A new experience.

Tonight I went to my first Stampin' Up! Girls Night Out. I had wanted to use some of Betty's stamps so that's what I did: I stamped up several pages of images on white card stock and actually started a card with a couple of her stamps. Also met some new people. The next one will be in August since she'll be at the convention when the July one would normally be scheduled. I'm already looking forward to it.

Another awesome day stamping!

I spent the day with Betty again yesterday and she taught me four new techniques! Well, new to me, LOL. The first one was using embossing resist and the "Wanted" stamp set. The card base is Sage Shadow, the next layer is Really Rust. The image was stamped on glossy paper with Versamark ink, embossed with white embossing powder and then rubbed with a sponge inked from a Really Rust Stampin' Pad. The corners were punched with the ticket punch. The scalloped circle and the smaller inner circle are Really Rust and the white circle is stamped with Sage Shadow and is up on dimensionals in two layers. The designer paper is from a retired set: "Outlaw". The hardware is from the Hodgepodge Hardware set and the little piece of hemp finishes it off nicely.

















The second card we did was using the Versamark resist technique. The base card Very Vanilla card stock, the next layer is Old Olive, another layer of Very Vanilla, and the next layer is glossy paper, first stamped with Versamark using the fern image from the "Touch of Nature" set, then inked with a brayer with Certainly Celery. After that dried we stamped the same image in Old Olive. The bird--from the same stamp set--was watercolored using reinkers in Cameo Coral, Chocolate Chip, Certainly Celery, and Old Olive. The sentiment was stamped with Chocolate chip ink. This image was matted with Chocolate Chip and Cameo Coral card stock, and attached on top of a Very Vanilla taffeta ribbon. The brads are from the Vintage Hodgepodge Hardware set. I really love this technique. Can't wait until my Versamark pad gets here. Betty and I decided this would be great to do snowflakes with in shades of blue.

















The next card was done using the burnishing technique. At first I thought: "This can't be right!" but I like the way it turned out after all. I could have been a little neater but, hey, it's my first. That's my excuse, anyway. Started with Whisper White card stock, the next layer is Basic Black, and the image was stamped on Whisper White. The stamp is from another retired set, "Friendship Blooms". The flower was stamped with Basic Black Classic ink and colored with a dauber and Regal Rose ink with Summer Sun for the centers. The black and rose strip is paper pierced and faux stitched using the white pen. The sentiment was stamped on a white oval backed by a Cameo Coral oval made with punches and is mounted up on dimensionals. The Cameo Coral grosgrain ribbon was the finishing touch. I like it!

















The last card we did used the faux alligator technique. It was fun! First of all we used a piece of Always Artichoke card stock and stamped the whole thing with a Versamark pad. We then put clear embossing powder all over it. Then we drew the pattern freehand using a bone folder and then heat set it. The base card is Very Vanilla, the next layer is Always Artichoke (see the little watermarked 'gators at the bottom?), the next layer is Mellow Moss. Then the faux alligator layer, another layer of Mellow Moss and then the stamped image which is from another retired set called "In the Wild". The sentiment is not a SU! stamp but so cute! We cut a "bite" out of the corner of the main image piece and it turned out really well, I think. Brads and the other hardware were from the Vintage Hodgepodge Hardware set and the little piece of 3/8" twill tape was just the thing to accent the hardware. I love it!

















Thank you again, Betty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kiddo Get Well.

I made this card for a co-worker's nine year old daughter who just had surgery on her foot. I thought the bright colors and little bit of bling might cheer her up.

I used white craft store card stock for the base, layered it with brightly patterned paper from Hobby Lobby. The main image is stamped on the same white card stock matted with purple craft store card stock and the edges are sponged with SU! Lavender Lace. The stamp components are from the Hero Arts "Hello Birdie" set and stamped with Versifine Smokey Gray ink. I colored the images with a combination of Copic and Marvey markers (very little artistic talent went into this--the kid could have done better, I suspect, LOL). The ribbon and faceted jewels are from a craft store.

Happy Birthday, Spanish Style.

This card says "Happy Birthday" in Spanish. It's for one of my DH's college roommates, with whom he's kept in touch over many, many years. He now lives in Argentina, but they're still in touch several times a week, using Skype. This card is for Steve.

I used Office Max navy card stock for the base, Basic Grey Boxer paper (did I mention I love this paper, too, LOL), and craft store vanilla card stock. The "Happy Birthday" sentiment is an unknown stamp, inked with a ColorBox ink pad in Terra Cotta and the present is from an Anna Griffin set, inked with SU! Night of Navy. The ribbon and brads are from a craft store, too.

Star-Spangled Birthday!

