Cheer up Buttercup

I'm up today on the SP Stamps blog to show you how to make this card by stamping with bleach!

Please go over and take a look. Thanks!

filled with LOVE

I've got a double challenge entry today.

First is Unity's January KOM challenge using this sketch:

And the second is a Pinterest-Inspired Challenge at the Sketches4All group using this photo:

So using Unity's  December Kit of the Month I came up with this card:

I stamped and fussy cut the jar and filled it with punched hearts.

Then I inked a doily and wrapped it with red twine.

I created the banner by stamping the sentiment in pieces to make it long rather than a square.

Supply list:

Unity December KOM {...filled with love}

Twinery Maraschino twine

SU Basic Black ink

Studio G grey ink

Wilton doily



My first art journal and FWF

It's Friday and time for another Friends with Flair blog hop over at Unity stamps.

Once upon a time I used to love to draw and paint and doodle. It's been much too long. So I made this multimedia art journal in hopes that I would actually use it and start creating again. I wanted it to be all about things that inspire ME. Hence the title and pic. In retrospect it seems kinda silly.

I went through my dusty art drawer and pulled out some drawing paper, watercolor paper, and some canvas. From my craft supplies I pulled printer paper, white cardstock, and some envelopes. I bound it all with my Cinch tool:

So now I can open it up draw or paint or collage. I even have pockets and envelopes to collect little treasures or ideas or some journaling. Theoretically anyway. It's still empty. And I made it a few weeks ago. : \

For the cover I used some old packaging. It's basically just raw chipboard. I think it was the backing that came with a kit or tool or something. I stamped Unity's Up Against a Wall with clear embossing powder. Then I sponged on distress ink in Rusty Hinge all over. The chipboard just soaks up the ink so I had to apply it again a few time to keep the vibrant color. I stamped a sentiment from Unity's Imagine It set in black embossing powder and a flower from the Insightful Meadows set in black ink.

 Then I took the Polaroid stamp from Wilson Designs Everything's Owlright set and created a frame for my pic. I distressed the frame with Old Paper distress ink and the photo with Vintage Photo distress ink. I added some letter stickers, painted over them and them removed them to reveal - kind of the opposite of a stencil I guess. Then two Sassafrass flowers, some twine, and I-rock bling and it was done.

Oh, can't forget that MME pompom trim around the border.

Now it's done.

Except for the art I need to put inside!

So leave a comment and go take a look at the other entries on the blog hop for your chance to win!

So Happy for you

It's Tuesday again and time for another design team post for SP&Company.

Today, I've made a card to go along with the white color challenge they have going on now too.

 I embossed my white card base with the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder.

I wanted this to be an anniversary card but didn't have an anniversary stamp. I could have spelled it out with alpha stamps but it wouldn't have fit in this frame. And I just had to use the new frame I got for Christmas! So I went with this "So Happy for you" stamp from the Bold Sentiments I set from SP&Company stamps.

The frames are from the Twisted Metal Tags & Accents Shapeabilities dies from Spellbinders. I cut and embossed them on white cardstock, then inked them up a bit to match the ribbon. And I love how the sentiment just pops in it!

 

 It's also the 10th of the month which means NEW STAMP RELEASE day at SP&Company. So there is a blog hop HERE. Make sure to enter for your chance to win! And don't forget to enter the color challenge as well for another chance to win!

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Supply list:

SP&Co Bold Sentiments I stamp set

Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder

Twisted Metal Tags & Accents Shapeabilities

Martha Stewart ink in Ocean

SU ink in Basic Black

Paper-pieced snowman

Today is my day to post over at the SP Stamps blog!

Head over to see how to make this card with the paper-pieced snowman and snowmound:

DT Tuesday and a Thank You card

This is my first post as a Design Team member for SP&Company stamps! WooHoo! I will be posting on my blog every Tuesday and then 2-3 times per month on the SP&Co blog.

For my first project I decided to make a Thank You card. We need to send many of these out for all the wonderful presents our family received at Christmas. 1 down, many to go...

I started by using a sheet from the MME Lost & Found 2 Breeze 6x6 pad. I cut it in half and mounted on turquoise cardstock and centered it on my white card base. I love the font of the SP&Co Ulimate Sentiments II stamp set and I wanted to highlight the Thank You stamp. So I hand-cut this frame from the top half of the leftover Breeze sheet and stamped inside it. The sentiment fit perfectly!

I inked the edges and popped it with foam of course!

 Then I used some of these wonderful corduroy buttons in Chocolate Chip and Kiwi Kiss and tied them up with some Aqua twine.

Thanks for stopping by and taking a look!

 For more inspiration using SP&Company stamps visit the blog at www.thescrapmaster.com.

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Supply list:

SP & Company Ultimate Sentiments II stamp set

MME Lost & Found 2 Breeze 6x6 pad

SU! Kiwi Kiss Corduroy Buttons

SU! Chocolate Chip Corduroy Button

Divine Twine Aqua twine

SU! Early Espresso ink

It's Official!!!

I can now announce publicly that I am on the Design Team for SP and Company stamps!!!!

My first design team! Yay me.

