diagonal embossed stripes

I have TWO cute Halloween projects and a fun technique to share today - woohoo!  :} 

If you've been reading for a while, you know I love texture on my paper-crafting projects. Embossing Folders are an easy way to add great texture, and I especially love when they become multi-taskers in my craft room (any Alton Brown fans out there?).  On this card, I used both the Chevron and the Stripes Embossing Folders!  :}  

All I had to do to make the diagonal embossed stripes is lay the 1-3/4" x 4-1/4" strip of More Mustard card stock at an angle inside the Embossing Folder before running it through the Big Shot - easy peasy! I like how it coordinates with the diagonal stripes on the DSP (Howlstooth & Scaringbone).  

And here's what the diagonal embossed stripes look like on a bookmark: 

A great gift for the grade school librarian, don't you think??  :} 

That pretty much wraps up my Halloween projects... did I make you want the Tricky Treats stamp set yet???  ;)  
Oh, I do have one more Halloween project to share... a freebie on my Facebook Page!  Happy Halloween!!!  :}

Happy Hallow-Wing!

Good morning! I hope you had a nice weekend. Mine was fabulous! On Saturday, we spent the day with the Cub Scouts hiking, fishing, working on achievements, etc. I took Aaron with me, and we had the most wonderful hike together while Ben was off with his den. I can't wait to share some of the pics! Sunday was such a beautiful day, and we spent our time outdoors again. My brother's family,  my parents, and my little clan spent some time at a nature center. I'm looking forward to scrapping those pics, too. 

I have the cutest Halloween card to share today. I love the cute, fun parts of Halloween - not the gory, bloody, creepy stuff - and this bat (Tricky Treats stamp set) is definitely cute!

His goofy eyes and big teeth just make me giggle. I really like the polka dot DSP (Howlstooth & Scaringbone), so I repeated the pattern using the Polka Dot Embossing Folder on the Basic Gray card stock layer. 

Some other fun details include the Rhinestone (colored with a black Sharpie), and the Striped Satin Ribbon. But my favorite little details are the "fang-bite" marks, which I made with the 1/16" Circle punch.   **TIP: use Dimensionals to adhere the "bitten" layer over a light colored card stock so that the holes are more visible. (They are much easier to see in real life, of course.) 

After such a great weekend, the rest of my week has a lot to live up to! Monday is off to a good start... I already worked with a small group of sweet 3rd-graders this morning. A teacher waiting in the hallway for some students overheard the end of our reading lesson, and asked me if I was a teacher. That made me both blush and smile. I guess I haven't completely lost my skills after being out of the classroom for so long - yay! Now, just keep your fingers crossed that this thunderstorm moves through quickly and Aaron's field trip isn't rescheduled again. Then my Monday will end happily... muddy, but still fun  :}

eeek! a Halloween card AND a card sketch!

I guess it's my lucky day - Aaron's pumpkin patch field trip was rescheduled for Monday. So far, Monday is supposed to be warmer and dryer - keep your fingers crossed that it stays that way! 
It's your lucky day too, since now I have time to share a cute Halloween card!  :}  

stamp set: Tricky Treats 

DSP: Howlstooth & Scaringbone 

Embossing Folder: Spider Web 

punches: Scallop Edge Border, Extra-Large Tag, 1/16" Circle 

accessories: Basic Black Brad, 7/8" Cotton Ribbon, 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon

You might be thinking you've seen other cards I've made using this layout, and you're right! I love it for a quick, simple card. And just to get those creative juices going for the weekend, here's the sketch and a few digital examples: 

Hmmmm... I just got an idea for a Christmas card using this sketch. Off to the stamping space! Have a fabulous weekend, and as always, Happy Stamping!!  :}

creating a new border

Did you ever have one of those days that time seems to be moving in "fast forward" and you feel like you spend the whole day running to catch up? Today was kinda like that for me... just not enough hours in the day! It didn't help that I've made three trips to the Post Office in the past two days. I had some packages to mail to my downline, so I went out yesterday afternoon to the village Post Office, where at 4:02pm I learned they close at 4pm. Now, I could have driven into town to a larger Post Office, and I should have looked at ALL of the posted hours... but I didn't. Apparently, as I learned today at 11:15am, they close during part of the day for lunch. Good grief. Third trip was a charm! Between this errand, all the others, and a volunteer stop at the grade school this afternoon, I'm thinking that I have a slow leak in one of my tires - grrrr! Well, at least I have something really neat to share with you today!! 

