Stampin' Scrub

The Stampin' Scrub is once again available for ordering. While you might notice a slight difference in material, the same high quality standards and functionality remain the same.

Little Purse Nugget Holder

Today's post is a photo of the little favors I made last night for the ladies attending the Brayer Class this afternoon. Based on the cute chickees we made at Easter, this is a quick and easy Mother's Day favor. It would also be the perfect favor for a wedding shower or an afternoon tea. And like the chickee, you could add a name to the lower front portion of the purse and have a place setting card. Have a wonderful day!

A Birthday Card

I have been so busy making Easter favors and Mother's Day cards, that I needed a few birthday cards. This particular birthday card is a great masculine card. Made with Night of Navy and Crumb Cake cardstock, a little tearing of the edges gives the card a bit of a distressed look. The randomly stamped sentiments are from the Fabulous Phrases set, which has become a favorite of mine. Not only do I like the words that are included in the set, but I like the font a whole lot! Have a great day and find yourself a little stampin' time!

Embossing Folders

The two cards I am posting today are really very simple. The pink (Blushing Bride) card is probably the first one I have posted using both the In color blusing Bride and the embossing folder, Manhattan Flower. To be honest, I prefer Pink Pirouette if I am making a light pink card. But I have the pattern paper from the In color pack, so I really should use it. I embossed the pattern paper using the Manhattan Flower embossing folder. Since the pattern paper is white core, I sanded the embossed pattern which reveals the white layer of the paper and really looks pretty. Now the Concord Crush card is embossed with the new Flower Garden embossing folder that is in the Summer Mini. One important thing to know about this embossing folder: In the mini, the embossed image appears to be on the left side of the card. In reality the impression is on the right side of the embossing folder. With some playing around , I was able to position the image so that it is on the left side of my card. (And now you are probably confused!) I punched an oval in the Concord Crush and then stamped an image in the center of that oval. Two simple cards, both embossed and yet both so different. Have a great evening and Go Blackhawks!

Aging Gracefully

I, along with a few of my dear friends, will be celebrating special birthdays this year. While I was at the craft store the other day to find honeycomb paper that is currently quite a popular item for cardmakers, I noticed the cutest stamp set--just perfect to send to my friends who have good senses of humor and are aging gracefully. I stamped the images using SU Basic Black and then used SU watercolor pencils and Gamosol (mineral spirits) and blending tools to color in the images. I have tried this coloring technique in the past, but for some reason was not very successful. Maybe because it takes a lot of time and the ability to stay inside the lines--that in itself is a problem for me! At any rate, after hours of playing with the watercolor pencils and gamosol, here are photos of the card. And when you open the card, you see that I did find, purchase and use the honeycomb paper for the balloon. I am thinking that the next card I make like this will take less time as I have perfected the technique--almost!

Happy Easter

I want to wish all of you a very Happy Easter. As you can see, I have my Easter lamb. This year I ordered a lamb cake ahead of time rather than finding out on the day before Easter that everyone was sold out of them which led me on a Easter Lamb hunt rather than an Easter egg hunt! The little lamb is sitting among the Easter dinner table favors--baskets for the ladies, chickies for the men. I made a special favor for Sydney using my Cricut. This bunny purse was posted on the Cricut message board and as soon as I saw it, I knew Sydney would like one. When Sydney was two years old we had just moved back to the Chicago area. In fact, we moved back a few days before Easter. Sydney found a pink Cricut purse in my scraproom and she loved it. She played with this little purse for hours. Everytime she was here, she would get that little purse and take it wherever she went. It hung on door knobs, accompanied her to the dinner table and even went to bed with her at night. It did not have the bunny ears or face, but it was a special treasure of hers. As Sydney grew, the little pink purse was left in her toy box as she chose other items to play with and treasure. I hope that when she sees this little bunny purse she will remember that little pink purse and the happiness it brought her. And I hope that as you read this post, you are reminded of special memories and things that brought you happiness. Easter blessings to all.

