Snail Mail... K.I.S.S. and S.I.P. card

Got your attention with that title didn't I. What on earth is a K.I.S.S. and S.I.P. card? Keep it simple and sweet, and stamps inks and paper (and maybe punches) cards. I didn't use much in the way of embellishments on this card, just a little ribbon. I let the simple framed image and the sentiment speak for itself. It translates into neat, clean, and simple. Easy to duplicate and adapts to so many images. I'll be doing a lot more of these types of simple easy cards real soon. Stay tuned.

I used: Unfrogettable by Stampin' UP! , and Simple Alphabet by Papertrey Ink
colors: kraft paper, and gable green.
inks: river rock, gable green, and basic brown
embellishments: kraft taffeta and river rock ribbons, and then to make this so snappy, my cool new Nestabilities dies and my Cuttlebug

Okay I totally have to put a plug in here for the Spellbinders Nestabilities dies. I just got my rectangle and circle sets today, and I already had the squares and ovals. I love love love these dies. They are so easy to use (ignore the awful popping and cracking sounds you hear when you use with your Cuttlebug), and they layer together so well. I have both the straight edge and scallop sets for each shape. And you can even emboss these shapes onto a card front too. I hope to show you that soon. I haven't tried that yet. I will note, you will want to make sure you use only Papertrey Ink's white cardstock for these dies, as Stampin' UP!'s is too thin and the dies get embedded into the B plate on the cuttlebug plates and it is very hard to get out. I also don't recommend using the designer papers so much unless you put a scratch piece of paper over it when you make your cutting sandwich. Stampin' UP! colored cardstock is the best for colored cardstock as it is usually much thicker than those you can buy at the local scrappin' store.

For more info. on Nestabilities and how to use them check out Nicole's blog as she has a great tutorial on them. You can get these through Papertrey Ink, but they sell out fast. A whole set of one shape is $80, but so worth it. You will never have to buy another scallop shaped punch ever. And you get the added embossing possibility too. I know that after I have played with them some and posted, you'll be convinced you at least need the circle set. You know you will.

Tart and Tangy card class kit

Here is one last card class kit:
You purchase the following:
Tart and Tangy stamp set $12.95
Summer Picnic Designer paper: $9.95

You get the supplies (cut cardstock and ribbons for the following projects: 4 3x3 mini cards with a box, water bottle flavor pouch holder, basket, and 7 regular sized cards. $10


You will need to have the following other items to complete the projects in this kit: bashful blue and pumpkin pie ink pads, real red and old olive markers. That is for coloring in the different parts of the fruit images. These aren't expensive and these colors are found in many of the Stampin' UP! designer papers these days. It would also be good to have the 1 1/4 and 1 3/8 circle punches as well as the scallop circle punch.

I got inspiration for this kit from a kit I saw on Splitcoast.

Here are the projects you will make:
bottle hanger and basket
7 regular cards
notecards and box
Bonus project: (so easy!) a treat holder pouch

Tart and Tangy card class kit...bottle hanger and basket

Here are the last two projects for the Tart and Tangy card class. I love the bottle hanger with it's pouch for holding pretty much anything that is 1/2 wide. This set begs for it to be used for the water flavor packets. I have some that are cherry limeade, so I put a lime and cherry on the front. You could use orange, strawberry, cherry, or lemons too. Soo cute. Project tutorial is on Splitcoast. In my photo of the bottle pouch, I forgot to round the top corners of the part where you stick it onto the bottle. My scanned picture shows it correctly. Small detail that makes so much difference. Sorry. I was in a hurry to get these done and posted tonight.

This basket is way too big, your directions will be for one much smaller. I made this one out of a 9x9 piece of printed paper. It needs to be 6x6 at the very largest. There is a bag of Skittles inside. Goes with the fruit theme. So your basket will be more petite and proportional for the stamped images too. This one was rather gigantic once I made it. Live and learn.

Tart and Tangy card class kit... larger cards

These are the 7 regular sized cards that go in the card class kit. They are fun, so easy, and use the designer paper to great advantage. I love them.