Here's Samantha's official blog post:

http://www.thescrapmaster.com/2011/12/meet-new-sp-team.html

I think I will begin posting for them in February. I'll keep you posted.

If you're not already a fan hop on over and follow her blog and let her know I sent ya. They are also on facebook. She makes great clear photopolymer stamps that are produced right here in the USA. Lots of great images and fonts, plus cut files, and other crafty goodies too (paper, twine, die cuts).

I'm gonna be honest and say that I am sooo intimidated by some of the other designers. They are so good. People that I follow and "know" are on the team. Gulp. Let's hope I can hold my own with them.

I'm so excited. But I'm off to put the kids to bed and check on the sick hubby.

:  )

The winner is...

I finally drew a winner for the Card Organizer!

It was comment #3..

Heather!

Heather, email your address and I'll get it sent out to you.

Congrats!

SS, FWF, a tutorial, and a giveaway!

Projects #36-40

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Guess what? I'm a guest blogger at Scrapbook Steals.com today!! EEEK. I have been following/shopping/stalking them for so long. Today's steal is The Cinch binding tool and I got to make a few projects for them. It's a REALLY awesome deal and I would be buying this if I didn't already have it! But I did scoop up some more binding wires though!

Here's what I made:

Today I'll walk you through the middle book which is a Card Organizer. Stay tuned for the others coming up on my blog soon.

So if you're a fan of SS you know that Kristy loves for us to "send joy" by making and mailing cards. Well, sometimes I make cards way beforehand and this is a great way to store them and NOT forget who it's for! Here's what I used:

My Cinch binder, a binding wire, an old Cheerios box (for the cover), 6 sheets of double-sided 12x12 patterned paper, paper for the cover, and a scoring tool.

First, score the paper in half at 6 inches.

Then, turn the paper 90 degrees and score again at the 8-inch mark.

 Fold and crease at the 8-inch mark.

Then fold back the page on the 6-inch mark.

 Repeat this for the other 5 pages.

 For the cover I cut out 2 6"x8" pieces from the box and covered it with kraft cardstock. You could probably just use the cardstock but I wanted it to be sturdier since I thought it would get a bit of use. I used a spray adhesive to attach my cardstock to the cover.

And for the calendar part I created these charts in Word and glued to each pocket. The month is stamped with Unity's Here's the Ticket stamp set. Now just write down all birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays for the month so you can remember to send out the love. Mine is empty for a reason - you'll see why at the end of the post. : )

 The folds of each page will go on the outside like this:

(Instructions for binding are at the end of the post)

 Now you have a page and pocket for each month and no more excuses for forgetting someone's special day!

The postage stamps are from Unity's All Seasons set (September Kit of the Month).

I hand-cut the pennants and stamped them with Unity's Carnivale Alpha stamp set.

BINDING INSTRUCTIONS

(photos are from one of the journals, not the organizer)

Step 1 - Insert your paper into the machine and press the handle down to punch.

Step 2 - If your paper is longer than 6 inches you'll then need to slide the guide out and move the paper all the way to the left. Press down the black alignment peg on the side to hold the papers in place . Pull out the first peg after the end of the paper. In this case it is peg 5. Press the handle again to complete the punching. Pull up the alignment peg and push back the peg.

 Step 3 - Repeat the above steps for your cover.

 Step 4 - Place the binding wire on the hooks to the right of the machine. Place sheets onto hooks, followed by the front cover, and then the back cover. Placing the back cover on top will help to hide the seam of the wire when you are done.

 Step 5 - Remove the wire and pages and place them at the back of the machine under the cinching bar. Make sure you set the dial with the correct wire size. The opening of the wire should be against the machine. Slowly press down the handle to close the wires. Slide the book and repeat if the book is longer than the cinching bar.

Step 6 - Snip off any remaining wire. And you just made a book!

Thanks for stopping by from ScrapbookSteals and/or for hopping along on Unity's Friends with Flair blog hop!

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Did you like the card organizer? Would you like to win it?? That's why all my dates are empty - because I was saving it for one of you! Click HERE to enter to win it. (U.S. and Canada residents only) or go down to the previous post.

: )

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Supply List:

MME Ooh La La paper and tag

SU Crumb Cake cardstock

WRMK Cinch, binding wire (1")

Unity All Seasons, Carnivale Alpha, and Here's the Ticket stamp sets

Studio G alpha stamps

Divine Twine

Tim Holts Distress Inks - Wild Honey, Ripe Persimmon, Crushed Olive, Tumbled Glass, Old Paper

SU Early Espresso ink pad

Versamark Watermark ink

Cricut Straight from the Nest cartridge (tree)

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Oh - and I should say that this is not my design. I've seen it made out in blogland before. I first learned it from my former SU director Tara Bazata. I'm sorry I forgot to put this credit in when I first posted!

Giveaway!

I'm giving away this card organizer that I made!

The book is 6"x8" and has a calendar and pocket on each of 12 pages to store and organize greeting cards. The cards in the photographs are NOT included. I am just giving away the organizer.

All you have to do is be one of my followers and leave a comment on this post by next Friday, December 9th at 9:00 PM Mountain time. I'll draw a random winner (US and Canada residents only) and post here!

A tutorial for this book will be available on my blog tomorrow morning.

Good luck!