Snowflake Tag (November Class Project)

This is the final project from my November classes.  Now I think I'm all caught up!  Whew!!!

This tag was inspired by Jane Goldman.  To see the original design, you can view my Pinterest page and take a peek at the Tags board (http://www.pinterest.com/cathy5612/tags/).  You may not immediately recognize it because I've changed it quite a bit.  To see Jane's other designs, visit her blog at http://petitefleurpaperie.blogspot.co.uk/

Click on image for closer view.

Materials:

Stamp Sets:
* Gorgeous Grunge
* Wondrous Wreath Photopolymer Stamp Set (2014 Holiday Catalog; back of tag)

Paper:
* Island Indigo (about 4" x 4")
* Lost Lagoon (about 4" x 4")
* Silver Glimmer Paper (about 2-1/2" x 2-1/2")
* Typeset Specialty Designer Series Paper ("DSP"; 4" x 2")
* Very Vanilla card stock (3-1/2" x 2")

Ink:
* Island Indigo Classic Stampin' Pad
* Soft Sky Classic Stampin' Pad
* Gold Encore Metallic Ink Pad

Accessories and Tools:
* Big Shot Die Cutting Machine
* Star Framelits Dies
* Snowflake Card Thinlits Dies (2014 Holiday Catalog)
* Stampin' Sponge
* Venetian Crochet Trim (about 6")
* 1/8" Silver Ribbon (about 7" or 8")
* Island Indigo 1/4" Cotton Ribbon (about 7" or 8")
* Rhinestone Basic Jewels
* Crystal Effects
* Adhesives: SNAIL Adhesive; Tombow Liquid Glue

Miscellaneous:
* #3 Shipping Tag (4-1/4" x 2-1/8") (can be purchased in office supply stores)

Instructions:
(NOTE:  Unless otherwise indicated, SNAIL Adhesive was used to assemble this tag.)

1. Use Soft Sky ink to stamp big splotchy spatter from Gorgeous Grunge randomly on Shipping Tag; use Gold Metallic Ink to stamp wide spatter from Gorgeous Grunge randomly over Soft Sky spatter.

2. Use Stampin' Sponge to apply Island Indigo around edges of tag, DSP, and 3-1/2" x 2" Very Vanilla card stock.

3. Use SNAIL Adhesive to adhere DSP to front of tag, wrapping edges around to the back and "finger-folding" edges.  (This is a very thin paper, so no need to score the paper before folding it around the tag.)  Use Stampin' Sponge to apply ink to folded edges of DSP.

4. Adhere Crochet Trim to tag at upper and lower edges of DSP, wrapping edges around to back of tag.

5. Stamp "To and From" image from Wondrous Wreath Stamp Set on 3-1/2" x 2" Very Vanilla card stock as shown below, and adhere to back of tag covering edges of DSP and Crochet Trim.

6. Use Big Shot and Card Thinlits Dies to cut one large snowflake from Island Indigo card stock and one from Lost Lagoon card stock.  Cut one small snowflake from Island Indigo card stock and one from Lost Lagoon card stock.  Cut one "joy" from Island Indigo card stock.  Cut one star (smallest size, I think -- it's the one that's about 2" across) from Silver Glimmer Paper.

7. Apply a drop of Tombow Liquid Glue about 1" from left edge and about 3/4" from top of DSP on front of tag.  Place center of large Island Indigo snowflake onto drop of glue; apply another drop of glue in center of Island Indigo snowflake and adhere the Lost Lagoon large snowflake over the Island Indigo large snowflake, turning 1/8th turn.  Apply a small drop of glue at bottom edge of Crochet Trim near bottom about 3 /4" in from right edge of tag.  Adhere Island Indigo small snowflake to glue; apply another drop of glue in center of Island Indigo small snowflake and adhere Lost Lagoon snowflake, turning 1/8th turn.  Place a medium-size rhinestone in center of small snowflake.

8. Use Stampin' Dimensionals to adhere Star to center of large snowflake.  Use small dots of Tombow Liquid Glue to adhere "joy" to center of star.

9.  Cut about 7" or 8" of both the Silver and Island Indigo ribbon; hold two pieces together and thread through hole in top of tag.  Tie in a loose knot so you can easily untie it later to attach it to a package.

10.  Use Crystal Effects to "paint" gloss over the word "joy" in center of star; set aside for about 20 minutes to dry.

Click on image for closer look.

Hope you like this tag as much as I do!

