April Stamp Club Projects

So, I'm a little behind on posting projects! These cards are from my April Stamp Club. I taught them how to do the Iris Twist, and the Faux Pearl technique. We started with the Faux Pearl, which I think is just a beautiful technique to do. I love the shimmer, and no matter what color you use it with, it still looks fantastic! This card was cased from SCS, from a stamper named WaterPixie (click for her card). We started with glossy white cardstock, and using saran wrap, we dabbed Lumiere, careful to leave a few spaces and not fill the whole piece. Next, after the lumiere was dry (didn't take long - maybe 5 minutes. Just be careful of how much you put on), we brayered Bashful Blue classic ink over top. Then, using black StayzOn, we stamped the tree image (from the Lovely As A Tree set). The background on the Bashful Blue card is stamped with the Canvas background stamp, as well as the leaves (both stamped off so they're not so dark) from the LAAT set. To finish it off, I stamped the Thinking of You saying on Mellow Moss, and added a couple of black brads from the vintage collection.


For our second card, I wanted to show them how to do Iris Twist, but I also wanted to showcase some of our accessories. Many times we have used ribbon and brads, but I wanted my club to see and use other accessories, so I had them thread some Soft Subtles beads and buttons onto either thin white thread or dental floss (their choice). When I did this card, I used linen thread, but because I didn't have a needle whose head was small enough to fit through the beads, I had to hand thread each piece. Using the linen thread, each piece that went on frayed the thread, leaving me with almost half as much as I started with! So, since the ladies also needed to hand thread, I chose some better mediums to work with, and they really liked it! I also gave them a piece of white Magic Mesh to put under the beads and buttons. I loved making this card because I got to use some designer paper, something I'm usually afraid to do. I'm a paper hoarder, and usually can't bear to cut those beautiful 12x12 sheets! This designer paper from the Spring Mini Catalog has such beautiful colors and patterns; I have found it very easy to use in my projects. It has truly helped me come out of my shell when it comes to using those gorgeous papers!

Mixing Stress with Stamping = A Little Relaxation!

Well, it's been a VERY busy last couple of weeks, and it's not going to get any LESS busy as the next few weeks go by either! We bought a house about 3 weeks ago, and then my husband and I worked like dogs at getting our house ready to sell. We had some amazing help from my mother and father-in-law, who worked right along side us. We put a tile backsplash into our kitchen, did some stucco work on the house, painted like crazy (inside and out), planted in the garden, and packed away anything visible that we didn't need. What a lot of work! But we did it, and we listed our house at 11:30 last Tuesday night. 4 days later, our house is sold!!! That's the Edmonton market for you! Of course we are now a little sad to be leaving this house, since it now looks like a million bucks, and so much has happened in our lives in the 7 years we've lived here. But, we are going to a very nice new house, and we will make many new memories there. After a day, we started to get more excited and less sad, so by the time our possession date arrives (June 29th - only 4 and a half weeks away!) we will be very excited to get into our new place. It's always a little sad leaving a home you love though, isn't it?

Anyway, that wasn't all we were busy with! My sister-in-law and her fiance came to town last weekend from Vancouver to make their wedding invitations. I had 7 people helping make 100 invites, and with only a couple of glitches, we managed to make them in record time! Some friends also hosted a wedding shower for my sister-in-law, which we went to after breaking from 3 hours of invitation making. Here is the card and a little something I made for her:

I cased the card from Chantel over at Splitcoast (you can see her card here), using different designer paper on the card. I made the box using 8 1/2 x 11 paper. I cut it to 4 1/2 x 10, and then scored it at 3 1/4", 4 3/4", 8" and 9 1/2", leaving 1/2" at the end to attach the box together. I also scored 1" along the bottom, so I knew where to fold the bottom pieces in. I used sticky tape to hold it all together, and put in some 3x3" thank you cards with envelopes! The little flower on the box is from "Doodle That" in the Spring Mini Catalog. I didn't think I'd like these doodle stamps, but thought I'd try them out anyway. Guess what? I LOVE these stamps! They're so cute, and I can see SO many ways to use them. I hope we get some in the new catalog so I can use them all year long! :)

Thanks for looking!

Denver, Here I Come!!!

Yay!!! I'm going to Convention! I'm so excited, even as I registered at 7am this morning, I called my friend (who was also in the middle of registering) and we were both squealing into the phone at each other with delight. I missed out on this experience last year, so I am extra excited to be going this year. I am going to the first session, which runs July 25th to 29th.

