No Time To Stamp?

Have any of you been playing the Dare to Get Dirty Challenges over at SCS?  Well, this is my first one — Jenn Balcer’s inspiration challenge — what a gorgeous, flourished cake she chose for the inspiration piece!!!  I honestly think she MUST have had Flourishes images in mind when she chose that cake — LOL!!!  You can see it here.

Ok, now this is one of those cards that I really fought to get an accurate picture and just could not.  The color is a bright lime green, not this yellowish-green we are seeing, and I’m sorry but I just could not get it corrected.  Also the glitter is so pretty IRL, and is coming off this awful blue here — I almost didn’t upload this, but once I made it, I am, just hanging my head in shame over this photo.  It is really quite pretty, IRL — please take my word — LOL!!!

Here’s the Cake Recipe:

• Stamp 1/4 sheet of white cardstock with Palette Noir Black ink using Damask
• Cut stamped piece into 3 strips each 1.5″ high
• Cut the strips to length as follows:  3.5″, 2.5″, 1.5″
• Round top corners of strips with corner rounder
• Sponge all edges of above strips
• Adhere to base layer as shown
• Add Pearls between layers
• Trace with Quickie Glue Pen and add glitter
• Clean off Pearls with a Swiffer cloth as all the glitter will stick to them

That was easy!  The cake layer was matted onto a black layer punched with a Wrought Iron Punch.  And can you see the sentiment — To a Special Couple — this is a little sneak peek at one of the new centers coming out by JustRite for the Monogram Stampers you all have — it’ll fit what you have known as the C-45 and the small wooden stampers as well.  The new stampers coming out have new names, but don’t let it confuse you — when I actually have them and can take pictures to show you — I’ll explain it all — but anyway, this center is one of many to come out, covering all sorts of occasions and events.

What I wanted to show you was the multi-use of these stamps.  Even though this is a center made for the Monogram Stamper, which you typically see stamped with a ring around it, today I used it alone — no ring around it.  I put only the center onto my wooden stamper and stamped on white cardstock.  I then punched it out with my SU Designer Label Punch — talk about a perfect fit!!!  It is backed in black punched with SU’s 1 3/8″ punch that so many of us have.  We know all the JustRite Products work well with the Nestability Circles, but I just wanted to give you some other options, using things many of you already have at home, and oh, what a perfect fit!!!  And don’t you just love the font on this — I do!!!  Anyway, when I get some final product to show you, I surely will, but this worked so perfectly here today I just had to use it.

• Stamps:  Damask by Flourishes, Sentiment is soon to be available by JustRite
• Paper:  Black, White, Green is by Prism (my chart is missing, I think it’s in the Kiwi family)
• Ink:  Palette Noir Black
• Accessories:  Quickie Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds, Pearls, Black Sheer Ribbon, Hole Punch, Sponge, Mounting Squares, and punches by SU:  Corner Rounder, Designer Label, Wrought Iron, 1 3/8″ Circle

I am hosting one of the Dare to Get Dirty Challenges today (Thursday), so be sure to check it out and play along.  I think they pop up at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time, which I think is 12:00 noon Eastern Time.  It’s  a fun one and, you guessed it — simple — LOL!!!  Hope to see you later, playing along!!!

CHA is rapidly approaching and I’m so exicted!!!!  I’m going  and I can hardly believe it!!!!  For those who may not know, CHA stands for Craft and Hobby Association and their Summer Convention and Trade Show is being held in Chicago next week, Friday through Sunday, July 18 - 20.  And to answer the question I keep getting — NO, Flourishes does not have a booth there, but maybe one of these days!!!!  Now, wouldn’t that be something!!!  But both Jan Marie and I will be there shopping our hearts out for Flourishes, along with Susan Roberts, one of our fabulous Design Team Members.  Can’t wait to see what we find to fill our shelves with!!! Fun, fun!!!

I do, however, have one little job at CHA that has me SO excited!!!  You all know how I love using my monogram stampers by JustRite — well, I will be one of the demos working at the JustRite booth — how fun is that!!!  And wait until you hear who all the other demos are — I’ll have the schedule at the end of this post.  All I know is that I’m going to have a hard time tearing myself away from their booth!!!!  LOL!!!  Anyway, here’s my project, along with a few extras I made to go along with it.

