Tart & Tangy Gifts Weekend Project

 Whenever I would find something that had fruit on it I would dig out my "Tart & Tangy" set and make something to go with it.  The first photo is of some strawberry hand sanitizer and the other photo is an orange scented room freshener.  

These make fun little gifts or stocking stuffers.  It's always great when you can find some useful items for around $1 and fill up those Christmas stockings with them!   Ok, maybe the orange scented room freshener isn't so useful (unless you really LOVE oranges) but it was just too cute to pass up!!

This set is retiring and will be available in my web store at 12:01 am on July 1st.  Hopefully I remember to go into the store and enable everything.  I have been adding a few sets to the store each day and setting them as disabled so I can open them up with it's time.  Stop by and see if there is anything in there you need.  The link to the store is on the right side of this blog under "shopping is just a click away."  Or you can just click here and go directly to the store. 

This is a fun set to play with when making jellies and jams too.  I had a lot of fun with it but I must make room for other sets!

Thank you for stopping by today,
Wanda

Fabulous Florets Wednesday Sketch Challenge

This is the card I made for today's Sketch Challenge over at SplitCoastStampers.  I really look forward to these sketches.  Sometimes I struggle with them and other times they seem easy.  I like to try to make them so they don't have a lot of bulk to them so they can be mailed with only one first class postage stamp.  

For this card I used the "Fabulous Florets" set.  The words are from the "Hugs & Wishes" digital download.  Though I do have the set I thought I would play with the digital one since you can resize it more to fit your needs.  

I stamped the images using VersaMark and then embossed them with white embossing powder.  Once it was heat set I then cut them out by hand.  For the bottom panel, the 4b part I used ribbon.  I took my x-acto knife and made a couple of slits in the layers and inserted the ribbon through them and taped them on the backside.  Then I taped that layer on top of the black card stock so no one can see the tape job!

On the #2 piece I used Whisper White and used the Dotted Swiss embossing folder.  I wanted that area white but yet I wanted it a bit textured and the Dotted Swiss was just what it needed.

On the 4b spot I used 2 pieces of the 1/8" ribbon.

It was a very fun sketch to do and I think I would use it again for other images.   Maybe on images that I would just stamp on the #4a part instead of cutting something out and adding it on top.  I'm sure I have lots of sets that would fit in that #4a spot!

If you have time give the sketch a try.  I'm off to cut the sketch out and add it to my sketch album!

Thank you SO much for stopping by today,
Wanda

Fabulous Florets Birthday Card

I just can't seem to get enough of this set.  I had the flower stamped and the leaves/stem stamped and it was just sitting on my worktable.  So I thought I'd trow a card together with these two pieces.  I got the flower cut out and the stem part cut to size.  I was really leaning towards making a basically white card.  I made the layers for the flower and on the center one I took my Melon Mambo marker and colored the edge so it had just a hint of color showing.  It's a real soft subtle touch and I'm going to have to try that again sometime.

I didn't want to use the embossing folders.  I just felt I needed a break from them for a bit.  I do love to use them but I've been using them so much that I thought I would just leave it plain.  Well, plain was just too blah so I got out the "Lattice" die and after running my card stock through the Xyron (to put sticky on the back of it for easier mounting) I set it in place on top of the card front.  I set the layered piece on and used the "happy birthday" from the "Teeny Tiny Wishes" set and it was done!!!  I wasn't sure I was going to like the Lattice on the background because it didn't cover the whole card front but now that I look at it more I do like it.  If it had covered the whole front then I wouldn't have been able to just stamp words on, I would have had to do it with layers.

All in all it was a very fun card to make and I can see myself making more in the future.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Tart & Tangy Gift

 Aren't these earrings adorable?  I bought the kit at the bead shop I teach at.  I put them together for a gift for my older sister.  I know she doesn't read my blog so it won't ruin the surprise. 

I wanted to jazz up the packaging of them so I got out the fun "Tart & Tangy" set that is retiring at the end of the month.  You can find the set in my web store after midnight on June 30th.  I just had to use it with this gift.  It was perfect for it.

If you'd like to know how to get the earrings kit just head on over to my beading web site, "The Shape of Beads to Come" the info will be posted there along with top photo.  

It's great when you can combine two of your addictions together.  For me it is stamping and beading! 

My sister is going to LOVE these earrings.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check my web store after midnight on June 30th.

Have a great day,

Wanda

New Color Keeper with ALL the In Colors

 I came up with a new Color Keeper that will fit inside the cover of the Catalog & Idea Book.  Or even inside of it.  It's not very thick at all.  

It's a great way to keep track of your inventory for card stock, ink pads, inkers and markers.  

You can hold a class with this or give them out to your customers and downline.  I have a PDF file available for sale in my web store.  It's ready to print with instructions included at the bottom. 

You just print, cut and tape.  Decorate the outside card stock as you desire and they are ready to use or give as gifts!  

This Color Keeper includes both 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 in colors. 

It will be available in the store but there will be no photo.  It is called New Color Keeper PDF, there is also another Color Keeper in there, a square one.  This one is long and narrow and when the photo ends up in there it will show the inside of the keeper.  I hope to get both photos in there but I'm having problems getting one in there right now.  I thought it would be easy, I was given step by step instructions but I think a step is missing because I followed them exactly.  UGH!!

Thank you SO much for visiting, 
Wanda

Love & Care Birthday Card

Julie at Kewel Stamps n More did a card SO similar to this.  The difference between hers and mine is the word image part.  She had used an elongated one and I did a round one.  And I believe her green was Garden Green and I had used Old Olive.  I realized that after I had cut my Old Olive so I just went with it.  It worked just fine.  Oh and the background part is different too.  I used the "Friendship" background download to make mine.  I put 4 of them on the paper and printed it out so I wouldn't waste the paper plus I would have more for a later project or for more cards like this.  I don't know what her background words were, she didn't have a materials list on the post. 