This quick and easy Halloween card uses some of my favorites (Howlstooth & Scaringbone DSP, Tricky Treats stamp set). The layout is simple and easy to duplicate - I made it fun and interesting with just a few details. Distressing the edges of the More Mustard card stock adds great texture, aaaand... 

check out that awesome border!!! It's stinkin' cute, and ridiculously easy. I just punched out two pieces of Tangerine Tango card stock using the Curly Label punch, cut them in half, and adhered them behind the More Mustard card stock. Easy Peasy! LOVE IT!!!!! Yes, it's these simple little moments that make me sparkle  ;)  

Well, it's time for me to get the kids ready for bed. And I'd better turn in early myself... I'm working in the school library in the morning, and then chaperoning Aaron's field trip to a pumpkin patch in the afternoon. Just wondering... why is it always cold and rainy every time I'm with a class field trip outside?  sigh
Time to break out the long-johns!  :P

shoebox swap - part 1

Do you remember that cute little Halloween treat bag I posted earlier? Well, here's an even more adorable version, designed by one of my side-lines, Laura. I think you'll agree that Laura's design is super, super cute!!

Last week, at my upline's team meeting, we had a "shoebox swap." Each of us brought a project and the supplies to make it for each team member. Laura designed this treat bag using the Ghoulish Googlies Bundle. 
The glassine bag is dry embossed using the Spider Web Embossing Folder. I love the three little strips of Howlstooth & Scaringbone DSP tucked behind the tag! And well, who can resist that cute little googly eye??!! I filled the bag with some candy corn flavored M&Ms, so now it's ready to brighten someones day  :} 
I already posted the card I designed for the swap... be sure to check back throughout the week to see the other "shoebox swap" projects! Have a super day  :}

more Spider Cider

In an earlier post I shared the "spider cider" gift for Ben's teacher. Today's project is a different version of "spider cider" - a gift for Aaron's teacher: 

I used the Petite Pocket Bigz XL Die to make a simple pouch which holds cider mix and a cinnamon stick. The Howlstooth & Scaringbone DSP makes decorating the pouch super easy, and of course the spider stamp (Monster Munchies) is the inspiration for the project. 

I also made a cute little 2" x 2" card to coordinate with the gift, so Aaron and I can write a simple message of thanks to his teacher.

Thanks for dropping by today! If you have a minute, head on over to my Facebook Page for a Halloween FREEBIE  :}

Spider Cider Treat Pouch

Brrrrrr! It's so cold outside. Fall weather drives me crazy... shorts yesterday, coats today. Cooler weather always makes me want to curl up and read with a cup of coffee (boy, do I miss living close to a Barnes & Noble!). I didn't get to curl up, but I did get to glance through a few children's books today  ;)  
On Friday mornings I am the "librarian" at the grade school. I couldn't believe how crazy-busy it was this morning!! Kids came out of every corner. It's usually fairly hoppin' on Fridays, but I guess the cooler weather made them want to grab a book, too. I just LOVE seeing all these kids discover the joy of reading. 
Do you remember the cute little treat pouch I posted yesterday? I liked making it so much, that I thought I would try a larger version for a fun gift, and include some cider mix so that Ben's teacher could curl up with a good book and a toasty beverage. 

stamp set: Monster Munchies

tools: Big Sot, Extra-Large and Large Oval punches, Simply Scored 

For this treat pouch, I put the treat in the front pocket, and the card in the back pocket. 

