Graduation Gift

My cousin, Emily, graduated from Central Methodist University yesterday.  I made the trip there with my Aunt Annabelle, Aunt Fran, and my cousin, Treena.  We had an AWESOME day together I'm SO glad we were able to be there to help celebrate with Miss Emily.  She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English, Magna Cum Laude.  I'm SO proud of her!!

This is the card and matching envelope that I made for her.  I LOVE the new "Go, Graduate" stamp set.  I used Handsome Hunter and Certainly Celery cardstock with coordinating Designer Series Paper in Certainly Celery.  That was about as close as I could get to the school colors based on what I saw on their website.

I also made this super cute gift set for her.  It was made using the Razzleberry Designer Series Paper and coordinating cardstocks and inks.  I was really pleased at how it all came together.  The gift box was designed after I realized that I didn't have any gift bags, but I'm happy with the way it turned out.  The ribbon at the top of the box/bag is actually attached to the clipboard.  I made the box the same length as the clipboard so the ribbon would stick out just above the top.  To view larger images, click on the photos.

Toodles,

Stormy Saturday Project

It's been a stormy Saturday in the midwest so, after running my errands, I settled in for some baking, crafting, and reading today.  The made-from-scratch-ooey-gooey brownies have been most excellent with my coffee while I spent some time in my craft room this afternoon.  I'm starting to feel a little sleepy, though, with one cat asleep on my craft table, one asleep in the window sill, and the dog asleep at my feet!
Here's the result of my crafting efforts today.  I'm starting to get hooked on making these bookmarks.  I LOVE them, but I have yet to make one for myself.  I'll get right on that...  Anyway, this one was made from the Razzleberry Designer Series Paper from Stampin' Up! and coordinating colors.  I used the "Vintage Vogue" and "Elements of Style" stamp sets.  I think they coordinate well together.  The great thing about these bookmarks is that they're enclosed in a plastic sleeve, so they should last for YEARS.  Only the last photo shows the bookmark in the sleeve.  I was afraid there would be a glare if I took the photos in the sleeve, so took the first three before finishing it.

This image shows the entire bookmark before I finished it by putting it in the sleeve and securing it with a jumbo eyelet and ribbon.

I took this picture to show the detail in the hummingbird and flower.  I added a half pearl to the center of the flower and the hummingbird was added using Stampin' Dimensionals.  The branches were punched with the new bird and branch punch in Kiwi Kiss cardstock.  By the way.... Kiwi Kiss is coming back as a permanent color in the next Stampin' Up! catalog.  Can I get a WOO-HOO??? :)

Some days, I have a REAL problem with the format of blogger and today seems to be one of those days.  Sorry for the inconsistency in the layout of my paragraphs and photos.  I guess we'll just have to deal with it.  I took this next photo to show the detail of the embossing at the bottom of the bookmark.  I used a Cuttlebug Border Embossing Folder in my Sizzix Big Shot to achieve this look.  That Big Shot will do ANYTHING, I tell ya!!

And here's the finished product.  Actually, the glare from the plastic sleeve isn't TOO terribly bad.  The sleeve also makes this look like a professionally made project once it's complete.  I see many more of these in my crafting future... just have to come up with some more design ideas!  These would be great gifts for kids, too, so I'll have to come up with some designs that would be appealing to them, as well.

Toodles,

Easter Treats in a Flash!

Check out these Easter treats that go together in a flash!  I used the Baskets and Blooms Sizzix Bigz die to cut the pieces for my basket.  I used sticky strip (acme strength adhesive) to put it together, stuffed some Easter treats in a cellophane bag, tied it with ribbon, and added a punched accent to the front... WAH-LAH!!  Easter treats with some handmade flair... and everyone will think you went to SO much work!!

Toodles,

Jen

Boo Banner

Don't say that very fast! I got this idea from another blog that I was visiting and thought it was neato-mosquito, so I whipped this out fairly quickly last night. I used the "Ghostly Greetings" Designer Series Paper from last year's SU! catalog and coordinating cardstock. My scalloped squares, straight-edged squares, and scalloped circles were cut using Spellbinders Nestabilities in my regular Sizzix machine. The letters were cut using the "Base Camp" cartridge in the Cricut. I used jumbo pewter eyelets at the top of the "B" square and knotted some striped Kiwi Kiss ribbon to make the hanger. I used sticky strip to adhere a strip of striped Pumpkin Pie ribbon to the backs of the squares, which is what made this whole thing a banner. I used a large circle brad to give the bottom some weight so it would hang straight. I just pulled the little brad legs apart (I know that sounds really bad! ;) ) and then wrapped them around the ribbon. I used needle-nose pliers to get them good and tight on the back so the ribbon would stay gathered and the brad wouldn't slide off. Drop by for a visit between now and Halloween and you'll see this spooky banner hanging on my front door!







