Crafting With Clarissa!

2011-06-18T12:59:00.001-07:00

Watch out Pandora, I have a new, cheaper bracelet line coming out!

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Father's Day Card Class

2011-05-18T10:52:00.001-07:00

These are the projects I'm planning for my upcoming Father's Day Card Class this Saturday: two 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" cards and two gift tags. I haven't had anyone express interest or RSVP yet, so I hope this will be a worthwhile event. I'm still new to the area and I just can't believe there isn't one person in my community that is interested in crafts/card-making/scrapbooking! Keeping my fingers crossed!

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-07T10:47:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there! We have the most demanding, most tiring, longest shift job in the world, but we also have the most rewarding one! =) Enjoy your day!

I'm Baaacck!

2011-05-04T10:36:00.001-07:00

We are now living and pretty much settled in our new home in Marysville, WA. It's been about three weeks, and we finally got our internet hooked up yesterday! I've been playing catch-up with updating necessary things, like changes of address on several websites, checking status updates on a few Stampin' Up! orders, and re-downloading my My Digital Studio downloads so I can get back into scrapbooking! I didn't realize how much I rely on internet, especially to manage my business! It's good to be back online!

So last Saturday, April 30th, I planned to place an order for some Occassions Mini products I needed to order before they were gone, gone, gone forever! LOL! I noticed a Sr. Supervisor Title Bonus was listed, so I clicked on it and realized I earned a $100 shopping spree!!! Yay me! I was so excited!!! I have yet to make friends who are interested in Stampin' Up! and now that I'm back in the States, I'm required to make a minimum sales amount. Long story short, I'm getting $100 worth of product FREE!!! I LOVE being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator!!! =)

Amy Logan's First Stampin' Up! Event

2011-03-12T13:05:00.001-08:00

One of my downline gals, Amy Logan, had her first Stampin' Up! event today! The two projects she designed included: a recipe card holder with recipe cards and love coupons with a holder. It was lots of fun stamping for the last time here in Naples! I will miss my friends dearly and am so thankful and blessed to be able to share my interests with them!

Brandi Ellis's Stamp Club

2011-03-05T10:57:00.000-08:00

One of my downling gals, Brandi Ellis, had her first stamp club today! The 3D projects she came up with are so stunning! I love how these favors are easily adaptable for any occassion or holiday. Here are the ones I completed:

Strength & Hope Campaign

2011-03-04T09:56:00.000-08:00

I read on the demonstrator website a few days ago of a partnership between Stampin' Up! and The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Stampin' Up! will be releasing a new stamp set called Strength & Hope with coordnating designer series paper, all of which can be purchased as a digital kit for MDS (My Digital Studio) as well. Stampin' Up! will donate $2 from the sale of each stamp set/digital kit to the foundation. What a great way to be involved in the community and really making a "difference," as Stampin' Up! strives to do!

It just so happened the items were available for preorder. If I wasn't in the process of transferring out of Italy, I would've preordered the stamp set and paper, but I didn't want to chance them not arriving before I depart, so I settled for the digital kit. I crafted a few cards, the first of which I CASED from the demo website samples. The other two (sympathy cards) I made for individuals, including myself, who've lost loved ones this week. R.I.P. Auntie Ling! You will be GREATLY missed!

The "Strength & Hope" campaign will be soon-approaching and beginning May 1st- August 31st, you can purchase these products.

So Shelli Creative Challenge

2011-02-27T06:31:00.001-08:00

This month, Shelli's Creative Challenge asks us to create with Sale-A-Bration products. It's been quite busy in our household with getting ready to head out of Italy and back to the States. I really wanted to create several projects and cards to have on hand, since practically all of my Stampin' Up! supplies has been packed up, so I had to settle on the one project I had completed. This is a 3" x 3" card set of four I came up with:

Edrien Marc's Invitations

2011-02-21T06:41:00.000-08:00

Happy 1st Birthday, Edrien! My friend, Mercy, requested 20 invitations for her son's combined Christening reception and 1st Birthday celebrations. I had most of my Stampin' Up! supplies packed up with our first pack out, so I had limited things to work with. I'm very satisfied with how the invitations turned out, and more importantly, my friend loved them too!

Tile Coaster Set

2011-02-19T07:20:00.000-08:00

Brandy Bishop, one of my downline gals, had her first Stampin' Up! event yesterday! I was so excited for her to hold this event, and that I'm still physically here to have been able to attend and support her! You did a great job, Brandy! With your eye for creativity, I'm sure you will have lots of fun AND be a successful demonstrator!

Recent Cards

2011-02-16T07:12:00.000-08:00

I've had the itch to make cards to free me from the stress of all of our packing out! I took some much needed relax time and came up with these two birthday cards and a thank you card. It was so much fun to break in using some of the new products from the Occassions Mini and the Sale-A-Bration catalogs!! Can't wait to get to Washington, our new duty station state, to play with my Stampin' Up! stuff again!

Valentine's Day 2011 card

2011-02-14T06:19:00.000-08:00

In the midst of us getting our stuff ready for our express shipment packout, I realized I had not created any handmade cards to mail to family back home. Then the idea occurred to me, "Hey! I have My Digital Studio!" I know, a little delayed, right? Anyways, I made this card in about 20 minutes, exported it as a JPEG, and emailed to all of my intended handmade card recipients. They were able to receive their card in time for Valentine's! What's better is that no postage was required! I LOVE My Digital Studio!!!

Costa Pacifica 2010 Cruise

2011-01-31T07:36:00.000-08:00

We went on a 10 day Mediterranean cruise with the Costa Pacifica cruise line. It was my first cruise and was overall happy with the experience. There were a few things we could've been better informed about, but definitely a fun experience!

Ribbon Swap

2011-01-25T06:49:00.000-08:00

My second ribbon swap ever was a success! I had four gals total participate, including myself (of course!)! We had samples of sixteen different types and colors of ribbon! Stampin' Up! offers so many yards, not that I'm complaining, but I often find myself not using up a whole spool quick enough to justify purchasing more. I love that I have more options to work with!

Valentine's Day Bundle

2011-01-24T07:24:00.000-08:00

Our first packout was last week, which is one reason why I haven't been able to update my blog. After our Mediterranean cruise last December (I'll post pictures later), and Christmas and New Year's soon to follow, I just have not had enough time! I've been brainstorming ways to keep myself involved with my business amidst all the chaos that comes with transferring out of Italy and to Washinton state, our next duty station. I don't have a lot of supplies, but wanted to offer something to my customers for Valentine's Day!

I came up with this little bundle, which includes two standard cards with envelopes, a 3" x 3" card with envelope, a tag to embellish a Valentine's Day gift, a purse-sized scallop square notepad, and matching altered pen. Unfortunately, I didn't receive any requests =(. I did have lots of fun creating the items though! It wasn't a total waste!

Christmas Cards 2010

2010-12-25T07:07:00.000-08:00

I knew I wanted to use My Digital Studio to make our family's Christmas cards this year. I had several photos to choose from thanks to our photgrapher, Renee Marie Williams! Thanks, Renee! I made two cards and got the opinions of several friends to decide which to use. I like them both so much, but since we are living in Italy, I chose the Concord Crush one with the vineyard pictures. I dedided those pictures were more representative of us living in Italy.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T06:27:00.000-08:00

Here is my quick Thanksgiving card I created with My Digital Studio! Love the new fall/autumn downloads!

My Digital Studio Design Contest

2010-11-15T06:59:00.000-08:00

These are the entries I submitted for the My Digital Studio Design Contest. I just had to participate because the prize is hundreds of dollars of free digital downloads! What girl doesn't love getting free stuff, right? The two scrapbook pages are from this fall... two less events on my list of things to scrapbook for 2010! Good luck to me, and hope to win!!