I just loved this card when I saw it and I just had to make it.  It is a very easy card to do and it was a lot of fun to do too.

My words are from my computer.  I just print out a bunch at one time, punch them out and save them for when I need them.  It's SO convenient to do it that way!

I really like this card.  I have a birthday coming up but I'm not sure I want to give up this card yet.  But like I said, it was easy enough to do so I will probably just make another one.  

I like coloring with markers on the rubber (Direct to Rubber technique), give it a huff so the steam of your breath moistens the ink and stamp.  It's fun and easy to do and look at the nice effect, two colors (or more) of ink on one image!  Doesn't get much better than that!

I thank you SO much for visiting today,

Wanda 

Goodbye KC

In the wee hours of the morning we had to take KC to the emergency vet. He was having a seizure. His temperature reached 109.  When we got to see him he was still panting. They had him packed in ice with an IV.  His eyes were glazed over and the pupil was tiny and fixed.  We felt there was no hope for him in the condition the seizure had left him in so we had to make the decision of letting him go.  It's going to be a very tough day.  He was such a nice kitty.  He was a very mellow cat and I loved him very much.  He loved to lay on me, especially by my face!  And he would give "kisses."  I would just ask him to "give me a kiss" and he would rub his whiskers across my nose.  And if I would say "no, a nice kiss," he would do it really slow and go almost to his ears.

I got him on Christmas eve in 2001.  We were at hubby's niece's farm and they had kittens outside (in the cold).  This little kitty came up to greet me.  It was love at first sight.  The entire time I was there I kept telling hubby that I want that kitty.  Our son was saying "let mom have the kitty" and even my mother-in-law said "let her have the kitty."  I even went as far as saying, "if you let me have this kitty I will quit smoking."  There were a lot of kittens in that batch and as we were leaving, hubby said, "pick out the one you want."  I eyed this fuzzy orange stripped one but looked for the little guy that greeted me.  He was dirty and smelly.  We brought him home, put a litter box in our son's room and went off to the Christmas party at my folks place.  He just made himself right at home the first day and has since (as you can see in the photo!).  

Every day he greeted hubby when he came in the door from work.  He loved to be brushed and he especially loved under his chin scratched.  He would gaze off into space and we'd rub his chin until our hand was tired!  If he was laying on you and you were rubbing under his chin and quit, he would pull your arm back towards him.  Even if you were done, he wasn't!!!  He was quite the character!

He liked to play pickle in the middle with our son and me.  We would toss his mice back and forth between us and he would jump in the air to get them.  When he got them he didn't want them, he just wanted to play with us playing with him.  

He loved to lay under the Christmas tree.  I think it was to remind me that he was a gift.  You know, one of those that keeps on giving.  I got hair balls, litter boxes to clean and cat toys to pick up!!!And I got a lot of love from him.  He was such a special cat.

He did have issues with crystals in his bladder and all in all over the last 5 years, I think we spent over $3,000 on vet bills for him.  Pretty expensive for a free cat!!! LOL  

We had some nicknames for him too: Bug, Butters and Buddy.

Thank you for being such a wonderful cat KC, I am glad you were a part of our family.  I am going to miss you for a very long time.

Thank you for reading this.  I will have something stamped to post later,

Wanda

Altered Notebook Weekend Project

 I thought it was time for a Weekend Project (there's over 150 of them!!).  I haven't done one in a few days.  This one was fun because I actually had a purpose for it.  It is for my sister.  We were shopping last week at the local craft store and she had picked up a journal type notebook and before we checked out she had put it back.  SO I thought it would be fun to alter one for her.  S Allie, if you are reading this, PLEASE don't tell your mom I have this for her.  I didn't do such a good job trying to copy the scallop.  That is a lot harder than it looks.  I am a pattern person.  Give me a template to trace and cut around and I'm happy!!!  Plus it will look 100% better!!  LOL

For my paper I printed out one of the "Flirtatious" pages.  I LOVE all the lacy doilies on it!  I added a brad from the Antique Brads collection.  I did remove the prongs and "glued" it in place with Crystal Effects.  It doesn't take too long to dry but if it were an actual functioning thing I would allow it to dry overnight.  I sometimes get too anxious and can't wait to attach things and I end up repairing or ruining my project.  SO it's just best to wait. It's not like I don't have some other project going on that I cant move over to!

The "NOTES" is from a custom stamp I had made for me.  I make TONS of notebooks and I always had difficulty finding a stamp that said "notes" so I had one made.  I LOVE it and use it on almost all of my notebooks.  

This notebook caught my interest because it closed with little magnets.  I just LOVE those little thin magnets and they are strong too.  I was happy that the Perfect Plum card stock and the decorative paper (printed out on 30# copier paper) weren't too thick.  I tested it out to make sure the notebook would still close with those thicknesses before I taped them in place.  Yup it did. I was happy and was ready to move on. 

I thought about adding a ribbon but then it would have to be removed to open the notebook.  I thought I would wrap it around the flap or the part below the flap but that didn't work either.  If I wrapped it around the flap then the notebook wouldn't shut and if I wrapped it around the piece below the flap then it was too bulky.  So it was just best to leave it as it is and let the decorative paper be the "beauty" of the project!  I think my sister will like it!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Simply Soft Birthday Card

This is going to be a short post.  Not because I'm in a hurry, it's just that this was such a simple and quick card and there really isn't a whole lot to say about it!  So I will say all I can!!

The set used here is the "Simply Soft" hostess set in the new catalog.  I am just SO into flowers right now.  Not that ours are really blooming here.  We are back in the 60's temperature wise and the cool weather doesn't help things to grow here.  But I saw that 80's are on the way here (UGH!!! - personally I HATE summer with the heat, humidity and tornadoes).  

I stamped the images using black StazOn and colored them in with markers and a blender pen.  The "happy birthday" is from the "Teeny Tiny Wishes" set.  One of my favorites and I was so glad it didn't retire!!  

