Rustic Double Journaling Pocket

Happy Friday! You have to love Kansas weather: 68 on Wednesday, warm Thursday morning and then cooling off, and sunny but cold today. And, yes, it is supposed to snow tonight. Good grief.

A little bit of news... I'll be a vendor at the ERC 2009 Spring Benefit Crop & Shop in Topeka on March 21st. The crop was immediately sold out, but all of the vendor booths will be open to the public for shopping! There will be many different types of vendors in addition to stamping/scrapping booths; here is a link to the list of vendors (they are also linked) in case you are interested, click here. I'll have several project kits made up, along with tons of TAC paper & cardstock packs, TAC kits, embellishments, Stickles, ribbon... on and on!

So I thought I'd share some of the classes I will be teaching the croppers. The first one will be the Mini-Meander Album that you've seen before, but using different TAC paper collections. The second one is the one I'm sharing today...

Rustic Chic Double Journaling Pocket

I really like how this turned out. It shows how versatile one pocket element can be... I've shown it on a 6x9 scrapbook page as well as a gift card holder (see below). This photo shows what we will be making in the actual class, and then the attendees can decide later how they want to use it!

Stamps: Memo Fun, Mini-Bet, Creative Inspiration (dotted star), Interact, Trendy Greetings (happy b-day)

Paper: Rustic Chic, Bazzill Mono-Reds & kraft cardstock, DCWV brown cardstock

Ink: Burnt Umber & Boudoir Blush Palettes, VersaMark

Other: Scor-Pal, sanding block, pop dots, misc. ribbon, CutterBee Bug piercer

I think the red/pink/brown color combo works for the Thor page, even though he is a boy... it doesn't come off too feminine. The dark brown and rustic feel to the paper combined with the distressing and grunginess reads as boy (to me anyway). By the way... isn't he cute?!!

You can create a double pocket by simply omitting the glue on the top edge of the pocket... two journaling tags for the price of one!! The left tag could also be used for an additional photo mat in-lieu-of journaling.

For the gift card holder, I used my original pocket design, which is a bit shorter than the others. It really should be about 3/8" wider to conceal the gift card better, but I actually like how the red on the card balances the red/pink of the designer paper.

The star was stamped and then cut out and popped up on a pop dot... just a tiny detail that really adds something to an element.

What do you think?

A few dinosaurs I dug up... yikes... and a challenge!

Today, [and I can't believe I'm doing this] I'm going to share with you some of my very first TAC cards that I ever made. I'm sure there have been more that are scarier, but I couldn't find any [ duh, like I would want to document anything REALLY bad :) ] As you will see, I had an affinity for window cards (the last four). I really think it is important to look back and see how you've improved yourself (in many more aspects than just papercrafts, too), and your work over time.



The Angel Friend card was very early on, the Toadally Pink one was from one of the first hostess club classes I had, the Friends Pocket was the first tag/pocket style card I had done & a first seminar swap card, Haute Couture lady is paper pieced, the Groovy Flower burgandy/pink one is my first rock-n-roll with clear heat embossing, the green Wonderful Day was also VERY early on, and the Wittle Bug was one of my first seminar swap cards.

Ahhh, the memories... I think I've come a long way, baby... now it's your turn.
I challenge you
to dig up some of your very first cards (not an exact copy/cased card from someone else) and share them! Link back here in the comment section of this post, so we can all get a good look!!

What do you think?

Serendipity's Natural Hope...

More Serendipity samples today! Natural Hope is soooooooo girly, that I had to go pink :)

For this one, I did the rock-n-roll technique again... OH! BTW... someone asked me what that meant last time, so I thought I'd share it real quick. You simply cover your stamp image completely in one color of ink and then, on a darker color ink pad, just tilt (or rock) your block/image up slightly and roll the edges of the image only onto the ink pad. The 'inside' of the image is the first ink color, and then it fades and ends up the darker ink color on the edges. Man, it's a lot harder to explain in words... it's really easy to show IRL.

