Sunday, March 30, 2008

an acetate card...soooo fun!

Oh the weekend is almost over...it was such a fun and relaxing one!! I had my stamp club on Friday night...Saturday was pretty low key...Saturday night the hubby and I went out with some good friends of ours and ate some fantastic food! {{it was a restaurant called Pappadeaux it's a seafood place...I hate seafood...but all of them wanted crawfish...so I went along and had a super yummy chicken caeser salad!...good food...good friends...good night!}} Then we went to church today...I got a nap this afternoon and we ended the night with cake and ice cream at a friend's house to celebrate her birthday! I had to get one more card in before I head off to bed though!! I did the Featured Stampers Challenge over at Splitcoast...this was the first one I have done. There were some great cards to choose from in Laura's gallery. Here is the card I chose to make. I have never made an acetate card before. They look so neat when they are finished..this one was very easy. I used my die-cut blooms {instead of chipboard like Laura did} and added a build-a-brad to the center.
{luv ya mean it! ...Tara}
what's in it?...
paper...old olive, whisper white, die cut blooms (real red, old olive, bashful blue)
accessories...love & happiness rub-ons, old olive ribbon, build-a-brad
other...1/2 in circle punch, rub-on tool, sticky strip

Friday, March 28, 2008

gift card holder and tutorial

Ok...so before you continue on just be forewarned that this is my first ever tutorial....and I don't know if it went so great! I hope that this doesn't completely confuse you! If you are totally lost than leave a comment and I will try to update and clarify the directions!
...here goes!
First just to make the basic card you will need one 4 inch x 12 inch piece of cardstock, your paper trimmer, a bone folder and sticky strip or some other adhesive.Start by scoring you cardstock at the 4 inch & 8 inch marks. {your paper should be scored in 3 even sections}Then you are going to score the middle square diagonally. You are going to score from top left to bottom right. {If you are using textured cardstock you will want to make sure the less textured side that you will want on the inside of the card is face up}...otherwise it doesn't matter.Now you are going to fold your 3rd section. Fold it so it comes across the top of middle section that you scored diagonally.Next flip your paper over.Now fold the diagonal line back. You will be folding the middle section in half diagonally.Fold the last section down.Now you have your card. Last thing to do is tape down the part that will hold the gift card. I have a couple pictures of where to tape...but you will see after you get your card folded where it needs to be taped. Just make sure you don't tape the opening where the gift card will go! Then just decorate it how ever you would like! Also a big THANKS to Patty for the awesome idea! She always does the cutest things on her blog!!! Check out her blog if you have a minute!! what's in it?...
stamps...Tart & Tangy
paper...real red, old olive, whisper white, Summer Picnic dsp
ink...real red & old olive markers
accessories...red striped ribbon, love & happiness rub-ons
other...sticky strip, scallop punch, 1 3/8 in. & 1 1/2 in. circle punches, dimensionals

Thursday, March 27, 2008

a rhino birthday

I am in the midst of getting ready for my stamp club meeting tomorrow so I have a mess on my stamp table and nothing too exciting to share...YET! ...but I wanted to share a card I made a few days ago! This is a 4 in. square card. I used my cute rhino from the Zoofari set and some Jersey Shore paper. This card actually started out as a 4 in. x 12 in. piece of paper and the way you score and fold it makes a pocket on the inside to hold a gift card! It is sooo easy to do and so fun! I didn't really care for the way this one turned out on the inside so I am in the process of making another one...one of my project for tomorrow night...so I am taking pics and will post directions and a new card tomorrow! ...promise! Hope you have a stamp-a-licious day!!
luv ya mean it!.....Tara
what's in it?...
stamps...Zoofari, Eat Cake (sentiment)

paper...wild wasabi textured, whisper white, brilliant blue, pumpkin pie, bashful blue, Jersey Shore dsp

ink...bashful blue, brilliant blue

accessories...blue & pumpkin brads, pumpkin pie ribbon
other...blender pen, white gel pen, dimensionals, ticket corner punch

