What is keeping me from my punches

Taking yesterday off meant nothing new and exciting for today - I'm still finishing commitments.  This is one of the "somethings" that has kept me from playing punches as much as I'd like- I had to make 40 directories for the Book Review Club I belong to.  I get bored making 10 of one card for a swap so you can guess how I felt about making 40 of these - inside and outside - YUK - and I put it off until the last minute. 

The past two years I have done a lot of detailed coloring for these books, but I wised up and did something simple this year - I stamped Inspired by Nature in bleach  - added a quote about books and the group name  - flicked on a little burgundy splatter with my color spritzer tool and  TAH DAH!  I am done  - well except for typing up the mailing labels and going to the post office to get this pile out of the house.










If you have never tried stamping with bleach you should.  It is easy and a pretty cool effect.  Just put some paper towels on a plate and pour on a little bleach - the paper towels are now your "ink pad".  Tap your stamp on the new "ink" and stamp your paper. 

It takes a few seconds for the bleach to work and each color of SU cardstock will give you a different look.  Some are awesome and some are not.  Bravo Burgundy is my personal favorite.

Of course you must protect your clothes when you use bleach stamping.  You should clean your rubber as soon as you are done.  And you should use fresh bleach. 

Did you know bleach has an expiration date?  I didn't, and thus my first attempts at bleach stamping were duds. 

This also gives you some insight into my housekeeping skills.  No sense trying to hide the truth - my strengths do not include cooking and cleaning - to my hubby's eternal regret.  Hey, he saw my apartment and my bologna sandwiches before we married - I have never pretended to be June Cleaver and I sure don't vacuum in pearls.  (you young'uns can just ignore that last comment - it was before your time)

But despite my shortcomings, hubby loves me.  He had to go out of town on business on my bd but not before he brought me flowers.  Wanna see?

Thanks honey!

P.S. mouse tutorial and new mouse accessories in tomorrow's post.

Happy Birthday to Me! (& a guest share)

Hey girls! 

Today is my birthday and since I think that it ranks up there with National Holidays, I'm taking the day off.  But I did want to take a minute to say           thank you      for all the support and positive feedback you have given me as I've gotten this blog going.

I absolutely LOVE sharing this stuff with you and I appreciate your kind words more than I can tell you.

While creating and sharing is fun, creating tutorials is WORK.  I will work up a tutorial for the mouse since it has been requested over and over but not on my birthday.  No WORK today.  Give me a couple of days and I'll have it for you.

But even on this "holiday" I am still going to provide you with a great project idea.  I have mentioned before that I have a very talented upline, Jenifer Lange.  Here is a box that she made: 

But wait until you see the inside!

Like that?  I know!  It is impressive and WOW WOW WOW in person.  The O Christmas Tree Pop Up die is available in the mini catalog.  But by putting it in this box it doesn't pop up - it stays up (like some people's trees are still doing mid-January).  My only contribution was assembling the star for her and taking the photographs.  If you like it, you can leave Jenifer a comment here.

Please note that her original inspiration was a box made by Sharon Field here (3d box tutorial).

Apologies to Clement C. Moore

Wanted to make a mouse with ornament punch for face and butterfly punch for ears

Problem:  couldn't get his face the way I wanted
Solution:  resorted to the open mouth idea like the singing reindeers I have seen  (Here is one example.) 

Problem:  his body was too short and too wide to hold a song book but needed to convey "Christmas"
Solution:  red and white scarf

Problem:  he needed something in his hand

Solution:  thought of the line from the famous Night Before Christmas poem  "not a creature was stirring not even a mouse" so I HAD to make this one STIR . Thus, I added a wooden spoon and mixing bowl.

Problem:  What could I do with him?
Solution:   recipe page

Problem: I have nothing else I want to say about him

Solution: stop typing and show a close up.

 

Spooky Scrapbook Spoiler

OK?

Yes, it is OK to show you more...but only if you are NOT in the "spooky" round of the Hot Swappin' Mamas Swap.  This is a spoiler for those of you in that group.  Don't look if you like to see things in person first....