November Stamp Club

2010-10-26T06:38:00.001-07:00

This is my November Stamp Club project that I have planned, which also doubles to qualify for Shelli's creative challenge this month! It's a simple decor piece to be displayed with a plate stand, or on a wall. I think it turned out really cute!

Supplies:
Stamps- none
Ink- none
Paper- none
Accessories- floor tile, Big Shot, Timeless Type Junior Alphabet dies, Leaves #2 die, Decor Elements Sheets (in Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, and Pumpkin Pie), various texture plates, and various embossing folders

Congratulations, Kathy!

2010-10-17T06:56:00.000-07:00

Congratulations, Kathy Donahue, on signing up as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator! If you're like me and you contribute to support your hobby, then you will surely be glad you signed up because of the discount :) Enjoy your journey and happy stampin'!

Congratulations, Brandi!

2010-10-16T06:52:00.000-07:00

Congratulations, Brandi Ellis, on signing up as a demonstrator! I hope you enjoy your journey with Stampin' Up! as much as I have! Here's your gift from me:

October Stamp Club

2010-10-12T15:23:00.000-07:00

For this month's club project, I wanted to showcase our Wicked Fun Specialty DSP and the Batty For You Stamp set. I had originally ordered these items for a previous workshop, but they didn't arrive in time. I couldn't just let it all go to waste!

I came up with this idea:

Hope the gals like it!

Supplies:
Stamps- Teeny Tiny Wishes, Batty for You, Autumn Harvest, Define Your Life
Ink- Pumpkin Pie classic stampin' pad, Old Olive classic stampin' pad, Basic Black classic stampin' pad, Rich Razzleberry classic stampin' pad, Basic Black stampin' write marker
Paper- Wicked Fun Specialty designer series paper, Basic Black cardstock, Pumpkin Pie cardstock, Rich Razzleberry cardstock, Whisper White cardstock
Accessories- Big Shot, Spider Web embossing folder, Timeless Type Junior Alphabet, Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz, 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" circle punches, Old Olive 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, picture frame

Heat Embossed Frame

2010-10-12T15:14:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday we met with our friends, Lewis and Jammie, whose time in Italy is coming to an end. They had a farewell dinner at an amazingly scrumptious Brazilian restaurant. It was a buffet, PLUS round after round (about 12 of them!) of various meats. I defnitely went home with a full and happy tummy!

This is the picture of the said couple, as well as the frame I embossed to hold the picture in:

Bookmark Request

2010-10-06T15:09:00.000-07:00

My friend, Joanne, contacted me last week for a request... five handmade bookmarks. I was more than happy to fill the request, but since I was preparing for my September Stamp Club, I didn't have the time until this week to complete them all.

Here they are:

Oh, and she loved them!

New Recruit

2010-10-03T15:03:00.000-07:00

I acquired a new recruit... CONGRATULATIONS LEAH JO HEMLING! Welcome to the world of Stampin' Up! Since I have been a demonstrator for a few years now, I have a collection of supplies I don't necessarily use for my own business or personal purposes, so to give Leah a little something to get excited about while waiting for her starter kit to arrive, I put together this little tote:

September Stamp Club

2010-09-25T14:54:00.000-07:00

I've recently started adding my projects to my Stampin' Up! Demonstator facebook page and thought, hmm, what a great opportunity to showcase My Digital Studio! Don't get me wrong, I DO NOT have all the time in the world to dabble with this wonderful program (although I wish I did!), so I plan to just scrapbook pictures of my stamp clu projects.

Here is what we are doing for September:

Supplies:
Stamps- Tags Til Christmas
Ink- Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad, Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad, Cherry Cobler Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Very Vanilla cardstock, Whisper White cardstock, Old Olive cardstock, Cherry Cobbler cardstock, Jolly Holiday designer series paper
Accessories- various Sampin' Up! punches

Shelli's Creative Challenge

2010-08-11T01:21:00.000-07:00

I decided to enter another one of Shelli's Creative Challenges (you can too, by the way!). This month is to create using color combinations from the new Color Coach. I was skeptical at even purchasing this new tool because I hardly used the old one, but I figured, hey, I'll give it a try! I must say that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the new color coach! It's so easy to use and the color combos are just stunning. When I am stumped on how to coordinate colors on a project, I turn to my color coach... it's a must-have for us crafters!

So here is my entry:

This is a page from our Spain 2010 album I am currently working on. It uses the Baja Breeze, Cajun Craze, and Basic Gray creative combo. I never would've thought to use these colors together, but they work very well with my pictures! Once I have completed our whole album, I will post the rest of the pages back here. Crossing my fingers and hoping to get it all done within the next few months! I'm still sorting through a few thousand pictures to narrow down which ones to scrapbook!

Supplies:
Stamps- none
Ink- Whisper White
Paper- Baja Breeze Script DSP, Baja Breeze Brocade DSP, Baja Breeze textured cardstock, Cajun Craze cardstock, Whisper White cardstock
Accessories- square punch, scallop square punch, Basic Gray round buttons

August Stamp Club

2010-08-07T01:11:00.000-07:00

For my stamp club this month, I decided to feature products from the summer mini since most things in it will only be availabe until the end of the month. The idea came to me to alter black and white composition notebooks and have an altered pen to match. Living in Italy, practically everyone has travelled somewhere at some point, and I thought... hmm, wouldn't it be nice to have one place to jot down the things we saw and experienced? So for this month, we made this:

Of course everyone else's was just a little different because of the variety of designer series paper, but they all kept the same basic layout.

Supplies:
Stamps- Sentimental Journey
Ink- Bashful Blue Classic Stampin' Pad, Versamark
Paper- Travel Journal DSP, Pumpkin Pie cardstock, Kraft cardstock, Night of Navy cardstock, Whisper White cardstock
Accessories- Big Shot, Billboard decorative strip die, scallop circle punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, 1" circle punch, 1/16" circle punch, scallop trim border punch, composition book, RSVP pen

Brandi's Stamp Party

2010-07-24T10:37:00.000-07:00

A really nice gal in the building next to mine had been wanting to have a stamp party for the longest, and we finally set a date, which was today! Although it was only my hostess, Brandi, and her friend, Stephanie, we had lots of fun stamping and getting to know each other!

Here is my hostess gift: a set of 3" x 3" notecards with matching envelopes, using Stampin' Up!'s 2010-2011 In Colors.

Supplies:
Stamps- Punched Posies, Priceless, Teeny Tiny Wishes, Tote-ally Tess
Ink- 2010-2011 In Colors
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, 2010-2011 In Colors
Accessories- silver brads, scallop square punch, 1/16" circle punch, cello bag, linen thread, Certainly Celery 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals

This is a set of tags, used as a prize for one of the games:

Supplies:
Stamps- It's the Thought, Tote-ally Tess
Ink- Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, various Brights, Concord Crush cardstock
Accessories- grosgrain ribbon scraps, staples, Big Shot, Pillow Box die, scallop oval punch, oval punch, Stampin' Pastels, blender pen

Brandi requested to see embossing, so here is the embossed card I demonstrated using the Big Shot. I used the Color Coach with this one... LOVE the new color coach!

