Running With Scissors…

It’s all loaded up and ready to go and, gosh, I feel like singing a sleighing song!

Today’s card was made with the new Sleigh Ride set from Flourishes.  This could be Santa’s sleigh but I was thinking of a country sleigh ride — the morning glittering with frost and the world gone quiet under a blanket of snow.  What a fun way to deliver gifts to friends and neighbors.  Just bundle up in those mittens, hats, scarves, gloves, leggings, boots, sixteen layers of clothing, three lap robes…okay…it’s easy for me to romanticize a sleigh ride since we rarely get snow on the Oregon coast.  Brrrrrr…can you imagine the wind chill?  It does sound like a lovely idea, though, doesn’t it?

My sleigh has been paper pieced with the Memory Box Winterberry paper (I would provide a link but it appears to be temporarily sold out) and spruced up for the holidays with one of the bows from the Poinsettia and Boxwood set.  The presents from O Christmas Tree were arranged in the paper pieced sleigh before it was mounted on foam tape over the first copper embossed image.

About that Winterberry paper – my entire background scene was created from one sheet in the collection.  I stamped the sentiment, also from the Sleigh Ride set, directly on the paper and added Stardust Stickles to the trees and along the hillcrests.  That’s absolutely all I did to the background.  I’m happy to say there are two more of these same sheets in the collection because I have definite plans for them.  All the patterns are just wonderful.

While I had this set out I thought I’d make a few gift tags with some of the smaller images.  That’s something I wind up buying every year but now I’m prepared with 18 new tags.

Even though the images are colored, this little project went rather quickly.  I mounted the stamps all on the same block for a single stamping on each tag.  The To/From stamps are part of the Holiday Greetings set.  I never use staples on my ribbon but it was a quick way to attach it and I was trying to keep it simple.  These tags will be used by my husband as well as myself and he’d rather not have to fumble around tying ribbon on a package.  There’s a small strip of red liner tape on the back of each tag to make it easier for him.

The self-adhesive labels were a little tricky due to slippage and drying time for the ink.  I tried Stazon but, oddly, that ink just lifted right off with the stamp.  I stamped my labels with Palette Noir and set them aside for a while to dry, then colored the images with fine-tipped Sharpies which dried almost instantly.

That’s it for today!  I’ll have more samples with Flourishes’ new releases tomorrow.  I must admit I’m loving this year’s Christmas sets.  Now through Monday, Oct. 13th, you can discount 10% from your entire Flourishes order if you use the promotion code RSC88.  Be sure and visit my Flourishes friends for some beautiful and inspiring samples:

 See you again soon!  Have a wonderful day!

This is a little something I made for a friend — one of those “just because” sort of things.  I used my new JustRite Harmony Classic Circle Stamper II Ensemble with a flower from Summer Botanicals.  The stamps were colored directly with markers and I always like the somewhat distressed or painted look this gives the images.

For the tag on the clear box I omitted the outer ring.  The word, “friend”, on the card was cut from the center of one of the JustRite stamps in the ensemble.  Because the new JustRite sets are more than monograms there’s a lot of versatility in a single set, and this is one of my favorites.

The box is a 2-4-6-8 design which I return to often because of its simplicity.  I tried something a little different with this one and I’d like to share it with you.  It’s made with Crystal Clear Cardstock which I embossed with the same design as the card.  In case you’re not familiar with 2-4-6-8 boxes I’ve included a photo to help illustrate the concept.  Since clear cardstock is so difficult to photograph I’m showing it in gray.

Cut a half sheet of Crystal Clear Cardstock — 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″.  Score across at 2″, 4″, 6″ and 8″.  Turn and score lengthwise at 2″.  Cut along the score lines up to the lengthwise score line, as shown.  Cut away and discard the lower 1/2″ section.

Back to the clear cardstock now — This part of the process is a little difficult to illustrate but very easy to do.  You need to fold the box in half and insert it in your embossing folder with the bottom cut flaps hanging out the end of the folder.

Run it through your Cuttlebug and it will emboss the whole top part of the box at once.  It will feel a little tight as it goes through, rather like when your Cuttlebug was brand new.  I’ve only done this once — you’re looking at it — but it worked just fine.

