A Stamp Above

Summer Smooches & Kitchen Update

I have some more Summer Smooches to share with you!  Last Saturday - I hosted an area Demonstrator Shoebox Swap - we had a BLAST!!!  This is a gift bag that I decorated with the Summer Smooches DSP and one of the flowers from my card class last week - how cute is this???

What's inside that cute bag - you ask?  This DRY ERASE board and ART CANVAS with a little chapstick wrapped in DSP!  The Dry Erase board is simply a 5 x 7" plastic frame - embellished with paper and punched images.  The Dry Erase Pen should be fastened to the back with a dot of velcro (but I couldn't find mine).  These are so simple and fun.  Thanks to Doris Fryman for giving me one - I have it on my desk and love it for making little notes to myself!

 

And this art canvas is just adorned with cardstock and the flower - how simple!!!!

KITCHEN UPDATE:

I've been getting alot of inquiries about how my kitchen redo is going....OK - here's a bunch of BEFORE & AFTER photos.  I spent 40 hours removing the wallpaper - URGHHHHHHH!!!  

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions - I tried just about everything - I used DIFF wallpaper remover with a paper scorer - a rented steamer - and fabric softener with the paper scorer.  

Here's what I can tell you - the steamer ruined my walls!  I hated waiting 30 minutes for it to heat up and then 10 minutes to cool down before I could fill it with water again and then another 30 minutes to heat up, etc.  It pulled the paper right off the drywall - like the paper that comes with drywall.  Now I will have to paint with GARDZ, put a skim layer of joint compound over the mess, sand it and then prime it.  MORE WORK!  

The fabric softener didn't work any better than the DIFF - and it was sticky and very messy - hated it!  

So I went back to the DIFF...and here's another great little tip...you know I do not have much patience!  If I would have scored, sprayed and waited the 15 minutes it says to wait on the bottle - things would have gone much easier - I did this towards the end and I did get bigger pieces of wallpaper to come off at a time.  So there you go!

So now I have a lot more work to do.  I have to paint the walls with a product called GARDZ.  This will seal the walls - especially where the white paper came off the drywall.  Then I will evaluate where I need to add joint compound (drywall mud) and sand (oh how I HATE that part!).  Then I can prime and paint.  What color, you ask?  I want to paint the walls white and then add gray stripes.  Remember, I found this kitchen redo on the Nate Berkus show and fell in love with it.  So I'm going from SCREAMING country to a little more modern decorating theme.

I'll be sure to post some more photos as I go along - wish me luck!!!

Here's a little funny...I found flooring that I really really want...but I'm afraid it's too expensive.  It's a ceramic tile laminate.  So if you need any SU products and you'd like to help me buy this flooring - or if you just need some new stuff (like the Summer Smooches) and you don't give a HOOT about my flooring dilemna - you can place an order here - LOL!!!!

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Butterfly Mobile & Bouquet of Flowers!

I'm having sooo much fun with this!  Here's a mobile (I guess that's what I'm calling it) that I made with the Aluminum Flashing.  I saw a few websites where they were painting these with metal paint....well...I know that stuff's expensive - so it popped into my head that Craft Ink and Clear Embossing Powder would probably work.  I was RIGHT!!!  So now I have a ton of colors at my fingertips and it doesn't cost me a thing!!!

I'm going to hang my "mobile" from the string on my ceiling fan when I get done with my February stamp clubs - I have to take it along to show it to everyone first.

Here's a bouquet of flowers that my friend Terri made last weekend while I was working on the card shown below!  All aluminum flashing!!!

Just use a sponge and Craft Reinker to apply color to the flashing.  Then pour clear embossing powder on and heat set it.  It doesn't get much easier than that!!!

Terri used a hot glue gun to adhere the 20 guage wire on the backs and Dimensionals in between the layers.  Notice the GREAT texture on all the different layers - she used a whole bunch of different embossing folders.

You can see more Aluminum Flashing projects HERE & HERE

 

Below are the dies used for the flower project:

If you'd like to place an order - click here:

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Playing with METAL!!!

How fun are these???  Garden Stakes were featured at Leadership and I just had to try them for myself.  They're soooo easy and make a wonderful embellishment for my house plants!!!

