Birthday treats

My school secretary told all of us on Friday that Monday was our new principal's birthday. She asked us to put together little treats, etc. to surprise her. This is what I created!

I used one of the nugget tins sold at Papertreyink. I used Darling Doodles designer paper from SU (it's now retired). I filled the tin with Hershey's nuggets. Isn't it cute!!!

RECIPE:
Stamps: So Many Scallops (SAB 2008)
Paper: Purely Pomegranite, Wild Wasabi, Groovy Guava, Darling Doodles dp
Ink: SU Markers... Ruby Red, Cameo Coral, Pumpkin Pie
Accessories: Scallop punch, Circle punches (1 inch, 1 1/4 inch, 1 3/8 inch), 1/4 inch white grosgain ribbon, silver ribbon slider, red liner tape, Hershey's chocolate nuggets, hinged clear top tin (Papertreyink)

Here's an inside view...

I love how this turned out!

I also created a card to match and tried out a pop-up technique that I saw on Splitcoast. I think that SU demo's learned how to do this at convention, but I wasn't lucky enough to go! Here's my card...

RECIPE:
Stamps: It's My Birthday (C.C. Designs)
Ink: Pallette Noir
Paper: Purely Pomegranite, Wild Wasabi, Groovy Guava, Darling Doodles Designer Paper
Accessories: Nestabilities, Pomegranite double stitched ribbon, Copic Markers

Here's the inside...

When you open it, the inside pops up! To create the pop-up, I cut a circle and then cut it into a spiral. I glued one end of the spiral to the bottom of the card and then put a dab of glue on the other and closed the card so that it would adhere to the top in the correct place. Then I glued the "pop up pieces" to the spiral. The card lays flat when closed, so the recipiant doesn't expect it to pop up! Super cute!

Have a great night! :)

Back to School Gifts

Well, it's back to school time for me. I'm really bumming about my summer being over. I've been really pressed for time this week, so I haven't gotten to much stamping. I'm hoping that I'll really be able to get inky this weekend.

This year I have a new principal at school along with 2 new teachers. This past weekend I made some Lemon Pecan Biscotti (recipe from Taylor's blog) to welcome my new principal. I created and decorated a bag band, similar to the one on Taylor's blog, but I enlarged it to fit a much larger bag. Inside the bag I put the biscotti and then made a card to match the bag band. I ended up making 3 identical cards and then used the other 2 cards as "welcome" cards for the 2 new teachers in the building. Here's a few shots of my creations....


This is the card I created.

RECIPE:
Stamps: Making the Grade (CHF)
Paper: Kraft & Dark Chocolate (PTI), Riding Hood Red & Very Vanilla (SU)
Ink: Riding Hood Red & Dark Chocolate
Accessories: Nestabilities, Dark Chocolate Twill Ribbon (PTI), Diamond Glaze (on heart)





Here's the bag I created.

RECIPE:
Stamps: Making the Grade (CHF)
Paper: Kraft, Dark Chocolate, Riding Hood Red, Very Vanilla
Ink: Riding Hood Red, Dark Chocolate
Accessories: Dark Chocolate Twill Ribbon, Large white coffee bag, Biscotti (yum!)

And finally, here's the duo...











Finally, I wanted to create a 3x3 notecard to accompany the "Cheery Cherry Tea" I posted a few days ago. I will give the notecard and packet of tea to the co-workers that I work the closest with at school as a "welcome back" gift. Here's my creation.

RECIPE: (for 3x3 notecard)
Stamps: All Through the Year (SU)
Paper: Real Red, Bashful Blue, Summer Picnic DP, white
Ink: Old Olive, Real Red
Accessories: Corner Rounder punch, Scallop circle punch, 1 1/4 & 1 3/8 inch circle punches, diamond glaze (on cherries), dimentionals

Thanks for looking today! I hope to get some stamping done this week, but with school starting I'm sure I'll be REALLY tired! Have a great day!

More great GinaK stuff!

I'm showcasing two Gina K. stamp sets today. The first set is again from "You are My Sunshine", which I used in my sample yesterday.

Isn't it pretty? I'm still working on my camera skills, so this card is a little bit crooked. I photographed outside again and the wind kept blowing it over, so I had to photograph fast! I also didn't have the best sunlight to work with today.

RECIPE:
Stamps: You Are My Sunshine from GinaK
Ink: Black (Palette Noir)
Paper: Almost Amethyst, Wild Wasabi, So Saffron, White
Accessories: Wild Wasabi striped ribbon, swiss dots cuttlebug embossing folder, liquid applique, prismacolor pencils and gamsol

I love how the water turned out! So pretty! This stamp set was soooo easy to work with! Again, I got really clean images and had a blast coloring.

My second card today uses one of GinaK's "stamps for a cause". "How Sweet it is" is the stamp set shown on this card and part of the proceeds from the sale of the stamp set goes to the American Diabetes Association and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. What a great cause!


