The Happy Room

Dragonfly Pocket Card

2012-01-13T11:17:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends!

Today's project is an oldie-but-a-goodie and a favorite fold of mine. This is called a pocket card. It's made by simply marking the card front on both outer edges at 2". Make another pencil mark at the bottom center of the card. Then, just score a straight line between the 2" mark on the left to the center mark on the bottom. Repeat that score from the 2" mark on the right to the center mark on the bottom. Fold the outer corners up a to meet each other at the center, and add some foam mounting tape to hold it closed. You've created a little pocket! I added some pre-purchased embossed white paper on top of the triangle.

I added some glityz shred to mine to give it an airy look since my small dragonflies from the Michael Strong Mini Wings set needed a place to nest. I stamped these little critters in VersaMark ink and embossed them with Verdigris embossing powder. It was easy to do so many because there was no cutting required. The mini dragonfly has a coordinating Mini Wings Die, so I die cut them in seconds flat. Easy!

The large dragonly was created the same way. The stamp can be purchased HERE. I added some small beads to give it some interest. The white cardstock layers' corners were pierced with a template.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Kathie

Kaleidacolor Hummingbird

2012-01-10T20:18:00.000-08:00

Today's project is one of my old favorites. It's a go-to when I'm stumped for a design--it's easy, fast, and is always so colorful and cheery. Today's card features two Michael Strong stamps.

Here's how I made the main image: I sprayed water (in a mister) onto white cardstock. Then, I inked up the Cloisonne Hummingbird stamp in a Calypso Kaleidacolor Ink pad. I stamped onto the very wet cardstock, let the ink run in wild patterns, and then dryed the cardstock with an embossing heat tool. Next, I ironed my cardstock (yes, ironed. Remember yesterday when I said neatness counts? It still does today!) until it was nice and flat again (the water and the heat gun make it curl). Then, I inked up the stamp again in the Calypso Kaleidacolor pad and stamped onto the cardstock in the same place as the first stamping. The results are always different, always spectacular.

Next, I took a stamping sponge and inked around the edges of the cardstock with the same Kaleidacolor pad. It's a cheap-trick way of really making things coordinate. Then, I added some Crystal Effects (sometimes called Dimensional Magic) all the way around the edges, right on top of the inked areas. Then, I poured clear beads onto the Crystal Effects. It makes a very nice, colorful framed edge around any image.

I stamped the small hummingbird image from the Mini Wings set on the background layer, then ran it through a Cuttlebug folder for a "floral" feel. Last, I tied on a coordinating multicolored ribbon.

I hope you've enjoyed today's project and maybe even learned something new. Thanks for stopping by!

Kathie

Cloisonne Dragonfies in Orange

2012-01-10T17:36:00.001-08:00

Hello Friends~

Today's card features a Strong Stamps image; the Cloisonne Dragonfly and the small dragonfly from the Mini Cloisonne Wings set.

This was a fun card to make. The background is an orange flocked design on a kraft-colored base (background paper--a gift from a friend). I wanted to add a bit of interest without detracting from the dragonflies, so I stitched some copper cord with my Janome Sew Mini sewing machine in a zig-zag pattern around the edges. The copper cording was simply wound around the card vertically and anchored on the back with scotch tape.

The dragonflies are painted with Distress Inks. I added some colored gems to the dragonflies. Why? Because they're girls....and we girls love BLING!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Kathie

Cloisonne Panel Bookmark and Card

2012-01-09T13:42:00.000-08:00

Hello Michael Strong Fans (and everyone else!)

Today, I'm sharing a card I made using a Technique Junkie background called Faux Washi Paper. I used a Stampin' Up Word Window punch to punch out a slot for the bookmark and then attached it to the base card.

The Cloisonne Panel stamp is from Strong Stamps (Michael Strong). It was stamped with VersaMark ink and embossed with white embossing powder. Then, painted with Distress Inks. If you're a Technique Junkies member, I wrote a tutorial there for the "secret ingredient" to get these lovely blended colors!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Kathie

Decorated Clips

2012-01-09T12:02:00.001-08:00

Some decorative clips I made with the Mini Wings Cloisonne Dragonfly from Strong Stamps.

Thanks for looking!!

Kathie

Decorated Clips

2011-12-17T04:00:00.000-08:00

CLICK ON THE PHOTO FOR A LARGER VIEW

Hello TJ Girlfriends (guys, too if you're out there)~Kathie McGuire here today with a Decorated Clips project from the 3D and Fun Folds CD. Wait, what? Don't I make anything else besides these clips? Truth is, no--not much. Well, not as much as I make these because they are so adorable, so useful, and such a fantastic personal gift.

This small assortment is for a fellow-makeup and fragrance lover, my Avon lady. She loves pink, so I chose a background paper with pink in it along with a few of the other colors which would match the buttons. I found these buttons from an online store called Shelly's Buttons and More.The cosmetic theme was perfect for her, so with very little effort, I had a coordinated, personalized gift for my wonderful friend.

I hope you've enjoyed seeing a few more of these Decorated Clips. Have you tried them? I have to warn you, once you begin making them, it's hard to turn back. LOL

Happy Holidays, Dear Friends!!

Kathie

Michael Strong Tags of Christmas

2011-11-30T21:10:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends!

Thank you for stopping by today for the Michael Strong Stamps Blog Hop. If you've arrived here without seeing the other artwork by our fabulous participants, please go back to Hetty's blog HERE and start at the beginning.

My Christmas tag features the Cloisonne Christmas Trees. I stamped them onto maroon card stock and embossed them with PSX Brass Embossing Powder. I loved being able to cut them out in seconds with the coordinating Christmas Tree Metal Dies. Last, I added some glitz with Stickles Gold.

I embossed the green and gold cardstock in a Cuttlebug folder and added some gold metallic rub-ons over the swirls. The "snow" is white Flower Soft. At the top of the tag, please notice the Strong Stamps Triangle stamp from the Cloisonne Accents stamp set. When I had it securely in place, I used a Crop-A-Dile to set a brass eyelet to thread the fibers through. The last elements are a bit of gold cord and a brass snowflake from a pile of Christmas doo-dads in my stash.

The next stop on the hop will take you to Michelle Williamson's Blog. Click HERE to see what Michelle has in store for you.

And don't forget to take the following letter along with you for the scavenger hunt: H Collect all of the letters and put them together to spell the secret phrase. If you think you know it, send your guess to Hetty Sanders at her email address: buzzy4you@hotmail.com

Thanks for stopping by today!

Kathie

Eggplant With Gold Metal Accents Chocolate Box

2011-11-11T16:25:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends!

I'm so excited to share one of my latest projects with you here today. I've created a gift box for a friend from Stampin' Up!'s box die cut and filled it with some coordinating chocolate candies decorated to match.

I added some flair to the box with some metal sheets from Add A Little Dazzle.Once I had the measurements figured out, the project was fast and easy. And the next box will be even easier!! I used the Gold Nugget sheet and ran it thru the Cuttlebug in a folder for some texture. Next, I sanded the raised areas with a sanding block to turn the gold to silver. What a fast and easy way to acheive two-tone metal! (for some excellent ideas, visit Add A Little Dazzle's website. It's fabulous!)

The chocolates inside are Hershey's Nuggets covered with two different stamped images (wiggly-line image is unknown, other image is Stampin' Up!)

As a note, I attached the metal to the cardstock with ordinary fabric glue.

To finish off the box, I added a gold button type embellishment with a center gem.

Thanks for stopping by today!!

Kathie

Cloisonne' Origami Cranes

2011-09-11T18:59:00.000-07:00

My card's finished, folded size is 6" X 6" and the background is batik fabric. I attached it to the cardstock with fusible webbing (a thin webbing of iron-on glue which can be purchased online or at a fabric store) by first ironing the webbing to the fabric and then ironing the fabric onto the cardstock.

The threads which are wrapped around the background is metallic sewing thread. I didn't want to cover up too much of the fabric, so I thought it was a good choice for adding some interest without covering up the pattern on the fabric.

I poked some holes in the blue layer and then mounted all of that onto the base cardstock. The Michael Strong Cloisonne' Cranes were stamped with VersaMark ink onto Kraft cardstock, then embossed with Pearlescent Garnet colored embossing powder. I cut them out and attached them to the card with double-sided mounting foam tape.

Thanks for stopping by today!!

Kathie

Eggplant and Copper Cloisonne Dragonfly

2011-08-25T22:44:00.000-07:00

CLICK ON THE PHOTO FOR A LARGER VIEW

Today's card features the Cloisonne Dragonfly stamp, a long time favorite of image of mine from Strong Stamps. I made the background for this card using a technique I learned on the Technique Junkies group. It's called "Faux Washi Paper" and wow, is it fun and easy.

I made the background first, then decided how I wanted to make the dragonfly. I thought copper embossing powder on eggplant cardstock would be the perfect combination. I wanted to embellish the dragonfly, so I chose to use some irridescent beads which I attached to the dragonfly with Crystal Effects. I carefully cut between the wings with sharp scissors, then gently curled the wings by pulling them between my finger and thumb. I attached the dragonfly's body to the card with two sided foam mounting tape. I also used some larger copper beads to decorate the corner of the cards. They were also attached with Crystal Effects.

TIP: Lastly--and most importantly--I would like to share a very fun embellishment I discovered using a few years ago. Behind the dragonfly, please notice a copper colored material which looks like a type of shred.

What the material is: it's a metal pot scrubber which I purchased at the dollar store--three of them in one package (what a deal!). I cut into the scrubber near the top with a regular pair of scissors, and then gently pulled the material as it began to "unravel" from the scrubber. When I had enough, I simply cut the length. To "tame" this big wad of copper, just roll it into a ball in your hands until it's the size you want. You can attach the material to the base card with just about any kind of clear drying adhesive--I used my favorite fabric glue, Fabri-Tac. Since the material is wadded up into a ball, glue is necessary in only a few places. To ensure attachment, I placed Fabri-Tac in a few places on underside of the dragonfly and then weighted it down on top of the metal material with a few punches until it dried.

I hope my projects have inspired you in new and different ways in using your Michael Strong Stamps and Dies.

Thanks for stopping by today!!

Kathie

Cloisonne Butterfly in Black and White

2011-08-24T21:19:00.000-07:00

CLICK ON THE PHOTOS FOR A LARGER VIEW!!

Today's project features a Tri Shutter card design. For instructions on the cutting, scoring, and folding of a Tri Shutter card, go to my dear friend Bonnie's blog HERE.

Tri Shutter is a great design because it has so many great little pallettes to show off stamped images and embellishments. I've been accused of "over-doing" (such nonsense!) and "over-embellishing" (is there such a thing?) my Tri Shutters. I'll let you be the judge and then you can create as little or as much as you like on your Tri Shutters! =)

I chose a black and white theme because I thought the Cloisonne Butterfly image would look great stamped in black ink on white paper. I had black, white, and silver on my mind, so I designed around my color choices. The small panels on the card display an assortment of some decorative papers I had in my stash, the two outer panels show some regular white cardstock which I Cuttlebugg'd, and the two silver polka dotted pieces are background papers which I attached to the panels, then sewed around them with silver thread in a zig zag pattern on my Janome Sew Mini Sewing Machine. The center panel is a background paper from Scrappin' Deals n Steals which is luxuriously flocked with a black pattern.

The main panel shows off the Michael Strong Cloisonne Butterfly and the two small panels display the smaller butterflies from the Mini Wings stamp set. They were stamped with VersaMark ink and heat embossed with white embossing powder. I die cut the small butterflies with the coordinating butterfly die from the Mini Wings Die Cut set.

The die cuts on the end panels are from Sizzix; the butterflys placed randomly on the panels are a Martha Stewart punch--a few of them were run through a Cuttlebug Swiss dots folder to match up with the polka dotted paper on the inner panels.