The folded card measures 3-3/4 x 4-3/4" (closed). The Halloween sentiment from the Seasonal Sayings stamp set is stamped in VersaMark ink, and heat-embossed with tangerine Tango Embossing Powder. 

Even the inside of the card gets some cute touches! 

Soooooo, I'll bet you would like the measurements for this larger sized pouch, right? Say "please."  ;) 

Use the pictures from the tutorial I posted yesterday, and these measurements: 

Start with a 10" x 10" square of Designer Series Paper.
1 - Using the Simply Scored Diagonal Plate, score at the corner (0") and at 1".
2 - Rotate a half-turn (180º) to the left. Score at 1".
3 - Rotate a quarter-turn (90º) to the left, and score at 3-1/2".
4 - Rotate a half-turn (180º) to the left, and score at 3-1/2".

Fold the treat pouch the same way as the smaller version. Easy, peasy! Now, if you love your friends, share this post (Facebook, Pinterest) and save them the time of figuring out the measurements. They will love you for it! (You know they're going to want to make a Christmas version with hot cocoa - if you share the measurements, maybe they'll make one for you!)

Well, that's a Halloween gift done for one teacher... guess I'd better start on another gift for Aaron's teacher  :}

BOOOO!

Don't be scared... it's just a cute little witch :} She flew in to play on this card we made at my Halloween class (at the bakery).

I can't even narrow down my favorite part of this card... I love all the little details! But I guess if I absolutely had to pick only one, it would be those googly eyes! They're just so stinkin' cute  :}

The greeting and the witch are both stamped in VersaMark ink and heat embossed with Black Embossing Powder. And the Lucky Limeade layer is dry embossed with the Chevron Embossing Folder. The oval tag from the Ghoulish Googlies Kit is the perfect size to tuck in between the die cut (Labels Collection Framelits) layers. 
Now, you might ask, "why heat emboss and not just stamp with black ink?" Very good question! When you want to stamp with one color of ink onto a different color of card stock, the ink color won't be "true." As in, the stamped ink color you see is influenced by the color of the card stock coming through. The black embossing powder creates a totally opaque layer on top of the card stock, so you see a "true" black. And when you want to color an outline image, it might be easier to have your stamped image embossed as a way to help "stay in the lines." 
Well, it's time to help Ben with homework and get a little work done for Scout night. I hope you have a fabulous day!!

scrappin' Halloween

When I joined Stampin' Up! five years ago, I had visions of getting all caught up on my scrapbooking. Stop laughing. It didn't happen... it's not happening... it won't happen anytime soon. I get a little more done now than I did then... thank goodness for My Digital Studio! I spend a lot of time on each scrapbook page; sometimes it takes me a week or more to finish. So cards are naturally appealing to me as something I can finish in a short amount of time. 
Since I spend a lot of time making cards, I was really happy to get a scrapbook page done for my Halloween class at the bakery. 

I haven't decided yet if I'm going to use this in a new 8x8 album, or if I'm going to add this page on top of a 12x12 page. I like the new 8x8 size; it might help me get caught up on my scrapbooking a little faster  ;) 
Planning my class around the Ghoulish Googlies Bundle made choosing the colors easy (Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, Lucky Limeade, Whisper White). I added the Basic Gray for a little bit more contrast. 

The bat and the mummy are stamped in black StazOn ink and "fussy cut." After adhering them to the page with Dimensionals, I added the googly eyes... CUTE! 
My Big Shot got a good workout to create this page! The Spider Web Embossing Folder, Sweet Buttons Embosslit, and the Tasteful Trim Bigz XL die all got to come out and play  :)

On a side note, I had a beautiful start to my morning. The boys both slept well and woke up in great moods. I successfully tried a new recipe for breakfast. And I got to sit on the deck in the sunshine drinking coffee, while chatting with my hubby. Well, chatting on the phone anyway. I was so glad to hear from him, since he was traveling all night. (Don't you just love how men don't need hotel rooms - they can just take turns driving... ugh.) Chris is traveling to Wyoming with some friends and his brother for an antelope hunt. If you have a moment, any thoughts and prayers for a safe trip would be appreciated :) 
While I'm not thrilled about his little vacation, I do hope they are successful. With the price of meat sure to go up soon due to our dry summer, it would be nice to have a freezer full of cheap meat. Hmmmm, I think a Pinterest search for antelope recipes would be a "productive" way to spend the afternoon, don't you?  ;) 

Halloween treats - yum!