If this page looks a little empty to you -that is because I only completed the "title" element.  Eight other ladies will create different elements or "layout pieces" in the same colors and theme and we will swap.  The result is some of the BEST layouts you have ever seen using only current Stampin Up product.    This is a TALENTED group of stampers/scrappers!

Here is a closer look at the title:

The stamps are From the Crypt - I used my Big Shot with the Serif Essentials Alphabet Die for the lettering.  Doing multiples for a swap is NO BIG DEAL when you use the Big Shot - I cut 6 letters at a time so it was quick and easy to cut these letters plus black shadows for each one.  Piece of Cake!  (oh, cake sounds good doesn't it?)

I stamped each letter with that spooky flourish looking stamp - trying to get a different piece on each letter.  And the skulls fit so well inside the "O".   

I stamped the bat in Versamark on the Perfect Plum paper and tore two of the edges.  Stamped, punched and matted the spider adding one of my faves (mini library clip) since an embellishment is required in this swap and I didn't have much room left.

I LOVE the way the lettering turned out and I can't wait to see what the other ladies come up with. 

Now I have to get busy on the  borders for the "cute" round of this Halloween Swap - That's right, I signed up for both rounds and I don't even have little kids to take pictures of...

I just really really really like Halloween - after all, it is playing dress up and eating candy - what's not to like?

Politics with Punch

I showed you a punched elephant yesterday - and if you are an avid Republican you can use him on a BOM page for the Grand Old Party

But this blog is non-political so I need to give the Democratic symbol equal time, don't I? 

Yes, you got it... I created a donkey from punches. 

Is that a hoot or what?  He makes me grin even more than the elephant did!   So what can you use him for? 

• A BOM Democrat page or
• A donkey as in "pin the tail on" for a kids party layout
• An "I'm sorry I was such an ____" card
• A scrapbook page about your ex boyfriend/husband - oh no, that's right, you already tore up all his pictures.

Just like the elephant, you can add or change eyebrows (slot punch) to change his expression. 

I don't like to share just the punch item without showing you a completed project but I ran out of time.  As soon as I complete a couple of commitments, I'll finish up my project for him and show you the results.

So much for using stamps...

The Inspiration Fairy wasn't just hovering, she was dancing in my punch drawer. She was all but beating me over the head with this idea.  She tempted me; she held it out there in front of me and I succumbed.  I am back on my punch art kick.  I've got several ideas that I hope to show you as soon as I get them into some usable form.

After all, loving my punches isn't really a bad thing, is it?  I've used my stamps for years - surely a little more rest won't hurt them.

I picked up the Butterfly punch again for this card.  And unlike the rubber duck, it is something I KNOW I can use - just as soon as I forget someone's birthday (shouldn't take long). 

Let's see, this must be odd usage #5 (or maybe #6)  for this punch - I can't believe I almost didn't buy it.

Enough yammering. On with the card.

Doesn't he make you saw awwwww?

It is the eyebrows that make him look sad (remorseful).  If you need a happy elephant just leave them off.

Using Basic Gray for all but the eyes and eyebrows, here is the scoop on how to make him:

• Body - approximate 2 1/2 inch circle (from circle scissor plus)
• head - 1 3/4 inch circle punch
• ears - butterfly punches (2) - half of each is hidden behind the head
• feet - modern label punch (cut in half to get two feet)
• trunk - word window punch (just draw on some wrinkles)
• eyes white - heart (trimmed) from heart to heart punch
• eyes black - standard hole punch with mark from white gel pen
• eyebrows - slot punch (2)
• tail - retired black hemp, you can color the natural hemp or fray some black ribbon

Sponge the edges of your pieces so that the gray will show on the gray.

The rest of this card is basic black and dusty durango.  Alphabet used is Just Perfect Alpha.  But where did the big black brad some from?  It is one of our jumbo brads (chocolate, white, vanilla, and silver) colored by rubbing it on the black stazon ink pad.  (Not my idea, I read it somewhere - and this was a white brad so yes, the Stazon really covers well.)

I grin every time I look at him.  And here is a close up so you can too - I tweased his eyebrows and used 1/2 size eyebrows (slot punch) to show you a couple more expressions by just shifting or removing that tiny bit of paper.  

Amazing what a difference eyebrows make, huh?  Play with them and have fun!

I just couldn't resist...