The beading on the card:
Large Butterfly Image: I hand glued individual silver beads onto the Butterfly's thorax (middle portion) on the card using Crystal Effects for an adhesive. The beads on the outer edges of the wings are very tiny seed beads. First, I applied a thin line of Crystal Effects in approximately 2" sections on outer edges of the wings. Then, I carefully dipped the wing into a bowl of the seed beads, shook off the excess beads, then let it dry before moving on to the next 2" section.

Small Butterlies: The silver beads were cut from a string of silver beads purchased from JoAnn's Fabric and Crafts stores. They were attached with Crystal Effects.

Hanging Beads with Irridescent Butterflies: These may be difficult to see, so try enlarging the photo if needed. Three strings of beads hang on the right hand side of the card from the small upper panel. I purchased these at WalMart in a close-out bin years ago. The beads--with the transparent irridescent butterflies at the end of each string--are sewn to about 12" of ribbon, and the 12" piece can be cut to the length of your liking. I carefully use fabric glue to affix a thread which runs along the back of the ribbon--it's a continuous length between the beads, holding them all together. If it's not glued before it's cut, one snip of the scissors and the beads begin falling off! I cut three of the individual lengths of beads and butterflies and attached them so they would hang freely and dangle in front of the last panel on the card.

Thank you for staying with me for this very long tutorial; see you tomorrow!

~Kathie

Fly Cloisonne Hummingbird

2011-08-23T17:31:00.000-07:00

Today's project features a square 6" X 6" card showcasing the Cloisonne Hummingbird Stamp and the Punch and Spell Alphabet stamp set from Michael Strong Stamps.

The beautiful foliage on the top layer the card is a flocked background paper. It was a gift from a friend, so I'm unsure of the source. I thought it would be a nice background for the Cloisonne Hummingbird. I stamped the hummingbird with VersaMark ink onto white cardstock and heat embossed it with gold embossing powder. Then, I colored the image with Distress Inks and an aqua paint brush. I didn't make note of the Distress Ink colors, but I can attest to the fact that it was probably ten or more different colors. I blended and painted and blended some more to achieve the array of colors you see here. A lot of my coloring is experimental, ever evolving and changing as I paint. Keeping a list of colors most of the time is impossible since I change and blend and basically create a few new colors along the way! =)

I stitched the layers with gold thread on my Janome Mini Sewing machine in a zig-zag stitch to add a little frame, and then stamped the letters F-L-Y from the alphabet set. They were also stamped with VersaMark and heat embossed with gold embossing powder. I added some gold half-beads in some of the flourishes on the letters as well as some colored gems on the bird.

This card will be "flying" across the globe with Michael Strong to the stamp convention "Stempel Mecca" in Hagen, Germany. I hope they both arrive safely and have a wonderful time in Germany. Wish I could be there with them, don't you?

Thanks for stopping by today!

Kathie

Cloisonne Silhouette Panel: Hummingbirds

2011-08-22T17:04:00.000-07:00

CLICK ON THE PHOTO FOR A LARGER VIEW

Today's featured card project showcases a brand new Michael Strong Stamps image from the Cloisonne Silhouette Panels collection. I stamped the image in VersaMark ink and embossed it with white embossing powder, then painted it with Distress Inks. The small hummingbirds are from the Mini Wings Collection.

The background is my version of "Faux Encaustic Wax", which is really just melted crayons on an iron, then applied to plain white cardstock. It's a wonderful adventure to play with crayons and combine colors, then swirl them around onto cardstock with an iron. I made the background first, then selected coordinating inks when I painted the Cloisonne Silhouette Panel. Each Faux Encaustic Wax project, regardless of the skill level of the crafter, produces an explosion of fantastic colors!

If you haven't tried the Michael Strong die cuts (which coordinate with several of the stamp images), I have to say that they are quite possibly the best dies I've ever worked with. They have a nifty little registration system and when you run them through a die cutter, they cut like butter!! For fun, I tried a little shadow effect behind the hummingbirds to add a little interest and dimension.

Here is how I did it:
I stamped and die cut a hummingbird on white cardstock. Then, I die cut two hummingbirds from teal cardstock. I positioned one of the teal die cuts behind the white hummingbird and raised it slightly above the white layer, and the other die cut slightly below the white layer. It made a nice outline/shadow effect behind each bird.

As a note, I attached the panel to the wax base with brads since I was concerned with tapes and adhesives resisting the wax.

I hope you've enjoyed today's project and thank you for taking the time to look at today's project.

~Kathie

Cloisonne Dragonfly in Greens

2011-08-21T17:14:00.000-07:00

Today's card is a 5 3/4" X 6" (finished size) card showcasing both the large Cloisonne Dragonfly and the Small Cloisonne Dragonfly. I used a Spellbinders die to make the cut out on the front of the card, then placed a piece of gold screen behind it. I cut an identical piece of green cardstock with the die in the same place to cover up the raw edges of the screen inside of the card. The large dragonfly image was stamped with VersaMark ink and heat embossed with Dark Cloisonne Green embossing powder. I hand cut the image and applied it to the screen with two sided foam mounting tape.

I stamped several small dragonfly images in vanilla craft ink and added a Martha Stewart leaf punch for interest. Some half-pearls adorn a few of the leaves and also dressed up the Large Cloisonne Dragonfly a bit.

I lined the inside of the card with a vanilla colored cardstock and stamped a couple of dragonflys in green so they'd show through the screen.

I hope you enjoy today's card; see you tomorrow for another Michael Strong Stamps project.

~Kathie

Coffee Blog Hop~Michael Strong Stamps

2011-07-20T00:01:00.000-07:00

CLICK ON THE PHOTO FOR A LARGER VIEW!!!

Hello papercrafting friends and Michael Strong fans! Welcome to my blog and my "Coffee" themed project for the enjoymichaelstrongstamps Yahoo Group circular blog hop. What's a circular blog hop? It means you can start from ANY blog on the hop and continue through all 9 blogs until you're back where you began. If I'm the first stop on your tour, be sure to visit all of my Michael Strong Group friends and see their fantastic creations using (at least one) Michael Strong stamps. This hop crosses the globe, so if you reach a blog and there isn't a coffee themed project, please re-visit as those bloggers may be in another far away time zone. =)

Our coffee theme is in honor of our group leader and my dear friend, Hetty Sanders. Hetty lives in The Netherlands, but she's only a click away from me on my computer, so Hetty and I visit regularly (and we’ve even been lucky enough to meet in person one time. HI HETTY!). Hetty is a real coffee lover, so hence, the coffee theme.

My card is made using two Michael Strong stamps. The coffee cup itself was made by cutting the Cloisonne Pot image apart, separating the lid from the main body of the pot. The cup handle was made by stamping and embossing the large Cloisonne Vase image and cutting out the handle on it, then taping it to the backside of my cup!! Clever, huh?

My card design is called a Center Step card. I got the instructions from Splitcoaststampers HERE, although I made my card a little bigger (6" wide rather than 5 1/2" wide).

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you enjoy the next stop on the hop at Bev Allaire's blog--click HERE to see her fantastic project!!

~Kathie

Faux Encaustic Wax

2011-07-08T17:28:00.000-07:00

What is Faux Encaustic Wax? It's my version of melting cheap crayons instead of using "real" encaustic wax! I bought a new little iron at WalMart (craft section of the store, 10.00) and decided to try my hand at wax. With a tutorial from a stamping friend and a few YouTube videos, and I was well on my way to creating some backgrounds.

I had so much fun melting crayons and "painting" with my iron and old, broken crayons. This background uses regular white cardstock. The patterns are unpredictable (unless there's some experience which was not the case with me) and can be shaped and melted and re-done at the artist's discretion.

Since this piece looked "ocean-y" to me, I paired it up with a Michael Strong Cloisonne Fish image and backed the fish with some English Ivy Fantasty Fiber from Art Institute Glitter. The fish is colored with a Technique Junkies technique called "Pencil Over Marker" and I added some Stickles Glitter and a gem to his eye to complete the image. The corners are Cuttlebug die cuts and the stick-on gems are from JoAnn Etc.

Thanks for stopping by today and have a fin-tastic weekend!!

Kathie

"Giraffe"~Paint Horse Style

2011-06-16T22:03:00.000-07:00

I am happy to share my scrapbook page showcasing the technique, "Giraffe" from the 4/10 Technique Junkie newsletter. The technique is called giraffe because it was actually intended to create spots for giraffe artwork (brown spots on gold paper), but I couldn't resist turning it into a paint horse project.

I chose to make this page using black and brown paper to match a greeting card size replication of a portrait I have of a family horse named "Minnie." Minnie and her baby were photographed and (color pencil) drawn by the fabulous equine artist, Suanne Wamsley. Her website showcases some spectacular equine artwork, sure to delight horse lovers everywhere! You'll find this piece of artwork for sale in a much larger size along with one other portrait of Minnie and her baby. So many more gorgeous horses portraits there, too!!

I generated the text on my computer for the title, "Dream In Color." The border stamp is from Taylored Artwork.

Thanks for looking!!

Kathie McGuire

Decorative Clips

2011-06-05T20:38:00.000-07:00

AS SEEN ON YOUR LIFE A TO Z, KTVK TV PHOENIX, AZ

Supplies
Scissors (or cutting tool to cut decorative paper)
Decorative paper (two strips) cut 3/8” X 3” (or to fit size of clothespin used)
Wooden clip style clothespin
Foam brush
Embellishment
ModPodge
Tacky Glue

Step 1: Apply a coat of ModPodge to the flat side of the clothespin with the foam brush.

Step 2: Press the paper onto the clothespin, making sure it adheres to the ModPodge in all areas.

Step 3: Smooth the paper along the top and edges to create a firm seal of the paper to the clothespin. Then, allow it to dry.

Step 4: Turn the clothespin over and repeat steps 1 through 3.

Step 5: Apply a generous coat of ModPodge on top of the paper, smoothing it as you paint it on. Then, allow one side to dry before turning it over and repeating on the opposite side.

Step 6: Turn the clothespin on its side and continue to apply ModPodge. This step will seal any small slivers or rough spots of wood for ease in handling. Allow to dry, then turn over and repeat on the opposite side.

Step 7. Glue embellishment to the clothespin with the white tacky glue. (It is not necessary to apply additional ModPodge on top of the embellishement.)

Altered Eyeglass Case Box

2011-05-10T00:51:00.000-07:00

This was such a fun recycling/repurposing project! I rescue these eyeglass case boxes from a local optometrist and have had so much fun altering them.

The original color was brown and it was in good shape, so why recover? I left well enough alone and just added to the box. The lace is from a local fabric mill-ends store and the "feet" on the box are recycled beads from an old necklace.

I decorated the top of the box with a strip of drywall tape--it's available at all of the hardware stores. So cheap, too. About $6 for a giant roll. The best thing is about it is that it's self adhesive. Thanks drywallers for making another great embellishment for the papercrafting world! =)

I found a fabulous tutorial for making these flowers over Swirlydoos. Go HERE to see the tutorial--then, make some yourself!

Thanks for stopping by!

Kathie

Faux Tooled Leather

2011-05-05T21:23:00.000-07:00

This is the Faux Tooled Leather technique included on the Emboss or Die Technique Junkie CD. Wow, what a great technique! This is the first (but certainly not the last) time I tried it. It's perfect for western themed cards, but so much more!

This card is a late (probably too late) entry for a recent challenge over at the Gingersnap blog. Have you been there? So many wonderful things to see and do. AND she now has a fabulous line of stamps (of course, I bought some. Would you think otherwise?).

My sentiment is a sticker I purchased from Scrappin' Deals and Steals, the image is Stampourri.

Yee Haw!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Altered Eyeglass Case box

2011-04-23T09:59:00.000-07:00

This is a box that eyeglass cases come in. It was so much fun to make/so easy to alter.

I made the paper using a technique called "Bomber Jacket"--I learned it on the Technique Junkies group. The side pieces were punched with a Martha Stewart punch. I added some Distress Ink around the edges to give it some added dimension.

The top of the box has a strip of Drywall Tape across it along with some plastic beads I purchased at a local mill-ends fabric store (SAS Fabrics). The "feet" are beads I had in my stash--I glued them with Aleen's Tacky Glue.

