Sale-A-Bration

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Tuesday, November 30, 2010

On the Third Day of Christmas, Stampin' Up! Gave to Me...

Build a Bear Workshop.

Here is a Build a Bear project where you don't have to do too much altering of the die.  I created a Santa Bear and an Angel Bear.  The only trick to these ornaments is that when you cut the wings for the angel, use the Butterfly die and then put the wings on upside down. 

For the Santa Bear, use the Beary Merry Die Cut to cut the clothing and the Bear Die to cut the bear.  I cut everything using stiff felt.  For the clothing, I added Big Shot Multipurpose Adhesive Sheets to the felt to make for easier assembly.  This is totally unnecessary, but if you are doing this project with the kids, it makes the project go smoother for the kids and you don't have to wait for glue to dry.  You can also do the same with craft foam.  You can also find craft foam with adhesive already on "installed."  Once your bear is dressed, just glue it to a wooden clothes pin.  Use the same technique to make a Mrs. Santa Bear.


For the angel, I cut her clothes using the Beary Dressy die cut and I also my wings from a window sheet using the Beautiful Butterflies die.  I sponged some Shimmer Paint onto the wings to give them some sparkle.  I dressed and assembled the ornament, attaching it to another clothes pin.  You could also make a boy angel just using the regular clothing dies.

God Bless and Happy Stampin!
Charity

Monday, November 29, 2010

On the Second Day of Christmas, Stampin' Up! Gave to Me...

Aluminum Cans.

Did I say aluminum cans?  On what page do you find aluminum cans in the Idea Book?  Of course you don't find aluminum cans in the Idea Book, but you do find the Big Shot and Dies beginning on page 204.  Most of you who are familiar with the Big Shot know that the rule based dies aren't just for cutting paper. They can also be used for wood, vinyl, fabric, plastic, cork board, chip board, and even aluminum.  I guess you would call these projects "repurposing" the aluminum cans since they are going from a beverage holder to a Christmas ornament. 

To start, you will need a good pair of gloves to protect your hands when you cut apart the cans.  You'll also want to rinse all the cans out very well before beginning.  Cut the cans apart, discarding the top and the bottom (you can save the tabs to use as an embellishment on cards and scrapbook pages).  Cut the can open cutting down the length of the can.  Once it is flat, place on your die, making your sandwich and cut as you would paper.  Wear your gloves when discarding the scraps, but the ornament itself will have smooth edges. 


I made snowflakes, stars and even some icicles.  For the snowflakes, I used the Snowflake #2 Die.  The edges will be nice and smooth once cut.  Since there are openings in the flake, you don't need to punch any additional holes to create your hanger.  Use ribbon, fishing line, fabric strips or tinsel trim as your hanger.  I pretty much used a mix for my ornaments.  I had some fun cutting some strips of fabric with the Tasteful Trim Die and using that for hangers.



For the stars, I used the Stars #2 die and created two styles of ornaments.  One with single stars and one with triple stars, stringing them together with fishing line.  I used my Crop-a-dile and paper piercing tool to create the holes I needed for the hanger and to connect the stars.  Again, for hangers, use ribbon, tinsel trim, fabric strips, or fishing line




For the icicles I used the Tasteful Trim and Table Setting dies to cut aluminum strips.  When using the Tasteful Trim die, the can will not go the entire length of the die so you will end up with one sharp end.  This end should be carefully folded over using pliers to hide the sharp edge.  This is the end I used for my hanger.  I twisted my pieces to get a spiral effect.  I also used the Table Setting die to create a spiral ornament adding some clear beads to the bottom using fishing line.  This gave it just enough weight to pull the spiral out just a bit.  I used fishing line for the hanger.




That's day 2, aluminum cans and a Big Shot.  I personally love the look of the snowflakes and it reminds me of the first Christmas Tree that Tim and I had as a couple.  We had very little money, just enough to buy a very small tree, just about 5 feet tall.  We were able to add a few lights and a very small number of ornaments by spending a few dollars at the dollar store.  I think we spent $30.  It was a modest tree to say the least.  One evening, as I sat looking at our tree, I decided it needed more.  I spent the evening cutting snowflakes using some plain white paper and hung them to our tree using paper clips.  Suddenly, our tree was a little prettier.  Now, our tree is filled with ornaments we've collected over the years but every year, we find one or two of those paper snowflakes in the box and they go on the tree.  I can just imagine how beautiful our first tree would have been if I'd had a Big Shot in my hands!

