PATRIOTIC CHALK COUTURE PROJECT

Last summer, I purchased Chalk Couture's "Star Spangled Banner" Chalk Transfer, but today was the first time that I used it.  I knew that I wanted to use a few colors of chalk paste with the images, and I guess I was afraid that the paste would dry before I could get the image covered.  I shouldn't have waited because this project came together so easily!  I'm quite excited about it and wish that I had a patriotic room to hang it in.  It's been a dream of mine to have a patriotic bedroom--maybe one day.  July 4th doesn't seem too near, but it will be here before we know it--and I'll be ready!

I have to share this photo, too.  Ramsour was so excited to be outside during the photo shoot and, of course, we had to play ball.  It paid off, though, because he posed so handsomely for this photo:

Well . . . I might as well share this one, too:

Ramsour is so obedient, and he genuinely wants to be pleasing.  He's still young (will be 2 y/o in June), but he is such a good fellow!

In addition to Stampin' Up! products, I also sell Chalk Couture products.  If you would like more information, visit my web site and like/follow my Facebook page where I share project photos/videos and product updates.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DADDY!

So today is my daddy's birthday, and I'm excited to share the card (and boxy envelope) that I made for him.  The whole time that I was creating the card, I was either listening to or humming ZZ Top's "Sharp Dressed Man".  Daddy is a really sharp dresser, and he ALWAYS looks soooooo neat.  For as long as I can remember, his friends, co-workers, and relatives have enjoyed joking with him about stepping on his shiny shoes or boots.  If I was to stumble and could either hit the ground or save myself by stepping on his shoes, you can bet that I would take a hard splat to the ground!  I'm telling you . . . I learned from a very early age to never step on his shoes!

Clean shirt, new shoes
And I don't know where I am goin' to
Silk suit, black tie
I don't need a reason why
They come runnin' just as fast as they can
'Cause every girl crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man

~ from ZZ Top's "Sharp Dressed Man", written by 

Frank Beard, Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill

Even though we sometimes jest about how neat daddy is, I am proud that he wants to look sharp!  He doesn't look anywhere near his age, and I'm proud of that, too.  I would love to share a picture of him (and his closet that is oh, so stinkin' organized and tidy)), but he has put his shiny-shoe-clad foot down on that!  I am happy, though, to share his card:

Daddy wouldn't EVER be caught in a suit quite as flashy as this and might never wear a bowtie, but I knew he had to have a sharp-dressed card.  I kind of had an idea of what I wanted to make, but I wasn't sure how to mimic the jacket.  I had seen cards made to look like a vest or a jacket or a dress shirt, but I wanted a card, similar to a gatefold, that included a shirt, vest, jacket, and tie.  After a few tries with scrap paper to get the "bones" worked out, it was time to construct.  In the end, I really loved the fun fold design.  See the inside:

Of course, the bowtie couldn't get squashed, so I created a boxy envelope to be hand-delivered.

Stampin' Up! products featured on this card include:

Cardstock:  Very Vanilla, Tranquil Tide

DSP:  True Gentleman

Stamp Set:  Truly Tailored

Punch:  Tailored Tag Punch

Accessories:  Metallic Enamel Shapes

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to the sharpest-dressed man

with the shiniest shoes and

the cleanest vehicles and

the most organized closet I've ever seen!

I love you, daddy!!!

BICYCLE CARD

While cleaning my stamp room recently, I found a few items in the "bowl of parts" that I keep on the edge of my table.  Any time that I have stamped, punched, or die-cut elements that I end up not using, I put them in the wooden bowl, and that's where I found the die-cut fence and bicycles on this card:

There were two bicycles, but I adhered them together so they'd be more sturdy.  Originally, they were cut from Soft Sky cardstock, which didn't show up very well, so I colored the top bicycle with Stampin' Blends.  

One of my mother's friends was having a birthday, and I made this card to send to her.  I don't actually know her--maybe have never met her--but who wouldn't like to find an extra birthday wish (even a belated one) in the mailbox?

Stampin' Up!'s Tree Builder punch was used to create the clouds, and I used fringe scissors to cut the grass.  Other Stampin' Up! products featured on this card include Pool Party, Old Olive, Whisper White, and Vellum cardstock, linen thread (from a recent Paper Pumpkin kit), Rhinestone Jewels, and White Perfect Accents.  I don't know why, but I almost always want to put one of those accents on my vellum clouds.

I hope you're having a stampin' good day!