Mini-Man in Summer Sun

Well, this has to be one of my absolute favorite projects! This is my son, Ranger, dressed as a Lego mini-man.

I color matched the little plastic guy to our exclusive colors and Summer Sun is the perfect mini-figure shade!! The head is a recycled toy packaging, lined with Summer Sun 12" x 12" textured cardstock. I cut out the glasses with my SU Hobby Blade, and put a panel of Whisper White behind the glasses, with holes punched with my 1 3/8" Circle Punch. His hands were free cut, laminated, and then I used coordinating Summer Sun brads to secure elastic to the cardstock. This lazer is Basic Grey!

We all had such fun with this costume - I love my SU! and my adorable mini-man!

MEMORIES (of all sizes) BEGIN WITH THIS

YIPPEE! After long last, I've got an official Crop Night! I've found a small group of fun, friendly girls, and we got together at the neighborhood clubhouse to scrapbook.

I demonstrated a 6" x 6" scrapbook page, and let the other croppers make one of their own. The Bonus Layout on the Demo Website was perfect for these pictures of my happy Reesie-Pie and his favorite pool noodle.

I love putting on events like this, because it challenges me to create - to complete pages & preserve these beautiful memories piling up so fast.

I wanted to take the original page into larger sized layouts. Here, I added pictures of Rylee and Ranger, more rub-ons, chipboard dates and what I think is an awesome circle collage at the bottom - see the textured cardstock, covered chipboard, Build-a-Brad tops, and crystal effects dots.

Next, up to a 12" x 12" layout. Another picture - this time all 3 of my little darlings in the pool together, swimming with those famous noodles. I added Pacific Point stitched ribbon, another half circle, and a few more of my Crystal Effects droplets.

I can't tell which one is my favorite - but I can say I've gotten 3 pages done even BEFORE the crop starts, and I'm pretty happy about that!

STAMP CLUB - August

I'll admit, I hadn't stamped too much since coming home from Convention. We had family trips, appointments, and the back-to-school chaos. There's nothing like an upcoming Stamp Club meeting to get me motivated again.

Here are our stamp club projects - are they gorgeous? The bookmark was a convention project - I just changed up the colors and Designer Papers. The card is a case of the Embrace Life card on page 91 of the Fall/Winter 08 catty - down to the bleaching technique behind the main image. Bleaching our heavywieght cardstock brings a different look to different colors: Blush Blossoms turns white: Sage Shadow turns a perfect vanilla; and apparently Not Quite Navy turns grey! It's a fun technique to experiment with.
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STAMP SET: EASTERN BLOOMS, CARDSTOCK: NOT QUITE NAVY, BASIC GREY, KIWI KISS, WHISPER WHITE; INK: BASIC GREY, KIWI KISS, BAJA BREEZE; ACCESSORIES: BASIC GRAY TAFFETA RIBBON, BUTTON BOUQUET, CRYSTAL EFFECTS

New Catty Glee

Well, I know I've been quiet lately. Don't want to bore you all with my trips, travels, turmoils. Just now getting around to posting some of my convention pictures. Here's my mom and I, pouring over the beautiful, brand-new Catalog. See how happy it makes us?!

HAPPY DEMO DAY

This was NOT the card we weres supposed to make at today's Stamp-A-Stack. You see, I'd spent a whole week researching, designing, and preparing projects for this class. I even had a whole Faux Wood project (20 of 'em) cut and prepared to do today. The only thing I was missing was the For Father stamp set from the current Mini. Well, my mom said she had it, and mailed it Priority up from Texas. I should have known better than to count my chickens before they hatched (or, stamps before they were inked). Anyway, when Mom's mailer arrived, I found Dad's Day, instead of For Father. Oh, no!!! An absolutely different style: watercoloring classics vs. modern bold. I was in trouble. My prepped material wouldn't work with this set. I was going to have to come up with something new altogether. I went to bed super-worried, but woke up with the idea of reworking this template from swente with a color combo I liked from the last Stampin' Success. So, here it is - my last-minute save that turned into my fave of the day.
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STAMP SET: DAD'S DAY: CARDSTOCK: MORE MUSTARD, BASIC GRAY, BASIC BLACK; INK: MORE MUSTARD, BASIC GRAY; ACCESSORIES: SPIRAL & DESIGNER LABEL BUNCHES, JERSEY RIBBON ORIGINAL

