Cards are a gift of "Thyme!"

Tomorrow evening, my husband, Mark, will be attending a Men's Retreat at the church he helped to build last fall. (Anyone remember the 350 cards I cranked out for the building help?) This time there wasn't as large a project, but I volunteered to make a set of cards for the baksets of 2 of the pastors that will be there.

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Our church is famous for baskets, I think, because anytime something is going on, there are gift baskets to be put together. They are always very nice and thoughtful, but try as I might, I just don't have the knack for putting all that stuff together and making it look all foo-foo and nice and all...but I have found that I can make cardsto help fill them up and I am helping out the best way I know how to. But this is the first time I have made cards for the guys' retreat.

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So I picked out some masculine paper and it matched the former in-color "True Thyme," of which I am in very short supply of. So I stamped and I sponged and used the smallest pieces up, trying to conserve all I could, because once the in-colors are gone, they are gone! I did not stamp the insides, as I wouldn't know what would need to be said at the time they wanted to use the cards. I will also stamp an all-occaission verse on the envelopes, so they won't have to (if they even noticed) a certain card to a certain envelope.

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Here are the individual shots below, with a quick name of the set I used, so 3 are pretty vintage for Stampin' Up! sets, which I am thankful that I got them way back when.

This card is from the current SU set called "Winds of Grace."

This image came from SU's retired "Beauty of Life."

This eagle is from the Retired SU's "Birds."

This is the card from SU's Retired set, "Set Sail."

Bitty Bunny Purse

This Bitty Bunny Purse is the Technique Lover's Challenge (TLC211) today ar SCS. It is so fast and easy to do that I plan to make several more for my daughter's girlfriends. The first time I saw these was on the 'Paper Pleasing Ideas' blog and I wanted to try them then, but didn't...so today when I went to check out the challenge for today, there it was again with a diect link to Julie's tutorial - so I did it up quick and just love how my little project turned out!
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I used Certainly Celery card stock and the matching Designer paper that came in the 6 color stacks of 6"x6" paper. The stamp was from a vintage Stampin' Up! set called 'Spring Things' that came out in 1991. I punched the rabbit image out with a McGill scallop Punch, and colored the bunny details with my Prisma Pencils. I added the little curls around the outside edge of the square with the celery colored pencil, and if you click on the picture above, you will see that I went around the whole shape of the bunny with a very light gray,which almost seems to lift it up from the paper. Stampin' Up!'s new Eyelet Lace Punch trimmed the top and inside pocket of the purse. One last detail that I changed was using 3/8" white grosgrain instead of the handles as paper just wouldn't hold up against my 4 year old little girl!

Inside the purse, I stuck 3 small bottles of Bath & Body Works Hand Gel to show size only. I would strongly advise against ever giving these to any small child as they are primarily alcohol based, and could (and have actually) caused alcohol poisoning resulting in injury or death in children that were tempted to taste those pretty smells. These hand-wash gels are great to use when you need clean hands, but you should always watch and make sure that children rub their hands until totally dry so they do not try this. {In case you didn't realize this, it is good information to know!}

C-ya later!

Cupcakes Anyone???

I love this set! I've had it for months now and I hate to admit it, today is the first time I have ever used it! I decided to participate in a Sketch Challenge by CPS (Card Positionin System) and having chosen the colors I did, the cupcakes were just begging to be used.
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Starting with a Pirhouette Pink card base, I then chose my new Pattern Paper, SU's Sweet Always. I picked the paper and then chose Pumpkin Pie to do my framing with. I used Fiskars "postage stamp" decorative scissors to trim around the tiles, and pink ric-rac over pumpkin paper for a ribbon effect. I used my Prisma colored pencils to color the popped-up image...no fancy techniques with the pencils, but I do love how even the coverage is when I am done. Someone gave me a cheat sheet that matches the SU colors to the Prismas, and that really helps me keep it close. Wanna Cupcake?

C-ya later!

Sweet Stem Flowers "Friends" Card

I tried this Weekend Sketch Challenge for the first time with this card. Upon seeing the challenge, I reached for a scrapbook set of papers I had bought at a book sale (actually I bought 2 sets). Finding this flowery warm-colored flower print, I wondered if I had any stamps to match? Honestly, I have so many flower stamps that I would have been astounded if I didn't, but "Could I find one to match?" was really the question of the hour!
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My first thought was Doodle This or That...but then I saw my new Sweet Stems set, and by golly, they were the right sizes and pretty close of a match. I stamped in Stazon Black and colored them with my prisma pencils. Having used Office Max Cream for my stamped paper, because it so closely matched the pattern paper, it looked pretty pale against the print...so I found a "brownier" tan and scribbled the backgrounds behind the flowers until it got pretty close to what I wanted. I scalloped the Bravo Burgundy piece and the holes "disappeared" on the print, so I repunched with the cream and attached that piece behind the burgundy and oriented the holes directly above the burgundy holes so it would 'light up' the lace. After trying to fill up the space to the left of the image with a variety of ideas, I just added a little of some punched green last to the edge. Still, I needed something else...so I took the "friends" label off a card I had recieved from a friend, and it worked so that I can pass it on to another friend. I guess that's what "friends" are for!

Have a good weekend!
C-ya later!

Why, Thank You!

Stampin' Up! has offered a selection of single stamps in our last catalog, and to be able to show it, one must buy it to demo it...so this is the one I chose. Yesterday while filling orders that had come in (yes, I pack the bags for the hostesses), and I usually try to remember to stamp a Thank You on the invoices...so I grabbed this one...the one featured in the framed diamond.
When it came time to stamp the hostess's order form, I wanted to stamp it 3 times, and it happened to turn out in a pattern...hmmm...wonder if I could do something with that idea?
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So last night, I pulled out my Stamp-a-ma-jig and did the background in about 10 minutes. I thought I could use this idea for SCS Limited Supply challenge (LSC209) to make a background paper out of one set, and comeplete the card with only stamps from that set...so, having used a single stamp to do the background, I also needed to use it for the greeting. I used Pacific Point ink on Certainly Celery, but the better match for the quarter sheet behind the card was actually Not Quite Navy. Grosgrain ribbon and Nesabilities squares to highlight the single image.
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If you haven't gone past the index in the Stampin' Up!'s Spring & Summer Idea Book & Catalog, you should! Not only is the Ronald McDonald House Charities set there, but you will find several single images as well as two very affordable starter Mini Note kits, perfect gifts for the new stampers who are curious, or maybe someone you would like to help become a stampin' buddy!

C-ya later!

Sheetloads of Birthday Cards

For as forgetful as I am. birthday cards are always seem to be in short supply, especially when I need them in a hurry, so I thought I would get a little pile of them ready for last minute well wishes. This layout was from the February Sheetloads sketch found here
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"Sheetloads" is a great little site that actualy has a sketch layout each month. You can download a free little magazine that gives you the sketch and all the measurement for each card part...for just a single card, or a whole batch! They even chart it out so you know exactly how to cut each page up to get the most from your paper stash. The rest is up to you! You decide what colors, papers, occaission and adornments you want. It's a great way to stretch your creativity...and of course you can change the dimensions to suit your own images or purposes, the main idea is to get those cards made! You can also post your projects there too, and sometimes they even have prizes...

As you can know, it is now March...but nevertheless, they are finished, 6 of them! (that is good for me) and now I can allow myself to go and look at March's issue. Go take a look!

C-Ya!