If you have a hard time finding the right size shipping tags, let me know.  I bought 1000s of them online in various sizes and am willing to sell some of them in smaller quantities.

Joy to you!!!

Cath  ;D

Santa Gift Tag (November Class Project)

This little tag was SO MUCH FUN!!!!  And really easy!

The idea came from Candee Porter.  You can see her original design at on my Pinterest page on the Tags board (http://www.pinterest.com/cathy5612/tags/).  To view some of Candee's other designs, visit her blog at http://cardcornerbycandee.blogspot.com/

Click on image for closer look.

Materials:

Stamp Set:
* To and From (2014 Holiday Catalog)

Paper:
* Real Red card stock (4-1/4" x 2")
* Shimmery White card stock (4-1/4" x 2")
* Pink Pirouette card stock (about 1-1/2" square)
* Blushing Bride card stock (tiny amount for nose)
* Basic Black card stock (tiny amount for eyes)
* Whisper White card stock (about 3" x 2" for back of tag; see below)

Ink:
* Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pad
* Blushing Bride Classic Stampin' Pad
* Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad

Accessories and Tools:
* Big Shot Die Cutting Machine
* Fancy Fan Textured Impressions Embossing Folder
* Chalk Talk Thinlits Dies
* Scallop Tag Topper Punch
* Bird Builder Punch
* 1-3/8" Circle Punch
* Corner Rounder Punch
* Cupcake Builder Punch
* 1/4" Handheld Circle Punch
* Stampin' Sponge
* Sponge Dauber
* Frost Sequins (2014 Holiday Catalog)
* Silver 1/8" Ribbon (about 8")
* Real Red 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon (about 8")
* Uni-ball Signo Gel Pen (White)
* Adhesives: Tombow Liquid Glue; Stampin' Dimensionals; Crystal Effects


Instructions:
(NOTE:  Except as indicated, Tombow Liquid Glue was used to assemble this tag.)

1. Trim one short end of 4-1/4" x 2" Real Red card stock with Scallop Tag Topper Punch; trim opposite two corners of Real Red card stock with Corner Rounder Punch.

2. Use Fancy Fan Embossing Folder to emboss Shimmery White card stock.  Cut a 3/8" strip from one short end, then cut a 3" length.  Use Corner Rounder punch to trim bottom two corners of 3" piece.  From remaining piece punch two wings from the Bird Builder Punch.

3. Use Real Red ink to stamp To and From image on 3" x 2" Whisper White card stock.  Use Big Shot Die Cutting Machine and Chalk Talk Thinlits Die to cut out image for back of tag.

4. Use 1-3/8" Circle Punch to cut circle from Pink Pirouette card stock.

5. Use Stampin' Sponge to apply Crumb Cake ink around edges of all pieces.

6. Adhere "To and From" shape to back of card.  (See photo below.)

7. On front of card, adhere 3" Shimmery White card stock to bottom of Real Red card stock.

8. Use Sponge Dauber and Blushing Bride ink to dab pink cheeks on 1-3/8" Circle.  Adhere to Shimmery White card stock near top -- just below Real Red.

9. Adhere Bird wings near lower edge of circle for Santa's mustache.

10.  Adhere 3/8" x 2" strip of card stock over top of Santa's face with Stampin' Dimensionals.

11. Punch one Blushing Bride nose with 1/4" Circle Punch.  Adhere above mustache.

12.  Punch two Basic Black eyes with Cupcake Builder Punch.  Adhere as shown.

13.  Use Crystal Effects to adhere snowflake and sequin to Santa's hat.

14.  Cut about 7" or 8" of both the Silver and Red Ribbon.  Hold two pieces of ribbon together and thread through hole in top of tag.  Tie in a loose knot (this way the knot is easy to untie later when you want to tie the tag to a gift).

15.  As a finishing touch, use the Gel Pen to add little dots of white to each of Santa's eyes and his nose.  Then dab Crystal Effects on the eyes and nose to make them shiny and set tag aside for about 20 minutes to dry.

Click on image for closer view.

Now you're ready to send a gift from Santa to your favorite tot!

Cath  ;D

A Merry Little Wish ... (November Class Card)

This next card was inspired by a card posted online by Margaret Raburn.  You see Margaret's original design at http://funstampin.blogspot.com/2014/10/three-trees-ccmc-326.html.

Click on image for closer look.

