A trip to the circus

When I sat down with the Animal Stories stamp set this time and looked at the elephant it reminded me of a Circus.  So I decided to try and give the card a circus type feel.  This card uses 3 of the new in colors.  I am still trying to get used to them. 

The elephant is embossed on the Melon Mambo cardstock and cut out.  The elephant is cut out and popped up on dimensionals, the front leg has a dimensional folded in half under it so that it pops out even more to give it a little bit of movement in the card.   I found this sketch in my inspiration book, I wrote down that it was inspired by cards from Renee and Mary. 

Stamps: Animal Stories, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink:  Versamark, Black

Paper:  Whisper White, Crushed Curry, Melon Mambo, Bermuda Bay

Accessories: Melon Mambo Polka Dot Ribbon, Stampin Dimensionals, White Gel Pen

Tools:  Crafters Tool Kit, Scallop Edge Punch, Curly Label Punch, Big Shot and Stampin’ Up Backgrounds Texturz Plate,

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Sample Makers

I am so sad to have to go another year with out attending convention.  But with Scott just starting his new agency 6 months ago and all of the kids so young I am just not able to take the time away right now.  So in the mean time I will be making swaps to send to convention, I have been hired by Sherrill Graff to make some swaps for her.  I am excited to be sending this little part of me to the fun.  Here is a list of other sample makers that she has hired. 

.Gretchen Barron gbarron56@comcast.net http://gretchenbarron.typepad.com/</STRONG title=http://gretchenbarron.typepad.com/>
2. Barbara Dondero barbaradondero@gmail.com http://BarbsStampingSpot.blogspot.com
3.Tammy Fite stampinmama@comcast.net www.stampwithtammy.com
4. Judy Jackson  JudyStamper@verizon.net
5. Mary Brown mary@stampercamper.com http://stampercamper.com/
6.Sarah Wills sarahwills@austin.rr.com http://sarahsinkspot.blogspot.com/
7.Selene Kempton e.selene@verizon.net http://stampinfunwithselene.blogspot.com/
8.Virginia Killmore vkillmore@gmail.com http://virginias-website.blogspot.com/
9. Elizabeth Sloman sloman4100@bellsouth.net www.mamastamper.com
10.Marisol Gutierrez atouchof_sol@yahoo.com http://atouchofsol.blogspot.com/
11. Dawn Bullock Dbullock28@comcast.net www.stampincreations.blogspot.com
12.Sandi MacIver sandi_maciver@comcast.net http://www.sandimaciver.com/sandi_maciver/
13.Stephanie Sullins stephenandsteph@earthlink.net http://owlwhimsy.blogspot.com
14.Susan Shields blestmomof6@cox.net http://createdwithlovebysusan.blogspot.com/
15. Rebekah "Becky" Jensen becky@stampthat.com www.stampthat.com
16. Heidi Michel heartfeltblessings@gmail.com www.heart feltblessings.blogspot.com
17. Barb Slaughter stamper0910@yahoo.com    blog in progress
18. Lisa Milliron uniquedesignsbylisa@windstream.net http://www.uniquedesignsbylisa.typepad.com/
19 Connie Babbert iluvstamping@columbus.rr.com http://inkspiredtreasures.com/
20 Nancy Dawson nancy@centralva.net http://creativewishes.blogspot.com
21 Bethany Keeney bethanykeeney@hotmail.com http://keeneyfarm.blogspot.com/
22 Kirsten Brown stampinsilly@gmail.com http://imstampinsilly.blogspot.com/
23. Mary Jo Price-Williams  C2technostamper@roadrunner.com http://technostamper.blogspot.com/

24. Elizabeth Hurst stampwithelizabeth@gmail.com www.animalscraps.blogspot.com

 

Opps sorry, I just found this in my drafts area of the blog, apparently I never published this last week so now I am.

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Lots of What?

 

When I was looking through the preorder stamp sets my 5 year old son walked in the room and fell in love with the Lots of Bots stamp set.  He was so excited about the stamp set, that I just could not pass it up for him.  He loves to stamp with me but often complains that my stamps are too “girly” for him to use.  This set really didn't appeal to me and I had no idea how I would use it but I just had to get it for him.  I have spent a lot of time just staring at it and pairing it up with different colors trying to get some inspiration.  Then he asked me to use it to make a birthday card for him to take to a party, so I had to make something work. 

I used brushed silver and crushed curry cardstock to paper pierce the robot. I wanted to give it a little bit of depth to the different pieces of the body of the bot so I first stamped on the brushed silver and cut out the pieces that I wanted to be the thickest.  Then I stamped on crushed curry an glued the silver pieces on.  Then I cut out everything but the joints and attached it an image stamped on whisper white cs. 

