The Friday Funny

Wow, Friday really crept up on me this week. I'm a little late today. I had to get blood work done this morning. And late this afternoon we have our appointment to get our taxes done. What a fun day, huh? But it's Friday!!! And tomorrow is our monthly dinner with friends. This time we're trying a fun restaurant in the theater district, Seviche. And they have MOJITOS!!! I will be a happy girl.

On to the funny (and, no, I do not research these to see if they are true or not. I just find them amusing):

Lipstick in School:

According to a news report, a certain school in Garden City, MI was recently faced with a unique problem. A number of 12-year-old girls were beginning to use lipstick and would put it on in the washroom. That was fine, but after they put on their lipstick they would press their lips to the mirror leaving dozens of little lip prints. Every night, the maintenance man would remove them and the next day the girls would put them back.

Finally the principal decided that something had to be done. He called all the girls to the washroom and met them there with the maintenance man. He explained that all these lip prints were causing a major problem for the custodian who had to clean the mirrors every night. To demonstrate how difficult it had been to clean the mirrors, he asked the maintenance man to show the girls how much effort was required.

He took out a long-handled squeegee, dipped it in the toilet, and cleaned the mirror with it. Since then, there have been no lip prints on the mirror.

THE MORAL OF THIS STORY... There are teachers, and then there are Educators.

Hinged Circle Card

Here's something a little different for you today, at least it's a little different from my norm. And it was such a snap to put together, even if my directions seem a bit wordy.

Cut two of the largest Nestablities scalloped circles for your card base. These are about 4.25 inches in diameter. I actually used Cool Caribbean for the front and white for the back. The black circle was in my scrap folder. I believe it was cut with a Coluzzle. Cut one patterned circle with the largest circle die.

Adhere the two bases only at the top, scoring front and back about a half inch down so the card will open easily. I suggest you make sure the fold is placed at such an angle that TWO scallops rest flat on the bottom. This allows your card to stand upright as shown, rather than teeter to the left or right.

Stamp the flower from Silhouette Blooms I (Kim Hughes for Cornish Heritage Farms) three times with black ink. Layer on the black circle. Stamp "thoughts of you" from the same set on a long scrap of white paper. Rub the edges along the ink pad. Layer on Cool Caribbean.

You can see here how to use that same large circle die to cut the sentiment layer.

Adhere circles to card front and score crease again. Adhere sentiment strip (so that it is straight). Apply gemstones (optional). If you'd like ribbon, punch a hole between two of the scallops and knot ribbon.

Recipe:
Stamps-silhouette blooms I (Cornish Heritage Farms); Paper-white, caribbean, black, Bali Breeze (Stampin' Up); Ink-noir (Palette); Dies-Nestabilities large scalloped circle and circle; Punch-1/8"; Ribbon-Dashes Dots & Checks; Gemstones-icon (Me & My Big Ideas)

Paper Clip Bookmarks

I am constantly losing bookmarks, so I made up a couple of these paperclip bookmarks for myself.

The butterfly:
Stamp butterfly (Essence of Love by SU) in Versamark and cover in black embossing powder. Cut out. Add dots around scallops with black Sakura Gelly Roll pen. Papers: Bali Breeze by Stampin Up. Ribbon: american crafts

Flower:
Stamp flower (Jolies Fleurs by Lizzie Anne Designs) and color with Copics. Ink edges on Wild Wasabi ink pad. Adhere to Petals and Paisleys (SU) scalloped circle. Finish scallops with dots of Lime Stickles. Ribbon: Sweet & Sassy

Big Bold Bloom

I used Beate's weekend sketch for this card. I actually found this flower all done up and ready to go in a pile of my stuff today. It's from forever ago, like a year?!? Beate's sketch came to mind immediately.

The flower is stamped in Versamark and embossed with clear embossing powder. I think the paper is Runway Circles by Top Line Creations. I layered it on Stampin' Up prints paper in Celery, then on Petals and Paisleys, each edge rubbed on Vintage Photo Distress ink (Tim Holtz). Because I wanted to layer the celery with dimensionals, I first layered it on the same sized card stock for stiffness. Add sentiment from Essence of Love and a few little gemstones.

