New Family Member

A couple weeks before Christmas, my daughter received an early Christmas present.  Here is Auzzie, the newest member of our family.  My daughter absolutely LOVES him.  She hardly ever lets him walk by himself!  Has anyone ever seen/hear Bill Engvall's skit about his daughter and their weiner dog? "Just kill me Bill! I'm wearing Barbie Jeans!"  That's how we feel about this poor dog...we have to tell our daughter "put the dog down and let him walk!"

It's also fun to watch Auzzie with our two cats Spaz (12lb Maine Coon) and JJ (10lb Siamese mix).  Auzzie is a Toy Rat Terrier.  When he is full grown he will weigh between 5 and 6 pounds.  I have yet to decide what is funnier, this mini puppy chasing the cats or when the cats are fed up and chase him.

He is different from owning a grayhound in several ways.  One is his size.  With our greyhound, we had to get an extra large dog kennel.  Auzzie's "dog kennel" is really a cat carry LOL.  Our greyhound ate 6 cups of food a day, this one eats half a cup plus a little cat food too.

He was given the tiniest Milk Bones I have ever seen.  I actually had to look for them-even though come to find out Milk Bone Minis are sold at Walmart. 

Come to find out, Auzzie's birthday is two days after my daughters.  She wants to have a party for both of them.  What do you get a one year old dog & 8 year old girl? Maybe Scooby Snack crackers? I am sure she will give me a wish list a mile long for both of them.  

Until next time,

Pay-It-Forward Gift

At the beginning of the year Facebook had Creative Pay-It-Forward posts going around.  I had a few people respond to my post.  Here is one of the projects I made.  I got the basic idea from a Pinterest post that had a little wooden box for storing embossing folders.

I didn't have a wooden box but I still had some metal lunch boxes.  Hmmm...do embossing folders fit in them?  YES!!!  One is for my mother in law and one is for one of my oldest and dearest friends.
I got to make some really adorable and useful gifts, use retired products, and give a little happiness for a "just because" reason.

Until next time,

Boxbag & Tag

I know it is after Christmas but I wanted to show you what I made with one of the scrapbooking kits.  I actually learned to make these a few years ago for an Easter project. They can work for almost any holiday, depending upon the colors.

An adorable little boxbag.  A silly name but it starts with the base of a box.  The base is 4 1/2"x 4 1/2" square of card stock, scored 1" all the way around to make the box base.  The designer series paper is 5 1/2" x 11".  I used the decorative label punch for the handle, folded in half.  Any symmetrical punch would do.  To reinforce the base of the container I used a border sticker.  If you were not using a scrapbooking kit, you could cut a piece of cardstock 1"-1 1/2" x 11", or you could use the Tasteful Trims Bigz die.

Did you notice that cute little Santa tag.  I found it on Pinterest and here is the link to the directions.  I didn't follow it exactly but enough so you can tell it is Santa.  I think he could be made into a Leprechaun if his hat was green.

I hope this inspires you to make your own gift packaging.

Until next time,

Sale-A-Bration Starts Today

Saleabration starts today.  Check out all the items you can earn free with every $50 purchase!  Contact me today to place an order or to book a private class or workshop.  I only have one weekend in Feb available and a few in March.  Contact me right away.

Until next time,

Day 21 Sale-A-Bration Sneak Peek

Tomorrow is the start of Sale-A-Bration.  Today is the last day of my sneak peeks.  I hope you have enjoyed them and they have given you some ideas to do with your free products from Stampin Up. contact me today or go online to place your order -every $50 spent earns you free items.  Don't forget you can earn items completely free by hosting a workshop or private class.  Contact me today- I only have one date available in January and a few more in February and March.

Until next time,

Day 20 Sale-A-Bration Sneak Peek

Like I have said Patterned Occasions is adorable for note cards and tags. I made a 3x3 card of each stamp from Patterned Occasions. 
       
I made a small box that holds about a half dozen 3x3" cards with the scallop envelope die.  I cut two envelopes and two pieces for the sides- 2 1/4"x1".   A little ribbon to dress it up, along with a small piece of contrasting color for a little extra pop.

Tomorrow I will show individual pictures of the cards.

Until next time,

Day 19 Sale-A-Bration Sneak Peek

I love the coffee cup from Patterned Occasions.  I knew I would make several 3x3 cards with this set.  Then I remembered seeing this a long time ago, knowing sometime I would make one.  It is nothing fancy at all.  I used up some 3x3 cards I already had cut.  This is my prototype card LOL.  That's what my friend calls any card that she messes up or she is "practicing" on.  At some point I will make some more with colored card stock etc for the massive coffee drinkers in my life.

Until next time,

Day 18 Sale-A-Bration Sneak Peek

I haven't showed this card to my darling daughter.  She is going through a faze where she loves bandaids and she makes herself paper casts for her arm (she even signs names to them). Sigh

Anyhooo, here is another notecard to send to a friend who needs to get well.  The little bandage is from Patterned Occasions. I masked off a border with sticky notes (I just love those things).  A little twine and a button can add so much to a card for new stampers.  Simple but cute.

