No Time To Stamp?

Well, Christmas is literally just around the corner — my cards aren’t out — they’re not even all made — I have very little shopping done — and I have card gift sets I’d like to make for people — and a few more gift card holders — and, and, and –

So, needless to say, my gift sets will be super simple!!!  And here’s one I did in 90 minutes — start to finish — I kid you NOT!!!  It consists of 6 cards, Cuttlebug embossed and then Scor-Pal embossed, with an embossed envelope to match, all neatly packaged in a beautiful new, perfectly clear box that fits them just to a tee!!!  I’m a happy camper!

The card bases are Soft Sky.  The Whipser White is cut 4 x 5.25″.  A small embossing folder was used with the Cuttlebug to get the border pattern.  I first embossed right in the center.  Then I ran it through my Cuttlebug 2 more times, once on each side of the first embossed image.  Then to get the straight line on the right side, I took it to my Scor-Pal and quicky ran a score line on the reverse side, so the front would be the embossed side.   I also did another embossed panel for the main image, which I narrowly matted in Soft Sky.  I wrapped ribbon on the left edge of the embossed panel, attached it to the card base, adhered my main image embossed panel, and done!!!  Truly, once you do the 1st card and know where you’re going, these whip up in minutes a piece.  There are no words or sentiments on these cards.  Being gifts, I wanted them to be sort of all-purpose cards that can be used for any occasion.  I think they would work for a wedding, funeral, birthday, get-well — pretty much anything, just not masculine!

My matching embossed envelope isn’t showing up too well in the photo, but I think you can kind of see it.  Having matching envelopes just finishes off the set, I think!  And I put them in one of my new boxes — LOVE these boxes.  I first spotted them on a Blog post of Valerie Stangle’s.   Though the box was not the focus of her post, my eyes were drawn to it — I immediately knew that I needed those boxes — LOL!!!  I just tried to find her project to show you, but I can’t navigate in her site right now, so I’ll just provide you with a link to her blog – check out her gorgeous Christmas tree!!!  Anyway, I love to make little sets of cards for gifts, and though I do love to make boxes to match the cards, that isn’t always possible, so these clear boxes are the answer!!!  This box is 1″ deep and easily holds my 6 cards with multi layers and 6 envelopes.  I also got some boxes in 1/2″ and 5/8″ for sets that have less cards or perhaps thinner cards.  I’m anxious to try those out, too.  Val was generous in supplying me with the info on where to get these boxes, and I’m happy to share it with you — just click here. They are Clear Bags.com.  Any bag or box you can imagine is available. I’m so happy with my purchases from them!!!

Anyway, I think these cards will be a gift for my Mom with a roll of stamps.  I get her stamps every year as one of her little gifts.  It is so hard to buy gifts for people in their retirement years who don’t want more *stuff*.  What do you all buy as gifts for older people?  I’d sure love to hear some ideas!!!

Well, I guess that’s it for tonight.  I do have many more little gift sets to make, all with different themes that I’ll post when completed.  And, believe me, at this point they ALL will be quick and simple projects!!!  Hope you are all enjoying your Christmas preparations!!!  Thanks for stopping in!!!

Rather than answering numerous emails and PM’s, I’ll address this here, but I’m not so sure I’m of any help.  On my last Stamp Simply Challenge #13 uploaded this morning, everyone is asking about the last card with the Cuttlebug embossing and Scor-Pal score lines.   The question is:  How do I emboss with those tiny folders without the edges of the folder making lines on the card.  It seems most of you are having that problem.

Well, my answer is — I don’t know.  Last night when I made that card it was the first time I ever used those tiny folders — I opened up a new pack.  The folder was inserted on the bottom open edge of the card, and it only goes up so far, YKWIM?  I did the first roll through in the center of the card.  Then I did each end, though only a portion of the card was actually in the folder on the edges.  And it just came good — what can I say.

