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Sympathy Card

Life has been busy, gee — wish I could control that — but since I can’t always, thought I’d do an Oldies but Goodies post today.  This is a sympathy card I made using the first 2 sets that Flourishes came out with when they opened their doors last July — Cake Decorating 101 and Flourished Words.

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I really like the overall feel of this card.  It is a large, 5.5″ square, which has long been my favorite size!  The ferny type of foliage is from a retired SU set called Garden Silhouettes.  The tiny flowers on the foliage are from Cake Decorating 101 (they are cake decorations), and the sentiment panel is made of 4 separate words that I combined from Flourished Words.  LOVE that set of words — they are small, gorgeously scripted and so very, very versatile as you can combine them to suit your needs.  And they just exude elegance — I like that!!!!  And can you see that the little flower centers are colored in with a white gel pen — it just adds that extra POP to those tiny flowers.  Flourishes is now carrying a really great white pen that works beautifully — the Inkksentials Opaque White Pen by Ranger (a really great pen!).  I also used the luscious Chocolate Satin Ribbon by May Arts on this card.  Again, I’d just like to point out, this soft and supple ribbon is the same as the Chocolate and Pomegranate ribbon that SU had out last year, only Flourishes offers it in a wide variety of soft and delicate colors — truly a favorite ribbon of mine - it knots so nicely!!!  Also, I’d like to add that I made this as a masculine sympathy card.  I usually try to avoid ribbon and bows especially (even knots) on masculine cards, but I just thought this rich, chocolate ribbon was appropriate for a masculine sympathy card.  Hope you like it and that it inspires you to look at all your stamps with wide open eyes — a cake decoration as a flower — very logical to me!!!  LOL!!!

  • Stamps:  Retired SU Garden Silhouettes, Cake Decorating 101 and Flourished Words by Flourishes
  • Paper:  Blue Bayou, Sahara Sand, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla all by SU
  • Ink:  Black Stazon, same colors as paper, White Gel Pen
  • Accessories:  Satin Ribbon, Ticket Corner Punch, Mounting Tape

Wishing you all a Happy Mother’s Day, whether you are a mother or mother-figure, tomorrow is a day to celebrate all women!!!  Happy Mother’s Day everyone!!!  Wishing you a wonderful day!!!

Posted by notimetostamp on May 11th 2008 | Filed in Flourishes Projects, Oldies But Goodies, Sympathy Cards | Comments (5)

Stamp Simply Challenge #34 - In Stitches

Keyword ssnotime34 - There is no time limit. You can play this challenge and upload your project at Splitcoast and/or your Blog, anytime at all!  You (and that means anyone and everyone, blogger or not!) can play as many times as you like!!!  The point is to keep it simple, quick and have fun!!!  Please link back here.

The challenge this week will put you *In Stitches*!!!  Yes, that’s it, we want you to sew — real or faux — your choice.  You can machine stitch,  hand stitch, lace something up, faux stitch with pen, faux stitch with pierced holes, faux stitch with the perforator on SU’s cutter kit — whatever you can figure to do — you can even sew on a button!!!  LOL!!!  Julie and the Stamp Simply crew came up with the challenge last weekend when I was gone, and I think it is over the top fabulous — I LOVE to sew!!! Thank you girls!!!!

Can’t wait to see what you all do!!!  Just have fun with it!!!  As always, try to stick with our overall theme to *stamp simply*. 

Here are some samples:

Check out Julie Koerber’s sample. 

Check out Dee Jackson’s sample.

Check out Tammy Hershberger’s sample

Check out Jennifer Buck’s sample.

Check out Janine Orchard’s sample.

Check out Becky Oehlers’ Sample.

What a fabulous Stamp Simply Team!!!   Thank you girls!!!  Much appreciated!!!

And here is my sample:

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I chose to use machine stitching on my card — it’s around the perimeter — see it?  Just plain straight stitches, nothing fancy!!!  And can you see the Pink Satin Scalloped Ribbon peaking out between the two papers?  I tucked it under the top paper and machine stitched along the edge of the paper.  LOVE using this scalloped ribbon in this way — it allows you to have this dainty and delicate scalloped edge on your card with no work at all — no scallops to make — just adhere the ribbon on — fun and pretty!!!!  Once we’re talking about ribbon, I also used my favorite 1″ wide Pink Satin Ribbon as the focal ribbon piece, knotting it on front — LOVE this soft, supple ribbon by May Arts!!!  (It’s the same ribbon as the Pomegranate and Chocolate by SU last year, only it is availabe in a lot of soft and pretty colors at Flourishes.)