The following is a picture of the box after it was embossed and removed from the folder.  Again, the clear cardstock is not the most photogenic subject, but I think you can get the idea.  It’s pretty cool and much more so in person:

Now you apply Sticky Strip to the outside of that little 1/2″ flap and fold the upper part of the box closed like a tube.  Then fold up the bottom flaps and adhere with Sticky Strip.

There’s always the question, then, as to how you cover the Sticky Strip.  Well, I think it’s hardly noticable, especially once the box is filled and pinched closed.  I used a little clip to close the top of the box.  The tag is tied to the clip, rather than through the top of the box, so it’s very easy to open and close the box.

I hope you enjoyed this very simple project.  I just love embossing the clear cardstock.  I’m sure this could be fancied up even more, perhaps with a little designer paper trim around the bottom or top.  You could add a handle and turn it into a basket, maybe add a row of eyelets along the top and lace some ribbon through.  It could be elegant or cute, whatever your heart desires.

This particular JustRite Harmony Classic Ensemble is perfect for a project like this and you can’t beat the flexibility.  So much fun in one set of stamps!  The ribbon, by the way, can be found here, and the Spellbinders circle dies here.  Thank you so much for stopping by.  Have a happy day!

• Stamps:  Summer Botanicals, JustRite Harmony Classic II
• Paper:  Crystal Clear Cardstock, Old Olive Orchid Opulence, Whisper White
• Ink:  Old Olive, Orchid Opulence, Close to Cocoa markers
• Accessories:  Floral Fantasy Cuttlebug embossing folder, ribbon, Spellbinders circle nesties, Sticky Strip, Scotch brand foam mounting tape, candy (of course — yum!)

  Just in case you may not have seen the link I edited in for the gift bag I posted yesterday:  Monica found some wonderful instructions here where Paula wrote a detailed and easy to follow tutorial.  Thank you, Monica and Paula!  These bags are a fabulous way to use up some of your double sided or cardstock weight designer papers.  It took less time to make this bag than I usually spend on a card and the cool thing about a gift bag is that it will be reused, being passed on from one person to the next.

Also, Deb found this helpful PDF file.  Thanks, girls!  I get by with a little help from my friends!  Have a great day!

Begin with a solid white image.  Mask and stamp with a leafy background.  Paint flower center chartreuse, then feather burgundy toward petal edges.  Apply rust colored Fun Flock to the stamen ends.

Okay…I’ll admit it…I didn’t have time to do a coloring tutorial this weekend.  I spent the weekend stamping for Flourishes’ new releases which will be happening this Wednesday (pretty exciting!) and making a gift bag for a friend to go with the 22 cards he just bought from me for his mom.  All the while the weather was beautiful and I still had the gardening, housework, laundry and other weekend chores to do.  Add to that my husband came home Sunday after a four day absence and…well…you get the picture.

I’d say I wish I was a superwoman, but I don’t think I’d like that.  I’d rather be my pokey-slow Type B personality, plodding through my day, easily distracted by a butterfly, a shimmer of light, or a wildflower growing on the other side of the fence.  It’s not easy being me in the fast-paced environment in which I work.  I sometimes feel I’ve split myself into two personalities — the one that’s “on” (at work) and the one that’s on cruise control (at home).  Perhaps I over compensate when I’m home but I guess each of us has our own way of moderating the stress in our lives.  Home is a stress-free oasis for me unless I choose to make it otherwise and I’m fortunate to be able to make that choice.  Some are not so lucky.

So here, at least, is a photo of the gift bag I made.  It’s a design by Angela Sylvester that was shared as a Stampin’ Up! OnStage online project.  The instructions were shared with me by my friend, Nancy Littrell.  I searched online to see if Angela has a blog where she might have posted a tutorial but the best I could come up with was this PDF file which appears to be incomplete — there’s no Page Two with a diagram for the score lines.

EDT:  Monica found a tutorial!  See it here.  Thank you, Monica!

