Another August Birthday!

August and September are probably the biggest birthday months for my family. So, I'm right in the midst of them!! I made this one for my brother-in-law who golfs with my hubby all the time. I was excited to see this single stamp offered when the new catalog came out. I knew I'd get it right away.

And here I am again with my scrunchy ribbon! I love this look right now!! Maybe not the most masculine look, but oh well, it's not too frilly maybe just pleated-looking!

Of course I added lots of dimensionals to the layers to pop it all out there! I even cut and made some skinny dimensionals to lift up the "u".


Have a good one,


Julie

Sneak Peek for this Friday!

Here's a Sneak Peek of one of the cards we'll be making this Friday! I know Halloween is two months away, but it will be here before we know it. And, really, why not be ready?! (By the way, all of the projects are not all Halloween - we're going to mix it up with some other fun stuff too.)


So, on this card we'll be "faux burning" the newsprint background piece. I think it does look like it's been burned - kind of a cool look. And, you can't really see the bling in the photo, but the rhinestones on either side of the 31 and the new silver tinsel are my favorite little add-ons to this card!


I hope you'll be there this Friday to see how fun this card is in person - and to get to make one too!!


Julie

Milk Carton with a Sneak Peek!

Here's a fun little milk carton I made with the Big Shot a while back! - I love that little die. (And I can't wait to show you the new Candy Wrapper Die that will be on sale starting Sept. 1st!) I used some Greenhouse Gala Paper to wrap around the middle of it; and a few touches of taffeta ribbons and a cotton paper flower (love those too!).

But my favorite part - the little tag - is made with the new Medium Oval Punch that comes out Sept. 1st. It has a little string of pearls under the "thanks" for an added detail!


Hope you had a great weekend!


Julie

Super Simple Thank You!

So... about as basic as you can get, here is a Thank You card I made for my son to write a few thank you's to family that had mailed him birthday money. And, he actually asked me for some cards because he wanted to send them (not the usual - me reminding him to send a thank you!). I figured though they should be fairly simple and without "frills" if they were coming from him!

The Designer Paper was from the Tropical Oasis papers that will be gone as of next week!


Happy Friday,

Julie

Altered Baskets and Blooms Basket!

We made an altered 'Baskets and Blooms' basket at the last Big Shot Class in July. It was the same as the base of this one (made with Pear Pizzazz cardstock and a squared off bottom, instead of the usual cupped shape).

So, from the base of what we made, I changed it up a bit from our class version. I added this fun piece of Greenhouse Gala Designer Paper on to the front and my favorite part - some ruffled pumpkin pie satin ribbon in between. I LOVE this look with the satin ribbon!

And, the little tag is a sneak peek from the new Holiday Mini! It's the new Medium Oval Punch - pretty cute! Oh, and it has my favorite new word set on it - Fabulous Phrases.


Julie

Simple Growing Green

So while my daughter was CASEing and making nice cards, I was creating simpler cards - like this one! It went with our color scheme, so it was all good.

I Love the new Crochet trims too!

Hope you had a great weekend,

Julie

Special Guest Stamper!!

So, back when I was getting ready for the Scrapbook Expo displays, my daughter came over to "hang out" for a couple of days - (Translation - "maybe Mom will take me shopping!). Except that when she got here, I was panicking with one night left and ten more cards to make. So she decided to help! First she made a checklist of the items I had to make and then what colors they had to be (yes, she's an organizer!). Then she started going through card samples I had from Convention Swaps (with the idea that I could "copy" card ideas, but in the color scheme I needed - kind of what I do in panic mode too!).

Then, once she was done choosing some good samples - I sprung it on her!! "Well, may be you could make one!"

And, so she did!! She actually made these two - and nice I must say! She is obviously very capable, but just hasn't really been that interested in card making. I think she did a great job! And, she actually was changing up the cards from their originals. She had to change out the color schemes to coordinate with our layout for the Expo, but she also added some personal touches with the Antique Brads and paper choices.

The best part of her making the cards (besides helping me get it done when I was on overload!!), was that it was fun doing it together!!



Julie

The Next August Birthday - My Husband!

Here's the card I made my hubby for his birthday (tomorrow). We decided to give him his card and gifts tonight because we're probably going out of town tomorrow. So, since it was a quick card to make (yes, I should have had it made a while ago - but I didn't!), I decided to use what I had - with a little tweak!

So, from the same set, Studio Sketches, I used the wine stamp perfect for my wine-loving hubby! The rest was ready to go from what we just made in class last week.

And here was the original from class, which was a sort of CASE from a card from Convention. I added the pleated ribbon and the antique brad (love those!).

And, really I kinda like the class version, but the wine stamp was cool and more appropriate for my husband. I could have spent more time to convert the colors and stuff for the wine stamp version, but it's all OK!