What I’ll actually be doing as the demo for JustRite at CHA is the bridesmaids dress on the right.  Both the dress and tuxedo are favor boxes cut by AccuCut.  How fun and easy they are to put together!!!!  The monogrammed CHERISH is one of the new releases by JustRite — oh, just wait until you see ALL they have coming out to go with the stampers you all already have –  you won’t believe it, you truly won’t!!!!  I used Petite Circle Nestabilities to cut and emboss my monogram tags.  The C-45 makes it so quick to mass produce these tags in the event you may be doing a real wedding or other large project.

This bride has her table settings all set to go with the favor boxes and place cards — aren’t they just the most gorgeous things!!!  The frame for the place card was made by cutting a rectangle of white, then just cutting the center opening with a Long Rectangle Nestability, and adhering the frame onto the black card.  Names can easily be written with the Inkksentials Opaque White Pen.

The groom’s tux is stamped, tone on tone, in black with the Damask background stamp.  His shirt was embossed easily using the Scor-It, black Pearls were added for buttons, and a tiny flower, folded into quarters was attached with a black brad.  The tux, shirt and bowtie were all done on the AccuCut, as was the dress. And, of course, all monogram tags are done with the monogram stamper by JustRite.

The dress and place card were stamped with the flourish stamp in Wedding Essentials, gone over with the Quickie Glue Pen, and covered with Dazzling Diamonds.  The dress has a Black Sheer Ribbon belt.  Such FUN to make these!!!!

This bride is also ready with the cards requesting her bridesmaids to serve and her Save the Date announcements.

What a gorgeous bridesmaid!  She is from Wedding Party, colored in with Copics and adorned with pearly colored Pearls.  Her dress bodice was colored with a black Copic, gone over with the Quickie Glue Pen and Dazzling Diamonds.  The Will You Serve sentiment is from Wedding Essentials.

Again, continuing in the same theme.  The sentiment, Save the Date, the rings and the flourish are all from Wedding Essentials.  A pretty self-explanatory card.  And I’ll tell you, making cards and projects like these — with the flourishes and glitter — are just my all time favorites!!!  They have class, elegance, eye-appeal and, best of all — they hardly take any time at all!!! Now, THAT I like!!!

Now, back to CHA and some important things to know — if you’re going to be there, PLEASE come to see all of us at the JustRite booth and do some fun make-n-takes.  There will be 9 different make-n-takes!!!  JustRite will be located in Booth #3309 and has 32 new products to introduce — can’t wait!!!  Here’s the schedule of fun events planned:

Friday, July 18 — 9 - 11 a.m. — MICHELLE WOODERSON (Mish Mash)

Friday, July 18 — 1 - 3 p.m. — SHARON JOHNSON (notimetostamp) (that’s me!)

Saturday, July 19 — 10 - 12 noon — TAYLOR VAN BRUGGEN (tayloredexpressions)

Saturday, July 19 — 1 - 3 p.m. — JERRI JIMENEZ (Jerri Kay)

Sunday, July 20 — 10 - 12noon — SUSAN ROBERTS (rainy)

Before, after and in between the above, there will be a ton of fun projects being conducted by the JustRite crew!!!   And, to SEE all the projects, read about each designer, and see some of the soon to be released new products, check out the JustRite Blog.

If you’re at CHA, we surely would hope to see you!!!  I’d LOVE to meet each and every one of you!!!

Thanks for stopping in — hope you are having a wonderful weekend — we are having such beautiful weather today!!!  Hope you are, too!!!

… euphoria.  An utter and complete state of euphoria!!!  For your cards, that is!!!  I am just in love the the new Euphoria pad by Basic Grey and all the goodies that Flourishes has to go with them!!! I have SO MUCH to show you today, so let’s just get started.

Here’s my newest favorite pad by Basic  Grey.  It’s called Euphoria and these are 6 of the 18 designs in the pad.  There are 2 of each design for a total of 36 sheets per pad.  Aren’t those prints and colors just scrumptious!!!  I’ve paired them up with some of our fun and pretty May Arts ribbons.  Starting at the left we have Dotted Sheer Apple Green, 1″ Sheers in Apple Green and Pink, Dotted Lavender, 1″ Lavender Sheer, 3/8″ Lavender, Lavender/Purple Reversible Satin, Green Edged Purple, 3/8″ Bright Pink Satin, and 1″ Sheers in Steel Blue, Seafoam, and Dark Red.