It’s made from two 12″ x 12″ sheets of double sided designer paper which are taped together with Sticky Strip at one of the corners.  I folded the top 2 1/4″ down to the outside to make a border.  The finished bag is 8″ x 3 1/2″ and my bag is 7″ tall, but it could be taller without the top folded down.  There’s a sheet of white cardboard in the bottom to firm up the base.  It’s really an ingenious design and could be fixed up super cute but I don’t have time to do more with it today.  Maybe next time.

I sure hope you all had a nice weekend.  I’ll be back by Wednesday with brand new stamps from Flourishes.  I had a great time stamping my little heart out with them this weekend.  Take care!

They’ve stolen my heart with their most beautiful set to date, Siberian Iris.  Perhaps it’s no surprise to you  that I find this set so appealing, me being a flower person and all.  They’ve truly outdone themselves.  When I first saw this set, all I could say was “thank you”!  Well, first I fell out of my chair…and maybe I sort of got a little over excited…just a little…

This stamp was a dream to watercolor.  I added some of the little flourishes that come with the set, as well as the words “Siberian Iris”.  There are Mother’s Day and other sentiments included for various uses, too.  I love a gorgeous botanical image so I kept the focus on the flower, itself.  The papers that pattern the background of this 5 x 7 card are from my BasicGrey Perhaps 6 x 6 pad.

As if the beautiful iris isn’t enough, the cute little topiary stamp in the project below is also part of the set.  I made my topiary card very quickly, coloring the images by applying ink with sponge daubers.  The designer papers are Wild Asparagus scraps I’ve finally just about used up.  The box holds bath salts and is made from the Crystal Clear Cardstock that’s new at Flourishes.  It’s done like a 2-4-6-8 box, but with 1 1/2″ sides.  I’m sorry I don’t have time right now to completely explain how to make the box.  I’ve had some technical difficulties with my blog and I’m very pressed for time at the moment.  If you’re viewing this in an email or a reader I apologize if the text is too close to the photo.  I won’t know about that for sure until I receive my own email.  That’s one of the technical difficulties (among others) that hasn’t been resolved yet.

Did you hear the news from Flourishes yet?  We have a new guest designer and she’s over-the-top fabulous!  Surely you know her — Sharon Harnist.  Be sure and treat yourself to a visit to her blog, Paperfections.  You’ll be awed by her work!  We’re very excited to have her on our team!  If you go here you can read about Sharon, see her beautiful, smiling face, and check out some of the other new items Flourishes has to offer this month.  It will be worth the trip!

I must go now.  I hope to be back soon with more samples.  Enjoy the countdown to the weekend!

I’m so excited – I’ve received my new Easter Bunnies stamps from Flourishes and to go along with my bunny card I have something to share that I really hope you’ll enjoy trying — a brand new and super easy Easter basket! 

The card:  I thought this bunny in the basket was pretty darn cute.  He has that somewhat startled look that most chocolate bunnies have, so I made him into a creamy, milk chocolate bunny.  He’s stamped with Timber Brown Stazon and colored with markers and a blender pen.  Some of Stampin’ Up!’s retired double sided designer paper is in the background.  To make his Easter Bunny eyes I colored over them first with a green opaque Sakura Souffle pen and dotted the centers with Cinnamon Stickles.  The Easter eggs and the sentiment are accented with a Copic Spica clear glitter pen.  The paper edges are sponged with Creamy Caramel for a little extra chocolate flavor.

Here’s a little closer look at the baskets:

I had my heart set on a round basket with a woven look, just like a real, old-fashioned Easter basket but it had to be very simple to make and to explain.  I tried out and discarded so many different ideas, got a little frustrated and just about threw in the towel.  The greatest difficulty was in trying to produce a decent looking bottom on a round woven basket and again, quick and easy was paramount in this design.  Finally, I gave it one last shot with an idea out of the blue and it came together like magic.  I settled on slatted rather than woven but the slats are somewhat woven on the bottom.  Here’s a picture of the bottom of the basket:

And here’s how to make it… 

You’ll need:

4 pieces 3/4″ x 5 1/2″ for basket slats

1 piece 3/4″ x 6 1/4″ for basket trim

1 piece 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ for basket handle

The picture below shows the reverse side of the paper.  Apply adhesive tape to the inside of the basket trim and adhere the basket slats along the left side, as shown, leaving no spaces between the strips.

