Monday, May 26, 2008

Wine Bottle Hanger...works like a charm!

We went to a good ole Memorial Day party...and the hostess had everything covered. But being Italian...I can't walk in empty handed...I just can't!!! So we of course brought wine...and well wine is boring...so I made a little Wine Bottle Hanger. Can I just say these are the coolest things!!!

They are very quick to 'throw' together...an added bonus for me (because being the slowest stamper in the universe this project took me 3 days). Typically stampers put candy/chocolate in the little pouch, I put in 3X3 cards and handmade envelopes. Because the main image was popped up it only fit two...but that was okay. The hostess' tween girls went nuts for them...so I felt appreciated. I might just make a few for the girls. And I got a little promotion as MY daughter upon seeing the empty hanger on the table announced to the whole party..."My MOM made this!" Thank God she is 3 and adorable!





The base of the hanger was some Paper Company cardstock from Michaels...usually I like heavier cardstock, but in this case (and with the layering) the thinner cardstock actually works better...especially for embossing! So the base was turquoise, I used a piece of DCWV Stack 3 turquoise, yellow, green dots paper, then a turquoise square embossed with the Cuttlebug Textile Embossing Folder, a white (Mega Pink Marvy Punch) scallop circle, a turquoise (Super Blue Marvy Punch) scallop circle of DCWV striped paper...with each scallop bump punched with a 1/8" punch. Layered on top of that is a 1.5" circle embossed with Cuttlebug Playful Circles and finally a Punched Daisy with a silver brad. I came up with this layout after the 3X3 cards...but liked it better than the monogram I did do.


The 3X3 cards are very simple and straightforward. I embossed a strip of turquoise cardstock with the Cuttlebug Textile. I dug out my 1/16" hole punch and used that on the Scallop Circle...I think it is a much better look and more forgiving to uneven punching (LOL). Finally the Cuttlebug Embossed Playful Circles was embossed and the "L" monogram was stamped with TAC Ancient Alphabet in Palette Noir. I forgot to mention I highlighted the embossing on the circle with turquoise glitter chalk...but of course that doesn't show up in the picture. I even made matching handmade envelopes click here to find out how to make your own.

Thanks for looking...and reading my diatribe! I hope it was clear....probably not!

Friday, May 23, 2008

Do you Stamp or Stalk?

Someone posed the question on SCS...are you a Stamper or a Stalker? I was like what??? Then I read the details and realized...I'm more of a Stalker. When I first started stamping I was obsessed I sat down most days and tried to do a card...a project something. In those early days I did a decent job but realized I could do BETTER...so I started browsing and learning...and that evolved into stalking.

How do you know you are a Stalker?
1. You have more favorites saved than cards uploaded.
2. You save a bunch of different projects in various formats...can't find the one you want...or realize you have 5 of the same thing, named differently.
3. Do you have unmounted stamps, unopened embellishments...but see a project on SCS and HAVE to have that 'something' too! (I think we all have a little of this).
4. Do you wake up each morning grab your coffee (tea, water...whatever your poison)...and walk PAST your stamping table to get to your computer to SEE what everyone else has done on their blog for today.
5. Has your MUST READ blog list gone from 10 to 20?
...and I'm sure there are more, but I'm going to stop now and go make a darn card!

So what makes you a stalker!

And a hearty thanks to everyone out there that lets me Stalk them! Kudos for some awe inspiring blogs.
Taylored Expressions
Dawns Stamping Thoughts

Stamps, Paper, Scissors
Chic n' Scratch

Paper Rose Studio
Impressions (Rochelle is doing a huge blog giveaway...hurry over there to enter)
Mish Mash
JoAnna's Creative Expressions
Stamping Dani (in Italian...which I speak/read...but with excellent translations)
Paula Ponders
{capture the moment} This is hands down one of my favorite blogs...I mean her creations are incredible and trend setting!!!
Creative Corner

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

It's All About the Girl" Earrings

I designed this set for a little girl that just had her ears pierced. Do you remember that first girly girl moment in life...the anticipation and touch of fear getting your ears pierced? Staring at yourself in the mirror cuz you just felt so beautiful and feminine. And waiting until you could take out the boring posts and FINALLY get that first pair of dangly earrings.

It was all soo important! As only things can be to children. A friend asked me to make her daughter a fun set of danglies for her daughter. What started out as a desire to give her a selection of cute adorable 'danglies' turned into a interchangeable set! She was thrilled with her set as any tween would be!!
One thing I found out while looking for cute charms...is the current style is for seriously LARGE ugly metal charms (for bracelets)...it was quite the challenge to find something fun for a little girl...that definitely hasn't started the 'diva' phase yet.

Sunday, May 04, 2008

Fiskars ROCKS!

A few months ago I saw a blog post on Joanna's Creative Expressions (check her out she makes such thoughtful gifts...and they are pretty too!) all about how she joined the Fiskateers and they sent her very own pair of engraved scissors! Cool I thought, I joined...and they have ton of fun people...they even sent a group of Fiskateers on a paid conference...Yippee!!


Well time went by, didn't receive my scissors so I thought well, no biggy it was worth it just to find out about the site...so I totally forgot about the scissors...and...well they arrived on my doorstep yesterday and are seriously cool.

I am totally guarding them...if the husband or kids touch them to cut a box or something BAD apart I will just kill them. Really I'm not a violent person, but I LOVE my scissors (and my good knives). I actually hide my REALLY good knife so that no one is even tempted to open a plastic bag with it!!

Anyway, it'll take about 5 months to come in (maybe less if you are lucky)...but for free...waiting isn't a big deal!

So, go check them out HERE!

Friday, May 02, 2008

Didn't have lemons...

...to make into lemonade, but I had paper scraps from my prior project and the flower is born!

I haven't had alot of time to talk about what I've been making...but I do want to share it! Check out my other projects to see the materials as recently I've been using up one sheet at a time!




I didn't put sentiments on these cards because I'm not sure what I will use them for...so I decided to wait.