Kathy's Stamping Niche

My Dahlia Fold Card

I love to fold things and the Dahlia Fold is right up my alley!  Last week, Donna Moore published a tutorial for the Dahlia Fold that you can find here.

Here's my swap card that I made for my adopted demo group.

I used the Scallop Punch for the flower part and the 1 3/8" Circle Punch for the bud stem.  The Designer Series Paper are Summer Picnic for the flower and Bali Breeze for the stem and grass.  The word stamp is from All Holidays stamp set.  Card stocks used were Old Olive, Bashful Blue, Real Red and Whisper White.  Added the Real Red 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon to tie all the Real Red together.

Hope they like it!  How about you?  What do you think?

Twist on a Note Pad Holder

Stephanie Johnston was in the Around The Office Demonstration Booth at Leadership.  She had some great projects and one of them was this Note Pad Holder.  Stephanie's was bigger - she used a 12 x 12 sheet of paper, but I have the small 3 x 5 tablets that Demonstrators can buy through Merrill and so I changed the holder to fit the tablet.

I used Always Artichoke, Mellow Moss, Creamy Caramel, Real Red, Bashful Blue, So Saffron and Elegant Eggplant Card Stocks.  The one stamp is from Office Accoutrement and the Take Note Rub Ons were also used.  Punches used were the Small Star Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, and the My Way Punch.  The flowers are from the Die Cut Blooms.  Le Jardin Designer Series Paper was used for the circle on the top left and the star was topped with a button from Fresh Favorites II.

Here's what the note pad looks like inside.  There is a pocket for receipts or whatever you want and the other pocket is how you keep your note pad in place.

Here's what your paper will look like when you have scored it.

• Start with card stock that measures 8 1/2" x 9"
• On the 8 1/2" side, score at 4 1/8" and 4 3/8"
• Fold your score lines and then reopen them
• On the 9" side, score at 6 1/8"
• Fold your score line and leave that flap up - this will make a pocket on either side
• Now fold your 2 center scores and this will make a portfolio
• Make your rubber band closure and adhere it to the back with the brad
• Bring the rubber bands to the front and there you have it!

Here's a picture on how to make the rubber band closure.  I used 2 Number 12 rubber bands to make this.  You overlap the centers and then bring them up and over the outside of the rubber band.  Start pulling and before you close the center, place your brad inside.  This is much easier than it sounds.  Honest!

Decorate the front however you want.  I cheated and tried to make mine look like Stephanie's but because I don't own some of the goodies she used, I had to make mine a little different.  This was a fast and easy project to make and just might become my "thank you" gift to hostesses.  Let me know how you decorated your Note Pad Holder!

Easter Box with A Good Egg

I promise, this is the last item with A Good Egg stamp set.  QBee aka Brenda Quintana has done a great box that she shared over at Split Coast Stampers.  She is one talented lady!  Here's my take on her box.

It is a 2 part box and inside sits 6 eggs!  Brenda shared the pattern and it's pretty easy to do.

I used Palmer's Chocolate Eggs and they were much bigger than the one's used by Brenda.  She used the Nestle's Eggs and was able to use the 3/4" circle punch, mine were much bigger so I made the holes with the Coluzzle at 7/8" circle.  Someone else used the Dove chocolate eggs and said they fit well with the 3/4" hole.

The ribbon only goes on the lid so you don't have to mess with taking it off and on.

This was easy to make and very quick.  Card Stock colors used were Pretty In Pink, Certainly Celery, and So Saffron.  The DSP used was Flowers For You.  Scallop Punch, 3/4" Circle Punch and Window Word Punches were also used.

I have two friends coming over on Saturday and will surprise them with an Easter Box.  Thank you so much Brenda for a wonderful template.

Everyone have a safe and wonderful Easter!

I've Been Tagged By Josee Smuck!

I've been tagged by Josee Smuck.  Josee is a fellow Sudsol Member and fellow SU Demonstrator in Canada.  I'm pretty sure she found my blog from some of the photo's I've shared on Sudsol and I'm very honored that she tagged me.  Especially because she has a wonderful card featuring the Love & Happiness Rub Ons that I now plan on CASEing for a class!  Thanks so much Josee!

Rules:

1) Link the person who tagged you and post the rules on your blog:

I was tagged by Josee Smuck.

2) Share 7 random and or weird facts about yourself on your blog

1. I'm only 4' 10 1/2" tall.
2. I ask random people at grocery stores to "borrow" their height to reach something on the top shelf that I can't reach.
3. Broadway Musicals are the bomb!
4. I tried to buy tickets to the Michael Buble concert in Anaheim, CA but was too cheap to pay $110 for the noise bleed section.
5. I will be celebrating 25 years of wedded bliss this May.
6. I don't like running errands in the afternoon.
7. I LOVE my pedicures!

3) Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.

I've only been blogging for a few months and don't want to tag someone I KNOW has been tagged a thousand times before so I'm only tagging:

Blythe Klipple   http://www.stampinwithBlythe.com

4.  Leave a comment on their blog to let them know they were tagged.

Thanks everyone!

A RAK from Emlie!

Isn't it just wonderful when you receive stamped gifts from friends?  I've been very lucky.  Emlie Montero shares everything and I mean everything she gets.  Emlie told me she was in the M store and saw a small wooden basket and she told herself she could make one out of paper and she did!

Now how cute is that!  Emlie used A Good Egg stamp set and the Flowers For You Designer Series Paper.  The color card stocks are Lovely Lilac and Tempting Turquoise.

Here's a side view of the basket.  Not only does Emlie give me a great gift, she also wrote up and printed out step-by-step directions on how to do the basket!

Emlie, thank you so much for sharing your talents with me.  You are greatly appreciated.

Wild For Wasabi

Stampin' Up! has a Wild for Wasabi Special Product Offer.  Now thru April 30th, you can buy Wild Wasabi Textured Card Stock that has been scored and cut.  You will receive 16 pieces for only $3.95 per package.  The Wild Wasabi Textured Card Stock comes measured at 4 1/2" x 11 1/2" and is scored at 1 1/8" and 5 5/8".  To make the card fit in an A2 envelope, I've been cutting off 1/4" from the long side and 1/4" off the non folded end.  I've already shared this card and here's one I made over the weekend.

I used the Tart & Tangy set for the Strawberry.  They were colored with the Real Red and a homemade Wild Wasabi markers on Whisper White Card Stock.  Punched out with the 1 1/4" Circle Punch, layered on a piece of 1 3/8" circle of Wild Wasabi that was layered on a piece of Real Red Card Stock that was punched out using the Scallop Punch.  The center medallion is popped-up using Stampin' Dimensionals.  The scallop edge was done using the 3/16" Corner Rounder Punch.  Add a strip of Real Red Card Stock under the fold,  5/8" wide Real Red Grosgrain ribbon, and the Real Red Gingham Ribbon for accents.  The words are from The Perfect Day Rub Ons.

Markers are not available for any of the In Color's so I made my own.  I take an old blender pen and just add drops of the reinker color to the tip.  One drop at a time, wait for that drop to sink in.  Depending on how much I need to color, I will put up to 8 drops on that tip or as little as 4.  I use one blender pen for one color.  I tried putting 2 colors on separate ends, but the colors will meet eventually and get yucky.  I mark each pen with a label so I know what blender pen houses what color.  The other thing you should know is that after a few days, the color sinks deeper into the blender pen changing the color at the tip so ALWAYS test your "new" marker before using it.  You might have to add a drop or two of reinker before coloring.

Thanks for dropping by!

Round and Round You Go

Last week I did my Round and Round You Go class that featured 4 different Spirelli cards.  The reason I did this class was because everyone that saw my Shoe Box Card for Leadership really wanted to learn how to make the Baroque Motif Spirelli Card, so they made that card plus 3 other.  When you go back to see the Baroque Motif card, there is also a link to Samantha Parisi's tutorial.

I had them start with this card.  Regal Rose, Pretty In Pink and Whisper White Card Stock is used.  Also the Flowers For You Designer Series Paper and the Just Like You Stamp Set.  Can't do this Spirelli without the Scallop Punch either.  This one is done counting 4 notches.  I count the notch I start with and the notch I end with.  This one uses white crochet thread with silver in it.

This card uses the Wild Wasabi Card Stock Special Product Offer.  You have to cut 1/4" off the long end and 1/4" off the non-folded end so it will fit into an A-2 envelope.  The Pumpkin Pie Flower is from the Die-Cut Blooms and the small flowers are made from the Boho Blossom Punch.  I stamped and embossed the saying from the One Of A Kind stamp set in Whisper White onto Bashful Blue Card Stock and punched it out using the 1 1/4" circle punch.  The Wild Wasabi Striped Grosgrain adds a great accent as does the Jersey Shore Designer Series Paper and touches of Bashful Blue Card Stock.  The Spirelli on the big flower is 3 notches and the Spirelli on the small flower is 6 notches.  This card also uses the white crochet thread with silver in it.  I actually submitted this to Stampin' Up! for the Demonstrator Only Stamper's Showcase and they published it on Sunday, March 16th!!!!!  For me, it's very exciting to see my name somewhere else besides my blog.  LOL.

