The Love Swaps

The swap theme for our January demonstrator meeting was "Love or Valentine". What a great selection of cards that generated!

In addition, I've remade some of my favorite treat packages in new DSP, so you'll be seeing a selection of these up close and personal in the coming days. If you see one you like, better make multiples ASAP - Valentine's Day will be here before you know it!! -Kathy

Scrap Book Page with Edgelits

Some years ago my girls just blew through a roll of film for fun, and I've been enjoying the results ever since!

Did you notice that the card from Monday's post is incorporated as an element on this page? I added two more blocks, one for narration and one as a photo frame, then tied them all together with SU! paper daisies and leaves from the bird builder punch. The Baroque Borders wheel provides some background texture and further ties the individual elements together.

I'm going to have to work on my photography technique for 12x12 pages. It's not nearly as simple as you might think!! -Kathy

The "Stinkin' Cute" Award

I just had to include one "catch-up post" from before Christmas when I disappeared from sight with a most unpleasant infection... Monique and I have a standard for projects that just make you say, "Awwww...!" We call them "stinkin' cute". This swap of Deloris' (demonstrator from Topeka) certainly meets the criteria! The stamp set is Sweets for the Sweet and she's used a bit of designer paper. Wouldn't this be darling tweaked for Valentine's Day or birthday?

To make the candy "tails", she's taken a scallop circle punch (1 3/4") of DSP and scored it like a pie. Cut this in half, then fold - beginning with a "mountain" fold. Secure under candy body with Tombow Multipurpose glue.

Way to go, Deloris! Thanks for sharing your creativity with us. -Kathy

Stamp Club Olathe - January 2012

We covered so much ground in both clubs this month! For these gals, I designed a card that featured one of the new edgelits dies and coordinating embossing folders, and we threw in a little two-tone stamping technique plus a few accent lines on the Stampin' Score! They echo the embossed lines from the folder nicely. I think this scheme of Basic Gray, Pink Pirouette and Wisteria Wonder is a nice alternative to the usual Valentine combo, don't you? The floral image is from a Sale-a-bration stamp set called Fresh Vintage, and you'll find the sentiment in Delightful Dozen.

But wait, there's more! In the next post I'll show you how we took this single element and used it on a scrap book page... -Kathy

Big Shot: Beyond Basics Class

Here's one of the projects I'll be teaching in the Big Shot class next Saturday. (Haven't signed up yet? There's still time, but don't delay!)

It all began with hammering out my resolutions for this year. I find that I like to give them form, to work with them and make them my own. For the class, I wanted to demonstrate some different ways to use the new Edgelits and Framelits dies. When I saw a similar project on another blog, I knew our materials would provide the perfect upgrade! So I made up a few of these little cards, thinking what an adventure it would be to give some away... but the project also modifies beautifully into an invitation, a birthday greeting with gift pocket, a photo holder with note... and with the Big Shot they go together double-quick.

I've got lots more up my sleeve for you, so don't miss out. Even if you don't own a Big Shot yet, you can use these tips and techniques here in the studio on work nights! -Kathy

A Gift for the New Year

I'm always bragging on the group of demonstrators I get together with each month, and here's another reason why! Not only are they talented, they're so very generous. Here's a gift I received last month from Lisa, who convenes the group. A little calendar pad is attached at the bottom - I'll just tear off each one as the year flies by and it will be just the right size for reference in the studio.

Practical, yes - but the beauty of little gifts is simply how special someone feels when they receive "a little something" made just for them, for no particular reason! -Kathy

Stamp Club Lawrence - January 2012

One of the scrumptious new products in the Occasions Mini Catalog is a pack of laser cut cards in two designs (the other is a heart). They come with Blushing Bride envelopes. After seeing a sample on Mary Brown's blog (her banner featured four letters, requiring the sacrifice of an additional card!) I came up with this modification, which I taught at the Lawrence club this month. Let's see: JOY, HUG, LUV, YOU, the recipients MONOGRAM... think of any other appropriate 3-letter words that might work?!

We also used the tip from Patty Bennett about coloring your basic pearls or rhinestones with Sharpies to make them any color you want!

I can hardly wait for February, when I'll be using the heart version of the Designer Cuts cards with the Olathe ladies. -Kathy