Memorial Day Visits

We visited my grandmother each year on the first Sunday in June, "Decoration Day." We'd haul wreaths or flowers to the cemetery down the road from her house, and walk among the tombstones telling the stories we knew of those who had lived and died so many years before. It wasn't in the least frightening on those sunny Sundays, with family we seldom saw and picnic lunch. The only thing that really frightened us was having to use the outhouses!

The motorcycle image made me recall getting out on the open road, and all the preparations that accompanied a trip to Grandmother's house. The card was prepared by Karen Herrmann for a demonstrator swap (thanks, Karen!). I want to call your attention to two things. First, the background texture was created by pouncing a small wad of plastic wrap onto an ink pad and then onto the card stock. You pick up an amazing amount of ink this way! Secondly, I created my own embellishments by stamping the "typewriter keys" and punching them out, then coating them with Crystal Effects as described in the Faux Brads technique tip. I popped them up on dimensionals for added, well, dimension!

This year for Memorial Day, tell the stories of those now gone, tell your own stories! It's important to know where we come from. Kathy

Shirt Matchbox

Hello there,

Here's another for the "Stinkin' Cute" category! I saw this on line by Amy Celona and knew I had to make it! So, needing a Big Shot project for a Demo meeting the other day,Kathy and I had a fun time putting this little guy together. What a great little treat project this will make for Dad for Father's Day!

Hope you all have a safe and blessed Memorial Day!

Monique

Materials: All materials are Stampin' Up.

Paper: Blue Bayou CS and DSP (Retired) and Brushed Silver.

Ink: Blue Bayou.

Punches: 1/2" circle.

Misc.: Pretties Kit half back pearl.

Birthday Wishes

Good Morning,

I saw this card on line and just loved it. I've misplaced the name of the creator so I'll have to get back to you on that. It's so clean, crisp and strong, and will work well for masculine birthdays. It went together fairly quickly and would be a good one to mass produce to have on hand. Hope you like!

Thanks for stopping by!

Monique

Materials: All materials are Stampin' Up.

Paper: Very Vanilla, Always Artichoke, Kraft and Basic Black.

Stamp: Botanical Blooms, Baroque Motifs and Sincere Salutations .

Misc.: Color Spritzer.

Spring Flower Monogram Card

Time for another super-quick layout idea! A set of these would be great thank you notes for a graduate or birthday person, or just as blank cards to have on hand for any occasion. And they're a snap to make.

You'll need an alphabet set, of course. One that reflects the tastes of the recipient. Pair it with some appropriate designer series paper, and pull a couple of colors out of the DSP to use as accent colors.

To make a perfectly positioned monogram, stamp first on your cardstock, then work from the open back of the punch to center the letter in the opening before you punch. You'll need 1 or 2 slightly larger punches for layering (in this case I used the 1 1/4" punch for the letter, then the 1 3/8" for the colored circle and the scallop circle punch for the final layer). To vary the look of the scallop circle punch a bit and make it coordinate more closely with the eyelet border punch, I simply used the 1/16" hand held punch to add a small hole in the center of each scallop. Once I had the entire medallion assembled, I popped it up on Stampin' Dimensionals so that it casts a shadow for interest. Note the thin line of yellow card stock between the DSP and the eyelet trim that echoes the yellow circle (in both size and color) of the medallion. Repeating elements in your work gives it a strong, finished look - as though everything belongs together!

Aahhh. Now that feels good. Kathy


All supplies Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Lovely Letters Alphabet
Ink: Old Olive classic
Paper: Naturals White, Crushed Curry, Melon Mambo CS; Lovely Flowers DSP (Level 3 Hostess)
Accessories: 1 1/4" circle, 1 3/8" circle, Scallop Circle, 1/16" hand held and Eyelet Border punches; 1/2" Rich Razzleberry Polka-Dot Grosgrain ribbon

Product Feature: Die Cut Notes

Have you noticed those gorgeous die cut note cards on page 168 of the Idea Book & Catalog? I couldn't wait to play with them! At just 60-66 cents per card/envelope pair, they're a sweet deal. Hmmn. They are a little small to go through the mail, however. What to do?

I cut a 5x5" card base from Basic Gray card stock and a 4 3/4" square of my favorite Nouveau Chic DSP. I layered these, then adhered the Elegant Note in the center. To make the cut design stand out I sponged around the lasercut design just a bit with Apricot Appeal* classic ink, then wrapped a length of Basic Gray taffeta ribbon just below the fold and secured it with a ribbon slide from the Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware kit. I added a sentiment to the outside and another to the inside (positioning it at the top where it wouldn't be seen when the card is closed).

