My Sweet Valentine

Oh my!  I just sat down to look at a few stamping blogs and realized I hadn't posted in a little while and I have all of these Valentine cards I want to share.  Thought I should get busy because Valentine's Day is only a few days away.

Here is one that I made for my Sweet Valentine.  I need to be extra good to him this year because he did such a wonderful job on my birthday (it was yesterday).  Not only did he give me a dozen red roses, but he also came home from work and made dinner as well.  He even had my favorite cake...chocolate!  He really is good to me.

I decided to use the Artistic Etchings (#118517- $18.95, wood, or #120537- $14.95, clear) stamp set because of the crown.  He is my king and he definitely deserves to be treated that way!  I also used the Notably Ornate (#117098-$23.95, wood or #120561-$17.95, clear) stamp set.  I got the black and red button from an old tin filled with buttons that my grandmother used to have.  Whenever she got rid of something, she always saved the buttons.

The paper is Love Letter DSP (#117162- $9.95) from Stampin' Up!'s current IBC.  I used black Staz-on (#101406-$7.95) to stamp the images in black.  I find that it gives a more vivid impression than regular basic black classic ink.  The red "Amour" is stamped in Riding Hood Red classic ink (#111836-$5.95).  All images were stamped on Very Vanilla card stock (#101650-$8.50).  And the ribbon is the 1 1/4" striped grosgrain in Basic Black (#115615-$9.95).  I used dimensionals to pop up the image and I also added a few Basic Rhinestones to the "Amour" image.  (#119246-$4.95)  I punched the word Amour with the small oval punch.

Hope you like what you see.  I love to hear your comments.  Until next time...

Happy Stamping!

Josie

P.S.  I've enterd this card in my first contest.  Wish me luck!  If you want to enter the contest too, go to the link below.  :)
http://handstampedsentiments.blogspot.com/2011/02/hss-ribbons-lace-theme-challenge-54.html

Love You Much Valentine

 Today I am posting photos of two items I will be making with some students this Tuesday evening after school. 

For the past few weeks I've been holding an after school stamping crafts club for the kids where I work.  The first week we made cloth flower hair pins with the Big Shot and Flower Folds die.  The girls (we had a few boys show up too!) loved them.  I had 22 girls show up for the class!  I think I cranked my Big Shot for at least an hour and a half!

The second week we met, we made washer necklaces for the girls to wear and stamped magnets for their lockers. (I'll post photos when I get a chance.) Again, we had approx. 22 attend, and again, we had a few boys show.  It was a lot of fun. 

Well, since Valentine's Day is almost  here, this Tuesday we will be making valentines!  The first photo is of 3 x 3 card that we will make using the Love You Much stamp set (#113756, $25.95).  The card stock we will be using is Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Pink Pirouette, and Real Red.  I used white craft ink to stamp the background image and basic black for the birds.  I also used the Scallop Edge Border Punch (#119882, $15.95), 1 3/4" Scallop Circle Punch (#119854, $116.95), 1 1/4 Circle Punch (#119861, $15.95) and the Heart to Heart Punch (#119881, $16.95).

The second item we will be making is a little treat bag that contains those conversation hearts that I absolutely love to eat.  I think I ate a whole bag of them by myself this week.  :( 
This was really easy to make too!  I used the same colors of card stock and ink as for the card and some of the same punches, only this scalloped circle is from the 2 3/8" Scallop circle punch (#118874, $16.95), and the large pink heart was made using the Full Heart Punch (#119883, $16.95).  I used the Modern Label Punch (#119849, $16.95) for the sentiment.  The sentiment comes from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set (#115370, $36.95).  Teeny Tiny Wishes is a definite MUST HAVE stamp set for everyone because it covers every occasion you can think of.  Oh, and I forgot to mention, I stamped the heart with Pink Pirouette ink using the heart from the Hostess Level 1 set Punch Potpourri that is in the IBC.

