I have been busy working on one of my classes for June and I am so pleased with the way it turned out.  I found the box idea from Jackie Topa, but I changed out the colors and designer paper to make it my own.  From the outside you see a nicely decorated box.  I used one 12 X 12 sheet of Old Olive Textured cardstock for the base of the box and a piece of Summer Picnic Designer series paper for the top.  I decorated the outside nice and simply with the 5 petal flower punch, a rhinestone brad, Real Red striped grosgrain and the flower image from Fresh Cuts. 

You will be nicely surprised when you open this box to reveal . . .

2 full sized greeting cards and 2 A-2 sized envelopes, 3 Love Notes with matching envelopes, 3 gift tags, a little book that can be used for Addresses, birthdays or anything you choose, a slot to hold stamps (I forgot to insert them for my photo – sorry) and a pen holder. 

I will be adding all of the class information to my Demonstrator website so if you are nearby and wish to take the class you can see the dates and times I have available.  Because of the amount of projects involved I am limiting the class size to 6 people at each session.  You will receive one 12 X 12 sheet of Old Old cardstock, 1/2 a package of Summer Picnic Designer series paper, two sheets of 8 1/2 X 11 Old Olive cardstock, 5 sheet of 8 1/2 X 11 Whisper White cardstock, two A-2 sized envelopes, 3 mini envelopes and all of the accessories needed to complete your project.  The cost of the class is $25 per person, but I am offering a $5 discount with the purchase of either the Escape Bundle or the Fresh Cuts stamp set and the Fresh Cut Notes. 

Well, it’s going to be a gorgeous day here so we are headed outside to enjoy the weather.

Jenn

It’s been a while since I used Carte Postal, but as soon as I saw the sketch challenge I thought of the square stamp that would be perfect for the diamond element.  I pulled my colors directly from the Le Jardin paper and went from there.  I used River Rock, Very Vanilla, Le Jardin Designer series paper, So Saffron and Soft Sky. 

When ever I work with a sketch I get all of my layers cut to size and then begin to stamp.  It goes so much more quickly for me that way.  After everything was cut I stamped the leaf image repeatedly in River Rock on the 1 1/2″ strip of River Rock cardstock.  I then began on my diamond layers.  Using my Stamp-a-ma-jig to get my main image stamped smack dab in the center I first stamped it in River Rock.  I then used a scrap piece of Very Vanilla and stamped the same image in Groovy Guava and Purely Pomegranate.  The Guava image was punched with the 1 1/4″ circle punch and the Pomegranate one with the 3/4″ circle punch before being put in the Build-a-brad.  My 1/8″ circle punch was used to put the build a brad through the center of the Pomegranate punched image and then dimensionals were used to mount it to the Guava image.  I used dimensionals again and then set it on top of my River Rock stamped piece.  I paper pierced the edges of this layer and used more dimensionals.  The Soft Sky layer is attached to the So Saffron layer with SNAIL and then to the card with more dimensionals.  Can you tell I like dimension? 

I then used a piece of Hodgepodge hardware for my sentiment layer and punched it out with the small oval punch.  My paper piercer was used to make holes for the brads and after those were added I attached the entire front to my base cardstock. 

Speaking of gardens, look what we found after the rain cleared on Tuesday.  A real live frog!  I was so excited and just had to save him from our window well.  The boys were just thrilled and this was the first picture Roger got of them seeing the frog.  I can’t wait to scrap these photos. 

Jenn

stamps – Carte Postal

paper – River Rock, Very Vanilla, Le Jardin dsp, Soft Sky, So Saffron

ink – River Rock, Groovy Guava, Purely Pomegranate, Soft Sky, Blue Bayou

accessories – mat pack, dimensionals, 1 1/4″ circle punch, 3/4″ circle punch, 1/8″ hole punch, build a brad, mini glue dots, HPH, small oval punch

Too cool! I’m headed over there right now to see the tutorial!

By 2stampis2b

By Allison on May 26, 2008

Michelle, I sent you an e-mail.

Sorry this is later than I had promised.  Evan had a re-check at the pediatrician today and we got sent to the hospital for blood tests.  Taking blood from a 2 1/2 year old is not an easy thing to do especially since he knew as soon as we walked in that he would have to have this done.  He started crying that he didn’t like the place and complaining that they hurt him there.  Forty-five minutes and 5 vials later we were able to go home.  Keep your fingers crossed that his tests are normal.

ETA: Alison I need your snail mail address as well because after my C&P mistake I have something to send to you in the mail as well.

Jenn

It’s been a few weeks, but another one of my Artisan Award entries showed up on Stamper’s Showcase yesterday.  This was one of my favorite cards.  I used the Always stamp set and had to do a bunch of lining things up with my Stamp-a-ma-jig for the sentiment.  I combined the “You mean everything to me” with the “Everything” sentiment.  I colored the words in with a Versamarker and then carefully placed it with the Stamp-a-ma-jig and then heat embossed with Whisper White craft ink. 