Tart and Tangy card class kit: notecard box and notecards

Here is one of the projects in the Tart and Tangy card class kit. I am so loving this set and paper. So bright and cheery and summery. I am so ready for warm weather. I got the ideas for all the cards and projects off of Splitcoast by various artists. So I have to at least give them credit by saying that. I loved this easy box and set of notecards I found. They are so easy. You are going to love making these. You will notice I didn't put sentiments on any of the cards from this card kit. I don't know what I will use them for yet, but you could use almost any smaller sized sentiment or the cute set in the Spring Occassion mini that goes with it too. Or try the Summer Days rub-ons.

Tarty and Tangy gets a little circle crazy

This is a card template that was featured in the newest Stampin' Success magazine that we get as demonstrators from Stampin' UP!. It is a fabulous resource of ideas, card sketches, and business tools. I have tons of these from the last 6 years and I still keep looking over them for ideas. I have gotten rid of really old ones, but no problem, they are all online on the demo website for future perusing. I just love this company. They support us so well, and try to make our jobs easier by giving us demonstratable ideas that aren't really time consuming. These two cards use all the circle punches, and the new Summer Picnic designer paper. The sentiments are from Papertrey Ink.

This sketch easily accommodates buttons, prima flowers, pretties kit flowers, rhinestone brads, the small flowers of the punch box this year, and the scalloped circle punch too. Or think of the new Boho Blossoms punch with the Boho Backgrounds and One of a Kind sets. Hmmm. The ideas can be limitless. Or maybe play around with squares instead of circles. Try it out. See what you come up with. Glam it up with a bit of glitter on the outside edges of each circle or a few of them. Or make one circle totally glittery.

Supplies: bashful blue, old olive and only orange papers
circle punches : 1/2, 3/4, 1 , 1 1/4, 1 3/8 and scallop circle
accessories: ribbons, large rhinestone brad, and a rub-on from the SAB rub on package

Easter goodies

I am a crazy woman who decides on Saturday afternoon that I will make little place favors for Easter Lunch for 9 people, and attempt a project I never have done before. So I saw these great little favor boxes on Splitcoast by Qbee and just had to do them. I bought the Just Hatched set from Papertrey Ink and didn't want to lose the opportunity to use them for Easter, and saw this box and got the pattern. Voila. I sure couldn't have done this without my mom's help. We chatted while we worked and it was fun. I need to tweak the measurements for the lid, as it was too tight with my pattern measurements, but too loose with my adjustments. I'll work on that.

The boxes have a little insert in them with 3/4" holes for placing the chocolate eggs in them. So cute, but the eggs can come out and move around, as you can see from my pictures after lunch was over. Of course they had been handled a bit by then too. Contact me if you want the pattern.

I received my Bellas... last cards for a friend

Here are the last of a set of cards I made for my college roommate, Andrea. She has a rambunctious dog named Rascal. I can't remember what kind of dog he is, but he is like the dog that was on the show Frasier. Anyway, I wanted to make her a little something for keeping in touch. I hope to make some more cards with my other Bellas soon. Right now I need to work on the teachers' gifts for John's preschool teachers. I have names to stamp on their scrapbook pages for the album I am making. I'll post pictures soon. It'll be cute. Anyway, enjoy these cards for now.
UPDATE: I received a comment from a sweet lady who told me the name of the kind of dog that Andrea has is a Jack Russel Terrier. Thanks so much. I can see the dog, just had a total mental block on the name. Not being a dog person, I don't keep up with all the different breeds of dogs.

Scissorbella quick cards

Yes, this is a similar layout that I used on some other cards, but it is so versatile. It is a standard card with a piece of 4x4 designer paper. Then you take your image and place it either fully on the printed paper slightly slanted or have it hang over the edge like here. Add ribbon, flowers, sentiments, etc. and you have a great card; simple but elegant.

