's Tape Style

Happy Friday! 

Woo Hoo!  I'm almost to the finish line for the week!  Yesterday was WAY to action packed for my liking!  It was a full 20 hour day and although I could REALLY justify a nap today I have one final push ... prepping for class tonight - so I'll get right to it :)

This is the second card we'll be making tonight - quick, easy and fun!

I LOVE this "Another Thank You" Photoplymer set!  This image is so big and bold (and I love the font!) that it really needs to take centre stage without too much else added to it.  Painter's Tape Technique to the rescue!  It's the perfect touch to add a *little* color without it being too busy.  I chose Crumb Cake, So Saffron and Cajun Craze on a Whisper White base (and layer).  Nice fall colors (thank you very much my beloved Color Coach!)  The sentiment is stamped in Early Espresso.  I tore off three pieces of painter's tape, pressed each one into one of the ink pads, "stamped off" on a scrap piece of paper (so the ink colors weren't too bold) and then pressed each piece of tape onto the card layer.  I added a Crumb Cake Bitty Butterfly accent along with a few pearls for texture and interest.  3 minutes later I had my card!  I hope the ladies like it as much as I do!

That's it for now ... off to start cutting and packing for tonight.  Pop in again soon - I have some quick and easy Halloween treats to show off!  Until then - have a stampy Friday!


Tam

Wishing You Christmas

Happy Thursday!!!

Had you given up on me??  I have WANTED to post but seriously ... I have not had 20 minutes to do so for weeks!  It's been a blur of food, laughs, family, photos, baking, shopping and cucumber juice .... long story *lol*

So!  I COULD ramble on for pages and pages and pages ... but I won't ... actually I can't ... family is coming for dinner in 10 minutes ... BUT ... I really wanted to post this card for you.  It's one of the three we will be making at our private party tomorrow night (can't wait Wanda!!!)

I needed a quick, easy, "Wow" card for both new stampers and veterans ... here is what I came up with!

Ta da!  Love it!  (have you missed me saying that???)

So quick and easy.  The coloring is off a bit here - I used Cherry Cobbler, Gumball Green and Crushed Curry (I KNOW!!!  There is that color again!!  Seriously ... it's a good color!)  I used the Merry Mini Punch pack punches to punch out the shapes from some scrap whisper white.  I then used my 1" punch to punch the white square.  Don't try to do it the other way around (i.e. punch the square and then try to get the shape centred inside it ... too fiddly and will rarely be centered!).  I popped each white square up on dimensionals ... not full dimensionals, I used the edging FROM the dimensionals as the space was quite small.  I stamped the sentiment, from Wishing You (in the mini - page 23 - $14.95 clear; $17.95 wood) in Black Staz-On.  *sigh* ... Pleeeease Stampin' Up! ... get that basic black sorted out so I can use that instead!

I added a few rhinestones for that little something extra and Wa-low!  A great card for our class.  I can't wait!  ... but of course I still have to decide on that third card ... and then prep for 14 women ... and pack ... and so on ... Maybe I'll get on that after my guests leave *lol* ... yep - nothing has changed since I posted last!

Pop in again soon(ish) - I DO have lots of projects to show ... I just need to make the time to show them!!  Until then ... have a stampy night!


Tam

Thankful Tablescape Place Settings

Happy Thursday!

Let's get right to it (I just spent 45 minutes rambling on an e-mail to my customers so I'm starting to cramp up from all the typing!!)

This weekend is Thanksgiving up here in the Great White North.  Looks like it's gunna be another great long weekend ... our Thanksgiving weekends very often are.  That will bode well for our family photos on Saturday.  My brother and SIL are in town to help celebrate turkey day and my parents' 50th anniversary so it's gunna be an action packed weekend!  Mom is making the turkey dinner but (as always) I volunteer to make the placesettings.  This year I was THRILLED when I saw the Thankful Tablescapes kit in the holiday mini.  I ordered it right away ... so yes, I've had it since July ... I put it together with the girls this week *lol*.  I always have such great intentions!  Here is what we made:

 

 

 

 



