by Susan Itell | Aug 27, 2018 | 3-D Projects, Gift Set Ideas, Just Because..., Super Easy |
Happy Monday….Happy New Week…can you believe that this is the LAST WEEK of the month! Yikes, the calendar is putting age on us! When I hear the word “September”…I think of kids going to school….and then I think of….here it comes….hang tight… as the next 3 Months will be the “trifecta” time of the year !!! Let the holidays roll!
Friday just simply did not happen but have no fear…I am here to sow you how you can make the perfect compliment to the Note Cards and Envelopes that I blogged about using the Abstract Impressions AMAZING Stamp Set! I really do love this little gem and yes, I did cave in and bought it as a bundle but honestly….if you like super clean designs, just get the stamp as it is one that you will use over and over….
I am going to share with you the colors that I used for the Note Cards when I stamped them. I had lots of comments and emails about that so keep reading as I will share!
Here is a great tip that I recommend that you do…PLAY and just have FUN with all different color combinations. I think that you will be amazed with how even just stamping off and also double stamping a color will give you a great effect if you do not have a bunch of ink colors!
I can remember a great little tip that a wonderful elderly man gave me when I was gardening one day just after I was married…..decades ago! 🙂 I was very young and did not know a thing about gardening and colors etc…This tip stuck with me stuck with me as I was trying to be a perfectionist.
Sweet little Mr. Kunkleman came over and said….looks like your having a hard time deciding what to plant? I said, yep….I just do not have the same amount and the color won’t match and be balanced. He sweetly and kindly looked at me and said…it really doesn’t matter because God loves and splashes all colors…everywhere with all sorts of textures and heights…just plant them and you will see how the mix beautifully and will pop with color!
Where does this go with stampin’? EASY…do not stress!!!
I admit, I think of him and this advice often when I get stressed out with finding the perfect colors when I stamp. When you really stop and think about it…it doesn’t matter, what matters is that you are having fun creating! Here is another thing that I often will say to myself – does it really matter???….my cards and the images I stamp and color are my own little imaginary world…the important part to always remember, is to have fun!
Here are the colors that I used for the above sweet notecards!
Remember….no rules – just have fun!
- Top left – The grass/stems are Granny Apple Green and Garden Green. The flowers Highland Heather and Gorgeous Grape were both STAMPED OFF ONCE and then I stamped the color.
- Top right – The grass/stems are Mint Macaron and Tranquil Tide. The flowers Petal Pink (full strength) and Calypso Coral was STAMPED OFF ONCE and then I stamped the color.
- Bottom left – The grass/stems are Lemon Lime Twist and Pear Pizzazz.The flowers are Coastal Cabana and Bermuda Bay were both STAMPED OFF ONCE and then I stamped the color.
- Bottom right – The grass/stems are Granny Apple Green and Garden Green . The flowers Daffodil Delight STAMPED OFF ONCE and the stamped in the same color FULL STRENGTH.
Now I know what you are also going to want….the SCOOP on making the Box! I have blogged about this before and you can click here to see a more detailed post on the box….but below you will see quick bullet points that will give most of you the details that you really need.
If I were you….I would make a box today and then write the measurements and scoring scoop down. Trust me, you will make this over and over….another reason that a “formula concept” always works!
For the Box:
- Granny Apple Green Cardstock – 8″ X 11″
- Score on the 8″side (shorter) at 2″ & 6″ I do use and suggest the Simply Scored Tool….I always think that leave a deeper impression than the trimmer…again, it is a basic tool that we all need and will use!
- Turn Paper to the 11″ side (longer) and score at 4 1/2″ & 6 1/2″
- Fold In and use Bone Folder to give a great crease
- Cut in the scored lines
- Use Tear & Tape as shown and fold in sides
Decorating the box: (these below are correct – in one of the pictures I had them mixed up…!)
- The White piece on the front is 3″ X 3 3/4″ and then I did score some lines as I think this adds a bunch! You can see that I only stamped one grouping of flowers as on the notecards I did use 2 groupings for each notecard.