I hope you've enjoyed my altered box project and thanks for stopping by!

Kathie

Cuttlebug Smoosh Butterfly

2011-03-13T18:57:00.000-07:00

I made the background for this card with a Cuttlebug folder. I learned the technique from a fabulous Technique Junkies CD called Emboss or Die (tee-hee). Kinda cute name for a CD with some incredible embossing and die cutting ideas. LOVE IT!

I stamped the butterfly--from The Rubber Cafe--with two Distress ink colors onto glossy card stock. Then, I added some coral color ink to the wings with a sponge. The fabulous half-pearls are also from The Rubber Cafe!

It was a quick and easy card that I really enjoyed making. I hope you'enjoyed seeing it.

Until next time, happy stamping!!

~Kathie

Side Step Red and White Christmas

2010-12-09T13:08:00.000-08:00

I recently got the Technique Junkies Fancy Folds and Motion CD. Wow, what an incredible collection of tutorials and artwork!! I selected the "Side Step" design for some of my Christmas cards. I had a blast making these, as they were so easy and fast!

This card features an ornament image from Rubbernecker. I purchased it years ago, so I'm not even sure it's available anymore. The text image is from Hero Arts.

Merry Christmas!! Thanks for stopping by today!!

~Kathie

The Form Benders Corner Bookmark

2010-11-27T09:01:00.000-08:00

Hello stamping friends! It's been toooo long since I've posted a project here, hasn't it? I hope to make up for lost time by sharing several of my favorite recent papercrafting projects over the next few weeks.

I found a great tutorial for a Corner Bookmark HERE, and I was on my way to making dozens of them! This project was custom made for the author of The Form Benders, a book which will be released to the public in 2011. I used the Technique Junkies technique called Paper Piecing to fill in the images (from My Favorite Things). The sentiment is from Hanna Stamps. I made the book title on my computer!

I hope you enjoy the project!! Thanks for stopping by today!!

~Kathie

Sculpture

2010-07-23T21:38:00.000-07:00

Thanks for stopping by today to see this sculpture card. Doesn't it look complicated?? It isn't!!

I accepted an invitation to be a Guest Designer for Stamper's Quest magazine, a fabulous online publication containing not only my project, but dozens of other projects and papercrafting information.

I prepared this card and a very detailed photo tutorial on how you can make one just like it. It's FREE to view and you can even print out the tutorial right from the Stamper's Quest website HERE.

I hope you'll stop by Stamper's Quest and take a look at the tutorial and all of the photos. And I'd love it if you would be so kind as to leave me a comment for me at the end of the tutorial. (Look for the tutorial under "Guest Designers".)

Thanks for stopping by The Happy Room today!

Kathie

Red Drawer Box

2010-07-19T13:59:00.001-07:00

Can you tell my new favorite thing is Drawer Boxes?? If you're interested in knowing how to make these, you can see my previous post (below) for all of the links to the instructions and tutorials. They are SO much fun to make and are quite an impressive gift!!

This project was for my BFF, so I made it in her favorite colors. Here is a list of the supplies used and where I purchased them:

Stamps: Close To My Heart, I Brake For Stamps
Brads (used for the "stop" on the top of the box and the base for the drawer pull): Scrappin Deals N Steals
Background Paper: Close To My Heart
Flowers and Build-A-Brad: Scrappin Deals N Steals

Thanks for looking!!

Kathie

Drawer Box

2010-07-15T19:18:00.001-07:00

Welcome to my Drawer Box project!! I found the directions over at SCS (Splitcoaststampers) and was inspired to try it myself when I saw my dear friend, Bonnie had one on her Craftiblog this week. See Bonnie's gorgeous project HERE. You can find the SCS directions/tutorial HERE

The top of my box is an easel card that I just glued to it. I loved Bonnie's box so much, I decided to top my box with an easel card too! I followed the directions for the easel card, which I found at SCS HERE. I just made adjustments so that the card would match the dimensions of the box's top. It was that easy!

The fabulous embellishments and flowers are from Scrappin Deals N Steals, a great internet daily deals site. I used the Chatterbox brad maker for the brad on the top and another brad for the drawer pull. I added a big glitzy button (also from Scrappin Deals) with tacky glue and threaded a little bit of gold cord thru it.

I used stamps from I Brake For Stamps (for the sentiment and the fern). I added the white dots with acrylic paint and the end of a medium size stylus.

Thank you for stopping by today!!

Kathie

This box was so much fun to make and much less work to make it than appears

Harp Music

2010-07-13T18:59:00.000-07:00

I made two of these cards (identical) for two dear friends, who are both very accomplished harpists. I chose the Tri Shutter card design because it gave me so many small pallettes where I could use a lot of my music related stamps and supplies.

The cardstock is from The Paper Temptress, the die cut swirls are from Sizzix, the stamps are PSX (the main image), JudiKins (the musical score) and Alluring Impressions (the harpist). The embellishments are from Scrappin Deals N Steals.

I sprayed the cardstock with some homemade Pearl Ex mix; I learned how to make it over at Technique Junkies. Since the harp player image was directional, I chose to stamp it twice onto acetate using Jet Black StazOn ink. Then, I just flipped one of the images over and then both harpists faced the center of the card. I attached them with brads to the gold cardstock, then glued that to the base cardstock.

I hope you've enjoyed the project and thanks for stopping by!!!

Black and Gold Elegance

2010-07-12T14:23:00.000-07:00

BE SURE TO CLICK ON THE PHOTO FOR A LARGER VIEW!!

I had a great time playing with all of my new things from Scrappin Deals N Steals!! I used the Cuttlebug Highlights technique from the 10/08 Technique Junkies newsletter—it’s very light on the gold panels, but I thought it was just enough to add some interest on this very busy card.

The Gold frame looking object in the center is a big gaudy plastic belt buckle which is part of an upcoming package over at Scrappin Deals N Steals. Groovy! Since it had a bar across the center of it (for a belt to thread through) I layered my black paper piece on top of it. Instant frame!!

I made a custom brad with a Chatterbox Easy Brad Maker, also from Scrappin Deals N Steals. What a fun tool!! It comes with 3 circle punches in varying sizes to fit the three brad blanks that come with the tool. The flourishes around the brad are pieces from a Cuttlebug die, as well as the small fleur-de-lis in the outer corners. The gem flourishes are from Scrappin Deals N Steals too! How did I ever craft before I found that place? LOL

Cardstocks are from The Paper Temptress.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the project and thanks for stopping by!!

Kathie

Giddy-Up!!

2010-07-08T20:21:00.000-07:00

I just got this new set of stamps from Firecracker Designs by Pamela, and I'm having so much fun with them. There are numerous images on this sheet of horses in every shape and size along with some hilarious text "horse sayings". I'm such a fan of Dancing With The Stars (NOT So You Think You Can Dance--but it's dance related just the same), so I HAD to use it on this card.

I'm especially fond of Paint horses, so my horse is naturally a Paint!!! Add to that, this image looks strikingly like the Gypsy Vanner breed--a breed of horse which tugs at my heart strings every time I see one. I was giddy with excitement when my stamps arrived--or should I say "giddy-up" with excitement? Well, anyway I was really happy! I colored my Paint Gypsy Vanner with a technqiue called Pencil Over Marker. I learned it over at Technique Junkies.

The base card is from a great company called Creative Cuts and More. It made the designing portion of this project a snap! I am suprised at all the time I save with that one simple change in card designing. Starting out with a pre-cut base is really a great way to begin. The other cardstock layers are from The Paper Temptress.

Lastly, my brads are from Scrappin Deals n Steals.

Thanks for stopping by today!!

~Kathie

Big Love for Big Card

2010-07-07T14:17:00.000-07:00

For years, I've been a big fan of Faith's over at Mark's Finest Papers. She is the queen of all borders polka dotted and a fabulous artist/paper crafter/stamper! So I decided I was going to try to copy Faith a little (imitation really IS the sincerest form of flattery, right??) because I saw a card she made that I LOVED! So, here is my shameless attempt at copying one of my stamping heroes, Faith!

The images are from Sweet'n Sassy Stamps; this is the first time I've used their products. WOW, do they ever stamp nicely! Thank you Sweet n Sassy for some top quality products!!

The paper is from The Paper Temptress and the ribbon and embellishments are from a new favorite company of mine called Scrappin Deals and Steals. The teal theme is part of an upcoming bundle of products that will be available on Friday July 9th. All of the bundles on this site are available for one day only, so don't miss out on some of the fantastic deals over there--especially this upcoming one!

I've included several photos of this card because it's fun on both the inside and outside. Two photos of the inside are included because I used my new Scor-Buddy to make the border score lines. The second photo of the inside of the card is lightened up a bit to help show off those score lines. It sure helped when I was making all of those white dots! I used a technique from Technique Junkies to add some interest to the white~it's called "Wisped Frames".

Thanks for looking at this big post about my big love for my big card! I'm sure glad you stopped by today!

Floral Whimsy

2010-06-28T13:52:00.001-07:00

I think I'm hooked on the Background Whimsy technique that I just learned at Technique Junkies! Some of my oldest, never used stamps are coming out of the drawers and finally seeing the light of day!

The background image is from Stampin'Up! and the sentiment is from I Brake For Stamps. I thought this was the perfect pair! I framed the sentiment with a new Cuttlebug folder and die set that I found for 2.00 at my local Big Lots store. What a deal! My little gauzy butterfly came from a local mill ends fabric store. It was a real find at 10 of them for 1.25.

I LOVE the brads so much!! They were a find over at Scrappindealsnsteals, the home of some amazing products and daily deals. I can't stay away from there. I signed up for a free daily email which shows the deal of the day. If I'm interested, I can snag the deal before it's gone or if not, I just hit my friendly delete key. I love easy stuff! And the white corner pieces are from a Cuttlebug die that I use so much I finally had to buy another one. The first one was completely worn out.

I hope you've enjoyed the card and thanks for stopping by today!

Kathie

Vintage Ladies

2010-06-22T10:13:00.000-07:00

Have you seen the images at Twisted Papers?? What a fabulous website! I had so much fun navigating through the vintage images in almost every subject! I chose this image and with a few clicks, I downloaded the photo, saved it to a file on my computer and was ready to go. I loved it because I could size the photo to fit my card, something that you can't do with a stamp!

I printed this onto cardstock from The Paper Temptress on my Canon inkjet printer. With so much detail in the image, I decided to leave it as is-no coloring necessary! I used a technique called Wisped Frames (Technique Junkies)but then I trimmed a little off the edges and sewed on top of it, so I think I all but removed it. I tell myself that there are no mistakes in papercrafting, only happy accidents!

I had fun embellishing the image with some stitching and cotton lace. I made the pin from a corsage pin purchased at WalMart in the floral section. I added some pearls from my junk box and glued the last one on with Fabri-Tac to hold the others in place. And lastly, I glued the long bead at the end of the pin. The bow is tulle.

The sentiment is one of my favorites from I Brake For Stamps. I've used it so many times!

I hope you've enjoyed the project and thanks for stopping by today!!

~Kathie

Flowers in Vase

2010-06-21T17:20:00.000-07:00

Remember my Technique Junkies filing tip I posted several weeks ago?? If you missed it, I shared that after I make some TJ backgrounds, I organize them by placing them inside of envelopes marked with the name of the technique and the date in which it appeared in the newsletter. Those envelopes are kept in a file box labeled Technique Junkies Techniques.

I dug through my box tonight and took out an envelope labeled Metallic Alcohol Roll 10/2007. I had the partially made card in my "gotta finish this card" stash, so this was a fast and easy project.

The stamp is a Michael Strong image and the flowers are from the wedding aisle at Michael's Arts and Crafts store. All I needed to do was add some bling to the flowers and my card was done!

I hope you've enjoyed the project and thanks for stopping by!!

Patchwork Purple Rose

2010-06-11T17:22:00.000-07:00

It looks like I'm hopelessly hooked on making these roses, doesn't it?

