"BLOOMIN' BEAUTIFUL" CLASS PROJECTS

In June, I'm going to schedule a "Bloomin' Beautiful" class that will include a greeting card portfolio, four greeting cards, and four envelopes. I got the instructions for the portfolio from another demonstrator, tweaked it just a tad, and decided to "decorate" it with my own design. She had included four greeting cards, but I actually prefer to use my own designs--most of the time. The date for this class hasn't been determined just yet, but I hope to send class invitations very soon! If your interest in this class is accelerated by the photos, then my strategy worked! ;-) As with all of my classes, each attendee will receive a handout with instructions and details, techniques, etc.

JUNE WORKSHOP PROJECT FOR CLUB MEMBERS

This is one of the cards that my club members have to look forward to making in June! It's one of those that's simple to make, fun to send, and even more fun to receive! Unfortunately, the colors are a bit off in the photo. This card was created with SU's "One of a Kind" stamp set, Ginger Blossom designer paper, Basic Black ink, and two markers.

STILL BLOOMIN' BEAUTIFUL

Can you guess which stamp set is still on my desk???? That's right . . . Bloomin' Beautiful!!!! This is the card I made for my swap with Laura this week. Shhh . . . don't say anything to her about it!

BLOOMIN' BEAUTIFUL SPINNER

Are you sick of this stamp set yet? LOL! I'm not!!! I almost forgot to take a picture of this spinner card that I made last night. Actually, it was during the wee hours of this morning, and I could barely hold my eyes open! I wish I could say that the spinner mechanism works perfectly, but that would be a lie. The arc is too high for it to work smoothly, but I can try to change that "next time." Famous last words, huh? Special thanks to Renee for coloring the bee for me. :-) I wish she lived next door because I have so much fun having her in the stamp room with me. She usually has her own projects to work on and sometimes we hardly talk, but I enjoy her company.

SO YUMMY!

Today, while surfing the 'net, I came across a picture of a delicious-looking cake and just HAD to make one! It's called a Strawberry Truffle. I've seen these before but haven't ever made one. The only deep glass dish with a lid that I own is this one by Pampered Chef. It's not as ornate as I would have liked, but it sits in the 'fridge just fine. ;-) Renee and I sent Chadrick and Bryson to the store to get a few ingredients, and she added bananas to her "helping." Yuck! I wish I had put a little food coloring in the pudding because that muted yellow looks like infection to me. Gross! Anyway, following is the recipe if you'd like to make one:

8 oz. Cool Whip

1 pound cake, cubed (can use Angel Food Cake)

1 prepared vanilla or lemon instant pudding

Strawberries

1/2 cup sugar

Mix strawberries with sugar. Layer cubed cake, pudding, strawberries, and Cool Whip. Repeat. Garnish with strawberries on top. Chill and serve cold.

FLOWERS ANYONE?

Warning . . . I can't get enough of this pot of flowers! This card is quite simple in design, but the fold makes it interesting. I don't know what's going on with the brads. They seemed like a good idea at the time, but seeing them like this . . . I just don't know.

SOMETHING FOR BABY

One of my customers is "expecting" her first grandchild, and she's heading out of town on Saturday for the baby shower. I wanted to do something for her--for the baby--and decided to decorate a paint can since I have right many of them in my stash! No, I didn't use SU paper because I didn't have anything "babyish," but I did use SU ribbon and stamps. I used the Cricut to cut "sweet pea" and the green pea, and I used SU's "Nursery Necessities" stamp set to create the card. I immediately saw some things that I should have done differently, and I hate that this gift isn't perfect but . . . maybe next time. Obviously, the can is full of baby items, and I will place a note in the can and suggest that the mommy-to-be use the can to hold/collect/store quick notes about the baby . . . something precious that he did (shouldn't take long to fill the can with that), record/date some of the important milestones, etc. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE A PAINT CAN, I HAVE SEVERAL THAT WOULD LOVE A CHANGE OF SCENERY. ALL I ASK IS THAT YOU PAY WHAT I PAID . . . $7. THESE CANS ARE VERY NICE . . . MATTE WHITE SURFACE THAT'S PERFECT FOR PAINT, INK, DECOUPAGE, ETC. BEST OF ALL, THE HANDLES CAN BE EASILY REMOVED TO MAKE IT EASIER TO DECORATE THE CAN. THEY MAKE GREAT GIFT PACKAGING AND REALLY ARE SUPER EASY TO DECORATE!

