Kathy's Stamping Niche

Happy Father's Day!

I made this card for 2 Demo group swaps. 

The theme for both swap was Masculine and this is the best I could come up with.  Thank goodness no one from the first group is in the second group.  Blue Bayou is the base of the card and Western Sky Designer Series Paper is used for the background.  Blue Bayou Double Stitched Ribbon is adhered to cover the seam where the DSP meets. 

I stamped the words from All Holidays stamp set on Soft Sky Card Stock in Blue Bayou ink.  Layered that piece on Blue Bayou Card Stock and then on River Rock Card Stock and placed the whole thing on the card with stampin' dimensionals.

Thanks for visiting today.

I've been Tagged by Stephanie

Stephanie is blogging over at Steph's Stampin' Stuff and has Tagged me to play the 7 Things Game.

The Rules for 7 Things:

1. Link your tagger and list these rules on your blog.

2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.

3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.

4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

So, here are my 7 things:

1. I wear Crocs.  Love, love, love them!  They are like walking on Clouds.  Which, BTW, are the Crocs I wear.  LOL.

2.  I/We sleep on flannel sheets year round.

3.  My DH does 99% of the cooking and grocery shopping!

4.  I got a ticket a couple of years ago for not wearing my seat belt correctly.  The shoulder part was underneath my arm because when you are short, it crosses against your face and neck.  Hard to drive that way.

5.  I got out of serving on a jury because I was still mad about the ticket and told the judge I wouldn't be giving ANY Officer of the law the benefit of the doubt for awhile. 

6.  I have served on plenty of juries before number 5.  1 case in Los Angeles and 2 cases in Fresno.  I'm hoping they have taken my name out of the jury pool.  Every 2 years, like clock work, I get summoned for jury duty.  I don't always have to go, but I always get a summons.

7. I love teaching stamp classes.


Now the 7 people I tag are

1. Blythe at Stampin' With Blythe In My Country Loft

2. Cindy at Rubber Stamping Creations

3.  Samantha at Rubber Stamper Diva

4.  Fran at Ink Up Your Creativity

5.  Mary at Stampers Camper's Corner

6.  Sue Ann at Never Too Many Stamps

7.  Amanda at Stamp Vamps

Thanks for tagging me Stephanie!  LOL.   

And The Winner is....................

Congratulations to Kim D.  Kim is the winner of my first blog candy!  Please email me with your snail address and I'll get your candy to you ASAP.

Here's Kim's winning post:

I'd definitely recommend a Bed and Breakfast! My husband and I have gone to a different one every year since our 15th Wedding Ann. We celebrated our 25th Anniversary in a Bed and Breakfast at Niagara Falls!
Love your Blog Kathy! I read it every day!

Posted by: Kim D. | April 22, 2008 at 08:15 AM

I want to thank you all for entering.  Your suggestions are wonderful and because our financial situation is shaky right now (DH might be getting laid off), I think I'M going to cook some of his favorites from our traditional New Year's Day feast.  My DH LOVES, LOVES, LOVES shrimp so I might make tempura shrimp and curly shrimp and spam musubi (Japanese sushi).  These are his favorites and it will be special because I'm making them.  I only cook and/or bake a few times a year so I know he will appreciate and enjoy it as long as I don't burn anything!  I'll let you know what I do after our anniversary date.

Again, thank you all for playing.

Celebrate with me! Blog Candy for you!

Celebrate my blog being viewed over 20,000 times.  Not much by some standards but enough for me!  You can enter to win all of this:

My blog candy has a package that will help you use brass templates with your Cuttlebug, the stamp set Weather or Not (it was the Hostess Appreciation set from the 2005 Summer Mini), a Real Red Classic Stamp Pad, 2 yards of Real Red Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, 2 yards of 5/8" wide Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon, 2 yards of 1/4" wide Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon, and 2 yards of Red Gingham Ribbon.

To enter to win, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post giving me ideas on something special, fun, or humorous to do.  My DH and I will be celebrating our 25th Wedding Anniversary in May and I would LOVE to do something exciting and different to surprise my very special DH.

I will randomly draw a post on Friday, April 26th around 6:00AM and will keep this post on the top until then.  Thank you so much for letting me share my love of stamping with you!

Heart Pocket Card

My friend, Susanne Collins, emailed me and asked me how to do a Heart Pocket Card.  So Susanne, this one's for you!  LOL.

This is my version.  I used Rose Red, Bashful Blue, and Whisper White Card Stocks.  The 5 Star Flower Punch was used with the Rose Red Card Stocks to make 4 flowers (you need to punch 8 flowers) and then I used A Perfect Day Rub Ons.  The Heart Pocket and center flowers (Boho Punch) were made with Cutie Pie Designer Series Paper and Real Red Brads were added for the flower centers and for the closure of the pocket.  The word is from All Holidays stamp set.  The pattern for the Heart Pocket comes from Paper Zone. Download heartpockettemplate1.pdf  The directions on the template are easy and I used the heart pocket as the size it printed.

Have fun making your own Heart Pockets and Susanne, I hope this is what you wanted!

