The Scrappy Chick

Back to Scrappin'

    Yeah!  I put pictures on a page!!  This was one of the pages from my Fall Scrapbook Fundraiser, in the Boys track.  It was a perfect fit for just the handful of photos I've had on my desk for some time now.

The background is textured, woohoo!, wild wasabi cardtock.  Then the 2 teal pieces are cut from a 8 1/2 x 11" piece of cardstock...I'm still very aggravated at SU! for taking away the individual packs of 12x12 in most of the colors.  It makes for planning large events VERY difficult.  So, Ive had to tweak mats and such, grumble.  The bottom of the page is rolled with the All ABout Birthdays from the All ABout Occasions Hostess bundle in versamark ink.  "Wishes" is headline alphabet stamped in Wild Wasabi, Real Red, and TAken with Teal.  The candles are the same colors and are from the Occasions bundle as well.  Also Fresh Favorites buttons, Bold brights brad, Wild Wasabi Ribbom.  Close up of the stamped area:

Thanks for looking!  Come back soon, I'll have blog candy within the week for 10,000 hits!!

A Haunting Resist

More Challenges!  I started with the sketch challenge for the week on SCS and ended up doing the technique challenge too...

The technique challenge of the week was to combine Versamark Resist with Emboss Resist.  OK, I can do that!  The house was stamped in Versamark on Whisper White and embossed with black EP.  Then I stamped the moon with versamark, heated it just a bit (without any EP), then brayered over the top of the whole thing with Dye inks.  I inked my sponge brayet with Pumpkin Pie, then added a bit of Really Rust and Ruby Red on one end to darken the sunset a bit.  Both stamped images are from Home is Where the HAunt Is.  The "trick-or-Treat" is from the Jumbo Wheel  BAtty.  I wheeled it in Versamark, embossed in Black then brayed over this piece too.  Then I cut out just the part of the words that I wanted.  The pattern paper is Creepy Crawly DSP.  Added are black brads, a black button, some circle punches of the same paper, a bit of black hemp, and finally a touch of Pumpkin Pie ribbon...and yes, the edges hang over the card!

Thanks for looking, I have a scrapbook layout for you guys, finally!!, to share tomorrow...

Designer Series Paper Colors Revealed!

I love getting comments from new people, wink, it leads me to new blogs that I didn't know were out there in Cyber-Space :)  Libby left a comment today, so I went to check her blog out, it is awesome!  She has a list on there of all the new Stampin' Up! Designer Series Papers and what colors are in (or I guess on) them.  Very cool.  I had kinda figured it out, but a list is great to share!  So, go check out Libby's Little Addiction, and browse for a bit while you are there, she has some beautiful samples!

Pretty Pomegranate Christmas CC129

I have become a challenge addict, LOL!  As I sit looking at all of my new stuff and wonder where to begin, I find that having a inspiration point is very helpful.  This card is for this weeks color challenge on SCS: Pretty in Pink, Purely Pomegranate, and Old Olive.  What happens from there to get me to a card that I think is prettier and less simple than my norm?  No idea.  I have had this set on the brain for the last few weeks, and then I saw someone use the new Merry and Bright  with this color challenge, well, duh!  My favorite combo last year was Rose Red,  Celery and Carribean; the year before it was Rose Red, Rose Romance, Handsome Hunter and Celery...not too far off from that, huh?  I must be stuck on pink for Christmas...don't know why, its really not one of my favorite colors!  Anyway, the idea was born, and here is what developed.

The card base is Whisper White 5 1/4" square...(I have to say that I have always loved square cards...they just all used to be 4 1/4"...now thanks to Beate's enabling  they have grown an inch!)  The Old Olive layer is stamped in the same ink with the flourish from Season of Joy.  The pretty in Pink layer is stamped with the word collage stamp from that same set.  The tree is in Old Olive on Whisper WHite and then I added Soft Subtles brads and the little star from the set.  I of course used the ticket corner punch on the tops of the panel.  The snowflakes are stamped in Olive, punched with the 1 1/4" circle, then layered onto Purely Pomegranate punched with the 1 3/8" circle.  Last, of course, is a faux knot of Double stitched Purely Pomegranate ribbon...I can't make a card or a page without ribbon!!

