Altered Note Holder

Ok, here it is. The project I told you I was going to post and it kept getting delayed. 

I love buying these little dollar boxes at Target.  They even come with scratch paper inside.  I often take the paper out and use it and cut my own white paper for the box.  Here I didn't need to add a different color paper because the paper matched the decorative paper.  That doesn't happen very often!! 

To make these altered note holders I usually take off the inside box.  I then redecorate the outside and put the box back on.  I sometimes decorate the box too.  For this one I added a strip of the decorative paper around the inside box.  It's the same paper as the belly band.  Sometimes, when I remember to do it, while I'm putting the decorative paper on I will work a ribbon in there and tie the box shut.  The only thing I don't like about that is that once it's opened it's usually difficult to retie it.  And even if you do get it retied it never looks the same as that first fresh knot did.  So I am leaning towards belly bands on the future note holders I need to alter!  I have a box full of these.  I had bought them for a gift project that had now gone by the wayside.  But that's ok.  I will use them for the upcoming craft fair.  I had gotten most of them at a discounted price so I can keep the price low on the item and sell them ALL.  Hopefully!!!

The second photo is showing the inside of the note holder.  You can see the papers that came with it in the holder.  See how well they go with the decorative paper? 

I used the Very Vintage set for the front on the belly band.  And the scalloped layered circle also covers the seam of the belly band.  I like the smooth look around the holder with the seam hidden, don't you?

Click here to see one that I made a while back. This one shows the original note holder with Buz Lightyear on it!  You can get a better idea of what to look for when you go to Target.  And trust me, these things don't last long in the store!

So now I need to make up a few more of these and box them up for the craft fair!!! I need to get a move on this stuff.  I do work good under pressure but I don't like to!  I would like to have my stuff done before the craft fair.  I want to try to do some each month and then closer to the craft fair I won't have to scramble and lose sleep to get the things done I wanted done!!!  I do this to myself every time I'm in a craft fair.

So there you have it, my altered note holder!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Simply Soft Wednesday Sketch Challenge

I finally had time to play with the Wednesday Sketch Challenge over at Split Coast Stampers (SCS).  It's been a few weeks since I was able to play and I was glad I had some time this week!  

This sketch was a lot of fun. I kept it clean and simple.  I pretty much copied the background on one of the sample cards that were on the SCS site.  I just like the look of that card and I didn't have a lot of creativity tonight.  Perhaps it's because I'm feeling a bit hyper and I blame that on the pop I drank. I don't do caffeine and when I do I'm hyper and I'm up all night too!  And I never learn!!! LOL

The set used here is the Hostess set "Simply Soft".  I was not sure where I was going with this card.  I didn't know if I should make it a birthday card, thinking of you, get well or even a sympathy card.  I did end up leaving it blank on the inside and when something comes up that I need a card I will know then what to put on the inside, won't I?  LOL

What I like most about this card is those tiny little pearls on each panel.  Click on the photo for a closer look. I even added a couple in the flowers too!  This was a fun and easy card to make.  I LOVE this layout and I can see myself using this sketch again.

If you have time, give this sketch a try!!

Stop by tomorrow, I have another fun project to share with you! I promise!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Crayon Resist Technique

Last week at Terri's VERY fun technique class she had the gals do Crayon Resist.  This is such a fun technique though I don't use it very often.  I think it's because the lazy part in me comes out!  I don't want to get out the brayer and I don't want to clean it up.  Not like either one of those is difficult to do.  I told you I was lazy!!  I read something about being lazy the other day and I laughed.  It read something like:  Organized people are just too lazy to dig for stuff!  I thought that was so funny!  So maybe I'm not lazy after all!!! LOL

Ok, for easy directions on how to do the Crayon Resist Technique just click here and you will be taken to the page with a sample and the instructions. 

I don't have this stamp set. I had thought of getting it because it would be perfect for masculine cards.  Like the one Terri did!  I especially love the giraffe in that set but when I really looked at that set I thought of all the coloring I would have to do to make my cards look fabulous!!!  I have to be in the mood to color and lately that mood hasn't come around! 

I have seen a few other stamp sets that I have that would be fun and pretty using this technique!!! Ok fine, I'll give them a try later in the week!