OK, back to the card — this is the topiary from Siberian Iris that I just love so much!!!  For this card I stamped it in Chocolate Chip and colored with SU markers, accenting the  topiary tops with the Inkksentials Opaque White Pen, which does such a great job and writes so nicely!!!  That pretty pink and creamy DP is from the Sugared 6 x 6 pad by Basic Grey.  It has such pretty colors and prints in it!!!  My corner piece is die cut on the Cuttlebug and adhered very easily with the Quickie Glue Pen.  This is just the greatest glue pen with it’s small, pen-sized tip — you can just get glue exactly where you want it — and it sticks so well!!!   Definitely my go-to glue pen!!!  And that pretty well takes care of this card — fun one to make!!!  Love all the pinks this time of year — it is so NOT pink or spring-like here yet!!!  One of these days!!!

  • Stamps:  Siberian Iris by Flourishes
  • Paper:  Very Vanilla and Pretty in Pink by SU.  Sugared 6 x 6 pad by Basic Grey.
  • Ink:  Chocolate Chip by SU, Versa Fine Onyx Black, SU Markers in Close to Cocoa, Pretty in Pink, Old Olive.  Inkksentials Opaque White Pen.
  • Accessories:  Pink Satin Scalloped Ribbon, May Arts Satin Pink Ribbon, Cuttlebug, Mounting Tape, Sewing Machine and Thread, Quickie Glue Pen.

Remember when you upload to use the keyword above, followed by a comma.  Please come back here to post (as a comment) that you’ve played, and provide a link so we can check out your card right away. You can find all cards uploaded for this challenge by clicking Gallery Submissions Here.

Some wanting to play said they have never uploaded before.  If that’s you and you need help uploading,  just go to my Challenge No. 1 here.

Thanks much, everyone, for stopping in — hope you get time to play!!!

Posted by notimetostamp on May 9th 2008 | Filed in Challenges, Flourishes Projects, General Purpose Cards | Comments (34)

A JustRite Graduation

The graduation announcements are starting to flow in, so I thought I’d better get busy!!!  I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to try out the numbers and small letters that can be purchased to go with the DIY Monogram Stampers by JustRite — which, as you may know, is my latest obsession!!!  I have always loved monograms, but rarely did them, having to fuss with perfect alignment of letters within frames, etc.  But, now — well, it couldn’t be easier and I’m having so much fun!!!

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I wanted to personalize this graduation card with the recipients name, and the small letters are perfect for that.  They are small, and I mean VERY small!!! They come with a set of tweezers to pluck them out of their tray and pop them into the groove in the stamper.  Once in the groove, you can just use the tweezers to scoot them over to get them spaced properly.  To be perfectly honest, I was a bit apprehensive about using these tiny letters — my eyes are every bit of their 54 years, properly clad in bifocals, and somehow over the years my fingers have become clumsy, and are no longer nimble.  But, where there’s a will, there’s a way — so I picked up the tweezers and away I went — and, much to my surprise, it was truly no problem at all!!!  It was quite easy to get the little letters into the groove on the stamper, and then very easy to move them about once in the groove.  It was certainly not the challenge I feared it might be!!!  And that’s a good thing!!!  But after I show you the finished card, I will give you some little hints.   Here’s the card:

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I personalized the monogram with Congrats Tyler around the outer perimeter in the Small Letters.  The center 2008 was done with the medium numbers from the Large and Medium Numbers package.  These were stamped using the DIY Monogram Stamper C-45.  However, this also could have been stamped with any of the smaller Kits.

Question:  Now let me address another question I’ve been getting all day long — people are wondering how these circle images work with the SU 1 1/4″ and 1 3/8″ punches.  Well — they don’t.  These are larger than that.  They work perfectly with the Circle Nestabilites by Spellbinders.  I still don’t have my Circle Nestabilities, so again, I had to make due without, which isn’t always a bad thing — it stretches the imagination!!!  I’ve been doing these in squares, but really wanted a rounded image for this card, so I punched my monogram with a 2″ Marvy Punch.   I then used my Oval Nestabilities to make a matted oval on which I mounted my circle punched monogram — then I just added the gold brads to finish off the look!!!  I was very pleased with the end result of my monogrammed piece!!!

