No Time To Stamp?

A clean and simple gift card holder that is masculine, seasonal (autumn) and personalized with the recipients initials.  I used a collection of varying stamps on this simple little project, but they all blended wonderfully.  Here it is:

Leaf image is from A Year of Leaves by Melanie Muenchinger for Gina K. Designs (copic colored).  A great set for year round use!  Initials done with 60 Pt Font contained in the 1 3/16″ Wood Stamper with Bonus 60 pt Font and Damask Borders by JustRite.  Paper (Autumn Traditions DP), hardware and inside sentiment are all by SU.  I used a strip of White 5/8″ Double Sided Suede. I love this suede on guy cards.  It adds the ribbon touch we love, but without the fru-fru that guys don’t particularly love — LOL!!  The touchy-feeliness of this suede is wonderful and is very suited to an autumn card!  I want to add that I don’t typically like to cut my ribbon at the edge of the card — I prefer to wrap it around; however, with this suede ribbon, it cuts beautifully with no fraying or ravelling, so I did adhere it to the card front only and cut the sides — works GREAT with this suede ribbon.  It is all held closed with a self-adhesive Velcro Dot.  Here’s the inside:

Can you see the closure?  It’s my favorite self-adhesive Velcro Dots, and I just added them in 3 colors to Page 3 of my store.  I usually try to make my cards so all the hardware backs are hidden between layers, but on a CAS card sometimes that harder to do, and it’s OK if they show - especially on guys cards — LOL — they don’t care!  This has a nice little pocket to tuck in some cash, a check or gift card!

This is my favorite quick and easy Gift Card Holder template and I’ve used it dozens of times.  I originally got the measurements from an SCS challenge years ago.  Start with a 1/2 sheet of paper - 8.5 x 5.5 - and using my Scor-It I scored in 2″ from one short edge and 2.5″ in from the other short short edge.  When folded, the 2.5″ flap is the top while the 2″ flap is the pocket (adhere on the sides with red sticky tape).  Then just decorate away.  This is a GREAT little template that comes in so handy time and time again.

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The Stamp Simply Ribbon Store carries the following items used on this project:

1 3/16″ Wood Stamper with Bonus 60 pt Font and Damask Borders by JustRite

Memento Tuxedo Black Ink (image) and VersaFine Onyx Black Ink (sentiment)

5/8″ Double Sided Suede Ribbon by May Arts

Self-Adhesive Velcro Dots

Scor-It

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Thanks much for stopping in today.  I have one more masculine gift card holder to make in the next day or two and it will be for Pastor Appreciation Month.   I really should make a few masculine birthday cards as well - this just may be a masculine week here on my blog — time will tell!!!  We have some gorgeous sunshine and pleasant temps today — hope you are enjoying pleasant days as well!!!  See you soon!

I was so pleased to be able to play with a new Gina K set this week. Melanie Muenchinger’s newest set “A Year of Leaves“ is now available for purchase! (You can see the full set under “What’s New!” at Gina K Designs.) This is a year round set including an assortment of leaves and nature images with coordinating quotes and greetings to suit any occasion.  A FUN set with tons of versatility!!!   Take a look at my first card with it:

Clean and simple with the focus on those beautiful leaves!  This is a single leaf image.  I first stamped the leaf on the left, masked it, and then stamped the right leaf.   This set is filled with beautiful leaf images of all shapes and types and lovely sentiments that carry you throughout the year. I’m really loving it so far and can’t wait to play some more!!!  My card is large, 5.25 x 7.75″ high.  I’m really enjoying this larger size of late — it gives me plenty of room to use larger images with wide ribbon and still have some white space for a clean and fresh look.

My image is Copic colored.  There are so many fun leaf  images in this set to color!  My ribbon is Moss Silk and the bow is done on the Bow Easy.  This post tells you how I do this type of ribbon treatment – fun and easy!  My sentiment is mounted up on dimensionals and my fun fall buttons are from Basic Grey, Sugared.  I had so much fun making this card and am anxious to share more with you from this set later in the week!!!

You can see more samples today using “A Year of Leaves” on Melanie’s blog, and from the lovely and talented  Laurie Schmidlin and Geri Utterback!  Be sure to check out their creations!

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Stamps:  A Year of Leaves, Gina K Designs

Paper:  White, SU Bravo Burgundy, Old Olive

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black for the image; Versa Fine Onyx Black for the sentiment.  Copics to color.

Accessories:  May Arts 1.25″ and 1/4″ Moss Silk Ribbon, Bow Easy, Ivory Jute String, Basic Grey Sugared Buttons, Classic Rectangle and Long Rectangle Nestabilities by Spellbinders, Glue Dots, Dimensionals, Adhesives and Aleene’s Fast Grab Tacky Glue.