This is where the basket forms its shape.  As shown in this photo, loop the end of the slat on the far left over to the next position on the basket trim.  See how it forms sort of a sling.

Continuing to work from the left side, bring the next slat over in the same manner, placing it beside the first one you brought over.  No need to weave it – just bring the tail of each slat over one at a time.  Each slat will overlap the previous slat and the basket will form its round shape as you go along. You’ll have a little bit of the basket trim left over which you’ll adhere over the opposite end to secure your round basket shape.

Next, adhere your handle to the sides of the basket and it’s ready to dress up however you wish!

My pink basket handle is made of designer paper adhered to cardstock for sturdiness.  The white basket has a wider handle made only of cardstock.  The little tag on the pink basket uses one of the sentiments from the Easter Bunnies set.

I hope these instructions are clear enough.  I wanted to keep on making baskets because these are incredibly quick and easy to make.  I do plan to make more later but I had other projects to finish this weekend as well.  I do hope you’ll give this little project a try!  I’d love to see any pretty little thing you come up with.  I’ve got to run now but I’ll be back later this week.  Have a great day!

I’ve made a few different Valentines this year but I believe I’ve settled on this one for my husband.  While it’s suitably masculine, it has enough ribbon to keep me happy.  This is the playing card box I designed for this gift set at Christmas time.  There’s a how-to with pictures in that post but if you’d like to see how it’s made with the Scor-Pal you can see it here where it’s featured in the Feb/March online magazine with lots of other fun projects.  The box is full of conversation hearts, and after he’s done eating the candy he can take a deck of cards to work and play solitaire during the slow times — tee hee!  As if he’d whip this frilly thing out in front of the guys!

The box is decorated with Stampin’ Up!’s retired Lexicon of Love.  I stamped it twice, mounted the chipboard heart on the first image, then punched out the “cherish” with the word window punch and glued it over the heart.  There’s a little piece of dimensional mounting tape under each end of the word to keep it firmly supported.

I used another retired Stampin’ Up! stamp on the middle background of the card — the By Definition background.  The main image and the sentiment accent are from Crafty Secrets Bird Notes.

The feature I like most about the card is something that doesn’t show in the photo at all:  The bird’s body is plumped up by the process of dry embossing on cardstock vellum.  I first saw this done by Linda Bullard on this beautiful card.  What a wonderful effect this is!  I’m not very technique oriented so it took me a while to get around to trying this but, oh, my goodness, it was easy!  After I stamped the bird on the vellum in Jet Black Stazon I placed the vellum panel face up on a craft foam mat — the same one I use as a cushion when using clear stamps.  I traced around the outline of the bird with a stylus, gradually applying more pressure a little at a time so as to gently stretch the vellum without tearing it, per Linda’s instructions.  Then I turned it over and ran the stylus in circular motions inside the lines.  I turned it back and forth, repeating the process on first one side and then the other until I was satisfied with the effect.  Coloring was done with SU! markers on the reverse side.

The vellum is adhered to white cardstock with Crystal effects.  I repeated the dry embossing process after it was adhered to the white cardstock and placed a dimensional under the bird’s body to help maintain the plumpness before I adhered that panel to the black mat.  This is a technique that’s worth giving a try.  You won’t be disappointed once you see it in person.  Thank you, Linda!  And thank you all for stopping by today.  Happy Monday!

Stamps:  Bird Notes, By Definition, Lexicon of Love

Paper:  Real Red, Basic Black, Whisper White, cardstock vellum, American Traditional Designs Guy’s Life designer paper

Ink:  Jet Black Stazon, SU! Markers

Accessories:  May Arts ribbon, Creative Imaginations self-adhesive chipboard, Brenda Walton self-adhesive gems, dimensionals, 3/4″ circle punch

This little matchbook style gift card holder is something I designed way back before Christmas.  With too much going on at that time I didn’t have a chance to share it with you then, so I thought I’d make a gift card holder for Valentine’s Day.  Did you know that Valentine’s Day is the second biggest day of the year for gift giving?  I guess all those roses and chocolates really add up!