I am supposed to be focusing on stamps and not  just my punches so (trying to be a good girl)  I used another stamp from the Twick or Tweet set to make this quick little card.

I LOVE this little bird (Oh gosh, I could make a bird like this from punches... NO! Ellen, focus here).

I used two of this years "In colors" on this card - Bermuda Bay and Dusty Durango.  I wasn't crazy about the Dusty Durango color when it first came out but I'm finishing another pack of paper so I'd say "it won me over". 

Isn't that library clip the cutest thing? - I have not gotten over my initial attraction to them. If you haven't tried these little clips yet, you need to add them to your next order - they are just irresistible!


Are you still reading this?



You are!


You knew I couldn't resist the temptation, didn't you?

Aside to my buddy, Dano:   Girl, the legs and feet are the snowflake punch so yes, you need it.  It makes bird "parts" and I know you love birds!  Go put it on your wish list right now.

May I have the punch on the side, please?

Yes, I do own stamps!

I realized that anyone reading this blog lately might not realize I am a demonstrator for a company that sells STAMPS - I have been so focused on my precious punches.  Sorry, I'll try to be a little more balanced  (please note I said "try" not "promise.")  I am not sure I can make a card without punches  but I can make one where the focal point is stamped.

I created this card for a challenge on a yahoo group SU Rubber Art Scans.  It had to be Halloween themed, contain at least two of the newest In-Colors, and have a button and a scallop.  The card I submitted for the challenge did not have the photo corners on it - after seeing it online I decided I needed to fill a blank space.  I could have done more - but sometimes you just have to say "enough!"

This set, Twick or Tweet, is from the mini catalog and is so much fun.

My dear friend, Carolyn, stamped some images and mailed them to me (I said I owned stamps - I didn't say I owned this one)   What would we do without our stampin' friends?

I think the only odd thing on this card is that I colored/dyed some linen thread by running it between my dusty durango ink pad and a sponge.  There is paper piercing to the right of the image (above the button) - it is hard to see on the black in this photo.  Oh yeah, I did do one more odd thing (odd for me at least) - I used purple.  This is Perfect Plum - I use it so rarely I had to look up the color name.  How pitiful is that?  (Bad Demo - 40 lashes with retired ribbon)

and then....

Loni Holt (VC Rocks Swap Princess) reminded me in a very sweet email that today is my BLOG Birthday!  Blinkin' Thinkin' & Inkin' is ONE MONTH OLD today!  Happy birthday little blog!  May the inspiration fairy hover over you so I can come up with enough ideas for at least one more month.

Splish Splash I was takin' a bath...

OK girls - this is Odd item #4 for the butterfly punch.  We've had blog babes, dog parts, pirate patches, and now I give you .... a Rubber Duck.  There are FOUR uses of the butterfly punch on this little duck.  Her beak is a punch folded in half..

Her webbed feet are a butterfly cut in half.  The whites of her eyes are half a butterfly.  And her hair bow is a butterfly trimmed down.  The bow could easily be made in blue and placed under the bill as a bow tie for a boy or be left off altogether.  (the spots were stamped on with the eraser end of a pencil)

The head is 1 3/4 circle punch - the body, a wide oval - the wings are also wide ovals with a "bit" of oval punched out..

The waves were made by punching a small oval diagonally along a strip of teal.

Bathroom tile courtesy of the 1 1/4 square punch.

Sentiment from Party Hearty - isn't that what you would do if you had a rubber ducky in the tub with you?

If I was making the card again I would have the water extend to the edge of the card. But why would I make this card again? I don't know what I'm going to do with this first one. I can see a young Mom using the duck on a scrapbook page but what will an old gray hair like me do with this card? I have no clue.

Avast ye scallywags...

Notice the unusual copyright info on this photo?  I belong to a yahoo group SUStars (only for demos) and the list mom is a Pirate Freak   (Sorry Shari, there is just no better word)  She loves Capt'n Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and all things pirate. 

Since Saturday was "Talk like a Pirate" Day - Shari challenged us to share things made with all the cool pirate stamps that SU has this year.  (She thought she died and gone to heaven when the catalog came out)

I have none of those stamps so I dressed this peanut candy up for a night of Halloween pillaging and looting.  After I did it, I realized this is a little sick - Candy going Trick or Treating?  Wouldn't that be cannibalism or something?  Come to think of it - his expression does look a little less than enthusiastic about the task at hand...