Here we have 6 more of the prints in the Euphoria pad along with some more of our May Arts Ribbons.  And I’d like you all to see the pretty buttons and brads we have in stock, made by Basic Grey to coordinate perfectly with their paper.  It just doesn’t get any easier!  From the left our ribbons are Dark Red 1″ Sheer, 3/8″ Bright Pink Satin, 1″ Blue Satin, Blue Dotted Sheer, 1″ Apple Green Satin, 1″ Pink Sheer, Dotted Apple Green Sheer, 1″ Apple Green Sheer, and lastly a double sided Pink/Blue Satin.

And here we have the last 6 sheets in the Euphoria pad — love these rich reds!!!  And did you notice all the Glazed Brads in the back — so fun!!!  They coordinate with the Basic Grey papers, and we have brads to match Two Scoops, Sugared, Euphoria, Sultry and Boxer.  From left the ribbons are 1″ Sheers in Pink and Apple Green, Dotted Apple Green Sheer, 1″ Dark Red Sheer,  3/8″ Bright Pink Satin, Blue Dotted Sheer, 1″ Sheer in Steel Blue  and 1″ Satins in Blue, Apple Green and Burgundy.

And I also wanted to show you all these pretty new sticky back Pearls we have in the store — oh my — aren’t they lovely in all these colors!!!  OH, how these will dress up our cards!!!

And I wanted to also mention our H20’s by LuminArte.  They are amazing little pots of watercolors with lots of sparkle built right in.  Leslie Miller did a totally awesome tutorial earlier this week on watercoloring with these H20’s.  She makes it look SO easy and her results are totally spectacular!!! Check it out here, you won’t be sorry!!!

And for my project today, I’m going to show you what I call a *Cheater Box* — LOL!!! I love to make gift sets and boxes to present them in, but you know, we don’t always have time to make a box, as much as we might like to, so here’s a really quick idea for a gift box for cards.

OK, on the back right — I have my set of 3 cards and envelopes in a purchased plastic box — gotta love these.  I get mine from ClearBags.  Their site is not very user friendly, so I’ll tell you this box is item no. FB 17 and it is sized for A-2 cards and envelopes.  My cards usually have some thickness to them and I don’t like to squeeze them too tight, so I have 3 cards and envelopes in here, but it’ll hold quite a bit more if they are flatter cards.

OK, then I have a sheet of Textured Soft Sky (same as my cards are made of) cut to fit perfectly inside the box.  When my cards and envelopes are in my box, then I slip this cardstock sheet in front of them.  Then comes the fun part — I make a band to slip around the box, and once on, with the cardstock sheet inside the box - it actually looks like a box I made — thus, my *Cheater Box* - LOL!!!  Here’ a picture of it all put together.

How’s that for a quickie box?  I made the band pretty much the same as the card described in this post (using the sewing machine) or also in this post (using tape),  if you’d like more detailed instructions.  The only difference here is that  I added the *Friend* tag and button. The tiny button is from the Basic Grey button box shown above, and the Friend sentiment is from Flourished Words — a great sentiment set of 27 gorgeous, scripted words you can combine to form your own phrases.  It was cut and embossed with the Tag Trios by Spellbinders.  Just love these for making quick little tags to hang on a card — fun!!!

Here’s a side view of the box and a close up of the detail work.  Again, you can refer here for more instructions.  To make the band, cut a piece of paper 12 x 2.5 (or however wide you want it, and score it at 2.5, 3.5, 8 and 9.  It’ll then fold to fit this box perfectly with about an inch in the back for overlap where you can adhere it together.