I made this purple rose several weeks ago from some plain white cardstock and painted it with some Twinkling H20's on a stamping sponge. I "streaked" the sponge across the rose for a little different effect.

I learned a great new technique called "Patchwork" from Technique Junkies, so I borke out my Distress Inks and made a few backgrounds. Then, I dug through the rose stash to see what would match. Since the rose was already purple/white striped, I thought adding some navy ink with a stamping sponge would make a great coordinated embellishment.

The silk leaves are from my leaf assortment, the fern punch is Martha Stewart, and the butterfly is a purchase from a local mill ends fabric store. Corner punch is from Marvy.

Stamp credits:
Close To My Heart (zig zag stitches)
I Brake For Stamps (Beauty)
Stampin' Up! (Fern)

Thanks for looking!

~Kathie

Paper Roses

2010-05-15T12:10:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my picture tutorial for making Paper Roses as seen on 3TV's "Your Life A to A" in Phoenix, AZ. I first learned this technique from Tim Holtz, a fabulous papercrafting guru! I hope you like my interpretation of the process and please let me know your comments and/or questions! And remember, you can click on any picture to get a larger view.

Thanks for looking!!

~Kathie

Thanks for stopping by today! And sign my guestbook so I'll know you were here!!

~Kathie

Remembering Mom

2010-05-05T18:44:00.001-07:00

I thought I'd get a Mother's Day card done since there aren't many days left! Just in time, I received some new rubber from The Rubber Cafe and couldn't wait to ink it up!!

I love the little grater because I don't cook and I'm constantly using kitchen utensils and other items intended for kitchen use in my stamp room. Seemed like the perfect use for a grater to me..........a flower pot!!

I stamped the grater image with VersaMark, embossed with detail black EP and colored it in with Distress Ink refills. So easy! The background papers are from my stash, as well as the other embellishments.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

~Kathie

Thistle Flower

2010-04-06T18:49:00.001-07:00

I had the pleasure of meeting Melissa Forsyth-Sampaga of The Rubber Cafe/Pugnacious Ruber Stamps recently at a stamp convention here in AZ. I found this fabulous "Thistle Flower" image among her line and couldn't wait to create some cards with it.

This is my first card using it (more to follow): the base of the card is basic white cardstock. The next layer is some pre-made cardstock with luscious gold swirls which I thought was perfect for this project. Melissa also had some wonderful new Cuttlebug embossing folders and coordinating dies there at the show, so the white panels are embossed with those (sorry, don't have the set name as it is out on loan right now). The scalloped edges is also a Cuttlebug die which was simply cut apart and "fit" around the layers.

The image was stamped with VersaMark onto basic white cardstock and embossed with Stampendous Pearl Gold embossing powder. That layer was cut with a Nestabilities die. Then lastly, I stamped the Thistle Flower image a second time and hand cut it and applied a little Paper Tole technique to give it dimension.

The gold filagree embellishment was a thrift store find, the oval brad in the center is from Wilton. I purchased it at Michael's. The small pearls are from my stash. The leaves are from the same Cuttlebug set!

I hope you've enjoyed the project and thanks for stopping by today!

~Kathie

Happy Birthday Hetty Dragonfly

2010-04-03T11:50:00.000-07:00

Here is a little Happy Birthday card for my dear friend, Hetty Sanders in The Netherlands. I had so much fun making this card, because I thought about Hetty the whole time that I was making it and remembered our long time friendship.

The dragonfly image is from Michael Strong Stamps. It was stamped with VersaMark ink onto black cardstock and embossed with gold embossing powder. I hand cut the image and then stamped it a second time, cut it out and layered it on top of the first image. That allowed me to gently shape and curl the wings to give it a 3-D effect.

The top layer of the card is just basic white cardstock which was Cuttlebugged and layered onto more basic black. Here is where the fun begins on this card. The gold layer is obviously Cuttlebugged, but do you know what it really is??? It's foil from a coffee bag!! Now if you know my friend, Michael Strong, you will know that he is the "Original Recycler". I'm a short step behind him, because as one of my friends always says "Kathie was 'Green' before it was cool!" So how could I throw something away that was so recycle-worthy??? I'm happy with the results!

The inside of the card (white layer) was cut with the Stampin' Up! Top Note die. I added a little dragonfly image and utilized a fun little technique called "Pierced Patterns" learned over at the Technique Junkies group. It made a nice little flight trail to show you how happy this little dragonfly really is!

Best of all, my dragonfly flew out of Arizona last Monday and landed on a leaf in Hetty's yard today (Saturday). Just in time to deliver my Happy Birthday wishes to my dear friend. Love ya Hetty!!

Thanks for stopping by~

~Kathie

Almost Trashed

2010-03-31T17:51:00.000-07:00

This was one of those projects that was close to going in the trash. HUH? Me throw something away?? Well, I thought about throwing it away but then there was an A-HA moment.

My friend Judy and I spent an afternoon making Faux Designer Paper, a fabulous technique I learned over at the Technique Junkies group. I was trying to make a very special card for a another very special stamping friend, but I just wasn't loving how it turned out (and I usually really love the technique) so I thought I'd toss it and start over. Judy suggested to me to try stamping a big huge stamp right on top of it and let the Faux Designer Paper peek through a little bit. So I inked up an old Close To My Heart favorite image of mine in Tuxedo Memento Black ink and overstamped it. , I loved it and thought my other friend might love it too (another stamper really can appreciate what one can go through in the creating process, right?).

I didn't want to do a lot of embellishing, because this image is pretty powerful on its' own, so I opted to add just a few little Dew Drops along two edges. It still needed a little something else, so I found the paper tile in my stash that looks like a little painting. That darling friend of mine, Judy, gave me a package of these tiles and I've had so much fun with them. Thanks, Judy! I think it added the perfect touch to my almost trashed project. So would this be considered Trash To Treaure?? :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Kathie

Technique Junkie Blog Hop

2010-03-28T22:14:00.000-07:00

Hi blog hoppers! Wasn't Jane's project incredible? (If you didn't arrive here from the her blog, you don't want to miss what our whole TJ Design Team has in store for you!) Go back and start this hop at the Technique Junkie Blog.

Pat will be offering a prize at the end of the Technique By Design Challenge through a drawing for those who PARTICIPATE in the challenge! You will need to comment on her blog AND CREATE a card sharing the link to the project. The prize will be an assortment of products from our Fabulous Vendors.

1. Follow the sketch...
This is a great way to incorporate technique backgrounds into your cards. Just make sure the colors coordinate and you can mix and match different techniques on your card with a stunning effect! If you make extra backgrounds when trying out the techniques, you will love being able to use them here. Note: in order to qualify for the drawing, at least two different TJ techniques must be used on the card.
2. Post a link to Pat's Technique Junkie Blog
3. The deadline to the challenge is MAY 15

Please visit the TJ Blog for exact measurements of each layer for your card

Directions:
1. Attach Layers A, B and C to Layer One, following the arrangement in the sketch. Attach the three brads (or other embellishments) to the top left of the layered piece, arranging them vertically.
2. Attach Layer One to the Base Cardstock, leaving even spacing between the top and sides of the pieces.
3. Stamp the greeting on the bottom right corner of the card beneath the decorated layer.
4. Attach the Focal Image to the center of the layered squares.

And here's a little bit about my card: I used two fabulous TJ techniques. The layer on the right hand side of my card is "Double Bugging". The layer on the left and the strip along the bottom is from the current newsletter. It's called Metallic Parchment. Without a doubt, it's one of my very favorites EVER! A photo hardly does it justice~it's stunning in real life! And the large medallion is a Paperclay sculpture that was stamped in Brown Marvy Matchable ink and dried, then I applied gold metallic rub-on. It looks heavy, but it's light as a feather! I attached it to the card with a combination of Aleen's Tacky Glue and Fabri-Tac.

The next stop on your journey is the fabulous blog of Kimm Bennington-Thompson. Thanks for playing along!

~Kathie

Chef Jer's Bistro

2010-03-20T16:32:00.001-07:00

I made this card for a friend who is a Culinary Chef at a high end resort in New York. Obviously, his name is Jeremy and I decided to put him in his own "Chef Jer's Bistro". I created the sentiment on my computer. Jeremy made a fabulous Italian dinner for me a few months ago when he was visiting in Arizona, so the pile of spaghetti seemed perfect for him! The image was colored with Prisma Colored pencils and blended with Gamsol. The floor image and the chef are Stampin' Up stamps; the wall is patterned paper. Jer's pants are paper pieced.

I hope you've enjoyed your visit to Chef Jer's Bistro and a little taste of Italy!

~Kathie

Nail Polish Isn't Always For Nails!

2010-02-25T09:23:00.000-08:00

Who thought nail polish was only for your nails????

This card was made with the "Nail Polish Backgrounds", a great technique I learned years ago at Technique Junkies.

My friend came over to craft the other day and she brought with her 3 bottles of blue/green/teal nail polishes. I couldn't wait to dig into them and start playing. So, this is the first card that I created.

I didn't stop with just making backgrounds. I figured out that painting the half circular plastic beads that I purchased at Michael's ($6 for a bag of 1,000 in the floral section) made for some spectacular opaque Faux Dew Drops. Woot!! And it's wonderful to be able to make them to MATCH the project.

After making the background, I Cuttlebug'd the piece of cardstock. I loved it so much I didn't want to put a single thing on it to cover up one little inch of the background.

UPDATE: A few papercrafter's have asked me how I painted such a small object. Easy! I put two sided tape on a piece of scratch paper. Then, I placed the drops onto the tape and painted them. Let them dry and when you're ready to use them, they easily come off the tape.

Hope you enjoyed the project and thanks for stopping by today!! If you haven't signed my Guestbook, please do!! I love to see all of your comments and smiling faces!

~Kathie

Sympathy in Peach

2010-02-21T20:09:00.000-08:00

I made this card for someone dear to me who lost her husband recently. I used some lovely background paper that was a gift from a friend. Same friend gave me the peach/gold swiss dotted paper that coordinated nicely. (Gotta love great friends who give paper as gifts!)The design was case'd from one of my stamping heroes, Tosh Leyendecker of Stamp Talk With Tosh. Her blog is so fabulous!! You can see Tosh's card HERE.

I added the stitching with my Janome Sew Mini sewing machine. The die cuts are all from Spellbinders, the flowers and lace are all from a local mill ends fabric store.

Thank you for stopping by!!

~Kathie

Kokopelli Flute Player

2010-02-07T11:32:00.000-08:00

This is a fun little card I made using three different techniques that I learned from the Technique Junkies group. I loved it because the sketch (also from the TJ group) helped me use up so many of my scraps that I'd been saving for years (packrat alert!).

The image is from Taylored Artwork, a fabulous stamp company that's right here in AZ!

Hope you enjoy the card! Happy Super Bowl Sunday!!

Thanks for stopping by!

~Kathie

Faux Torquoise Stone in Pinks

2010-02-02T06:31:00.001-08:00

I used some of my favorite products on this "Faux Torquoise Stone" card. The technique is something that I used for the entire background/base of the card; I learned it over at the Technique Junkies group.

I added some Flower Soft to the trees, some Dew Drops to the corners and the little leaf (might be hard to see) is an embellishment that I picked up at Michael's in the jewelry section.

Hope you enjoy my "Faux Torquoise Stone" card and thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Stampin' Up!/Stampendous
Punches: Martha Stewart, Marvy
Dew Drops: Michael's Clear Drop, in the floral section. I colored them with Alcohol Inks.

~Kathie

Technique Junkies Sketch Hop

2010-02-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

Hello Blog Hoppers!! Weren't Judy and Vada's projects full of inspiration? (If you didn't arrive here from the Technique Junkie blog, you don't want to miss what our whole DT has in store for you! The Technique By Design Challenge starts HERE, so be sure to go back and start from the beginning).

I hope you like the card I created especially for this hop. It uses two techniques: Starch Smoosh and Brayered Brilliance. Both fast and easy techiques with some eye popping results. The center flower was made from scrap cardstock; the silver flourishes are from a Sizzix die cut. The material used for those flourishes was an ice tea can! Recycling!! Woot!

