Shoebox Swap - May 17 & 18

Hello again! I mentioned about a week ago that I would be posting about an upcoming event that I've had the pleasure of participating in a couple of times - a Shoebox Swap! These swaps are a great way to have fun with friends & family, get a variety of wonderful cards, and allows creativity sprinkled with inspiration for all the participants!!!

If you've never done one before, the idea is pretty simple. Each of you will design and assemble one card. Then you will bring all the supplies necessary to complete your card for each participant in a shoebox or other container (ie. precut cardstock, stamps, ink, embellishment). I am limiting each date to 8 people (so you will have your sample already made for us to copy, plus enough supplies for up to 7 other people). I will have a RSVP date, and will email everyone with a final headcount 1 week prior so you'll have enough time to precut all the materials needed for your card. There are a few other suggestions that I'd like to ask for each of you to make this a great experience. Think of this as a mini challenge! Let's try to keep assembly time for your card to less than 15 minutes, have a minimum of 2 layers on top of your cardbase, and incorporate 1 embellishment (like a ribbon, or brads, or perhaps a silk flower - you choose!).

Please RSVP by May 8th, so that I can email everyone with a final headcount on May 9th. If you RSVP before May 4th - you'll receive a free handmade gift from me at the swap! The cost is $3 to cover refreshments (drinks, fruit/veggie tray, CHOCOLATE!). If you need to order supplies, please let me know or order online with my website by May 4th to ensure delivery with plenty of time for you to prep for the swap. This event gets better and better with more people (let your friends and family know about it!), so hurry and click here to reserve your spot today - remember, the limit is 8 for each date
---> Sunday, May 17 1-3pm OR Monday, May 18 12-2pm.

If you have any questions, please let me know by using the contact page or my email at june@mycreativecorner.com. Can't wait to swap with you!!!

The Chef Presents... a Cupcake!

A real quick post for today... gotta get my kids off to school. You know, one of these days, I will build up my stash of birthday cards! Here's one that I put together for my other son... he's attending a birthday sleepover tonight. I like the bright colors on this card, and it all started with the patterned paper. Since Stampin' Up's colors match up so nicely, it's easy to coordinate projects!
Have a great day!

Stamps: Voila, Party Hearty (cupcake stamp)
Paper: Tangerine Tango, Pacific Point, Whisper White, Washington Apple DSP
Inks: Basic Gray, Pacific Point, Tangerine Tango
Accessories: brads, dimensional popdots, aquapainter

Plaid Spring card and class reminder!

Hello again! I had such a great time yesterday with my Flip Album classes - a BIG Thank You to each of you that were able to attend!!

I really love the colors in today's card - Pink Pirouette and Riding Hood Red. The plaid background paper came from the Bella Rose paper collection, and this cute flowerpot stamp is from Wagon Full of Fun. The flower was colored directly with markers, and the flowerpot was watercolored. One punch from the scalloped Eyelet Edge punch adds just the right touch on that main panel, don't you think? This card was a snap to put together, and I hope that you enjoy looking at it.

Before I forget, I wanted to send a quick reminder of my upcoming Technique Tuesday class next week between 7-9pm (April 28th). We will be working on 3 different techniques with samples to add to your booklet (if this is your first Techniques Class visit, you will receive your booklet at that time). For additional practice (and fun!), we will repeat the techniques on actual projects, so you should be pretty comfortable and confident in your new skills! :) We will finish up the night with a cute 3D project. Normally, I ask for RSVP/pre-payment a week in advance so that I can order additional supplies (if necessary) based on the number of attendees, but I have enough supplies for this month's class. Please let me know if you'll be attending by Saturday, April 25th. The cost is $12 and you can click the link and fill out my contact page here or email me at june@mycreativecorner.com.

Also, a little teaser here... I've been wanting to hold a shoebox swap for my customers ever since I was first introduced to them last November - they are SO FUN to play in! I am still working out the fine details, but am looking at Monday, May 11 and Sunday, May 17 for the dates. I will be posting about the requirements for this event in the next several days. This type of event gets better and better when the number of people who attend goes up, so please consider joining in for a VERY fun afternoon!!

