Constantly Stamping

Valentine Heart Tin

I returned home from SU convention last summer with a bunch of tins that I just knew I would use for something great. Then I put them away and forgot about them. Well, I was looking for something the other day and ran across them again...so I pulled one out to see just what I could come up with. 

Decorating the outisde of the tin was easy. I just slapped on some Real Red Card Stock, some Sending Love Speciality DSP (#117153), and some hearts that I created using the new Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslit Die (#117332). To finish it off I added a bow that I created with Chocolate Chip satin ribbon topped off with a Real Red corduroy button.

The tin is very thin so that limited the things that I could put inside. I knew I wanted to use candy, so I set out to find just the right confection to put inside. I tried using Peppermint Patties, and although they did work, I opted for Hershey Miniatures instead. They fit like they were made for each other and I was able to cover each one with DSP. I think I will have to give this one to my sweetheart. You can purchase these great tins in the clearance section of my website for only .99 cents each. But don't wait too long, because once they are gone, they're gone for good.

Spring Occassions Mini Catty Cruise 2010

Ahoy Maties! Welcome Aboard the Catty Cruise! 

If you get lost on your voyage, you can click the Catty Cruise logo and it will take you to the Catty Cruise home page.  If you are cruising, then you should have arrived here from LeeAnn Greff's blog, Flowerbug's Inkspot. Didn't she just blow you away with her incredible ideas for the heart-shaped treat cups! LeeAnn is one of my favorite designers and always has great ideas to share...and apparently, so does her husband.

I am featuring the Sending Love Speciality DSP (#117153), the beautiful 5/8" Satin Ribbon, and the Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslit Die (#117332) from the Spring Occassions Mini Catalog. I am crazy about this new mini catalog and I know you will be too once you see all of the fabulous projects you can make with these fantastic products. Remember, you can click on the photos to make them larger.

Life is a Box of Chocolates

My first project features the beautiful new satin ribbon (available in nine beautiful colors). I covered the front of a box of small chocolates with the Sending Love Speciality DSP. I used my Crop-A-Dile to punch holes along the lip of the box and then threaded Pretty in Pink ribbon all the way around the edge. Then I created sweet ribbon rose embellishments as the focal point. (I'll have a tutorial later this week.) I used the Whimiscal Words stamp set from the Sale-abration Catalog for the sentiment on Very Vanilla CS and punched it out with my large heart punch. I punched the smaller hearts using the Heart to Heart punch (#113694) and then placed the red heart inside of the Heart of Heart Embosslit Die and ran it through the Big Shot to give it some added texture.

TIP: purchase at least two boxes of chocolate...because you know you're gonna have a hard time resisting the temptation of an open box of candy once you have removed the plastic seal. Yummy!

 

Let Them Eat Cupcakes

For my second project I made toppers for these delicious chocolate cupcakes. I shared the them with the ladies Bible study group that I attended on Monday evening and they were a huge hit. I punched several scalloped circles and hearts and decorated each of them differently. I honestly ran out of cupcakes before I ran out of ideas.

 
These were extremely easy and made a huge impact. What classroom of children wouldn't just love to get their hands of this plate of goodies. Just remember to keep the toppers simple because you know they are probably going to be tossed out during clean-up.

To make these toppers, cut bamboo skewers (or toothpicks) down to the size and use a cool melt glue gun to attach them to a back panel. Then use double-thick dimensionals to attach the matching decorated front panel. Super simple!

As you can see, for my third project I used a pinwheel kit that you can purchase online from a well-know import store. Children would love these as favors at their next classroom party.

I hope you have enjoyed your time here at my port. Now it is time to move on to visit Kriss Heuls at Stamp With Kriss. Kriss will knock your socks off with her amazing Easter-themed projects. She is incredible!

Follow Your Heart Pin Cushion

I have been working diligently to prepare for this week's Catty Cruise. I think you are going to like the projects that I will be sharing. When it was all said and done, I found that I had an extra little something, so I decided to share it with you ahead of time.

I found these adorable pink felt pin cushions at a nationwide fabric and craft retail chain and since they were only $1 each, I just had to buy a few. When you think about how much time would be involved in making one of these, one dollar feels like a bargain.

I used punches and the Whimiscal Words stamp set from the Sale-abration catalog to create a fun little tag embellishment. For added interest, I added some small hearts that I made with the Heart to Heart punch (#113694) made from Real Red and Pretty in Pink card stock. I used a hat pin from the Pretties Kit and added two Real Red hearts (one on the front and one to cover the back) and attached them with mini glue dots and dimensionals. After I punched the larger heart, I placed it inside the new Heart Embosslit in the new Spring Mini Catalog and ran it through the Big Shot. I finished it all off with some black & white gingham ribbon and attached the tag to the pin cushion with a straight pin. I think this will make a fun little hostess gift at my next workshop.

Don't forget to check back on Friday (01/29/10) for more fun and fabulous Catty Cruise projects.

Totally Tess Sketch Challenge

I missed out on several sketch challenges over the holidays, so I thought I would go back and try a few. Here is my take on Karen Giron's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #47. I used the new Totally Tess stamp set from the Spring Mini Catalog. The great thing about this set is that you don't have to be a SU demo to enjoy it. I made this card for a close friend of mine using the Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper Pack (also from the Spring mini) and finished it off with Chit Chat rub ons from the 2009/2010 catalog. I love using the paper piecing technique with this set...it reminds me of playing with paper dolls when I was a child. I must confess that I did rely on my Copic Markers (non-SU) for the skintones, hair, and shoes. (I need lessons on coloring hair.) :)

I have been busy working on my projects for the next Catty Cruise. Be sure to mark your calendars and check back next Friday, January 29. We have assembled some of the most creative and talented stampers to bring you for some great projects from the new Spring Mini Catalog. You don't want to miss it.

