Lace and Black Glitter Card

Good Morning! To all you happy souls this Sunday :)

Along with my recent new supplies - I received a free Hostess Level 1 stamp set from SU, Dear Friend. Ever wonder at first you're not sure if you'd be over the moon for a stamp set - same here but now I love it!

I stamped it simply in black ink onto a previously punched scallop circle that was laying about in my scraps. Changed my mind to colour it with markers. And since I have my black glitter out from the other day - it now boasts a black glitter border!

Next, another scrap scallop and finally, a scrap piece of copper shimmer paper - and my NEW CIRCLE SCALLOP BIGZ DIE! Uh-hum, its my newest, next-great-toy !!! And believe me, I have been punching out these large scalloped circles like there is no tomorrow, (she says gleefully!)........and well, I just kept going through my scraps and before you know it -the basics were all there. Now more fun - embellishments! Yum!

My leaf is merely a scrap (this is obviously 'scrap-day' ...LOL)...folded in half, run through a crimper and cut into a leaf shape. That's a good trick if you don't have a large leaf in a die-cut.

I grabbed some lovely pale green gems and gave the largest circle the treatment - and when it came to deciding on some ribbon - I delved into my stash and found this ribbon again - beckoning to be used (this was a great deal - from of all places, a garage sale) - AND - I opted to layout things where dead center was not entirely going to steal the day - so my final placement was to go a tiny bit off-center. So far - so good.

My last decision came also "on the fly" when a straight strip of black cardstock was given the scallop look by using my new "slit" punch. Simple but a nice look - and so I tucked in my greeting on the opposite side to add more balance to the whole piece.

I hope you like it.

Finding Inspiration and Making it Your Own

My friend Caroline inspired me today with her beautiful 'A Rose is a Rose ' card and although I had been musing about doing a large floral card lately - when I saw hers, I thought - great! I don't have to think this out - I can try this card for myself!

Now - this is where we 'work with what we have' ....it doesn't have to be spot on - you use your own supplies and imitate and initiate some of yourself into the card. Caroline is featuring the Paper Piercer Tool that Stampin' Up! carries (its only $4.50 - great tool for your must have list) and she made a full circle on her card - I decided to opt for part of a circle - and all I did was trace a martini glass - LOL!

I used my own Fifth Ave Floral rose stamp - its quite substantial - and added some silver brads. A good rule of thumb is to add embellishments in an uneven number - balances your design without looking too symmetrical.

So there it is - when YOU visit blogs for inspiration - enjoy your craft time afterwards and "MAKE IT YOUR OWN!'

Have a rosy day! :)

Beverly

Stampin' Up! Supplies: cardstock: Sahara Sand, Real Red, So Saffron, Bashful Blue, Kiwi Kiss Patterns (retired), Kiwi Kiss (retired); colouring : White Craft Ink,Stampin' Pastels, glitter; embellishments: silver brads, filigree silver brads; craft tools: paper piercer; Signo Uni-ball Pen in white, Blender Pens, Craft & Rubber Scissors, 2-Way Glue Pen

Scraps of fun....and a RAK.

Late (again) last night I was twiddlin' around with my stamps, pastels, markers...just had everything spilled all over the table basically. And I went to play with the large mum stamp and tried stamping it in markers, then added some pastels to it....and then felt like trying to make it into a snail! LOL! Just silly really....but that's the point! So here is my first try - what a hoot - hardly looks like a snail....I need to look one up I guess, but oh well.

Then I goofed around and made my friend Maggie a little something extra to pop in her card - this little piece where I combined the stamps together. She will probably do something fun with it on a tag or something. I'm sending along a bunch of punched butterflies in her card as well. For those who may be new - that's called a RAK or 'random act of kindness' ....when you send a friend or another member on a forum, etc. some craft bits.

More Black Glitter and Garden themes!

So waking up this morning to promptly go look at last night's card, (see previous post)....I still had the glitter out and I thought I'd do something more with it before putting it away.

Now - believe it or not - but this rose-coloured border card - was made last summer! At that time I did not have any way of making butterflies - but a simple butterfly would compliment the exotic border stamp. Designing the card, I was playing with border motifs and it seemed to me the only other piece I could add to this would need to be a) large and b) graphic. Basic enough yet interesting to contrast with the busy borders. Hence - the butterfly.

Nowadays, I have the Butterflies Bigz Die (from you-know-who) .....and I thought being coated in black glitter would also be just the thing!

