Almost Artisan – Scrapbook Page 1

So far you got to see some of the cards I entered in the Stampin’ Up! Artisan Award contest.  Well I thought I would switch gears and show you a scrapbook page today.  I think this one is my favorite out of the three I made.

This is my niece Ally – isn’t she just Cute as a Button?

I have actually used these pictures before on another page.  They were fun and I had a whole bunch of her playing with this old hat.  I used one large picture for the focal point and then added the two smaller photos on the side.

The base is 12×12 Old Olive Textured card stock.  I used a piece of Chocolate Chip card stock and stamped it with the Manhattan Flower using Versa Mark ink and embossed it with clear embossing powder.  An easy way to create a tone on tone background.  The photos are framed with So Saffron card stock.

I used the Flower Daisies #2 die and the Big Shot to create the flowers.  There are multiple layers of the Sweet Pea Designer Series paper that was in the Occasions Mini catalog.  The centers are the little Chocolate Chip Epoxy brads – I love those!

The title was also cut with the Big Shot and the Go Go Boots Alphabet Sizzlits die set.  I use that one a lot in my scrapbooking because the letters are fun and different sizes.  I added the little designer button inside the ‘O’ – I thought it was a perfect little touch.

There are a couple of pieces of Pretty in Pink on the edges punched with the Scallop Trim Border Punch that we had in the Sale-A-Bration brochure – but it will be back in the catalog on July 1st!  I added doodling on this page too like I did on the card I showed earlier. 

I used the Top Note die for my journaling.  I think that is probably where I lack on my scrapbooking is the journaling part.  I’m not a good writer so I only had a very small amount of writing on each page and that probably wasn’t enough for the judges – I needed to tell a better story on my pages.  I’ll have to work on that part this year.

I really liked this page and it was fun to create.  Maybe I will have to make a duplicate since I sent my only one to Stampin’ Up!.

Remember to visit this post to see some of the other talented demonstrators that submitted entries to the Artisan Award Contest but didn’t win.

Thanks for stopping by today.  I forgot to download my turtle pictures sorry about that.

Almost Artisan – Card 2

I hope you like my first card from my Artisan Award entries that I showed yesterday – it was one of my favorite ones.  But I also really like this one even though I don’t normally make such bright cards.  This one is on a Melon Mambo Textured card stock base.  I used Basic Black, Crushed Curry and Old Olive with it.  The focal piece is a 3×3 square and could be used on its own for a tag or small card.

Lately I seem to enjoy adding the doodles on my projects – this time I used the black journaler to add the doodles and then also added the splatter from Itty Bitty Backgrounds – I know that stamp set has been around forever and I sure do hope it doesn’t retire.  I use it a lot.

Here is a look at the inside.  It is stamped and doodles to match the front.  And I added a thin Basic Black strip and the Crushed Curry scallop trim edge on one side.

Thanks for checking in today and looking at my work.  This was my second card out of 5 for the Artisan Award Contest.

If you would like to see the entries that other demos submitted go to this post  – CLICK HERE.  We are calling ourselves the Almost Artisans.

Almost Artisan – Card 1

It was really hard not sharing these projects earlier.  Since we made them during the Sale-A-Bration and Occasions Mini Catalog sales period some of my projects use items from these.  They were current at the time so they were eligible for the contest.  Even though the judging occurred after they ended.  I wonder if that had anything to do with the chosen winners.  Between that and using what are now going to be retiring colors – that was announced after I sent my entry in and when you see one of my scrapbook pages it ended up with a bunch of retiring colors on it.  Oh well…

So here is card #1 – I considered this to be my vintage card.  I had actually created a scrapbook page with this idea and posted it on my blog earlier – click here to see it – and when I was creating for the Artisan contest I kept coming back to that page but knew I couldn’t enter it since it was already on my blog.  My solution was to make a card using the same idea.

It is a very pretty card in person – I’m not sure the picture does it any justice.  The card base is Basic Black and the stamping is done with Versamark and embossed with Clear Embossing powder.  I love this look.

I used the Vintage Labels stamp set from Sale-A-Bration – too bad that one isn’t still available.  The others are all still current – Charming, Tiny Tags, and Baroque Motifs.

The colors are Crushed Curry, Basic Black and Whisper White.

I had also decided to decorate the inside of each of my cards.  I go in phases of doing this.  And I usually always do it when the card base is dark like the Basic Black.  The inside was pretty simple but matched with the front of the card.

So that is my first entry for the Artisan Award.

I hope you like it.  And that you’ll come back to see the rest!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

CLICK HERE – to go to the post for other Almost Artisan blog links.

Herb Expressions Seed Journal

Royal Blog Tour Project 2 – Herb Seed Journal

My second project  from the Royal Blog tour is an Herb Seed Journal.  This is based on the design of a matchbook.  I originally created a small version of this project (I’ll be sharing that in the future) for something else and decided to adapt the idea to this.   I’ve already shared instructions for my other two projects – #1 Card set and #3 Flower Pot – so if you missed those they were posted earlier this week.

The base is a piece of Kraft card stock – it measures 12″ x 5″ and is scored at 5″, 5-1/2″, 11″, and 11-1/4″.  The small flap becomes the bottom where the bags are attached.  I stamped the images from the Herb Expressions set along this flap in Chocolate Chip ink and I sponged all the edges.

To decorate the front I used a piece of Certainly Celery (4-3/4″ x 4-1/2″) – sponge the edges with Certainly Celery, then a piece of Chocolate Chip (4-1/2″ x 4-1/4″) – emboss using the Big Shot and the Finial Press Embossing Folder and sponge the edges in Chocolate Chip.