I have tons of scraps of printed papers that I bought either from Stampin' UP! (bright pink and orange paper) or other companies (stripe) and I am trying to use them up. These kind of cards make that easy.

I made these for my hair stylist. I have an appointment tomorrow and my Bellas finally got here. Yea! I am so excited. I have other ideas to share with her for what I can do with this stamp, like magnets and then the Mark the Date little calendars for appointment reminders, and then the little tag for topping hair styling product she sells. I am sure I 'll come up with more, it's just finding time to make them. I have 2 months in between hair cuts, so that should give me a little time. Anyway, my hair stylist is such a sweet Christian woman, and we have the best conversations, which is unheard of for me with a hair stylist. Usually I just sit there quietly, but we have something in common that we can talk about-our faith. So that is cool. I hope she likes these. I hope to come up with some better sentiments for the cards. I am getting a new small alphabet that should help me put on there shear perfection or something like that.

Baby boy announcements

Here is the last project for my cousin, some photo announcements for family members. They were a little time consuming stamping wise and cutting out, but they were fairly easy to put together. This is another project I have done before, but in a different theme. I think they are cute.
It is a trifold wallet that has little envelopes for pictures to be put in. Then the center panel has lines to fill out birth details like name, weight, height, parents, date, etc.

baby boy mini photo album

I made another of these little envelope albums in a miniature size using 3x3 envelopes. It is the same project that I did in my Tapestry card class kits. This was fun and easy. Lots of cutting and gluing, but pretty much easy once you get all that done. Punches make this a snap. I used the So Many Scallops, Nursery Necessities, and wonderful words on this set. I think they are cute. These are for my cousin to give to the grandparents to brag over their new little grandson. Plus one for the mom to keep in her purse.

Baby Boy Thank You cards

My cousin is having a baby boy this Spring and I am sending a little package of goodies to her that I have created. So the next couple of posts will be these stamped items. First up is the thank you cards I made. She is doing the baby's room in light blue and yellow and in an antique car and truck theme. So here is what I came up with to coordinate. I used By Land from Stampin' UP! and a Papertrey sentiment. So easy. Used the new Bashful blue striped ribbon which is soo nice. I used a bit so I guess I am going to have to order some more. Boohoo.

I think they are cute, simple and leave ample room to write a simple thank you on. This is not a fold over card but is just the one layer.

Spiral bouquet monograms for a friend

I made about 14 of these for my college roommate who I hardly ever get to see. She just shipped me back a whole box full of books I lent to her about a year or so ago. We have always shared a love of reading, and I just love the O'Malley series by Dee Henderson (well I love all her books), and thought Andrea would love them as well. I have a couple of books to send back to her, so I thought I would include some cards for her. I'll post the other one when I get it all glued together while I am waiting for 2 hrs. for my sons' MyGym classes to be over. I have been trying to get things stamped and cut out before their classes and I sit there and glue them together while waiting. Much more productive and it makes the time go faster. Who knows, maybe it will spark some new business. Wouldn't that be sweet?

Anyway I am thinking spring and summer and thought that Cameo coral, groovy guava, and gable green screamed this theme, and looked like cut up cantelopes and honeydew melons to me. Mmmm. I am looking forward to eating some of that soon, as they come in season here.
I used Spiral bouquet, and the Trajan and Ambassador monograms from Papertrey ink on these.

The second photo uses Ruff Day, and some patterned paper I found in my stash. It is cute. A retired Stampin' UP! set.

I just ordered my Walkabella, Teachabella and Beachabella (kinibella) tonight, so I'll be making some more cards for her with the walkabella, as she has a dog.

Everyday blessings by Papertrey Ink

Okay, I just love this set from Papertrey Ink. This set is so elegant and timeless (which of course is what I love about PTI sets). I love the elegant crosses, the inspirational verses, etc. Love it.

I made these for a friend who wanted some card (5x7) to give to people with favorite verses and such on them. I got my new sets, so I made a few for her to see what I already have.

I also used Stampin' UP!'s retired set Elegant Inspirations too.