Happy New Year!

Finally had some time to stamp today, so I got to work on the cute stand-up calendar that Linda (labullard) posted on SCS back in November. I had so much fun creating it, and I plan to make several more. I'm hoping to make one with my mom tomorrow night as our family gathers at Mom & Dad's to ring in the new year. I have my ink pads reinked and ready to go, along with the stamp sets and markers I used to create each side. Just have to grab the cardstock and adhesive, and I'm good to go! When I return to work on January 7, I'm going to offer a workshop to make these cute calendars. We have half a dozen or so stampers at the middle school where I teach and we try to get together to stamp, either after work, or at Darla's or Heather's on a weekend, now and then. I wish we could do it more often, but we're all busy, so I'm thankful for the time when we do sit down to gab and stamp together.

Ah, Linda just sent me a note and let me know about another version of her calendar by Nancy, this time done in landscape mode! I'll have to try this one, too! It'll be a good use for all of those designer papers I bought back in November during that terrific paper promotion Stampin' Up! was running!

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!

Finally! Something new to look at!

Sorry it's taken me a while to get something posted! This week I finally had some time to sit down and make some much needed gift card holders. The first is one I created for my father-in-law. He only wanted a gift card from Starbucks, so it gave me a reason to finally mount and use my "Like it a Latte" set. It was fun making a double pocket card, and I'm pretty pleased with the way it turned out. The rest are gift card holders. This Christmas was the year of the gift card for both sides of our family, as that's what most of the adults wanted. I made 14 of these, and ended up using all of them! Once I got the design worked out, it went pretty quickly. I used a variety of stamp sets to create them, including the 'Happy Holidays' sentiment from Snowfall, 'Just for You' from Tags & More, 'Be Merry' from Warm Words, as well as one from True Friend and another from Snowflakes for the circles/scallop punch on the belly band.

I'm off for two weeks, so I hope to finish up my 'Let it Snow' garland I'm currently working on. Then I'll be able to play with my Spring/Summer catty preorder!

What I'm Currently Working On...

I was able to get over to my friend Erin's for stamp camp last Saturday. My upline, Jeanne, does Erin's stamp camps and last weekend I chose to make a garland that Erin designed. I loved it so much, I'm now working on my own! I'll post it when finished. Still have lots to do in the meantime before Christmas, so I'm not sure when I'll have it done - progress reports are due Monday morning, I still need to finish Christmas shopping, need to clean the house... so unfortunately, I can't spend time stamping like I'd like to, at least not until after Christmas. Happy Holidays!

Jury Duty is OVER!

We started jury selection just after 10 am today. We learned during this process that it was a murder trial, and the plaintiff was charged with using a gun in the crime when it took place back in 1994. At noon, we took our lunch, and then much to our surprise, the judge told us when we regathered after lunch that our services for this trial would not be needed after all. He thanked us for our service, especially since this was a second day of service for all of us, and we were dismissed! They must have struck a plea-bargain during lunch. I'm just happy that I won't have another week or so's worth of lesson plans to write! Two days was bad enough. After I get caught up entering grades to my gradebook, perhaps I'll have some time to stamp this weekend!

Jury Duty - No Time to Stamp!

I had to report for jury duty today, and after hanging around all day, I was assigned to return tomorrow at 9 am, one of 70 possible jurors on a trial slated to last nine days! UGH!! Being a teacher, I'm busy when I get home, writing up lesson plans for the next day, checking my girls' homework, getting dinner on the table (ok, so we did takeout tonight). You'd be proud, though - I stamped 25 Christmas cards over the weekend, and brought them with me today. I'm happy to report that they're now assembled and ready for me to fill out! I'll try to get one scanned and posted tomorrow. TTFN!

Poinsettia Tag Thank You Card

I've been thinking about what I wanted to do for my thank you notes this year, and this is what I've come up with so far. The design is based on a card that we made at my upline's place this month. I have wanted to use my Poinsettia wheel and the coordinating Poinsettia stamp from Happiest of Holidays, and this allowed me to show it off. I used Cranberry Crisp, Always Artichoke, and Confetti Cream cardstock. I used Cranberry Crisp ink as well. I tried to use my Very Vanilla craft pad for the sentiment, but it didn't come out very well so I quickly grabbed my Detail White embossing powder to sprinkle over the ink and then heat set it.

Money Holder

At our last stamping team meeting, we made money holders, designed by Patty Bennett. When I got home, I just had to play and have been working on this one, using last year's Holiday Thyme Designer Series Paper. I was having a tough time coming up with a circular stamp that would work well with the paper and the scallop punch when I ran across a post tonight on Splitcoast that used the True Friend stamp set. As soon as I saw it, I knew I could finally finish my money holder! To make one, cut a piece of cardstock to 6 1/2 by 7 5/8 inches. Score at 2 3/4 and 6 1/8 inches. Cut a piece of coordinating designer series paper to 2 1/4 by 6 inches and attach to the outside flap. Make the band out of a piece of coordinating designer series paper cut 1 1/2 by 7 3/4 inches. Wrap it around the closed money holder, leaving enough room for it to slide off before you adhere the ends together. Use the scallop punch to hide where the ends of the band meet. Use a 1 inch punch on the inside to show the face on the bill that you enclose with your money holder. These are extremely fast and easy to make - great to have a few on hand for birthdays and other special events.

Another Tag Punch Star Card

Here's another Tag Punch Star Card using Handsome Hunter, Shimmery White, Sage Shadow, and Wintergreen Designer Series Paper. Sentiment is from Many Merry Messages. They take a little time to make, but are relatively easy once you get the hang of it. Am sure I'll be making a few more!