Thumbs Up Teen Card

Of all the various occasions out there where I find a need for a card (Christmas, birthday, new baby, sympathy, thinking of you, congrats, etc etc etc......), I know that - for me - the challenge of making MASCULINE TEEN cards ranks right up there with fire walking or skydiving! They are the hardest ones for me to do!! My boys are darn good about giving me plenty of notice when they need a card, but it's my procrastination or "half-listening" that gets me every time. I'm always scrambling to get a card done a couple hours before they have to be somewhere... egads! :)

I found myself... again, needing to make a card for DS #1 yesterday, and this card was the result. I find that this is a real "go-to" set for masculine cards... it's called "Happiness is a Journey", and I simply adore this reverse-image train. It's a unique stamp, and one that will not leave my ever-growing collection. The image was stamped on Whisper White in Basic Gray ink. I used a sponge to color in the train with More Mustard ink, and the smoke with Baja Breeze. I went over the smoke again with a blue/gray colored pencil to create swirls in the smoke. This was matted and silver brads were inserted. I glued this main panel to my More Mustard cardstock that was sponged on the edges with Kiwi Kiss ink. I freehand cut branches from Chocolate Chip, and used my Big Shot/Little Leaves sizzlet to diecut leaves from Old Olive and Kiwi Kiss cardstock scraps. The leaves were snipped off the stems, individually glued to the branches and very lightly sponged with Kiwi Kiss ink. A few of the leaves are popped up with dimensional popdots that were cut in half. I used my stylus to add veins in the leaves, but I don't think you can see that detail from the photo. Lastly, I used my StampAMaJig to line up the sentiment from Sock Monkey (my daughters love this set!).

Well, I held my breath and showed it to DS #1..... A Thumbs Up! Whew!!

I'm not trying to make my sons sound like they are incredibly difficult or picky, but... they are teenagers (and those of you that have them, or went through these years with them, know what I mean!). And I must not forget what I was like those few short years ago. {snort! OK, OK... but it wasn't that long ago!}

Have a great Sunday! :)

Stamps: Happiness is a Journey, Sock Monkey sentiment

Paper: More Mustard, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Kiwi Kiss, Basic Gray, white

Ink: Basic Gray, Kiwi Kiss, More Mustard, Baja Breeze

Accessories: Big Shot, Little Leaves sizzlet, dimensional popdots, silver brads, sponge daubers, colored pencil, StampAMaJig

Spring Wagon

Recently, I made some clean and simple cards that used Wagon Full of Fun for my main images, and they were colored in with a SU blender pen and Stampin Pastels. Stampin Pastels are chalks that come in all of our standard colors, and are held together in a flat, easy-to-store container for just under $25 - you can't beat that! Truly, it's a very economical, versatile, and useful product. Instead of using the included sponge applicators to color - which gives a soft, pastel coloring to your projects - I chose to use the blender pen. This technique results in a darker, more pronounced coloring. Simply touch the tip of the blender pen on the corner of an individual chalk block to pick up some color, and off you go! When you are done with that color, just clean off your blender pen tip by scribbling on some scratch paper until the color is gone, then pick a different color to use. Easy-peasy, and oh-so-pretty!!

I used the masking technique to make the flowerpot and cupcake look like they are inside the wagon. Stamp the wagon on a post-it note and trim around the top edge of the wagon. After stamping your wagon on your card block, use the post-it to cover the wagon, then stamp your other image just above the wagon. Remove the post-it and ta-da - your image looks like it's sitting in the wagon. How cute! :)

The sentiments were stamped, punched out, and layered. I assembled the cards together and finished them by using a 2-way glue pen and sprinking Dazzlin Diamonds on the images.

Have a super Saturday, everyone... see you next time!

Stamps - Wagon Full of Fun, Sentiments are from Thoughts and Prayers, Voila

Paper - Lavendar Lace, Old Olive, white

Ink - black

Accessories - Stampin Pastels, blender pen, Scallop and Circle Punches, Dazzlin Diamonds glitter, 2 way pen

Bear Hug

Happy Friday to you! I made this card several months ago for DH and had it posted to my SCS gallery, but didn't get around to showing it to you here - shame on me! {giggle...}
As I've mentioned before, most of my projects use Stampin'Up products, but I do purchase other items to supplement my stash (there are WAY too many enablers out there!). I had used Nestabilities to cut out my panels, and a Cuttlebug embossing folder for the background. This adorable bear is from the "Under the Stars" stamp set, and the honey pot/bees come from "Button Bear" (retired). The images are colored with markers, and the sentiment was printed via computer. I lightly sponged ink on the main image/sentiment panels, and also on the background textured mosaic tiles to bring out the pattern. I added some brads to the corners and dotted around the frame. DH really enjoyed this one and I remember his laugh, so hey... I'm happy!
Stamps: Under the Stars, Button Bear
Paper: Real Red, Creamy Caramel, black, white
Ink: black and various SU markers for coloring/dotting
Accessories: ribbon, brads, sponge, Big Shot, cuttlebug tiny mosaic embossing folder, nestabilities- labels two and ribbon tags trio

Relax, Honey!