- The DSP on front is 2″ X 3 3/4″
- The DSP on back is 2 1/2″ X 3 3/4″ and remember to only put adhesive on 3 sides as this is just a pocket to put 12 stamps in! If you do not want to put any stamps on your project, simply leave the back plain. Sometimes I put DSP all around the box but really….it is not necessary – it looks great as it!
I want to chat about the envelopes! You know that on Wednesday I shared with you that I used the 6″ X 6″ DSP paper found in the Annual Catalog on page 191! I ADORE THESE PAPERS and I am just so happy that Stampin’ Up! decided to bring them back! I love them so much because they take the guess work out of having to find a perfect match with DSP to your project!
I know that many of you LOVE TO HOARD your DSP and trust me, I get that. I am offering these again on my PRODUCT SHARE that is going on right now – IT IS ADD ON #2 (yep, you still have time to place a share order) as these handy 6 X 6 sheets come in each and every color of our color collection and they are in fun polka dots and stylish stripes!
Scroll back up to the picture that has the notecard samples and you can see that I used the different stripes and polka dots on each of the samples! If you want to take advantage of these in the Product Share or any other shares for that matter…..please email me and put in the subject line HOLIDAY PRODUCT SHARE and I will reserve it for you!
For these envelope I simply cut the paper to 1 1/2″ X 6″ and then use a 1/4″ strip of cardstock. you can see above that there is a week pit of envelope showing! No worries, just trim the envelope a wee bit shorter!
This is kinda getting back to that thing that I say to you…..DO NOT STRESS….do not worry about perfection…..just do it and have fun! By cutting the paper this way, you can cover (4) envelope flaps per sheet of paper!!!! Another reason why I love these papers – I had many requests to offer these again in a share….so here you go – your chance to get each and every color and design!
I hope that this post has brought you inspiration and smiles and I also hope that it brings to you a gentle nudge to not be so hard on yourself. Trust me, this is something that I have to work on each and everyday as self care for myself is a SUPER HARD thing to do! I am definitely one that likes to give and give to others before doing something kind for myself!
This is one of those reasons why I love stamping so much….it gives me some “me time” and is truly a therapy for me…there is nothing like paper, ink, stamps…..
If you were to poll my peeps and ask them what is one of the all time “MOM things/quotes” that I have said to them OVER AND OVER as they were growing up and experiencing situations…growths….obstacles etc….it would probably be this…
“If there is no joy in the journey…than there is no joy at the journey’s end!”
I invite you to read this and then re-read it and then think about how true it is in many aspects of our lives! Let’s take stamping for example…I adore stamping…I adore creating….but if I came to a place that it was stressful, not fun, making me grumpy and resentful than I would do this – simply stop it…now this WILL NEVER happen with me as I adore expressing myself with handmade love.
I think that you get where I am going…we all have choices in life and let’s face it…it is so much easier and rewarding doing something that you get joy from than having to do something that stresses you….life is just to darn tootin’ short!
OK — enough of LIFE STUFF….I think you all know me well enough by now…I love what I do and I share with you through my blog snippets of who I am and what makes me roll! Speak of making me roll….this type of project makes me roll and it is something that I make often with all different stamps!
One last picture of this gem….I do not know about you but I adore these new Mr. Rogers Stamps that the Post Office has. I am a stamp hoarder (yep, I admit) and between these and the new Scooby Doo Stamps…..I am smiling! My sweet little Post Office often sells out of new stamps as they do not get a bunch in….so remember, check the USPS Website…they will have all stamps!
Well…there you go – inspiration… “how to’s” to make a perfect, useful and practical gift! Have a great day and remember that we are on the LAST WEEK to take advantage of the Bonus Days where you will get a $5.00 Coupon Code from Stampin’ Up! for every increment of $50.00 that you spend! You can use them in September and if I were you…..I would wait until the 5th – when the new holiday catalog goes live!
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by Susan Itell | Aug 22, 2018 | Fun & Cute!, Gift Set Ideas, Uncategorized |
HHA (Happy Hump Day) to you all!