Thank you SO much for stopping by today, I hope you were inspired!
Wanda

Fresh Vintage Treat Tube

I'm trying to take photos only with my small pocket camera so I can get use to it so while my big camera is in being cleaned.  I wasn't aware that the big digital cameras are only good for about 10,000 photos before they need service.  I am close to that.  I am amazed at how many photos I do take.  So since I used the pocket camera on this treat holder I didn't get in as close as I would have liked to. When I did the flash would go off and all you saw as an outline of a box, a very white glowing box!!

This was not the project I was going to post for you today.  I did finish it but when I saw this one I just had to make it and then I just had to post it!  I will get the other project on here.  Though I don't think it's half as cool as this one is.  

I used Lucky Limeade card stock and Everyday Enchantment decorative paper.  Inks used here are Lucky Limeade, Poppy Parade and Pool Party.  And the stamp sets I used are are Fresh Vintage and Petite Pairs (for the words because I didn't have the set used in the original box).  And in a way I was glad because I would have just copied it and I really didn't need a birthday box for anyone right now.

I did punch the tiny hole in the label piece wrong.  It should have been on the side.  I was just thrilled that I got it centered at the top!!! LOL  But being punched at the top worked out well too so I'm happy with the outcome of this box.

You can watch the fun and easy video on how to make this fun box at Chic'n Scratch.  It's not a very long video and the boring parts (like taping) are sped up so you don't have to sit and wait.  And speaking of taping . . . I would recommend adding the Sticky Strip before you attach the ends.  I found it ackward to work with it the way she was instructing. Watch the video first (something I don't always do and should so I know to try something different or easier) then make your fun treat box.  

This would be a fun idea for stocking stuffers, using Christmas colors and the candies of Christmas.  Or even putting money in it and using it as a VERY cool money holder!  I'd like to play with this some more and see what else I can come up with!!  It has a LOT of potential.  And of course I will share with you what I make!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Fifth Avenue Birthday Wishes

I saw this pretty card on Kelly's "A Stamp Above" web site. It was such a pretty card that I knew immediately that I HAD to make one.  From the title of that post, she is having an upcoming class and this is one of the projects in it. 

It was one of those "just had to do it" things for me.  It was such a pretty and stunning card and I wanted it SO badly that I had to make myself one!!!

It was very easy to do too!  I didn't use the word set that she did, I wasn't sure what set it was from and since I already had this set out and it fit in the area I needed it to be in I ran with it! 

I am thinking of making some of these for Mother's Day cards and use not only the Pool Party color but also the Wisteria Wonder.  Can't you envision this card in that wonderful soft purple Wisteria color??  I'm excited to work on those.  I'm pretty sure that won't happen until next weekend but I do know that it WILL happen!!!  I need to make about a dozen of them and this card would be perfect for it!

Stop by tomorrow, I have a project that will be ready to show you!  I'm always doing something here (other than cleaning my house!!!!).

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Card Holder

 Well, I took the card from yesterday and ran with it.  I thought I would make my trusty card holder.  I have made TONS of these holders and have sold them with 4 cards and 4 envelopes inside.  I like to decorate the front of them with the same papers used on the cards.  To see the original card that inspired the box look, click here. 

First I made the cards.  I just copied the one I made yesterday.   I did use the "Sincere Salutations" set for the words.  I should have taken a photo of one of the cards showing the words, silly me!  I used the "Happy Birthday, Get Well Soon, Thinking of You and Thank You" from that set.  That set is one of my favorite word sets.  I've had it for MANY years and each year I am thrilled that it is still in the catalog.  I just love it that I can make a set of cards exactly the same except for the words.  These words are all on the same size blocks so they are about the same size in rubber form.  That allows me to use the same space on each card to make it a "different" card just by changing the words. 

After I made the cards I stamped the envelops and then I went to work making the card holder.  This is a fun card holder that I designed.  What I like about it is, it opens up easily and closes into the card holder piece you see in the first photo.

The second photo shows what the inside looks like with the top opened half way.  And the third photo shows what you see when the entire piece is opened.  

See the magnet at the top in the third photo?  It shuts tightly with the magnet.  I LOVE that about this card holder.  It stays shut and the cards don't fall out because the sides are contained too!  I have gotten a lot of comments on it and I've sold a lot of them too.  They are easy to make and I have had good luck selling card sets at craft fairs. 

This holder keeps 4 cards and 4 envelopes nicely. I think it may even hold 6 if there isn't a lot of layers or bulky accessories on the cards. 

