You can do this!

If you can color a picture, you can make this card! I used the Big on Christmas set and stamped in Basic Black Classic ink on Whisper White. Then I stamped a piece of Certainly Celery with Polka Dot background stamp in Certainly Celery ink. Then I colored the image using a watercolor technique, but you can use colored pencils! Then I matted the image with Garden green, punched 2 small holes with the 1/16 circle punch and threaded silver chording through it and tied it in a bow. I put dimensionals behind the image block, and assembled the card on a Real Red cardbase. I used some glue and added glitter to the tree for some sparkle!

This would even be a great card for kids to help make! You can stamp the image, they can color and assemble it! What grandparent wouldn't love to get a card made by the little ones!

Have a great day!

.

Featured Product of the Month:

Stamp-a-ma-jig

I just got one of these, and let me tell you, I don't know how I ever did without it! It is a very easy to use stamp positioner that helps you make a straight stamp every time! It comes with a T-shaped positioner and an imaging sheet.

You basically place the imaging sheet in the crook of the positioner, then ink your stamp and stamp the image on to the imaging sheet using the positioner as a guide. Then you would like up the imaging sheet where you want to stamp your image, then put the positioner against the imaging sheet, remove the sheet, then stamp your image again using the positioner as the guide. Your images will be right where you want them!
I have only had mine two weeks, and have used it on almost every card I have made, and plan on using it over and over again. If you are looking to move up a notch in your cardmaking, you should have one of these in your toolbox! I give it two thumbs up!

The Stamp-a-ma-jig is on page 194 of the Fall-Winter Catalog and is $11.95.



Bright Ideas!

What's Cookin'?
Use your stamping or scrapbooking supplies to make recipe cards, the box to put them in, or an entire recipe book! Handmade recipe books also make wonderful gifts!

"Water" you waiting for?
Use a watercolor brush or Aqua Painter and any Classic inkpad to make lovely watercolored images! Squeeze the inkpad while closed until there is a pool of ink on the inside of the lid, then use a wet brush to pick up the ink like you would with watercolor paint, and start creating! You can also use re-inkers for more options.

If the Shoe Fits...
Shoe boxes are a great way to inexpensively store your handmade cards. The standard size card fit wonderfully in most standard size shoe boxes, and they are FREE! (not including the cost of the shoes, of course!) You can easily decorate the outsides to your hearts desire, and you can make your own dividers to organize your cards by occasion! It's also a great way to recycle!

.

V.I.P.!

V.I.P.!
Very-Inspiring-Papercrafter!
Those of you who received my newsletters before I started a blog might remember my VIP section where I would highlight the work of my customers, family and friends! This one was made by my wonderful mother! She did a great job, didn't she! I really like the vibrant colors on this card! It uses the Happy Blessings set from the Holiday Mini Catalog and the Sanded background stamp. What a great card!

If anyone has a card or project they would like to send me, email me a picture or scan of it, and you could be my next V.I.P.!

.

Send some snow in the mail!

This is one of the cards we made at the Fantastic Fall/Wonderful Winter class. This little penguin comes to us from the Wild About You set. He looks right at home in this snow, doesn't he? He has stopped by to say thanks! This card is a christmas/winter thank you card. Its another easy and FAST card to make. Start with a bashful blue cardbase, stamp the background snow with the large spatter stamp from Itty Bitty Backgrounds in craft white. Then tear a strip of whisper white and layer on the bottom of card. Stamp the thank you sentiment from Curvy Verses in Ballet Blue. Then run the tombow glue along the torn portion of the white and pour Dazzling Diamonds for some sparkle! set aside and let dry. In the meantime, stamp cute little penguin in basic black and cut out the image. put dimensionals on his back and place him on the card. Who wouldn't love to get a little bit of the south pole in the mail?

.

Happy Blessings

I have been posting mostly easy/beginner level cards so far, and thought I would add one that would be more of an intermediate level. This was the first card I made when my Happy Blessings set arrived a few weeks ago! This set comes from the Holiday Mini catalog, and it is so cute! I just love the little scarecrow! But for this card, I used the pumpkins and wheat image. I began by stamping the image on Very Vanilla in Creamy Caramel. I then colored the image with the watercolor technique in varying colors, mostly from the Earth Elements set. I then used the splatter stamp from Itty Bitty Backgrounds stamped off once with Creamy Caramel ink. I also used my sponge daubers with Creamy Caramel to age the paper a bit. I then distressed the edges with my scissors. I put that on an Old Olive mat. On a strip of Creamy Caramel cardstock, I stamped the Canvas background stamp in Creamy Caramel. I matted that strip with elegant Eggplant. On the Pumpkin Pie cardbase, I stamped the Sanded background stamp in Pumpkin Pie ink. I then adhered the pieces, then punched two pieces from the Word Window punch in Elegant Eggplant, trimmed them down to fit, poked a hole on one side of each, and placed an antique gold brad in them, then adhered them to the card. Lastly, I used the sentiment from the Happy Blessings set in Elegant Eggplant to finish off the card!

.

Let it Snow!

Well, we had a bit of snow here last Friday! That was surprising! Although it was ok with me, cause I love snow! We didn't have quite enough snow to make a snowman, but I can always make one on a card! I used the Big on Christmas set! Another easy one! (sorry about the terrible picture, though!) Just stamp the image with Staz On, use the watercolor technique to highlight the image with some bashful Blue, Basic Gray, Only Orange, Real Red and Garden Green. Stamp some snowflakes from the Snow Burst set in a random diagonal pattern on a Whisper White panel in Bashful Blue, add a strip of Bashful Blue cardstock with a silver chord and put it all on a Bashful Blue cardbase! You can't see it, but I added a little bit of Dazzling Diamonds glitter to the holly and leaf in his hat. He sure is cute! Let it snow, anytime!
.

Someone's at the door.....

Yay!! I got new stamps! It's always so exciting when UPS comes and rings my doorbell! I got the Holidays and Wishes set, and the Party Hearty set! I can't wait to use them! I had gotten a few things that totaled over $20 and was able to get the Party Hearty set at a 20% discount! This Birthday promotion that is going on right now is great! I always say that if you were to only have one stamp set, you need to get one either Birthday or Christmas themed! The Party Hearty set is really cute and is very versatile!

I also got my very first spool of Stampin' Up ribbon, the 5/8 Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon......I love it and haven't even used it on a card yet! It's very soft and feels so nice....now I need to design a card so I can use it asap! I love the fact that all of Stampin Up's products color coordinate. It really takes so much guess work out of the creative process!

I am looking forward to this Saturday's Fantastic Fall-Wonderful Winter class! We are making some fun projects, but I can't wait for the attendees to see the absolutely adorable card we are making for Thanksgiving! When I saw the idea, I was head over heels for it! And I am just beside myself with excitement to show it to the class! There is still room if you want to come!

I have been pretty busy with lots of little things (and several big things!) so I haven't been able to add much to my blog, but I should be adding some new stuff by next week. I already have a card ready to upload, but I just have to get to it and type it up!

Hope everyone is having a good week!



.