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

a cowboy thank you

WOW...what a tough week it's been so far...I have been thrown back into reality. Last week while the kids were on spring break we relaxed, slept in and just did whatever....I gotta say waking up to that darn alarm clock at 6:00AM is a big huge pain!!! It's been a struggle to pull myself outta bed in the mornings...especially when I spend the nights stamping and posting on my blog! Oh well...life is good! This card is actually 1 of 30 I made for a customer. Her husband needed some thank yous and so she asked me to come up with something! This card just screams Thank you from John {her husband...if you knew him you would understand why it screams his name} I did lots of distressing and sponging because when I think of cowboys I think of leather and dirt! I also used my color spritzer to spritz the image to make it look like mud splatters. The striped paper is from Cosmo Cricket. I used some burlap twine to make a "lasso" and stapled it to the image. I added a star...cuz a cowboy card just needs a star...with a pewter brad in the middle! These cards actually went pretty quickly once I got my layout and knew what I was doing!
{{{thank ya soooo much for coming by!!! There have been alot of you signing up with Feedblitz lately...I can't tell you how much I love that! It's so cool that there are gals out there who want to see what I am doing in my little corner of the world! It means alot to me and I appreciate it!! I promise to try and keep some good stuff coming!! I also appreciate all the wonderful comments you leave!! ....luv ya mean it!!....Tara}}}
what's in it?...
stamps...Bronc Buster, Happy Heart Day (thank you sentiment)
paper...chocolate & vanilla (from hobby lobby), creamy caramel, cosmo cricket dsp
ink...chocoalte chip, cloase to cocoa, creamy caramel & creamy caramel marker
accessories...pewter brads, staple, burlap twine
other...star punch, stamp-a-ma-jig, sponge, color spritzer, distresser, dimensionals

Monday, March 24, 2008

Happy Monday after Easter




Did ya'll enjoy your Easter weekend? We sure did...the weather was beautiful. The Easter Bunny found our house and filled the baskets and left all sorts of fun goodies! We had a super yummy carrot cake that I made from scratch and homemeade cream cheese frosting!! Just typing about it make me want another piece!! :) We all also spent the days with some friends and just relaxed and chatted while the kids played!
Anyway...on to paper crafting goodies! I made these cute notebooks for the kids and put them in their easter baskets. They are always using up all my computer paper so I gave them their own books to draw in, write in or whatever else they are gonna do with them! I didn't too many extras since they are being used by kids. I used sticky strip and mono adhesive to adhere the paper to the composition notebooks. I sanded all the edges with a sanding block to get rid of any paper hanging over. These went pretty quick and they were fun to do. The 2 little boys, Tyson & Kyler have notebooks that have the paper that is lined on the bottom and blank on the top, just like in school so they can draw and write.
Thanks for coming by!! It may be a couple days before I get to post again! I am super busy with card orders and I need to get them finished!! Then hopefully I will have a little play time!
...take care and have a marvelous Monday!!!
what's in it?...
stamps...big deal alphabet, mini alphabet (from Hobby Lobby)

paper...Friends & Flowers scrap kit, chocolate chip, Cosmo Cricket "cogsmo" &
"get happy"
ink...wild wasabi
accessories...ruby red, blue, apricot brads, silver hardware
other...mono adhesive, sticky strip, sanding block

Thursday, March 20, 2008

a SU gift certificate



I needed to make a gift certificate for a friend that wanted to give one to her daughter. I didn't have alot of time...but this is what I came up with! It turned out pretty cute I think....I made it to fit in a 3 5/8 x 6 1/2 in. envelope. I used the Afternoon Tea dsp again! On the band I just added a flower from the Friendship Blooms set that was in the Sale-a-bration catalog...I have had it for a while and forgot I had it! {oops}
{{{by the way...should anyone out there want one of these...start dropping those hints to the gift givers in your life and have them contact me and you can have one too!!!}}}
Anyway...have a terrific day! My sweet hubby is out of town for the weekend and so I am bravin' it alone with the kids for the last few days of Spring Break!! We are going to see "Horton hears a Who" and take advantage of the beeeeauuuutiful weather and go to the park too!
what's in it?...
stamps...Friendship Blooms