Supplies-
Stamps- Define Your Life (although Brandi's version has the "Journey" definition
Ink- Cajun Craze Stampin' Write Marker, Cajun Craze classic stampin' pad, Peach Parfait Stampin' Write Marker
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Cajun Craze cardstock, Peach Parfait cardstock
Accessories- Big Shot, Backgrounds 1 texture plate, spiral border punch, paper daisies, Pumpkin Pie button, linen thread, Stampin' Sponge

Here is a heat embossed card I demonstrated:

Supplies-
Stamps- Sweet Scoops
Ink- Pumpkin Pie classic stampin pad, Versamark
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Real Red cardstock, Tempting Turquoise cardstock, Pumpkin Pie cardstock
Accessories- White embossing powder, heat tool, toothpicks, scallop trim border punch

Here is the make & take:

Supplies-
Stamps- Charmed, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink- Wild Wasabi stampin' write marker, Rose Red classic stampin' pad, Versamark
Paper- Very Vanilla carstock, Rose Red cardstock, Perfect Plum cardstock
Accessories- Big Shot, Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, Stampin' Pastels, scallop rectangle die

Gavin's Birth Announcement

2010-07-21T03:34:00.000-07:00

My friend, Kook, delivered a happy, healthy, baby boy named Gavin back in May of this year. Suffice to say that Kook's crafting days have been cut short being a new mom and all. I created this simple baby announcement in My Digital Studio for her to use. She absolutely loved it!

Supplies:
Stamps- Introducing, Nursery Neccessities
Ink- Chocolate Chip, Whisper White
Paper- Certainly Celery cardstock
Accessories- Chocolate Chip stitching, Rock-A-Bye labels

July Stamp Club

2010-07-01T02:22:00.000-07:00

With the release of the new 2010-2011 catalog, I wanted to showcase some of the new things my customers can purchase. I always like to teach a new technique or show another way to use stamps, so this is what I have planned for my July Stamp Club... a card, a bookmark, and a stamped IKEA bag.

Supplies-
Stamps- Artistic Etchings
Ink- Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad, Basic Gray Classic Stampin' Pad, White Staz-On
Paper- Basic Black cardstock, Basic Gray cardstock, Whisper White cardstock, clear binding sheet covers
Accessories- black IKEA bag, Vingtage Wallpaper textured embossing folder, Big Shot, black brad, 1/4" cicle punch, 1/2" circle punch, 1/8" Very Vanilla taffeta ribbon, linen thread

Happy Father's Day!

2010-06-20T01:45:00.000-07:00

My stepdad owns a Fat Boy Harley. I thought this motorcycle stamp would be perfect for a father's day card for him! Happy Father's Day, Norbert!

Supplies-
Stamps- Motorcycle, Define Your Life
Ink- Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad, Brilliant Blue Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Brilliant Blue cardstock, Basic Black cardstock
Accessories- blender pens, silver brads

Here's one for my father-in-law:

Supplies-
Stamps- Tropical Party, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink- So Saffron Classic Stampin' Pad, Night of Navy Classic Stampin' Pad, Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, So Saffron cardstock, Night of Navy cardstock
Accessories- Detail Black embossing powder, sponges, heat tool, Square Lattice embossing folder

Happy Birthday, Mom!

2010-06-19T02:10:00.000-07:00

What do you get for the woman who has it all? Hand-crafted gifts, of course! I made my mom a set of cards... she enjoys cardmaking as much as I do, but doesn't always have the time, so she can just grab a card with it's matching envelope and she's good to go!

Supplies-
Stamps- Playful Pieces, Whimsical Words, Nursery Letter jumbo wheel
Ink- Barely Banana, Bashful Blue, Pale Plum, Pretty in Pink, Soft Suede
Paper- Barely Banana cardstock, Bashful Blue cardstock, Pale Plum cardstock, Pretty in Pink cardstock, Soft Suede cardstock, Whisper White cardstock
Accessories- Big Shot, Top Note Die, Stampin' Up! Perfect Polka Dots textured impressions folder, So Saffron 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, linen thread, button latte button, oval punch, scallop oval punch

I also tried my hand at making my mom this cute iPhone holder:

Supplies- felt, Big Shot, Top Note Die, brad, Lollipop Sizzix Alphabet, Baskets & Blooms die

Sneak Peek Creations

2010-06-10T06:33:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting all week long to get my sneak peek items and new 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog... unless you're a Stampin' Up! demonstrator or stamp-fanatic, you can't understand my excitement over the new items this year! I lost sleep this week trying to create with my new goodies while everyone else in the house slept. It was fun to break in my new stamps and create. Hope you like the new stamps and accessories as much as I do!

Supplies-
Stamps- Because I Care
Ink- Blushing Bride, Concord Crush, Pear Pizzazz, Basic Black
Paper- Blushing Bride textured cardstock, Pear Pizzazz cardstock, Concord Crush cardstock, Whisper White cardstock
Accessories- paper piercer, mat pack, blender pens, black embossing powder, heat tool, Very Vanilla 1/8" taffeta ribbon

Supplies-
Stamps- Fast & Fabulous
Ink- Bravo Burgundy Classic Stampin' Pad, Daffodil Delight Stampin' Write Marker, Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Bravo Burgundy cardstock, Baja Breeze cardstock, Kraft cardstock, watercolor paper
Accessories- paper piercer, mat pack, cutter kit (for distressing), small water bottle to mist stamp

Supplies-
Stamps- Friends Never Fade
Ink- Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad, Marina Mist Stampin' Write Marker
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Early Espresso cardstock, Marina Mist cardstock, Greenhouse Gala DSP
Accessories- scallop trim border punch, Early Espresso 1/8" taffeta ribbon, Dazzling Diamonds glitter

Supplies-
Stamps- Artistic Etchings
Ink- Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad, Basic Gray Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Basic Black cardstock, Whisper White cardstock, Basic Gray cardstock
Accessories- black brad, Big Shot, Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, cutter kit, paper snips, 1/2" circle punch, 1/4" circle punch

Supplies-
Stamps- Playful Pieces, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink- Soft Suede Classic Stampin' Pad, Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad, Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Melon Mambo cardstock, Whisper White cardstock, Soft Suede cardstock
Accessories- 1/2" circle punch, paper snips, scallop trim border punch, stamp-a-ma-jig, paper piercer, mat pack

June Stamp Club

2010-06-05T06:17:00.000-07:00

I designed my June Stamp Club projects around Father's Day.
Here is the card we did:

Materials and instructions can be found on a previous post here:
http://craftingwithclarissa.blogspot.com/2010/04/fun-with-folds.html

This is a 6" x 6" scrapbook page we did:

Supplies:
Stamps- Tropical Party, Define Your Life
Ink- Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad, Chocolate Chip Stampin' Write Marker
Paper- So Saffron cardstock, Close to Cocoa cardstock, Island Oasis DSP, Whisper White cardstock
Accessories- round tab punch, paper piercer, mat pack

Congratulations, Alanna!

2010-06-01T01:07:00.000-07:00

My cousin promotes to high school at the beginning of June. This is the card I made for her, which I CASED from my friend, Donna Wicks... thanks for the quick and simple layout, Donna!

Supplies-
Stamps- Congrats
Ink- Rich Razzleberry Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Razzleberry Lemonade DSP, vellum, Rich Razzleberry cardstock
Accessories- brad, scallop trim border punch, Beautiful Butterflies die, Big Shot, Beautiful Wings embosslits die

Kathy's Stamp Party

2010-05-29T08:08:00.000-07:00

My friend, Kathy, wanted to have a stamp party. These are the projects I came up with. Everyone seemed to like them!

Supplies-
Stamps- Motorcycle, Teeny Tiny Wishes, Textured jumbo wheel
Ink- Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad, Brilliant Blue Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Brilliant Blue cardstock, Whisper White cardstock, Basic Black cardstock
Accessories- silver brads, blender pens, word window punch

Supplies-
Stamps- Sentimental Journey
Ink- Versamark, Pumpkin Pie Classic Stampin' Pad, Not Quite Navy Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Pumpkin Pie cardstock, Not Quite Navy cardstock, Bashful Blue cardstock, Travel Journey DSP
Accessories- spiral punch, brad, 1" circle punch, 1 1/2" circle punch

Happy Birthday, Mike!