Shopping:

Gina K Designs for A Year of Leaves by Melanie Muenchinger

Stamp Simply Ribbon Store for the following items used to make this card:

Versa Fine Onyx Black Ink

100% Silk Ribbon (Moss), Jute String (Ivory), and Bow Easy

Basic Grey Buttons (Sugared)

Scor-It

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If you are looking for my Friday Stamp Simply Challenge, it is one post down.  Thanks so much for stopping in again.  Hope you have a chance to check out the other designers linked above and get some beautiful, autumn inspiration in the process!  Have a wonderful weekend!!!

Keyword ssnotime93 - There is no time limit. You can play this challenge and upload your project at Splitcoastand/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.

Combo Challenge – Today’s challenge is two-fold — a color challenge and simple technique.  COLORS — grassy green and sky blue.  I’ve always loved blue and green together.  You MAY add other colors, just make sure you get in plenty of the greens and blues.  SIMPLE TECHNIQUE - PIERCE.  I seem to have gotten away from piercing of late, but I LOVE to do it — so I’m hoping this challenge gets me back into piercing mode!!!  Can’t wait to see what you all do!

Check out the great samples for the Stamp Simply Challenge today on the blogs of these designers:

Special Announcement:  Today I have the pleasure announcing not one, but TWO, new designers to be added to the full-time roster here — both of whom you already got to know through their Guest Designer stints with us — BARBARA ANDERS and JENNY GROPP.  Welcome, girls!  We are just honored to have both of you back — thanks so much for joining us once again!

• Sabrina, June Guest Designer
• Janine
• Jennifer
• Julie
• AJ
• Tammy
• Deb
• Barbara
• Jenny

Please bear with us as we are all uploading and linking on Thursday night. Everyone should be uploaded by Friday morning.

You can see all Gallery Submissions here. Thanks, girls!

Here’s  my card for today, green and blue with a tad bit of piercing:

Another simply stamped card, using the same DP I had out from yesterday, the end piece from a ribbon roll and a sentiment tag already die cut left over from yesterday as well.  My white piping strip is pierced and my 1.5″ Gingham bow was made with the Bow Easy.  I love combining prints such as this — isn’t it fun!!!

Stamps:  Make a Wish by Gina K

Paper:  PTI White, Brunch DP by Crate

Ink:  Versa Fine Onyx Black

Accessories:  1.5″ Gingham Ribbon, Bow Easy, Sanding Block, Tags Trio Dies by Spellbinders, Aleene’s Fast Grab Tacky Glue, Paper Piercer and Mat Pack, Corner Rounder, Glue Glider

Shopping:  The May Arts Gingham Ribbon and Bow Easy are available at the Stamp Simply Ribbon Store.

Thanks much for checking in!  Hope you got to check out all the linked creations as well.  If anyone is home stamping, sure would love to have you play with us!  And if you are out enjoying the summer weather — then HAVE FUN!  See you soon — thanks!

I needed my fix again — it’s been a while!  I wanted simple and pretty and, of course, I wanted quick.  This card is only 4″ wide because that’s how wide this piece of blue dotted Crate paper was, so I cut my card down to fit it.  And the black mat is a 3″ square that was also in my scrap pile — I figured it would work just fine!  I do like the look of only a partial mat.  Gives the piece a bit more of a contemporary look.

My ribbon is Celery 1.25″ Silk, the bow is made with the Bow Easy,  and my flowers (love these flowers, they’re from an older Gina K set) are all dressed up with 3 colors of Flower Soft.  They are stamped in black ink and then I applied each color separately, adding just tiny dabs of glue with a toothpick.  This image was just perfect for an application of Flower Soft.

This floral image is made up of many tiny star shapes.  I randomly applied first Baby Blue Flower Soft, then Delphinium Blue (LOVE this color) and then Sunshine Yellow for a bit of POP.  It only took a couple minutes and the results are just stunning — really makes the image come to life!

Stamps:  Make a Wish by Gina K

Paper:  PTI White, SU Black, Crate Brunch DP

Ink:  Versa Fine Onyx Black, Color Box Chalk Azurite

Accessories:  Flower Soft, May Arts Silk Ribbon, Bow Easy, Spellbinders Classic Rectangle and Tags Trio Dies, Needle, Thread, Button, Aleene’s Fast Grab Tacky Glue, Foam Mounting Tape, Glue Glider

So glad you stopped in today again — truly appreciate it when you visit.  I will be back on Thursday evening with our weekly Stamp Simply Challenge for this week.  And WOW, have we had it HOT.  That’s tough on us Northerner’s when we get up into the 90’s with humidity — about enough to do me in!!!  Never happy — first too cold, then too hot — such is life!!!  LOL!!!  And now we could sure use some rain!  I did get my porch all ready and set for summer and my porch baskets are blooming nicely — so pleasant to sit there and rock with an ice tea!  Wishing you all pleasant summer days as well!  See you soon!

