Forever Flowers Get Well Card

Did you ever make a card and have regrets after it was done? I have done that and am still doing that. It is mostly with the words. On this card I regret not trying the words on the decorative paper behind the white strip. Then I would have noticed that the words did not stand out as bold as i would have wanted them to. But it is ok if you are holding it in your hand. I know photos can make things look different. Sometimes (if you're lucky) it can make the card look better but most of the time I find it makes them look more washed out. I don't have a lightbox and I don't take my pictures outside. By the time I do my cards it's after midnight and the light of the silvery moon is not enough to enhance my card to show all the brilliant colors and details on it!! LOL

Anyway, back to the details of my card.

I used the Stampin' Up! "Bella" decorative paper for teh background. I taped it to a folded half sheet of white card stock.

The strip of flowers and leaves was done using the "Forever Flowers" wheel. I am such a wheel person. I think I have bought almost every one they have in the catalog!! The words are from the "Sincere Salutations" set. LOVE that set. And the flower above the strip is from the "Together Forever" set. This wheel and that stamp set are ones I have not used much at all. Come to think of it, I have a room full of stamp sets I have not used much at all. Hmmm, I guess I'd better get cracking and use them. I have thought of challenging myself to use them. Kind of on the lines of Julie and the "Joy of Cooking" cookbook. I should take my stamp sets off the shelf one at a time and make a card with the set and just keep moving on down the line. It will probably take me over a year to do it but it is something that is doable. I will have to give that some serious consideration! It would also give me a better idea of which stamp sets I need to get rid of to make room for newer ones!

Ok, back to the rest of this card. I used the border punch for the pretty scallops at the bottom of the wheeled on flower band. And notice the one little leaf I cut out on the flower in the scalloped circle? I just had to add it to the card. Don't ask why, I don't remember why I thought I should cut it out or where I was going to set it but it ended up there and I liked it!!

Using background papers or an embossing folder on your backgrounds is such an easy way to enhance a card and it's a very quick way to make a card too. It saves you a lot of time so you can spend more on other details of the card! This card was actually a simple and quick one to do. The coloring was done using markers. No blender pens either, I just colored directly from the marker! Talk about a time saver there! I do like the card, just with the words were a bit bolder.

This is one of those very versatile cards too. You can use it for many other occasions, such as Birthdays, Mother's Day, Thinking of You and even a Sympathy card. I love it when I have sets that cover more than one occasion or event.

Thanks SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Quick Cover Sticky Notes Weekend Project

It's actually a very quick process to cover a sticky note pad. Take your note pad and measure how wide it is. Pick out your card stock color and cut a piece that width.

Now this is the tricky part, sort of. It's the most difficult part of the cover but yet it is still quick and easy. Measure the top of the pad and write the number down. Measure the edge of the pad and write that number down plus add that number to the top number. Now the bottom measurement should be the same as the top. Write that number down and plus add it to the other two totals. Now you will cut your piece of card stock using the total you got from adding the three surfaces.

And finally you will score your piece. Score at the first number you wrote down. Then score again for the thickness of the pad. Fold on the score lines. Tape the pad in place and decorate the front as desired.

I decorated the front of mine using the Stampin' Up! "Sweet Pea" download . I SO love this download. I was going to add some ribbon or buttons but remembered how they rip the paper when I dig then out of my purse. SO leaving it plain and smooth is the best way to go. Plus they stack nicer for storing. The word "notes" is from a custom stamp I had made for me several years ago.

I'm going to be making some of these for the fall craft fair. They were quick and easy enough to do and I could make a bunch in no time. Gotta love crafts like that! These little gems would be great for gifts, hostess appreciation gifts, customer appreciation gifts, craft fairs, stamp camp, make n takes and of course a fun teacher's gift. Oh and not to mention a GREAT stocking stuffer!!!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Wednesday Sketch Challenge

I wasn't going to participate in this weeks Sketch Challenge, for a couple of reasons. One we had just gotten back today from a few days up in Duluth. A short mini R & R. It was chilly up there but beautiful. I don't mind the cold, I much prefer winter over summer any day, so this "chilly" was just fine with me. We did some shopping and hiking and walking around the Canal Park area. We did get to see one ship come in. We didn't have it in our plans to wait for a ship to come in but we just happened to be walking on the boardwalk and saw a ship out in the distance. As we walked closer to the canal we could tell it was an incoming ship so we waited for it to come in. I took a lot of photos of it on my little pocket camera but for some odd reason I only got a couple of shots. I think it's time to get a new pocket camera. I was wishing I had brought my bigger camera but like I said we weren't planning on seeing a ship come in. Oh well. It's not like we've never seen one come into port before. It's always fun to see where they come from too. This one was a Canadian ship.

Anyway, back to my card. The sketch showed a square card and I really wasn't up for that kind of challenge but there were finished samples of the layout and one of them used a regular size card. SO that is what I went with.

For my card I used the Stampin' Up! "Upsy Daisy" set. The words were done on the computer and the decorative paper is from the "Sending Love" Specialty Paper. I have a few small pieces left and the ones I had were big enough for this card!! Color me happy there! I LOVE that paper and will be sorry to see it go after the end of the month.

I used the Direct to Rubber technique. I colored directly on the rubber with markers. I huffed on it and then stamped the image.

