Bonus Bunny!

One more item to enjoy that's connected to the upcoming Card Buffet on March 26th - The Bonus Bunny!

Look at this little guy! Isn't he sweet? And, if you sign up for at least 20 cards for the Card Buffet class, he's yours to make - for FREE! You can fill him up with goodies for Easter, give him to teachers, neighbors, little ones, anyone you'd like to give a special Easter time gift.

If you're not interested in the Card Buffet but ARE interested in this little guy, have no fear - you can still sign-up to make him that night. It's $5.00 to make him and get the supply list and details on how to recreate him yourself. If you're interested in making more than one, than sign up for as many as you'd like - $5.00 for the first one & $3.00 each one after!
Special acknowledgment: Tammy at 'Dream, Create, Share' for her bunny tutorial

Card Buffet - Birthday Bash

Ever need a birthday card quickly but realize you haven't made one or just don't find the time to get them made? Have A LOT of birthday cards to give out each year and struggle to get them out on time?

Enter: The Birthday Bash Card Buffet!

At a Card Buffet, you pre-select cards from the offerings that you'd like to make during the class (and how many of each card you'd like to make.) Then, with all of the major cutting & measuring done for you, stamp, punch and adhere your way to a collection of wonderful cards you can pull out at the drop of a hat when you need them! This next Card Buffet class will focus on Birthdays: card options for women, men, teens and kids are available!

What: Birthday Bash Card Buffet

When: Saturday, March 26th, 2011 from 6-9pm
Cost: $20 for 1st 10 cards; $1.50 each after 1st 10 (envelopes are not included, but all cards are standard 5-1/2" x 4-1/4" cards.

Bring: Sissors and adhesive to adhere your cards

* To reserve your spot and in order to have your cards prepped and ready, payment for your cards is required by: Wednesday, March 23rd. I'll be sending out an email to everyone currently on my mailing list, so if interested please reply with:

- Which cards (1-10) you want to make AND how many of each of those selected cards.

For example:
- Card #2 - 5 cards

- Card #7 - 5 cards

- Card #8 - 2 cards

- Card #10 - 3 cards

-----------------------

Total cards (15) = $35 ($20 for 1st 10; $15 for other 10 cards)

Come get your crafty on at the Birthday Bash Card Buffet and make some cards for all your birthday needs!

Special acknowledgements to: Mary Fish, BethAnn Wilson, Barb Mullikin, Diane Stader, Danielle Daws, Lisa Young, Karen Haman - for card inspirations or CAS's.

OSW (One Sheet Wonder)

If you've never given a One Sheet Wonder (OSW) a try, you should. It's a fun and easy way to make a quick supply of cards without too much effort. I based this OSW off a 12x12 OSW template by Stephanie (akstampmama over at splitcoaststampers.com) which included a tote to hold the cards. I only made 6 of the cards from the template but you could easily do all of them. This particular OSW was made as a door prize for the Greenhouse Gala Spring Tote Ensemble class I just had on March 5th.

Here are the six cards all together - a little extra bling never hurt!

I actually veered off the template for the above card and used one of the square punches to make the center pieces.

The scallop punch is a quick and easy way to add a little pizazz to a card. I also used the small circle punch from the Itty Bitty Punch Pack.

Again, I used some of the Itty Bitty Punches to create the flowers in the lower corner. It doesn't take much time but it adds a nice compliment to the OSW piece.

By layering the punched sentiment piece you can add some extra fun!

Three easy panels from the OSW layered on top of coordinating cardstock creates the centerpiece of this card. Using the Itty Bitty Punches along with some jewel bling and you're all set!

Finally, one of the stamps from the Sale-A-Bration Punch Bunch set is perfect for this card and the scallop border punch and jewel bling tie it all together.

So, the idea is simple: cut into sections either one stamped or one sheet of DSP (designer series paper) and use those sections to make cards, scapbook page elements or 3D items. In my version today, I based mine OSW off of a tutorial for a 12x12 sheet of DSP - but didn't actually use all of the 12x12 for the OSW. I made the tote and all 6 cards from essentially 1 sheet of 12x12 DSP and some coordinating cardstock. You can add additional bling and sentiments to round out your creations, but all the major work is done for you by simply following the OSW template. See what you think and then try your hand at a OSW! Here is the link for Stephanie's post on her OSW template: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/templates-f143/au-chocolate-tote-cards-osw-t243314.html

Now, go stamp and ENJOY! :)

A Tote, a card, and some candy

For my upcoming class on March 5th we'll be making a Spring-time themed tote and card ensemble along with a coordinating candy jar. The Greenhouse Gala DSP from Stampin' Up! is perfect for bringing the warmth of Spring in to push that last bit of winter weather out the door!

