Friday, January 27, 2012

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Variations on a card


Have you ever made a card that you loved the design, items, and stamps so much that you made more cards based on it?  That's what I did with this card (that I posted info about in an earlier post)!

Here is the digital card I made based on this card - I used My Digital Studio by Stampin Up:
This was also my card sketch card for the Stampin Queen's sketch #23, which comes out tomorrow (yay, you get a sneak preview!).  I played with 2 different colors - pool party and blushing bride.

I loved how it came out, so then made up the card with real products!!  Here are the cards I made:



I can't decide which one I like the best! 

The Saleabrations catalog by Stampin Up just came out today - it's posted on the left side of my blog so you can take a peek at it.  Just by placing an order for $50 you can choose any item in the catalog for free!  In fact, for every $50 you order you get to pick an item!!  Stamp Sets, Designer Series Paper, Ribbons & Brads, Buttons, Fabric, Embossing Folders and more that you can pick FOR FREE!

There are some new items in this Saleabrations; here are a couple of them shown in these pictures.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

A calendar, 2 cards and more new dog pics Tootsi


I made a little calendar and 2 cards to share with my community's stamping group.  Most of the items used for these are Stampin Up. 
Here are some closeups:

 This is a little chipboard calendar with deer silhouettes diecut - I put a shabby chic ribbon through two holes in the top so it could be hung up, instead of using a magnet backing like the ones I did for my Christmas cards.  Gee, it's January already so you have to take the first
calendar page off!!


This mustard and daffodil card was cased from one of Diana Gibb's - I just love those little dress forms and that Stampin Up lace punch!

 This was retired Stampin Up grey cardstock that we embossed the front with Stampin Up vintage wallpaper as well as adding a strip of wide pink grosgrain ribbon.  The Flirtatious designer paper comes with 2 sheets of lace doilies that I cut up and used the white side. 

Then we made 2 rosettes with the same designer paper - there is definitely a learning curve with this!  One of the ladies had made these before and she just zipped right through them!!  Guess I need to practice more - I had them glue a circle on the back of the rosette, because then you could adjust the pleats without them falling apart - lol. 
Yep, I can see how they can be addicting!

And here are some pics I took at Inu's most recent dog agility event where we brought our new dog, Tootsi.  People have been telling us she is a cute puppy, but she is 3 years old!


Just so you can see what a barrel of energy Tootsi is - she is wiggling
all the time and reminds me of a new baby!

Hard to get a non-blurry picture of her....so I have to take a lot!!


This is Tootsi's fancy flower collar and new purple leash
(it's a Martindale leash)


Gee Tootsi, be still for a few seconds so I can get a decent pic! 
Where are those treats when you need them?


There goes that little head of  hers, with a wiggly tail to match
(it's a really small cute tail)


More wiggling...

Finally Tootsi looks at me and I get lucky enough to get a quick shot - darn those red photo eyes!  You can sort of see her one brown eye and one blue eye - that's a trait of her breed the mini-Australian dogs. 

My husbands loves talking about her and calling her our mini-Aussie.  I bet he would say she barks with an Aussie accent too lol.
She has great promise for agility already!!  You should see her jump straight up like popcorn!  If I can ever get a pic of her hopping....!!

Friday, January 13, 2012

Card sketch design #21 for stamping!


This week's card sketch design at Stampin Queen's used another shaped section....I have been a little intimidated by using shapes like this,
but  decided, to just DO IT!

Here is the card I came up with using My Digital Studio
cardmaking software program from Stampin Up:


I am on a pink and grey roll this week and love the lacey diecut.  What is so great and convenient about using My Digital  Studio is that you can change up the colors and size of the images to fit your needs instantly!  No more saying, "oh if I had this color/product/size...."  And I sure wouldn't put the zigzag stitching at the top if I had to run to my sewing machine....I was trying to get a vintagey look and I think it worked.

Here are a few more of the cards the other designers made:






There are some more pretty cards on the Stampin Queens page at:

Have fun looking at them and getting ideas for yourself!

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Valentines Day is coming - Online classes - Free preview and chance to win a pass to them!

  

Gee it seems like I just got done with Christmas stuff and starting 2012 and here come the holidays again....It's a good thing when you are doing cardmaking on a regular basis because then you get frequent reminders about the next holiday that is just around the corner.  So that should make you more organized and able to get some cards made and sent in time, right?  Sometimes that works!

Now if you sign up for online cardmaking classes, you don't even have to go anywhere at any special time!  They are super convenient and so good if you can't remember everything you learn at a class, since you can play the instructions over and over and over...Click on the flashing icon above to find out more about them.

Not only is it preview week for So Stampalicious' Valentines Day online classes, but it is also early bird to save $$, and if you go to Cristena's post today and leave a comment, you will be enrolled into the raffle to win a free pass!  I sure did that - I was the first one to comment.  Yeah, I know, the first one never wins....but one time I actually did win being the first one!  You can be the 2nd, or 3rd or 4th, etc.   http://www.gettincrafty.com/


This is one of the easy and cute projects in this class - adorable pink felt fortune cookies!  Think of the fun notes you could put inside these, and how you could embellish them...

Since there is a new mini-catalog for Stampin Up, there will be projects using some of the new products in it - YUM!  I used to think you could only really use hearts for Valentines Day, recently I am realizing you can use them anytime of the year - Just like I used to wonder why anyone would buy Halloween or Christmas clothing that you can only wear one time during the year.  My thoughts have changed on that, since I've been more interested in making cards, etc.!! 

Now the challenge is, how can I use my holiday-related crafting stuff so it can be changed for other holidays, or birthdays, thank you cards, etc.!!  Is this the next stage to becoming addicted to cardmaking??!


 
 

Here is Cristena's blog so you can look at the previews of the So Stampalicious Valentines Day online classes all during this week - Just might make you want to try them!  You get lifetime access to them!!

And if you really think about it, with lifetime access to an online class, you can revisit it again next year, and the year after that, etc.!!!

Saturday, January 7, 2012

New mini-catalog Stampin Up!


The brand-new Occasions Stampin Up mini-catalog is here! 
Take a peek in it by clicking on the catalog image on the
left side of my blog!!


Here are a few pictures of the new products in it!!




Friday, January 6, 2012


Here is the card sketch design challenge for Stampin Queens this week. 
See, there is an unusual shape on this card....


Here are a few of the cards that the design team used and
incorporated this shape:




I have to admit, I haven't tried much with unusual shapes (yet), so didn't even attempt this one :-(   But after seeing some of the other cards, I am starting to think that I should just try it sometime....

You can see some more of the cards by the design team, and even some that other cardmakers have submitted - or maybe even try this week's card sketch and submit one of your own! 


Have you looked at the new Stampin Up mini-catalog yet?? 
It's awesome!

Hope your New Year has been great so far!