It was a very simple card using this Upsy Daisy stamp. I have used this stamp for several technique pages but not too many cards. I do like the set but have not used it much on cards. SO this was a perfect opportunity to use it!

Now, I really wanted to make it into a birthday card but I didn't have any "Happy Birthday" words printed out on vanilla card stock so I paged through the words I did have printed on vanilla and this is what I got. It's ok, it's good to have one on hand, just in case. And I can always remove the words and add Happy Birthday later too (after I get over the "lazies" and print a page of them out!!).

If you have time give this sketch a try, it is a lot of fun.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Melon Mambo Thank You Card

When I first got my new "in colors" I was SO stuck on Rich Razzleberry. Then I ventured away for a bit and played with Dusty Durango. It seems that I have discovered a new love for Melon Mambo. I have used it a lot in my cards and crafting stuff.

Here I used it to make this SO simple and SO quick card.

Using Decorative papers helps when you want to make a quick card. And the embossing folders also help to jazz up a background without making it too busy. And those also let you combine it with decorative paper without giving you the look of adding "stripes and plaids or two different stripes" together. It accents and enhances a card immensely.

The image is from the Stampin' Up! "Vintage Vogue" set and the words are from the "Well Scripted" set. Both sets I just LOVE to use and I will be hanging onto them for a long time!

One thing about this card I wish I would have done different. I wished I would have stamped the words in black instead of the Melon Mambo. It gets a bit lost in the decorative paper. But we learn from our mistakes, right? I have learned that I repeat them WAY too many times!!! LOL

This layout is nice and this card is versatile. You can use it for many other occasions than just a thinking of you card! Change the image in the circle and expand the uses for this card!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Beaded Ink Technique Page

This was a fun and very easy technique. I love how it makes the image look SO old. Imagine what it would look like with the right colors of card stock and inks.

This technique was happened on by accident when doing another technique!

It's got such a "worldly" look to it too. I think it would make a great Sympathy card as well as a thinking of you card. Perhaps with the right colors it could be a birthday card. I had used Soft Suede here so it gave it that old looking darker image.

This is #4 in the 4th set of technique pages. I'm on a roll!!! Shocker, huh? I want to do a page a week but am settling for 3 a month! Keep your fingers crossed for me there! It's one thing to post it on here and be done with it on the blog but in my workroom the pages need to be made up and card stock needs to be cut for 30 pages. The sponging and taping take the longest. I love it when we have road trips, I bring the pages with me and tape away in the car and most of the time I get them done! Such a great feeling to come home with all that stuff done!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Yes, Another Get Well Card!

But this one was done using the new Stampin' Up! "Watercolor Trio" set. This set will be available in just a few more days! May 1st the new Summer Mini catalog will be out and let me tell you, it's a painful one! There's SO many fun sets in it. But to ease the pain items in the catalog are available until the end of August so I have plenty of time to get what I really LOVE out of it!

Anyway, back to my card and me! It's all about "me" you know!! LOL

The base of this card was made using Pretty in Pink Card stock. I had a scrap piece of the "Sending Love" speciality paper so I used it on the bottom part of the card. I covered the edge of the speciality paper with a piece of Regal Rose 3/8" grosgrain ribbon.

For the flower (this is the fun part), I colored on the rubber with markers, huffed on it and then stamped the image. This technqiue is called "Direct to Rubber." I layered the image with Regal Rose card stock (another scrap piece) and I set it in place with Dimensionals.

The words were done using my favorite "Sincere Salutations" set!

This was a very simple, easy and quick card to make.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Vintage Vogue Get Well Card

This is one set I'm hoping that Stampin' Up! will have in the new catalog. I have made SO many cards using the "Vintage Vogue" set and there's SO many more I want to make. I just LOVE this set.

I did not make this card. A fellow demonstrator Denise made it. She's a phenomenal stamper. I love all the cards she makes. She's a very neat and clean stamper, which is something that I LOVE and often do myself.

The colors used here are as follows: Almost Amethyst, Certainly Celery, Apricot Appeal.

Isn't it just a beautiful card? I don't think I've used this set without cutting a flower out. And this card shows that you don't need to always cut out flowers! A lesson I learned here!

And this card I believe would cheer anyone up! And this card can be used for other occasions as well. Another plus to the card and set!!!

Thank you Denise for the card and for allowing me to share it on my blog! You're the best!

Thank you for visiting today,
Wanda

Thinking of You Upsy Daisy Card

This has been a week of "get well" card making. Kind of sad but yet it's SO much better than needing sympathy cards. I made one of those a while back and have not needed it. I'm hanging on to that one for luck!!

Anyway, this get well/thinking of you card was fun to make. First of all I just LOVE the Dusty Durango color. It's kind of a rust and pumpkin color mixed. And of course I had to buy the Designer Series paper to match!

The stamp used here is the Stampin' up! "Upsy Daisy." A set I just LOVE but have not used it much other than on technique pages! There's SO much you can do with this stamp set and the image can be used for a variety of occasions and needs. I LOVE stamp sets like that. To me it seems like you are getting your monies worth out of it when you can pick it up and use it for a multitude of events/occasions.

And I love the "Fleurette's". These little crocheted flowers are the cutest. The center of the flower is a punched out piece of decorative paper and the clear part from the "Build a Brad" set.

