Stamps, Paper, Scissors

It was time....

To change over my purse again. I was sad, becaue I really loved what I did with it the last time (yes, I love myself!) and loved the color scheme for the Loves Me paper...sob...but time marches on. For those who have not been reading along, this purse is available from  PURSuE Your Art.

PLUS I really do love the Petals & Paisley paper as well and all that stuff from the Winter Mini is no longer available, so in order to keep up with my mission of stamping benevolence, I needed to update to the Spring Mini. So last night I got busy making the ATC's and finished the whole thing today:

I love the blue color, which is supposed to be Taken with Teal stamped off once. I just wish it were a color in it's own right...Bonnie Blue? or maybe Besotted with Blue (since we are "taken" with Teal!).

I had fun with the ATC's...I may change one of them, since I ordered Bunny Hugs, which will be here Friday and I'd like to do one with that set. But I think all the ATC's turned out really cute, so I don't know which one I'd take out!!!

Here's all the ATC's (the color scheme is pretty much the same throughout: Taken with Teal, Pretty in Pink, So Saffron, Cool Caribbean, Old Olive, with the occasional Barely Banana, Regal Rose,  and Certainly Celery thrown in):

Polka Dots & Paisley

The Glorious Gift

Office Accoutrements along with Everyday & Expressive Flexible Phrases. This one turned out to be very fun to make...this set looks challenging, but when you start to play with it you can get all kinds of ideas...more psychic resonance, no doubt!

Office Accoutrements plus Just So Sayings; the little brackets are made using the Round Tab Punch...punch once, then take the cardstock negative and move the punch over slightly and punch again. You will get this little bracket, which you have to trim away from the cardstock.

You Make Me Happy

Polka Dots & Paisley with the Petals Jumbo Wheel and Just So Sayings, (decorative edge done with paper piercing tool & template, plus Fiskars Mini Scallop scissors.)

Best Bar Codes

Doodle This with Just So Sayings. The colored lines are done by using the white Signo Gel Pen, then using markers over the top of it. Use darker colors, because the white gel soaks up a lot of the colors...I used Regal Rose, So Saffron and Taken with Teal markers.

Okay, on to other business. Susan posted this comment:

Hey Jan, I love you, but you NEGLECTED to tell us the colors you used on the first two cards - the "think pink" one looks purple, not pink.  And the one with the various colors of paisley.  And are these mini pinking scissors commonly available at J's or M's? 

Obviously I've fallen down on my mission of stamping benevolence...I guess I'm just so used to thinking in SU! color that I assume (wrongly, apparently) that everyone else does too. How many times I have stood in an elevator, looking at the back of someone's blouse and saying, "Yep, that's Bashful Blue, with Certainly Celery and Apricot Appeal"? (more than I can count, I'm sure!) It's the sign of a true cult member and I have to tell you Susan...once we've got you, really got you, you'll do it too...heh, heh, heh...but in the meantime:

It was Pretty in Pink that I used on the first card. The second one I used Taken with Teal, So Saffron, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White, and Old Olive.

As far as the scissors go, I bought mine at Michael's probably, long ago. But it's been a long time since then and I think that both M's and J's have stopped carrying as many decorative edged scissors as they used to. I looked on their websites and it doesn't appear that they have anything other than cheapo scissors that come in packs. However, I did google and found this site:

Save-On-Crafts

Where you can buy them for a very decent price. While you're at it, buy the mini scallop ones too...they are just as cute. I can't vouch for this site, because I've never ordered from them before, but they seem okay.

Now, for a couple of cards (I've been a stampin' machine lately!)

I had a customer who wanted some ideas for invitations, so I made these up as samples:

Instead of these verses (stamped on vellum layered over the Whisper White piece that is stamped with flowers), to make this design into an invitation, you would print your text on the vellum. The piece at the top is folded over, allowing you to hide the adhesive holding the vellum. Tying the ribbon around the top ensures that the fold stays put. I use the vellum cardstock for almost everything, since it is much easier to work with than the paper. The paper wrinkles, it warps easily if you emboss on it and it's fiddly to run through the printer. It's cheaper and sometimes it's nice to have something that's easier to fold, but that's the only advantage. I say to heck with it...spend the money on the cardstock.

So now that I've wowed you yet again (yes, I love myself) and furthered the mission of stamping benevolence plus enabled you to spend money on decorative edge scissors, I think I can call it a day and spend time reflecting on a job well done, while contemplating piles of laundry that are not done at all. Tah!

