A sneek peek

This cute little scooter is part of a set called On the Grow which will be available in the Summer Mini Catalog.  Isn't it too fun?!  I always wanted a scooter.  Yes, a bit of a geek I am.  This card feels a bit Parisian to me.  I have not one idea why these colors say Paris to me, but they do!  Maybe it's the polka dots??  I have to say that out of all the Seam Binding Ribbon, this Baja Breeze Seam Binding Ribbon is my fave.  I like the lightness of the seam binding ribbon.  It makes a card easier to mail when the ribbon isn't weighing it down or making a big lump that won't go through the postal machine.

Stamp: On the Grow

Dies: Scallop Frame Oval

Paper: So Saffron, Red Riding Hood, Baja Breeze, Love Letter DSP

Inks: Baja Breeze, White Gel Pen, Stazon Black, Red Riding Hood, Daffodil Delight, Garden Green

Punches: Photo Corner, 3/4" square

Accessories: Baja Breeze Seam Binding, Saffron brads

This is a swap I did for a group of Demo swappers I belong to.  Can't wait to see the swaps I get!  I really like this Summer Mini.  Some good masculine sets too!

Thanks for stopping in.  Happy Spring!

Kristine



"Purse"only speaking

Until recently, I did not make many 3D projects.  But now I see so many cute things that I must try them for myself.  Case in point, this little purse!

I have made many of these purses of late-- for raffle prices, guest prizes, and for my friends.  They are just so cute!  They are made using the little composition notebooks that you can buy for less than $1 at the big box stores. I must confess that this is not my idea.  The kudos belong to a wonderfully inventive stamper, Becky Roberts, who has a blog named Inking Idaho.  She has provided a tutorial on making these nifty purses!  Isn't she wonderful!  Rather than re-invent the wheel and tell you how it's done, I'm going to send you to her tutorial! Click here to see the how tos! 

Next up is a "purse" that I designed based on a card box I saw at my friend Mary Cargill's, a fellow SU demonstrator. (Hi Mary!) I wanted my card box to look more like a spring purse!  Here's what I came up with...

I was tickeled pink when it was finished!  My children and even DH said it was cute.  My, my, my, such flattery! It uses a SU stamp block case (which only demos can purchase, so be nice to your demonstrator if you want one! hehehe).  I placed a Trinket Key coming out of the front pocket since that is usually how my keys ride in my purse.  Amazing that I have never lost them. 

Here's a side view.

When opened there are cards for the recipient to use.  These are very simple cards which all use the Sweet Summer Sale-a-Bration Set and the always classic Sincere Salutations.  They are what I call "Onederful" cards since they are single layers and easy peasy, get-out-the-door-now cards. Stazon Black Ink and markers of your choice are all you need besides some Whisper white Card stock.  I made 8 cards to fill this purse.

Here are the 8 cards.  They were designed by my upline Linda Gutierrez. Pretty "Onderful" huh?!

Have I overused the word wonderful? Maybe I should get out the thesarus...hmmm. Snazzy, ideal, beyond compare... are those synonyms for wonderful?  OH!!!  I know a synonym for wonderful!  YOU!

Thanks for checking in with me. (Or should I say checking up on me?)

Kristine

Top Fold with an inside slider

Today's card is another card with a different fold for the opening.  It is a card I made for my Swap Group. 

(Side note: If you like making cards, and want to be a part of my Swap Group, please contact me.  We use SU only materials, but the materials do NOT have to be current.  It's a wonderful way to get usable cards for giving, and at the same time enjoy your hobby and share some of your own creativity and skill!)

Here is the front of the card...

Stamps: Perfect punches, Live like you mean it

Card stock: Close to Cocoa, Whisper white  DSP: ? I can't remember it's name!

Inks: Chocolate chip, blushing bride, Certainly Celery, Bashful blue

Ribbon: Blushing bride 1/2" poly twill

Punches: Decorative label, Wide oval, Curly label

Isn't it pretty!  A couple things I want to point out.  See that delicate edge on the blue stripe border?  I made that using the Curly Label Punch!  I LOVE it when a tool or stamp set can be used for more than its intended purpose!  More bang for the buck!

