Money Holder...Western Style!

I hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving holiday! So now you're in the swing of things for Christmas? Right? :-)

Tonight's card is made with one of my very favorite stamps, the JudiKins Pants Background stamp. I stamped on white cardstock using Adirondack Denim Ink . I stamped a second time to get only the pocket portion of the stamp, then cut it out to adhere to the Jeans Pants.

You will notice that the first image has Happy Holidays stamped on the pocked. I used Hero Arts Holiday Messages clear stamp set. Happy and Holidays were together as one sentiment, so I just snipped them apart so I could stack them, on on top of the other.


The second image shows the card without the holiday sentiment. I couldn't decide which I liked better, so I decided to show you both. Don't you love that *no decision* thing? LOL!

This is a GREAT stamp for money or gift cards. I use it every Christmas, and for a lot of birthdays and other occasions too. It can easily be a masculine card...just depends on how to embellish it. The embellishment I used here on the belt and pocket was some trim I found at WalMart. So you can definitely let your imagination lead you!

Thanks for stopping by! I have several things ready for you later in the week, so please do stop by again soon. And enjoy your Monday? Until then....

Berry Branch

This is a card I made yesterday while I was enjoying my quiet Thanksgiving afternoon.

The stamp is Penny Black's Berry Branch rubber stamp. I colored on the rubber using Tombow (water based) markers, then stamped on Neenah Natural White cardstock. The thing I LOVE about this cardstock, besides it's superior quality, is the color of the natural cardstock. It's that it's not quite white...but not really cream. I guess it's somewhere in between, which is why they call it natural white?

Sorry for the quality of the photos. It's the best I could do since it's been dreary and rainy here ALL DAY. There hasn't been any natural sunlight...and I don't have a photo tent. Maybe that should go in my list for Santa? Ya think?

The sentiment is Northwoods Script Merry Christmas . I think it's such a beautiful font, and just the perfect size! It was stamped with VersaMark Ink then embossed with JudiKins Malachite embossing powder.

The cardstock is Blush Red Prismatics dark.

I hope you're all having a fabulous holiday weekend. Remember that there is a sale on all holiday stamps at Stamper's Dream through Sunday, November 30. All you have to do to receive 15% off all holiday stamps is to enter the coupon code HOLIDAYS on the checkout page.

Well...if you were like me, and a tad nuts, you ventured out to shop a little today. I'm off to try and recover from all the road rage, crowds, long lines, and absolute craziness! Geez...what WAS I thinking?

Thanks so very much for stopping by. I will be back soon with something new. Until then....

Freshly Picked

This card is a welcome break from all the holiday cards I've been making. Geez, I think I've been working on Christmas cards since June...and I'm not done YET! LOL!

Actually this is a sympathy card that I made for a very dear friend of mine a couple of weeks ago when she lost her mother. I know she reads my blog, so I didn't want to post it here until she had time to receive the card in the mail.

The stamp I used is from the Impression Obsession Charming Gardeners cling mount set. I love every single image in this set!


I stamped on watercolor paper using Onyx Black Versafine ink, then embossed with JudiKins Detail Clear embossing powder. The stamped image was colored using Tombow (water based) markers.

The two strips behind the main image were punched with a Martha Stewart punch. I used my Scor Pal to score a few lines on the panel, then tied olive satin ribbon around the panel.

The paper is from Hobby Lobby and the cardstock is Herbal Garden Prismatics .

I added two Robin's Nest Dew Drops to the left side for balance and interest.

The sentiment on the inside is a Northwoods stamp called Though Words . I love the font they used, and the words are beautiful.

So....it's time to announce the winner of this month's Stamper's Dream Dreamy Challenge! And it's Darlene Pavlick aka akronstamperdpk on SCS! Congratulations, Darlene! Please send me your snail mail address and I will get your prize right out to you!

Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day with your families, and take the time to give thanks for your many blessings!

All Creatures Manger

I found a neglected Christmas stamp, so I decided to play with it Sunday afternoon. It's All Creatures by Penny Black. Isn't it a sweet image? You know it's on sale at Stamper's Dream . Don't forget...ALL holiday images are 15% off if you use the coupon code HOLIDAYS on the checkout page!