2010-05-22T07:58:00.000-07:00

This is a card I made for my brother-in-law's birthday.

Card front:

Inside:

Supplies-
Stamps- Tropical Party, Vintage Labels
Ink- Close to Cocoa Stampin' Write Marker, Garden Green Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Garden Green cardstock, Close to Cocoa cardstock
Accessories- Chocolate Chip 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, 1" circle punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, stampin' sponge, Big Shot, Texturz Plates #4

I Won!

2010-05-18T11:05:00.000-07:00

I was checking my email this morning and saw an unfamiliar name for one email. I would've normally deleted it right away thinking it was spam, but then I read the subject title, "Fun With Folds Creative Challenge," so I opened it. Sure enough I am one of five winners from Shelli's Fun With Folds Creative Challenge! I was in shock that she actually chose mine as one of the winners! I get to choose any stamp set from the Summer Mini, and I decided to go with Elements of Style. Thank you, Shelli, for a fun challenge!

Felice Compleanno, Fatima!

2010-05-13T01:53:00.000-07:00

My son attends an Italian school and got an invitation to a classmate's birthday party. Although we were unable to attend, I wanted to make a little something for the birthday girl.

Supplies-
Stamps- Bugs & Kisses
Ink- Tempting Turquoise Classic Stampin' Pad, Only Orange Classic Stampin' Pad, Green Galore Classic Stampin' Pad, Yoyo Yellow Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Yoyo Yellow cardstock, Whisper White cardstock, Only Orange cardstock
Accessories- Tempting Turquoise 1/4" grosgrain ribbon

Mommy's Big Helper

2010-05-11T02:49:00.000-07:00

Alessia must love Stampin' Up! packages as much as I do! She was trying her hardest to figure out how to open the box. With a little help, she was on her way to helping me unpack. I can't wait until she's old enough to stamp with me!

Welcome to the world, Gavin!

2010-05-10T10:52:00.000-07:00

A good friend of mine had her baby today. I wanted to make just a little something to go with the vase of flowers I plan to deliver to the hospital.

Supplies-
Stamps- A Little Love (retired), Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink- Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad, Close to Cocoa Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Summer Picnic DSP (retired), Whisper White cardstock, Old Olive cardstock, Close to Cocoa cardstock
Accessories- scallop square punch, paper piercer, mat pack, 1/16" circle punch, Stampin' Pastels

Celebrating Baby Gabriella

2010-05-10T01:14:00.000-07:00

I attended a "Babywood" themed baby shower this weekend. It was a lot of fun! Thanks for inviting me, Amy! Can't wait to meet Miss Gabriella!

Here's the card I made for mommy-to-be:

Supplies-
Stamps- Seeing Spots, Teeny Tiny Wishes, Short & Sweet, unknown pregnant woman stamp
Ink- Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad, White Staz-On, Pretty in Pink Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Basic Black cardstock, Pretty in Pink cardstok, clear binding cover sheet
Accessories- black organza ribbon, boho blossoms punch, silver brad

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

2010-05-09T01:20:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day comes just one time a year to remind us to celebrate that special woman/women in our lives. It's been over a year since I've last seen my mom because we're separated by an ocean and a continent... hopefully we will be stationed in the States after our time here so I can be closer to the wonderful woman I call MOM... Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Supplies-
Stamps- Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink- Chocolate Chip Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Pretty in Pink cardstock, Pale Plum cardstock, Barely Banana cardstock, Chocolate Chip cardstock
Accessories- 1/2" circle punch, linen thread, 1/6" circle punch, scallop circle punch, word window punch, modern label punch

May Stamp Club

2010-05-01T11:17:00.000-07:00

I received some Summer Mini products in the mail today! The Smooch Spritz is by far my favorite accessory! I've made a few cards using the Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz and the cards look so pretty! It's hard to see in these photos, but they look much better in real life. These are two cards we will be doing at my May Stamp Club:

For this card, the Fleur de lis stencil from the Elegant Trio decor stencil set is my main image. I used it as a mask and stamped the swirl and flower images from the Priceless stamp set, then sponged Going Gray classic ink. Without moving the stencil, I spritzed some Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz. I also spritzed the Basic Black card base. Then I added my sentiment, tied some ribbon, added Stampin' Dimensionals, and voila, you have this elegant card! This card is so pretty I don't want to give it away!

Supplies:
Stamps- Priceless (small flower and small swirl image), Short & Sweet (sentiment)
Ink- Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad, Going Gray Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Basic Black cardstock
Accessories- Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz, 1/4" Basic Black grosgrain ribbon, Elegant Trio decor stencil, Stampin' Dimensionals, cutter kit (to distress the Whisper White cardstock), stamping sponge

This is another card we will be doing. This stencil is also from the Elegant Trio decor stencil set. I sponged the flower and leaves with the listed classic inks, then without moving the stencil, I spritzed some Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz. It's hard to see, but I also stamped the card base with the small flower from the Short & Sweet stamp set.

Supplies:
Stamps- Short & Sweet
Ink- Yoyo Yellow Classic Stampin' Pad, Only Orange Classic Stampin' Pad, Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad, Green Galore Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Yoyo Yellow cardstock, Only Orange cardstock, Melon Mambo cardstock, Whisper White cardstock
Accessories- paper piercing tool, mat pack, scallop edge punch, Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz, stamping sponges, sponge daubers.

This is the last of three projects I'm planning for my May Stamp Club. This is a floor tile sponged using the Brocade decor stencil. The letters I made from the Timeless Type Junior Alphabet die set and used the negative space as stencils. Once sponged, I baked the tile at 300 degrees farenheit, let cool completely, then sprayed with an acrylic sealer. I'm going to use this as a decorative piece for my living room.

Supplies:
Stamps- none
Ink- Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad, Close to Cocoa Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- none
Accessories- Big Shot, Timeless Type Junior Alphabet dies, small Brocade Decor Stencil, sponge daubers, acrylic spray

Fun with Folds

2010-04-19T05:29:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned before that Shelli (co-founder and CEO of Stampin' Up!) has monthly challenges on her website(www.soshelli.com). This month she is challenging us to create using folds of all kinds.

I made this card with the Hawaiian shirt as my focal point. The instructions for folding this origami Hawaiian shirt were found here:
http://art-smart.ci.manchester.ct.us/how_to/how_to_hi_shirt.html
I started with a 6" x 4 1/4" rectangle using the Island Oasis designer series paper (from the upcoming Summer Mini), then followed the instructions for folding. I added black brads for the shirt buttons, adhered that to a 3" x 3" Tempting Turquoise square, cut a strip of dsp from the same paper pack, matted everything with Basic Black cardstock and adhered to a Pumpkin Pie card base. Stamp your sentiment, and you're done!

Supplies:
Stamps- Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink- Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Pumpkin Pie cardstock, Tempting Turquoise cardstock, Whisper White cardstock, Island Oasis designer series paper
Accessories- black brads

Baby Hannah!

2010-04-16T12:13:00.001-07:00

This is a quick onesie card I made for a friend whose baby shower I couldn't attend this past weekend. I got the instructions from
http://laurenm.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/2008/02/05/create-your-own-onesie-card-tutorial-and-important-note-please-read/. I didn't have the exact sized circle punch, so I used my Creaive Memories punches.