Now my card will fit into a medium square envelope and go through the mail at the standard rate. And the extra envelope that came with the note card? See the Shopper's Foot Soak post from October 30, 2009. Kathy

* Watch out - these colors are being discontinued so lay in your supply now!


All supplies Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Kind & Caring Thoughts (Level 3 Hostess)
Ink: Apricot Appeal* & Sage Shadow*
Paper: Basic Gray, Apricot Appeal, Sage Shadow CS; Nouveau Chic DSP; Elegant Notes
Accessories: Basic Gray Taffeta Ribbon, Ribbon Slide, corner punch (your choice)

Graduate "Wallets"

I seem to be in that period of life where all my friends, who had their kids years before I had mine, are graduating progeny. I have lost count of how many graduation cards I've made this year! Not surprisingly, I revert to the "tried and true" in a situation like this.

I first saw these on Sharon Johnson's blog. They require little more paper than an ordinary card, as they're based on a piece that measures 5.5" x 8.5", plus scraps for trim and "belly band". And of course, the Happy Grad single stamp in the Spring/Summer Mini was made for just such a purpose!

To make these fellas, I score a line about 2.5" from the bottom. I notch it with a circle or oval punch (makes it easier to grab hold of that gift card or cash), then crease and secure with Sticky Strip (really, don't bother with any other adhesive unless it's the Tombow and you have plenty of time to let it dry). Score another line such that the top flap just overlaps the bottom pocket edge. Oh, is your notch showing? That is what we do with all those narrow strips and scraps of paper that accumulate! We make a nice little contrasting band that covers the hole and adds to the tailored look.

For the belly band, I just grabbed a couple of strips roughly an inch wide in coordinating colors, glueing and folding them to EACH OTHER as I go until they wrap around the wallet. Don't glue them TO the wallet, the idea is that this band slips off so the recipient can get the goodies without destroying the stunning card. This double layer of card stock exerts quite a bit of "pop", so the final overlap should be secured with Sticky Strip (or you can use Tombow and weight it until dry). To make the medallion, I stamped the sentiment onto Naturals white card stock in a coordinating color, then layered it onto a coordinating solid color, and finally created a scallop base as described in the 5/11/10 Technique Tip for a scalloped mat. Some sort of 3D element seems called for as the final touch, in this case a button from the ancestral stash.

Hope this helps if YOU still have graduation cards to send - or cards for any event that you'd like to stuff with gift cards, cash, stickers, temporary tattoos... Kathy

Punching Fancy Flowers

What else (I hear you asking) can you do with the fancy flower punch being offered in the Spring/Summer Mini Catalog?! Here are a couple of ways to make a 3D flower that will really dress up a project!

If you want to use designer paper, punch six flowers from the paper of your choice with the Fancy Flower punch (here I've used Ruby Red from the Patterns Pack available to hostesses). Sponge the edges of the petals if desired to give them definition and "shabby chic". Spritz lightly with water (this helps prevent the paper from tearing) and wad up into little pea-sized balls. Carefully open up each little ball (this is the stage where tearing is most likely to occur), but don't try to get the wrinkles out. Next, punch a "center" using the Boho Blossoms punch. You'll also need a 5/8" brad. Lay out your paper piercing tool and foam mat. Stack the punched flowers on top of each other, off-setting the peaks and valleys of the petals with each layer. End with the Boho Blossom punch on top. Pierce through the center of the stack, working the piercing tool around a bit to enlarge the hole (this helps prevent the prongs of the brad from bending as you're trying to insert it). Open the prongs on the back to hold the layers in position. Starting from the top, pinch the first layer up and around the brad, curling the petal edges under for volume and a natural look. Move on to the second layer, and so forth until you've worked your way to the bottom. You may attach the flower to your project using the prongs of the brad or a pop-up glue dot.

You can also make these flowers from magazines or catalogs you're ready to recycle. You'll need 12 layers for this approach, since the paper is thinner. No need to spritz these, just wad and open. Assemble as above, except this time I omitted the smaller punch in the center and used a corduroy button brad. To finish, I shot a little Log Cabin Smooch Spritz onto the flower and the button. This worked great to tone down the red so that it looked old like the magazine colors.

