More Tags/Gift Cards...and Blog Options!

As promised, here are the remaining cards I cooked up for the workshop I have next week. I really really like how versatile the Simply Sent Friendship Shapes set is!! I have a thing for circles as backgrounds, and having 3 sizes of images to play with makes this a quick and easy one to make! It uses Real Red, Only Orange, Summer Sun, Green Galore, Tempting Turquoise and Lovely Lilac on Whisper White.


This little cutie is the next generation of an earlier post I did about a mini gift card. I just changed the focal image on the front, employing Baroque Motifs. Love this set! This is made using a 6x6 piece of Rose Red Prints paper, folded. See my tutorial in last month's archives for the blow by blow details.

Here's what it looks like when it's open:

In other news, take a moment to look around the blog, because there are now 2 options available so that you can get updates delivered to your virtual door. You can sign up to receive email notices of my postings, or register for an RSS feed through FeedBurner. I have to be honest and share that I hardly know what that means or how it works, but if it's meaningful to you, now you have the choice!

My boy slept until about 10:15 this morning...reveling in the last days of his summer vacation! School starts in 12 days, and he's turning 13 in 26! The significance of this didn't dawn on me until my dad commented about this being a momentous occasion, his becoming a teenager. Why it didn't hit me, I have no idea. It's hard to believe that we're on the back third of parenting!

Enjoy the summer sun somehow today! Leave me a comment so I know you stopped by...

Gift Tags Class Offerings

One of my hostesses has requested a class on gift tags, so I've come up with 5. Among them is this gift card holder.
It's made using the Doodle This set, which I really like because it is so whimsical! I found the template for this on the SU! website, but I altered the size a bit to make it just right for a gift card. The base is Regal Rose stamped in Rose Red, and the belly band is made with Purely Pomegranate.

This card is the result of my hostess lamenting that she can never find a card that's suitable for her 9-yr. old son to put with a gift. I think this is pretty boyish. The set used is All About U with retired Loves Me designer paper, silver metallic paper for the "U", and Taken with Teal for the strip along the bottom. "Celebrate" was stamped in Basic Black on Whisper White.

Although this is not a Christmas tag class (I could do an entire one just utilizing all the offerings we have for the holidays!), I had to suggest the idea through this tag. Purely Pomegranate is the base, with a Wild Wasabi mat. The set used is Sidekick Sayings--a Level 1 Hostess only offering. Again, a nod to plant the seed of hosting among those attending.

I'll reveal the final 2 tomorrow, but first I have to choose the color scheme for my last one. I have it designed, but I need to choose a color palette that isn't already in use! Thanks for stopping by--if you'd like to know details about these or would like to host a workshop and invite your friends to get some of these stashed, leave a comment!

Inspired Again...by Crate & Barrel

I shared a few days ago that things I see inspire me to create cards--nature, patterns on people's clothing, ads. Today, I was flipping through a C&B catalog that came in the mail today, and stopped short when I saw this picture.
Believe it or not, I went right to my craft room, because this design was begging to be made into a card, and I knew just the set to do it with--Garden Silhouettes!
I was particularly intrigued by this star-like design in the middle of the bedspread. I thought I could probably replicate that using the tall goldenrod image.
Here's what I produced, using Chocolate Chip card stock and Encore Gold metallic ink.
I was ecstatic (it worked the first time!), but then I had to figure out what I was going to do with such a beautiful image. I explored the possibility of trimming it down to bring the focus in on the center, which sort of makes a wreath. But I couldn't bear to cut it!
So, I scored it down the middle and made it into this simple card.

I often have a person in mind when I'm making a card, and this time was no exception. I hope she'll enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it for her!
I want to see your examples of this phenomenon at work. Send me a link of your inspired card.

Altered is good...

This is an altered Ovaltine container that I made for my workshop hostess, Tara. I had inquired of her husband as to her favorite candies, and stuffed the container with those and a few stamping items. She was tickled, and that made me happy!

