2007 October »

Mini Coaster Book

Altered Art, Bind It All, Chipboard/Illustration Board, Christmas, Holidays, Notebooks, Techniques 17 Responses »

Oct 252007

Hey ya’ll! Well it looks like it’s gonna be another day that I don’t have time for any fun stamping. Jeanne and I have been working on some projects that need to be done, and I’ve made more cards here in one day that I ever do back home. Jeanne is definitely a stamping machine! When I contemplated doing the Splitcoast Sketch Challenge yesterday, she shook her head at me and said I had assignments that needed to be done. Sorry Roxie, I’ll make it up later!

I didn’t want another day to go by without sharing something with you though, so before I left home I typed up a few posts to have on hand, and this is one project you’ve not seen before.

I needed an altered item for the 3D Swap at the Stampin’ and Pamperin’ Retreat in Cincinnati. I bought the Bind-it-All back in August and this was the first time I was able to play. I have to say, that I am hooked – totally hooked. I cannot stop making little altered books and journals. It is just way too much fun!

I covered chipboard coasters with Mod Podge and then covered both sides with Designer Paper. The stars were done the same way, except they are covered only on the front. After I cut the paper off around the stars, I sanded the edges and then covered the bare edges with distress ink. After getting the stars done, I thought the little book itself needed some sponging, so I then sponged the same distress ink along the sides of the coasters. The sentiment is stamped on Very Vanilla and then trimmed down to make a tag attached to the stars with gold cord. I wanted something different for the inside, so I made 6 pocket pages so that when a page is flipped, you have 1 bare page and 1 pocket.

To make the pages, I cut a piece of 8-1/2″ x 11″ cardstock long ways in half. I then trimmed off the longer end to 7-1/2″. You should now have a piece of cardstock 7-1/2″ x 4-1/4″. Turning the paper so that the 7-1/2″ side is horizontal, I scored the sheet at 3-3/4″. Turning the paper vertical, I scored at ½”. Trim the bottom flap off on the left-hand side leaving a ½” flap to fold up and close off the bottom. To make the angle cut, I marked from ½” at the top and then 1-1/4″ from the bottom and cut along the diagonal. To finish the pocket, apply adhesive to the flap and when you fold over to make the pocket, join the 2 pieces together.

Stamps: SU Fancy Flexible Greetings

Paper: SU Very Vanilla, BasicGrey Fruitcake Collection

Ink: Tim Holtz Peeled Paint and Fired Brick Distress Ink

Accessories: Bind-it-All, Mod Podge, Mounting Tape, Gold Cord, Bare Chipboard, 4″ Square Chipboard Coasters, Sponge Daubers

Hope everyone has a great day and more later!

Good Friends - Good Times!

Challenges, Christmas, Holidays, Road Trips, Techniques, Watercolor, Whipper Snapper Designs 13 Responses »

Oct 232007

Oh my badness, what a day we’ve had today! Carolyn King (cammie on SCS) and Sharon Coleman (stampscout on SCS) came to Jeanne’s this morning. Carolyn came to hang with us for a couple of hours, but Sharon came to stay the entire day. I had already met Carolyn earlier this week and she is just to durn cute and such a gorgeous smile! Sharon was one of the Original Challenge Chasers on SCS, along with Jeanne, myself and a few others. I had talked to her every day for a couple of years, and had never met her until today!! I met an Instant Friend today – WOO HOO!!!! We had so much to talk about and catch up on. I knew we had a lot in common, but to be able to sit side by side and chat – OMG what a thrill!

Sharon and Carolyn both wanted coloring lessons today. So we started out coloring with reinkers/stamp pads. When we broke for lunch, Carolyn had to leave us, but I was able to take this picture before she did. From left to right are Jeanne, Sharon, Carolyn and myself.

After lunch, we colored some more, moving into Prismacolor Pencils and then Copic Markers. We all got at least one card done today, but got a few more images colored ready to go on others. Here’s Jeanne, the teacher, giving Sharon lessons on different styles of coloring and blending.

When Sharon left today, I could have cried (well actually, I did get a little weepy feeling, but held back the tears). I gave her a big hug goodbye and hope to visit another time!!!! What a great day today!!!!! Oh and get this, I actually said ya’ll out loud today! I haven’t done that in years – well since I moved from my hometown near Louisville (pronounced lou-a-vul) and moved to the Chicago area.

When we were coloring with the reinkers this morning, I couldn’t resist Jeanne’s Whippersnapper stamps any longer. After I colored the image, I checked on today’s Color Challenge on Splitcoast and decided I could make it work with the challenge. The background paper is the new BasicGrey Figgy Pudding that I found at Jacksonbelle Embellishments.

