Monday, March 31, 2014

Loads of Love


I'm back at the punch art sharing!  This card has gotten lots of mixed reviews.  I think women love it and men are confused by it.  Logan was a little baffled, then when my Dad was over last week hanging some IKEA rails (yay!) for me he was a little confused and said "who would you send that too?"  I think it's adorable!  If you're the one who does laundry in your house, you'll understand this card!  It was probably the easiest card I made the entire weekend.  The washer and dryer are 2x2.25 rectangles that I just rounded the corners one.  Then there are smaller rectangles in the back for the controls.  Those are 1.75x1, only about .5 inches show on top.
 
All the pieces are sponged in White Craft ink as well as Early Espresso ink.  Do the Early Espresso first, the classic ink will dry faster and then your not mixing the colors and your ink pads.  The doors are both popped up with dimensionals.  Logan did inform me that it would have been "cooler if they opened." Point taken.....next time.  I just wrote my greeting with a marker, but had I been at home I probably would have printed it.  IF you own the Loads of Love set from a looooonnnng time ago, you already have that greeting in your collection :)  I'd love to hear your thoughts on this card, love it/hate it???
 
Don't forget TODAY is the LAST day of Sale a Bration!!!  Shop now!!!
 
Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!

Friday, March 28, 2014

A Few Pages


First of all, thank you all soooooo much the response to my giraffe punch art card was amazing.  You guys are all too nice!!  I had so much fun with it (as I do all my cards).  I still have so many more punch art cards to share so I'll try to list punches and better instructions on them.  But while away at my scrapbooking weekend I did get SOME pages done (5 to be exact).  It's not a huge accomplishment but I did so many other things I'm not worried about it......much....
The pages are pretty simple.  I didn't go too crazy overboard with them.  Our 2013 album is really about simplicity.  I really just want the pictures to shine and tell the story.  I love love love, my "love page" I love that it's in black and white.  The "aquarium page" is super simple but took a while with all the photo boxes.  Once you have them all where you want them.  Group the boxes together and you can add one photo to all the boxes.  Plus I love this picture.  The sun shining in through the water, it was just the 3 of us there that day.
The last page, for today, is Logan's Lego Club.  This was last year in January, so it's been over a year (geezz!) He's grown so much since then.  I love my little stack of Legos in the corner.  That's pretty much what it looks like when I build with Lego's, I have no creativity in building.  Logan's great at it, me I just make towers :)  More punch art and MDS coming next week! 
Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!



Thursday, March 27, 2014

Wiener Dog

Yesterday I showed you the A.DOR.ABLE giraffe card.  After I made that card I kept thing about how else can I take that technique and make it into another animal....I wanted to do a landscape card (meaning it was long not tall).  I thought maybe an alligator would be cute, then I thought what about a dachshund or as they're more commonly known, a wiener dog!!!?!  I did a little researching about what they look like, really they're pretty simple.  I found a card on Stampin' Connection that was similar to what I was looking for, but I had to modify it alot, the one I found was pretty small and wouldn't work with my idea.  I used the heart framelits for his head.  I'm not sure what size heart, I think the size just bigger than the heart punch.  I cut the heart in half and cut the sharp point off the bottom of the heart but it worked.  It's the long head but it's rounded in the back.  His ears are the wings from the Bird Builder Punch. 
 
I just made a really long rectangle for the body and used the corner rounder punch to round the corners, so it wasn't so 'sharp' looking.  I made a little banner that says "I freakin' love you"  Because let's face it, if you have a dog your dog loves you. 
Isn't he cute!!!???  You'll probably notice that with my punch art cards, there's not a lot of layers or embellishments.  After you spend so much time on your punch art card the last thing you want is a lot of accessories distracting people from all the hard work you put into it.  I feel that they're pretty complete without all the accessories but if you wanted you could add little bow or rhinestone collar??  That might be pretty cute!!!
Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!!