She wowed her guests by creating an absolutely wonderful environment for us this past Saturday! What a spread--fruit, cheese, muffins, and coffee in fun glass mugs. It was the perfect setup for getting acquainted, and we had a great time stamping.

I enjoy crafting that isn't card-related, so I'm going to have my September class be about 3-D items.


I'll leave you with another mini notebook that was also part of Tara's gifts, whose favorite color is green. I like this one even better than the first one I did! This one was designed with the Baroque Motifs set--that set is so versatile and makes whatever I create look good! The paper is Certainly Celery, and the ink is Mellow Moss and Bashful Blue.

Be on the lookout here for an announcement this Wednesday about upcoming fall opportunities to stamp with me!

Party Party!

I have a workshop this morning and this is one of the cards I'll be teaching the gals to make! I had to work to get this to become a layout that I liked. I'm not sure if you can tell, but the card front base stops where the polka dots end, and the Soft Sky is mounted inside. This leaves the focal image to "float" above it all.

I'm excited about how it turned out, and I hope they'll enjoy the process of putting it together. Stamping is so relaxing and a great way to connect with other women!

Here are the card's details: Block Party and Polka Dots and Paisleys stamp sets, Blue Bayou, Groovy Guava, Soft Sky, and Whisper White card stock, and Soft Sky ink.

Thanks for stopping by! Stop back for more cards and updates about my August and September stamping opportunities...

Finding Inspiration

Since I started cardmaking in earnest, I began to see color combinations everywhere. One that particularly inspired me was this ad from a Bed Bath and Beyond flyer. I loved not only the color combination, but the circles and stripes theme as well. So, I set about to create a card that would follow these themes.


What do you think? I was very pleased with it! The color combo is SU!'s Old Olive and Chocolate Chip, with Very Vanilla. The dots and circles were created with the Level 1 Hostess set called Riveting, and some that I punched with my circle punches and popped up on dimensionals. The focal image is also from a retired set (it might be a little hard to tell, but it's a birthday cake with a candle), stamped with Versamark and then heat embossed with Copper Embossing Powder. Love how that created shimmer! There were stripes on the inside along the left flap, and a sentiment from It's Your Birthday (SU! retired).

I challenge you to look around you, because cool color combos are everywhere! I'd love to see any cards you come up with that follow this exercise. Give me a link in the comments! Thanks for stopping by.

Variations with Pick A Petal

I did a little bit more playing with the new Pick A Petal set yesterday, and I have to admit I'm being won over! This set is fun to use, and the variety of images that can be created is only limited to your imagination (or your ability to copy!) In this card, I used all the new In Colors. The petals are Purely Pomegranate, the stem is Wild Wasabi, the sentiment is stamped in Blue Bayou and matted on Groovy Guava, it's all placed on a background of Soft Sky, which is matted onto River Rock! Notice the new firestone brad--these are easy to use and add a nice little bit of bling!

The second card came about as a result of my wondering if I could make a shamrock using those petals. I've seen others use background paper as their base, and so I thought I'd try it to add interest. This paper is from the Petals and Paisleys designer paper pack that was in the spring mini and made it into the fall catalog! The sentiment "lucky you" came from the "Party" block in the Block Party set. It's an entire stamp of different birthday wishes. I masked off what I wanted, colored it in Old Olive with my marker, and stamped it!

The interesting fold started out as a mistake. I was trying to create a different fold and scored the paper at the wrong place. Not wanting to waste an entire half sheet, I improvised, remembering a card I'd seen on another blog. The result may be a bit hard to tell, but the shamrock is the main image, bordered by more of the DP on the flap that tucks behind it, and the "best wishes" message (from Sincere Salutations) is in the middle. This one's going to show up at a workshop or stamp-a-stack in the future!

So, I'm happy I experimented. Hope this gives you a better sense of what this set can be used for. If you need more ideas, visit Splitcoaststampers to see the petals used to create a ladybug, a turkey, and a poinsettia!