 Fun!  Alicia did all the writing of the names (using the great White Chalk Marker), as she has the best printing in the family.  Rebecca did all the stamping ... as she's often a better stamper than I am when it comes to free hand centering! ... and I did assembly.  I love the little bud vases we decorated with the various pieces of the kit.  I had picked some wheat-type-stuff back in ... oh ... August (yes, I'm glad to get THAT out of my craft room!) and they look great all jazzed up.  The little glass pumpkins and acorns are just from Dollarama and the look really sweet.When it came to making the tbale setting / napkin holder / Thankful for *thingy* I added a few of my own stashed buttons and pearls to bump it up a notch.  I also decided to use the birch bark paper to decorate some pencils to pop in so we all had something to write with when we went to make our lists of what we are thankful for.  I absolutely, positively LOVE this idea.  Every year we go around the table and SAY what we are thankful for (of course most of us get choked up and can't finish our sentences!) and now we will have a great way to record them, scrapbook them and reflect on them for many years to come.  Love, love LOVE it!

 

Right!  Dinner calls ... you likely won't see much of me for the next few days but pop back soon to see what I'm up to next.  Until then - have a stampy night!

 

 

Tam

Halloween Thank You Notes

Happy Tuesday!!

No time for my usual rambling today.  In usual Tamara fashion I left prepping for my 8 stampers who are coming for class tonight until the last minute.  I'm almost done but still a few more things to do before picking up the kids ... then it's homework (seem I'M the one doing more of the homework than the kids!), showers and hair for the girls, dinner and then time for class.  Oh ... but before we get to my project I'm thrilled to say I weighed in today at Jenny Craig ... down 15 pounds in 8 weeks - woo hoo!  Thanks to their food plan and my Jillian Micahels DVD I've been losing 2 pounds a week ... right on track :)

So!  IF you have been following my blog for a while you will know that I INSIST that my girls write thank you notes any and EVERY time they receive a gift.  Given that Alicia received 15 presents from her family and friends we needed a stack of quick and easy thank you notes to hand out (yes, I realize I am the only mom on the planet who makes their kids send a thank you note to the kids who came to the party ... and that generally speaking the party and the *loot bags* ARE the thank you but I still like a proper thank you note to be sent!).  Last night was "Alicia / Mommy" night so we headed to the craft room.  I cut and Alicia stamped.  She did ALL the stamping except for the spiders.  I love how they turned out:

These are just 4" x 4" single sheets of white card stock (I confess ... I used contraband card stock ... the black ink doesn't smudge on that!).  I cut little 3" x 2" layers and Alicia stamped the Thank You in Rich Razzleberry using one of the new Photopolymer stamps from the "Another Thank You" set.  She then stamped the splotches with the Silver Encore ink using (my favorite set) Gorgeous Grunge.  Then we taped the Thank You one with the Witches Brew Washi Tape and finally I stamped the creepy little spiders on using the new "Bite Me" photopolymer set.  Although I absolutely, postiviely HATE spiders I have to admit that I bought this set just for the spiders and the spider web images ... well, and the cat ... and the "bite me" sentiment ... so I guess I just liked the whole darned thing!

We made all 16 cards from start to finish in about 40 minutes.  My kind of project!  Tomorrow I'm hoping to finish off some cute little Halloween Treats for my club girls .. so pop by soon to check those out.  Until then ... have a stampy day!


Tam

Two by Two Baby Announcement

Happy Sunday *yawn* ...

I need a few more cups of coffee to hit my usual level of perkiness today!  Yesterday was Alicia's Halloween Birthday Party.  It was a blast but MAN I'm feeling it today!  My hips, calves and back are screaming at me ... all those hours of planning and prep take a toll on this gal!  ... but it was SO worth it!  The kids has so much fun ... and so did I ... so it is all worth it to see that beutiful smile on my now-8-year-old's leapoard-print face!

Here are some of the things I prepped for the party:

How did I ever do ANYTHING before I discovered Pinterest???!!!  I also made my Halloween costume thanks to Pinterest, printed off some creepy eyeballs to tape to the door, thanks to Pinterest and had fun party games, thanks to Pinterest!  Add in the haunted basement that Craig set up and yes .... everyone had a screaming good time (no really ... literally screaming *lol*)

So!  That wraps up what I've been working on all week.  Onwards and upwards!   Next stop is Thanksgiving, then Halloween, then Christmas!  Before I start into all that, though, I want to share a sweet Baby Announcement I designed lfor a friend who is expecting.  As usual, the lighting is a little off ... of maybe it's just my bleary eyes this morning *lol*:

I designed it so that once the baby is born it would be easy enough to switch the color from pink to blue.  I really like how it turned out.