Now, to make the rest of the card, I used the Harlequin set by Flourishes, stamped in Elegant Eggplant and the diamond centers are embossed in gold.  The far left Elegant Eggplant strip is stamped with Damask in Versa Mark for a subtle flourishy look.  I used a strip of Gold Metallic Paper as piping between my Harlequin and Damask, and also as the card front.  The tassel is a bookmark type of tassell I got at Wal-Mart.  Such fun personalizing these cards!!!

  • Stamps:  Harlequin, Damask, DIY Monogram Stamper, Numbers and Small Letters, all available at Flourishes
  • Paper:  Black, White, Elegant Eggplant, Gold Metallic from Flourishes
  • Ink:  Black, Elegant Eggplant, Versa Mark
  • Accessories:  Gold Embossing Powder, Tassel, Gold Brads, Petite Oval Nestabilities, 2″ Marvy Punch, Pop Dots, Mini Glue Dots

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Hint:  Now, if you think you’d like to get the set of small alphas, here’s a little tip.  Before you ever take even one out of the tray, just ink the entire set as one unit and stamp it on a piece of paper for future reference.  Once taking out many small stamps, having the stamped reference sheet proves to be invaluable when looking at the small letters and not being able to tell a comma from an apostrophe, etc.  It’s a simple thing to do and will be helpful in the end!!!

Links:   I’ve seen several personalized cards of recent done with these small alphabets that I’d like to link for you to see, in case you’ve missed them.  Here they are:

Jerri Kay — A Gift Set of Cards with Box — this is the group photo, there are individual photos as well (not the small alphabets, but worthy of a look)!!!

Kellie Fortin – Boy’s Birthday Project          

Kellie Fortin — Altered Band Aid Box done by 10-year old Jack — very cool!!!

Susan Roberts – Boy’s Birthday Card (plus a gorgeous Wedding Card)   

Debbie Olson — Anniversary Card

Aren’t they fun!!!  Thanks so much for stopping in again!!!  We have a really simple Stamp Simply Challenge lined up for Friday, so please check back for that!!!  Hope you are having a great week!!!                               

Posted by notimetostamp on May 8th 2008 | Filed in Flourishes Projects, Graduation, JustRite Products, Masculine Cards, Product Talk | Comments (21)

10 Minute Tuesday

Hi everyone!  This is the first time I’ve stamped anything in what seems like ages, but I guess it really only is about a week.  But it’s 10 Minute Tuesday, and what a great way to break me back in!!!  I actually have two 10 minute cards to show you and although they are very different, they do bear some similarities.  Here’s the first:

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This card truly is fast to make, and for a number of reasons.  First of all , the main image, which is a monogram, is done quickly and easily with  the JustRite DIY Monogram Stamper Kit, and secondly, I merely covered the entire face of the card with designer paper. The kit used to make this card has a small wooden stamper in it, and that is what I used.  Just like the larger C-45, you can change the borders and the initial in the center.  The kit I used (pictured below) is the JustRite DIY Monogram Stamper Kit with  Damask Borders.  There are 3 borders included, and I love them all!  They are just my style and go so well with the flourishy style I am so drawn to.  The one I did for this card was colored, direct to rubber, with my SU markers in Pink Passion and Chocolate Chip.  I have also easily inked the monograms and borders in the past with the small cat’s eye chalk ink pads and my SU ink pads as well.   After stamping my monogram (how pretty!!!), I ticket corner punched the corners, matted it on a sheet of the designer paper, adhered my self-adhesive pearls and mounted onto the card with mounting tape.  And I’d like to add, that though I did this monogram with the small wooden stamper, it could also have been done with the C-45 as the borders and alphas are interchangeable.