Toodles,

Thrifty Crafter

Look what I did with Stampin' Up! Designer Series Paper, coordinating cardstock, and a photo frame! I painted my laundry room "So Saffron", recently, and wanted to use the "Haiku" palette in the accessories. I found this frame at Gordman's today for $16 and I just cut my DSP to 3" X 5" and matted it on coordinating cardstock cut to 4" X 6". It looks GREAT against my "So Saffron" wall. Hope you like it, too!!



This photo has absolutely nothing to do with stamping and everything to do with being thrifty, which was one of my New Year's resolutions. Click on the photo to view a larger image. The bird prints on the wall and the crystal lamp on the nightstand were freebies. A friend of mine just bought a new house and got rid of some things, so I latched onto them since they fit in with my shabby chic bedroom decor. The nightstand was a Craigslist purchase and it's actually an antique sewing cabinet. The top is a lid and I have my sewing notions stored there. It also has two drawers, which is where my thread is stored. It matches the antique furniture that another friend of mine loaned to me. The furniture is an antique Waterfall set and Linda had it in storage. She was afraid that the humidity would ruin it in storage and said I'd be doing her a favor by using it. I absolutely LOVE this furniture and I've told her how much I appreciate it, but I hope she realizes just how much!! SHE'S the one doing ME a favor!!

Hope you're enjoying your week! It's been rainy and dreary here and the forecast isn't looking much better for the next seven days. Toodles!!

Fall Is Here!

It started raining yesterday afternoon when the temp was about 70 degrees. The temperature started dropping not long after that and by the time I went to bed last night, it was probably in the mid-50's. I left the windows open all night, so I woke up to CRISP fall air this morning. I LOVE THAT!! The only thing better would be to wake up at my parent's place (they live out in the woods) and smell the fall leaves. Some things just aren't the same in the city! The temp in my house when I arrived home from work, this afternoon, was only 60 degrees, and we're expecting a low tonight around 38 degrees. I've got the windows shut and have put my dearly loved sweat pants on and am enjoying a steaming cup of french vanilla cappuccino. I'm thinkin' chili sounds good, too!! Maybe tomorrow night...


Pizza anyone? Jen Del Muro posted this FABULOUS mini pizza box template not too long ago and I've been wanting to try it out. Tonight, I was flipping through my SU! catty and saw a sample similar to this and knew that was how I wanted to decorate my pizza box. I used CS in Basic Black, Whisper White, and Pumpkin Pie. The stamp set was "Tasty Sweet" from the current catty and the ribbon is Old Olive grosgrain. The decoration is actually a belly band and will slip right off the box so the lid can be flipped up to reveal the contents. Isn't it great that SU! offers so many great ideas in the catty? And that our fellow stampers in the stamping community are so willing to share their ideas? I love how this turned out and may have to make several since they're so quick to make. Toodles! (Click on photos to view larger)

A Few Spooky Things

Here are a few things I've been working on lately. I've been trying to come up with some ideas that I can use in my PMS class this weekend. We'll be creating some of these projects. I just haven't decided exactly which ones yet.
I've been seeing these Frankenstein cards on Splitcoast and just loved them. They're so super-duper simple to make and are just adorable. I made a matching bag topper for a small bag of candy corn.


This is the ever-popular nugget box. It holds three Hershey Nuggets, which are all wrapped in DSP. The box has a cover that slides on, which you can barely see on the right side of the photo.



This is a small basket, which also holds a bag of candy corn.


I'm still working on getting this perfected. I got this idea from fellow blogger, Jami, and just HAD to try them. This one turned out super cute, but I want to make several in varying sizes and use them for a centerpiece on the table for Saturday's class.









And this little guy has been seen quite frequently around Splitcoast these days. This little spider is made entirely from punches and has a Peppermint Patty between his front and his back side. He's a real cutie-patootie!!

