Christmas Card

My Stampin Up friend, Crafting Ida, rallied us for a get-together to make some new cards. I love it when she does that. She teaches us new techniques and moves us along to newer card crafting heights.



This is one of my favorites from our recent class.
The mistletoe is from SU's A Cardinal Christmas. Of course, I had to order that set as liked the mistletoe very much and will use it for many other things.



I do believe the mistletoe is stamped with 'Old Olive'. Ida kept us busy with the ornament as used embossing for the gold, then glue and glitter for the eye popping color.

I have to confess that as hard as we tried, I do believe we left glitter behind to be spread throughout the home of our lovely hostess. Kids of all ages... even ours... can be deadly with glitter. I'm glad it wasn't at my house. I also remember why I didn't use glitter for my art projects when still teaching fourth grade.

I realize that the public expects full details as to how to make items that are shown on blogs. I'm looking for the stamp set name for the ornament. I'm sure as soon as Ida sees this, she will be e-mailing me. I, of course, will amend my instructions to include that pertinent information. Tah Dah.

Crafting Ida taught us to make a bow. This I'm going to do in another post. I'll need to get out the camera and do a step at a time. It will make more sense. I just wonder why that secret was lost on me before now.

For A Gift Card

Last night I needed to get busy and make a card to use today. I'm headed to a bridal shower this afternoon. I can't believe that I waited until the last minute to start on a card, but I did. I've got to stop that!

I rummaged through my stamps and decided on a stamp from SU's Sassy Stems. I used my Creative Memories cutting system to cut out the oval.

The inks and papers are from SU's Soft Subtle collection. The saying is from SU's 'So Many Sayings' stamps. I punched the saying with SU's Word Windows punch.

With texture from Cuttlebug's polka dot folder and some ribbon that I picked up at Hobby Lobby on 1/2 price sale (LOVE those sales!) I finished the outside of the card.

I must say that I was happy that I-Needa had tried to tell me about making a bow on cards. I'd listened to her last week talking about making bows. I'm a visual, and following it was a bit difficult. However, I'd gotten the idea that you take a nice length of ribbon, cut it in the middle, then put it on and tie it. I used narrow double sided sticky tape to secure the ribbon in place from the edges to the middle. Then I took the ribbon, which has a fine wire on the edges, and simply looped it once and gave it a little twist. I'm thinking that with ribbon with regular edges, I'd have to loop it again. I'm going to have to practice this bow making.

I'd purchased a gift card and needed something to dress it up. I decided to write a little poem about using the gift card, so included it on the inside. I printed it on my printer and cut it to size to fit inside the holder I'd made. (If you want to read the poem, you can click on the picture and enlarge it)

I'd taken the pink sheet and punched the corners with a corner punch from EK Success.

I added a pocket on the left to hold the gift card.

Viola

I've been madly trying to make some cards to include in an auction. Our retired teachers' group is having the annual fund raiser this week, so I've been busy.

I dug out my Stampin Up Viola set and made a new birthday card. I used some dotted paper that I'd picked up from good old Hobby Lobby. I also used my new SU photo corner punch to add some interest in the corners. I layered SU Soft Subtle colors. I think this guy is a cutie.

Flowers and Friends

I dug out my 2002 SU 'Flowers and Friends' set yesterday. Stampin Brenda sold this little set and wonderful Daughter I-Needa bought it for me. Thank you!!

I had purchased this paper from Hobby Lobby awhile ago and decided it would work well. I loved the fact that the dots on the paper are carried out in the stamps. Even the rustic feeling of the paper is carried out beautifully in the flowers. I used markers from SU's Earth Elements. I also used dimensionals to add some depth and interest.

I recently bought Stampin Up's photo corner punch and used the smaller of the corners for this card. I punched them on white card stock and used the dabber to color them to blend in with the paper. I rather like the effect.

A New Birthday Card

At last I have a new card. I've been so bad, but am on the road to getting some crafting accomplished. I decided to take a picture of this before putting the front on it.

I used the Stampin Up Birthday Whimsy, some SU bold bright papers and ink and a bit of ribbon purchased from Hobby Lobby. The cute little elephant is an SU stamp from 2004. I used an SU Earth Element color for the cake as that seemed more natural. I'm not sure a bright green or yellow cake would do. =)



I decided to make another one, then realized that my lighter green paper was a tad too small. So, I got a larger white card and applied some paper I'd picked up from Hobby Lobby.
Tah Dah!

Anniversary Card

Juju offered up a request yesterday for an 60th Anniversary card for relatives. I woke up a couple of times last night trying to design something in my head. I decided I'd better get to work this morning, and this is the card I made.