Tag Punch Star Card

I love having Thanksgiving week off - I am actually finding some time to stamp! I've wanted to make one of these Tag Punch Stars ever since seeing it posted on Splitcoast. It's now one of their featured projects for their Holiday Project Showcase. You can find the tutorial here. I decided to break out my Wintergreen Designer Series Paper to use with it. I thought a tent card would be perfect to show off the elegance of this star. To make the star, I used Shimmery White cardstock with the tag punches. I stamped a white piece of vellum with Whisper White Craft ink using my old favorite, Snowflakes, let it dry, and then began assembling my star. Once you get the hang of it, it's not too hard to line it up. I hope you like it!

More Ornaments

I'm just having a ball making these cute glass ornaments! They're so easy to make. These two use the Holiday Tag Team set from Stampin' Up! I stamped the image using my Jet Black StazOn pad, then colored the images with Sharpie pens. The white was done with a white opaque marker I had purchased a long while back. Two coats of embossing powder on back - first Iridescent Ice, then Detail White. I may have an ornament workshop for the ladies at work if there's enough interest.

Pinecone Glass Ornament

I'm starting to get into the holiday spirit after seeing the Holiday Project Showcase on Splitcoaststampers. After seeing their tutorial on making glass ornaments, I just had to make one! I used a favorite, Fantastic Foliage, to create my ornament. I stamped the images with StazOn ink (Olive Green, Timber Brown). After the ink was dry, I coated the back of the transparency film with my VersaMark pad, then added Iridescent Ice embossing powder and heat set it. Once cool, I inked over the back again with my VersaMark pad, this time adding Detail White embossing powder and heat set it. I added some chunky 'ice' glitter I found at Michaels and some ribbon I found at Joann's. Easy to make and oh, so cute! Our stamping group is having an ornament exchange at our December gathering, so I'll be having fun making more.

My Thanksgiving Card

We had our team meeting this past Sunday at Jeanne's house (my upline). We had a chance to make four fall cards from her November stamp camp as well as eight Christmas cards. I love fall! I was inspired by one of the fall cards we made featuring the Autumn Fest stamp set, so I adapted it to a Thanksgiving card. Everything's cut and stamped, just need to assemble the other nine that I will be making. I used Ruby Red, More Mustard, Really Rust, Summer Sun and Old Olive reinkers for the babywipe technique (one of my favorite techniques). The cardstock is More Mustard (stamped with More Mustard classic), Ruby Red (stamped with Ruby Red classic), Old Olive, Chocolate Chip and Confetti Cream. If I'd had some of the new 5/8 inch Old Olive grosgrain ribbon, I think I would have used it instead of the Old Olive cardstock strip. I couldn't find my SU! brads but found some other ones I had lying around (boy, do I need to clean off my desk!). I stamped the sentiment from Holidays & Wishes in Chocolate Chip craft and set it with clear embossing powder. It makes the sentiment pop off the background a little darker than if you stamped the sentiment in classic Chocolate Chip alone. I didn't think I needed this stamp set, but after seeing so many beautiful cards created by Jeanne as well as the creative folks who visit SplitcoastStampers, I just had to have it!

Spooky Triangle Box Treats

I was inspired by a post on Splitcoaststampers this weekend by stampinspy and just had to try these cute boxes! I don't have the Late November SU! spectrum pad that she used, but did have Desert Heat and Melon Melody Kaleidacolor pads to try out for this cute project. They were easy and fun to make - I made 8 in my first batch, and will probably make some more. I was able to fit six Hershey's kisses inside. Sorry for the poorly lit picture - I'll try to post a better one soon.

I originally saw this cute box done as a huge candy corn when my coworker and fellow SU! demonstrator Darla was looking for the directions from our upline, Jeanne, who unfortunately couldn't find them. We saw it posted here. I emailed the blog author, Alora, but her computer died over the summer and so did her copy of the directions. Thankfully we were able to get the directions from Judy who had gotten the directions from Alora last October when she posted on Alora's blog, asking for the directions (you rock, Judy!). Turns out, it's the same exact box that stampinspy posted over the weekend!

To make them, cut a piece of glossy white cardstock to 4 x 8 inches. I scored it in the middle (4 inches, but did NOT fold it), then used my Spooky Skyline wheel with Basic Black to stamp the image on either side of the score line. You have to be careful as the wheel can slip if you aren't careful. I let the ink dry, then broke out my brayer and one of the Kaleidacolor pads. After rolling the ink to the richness I wanted, I let it dry. Once dry, you make a small mark in the middle of the short ends (2 inches). Score from this center line to the edge of the score line you made earlier. Repeat three more times. This will create a large diamond shape on your cardstock. Fold along the score lines. To close the box, use a hole punch at the top edges and run a ribbon through. Add treats before you tie it up, and viola! You have a VERY cute treat box!

2007 Christmas Card

While having an informal stamp camp at work a week ago, I worked on our Christmas card design for this year. I love the tent card, and the soft colors of Blue Bayou and Soft Sky. Here's what I came up with. I'm still tweaking the design a bit, but it's pretty close to the final product.

Card Candy Swap

I recently volunteered to be the swap coordinator for my upline, Jeanne Ciolli's, team meetings. One of my favorite places for inspiration is SplitcoastStampers.com. I went looking for swap ideas there and saw a post about 'Card Candy'. After seeing some examples, I knew exactly what I wanted to do for our October swap - Fall Card Candy! I hadn't mounted my Give Thanks stamp set yet, and thought it might be perfect for our swap. I had fun using my Watercolor Wonder crayons and an aquapainter to color the images. It sure helped me to use up some of my old cardstock scraps! I'm looking forward to seeing what the other ladies on our team came up with.