I need to get to work on some other projects, so I'm going to keep this short. I have several cards I need to get made for upcoming birthdays, anniversaries, expectant families... OOOOHHHHH... have I told you that my brother, Tim, and his wife, Tiffani, are expecting their second child? Peyton, their daughter, was born last September and can expect a little brother or sister next summer. How exciting!! Toodles!

Here's your post, Christy!

Christy has been after me again to post to my blog. I admit that I've not been very faithful in keeping up with it since I moved. I don't know if it's because my blogging surroundings have changed or if I'm just not quite settled in yet. Anyway, I'm going to make a better effort to blog on a regular basis.

Isn't this cute?? Well, you're not getting any deets (details) on it because this is one of the projects we're going to be making during October PMS (Paper-crafters Monthly Support Group) on October 18th. If you haven't reserved your spot, you'd better get your rear in gear... seating is limited and you're gonna LOVE, LOVE these projects. The cost of the class is $10 and that includes products used for the projects as well as detailed instructions you can take home with you for future use. If you have basic supplies and don't mind to tote them to my house, you can bring those. If you have your own scissors, paper cutter & scoring blade, bone folder, adhesive, etc., you don't have to wait on everyone else to finish with mine. If you bring a friend who is a new customer to me, and they place an order of $25 or more, you can both attend the class for $10. Class will begin at 2 PM and will (ideally) end at 5 PM. If you've been to these classes, though, you know that you can leave as early or stay as late as you'd like. E-mail me if you need more details or need directions to my house. Toodles!!

Catching Up

I have a lot of catching up to do, so here goes...

The photo of this scrapbook page doesn't do it justice (click on photos to view larger images). Actually, I was just playing around with a layout that I might be able to use for swaps at convention. I haven't made an actual scrapbook page in AGES, so this was fun. I used traitor paper all the way around since I was just trying to come up with a layout, but it turned out really cute. Miss Emily is what makes it so stinkin' cute... NOT my scrapbooking abilities!!

This is the same card I posted a few days ago done in different colors. My previous card used "in colors", though, and I can't use those on convention swaps since they'll be retiring. I changed my colors to Tempting Turquoise, More Mustard, and Garden Green. I used the East Coast Prep DSP and Real Red grosgrain ribbon with the "Wild About You" stamp set.

This is another card that I posted last week and changed the colors on. I originally made this one using Soft Sky, but that color will be retiring this year, so I changed it to Blush Blossom. The card base is Basic Gray. I stamped the swirl from Baroque Motifs in Blush Blossom and then stamped the starbursts in Going Gray. I used my two-way glue pen to add Dazzling Diamonds to each starburst. The sentiment was stamped in Blush Blossom and then offset and stamped again in Basic Gray. The ribbon is Basic Gray taffeta from SU!

I'm not that crazy about this card. It sounded like a good idea at the time, but it just didn't turn out quite the way I had it pictured. My card base is Certainly Celery with a layer of Bashful Blue which was embossed with a Cuttlebug embossing folder. A piece of Cutie Pie DSP was matted on a piece of Rose Red CS, which was cut with my Spellbinders Nestabilities. The flower, from "Ginormous Flowers", was stamped with Regal Rose and Rose Red craft ink and heat embossed with Irridescent Ice. I punched a flower out of the Cutie Pie DSP with the 1/2" circle punch and used it on a "Build-A-Brad" for the flower center. The bow was made by knotting a scrap piece of Regal Rose grosgrain ribbon. The sentiment is from "Happy Everything" and was stamped in Basic Black classic ink on So Saffron CS and then matted on Basic Black CS.

This card is for the daughter of one of my BFF's. Amy's daughter, Natalie, is getting ready to turn (you guessed it) 4. This card has absolutely no stamping on it. I used my Cricut for everything .

Unfortunately, I need to send a couple of sympathy cards this week. I love the simplicity and the elegance of this layout. My card base is River Rock. I stamped the image from "Close As A Memory" in River Rock classic ink on Whisper White CS and matted it on Basic Black. The sentiment was stamped in Basic Black classic ink. After matting my image several times, I added a bow at the bottom using the River Rock double-stitched ribbon.

This card was made for an inspiration challenge on Splitcoast Stampers several weeks ago. My card base is Soft Sky. I stamped the image from "Essence of Love" in Soft Sky classic ink on Whisper White CS. I cut the stamped image into four equal strips and then added them to another piece of Soft Sky CS. That piece was then matted on Pink Passion CS. The flower was dry embossed on vellum, using a Sizzix embossing folder. After it was embossed, I used SU! markers and a blender pen to color on the BACK side of the vellum. I THINK this technique is called stained glass, but don't remember for sure. The sentiment was stamped in Blue Bayou classic ink and then I added a piece of traitor ribbon that matched my Pink Passion CS.

