It's the Little Things that Matter

Before I get on with today's post, just let me share how touched I was by all the support you gave with your comments on the card I made for the Starbuck's manager! Thanks for the encouragement. The card is sitting in the mailbox, waiting for pickup. I'll probably never hear anything from him about it, but that's not the point, is it.
Okay, here's today's card:

I can't get enough of these little 3x3 cards, and I have the new Dashing designer paper that will be great for Christmas projects like these! This one uses the Season of Joy set, which has this poinsettia image, a word block of Christmas phrases, a Christmas tree, a tiny flowery-star, a snowflake, and Merry Christmas. One set that will make full-sized cards as well as gift cards--it's a good thing!

The little ribbon loop addition came about almost as an afterthought. I have a few little pieces of it left, so I thought I'd try to incorporate it. Problem? The gingham is white and red, and the dp is red, river rock and very vanilla. So, I tried something: I ran the ribbon across my river rock ink pad, and it became a color-coordinated accessory! Love it when things are that easy.

This paper and set becomes available Sept. 1, which is right around the corner! Don't forget that I have a Christmas Card Expo coming up Sept. 9 and 10, and I'll help you design a special card...using Dashing paper and this set, if you'd like!

Saying Thank You...

For the past couple of days, my husband has been urging me to make the manager at the Starbuck's location where I interviewed a thank you card. I agreed with him, but the idea needed to--wait for it--"brew" in my head for a bit. This afternoon, everything came together.

I made a suspension card, and I chose this layout because of the WOW factor. I wanted this to be a card he wouldn't forget, thereby not forgetting me when the new store begins hiring. Notice that I also color-coordinated the card with Starbuck's colors--Handsome Hunter and Basic Black and Whisper White.

Believe it or not, everything gelled when I remembered that I had this tiny little stamp. Notice the date on there: 1998! This had to be one of the early early mini sets that SU! offered, but, alas, I didn't attach the name sticker to the container of 12 little gems. (Don't think there was splitcoaststampers way back then, so why would I have thought it important to know the name of my set?) Anyway, the little cup was perfect for what I wanted to do, and I hope it communicates to Clay that I do appreciate the opportunity to interview and am thankful for what he's promising to do on my behalf in the weeks to come. I'll keep you posted!

The day is getting away...

but I want to share another card that came together over the weekend.
When I first began this card, it was going to be a completely circular card, but I started with this layout and played. At first, I didn't really care for the look. The flowers didn't seem to do much and the doodles behind weren't jazzing me either. But I persisted. Sometimes you have to do that when you're experimenting, and I'm not really good at this. I traced the outline of the flowers with my watercolor pencils and used my blender pen to soften the lines and used my aquapainter with Wild Wasabi ink around them. Still not enough punch. So I left it on the table for several days. Saturday I went back and colored in the flowers and aquapainted the doodles in the same WW ink. I was beginning to warm to it more! Add some Certainly Celery Prints designer paper to stiffen everything up, and voila! Here's what the inside looks like.
I envision this as a notecard to a friend who enjoys gardening. No great purpose for the card, other than to communicate through it the daily things of life. If you have any suggestions as to how you would make this card better, please share! I'm always open to new ideas...

Split Negative Christmas Card

As you could tell by the title of this post, the technique used to create this card is called "split negative." I tried this technique for the first time over the weekend, and I'm pretty pleased with the results. To achieve this look, simply take two pieces of card stock that are the same size and stamp the same image in the same location on each in contrasting inks. For this one I used Whisper White craft ink on Basic Black card stock and Real Red classic ink on Whisper White card stock. Cut them in half at the same place and piece them together. It's really that easy! The snow
flakes falling below the main image were created using Versamark and Sterling Silver embossing powder. Love the shimmer it creates!


I made this second card because there are 2 images created every time you use the split negative technique. I'd been blog browsing and saw that one crafter had made a card she called a "kickstand" card. As I hope you can tell from the picture, the base is cut off higher on the front and the image is applied at the bottom.

You can see with the card open what this looks like. There was white space below where the snow-
flakes were on the front of the card, so I repeated the Versamark/embossing powder stamping on the inside.

Which one do you like better, and why? I'm still debating.

Well, I did some more card making yesterday afternoon (where did all this free time come from?), but I'm paying for it again today with a sore neck. Who knew card making could induce pain?!? I've been wrestling with tendonitis in my left elbow for several months, and I really think it's from papercrafting and typing on my laptop. This is NUTS--I'm only 40!

My parents are only 3 hours away! I have cards to share for the rest of the week. Perhaps I'll include a picture of them too! Happy card making!

Starbuck's...

