SFYTT 3.21.09 Hip Hip Hooray

SFYTT 3.21.09

This is the second card I created for our old neighbor's birthday. They are both fraternal twins (boy and girl) and their birthdays are coming up on March 27 (both turning 7 yrs old). I used Jen Del Muro's sketch challenge SFYTT to make this card. My girlfriend told me once that her son loved Curious George so I incorporated him into this card. I guess it's not the exact layout of Jen's sketch, but I think it turned out cute. I added a lot of texture by using cb embossing folders traffic jam and tiny bubbles.

stamps: dollar stamp curious george paper: white/yellow/dark blue/red cs ink: palette burnt umber, night of navy accessories: nestabilities circle and scalloped circle, string, dimensionals, cuttlebug embossing folder traffic jam and tiny bubbles

STVTC5 CPSketch #7 Hippy Birthday

StampTV Challenge STVTP5

Card Patterns Challenge Sketch #7

Since our dog passed and even before then, I haven't done any stamping so finally back to a healthy state and got my stamping mojo back. I made this card for an old neighbor who just turned 7. She is actually a twin so I created a card for him too (will share in another post). This card was created for GinaK StampTV Nestabilties Challenge STVTC5 and Card Patterns Sketch Challenge CP Sketch #7. This is the first time I was able to participate in a Card Patterns Challenge. I swear the sketch challenges are so helpful when creating cards in a pinch. It's all about interpreting the sketch to your stamping style too.

stamps: ginak just so hippy paper: white/yellow cs, my mind's eye magnolia dp ink: palette noir accessories: nestabilities oval and scalloped oval, dimensionals, ribbon, clear mini decorative accents, slit punch for scalloped border

In memoriam to our beloved pet

Kato 1996-2009

This month has not been so great for our family...while dealing with two sick kiddos, we had to make one of the most difficult decisions of putting our oldest dog to sleep. On March 16, our beloved friend, Kato, passed away from old age. We originally adopted him from a no-kill shelter 8 yrs ago and he was only 5 yrs old at the time. For me, he was my very first house pet. I've had pets before while growing up in the Philippines but merely used for protection and kept outside on a leash. I am glad that he was my first pet. Because of Kato, I was able to experience a feeling like no other. He was the sweetest dog you could ever meet and was always had a calming effect. He taught our other dog, Kody, well. We had adopted Kody from a breeder when he was still a wee pup so you can just imagine his distraught when he finally figured out that Kato wasn't coming back. They were best pals.

Kato will always be our guardian and now in doggy heaven. We love you ver much...you will be sorely missed. Till we meet again my friend!

Spring-y Cricut project and Tote Tag

I can't believe that we are expecting snow again this week (oh, that is right...I forgot I live in northern MN - duh!). We have long winter months followed by a blip of Spring then Summer. So, with Spring in mind (wishful thinking *wink*), I decorated a composition notebook with some Springy designer paper. My TAC demo just purchased a baby Cricut (with my enabling, of course) and I wanted to showcase what this little machine can do. I created the square and scaloped square from the Mini Monograms cart. The adorable turtle was created from the Walk in my Garden cart. I think it was the right touch to finish off the notebook. The sentiment is from the TAC stamp set called "Seeds of Blessing" and reads "Your friendship blesses my heart". I created a pocket on the inside with a pink scalloped border using the SU slit punch. I created a pocket on the inside front cover. Since she was so intrigued with some backpack tags I had in my SCS gallery, I created a matching "purse/tote" tag for her as well. I used Unity's Formal Alphabet for the letter "L" and used my Nesties to cut the circle and scalloped circle. The swirlie image around the "L" was an image from PTI's Border and Corners stamp set - Circles. For some bling, I also colored in the L with some glitter 3D paint Crystal Gel Very Berry Paint.

I made this as a little thank you for letting me teach a class to her TAC stamping group. You can see the finished samples below of the tote class I taught yesterday. I also demonstrated how to make a beaded pen at the class (matches this gift set) and forgot to take a picture.

stamps: tac seeds of blessing paper: old olive/hot pink/white cs, memory block inspirations paper stack dp ink: palette burnt umber, antique linen distress ink accessories: wide satin olive polka dot ribbon, terrifically tacky tape 1/4", string, button, prima, cricut mini monograms/walk in my garden carts, slit punch, clear name tag from wal-mart, silver book ring, nestabilties circle and scallop circle, 3d glitter paint very berry red, clear decorative mini pebbles, rsvp pen, microbeads

I taught my first class! Yay me!

I was asked to teach a card tote class by my TAC demo. She gave me some paper and 2 TAC stamps sets she wanted me to work with and I did the rest. It was a small group of 5 gals...so it was a great opportunity to teach my first class. I created three samples, typed up the instructions and created templates with sizes and where to put the tape for those visual learners like me.

