Here's What We Had at My Party

I just realized that I'd never shared the projects and all that I had at my party.  So... today's the day.  We made 2 cards and a cute little box project.  Everyone got several gifts and we all had a lot of fun!

I added my class schedule to the back of the bookmark gifts, for a handy reference. 

This card was a real favorite of mine.  

These cute little boxes actually came from a kit and they are adorable!

Going antiquing last year and finding this berry picking box worked out perfectly to hold my berry basket gifts for everyone.  I forgot to take a photo before the party, but here are a few boxes that were picked up later in the week after the party.

This berry picking box holds 6 berry baskets.  I have another white one that holds even more.  Fun!

It was a great time and I enjoyed spoiling everyone with special gifts and treats.  

If you live in the area and like parties, be sure to add Sunday afternoon, November 1 to your calendars.  I'm having my Christmas Open House early this year!  It will be from 2:00-5:00.  I'm already planning all the fun we'll have at the party.

I have to run now.  I have a full house coming to my class this afternoon.  It will be another fun day of creating. 

- 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 6... the Final Part in This Series

Today, we arrive at Part 6, the final part in my little series on Playing with DSP.  Today's post features our Core'dinations CS.  Why am I including this in a class and a series on Playing with DSP?  It's because, once you emboss and sand it to reveal the design, it kind of becomes your own Designer Paper.  This is a wonderful product that can be used for cards and/or scrapbooking and I've shown it to you in previous posts in these types of projects, so I wanted to show you how it can be used for other projects, as well.

I will have to let out a secret, too:  No matter how hard you try to not 'accumulate' too big a stash, something always pops up that you forgot you ever had.  In this case, it was a great surprise --- Retired Stampin' Up! checkbook covers --- brand new / still in the wrappers!  Now, why would I want to use Core'dinations CS to make checkbook covers?  The answer is --- because you can emboss it and then sand it to bring out the design.  Your embossed design directs the amount of sanding you may choose to do on it.  I'll share 3 examples today.   

1.  Sand just a tiny bit:

2.  Sand a little bit more:

3.  Sand a lot:

I may or may not go back and add stamped images and/or a touch of ribbon.  For now, I just wanted to enjoy the beautiful designs. 
  
We'll be making cards and projects featured in this series, at my April 7 Monday Night Stampers class.

Click here to learn more about our Core'dinations CS and see further examples on using it.

...and here are more examples, along with more info on our Core'dinations CS. (Click here to see.)

So, with this series ending, what will I be up to next?  
I have new goodies to share with you on organizing your craft spaces ...and I have Spring/Easter decor to share... and, further down the road, I'll be sharing tons of ways to use ribbons in your projects.  Be sure to come back soon and come back often, so you don't miss a thing!

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

Everything Isn't Always Black and White

No, it isn't always black and white.  Sometimes, it's black and off-white.  I've been working on new displays, new projects and playing with new products.  I'm having lots of fun in my studio.  I hope you're ready to come to my Open House / New Catalog Party on June 3 (2:00-5:00) so you can join in on all the fun!

This is my new memo/pin board.   The cute little card was made by my daughter, using all new products.  I love it!  Below, is a close-up of the butterfly.  It's embossed.

These framed pictures hang behind the bar area in my studio.  The background is actually fabric!

This cute little 3 X 3" card actually has a layer of fabric on it, too, along with a new framelits shape and another embossed butterfly.

Before I sign off for today and get back to work in my studio, be sure to check out all the details on my upcoming events.  There will be a lot going on around her in the near future.

February Classes...Collage Frames Sneak Peek

Who wouldn't like to make a collage frame with this kind of subject matter?  What a doll baby --- my sweet Olive Jane.

Check out my schedule below for my Collage Frames Brunch Bunch Class, along with lots of other stamping fun for February!

Here's the schedule for February classes and events:

February 1 - 29
Sale-A-Bration Continues / Earn free products by:

• Placing an order with me.
• Placing an online order through my website.
• Hosting a workshop with me.
• Signing up to become a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator and joining my Team.

February 6
Hostess Scrapbook Club / 6:00-8:30
We'll make a layout featuring the Beau Chateau and/or S-A-B DSP (I'm still deciding:) + work on a ceramic tile project.
We'll also continue work on our mini album we started at our January crop.

February 9
Team Meeting / 10:00-Noon
We'll be making projects using some of our new products from S-A-B and the Occasions Mini.

February 13
Scraps and Prayers / 6:00-8:00
We'll continue our year-long project we started for scrapbooking our year, by creating a fun winter snow layout.  Everyone is welcome, so come and join us!

February 18
Brunch Bunch / 9:30-1:00
We'll enjoy a brunch and social time and then work on our featured project ---  
     COLLAGE FRAMES.