I have a cutie for you that is not only going to make you smile…it is going to get your creative juices flowing as the options are just endless! This is one of those kinda posts that I hope settles in with you as I think that these are just ADORABLE Notecards!
Let me share with you the “why’s and how’s” of how these cuties came about! Hopefully you know me well enough by now…there is always a method (or whys) to my crafting madness!
When I create and more importantly to me….when I share something with you on my blog…I do it for one reason…I LIKE IT….I guess this is one of those things that I like about being a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator….I get to purchase just what I like and will use. The minute that I saw this bundle on my first flip through the catalog I knew that it would have a home on Randall Lane.
Being completely honest with you….when I saw that it was a bundle, I didn’t quite get how the framelits went with this very forgiving and quite whimsical stamp set. I just love this set…and the ideas are just simply ENDLESS….If you have not already done so…I would google and or go to Pinterest and see all of the amazing projects people have made using this gem of a stamp set.
I have shared with you in previous post that there are actually times that I do not buy a bundle…it is rare but there are times that when I know that I am simply not going to use a part of the bundle….I say why buy it? I thought pretty hard on this one but ultimately I did get it as a bundle as that triangular floral image is just stunning.
I did just what I said above to you – I googled it and saw amazing ideas that others made with it and YEP, it made me purchase the bundle. I will share with you in a future post the BEAUTIFUL card I made with this stunning framelit so the moral of this stampin’ story is…..BUY IT as a bundle!
Ok…onward as I have a ca-zillion things to do this afternoon and this is soooo ridiculously easy but it has such a practical and cute impact! This is how I roll….I needed a gift for a Bridal Shower and also for a dear friend that has been ill and asked me if I could just whip up something….HOW COULD I SAY NO????
That darn thing of TIME was once again on my shoulders and I went to my FUN AREA and….kept saying to myself…you can do it…you can do it…and POOF – I did it! Not only did I get my gift mission accomplished…I thought that they were so cute that I made up 20 more for myself as they are just too sweet!
There really is not much to tell you about making them….but you know me, I will share and I do hope that you come back on Friday as there will be a Part 2 to this post with my packaging and another….GREAT TIP!!! You know me, I love to share and I love to inspire!
Now I admit, I do not “get it” why there are some of you that do not embrace the love for the Note Cards & Envelopes? They are such an AMAZING bang for the buck (as the saying goes).…I ask you???….how in the world can you get 20 pre-cut and pre-scored bases in THICK cardstock with envelopes for just $6.50….let me answer this for you….you can and if I were you….I would CLICK HERE to get them in White and then CLICK HERE to get them in Very Vanilla!
These are just one of those Stampin’ Up! staples that you just have to have on hand. Now if it is the size that bugs you….o.k. – but really….this is a super size for a note (5″ X 3 1/2″) but if you insist to do it in an A-2 size…..go for it as we both know it will be beautiful!
There are those darn Basics that I blog about all of the time that made this a BREEZE to do. You will see that I am showing you (3) different color combinations but I thin that you can see that you can do whatever your heart desired. I made up (20) of eash color combination….yep – a total of 60 and it was a fun thing to do!
The Stamparatus made it a breeze as all I had to do was put the paper in….stamp….do all 60….the change to the next stamp…..put the paper in and stamp…..it goes super fast! A stamp positioning tool makes the process a delight to do. I feel SOOOOOOO strongly about a stamp positioner that honestly, if you do not have one….buy the Stamparatus.
Ir is a great tool. I have shared that I have had a MISTI for years as well as a Tim Holtz one….but truly, Stampin’ Up! nailed it with this beauty! It truly is unique with having a (2) door system…I am just very, very happy and also proud of the product!
At the end of the post you will see the list of inks that I used. I think that you will find it pretty easy to see which ones went where…etc but if not, please feel free to leave me a comment and I will clarify it for you!
Here is the SCOOP on how to make them. You will say, NOW EVEN I CAN DO THAT! Well, you know what I am going to say right back to you….OF COURSE YOU CAN DO IT! I am such a FIRM believer that we all can do whatever we want to achieve as long as we take the time to practice and also have the right tools to get the job done!