Until next time,

Day 17 Sale-A-Bration Sneak Peek

I am not sure why, but when I saw "Hello" from Pretty Petities,  I only thought "hello baby".  Maybe it has to do with knowing 3 pregnant people LOL.

Here are some party favors that hold Hershey's nuggets.  Each nugget holder is made with two tags and a small piece for the base. I don't remember the dimensions of the tope of my head-I measured the base of a nugget and added about 1/2" to tape to the tags.  Does that make sense?  I'm sure you can google it if it doesn't.  These have been around for a long time, I bet someone has directions or a video.

The pink favor I had used my versa mark pad.  The flowers from Bloomin Marvelous don't show as much as I had hoped. On  the blue one, I used Midnight Muse and stamped off once before stamping on the favor.  A small piece of red sticky strip at the top seals it shut.

Until next time,

Day 16 Sale-A-Bration Sneak Peek

I think anyone who received this little notecard in the mail would be cheered up instantly.  

The little bit of stamping is a verse from Bloomin Marvelous.  Bling dots the "i".  The lines were made using the scoring tool.   The butterflies are punched with the new punch from the spring catalog using the 2012-2014 In-colors.  I curled the wings around the end of my pencil to give them a little more demension.

Until next time,

Day 15 Sale-A-Bration Sneak Peek

Well, I just realized I should have had this card be my first card for January.   I wonder how many people were seeing pink elephants after the New Year's celebrating.

This is another basic stamping on the notecards with matching envelopes.  I added a little extra to this cute guy (or is it a girl since it's pink??).  I had some left over googly eyes and this little cutie needed one.   I added a small button for the flower.  Did you notice they wavy lines? I added those with the new scoring tool from the spring catalog.  

I think this darling little elephant from Patterned Occasions is just adorable, don't you?

Until next time,

Day 14 Sale-A-Bration Sneak Peek

The Pretty Petites are so cute for little gift ideas.  The Petite Curley Label punch makes it even easier.  This is a little gift card holder.  Super EASY!  It's just a piece of designer series paper wrapped around a gift card.  A cardstock belly band around it to hold it closed.  Easy peasy.

The Pretty Petites has several choices that could be used for gift cards.  I used "for you".  There is also a "thank you" and a "happy birthday".  They all layer quickly and easily with the 1" square punch.

Until next time,

Day 13 Sale-A-Bration Sneak Peek

This card was nothing I had envisioned. I started out wanting to emboss clear on white.  Do you notice how some of the flowers have a little pink to them?  Well, that's what you get when your versa mark pad has cherry cobbler ink from dirty stamps at Christmas time.

The light cherry cobbler actually looked like pink pirouette so that became my layer color.  Things just progressed from there.

Until next time,

Day 12 Sale-A-Bration Sneak Peek

If your house is like my house, coffee is more than just a drink, it is a requirement!  I fell in love with this little cup of coffee with the heart steam from the Patterned Occasions set.  And who doesn't want to give their friends or family "a whole latte love"?

Until next time,

Day 11 Sale-A-Bration Sneak Peek

Isn't the triple stamp technique awesome.  It makes any card look like you have spent lots of time lining everything up just so.  I'm pretty sure Bloomin Marvelous has become my favorite SAB set.  What isn't there to like?  Flowers, butterflies, humming birds and verses too.

In this card I used a verse from Vintage Verses.

Until next time,

Day 10 Sale-A-Bration Sneak Peek

Hey, Smarty Pants!  I just love these little jeans and the Midnight Muse marker. With the marker you can make little streak lines to make your jeans look more realistic.

The stamp is from Patterned Occasions.  I think this stamp would be great for graduations.

Until next time,

Day 9 Sale-A-Bration Sneak Peek

Don't you love it when you can use up small strips of paper?  Me too!  This card is pretty self explanatory.  Paper ribbons, Vintage Verses stamped in Wild Wasabi, Pretty Petites with the Petite Curley Label  Punch.  The small flower is the small scallop punch from the Punch Pack.  A small rhinestone for some bling.

Until next time,

Day 8 Sale--Bration Sneak Peek

Note cards and markers are just wonderful.  I know there is a rock n roll technique that many people use. (Ink up a stamp in a light colored pad & then rock the edges of the stamp in a darker ink pad).

I thought I would play with that idea and my markers since I wanted more than just two colors. Then I remember when I was in high school and my teacher tried teaching us stenciling, blah, blah, blah.  I remembered how they used two colors on furniture etc. So that was the inspiration behind this card.

I used the flowers from You Are Loved and the verse is from Vintage Verses from the SAB catalog.