I used my "Color Spritzer Tool" and added a bit of Elegant Eggplant and Melon Mambo to the background just to give it some color.  The white background would have been just fine but I had gotten a couple of smudges on the card and had to hide them!!!  And it worked !!!!!

I did have fun making this card.  I LOVE to color!  And it was a quick card to do too!

I thank you SO much for stopping by today,
Wanda

Flower Fest Sketch Challenge

I thought this weeks Sketch Challenge at SplitCoastStampers was a lot of fun.  I did have some trouble trying to get the half circle right.  After I realized it was more than a half circle it seemed to go better.  I actually searched the cupboards for something round to trace.  I often use Tupperware lids but I grabbed my circle cutter and just made them with that.  Yes, "them".  I needed one for a border.  

I have loved using the "Flower Fest" set since the first day it came into my home.  

I stamped the flowers and leaves with VersaMark and then I embossed them with the white embossing  powder.  All of the flowers have raised centers.  I stamped an extra flower and cut out the centers.  I set them in place with Dimensionals.  I didn't add any words to this card so it can be used for several occasions. 

I can see myself using this sketch again.  It was a lot of fun.  If you have time, give this sketch a try.  And be sure to go over to SplitCoastStampers and see the other cards made using this sketch.  That is what I LOVE best about the Sketch Challenge.  Everyone gets the same layout and you get to see other people's take on it.  It is very fun to see all the ways this sketch was used!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Pocket-size Stampin' Up! Color Chart

 I struggled with what to call this.  I had a few of these started a while back and had put them on hold, they were to be for gifts but now the project is scrapped so I am finishing up a couple of them and re-purposing the rest.

I am not good with making cells in word processing software so the inside was a bit of a struggle for me.  Terri (my upline's upline) had these for us one time and I LOVED having it.  It was a great little gift to give your customers and it was nice to have it on hand.  Though I do love the new color chart, this is more than that.  In the second photo you can see the inside of this. It is also an inventory.  You can keep track of your colors of card stock, ink pads, inkers and markers.  I'm a good one for purchasing another inker and then later finding I already had that color.  SO it was time to redo this project and have an updated one!  It also included the 5 new 2011-1012 colors!  I don't usually sit down and fill in all the info and color on each one.  I wait until I'm using the marker and then I will mark my little boxes with that color.  The chart is always sitting out so it's there in front of me to fill in at my leisure. 

Now for the front.  I used Crystal Effects and "glued" two buttons together, the larger one on top and a smaller one on the bottom.  I used a couple of ponytail "things" and tied them together because they were not long enough.  You can use ribbon, thread, a rubber band, twine or elastic to hold the booklet shut.  With the two ponytail things I just took a loop from each end and hooked it around the buttons.  I was thinking of taking the Crystal Effects and "gluing" on one of the ends so the "thing" won't get lost when it's taken off.

The pages were printed out and taped together so they are printed on both sides when it's opened up.  All of the colors are listed along with their color groups.  

I can't take any credit for this (except for the buttons) it was Terri's concept and I just can't be without one of these.  And now with 10 new colors at a time I wanted to make sure I had it covered!!!

If you'd like to purchase one just head on over to my web store and get it there. There is no photo available yet but in a day or two it should appear there.  But you can order them without the photo.  The photo will be the same ones as on this post.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Four Frames Vase With Flowers

I did have time this morning to take a quick photo with my cell phone of the vase and flowers.  It was so pretty and the gal I gave them to just loved them.  Next year I'm hoping to have a LOT more daisies.  These were just transplanted this year and there was one bunch of them just blooming so it was kind of fun to get flowers so soon.  I had gotten a peony a 3 summers ago and this was the first summer I had flowers on it.  That was fun and they were SO pretty!  They didn't smell as nice as the neighbors did but I was told that the older the plant gets the better the flowers smell.  I had never heard of that.  In the real world, the older something gets the worse it smells!!! LOL  Anyway, I just wanted to share my flowers with you today.

Thanks for visiting,

Wanda

Four Frames Vase Tag

I am bringing some flowers to a friend tomorrow and I wanted to jazz up the vase a bit.  This is a very small vase and I didn't want a huge ribbon to overtake it.  SO I tied on a couple of pieces of Certainly Celery 1/4" grosgrain ribbon for color. Not that the flowers aren't going to have color.  I am not picking my flowers until tomorrow so the vase had to be shown empty.  I don't have time tomorrow to take a photo so you will have to imagine some very pretty daisies in the vase!  Probably about 8 of them, like I said, it's a small vase.  

I used the "Four Frames" set to make my label.  I punched out some tiny flowers and centers and put them together on the label.  The words are from the "Just Believe" set.  The stamp read "just for you" but it all wouldn't fit on the label.  Ok, it did fit but it would touch the center images on the frame (both sides).  So I decided to just use the "for you" part of it and it worked out just fine!!! I colored the words with the Tangerine Tango marker and stamped it in the middle of the label.  I did not use the Stamp-a-ma-jig and was lucky!!!  I did have another label waiting in the wings in case I botched up this one!!!  I must be livin' right today!!! LOL

I punched a hole in the label and took a piece of white Baker's Twine and tied it on the vase and now it's ready for the flowers. I just have to be careful NOT to spill any water on the label after I put the flowers in!  Wish me luck there!!! LOL

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Sharing What They Make

Last week I had the gals here for our monthly stamping.  What a great group of gals and I consider myself SO fortunate to have gotten to know them all.

This is a card that Lynn made.  I LOVE the texture at the bottom  with the stamping at the top.  It's such a sweet and elegant looking card.  

I also like how she rounded the corners on the white card stock.  It just softened the card even more.

Thank you Lynn for letting me share your card with everyone!

Thank you for visiting today,
Wanda

Decorative Chocolates Party Favors Weekend Project

I was playing around with some punches today and thought I would make some party favors.  

