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!

It's begining to feel NOT like Christmas...

It is so hot here I don't feel like Christmas at all...but I do have to get moving. I officially signed up for my first Craft Show...so I'm in a steady state panic! I mean how DO people do this every weekend all summer long. I have about 8 weeks and I'm freaking out if I will be able to make enough stuff and what I should make...so right now my head is going in all different directions...we'll see.

Well I just finished an order of my fall cards and I always include a handwritten note (although I always write the note on a sticky note inside the card so they can use it again!). But this was such a nice lady I would like to include a little something extra from what will be my Holiday Collection. Can't hurt to advertise a little bit.

So here is yet another mini 3X3 card...is anyone sick of them? I am having a hard time stopping them....and I'm addicted to making the handmade envelopes....I mean they are just eating through my paper mountain...I am soo happy. All that not quite good enough paper just works perfectly with any envelope template...and I've even tweaked the envelope template to use 6X6 squares for 4X4 cards...how did I do that...like all crafters out of necessity. I had an order for 15 cards...and only 4 sheets of the coordinating paper left.

The first card is made using my TAC Snowflakes and Winterflakes and Kaleidacolor Blue Breeze...I can't get over how cool this combo is...and it is two years later!

I stamped a piece of copy paper to make the coordinating envelope.

Here is a new little thing I'm trying an emblem on the back with red sticky tape to close the envelope.


















The second card is very simple, white and navy cardstock with a silver embossed snowflake as the main image. I feel like there should be a caption but don't have a small enough Christmasy type stamp...other than "for you".

Pink Poodles

This year I am organizing my women's club annual holiday auction...it is a big deal and I'm a bit worried. Not only is it my first year, but being me I had to make a whole bunch of changes! I moved the auction to the evening so working people can come, want to offer credit cards and I really plan to make it "the" event of the year.

The theme of this year's auction is the 1950's now I have not lived in that era, but many of our members have so they are really getting into it! We collect donations from members and surrounding businesses to auction off (hmm, if you want to donate anything...it's tax deductible...and goes to support programs focusing on women and children).

So needless to say, I'm going to be tired...but my best work comes out when I'm tired so that works. Speaking of tired I offered an incentive prize for anyone who brought in donations on the first meeting...and of course I remembered around midnight the day before! That is where these cards came from...my midnight inspiration!

I borrowed this Poodles Stamp Set isn't it just TOO cute...unfortunately it is retired. But I'm sure something else might be just as cute. Ever since that SCS challenge I can't seem to stop myself from making adorable 3X3 cards....and with stampwithgwen's envelope template I really have a problem now. So I started with white cardstock, and now this is interesting...the middle part is 2.5" + two lines...I can never remember the other measurements...so it is a bit larger than 2.5" square and it really looks nicer with the white border. I cuttle'd the pink with Divine Swirls, wrapped black gingham ribbon around it then used my Mega Scallop Square to punch out my poodle! Punch out my Poodle...sounds bad but it is exactly what I did (no poodles were hurt in the making of this card). I watercolored the little ribbon pink, and stamped "thank you" from the TAC All Occasion set...I use those phrases more than any other stamp set (well I use Tag Tidbits alot as well). Simple, and pretty darn cool.

I also made handmade envelopes out of the black piece of paper from the TAC Uptown Girl collection (never knew what to do with that piece...perfect for this use). The ladies LOVED them.

Now I also made a 2-5-7-10 box, it was adorable...but being bleary eyed I forgot to take a picture of it...but if you were imagining it...it was pink, and I stamped the poodle in black around the bottom...and made a square tag with the poodle (ala card) and tied the bow with black gingham ribbon! Totally cute...and so easy...oh yeah and I filled with Hershey kisses.

Falling Leaves Cards

I love the fall it is probably my favorite season after spring...I could never live anywhere without fall foliage and defined seasons. When I moved away from up north...I was so happy that I was near the Shenandoah Valley in Va...so that I wouldn't miss my wonderful Fall Foliage.

Here is my tribute to the Fall a beautiful set of 3X3s and handmade envelopes. This TAC stamp set was my first MUST HAVE set...Charcoal Leaves. I bought it when I was a newbie stamper...~2 years ago. I've used it frequently since then...and to make a newbie stamper look amazing pair it with the Kaleidacolor Cappuchinio Delight stamp pad (I've even used it as underwater foliage paired with Kaleidacolor Caribbean Sea). As I revisit this stamp set each year I benchmark my progress and the increased sophistication of my projects. When I first started I was thrilled if I could get the stamp straight! Now I am seriously drawn to anything with texture (hence my current obsession with cuttlebug embossing folders) or 3-D party favor/gift type things.

So to the cards....I used the Charcoal Leaves stamp set and that Kaleidacolor Cappuchino Delight onto Cream Colored Cardstock...punched it out with my Mega Scallop Square punch. Then I use my textile CB embossing folder...on Claret Cardstock. Finally I made an envelope using my DCWV Fall Stack...Yay I'm finally using paper IN the season I bought it...phew how far I've come :-). It is a really nice stack...I don't scrapbook much and using up all the paper can sometime be a challenge, but now I know how to make the envelopes I can see myself easily using it!

Also wanted to mention this is going to be my entry into the Fall Card Challenge! Entries close August 30th...and I will post a poll to determine the winner.

Happy Crafting!

Lisa.