June Technique Card #2

Because I was focusing on backgrounds this month, I decided to demonstrate a watercolor wash.  I remembered seeing this card.  I did not save it any place so I do not know who it belongs to.  But I thought it was stunning and I knew I had to show my customers.  They loved it too.  

The supplies that I used for this card were:

STAMP SET:  Lovely As A Tree, And Many More
PAPER:  Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Watercolor Paper, Very Vanilla
INK:  Memento, Early Espresso, Soft Sky, Pear Pizazz, Old Olive, Soft Suede
ACCESSORIES: Burlap Ribbon, Candy Dots, Aquapainters, Itty Bitty Banner Framelits, Dimensionals, Woodgrain Embossing Folder, Big Shot

I loved how this turned out and my customers were amazed how easy it was to make this Watercolor Wash background. It is such an easy way to make your backgrounds look more dimensional.  They loved it and have told me that they intend to do more since they know how to now.  

I am planning to continue working on  my swaps for convention today.  But the most important thing I will be doing today is to watch "The Chew".  Although I will be working on the swaps, I will stop when The Chew comes on because I was in the audience that day when they taped this episode!  Hopefully there will be a shot of all of us sitting in the audience.  Well I am off, it is going to be another crazy day!  Enjoy your day!

Christmas in August Stamp Camp

Christmas in August?  Yes!   What a great way to get into the Christmas spirit!  Come and participate in a Christmas in August Stamp Camp.  For only $15, I will offer you 5 projects to jump start you into the Christmas spirit.  It is not too early to start making some great projects to help you get through the Holiday Season.  We will be making a beautiful, elegant, and embossed Gold Christmas Card, along with a gold starry Gift Bag.  We will also make a embossed gold polka dotted Gift Card Holder, an adorable Santa Christmas Ornament/Gift Tag finishing with a Christmas Coffee Cup Treat Holder filed with candy.  If you are interested or have any questions, please contact me by July 28th .  

June Technique Class- Card #1

Did I ever tell you that I was not going to buy this stamp set and was talked into it by my friend.  Well for someone who did not want to get this set, I am sure getting my money's worth out of it!  I love it and am so glad that I bought it.  I have used this stamp set for a number of different occasions.

This month's Technique Classes were all about backgrounds and how you create different effects.  This technique I called "MARKER SPRITZ".  I wanted the background to look like water with a number of colors.   I created the background for the octopus using the clear bock and various shades of blue markers.  I took the clear block and colored all over the clear block with the different shades of blue.  After coloring the block with random colors, I used the Spritzer filled with water and spritzed the block with the water.  I then placed the block down onto Whisper White card stock.  Voila!  And there is your background!  If you look closely,  you will be able to see that I used different shades of blue.  

For this project I used:

STAMP SET:  Sea Street
PAPER:  Night of Navy, Real Red, Whisper White, Early Espresso, Maritime DSP
INK:  Night of Navy, Early Espresso
ACCESSORIES:  White Baker's Twine, 1" Circle Punch, 1-1/4" Circle Pinch, 2-1/2" Circle Punch, Circle Framelits, Big Shot, Decorative Dots Embossing Folder, Dimesionals, Clear Mount Block, Spritz Bottle, Pool Party, Coastal Cabana, and Lost Lagoon Markers

I think he came out pretty cute.  But then, I have fallen in love with this set.  This is an off week at our house.  No kids until Friday and then it is only 1.  It feels strange but I am enjoying the extra time to catch up on my stamping.  I am working on my swaps for convention.  Will show you that closer to Convention,  Enjoy the day!

A Hint of Color

This past weekend, I held a Summer Stamp A Stack and Susan held hers the week before.  This is another event that we decided to plan together.  Some cards we design ourselves and sometimes we CASE a card.  This was one of  the cards that we CASE'd and changed a few things.  Susan and I have seen this card all over but the cards that we have seen did not have a lot of color.  The person that we CASE'd this from was Sandy Carlson.  I decided that it needed a bit more color and so did Susan.  So we decided to make the lobster Calyso Coral.  We both felt that the little hint of color made this card pop.

