Constantly Stamping

CASEd Leadership Display Card

Most of the time I like to be original in the cards that I make, but when I saw this card on display at Leadership, I knew I MUST CASE IT! I love everything about this card...the colors, the layout, its cheerful feel. I literally stood there and studied this card for at least a couple of minutes, if not longer. The designer of this card used paper from the Spring Fever Simply Scrappin' kit (#124006). It is just about the only paper that SU carries that I don't already have. (It just occurred to me now that I have finished the card that this paper is available as a digital download...duh!) Anyway, I was bound and determined to make a card as close to the original as possible without buying another thing. I am so incredibly blessed with paper that there is no way I will ever use it all, so here is what I came up with.

So, what do you think? Can you spot the differences? For starters I used Cheerful Treat DSP (Hostess #122381), the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Everyday Enchantment brads (SAB), and the Delightful Dozen stamp set (#122652). For the center of the flower I used the Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer Punch, 1" Circle Punch and some Brights Patterns DSP. I decided to change out the flower center mainly since the DSP didn't have as much punch as the original DSP. I needed to get some of that beautiful Melon Mambo and Daffodil Delight into the flower somehow and it had to be in a big way.

So what do you need to know about making this card. Well, for starters, you need lots and lots of Stampin' Dimensionals to lift that entire piece of Whisper White card stock away from the base. You also need a lot of pieces around the opening of the flower and some teeny tiny pieces to support the little pointed pieces that go toward the flower center. Another thing that you may not notice unless I point it out is that I used the back side of the flower button because the color is more vibrant on the back. Oh and yes, I changed out the sentiment, since I am hopefully a l-o-n-g way off from being a grandmother. That's about it. I am very pleased with how it turned out and now I have my Mother's Day card already done. Now I just have to make cards for in-laws...but I am off to a great start.

Leadership Make-n-Take Sample #5

Today's project is the final make-n-take display sample that I made for Leadership. I think this was my favorite because I had to really stretch my creativity. Of course, I have already told you that they wanted us to use only the kit contents. So here is how I made this entirely from the kit.

I used a button box lid and cut holes in the top to stabilize the flowers later in the process. I know that sounds a little difficult to understand, but I didn't want my flowers falling around all over the place so it was sort of like I made a flower frog that fit snuggly into the tube. I covered the outside edges of both parts of the button container with sticky strip and wrapped a 3"x8 1/2" piece of white card stock around them with one plactic piece on the top and the other on the bottom.

Here is what the tube looked like before I covered it. It definitely wasn't pretty, but then I covered it with DSP and made it about an inch taller so that you wouldn't see the plastic when it was finished.

The kit also included four wooden skewers, so I cut them into two pieces for the flower stems. I even shredded pink card stock for the vase filler. Of course I stamped the flowers with the Mixed Bunch stamp set (#125537). Each flower has three layers of petals. I gave the flowers fullness by curling the petals with a bone folder and assembling the layers with dimensionals.

Just like yesterday's project, this one was on display somewhere at leadership because I have seen pictures that others took...but I'll be darned if I know where it was. Oh well, thank goodness I took pictures at home.

Make-n-Take Project #4

I am back today with another make-n-take display sample from leadership. Like I mentioned before, we were asked to use the kit contents (and only the kit contents) to make five projects of our choice. I created a small pizza-style-box using Twitterpated DSP. Then I created the flower with the Blossom Builders kit. I used a Poppy Parade ink pad to stamp the sentiment, but there wasn't any matching CS...so I made my own using Whisper White CS and a Poppy Parade ink pad. I also sponged the flower with the same ink to give it a richer color.

I didn't even know this project was on display. Somehow I missed some of the samples. I just happened to see some pictures that somebody else posted on our demonstator website. I was like "Hey! I didn't see that there." I still don't know where it was displayed. If you were at Leadership and know where these were, I would love for you to let me know. OK...well that's all for today. See you tomorrow!

Another Make-n-Take Display Project

Here is another one of the projects I made for the Leadership M&T display. Bear in mind, that our supplies were very limited, and by the time I got around to making this card, I was really starting to get a little desperate for ideas.

Afterall, we only had 30 days to make 24 projects and mail them AND it was smack dab in the middle of the holiday season. So, this is probably not my favorite card that I have ever made, I suppose it was pretty good under the circumstances. I do love that Twitterpated DSP and the stamp sets (Mixed Bunch and Loving Thoguhts) from the Occassions Mini are wonderful! Oh yes, and I think I cheated and substituted a Cherry Cobbler button for a Real Red one (wink) because it works much better with that particular DSP. Also, I used Island Indgo ink for the flower and the sentiment.

Make-n-Take Banner Project

One of the challenges we had as display stampers was the Make-n-Take projects. The M&T's featured products from the Occassions Mini Catalog. The theme for leadership was "My Way". In other words, SU is encouraging us to run our businesses based on our own personal strengths. They sent all the Artisan's the make-n-take supply kit without instructions and asked us to make five projects. We could make anything we wanted as long as it was lightweight enough to hang from the displays, but it had to be from the M&T kit. We were allowed to use stamp pads, a basic crafting tools, and adhesive, but that was pretty much it. (I think some of the gals cheated a little bit, because I saw a couple of projects that used a few additional items...but they were super cute projects...so all is forgiven.) Anyway, we received this wonderful printed quote in the kit. I really wanted to make something special...so I got the idea to make a banner. (Really original,huh!) I love this project so much that I am thinking about re-making it for my home office. The DSP is the new Twitterpated DSP (#125406) and the stamp is from the Loving Thoughts set (#125845).