Tree-Mendous

Just when I had promised myself I would not buy any more stamps until I had played with all the ones I already have, Technique Tuesday comes out with a set I’m totally in love with!

Check out their blog posting at http://techniquetuesday.typepad.com/ideasandinspiration/2012/02/just-plain-tree-mendous.html.

Oh the ideas I have dancing in my head! 

And then to make matters “worse”, my friend Betsy recently gave me the new Close To My Heart Spring & Summer 2012 Idea Book.  Lots of wonderful news stamps sets there as well!  You should see my wish list!

Be sure to visit Betsy’s blog at http://betsygully.blogspot.com/.  She is sure to be posting some of her fabulous creations with all the new products.

Something tells my hubby will have no problem shopping for me for my birthday this year!

Happy Day

I was first attracted to this stamp set because of the adorable images. My daughter is away at college studying to be a zoologist so this was also a just the set for creating some special cards to send to her.

This cute little monkey made his way to her during exam week. The “hang in there” message was perfect for her as she prepared for her finals.

Flamingos and feathers!  They just seem to go together.

I originally stamped the toucan vertically, but then decided I liked him better on the diagonal so I could trim the cardstock into a diamond shape.

Very Mary

Anyone who has been to my house knows I absolutely love Mary Engelbreit.  Both my office and kitchen are Mary themed.  I am very blessed to have a husband who doesn’t complain one bit.

It comes as no surprise that I collect everything Mary.  Books, figurines, magnets, etc.  I’ve had several calendars and planners over the years and when the year is over, I haven’t been able to part with one of them.  I carefully trim the artwork and place it in my “Mary Drawer” in my craft room where it is ready when I get an idea.

When I was a consultant for The Angel Company, I needed to create some sample pieces for displays at classes.  One such item was an 8 inch by 8 inch album created from one of their paper collections.  When I first leafed through the pad of paper, all I could think of was how well it would coordinate with Mary Engelbreit’s art work so I decided to do an album to showcase some of her prints from my collection.

Recycle and Reuse

With my busy work schedule and many family responsibilities, I did not get my Valentines made as I had hoped.  The past few months have left me exhausted and without much opportunity to play. 

Lucky for me, I keep a drawer full of unfinished bits and pieces of cards.  Some of the items are from techniques with which I’ve experimented.  Others are items I’ve put aside just because I couldn’t bear to part with them.  I find myself thinking maybe I might use them some day.

This really paid off this year when Valentine’s Day rolled around.  I had picked up treats for my family a few weeks earlier, but realized I didn’t have any cards made for them.  I didn’t have much time before I needed to leave for work when I remembered some left over covers I had made for crayon boxes last year.

I trimmed them down and matted them on white card stock transforming them into the perfect little Valentines.  A quick stamping of a sentiment on the inside and I had them finished!

I left the treats to be discovered on the table when I left for work. 

Later that evening, my husband reported that my son was especially excited about the little Valentines cards.  They were smaller than regular cards and he thought that I should make more of them to be packaged and sold in sets at craft shows.

You know, that’s not such a bad idea!  The design is such that it could be modified in a variety of ways. 

I always knew that boy was smart!

Faux Cloissone

I stumbled upon this technique as I was browsing for ideas. It’s very simple and very striking.

Simply emboss stamped images on old magazine or catalog pages and then cut them out!  They can be used on cards or scrapbook pages. I found I prefer to use heavier pages such as covers.  Of course the more color there is on the page, the more dramatic the effect will be.

Here are some samples I made:

I used a page with less color for the doves to give them a more natural look.

Just one word of warning… You’ll never look at junk mail the same way again!

Tickled Pink

And yes I am!  I love these whimsical flamingos!  “Tickled Pink” is one of my favorite stamps sets from The Angel Company.  The stamps are so much fun and the sayings that come with them are just perfect.

I added some Flower Soft to this flamingo’s hat and used a Fiskars edge punch and a bit of bling.  The stamped image is colored with colored pencils and Gamsol.

Somehow feathers just seemed to be an appropriate embellishment!  The stamped image is colored with colored pencils and Gamsol.  It is pop-dotted for dimension.

Back to the bling with this card!  I also glittered the flamingo’s hat and shoes.  Her boa is flocked in white and I used a lacey corner punch.  The stamped image is colored with colored pencils and Gamsol.

And it is a gate fold card!

All I could think when I stamped this flamingo was the song “Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini” so I went with a different color palette.  I used layered daisy punches with a brad for the center and bright yellow rick rack.  The image is colored with colored pencils and Gamsol.

