Cider & Stampin Fall Projects Creative Class

Hello!  We had a lovely time last night enjoying fall themed snacks and drinking cider punch while getting to know new and old friends.  Here are the projects we made:

We did a candle wrap, 2-way embossed card, little treat bag for Halloween and a Nugget Box for Thanksgiving.

 I was really happy with the way the nugget box turned out.  I plan to sell these at upcoming craft shows.  This particular one includes 6 Hershey nuggets wrapped with our new holiday themed "It's a Wrap Holidays" stamp set.  There is an additional one in the main Idea Book for occasions like baby & bridal showers, birthdays, etc.  You stamp the design on a regular return address label {like Avery 5160} and just peel and stick around a Nugget.  Super cute, quick & easy.

 Everyone seemed to really like the thin little treat bag, which could be used for so many occasions and holidays!  At $2.50 for 50 bags, it's a steal, too.  

This class could easily be duplicated in your home with your own friends.  If you would like to host your own Cider & Stampin' class, please contact me!  

We have plenty of time between now and Thanksgiving!

Thanks for looking!

I'll Fly Away - 2 Step Bird Punch Cards

Today, I am continuing my "Series" of simple cards.  These feature the 2-step Bird Punch from Stampin' Up.  I love this punch and use it all the time.  I think the fact that you can interchange the punched parts when you punch it out of different colors of cardstock or our two-sided Designer Series Paper, lends itself to an elegant composed but coordinated look.

  

 The chunky & glass glitters add just the right touch, too.

Thanks for stopping by for the easy projects!  Click here for others and the reason I am featuring easy to do cards right now. 

We All Scream for Ice Cream ~Triple Scoop Card

Who doesn't like Ice Cream?  What's your real life favorite?  I love all things Oreo and mint.  But, my favorite time of year is the fall when Pumpkin ice creams come out.  John will sweetly drive me 30 minutes to the opposite side of town so I can get a waffle cone scoop of one of thier pumkin varieties.  I think my fave might be Pumkin Praline Cheescake.  Can you tell I am counting down until October when they arrive?!

Enough about me and my Ice Cream Obsession, now to the cards..

Yesterday I posted a quick & easy card using the new Pennant collection from Stampin' UP.  

Petite Pennants Builder Punch

Petite Pennants Builder Punch

The "cone" was made using the above punch and coordinating stamp set Pennant Parade 

{Doesn't it totally look like a waffle cone?}

The "ice cream" part was made using the Cupcake Punch from Stampin' Up.

Cupcake Punch

Isn't that clever?  I would love to take credit for it but I saw numerous examples from a variety of demonstrators.  It is so nice to have a community of creative people to be inspired by all the time!

Here are 2 similar cards I did, the only difference is the type of glitter I used.  

I wish I had taken a better close up for the glitter.  It didn't quite catch their glimmer and chunky factor.  Sorry about that.

You could do this for a lot of the other flavors, too.  I can totally see Mint Chocolate Chip being done.

I like this basic template for quick & easy cards, too.  Can you see the similarity?

If you can get a basic template in your head, it doesn't matter the color scheme or final decorative pop, they will be easy to create and come out pleasing to the eye.

Again, as I said in yesterday's post, these are quick & simple cards I am showing because I truly believe that at least 90% of stampers prefer these quick projects.  At least I bet my mommy friends would!

And remember, if you are going to make 1 of these cards, make 10!  It takes about the same time to cut, stamp & assemble and then you have a nice little stash!  

Thanks for stopping by today.  More simple cards to come!

Fly Your Flag! ~Pennant Flag Card Ideas

I was so excited to see the new Petite Pennants Builder Punch and Pennant Parade stamp set in the sneak peek for demonstrators!  

Petite Pennants Builder Punch

Pennant Parade Stamp Set {Available in wood mount or clear}

If you follow any party blogs, pennant flags {small or large} are hot and here to stay.

Here are a couple of cards that I came up with in a hurry using this easy coordinating products.

 

This is a very versatile set that can be used for a wide variety of occasions.  I love sets like that!

And though you could cut out the plain flags, why would you when you have this fun matching punch?

I tend to try to show more "project" type items on this blog but I realized that most people probably make cards more than anything since they are easy to accomplish.  

So they next few posts will be showing some of the simple cards I did recently for a large order of greeting cards from a sweet lady at church.  

I know there are "masterpiece" cards out there that are amazing.  But honestly, most of the gals I know are not going to spend an hour on 1 card {or hours/days on 1 project} so let's get back to the basics.

Tomorrow, I am going to show you a card using part of this punch and another to combine and make the cutest little card accent.

Hope you enjoy and see you tomorrow.  :)

Custom Order Hybrid Wedding Card

As I am {still} in the moving process, not all of my stamps and inks have made it over to the new house.  But my neighbor and friend asked if I could come up with a "special" card for her niece's wedding this weekend.  As wedding cards lend themselves greatly to customization, I turned to My Digital Studio once again and created a "hybrid" card.

*A 'Hybrid' card, scrapbook page, or gift, means that part of the elements are created digitally and parts are paper, ink & "real" embellishments.

Obviously, there new initial will be "B". That part, along with the Mr. & Mrs and hearts, were created digitally and then layered onto other papers {shimmery silver, Sage Shadow, & Perfect Plum-they were also embossed using the Big Shot}.

closer look.

Inside and there is a large faded "Love" that the camera didn't really pick up behind the words.

Because why shouldn't the envelope have a little "pretty" added, too.

 Hope they like it and do live "Happily Ever After"!

{Katie, it will be on my door after 6 am!  ;) }

Elmo Punch Art Card

I did this card this morning for a dear friend's sweet little daughter.  