It's easy to make this border.  Draw a pencil line where you want the edge of the border to be.  Then line up the punch on the pencil line and punch!  I slipped my paper into the punch only about 1/4" .  Below is a sample of how I did the punching, but I'm using the Decorative Label Punch in this sample.  . 

As you can see, I used the points on the punch to line up against the pencil line.  I also used the Decorative Label Punch to mat my sentiment, which I think makes a nice continuity on the card front.  To open the card, the decorative lip lifts and... 

a little note, which is adhered under the ribbon, slides up!  The DSP makes the pocket for the slider note-card.  Cute huh?!  I copied this fold from a card that came from convention.  I thought it too clever!

 Thanks for sharing a few moments of your day Inking out loud with me. :-)

Kristine

Fungi for a fun guy

This is the second card that I had as a project at the Sale-a-Bration event this past March 19th.  It is a rather bold and bright card.  As a demonstrator, I feel that my customers should be able to see all of the colors used...not just my favorites! :-)  So I will, typically, at every event or workshop go in search of a card design that is something different than one I would design and add that card into the mix of what we will be making.  I found this card design on the Stampin' Up demonstrator website where all of the demos can upload photos and "steal" ideas from one another. Ilina Crouse is the demo who posted a card similar to this one.  I didn't have the exact DSP she used, but the idea/layout and stamp set are the same.   I think it such a cute card! 

. 

A couple of things this card has that sold me...

1.  It uses turquoise...an often left out color in my cards.

2.  It could be used for either a male or female.  If it is for a male, on the inside of the card you can write a message that says something like, "You're such a fungi!" A horrible play on the words "Fun guy."  Men like those kind of puns...at least the men I know.  Baffles me.

3.  It showcases stamping with markers.

4.  Just by switching the DSP over and using a different image in the Funky Four Stamp set, you get a more feminine feel card with more muted colors.  See...

Stamps: funky four, Cute and curly

Card stock: So Saffron, Chocolate chip, Whisper white, Old olive, Play date Designer Paper

Inks: Old olive marker, Crumb cake marker, chocolate chip marker, So saffron marker, Tempting turquoise marker

Punches: Ribbon border, 1/16" handheld circle

Accessories: Subtles collection brads

The only bad thing about this card is the number of layers.  You can be sure I was grinding my teeth as I preped for the event.  80 card kits cut.  Each card has 12 pieces. (Two are hidden on the inside)  Do the math.  That is a gazillion pieces of card stock cut! But my cutter and I both held up!  We're both troopers.

Thanks for stopping in.  Next time you need to do more of the talking.  (ha! crack myself up!)

Kristine

Sweet Summer and a Tidy Tip

I recently helped to host a multi-demonstrator Sale-a-Bration event.  It was a lot of fun!  One of the cards that I had for the ladies to do used the Sweet Summer Sale-a-Bration set.  It is an outline set, which means it works well for coloring!  I used to love to color as a child.  I still do.  For awhile when my daughter was younger and all I ever colored were princesses from Disney, the love of coloring disappeared.  I enjoyed watching my daughter color, but could not muster the excitment to color one more ball gown.  But now that I'm back to coloring with wonderful Stampin' Up markers on my cards, the love has returned. Here's the card.

Stamps: Sweet Summer, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Embossing folder: Tulips

Card stock: Whisper white, Blushing Bride

Inks: Blushing Bride marker, Pear Pizazz  marker, Daffodil Delight marker, Stazon Jet Black

Ribbon: Blushing Bride Poly twill

Punches: Scallop Oval, Medium Oval

It's a super simple card, which is why I think it ended up being such a hit!  It is also the kind of card that will work for many occasions, I used one of the stamps from the set Teeny Tiny Wishes for the sentiment.  That brings me to today's Tidy Tip.  I have to admit that I am one of those people who likes everything neat and tidy.  I cannot create in chaos.  I must have all chores off my mind before I can settle into the right side of my brain.  So, something that was driving me ab-so-lute-ly NUTS was the stamp set Teeny Tiny wishes.  Love the set...hate how the blocks refused to stay neat and all standing up so I could easily read the sentiments.  Because this was the set I used at the Sale-a-Bration event, I spent a lot of time helping guests find a sentiment.  By the time I got home, I wanted to chuck the whole thing!  Urgh!  Then a thought dawned from my weary mind.  It said, "Make ledges."  It wasn't a voice like Kevin Costner hears in Field of Dreams, but I did hear it.  So I took a piece of scrap Window Sheet and began making mountain and valley folds.  Mountains were taped together and valleys were about 3/4" wide.  I then taped the valleys to my plastic case and placed my stamps into the valleys with the mountains becoming the ledges the stamps could rest against.  And it happened...that sigh escaped my lungs as I smiled and felt all neat and tidy!  Look!

Okay, it may not look like much, but those stamps do not slop around in the case anymore.  I can put a sentiment back exactly where I left it last.  No other stamp has slid into it's place or flopped over and messed up the arrangement.  And when I close the lid!!!...Yes... NOTHING changes. Makes me all emotional.  I tried to get a picture of the mountain and valley folds inside the case.  Dare I say this might just be genius!?

 

Just look how that line of stamps stays so soldierly on their ledge!  It's a little slice of heaven for a neat and tidy chic.

Okay, go tidy up your own Teeny Tiny Wishes.  You can thank me later. :-)

Kristine

The cards I'm sharing today are from my last workshop.  My hostess wanted an Easter card, so the following is what I came up with. 

The card uses a technique that I think is such a simple WOW called faux letterpress.  Using an embossing folder (in this case the Vintage wallpaper Embossing folder), you rub ink onto the folder on the side that is bumpless.  (Is that a word?)  Then place your card stock into the folder and run it through the Big Shot and the paper will be embossed, but the color you rubbed onto the folder will be laid down around the embossing.  It is just too cool!  I also found the very pretty ribbon technique on the Paper Crafters Sampler site and added that the center of the cross.  It looks hard, but it really is not.  Trust me...I'm all about being easy. (Okay, that didn't sound right, but you know what I mean.)  Then added to the center of that gor-jus ribbon is one of Stampin' Up!'s new Vanilla Rosettes.  Notice how I said vanilla, but mine isn't?  I'm too clever!  I daubered blushing bride ink onto the rosette to change its color!  Vanilla with white ribbon looks...well, puky.  So by adding color I get ahhhh, not eewwwehh.  Using Versamark ink I stamped the leaf image from the stamp set Just Believe onto the bottom.  I wanted the cross to stand out, so I didn't do any other stamping.  Now for the inside...

Using the same set, Just Believe, I used markers to color in the image and then stamped.  Pretty!  Isn't the sentiment perfect for Easter? :-) Yup!

Next up is a simple, elegant card which was inspired by a similar card designed by Sarah Wills.  Love her stuff.  Rich Razzleberry Satin Ribbon and ink on white.  Good combo! Three pearls from the Basic Pearls gives the butterfly a body. Look!

And finally another stamp you can earn free during Sale-a-bration called Tiny Teacup.  The colors remind me of a delicious cup of coffee.  This card is a direct CAS of Lisa Young. Isn't is wonderful?!  I think the Love Letters Designer paper and the Crumb Cake Seam Binding Ribbon are so complementary to each other.

That's it!

Here's a question for you...I have no idea how many readers I have out there in blog land.  I can see that there are some of you since my counter at the bottom of the page is going up, and that cannot possibly be just my mom and daughter and friends who kindly look at my cards!  So, the question...would it be helpful to you, my kind reader, if I include a recipe of my cards?  Leave me a comment.!  You have no idea how excited I get when I receive a comment. I do a little happy jig and SMILE!

Have a great day, and if the mood strikes you, do your own happy jig! 

Kristine

You're invited!

A couple of times a year, I get together with a group of Reno demonstrators and we host a day of stamping.  This year, the date for the event is March 19.  We have so much fun stamping!  The guests have a great time stamping as well as fun seeing each other.  If you'd like to join us for our Sale-A-Bration event, we still have space and we'd love to have you join us!  Even if you have a demonstrator already, we don't mind!  Come play.  There is a fee for the event which covers the 12 projects you will make, raffle prizes and refreshments.  It is a lovely afternoon spent in the company of like-minded paper crafters.  The event flier and registration is below.  Deadline for registration is March 12.  Just print the flier and send it to me to register.  My address is on the flier.  If you'd like to pay using paypal, just email me with your information and send payment to k-chubb@att.net in Paypal.