RECIPE:
Stamps: How Sweet It Is from GinaK
Ink: black (Palette Noir)
Paper: Regal Rose, Pink Pirouette, White
Accessories: Circle and Petite Oval Nestabilities, SU scallop border punch, hodgepodge hardware, rhinestone brads, SU and PTI ribbons, Argyle cuttlebug embossing folder, Copic markers

Isn't this just adorable?!? I did this card in conjunction with today's featured stamper challenge on SCS. I modeled it after this card HERE. As you can see from comparing the two, I changed the color scheme, but stuck with the same basic layout. I also used the same stamp set. I went with circles and ovals instead of the rectangles for the main images and added more scallops. Cute!

Thanks for looking today! Be sure to check out Gina K.'s store tomorrow, as she's adding a TON of new and fun products!!!

Gina K. Design Team Call

Here is my first submission for the Gina K. design team call. I really love her stamps and I have quite a few of them. I'm also in her Copic marker club and am anxiously awaiting my delivery of markers from the C & D sets. I can't wait to finish off my whole collection of Ciao's.

If you have never tried out Gina K's stamps, I really encourage you to give them a try. I love how "squishy" they are. I know it sounds really strange, but I love the impression I get from the stamps because the rubber and the foam is so squishy. You can check out Gina K's stamps HERE.

Without further ado... here's my card!

Recipe:

Stamps: You are my Sunshine, sentiment from Just Be-Claws (all GinaK.)

Ink: Black

Paper: Tangerine Tango, Baja Breeze, White, Bo Bunny dp

Accessories: 1 1/4 & 1 3/8 inch circle punches, word window punch, copic markers, mesh cuttlebug embossing folder and cuttlebug, dimentionals

I'll be back tomorrow with more great products from Gina K. Thanks so much for looking!!! :)

Slow Saturday!

I'm not complaining though! I'm enjoying my Saturday. Jeff had to work today, so I'm just chillin' by myself. I slept in this morning, watched some tv, and of course, stamped!

Last night I worked on a little "back-to-school" treat for my co-workers. I'm totally bummed about my summer coming to an end, so I thought I'd create a little something to cheer everyone up. I've only made 6 of these... I might make some more because they are so easy.

Topper Recipe:
Stamps: None!
Paper: Real Red, Bashful Blue, White, Summer Picnic DP
Ink: None! I printed the title with my computer
Accessories: Top Note Bigz SU die, Cuttlebug, Scallop circle punch, Circle punches (1 inch, 1 1/4 inch, & 1 3/8 inch), 1/4 inch Real Red grosgrain ribbon

Here is recipe for Cheery Cherry Tea. I got the recipe from the Celebrate the Seasons book from the Gooseberry Patch.
Recipe:
15 oz. jar of orange drink mix (I could only find a 13 oz. jar of Tang, so I used that)
1 c. sugar
1 c. unsweetened instant tea mix
1/2 c. lemonade powder (I used Countrytime)
0.13 oz. package of cherry drink mix
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg

Blend all the ingredients together well and store in an airtight container. I just dumped all the ingredients in a large tupperware container, sealed it up, and gave it a good shake to mix it all together. This recipe makes about 5 cups of dry mix.

To drink, stir 1 to 2 tablespoons of tea mix in 1 cup of hot or cold water. I've only made cold tea with this mix. When you make the tea.. it does look a little scary. It turns out a witch's brew orange color with foam on top. It tastes really good though! My husband says, "Looks really scary, but tastes like cherry!" I thought about putting that on the directions on the back of the little package, but I haven't done that yet. Too funny! Also, when you drink the tea, the cinnamon and nutmeg do not dissolve into the water, so there is a little grit on the bottom of the glass when you finish it.

Today's sketch challenge was a swimsuit company. I loved the one swimsuit and may order it! It is a little pricey, but aren't all swimsuits?

Here is the inspiration for this card... Swimsuit

And here is my card...

Recipe:
Stamps: Fabulous Flowers, All Holidays, Paisley
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss, Purely Pomegranite, Versamark
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss, Purely Pomegranite, white
Accessories: 1/4 inch chocolate chip grosgrain ribbon, brayer, styled silver hodgepodge hardware, ticket corner punch, clear embossing powder
Technique: Emerging Color

Didn't it turn out pretty? I love how this photographed too! I really like taking my cards out and photographing them on my deck, but once the weather turns cold (and it does really quickly here in Ohio), I won't be able to do that anymore. Bummer!

Thanks so much for looking today! Have a great day!!! :)

Today's color combo challenge... late!

Better late than never, right? Here's today's color combo challenge... elegant eggplant, taken with teal, and old olive.

Recipe:
Stamps: Annie LaPointe from My Favorite Things
Ink: Palette black noir
Paper: Elegant Eggplant, Taken with Teal, Old Olive, White
Accessories: 1/4 inch elegant eggplant grosgrain ribbon, copic markers, threading waters border punch, distressed stripes cuttlebug embossing folder, regular rectangle nestabilities

I may send this to my grandmother. She's been in the hospital the past week with a severe ulcer, but she was released yesterday and is now at home. I went to visit her, but I didn't get around to making her a card. I know that she will appreciate this.

Last week, my husband and I were in Mexico. We spent the week relaxing on the beach and snorkeling. I'll try to post some pictures later. Have a great night! :)

I've been a bad blogger... but for good reason!

I've been a bad blogger.... but I've been on vacation in Mexico for the last week! I haven't done any stamping since I've been back yet, but I hope to get to some stuff tomorrow. Have a great night!