I stamped on watercolor paper using Onyx Black Versafine ink, then embossed with JudiKins Detail Clear embossing powder. The stamped image was colored with Tombow (water based) markers.


I used designer paper from the Basic Grey Wassail paper pad. The buckle the ribbon is tied through is a Hardware Buckles die from Spellbinders. My friend Cammie uses those a lot, and I think they are so cute!

The cardstock is Blush Red Prismatics dark, and Sage Prismatics dark. It matches the Wassill paper perfectly!

The ribbon is from my stash, and the Gold Metallic String is by May Arts.

I was pretty exhausted and delirious last night when I wrote my post. I erroneously said that the winner of the Stamper's Dream Dreamy Challenge would be announced tonight. I guess I had my days mixed up...because that's tomorrow night. Sorry...I needed a nap! LOL!

Thanks so much for stopping by. I will be back tomorrow night with a card and the SDDC2 winner!

New Stamps...and ANOTHER BIG SALE!

Today I received the stamps from the Sarah Kay Collection I group. I ordered EVERY STAMP from the Sarah Kay Collection II, and they have already shipped. I DO HOPE they will be here by the end of the week. Don't you just LOVE those stamps? I can't wait to ink one of them up!

I am still running the 15% off sale on all Holiday Stamps with the coupon code HOLIDAYS at checkout! In addition to that, I have a 50% off sale on selected JustRite products in the store. Be sure to check it out!



That sale runs through November 30, or while supply lasts! The sale includes the Christmas Ensemble , the Baking Ensemble , three Deluxe Monogram Kits, and the JustRite Monogram Stamper Kit ! What a deal! Much, much too good to pass up!






Whew! What a day! I'm off to take my evening nap! :-)


Thanks for stopping by. I will have a new card for you tomorrow night, as well as the winner of the Stamper's Dream Dreamy Challenge winner!

Marshmallow Mug...and a SALE!

I adore this Impression Obsession image! It's called Marshmallow Mug .

I stamped it on watercolor paper using Onyx Black Versafine ink, then embossed with JudiKins Detail Clear embossing powder.

The image was colored using Tombow (water based) markers. I embellished the marshmallows and balls with White Liquid Applique . For a little sparkle I added Frosted Lace Stickles to the tops of each of the balls.


I cut and embossed the stamped panel and the Blush Red Prismatics dark panel behind it with my Spellbinders dies. Sorry...those have already sold out!

The designer paper is from the Fancy Pants Happy Holidays paper pad. The brown panel is Suede Brown Prismatics dark, and the golden colored note card is Sunflower Prismatics dark.

Now....I need to tell you about a SALE going on at Stamper's Dream ! From now through November 30, all holiday stamps are on sale for 15% off! All you have to do to receive the discount is put in the coupon code HOLIDAYS on the checkout page! So be sure to go there NOW while the selection is still good!

We are still waiting for news from Laurie regarding Ali's condition. In the meantime, please continue praying for them.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Indulge me...okay?

I mentioned in my blog post last night that I was going out of town today for Grandparents Day at the grands school. What a wonderful day it was!

I really try not to put too many personal things on my blog...but sometimes "Mimis" just have to share when we are so proud that we can barely stand it!

The first picture is from the play at their school today. The star in that photo with the sunglasses and leather jacket is Dylan...my 8 year old grandson. He was "The Fonz"! Can you tell by his stance and the way the girls are swooning? LOL! See...I'm not the ONLY ONE who thinks he's cute! :-)


I really did have a WONDERFUL TIME, and I'm so glad I could go. And yes, it was SO WORTH getting up at 4:30 this morning to get there in time! I even got new school pictures today, and they were so darned cute that I'm sharing those too! This adorable little boy is my 8 year old grandson Dylan...aka The Fonz! He has three younger siblings...two brothers, and the youngest is his 3 year old sister. I have to tell you that he is the VERY BEST BIG BROTHER. And I am so proud of him in every way. He sets a wonderful example for the others, and he is so loving and caring. Okay...I'm bragging...I know! :-)

This is Christian. He is a younger brother to Dylan. He is 6, and about the sweetest child ever. He is very well mannered, incredibly considerate and thoughtful, and such a cutie! He is also a great brother to the others...in every way imaginable.

