And The Winnah IS...

Isn't it pretty?

I thought so - that's why I chose this gift over the Christmas stocking I showed you last time...

It was made using a 3" styrofoam base, covered with some of our current ribbons.

I cut the ribbon into 1" pieces, doubled them, then pinned them to the base using VERY short little straight pins.

It takes quite a bit of time to make - and it took even longer because Melie decided I needed help!  LOL  Yep, that cat sure does love ribbon!

I'd made a couple of these about 4 years ago - one was made using DSP that we carried at the time...

Here's a close up of how I made it, in hopes you can get a better feel for how I did it.

And here's the one I made using ribbons current at that time.

For this year's version...

...I purchased a 3 " styrofoam cone, a 3-1/2" wooden base, and a napkin ring.  I painted the wooden items with green acrylic paint.  I cut the tree skirt using red felt and our 3" circle die - it was a PERFECT fit!  Then I decorated the skirt using glitter glass.  I also sprayed the tree with adhesive and sprinkled our very fine gold glitter all over it.

I was very pleased with the outcome!

Need more info?  Contact me and I'll be happy to share with you!

Thanks for stopping by - come back again soon...

The Forgotten Christmas Gift

I mentioned a couple of posts ago that early in December I'd attended our annual Christmas luncheon with a few other demonstrators.

We exchange gifts that have been made using something from Stampin' Up!

The gift can begin by being something purchased inexpensively, but which we've personalized with SU "stuff".

Sometimes I get an idea for this year's gift early in the year and then just hug it to my heart until it's time to get crackin' on getting it done.

Sometimes, like this year, I wait til the last minute (that's my middle name, by the way - Last Minute Lulu!).  So I made a trip to that big craft store, looking for ideas...  I always want it to be something I haven't seen any of the other demonstrators using or sharing.

And while there, I purchased materials to make not one, but TWO, items.  I decided I'm make them both and which ever one I liked the best (i.e., the one I messed up the least!  LOL) would be the one I used for the gift exchange.

Well, I'm not going to show you THAT one today - nope, I'm going to share the forgotten gift.

So whaddya think?

OH!  You want to see what it is, and what I did to it?


OK - let's try this one...

That's better - now you can see it's a Christmas stocking that I decorated, using the Big Shot and the Tasteful Trim Bigz XL die.

I cut the rickrack (and everything else I used on the stocking) in felt.  I did have to piece the rickrack in order to get it all the way around the top of the stocking.

Here are a few close ups of other items I used to decorate the stocking.

I used the ornaments Framelit to cut the two pieces on the left.  I used the Scentsational framelits for the candy cane.

I added rhinestones and the clear Dazzling Details to add some sparkle to the ornaments and then used the silver pen from the Holiday mini as well as Dazzling Details on the candy cane.

For the green ornament I added pearls and used the Red Dazzling Diamonds.  The gingerbread man has buttons made from retired sparkly brads (can't think of the exact name - but if you bought some, I'll bet you have some hanging around somewhere!).  His eyes are Dazzling Diamonds.

The Christmas tree was quite a challenge!  I used the retired sparkly brads again, as well as a couple of glitter brads, then went over it with the red Dazzling Diamonds.

Another gingerbread man - decorated the same way.  And finally the cup of cocoa that I decorated with the red Dazzling Diamonds...

The whole thing came out really cute! 

So why was it the Forgotten Gift? 

Well, it just wasn't as unique to me as the one I actually took for the gift exchange!

I'll share that with you another day...

Thanks for stopping by - come back soon!

Time and Again...

Thought I'd post something that ISN'T Christmas, although you could certainly whip these up to give as gifts, if you're still in need of a unique idea.

I took a plain ole clock I'd purchased at a big box store - I think it cost about $5.00...

When I was remodeling the kitchen, I played around with the idea of adhering decals to ceramic blocks to make the backsplash.  Never happened (and still not done!  LOL), but I'd ordered a variety of the decals from Olympic, so decided they would look good on the clock.