Last week's stamping class at Wildflour Bakery  included three Halloween projects. All three used the Ghoulish Googlies Bundle. The easiest project was the treat bag, filled with yummy candy corn. I really like the size (3x5") of the glassine bags in the kit - just the right amount of candy! I also like that the printed tags are double-sided, which allows me to be even more creative  :}

After punching a small hole towards the top of the bag, I slipped in some 1/2" Striped Satin ribbon, tied closed with a piece of Pumpkin Pie Baker's Twine (included in the kit). 

My cute little Frankie is stamped in VersaMark ink, and heat embossed with Black Embossing Powder. Then I used Lucky Limeade and Pumpkin Pie markers to add some color.
Can you guess my favorite part of the whole project? It's those stinkin' cute googly eyes! I love the "fun factor" they add to an already "fun to receive" treat. I can't wait to show you the other two cute googlies projects!

Halloween card and project kit

Yesterday was a busy day for me, ending with a fun night presenting at the team meeting held by my upline's upline. I enjoyed demonstrating some of the new features in MDS2. 

Did you know you can get 31% off 31 digital content options and most of our print products through September 14th? With digital goods on sale and the 30-day FREE trial of the software, now is the perfect time to enter the digital designing craze and see what it's all about. 

What's on sale?
*ALL cards, photobooks, individual pages, and tags. That's right: print any photobook, board book, swatchbook, individual pages, greeting card, postcard, trifold card, or tag - all for 31% off.

*Some of our best digital content. 30 downloads and 1 content disc. Yup, that equals 31. 

Want to try out the program with a little help? If you live in the Decatur IL area, I will be teaching a digital class on September 8th. Check out my calendar of events for all the details. 

At the end of last night's meeting, we got to stamp four cards! Here's the super cute Halloween card: 

stamp set: Bootiful Occasions

ink: Basic Black Craft ink

card stock: Basic Black, Elegant Eggplant, Whisper White

DSP: Howlstooth & Scaringbone 

Embossing Folder: Spider Web 

Pumpkin Pie 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon; Black Stampin' Emboss Powder; Dazzling Diamonds Stampin' Glitter

Now that you are thinking about how fun Halloween projects are, don't forget that you can get this awesome Halloween project kit - which includes the Toxic Treats stamp set! - for FREE!! 

What a fabulous deal!! All you have to do is join my team of fun stampers! You get to choose up to $125 of product, and pay only $99 +tax... you don't even have to pay shipping! Stampin' Up! has extended the offer through September 16th, so you still have time to email me (jenn.inklings@gmail.com) with any questions. And if you are local, we should probably answer them over coffee ;}

Happy Halloween!!

BOO! Happy Halloween everybody!
I have two Halloween cards to share with you today, both using Cajun Craze, Old Olive, Basic Black, Whisper White, Basic Gray, and Frightful Sight DSP.
To add a little Halloween bling, I colored the largest size of the Basic Rhinestones with a black Sharpie® marker.

Stamp sets: Out on a Limb, Grateful Greetings
Technique: masking (to make the moon)
Click here to see how to make the Basic Gray shape behind the punched sentiment.