A birthday card for a Fourth of July baby. This card uses unknown fireworks and sentiment stamps inked with Marvy markers and highlighted with a Sakura glitter pen. I used craft store card stock and paper (it's hard to see but the main image is matted on dark blue and red star-printed paper). The ribbon is also from a craft store and the stars were punched with 2 sizes of Marvy Uchida punches. The envelope has a partial image of the fireworks stamped on it.

Happy Birthday!

Another birthday card. This stamp is one I've been wanting to use for a while. I CASE'd the layout from Jill's Card Creations. Take a look at her site--she makes gorgeous cards!

The stamp is of cherry blossoms by Rubber Stampede, stamped with Vintage Sepia Versifine ink on GP white card stock. The sentiment is a Sara D design. The blooms are colored with a Bubble Gum Pink Marvy marker and the little calyces are colored with a Lime Green Copic marker, number G21. The blooms are highlighted with a Sakura glitter pen. The card base is Hobby Lobby textured card stock and the DP is also from Hobby Lobby. The main image edges are sponged with Vintage Sepia Versifine ink. The ribbon is craft store brown satin and attached with K & Co. ribbon adhesive. Did I mention that I love that stuff?! I stamped part of the cherry blossom image on the envelope and only colored the calyces on it.

What a day!

My Stampin' Up! demonstrator (and now a new stampin' friend) Betty, gave me lessons today. She showed me all kinds of neat techniques that I hope I can recreate at home, once I get the supplies I need. If not, I know her phone number, LOL. The demonstrations were peppered with hints and tips I know I'll use often. I made a pretty good list of must-haves for my next order, too.

Here's the card I made. We (Betty made one just like it only hers is a sympathy card) used Soft Sky, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, and Groovy Guava card stock, Afternoon Tea designer paper, Live Your Dreams stamp set, Groovy Guava, Soft Sky, and Wild Wasabi Classic stamp pads, and Chocolate Chip SU marker. The sentiment is from the Sincere Salutations set. The ribbon is Chocolate Chip twill ribbon. You can't really tell it, but we used a Sakura glitter pen on the little butterfly and in the middle of the flowers. We also stamped a little flower from the set on the envelope to SONE (Stamp Out Naked Envelopes), LOL. I had a ball today and I'm hoping to get to some of her Girls Night Out get togethers. Thanks again, Betty, for a really enjoyable and educational day! (Oh, yeah, I'm hooked.)

Black and white elegance.

OK, last one for today, and my favorite so far.

I guess I could have made a Red Hat card for this, but since the event at which I'll give it to my former Queen Mum is not a Red Hat event, and since this design popped into my mind and I wanted to make it NOW, that's what I did! White generic card stock embossed with a Cuttlebug D-Vine Swirls embossing folder, mounted on craft store black textured card stock (I have lots of Stampin' Up paper on the way but I wanted to use up some of what I have on hand). The bird stamp is from Inkadinkadoo and the sentiment is from Kitchen Sink Stamps, both stamped using a VersaFine ink pad. The sheer ribbon is from Hobby Lobby and the faceted jewels are from Michaels. I like this card a lot. Wish I was happier with the picture quality--this card is definitely WHITE and black. I can see a real improvement with my card-making skills with this card.

Non-fourth of July card.

This card is for a member of that group mentioned in the previous post who doesn't live in the US. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. Craft store coral card stock serves as the base and the flowered scrapbook paper is from a set I got on eBay. The main stamped image is from an Anna Griffin set and the "Just because" sentiment is from Kitchen Sink Stamps. The little faceted jewels came from a craft store--can't remember which one. Circles are cut with Nestabilities Small Classic Circles and Small Scalloped Circle dies.

Planning for the 4th.

I made 9 of this card to send to a group to which I belong. Not one of my all-time favorite cards, But I did them a couple of weeks ago and they'll do. I didn't have a stamp for the front so I did the sentiment on my computer. I used craft store card stock and paper and the ribbon and star brads are from Michaels. Ovals were cut with Nestabilities small oval dies. The scalloped white border was done with my corner rounder.

I'm on a roll!

This card is for my boss' birthday. We both like shoes, so this stamp was a good "fit". Sorry, couldn't resist ;-) The sentiment under the shoes says, "If the shoe fits, buy one in every color."

White generic card stock base, the next layer is black craft store card stock, and the paper is craft store scrapbook paper. I stamped the images with a VersaFine ink pad and colored them with Marvy markers. The shoes image is unknown and the "happy birthday" sentiment is from Kitchen Sink Stamps. The faceted jewels are from Michaels. Did some paper piercing on the shoe element and the sentiment element; I need practice.




I like it!

