Forever Flowers Get Well Card

Did you ever make a card and have regrets after it was done? I have done that and am still doing that. It is mostly with the words. On this card I regret not trying the words on the decorative paper behind the white strip. Then I would have noticed that the words did not stand out as bold as i would have wanted them to. But it is ok if you are holding it in your hand. I know photos can make things look different. Sometimes (if you're lucky) it can make the card look better but most of the time I find it makes them look more washed out. I don't have a lightbox and I don't take my pictures outside. By the time I do my cards it's after midnight and the light of the silvery moon is not enough to enhance my card to show all the brilliant colors and details on it!! LOL

Anyway, back to the details of my card.

I used the Stampin' Up! "Bella" decorative paper for teh background. I taped it to a folded half sheet of white card stock.

The strip of flowers and leaves was done using the "Forever Flowers" wheel. I am such a wheel person. I think I have bought almost every one they have in the catalog!! The words are from the "Sincere Salutations" set. LOVE that set. And the flower above the strip is from the "Together Forever" set. This wheel and that stamp set are ones I have not used much at all. Come to think of it, I have a room full of stamp sets I have not used much at all. Hmmm, I guess I'd better get cracking and use them. I have thought of challenging myself to use them. Kind of on the lines of Julie and the "Joy of Cooking" cookbook. I should take my stamp sets off the shelf one at a time and make a card with the set and just keep moving on down the line. It will probably take me over a year to do it but it is something that is doable. I will have to give that some serious consideration! It would also give me a better idea of which stamp sets I need to get rid of to make room for newer ones!

Ok, back to the rest of this card. I used the border punch for the pretty scallops at the bottom of the wheeled on flower band. And notice the one little leaf I cut out on the flower in the scalloped circle? I just had to add it to the card. Don't ask why, I don't remember why I thought I should cut it out or where I was going to set it but it ended up there and I liked it!!

Using background papers or an embossing folder on your backgrounds is such an easy way to enhance a card and it's a very quick way to make a card too. It saves you a lot of time so you can spend more on other details of the card! This card was actually a simple and quick one to do. The coloring was done using markers. No blender pens either, I just colored directly from the marker! Talk about a time saver there! I do like the card, just with the words were a bit bolder.

This is one of those very versatile cards too. You can use it for many other occasions, such as Birthdays, Mother's Day, Thinking of You and even a Sympathy card. I love it when I have sets that cover more than one occasion or event.

Thanks SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Quick Cover Sticky Notes Weekend Project

It's actually a very quick process to cover a sticky note pad. Take your note pad and measure how wide it is. Pick out your card stock color and cut a piece that width.

Now this is the tricky part, sort of. It's the most difficult part of the cover but yet it is still quick and easy. Measure the top of the pad and write the number down. Measure the edge of the pad and write that number down plus add that number to the top number. Now the bottom measurement should be the same as the top. Write that number down and plus add it to the other two totals. Now you will cut your piece of card stock using the total you got from adding the three surfaces.

And finally you will score your piece. Score at the first number you wrote down. Then score again for the thickness of the pad. Fold on the score lines. Tape the pad in place and decorate the front as desired.

I decorated the front of mine using the Stampin' Up! "Sweet Pea" download . I SO love this download. I was going to add some ribbon or buttons but remembered how they rip the paper when I dig then out of my purse. SO leaving it plain and smooth is the best way to go. Plus they stack nicer for storing. The word "notes" is from a custom stamp I had made for me several years ago.

I'm going to be making some of these for the fall craft fair. They were quick and easy enough to do and I could make a bunch in no time. Gotta love crafts like that! These little gems would be great for gifts, hostess appreciation gifts, customer appreciation gifts, craft fairs, stamp camp, make n takes and of course a fun teacher's gift. Oh and not to mention a GREAT stocking stuffer!!!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Wednesday Sketch Challenge

I wasn't going to participate in this weeks Sketch Challenge, for a couple of reasons. One we had just gotten back today from a few days up in Duluth. A short mini R & R. It was chilly up there but beautiful. I don't mind the cold, I much prefer winter over summer any day, so this "chilly" was just fine with me. We did some shopping and hiking and walking around the Canal Park area. We did get to see one ship come in. We didn't have it in our plans to wait for a ship to come in but we just happened to be walking on the boardwalk and saw a ship out in the distance. As we walked closer to the canal we could tell it was an incoming ship so we waited for it to come in. I took a lot of photos of it on my little pocket camera but for some odd reason I only got a couple of shots. I think it's time to get a new pocket camera. I was wishing I had brought my bigger camera but like I said we weren't planning on seeing a ship come in. Oh well. It's not like we've never seen one come into port before. It's always fun to see where they come from too. This one was a Canadian ship.

