2011 Class Schedule

I've finally planned our schedule for 2011.  Mark your calendars and invite your friends!

February 11, 6:00 PM- Sweets for Your Sweet!  Valentine Treat Box and Card*, Workshop Fee: $10
March 4, 6:00 PM-  Faux Silk Technique, Workshop Fee: $5
April 15, 6:00 PM-  Stamped Candle with Coordinating Card, Workshop Fee:  $10
May 13, 6:00 PM-  Simply Adorned Inserts (3) or Card, Workshop Fee:  $5
June 10, 6:00 PM-  Clear Envelope Brag Book, Workshop Fee: $10
July 8, 6:00 PM- New Catalog Open House, Mystery Hostess Night**
August 5, 6:00 PM-  5 for $5 Birthday Cards, Workshop Fee:  $5
September 16, 7:00 PM- Halloween/Fall Fun*, Workshop Fee:  $10
October 21, 7:00 PM-  Legal Pad Wish List, Workshop Fee:  $10
November 18, 6:00 PM-  Thankful for YOU Open House, Mystery Hostess Night**
December 5, 6:00 PM- Grab and Go Gift Tags, $5

*Classes with a seasonal theme will have an alternate stamp for the project completion if you choose not to do the seasonal project.
**Mystery Hostess Nights are free and include chances for you to earn hostess benefits for the evening.

All classes will be held in my home, please email me to RSVP.  If you can not attend any of these classes but are still interested in the projects, host a show in that same month and we'll do the same projects for you and your guests.

As always, you have an opportunity to attend any class for free by doing the following:
1.  Bringing a friend.
2.  Setting a date for your own workshop or catalog show.
3.  Placing and order for merchandise (must meet a minimum based on the workshop fee)

Visit my calendar for more class details and information.

God Bless and Happy Stampin'
Charity

Puddin' Head Baby

I've had some patterns sitting in my closet for years.  I bought them on sale with plans to one day make them and then I started stamping...  Now that Stampin' Up! has come out with fabrics, I've dusted off the old sewing machine and started looking through these old patterns to see what I could make.  Since the Candy Cane Lane and Deck the Halls fabrics are on the carry over list and still available for purchase, I decided to use up some of the fabric I have on hand to show off the versatility.  Yes, Virginia, you can make more than Christmas ornaments with Stampin' Up! Fabrics!

So here is the first of what I hope might be several fabric projects.  A cute Puddin' Head Baby Doll.  This doll is made using Simplicity Pattern 5015.  I also made a blanket using four scallop squares cut with the Big Shot.   I used the small polka dot print for the sleeper and the stripe for the blanket.  I also used some muslin and some pink flannel to compliment the Stampin' Up! fabrics.  I also used some doll yarn for the hair (no idea how that found it's way into my closet!)  I tied her hair up with some Real Red 1/4 inch ribbon.

Originally Tessa and I talked about giving this doll to my mom who collects and makes dolls, but once she was done, Tessa was in love and asked to keep her.  So, she is now Tessa's doll (Sorry, Mom).  The other three also want something so you are are sure to seem more projects.  And, I think should probably start on another one for my mom.  Good thing the pattern has a few different styles.


God bless and for today, happy stitchin'!

Charity

Oh Sew Suite Birthday

We have two birthdays in December, Isabel and Phoebe.  Yesterday, I shared Phoebe's invitations, favors and party fun.  Today, I'm going to share Isabel's invitations.  We always try to move one party into January to allow for a little space between the parties and the girls just alternate who takes January.  We always joke that every other year, one of them gets two parties and the other gets none.  So, Isabel's party is planned for later this month and she wants to have a Fashion Party.  The Oh Sew Suite items in the new Occasions Mini along with the Chic Boutique Stamp Set are just perfect for her party.

For the invitations, I used:

• Card Stock: Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight, Chocolate Chip, and Very Vanilla
• Stamp Sets:  Fundamental Phrases, Chic Boutique, and Pattern Pieces
• Classic Stampin' Pads:  Early Espresso, Melon Mambo
• Accessories: Fabric Designer Brads, Sweet Stitches Rub-Ons, Basic Jewel Rhinestones, Stampin' Write Markers
• Non-Stampin' Up Items:  White Tissue Paper

For the front of the invitation, I stamped the Pattern Pieces repeatedly on the white tissue paper.  After this was done, I glued it to the front of the Melon Mambo card stock.   I stamped the dressing doll from Chic Boutique and then Isabel colored them all with Stampin' Write Markers using the colors from the rub-ons and brads.  I layered that onto the Chocolate Chip and Daffodil Delight card stocks and added the brad on the corner.  I stamped the frame in Melon Mambo and cut that by hand, embellishing with the jewels. 

On the back, Isabel had a stroke of brilliance and suggested that we use the rub-ons to make it look like the party information was pinned to the invitation.  So, after I printed the information onto Very Vanilla, I mounted it to Chocolate Chip card stock and then added the pins, one on the top and one on the bottom.  I also stamped the Eiffel Tower to the back of the invitation.

I'll be sure to post the details of the party and fun later this month!

God Bless and Happy Stampin'!
Charity

Eat Chocolate

Somewhere in the flurry of all the Christmas activities, we had a birthday party for Phoebe.  Her theme, CHOCOLATE.   I think I gained 5 lbs just thinking about it!  We had a cake that looked like a giant chocolate truffle, chocolate covered pretzels and popcorn, chocolate games, and a chocolate fountain.  We even used chocolate bars for her invitation. 