Using Stampin Up's: Baroque Motifs, Soft Subtle Blush Blossom paper and ink, Whisper White pigment ink with white embossing powder, ticket corner punch. Happy Anniversary sentiment from Stampabilities. Ribbon is from good old Hobby Lobby. Also used EK Success corner punch for inside and Creative Memories decorative square punch.

I also like to take my SU pens to apply a little color to the edges of the punched papers. I had an embossing good time making this card.

JuJu was very pleased with it. Yea!

Tone on Tone

I decided I'd best do SOMETHING today!! I've been remiss about making cards. I have several stamp sets that haven't seen any ink yet.

I used SU's Baroque Motifs for the design with Sage Shadow ink. I will admit to using a HL paper that seemed to match. I didn't know how it would turn out and wanted to play first.

The sentiment is from from SU's Sincere Salutations.

Fun and Fast

I'm going to come right out and admit that I made this card a few months ago. I've been busy running around buying ribbon at Hobby Lobby (1/2 price.... Stamping Brenda said I needed more) and mounting some new stamps. I felt I MUST post, so am reaching back just a little.

I really was pleased with this simple card. I used the stamp from SU Fun and Fast Notes and good old colored pencils. You've got to love the Cuttlebug and the quick embossing that adds such a nice texture. Again, I grabbed one of the quilling strips and tried my hand at mitering corners for a frame. I'm thinking it has a clean fresh look with a bit of texture.

Card Class Project 3

Ida decided to give us a little experience with the aqua painter and watercolor pencils. She did tell us that we could buy white Georgia Pacific 110 lb. weight card stock for our watercolor. She mentioned that one as we can all go to Wal Mart easily.

Recipe:

• SU stamp from 'For Father' (Occasions Catalog available March 1)
• SU background stamp Weathered
• SU Earth Elements card stock: Summer Sun and Chocolate Chip
• Watercolor pencils (Yes, she used SU.)
• Aqua painter
• Little teeny brads.
• SU ticket punch

We got to practice using the BIG background stamp again. Practice makes perfect. Ida also showed us her high tech toy for punching holes for the brads. Why didn't I take a picture of this advanced technology? I can only say that I was lost in trying to make the cards. So.... this high tech punching toy was a nice thick rubber mouse pad and a punch pin (the bulletin board holding kind)

We had a good time with these cards. I know I have to practice as can't say I've mastered techniques yet, but it was a first try. I'm sure Ida will have more practice for me in the future. Of course, I MUST order some background stamps now. Ida has a way of making me want the things I use. Sneaky little Crafting Ida.

Card Class, Project 2

Crafting Ida designed the lovely little card for our group to make. I love how fresh it looks. I'm tired of winter, and this makes me think 'happy'.

Recipe:

• SU flower stamp from Bloomin Beautiful (Occasions Catalog available March 1) and Polka Dot background stamp
  
• SU Bold Bright Orchard Opulance and Soft Subtle Certainly Celery card stock
• Certainly Celery, Wild Wasabi dye ink. Whisper White Craft ink and Black StazOn
• Ribbon
  
• Corner rounder.... for corners. Tah-Dah
• Aqua painter
  

Ida taught us about using an aqua painter to do the flowers. We are newbies and love learning new things. I messed mine up the first and second time. The third time was the charm. I know I'm going to need a bit more practice to really feel the 'flow' as Ida put it.

Ida also initiated us into using the large background stamps. Wow! Those SU background stamps are BIG. Laying it on the table rubber side up and pressing the card onto it seems to work. I'm going to have to work on that technique as well so I won't move it around accidentally. I just love that Ida knows all the little tricks and demonstrates so well. She was a first grade teacher for years, so we are right up her alley.

I do love the look of this card! I hope you do too!

Crafting Ida's Card Class Project 1

Our little card group met yesterday under the skillful tutorage of Crafting Ida. It is a fine thing to have a really skilled artist to teach us. This Stampin Up demonstrator KNOWS what she is doing. We are blessed in that.

I meant to take another picture of our group, but I got so busy working that I forgot. That thought just went out the window of my mind. I was engrossed, busy, learning, doing, and I just didn't think about pictures. Don't color me a photographer.


