Pretty Peacock

Happy Sunday!!!

MAN do I spend a lot of time on my laptop!!!  I had the WORST sleep last night (thanks to the critters waking me 4 TIMES!!!!) so at 5:55 am I decided to abort the dream of sleeping in, come down and catch up on the girls' diaries and blogging.  Ya.  It is now 8:10 am … I haven't updated the diaries and am just STARTING the blogging!!!  There is SO much involved in blogging!  You have to take the pictures … load them to your computer … adjust the size of each picture … add a watermark …

THEN I can add them to my blog … and my Stampin' Up! demo site … and Pinterest … and THEN I can start writing the post.  That's why I go in spurts … I tend to do batches every Saturday or Sunday morning while everyone else is sleeping.  Not much else to do that is so quiet!

I realize I haven't posted since Monday.  It's been a bit of a hectic week with 3 stamping classes and a Junior High Open House to attend! But have not fear!  I have 12 posts in the works!!!!  I needed some time in my "Craft Cave" Wednesday night and cracked off 5 or 6 cards in a few hours so keep pippin back to check them out!

I just HAD to share this one first - it's my FAVE!  Check it out!!!

Oh.  The picture just doesn't do it justice to the "live" version.  It is SO striking "live"!  The colours just EXPLODE in neon fabulousness!!!  It looks like it took forever to create but it really didn't.  In fact, it took less time time than most of my cards simply because the layout took all of 10 seconds to come up with!  The colouring took maybe 10 minutes - and that was only because I was experimenting and Googleing pictures of peacocks!

I stamped the peacock image and sentiment (from Work of Art) on our regular Basic Black card stock in versa mark and then heat set Winter White embossing powder.  I grabbed all of my Blendabilities and started colouring.  I did the tail first, using the darkest Night of Navy for the centre of each feather … then used the medium and lighter ones for the rest of the feathers.  After that I used the lightest Old Olive to add some green "here and there".  It didn't matter that all of the embossing powder was already blue - the green wiped it away and made it green!  Experiment!  The effect is amazing!  I used my Coastal Cabana, Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight, Wisteria Wonder and Calypso Coral Belndabilities for the rest of "her".  I finished it off with the Vintage Faceted Button … that was clear but I coloured with Melon Mambo and added some cotton twine to it (LOVE that twine - SO soft!!!!).  I attached the button with 2 glue dots and mounted the sole thing on a Whisper White base.  Wa-low!  A FABULOUS card for lots of occasions!

OK - my fingers are already sore from typing and I still have lots to get on with so I'll leave it there for now.  Pop in again soon - until then - have a stampy Sunday!!!


Tam

Hello Life Project Kit by Stampin’ Up!

Happy Monday!

Video time!

I haven't purchased this kit … YET!  It has been on my wish list since I first saw the Occasions Catalogue.  I think it would be great in the girls' rooms.  Stay tuned … I feel a class coming on!

Pop in again soon!

Have a super stampy Monday xo


Tam

Adventure Bound

Happy Sunday!

Busier than I like for a Sunday … we have a play date and a birthday party today.  Nothing TOO strenuous but I suppose it does mean I should at very least brush my hair today *lol*

Another quick and easy card today.  Again, using products I showcased in January ...

Ta-Da!  It seriously doesn't get any easier than this!!!  You simply pick a piece of the MUST HAVE Designer Series Paper Stack "Adventure Bound", stamp on it and mount it on a card base!!  The images in this paper stack stand on their own - they are GREAT!  Rocks, woods, water, bark, wool … so many great texture-looking pieces - and offering LOTS of options for masculine cards!  For the one above I used the brick paper, stamped the image from "Hello Life" in versa mark and used white embossing powder on it.  I also used the splotch from Gorgeous Grunge … actually NO - it was from the new set "Perpetual Birthday Calendar" in the Occasions catalogue  … another GREAT set to own - I promise - you will use it over and over … check out all the seasonal images you will use …

I layer the DSP on a Basic Grey piece of card stock and I was done!  Took all of about 2 minutes total!

Get this DSP stack - trust me - you'll be glad you did!

Until next time - have a stampy day!