God Bless and Happy Stampin!
Charity

Sunday, November 28, 2010

On the First Day of Christmas, Stampin' Up! Gave to Me...

Designer Series Papers.

The first ornament I'm going to show you is a very simple mini gift box wrapped in designer series papers.  The mini gift boxes are little paper mache boxes that I purchased at a local craft store.  You can probably use any small boxes you have that would be appropriately sized for a small gift.  In addition to a small gift box you will need the following:

  • Designer Series Paper- I used Jolly Holiday
  • Card Stock:  Real Red Card Stock
  • Stamp Set:  Tags til Christmas
  • Ink:  Early Espresso
  • Frost White Shimmer Paint
  • Real Red 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon
  • Clear Tinsel Trim
  • Fishing line or clear thread

  • I wrapped the bottom and lid of the box separately, securing with Tom Bow multipurpose liquid glue.  Before gluing the lid to the bottom of the box, I used my paper piercing tool to make two small holes in the box to allow me to add some fishing line as the ornament hanger.

    Once the box was wrapped with the lid glued to the bottom, I tied a bow around the box using the Real Red ribbon.  I stamped my sentiment onto the Real Red card stock using the Early Espresso ink.  After, I sponged some Frost White Shimmer Paint onto the edges of the tag and tied it to my little gift box using the Clear Tinsel Trim.

    This one is very simple and can easily be done by anyone.  It is also a great way to use up some of your scrap pieces of Designer Series papers.

    See you tomorrow for the 2nd Day of Christmas.

    God Bless and Happy Stampin'!
    Charity

    Saturday, November 27, 2010

    12 Days of Christmas

    I have been a busy little elf the last few weeks, making lots of Christmas ornaments and decorations- using Stampin' Up! products of course.  I have a very special reason for doing this.  Years ago when I was in junior high, my family and I traveled to Florida to celebrate Christmas.  This was such a fun trip for all of us and only the second time we had been back since moving to Washington.  In addition to some of the normal tourist things- beach and waterskiing in December and Disneyworld- we went to several family gatherings.  One was bit of a family reunion with my Dad's cousins.  She welcomed us into her home and showed us a beautiful Christmas tree filled with handmade ornaments.  She invited us to each select an ornament that she had made to take home with us.  This has always been one of my favorite holiday memories and I've always wanted to do something similar.  Well, 2010 is my year!  I've set up a special Christmas tree in my family room/studio and I'm filling it with Stampin' Up! Christmas ornaments from top to bottom!  I've used punches, papers, fabrics, ribbons, buttons, die cuts and more to create a variety of ornaments for my tree.  I'll be adding more throughout the month and each time someone visits my home for any reason, they will be able to pick an ornament from my tree. 

    And of course, I will be sharing all the various ornaments and decorations with you so today marks the introduction to The 12 Days of Christmas, Stampin' Frog Style.  Over the next 12 days, I will sharing the various types of ornaments I have made for you, finishing up with my star.  I'll also work in a few home decorations in between the 12 Days posts.  The posts will be categorized to some extent by ornament type (fabric, punch art, die cut, etc).

    As a little preview, here is a picture of the tree. At the top of the tree you will see a 5 point star covered in Stampin' Up! Designer Fabrics. I'm running a contest to win that star.  You earn entries into the drawing by purchasing products, attending workshops/classes, hosting shows and joining my team.  Check out my contest page for more details.

    I also have a few photos of a wreath with some of the ornaments on it.  A wreath can be a clever way of displaying Christmas decorations or creating an advent calendar countdown.  You can make some match boxes to attach to the wreath and then add some chocolates or little toys to the boxes to use for the countdown. 





    As for the decorations and some instructions, stay tuned and come back daily to see what each day brings!  I hope you will be inspired by all the projects and maybe start a new holiday tradition in your home.

