321 Stamp: Launching Creativity

Hello again: graduation gift card holder

I cannot believe how busy I've been -- so my apologies for the long absence from blogging! I wanted to share a variation of a matchbook project that Stampin' Up shared in our demonstrator magazine in April. Their versions had an added gusset on the fold so it would hold Post-it notes -- I adjusted it with no gusset, just a normal fold, and it holds cash or a gift card. Perfect for all the graduations or weddings this summer.

This is the outside above and there is a lot of retiring items on display -- available through May 31 only. That's Pear Pizzaz card stock and twill ribbon. The border punch used is the Eyelet -- also retiring! The elegant background stamp used with black ink and then embossed over with the polka dot embossing folder is called Elizabeth -- my favorite retiring stamp that is a single stamp.

From this side angle you can tell a couple of details: first, the punched out oval with the words "Happy Graduation" (from Teeny Tiny Wishes -- which is NOT retiring) -- look closely and you can see a light Pear Pizzazz pattern in the background stamped with a frilly stamp from Clearly for You -- before the words were stamped over that and punched out. Layering it on a scallop black oval is perfect.

The inside flap is help in place with staples near each end hidden by the ribbon -- but you can also just use mini glue dots, placing them far enough apart so that your cash or gift card will fit down in the shallow pocket. When I use these with a gift card, I like to put one glue dot on the back of the card to hold it nice and secure. I did add a little punched flower to this version -- an add-on since my May clubs made these.

Here are the measurements for my card version:

Matchbook Card: Start with 5½” by 9¼” card stock

• With card stock HORIZONTAL in Simply Scored, score at 3½” and 7¾”

• Stamp design on front; emboss just front flap with embossing folder

• Punch edge of flap with Eyelet punch; adhere 1” by 5½” black accent strip underneath

• Staple flap in place, making sure front flap will fit inside (Staples will be about in the middle of the flap. Ribbon will cover the staples.)

• One mini glue dot on the back of your gift card ensures it stays in the pocket

Here are measurements for the ones with gussets that can hold sticky notes -- the size is based on the size of the Post-Its:

Sticky Note Holder Version

• 4" x 6" Post-Its (matchbook opens at right edge)

11-1/2" x 6-1/4" card stock; scored at 4-1/4", 4-1/2", 9-1/2"

• 3" x 3" Post Its (matchbook opens at lower edge)

9-1/4" x 3-1/8" card stock; Scored at 3-3/8", 3-3/4", 7-3/4"

• 2" x 1-1/2" Post Its (matchbook opens at lower edge)

6" x 2-1/4" card stock; Scored at 2-1/8", 2-1/2", 5"

I'll be back very soon with a version of these that uses all new items from the catalog that starts June 1, featuring the new In Color Midnight Muse.

Stocking Becomes a Hobby Horse & How to get a FREE Big Shot Machine

Be sure to read on for another great Stocking Punch idea but first I had to share the amazing deal that Stampin' Up is offering in October. A FREE Big Shot Die Cutting machine for everyone who signs up as a demonstrator! Already have one? Then you can choose $100 in free product of your choice instead! Wow!

I've loved being a demonstrator for 14 years and I love supporting the 3-2-1 Stamp team of demonstrators. The benefits of signing up are incredible:

- 20% off of every order (and 30% off your first order over $150 in the first 45 days)

- The chance to get off to a fast start and earn more free stamp sets.

- A Starter Kit worth $345 that costs just $175 and the shipping is free (even for that free added Big Shot machine or $100 in bonus stamping goodies.)

- A low $300 minimum per quarter -- with no requirement to meet that until your first full quarter as a demonstrator. So for people who sign up in October, that means you only have to sell $300 total by end of March 2012.

- You can be your own best customer and it counts toward your minimum. Of course you can also hold workshops and classes and make this a part time or full time business -- it's your choice.

Click here to learn more and you can sign up right from that information page that you'll link to on my website. If you sign up online, you're going to then choose your free Big Shot or $100 in free product after you've signed up through a special link that Stampin' Up will email you. And of course email me if you have any questions.

Now onto the card....

