A Bookmark Card

This is a slight variation of a card design I came up with a while back. That circle element, with the sentiment, actually comes off the card and is a bookmark. Too cute, huh? I'm a fairly avid reader, and this style of bookmark is awesome. It has magnets inside so that it doesn't fall out of the book. That's especially nice if you're reading while traveling.

So, here's how you do it:

1. Stamp the circle frame and sentiment from Wonderful Wishes and the stars from Starlight Starbright. Punch with 1-3/8 inch circle punch.

2. Cut two layers of scalloped circles. I used the Nestabilites scalloped circle dies measuring approximately 1-5/8 and 2-1/8 inches.

3. Cut the folded circular piece you see above. The widest part of this circle must fit through the word window punch. This will be important later! I again used a Nestablity die measuring about 1-5/8 inches. To make this cut: Use a folded piece of card stock and position the die so a small portion lays over the fold.

4. Now glue all the pieces together to make the bookmark.

5. Add magnets to the back of the bookmark, making sure they are going to stick to each other properly. I just used some from one of those magnet rolls available at office supply stores. I would suggest Basic Grey magnetic snaps for a neater look, if you'd like.
6. Design your card front as desired, punching a hole with the Word Window punch where you will insert your bookmark. Insert the bookmark. No adhesive is needed, as the magnets will hold it in place, also allowing your recipient to remove the bookmark later. NOW, with the bookmark in place, glue your card front to the card base. This will make sure it's not too tight to fit the bookmark into place.

A Note: The black embellishments on my card are dots of Crystal Effects covered while wet with black glitter.

Recipe:
Stamps: Starlight Starbright, Wonderful Wishes (Verve Visual)
Paper: Pearlized white (Paper Accents); Magnolia (My Mind's Eye) used front and back; white (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Tempting turquoise, old olive (Stampin' Up!); Onyx black (Versafine)
Accessories: Black grosgrain ribbon, Word window punch, Crystal Effects, circle punch (Stampin' Up!); Nestabilities dies (Spellbinder); Cuttlebug, scalloped scissors (ProvoCraft); black thread and sewing machine, magnets, black glitter

A Pooch With Mojo

I actually try my best NOT to "think snow", but it doesn't really help. It's not even winter yet, and I'm already sick of being cold. But, I think winter has the most adorable stamp images. Like this little Poochie Christmas set from the Cat's Pajamas.

I used Julee's Mojo Monday sketch for this card. I started with Poochie's panel, and built out from there. The oval is cut with a Coluzzle. The scalloped oval I trimmed by hand with scalloped scissors. His sweater is paper pieced with some Basic Grey Lollipop Shoppe designer paper. I watercolored the ice, swirl, and outline with classic inks and a waterbrush. The large panel is sponged with always artichoke and chocolate chip to even out the designer paper's slightly distressed look.

Thanks for stopping by, and thanks for the challenge Julee! By the way, one of my favorite parts of winter: watching my dog play in the snow.

What's In It?
Stamps: Poochie Christmas (The Cat's Pajamas)
Ink: Timber Brown (StazOn); Red Magic (Versamagic); soft sky, cool caribbean, blush blossom, cameo coral, mellow moss (Stampin' Up!)
Paper: white (Papertrey Ink); chocolate chip (SU!); Blitzen, Color Me Silly, Lollipop Shoppe (Basic Grey); Mint Espresso (EK Success)
Accessories: Stardust Stickles; Making Memories crystal brads; May Arts ribbon; waterbrush

It's so ME!

I know these aren't quite the usual style for the paper crafting world, but I couldn't be more pleased. They are so "ME".

I embossed the five inch square cards with my largest Nestablities die using Nichole's instructions here. You have to stamp the flower first though. I wanted the flower stem to extend beyond the embossing, but not quite to the bottom of the card. So I laid a sticky note where I wanted the stem to end, then stamped with onyx black Versafine. Then emboss, then stamp the sentiment, then color. I colored with an aquapainter and classic Stampin' Up! inks. Last, I added very little Stardust Stickles to the flowers.

I stamped the same sentiment on the inside as I used for yesterday's card. Just in black.

Maybe you all do this already, but I just thought of it. Sometimes I'll see tutorials that I want to use later, like this one of Nichole's that I know I'll use over and over. I don't want to print them all out. Too much clutter. But I have a hard time finding them later. So I copied and pasted it to a Word document and saved it on my computer.

Does anybody know what the blue flower is supposed to be? I wasn't even sure what color to make it.