    Happy Stampin' and God Bless!
    Charity

    Thursday, November 25, 2010

    Happy Thanksgiving!

    Thanksgiving has arrived!  This is one of my favorite holidays.  I love getting up early to cook for my family and friends- using recipes taught to me by my grandmother as well as a few new favorites I've learned along the way.  This year, Thanksgiving was ushered in with a large winter storm bringing snow, wind, and freezing tempeartures to Washington.  In fact we are getting another round of snow as I type this!  Looks more like Christmas.  The weather and icy roads will be keeping family away this year so it will just be Tim, the kids and I for Thanksgiving.  Six people to share a 21 pound turkey!  I think we will have lots of leftovers.

    I wanted to share our Family Thanksgiving card with all of you.  I loved the layout of one of the cards from the Portland Regionals that I decided to use it for our Thanksgiving cards.  Please refere to the original post for details on dimensions, as this card has an off center fold.  I changed the front just a bit, using different images from Day of Gratitude and adding some Autumn Spice Designer Series paper to both the inside and outside of the card.  I also used Teeny Tiny Wishes and God's Blessings for the sentiments.  I also used Crumb Cake and Very Vanilla in exchange for the River Rock and Whisper White used in the original card.  I used the Crumb Cake because I was out of River Rock and I used Very Vanilla because I wanted less contrast.

    Don't forget about the great Online Spectacular going on now.  HUGE discounts on some of your favorite things, including 50% off My Digital Studio!  What a great savings.  The sale ends November 30 so don't miss out.

    I hope to get a little paper crafting done while that huge turkey is in the oven so I may have some more posts later in the day.  Either way, may you and yours have a Blessed Thanksgiving and a beautiful start to your Holiday Season.  I'll certainly be counting my blessings today!

    God Bless and Happy Stampin'!  I'm off to make some stuffing!
    Charity

    Monday, November 22, 2010

    Online Spectacular Begins TODAY!

    Why wait until Black Friday to save a bundle?  Stampin' Up! wants to give you a chance to get a head start on your holiday shopping with a one-week sale with discounts up to 50 percent begins today!  Don't miss out on a chance to get some great Stampin' Up! products and take advantage of never-before-seen discounts!  Door busters include:
    •My Digital Studio - 50 percent off!
    •Designer Fabric - 50 percent off!
    •Free shipping on online orders of $150 or more!

    Visit the My Promotions  for a complete listing of discounted products.



    Sunday, November 21, 2010

    First Snowfall

    Today we had snow with more predicted for tomorrow!  Snow before Thanksgiving.  I spent my day inside, chili cooking in the crock pot and my hands busy at work making Christmas ornanments and crafts.  I will be sharing all my Christmas with you later this week.  But, since we've been having snow flurries here throughout the day, I thought I would share a snowflake card with you. 

    For this card, I made use of the new Northern Flurry Embossing Folder that is available in the current Holiday Mini.  I embossed a piece of Pacific Point cardstock and then tore two edges.  I sponged Whisper White ink over the card stock and then added some Basic Rhinestones to the center of the snowflakes.

    Using a Whisper White card, I stamped snowflakes from the Season of Friendship stamp set onto the front and then attached my embossed card front.  I stamped my sentiment using Teeny Tiny Wishes and added some more bling. 

    More snow is predicted for the morning, we are wondering what that means for the morning commute and school.  Hopefully no delays as we have a parent teacher conference in the morning.  I think we might be in for a cold winter which probably means lots of time stamping! 

    God Bless and Happy Stampin'
    Charity



    Birthday Party Thank Yous

    Here are some mini birthday gift thank yous that I did for my first Stampin' Up! birthday party.  The party was so much fun.  10 wonderful little girls who LOVED the Big Shot.  Of course, who doesn't love the Big Shot?  If I have a few more parties like this, I might have an excuse to buy an extra one.  But, enough about my desire for another Big Shot, on to the thank you cards.  I made these cards and added them to a special goodie bag for the birthday girl. 