Happy Friday,


Julie

A Second Take on Some Easy Favor Boxes

I was making these fun little Island Oasis Favor Boxes (I had made them before, you can see on May 28th's post), and I realized that they could be closed a little differently on the top! When I made them before I closed the top flat and put the belly band around it. Then I added a flower/tag thingy.

So this time I realized that the opposite flaps that close the top could be switched. So instead of closing the top flat, I folded and popped up the pre-scored top. Then I just added a clip and tag. I slipped the belly band on for contrast before clipping the top though.

You can see the back side of it here just to see how easy the clip just slides over it. Pretty cool! Also, the inside has tootsie rolls with coordinating Island Oasis Designer Paper wrapped around them. - I Love how Stampin' Up! makes everything coordinating for us!!

By the way, these Island Oasis Papers and Favor Boxes are only available until the end of August!


Thanks for stopping by,

Julie

Alex is 15 Today!

My baby boy turned 15 today! At six feet tall, he's hardly a baby, but I can still call him that, right? Anyway, I made him this card. Probably the third day of school and football practice wasn't his idea of a birthday celebration, but we had a nice dinner and gifts tonight. So, it was all okay!

I really enjoyed making this card with the Extreme Elements set, and some kinda vintage/grunge looks to it. It's not my usual thing, but I like the look! And maybe the ruffled ribbon wasn't the most masculine 15 year old thing I could have added, but I like it too!


Julie

And Yet Another Friends Never Fade!

So here's another card I made for the Scrapbook Expo - color combo look familiar? Anyway, it's also another CASE from the catalog. If you check out your catalog, you don't have to flip too many pages to find it! It's a sorta CASE of page 10; they made it with a hostess set - but I stole the idea, again used my own colors and set choice - and Wah Lah!

I did leave it saying-less, but I can always add that when I need it!


Julie

A CASE with my own twist!

This is a card I made for the Scrapbook Expo. If you check out page 140 in the catalog, it's a CASE of the card there - but I used the Elements of Style stamp. I was actually kind of proud of myself for revamping it into my own thing!

Thanks for stopping by,


Julie

Fun Tri-Fold Card for Friday!

Here's a fun tri-fold card we're making this Friday at stamp class! It uses two 6" x 6" pieces, one cardstock and one designer paper (the soon to-go-away Island Oasis paper). I also used the Tropical Party set to bring the flowers back together on the center focal piece.

And, a couple of my favorite parts of the card are the dotted scallop ribbon border punch (in white) - a new, must-have punch! And I love the "thanks" from the Fabulous Phrases set.


Julie

This Friday's Technique Project!

Here's the project we'll be making this Friday at Technique class! It's a little, but mighty one!! It's really just a post-it note cover.... but how cute is this new little owl??! Lovin' him! I wasn't sure I needed him, until I was enabled by all the awesome samples I saw on Stampin' Connection! And this project was inspired by Inking Idaho's blog. I think she made these for some friends at Convention (just that hers were a different color combo).

So, how cute would these be for a cute little back-to-school gift for your kids or a friend, or even just anyone - love that little owl!

So here's a picture of the inside with the post-it notes inside. It's a kinda fun size to hang from a backpack or purse - jot a little "don't forget" message!

Hope you'll be joining us on Friday to make one of these little guys!


Julie

PS I have a little secret about the post-it notes!! If you buy them at Staples, they have a rebate offer until Aug. 14th that you can get a rebate for the full price of them - that means they're FREE!! How cool is that? More money to spend on stamps!!

My Favorite at the Expo!

I just can't say how much I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this topiary that my friend Liz made for the Expo. The picture, I must say, definitely does not do it justice! There are so many details to it that are hard to see in the photo, but I love the sparkle on each of the "circly fluerette thingys." By the way, those were made with the Big Shot table setting die.

But I think what makes this project so awesome is the time Liz took to add the spanish moss in the right places, and put all those little things in place - glitter, smooch, brads, ribbons.... I know that her favorite part, which you really can't see, is that she put newsprint DSP around the stick that holds it all together - yet another fine attention to detail!

I guess I know why Liz was one of this years' Stampin' Up! Artisan Award winners! She has great attention to the details - and just that "something special" that makes us all look in awe at her work! - Go Liz!


Julie

A Whirlwind of a Coupla Days!!

Yesterday and Friday were a coupla crazy, but fun days! We had a great time meeting people and sharing Stampin' Up! with lots of people who attended the Santa Clara Scrapbook Expo! And thanks to my friends (and also customers) who stopped by to say hi! I saw a lot of familiar faces which was nice!

I must say that of everything we had on display, the most asked about thing was the Elegant Lines Embossing Folder! The deep lines and striking image of that impression caught a lot of peoples' eyes! It's awesome that Stampin' Up! is the only maker of this folder - it's exclusive design made for Stampin' Up! by Sizzix. - pretty cool!

So the card above is one that was on display (and you've probably seen on my blog before).