Anyway, back to my card. The sketch showed a square card and I really wasn't up for that kind of challenge but there were finished samples of the layout and one of them used a regular size card. SO that is what I went with.

For my card I used the Stampin' Up! "Upsy Daisy" set. The words were done on the computer and the decorative paper is from the "Sending Love" Specialty Paper. I have a few small pieces left and the ones I had were big enough for this card!! Color me happy there! I LOVE that paper and will be sorry to see it go after the end of the month.

I used the Direct to Rubber technique. I colored directly on the rubber with markers. I huffed on it and then stamped the image.

It was a very simple card using this Upsy Daisy stamp. I have used this stamp for several technique pages but not too many cards. I do like the set but have not used it much on cards. SO this was a perfect opportunity to use it!

Now, I really wanted to make it into a birthday card but I didn't have any "Happy Birthday" words printed out on vanilla card stock so I paged through the words I did have printed on vanilla and this is what I got. It's ok, it's good to have one on hand, just in case. And I can always remove the words and add Happy Birthday later too (after I get over the "lazies" and print a page of them out!!).

If you have time give this sketch a try, it is a lot of fun.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Melon Mambo Thank You Card

When I first got my new "in colors" I was SO stuck on Rich Razzleberry. Then I ventured away for a bit and played with Dusty Durango. It seems that I have discovered a new love for Melon Mambo. I have used it a lot in my cards and crafting stuff.

Here I used it to make this SO simple and SO quick card.

Using Decorative papers helps when you want to make a quick card. And the embossing folders also help to jazz up a background without making it too busy. And those also let you combine it with decorative paper without giving you the look of adding "stripes and plaids or two different stripes" together. It accents and enhances a card immensely.

The image is from the Stampin' Up! "Vintage Vogue" set and the words are from the "Well Scripted" set. Both sets I just LOVE to use and I will be hanging onto them for a long time!

One thing about this card I wish I would have done different. I wished I would have stamped the words in black instead of the Melon Mambo. It gets a bit lost in the decorative paper. But we learn from our mistakes, right? I have learned that I repeat them WAY too many times!!! LOL

This layout is nice and this card is versatile. You can use it for many other occasions than just a thinking of you card! Change the image in the circle and expand the uses for this card!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Beaded Ink Technique Page

This was a fun and very easy technique. I love how it makes the image look SO old. Imagine what it would look like with the right colors of card stock and inks.

This technique was happened on by accident when doing another technique!

It's got such a "worldly" look to it too. I think it would make a great Sympathy card as well as a thinking of you card. Perhaps with the right colors it could be a birthday card. I had used Soft Suede here so it gave it that old looking darker image.

This is #4 in the 4th set of technique pages. I'm on a roll!!! Shocker, huh? I want to do a page a week but am settling for 3 a month! Keep your fingers crossed for me there! It's one thing to post it on here and be done with it on the blog but in my workroom the pages need to be made up and card stock needs to be cut for 30 pages. The sponging and taping take the longest. I love it when we have road trips, I bring the pages with me and tape away in the car and most of the time I get them done! Such a great feeling to come home with all that stuff done!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Yes, Another Get Well Card!

But this one was done using the new Stampin' Up! "Watercolor Trio" set. This set will be available in just a few more days! May 1st the new Summer Mini catalog will be out and let me tell you, it's a painful one! There's SO many fun sets in it. But to ease the pain items in the catalog are available until the end of August so I have plenty of time to get what I really LOVE out of it!

Anyway, back to my card and me! It's all about "me" you know!! LOL

The base of this card was made using Pretty in Pink Card stock. I had a scrap piece of the "Sending Love" speciality paper so I used it on the bottom part of the card. I covered the edge of the speciality paper with a piece of Regal Rose 3/8" grosgrain ribbon.