ThinkTV Programs – February 2012

Scrapbook Soup-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Wed, Feb 1-6:30 AM
Scrapbook Memories-ThinkTV14 DT/HD (14.5/14.1)-Wed, Feb 1-10:30 AM
Scrapbook Soup-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Wed, Feb 1-12:30 PM
Scrapbook Soup-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Wed, Feb 1-6:30 PM
Scrapbook Soup-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Thu, Feb 2-12:30 AM
Crafting At The Spotted Canary-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Thu, Feb 2-6:30 AM
Crafting At The Spotted Canary-ThinkTV14 DT/HD (14.5/14.1)-Thu, Feb 2-10:30 AM
Crafting At The Spotted Canary-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Thu, Feb 2-12:30 PM
Crafting At The Spotted Canary-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Thu, Feb 2-6:30 PM
Crafting At The Spotted Canary-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Fri, Feb 3-12:30 AM
Scrapbook Memories-ThinkTV14 DT/HD (14.5/14.1)-Sat, Feb 4-2:00 PM
Scrapbook Soup-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Wed, Feb 8-6:30 AM
Scrapbook Memories-ThinkTV14 DT/HD (14.5/14.1)-Wed, Feb 8-10:30 AM
Scrapbook Soup-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Wed, Feb 8-12:30 PM
Scrapbook Soup-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Wed, Feb 8-6:30 PM
Scrapbook Soup-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Thu, Feb 9-12:30 AM
Crafting At The Spotted Canary-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Thu, Feb 9-6:30 AM
Crafting At The Spotted Canary-ThinkTV14 DT/HD (14.5/14.1)-Thu, Feb 9-10:30 AM
Crafting At The Spotted Canary-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Thu, Feb 9-12:30 PM
Crafting At The Spotted Canary-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Thu, Feb 9-6:30 PM
Crafting At The Spotted Canary-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Fri, Feb 10-12:30 AM
Scrapbook Memories-ThinkTV14 DT/HD (14.5/14.1)-Sat, Feb 11-2:00 PM
Scrapbook Soup-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Wed, Feb 15-6:30 AM
Scrapbook Memories-ThinkTV14 DT/HD (14.5/14.1)-Wed, Feb 15-10:30 AM
Scrapbook Soup-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Wed, Feb 15-12:30 PM
Scrapbook Soup-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Wed, Feb 15-6:30 PM
Scrapbook Soup-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Thu, Feb 16-12:30 AM
Crafting At The Spotted Canary-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Thu, Feb 16-6:30 AM
Crafting At The Spotted Canary-ThinkTV14 DT/HD (14.5/14.1)-Thu, Feb 16-10:30 AM
Crafting At The Spotted Canary-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Thu, Feb 16-12:30 PM
Crafting At The Spotted Canary-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Thu, Feb 16-6:30 PM
Crafting At The Spotted Canary-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Fri, Feb 17-12:30 AM
Scrapbook Memories-ThinkTV14 DT/HD (14.5/14.1)-Sat, Feb 18-2:00 PM
Scrapbook Soup-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Wed, Feb 22-6:30 AM
Scrapbook Memories-ThinkTV14 DT/HD (14.5/14.1)-Wed, Feb 22-10:30 AM
Scrapbook Soup-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Wed, Feb 22-12:30 PM
Scrapbook Soup-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Wed, Feb 22-6:30 PM
Scrapbook Soup-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Thu, Feb 23-12:30 AM
Crafting At The Spotted Canary-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Thu, Feb 23-6:30 AM
Crafting At The Spotted Canary-ThinkTV14 DT/HD (14.5/14.1)-Thu, Feb 23-10:30 AM
Crafting At The Spotted Canary-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Thu, Feb 23-12:30 PM
Crafting At The Spotted Canary-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Thu, Feb 23-6:30 PM
Crafting At The Spotted Canary-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Fri, Feb 24-12:30 AM
Scrapbook Memories-ThinkTV14 DT/HD (14.5/14.1)-Sat, Feb 25-2:00 PM
Scrapbook Soup-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Wed, Feb 29-6:30 AM
Scrapbook Memories-ThinkTV14 DT/HD (14.5/14.1)-Wed, Feb 29-10:30 AM
Scrapbook Soup-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Wed, Feb 29-12:30 PM
Scrapbook Soup-ThinkTV16 Life (16.3)-Wed, Feb 29-6:30 PM