Stamping In My Neighborhood

I Did It, I Really Did It!

At the start of the month I told you I had taken on a challenge to post to this blog every day during April.  Well, today's post makes it official...I met the challenge!  And I really had fun doing it.  Of course the new stamps, techniques and dies that I got certainly helped add to the fun.

Today's Matchbox project is another dresser...just a tall one.  I used the Bella Rose DSP and Riding Hood Red, Old Olive and Pink Pirouette cardstock.  The rhinestone brads really seem to add to the WOW factor of the project.  What a cute gift for a mother on Mother's Day (jewelry inside would be even better), or for a friend who needs a little lift.  My niece has a birthday coming up...maybe she'll get it. 

You can see in the second picture how I lined the bottom of each drawer with DSP.  Makes for a nice finishing touch.

For those who commented about the 100 Things to do with the Matchbox Die...that list is still very early in the compilation stages (1/4 - 1/3 of the way there, I think).  It's in the Demo-Only Forum at Splitcoast for you demos that are interested.  I'll keep sharing some of the ideas here, don't you worry.

Speaking of Mother's Day, any of you hoping for some stamping goodies (perhaps even a Big Shot) for Mother's Day should probably give your gift-buyers a nudge.  I do provide gift certificates upon request so please feel free to pass along my contact info.  And, don't forget, anyone placing an order of $30 or more gets his/her name entered onto my 30-30 Board for a chance to win $30 worth of SU merchandise!

Irresistable

Okay, so I'm not sharing something new today, but rather what's been happening since I made the dresser I showed you yesterday.  I actually made the dresser a couple days ago.  Every time I come into my stamp room (my room...no one else should ever be in there), this is what I find.  "Someone" has removed all the drawers from the dresser.  You'll notice only one Rolo left.  There were only 4 to begin with and I'm the one who made the other three disappear.  But I'm not the one who keeps removing the drawers.  Apparently my younger son, Matthew, thinks it's fun to remove them.   He hasn't ruined the project...he just pulls the drawers out and leaves them that way.  Obviously he hasn't discovered the yumminess of Rolos.  And thankfully he hasn't made the connection to how much the dresser resembles the real ones upstairs!

his picture of the boys was taken last week at the beach.  The afore-mentioned culprit is on the left.   Each Christmas I give my father a calendar for the upcoming year that features 6x6 pages of my boys.  It's the Days-to-Remember calendar on page 157 of the calendar.  It's my father's favorite Christmas gift and he won't ever want anything else as he really gets a kick out of seeing it on a daily basis.  If this is something you would like to consider giving to someone on your Christmas list (sorry...you'll have to take your own photos), I can give you several pointers and sample pictures to get you started; simply contact me for more details.

Matchbox Dresser

I've seen some beautiful matchbox projects all over the web, including dressers.  One of my fellow demonstrators and cyber friend, Lyssa (who I got to meet in person at Leadership), is even collecting 100 different things you can do with the Matchbox Die.  Anyway, I wanted to make a quick project for Father's Day.  Guys aren't too flashy, generally, so I wanted to keep this manly and simple so a man could keep this on his work desk without too much ribbing.  I decided to go with a plain, borwn dresser.  And there was no stamping involved.  Had I had the time, I might have added some drawer liners or stamped images to put on the tops of the Rolos, but I didn't.

What would YOU put in there?  There are four drawers.  Candy in some and office supplies (like paper clips) in others?  A love note in one?  Let me know your ideas!

Oh, and yes, the top and the bottom of the dresser are made with the Top Note die...another Must-Have!

I'm early!

Next week is Teacher Appreciation Week.  Did you know that?  My kids are now 4th- and 6th-graders...about the time (maybe past the time) when they stop appreciating teachers, LOL.  Elementary teachers normally still get recognized, but once you get into Jr. High and kids start having multiple teachers, that seems to be when the tokens of appreciation wane.  I know, I was a high school math teacher (talk about unappreciated, lol) for ten years and I can count the gifts on one hand I think.  Don't get me wrong...it's really not about the gifts.  It's about knowing that you've made a difference in someone's life.  I have a file in my basement called the Worth It File.  That's where I still keep the little notes and cards that I received from those who took the time and effort to let me know what I did mattered.  I'm not an overly emotional person, but let me tell you, some of those items hold much more significance than the senders ever imagined.  I remember the Puppy Chow that one student introduced me to (Muddy Buddies for you Chex fans).  I remember the basket of flowers from a graduating student who most people just found annoying but I found to be an enjoyable challenge.  I have handwritten cards and notes from students who I'll never forget.  My file does not contain things...it contains memories of why teaching is "worth it".  So, as we head into Teacher Appreciation Week, I'd encourage you to have your children write a short note as to what makes that teacher special.  I'd also encourage you to track down someone who made a difference in YOUR life and send them a hand-stamped thank you note.  I can guarantee you that it will be a blessing to the recipient.

Here are the treats that Matthew will be giving to his main teachers.  My kids have always had a lot of educators "thanks" to their disabilities, so I can't do a lot, but having been where they are, I know that it truly is the thought that counts.  So I hope these little matchbox treats (made with my new Matchbox Die for the Big Shot!) will remind them that teaching IS worth it!