For the flower (this is the fun part), I colored on the rubber with markers, huffed on it and then stamped the image. This technqiue is called "Direct to Rubber." I layered the image with Regal Rose card stock (another scrap piece) and I set it in place with Dimensionals.

The words were done using my favorite "Sincere Salutations" set!

This was a very simple, easy and quick card to make.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Vintage Vogue Get Well Card

This is one set I'm hoping that Stampin' Up! will have in the new catalog. I have made SO many cards using the "Vintage Vogue" set and there's SO many more I want to make. I just LOVE this set.

I did not make this card. A fellow demonstrator Denise made it. She's a phenomenal stamper. I love all the cards she makes. She's a very neat and clean stamper, which is something that I LOVE and often do myself.

The colors used here are as follows: Almost Amethyst, Certainly Celery, Apricot Appeal.

Isn't it just a beautiful card? I don't think I've used this set without cutting a flower out. And this card shows that you don't need to always cut out flowers! A lesson I learned here!

And this card I believe would cheer anyone up! And this card can be used for other occasions as well. Another plus to the card and set!!!

Thank you Denise for the card and for allowing me to share it on my blog! You're the best!

Thank you for visiting today,
Wanda

Thinking of You Upsy Daisy Card

This has been a week of "get well" card making. Kind of sad but yet it's SO much better than needing sympathy cards. I made one of those a while back and have not needed it. I'm hanging on to that one for luck!!

Anyway, this get well/thinking of you card was fun to make. First of all I just LOVE the Dusty Durango color. It's kind of a rust and pumpkin color mixed. And of course I had to buy the Designer Series paper to match!

The stamp used here is the Stampin' up! "Upsy Daisy." A set I just LOVE but have not used it much other than on technique pages! There's SO much you can do with this stamp set and the image can be used for a variety of occasions and needs. I LOVE stamp sets like that. To me it seems like you are getting your monies worth out of it when you can pick it up and use it for a multitude of events/occasions.

And I love the "Fleurette's". These little crocheted flowers are the cutest. The center of the flower is a punched out piece of decorative paper and the clear part from the "Build a Brad" set.

The main part of this card was done using Basic Black card stock and the Dusty Durango was layered on top. I like to use black layers on my cards when I can, it makes the colors you use pop.

Oh and the words are from a fun set called "Teeny Tiny Wishes." That set covers a lot of occasions and events as well! Another reason why I bought it!!

So off in the mail this goes tomorrow! Finally too, it's a bit late in going out. I'm SO far behind on my card and emails. How does that happen? Things will be better here when Sara from Sara's Creative Adventures comes down sometime and organizes my workroom! *winks* She has a fun blog, check it out!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Recap on the Post it Note Holder

I have gotten a LOT of comments and a few emails asking what the name of the die cut is for those notebooks. I did neglect to give credit where credit is due. I am adding a new photo here. It is one I made using the "Thoroughly Modern Folders". Isn't it cute made with the folder?

Anyway, about the comments. When you ask a question in the comments I have no way of answering you. Please email me and you will be sure to get a reply back. You really don't want to include your email address in a comment. Hackers and Spamers LOVE it when you do that. My email address can always be found on the right sidebar on the blog. Second item down on the list.

Materials list:
Stampin' Up! "Thoroughly Modern Folders"
Sizzix "Scoreboard Note Holder" Die
The flowers are on the same die
Sizzlet "Little Leaves"
Brad
Velcro
Soft Suede Polka Dot ribbon
Sticky Strip tape
Circle punches, 3/4" and 1"
"Notes" is from a custom made Stampin' Up! stamp
Self-adhesive Notes

This is a very simple die to work with and you can crank out a lot of these in no time! I'm making a bunch for this falls craft fairs.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Wednesday Sketch Challenge

I can not believe it's Wednesday already. My how these days are flying.

I have actually now used the two images from the Stampin' Up! "Spring Song" set. I bought this set because I LOVED this bird. And it sat in the container until a few weeks ago when I used the hummingbird for one of the Wednesday Sketch Challenges.

This challenge was fun. I LOVE that big piece in the background. It kind of sets the mood for the card. I also LOVE the "To the Nines" textured decorative paper. It's SO rich looking plus it's a GREAT paper to use on masculine cards.