The main part of this card was done using Basic Black card stock and the Dusty Durango was layered on top. I like to use black layers on my cards when I can, it makes the colors you use pop.

Oh and the words are from a fun set called "Teeny Tiny Wishes." That set covers a lot of occasions and events as well! Another reason why I bought it!!

So off in the mail this goes tomorrow! Finally too, it's a bit late in going out. I'm SO far behind on my card and emails. How does that happen? Things will be better here when Sara from Sara's Creative Adventures comes down sometime and organizes my workroom! *winks* She has a fun blog, check it out!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Recap on the Post it Note Holder

I have gotten a LOT of comments and a few emails asking what the name of the die cut is for those notebooks. I did neglect to give credit where credit is due. I am adding a new photo here. It is one I made using the "Thoroughly Modern Folders". Isn't it cute made with the folder?

Anyway, about the comments. When you ask a question in the comments I have no way of answering you. Please email me and you will be sure to get a reply back. You really don't want to include your email address in a comment. Hackers and Spamers LOVE it when you do that. My email address can always be found on the right sidebar on the blog. Second item down on the list.

Materials list:
Stampin' Up! "Thoroughly Modern Folders"
Sizzix "Scoreboard Note Holder" Die
The flowers are on the same die
Sizzlet "Little Leaves"
Brad
Velcro
Soft Suede Polka Dot ribbon
Sticky Strip tape
Circle punches, 3/4" and 1"
"Notes" is from a custom made Stampin' Up! stamp
Self-adhesive Notes

This is a very simple die to work with and you can crank out a lot of these in no time! I'm making a bunch for this falls craft fairs.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Wednesday Sketch Challenge

I can not believe it's Wednesday already. My how these days are flying.

I have actually now used the two images from the Stampin' Up! "Spring Song" set. I bought this set because I LOVED this bird. And it sat in the container until a few weeks ago when I used the hummingbird for one of the Wednesday Sketch Challenges.

This challenge was fun. I LOVE that big piece in the background. It kind of sets the mood for the card. I also LOVE the "To the Nines" textured decorative paper. It's SO rich looking plus it's a GREAT paper to use on masculine cards.

Materials used here are:
Basic Black card stock
Very Vanilla Card stock
Stampin' Up! 1-1/4" & 1-3/8" Circle Punches
Stampin' Up! Scallop circle punch
Martha Stewart branch punch
Stampin' Up! button
Stampin' Up! To the Nines Decorative Paper
Blender Pen
Markers
Stampin' Up! "Spring Song" stamp set
Sponge
Sage Shadow ink pad

There's lots of pieces on this card but that is what I LOVE to do when making cards. Ok, I love it only when I am making one card. If I had to make anymore than this I don't think I would have enjoyed all the layers! LOL

Oh, the words on the card were done on the computer. I set it up to make 4 columns and I repeat the words until the page is full. Making sure I leave space between them for punching out. Then I print the page on usually Whisper White card stock but sometimes I print it out on Very Vanilla at the same time. Then when I need it I just go to my pile of words and punch it out.

Anyway, back to the card. It's even a great masculine birthday card. You could even remove the "happy birthday" and make it into a Father's Day card. That is coming up quickly too. First I need to get to the Mother's Day ones and Graduation!! And I have few birthdays in between there too!

I do like my card this week. It's rare I say that!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Warhol Technique

I thought it was time for another technique page. I am no longer showing the pages like I did in the past. I decided to actually use the technique on a card so you can see better how they are used. I will still be making the pages in the same format as I have in the past but I will not be posting them on here.

I needed a few get well cards this week. One is VERY late and I'm trying to get caught up here. So I thought I would have some fun with this technique and make a get well card at the same time.

I used the Stampin' Up! "A Flower for All Season" set to do this technique. This technique involves taking an image and repeating it on different colored backgrounds. It can be set up in a square as I have done here or it can be set side by side to make it look more like a filmstrip. Either way it makes a wonderful card. Andy Warhol was famous for using this type of imagery. You can Google him and see a lot of his work and maybe even get inspired!

I still have a few more of the technique pages left in the third set if you are interested. Please email me here.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Post-it Holder Purse Weekend Project

I was having some fun making these adorable Post-it Holder Purses. These were SO easy too! Really, they were. What makes them SO easy? They are made using a Sizzix die. I just ran the card stock through the Sizzix machine with the die and a few creases on the score lines and I had a cute little purse.

I cut mine from Crushed Curry card stock. I used the Crushed Curry polka dot ribbon for the handle. I taped it in place with the Sticky Strip tape. I needed something with a bit more stick to it than regular mono adhesive. I used a half a Velcro circle as a clasp to hold the holder shut.

What is nice about these is you can refill them. The last sheet or backing is taped on so when you are finished with the last note you just tape another pad in its place.

I added a few die cut flower pieces to the front. I stuck them together with a brad and set them in place on the front with a Dimensional. I added a few leaves and that part was done.

The word "notes" is from a special order stamp by Stampin' Up! I just selected a one line address stamp and I stamped it on white card stock, punched it out with a 3/4" circle punch and layered it with larger circles. I just taped it in place with mono adhesive. I didn't want it sticking up too much because it could get caught on things and get ruined.