BLOOMIN' BEAUTIFUL

Oh dear! My friend, Cassy, let me borrow her "Bloomin' Beautiful" stamp set, and I think I'm in love! If you like to watercolor (and who doesn't), this is THE set for you! When I first saw this stamp set in the "Occasions" mini catalog, it did nothing for me . . . I had no trouble just turning the page. Over time, though, I've found myself not turning the page quite so quickly. I've had this stamp set off my list, on my list, and now it's at the TOP of my list. I got home with this set around 10:30 last night and immediately made the first card - Chocolate Chip and Groovy Guava. I colored the flower using the aqua painter and the Groovy Guava ink pad. I actually stamped and colored two flowers so I could make a cut from one of them to place via Stampin' Dimensional on top of the other one. Can you see the 3D effect? I also added some Dazzling Diamonds glitter to the flowers! The sponged edges may be a bit heavy for this card, but there's no removing the ink once it's there. Ugh! I stamped and colored the other image on the second card this morning. This time, I used the Watercolor Wonder Crayons and the aqua painter. Love, love, love how this one turned out! The crayons were a perfect choice for this image because I was able to mix and blend different colors, particularly on the flower pot. If I can get my ducks in a row, I'll be offering a class in June designed specifically around this stamp set. In the mean time, don't let the sales period end before adding this one to your stash! It's definitely one of those "sets with staying power" that you'll reach for time and again.

OF SHADES AND SHADOWS

This is my "gotta-get-it-on-card-stock-before-heading-to-work" design. I just couldn't leave home until I got this idea out of my head. A fellow demonstrator shared a clever sample where the oval punch was used to create a vase. She used a punched flower, but I used the Boho Blossoms punch AND some of those cute felt flowers that SU sells! If you haven't ordered the "Flower Fusion" Accents & Elements yet, what are you waiting for???? I also used subtle shadows and shading on my design but, unfortunately, that technique doesn't show up well in the picture. The last thing I did to this card is the one thing that messed it up . . . the word "life" is crooked. Argh! Why do things happen like that? I might have to cover that up with a flower!

CUPCAKE BOX & CUTTING MAT

SU has a nice special this month . . . when you purchase the cutting mat ($15.95), you get a FREE hobby blade, which comes in a handy storage tube along with FIVE refill blades! My cutting mat arrived last Wednesday, and I am LOVING it more than I ever imagined! I used to keep a grid pad on my desk all the time, but I’ve been using the cutting mat instead. Light colored card stock is so easy to see against the black mat! You can see in the picture on the left how the mat came in handy when I tried to align the Rub-On for placement on the acetate window of my box. Something else that I’ve noticed is that my ATG adhesive (and other tape runner adhesive) won’t stick to the mat. How many times have you been working on a project and got your card stock or designer paper stuck on stray adhesive? Argh! And have no fear . . . ink wipes off easily with a tissue or baby wipe! Enough about the cutting mat . . . and onto my project. This adorable little cupcake box has been a work in progress all weekend, and I still need to make another one so I will know the measurements. I started writing down all measurements, but I stopped when nothing was working and now that it’s all neatly glued together, I sure could use some specific information! Does this ever happen to you? Not knowing how it would turn out, I kept the design VERY simple by using Kraft card stock for the box, Soft Sky card stock for the lid, Whisper White card stock decorated with “Afternoon Tea” designer paper for the insert, and some “Love & Happiness” rub-ons (retired SAB) on the lid’s acetate window. The Coluzzle was used to cut the circles, and I created the scalloped edging with the Cricut. The more I look at this box, the more I think I like its simplistic design. Or maybe that’s just what I’m telling myself. ;-)

HOW SWEET IT IS!!!

I recently got SU's Tabletop Paper Cutter and LOVE it!!! It is a guillotine-style cutter that is proving to make precision cuts without fraying the card stock. It has a safety blade, which is good news for me since I normally manage to slice myself with most anything bladed! The plastic guide that you see beside the blade is what keeps your fingers out of the way, but it also keeps your card stock or paper from slipping out of alignment. A very neat feature of this cutter is that the measuring arm and the handle (at the end of the blade) can be easily removed and placed in the storage area under the cutter! Because I'm not without limitations, I had some trouble with the distance between the silver measuring guide on the "ledge" above the cutting base and the card stock lying on the base. I'm used to having the measuring guide ON the cutting base and felt that I really needed it there, particularly when making eighths and sixteenths cuts. I read somewhere that it was recommended to sit while using this cutter because it made it easier to line up the card stock with the correct measure, but the little voices in my head tell me to stand and be in charge of that guillotine! My wonderful husband found the neatest measuring tape that reads from right to left AND had an adhesive back, so I just laid it in place and now have the perfect cutter! How sweet it is!!!!!

FLOWER FUSION PIN

What is it, you may ask? It's a pin . . . a piece of jewelry, although it would be a perfect focal point for a greeting card or a neat embellishment for a scrapbook page! To create it, I started with a formica chip (those nifty little freebies found at Lowe's and other home improvement stores). I covered it with designer paper, added a few rub-ons from "A Perfect Day" and "Love & Happiness" (SAB, retired), and then placed the "Flower Fusion" felt flowers with rhinestone brads. These little flowers are TOO FUN to work with! If you don't have any, you should seriously considering ordering them from me! There are LOTS of flowers in the tin, assorted sizes, shapes, and colors.

ONE MORE MOTHER'S DAY CARD

This one is for my grandmother.