And I was right!  I did have to cut them up a bit, otherwise they were too long.  But when it came down to it, I just added the bottom pieces in between the top pieces, and all was right with the world again...

Then I took the white clock face off and stamped on it with colors that are in my bathroom ( this clock is for the master bath).  It's pink with light green accents.

I recognize some stamps from Creative Elements on there, and then I just added what I liked that went with them.  I remember I did have to stamp off on a couple of them or the color would have overpowered all the other images.

After I got it all put back together again (easy, peasy, by the way), I took it into my bathroom and discovered that EVERYTHING in there is white - obviously, the clock is not.  So I took it back out to my stampin' garage and sponged around the decals with Early Espresso.  That somehow seemed to make it look much better, hanging on the pink wall, and it still blended in with the white woodwork and vanity.

Here's another photo of it, a little closer...

It came out SO CUTE I may have to go looking for more of these and make another one!

Thanks for stopping by - come back again!

Twist & SHOUT!

Isn't this purdy?!!

This is a new concept in gift card holders for me, and this is the first one I made after viewing a video on how to make it.  I THINK it was on Sandi MacIver's blog.

Anyway, I thought it was VERY unique, so I made the one above using Primrose Petals CS, some DSP from Be Of Good Cheer (two different patterns) and the winter boot from the Bootiful Occasions stamp set.

And then I went ON making them!

This one started with Cherry Cobbler CS (don't you just LOVE that color?!!?).  I embellished with the Champagne Glimmer paper, punched with the Scallop Trim Border punch.  Then I cut one of the doilies from the Sizzlet die Delicate Doilies, cut a piece of the Be Of Good Cheer DSP with the 2-3/8" scallop punch.  Another, smaller, scallop punched out of Champagne Glimmer Paper topped those two items.  Next I added one of the Faceted Vintage Designer Buttons, a pearl, and a smidge of the Cherry Cobbler tulle.

After I took this photo, I realized there was no "To/From" tag in it, so I used the words from Chock-Full of Cheer, stamped on Whisper White CS, punched a hole in the end and tied a piece of the Cherry Cobbler Sweater Trim ribbon to the tag.  This one's the fanciest one I made.

I really like the one with the snowman on it.  I cut out the little trees from the Stylin' Snowfolk set.  The snowman himself came from the Snow Much Fun set.  Then I tore some white CS to look like snow drifts, attached them to the front of the gift card holder, added some "snow" (glitter) with the 2-way glue pen and maybe a little white Shimmer Paint.

BRIEF DIRECTIONS:
This gift card holder is SO EASY!  Cut your CS to 4-1/4" x 10-1/8".  Score from top RIGHT to bottom LEFT;  fold, place the flat side on your Scoring Tool and score at 5-1/2".  Fold and decorate to suit!  The gift card itself goes on the inside, so don't forget to decorate the inside as well!

And believe it or not, it fits into a regular card envelope.

I thought these were so unique, I just HAD to make some!

Need better (or more detailed) directions?  Contact me and I'll be happy to supply them to you.  And remember, this doesn't just HAVE to be for Christmas!  I can see these for Valentine's Day, Mother's Day - whatever!  It all depends on your choices of CS, DSP and embellishments!

Already made a few of these?  Won't you share YOURS with me?  Just leave me a comment along with the link to yours!

Thanks for stopping by - come back again soon!

Thanksgiving & ORNAMENTS

I mentioned the other day that I'd gone out of town for Thanksgiving weekend.  I went to visit with several of my downline, who also happen to have been friends, BEFORE they signed up with Stampin' Up!

Susan, Mick & I drove from San Diego on Friday night.  Susan had to work Friday, so we left around 6 PM.  It's about a 5-1/2 hour drive to get to Roxy's, and, generally on a Friday night the traffic is NUTS!!

