S.T.A.R.S.--Sharing The Art of Rubber Stamping

The Cards Inside the Purse in a Box

Here are the cards I made that I put inside the Purse In a Box that I showed you yesterday. (Keep scrolling down & you'll find it.)  There is nothing really WOW about them.  I just wanted to make some simple cards that would show off both the Upsy Daisy Stamp Set & the Juntos DSP (which is from the Stampin' Up! Celebrando Creatividad catalog.)   Each grouping of 3 cards features the same card layout & the same basic technique.  I'll tell you all about it below....very easy stuff!

The Sponge Dauber Technique...I saw Wendy Knowles do this quick & easy technique at convention.  For my cards, I stamped the daisies in More Mustard Classic Ink & then used one of our Sponge Daubers dipped in Really Rust Ink & went back randomly dabbing (or was it daubing?) the ink on the flowers.  On the first card, I put the sponge dauber directly to the Really Rust Classic Ink Pad.  The effect was a little lighter than I wanted, so for the second 2 cards, I put a drop or 2 of Really Rust Ink Refill inside the lid of the ink pad & put the sponge dauber in it & then added it to the stamp.  I really like the bolder look.

  

Good Old Fashioned Solid Stamping Technique... For the next three cards, I just stamped the daisies in the ink & stamped it on the paper...ooh....aahhh!  Now, if you wanted to get all fancy, you could throw a little 2 way glue pen on it & dust it with Dazzling Diamonds!  BUT, I was really wanting to keep it simple, and I did!  I wasn't sure about stamping the daisies in Always Artichoke, but I think it turned out all right.

Marker Technique ...This last technique was not difficult at all, but just takes slightly more time.  First I colored the stems with my Always Artichoke Marker, then I used my More Mustard marker, to color the bottom part of the flower & finally I used my Really Rust marker to go over the flower petals.  I think the colors look the most obvious in the 2nd photo.

 

And of course, you have to have coordinating envelopes.  ALWAYS stamp your envelopes after you make your cards while you have all the stuff out.  You don't want to have to drag out all the stamps & ink each time you want an envelope...DO IT NOW!!

Although, I made the purse & cards just for fun (gasp!), the set would make for a great gift for someone or to do as a class if you are a demonstrator.

I'm working on a really fun project that I hope to finish up today or tomorrow!!  It is going to be so CUTE!!  You are going to LOVE it!!  Until then, have a great Labor Day Weekend!   Erin

Subscribing to my posts!!

Thanks to Roberta, I realized that my Feedblitz subscriber box was not on my blog anymore.  I guess when I changed to the "starry" theme, it altered some of the things I had previously had in my sidebars.  As you can see over there on the left under my picture is the Feedblitz subscriber box.  What's great about subscribing to my blog or any blog, is that the posts get delivered to your inbox as an email.  You don't have to remember to check out all your favorite blogs (mine's included right??), if you subscribe to them they will be waiting for you in your inbox usually the day after it's been posted.  Happy Subscribing...Erin

A twist on the Bag in the Box!!

I saw this GREAT idea on Andrea Walford's Sunny Stampin' Blog  She gave very detailed directions on how to make this "Purse in a Box", so go check it out! 

  

  

I know you are probably thinking, "Erin, I didn't see that cute paper in the NEW Stampin' Up! Fall-Winter Idea Book & Catalog...are you cheating on Stampin' Up! by using someone else's paper??"  Well, have no fear, my friends!  My tight relationship with SU! is still going strong!  This DSP is from the new Stampin' Up! Celebrando Creatividad catalog!  This new catalog is completely in Spanish.  The stamp sets featured all have their sentiments in Spanish, and although most of the stamp sets are also featured in English in the regular catalog, there are actually a couple of stamp sets & this Designer Series Paper "Juntos" which is exclusive to this catalog.  Do you speak Spanish or know of someone who does & you'd like to receive a copy of the NEW Celebrando Creatividad? Please let me know, but let me warn you, that although I did take 3 years of Spanish in high school way back when, I am not fluent in Spanish, at all!

Supplies:  Stamp Set: Upsy Daisy...NOW ON SALE for 15% off!!

Card Stock/Paper/Ink/Markers:  Always Artichoke, Really Rust, More Mustard, Very Vanilla,  Juntos DSP, I used the markers to color directly onto the daisy stamp to get the multi-colored image.

Extras:  Round Tab Punch, Slit Punch--to make larger scallop border, 3/4 Circle Punch, 5/8 Vanilla Grosgrain Ribbon, 1/4 Moss Grosgrain (I ran SNAIL down one side of the Moss grosgrain & adhered it to the Vanilla to keep it in place), Stampin' Dimensionals, Crop-A-Dile

Let me know if you make one of these cool purses!  Erin

PS...What?  You wanted to see the cards that I made that are in the bag??  Well, you'll have to tune in to next time!!  :)

Totally Sweet Scrappin' Club--August

These were my pages on Monday night for our Totally Sweet Scrappin' Club.  These pictures were taken a little over THREE years ago shortly after the birth of my dear, sweet, little Madeline!  I will be replacing the bottom right 4x6 photo with a 5x7 of the same photo.  Everyone's turned out a little different because I used one pack of Summer Days Designer Series Paper.  The next picture is of the pages I made for one of the girl's who couldn't make it.  See how different paper & turning it changes the feel!

