Where a CASE can go ...

We made the top left "honey" card at my last Stamp-A-Stack. I totally needed inspiration that day, so I completely CASED this card by what's_her_name on scs. And, I loved it! But I had a bunch of leftovers from the event, and this weekend I stamped through them. That original card led to the next three, then I changed the card orientation, and came up with the next two ... all out of the same buch of pre-cut supplies.

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STAMP SET: JUST BUZZIN BY; CARDSTOCK: REGAL ROSE, WHISPER WHITE (PLAIN & TEXTURED), KRAFT, CAMEO CORAL, RASPBERRY TART DSDP; INK: BASIC BLACK, OLD OLIVE, REGAL ROSE, CAMEO CORAL, CREAMY CARAMEL & CLOSE TO COCOA SW MARKERS; ACCESSORIES: CRYSTAL EFFECTS, DAZZLING DIAMOND GLITTER, KIWI KISS SATIN RIBBON, KRAFT TAFFETA, ROSE GINGHAM.

January's Stack

Here are the cards from my monthly Stamp-A-Stack last week. Aren't they adorable? I would like to credit what's_her_name for the pink Buzzin' By layout and bkeenan256 for the Love You Much layout on the top left. The top right card is my version of the Love You Much card on page 27 of the SS09 Catty. The Bugs and Kisses card is using the color scheme Retro Fresh Style Watch. Of note, the Inspired by Nature set, used in the bottom center card, is one of the many sets on the Dormant List. Thanks, gals, for coming & working with the last minute schedule change. I had a blast!

If YOU would like to join our next Stamp-A-Stack (or other stampin' event), join my new MeetUp group! where you can RSVP, prepay & track future events.

Inspired by Stamp Club

I've said it before, but I love getting inspired for my Stamp Club gals. They're so sweet & fun & give me something to stamp for every month. Miss you Terri - feel better soon Rhoda! I'm just in love with these colors & the Inspired by Nature stamp set. Shame it took me so long to start using it. And, YES - it's another shaker card! LOL. I can't seem to stop. But putting real thistle seeds in there just made me giddy. Such a bright beautiful sight in the middle of this super cold winter week. ************************************************* STAMP SET: INSPIRED BY NATURE, AIDA CLOTH BG; CARDSTOCK: PINK PIROUETTE, ROSE RED, CHOCOLATE CHIP, VERY VANILLA; INK: ON CARD, PRETTY IN PINK, ROSE RED, ALWAYS ARTICHOKE, CHOCOLATE CHIP SW MARKER; ON TILE, ROSE RED, ALWAYS ARTICHOKE, CLOSE TO COCOA, CERTAINLY CELERY & BASIC BLACK CRAFT

Pretty Monkey Swap

For all the sock monkey doubters - you have to admit ... this is one pretty monkey. Subtle colors, flirty eyelashes, pearl earrings, and a flower behind her ear. This is actually my contribution to my Stamp Club Swap - the assignment was to CASE the "thank you" card on page 127 of the Fall/Winter '08 Catty.
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STAMP SET: SOCK MONKEY; CARDSTOCK: CHOCOLATE CHIP, KIWI KISS, VERY VANILLA PLAIN & TEXTURED, & HAWAII PAPAYA DSDP; KRAFT: INK: CHOCOLATE CHIP AND CLOSE TO COCOA & CREAMY CARAMEL SW MARKERS; ACCESSORIES: DOUBLE STITCHED CHOCOLATE RIBBON; PUNCHES; FLOWER FUSION; STYLED VANILLA HODGEPODGE BRADS; WHITE GEL PEN

Dream Big, Baby

This is my masterpiece for today. I made if for my DH, while he was off taking his oral and practical exams for a Commercial Pilot Rating. It's been a long time coming - he's studied and flown for almost as many hours and I've spent stamping!!! I'm so proud of my man.

The plane is a retired set, By Air. I hand drew the outlines, cut out & embossed the prop, put glassy glaze on the little windows to make them pop out. Inside it says "live big."
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STAMP SETS: LOADS OF LOVE ACCESSORIES; BY AIR; THINK BIG; CARDSTOCK: SAHARA SAND, OLD OLIVE, BAHA BREEZE, WHISPER WHITE; INK: SAHARA SAND, BAJA BREEZE, SW MARKERS; ACCESSORIES: SCALLOP EDGE PUNCH, RED BRAD, SU RIBBON.

