New Toys

Shh... Don't tell my husband that yesterday I got a box full of new dies.  (Luckily for me he was out riding his bike when Purolator showed up.  I ripped the box from his hands, tore the wrappings off of all the goodies inside, threw them in a plastic bag, and immediately took the evidence out to the curb.  God bless the garbage man that shows up on Thursday.)  Since committing myself to the Fall Fair (see previous post about my questionable sanity) I decided that I needed some dies to help me make some projects.  The Matchbox die was first on the list.  Small things are always cute, and this box holds true to that.  It's friggin' adorable actually.  I had a good time making the little covers fun.  Inside I stashed some Hersey's kisses

Fun Flowers was also in my newest order, and I made a few of these up last night to see how well they'd sell.  Turns out, pretty well!  I sold out of them!  I'm going to make a LOT more for next week and even get started on a stash for the fall.  I really like making these little flowers.  I love the way the paper crinkles up like that.  A little vanilla smooch shimmer and they were ready to go!  Scale wise, I don't think you can really tell, but these paperclips are 4" long.  They're just awesome little bookmarks.

In LOVE

About 10 days ago I decided to try my hand at a ribbon share.  Everyone loves ribbon, but who needs 10 yards of the same colour?  Well, maybe you do, but I certainly don't.  Let's check that - my bank account doesn't need 10 yards of each of the colours out there.  That's more accurate.  Anywho, I posted a ribbon share on my SU page an offered it to my stamp club ladies as well.  It showed up this morning and I was sooo excited it get going on it.  When I say "it" I'm talking about 370 yards of various beauties, the In Colour Ruffled collection being one of them.

The Scallop Dots collection is also new to Stampin' Up this year, and I can see that it's going to do very well.  It's a really nice weight, and the colours they're offering are great.

I also ordered the Taffeta collection, though I wasn't sure I was going to like it all that much.  Turns out I love it too!  It's a really nice light weight, good for draping and bow making.  So how long did it take me to cut up 370 yards of ribbon into 1 yard lengths?  Not too long actually.  I was a horrible friend and mentioned to my lovely friend Heath that I had some cutting to do and asked if she'd help me, knowing full well that she would.  So when I turned on my cell this morning, there was already a message from her asking what time I was coming by.  What a dear.  So we cut and chatted and it was done before we knew it!

After cutting it all up I raced home to package it all up so I could send it out to the ladies anxiously awaiting.  On that note, I'm going to tie a ribbon around this post and get to crafting!

Call Me Crazy

I'm pretty sure this is where I'm headed - soon.  In my state of boredom due to bad weather, I've been going a little overboard with the crafting.  It's pretty much been raining here for 3 straight weeks, so I've been in my craft room for three straight weeks.  When the rain stops and the sun peeks out I run out to the yard to catch some much needed vitamin D, but I'm still inside way more than I should be.

Last week I had a brainwave that told me that I should get a booth for the Fall Fair.  Hmm.  Sounded like a good idea at the time.  So I went into town and talked with the lovely lady running the show, and she convinced me that it would be a great idea.  I filled in the paperwork, wrote a cheque, and voila! I'm in.  Holy you-know-what.

Now what?

Now I'm wracking my brain trying to come up with ideas for what the heck I can make to fill up a whole booth.  Here's what I've got so far:  I'll make LOTS of cards (obviously) and a bunch of altered journals since these seem to be very popular.  The fair is in September so I'm going to make a series of Christmas-themed items like tags, little gift boxes, pillow boxes, gift card holders, etc.  (Don't tell my husband that I just ordered an obscene amount of dies and supplies for this.)  I saw this cute little tag that has a little saying about you brewing a cup of tea at a certain time, "something something half past three.  I'll think of you, you'll think of me."  It's a little card that you put a tea bag in and attach to a card/gift, so I'll do up some of those.  I have a few of the flowers dies that I'll use with those ridiculously huge paper clips to make bookmarks out of, probably stick magnets to some too.  Ooh, and Snowman Soup.  Awesome.