I might add, though, that when cranking it through, my machine felt *loose*.  I have been playing with my Nestabilities, embossing with those, where you have many, many layers — plates, dies, numerous sheets of cardstock, rubber mats, etc.  It feels really tight when I roll the Nestabilities sandwich through.  It felt really loose rolling the standard embossing folder through — A plate, B plate, folder with paper, B plate. 

Is it possible that since I have been rolling *fat* Nestability sandwiches through, that maybe my machine has actually loosened and, therefore, I’m not getting the folder edge marks you all are talking about — I surely don’t know.  Does anyone out there have an answer, suggestion, solution for these ladies having trouble? 

Sorry I have no answers, but I (we) welcome open discussion to see if others have this problem and what they are doing about it — thanks much!!!

Before you even read anything, please disregard the photo of that plain embossed card on the right - a new and improved version is pictured below, and I don’t have time to retake the group photo!!!  Thanks!!!!

Challenge #13 - Keyword ssnotime13 - There is no time limit. You can play this challenge and upload your project at Splitcoast and/or your Blog, anytime at all!  You can play as many times as you like!!!  The point is to keep it simple, quick and have fun!!!  Please link back here.

Today’s challenge is to make a one-layer card.  One layer, that’s it!!  No more paper!!!  So basically, you have your card base to work on.  You may do anything to it you wish — stamp it, emboss it, draw on it — whatever you can think of — but no more layers.  You may add embellishments, just make sure they are in keeping with the weight and feel of your card. NO punched scallops or circles — that would be layers.

Today’s challenge was inspired by Bethany Paull.  I have always admired one-layer cards, but have never really done them, always thinking I should give it a try.  Well, about 2 weeks ago I spotted these one-layer cards in the gallery that just took my breath away — amazingly beautiful!!!  They were Bethany’s cards, that you can see here.  Aren’t they GORGEOUS!!!! So, those beauties persuaded me to run this one-layer challenge so that I’d have to finally try making some one layer cards.    Thank you so much Bethany for your beautiful and inspiring creations!!!

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 I 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.

Here’s my first card — and is it *officially* OK to have a large ribbon on a one-layer card?  I don’t know, but for today it’s OK anyway!!!  I’m in love with that darling little bird in her cage.  It’s from a set by Flourishes called Love Notes.  I drew in the chain and colored the bottom of the cage with a Gold Sakura Stardust Gelly Roll Pen and the bird is colored with pad inks and a blender pen.  Merry Christmas is from another set by Flourishes called O Christmas Tree, and it is stamped in Purely Pomegranate to match the ribbon.  Can you see the 2 embossed lines under the sentiment?  I did that in just a flash with the Scor-Pal – how fun!!!  And I think it adds so much in a subtle, but classy way.

This was done with Peace, also by Flourishes.  It is stamped in black onto Very Vanilla.  I then went over the large image with a Sakura Quickie Glue Pen and Dazzling Diamonds — very glitzy IRL!!!  The ribbon is May Arts scalloped ribbon in black, also from Flourishes.

The intricate embossing on this one was done with a tiny folder and the Cuttlebug.  Doesn’t it look great — I just love it!!!  I use my Cuttlebug all too seldom!!!  And again, see the line above and beneath the intricate embossed pattern?  I did that on the Scor-Pal as well.  Just flip your paper so you are pressing into the wrong side with your scoring tool.  Then when you turn it, the right side will have the embossed lines.  And if any of you are back for a second look, the photo above is now the edited version.  I added the Merry  Christmas from Flourished Christmas by Flourishes and the 2 Swarovski Crystals — made all the difference in the world!!!  I also dropped my ribbon a tad at the suggestion of one of my readers — thanks much!!!  I am now totally HAPPY with this card!!!

I know I promised some samples with Nursery Necessities, but time ran out — sorry.  I’ll being doing more with that set in the near future.

I love how quickly these cards all came together.  These would be ideal cards to mass produce — it surely wouldn’t take too long at all!!!  And I have always loved the beauty of a plain and simple card, done with taste.  I hope these are tasteful!!!  LOL!!!

Thanks much for looking!!! Hope you can play if you think you’d like to!!!

