New Catalog Flowers

Check out these accordian flowers! They are featured in the new Stampin' Up! catalog on page 123. I don't think I've seen these in the blogger world yet, but maybe I just haven't noticed. Anyway, from the picture in the catalog, I figured out how to make these and have posted step by step details below. Also, notice the background on this card? It's the lattice embossing folder. The color of the card itself is the new Early Espresso and the ribbon is too. It's similar to chocolate chip, but much richer and REALLY nice. I've used a LOT of chocolate chip cardstock in the past, but Early Espresso might be my first choice now!

To make the pleated accordian flowers, you will need 2 scalloped punched circles.

Use your bone folder and paper cutter to make score lines from one end where the scallop goes in to the other side - ooops - this picture doesn' t have it lined up correctly on the bottom, the line on the paper cutter should be BETWEEN scallops not on the round part.

Keep making score lines all the way around the scalloped circle from one end to the other.

Make a cut to the center.

Start folding in an accordian-style on the score lines, folding up then down.

Fold both circles.

Use two-way glue or another strong adhesive to adhere the two scallops at each of the end 'petals'. Notice the small hole in the middle? It's perfect for inserting a shank on the bottom of a button!

Just add a dimentional on the back and stick it on your project!

Just for fun - can you see where I glued the two ends together? It's not easy!

I'm thinking to make an even fuller flower you could put 3 scalloped circles together. Hmmm - I better go try that.

Trio Flower Punch

I'm so sad....Stampin' Up! is retiring the trio flower punch at the end of this month! I love the little flowers this punch makes. Oh, well, I can still use it!!! This is a very simple 3x3 card that I made today from Kraft - I mean Crumb Cake - rose red and regal rose card stock, the little leaves embosslit and of course the beloved trio flower punch. The mini library clip and half circle were added for a little "interest".

I'm off to cruise around Splitcoast for a while! Hope you are having a great weekend.

June Club Exchange Projects

Our project exchange theme this month was anything 3-D, which basically means anything but a card!
Wow! This is such a cute little watering can that Sharon made. She printed out a template from somewhere on SCS, I believe, and assembled it according to score and cut lines. It is also filled with coffee beans and smells really good!

This little post it note pad was made by Cadie - cute cupcake! The candles were made by Stephanie. I love the turtle!! These are made by stamping an image on tissue paper, wrapping it around a candle and heat setting the image with a heat gun. Very, very cool!

Rhea made these awesome magnetic message boards out of metal flashing! She put a magnet under the stitched flower felt pieces so you can hang up messages, photos, etc. I'm going to have to try this!

This is a gift box made by Val. It's made from a container and Designer Series Paper. Like the butterflies - think of all the gift ideas that would fit in here!

The red gift card holder was made by Kristen - she even included a coffee gift card in it - BONUS! The stand up card was made by Kalie - I really like how this card folds flat for putting into an envelope. Love the purple/lavender combo too!

Father's Day Card

Here is a card that I made for my husband for Father's Day. I used the Totally Tool stamp set with Crumb Cake card stock (formerly Kraft), and soft suede ribbon. It's always difficult to make a "masculine card" but I think this tool belt fits the bill! This card is cased right out of the new catalog - I just changed it up a little.

I used the paper piercer and mat pack to make it look like stitching around pockets and also used a loop of ribbon to hold the hammer. Different color cardstock for the tools' handles help to make them more realistic.

And the matching envelope!

Have a great weekend!

Circle Card

You know the scallop square die cut for the Big Shot? Well, there is a round scallop die cut too! For this card, I folded a piece of cardstock (Lovely Lilac) in half and ran through on the die but put the fold slightly below the edge of the die cut. This results in a round scallop card that opens! I ran a small piece of Crushed Curry through to put on the side of the card, this also hides the fold on the top of the card.

I put one of the popular pansies on this card (see previous post for details) and added some leaves from the Little Leaves embosslit. This would make a nice summer birthday card!

Here is a picture of the card open. Club members - we will be making this next Monday!

Baskets and Blooms

This little basket was cut from felt using the Basket and Blooms die cut and then sewn together. It's really a cute little size, perfect for a small candy bar or treat of some sort. Just add an embellishment and you have a perfect little gift. This idea came from bloggerland too.

I just sewed together the two pieces of the basket and blooms die cut and clipped the two bottom corners. This will make the inside less bulky in the corners.

I'm not enthused about this color combination but I just used what I had to try it out. I'll have to use fuscia next (my favorite color!)

Elements of Style

This is one of the most popular stamp sets right now, Elements of Style. If you look at SCS there are hundreds of posts using this set. I cased this idea for the 3x3 set and the stamped butterfly from DOstamping with Dawn. These images are soooo easy to color in. Just take a lighter color marker and color it in, the shading from the image does the real work. If you look closely, you can see that I spritzed it with vanilla Smooch Spritz. It's shinier in real life.

For this one I used the Butterfly die cut for the Big Shot and then stamped on the butterfly. Very simple but classy.

And the matching envelope! I didn't color the envelope in but maybe I should....? It just looked so nice in black and white too. Leave me a comment and let me know - black and white or color it in ??

Here's the set together. Hmmm....maybe the black and white flap needs a little color....?

Here I changed up the color and added the bird (with a dimentional underneath) from the same stamp set. His eye is a tiny half pearl. The swirlies in the background are from this set too. This is really the must have set from Stampin' Up's Summer mini!

Here's the After pictures!

Now we just need to add some steps, flowers, and landscaping!

Sorry - I know these posts have nothing to do with stamping but now you know why I haven't stamped in a couple of days! I'll have a couple new stamping projects to post soon!

I'm SO Excited!

We are getting the cement poured today for our new patio! In the UGLY "before" pictures below, you can see the old deck and walkway that we tore out.

This is how it looks now, waiting for the cement to be poured this afternoon. Can't wait!!

Embossed Envelope

I've gotten a couple of questions regarding how Stephanie and I did the embossing on the envelope for the wedding card. I'll try to give you more pictures and details to explain. The above picture shows how I slid the folder into the envelope, with the folder on both sides of the envelope flap.

Above is the other side (front) of the envelope. You want to make sure that you have the top of the folder on the front of the envelope or your image will be "pushed in" rather than be a raised design.
If you see the black writing on the embossing folder on top (Sizzix, SU) - you're good.

Then, the last important tip that Stephanie figured out is that if you crank it only about 3/4 of the way through and then back it out of the big Shot, you won't get "the crinkles" on the bottom of the envelope. Look closely at the above picture, when you can just see that little black square that says Stampin' Up! in the upper right corner, STOP, and reverse the crank to back out.

And Viola!! you have a beautifully embossed envelope worthy of a special wedding card.

I hope this makes sense and helps you in your future embossing projects! Have fun!!