Materials used here are:
Basic Black card stock
Very Vanilla Card stock
Stampin' Up! 1-1/4" & 1-3/8" Circle Punches
Stampin' Up! Scallop circle punch
Martha Stewart branch punch
Stampin' Up! button
Stampin' Up! To the Nines Decorative Paper
Blender Pen
Markers
Stampin' Up! "Spring Song" stamp set
Sponge
Sage Shadow ink pad

There's lots of pieces on this card but that is what I LOVE to do when making cards. Ok, I love it only when I am making one card. If I had to make anymore than this I don't think I would have enjoyed all the layers! LOL

Oh, the words on the card were done on the computer. I set it up to make 4 columns and I repeat the words until the page is full. Making sure I leave space between them for punching out. Then I print the page on usually Whisper White card stock but sometimes I print it out on Very Vanilla at the same time. Then when I need it I just go to my pile of words and punch it out.

Anyway, back to the card. It's even a great masculine birthday card. You could even remove the "happy birthday" and make it into a Father's Day card. That is coming up quickly too. First I need to get to the Mother's Day ones and Graduation!! And I have few birthdays in between there too!

I do like my card this week. It's rare I say that!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Warhol Technique

I thought it was time for another technique page. I am no longer showing the pages like I did in the past. I decided to actually use the technique on a card so you can see better how they are used. I will still be making the pages in the same format as I have in the past but I will not be posting them on here.

I needed a few get well cards this week. One is VERY late and I'm trying to get caught up here. So I thought I would have some fun with this technique and make a get well card at the same time.

I used the Stampin' Up! "A Flower for All Season" set to do this technique. This technique involves taking an image and repeating it on different colored backgrounds. It can be set up in a square as I have done here or it can be set side by side to make it look more like a filmstrip. Either way it makes a wonderful card. Andy Warhol was famous for using this type of imagery. You can Google him and see a lot of his work and maybe even get inspired!

I still have a few more of the technique pages left in the third set if you are interested. Please email me here.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Post-it Holder Purse Weekend Project

I was having some fun making these adorable Post-it Holder Purses. These were SO easy too! Really, they were. What makes them SO easy? They are made using a Sizzix die. I just ran the card stock through the Sizzix machine with the die and a few creases on the score lines and I had a cute little purse.

I cut mine from Crushed Curry card stock. I used the Crushed Curry polka dot ribbon for the handle. I taped it in place with the Sticky Strip tape. I needed something with a bit more stick to it than regular mono adhesive. I used a half a Velcro circle as a clasp to hold the holder shut.

What is nice about these is you can refill them. The last sheet or backing is taped on so when you are finished with the last note you just tape another pad in its place.

I added a few die cut flower pieces to the front. I stuck them together with a brad and set them in place on the front with a Dimensional. I added a few leaves and that part was done.

The word "notes" is from a special order stamp by Stampin' Up! I just selected a one line address stamp and I stamped it on white card stock, punched it out with a 3/4" circle punch and layered it with larger circles. I just taped it in place with mono adhesive. I didn't want it sticking up too much because it could get caught on things and get ruined.

On the very front of the holder I did run a scrap piece of Rich Razzleberry decorative paper on the die cut form and taped it in place over the Crushed Curry. It was SO easy to make and just too cute. I even made some using the "Thoroughly Modern File Folders." Those I didn't have to add anything to the flap, the folders are muli-tone. I added flowers and the "notes" like these have. SO quick and SO simple.

These would be great for gifts, including teacher gifts! They would be a fun Make n Take, a customer appreciation gift, Hostess appreciation gift, a fun Stamp Camp item and I made some to sell at the fall Craft Fair. Don't forget to use the angel stamp with the Stampin' Up! copyright on it if you are planning to sell them. I stamp mine before I put them together, it's much easier to stamp them when they are flat.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Thoroughly Modern Folders Notebooks

These fun notebooks were made using the Stampin' Up! "Thoroughly Modern File Folders."

I was perusing through the tutorials in the SplitCoastStamper's "Resource Gallery" and thought I would give these adorable folders a try. I had a few folders left in the package I had bought and I figured I could give one a try.

Much to my surprise they were easier than they look! And speaking of "look" I think they look FABULOUS! I like these folders because you can refill them. A folder that can be reused! Such a deal and a welcome concept in this day and age! It's SO important to recycle when you can and reusing is something I LOVE to do when I can. Oh and let's not forget what great gifts these will make.