I have two things to show you today. Here’s a little peek at a portion of my post over at the JustRite Blog – it is Day 4 for me over there — WHEW!!! That’s a busy place and I’m having a hard time keeping up — LOL!!! But what I did over there today is something very near and dear to my heart, a type of project I have long loved — here’s a portion of it:

And as much as I hate to be a tease, you’ll justhave to head over to the JustRite Blog to see the rest! Hope you do, but in the meantime, I havea Christmas card I’d like to share as well. Take a look:

That beautiful poinsettia is in a Gina K set by Melanie Muenchinger called A Year of Flowers. I stamped it three times, colored one image with a variety of red Copics and the other 2 images were colored with a number of green Copics. I then cut them out and layered them to form my poinsettia, highlighting them with Dazzling Diamonds anda rhinestone center. Such a pretty and fun set to play with!!!

The *Poinsettia* on the bottom of the card was done with 2 different JustRite Fonts — Trompe for the capital letter and Brayton for the rest. I used the Harmony Rectangle Stamper with my font sets. This was FUN!!! Can you just imagine all the wonderful floral images we all have, and now withJustRite’s easy-to-use snap in letters — oh how fun it’ll be to come up with all the flower names as we create our cards!!! I can’t wait to use my font sets for similar projects!!!

Stamps: A Year of Flowers by Gina K., Brayton Font and Trompe Font by JustRite, with the Harmony Rectangle Stamper Paper: White, Black Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, red and green Copics Accessories: Red Organdy, Pearls, Rhinestones, Ticket Corner Punch, Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds, Dimensionals

Thank you so much for looking!!! I really do appreciate it. I know I haven’t been around here much this week, but I’m back to normal real soon!!! Tomorrow we have our usual Friday Stamp Simply Challenge — and it’s a fun one that anyone can play!!! Hope to see you then. Thanks much!!!

One simple image, one little word, one luscious ribbon — a card of absolute simplicity — and I love it!!! I used a new set out by Gina K., A Year of Flowers, illustrated by Melanie Muenchinger. What a gorgeous set!!! And I played today’s Featured Stamper Challenge at SCS featuring the fabulous work of Anne Ryan — thank you Anne!!! Here’s my card:

Thisis the card of Anne’s that I chose to case. Just a simple card quickly this morning before getting ready for church. Hope you like it!

Stamps: A Year of Flowers and Make a Wish both by Gina K.

Paper: PTI White, SU Black and Pink Pirouette, SU Green Tea DP.

Ink: Black and Copics to Color: G40, YG63,YG95, RV11, RV34, RV17, C1.

Accessories: Tag Dies by Spellbinders, May Arts Ribbon, SU Brad, Mounting Tape.

Wishing you all a wonderful Sunday!!! I have some fun projects planned for next week — hope to see you then!!!! As always, thanks for stopping in!!!

I’ve been wanting to play Cindy Motherway’sTeapot Tuesday Challenge for the last couple weeks, and today I finally got around to it! I loved the little miniaturetea setshe is featuring this week, and although my card isn’t at all close to the inspiration piece, what I took from it were the mauve and green colors, the vintage feel, some texture and some vertical lines. Here’s my card:

This darling dress image is from a Gina K set called Retro Boutiqueby Rupa Shevde. What a darling set! I had the pleasure of using it at an event a month or so ago where I stamped and colored this image on white paper. Today I just added the sponging and put the card together — fun when that works out!!! The main image oval is sponged with SU Creamy Caramel ink while still in the Nestability Die, giving the nice, crisp white border. The paper I used today is from a new 12 x 12 pad I got from Michaels by K & Co, called Margo. The little pearl embellishment was in a pack I purchased to coordinate with the paper. There is no sentiment on this card, and I like to havecards on hand with no sentiments so I can use them when and where needed! I really love the overall vintage feel of this card.

• Stamps: Retro Boutique by Gina K
• Paper: PTI White, SU Old Olive, Margo Designer Paper by K & Co.
• Ink: Unknown Black, Unknown Copics, SU Creamy Caramel to Sponge
• Accessories: Chocolate Organdy Ribbon, Petite Oval Nestabilities by Spellbinders, Pearl Sticker, Sponge, Mounting Square, Piercer.