 If you'd like to make a Planter Stake of your own - you can join me for my FREE classes!!!  There is no fee - just a minimum order of $15.  We'll be making 2 other cards too!!!  Here are the February dates:

Monday, Feb 13th - Fond Du Lac - 6:30pm

Monday, Feb 20th - Menasha - 5:30 or 6:30 pm

Tuesday, Feb 21st - Oshkosh - 6:30 pm

Thursday, Feb 23rd - Menasha - 5:30 or 6:30 pm

Remember the box I made last week:  BOX  I used aluminum roof flashing again for these Planter Stakes.  This roll was less than $5 at Menards.  Gotta getcha some!!!  Just cut the Aluminum and run it through your Big Shot.  Then insert your shapes in an embossing folder.  It's doesn't get much easier than that!!!

I love these!!!  I used my Craft & Rubber Scissors to cut the Aluminum, the Crop-A-Dile to punch holes in them and fishing line to string them together.  I made the stakes with 20 guage wire.  The butterfly attached to the oval just takes a little piece of Dimensional.

 

Here are the supplies I used:

Check back in a day or so to see how I make these die cuts beautiful colors too!!!

If you'd like to place an order - click here:

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Treasure Box of LOVE

How adorable is this???  I made this little box using the Box #2 Die and roof flashing.  I die cut the box and then ran it through the Big Shot on the Elegant Lines embossing folder.  Tied it with a little Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding and added a die cut heart from the NEW Fashionable Hearts Embosslit with a Dimensional.  The Rhinestone is colored with a red sharpie marker to make it...RED.  The little metal heart is made from roof flashing too...although it didn't cut out all the way...I had to use my Craft & Rubber scissors to cut it all the way out.  I also used these scissors to cut my roof flashing - they are fabulous and cut it just like butter!

Here's a side view...

I purchased the roof flashing at Menards in the Building Materials department.  It was less than $5!!!

 

 

If you'd like to place an online order - click below:

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More Gift Ideas

I wanted to share a couple more gift ideas with you...

These glass jars are so easy and beautiful.  I made a whole bunch of them for my family.  You just take tissue paper, stamp and emboss with white embossing powder and then sponge on the color of your choice.  I made my tissue paper about 1-1/2" taller than my jar and about 1/2" longer for the overlap in the back.  Wash your jar with soap and water.  I used Mod Podge to cover the jar and a little bit on the bottom so I could fold the bottom over the edge.  Adhere your tissue paper and allow to dry.  I used an exacto knife to cut the top edge.  Then add another coat of Mod Podge and you're done!  Thanks to my friend France Martin for sharing this idea!

This was another perfect gift for my mom...I put a battery operated tealight in the jar for her.  She loves candles, but my dad can't tolerate the scent of candles anymore - so this was a GREAT alternative for her to enjoy the ambiance of a candle without any odor.

Here's a couple jars I made...you could put the tealight in them or use them for storage...one thought that came to me was to put cotton balls in them and keep them in the bathroom for display.

This doesn't have anything to do with stamping...but I just had to share!!!  My daughter made this for me...isn't it spectacular???  She found the photos on the internet and painted...YES painted the twigs, birds and words on the background.  She's amazing!!!

She made this for her grama...with acrylic paints...my mom loves the northern lights!

And last, but never least...she made this blanket for her papa!  I was skeptical at first...I thought the photos would turn out kind of crummy and it wasn't cheap.  Were we ever surprised!!!

These are all photos of her with her papa - they're VERY tight and share the same birthday.  The top right photo with the deer is such a cute story.  Hailey's been hunting with me since before she could walk.  She was out with papa that day and along comes a buck. She had her BB gun and he had his big 300.  He told her to shoot and he shot too.  Her comment "boy papa, that sure is loud."  He told her that she shot that buck and so it's been her first buck ever since!

I made the blaze orange outfit she's wearing...and being a girl...I put a little lace on the bottom of the jacket - it was soooo adorable and it's been passed down through out hunting family time and time again.