2nd Monday At Silvercrest, April

First I want to say Thanks! to everyone that is visiting and also to those leaving comments.  I appreciate your kind words about my projects.  Within the next 2 weeks, I will be offering a chance to win blog candy! so make sure you check back.

Once again, this is the 2nd Monday of the Month and my monthly visit to the Seniors.  I was so busy doing our taxes and a friend's taxes over the weekend that I just CASED 2 cards done by my friend Lori Robinson.  I don't know if these are her original works of art, so thank you Lori and whomever she might have CASED the cards from.  These cards are the ones I made for the Seniors to copy.

The base of the card is Whisper White Card Stock, then a layer of Certainly Celery Card Stock and then Certainly Celery Designer Paper for the final layer.  Use 2 different designs of DSP and the seam is covered with the 5/8" wide Certainly Celery Grosgrain Ribbon with a knot tied on the left hand side.  You can't tell by the picture, but the ticket punch was used on all 4 corners of the DSP.  The word stamp is from the One Of A Kind stamp set and was stamped using Always Artichoke Ink.

Here's a close up of the scallop embellishment.  Punch Whisper White Card Stock using the Scallop Circle Punch.  Place silver dots around the scallops using a Silver Sharpie.  Punch a circle with the 1 3/8" Circle Punch from Certainly Celery Card Stock.  Next stamp the square embellishment from the Carte Postale stamp set in Certainly Celery Ink onto Whisper White Card Stock and punch out the center using the 1 1/4" Circle Punch.  Layer all 3 items as shown and top it off with a White Half Pearl from the Pretties Kit using a Mini Glue Dot.  Attached the Scallop Embellishment onto the card with Stampin' Dimensionals.

This is the other card.  Lori's original card was Almost Amethyst.  My ladies like Pink so I changed the color.  Pretty In Pink Card Stock is the base of the card.  I used Berry Bliss Designer Series Paper for the 2 layers.  The words were stamped in Pink Passion ink, but was first stamped off.  Before assembling, make sure you tie the Pretty In Pink Taffeta Ribbon in place.

Here's a close up of the embellishment.  The circle is cut with the Coluzzle, circle 3 from the inside.  Sponge Pretty In Pink Ink on the outside edges.  Stamp the flower from One Of A Kind stamp set in Pink Passion Ink, but first stamp off.  The center flower is stamped in Pink Passion and punched out with the Boho Blossom Punch and then a Pretty In Pink Brad is placed in the center.

Simple cards but the Seniors enjoyed making them and that's all that counts!  LOL.

Rub-A-Dub Class

I'm in the midst of my last Rub-A-Dub Class.  We are using the SAB Rub Ons to do 5 projects.

Above are 4 of them, the 5th one is a picture frame and I have a picture in it and I was too lazy to take the picture out.  Sorry.

I got the idea for this card from Josee Smuck.  I used Close to Cocoa Card Stock cut 4 1/4" x 11".  You need to score the Card Stock at 2 3/4" from each end.  The belly band is 12" long by 1 1/4" for the Close to Cocoa and 12" long by 1" for the Pretty In Pink Card Stock.  I accented the front with Berry Bliss Designer Series Paper that was first cut 5 1/4" x 4" and then cut again at 2 5/8".  Stamp set used was Think Happy Thoughts.  The flowers are all rub ons.  If I could do this over, I would only put 2 flowers on each side.  I think 3 is too many.

I love the way the friend scrolly thing (love technical words, uh?) fits and looks inside the card.  Thanks Josee!  The inside Whisper White Card Stock measures 5 1/2" x 4".

This card was actually one suggested by SU on the demo only website.  I just changed the colors.  I'm actually having my customers move the stem over to the right so the Hello isn't stamped on top of the stem.  Because the rub ons are plastic, the ink just beads up and doesn't dry and you have to go an extra step to dry it.   Old Olive Card Stock is the base of the card.  Pumpkin Pie piece measures 1" x 5 1/2" and was stamped with Pumpkin Pie Ink to give it some textured.  Then you place the So Saffron piece (which measures 3/4" x 5 1/2") butted right against the Pumpkin Pie piece.  Add the 5/8" wide Chocolate Chip Ribbon and cover most of the So Saffron piece.

Rub the larger of the open flower onto a scrap of Pumpkin Pie Card Stock (2 1/4" x 4").  Cut it out and adhere to your Summer Sun piece with a Stampin' Dimensional.   I took a So Saffron button and rubbed one of the small flowers from A Perfect Day on the top of it.

This is one of those square tins that I love so much!  I stole this idea from one of my down line, Jenny Kubo and where she got it, I don't know.  The DSP is from Berry Bliss and I used the Purely Pomegranate Double Stitched Ribbon.

My last item to share is the bottle.  This is a Starbuck's Frappucino bottle.  Recycle, recycle, recycle.

Here's a close up of the bottle cap.  The Old Olive Poly Twill is wrapped around the lip of the lid.  The smallest coluzzle circle was used to cut the Old Olive circle.  Rub the smaller open flower onto Whisper White Card Stock and then used the 1 3/8" circle punch.

