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!

I LOVE my dentist!

Yes, you read that title correctly ;} 

I feel so blessed to have found the most wonderful dentist on this planet. And it's not just my dentist who is so amazing... the whole office is! They are some of the sweetest people I've ever met. As I mentioned in a previous post, I had more to say about the kids going to the dentist, so here ya go...

My youngest, Aaron, had no problems at all. It was his first trip to the dentist, so he was a little nervous and silly, but all went well :)
However, Benjamin is going to have quite a bit of dental work coming his way (appliances, braces, etc). Sooooo, to get that ball rolling, Ben had to have those really fun impressions of his teeth taken. Now, my sweet little Ben has the strongest gag reflex of any human. Ever. In fact, his first day of Kindergarten, he gagged on some "lick & stick" paper pieces while working on a craft. I remember the teachers and office staff laughing at how they'd never seen a kid do that before. And don't even think about asking Ben to lick an envelope for you! Anyway, let's just say that the impressions didn't go well. Our dentist was so patient and understanding, and she kept trying to work with Ben. I kept thinking that she probably shouldn't wear such cute shoes to work ;}  Since I'm pretty sure the staff ended up washing two loads of towels that day, I had to put together a funny "thank-you" gift.

After wrapping up the towels with some ribbon, I added a pretty flower (inspired by the notebook on p116 of the catalog). 

And I tucked a cute little 3x3 card under the ribbon: 

I LOVE that I can make coordinating gifts and cards!! 

stamp sets: Daydream Medallions, A Word For You

ink: Daffodil Delight, Old Olive, Tangerine Tango, Regal Rose

card stock: Daffodil Delight, Old Olive, Tangerine Tango, Regal Rose, Whisper White

punch: Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border

Big Shot and Floral Frames Framelits Dies

Accessories: Daffodil Delight button, White Baker's Twine, Basic Rhinestones

You can find these goodies and more in my online store  :}

We were pretty bummed that after all that work, the lab couldn't use any of the "top" impressions. So I took Ben in this morning (at 7am- yowza!) for round 2. 

Dr. Natalie tried a few different techniques, and I am happy to report that she got a good impression on the first try!! Woohoo!!!! Now, on to the next step... :}

Have a wonderful weekend!

Ribbon Wreath

I finally finished a project on my "really-really want-to-make" list!!! For those of you who have a 2010-2011 SU catalog handy, my inspiration comes from the ribbon wreath on p190. It's not like it takes a long time to make a ribbon wreath - I finished in a few hours. I probably would have finished sooner if I didn't take breaks to draw outside with chalk, lose a lightsaber battle, and have a snack in the shade... but those are some of the best parts of working from home  :}  It's just one of those projects that kept getting pushed to the side, but I had time today since I didn't want to get a ton of supplies out while the drywall was being sanded. For this project, all you need is a hoop, ribbon, and Craft & Paper Scissors. I have two of these high quality scissors - one for paper, and one for fabric and ribbon.

Isn't it pretty??? Since I have several miles spools of ribbon in my craft room, this is the perfect project for me! All of these ribbons are from Stampin' Up! ... some are current, some are old, some are really old. I chose a variety of pinks, yellows, oranges, and greens for a bright, summery look.

I started with a hoop (approximately 13" diameter) that I purchased from my local craft store (I think I found it in the same aisle as the mirror pieces). Then I tied all my ribbons on... that's it! So easy!! 

A few tips for you: 
I used approximately 1 to 3 yards of each ribbon.
Push the tied ribbons close together as you're working.
Trim the ends as you go; don't wait to trim them all at the end.
Use a good amount of the wider ribbons first; it's much easier to fill in with skinny ribbons.
Try to use a variety of ribbon textures (satin, twill, grosgrain, scalloped edges) on your wreath for visual interest.
Mixing solid, striped, stitched, and dotted ribbons of varying widths is fun!
If you are using Pleated Satin Ribbon, pull gently when tying.
Ribbons with a heavier stiffness hold up to being cut longer; floppy ribbons should be cut shorter.

I bought more than 1 hoop because I have plans to make more. I will definitely create a Ribbon Wreath for Christmas... what else... oooh! Fall colors would be pretty!!  :}  What colors do you think I should try next?