Ingredients for both samples:

Stamps: Natural Hope

Paper: Genevieve FWIC, Toodle Loo Cardstock (pink), DCWV Plum-1, White UltraSmooth

Ink: Claret & Violete Palettes

Other: Winchester Ribbon (purple), Juliette Ribbon (pink), White Scrapper's Floss, Lemonade Buttons & Blossoms, VersaMark, Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Hydra Sponge

**AngelNet is down right now, so I will include the product links later**

For this second sample, I wanted to show how versatile the stamp image can be. I stamped 'Hope' with the VersaMark and heat embossed clear powder. I then stamped the image, rock-n-roll style, on top of it [ I just eye-balled where it should go :) ] and wiped the ink off of the embossed image with a paper towel. After that, I just cut it to size, sponged the edges, layered a small bit of DP and ribbon, and finished it off with a blossom, button & paper heart (free-hand cut). Who would have ever known that there used to be a face on this image?!


What do you think?

Gettin' lucky ;)

How's that for an attention grabbing title?! Tonight I'm going to share my St. Patty's Day cards from last year's Paper Wings Winger Design Team assignment.

***Edited to add: I just went back and checked and I've already posted these before, but it took forever to link up everything, so I'm posting it anyway!! Sorry, guys... I'll have something new next time!! That will teach me to check BEFORE I start... duh.

The Shamrock Cheers card was done with heat-embossing resist:


1. Stamp ‘cheers’ from Tag Tidbits on small piece of White UltraSmooth using Burnt Sienna Palette and sponge edges w/ Jardin Moss & Burnt Sienna inks. Set copper eyelet and set aside.
2. Sketch and cut out shamrock shape from DCWV Flora-2 and sand edges of shamrock & 5” x 3-1/2” card base with sanding block.
3. Stamp image from Flourishes on card base with VersaMark. Sprinkle clear embossing powder & tap off excess and heat with heat tool until glossy.

4. Using VersaMark pad as a ‘stamp’, graze over shamrock… just hitting high points of texture. Sprinkle clear embossing powder & tap off excess and heat with heat tool until glossy.
5. Using Walnut Ink spray, mist over card base, shamrock, and shamrock stem. Let set for a few seconds and wipe off excess with paper towel. Repeat process until desired shade is achieved.
6. Criss-cross-wrap & tie ribbon in pretty knot around center of shamrock. Glue stem onto card base as shown… trim as required. Pop dot shamrock onto card base.
7. Attach ‘cheers’ tag to ribbon knot with safety pin and trim ribbon ends.


The Wanna Get Lucky card is just a little play on words for your hubby, or boyfriend or both [wink wink] ;)


1. Stamp ‘Happy St. Patrick’s Day’ from Trendy Greetings on White UltraSmooth using Violette Palette ink and set aside.
2. Using heart image from Love Doodles & Jardin Moss Palette ink, stamp four hearts to create clover in upper right hand corner of another piece of White UltraSmooth. Use small dauber, sponge or q-tip to shade in part of clover ‘leaves’ with Jardin Moss ink.
3. Using flourish from Curls & Swirls & Jardin Moss ink, stamp flourish to create clover stem.
4. Using small alpha (retired TAC alpha) and Violette ink, stamp sentiment, curling around previously stamped images as shown.

5. Using 1/2" circle punch, create ticket corners on both pieces of white & violet cardstocks.
6. Using Jardin Moss ink, sponge edges of White UltraSmooth. Layer on top of violet DCWV cardstock and attach to DCWV Flora-2 card base as shown. Pop dot sentiment to give dimension.
7. Tie ribbons around top of card.
8. Apply small dots of Lavender Stickles at ticket corners, flourish, and sentiment as shown.

What do you think?

Fabric & PrismaColor What's Moo?

My new favorite thing: stamping and coloring on fabric! Is he not the cutest little cow?!!

After stamping the image, I simply colored with pencils like I normally do on paper. It is a little trickier and you need to hold the fabric pretty taut, but the look is pretty nifty. Had I used the bleached muslin, the colors would probably be brighter, but I really like the muted look of the unbleached.

I attached the upper left corner with a safety pin [you really can't see it very well, dang it], and then stapled the lower left and middle right sides to the natural cardstock mat. I distressed the edges of all cardstocks and frayed the fabric edges as well.