Oh well, maybe you can still use parts of the idea in some of your projects.

The patch came from the butterfly punch. Since that is my current "craze", I was cutting it into pieces to see if the Inspiration Fairy would stop by and she did. To be honest, that is how this pirate candy fellow came to be. I "saw" the eye-patch then remembered Shari's challenge. Pretty convenient timing, eh?

I thought the sword was rather clever and some of you might have scrapbook pages to use this idea on (Fencing lessons, perhaps?)

For the blade - wide oval punch - then punch it again close to the oval hole to get just a "slice"

For the handle - slot punch - punch around the slot punch hole with your word window - reinsert into the word window so that you are just "surrounding" the slot hole

The other part of the hilt that I have no clue the real name for - the part that protects your hand  -3/4 circle - cut in half

You could use the sword in a title - stamp all your letters but use the sword as an "i" or "l"  or... well you get the idea.

Did you spot the "sunglasses" between the butterfly and the eyepatch? - store that in your memory bank, you might need it someday - maybe a movie star M&M?

For basic candy directions see this post.

You know your a punch addict when...

...when you are putting away your mess from your last five projects and your black wireless mouse gets put away in the punch drawer(s).  There are too many punches on this desk; I can't keep track of them all.


No! No, I take that back - I could never have too many punches.  I love them all - collectively and individually.  Please little punches, don't get your feelings hurt.  Mama loves you.  You are all special to me!


(Whew..., I'm glad they didn't take offense)


The little precious black darling that I'm playing with now is the Butterfly punch.  The blog babes were my first "odd" creation using it.  And here is Odd #2 using the stamp set D is for Dog.

My hubby travels for business frequently but when he is home it is Golf on Saturday and Run with the Dog on Sunday. Our dog will be slipping this card into the suitcase next trip to let "dad" know he missed his run. My husband thinks cards are a waste of paper and cannot understand the time and money I spend on them - but I think this one will actually make him grin.




Did you see the butterflies? The eyes, obviously.  But you might not have noticed that the nose is half a butterfly and the tongue is actually a piece of one too.



I cut about a 3 inch circle with my Circle Scissor Plus (I always have to look up that name) for his muzzle, punched a wide oval for his head, and two wide ovals for his ears. Don't forget to add a mark with your white gel pen on the eyes and nose - gives him so much more "spark".  If you don't have a white gel pen buy one!  Just that tiny little mark makes such a difference.  The white gel pen that SU sells is great - and only costs $3.95.

Here is another version I started but rejected. This pooch has the butterfly upside down for his eyes - nothing wrong with him - I just liked the other one better.

On either of these dogs you can change the expression by changing where you put the blacks of their eyes or tilting the eyebrows to another angle. Play with it and see what you can do.

Body Building (tutorial for butterfly babes)

Tuesday I posted these hot babes made from the butterfly punch and you gals went NUTS over them, so I've created a pictoral "how to". 

I think these pictures are self explanatory but I'll chatter a bit anyway because, well, that is what I do.

These are the punches you will need for each body. 

These are the punches you will need for the different hair-dos.  I know the key tag punch is retired but you can get a very similar effect by cutting a rectangle with your trimmer and using the corner rounder.

Now you have to alter some of the punches for the body as shown here:

In order, you have sunglasses, cleavage, ankles, knees, shoes.  TIP:  cut the shoe piece in half and lay them on top of each other to make your final cuts so they will "match".

Now you can see the basic assembly for the body adding the face, neck, suit, and arms to the pieces you just prepared.  (kinda scary looking right now, huh? It makes me think of a horror movie with mannequins! Creepy.)

You need to take some stampin' pastels and define her cheeks, cleavage, knees, and the inside of her elbows.

Attach the pieces and you have a beautiful bald butterfly blog babe! (Say THAT three times fast)

I'm guessing you'd like to add hair.  So here are three options.  