That's a far as my ideas go.  Anyone have some amazing ideas that I can steal for making stuff using SU products that will wow people and make them want to form a Stamp Club or host classes/workshops?  I would love love love to hear what you've got to say.  I've got a little less than 2 months to get things ready, but really, only until about the last week of August because at that time I'm gearing up to return to work for another 10 months with teenagers.

Please help!

Generosity

Back in April, my husband's grandmother passed away at the age of 93.  Rather than receiving flowers and cards, the family asked that people donate to the Heart & Stroke Foundation.  The generosity showed by Celia's friends and family is a testament to the impact she had on their lives.

To thank those people for their generous donations that will help to make a difference in many peoples' lives, my mother in law asked me to make some thank you cards.  Gramma's favourite colours were pinks and purples, so it was only fitting that these were the shades I worked with.

Stamps:  Strength & Hope, Fabulous Florets
Ink:  Pink Pirouette, Crumb Cake, Perfect Plum
Paper:  Pink Pirouette, Crumb Cake, Perfect Plum, Very Vanilla
Extras:  Modern label punch, Word window punch, Scallop Oval punch, Oval punch

Girls' Night (well, evening anyways - we're not spring chickens anymore!)

 

Tonight I had a few girls from my Stamp Club come over to use my tools try out their new goodies.  Eating baked brie with roasted garlic and drinking wine is about the only thing I can think of that makes stamping even better than it already is.  This is really the first time venturing into crafting for one of my friends, so she took a little while to get going.  "I like it when we have the class and you have everything ready for us and just tell us what to do."  I smiled a little.  But after the first hour or so she was in full swing and made some really cute cards.  They each ended up making three cards, but I ended up with only one.  I will always choose helping someone else try something new over making my own cards on nights like these.  

Anywho, here's what I ended up with.  I've had Fox and Friends sitting around for quite some time now but hadn't felt the mood strike me up until now.  I took the colour combo from the holiday mini (you have to wait until September to see!).  There's a beautiful new paper and fabric series called Spice Cake.  I never would have thought to put these unlikely partners together, but they look really beautiful.  The lighting's a bit poor in this picture, but you get the idea.  I think I'll try this card again in a girly pallet too.

Stamps:  Fox and Friends, Petite Pairs

Ink:  More Mustard, Pool Party, River Rock, Pear Pizzazz

Paper: River Rock, More Mustard, Very Vanilla

Extras:  Postage Stamp punch, Pear Pizzazz seam binding ribbon

Man Cards!

I finally got my man stamps today.  I'll work on building this part of my collection, but for now these guys will have to do.  I'm not really crazy about nautical stuff, but this set is not toooooo shippy (though there is a ship stamp).  I have an awesome idea for a colour combo that I could use for this set, but already had Not Quite Navy and Cajun Craze cut and just sitting there, waiting to be used, so I answered their cries. This isn't the layout that I wanted, but I made a total rookie mistake and glued my background on UPSIDE DOWN!  Der.....  I still like how it turned out though.

I absolutely adore Tool Shed (the big background stamp).  I think it will look pretty cool clear embossed too.  Maybe I'll try that out once I'm finished this post....  This is a pretty simple card, but I think that's what's great about it.  The stamp really stands alone, so why fix a good thing?

Stamps:  Uncharted Territory, Tool Shed
Ink:  Not Quite Navy, Cajun Craze, Night of Navy
Paper:  Not Quite Navy, Cajun Craze, Night of Navy, Sahara Sand
Extras:  Hemp Twine, Modern Label Punch, Word Window punch

Card Buffet (Workshop)

 

 

Here's my newest workshop!  I'm going out on a limb here and trying something crazy.  I'd love it if a few of you girls that read this regularly (you know who you are) would grab a few friends and sign up for this one.  It's a pretty long one (three hours) so it would make for a good girls afternoon or night (wine anyone?).  For those of you with a small person (I mean child, not vertically challenged), you could divide the cards between you and each make 4.  I could also make up a few special kid-friendly options if you let me know you'd like that.  This workshop obviously offers a greater selection than the others due to the higher volume of cards you'll be turning out.  The difference here is that I won't be instructing you on how to do certain techniques.  Of course I will help you if there's something unfamiliar, but I won't be standing up there teaching everyone like I do in the other classes.

