Happy Halloween! Happy Fall! (Cards from my October 11 classes)

This card was one of those we made at my October 11 classes.  Had hoped to get it posted before now for those who wanted to make more for Halloween, but well . . . here it is now!

Click on image for closer look.

This card was created by Pam Strobel.  She gives pretty good instructions for constructing the pumpkin, so rather than giving you directions here, I'm directing you to her blog.  Please visit http://www.stampandstretch.com/2014/09/trendy-white-pumpkin-for-not-too-spooky.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+StampAndStretch+(Stamp+and+Stretch) to see this and other creations by Pam.

Click on image for closer look.

This second card was also inspired by a card I spotted online.  (Lots of great inspirations out there for the days when I just can't come up with original designs . . . .)  The original card design was by Darla Watson.  You can see her original card, as well as details, on her blog at http://scraphappenshere-darla.blogspot.com/2014/09/hello-fall-and-masking-technique.html.  A beautiful card, and this technique holds lots of possibilities!

Click on image for closer look

The final project from my October 11 classes is this little gift box -- one of  several designs I've spotted online using the Stampin' Up! Curvy Keepsake Box featured in the 2014 Holiday Mini Catalog.  If you have a Pinterest account, you should search for Curvy Keepsake Box.  You'll find tons of really cute things made with this die.  I'll be sharing more of them with you over the next few months, but for now I have just one more cute little guy to share with you using this same die.  (I made one for my sister and liked him so well I had to make one for myself too!)

More Christmas Cards! (10/25/2014 Stampin' at the Shack)

We had a great time at the October Stampin' at the Shack event . . . there were 4 demonstrators, with 2 cards each for a total of 8 cards . . . plus a sweet little treat box as a bonus make and take; and a cute little ornament for the registration gift.  Hope you like these fun designs!  (Click on any of the images for a closer look.)

Jayne Fuller Designs:

Cathe Valdez Designs:

Suzanne Mousel Designs:

Cathy Hansen, Designs:

Registration Gift:

Bonus Make and Take:

Christmas Cards Galore (Front Range Stampers swap 10/2014)

This month's theme for my Front Range Stampers (Stampin' Up! Demo Group) swap was Christmas.  What wonderful creations were shared!  Hope these great cards inspire you to create something new and original of your own!  Click on any image for a closer look.

First for the make and takes:  Cathe Valdez and Juli Whitfield brought some great gift card holders for us to make:

Juli's couldn't be easier -- it will hold a check or cash or even a gift card, and fits into a #9  business envelope (8-3/4" x 3-7/8").  If all you have are standard #10 envelopes, those work too!

 Julie's Make and Take (closed)

Juli's Make and Take (open)

Quick instructions:  Score and fold an 8-1/2" x 8-1/2" piece of card stock at 2" and 5-1/2".  Fold away from the score lines to create card with pocket;  adhere Sticky Strip or other strong adhesive at each end on inside of pocket to hold it closed.  To make the belly band that holds the gift card closed, cut a strip of coordinating card stock 8-1/2" long x 1-1/4" wide; fold around gift card and adhere one end over the other, making sure it's not so tight that you can't pull the card out, but not so loose that the card falls out.  Embellish as you like!  (Hint:  If you adhere the ends on the front side of the card, you can hide the seam with your embellishment.)

Cathe's design is so cute . . . as you open the card, the gift card pulls up from a pocket on the inside.  The instructions are a bit too complicated to insert here, so watch for a separate post with that info.

Cathe's Make and Take (closed) 

Cathe's Make and Take (open)

Following are the swap cards.  (Watch for instructions for my card to be posted later.)

Cathy Hansen Swap Card

Joline Sanchez Swap Card

Cathe Valdez Swap Card

Wanda Williams Swap Card

Juli Whitfield Swap Card

Shirley Middaugh Swap Card

Jayne Fuller Swap Card

Sheryl Luttringer Swap Card

Carolyn Mahoney Swap Card

Ann Lohmeyer Swap Card



Julie Blanchet Swap Card

Barb Anderson Swap Card

Linda Anderson Swap Card

Debby Blair Swap Card

EEK! Halloween Card (Front Range Stampers 9/2014 Swap)

Halloween is so much fun!  It's my favorite holiday because it marks the beginning of the holiday season.  So . . . this is the card I made for the September swap which was a Halloween theme.  This uses four new items from the 2014 Holiday Mini Catalog.

Click on image for closer look.