- Use the Notecards & Envelopes
- Cover the front panel of the notecard with a piece of cardstock (to coordinate with your color palette) to 3 1/2″ X 5″
- Cut a piece of Whisper White to 3 1/4″ X 4 3/4″
- Stamp the Whisper White piece to your liking
- After you have done all of the stamping….take this to your simple scored and score lines as you can see in the pictures…..THIS IS KEY TO ME…as trust me, it is that PERFECT ADDED TOUCH that we have been talking about lately!
- The envelope….same drill as usual BUT because the flap is narrower that our regular envelopes…..you can just make the DSP 5 1/2″ X 1 1/2″ under the 1/4″ strip of paper!
The reason that this is WOOT-WOOT…as you will be able to get (4) envelope flaps per (1) sheet of DSP…..I used the Garden Impressions Stack but then I also used the AMAZING Stacks from each of the color families! You know HOW I LOVE them and this is why I put them BACK ON my Product Share Offerings……as so many of you wanted them again (Add-On #2). It is a GREAT way to get all of these without having to buy them all!
Well…there you go! I hope that I have inspired you today and I also hope that you will come back on Friday to see how I packaged them! I just LOVE to package things up as let’s face it…that is what sets the tone…the 1st impression is how a gift is wrapped!
Enjoy the remainder of the day and I will see you on Friday!!!!
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by Susan Itell | May 26, 2018 | Gift Set Ideas, Super Easy |
I have a blog post for you today that I think many of you will be doing the happy dance about as so many of you adore these little narrow notecards and envelopes! You can click here to see the post that I did about them and with the way that you all LOVED them…I know that you are going to adore these!
This post is not only “super cute….in my stampin’ opinion”….but I will be using 3 stamps that are WALKING THE DREADED PLANK into the Stampin’ Up! Sea of Products that will be leaving us! Let’s move on cause’ these are fun!
I just love it when I get surprised with how much I grow to love a product and these narrow notecards and envelopes are truly one of them! Has that ever happened to you? These little gems made their debut in the Occasions Catalog and WOOT-WOOT…..they are staying with us in the NEW upcoming Catalog that comes out on Friday, June 1st!
I think I was a bit skeptical about them as they are an odd size but once I looked at simple and classic images….played around with them – I fell in love!. They are perfect for little “tuck in’s” to gifts, little baked goods that I like to give and as a gift of enclosure for friends! So fun and useful and an end result that will surely bring a smile to you!
I have lots of pictures for you today and yep….am sure you will want to make some of these gems up! My main point that you get from this posting today is to THINK OUT OF THE BOX! I know that we all have so many different stamp sets at our homes that would be just perfect for this! They are just so darn cute!
You have been hearing me blog about being more selective on my purchases of stamps lately as heck – I am just like you….I have sooooooo many stamps sets that do not get used as much as I thought I would and this stamp set that I am using today is one that was TOTALLY OFF of my RADAR when I looked through the Occasions Catalog and then another Occasions beauty that was TOTALLY ON my RADAR when I saw it!
The “off one” is called A Mother’s Flair and I think that I passed right by it because I looked at it as a “Mothers Day Stamp Set” and with my Mom gone…and I have no daughter-in-laws…..I just thought that it was not for me. Then something happened….I saw Mary Fish’s Blog Post using it and thought – what stamp set is that???…it taught me a lesson and that was….look deeper than the intentional use! (I hope that make sense)
Remember this…do not over look “little image stamps” as many times they are just the perfect touch of wow to make a project sparkle. As this post shows you….it is done in a classic way! I look at my dear little Milo…he might be little but he is mighty!
The other reason that I think that these fun and flirty little cards are so fun is because you can jazz them up in both the horizontal and the vertical orientation. You can easily do a project like this with the stamp-a-ma-jig. Let’s face it – we will ALWAYS have times that we need the stamp-a-ma-jig.