Stamps: Jingle-Balls by Whippersnapper Designs

Paper: Watercolor; BasicGrey Figgy Pudding; SU Soft Sky, Purely Pomegranate, Basic Grey

Ink: Various SU Reinkers, Black Stazon

Accessories: SU Cranberry Crisp Ribbon, Brads, Mounting Tape, Sponge, Watercolor Brush, Cup of Water

Stampin' Friends!

Uncategorized 18 Responses »

Oct 222007

How many of us have chatted on line with people, get to know them through their posts, feel like they are friends and have never met them? Yesterday I had the great privilege of meeting two such friends. Jenn Balcer hosted a get together with myself, Jeanne and Carolyn King (cammie on SCS). Even though I had never met Jenn or Carolyn, I immediately hugged them, felt totally at ease and we talked a blue streak. As Jenn said in her post, instant friends! Jeanne and I took over a bin of stamps, Copic markers, and all of us sat around, stamped images and watched Jeanne color with the Copics.

Before we left Jenn’s for dinner, we had time to get a few pictures. The first is of me, Jeanne and Jenn.

I just had to have a picture with Carolyn too! (Carolyn thanks so much for forwarding the pics!)

One of the things on my agenda while visiting Texas was the Riverwalk in San Antonio and Jenn couldn’t wait to take me there and show me her hometown. The first thing we did was hop on a boat and have a little cruise along the river.

Jenn insisted that I have Mexican food and a margarita while in San Antonio! The waiter was so gracious to take pictures of us and I really think the picture on my camera came out a bit better than Jenn’s.

Jeanne and I are planning on heading back to San Antonio with Jenn on Wednesday to meet other Splitcoasters who are in town this week! How much fun is this!!!!!

Stitching Your Way!

Christmas, Copic Markers, Holidays, JBWW Challenges, Lizzie Anne Designs, Road Trips, Sewing/Stitching, Techniques 16 Responses »

Oct 202007

Good Morning! It’s that time of the week again – another JBWW Challenge. This week it was Jeanne’s choice on the challenge. She decided to do a little sewing. Remember that sewing machine that just jumped in her cart at Target the other day. Since I was asked yesterday about the sewing machine, I decided to post a picture of it today – all set up and ready to go! It’s the same model that I use at home and is very simple to operate.

Anyhoo, the JBWW CHALLENGE today is stitching. You can do any type of stitching you want – hand stitching, machine stitching or faux stitching. We don’t care, we just wanna! Please remember that if you upload your card to your SCS Gallery to use the keyword, JBWW. So that we don’t miss anything, we ask that you come back and post a link to the card (if on your blog or in your gallery), to either my blog or Jeanne’s blog, Inky Paws.

The sample I did for today is one I worked up using Christmas in the City by Lizzie Anne Designs. I stamped the image, masked it off, and then stamped the trees in the background. The image is colored with Copic Markers, and then to make the snow, I stippled on Liquid Applique. I let the Liquid Applique dry while I was making the remainder of the card, and then went back and puffed it with a heat gun. I didn’t plan to use this sketch when I started the card, but it just fell into place and I just couldn’t help myself. The designer paper is the new BasicGrey Figgy that I found at Jacksonbelle Embellishments. I stitched all the layers together on Jeanne’s new sewing machine. The sentiment is raised on mounting tape and I stitched around the photo corners just for the fun of it.

Stamps: Christmas in the City by Lizzie Anne Designs

Paper: SU Always Artichoke, BasicGrey Figgy

Ink: Tim Holtz Black Soot Distress Ink

Accessories: Sewing Machine, Copic Ciao Markers, Liquid Applique, Circle Punches, Scallop Punch, Mounting Tape

Stamp Club Texas Style!

Uncategorized 2 Responses »

Oct 202007

Hey ya’ll! It has been such a busy week in Texas. Jeanne and I have run and stamped every day. Yesterday I was fortunate to attend one of Jeanne’s Stamp Club Meetings. How fun! First off, the meeting was held in an old home called the Doll House. I have never in my life seen so many dolls in one place. They are in every nook and cranie of the house. Notice how they appear in every picture. Her club ladies are funny and fabulous! I had so much fun with these ladies and oh my badness can they ever cook! I finally got to meet Nancy Crone, one of Jeanne’s club members that I have been emailing with for months now! We tried to keep it a secret from her that I was coming to Texas, but I slipped up last week and she found out anyway. Here’s a picture of me and Nancy.