All those Los Angelenos (and other southern Californians) hit the road to Vegas on Friday night...  And they can't seem to WAIT to get there and contribute their hard-earned bucks to the casinos...

But this past Friday night traffic was very light!  Guess everyone had gone to Grandma's house on Wednesday and were spending the weekend.  Hooray!  We had a breezy trip over...

Roxy is actually Susan's downline (they've been friends lots longer than I've known either one of them, so it made sense...) and Roxy's friend Colleen, is HER downline.

We all got together on Saturday afternoon for Show & Tell.  Colleen makes lots of cards to sell to friend and relatives, so we got to see a BUNCH she has ready to mail out.  All very creative!

And I brought a box of things to share with all of them.  I think the best part about being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator is the sharing.  Very few are reluctant to share whatever they're currently working on - and very few object to anyone's CASEing their ideas (CASE: Copy And Share Everything).

So, I showed them all a very simple little gift card holder I'd just discovered on-line - and I'll share it with you in my next post.

Susan had decided before we left, that she wanted to make the ornament from the front of the Holiday catalog for her Bunco ladies - that's TWELVE of these babies!



So, we gathered everyone's framelits, Susan stamped her art out, and I started cutting them out.

You need 20 each of both the larger and the smaller ornaments for each ornament.  There are 12 people in Susan's Bunco group - you do the math!  That's a BUNCH of ornaments to stamp, cut out, and do the rest of the magic to turn them into these beautiful items.

OK, to be specific, we needed 240 of EACH of the ornaments in order to complete 12 finished items..

Roxy elected to cook the turkey while Susan and I toiled away stamping and cutting...  Which was OK by us!  We will get to eat the results of her handiwork in a couple of hours!

So Susan just kept a cuttin' and while she was doing that, I was folding them all in half...  When we finished (at 11 that night!) all 240 were cut out and all but 60 of each of them were folded and ready for her to do the next step - gluing them all together to create a 3-D ornament.

Roxy had invited a couple of friends to join us for Thanksgiving dinner.  Cheryl, standing alongside Susan, is an artist - I mean a REAL artist!  She paints in oils, acrylics and watercolors, and sells her items at craft shows in the area.  She brought a number of her things along to show us after dinner.  They were all beautiful  And she thought our ornaments were beautiful!  A gal after my own heart!  LOL.

I talked to Susan today - she's got everything glued together but the pieces I didn't fold.  They'll be the back pieces.

She said she might come down one night this week so I can help her glue these babies together.  I hope she does!  Projects always go faster when you're working and chatting.

And there's still plenty to do to get them finished, so I'm sure we can fill at least one evening, trying to complete them.

Oh - and all those people driving to Vegas that we missed Friday evening?  Well, we didn't see them on Monday when we drove home, either !  Yeehaw!  A record 4-1/2 hour return trip - and no speeding!  Also only one pit stop, but that was OK.

Thanks for stopping by  - come back again!

The Cats & Pajamas

Wow - time got away from me again!  It's been over a week since I posted last!

But, have to say, Thanksgiving sorta got in the way, I'll use it as my excuse for this time.

I cooked a turkey breast and all the fixin's for myself on Thanksgiving, knowing that I had plans to go out of town for Thanksgiving weekend.  Now I'm back, and I STILL can have a turkey dinner!  Yee haw!

I'll share my Thanksgiving weekend in another post, but for this time, I thought I'd give you an update on The Kidz...

Not that any of them has changed in the past year (other than to get older, as we are wont to do!), but I do still get some cute pix of them once in a while...

So, without further ado, here they are!

Yep - all three on the bed at the same time!  Doesn't happen very often, so I record it for posterity each time!  And there, on the pillow on the right, are my pajamas...

Here's Silly Melie...  I was practicing taking his picture out in the Stampin' Garage and got this one.