If you accept my challenge to send a card to someone who's made a difference in your life (lots of people teach us lots of things), I'd love to hear about it!  Add a comment to this post so that not only I, but everyone else, can hear your story.

I love die-cut stamps!

It wasn't too long ago that a new shipment of stamps (especially the box containing all that I'd earned from Sale-A-Bration sales) meant lots of time trimming and mounting.  Although I never really minded, after all it meant I had new toys, I sure am thankful SU went to die-cutting them for us.  Now it's "pop it from the sheet, peel off the backing, stick on the wood and apply the sticker"...EASY and QUICK. 

Here are my latest three sets, all mounted and ready to go.  I'll be using them all at my Bunco night on Thursday, May 21st.  We'll be creating a Father's Day card, a Graduation card and a matchbox treat holder, not to mention playing that totally mindless but fun game, Bunco.  If you'd like to participate in or learn more about this event, contact me today to reserve your spot.  Admission is $15 and everyone will make three projects and win at least 5 Bunco Bucks.

So Girly!

I've seen some variations of this card in several places so I thought I'd give it a try.  The dress is really simple to make...if you use the Scallop Bigs die with your Big Shot.  I first created a pattern by die-cutting a piece of chipboard and then cutting a wedge out of each side to give it a feminine shape.  Then I die-cut a scallop from Real Red Designer Series Paper (had some left over from last catalog's hostess benefit), traced the pattern onto the reverse and cut it out.  Having the pattern means I won't have to carefully measure and count scallops each time...a good time-saver!

I then added a narrow white grosgrain sash with a scrap from my scrap bucket and a pink Fire Circle brad.  I mounted the dress to a piece of Basic Black cardstock with dimensionals (after embossing "adorable" from Warm Words on the black), then mounted everything to a Whisper White card.

I think this would make a great Sweet 16 party invitation, bridal shower invitation or just a great card for a girly-girl.

Last rose...for now.

My mom and older sister are visiting so I made some more of the roses with the Reinker Spread technique.  My husband said, when he saw me cleaning my stamp room before they arrived, that I should wait and do that at the end of the week once everyone had gone.  Silly guy...I knew they'd want to stamp.  They each made two rose cards, one of the embossed vellum roses that I showed you a couple weeks ago and two cards with the Thoughts & Prayers set.  Very productive.

 Today is the last day to register for my Boxed Card Class.  Just a couple openings left so contact me ASAP if you are interested.

Boxed Note Card Class Deadline Approaching...

Just a reminder that the deadline for the May 8th Boxed Note Card Class is tomorrow.  I still have 3-4 spots left.  Cost is $15 which includes all supplies except basic adhesive.  You'll make 5 notecards (envelopes included) and a cute box to put them in.  Makes a GREAT gift for moms or for teachers (Teacher Appreciation Week is May 3-9...you could be fashionably late, unless your school celebrates it the week after).

I received my Oval All stamp set, scallop oval punch and white satin ribbon yesterday.  LOVE them all.  And because of the current SU promotion (spend $40 from Occasions Mini, get an item from the Under $10 page in the catalog), I got a cute little gift note set as a bonus.  I just used up some of the Note Cards I had from awhile back and some Certainly Celery DSP and cardstock and put together this fabulous boxed set in almost no time.  If you'd like the items I mentioned so you can make your own, let me know and I'll send you detailed class instructions with your purchase.

But if you want the class...sign up by tomorrow, Friday, May 24th! 

Reinker Spread Video Tutorial

I had so much fun yesterday when I tried out the Reinker Spread technique that I had to make a video for you to show you how fun and WOW it really is to do.  This is the finished card...a warmer variation of the one I did yesterday. 

Let me know if you have any questions or if you need any supplies so that you can try this for yourself.

I learned a new technique!

I've been around the block a few times and there's not a lot I haven't seen or tried.  But today I tried something new and it was COOL!  It's called Reinker Spread and it was demonstrated at the Seattle Regional SU event that was this past weekend.  I wasn't there, but some other demos who were shared what Connie Ingram demonstrated.  I just had to try it and it was soooo simple but really had me saying "this is so cool" as I was doing it.  I am completely in love!

Connie demo'd this technique with my latest favorite set, Fifth Avenue Florals.  That set is a Must Have, in my opinion, and if you didn't think so before, you will after looking at this card!

I embossed the rose image on Shimmery White cardstock using White Craft Ink and white embossing powder.  Then I sprayed the piece of cardstock with water (got it really wet so that water pooled in the wells created by the embossing.  I then dipped my AquaPainter in a drop of reinker and touched it to one of the wells.  Poof...the reinker spread out and almost gave a marbled look.  Touched the AP to another well and so on.  I used Pacific Point, Baja Breeze and Kiwi Kiss reinkers to get this beautiful rose.  It took 15-20 minutes for the rose to dry and then cut it out and mounted it over the Urban Garden DSP/Kiwi Kiss satin ribbon/Pacific Point card.  I embossed the saying in White EP and was done.

I can assure you, it's even more gorgeous in person. 

Reinkers, as you can see, are for more than just reinking your pads.  Just a reminder that the In Colors are only around until the end of June, so if you have In Color pads, you should hop on over to my website and order the reinkers.  While you're at it, consider ordering Fifth Avenue Florals.  You won't be disappointed!  Just click on the "Shop Now" button.