This cool little Top Note Tote was also on display. Well, actually this one is mine, but there was one almost exactly like it - it just had a "c" instead of a "j" because it was made for my friend Chari!

Here's a side view picture of it. My buddy Liz Price made these for us at Convention - and gave us each a cute bracelet with our initial on it, a super sweet gift!

Hope you had a great weekend!


Julie

A Quick Little Treat!

Just a quick post to show you this cute little treat all packaged up! Love this new single stamp "For You," and I especially love that it has a coordinating punch to go with it! Inside the little 3" x 5" cello bag is some yummy taffy from Convention - all wrapped in Stampin' Up! wrappers! And a peach parfait ribbon tops it all off - love the texture of the new In Color ribbons!


Julie

Growing Green Flowers!

This is one of my favorite cards that I made yesterday! I "stole" the layout from a card in the upcoming Holiday Mini Catalog. The original was a Christmas card with snowflakes and a snowman on it - A little different than mine!! And I added a few touches that seemed to work for my version.

I probably wouldn't have used these colors, but I kinda like them anyway, and they came from the Woodland Walk DSP color combo!

I really like using the satin ribbon to make a ruffled edge - so girly and fun! And I love all the rhinestones added to the card - I don't always think to add the bling, but I always love it when I do remember.


Gotta run, thanks for stopping by!


Julie

It was a Happenin' Stampin' Day!

Today I made nine cards!! I must admit that I do work better under pressure. I actually pegged a few cards in the Stampin' Up! Catalog and decided to CASE a bunch (with my own colors and stamps in place of theirs - you'll see when I post them!). So I busted them out - and I'm pretty happy with my versions. I'll be posting them soon.

But this card is actually one I made yesterday (not as productive of a day as today, but...). Anyway, I was pretty happy with this too - I guess my creativity was ramping up yesterday for today!

I liked how this card turned out, especially with the little pearls between the cut out scallop edging - kind of a cute little detail! And I also punched out the front and added the saying to the inside!

I'm almost all together with my samples for the Scrapbook Expo (and I'm even attempting a couple simple scrapbook pages - Yes, Me!!). I hope you'll come to see the booth at the Santa Clara Convention Center - it's this Friday and Saturday!


Julie

I LOVE little stuff!! ...And Candy!

So the Petal Card Punch was one of my first purchases in the new catalog! Then when I got it and realized how small the actual punched piece was, I was a little stumped for what to do with it! But then I saw that another demonstrator stuck it together along three sides (like I did here), and she put a miniatures candy in it (I think like a Snickers or Three Muskateers mini). Well, I made one and the candy didn't fit in it that well for me - it was little chunky to squeeze in.

So I've been on the hunt for "skinnier" candy - but it had to be 1" wide or less! The silly little things I do!! - Oh well, IT IS all about the candy!!

....And I did find candies that fit in it that I like!! ....And I had a lot of fun decorating the outsides too! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE all the little things that I used to decorate these!

This one has a Crystal Light Cherry Pomegranate hard candy in it (You know for those days that you try to be "good" about eating candy - It's sugar free, 50% fewer calories than regular hard candy, has antioxidants, vitamins A, C and E - ya, ya, ya - why bother huh?).

Then for the outside I used the Flower Fusion Sizzlit (Love this!) in Daffodil, and the Little Leaves Sizzlit in Pear. And it Needed a tag from the Tiny Tags set - how fun huh?

Then I made a quick one out of Baja Breeze - and along with my favorite color cardstock, I had to put in one of my favorite candies - and YESSS! I found it in a miniature size - a Heath Bar! And, No.... it isn't sugar free, or low calorie, or full of vitamins - well, maybe calcium in the milk - you know, "milk" chocolate!

OK, anyway, I used the Just Believe set and the Fabulous Phrases (lovin' that font style!). And, I used the super sweet Chantillly crochet trim.

By the way, the quarter is there so you can see how small these really are!

And this third one I made with the flower brad (and it has a self-adhesive Rhinestone jewel on the center - I just love what those do for the flower brads!). I used the stem/leaves piece from the Cheep Talk set. And inside this one, the good old, Hershey's Nuggets fit inside! I should buy stock in that company - those Nuggets just work in all our projects!! And they're perfect for wrapping with a 1" x 3" scrap of DSP!

I used lots of scraps for all these little guys! They were so fun to make!


Julie

Quick Cards with Simple Layouts

How much simpler can a card be?? This is just a piece of Designer Series Paper from the Greenhouse Gala set, layered with a saying from the Because I Care Hostess Set, all on a Pear Pizzazz Card!

Here's a card with the Awash with Flowers set! It's a very simple layout, with just scrap pieces for the bottom layers.

I just got the Curly Cute word set (after borrowing a friends') - and I just Love it!! And I'm really liking the Early Espresso!!


Julie