Mini Scrapbook album

Today I have another pretty little project from my recent "Three in 3D" class... a mini scrapbook album! This album is perfect for scrapping a small event, sharing a few photos and notes with a friend, or a lovely Mother's Day gift. And what grandmother wouldn't love to have one of these in her purse???

This is the front of the album, which is tied closed using Old Olive 1/4" grosgrain ribbon. After stamping the sentiment from the Language of Friendship stamp set in Bravo Burgundy ink, I punched it out using the Extra Large Oval punch, and layered it onto Old Olive card stock punched using the Decorative Label punch. Three Old Olive brads add some nice detail, while a layer of More Mustard card stock - die cut using one of the Framelits in the Labels Collection and sponged on the edges - pulls it all together.

Inside, three coin envelopes (3-1/8"x5-1/2") make the pocket-pages of the book. The Bravo Burgundy card stock on the front and back are cut 1/4" larger than the envelope measurements to help protect the edges of the album from getting squished.

The coin envelopes are glued end-to-end, with the flap trimmed from the last envelope. After adhering the layers of Paisley Petals DSP, I used the 1-3/4" Circle punch (old "whale" style) to create a notch in the front of each pocket.

I created three "pages" to pull out of each pocket, where photos and journaling can be added to both sides. Don't those Paper Daisies add a cute touch???

Whether a mini album or larger scrapbook pages, traditional or digital, I hope you find some time this month (May is National Scrapbooking Month) to preserve and share your favorite memories. Feel free to contact me if you need project ideas or product recommendations. Happy stamping!!  :}

a card for EVERY occasion!

My project today just makes me giggle  :}  Today is Aaron's 100th Day of School, and they are celebrating with a "Circus Day in 4K." Well, I can't let a celebration pass by without a card to acknowledge it, right???

So, I made Aaron's teacher and teacher's aide Happy 100th Day of School cards. I like these cute little 3x3 cards for a quick just because note. And, they are an easy way to use up some scraps  :}
Attached to the Real Red card base is a strip of Tempting Turquoise (punched with the Pinking Hearts Border punch), a strip of Daffodil Delight, and a piece of 'Big Top Birthday' DSP.
The clown and sentiment (Under the Big Top stamp set) are stamped in Basic Black ink. I used Peach Parfait, Real Red, Old Olive, Daffodil Delight, and Tempting Turquoise markers to color the clown.
The Tempting Turquoise button adds a cute finishing touch. Did you know that the Brights 'Designer Buttons' are one of the Sale-A-Bration choices? For every $50 you spend not including tax & shipping, you get to choose a freebie from the Sale-A-Bration catalog. Want more freebies? Host a workshop and earn even more goodies. Like getting freebies every month? Join the Stampin' Up! family and get freebies every month for the rest of the year. Whether you want to get a discount on the supplies for your hobby or build a business, there's room for everyone on my team. You can shop, learn more, and contact me if you like from my website.
Have a great day and a wonderful weekend!

the sky's the limit

Even though it is freezing cold here, the sun is shining, which inspired me to work with some bright colors today. I grabbed the Up, Up, & Away stamp set and the à la card template from the December issue of Stampin' Success.

I used the Scallop Oval Frame Bigz die to die cut the Old Olive and Whisper White card stock. After stamping the birds and clouds directly onto the white oval, I masked the clouds and lightly sponged on some Tempting Turquoise ink. The balloon on the left uses the two-step stamping technique; both balloons are adhered with Dimensionals.

Remember my earlier post about using scraps? Seriously, I have issues... here's the scrap of ribbon I found in my Brights scrap drawer:

This is a little small, even for me to save. But I did... so I used it! I cut it in half and frayed the edges before adhering it behind the sentiment, which is punched out with the Small Oval punch.

Now for the fun part! I bumped up this card by making it an easel card:

Super cute, right??!!  It's so fun to have a way to display special cards  :)  The secret to keeping the card propped open is to attach something inside the card using Dimensionals, which creates an edge for the card-front to rest against. Click here to read an earlier post with more information about creating an easel card.

I hope this brightens your day, wherever you are. May it always be sunny in your craft room  :)

Shutter Card

Today's post is another card from my Fun Folds class - a Shutter Card.