There’s something about Real Red and Chocolate Chip that looks so yummy to me.  Probably because it reminds me of chocolate covered cherries — my husband’s favorite — the kind with the liquid filling, not the creamy filling.  Anyway…I just love combining these colors for Valentines.  I used Chocolate Chip textured cardstock and Au Chocolate designer paper for this project.  Yes, still trying to use up that Au Chocolate paper from last year.  There are a couple of patterns I don’t care much for but since it’s double sided I have lots of choices and, oh my, I do love polka dots!

One thing I like about this design is the way the main image panel acts as a little flipper closure that holds so securely.  I designed this to be made from an 8 1/2″ x 11″ sheet of cardstock.  In order to do that I had to cut it just a tiny bit smaller.  The closed card size is 5 1/4″ x 4″.  This miniscule difference isn’t even noticeable, however.  The scalloped polka dot panel is actually an extension added to the card base.  Here’s the how-to:

Cut cardstock 4″ x 11″.

Score on the right side at 5 1/4″ and 10 5/8″.

Cut extension piece 4″ x 1 1/4″.  I covered my extension piece with designer paper and then trimmed with scallop scissors.

The photo below shows the pieces cut, scored and the card base folded:

Apply a length of Sticky Strip (red liner tape) to that little folded up edge at the bottom of the card and adhere the extension as shown in the first photo.  Make your main image panel and apply Sticky Strip to the back upper half only of the panel.  Close the card and position the main image panel on the front so it overlaps approximately half of the extension.  If you position it too low the card won’t flip open and closed as easily.

Now, for the inside.  This view shows the gift card holder open, with the front flipped back and out of the picture:

Cut pocket/liner 3 3/4″ x 7 1/4″.  Score at 2″.  Decorate as desired. 

Apply Sticky Strip to the inside 2″ edges of the pocket.  Fold pocket closed.  Insert gift card.

On the front of my card I used the double rectangle punch to create slots to tie ribbon through.

Stamps:  Always, Holidays & Wishes (Stampin’ Up!)

Paper:  Chocolate Chip textured, Real Red, Very Vanilla, Au Chocolat double sided designer paper

Ink:  Chocolate Chip, Real Red

Accessories:  May Arts swiss dot ribbon and SU! gingham ribbon, double rectangle punch, scallop circle punch, 1 1/4″ circle punch, 1/2″ circle punch, Fiskars scallop edge scissors, Scotch brand dimensional mounting tape

While I’m at it, I might as well show you this card, too.  It’s a full size card, made from 12″ x 12″ cardstock.  I was fooling around, seeing how this design would work with a 12″ length and no extension piece.  I’d rather have the bottom fold come up a little further.  If I’d made the finished, folded size the same as the first card it would have added 1/4″ to the bottom fold.

This is just a friendly “feel good” card (not a gift card holder) I made from the retired Simply Delightful Simply Scrappin’ kit.  There’s absolutely no stamping on the front of the card.  Inside, I stamped “Wishing you a very happy day”, a Hero Arts stamp I use often because it’s suitable for so many occasions.

The ribbon is some of SU!’s new striped grosgrain — very soft and pliable.  There are only four colors in the catalog at this time, but I like how they’ve provided a color for each season:  Bashful Blue for Spring, Wild Wasabi for Summer, Pumpkin Pie for Autumn, and Real Red for Winter.  That’s one way of looking at it.  I certainly won’t restrict their use to those seasons, though.

That little butterfly is something I’ve had for so long and I can’t believe, with all the things that come and go in my stamp room, I’ve hung onto my little bag of butterflies all this time.  It’s made of wire with glitter-flecked gossamar wings.  I adhered it with Alene’s Tacky Glue.

Well, that’s enough rambling for one post, isn’t it?  I’ve got more projects to work on so I hope we’ll meet here again soon.  Have a wonderful week!