The measurements on the crumb cake card stock are 3 1/4" x 9 1/2".  With your 9 1/2" side of the card stock along the top of your Fiskars trimmer, score your card stock at 1", 4", and 4 1/2".  I used the small cello bags that are in the IBC (#103104, $3.95).  These little bags measure 3" by 5" and you get 50, count em' 50 for only $3.95!  Think of how many treat bags you can make for that!  Why...you can make... 50!  :)  The cello bag is held inside the card stock with one staple I placed in the top center. 

When I gave the kids at school a sneak peak of these little beauties, they squealed with delight, and I hope you do too. If you need help placing an order, just send me an email and I will be delighted to give you a hand.  Otherwise, just click on the link to the right under "Place and Order."

Until next time, I wish you nothing but...
Happy Stamping! (How could it be anything else?)

Josie

Stampin' Fool!

Well it is the second day off for cold weather this week and let me tell you...I have been a stampin' fool these last two days.  I have many new creations to show you and hopefully within the next few weeks I'll show you all of them.

I made this card using the Ice Cream Parlor dsp in the Sale-A-Brations catalog and the Big Bold Cupcakes die for the Big Shot (#114509 @ 21.95).  If you buy this die, you are almost halfway to getting one free item from the Sale-A-Bration catalog.  Email me and I will help you place your order. 

I love the brightness of the colors in this card.  Perfect for a young child, don't you think?  Well, I hope you enjoy visiting today as much as I have enjoyed stamping.

Until next time...
Happy Stamping!

Josie

Miracle of Miracles!!!!

Miracle of Miracles...I have the day off!  It is downright frigid outside!  The high here in Colorado Springs is only going to be zero today.  When my hubby left for work this morning, it was -27 figuring in the wind chill.  My school district decided last night to close school for today. Too many kids walk to school, and the temps are dangerously cold.  Bare skin will freeze in a matter of seconds. Yippie!  Hooray!  WooooHoooo!  This is our first snow day this year.  While the rest of the country has been bombarded with feet of snow, we have been experiencing rather unusually high temperatures for this time of year.  On Friday, it was in the low 60's...spring-like for us!  We are paying for it today!  We still don't have a lot of snow, but extreme cold.     BRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!

On to my card for today.  This is another I've had done for awhile, just not enough time in the day to get it posted.  I've had this stamp set for a long time now, an this is the first time I've used it.  Shame  on me!  I used Early Espresso and Baja Breeze Ink and Crumb Cake card stock and Springtime Vintage DSP.  And of course pearls and the spritzer and ribbon.  Hope you like it.  It was super easy to make.  And I think I'm gonna have to use this stamp set a little more often.  It is on my list of favorites.  Sure wish I would have played with it sooner.

Once again, thanks for stopping by.

Happy Stamping!

Josie

Create a Cupcake Gift Card Holder

Hello All,

It has been a few weeks since my last post.  Sorry about that.  I've been pretty busy here.  My 23, soon to be 24, year old son has been staying with me for the last few weeks while his father is out of town, and I've been busy catching up with him, cooking more than usual (my hubby is loven' it) and driving his big self around since he can't drive due to health issues.  I've had this gift card holder done for a few weeks now, but just haven't had the time to post it.

Don't these little cupcakes look good enough to eat?  I just love this stamp set and dsp.  They are both so much fun!  And the colors are just awesome, I think.  I love the brightness of them.  Funny thing...I just about love everything there is about Stampin' Up! stuff!    :)

Here's how I made the box.

 Start with a 6 1/2 " x 9 1/2" piece of Daffodil Delight card stock (#119683, $6.95).  With the 6 1/2 " side along the top of your Fiskars trimmer score at 1/2", 1", 5 1/2 " and 6".  Turn cardstock so that 9 1/2" side is along the top of your Fiskars trmmer and score at 3/4", 5" and 5 1/2".   Cut away red highlighted areas. (See image at bottom of post.)  Snip in appropriate areas.   Assemble the box with sticky strip item # 104294, 10 yards for $6.95. 