On the very front of the holder I did run a scrap piece of Rich Razzleberry decorative paper on the die cut form and taped it in place over the Crushed Curry. It was SO easy to make and just too cute. I even made some using the "Thoroughly Modern File Folders." Those I didn't have to add anything to the flap, the folders are muli-tone. I added flowers and the "notes" like these have. SO quick and SO simple.

These would be great for gifts, including teacher gifts! They would be a fun Make n Take, a customer appreciation gift, Hostess appreciation gift, a fun Stamp Camp item and I made some to sell at the fall Craft Fair. Don't forget to use the angel stamp with the Stampin' Up! copyright on it if you are planning to sell them. I stamp mine before I put them together, it's much easier to stamp them when they are flat.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Thoroughly Modern Folders Notebooks

These fun notebooks were made using the Stampin' Up! "Thoroughly Modern File Folders."

I was perusing through the tutorials in the SplitCoastStamper's "Resource Gallery" and thought I would give these adorable folders a try. I had a few folders left in the package I had bought and I figured I could give one a try.

Much to my surprise they were easier than they look! And speaking of "look" I think they look FABULOUS! I like these folders because you can refill them. A folder that can be reused! Such a deal and a welcome concept in this day and age! It's SO important to recycle when you can and reusing is something I LOVE to do when I can. Oh and let's not forget what great gifts these will make.

Now you can embellish them a lot more than I SplitCoast or I did. I just copied theirs. I didn't want to add anything more than the ribbon that they added. Though I did put a little different twist on mine that I thought enhanced the folder even more. I added the pen holder! Isn't it just TOO cute and a much needed addition to the folder. Oh and there was room for it too, like it was meant to be there! I got that fabulous pencil holder at "Capture the Moment." This link will take you directly to the tutorial for the pencil holder. Click on the photos for a closer view, especially the one with the notebook open so you can see the pencil holder better.

I think these would be a great item for the fall Craft Fair so I will probably be ordering more folders so I can whip up a bunch for the sale! Hope I have time to make more! It always seems that I can't find the time to do things lately. There is always something that comes up. Today it's a computer "thing." My poor old laptop is on it's last legs and I thought I would tend to the issue before it crashes forever and my info is lost! SO we took the tower computer from upstairs and brought it down to my workroom. I was going to have the tower on the floor but there was an issue with the shortness of cords. UGH! And not to mention the issue with short extension cords. There were cord going across both sides of my worktable. SO unacceptable. A trip to the store and some creative moving (actually it was just a bit of clearing off things on the ledge) and the computer was starting to look like it would work down here for me. It's weird to have such a big screen and a "real" keyboard. I'm so use to the laptop that this keyboard seems exceptionally long. A number pad, how odd to see on my worktable! It's all up and running and there is about an hour left for the info from my laptop to be completely transferred to this computer. And if I can remember to shut off the mouse when I'm done all will work out fine! If not I'll be spending a lot of money on batteries until I learn! A "normal" mouse didn't work because the cord was too short. So for now I'm happy with the way it's going and looking and really, isn't that what it's all about? My happiness? LOL

Ok, back to this cute notebook. You can either use a magnet or Velcro to close it. I opted for the Velcro because the file folders are so stiff and I don't think a magnet will hold it shut. Plus too much pulling on a magnet could rip the paper on the folder. Velcro has some give and pliability to it.

Give them a try, especially that ever SO cool pencil holder!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Ann & Leah Do it Again!

I have some fun cards to show you that were done by Ann and Leah Thursday evening at Stamp Till You Cramp. Though there wasn't much stampin' going on here! Most of the card is made using stickers and decorative papers. Both of which I love to use, it makes whipping up a card a snap!


Oh, don't get me wrong. I still love an all stamped card too. Especially one with LOTS of layers and one that requires coloring! But for a quick card, stickers and decorative paper is the way to go.


When looking at these cards I can see the fun the gals had in making them. Your happiness with a card actually does reflect on the card.

Leah was making graduation cards while Ann was making baby cards.

The middle card shown here was the one we used the Cricut on to make the "Class of 2010." I love my Cricut but have not used it much. I had gotten it for Christmas with the intent of scrapbooking with it. I've done two pages using it. I just have too many other projects going on that I can't seem to squeeze in any time for scrapbooking. Hopefully this fall when things slow down again I will be able to make time. I LOVE spring (but not as much as winter) and along with spring comes a LOT of work. Windows need to be cleaned along with cupboards and closets. Plus lots of outdoor work too. I'd rather shovel snow! There is actually less work to do in the winter than in the spring. SO I have to find time to squeeze all of that in too! But somehow I manage to do it and I'm hoping I can manage to get some scrapbooking time in too!

Now onto Ann's cards. Once again these cute little images are stickers and they are absolutely adorable! Ann did so some stamping on these with the words in the bottom corners.

She also stamped on the inside but I forgot to take a photo of it. Oh and she ALWAYS stamps on the envelopes. She is the one who encouraged me to stamp on my envelopes. "It's all a part of the presentation." Right Ann? It does dress up the envelope and make the card look even more inviting to open! Aren't these baby cards just adorable?

Thank you Ann and Leah for allowing me to share your wonderful cards on my blog for the world to see!

Just a quick note here regarding my blog. I'm getting close to the one million hits mark. I, of course, will be posting some wonderful blog candy. I can only guess that it will probably be by the end of the month that my blog will reach one million hits. It's SO exciting!