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Punch It

Like I said yesterday, my one goal of the weekend was to come out of it with 4 cards for my Punch It Punch Art Class is April-more details below.  I far surpassed that goal and ended up making 14 punch art cards!!!  Some you might have already seen on my Facebook page, but now you're getting all the details.  Some of them are CASED some are actually my original ideas!!  I'm not showing the ones that we'll make at my punch art class until after the class, so these are the ones that didn't make it.  Just imagine how cute the ones that DID make it will be!!!!  The ONLY reason this one didn't make it is because it uses 2 retired punches.  The ears are the 5 petal flower punch and I also used the small oval.  This card I did CASE from a card I found on Stampin' Connection (a demonstrator only website).  I loved it and had to copy it.  The giraffe alone is adorable but when you pull the card up......
.....shut the front door that's so cute!!!!!!  When I showed it to Logan he said "It's a baby giraffe that grows up to be a Daddy."  This card is one of my favorites from the weekend.  (I'm sure I'll say that about EVERY card)  His spots are just circle punches.  His legs are a square punch, cut into 4 pieces.  His head is ovals and circles.  I added a little bow tied ribbon, because why not???!!!  The greeting says "Hip Hip Hooray" from the Hip Notes set in the Occasions catalog.  A stamp set I didn't think I needed, now I'm pretty sure I can't live without it!  I thought it was perfect!!!  Now details on my punch class, I do a punch art class at least once a year.  My customer love it and so do I!!!   

Saturday--April 5, 2014 at 9:30am
St. John's Cathedral, 318 Silver SW, Albuquerque NM
 Punch It!!!You asked for it, here it is!!! It's time to break out the punches for some pretty awesome punch art!! This class is all about SU punches (and a few framelits). You'll make 4 amazing punch art cards! This class is $20 or FREE with a $35* order at the class. Please RSVP by April 3rd. 

Kits are available for this class for $25 (plus shipping if it has to be shipped).  I've made this kit a little more than the class because there's so much prep work included with the punch art class.  Kits will include instructions on each card.  I accept Paypal for the kits, only shipped within the US. 

Sorry kits no longer available. 

If you'd like to attend or would like to purchase a kit please let me know, you can comment on this post or email me. 

Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!!!

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

It Was A Polka Dot Party


I'm back, I'm unpacked, I'm in awe of all the Michelle did for us at the Polka Dot Party!  That was the theme of our scrapbook weekend.  Everywhere we looked we were seeing spots!  This is the beautiful greeting we got when we arrived.
I found my spot, perfect!!!  There was a Polka Dot covered poster board for your stamping/scrap booking (there was also grid paper that came in handy).  There were extra polka dot stickers, which the kids loved when I got home!   
She had beautiful frames from IKEA that had our weekend schedule and door prize slip hanging from it.  I won a door prize too, candy dots and brads!!!!  Whoohooo!!!  Also at my spot there was a handmade card with my name, a cup-(gotta stay hydrated) and a trash can.  Are you starting to see spots too!?
Michelle has everything you need.  She brings her Big Shots (yes she owns more than one) all her dies, framelits and embossing folders.  Everything you need is there!  She also brings every punch...I thought I had a picture of it but it wasn't on my camera :( But it's an entire table will all the punches.  I didn't have to pack a SINGLE PUNCH!!!! 
This beautiful line of bags was one of our make and takes.  In the bag was washi tape, rhinestones and the new This and That stickers in the Occasions Catalog.  She hand stamped every bag!!! 
Of course you need nourishment when you're doing that much stamping :)  No one was going hungry!
Here's everything that I received!!!  It's quite the mother load!!!!  I didn't realize how spoiled and pampered we were until I got it all home and laid it out.  Michelle was overly generous and everything she gave us was simply amazing!!! 
Some of these are our make and takes, some are morning gifts, some are just gifts!  She spoils us, it's such a treat and every project she does is beautiful and made with love. 
Everything was wonderful!  I loved all the scrap booking kits and all the special embellishments she included with everything!  There were also card kits, glue dots and so much more!  It was all far beyond my expectations for the weekend. 
My favorite gift of the weekend, and I will cherish this forever, was this sweet box!  She followed the tutorial by Sam at Pootles (where else would you go when you need a box???).  In the box was a bone folder that she (her husband) put a hole in and she attached beautiful charms to it.  LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!  She was so funny before the weekend, she had told me she made this box and said that she hoped I wouldn't be disappointed that there wasn't chocolate in it!!  NEVER!!  This is so much better!!!  I love it!!  I had one goal going into this weekend and that was to plan my Punch Art Class in April (more on my class tomorrow).  I did that and I went on a punch art frenzy and made a stack of cards.  I will share ALL over the next few weeks.  I DID get scrap booking done at the scrap booking weekend.  Who would have thought????  I will also be sharing the MDS pages I made.  Everything I made I love, it's so easy to create when you're in such a creative environment.  At home there is so many distractions.  It's so wonderful once in while to get away and just craft the ENTIRE weekend!!  I'm already looking forward to November's weekend.  As much as I got done this time, I'm planning to do even more and be even more organized next time!  Stay tuned to my blog, I have SOOOOOO much to share over the next 2-3 weeks!!!!
 
Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!!

Monday, March 24, 2014

Tag Topper Notebook


I had a GREAT time at my scrapbooking/crafting weekend!!!  Before I left for it though I made this adorable project!  In my recent room redo, I unearthed a stack of notepads.  I use notepads all the time.  I keep 3 on my desk, all different sizes, all different purposes.  So I have a habit of collecting notepads that I can alter.  It's one of my favorite gits to give!  So I made this for my roommate for the weekend, my downline Angela!  I used the afternoon picnic DSP and Wisteria Wonder. 
I made this the same day I made the Tag Topper card from Thursday.  I loved how the card came out so I thought I'd give it a try with this notepad.  The notepad is about 5x3.5, it's not huge but it's not tiny.  I used the Petite Petals punch--I think my favorite flower punch.....well I do really LOVE the flowers in the Itty Bitty Punch pack....so it's one of my favorites :)
I added a piece of Vanilla cardstock to the back of the bottom flap.  I didn't like the look of the notepad showing through.  I wanted a clean finish so I added the cardstock.  I love it and it works as double duty it holds the ribbon in place when you open it. Yay!!  I'm going to go try to catch up on sleep, providing Megan will go for the idea of a morning naptime ;)  I have sooo much more to share about the weekend coming up later this week!!!
Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!!

Friday, March 21, 2014

See Ya Monday


I'm off! This afternoon begins my scrapbooking/crafting/kid free/worry free/yes I will have drink weekend.  Last November I attended my downline's scrapbook weekend.  I had such a good time that I'm going back.  Last time I only stayed 1 night, this time I'm staying 2!  This will be so much fun.  I'm taking 4 bags of what I think I'll need to stamp/craft with.  I WILL get scrapbooking done, my laptop is in the white backpack.  The other three bags hold stamps, ink, accessories, adhesives, paper cutter, etc. and some snacks :)
Thanks to my good friend Carmelita, I have some lovely Thirty One bags to tote my stuff.  If you need some bags, she's the one to call.  I do have one more bag, my clothes/personal items.  That's not packed yet, I have a couple hours.  These were the important bags :)  I'll be posting on my Facebook page progress and updates throughout the weekend.  If you haven't 'liked' me yet head over and like me.   
Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!!

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Tag Topper Close


These cards are all the rage right now.  The Tag Topper Punch is such a versatile punch, I've done so much with it EXCEPT make a tag :)  It's defiantly one of my favorite punches!  I followed the instructions on this video to make the card (way easier than the way I was going to do it!)  Once you do it once, you can do it a million times!  I used Basic Black for my card base and I pulled out my favorite print from the Sale a Bration DSP, Sweet Sorbet.  HURRY you have just over a week to earn your Sale a Bration items!!  Sale a Bration ENDS March 31!!!
I also used the Sale a Bration bakers twine.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE this bakers twine!!  I'm crossing my fingers we'll see it in the new catalog.  For my greeting I embossed it in black and added a few flowers.  The flowers are from the small scallop circle punch from the Itty Bitty Punch pack.  Of course no card of mine is complete without some sparkle, so I reached for my rhinestones :)  If you haven't tried to make this style of card yet, it's fun and simple!!!
Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Clear Egg Box


Easter is coming, it will be here before you know it!  I saw this box on the ever amazing Pootles blog and I had to make it.  In her video she uses Cadbury Eggs, I don't like Cadbury Eggs, their gooey center just doesn't appeal to me.  So I wanted to put another chocolate treat in this box....more on that later.  I've never made an entire box with window sheets.  I've put a window in a box and used window sheets, but never a whole box.  Let's just say, window sheets are an adventure to work with.  I was VERY happy when this box was done.  I'm so pleased with the final result!  So it was worth the window sheet drama :)
The chocolate egg is sitting on a nest of flowers from the Spiral Flower Die.  I used 3 different colors of cardstock (Pink Pirouette, Soft Sky and So Saffron).  I tied the box with some white grosgrain and then I was done.  Obviously chocolate is the first choice to put in this box, but you could put any beautiful gift in there.    
So here's the chocolate that I used.  I somehow found myself at the mall and SOMEHOW wondered into See's.  I have very expensive taste in chocolate :)  But I believe that good chocolate is worth paying for.  See's is great chocolate.  I LOVE dark chocolate, but I'm very picky.  But I've never been disappointed at See's (I especially LOVE LOVE LOVE their Dark Chocolate Chip Truffles---walked out with a box of those too that day).  OK enough with my chocolate preferences-probably more than you cared to know about.  I saw this box of 6 eggs and thought, that would be adorable in this clear box and I can get 6 gifts for a *low, affordable* price.  So here they are, you too can go buy them :)  
 
Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!!

