My Stamp Land

Mini Book for a puppy

I have fallen in love with making mini-books!  I love the fact I can have a theme and build a small book around it.  And, finish it in a reasonable time!  My large books seem to take me forever in between everything else I'm doing.  These make great gifts.  

My daughter and her boyfriend each got a cairn terrier puppy from the same litter last spring.  This was the perfect subject for a mini-book!  The one pictured is for my daughters boy friend.  I'll post pictures of my daughter's on another post.  It's just too many pictures!  

The puppies name is Griffin.  I used one of those plain chip board books.  I purchased a book of dog paper at Archivers to cover the chip board with.  After I glued the paper on, I sanded everything and roughed it up a bit.  This is a 4"x4" album.  

 

 

My daughter's boyfriend kept saving Griffins puppy teeth as they would fall out.  On this page I used the teeth as an embellishment.  They were quite a challenge to glue on there!  

 

 

 

 

 

A Box of Cards Birthday Gift

I have a friend that is about to have a birthday.   I have a hard time picking gifts for people!  I agonize for hours and then I'm afraid I've picked something either they don't need or won't use.  Plus, by the time you get to my age and all your friends are the same, everyone has everything they need! What do you give someone who has everything??

I have decided to start giving gifts that people have to give away.  It's the gift that keeps on giving!  I have several friends that I am in a Bible study with and we have been using a study that revolves around Galatians 5:22-23 (the fruit of the Spirit).  Each week during the study we would have several other verses given to us that had to do with each of the qualities of the fruit. 

My idea was to make a box with the main verse on it.  That way the birthday girl can keep the box.  Inside the box would be cards with verses from each week of our study.  I like the idea that we were learning verses and then giving them away!  The only problem is, my cards are too thick and they all won't fit in the box with their envelopes!  Oh well.  

The box....

 

 

Close up on the box.  I did some zig zagging on my sewing machine around the card stock.

 

 

Here's a couple of the cards....

 

 

 

 

The recipe:

Paper: K and C Company Wild Saffron, Stampin Up chocolate chip, bayou blue, very vanilla

Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink antique linen

Embellishments: Twine

First I painted the outside of the box.  I mixed acrylic paint until it matched the blue card stock I was using.  I used Royal Coat antique decoupage finish to not only glue the paper on the box, but as a finish as well.  The verses were printed on my computer onto very vanilla card stock and the box was made by Creative Imaginations Be Bare Elements.  I also used my sewing machine to do some stitching on both the cards and box.  

Mojo Monday

I've been so busy the last couple weeks, I've hardly stamped at all.  Spring is such a busy time of year.  Now that I have my garden planted and flowers in pots, I think I can relax a little.  Today is a perfect day to stamp.  For one, it's a three day weekend, and two....it's raining!  

I love to visit the Mojo Monday blog.  There are always great sketches to get the imagination going.  This time I decided to participate.  If you go to the Mojo Monday blog, there is also a link to help Alzheimer's disease.  Click on the link Stampin' Out Alzheimer's, and you can make a donation to the cause!  

The paper used in the background of my card was an idea I got from a Splitcoast Stampers tutorial on wrinkle free distress.  Oh, it's so much fun!  I used this technique over the weekend while working on my daughter's scrapbook.  I made a couple squares of paper like this and then cut out flowers and shapes with my big shot.  You can see a picture of it at the end of this post.  

Here is my card...

The recipe....

Stamps: Dreams du Jour

Ink: Rose Red 

Markers: Rose Red, Old Olive,  Apricot Appeal

Paper: Stampin' up Whisper White, Old Olive, Rose Red, Tea Party, Raspberry Tart

Stampin' Up eyelets

Ribbon from who knows where???

From the scrapbook page....I made the paper, cut it out with the big shot, then embossed it and sanded it. 

Knobbly Gnomes

I love gnomes.  But, not just any gnomes.  I'm strangely picky about my gnomes.  Weird, I know.   When I found out Stampin' Up had a retired gnome set and saw it, I knew I could not rest until I found it. I have been looking for this set for months now and finally found it on ebay.  It took a little battle to win it!  The minute I received it, I ripped open the package, mounted it and inked it up!  

This is the first card I made with it.  I used watercolor paper and water colored the image using Stampin' Up markers and the watercolor brush.  I just think he's so cute!  I love the daisy umbrella.  I wasn't sure who I was making it for while I was making it, but when I got done I knew.  We have a dear friend who had colon cancer surgery on Monday.  She loves gnome too.  I think it will cheer her up!

Now I can't wait to use the rest of the set and see what else I come up with!

Trendy Trees

Gosh, I've been so busy that I've not had any time to play with my new stamps!  Over the weekend when my mom came over to scrap, I stamped.  

I love the Trendy Trees stamp set.  When I saw the new catalog, I knew I had to have it.  I saw a couple people on Spiltcoast that made a landscape with their trees.  I thought it was so cute and had to try it.  

I still consider myself a new stamper.  I'm coming up on my one year anniversary of discovering stamping.  When I get a new set, I go to Splitcoast to get some inspiration.  I've also been checking out a blog called Mojo Monday.  She gives a new sketch every Monday.  I find this really helps me in making cards.  Even if I don't follow the sketch, at least it gets me started.  One day, I'm going to get brave enough to participate!

Every Monday I print the sketch for the week.  I keep them all in a binder.  When I get stuck making something, I get out the binder and find a sketch I like along with the ideas I get from Splitcoast.  If you are new to stamping and get stuck like I do for ideas, check both of these sites out.  You will get lots of great ideas from them.  

Here are my Trendy Trees....

Stamps:  Trendy Trees

Cardstock: Bashful Blue, Not Quite Navy, Maine Blueberry, Whisper White

Ink: Pumpkin Pie, Really Rust, Old Olive, Creamy Caramel, Versamark Pad

Valentine Day Stamp a Stack

February is almost here!  I have been getting ready for my second Stamp a Stack.  I have planned three style of cards and a treat bag.  

The first card is a card you can give to friend.  I used the new Love you Much stamp set a long with Candy Lane paper. Right now you can get this set at a 20% discount.  This is a special offer thats good till the 31st of this month.  It comes with the stamp set, paper and punch for $41.48.  I love the punch.  It will punch out three different hearts at once.  Great for scrap booking!

I broke down in December and finally bought myself The Big Shot and I'm so happy I did.  I love the Bigz Top Note Die which I used to create the backdrop for my stamped image.  This is such a versatile die!  I know I will be using it for many things.  There are so many new dies and things in the new Spring catalog.  I am having a hard time trying to decide which ones to get!

My Friend Card

Stamp: Love you much, Blossom Abound

Paper: Red Riding Hood, Pretty in Pink, Candy Lane, Very Vanilla

Ink: Rose Red

Accessories: Tag punches, Heart to Heart punch, twine, eyelet, Big Shot Bigz Top Note Die

This next card could be made for an adult or child.  Last month, when Stampin' Up had their blow out sale, I bought the All In the Family Stamp set.  They had such a great deal on it I couldn't resist.  I had no clue what I would use it for at the time.  What I love about it is, there are different heads, bodies, outfits, arms, feet, etc. to choose from.  There are so many things you can do with this set.  I just think it's adorable.  

For my stamp a stack I figured the stampers could choose to either make this card for a child in there life or an adult by choosing which little person to stamp on their card.  For my sample I choose a little girl with her dog.  The set also includes a cat and a baby! 

Love You card

Stamps:  All in the Family, Short and Sweet

Paper: Ruby Red, Candy Lane, Whisper White

Ink: Ruby Red, Versamark, Stampin' Write Markers

Accessories: Foam dimensions, Scalloped edge punch

Lastly, I wanted to make a card to give to a husband or boyfriend.  To have a little fun, I thought the stampers might like stamping the background paper.  I used the heart from the Bitty Basics set and stamped randomly over the paper.  Then I colored in the hearts with a marker and outlined them in brown.  Next, I made some random doodles on the paper.  I used the Itty Bitty Background set to fill in the background and finished it off by sponging in some brown.  I love to make my own backgrounds!  I think the stampers will enjoy it as well.  I have a lot of new stampers so I try to keep things easy, but fun.  In a Stamp a Stack you only have so much time to get everything made!

Love you Much card

Stamps: Love you Much, Bitty Basics, Itty Bitty Backgrounds

Paper: Close to Cocoa, Whisper White, Ruby Red

Ink: Black, Stampin' Write markers, Rudy Red, Close to Cocoa

Accessories: Heart to Heart punch, Vintage Brads

For the greetings inside these card, I have pulled stamps from any of my stamps that say something about love.  Also, I purchase the Many Happy Returns Set.  This set has three large blocks and each stamp has many different says on it.  

 

I read somewhere where someone had their husband cut the blocks in many small pieces so that each saying could be cut apart and used separately.  I thought this was a great idea.  I think I will use it more with everything separate than together.  I also think some of the words will be great for the inside of Valentine cards.  

(Note: My husband cut each block in 6 pieces.  This gave me enough blocks to double mount each saying.)  

The stampers will also make a couple treat bags to take home.  I think only a couple of them have ever made treat bags so I know they will like this.  I remember when I first went to a Stampin' Up party and we made treat bags.  I thought it was the neatest and most useful thing ever!  

Treat Bag

Stamps: Love you Much

Paper: Candy Lane, Pretty in Pink, Real Red, Whisper White

Ink: Stampin' Write Markers, Black

Accessories: White Ribbon, Cellophane Bags (medium)

Enjoy YOUR Stamp Land!

Melanie

Sympathy Cards

I had my first Stamp a Stack at my home last Saturday.  It was so much fun and went really well.  Seven ladies came to make cards which I thought was pretty good for the first time!  It was a lot of work to get together but I really enjoyed it.  

With that out of the way, this week I thought I would catch up on making cards to have on hand.  I was getting low on sympathy cards.  For this card I used the Refuge and Strength set.  I just love this set.  It's very versatile.  It can be used as a sympathy card, get well, thinking about you, or and Easter card.  I love sets like that!  

Paper: Not Quite Navy, Very Vanilla, Certainly Celery

Ink: Versa-mark watermark, Not Quite Navy

Sheer white ribbon (not SU), Stampin Dimensionals

Now I need to make some birthday and get well cards!  I'm not having any events at the house for the month of December, but will plan another Stamp a Stack for January.  Hopefully I will find some fun projects for Valentines Day!

We had a little mishap today.  I have 3 little terriers.  Rat terriers to be specific.  This one is a bow thief.  

Right now, inside her tummy are the parts of 16 hemp twine bows.  This morning, she removed them from the Christmas cards I made Saturday night.  She was very careful about her removal and none of the cards were damaged.  She didn't even put a bend in any of them!  They had all been on clips and luckily enough, she didn't eat the clips.  

I immediately called the vet to see what to do and it's a pretty much wait and see thing.  Hopefully, the bows will see the light of day again and my girl will be well.  I am hoping the way she chewed them off that they are in short little pieces because some of the clips still have the knots from the bows on them.  This would be a better situation than having long pieces of string in her gut.  

Why on earth she would want to eat bows I have not a clue!  The cards had been inside a box and she somehow got them out.  It's an important reminder of how pets can get into things that are not good for them and as crafters we have to be especially careful to keep things out of their reach.  It's not easy with her as sometimes she will climb to get to things!  She used to love ink pens and would get up on my desk to steal them from me!  I am pretty worried about her and praying for the passage of the bows!  

Scrapin' with Mom

My mom has been making scrap books for me and my siblings the last couple winters.  Right now she is working on a sisters book.  She grew up with four sisters.  Can you imagine a house with four girls!  It had to be loud at times!

Since I have my craft room, she has been coming over the last couple weeks to work on her book at my house.  I have so many supplies and things she doesn't have.  Besides, it's just fun working together!  That's the really cool thing about scrap booking.  Anyone can do it and it's a great hobby to do with other people.  

I have been putting dinner in the crock pot so that we don't have to spend a bunch of time in the kitchen.  Her book is going to be for the coffee table and because of that she choose and 8 X 8 size.  So far, I'm guessing we have around eight pages done.  

Here are just a couple.  I should have taken the pages out to get pictures.  But you get the idea...Here mom is the little on on the bike.

In this picture she is all the way to the left as a teenager.  Pretty cute huh?

We are having a lot of fun working on the book.  Next, she has to make one of me!  My brothers are already done.  And then there is one for her wedding, vacations, geeze the list could go on and on!  So many books to scrap and so little time!

My first Stamp a Stack

I'm planning my first Stamp a Stack!  I'm a little nervous because I've never done it before.  Heck, I've only had one event at my house, and that was with all my best friends.  Of course we talked more than we stamped, but it was fun! 

I have 5 designs planned and the stampers will make 2 of each design.  One of the designs is for Thanksgiving and the rest are Christmas.  I had so much fun making these cards.  Some of the stamps I used are new to Stampin' Up this year.  They are all new to me since I'm just starting out!

This is a new set called In Everything Give Thanks.  I just love this stamp and couldn't wait to get it. I love the barn in the back.  The leaves were from another stamp in the set.  I just colored them and cut them out to add a little dimension to the card.  

This is called The Snowflake Spot and is now a retired stamp set.  I do have a brand new one I bought that I am selling.  Just email me if you are interested :)  I couldn't wait to get out the glitter and rhinestones on this one!

This stamp is also a new set called A Wish For Peace.  I loved the picture of the card made with this set from the catalog, so I set out to copy it.  Of course, I had to change some things along the way.  I went with some silver ink and embossing on the dove.  I used a glitter pen on the holly which is hard to see in the picture here.

This set is not new to the winter catalog.  It's called Baby Jesus is Born.  I think it's adorable.  And, it's what Christmas is all about!  

I couldn't wait to make this card.  I saw a design like it somewhere and thought the idea of making a bulb was so cute!  The stamp set is called, Christ is Born and it is new to the winter catalog this year.  

If you love these cards and designs, all of the sets can be ordered on my Distributor Website.  Click the link on the upper left of the page and it will take you there.  If you are interested in the cards and don't want to make them yourself, email me.  I will sell all ten (2 of each design) finished cards for $20.00 plus shipping.  

The supplies I used on this project were:

Stamp set: In Everything Give Thanks

Paper: Old Olive, Whisper White, Autumn Vine Designer Paper

Ink: Chocolate Chip 

Stampin Up Markers: Pumpkin Pie, Close to Cocoa, Certainly Celery, Creamy Caramel,Ruby Red.

The buttons were just generic ones I had (not SU).

Stamp set: The Snowflake Spot

Paper: Bashful Blue, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White

Ink: Bordering Blue, Not Quite Navy

Accessories: Large Oval Punch

I used a glue pad, glitter and rhinestones on the snowflakes.

Stamp set: A Wish For Peace

Paper: Garden Green, Red Riding Hood, Whisper White

Ink: Black, Garden Green, Encore Silver

Accessories: White ribbon, red gel pen (not SU)

Stamp set: Baby Jesus is Born

Paper: Ruby Red, Old Olive, Whisper White

Ink: Black, Chocolate Chip

Stampin' Up Markers: Blush Blossom, Old Olive, Apricot Appeal, Chocolate Chip, So Saffron, Cameo Coral, Bordering Blue, Pretty in Pink

Accessories: Hodgepodge Hardware, Hemp twine

Stamp set: Christ is Born, Also used the pine branch stamp from set Peaceful Wishes.

Paper: Old Olive, Whisper White, Ski Slope Designer Paper

Ink: Old Olive, Real Red

Accessories: Red ribbon with gold edging (not SU).  

Happy Stamping!

Melanie

My Craft Room

This is my first official post. I thought I would start out by talking about my craft room. I just finished up decorating and putting it together. It's made such a difference in my crafting. It's cleaned up in these pictures, but that is not a normal day! What I love about having a dedicated room is that I can make a huge mess and leave it out. No one sees it but me!

It took me several months to put my room together. The first things I did was to get on the internet and search for pictures of other craft rooms. That's why I'm showing mine now. It was a huge help to look at other rooms to see what I liked and what I didn't like. I kept a little file of pictures of the ones I liked.

I also purchased two very helpful books, "How to Organize Your Scrapbook workspace" by Michele Gerbrandt of Memory Makers and my favorite, "The Organized and Inspired Scrapbooker" by Wendy Smedley and Aby Garvey. If I had to choose just one of the two it would be, "The Organized and Inspired Scrapbooker". I liked the fact it there was a workbook to help you determine your creative style and it showcased several scrappers and their workspaces.

This is my room. I still have some things to finish and as I go alone I'm sure I will have to change things here and there.

Yellow is one of my favorite colors. I choose this color because it makes the room feel bright even on a gloomy day. My husband and I made my desk. The bottom drawer sections were unfinished kitchen cabinets from Menard's. We had to cut the very bottom off to make them low enough for desk height. Then we cut and attached a finish grade plywood to the top that I stained in a clear white finish. This gave it a really natural look. I was worried about painting the top since I will be hard on it and didn't want the finish to chip off.

I love having the upper shelves and everything in reach. I use the baskets to separate things into catagories so when I'm ready to work on a book, I just pull that basket out and start working.

Here is my sewing side of the room.

And the window end.

I purchased both bookcases at a local auction. Both were solid oak. I painted them white, much to the dismay of my husband! If you are putting together a room on a budget, auctions are great places to find bargins. You'll be surprised at what you can find there.

If you are planning a room, take your time, look at lots of other rooms to get ideas and remember to surround yourself with your favorite things. Even if you don't have a whole room to yourself, you can still create a small place within other rooms to suit your needs. Then craft away!