I am so blessed that my son and his wife are such good and loving parents. They are teaching these children to love God, respect their fellow man, and how to be good citizens. What more can a grandparent want? Yes, I truly AM blessed!

Okay...you have indulged me enough, and I thank you for that. In my next post I will go back to cards. :-)

As most of you know, Ali was airlifted to Seattle Children's Hospital last night. You can follow her progress through SCS On This Thread . We appreciate your prayers for Laurie and Ali as they struggle through this difficult time.

Have a fabulous weekend...I will be back soon with something new.

Card with a View

THIS is the card I originally made for the Stamper's Dream Dreamy Challenge. As you can see...I missed the tiny detail in the instructions that said it needed to be a fall card. Drats! But I like this card, so now I can post it! LOL!

The main image is Stampendous Fluffles Gift . I stamped it on watercolor paper using Onyx Black Versafine ink, then embossed with JudiKins Detail Clear embossing powder. The stamped image was colored with Tombow (water based) markers, then cut and embossed using my circle Nestabilities.


I cut a circle window in the card front, then made a red frame for it by putting a circle Nestability inside a scalloped Nestability then cutting. Just be sure the two dies don't touch each other when you do that.

The main image is on the inside of the card, and the red scalloped frame is on the outside.

The sentiment is Thank You Gift also by Stampendous. I stsamped only the *Thank You* on teal cardstock, then cut and embossed it with my Ribbon Tags Trio Nestabilities. The ribbon is May Arts Turquoise Sheer .


The rest of the sentiment was stamped on a panel and inserted on the inside of the card.

I think everything else is explanatory...but if not please don't hesitate to email me.

Don't forget to enter the Stamper's Dream Dreamy Challenge by entering your card and linking to my previous post. There is even a little prize for the random winner! Be sure to link in the Splitcoast Gallery by using the code SDDC2!

I'm off EARLY tomorrow morning to see the grands. It's Grandparents Day at their school and there will be a play, meetings with their teachers, and lunch together in the lunch room. Can't wait! I hope to get some good pics...so brace yourselves for what's to come! LOL!

Until then......

Fall With A View...SDDC2

It's time for this month's Stamper's Dream Dreamy Challenge!

This month the challenge is to make a fall card with a window. It can be a literal window, or a window punched out of your card. You decide...be as creative as you like!

Now I MUST tell you that I made my *first* SDDC2 card over a week ago. And at the last minute I realized the challenge required a FALL card! So this is what I put together at the last minute. Of course, Laurie said since I MADE the first one in the FALL it should count! LOL! But I didn't want to break the rules, ya know! They would NEVER let me hear the end of that one!


The tree image is Hero Arts Stamping Green tree. I stamped it on watercolor paper using VersaFine Sepia ink, then embossed with JudiKins Detail Clear embossing powder.

The squirrel is from a clear set called Trees, Birds & Messages (out of stock). Both were colored with Tombow markers and cut out. I hand cut the grass with my scissors. Actually, it goes pretty quickly and doesn't take as long as you might think.

The designer paper on the front panel is from the Memory Box Twiggy paper collection. I used the scraps from the front panel to cut my grass, then sponged the edges with Peeled Paint Distress ink.

To make SURE I covered my tail on the FALL card part, I used my JustRite Brayton Font with their Rectangular Stamper Set to make the "Happy Fall Ya'll" sentment for the inside. It's something us Southerners say! LOL! NOW let them tease me about my card not being FALL! :-)

I cut the window for the sentiment using my brand new Label One Nestabilities . The frame for the sentiment was cut using two of the dies to cut at the same time...one inside the other. Make sure the two dies don't touch when you cut using that method.

We would LOVE for you to play along with this month's challenge! All you have to do is make a FALL card with a view! Link your card to this post in the comments section. If you post to Splitcoast, please used the code SDDC2 so we can find them all together in the gallery.

I will use the random thingy to select the winner and post their name in my regular post on Wednesday, November 26. And this is the Dreamy Treat the winner will receive!

Be sure to check out what the rest of the Dream Team dreamed up for this challenge!

Charmaine
Cindy
Denise
Kimberly
Tosha

I look forward to seeing your fabulous creations! And don't forget to link here!

JustRite Gift Ideas

I don't know about all of you, but I am making a concerted effort to give a few more handmade Christmas gifts this year! It's just so much more personal, don't you think?