I used the new "Lace Ribbon Border" punch on top of a piece of crimped Marina Mist card stock that is wrapped around a wrapped Ghiradelli chocolate square.  I cut the crimped piece at 1-1/2" and then crimped it.  Then I just wrapped it around the candy and then I cut off the excess.  I had cut the 1-1/2" piece from the long side of the card stock so I had a 8=1/2" strip.  There was about 3" left after cutting it to fit.  

I then punched out the Lace Ribbon pieces and glued them in place over the top of the Marina Mist piece.  Next I punched out some flowers using the "Boho Blossoms" punch and I punched out some small circles for the center of the flowers using handheld punches.  

After putting the ribbon pieces on I then added the flowers and the flower centers.  There is still room on these to add a little stamped note if you wish too!  I just glued everything in place because I wanted to make sure they would stay in place in the event they get hung up on each other in the box I'm putting them in for travel. I hate to have to retape things and I don't want to risk having the flowers getting relocated and then have to try to remove them from wherever they landed without damaging any card stock strips.  So glue is the best for this.  Plus I thought it was quicker because of the tiny centers!  I REALLY hate taping those in place on anything!

These are now ready for the party.  I really like the new "Lace Ribbon Border" punch.  I can see myself using this in a lot of cards and projects!!!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Simply Soft Card

"Simply Soft" is one of the new Hostess Sets that will be in the new Stampin' Up! catalog.  I had to get this because I thought the flower images in it were so pretty.  The image here is a branch with small flowers and buds on it.  I had covered those flowers and buds with punched out ones.  The tiny little flowers on here are scraps that were left from when I used the new "Lace Ribbon Border" punch.  I don't save EVERYTHING but these little flowers I just had to save and I was glad I did.  They came in handy for this branch!  And they are SO cute.  I used a white gel pen to make a dot in the center. I'm sure I could have used a small round punch for that but I didn't want to be chasing dots and gluing them on.  I did glue on dots for the larger flower but they were bigger so it wasn't a huge task to take on!!

I actually used several punches on this card.  The "Lace Ribbon Border" punch, the "Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer" punch, the "Itty Bitty Shapes" punch.  I think I just got caught up in the moment of punching and had a blast. Those flowers were so fun to add.  I must have been in one of those "tedious" moods!!!  

My colors here are Whisper White, Melon Mambo and Tempting Turquoise.  I had run out of the Tempting Turquoise ribbon but one nice thing is you can dye your own using your inkers!!!  I always purchase white ribbon in the various sizes so I can color my own.  You just never know when you need a matching color and if you have white ribbon and inkers you can match all of your card stock!!!

This was a fun card to make.  I'm not sure what I am going to use it for but I do know it will sit on the ledge for a month before I file it with the "miscellaneous" cards!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Sunny Fun Pencil Box Weekend Project

I know!! It's about time I get a Weekend Project posted.  I have not felt so creative lately.  But the other day when I was out shopping I saw these cute summery pencils for $1 and I just had to buy them.  As  I was looking at them it dawned on me that I could make a really cute summer pencil box for them.  So here you have it. The really cute pencil box with the colorful pencils in it.  They also had pencils that were more boyish too but I opted for the flowery girly ones!!  

I used the icy treats image from the "Sunny Fun" set.  It was SO much fun to just sit and color things in.  I have not done that in a long time either.  So that makes making this project even more fun for me.  Oh and I have not created a box in a long time either.  Sheeeesh!  Where have I been???  I know I've made a lot of cards but it's time to start making more 3-D stuff.  With craft fairs and Christmas (I know I said the "C" word) coming up it's great to get these things done early.  These pencil boxes would also make great party favors too!!  Yup, lots of things you can do with these!

I suppose you'd like the measurements???  Well ok, I'll tell you how I made mine!

I cut a piece of white card stock 5" x 9-3/4".  On the short side I scored it at 5/8", 2-1/4", 2-7/8" and 4-1/2".  On the long side score at 1/2" and 1-1/8"  turn and to the other long side the same.

Fold your score lines (all of them).  You will need to cut off pieces on the edges to form the flaps. You can see the thinner side flaps.  Those are too long so cut them at the first score.  I also trimmed the sides at a bit of an angle so the lid closed nicer.  Once you get those small flap pieces cut you can see the other pieces take shape.  If you have trouble "seeing" what it should look like, just find a box in your home. A color crayon box would be the best example.  I also took a couple tiny wedge slices off the ends of the big flap too.  I do that to make sure it goes in the box nicely.  If you don't cut exactly on the score lines then it may be difficult to get that flap tucked in.  Cutting the wedge off each edge makes it easier for it to slide right in with ease.  Once you have one end cut, then cut the other end the same way. 

On the front of my box I did use an oval Nestability die to cut the opening.  I could not get a regular punch in there to do that.  Though you could trace an oval and cut it out with an x-acto knife.  The scallop will hide any uneven edges.  My scallop was punched out and formed to fit.  Hand punch scallops and oval Nestabilities do not match up (too bad).  So I just got my scallop frame done, I glued the back and gently worked it into place.  The buttons were added to hide where the edges of the scallop frame didn't meet.  Now you would have not known that if I wouldn't have told you.  And if you don't want to use buttons there you can always punch out some little flowers or just small circles.  If you cut out your oval by hand and use the scallop frame you won't have to hide anything on the top so you don't need to add buttons or flowers, etc.  I think I would have added them even if the oval frame was solid, it just looks like it needs something there.  

I used some Melon Mambo decorative paper from the Brights Collection.  And my blue is Pacific Point.  A color I don't use much at all but I do love it with the Melon Mambo!  So there you have it!  Oh and the box holds 10 pencils.  There's two layers of 5.  This was a very fun project and I'll be making more Weekend Projects.  Click here to see all of the other 150+ Weekend Projects I have on my blog!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Nature Walk Sketch Challenge

 My favorite day of the week!  I LOVE it when Wednesday rolls around and the new sketch challenge at SplitCoastStampers is released!  