Thank you for visiting my blog today. Thanks a MILLION!
Wanda

Dear Dad Grill King Card

Ok, I was having fun with the new "Kind of the Grill" set. This is SO cute and SO fun!

And I am loving the new texture folder "Square Lattice" too! If you turn it over the texture looks completely different. It's like getting two texture folders in one! I don't have this folder yet and I was fortunate to be able to play with a fellow demonstrator's folder. And I can't wait to order mine!! It's going to be a lot of fun. I can see myself using this one a lot! And didn't it work nicely on a masculine card? Some textured backgrounds don't like to hold the layers on very well with just regular tape runners but this background is like a very tight weave and the tape runner is enough to hold the layers down!

Again I used the "To the Nines" decorative paper. I also used Whisper White and Chocolate Chip card stock. I colored in the image using a blender pen and markers. I LOVE to color!

The "dear dad" came from the "Holiday Blitz" set. Another set I have used a lot. It covers so many holidays and events! Plus these words fit perfectly into the 1" circle punch area! It makes it a great image to punch and layer with the Circle Scallop punch!

It's a fun set and a great "dad" card!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Wednesday Sketch Challenge King of the Grill

I love Wednesday's with SplitCoastStampers Sketch Challenge. And I LOVE it even more when I have time to play along.

I think I would have liked this a lot better had my card turned out the way it looked in my head. Yup, another one of those cards!!!

I did like this layout and I thought it would be fun to play with the new "King of the Grill" stamp set. Gotta play with them when I get them or they get set aside and forgotten. This is going to be a wonderful set for Father's Day and for masculine cards (for the summer). He's a cute comical guy and it was fun coloring him in. I just had problems with the background behind him. I had a piece of Bashful Blue there. I wanted a soft blue but it was a bit too dark and it didn't blend in well. SO I thought I would sponge in some Bashful Blue. I did but I don't really like it.

I also got to play with the "To the Nines" textured decorative paper. This paper is the best for masculine cards. The colors are perfect for that! Oh, it can be used on feminine cards too but with the darker browns it fits a masculine card better.

The image here was cut out and set on the top layer using Dimensionals. The grill tool is from a Dress it Up pack of buttons and charms left over from a Christmas pack. The colors on the image were colored in using markers and a blender pen. There really isn't much to making the card. It took a while to color it and cut the image out but it wasn't bad. I just think it's kind of blah and could use a little finesse! I made a different card using this guy and I'll post it tomorrow.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Notebooks! Notebooks! Notebooks!

I'm posting a bit late tonight. My day was SO busy and it just got away from me!

I have been altering a lot of notebooks lately. Maybe that is because I had purchased a TON of them WAY back and packed them away. And in cleaning out things I found them and thought I'd better work on them. I certainly didn't want to store them away again. I actually forget I have them and there have been times I've even purchased more because I thought they were new and cool! LOL Pretty scary, huh? LOL

Anyway, I found these in a box marked "Alter" so I did! I had a LOT of fun doing it too. I am SO into that Stampin' Up! Sizzix Daisy's #2 die. The smallest flower on the die is my favorite and I've used it a TON. And I LOVE how these things just never seem to get dull either. I have cut so many flowers out that I would think the die wouldn't cut anymore but each flower is as sharp as the last one! Oh and I've even cut aluminum with this die too! I have SO much fun with all of my dies and I have quite a collection!

This notebook was simple to alter. I added some "Shades of Spring" designer paper from the latest mini catalog. I ran out and fortunately this mini goes on through the end of the month so I'll have time to get another pack! I left the edges alone on the notebook. I had altered one a week ago or so and used white "Duck Tape" (the package actually reads "duck tape") and it was hard to work with and it didn't look very nice on the notebook. SO I thought I would find decorative paper that would match the edges enough and go with that. And I did!

The word "Notes" is from the retired "Note to Self" set that I will probably keep forever! It's perfect for these notebooks and other ones I make!

These little notebooks are only 2-1/2" x 3" all closed up and what is SO cool about them too is they are held shut magnetically. I LOVE that in a notebook I'm going to toss in my purse. Nothing like having a notebook in your purse and page corners all curled because of being juggled around in the purse.

Isn't it amazing how you can take a few small pieces of decorative paper or even scraps and turn it into a work of art? It sure did dress up this little notebook, didn't it?

Go alter something! It's fun to see it change before your very eyes! I have more to alter. This was one of those "new and cool" things I had to buy (again) so I'm going to alter some for the fall craft fair I will be participating in. Plus I want to save out a few for gifts too!

Thank you for visiting today,
Wanda

Technique Page Time!

Have you ever stamped on a candle? Well, it's a very simple technique! Oh and it's even fun too!

First you stamp on a piece of tissue paper. Color in your image. Cut the image out and place it on your candle. Place a piece of waxed paper on it. Pull the waxed paper tight and heat it up. The important thing to always remember when doing these is keep the embossing tool moving. If you keep it in one spot too long you will melt a dip in the candle and it won't look good.

Once you think you have it all melted on, remove the waxed paper. If you see white spots of tissue paper still showing, just heat it up a little (without waxed paper) and you can see it melt and blend in.

As simple as all that!