The supplies that we used for this card were:

STAMP SETS:  By the Tide, A Dozen Thoughts
PAPER:  Night of Navy, Smokey Slate, Whisper White
INK:  Night of Navy, Smokey Slate, Calypso Coral
ACCESSORIES:  Chevron Embossing Folder, Dimensionals

My customers loved this card.  This is a great masculine card.  But if you changed up the colors of the card to softer colors, anybody who loves the shore would love the card.  Well today is going to be an errand day.  We have a lot of things to get before we leave for vacation in a few weeks.  Can not wait, but more of that in later posts.  Enjoy the day!

Hostess Appreciation Make & Take #2

My Hostess Appreciation Luncheon's theme this year was "Hostess's are Golden".  Everything that I had in their gift bag was some type of gold.  For example there was a yard of Gold Ribbon, a yard of gold sequins, a Gold Marker, ect.  It was my way of showing them my appreciation for being a Hostess during the past year.  So it made perfect sense to make a card that was golden.  This card was a CASE from Beth Beard.  I just changed the colors to use the gold products.

The supplies that I used for this card were:

STAMP SET:  Perfect Pennants
PAPER:  Whisper White
INK:  Versamark
ACCESSORIES:  Gold Foil Paper, Fancy Foil Designer Vellum, Banner Framelits, Big Shot, Gold Embossing Powder, Heating Tool, 5/8" Whisper White Satin Ribbon, Dimensionals, Glue Dots

I thought this was a great card for a 50th birthday, anniversary or just a birthday card to a friend that is a gold friend. I love it and they loved it also.  Tomorrow I am hosting a Summer Stamp A Stack.  So the next couple of posts will be about those cards.  Enjoy the day! 

Hostess Appreciation Make & Take #1

Last Saturday I held my Hostess Appreciation Luncheon and we had a wonderful time.  First we had a nice sit down luncheon and then we sat down and stamped.  This is one of the projects that we made.  Susan and I often come up with ideas together for our classes and events and then use them for different occasions.  This project is one that Susan put together.  She used it for her Hostess/Customer Open House event, while I decided to use it for my Luncheon.  

The supplies that I used for this project were:

STAMP SET"  Bloom with Hope
PAPER:  Blackberry Bliss, Whisper White
INK:  Momento Tuxedo
ACCESSORIES:  Rich Razzleberry and Old Olive Blendabilities, Blackberry Bliss Stitched Satin Ribbon, Sticky Strip, Glue Dots, 3" x 3" Post It Notes

I love the new Blackberry Bliss In Color and it seems to be my customer's favorite In Color also.  I think this a great decorative way to place sticky notes near your phone.  My hostesses loved this project.  So thank you Susan for putting this one together for us.

Enjoy the day!

Sea Street Ombre

When I first saw this set, I was not going to buy it.  But my good friend talked me into it and I bought it not knowing how I was going to use it.  But I have used this stamp set over and over and over again.  I LOVE it!  I used it for a Stamp A Stack card, a Technique Class card, Open House card, Thank you card, and working on my swamps for convention and I am using that set for one of my swaps.  Boy am I glad I bought this set!

This is the Thank You card that I made for my customers this month.  Isn't the octopus cute?  If you look very closely, you will see the waves have an Ombre look to them.  That was made using one color of marker believe it or not.  I created that look by coloring one chevron line and stamping it off.  Then I colored the next chevron line and stamped it off.  Finally I colored the last chevron line and stamped the image.  That is how you achieve the Ombre effect.  Neat huh?

The supplies that I used for this card are:

STAMP SETS:  Sea Street, Something to Say
PAPER:  Night of Navy, Real Red, Whisper White
INK:  Night of Navy, Basic Gray
ACCESSORIES: Pool Party Marker 

I decided to use a nautical look to my June Thank You Notes because people are starting to go to the beach and pool.  I thought it looked very summery.  I think my customers will like this little notes.