Here's a better one.  The color of his fur reflects the flash from the camera so well, that sometimes all I get is a big yellow photo.  So, I'm learning (finally!) to not focus ON him, but to focus to one side or the other.  Here's another of him.

I know!  He looks mad or sad, doesn't he?  He was sorta pouting because I wasn't petting him - instead, I was taking his picture!

Of the three cats I currently have, he's the one with the most personality  - I call him my Clown Cat!  It's always fun taking pictures of him, because I never know what expression I'm going to catch!

And here's his sister, Ms Smudge...

I have yet to figure out WHY photos are upright when I bring them into the  folder where I store them until I use them, yet when I bring them into the blog, they're sideways!

Can anyone help me with that?

So, here's Velvet - she's sideways, too!

I even went back to IPhoto to check and make SURE she was upright (and she was!) before trying a second time to upload her...

And finally, here's what I've done with the canning jar from the Cannery Set Framelits (127822 $24.95).

When I saw the framelits in the catalog, all I could think of was putting photos in the jar!

So, here's one of my takes, using this accessory.  I also used spiderweb embossing folder on this card.

There are two of the three cats - in the jar!  The "meow" I used is long retired, but seemed the most appropriate for the card.


Hope you enjoyed seeing "The Kidz" again - I know I enjoy having them around!

Thanks for stopping by - come back again soon!

PS - if you can help me figure out why my photos are ending up sideways these days, I'll be your best friend!  LOL  ALL HELP APPRECIATED!

Orchard Harvest DSP

How about a few more cards made using the Orchard Harvest Designer Series Papers (DSP)?

 

At this time of the year, it's hard NOT to Give Thanks, isn't it?  As a result, most of the cards I've made lately have a Thanksgiving theme to them.

This card ISN'T in the fall colors I'd been working with - which makes it one of my favorites!  I really like the blue checked paper, which doesn't feel Fallish to me - so I went with blues and greens on this one.

And, of all the cards I made using the Orchard Harvest DSP, I think this one turned out to be my favorite!  Love the color combo of Gumball Green and Cajun Craze...

I want to show you the trick of stamping items INSIDE the jar.

A  MASK!  Yep, I just stamped the image in black on Vanilla CS, then took my scissors and cut the "guts" out of it, and made a Reverse Mask.  

 

When you do this, you want to make sure to cut on the INSIDE of the stamped lines.  This will assure that whatever you want to stamp inside the jar won't cross over the lines on your finished image.

Well, that's all I have to share today.  Thanks for stopping by, and come back again!

And if you have some awesome cards YOU'VE made using the Orchard Harvest DSP, send me a link and let me see, too!

Cuttin' Back In (con't)

Well, Blogger has changed since I last used it, and it was giving me fits and starts when I tried to schedule a follow-up post to the last one.  So, I gave up in frustration...  Sometimes I just have to walk again before I kill my 'puter!   LOL

But I'm back again.

So, you ask, what's MY favorite feature of the cutter?

It HAS to be the extra wide cutting area!

OMG!  You can cut a 12 x 12 piece of CS into a 6 x 12 piece with OUT pulling out the extender arm!

It's AWESOME to be able to do that!

I used to be a paper hoarder - are you like that?  I was always afraid to make that first cut, cuz I just KNEW I was going to screw up the whole sheet of paper...

Well, I don't hoard any more!

I now know I can cut a piece of 12 x 12 into 6 x 12 - and then the 6 x 12 into two 6 x 6 pieces.  And I can work with the 6 x 6 pieces and NOT MESS UP THE REST OF THE SHEET!  Woo Hoo!

I do that with most of my DSP these days.  It actually helps me use more of it, too - because I've got all those 6 x 6 pieces, just sitting in the package staring at me, BEGGING me to use them...

This past week I was playing with the Orchard Harvest DSP ( 126895 $10.95) and made a bunch of bags, boxes and cards.

Wanna see some of them?

Hold on while I go fetch 'em...