The image I used here is from the Stampin' Up! "Gifts of Christmas" set. I didn't have to color mine. I just stamped it in Melon Mambo ink. I saw this on someone's blog a while back and I apologize but I don't know who to give credit to. I try to add a name and website with the images and I probably did but can't find it. So if you know who did this, please let me know and I will give them the credit they deserve on this FABULOUS candle!

These are a great Stamp Camp item, Christmas gifts, Hostess Appreciation Gifts, Customer Appreciation Gifts and a fun Craft Fair item.

This is #2 in the 4th set of technique pages. I still have some of set #3 available. They should be available in my web store soon. And you can always email me about them too!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

6" x 6" Recipe Page

I haven't made a recipe page in a long time. And I haven't played with this "Under the Stars" set in a very long time. It's one of those sets I ask myself "why did I buy this?" And I still have no answer. I don't recall at the time why I bought it. Maybe it was for this recipe card!!! Probably not since I just found this recipe in a bunch of "stuff" I had downloaded in 2006. SO since this stamp wasn't out yet I would have to say no, that was not why I bought this set!

And honestly here, I have not made this recipe to see if the stuff even works. When I saw it in my stash of downloads I immediately thought of the "Under the Stars" set and right then and there I knew I would be able to finally use that set!

I wished I would have made the font a bit smaller so I could have added more mosquitoes and colored them in like I did on the bottom.

It doesn't really matter to me if this recipe works or not. I just like the way I was able to use it for this page. It's a fun page for the recipe book! But I may just give the recipe a try. I'm sure I have all of these ingredients in my cupboard! NOT!!!

Anyway, I thought it was cute!

Thank you for visiting today,
Wanda

Digital Download Scraps Altered Notebook

I did tell you that I don't throw things away. That is not surprising if you saw my workroom. But here is the surprising part. I actually used the scrap piece the following day. I usually have a huge pile of them but this time I knew exactly what I wanted to do with this piece of scrap. I altered a notebook! I seriously jazzed up a pretty boring little notebook.

These little notebooks are SO cute. It's got a magnet in the front to hold it shut which is great if you put these in your purse!

I used the Stampin' Up! Anywhere Glue Stick to affix the paper to the notebook. Then I did tape the top and bottom edge with white Duct Tape. Actually I think the package read "Duck Tape." I used two layers of it because the original edging still showed through. I don't like working with this tape. It was difficult to cut and to set evenly on the notebook edge. But I forgot all about that once I made the butterflies and put them on the card. I used the new Stampin' Up! "Beautiful Wings" embosslit die. It's SO beautiful There are several butterflies in the die and the tiniest one is on the "notes" circle.

The "Notes" is from the "Note to Self" set. And of course the paper is from the digital download "Sweet Pea".

What a great way to beautify a notebook! These make great gifts and a nice item for Craft Fairs, or Stamp Camp or even a Make n Take!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Sweet Pea Digital Download

I downloaded the Stampin' Up! "Sweet Pea" package. I just LOVED all the papers in it and the flowers. It was one of those downloads I just HAD to have. So I downloaded it and it sat in a folder on my computer. NOT a good place for it. What good is it if it just sits there?

I started looking at each of the images in the package and was more thrilled with each one I opened. I had to print out a few just to see if they were as pretty on paper as they were on the screen. I found that 30# copier paper worked best for the printing. It made it look and feel more like decorative paper. It wasn't too thick like card stock would be, it was just right.

SO those printouts sat on my worktable for a few days. I'd look at them as I uncovered them a few times from the messes I make on my table. One end of the paper had a bend in it. Fortunately that part of the paper wasn't printed on and it did make me realize I should use the paper before it gets ruined.

I thought I would make a birthday card for my niece. It's such a pretty card, isn't it? Don't you just LOVE all of those butterflies? And this card has very little stamping on it too. I had thought about just stamping the words on without any layering but I thought it could use a little something in that bottom corner.

Actually this card doesn't have any stamping on it. The words were done on my computer. I had printed out a full page of them when I originally made it and I just punch from the page when I need one. Click on the card to get a closer view of it.

The image area printed out in an 8" x 8" square on my paper. It was perfect enough for a card plus some extra for layering or for another project. And you know me, I don't throw anything away so it will be used for another project or card!

These downloads aren't just for scrapbooking, you can use them for cards and other projects as well. And it's also nice that when you need one or a dozen you can just print them off and play right away! One of these days I will try these on scrapbooking stuff but for now I'm still working on cards and projects. I do very little scrapbooking but I have things lined up and more organized to start doing it soon.

Anyway, this was a fun and such a pretty card to make. Oh and it was SUPER quick too! And if you look at it you can see that the card could be used for other occasions/events other than a birthday.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Wall Art! Rub-ons

I just love these Stampin' Up! rub-ons and wish I had more wall space to put more of them up. I did have problems with this one. I had only bought one set. I cut the knife, fork and spoon out separately so I could spread them apart a bit more than they originally were. I did get them on the wall and they were fairly straight but they weren't wide enough for the area. SO I ordered more. Fortunately I was able to remove the ones off the wall cleanly. I set them on the counter to think about how to get them up there evenly. I marked and measured where I wanted the first set to go and I got them in place. Then it dawned on me to use the backing to put the ones on that I had just removed. And I took the next one that was to go up and laid it under the backing so I had a "template" to put them back where they needed to be to be straight and even with the other ones. I rescued my images and was a happy camper. I got the other two sets up on the wall and was much happier with it like that than just the single set. It filled up that area of the wall and it looks nice up there. It's such a fun way to decorate without any mess.