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Bright Butterfly

I have a beautiful card today.  Pictures don't seem to capture it.  There's so much going on with the butterfly!  First I wanted the butterfly on one layer, but I didn't want it to take up the whole card-HUGE problem I know!  I'll explain in a minute how I got that look.  But once I did achieve it (Yay! Success!!) I had to color it.  I used blender pens and my ink pads to color it.  I used Bermuda Bay, Melon Mambo and Crushed Curry. 
Once it was colored it needed something else....it just didn't look complete.  So I thought Crystal Effects would add a nice shine and glossy look.  I was right!  But even then, it STILL needed something!  So while the Crystal Effects was still wet I sprinkled-gently- Dazzling Diamonds Glitter on it!  That sparkle was it!  That completed it!!  I hope you're seeing the glitter, there's not lot on there, just enough to make it sparkle.  In real life, it's beautiful!!  It took a little while for the Crystal Effects to fully dry, not as long as I thought, but it wasn't a quick card.  Finally to complete the card I added some pink rhinestones.  You'll have to forgive me but these are retired, they came in a kit, I don't even what kit they came in.  I loved them and hung on to them hoping SU would come out with pink rhinestones (I'm still hoping!).  They got misplaced for a while and I didn't find them until a couple weeks ago during my huge room redo. I love them and I just scattered them around the butterfly randomly. 
Masking the butterfly, here's how I did it.  This Swallowtail stamp is big, it could cover the entire card, but I didn't want it to, I wanted a nice border.  This card came about because I was going through some old cards, ones I did YEARS ago and I came across a card (It's the 2nd card..please also remember these cards were done in 2008...that's it).  I used the Lovely as a Tree set.  I loved the look of it so I wanted to do a spring version of it, so I thought this butterfly would work perfectly! To get the 'masked look.  I placed Post It notes along the edge of my card.  Then stamped. 
When you remove the Post It notes, you're left with your masked version of the stamp.  It's simple and you can do it with ANY stamp.  While I was searching my archives for the sample of the card that inspired this one.  I came across some fun stuff that I had forgotten I'd made.  I may go back and create some more updated versions of some of my past cards.  I think that sounds like fun!! 
Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!

Monday, March 17, 2014

Silver Wish


It's St. Patrick's Day!  Happy St. Paddy's Day!  I don't have a St. Patrick's project, I don't think I've crafted at all this year for this holiday.  Hmmm, strange!  But I do have lovely card to share!!  This card is so elegant.  The Silver, Basic Black and Rich Razzleberry look amazing together!  I used the silver vellum and silver foil cardstock for this card.  Both coordinate beautifully and look great!!!  I used the silver ribbon and some white bakers twine along with a button to complete the card.  I love the whimsical and wispy look of the bakers twine on this card :) 
The flowers are made with the four flower punch from the Itty Bitty Punch Pack.  I used our Rhinestones and just colored them with a black sharpie to make them black.  They're still sparkly just black now.  So pretty!!  I have a big week.  I'm finishing packing (both craft stuff and personal stuff) for my scrapbooking weekend.  I'm so stinkin' excited!!  Even though alot of my craft stuff is packed I have lots to share this week, though if we could skip right to Friday I'd be ok with that :)
Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!!

Friday, March 14, 2014

Thank You!

When the Circle Monogram Stamp was released I loved it!  I thought that would be the perfect stamp to send my customers a 'thank you'.  So I ordered one, of course customized for my business.  The top says Thanks for your order!  The bottom says I do what I love because of you! I have SU for the monogramed letters and Ruth Norton Stampin' Up! Demo in the center.  These are just a handful of the 'Thank You's' that I included with my customers orders this month.  I used the best DSP, Fresh Prints!  I'm on my 3rd package people!!  It's a simple 3x3 card, I love it!!  If you want to order you monogram stamp you can order here.  They're so much fun!!!
 
Thanks for looking see you soon!!!!
 