The Whisper White base is standard 5 1/2" x 4 1/4".  The top Whisper Whote layer is 5 1/4" x 4" and the Chocolate Chip layer in between is 5 1/4" *plus 2 ticks* by 4 1/4" *plus two ticks*.
I ran the top WW layer through the Polka Dot embossing folder and sponged the edges with Pink Pirouette
I used the CIrcle framelits to cut the Chocolate Chip circle (3 1/4")
I stamped the (retired) Two by Two stamp in black Staz On and cut it out with the 2 3/4" circle framelit and sponged the edge of it with Pink Pirouette (and then popped it up on dimensionals)
I cut a strip of Pink Pirouette DSP 4 1/4" x 1" and made a dove tail on one end.
The sentiment is from the (retired) Introducing set, stamped in black Staz On and then colored with the Chocolate Chip marker and dovetailed.  I sponged the edges in Pink Pirouette and popped it up on dimensionals
I added some of the 5/8"Organza ribbon for the finishing touch.
For coloring I just grabbed the kids' bucket of pencil crayons and colored away.  There is a lot of brown on it but I think it works having just the little pop of pink for the elephants and blue for the water and birds.  It will make it easy to switch out if baby turns out to be a boy.

So that's been my week ... a little bit of crafting and a LOT of party planning.  Today is going to be a much needed *rest* day which may or may not include crafting (but I hipe it does!)  So until next time, thanks for popping in and have a stampy Sunday!!


Tam

Deck the Halls Musical

Happy Thursday ... again!!

Busy, busy, busy around here getting ready for Alicia's birthday Halloween party Saturday.  Face painting, Halloween games and treats and a haunted house in the basement.  Should be an epic party!!!

In the meantime, let's check out another Christmas card!  This one is a great card for anyone who is musical on your Christmas card list!  Check it out:

Pretty!  As I mentioned yesterday, I went through ALL KINDS of color combinations before settling on this one, Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler and Black.  The musical notes are from the "Music Notes" wheel, stamped in black Staz-on.  I ordered the new Basic Black ink but they must have sent one of the old pads, as it still smudged :( ... so Staz-on it had to be!  The Cobbler oval was made with one of the Oval Framelits.  The sentiment is from "Christmas Messages" in the holiday mini, also stamped in Staz-on ... it was then punched out using the Chalk Talk framelits.  I added two silver brads and a touch of the 1/8" Silver Ribbon (in the mini).  The sentiment is popped up with dimensionals.  The whole process took me about 45 minutes to complete ... but it really is a 5 minute card.  I love the crisp, clean look of it!

That's it for today but pop in again soon to see an adorable baby announcement card I designed for a friend who is expecting.  Until then ... have a stampy day!


Tamara

Lovely as a Tree - Swiped!

Happy Thursday!

Just a half day of school for the kids today so just a quickie today!

As promised yesterday, today's card is anotherone made with the Lovely as a Tree set.  Now this set is a MUST OWN SET!!  When I was told by my *upline* 7 years ago that I had to have this set I looked at her like a confused dog.  She said that was the looke everyone gives anyone who says this is a must own set ... but that once you buy it you'll understand ... so I bought it ... and I understood!  This set truly is one that you can use for virtually any occasion ... and I HAVE used it for virtually every occasion!  Trust me.  Buy the set.  You won't regret it!  Here is another great Christmas card you can make with it:

Love it!  For the background on this card I simply took my sponge (that was still inky from the card I posted yesterday!) added a bit more ink to it with the Smoky Slate ink pad and swiped it across my card stock.  I love the effect it gave me!  I stamped the trees in Basic Black Staz-on and then stamped them again with Smoky Slate.  The Joy to the World is from the holiday mini set "Joy to the World" (go figure! *lol*).  To give it a little bit of shine I added 5 rhinestones under the sentiment.  It still needed a little glimmer so I grabbed my sponge and my Illuminate ink pad and dabbed the trees with it.  I then realized *that was silly ... why not just stamp the trees with the illuminate too?* ... so that's what I did.  You can't see the shimmer in the photo but it does shimmer ... and looks really soft and pretty :)

That's it for today ... but keep popping back in.  I made another Christmas card ... and used just about every color combination known to mankind before settling on simple old white, Cherry Cobbler and black!  It's a great Christmas card for any musical family/friends on your Christmas card list this year!  Until then - have a stampy day!