Finally, a girl card with Nursery Necessities!!!  This was made for Julia’s challenge today at SCS to do a monochromatic card.   I, obviously, chose pinks!!!  I also used the layout from a few weeks back at Card Positioning Systems, CPS40!  That’s a very interesting site.  Check it out if you are in need of some fun layouts.  Other than Roxie’s Wednesday challenge at SCS, I don’t typically ever follow specific layouts as I much prefer to just move my pieces around and create as I go.  I had my first experience with CPS last week when Flourishes sponsored the sketch, and it was really fun so thought I’d give it a try again!!!  Here’s my card:

The card base is stamped with the Floral background in Pretty in Pink.  The vertical panel is Rose Red Prints DP.  My elephant is stamped in Regal Rose and my star is stamped in Regal Rose on Whisper White, then punched with the large star punch.  I wish the punch were a tad larger than the stamp so it would leave a white border, but it isn’t!!!  So I glued my star to white paper and cut around it to get the white border I wanted.  Then I smooshed the entire works into a Versa Mark pad and then embossed with Iridescent Ice EP.  It is super sparkly and pretty IRL!!!  All my corners were rounded.  It’s pretty self-explanatory when you look at the photo.  The ribbon is Regal Rose.  I really do like this color combo!!!

• Stamps:  Nursery Necessities, Floral
• Paper:  Whisper White, Pretty in Pink, Rose Red Prints Designer Paper
• Ink:  Black Stazon, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Versa Mark
• Accessories:  Regal Rose Ribbon, Brads, Corner Rounder, Large Star Punch, Glue Stick, Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder, Crafter’s Tool Kit, Mounting Tape, Pop Dot.

OK, now I have to move on to tomorrow’s Stamp Simply Challenge.  It’ll be fun and EASY — guaranteed.  I plan to make several samples (that’s how easy it is — LOL!!!).  Some will be with this set (I just can’t put it away yet) and some will be with Flourishes images, so please stop back to check out my challenge samples on Friday morning and play along if you are so inclined!!!  Thanks much — hope you all have a great day!!!

Oh, and if you are interested in baby cards with this set, my 2 previous posts are baby boy cards done with this set.

Here’s another baby boy card using Nursery Necessities and the coordinating wheel.  Even though I didn’t have *official* baby DP, I figured the So Saffron Prints DP would work fine, and I was lucky enough to find these ready cut strips in my bag, so that was the beginning of this layout.  The alphabet wheeled panel was also a left-over piece from my first card, so that worked out well!!!  I framed it in Bashful Blue and attached it over my 3 panels of So Saffron.

That only left my main image.  I went with a square panel for my sailboat and the sentiment under it.  The sailboat was colored right on the rubber with my markers.  The moon was stamped and punched as described in my last post here.  This time I adhered a star punched with the small star punch before I put on my glue and Dazzling Diamonds.

• Stamps:  Nursery Necessities, Nursery Letters Jumbo Wheel
• Paper:  Bashful Blue, So Saffron, Whisper White, So Saffron Prints DP
• Ink:  Above plus Black Stazon
• Accessories:  White Taffeta Ribbon, 1 3/8″ and 2″ Punches (or Coluzzle), Small Star Punch,  Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds, Mounting Tape, Pop Dots.

Once again, that’s it!  I’ll aim for a girl card with this set tomorrow.  I sure am loving this set so far!!!  It’s a keeper, for sure!!!  It would be really great for scrapbooking as well!!!  Thanks much for stopping!!!

Well, I finally got a card done today using my new *stuff*!!!  I used SU’s new Nursery Necessities along with the coordinating Jumbo Wheel and new large Star Punch.  Can you believe, this is the first time EVER I have had an actual baby set.  I’ve always only had odds and ends stamps from here and there.  I am SO HAPPY to have this lovely set!!!  And for my first card I took the easy route and played the Sketch Challenge today at SCS.    Here’s the result:

I’m happy with it!!!  It’s so easy to make nice cards when you have eveything that coordinates!!!  The only thing I was wishing for was nice Bashful Blue baby DP by SU.  I’m hoping for something coming out in the new catalog!!!  So, no DP on this card — purely stamping — I did it the old-fashioned way — LOL — pre-DP!!!