Blond - her face is on a dimensional as are her bangs since her hair is poofy and curly

or

Brunette - just some snips with your scissors for her do

or

Redhead - use the 1 inch circle to punch out a piece from her hair (toss what you punch - keep the top part) Use scissors to trim her bangs - I sponged a little rust on the bangs to define them.

Choose your hairdo and you are good to go!

You did notice the change in my avatar, didn't you? Of course I had to have a slimming black suit accented with red trim!  (Age and gravity keep me from going strapless - so slot punch straps)

And yes, I do have a pair of red reading glasses in my collection. (Just a little bigger than the sunglasses with a standard hole punch for my lenses)





Hope you enjoy these hot babes!  Give your babe a tan or change her race with your choice of papers. I can see adding a long skirt for a pageant gown - and a tiara - oh I know you will come up with some clever things and I'd love to see your creations.

And appearing as herself... the ornament!

Yes, I did it! I DID IT!!!! (The crowd goes wild!)

After owning this punch for 6 weeks, I finally used it for its intended purpose and made AN ORNAMENT. (actually two) (uhmm… if you require full disclosure, I made two plus an extra top for the “ball” ornament)


And looky there – I used the snowflake sizzlit die as snowflakes too. This didn't take much creativity, but I have to admit, I like the results!


Want the details?

• More Mustard paper sponged with Really Rust and Bravo Burgundy for the ornaments and the top card layer.

• The NEW champagne mist ink brushed on the ornament tops. (This WONDERFUL ink can be purchased from the mini catalog through Jan 4, 2010)

• The ball ornament is the 1 ¾ inch circle punch with the “extra” top from the ornament punch.

• Second layer of card is Bravo Burgundy and base of card is More Mustard.



I suspect that eventually I will find still other uses for this little rascal, but for now, it is time to set it aside and play with someone else. I don't want any of my toys tools feeling neglected.



Happy Friday!

P.S. I'm almost famous! I won a challenge on a yahoo group and my reindeer tote will be the artwork on their group page for about a week - see it here-->>  StampinUp Late Night Stampers  Woo hoo!

P.P.S.  I am posting the Butterfly Blog Babes Tutorial tomorrow!

I did NOT kick the dog...

This is it - at long last (you have been waiting on pins and needles for this, right?).... the reveal of my final "other" ornament punch idea.  I have shown you an acorn, a fish, Christmas lights, Middle Eastern architecture, a cookie jar and two ideas from other stampers - a vase and leaves.

I didn't think this idea was ever going to find its way to a card I liked.  I struggled and crumpled and grumbled and threw my tools around on my desk (I did NOT kick the dog).  Then I realized my issue was not with the idea but with the style.  I was attempting to do something serious and any regular reader knows I'm a lot better at silly.  As soon as I changed into "cute" mode the card was a snap. This card really wasn't worth waiting this long for, but I still think you will like it


Ready?





Ready?

Does that light your fire?  (groan)  Simple and Easy - perfect for a young kid's birthday!  (Kid as in child not as in goat - surely you don't send cards to livestock!)

And just to prove that I am a team player and not really a rebel, tomorrow you will find me using the ornament punch as (GASP!) an ornament!


At least that is the plan.

"Ornamental" Vases and Leaves

OK, you gals are actually reading this stuff and left me some flattering feedback (I LOVE comments - they are like little PRIZES), so I’ll work up the blog babes and skeleton directions for you. I’ll try to have them this weekend.


For today, I'm back with the ornament punch again. Before I reveal my last original idea for this punch I want to show you some ideas from other stampers.

One fabulous idea came from Sharon Field. Her idea is to make the ornament punch into a vase. (yeah, I know I did the cookie jar but I just didn't go all the way to a vase with it) Sharon's card can be seen HERE.  Smart girl that Sharon!

This is my version of a vase using Pocket Silhouettes and the new Night & Day Specialty paper from the mini catalog.

Another really good idea came from Rhea Oday and it is to use the ornament punch as a leaf. Why didn't I think of that? I took her idea and came up with this. And even though I don't do "purple" I used eggplant on this card - we must learn to step outside our comfort zones, right?

I like Rhea's card way better than mine (she used colors I like, not "purple")  - plus she sponged color on vellum and the veins in her leaves look fab!