Last post I shared a pretty girl baby card using the great Stitched Stocking stamp set and matching punch (which of course makes great, easy Christmas cards). Today it's time for a boy version. I first saw the stocking turned upside down to become a hobby horse in a version made by the amazing Jackie Topa.

My version rests on a card that measures 3 & 1/4" by 6 & 1/2" when folded -- a nice vertical size that fits inside our Open End Envelopes. The stick for my little hobby horse is a decorative toothpick that I bought at Cracker Barrell restaurants. Colors are Marina Mist, Pear Pizzazz and Early Espresso.

A few details to note: The mane on this little horse is some dotted ribbon that's ruffled along some Sticky Strip on the back side. 1/8" Marina Mist ribbon becomes a bridle. The cute ear is the stamped and punched out heel tidbit turned on end to be an ear! I drew on the dot for the eye with an Espresso marker. The doily was cut with the Perfect Pennants die and a white 1 & 3/4" circle provides some contrast. When I was done -- it still needed a little something and that's when I added the little Early Espresso Baker's Twine bow to the stick.I also love the little greeting from Perfect Pairs (again!) that was stamped in then punched out with the Pennant punch and mounted onto the coordinating scallop punched pennant in Espresso. Then look inside and the inside greeting gets the same treatment for a nice little surprise.

Next up is some creative inspiration from Stampcation (is that not a great name for a stamping retreat?!)

 

Christmas Stocking Baby Card

I've seen the Stitched Stocking stamp set made into so many different things now, and one of my favorite involves a little paper surgery to turn one of the stocking images into a set of baby booties for a cute baby card. I used Pretty in Pink and the matching Stocking Builder Punch makes quick work of punching out the stocking images.

Here's a photo of the "surgery" you need to do on each -- just discard that little center section and then reattach the cuff at bootie length (I like to use a Two-Way Glue pen to reattach the cuff.)

I attached the altered booties over a simple white doily cut using the Perfect Pennant BIGZ die from Stampin' Up. The pink background mat was embossed with the polka dot Textured Impressions folder and the Punking Hearts Corner Punch nips that pretty little upper right corner. The greeting comes from Petite Pairs -- my new favorite Stampin' Up greeting set.

Here's amother version with a slightly different focal point that I did using a white doily cut from our Flirtatious Designer Series Paper. There are two sheets of doilies in the paper pack -- they're orange or pink on one side but white on the other and easy to trim apart for a use like this one.

All of these items are available in my online store. This card was my contribution for a shoebox swap I took part in last weekend at the wonderful Stampcation event. I'll be sharing some wonderful displays from that event in the coming days (plus a cute baby boy stocking card) so be sure to check back.

The Holiday Mini is Here & a Fall Card Set

It's September 1st so that means Stampin' Up's great Holiday Mini Catalog started today and runs through January 3. There are SO many great things in here so check it out at the link in the right column of my blog, complete with a link to a supply list for the project ideas shown in the mini catalog.

I wanted to share a Fall card set idea that would be a great hostess gift to take along if you're invited somewhere for Thanksgiving this year -- plus they'd just be fun to make for yourself. Stampin' Up CEO Shelli Gardner and her daughter Shalae Brown shared this great project at our convention this summer. It is four notecards, with matching envelopes that all feature the new Gently Falling stamp set, the colors More Mustard, Pool Party and Soft Suede -- a beautiful, unusual color combination inspired by the great new Spice Cake Designer Series Paper and matching fabric.

First the four cards:

Shelli and Shalae used the fabric as torn accents on the cards, to tie around the stack of envelopes and to sew an easy little pouch to give the cards in. Naturals Vanilla card stock is the paper that you see stamped on or embossed with our new Snow Burst embossing folder -- and torn and either glued or sewn to the notecard. And notice how a spritz with a Soft Suede marker and our Color Spritzer tool tones down the white base of the notecard. ( I love our notecards because they are smaller in size and come in a package of 20, pre-scored and with envelopes. One package would make 5 sets of these cards!)