Pajama Blogging

Howdy, everyone!

I had a workshop on Sunday, the reason for the blog silence for the past few days. In addition, I had some sort of incipient crud trying to take over my body and I managed to hold it off until after I was done with the workshop. Came home and really collapsed this time. So today I'm actually taking it easy, watching craft shows on HGTV (something I only do when I'm sick...usually the television stays off all day) and looking at the total mess that is my house and wondering if I should try to clean it up or if I can just let it go for now. Problem being, I *know* I'll feel better if it's at least tidy, so I might just pick up the living room. The stamping room disaster will have to wait until another time.

I dunno about anybody else, but when I'm prepping for a workshop outside my home, I pull all kinds of stuff out and leave it, until my tables are completely covered. I haven't put away the workshop stuff yet, it's all down at the bottom of the stairs where my daughters helped me tote it all before I crawled into my pajamas and collapsed. What a mess! And upstairs, since my darling husband was watching the human bullet, aka William, while I was at the workshop, everything that was on the floor when I left has been supplemented by more stuff. Yuck.

This morning I felt like the scrapings at the bottom of a barrel of crap. But with time, Tylenol, some coffee and peanut butter toast and sitting about in my pajamas, I'm actually feeling a lot better. So I staggered down the stairs to fetch the projects we did yesterday, so I could at least photograph them and put them up here for you, my faithful readers.

Tomorrow I do have to get my butt in gear and start my swaps for the Spring mini. Lisa has started sending out her friendly reminders and that means get stamping....OR ELSE!

Anyway, here are the projects:

This was the demo card; for this particular hostess, she likes one demonstration, two make and take projects. She wanted to see something I hadn't shown before and I've been playing with this set for the Recruit Brag Book swap I was in recently, so I decided to show the versatility of the brass stencils. I dry embossed, paper pierced, plus I sponged some color on using the stencil...is it not just so very go-jus? (yes, I love myself!) This is the color combination from our make and takes at Convention, in the center of the known universe, Salt Lake City...I've been hooked on Cool Caribbean ever since. Oh, Shelli (may you live forever), please don't take my Cool Caribbean away!!!! Uh oh...I feel a song coming on...

When I think back at all those colors I used at Convention
It's a wonder I can think at all
And though my love of the In Colors
Has hurt my bank account!
I don't want them to retire in June at all!

Cool Caribbean!
Shelli gave us those great In Colors,
Shelli gave us that Marigold Morning,
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day, oh yeah!
Buckaroo Blue and Vintage Violet,
True Thyme and Cranberry Crisp,
But Shelli don't take my Cool Caribbean away!

Shelli, don't take my Cool Caribbean,
Shelli, don't take my Cool Caribbean,
Shelli, don't take my Cool Caribbean away!

Er...sorry...that happens occasionally...just never mind....I'll be better soon...must be the Tylenol...

ANYWAY, back to projects...I managed to create an ENTIRE CARD without using one single In Color! Aren't you proud of me!?!?! I like this color combo, which I got off the Color Coach: Brocade Blue, Certainly Celery, Orchid Opulence, and Pixie Pink. We used the watercolor pencils; there were some new stampers at this workshop and I didn't want to risk my Watercolor Crayons:

Finally, I patterned this after a great candy bar holder sent to me by Diane Zechmann (cookiestamper on SCS)...it was so cute, I was inspired to take the basic holder and "sweet"en it up some!

And now I'm officially hooked on this ribbed stretchy ribbon from the Flirty Ribbon collection. It's so stinkin' cute once it's tied on. At first, I was not sure how to use this particular ribbon...I've been using the pink ribbon with the picot edge, the ruched brown, the velvet ribbon, and the rick rack, but this one really had me puzzled as to what it would look like on a project. I'm puzzled no more, I love it!

Well, I think it's time for a nap...if I feel well enough in a bit, I'll go get myself some nice chicken chow mein for lunch (my favorite food for when I have a cold.) Don't you be catchin' this, now!

Happy Almost New Year!

And I'm kicking it off in style by posting a new creation, just for you...aren't I nice?

I made it with my 'Bug! I immediately thought of the Eat Cake sete when I saw this tag in the Fancy Pants Alphabet set.

I have to say that since the last time I posted, I've bought more embossing folders and dies....I have no sales resistance! Don't send me any websites with cool deals, 'cause I can't resist!