As far as the DP goes, this is from the new fun Sultry pad by Basic Grey.  I LOVE that chocolate and paisley sheet!!! I merely cut a strip of paper to sandwich between the upper and lower papers to give the illusion of piping between the two pieces of fabric – and can  you believe — NO ribbon — which is another reason it is fast  — no knots or bow to fuss with!!!  Here’s my next card:

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This card bears a much more masculine flavor and uses the Harlequin background in the set by the same name by Flourishes.  It is stamped in black and the diamonds are added in red as a second step — a very cool type of background stamp with many different accent stamps to suit any occasion!  Now, on this card I used the JustRite Monogram Stamper C-45.  It is super quick to use!!!  You can get uninked pads that are two-toned — an outer rim for one color and the center inside for another.  You can ink them in your own colors — for this card I used SU ink refills in Basic Black and Real Red — love the look!!!  I only stamped 1 monogram for this card today, but using the C-45 you can stamp these attractive monograms so quickly it’ll make your head spin — truly it will!!!  What a wonderful way to make up a quick box of cards to give as a gift, which I certainly plan to do in the very near future!!!  I used a set of borders that include From the Desk of — From the Library of — and From the Kitchen of — HOW FUN!!!

I also want to add that these monograms are sized to perfectly fit with the Circle Nestabilities by Spellbinders, so they can be matted, scalloped, embossed, etc.  They look just GREAT when used with the Nestabilies.  Sadly to say, my Nestabilities are on order and I still haven’t received them — and as anxious as I am for them to arrive, I am still so enjoying my DIY stampers when done up in squares!!!  Many options — lots of fun!!!  Here’s a picture of the stampers I’m referring to:

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The black stamper on the left is the C-45.  The ink pad is inside and when you push on the stamper, it inks the rubber and gives you a perfectly stamped image each time.  This stamper is super fast and a real necessity for large projects.  The box shown on the right houses one of the many small wooden stamper sets, the Classic Stamper.  It uses all the same borders and alphas/numbers as the C-45.  I love that they are all interchangeable.  This set that I used came with the Damask Borders.  Fun, fun stuff!!!  You can view the Flourishes Newsletter for some good  close-up photos of the wooden stamper itself.   And I think the small boxed set with the Classic Wooden Stamper would make just the most fun gift to give to a stamping friend — it is attractively presented and has all you need to get going with some monograms!!!

The Harlequin stamp set, both DIY Monogram Stampers by JustRite, the Sulty 6 x 6 pad by Basic Grey, and the Circle Nestabilities by Spellbinders that I referred to above are all available at Flourishes.

Thanks so much for stopping in!!! Hope you are all off to a great week ahead!!!

Editing to answer a question:  A reader asked how I center the monogram on the square when using the C-45.  She was having trouble doing so.  I found it to be quite simple when I use a 2″ square to stamp on.  Using a 2″ square it is very easy to center the stamper on the paper — don’t try to center to stamp itself — just center the black plastic stamper, on the 2″ square.  When you try this, you will see that the stamper base is just about 2″ itself, making it very easy to center it both horizontally and vertically on the paper — you can peek in the stamper opening and just see all edges of your 2″ square barely touching the stamper edges.  Perfectly centered each time!!!

Using the small round wooden Classic stamper — it is just easy to see that you are centering it on the paper as it is so small and open.

Of course, if you plan to cut the monogram with the Round Nestabilites after the image is stamped, then you don’t have to worry about centering at all!!!

Hope this helps and hope you all have fun playing with your new toys!!!

Editing again to answer another question:  Another question has popped up in comments, so I’ll include the answer here in case others have the same question — Julie said she has problems getting her C-45 to stamp the image evenly.  I know exactly what she means.  When I first used mine — same thing.  First of all, make sure your ring/alpha is snapped in properly, but assuming it is — here’s what I discovered after about 10 minutes of experimentation — I think when I stamped I was applying uneven pressure with my hands to the top of the stamper as I pressed.  To solve that problem, I use the C-45 while standing — I think it gives a more even pressure as I can get above the stamper and press straight down.  I put the palm of my right hand on top of the stamper, then I take my left hand and apply pressure on top of my right hand when I push down.  Doing it this way it evenly distributes the pressure and I get a perfect image each time.  I am sure if you do it this way (stand and use 2 hands), you’ll get a perfect image each time as well.

Posted by notimetostamp on May 5th 2008 | Filed in 10 Minute Tuesday, Flourishes Projects, JustRite Products, Product Talk | Comments (22)

Home Again!

Hi everyone!  Well, Jan Marie and I are home again — at least home in the UP of Michigan — Jan is still quite far from her home in Florida!!!  We had a great show in Sayner, WI this past weekend — all went well — but are we tired!!! WOW!!!