I think this card is rather self-explanatory — wheeled the bottom panel, did stars in Craft White on the top blue panel, but it ’s the moon that I got my kicks out of.  See how it is so nicely cut — it kind of looks like a purchased die-cut?  Well, I stamped the moon with Bashful Blue ink onto Whisper White cardstock.  Then I took the 1 3/8″ punch and punched out the inner curve to the moon — then I took a 2″ punch (or SU purists could use the Coluzzle, there is a ring just about that size) and punched to get the outer rim of the moon — it was so cool — I was so pleased!!!! And it was QUICK!!!  I then mounted it on a 2 1/2″ circle of Barely Banana (I used a punch, but again, the Coluzzle works) that was stamped with the little stars in Barely Banana, and then put an eyelet on top for the ribbon.  When all was done, I added my glue pen outlines and sprinkled with Dazzling Diamonds.  I always do my glitter last, as I really dislike working in a glittery mess!!!

• Stamps:  Nursery Necessities, Nursery Letters Jumbo Wheel
• Paper:  Bashful Blue, Barely Banana, Whisper White
• Ink:  Black Stazon, Bashful Blue, Barely Banana and Craft White.
• Accessories:  Blue and White Taffeta Ribbon, Eyelet, Cropadile, 1 3/8″, 2″, 2 1/2″ punches (or Coluzzle), Large Star Punch, Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds, Dimensionals, Pop Dots, Mounting Tape.

Anyway, I’m happy with my Baby Boy card, I thank you for looking, and I will be doing more cards with this set later tonight, so please come back if you’re interested!!!  Thanks much!!!

I was very intrigued with the colors today for the Color Challenge at SCS — Certainly Celery, Rose Red and Pumpkin Pie — like WHERE did that Pumpkin Pie come from - LOL!!! Well, as I started looking at the uploads coming in — I LOVED the combination!!!!  It’s really a great one, so I tried one — and it was just one of those days, one of those projects, that was NOT meant to be — LOL!!!

I won’t go into all the gory details, but suffice it to say this started as a regular A2 size card, it had 3 white arches, each with a tall vase of flowers.  The idea was to make it look like a wall with 3 niches in it — YKWIM?  Well, things went wrong, really wrong, and after some major surgery all I had left was this one panel of DP from Bali Breeze with the one niche in it — so I ran with it!!!  Can’t throw out a salvageable piece!  Anyway, this is what I ended up with:

It’s a 4.25″ square card.  The orange-ish panel of Bali Breeze was all that was left of my original masterpiece!!!  I stamped the sentiment on the side, matted in black, decided to go 4.25 square, chose 2 other DP’s to fit the color challenge, and finished it off with ribbons and brads.  So, for a salvage job, I think it came out OK!!!

I used a newly released set by Flourishes, Open to Love.  That adorable vase of flowers is supposed to be a tall and narrow vase, but that got shortened (a lot) in the surgery — LOL!!!  The sentiment is from the same set, and I know I’m really going to enjoy this set for a long time to come!!!  It has some great images and sentiments!!!

• Stamps:  Open to Love by Flourishes
• Paper:  Basic Black, Whisper White, Certainly Celery and Rose Red Prints DSP, Bali Breeze DP.
• Ink:  Versa Fine Onyx Black.  Above colors plus Chocolate Chip for coloring.  Gold Sakura Star Dust Gelly Roll Pen on vase.
• Accessories:  Blender Pen, Ribbon, Brads, Key Tag Punch. 

Thanks much for looking!!!  I just got my SU box and I’ll be working on some projects with the baby set and coordinates.  I’ll post either later tonight or early tomorrow!!!  Thanks much!!!