Now, let's move on to the exciting new challenge that we've created for you!!

Here's how the "Technique By Design Challenge/Contest works:

You can have an opportunity to BECOME A JUNKIE FOR LIFE!
Here is how:

1. Follow the sketch...The sketch uses Six 1-1/2" pieces; three sets of two different techniques or cardstock pieces. This is a great way to incorporate technique backgrounds into your cards. Just make sure the colors coordinate and you can mix and match different techniques on your card with a stunning effect! If you make extra backgrounds when trying out the techniques, you will love being able to use them here. Note: in order to qualify for the drawing, at least two different TJ techniques must be used on the card, and one of those two techniques must be used on the squares.
2. Post a link to Pat's Blog
3. The deadline to the challenge is March 15th.

We hope that all of you join us in our first challenge of this kind!! This was such a fun project for all of us on the design team. We want you to have some too, so come and join us!!

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to stop and see the next fabulous TJ Designer, Jane Bosi HERE

Holiday "Top Note Gift Boxes"

2009-12-06T14:09:00.000-08:00

Make these "Top Note Die" boxes as seen on 3TV's "Your Life A to Z" in Phoenix!

Here's how:

SUPPLIES
Top Note Die (or other die shape of your choice)
Die Cutting Machine
2 pieces of cardstock measuring 4 1/4" X 5 1/2"
Scoring tool to score cardstock
Glue or tape
Chipboard
Pattern Paper
Scissors
Any other embellishments for top of box

Step 1: With the die and a die cutter, cut 2 chipboard shapes. (Be green and recycle old cereal boxes or other containers! And it's FREE!)

Step 2: Die cut two pieces of patterned paper.

Step 3: Glue each piece of patterned paper to the chipboard shapes.

Step 4: Cut two pieces of cardstock 4 1/4" X 5 1/2"

Step 5: Score at 1" all the way around on one piece of the cardstock.

Step 6: Score at 1 1/16" all the way around on the second piece of cardstock.

Step 7: Cut the two score lines on each of the short ends on both of the cardstock
pieces.

Step 8: Fold and glue the ends to create the box top. Repeat the same steps on the second piece of cardstock to form the box bottom.

Step 9: Attach the box TOP to the die cut shape (attach on the chipboard side).

Step 10: Attach the box BOTTOM to the die cut shape (attach on the patterned paper side).

Step 11: Embellish as desired and enjoy!!!

NOTE: If you don't have a die and a die cutting machine, the box can still easily be created by cutting a piece of chipboard to 3 1/4" X 4 1/4". Then, just follow the rest of the easy steps!

I hope you enjoy making these delightfully easy gift boxes!

Thanks for stopping by!

Holiday Ornament

2009-11-26T10:19:00.000-08:00

I found this incredible Christmas Ornament project on Yvonne's blog and couldn't wait to try it. I made it for a VERY special friend~hope she likes it. The link to the blog will take you to a picture tutorial; I found it pretty easy to follow!

I used a medallion stamp from I Brake For Stamps and colored it with SU markers. Pearls (small) are from my stash; the large pearl brad is from Wilton (in the wedding section of Michael's). All of the die cuts used in making the ornament at Spellbinder's Nestabilities.

Looks like the holidays are upon us~I'm already excited about all the fabulous papercrafting possibilities!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Kathie

Shades of Pinks and Purples: Rose

2009-10-06T18:21:00.000-07:00

This card features the ever popular floating re-inker technique which I LOVE!! I stamped the image onto SU's Shimmery White cardstock and painted away with some reinkers and an aqua pen. Sheer delight!!

The mirrored background behind the rose is one of those finds that I can't trace. When I subscribed to Vamp Stamp News, I received a sheet of it inside one of my magazines. I hoarded it (like I do with many things) and recently ran across it, so I decided to die cut it with my SU Top Note Die cut and place it behind my rose image.

The die cuts are miscellaneous cuts from my stash, the fern is a Martha Stewart punch. I stitched around the layer with my Janome Mini sewing machine.

This card is dear to me, as I made it for a very special friend of mine in the stamping world. I'm glad you love it Bonnie!!! Visit Bonnie's blog HERE for some incredible eye candy!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

~Kathie

Asian Elements

2009-08-19T18:41:00.000-07:00

CLICK ON THE PHOTO FOR A LARGER VIEW

This is my entry for an Asian card challenge over at the Michael Strong Yahoo Group.
My card base is the ever popular Tri Shutter Card design. I used several Michael Strong Stamps in my design. They are:Cloisonne' Fan, the Cloisonne' Triangle and the Cloisonne' Circle both from the Cloisonne' Elements Collection
HERE IS HOW I MADE THE CARD:

I stamped the fan image 3 times with VersaMark ink onto black cardstock and embossed with PSX Gold embossing powder. I left the first fan intact as one piece, but cut the other two images apart and layered and curled each piece for dimension, adding foam mounting tape. I added a gold brad at the base and cut small pieces of gold cord which are glued under the brad.

The outer panels are a beautiful red cardstock purchased from a local paper store. It has small gold specs embedded into the paper. I ran those through a Cuttlebug to give it some texture and used a Marvy Corner Scallop punch on each corner.

The left panel addtionally has 4 small triangle images pieced together on top of the red cardstock. I made the "stick" by wrapping the multicolored red/black/gold cardstock around a wooden bamboo skewer, then glueing it with Aleen's Tacky Glue. Then, I wrapped gold cord around the stick, securing it on each end with the same glue.

All else is basic stamping/embossing/cuttlebugging, etc with the exception of the "kite". It features the 2 triangle images again with a kite tail made from the same red/black/gold paper. I cut a thin strip of the paper and wound it around a BBQ skewer. Then, I sprayed the paper with a light mist of water and dried it with my heat tool. I slid the skewer out and had a wonderful curly piece of paper that I added to the triangle. An asian kite!!!

The final element is the beaded fringe which I purchased and glued to the top strip of the card. The beads show up a little better in real life~they add so much character to any project!!

I hope you've enjoyed it and thanks for looking!!

Kathie

Technique Junkies Design Team's Treasure Hunt

2009-07-23T16:22:00.000-07:00

Hey Blog Hoppers! Welcome my blog stop on the Technique Junkies Design Team Treasure Hunt. Weren't Judy and Vada's projects fabulous?? Now, if you didn't see their creations, hop on over HERE to begin. By starting there, you'll be able to have a full tour and see all the fabulous designs that our Design Team has in store for you!! Plus, it will tell you all about the Treasure Hunt!! Our fearless leader, Pat Huntoon, has prepared a prize through a drawing that just might be yours if you qualify to win! She "leaked" the information to the design team a day or two ago. WOW~it's a doozie and WELL worth your time!!

Here's how it works: Start at the TJ blog to collect your first clue. At each stop, you'll find another clue. At the end of the treasure hunt, you'll have all the clues which will enable you to put them all together to spell the secret message. Leave a comment on the TJ website (your last stop on the tour)~you won't be able to see your comments, but don't worry. They're there, just moderated so others can't see your answers!! On or after August 3rd, Pat will select a winner from those who provided the correct answer to the treasure hunt mystery. Fun, huh??

All of our designs are "sneek peeks" into the August issue of the Technique Junkies newsletter! And we'll have another Treasure Hunt next month! So let's get going with another clue to help you enter to win..............

This technique is called Starch & Smoosh. It's fast, it's easy, and it's spectacular!! My friend and I spent a joyous afternoon making dozens of these backgrounds. They are beautiful enough to use "as is", but I like to add to them! So versatile!

I hope you enjoy the project. And your reward for looking is the letter U. And don't stop here, because our very talented designer Lisa Sommerville, has a great technique and project for you! Click HERE to visit her on your next stop. Happy Hunting!!
~Kathie

Dramatic Dragonfly

2009-06-22T21:20:00.000-07:00

CLICK ON THIS PHOTO FOR A LARGER VIEW!!!!

This was such a fun project! I love the Michael Strong images for intricate cards because each image adds so much elegance and flair.

This is the oh-so-popular Tri Shutter Card. I found some great directions on Bonnie's blog HERE that made my project so easy!! Just a few scores and straight cuts and Voila! Instant beauty!!

I used Bazzill Boyzenberry cardstock for my base and some miscellaneous background papers for the layering. I knew that a Michael Strong image would be the perfect addition to this card. WOW! I'm so happy that I had this assortment of his Cloisonne' images in my stamp collection because it was the exact look I was going for.

The Cloisonne' squares and circles adorn the outer panel of this card. I punched larger circles and squares from some gold cardstock scraps I had on hand to frame each image. The smaller inside panels are decorated with the Cloisonne' leaf. I gently curled the leaves and shaped them by hand and added them to the panels with foam dimensional tape. (All of these images were stamped with VersaMark ink and embossed with Stampendous PearLustre Gold Embossing Powder). The layer below the leaves is the same scrapbook paper flipped over (it's two sided) and I edged each side with a Gold Foil Pen. AND......each layer of scrapbook paper was punched with my Marvy Scallop punch. I LOVE THAT THING!!

The center panel boasts the ever popular Michael Strong Dragonfly image that you see in SO many of my projects. It's the perfect size and shape for so many of my creations. I stamped it in VersaMark and embossed with Stampendous' PearLustre Garnet Embossing Powder.

The four small panels are background paper which I edged with a technique called Drywall Stitching. What in the world is that???? I learned it at Technique Junkies!!

The small hanging beads are from Dollar Tree.

I hope you've enjoyed the project and thanks for stopping by!!!!

Kathie

Praying For You

2009-06-04T19:06:00.001-07:00

BE SURE TO CLICK ON THIS PICTURE FOR A NICE LARGE VIEW!!!

I made this card for a friend who is ill. I thought a bright and cheery card with a loving christian theme and message was a wonderful way to let her know that I was praying for her recovery. It's great to be able to create something beautiful for someone else that's suffering in hopes to brighten their day, right? Although this card was time consuming, I used the time to pray for my friend as I created and to send prayers of thanksgiving to God for all the blessings in my life.

This card is called a "Tri Shutter Card". I found some wonderful directions on Bonnies' blog HERE. I love the fact that the design gives so many little places to create! I used Stampin' Up's Tempting Torquoise cardstock for the base and some white scrapbook paper (which already had the thread running through it) for the outside panels. The black and white paper is velvet flocked (which came that way) and the black panels are plain black cardstock which I embossed in silver.

The white flowers are from Michael's in the wedding section. I added the silver metal studs and the torquoise gems to them. The hanging beads are from a fabric store; the little crystal cross is from Michael's.

Since the praying hands stamp is directional, I decided to stamp it on acetate with Black Staz-On ink so I could flip one of the images over, making them both face inward. I used a technique called "Metallic Echo" behind the hands. The technique is from Technique Junkies, a wonderful technique group that I couldn't do without!

And lastly, the main image is stamped and embossed.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you've enjoyed this project!!

Getting Physical

2009-05-18T22:09:00.000-07:00

This is a note card and envelope set I made for my dear friend Gina for her birthday. I die cut the folder at a local scrapbook store and knew it would be the perfect project for my "die hard gym/exercising" friend, Gina for her birthday. Of course the Hanna Stamps Getting Physical stamp set was the perfect selection for the images too!

I stamped the main image and the water bottle with Marvy Black #1 and colored both with Prismacolor pencils blended with Gamsol. Then, I paper pieced the articles of clothing onto my very dedicated workout Hanna (wonder if she knows Gina! LOL).

I die cut the main image with my Spellbinders Nestabilites die and backed it up with a larger layer from the same die cut set. I made the flower with an assortment of Stampin Up! punches and threaded the black ribbon through the pre-cut slits to hold it all closed.

This is the folder from a top view. I thought it might be helpful to show what it looks like from the top.

This is the portfolio opened! The right hand side contains several personalized/monogrammed post cards made with the JustRite Stampers monogram set. I made matching envelopes for each postcard~they are on the left hand side of the folder. Happy Birthday, dear Gina!!!