I bought hubby a guitar one and we have yet to get it put up in his office. I am hoping to get to that by the end of the month and I'll be sure to take pictures to show you!

Click on the labels below to see my other rub-on. I had put the big tree up in my workroom. It's SO cool to have it on the wall. Last year I put blue birds on some of the leaves. I was going to put a red cardinal in the tree this past winter but I forgot. And I wanted to add snowflakes but I didn't have time to do that either.

Every time Stampin' Up! comes up with a new bunch of rub-ons I always find something I like. I have a bedroom I need to get painted and maybe by the time it's done I will have a wall I can put up a new one on! They are just so fun and easy to put on and take off!

Isn't the wall pretty? The plaque thing in the "before" photo was a kitchen measurements "thing" that I had gotten for a gift many years ago and I had put it up there. It was so high up that you couldn't read the measurements or conversions! Nice place for that, huh? LOL

Anyway I LOVE the knife, fork and spoon rub-ons SO much better!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Wednesday Sketch Challenge

This weeks Sketch Challenge was another fun one. Lots of little layers that I just LOVE playing with! You know me and layers! If I'm not layering something I'm sponging it!

I thought I would make a wedding card. Usually I open up the Stampin' Up! catalog and see what image fits in the focal image spot on the card. Here is is the #3 spot. But this time I knew I wanted to make a wedding card so it narrowed the field down a lot for images to fit in the spot. After I found the "Together Forever" cake image from the "Fun & Fast Notes" set I then wondered what paper to use. I glanced over at my "Bride" decorative paper and wasn't sure I wanted to use it. Uh oh, there goes that hoarding thing again! SO I decided to just use it. After all it was only going to be a few small pieces and there is plenty left in the pack to retire in a few months! And with that thought in mind I decided I was going to make several wedding cards to have on hand and they were going to be made using that decorative paper!

Now as you can see in the picture of the sketch layout the 2's have a,b and c. This means they want you to use 3 different colors/designs but they are on the same layer. My dilemma was with the decorative papers. There was only two different designs and I REALLY wanted to use it. Seriously, I did! SO I thought if I turn the stripes on the one paper the other direction I could make this work! And I did.

I did flip the sketch on it's side to make the focal image work better for me. And then there was the little issue with the 2-b and 2-c panels. They were so plain. I didn't want to add a ribbon but I knew it needed something there. I thought the half pearls from the Pretties Kit would work nicely on there and they did. It was just enough to give the card a bit of a punch without taking away from the image.

I think it's a simple yet sweet enough wedding card. It was a fun sketch!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Fifth Avenue Flop

What is that big pink blob in the middle of that panel?? Why it's a Fifth Avenue flower stamped using white embossing powder. After it was heated I sponged in the Melon Mambo ink and the flower emerged.

I started out using the "En Francais" set. I used the Melon Mambo ink and stamped off once to get a lighter image.

Then I stamped the image using VersaMark and sprinkled on the white embossing powder. I heat set it and then sponged on the Melon Mambo ink. It wasn't exactly what I had in mind.

The far background is done using the Dotted Swiss embossing folder. I like that part of the card and I like the words. I used the "Well Scripted" set there. I'm not overly fond of this card and will be making a different Mother's Day card. This one I just can't mail out. Not all of them can be winners!!!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Notebook and Beaded Pen Weekend Project

Oh my, I have not made beaded pens in a few years. Not that I would forget how to make them. Fortunately I had the pieces for the pens cut out and sitting in a small votive cup waiting for the day for me to make some pens again. Well, today was the day. I forgot how fun they were and how easy they were too!

The colors I used here for the notebooks are Lavender Lace and Lovely Lilac under the Whisper White piece I stamped on.

The stamps I used here are the Stampin' Up! "Vintage Vogue" and the words are from the retired "Note to Self" set. I kept it because of the word "notes." And glad I did keep it!

The flowers were stamped in using Lavender Lace ink, stamped off on the smaller flower. The center of the flower is Apricot Appeal. The leaves are stamped using Old Olive. And the "notes" is stamped on using Old Olive.

For the pens you just stamp the flowers all over the place and let it dry. It doesn't take long. My pieces were already cut for each pen. To know the size of paper you need just take a piece of scrap copier paper and wrap it around your pen. Make sure you mark the length of the pen too. I used a label sheet for the images. Stamp on them, peel the label backing off and wrap it around the pen. I then took a double sided tape sheet and cut a piece from it the same size as the label sheet. Remove the backing and wrap it around the pen. Them remove the other backing and roll your pen in the micro beads. Put the cap back on the pen and you are done. Simple as that and they look SO pretty. Click on the photo for a closer look. The photo doesn't really do the pens justice.

These make great gifts for friends and teachers too! Who can't use a notebook and a matching pen? I cut my card stock and copier paper (for the inside) the same size as a card. That way I can get 4 off each sheet. And another reason I make them this size is I can turn any greeting card I have into a notebook! Gotta LOVE that!

These are also great for a Make n Take project. A fun Craft Fair or Stamp Camp item and of course a fabulous gift!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Happy Easter!

