Monday, February 22, 2010

Archivers Free Make and Take Cards


I made these early Friday afternoon at Archivers for free. It was their free make and take weekend. I don't have a list of supplies, as everything was already set out and we had to move through the line pretty quickly. Although, obviously all supplies can be purchased at Archivers. I will say the new core 'dinations cardstock is used on the pink and black card. I love this new cardstock. After you dry emboss the cardstock you sand the embossed image and another color shows through. We also used the core 'dinations cardstock on a mini scrapbook (not free)...but I'm not ready to post photos of that just yet (more work to do). I also love the "thank you" rub ons on the pink and black card. They are very inexpensive and so easy to use.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Valentine's Clear Pail with Quickutz Heart

Here is my Valentine's Pail. This was my "If-you-brought-a-friend-to-the-girl's-night-out-this-is-your-prize" gift! Jessica brought a friend, so she got to take it home!

I just LOVE these clear pails from Stampendous. When the scrapbook stores get a shipment of these...they really fly off the shelves, so you have to buy them when you see them. They are $4.99 at The Scrapbook Page, and $3.49 at Archiver's, which is really weird...b/c usually The Scrapbook Page has better prices than Archiver's. So knows what was up with that.
Anyhoo...
This was my VERY FIRST TIME using vinyl in my Big Shot! *Pats self on back* Tee, hee!
It was so fun! And easy!
The trick is you have to take the foam out of your Quickutz die - or it won't work. You can buy more foam and replace it before you use the same die to cut paper. You DO NOT have to do this with the Sizzix Bigz dies. Well, those don't have foam anyhow...but you can cut paper or vinyl with those without having to make an accommodation.
The red frilly thing on the inside of the pail is actually a ribbon! I just love this very, very wide ribbon. It is at The Scrapbook Page...but I didn't catch the brand name. I tried using glue dots to adhere the ribbon on the inside...but got completely frustrated, and ended up just using tape. If you put the ends at the front - the heart will cover up the tape.
The striped ribbon is Bazzill. Can't remember the brand of the polka-dot...I think it might be Bazzill, too.
You can buy many colors of vinyl at The Scrapbook Page (a local store).
This looks really cute when candy is inside. In fact, I bought some red gummy hearts...but my son ended up eating all of them.
I'm going to make another one soon for my son, and fill it with candy. I figure it doesn't have to be Valentine's Day to give someone your heart! :-)

Bookmark - Tim Holtz Distressed Embossing Powder

I made this at today's FREE make and take at The Scrapbook Page. I had a great time! The store wanted to show off a couple of their new Tim Holtz products. I've really become addicted to this store as of late...much to my poor husband's dismay.
I went ahead and put my watermark on the photo of the bookmark I made, even though I didn't design it. Hmmm...hope that is okay.
Speaking of Tim Holtz, I just came across his blog. Didn't know he had one. It is HERE. Hmmm, he is kinda cute - don't ya think?
This was a very quick, but fun, project. The chipboard keys come in a packet. I couldn't find the packets in the store - I think they sold out. I would like to find some key die cuts someday and just make my own.
Anyway...to distress the key:
1) Smoosh the key down into the Tim Holtz ink pad "rusty hinge" I think was the name.
2) Smoosh the key down into Versamark
3) Then sprinkle the brand new Tim Holtz Distressed EP over the key and heat set. I think the color of the EP was corduroy - but the salesperson said any brown would work. After it is distressed - it really feels like sandpaper! Cool!
4) Then tap the key with the brown ink again. It adds just a bit of color. Pretty hard to see it...but adds a wee bit of dimension.

Another fun trick I learned was distressing twill (see the ribbon in the photo). It was just ivory twill and you just swipe the Tim Holtz ink pad over the twill on both sides. I will definitely start doing this for my shabby chic cards (you know...those future cards...lol...)
Enjoy!

Valentine's Chocolate Drizzle Popcorn from Peggy


This one is Peggy's! If you click on her name, it will take you to her blog. She designed this delightful popcorn bag for our Valentine's Girl's Night Out! It was so much fun!
Let me tell you...this popcorn is to die for! I have been behind on household chores, and I didn't take a photo of this project until tonight. Now that the photo has been taken...I get to eat the popcorn! But, Peggy had samples at the GNO - and it is sooooo good. And, you are in luck...because HERE is the recipe! (click on the word HERE to get the recipe, and it will take you to Peggy's recipe blog.)
I did put my watermark on the photo, so that no one would copy the photo and call it "theirs", even though Peggy designed the bag. We each got to make two for ourselves at the event, plus 2 each of 3 other card designs...2 card designs were mine, and this plus 1 other card design was Peggy's.
See how much fun we have? Please join us at the next one!