This is the 4th card they did.  I took my inspiration from this card.  I just love how the corner looks like netting.  Had I really thought about it, I could have put some beads on it, like the glass floats.  Chocolate Chip, Close To Cocoa, Creamy Caramel, Ballet Blue and Very Vanilla are the Card Stocks used.  Stamp set is Crab & Co. and the wheel is Sandy Shells with Ballet Blue Ink Cartridge.  The crab was colored with Ruby Red and Yoyo Yellow.  The sand was done with Creamy Caramel.  To do this corner, I used the Paper-Piercing Template and punched 8 holes up and 8 holes across.  Be sure NOT to put a hole in the corner.  If you start your count from the corner and count up and also across, the outside holes will be number 8. 

• Thread a needle with crochet thread - about 24 inches long.
• Bring the threaded needle up from the back side on the horizontal 8.
• Take the threaded needle down from the front side on the vertical 1.
• Bring the threaded needle up from the back side on the horizontal 7.
• Take the threaded needle down from the front side on the vertical 2.
• Repeat going from 6 to 3, 5 to 4, 4 to 5, 3 to 6, 2 to 7, 1 to 8.
• Secure both ends of your thread with a mini glue dot.

I promise, you'll like doing the Spirellis.  I am totally addicted to them!  Enjoy.

Baroque Motif

When I went to convention, I always look forward to Brent Steele's presentation.  He does wonderful things with stamp sets and I always have to have at least one of the stamp sets he demonstrates with.  Last convention it was Baroque Motif AND Fabulous Flower.  Today I'm sharing the Baroque Motif card.

The card is 6" square, folded in half.  The card stock is White Confetti.  A strip from the Brocade Backgrounds (retired - sorry) is used on the side.  Stamp the scroll piece in River Rock and Always Artichoke. Add the small flowers and word in Groovy Guava, and wrap the card with White Grosgrain Ribbon.  Accent with Always Artichoke Grosgrain Ribbon and add the crystal teardrops from the Pretties Kit and you have a quick and beautiful card.  Mine doesn't look as nice as Brent's, but I'm happy with it. 

A Good Egg...one more time!

This is the card I presented to my class last Saturday.

Not a bad card, but not the greatest.  They wanted to do the Masking Tape Background and since Easter is just around the corner, this is what I came up with.  I did this background with our Craft Inks, no need to get your VersaMark Stamp Pad all yucky.  However, they really liked the color variation when you do the Masking Tape Background with a Classic Stamp Pad and VersaMark Stamp Pad better.

So this is the actual card they made.  I must admit, I like the color much better too!  See, that's what I get for trying to make it easier.  Colors used were Orchid Opulence, Yoyo Yellow and Whisper White.

To make the Masking Tape Background:

• Place torn strips of masking tape randomly all over your paper.  Mine measured 3 7/8" x 5 1/8".
• After you cover the paper completely, take your Orchid Opulence stamp pad and rub it all over the masking tape.  Some places will be darker than others, but you want more dark than light.
• Pounce your VersaMark Stamp Pad over this.  Be careful.  It will lift alot of color off the masking tape.  Some people will use a heat gun over the first layer, but it doesn't do much for me.
• Cover your piece with Clear Embossing Powder and heat your Embossing Powder.
• One last step I added, I got my Orchid Opulence Craft Stamp Pad and lightly added some ink over the embossed layer.  Just enough to darken the layer a shade or two.
• Cover this with Clear Embossing Powder and heat.

I cleaned my VersaMark Stamp Pad by dabbing it with a clean cloth and then pressing it against clean paper until the impression was mostly clear.

Have a great stamping weekend and thanks for stopping by!

So Much!

Suzanne Butts shared this card as one of the projects at Inkertoy's last week.  I thought it made the set, So Much, attractive!  Sorry, it's not my favorite set.

We used Close To Cocoa and Purely Pomegranate Cardstock and the Berry Bliss Designer Series Paper.  Stamped all the images with Chocolate Chip and used the Coluzzle to cut the circle out and the flower and "thanks" were cut free hand.  We used the new Tombow Multi Purpose Adhesive to adhere the Pink Duo Beads to the center of the card.  Pop the Close to Cocoa circle up with Stampin' Dimensionals, tie a little bit of Pretty In Pink 1/4" wide Grosgrain Ribbon on it and you have a nice looking card!

Suzanne, thank you for letting me share your project.