I didn't feel very creative today so my card is not a WOW card, it's just an average card and I'm ok with that.

I used the "Nature Walk" set.  I purchased it a while back and had never used it.  Well, not my set anyway.  At one of our DIVA days I had used the set in a shoe box swap.  I liked it then and I still like it and I was glad I finally got to use mine.  It's such a fun set and very versatile too.  I am hoping to make a notebook cover with it later this week.  Something more on the masculine side.  Hope it works out.  Though, if it doesn't you know I'll show it to you anyway!!!

I don't know if you can see it on the card but the butterfly is cut out and set in place using Dimensionals.  I wanted to give the card some depth.  

That large open space really requires a much bigger image than I used.  I could have cut the area down a bit to make the image fit better but then again you are messing up the challenge.  The challenge is to take the layout and make a card with it.  You can turn or flip the sketch but you shouldn't be changing the size of the layers.  SO this is what I ended up with.  And yes, another birthday card.  I was looking in my stash and I have tons of birthday cards.  I just love making them and it's nice just to go to the drawer and pick one out if I need one! 

I have another idea for this sketch and I'll work on it later in the week. I need to get a project done so I can show you!  And I want to show you the necklace I made for my daughter-in-law to be's bridesmaids.  It's such a pretty and rich looking necklace,

I'm off to work on my project!  If you have some time, play with this sketch, it is a fun one!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Circle Circus Digital Thank You Card

On Sunday I was looking through the ads and I saw this cool looking photo album from one of the local craft stores.  I tore it out of the ad and set aside.  I thought it would make a fun card.  It's now Tuesday and I'm getting around to making the card.  Only because I kept finding that picture I tore out of the paper and it was being moved here and there.  I thought I'd better make the card before I lose the paper or before I forget about it and never make it.  I can't tell you how many times I've done that!!

So my card was done using the "My Digital Studio" software.  I chose the greeting card icon and I was off and running!!  I opened up "Circle Circus" and started picking shapes for the card.  I had already chosen my background color (black) and of course when I chose a shape they are originally in black and it got lost on the background! DUH!!!  I lowered the opacity of the background to about 40% and then I could see the images as I set them on the background.  Once I got the shapes where I liked them I then chose some fun colors. When I was all done I moved the opacity back to 100% and viola, it was done.  And it was fun too!!  I LOVE the black background with the vivid colors on top.  Not an easy thing to achieve with black card stock and stamps. 

This was so much fun to put together! And I just love how it turned out.  It printed out pretty good but I think it would have been prettier had I printed it on a color laser printer.   I did print it on 32# copier paper so it had a look of quality to it.  Glad I did that!!  I cut it to fit a card front and it was done!

Tomorrow I get out the rubber stamps.  I do love digital but nothing beads rubber stamps on a pretty ink pad!!!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Avante-garde Collection Card

In my pre-order of fun things I chose the "Avante-garde Collection DVD".  It has several stamp images and decorative papers in it.  One of the paper found in it is the "Flirtatious" specialty paper.  And the "hello" is also added on by computer.  With everything still being so new (which means I have not paged through the catalog 140 times yet to know the names and recognize the stamp images and words.  When I find out what the set is that the "hello" came from I will add that info at the bottom of this post. 

This paper is so pretty alone and with words.  Plus using it like this you can make as many as you need without running out of paper.  I did print this on Whisper White card stock but normally  I would have done it on 28# or 32# copier paper.  The higher the number for copier paper the better print you will get.  Plus it feels more like the thickness of the decorative paper when you use the better paper.  I did use this in the My Digital Studio software.  Though you can use it in other programs like that as well.  

I like this paper because I can make cards like this for other occasions such as birthdays, Mother's Day, thinking of you and a get well card.  I'm not to sure I would use it for a sympathy card, it's got too much of an upbeat look to it.  Tough if the person were a doily collector then I may consider it!!!  

I just like it when I can make a card quickly and it's pretty.  I could print out these and mount them on a card front and leave the words off.  Then when I need a quick card all I would have to do is take out the words I need, stamp them on and be ready!!!  Don't you just love it when you can do that?  

I will be playing with this DVD a bit more but not yet.  I bought a few other fun sets I want to play with.  There is this snowman one that is SO cute.  Is it too early for a snowman card???  I may hold off on that one until next month when some places do a "Christmas in July" thing.  Maybe!!  Winter here in Minnesota is not a fond memory yet.  It just seems like the ground has finally warmed up.  We had a scorcher last week (fortunately hubby and I were up in Duluth at the time) and we brought back the cool north shore air with us.  So it's been sweater weather cool here.  I'm not sure I'm ready for a snowman yet and I LOVE winter and I LOVE snow!!  

And on that note I will be ending this post.  I'm off to teach at the bead shop! Another of my addictive passions.  *sighs*  We are doing a very pretty flowered bracelet and I will take a photo of it and show you.  I should be able to finish mine in class since I started it at the last class.  It usually takes me two or three classes to finish my work but that's ok, I love beading and I love teaching it to others too!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Love & Care Thinking of You Card

I pre-ordered a few stamp sets from the new 2011-2012 catalog and one of them was the "Love & Care" set.  This is a hostess set.  I often pre-order them because I don't usually get a chance to earn them!

I thought this set was SO pretty and I love making cards using this simple layout.  I probably should have colored the inside of the flower but I was trying to keep it simple and to color the inside of the flower would have involved using markers on the image.  Though I think I may have gotten by stamping in the Bashful Blue and then using a blender pen to remove the color from the center and adding Daffodil Delight instead.  I always see and think of these things as I'm looking at the card on the computer screen.  I don't see it when the card is right in front of me!!!  Even with the center of the card colored blue I like the card.  And it is very quick and easy to make too.  Plus it's versatile.  I can see this as a super quick and easy birthday card, sympathy card, Mother's day card, get well card and of course a thinking of you card.  

There are several fun images in this set so I will be sharing a few more cards with you soon.  And I promise, I won't bombard you with a ton of cards from this set!!!  Even though I like it a LOT and I know it won't get put away right away!! LOL  I will try to restrain myself!!!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Sail Away Digital Studio Birthday Card

I'm sitting here laughing at my card!  Ok, not so much the card. I do like how the card turned out.  It's the sun in the background.  It's shining through one of the sails making it look like they are transparent!  I noticed it after I got the card all put together. I didn't reprint because I wanted to show you how easily things can get missed when you are not paying attention.  I was having fun making the card and adding stretched punches to create more waves in the water and having the sun the right size and making sure it is not behind the background, etc.  And I didn't pay attention where the sun was placed.  A quarter inch more to the right and it would have cleared that sail and it would have looked normal!!  All I need to do is go back into the program and move the sun over just a bit and it will be fine.  I am saving my creation on my computer so I can print one up quickly when I need it.  

I had purchased the "Sail Away" digital image last week and just got around to downloading it.  This card was very easy to make and very fun and now a bit funny with that big error on it!  

The words are from the "Teeny Tiny Wishes" set.  I didn't digitally add the wording.  This way I can use this for a masculine Sympathy card if I need to, or a Father's Day card too!  

I can take the card and add some chalks or watercolor crayons to it to give it more shading if I want.  I just like it that I was able to just add a few elements to the card and it was done.  The image on the card printed out larger than the rubber stamp image.  I didn't scale it down to size.  I liked that it took up most of the card and I could have made it a bit bigger if I wanted too.  So, a handy tip for you!  Pay attention to details or you could get the sun shining through transparent sails or other things!!! LOL

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Cupcake Wheel Birthday Card Sketch Challenge

 I'm finally getting around to the Wednesday Sketch Challenge!  I SO enjoyed the day we spent up in Duluth.  From what I heard from friends and family, we left town just in time.  It was 103 degrees F here on Tuesday.  It was a lovely 80 in Duluth Heights and it was a very cool 68 by the lake.  We headed up to Beaver Bay and it was windy and chilly up there.  I found a couple of rocks there that I had to buy.  Yes, I paid money for rocks!!! LOL  One was a beautiful sliced agate that I want to bezel around when I find some time to play with beads!  And the other, well, I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it yet.  It's just aesthetically pleasing right now so I may just set it out and look at it now and then and touch it (it's shiny and smooth!) LOL  I'll take a photo of it and show you how pretty it is.  I may add a beaded bezel around that one too.  Anyway, I not only heard it was hot here but humid too.  We came home on Wednesday to some very cool and dry air.  I think we brought it home with us!! It was lovely.  And I also came home to blooming petunias.  I bought black petunias this year and they all opened while we were gone.  They are SO pretty.  Now when the pink daisies in the center of the flower bed open it's going to be gorgeous!!

Let's talk about my card!  I don't think I did the sketch justice.  Once I added the scalloped words circle I lost the space between the strips and now it just looks like one strip with words on it.  Head on over to SplitCoastStampers and see what other's have done with this.  I had flipped the sketch so I could use the cupcakes wheel.  I do like how my card turned out but I don't like that it isn't sticking with the sketch.  I do like this ketch and  I may give it another try doing it the right way!

Give this sketch a try and see what you come up with.  I liked the original one.  Decorative paper was used on the strips (2-a & 2-b) and words were stamped in between them.  And a few tiny butterflies were added on the right side where it's so open.  I may try to make one like that because I did like the butterflies on the right, it filled in that large open space.  Using a textured background like I did also helps to make that open space not so empty looking.  Wish me luck on my next attempt!!!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Just Believe Anniversary Card

I almost forgot that I needed an anniversary card this month.  I can't forget my sister's anniversary!!  

I wasn't sure where I was going with this image.  I just loved the Marina Mist with Wild Wasabi and after I got the image colored in with markers (Direct to Rubber technique), the rest was super easy!

I added a couple of pieces of card stock behind the image.  A piece of Marina Mist and a piece of Wild Wasabi.  These were cut 1/4" smaller than the image piece.  I set them in place behind the image piece and I liked what I saw.  

Then I took the Whisper White card stock and used the Dotted Swiss embossing folder and when it was done I sponged the edges with Marina Mist.  I also used Marina mist on the edges of the stamped image and on the word circle.

The words were done on the computer and punched out.  They were layered on top of a piece of Wild Wasabi and then laid on top of a scalloped piece of Marina Mist. It was set in place using Dimensionals.  

The ribbon was tied onto the Whisper White piece before it was set in place.

I had fun making this card.  I just loved it when things flow along so smoothly.  I'm sure she will like this card!  Now to get it out in the mail on time!  It would be nice if I were on time with more cards!!! I've been so bad about setting the cards on the counter and not getting them addressed and sent off on time. The sad part of this is that the cards were made, it's not like I had to rush to make them!!  Something I need to work on!

Tomorrow I will be working on the Wednesday Sketch Challenge.  Hubby and I took a day off and headed up to Duluth.  We needed a little break and thought we could sneak away for a day and relax.  We have not been up there during tourist season in many years.  We usually go up in the fall with the "leafers."  Last fall we went up there WAY after leafer season too!  We went in November and it was VERY cold up there then and windy too!  But I don't care, I just like to get away.  Even if it's for one night.  SO because we left on Tuesday and came back on Wednesday I didn't have time to play with the sketch.  So I will be printing it out tonight and playing with it later.

Thank you SO much for stopping by today,
Wanda

Plaid Sihlouette Technique

What a fun technique this is!  Even if I had to make dozens of them it was still fun!  And not to mention easy too!

You find a stamp that has a solid background and ink it with a light color.  Then you take a darker color and tap the edge of the ink pad on the stamp.  Then you take the next color and stamp the edge of that pad on the stamp but you turn the stamp so the lines are going the other direction.  That gives you the plaid look.  If you have a bigger image you can add more colors for the plaid lines.  It was a lot of fun making these and I want to try this on a card sometime soon.  

I bet you are in shock that I have yet another technique page ready!! I can't say it's done.  I have the pages all cut out and stamped but I don't have them put together.  I put them in boxes and set them aside for when we go on road trips.  Fortunately I am one who can read, craft and even bead in the car (when I am not driving!!!).  Oh and don't forget, all this is done while watching a DVD too!!!  

If you are interested in purchasing the technique pages, they are available in my web store.   Sets 1 - 3 are available on CD.  These pages are set up to print out, cut two sides so the page is 5-3/4" x 5-3/4".  They are then decorated in a Technique Club or Technique Class and set on a 6" x 6" piece of coordinating card stock and placed in an album for future reference.  Photos of the finished pages are included for reference. 

Thank you SO much for stopping by today,

Wanda

Fabulous Florets Monochromatic Thank You Card

I'm not a big fan of monochromatic cards but when I see one that is eye catching I just have to give it a try again.  And then I like monochromatic for that day and sometimes into the next but it doesn't last long.  I love color.  It's so mood setting.  Many times monochromatic cards can leave me feeling glum.   I found this card at Angie's at Chick' n Scratch blog. It caught my eye and I knew I just had to make it.

I love how simple it was to make too.  The edge of the top layer are dry embossed and then sponged.  Just two colors were used here, Very Vanilla card stock and Crumb Cake ink.  The base of the card is a half sheet of Very Vanilla folded in half. 

The image is from the "Fabulous Florets" set and it was stamped using the Crumb Cake ink pad.  I stamped the image once in the middle and then stamped the image again on each side of the first one, all without reinking the image.  It sure did give it a nice effect!  What I like most about this card is that it can be used for many other occasions and events! 

I have made quite a few cards using this set, I know!! I just can't help it.  I really LOVE this set.  I'm just SO into flowers lately.  I think it's because it finally warmed up here now in Minnesota!  I planted my flowers last week.  It was past the danger of frost (we hoped) but it still gets cool at night (which I love).  A few of my flowers are blooming and the rest are growing big and budding so it won't be long until they are open.  I can't wait. In the front of my house I planted black petunias around the parameter of the flower bed and inside of it I planed pink daisies.  It's going to be SO pretty when they come in.  And in the HUGE planter in front of the garage I planted the most beautiful begonias.  I had never planted them before.  That spot gets no sun and these flowers just love that.  I will take a photo of them for you in a week or so when more of the buds open!

But you know, the more I look at this card the more I do like it!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Fabulous Florets Birthday Card

I was on Beate's "Fresh & Fun" web site and saw a beautiful card she made.  I didn't have the flower image she used so I opted to hunt down something Stampin' Up! had to try to make the card.  Of course her card is a lot prettier but my challenge was to try to duplicate the card with Stampin' Up! images and I did.  

My flowers were colored in using markers and a blender pen.  I like to color the markers onto a piece of plastic and then take the color off of it with my blender pen.  My piece of plastic is usually a piece of laminated white copier paper.  Then I can see the colors much better and I can also see the diluted color where I had already ran the blender pen over it.  

The colors I used for the flowers are Real Red, Pacific Point, Pumpkin Pie and Daffodil Delight with More Mustard.  The centers of the flowers were colored in with a Chocolate Chip marker. 

The words were done on the computer and printed out.  The background paper is from the Subtles Decorative Paper Pack and the base of the card is Basic Black.  I tied a piece of Real Red grosgrain ribbon around the front of the card.  I did cut a slit in the seam of the card so the ribbon could be wrapped around the front since the seam is on the left side.

It's pretty but nothing like Beate's!  And I know.....  My stampers do the same thing and I am always telling them not to compare their cards to the original.  SO as it sits, it's pretty!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Fabulous Florets Get Well Card

Ok, it's one thing to make a card but another to remember to send it.  I have a friend who is having surgery and I had made her a get well card but have not popped it in the mail yet.  UGH!  I don't know why I can't just finish the jobs I start!!!  This isn't the card I made for her, though I wish it were, I really like this one!

I used the Fabulous Florets set to make this card.  And I used the Poppy Parade color for my card stock.  It is the base of my card. I took a full sheet and cut it in half and then folded that in half for the base of my card.  

Next I took a piece of Whisper White card stock and cut it to 4-1/8" x 5-3/8".  I used Wild Wasabi for the flower stem.  I stamped off once and then stamped on my card stock.  

The flower was done in the Poppy Parade and I did stamp off on that one too.  I used a piece of scrap card stock to stamp the flower and then I cut it out. I did try to just stamp directly on the stem but the green showed through too much and it didn't look nice at all.  After I cut it out I just taped it in place on the stem.

The words are from the "Sincere Salutations" set (which is NOT retiring!!! yipeee) and I used the Wild Wasabi straight on there, no stamping off to do this.  I wanted the words to be dark and easier to read.

After doing all that I taped the card front to the card base and it was done.  Clean, quick, simple, yet elegant!  I love those 4 features in a card!!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Mosaic Tile Technique

I thought it was time for another technique page.  I want to keep up on these this time.  I just have so many other things I'm working on that I forget I've got to make some technique pages!  So this time the memory worked and I got on it right away!

I've seen this technique done for a while now but it does need to go in the collection, regardless if it's an old technique or a new one.  It's still a technique and the collection wouldn't be complete without it!

For this technique you need some pieces of left over rubber from when you put a Stampin' Up! set together.  You cut them in pieces and set them randomly in place on a wooden or acrylic block.  Actually you can use any firm surface.  I mounted mine on a piece of acrylic we had in the garage.  I wanted the pieces on something I didn't have to take apart and use for my daily stamping.

Next you pick your image and color it all in.  Then you use VersaMark on the Mosaic Rubber and stamp over your colored image.  You sprinkle clear embossing powder over it all and heat set it.  Then you use your Aqua Painter and black watercolor crayon and cover the whole surface.  Wipe off the surface and the black stays where the image was not embossed.  You can also use a black ink pad (not StazOn) to do this.

