by Susan Itell | Dec 10, 2015 | Uncategorized |
Wowzers…the HOP was super fun yesterday…wasn't it? I am still working my way through it and it is always so much fun to see…to learn…to be a sponge…and to be inspired! I just love this fun hobby we have…it is the best!
On Tuesday I talked with my wonderful Dad and asked him if he needed cards for the holidays….immediately he said NO…and then he called back and said, "maybe I could use a couple"…and then 15 minutes later he added to the request!"
Today is the Pals Weekly challenge and this was sooooooo darn easy to whip up this card! I hope that I have inspired you to THINK SIMPLE as SIMPLE WORKS and you will smile! Here is the color palette that we are working with this week!
My wonderful Dad is a very classic man. It is hard for him to do things like sending cards out after my Moms passing but I will say, I think that this is a great card for a man to send out – so simple ~ so elegant ~ so perfect for the season!
I chose to keep the front completely plain (with no sentiment) and then in the inside I used a sentiment from the retiring Versatile Christmas. We all know that Christmas comes every year,,,and I will say "HANDS DOWN" this stamp set will stay at my home!
This is the time of the year that "time is oh so precious" – and I invite you to take a DEEP breath and then find some "me time" and then have fun!
Every year it is my goal to use up my DSP (as we all know that there will always be more AMAZING papers) so I looked at what I had and went for it! I knew that I did not want it to be to fussy and I think that I accomplished that!
Do you remember over the weekend I made some tags and 3 X 3 cards with this Christmas Tree? Well…this is a 2 for 1 as I planned to use the negative space for another post….today and I have another one next week for you! We sure do love our scraps!
You can clearly see that making a simple card works…please try it – there is nothing wrong with minimizing your time …remember – it is the thought ~ the gesture….so don't stress!
I have had several emails about Eddie and the "critters" – all is good As always, (well, as of now) Eddie is still the main man on my radar screen…and he is doing well – still having bouts of eating and not eating but he is hanging in there. Yesterday he spent the day with me upstairs in my work area. Here is a picture him last night.
He fools me…he continues to teach me…
There are no words to convey how special he is (well….we all know that Caleb sees it) – but truly he is an old soul.He truly has a way to melt your heart, be the best friend one could have.
My brother that lives in Europe will not make it back to for Christmas, but will be home on the 30th and he is a HUGE fan of Eddie…..so between all of us…let's keep cheering Eddie on!
Well…thoughts about the card – can you see yourself whipping this up? A clean and simple card works….(well at least for me) and I hope that this post inspired you!
Make it a GREAT day and I hope to see you tomorrow!
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by Susan Itell | Dec 9, 2015 | Uncategorized |
Welcome to the Pals Blog Hop for December; we are thankful you stopped by. This month we are showcasing projects that feature Stampin’ Up! products that should be on everyone’s wish list. We hope you enjoy our creations.
You may just be starting the Blog Hop or may have come from the previous link from the Line-up on the Pals Blog Hop listing shown below. The full lineup will help you move along from blog to blog so you may see all the projects.
I simply adore when the PALS have the monthly HOP! WHY????? It is super fun to see the talent and inspiration from so many! When I went to prepare this post I sat down and wrote down all of the products that I use over and over (actually just about daily) when I sit to create.
I totally realize that it takes some time to build up your tools and products but the best advise I can give you is start with the basics and then continue to build with adding the little extras. Let's get to this fun card and then I am going to list straight down the products and I think you will see that they are "key" products to have a great foundation for card making!
I wanted to share with you this dear little frog. I have used him a bunch and I know that there will be many more cards in the future with him as he is so darn tootin' happy! The stamp set is called You're Sublime, and you can see that I masked the sentiment off and then added a different one from And Many More Stamp Set.
It is great to have a fabulous sentiment stamp set and also a fun image set. Todays card is a great example of how the blending of these 2 sets made this a FUN card….I masked off the sentiment with a piece of tape and then added the "very merry" under our frog friend!
If you follow my blog, (and I hope you do as I blog daily) than you already know that I adore odd shape cards! We have such great tools that make creating odd size cards with their envelopes easy and fun. I also adore the paper stacks that Stampin' Up! has been offering lately. The 6" X 6" size is perfect for card makers
I also have a HUGE love affair with the white pen….it is a must have as it adds so much with so little effort. The dots and dashes that I often do just adds the touch of depth that brings your card special.
A product that I really started to use a bunch this year and looking back, I could kick myself for not using it earlier…. Bakers Twine. I just love it as it is sooooo affordable and it adds a touch with such ease. In being a challenged "bow maker", working with the twine it a dream. I also use glue dots to hold the bows in place!
Another tip to add a great touch is to double or triple up your bakers twine before you tie it in a bow ~ a great touch!
Because this card is a 4" square I pulled out the Envelope Punch Board to make a fun envelope out of the cherry cobbler card stock. It is such an easy tool to use and you will be amazed at how many sizes this product will make.