My DH and I just celebrated our 23rd anniversary this week, and I made this clean and simple card for him. He is always supportive and excited about all my projects, but seems to appreciate my clean and simple cards that are made specifically for him the most. It used a stamp from "And Many Mower" that is in the new mini... the inside is stamped with "RELAX" to finish off the front sentiment panel. This stamp set is great as it's geared toward masculine cards - perfect! Let me say that he took the sentiment to heart and definitely enjoyed the day (and I enjoyed it with him, veggin' around the family room, watching the latest installments of "House", "Hell's Kitchen" and reruns of the sci-fi shows like "Stargate SG-1" and Star Trek's "Enterprise"... yep, we're Trekkies!). Anyhow, just thought I'd post a quick card for you all today. Till next time...

Soft Summer - Part 2

I've been working on this weekend's class tutorial the last couple days, but had a need to create a card today. I still had my Bella Toile background stamp and the Soft Summer stamp set sitting on my table, so I thought I'd create another card version using these sets. This was made as a gatefold card, so the opening is in the middle. These are simple to make - simply score vertically at 2 1/8 inches from each side with your standard A2 size cardbase laying in the landscape, or horizontal position... clear as mud? Perhaps the picture below will help describe what I am saying...

As you can see, the flowery front panel is glued to only the left card flap. I used the Eyelet Scallop Edge punch along one side of the Old Olive cardstock on the front panel. Also, I did use my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to line up these 2-step flowers. The two flowers on the card front were stamped again, cut out and popped up for added dimension. The little faux "brads" are simply the punched out eyelet dots glued in the four corners... subtle addition that adds just a hint of something in all the white areas on that front panel. These gatefold cards are so easy to do, so I hope you give it a try! Thank you for checking in today... have a great one!

Stamps - Soft Summer, Bella Toile

Paper - Lavendar Lace, Lovely Lilac, Old Olive, white

Ink - Basic Gray, Lovely Lilac, SU markers: Lavendar Lace, Old Olive

Accessories - StampAMaJig, dimensional popdots, Eyelet Scallop edge punch

Soft Summer Thanks

I hope that you and your family had a wonderful Easter weekend. I made this quick "thank you" card this morning using the new "Soft Summer" set found in the Occasions Mini Catalog. The floral stamps in this set are designed to be "2-step". I used the base floral stamp in Baja Breeze ink on Bashful Blue cardstock. Then used Basic Gray ink with the coordinating outline stamp. I added highlights with a white gel pen. The sentiment is stamped on Bashful Blue cardstock, then punched out with the large oval punch. I punched out a Scallop Oval from Whisper White, glued the sentiment on and sponged the edges in Baja Breeze ink. I sponged the area underneath the oval and edges of the main floral panel with Baja Breeze and Riding Hood Red inks. The oval was attached with pop dots. The background panel is Bella Toile stamped in Ballet Blue ink on Whisper White cardstock, with the edges sponged in Baja Breeze. Brads were added after matting the floral and background panels, then this was adhered to the Rose Red cardbase. Have a great evening, and come back soon!

Stamps: Soft Summer, Bella Toile

Paper: Rose Red, Basic Gray, Ballet Blue, Whisper White

Ink: Ballet Blue, Baja Breeze, Basic Gray, Riding Hood Red

Accessories: Dimensional Popdots, White Gel Pen, sponges, brads, punches: Scallop Oval, large oval

Sachet Pillowbox

Hello again! Today's post is about a very quick project that would make sweet little Mother's Day gifts for family and friends. It's a sachet made from the Pillowbox Die and Big Shot. After die-cutting the pillowbox, I stamped in Pink Pirouette ink around the edges with a floral selection from the Pocket Silhouettes stamp set. The butterfly came from Great Friend, a wonderful little stamp set found in the new Occasions Mini catalog, and is stamped on both sides of my pillowbox in Riding Hood Red ink. I used my Mat Pack and paper piercer to punch little holes around the butterfly and pillowbox, and closed one end securely with Sticky Strip tape. Then I crushed very fragrant potpourri into smaller pieces (about 1/8 to 1/4 inch in size), and filled my sachet pillowbox. I secured the other end with Sticky Strip tape and added a ribbon around one side, adding a few spots of snail on the ribbon to keep it from sliding off the pillowbox. The small holes allow the fragrance to breathe - it smells so nice and it's not too strong - to me anyway! I think I know a few ladies who would love a few of these to put with their linens or clothing drawers at home... maybe you do, too! Have a great day, and thanks for checking in with me today.