You'll be surprised at how quickly these come together after you've done a couple! Kathy

Punch Lion

Here's another one that fits into the "Stinkin' Cute" category! Don't you just love him! I made this guy for a friend whose grandson is celebrating his first birthday. I got the idea online by "hirobinson" and of course tweaked it a bit to fit my needs. The dimesnionals in between the different layers of paper really makes him pop. Hope he makes you smile as much as he did me!

Take care,

M.

Materials: All materials are Stampin' Up!
Paper: Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie and More Mustard.
Ink: Pumpkin Pie.
Punches: 1/2", 3/4", 1 1/4", 1 3/8" Circle, Scallop Circle, Large Oval, and Boho Blossom.
Misc.: Chit Chat Rub On, Stampin' Dimensionals and Wiggly Eyes.

Statement of the Heart

This is a bottle of Hand Sanitizer !
(also works with Soap)

1. I printed the saying off at home.
2. Then I took it to our local copy center.
3. I had it printed on to transparency.
4. Cut transparency down to size.
5. Rolled it up and slide it down in to the bottle.
6. Pick embellishments and decorate.

Check out this Post!

Congratulations Grad!

Hello again,

I tweaked this idea from a card I saw online by Nancy Riley for a friend who is a teacher and wanted to congratulate her students on graduating. It could use a little more bling for my taste but was crunched for time.

Take care,

M.

Materials: All materials are Stampin' Up.

Paper: Whisper White, Basic Grey and Basic Black.

Ink: Basic Black and VersaMark.

Stamps: Congrats, Great Grad and Crosshatch.

Ribbon: Silver Elastic Cording.

Mother's Day Candles

I created these for the mom's in my church for a Mother's Day gift. They were sooo easy and sooo cute, just my thing! :) Hope you like!

M.

Materials:

Paper: Various and coordinating.

Punches: Large Oval, Scallop Oval and Boho Blossoms.

Ribbon: Various and coordinating, Silver Elastic Cording.

Misc.: Candles - white 3" x 3" and plastic gift bags.

Together Forever Anniversary

My "little brother" and his wife just celebrated an anniversary. I am so proud of them. Four kids (each with a full slate of activities), two-plus jobs, the various challenges brought by parents of a certain age... and they are still the best of friends. This is no small feat!

I wanted to make them a special card, so I pulled out the Bella Bleu DSP and some appropriate sentiments. The ribbon is actually from last year, but it's so similar to Soft Suede 1/2" grosgrain that you can use that to replicate the look. The cut ends of the ribbon are concealed beneath the medallion. I've used a small strip of burgundy to add a little color and definition to the card front, repeating the color in the scallop mat of the medallion. Two lengths of ribbon are knotted together for the bow and adhered with a glue dot.

Don't forget to decorate the inside of your cards - it needn't be difficult. I simply used scraps and a single, ornate brad placed to accent my sentiment, leaving space to write a message. The other advantage of this liner panel is that what I write will be easy to read against the lighter surface - but I still get the richness of the card base color.

Technique Tip: To make the large scallop square mat, punch 4 scallop squares out of burgundy. Using your work mat to line them up precisely, overlap two squares by the width of one scallop (imagine this line running top to bottom), and glue in place. Do this with the remaining two scallop squares. Now overlap one of these units onto the other (imagine this as a horizontal line) by the width of a scallop, and glue in place. Sponge the edges, and mount your stamped image on top of the large mat. Your eye will "overlook" the overlapped edges.

Take a moment this week to recognize someone you love for something important they've accomplished - like remaining friends through the challenges of marriage. Kathy


All supplies Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Friends 24-7, Together Forever, and Word on Word (sorry, this one is retired but it said just what I wanted)
Ink: Soft Suede classic
Paper: Soft Suede (5x5 base), Bravo Burgundy, Naturals Vanilla, Bella Bleu DSP
Accessories: Pretties Kit (large halfback pearls), small halfback pearls from my dollar bin stash, ornate square brass brad Memory Keepers; square scallop, scallop oval, large oval and scallop edge and 1" circle punches

March 2010 Stamp Club Demo

I began Stamp Club this month with a demo to illustrate just how easy it is to dress up an object using a vinyl transfer cut with the Big Shot. Here are two little bud vases which I bought at my local discount store for about $1 each. I simply used the Decor Elements Sheets (page 158 in the 2009-10 IB&C) and two of our small Sizzlets to cut out the shapes. The transfer sheets come with the vinyl, so it's a cinch to keep the spacing intact, even with complex free-floating elements such as the Swirls and Scribbles on the left. I'm pretty excited about this - why, you could change designs on windows, mirrors, serving plates, coffee tables or the windows on your car as often as you liked, and all without damaging the surface!