This monogrammed memo pad project was one I was supposed to post last week, but forgot! My bad!

It's such a quick and easy gift...and the perfect little stocking stuffer!

I found this little memo pad at my local Michael's in the clearance section for 50 cents! What a deal! All I did was cut a piece of Basic Grey Ambrosia designer paper to fit the front cover, and adhered it with Mono Multi Liquid Glue . I chose that paper because it matched the color of the naked memo pad. Therefore, there was no need to cover the little vine swirls on the side where the pen holder is located.

The monogram on the front cover was stamped with my JustRite Damask Borders Deluxe Kit using StazOn Pumpkin ink. I added a couple of Kaiser Craft Black Pearls to embellish and dress it up a bit. The monogram and layers were cut with my circle Nestabilities.

Now, how quick and easy was that???





This little post it note holder is one of my favorite quick and easy projects. And it's really an inexpensive gift for those you want to give a little something personal without spending a lot of money.

The cardstock cover measures 3.5" x 7.5". Score at 3.5" and again at 4". I adhered the back of the post it note pad to the cover using Mono Multi Liquid Glue . While it's drying you can make the front panel.

I used a sentiment and border from the JustRite Harmony Classic Oval I Ensemble . It was stamped on Pink Prismatics medium.

The designer paper is from the Basic Grey Eva paper pad. I cut and embossed it using my Labels Two Nestabilities .


The green layer of cardstock is Kiwi Prismatics medium, and the red cardstock is Blush Red Prismatics dark. The ribbon is May Arts Parrot Green Grosgrain .

I do so appreciate your stopping by to visit my blog. I have other things ready to show you later this week, so please do stop by again.

Until then...

RAK from Amy Sheffer...and Blog Award

I just had to share this RAK from my friend Amy Sheffer of Pickled Paper Designs . NOT that I have to tell any of you who she is, mind you. She is SUCH a stamping phenomenon! She is a member of the SCS Dirty Dozen, and awesome at everything she undertakes. I am truly in awe of her fabulous designs. And I am THRILLED to tell you that she is just as sweet as she is talented. Now that's a lot of sweetness, folks! :-)

Amy and I became friends a while back when I admired her work so much that I asked her to be a guest designer for Stamper's Dream in April of this year. She wowed me with her awesome talent before that...and has continued to do so on a regular basis since.

If you haven't yet subscribed to her blog, I encourage you to do so NOW! You will NOT be disappointed...evah! Amy is on my list of MUST SEE BLOGS every day!

Thanks Amy...love ya girl! :-)

I received this Kreativ Blogger Award from the awesome Jennifer Schull . Thanks, my friend! You are da bomb! I think I am supposed to pass this along to five other bloggers, but hey...I KNOW I can't pick just five...I have DOZENS of favorites! If you could see my list on Google Reader...well, let's just say it's HUGE!

Thanks for stopping by tonight. I will be back tomorrow with something new.

Until then...

Silhouette Angel and Dreamy Treat Winner

The way I ended up with this stamp in my collection was a total mistake. I had it on my desk to package for an order. As I was stamping "Thank You" on the customer's invoice in red ink, I dropped the inked stamp on the index of this stamp. Oh well...I think I was just meant to have it, don't you? It IS a beautiful stamp!

I inked the Silhouette Angel with Teal Encore ink and stamped on Teal Prismatics light cardstock. Because it takes Encore ink forever to dry, I embossed it with JudiKins Iridescent Sparkle embossing powder. It's really a clear embossing powder with beautiful glitter in it. Gorgeous stuff!



I used my Petite Oval Nestabilities to cut and emboss the image as well as the layer behind it. How I ever lived without those I will never know! I used my SU! slot punch to punch through the main panel, then ran May Arts Turquoise Sheer ribbon through the slot and around the card. I first tied a bow there, but I thought it looked funky so gave up on that idea. Instead, I punched 3 snowflakes using my McGill snowflake punches. I smooshed them in the Teal Encore ink, then embossed them with JudiKins Iridescent Sparkle embossing powder.



I embellished with Kaiser Craft Bliss Pearls . They were the perfect match for the paper and coordinating teal ink!

Here is a closeup of the dimension on the card. I do so wish I could capture the sparkle in the embossing powder! The designer paper is from the Basic Grey Fruitcake collection. I used both the patterned and the solid sides.

