happy halloween

I put the large decor elements spooky spider up in the window just outside my front door, and wanted to show you the view from inside and outside. I think the dogs lurking in the window are scarier than the spider!!!

carousel note cards

The card on the left is the lower layer, the card on the right is the finished one. I wanted to use the carousel note cards in a different way, so I cut each one down to 10 scallops so it would fit on a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" card. From one carousel note card, I was able to get 2 pieces, plus 2 extra center sections (each one looks like a tongue depressor in the photo). I cut the other section in half, and by doing this with all three colors, I was able to mix them up and use all of them on this card. I used the scallop edge punch on the folded black card and on the "tongue depressor" left over piece, and offset it under the black card for a great effect. You could also line it up a little higher exactly in line with the black scallops, but I liked how this looked. I used the So Swirly jumbo wheel in coordinating colors for a little pizzazz. I made the clock with the scallop circle #2 sizzix die and brushed silver cardstock, the Calendar Alphabet & Numbers stamp set, Party Hearty stamp set, scallop punch, my way punch, filigree brad and rhinestone brad. I also stamped "Happy New Year" in silver from the Holidays & Wishes stamp set. If I don't get all my Christmas cards done in time, I think I'll use this card for my lateness!

open end envelope album

When I first made this album, I used bright summery paper, and I'm amazed how well it adapts to any paper or Stampin' Up! simply scrappin kits (my favorite since there are so many self adhesive die cuts to embellish any project). Of course, this is another one of my Christmas presentation projects, and of course I used the I Wish simply scrappin kit. Have I said how much I love this kit? I used the Stampin' Up! open end envelopes and the bind it all to put it all together, along with blank cardstock pages, and tabbed pages in the envelopes. It's a fun and easy project. Another one to embellish the heck out of. In addition to what was in the kit, I used filigree brads, rhinestone brads, sizzlits snowflakes and several punches. Try it some time!

pennant die trees

To add to my pennant die tree collection, I decided to make a card as well. I used Stampin' Up Design Series Paper in Holiday Treasures, and used scraps that were about 1 1/2" x 2". To make it super easy, I folded and snailed the three scraps together (folded sides all lined up together), then lined them up on the small pennant from the tip of the scallop, to wherever I wanted the width of the tree to end. Once I rolled it through the Big Shot, I had a 3-d tree. I added the "peace" from the decorative strip die Join in the Cheer with a few dimensionals, and added rhinestones from the Pretties Kit at the tops of the trees. I used shimmery white and kiwi kiss paper for the base of the card.

decor elements spot on II

I decided to try my hand at the Stampin' Up! Decor Elements Spot On II, and I think it turned out pretty well. I could probably use a few extra spots, but it was pretty easy to install. I cut apart the dots, and circles of dots, and installed them separately. I didn't have to apply much pressure in rubbing the grid paper, more like a light once over rather than burnishing, and then when it was on the wall, I just rubbed over the whole thing again, and slowly peeled the cover paper off, rubbing a little extra with my finger if something wasn't quite sticking. I strategically put a couple of them over scratches or nail holes, but that's the beauty of a random pattern! All in all, I think it was a pretty fun and easy improvement on a blank wall. Now I'm looking at all my other walls with a different eye...

love ewe 6x6 sheep swap

This is the 2 page 6x6 spread I did for a mini swap. I used the sheep that I made for a convention swap (that Patty made famous when she posted it on her blog). I must say that when I'm putting these girls together, I laugh as I complete each one. A subtle head tilt, a crossed eye, and they all look different. The sheep are made with the scallop punch and the trio flower punch (in whisper white), and the large oval, word window and 1/2" punches (in basic black). I added the pink gingham ribbon and googly eyes, and voila, she's done! I used Riding Hood Red, Pink Pirouette, and Kiwi Kiss cardstock, then added Bella Toile to the background in Riding Hood Red. I used Bella Rose DSP on the heart and on the sizzlits flowers decorative strip die. I made the leaves using Patty Bennett's method of folding a long narrow strip in half, running it through the crimper, then cutting the leaves from the folded paper (love that idea, she used it on one of her convention swaps). I love the dimension the leaves added, both on the DSP flower strip, and on the photo area, hope you like it too.