Princess Monkey

I am on such a shaker card kick!!! Made this gussied-up Sock Monkey for a friends DD's birthday. Pretty eyelashes, earrings, smiling cheeks, and bling on the crown - this monkey is kind of purty, don't you think?
************************************************************************************* STAMP SET: SOCK MONKEY & ACCESSORIES - CROWN IS FROM RET. UNFROGETTABLE; CARDSTOCK: REGAL ROSE, PINK PIROUETTE, BASIC BLACK, WHISPER WHITE; INK: BLACK STAZ-ON, GOING GREY, PRETTY IN PINK & YOYO YELLOW SW MARKERS; ACCESSORIES: FIRE SQUARE RHINESTONES, WIDE PINK PIROUETTE RIBBON, WHITE GEL PEN, TOP NOTE DIE, WHITE GEL PEN, RECLAIMED PLASTIC FOR WINDOW SHEET

Shake-it Bear

I wasn't going to post this ... because autumn colors and leaves are "out of season" and all ... but I couldn't help myself. It's my very latest & greatest. I'm on a shaker card kick after the Sock Monkey below. For the longest time, I avoided even trying shaker cards - they looked soooo complicated, but guess what?! They're not that tough after all! The hardest part of this one was creating the little leaves - they're stamped on shrinkey dink, colored, cut out, and baked. But, they're perfect, don't you think?

The inspiration here is my dad (Ted - aka T-Bear) who spent his weekend raking leaves with his kids and grandkids. I live too far away to have been there, so I suppose this is my way to participate vicariously.
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STAMP SET: UNDER THE STARS, AUTUMN HARVEST, CANVAS BG; CARDSTOCK: MORE MUSTARD, CLOSE TO COCOA, WHISPER WHITE; INK: MORE MUSTARD, CHOCOLATE CHIP; ACCESSORIES: WATERCOLOR PENCILS, RET. HARDWARE, DOUBLE STITCHED CHOCOLATE CHIP RIBBON, SHRINKEY DINK, AND THE WINDOW IS FROM A RECYCLED CLAMSHELL BOX!

HAPPY NEW YEAR ... of stampin!

Well - one of the most wonderful holiday seasons ever is over. I didn't mail as many hand-made cards (complete with adorable current family pictures) out as I wanted. But, I stamped my tush off and made some adorable gifts for family & friends. Even better, I was blessed with the wonderful, warm chaos of tons & tons of family - mom, dad, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, friends, dogs ... the works! I am so grateful for every minute of it!!!

But, it's over, and the New Year is here! Yippee!!! I've gotten a great start on a couple of my resolutions already! I worked out, called some friends I've mean to call, spent 1-on-1 time with my son, spent a morning stamping, and blogged a post! 2009 is lookin' good already!
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STAMP SET: SOCK MONKEY, CHEERS TO YOU, HOLIDAYS & WISHES: CARDSTOCK: BASIC BLACK, GOING GRAY, WHISPER WHITE; INK: STAZ ON BLACK AND PINK PASSION, PRETTY IN PINK, & SO SAFFRON SW MARKERS; ACCESSORIES: CHUNKY GLITTER, WHITE GEL PEN, RIBBON ORIGINALS (RET)

"But I'm not a Christmas Set!"

All this blogging must really be subconscious procrastination of my endless list of projects, including: our own family Christmas Cards (to make, address, write in, take pictures for, and mail), gifts, thank you notes, club projects, etc. But, what the heck ... I want to post a few non-Christmas-sets. I just love when I learn how to use a stamp set in an "out-of-the-clamshell-case" kind of way. This is a case of a card by detour3 on scs. There is a gold embossed sentiment inside.
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STAMP SET: DOODLE THIS; INK: VERSAMARK; CARDSTOCK: HANDSOME HUNTER, REAL RED, BRUSHED GOLD; ACCESSORIES: CORNER NOTCH PUNCH, GOLD EP, BRADS.

Christmas Card*inal, Take 4

This was our Stamp Club project from last night ... and my last take on a Cardinal Christmas for a while. I've been truly inspired by this set, and have used it SO MUCH. It's one of those absolute classics for me - I hope it makes it into the new catalog! For this technique, stamp the holly image in VersaMark on a Pacific Point panel, dust with Winter White Embossing Powder, and use the heating tool to set the embossing powder. Then, appy VersaMark over the entire panel, and emboss with Irridescent Ice Embossing Powder. It's so beautiful & shimmery in real life!**************************************
STAMP SET: A CARDINAL CHRISTMAS; INK: VERSAMARK, BAJA BREEZE; CARDSTOCK: BAJA BREEZE, PACIFIC POINT, WHISPER & SHIMMERY WHITE; ACCESSORIES: TICKET CORNER PUNCH, VINTAGE BRADS, JOIN THE CHEER DECORATIVE STRIP DIE

Christmas Card*inal, Take 3

Here's a suprisingly lovely no-layer card. The reverse masking technique and tear of the right-hand edge give it dimension that belies the fact that there are no layers to this card. I threw a bunch of these together for a door prize.

