Spectacular Deals

Today, Stampin' Up came out with this fabulous sale. Items are discounted from 20 - 50% off. Click here for further details on the sale. The sale runs from November 22 - 30 so contact me if you are interested in placing an order. Happy stamping, ~danita

Card Maker's Rights

I don't have a project to post but I found this on another blog and wanted to share it with you.

As a cardmaker, you are entitled (but not limited) to the following rights:

• You have the right to take as long as you want to complete one handmade card. This may be five minutes or two weeks.
• You have the right to send a card for not other reason than to show off your new stamp, embellishment or technique.
• You have the right to create fabulous card for your husband, partner or roommate-just because you know it will stay in your house
• You have the right to spread your card making things out all over, just to admire them.
• You have the right to purchase a certain cardmaking item for no other reason than because a) you like it; b) you think it's cute; c) you'll never find it again or; d) you know you'll use it someday.
• You have the right to reserve using your most precious supplies on cards only for recipients who will truly appreciate them.
• You have the right to a workspace of your own. This may be the basement, you college student's old bedroom or the kitchen table.
• You have the right to make cards when inspiration strikes - whether the dishes are done or not.
• You have the right to request peaceful, kid-free, stress-less cardmaking time - guilt-free.
• You have the right to let the handmade card be the gift too.
• You have the right to value you personal style.
• You are creating a treasure - and part of the treasure is you.

~Author Unknown~

Cheers,

~danita

Fabric Anyone?

This is another first for me.....fabric on a card. And of course, I used one of the more difficult die cut (snowflake) that one could use. Be advised. Do not try this at home unless you have the support of your papercrafting friends. I got really excited about this that I took the entire adhesive backing off and of course all the branches of the snowflake stuck together. Next time, I would remove adhere one branch at a time. Despite all of the stickiness, I really like it. There was no stamping done at all on this card and the Big Shot was so easy to use for this project. Now, I want to make a rag purse or a little girl's apron with this material. Happy stamping, ~danita~

Stencilled Christmas Card

This is my first ever stencilled card. I used the Vintage Ornaments I from the Definitely Decorative catalogue. I have had this set for almost a year but I had never played with it. I did a few fun things on this card besides the stencilling. I ran the brushed silver through the big shot using the polka dot embossing folder. What else? Faux stitching (still a work in progress), daubered platinum paint, and using a border punch that I seldom used. Hmmm looks like there is something common amongst all of these things............................start using what I have and just get crafting. Happy stamping, ~danita~

Happy Thanksgiving!

We were invited for a potluck dinner this year for Thanksgiving. You would think that hosting a potluck dinner might be easier than cooking the whole thing yourself, it is actually just as much work. In light of this, I decided to make the hosting family a little gift. I made the candle box and stamped 3 votive candles to go in it. I gave the family the candles stamped with leaves. I was playing with my Cherry Cobbler paper again so I also made a Christmas themed candle set as well.

Since it was a potluck dinner, we brought this delicious Reese's Pieces Cheescake and 2 pumpkin pies. I made this cheesecake using my friend's recipe. Love it! I am so thankful that there was a little left over to put in my freezer. My husband and our children made the pumpkin pies including the pastry from scratch. My husband makes the most amazing crust.

I am thankful for the family and friends that have nearby but I dearly miss those who live far away. You know who you are.

Happy stamping,

~danita~

Cherry Cobbler Christmas Cards!

For these two cards, I used dazzling diamonds and pear pizzaz on one card and 1/2 inch circle of patterned paper on the other.

An anique brad and an old olive button on these cards.

On the last two cards I used a glass pebbles and a build a brad. For the cards I used the Holly Jolly DSP, cherry cobbler cardstock, old olive cardstock, old olive satin ribbon, cherry cobbler ink, Word Play stamp set, old olive striped ribbon, very vanilla 5/8 inch grosgrain ribbon, linen thread, 1 3/4 circle punch and the 2 3/8 scallop punch.

What is so great about these cards is that you could make 108 cards using one pack of patterned paper but one roll of satin ribbon will make only 90 cards.