paper...soft sky, wild wasabi, chocolate chip, white, Afternoon Tea dsp

ink...soft sky, wild wasabi, chocolate chip, groovy guava accessories...green rhinestone brad other...hobby blade

a color inspiration card


I unexpectedly had the house to myself last night for a little bit and so what do you think I did with my quiet time?...well stamp of course and turn up my Michael Buble!!! Music, stampin' and a diet coke! Life is pretty good! :) I made a card for Kristina's color inspiration challenge she has on her blog. These were fun colors but not anything I would have ever put together if I hadn't been challenged too! I used my Cuttlebug again and did the new technique I learned about inkin' up the folder before running your paper through! This time I used another new folder I have...swiss dots. I used groovy guava ink on blush blossom paper. I never use blush blossom...but I have to say paired up with the guava...it's pretty! I used my little bird from the Pun Fun set and colored him with my so saffron marker. I added some striped wild wasabi ribbon and a sentiment and I was done.
{{{big hugz}}}
what's in it?...
stamps...Pun Fun, Eat Cake (sentiment)
paper...groovy guava, wild wasabi, so saffron, blush blossom, whisper white
ink...groovy guava, wild wasabi, groovy guava, basic black; so saffrom marker
accessories...wild wasabi striped ribbon
other...dimensionals, stamp-a-ma-jig, cuttlebug & embossing folder, blender pen

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

a cuttlebug challenge!

What a super fun challenge this was! The challenge was to try a new technique and it was to ink up your cuttlebug embossing folders and run your paper though. The result?...a inked up embossed sheet of cardstock to decorate your cards with! I loved this...it was so much fun I can't wait to try it again with some of my other folders! I used my new funky stripes folder {not sure it that's the actual name...that's what I call it though!} I inked up the folder with chocolate chip and then ran my vanilla paper through. I decided to run with the cuttlebug theme and use some of the new dies I bought for my kids and their new Cuttlekids! :) That thing is too stinkin' cute!! I found it at Walmart for $20! What a deal huh! Anyway...the flower is from that. I added some pink bling to jazz up the card and the "happiness" sentiment is a rub-on.
Have a fantabulous day...it is soooooooooooo gorgeous here today...I am headed outside with the kids to ride bikes and draw with the sidewalk with chalk. Thanks for coming by!!
what's in it?...
paper...chocolate chip, regal rose, old olive, very vanilla

ink...chocolate chip {regal rose, old olive for sponging}

accessories...pink crystal "bling", happiness & love rub-ons, rose & pink ribbon

other...cuttlebug & cuttlekids, embossing folders & dies, sponges, dimensionals

Monday, March 17, 2008

a mini purse with notes




Good Monday afternoon! How was your weekend? I was able to get some projects finished!......I love crossing stuff off my to-do list!!! I also squeezed in a little of my own stamping too. I am so in love with the cute scrapbook purse that Jan made...I thought they would be cute little 3x3 cards! {{by the way...Jan posted a tutorial on her blog for how to make those darling things!!}} I made this for a door prize for my next workshop I am hosting. I just look my giga circle scallop punch to make the scallop of the purse. It's a perfect fit for the 3x3 cards. I added the flower ribbon slider to most of the cards...well becuz it's just too cute. I didn't add purse handles to each card...I wanted them to fit in envelopes without any trouble. So after I finished making my cards I thought that these little things needed a home to hang out in! I just whipped up a box and added handles to mimic the purse and there you have it! Little purse cards in a mini purse! Super easy to make!! Have a good day...thanks for coming by to my lil 'ol blog!
what's in it?...
stamps...Three for You (the dot in some of the scallops)

paper...chocolate chip, groovy guava, wild wasabi, soft sky, Afternoon Tea dsp

ink...soft sky,chocolate chip, groovy guava

accessories...flower ribbon slider, silver brads, pewter brads, crystal effects, guava double stitch, soft sky, chocolate and brown polka dot ribbon

other...giga scallop punch, 3/4 in & 1/2 in. circle punches, crop-a-dile, paper piercer