So, on with the show.
Our first project yesterday was this wonderful bookmark. I really think I've fallen in love with this one as it is just unlimited. So, here is the recipe:

• We started with a 2 1/2" x 6 1/4" piece of glossy paper. Photograph paper will do nicely. Using black StazOn, we stamped this pretty flower from SU Embrace Life.
• Using a white crayon, we colored in areas on the flower that we wanted to remain white. Mostly those were areas around the middle of the flower and on some of the petal edges.
• Next we used SU dye ink and sponge daubers to lightly color the pink and yellow areas of the flower.
• We then laid a mask of the flower over our flower and sponged the green lightly around the edges. (The mask was made from stamping the flower on a paper, then cutting it out and covering our work with it. I'll bet you knew that. )
• Taking some soft toilet paper, we gently rubbed the areas that we had colored white with the crayon. We wanted to remove that.
• We used the SU corner rounder to trim the corners.
  
• Out came that fabulous Crop-A-Dile to punch a hole at the top and insert a brad.
  
• We inserted ribbon and now have a great bookmark.

I must say that Ida let us flounder around a bit on the ribbon. Then Lindy came up with the idea of folding the ribbon in half and inserting it from the backside to the front. Then you can pull the loose edges through the loop. It makes a nice neat way to do the ribbon.

Of course, I was trying to get the ribbon out of the way to take a picture of the bookmark. I really love the technique and can't wait to get more made. I'm thinking they would be great to tuck in other cards... a little something for a gift.

I asked Ida about who thinks these up. She said our work yesterday was hers. Go, Ida!

Just Like You Card

With the purchase of this SU Just Like You set, Stampin Up donates $2 to Ronald McDonald House Charities.
I got busy yesterday and put this card together. I used Bold Bright Gable Green for the background paper and ink for stems on the flowers and butterfly. I used BB Pixie Pink ink for the flowers. I love the little ticket punch from SU. It is nice to trim up the squares. I also took a Green Gable marker and and edged the white square with it. I will admit that the squared decorative paper is one I picked up at Hobby Lobby. I like to put a little something on the inside of the card as well.

Birthday Card

I've been playing with my new Birthday Whimsy set from SU. It was one of those free sets with a purchase of $50 during Sale-A-Bration. I LOVE this set.

I decided to try out my new Cuttlebug embossing folder as well. This is one of the new right off the press ones: Beautifully Boxed 3 inch x 3 inch tag team set. I also got out my SU Bold Bright paper and markers and had a good time. I just happened to have one of those quilling strips that matched the paper, so added that for my very thin line.

I added a little dimension on the front by using a SU pop up to give a little depth to the pink balloon. The SU ticket corner punch was used around the birthday cake. It is hard to see here, but I did use VersaMark and stamped balloons on the front as a watermark before adding anything else to the front.

I'm thinking how smart I am to take a picture of the inside and outside before I adhere to outside to the white paper. I must have taken a think pill or something this morning.

Little Bit of Happiness

I've been playing today with the new Level 1 SU hostess set
'A Little Bit of Happiness'.
I stamped the hearts in black and colored with pencils. I added red and white ribbon, then decided to also add a little turquoise ribbon. The pink strips on the outside and inside are quilling. I adhered the quilling with the new Tombo Multi Purpose glue from SU. It has a large and small tip. The small was perfect to put a bead of glue for the quilling.

Inside: Phrase stamp is from SU Friendship Blooms, one of the Sale-A-Bration choices.
I used a flower pot from Blooming With Love and hearts from Loads of Love Accessories.
I made several and there are people who are going to get these. Ta Dah

New Birthday Whimsy

I love getting my new toys from Stampin Up! I got busy this morning using Birthday Whimsy, which is one of the free sets that you can get with a purchase of $50. I've been playing and must get back to that hard job.

Whimsy SU Set

Garden Whimsy and the Whimsy jumbo wheel are one of my favorite stamp sets from Stampin Up. They are still in the new Spring/Summer catalog.

I think they are very appropriately named, as the whole look of them is just light, airy, and super whimsical. I've made a number of cards using them and will say that looking a them just makes me 'happy'.

This is one of the first cards I made with the set. This one was in a card class with Crafting Ida. She had us stamp the butterfly in the top first, then stamp off the one on the bottom without re-inking. It gave it a bit of a watermark effect. Of course, there is a little snail on the inside bottom right corner. Cute touch.

Isn't this a happy picture?

I used the Whimsy jumbo wheel on this one pulling both colors of burgundy on the top to match the butterfly and blue on the bottom to bring out paper color. Then I added a little texture with a Cuttlebug embossed flower from a small folder.

I love the repetition of circles in the wheel, butterfly, and center of the flower. It all seems to work together to give that lighthearted feeling.
I love the words 'Best friends listen to what you don't say.'