We left here on Friday morning, set up Friday afternoon, taught a class on Friday night which was done in a round robin style — 6 tables of 8 people at each, 30 minutes at a table, then rotate to the next — that worked really well and all the participants had a great time.  They each ended the evening with 6 different completed projects.  This was our Flourishes card for the round robin.

Saturday was super busy.  I did Make-N-Takes for 7 hours staight, Jan Marie ran the checkout and my friend Deb (DeborahLynneS) helped customers at the display with their questions.  This was our Make-N-Take Number 1 (Best Wishes), Number 2 (Wedding Card), Number 3 (Christmas Card).  They were all well received, as was all of the Flourishes product.  People really loved the classic and timeless Flourishes style, and Flourishes really did offer something new and different to the participants.

I have a few photos to share right now before I must run off for church.

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This was our booth before customers arrived, and that’s Jan Marie off to the right — we had a space 10′ wide x 8′ deep, but luckily we got to push out a bit — 8′ isn’t very deep - LOL!!!  The customers sat at the front table to do the Make-N-Takes.  We planned on having 4 people at a time, but very quickly a 5th chair got squished in, so we were running 5 at a time, and there was always a line behind each chair, waiting for the seat to empty, so that was good!!!  And I must say, my calculations of how many cards we’d run through was pretty much right on!!!

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This is a close-up of our display that my middle son, Ben (age 20) built.  The specification when he built it was that it had to break down small enough to fit into the back of an Explorer — so the base is like a table, the upright display pops into it, and the pediment on top also comes off — 3 pieces — we could handle it!!!  (Though it isn’t the lightest thing on earth — LOL!!!)  It served it purposes VERY well and looked great!!!

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This is the sign that Jan Marie had made in Florida and brought up with her.  We shopped on Thursday when she arrived for the curtain rods to hang it. This is also a showing of some of the cards that the fabulous Flourishes Design Team provided for us.  There are more hanging on the sides of the display.  I can not tell you how people loved seeing all these fabulous creations up close and personal!!! There truly were a big hit!!!  THANK YOU FLOURISHES DT!!!!  Your hard work and willingness to share these is much appreciated!!!

And I must say, the most fun part of it all for me was getting to meet so many of my SCS and Blogland friends.  I also met many new people from the UP that I hadn’t known before and look forward to seeing many of them again soon.  Some of our local stampers, DeborahLynneS and Sarahzoe (Deb and JoAnn) are planning a UP SCS event here in Baraga for the beginning of August, and many of our new friends are coming.  We invite you all to come as well — here is a link to the Stampin in the UP  thread, please check it out!

All Flourishes products can be viewed on the online store.

Well, got to run — running late — talk to you all soon!

Posted by notimetostamp on May 4th 2008 | Filed in Chit Chat, Flourishes Projects | Comments (21)

Stamp Simply Challenge #33 - Think Spring

Keyword ssnotime33 - There is no time limit. You can play this challenge and upload your project at Splitcoast and/or your Blog, anytime at all!  You (and that means anyone and everyone, blogger or not!) can play as many times as you like!!!  The point is to keep it simple, quick and have fun!!!  Please link back here.

The challenge this week is to think spring — use pink and green in your card and a flower.  Any kind of flower will do — stamped or an embellishment.  I am sooooo ready for warmer temps and sunshine — hoping this will help!!!

Can’t wait to see what you all do!!!  Just have fun with it!!!  As always, try to stick with our overall theme to *stamp simply*. 

Sorry, but I have no sample today.  Jan Marie arrived today, we organized and packed the vehicles  and I made 2 more tablecloths tonight, and we are off in the morning to do Flourishes first ever road show — the Sayner Spring Stampede.   So, if anyone is going to be in Sayner, WI this weekend, we’ll see you there!

Here are some samples:

Check out Julie Koerber’s sample. 

Check out Dee Jackson’s sample.

Check out Tammy Hershberger’s sample

Check out Jennifer Buck’s sample.

Check out Janine Orchard’s sample.

Check out Becky Oehlers’ Sample.

What a fabulous Stamp Simply Team!!!   Thank you girls!!!  Much appreciated!!!