So - I guess what I am trying to say - is that everytime I try to stretch my imagination, I always end up with a interesting card!

Hope you like it - :)

Late Night Card-Making

After watching an old fashioned movie, I suddenly felt like making a ' busy floral ' card - I guess it was due to all the chintz curtains, flower gardens and straw hats in the film (a Miss Marple film! :)).....so there I was ... late at night... making this card.

I think the biggest part came when I decided to make a black brad fashioned out of a silver one, and then to coat it with black glitter. And it wouldn't photograph right - sorry! I merely 'inked' the brad with Staz On in Jet Black colour and after drying, coated it with glue and dipped it in black glitter. Oh, it might be a lot of fuss but I really felt like having a black brad! What's a girl to do?

I hoped I stopped this card from feeling like 'Fall' with the dash of polka-dotted pink, and do hope everyone likes its lay-out. One should try out different things - right?

Ooops - I forgot to add another frog we own. The statue frog is our latest tho!

Celebrating Life - continues...

Now here are the more 'simple' notecards.......using an older stamp sets, Make it Count and Live Like You Mean It....I created these today. In a quick motion, I stamped the flower freely about and mixed some up with different colours - but both treatments have one done in soft glitter. (honestly I wish I could photograph glitter better)

I think they shall be on their way by today - and hopefully the recipients will enjoy opening their mailboxes shortly :)

Celebrating Life, Simple to Exotic Cards and Notecards ....

I have been toodling around today with the theme of celebrating Life and lovely notes to send to friends. Its always delightful to receive mail no matter how much email one resorts to! So here they are......

...my inspiration is the first card shown: a 'folded' card I saw on SplitCoastStampers (SCS) by talented card artist named Beate Johns. The card was just wonderful - and I wanted to try my hand at.....hers is much fancier but mine is not too bad I think...to me it has a bohemian quality - all I did was find colours and patterns I could swizzle together - I may even add some pearls later! Aaaah, my photos are not the best - sorry but I think my camera is "slowing" down! {it's not me!}.

Our heart stamps are different, but that doesn't matter - one does with what one has :) I stamped my heart in Versamark and then coated it with glitter. Oh, and I inked the paper with some soft pink before stamping the heart image in a darker ink. One could just go on and on with this card!

Wouldn't this card be a fun one to receive - can't you just see making an unusual custom envelope - thin and long? When they open it - out it folds!

Cheers!

JULY CLASS SCHEDULE

JULY SCHEDULE CRAFT CLASSES –
Cost – unless otherwise stated, Cost is $20 per person per class or Free with a minimum $30 catalogue order.
Please RSVP.
Bring along suitable adhesive * and scissors. Bone Folders optional
Please Note – there is a charge of $1 extra pp. for use of class adhesive.

Other info:
Additional Attendees – friends can be added, please advise so preparations are made.
Cancellations – please advise as early as possible. Repeated cancellations will result in eventual Non-Acceptance Status as space is limited. A Non-Acceptance can be reversed with a deposit for future classes.
Late Show – class proceeds ahead on schedule



3-Point Floral Class
JULy 7 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM (Eastern)
Come and prepare the lovely ' 3-point floral' motifs that can adorn cards or scrap pages. We will use Stampin' Up!'s "Build-A-Brad" product as well - so you can create your own special touch!

Punch Art Class
JULY 11 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM (Eastern)
We're breaking out our punches - especially the oval and circle punches - to create whimsical, fluttery 'ladybugs' to ' flowers' in our garden-style cards! These are so cute that you'll be astonished you didn't know how to create them before!

Moms & Kids
JULY 14 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM (Eastern)
This day event is for Moms to come with their kids and we can have some stamping/crafting fun together. Easy projects - fun time!

Girlie Girls 2-Day Stamp Camp
JUL 16 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM (Eastern)
2 Day Event to introduce young ladies to some jazzy stampin' fun! Creating the 'girlie' style of projects - cool bag tags, personalized journals and fun pj party invitations, cool scrapbook pages - you name it! We're doing it - and with the Big Shot for help, it'll be a breeze! 4 hours each of 2 days. Cost is $65 per person. RSVP Dates: Thurs, July 16 10 am - 2 pm and Fri, July 17, 10 am - 2 pm
JUL 17 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM (Eastern) Second day of the 2-Day Girlie Stamp Camp - see original details for Thurs, 16th.


