Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Wednesdays Card Reveal

There were 13 wonderful ladies here ready to stamp last Wednesday night and we all had a great time. There isn't anything better than getting together with friends, meeting new ones, eating yummy snacks, drinking a glass of wine and making cards. Here are the card that we did.

I wanted to showcase the items in Sale•A•Bration because it ends at the end of the month. For this card I used Season of Friendship and Good Neighbors stamp sets, DSP from Sale•A•Bration, Trio Flower Punch, Scallop Border Punch, Bulk Buttons and Hemp twine. The colors I used were Kraft, Melon Mambo, Pretty in Pink, Taken with Teal, Old Olive, Summer Sun and Chocolate Chip.

For this card I used Happy Moments stamp set and Scallop Trim border both from Sale•A•Bration, Ornament punch, Curly Label punch, Sweet Pea DSP, Pumpkin Pie Grosgrain Ribbon, Pumbkin Pie Corduroy button, Hemp Twine and Perfect Polka Dots Textured Folder. The colors I used were So Saffron, Rose Red, Taken with Teal and Chocolate Chip.

For this card I used Vintage Vogue from Occasions Mimi with Whimsical Words from Sale•A•Bration. The colors I used were Prefect Plum, Pale Plum, Old Olive, Soft Suede and Elegant Eggplant.

Stay tuned for a sneak peek of Aprils card workshop coming soon.

Thank you so much for stopping by today. Have a fabulous day!

Monday, March 29, 2010

Layered Butterfly

I had done this card a while ago when Kiwi Kiss was the in-color, I thought it was worth sharing.

The focal point of this card is the 3 layer butterfly surrounded by a chunky glitter black circle. I clear embossed using Baroque Motifs stamp set on the butterfly and on the Kiwi card stock. Circles are punched from 1 1/4.
Colors are So Saffron, Not quite Navy, black and Kiwi Kiss.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a fabulous day!

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Bunny Basket

Easter is just a week away and my girls are getting so excited for spring break and our first camping trip in our new travel tailer. I still have so many Easter ideas in my head I just don't think I can get them done before Easter arrives. I have been having so much fun with bunnies made of punches. Here is a little Easter basket I came up with last night.

The bunny is all made of punches. I free hand cut two layers of grass Green Galore and Gable Green. The fence was run though the big shot using the wood grain embossing folder. Eggs were punched from Sweet Pea DSP and the little flower was made from the Floral Fusion Sizzlit die.

Thank you so much for stopping by today. Hope you have a fabulous weekend!

Friday, March 26, 2010

Spring Daisies

Butterflies and daisies what a nice combination for a spring inspired card.

This card measures 9 inches tall. I used Inspired by Nature Stamp set with the Beautiful Butterflies die cut. Punched top with the Eyelet Border punch. Summer Sun daisies with Garden Green leaves and grass. Butterfly is made up by Summer Sun card stock and Chocolate Chip DSP, ribbon was tied with Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon.

Thanks for stopping by today and have a fabulous day!

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Spring Flowers Candle

Spring is in the air in Southern California my car thermometer read 82 degrees. I wanted to do a spring inspired project.

The scallop punch and floral fusion sizzlit make wonderful 3 dimensional flowers. I have been seeing them on a lot of projects and wanted to give them a try. They are so easy and also pretty.

I found the perfect size jar candle that a 12x12 piece of DSP could fit around without leaving a paper less gap. I added three little flowers.

I used Sweet Pea DSP, Old Olive Card Stock, Grosgrain ribbon. Chocolate Chip Corduroy Buttons, and Sending Love Epoxy Brad.


I think this cute little candle would add a touch of spring in any room.
Thank you for stopping by today. Have a fabulous day!

Monday, March 22, 2010

Sweet Pea Frame

I haven't been to a baby shower it seems like years. Finally on Saturday I was able to attend one I was so excited. I was so inspired by the collage picture frame that is on the cover of March's Stampin' Success magazine and I wanted to do one so bad. I looked every where for a white table top collage frame and had no luck. I finally went to Aaron Brothers and found something that I thought I could work with. I was pleased on how it turned out.

For this frame I used the Sweet Pea DSP and Sweet Pea Stitched felt.

I used the Floral Fusion Sizzlit die and held together with a Chocolate Chip Sending Love Epoxy Brad.



I don't know about the rest of you, but I am really going to miss the Sweet Pea DSP and Stitched felt when this Occasion mini ends at the end of March. I was really wishing that in the Summer mini that would have introduced something similar.

Thank you so much for stopping by today. Have a fabulous day!