Stamp sets: Warmest of Wishes - hostess, Grateful Greetings (inside the peek-a-boo window)
Punches: 1-3/4" Circle, Owl Builder
Bigz Die: Peekaboo Frames

I have some more Halloween projects on my Facebook Page.
Have fun tonight... May you receive lots of treats and no tricks :)

Sweet Centers Halloween

I have to admit that I don't use the Sweet Centers stamp set as much as I'd like. It does take a little bit more time to make a card with this set, and time is something I wish I had more of. So I was really happy the other day when I had a few extra minutes to make a Halloween card with this set. In case you have ever wondered how to use this stamp set and the Circle Treat Cups, I took a few pictures as I was working.

This is the finished card, which measures 5" x 3-1/2". I took my color cues from the candy corn - Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, and Whisper White - and added Wisteria Wonder and Basic Black for contrast. So, here's how it all came together...

I inked my stamp in Wisteria Wonder, and then colored the spider image and smaller words with a Basic Black marker before stamping onto Whisper White card stock. I punched out the center image with the 1-1/4" Circle punch. Then, I punched out the remaining center with the 1-3/4" circle punch, and discarded that "ring." After trimming the outside image with my Snips, I attached it to a 3" x 2-3/4" layer of Pumpkin Pie card stock. Lining up the 1-3/4" Circle punch over the hole, I punched through the Pumpkin Pie card stock. I layered the "eek" sentiment onto Basic Black punched with the 1-3/8" Circle punch, and set my two pieces off to the side.

Using the focal point image as a guide for the placement of the treat cup, I punched my card base with the 1-3/4" Circle Punch. Then I filled a Circle Treat Cup with candy corn, removed the backing, and adhered a layer of heavy duty aluminum foil that I punched with the 2-1/2" Circle Punch.

To make it easier to line up the card base and the treat cup, I pressed my finger (gently) along the inside rim to indent the foil. Then I used Sticky Strip to attach the treat cup to the card base.

The treat cup is attached to the front of the card; I kept the treat cup on the desk and placed the card over it. This is the inside view of the card. It will be very easy to get the candy out  :)

Next, I worked on the front of the card. I tied on the ribbon first, then attached the focal point using dimensionals. To finish the card, I attached a Mini Brad to the sentiment and adhered that to my card using a dimensional.
So, here's the finished card again...

I hope you think it's as cute as I do :) Luckily there's a stamp in this set to make your Circle Treat Cup look like an ornament, so I get to make some Christmas cards with Sweet Centers... just as soon as I find another extra minute ;)

Village of Spooky - the details :)

This is the tallest house at 9-1/2" tall. It's painted with one thin coat of gray acrylic paint. When the paint was dry, I used the flat stamp and Charcoal Ink Spot  (from the Distressing Essentials Kit) to add another layer of color.

I stamped the Good Grid background stamp on the front of the house three times. I didn't want it to stamp "clean" though, so after I inked the stamp in Basic Gray ink, I used a Sponge Dauber to remove some of the ink from the outside edge and some places in the middle.

To create the roof shingles, I used the 1/2" Circle Punch to punch out around 20 each of Old Olive and Cajun Craze card stock, Basic Black Textured card stock, Frightful Sight DSP, and Basic Black DSP from the Patterns DSP Stack (Neutrals Collection). I used Mini Glue Dots® to adhere the circles to the house, starting at the bottom and overlapping the circles a little as I worked towards the top.
I punched three pieces of Frightful Sight DSP with the Petite Pennants Punch, and cut two rectangles (3/8" wide) to make the "BOO" banner. I used my Snips to trim one end of each of the rectangles, and the Paper-Piercing Tool to poke holes at one end of each piece. To add color to the White Baker's Twine, I ran a length of it along a Basic Gray Classic Stampin' Pad. The letters from the Calendar Alphabet & Numbers stamp set are stamped in Basic Black on Old Olive card stock, then punched out using the one of the punches in the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack.