What is convention? Stampin' Up convention is held once a year (this year in Denver), and allows 3500 crazy, excited stampers to get together and take classes, participate in make n' takes and swaps, go to an awards cerimony to see all the stamping "gurus", and hang out with tonnes of people who share the same love of stamping. I can't wait! Each year, Stampin' Up gives special treats to everyone who attends; they pack a stamping bag (usually a backpack or other kind of tote bag) with make n' take goodies, new stamp sets and other amazing stuff! I'm also excited about going to Memento Mall, where you can buy lots of neat Stampin' Up merchandise. I'll be staying with all of my uplines, and we've got a very nice hotel room booked.

I'll be sure to post ALL the great details of my Adventures in Denver when I get back!

All Wrapped Up... Again!

This is another card I made for a little boy's birthday, using the stamp set All Wrapped Up. I stamped the circles in the background with Craft White ink. The bag is stamped with Bordering Blue Classic ink, and the fish is done with markers and the "thumping" technique. I first colored on the stamp with Only Orange, then "thumped" Yoyo Yellow overtop (kind of a flicking motion), leaving bits of yellow mixed with orange. I stamped the image, then drew out some of the ink color with my aquapainter to color the fish. The "Happy Birthday" is from the set All Year Cheer II (stamp is Happy Happy Birthday)and is also done with markers so I could get the words side by side instead of one on top of the other. I thought the white Magic Mesh under the greeting was a nice touch; it reminds me of a fishing net!

Thanks for looking!

All Wrapped Up Frog - Trifold

Here is a cute and easy birthday card I made for my friend's son's 2nd birthday. I don't have many "boyish" stamp sets, since I have a daughter, so I love this set because the frog is perfect for little boy cards and scrapbook pages! This is a trifold card, which means you fold it at 2 1/8" and 6 3/8", so that when folded the card measures 5 1/2" x 4 1/4". Then I stuck the Creamy Caramel CS onto the left portion of the card only. The frog is stamped in Classic Black ink, then colored with watercolor crayons and an aqua painter. I also dabbed a bit of Crystal Effects on the frogs' eye so it shines! :)

What a Neat Idea!

I have to say, I'm loving the brown/any other color combinations! Mostly Chocolate Chip or Close To Cocoa with any pink, and most blue's (especially turquoise!); but I have seen other colors with the browns, and they look great too!
This is a card I made for one of my stamp classes, and I also gave it to my Mother-In-Law for her birthday. I am very proud (and surprised!) to say that my husband actually helped me come up with this card idea! If you click on the picture, you can see that the right hand side of the front of the card is chopped off, revealing more of the polka dots inside. That was my husband's idea! I'm so amazed, and glad that he's finally taking an interest in my hobby. Or at least he's not totally mystified by it! :)

I really like using the Petals and Paisley set from the Spring Mini, and you can also see that I've used some Dazzling Diamonds on the paisleys (I love that glitter!). "happy" is also from that stamp set, and the "birthday" is from the Everyday Flexible Phrases, which is part of our "Say It With Stamps" promotion, at 20% off the catalog price! I love those little words (56 of them!), and use them ALL the time.

Thanks for looking!

More Easter Cards

Here are the Easter cards we did at my last class. I really loved doing these cards; I got to use a lot of my accessories, some designer (Ack!) paper, and a little creativity too! :)

I love the color combination of this card! I really like that In Color "Cool Carribean" paper, and have being using it quite a bit lately. Of course, I also used Chocolate Chip, as you will probably notice as you browse this blog, I use a lot of that or Close to Cocoa. I never realized I was a "brown" fan, but it's just so easy to use! :)

This little bunny just Screamed for me to buy him! I normally don't buy many sets from the mini's, but when I saw him, I HAD to have him! He's the same bunny I used to decorate the chocolate nuggets (a few posts down). I used my pastels to color the animals, and I bleached the little chick so the yellow would "pop" more. I also bleached the bunny's tail. Very quick card to make, but a lot of fun!

This card was neat to make, and I really wanted to show the ladies how to do one of these - the bunny/flower spin! Very easy to do; just use your large tag punch to make the holes, and make 2 tags using the small tag punch to put your designs on. Stick your 2 tags together with a piece of linen thread in between, then adhere the linen thread ends under your second card layer. That's it!