Saturday, April 24, 2010

One Layer Card Challenge


Kristina Werner has a challenge out right now that's right up my alley - one layer cards. Just ink and paper; no layers or embellishments. Fun! I love how simple yet intriguing one-layer cards can be.


~Supplies~
Stamps: house and sentiment (Studio G); Heart Prints (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Fresh Snow (PTI); Rose Red (Stampin' Up!)
Paper: Kraft (SU)
Accessories: None!

A Flower for You


Here's another 4.25 x 4.25 card using the new colors and the ruffle flower technique. The flower is made from all five of the new colors. I'm normally not much of a sponger, but this card was screaming for it. :)


~Supplies~ (All by Stampin' Up! except where noted)
Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Paper: Whisper White, Cajun Craze, Marina Mist, Daffodil Delight, Cherry Cobbler, and Early Espresso
Accessories: Floral Fusion sizzlet, Scallop Trim punch, 1 3/4 circle punch, linen thread, button (Basic Grey), paper piercer

Welcome back, Wild Wasabi!


Wild Wasabi is back, baby! :)

Also used the new colors (yes, AGAIN). I couldn't decide where to put the sentiment, so I went without.


~Supplies~ (All by Stampin' Up!)
Stamps: N/A
Ink: N/A
Paper: Kraft, Cherry Cobbler, Cajun Craze, Daffodil Delight, Marina Mist, Early Espresso, Wild Wasabi, and Wild Wasabi print
Accessories: 1 3/4, 1 3/8, and 1 1/4 circle punches, Button Latte, linen thread

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Going Unmounted!

Yep, that's right, folks! I am unmounting all my wood-mount stamps! I decided that it just took up too much room, and I could never find what I needed (and sometimes didn't even know what I had!) With SU offering unmounted now, I knew that I wanted to convert all my old stamps. You would not believe how much space I'm saving, and how organized they all are now!
Here's the "before" pile of clam shell boxes and wood blocks (I didn't really store them in the corner on the floor like this....it's just where I've dumped the blocks and cases after I took the rubber off):


And here's how they look now! I am not done yet, but this is what I've done so far. I can fit 2 to 3 sets per case! Next I need to make nice labels for them.


Here's how I did it....First of all, I stamped the image (still on the wood block) using Staz-On black ink onto the cling side of EZ Mount foam. Then I cut around the image, not too close. Here's a picture of what I ended up with.

Next, I peeled the red rubber off the wood and foam mount. It's kind of scary to do at first, but it actually comes off really easily! You have to be somewhat careful, but it's pretty hard to actually hurt your stamps doing this. :) Here's a picture of what you have left - just naked red rubber!

Here's a picture from the side...pretty thin!


Next step, I peeled the protective backing off the sticky side of the EZ Mount. This side is SUPER sticky!!! Then, I carefully stuck the red rubber onto the sticky side of the EZ Mount. This is the trickiest part, because you want to line up your rubber with the Staz-On image on the other side. I kind of had to eye ball it. I placed it where I thought it should go, then used some unique points on the image, looking back and forth from image to rubber, making sure all the edges matched. Then I stuck it on.


Next I just cut the extra foam away.


The EZ Mount is super sticky, so it is MUCH EASIER if you use a hot knife instead of scissors.



Here's a picture of the hot knife in action.


And here's the final result!!!!





Don't be fooled...this is actually a long process, especially when multiplied by the large number of stamps that need to be done! I'm still not quite completely finished! But, I already love it and am so excited to be unmounted. I really love that stamping the image in Staz-On on the cling side gives me an image to see through the clear block, so I know what I'm stamping and where. That is key, in my opinion!

More of the new colors


Here's another little 4.25 x 4.25 card that shows off the new Stampin' Up! colors. That beautiful, rich red is definitely my favorite, with the brown a close second!



~Supplies~ (All by Stampin' Up!)
Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Paper: Whisper White, Early Espresso, Marina Mist, Daffodil Delight, and Cherry Cobbler
Accessories: Beautiful Wings Embosslit, Small Oval Punch, Scallop Trim Border punch, white organza ribbon, dimensionals

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

New Stampin' Up! colors!


I got my new color samples from Stampin' Up! today and wanted to do some quick cards to play with them. After all, quick cards are all I can manage these days! :)





I've been seeing some great cards with white layered on white recently, which inspired me on these butterfly cards.



~Supplies~
Stamps: Vintage Picnic Sentiments (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Dark Chocolate (PTI)
Paper: Stamper's Select White (PTI); Cherry Cobbler, Cajun Craze, Daffodil Delight, Marina Mist, and Early Espresso (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories: Beautiful Wings Embosslit, Floral Fusion Sizzlet, and Swiss Dot embossing folder; dimensionals, rhinestones (Michael's $1 section)

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

I'm Baaa-aaack!

Lookie what I made:


Now you know where I've been the last 2.5 months! :) Our family of 3 is now a family of 4!

I have barely touched my stamps since she was born, so I've really started to get the crafting itch recently! I HAVE been working on finishing a "little" unmounting project that I started in the days before giving birth (nesting, perhaps?) I'll share more details about that soon. Needless to say, I'm about halfway done and LOVING the space I'm saving, plus the organization!