So....Do you wanna know who won the JustRite Christmas Ensemble and Harmony Classic Circle III Stamper ? I thought you just came here to see my cards! LOL!

The winner is Lynette! She said:

Your project is awesome!

Hmmm, that is a tough question. If I were being practical, I would say I would like some new Labels Nestabilities. Being impractical, I would say ALL of the new Nestabilities and the few older ones that I don't have, plus ALL of the Copic markers. How's that for a dream? Some more JRS would be awesome, too! :)

November 13, 2008 7:09 AM

Congratulations, Lynette! Please send me your snail mail address so I can get your package in the mail to you.

Tbanks so much to everyone who played along!

I will be back soon with something new.

JustRite Give Thanks

This post should be subtitled
"The Transformation of a Card"!

It all started early Sunday morning when I decided to create one more JustRite project for the week. Realizing that my *Mojo* wasn't cooperating I decided to perservere. I mean, sometimes great ideas come from nowhere...right? Yeah...right!

I had been dying to play with the Harmony Rectangular Stamp Set and my new Brayton Font Set , so I set out to create!

I can't tell you how much I LOVE the versatility of these stamps. I could make any words I wanted simply by choosing the letters and snapping them into the rectangular stamper. So I decided on "Give Thanks" for a Thanksgiving card.


Next I chose my designer paper, which is just perfect for a fall card! It's the Twiggy Paper Collection from Memory Box. Gorgeous warm colors!
I inked my sentiment with VersaMark ink then embossed with JudiKins Malachite embossing powder. The greens and copper flecks match the dp just perfectly!

A little sewing, a little distressing, a couple of leaf punches and I was done! Oh yeah...I added May Arts Brown Satin ribbon and brads in each corner to cover a couple of sewing mishaps. I don't do corners well! LOL!

After finishing the card and photographing it I decided it wasn't good enough. It needed something else. So I emailed the photos to Tosha with a desperate note asking what the card needed. I wanted it to be GOOD...not just okay.



Before I could get a response from her I tore the card apart, embossed the sentiment using JudiKins Metallic Copper . I left off the punched leaves, and you can see the result here. Again, I photographed it then sent it to Tosh with a note that says, "Better?"



In my frantic attempt at perfection, before I could receive a response from either of those emails I took off the brown satin ribbon and added Natural Loop Edge Burlap from May Arts. Photos went in my last email to Tosh. Still no response. And I have to admit it. I HATE the last one. No umph!

About 2 hours later I received an email from Tosh that said, "I like the first one! I don't think you should change anything!" ROTF! See what happens when you try too hard with no mojo?

Today is the last day of JustRite week at Stamper's Dream. Be sure to check out the fabulous samples posted today by Carolyn and Cindy .

It's been a fun week for us, and I hope you've enjoyed the awesome designs of the talented Dream Team . I know I have.

As an added bonus for reading through this lengthy *transformation of a card*, if you would like another chance to win the Christmas Stamp Ensemble and Classic Wooden Stamper you can leave a comment on this post. The winner will be announced here Sunday night.

Thanks so much for stopping by! I'm glad you did! :-)

JustRite Monogram Card

It's STILL JustRite Week at Stamper's Dream !

For this card I used the Harmony Classic Oval Ensemble I Stamper and the Trompe Script Font Set .
I used the wooden stamper and border from the Harmony Classic Oval I Ensemble , and the monogram letters are from the Trompe Script font set. I just love the versatility that I can use words from the Oval set, OR use fonts with it if I choose.

I cut the stamped monogram with my oval Nestabilities, then matted. I also cut a rectangle and used it behind the oval to give it a bit more definition.

The scallops were made with a Martha Stewart punch that was a gift from my friend Carol. (Thanks Carol!) The designer paper is Basic Gray Ambrosia . I LOVE that paper!

The pearls are Pewter Pearls by Kaiser Craft. The cardstock is Blush Red Prismatics dark, and Stormy Prismatics medium.


Today, the entire Dream Team is posting with JustRite products! You see, it was originally Laurie's day to post. Soon after we set up the schedule she received the news that her daughter Ali had a brain mass, and they rushed her to Seattle Children's Hospital for further testing. The last communication I had from Laurie the night before they left she was apologizing about not being able to meet her commitment for JustRite week. Now, any of you who know me realize that I don't give a hoot about that when she is facing a crisis of such magnitude.

