Playing around...

Here's a card I made last week when I was just playing around with my stamping stuff, actually just stamping for fun instead of trying to meet a deadline!

I used the Big Shot to make the scalloped circle and punches for the smaller circles.  The image in the center is from the Friends Never Fade stamp set.  The dsp comes from the Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack-Brights (item #117155).  The 5/8" Organza ribbon (item #114319) in the center helps to hide where the two patterned papers meet.  Hope you enjoy another easy-peasy yet elegant card! 

I was mugged today!

 Ok, not in the sense you're thinking of- It was actually a gift of a coffee mug filled with various hot drink mixes from the principals at the middle school where I work. 

Wouldn't this idea be great with our Morning Cup stamp set or Take a Sip wheel?  I can't wait to reuse this idea-Stampin' Up! style!

Framed craft poem for my secret sister

I mailed out my secret sister box Monday and thought I'd share the craft poem that I sent to her.  I found the poem online and decorated the photo mat and put it in a nice frame.  It was fairly quick and I love the blues and greens in the dsp.  Speaking of the designer series paper, can you guess which two I used?

I think the strip of dsp in the middle is pretty clear-it's the Springtime Vintage.  The paper that is Old Olive with polka dots is the tricky one, it's actually from the Jolly Holiday dsp.  I've also used the bird punch and the Friends Never Fade stamp set (item #118750 wood or 120618 clear).


I'm not sure if you can tell but the cardstock was embossed with different embossing folders and then the bird was punched out and a pearl used for the eye.

Here's the poem in case you want to make one for your craft room:

This Craft of Mine




All I need to pass the time

and lose my thoughts of

reason and rhyme

are brushes and ink and

blocks of wood

to color and press onto

paper so good.



Each cut true, my work of art

I place and glue and

savor each part.

This gift of mine is

more than a craft

it’s a memory, a moment,

a time that we laugh.



Now I share what I have made

at a time I was quiet

a time that I played.

May a smile cross your face

when this card you first see

it is sent with the hope

we are all we can be.





-- Pauline Whitchurch

Have a great weekend!

Antique Brads Bracelet

Today I have a non-stamping project for you.  Stampin' Up! demonstrators have access to a resource called Stampin' Connection.  This is an awesome resource where demonstrators from across the world can upload pictures of projects they have made.  Today I saw a picture from one project by a lady named Frenchie, and I have recreated it here for you!

It was so easy, all you need is our Antique Brads (20 in a package for $5.95 item #117273) and some jewelery making supplies from your local craft store.  I used part of a flat circular chain found near the beads in an antique gold finish. 

Here is a picture of the back so you can see all I did was open the prongs and use a pair of pliers to fold the prongs around the circular chain.  If I can make this so can you!

Sideways photos?

I'm not quite sure why, but when trying to upload my photos for some reason they are being rotated.  I haven't figured out what is going on but maybe my tech gurus (Ryan and Greg) can help me out later this week.  In the meantime check out this card, you could switch the greeting and the design would work either way I suppose.

Here's another version, actually made before the whole photo rotation mess, and after seeing the photo of the card I actually used my blender pens and ink pads to color in the flowers and leaves-it looked much better than this one. 

Birthday CASE

Today I have a birthday card we will be making at an upcoming class next month.  This cute card would be great for a child's birthday.  I don't usually go for the primary colors but this one really appealed to me.  I used Stampin' Up!'s great markers to color in the images.

 We have such great markers, I have been a demo since 1999 and I still have many of the original markers that I bought then.  The only new ones I have are due to changes in colors when SU has introduced new ones.  My old markers work just as well as the new ones!  The markers are just $3.50 each, a great deal when they last eleven years!

Original design!

Happy Sring break to me!  I had today off and all next week as well, so I've been playing with all my stampin' stuff-Woo Hoo!

Here's a card I made, that for once, I didn't copy.  All you have to do is punch out 8 white butterflys using the Butterfly extra large punch (item #119848) and one in Daffodil Delight.  Use your SNAIL adhesive to adhere them to the black cardstock and then run it through the Big Shot using the Square Lattice  embossing folder.  Use some coordinating Daffodil Delight 5/8 Grosgrain ribbon (item #119761) and it's that easy. 

For the inside of the card you could use pretty much any sentiment you want, but I always need birthday cards so I stamped the Happy Birthday from the Perfect Punches stamp set (item #117022) and used the Extra large Oval punch (item #119859) . 

Don't these colors make you feel like Spring?  Bring on the warmer weather!

Almost St. Patty's Day

Here's a card I made for my last secret sister box. 

The large shamrock is made from the heart punch and layered with a smaller one.  The glass glitter is much prettier in real life and makes the card extra special!

Build a Blossom, and Punch!

Here's a card I made with the Build a Blossom stamp set and the matching punch, Blossom Petals Punch.  I cased this card from Stampin' Connection (a website for SU demonstrators only) right after I  got it.

I need to play with this set some more, I have seen beautiful cards made with it!  I have a very busy weekend and need to make several cards, one baby and one sympathy in particular.  Stay tuned for more samples and ideas!

Growing Green

Here's a card I recently made for my secet sister.  It uses the Growing Green (wood 118758 or clear 120624) stamp set and a sentiment from the Friends 24-7 (wood 113218).  The cardstock is Crumb Cake, Always Artichoke and watercolor paper.  I stamped the large image with black Stazon ink and used a blender pen and markers to color in the image.  The ribbon at the bottom of the card is our Always Artichoke seam binding.

I have loved this Growing Green stamp set from the beginning but just recently bought it.  This was the first card I made with it, and I always start out simple.  One more item to note:  this stamp set coordinates with the Woodland Walk DSP (117389).  Hopefully I'll have more samples soon to show you with this set!