No Time To Stamp?

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!!!

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!!!

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:

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!!!

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!!!

This is a card I just did to use as a Make-N-Take at the show I’ll be working for Flourishes in Sayner, WI — the Sayner Spring Stampede — gee, it’s next weekend already — how time flies!!!  So much for my idea of being prepared well in advance!!!

First off, all the paper and ink is Pretty in Pink — another night of not getting along with my  photo editing program — sorry.   Oh, but I love this simple little card, and I hope the women at the Make-N-Take do as well.  Everything will be pre-cut for them, so it should go together fairly quickly.

All images on this card are from one small set by Flourishes called Wedding Essentials.  Love that  set!  It is mostly sentiments that take you through all aspects of wedding planning, but it makes up into some really great wedding cards, too!!!  For this card the flourish in the set is stamped in pink onto the white base layer.  The *and* sign is stamped in pink as well, and then the Mr. and Mrs. is stamped right over it in Going Grey.  It was cut and double matted with the Petite Oval Nestabilities by Spellbinders .  I was slow getting onto the Spellbinder band-wagon, but WOW, once  using these type of dies that all nest together, nothing could be better!!!  You have so many options, and that’s what I love!!!  I am slowly building my collection!!!

The Wedding Essentials set, the pink satin ribbon and the Petite Oval Nestabilites all came from Flourishes.  The paper, ink and brad are by SU.

• Stamps:  Wedding Essentials by Flourishes
• Paper:  Going Gray, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White
• Ink:  Pretty in Pink, Going Gray
• Accessories:  Satin Ribbon, Brad, Petite Oval Nestabiliites by Spellbinders, Pop Dots.

Thanks so much for stopping in!  I have a live and active Blog Candy post a few posts down — the winner will be drawn at midnight on Saturday night, so there is still time to sign up!!!  Hope you all have a great weekend!!!

There is a sale going on at Flourishes – how fun!!!  All you have to do is attend the Virtual Convention, and you can read more about it at Seaside Creativity.  Follow the links to get to the Virtual Convention and the discount code!!!  Happy shopping!!!

Please note, I still have an active Blog Candy post open – scroll down 3 posts.

Keyword ssnotime32 - 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.

The challenge this week is to think out of the box.  And to clarify, I don’t mean to stamp out of the box, but I mean to THINK out of the box — or in other words, to use a stamp in some way that it was not originally intended.  Look at your stamps as if they were each individual, not as part of a set or part of a predetermined image or set of images — what ELSE could you possibly do with them?  Let your child-like creativity run wild!!! We can really have fun with this one!!!  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 Oehler’s Sample.

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

And my sample is below.

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.

I made this paper pieced flower out of the skirts of the bride’s dresses in Wedding Party by Flourishes.  You can view this set by clicking here.  The set has a single bride, and I stamped her skirt 4 times on this DP and cut each out.  The set also has a bride and groom, and I stamped that bride’s skirt twice on the DP and cut it out.  Once I had cut out my 6 skirts, or petals, I started playing with them - and honestly, there were so many good possibilites.  I had a gorgeous big bow, like on a little girls dress, and I also had a beautiful butterfly, but I decided to use all 6 pieces and make this flower.

I punched a 3/4″ circle of the same DP and outlined the edges with a black marker.  That served as my center, and then I also added a large white brad.  The fullness lines in the skirt, or veins on the petal, were gone over with a glue pen and dazzling diamonds — super pretty IRL. 

The stamp sets used, Wedding Party and Fantasy  Floral Garden (used for sentiment), as well as the pink satin ribbon, pink sheer dotted ribbon (both by May Arts), Sulty Pad by Basic Grey and the Tags Trio Shapeabilities by Spellbinders and Quickie Glue Pen are all available at Flourishes.

• Stamps:  Wedding Party, Fantasy Floral Garden by Flourishes
• Paper:  Prism Frosted Yellow, Sulty by Basic Grey
• Ink:  Versa Fine Onyx Black
• Accessories:  Satin and Dotted Sheer Ribbon, Brad, Tags Trio Shapeabilities, 3/4″ Punch, Quickie Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds, Dimensionals, Pop Dots

Thanks so much for stopping in!  Hope you can find some time to play this weekend, or anytime!!!  Wishing you all a wondeful weekend!!!

PLEASE NOTE:  I still have an active and open Blog Candy post — scroll down 2 posts.

Just a quick note as I know many of you have been waiting for the Petite Oval Nestabilities by Spellbinders — well, they are now back in stock at Flourishes, so that is good news.  They differ from the standard Ovals in that they are somewhat more elongated.  I used them on this card, if you’d like to take a peek.

Just letting you know, as I know some have been waiting!!! And the full set ships for FREE!!!

Thanks much — hope you are having a great day!!! 

Oh, if you are just checking in, please note there is a Blog Candy post just below!!!

Well, I have to eat my words!!! I promised you we’d start a 10 Minute Tuesday card each Tuesday, and I didn’t even have 10 minutes today — we’ll try to start next week!!!

So, instead of a card today, how about some Blog Candy!!!  What I have to offer you is one brand new SU set — Define Your Life.  I’ll edit this post to add a photo in the morning.

So, to sign up for Define Your Life — just comment below, and tell me what color cardstock you seem to be grabbing for cards at this time of year!