    These cards were made with the following:
    • Stamp Sets: Cute by the Inch, C is for Cat
    • Card Stock:  Whisper White, Rose Red
    • Designer Series Paper:  Candy Cane Lane
    • Classic Stampin' Pads:  Marina Mist and Early Espresso
    • Accessories:  Rich Razzleberry Grosgrain Ribbon
    These cards are mini note cards, 3x6" cardstock folded to 3x3".  I used the paw prints because the party theme was Build a Bear Workshop (I'll share the craft project on another day).  Instructions are just that simple. 

    Thanks for stopping by!  God Bless and Happy Stampin'
     Charity

    Saturday, November 20, 2010

    Day of Gratitude Thank You Card

    This morning I needed a quick thank you card for someone who recently hosted a show for me.  And, since Thanksgiving is approaching, I decided I wanted an autumn theme.  For this card you will need the following items:

    • Stamp Sets:  Day of Gratitude
    • Card Stock:  More Mustard, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso
    • Designer Series Paper:  Autumn Spice
    • Crajun Craze Classic Stampin' Pad
    • Paper Piercing Tool and Mat Pack
    • Adhesive

    For this card I added 3 rows of holes along one edge of my Early Espresso using my paper piercing tool.  I brushed the edges of my Crumb Cake piece with Cajun Craze ink and then stamped my images on the cardstock.  After that, I assembled all my pieces and the result was a simple, yet beautiful card.

    Thanks for stopping by!  God Bless and Happy Stampin'!
    Charity

    Sunday, November 14, 2010

    Soccer Scrapbook Pages & End of Season Goodies

    Some of you may know that I am a soccer coach.  This fall I coached two teams- one for my 6 year old daughter and two nieces and one team for my two oldest daughters.  I really enjoy coaching and I hate to see the season come to an end each year.  As a gift to each player, I like to make a scrapbook page.  Today, I'm going to share the pages of you U7 team before I added the pictures.  I won't show the finished pages out of respect to the families.  I would normally also share the pages for my older team (U12 Girls), but I completely forgot to take photos before hand! 

    To make these pages, I created a punch art frog for each page.  My frogs were made with Wild Wasabi, Whisper White and Basic Black.  I followed the instructions I found on Petronela Broadbeach Waters' website using the punches she listed and her photos as a guide.  I also brushed the edges of my shapes with Versamark ink to add some dimension.  I also used the same punch art to create some bookmarks which I will describe later.  Each page was made with a 12x12 piece of Daffodil Delight with accents of Wild Wasabi, Pear Pizzazz, Whisper White, Basic Black, Walk in the Park DSP, In Color Designer Series Paper Pack and Brights Patterns Designer Series Paper Back.  I also used a variety of punches and accessories.  In particular, I wanted to include a Bible verse on each page (we are a Christian Sports League).  For the Bible verse, I created the image I wanted using My Digitial Studio and then printed onto Whisper White card stock.  I punched out the verse and added to each page.  For the names, I used Schoolbook Serif Alphabet and Basic Black Ink.  You'll also see some soccer images.  These came from the retired stamp set I Love Soccer.  This is one of my favorite sets and I just can't let it go!  I like it so much that I have not taken the time to buy any of the other soccer sets.  But, if you need a soccer ball, the Goal set on page 89 of the Idea Book and Catalog.

    Here are the pages, I'm showing 13 of the pages from the U7 team.  I made an additional 13 pages for my U12 team.






    I also made bookmarks for each player.  I made my punch art frogs like I did for the pages.  Then, using my Table Setting die cut I cut the book mark by folding my strip of paper in half and then cutting without making the cut at the top.  I stamped a soccer ball toward the bottom and added a frog at the top.  I used stick on roll magnets for the closure.  Pretty sinking cute and players really liked them.


    For our league celebration, we added the bookmark to the goodie bags (filled with granola bars, soccer party favors, water bottles and Kool Aid) and then set all the goodie bags up with a couple of the back packs that we got for the team at the beginning of the year.


    Now, soccer is done.  Now, on to Thanksgiving and Christmas!  Soon, I'll be sharing some of my Christmas ornaments and decorations.  Fun!