Stamps: Lots of Bots (available July 1st)

Ink: Basic Black, Real Red, So Saffron, Night of Navy

Paper:  Whisper White, Crushed Curry, Brushed Silver, Night of Navy, Real Red

Accessories:  Jumbo Eyelets, White Gel Pen

Tools:  Tag Corner Punch, Crop-a-dile

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Sorry

I hate to do this but I am going to need to take a few more days off from blogging and stamping to take care of some things.  I will be back on Monday with some more cards and it will be a big week with the release of the new Stampin’ Up! catalog.  Today also happens to be the day that I actually started telling people about the blog I was secretly keeping so I will offer some sort of blog candy when I come back next week.  Take care and have a fabulous summer!

Kirsten

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Animal Stories

I always seem to have troubles the first time sitting down to stamp after taking any considerable amount of time away from it.  It has been almost 2 weeks since I had the chance to stamp and I was so excited, I had about 30 minutes before bed last night so I jumped over to my new stamping supplies and nothing.  An hour and a half later and this is all I had to show, one simple little card that I will be donating to my daughter.  This summer I am encouraging the kids to send at least one card a week, to keep up the writing skills, so all of my card flops will be going to them.

I think that the giraffe and elephant in this stamp set are so cute.  Honestly I had to be told what the owl was, I just didn’t get it.  But now the mystery is solved and I will hopefully be getting to use it soon.  I have blocked out some stamping time today and I hope to produce better results.

Stamps: Animal Stories, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink:  So Saffron, Chocolate Chip

Paper:  Tall Tales DSP, Chocolate Chip, Brilliant Blue, Rose Red and Whisper White

Accessories:  Chocolate Chip Taffeta ribbon

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Pawsitively Prints DSP

I really like the colors of the Pawsitively Prints Designer Series Papers.  They are great for just about any occasion that involves a kid.  My husband needed a baby card for work and I was able to whip this one out in a few minutes thanks to the DSP.

There are so many fun and cute patterns in this set that all coordinate so well together, it is really a no brainer to throw together a great card.  Unfortunately the main image is one that is retired, but it is one of a few that I constantly use.  

Stamps:  Big on Spring

Ink:  Basic Black, Ballet Blue, So Saffron

Paper:  So saffron, Ballet Blue, Pawsitively Prints DSP, Whisper White

Accessories:  Rich Regals Brads, Stampin’ Dimensionals

Tools:  Paper Piercer

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What a great little break

Hi everyone, it is good to be back home but I sure had a wonderful little break with the kids.  We went and did many things in the region and had a lot of fun with their cousins.  I hope to be able to get some stamping in tonight and will hopefully have some fun stuff to show you tomorrow.  For now I will just share a picture or two from our fun. 

Yesterday we went out to the lake.  The kids were amazed at all of the geese and how close they would come looking for food.  Here is a pretty shot of a few of the geese at sunset and one of the kids trying to chase one. We went into San Francisco and went to the California Academy of the Sciences.  The kids had a blast and were disappointed when it was time to go.  Little Hannah loved  the albino alligator and wants to go back and see it.  She was also in heaven in the rain forest with all of the butterflies.

  

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Gotta Love the Trendy Trees

At least I sure do.  It ranks right up there in my top ten stamp sets.  Here is another little set of 3x3 cards with a holder. 

The Friends on the box/bag is from the Chit Chat Rub-Ons.  I just love the way that the large clear button looks on top of the swirly tree. 

These are pretty simple cards but so cute.

Stamps: Trendy Trees

Ink: Pixie Pink, Certainly Celery, Chocolate Chip

Paper: Certainly Celery, Chocolate Chip, Bordering Blue, Whisper White, and Pixie Pink

Accessories:  Mini Library Clips, Chocolate Chip Corduroy Buttons, Certainly Celery Grosgrain, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Clear Buttons, Linen Thread

Tools: Big Shot and SU! Backgrounds Texturz plates, Ticket Corner Punk, Photo Corners Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/8 inch circle punch, Key Tab Punch, Designer Label Punch, Crafters Tool Kit

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A Fond Farewell to Wild About You