Supplies:
Stamps- So Many Scallops (retired)
Ink- Barely Banana Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Pretty in Pink cardstock, Whisper White cardstock, Barely Banana cardstock
Accessories- Big Shot, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, scallop circle punch, circle punches (Creative Memories)

Two-Step into Spring Promotion

2010-04-10T06:03:00.001-07:00

I'm designing several cards/scrapook pages for the current Two-Step into Spring Promotion, and here are the projects I've designed so far:

Supplies:
Stamps- Fifth Avenue Floral
Ink- Bermuda Bay Classic Stampin' Pad, Rich Razzleberry Classic Stampin' Pad, Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Rich Razzleberry cardstock, Crushed Curry cardstock
Accessories- Black embossing power, heat tool, blender pen

Supplies:
Stamps- Fifth Avenue Floral
Ink- Pretty in Pink Classic Stampin' Pad, Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Pretty in Pink cardstock
Accessories- 1/2" Melon Mambo polka dot grosgrain ribbon

Supplies:
Stamps- Trendy Trees
Ink- Certainly Celery Classic Stampin' Pad, Pretty in Pink Classic Stampin' Pad, Pale Plum Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Apricot Appeal cardstock, Sage Shadow cardstock
Accessories- Stamp-a-ma-jig

EDITED TO ADD:

Here are a few more cards I created this week:

Supplies:
Stamps- Fifth Avenue Floral, All Holidays
Ink- Versamark, Chocolate Chip Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Chocolate Chip cardstock, Brushed Gold cardstock, Whisper White cardstock
Accessories- gold embossing powder, heat tool, Chocolate Chip taffeta ribbon, sponge dauber

Supplies:
Stamps- Fifth Avenue Floral, All Holidays
Ink- Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Pad, Dusty Durango Classic Stampin' Pad, Versamark
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Dusty Durango cardstock, Crushed Curry cardstock
Accessories- black embossing powder, heat tool, blender pen, circle scissor plus

I CASED this one from http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/1677311?&si=trendy trees

Supplies:
Stamps- Trendy Trees, All Holidays
Ink- Close to Cocoa Classic Stampin' Pad, Chocolate Chip Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Chocolate Chip cardstock, Chocolate Chip designer series paper, Close to Cocoa cardstock
Accessories- Button Latte, linen thread, paper piercer, mat pack

Supplies:
Stamps- Trendy Trees, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink- Bashful Blue Classic Stampin' Pad, Chocolate Chip Classic Stampin' Pad, Versamark
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Bashful Blue cardstock, Chocolate Chip cardstock
Accessories- Button Latte, circe scissor plus, linen thread, Funky Forest standard wheel, Stampin' Pastels

April Stamp Club

2010-04-10T03:37:00.000-07:00

My theme for April's Stamp Club is: Celebrating Mom. I designed a Mother's Day card, a 6" x 6" scrapbook page, and an altered candle.

Supplies:
Stamps- Fifth Avenue Floral, Teeny Tiny Wishes, Vintage Wheel (jumbo)
Ink- Certainly Celery Classic Stampin' Pad, Versamark, Lavendar Lace Classic Stampin' Pad, Pretty in Pink Classic Stampin' Pad, Apricot Appeal Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Pale Plum cardstock, Certainly Celery cardstock
Accessories- Big Shot, Stampin' Up! Beautiful Wings embosslits die, Stampin' Pastels, candle, 1/4" Certainly Celery grosgrain ribbon, word window punch, modern label punch, Stampin' Up! Perfect Polka Dots textured impressions folder

Easter Card the MDS way

2010-04-10T03:28:00.000-07:00

I don't create with My Digital Studio as often as I would like, and when I do, I am always amazed at how awesome this software is! I wanted to include pictures of my kids to go with the Easter cards I made (previous post), but decided that the cost of printing them would outweigh the cost of simply creating a card front and having that printed, so here is my end result:

Supplies:
Stamps- Petal Pizzaz, All Holidays
Ink- Tempting Turquoise, Melon Mambo, Pixie Pink
Paper- Tempting Turquoise DSP, So Saffron cardstock, Whisper White cardstock, Only Orange cardstock
Accessories- Curly Label Punch, Crushed Curry round button, Soft Suede grosgrain ribbon, Whisper White brads

Easter Cards

2010-04-01T03:12:00.000-07:00

These are several Easter cards I made to mail back home. My friend, Kathy, and I got together to make a bunch at once. Her little one and my little one didn't want us moms to have any crafting time, but we squeezed in a little here and there between cries, screams, and naps.

Supplies:
Stamps- Itty Bitty Backgrounds,Teeny Tiny Wishes, Loads of Love, Loads of Love Accessories, A Flower for all Seasons, Kind & Caring Thoughts (Level 3 hostess set)
Ink- various Soft Subtles
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, various Soft Subtles cardstock, Close to Cocoa cardstock, Chocolate Chip cardstock, DSP from Sale-A-Bration 2008
Accessories- scallop trim border punch, word window punch, modern label punch, circle scissor plus, brads, Stampin' Pastels, Big Shot, Top Note Die, Stampin' Up! Bear die, Stampin' Up! Beary Hoppy die, 5/8" So Saffron grosgrain ribbon

Ashley's Stamp Party

2010-03-27T04:34:00.000-07:00

One of the gals in my stamp club wanted to have a stamp party, so here are the make and takes I designed:

Supplies:
Stamps- Whimsical Words, Kind & Caring Thoughts
Ink- Pixie Pink Stampin' Write Marker, Green Galore Stampin' Write Marker, Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Pixie Pink cardstock
Accessories- Big Shot, Stampin' Up! Perfect Polka Dots textured embossing folder, Top Note Die

Supplies:
Stamps- One of a Kind
Ink- Chocolate Chip Stampin' Write Marker, Real Red Stampin' Write Marker
Paper- Sending Love Specialty Designer Series Paper, Real Red cardstock, Whisper White cardstock, Chocolate Chip cardstock
Accessories- 1/4" Real Red grosgrain ribbon, scallop trim border punch, oval punch, scallop oval punch

Farewell Ballesteros'

2010-03-19T04:18:00.000-07:00

Our dear friends are moving from Naples. Their new home will be in Sigonella (Sicily). This is a card I made for them:

Supplies:
Stamps- Welcome Home, Canvas (retired)
Ink- Garden Green Classic Stampin' Pad, Chocolate Chip Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Garden Green cardstock, Summer Sun cardstock, More Mustard cardstock, Old Olive cardstock
Accessories- oval punch, scallop oval punch, Stampin' Dimensionals

March Stamp Club

2010-03-13T03:06:00.000-08:00

For this month's stamp club, I wanted to show the ladies how to create a one layer card without embellishments, yet still look elegant. I taught them a few techniques as well, including: the rock n roll, two-step stampin', stamping off, masking, and reverse masking.

Supplies:
Stamps- Vintage Vogue, Sincere Salutations, All Holidays
Ink- Pretty in Pink Classic Stampin' Pad, Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad, Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Whisper White cardstock
Accessories- Stamp-a-ma-ig, sponges

Decor Stencils on Scrapbook Album

2010-03-12T01:20:00.001-08:00

Here's the story behind this album... my mom, stepdad, and sister came out to visit us in Italy last year a few weeks after I had my daughter. We spent time at home, ate great food, and did some sight-seeing. Well, my mom is a busy woman, and I knew she wasn't planning to do anything soon with her pictures... bring in me, the daughter who loves to scrapbook and who was drawing blank ideas for last year's Christmas gift, and you have this: an album not only documenting our memories together, but something to be enjoyed each time its pages are turned... by the way, my mom and stepdad LOVED their Christmas gift!

Supplies-
Stamps- none
Ink- Chocolate Chip Classic Stampin' Pad, Always Artichoke Classic Stampin' Pad, Night of Navy Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Whisper White (to use as a stencil- I used the Stampin' Up! Timeless Type Junior Alphabet set with the Big Shot and created stencils out of the cardstock to created my title)
Accessories- Kind Thoughts Brocade stencil, sponge daubers, Big Shot, Stampin' Up! Timeless Type Junior Alphabet

Here are the pages from their album:

Decor Stencils on a Notebook

2010-03-12T00:25:00.000-08:00

I altered this composition book awhile ago, and realized I never added it to my blog, so here it is:

I got tired of jotting notes on Post-Its and trying to sort through everything, so I had started writing ideas/Stampin' Up! wishlists/things to do, etc... in a composition book. Well, I couldn't stop there... I HAD to decorate it! I just love how it turned out!