She was celebrating her 2nd birthday and the party's theme was Elmo, of course!

I used the Sizzix Scallops Circle #2 Bigz die, 1 inch circle punch, 3/4 inch circle punch, 1 1/4 inch circle punch, & 1 3/8 inch circle punch.  I hand cut the felt mouth.

The side dot strip is a bit of retired paper featuring apples that I use for all my teacher projects but the name of the DSP escapes me right now.

I used my alphabet set and Basic Black Craft ink to stamp out her name to add more personalization.

I hope she likes it.  I know her mom will!  :)

A special card for a very special girl!

The Stamp Set I Can't Live Without

There are some stamp sets that you just love...For me, that set is Baroque Motifs.

This is the part of that set I use the most.  And you can clearly see I use it a lot.

When I say a lot, that is understatement. 

Here are some examples of random stamping projects I have used this specific stamp on. 

[Click on picture for larger look.]

Versatile is not even the word for it.

Do you have this set?  

What set can you not live without?

Valentine's Hybrid Cards

I got a call from a friend today that needed 12 cards for Valentine's Day.  Since I knew I would definitely see her tonight at church and Vday was only days away, I promised to get them done tonight!

Enter My Digital Studio!

Hybrid Digital Papercrafting is where you design using digital media then, after printing, you embellish with elements like ribbon, glitter, dimensionals, etc.

Here is what I designed, then printed:

I then cut the pieces [now the focal point of the card] apart.  I used Stampin' Dimensionals to raise them up over simple borders of stamped cardstock or Designer Series Paper. On some, I embellished further with Stampin' Glitters.

The 12 cards ordered [with matching envelopes, of course]:

 Close Up Time!

 I love the new tinsel glitter [can you tell?]!

 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, 13

Thanks for looking!

Abigale's 1st Birthday Party

So Miss Abigale turned One Year Old last week. How did that happen?  Anyway, since I just had to incorporate papercrafting into her birthday party, I thought it would be perfect to share it on the blog.  Maybe someone else can get some inspiration, too!

  

Abigale's Birthday invite I created using My Digital Studio from Stampin' Up!

Flowers are made using heart hand held punch along with circle and scallop circle of her newborn pictures.

Boy Favors [No stamping and very simple. Frankly because I realized I had way more boys than I thought and I didn't think they wanted the prissy butterfly favor boxes anyway!]

 This was the handmade part of the favors [the rest is typical boy-bugs & a ball, girl- big ring and candy all around...and raisins [because sometime you have to be "that mom" a little bit at least.]  Used the Beautiful Butterflies Sizzix die because it cuts through fabric beautifully and quickly!

 

 The frilly girly boxes made using the Fancy Favor Box die for the Sizzix Big Shot from Stampin' Up. And the Beautiful Butterfly die as well.  Some I used an embossing folder on, too, for different looks and textures.

 

The butterfly looks wilted after washing and not sewing on properly but there really is a butterfly on her #1.  A better view from her lovely One Year Old Pictures, taken beautifully by the talented Karissa Barber of K.Barber Photography:

Love them.

"Death by Oreo" Cupcakes

Strawberry Cake with Vanilla Buttercream frosting. [Cupcake Toppers is what I am really showing here but who doesn't love a good cupcake picture?]

 

Peanut Butter Overload Cupcakes [Toppers were made using My Digital Studio, Scallop Circle punch, and Beautiful Wings Sizzlit.

Could have embellished this a lot more but frankly I ran out of time!

 

Happy Family after a great birthday party day!

Layout copying

This is a great way to come up with a design once and use it in a variety of ways. This particular Pick a Petal set is one that I purchased then rarely used. This one idea has given new use for the entire set!

Making a set of these with different greetings would make a great gift for teachers or Christmas!

I also added a 1 inch circle to the middle and, using our Stampin' Dimensionals, popped it up for height & interest. I covered it in 2 way glue than glittered. Then came back with the TomBow adhesive and outlined the edge and put a center dot and glittered again. Since the TomBow is thicker it gave an added dimension to the glitter effect and I LOVE my glitters!

Using Templates

This is an example of using templates to create pretty different looking cards. I was inspired by one of the latest "A La Card templates" from the magazine demos get from Stampin' Up [Stampin' Success].

I encourage you to look at cards in the Idea Books and other places and pick out the basic set up of the card and then replace with your own stamps, inks, colors & accessories! You can always copy a card exactly if you have all the exact materials [which I never quite seem to have]. But this is way to utilize what you have and not have to come up with it completely on your own!

Just some detail pics:

These cards utilize the new In Colors 09-10 but retired punches & sets. ;) I also used watercolor wonder crayons, aqua painters, glitters, brads & crystal effects.

Pop- UP Gift Card Holder

This is a gift card holder for a fun wedding shower we went to for dear friends. Wanted to make it something special. I have to admit that in the process of figuring out the measurements and the look, etc, I spent 2 hours on this one card. I have gotten used to quicker cards but it was nice to squeeze out my creative juices, so to speak!

This is a close up the details. The popcorn used a [retired] 3 flower punch from SU. I highlighted the So Saffron paper with White Craft ink to add a little depth. The green peppers & design on the cups were made with green Stickles.

The pop-up part used 8 inches long of Whisper White, scored at 1 inch intervals, than accordion folded. We included a gift card to Blockbuster & Papa John, put in the appropriate pop-up, of course. I used tiny manila envelopes as the base and covered them with the design on the front

and finished with plain CS on the back.

I will generally only use SU paper & products [investing in my own business, don't ya know!], but indicate where it is another brand, when necessary.

Let me know if you have any questions!