 First, one of the cards - guess I only took pix of this one - but I have more, so will put that on my list of things to do this evening...

Next, one of the boxes I made.  This was SO EASY (once I figured out the dimensions, of course!).  Made with a single sheet of CS and no scraps leftover.

Score an 8-1/2 x 11 sheet of CS (on 11" side) at 4-1/2.  Turn paper 180 degrees, and score again at 4-1/2.  Turn paper 90 degrees (to 8-1/2" side), score at 1-1/4.  Turn paper 180 degrees and score again at 1-1/4...

I tried to draw this in Word, but can't figure out how to import it, so that's going to have to wait til I learn how!  Sorry - but it's really easy - just take your CS to your scoring tool and do it!

Once you've scored it,  --> cut the center two scores on both sides of the box, fold them up, fold the sides in, and glue with Sticky Strip.  And your box is done!

OH  - if you want to decorate the box with stamps, you should probably do that before you glue it all together.  MUCH easier that way!  LOL

I've made a few more since this one and added a handle (1-1/4" wide, 11" long) to one of them to turn it into a bit of a purse.

And here's one of the bags I did - can't figure out how to re-orient it, so stand on your head to look at it!  hee hee...

Started with a small bag I purchased for Halloween ( and never got around to making into something!) and added DSP and some leaves I'd cut out of the Bigz die (127812 $21.95) and stamped with the matching stamp set (128087 $17.95 clear mount).


I'm very pleased with the outcome for a Thanksgiving gift bag!

So...  what have YOU been making lately?  Send me a link to your project - I love CASEing things from others!  Hee hee...

Thanks for stopping by - please come back!

Cuttin' Back In

Hey everyone!

I'm back!   Yeh, I know - you've heard that before, huh?

I plan to hold to it this time!  Probably won't blog every day - found myself getting burned out on that - but will try to blog a couple of times a week...

All the while I HAVEN'T been blogging, I HAVE been taking photos of the cards I've been making.  Somehow, not blogging didn't interfere with THAT aspect of my business.  But have I shown them to YOU?   NOOOOOOOO I haven't.

But before I start regaling you with pix of my creations, I wanted to mention our NEW PAPER CUTTER!

YES!  It's been in the catalog since June, but unavailable to everyone - until NOW!

As a demonstrator, I was able to purchase mine during October.  I've had it for about 2 weeks now and I LOVE IT!

Here's a video Stampin' Up! created to show you all it's features!

And for those of you who aren't crazy about watching videos on-line,  the details and features are outlined below the video:

The New Stampin' Trimmer

Introducing the new and improved Stampin' Trimmer! Although paper trimmers are a common crafting tool, this trimmer was designed exclusively by paper crafters for paper crafters-and because it was made by Stampin' Up!, you know it's a cut above the rest! Please note, the cutting and scoring blade refills will be available early in December.
Features of the All-New Stampin' Trimmer

• An extra-wide 6-1/4" cutting base and an extended 14-1/2" ruler
  • The extra-wide cutting base provides a large work area and is marked in 1/4" (4 mm) increments, allowing for small measurements. 
  • The right-side grid helps you measure and cut very thin strips.
  • The extended cutting arm has a stabilizing leg to provide a sturdy and steady cutting surface for longer cuts. 
  • When fully extended, the extended cutting arm sits flush with the trimmer base, providing more accurate and consistent measurements across the entire surface.
  • The cutting base and track include a full ruler, incorporating measurements down to 1/16" and grid lines that mark each quarter inch. 
  • All rulers and measurements on the base are printed under a plastic cover so your measurements won't wear off.
  • The base has nonskid feet, which keeps the Stampin' Trimmer securely in place on your work area.
• A full 12" cutting and scoring track
  • The extra-long cutting track has space at the top and bottom so you don't have to take the cutting and scoring blades out when you're not using them. 
  • The track gives you enough space to cut or score a full 12" (30.5 cm) without having to remove or switch out handles. 
  • The cutting track locks in place for secure storage or transport. 
  • The track includes an insertion point for cutting and scoring blade handles so you can easily insert handles into the cutting track.
• Specially designed handles and cutting track to ensure straight cuts
  • The hook on the scoring and cutting blade handles keeps the handles stable so the cuts are as straight as possible.
  • Handles come in two colors: dark for cutting, light for scoring. 
  • The precision tip on the cutting blade allows you to pinpoint precisely where you're cutting.
  • The point on the side of each handle shows you where the blade will cut, making it easy to see exactly where your cuts and scores will begin.
• Storage compartment under base
  • The storage compartment holds scoring and cutting tools such as a Bone Folder, Simply Scored Stylus, extra scoring and cutting blades, and even business cards. 
  • Separate compartments within the storage compartment keep your tools organized, and the clear cover makes it easy to see what you've stored.
• Product details: item 126889; $29.95