Tam

Simply Pressed Clay

Happy Saturday!

The week sure went fast!!!  I'm starting to being slightly more productive as the pressure is starting to build for the rest of the month.  I have 4 classes next week (guess I should design some projects!!) and then Teacher's Convention is Feb 27th and 29th.  I need to get cracking on paperwork, handouts, a Make-and-Takes and so on.  I ALSO want to get a poster up at Sobeys regarding my classes and clubs.  I have done that in past years and have made some great friends.  Speaking of clubs - I am still accepting members to my 12-Month Club which begins this month.  It is THE best way to get the SU items you want on a budget … and stamp with a GREAT group of ladies.  Send me an e-mail if you are interested!

Right!  Today I'm sharing another project from early January.  I made this in bout 5 minutes from start to finish to showcase the Simply Pressed Clay and Mold for my Occasions Catalogue Launch.  SO quick!  I an a lyre of Whisper White through the new Hearts embossing folder and added it to a black mat.  I then took my clay, pressed it into the mold and popped it out again.  Nope - I didn't even wait for it to dry at ALL - just turned the mold over and twisted it out.  Easy Peasy!  I then grabbed my Stampin' Write Markers and coloured them.  This part I would do differently next time.  Because I was in a rush I coloured them, glued them to the card with my Tombow glue and was on my way.  Apparently it takes time for the ink to dry … and mine didn't.  I put the card in a transparent sleeve to protect it but the colours smudged, as you can see.  The black got on the red.

Next time I will colour the clay BEFORE I put it in the mold.  you do that by adding a drop of reinker to the white clay and squishing it around until the clay is evenly saturated.  Be prepared for stained fingers, though!  I would suggest leaving the clay for up to 24 hours to dry completely.  Even when they are dry they are not rock hard - they are still a little spongy so expect that.

Would I recommend the clay and molds?  Yep - but not for every card.  It is a little fiddlier than I like for mass producing cards but for a card that is a little more special I would use it.  It really is fun once you get into it.  Takes me back to my play-doh squishing days :)

That's it today.  Have a stampy Saturday!


Tam

Build a Bouquet Project Kit by Stampin’ Up!

Happy Friday!

Time for anther video!  Cheque out how to make a bouquet of paper flowers using the Build a Bouquet Kit.  Paper flowers - the only kind of flower I can't kill! *lol*

Have a stampy day!


Tam

Tooth Fairy Tins

Happy Thursday!

Today I'm sharing a project the girls and I made for their dentist last month.  How cute are THESE???

 

Aren't they adorable???  Little tins for kids' to keep their teeth in so the Tooth Fairy can swap them for money.  If you have kids you know that if/when the kids lose a tooth at school or have them pulled at the dentist's office they are given the tackiest little plastic tooth case on a rubber string to hang around their neck.  They are horrible - not to mention the fact that they aren't big enough to hold any money!

The girls and I worked together to create these tins as a gift for Dr. Kuji.  We LOVE Dr. Kurji and she is always so fun, happy, kind and generous (we usually walk away with at LEAST 2 studies and a bouncy ball on top of the tooth brush bag of goodies!) that we wanted to give HER something special.

We used little tins bought at the "M" store.  We put cotton pads in the bottom for a little tooth pillow :)  I stamped the fairies in Memento Ink and punched them out with the 1 3/4" circle punch.  Yes … I admit, I actually did that back in AUGUST!  Hey!  Don't judge me!  I've been busy!!  I coloured them with my Blendabilities.  Rebecca put the glue dots on the tins, I attached the ribbon and Alicia attached the fairies to the lids.  We had to put a blank circle on the inside of the lid since the lid is clear and the colouring shows through …

It took about an hour to finish all 30 tins.

We took them to our appointment and gave them to Dr. Kurji.  She absolutely loved them as already knew the first patient who would get one.  A little boy was coming in later to have a particularly difficult extraction done.  He would get to pick a special tin for his tooth.  Dr. Kurji really cares for her little patients and is always looking for things to give them to make them smile.  We felt SO good to be able to help her … and for no other reason than to make HER smile!

Pop in again soon - until then, have a stampy day!