So...I emailed the Dream Team with two options. I could reschedule everything, or someone could post in Laurie's place. Without hesitation, THE ENTIRE DREAM TEAM stepped up and volunteered to cover for Laurie! I just wanted you all to know what special gals they are. I know I always say that they are the best of the best....but they truly are, in ways that never cease to amaze me. Sometimes to say thanks just doesn't seem enough. But I thank the Dream Team from the bottom of my heart for being the caring and talented ladies they are.

So today is for you Laurie. We love you! And we are still praying for more miracles. :-)

Be sure to see what the rest of the Dream Team has created for you today:

Charmaine

Cindy

Denise

Kimberly

Tosha

Carolyn

Thanks so much for stopping by. I *think* I will be back tomorrow with something new!

Let It Snow!

Since it's JustRite Week at Stamper's Dream, I wanted to use another of the JustRite products in today's post.

The snowman on this card is Penny Black's Warm and Cold rubber stamp. I stamped it on watercolor paper using Onyx Black Versafine ink, and embossed with JudiKins Detail Clear embossing powder. The stamped image was colored with Tombow (water based) markers.

For the sentiment I used the Brayton Font Set with the Harmony Rectangle Stamper . It was the first time I had used it, and it was so very easy to snap in the letters and line them up! After I stamped and embossed my sentiment, I cut and embossed with my circle Nestabilities.



The designer paper is from the Fancy Pants Happy Holidays paper pad. The pink cardstock is Intense Pink Prismatics and the green cardstock is Herbal Garden Prismatics medium. The ribbon is May Arts .

If you've read this far and not just looked at the pictures, I want you to leave a comment on this post for another chance to win the JustRite Dreamy Treat I talked about in THIS POST ! Your comment can be anything you like. I just wanted those who stopped by today to have an extra chance. :-)

I will be back tomorrow morning with another JustRite project...so stay tuned! Until then...

Altered Notepad Tutorial

Since I've had several emails and a few comments about how to make this notepad, I decided to do a little tutorial. And because I'm home from work today for Veteran's Day, there is no time like the present!

I think these notepads are sometimes referred to as Junior Legal Pads. They are 5 x 8" in size. But actually you could use any size simply by adjusting the measurements of your paper pieces.

First I cut a piece of cardstock 5" x 8" as the base for my front cover. I used Stormy Prismatics light.


Next, I cut my Basic Grey Ambrosia designer paper. Since the paper is 6 x 6 and my notepad front is 5 x 8, I had to make a couple of little adjustments. You will see from the picture that I cut my dp at 5" to fit the width of the notepad. Then I cut it again at about 2". That is my bottom section. The top section of dp is approximately 4" x 5". What I am trying to accomplish is to stretch the paper so that the portions that will be covered by other paper is open. Make sense?

I adhered the dp to the cardstock base using Mono Multi Liquid Glue . It lets you wiggle the paper around to get the perfect placement, and when it dries, it's NOT coming apart!



The band of Ambrosia designer paper beneath my JustRite Butterfly medallion measures 1.25" x 5" wide. I cut cardstock to mat it using Stormy Prismatics light, Papaya Prismatics dark, and Blush Red Prismatics dark.

I adhered that piece to the top of my note pad using red line tape. All the stress is on that piece, so you want to be sure it's going to stay.




The designer paper piece folded over the top of the notepad measures 5" wide x 1.75". I matted it with cardstock measuring 5" x 2". That piece was scored at .75" and again at 1". Just because I like a lot of layers, I added one more piece to the side folding over the front. This was also adhered using red line tape.

I stamped my butterfly from the Harmony Circle Stamper III Ensemble on Neenah Natural White carstock. It was cut, embossed and layered using my circle nestabilities. And that was the last step in completing the altered notepad.

Since I've never done a tutorial before, I hope this was clear! If not, please feel free to email me if you have a question.

And don't forget to check out the adorable JustRite projects today at Charmaine and Kimberly's blogs!

If you haven't registered for the JustRite Christmas Ensemble Dreamy Treat, be sure to comment on my blog post below.

Thanks for stopping by!