Cards a la Carte is one of our special promotions with COUNTRY LIVING Magazine, and like last year features a set that you can use for entertaining.  This year's is very pretty stationary set - elegantly sweet!


This exclusive kit (item 119113) includes the following products:

• Dinner Party stamp set (set of 3)
• Ballet Blue Classic Stampin' Spot
• Preprinted stationery (24 sheets: 4 each of 6 designs)

Project #1 is a Dinner Invitation

Stamps
Dinner Party stamp set*
Paper
Very Vanilla card stock
Very Vanilla envelope*
Ink
Ballet Blue Stampin' Spot*
Accessories
Stampin' Dimensionals




Instructions:

1. Print "You're invited" on Very Vanilla card stock and adhere to strip of Very Vanilla card stock. Wrap strip around So Saffron printed card from Country Living Cards à la Carte.

2. Stamp silverware image in Ballet Blue ink on Very Vanilla card stock. Cut out, distress one edge, then adhere to card stock strip using Stampin' Dimensionals.

3. Stamp silverware image in Ballet Blue ink on envelope flap.

Project #2   Mr. & Mrs. Card Collection

Paper
Very Vanilla card stock
Very Vanilla envelope*


Ink
Ballet Blue Stampin' Spot*


Accessories
Linen thread
Very Vanilla 5/8" satin ribbon**
Stampin' Dimensionals
Medium Jewelry Tag punch**
1/16" Circle punch
1-3/4" Circle punch


Instructions:

1. Wrap Very Vanilla 5/8" satin ribbon around stack of Very Vanilla envelopes and printed cards from Country Living Cards à la Carte.

2. Stamp pitcher image in Ballet Blue ink on Very Vanilla card stock. Stamp flourish image in Ballet Blue ink in middle of pitcher. Punch out image using 1-3/4" Circle punch. Punch circle at top using 1/16" Circle punch. 

3. Stamp "Mr. & Mrs." in Ballet Blue ink on Very Vanilla card stock. Punch out using Medium Jewelry Tag punch. Punch hole in top of tag using 1/16" Circle punch. 

5. Stamp pitcher image in Ballet Blue ink on front of Very Vanilla envelope. Stamp flourish image in Ballet Blue ink on front of pitcher.

Labels: BRIDAL, Entertaining, Home + Family

Look at this great idea. Our ORNAMENT PUNCH has been featured by many talented crafters as a means to make a ROSE FLOWER!
How neat is that!

Sooooo...I have been on a creative roll lately, plus I wanted to make something special for a friend of mine, Caroline. And I wanted to have a good challenge.

Now there are several ways to use this punch as a flower - many of which are a lot simplier than what I have done.  But if you've been a crafter for awhile, you should challenge yourself especially if you give classes - you can't expect it from others if you don't do it yourself!

It took me awhile - the petals were the most challenging. I was working 'blind' - no template, no instructions...and so each petal was a small engineering job in itself. Do I roll the petal this way or fold it that way? Should I tilt it this time or lay it straight...and so on.  To make matters interesting - I chose to make another at the same time, using crushed paper {I took a paper and squashed it over and over, then inked the creases with a sponge to distress it ....continue till the paper is 'pliable'}.  It was easy because while one flower was waiting for some glue to dry, I worked on the other one.

Before the night was done, I was finished both. However, for my gift flower, I moved on to the next part, placing it in such a way as to make a nice presentation. And in the end, the teacup flower was born!

Well - its done, and I believe she really liked it!

 I am totally going to make more of them. :)

Labels: 3D, ACCENT-Flower, Favours, GIFTS - Family Friends, MOTIF - Garden, Stampin Up MAKES, Techniques

Isn't this the cutest!  The second I laid eyes on the card which inspired me - I was OMG !  So I had to do one!









IT'S A  EASY - QUICK 5 MIN. PROJECT!  GREAT KIDS PROJECT!  We made ours  after having breakfast  and  in no time flat!



Technique:
You can see from the pictures that you must fold your cardstock at the 5-1/2 mark, and CUT the Scallop Circle LEAVING A SMALL PART OF THE FOLD OVERHANGING THE CIRCLE OUTLINE - that is how you make a card - and not 2 Scallop Circles.
A small scallop punch is cut into wedges - those make up the wings.
Punch your other parts, fold the square on the diagonal for its beak, then glue everything on.
We highlighted the eyes and beak - voila!

Basic Supplies:
 CARDSTOCK: 11x8 in. yellow, 1 in square orange scrap, black scrap; BIG SHOT XL BIGZ DIE: Scallop Circle; HAND PUNCHES:  flower, scallop circle (any size), small circle punch; Other:  1" square orange cardstock, white gel pen, glue.

Labels: Stampin Up MAKES

Hi everyone!

Sorry - I have no creativity when making up my titles for my posts! I'd better stick to my day job as a crafter, lol!

But that does not diminish this beautiful card made by my upline, Caroline - who is seriously talented.

Look what she did with our bridal paper!  I've known about this technique and have tried it using sponges, but now I own a brayer, so I am going to dig out my own bridal paper (white) which has its glossy design raised (or embossed) on the surface.  This way when you ink the paper up [shown here in CAMEO CORAL, ROSE RED, SO SAFFRON Stampin' Up! inks]...the raised white design will peek through after you wipe away the extra ink!  Cool huh!

That's one of the pretty tags from our SIZZIX TWO TAGS DIE (catalog item # 115954) and the close up shows more fun ideas to help you jazz up your projects...have a good look here....