What's In It?
Stamps: Oh, So Lovely and Close as a Memory (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Onyx black (Versafine); old olive, always artichoke, brocade blue, night of navy, real red, apricot appeal (SU!)
Paper: white (Papertrey Ink)
Accessories: stardust Stickles; aquapainter; large square Nestablities die; Cuttlebug

Simple, Serene, and FINISHED!

I needed a few sympathy cards quickly. I really should have some of these on hand. We never want to make them when we need them it seems. I also made two others that I'll share with you tomorrow.

I stamped the flowers several times with Always Artichoke on River Rock card stock. Color the flowers with a white Sakura glaze pen. (This takes a few minutes to dry.) Draw light shadows in Sahara Sand around the stems. Stamp the background (Paisley) in Sahara Sand on River Rock. Stamp sentiment on vellum card stock using black StazOn and attach with brads.

Tah Dah. Simple, serene, and most importantly -- FINISHED!

Because the card is so dark, I layered some Paper Accents pearlized white text weight paper inside for the sentiment and my own message.

What's In It?

Stamps: Close as a Memory; Oh, So Lovely (Stampin' Up!)

Paper: Basic black, vellum card stock, always artichoke, river rock (SU!); Pearlized white text weight (Paper Accents)

Ink: Black (StazOn); artichoke, sahara sand (SU!)

Accessories: vintage brads (SU!); white pen (Sakura)

Great Deals!

Just wanted to share these great deals with you going on at Verve Visual!

Shop at the Verve Store this weekend, (Friday, November 23 - Sunday, November 25) and you'll find the following sale prices in effect.

10% off all Verve Visual stamp sets and acrylic blocks
15% off all Ribbon, Embellishments, Inks and Adhesives
15% off all Pearlized Card stock
20% off all Bind-it-All Coils
25% off all designer paper
Additional discounts throughout the store

In addition to the sale prices listed above, orders over $50 will receive an additional 10% off! To receive this special discount, you must use coupon code THANKFUL at checkout (scroll down to the very bottom of the shopping cart page and enter the coupon code and click apply). After applying the coupon, your additional savings will automatically be reflected in your total. This coupon and the sale prices listed above will expire at 11:59 PM Mountain Time on Sunday, November 25, so hurry up and get your VERVE on!

No Coloring Required!

Have you tried any of Cornish Heritage Farms' Thomas Kinkade stamps yet? Oh my word! I'm in love. I put off buying them because I figure I won't be able to color them. But you don't need to color them. They stamp so beautifully and with such depth and shading, using only one ink. I inked up the stamp with my brayer to get even coverage, (Can't remember where I read that tip.) and stamped onto whisper white.

And one of Verve Visual's most recent releases, Wonderful Wishes, works so well with these classic images. This one reads "Wishing you life's greatest comforts". What a heartfelt sentiment, hmm?

I made this card using today's sketch challenge at Splitcoast. Thanks so much for stopping by and happy stamping!

What's In It?
Stamps: It Doesn't Get Much Better (Thomas Kinkade by Cornish Heritage Farms); Wonderful Wishes (Verve Visual); Canvas (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Bordering Blue, Close to Cocoa (Stampin' Up!)
Paper: Bordering blue, Not Quite Navy, Ruby Red, Whisper White (SU!); Screen Door (My Mind's Eye)
Accessories: 1-3/8 inch circle punch, chocolate chip taffeta ribbon (SU!); antique brads (Lasting Impressions); scallop circle die (Nestabilities); dimensionals

Like It a Latte

Just a quick post for ya today. I'm watching the Steelers game as I type. I used my retired Like It A Latte stamp set. This is the first time I've pulled out my Essential Glue Pad. Just LOVE that thing! I had given up on loose glitter. Heat 'n Stick is not my friend. But this is great. The glitter for the steam and heart are also retired from Stampin' Up! I rubbed the cuttlebugged background with an Oasis Green Versamagic dewdrop pad. The small brad was colored to match with a Sharpie marker.

What's In It?
Stamps: Amuse small skinny oval, Stampin' Up! Like It A Latte
Ink: Essential Glue pad by Tsukineko, Versamagic Oasis Green, chocolate chip, more mustard
Paper: more mustard, very vanilla, choc chip, close to cocoa, Cosmo Cricket Gretel
Accessories: cuttlebug spots and dots embossing folder, we r memory keepers Peasant designer snaps and eyelets, SU! brad, cropodile, word window punch, retired SU! glitter

ETA: Thanks so much to everyone who left an opinion on yesterday's post for me. Looks like most of you agree. In this case, less is more.

Is More Always More?

