Sweet Souvenir

Phew, it's almost Friday! It's been a crazy long and hectic week. ONLY TWO MORE DAYS! Ok, here's a quick 'lil notebook. The notebook itself is a junior legal pad. I bought the generic Staples brand (without the lines!). The Staples copy center will cut the books in half. They charge per cut, so have them stack up the pads to minimize the number of cuts. Each pad is different, but it's really easy to come up with the dimensions. Remember if you intend the ribbon to be tied and untied and tied and untied, to leave the ribbon LONGER than you think (you'll thank me later!).

Thanks for stopping by!

Sweet Deets (all supplies Stampin' Up!):
Stamps: Kind & Caring Thoughts
Ink: Taken with Teal(yes, taken with teal!!), Soft Suede
CS: Bermuda Bay, Whisper White, Kraft, Soft Suede
Accessories: Soft Suede polka dot grosgrain ribbon, markers.

Sweet Treat (and a fun announcement!)

Ever stuck in a rut for gifts for guys? A brother-in-law? The family $10 lottery gift. Think consumables. Here's a great gift that is usually a big hit. It's an ice cream kit, with the toppings and an ice cream scoop. It's packaged in a custom-made carrier.




Speaking of ice cream, stop over at visit me in the kitchen today!

Also, mark your calendars for an Open Scrap Day on July 18th! It's in Burke from noon to 5pm. Bring your projects. There's plently of table space and light! FREE!!

Sweet Deets (all supplies Stampin' Up!):
Stamps: Under the Stars, Great Grads
Ink: Staz On, Pacific Point
CS: Pacific Point textured, Whisper White
Accessories: Linen Thread, Key Tag

Deal of the Week

Hi all. I hope you had a wonderful long, relaxing, happy, safe weekend! I did! I'm feeling refreshed this Monday morning. Thanks to everyone who bought the scallop edge punch, I hope you found my mini-tutorials to be helpful. This weeks deal of the week is the Big Shot doctor's bag, reg. $69.95, on sale this week for $49.99 (click to make the photo bigger!). This special price ends Monday, July 13th at 11:50am (9:50AM M.T.). I can't incorporate it into the projects on the blog like I did last week, but stop back for some great projects this week.....

Until next time,
SHERRI

Happy 4th of July!

A quick post today and distressing 101 and faux quilting. There are different distressing tools available, but my most favorite is my bone folder. Use the wide part forcefully back and forth to stress the edges. It will bend the paper - which leads us to the direct-to-paper technique.

It truly means taking your ink pad directly to your paper. More ink will show up where the bends and folder are.




An unbent sample of direct-to-paper is HERE on this card.

I punched out random images with a 1-1/4" square punch, and ran it through the big shot, top note die. Does it look like a quilt??

Have a happy and safe 4th of July and take time to appreciate America (and have something delicious on the grill!).

More than a scallop edge....

In addition to the card I showed HERE using a scallop edge, you could also place the fancy scallop on your envelopes. If you cut off too much of the sticky stuff, use a little adhesive to close your envelope (I don't like licking envelopes anyways!)

Here's another idea for your SCALLOP EDGE PUNCH. Remember, it's on sale, 30% off the regular price thru Sunday night.
This is a medallion.
The bigger medallion starts with a 2-3/4" square. The smaller medallion is a 2-5/8" square.

Center the punch on one side of the square. Punch.

Rotate 90 degrees, center the punch on the side and punch again. Rotate, center, punch. Rotate, center punch. It's easy as 1-2-3.

I'd place a small stamped image, layered, on the inside of the medallion. Look for the medallion on a card in the future...wink, wink.

A Sweet Invitation!

Ooooohhhhh, the weekend is almost here. A quick bridal shower invitation today. This is significantly different than the child's invitation I made here. I'm still using up my Bella Bleu paper! It's so elegant! The dress is cut from a Big Shot large scallop circle. It's difficult to depict, but I've placed a piece of tulle over the dress. The baroque design is clear embossed. I've used scraps for quick place cards and buffet cards - going gray for the buffet, not quite navy for the names. I printed the words from Word. Punched out with the small oval, layered on the scallop oval.
Vanilla 3/8" taffetta wraps the dress and a brad attaches the tulle to the paper. Again, I used a scrap to decorate the inside - a thin strip at the top (see photo above).

