About a week or so ago my old SU! Hostess Club gang got together for a party.  We’re not really a club anymore because everyone was doing more collecting than stamping, so now there’s no obligation to buy — just come and have fun!  I loved the design of the “double accordian gate fold card that stays closed without tying” (and makes its own border) — instructions here – so I made that our project of the day.  We made matching 2468 boxes, too.  I wanted to use my new Always set and give it a fun Valentine look:

I’m a little short on current SU! designer paper since it retires as fast as I can buy it, so we used some of last year’s Au Chocolat paper with Purely Pomegranate for contrast.  I also had to throw in some non-SU! turn mounts to have enough to go around.  It would be nice if we could buy some of those Hodgepodge Hardware pieces separately, wouldn’t it?  I guess it would be impossible to have everything in one catalog.

We did all the cutting and scoring with the Fiskars cutter sold by SU!  I added the eyelets and the scallop punch feature later.  The girls and I do entirely too much visiting to be able to get much done at our parties so the simpler, the better.  I let them do all their own cutting and scoring so they’d be better able to recreate this on their own.  It was tons of fun!

I don’t have any pictures of the construction of this particular 2468 box but it’s similar to the box in this picture:

Cut paper 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″.  Insert lengthwise in cutter and score at 2″, 4″, 6″ and 8″.  Turn and score across at 2″.  Slit the bottom as shown in the photo and trim away the last little 1/2″ bottom section.  Fold up and adhere closed like a box.  It’s pinched together at the top and closed with a little clippie.  Pretty simple stuff!  Happy Tuesday and happy stamping to all!

Stamps:  Always

Paper:  Purely Pomegranate, Au Chocolat (retired), Very Vanilla

Ink:  Purely Pomegranate

Accessories:  Chocolate Taffeta ribbon, turn mount, brad, eyelets, clippie, small corner rounder, scallop circle punch, 1 1/4″ circle punch, 1/2″ circle punch, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Scotch brand dimensional mounting tape

I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas!  Some of you are probably still celebrating the holidays with family and friends.  It’s wonderful to extend the season into the new year.  In fact, sometimes the quieter days following Christmas are the most enjoyable. It’s business as usual at my house now except for the fact that I’m having a little stay at home vacation.  I thought I’d celebrate with this Crafty Secrets Kitchen Classics set I’ve been passing over in lieu of Christmas preparations.

This card just felt good and it was a lot of fun to make.  Mmmmm, those cherries look so juicy and yummy!  They’re all coated with Crystal Effects for extra plumpness.  The cherry border stamp includes the scallop which I cut out and positioned over this ancient red gingham Frances Meyer paper.  There’s Black Diamond Stickles trimming the edges of both the cherry border and the punched scalloped circle.  The white dots on the scalloped circle were done with my Sakura opaque glaze pen so they’re dimensional, as well.

The ribbon was fun and it worked out just perfectly.  I slid my double rectangle punch all the way in at the peak of each scallop.  I did this before I trimmed the scallop or colored and glazed the cherries.

These are a couple of refrigerator magnets I made for a friend.  She loves these Campbell Soup kid sort of images.  The card and magnets aren’t meant to be a set.   They’re for two different friends and were a fun diversion between some of the other cards I’ll be working on in the next few days.

I adhered the paper to the sticky side of the magnet and mounted the colored and cut out images on dimensional tape.  There are a number of different images for the figure on the left to hold.  In this case I stamped the turkey first, masked it and then stamped the kid.  I sprayed the kids with mat sealer before mounting them.

I’m heading back to work in my stamp room now (oh, what a tough job)!  I’ve got lots I hope to accomplish in there this week now that Christmas has quieted down at my house.  See you again soon.  Enjoy the remainder of 2007!

Stamps:  Crafty Secrets Kitchen Classics, Stampin Up! Hugs & Wishes

Paper:  Basic Black, Wild Wasabi, Whisper White, Frances Meyer Gingham DP, SU! Spring Showers DP

Ink:  Basic Black, markers for coloring

Accessories:  SU! ribbon, double rectangle punch, scallop circle punch, 1 1/4″ circle punch, Black Diamond Stickles, Crystal Effects, Sakura opaque glaze pen–white, magnets