Recipe:
Stamps-Big Blooms (retired) and Essence of Love (Stampin Up)
Paper- white, Petals and Paisleys, prints celery (SU); Runway circles (Top Line Creations)
Ink- Versamark, old olive (SU); vintage photo distress ink (Tim Holtz)
Other- clear embossing powder, brown organdy, dimensionals; large gemstone (Darice); tiny gemstones (Hero Arts); Paper piercer

A Quickie

I used Lauren's Saturday Sketch for this very quick and simple card. The idea was to put an image in any one corner and keep the card to a single layer. What could be easier?

That being said, I sort of cheated a little. I wanted a patterned background. So I adhered a full size layer of this Stampin' Up! designer paper to a white card (4.25 by 5.5 inch). I stamped the flowers on a slight angle once in the corner, once off the upper side and once off the lower side. All the stamping is done with Versamark ink and black embossing powder. I added three little gemstones for bling and balance.

By the way, I meant to use the polka dotted side of this paper and accidentally glued the wrong side down. Oh well, you never would have guessed if I hadn't told you, right?

Ingredients:
Stamps: Essence of Love (SU)
Ink: versamark
Paper: amethyst palette o' prints, white (SU)
Other: black ep (SU); gemstones (Hero Arts)

The Friday Funny

Don't Honk At Old People

Okay, I've never attempted adding video to my blog, but I had to give it a try for today's Friday Funny. I hope it works for you. Just in case it doesn't, here's another quickie. And it's even paper crafting applicable:

Another Tip From Maxine:

Always keep several get well cards on the mantle...

So if unexpected guests arrive,

They will think you've been sick and unable to clean!

More Bali Breeze

I had this Bali Breeze paper out from yesterday's card, and this image has been sitting, colored, on my desk for a while. So I tossed them together.

These herb pots are from an old retired Stampin' Up set, Sweet Herbs. I think it was the second stamp set I ever bought. I stamped it on watercolor paper and colored with markers and a watercolor brush. Sorry, I don't remember what colors I used.

The green circles (in the background) were each cut with a Nestablities die or a circle punch. Then I stitched around the circles in green (so it's hard to see). The little tag is a cuttlebug die, which I layered on rust card stock and trimmed for a layer.

Recipe:
Stamps: Sweet Herbs (SU)
Paper: Really rust, watercolor, white, rose red, Bali Breeze (SU)
Ink: Palette Noir; SU markers
Other: circle punches, Nestablities circle die, Cuttlebug tag die, watercolor brush, American Crafts ribbon, Heidi Swapp jewels, dimensionals, sewing machine and thread, American Crafts blue glitter pen.

Bloom

It's been a while since I placed a Stampin' Up! order. So when I got my SAB order the other day, the die cut stamps were all new to me. I LOVE 'EM! So quick and easy. Kudos SU!

Among my new purchases was this Bali Breeze designer paper and Bloomin' Beautiful stamp set. What do ya think of the combo? I would venture to say they're definitely not made to go together, but I think it works.

I stamped the flowers with Palette Noir on watercolor paper and colored with Stampin' Up! markers and a watercolor brush. Then I outlined with Copic's cool gray No. 1 marker. The prima was colored with Copic RV4, and centered with Star Dust Stickles.

I know I haven't been posting all that regularly as of late, so I especially thank any of you still stopping by and hanging in with me. BIG THANKS!!!

Ingredients:
Stamps: Bloomin' Beautiful (SU)
Paper: white (Papertrey Ink); watercolor, pumpkin pie, taken with teal, Bali Breeze (SU)
Ink: apricot appeal, taken with teal, pumpkin pie, certainly celery, old olive, rose red, close to cocoa (SU); Palette Noir
Other: Nestablities dies; ribbon (American Crafts); cheapie Dew Drops; dimensionals; watercolor brush; sewing machine and thread; prima, Copic markers

Tickled Pink

Nothing here is too original, but that's exactly what I needed today. A no-brainer. And I'm rather tickled with the results. Isn't it cute?

I used Beate's tutorial on SplitcoastStampers for a Peek-a-Boo treat holder. And I borrowed Lauren's pink and green birdie (from Verve Visual's Anniversary Birds). It was another one of those "why didn't I think of that" moments. But then, I have a lot of those while visiting Lauren's blog.

