Butterfly

Good morning,

I have been going through my papers in my stamp area and trying to fight off the, "I need to go to the store and look for..., it will go great with this." I admit the "thrill of the hunt" can be energizing, but I need to use what I have.

This is a very simple card. The design was already imprinted and I did not need to add anything to it. I did use the SU! scallop punch to add some design to the side. Then I decided to add ribbon and I was done. I had the background card already (I have had it a while actually. Just trying to figure out what to put with it).

When I put it all together..this is what I came up with:

Taking a break from busyness

Hello stampers and papercrafters out there. I have not posted in so long, actually too long. I have a busy schedule, so I have been looking for ways to make quick and easy cards that I want to send out. 
 I have to admit that because of my schedule, I have had to buy manufactured cards .  I watched how the cost added up and I knew I had supplies at home to make cards.  I am trying to get back into a routine of making some cards a head of time. 

My aunt's birthday is  coming up soon.  I pulled out some supplies I already had and used a quick template.
This is what I came up with:

Warning - posts erratic

Good morning Stampers!

I wanted to let you know that the semester has begun and that means once again my postings will become erratic. I wish I could say when I would be posting but I cannot.

This would be a great time to sign up to receive e-mail notices when I have posted. You will find that midway down on the left hand side.

Thanks for stopping by!

Repurposing

Good morning Stampers!

In my last post - Heartfelt Thanks - I used the word "repurpose". This word is not one I came up on my own, but from a fellow stamper and papercrafter. "Repurposing" is when you use an item other than what it was originally made for. So the fabric glitter writer was made to be used on fabric. I then used it as an adhesive on my cardstock. I thought of it as this..it is made to go on fabric (durable and it has to adhere) and it is made to go through the wash (so the H2O)content was going to be low (couldn't be water soluble since fabric can be washed).

Okay, now for all that scrapbook paper I have. Let's face it..scrapbook paper can become outdated. And if you are like me, you have some that you have had so long that you know it is outdated! Here are some ideas that I have heard over time.

1. Trade with a friend - she may think of the "perfect project" to use it for.
2. Donate it - church, daycare, school, etc.
3. Wrap a small gift in it.
4. Make an envelope out of it to send your handmade card in.
5. Make an origami box out of it to put a small gift in.
6. Use it on your stamp table as a surface to work on. Keeps your area clean and
you feel less guilty tossing it out afterwards.
7. On the flip side of the patterned paper there is one of three things:
a. White - your basic
b. A coordinating color to the patterned sheet on the flip side
c. Another pattern that coordinates to the flip side
You can use the white or the coordinating color as a layer. The layers don't
always have to be cardstock weight.
In my Heartfelt Thanks posting, I mentioned the brown layer was from a flip side
of patterned paper I did not like. It did coordinate with the pattern paper I
was using.
8. Starter paper for a fire :)

I am sure there are other "repurpose" items out there that I have yet to think of.
I would enjoy hearing about any times you have "repurposed".

Thanks for stopping by.

Heartfelt Thanks and using supplies

Good morning Stampers!



The Heartfelt Thanks was already stamped. In fact several of them were stamped on a piece of white cardstock. There they sat. I would pick the sheet up, look at it and then push it aside not sure what to do with it. Because of the Lion Valentine I made, it reminded me that I had plenty of scrapbook paper that I had to have, but alas forgot what "perfect project" that I was to use it for.
I began going through my sheets and found this one. I liked the colors (it had bordering blue in it) and the design. I think this may be from a K & Co. scrapbook pad. The brown color is a flip side of another design (which luckily for me, I didn't really care for).
The ribbon is from Michael's. The button, from my button basket. I was going to tie a square not and then use a glue dot to put over the knot, but I decided that would be too bulky. So..I sewed the button on to the ribbon. It really did not take long. I took a short piece of ribbon and sewed the button on the two layers of ribbon. If I had knotted the ribbon, the tails would place the same way. So I am pleased how it turned out.



In this photo you see the accessories I used. I had some of this "Glitter Writer" from the "fabric painting" days. It does have a white or clear glitter in it, but I used is as an adhesive - 'repurposing' an item. I held onto it after all these years. Yep, reinforcing once again, not to throw anything away - UGGH. I thought I would try my hand at some glitter, as I don't use it much or think to use it. I had some fine glitter, again from many years ago!, and I wanted to try my hand at it. I used nutmeg for the center of the flower. A little darker than I like, but I think it is okay.

>

After all was said and done, I had some scraps left over. I was able to make a 4.25 x 4.25 card. This time I added the garden green behind the brown. It ties in with the leaves of the flower.

I used the "fabric glitter" again as my adhesive and this time used a light blue glitter - yes, that I have had a while. I won't tell you how many years, or decade.

I thought this would make a nice Anniversary card so I used stamps from SU! Fundamental Phrases and my Stamp-a-majig. The Heartfelt Thanks is popped up using SU! pop dots.

Thanks for looking!

Happy Holidays and a dislike

Good morning stampers!

This is a card that I began before the holidays! After one distraction after another, here it is! I was inspired by a card that used the SU! Ski Slope DSP, but unfortunately, I cannot remember where the original source of inspiration is.



With the snow we are predicted to have in our neck of the woods, 8 to 10 inches by Saturday afternoon, I thought it was appropriate to share.

On another note..



I really dislike cheap adhesive tape! This was also sitting on my table and I decided to use it up. Notice how the paper backing has torn. I have to hold the edge of the paper down, apply pressure to the tape gun and then lift the paper edge up so the adhesive sticks to where I want it to. For those of you who have had cheap tape..you know the above steps already. I cannot wait to go back to the Tombow adhesive.

Thinking of Spring

Good morning stampers!

I had been "blurfing" and came across a post at Kristina Werner's blog. She had a card I really liked and wanted to replicate. You can see her card here: http://kwernerdesign.com/blog/2009/01/finally-friday---dry-embossed-frame.html She also has a video on how she did the dry embossing for her card. (Someday I would like to be able to do videos like she offers).

Here is my version:





I used a retired SU! stamp set. I still had the Black Staz-on ink out and the watercolor paper - from the Valentine Day card. So, off I went again.
I began with Pretty in Pink as the base color. Then I layered Pale Plum and then Perfect Plum. I added some glitter to the "pistols" of the flower. Okay, I am drawing a blank on what those things are called. Stymens? maybe. Uggh.

I pulled out my square Wizrd die and used it to dry emboss on my cardstock using the SU! empressor. All I did was feel around for the "edge" and traced the empressor around the four sides. That created a "frame" for the crocus.
I attempted a bow at the bottom - like Kristina did on her card. I found out, I am not a big fan of tying bows on cards, because I am out of practice. Give me the square knot anytime!

The card is a 4 1/4 x 4/14 so I can still mail it in an A-2 size envelope. I have been working on thinking that it is okay if the card does not fit perfectly in the envelope.