Thursday, March 13, 2014

The Cover


I'm heading to a scrapbook weekend in just over a week.  I'm so excited.  It's the same scrapbooking weekend that I did in November.  I'm really excited (did I already say that).  This year I'm more prepared.  I know more of what to expect.  I know what to bring.  I'm taking paper crafting and MDS stuff to work on.  Last year I only took my laptop.  That was great but for 2 days straight (night and day) on the computer I needed a break.  So I'm planning projects to work on between the MDSing.  I'm hoping to finish (or start) my 2013 album.  I have about 5 pages done.  I'm so behind!  I'm warming up my MDS this week and next week.  I'm a little sad to say that I haven't MDSed in months :(  So I'm getting geared up and ready for my weekend!  I'm not sure how much stamping I'll get done in the next week.  I'm a little overly organized this time and have already packed up some of my cardstock, ink pads and stamps :)  Today though I do have an MDS project.  This will be the cover for our 2013 album.  I use the Sale A Bration MDS download.  It's full of such cool things to use in MDS!!!  I'm excited to work with it more.  
 
Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!!

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Swaps

Last week was our demonstrator meeting, we did a shoebox swap.  That's where everyone brings the supplies and you make every one's card.  It's so much fun.  This month our theme was retired stuff.  So everyone broke out their retired stamps, DSP and more!  Here was the card I made for it.  And I wanted to add a correction to my post, in it I mentioned that the Boho Blossom punch was retired, it's not!  I don't know why I said that.  So looking at my card the only retired product I used was the 5 Petal Punch....I told you this was a hard swap for me!  Here's everyone else's cards :) 

Angela's card.  She used the retired Newsprint DSP.  I wish we still sold that I LOVED it!!  Her card is beautiful too!!

This is Michelle's card.  No one could remember the name of the DSP, but we all loved it.  It has texture and it uses our favorite retired color Baja Breeze!
 

This is Karen's card closed.  Pardon my hand I wanted to keep it closed to take a picture of the front :)  So pretty!  I miss that butterfly punch too!! 

Here it is open, the bunnies pop up on the inside.  So cute!!  I love it Karen!!!! 

This was Kay's card.  I can't remember what DSP pack that was from but I remember I loved it!!  I love the punch art flower too!!

Carmelita used the retired Flirtatious DSP.  I love all these bright colors together!! 

Finally the last card is from Dana, our newest member, she's Carmelita's downline.  The card has a wonderful fold, the butterflies on the front keep it closed.  It's so fun!! 
 
Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Man Up...Again


Here are the last three cards from my Man Up! Class on Saturday.  I never (hardly ever) use Tangerine Tango, but this card just called for it.  The Retro Fresh DSP has Tangerine Tango in it so it just screams 'Use Me!'  It's still one of the few colors I don't love but it's growing on me :)  But I do love this card.  The Banner Framelits and the Sale A Bration Banner punch work perfectly together!!
We used the Polka Dot embossing folder to emboss the top and bottom of the card but left a blank spot in the middle.  To do this run you paper and embossing folder through the Big Shot twice once to do the top and once to do the bottom. 


This card was a huge hit!  Even my Dad (who saw it Friday) said 'That's a cool card'. Clearly it was a hit!  Plus it was one of the easiest cards of the day!  A win/win!  There's a piece of white cardstock, that has a circle punch punched out to make a tee shirt, then the rest of the layers are assembled on that.  Adding the brads for the buttons last. 



The Etcetera DSP goes down the center of the card, rough up the collar a bit.  The two pieces of the jacket go on either side, rough up the collar and the sides of the jacket.  I just used my fingers to crumple it a little (crumple IS a technical term).  The pocket is just the 1 inch square punch that we trimmed to look like a pocket.  So fun!!! 
Finally the last card.  I don't think any masculine card class is complete unless you use the Lovely As A Tree set.  I think I've used this set at every single masculine card class I've done.  I've always changed up the cards but I think this set is ALWAYS pulled out :) This card ended up being one of my favorite cards.  The background is embossed with the Sale A Bration embossing folder and we added some burlap ribbon, but the real highlight of this card is the tree. 
Check out the awesome colors it has!!!  Amazing!!  To get this effect I folded up 3 or 4 baby wipes in quarters and put them on a paper plate.  I dropped a few drops of reinker on the baby wipes and created my own custom ink pad.  For this card we used Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke, Garden Green and Wild Wasabi re inkers.  You only need about 3 drops of each, make sure they're fairly close together so that your entire stamp is covered.  When they drop onto the baby wipe they will spread. You just stamp it as you normally would and every single time you stamp it will be different.  I LOVE this technique!!!  When you're done stamping your just toss you 'ink pad' in the garbage, clean up is a breeze!!!  Those are my masculine cards.  Hope you enjoyed them!
 
Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!!!