Until next time,

Day 7 Sale-A-Bration Sneak Peek

The SAB catalog has a stamp set and a new punch that coordinate. (The Petite Curley Label punch will be available for purchase after saleabration ends.)  Make sure you get the stamp set Pretty Petites while you can!  A cute little set that will be great for cards and gift tags.

Here I used all the 2012-2014 In-colors & gumball green ribbon.  A white card base run through the Big Shot with the polka dot embossing folder.  Super cute & easy birthday card.

Until next time,

Day 6 Sale-A-Bration Sneak Peek

The chevron pattern of the cupcake liner reminded me of the Howlstooth DSP -which just now as I type this, I realize it  was in the Holiday catalog so it wont be available any more. However, the chevron embossing folder & a brayer could be used in place of the DSP.  Mistakes are just an opportunity to add another layer.

The Patterned Occasions set is super cute for little note cards and tags in my opinion.  Each stamp has a coordinating verse directly under the stamp.  I decided to take my exacto knife and cut all the verses off.  Since I use clear mount stamps, I can use both pieces together as intended or I can separate them.  I tend to get ink where I don't want it even when I use markers on my stamps.  If I use the two parts separately, I don't have to worry.

Until next time,

Day 5 Sale-A-Breation Sneak Peek

Today's card uses Bloomin' Marvelous and Feeling Sentimental.  I sponged the embossed edge to make it look a little more vintage.  

This card brings back memories of going to the local fairs as a child.  One year in particular when my friend and I got one of the "tough guys" from school to go on the ferris wheel with us.  It stopped while we are at the top. He begged us not to rock the cart because he was scared to death of heights!  We didn't let that poor boy live that down.  And of course we had to rock the cart just a little bit-even though we were scared to death ourselves!

Until next time,

Day 4 Sale-A-Bration Sneak Peek

I tend to use the same colors over and over depending on the weather or my mood.  When I made most of my SAB cards, it had snowed for many days in a row. I had used lots of whisper white and crumb cake.  As much as I like those colors-I thought all my cards would look the same if I didn't change things up a bit.

So that being said, this image screams vintage & antique, but I wanted bright cheery color.  Well, pink tends to cheer me up.  I stamped the image from Feeling Sentimental on naturals card stock.  Used the Big Shot, window frames, and the vintage wallpaper embossing folder.  A little sponging and a piece of ribbon.  Tadah,  a girly, cheery vintage card.

Until next time,

Day 3 Sale-A-Bration Sneak Peek

Hi there!  Today's card uses two stamps sets from the SAB catalog.  The image is from a set called Feeling Sentimental.  The verse is from Vintage Verses.

As soon as I saw the set Feeling Sentimental, it made me think of two friends immediately.  My oldest friend (meaning known the longest, not that she is old) went to England last summer.  I knew this phone booth would remind her of her trip.  I am sure she will use this set in some of her scrapbooking of her trip.

I have another friend who is a Dr. Who FREAK!!!  I don't watch the show, but my friend is always posting Dr. Who references.  I know enough that if I stamped this in blue, she would love it! (All you Dr. Who fans will get that.)

Until next time,

Day 2 Sale-A-Bration Sneak Peek

Hi Stampers, welcome back for another sneak peek.  Today is another simple card using the Blooming Marvelous stamp set.  Again, I colored the stamps with markers.  I also used the Big Shot and the Apothecary framelets to cut a window.  The butterfly image is part of the Blooming Marvelous stamp set as well.  I used the new butterfly punch from the spring catalog. It doesn't show well in the photograph, but the butterfly's wings have been curled a little bit.  It is also popped up a bit on a dimensional.

I hope you enjoy making quick, simple cards to keep in touch with your friends.  I know my friends enjoy getting real, old fashioned mail that isn't a bill.

Until next time,

Countdown To Sale-A-Bration

Today is the first day of my Countdown to Sale-A-Bration.  For people who are new to Stampin Up, during saleabration, for every $50 you spend, you receive a free item from the Sale-A-Bration catalog.  How cool is that???

My sneak peeks will very from single layered note cards (simple and basic for my new stampers) to multiple layers and using my favorite tool the Big Shot.  My first card is very simple.  I used the note cards and envelopes #107311.  The note cards are an item for years I knew was there but didn't really use.  Now they are one of my favorite items!  They are pre-scored and ready for quick stamping.  A little stamping on the envelope and tadah!

This set called Blooming Marvelous might be my favorite for the SAB catalog.  The stamps are small and have a water color effect to them.  They are very easy to use with Stampin Up markers.  I colored directly to the stamp and then stamped the image 3 times without re-inking the stamp. I did the same thing with the leaf images as well.  Too bad I couldn't work my photoshop as well.  I should make sure my photos are right side up before I put on my information and save it.  Oh well, it will give us all a small chuckle on the first day of the new year.  Anyhow, in just a few minutes, a completed note card to send to someone to let them know you are thinking of them.

Now I have a hard decision to make--which project to show you tomorrow.  Decisions, decisions, decisions....

Until next time,