And I think that about wraps it up for tonight — but to recap — what DID I suggest:

• Euphoria Designer Paper by Basic Grey
• Basic Grey Buttons,  Brads and fancy Glazed Brads
• Sticky back Pearls
• Luscious May Arts Ribbons
• Watercoloring with H20’s (see Leslie’s tutorial linked here)
• Making *Cheater Boxes* as above described
• Flourished Words for beautifully scripted small Sentiments
• Tag Trios for creating the perfect little hang tags for your cards
• And, of course, the JustRite Monogram Stampers to create these gorgeous Monograms

But before you leave, I’d like to recommend stopping in at these fun Blogs to see more creations using the fun products I’ve suggested for you today:

Julie Koerber - check out this absolutely darling little bird card — too cute for words!!!

Faith Hofrichter - check out her use of Pearls and her tutorial on how to change the color of your DP - yes, she did!!!!  Amazing!!!

Leslie Miller  - watercoloring with H20’s tutorial - she makes it so easy!!! A MUST READ!!!

Susan Roberts - check out this AMAZING 4th of July card made with Euphoria paper!!!!

Thanks so much for stopping in - I truly do appreciate it!!!  Hope you are all having a wonderful week!!!

Double vision? Deja vu?  Perhaps!  10 Minute Tuesday is taking a little turn today, just because I thought it would be fun!  If you read my Blog post yesterday then, YES, you certainly did see the card on the left.  It was a card I did for Sunday’s Featured Stamper Challenge at SCS, and you may see the entire post here.  I really liked that card — the colors, the paper, the look, the vintage feel, so I decided to make a few more and turn them into a little gift set.  Well, I only got one done today, but the rest will come.  And can you see what I’ve done?  I’ve taken the original card and pared it down to make it into a really quick and simple little card to reproduce, but I still think it has some of the elements I love from the first card and bears a bit of vintage appeal!

Think it has the same feel as the original card?  I think so.  I used the same Euphoria pad by Basic Grey, the same lace, ribbon and monogram.  I just left off all the other embellishments to save time, giving it a bit of a cleaner look.  On yesterday’s post I showed you how I sewed on the lace.  Well, for today’s card, to save time, I glued on the lace.  Take a look:

My Rose Red cardstock is cut 2″ wide.  The piece of DP from the Euhporia pad is cut 1.5″ wide.  I adhered the designer paper, leaving about 1/8″ of the Rose Red exposed on top.  Then I ran a line of the 1/8″ Scor-Tape (sold by Scor-Pal) across the bottom of the designer paper.  I could then just lay my piece of lace on top of it, and again, just like yesterday, I wrapped the lace around the back, but this time we don’t have any thread tails to deal with!  Just tape the lace on the back.  Done!!!

My monogram is made exactly the same as yesterday.  Using the JustRite DIY Monogram Stamper with Damask Borders I inked the rubber with the Rose Red and Going Gray SU markers, stamped onto white cardstock, and cut and embossed with my Petite Circle Nestabilites.  I then cut and embossed a Basic Gray mat and a Rose Red scalloped frame.  Quick and fun!!!

With all my pieces made, I adhered the designer paper panel to the card, wrapped with Pink Sheer Ribbon, tied a pretty bow and mounted my monogram on with mounting tape.  Done!!!  Ooops, almost forgot — I added these pretty Pearls to the monogram — just gives it such a nice pretty and feminine look!!!

• Stamps:  JustRite DIY Monogram Stamper with Damask Borders
• Paper:  SU Textured Soft Sky, Rose Red, Basic Gray.  White.  Euphoria DP by Basic Grey.
• Ink:  SU markers in Rose Red and Going Gray.
• Accessories:  Pink Sheer Ribbon, Pearls, Lace, Petite Circle Nestabilities, Mounting Tape.

Thanks so much for stopping in!  Hope you enjoyed today’s version of a quick remake of a card that has a bit more detail work.  I think it works!!!  Tomorrow is my regular Wednesday May I Suggest…and I’ve got so many pretty new things to show you — I can’t wait!!! Have a wonderful week ahead!!!