 

So take a read and please send me a reply if you're interested! 

 

Fee:  $25 each or free with $60 catalogue order
3 hours
This workshop requires a minimum of 4 participants, and a maximum of 8

This one's a doozy, but well worth it!

The way a card buffet works is that I will have 10 different selections for you to choose from.  During the workshop you will make 8 cards, choosing whichever styles you like the best (multiples are okay too, if you really like one style).  The cards will be displayed with containers behind each, full of all the supplies you need to complete them, ready for you to use.  You take a box to your seat and craft away!  Each buffet will feature a different selection of cards for you to choose from, so when you fall in love, we can book you another one right away! :)

If you wish to make extra cards once you have completed your 8, the charge is $2.00 per additional card.

STOP WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING TO DO THIS!!!

Oh sweet Lord do I have a treat for you!  Remember on yesterday's post how I was talking about how much I love meeting people at the Farmer's Market?  Well, yesterday this lovely lady Sandie came to my booth and we got to talking about crafting - I know, how strange? :)  Anyways, she was telling me about this amazing blog that she looks at and how she learned how to make her own embossing folders.  What?  Yes, she makes her own embossing folders.  So she emailed me the link to this amazing blog. 

Mel Stampz 

Holy cannoli is this girl amazing!  I spent my two coffee drinking hours looking through all of the outrageously crafty things she's got on there.  Once I finally picked up jaw up off the floor, I remembered the reason I was on her site.  Making custom embossing folders.

Here's what it looks like.

I went out to the porch and dug around in the recycling for an old cereal box which I then punched the heck out of to get all of these little leaves. 

Using the tan rubber mat and some layers of card stock I ran this sucker through my Big Shot and WOW!  It really works!  I jumped the gun a little and skipped the modgepodge stage since I don't have any right now and am FAR too impatient to wait to try this until I get some.  I think it would probably be a little crisper because it will be harder, but you get the point.

EEE!!!  Custom embossed paper!  (If you know me, I am doing an arm spazz right now!!)  I just can't get over how cool this is.

As amazing as this is, I can take zero credit on it.  Totally got the idea from Mel.  Here's the link to the page that describes how to do it.

Awesome Custom Embossing Goodness 

Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you Mel for sharing!!!

Crafter's Anonymous

From several of my previous posts, you have by now realized that I am a teacher (if you haven't realized this, read more carefully), and that I get the summer off.  Does this mean that I sleep in though?  Absolutely not.  My husband still has to go to work so when his alarm goes off at 6:30, I'm up too.  What do I do in early morning while he's getting ready for work?  Why, come into my craft room, or course!  So this morning, he posted a comment on his facebook page asking of anyone knows of a CA group that he could contact.  Apparently I need an intervention...

So this morning, I continued making wedding cards (I've been trying to stockpile them for the market).  This little gem came to me in my sleep and needed to be made immediately.

No, that's not metallic paper.  I covered up a piece of cardstock with tin foil and ran it through the EF.  I am fairly impressed with myself right now.

Stamps:  Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink:  Basic Black
Paper:  Basic Black
Extras:  Vintage Wallpaper EF, Scallop punch, Oval punch, TIN FOIL!

To Market, To Market

 

It's Friday, so that means it's off to the Farmer's Market for me!  And what do you know?  It's cold and miserable outside.  What a surprise...

Even if it is cold and miserable, this card makes me pretty happy.  I finally got to play with my new triple layer punch and I am IN LOVE!  I'm committing tonight to making a few cards with this new little dodad to see what I can come up with.  I'm picturing Poppy Parade getting some action, maybe with So Saffron and Concord Crush... Hmmm....