I saved this card for today! We made this card WAY back at the end of January at Terri's FABULOUS Stamp Share. This is one of those easel cards. I had seen them around other blogs and at SplitCoastStampers but I never tried one. I think I felt a bit intimidated by it. But it really wasn't bad to make at all.

I couldn't locate my card so I went on Sues blog and copied her photo of the card (with permission of course).

The bunny is from the "Occasions Mini Catalog." It's called "Chocolate Bunny." It's such a cute image. The paper we uses was Very Vanilla, Pretty in Pink and the Specialty Designer Series Paper "sending Love Specialty".

The Pretty In Pink paper was dry embossed with the Dotted Swiss folder. And the words came from the "Well Scripted" set. I have used that set a lot lately in my card making! I just LOVE the font!

I hope you all are having a nice Easter. We are having our son and his girlfriend over for dinner. On April Fools Day he sent me an email telling me he proposed to his girlfriend and she was SO happy and excited. I emailed him back with a "congratulations" and an "it's about time!" I asked if they set a date and that is when he said it was "April Fools." I told him that wasn't very nice and he said it was "her" idea. So one of them is getting strangled! Not to sure if it will be before dinner or after! LOL We keep waiting for him to propose to her. I have no idea why he's dragging his feet. But I know, it's all in his own time.

Have a Happy Easter and thank you for visiting today,
Wanda

A Fun Get Well Card

This card was SO fun to make. I just love the "Flower Daisies #2" Sizzix die. I have used it on several projects and they all have turned out SO cute.

The paper used here is from the Sale-A-Bration "Welcome Neighbor" designer paper. There is a LOT of paper in those square packs. I have yet to use one completely up! I really loved the tiny hearts in this paper pack. I layered a piece of it at the bottom part of the card and the rest of the piece I used in the die. The striped paper is the backside of the heart paper. Cute, huh?

I wrapped a piece of Melon Mambo ribbon around the card front and taped the piece in place on top of a piece of Melon Mambo card stock.

The words are from the "Sincere Salutations" set. Among my favorite word sets! I stamped them using Melon Mambo ink.

This was a quick, simple and fun card to make. And what is fun about this too is that it's a versatile design. Change the words and you have a birthday card or a thinking of you card.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Sharing What They Make

Here is a very lovely wedding card that Leah made. Look closely at it. It's a sticker! Isn't it amazing what you can do with stickers? She was making a bunch of cards in no time using those stickers. I love how she used the border punch and then tied it in with the oval scallop punch. It's a beautiful card that didn't take long at all to make. These stickers are set in place with foam pieces, much like the Stampin' Up! Dimensionals. You can make your own stickers by stamping the image, coloring it and cutting it out. Place them on some Window Sheets with removable tape for future use. When you need a quick card just pick one off your Window Sheet, take a Dimensional and attach it to your card. Get the wording you want, stamp it, punch it and layer it. Or if you have time after cutting the other images out, you can punch the words and save them for another time too.

Storing the using the 6" x 6" album sleeves is a great place to keep them. Start an album of "card candy." This is what it was called a few years ago when it was popular to make them. I made a few pieces but never really got into it. I have so many other projects going that to actually have something like that on hand would be nothing short of a miracle! At times I wish I had some on hand! Maybe some day!

Thank you Leah for letting me share your card with the world!

Thank you for visiting today,
Wanda

It's Wabbit Season! No Foolin'

Hope you're aren't getting or pulling too many pranks today. I often wonder how those got started on April 1st. What is so significant about that day to play jokes on people? I suppose I could Google it but I'm really not that curious! I'll just ponder that question each year! LOL

So onto this post. Every time I see carrots I think those infamous words by Elmer Fudd, "it's wabbit season." Cartoons I grew up with that are not on tv much at all anymore. Hmmm, do you think they were a bit too violent? I even let our child watch them when he was little. They were funny and he never repeated any of the "dangerous" stuff. Though he could hardly get his hands on some of that wonderful Acme equipment Wile E. Coyote had! I heard a comedian once ask, "if the coyote could afford all that stuff from the Acme company, how come he just didn't buy dinner?" LOL

Anyway, back to the carrot here. Isn't it cute? This is what we made at the Stamp Share WAY back at the end of January. I had it sitting out and forgot all about sharing it with you all. I've seen them on many blogs since then. They are a very popular little item plus they are easy to make. They were SUPER easy for us to make them because Terri had everything all punched and cut out for us!

The orange part is the Stampin' Up! "Scallop Circle" Sizzix die. You form a cone and tape it shut. We held it closed by using a brad. I don't think tape would hold for very long. Glue would but tape . . . . I don't think I'd go that route. We used the Scalloped Oval punch for the greens on the top of the carrot. They are taped in place. The words are from the "Well Scripted" set. One of my favorite word sets! The ribbon is tied in a bow and taped in place with a Dimensional. This carrot was stuffed with some crinkled papers. You can drop a gumball or a gumdrop in the pointed part of the cone and fill it up with candies or whatever you'd like.

Isn't it just the cutest thing? And seriously, even if you had to cut out the pieces yourself, it is a very quick item to make!

Thank you Terri for a fun project! (She's always got such fun stuff for us to do).

Thank you for visiting today,
Wanda