Happy Stamping,

~danita~

Friends Are Flowers That Never Fade

I know that at first this project looks very plain but I was tight on time and my creative juices were quickly drying up as I worked into the wee hours. I had actually started to make this project a few years ago but never completed it. My daughter's best friend is moving away this weekend so I wanted to make something that will help them stay connected. Although her friend is only moving 2.5 hours away, it is very far for an 8 year old girl.

So...I made this stationary box that has an address book for all the friends that she will write to. Of course my dear daughter's name is on the first page. I put it in there since we do not have her address yet but maybe I should ask her mom tomorrow for it. Would it not be so exciting to receive mail at your new house the first week that you are there?

Here is the address book with the Friends Never Fade stamp set. Love this set. There is a little pocket for stamps as well. I did not put a pen in as I was out of time and energy.

Inside the pockets are 4 standard sized cards with envelopes and 4 - 3 x 3 cards that she can colour. I also included a gift card that my daughter's friend can use to buy whatever her heart desires and her mom approves of.

At this moment, I feel very sad for these two little girls since they seem to be a perfect match for each other. Her friend has so many wonderful qualities and I really hope this friendship never fades.

Happy Stamping,

~danita~

Treats Trio

Oh....what could be inside this lovely box?

Mmmmm...it is 6 delicous devils-food mini cupcakes.

If 6 mini cupcakes are too many for you, then how about 4?

What if you do not like cupcakes? Oh do not say it is so. Well, how about a snickerdoodle cookie in a pretty package?

I absolutely loved completing this project. For those of you who know me personally, my projects usually have a purpose or person in mind. I could not possibly make these packages without putting something in them. My family throughly enjoyed the project as much as I did {insert smile here}.

I am always looking for ideas to package home baking or other homemade items to give as gifts. There is nothing quite like pretty packaging to get your eyes and tummy ready for what is inside. I hope you enjoyed this post as much as I enjoyed producing it. Would you like to see more ideas like this on my blog? Let me know what you think by leaving a comment.

Happy Stamping,

~danita~

Vintage Wedding Card

I am calling this a vintage card because a number of the products that I used were classified as part of the vintage suite in the new Stampin' Up catalogue. I must admit that I do not gravitate to this style. I made this card for my husband's friend and his bride.

I also was trying my hand at making a Joy-Fold Card. I think that I like it and will make more of them.

Pony Party Present

Thank you Tania for your comment about getting back to stamping and creating as a form of therapy. It felt so good to complete a project despite the fact that my stamp room is in CHAOS (Cannot Have Anyone Over Syndrome) and my personal life has been a little busy as well. My plate is definitely over flowing and it looks like I will have to make a few decisions soon about that.

Anyway........back to the project. I made this little portfolio for a 5 year old girl's birthday present. I used the stamp set called Pony Party for the card, portfolio front and for the 3 x 3 cards included in the portfolio. Her mom said that she would like something crafty. Although she does not get to stamp, she gets to colour each one of the cards and give them away to friends. Also, I had to add a little bling with rhinestones and chunky glitter. I love using the chunky glitter on the sticky cuts. It seems to work the best on the sticky cuts.

Well, my break is over so I am back to cleaning up my stamp room.

Happy Stamping,

~danita~

Gift Card Case

I cased (copy and steal everything) this card from the new Stampin' Up Idea Book & Catalogue (page 111). I used the stamp set Pocket Silhouettes and a new punch from the Punch Pack found in the Summer Mini. Rhinestones were put in the middle of the flowers.

I apologize for not posting in a long time. I had lost my mojo in the mist of personal issues, starting a new job, decluttering my house (ongoing) and being a full time wife and mother.

Now, I have realized that I need to keep on creating in order to balance my life better. I need to make time for myself and to finish a project each time that I create. Keep following me to see the many ideas that have been in my head but I have not taken the time to create.