Stamps: Great Friend, Pocket Silhouettes

Paper: Pink Pirouette

Ink: Pink Pirouette, Riding Hood Red

Accessories: Big Shot, Pillowbox Die, ribbon, mat pack, paper piercer, Sticky Strip, Snail adhesive, potpourri

Birdhouse 24-7

Well, I don't know about your area, but the birds are very busy building nests around Phoenix right now.... it won't be long before we hear the little peeps from the babies! When I was watching them this morning, hustling around, eating and grabbing the stray bit of grass or twig, it inspired me to decorate a birdhouse today. I purchased an unfinished one at Walmart over a month ago for a few dollars. There were many different types available, and they were found in the crafting area. Here's a close up of the nesting bird...

I snapped photos at various stages of construction, and thought I'd share how I put this together this morning. First I started with my supplies - the paper comes from the Raspberry Tart collection (LOVE it!), and the stamps are from Friends 24-7 (LOVE this even more!). I picked out a few different colors of acrylic paint to give a distressed look to my birdhouse.

As you can see below, I put a basecoat on the roof, bottom and post.

Then I added the other colors to give the birdhouse a distressed look -

To make an easy template for cutting your patterned paper, use a sheet of printer copy paper and trim it so it's slightly larger than the face of your birdhouse.

Line up one edge of the paper along an edge and bottom of the birdhouse, then simply use your finger to press a crease in the paper as shown below - you may need to trim off the bulky, excess areas so that you can make a good crease. After you've creased your edges, just trim off the extra paper with scissors to make your template.

Put your template back on the birdhouse and use your finger again to lightly crease an outline for the holes in the center. Cut out the holes with scissors.

Use your template and cut out 2 pieces from your DSP for the front and back. Remember to cut holes for the front DSP piece only! :)

I measured and cut two rectangles from the DSP to fit the sides of the birdhouse. Going in sections, I applied a coat of ModgePodge to the birdhouse using a 1 inch sponge paintbrush, then laid the appropriate piece of DSP on it - press around the DSP to make good contact with the glue. When this was done to all 4 sides and dry, I used a sanding block to distress the paper. Then I applied a top coat of ModgePodge over the entire birdhouse.

While the birdhouse was drying, I stamped the bird and flowers on Whisper White using Staz-On brown, then immediately heat-embossed with clear EP. These were watercolored with markers and aquapainter, then cut out. I created a nest using a very thin strip of raffia and stuck/glued spanish moss around. The flowers, bird and nest were adhered with dimensional popdots and mini gluedots.

Here's an overall picture again - straight on....

There you have it! I hope this inspires you, just like I was inspired this morning by simply watching the birds. Have a great day, and come back soon!

Post-It Organizer... AKA Whiteboard :)

OK, for all of you that are like me and have sticky notes stuck all over your monitor, today's post may be an answer to better organization- well... at least it's more decorative!! :)

Yep, it's a magnetic whiteboard. I picked this up for $2.50 at Target near their dollar section, and added flowers and "buttons" from a die-cut self-adhesive sheet that's part of the Sunshine Garden Simply Scrappin Kit. The marker cap and the black flower centers (they look like drawer knobs) are magnetized and moveable. I wanted to protect the die-cuts from the dry-erase marker over time, so I heat-embossed the die-cuts with a clear embossing powder (EP)/Dazzlin' Diamonds glitter mixture. It's so sparkly and pretty in real life! Once I gathered the supplies, I completed this project in less than an hour.

Here's a quick mini tutorial, and you'll need the following materials:

Magnetic Whiteboard (12x16)

Sunshine Garden die-cut sheet or something similar

Versamark

Clear EP/Dazzlin' Diamonds mixture OR Iridescent Ice EP

Heatgun

Embossing Tray

Tweezers

Mono Multi Glue

Choose the die-cuts and trim them apart.

Leaving the die-cut image on the backing sheet, peel off the excess paper. Make sure the die-cut is stuck well to the backing sheet.

Tap Versamark all over the die-cut and cover it in embossing powder (be careful not to lift the die-cut off the backing sheet).