    God Bless and Happy Stampin'!
    Charity

    Thursday, November 11, 2010

    Portland Regionals Make and Takes- Acorn Thank You Card

    Here is the final Portland Regional Make and Take Project, again using the Day of Gratitude set.  In addition to the Day of Gratitude Stamp Set, you will need:
    • Card Stock:  River Rock (3"x6", scored at 3"), Whisper White (2 1/2"x2 1/2"; 2 1/8" x 5 1/2"), Cajun Craze textured card stock (2 3/4" x 2 3/4")
    • Inks:  Cajun Craze and River Rock Classic Stampin' Pad
    • Accessories and Tools:  Mini Square Whisper White envelope, Stampin' Dimensionals, SNAIL Adhesive, Stamp-a-ma-jig
    Instructions:
    1. Fold River Rock card stock in half to form card.
    2. Stamp acorn image eight times in River Rock ink in a square pattern on Whisper White card stock (2 1/2" x 2 1/2"), using Stamp-a-ma-jig for placement.  Stamp acorn image in Cajun Craze in center of square. 
    3. Stamp sentiment in Cajun Craze ink on Whisper White card stock (2 1/8" x 5 1/2").  Cut into 2 1/2" x 3/8" strip.  Snip small triangles in ends of strip, and fold into banner shape.  Adhere to Whisper White card stock using Stampin' Dimensionals.
    4. Adhere Cajun Craze card stock to front of card using SNAIL Adhesive.
    5. Adhere Whisper White card stock to Cajun Craze textured card stock using Stampin' Dimensionals.
    6. Stamp acorn image in Cajun Craze ink on front of envelope.
    That is the final Portland Regional Make and Takes.  If you liked the projects, thank Stampin' Up! as all the designs were generated by the design teams at corporate.  Also, if you looked at the projects and found yourself wishing you were there, give me a call about joining my Stampin' Up! team.

    God Bless and Happy Stampin!
    Charity

    Wednesday, November 10, 2010

    New Hostess Promotion and Guess What Came in the Mail Today

    I'm announcing a new Hostess Benefit offered by me personally.  Many of you love to attend my workshops and classes, learning lots of new techniques while taking home a great project.  I also know that during the holidays, things get busy and money gets tight.  So, I'm offering a special for anyone who decides to host a show.  If you host a show in your home (or other location), you will be able to attend 3 of my classes for free (after your show closes).  If someone books a show during the show you host, you will earn 2 additional classes per person.  I'm currently accepting bookings for November, December, January and beyond!

    I know that most of you are barely thinking much past tomorrow let alone to January, but I just had to share that I got the new Occasions Mini Catalog and Sale-A-Bration Catalogs today with my latest copy of Stampin' Success.  And, I must say, "WOW, WOW, WOW!"  The Occasions has so much to offer- great new stamp sets, papers, accessories, and decor elements.  And the Sale-A-Bration items, I want to earn it all- some of it multiple times!  The Occasions selling period will begin January 4 (as the Holdiay Mini closes) and Sale-A-Bration will begin January 25.  Email me today to book your show!

    Portland Regionals Make and Takes- Old Olive Gratitude Card

    Another card from the Regional Convention.  With this card, you can easily change the sentiment to a Christmas greeting and you will have a simple Christmas card that is easy to create in large quantities if you have a large mailing list.  After I show all the convention cards and get caught up sharing some other projects with you, I will show you the versatility of the Day of Gratitude Stamp Set beyond autumn projects.

    You will need:
    • Stamp Set:  Day of Gratitude
    • Card Stock:  Old Olive (8 1/2" x 5 1/2" scored at 4 1/4"), Very Vanilla (2 1/8" x 5 1/2")
    • Ink:  Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad
    • Accessories and Tools:  Medium Very Vanilla envelope, Old Olive 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, Pearl Basic jewels, Stampin' Dimensionals, Decorative Label Punch
    Instructions:
    1. Fold Old Olive card stock in half to form card.
    2. Stamp medallion image three times in Old Olive ink on front of Old Olive card.
    3. Stamp sentiment in Old Olive ink on Very Vanilla card stock.  Punch out using Decorative Label punch.
    4. Adhere pearl on each side of label.  Adhere label to front of card using Stampin' Dimensionals.
    5. Tie ribbon around front of card.
    6. Stamp image in Old Olive ink on front of envelope.
    One more card to come!