This Blog Candy post will remain open until midnight on Saturday night, April 26, at which time I will have a random number generator pick the winner.

Thanks much!!!  Good luck!!!

I didn’t have time to make a card today, so I thought I would show you what I did spend my time on.  I am making 2 matching display boards for cards — I know you’ve seen similar boards both in stores and in crafting magazines.  Maybe you’ve even made one yourself.  Well, once I was doing it, I took a few pics along the way, so if anyone would like to know how to do one, just follow along.  It’s really very simple.  Here’s the end product:

I made 2 exactly the same.  I have visions of these being framed in a thick, white semi-ornate wooden frame; however, that part of my project involves my DH or DS so, for now, these will have to do as is.  Here’s the supply list (for 1 board):

• 1 - Foam Board, 20 x 30 x 3/16
• Polyester Batting, 23 x 33
• Fabric, 26 x 36
• 7 yards of Velvet Ribbon (got my Chocolate Velvet from Flourishes)
• 9 Buttons
• Double Sided Carpet Tape
• Red Sticky Tape
• Large-eyed Darning Needle
• Piercing Tool, Mat Pack or Self-healing Cutting Board
• Heavy Hemp

To start, lay your board on top of your batting.  Completely cover the perimeter of the Board with Double Sided Carpet Tape.  Then first pull up one side and adhere to carpet tape, then do the opposite side, then do the other 2 sides, clipping and folding in your corners neatly to avoid bulk as you go.

Next, cover the perimeter of the board with 2 rows of the same carpet tape.  The first row will be going right over your batting, and the 2nd row will be going just inside from the first.  Now, just as above, very neatly pull up one long side and then do the opposite side, pulling tightly as you go.  Then to do the next 2 sides, view the photo below –

Before folding up the 2 shorter sides, cut out the corners as shown above to reduce the bulk, and then apply a piece of the same carpet tape on the diagonal in the corner to hold the corner down as it is folded.  See below –

By cutting out the corner as shown above, you will be able to neatly get a corner, similar to this.  Now, flip your board over and continue as below –

Take your ribbon and lay it out as you feel it looks best, or suits your needs best, and secure with common pins.  Once all ribbons are secured, flip it over, apply Red Sticky Tape to all the ribbon tails (I left 6″ tails everywhere) and secure them tightly on the back.  Everything on this is held very firmly with the tapes I have mentioned.    Next, you’ll need to sew on the buttons –

This was really very easy to do, using the right supplies.  You’ll need a large-eyed darning needle and sturdy hemp string.  I started by taking my piercing tool, with the mat pack underneath, and poking a hole right where I wanted my string to come up from the bottom.  By poking a hole all the way through, you can now look at the bottom, see your hole and insert  your needle with hemp and it’ll come up exactly where you want it.  Once it is up, string the button on (these buttons have a shank), and then take your needle and go back down through the layers.  Once all strings are on the back, securely tie them off.  This is what the back looks like when done:

I’d like to cover it neatly with fabric just to clean it up, but I first have to wait to see if I have any fabric left over once completing my other projects.  If I don’t have any of this fabric left over, I can use another, since it is just the back!!!  But I would just like to clean it up a bit!!!

That’s it — a relatively simple project and a fun and attractive way to display cards, and also very easy to change them out when needed.   If anyone should try making one of these, I’d love to see it — please come back here to link so that I can see it!!!

Hope you all had a great weekend and are looking forward to a good week ahead!!!   Thanks so much for stopping in!!!

This started with a new pack of paper I got in the mail today — a Sultry 6 x 6 pad by Basic Grey, from Flourishes.  Opening the pretty pack of paper instantly made me want to use it — so, I ran to check what the Inspiration Challenge at SCS was for today — well, wouldn’t you know it — it was all this gorgeous, printed fabric — and it sooooo resembled my new papers!!!  It was meant to be!!!  And I am holding true with my promise of more 10 Minute cards!  Here’s the result:

How simple can it get?  The only stamping is the sentiment, embossed in Vanilla.  I used my gorgeous new paper (Sultry), my favorite chocolate ribbon by May Arts, my heart shaped Nestabilites by Spellbinders (which have been really getting a workout this week), and my Martha Stewart butterfly punch.  Done — and in just a few minutes!! When I make a card in this style, I always start by working on a base of white paper, as it gives me a more solid base on which to wrap my ribbon around.  You can see a little photo of what I do by clicking here.

This card also is a good example of the different type of dimensonal products I like to use.  The panel with the designer paper is adhered to the card base with mounting tape.  I used a Zot to adhere the butterfly, I used SU Dimensionals to adhere the brown heart to the pink one, and I use Pop Dots (Wal-Mart) to adhere the pink heart to the card (you need a fatter pot dot to make it set right over the velvet). 

The Many Sentiments stamp set, Sultry paper, velvet ribbon and heart shaped Nestabilities are all from Flourishes.

• Stamps: Many Sentiments by Flourishes
• Paper:  Blush Blossom, Sultry by Basic Grey
• Ink:  Versa Mark
• Accessories:  Vanilla Embossing Powder, Chocolate Velvet Ribbon, Heart Shaped Nestabilities, Butterfly Punch by Martha Stewart, Mounting Tape, Pop Dots, Dimensionals

Thanks so much for stopping in.  And I’m still on my 10 Minute Card kick, so you can anticipate more!!!  Hope you are all having a great weekend!!!