1.  Choose 2 of the same Summer Days DSP sheets. 

2.  Cut at 5 inches on both pages.  You will have 2 sheets that are 5x12 and 2 sheets that are 7x12.

3.  Decide which sides you want showing & how you want to orient them and then adhere to 2 Whisper White 12x12 sheets.

4.  Add a piece of ribbon to cover the seams.  Cut about 14 inches.  Run Dotto down the length of the ribbon and a little piece of Sticky Strip on each end to secure the ends on the back of the page.

5.  To make this elegant bow is soooo easy.  Cut a piece of ribbon about 5-5 1/2 inches long, put a small piece of sticky strip on one end & make a circle.  Cut a 2nd piece of ribbon about 2-2 1/2 inches long & put a small piece of sticky strip on one end.  Flatten ribbon circle & wrap small piece around the center and adhere.  Voila!!  Simple & elegant!  I attached the bow with yet another piece of sticky strip.

6.  For my title & small journalling piece (that doesn't have any journalling on it yet), I use the Top Note die on my NEW SU! Sizzix Big Shot!!  (Just a couple more days & you can order one, too!!  September 1st!)  I trimmed out the Whisper White piece and attached it to my Old Olive Top Note.  Then I cut off about 1/3 of the note for my journalling piece.  SWEET!!

Are you sitting down??  I didn't CASE anyone's pages to make these!!  Can you believe it?? WOW!!

Happy Scrappin'...Erin

Totally Sweet Scrap Club--July

Sorry for the delay in getting my July Totally Sweet Scrap Club pages posted.  I was having trouble deciding what pictures to use & what extra embellishments to add.  I have selected my photos & some embellishments, but it just didn't seem complete.  The first photo below is what my pages look like right now & the 2 pictures following it are potential completed pages.  I don't know that I'm really happy with either of them.  What do you think??  Leave me comment on what you think I should do with the pages...PLEASE!!

The general layout & theme are from Nancy Kliewer's pages that you can find HERE.  The white embossed title idea came from Rhonda Beadell's pages HERE.

  

You know after seeing all three pictures in a row here, I'm thinking less is more.  The bottom 2 pictures just seem a little too cluttered.  What do you think??  Leave me a comment.

Supplies:  Stamps:  Independence Day, Well-Worn Alphabet

Ink & Paper:  Pacific Point, Riding Hood Red, Sahara Sand, & Whisper White-Craft

Extras:  White Embossingn Powder, Heat Tool, Embossing Buddy, Paper Snips, Dotto Adhesive, What?? No Ribbon?  I must be getting ill!

Have a happy day!  Erin

Can you believe it? Even more FABULOUS Convention Swaps!!

Didn't I promise you a couple of cool Sock Monkey cards?  Well, here they are!

   

Can you believe, there was no name on this swap???  Is it yours?  I'd love to give you credit!!

This next card was made by Debbie Vaughn from Arizona.  I met her in the Phoenix airport & she was so kind as to save me a seat on the flight to Salt Lake City.  We did not stop talking for 2 seconds...cluck, cluck, cluck!!  She was really sweet & I was so excited when I bumped into her at Convention so that I could swap with her...neither of us brought our stuff on the plane.  Isn't this just fabulous??  There was a lot of time & effort put into this card.  I don't know if you can tell from the photo or not, but the peel of the banana that the monkey is holding has crystal effect on it & it's been cut out & put on a Stampin' Dimensional! WOW!  Thanks Debbie!

 

I'm having my Totally Sweet Scrappin' Club tomorrow night (Monday), so I'll have some fun scrapbook pages to show you.  I just realized I hadn't shown you last month's pages, so I'll have to show you those tomorrow, too!

Have a great week!  Erin

More fun Convention Swaps & a RAK from an old friend

I went out to my mailbox the other day & discovered a little brown package stuffed with the following items.  Oh, Happy Day!!

 

I received this ADORABLE RAK from my friend Michelle VanWiggeren.  We lived in the same neighborhood & attended the same high school in O'Fallon, Illinois, way back when.  (We graduated in 1991---Go Panthers!!)  So she's not old, it's just that we have known each other for a long time.  She is also a demonstrator, but not in my downline...boo-hoo!  The little bag is actually one of Stampin' Up!'s clear envelopes that is folded in half.  What a cute way to package up these Die-Cut Blooms!  Thanks so much Michelle!  By the way, if the card looks a little familiar it's because it was recently featured on Stamper's Showcase on the Stampin' up! Demo Only Website....just another great reason to take advantage of the GREAT offer on becoming a new demonstrator!!  Click on the "$99" over there in the side bar to find out more & then contact me!!  :)

More FABULOUS swaps from Convention:

The following two beautiful cards were made by Drema Morris.  She had initially contacted me via my blog & then took the time to search me out at convention!  What a sweetheart she is.  I wish I had had the presence of mind to get a picture with her.  Thanks Drema for the great cards.  The photos do not do them justice...you can't see all the sparkles on the top card!  You can see more of her artwork on her blog at Dream's Musings

  Artwork by Drema Morris Artwork by Drema Morris

Artwork by Kim Goodsell (upline of my favorite scrapper Rhonda Beadell)

These next couple of ideas are fun, clever & simple projects that you could make as little gifts for a party, secret sister, birthday/Christmas stocking stuffers.  How fun it would be to slip a gift card in each one for the photo enthusiast, the gamer, & the gardner.

Artwork by Janelle Lavelle

Artwork by Lori Martin (Tic-Tac-Toe Board)

Artwork by Patty Chenail

 Artwork by Patty Chenail

I have a couple ADORABLE Sock Monkey ideas to show you tomorrow.  I still don't have this set.  I'm not really a sock monkey doll fan, but this stamp set & the accessories set is proving hard to resist!!

Have a great stampin' day!  Erin

PS...I got my box of goodies from Stampin' Up! with lots of fun stuff...including the dies for my Sizzix Big Shot.  I haven't played with it yet because I promised myself that I had to clean up my stamp desk & surrounding area before I could even take it out of the box!  EEK!  I'm almost done!

Fabulous Control Freak Gift from Cindee

 

Here are a couple of my fellow Control Freaks (l-r):  Rhonda Beadell, Lisa Martz (our swap mom), Shona Watson, & Cindee Wilkinson---I lifted the photo from Rhonda's Blog...thanks!  Check out Cindee's fabulous bag on the table!

Cindee is so sweet, she made the following item for all the Freaks that met for lunch!

     

FYI:  The main part measures 3 5/8 x 6 3/4.  It is scored at 3 1/8 from both ends. 

Thanks Cindee for this great little gift!  Erin

Back To School & Some Sweet Swaps!

In case you have been wondering why I haven't posted for the last several days, Blair Christian Academy is back in full swing this week!  This is the start of our 4th year homeschooling & I think this year we are going to have so much fun.  We are using My Father's World's Exploring Countries & Cultures for my 3rd Grader & MFW Kindergarten program for...you guessed it, my kindergartener!  We also have our last & third child entering the ranks of the Blair Christian Academy Pre-school at the tender age of 3. Below are 2 pictures from the 1st day of school.  The top one is their "good" picture and the bottom was is their goofy face picture.  I needed to clarify because the top picture isn't necessarily all that "good"...only one child is behaving themselves! :)

So as you can imagine, things have been pretty busy around the Blair household.  I finally got around to taking pictures of some of the swaps I received at the Stampin' Up! Convention, but as I was trying to edit them, I realized they were ALL a little blurry...grrr.  So I re-took the pictures & editted them, and I plan to show them to you over the next couple of days.  (My Sizzix Big Shot arrived yesterday, but the dies don't arrive until sometime today, so I'm super excited to make a couple of fun projects to show to you!  Until Sept 1,the Big Shot is only available to purchase by Demonstrators, but don't worry, starting Sept 1, you'll get your chance too!)

So...on to some SWEET CONTROL FREAK SWAPS from Convention!!

This is a picture of me and one of my absolute favorite scrapbookers, Rhonda Beadell (aka...StampTramp72 on www.splitcoaststampers.com) !  Here I am gargantuan compared to this sweet little thing!  :)  Although we didn't get a whole lot of time to visit at Convention, I was so honored to meet her & I know at the next event we will make a little more time to visit!  The following two GORGEOUS cards are from Rhonda, who is also a Control Freak Swapper.  You can see more of her artwork HERE.

 Artwork by Rhonda Beadell

  Artwork by Rhonda Beadell

Artwork by Annette Jensen

Artwork by Annette Jensen

Artwork by Julie Dinn

Artwork by Julie Dinn

Artwork by Liz Shultz (I know you can't tell from the picture, but Liz used a small glue dot to adhere the "sprinkles"...how clever!)

Artwork by Mary Beth Brown

Artwork by Stephanie Leider

Not all the "Freaks" were at our Control Freak lunch & not everyone was swapping because we have our regular in-the-mail swaps so that everyone can participate.  I have one more FABULOUS Control Freak item to show you, but you'll just have to wait until tomorrow!

I hope you have a great week!  Erin

Convention Gifts From Keri

From Left to Right Keri, Christie, & Sandy

Here are a couple of really cool gifts that my friend & 2nd level downline member, Keri (see above picture), gave to me at Convention (I just realized that there was another little goodie that she gave to me, but I haven't taken a picture of it yet.  I'll be sure to update this post when I do.)!  Now you know the real reason I love going to convention...giving & receiving gifts!

Don't forget that you can click on any picture to see a larger version.

I'm so blessed to have such creative & giving friends!  Thanks Keri! Erin