Tam

Lovely as a Tree - Sponged

Happy Wednesday!

I hope you're all having as much fun as I am today!  While I would normally be cooped up all warm and cozy on a cold blustery day like today crafting my little heart out, today was a special day.  It's was annual "Special Day Out" with Alicia.  Yes, starting last year I decided that no one should have to go to school on their birthday.  Heaven knows we don't get a "day pass" on our birthday in the "real world" so when it's the girls' birthday I let them play hookie.  Now TECHNICALLY Alicia's birthday isn't until Saturday ... but I couldn't let her get ripped off from skipping school just because her day HAPPENS to land on a weekend, right??  Well ... I probably SHOULD have made her go to school ... but really ... if you've ever met Alicia you'd know that it REALLY isn't worth the fight ... and she'd probably win anyway *lol* ... so I let her skip.  We went to Tim Horton's for hot chocolate and doughnuts (well, SHE had that - I had a coffee ... thank you very much Jenny Craig!) - then we hit the grocery store to pick up some marshmallows to make Rice Krispie Squares ... and we just *may* have bought a stuffie ... and a bucket of gummy creatures for her party on Saturday *lol*.  Then it was home for me to work out and walk the pooch before heading to the hair salon for a new doo for her (and just *maybe* a new earring/necklace set for me).  Then off to the mall for a burger (yes, I took my Jenny Craig chicken salad and crackers!) and shopping for a new outfit for her.  She's really into leapoard print at the moment.  Lucky for me that just *happens* to be the hot trend at the moment so she scored some new leopard print pants, a brown shirt and a leopard print cardigan.  Cute!  I now have a few minutes before making dinner so I thought I'd post a project I made yesterday.

It took a few cracks at creating before my mojo kicked in, that's for sure!  Do you ever have so many awesome ideas that you just can't craft fast enough??  That's what happened to me!  Once I finally calmed down and focused I fell upon a beautiful card that I wanted to case, created by Donna over at www.butternutsagedesigns.blogspot.com  Donna does amazing work and her projects are often featured on the Demonstrator only web site on the "Leaderboard".  Pop over and check out some of her creations.  ALWAYS inspiring!

Here are some of Donna's card that I wanted to recreate:

Aren't they awesome?!  They are all done with various masking and/or sponging techniques.  I really loved the bottom right hand card so got busy CASEing it.  Here is what I came up with:

Pretty close!  I like her "Northern Lights" look better than mine ... it takes a bit of practice to get the sponging just right.  Nonetheless I really like the look of this card.  I started with a Whisper White layer 3 1/2" x 4 3/4".  I grabbed a piece of scrap card stock that was the same size and then cut a window in it that was 3 1/4" x 2" using my Stampin' Trimmer (this is an AWESOME tool!!!):

I then stamped my tree image (from Lovely as a Tree ... the most popular stamp set amongst demonstrators ever!!) with Black Staz-on and then again with Smoky Slate.  I then covered the image with my new masked piece that I created, grabbed a sponge and started sponging in Smokey Slate.  Sponging DOES take some practice.  The key is to always start light and use a swirling motion so you don't get any heavy lines.  You can always add more ink but you can't take it away!  I sponged on the outside more and heavier than the inside.  I DID have a little too much in the middle so I then grabbed another sponge and swirled a little white craft ink to whiten it a little.  I stamped the Peace on Earth (from the carried over set Greetings of the Season) and the little pineone image with Black Staz-on.  I then took my White Gel Pen and just added a little white to the edge of the tree and a few spots in the sky.  I matted the whole thing on a piece of 3 3/4" x 5" Smokey Slate card stock and then THAT on a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of basic black card stock.  The whole thing is on a standard size whisper white card base.

I stepped away from the card to have some lunch and when I went back down to my "happy place" I was on a roll and created 3 more cards.  I wasn't done with my Lovely as a Tree set yet so pop in tomorrow to see what else I came up with!  Until then, have a stampy day!!!


Tam