I am losing a few of my favorite sets to the “Last Chance List” this year, (formerly known as the retirement list).  One of these sets I will be so sad to see leave the catalog will be Wild About You.  This is one of those sets I will be keeping around for a long time.  It is just so versatile, the little animals can be used for so many different occasions.  Today’s use was for a set of thank you cards for a baby shower.  I always like to include some thank you’s when I give baby, bridal or wedding gifts, because really you can never have enough thank you notes.  I think that I was inspired with this design from someone on the blog tour that I participated in last month, I made a quick round through the tour planning on going back the next day to really check things out and jot down notes and stuff but, well, that didn't happen and now I don't know where I saw the cards or design that inspired this set. I used the same 3 main colors and just rotated them a little with each different animal.  For the aligator I ended up using Always Artichoke but stamped it off on a piece of scratch paper before stamping it on my cardstock to soften the look of him a bit. The saying actually came from the Trendy Trees stamp set.  They are cute and simple and I am really pleased with how they turned out. Stamps: Wild About You, Trendy Trees

Ink:  So Saffron, Bordering Blue, Always Artichoke

Paper: So Saffron, Bordering Blue, Always Artichoke, Whisper White, Naturals Ivory

Accessories: dimensionals, Apricot Appeal grosgrain ribbon

Tools:  Circle Cutter Plus and glass mat, Big Shot and SU texturz plate

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Patriotic Treat

As I was grocery shopping, I ran across these red, white and blue gummy ring things.  I generally am not a fan of these but they just shouted at me to make an altered treat for a picnic.  I used a top note folded in half to create the topper for the bag, and then used the star and the large star punches randomly across the top to create a festive treat.

A tip for punching the star outlines is to first punch out the smaller star from your cardstock and then center the small star inside the opening of the larger punch. 

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Quick Gifts

Here are some quick gifts that I made up for some door prizes.  They can be used for just about anything all you have to do is change the sentiment or add something different inside. 

Each little box has a pack of Orbit gum, an incentive stamp and a spot.  Super easy and so cute. 

Stamps: Say it With Scallops

Ink:  Summer Sun , Chocolate Chip, Pacific Point, Certainly Celery

Paper:  Good Morning Sunshine DSP, Whisper White, Simmer Sun, Certainly Celery

Accessories:  Stampin Dimensionals

Tools: Big Shot and Box #2 die, Scallop Square Punch

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Altered Wood

Today is the first day of summer vacation at our house and what a fantastic start, I was able to sleep in 45 minutes!  Plus when I got up the kids were playing nicely and quietly and were even dressed in acceptable clothing (now why couldn't they do that on a school day?).  We have accomplished so much already today and had time to play and get a few chores done and it is only 10 am.  Now if the whole summer could only go so smoothly, ahh a girl can dream right?  One of the latest projects I have worked on is altering some of the wood items I have collected.  The fist one is one of the Ikea Wooden frames.  I painted the edges with Kiwi Kiss ink (made by using my reinker and some white paint).  I used the Bella Rose DSP to cover the front of the mirror.  I used the chit chat rub-ons on the glass to say “Think Happy Thoughts”  something that is fitting when you look in a mirror.  It was hard to take a picture and show the words becuase either there was a huge light reflection or my camera was in the shot where the words were so I dont have a better picture of it.Then I embellished it with some of the felt flowers one from each kit, made some leaves using the little leaves sizlits die.  There is also a rhinestone brad in the center.

The next project that I worked on was a wood sign that said “Family”.  I bought several of these either from the 99 cent store or Dollar Tree, I am not sure which though.  I thought that these would look so cute on a mantle or a shelf with a bunch of family photos around it.  I covered the letters with the Good Morning Sunshine DSP.  Both projects were finished up with 4 coats of matte finish modge podge on top of the paper. 

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Finally

I am so sorry for disappearing the last week or so.  Just when I seem to get a grip on life and into a good schedule and routine something happens to throw it all out of whack.  Well we are starting to get back on track so I can pay attention again to things like my stamping and my blog.  

I was agonizing for a while trying to come up with a card holder for the little set of 3x3 Upsy Daisy cards that I had done.  I was able to come up with a cute fun holder by altering the box in a bag to fit!  Here is the set of cards that I was working on:And this is the cute holder that I made.  It will fit 7 cards and envelopes but you can adapt it to fit what ever size you like. 

 

Supplies for the card holder:

Stamps: Upsy Daisy

Ink: Versamark, Regal Rose, and Bordering Blue

Paper: Regal Rose , Rose Red, So Saffron, and Whisper White

Accessories:  Regal Rose Wide Grosgrain, Apricot Appeal Grosgrain, Fire Circle Rhinestones, Stampin Dimensionals, Clear Embossing Powder

Tools:  Round Tab Punch, Scallop Edge Punch, Crop a Dile, Heat Tool and sponge

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