A Closer Look at My Retreat Projects

Today, let's take a closer look at my projects for the October 25 Christmas Retreat.  Each of the 3 projects has something special inside!

The first project features beautiful Pear Pizzazz and Lost Lagoon - It's a set of the cutest little cards ever, all in a special stamp case.  This will be as much fun to make as it is to give.  It's one of my favorite projects this year, for sure.

This project uses our Tag A Bag Gift Boxes.  It's decorated so that you don't have to destroy all the beautiful wrappings to get to the gift.  You could place most any small gift inside this box.  I've used peppermint patties for this one.

All you have to do to open it is slide over the acetate 'sleeve' and enjoy your treats.

This project features a gift box for which I've created a top opening and a little ribbon handle.  Inside is a set of cute little gift enclosure cards, along with coordinated (stamped) envelopes.  I've added a die-cut snowflake to the window of the box.

So, now that you've seen all 3 projects, which one do you like the best?
Would you like more details for the cards we'll be making at the Christmas Retreat?  Come on back, because that's what I have coming up next for you.

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or click on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.

The Jellybean Prayer

Here's an idea you might like to make up now for your family, for Easter.  My daughter recently asked me to make up jellybean treat bags with this prayer on them.  They're for all the kids at church this Easter Sunday.  It will be included in a bag of goodies for each child.  I can't wait to see their faces when they see what they get in their bags.  I made a LOT of them:)  This is yet one more way I can share my creativity with others.  Projects like this one are what it's all about for me.  I love to create and love it most when I can share it with someone.

FYI, the jellybean colors in each bag of jelly beans that you buy are NOT equal.  The biggest number was red, followed closely by black.  The fewest were pink and then green.  Interesting.  I always thought the red ones and the black ones were the best, anyway:)  I put 2 of each color of jellybean in each treat bag. 

Here's the prayer, if you'd like to use it for your treat bags.

A handful of jellybeans... simple, colorful, and sweet

Reminds us of the reasons Jesus makes our life complete!

Red is for the blood He gave.

Green is for the grass He made.

Black is for the sins we made.

White is for the grace He gave.

Purple is for His hour of sorrow.

Pink is for our new tomorrow.

Yellow is for the sun so bright.

Orange is for the edge of night.

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or click on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.

A Pop-Up Posies Banner for Spring

Remember the larger banner I made for Spring?  I decided the tags from our Pop-Up Posies kit would make a cute banner in a slightly smaller size.  I made this for my Prairie Treasures booth (Root Cellar, Wildflour) but I think I might have to make another one for myself.  I really like how it turned out.  If you haven't gotten one of the Pop-Up Posies Designer Kits yet, you really need to get one.  You can make so many beautiful projects with them.

I was going to share some of my new wreaths with you today, but decided I needed to share my new Spring banner now because we still need more Spring here.  Maybe this will help.

We had a wonderful weekend.  Starting Friday night, my daughter and her family took me out to dinner to celebrate that I finished my taxes (I think:)  Then Saturday, my son and family came over and we took them out to dinner.  Sunday morning, we had an absolutely packed church to celebrate Easter.  It was a beautiful service.

Here are a couple of shots from Easter Sunday morning.

My handsome boys on Easter Sunday morning.

My sweet Olive Jane's first taste of a peep.  It was a hit!

 *Please Note:
If you would like to make a Spring wreath, you will need to pay to register at least 2 days prior to the class so that I can have all your materials ready for you.

Primrose Petals Layout

This is one of the layouts we made at my last Scraps and Prayers class.  Our color story uses Primrose Petals and Wild Wasabi.  I really like this fresh color combo.

The Primrose Petals layer is a 10" square.  I stamped in two of the corners on each of these squares for added texture and interest. 

The little white squares have flowers stamped in Early Espresso.  I painted them with Raspberry Ripple ink, using the Aqua Painter.  For a lighter flower, you could paint them with Primrose Petals ink.  For an even lighter flower, you could stamp them with Raspberry Ripple or Primrose Petals ink and not color them in at all.

The white squares are adhered to Raspberry Ripple squares with dimensionals.  It's difficult to see, but I stamped a tone-on-tone background onto the Raspberry Ripple squares, as well.

I used the Labels Collection framelits to show off the 'World's Greatest' stamped image.  It also has a Raspberry Ripple mat and is popped up with dimensionals.

All in all, it's a simple but fun layout.  As always, my goal in scrapbooking is to keep the layout simple and let the photos be the stars of the layout.

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or click on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.

Core'dinations CS and a Little Fun

Here's a little fun for you to enjoy today.  (Click the link to see it.)  I love it!!!

And now, let's get to the core of things --- with our Core'dinations CS, that is.

We now have Core'dinations CS in several colors:
Early Espresso
Cherry Cobbler
Gumball Green
Primrose Petals
Pool Party
Real Red

You can use it 'as is' to give extra texture to your project or you can really bump it up and use it with embossing folders.  Our CS has a solid core, so if you tear or emboss it, you get the same solid color.  The Core'dinations CS has a lighter core, so if you emboss and then lightly sand the top surface of the image, you get a highlighted, lighter color that really shows off your embossing design.  Here's a card I made using the Primrose Petals.

Here are all the colors:

... and a close-up of the dyed roses:

If you missed my posts about dyeing, you can check here and here.

Here are some other cards I've made using the Core'dinations CS:

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or click on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.

A Cherry Cobbler Valentine

Here's a quick post before I start my Winter Scrap and Stamp Retreat.  (It's going to be soooo much fun!)

What could be more delicious than using Cherry Cobbler for a Valentine's Day card?

I've used a lot of layers and a touch of embossing.  I've stamped and embossed the coordinating envelope, then added a 'sprig' of Cherry Cobbler seam binding for the finishing touch.  I think it would be fun to be on the giving or receiving end for this card.

Have a great day and a great weekend.

How to go About Dyeing!

Today, as I did in my workshop last Saturday, I'll teach you how to go about dyeing -- with reinkers and roses, that is:)  I tried to do this in the easiest way possible and with the least mess.  I think this works great.

How to go About Dyeing:

• Lay out several layers of paper towels.
• Cut a strip of our Flower Trim the length you'd like to dye.  (p.5, Spring Catalog)
• Take a Stampin' Spritzer and fill it 2/3's full of water.  (p. 179, large catalog)
• Add 3-6 drops of the reinker color of your choice.  (The more reinker, the deeper the color.)
• Add a little more water, if needed, leaving room to replace your top.
• Shake, to mix the color into the water.
• Gently spritz the Flower Trim, as desired.  The more you spritz, the greater the saturation.
• Let dry.
• Add the Flower Trim to your project by attaching with Liquid Tombow.  

Optional:

• Add a spritzing of alcohol / shimmer paint, if desired, for a little sparkle.
• You can add a little more depth of color by highlighting the top edges of each flower with a marker.  (Mine shown do NOT have this detail.  I'm just highlighting examples of several color choices.)
• You can also use sponge daubers to add color to the flowers.  The spritzing gives a quicker and better coverage, I think.  Try both ways and see what you like the best.

I experimented with several colors, to see how I liked them.  The flowers do look a little lighter after they dry. 

Here's the card we made, using some of our flowers.  The embossed layer is actually Primrose Petals, even though our flowers are dyed with Regal Rose reinker.  As with ribbons, you can use coordinating color tones together and it will look great.

 

 

Which color do you like the best?
In my next couple of posts I'll be sharing more about dyeing, so come back soon and check it out.  Leave me a comment and let me know what you think!

Chalkboard Technique

A new, trendy look right now is the chalkboard technique.  At a recent workshop, I demonstrated how to do it and offered 2 versions of a card to make using this technique.  Take a look:

Here's how you do it:

  

I used some of the In Colors Paper Stack DSP for a layer inside the framelit window.  It is adhered to the inside of the front of the card.  The image is cut with a smaller, coordinating framelit and then mounted with dimensionals.

The sentiments on both cards are from a stamp set that you just have to earn during Sale-A-Bration.  I love it!  It's called Vintage Verses.

Finishing touches:

• Line up 2 layers of ribbon and tie a knot.
• Always trim the ends of your ribbon at an angle.
• Adhere your ribbon by placing a little Liquid Tombow behind the knot.
• Hold in place a bit and it will dry and be stuck tight.
• Add 3 rhinestones for a little bling.

I love the crisp, clean look of the black with the Pool Party.  I think it really makes the chalkboard technique pop.  Hope you like!

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or click on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.

Sneak Peek at Wrapping up Christmas

I had so much fun at my Open House yesterday.  Everyone was busy making lots of fun cards for Christmas and I got to see a few people who hadn't been here for a while.  That's always fun.  Everyone enjoyed the projects and the goodies and visiting with each other.  With all my Christmas decorations up, it just really put us into the Christmas spirit!

Here's a little sneak peek today at what we'll be making this Friday at my Wrapping up Christmas class.  This class will focus on a few super elegant cards, some tags and gift card holders --- all to help you wrap up your Christmas preparations.

It's difficult to see it, but there is a shimmer mist over the embossed flower and the entire front of the card.  To add even more elegance, I used a sponge dauber and covered the embossed vanilla layer with Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint.

I like to stamp the envelope to coordinate with the card, too.  I stamp the lower left corner on the front and then add something to the flap on the back, too.  By using black and vanilla, it just gives off a special elegance.

 

Come back soon for more Christmas fun.  Have a great day and a great week!  

Happy Saturday!

Today, I'd like to share some of my early Halloween projects with you.  I have a little display going, so my customers can see a sampling of some of the wonderful Halloween projects we have available from our Holiday Catalog. 

The minute I saw our little Ghoulish Googlies Designer Kit, I knew I had to have it and, with the stamp set (Googly Ghouls) included in the 'bundle' I knew I could make lots of cute projects, including a 'Boo Banner' like I have here.  The framelits work perfectly with it to create a nice frame behind each piece.

The Trick or Treat card is the one I got from Kim VanDiepen at Convention.

If you look closely, you can see that I've used the spider web embossing folder to emboss the little treat bag (above) and to make the little 3 X 3" card below. 
The web on the little card has a shimmer sparkle to it because I used the Illuminate Glimmer Watermark stamp pad and just patted it over the raised web lines to highlight them.

I hope today's post will inspire you to get creating.  Enjoy a great weekend!