This invitation was inspired by some of the chocolate bar covers/labels that many folks have done.  We used a regular size chocolate bar.  In addition to the chocolate bar, you will need the following items for this invitation:

• Card Stock:  Tempting Turquoise, Chocolate Chip and Whisper White
• Classic Stampin' Pads:  Chocolate Chip and Tempting Turquoise
• Accessories:  Clear Tinsel Trim, Frost White Shimmer Paint, White Gel Pen, Basic Rhinestone Jewels
• Stamp Sets:  Afterthoughts, Playful Pieces, and Pick a Petal
• Punches:  1 3/4 x 7/8 Oval, Scallop Oval, 1/2" Circle, Scallop Trim Border, Pinking Heart Border

Phoebe's entire party was very much inspired by the Eat Chocolate set in the new Occasions Mini but my set had not yet arrived when I was working on the invitations so I decided to improvise a bit.  We decorated the Tempting Turquoise card stock using the Pick a Petal flower centers- solid circles done with Tempting Turquoise stampin' pad and open ones using Chocolate Chip.  I created Chocolate Chip bands punching along both sides with the Scallop Trim Border Punch.  I layered a Tempting Turquoise band on top that was stamped with the squiggle line from Playful Pieces.  I used Afterthoughts for the sentiment, stamping onto Tempting Turquoise and punched it with my oval punch and layered that onto the scallop oval punched from Chocolate Chip.  The tag was tied to the band with the Clear Tinsel Trim (which is no longer available).  This took care of the front of the invitation.

For the back, I created a little mini card with the party details.  I liked the little checklist in the Eat Chocolate set so using My Digital Studio, I created a similar checklist that had the following tasks:  "Eat Chocolate, Go to Phoebe's Party, All of the Above."  Of course, "all of the above" was checked.  This was printed onto the Tempting Turquoise and attached to the mini Chocolate Chip card.  The card opened up to reveal the party details.  I used a little jewel rhinestone as an embellishment.  I also wanted a little truffle so I did a little punch art.  I punched strips of Whisper White with the Pinking Hearts Border punch and then cut at an angle to make a little candy wrapper.  I brushed the Frost White Shimmer paint onto the little mini wrappers.  I punched 1/2" circles from chocolate chips for my truffles and used the gel pen to make a little swirl on top. 

I continued the theme with her cake:

I used one of those super large cupcake pans to make the truffle and put melted chocolate on the top so it even had a hard candy shell.  I drizzled melted chocolate along the edges and used it for the writing.

For the party favors, I found the Serendipity Frozen Hot Chocolate Recipe online and packaged up the dry ingredients layering them in a plastic bag.  I attached a chocolate coated plastic spoon and the following recipe card created in My Digital Studio:

I exported the recipe cards to a jpeg image and printed at the local drugstore.  I downloaded pictures of the Serendipity Frozen Hot Chocolate and restaurant from the web. 

For the party bags, I used the Baskets and Blooms Die Cut to make little baskets.  I made tags using the long awaited Eat Chocolate set which arrived a few days before the party and tied those to handle on one side.  On the other side, I used the flower I punched with the basket.  We filled the baskets with the Frozen Hot Chocolate mix, a dessert themed silly band, straw, and sparkle pencil. 

For activities, I let the girls make photo frames using the Eat Chocolate set and some of the retired designer series paper I have.  Then, they played "Minute to Win It" playing crazy chocolate themed games with only a minute, made some chocolates and made chocolate lip gloss.  The girls all had a great time and Phoebe loved her party.

God Bless and Happy Stampin'!
Charity

It's Time for the Occasions Mini

Here is my first project using a stamp set from the new Occasions Mini Catalog.    I used her design and followed her tutorial for the most part, but I made some changes to the process.  This card uses the Valentine Defined Set, which I just love.  It made me think of my inlaws because for some inexplicable reason, my father-in-law likes those pink lawn flamingos and once bought some for my mother-in-law.  So, I bought the set with plans to make an anniversary card for them.  This project is inspired/CASEd from one by Michelle Zindorf.  The changes I made to the process are as follows:

• I left my moon as the original Whisper White card stock.
• I used Daffodil Delight, So Saffron and Tangerine Tango to create my sunset sky.  Applied in that order.
• As I applied my Daffodil Delight with my brayer, I went side to side rather than from the top and bottom.  I just found it applied more evenly for me.  When I added the So Saffron, I applied from the top and then the bottom. 
• I did not use the brayer for the Tangerine Tango, I only sponged the Tangerine Tango into the desired areas.  Again, I was having trouble getting the brayer to give me an even look.  The transitions were coming out too abrupt.
• Since my moon would be white, I wanted a bit of a white reflection in my water.  So, in the middle of the card, I added some Whisper White ink using a sponge.  I started wide at the top of the water, working the sponge back and forth over my card stock and getting thinner as I got to the bottom.

Once I had my sunset sky and reflection in the water, I followed Michelle's design and process for the flamingos and plants.  I decided not to cut the card apart and do the window effect as I had a smaller image than Michelle.  I also stamped the word Love using the same stamp set and punched it with an oval punch.  I adhered it down folding over the edge of the image.  I then mounted it all to Basic Black card stock for the card base.

Thanks to Michelle for her great tutorial and idea.  It was really a perfect way to use these flamingos and I hope I did justice to the original!

God Bless and Happy Stampin'!
Charity