Echoes of Summer Rose in Pink

2009-05-14T20:03:00.001-07:00

This is a design I did for Clear Artistic Stamps. I am a "By Invitation Only" Guest Designer for the month of May, so please stop by and take a look at some of the wonderful stamps and a few of my designs while you're there.

This card features the rose image from the Echoes of Summer set. When I saw the image, I knew I had the perfect technique for it. I used the Marker Watercolor technique which I learned at Technique Junkies.

I stamped the image with VersaMark ink and embossed it with PSX gold embossing powder. Then, I used Tombow markers and an aqua pen from Stampin Up! to do the technique on 140# cold pressed watercolor paper. Easy peasy!

The base cardstock is Bazzill; the layer behind the main image is a Spellbinders Nestabilities die. LOVE IT!! The ribbon is from Michael's; the pin and jewels is something I made myself from a corsage pin I purchased at WalMart. The beads are from my stash. Corner piercing was done with a straight pin and an Ornare corner piercing template.

Thanks for looking. Stop by again soon!!

~Kathie

Bingo Blast

2009-05-03T17:49:00.001-07:00

This card uses the "Bingo Blast" technique from the Technique Junkies group. Fun!!
Stamps used are from one of my favorite artists, Michael Strong of Strong Stamps. I love the versatility of his images; they make the most beautiful projects.

The large circle image was stamped with white pigment ink and embossed with white detail embossing powder. I punched the circle image with a Marvy scalloped punch and then layered it onto a white shape which was die cut from a Nestabilities die. I think they worked well together. I used my new scallop punch corner from Marvy for the corners on the Bingo Blast layer.

I wrapped red metallic cord around the scallops, taped it from the back, and stamped another Michael Strong circle image and used foam tape to give it some dimension on top of the main circular image.

The corner circle is the same small stamp with a ribbon and cord embellishment.

I hope you've enjoyed the card and thanks for stopping by!!

~Kathie

Harp Thank You's and Floral Picks

2009-04-27T21:20:00.000-07:00

The Harp Birthday Concert was a big hit for my friend, Alla. I wanted to add some more harp images around the room somehow, so I thought of making floral picks to add to the table's small floral decorations.

I stamped the images in VersaMark ink and embossed with PSX embossing powder. I took bamboo skewers and painted them with burgundy acrylic paint, then cut out and attached the embossed harps to the sticks with a hot glue gun. I stamped a second image for each of the picks with Brilliance "Galaxy Gold" ink, cut them out and then glued those behind the other harp image to hide the glue.

Lastly, I attached three strands of ribbon to finish off the picks.

Alla is holding a "Thank You" card which matches the invitations and table decorations that I made for her party. This was such a simple card to make (I made a box of 25 of them) and she just loved it.

The gold side panel is Cuttlebug'd and has a small length of ribbon wrapped around it. The side is stamped in Stampin' Up's Baroque Burgundy ink. The harp is stamped with VersaMark and embossed with gold embossing powder (PSX).

Thanks for stopping by and sharing a bit of the Harp Birthday Concert with me!!

~Kathie

Harp Themed Party Invitations

2009-04-22T15:14:00.000-07:00

My dear friend Alla is turning.............ah, I don't know if she wants me to tell. But I will tell you she is such a darling person, that I volunteered to make the invitations for her party!!

She is a phenomenol harpist and is celebrating her party "in style". The bash will include harpists from all over the state, performing at the festivities. WOW!! I had to do something wonderful for her, so I chose this design that I CASED from my friend, Gina. Gina's design was for a family member who was getting married and I loved it so much that she gave me one for my sample basket. When Alla's party was being planned, I knew just what I wanted to do for her. I made a few small changes, but overall you can see how Gina's design made my job soooo easy. Thanks Gina!!!

Here is the party invitation, closed. It's a flap style card with a pocket which contains an insert with all of the party information. The original cardstock size (flat) is 5 1/2" X 8 1/2"; I scored it at 2 1/4" from the bottom to make the pocket. The top flap (beginning at the opposite end) is scored at 3 3/4". Cardstock is Bazzill.

The rest of the card is basic stamping and embossing. The embossed gold layer is a Cuttlebug embossing folder. The scallop cirle is from Stampin' Up with a 1 3/8" white circle layer on top of that. The small harp stamp was a gift from another harpist friend; company listed on the wood is "Asya Graphics, Denver, CO".

An interesting addition to this card, thanks to my good friend Gina, was her suggestion of punching the scalloped circle and the 1 3/8" circle out of chipboard first. Then, I layered the cardstocks onto those. What a difference that made in the overall look of the medallion when it was all put together. The medallion had a much more professional, finished look and wasn't so flimsy on the invitation. Gina, you're such a smartie!!

Lastly, the musical score is an all time favorite stamp of mine from JudiKins.

An open view of the invitation. I printed the party information on plain white cardstock on my computer. It was a bit too plain so I added a large harp image from Rubbernecker (probably retired now~I bought it over 10 years ago). I stamped the image with Memories Shadow Ink "Rose". It made all the difference, don't you think??

And here's the whole boatload of invitations, all ready for mailing out to all of the harpists!! Happy Birthday Alla!!

Matchbook Card #1

2009-04-21T16:48:00.001-07:00

Enjoy these photos and check the post below for all the details on the projects!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

~Kathie

Matchbook Card #2

2009-04-21T16:29:00.000-07:00

Another little matchbook card made with some fabulous cardstock from The Paper Temptress! This is my second design with this pattern and I loved the Mica/Metallic Emerald and Aquamarine so much that I used it again. Although this project is similar to the one I shared a little while ago, I wanted to show the versatility of this cardstock and color.

This first photo is the matchbook closed. I added a scallop punch (Stampin’ Up!) and had a little package of these teardrop shaped stick ons that I purchased at JoAnn’s for a buck!! Can’t beat that. And look how they coordinate. I love it when supplies look like they met on match.com. Er, well I guess I should have suspected it. They ARE "match"book cards. Ah, ya I know. I won't quit my day job.

Here’s the matchbook open. Embossing powder loves this cardstock! These images are from Innovative Stamp Creations and they fit so perfectly on this card. LOVE IT!! Plus, you see another view of the brads that I used to hold the matchbook insert to the outside cover. This cardstock loves to be punched!

Here’s the matchbook open with the little tag peeking out.

And here is the tag, full view!

Stamps: Innovative Stamp Creations
I hope you’ve enjoyed this project (btw, this is a Technique Junkies project. So many wonderful things to discover over at the TJ group. Not a member?? What are you waiting for! My stamping world wouldn’t be complete without it!!)

Zebra Purse and Note Card Gift Set

2009-04-01T15:01:00.000-07:00

Here is a little project I did with some new papers from The Paper Temptress. This is a wonderful new company with some drop dead gorgeous cardstocks!! I designed this project a few years ago and it's been one of those projects I seem to go back to time and time again because they so cute and so easy to make. This project is available in my published books along with 9 others and a companion book with 101 papercrafting tips. Go HERE to learn more about my books!

The Retro Black Glossy Lustre and Retro Silver Glossy Lustre cardstocks were the perfect inspiration for this Purse and Note Card Gift Set. The glossy, swirly stripes cried out “Zebras!” to me the moment I laid eyes on this incredible paper.

So let’s take a little safari with my zebra friends and get a closer look at each one of the components of this gift set. Got your safari hat on? Ready?? Let’s go on a journey with a few of my zebra friends!

This is the purse that holds four A-2 size note cards and four envelopes (envies not included in these photos). The Retro Black Lustre and Retro Silver Lustre paper was a dream to cut, score and even sew on my Janome Sew Mini sewing machine! Plus, look at all of those luscious swirl-y stripes. So zebra-y (is that a word?). You’ll notice the adorable clasp that I die cut from a Spellbinders die cut for the purse clasp. Again, this paper performed flawlessly!

Meet Zebra # 1. This cardstock base is the Black Felt Grandee. In person, it is easily recognized by papercrafters as a top-notch cardstock with its’ knobby felt-like look and feel. It’s just dreamy! It folds and scores so easily and provides the perfect base for your lovely artwork. It’s quickly becoming a favorite of mine. The stamped image adds the perfect touch to this card, again showcasing the Retro Silver Lustre stock. I stamped with black Marvy Matchable ink which took to the Lustre cardstock like a dream. Yummy! The corner shape is a punch. To “pop” the designs I added self adhesive pearls. (Stamp credits: PSX)

Say "Hello" to Zebra #2. The base cardstock is White Felt Grandee. It’s so lovely in person~just like your best linen jacket fresh and clean from the dry cleaners. This stock just screams “top notch”. Again, it’s easy to fold and score. The stock for the main image is the Heavenly White Premium Ultrasmooth~it’s so incredible and user friendly. As you can see, a plain black image stamped in dye based ink looks like a million on this sheet. This paper looks like a winner every time!! Lastly, I added oval shaped self adhesive pearls and some fuzzy funny fibers for a little extra dressiness! (Stamp credits: PSX)

Here is Zebra #3. This card uses the Black Felt Grandee as a base with the Heavenly White Premium Ultrasmooth for the center image. I can’t stress enough how wonderful the HWPU cardstock is!! In many years of stamping, I’ve not seen such luxurious smoothness and the stunning bright whiteness of this beauty. Did you know that paper is “graded” using these three criteria? (Stamp credits: Sugarloaf)

1. Basis weight

2. Finish

3. Brightness

Kathie’s Comments:

1. Basis weight: The HWPU has a basis weight that is PERFECT for cardmaking.

2. Finish: The finish is so creamy, dreamy smooth which is a papercrafter’s *dream* stock.

3. Brightness: This paper is strikingly white. White, white, white. Did I mention white?

Zebra #4. This last card was made with White Felt Grandee as a card base, Black Felt Grandee as the first layer, and Heavenly White Premium Ultrasmooth Cardstock for the main image. These cardstocks have made such a difference in the overall look and feel of my projects. Thank you, Paper Temptress for these wonderful additions to mypapercrafting world!!! (Stamp credits: Embossing Arts)

I hope you enjoyed our little safari. Thanks for stopping by!

Purple Cross

2009-03-26T20:06:00.001-07:00

Another cross card!! I love this color combo! Here are the details on the card:
Background: Watercolor Resist (Technique Junkies)
Cardstock: Bazzill
Images: Stampin' Up!
Pearls: Martha Stewart, WalMart
Die cut cross: Sizzix "Ornate Cross #2"
Shell Cross embellishment: Michael's (jewelry department)
Ribbons: Michael's
Embossed cardstock: Cuttlebug
Jewel: WalMart
Corner die cut: Cuttlebug

Thanks for looking and for stopping by!!

Kathie

Elegant Cone

2009-02-27T13:02:00.000-08:00

I made this wonderful cone by combining products from two of my all time favorite companies~The Paper Temptress and Michael Strong Rubber Stamps. The paper is a new sheet called "Touche black" and it looks and feels like nothing you've ever seen before!! To me it feels like a cross between paper, plastic, and foam. Really a luxurious cardstock;it's a breeze to work with! As a note, I did discover that I had to score it with my scoring tool rather than just folding it over a ruler since the cardstock is heavier than the regular background-type cardstock (like I show in my Paper Cone tutorial below). The gold stock is from PT too; it's called Antique Gold. I ran it through my Cuttlebug to give it some texture and a nice design.

I found the Touche' Black very user friendly with VersaMark ink and embossing powder! I used the Michael Strong stamp "Dragonfly" which was stamp with VM ink and embossed with gold embossing powder. I think the result was dy-no-mite!!

The black diamond shaped gems are from a sheet of stickers I purchased at Michael's as well as the hanging beads. I purchase them at Michael's or WalMart~they are sold by the yard for around 3 or 4 bucks a yard/package. The ferns (I call them "weeds" LOL) came from Michael's too. The gold studs are from my stash of stuff, so it was probably a mill ends store purchase. :)

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy another Paper Cone!!

~Kathie

Cone by Judy

2009-02-21T16:49:00.000-08:00

I've turned my friend Judy into a "Conehead". LOL Here is a lovely cone that she made;I thought I would share it with you. Thanks for looking!!