The base of the card is Chocolate Chip carstock and is topped with Pretty in Pink and then Berry Bliss paper.  I paper pierced around the entire layer before adding my Pretty in Pink taffeta ribbon.  The hearts are stamped 4 times in Chocolate Chip craft ink on Chocolate Chip, Whisper White and Pretty in Pink.  They are then heat embossed with crystal clear embossing powder, cut out and layered.  They are then attached to the card with dimensionals. 

Jenn

stamps – Always

paper – Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink, Berry Bliss dsp, Whisper White

ink – Versamarker, Chocolate Chip craft ink

Accessories – white and crystal clear ep, heat gun, pretty in pink taffeta, crafter’s tool kit, dimensionals

Yesterday was Colin’s last official day of Preschool.  I can’t believe I am now a mom to a Kindergartner.  They put on a very cute program for the parents and Colin hammed it up the entire time, especially when he’d look over and see me taping the performance on my Flip.  After we went out to the lunch buffet at Monical’s per Colin’s request and spent a good deal of time inside as the temperature was in the high 40’s and rainy.  What was that?  The highlight of our day was finding a frog in our window well that we rescued and took down by the pond.  How a frog got to our house I have no idea.  The closest pond is 3 blocks away, unless it lives in the drainage ditch, but even that doesn’t have water 100% of the time. 

While Roger got his hair cut and the kids did a craft project I stamped this card.  The color combo was Chocolate Chip, Sage Shadow and Very Vanilla.  I love these colors and they were so easy to work with.  I used my new Fresh Cuts stamp set along with Just Celebrate.  Of course I had to do the whole free to fly butterfly thing.  I stamped the Fresh Cuts background twice to fill the space and then stamped off Chocolate Chip twice before overlaying it on my Sage Shadow layer.  I tried to do a shadow effect on my words, but I don’t think I got the look I was going for.  Even so I still love this card.  I added paper piercing under the sentiment and then added some 5/8″ Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon.  The entire front panel of the card is set up on dimensionals. 

Here is to a nice long and hopefully peaceful summer at home with two very strong willed boys.

Jenn

stamps – Just Celebrate, Fresh Cuts

paper – Chocolate Chip, Sage Shadow, Very Vanilla

ink – Chocolate Chip Craft, Chocolate Chip, Sage Shadow

accessories – Stamp-a-ma-jig, ticket corner punch, 5/8″ chocolate chip grosgrain ribbon, mini glue dots, crystal clear ep, heat gun

I mentioned yesterday that I’ve been working on the Father’s Day tutorials that I saw on Addicted to Stamping. Here is the 2nd project I made for Father’s Day. I made a little brief case that doubles as a card, photo holder and gift card holder. I did stamp and distress the outside of my case. I used Close to Cocoa cardstock and matching ink with the Itty Bitty Backgrounds stamp set. I then distressed it with a sponge and Chocolate Chip ink.

On the inside the bottom portion is going to hold a photo of Colin and Evan, and the center will hold artwork that they make themselves. The back will serve as a gift card holder. On the inside I used All Holidays as it is the only Father’s Day stamp I own. I stamped it in Blue Bayou and matted it on Chocolate Chip and Blue Bayou cardstock. I added an Old Olive photo corner with vintage brads and the corner is set up on dimensionals so I can just tuck the photo behind it. I punched 1 3/8″ squares, scored them in half and then attached them with brads to hold pictures that Colin and Evan will color. Then on the back I have a space to add a gift card.

I think this is a perfectly masculine stamped gift.

Jenn

stamps – Itty Bitty Backgrounds, All Holidays

paper – Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Creamy Caramel, Very Vanilla, Blue Bayou, Old Olive

ink – close to cocoa, chocolate chip, blue bayou

accessories – 3/4″ square punch, horizontal slot punch, 1 3/8″ square punch, 1/8″ hole punch, crafter’s tool kit, 1/16″ hole punch, vintage brads, photo corner punch, dimensionals

First let me say that this idea is not mine.  Jackie of Addicted to Stamping had posted to SUDSOL that she had a new blog and wanted to let other’s know of it.  I am so happy that I clicked through her link because she has amazing tutorials up there.  You have to check it out!

As soon as I saw her tutorials I had to print them out and put them right in the middle of my work area.  I was so intrigued by her Suit card because I am sometimes intimidated by complicated folds, ie. the shirt cards that were the rage last year, but this was so super simple and she had it all spelled out with photos of each step. 

The base is a full card that measures 5 1/2 X 8 1/2 of Soft Sky cardstock.  The top black piece is 5 1/2 X 4 and the Soft Sky designer prints paper is 3 X 4. 

Now I know you are all wondering what Blog Candy I have up my sleeve.  To thank you for dealing with the mess I made of my blog this weekend I am giving away something fun and something that you can hopefully make better use of than I did.  I have a set of 24 Prismacolor Colored Pencils that I will send to one lucky winner.  So how do you win?  Simply leave a comment here with a fond memory you have of your Father or a fond memory that you have of your kids with thier dad.  I feel it’s only fitting in a post with a Suit card.  I will draw a winner using Random.org this Thursday morning at 10 am.