    God Bless and Happy Stampin'!
    Charity

    Tuesday, November 9, 2010

    Portland Regionals Make and Takes - Cajun Craze Gratitude Card

    Another card from the Portland Regional Convention.  As with all the projects, this card uses the Day of Gratitude Stamp set.  You will also need:

    • Card Stocks:  Cajun Craze (9 1/2" x 4 1/4", scored at 5 1/2"), Whisper White (qty. 4: 2"x2"; 1 1/2"x 2"; 2 1/2"x1"; 1"x1") and River Rock (textured, 3 3/4"x 3 1/4")
    • Classic Stampin' Pads:  Cajun Craze and Old Olive
    • Stampin' Write Markers:  Cajun Craze, Old Olive, and River Rock
    • Accessories and Tools:  Medium Whisper White envelope, Mini Library clip, Stampin' Dimensionals, SNAIL Adhesive, Mat Pack, and Paper-piercing tool
    Instructions:
    1. Fold Cajun Craze Card stock to form card.
    2. Stamp medallion image in Cajun Craze ink on front and inside of card.
    3. Stamp leaf image in Old Olive ink on the 2x2" Whisper White card stock.
    4. Use Cajun Craze, Old Olive, and River Rock Stampin' Write markers to color flower image, acorn images and sentiment, and stamp on coordinating pieces of Whisper White.
    5. Use paper-piercing tool and Mat Pack to pierce rows of holes in the pices of paper with the flower and sentiment images.  There will be two rows of holes on the left side of the card stock with the sentiment and one row of holes on the right side of the flower image.
    6. Adhere the pieces of Whisper White card stock to River Rock textured card stock as shown in the picture using Stampin' Dimensionals.
    7. Adhere the River Rock card stock to the front of the Cajun Craze card using Stampin' Dimensionals.
    8. Attach Mini Library clip.
    9. Stamp leaf image in Old Olive onto the envelope. 
    10. Color acorn image with Cajun Craze and River Rock markers and stamp on envelope.

    Saturday, November 6, 2010

    Portland Regionals Make and Takes - Day of Gratitude Scrapbook Page

    Now for the 3rd project from Regionals and also the only scrapbook page.  I haven't added a photo yet as I need to take the kids somewhere for a nice fall themed photo. 



    To create this scrapbook page, you will need:

    • Stamps:  Day of Gratitude
    • Card Stock and Paper:  Old Olive card stock (8 1/2" x 11"), Very Vanilla card stock (2 1/8" x 5 1/2"), Cajun Craze textured card stock (5 1/4" x 7 1/4"), Early Espresso textured card stock (2 1/4" x 1 1/2")
    • Inks:  Cajun Craze Classic Stampin' Pad, Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad, Old Olive Stampin' Write marker
    • Accessories and Tools:  Old Olive 5/8" grosgrain ribbon (26 inches), Stampin' Dimensionals, Snail Adhesive, Decorative Label punch, Paper Snips
    Instructions:
    1. Stamp images repeatedly in Old Olive ink on right side of Old Olive page using the leaves, flower, and acorn images.
    2. Adhere Cajun Craze textured card stock to page using Snail.  If you already have a photo, you can add it now.
    3. Tie ribbon around page.
    4. Stamp leaf in Old Olive and acorn in Cajun Craze inks on the Very Vanilla card stock.  Cut out both images and adhere to page using Stampin' Dimensionals.
    5. Stamp sentiment in Cajun Craze in on Very Vanilla card stock.  Punch out using Decorative Label Punch and adhere to Early Espresso card stock.  Adhere to page using Stampin' Dimensionals.
    6. Journal using Old Olive Stampin' Write Marker.
    That is our third Make and Take project from Regionals.  Starting to wish you had been there?  As a participant in Regionals, there is a special recruiting promotion just for attendees of regionals.  If you sign up now and join my team, you will get the Garden Gala Tote for free along with a free stamp set that will not be available until the Occasions Mini promotion begins.  Email me for more details!