Tam

Berry Basket Bigz L Die by Stampin’ Up!

Happy Wednesday!

Video time!  Wouldn't these little baskets be cute to make gifts for Easter??  Check it out!

Have a stampy day :)


Tam

Do You Want to Make a Snowman?

Happy Tuesday!

Nothing crazy going on around here today.  The kids have the day off school (I'm sure WE never had this many days off growing up!!!) and I have another massage scheduled to try to get those ribs back where they belong and relax those muscles!

Today I'm sharing the Christmas ornaments I made for the girls for 2014.  No, Im not so much late SHARING this project as I was MAKING this project!  I made them January 23rd *lol*.  If you recall I was pretty laid back this Christmas - so laid back that I was busy enjoying the season rather than stressing about things that really didn't HAVE to be done.  The ornaments were one of those things.  Yes - every year I make the girls an ornament so that when they move out (they WILL move out, right???) they will have beautiful ornaments to put on their trees.  Did they HAVE to be done b Dec 25th?  Nope.  Did I still want to have one for 2014?  Yup.  So here is what I made:

Fun!  They seriously took me half an hour to make.  Makes me wonder how I didn't manage to find the time to make them before Christmas but oh well - they're done and we all love them.

I used small glass ornaments that about last year (I always have at least 1 pack of them lying around).  I filled them the tippy top with some fake snow I and also picked up last year at the dollar store.  This particular bag is really fine and had lots of iridescent flakes in it to make it suer sparkly.  The filling took the longest time for the whole project.

I used my owl builder punch (once again!) to punch out buttons.  I found the 1/2" circle punch just a LITTLE too big for this size ornament and the owl builder circles are just that little bit smaller.  I used glue dots to attach them.  I used a 7" strip of our Real Red Cotton Ribbon, tied it in a criss-cross and secured the two tails down with glue dots.  I used a black Sharpie to write "2014" on the back of each one.  DONE!

I should probably start thinking about what I want to create for 2015 NOW so I get around to doing it to hang on the tree this year.  Then again …. why rush these things, right?

Have a stampy day!


Tam

Bouquet Bigz L Die by Stampin’ Up!

Happy Monday!

… and Happy Groundhog Day!  Let's hope the little fur ball predicts an early spring!

Another video - this one shows off the Bouquet Bigz Die.

Have a stampy Monday!


Tam

Etch a Sketch Critters

Happy Sunday!

Another lazy Sunday rolls around.  I MAY need to head to the store so we have something for dinner … but I'm TOTALLY loving hibernating this weekend!  I like winter but I'm NOT a fan of the temperature swings lately!  Last week we hit +8 (or was it 10??!!) and now we are back to -20 with wind!  The bright side of it is that its a great excuse to stay in my Sweet Leg Leggings and ugly sweater all day.  Hmmm - maybe I'll send Craig to the store *lol*

Today I want to share a FUN FUN FUN card with you.  I can take absolutely NO credit for it as I 100% CASEd it from other demonstrators.  I'll give the Etch a Sketch credit to Tina Weller … and this exact card credit to Linda Creech.  Check. It. Out!

Ska-WHEEL!!!  Isn't it AWESOME????  TOTAL flashback to when I was a kid playing with my Etch-a-Sketch!  … SLIGHTLY different than the hand-held toys MY kids are playing with these days *lol* …. and MY Etch-a-Sketch creations never looked quite THIS good … but we all had one (and loved them) nonetheless!

This card is so ridiculously quick and easy to make!

Step 1:  Stamp the From the Herd creatures on Smoky Slate card stock with Memento Black Ink
Step 2:  Use the Project Life Cards & Labels framelit to cut a hole in the middle of a piece of Real Red card stock.
Step 3:  Stamp or emboss a sentiment on the red card stock
Step 4:  Use dimensionals (I used 10) to pop the red front on the grey card stock
Step 5:  Punch two 3/4" circles out of white card stock and pop them up with dimensionals
Step 6:  Color the critters with the dark Smoky Slate Blendabilities marker

Done.  Crazy Easy.

Any questions?

Right.  I'm off to make another cuppa.  Until tomorrow, have a stampy Sunday!


Tam