Happy Stamping,

~danita~

New Goodies

Today, I received my pre-order from the new SU catalogue. The stamp set is a retired set that my daughter often uses called, Birthday Best. The new goodies included paper. Well..................of to price out all my retired stamp sets, paper, ink and accessories to sell. Stay tuned.

Happy Stamping,

~danita~

Fun Gift Card Holder and Yummy Paper

I never seem to use the same design of gift holder twice but I am really loving this design. There are 3 teachers retiring from our school this year so our PAC has decided to give the teachers gift cards to a local business. I cannot deny that I love bold colours so this patterned paper called Island Oasis, was a must have. I live it so much that I want to hoard it but I am trying not to do that anymore. My new philosphy is to use what I love to create beautiful projects until I tire of the paper.

The tempting turquoise rectangle on the back panel can be used to put a picture. I am going to try to create a masculine now for Father's Day and birthdays. Masculine cards are challenge for me but I must get one done. I will try to post that one soon.

Happy Stamping,

~danita~

Father's Day Tin and Treats

Here is a very quick and simple project that I made the other day. It can be a Father's Day gift or a man's birthday gift. I am not very fond of the patterned paper (Manchester) so it was really difficult to love this project. The tin is a DVD tin that I purchased awhile ago from a business in Vancouver. I wrapped 16 Riesen candies in the same patterned paper. Instead of putting candies inside, you could use clear envelopes to make a mini scrapbook for dad. Here is a tutorial at splitcoaststampers: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/dvdtinscrapbook/

Happy Stamping,

~danita~

Teacher Gift

My son's preschool teacher has gone away this weekend to attend a teacher's conference in Vancouver. I hope that she comes away full of inspiratin and ideas. Most of all, I hope that she is recharged. Anyway, I wanted to give her a little something to take with her to jot down new ideas. I made a notebook using a file folder that I had on hand. Her name is Natalie so I a sticky cut "n" and just added glitter. Love the sticky cuts and glitter because it is so easy to make a WOW project. Inside the folder, I placed bookmarks (large clips), post it notes, pen and a pad of lined paper. I also put Serious Coffee gift card in it as well. So......Natalie, absorb all that you can and enjoy yourself while doing it.

Happy stamping,

~danita~

Flower Pot Card

Here is my last flower project which is a flower pot card. They are so easy to make and do not require any adhesives to keep the pot together. I was feeling lazy and did not want to stamp then watercolour in the flowers so I embossed the flowers instead. I really love how the flowers turned out. Wouldn't this make a great card for mother's day or for a gardener.

Happy Stamping,

~danita~

Two Cards and a Tea Tin

I am sorry that I have not posted for awhile. Our school district has been going through school closure and last night was the decision which I will not go into right now.

I really need my stamping ladies to come over tomorrow night and play after the stress of school closure. We will be making 4 cards and decorating a tea tin. Thanks to CeeCee for the inspiration.

Happy Stamping,

Danita

Pipe Cleaner Flowers

I recently saw a tutorial online on how to make flowers out of pipe cleaners. I found it on card a la carte's site. This type of project appeals to me since I like to maximize the use of any of my craft supplies. However, I have to admit that I did not have pipe cleaners on hand so I had to search my small, rural town to find just the right colours. I found a pack of pink and then an assorted pack with white. Pop up glue dots are used to stick it all together but I would suggest using a hot glue gun. I had to keep on reheating the glue dot with a heat gun so that the pipe cleaners would stay put. I have not put a recipe for a long time below my projects but I am going to return to that. {Recipe} Stamps: On Your Birthday Inks: Chocolate Chip Paper: Pretty in Pink, Whisper White, Chocolate Chip and Sweet Pea DSP Accessories: Hodge podge, small oval punch, 3/4" circle, corduroy buttons, pop up glue dots, and pipe cleaners Happy Stamping, ~danita~

Watercolor Wonder Crayons by Stampin' Up

A friend of mine was over a couple of weeks ago and was asking me about all the different ways that she could use watercolor crayons. Well....Sheila here is a video for you that explains it better than I could. Happy Stamping, ~danita~

A Handmade Birthday Gift

When my friend, Michelle, came over yesterday, she came bearing gifts. Cookies and the best one of all, this stamped picture. I absolutely love this gift and unfortunately the picture that I took does not do it justice. Doesn't Michelle do excellent artwork? She used the stamp set, "Season of Friendship" and stamped all four seasons. I really like the bike tire on the summer one. The frame also matches perfectly with my Ikea Expedit units in my stamp room. Now, I need to get my dear hubby to hang this picture. I also took pictures of the individual seasons which I will post in a separate post.