This is a card I did using images from 2 of the soon to be released sets by Flourishes.  The sets are called Love Nest and Open to Love and both have the most adorable images — they are very fresh looking sets, drawn with clean lines - I love them both!!!  They were drawn by Flourishes newest artist, and a friend of all of us at SCS, Sophie LaFontaine.  And, of course, we even get some French words in the set!!!  How fun!!!

This is a large card, 6″ x 6″.  I stamped my arch (isn’t that a cool stamp?) onto a sheet of DP and then stamped my flowers and bird cage inside the arch.  I drew in the chain that the bird cage is hanging from.  The images are colored with pad ink and a blender pen, and the vase and bottom of the bird cage are accented with a Gold Sakura Stardust Gelly Roll Pen.  Using a Coluzzle circle template, I cut out my main image — or just 1/2 as you can see.  Going up one ring on the template I cut the pink frame.  I just love doing this type of arch cut on the Coluzzle.  Then it was just a matter of first sponging my layers and then assembling them, adding ribbon, brads and a sentiment.  My Dream sentiment is from Fantasy Floral Garden by Flourishes.   My card base was cut from a sheet of 12 x 12 Prismatics paper by Prism Papers in a color called Sugar Cream.  Just love the texture to that paper!!!

• Stamps:  Love  Nest, Open to Love, Fantasy Floral Garden — all by Flourishes
• Paper:  SU:  Basic Black, Very Vanilla.  Prism: Sugar Cream.   Basic Grey:  Lily Kate and Gypsy 6 x 6 pads.
• Ink:  Versa Fine Onyx Black. SU:  Creamy Caramel, Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink, Real Red, Old Olive.  Signo White Gel Pen (on hearts).  Gold Sakura Stardust Gelly Roll Pen.
• Accessories:  Coluzzle, Blender Pen, Brads, Ribbon, Ticket Corner Punch, Pot Dots, Sponges.

Well, that’s all I got done today.  Hoping to come up with more items tomorrow.  My SU Spring Mini Preorder should arrive on UPS about 5:00 p.m. tomorrow (Tuesday) – gee, I wish he came earlier!!!!  Thanks so much for looking!!!!

Editing:  I forgot to say earlier — anyone uploading projects with Flourishes images is welcome and invited to use the keyword FLLC — standing for Flourishes LLC.  Using merely *Flourishes* as a keyword is also fine, but when searching for Flourishes all sorts of things pop up, and we still have to somewhat dig for cards with Flourishes images.  We’d like to be able to quickly find all of your creations with Flourishes images, and using the keyword FLLC merely narrows the search.  Thanks!!!

I made this set of 3 sympathy cards for the Featured Stamper challenge at SCS on Sunday.  The featured stamper this week was Charlene, or LilLuvsStampin as we all know her at SCS.  Her gallery is fabulous and it was fun choosing which card to do. But I was on a mission when I went into her gallery, so that made it easier!  I knew I needed to do several sympathy cards, so I wanted to select a card that would be suitable as a sympathy card and that would be easy enough to quickly produce several cards.  Here is the card of Charlene’s that I chose, and below is my CASE of her card.

The card on the upper left is the one that would be the direct case.  For the other 2 I merely changed the orientation of the card for a little different look.  To make these cards I stamped the floral image in More than Mustard on the ivory/saffronish striped DP (non-SU) for sort of a watermark effect.  Then, with the small tip of the black marker, I just dotted the flower center for a little interest and definition.  The sentiment was stamped, the panel was matted in black, ribbon adhered and the panel was then attached to the card.  These were SUPER quick to make — 15 minutes or LESS per card!!!  Oh yes, I almost forgot, I then outlined the petals with a glue pen and covered with Dazzling Diamonds.  All 3 are done that same way, but it shows up best on the card at the lower left.  They are very sparkly IRL!!!

• Stamps:  Blush by Penny Black.  With Sympathy by Stampendous.
• Paper:  So Saffron, Basic Black.  The DP was a card front in a pack of cards at Michaels by The Paper Company — the pattern was called Ivory Stripe.
• Ink:  More Mustard, Versa Fine Black Onyx.  Black Marker.
• Accessories:  Black organdy ribbon, Sakura Quickie Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds.

