Stamp Club Lawrence - July 2012

The hostess for club this month wanted some ideas for decorating little boxes (she volunteers for a program with at-risk teens, teaching them how to make jewelry). I showed them a 3D flower made from the blossom punch, a pinwheel that might appeal to a younger recipient, and this medallion option that could be more masculine. Everyone chose what they wanted to affix permanently to their box (which incidentally are also just the right size for gift cards). The boxes also feature the new World Spectacular DSP, which I think would be equally applicable to all audiences.

In addition to the box, each person made a gift card and decorated envelope using the You're Amazing stamp set. It has such fun images in it!! It may be my newest "go to" set, because what occasion would that not apply to??! (OK, so maybe there would be a better choice for a sympathy card.) You already know that when you start with something tiny, like the SU! 3 1/8" square envelope, you're guaranteed "cuteness factor".

Inside the card, we made an unexpected pop-up of the sentiment (and can anyone guess where the corner pieces came from??). I just love it when everything coordinates!

Hope you're staying cool and hydrated,
Kathy

Stamp Club Lawrence - February 2012

This month our hostess asked for a pop-up card. I was thrilled, as I think cards that "do tricks" are super popular with everyone (but especially guys and kids). So I set out to find one I liked, and came across this great double pop up on Brenda Quintana's blog.

We used Real Red craft ink (you know you can get "blank" full-sized craft pads which you can juice up with the re-inker of your choice, right?!) with the Valentine image from Sweet Centers on the front (along with some darling retired ribbon - check that Clearance Rack regularly!) to make the image really pop! Inside, we did our pop-up magic on some DSP from the In-Color Patterns Pack, with a bit of bling using silver Glimmer Paper (carried over from the Holiday Mini) and hand-colored Basic Rhinestones.

The little LED tea light used scraps from the card project, along with the 1 3/4" scallop circle punch and the scallop edge border punch.

Here's hoping you have as much fun with your cards and projects! -Kathy

Sale-a-bration Sundays: Kite Card

I am having so much fun with the Sale-a-bration products, I decided to preview a project with you each Sunday through the end of March to get you thinking about some of the things we'll be doing in the class I'm planning for my customers who place a qualifying order ($50) during this SU! promotion.

I'm starting with this adorable kite fold card, spotted on the web site of demo Brenda Quintana. We will definitely be making this one! It will lend itself so well to kid cards and a variety of uplifting themes. It pops open with space for a message inside, as you might imagine. Just think of the fun you could have embellishing the tail... -Kathy

Pennants & Fun Folds

Today I have a couple of examples from a recent swap with other demonstrators for you.

The first showcases the new Petite Pennants Builder punch and mini clothespins that you'll find in the 2011-12 IB&C. Thanks, Deloris!

The second is called a "center step" card/fold. I think it makes a great presentation for a little piece of cardstock - wouldn't it showcase a photo or some really nice watercoloring well? This is the quick version, letting some beautiful DSP do the work for you (Beyond the Garden). The new Four Frames stamp set guides the eye to the sentiment. Good choice, Lily - I'm a bit of a "fun fold junkie" and I'd never seen this one before.

Be inspired! I sure was... -Kathy

Stamp Club June 2011

We did an "explosion card" at both stamp clubs this month. They're so much fun! The fold is deceptively simple, with the surprise on the inside. Guys and kids especially love 'em, and you can attach banners and all sorts of things that move to enhance the "wow factor". Our two-sided designer paper is the perfect weight for the inside sheet - both sides show as the card pops up. -Kathy

Mortarboard Gift Card

Seems like they come in waves: babies, weddings, graduations... This year is one of those graduation waves in my world. I've seen this little card on several sites and made my own modifications. It always gets good reviews from folks who see it up-close-and-personal, so I am making them en masse and simply changing out the colored card stock to represent the school colors for each recipient. The mini tassels are a craft store find; buttons from my stash attached with pop-up glue dots, which also hold the tassel in place.

The inside pocket can contain cash/check, gift card, or even the graduates' information if you want to use them as announcements.

Want to learn how to make them yourself? I'll be demonstrating this project at work night in the studio on May 19. Come join in the fun! -Kathy

Waterfall Bear

When I was preparing for the April stamp club in Olathe, I kept thinking of all the great waterfall cards I could make with this or that stamp set. I'm stashing this one in my birthday card box for my brother, whose birthday is on the 4th of July - I know I won't have time to make it then! I've just collage stamped images from Under the Stars for my background paper, and I'll add a note at the top of the pull tab something to the effect "Hope your birthday is..."

Included a couple of shots of what the card looks like as you keep pulling, but really, you need to see it work. If you haven't, drop in at a work night sometime and I'll show you how it goes. -Kathy

Olathe Stamp Club - April 2011

The Olathe hostess for April fell in love with waterfall cards, and I can certainly understand why... it's not everyday you find a card that can do somersaults! Guys and kids are especially impressed with these. You can find a nice little review tutorial at dawn griffith waterfall card.

To make a landscape background, we used the branch from Easter Blossoms, the humming bird from Elements of Style, and - did you recognize it? - Pocket Silhouettes for the foliage along the bottom. If you thought you noticed a bit of shimmer there as well, you're correct - I demonstrated the faux mother-of-pearl technique using Stampin' Up's versatile Shimmer Paint on glossy cardstock. It adds just the right amount of subtle shine. IMHO, of course! -Kathy

Fun Fold Challenge

The March challenge for our 'Cool n' the Gang' Demo Group was to create a card using a fun fold technique. There are a lot of great ideas out there online, but I came upon one that had and angle fold instead of the traditional horizontal or vertical fold and thought I'd give it a try. I tweaked the original idea a little bit and this is my finished product. Hope you like!

Thanks for stopping by!

M.

Materials: All materials are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted.

Paper: Whisper white, Rich Razzleberry, Basic Grey, Pretty in Pink Patterned DSP.

Ink: Black Staze On, VersaMark, Pretty in Pink and Rich Razzleberry.

Stamp Set: A Slice of Life, Short and Sweet and Background Basics.

Punches: Scallop Edge Border, Boho Blossoms, Scallop Oval, Oval Large, and Modern Label.

Ribbon: Basic Grey and Rich Razzleberry Taffeta.

Misc.: Stampin' Dimensionals and Silver Brads.