Materials:

Stamp Set:
* Tee-Hee-Hee (Holiday Mini Catalog)

Paper:
* Mossy Meadow card stock (8-1/2" x 5-1/2"; 4-3/4" x 3/4")
* Hello Honey card stock (5-1/2" x 4")
* Blackberry Bliss card stock (scraps in the total amount of about 6" x 2")
* Whisper White card stock (scraps in the total amount of about 6" x 2")

Ink:
* Memento Pad

Accessories and Tools:
* Big Shot Die Cutting Machine
* Curvy Keepsake Box Thinlits Dies (Holiday Mini Catalog)
* 1-1/2" Circle Punch
* Note Tag Punch (Holiday Mini Catalog)
* 1/8" Handheld Circle Punch
* 1/4" Handheld Circle Punch
* Curly Label Punch
* Confetti Stars Punch (Holiday Mini Catalog)
* Basic Black Baker's Twine
* Blackberry Bliss 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon
* Crystal Effects
* Adhesives: 
** SNAIL Adhesive
** Stampin Dimensionals
** Two-Way Glue Pen or Tombow Liquid Glue

Instructions:

1. Score Mossy Meadow 8-1/2" x 5-1/2" card stock at 4-1/4"; fold away from scoreline to create card.

2. Punch 3 Note Tags from Blackberry Bliss card stock; punch a 1/8" hole at one end for twine.  Thread two thicknesses of Baker's Twine through hole and tie in a knot; trim ends to about 1/2".  Adhere the three tags to the Hello Honey card stock, about 3/8" from right side.  (NOTE:  The easiest way I've found to line up three items like this is to first adhere the top and bottom items.  This makes the center one easier to line up evenly between them.)

3. Adhere 4-3/4" x 3/4" Mossy Meadow card stock to Hello Honey card stock, lining it up about halfway between the tags and the left edge of the card stock.  Use 1/4" Handheld Circle Punch to punch through both thicknesses of card stock.  Thread ribbon from front to back through top and bottom hole and adhere at the back of the card stock.  Adhere Hello Honey card stock to front of card.

4. Punch three Curly Labels from Whisper White card stock.  Stamp each one with a different image (here I used the bat, the hat, and the shoes images).  Use the Confetti Stars Punch to create the stars on the bat label.  Adhere labels to Blackberry Bliss tags as shown.

5. Stamp EEK! image on Whisper White card stock.  Use tag shape from Curvy Keepsake Box Thinlits Dies to cut out image.  Punch a 1-1/4" Circle from Blackberry Bliss card stock; adhere tag to front of circle.  Thread two thicknesses of Baker's Twine through hole and tie in a knot; trim edges to about 1/2".  Adhere to front of card over ribbon with Stampin' Dimensionals.  (NOTE:  To make sure the tag stayed in place and didn't fall off the card, I cut one Stampin' Dimension in half and placed one half on each side of the tag, so they would stick to the card stock on each side of the ribbon.)

6.  Final step was to paint a little Crystal Effects on each of the images -- the bat, the hat, and the shoes, and allow them to dry.

That's it!  You're ready for Halloween!!!!

Cathy  ;D

Hello Fall Card (Unite & Excite Swap Card)

Stampin' Up!'s "Unite and Excite" event in September was great fun -- lots of inspiration to be found there!  If I'm able to get my photos large enough where you would actually be able to see good images of the cards on the display boards, I'll share those with you.  Otherwise, I'll try to pick a few here and there that most impressed me.

In the meantime, here are the instructions formy swap card.

Click on image for a closer look.

Materials:

Stamps:
* For All Things (Holiday Mini Catalog)
* Giggle Greetings
* Hardwood

Paper:
* Lost Lagoon card stock (3-1/4" x 2-1/2"; two strips of about 2-1/4" x 1/8")
* Sahara Sand (8-1/2" x 5-1/2")
* Whisper White (3" x 2-1/4"; scrap for fruit bowl)
* Color Me Autumn Designer Series Paper ("DSP") (Holiday Mini Catalog) (scraps)
* Window Sheet (3" x 2-1/4")

Ink:
* Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad
* Mossy Meadow Classic Stampin' Pad
* Sahara Sand Classic Stampin' Pad
* Memento Ink Pad
* Blendabilities Alcohol Markers:
** Cherry Cobbler
** Coastal Cabana
** Pumpkin Pie
** Color Lifter

Accessories and Tools:
* Big Shot Die Cutting Machine
* Fun Fall Framelits (Holiday Mini Catalog)
* Squares Collection Framelits
* Oval Punch
* Adhesives:
** SNAIL Adhesive
** Stampin' Dimensionals
** Two-Way Glue Pen or Tombow Liquid Glue

Instructions:
(Unless otherwise indicated, SNAIL Adhesive used throughout.)