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Stamping 411 Sketch Challenge 136

It was our last Saturday as a family of three! My daughter got to watch Pooh on the computer while I stamped in my stamping corner. Here's the latest sketch from Stamping 411:


And here's my take:


I figured I'll need a lot of baby-themed thank you notes real soon, but my hands will be too full to make them! This one will come in handy. :)


~Supplies~
Stamps: Polka Dot Basics (Papertrey Ink); Wild About You, Teeny Tiny Wishes (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Aqua Mist (PTI); Versamark, Soft Suede (SU)
Paper: Aqua Mist (PTI); Soft Suede, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White (SU)
Accessories: Pretty in Pink and Certainly Celery markers (SU); Word Window punch (SU); White organza ribbon (SU); Aqua Mist vintage buttons (PTI); Labels 1 Nestabilities (Spellbinder); white thread (DMC); clear embossing powder; dimensionals

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Stamping 411 Sketch Challenge 135


I turned to the latest Stamping 411 Sketch Challenge today for my stamping inspiration. Trying to get in some last stamping time before the baby comes!!! Here's the sketch, which I pretty much followed to a T except for the placement of the sentiment.

I am not sure who originally created the ruffle flower technique, but I have seen them all over recently! Dawn McVey and Ilina Crouse both have excellent tutorials for them! Here's how I made mine: I punched out 5 layers of Sweet Pea DSP using the large flower punch. I layered them together and stuck a brad in the middle to hold them together. Then I crinkled up the flowers, layer by layer, until it was one big ball. Then I peeled back the layers and had a gorgeous puffy flower! I tied some linen thread through a button and stuck it in the center. Very easy and a beautiful 3D element for a card! I also love how you can just barely see the backside of the DSP....the visible side are all pumpkin pie patterns, but you can see little hints of teal and brown from the other side of the DSP. (Good thing the other side of the DSP wasn't lime green huh? :))


~Supplies~ (All by Stampin' Up!)
Stamps: Trendy Trees
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Paper: Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate Chip, Taken With Teal, Sweet Pea DSP
Accessories: Large flower punch, Designer Button (Button Latte), Linen thread, brad, dimensionals, polka dot embossing folder

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Fox and Friends Valentines


These cute little 3x3" numbers are going to my daughter's preschool classmates for Valentine's Day. Very easy to mass produce, except for the cutting of the animals. I have an issue with the name of the stamp set, though....think Stampin' Up! was trying to tell us something?!?!? :)

Anyway....I was inspired by this adorably simple card and took it from there!


~Supplies~ (All by Stampin' Up!)
Stamps: Fox & Friends, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Paper: Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink, Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery
Accessories: Word Window punch, Scallop Square punch, polka dot embossing folder, white grosgrain ribbon, Crop a dile

Monday, January 4, 2010

Stamps for Sale

I am selling some of my old Stampin' Up! stamps. All are gently used and in good shape. There is some writing on some of the clamshell cases and some ink staining on the rubber and wood. Please contact me if you are interested!

That's Nice (set of 4) from 2007 - $5


Birthday Best (set of 4) from 2004 - $4


Delight in Life (set of 6) from 2007 - $6


Blooming with Happiness (set of 6) from 2006 - $7 *this set is mounted but has never been used*


The Fine Print (set of 6) from 2002 - $6


Friendship Blooms (set of 4) from 2008 - $4 *this set is MISSING one stamp (originally a set of 5)*


Time Well Spent (set of 12) from 2008 - $12


Fancy Flexible Phrases (set of 52, DOUBLE MOUNTED) from 2006 - $15 *this set is MISSING four phrases/two blocks (originally a set of 56)*

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Happy 2010!


Here's a fun little card to kick off 2010 with some of my new Christmas toys. :)

~Supplies~
Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes (Stampin' Up!); untitled hedgehog stamp (Recollections)
Ink: Chocolate Chip (SU); Aqua Mist (Papertrey Ink)
Paper: Whisper White, Chocolate Chip (SU); Aqua Mist (PTI); Lemonade patterned paper (Basic Grey)
Accessories: Rose Red stitched ribbon (SU); Flower Fusion felt (SU); clear rhinestone brad; Word Window punch (SU); Circle and Scalloped Circle punches (Marvy); dimensionals (SU); Rose Red marker (SU)

Friday, December 11, 2009

Who doesn't love hearts?


Another Valentine using the In Colors!

~Supplies~ (All by Stampin' Up!)
Stamps: I {Heart} Hearts, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink: Bermuda Bay, Crushed Curry, Melon Mambo, Craft White
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Whisper White
Accessories: Crushed Curry polka dot ribbon; circle punch

Playing with new stamps


I got my Stampin' Up! preorder the other day, and I am loving these new clear mount stamps! So fun!

~Supplies~
Stamps: Fox & Friends, I {Heart} Hearts (Stampin' Up!); sentiment from Studio G Series 26
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Melon Mambo, Bermuda Bay, Crushed Curry (SU); Dark Chocolate (Papertrey Ink)
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Bermuda Bay, Melon Mambo, Whisper White (SU)
Accessories: Melon Mambo polka dot ribbon (SU); circle punch

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

A Valentine's fix-it

Forget Christmas - it's on to Valentine's Day! I need to make my Valentines ahead of time this year, since Baby #2 is due the first week of February!

I had an idea in my head and knew what supplies I wanted to use, and this is what I came up with:


Something's missing, isn't it? It just doesn't look....finished. I thought about it, and thought about it, and then BOOM! I knew what it needed. :) It looks so much better now, with only that little ribbon addition, doesn't it?!


Hint - the buttons are sewn onto the card. It makes them stay in place much flatter than when using glue dots!

~Supplies~
Stamps: Heart Prints (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Chocolate Chip (Stampin' Up!)
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Whisper White (SU); Spring Moss, Raspberry Fizz Bitty Dot Basics (PTI)
Accessories: Vintage Buttons (PTI); linen thread (SU); Pinking Hearts border punch (SU); Large Heart Punch (EK Success); Certainly Celery grosgrain ribbon (SU); chipboard letters (Target); dimensionals (SU)