I used Basic Black Craft Ink and Black Stampin' Emboss® Powder to stamp the spiders from the Scaredy Cat stamp set. It does take longer for the embossing powder to melt on the wood surface than it does on card stock, and the powder does not melt evenly (some "stripes" in the wood took quite a while) so keep a close eye on your project.
I applied Old Olive ink directly to a 3-3/4" x 1-1/4" piece of Wood Sheet. A Metallic Brad creates the door handle.
To create the window, I stamped the spider web image from the Spooky Bingo Bits stamp set in Staz-On® ink onto Vellum card stock, and punched that out with the 1" Circle Punch. To make the frame, I punched Basic Black card stock with the 3/4" Circle Punch, and then centered the 1" Circle Punch around the hole to punch a "ring."
The mustached Jack-o-lanterns from the Out on a Limb stamp set are the perfect finishing touch. I stamped them in Basic Black onto Cajun Craze card stock, snipped them out, and attached them to the house using Dimensionals.

This house is almost 8" tall, and is painted with one thin coat of green acrylic paint. (I had to mix two shades of green to get the shade of olive that I wanted.) When the paint was dry, I used the flat stamp and Mahogany Ink Spot to add another layer of color.
Cajun Craze ink is applied directly to a piece of Wood Sheet cut to 1-1/2" x 2-3/4". The hinges are Mini Library Clips with the "prongs" cut off after clipping them to the door. The door is attached with Sticky Strip. After attaching the door, I used Multipurpose Liquid Glue to adhere a pin from Vintage Trinkets to create a door handle.
The "spooky" sentiment from the Wicked Cool stamp set is stamped in Basic Black onto Basic Gray card stock. I sponged Cajun Craze ink around the edges, snipped banner tips into one end, folded the card stock, and attached a Basic Black Brad. The banner is attached to the house with Dimensionals.

The bats from the Wicked Cool stamp set are heat embossed on one side using Basic Black Craft ink and Black Stampin' Emboss® Powder. The roof is a 7-1/2" x 1-5/8" strip of Frightful Sight DSP. It is simply glued to the top of the house with Multipurpose Liquid Glue.
The medallion is so easy to make! Just use the new Simply Scored to score a 1" x 12" strip of DSP every 1/4". Then accordion fold the strip. I cut one 1/4" section off from one end and glued the ends together with Multipurpose Liquid Glue. I like to punch out a circle base and use a good amount of Multipurpose Liquid Glue to attach the medallion. The center of the medallion is made from three layers of Basic Black Textured card stock punched with the Doily Triple Layer Punch. A gorgeous brad from the Antique Brads is through two layers. Those two layers are attached to the bottom layer with Dimensionals, and the bottom layer is attached to the medallion with Multipurpose Liquid Glue.

 The smallest house is almost 6" tall. I mixed two colors of acrylic paint to get the "cajun" shade I wanted. When it was dry, I used the flat stamp and Mahogany Ink Spot to add another layer of color.
The Wood Sheet door measures 1-1/2" x 2-1/2" and is "colored" with Basic Gray ink. I used Mini Library Clips again to make door hinges, and a Bitty Button makes the door handle.

The bats from the Out on a Limb stamp set are heat embossed under the Wood Sheet planter box. The flowers are punched from Basic Black Textured card stock. After attaching them to the house with Mini Glue Dots®, I used Moonlight Smooch® Pearlized Accent Ink to create the flower centers.
The roof is a 1-7/16" x 5" strip of Frightful Sight DSP, adhered to the house with Multipurpose Liquid Glue. Three layers of Old Olive Textured card stock punched with the Doily Triple Layer Punch, as well as a 1/2" circle punched from Cajun Craze card stock and a Bitty flower shape punched from Basic Black Textured card stock create the accent on the roof.