New IN COLORS ‘RAZZLE DAZZLE’ Card and Scrap Stamp Club
JULY 18 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM (Eastern)
stamp club of the month is using our new brilliant IN COLORS and the Razzle Dazzle stamp set! Make a card and scrapbook page – its a very versatile and ‘in’ stamp set!

Scrapbook Class – Topic TBA
JULY 21 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM (Eastern)
topic to be announced at a later date - scrapbooking for beginners to experienced members and guests

Butterfly Centerpiece Extraordinaire Class – a WOW Class!
JULY 25 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Eastern)
This is an awesome delight! An absolute MUST! Make your own beautiful, colourful "butterfly box centerpiece" . Using the Big Shot and templates, we will create with beautiful papers, the extraordinary centerpiece to decorate your home - or a becoming wedding decoration - present to someone special - whatever the occasion - this gem is sure to delight! Must RSVP to allow for supplies to be accounted for. Special $40 class.

You may wish to order your own kits:
1) Complete Butterfly Centerpiece Kit I, $130 inclusive. For owners of the Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine (or compatible)
Kit contains 1 package Designer Series Paper, 1 Assortment Cardstock, 1 Ink Pad, 1 Dowel Rod (enough for 1), button assortment and florist foam, green paint. Other supplies include the Big Shot Dies - Beautiful Butterlies and a Floral Bigz Die and a Leaf Sizzlit Die to enable you to re-create as many of these as you wish - and instructions for the centerpiece including pictures plus 2 other projects. Having the supplies will allow you to create many other projects as well.
Note – Bigz Dies are rule-based dies measuring 5 ½ x 6 in. that cut through various materials.
2) Die-Cut Butterfly Centerpiece Kit II, $72 inclusive. * Order this if you DO NOT own a Big Shot (or similar) Die-Cut Machine.
Kit contains pre-cut “ Bigz Die Cuts” of Butterflies (12) and Flowers (6 sets, 3 colours), 14 leaf cuts, 1 package Designer Series Paper, 1 Assortment Cardstock, 1 Ink Pad, 1 Dowel Rod, button assortment and florist foam, green paint.
3) Butterfly/Floral/Leaf Die-Cut Pack, $20 inclusive
Packets of pre-cute Bigz Die Cuts Butterflies (12) and Flowers (6 sets, 3 colours), 14 leaf cuts.
4) Sizzix Big Shot Die-Cut Machine, $165.25 inclusive. Includes Big Shot, standard cutting pads and multipurpose platform to get started.
Please Order dies separately. Dies range from $5.95 singles - $199.95 for large alphabet set.
If ordering Kit for class - deadline to reserve is July 10. * Kit can also be ordered at class and class fee will be deducted.

Sock Monkey Celebrates Canada Day....

Here's the lil' guy waving his Canada flag - and he's all decked out for a picnic!

I simply made good use of my white gel pen - the Signo Uni-ball - and my white craft ink to stamp on red - easy smeesy!

Well....off to enjoy the rest of the day! Same to you all!

Hello! Just chit chat.....

Thought I'd show you where I went to 'work' today! Deciding to take my paperwork with me and work in a pleasant atmosphere at the same time, I took off to a large office complex near me and this is where I always end up, sitting by the fountain.

So since I was trying to get a nice photo of my card - I took it here - lol! Looks funny I know! And I am sure anyone watching me thought I was one coffee bean short of a cappuccino, ha ha!

But today is our last day of the catalog - and I wanted to get my paperwork done too. Didn't happen though - got distracted having coffee and working on some creative ideas....ah well. That is something though - so by tomorrow I will have my new schedule done. Save the rest for Thursday.

And before I wake up tomorrow - a early "HAPPY CANADA DAY" !!!!

That happy day will be here once again! Yaaaay!

Heard - for anyone in my town - that Mandarin Resturant is giving away a free meal for Canadians on Canada Day .......hmmm, sort of have to decide if its worth the long line probably have to weather.....decisions!

Feel bad for the strike affecting some places that will have to cancel their local celebrations - bad timing, I'm afraid. But hopefully everyone will come up with a way to celebrate - even at a minimum around here we have strawberries and whipped topping in some form or another - so have some beautiful strawberries in the fridge right now - really good-looking ones happy to say! We try to come up with different ways to have our strawberry dessert - I think this year we're making the cake we saw on the front of Canadian Living - yummm!

Well - enough chit chat - have a great evening - and a great day tomorrow!!