I admit, I simply am SHOCKED that Stampin’ Up! is discontinuing the Stamp- a -ma- jig and true….the BIG BOY, the Stamparatus is going to be here on Friday and YES, that is a great and needed tool for perfect stamping for both coverage and placement but there are many times that I feel that the “jig” gets the job done!
You will see in the example that I have taken some sentiments from other stamp sets….a perfect way to look at what you have and re-purpose them in a different way. I do not know about you but I just smile when things like this happen. I think that most of us have Teeny Tiny Wishes, a good old stand by that is an old faithful to us (but again, it is leaving) and then Friendships Sweetest Thoughts….this is the one that was immediately on my radar from the Occasions Catalog…..click here to see a super sweet card that I blogged about last month.
You can see how I just went to town and had FUN with a variety of stamps…using a variety of sentiments. I encourage you to look at what ou have and start to identify the “keepers” that will always be good old faithfuls. This type of project you could do over and over again, year after year and always get rave reviews from family and friends!
I hope that you enjoy seeing the examples that I have (I know its a bunch) but you will see at the bottom of the post, the line up of products that I used and yep, I did heat emboss them with the clear embossing powder…and it is WELL WORTH THE EFFORT. It truly makes this little gems stand up and be “might big” with the impact that they make. I still get those butterflies of wow – joy….when I heat emboss – just magical! Please remember to use the embossing buddy when you emboss….it is a great habit to always get into!
I used super simple coloring on these little guys….and yep – Aqua Painter to the rescue. I simply cannot imagine not having this in my stash….it is not only easy to use but it gives us the ability to color with whatever ink pad that we have. Simply squeeze the ink pad to get ink on the top and then just dip a bit of color onto the Aqua Painter and go to town!
The best tip I can give you is to just be patient and get the feel of what level of moisture you like in the brush. I truly do vary the water amount as there are times that I like the “water-colored look” and then there are times (like today) that I just want color! You never need to “squeeze ” the barrel of the aqua painter as if you do……you will get a puddle of water and then trust me….you will get grumpy!
I know that this is another product that many of you get shy of…but the aqua painter is one of those must have’s for our addiction…just practice, practice…practice and you will love the ease! I always have a paper towel handy…as this is what makes using the aqua painter a pleasant time!!! 🙂
In the below picture you can see how I had FUN with scoring lines – don’t you think that just adds that little….something – something???? Can you see how I varied the scoring around the sentiment – something super easy yet super interesting to the end product.
By now you know me, I love clean & simple with a classic flair and this project is right up the alley. It is sometimes so hard to put into words how to do things…and I realize that I am all over the place….but I do hope that you can see the sheer FUN in this project!
Have a FABULOUS day….be safe…make some memories and I am OFF TO YOGA! I know that you are as excited as I am for the NEW Catalog to be here…and the countdown is on! This is always an exciting time for all of us!
Please remember that if you want to get into the Product Share…..1st wave, EMAIL ME and I will gladly add you to the list. To date, I have sent out confirmations to all that have already requested a Product Share…..you can CLICK HERE and see the Product Share Post that I did last week with the various offerings!
I truly LOVE to do these shares as it makes me SUPER HAPPY that you all can get a taste of it all without breaking the bank! We know the catalog is GREAT…but the pictures (especially the Designer Series Papers) do not do them justice!
I take great pride in my shares….I would get in this 1st wave so you do not have to wait for my next wave of these shares to open in the middle of June! I turn my shares around in a jif….so hop on the Product Share Train NOW!!!
CLICK MILO 🙂 ….
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by Susan Itell | Dec 10, 2016 | 3-D Projects, Gift Set Ideas |
Woot-Woot – it is the weekend! Do you have your tree??? Are you decorated yet??? This is such a funny…crazy time of the year and I am always amazed with how we “deal” with it. In the end…it all gets done.
I will say that I think I am like a good wine….”I am better with age” – I am sure that there are many of you that will agree and chuckle about that but that is really how I feel. I used to be soooooo stressed about making everything “just right” – now I like to take it all in and enjoy…simply enjoy!