I mentioned a few posts ago that I'm trying to get a job at Starbuck's. Why, you ask? Well, I am one of those people who LOVES retail! It's not because I'm a big shopper, though. I enjoy working retail because I find satisfaction in serving people. Okay, so why Starbuck's, since those who know me know that I don't ever crave cradling a warm cup o' joe in my hands? The answer to that is simple: excellent product, excellent environment, excellent benefits.

I need to work (this goes for volunteering too) somewhere where I can unequivocably, without hesitation, endorse the product I'm selling. Starbuck's is known to have set the standard for excellent coffee. Even if I don't care for it all that much myself (I can enjoy it if it's loaded with sugar and cream and called a caramel macchiatto or a dolce de leche latte), I want to provide a product that people esteem as the best of the best.

I also need to work somewhere that provides an excellent environment. Great coffee, but horrible service? You'll go somewhere else for your creature comfort. Mediocre coffee, excellent environment? Same result. You have to do both well. Starbuck's marketed itself as everybody's "third place," where you go to meet your friends. I want to be part of creating that kind of place for people, because we're too isolated as a society, and that's dangerous.

The third reason why I chose Starbuck's as the company of choice for my part-time job is excellent benefits. This goes way beyond the free pound of coffee and free drinks, friends. This company VALUES its employees unlike any other food retail establishment. Full medical benefits, including dental and vision coverage, is offered in exchange for 20 hours a week of work. Where else could I find that? Nowhere. Being able to have great benefits at a reasonable price is something our family could enjoy--greatly. For example, the company where my husband works is small--under 30 employees. That kind of organization can't get excellent benefits at a reasonable cost. It's too risky for the provider. Therefore, we don't have vision coverage, and Bob is holding off getting new glasses because we don't have the money to pay for them out of pocket. I need to get my eyes examined too; all this crafting has made me more dependent on my glasses, and I'm pretty sure my prescription has changed.

The manager at the location where I applied told me that the company spends more annually on health benefits than it does purchasing coffee beans. Wow...that's putting your money where your mouth is. That's why 140,000 employees are so satisfied. They know they're valued by the company.

So, when do I start? Well, I didn't get hired at the location where I applied; my availability didn't match what they needed to cover in hours of operation. BUT, there's another store opening nearby in November, and the manager has asked me to check back with him in October and has promised to pass my name along to whoever is chosen to be the manager. I have 6 years of food retail experience--I sold gourmet chocolate and ice cream--and I'm sort of addicted to the experience. Here's hoping Starbuck's finds me good for their business.

The Hazards of Stamping...

Good morning! What a great time I had with the gals who came to stamp on Saturday! Two came who had never stamped anything before, and they loved it. I was so thrilled to be able to introduce someone--two someones, to be exact--to the simple joy of creating something that will bless another. Sandra was the only regular who came, and yet the group had an easy, comfortable feel to it, like we'd known each other a long time. That's what I love about being in the company of women and doing crafting together! Thanks, ya'll, for making my day!

Stamping does have its hazards though, like a stiff neck from spending too much time looking down cutting paper and prepping card packets! I need a masseus to come work out the knots in my neck and left shoulder, and a wizard to restore order to my table! BUT, do not fear--I could not stay away from the craft room entirely, and I made a couple of cards yesterday afternoon.

When it's nearly 100 outside, it helps to think cool, and I did that by making 2 Christmas cards. I'll share the first today and you'll see the other one tomorrow.
This card is called a suspension card, and you should be able to see from the way I photographed it, that there's a part of it that's floating! It's really quite simple to do, and there's a wonderful tutorial at splitcoaststampers just follow the link and try this yourself! I think it's cool, but not very conducive for making with a group at a stamp-a-stack or at a workshop (too involved), so send me a link if you make one!

Supplies used: Naturals Ivory base, Always Artichoke with prints paper, Rose Red prints and paper, Always Artichoke and Purely Pomegranate ink, with Certainly Celery ink on the designer paper.

Thanks for stopping by today! My parents arrive tomorrow, and my sister and her family arrive on Saturday, so I don't know how much stamping will happen. I know I won't be able to stay away completely, so keep checking back. I'm thankful that you care enough to read this!

This is the Time for Giveaways!

The blogging gals over at Five Minutes for Mom are giving away a 37" flat-panel LCD HDTV tomorrow morning. Bob and I have been dreaming about having one for the video content we watch in the sunroom--it would be SOOOO sweet to WIN it!

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on their blog! You don't even have to get up, get in your car, or buy anything! Best Buy is sponsoring this...kudos to them for supporting moms everywhere! Hurry on over to enter!