The kids are here already because 2 stayed over night last.  Grandpop and the oldest grandson slept under the stars last night!  They are all fed and now I am going to go out for my walk.  While I am walking this morning, I will be thinking of more ideas of what to do with this versatile set.  Enjoy the day!

Hostess Appreciation Luncheon Gift Bag

Today I am hosting my annual Hostess Appreciation Luncheon.  It is my way to thank my my customers who were Hostesses throughout the past catalog sales period.  I serve a light lunch, play games (for prizes of course ), and we make 2 Make & Take projects.

This is the gift bag that I made for each Hostess to hold a few samples of products that are "NEW" in the 2014-15 catalog.  To make this gift bag I used:

STAMP SET: And Many More, Petite Petals
PAPER:  Pistachio Pudding, Whisper White
INK:  Crisp Cantaloupe, Coastal Cabana, Pistachio Pudding, Strawberry Slush
ACCESSORIES:  Petite Petals Punch, Extra Large Oval Punch, Banners Framelits, Big Shot, Polka Dot Tag A Bag Gift Bags, Strawberry Slush Thick Baker's Twine, Dimensionals

This year I gave my Hostess Appreciation Luncheon a theme.  Don't ask my why, I think it just happened to help me co-ordinate what I put in their bags.  The theme this year is "Hostesses are Golden".  So everything I placed in the bags were gold in some way.  I was inspired my all the items in the new catalog that were gold.  I hope they enjoy today.  I can not understand why they wouldn't.  Because what could be better than stamping, food and friends all wrapped up together in one event!  Enjoy your day!

Quick and Easy Baby Gift Tag

Right now because I am so overloaded with everything going on, I am leaning towards very quick and easy projects.  So I want to show you a quick and easy gift tag that I made for one of the many baby showers that I will be attending over the coming months.

This gift tag is  a 3" x 3" size.  I started with a 3" x 6" piece of card stock and folded it in half.  The supplies that I used for this project are:

STAMP SET: Something for Baby
PAPER:  Coastal Cabana, Whisper White, Lullaby DSP
INK:  Coastal Cabana, Night of Navy
ACCESSORIES:  2-1/2" Circle Punch, Baby's First Framelits, Dimensionals

With the Baby's First Framelits, it is so quick and easy to cut out the tie and baby's onesie after the image is stamped.  The circle punch creates the circle behind the onesie.  A cute tag to write a sentiment inside to give along with your baby gift.

Been running with the little guys all morning.  I was able to finish this post while they are sleeping.  Another busy day for Grandma!  Enjoy the day!

Blooming with Hope

I am just having so much fun playing with the new Blendabilities which will be available soon to you.  This card is almost exactly like the first card that I posted using the Blendabilities.  I used the same layout and the same color combination.  But I changed the flower stamp set I used and the shape the image is in.  The flower and the sentiment is from the Blooming with Hope stamp set which is a stamp set that you can only get by hosting a workshop.

The supplies that I used for this project were:

STAMP SET:  Blooming with Hope
PAPER:  Lost Lagoon, Blackberry Bliss, , Mossy Meadow, Whisper White
INK:Versamark
ACCESSORIES:  Lost Lagoon Stitched Satin Ribbon, Hello Honey Stitched Satin Ribbon, Gold Embossing Powder, Heating Tool, 2-1/2" Circle Punch, Dimensionals, Old Olive, Daffodil Delight, and Rich Razzleberry Blendabilities

I love the Blackberry Bliss and I find that I am trying to get that color into all my projects lately. I think that all the new in colors this year combine very nicely together.  Can't wait to try more cards using the Blendabilites.  Off to start cutting card sock for my Hostess Appreciation Luncheon.  Enjoy the day!

In Color THX

While trying to come up with a Make & Take fir my Open House last week, I thought it would be a good thing to design a card that used all 5 colors.  I saw a 3" x 3" square on Brian King's blog and thought I would CASE it but make it a regular standard  A2 sized card.  