Materials:

Stamp Set:
* Festival of Trees Photopolymer Stamp Set (2014 Holiday Catalog)*

Paper:
* Mossy Meadow card stock (8-1/2" x 5-1/2"; about 3" x 2-1/2" for tree; about 2-1/2" x 3/4" for banner)
* Lost Lagoon card stock (5-1/4" x 4"; about 4" x 2" for trees)
* Whisper White card stock (about 2-1/2" x 3/4" for banner)
* Brushed Silver card stock (4" x 1-1/2")
* All is Calm Specialty Designer Series Paper (4" x 3"; 2014 Holiday Catalog)

Ink:
* Mossy Meadow Classic Stampin' Pad
* Silver Metallic Encore Ink Pad

Accessories and Tools:
* Big Shot Die Cutting Machine
* Filigree Frame Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (2014 Holiday Catalog)
* Tree Punch (2014 Holiday Catalog)*
* Snowflake Card Thinlits Dies (2014 Holiday Catalog)
* Deco Labels Thinlits Dies
* Frosted Sequins (2014 Holiday Catalog)
* Crystal Effects
* Stampin' Dimensionals
* SNAIL Adhesive or Tombow Liquid Glue

Instructions:
(NOTE: Unless otherwise indicated, SNAIL Adhesive was used to assemble card.)

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.  Adhere 4" x 3" Designer Series Paper ("DSP") to center of card front.  Use scissors to cut a curved edge on one long edge of 4" x 1-1/2" Brushed Silver card stock.  Adhere over bottom edge of  DSP.

2. Place second from largest Deco Labels die in center of 5-1/4" x 4" Lost Lagoon card stock, and run through Big Shot to cut out center portion.  Place this piece of card stock in Filigree Frame Embossing Folder, centering cut out section in design, and run back through Big Shot.  Use Stampin' Dimensionals to adhere to front of card over DSP.

3. Use Silver ink to stamp two different tree images on Lost Lagoon card stock.  Cut out design with tree die from Snowflake Card Thinlits Die set.  (Note:  This tree does not match the tree design; it's slightly smaller, so center it on stamped design wherever you like it best.)  Adhere trees to front of card inside of frame as shown.

4. Use Silver ink to stamp two more tree images on Mossy Meadow card stock; use Tree Punch to cut out these trees (this image is designed to fit the Tree Punch).  Set one tree aside for inside of card (see below); adhere second tree to center of card with Stampin' Dimensionals.

5. Use tiny dots of Crystal Effects to adhere snowflakes and sequins as shown.

6. Use Mossy Meadow ink to stamp "A Merry Little Wish . . . " on Whisper White card stock; cut out with banner die from Snowflake Card Thinlits Die set.  Cut a second banner from Mossy Meadow card stock.  Adhere Whisper White banner up and to the left of the Mossy Meadow banner.  Adhere to front of card as shown with Stamipn' Dimensionals.

7.  Use Crystal Effects to trace and/or daub dots over Silver stamped images on all three trees.  Set aside for about 20 minutes to dry.

Don't forget the inside of your card!!!

8. Use Mossy Meadow to stamp rest of message ("For Lots of Joy at Christmas") on a 5-1/4" x 4" piece of Whisper White card stock.  Adhere to inside of card.  Adhere tree as shown to inside.

Click on image for closer look.

Wishing you lots of joy at Christmas!!!

Cathy  ;D

Joy Card (October Stampin' at the Shack)

This card was a snap to make with the Wondrous Wreath Stamp Set and coordinating Wonderful Wreath Framelits Dies.

Click on photo for closer look

Materials:

Stamp Set:
* Wondrous Wreath Photopolymer Stamp Set (2014 Holiday Catalog)
* Dictionary Background Stamp

Paper:
* Crumb Cake card stock (8-1/2" x 5-1/2")
* Cherry Cobbler card stock (5-1/4" x 4"; about 2" square for bow)
* Very Vanilla card stock (5-1/8" x 3-7/8"; about 3-1/2" square for wreath)
* Gold Foil card stock (about 3-1/2" square for "Joy")

Ink:
* Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin' Pad
* Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pad
* Garden Green Classic Stampin' Pad
* Wild Wasabi Classic Stampin' Pad

Accessories and Tools:
* Big Shot Die Cutting Machine
* Wonderful Wreath Thinlits Dies (2014 Holiday Catalog)
* Gold Basic Metal Buttons (2014 Holiday Catalog)
* Gold Metallic Baker's Twine
* Tea Lace Paper Doilies
* Stampin' Sponge
* Crystal Effects
* Adhesives: SNAIL Adhesive; Glue Dots; Tombow Liquid Glue

Instructions:
(NOTE:  Unless otherwise indicated, SNAIL Adhesive was used to assemble this card.)