Hope you like it!

Stamps:  Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink:  Lucky Limeade
Paper:  Lucky Limeade, Baja Breeze, Perfect Plum, Whisper White
Extras:  Triple Layer Blossom punch, Perfect Polka Dots EF

Hello Doily

 

Things I love this week?  Delicate Doilies and the colour scheme from Domestic Goddess.  I couldn't sleep last night so I was thinking about cards that I would make today.  I almost got out of bed at 4:30 to make this card.  If there is one set that I think will be used the most out of my sets for backgrounds, this it is.  I made a set with in an earlier post that I loved as well, but these colours are funky and give it a totally different vibe.  If you don't have this set, do yourself a favour and buy it.

Stamps:  Delicate Doilies, Happy Greetings

Ink:  Calypso Coral, Pool Party, Daffodil Delight, Basic Grey

Paper:  Basic Grey, Whisper White, Calypso Coral, Pool Party

My favourite layout shines once again!

I liked the first card that I made so much that I made an altered journal just like it!

True Friend

I am slightly obsessed with this layout right now.  I love using my embossing folders whenever I can, and this layout is perfect for it.  It lends itself nicely to simple statements such as this.  I have had a package of Pink Pirouette sitting around for ages, just waiting to be used, and this seemed the perfect thing for it.  I really like how it contrasts with the brilliant tones of Rich Razzleberry and Old Olive.

Stamps:  Love and Care, Elements of Style
Ink:   Pink Pirouette, Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive
Paper:  Pink Pirouette, Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, Whisper White
Extras:  Vintage Wallpaper EF

Mojo Monday 199 (on a Tuesday)

 

I love having two months off in the summer.  However, one tends to forget what day it is when it doesn't really matter.  Thus, Mojo Monday - on a Tuesday.  I looked at the site yesterday and thought that I couldn't want to actually get to do another MM on the right day (spring break was the last time this happened).  Then I opened the page this morning, and it's the same layout.  Weird?  Maybe they're late?  Nope.  I don't know what day it is.  Apparently yesterday was Monday?  News to me!  Anyways, here it is!  Mojo Monday 199.

Stamps:  Season of Friendship

Ink:  Marina Mist, Real Red, Old Olive, Early Espresso

Paper:  Early Espresso (card stock and DSP), Crumb Cake patterns DSP, Marina Mist

Extras:  Scallop punch

Pennant Crazy

I went a little crazy this afternoon.  Punch crazy.  I wanted to make some cheery cards using the brights collection, so I grabbed my stack of patterned DSP and punched away.  I ended up with a pile of pennants covering my desk, and here's what happened.  I ended up with 12 cards on some variation of this template.  Fun.  Fun.  Fun.  This makes me want cake and ice cream - and a party hat.

Stamps:  Pretty Postage, Pennant Parade
Ink:  Brights collection
Paper:  Brights cardstock collection, Brights patterned DSP
Extras:  Petite Pennants punch, Postage Stamp punch, Itty Bitty Shapes punch pack, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder

Sympathy Flowers

My husband called me from work this afternoon for a little pick-me-up.  We live in a small town, where everyone knows everyone, and how and what everyone is doing.  At his work, there is a sweet old, albeit curmudgeony, gentleman (the father of one of the owners) who spends his day driving customers around town while their cars get serviced, drinking coffee at A&W, and doing a fair amount of old-man style complaining about some SOB or other.  During his travels around the dealership, he often drops in on my husband for a visit (according to him, my hubby is "one cool cat").  So when dear old Frank seemed a little off yesterday, Chris asked him if everything was ok.  The response he got was that Frank seems to think he's "come to the end of my rope."  80 some odd years is a pretty good shot at things, but when Frank decided to stay home today because he wasn't feeling well, it got everyone down a little.  Thinking about this hardy ex-truck driver as a frail old guy made me think of all the people that I've heard have passed along recently.  So with this in mind, I set out to make some sympathy cards that aren't black and grey and depressing.  The muted blue tones of this card made it solemn, but the punch of yellow is that light that you see at the end of the tunnel.