That’s it!!! I’m glad to have 3 feminine sympathy cards done!!!  I have so much stamping to get done this week, I am hoping for daily uploads all week long!!!  I’ll be working with some new sets from Flourishes and I am expecting my SU Spring Mini preorder in Monday or Tuesday.  I’ll have some baby cards to do when that box arrives!!!  (and all the pretty new papers to work with!!!)  And, of course, more Christmas cards need to be done as well!!!  Thanks much for stopping in.  Hope to see you again soon!!!

Challenge #12 - Keyword ssnotime12 - There is no time limit. You can play this challenge and upload your project at Splitcoast and/or your Blog, anytime at all!  You can play as many times as you like!!!  The point is to keep it simple, quick and have fun!!!  Please link back here.

Today’s challenge is to make something round — a card, tag, tree ornament — anything round.   NOT a round piece adhered to a card, but the actual completed project must be round!!!   Oval would be OK too,  just not square or rectangle.  No other restrictions — use/do anything, as long as the end result is round (or oval).  You can scroll down after my samples to see how to cut a round card if you’ve never done it.

Today’s challenge was inspired by Cindy Motherway, or Mothermark as we all know her at SCS.   She participated in my Stamp Simply challenge last week and produced a really great round card!!!  I had never done a round card and have long wanted to, so I knew this would be a perfect challenge for this week, forcing me to finally make that 1st round card!!!  You can check out Cindy’s round card here.  Isn’t it fun!!!   Thank you, Cindy, for this great idea and gorgeous sample!!!  And if you have any further suggestions on making round cards, we’d be happy to have you share — after all, you ALWAYS have a story — LOL!!!

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 I 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.

This is my favorite!  It started out as a card, but ended as a single layer, which could serve as a tag or an ornament.  Wouldn’t alot of these look pretty hanging from fishing line in a window, decorated on both sides!!!  Can you see the metallic round tab punched ornament topper?  Well, attaching that at the top affected the way the card opens — it would no longer open properly, unless I scored across the ornament on top, making it a hinged top — and I didn’t want to do that — it would ruin the *look* of the ornament.  So, my other option then was to cut off the back, changing it from a card to a single layer tag or ornament, and that’s OK.  I prefer a single layer to a poorly functioning card!!!

To make the blue snowflake ornament, I  cut the circle with my Coluzzle (instructions below), stamped the greeting from Many Merry Messages in Black Stazon, stamped the snowflakes from Snow Burst in Bashful Blue, and then rather heavily sponged the edges, working inwards, but not totally covering the greeting.  I then covered the entire ornament with Versa Mark and embossed with Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder — so pretty and sparkly!!!

This is similar in design, just smaller.  It was made with the largest of the Marvy circle punches, 3″ I think.  I made this one as a card where I did score the front so it would open properly with the round  tab punch on top.  The following photo shows a side view so you can see how it now opens more easily with the score line, done on my new Scor-Pal, I might add!!!

Below is a regular round card with no topper on it, again punched with the 3″ Marvy punch.  A hint on this one — if you adhere your DP to your cardstock before punching, it comes out almost done!!!  Just make sure your punch will punch through all 3 layers at one time!!!  Sentiment is from It’s Your Birthday.  DP is Outlaw.

Now, about getting the circles — it’s so easy and you can use any number of tools to get the job done — Coluzzle works great, round punches, or even one of my favorite tools — a bowl or large coffee mug inverted!!!

Before cutting the paper, score it in half and fold.  Put the paper in the punch, or under the Coluzzle, but DO NOT put it all the way like you normally would do.  Leave a bit of the top of the circle (folded edge) so it doesn’t get cut, as shown in the photo.  This makes the top of the card where the back and front join.  Now, wasn’t that simple!!!

OK, now let’s see what kind of round beauties you all can come up with!!!  I think these are so much fun and so amazingly simple and quick!!!  Hope you can find time to give them a try!!!