Oops, also meant to say, I pierced tiny little holes in the scallop trim at her hemline. It doesn’t even show in the photo, but looks really nice IRL!!!

If you’ve got time today, go on over and check out Teapot Tuesday — fun challenge!!! And her Teapot Tuesday slide show is AMAZING!!! Cindy takes an inspiration piece LITERALLY when she translates it into a card — fun to see!!

Thank you so much for stopping in today — we are sweltering in the heat up here — the worst we’ve had all summer — oh my!!! I am READY for fall!!! See you soon –

I really wanted to do the Color Challenge at SCS today, and when I woke up to see the fabulous colors I was ELATED!!! Elegant Eggplant, Taken with Teal and Old Olive. I LOVE these deep and rich colors and, even better yet, I had an image already colored that would work, so my daywas off to a GREAT start!!! Here it is:

This is one of the Gina K images I had colored a week or so ago at our Stampin’ in the UP event, called Botanical Dreams and drawn by Asela Hopkins. Although I don’t have a list of exactly what colors I used, they sure worked with today’s Color Challenge. I had this wonderful sentiment from the same set pre-stamped as well:

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.

Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau

I turned the sentiment into a little pull-out tag/bookmark — fun!!! To get the pull-out to pull in and out at this angle, I just used mounting tape under my main image at the angles required to let the tag slide in and out. The mounting tape acted both to adhere my main image to the card as well as to make a channel for the tag to run into. The main image is cut, embossed and scallop framed with the Petite Oval Nestabilities by Spellbinders. The Eggplant panel is stamped tone-on-tone with the Floral background by SU. Fun card to make in GREAT colors. Gee, I just maydo another today!!! We’ll see!!!

• Stamps: Botanical Dreams by Gina K, Floral by SU
• Paper: PTI White, SU Old Olive, Elegant Eggplant, Tempting Turquoise (out of T w/ T)
• Ink: Unknown black, SU Elegant Eggplant
• Accessories: Petite Oval Nestabilities by Spellbinders, SU Tag Corner Punch, Primas, SU Brad,Hole Punch,Wal-Mart or Michaels Ribbon, Mounting Squares

Looks like it’s going to be a beautiful day here — wish you all a wonderful day as well!!!

Hi everyone — had a really great weekend!!! This weekend was the 1st ever Stampin’ in the UP event. It was so well organized and run ina fabulous facility with LOTS of room to work, eat and socialize AND a wonderful in house restaurant where we ate many meals! We had a small group of 22 who participated in card swaps, shoe box swaps, fun, games and prizes. I did a presentation on Saturday, and since requests had been put in earlier as to what these girls wanted, it was a breeze!!! They wanted toseeand use product they were unfamiliar with, so at their request I demoed and allowed them to use Eclipse Tape, the Score-It, Scor-It Mini, Scor-Pal, Nestabilities and other dies by Spellbinders, and several different of the JustRite Stampers.

But, as usual, the best part of this event from my perspective was meeting and visiting with the people. Most participants were from within about a 100 mile radius, but we had 2 brave souls who ventured into our northlands from down below — LOL!!! And here they are:

On the left is Barb Schram from Grand Rapids, Michigan, then me, then on the right is Joan Fricker from Northern Indiana. I’ll start with Barb — well, my goodness — her ever so sweet DH (and he REALLY is!) took her on this 8/10 hour journey, and the moment they walked in the room it was like I’d known her all my life — we just CLICKED!!! We have been Blogging/SCS buddies for a year or so. We became fast friends and have kept in touch regularly, and I’ll tell you, to finally meet someone face to face whom you have been friends with already is such an awesome experience. No introductions, no *get to know you stuff*, just one big hug and start visiting right where you left off the last time you chatted online!!! Barb is an awesome person, a fabulous designer, an absolute delight to be with and a very, very good friend!!! I can’t wait until we can meet up again!!!

Next is my good friend Joan Fricker who came even further, from Northern Indiana. Joan and I also met online maybe 6 months or so ago, and this is the 2nd time in as many weeks that I’ve had the pleasure of spending time with Joan. Considering the miles between us, that’s pretty amazing!!! Joan and I were in the same Copic class2 weeks ago in Chicago at CHA — gee, she puts on a lot of miles!!! Joan has a very, very interesting background, which I’ll share more with you in about a week — need to give her a chance to get home!!! I was just thrilled to pieces to see Joan again and somehow I do think I’ll be running into her some more — LOL!!! More on Joan in about a week!!!