Then I added a piece of the 1-1/4″ Striped Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon with a piece of Certainly Celery underneath that was scalloped on one edge.  On top is a piece of Certainly Celery Satin Ribbon tied in a knot.  The herb image was stamped on a piece of Very Vanilla and colored with Stampin’ Write Markers. Punch out with the wide oval and sponge the edges.  Can you tell I like to sponge the edges?  Attach this to two punch outs of the Designer Label punch from Kraft card stock (sponge edges).  And then add another wide oval punched from Lavender Lace.  Attach with Stampin’ Dimensionals next to the knot.  I’ve actually decided this front would be a pretty card so I may go back and use this same design just as a card.

The inside consists of pockets made from the Glassine Bags in the Occasions Mini Catalog.  These were each cut to be 5-3/8″ long.  I used the 1-3/4″ circle punch to punch a half circle notch out of each opening.  When you do this put a piece of scratch paper or card stock behind to help the punch cut through.  Because of the texture of the bag sometimes it bends instead of cutting so you need something else under it. On the outside of each envelope I stamped the herb image and colored it in with Stampin’ Write Markers.  For this project I used Certainly Celery and Lavender Lace.  Stack the 4 bags together and attach to the bottom flap of the cover with two Chocolate Chip jumbo brads – I used the 5/16″ size.

Inside each pocket I have a card that includes places to keep track of your seeds and a packet of seeds.  I created the journal card using My Digital Studio.  I cut the Kraft card stock to 5-1/2″ x 4-1/4″ and printed them on my printer.  Then I actually cut them again down to 4-3/4″ x 4-1/4″ to fit in the envelopes.  I sponged the edges just a bit too.

CLICK HERE if you would like the pdf file of the seed journal card – you may have to play with your printer to get it to print the way you want it – I set my paper size to be 5-1/2″ x 4-1/4″ and test it on regular printer paper before printing on card stock.

You can keep the seed packet and the journal card in the pocket so that the following year you’ll know what you bought, what you did, what worked and what you need to change so you will have lots of herbs.

Well that is the last of my Royal Blog Tour projects.  I hope that I gave you enough information and instructions that you can recreate them if you like.  I enjoyed making them and being part of the tour.

Thanks for visiting!

I’m a Guest Designer at  Create with Connie & Mary: Summer Edition – its not too late to join!

You Are My Sunshine

I have more sunshine to spread – this card is based on the card in the Stampin’ Up! Occasions Mini catalog for the Something Sweet Stamp set.   I made a few changes to my version and wanted to share it with you today.

The stamp set is Something Sweet – I happen to have it in the clear mount.  I stamped the big circle on Whisper White card stock and then stamped the petals around the ring.  I did two layers of petals – you could do more or just a single layer like the sample in the mini.  First I punched out the center with the 1-3/4″ Circle Punch and then I cut out around the petals.

The card base is Old Olive – a 6×6 piece folded in half.  The front has a 1-3/4″ hole punch in it.  That is where the treat cup will go.  The flower is just attached on the front around the treat cup.  For this card I made a trap door so that the seeds could come out without tearing up the card.

The trap door is a 3/4″ circle punched out of the Chocolate Chip piece on the front cover.  Just make sure the little circle ends up inside the big one.

When you attach the Chocolate Chip piece to the inside of the card don’t put any adhesive where the treat cup is so that you have a pocket to slide the door into and cover the little hole.

These are sunflower seeds that you plant and I printed the instructions from the package and attached those on the inside.  I love how this card turned out – you can send it at any time – You are my sunshine – works any time – don’t you think?

Here is a full list of Stampin’ Up! Supplies:

Stamps: Something Sweet, Calendar Alphabet & Numbers

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Summer Sun, Old Olive

Card stock: Old Olive: 6” x 6”, score 3”; Chocolate Chip: 6” x 3-1/2”, 2-1/2”x 2”; Whisper White 5-1/2” x 4-1/4”; Summer Sun: 2-1/2” x 3-1/4”; scraps

Accessories: Paper Piercer, Sweet Treat Cup, 1-3/4” Circle Punch, ¾” Circle Punch, Round Tab Punch, Scallop Border Punch, Linen Thread, Playground Designer Buttons, Mini Glue Dot, Stapler, seeds, printed planting instructions.

Have a bright and sunny day!

Early Bird pricing for  Create with Connie & Mary: Summer Edition is going on now – $19.95 – don’t miss out it ends this weekend!
Join me for the Royal Blog Tour: April 30 – May 3rd.

Bird House Card

Here is another card from my Birds & Butterflies class last month.  This is a gorgeous bird house card designed by my friend and fellow Stampin’ Up! demonstrator Michelle Sclippei – she is so creative.

The card base is So Saffron card stock with a piece of Sweet Pea Designer Series paper on the front – a hole punched for the bird which has been sponged with Chocolate Chip ink.

The roof top is Old Olive which was run through the Big Shot with the new Dots Embossing Folder – and then sponged around the edges.  The roof trim is the new Scallop Trim Border punch.

The front is decorated with leaves from the two-step bird punch and butterflies from the Beautiful Wings embosslit.  A very creative card!

Speaking of birds – I took a picture of the bluebird nest the other day with 4 eggs – I’m not sure if she was done.  Bluebirds normally lay 4 or 5 eggs.  When I get back home I’ll check.

And then a quick picture showing the mountain view from our deck.  I need to remember to get some sunrise pictures in the morning.

I’m off to check on Greg who is down by the fire-pit – he and the boys built a fire a little while ago.  And then we’ll be starting dinner.

Have a nice weekend.