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Everyone's Irish For a Day

(below is the inside of the card)
You will just have to trust me when I say...this card REALLY does look better in person. I like to have a white background when I photograph my cards. Well, my backdrop is a sheet, and it is making the card "sit" a little crooked. This card is really cute in person! My husband and son loved it!
I love the fold of this card. The fold of this card is inspired from Mary on the Stamp TV site. She did a card folded like this in yellow, but her layout was different (hers had a big flower on the front, and a sentiment / nesty on the right section). Hers was perfect, but I wanted a St. Patty's Day card, so I came up with this.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR CUTTING THE BASE OF THIS CARD
1 piece of white paper cut 3 x 8 and score at the 4 inch mark. This you will fold over your card base and tape the back flap onto the back of card.
1 piece of white paper cut 8 1/2 x 4 and score at 3. This is the base.
SUPPLIES
Cardstock: white linen, Karen Foster shamrock designer paper, light and dark green papers are from Bazzill
Ink: Dew Drop Pearl Ivy, and SU Always Artichoke sponged around the edge
Other: SU Border Punch, corner rounder punch, scallop circle punch, sizzlet shamrock die cut, Robins Nest metallic gold dew drops, glue dots, dimensionals, adhesive
Stamp Sets: "Everyone's Irish" Studio G; Other stamp is also Studio G, but wood mounted

Last, but not least, here are a couple photos from this week. Here is my mini Michael Jordan. He scored 16 points in Saturday's game! He is such a great basketball player! And the last picture is of Lukas, after his spa day today. He is so fluffy! I love my boys!

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Valentine Treat Boxes



Here are the treat boxes I made for the kiddos in Eli's class. The party was yesterday, and the kids really liked them! I was up late doing them the night before, as I procrastinated as always.
Although, they did turn out really cute - it was a frustrating project. I was uber uber excited to use my VERY FIRST COPICS (not pictured). I was told by the salesperson at a certain store that I could use my Archival Ink with Copics. NOT! I began the project at 10 PM...stamped the bunny...started coloring with my Copic...and the ink ran everywhere! So...much to my dismay I colored the bunnies in with Stampin Up markers. I suppose it looks fine, but I didn't get to use my Copics yet! Brand new goodies and nowhere to go! So, I am going to the scrapbook today to look for a Memento pad. They didn't have any last week...here's to hoping they have some in today.
I really love these treat boxes by Stampendous. They are a bargain, too, IMO! 10 for $3.99 at Archivers. I bought these for Eli's class, and I bought 10 more for Eli's basketball team. So, stay tuned for some fun basketball treat boxes. I could kick myself for not buying another 10 for all the teachers at school. I am pretty sure Archivers has sold out - but will go back and check sometime soon.
This little bunny stamp is by Verve Stamps. I discovered Verve Stamps in one of my papercrafting magazines, and I really like this stamp company! I will definitely order more from them in the future. The paper inside is white linen, and one of the ribbons is from Bazzil and the other is from Archivers.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Formal Esque

Here is one of the cards we ALL get to make at our next Girl's Night Out!
We'll be embossing the image using ivory ZING onto Navy cardstock. I know it is hard to capture in the photo, but this designer paper is textured and glossy and the embossed image is a bit sparkly (in a very subtle way). I just bought this designer paper at Michael's two days ago! I also just bought the stamp set during the same trip - I thought the flower looked very nice with this paper.
We will also be doing many other fun projects. One of them will be a St. Patrick's day card, so stay tuned.
Supplies:
Stamps: Recollections "Formal Esque" and sentiment stamp is SU "Small Script"
Cardstock: Ivory Linen, DSP is "Home" by My Mind's Eye, Not Quite Navy by SU
Other: Zing embossing powder in Vanilla, Scallop Circle Nestie, SU punch, dimensionals, versamark, Not Quite Navy ink for sentiment, SU border punch, ribbon from Michael's