I stamped the bird in pixie pink, then rolled it in Purely Pomegranate ink. I stamped the sprig in Wild Wasabi then colored the leaves Certainly Celery. The flower is a tiny Sassy Sequin and brad from Queen & Co. I cut all of this out and set it on a copper metal edge vellum tag (no longer available, I think). All of that went on top of a scalloped circle cut with a Nestablities die.

The Purely Pomegranate ribbon is tied onto a Making Memories Cheeky flat clip. The white scalloped edge is cut with Fiskars scissors. I love that I feel free to add dimension to a project like this. I don't normally do too much dimension on my cards so that they'll mail easily. Here you can see a side view.

Here's what it looks like inside the first flap. By the way, all those polka dots stamped so quickly with Papertrey Ink's Polka Dot Basics set. I adhered another (white) Nestablities die cut and punched with a 1-3/8 inch circle. I added a few more Sassy Sequins too.

Since this is for a fellow stamper, I filled the treat holder with a little baggie of cheapie imitation Dew Drops (from Michael's candle aisle) instead of using chocolate. Because stampers don't like chocolate, ya know? LOL.

What's In It?

Stamps: Anniversary Birds, Thoughtful Florals (Verve Visual); Polka Dot Basics (Papertrey Ink)

Paper: Wild wasabi, Purely pomegranate, So Saffron, white (Stampin' Up!)

Ink: Pixie Pink, Purely pomegranate, wild wasabi, certainly celery (SU)

Other: Nestablities scalloped circles dies; circle punch, purely pomegranate double stitched ribbon, small copper metal edge vellum tag (SU); cheeky flat clip (Making Memories); Kissy Fit sequins and brads (Queen & Co.)

The Friday Funny

A blonde came up to our parts counter and asked for a seven-hundred-ten. We all looked at each other and another customer asked, "What is a seven-hundred-ten?"

She replied, "You know, the little piece in the middle of the engine. I have lost it and need a new one." She replied that she did not know exactly what it was, but this piece had always been there.

The mechanic gave her a piece of paper and a pen and asked her to draw what the piece looked like. She drew a circle and in the middle of it wrote 710. He then took her over to another car which had its hood up and asked "is there a 710 on this car?" She pointed and said, "Of course, it's right there."

If you're not sure what a 710 is... (scroll down)

Funky Flowers

Just a quickie here today. I stamped these gorgeous, funky stylized flowers from Verve Visual's new Thankful Blossoms set with Palette noir, then colored with Copic markers. The sentiment panel is punched with the corner rounder, set with a couple of eyelets, threaded with grosgrain ribbon (which really does match in real life) and adhered with dimensionals. The pale pink background paper was edged with a corner rounder (guard removed) to add the scallops.

What's In It?

Stamps: Thankful Blossoms (Verve Visual)

Paper: Going gray, certainly celery, black (Stampin' Up!); white (Papertrey Ink); Circus Baby (Scribble Scrabble)

Ink: black (Palette)

Other: Copic markers; black Gelly Roll pen; Crop o dile; black eyelets, pink grosgrain ribbon (Stampin' Up!); corner rounder (EK Success)

I Used It ALL!

My order from Cornish Heritage Farms arrived yesterday, and I used EVERY piece of new rubbah on this card! One stamp set and two backgrounders. What do ya think?

I stamped the Lined Paper on an angle in going gray. For the two flowers: I colored with markers directly to the rubber stamp, then spritzed lightly with water and stamped.

This Lined Paper seems so fun to me. I can't wait to give it a try mixed with some bolder colors.

I also used Taylor's sketch from last Friday.

What's In It?

Stamps: Silhouette Blooms I, Pretty Pattern, Lined Paper (Cornish Heritage Farms)

Paper: Perfect plum, pale plum, white (Stampin' Up!)

Ink: Perfect plum, pale plum, certainly celery, going gray (SU!)

Other: large oval punch (SU!); scalloped scissors (Provo Craft); brads (Making Memories); ribbon (Dashes Dots and Checks); dimensionals; water bottle

I Tried It.

Jen's Sketch For You To try, that is. And here's the result:

I already has this little ladybug stamped and cut out from a previously failed card, so I made use of her here. I just love when half the work is already done for me like that. I actually rolled the ladybug around a small paintbrush handle so that the wings would stand up a bit. Then I glued the center line of her body down and adhered the wings with dimensionals. Both the ladybug body and all of the flowers were pressed into pumpkin ink, then rolled in red ink, then stamped on the paper. For the sentiment tab, I sponged the edges with red as well.