Here again is the frame I just finished for my studio, along with some close-ups.  This uses the new Sale-A-Bration papers --- Everyday Enchantment.  I've also used the coordinating ribbons and brads.  The stamp sets are:
Word Play, Letter It and Outlined Occasions.

I've used stamps, markers, punches, dies, brads, ribbons, DSP, rhinestones, framelits, and some embossing powder (for the letters).  I will have lots of products out and available for you to use to personalize your frame.

 Here's what you need to decide:

• Choose 1 of the 3 frame styles shown below --- first come / first served.
• Decide the 'theme' for your project --- a gift for a friend / a project to display in your own studio / whatever else you might decide to do with it.                              
• Suggestions:  birthday, wedding, Christmas, child's room or your favorite things, such as --- when I made the frames for my studio --- I included a sea star, a sand dollar, dragonflies, music, favorite card fronts (some made by close friends), hearts, reminders from my teaching days, watches, inspirational quotes and my first Stampin' Up! stamp (the mouse).
• Choose from my papers and stamps how you would like to decorate yours.  I'll have lots of supplies and stamps, punches and dies available for you to use while working on your framed project.

Here are the frame choices:
I'll reserve the frame you choose at the time you pay to register.

The first frame is 11 X 14" and has 8 sections you can decorate as you choose.  It can be turned any direction that you'd like to position your section openings for display.  This is the style I used in my studio.

The second frame is 8 X 18" and has 8 sections for you to decorate.  It, too, can be turned any direction that you'd like to position your section openings for display.

The third frame is 12 X 16" and has 4 sections to decorate.  It can be displayed horizontally or vertically.

Here are the frames I have in my studio -- showcasing some of my favorite things:

These 3 frames are the same size and style as the first one I showed you above.  You can see how I gave the middle one a different orientation than the other 2.  You have lots of choices how you can use them.

Your project can include artwork AND photos or just artwork --- your choice.

So... think about what you'd like to do for your project and give me a call or email.  Let's get you signed up for a super fun class.  Use this opportunity to not only have fun, but to create something to keep and enjoy for years to come.  It will be a great gift/keepsake for yourself or a special someone.

Valentines and Treasures

I've been working, slowly but surely, on a new display for my antique library table.  The color story is from the Twitterpated DSP and there are lots of hearts.
Twitterpated colors ---
Pear Pizzazz, Basic Gray, Island Indigo, Riding Hood Red, Blushing Bride,
   Baja Breeze,
          ...and Whisper White

Here's a sneak peek:

Here's a close-up of the gorgeous pleated satin ribbon.  The heart mold has one of the new pearls inside it.   (The pearl-tipped stick pin is just to hold the crochet trim lace around one of my favorite little spools.)

I'm using heart-shaped cookie cutters to show off the Twitterpated DSP and embroidery hoops to show off some of the coordinating fabric.  (There are some other fabrics in the background -- all available in our Idea Book and Catalog.)

I love the cookie cutters with the handles on them:)

Isn't the little baby heart cute?

More pleated satin ribbon, Twitterpated fabric and a pin I made.  I glued several layers of chipboard together, attached a stamped piece of CS, distressed it with a sponge and then coated it all with repeated layers of VersaMark/Clear EP.  I added embellishments of antique brads and some ribbons.  There is a pin back glued to the back of it.

Here's a 4 X 4" card made with coordinating Twitterpated products, pleated satin ribbon and showcasing Apothecary Art stamped shape.  It is embossed with our Pewter EP and die cut with one of our new framelits dies.  I also embossed the background with a stamp from the Creative Elements set.

...more hearts, more pearls and some glimmer paper...

Little cardboard boxes are fun and easy to decorate, whether square or round.

I had to share with you one of my 'treasures' I found in an antique store.  No, they're not antiques but made to look like they are and I thought they were cute and a super bargain.

I already had some girls' shoes, so the little black shoes just had to come home with me.

This little 'sewing caddy / thingy' is something I took a liking to at an antique store.  My husband got it and gave it to me for Christmas.  I cleaned it up and added some ribbons.

The pin cushion that came with it was too large to sit properly in the center, so I switched it out for a smaller one that I already had --- perfect!

I added my old coffee grinder to the display, along with more of my old spools...I guess I am a spooler.

More cards using the fun, new products.

So........ are you Twitterpated yet?  If not, you'd better get going.  It's terrific!

If you don't have any of the new products and would like to try a sampling of them, don't forget about my Product Share.  You can read all about it here.  The offer goes only until the end of January, so hurry up and get in on a great deal.  It's super fun!!!

Favorite Projects from 2011

Here are some of my favorite projects from 2011.  I hope they will inspire you to try some for yourself.  This is a long post because I just couldn't narrow it down any further.  I enjoyed making them all!

Most any of these projects could be adapted to various occasions and seasons, as you need them to be.  I hope you'll be inspired to try some of your own.