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Anyone Up For A Chocolate Easter egg?

I wanted to give the girls teachers a little Easter gift and I came across these jars at the 99 cent store I thought I could do something cute with them. I made a bunny out of punches and set her in some grass with surrounding Easter eggs.

I cut the 2 layers of grass out of green felt and hand stitched the bottoms together. The eggs are punched from the Sweet Pea DSP with the wide oval punch. The bunny is bunched from the 1 3/4, 1 3/8, 1/2 circles, the large and small ovals and word window for the teeth. I set a pink brad for the bunnies nose.

Thank you so much for looking today... have a fabulous day!

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Easter Bunny Treat Box

I can't believe Easter is just around the corner. I am seeing so many cute Easter bunnies out there. I wanted to get on the Easter bunny band wagon. This is a little bunny box that would be cute to put a few little treats in. I can't decide if my little bunny looks happy or just plan tired, like I feel most of the time. How do you like them eye lashes?

The bunny was made from mostly bunches. I free hand cut the ears and inside of the ears. Since SU doesn't have a way to cut ovals I used the Coluzzle. For the eyelashes I just cut very thin pieces of card stock an curled the ends. Here is a close up.

The box measurer about 2.5 x 3.75, not too small that you couldn't get a treat of two inside.

Thank you so much for taking the time to look at my bunny today. Have a fabulous day!

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Hoppy for You Bag and Card set

I just thought the card using "Hoppy for You" was so cute that I have to make a gift bag to go along with the card. Thanks for taking the time to look.

Third Wednesday's Cards

Every month I host a card making workshop, held on the third Wednesday. Up to 12 ladies come to my house, chat, drink wine, eat snacks that I've prepared and make cards. These cards are designed and made so all cards can be made within 2.5 hours. We complete 3 different designs and do two of each so at the end of the evening we have a total of 6 cards. I look forward in my monthly card making workshop, they are so much fun because I get to sit with the ladies and share my love for paper crafting with them. I have been doing it for about 3 years and I have some of the ladies that haven't missed one. Today I have posted the cards that we did in February.
Stamp Set: Fox and Friends from Occasions mini and Party Hearty. Colors: Crushed Curry, Soft Suede, Dusty Durango, Bermuda Bay and Ruby Red.

Stamp Set: Hoppy for You, On Your Birthday, Vintage Labels (Sale•A•Bration) Colors: Kraft, Taken with Teal, Chocolate Chip, Rose Red and Old Olive. DSP: Sweet Pea from the Occasions mini.

Stamp Set: Hello Again. Colors: Barely Banana, Mellow Moss and Melon Mambo. DSP: Razzleberry Lemonade.

March Sneak Peek
Here is a little sneak peek of March's card workshop. It is the last month of Sale•A•Bration and the Occasion mini so I wanted to make sure that I showcased the items that I haven't used yet.

If you live in the Simi Valley, California area and want to know more information about my card workshops, just leave me a comment of e-mail me.

Thanks for visiting today and have a fantastic day!

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Introductions

Today I thought it would be nice for me to introduce my family and tell you a little about ourselves. As you know my name is Julie. I am a stay at home mom married for 13 years with two little girls, Sydney and Lauren. I had never been too interested in paper crafting, but that all changed after the birth of my first daughter, Sydney. My sister-in-law had given me my first hand made card and that's all it took for me to be totally hocked. As soon as I was able I set out for my local craft store and bought everything I could get my hands on. After the birth of Lauren is when I decide to leave my job as a art director at a local publishing company. My Husband is Gary, is a manager at Costco and works very hard so that I can stay home with the girls. He is very supportive of me and of my passion for paper crafting. Gray is a huge HUGE Kings hockey fan. If I would let him he would have our whole house decorated in purple and black... he can have the garage. As a family we love to camp. We just bought ourselves a brand new travel trailer.

Sydney, she is 7 and in second grade. We call her MiMi, Simmers and Simmer Jackson. Lauren is 4, and in preschool. We call her Lolo. Playing school is one of the girls favorite things to do together.

Sydney loves school, riding her bike, coloring, crafting with her MaMa and playing with her American doll Elizabeth. Sydney is very sweet and loving to everyone she meets.


Lauren is looking forward in starting Kindergarden and being at school with her big sister. She love to ride on her scooter, play Batman and drawing. Lolo is also sweet but a tough cookie, daddy is hoping to make a hockey player out of her some day. We are looking forward in many year of camping enjoyment with the girls.