There will be a couple of additional surprises for the class too! Stay tuned to see...
Stamp Sets: Thoughts & Prayers (wm - 113252)
Paper: Greenhouse Gala DSP (117167), Pear Pizzazz (119795), Chocolate Chip (102128), Baja Breeze (111352)
Ink: Chocolate Chip (100908)
Tools: 1-3/4" Scallop Circle Extra-Large Punch (119854), Boho Blossoms Extra-Large Punch (119858), Big Shot (113439), Top Note die (113463), Beautiful Wings Embosslits die (118138), Crop-a-dile (108362), Paper-Piercing Tool (116631), Scallop Edge Border Punch (119882)
Final Moxie Pop: Pear Pizzazz Stitched-Poly Ribbon (119265), Early Espresso 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon (120931), Certainly Celery 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon (109031), Flower Designer Brads (12579), Pewter Jumbo Eyelets (108432), Basic Rhinestone Jewels (119246), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), Sticky Strip (104294)

"Book of Chocolate", anyone?

I can't imagine not wanting chocolate in any form, so what did I decide to make hubby for Valentine's? Why, a "Book of Chocolate", of course! Complete with dark chocolate and "rules" for consuming said chocolate.

Stamp Sets: Punch Bunch (SAB set, wm - 121847, cm - 123211)
Paper: Basic Black (121045), Basic Gray (121044), Whisper White (100730)
Ink: Basic Black (101179), Basic Black marker (100082)
Tools: Two-Step Owl Extra Large Punch (118074), 1-1/4" Circle Large Punch (119861), Two-Step Bird Extra Large Punch (117191), Full Heart Extra Large Punch (119883)
Final Moxie Pop: Red Glimmer Paper (Occasions Mini: 121790), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), Sticky Strip (104294)

Valentine's Recap

Greetings from Stampin' Moxie! Here are some items that are for Valentine's. Enjoy!

First is a Valentine's gift package for my son's teachers. Each "pizza box" held exactly 9 Bliss chocolates plus the 3x3 card pictured in front. The belly band of the pizza box, along with red moon on the card, the belly of the owl and the circle under the "Feb. 14th" stamp, and the little heart punch were made with Stampin' Up!'s scrumptious new Glimmer Paper (121790, $3.95). To say I LOVE this stuff is an understatement. Punches go right through it, no mess, no glitter flaking off...just pure glimmering FUN!

Next is the inside of the box. Yummy!

That owl is just too cute! I love to use the owl punch by itself, or pair it up with the Sale-A-Bration "Punch Bunch" set. The googlie eyes for the owl I just found from my son's craft supplies, but the owl punch itself punches out shapes to use for eyes also!

Stamp Sets: Filled with Love (clear mount set - Holiday Mini Catalog)
Paper: Basic Black (121045), Basic Gray (121044), Whisper White (100730)
Ink: Basic Black marker (100082), Real Red marker (100052)
Tools: Two-Step Owl Extra Large Punch (118074), 1-3/4" Scallop Circle Extra-Large Punch (119854), 1-1/4" Circle Large Punch (119861), 1" Circle Medium (119868), Two-Step Bird Extra Large Punch (117191)
Final Moxie Pop: Red Glimmer Paper (Occasions Mini: 121790), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), Sticky Strip (104294)

Getting my Moxie back...

Ok, so it's been a LONG time since I've even been on blogger, let alone posted something. After yet another surgery this past December I'm finally getting some of my craftin' moxie back - and it feels GOOD! :)

Looking forward to seeing what I can come up with - and just getting my fingers inky and my stamps rockin'! :)

New Year...Maybe better with blogging - or not?

Well, it's a New Year and considering all that has transpired over the past month and a half in my life (hospital stay, 2 surgeries) I've been thinking a lot about how I spend my time and what is most important to me. I know I haven't been keeping up well with blogging and other techno things like it (Facebook, etc.) but at this point I'm just having a hard time committing the time to it when I think of all the other things I could be doing...

I really liked the idea of having a place to share some of the things I like in life and have the opportunity to hear from family and friends who are not near me. I'll have to think a little more about all of this, but for now, I think I'll be taking an extended break from my blog and perhaps even FB until I feel like I can commit the time to it I feel is necessary.

Until the...Happy New Year to ALL!
(and yes, keep stampin'!)

Storage Idea...

Ok, so as I've collected clear stamps from JoAnn's, I've saved a bunch of the little baggies that the stamps come with and have thought "There must be something I can do with these things!" FINALLY, it came to me!