Wishing you and yours a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

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Photo Gift Cards

Every year for Christmas I make my mom a whole bunch of photo cards.  They’re beautiful, quick and easy. Usually I just put a photo on the front of a card and that’s it.  This year I decided to grab some cards that had layouts that would work with my photos and made these!  She absolutely loves them and she sends out a lot of cards - BLESS HER!!!

Here’s one with the NEW stamp set called Mixed Bunch and the NEW punch called Blossom coming to you in the Occasions Mini catalog - January 4th!!!  I embossed it with Melon Mambo embossing powder.

This card uses the NEW Labels Collection Framelits Dies for the black layer and the photo - I love the layering effect with these.  You get 6 dies in graduated sizes!!!

With the negative of the Framelit from above - I made this card...I used the NEW Sale-A-Bration stamp set called Fresh Vintage - FREE when you place a $50 order starting January 24th!  The little words on most of these cards are old rub-ons I had laying around.  I wish we had more of these - I put most of them directly on the photos.

Here’s another set I made!

And another set!

And another set!!!

I LOVE my mom!!!

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MAN Gift

Making gifts for men with our craft can often be challenging...but men need kleenex from time to time...so I made my dad a MAN BOX!  I was so happy with the way it turned out too.  I think the Houndstooth Embossing Folder was pefect - it kind of reminds me of the metal on those big tool boxes you see in the back of pickup trucks.

The greeting is from the Perfect Words exclusive hostess set.  If you host a Stampin' Up! workshop - you can order this set for only $9 (clear) with your hostess dollars!

Here's my dad, opening a Christmas present...he spends alot of time in his chair and on the little table next to him is always a kleenex box...so I thought this was a perfect gift for him.  Everytime he needs a tissue - he'll think of me!

If you'd like to place an order - click here:

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Merry Christmas to YOU!

Wishing you all a VERY Merry Christmas!!!  It is always better to give than receive...and I stand behind this 100%!  You all know that I LOVE presents...but I love giving them even more!!!  On this day...I want to share with you the fun and creativity shared by my INCREDIBLY TALENTED Team of demonstrators at our annual Christmas party!

We had so much fabulous food and treats.  We were also able to participate in a holiday Thank You card swap, an ornament swap and a gift exchange.  The talent and creativity of this group is OUTSTANDING!  Here are some of the photos from our party.

I was truly grateful for the gifts that my team gave to me...they got together (behind my back) and presented me with the most cushy robe I've ever owned, those super soft socks, a huge Bubba Mug and bottle of pepsi and a couple gift cards...and told me they wanted me to take some time, relax and enjoy myself!!!!  When I arrived home from the party...I had to go Christmas shopping with Hailey...then I put on my robe, poured a huge glass of ice cold Pepsi, slipped into the most incredible socks I've ever worn and just sat and watched a Christmas movie....REALLY!!!  I never do this!  So THANK YOU from the tips of my warm and comfy toes for an amazingly relaxing evening!

More than just a Gift Card Holder

I had a little time to play today...well I really needed some gift card holders...so I was making presents...but it was fun so I'm calling it PLAY!  I think gift cards are boring...they take no effort, not much thought...so I always have to give them in a creative way...this will do the JOB!

My friend France Martin shared these nugget boxes...and I had a blast making them.  I was really surpised at how simple they were.  I whipped up 3 of them in about an hour and this included my time to figure out the first one - that always takes the longest!!!  So fun.

I used the LETTERS TO SANTA DSP and LETTERS TO SANTA QUICK ACCENTS.  This was perfect because I had some left overs from my Bag It, Tag It, Box It stamp camp project - you can view that HERE.

 

Here's how you make them - the Simply Scored scoring board makes this project a breeze:

These are perfect for Hailey's Christmas present...gift cards to Nordic Mountain for some seriously radical snowboarding!!!

If you'd like to place an order - click here:

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Winter Post - 50% Off!!!

One of my favorite stamp sets....AND it's on sale for 50% off!!!  This set is normally $26.95 - you can get it now for $13.98!!!!

 

You can check out the entire list of sale items here:

ONLINE EXTRAVAGANZA

Here are some of the projects I've made with the Winter Post stamp set:

 

If you'd like to order anything you can click on the shopping button below:

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