Friday night as the girls participated in games and challenges, I chose to sit and color some images with my Copics as I visited with my table mates. My friend had brought several Gina K sets with her, so I stamped and colored those images — how fun!!! Here’s a card I made with one imageafter I got home:

This beautiful orchid is in a Gina K set called Botanical Dreams and was drawn by Asela Hopkins. This is such a fun image to color — I did several once I had the opportunity, so you’ll be seeing more cards with this image over the next few days or weeks. This set alsohas several lovely single words which, of course, I did not stamp when I had the opportunity. Oh well –This is just a simple card which I did for the Sunday Featured Stamper Challenge at SCS — the featured stamperI cased is Shellapoo and, oh my, she has quite the interesting story and certainly serves as an inspiration to us all. You may read about the challenge and about Shellapoo right here. I loved this simple layout in this card of Shellapoo’s. I followed it pretty much exactly, but added ribbon and a die cut corner. Thank you Shellapoo!!!

• Stamps: Botanical Dreams by Gina K, Floral b/g by SU
• Paper: PTI White, SU Pretty in Pink and Rose Red
• Ink: Unknown Black, SU Rose Red, Copics to color (colors unknown)
• Accessories: SU retired Organdy, SU Pretties Kit, Corsage Pin, Cuttlebug die cut corner, White Pearls, Long Rectangle Nestabilities by Spellbinders

That’s it for tonight — thank you so much for stopping in, and also, I just can not thank you all enough for all your emails, comments, phone callsand the many kindnesses extended to me over the pastfew days– THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH — Blogland readers are truly THE BEST!!!!!

10 Minute Tuesday is still the plan for tomorrow!!!

Well, it’s hard to believe that the Michigan SCS stamping event in Birch Run/Frankenmuth has come and gone so quickly and everyone is home again. All the planning, waiting and anticipation, and in just the blink of an eye, just like Christmas, it’s over. But a good time was had by all, and many are already anticipating the next event!!!

The schedule was jam packed with challenges and games, there were prizes galore, plenty of good food, new friends made (or at least met IRL), and there was much stamping done! I met many SCS and Blogging friends and it’s just so strange to actually meet someone you’ve never seen before, and actually feel as though you *know* them. There were so many that I was so honored to meet, but I won’t even try to list them as I know I’ll foget someone for sure!

The cards everyone did were all just so wonderful — there was the big swap and there were shoe box swaps — neither of which I was able to participate in due to time constraints, but I surely enjoyed seeing what everyone had done. There was a fun Secret Sister reveal, too, and the name tagsthat were made for all ofus were fabulous!!! Then totop it all off, many went to dinner at thefamousBavarianInn in Frankenmuth for a fabulous chicken dinner!!! And it WAS fabulous!!!

But my most favorite part was getting to know everyone better, and I just regret there wasn’t more time. I so enjoyed visiting with those I was able to — women I have swapped with and gotten to know through the challenges at SCS and through Blogging. It was a wonderful experience and I just want to give a great big THANK YOU to those who put so much time and effort into planning this event — it is truly, truly appreciated!!!

Well, I have one little 4.25″ square card to share with you tonight, and the main image from this card was colored during the demo given by Rose Ann Reynolds (CuttersCallous). It was such a thrill to meet Rose Ann, and she is just as sweet and kind and giving as one would assume from all the kind and generous comments she is known for leaving. Rose Ann gave us all a little demonstration on using Copic markers and I was so thrilled that she did!!! I have been so interested in these markers — it honestly seems that EVERYONE has them, except me!!!! And I must say that I truly did enjoy working with them — such fun!!! This is my first attempt using Copic markers:

Rose Ann had these adorable little images stamped for us. They are from a sweet little set called Baskets of Happiness by Gina K. The sentiment is from another Gina K set called Make a Wish. I used my image to make this 4.25″ square card.Rose Annguided us through our Copic coloring experience, which was so much fun!!! I loved the way the colors flowed out of the pen, how they didn’t leave streak marks and how you can actually remove color and even fix your mistakes!!! My first attempt here is far from perfect, but it was great fun and I think it is certainly presentable and usable. And, I must say, my little session with Rose Ann has certainly convinced me that I truly would like to have these Copic markers!!! I think I would actually enjoy coloring with these wonderful markers!!! Thank you, Rose Ann!!!

• Stamps: By Gina K - Baskets of Happiness, Make a Wish
• Paper: Almost Amethyst, Black, White
• Ink: Versa Fine Onyx Black, Copic Markers (colors unknown)
• Accessories: Ribbon, Cuttlebug and Swiss Dots Folder, Mounting Tape, Dimensionals.

Thanks so much for stopping in!!! I have a surprise for you later in the week — more Blog Candy — and nothing I made this time, but something *real* — you’ll like it!!! See you later!