BROCADE - revised

I asked for the critique, and I sure got some. I was going to give up on this card and never look back again, but I just couldn't. So, I took my stamp camp leftovers, and changed the Ugly Duckling a bit.
BECCA'S TIP: MOVE SENTIMENT TO THE RIGHT, SO THE WORDS FLOW TOGETHER BETTER; LYNDA'S TIP: TIGHTEN UP THE THREE POINTS OF INTEREST TO MAKE A "TRIANGLE OF INTEREST" THAT'S EASIER ON THE EYE ... AND TONE DOWN THE RIBBON; CAROL'S TIP: RECONSIDER THE COLORS (OR QUANTITY OF EACH). *THERE IS A GALLON/QUART/PINT RULE TO COLOR COMBOS. JENNIFER & MARA'S THOUGHTS: THE ORIGINAL WAS GOOD (OR SALVAGABLE?) So, just like the dancers from DWTS, I applied the critique. I do think this one is better. Do you?

UGLY DUCKLING?

Okay, I've got to know ... what do *you* think of this card?!

It was my Stamp Club design for the month. I was trying to accomplish three things here: 1) use a challenging, different color combination, 2) feature chipboard, as it's on sale this month, and 3) demonstrate a new technique called Grid Technique. It's different, granted - but I still think it's kind of cool.
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STAMP SET: BAROQUE MOTIFS, WONDERFUL FAVORITES; CARDSTOCK: PURELY POMEGRANITE, BRAVO BURGANDY, OLD OLIVE, PALE PLUM, VERY VANILLA, KRAFT; INK: PURELY POMEGRANITE, PALE PLUM & OLD OLIVE CLASSIC; BRAVO BURGANDY CRAFT; ACCESSORIES: ON BOARD ACCENTS, IRR. ICE EP, PEWTER HH & JUMBO EYELETS, GROSGRAIN RIBBON, & SU! PUNCHES

TUG, TUG DADDY!

Our stamp club challenge was to CASE the card on page 44 of the catty. Here's my take - a colorful, fun Father's Day card. Cute, huh?
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STAMP SET: BOATLOADS OF LOVE, WONDERFUL FAVORITES; CARDSTOCK: OLD OLIVE, BASHFUL BLUE (TEXTURED), PUMPKIN PIE, WHISPER WHITE, SUMMPER PICNIC DSDP; INK: BASIC BLACK & OLD OLIVE CLASSIC PAD; GOING GRAY, OLD OLIVE, REAL RED, PUMPKIN PIE, BASHFUL BLUE STAMPIN' WRITE MARKERS; ACCESSORIES: VINTAGE BRADS, PEWTER HODGEPODGE HARDWARE, RED GROSGAIN RIBBON

GENUINE DAD

Here's another Father's Day submission, using the Stamp of Authenticity Stamp Set. I like it's simple & casual thrown-together look ... like I just went out to the garage for the rivets and labels and twine! The rectangle around the "D" is actually a window, so when you open the card, there's the library card panel, with plenty of room for sentiment.
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STAMP SETS: STAMP OF AUTHENTICITY, ROUGH EDGES ALPHA; CARDSTOCK: ALWAYS ARTICHOKE, MARIGOLD MORNING (RET), REALLY RUST KRAFT, VERY VANILLA; ACCESSORIES: BRADS, EYELETS, BLACK GROSGRAIN, HEMP TWINE, PAPER PIERCING TOOL & TEMPLATE

FATHER'S DAY FLAIR

I messed up Mother's Day. That's the truth - just completely blew it! That's usually one of my most stamp-a-riffic holidays. I love sending hand-stamped cards to my favorite moms - my actual moms, my sistas and SILs, my friends, my customers. But, this year, there was too much going on. I got a few out, but not nearly enough.

So, I'm determined to redeem myself on Father's Day (usually my least-stamped holiday). So, to get the creative juices flowing, I'm starting a Father's Day card series here on the blog. This is my first entry: Father's Day Flair.