Labels: Holidays - Easter, Stampin Up MAKES

Labels: 3D, CLASS-SPRING 2010, DIE-CUTTING BIG SHOT, Holidays - Easter, Stampin Up MAKES

Hello fellow crafters!   Today I wanted to share a project I am currently working on. And its a recyclable one! Double points, lol :)

 One day I found a thick, stubby children's book at a second-hand sale - and it occurred to me to alter it. It had a different shape to it along with a few pages that slide open to reveal hidden sections - perfect!

 It's been in the 'making' for quite awhile. Basically I am doing work on it in stages. There was the 'preparation' stage which included giving the 'glossy' pages a slight sanding (regular household sandpaper) in order for me to adhere paper to it. This also meant sliding the hidden sections open & prepping those as well.

While the majority of the book has been covered in paper, one half of a page was covered with white paper and that in turn was painted. Regular metallic craft paint - looks great.

So this is what I am sharing with you today, Stage 2 - the book has been completely re-covered.  My plans for Stage 3 - is for it to be absolutely covered in bling and ribbons galore! LOL - its probably gonna cost me but hey, what is the point of a hobby if you do not indulge once in awhile! :)

However for Stage 3, I am  creating my own "embellishments" to some extent.  I have started by using my Butterfly die and altering those - and they resemble the expensive "Grand Adhesion Embellishments" made by K & Co. - if I do say so myself!   It's very creative!  You can just dream up and play with ideas till you find ones you really like!!

Here it is in pictures .... beginning the sanding...



















Here I've added an origami heart my daughter gave me long ago and a tiny flower stem given to me by another lady years ago. Opening the sliding section gives me some journaling areas! I de-constructed the page, learned how it was working, covered the sections and put it back together using a brad for more stability.



Pages are thick so I am colouring the edges with markers.









This is the painted paper - its actually a metallic green, looks golden. The page beside them has nice embossed glossy pattern - so I added a small strip of sugar cardstock (pale blue) over the painted section - to tie the two pages together.







Here I am beginning the 'bling'!!!!  See the butterfly - its one I've made.








I started to cut out another butterfly shape to create a stained glass effect......lots of work with the hobby knife!











Then made its opposite by using the cut-out pieces! I hand cut out "body" shapes, doubled them and folded the top layer upwards for dimension. It's totally fun to just play this way! Nothing is the 'right' way - it's what-ever strikes your imagination at the time....then add more bling!  Bling makes everything look great.
My supporting layer behind the stained glass butterfly is a butterfly made from white paper that I coloured with ink using a brayer to blend the 3 colours.



Close-up














Here is the close-up which shows the body section, as I mentioned, its double-layered, folded outward and 2 pearls for antennas!










And another ....told you, its fun!  I even tried cutting a butterfly from a large faux leaf, and from jean fabric - but those are for another day.....










Now here they are on a page that I inked up in two colours, and then began to stamp butterflies in no particular order, then......










......I added words randomly, in a white craft ink! This page will hold more photo's with mats in white most likely, so it will really look nice ....and some bling of course!
















So here it is - Stage One completed.  I have purchased a wee bit of bling to start as you saw - but that is nothing to what this will eventually have. Ribbons too!  Transparencies to layer over photos....the sky is the limit!  

I'll show the finished project one day!

Its a great project that:  a) takes time which is good for having an ongoing, larger project; and b)is great for using up paper - or buying paper in a pack or kit or one sheet at a time - which in itself is fun!; and c) its a recyclable method of using those books you might otherwise tossed - or you can ask your neighbor or friend for their old books!; d) its a wonderful creative exercise!  And finally - you will have a unique album that no one else will see in stores, one you can be proud of after your work is completed - when 'you' feel its completed, and I hope I've inspired one of you to give it a try!   

Labels: Altered Art, Stampin Up MAKES

Labels: Stampin Up MAKES

I confess I do not own a lot of shamrock, pot of gold, beer stein or dancing elf stamps. None of the typical Irish symbols we've come to know...but last year we made a cute card by using a HEART punch to resemble a shamrock. And being a bit lazy this year, I brought out the same card.


So this is what I did as well. I decorated one of my candles - and while I did use a heart punch, this time it was a much smaller one, and it was still as effective!

Labels: Stampin Up MAKES

Hello to all you out there!

How great it is to have beautiful weather again!   Thursday my umbrella was wrecked by a strong gust of wind, and so on our walk to church Sunday, there was me with no umbrella,  steady rain = me being a bit wet! But today - it was glorious outside! Crazy!

Saturday we also had our annual spring Rummage Sale.. And this is a signal to me to  create a new wreath for our door! I keep a supply of seasonal floral stems, and what-ever else strikes my fancy in storage. I drag it out and re-create a new wreath every year.  What I like about it is  it never gets boring - and I try to come up with new ideas.  A couple of weeks ago, I bought some glittery, inexpensive ribbon in a Robin's Egg Blue, and  dollar store Morning Glory flowers. So I knew my theme would start with blues and purples!

But of course, a 'punch of yellow' as my daughter likes to say - is truly a nod to Easter . And so I had the bright idea of using my handy-dandy BIG SHOT - again - to create some flowers!  I have the DAISIES #2  Bigz Die which provides you with a triple layer of successive sized daisies - it creates a real dimensional feel to the final flower creation.

And a few years back, I'd created some paper mache Easter Eggs embellished with crystal beads and cut-out alphabet letters to create HAPPY EASTER, so I was pretty much ready to go.

For anyone who'd like to try their first home-made wreath, I've posted a tutorial on how to create this wreath.

Actually, hope you all create a wreath - whatever size, shape or colour - to brighten your days!  Cheers!





Here I am with my supplies laid out - all within easy reach.  This helps you to be focused on designing your wreath if everything is handy :)  

Labels: Stampin Up MAKES, Tutorial