New Catalog Swap

I joined a swap for new Spring-Summer Collection. We all made 10 card fronts, plus 1 full card. The coordinator will swap our cards out for other ones and then we'll get 10 different ones back. This way, we can show off designs from many different stamp sets in the new catalog. The full card gets sent to the troops. How cool is that?

I *totally* cased (copy and steal/or share everything) from scrapnextras design on SCS. I loved the color combination and the watercolored images. I ended up making the 11 for the swap, plus 10 more. 6 of them will go to my current buyer's club members and I'm saving the others to send out.

The Shimmery White paper was a good choice for this. I watercolored the birds with Real Red and Ballet Blue with Aqua Painters. It took a few tries to get it right, but I like the overall effect. I also used a make-up sponge for the grass along the bottom edge.

All materials are Stampin' Up!

Stamps: A Little Birdie Told Me
Cardstock: Shimmery White, Real Red, Bordering Blue, So Saffron
Ink Pads/Markers: Real Red, Ballet Blue, Black StazOn, Wild Wasabi
Accessories: Fresh Favorites eyelets
Tools: Scallop punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, 1" circle punch, Crop-a-Dile, makeup sponges

Happy Harvest...Take 2

Here's the second version (and better, I think) of my Autumn Harvest (Stampin' Up!) Thanksgiving card. Here's the original. I took off the little punch tab label and added some designer paper instead. Then I slapped on a couple eyelets with my favorite Crop-a-Dile and voila! Much better. All materials are Stampin' Up! except for the plaid designer paper, which I got at Michael's.
I still don't quite think I am as talented as the normal population with the blender pen...I still like the way it turned out.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

How do I use this thing?

As you have read, I am a *huge* fan of the Crop-a-Dile....did you get one yet? Don't throw away the cardboard backing, because it gives you all of the information you need on how to *set* it for different sizes of eyelets.

I found this great video on YouTube explaining how to use it. I hope you enjoy it!

Crop-a-Dile Tutorial

Chipboard...finally!

I bought the OnBoard Simon Lower chip board months ago and could never bring myself to actually use it. What if I messed it up? What if I need the letters for a different project? So, after enough hoarding, I finally broke down this morning and used the letters "s" and "u" for my Stampin' Up! notebook. I keep records of who I invited to workshops, who came to classes, ideas for new classes, item numbers for the cardstock or ink club monthly buys, etc. I ripped off the ugly cover that was on this notebook before and started over today. AND, I got to use my new Crop-a-Dile to punch out the little holes for the brads! SO, SO, SO easy. I don't know how I lived without this thing. (See my post a few days down to read more...)

I am also a new fan of the Simply Scrappin' kits because of the tagboard stickers. These are so awesome. They're thick tagboard and they're stickers! All you do it peel and stick. If you want just the stickers, try the Accents & Elements. There is Build-a-Flower, Little Reminders Number 2 (which coordinates with Office Accoutrements), and Tagged (my probable next purchase!) They come in a cute little tin, too. Of course, I have one of these, but I'm hoarding those too......

Ingredients:
Simon Lower OnBoard chipboard
Simply Scrappin' Friends & Flowers (retired)
Office Accoutrements
Stampin' Up! brads
Stampin' Up! Sticky strip (LOVE THIS STUFF!)
So Saffron Classic Ink
assorted buttons