While it did take a lot of supplies to make these houses, it was so much fun to do. I am so glad I had a chance to make this into a class! Now, should I try my hand at some Christmas houses???   ;)

Village of Spooky

Last night's class was soooooo much fun!!! We made a "spooky" village inspired by the Village of Cuteness class I took at Convention 2011. As soon as we started making our houses, my Mom and I both thought a "spooky" village would be super cute. We were right  ;)

It's been a long day with the kiddos (ending with my hubby volunteering to be Den Leader at Cub Scouts tonight - yikes!), so I'll post more detailed photos, supplies, instructions, etc. tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by  :)

Fall Fun

Okay... so my last post began with how happy I was to see September so our family could get back into a routine. Well, apparently I forgot that part of that routine is for the children to bring home all of the "back-to-school" germs. Yuck! Of course everyone in the house gets sick as Mom tends to them... leaving Mom to get sick last. I lost track of how many tissue boxes we went through in the last few weeks. Double yuck!! Anywho... everyone is much better, and I'm up to about 98% health, so it's time to post some projects :)

I have two projects to share with you today.
This fun little pumpkin was the project for my scrapbook club. It's so easy to make, and would be adorable at your Thanksgiving table as a decoration or as place cards with a little tag added for the name.

To make this project at home, you will need 12 strips of Pumpkin Pie card stock (6" x 3/4"). Lightly sponge Pumpkin Pie ink on the long sides of the card stock to add some "depth." Use the largest hole punch on the Crop-A-Dile™ to punch each end -- you can easily punch six strips at once. At this point, I like to gently run each strip against my bone folder (think curling ribbon) to give them a slight curl. Stack the strips up, and use a 5/16" brad to hold each end together. Then, just fan the strips apart -- it will be a little tight at first, so be patient :)
I wrapped two skinny strips of Old Olive card stock around my Paper-Piercing Tool for the curly vines. One leaf is die cut from Certainly Celery DSP with the Leaves #2 Die; the other leaf is stamped from the Day of Gratitude stamp set onto Very Vanilla card stock and cut out with the Paper Snips. The leaves and Old Olive button are attached using Stampin' Dimensionals.


This adorable Halloween card is from my September team meeting. I wanted to showcase the new Simply Scored -- Stampin' Up!'s exclusively designed scoring tool. It is AWESOME!! You absolutely must own one of these! It comes with three Place Markers (which makes it fast and easy for a group project or to make multiples), and a Stylus featuring ergonomic style and comfort grip.

To make this "standard size" card at home, cut your card stock base to measure 4-1/4" x 11" and using your Simply Scored Scoring Tool, score at 2-3/4" and again at 8-1/4".
I used a 12" strip of Cajun Craze card stock to create the "belly band." To make the medallion behind that cute little owl, I scored a 1" x 12" strip of Old Olive DSP every 1/4". Here's a closeup (sorry it's a little out of focus):

I think I am in love with this little owl from the Warmest of Wishes Hostess stamp set. In fact, I think I am in love with the whole set! You wouldn't have to ask me twice to host a workshop just for this great stamp set. If you haven't scheduled your fall workshop yet, contact me today. With the Holiday Mini Catalog and our new Hostess Benefits, you are sure to have a great time! Happy stamping :)

Whisper White

I have to giggle that there is a card in the Color Coach for Whisper White. I mean... it's Whisper White... it goes with everything!

The "Creative Combination" colors are Whisper White, Basic Black, and More Mustard. For this combination I chose to create a card using 'My Digital Studio.' I love that you can choose a pre-designed project, and tweak it to make it your own. I chose this already completed Halloween card and changed out some color and paper designs. Woohoo - a cute card in minutes!

The "Getting Started" colors are Whisper White, Marina Mist, and Night of Navy. To create this cute little 3x3 card, place a folded piece of Whisper White card stock on the larger square of the Scallop Squares Duo Bigz die. Just make sure that the square on the die is not completely covered; slide the folded edge down so that it does not get cut. Then, just run it through your Big Shot. Easy peasy, lemon squeazy. ☺ I used the Aviary and Fabulous Phrases stamp sets, Marina Mist 1/8" Taffeta ribbon, and a Basic Rhinestone to complete the card. When I'm ready to give this little cutie to someone, it fits right into a Whisper White Mini Envelope (107309  $7.50 for 40 little envies).