On to the Father's Day cards... Both of these cards, obviously, use the same image from "For Father". I stamped them on watercolor paper with Jet Black StazOn ink and then watercolored them using my SU! markers and an AquaPainter. I LOVE, LOVE this technique!! Both cards started with a card base of Chocolate Chip and then I added Outlaw DSP (retired) and coordinating colors. The ribbon is "twill tape" from SU! and has brads added for a little extra manliness (is that a word?). I don't people thinking I make sissy man cards!! :)

This card also uses an image from the "For Father" stamp set. I used the same techniques and paper for this card that I used on

the apple cards above. I added a piece of Chocolate Chip poly-twill ribbon to the center. That is some of the best ribbon I've ever worked with. I don't think I've ever had to re-tie it... it looks good the first time, every time.

This card was made for a sketch challenge on the 2sketches4you blog. I started with a card base of Basic Black. The image was stamped in Really Rust and Old Olive (colored the stamp directly with markers) on Whisper White CS. I rounded the corners and matted that image on Basic Black CS. The next layer is a print from the Fall Flowers DSP, which was also matted on Basic Black after rounding the corners. I removed the guide from my corner rounder punch to create the scallops on the Old Olive CS and then matted that on a piece of Basic Black CS. The sentiment was stamped in Basic Black classic ink. The flowers are from the Pretties Kit and have rhinestone brads added to the centers.

Last, but not least... I found these chipboard letters at JoAnn's the other day. They were already covered in a patterned paper, but they didn't have one bit of bling. I added sequins, felt flowers, rhinestone brads, and Dazzling Diamonds before stringing them together (eyelets were already in the tops of each letter) with some traitor ribbon I also picked up at JoAnn's. Can you guess who this was for?? Lauren loved it and opted to hang it above her closet doors in her room so she could look at it while sitting on her bed. I offered to make one for Branden, but he didn't really like the colors and all that bling.

Teacher Appreciaton Gifts

These turned out SO stinkin' cute!!! I decided, some time ago, that I was going to make teacher appreciation gifts for the kids to give to their teachers at the end of the shool year. I got the template for the post it note holder from Dawn Griffith and I ADORE these things!!! They were super easy to make. I found the mini gel pens at Staples yesterday, which is also where I bought the jumbo paperclips to make the bookmark from. I used the 'Tart & Tangy' stamp set and colored directly on the stamp using my SU! markers before stamping the image on Whisper White cardstock. I stamped directly over that image using Versamark and then added Iridescent Ice embossing powder before heat setting. I punched the image out using the 1 1/4" circle punch and matted it on a piece of Wild Wasabi cardstock punched with the 1 3/8" circle punch. Those two pieces were adhered to Real Red cardstock, which was punched using the scalloped circle punch. I added the white dots to the scallops with my Signo Gel Pen. I added a piece of 'East Coast Prep' designer series paper to my post-it holder and then added the scalloped image using Stampin' Dimensionals. I punched two holes at the top and ran a piece of Wild Wasabi double-stitched ribbon through and tied it in a knot in the front. (Click on photos to view larger images)

The bookmark was made by using a piece identical to the one on the front of the post-it note holder. I made two of them and adhered them to each side of the paperclip using Stampin' Dimensionals. The last step was tying a piece of Wild Wasabi double-stitched ribbon around the clip. Too cute!!!

My flowers are in full bloom. The tulips and jonquils, and azaleas have come and gone, but the roses, wild strawberries, and mock orange are here. I planted two climbing rose bushes next to our patio last year. They did well last year, but didn't have nearly as many buds as they do this year. Between the two bushes, there are over 35 buds on them right now. Here are a couple of the ones that have already bloomed.

I wasn't sure how wild strawberries would taste, but they looked just yummy, so I tried one. They are much more pretty than tasty!! They weren't bad... just didn't have any flavor. I'll just have to enjoy their beauty while they're here!

This is the mock orange, as is the next close-up photo. The flowers are absolutely gorgeous and smell wonderful!

Thanks for visiting today!! I'm going to go work on my Father's day cards for the upcoming class on Thursday night. Enjoy your holiday weekend!! Toodles!