For the reverse masking, make a mask by cutting an oval out of the center of a card-front sized piece of scrap cardstock. Place this mask on your cardfront, and hold in place while you sponge Old Olive onto the card. Keeping the mask in place, stamp an image - I used the holly stamp and kept the Old Olive color light by stamping off once onto scrap, then stamping inside the oval. Then, just remove the mask, and stamp a focal image in a darker color on top.
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STAMP SET: A CARDINAL CHRISTMAS
CARDSTOCK: NATURAL WHITE
INK: OLD OLIVE, BASIC BLACK
ACCESSORIES: OLD OLIVE POLYTWILL RIBBON

Christmas Card*inal, Take 2

I really LOVE this card. I can't put my finger on it, but it's lovely, classy, and simple!! It's a CASE of a KristaTracy card I saw on scs. I used Real Red, double stitched Chocolate Chip ribbon and a Botique button. The Top Note Die for my SU Big Shot cuts this lovely Kraft panel in no time!!!
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STAMP SET: A CARDINAL CHRISTMAS
CARDSTOCK: REAL RED, KRAFT
INK: REAL RED & CHOCOLATE CHIP CLASSIC
ACCESSORIES: TOP NOTE DIE, DOUBLE STITCHED CHOCOLATE CHIP RIBBON, BUTTON BOTIQUE

Christmas Card*inal, Take 1

Thanksgiving is over, and Christmastime is officially here!!! But I know I'd better get a move-on with my projects. My usual crafting time has been drastically cut back this year. My son's 8th birthday (& party) is coming up next week, we're having a SIL and her 3 kids stay in town for over a week, my Stamp Club to prepare for, family Christmas Pictures to take & develop, and 40 cards to stamp and send. Plus, there's the decorating, wrapping & mailing of gifts. Yikes.

But I'm still not set on a design. Here's Take 1 - a Free Standing Pop Up Card, and I've wanted to try one forever, but it looked too complicated. Guess what?! It's really VERY simple, thanks to this splitcoaststampers tutorial . I've used my favorite set from the Holiday Mini - A Cardinal Christmas - and a Faux Stained Glass Technique.
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STAMP SET: A CARDINAL CHRISTMAS
CARDSTOCK: OLD OLIVE, BASIC BLACK, WHISPER WHITE, VELLUM CARDSTOCK
INK: OLD OLIVE, CHOCOLATE CHIP, REAL RED, SO SAFFRON SW MARKERS
ACCESSORIES: OLD OLIVE WIDE GROSGRAIN RIBBON, BLACK HEMP TWINE, BLACK DETAIL EMBOSSING POWDER, HEAT TOOL, STICKY STRIP

Elf Packaging

There are genius stampers out there ... with artistic eyes that can look at the Bag on a Box pattern below ... and translate it into the most adorable Santa, Mrs. Claus, and Elf bags. I am not one of those genius ladies ... though I can do a pretty good CASE! I saw these by Patti Lee on splitcoaststampers.com & added real Hodgepodge buckles, Pretties pearls & Boquet buttons. TFS, PattiLee!***************CARDSTOCK: REAL RED, BASIC BLACK, OLD OLIVE, TEXTURED WHISPER WHITE; ACCESSORIES: SCALLOP EDGE, ROUND TAB & SCALLOP CIRCLE PUNCH, KIWI KISS RIBBON, BUTTON BOQUET, BUILD-A-BRAD, PRETTIES KIT

Bag on a Box

Hello, again! I'm back! Here's one of my Stamp Club projects from last week - it's an adorable Bag on a Box Gift Bag. The tutorial came from splitcoaststampers.com resource forum. This is just a simple, easy and FAST project ... and what a way to package your gifts this season.
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CARDSTOCK: REAL RED, BAJA BREEZE, CHOCOLATE CHIP DSDP; ACCESSORIES: BAJA BREEZE STRIPED RIBBON, ROUND TAB PUNCH, SCALLOP EDGE PUNCH, BUILD A BRAD, SNOW FLURRIES, GEL PEN, AND LOTS OF STICKY STRIP!