Here's a side shot of the table topper - it's a simple fold, scallop raised above the top fold.



Sweet Deets (all supplies Stampin' Up!):
Stamps: Baroque Motifs
DSP: Bella Bleu
Ink: White Craft
CS: Sahara Sand Textured, Very Vanilla, Going Gray, Not Quite Navy.
Accessories: Clear Rhinestone Brad, Clear embossing powder, heat tool

2009-2010 Dormant List

I'll make this it's own post so you can find it in the future!

Holy Toledo, it's NEW CATALOG RELEASE DAY plus a SALE!!!

Ok, it's a lloooooooonnnnngggggg post today. But all the words are important. Don't just scroll down to the card!!

1 - Today is the big day. The new catalog should hit the website around 10AM mountain time. Patience. Patience. Patience.

2- Deal of the Week. Starting today, each week I'll have a different product to offer at a GREAT PRICE. This weeks item is the SCALLOP EDGE PUNCH, on sale for $10.99! The sale begins today at noon mountain time and ends July 6th at 9:50pm mountain time.

3 - As I mentioned today is the new catalog release. That includes the NEW IN-COLORS. Unfortunately, there's a quality problem with the bermuda pads and reinkers. Stampin' Up! has found the problem and the issue is being corrected but for right now, the bermuda ink pad and reinkers are not available.

4 - Because of the new catalog, popular items MAY be briefly backordered. Patience. Patience. Patience.

5 - Because of the new catalog, there may be shipping delays due to volume and July 4the holiday

6 - If you don't see a loved stamp set in the new catalog AND it wasn't on the retired list, check the dormant list. Dormant sets are still available for purchase, they just didn't make the big show (the catalog)!

Ok, a little tutorial before todays card! Punches 101

Typically this is the way to use your punches. This way you can SEE where you're punching (ohh look, a sneak peak for tomorrow's post!!)


Let's look at the scallop punch. I'm not turning this punch over. Notice I'm starting in the middle. I'm practical enough to know that most likely both ends will not be perfect.

Now I've punched the first punch and I begin to slide the punched section over (to my right in the photo). See the silver guide showing through?

Now the silver is gone. I slid the scallop over to match the guide. And now I'll punch again.

Let's flip it over (remember I started in the middle) and get the other side!

Here's one way to use the scallop edge punch (you may remember this old card from a previous class!!).

Sweet Deets (all supplies Stampin' Up!)

Stamps: Upsy Daisy

CS: Close to Cocoa, Elegant Eggplant, Pale Plum, Whisper White

Ink: Elegant Eggplant, Pale Plum

Punches: Scallop Border, Small Oval, Scallop Oval, Wide Oval, Three Flower, 1/4" Circle
And another using the edge from the tutorial above.

Sweet Deets (all supplies Stampin' Up!)
Stamps: Kind & Caring Thoughts (Level 3 hostess!)
CS: Crushed Curry, Rich Razzleberry, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla
Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Soft Suede
Punches: Scallop Edge Punch

Accessories: 1/2" Polka Dot Soft Suede Grograin Ribbon, dimensionals.