Hats Off!

Cute, isn't it?

I found it on Patty Bennett's blog about a month ago and decided to C.A.S.E. it.

It uses one of the button holders our Stampin' Up! buttons come in, along with some DSP and ribbon - and whatever other embellishments you'd like to add.

When I made my sample, I copied it as exactly as I could.

I thought my Stamp Club ladies would enjoy making these. And I was right!

They jumped right in - they're all so creative! Just look at the different hats they all made!




I think this was Becky's. I took pictures as they completed them, but am now having trouble remembering who's was whose!





I think this was Anne's...



And this was Linda's. She wanted an all American hat, and I think she hit the target!



And this was Bernadette's. She prepped all the pieces before she left and sent me this photo after she'd completed it.

She wanted a straw hat and I think she did a smashing job pulling off!



This was Del's. Guess she was feeling very flowery that day! Del's the gardener in the group - what else would she use to decorate hers?

These are constructed so that the button holder is still viable for storage, if you choose! What a way to brighten up your button area, huh?

=========================

Hey, did you know Stampin' Up! now has a diagonal scoring plate that works in conjunction with our Simply Scored tool?

It's true! It went on sale March 1st and costs $11.95. Item number 125586.

Here are the Product Features

• Sits on top of the Simply Scored base
• Held securely in place by rubber pads on back of the plate
• Has etched grooves every 1/8"
• Can score any size card stock up to 12" x 12"
• Includes instructions for creating common envelope sizes

Maybe you're interested in obtaining ALL the Simply Scored tools - all at once? If you do, you'll be able to get a Sale-A-Bration item for FREE, if you place your order before March 31, 2012.

Coordinating products include:

• Simply Scored (item 122334) $29.95
  
• Simply Scored Place Markers (item 125625) $2.50
  
• Simply Scored Stylus (item 125624) $4.50
  
• Bone Folder (item 102300) $6.95

With the Diagonal scoring tool added, your total is $55.85 - PERFECT! One free SAB item coming up!

Call or email me here to place your order!

Thanks for stopping by! Come back soon...

And the Last one - for now!

I've been sharing the different looks changing your Designer Papers can give you for a project.

Here's the last portfolio I made, using the Everyday Enchantment DSP and several of the colors used in that paper.

This one turned out to be my favorite - and when I shared it at a demonstrator gathering earlier this week, they all seemed to agree with me.

Wanna see?




Isn't it gorgeous? I used a lot of pearls to decorate the roses on the centerpiece of this one, as well as one of the new GIANT pearls on the ribbon.

And, of course, the Labels Framelits, and the Poppy Parade twill ribbon, as well as some of that yummy new pleated satin ribbon and the new flower punch.

Here are the top and bottom insides of this one, as well.





I'm always amazed at how changing something as simple as the Designer paper or the color of the card stock can make such a difference in the final project!

But that's why I'm a papercrafter!

How about you - why are YOU a papercrafter? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Thanks for stopping by...