Suplies:
Stamps- none
Ink- Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Pad, Chocolate Chip Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Chocolate Chip cardstock, Razzleberry Lemonade designer series paper
Accessories- Big Shot, Stampin' Up! Timeless Type Junior Alphabet Sizzlits Dies, scallop edge punch, sponge daubers, Kind Thoughts Brocade Decor Stencil

LOVING the Sweet Pea Stitched Felt!

2010-02-28T03:16:00.000-08:00

I received the Sweet Pea Stitched Felt embellishments awhile back for completing the My Digital Studio certification. I FINALLY got around to playing with them this weekend, and I just LOVE them! You can get your own from the current Occasions Mini catalog. Check out the projects I did with these!

This is a picture frame I made for my daughter's room:

Supplies:
Stamps- In the Spotlight (retired) for the stems, but can easily be done by hand with dots
Ink- Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Old Olive cardstock, Chocolate Chip cardstock, Pretty in Pink cardstock, Whisper White cardstock
Accessories- Sweet Pea Stitched Felt, Big Shot, Stampin' Up! Billboard decorative strip die, paper snips (for grass)

These are some cards I made using the Sweet Pea Stitched Felt:

Supplies:
Stamps- Vintage Vogue, Sincere Salutations
Ink- Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad, Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad, Pretty in Pink Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Basic Black cardstock, Melon Mambo cardstock
Accessories- 1/2" Melon Mambo polka dot grosgrain ribbon, Circle Scissor Plus, Sweet Pea Stitched Felt

Supplies-
Stamps- Teeny Tiny Wishes, In the Spotlight (retired- for the stems, but making dots by hand would work too)
Ink- Chocolate Chip Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Melon Mambo cardstock, Old Olive cardstock, Basic Black cardstock
Accessories- 1/2" Melon Mambo polka dot grosgrain ribbon, paper snips (for the grass), Sweet Pea Stitched Felt, circle punch

Supplies-
Stamps- Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink- Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad, Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad, Chocolate Chip Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Melon Mambo cardstock, Whisper White cardstock
Accessories- Big Shot, Stampin' Up! Backgrounds 1 Texturz plates, Sweet Pea Stitched Felt, 1/4" Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon

Micheal's Birthday

2010-02-27T02:59:00.000-08:00

This one was for a boy's 5th birthday, whose party we couldn't make it to. I CASED this card from several designs I saw on www.splitcoaststampers.com

Supplies:
Stamps- none
Ink- Chocolate Chip Stampin' Write Marker (for dots on cookie)
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Yoyo Yellow cardstock, Real Red cardstock, Brilliant Blue cardstock, Basic Black cardstock, Close to Cocoa cardstock
Accessories- circle punch, scallop circle punch, 1/4" circle punch, 1/2" circle punch, Big Shot, Cuttlebug Birthday embossing folder, 1/4" Basic Black grosgrain ribbon

Happy 1st Birthday, Alessia!

2010-02-24T12:51:00.000-08:00

My baby girl's 1st birthday is (already!) next month, so I've naturally been planning it. I've decided to go with a spring theme, which makes me think of butterflies and flowers. My first project was the centerpiece. I still have the birthday banner and party favors to do, but thought I would share what I have already accomplished.

This was my fist time using my Big Shot and the SU! Beautiful Butterflies Bigz Die with material other than paper, and boy was I impressed! I actually thanked my husband, again, for my Mother's Day gift. It just keeps on giving! I was surprised to see that cranking the foam through the Big Shot seemed like I was running cardstock through... it was THAT easy! Now I want to experiment with other types of material after seeing what my Big Shot is capable of!

Here is a closer view:

Here you can see (I hope) where I've used the texturz plates, on the pink butterfly in the middle and to the back, and on the pink butterfly on the left. It looks so cute in real life!

Recipe-
Stamps- none
Ink- none
Paper- Certainly Celery cardstock
Accessories- vase (from IKEA), Chocolate Chip 1" Double-Stitched grosgrain ribbon, wooden skewers, Whisper White taffeta ribbon, 1/4" Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon, Button Latte designer buttons, linen thread, crimper, Big Shot, Stampin' Up! Beautiful Butterflies Bigz Die, Stampin' Up! Backgrounds 1 Texturz Plates, Foamies Fashion Foam Sheets (Darice brand), Foamies Glitter Sticky Back Foam Sheets (Darice brand)

Valentine's Day Card Set

2010-02-24T12:27:00.001-08:00

I needed to make several Valentine's Day cards to send to family back home in the States, so these are the cards I came up with.

Recipe:
Stamps- Teeny Tiny Wishes, Happy Everything, I {Heart} Hearts
Ink- Pretty in Pink Classic Stampin' Pad, Close to Cocoa Classic Stampin' Pad, Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Real Red cardstock, Pretty in Pink cardstock, Close to Cocoa cardstock, Chocolate Chip cardstock, Candy Lane designer series paper
Accessories- Big Shot, Stampin' Up! Backgrounds 1 Texturz Plates, Stampin' Up! Timeless Type Junior Alphabet Sizzlits Dies, sanding block, Whisper White taffeta ribbon, brads, word window punch, modern label punch, spiral punch, scallop square punch, Stampin' Up! Scallop Envelope Bigz Die, Stampin' Up! Hearts & Brackets Die, small heart punch

Decor Elements in my Kitchen!

2010-02-24T06:53:00.000-08:00

I've had this Dry Goods Definitely Decorative elements since last year, but I didn't have containers to put them on. I finally ordered some Tupperware brand canisters and applied my Definitely Decorative elements to them... I LOVE how they look!

Happy Birthday, Angie!

2010-02-24T06:45:00.001-08:00

My good friend, Angie, celebrated her birthday this month. I wanted to make her something special, functional, and cute all at the same time... I've seen several examples on www.splitcoaststampers.com using an envelope as a gift card holder, so I tried my hand at this new project. It was easy to do, and Angie loved it!

FYI- The flap on the right holds a gift card.

Recipe:
Stamps- Vintage Labels, Razzle Dazzle, In My Thoughts (retired)
Ink- Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Pad, Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad, Rich Razzleberry Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Rich Razzleberry cardstock, Melon Mambo cardstock, Razzleberry Lemonade designer series paper
Accessories- 1/2" Melon Mambo polka dot grosgrain ribbon, scallop circle punch, circle punch, scallop edge punch, Whisper White medium envelope

February 2010 Stamp Club

2010-02-24T06:32:00.000-08:00

For this month's club projects, I incorporated a Valentine's Day theme, so what is more symbolic of Valentine's than hearts? The card and scrapbook page use the new I {Heart} Hearts stamp set from the Occasions Mini catalog, and the card and metal tin favor use the new Sending Love Specialty Designer Series Paper, also from the current mini. The tins were a hit with my club members, and it was the first time I did that project, so I was quite please with how everything turned out.

Recipe:
Stamps- Teeny Tiny Wishes, I {Heart} Hearts, Define Your Life
Ink- Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad, Chocolate Chip Classic Stampin' Pad, Pretty in Pink Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Real Red cardstock, Chcolate Chip cardstock, Sending Love Specialty Designer Series Paper
Accessories- 1/4" Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon, Chit Chat rub-ons, word window punch, modern label punch, Big Shot, Top Note Bigz Die, Stampin' Up! Backgrounds 1 Texturz Plates

February Birthday Cards

2010-02-20T02:35:00.000-08:00

We have several February birthdays in my family, so I decided to just make one post with all the cards.