I'm in love with this card, so don't dog it. The belt idea is from reneejul1 on splitcoaststampers. The oval shape on the belt end is from the Large Oval Punch. Pocket is a Large Tab Punch. And the "flair?" It's a 1 3/8" Circle Punch embossed three times over with Glassy Glaze EP, and bent in a little in the middle, in an attempt to mimic a campaign/brag button. Did it work?
***************************************************** STAMP SETS: CLASSIC BGS, CANVAS BG, SHORT ORDER #S, WONDERFUL FAVORITES; CARDSTOCK: SOFT SKY, BLUE BAYOU, CREAMY CARAMEL, CHOCOLATE CHIP; INK: SOFT SKY, BLUE BAYOU, CHOCOLATE CHIP; ACCESSORIES: ANTIQUE BRASS HODGEPODGE, 1 3/8" CIRCLE PUNCH, LARGE TAG PUNCH, LARGE OVAL PUNCH

KIND RESIST

I can't believe how long it's been since I stamped. Good think I've got my wonderful stampers club to keep me motivated! This was our card project for Stamp Club this month. We used the gorgeous Essence of Love stamp for this soft & subtle emboss resist technique.

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STAMP SET: ESSENCE OF LOVE

C/S: BASIC GREY, SOFT SKY, WHISPER WHITE, SPRING SILHOUETTES DSDP

INK: BASIC GREY, SOFT SKY, WILD WASABI

ACCESSORIES: WASABI DOUBLE-STITCHED RIBBON, BASIC GREY TAFFETA, PHOTO CORNER PUNCHES, CLEAR EMBOSSING POWDER & VERSAMARK

HEARTFELT BROCCOLI

This was my 6" x 6" recipe card for a swap this month. This curry broccoli salad is fantastic, by the way, but I'm really posting to brag about how I made this broccoli bunch from the Heartfelt Thanks stamp set! Who would have thunk it?! It's a darn good version of the real thing, wouldn't you agree?! I'm amazed by how truly versatile this set can be, and now you can add broccoli to the list of cool uses for it!

THE BIG 4.0

I don't think 40 is really "over the hill" anymore, do you? It's more like "almost on top of the world." I mean, by the time you're 40, you've got the kinks worked out of life, you've got a good job, you've found a mate, the kids are out of diapers, you've probably even scored a home and a 401K. Life's just gettin' good! (At least, that's what I'm counting on!) I made this for a wonderful friend's hubby. Hope he likes it ... just as soon as he recovers from the party & opens it!
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SS: LOADS OF LOVE, LOL ACCESSORIES, HEADLINE ALPHA #S, 'BIG' FROM RETIRED SET
CS: WILD WASABI, BASIC BLACK, BASIC GREY, WHISPER WHITE
INK: WILD WASABI, BASIC BLACK, BASIC GREY, VERSAMARK
ACCESSORIES: WHITE GEL PEN, CLEAR EMBOSSING POWDER, SW MARKERS, BLENDER PENS

HOKIE DREAM

It's been a super-busy week, what with the kids home from Spring Break, a family gathering, Easter, yardwork, tax returns, etc. But, I had good cause to stamp today ... my SIL's birthday. She and my brother are die-hard Virginia Tech Hokies ... so it's only fitting I create a special "Hokie Dream" card for her. Pumpkin Pie and Bravo Burgandy are the absolute perfect colors for my alma mater. Happy birthday, Cathy!!
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STAMP SETS: LIVE YOUR DREAM
INK: BRAVO BURGANDY, PUMPKIN PIE, & OLD OLIVE STAMPIN WRITE MARKERS
CARDSTOCK: BRAVO BURGANDY, PUMPKIN PIE, VERY VANILLA, KRAFT
ACCESSORIES: PUMPKIN GROSGRAIN RIBBON, RIBBON ORIGINALS (RETIRED), HODGEPODGE HARDWARE

BUNDLE OF JOY

What's a SU! demo to get for the mom-to-be who has everything? Well, hand-stamped announcements, of course! I made a set of these little beauties for a great friend. 136 punched corners, sponged sides, 136 eyelets & brads, 34 hoard-able flower slides, 408 dollops of glue & glitter ... you bet she's a great friend! Congrats, Terri!

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STAMP SET: BUNDLE OF JOY (RETIRED)

INK: WILD WASABI, BASIC BROWN, CLOSE TO COCOA & PRETTY IN PINK

CARDSTOCK: WILD WASABI TEXTURED, CLOSE TO COCOA & PRETTY IN PINK, WHISPER WHITE

ACCESSORIES: WASABI DOUBLE -STITCHED RIBBON, PINK TAFFETA RIBBON, FLOWER SLIDE (FROM THE *NEW* STYLED SILVER HODGEPODGE HARDWARE), SILVER EYELETS. PLUS A TIDGE OF DAZZLING DIAMONDS GLITTER