Yeah, I'm so nice

So many of you wanted a look at the back of Pierre (as I have christened the chef from Voila!) And I'm so nice (yes, I love myself) that I took the time away from cleaning (are you feelin' the LOVE?) to take some pictures. It helped that it stopped raining so I actually had enough light coming in my windows to take pictures by!

Anyway, I hope this clears up the mystery:

Here's the back and here are two close-ups of the laminate tags...when you Xyron something with the double laminate cartridge, your image (cut out beforehand) is in the middle of all this clear laminate. Rather than trimming it all away, I left some as a tab at the top and the bottom.

Bottom tab.

Top tab.

Now, you're probably wondering what other go-jus project I will show you today. Well, I ain't got none. I mean...ahem...(for those of you in the grammar police) I haven't got any. I haven't been stamping...I have a pile of swaps downstairs to finish and a major case of swapitis, which I am planning on curing today. Stay tuned.

Geeked!

Okay, I just couldn't wait to show this off...I haven't quite finished with it, this is just the outside, but I need to make the dividers and stamp some recipe cards as well. This will be a class I'll be holding in November. This is the mini lunch tin that Provocraft makes and the Voila stamp set with the Sarah Designer papers that Stampin' Up! makes. I'll take some more photos once I finish the whole thing and post them.

Fun new project

I'm not a big purse person...I mean, I have to carry one like anyone else. I don't get how men can get away without one, but I guess they just have more pockets than we do.

I have a definite preference in purses. I prefer black leather. It can't be too big or too small. I want a shoulder strap, not a handle (though handles AND a shoulder strap are an ideal combination.) I want a pocket on the outside for my cell phone. I would rather have a zip down compartment on the side for my money and credit cards than have to put a wallet inside it. And I hate anything that looks too loud or messy. I like quiet and unobtrusive, clean lines, nothing fussy and nothing too modern or plastic looking.

However, I'm willing to compromise to a certain extent. So I found myself intrigued by all the Z Becky Brown purses I saw on people's websites and Splitcoaststampers. They are really cute made up...but I had some objections to them:

Square
Hard plastic
No shoulder strap

I thought about it again after seeing Michelle Laycock's ZBB at convention, I really, really considered doing one after all. It was just spectacular!

But something's happened to the supply of Z Becky Brown purses. They seem to be disappearing; even the Z Becky Brown online store is unavailable these days. And they are kinda pricey. I'm looking at them on Ebay and going "hmmmmm...." But it would have to be a fabulous price.

Then I found PURSuE Your Art through a post on Splitcoast, followed the link and immediately ordered a purse. I liked that it had a shoulder strap and was not hard plastic. I only had it for a week before I finally got down to business. And this is the results:

After I got it, the decision was should I make it more of an art piece (and possibly intimidate the heck out of people who saw it) or should I make it more of a sampler piece that would get people intrigued with stamping? So I noodled around and decided on the latter. I wanted more of a showcase of fall ideas using Stampin' Up! stamps. I'll change it once we get closer to Christmas and then I'll have a Christmas purse for a while. The inserts are made of museum board...a very heavy chipboard. You can buy extras, but what I ended up doing was using Dotto so I could peel the paper off and reuse the originals...at least until they get old and bent.

The little cards are Artist Trading Cards or ATC's. This is a trend that some stampers really like; they are easily transportable, take less cardstock than a cardfront, and are fun to trade to get new ideas. I'm not really hooked on them...yet, but it was fun to make the ones for the purse. After I'm done with these, I can put them on a card front with a few embelishments and have a real card. These cards slide into little pockets attached to the inside flap and the inside of the back, so the tops of the cards aren't getting friction like another bag I have that is made for photos.

This is not the most practicle purse, I have to say. I was able to get the essentials (Stampin' Up! Convention wallet, Palm, cell phone, business card case & pens) inside without making it bulge.

I used some of the new Four Seasons double sided designer paper for the inserts and I like it a lot. Just be sure you plan carefully how you are going to cut BEFORE you do it...I ended up having to make the front and back different (which I ended up liking a lot) because it didn't work out quite right to have them the same. I even ended up patching one piece when it was short (but I'll never tell which one! ;-) )

Now, I need to get downstairs and do some more stamping...I'm still working on samples for the Holiday Mini and hey, Mary, I *need* to get Best Fiends and Just Between Fiends back!