1. Score Crumb Cake card stock at 4-1/4"; fold away from score line to create card.

2. Use Crumb Cake ink card stock to stamp Dictionary image on 5-1/4" x 4" Very Vanilla card stock.

3. Use Wild Wasabi ink to stamp full wreath image on 3-1/2" square Very Vanilla card stock; line up and stamp partial wreath image over Wild Wasabi wreath with Garden Green ink; line up and stamp berries over Garden Green ink.  Use wreath die to cut out the outer edge of the wreath. 

4. Use bow die to cut a bow from Cherry Cobbler card stock.

5. Use Stampin' Sponge to sponge Crumb Cake ink around edges of all pieces of card stock, including the edges of the card itself, the wreath, the bow, and the tea doily.

6. Adhere Cherry Cobbler card stock to front of card; adhere Very Vanilla card stock (dictionary stamp) over Cherry Cobbler card stock.

7. Apply adhesive to back of  wreath and adhere to center of doily.  Use appropriate die to cut out center of wreath through both thicknesses.  Use Stampin' Sponge to adhere Crumb Cake ink to center edges of wreath.  Adhere wreath to card as shown.

8. Use Glue Dots to adhere bow to top of wreath.  Thread Baker's Twine through button and tie in a knot on the front.  Adhere to bow with a drop of Crystal Effects.

9. Use Joy die to cut word from Gold Foil card stock.  Adhere to front of card near bottom of wreath with Tombow Liquid Glue.

10.  Dab small dots of Crystal Effects on each of the berries to make them shiny and set the card aside to dry for about 20 minutes.

Now you're ready to wish your friends a joyful Christmas!

Cath  ;D

Front Range Stampers Swap Cards (November 2014 Meeting)

Howdy, folks!  I haven't had time to post photos of the cards from the November Front Range Stampers meeting, but I noticed that my friend Chris Pereira has posted them.  So this month I'm referring you to her blog to view the photos.

Lots of good cards here.  Hope you enjoy!!!

http://mudmaven.blogspot.com/2014/11/front-range-stampers-swaps-and-make.html

Cathy  ;D

Holiday Extravaganza at Stampin' Up! -- One Week Only!!!

Hi, folks!  Stampin' Up! is offering its annual Holiday Online Extravaganza right now!  Prices are slashed on several items (between 20% an 50% off) now through Monday, December 1.  Don't miss the Doorbuster Specials on December 1.

For a complete list of what's available at these ridiculously low prices, please visit my Stampin' Up! website at http://cathyhansen.stampinup.net.  Click on the link at the bottom of that page for details.

Creative Blog Hop

My post this morning is a little different than usual.  My hugely talented friend Chris Pereira has totally blown me away by asking me to follow her on a Creative Blog Hop!  How fun is that?!

I've known Chris for awhile, both through various stamp camps and through my Front Range Stampers demo group.  She is always bright and happy (especially now that she's retired -- I'm SO JEALOUS) and full of wonderfully creative ideas!!!

Chris always keeps herself busy with Stampin' Up! activities, as well as other handcrafts and charitable projects.  Read more about what Chris is up to on her Creative Blog Hop post from last Monday:  http://mudmaven.blogspot.com/2014/11/creative-blog-hop.html

So . . . for the Creative Blog Hop, I've been asked to answer three questions:

1. What am I working on now?

What am I NOT working on?!  I've got craft sales scheduled for the first week and the first weekend in December, so I'm kicking it into high gear and working on so many things . . . of course, the ever-popular Curvy Keepsake Boxes -- lots of different designs out there and I'm making a bunch of them!!!  Lots of little candy stocking stuffers (the Peppermint Patties and Ghirardelli chocolates are always popular items).  Also, although not necessarily made with Stampin' Up! products (other than the star), I'm totally hooked on making these cute little totally low-ticket item Chocolate Kiss Angels.

I took this photo before it was completely finished . . . she also gets a little silver bow.

Thanksgiving week I'll be on vacation (yes, I have a full-time job), so will be finishing and packaging up lots and lots and lots of wonderful, fun, little Christmasy treasures.  People often tell me they love visiting my table at craft sales because I have so many cute little affordable items.