I don’t often stamp on Sundays as there usually just isn’t time, but this evening I made some time.  And the fun thing about stamping on Sundays is the Featured Stamper Challenge at SCS.  Going through someone’s gallery to choose a card to CASE is like being a kid in a candy store — especially when the gallery is as beautiful as Chelemom’s.  I saw this lovely vintage card of Michele’s and knew instantly that was MY card for tonight!!!  I followed it pretty closely as you can see, but I did change the colors and some of the embellishments, plus I added machine stitching and a monogram instead of a heart.  Here it is:

Since I don’t even own Kraft cardstock (but I did put it on my list — LOL!), I decided to go with some pretty pastels for this card.  I chose the new Euphoria pad by Basic Grey for my designer paper and SU Soft Sky Textured for my card base.  The accent colors are SU Rose Red and SU Basic Gray.  I really like this color combo! I also really like this layout because all of the interest is concentrated in one area.  To me that makes it easier – a smaller area on which to focus and work — a small little collage — very workable!!! 

Let’s start with the base layer of designer paper.  Since I was going to use real lace, I decided to sew it on with my machine.  I use my standard sewing machine, but I’m so happy to see so many of you getting the small machines and delving into sewing on your cards — especially those of you who have never sewn before — fun!!!    I’ll show you how I sewed this lace and DP onto the Rose Red base:

I first put a bit of tape on the back of my DP to hold it in place on the panel.  I then wrapped my lace piece around the back on both sides (I’m real finicky about NOT cutting the edges of ribbon or lace — I never want frayed edges poppoing out — so I always wrap around to the back, or totally around the card, depending on my layering).  I just really like the finished look that ribbon or lace wrapped around gives you, as opposed to cut.  I then sewed the lace on over the DP with a simple straight stitch.  And, as you can see, I then used a cross stitch for a decorative accent on top.  I also used a straight stitch around the perimeter of my pink square panel.

These are the backs of the same pieces.  I am also very finicky about NOT wanting stray threads hanging out. I use my little stitch ripper tool and pull all the threads to the back side and then I tack them down with tape.  Now when I go to permanently adhere these panels to my card, I don’t have to worry about any strings or loose ends as everything is pulled to the back and tucked neatly inside.

And here’s a close up of all the detail on this card.  After adhering the sewn panel to the card front it is then time to start having fun!!!  The first thing I did is wrapped my Pink Sheer Ribbon around the card front and tied it on the side.  Next I adhered my pink stitched square panel.  On top of that I adhered my monogram on mounting tape, and we’ll get to the monogram in just a bit.  The star was just a piece of white cardstock stamped with the retired SU French Script, punched with the large SU star punch, with the edges sponged and a Euphoria Basic Grey Brad attached in the center.  I then punched a small Rose Red heart with my Heart Nestabilities, pierced a hole in it to run the Silver Stretch Cording from SU and tied it onto the center knot of the  Pink Sheer bow.  I put a little Dimensional under the heart to keep it in place.  I then used a pin with beads from SU’s Pretties Kit — love those pins!!!  And that pretty well finished it off!!!  But I’d like to tell you more about how I created the monogram.

I used the small wooden stamper, called the Classic Stamper, made by JustRite.  I often use their larger C-45, but today I was just doing this one card, so the small wooden stamper fit the bill just perfectly.  This JustRite DIY Monogram Stamper Kit has the Damask Borders and Times New Roman font.  I LOVE this one!!! And with any of these JustRite Kits — all the rings and letters fit the C-45 — love how all the accessories are totally interchangeable between the Wooden Classic Stampers and the larger C-45.  I like to use the C-45 if I am producing multiples, and these wooden kits when I’m just doing one or two monograms.   

Anyway, as you can see from the photo, I used my SU markers to color the rubber — Rose Red for the initial and Going Gray for the decorative border.  I love doing these in 2 colors — I think it adds a lot!!! And it’s so easy to do!!!  Once stamped, I cut and embossed the edges of the monogram with my Petite Circle Nestabilities by Spellbinders.  I cut and embossed a mat in Basic Gray and then a scalloped edge in Rose Red.  Love all the options using the Nestabilities gives you — and they work so perfectly with these monograms!!!  I added some sticky back Pearls where appropriate on my Damask border and adhered the monogram to the card front with mounting tape — and DONE!!!  Vintage, personalized, and pretty!!!  I love it!!!  Hope you do to!!!