Carefully melt the EP on the die-cut with the heatgun by moving it back and forth about 6 inches away. Use tweezers to keep from burning your fingers! -I used my tweezers and my ACME Heatgun Accessory Gadget... now don't go Google-ing this - it's a homemade, "heavy duty" aluminum foil wrapped piece of very thick cardboard to help speed up the melting process and protect my tabletop ;)

Peel off the glittered die cut and rub off any edges that might have stray bits of melted EP. Decorate your whiteboard. (Note: I glued the die-cuts to my whiteboard with mono multi glue -the die cuts were still sticky, but I did have some areas where EP got underneath on the first couple dots before I realized it. Just be sure the die-cut is stuck well to the backing sheet before dipping in the powder.)

Well, there you have all the juicy details! LOL! I'm glad I de-cluttered my computer monitor - it was really starting to look like something from a Dilbert cartoon. Have a great Sunday!!

Well... It's Official

Did the title catch your attention? {giggle...} Aren't these stamps a riot? The stamps and scallop oval punch are new in this Occasions Mini catalog. I knew that I'd have to order Golden Oldies ASAP 'cause I love that 'ole man with his pot belly and flip flops - he's just too funny! This card was designed to congratulate my brother and dear sis-in-law who just became first-time grandparents last weekend. Yay!!! It's not the typical "welcome baby" type of card, but I thought I'd have alittle fun with the occasion. I wrote the "it's official" on the Oval All tag on the front of the card, and "Welcome to the Grandparent's Club!" on the inside.

I selectively colored the oval tag in black marker to eliminate the original sentiment, and colored in the circles with Gable Green marker. This was punched with the new scallop oval punch and layered behind with the Key Tag punch. The DSP is from the now-retired Delicate Dots DSP pack, and the ribbon came from my stash. The grandma and grandpa images were watercolored with markers and aquapainter. Oh, the wood floor was just drawn in with a black marker and watercolored with browns.

I hope you enjoy my little card today - I know Del and Kim will crack up!

Stamps - Golden Oldies, Oval All
Paper - Bashful Blue, Brilliant Blue, Gable Green, white, Delicate Dots DSP
Ink - black, bashful blue, various markers for coloring
Accessories - sponge, dimensionals, aquapainter, Key Tag Punch, Scallop Oval punch, ribbon

Edited to Add - I forgot to mention a reminder for my upcoming scrapbook class - please click on the link to get all the details, or just scroll down through a couple posts to get to the info. Thanks!

Goodbye SAB.... Hello Occasions Mini!!!

Well, I had to make a couple tribute cards with items from the Sale-A-Bration promotion as one last Hurrah! I hope that you love your free SAB items as much as I do. The Delicate Dots DSP will be sorely missed, and I'll be using it up over Spring because of it's perfect blend of colors for this time of year. My first card with hearts came from Polka Dot Punches, and is lightly sponged all around. The second card below was made for my niece who just had a baby boy on Saturday. Many congratulations, Tabatha! The whale stamp came from Pun Fun (not retired - it's available in the main catalog on page 48, item #115054). He is watercolored with markers and an aquapainter. I used the eyelet edge punch on the Apricot Appeal block to bring out more dots! tee hee... Well, *sigh*, it WAS another great year for SAB...

Although it's a bit sad knowing that some things are no longer available, it does mean that NEW items are NOW available! Stampin' Up!'s Occasion Mini catalog starts today!! Products from this mini catalog will be available until June 30th. There are ALOT of cool things in this mini, and I'll be posting many projects utilizing the new items to help inspire you to be creative!

With Easter around the corner, I had to make an Easter basket made from the Big Shot/Scallop Envelope Die. I cut 4 of the envelopes out of Gable Green cardstock and assembled it by arranging & gluing the flaps together inside of the box, and the scalloped topper folded to be on the outside. I also had a (1 x 8.5 inch) strip of Bashful Blue cardstock that I punched along with the Scallop edge punch on both sides to create my decorative trim on the handle. The trim was glued to a (1/2 x 8.5 inch) strip of Gable Green to create my Easter basket handle, and is attached with brads. The green striped patterned paper comes from the Rainbow Sherbet DSP paper pack. Finally, the marker-colored Easter eggs are stamped from a new stamp selection called Wagon Full of Fun, and it adds the perfect touch for this very fun and easy project.

(angled view)

(front view)

Have a great Wednesday, everyone! See you soon!!!