Here are the envelopes and the pretty pouch:

Here's the supply list: Gently Falling and Hand-Penned Holidays Stamp Sets; Naturals Ivory Card Stock; Whisper White Note Cards and Envelopes; Early Espresso, More Mustard, Pool Party, and Soft Suede Classic Stampin’ Pads; Soft Suede Stampin’ Writer Marker; Spice Cake Designer Fabric and Buttons; Vintage Trinkets; Stampin’ Dimensionals; Color Spritzer Tool; Big Shot; Snow Burst Textured Impressions Embossing Folder; sewing machine and thread.

I'm not sure what I love most in the new mini -- the fall items or the Christmas ones! I do know that Spice Cake may just be my most favorite designer paper in a long time!

Designer Frames Embossed Card

I love teaching my Big Shot die cutting classes each quarter as they're filled with lots of creative ideas and quick tips to help my customers get more out of their die cutting machine experience. So the recent class has a make and take project that focused on using the Letterpress Plates and the new Designer Frames Textured Impressions Embossing Folder set.

The Crumb Cake card stock on the front was "debossed" with the beautiful new Fancy Fan Letterpress plate. Letterpressing does "de-boss" or press a pattern into your paper just like old time letterpress printing presses did. I like to ink the plate up first with clear Versamark ink for a vintage tone on tone look. The clear ink is so easy for beginning Letterpress as it's very forgiving if you need to move the card stock a little to make sure it's straight on the plate. You can also ink the plate with a colored pigment ink -- and our Craft Pigment Inks are best. But you can imagine that red ink on the plate gives you one shot at getting the paper on straight or it will smear.

The front focal point is a piece of Naturals Ivory card stock that was impressed with the oval frame from the set of two Designer Frames (the other is a rectangle and you can see the patterns below). I then tore around it for a pretty feathery edge. The inside of this oval is a perfect match to the Extra Large Oval punch, item #119859 (once known as our Wide Oval Punch). Thanks to the punch the greeting from Petite Pairs (my new favorite greeting set) could be stamped and then punched and popped up in the frame for a nice touch. A Rich Razzleberry punched flower and bow finish this off. I like my sympathy cards relatively simple so the focus is on the heartfelt message and not the "look at me" card design.

I did put a little special touch inside -- the same frame embossed inside with the second half of the greeting from Petite Pairs and a second small flower. And of course I added some of our stick on pearls.

 
Letterpress Fancy Fan Plate - item #123129 $7.95 US

Designer Frames - set of two Textured Impressions Embossing Folders - item #123130 $8.95 US

Petite Pairs Stamp set - clear mount Item #122497 $20.95 US; Wood Mount item #122495 $28.95 US

 

An Origami Shirt Card

I know that Father's Day was in June but everyone needs masculine card ideas throughout the year for birthdays and such. I made this for Father's Day using the great stamp set called "Best Dad Ever" that is in the Summer Mini Catalog and also in the 2011-2012 Idea Book. It has a stamp containing five tie designs (so the one on this shirt was inked with a marker -- stamped -- and then cut out and is the perfect size for the shirt.) And it has four great "dad" sayings.

I'll share the origami how to as a download later in this post.

I love the simple accents on the right made by punching out Cherry Cobbler and Not Quite Navy card stock with the Postage Stamp punch. The little edge grooves are perfect for holding the wrapped Baker's Twine accent in place.

Click here to download directions for the shirt which was made from the Nautical Expedition Designer Series Paper -- going away August 31 and on sale this month as part of our paper sale. There are so many great masculine patterns in this paper pack so I know I will need one more package for my stash before it retires. 

 

 

Manly yes...but I like it, too!

I'm dating myself but I remember growing up when some advertising campaign for Old Spice or something was the title of this post. Masculine cards can be some of the toughest cards we make as paper crafters and that's why I love The Open Sea stamp set from the Summer Mini Catalog -- only available through August 31. It's so easy to make beautiful cards. I combined that set with a greeting from the fun set Word Play for a card that would be great for graduation, retirement or a birthday. This idea was inspired by my friend Dawn Olchefske a few months back -- then I changed it up with no layers for a flat, very "mailable" card as I like to day. Plus I loved the way this greeting that I used just went with the nautical feel of the card and the compass.