    God Bless and Happy Stampin'!
    Charity

    Friday, November 5, 2010

    Portland Regionals Make and Takes - Flower Medallion Card

    The second project from Regionals that I'm going to share is the Flower Medallion Card also using the Day of Gratitude stamp set.  Note, this card can easily be adapted to another holiday by changing the colors.

    To complete this card you will need the following:

    Supplies:
    • Stamps:  Day of Gratitude
    • Card Stock and Paper:  Cajun Craze card stock (4" x 8"; scored at 4" and 2 1/8"x5 1/2"), Whisper White (2 3/4"x 2 3/4"), Early Espresso Card Stock (3" x 3")
    • Ink:  Cajun Craze Classic Stampin' Pad and Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad
    • Accessories and Tools:  Pearl Basic Jewels, Snail Adhesive, Mini Glue Dots, Bone Folder, 3/4" Circle Punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig
    Instructions:
    1. Fold Cajun Craze card stock to form card.
    2. Create medallion by stamping flower image four times in Old Olive ink in circular pattern on Whisper White card stock, using Stamp-a-ma-jig for placement.
    3. Adhere Whisper White card stock to Early Espresso textured card stock.  Adhere to Early Espresso card stock to card front.
    4. Stamp medallion image in Cajun Craze ink on Cajun Craze card stock.  Punch out center of image using 3/4" circle punch.
    5. Adhere pearl to center of Cajun Craze circle, and ahhere using Mini Glue Dots.
    More Regional projects to come as the week continues!

    God Bless and Happy Stampin'!
    Charity

    Thursday, November 4, 2010

    Regional Make and Takes - Thank You Sleeve

    As promised, here is the first of five Make and Takes from Portland Regionals.  All of the Make and Takes from Regionals used the Day of Gratitude Stamp set from the Holiday Mini.  This set is good for a variety of projects.

    The first project is a Thank You Sleeve, great for giving small goodies like some yummy chocolates.  For this project you will need:

    • Stamps:  Day of Gratitude
    • Card Stock and Papers:  Very Vanilla Card Stock (2 at 1 7/8" x 2 7/8"), Cajun Craze (8 1/2" x 3"; scored at 2", 4", 6" and 8")
    • Inks:  Cajun Craze Classic Stampin' Pad, Cajun Craze Stampin' Write Marker, Early Espresso Stampin' Write Marker, River Rock Stampin' Write Marker
    • Accessories and Tools:  Medium cellophane bags, Very Vanilla 3/8" tafeta ribbon, linen thread, Stampin' Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots Snail Adhesive, Bone Folder, Decorative Label Punch, and Paper Snips
    Instructions:
    1. Punch hole in one side of the Cajun Craze card stock using Decorative Label Punch.
    2. Use Cajun Craze and River Rock Stampin' Write markers to color acorn image and stamp on Very Vanilla card stock.  Stmap sentiment in Cajun Craze ink below acorn.
    3. Adhere Very Vanilla card stock to Cajun Craze card stock under the punched out Decorative Label cutout image.
    4. Use Cajun Craze and River Rock Stampin' Write Markers to color acorn image and stamp onto the the second piece of Very Vanilla card stock.  Cut out the image and adhere over the other acorn image using Stampin' Dimensionals. 
    5. Fold Cajun Craze card stock to form sleeve and secure flap with Snail Adhesive.
    6. Tie the Very Vanilla ribbon in knot and adhere to front of sleeve using Mini Glue Dot.
    7. Fill cellophane bag with your goodies and tie with linen thread.  Slide bag inside sleeve.
    Come back tomorrow for another project from Regionals!

    God Bless and Happy Stampin'!

    Wednesday, November 3, 2010

    Sound Cards - Every Grandmother's Dream

    When I saw the Sound Cards in the Holiday Mini, I knew instantly that I would be purchasing some just for my mother's and mother-in-law's birthdays.  We recorded, "Happy Birthday!  We love you!" on the cards.  They were a huge hit. 