To decorate the box, I used:

• Ice Cream Parlor DSP #122242 from the Sale-A-Bration Catalog
• Whisper White Card stock #100730, $8.50
• Pacific Point Card stock #111350, $6.95
• Ice Cream Parlor Ribbon & Button Pack (#123529) from Sale-A-Bration Catalog
• Create a Cupcake Stamp Set (#121915, wood mount, $22.95/#121982, clear mount, $16.95) from the Occasions Mini
• Build a Cupcake Punch (#121807, $16.95) from the Occasions Mini
• Pacific Point Classic Ink #111837. $5.95
• Melon Mambo Classic Ink #115656, $5.95
• Early Espresso Classic Ink #119670, $5.95
• Linen Thread #104119 , $4.50
• Modern Label Punch #119849, $16.95
• Stampin' Dimensionals #104430, $3.95
• Mini Glue Dots to adhere buttons #103683, $4.95

Once again, thanks for stopping by and Happy Stamping!

Josie

Stampin Frenzy

Hello All,

It has been a few days since my last post, maybe even more than a week, so I thought it was about time I got busy and show you some of the stuff I've been working on.  I spent most of the day yesterday stamping since my school was closed for MLK day.  I decided I would use one of the stamp sets I have that hasn't seen ink yet.  I've been thinking about this set for awhile now and am glad I finally got to play with it a little.  I used the Bliss stamp set which is one of the freebies in the upcoming Sale-A-Bration Catalog.

I'm not real crazy with the quality of this photo.  I'm not sure if it is because I used the Sanded background stamp or what the deal is, but as I always say...I'm not a photographer...I'm a stamper! :)

I love the colors on this.  I used Baja Breeze ink and card stock along with Early Espresso ink and Crumb Cake card stock.  The dsp is Springtime Vintage from the Occasions Mini.  I have to say that I absolutely love this dsp and anything vintage looking.  I'm almost out of it and have to get myself a new package asap.

I hope you enjoyed your visit here today, as much as I enjoyed creating this to share.  If you have time, visit my retired stamp sets for sale page.

Until next time...
Happy Stamping!
Josie

A Piece of Cake!!!

Well, we didn't get a snow day yesterday or a two-hour delay!  Pretty much every other school district in the city had one...not us!  The roads were snow packed and in some spots icy.  Thank heavens for 4-wheel drive even if it doesn't do any good on ice...it still makes me feel better.  Can't get over the number of people that still passed me because I was going too slow.  CRAZY!  Sure is cold here now.  Bitter cold with the wind chill below zero...brrrrrrr.  It is finally time to get out the long undies.  :)

Enough of that!  I sure wish I had this pattern a year ago when my daughter got married.  Can you imagine an entire layered cake made out of paper?  I would have loved making something like this only in her colors as wedding favors.  I got this pattern from Paper Crafts Magazine.  You can go to their website at http://www.papercraftsmag.com/ and download the pattern for free. 

This is what I used for this looks almost-good-enough-to-eat piece of cake:

STAMP SET:       Baby Blossoms  #121927 (wood) $27.95 or #122000 (clear) $19.95
                             Build a Blossom #121923 (wood) $25.95 or #121994 (clear) $18.95

INK:  Rose Red # 101778 & Always Artichoke  #105219 Classic Stampin' Pads $5.95 each.

PAPER:  Very Vanilla card stock #101650 40 sheets 8 1/2 x 11  $8.50 for the top and Springtime Vintage Designer Series Paper  #121782 $9.95 for the Bottom

ACCESSORIES:  Rose Red 1/2" Seam Binding #121884, $6.95, Birds & Blooms Sizzlets 4 pack die #113485 $21.95 for the flowers, and Beautiful Wings Embossilits Die #118138 $11.95 for the butterflies.  Basic Pearls #119247 $4.95 for the center of the flower.

Hope you like this as much as I do.  I really loved making it and I can't get enough of the Springtime Vintage dsp.

Until next time...
Happy Stamping!
Josie