See that Crumb Cake rectangle layer that ties the whole collage together? Easy to do by inking up SU's size D clear block with ink -- and then stamping right on the Vanilla card stock. Then I added the ship in Not Quite Navy; the globe in Cherry Cobbler; and the compass in Early Espresso (be sure your compass is pointing north!) The greeting was inked using markers for the two-tone look. Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine is my idea of a masculine-friendly "bow" -- just make a simple knot and you can get away with it.

Be sure to add this great nautical set to your stamp stash before it's gone at the end of this month!

Waving the Pennants

So have you been seeing pennants everywhere in papercrafting lately? They are the rage. I love Stampin' Up's new set Pennant Parade -- and best of all the coordinating punch that makes two different little pennant shapes. The stamps are so easy to use and the set even includes a little stand so you can turn the pennants into a Christmas tree (isn't a tree just an upside down triangle afterall?)

Here's the pennant set used a more "normal" way for a birthday card. I cased this off an idea online and forgot to record where as I always like to share the inspiration so if anyone recognizes the source please leave a comment and I'll add that in. I did add in our new mini brads on the greeting label -- they are so petite and cute when you need a smaller brad. The paper on the card is from the Just Add Cake set of designer paper.

Happy stamping -- and be sure to check out the Pennant Parade set and punch in the new catalog or my online store.

Delicate Doilies Goes Bright

Lacey doilies are all the rage these days in papercrafting, but who says they have to just be white?! This card uses Stampin' Up's new Delicate Doilies stamp set -- in Pumpkin Pie, Melon Mambo and Chocolate Chip Ink.

The doilies that mat the focal point are so much fun. The Melon Mambo one was cut from a sheet of 16 laser cut doilies in our new Flirtatious Designer Series Specialty Paper -- you get a sheet of the Mambo and sheet of Pumpkin Pie plus 10 other coordinating sheets of printed paper. The Chocolate Chip card stock doily mat was cut using a great new Stampin' Up Big Shot die called Perfect Pennants -- it has two sizes of circles with lacey edges and three sizes of triangles that layer to make cute pennants (also popular right now).

Check out this detail — I used a safety pin from our Vintage Trinkets to attach my little love tag which was punched out with the Jewelry Tag punch. The little bow tied onto the end of the pin with our White Baker's Twine is the perfect little touch. And that new polka dot scallop ribbon is the bomb!! It comes in 10 colors including the Chocolate Chip I used here. It is so flexible and easy to tape down without a lot of bulk. And one side is printed with dots but the other side is blank grosgrain and the dots do not show through so you could use the plain side if you wanted.

Finally -- tomorrow is the end of our $99 starter kit promotion -- such a great way to become a Stampin' Up demonstrator. You can sign up online by clicking here and you get a bonus -- a Christmas project box which Stampin' co-founder Shelli Gardner helped design.

Here's a very short video she made with more information.

  

I'd love to answer any questions you have about the Stampin' Up Opportunity so get in touch. But remember the $99 kit and the Christmas box go away at the end of the day on July 31.

Blossom Bouquet Punch Card

I made this card a couple of months back as a Stamp Club project to showcase the new Triple Layer punches. See those cute flowers? Everything but the center of each flower is made using one punch that has a three-position lever that you can move so it punches three different flowers! The stamp set for the stems and the cute flower stamped center -- and the greeting -- is Bold Blossom from the Summer Mini Catalog -- so it's only available through August 31 and is the perfect match in size and style for these punched flowers. It's only $12.95 in wood mount (item #123232) and just $9.95 in Clear Mount (item #122232) The smaller punched centers in Daffodil and Melon Mambo were made using the Itty Bitty punch pack punches -- love those for that perfect little touch to finish off a project.

Finally, to wrap up my recent tributes to the end of the space shuttle program that I've shared here on my blog, click here to see a wonderful blog post by my friend, CBS Radio Correspondent Peter King, whose post includes a video of my husband Bill sharing his throughts on the final landing during the CBS Early Show Thursday morning. The video is embedded in Peter's post about halfway down. Bill still has lots of space news to cover for CBS, such as the launches to the space station as American astronauts hitch a ride on Russian rockets and tracking the progress of NASA's new commercial space partnerships. Thanks for endulging my mentions of the space program since they inspired my blog's name.