It's a fun technique and makes for an interesting and yet fun background or focal piece.

If you are interested in purchasing the technique pages, they are available in my web store.   Sets 1 - 3 are available on CD.  These pages are set up to print out, cut two sides so the page is 5-3/4" x 5-3/4".  They are then decorated in a Technique Club or Technique Class and set on a 6" x 6" piece of coordinating card stock and placed in an album for future reference.  Photos of the finished pages are included for reference.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Upsy Daisy Get Well Card

I think I may have to start putting my camera back on the tripod to get some better pictures!  This one is crooked and a bit fuzzy too.  But if you don't look too close you can't tell, can you?  Tilt your head a bit to the left and it straightens out some!!! LOL  Or just accept it the way it is and read on! 

This was a very fun card to make.  I just love the "Direct to Rubber" technique.  That is where you take your marker or whatever you want to color with and color directly onto the rubber.  My color of markers used here are More Mustard, Cajun Craze and Garden Green. That is the order I used them too!

After I colored the rubber I huffed on it 3 times.  I wanted the moisture from my breath to really get the image wet.  I could have misted it but I didn't want the image to run or bleed too much.

Next I took some colored ribbon (I colored this ribbon a while back using the Cajun Craze inker and white grosgrain ribbon) and I cut off a piece that was about 2 inches longer than the card.  I taped the ends on the back of the card.  Then I took some more ribbon and tied a know on the piece I just taped on.  I could have just laid the piece on for a reference point before I stamped the words but I opted to just go ahead and tape it in place.  

The words are from the "Sincere Salutations" set and I stamped them using Cajun Craze ink.  I taped that piece on top of a piece of Cajun Craze card stock and then taped those two layers on top of a half a sheet of Whisper White card stock that was folded in half.

The measurements for the top and second layer is as follows:
White piece:  5-1/4" x 4"

Cajun piece:  5-3/8" x 4-1/8"

and of course the half sheet of white card stock folded in half.

Simple as that! And pretty too!

Thank you SO much for stopping by today,
Wanda

Pun Fun Birthday Card

This cute little bird is from the "Pun Fun" set.  This set will be retiring at the end of the month.  I have decided that I will be selling my set.  It was a lot of fun but I do need to make room for other sets.  I have WAY too many stamps sets and a lot of them are retired.  So as the weeks go on I will be adding them to my web store.  The ones that retire at the end of the month will be added to the store but may not show up until July 1st.  I can not sell current stamp sets.  I did enter this set in the store but it is in "disabled" mode.  So I'm not sure if that means it won't show up in there until July 1st or it will show up in there but the purchasing part won't work until July 1st.  I'll know later tonight when I test it out.  I'm SO bad with things like that.  

Now let's talk about this cute little bird!!  When I stamped my image I did tape the words off so I could add them at the bottom.  On the original image the words are directly under the bird.  

My background paper is from the Subtles pack.  I taped it in place on top of a piece of Basic Black card stock.  I punched out the bird and words and layered them.  I added a strip of black card stock and taped a piece of ribbon around it.  I then taped the whole thing to the black card stock.  I colored the bird and added the layers.  I set the bird in place using Dimensionals.  I LOVE those things!!!  

And that was basically it.  It was a very simple card to make. The bird was colored in with markers.  It doesn't get much simpler than that!! Now I need to go make an anniversary card!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Touch of Kindness Wednesday Sketch Challenge

Did Wednesday sneak up on you?  I totally forgot it was Wednesday.  Holidays, unless they fall on a Sunday, always mess me up!  I'm thinking it's Tuesday and then I hear the tornado sirens at 1 today (the first "Wednesday" of the month and then reality sets in!  Well, now I'm behind on SO many things!!!  Maybe if I wouldn't have heard the sirens I would have kept the pace I was at and then been caught up plus some ahead.  I like it when I can touch a bit into tomorrows work.  But with that mind set I would have still been behind!!  But then again, being a bit ahead just pushes me to work more to get even further ahead!!  But now that I realized what day it actually is I'm bummed because now I'm VERY far behind!!!!  Ho hum!!! LOL 

So here we have the card I made for this weeks Sketch Challenge (on Wednesday!!!).  I thought this layout was extremely fun and very challenging for me.  It was that #2 panel that I found most challenging.  Cutting those pieces so they all fit together was a big challenge for me.  I did cheat a bit though.  To do that panel I cut two pieces of scrap copier paper.  One I used to cut out my pattern and the other I used to tape those pieces together once I got them cut out of the decorative paper.  For the #2-a piece I just cut a piece of decorative paper and set it in place.  The other two pieces I cut out using the pattern I created.  I did have trouble with the 2-c piece for some odd reason.  But I finally got it cut close enough and tucked in the weird edge under the 2-b piece and no one will be the wiser.  

My image is from the "Touch of Kindness" set.  I think that birdbath is adorable.  And I did mask off my flying bird and added him to the image later.  He was further out on the left so I added him higher up. 

I was going to make this into a birthday card.  Whenever I make a card that I don't need at the moment, they usually turn into birthday cards.  You can always use or easily sell birthday cards!  But I remembered a friend and I thought I should drop her a line.  And with the bird flying in to join the other birds I thought "hello" was perfect for the wording on my card.  

I had to laugh when I did the speckles around the border.  I took out my wheel and inked it up.  I had marked my work surface paper so I wouldn't go too far with the wheel.  I carefully stamped the speckles, I turned my paper, made sure everything was lined up and stamped again.  I repeated this process for the last edge.  Then I set the card on and all of that work was gone!  I could have just slapped the dots in place and no one would have known.  But now you know, under that image layer you will find the speckles perfectly placed!!! LOL I just shook my head and laughed!!

SO this is my card for today.  I am hoping to get some fun projects done to share with you soon!

Have a great day and thank you SO much for stopping by!
Wanda