Playing with Tranquil Tide / Sending Christmas Wishes Card

Here's my second card I made while I was playing with Tranquil Tide.  I would have posted it sooner, but I've been busy packing up all manor of things and cleaning up drywall and who knows what all else, all due to our recent disaster.  There will be a lot of work going on in my studio in the near future, but it won't be creative fun.  We've sprung three mysterious leaks and it has created a MESS.  I can't say more about it because I don't have the words.  I am sick at heart.

I am determined not to cancel any classes or my Holiday Open House, so I've had to be creative about how to do it.  We'll be moving upstairs for a while.  We'll stamp at my dining room table and I'll set up a few little displays here and there.  I think I can make it work.  We think we have two of the leaks figured out but we still have a third one to determine.  Unfortunately, two of the leaks are in two opposite corners of one end of the room and the third one is at the complete opposite end of the room and yes, that's right in my studio area.  So... I'm closing up shop in my studio and taking enough things upstairs to be able to set up a mini studio, so I can still have a place to create.  I'm trying to make the best of it, but it's a real challenge.  My poor body aches from all the packing and extra stairs.

Let's move on to my card and think about something a lot more fun.

--- NEXT CLASSES / EVENTS: 
- Nov. 12 / Scraps and Prayers / 5:30-7:30 / $15.00
     Mixed Media Christmas Project
     REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED.

--- Holiday Open House Party
     Nov. 18 / 2:00-5:00 / A 'no fee' event
     RSVP REQUIRED TO ATTEND

- Dec. 10 / Scraps and Prayers / 5:30-7:30 / $15.00
     Beautiful Christmas Cards
     PAY TO REGISTER ONE WEEK PRIOR TO CLASS.

--- Special Drawing for Customers 
CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE INFO.
If you haven't yet placed an order with me, you'd better get in on the fun!  You have until the end of November to qualify.  You'll get your name in the drawing once for EACH order.  Several of you have already earned having your name placed into the drawing more than one time.  Good luck!  Maybe you'll be a lucky winner!  Are you feeling lucky?

Five Days of Daisies, Day Four

We're winding down on my Five Days of Daisies.  Here's my fourth card for you to enjoy.

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

- Come back often for more creative inspiration.

- Let's create something beautiful today.

Happy Birthday to Me!

I wanted to start sharing our June Scraps and Prayers cards that we made in our last class ... and ... since today is my birthday ... let's start with a birthday card that we made.  Enjoy my card while I spend the day with my 3 boys (grandsons).  My son is coming over Sunday afternoon with my sweet Olive Jane, so I can just spread my celebration out over several days. 

I covered the entire front of this card with DSP.  I love the scalloped layer.

Of course, the Glitter Enamel Dots are my favorite.

The little daisy stamp adds a nice coordinating touch.

July Classes:
July 10 -- Scraps and Prayers
     5:30-7:30 / $15.00 -- fun notepad project. 
July 15 -- Saturday Stampers
     1:00-4:00 / $20.00 -- fun techniques to create 6 cards.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT JULY SPECIALS BY CLICKING ON THE IMAGES ON THE LEFT.  

August Classes:
August 14 -- Scraps and Prayers
     5:30-7:30 / $15.00 -- book box with cards project. 

THERE WILL BE NO SATURDAY STAMPERS CLASS IN AUGUST.  CHECK BACK FOR SEPTEMBER DATES AND CLASSES. 
 
BE SURE TO SIGN UP EARLY BECAUSE CLASS SIZES ARE LIMITED AND ARE FILLING UP FAST!!!

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

- Come back often for more creative inspiration. 

Some of My July Projects, Part 2

I'm home this morning, instead of at church, because my leg pain has prevented any meaningful sleep for about 3 days now.  I will think of stamping goodness and take my mind off from the pain.  Actually, it's better right now than it was all night, but I am a bit wiped out.

So, let's continue today with more of my projects that I've been making in July.  Today's post features shades of Coastal Cabana and Hello Honey with a couple of cute gift bags.

I cut off the edge of my Chevron bag to create a clean edge, folded it over, and tucked a folded doily (spritzed with Coastal Cabana reinker/alcohol mixture) beneath the flap.  I wrapped Baker's Twine around the folded over edge and tied a pretty bow.  The lucky recipient can just slip off the Baker's Twine to open it and not have to tear into the bag.