This one is for my brother-in-law, Lawrence. He was also en route to changing duty stations, so I thought a "Best Wishes" card would be suitable:

Supplies:
Stamps- Lovely as a Tree, Sincere Salutations
Ink- Chocolate Chip Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- More Mustard cardstock, Not Quite Navy cardstock, Whisper White cardstock, Chocolate Chip cardstock, Old Olive cardstock
Accessories- Big Shot, Texture Plates Kit #4, stipple brush, blender pens

This one is for my younger sister, Marissa:

Supplies:
Stamps- circle from Shapes & Shadows (retired), Birthday Greetings (retired)
Ink- Orchid Opulence Classic Stampin' Pad, Pink Passion Classic Stampin' Pad, Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Orchid Opulence cardstock, Pink Passion cardstock, Basic Black cardstock
Accessories- silver brads, scallop edge punch, 1/16" circle punch

This is one for my other brother-in-law, Jeremie:

Supplies:
Stamps- Lovely as a Tree, All Holidays
Ink- Chocolate Chip Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Riding Hood Red cardstock, Chocolate Chip cardstock
Accessories- Stampin' Pastels

This last one is for Jeremie's stepson, Kenny:

Suplies:
Stamps- Trendy Trees, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink- Kiwi Kiss Classic Stampin' Pad, Dusty Durango Classic Stampin' Pad, Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Pad, Chocolate Chip Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Chocolate Chip cardstock, Crushed Curry cardstock, Dusty Durango cardstock, Kiwi Kiss cardstock
Accessories- modern label punch, word window punch

Homemade Bath Salts

2010-01-17T09:16:00.000-08:00

I tried my hand at making homemade bath salts... it was super easy and didn't cost very much. These reused Starbuck's Frappucino bottles went to some special ladies for Christmas gifts. Who couldn't use a little pampering, right?

Stamps- Treat Yourself, Fall Flair
Ink- Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad, Bermuda Bay Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Basic Black cardstock, Whisper White cardstock, Bermuda Bay cardstock
Accessories- crimper, 1/4" black organdy ribbon, word window punch, modern label punch, 1/8" circle punch, bottles, sea salt, Epsom salt, food coloring, fragrance oil

Green Team 2009

2010-01-17T08:59:00.000-08:00

I made a digital scrapbook slideshow (using My Digital Studio) of Kai's first season of soccer. The slideshow features pictures of his team-mates, coach, group shots, and highlights from each of their games. I made these cd holders and decorated them to give to each of his team-mates.

Stamps- Just Soccer, Game On, Roughing It
Ink- Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad, Green Galore Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Basic Black cardstock, Whisper White cardstock, Green Galore cardstock
Accessories- crimper

Happy Birthday, Blaine!

2010-01-17T08:54:00.000-08:00

Kai got invited to a birthday party last weekend for a boy he used to play soccer with. Although it was a Transformers-themed party, I made this soccer card for the birthday boy.

Stamps- Just Soccer, Happy Everything
Ink- Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad, Green Galore Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Basic Black cardstock, Whisper White cardstock, Green Galore cardstock

Happy Birthday, Alanna!

2010-01-17T08:45:00.000-08:00

Here is a picture of a gift set I made for a teenage cousin. It includes an altered mini lunch box tin, an altered pen, a matchbox filled with candy, an altered notepad, a bookmark, and a matching birthday card (of course!).

Stamps- Just Jawing, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink- Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad, Pink Passion Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Basic Black cardstock, Whisper White cardstock, Pink Passion cardstock
Accessories- mini lunch box tin, mini notebook, RSVP pen, Basic Black 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, Regal Rose 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, star punch, circle punch, scallop circle punch, Big Shot, Bigz XL Matchbox Die

December Stamp Club

2009-12-02T05:25:00.000-08:00

For my December stamp club I thought it would be fitting to do some kind of holiday project. Well, I procrastinated (amidst all my other gift-giving holiday projects), and did not come up with an idea until two days ago. I figured that whatever materials I would need to do a tag pouch holder would need to be ordered and would not get here in time for my stamp club meeting, so what's a girl to do? I improvised! I was originally going to use 6" x 6" page protectors as my pockets, so I used a cellophane bag instead... rather than use sticky strip, I used Scotch double stick tape, and rather than use designer series paper, I stamps snowflakes on Whisper White cardstock and slipped that in the cello bag. I think the project turned out really cute... it almost makes me not want to use any of the tags!

Recipe:
Stamps- Christmas Punch, Snow Swirled
Ink- Chocolate Chip Classic Stampin' Pad, Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad, Glorious Green Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Chocolate Chip cardstock, Real Red cardstock, Glorious Green carstock
Accessories- Big Shot, Petals A Plenty Textured Embossing folder, Crop-A-Dile, Real Red 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, cellophane bag, scallop square punch, scallop oval punch, scallop circle punch, tag punch, small tag punch, 1/8" circle punch, linen thread

November Stamp Club

2009-12-02T05:16:00.000-08:00

For November's stamp club meeting, we made a Christmas card and a holiday decoration (I got the idea from my upline). The gals all loved the projects!

Recipe:
Stamps- Happy Everything
Ink- Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad, Close to Cocoa Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Real Red cardstock, Chocolate Chip cardstock, Close to Cocoa cardstock
Accessories- Petals A Plenty Textured Impressions embossing folder, Big Shot, Chocolate Chip 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, Real Red 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, scallop oval punch, oval punch, 1/8" circle punch, Old Olive 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, Decor Elements Jingle all the Way, floor tile, Dazzling Diamonds, tackly glue mixed with water (brushed over tile to adhere Dazzling Diamonds)

October Stamp Club

2009-12-02T04:31:00.000-08:00

I'm late in posting, but this is the project my stamp club did for October. It's a recipe tin! Although it was time-consuming to make and involved a lot of preparation, I think they turned out really cute!

Recipe:
Stamps- Voila, From the Kitchen of
Ink- all 2009-2010 In Colors Classic Stampin' Pads, Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- all 2009-2010 In Colors cardstock, Basic Black cardstock, Whisper White cardstock, Razzleberry Lemonade designer series paper
Accessories- Big Shot, Stampin' Up! Billboard Strip Die, blender pen, Stampin' Pastels, round tab punch, Melon Mambo 1/2" polka dot grosgrain ribbon, Mod Podge, mini lunchbox tin

My 2009 Christmas Card

2009-11-29T23:54:00.000-08:00

This is the card I will be mailing to all our friends and family this year. This one also uses a few retired accessories, but, as always, they can be subtituted with other available colors.
Recipe:
Stamps- Snow Swirled, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink- Riding Hood Red Classic Stampin' Pad (retired), Kiwi Kiss Classic Stampin' Pad (retired)
Paper- Riding Hood Red cardstock (retired), Whisper White cardstock, Kiwi Kiss cardstock (retired), Brushed Gold cardstock
Accessories- ticket corner punch, large oval punch, scallop oval punch, double rectangle punch, Riding Hood Red taffeta ribbon, Gold Stickles glitter (non Stampin' Up!)