You can find the card holder in my web store.  Just click here to be directed to it.  And it's still on sale too!  It is a PDF file so once you pay you will get an email with the download info on it so you can get working on it right away!  These make a GREAT Stamp Camp item!  You are allowed to make and sell as many of these holders as you wish too!  There is no limit on the pattern!

I am going to use this one for a gift. But I just got another pack of the Spice Cake decorative paper (I won it.  It was the grand prize at the Stampin' Up! open house I was at last weekend.  Lucky me!!) so I will be making another one because I LOVE these colors and I also love the layout of the card.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Thank You a Mixed Bunch

 Last night I dug out my small digital camera and charged the battery.  I thought I'd better get use to using it before I have to give up my Canon camera.  Fortunately the lens on this little camera is clean.  I don't get the great focus options like I do with my big camera but this one will due until I get the other one taken in and cleaned.  I can zoom in some but for now I'm just taking pictures of cards and stamped projects!  

So I should tell you about this fun card I took a picture of with my Casio camera!!!  I wanted to make a fun, different and yet pretty thank you card.  I got out my Perfectly Penned set and realized the "Thank You" was the only image in it I have used.  SO that made me think that I should challenge myself to make more card using the remaining 3 images.  I'll save that for another day!

Today I made this card using Pool Party as the base color of my card.  Next was a piece of Chocolate Chip and then the Whisper White.  I used an embossing folder for the top half of the card.  Actually I cheated here a bit with the card.  I didn't want to just run half the card stock through so I ran a quarter sheet through and cut it in half.  I was planning on making another card anyway!  Then I added a piece to the bottom.  Each piece was 2" x 5-1/4".  I taped them to a piece of card stock cut 4" x 5-1/4" and that was taped to the Chocolate Chip.  I'm getting ahead of myself a bit here.  I first stamped the words and then I put the ribbon on.  I just taped the ribbon on the back of the card using transparent tape.  The piece of ribbon is about 6" long.  I didn't need to wrap the ribbon around the whole card, no one would see that it was a full piece of ribbon anyway!

I used the Spice Cake decorative paper and I stamped the flower from Mixed Bunch on it with VersaMark and added some white embossing powder and heat set it.  I punched it out with the new punch that matches the Mixed Bunch set.  I set it in place on the card using Dimensionals. And that was it.  Well, not totally "it."  I did stamp the flower image on the inside and (yes Ann) I stamped it on the envelope as well!!! 

I think it would be fun to make a set of these cards to use as a gift.  The remaining words from the Perfectly Penned set won't fit in the space provided.  The "Sincere Salutations" set came to mind.  All the words in that set take up about the same amount of space.  So I'm going to make a fun set of cards this weekend!!!  Probably on Sunday.  I have to teach tomorrow and when I get home I probably won't want to do much stamping.  I want to work on the project I had mentioned a couple of days ago.  I need to do a bit of it each day so it will get done before the turn of the next century!!! LOL

Anyway, this card was very easy and SO fun to make!  I have the envelope all addressed and it's going out in the mail tomorrow!  Along with that get well card from yesterday.  I forgot to mail it!!! UGH!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Stamp-A-Stack Candidate!

This card would be perfect for a quick Stamp-A-Stack.  It was very simple to do and it didn't take much time at all.  This was not the card I had in mind when I started but I still like how it turned out.  

Last Friday I was at a beading get together and one of the gals who had surgery on the 6th was there.  I had been meaning to send her a get well card and I was glad to see her there but yet felt bad that I had not sent her a card yet!  Part of the reason was I didn't have much time to work on a card and also, I lost her mailing address.  Today I found the address and today I made her a card.  And tomorrow it will go out in the mail.  So much for yesterdays brag session about being ahead of the game.  I think I need to learn to start using some of the cards in my stash.  There has got to be over 500 of them.  I'm sure I can part with one when I need it.  It's not like I don't make other cards to replace it!  

So enough about that.  I will tell you what I used to make this card.  The base of the card is a half sheet of Pacific Point.  That's a color I don't use too much of but when I get it with the Marina Mist I am SO enthralled with it that it makes me want to make more cards with the two colors.  My Marina Mist layer is cut 4-1/8" x 5-3/8".  The white layer on top is dry embossed and measures 4" x 5-1/4".  The words came from the Delightful Dozen set and punched out using the 1-1/4" circle punch.  I think that punch is one that I use the most out of all of the punches I have.  Ok, that and the 1-3/8" and the round scallop punch.  They all go together to make the layered circles I have in the photo.  You can't do one without the other when making those layers!