You can see Rhea's card here if you scroll down to Sept. 8.     Isn't it great?


The last ornament punch idea that I can squeeze from my old brain FINALLY came together and crawled onto a card but I think I'll save that for tomorrow's post. Don't whine.... I showed you two terrific ideas (they just weren't originals from me).

Butterfly Blog Babes

Hubba Hubba - Hot babes on the blog!

I was looking at the butterfly punch (trying to be creative) and when I turned it sideways I could only think of Jessica Rabbit (of Who Shot Roger Rabbit fame). Started punching... and these hot beach babes are the result. Tilt your head sideways (ear on right shoulder)  - Can you see the butterfly now?




I don't have a clue what I will use these chick-a-dees for - but the idea came into my head so it had to come out through my fingers.   Someday I will find the PERFECT place to use them and they will be ready to go (assuming I can find where I stashed them)




I did hair-dos similar to those of my youngest and her two best friends (and their swimsuit color choices.)  Thank goodness none of them have this exact figure!  I wish you could have been here while I was working on them - it was hilarious to hear the girls discuss who looked the hottest of these three paper "them". 


I noticed after I took the photo that I didn't give my daughter a mouth - am I sending some subliminal message?



If you are interested in the "how to" leave me a comment and I'll work something up.



Should I make one with gray hair and reading glasses and use it for my avatar?

Mr. Bones

Look what I made!  Isn’t he just the cutest spookiest? I got the inspiration from a rub-on on a card by Maren Benedict in the September/October 2009 issue of Papercrafts magazine (pg 40).  My Mr. Bones is rather large for a card – although I’m thinking he might fit in one of those long business envelopes (don’t make me think of the number for the size). Or, if you just have to put him on a standard size card, you could just make HALF a skeleton (pick the top half – in most cases it will be more effective)



I think you can tell how to make him - all SU punches, a standard hole punch and thin strips from your paper trimmer.  There are only a few "sneaky parts".  His head is the designer label punch with one end cut off.  (If you round it off, it will still look like a skull even if you don't add the hat.)  The hat is similar to the one for the crow (see Sept 5th post )  the difference is a rectangle instead of circle punch for top of hat and have the hat band wrap around the top of the hat - instead of just leaving the small oval like I did on the crow.  His nose is the tip end of a slot punch. The "Elvis Pelvis" is the fatter heart in the Heart to Heart punch with a notch punched in for both hip joints. That same punch is used for the feet - I just snipped off one side of the heart. Hands and feet were the hardest part to come up with on old Mr. Bones, if you have better ideas please share.

This gift bag is my first skeleton project but, of course, not my last.

Besides the obvious Halloween theme…

If I took up tap dancing I could have him on the page, right? (Not going to happen.)

If I break a bone, I can tear one of his bones at the appropriate place… (Let’s hope that doesn’t happen!)

How about a BOM layout “Make No Bones About It” and discuss the adages that I hold to be absolutely true? (Might work...)


I have some pictures from my New Orleans trip I could use - this guy kinda has a Mardi Gras feel doesn't he? - I might have to change his flower to purple or green... hmm...

How about when I reach my goal weight? I can do a layout about being “just skin and bones!”



Now I'm just sitting here dreaming that I can create that layout in the "not too distant" future - better get up off my "you know what" and go to the gym.

Cheers to Bookmarks!

This is a tiny little project called a "scrapling".  When it is closed, it is 1.25 x 4.25 inches.  It is called a scrapling because if you cut a sheet of card-stock in half and then turn one of those half sheets into a 4.25 inch square card this is the size "scrap" you have left.

Or you can do what I did and just cut a 1.25 inch strip from the 8.5 inch side of my cardstock.  For those of you challenged by (or fearful of) fractions and decimals that means:   Put your paper in your trimmer and cut a smallish strip from short side of the paper - this isn't going in an envelope so who cares what the size is.


This one is done in one of the 2009-2010 In-colors, Crushed Curry, and the stamp set is Cheers to You.  The mug was stamped in Stazon ink on watercolor paper then water-colored by using the Crushed Curry marker.  "Huh?" you ask. "How do you watercolor with a marker?"