Stamps:  Fabulous Florets, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink:  Night of Navy, Bashful Blue, Daffodil Delight
Paper:  Night of Navy, Bashful Blue, Whisper White
Extras:  Oval punch, Scallop Oval punch, Flower Garden embossing folder

Wedding Cake Part II

Since it's summer and there are always a plethora of weddings, I've decided that I need to make a few more cards for this occassion.  I have a few styles that I like for wedding cards, but I wanted something different.  In my wanderings through the internet, I came across a card that someone made using the embossing folder to make a giant cupcake and I figured I could do the same for a whole cake.  This afternoon when I sat down to make a wedding card, this little guy came together from that inspiration.

Stamps:  Word Play
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Smooch Spray
Paper:  Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Crumbcake
Extras: Very Vanilla seam binding ribbon, Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, Boho Blossoms punch

Punch Bunch (Workshop)

During this workshop you will make three different cards: 1 birthday, 1 thank you, and 1 general occasion (you choose the sentiment).  The focus of this workshop is using a few of Stampin' Up's great punches, making a series of fun cards for your stash, ready to give out to your favourite people.

Stamps: Pennant Parade, Bring on the Cake
Ink:  Poppy Parade, Bashful Blue
Paper: Poppy Parade, Bashful Blue, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla
Extras: Petite Pennants Punch

Stamps: Punch Potpourri, Word Play
Ink:  Poppy Parade, Bashful Blue
Paper: Poppy Parade, Bashful Blue, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla
Extras: Butterfly Punch, Crumb Cake seam binding ribbon, Perfect Polka dots embossing folder

Stamps: Curly Cute, A to Z
Ink:  Poppy Parade, Bashful Blue
Paper: Poppy Parade, Bashful Blue, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Early Espresso
Extras: Owl Punch, Bird Punch

 

Stamps: Punch Potpourri, Bold Blossom

Ink:  Pool Party, Versamark

Paper:  Pool Party, Poppy Parade, So Saffron, Very Vanilla

Extras:  Bird Punch, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Scallop Oval Punch

Farmer's Market

This morning it was pouring rain, and 5 degrees.  It's July!  What the heck!  It was also the first Farmer's Market of the season.  I love the Farmer's Market.  Everyone is in such a good mood, you chat with a bunch of people from all over the place (a group of girls was in from Hong Kong), and you always come home with something good.  Today I came home with a dozen GIGANTIC farm eggs (which I promptly poached and ate one of with some fresh tomato and sourdough... mmm...).

I also came home inspired to make more cards!  I met a bunch of lovely people today that expressed an interest in making cards, but that they didn't really know where to start.  So with them as inspiration, I am posting this card which really couldn't be simpler to make.  One set of stamps, 2 pieces of paper, and voila!  Background stamping is one of my favourite techniques.  It really shows what you can do with a limited amount of products.  The vibrant colours of this card are perfect for summer afternoons.

Sun + Stamping = Yay

Summer holidays have officially started so I am now off work for 63 days (I know, life is really tough).  This morning I was sitting in the sun, sipping my Cafe Verona, when the dog went crazy.  The Purolator van had pulled into the driveway.  YAY!!!  I know what that means!  I rushed to the door and happily accepted my package.  I'm all about making my own paper, and this set couldn't be better suited to this technique.

Stamps:  Delicate Doilies
Ink:  Wisteria Wonder, Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie
Paper:  Wisteria Wonder, Melon Mambo, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White
Extras:  Scallop edge punch, clear embossing powder, Dazzling Diamonds

New Catalogue!

The past few days have been killing me.  I've been out of town having an amazing time with some girlfriends, but I realized that I had forgotten to get a post ready with a link to the new catalogue!  If you're part of my stamp club, you received your in-the-flesh copies before I headed out, but here's the online version for the rest of you!

Enjoy!