Jenn

stamps – None!

paper – Soft Sky, Basic Black, Soft Sky designer series paper

ink – none

Accessories – scoring tool, Neutrals buttons, mini glue dots, Chocolate Chip Satin Ribbon, scotch tape

If you use an RSS feed reader the subscription url you need to enter is – http://igotstamps.com/?feed=rss2 .  I tested it this morning in Google Reader and the feed is now updating. 

Jenn

As you can see a majority of my stuff is finished being transfered over to my own hosting account and my blog has a different look for now.  I’m still working on the tiny details, so I’ll still have to work on moving my blog roll over here, but that will be transferered soon. 

I had to take a small stamping break as I got tired of staring at the computer screen, although I have to admit Roger did most of it for me and he had to tinker around with code.  The biggest issue was getting my Feedblitz subscription widget on here and looking normal.  I think he worked on that for about 4 hours and I finally told him just to stick it back at the bottom where it looked normal 4 hours ago.  

Anyway, while Roger was tinkering with my Blog settings, Colin was watching a Disney movie and Evan was napping, I stamped.  I decided to check out the Featured Stamper Challenge and today it was Peanutbee, aka Denise that was the lucky gal.  I chose this card to CASE.    I loved the simplicity of her card and the grouping of flowers.  But being the Featured Stamper challenge you have to change at least 2 things.  I decided to use the butterfly from Just Celebrate.  I used my embossing buddy on Groovy Guava cardstock and then stamped the butterfly in Whisper White Craft ink.  I then heat embossed it with White embossing powder and cut them out.  I used a Always Artichoke marker (the fine tip) and colored in just the bodies of the butterflies.  I then set the cut out images aside. 

I had decided I wanted a Groovy Guava and Always Artichoke color scheme and decided to throw some Very Vanilla in there.  I am always reaching for white and I don’t know why I don’t use the Very Vanilla more often, so I had to be different today.  I stamped the leaf pattern from Fresh Cuts in Always Artichoke up the side of the Vanilla layer and then stamped the sentiment off to the side in the same color.  I attached this to my card base of Always Artichoke and then tied on a gorgeous piece of Chocolate Chip satin ribbon.   Only then was I ready to play with the placement of my butterflies.  I used mini glue dots on the center of the bodies and using my paper snips to press the butterflies in place gave the wings so much dimension.  You all know I can’t stamp a butterfly without making it 3D.  I don’t know why I feel compulsed to do this each and everytime.  It’s a sickness I tell you.  Butterflies just must be free on my cards and can’t be two dimensional and stationary. 

This is my favorite card of the week so far.  I love a productive stamping session on a Sunday.  It usually means that there will be more favorite cards thoughout the week.  The other great thing is that after today we still have 2 full days of weekend left!  We all need a little break now and again and I’m glad to have one this weekend because after Tuesday I have 2 boys at home full time for three full months.  I have no idea what I am going to do with them all summer long.  I feel a Super Nanny Schedule coming on.  Seriously, if we don’t have a schedule and there is nothing to do we all go nuts. 

Jenn

stamps – Just Celebrate, Fresh Cuts

paper – Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla, Groovy Guava

ink – Whisper White, Always Artichoke Classic ink and Stampin’ Write marker

Accessories – Chocolate Chip satin ribbon, white embossing powder, embossing buddy, mini glue dots

What a gorgeous start to a long Memorial Day Weekend! Yesterday was a cold rainy 54 degrees and we were all feeling under the weather, so much so, that I didn‘t even step foot into my stamping area. On Thursday I put down weed barrier and 12 bags of mulch in my new planting beds. I think I was allergic to something in the mulch because by 7 pm that evening I could feel my head stuffing up and a terrible headache coming my way. I do not get many headaches, but this one was in the base of my skull and the outside of my head actually hurts today.

I started today by mowing the lawn and we are just relaxing and waiting for my family to come over for a BBQ. We have Beer Brats waiting to go on the grill and have some super yummy Tastefully Simple Fiesta dip sitting in the fridge. After my shower I decided to sit down and stamp a card while the boys are playing baseball in the backyard with Roger. I used Jen del Muro’s Sketch for You to Try.

It’s getting to be that crunch time of the year. I am frantically using up my designer series paper so that when the new catalog comes out in August I can buy new stuff to use. I am down to my last few scraps of Afternoon Tea designer series paper, so I decided to use In Colors along with my favorite Chocolate chip.

I think the card is pretty self-explanatory, but I wanted to point out my faux stitching at the bottom of the card. I took my mat pack and punched holes in a ric rac pattern and then connected them with my White gel pen. Afterward I decided it was too plain still so I took my 1/4″ square punch and used it at an angle to punch out a ric rac pattern as well. I’m kinda liking that look.

Well it’s almost time to fire up the grill so I hope you all have a fantastic Saturday!

Jenn

stamps – A Beautiful Thing, Stitched Exotics

paper – Blue Bayou, Groovy Guava, Chocolate Chip, Afternoon Tea dsp, Whisper White

ink – Chocolate Chip, Soft Sky, Groovy Guava, Purely Pomegranate

Accessories – Mat pack, 1/4″ square punch, white gel pen, horizontal slot punch, blue bayou double stitched ribbon, dimensionals, ice rhinestone brads