Let's touch on watercoloring….this is a technique that many of use are fearful of but I have included it in the "must haves" as it is a great tool (the aqua painters) that you will dabble with more than you think…I think that have 1 or 2 stamp sets that you can watercolor with is a great idea as well. (trust me, you will become addicted to it)
In the below bullet points you can see that the products listed here are a great set of goodies to be a great card maker. I invite you to look at the list, think about the list and hopefully you can see that these are wonderful foundation products!
- You're Sublime Clear-Mount Stamp Set
- And Many More Clear-Mount Stamp Set
- Big Shot
- Circles Collection Framelits Dies
- Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad
- Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock
- Cherry Cobbler 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
- Watercolor Paper
- White Signo Uni-Ball Gel Pen
- Merry Moments Designer Series Paper Stack
- Stampin' Trimmer
- Envelope Punch Board
- Old Olive Baker's Twine
- Glue Dots
- Fast Fuse Adhesive
- Stampin' Dimensionals
Thanks for visiting. To continue with the hop, please refer to the Blog Hop Line-up below. We hope to see you on next month’s Pals Blog Hop!
The products I used today are in the scrolling store below! You can click on a picture to see it in detail and also do not forget that Stampin' Up! has may videos on You Tube that will spotlight many of out tools.
Please feel free to email me if you have any questions.
Have fun on the hop….please feel free to leave me a comment and let me know how you liked the card and also if you agree with my thought process for getting the basics! Until tomorrow!
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by Susan Itell | Dec 8, 2015 | Uncategorized |
I know that many of you left comments and sent me emails about how to make the box and I was super happy about that as there are MANY of you that are intimidated to do 3-D's ~ like boxes …..Boxes are super easy and super fun!
There is not much for me to say and I will let the pictures do the work today! I just hope that "you get it" that you can do many different "feels"… be it ~ tags or 3" X 3" cards to make someone smile….as after all – it is that smile that is THE BEST feel good that we can have!
Here you go….I am an email away if you need help!
It is so easy as….
HOMEMADE GIFTS ARE BEST!
This is getting to be the time of the year that we are all getting so overwhelmed with "the wonderful season" but then again, I invite you to think of this as an opportunity for you to have some "me time" and have fun. I truly hope that you can carve out some time to make some handmade gifts….you will smile, promise!
Now here is another reason you will smile, the weekly deals! Click here to see the offerings and this week is a easy~peasy pick – the PRECISION PLATE!
Tomorrow is a PALS blog hop…get ready to have fun HOPPING away from inspiration to inspiration!!! Ho-ho-ho!!!!
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by Susan Itell | Dec 7, 2015 | Uncategorized |
Woot-woot…here is to a NEW week and lets all make it a GREAT week. In continuing the gift guide inspiration for you – today we are going to take the focus of the "tags" from the weekend and make them into a different and equally fun twist!
Please make sure that you go back and see yesterdays post on the tags. I added it later in the day because of my camera not cooperating (and I still am not happy with my pictures today)
Perhaps "tags" are not your style so let me inspire you to be totally hip and go for the square look! I think these little cards are fun to make and they are an extra touch that people always love receiving! You will see the theme is continuing on from the weekends post!
I suggest that you make these in the same fashion – be a Boy Scout and BE PREPARED….you'll be happy and they making process will go super smooth. I wanted to package them in a box so it gave the real fun feeling of a "gift" and I always think it is fun to jazz up the box!
Have fun with using what you have on hand to jazz up your box and also the same for making your cards! I know one thing that we all have in common, many spools of ribbon and many stacks of gorgeous DSP paper. USE IT UP!!! (does this sound familiar) Trust me, you will feel sooooooo good using up products that you have because guess what – there will always be more new and fun products coming down the pike!
I do recommend if you have the thick white card stock to use that as the stability of it is simply the best. (I honestly believe that once you get used to using it, you will never go back) and being able to purchase the adorable 3" X 3" envelopes…..wowzers a win`win. I think that many times we forget that we sell them. I find them super handy and I always have a pack on hand!
I think making a fun gift project like this works so well with our paper stacks…remember, you can use every little piece of scraps to use on tags….hopefully you could see that from the weekends post….nothing wasted!
Let's talk about scraps….in a nutshell I have a LOVE/HATE relationship with them.
I know that I feel so much better when I use them up and if I find that I am getting LOADED up on small pieces…..trust me – CLOSE YOUR EYES AND THROW THEM AWAY!
I try to use as much as I can but I think the "crafter" in us sets in and we keep every little piece and then we get stressed – PURGE!!!!
I hope that you have enjoyed the twist for today showing the adorable 3" X 3" cards set….it is the same (kind of) but then again, a different twist from the weekend post. You know what your friends would enjoy more….tags or cards, you simply cannot go wrong either way!
I simply cannot believe how much I have used this Real Red envelope paper….it is so darn affordable, no need to use up your DSP as I think the effect is just as effective! Clean and crisp and being able to have the envelope liner framelit – EASY-PEASY!
Please feel free to leave me a comment and let me know…..would you be more likely to make the "tag" idea or the 3 X 3 cards? I am an email away if you need me and I look forward to a great week ahead!
Below you will see many of the goodies that I used to make this great post today! Shop away….it sure is easier shopping here than fighting the stores!
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