I participated in a shoe box swap at the end of January (Yeah, I know, I'm REALLY late posting this but for some reason there seemed to be other cards that were more important to post) and my design was based on a gift bag featured in the Spring/Summer Stampin’ Up! catalog on page 149. I wanted to test out my design idea without actually having the stamp set yet. I was getting a pre order from the Occasions Mini but hadn’t received the set at the time I was preparing for the swap. I used the Baroque Motifs set instead to duplicate what I would eventually use. The colors aren’t exactly what I would normally use (this would have been a good color combination for a Splitcoaststamper color challenge) but I wanted to go outside of my comfort zone a little bit and I think it turned out pretty good. Got out of using a lot of the ribbon by "faking it" with a strip of card stock and then using the ribbon just for the bow. The next post will be the card that I actually had the girls make at the swap.

Recipe:
Stamp Set: Baroque Motifs, Sincere Salutations, clear stamp flourish
Paper: Kraft, Pumpkin Pie, Mellow Moss, Not Quite Navy card stock
Ink: Not Quite Navy, Mellow Moss, Pumpkin Pie
Accessories: Pumpkin Pie 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, Scalloped circle punch, ½" circle punch, rectangle hand held punch, 1/16th"hole punch, gold brad

Variation on the "Mailman" Card

I liked how the "mailman card" turned out so much, that I decided to make a feminine version of the same design. I was even MORE pleased with how THIS one turned out! Again, very simple. I posted this card on the Splitcoaststampers website. It doesn't show up very well in this picture (I have to get better with the lighting!) but I used clear glitter glue on some parts of the main element to add a touch of bling.

Recipe:
Stamp Set: Friendly Flowers from the Occasions mini
Paper: Soft Sky, Wild Wasabi card stock, Afternoon Tea DP from the Occasions mini
Accessories: Metal pinwheel and flower, metallic brad, Wild Wasabi double stitched ribbon, dimensionals, paper piercing tool, template and mat.

We're Back!

Hello all,

We're back from our Easter weekend away. While we were gone to Northern Wisconsin where you'd think all the snow would be, they had 14" of snow here in Milwaukee! I guess I picked the right weekend to be gone, huh? Happy Spring! RIGHT.

Anyway, I don't have time to post anything tonight but will try to do it tomorrow. I have a meeting tomorrow afternoon with the manager of the place where I've gotten a new part time job. Very part time. Technically I'm "retired" but I'm not old enough to get the "perks" of retirement, you know, Social Security, Medicare........although some days I feel MORE than old enough for that, but I felt the need to get out in the public again and so I'll be working about 10-15 hours a week. Just enough to keep me out of trouble.

I'm still planning to do stamping, in fact, I think I'm going to be able to sell some of my cards at this new place which is a copy and shipping store. Hey, how often have you been at the PO to mail a package and then remembered that you should have put a card in the box? At this place, you can buy a card when you bring your item in to be boxed up for shipment. Perfect setup I think.

Anyway, I've been working on some cards for that too, so plan to have some things to post soon. Stay tuned.

Kathy

Easter Chicks

I CASE’d this card from one I found on the Splitcoaststamper’s website. I’m afraid that I didn’t copy down the name of the poster but I thought the card was SO cute! I love the set "Best of Cluck" and never would have thought of using the little chicks for Easter eggs!!

Recipe:
Stamp set: Best of Cluck
Paper: Soft Sky, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White, Polka Dots and Petals DP.
Ink: Black StazOn
Accessories: Glitter Adhesive from the ART Institute, Sprinklers Glitter in clear, Pink Organdy ribbon from JoAnn Fabrics, Slit Punch for making scallops

Have a Happy Easter everyone! I'll be leaving town tomorrow for the weekend, spending it with my parents in Northern Wisconsin where they just got another 4" of snow Monday night. We're scheduled for more here in Milwaukee tomorrow. UGH. I'm ready for SPRING.

Friendly Flowers a la Guava

My mailman is a very special guy. Through rain or snow or sleet or dark of night he delivers the mail. I don’t know how he does it. I thought it might be inspiring to him to actually get a THANK YOU from me since I’m sure they always feel underappreciated. I saw this design on Splitcoaststampers by AprilDawn and decided to try to duplicate it. I got the paper piercing a bit off on the bottom, but I don’t think he’ll care.

Recipe:
Stamp Set: Friendly Flowers from the Occasions Mini
Paper: Groovy Guava, Chocolate Chip card stock, Afternoon Tea DP from the Occasions Mini
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Metal pinwheel, brad, choc. chip grosgrain ribbon, dimensionals, paper piercing tool, template, and piercing mat

This card was very easy to make. The hardest thing was tying the ribbon!

Petal Birthday

TGIF! It's FRIDAY! I'll be getting together with my best friend to check out a new scrapbooking store in a neighboring town. Actually it isn't that new, SHE has been there before, but *I* haven't been there yet so it's NEW for ME.

I guess since I posted three pictures last time I figured I could go a few days without posting another one. Just as well, because I've been busy with church stuff, condo association stuff, working up some Easter goodies for friends and family using stamps of course (if I can get some decent pics of the goodies, I'll post those too).

Anyway, here's a birthday card that I made a while back for a friend from church. I have the Spiral Punch which I had never used. This card was part of a One Sheet Wonder grouping that I found online somewhere and I did it the way I suppose you should by making my own hand printed paper. It’s easier to use the Designer Series Paper if you’re doing a whole set of cards but because I was only making a couple, I decided to try my hand at stamping. It’s not as easy at it looks. When you’re done, you need to have enough color in the pieces that you’re using to make it the focal point of the card. I’m glad I had extra squares! I REALLY like the effect that the Spiral Punch gives the card. I’m going to have to work that into more of my designs.

Recipe:
Stamp sets: Polka Dots and Petals, Sincere Salutations
Paper: Pretty in Pink, Bashful Blue, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White cardstock Ink: Chocolate Chip, So Saffron, Pixie Pink, Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery
Accessories: Spiral and Tab punch, Gold brad, Polka Dots and Petals jumbo wheel

Whoo Hoo! Let's Celebrate!

I made this card at a shoebox swap a couple of weeks ago. I just LOVE this little owl! My friend Kate designed this card. She’s a Stampin’ UP! demonstrator and my inspiration. On her sample she’d used the Word Window punch to punch out the space in the lower right card front and then put the word underneath it. Silly me didn’t notice that neat little detail and just put my word on top of the card. I really liked her way better!

Recipe:
Stamps Set: Just Celebrate
Paper: Chocolate Chip, More Mustard, Really Rust, Very Vanilla Card Stock
Ink: Chocolate Chip and Versamark ink pads, Really Rust, More Mustard, Chocolate Chip markers
Accessories: Double Rectangle Punch, Word Window Punch, Ticket Corner Punch, 1/4" Chocolate Chip Poly Twill Ribbon