FLOWERS FOR MOTHER

I'm ashamed to admit that Mother's Day has caught me unawares this year--how can it already be time for Mother's Day????? For two days, I have carried this card design in my head and could hardly wait to get home today so I could make it! Have I told you lately that I love my Cricut????? OMG! Every single time I use that machine, I find myself chanting, "I love this machine!" The flowers and fence were cut with the Cricut, but it wouldn't be complete without some SU touches, such as the "Afternoon Tea" designer paper, rhinestone brads, and the stamped greeting (from "All Holidays"). In case you're wondering, this is a 6x6 card. I had to have room for those big flowers! ;-) Besides, this is one of those cards that you know is going to require some additional postage, so size didn't really matter in this case. I think my mother will love this card! Shhhh . . . don't tell anyone, but she loves all of my cards.

WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH CHIPBOARD?

With SU's chipboard promotion this month, I thought it would be a good idea to show a few things you can do with it. When I sat down to make this card, I didn't know that it would become a great example! Two pieces of chipboard are used on this design . . . the circle shaker with the heart "window" and the little heart at the base of the rattle. The small heart is covered with designer paper, and the circle has been colored with ink. With many of the chipboard pieces that you get, you have the chipboard piece itself, but you also have a negative piece to work with. The circle on this card mimics the negative, although it's actually a "useable" piece of chipboard. After I inked the circle, I used the Coluzzle to cut an acetate circle to close the heart window so the beads wouldn't fall out. I then used the edges of Stampin' Dimensionals all around the window, poured in some Clear Micro Beads, and then put a 1-1/4" circle backing on top of the Dimensionals. This shaker ensemble was adhered to a punched Scallop circle. On the chipboard heart, I covered it with the Anywhere Glue Stick, cut a piece of designer paper to size/shape, and then laid it on top of the heart. SU's sanding block was used to smooth the edges. Other SU products used to create this project include East Coast Prep designer paper, Slit punch, Word Window punch, Wild Wasabi card stock, a More Mustard brad, and 1/4" white grosgrain ribbon.

"TEACHER APPRECIATION DAY"

May 6th is "Teacher Appreciation Day," and I designed and made this set of note cards for one of Chadrick's teachers. Of course, he was adamant that Iwould have to be the one to take this gift to the teacher, so I guess I'll have to make a trip to school. There's very little stamping on this project, but the stamps I used were from "Stem Sayings" and "Boho Backgrounds." Other products used to create this gift set include Whisper White, Sage Shadow, Purely Pomegranate, and Chocolate Chip card stock, Chocolate Chip satin ribbon, three Cuttlebug embossing folders, oval Nestabilities dies, Sticky Strip, Ultimate Box Maker, Boho Blossoms punch, 1-3/8" Circle punch, and the Scallop Circle punch.

BIRTHDAY WALLET

Tomorrow is my nephew, Bryson's, birthday, and I made this wallet for him. I wasn't sure what to get him for his big day, but I've never known a young man (or an old one) who didn't like cash! I used a Cuttlebug embossing folder to give the wallet a leather-look, and the machine-embossing lifted some of the heat-embossed image. I like that look, though, because it gives the wallet a distressed look. The Discover card is fake and is adhered to that interior pocket, and the picture--the one that looks soooooo old--is my sister when she was probably 3 or 4 years old. She's only 11.5 months older than me, and I swear we're not old enough to have childhood pictures that look THAT antique! I don't think any of my childhood photos look that old. Hee! Hee! I wonder if Bryson will even know who the girl in the picture is! After taking pictures of the wallet, I added a stamped layer on top of the left pocket because it looked so bare! I hope Bryson likes his gift! Would it be rude of me to ask if I can have the wallet? I'm (sort of) kidding! I wouldn't come right out and ask . . . but I might be tempted to pick it up if I should find it . . . oh, let's say . . . lying around. ;-)

BOATLOADS OF LOVE

To create the window for this card, I used the 1-1/4" square punch and punched four squares from Post-It notes so I would have a little bit of repositionable adhesive on each square. I then placed the four Post-It squares on a 3" x 3" piece of Night of Navy card
stock. Holding the 1-1/4" square punch upside down, I centered each Post-It square in the window of the punch to create four (relatively) equal panes. The large boat was stamped with black StazOn ink onto SU's watercolor paper and colored with markers.

NEW MUSIC

I don't know how much you enjoy the music on my blog, but I added some new songs from Leona Lewis. If you watch "American Idol," you saw her perform recently on the show. Until I saw her on TV, I had never heard of her but what a talent!!! This girl can sing! Scroll on down to the music list and listen to some of her songs. My favorites are "Yesterday" and "Bleeding Love." ;-)

PLEATED PANELS

I'm in a Yahoo group with the owner of Terryfic Times, and she recently shared some pleated panels with several of the group members. The only requirement upon receipt was that we had to make a card (or other project) using the panels and, of course, share our creations with the group. Beverly sent me three panels, but I kind of made a mess of the first one trying to figure out how to fold it. This turned out to be a not-so-bad learning curve because I discovered that there are at least two ways to fold them. Pictured here are the two cards that I made.