Now you can embellish them a lot more than I SplitCoast or I did. I just copied theirs. I didn't want to add anything more than the ribbon that they added. Though I did put a little different twist on mine that I thought enhanced the folder even more. I added the pen holder! Isn't it just TOO cute and a much needed addition to the folder. Oh and there was room for it too, like it was meant to be there! I got that fabulous pencil holder at "Capture the Moment." This link will take you directly to the tutorial for the pencil holder. Click on the photos for a closer view, especially the one with the notebook open so you can see the pencil holder better.

I think these would be a great item for the fall Craft Fair so I will probably be ordering more folders so I can whip up a bunch for the sale! Hope I have time to make more! It always seems that I can't find the time to do things lately. There is always something that comes up. Today it's a computer "thing." My poor old laptop is on it's last legs and I thought I would tend to the issue before it crashes forever and my info is lost! SO we took the tower computer from upstairs and brought it down to my workroom. I was going to have the tower on the floor but there was an issue with the shortness of cords. UGH! And not to mention the issue with short extension cords. There were cord going across both sides of my worktable. SO unacceptable. A trip to the store and some creative moving (actually it was just a bit of clearing off things on the ledge) and the computer was starting to look like it would work down here for me. It's weird to have such a big screen and a "real" keyboard. I'm so use to the laptop that this keyboard seems exceptionally long. A number pad, how odd to see on my worktable! It's all up and running and there is about an hour left for the info from my laptop to be completely transferred to this computer. And if I can remember to shut off the mouse when I'm done all will work out fine! If not I'll be spending a lot of money on batteries until I learn! A "normal" mouse didn't work because the cord was too short. So for now I'm happy with the way it's going and looking and really, isn't that what it's all about? My happiness? LOL

Ok, back to this cute notebook. You can either use a magnet or Velcro to close it. I opted for the Velcro because the file folders are so stiff and I don't think a magnet will hold it shut. Plus too much pulling on a magnet could rip the paper on the folder. Velcro has some give and pliability to it.

Give them a try, especially that ever SO cool pencil holder!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Ann & Leah Do it Again!

I have some fun cards to show you that were done by Ann and Leah Thursday evening at Stamp Till You Cramp. Though there wasn't much stampin' going on here! Most of the card is made using stickers and decorative papers. Both of which I love to use, it makes whipping up a card a snap!


Oh, don't get me wrong. I still love an all stamped card too. Especially one with LOTS of layers and one that requires coloring! But for a quick card, stickers and decorative paper is the way to go.


When looking at these cards I can see the fun the gals had in making them. Your happiness with a card actually does reflect on the card.

Leah was making graduation cards while Ann was making baby cards.

The middle card shown here was the one we used the Cricut on to make the "Class of 2010." I love my Cricut but have not used it much. I had gotten it for Christmas with the intent of scrapbooking with it. I've done two pages using it. I just have too many other projects going on that I can't seem to squeeze in any time for scrapbooking. Hopefully this fall when things slow down again I will be able to make time. I LOVE spring (but not as much as winter) and along with spring comes a LOT of work. Windows need to be cleaned along with cupboards and closets. Plus lots of outdoor work too. I'd rather shovel snow! There is actually less work to do in the winter than in the spring. SO I have to find time to squeeze all of that in too! But somehow I manage to do it and I'm hoping I can manage to get some scrapbooking time in too!

Now onto Ann's cards. Once again these cute little images are stickers and they are absolutely adorable! Ann did so some stamping on these with the words in the bottom corners.

She also stamped on the inside but I forgot to take a photo of it. Oh and she ALWAYS stamps on the envelopes. She is the one who encouraged me to stamp on my envelopes. "It's all a part of the presentation." Right Ann? It does dress up the envelope and make the card look even more inviting to open! Aren't these baby cards just adorable?

Thank you Ann and Leah for allowing me to share your wonderful cards on my blog for the world to see!

Just a quick note here regarding my blog. I'm getting close to the one million hits mark. I, of course, will be posting some wonderful blog candy. I can only guess that it will probably be by the end of the month that my blog will reach one million hits. It's SO exciting!

Thank you for visiting my blog today. Thanks a MILLION!
Wanda