A happy occasion...I think ;-)

Yep, I made more notecards. Was there ever any doubt? I love these notecards!!! The layout is so flexible--you can use any color scheme and paper. After the first one, they get quicker to do so they'd be great to have on hand--you could do everything but the monogram ahead and have a nice gift in no time. And for Christmas gifts--oh, yeah!

This set is for my boss' birthday. Done the same as the last one only I used Basic Grey's LilyKate paper and some craft store blue card stock. The ribbon is from Michaels.

A sad occasion.

My Red Hat group is loosing our beloved Queen Mum. She's moving away. I'm attending a farewell reception for her and I made these note cards as a gift. They're CASE'd from Julie at Out To Impress--again, LOL. I just love her stuff! I used generic white card stock for the base, and Basic Grey's Infuse paper from the 6 x 6 pad. I love these little pads, too!! Used my Nestabilites Classic Circle dies for the monogram base and scalloped frame and craft store grosgrain ribbon. Tried something new with the ribbon: I just got some K and Company Wacky Tac Ribbon Adhesive and tried it. It's fabulous stuff!!!

I pretty much made them just like Julie did, or as well as I could. I used my new, never-before-used JustRite stamper for the monogram. Since I only had black ink for the stamper, I had to improvise: I attached the border and the large letter to an acrylic block with double-sided tape and used it like a regular stamp! It worked well, but I had to stamp about 10 images to get 4 good ones ;-)

I also added a small strip of the Infuse paper to the side of the envelope to jazz it up a bit.

















Here are all four notecards:

Congrats, Grad!

I made this card for the kid up the street who just graduated from high school. I guess I'd better get it in the mail before he graduates from college ;-). The base is Office Max card stock in a kraft color. I forgot to keep the name of the double-sided DP, but it's used for the blue strip as well. Circles cut and embossed with Nestabilities Petite Circle dies, ribbon is from AC Moore, and the brads are from JoAnn Fabrics. The sentiment was computer generated and then cut out.

Finally back! And Happy Father's Day!

I've been making a few things but haven't had time to post them. Finally getting a few uploaded today. First, here are a couple of cards I made for my DH, along with a picture of the sentiment inside one of the cards. Since we have no children, I made this "husband" card for him for Father's Day. I used craft store off white card stock for the base and for the circles that I cut and embossed with my Classic Small Circles Nestabilities. The stamp in the left side circle is from an Anna Griffin set and the "A Husband is..." is computer generated, as is the inside sentiment. The DP is Basic Grey boxer, the scalloped circle is craft store card stock. Ribbon is from Hobby Lobby and the copper brads are from JoAnn Fabrics.




This next card is one I made for our kitties to give to him: inside I stamped 10 little kitties and there's a hand written note from them to him :) Two more Basic Grey Boxer DP patterns on navy cardstock from Office Max--you can't see it but it has some very subtle specks of different colors that blend with the Boxer paper very nicely. Stamp is an unknown one, stamped and edged on off white craft store card stock with Color Box ink. Ribbon is a scrap of rust grograin that I had on hand and the brads are from JoAnn Fabrics.

Jumping into Stampin' Up! with both feet!

Today, I placed a *large* order with my friendly demonstrator, Betty. About half of it was mine, LOL, but I got some good orders from friends and co-workers, too. I got all of the cardstock and all the little Stampin' Spots ink pads, plus a couple of Classic pads for the soon-to-be-retired In Colors. And some designer paper and some stamps. And some punches. And, and, and... A lot of stuff, but I'll have a lot of the basics and can add/replenish from here on out. It's due to get to me on 6/23/08 and I can't wait!! I got a lot of free stuff, including the new Fresh Cuts set as a hostess bonus. I've seen so many gorgeous cards made with that set and I'm so looking forward to seeing what I can do with it.

Get well wishes

Today's card is a get well card for another friend. Get well, Linda! I CASEd this one from Tammy at Stamp Happy, one of my favorite stampers. Check out her blog, her work is just beautiful. It's a little hard to see on the full view, but the sentiment 'get well wishes' is stamped on the green scalloped card stock from the Never a Loss 4 Words set from Kitchen Sink Stamps. The rose bouquet stamp is unknown, brads from JoAnn's and ribbon from AC Moore.

Congratulations!

This is the first card posted to my blog, CASEd from Julie at Out To Impress. I have more but they're all scanned pictures and are fine for my reference, but not clear enough to post. I made this card to send to a friend who deserved a pat on the back. Hope this does the trick! WTG, Kris!

I used my corner rounder to made the scalloped border and punched holes in it with my 1/16" paper punch. Stamped green leaves and stems with an unknown stamp and ColorBox ink. I punched out aqua flowers with my tiny flower punch and glued them on. I stamped the sentiment with an acrylic stamp from a set from Michaels then cut and embossed the ovals with small oval Nestabilities and attached it with Scotch foam squares.