Here is how:  Take something plastic - I use the lid to an old margarine tub, scribble with your marker on the plastic, then pick up the color with your aqua painter, paint!  Pretty simple.  I wanted to watercolor on this project because I wanted to have shadows and variations on my mug and I just do that better in watercolor. (Hmmm.... Why can I color a beer mug with greater detail than I can color a flower? I'm sure there is food for thought there, but we are going to get back to paper and ink)

"But how did you get the foam?" you inquire. (My, you have a lot of questions today.)  I used Liquid Applique.  SU doesn't sell it but it isn't hard to find.  Just color it on - let dry - then get that foam to rise with your heat tool (just like heat embossing).  Tip - really let the applique dry like the directions tell you - you get a different look than if you heat it immediately.  But I understand, sometimes a girl just can't wait to get on with her cute project!  It's OK - it will still foam even if you can't wait.

Now what in the world do you do with this tiny little guy after he is foamy?  I decided to turn him into a bookmark.  A magnetic bookmark!  I added two tiny snips of magnet - the kind that comes on a roll and is self adhesive on one side - you can cut it with scissors.  Put a bit on each side of the scrapling. 

Here he is in action.  Notice which page of the Holiday Mini Catalog that I marked?  Surely you have bought that ornament punch by now.


Make a couple of these scrapling bookmarks and include them for a personal touch when you give books as gifts.  It is just scrap paper - costs so little yet really takes that gift to the next level.  These would be really cute with a cookbook - where cooks need to mark pages and have them STAY marked.  At least that is what I assume cooks do - not  being a very good one, I can't say for sure.


I'd love to see what you can come up with.  Send me photos or links so I can check out your work too.

Copy Cat

It is easy to get lost in holiday themes in September; crafters have to prepare ahead of time for the season if we are going to get everything made in time.  It seems like most of the blogs I visit are posting holiday creations and yesterday my own post had Thanksgiving AND Christmas for Pete's Sake! (geez, what part of my tired old brain did I dredge that expression from? And who the heck is Pete?)


I decided I needed to take a quick break from holiday ideas, so I opened my 2009-2010 Stampin' Up! Idea Book and Catalog to do that first part - get an IDEA. My catty fell open to page 141 where I saw pink and black items - NOT a normal color choice for this blogger but PERFECT for a change of pace.

I grabbed some paper - looked at the "Welcome Baby Treat Holder" (Upper right corner, in case you trying to verify the truth of my writing) and PRESTO CHANGO came up with this card in nothing flat. It is simple when you are a copycat!

If the ribbon looks a little weird in the photo, it is because the cat part is actually a tag and is tied on to the card with the ribbon and not adhered. Gonna be the purr-fect card for someone I know.

Holiday 3-D

Jenifer Lange (pronouce the "e") is my very talented up-line. ( For those of you who might not speak "SU", up-line means the demo who I joined the company "under"). She works full-time, does face painting on the side, builds and paints scenery for the local theater group, and does cards for troops and other charity fundraising – in addition to her Stampin’ Up! business, leaving her no time for a blog (a loss for all of us). So I will occasionally be showing you some of  Jenifer's fabulous work – particularly when I get inspired to do something similar.

This is the Big Shot Die Box #2 (might as well put it on your order now) made up normally EXCEPT she didn’t fold on the score line to make the lid. She put two of these boxes back to back and punched a wide oval handle making this darling tote box. Embellished with die Leaves #2 which were sponged and veins embossed with a stylus.

The sentiment stamped on the twill tape is from Teeny Tiny Wishes – don’t you just LOVE IT?

Believe me, I brought all of the pieces home from her house so I could have one of my very own. And I also cut an extra couple of Box #2 so I could create on my own tote. (yes, that die is on MY next order, too) Here is what I did:

You knew it would have punches on it, didn’t you?

Wide Oval – head

½ Circle – nose

Heart to Heart – whites of eyes

Standard hole punch – black in eyes



And the antlers? That is from the die Build a Flower with one of the petals cut off! Sometimes I just amaze myself. I never thought I’d turn a flower into antlers – I thought I’d use the new snowflake punch for reindeer antlers this holiday season but they just weren’t BIG enough this time around.  I think candy will be the filler for this little tote - but not now, I'm watching the carbs and don't need the temptation.