These pictures were taken by a very good friend and fabulous photographer, Brooks Ayola. You can view his work at www. ayola.com for his blog at blog.ayola.com. Thank you Brooks.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Butterfly Notes

I found this little unfinished wood basket at the local craft store, it was calling to me...."Please take me home and make me pretty". I took the little guy home and painted him brown, I tried to match as close to chocolate chip as I could, added some DSP, corduroy buttons, butterflies and little 3x3 note inside.

Friday, March 5, 2010

Orange Roses


I am attending my huge downline meeting. There are over 30 of us. We are all lead by our fearless leader Maureen the original crazy stamping lady. You can learn more about us by visiting her blog at
www.crazystampinglady.blogspot.com. Every month we have card challenges. This month was my turn to set the challenge, because I won last last month. Only myself and Heidi entered last month and she was the winner of the previous month so that made her ineligible to win again so I guess you can say I won by default, any way I'm glad I got to set the challenge. My winning card is my "Hello Birdie" post. You can view Heidi's card by visiting www.stampinking.blogspot.com. She is a wonderful talent and always keeps the group in AUH of her creativity. So My challenge was to come up with your best card using only Very Vanilla, any shade or multipule shades of brown and one accent color. All embellishments had to fall in this color group and had to use this sketch from Mojo Monday.
I am drawn to the Earth Elememts color group and I find myself using them very often no matter what time a year it is. I chose to do a 5.5 x 5.5 card, with an accent color of Pumpkin Pie.
This card uses Chocolate Chip and Sweet Pea DSP, Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate chip, Close to Coco, Creamy Caramel and Very Vanilla Card stock. The stamp used was from the Sale•A•Bration, Vintage Labels. The embellishments are half pearls from the pretties kit. The ribbon is tide with chocolate chip 5/8 cross grain ribbon. I think I sponges all edges of every element with either chocolate chip or pumpkin pie classic ink.


You can find detailed instruction for this rose in a earlier post called "Instructions for Rose."
The small flower I used the floral fusion die, following the directions as for the rose.

Little Butterfly Etched Jar
At are meetings we volunteer to do a project for the entire group. Maria and myself have volunteered for this meeting. We decided to do a cute etched glass jar.

We got the jars from IKEA, they come in a package of 4, for about $2.99. We punched the butterfly out in contact paper and centered it on the jar, making sure there were no air bubbles around the image area. Next you apply the etching cream to the glass area that is exposed, wait 5 minute and wash off. We also used the vintage labels, beautiful wings embosslit and buttons die. We hope the group will enjoy this one.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Whoo Said it was almost St. Patrick's Day?

The fun thing about paper crafts is that you can develop fun packaging ideas. This is a box that reminds me of a Tootsie Roll candy the way it twists on both ends. St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner so I thought of embellishing it in honor of that.



For this box I used "Fox and Friends"," Cheep Talk", and "Gallery". The clover is assembled by punching with Heart to Heart punch in Garden Green card stock, running the pieces though the big shot using the Polka dot texture folder and is held together with an Epoxy Brad. I embossed the owl and the large decorative shape with chocolate chip ink and layered them with a Garden Green 1 1/4 and Certainly Celery 1 3/4 circle punches. I free had cut the saying "you've got a friend in me."

Finally I layered my band together with a scalloped outer edge, chocolate chip and kraft card stock. For the box itself I scallop punched the ends and pierced the center of each scallop.

Tootsie Roll box Template
I started with a 12x12 piece of card stock. You can modify the box size how ever you would like. Have FUN! If you are interested in a pdf file of this template, just leave me a comment with your info and I'll try to get it out to you in 24 hours.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Every Girl Needs a New Purse

I thought how cute to give someone a gift card in one of these little top note purses. Becky Roberts of Inking Idaho came up with these little guys and I just had to give one a try. Her instructions of so easy to follow, so give it a try. So stinkin' cute! Thanks Becky.


I used Sweet Pea DSP and Sweet Pea Stitched Felt Flowers. Taken with teal, Ruby red and Whisper white card stock. Top note, large scallop oval and circle scissor. I added the tag using Vintage Labels from this years Sale•A•Bration. You can find this at www.inkingidaho.blogspot.com.

Hello There Birdie!

How can you go wrong with birds and polka dots. Adding Sweet Pea Stitched Felt elements to a project really adds a little extra pizzaz.


For this card I used "On Board So Tweet" chip board, "Sweet Pea DSP" and "Sweet Pea Stitch Felt". I used the large scallop die cut and the circle scissor. The ribbon is from Sale-a-Bration from last year, but could be substituted with "Old Olive 5/8 cross grain ribbon.