• Stamps:  JustRite DIY Monogram Stamper Kit with Damask Borders, retired French Script by SU
• Paper:  SU:  Textured Soft Sky, Rose Red, Basic Gray. White.  Euphoria DP by Basic Grey.
• Ink:  Palette Hybrid Charcoal.  SU Markers in Rose Red and Going Gray.
• Accessories:  Pink Sheer Ribbon, Petite Circle Nestabilities, Classic Heart Nestabilities, SU Large Star Punch, SU Pretties Kit, SU Silver Stretch Cording, Pearls, Basic Grey Euphoria Brads, Mounting Tape, Dimensionals, Sponge, Sewing Machine, Thread.

Thanks so much for stopping in again!  I truly do appreciate all your visits and comments.  If you find these more detailed instructions helpful, please let me know.  I aim to please!  Hope your week is off to a great start!!!  Tomorrow brings my regular 10 Minute Tuesday project!!!  So if that interests you, see you then!!!

Is this a gorgeous bouquet, or what!!!  Our friend, Kellie, over at Polished to Perfection, has created the absolutely most gorgeous complete wedding ensemble using Flourishes Lace Heart, Damask and Damask Reverse, along with the JustRite Monogram Stamper.  And as a little tease, I wanted to show you this beautiful bouquet, which is a portion of Kellie’s project.

You can see the complete wedding ensemble at Polished to Perfection. Whether you are planning a wedding, or just want to make a pretty card, treat bag or decorate your table, you’ll see some wonderful projects that will be sure to inspire you!!!

Thank you so much, Kellie, for choosing to use our beautiful Flourishes images on this wonderful project!!!

This post comes a day late, but at least it’s here now!!!  And 10 Minute Tuesday will be about a 1/2 day late as well, but it’s coming!!!  Trying real hard to get caught up!!!

This is a fairly quick and easy grad card for a guy, featuring a *somewhat personalized* monogram made with the JustRite Monogram Stamper (C-45) and the Harlequin stamp set by Flourishes.  When I say *somewhat personalized* what I mean is, rather than having the graduates name on each card I make (I had 8 cards to do for grads from this school), I found it much quicker to put on the year and a simple *Congrats BHS Grad*.  This way they get their year and their school name on the card, though not their own name = somewhat personalized!!!  Using the C-45 I can kick out 8 of these in a matter of seconds, as opposed to the time it would take to change the grads name on each, so — it works for me!!!  Oh, and I loved the colors to work with — our school colors are purple and gold and the class colors were black and white — a great combo!!!

I used the Small Letters and the Medium/Large Numbers on the Monogram Stamper (C-45) to make this monogram.  However, since all the letters and numbers are interchangeable from the C-45 to the smaller wooden stampers, and vice versa, I could have just as easily done this with one of the smaller wooden stampers.  Personally, I just prefer the ease of being able to stamp out many of the same monogram super quickly with the C-45.

The grid pattern is done with Harlequin by Flourishes, stamped tone on tone on the Eggplant Paper, with the diamond centers being gold embossed.  The gold matting layers on the grid image and the monogrammed image are made with gold metallic cardstock.  The monogrammed image and all layers are cut and embossed using the Circle Nestabilities.

• Stamps:  Harlequin by Flourishes and the JustRite Monogram Stamper C-45 by JustRite.
• Paper:  White, Black Textured, Elegant Eggplant, Gold Metallic.
• Ink:  Black, Elegant Eggplant, Versa Mark.
• Accessories:  Gold Embossing Powder, Tassel (tutorial below), Circle Nestabilities by Spellbinders, Mini Glue Dots, Mounting Squares.

The tassel on this card is home made and a tutorial follows.  I have received a lot of questions from readers as to where I get these — well, it is getting to be a problem.  I have picked up the bookmark sized tassles with the longer strings at craft stores often times.  The short ones that I’ve been using for graduation tassels have become hard to find.  They used to always be in the sewing section of Wal-Mart, but I haven’t been able to find them in black for months, though the last time I checked they did have the gold.  Here’s a picture of what I’ve been buying, and what I just made and used on the card above:

The tutorial that follows will all be done in thumbnails, so just click the photos if you’d like to see larger views.