And there you have it, a very sweet, clean and simple get well card.  It would also be great as a make n take or even a shoe box swap!  As long as you can find words to fit in that 1-1/4" circle you are good to go.  And speaking of going, I have to run.  I am working on a VERY fun project and I'm hoping I will be done with it this weekend.  It really isn't a long project but it is for me because I don't work on it for very long amounts of time.  I have too many other things going on so I pick away at it and then when I'm VERY close to being done I just sit down and finish it!  I'm hoping that day will be Saturday evening after I get back from teaching at the bead shop.  I need to show you my latest creation too.  I'll get that set up to photograph too.  My poor camera is having issues.  Well, it's not the camera, it's the lens.  There is a dot on the lens that appeared when we were up in Duluth.  I'm afraid the wind may have blown a piece of dust into the lens.  How else could it have gotten in there?  It's all sealed up.  Or so I thought it was.  The camera is a bit old but I'm going to hang onto it and just get it cleaned.  It's not like I'm going to be using it for my prize winning photos!!! LOL  I just want to take pictures of my "stuff" and I don't want dots in it.  I suppose I could photo shop the dots out but I don't want to spend the time doing that either.  I just want the lens cleaned and I'll be happy!

Thank you ever SO much for visiting today!
Wanda

Awash With Flowers Birthday Card

So once again it's NOT the Wednesday Sketch Challenge.  I've had such busy weeks lately that I have not been able to participate in them much.  I don't even know what the sketch looks like for today.  I will link up with it later tonight and get it printed out for my album at least!!  

And speaking of sketches, this was one of the Sketch Challenges a while back. I remember doing this one.  It's sketch #269.  And no, I didn't remember the sketch, I did look it up!!! I don't remember anything anymore!!! LOL  Actually, it's not so funny!!!

I had copied this card off the net a while back and I ran across it when I was trying to clean up some stuff on my computer.  I didn't save who originally made it so if you know who did a card close to this one please let me know so I can give them credit.  I did change that piece on the left side.  I used the lacy punch and they had used a scalloped edge punch.  And I'm not sure about the bottom part.  I don't recall if they added any words to it or not. And I believe the original card was done in Bravo Burgundy and I used Cherry Cobbler.

I needed to make a birthday card for my sister.  Her birthday is on March 1st and I, once again am ahead of the game!!!  It's just shocking, I know!!!  But I've done this before and then come June it all fizzles out and everyone gets a card late!  But at least they get a card!!! LOL

I liked how this one turned out and I made a second one so I could have it on hand for my stampers to see.  I have a box on my ledge that I keep the newest cards in and earlier this month when the gals came to stamp they didn't have many to see because most of the cards I made were Valentine's Day ones and I had filed them away in the card drawer.  I NEED to clean out those two card drawers again.  There is a massive garage sale here in May and I might put them in there to get rid of them.  And I will be selling my retired stamp sets there as well.  I need to find some time to just sit down and price them all.  I price them low because I want to sell them.  It's just a matter of sitting down and doing it.  I think I have 3 or 4 bankers boxes full of retired stamps!! UGH!!!  See why it will take some time.  I just don't like to get rid of things and if I keep that up my house could be come a hoarders house!!!  

I hope you enjoyed this card as much as I did making it!  I know my sister will like it!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Cute Altered Clothespin

Is this not the cutest decorative clothes pin you've ever seen?  

Last week I had gotten an invitation in the mail to the new mini and Sale-a-bration catalogs open house!!  I been waiting for an open house and one came up so I called my sister and see if she wanted to attend it with me, and she did.  We had a great time!  She was especially thrilled because Terri was selling her retired stamp sets there too and my sister has been on the hunt for the "Crayon Kids" set and lo and behold it was there.  She grabbed it and hung onto it tightly as she looked through the other stamp sets.  She was thrilled!! 

Then we went over to the make and take.  I was expecting to make a card but Terri had this adorable clothespin to make.  It's a regular size clothespin and she had a hole in the one end for the brad. I thought she had drilled the holes in all of the clothespins but she had used the crop-a-dial.  How clever was that?  Using that didn't even enter my head!  I think I just need to have mine sitting out so it is visible and handy to grab when drilling something comes to mind!!! 