Decorative Label Punch

I have been using the decorative label punch quite a bit lately. Actually, I have been using it quite a bit since I received the Four Frames stamp set that will be in the new Idea Book and Catalog to be released on July 1st. Since I like matting my stamped and/or punched images, this was not quite as easy as it is for a circle or square. I have various circle and square punch sizes so no problem there. I decided that I could use my Cricut and Sure Cuts A Lot program and come up with something for this particular punch. I am happy to say that I was able to do just that! The mat for the decorative label punch is not perfect, but it is pretty close. The stamped and punched image pictured here is layered on a Cherry Cobbler cardstock mat that I cut with my Cricut. Needless to say, I am quite excited that I was able to accomplish this task! Next, I am going to try my hand at making a mat for the Top Note Die.

A Simple Card

It was a busy weekend here and my scrap room got a workout. Had a class on Saturday and the Cricut group on Sunday. And in between I worked on more chickies, the little Easter baskets and this card. Once again I used the Florets stamp set which is in the Summer mini. I inked the entire stamp with Wild Wasabi, used the edge of a paper towel to remove the green ink from the flower bud and then reinked the bud using my regal rose marker. I used the decorative label punch as a file tab and stamped the word "gratitude" which is from the Fabulous Phrases stamp set. As I was getting ready to take a picture of the card, I realized that this could be a perfect card for Mother's Day!

Cute Little Easter Chick

I was looking for something Easter themed and special for this afternoon's card class when I came across this little favor. Another Stampin' Up demonstrator, France, was generous enough to share the how-to with all of us. This little chick is the perfect size and shape to hold one Hershey Nugget. How cute would this be for your Easter table? Add a name at the bottom and use as place card. Or as a little something for co-workers or your child's classmates? Start with a piece of yellow cardstock measuring 5 1/2 x 1 1/2, scored at 2 1/4 on each end. Using various punches and/or scissors is all that is need to make this cute little guy. Have a nice day and find yourself a little stampin' time!

Mother's Day

Easter is still a week away and here I am posting a Mother's Day card. Two reasons for this: Mother's Day is only 3 weeks away and the paper I used for this, Springtime Vintage, is in the Occasions Mini which ends on April 30th. If you like the vintage look, this paper is for you. Add the crochet trim from the Idea Book and you have created a beautiful card to send to someone special. Once I was finished with the card, I thought that maybe I should have brushed the edges of the Top Note die section with a little Soft Suede ink to add a vintage touch. The next time I use this paper, I will try that. Enjoy the day!

Little Easter Baskets

Sunday is our Cricut group afternoon and I wanted to share the cute little baskets I made using the Sure Cuts A Lot program and the new theme set from Michelle at Scrapping Table. These are adorable and quite easy to make. I was able to cut four from one sheet of 12x12 cardstock and each basket easily fits a few pieces of chocolate. I thought the baskets were cute but what made them so perfect? The basket weave look I was able to add to the baskets by using one of the texture plates from the Perfect Details Texturz Plate set in the SU Idea book. After tying little bows I added an Itty Bitty Flower from the punch set. There are a few basket styles in Michelle's set that I will be making and posting a photo of later on. Have a great day!

Waiting for the Bluebirds

When I walked into Archivers a few weeks ago I was only 8 feet into the store when a stamp set called my name. I used my 30% off coupon to purchase it and then went home to try it out. When I arrived home, I went down to my scrap room and stamped a couple of images--and they were too cute. But then I did nothing with the stamped images. Lately the beautiful weather here has encouraged us to watch for our first bluebird sighting of Spring. The weather also served as a reminder that I had these really cute bird images waiting to be colored. I used my Stampin' Up markers (which I love!), Soft Suede retired ribbon, Soft Suede and Not Quite Navy cardstock and my scallop edge punch to make this pretty little card. And now I am off to have some breakfast as I watch to see if today the real bluebirds appear.

Rosebuds & Butterflies

Anyone who reads my blog or comes to my classes knows that I favor the Beautiful Wings Embosslit--and here I used it again! The stamped image is from the sneak peek stamp set, Fabulous Florets. I inked the image using the Wild Wasabi ink pad and then carefully removed the ink on the flower buds with a paper towel. Using my Poppy Parade marker, I colored the rose buds. I am extremely happy with this card. Not sure if it is the color combination or the way the stamped image turned out, but whatever~~I love it! Have a good day and try to find yourself a little stampin' time.

Embossing With Colors

The sun is shining, it is supposed to get up to 80 today (before the weather goes south--lol) and I am posting cards using what I think of as great summer colors. And actually, these two cards were made using products that are in the Summer Mini. The minute I saw that Stampin' Up was releasing embossing powders in Melon Mambo, Tangerine Tango and Wild Wasabi I was ready to order them. I was envisioning how the powder would look on black cardstock. My order arrived on Friday and right away I had to try it out. Not only am I using the embossing powders from the Summer Mini, but also two stamp sets that are in the Summer Mini--Sunny Fun & Fabulous Florets. One thing I learned: even when using the embossing buddy, you have to be very careful when using embossing powder on black as a few random specks of embossing powders are on the cards that are not supposed to be. Hope you are all having the same beautiful summer-like weather that we are having today. Enjoy.

Gift Card Envelope

A couple of weeks ago I posted a photo of the memory box I made for a wedding shower. Last night I was making the holder for the gift card and realized that I never posted the interior of the memory box.

So you get to see both right now! The shower was this afternoon and it was very nice--I was at a table with dear friends and daughters, the food was delicious, the cake was sooooo good (and it was decorated to match the invitations my daughter made) and the bride and groom-to-be were so cute to watch. This particular gift card holder is from the Tags, Bags, Boxes & More Cricut cartridge. I cut it at 8 1/2 on blackout and the gift card fits perfectly. I put it inside the memory box, but I have also given gift cards this way but they were mounted on pretty paper in a picture frame. Makes for a unique presentation and the recipient has a picture frame, too! I am off to go outside and soak up the 73 degree sunshine. Enjoy your Saturday.

Brayer Class

At a previous card class we used the Stampin' Up Presto Paper and it was a big hit. We inked the Presto Paper by sponging and I mentioned using a brayer. I am planning for an April 30th class in which we are going to use the brayer. Similar to a card I posted earlier which was sponged, this pink/orange card is another of the Presto Pattern papers on which I used a brayer. The card on the right is a combination of Bashful Blue and Concord Crush which looks sooo good together. (It doesn't show that well in this picture, but it it a very pretty color combination.) We will brayer and mask on this card. The third card is still to be determined as I plan on using one or more of the new embossing powders~~Melon Mambo/Wild Wasabi/Tangerine Tango~~that are being released with the Summer Mini. As a demonstrator for Stampin' Up, I am able to pre-order items and this is one of the items I ordered. I will say there are quite a few new products in the mini that have caught my eye. Speaking of the Summer Mini, if you are one of my customers, you will receive a copy of the mini in the mail. So in a couple of weeks, watch your mail boxes for your copy. Find yourself a little stampin' time!

More Paisley Prints

The Paisley Prints paper from Stampin' Up is just not my style. but that is not a good reason to let it just sit in my scrap room. So, I am going to continue to see what I can create using the paper. The many colors and shades of colors in this paper offer endless color combination possibilities. I used Always Artichoke as the base for the green card and added a little Cherry Cobbler. The light blue and white pattern paper is very pretty but the shading was just a little too not Bashful Blue and not at all Marina Mist or Baja Breeze. So I teamed it up with retired Brocade Blue cardstock for a darn good match. Using Night of Navy cardstock, ink and ribbon together with the flower from one of the pattern papers in the Paisley Prints goes together very nicely. If nothing else, I will be using up some of my leftover Brocade Blue! After looking at this paper and playing with it, many of the patterns remind me of the wallpaper and decor that used to be found in the homes of my great aunts and great uncles. And that brings back some great childhood memories. Have a great day!

Paisley Prints Paper

I received my pack of the new Paisley Prints paper that will be in the 2011/2012 Catalog and I will say that it is not my first or second choice when it comes to colors and patterns. So it did present a bit of a challenge when using it to make this card. Actually, this is the second card I made because I did not like the first card. The layers on this card are the same that I used originally. The first card was a Cherry Cobbler card base with Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding. I did not like it at all. As a matter of fact, I so disliked it I did not even take a photo of it--lol! But the girls who were at Saturday's class can say it was a little too busy or a little too dark or just a little too not my style! So this morning I set out to redo the card and I am much happier with this version. I think it is a much prettier card than the original--Baja Breeze gives off a softer feel. You can't tell from the photo, but for the frame around the sentiment I stamped it using Baja Breeze craft ink then embossed it with clear embossing powder. This is a great way to emboss in colors other than white and black. And in the new summer mini, one of the items is going to be embossing powder in three different colors. As soon as I receive mine, which we were able to preorder, I will play with the Melon Mambo and Wild Wasabi embossing powders and post photos of what I create. Of all of the things in the Summer mini, these embossing powders are the most exciting for me. There are a number of other items that I like, but embossing powders in colors from the Brights Collection are just a happy way to celebrate the beginning of the Spring & Summer seasons. Have a great evening!

Four Frames Stamp Set

As soon as the UPS man left my package on Friday I ran down to my craft room to play with the Four Frames set that will be in the new Idea Book come July 1st and which I wrote about in the previous post. The black and red card was a "quick, I need to see how it looks" card using the stamp before I mounted it. Many of the words from the Fabulous Phrase set fits perfectly in the oval opening. The Real Red satin ribbon against the black cardstock is a WOW for me. Using a color combination of Certainly Celery and Baja Breeze makes for a more subtle card. I used two of the stamps from the Silhouette Sentiments Level 1 Hostess set for the center of this decorative label. I have a feeling that the Four Frames set and the Decorative Label Punch are going to get a real workout in the future. Hope you are having a nice weekend and if possible, find yourself a little stampin' time.

Sneak Peek Opportunity

Yesterday I wrote about SU's Clearance Rack and today I am writing about another special that Stampin' Up is offering. Not only do you get to see two new products before the new 2011 catalog is released on July 1st, you have two ways of getting them. This month when you spend $20 on any SU products, you can then purchase the Four Frames stamp set ($20.95 Wood/$15.95 CM) and/or the Paisley Petals Designer Series Paper ($9.95 for 12 sheets). Or, if you host a $350 workshop you get both items for free. I had the opportunity to purchase both last month and I will say that the stamp set is one that I feel I will use often. The paper is extremely pretty, but I am not sure if it is my style. Once I start playing with it, then I will probably like it a lot--maybe! If you want these items, your order must be placed thru me--not as an online order. If you are interested in the products send me an email or give me a call. Stampin' Up is offering many specials and at times it is confusing. Therefore, if you have any questions, let me know. Time for me to get ready for the card class this afternoon. Have a great day!

SU Clearance Rack

I just had to let my readers know about the great deals in the Clearance Rack section of my SU website! I ordered a number of items, but some really stood out for me. Everything is discontinued, but there are sets of discontinued markers~~in other words, from the old color collections~~i.e., Bold Brights for $12.79 plus tax and shipping. There are also Earth Elements for the same price. So if you are looking for some Stampin' Up markers and do not mind the fact that some of the colors are not current, this is a great buy. I purchased these sets for Sydney. She will love having her own SU markers~~and Jenny will, too! There is ribbon, buttons and a whole lot more. Plus there are some grab bags. Now I did not purchase any of those, but for $5, $10 or $15, I am sure there are some decent discontinued items worth a lot more than that in the bag. Items on the clearance rack can only be purchased as on-line orders. So go over to my website www.stampintimesomewhere.stampinup.net and take advantage of the deals from the clearance rack. THESE ITEMS ARE AVAILABLE WHILE SUPPLIES LAST & all sales are final!

Presto Patterns

Today I am posting photos of cards I made using Stampin' Up's Presto Pattern Specialty paper. What is it? The actual cardstock is white and it has white glossy designs that are revealed when you add ink or paint or pastels. I used the diamond pattern for both cards and sponged the ink colors. The turquoise/eggplant card is one we will be completing in the Cards For Celebrations class. Then depending on what will be celebrated, the corresponding "Itty Bitty" image can be added to the lower right hand corner of the card. As you can see, my card will be for a birthday. Thus the little cupcake in the corner. This paper is fun to work with. There is a total of 12 sheets, two each of six designs. The images of the six patterns can be found on page 172 of the Idea Book & Catalog. Have a great day!