1. Score 8-1/2" x 5-1/2" Sahara Sand card stock at 4-1/4"; fold away from scoreline to create card.

2. Use Sahara Sand ink to stamp Hardwood image on front of card.

3. Use Memento Ink to stamp fruit bowl (from Giggle Greetings) on scrap of Whisper White card stock; color with alcohol markers and then carefully cut out image.

4. Use Mossy Meadow stampin' pad to stamp leaves (from For All Things) on 3" x 2-1/4" Whisper White card stock; adhere fruit bowl over leaves.  Adhere card stock to front of card.

5. Use Sahara Sand ink to stamp Hardwood image on Coastal Cabana card stock (both 3-1/4" x 2-1/2" and strips*).  Use Big Shot and 2" x 2" Square Framelits Die to cut window from center of card stock.  Use Two-Way Glue Pen or Tombow Liquid Glue to adhere strips vertically and horizontally behind window (just a tiny dot of glue at each end of each strip is enough to hold the strips in place).  Adhere Window Sheet to back of Coastal Cabana card stock over strips.  Line up window over fruit bowl/leaves so they show through window.  Adhere with Stampin' Dimensionals.

6. Stamp "hello Fall!" image on scrap of Whisper White card stock; punch out with Oval Punch; scrap edges across Sahara Sand stampin' pad to add shading around edges.  Adhere to window with Two-Way Glue Pen or a couple dots of Tombow Liquid Glue.

7. Use Big Shot and Fun Fall Framelits Die to make leaves from yellow and orange sections of DSP.  Adhere randomly on front of card.

Happy Fall to you!!!!  Hope you enjoy making this card!

Cath  ;D

Masculine Card (Front Range Stampers 8/2014 Swap Card)

Howdy, folks!  A few days ago I posted photos of cards from my recent swaps.  Below are specifics about the Masculine Card Swap I did in August.  Hope you enjoy!



Click on image for closer look.

Materials:

Stamp Sets:
* Lovely as a Tree
* Good Greetings (available as a hostess set through the end of October 2014)
* Hardwood

Paper:
* Crumb Cake card stock (5-1/4" x 4"; 4-3/4" x 1-3/4")
* Mossy Meadow card stock (8-1/2" x 5-1/2"; 5" x 2")
* Very Vanilla card stock (4" x 2-1/2")

Ink:
* Classic Stampin' Pads and Stampin' Write Markers:
** Chocolate Chip
** Crumb Cake
** Old Olive

Accessories and Tools:
* Big Shot Die Cutting Machine
* Woodgrain Embossing Folder
* Stampin' Sponge
* Thick Baker's Twine - Baked Brown Sugar
* Adhesives:
** SNAIL
** Stampin' Dimensionals

Instructions:
(Unless otherwise indicated, SNAIL Adhesive is used throughout)

1. Score 8-1/2" x 5-1/2" Mossy Meadow card stock at 4-1/4"; fold away from score line to create card.

2. Use Woodgrain embossing folder and Big Shot to add texture to 5-1/4" x 4" Crumb Cake card stock; use Stampin' Sponge to apply Crumb Cake ink all around edges of card stock; adhere to front of card.

3. Use Crumb Cake ink to stamp Hardwood image on 4-3/4" x 1-3/4" piece of Crumb Cake card stock; use Stampin' Sponge to apply Crumb Cake ink around edges of card stock; adhere to 5" x 2" Mossy Meadow card stock.  Wrap Baker's Twine around card stock and tie a knot in the front near the left side.  Use Stampin' Dimensionals to adhere card stock front of card about 1/2" from left edge of Crumb Cake textured card stock.

4. Cut an inverted "V" shape out of bottom of Very Vanilla card stock.  Use brush end of Stampin' Write Markers to paint tree image; stamp on Very Vanilla card stock.  Use Chocolate Chip ink to stamp sentiment below tree.  Use Stampin' Sponge to apply Crumb Cake ink around edges of card stock.  Adhere to front of card with Stampin' Dimensionals.

That's it.  A nice, non-frilly card for the men in your life.

Cathy  ;D