I ended up making one of my own "clip-it-up" version's based on another bloggers instructions for the same thing. I love that now I can clip up my stickers and other items instead of hiding them in drawers never to see the light of day. The other day I was punching some butterflies for a card and thought "I won't be able to use all of these, but I want to save them somewhere I won't lose them." So...I put them inside the little bags that the clear stamps from JoAnn's come in and clipped it up and VIOLA! Now I can see them and know where to find them when I want them!


Here's a pic of the little bags with stuff inside - and where I hung them:

Flowers, Flowers, Flowers!

Ok, so this one falls under both paper crafting and "other" crafting:

My DH and I needed to get some new growth into our front walkway, so we picked up some flowers and I spent an evening putting them into the ground. Now, I am NOT a green thumb, but hubby is and hopefully these will last! :) I did enjoy feeling like I'd accomplished something - even if it wasn't in paper crafting!

That said, our neighbor's daughter fell and broken her forearm and my son's made up some cards and we got some lollipops - but I couldn't just give them her plain, so I added some "flowers" to the top and stuck them in a cute little pink bucket (her cast was pink, so I felt it fit!)

Late, Late, Late...

for a very important (post) date! Well, not really important, just late! :)

Have you ever started crafting something and then set it aside because there was something about it you couldn't make work, only to find it WAY later on and then everything just came together? Well, that's what happened with this card. I'm sure I CAS'd it from something, but have no clue as to what, but here it is> I originally didn't have the flowers and bling on the top or the sentiment on the lower left side. But I ended up deciding I wanted to put those on and I liked the result.

A VSN, A "Pretties" class, and a little gift for a friend...

Sorry I've been out of the blogger-sphere for awhile. Since our return from vacation I've been
trying to keep afloat with the other demands of life. But I have had a few times to craft, here and there, and even make a little gift for a friend. The "popscicle" card I made with my SIL during our most recent VSN, and the "Friend 2 Friend" gift is actually 3 Hersheys milk chocolate bars wrapped up with a little "bling" for a friend. Sorry the candybar photos are out of order, but I was having a little trouble with getting the pictures in the right order! :)
Hope you enjoy!

CD folder instructions

I've had a number of requests for more info on the CD folders so I thought I'd put some basic instructions up for anyone interested. These are the instructions I received from my friend after took her class - but I know these albums have been out for a bit so I think it's Ok to post these. It's really just a basic framework and then you do all the embellishing to whatever level you want.

CD FOLDER ALBUM INSTRUCTIONS:
You'll need 3 CD folders for each album.

1. Fold 3 CD folders at the score marks
2. Fold 2 pieces of cardstock (5" x 10") in half - if you are going to stamp these, make sure you stamp it before folding it. These 2 sheets will be the "glue" that holds the 3 CD folders together. Use sticky strip to attach the cardstock to the folder. Make sure the fold of your cardstock is flushed with the spine of the CD folder. Tip: make sure all 3 folders are faced right-side up before "gluing" all together.
3. Take 3 pieces of cardstock (5" x 11") and score at 3, 3 1/2, 4, 4 1/2, 5, 5 1/2, 6 - if you awre going to stamp these, make sure you stamp it before folding it. Fold at score marks and insert into 3 CD folders. Insert the short end on the left side. Tip: you will want to use your bone folder to make each crease neater and each fold flatter.
4. Place ribbon around your entire album - ribbon should be approximately 28 inches long.
5. Adhere the front and back cover to your album - 5" x 5" squares.
6. Adhere 5" x 5" squares also to the left side of each folder. You will need 3 squares. Optional: use half of a 3/4" circle punch to make the notch in your paper to match the notch of the folder.
7. To cover the right slanted pocket of the folder, get a 5" x 5" square and insert it into the pocket. Trace the pocket and then cut. This may take some practice and adjusting. You may want to make a template or a pattern for this piece.
8. Adhere the "mini-cards." You will need 9 of them (3 1/2" x 2 3/4"). Make sure you round the corners before adhering the tabs. The envelope size is 3 1/8" x 3 1/8". You can insert more envelopes if you wish.
9. For the circle page on the last page of the book, use the coluzzle to make the circle. Use the largest circle and the next to the largest circle sizes.
10. Add desired embellishments to the front cover, mini cards, and pages.

Ok, that's it! Now...go and create...and ENJOY!

CD Folder Albums

After taking a class on making the CD folder albums, I put together one of my own using a different DSP. I chose a blue/green theme as I'm going to give this particular one to my oldest son's teacher for an end-of-the-year gift. I know she likes blues, so I went with it. I think I'm going to have to make some more of these...

Back in the saddle...well, mostly

I'm feeling a lot better following my flu experience - and thank you to everyone for your kind words!