Sneak Peek 2009-2010 with a Bella Bleu twist

Bridal season is in full swing. Do you remember this bright and cheerful and fresh card? Here's a similar layout, using the same stamps, with a completely different tone. See how changing your colors can alter the feel of a card. If you don't own Bella Blue, you need it. Do you hear me? It's a must have. It's classic. It's clean. It's elegant. It was in last year's catalog and it will be in the NEW catalog (tomorrow's the big day - are you ready??). This is the same paper and colors I used for this recipe book (a bridal shower gift). I again used the scraps on my desk to decorate the inside. This card is 5"x5".
Sweet Deets (all supplies Stampin' Up!): Stamps: Razzle Dazzle, Teeny Tiny Wishes Ink: Not Quite Navy, Sahara Sand CS: Not Quite Navy, Sahara Sand textured, Very Vanilla
DSP: Bella Bleu Accessories: Modern Label Punch, Movers and Shakers Modern Label Punch, Very Vanilla 3/8" Taffetta Ribbon

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY to purchase any and all retiring stamps, including the sets from the MINI catalog. The online ordering function will be disabled at midnight for a few hours while the catalogs are transitioned at the site.

Thanks for stopping by,
SHERRI

Sweetest Stems, Kiwi Kiss and Raspberry Tart

ETA: The top of the box is open. Maybe later I will create an acetate lid, but for now, it's open, and I'm ok with that. The bottom folds up to cover the bottom 1/4th. I still think it's finished enough to give as a gift.

Hi friends. I had a set of wonderful cards completed and needed a way to package them up.

I used Lauren Meader's desktop stationary template for my inspiration (it's the first project shown). I then found these (free) instructions. Now, I must warn you, for some reason, I could not get the box to work out as exactly described by Valerie. Plus, her dimensions called for 8 5/8" by 11 1/8" piece of paper. That requires a 12"x12" paper. I, being thrifty, mangaged to make my box out of 8 1/2" x 11" paper - hopefully nothing was lost - you be the judge. My box was also large enough to accomodate envelopes. As with any tutorial you try, use a scrap piece of computer paper - NOT your expensive cardstock and designer series paper. As an added bonus, you'll have a template/prototype to keep if you want to make the project again. Ok, let's get onto the box. I made my box out of textured cardstock (one sheet 8 1/2" x 11") for added weight and stability and added a DSP belly band (12" x 1"). I topped it off with a snip of kiwi kiss satin ribbon (love that ribbon and I will miss it!) Here's a side shot of the box.

For the complete set, here are all the cards I'd made using the Raspberry Tart DSP and Sweet Stems. I'm really going to miss the Raspberry Tart paper. These are not my colors, but I really loved this paper and the mix of colors.

Please understand I cannot give you all the ingredients used for these cards. It was paper, punches, DSP. Rose red, kiwi kiss, whisper white, cameo coral, pink piroutte. All supplies Stampin' Up!

Maybe I'll recreate this with the Razzleberry Lemonade DSP and the new in-colors. Isn't this a great little set of cards and box for a gift?

Thanks for stopping by. I hope this inspires you to be creative today.

And whooooo hoooooo only a 4-day week this week!

And question, does it help when I include the stamp set picture from the catalog, as shown below? Would you like to see this feature in upcoming posts?

Thanks.
SHERRI

It's Saturday Sketch Time, SSC105

I hope you're having a great weekend. Are you getting excited for the NEW catalog release?!?!? It was sketch time over at 411. Even if you don't play along with the sketches, stop over. They're a talented group of bloggers that are creating a library of resources and videos. Ok, onto todays card:

I trimmed down the white panel and used the 1/4" scrap on the inside, layered with curry. (see the smaller image on the left).

Sweet Deets (all supplies Stampin' Up!):
Stamps: Circle Circus, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink: Basic Black
CS: Basic Black, Crushed Curry, Whisper White
Accessories: 1" Circle punch, dimensionals.

IMPORTANT NEWS, IMPORTANT NEWS! Beep, beep, bedeep, IMPORTANT NEWS!!

Hi friends. I have some important news and it has nothing to do with the celebrities all dying today.

Item #1 - I have the new catalogs in my little hands. I told you they were coming. Those who purchased or earned them - they're headed your way!! Let me know if you need a catalog!

Item #2 - This weekend is the Great American Scrapbook Convention in Chantilly, VA. If you've never been, you neeed to stop by and see the enormity of it. You need to see the HOT trends and products. It's a great time! I'll try to report back here with the amazing things I see!

Ok, now back to your regularly scheduled program.