Stamps: An Udder Birthday?

Paper: Bazzill Mono Blues, Natural Cardstock

Ink: New Canvas, Burnt Umber & Noir Palettes

Other: PrismaColor Pencils, Scor-Pal, unbleached muslin fabric, misc. ribbon, large safety pin, mini-stapler, Pop Dots, paper piercer, distresser

The navy card base was swiped with New Canvas, then I pierced a line of dots across the top sandwiched between two scores from the Scor-Pal [which you can't see either, dang it]. The natural mat, as well as the interior mat, was also pierced. I finished it off with a little bow [which was a total bi-yatch, by the way... the grosgrain ribbon is just too stiff].

What do you think?

Colorful brayer-work...

Well, the Shriner's Potentate's Ball is over. It's always such a lovely event, a lot of work by a lot of people, but just beautiful. Food, friends, and fun... and now I need a nap :)

Today, I'm going to share with you a little technique & card from my last Hostess Club & Class night. Using a Kaleidacolor Pad and the Speedball Brayer, we created four backgrounds: two plain, and two with Oxi-Clean.

These are the backgrounds using White UltraSmooth cardstock. The top is strictly brayer-work and the bottom was spritzed with water and sprinkled with Oxi-Clean powder. See how the ink stays vibrant all over except right where the Oxi-Clean was? Pretty cool. Simply spritz, sprinkle, spritz again (if needed), wait about 30 seconds, and gently wipe off.

These are the backrounds using Glossy cardstock. Again, the top is strictly brayer-work and the bottom is the Oxi-Clean version. I LOVE how beautifully blended the brayer works on glossy cardstock. Notice how the Oxi-Clean version is almost pastel in color compared to the vibrant plain one! Two TOTALLY different backgrounds, both in 'texture' and color... how fun is that?!

We then created two of the same cards but with different backgrounds. The only drawback of the glossy cardstock is that you have to be very careful when stamping an image... it tends to slide and move if you apply too much pressure. Kinda like when you stamp on acetate.

Stamps: Playful Parenthesis, Petal Pack, Floral Dingbats

Paper: Cha Cha cardstock, White UltraSmooth, Glossy cardstock

Ink: Calypso Kaleidacolor pad, French Lilac & Raw Sienna Palettes

Other: Pop Dots, Speedball brayer

I used the rock-n-roll technique for the border, which I love doing with such contrasting ink colors!

What do you think?

A little Hotel Mia tonight...

I know, I know... WTH?! Where have I been... I've been a bad bad blogger. So, tonight, I'm going to share a couple of things I created for TAC's Serendipity release. All I have are single scans... I didn't have time to take photos like I usually do before I mailed them off, so you can't see much dimension. If you click the photos it should really blow them up BIG! For some reason, my scanner makes these ginormous pictures :)

This is a 6x9 scrapbook page. I think I would have liked it better if I didn't do all of the VersaMark around the edges, but overall, I like it. I can totally see a pregnancy picture here: you know, with the arrow pointing to a beautiful round 'non-vacant' belly :) I can't have kids, so I didn't include a photo, but I hope someone gets this page for a scrapbook!

Stamps: Hotel Signs
Paper: Mia's Cottage SWIC and Cardstock, White UltraSmooth
Ink: Bordeaux and Claret Palette Inks, VersaMark
Other: Mia's Cottage Ribbon, Mia's Cottage Hardware, Ava Embellishment Jar, Scrapper's Floss, Pop Dots

Next up, a fun party invite! I totally dig this one... it kinda looks like the Vegas Strip, doesn't it? Cutting all of the little pieces took a while, but it looks so much better than just plain stamping! And, of course, what's Vegas without a little bling... can you see the touches of Stickles?

Stamps: Hotel Signs, Circle Sampler
Paper: Mia's Cottage SWIC and Cardstock, White UltraSmooth
Ink: Bordeaux and Claret Palette Inks, Cosmic Copper Brilliance

Other: Mia's Cottage Ribbon, Icicle Stickles

What do you think?

Dusting, chalk, and a little missing mojo...