Thanks for stopping by, and here's wishing for a speedy spring arrival!

What's In It?
Stamps: Little Lady, Butterfly Kisses (Papertrey Ink)
Paper: Going gray, basic black, pumpkin pie, whisper white (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Pumpkin pie, ruby red (SU!); noir black (Palette)
Other: anywhere hole punch, tab punch (SU!); scallop and oval punches (Marvy); white gel pen (Signo); brads (Lasting Impressions); ribbon (Offray); dimensionals; sponge

The Friday Funny

Here's yet another funny email I've received:

This is a true account recorded in the Police Log of Sarasota, Florida Police Dept.

An elderly Florida lady did her shopping and, upon returning to her car, found four males in the act of leaving with her vehicle. She dropped her shopping bags and drew her handgun, proceeding to scream at the top of her lungs, "I have a gun, and I know how to use it! Get out of the car!"

The four men didn't wait for a second threat. They got out and ran like mad.

The lady, somewhat shaken, then proceeded to load her shopping bags into the back of the car and got into the driver's seat. She was so shaken that she could not get her key into the ignition. She tried and tried, and then she realized why,

................. it was for the same reason she had wondered why there was a football, a Frisbee and two 12 packs of beer in the front seat.

A few minutes later, she found her own car parked four or five spaces farther down. She loaded her bags into the car and drove to the police station to report her mistake. The sergeant to whom she told the story couldn't stop laughing. He pointed to the other end of the counter, where four pale men were reporting a carjacking by a mad, elderly woman described as white, less than five feet tall, glasses, curly white hair, and carrying a large handgun. No charges were filed.

** Moral of the story? **

If you're going to have a Senior Moment, make it memorable!

Baby on the Brain

It seems like every time I turn around, another of my friends is expecting. So I may as well get to work on some baby cards. For this one, I also made a matching little treat bag, so they could be used for a baby shower.


I can't remember right now, but I think the card is about 6-1/2 inches long. Just a bit too long to fold over a 12 inch long piece of card stock. So here's how I did it. The base layer (aqua) is 6-1/2 x 3-1/4 approximately. Whatever size fits into your envelope. The second layer (moss) is about 7 by 3 inches, so that you can fold it over to the back and glue on. Like this ----->


The medium dots are stamped on vellum. I like the thicker vellum card stock. Be sure to allow plenty of drying time. One row of large dots is stamped on the base aqua layer. For the bow, I find it easiest to tie the bow first, then attach with a glue dot. And, oh, this ribbon (Papertrey Ink luxe satin) ties like a dream. That tiny little strip of striped paper is from Papertrey's Everyday Blessings 6x6 pad. Before assembling, rub all the edges except base layer along a black ink pad.

The little vellum treat bag is done like a 2-4-6-8 box, but I made it a 1-3-4-6 box, about four inches tall. So start with a piece of vellum 6-1/2 x 5-1/2, this allows room for trimming the scalloped top.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Ingredients:
Stamps: Polka Dot Basics, Trajan Monogram (Papertrey Ink)
Paper: Aqua Mist, Spring Moss, Everyday Blessings (PTI); vellum card stock (SU!)
Ink: black (Palette); cool caribbean (SU!)
Other: aqua mist luxe satin ribbon (PTI)

Together

This is made with the set Anniversary Birds, one of three sets released by Verve Visual today. I stamped with Palette hybrid noir on Papertrey white card stock, then colored with Copic markers and a gold atyou spica pen. I drew the doodled border by hand with a black zig millennium pen. The sentiment is so easy to rearrange (with the clear stamps) that I didn't even need a Stamp-a-ma-jig.

What's In It?

Stamps: Anniversary Birds (Verve Visual)

Paper: Certainly Celery, Basic Black (Stampin' Up!); white (Papertrey Ink); Magnolia (My Mind's Eye); Harmony (Paper Salon)

Ink: black (Palette)

Accessories: Vintage die (Cuttlebug); ribbon (Offray); green jewel (Me and my big ideas); mini jewel (Hero Arts); Zig millennium pen; COPIC markers; petite Flamingo Prima flower; dimensionals; gold Spica glitter pen