I'm a charter member of the Front Range Stampers demo group in the North Suburban Denver area.  This group was organized by my friend Jayne Fuller 7 years ago, and I'm hooked on the monthly swaps and make and takes.  Plus I've made so many friends over the years -- so many talented and creative people in this group who are always willing to share their ideas!

Up until this past year I had been offering several monthly classes in my craft room.  Unfortunately, family illnesses forced me to back off a little bit during 2014, but now that everyone is healthy again I'm looking forward to moving back into a regular class schedule in 2015.

During the past year, my friend Jayne Fuller and I have started doing a small stamp camp at the Scrapbook Shack in Louisville, CO.  Unfortunately, we are limited to doing this only 4 times a year -- once each quarter, so we recently started looking for another location where we can do a monthly camp.  I'm happy to say that we've now found a location in the Northeast part of metro Denver -- an area that has previously been kind of overlooked.  So I guess this is the big announcement that Jayne and I and 3 other demonstrators plan to start the Rose Hill Stamp Camp in Commerce City, CO, in January 2015.  We hope to make it as professional and appealing as the stamp camps in the other parts of town.  (P.S.  We also plan to continue the stamp camps in Louisville, so Rose Hill will fill in the gaps for the other 8 months of the year.)

Ok . . . non-Stampin' Up! stuff.  As I mentioned above, I work full-time.  I was a legal secretary and judicial secretary for about 32 years before I came to CenturyLink (then USWest) in January 2000.  I am currently employed as an administrative assistant.  Working with paper isn't nearly as fun as PLAYING with paper, but I do like to eat . . . and it's kind of nice to have a roof over my head to protect all my craft supplies . . . .

I have a beautiful 3-1/2 year old grandson who is the light of my life.  Ok, my husband of almost 36 years isn't too shabby either -- a wonderful, gentle, sweet man . . . except when he's driving me nuts!  I enjoy fly-fishing when time allows.  I love to try new recipes, so on Sundays we often dine on my   "experiments."  Sometimes the leftovers go into the freezer; sometimes they end up in the Monday morning trash pickup.  I dabble in all handcrafts -- sewing, needlework, polymer clay, and jewelry-making to name just a few.  Crochet is my first love and I try to crochet at least a little bit every day.  Since paper crafting has entered my life and more or less taken it over, I no longer have as much time as I would like for all these other fun things.

I'm counting the days (just under 950 as of today) until retirement.  I have lots of plans for spending the rest of my life doing all these wonderful things that I love so much!!!

2. How does my work differ from others in my genre?

As Chris mentioned in her entry, my work may not currently be that different from other demos; however, because I didn't have much contact with my upline during the first few years of my demonstratorship and really had no contact with other demonstrators, I didn't make the same designs as everyone else  and instead designed most of my own class projects.  (I'm proud to say I was "published" . . . one of my creations found its way to the Stampin' Up! site back in the days when they featured only 5 or 6 designs each day -- before Stampin' Connection came into being.)  I have to admit that this has changed somewhat over the years since I joined Front Range Stampers.  I'm not above CASEing other people's designs -- especially when I'm in kind of a time crunch to get class or stamp camp kits made.

3. How do I create what I do?

I am inspired by everything . . . catalogs, photos, things I see here and there that have nothing to do with paper crafts or card making.  I like the challenge of expressing these ideas with paper.  I also like trying new and non-traditional color combinations, as well as all kind of new techniques -- just because I can!!!

Ok . . . I've rambled on long enough!  Now it's time to introduce you to my inductee into this wonderful creative hall of fame:

Wanda Williams is a very talented artist and Stampin' Up! demonstrator who I've known for a number of years.  I first met Wanda when she was working in a law firm in my building.  I was totally inspired by her creativity when I saw her display in a craft sale sponsored by her company.  And she was so friendly and outgoing and willing to share her ideas and techniques!!!!

Wanda later moved to South Carolina for a number of years, moving back to Denver only a few months ago.  Through it all, she's been able to maintain her Stampin' Up! business (sometimes by borrowing stamps and supplies from friends since hers are still packed away in a pod . . .).   I'm honored to call Wanda my friend and Stampin' Up! colleague.

Please plan to visit Wanda's blog next Monday, November 24, 2014, to find out what she's been up to:  http://stampingwithwanda.blogspot.com.

Thanks for visiting my blog and "listening" to me ramble on . . . .

Cathy  ;D