Paper Cones

2009-02-16T17:22:00.000-08:00

Supplies:
9" X 9" piece of cardstock (text weight paper works for this project also)
Double sided tape
Ruler or straight edge
Embellishments of your choice (I like to add Prima Flowers and Ferns punched with a Martha Stewart punch).

Fold the cardstock from corner to corner, forming a triangle. Then, unfold.

Fold one corner of the cardstock (make sure it's one of the corners that has a score through it. On this 9" X 9" square, I folded the corner down at approximately 3 3/4" measuring on each edge of the cardstock, then folding down to meet the score line).

Place the ruler at one of the "points" at the top edge of the cardstock. Place the other end of the ruler at the bottom of the cardstock~against the score line. Fold the cardstock against the ruler to score it.

Place the ruler at the second point, top edge and at the bottom point. Fold the cardstock against the ruler. This now completes the last fold of the cone.

This is what the cone will look like from the back side after the scores/folds are completed.

Apply double sided tape to one edge of the cone (either side).

Most all of the beaded fringe I've purchased is held to the twill band with a continuous thread. If the thread is cut, the beads will fall off! So, prior to cutting a length of the beaded fringe, apply a small amount of glue along the thread, making sure that it is securely affixed to the twill tape. I use Fabri-Tac by Beacon Industries. Now, you can safely cut through the twill tape without losing any beads!

Apply two sided tape to the RIGHT side of the twill tape. Then, make a few slits on each side of the center bead. This will give the "ease" necessary to go around the corner point of the paper.

Starting with the center bead, add the strip of beads to the back side of the flap. Do one edge at a time for easier placement.

Peel off the backing of the tape. Fold each side of the cone toward the center, then secure with the two sided tape.

Back side of the cone!

Front side of the cone. See it taking shape?

Punch one hole on each side of the cone (on the back side) and reinforce the holes with eyelets.

Thread a length of ribbon to the cone so it can be hung on a doorknob or displayed on a wall (the length of ribbon varies depending upon where/how it will be displayed).

Completed Cones!!

Recycled Valentine

2009-02-10T17:19:00.000-08:00

Here is my sugar free/fat free/calorie free Valentine's Day gift for a dear friend of mine. Ironically, this friend is slim and trim but she loves to receive small do-dads that she can use in stamping. I thought this would be the perfect gift to put a smile on her beautiful face this Valentine's Day!(ya, I know. Her husband will do something wonderful I'm sure, but I'll bet he doesn't get her anything THIS cool!!)LOL

Supplies: Empty Valetines Candy Box, sheet of background paper, adhesive, stamps of your choice, ribbons/embellishments, candy cups (I used Wilton's), small items to include inside the box. And of course, a friend to give it to!!

Using the lid of the box as a template, trace the shape onto the backside of a decorative sheet of paper.

Attach the background paper to the top of the heart box. This paper is a luxurious velvet design that I got as a gift from my BFF Judy! What a friend!!

I put several small stamping related gift items in my candy cups. A very sugar free Valentine's gift :)

I removed the guard from this corner punch so I could punch cardstock along the edge.

Punch individual hearts along a strip of paper, then cut the hearts apart so they can be attached to the back of a heart shape.

Add the individual scallop punches to the backside of a heart shape (see completed project photo for the heart shape I used in this project from Michael Strong Stamps)

Finished Valentine!!

Girlie Girl Bubble Bath

2009-02-02T21:19:00.001-08:00

What a fun card this was to make!! These adorable images are from Clear Artistic Stamps and they stamp so wonderfully!! I just purchased the lady in the bathtub charms at a local store the day prior to receiving my "Girlie Girl" stamp set from Belinda Landtroop! I was thrilled to see how cute they were together.

The image was colored with a technique from Technique Junkies called "Pencil Over Marker". I added Stickles glitter to the bubbles in the bathtub and on the Bubble Bath container. The oval punch on the bottle is from Stampin' Up! as well as the tag behind that image. I made a little necklace from silver cord (Stampin' Up! also but I belive it may be retired now). I tied it in a little knot and then stuck a gem from a package of cell phone gems onto it. Voila! Instant necklace!

The gems along the scalloped border (Martha Stewart) are the same cell phone gems (I used to get them at WalMart but I don't see them there anymore. Background paper is from my stash.

Thanks for stopping by for a little relaxation and a Girlie Girl Bubble Bath break!

Giraffe Journal and Floral Pencil

2009-01-25T14:04:00.001-08:00

CLICK ON ANY PHOTO FOR A LARGER VIEW

Merry Christmas Pat!

Now before you think I gave Pat her gift in January I must tell you that she received it well in advance of Christmas. I'm just now sharing this fun project. This is a 1.00 composition journal I purchased at Dollar Tree. I covered it with velvet paper that I had been hoarding for 6 years!! Sadly the store is now out of business and I've never seen this paper again :( I used two different sheets; the giraffe pattern and the solid brown. The paper is attached with Paper Cement (made by the same mfg. that makes Rubber Cement~you can buy it at Michael's in the glue section of the store). The giraffe image (Embossing Arts~now out of business)was colored with Prisma pencils and blended with Gamsol blending fluid. I framed the image with a technique I learned at Technique Junkies called "Torn Frames".

The matching flower is a #2 pencil I embellished with a paper flower. I learned this fabulous technique from one of my stamping heroes, Tosh. Her blog is beyond fantastic and you can find her easy to follow directions HERE. I changed it up a bit by die cutting my petals from a Sizzix die cut heart since I taught this project at one of my stamping parties. I precut all the shapes for my friends to save them some time when they were making them (I spoil my friends rotten because I *LOVE* them all!!).

I've probably made a hundred or more of theSE journals and to date, this is by far my favorite and was made for one of my favorite people!! I hope you enjoy it!

Teal Cross

2009-01-22T12:16:00.000-08:00

Another die cut cross card. The background technique is Faux Designer Paper, a Technique Junkies technique. Differences from previous cards posted on this blog are: Stamps are Magenta, corner die punch and cardstocks are Stampin' Up! and fibers are from Michael's. All other information about the card is contained in previous posts. Thanks for looking at yet ANOTHER cross card!

Paper Bag Full of Tools

2009-01-21T13:47:00.000-08:00

What more could any man ask for if he would get this paper bag full of tools?? I received this adorable template (not really a template but a "how-to" diagram) from a friend and couldn't wait to make a paper bag card. The next day, I was fortunate enough to receive a faulous sheet of Kraft Cardstock from Paper Temptress which was perfect for this design. I loved working with this kraft paper, as it had a different feel and texture than other kraft papers on the market. AND, it looks JUST LIKE A PAPERBAG!! Woo-Hoo! The images are from Stampin' Up!'s new catalog~the set is called Totally Tools. They are cut out and attached on the inside of the card; the shred is just for a little filler and to make it look more like a gift bag. I hope you enjoy the project!!

Night of Navy Holy Cross

2009-01-19T10:57:00.001-08:00

Another cross card (more info in previous posts).

Thanks for looking!

Purple Cross

2009-01-17T15:48:00.000-08:00

Holy Cross in purples. Please check previous posts for information about this project. Thanks for looking!!

Holy Cross in Green

2009-01-17T15:44:00.001-08:00

Please scroll down and see previous posts for information and details on this project. Thanks for looking!!

Holy Cross in Blues

2009-01-14T21:17:00.000-08:00

Yet another cross card!! Not a lot different than the other cross cards, but a little different color scheme. (Info on the major components in the previous post.

I hope you enjoy!!

Glass Shards Cross

2009-01-13T15:20:00.000-08:00

I created this background with a technique called "Faux Designer Paper" from the wonderful Technique Junkies Newsletter. The cross was die cut with a Sizzix die (Ornate Cross #2)from chipboard, then covered with Dries Clear Adhesive from Art Institute Glitter. After applying the adhesive, I added a chunky, sparkly fabulous product called "Glass Shards" (also from Art Institute Glitter).

Calla Lilies in Oil Pastel

2009-01-11T14:47:00.000-08:00

My friend Judy gave me a box of Oil Pastels last week because she said she had purchased them and had never used them. (Yikes, I have a box in my cabinet that I hadn't used either). I thought since she was so sweet and generous, the first card I made with them should be one for HER. :) So, since I had no idea how to use them either, I researched and found a fabulous website called Wet Canvas which is a huge resource for art mediums. After reading all about Oil Pastels, I chose this Yvonne Albritton Designs "Calla Lilly" stamp and decided to give it a try.

I stamped the image on watercolor paper with Marvy Matchable Black #1 Ink and colored in the image with the Oil Pastels. Next, I blended the colors with Gamsol (an artist's blending fluid) and a blending stump (also called a tortillion). When my colors were blending to my liking, I sealed the image with Matte Acrylic spray which I purchased at Michael's.

I sewed the individual panels with my Janome Mini Sewing Machine and added the self adhesive Martha Stewart pearls along the scalloped edge (Martha Stewart punch) and on the side background panel. The panel was made by following the directions from a Technique Junkies newsletter~the technique is called Watercolor Resist.

The little corner flourish is a Cuttlebug die cut I purchased at my LSS(local stamp store "Stamp Works": StampWorks)
I hope you enjoy Judy's Calla Lilies in Oil Pastel!! (BTW, she came over today and I gave her the card. It was a big hit!)See? It pays to give away the things you're not using~maybe someone will make something for you and you get some of it back. Sort of!

Glass Shards Holy Cross

2009-01-07T17:02:00.000-08:00

I'm loving my new Sizzix die "Ornate Cross #2". I created a background for the card using a technqiue from the latest Technique Junkies newsletter called "Watercolor Resist". What a fast and easy and VERY beautiful background this creates. Here is a little bit about how I made the card:
#1. I created the Watercolor Resist background.
#2. The die cuts on the corners are from Cuttlebug.
#3. I added self adhesive rhinestones inside of the die cut's corners.
#4. The cross was die cut with a Sizzix die (Ornate Cross #2). I used the chipboard from the inside of the package when you purchase a sheet of postage stamps. WOW, it cuts like a dream. I've been saving mine for months now and just tried it. Wonderful stuff and it's FREE!
4. I used Art Institute Glitter's "Dry Clear Adhesive"~I applied it to the chipboard, the sprinkled on "Glass Shards" (also from Art Institute Glitter. I added a square jewel that I purchased in a bag of jewelry pieces at Michaels. When all of it was dry, I attached it to the card with mounting foam tape.
5. The cord is from the thrift store, so no brand name is available. It's basically just a cotton string with lots of silver metallic strands in it.

Paper, watercolor crayons, and stamps from Stampin' Up!

Holy Cross

2009-01-05T16:15:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!! The Faux Designer Paper background on this card (which I personally made~meaning it isn't purchased background paper) is one of my new favorite techniques I learned from Technique Junkies. Love it!! It was wonderful because I could strike the perfect color match with my SU color wheel, SU inks, and SU cardstocks!! Here are the main supplies used on the card: Punch; Martha Stewart. Ribbon; Stampin' Up! and Michael's. Brads; Stampin' Up!. Die cut; Sizzix "Ornate Crosss #2". Charm; Michael's. Glue pen; 2-way glue pen Michael's. Glitter; Art Institute Glitter. Stamps; Magenta.

My inspiration came from one of my stamping idols, Amy Sheffer over at Pickled Paper Designs. Thanks, Amy!!!
I hope you enjoy!!!!!!!!!!

Glass Heart Tealight Candle Holder

2008-11-03T13:53:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my Glass Heart Tealight Candle Holder Tutorial! I discovered that one of my Michael Strong Stamps (Cloisonne' Heart) was almost the perfect size for this candleholder. I purchased the candle holder at WalMart for 1.00 and brought it home and the process began.

To coordinate with the fall colors and decorating in my home, I chose Dee Gruenig's Blending Blox ink pads and used them direct to paper (just press them on your paper and pull down. Easy Peasy!). Then, I stamped with VersaMark and added brown embossing powder and heat embossed it.