~danita~

Cookies!!!! Yum, Yum, Yum!!!

My friend, Michelle, came over yesterday for a little stamping. She brought the cookies over for these cute cookie monster cards. I used the sweet treat cups to hold the cookies in place. With Michelle's help, we created a trap door in the back so the card will not be destroyed when the cookie comes out. I made 3 of these, one to keep, one to give away and one for Michelle.

Happy Stamping,

~danita~

Girl's Birthday Present

This is a creative writing journal that I made for my daughter to give to the birthday girl. Faith has an older sister so I thought that it was a must to have her name on the journal and her beaded pen. I know this because I have a sister as well. Faith's favourite colour is blue and more specifically a sky blue. I used retired designer series paper and soft sky cardstock. I also used my sticky cut letters with the fine glitter. The glitter goes a long way which I am thankful because I love this colour. I am not usually a glitter girl but I love using the sticky cuts with glitter because it is so easy and the glitter stays put. The only thing that I would improve on this project is the small lettering of the rest of Faith's name. My daughter was so proud to give this gift and it was one of Faith's favourite gifts. Faith came up to ask me later how I made it and told me that the blue was the colour of her bedroom. I am always so pleased when a handmade gift is so appreciated. Happy Stamping, ~ danita~

Pretty Pony

I am not a pink kind of girl but I really like how this card turned out. I cased this card from Andrea Walford except of using chipboard for the number, I used my sticky letters and the chunky pink glitter. I am not sure that I want to give it away but I am sure that any eight year old girl would love to receive this card. I am trying to stock up on children's birthday cards since I do not like rushing to make cards. Happy Stamping, ~danita~

Boy's Birthday Card

My friend, Sheila, came over yesterday to help me with sorting and pricing out my children's baby clothes in anticipation of a parent swap meet next Saturday that I am participating in. She also had a birthday party to attend later that day and had not made the cards. Her son was invited to a birthday party for twins (a boy and a girl) so I gave her this idea and she made two of each. I have wanted to make this card but did not have the time lately. This card is cased from the Artistic Avenger, Carrie. I just found her site the other day. I have been in a rut lately so when that happens, I look to other crafters for ideas. I really love this card and I am not sure whether I want to give it away. On another note, I have not been posting recipes for my projects and I was wondering if you would like me to. Happy Stamping, ~danita~

I am back!

I must apologize for not posting for such a long time. I had an absolutely crazy busy January. Things are finally settling down if that is what you call it. Having a young children does keep you busy between illnesses and other unwanted bugs. Anyway, I thought that I would post a couple of swap cards that I received last summer. The cards feel so warm and reflective. The crushed curry card was made by Lisa-Marie Gray and the butterfly one was created by Pam Duguay. Great cards.

Happy Stamping,

~danita~

Calendar Pages

For Christmas 2009, I made these coaster calendars. I used 13 square (4 x 4) coasters and covered each side with patterned paper. On one side is the calendar page and on the other is a picture of my kids. I won't be showing the other side since I do not post pictures of my kids. So the calendar sits on a desk and makes a triangular shape (KWIM). I always try to make calendars for the grandparents so they can have pictures of their grandchildren that they look at everyday of the year. However, I must caution you about this project......it took forever to do. I would suggest starting really early in the year. I thought that I was doing well by starting in November but that was not the case. I am already thinking about Christmas 2010's calendar already and I plan on starting very soon.

Well, I am off to organize and purge in my stamp room.

Happy Stamping,

~danita~