Please, satisfy my curiosity. Is more always more? I started this card for the sketch challenge at Splitcoast this week. I think I like the plainer version better though. Although, the one with background papers is growing on me. What do you think?
This stamp is from my recent purchase at Cornish Heritage Farms. It was the first time I ordered from them, and I couldn't be happier. What a variety of stamps! I can't wait to use the rest of them. I even decided to give a Thomas Kinkade stamp a try. I got the guy fly fishing, since i have no masculine stamps. It's actually called "It Doesn't Get Much Better". But this one is from the Asela Hopkins artwork, "West Quoddy (Lighthouse)".

I colored with markers and a watercolor brush, then added a VERY thin layer of star dust stickles to the lighted areas (lighthouse and windows).

What's In It?
Stamps: West Quoddy lighthouse (Cornish Heritage Farms); Thoughtful Phrases (Verve Visual)
Paper: Watercolor, very vanilla, choc chip (Stampin' Up!); Old World mat stack (DCWV)
Ink: onyx black (Versafine); chocolate chip, ruby red, cert celery, so saffron, old olive, going gray, close to cocoa, sahara sand
Accessories: Star dust stickles, paper piercer, watercolor brush

The Friday Funny -- On Sunday

Sorry I didn't get you a funny on Friday. But this is appropriate anyway. I live in Pittsburgh, a football town, a Steelers town. So you may not all be as amused by this as me. AND we play the Cleveland Browns today, the rivals.

So here it is:

A Steelers fan liked to amuse himself by scaring every Browns fan he saw strutting down a Pittsburgh street in an obnoxious orange and brown shirt. He would swerve his van as if to hit them, then swerve back just missing them.

One day, while driving along on the North Side, he saw a priest walking along the street. He thought he would do a good deed, so he pulled over and asked the priest, "Where are you going, Father?"

"I'm going to give Mass at St. Francis church, about two miles down the road," replied the priest.

"Climb in, Father. I'll give you a lift!"

The priest climbed into the passenger seat, and they continued down the road. Suddenly, the driver saw a Browns fan walking down the road, and he instinctively swerved as if to hit him. But, as usual, he swerved back onto the road just in time. Even though he was certain that he had missed the guy, he still heard a loud THUD.

Not knowing where the noise came from, he glanced in his mirrors but still didn't see anything.

He then remembered the priest, and he turned to the priest and said,

"Sorry, Father, I almost hit that Browns fan!"

"That's OK," replied the priest, "I got him with the door."

Verve Release Day

Hey! It's Verve Visual's release day. You can go here to see the two new stamp sets, Starlight Starbright and Wonderful Wishes. And to sweeten the deal just a bit more, there is a Veteran's Day Sale going on too. Lots of your favorite papers and accessories are marked down. So get while the gettin's good!

Here's a sample to tempt you a bit. This uses three of the stamps from Starlight Starbright. I mixed them with papers from Crate Paper's Cowboy line. And this was actually my very first attempt at machine sewing on a card. Kinda fun.

If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment or email me. I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Have a great weekend. I'm off to watch the Penguins game tonight.

What's In It?
Stamps: Starlight Starbright(Verve Visual)
Paper: Cowboy (Crate Paper); Very Vanilla (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Timber Brown (StazOn); So Saffron and Chocolate Chip (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories: Pewter Hodgepodge Hardware (Stampin' Up!); Ribbon (May Arts); thread and sewing machine; Ghost Shape Stars (Heidi Swapp); jump ring

Who Wants It? v.2

Sorry I've been quiet for a few days. My laptop, which includes my photo editing software, was being very persnickety. I finally got it to work this morning though.

So, what do you see? New Elyzbells stamps! AND...I sewed! I finally ordered my Janome Sew Mini. Then I fiiiiiiiiiiinally set it up and used it! Yeah. I kept trying to find my old sewing machine, but apparently it got lost forever in one of our moves over the past few years. Kind of like socks in the dryer. I only could find one color of thread in my stash though, white. So my sewing is rather muted.

In addition to the sewing, I stamped my Elzybells "A Winter Song" (distributed by A Muse Art Stamps in North America) on watercolor paper with Versafine Onyx Black ink. Then I colored with markers and a watercolor brush. I added star dust stickles to the snow and liquid applique to Elzy's coat and hat fur trim. The sentiment by A Muse fits perfectly into this tag from the Cuttlebug Tiny Tags die set. The embossed square and the scalloped square were made with the Nestabilities dies.

I had so much fun the last time I mailed out cards, so I'm going to do it again. The first person to leave a comment on this post saying he/she wants this card (and includes an email address for contact), gets it! The second person will get another card from my stash.