For the first one, I created a mini magazine card holder (adapted to hold regular sized cards). I created one using 2 pieces of 8 1/2 x 11 paper and one using 12x12 paper. I provided the group 3 sets of instructions (2 of them using 12x12 paper) to play around with. I used TAC Flower Trio Collage stamp set. I watercolored the flower distressed the edges and used Nesties for the regular circle and scalloped circle. This also gave me an opportunity to make a 3d banner with sentiment. have to give credit to the following folks who made this template/project a possibility:

Template #1 using 12x12 paper: Jeni Allen - My Stampin' Spot

Template #2 using 12x12 paper: Vicki Wizniuk - Wizard's Hangout

Template using 8.5 x11 paper: Melinda Wharton - Sunflower Stamping

Original Templates from: Inking Idaho and Embellish Me

The second tote is from a Papercrafts Magazine Template. You can find the template here in the Downloads forum at SCS. This is the most simple tote you can ever make and yet so versatile. You can use ribbon for the handles or create using two handles on each side.


For the third tote, I created a tote that StarlitStudio created awhile back...one of my most favorite totes to make (you can find the original post here). The holder accommodates 6 cards and 6 envies. You can probably even put chocolates in there instead of cards as a gift. It uses the TAC Spring Flowers stamp set, velcro for the enclosure. I used a little bit of 3d glitter and puffy paint on the scallop border and on the flower images.

I've created printable instructions for each of the projects above for your reference (credits have been noted for each template):

Mini Magazine Holder Template #1 (12x12 cardstock)

Mini Magazine Holder Template #2 (12x12 cardstock)

Mini Magazine Holder Template #3 (8.5x11 cardstock)

Papercrafts Card Holder

6 card - 6 envie card holder

MINI MAGAZINE CARD HOLDER...stamps: tac flower trio collage paper: chocolate chip/white cs, unkown manufacturer paper stack dp ink: palette burnt umber, real red, pumpkin pie, old olive accessories: nestabilities circle and scalloped circle, clear decorative mini pebbles, satin olive ribbon, terrifically tacky tape 1/4"

PAPERCRAFTS CARD HOLDER...stamps: tac seeds of blessing paper: black/white cs, unkown manufacturer paper stack dp ink: palette noir, real red accessories: nestabilities rectangle and scalloped rectangle, string, wide red grossgrain ribbon, martha stewart lace border punch, dimensionals, paper piercer, terrifically tacky tape 1/4"

6 CARD-6 ENVIE CARD HOLDER...stamps: tac spring flowers paper: white/hot pink cs, unkown manufacturer paper stack dp ink: palette noir, summer sun, passion in pink, old olive accessories: slit punch, wide hot pink grossgrain ribbon, 3d glitter paint verry berry red, 3d iridescent paint white mist, diamond stickles

CAS02, CAS04, LSC210

SCS Challenges

CAS02 & CAS04 & LSC210

This card was made for SCS Clean and Simple Challenges CAS02: One Button Will Do and CAS04: Accent with Dots (paper piercing) along with Limited Supply Challenge LSC210: Get mark...get set (create a card in 30 mins or less). The Clean and Simple challenges are fairly new to the Challenge forum. It won't have its own forum thread until it's gained some popularity so come join in on the fun every Monday. For this card, I used the Cuttlebug flower/border embossing folder for my main image. I took some scrap pieces of paper for the center and cut them with my Nesties, pierced around the circles and the distressed around the edges. I added a polkadot ribbon to complete the card. The sentiment "Friend" comes from GinaK Designs stamp set called Tee Talk. I was quite impressed that this card only took me about 15 minutes to create - that is record time for me! I normally take about 2-3 hours to make a card - yikes!

stamps: ginak designs tee talk paper: white cs, unkown dp ink: palette noir accessories: cuttlebug single flower embossing folder, button, sheer olive green polka dot ribbon

Majestic Buck Thank You

My hubby had volunteered me to make a quite unusual size thank you card to fit a gift certificate to one of our town's local stores. It had to fit an 8x3 1/2 envie. I normally don't make cards this size, but I took on the challenge. I had been wanting to use this deer stamp for awhile. The gift certificate was for someone at the school particularly for a person who coordinated the National Honor Society. The gift certificate came from one of our local town's sports/hunting store. So how approriate is this deer image, I ask? I still had some leftover masculine dp from creating DH's grandfather's gift and card and it looked great for the layout I was going to use.

I used Nesties Labels Two and stamped the deer in white first and then in Palette Brown ink for some depth on kraft cardstock. I did a little piercing on either side of the sentiment and created a banner like layer using vanilla cardstock and brown wide grossgrain ribbon.

stamps: penny black majestic buck paper: kraft/vanilla cs, memory block inspirations paper stack dp ink: palette burnt umber/new canvas, chocolate chip accessories: string, paper piercer, nestabilities labels two, dimensionals