Well Wishes for a Friend

One thing I've really enjoyed about Facebook is getting in touch with friends from high school. It has been 25 years since those days, and FB has helped me learn about marriages, births of children, careers, and locales of those I ran with back then.

While most of the information I've gleaned has been pleasant, the first news from Brady about our friend Jeff, who has developed a rare disease that has life-threatening implications, was difficult to hear. My first thought? Jeff needs a card.

Another masculine card? This makes 3 this week! What kind of stamp set do you use to make a greeting for someone facing such a difficult trial? I chose Cute By the Inch, a Level 1 Hostess set. Pacific Point is a strong color--I didn't want the card to be too somber--and men like blue, right?

I used my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to space the images evenly on the 4" square card base, leaving the middle open for a sentiment. I chose "The Best is Yet to Be" from Best Yet (retired) for two reasons. I wanted the card to convey encouragement and a forward focus. I also know that Jeff is a Lutheran minister, so I know that he knows that this life is not all there is, and that Heaven awaits if his time comes. I inked that in Tangerine Tango and added just a portion of each of the tile image to the corners. I matted it on TT and Daffodil Delight to infuse more cheerfulness into the greeting.

It'll take the card awhile to get to CA, but I trust it will communicate that he is being prayed for and thought of and that we remember well and value the wonderful person he is.

Altered Inchie Thank You

I promised I'd share a second card using the Cute by the Inch stamp set from the Hostess line, and this is it. The layout is simple and makes this a quick and easy card to duplicate for numerous occasions, since there are a variety of images.

The panel of Greenhouse Gala Designer Series Paper is offset by two score lines, and the Daffodil Delight 1/4" grosgrain ribbon provides just the right accent color.

The inchie looks a little different when stamped; it has a "u" underneath the word "thank". I'm a journalist and I have to grit my teeth to use shortcuts like these when I'm texting (only to save characters), so I couldn't leave it like that on my card. I cut a piece of Real Red card stock to cover it and used my Billboard Alphabet for my Big Shot to spell out y.o.u. in Whisper White card stock. Aaahhhh...that calms my OCD brain!

Here's what the entire card looks like. Again, did I mention how quickly this came together? Love that, and love those inchies!

If you don't own this set, you can make your own inchies using any small image and cropping it to 1" square. Try it and see what you come up with. I bet you'll be hooked on these miniatures like I am.

Thanks to Amy Voida of Gone Inkognito for this layout!

InColor Collection Inchie

I've been slow to embrace the new InColor Collection. I think it's because I'm enjoying the renovated Color Collections and I don't feel I need more colors. I bought them, though, so I need to use them! The great thing about this new set of five is that it will be available for two years instead of just one. That takes the stress out of having to use them or lose them in a shorter period of time.

My first attempt uses a layout from Julie Freysinger and all the colors in the collection. If you haven't been "introduced", here are the colors in the latest InColor Collection: Pear Pizazz, Peach Parfait, Poppy Parade, Concord Crush, and Blushing Bride. The base I used is BB, and the rest of the colors are represented in the 1" squares that are mounted on a 3" square of Crumb Cake card stock.

I know I've told you this before, but I LOVE THESE INCHIES! They're from the Level 1 Hostess Set Cute by the Inch, and they're so fun to work with, especially if you enjoy coloring direct to rubber. I like that I can apply color right where I want to and create this little painting of sorts. I'll have another card featuring this set later this week.

One last note about this card: in case you're wondering how I got the ribbon to appear as though it's going all the way around the card, I cut a slit in the scored seam of the card and threaded it through and tied a square knot.

Cutie Patootie Cards...By the Inch!

Oh.My.Word. I'm pretty sure I've never been so excited by a Hostess set as I am by the one I'm going to share with you today. It's called Cute by the Inch, and it's a Level 2 Hostess set in the forthcoming 2010-2011 Big Idea Book & Catalog.

This set of "inchies" gives you nine images in a variety of styles. I pulled out three of the new colors that have been added to the Core Collections to use as my palette. They are: Cherry Cobbler, Marina Mist, and Daffodil Delight. I added Wild Wasabi, a former InColor that has also been incorporated into the reorganized group of colors as part of the Subtles Collection.

The cards are 4"x4". I think this is the best size to accentuate the 1" square designs. As part of the Color Renovation, SU! sent all demonstrators a complimentary sheet of each of the new Core Colors so that we could experiment with them before they were available through the catalog pre-order. Just another perk of being a representative of this wonderful company!


I kept the design of each fairly simple. I used direct to rubber coloring--with the complementary SU! Stampin' Write Markers that each of these colors has!--on the first one and matted it with two of the colors and a Whisper White border punched using the Scallop Trim Border Punch. See how it doesn't take much to make a statement with these?

The second card was a little more involved, requiring the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig, even though I ordered the clear mount stamps. Just wanted to make sure I was getting the tile image just where I wanted it! I was amazed how much detail the designer packed into such a small space. This really came to light when I colored it with markers. WOW! And it really wasn't hard. The brush tip made it easy, although I needed some good direct light to help my aging eyes! This is so elegant it didn't even need a sentiment.

I was delighted when the idea for the third card worked out like I thought it would! I omitted the word "friends" when I colored the stamp in each of the four colors of my palette, then added it when I used all the colors for the focal image. And this Cherry Cobbler color is such a deep, rich RED. I'm already sure I'm going to be using it for my Christmas cards!

The last card just makes me smile because it evokes memories of grade school and learning to write my letters. I had some Designer Series Paper that mimics like notebook paper (retired Loop to Loop), so I capitalized on that look and kept it really simple. The ribbon is left over from when WW was an InColor and the three hearts were punched with the Heart to Heart Punch to serve as an accent. I matted the DSP with a very tight mat of Basic Black.

There are FIVE more images I haven't experimented with yet, but I trust you've caught my excitement about this set. You can only get it FREE by being a hostess with workshop sales of $300 or more in merchandise (before shipping and handling and taxes). There are SOOOOO many cool new things in the 2010-2011 Big Idea Book & Catalog that you and your friends will want to have that I urge you to get out your calendar, choose a date, and put out the word that you're going to have a stamping event! We'll make 1 of these cards of your choosing and I'll highlight as many of the new things as I can. Contact me through the comments or email me at jenn@nahrstadt.com.

The first hostess to partner with me to host an event will receive the Purse-onlly Yours Paper Purse and 4 cards I featured here on my blog! Contact me today! The new catalog will be available to order from beginning July 1st!