Really Fun Paper Cutting Video

I found this amazing video on the Paper Crave website. It is incredible and I thought I would share it with you. The New Zeland Book Council has released an absolutely amazing video, produced by Colenso BBDO and animated by London based Andersen M Studios, which uses paper craft animation to promote books and reading. The animation features paper cut imagery using Maurice Gee’s novel Going West, and eight months of intricate paper cutting work went into creating the final two minute video.

New Digital Downloads

Stampin' Up! had new digital downloads available for use with My Digital Studio or other digital software programs. One ofthe most exciting downloads is the new textured cardstock.

#120168 Textured Card Stock Digital Download, Price: $4.95

Your digital crafting supplies aren't complete without the Textured Card Stock digital download for my Digital Studio. With this download, you get 36 exclusive Stampin' Up! colors of textured cardstock that will add depth and dimension to any digital project.

 

#119978 My Sweet Pea Digital Kit Digital Download, 

Price: $9.95

With 48 patterns of Designer Series paper, a five-piece stamp brush set, and eight felt embellishments, the Sweet Pea digital kit for My Digital Studio give you just what you need for a huge variety of digital crafting projects.

 

  #118869 Recipes By Design Digital Kit Digital Download, Price: $9.95

Whether it is Grandma Ruth’s chocolate sheet cake, Cousin Morty’s flaming barbeque sauce, or that halibut recipe you got from the bed and breakfast on your trip to Alaska—when you keep those recipes close, you keep those memories close as well. With the Recipes by Design digital kit for My Digital Studio, preserving those memories is easy. The kit includes a designer template, an eight-piece stamp brush set, and 16 elements for you to choose from—all the ingredients you need to make a recipe book that will last for generations.

Sweet & Simple Valentine

I made this simple and sweet card to coordinate with the Valentine Treat Bag that I featured a few days ago. This card measures 3"x5 1/4"  so it fits in a standard A2 envelope. I used a corner rounder to soften the corners.

You really can't tell in this photo, but the new Sending Love Specialty DSP is really pretty with lots of shimmer and glitter on several of the papers (top half of this card). I finished off the card with some of the beautiful new Pretty in Pink 5/8" satin ribbon found in the Occasions Mini Catalog. I finished off the bow with a crocheted flower (retired) and a Chocolate Chip corduroy brad.

Recycled Container becomes Hostess Gift

If you have recently purchased any of the new Stampin' Up! acrylic blocks, think twice before tossing those incredbile containers that they come in. I knew right away that I had to find a way to reuse these fantastic clear containers. I am not sure they are food safe, so I decided to create this fun and functional hostess gift using the new Real Red and Pretty in Pink corduroy buttons. It is the perfect size. For this project I used the box from the "A" acrylic block. I used the instructional manual as a pattern and traced it onto the DSP and trimmed it out. I also used a corner rounder for the corners so that it would fit properly inside the box.

Follow Your Heart Valentine Treat Bag

I wish I could take credit for this fun idea, but truth is I CASEd it from my good friend, Becky Roberts. Back in November, Becky featured this fantastic idea for Wilton Pretzel Bags and I have been just dying to make some...so what better time than for Valentines Day.

Now that my little one is not so little anymore, I typically don't invest in stamps with a Valentine theme...so instead I used the adorable stamp from Whimsical Words for the main focus of my project. I stamped the heart from Hello Again in the background for just a little extra emphasis. In keeping with the heart theme, I used my heart punch to decorate the remainder of the patties.

You can earn Whimiscal Words for free right now during Sell-a-bration with a purchase of $50 now through March 31, 2010. Contact me today to find out more.

All ingredients are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise indicated: Whimiscal Words & Hello Again stamp sets, scallop oval punch, 1 3/8" & 1 1/4" circle punch, Heart to Heart punch, Chocolate Chip, Real Red, Very Vanilla, & Pretty in Pink Card Stock, Real Red & Pretty in Pink Stamp Pads, Sending Love Designer Series Paper, 3/4" Real Red Polka-dot Grosgrain Ribbon, Pretzel bags by Wilton, Peppermint Patties candy.

New Year...New Look

You may have noticed that my blog has a totally new look. Michelle Laycock at Laycock Designs did a fantastic job of capturing the whimiscal new look that I had in mind. Michelle is incredibly talented and I highly recommend her services...if you don't mind waiting. She is a very busy gal and I can see why.

I can't believe that it has been well over a month since I stamped. I put away all of my supplies for the holidays...and while my family was on Cloud 9 with how clean the house was, I was a little miserable because it was the first Christmas in a long, long time that I didn't craft right up until the very last minute. I must admit that even though I loved a clean house, it just didn't feel like Christmas to me without the crafts. The worst part is that now that I have pulled things back out, there are so many things that I can't seem to find.

I am having a little trouble getting back into the swing of creating. I just haven't rediscovered my mojo. When that happens, I find a card and I just CASE it. Here is a card that I found on Splitcoast that I really liked. I changed up the DSP a little, but it is basically the same card. I used the Hello Again stamp set and Tall Tales DSP.