This is what I came up with.  It did not work out how I had planned.  When enlarging the card base, the shapes did not fit the same so I  had to enlarge some shapes, add texture to others and I also added DSP to add more interest to the card.  The striped DSP really completed the card.  The supplies that I used for this card  were:

STAMP SET:  None
PAPER: Blackberry Bliss, Hello Honey, Lost Lagoon, Mossy Meadow, Tangelo Twist
INK:  None
ACCESSORIES:  Chevron Embossing Folder, Circle Card Thinlets

The heart and the thx was made by using thinlits from the Circle Card Thinlets package.  It is easy to forget that there are these great small pieces in the card Thinlets that can be incorporated in your cards.  I decided not to use it for my event because I decided that I also wanted my customers to use the coordinating Ink Pad.  But it is a good card to make if you only want to use card stock.

Another busy day with watching all 3 boys again today.  Today is French Toast Friday!  They all love French Toast for breakfast so I created French Toast Fridays when I make a big breakfast for everybody.  So I am off and running to start getting everything together to cook breakfast this morning before the first grandchild arrives.  Just another crazy day at Grandpop's and Grandma's house.  Enjoy your day!

An In Color Thank You

Here is a look of the cute quick thank you note cards that I created for my Open House.  I wanted to make sure that my customers knew how much I appreciate their business.

I wanted to make a card that showcased the new In Colors.  Although I only have 4 of the 5 In Colors shown here, I did make all 5 colors.  I had already placed the Tangelo Twist cards in customers bags when I realized I had forgotten to take a pic of the cards.  So unfortunately this is what you are left to view.

I wanted to show off some of the new products on this card.  So here are the supplies that I used to create it:

STAMP SETS:  Something to Say
PAPER: Lost Lagoon, Mossy Meadow, Blackberry Bliss, Hello Honey, Whisper White
INK:  Lost Lagoon, Mossy Meadow, Blackberry Bliss, Hello Honey
ACCESSORIES:  Itty Bitty Accents Punch, Pack, Jewel Rhinestones

I think you look like the "Something to Say" stamp set.  It is a stamp set with numerous sentiments for all occasions.  I predict that this will be one of my go to stamp sets in the coming year.  Another crazy day awaits me!  The grandsons will soon be here and then it will be non stop activities.  It is supposed to be hot today so I predict they will want us to get the inflatable pool out.  Which is fine with me because I know that they will all want to be in the same place.  Go out and enjoy your day!

So Excited!

There are so many things lately to be excited about.   Today you can start or ding form the NEW 2014-15 catalog!  Can not wait to place my order!  Yeah!  Wait until I start showing you all the great new stuff SU is offering this year.

The other thing that has me so excited is the Open House for my customers so that they could receive the new catalog and get to see some of the new products that are being offered in the 2014-15 catalog.  I had a very nice time and my customers who attended enjoyed it as well.

I wanted to share with you one of the Make &
Takes, I had prepared for the event.  This card uses "Sea Street" stamp set.  The set is a new one that you will find in the catalog.  At first I was not sure if I wanted to get it but I am so glad that I did.  I have been using this stamp set for a few different cards.  The supplies that I used for this card were:

STAMP SETS:  Sea Street, Work of Art
PAPER:  Night of Navy, Whisper White, Real Red, Pool Party, Maritime DSP, Early Espresso
INK: Night of Navy, Soft Sky, Early Espresso
ACCESSORIES: Stylish Stripes Embossing Folder, 1" Circle Punch, 1-1/4" Circle Punch, Pool Party Marker, Sponges, Dimensionals

I am not sure how well this picture shows up on your computer but I sponged the ocean part on the Whisper White card stock with Soft Sky.  The white looked too stark and I sponged it to make it look softer.    The waves were created by using the Pool Party Marker.  It sort of has an Ombre look to it.  I think it makes it look more like waves that way.  And finally if you look closely, you can see the stamped flap of the envelope using the same set.  My one customer did that and I thought it was so cute, I had to replicate it on my envelope flap.    Well I am getting ready to place my order so I have to go double check my list.  Enjoy your day!  I know with all the excitement with the new catalog debuting today, I know I am enjoying my day!