Remember when you upload to use the keyword above, followed by a comma.  Please come back here to post (as a comment) that you’ve played, and provide a link so we can check out your card right away. You can find all cards uploaded for this challenge by clicking Gallery Submissions Here.

Some wanting to play said they have never uploaded before.  If that’s you and you need help uploading,  just go to my Challenge No. 1 here.

Thanks so much for checking in — and I WILL get to comment on all of last weeks challenges as well as this weeks when I get back!!!  Thanks for being understanding about that!!!  Hope you all have a great weekend!

Posted by notimetostamp on May 1st 2008 | Filed in Challenges | Comments (48)

Oldies but Goodies

I’m just checking in to make sure you all know I haven’t deserted you — even though I haven’t had as much as usual to upload in the last few weeks.  It has been super busy getting ready for the show that I am doing, along with Jan Marie, for Flourishes this weekend in Sayner, WI — the Sayner Spring  Stampede – here we come!!!

I have prepped well over 200 cards, bagged them into kits, supervised the making of Flourishes very first on-the-road display (made by my son, Ben), made display boards for cards, sewn skirting and tablecloths, etc., etc., etc.  Jan Marie arrives here tomorrow (Thursday), we take off for Wisconsin on Friday morning, set up Friday afternoon, teach a class to 48 on Friday night, and the show is all day Saturday.  Then we head back here on Saturday night.  Needless to say, I think we will be tired by then!!!  Gee, I’m tired already and we haven’t even started.  We’ll try to get some pictures to share with you next week!

So, in light of all that, I’m doing an Oldies but Goodies post tonight.  This card was done about a year ago and it uses all SU product, but it still has that bit of simple elegance and the flourishy design that I so love!  Here it is:

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All details of this card can be viewed on my SCS upload back in May, 2007.   The interesting detail here is all the piercing - I LOVE to pierce, and just didn’t feel like stopping — LOL!!!

For those of you who liked the SU Pomegranate and Chocolate ribbon that came out for a while the end of last  year — are you aware that this exact ribbon is made by May Arts and is available in a number of colors from Flourishes.  You can check it out here.  I LOVE this ribbon and I use it often in many different colors!!!  Just thought you might like to know!  And I see a Champagne color that I haven’t tried yet — hmmmm, we’ll have to do something about that!!!

Thanks so much for stopping in — and the Stamp Simply Challenge is still scheduled for Friday morning, as usual.  I’ll try to get a sample made, but if not, I am so thankful for my 6 fabulous team members providing samples each week — thank you girls!!!  And I won’t give you too many hints, other than to say that this is one of the ultra simple, anyone can do it, challenges!!!!  Talk to you soon!

Posted by notimetostamp on May 1st 2008 | Filed in General Purpose Cards, Oldies But Goodies, Stampin' Up! Projects | Comments (14)

10 Minute Tuesday

Hi everyone!!! Today is our first edition of 10 Minute Tuesday.  I’ve been doing a lot of super easy cards in trying to plan for quick Make-N-Takes, and you all seem to be enjoying quick cards, so I thought I’d give 10 Minute Tuesday a try as a regular feature.  Here’s my first 10 Minute Tuesday card, which just so happens to be a Christmas card — it’s never too early to start, now is it?  LOL!!!

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This card is 5.5″ high and 5″ wide, and I’ll use my favorite 6 x 6 envelopes for it.  If the main image had been narrower, this easily could have been a standard sized card.  The red panel (4.5 x 3) is stamped tone on tone with red ink in Damask Reverse.  It just gives it such a subtle, but rich texture — love it!!!  Then I knotted a length of Black Velvet Ribbon by Mary Arts (available at Flourishes) in the center and wrapped the edges around the red panel, securing them tightly on the back before adhering the panel to the card.  The main image panel (4 x 3) is my favorite Christmas tree from Flourished Christmas by Flourishes.  The tree is simply stamped in black, highlighted with a Quickie Glue Pen (available at Flourishes) and Dazzling Diamonds (a fine glitter), the sentiment from the same set is stamped in red, then the panel is narrowly matted in black before adhering over the red panel, as shown in photo. 

The inside sentiment is another stamp from Flourished Christmas, and it reads:  “May your Christmas flourish with peace and good will.”

This would definitely be a quick and easy card to use for Christmas when you might be mass producing.  And even though it is simple, I do love it’s richness and elegance!!!