I almost forgot..It's Friday. I'll see if I can come up with a Friday Funny and post later. Have a great weekend.

What's In It:
Stamps: A Winter Song (Elzybells); A Little Note (A Muse Art Stamps)
Paper: watercolor and old olive (SU!); stampers select white (Papertrey); Multi Dots (Sandylion); Tressie Collection (Top Line Creations)
Ink: Onyx Black (Versafine); close to cocoa, choc chip, cert celery, ruby red, pretty in pink, regal rose, blush blossom, bashful blue, apricot appeal
Accessories: brads (Lasting Impressions); scalloped square and square Nestablitites die cuts; Cuttlebug Tiny Tags die cut; ribbon (May Arts); Janome Sew mini and thread, Liquid Applique, star dust stickles

Something Blue

This is the other card I made while I was in Vegas. See that sentiment in the stylish double oval frame? That's an extra little peak for you of Verve Visual's November 10 release, Wonderful Wishes. There are all kinds of great sentiments to fit into a variety of frames. You're going to love it. Both this set and Starlight Starbright are being previewed at the Verve Visual blog all week long. By the way, both Winter Wonder and Seasonal Circles are back in stock as well.


Two corners on the cake panel were cut with my corner rounder. I just cut out the sentiment by hand and added a couple more silver brads to attach it over the ribbon. It needed just a little something in the bottom corner, so I knotted a bit of ribbon and glued it on with MonoMulti. Held like a charm.


It's hard to see in the picture, but the bottom of the card is scalloped with my corner rounder.


The blue papers are from Memory Box (Echo) and the flowered piece is by Basic Grey.


What's In It?
Stamps: Wonderful Wishes (Verve Visual); Piece of Cake (Papertrey Ink)
Paper: Echo (Memory Box); Perhaps (Basic Grey); Stamper's Select White (Papertrey Ink); Chocolate Chip (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Bashful Blue, Creamy Caramel (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories: Ribbon (May Arts); Corner rounder (EK Success); Silver brads (Stampin' Up!)

Limited Supplies, Very Limited

Can you believe that I was in Vegas for an entire week and didn't take a single picture? Well, it's true. We were there on business, but I did manage to squeeze in a stop at the Bellagio spa. Mmmmmm. The Las Vegas hotels have the most amazing spas and I try to go to at least one each year while we're there. What a treat!



I also took a few stamping supplies with me and managed to put together two cards, this being one of them. I actually stamped these three Hambo penguins at home and just took the stamped image with me. Aren't they so darling? I colored with markers and a water brush on watercolor paper. The sentiment is by A Muse, and then I added the swirls on each side. Where did the swirls come from? I was rather proud of this (ya know, limited supplies and all): I inked only these swirls on the frame stamp from Papertrey Ink's new set, Piece of Cake. Don't they make darling little accents?

What's In It?

Stamps: Penguins (Hambo); Warm Winter Wishes (A Muse); Piece of Cake (Papertrey Ink)

Paper: Stamper's Select White (Papertrey Ink); Black, watercolor (Stampin' Up!); Perhaps (Basic Grey)

Ink: Onyx black (Versafine); pumpkin pie, bashful blue, sahara sand (Stampin' Up!)

Accessories: water brush; ribbon (May Arts); white pen (Sakura); silver brads, ticket corner punch (Stampin' Up!)


Have you been checking out the Sneak Peaks over at the Verve Visual blog? There'll be a new project every day until November 10, because on that day TWO new stamp sets will be available. I'll be chiming in with a card on Friday, so make sure you stop by.

The Friday Funny

Hello all of you out in blog land. I'm still in Vegas for the week, but I pulled out a Friday Funny for you. I hope to be back to my regular blogging schedule (sporadic as it may be) by Monday.

The Elevator Confrontation

A middle aged business man got on an elevator in downtown L.A.

When he entered, there was a young blonde already inside who greeted him with a bright, "T-G-I-F."

He smiled at her and replied, "S-H-I-T."

She looked puzzled, and repeated, "T-G-I-F," more slowly.

He again responded with, "S-H-I-T."

The blonde was trying to keep it friendly, so, she smiled her biggest smile and said as sweetly as possible, "T-G-I-F."

The man smiled back at her and once again said, "S-H-I-T."

The exasperated blonde finally decided to explain, "'T-G-I-F' means, Thank God It's Friday." Get it duuhhh, you nasty minded old man?"

The man responded, "Well Blondy, S-H-I-T means, Sorry, Honey, It's Thursday. Have a nice day now and don't be late for work tomorrow!"