I've been having fun with the rub ons and hope you are too.  Now onto doing my taxes so no more posts until they are done.

I Can See Clearly Now....

Since I'm using a Transparency to make a card!  LOL.  I know, pretty corny...but hey, I like corn!

I really like the Transparency Cards so here's my card that I made for a class last week.

It is really difficult to get a decent picture of the card, but I hope you can see what I did.

Here's a close-up of the image.  On the front of the Transparency, I placed drops of Crystal Effects where I wanted them and added Dazzling Diamond Glitter.  When you open the card, there isn't any glitter on the actual image.

This is the front of the box of Transparencies I used.  I brought my box at Office Max, but I'm sure any Office Supply store will have them.

Here's how I made the card:

• Cut the Transparency in half - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" then fold - use a bone folder to get the best crease.
• Cut 5/8" wide Old Olive Ribbon to 11 1/2" long.
• Place adhesive on the entire length of ribbon.
• Now place one end of the ribbon hanging over the edge of the transparency.
• Carefully wrap the ribbon onto the Transparency all the way around the card.
• Trim excess off edges.  Once you trim your ribbon ends, you will not be able to make any adjustments to the ribbon because the ribbon will fray - badly!
• Make your Oval Embellishment with the Small Oval Punch - Whisper White Card Stock stamped in Old Olive Ink and the Large Oval Punch - Summer Sun.  Punch holes using the 1/16" hole punch just at the edge of the Whisper White Oval and insert Old Olive Brads.  Adhere to ribbon with Stampin' Dimensionals.
• Old Olive Card Stock measures 2 1/4" x 5 3/4" - fold in half.
• Whisper White Card Stock measures 2" x 2 1/2" - cut 2.  One for the outside and one for the inside.  The inside piece I stamped Happy Birthday.
• For the outside piece, I used the Eat Cake Stamp Set and used the Markers in Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie and Summer Sun to color the cake.
• Adhere the Cake piece to the Old Olive Card Stock and tape the entire piece to the inside.
• Close the card and now carefully place Crystal Effects where you want and then sprinkle with Dazzling Diamonds.  Set aside for at least an hour to dry and then you can shake the excess glitter off.

This is a fun and easy card to make.  Try it, you'll like it!

Carousel Note Album

I can't tell you how WOW'd I was when I first saw this Carousel Note Album.  What a wonderful gift for Mother's Day or any other special occasion.  Jan Tinklenberg wrote up a wonderful tutorial and Patty Bennett also has some wonderful pictures of the Carousel Note Album she and some friends made.  Here is my version.

Here's the front.  I used the Afternoon Tea DSP and the Live Your Dreams stamp set from the Occasion Mini. 

This is what it looks like open.  Plenty of space for photos and to journal.  But wait, there's more!

On the 1st page, you pull out one of the Carousel Notes that you decorate with the Afternoon Tea DSP AND you can place pictures or journal on either side!

On the 2nd page, you have more room to journal.

And once again, you can pull out a Carousel Note from the 3rd page to use for pictures or to journal.

This is the back of the album purse.  You use the Jumbo Eyelets to hold the ribbon.   I think you might like to make this too so on Saturday, April 26 I will be doing 2 classes so you can make your own!  Morning class will start at 9:30A M until 12 noon and the afternoon class will start at 1:30 PM until 4:00 PM.  Please reserve your spot now!  If you want to make this Carousel Note Album but can't make that time, let me know.  I'm very flexible and will be happy to work out a time that will work for you.  Hope to hear from you soon.

EDITED ON APRIL 7:  Fixed link to Patty Bennett's blog.

Finally....a Flower Fusion Card

How many of you brought the Flower Fusion package, opened the package to admire them and then set them aside vowing to play with them soon?  Of course soon has never come until now!  These were one of the first things I purchased from the new catalog and finally used them on my swap card for my downline meeting tonight.

I used Old Olive, Pink Passion and Whisper White Card Stock.  The catalog said that these were Rose Red but my felt flowers matched better with Pink Passion.  The stem is from Embrace Life and the words are from One Of A Kind.  Stamped the stem on the Whisper White and on the front of the card.  The flowers are being held together by Old Olive brads and attached to the card with Stampin' Dimensionals.  Old Olive 5/8" wide ribbon was wrapped around the front of the card and the ends are under the flower rectangle so on the inside of the card, it's just smooth ribbon.  Added a length of Pumpkin Pie Grosgrain and stamped the words on a small piece of Old Olive Card Stock, pierced the paper and then attached it with Stampin' Dimensionals.

Our swap theme is Mother's Day or Flowers, so inside I stamped the Happy Mother's Day stamp from All Holidays.  I'm happy that I finally used the Flower Fusion.  What in the earth was I waiting for?  I need to stop hoarding and use the wonderful things in my stamp room!  How about you?  What do you hoard?  Please tell me I'm not the only one!

I also want to apologize for not posting sooner.  I've been making class samples and have had some family things to attend to and will start posting more frequently again.  Thanks for stopping and by!