What will we think of next?! Kathy

May 2010 Stamp Club

Our hostess this month wanted to make decorated storage jars. I decided to broaden the focus just a bit, so I put out a selection of containers with "potential" and had each person choose one to decorate. We did a little brainstorming and came up with a list of possible uses for each. Then we fanned out, selecting paper, ribbon, embellishments and stamps that would support our ideas. The photos above show you some of the great results! (Too bad I didn't think to bring in the camera for the first session...)

Incorporating dimension is always a challenge, and it's especially important on projects that are 3D by nature. I demonstrated the flower you see on the two round brie boxes, made with the fancy flower punch and old magazines/catalogs. Our 5/8" brads or pronged corduroy buttons are perfect for holding them together and providing a center! We used the new Log Cabin Smooch Spritz to antique them a bit. Watch for an upcoming post that features just the flowers. Kathy

Compass Card

The men in my life are equipped with the "Inborn Male Directional System", or IMDS. They always know what direction they're driving, how to get there from here, and heaven forbid we might need to stop and ask directions!! In fact, I have long been convinced that if you put my father in a submarine, took him down to the bottom of the ocean floor, blindfolded him and spun both him and the sub around... once the dust settled he would know without a doubt what direction he was facing. My DH is nearly as proficient. I on the other hand, have no sense of direction (geographic) whatsoever. But this does not leave me helpless, oh no! I am equipped (as are many women) with the Female Mall Finder (FMF). It works like this: You memorize the route to the mall where you most often shop. Perhaps it's written down in a secret notebook you keep under the seat of your vehicle. From this mall, you can make your way to any other mall in the city, regardless of whether you've been there before, by using a specialized instinct not possessed my males. When you are lost (often as a result of IMDS malfunction), you can almost always recognize when you are near a mall, and from that one, you can hopscotch your way across town to the one nearest the highway home. Beware, however: Only one of these systems can be in operation at any given moment, or they will short each other out and you will become hopelessly lost!

So now you know "the rest of the story" behind my Father's Day card. When I saw the Travel Journal DSP in our Summer Mini and the coordinating Sentimental Journey stamps, it all came together suddenly in my mind. This is a 3x6" Kraft base hinged on top. I cut a piece of the road map DSP to cover the upper 2/3 of the card front, then made a layered strip of navy and pumpkin to anchor the compass medallion. To make the medallion, I stamped the compass image in navy craft ink onto white, and clear embossed. The 1" hole punch made quick work of trimming it out. I used square punches to make the diamond background, and layered photo corners behind (alternating colors each time) to give a directional feel. The entire medallion was popped up on stamp scrap.

Inside, I've used another photo corner punch and some 1/4" circle punches for color and interest. Done! And I grinned the whole time I was making them, thinking of the silliness spawned by a conversation overheard years ago in the women's bathroom at Crown Center Mall. That, and the fact that they're done a month early!! Kathy

PS- Did you realize that May is National Scrapbooking Month? SU! is running a special so that if you buy certain stamp sets, you get a package of designer brads for free! It just so happens that Sentimental Journey, the set used on this card, is one of those special stamp sets. For full details, visit www.kathynace.stampinup.net or call me.


All supplies Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Sentimental Journey, Well Scripted, Full of Life
Ink: Night of Navy craft
Paper: Travel Journal DSP; Craft, Night of Navy, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White CS
Accessories: Stampin' Dimensionals or stamp scrap, Tombow Multi-purpose Adhesive. Punches: 1" circle, 1 1/4" square, 1 3/8" square, photo corners, 1/4" hand held circle

Here Comes Summer!

Woo hoo! A new mini catalog is in effect, and although I'm always sad to say goodbye to my favorites when a change occurs, it's such fun to have new things from which to choose. This edition (see side bar at left) has a great set of tropical themed papers (Island Oasis) and stamps (Tropical Party).

This card is the result of a "shoebox swap" among demonstrators (thanks, Deloris!). If you've never participated in one of these, it's a great way to organize a playdate with friends. Each person prepares a card to be the sample, and cuts enough pieces for all the others in the group to make the same card. You put the necessary materials, including inks, punches, ribbon, or whatever you need into a shoebox or basket. When you get together you take turns explaining to everyone what they need to know in order to make your card. In this way everyone ends up with a great variety but you've only had to prepare for one card!

So get your hammock out, pour yourself a nice tall glass of iced tea, grab your mini catalog and dream up a playdate for your friends. This is the life you have. Take time to enjoy it! Kathy