My voice studio is having its Spring recital this Friday and so I've made some little gifts for my students and also the accompanist. Nothing too fancy, but chocolate wrapped up in cute packaging would always do it for me! I got the idea here on splitcoaststampers and thought it would be a fun yet easy way to package the goodies.

I'll be filling the inside with some turquoise paper to surround the wrapped chocolate. I like the extra "bling" on the front too!

Thanks for looking!

Down, but not out...

Hello, Everyone!

To say I've been missing from the boards as of late I know is an understatement. I've come down with *ta-dah*: the flu - but, as I don't appear to be squeeling or snorting or desiring to roll in the mud, my doctor's have told me they don't think it's the swine one! What a relief...just the desire to have a truffle or two was beginning to make me a little nervous...

Anyhoo - I've been unable to post OR comment as sitting upright for more than 10 minutes or so doesn't always fare too well. On top of the low-energy and aches, I've also developed a stinker of a cough and my lower right ribcage SCREAMS at me whenever I cough or sneeze. Laying down is best, but with my 3 little ones I can't completely vegge out.

I just wanted to let everyone in the fabulous "Surfin' 11" group know that I know I've been remiss, but promise to get something up and more importantly go and visit all of your wonderful and inspiring blogs very soon (I think I'm on blog withdrawal anyway!)

Sending best wishes to all of you out there in cyber-land and here's hoping you stay clear of any bug-a-roos in your homes!

Flower Fun for Everyone!

It's often that I see wonderful creations I love but not so often that I get to try my hand at making them so soon after seeing them. Today is an exception in that I was actually able to try out the awesome "Flower pot" card I first saw on Elizabeth's blog (she's in 'Surfin' Ocean's 11' group, so check her out!) She did such a fabulous job AND was so great at linking anyone interested to where she first saw them (which include a tutorial...are you seeing how I was able to try this out so quickly?) So, I just HAD to give it a go!

It's pretty late, so I'm not listing supplies now, but I'll try to come back tomorrow and jot a few down (all of the SU DSP is retired, though, and the other DSP is Making Memories.) Flower punch, Scallop punch, scallop sissors (I've GOT to get the SU scallop-edge punch!), RABOM and SU ribbon, brads, dimensionals, etc., etc., etc. LOTS OF FUN!!!

Late Night Date.........with Elmo!

So my youngest son turned 2 today and we had an Elmo theme for his party. After the boys were all asleep last night I tried to figure out what I could make to liven up our dining room a bit more (along with the regular streamers.) By 11:30pm I had finished, tired, but at least I felt like I was successful in what I was going for.

Most of Elmo was made with my Cricut and some other SU circle punches. I decided to layer him on some 6x6 cardstock to make it pop on the wall and coordinate with the tablecloth. I had some googly (sp?) eyes from a trip to Michael's awhile ago with the kiddos, and felt this was as good a time as any to use them up.

It's a simple layout, I know, but sometimes "more" is just "more work", you know? So I kept it simple and hoped he would like it. I used some tick-tacky stuff to adhere them to the wall so I could pull them down later without tearing the cardstock (and re-use them or offer them to someone else later who might need them.)

I even made a little headband/hat with Elmo on it for him to wear. Of course, getting him to actually keep it on... :)

When he got up today, he went straight to the wall and started squealing and pointing at Elmo - and mommy's heart did a little dance... :) Sometimes, you actually DO get to see your craftsiness appreciated!

Temporary difficulties...

Ok, so I'm trying to add both a background AND a 3-column AND potentially a 2nd page to my blog (in about that order) and I'm having some "issues". :) If you happen to swing by my site and can't read the words or something, hopefully it will be fixed soon! :) There are a few backgrounds I like, but I can't seem to figure out then how to change the color of the posts or the titles of people's blogs on the left so you can read them...if anyone has suggestions, feel free!

A big THANK YOU, too, to Katie over at Katie's Niche (who is in the Surfin' Ocean's 11 group with me, please check out all of the ladies' blogs) for sending me info on doing the above! Now I just need to make it work for me... :) I'm slightly computer non-savvy.

Hopefully I can also add a few of my recent creations - we'll see.

Ocean's 11: CAS & Monochromatic Challenge

We received the 4th challenge in the blogger group I'm a part of, "Surfin' Ocean's 11" from PeggySue (check out her awesome blog!)

This week it was to do a CAS (clean and simple), small card AND do a Monochromatic theme to it.

Hopefully mine counts for both (I'm not sure if my hint of extra color is Ok!) It was a lot of fun and I really need to keep at the CAS - it's nice to not worry about the extra layering!

Supplies: 3x3 whisper white notecard; whisper white and basic black cardstock; black & white gingham ribbon; black brads; black Staz-on ink; summer sun & rose red SU markers; Studio G stamps ($1 spot @ JoAnn's!)