Are you wondering how I made the flower?  I kind of made it up as I went along:)  I punched about 6-8 layers of Crushed Curry, using our Blossom Flower Punch.  Then, I got out my new Fringe Scissors and, while constantly turning each flower around, I started cutting slits into it, cutting each punched flower 1 layer at a time.  Then, I stacked them all up, pierced a hole through the centers, and attached it all with a brad.  It starts looking cool when you fluff the daylights out of it.  Because the center shows a bit, I used one of our smaller Antique Brads in the center.  Wouldn't this make a great little gift for someone, with a treat or small something inside?

I used my Blendabilities to color the cotton ribbon, creating an ombre effect.  I spritzed the bag, using my reinker/alcohol (Coastal Cabana) mixture.  Wondering about that crazy little flower?  I punched 3 Coastal Cabana flowers with our Pansy Punch.  I folded each one and attached each flower, back to back with just a section of another flower, until all 3 were attached.  Once it dried (used Liquid Tombow to hold them together) I scrunched it a lot, opened it up, scrunched it a bit more, opened it up and 'arranged' it the way I wanted it to look.

... and here is your sneak peek for my next couple of posts where I'll continue to share more details on each project.

- 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.

Some of My July Projects, Part 1

Today's post is the result of creative problem solving.
My stamping during July has been a real challenge.  Since my husband's accident, I've had to be full-time chauffeur, in addition to my full-time baby-sitting during the week.  With limited time, it's been difficult to get an inspiration and then follow it through to a completed project.  I've learned to be creative with my time and my projects.
It has been easier for me to focus on bits and pieces that I could finish in a short amount of time and/or come back to and take several shorter stamping times to finish.  I've found that working on a technique and experimenting with new techniques, as well as creating a few 3-D projects, have worked out the best.  When I have more time, I can actually use those techniques to create a gorgeous new project.

Today, I'd like to start a short series to share some of my recent stamping projects for July.  I thought I'd start first with another of my filter paper flowers, this time sitting atop one of our cute little Kraft boxes.

I've added some of our Hello Honey satin ribbon to coordinate with the flower.  For more info on the filter paper flowers, scroll back to my previous post for all the details, in case you missed it or would like a quick review.

Up next, some more of my July projects.  As you can see, even though my stamping time has been frequently interrupted, I've still managed to get a few projects finished in my studio.  I must create - to keep my sanity.

- 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.

Dip, Dye, Emboss, Spritz and Glitz, Part 6

Today, we've reached the next to the last of our series on pages from my techniques album.  Today's pages showcase a little embossing, a little sponging and a couple of ways to use our reinkers.  These are some of my absolute favorite pages in the entire album!  Here we go!

Page 14:
3 Embossed Clothespins:
Attach Sticky Strip to front of mini clothespin, then cover with embossing powder and heat emboss.  I used Pool Party, Gold and Silver EP for my 3 mini clothespins.  It takes longer to emboss this way, so be patient.  The results are worth the wait.
Sponging:
Sponge 3 colors of ink onto Shimmery White CS.  Blend, using a circular motion.  Stamp desired image over the sponged background.

Page 15:
Use a reinker/alcohol mixture to spritz paper doilies.  Let dry and apply a second spritzing if you desire a deeper shade.

Soak mini clothespins in a reinker/water solution to color them.  Allow to soak for at least 10 minutes.  Place on paper towel to dry.

Page 16:
Cover a doily with Versamark ink.  Then cover it with EP.  Heat emboss.  Here, I've used Early Espresso, Silver, and Gold EP.  I love them all.  They are gorgeous!

Additional fun:
This page is NOT in the techniques album, but we used it at my class.  The flowers, obviously, could not be smooshed into an album. 
Use the reinker/alcohol mixture to spritz filter paper flowers.  Let dry and apply a second spritzing if you desire a deeper shade.
Optional:
Add more texture and shades of coloring by lightly brushing the tips of the flower petals with an ink pad.  BE GENTLE WITH YOUR INK PAD, AS THE FOAM IS A LITTLE DELICATE.
Give added glitz by spritzing with a shimmer mist. 
In an upcoming post, I'll show you how I used some gorgeous filter paper flowers in a bouquet.

Come back soon for part 7, as we wrap up our series.

- 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.

Playing with DSP, Part 2

Today, we'll continue our little series on playing with DSP as I share another card with you.  This one, features a beautiful layer of vellum, as well as embossed vellum layered flowers.  Vellum is a wonderful CS to use when you want to use a certain color but want it to be an even softer shade.  If you saw my previous post with my Swallowtail framed project, remember that I used vellum over the DSP in the center of the frame, to give a softer look to the background.  I used this same kind of technique for the main layer of my card.  I've lined the envelope to help it coordinate with my card.
By the way...
Happy Spring!  As it is still a chilly 36 degrees here in the Land of Lincoln today, my husband told me:  "Merry Spring."  Not funny!  Maybe if I keep making Spring cards, it will finally warm up.