I have been working super hard this week trying to show and inspire you with posts that YOU can do as gifts made from your own hands will always be remembered and be cherished!
I am doing something that I rarely do, I am using a stamp set that is no longer current (Larger than Life) but the main point of this post is to show/share with you how you can make an amazing and practical gift that surely will be appreciated. I know that you all have many stamps that you can use to make a great gift set on notecards like this!
The star of the show today is the Notecard & Envelopes….these are TOTAL KEEPERS as how in the world can you go wrong with 20 cards and envelopes for just $6.00!
The other great “presenter” for the day is the box that I made! I know that many of you are afraid of making a box…but this is soooooo darn tootin’ easy and with that said……as NIKE says….JUST DO IT! (trust me, you will be super proud of yourself)
As always, please feel free to email me if you have any questions on making this! I hope that you will give it a try and even if you do not have this stamp set, no worries….use whatever you have…..as I know YOU HAVE MANY 🙂
I am going to make some gifts using this concept but I am using the Cottage Greetings…that is a GREAT stamp set to use as the sentiments are perfect for the insides of the cards! If you use that set, I would add a very simple flower die of stamp of flowers to the front~ that would be super cute. Are you all wondering where this DSP for the envelope flaps is from? It is a FREEBIE in the upcoming Sale-a-bration…I think it is super cute and classic!
Did you notice that I made a “boo-boo”? I am honest and I have to say that I did not realize it until I when to adhere them together! (Oh well….I am human and we all make mistakes (speed bumps) and this is for Hannah so she will be “just fine” with it – actually you would probably have not noticed if I did not point it out to you)
If you look at the above and below picture, you will see that I did not cut the paper the correct size that I stamped on – I honestly did not notice until after I have stamped all 20 cards…but it worked….
Here are the dimensions for you…it is soooooo ridiculously easy and then I will give the measurements for the box! The other great thing I love about this simple project is that you can just use (2) pieces of DSP – you will be able to make all of your envelopes plus add a piece to the front of the box!
For the Notecards:
- You will need a pack of the Whisper White Notecards & Envelopes….just $6.00!
- Cut (20) pieces of white card stock to 4 3/4″ X 3 1/4″ – stamp your heart away with whatever tickles your fancy!
- If you wish, using the score board – score on all 4 sides (I like the look)
- Cut (20) pieces of 6″ x 2″ DSP for the back flap of your envelopes and (20) 6″ X 1/4″ for the accent strip to the envelope.
For the Box: ( all 20 fit PERFECTLY in this box)
- 1 sheet of Cardstock cut to 8″ X 11″
- With the 8″ side on the score board, score at 2″ and 6″
- Turn the paper and score at 4 1/2″ and 6 1/2″
- Fold score lines and use your bone folder for a great crease.
- Using your scissors, cut up as shown below to the score line. Cut an angle in the flaps – this makes a perfect finished project.
- You can see that I used tear-n tape…as I thought that you would be able to see it better….you can use this or fast fuse, you need a strong adhesive like these 2 for projects like this!
- The DSP for the front of the box is a piece that is 3 7/8″ X 4 3/8″ and then the ribbon – IT ON CLEARANCE (just $2.80) – so how can you go wrong with being generous in using it to “finish” the project!
I hope that this helps…I admit, it is hard to try to put into words how to do something, I hope that the pictures are of help! Please try this – it is sooooo easy and fun to make!
Whew….this was hard to put into words but I hope that “you got it”!
Again, please feel free to reach out to me if you need help. After I made this I made a list of people that would love it – I actually just ordered more of the notecards as I figured that I could go ahead and stamp the “whatever I want” to the paper and go ahead and do the envelopes….and then when the notecards come in…..adhere the stamped piece on and DONE!!!!
Please let me know how you like this…I adore reading your comments and I know that we all learn from each others feedback! Have a SUPER SATURDAY and please share my Blog of Stampin’ love to your family and friends. If you hit the subscribe button, we will be able to have a daily dose on inspiration …together!
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