build a brad box

I don't know about you, but I love, love, love the Stampin Up! build a brad kit! It is SO nice to be able to add the most coordinated accessories to a card and not have to "make do" with something "close", as my mom used to say. Having used a LOT of them, I have a nice collection of the build a brad boxes which I covet and cherish, and occasionally will part with. I don't know if SU! thought of this, but they are the perfect size for 6 Hershey's Nuggets, and although 6 won't go far (in my household), they are a nice little gift. I decorated the nuggets with print paper from, you guessed it, the Simply Scrappin' I Wish kit (again, sorry about all the Christmas stuff, and I will move on to something else), then made a belly band with scrap paper and the scallop punch, snow flower punch, a sizzlit snowflake, a couple of circle punches and a rhinestone brad (minus the metal) from the Stampin Up! Pretties Kit. Too cute!!!

more Christmas?

I know it's weird to be posting so much stuff on Christmas in October, but I made a LOT of different things for our Luv 2 Stamp meeting, and want to share a few more, then I promise I'll move on to something else. I used an idea by Linda Hanson from convention this year to adapt into another idea. Linda made a great tote bag using vinyl purchased at a fabric store, and a lot of jumbo eyelets, ribbons, etc... and I wanted to try something smaller, less expensive and easier. I used 3 1/2 of the Stampin Up! 6x6 page protectors, 2 full size, and 2 that were cut in half (saving the other half for the next bag). I cut the ring flap (?, what is it really called?) off, then used my crop-a-dile to punch holes in the sides and bottoms of all the page protectors (I punched all the way around on the 1/2 being used for the bottom). I made a template using the stiff white board that comes in the back of the Stampin Up Design Series Paper, so my holes would line up. I used cardstock in the bottom (since it wouldn't show), then laced up the holes with 1/4" grosgrain ribbon. I added the print paper from the Simply Scrappin' I Wish kit on all 4 sides, which can easily be slipped in and out to change the season or color scheme, then added 2 jumbo eyelets on either side for the handles. Be sure to only punch through the outside part of the pocket, or you'll have a permanent print which can't be slipped out. I added more 1/4" grosgrain ribbon for the handles using mini glue dots to secure the ribbon on to itself, rather than having a bulky knot. It's a perfect size for a treat, or a stack of cards, and would be a great gift idea. Hope you like it!

cd album

I first saw this idea on http://www.tvweekly.com/, they have some great ideas there. I wanted to adapt the album using Stampin' Up! Simply Scrappin' Kits (one of my favorites things) because there's so much available in them, and I thought they'd be perfect for this. I used the I Wish Simply Scrappin' kit since I was doing a Christmas presentation. I purchased the cd envelopes from http://www.uline.com/, and even though you have to buy a lot at one time, you can easily split it with someone else, or take care of all your holiday, birthday, anniversary, or even just HI! needs with out much fuss. I used 3 envelopes for this album. I purchased the really stinking cute closures at http://www.hardwareelf.com/, and these are the small thumb latches. I chose them because they were the only ones with a hole to put the ribbon through, and they turned out to be the perfect size. The hardest part was knowing when to stop embellishing!

another tree

This tree was made with the pennant die, the snowflake sizzlits die, Stampin Up shimmery white cardstock, and the rhinestone brads, removed from their metal housing (a technique we learned at convention in Salt Lake City this year). I used 6 pennants, snailed back to back, then added the rhinestones with mini glue dots. I loved how this turned out! The great thing about these, is that they can be folded flat and saved from year to year.

Luv 2 Stamp

On 9/27, I did a presentation during our Luv 2 Stamp meeting, on different Christmas projects. It was fun working on Christmas in July! One of my projects was making a forest of trees with the Stampin Up! pennant die. They were made with the Stampin Up! Holiday Treasures DSP, and both sizes of the pennant. The trees are super simple to assemble using snail adhesive between the layers. This tree was made using the large pennant, the snow flower punch, the star punch, and the 1 1/4" circle punch. This tree came together using snail adhesive between each layer of 6 folded pennants. More of the forest to come in future posts!