I think it would be fun to decorate the clothespins with fabric (decorative paper was used here) and using fabric for the flowers on the clothespins used outside when you hang the laundry out. Don't you think that would look cute on the line?  Or do you think it would attract birds?  And we all know what birds do to laundry!! LOL  I just thought it would be a cute idea.  I may give it a try someday and see how it looks.  When I have time on my hands!!! LOL

Anyway, the make and take was very fun and SO darn cute!!!  Thank you Terri for the invitation and for the fun make and take!!!  

My sister and I put an order together.  I don't remember what I ordered but I do know I can't wait to get it!!! LOL

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Fresh Vintage Get Well Card

Friday night I went to the monthly beading get together at the bead shop I work and teach at.  I am filling in for one of the gals who is out due to back surgery.  Two weeks ago today was her surgery and I still didn't get around to getting a card made for her.  And here's the worst part.  She showed up at the shop on Friday to bead with us for a while.  She needed to get out of the house.  I felt bad that I hadn't even made her card yet.  SO tonight while I was doing laundry I thought that I should get my act together and get that card made for her.  She is doing very well and will probably be back to work at the shop in 4 or 5 weeks.  It will be good to have her back and she really misses the place too.  

So I'm off to get this card addressed and get it sent to her (finally!)

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Morning Cup

I have had a lot of fun with this "Morning Cup" stamp set.  I have made lots of tea holder sets with belly bands around them.  I have given a lot of them away and I have sold many of them too.  They are great sellers at craft fairs.  They make perfect stocking stuffers, co-worker gifts and are the best for when you want to give a "little something" to someone!

This card was made by Irene!!  When she was here stamping on Thursday evening she let me take a photo of her cute card.  I especially love the paper at the bottom.  I have always loved those types of papers.  It reminds me of when I worked at a gift shop and they had wrapping paper that looked like that.  We used it for masculine gifts.  They had free gift wrapping there and for a while after I quit there I just hated to wrap gifts!!! LOL  There would be long lines on Christmas Eve of people waiting to have their purchases wrapped!!! But I'm now over that and I can wrap gifts again!!! LOL

This card has lot of fun elements on it.  There are layers, punched edges, Dimensionals and punched edge borders.  And don't forget the wonderful decorative paper!!!

Thank you Irene for sharing this card with me and those that visit my blog!

And I thank you for stopping by today,
Wanda

Characters Made From Punches

I just love these characters that are made entirely from punches.  This cute panda was made by Irene (my new stamping friend!).  She came to my home on Thursday night for Stamp Till You Cramp. It was her first time here and I did warn her that my workroom is overwhelming.  I always recommend that newbies bring a list of cards they would like to make.  It helps them to not feel so overwhelmed and it also gives them some direction and feel for the room and where things are.  But personally, I don't know where everything is either!!! LOL  

Irene brought these cute panda treat bags for everyone!  Wasn't that just sweet of her?  Thank you Irene, everyone loved them!

I didn't show mine to my sister, I know it would have ended up going home with her!!!  She's a nut for this punched characters.  I may part with it sometime but not right now!!! I'm so mean!! LOL

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

St. Patrick's Day Birthday Card

Hubby has an aunt who's birthday is on St. Patrick's Day so I like to make her a "green" card!!

I used one of my favorite layouts.  I chose that layout because the circle sticker thing fit perfectly, so why not!!!  

I was cleaning out this tote I had stuffed papers in and found a bunch of green paper.  So I thought I would use some of that to make the card.  I don't remember where I got the shamrock paper but I am guessing it was from Archiver's.  The card has 3 layers and the top two are taped together and then set in place using Dimensionals.  The next layer is taped on top of the card base.  

The little leprechaun guy is from a strip of sticker things I had gotten at Michael's.  They are on sale this week for something like $.64.  They are $1.29 (use to be $.99) and are 50% off.  They've got some cute Easter ones I almost bought but I was on a tight budget so, even at 64 cents I had to pass them up!  I think once I find the tote with all my sticker stuff in it I won't ever buy anymore as long as I live!!!  I had dreams of scrapbooking but card making keeps me plenty busy.

Now I need to find some nice birthday words to put on the inside of the card and put it in my March card stash!!!  Ahhh, to be ahead of the game!!  What a great feeling!!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda