by Susan Itell | Jun 22, 2013 | Uncategorized |
How about this for a Z O O M card that is super clean and cute! Just think of all of the color combinations and "feels" you could create with just changing the card stock! Another great thing about this is not only is it a Z O O M card to create…it uses minimal products!
This weekend Mary Fish is challenging her PALS to take part in a "Graditude Weekend" to wrap up the Stampin' Up! year! We all have so much to celebrate and be thankful for and she is challenging us to get our paper out and create some goodies for a contest!
This is my "Thank You" card for the PALS and I deeply thank each and everyone of them for their talent, wilingness to share, their constant support and teaching of new techniques, tricks and inspirations! WOW – what a blessing and what fun!
Naturally I wanted to use goodies from the new catalog and I wanted to keep it simple! I did a quick "surf" and found this technique from a SUD, Barb Mullikin, from 4 years ago! ( you see…great ideas live on…just do a couple of changes and PRESTO!!!)
Talk about easy!
- (2) squares – I did Crushed Curry (love it!!!) at 2 5/8"
- (8) squares of 2 different patterns at 1 1/4" squares ( I used the Afternoon Picnic Paper)
- Using the grids on my Stampin Up Grid Paper to keep them straight – I adhered them together and then PRESTO – put each of the 1 1/4" squares all the way around!
Love this stamp set for the sentiment, Lots of Thanks is an "A list" stamp to have in your collection! We always need "thank you" cards and this stamp set gives you many options all with different flairs and feels!
This is another stamp that I would "scruff up" with the sanding block to give you this clean and crisp image! Works like a charm each and every time!
After I popped up my focal part and sentiment I realized that I forgot to put a brad in the middle!!! No worries…the Candy Dots to the rescue! These are the best and not only are they easy to "pick up"…they are easy to place and they have a super strong hold! Just love them…..
To the envelope….the color is very vanilla to blend in with the card and I lined it with the Afternoon Picnic Designer Paper….please click here and go to my post on how I line my envelopes and trust me – you'll never send another card out with out "jazzing" up the envelope!
This will be a card that is super easy to mass produce and a great one to have a stash of "emergency" cards at your fingertips! I think I will use this design for my Breast Cancer Cards and just simply switch up the sentiment…..
Thanks for popping by and I hope you are enjoying your weekend! I am looking forward to watching my daughter ride today and then having a nice and quiet evening at home and cookin' away! I love to cook and I am excited to put my culinary thinking cap on and make something special and yummy!
Being a part of Mary Fish's PALS group is not only rewarding, it is just plain fun! I would love for YOU to also be a part of this fun team! Have you thought about becoming a Stampin; Up Demonstrator yourself and getting all of your materials at cost? Please email me and I would love to be able to have the opportunity to talk to you!
Enjoy this day and make sure that you allow "gratitude" to enter and always be in your heart!
Until tomorrow……
by Susan Itell | Jun 20, 2013 | Stamp-a-ma-jig |
Well I am super excited for today's post! As it kept coming together I kept saying to myself…I like this…then when I stamped the words "hello" 3 times….I said – I LOVE IT!!!! ( Please click on it to see it better!!!)
When I am super happy about something, I always seem to say…."HELLO IRENE" and this is one of those times…why?
- I love that the card is an odd size…4" X 9"
- I love the colors of Melon Mambo, Basic Gray, Black and White together!
- I love the simplicity and clean lines it gives…
- I love being able to use ribbon in a simple yet classic way
- I love being able to make my own custom envelope…I just love it everything!
I have never used this Six-Sided Sampler Stamp Set yet and I was super excited to do so…but remember that SU makes it super easy for us to purchase this item in a bundle so we can save 15%…another reason the say…."HELLO IRENE!!!!"
You get the stamp Set and the Punch
at a 15% off savings!
Do you remember last month when I did a card with the same color combination …well I loved it then and I still love it…..check it out…then I knew that I would do the same color combination with the "right stamp set"….and I think I hit it out of the park!
This was a simple stamp…punch…adhere…and I matted it on a piece of black paper and "created" the look I was going for and I love it! There are times that we made mistakes and don't stress….you can usually add something and it will do the trick! This us what I did with adding the 1/4" stitched grosgrain ribbon…sometimes an optical illusion will be your best friend and them I did a simple knot with the super luscious 3/4" chevron ribbon and wow….did the trick!
Now I know what you are thinking…..the envelope! Easy-peasy! I went to a PALS resource and super talented SU Demonstrator, Michael Funke and used his method on how to make an odd size envelope! Always works like a charm….please go and check it out – you will watch and refer to this over and over!
As I have mentioned before in my posts….some of the best samples and inspirations come from the catalog! Please go to page 119 and see the sample they have with stamping the "hello" image! This stamp is from the "My Friends" Stamp Set! I remember seeing this stamp set and thinking…wow – that looks fun…well this is my version of it and I know my dear friend Caren is going to love….love this card!
You can clearly see that the Stamp-a-ma-jig is a must with this card and envelope! It was super simple and I will say – You'll get it right the 1st time! Love that little piece of plastic!!!!!
Adding the little bling of flowers from the Boho Blossoms Punch and adding the super quick and simple neutrals candy dots made this simple touch a finishing touch! These candy dots are H O T and I need to order more – just love the ease of using them and also find that I do not use them much with the brads….I like the ease of using them "as is"!!!
I hope that you have enjoyed this post – I was very pleased with it! Please let me know your thoughts and please send me any of your work….I would love to share it on my blog! There are so many great ideas out there…it is super to share as when we share…we all win!
Thanks for being such a great support to me…I love what I do!
Until tomorrow……
by Susan Itell | Jun 19, 2013 | Birthday, Masculine, Stamp-a-ma-jig |
I hope this card put a smile on your face as it sure does mine! I just love this stamp set, Zoo Babies!!! Not only is it fun…it can be used for soooo many differnt cards…not just for kids! An "A list" for sure! Remember my post the other day with the adorable alligator and I did one with the bird!!! This set is a keeper!
Using the new Smoky Slate Card Stock as my base…it is perfect as you can still write on it with a black pen and it is not hard to see! The Night of Navy was the choice to keep this a bit masculine and I wanted a bit of depth so out came the Big Shot and I ran it through with the Honeycomb Embossing Folder! Love the effect it gives!
Wanting to color in the balloons I used the Watercolor Paper and the Aqua Painters! I know you already know this but it is worth mentioning it again, if you are going to use the Aqua Painters, you need to use the Black Staz On Ink!
Using the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig for perfect placement I stamped the sentiment from the Four You Stamp Set ( love…LOVE it!!!) and then the Elephant and lastly the balloons form the Road to Happiness Stamp Set!
When stamping on the Watercolor Paper, make sure your ink pad has been inked up very well – this paper seems to really "take in" a lot of ink…just a head's up for a good coverage! I did stamp the Elephant again in the Night of Navy Ink and cut his little ear out and adhered him to give a bit of interest!
Before I adhered the Navy Embossed piece I took a piece of 7/16" Trim Ribbon and put a piece of sticky tape on the back of it and adhered it! ( I know….you are thinking this is a bit excessive..but I like the finished and professional look of a ribbon that does not move around!) Again, using the sticky strip I adhere this piece to the Smokey Slate Card base!
A simple " Susan knot" did the trick and I used the mini glue dots to keep it in place! Love these little guys…they make my life SUPER fast and easy! Voila…done!
Now to the envelope….I thought that since this is such a cute card…it deserves a matching envelope! They are soooo darn tootin' easy to make yourself..why not? Take a 7 3/4" square and score it with the Diagonal Scoring Plate at 4 1/8" on 2 sides and the other sides at 3 1/8" and snip the little pieces…do a quick fold and adhere with Sticky Strip….DONE!!!! ( well not quite yet….)
Remember yesterday's post…I used the Night of Navy from the Regals Designer Series Paper and how convenient for me as I did not put away my papers…I used the flip side for the liner! Looks super-duper!
I hope that this posts encourages you to think out of the box and make your own matching envelopes! Why not? It is sooo easy and the finished look is wonderful!
I have been having so much fun with the new stamp sets! I hope that I am inspiring you to take a look at sets in a different way! Please remember, click here to order away from your home and that cute little "brown man" will show up at your door!!! Just love UPS!!!
Until tomorrow!!!
by Susan Itell | Jun 18, 2013 | Masculine, Super Easy |
Good Morning! I think…(I hope) that I am back on track! These past days have been a busy but fun time and as I shared with you yesterday…my son that just graduated from college continued to fly and has started his big boy life!
Naturally I miss him and I wanted to send him a card that would make him smile and let him know how darn proud his Dad and I are of him! There is nothing like going to your mailbox (especially when you are in a new city) to find a familiar handwriting….your Mom's! I am sure he will appreciate this card!
As you can see…this is one straight forward card but the effect is perfect and the color is to a minimal….actually just one color – Night of Navy from the Regals Palette. The stamp sets,Tape It and Really Good Greetings, and Chalk Talk are going to be HUGE HITS and I see many, many great projects in the future!
Sorry the above picture is not better but I wanted you to see that I stamped the "tape" image in a piece of scrap paper and then cut it out and POPPED it with Stampin Dimensionals…( I thought I would give my stamp-a-ma-jig a break – you are tired if hearing me say how much I love it)
I also used the Simple Scored Scoring Tools to make 2 lines to give some depth and I figured my son would appreciate that more than ribbon!!
Let's go to the "Happy Big Day" stamp! This is a must to get the bundle…why??? – Simple, you'll save 15% ordering it in a bundle…just one more way that Stampin' Up! is on top of it for us! The Chalk Talk Bundle on page 12 is a true keeper!
TIP ALERT!!! This is one of those stamps that works best when you "scruff" it up with the sanding block…a simple and quick trick that always does the job!
TIP ALERT #2!!! One of the BEST tips I can give you is…add to your inventory of "stash" the ink pad refills….to me there is nothing worse than seeing an image that is not clean and crisp! SU sells them singly as well as a collection and you will be AMAZED at how many times you will use them and how much better your projects will turn out!
Being able to "stamp" then pull out the Big Shot and now with the SUPER MUST HAVE Big Shot Magnetic Platform….darn – I wish I invented this gem…no more sticky notes…no more wiggles….these makes using the Framelits a breeze!!!
Envelope time!!!….X 2!!!!!
I lined the envelope with the Regals Designer Series Paper…so fresh…so perfect but then I also wanted to do something else fun…I stamped the "tape" image on the front of the envelope and then used the "perfect" – I Miss You Already…would be the perfect choice for my card!
I hope that you have enjoyed this super simple card….so fast and easy and one that would be a cinch to mass produce! It would be a perfect day for a birthday…an anniversary….a WOW – why to go day….just a thinking of you! I am sure that the recipient will have a smile when they receive this gem!
Many thanks for the emails and comments you give to me! I truly appreciate them and I love trying to help you with your projects! If you have not already subscribed to my blog, please do so…..just a quick click in the upper right area will make sure you and I have coffee together in the morning!
Until tomorrow….
by Susan Itell | Jun 17, 2013 | Thinking of you |
I sure hope that everyone had a great weekend and especially a wonderful Fathers Day to all of the great Dad's out there! I sure did in many ways but I have a big…." I am sorry" – about yesterday's post! It simply just did not go out…as the saying goes = "Life Happens" but… it was all good!
My wonderful husband I and make the trek with our son to get him settled in his new apartment and today is his 1st day of work! It was wonderful seeing him so excited to start this adventure in life and we are so proud of him…today is his 1st day in his "big boy job" and it was a bit tearful leaving him but he is strong and ready to fly!!!
How about this super cute card I made for my wonderful Dad! He loved it…as the minute I saw this stamp set – I thought of him as he lives in a part of the country that the Geese are there each and every fall! I thought it would be a perfect card and I can see lots of possibilities with the Wetlands Stamp Set!
The card size is a 4 X 4 card…I just love making square cards and being that I was putting it in a package…it was the perfect size to make his gift extra special! I think I am going to cut the card and then mat it with black paper and put it in a frame for him…this way he will always be able to enjoy it and that's what is so great about the water-coloring technique – a real piece of art!
The watercolor paper is a must when using the aqua painters as well as using the Black Staz On Ink! I first stamped the "wheat area" in soft suede and then the goose in the Staz On! I just love the softness and effect it gives but why you need to use this special paper is so the image will stay nice and flat – this paper is fine with water!!!
After coloring and shading, I brought out my buddy, Mr. Big Shot and the Labels Collection Framelits had a job to do! Perfect size….right!?!? I cut another one out in soft suede and then cut it in half!!! TIP – so you do not "squish" the points of the piece you cut in half….put it in your Stampin' trimmer and then start in the middle and do a quick up and down to cut….your points will stay crisp ( I hope this makes sense!!!!)
I did pull out the Stamp-a-ma-jig to make the sentiment be in the "perfect" spot and this came from the Teeny Tiny Wishes….a definate "A List" stamp that everyone needs….you can always find the perfect sentiment! Just love it…..
Making your own envelopes is not only easy…it is fun and rewarding! The diagonal scoring plate makes it a breeze…and let's talk about this liner….LOVE IT!!!! It is from the Modern Medley PaperCollection and can you say….WOW!!!! So beautiful, classic….just wow!!!
Here is to a new week….a great week and a great new adventure for my son! He is soooo happy and even though we did not get home until 2 a.m. – I wouldn't have missed it for the world! He loved ( and actually admitted it) that the little "mom" touches were nice!
Until tomorrow……