We'll be making this card, along with cards featured in this series, at my April 7 Monday Night Stampers class.  At the class, I'll share several ways to successfully attach vellum to your projects without having the adhesive show.

- 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 Other Half of My New Card Display

In my previous post, I showed you my new card display, but that was only half of the display.  Here is the other half, on the other end of my 'clothesline' display.  There are all the projects we'll be making at my April 7 Monday Night Stampers class.  It's going to be all about playing with Designer Series Papers (DSP).  There's one additional project that I haven't shown and that's a check book cover.  It's a little more difficult to fit into a display with cards and projects.  Let's take a look at what I do have on display:

We'll be playing with designs and techniques as we work with DSP, vellum and Core'dinations CS.  We'll make a cute little treat bag, a check book cover (not shown) and 4 great cards.  The cards include using vellum, a folded frame design and a sunburst design.  I hope you can join us on April 7 for some great stamping fun.  The class is $18. or free w/$35. or more order.  I'll share more details and some close-ups of these cards in a future post.

- 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.

Place Cards from Thinlits Circle Card Die

What a bummer!  I made all the place cards and table markers and then was too sick to even go to the Valentine's Day Love and Laughter event.  I am pretty sick now and don't even have a voice.  My husband is so disappointed:)  Anyway, I waited until today to share these with you, so I wouldn't give anyone a peek too soon.

Table markers... and place card...

I made lots...

... and lots... 

... and lots... 

... and lots:) The white strip is for the helpers to write in names and table assignments.  I put a dot of glitter glue on each of the 3 little hearts.  I think they all turned out pretty cute.

Would you like to know how to make a place card?  Come back soon and I will share with you just how I made the place cards.  I will include directions for making my Thinlits Circle Card calendars, too.  Be sure you don't miss out!

Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blog world.
Have a great day and come back soon for more design inspiration.

Click here to learn about my Stampin' Tokens program.

Now, go stamp something beautiful. 

Click here to learn more about upcoming classes and events.

Sweet Sorbet Layout

During Sale-A-Bration, one of the free products you can usually earn is DSP.  This year's papers are filled with soft,, beautiful colors of Spring, along with some stronger hints of color --- a perfect recipe for creative fun.  I used the softer colors to create today's layout,

My color story:
Sweet Sorbet DSP
Crisp Cantaloupe
Pistachio Pudding
Pool Party
Sahara Sand
Summer Starfruit

With the help of the butterfly punches and some simple stamping, I finished fairly quickly and was pleased with the results.  This layout will probably be for use with photos of my sweet Olive Jane or perhaps catching up on some older baby pictures.  The 2 sizes of butterflies are layered, to lend more dimension to the layout.

Here's my layout:

I love the little accent touches of the tiny pearls and the In Color (Boutique Details) buttons.  It's a simple layout, with some added elegance from the layering, random stamping and the embellishment accents.  Done!  We'll be making this layout, down the road, in one of my Scraps and Prayers classes.

Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blog world.  

Click here to learn about my Stampin' Tokens program.

Have a great day and go stamp something beautiful. 

Click here to learn more about upcoming classes.

Black and White and A Touch of Cherry Cobbler

Today's card is actually a sneak peek at one of the cards we'll be making at my Friday Night Cards class this Friday, July 12.  We'll be making 6 beautiful cards, with envelopes included.  If you get a friend to sign up for the class, too, you both will get to make a bonus card!!!  Adhesive is now included in the class, so all you need to bring is YOU!

I am totally in love with our new Modern Medley Designer papers.  You can do so much with them.

The In Color dahlia is attached with Liquid Tombow adhesive.  I only used 1/2 of the doily, so this card is efficient in its use of product.

The kids sing in church today, so that will be fun.  Chris and Jenn are working really hard to get all moved into their new house.  The boys are excited, but confused, at all that is going on right now.  They cheer big time each time they regain access to a 'new' box of toys.

This will be a busy week with my 2 classes.  The boys have Bible School all week, so I will be using my quiet time to work like crazy in my studio.  I need to finish the cards for Friday night and I have some new things I'm working on for my Prairie Treasures booth at the Root Cellar.

Have a great day. Today is a good day to enjoy some family time. 

- 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.