A Simple Christmas

2009-11-29T23:45:00.000-08:00

This is a very simple Christmas card I created. I'm loving this clean and simple look! I used a few retired accessories, but those can always be substituted with our other available colors.
Recipe:
Stamps- Always, Heard from the Heart
Ink- Kiwi Kiss Classic Stampin' Pad (retired), Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Kiwi Kiss cardstock (retired), Whisper White cardstock,
Accessories- Chocolate Chip taffeta ribbon, Iridescent Ice embossing powder, double rectangle punch

A Close to Cocoa Christmas

2009-11-29T23:29:00.000-08:00

This holiday card was a lot of fun to make! I used my new Petals A Plenty impressions folder... so cool!
Recipe:
Stamps- Happy Everything
Ink- Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad, Close to Cocoa Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Close to Cocoa cardstock, Chocolate Chip cardstock, Whisper White cardstock, Real Red cardstock
Accessories- scallop oval punch, large oval punch, Chocolate Chip 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, Real Red 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, Petals A Plenty Textured Impressions embossing folder, 1/8" circle punch

Misty's Baby Shower

2009-11-21T06:54:00.000-08:00

I got the instructions to make this onesie card from http://laurenm.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/2008/02/05/create-your-own-onesie-card-tutorial-and-important-note-please-read

Supplies:
Stamps- Bundled in Love
Ink- Versamark, Chcolate Chip Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Whisper White cardstock, Ruby Red cardstock, Close to Cocoa cardstock, Pumpkn Pie cardstock
Accessories- eyelets, circle punch, scallop circle punch

Adelina's 1st Birthday Card

2009-11-12T06:43:00.000-08:00

Supplies:
Stamps- Teeny Tiny Wishes, Reason to Smile
Ink- Chocolate Chip Clasic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Whiper White cardstock, Bashful Blue cardstock, Barely Banana cardstock, Certainly Celery cardstock, Sale A Bration 2009 dsp (forgot the name)
Accessories- 5/8" Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon, word window punch, modern label punch, Stampin' Pastels, brads

MDS Christmas Card

2009-10-26T03:46:00.001-07:00

I made this Christmas card last week and ordered it through Stampin' Up! I can't wait to get it in my hands to see how the cards looks! My 8" x 8" scrapbook looks awesome, and I expect to be impressed with their cards as well!

MDS Birthday Card

2009-10-26T03:42:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick birthday card I created using My Digital Studio. I don't have this stamp set, so it was fun to be able to play with it digitally!

Happy Birthday, Corrina!

2009-09-29T05:49:00.000-07:00

My sister's birthday was on September 22nd. Here's the card I made her:

The recipe:

Stamps- It's Beautiful (jumbo wheel), Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink- Baja Breeze Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper- Soft Suede, Blue Bayou, Whisper White, Baja Breeze
Accessories- Big Shot die-cut machine, Stampin' Up! Beautiful Butterflies Bigz Die, Stampin' Up! Backgroundz 1 Texturz Plates, Soft Suede 1/2" polka dot grosgrain ribbon

Everyday Moments Scrapbook

2009-09-25T12:43:00.001-07:00

Since I've got my hands on the My Digital Studio software, it has been consuming my nights of sleep because it is sooo addicting! I've been working on an 8" x 8" scrapbook that showcases my big boy and my baby girl. I just placed my order yesterday, so I will be anxiously waiting to receive my book in the mail. I wanted to share what I have done, so this slideshow will have to do for now. I highly recommend My Digital Studio to beginner through advanced scrapbookers!

Another MDS Halloween Card

2009-09-25T03:02:00.000-07:00

Halloween Card

2009-09-24T08:55:00.000-07:00

I've been playing with the My Digital Studio software some more, and here is a Halloween card I've designed:

My first My Digital Studio Project

2009-09-16T04:39:00.000-07:00

I finally received my My Digital Studio two days ago, and I LOVE IT! It's one of Stampin' Up!'s newest product lines and I have been playing with the software, seeing what it can do, and the possibilities are endless! It's a definite "must have" for those wanting to try their hand at scrapbooking, but have little time and/or little supplies, since everything can be done on your computer! With My Digital Studio, you can create cards, scrapbooks, calendars, and single scrapbook pages (which you can later add your own embellishments to). So here is my first attempt at using MDS:

September 2009 Stamp Club

2009-09-10T03:13:00.001-07:00

For this month's stamp club, I decided to showcase different types of cards. We will be doing a fun shaker card, a pocket card, and of course, a 6" x 6" scrapbook page. On the shaker card, I used Bashful Blue, but didn't realize I didn't have anymore cardstock on hand, so for the stamp club, we will be substituting with Certainly Celery. On the pocket card, I will be teaching you an emboss resist technique. It's just one more way to get the most out of your ink pads. Hope you like what I have planned!

Here's the recipe:
Stamps- Always, Warm Words, Sincere Salutations, Always in Bloom (wheel)
Ink- Close to Cocoa, Barely Banana, Certainly Celery
Paper- Whisper White, Close to Cocoa, Barely Banana, Certainly Celery
Accessories- Photo Corners Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, Circle Punch, cirmper, beads, acetate sheet, Stamp-a-ma-jig, stamp rubber, corner rounder, 5/8" Certainly Celery ribbon, brayer, clear embossing powder, heat tool, 1/8" circle punch

Here are some up close pictures of the projects:
Shaker Card:

Pocket Card:

6" x 6" Scrapbook page:

Stamps, Ink, and Paper

2009-08-26T01:00:00.000-07:00

Shelli Gardner, the CoFounder and CEO of Stampin' Up!, has monthly challenges on her website, www.soshelli.com. This month's challenge to is submit a project using only stamps, ink, and paper. This is my entry. It was inspired by my daughter's fitted sheet for her mattress. It is pretty much like this card: all white with various colored polka dots. I think the card is really cute, plus it was super easy and fast to complete.

Here's the recipe:

Stamps:

- Happy Everything
Ink:

- Chocolate Chip
- Pretty in Pink
Paper:

- Whisper White
- Rose Red
- Certainly Celery
- Pretty in Pink
- Chocolate Chip
Accessories:

-1/4" circle punch

Congratulations, Gutierrez's!

2009-08-26T00:47:00.000-07:00

Here is the wedding card I made for my cousin, Lourdes, and her new hubby, Paul. I couldn't make it out to their tropical wedding in paradise, but I wanted to make them something special.

Here's the recipe:

Stamps:
- Teeny Tiny Wishes
- Fifth Avenue Floral
Ink:
- Only Orange
- Soft Suede
Paper:
- Glorious Green
- Only Orange
- Whisper White
- Soft Suede
- Watercolor Paper
Accessories:
- Big Shot
- Stampin' Up! Backgrounds 1 Texturz Plate
- Stampin' Up! Little Leaves Sizzlits Die
- Blender Pens
- Word Window Punch
- Modern Label Punch
- Ticket Corner Punch
- Stamp-a-ma-jig

August 2009 Stamp Club

2009-08-12T00:43:00.001-07:00

Here are the fun projects I have planned for this month's stamp club... We are altering a wooden picture frame, making two cards, and a page corner bookmark!

Here's the recipe:

Stamps

- Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink

- Rich Razzleberry

- Crushed Curry

Paper

- Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Series Paper

- Melon Mambo cardstock

- Dusty Durango cardstock

- Rich Razzleberry cardstock

- Crushed Curry cardstock

- Whisper White cardstock

Accessories

- Big Shot Die Cut Machine

- Stampin' Up! Beautiful Butterflies Bigz Die

- Stampin' Up! Timeless Type Junior Alphabet Sizzlits Dies

- Stampin' Up! Backgrounds 1 Texturz Plates

- Melon Mambo 1/2" Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon

- silver brads

- 5-Petal Flower punch

- 1/2" circle punch

- 1/4" circle punch

- Boho Blossoms punch

- Scallop Border Punch

- wooden picture frame

- black wire

- Mod Podge

My Blog

2009-08-12T00:29:00.000-07:00

I have decided to venture into the world of blogging! I will post projects I have been working on, and I hope that my ideas will inspire you with your own creations. I am still learning the in's and out's of this whole thing, so please be patient. Feel free to leave comments! Thanks for looking!