  • Stamps:   Flourished Christmas and Damask Reverse by Flourishes
  • Paper:  Real Red, Black, White
  • Ink:  Versa Fine Onyx Black, Real Red
  • Accessories:  Black Velvet Ribbon, Quickie Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds

Thanks again so much for stopping in.  Hope you enjoyed 10 Minute Tuesday! See you soon!!!

Posted by notimetostamp on Apr 29th 2008 | Filed in 10 Minute Tuesday, Christmas Cards, Flourishes Projects | Comments (27)

Elemental Baby!

I just love Michelle’s gallery (sf9erfan), so when I saw that she was today’s Featured Stamper at SCS, I just had to make time to play.  This is the card of Michelle’s that I cased.  As you can see I made a few changes — I changed it from a standard A2 card to a 5.5″ square card and I changed the placement of the sentiment, but for the most part I stayed with the layout and the flower placement.  Here it is:

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OK, now don’t laugh — I know this isn’t typical for me — but I sure had fun!!  This idea has been in the back of my head for weeks, and today was the day it just HAD to come out — the layout from Michelle was perfect, so I took a much needed break and went for it!!!  LOL!!!  This is also for my Friday’s Stamp Simply Challenge to think out of the box – so see, I have permission to be a bit goofy with this today - LOL!!!

As for thinking out of the box — can you guess which Flourishes stamp I used on this card?  Well, here’s the set – it is Flourished Elements, one of my all time favorite classics from Flourishes.  Did you see the oval frame in the set?  Well, that’s it.  I colored her face in with the skin toned Copic and drew in her hair with the black Copic.  Her facial features were drawn in with the fine tip of the SU Black Journaler.  The cheek blush is SU Pastels applied with a Q-tip.  The flowers are all from the SU Pretties Kit, some colored with the SU pink marker.  The hair ribbon is SU Taffeta.  The sentiment is from Open to Love by Flourishes, and the White Satin Ribbon and Pink Scalloped Edge Ribbon by May Arts are from Flourishes as well.

  • Stamps:  Flourished Elements and Open to Love by Flourishes
  • Paper:  Black, White, Pretty in Pink and Pink Prints DP by SU
  • Ink:  Adirondack Pitch Black, Copics, Pretty in Pink SU marker and black SU Journaler
  • Accessories:  Ribbons, SU Pretties Kit, Brads, Mounting Tape, SU Pastels, Q-tip.

Update on my Copic coloring experienes:  Well, it’s coming, though I really haven’t had much time to color of late.  I am feeling a bit more comfortable with my Copics; however, my biggest struggle lies in coloring larger spaces, like this girl’s face.  I have a hard time getting it to look really smooth and well blended.  On this face, for the first time, I used the wide tip of the marker, and I really thought I did a pretty good job getting her skin tones nice and even as they look pretty good IRL — LOL!!!  Uploading it and putting it on the screen tells me differently — back to the drawing board!!!  I definitely see some Copic lessons as being a necessity in my future!!!

Anyway, I had great fun with this card!!!  I encourage you all do something a little silly, to think out of the box, just for the pure fun of it!!!  Thanks much for stopping in and hope you all have a great week ahead. 

And 10 Minute Tuesday begins this week - so say tuned for super quick samples on Tuesdays!!!  Thanks much for stopping in!!!

Posted by notimetostamp on Apr 28th 2008 | Filed in Copics, Flourishes Projects | Comments (34)

Blog Candy Winner!

And the winner picked by Random.org at just after midnight EST is #449 .

Here are your random numbers:

449	

Timestamp: 2008-04-27 04:04:09 UTC

#449 was Paper Doll, and this is what she said:

It is surprising to me, because I am not really a ‘pastel’ person, but the color lilac has been my favorite color this spring. I think my eyes are just hungry for color after a long, dark, colorless winter.

Congratulations to you , Paper Doll!!! You have won Define Your Life by SU!!!  Just email your address to me and it’ll be on it’s way!!!

Thank you all so much for playing along.  And the overwhelming color choice you are grabbing at this time of year is a pink and green combination — very spring like, for sure!!! That’s so much for that fun information!!!

Posted by notimetostamp on Apr 27th 2008 | Filed in Uncategorized | Comments (1)

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