It's difficult to see the awesomeness of this card in a flat photo, so I'm working on a video tutorial for the Shutter Card. But for now, I'll give you some quick measurements.
Start with a piece of card stock 5-1/2" x 12". Score at 2", 4", 8", and 10". The next step is to make two cuts, each 1-1/2" from the outer edges. The cuts run from the 2" score line down to the 10" score line. The last step to make the card base is the folding, which is a little tricky for me to explain through typing. I added Paisley Petals DSP to each section except for the middle, which I left blank to write my message. The birthday sentiment is from the Perfect Punches stamp set, and the floral image is from the Simply Soft Hostess stamp set (colored with classic ink and a Blender Pen).

I have one more (adorable!) card to share with you from the Fun Folds class, so be sure to come back tomorrow  :)

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 :)

my first video tutorial

At my last Technique Tuesday class, I had the pleasure of sharing fun cards with different folds. I used to shy away from making these somewhat "fussy" cards, but now that I have the Simply Scored, it's such a breeze. While making the cards is tons of fun, sharing is even better. So I tried my hand at making a video tutorial... my first ever!!
You get a little break when you try something for the first time, right??! I will appreciate that break, as I noticed I said "bone folder" about a billion times  :)
This is the Halloween card from my Fun Folds class... a Diamond Fold card.

The base of the card (before all the scoring and folding) is a 4" x 12" piece of Frightful Sight DSP. The larger square from the Scallop Squares Duo die fits perfectly over the diamond center.

This is what the card looks like when you open it... so cute! I used Basic Black and Cajun Craze markers to ink the image from the Scaredy Cat stamp set.

I used the Scallop Edge Border punch to add detail to Basic Black card stock. I also added a square of Whisper White card stock to the inside so I could stamp my greeting from the Grateful Greetings stamp set.

Soooooo.... here's my video tutorial on how to make the Diamond Fold card. Thanks for watching!

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???   ;)

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 :)

Card Template 1

I am really looking forward to my technique class on Tuesday! I will be sharing 5 card templates, and then everyone gets to make a card for each template. Plus, they get to keep a copy of the card templates for inspiration, so they can create more cards at home. *Smile!

Here's the the first template I created:

And here's the card we will be making:

Supplies: Daffodil Delight, Old Olive, and Whisper White card stock; Sunny Garden DSP; Old Olive 5/8" grosgrain ribbon; A Flower for All Seasons and Happy Greetings stamp sets; Blender Pen; Old Olive, Daffodil Delight, and Peach Parfait ink; 2-3/8" Scallop Circle punch; 1-3/4" Circle punch; 1/16" Circle handheld punch.

Old Olive

If a color could be one of your friends, then Old Olive would be in my closest circle ;)
I have always loved this color - it just goes with everything!

The "Dynamic Duo" colors on this quick, simple 3x3 card are Old Olive and Certainly Celery. To distress the 1-1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, I simply cut the ribbon in half lengthwise and pulled a few threads off the cut edge.


The "Creative Combination" colors are Old Olive, Not Quite Navy, and Cajun Craze. I punched a 2-3/8" scalloped circled and a 1-3/4" scalloped circle from Cajun Craze card stock. Then I wadded them up several times to break down the fibers. I then peeled them apart into two layers, creating a soft, "faux suede" look.


Several cards in the Color Coach list a "Getting Started Combination." This combo uses only colors found in the Getting Started Collection, which contains a sampling of card stock and Stampin' Spots (ink) in 12 colors. It's a great place for new stampers to begin. The "Getting Started Combination" colors on this 3x6 card are Old Olive, Pretty in Pink, and Night of Navy.

Halloween Workshops

Well, Friday night I finished my last Halloween workshop. I have had so much fun sharing spooky decorating and project ideas . The card and bookmark were the make-and-take projects guests were able to make. The base of the card is Cajun Craze. We used the "Midnight Raven" a la carte stamp from the Holiday Mini Catalog for the focal point. Then we used the Color Spritzer Tool to spritz Rich Razzleberry ink over the raven. We cut the bookmark from Rich Razzleberry Textured card stock using one of the tags from the "Two Tags" Bigz Die. The Scallop Circle is punched in Old olive, and the 1" circle & 1 3/8" circle punches make a quick and easy focal point with Dracula from the Batty for You set. The Bitty Bat is punched from Basic Black card stock, and for giggles, we punched two tiny holes for a bite mark :)

To quote my little Dracula... Fangs for the memories!

Now it's time to get the Christmas make-and-takes ready!!