Ahhhhh... Saturday night... and I'm at home :) I just finished cleaning up the house, and Poot has agreed to mop the floors!! OMG... I know! I'll wait for you to pick yourself up off the floor...

...

...

I've been cleaning all weekend, and I even took everything off of all the shelves in my studio and dusted, vacuumed, and re-arranged! Oh... I'll wait again... :)

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...

THAT took for freakin' evah!! I HATE dusting. It always seems to settle again in 5 minutes and doesn't look like you did anything... maybe it wouldn't do that if I dusted every other day? :)

On to the fun stuff! I so enjoyed the shoebox swaps we did in S.A. This big tag was cased off of a card that Barbara Crooks created for the swap.

I loved how she popped the sunflower up using Tutti Fruitti paper, as well as, how cute the image is when using the Jewel Tone Pearlescent Chalk set. The little girl image is from Fall Harvest from TAC's Fall Supplement, and the sentiment is from a Level A Hostess set Feel Better, and both were stamped with Noir Palette.

I feel as though my mojo has been missing as of late. Check out this card. I'm just not feelin' it. I tried introducing another color with the purple & orange and nothing was jiving. So I finished it and immediately put it away. Far away.

So it won't be staring at me...

mocking me.

Stamps: Hotel Signs, Tag Tidbits, Linear Sentiments, Circle Sampler

Paper: DCWV orange, Bazzill Mono-Purples, White UltraSmooth

Ink: French Lilac & Orangerie Palette

Other: Orange Peel Stickles, Pop Dots, hole punch

What do you think about these?

A lovely silhouette...

Thankfully, it is a sunny day outside today! The babies are actually out frolicking in the backyard :)

Today, I've got a very quick, simple card to show using one of the new sets from Serendipity! This is one that was in my box-o-goodies that TAC sent me with which to work on samples. This is a very large image... my card measures 5" x 4-1/4"! The stamp set is called

Natural Hope

Stamps: Natural Hope, A Blessing to Me (Level B Hostess set)

Paper: Lilly Anna SWIC, Basic Brown cardstock, & White UltraSmooth

Ink: Toile Pink, Belle Rose, & Burnt Umber Palettes

Other: Pop Dots, Cupcake Paper Posies, Giga & Mega Merchandise Tag Punches, Prima paper flowers, & misc. ribbon

This stamp set screams to be used for breast cancer cards... hence the pink ribbon embellishment. I stamped the 'my dear friend' sentiment twice without re-inking to give a shadow effect. I included the 'hope' sentiment on the inside, and edged the white panel as well.

I used the rock-n-roll method to ink up the silhouette stamp, first covering it completely in Toile Pink and then rolling the edges in Belle Rose. I actually tapped even more Belle Rose inward on her face to highlight her cheeks more. I edged the main panel with Toile Pink and the DP with Burnt Umber. The whole matted panel is raised on Pop Dots for dimension.

What do you think?

A few mini-journals...

Just thought I'd add a couple of slide shows to my blog... they're toward the bottom on the right-hand sidebar. Now if I could just figure out how to do video...

It is pretty chilly again tonight... good grief. Why-o-why did the little groundhog have to see his shadow? Since my computer happens to sit right next to the draftiest door in the house, I'm going to post and run to bed [well, maybe not RUN, but definitley a brisk walk] :)








Tonight I've got a couple of little altered mini-journals. They took no time at all, and are great little gifties! They went over pretty well at my last craft fair, too.

The first couple are geared toward a more tailored gift... the one without the bow would be great for a guy... well, if we could get our guys to write down for what they are grateful!!

Stamps: More Abundance

Paper: Hemingway SWIC & Winchester Cardstock

Ink: Burnt Umber Palette

Other: Juliette Ribbon, Pop Dots, mini-journal from JoAnn's

The next one was created for a gallery at Paper Wings as a tribute to our fellow Angels whose lives have been touched by breast cancer... Think Pink!









Stamps: More Abundance, Life Thoughts, Paisley Rockz

Paper: Uptown Girl, Basic Black cardstock, White UltraSmooth

Ink: Toile Pink & Noir Palettes

Other: Pop Dots, misc. ribbon, mini-journal from JoAnn's





What do you think?