    As you can see in the catalog, the cards come plain with no embellishment.  The easiest way to decorate is to create a card front and pages for the inside separate from the card and then adhere them to the sound card.  You'll want the speaker and play button to be visible.  To do this, create a template using a clear piece of thin plastic like a window sheet or discarded overhead transparency.  You can even use wax paper.  Cut your template to size (4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inches).  Lay over the inside of the card where your speaker and play/record buttons are.  Use a marker to mark the locations of the buttons and then speaker holes.  Use a circle punch to punch out the areas for the play/record buttons and then use a paper piercing tool to punch the holes for the speaker area.  Now you have a template.  Overlay this template onto the card stock you select for the inside and punch the areas.  Note, you can opt to not punch out the record button if you intend to have a pre-recorded message for the recipient.  However, if you are giving the card to someone who will send on their own, leave the record button visible. 


    First, my mother-in-law's card-
    Supplies:
    • Stamp Sets:  Because I Care, Occasional Quotes
    • Card Stock:  Not Quite Navy, Night of Navy, Whisper White, Garden Green
    • Designer Series Paper:  Newsprint 
    • Ink:  Not Quite Navy, Basic Black
    • Tools and Accessories:  Clear Embossing Powder, Hemp Twine, Basic Pearl Jewels, Dimensionals, 1/2" Circle Punch, Small, Paper Piercing Tool



    And the inside:


    Now for my mom's card, I used the owl from Aviary, each stamped in a different color to represent each member of our family-
    Supplies:


    • Stamp Sets: Aviary, Occasional Quotes, Paisley Prints, Pick A Petal, Full of Life
    • Card Stock: Baja Breeze, Daffodil Delight
    • Ink: Pear Pizzazz, Pacific Point, Melon Mambo, Real Red, Concord Crush, Peach Parfait
    • Tools and Accessories: Twill Tape, Dimensionals, 1/2" Circle Punch, Small, Paper Piercing Tool, Modern Label Punch, Crimper

     
     
     
    And the inside:
     
    The sound cards are well worth the $5.95.  I plan to buy extras to have on hand as we have more birthdays coming- Grandpas, aunts, etc.  The card itself is a gift!

    God Bless and Happy Stampin'!
    Charity

    Tuesday, November 2, 2010

    Sympathy Card

    I usually only make sympathy cards when I need one and as such, I rarely post them here.  However, I recently needed to make for a friend and I liked the way the layout turned out so much that I asked her permission to post it here. 

    For this card, I used:
    • Stamp Sets:  Day of Gratitude (Holiday Mini), Very Versatile (Retired, Inside Sentiment)
    • Card Stock:  Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, Cajun Craze
    • Designer Series Paper:  Autumn Spice Specialty
    • Classic Stamp Pads:  Early Espresso, Cajun Craze
    • Accessories and Tools:  5/8" Old Olive Grosgrain Ribbon, Paper Piercing Tool and Mat Pack, Dimensionals, Basic Pearls Jewels
    Here is the inside of the card which shows the sentiment that I used from Very Versatile.

    You can easily change the sentiments and use this design for Thanksgiving or other fall themed cards.

    God Bless and Happy Stampin'!
    Charity

    Monday, November 1, 2010

    Harvest Candles

    For a recent class, I decided to create the candles on page 11 of the Holiday Mini.  They are very easy to make and the end result is a nice but inexpensive gift for a friend. 

    Supplies:
    • Stamp Sets:  Paisley Prints
    • Inks:  Versamark
    • Card Stock:  Cajun Craze, More Mustard
    • Champagne Glass Glitter
    • Tombow Multipurpose Liquid Glue
    • Hemp Twine
    • Sponge
    These candles are super simple to make.  Apply the liquid glue to the candle and spread along the bottom of the candle, creating gentle waves.  Sprinkle the glitter all around covering the entire surface.  Allow to dry. 

    While the glue dries, stamp a leaf on Cajun Craze and More Mustard card stock using Versamark and the Paisley Prints stamp set.  Cut out the leaves and distress by crinkling and rubbing on the edge of the table.  Once the glue is dry, tie the leaves onto the candle using the hemp twine.  After we packaged in a clear cellophane bag and tied with some ribbon.

    We plan to use some of these as Thanksgiving gifts for the kids' teachers.  Just letting them know that we are thankful to have great teachers for our kids. 

    God Bless and Happy Stampin'!
    Charity