The first thing we need to do is make our little template.  I used a lightweight chipboard coaster, but I think a heavy one would have worked better.  I cut it to 1 3/4″ wide and then  measured 1/4″ down from the top and drew a line with a ruler and pen.  Then I  used my Word Window Punch and punched just under that line, and off the end of the chipboard, as shown.  The black string I am using is Crochet Cotton from Wal-mart with all the other crochet threads, near the yarns.  I think DMC Embroidery Floss would work as well, but I didn’t have the right color and our Wal-Mart doesn’t carry that anymore either.  But this Crochet Cotton worked just great!

Start by wrapping the Crochet Cotton around your template as shown, over the opening.  I wrapped mine about 15 complete rounds.  Let long tails hanging  down when done.

Now take a nice big darning needle with a large eye and run a length of Crochet Cotton through the eye and just tie the thread on at the eye so it doesn’t keep falling off as you wrap a band around the threads — see photo — you are wrapping this band in the open area.  I wrapped it around about 10 times.  Then tie it tightly in the back.  When I was done tying it, I put a Mini Glue Dot over my knot, just so I can see that tiny black knot again and to make sure the knot holds.  Let your leftover strings hang down.

Thread your needle with another length of thread.  Run it under the top portion of the loop, as shown in the photo, keeping your thread doubled. Cut the end so you can get the needle off, and then tie it into a knot that you can slide down close to the base.  I don’t know what knots are called.  I just loop it around my finger and pull it through itself, then slide it down and tug to make it tight — if that makes any sense.

Now you can take your scissors, insert them under the threads right at the bottom and cut them.  Now you can slide the entire tassell off the framing and give it a little haircut to take care of those long ends that were left hanging, and it should be done!!!  When I attach it to the card, I make sure the Mini Glue Dot is on the back, and use that to help adhere it to the card.

I hope this helps some with the tassel dilemna!!!  10 Minute Tuesday will be late, but hope to get it up sometime on Tuesday!!! Sorry, but I’m trying to get back on track!!!  Thanks so much for stopping in!!!

Keyword ssnotime35 - 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 create a trio of panels for your card.  Your panels can be any size or shape, and you may put them on your card in any configuration at all — just get 3 panels on your card — that’s it!!! I love making pieces and then quickly putting them all together to form a card — and I love working in 3’s — so this challenge combines them both!!!  Just have fun and, as always, try to keep it simple!!

Here are some samples:

Check out Julie Koerber’s sample here. 

Check out Dee Jackson’s sample here.

Check out Tammy Hershberger’s sample here. 

Check out Jennifer Buck’s sample here.

Check out Janine Orchard’s sample here.

Check out Becky Oehlers’ Sample here.

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

And here is my sample:

This card is 5.5″ square and I use 6″ envelopes, so even though the top sentiment circle extends beyond the top of my card, it still fits in the envelope.  My 3 white panels are cut 1.5 x 4.25″, and narrowly matted.  My ties, from Menswear by Flourishes, are paper pieced onto Boxer paper by Basic Grey.  That is the greatest paper for guys — just love it!!!  The sheets look exactly like material for either cotton boxer shorts or silk ties — LOL!!!  I decided to go with the silk ties for today!!!!  The brads for tie tacks are SU.

The Happy 60th Birthday was easily done using the JustRite D.I.Y Monogram Stamper (C-45).  I used the Small Letters for the perimeter Happy Birthday and for the *th* on 60th, and I used the Medium/Large Numbers for the 60.  After stamping it on white paper, it was then cut and embossed using my Circle Nestabilities and then matted.  The sentiment could just as easily have said Happy Father’s Day on the perimeter with a larger DAD in the center — how fun!!!

• Stamps:  Menswear by Flourishes; JustRite DIY Monogram Stamper (C-45), Small Letters, Medium/Large Numbers.
• Paper:  White, Black, Boxer 6 x 6 pad by Basic Grey.
• Ink:  Versa Fine Onyx Black
• Accessories:  Circle Nestabilities by Spellbinders, Ticket Corner Punch (SU), Brads (SU).

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!!!  Have a wonderful weekend!!!

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!!!

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:

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 images done on the C-45 and the wooden stamper (the Classic Stamper)  with the wording on the ring around the border are too large for the 1 1/4 and 1 3/8″ SU punches.  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

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!!!                               

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:

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:

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:

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.