The exact shape and size of the candleholder differed slightly from my stamp's shape and size, so I placed the candle holder on top of the image and drew a pencil line around it. Then I trimmed to the pencil line rather than the image line. That step made the image fit the glass holder perfectly!!

The photos below will take you throught the process, step by step. Now how can you beat a stamping project this affordable?? Michael Strong seems to always know what type and size of stamps to manufacture for these types of projects. I hope you enjoy!!

Glamour Girls

2008-11-02T13:18:00.000-08:00

These cards were made with a technique called Gesso Resist, a fabulous Technique Junkies mixed media art technique. Images are a sheet of stamps called "Glamour Girls" from I Brake For Stamps. Although the technique has been around a while, this is my first attempt at it. WOW, I love it and I'm sure it will soon become one of my "default" techniques (ya know, the one you always return to when you're trying to make something fabulous??). I am WILD about these images!! They are "halftoned", a term which is from the printing business meaning that the images have been converted into a dot pattern. (look at a photo in a newspaper and you will see a pattern of small dots. You're seeing half dots and half paper, hence the term "halftone") There are very few stamps available today with this type of dot pattern, so I am overjoyed to have these in my stamp collection. AND they stamp like a dream! So, meet my glamour girls! Enjoy!!

Recycled Candle Jar Lid Paperweight

2008-10-27T09:28:00.000-07:00

1. Recycle a glass lid from a used/discarded jar candle. Remove the plastic ring from the lid and discard it.

2. Stamp the Michael Strong Stamps Cloisonné Circle image and cut it out.

3. Push the image into the lid. It will bend and curl to fit inside the opening.

4. Tie ribbon around the side of the lid. Fill the opening wih clear plastic pony beads.

5. Punch a circle from cardstock, making sure the circle size is appropriate for the opening. Glue the circle to the glass rim with fabric glue.

6. Stamp, color and cut out the circle image again and attach it to the cardstock on the bottom for a “reversible” paperweight (see example on finished “bottom view”).

The Civil War: A to Z

2008-10-23T14:55:00.001-07:00

My dear little friend and next door neighbor, Montana (12 years old, 7th grade) came to me asking for help with a school project. Her assignment was to make a book about the Civil War. There were some guidelines and restrictions, but the design and overall theme and look were up to each student.

Before you gasp and think that I made the book for her, let me clarify a few things. Montana has been stamping with me for 1 1/2 years. She is such a little doll, much more mature and responsible than most 12 year olds, so she has full access to my stamp room and everything in it!! What a lucky girl!! Since we have spent so much time together, Montana has become quite a fabulous little paper crafter. That having been said, she did get some help from me on the project, but only for the sake of time. Every idea, technique or design in the book is one that she could do completely on her own, with no assistance from me.

So please allow me to share with you our project: "The Civil War: A to Z". I loved the project and will always cherish the time I got to spend with my darling little friend, Montana. Didn't she do an awesome job????? And please, if you love the project, be kind enough to leave a comment for her. It will mean a lot to her, as she put her heart into every minute of making it.

(note: I didn't include every page of the book simply for space sake. The pages here are some of our favorites).

If you click on the last picture of this post, a larger version will allow you to read about the making of the book. If you have questions on how we did anything that you see, please send us an email and Montana and I will be happy to respond.

Boo Bubbles

2008-10-21T21:47:00.000-07:00

I'm bubbling over with excitement about this ADORABLE project!! Wish I could claim the original idea, but like we stampers sometimes do, we CASE (Copy And Share Everything)! In this case (ya, I meant to say that) I CASED an idea I saw on the Papertrey newsletter that I receive in my email inbox regularly. So cute and I loved it so much that I did a TV segment this morning demo'ing how to make these little treasures.

I purchased the mini-bottles of bubbles at a local Dollar Tree store. You can find them in the wedding section in a box of 12 for a dollar!! What a deal!!

I used the Hanna Stamps Halloween set and stamped a 1" x 4" computer label with the bat and the text stamp "Boo". I wrapped the label around the bottle, cut an 8" length of ribbon (can you see I was lucky enough to find ribbon with the word Boo printed on it? Shazaam!!!) and tied it around the top of the bottle just beneath the lid. Lastly, I added a plastic child's ring to the bottle by snipping the ring's band apart and then pushing it onto the bottle.

Could a Halloween project be any easier?? And the real bonus is how much the kids (not to mention the adults) LOVE playing with these. And another bonus is that this is a great project for the kids to take to school if the school doesn't allow candy (I didn't realize some of the schools are implementing this policy but they are.)

Wishing all of you a Big Bubbly Happy Halloween!!! Enjoy!!!!!!

Happy Hanna Halloween Soap

2008-10-17T19:38:00.000-07:00

Want to make an adorable Halloween gift for someone special? I do and I did!! This darling soap container is for the owner of my local stamp store, StampWorks in Chandler, AZ. I hope she enjoys it as much as I did making it! I have a feeling all of the hard working stampers that visit her store will be using it and enjoying some great Hanna Stamps images while they're at it!!

This is an apple shaped liquid soap container that I purchased (smells apple-y too!)from a home store. To cover up the original label, I punched two scalloped oval shapes from cardstock (white and lavendar). I stamped some Halloween Hanna Stamps images and colored them in with markers and colored pencils.

Since the container had a strange shape (remember the apple thing?), I had to take a couple tries at getting the label to adhere. I finally succeeded when I took scissors and put small slits inbetween each petal on the scalloped oval (on both layers). Then, I attached the white layer to the lavendar layer and sprayed spray adhesive onto the backside of the lavendar layer. That held it in place for me while I put clear tape on top of the entire scalloped image. Voila! I added a couple of ribbons and rick rack and embellished them with a few mini-pony beads. The candy corn is a button that I purchased at Michael's; I cut the shank off of the back so I could use it as an embellishment. I glued it to the ribbon with fabric glue.

Happy Halloween Nic of StampWorks!! (the hardest working and nicest stamp store owner around!! ;)

Snakeskin Gecko

2008-10-16T13:28:00.000-07:00

The main image on this card is one of my favorite Michael Strong Stamps images: Gecko. I made the gecko and the circle image mulitcolored by applying dye based ink to sponge daubers and then pouncing the daubers directly onto the rubber on the stamp. The background technique is a new favorite of mine, too called "Snakeskin". I learned it from the technique based group Technique Junkies . The swirls are a Sizzix due cut which I cut into two pieces. They kind of reminded me of a lizard tongue (ewww...) so I thought they were a fun addition to the card. Look closely and you'll notice that I used several Michael Strong Stamps to create an interesting background (a tone on tone technique, which is basically a dye based ink stamped onto similar colored cardstock. Soft and subtle!) that I did using other MS stamps and two colors of dye based ink. The images in Mike's line of stamps are all designed to compliment each other, so artwork is easy to create and coordinate. Enjoy!!

Moonlight Lake

2008-10-10T17:12:00.000-07:00

A moonlight-y scene created by brayering ink onto white cardstock. I used a 1 3/8" punch to punch a post it note to make the mask to mask out the area for the moon. I used a sponge brayer to apply three different colors of blue inks and a white gel pen to draw the line between the lake and the water.

The reflection of the trees was stamped with Going Grey ink from Stampin' Up! because I wanted a shade lighter than black. The images were stamped with black Marvy Matchable inks. All stamps are from I Brake For Stamps. Enjoy!!

Black and White

2008-10-10T15:33:00.001-07:00

If you like Michael Strong Stamps (and who doesn't??? WHO??? Ok, I didn't think I heard anyone say they didn't!!) there's a great YahooGroup just for paper projects made with his stamps!

Ya, all of us groupies are there (um...myself included). So our fearless leader himself posted a challenge for all of us MS'ers to pursue: The Black and White Challenge. Tough parameters for a colorful girly girl like me: Black and White only, 4 1/4" X 5 1/2", one recycled object, any saying or embellishment. Whew. I think I did it!
The base cardstock and the first layer of the card were sewn on my Janome Sew Mini sewing machine. The main 3-D image was created with 3 stamps using the following steps:

*I stamped the small leaf several times and hand cut each one.

*I stamped the flower once, cut it out around the edges, then cut each petal individually to the center of the flower.

*I took each one of these images and molded and shaped them by holding the cardstock in one hand and gently pulling the cardstock between my thumb and middle finger on the other hand. The cardstock naturally bends and curls.

*I took each individual petal on the flower and bent them inward toward the center of the flower to make them "stand up".

*I turned the flower over and put tacky tape on the back of it. Then, I began attaching the leaves inbetween each petal of the flower.

*I turned the flower over and attached it to the black panel of the card.

*I stamped the circle image, punched it with a 1" circle punch, and glued it with fabric glue inside of a bottlecap, then attached the bottlecap with fabric glue to the middle of the flower.

*I punched the fern shapes from a punch and randomly glued them on the left side of the flower along with several decorative ribbons.

*I punched the butterfly from a punch, bent it's wings and attached it to the bottom corner of the card.

The ribbon is from various unknown sources, fern punch and butterfly punch is from Martha Stewart.

Harp Journal

2008-09-29T11:12:00.001-07:00

Alla

2008-09-29T11:11:00.000-07:00

A Journal for Alla

2008-09-28T23:23:00.000-07:00

Shy Bear

2008-09-26T21:21:00.000-07:00

A darling image from I Brake For Stamps from the Shy Bear collection. I stamped the image with Black Staz On ink and colored using a technique from Technique Junkies. I sewed around each layer with my Janome Sew Mini sewing machine and added some buttons from Stampin' Up. I threaded jewelry cord through the buttonholes for a more finished look. The Get Well themed buttons are from Michael's. Find the Shy Bears at I Brake For Stamps under THE MERRY STAMPER subcategory HERE Be sure to click on THE MERRY STAMPER and then "SHY BEARS".

Aged Effects

2008-09-23T22:48:00.000-07:00

A card made with a Walnut Stain technique I learned from Technique Junkies. Flowers are Primas. Velvet rick rack is from WalMart. Corner punch is a Cuttlebug die cut, cotton lace is from JoAnn's. Scallop edge punch is punched out of vellum paper~the scallop punch is from Martha Stewart. The stamps are Magenta clear stamps~fabulous quality for clear acrylic!! I named this technique "Aged Effects" because it looks so vintage to me. The technique name that it can be located under (with all of the info on how to really do the technique) "Walnut Stain" at the Technique Junkies subscription only page. Thanks for looking!!!

Personalized Composition Journal & Bottlecap Tutorial

2008-09-18T16:26:00.011-07:00

This is the composition project that was featured on Friday September 19th's show, "Your Life A to Z". All of the products used on the show are from Yvonne Albritton Designs, a fabulous rubberstamp company in Renton WA. Visit the website here for the full product line and to purchase any of the products used on the show. Please enjoy the following bottlecap tutorial and learn how to make your own customized bottlecaps to decorate all of your favorite craft projects!!

Supplies used:
Scissors
Mounting foam tape
Fabric Glue
Paper Cement (made by the same mfg. of Rubber Cement)
Scrapbook paper: Yvonne Albritton DesignsBottlecaps: Yvonne Albritton DesignsColorbox Chalk Ink: Yvonne Albritton Designs
Prima Flowers
Brad
Double sided tape

2008-09-18T16:26:00.008-07:00

Supplies:
Typewriter Alphabet Stamp Set: Yvonne Albritton Designs
Colorbox Chalk Inks
Bottlecaps: Yvonne Albritton Designs
Cardstock
1" circle punch
Fabric Glue

2008-09-18T16:26:00.006-07:00

Stamp the image. Repeat for each letter.

2008-09-18T16:26:00.005-07:00

All the images are stamped and ready for the circle punch.

2008-09-18T16:26:00.004-07:00

Turn the circle punch upside down so it can be aligned with the stamped image. Punch out the shape. Repeat on all images.

2008-09-18T16:26:00.003-07:00

Apply a generous amount of fabric glue to the back of the punched alphabet.

2008-09-18T16:26:00.002-07:00

Press the alphabet letter into the bottlecap.