Thanks for visiting, I have more for you later!

Thank You cards

I need a TON of thank you cards this week, so I had to get out of the haven't had time to stamp slump.  I mean, the Fundraiser is over, the 3 oldest kids are back in school, what is holding me up?  Hmm...I first have to catch up on housework that was ignored for a couple of weeks in preparing for the big day, I have mountains of papers to read and fill out  between the kids, and I still haven't found the motivation to unpack the million boxes from the weekend (all my pads and punches and new stamp sets are buried in them somewhere).  So,  I dug for a few things last night so I could at least design one thanks.

This was originally going to be a tag card, but I got sidetracked.  It is a 6x6 piece of textured (love it!!) Purely POmegranate, folded in half.  The bottom layer is textured Soft Sky that has been dry-embossed with the Priceless Classy Brass template.(Doesn't really show in the pic, sorry)   The main layer is Whisper white stamped with Certainly Celery flourishes and soft sky mini flowers.  The Pomegranate flowers are cut out and popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals.  I used my ticket corner punch on the top, then matted this layer on Certainly Celery, finsihing it off by tying a piece of Jumbo Celery Grosgrain ribbon around it.

Thanks for stopping by!

My first reader RAK!

I'm such a dork, but I got so excited when I went to the mail the other day to find a Thank You card from Patty Jo!!  It seems like  a little thing, but it makes me happy!  Thanks Patty!  (Patty won the blog candy a couple of weeks ago)  Here is the cute card she sent:

It uses a Stampin' Up! set I've always liked, but never got around to buying (I think its retired now, LOL)...the name of the set escapes me.  It appears that she used the cute Designer paper from last years winter mini (the name of that is also a mystery to me at the moment...do you think I have too much stuff, perhaps that I can't recall names of things from less than a year ago??)

Anyway, cute card, thanks again!  Also, look out for more blog candy soon... 

New Bloggers

Two of my awesome Stampin' Up! downline have started their own blogs, they need a big WOOHOO!  They both have awesome ideas, although just a few posts so far..so check back in on them from time to time!  First is Anna Seagle who has had hers for some time now and just told me a couple of  weeks ago!  The other new blogger is Jackie Kurtz, who did let me know she was starting one, but waited a few weeks to give me the link.  You are both silly, shy girls...your work is great, so show it off!  So go sheck them out and give them a welcome to the blogging world :)

Groovy Skies Asian Style

I did this card for this weeks color challenge...Groovy Guava and Soft Sky.  I had limited supplies since most of my new sets and punches are boxed up for the weekend.  I though I'd pull out "Artfully Asian", someone had some pretty samples on their blog (don't remember who,sorry) and it hasn't been off my shelf in months. SO...

The card base is 4 1/4" square Sahara Sand that has been stamped in Guava with the leaf print.  The next layer is Groovy Guava stamped in Guava with the same leaf...but it looked kinda plain, so I went back over it with the CAnvas Background stamp, also in Guava, but this time stamped off lightly.  I distressed the edges a bit and tipped them with the same pad.  The main panel is stamped in Basic Brown on Very VAnilla, then I colored it with my aqua painters with Guava and Soft Sky.  The thank you was lightly colored over with Sky over the brown and then punched with the large oval punch and popped up with dimensionals.  The last bit is a piece of Double stitched Soft Sky ribbon and a clip from the Coppper Hodgepodge.  Thanks for visiting!

Fabulous meets Baroque

The base of this card is Sahara Sand, 5 1/2" square.  The top piece is Pretty in Pink cardstock stamped with Pretty in Pink, Very VAnilla, and Chocolate Chip.  The bottom half of the card is Chocolate Chip cardstock stamped with the swirl from Baroque Motifs in Very Vanilla Craft Ink.  The small squares have flowers stamped in Purely Pomegranate and Chocolate Chip.  The flowers for this card are from Fabulous Flowers and Baroque Motifs.  The sentiment  was stamped in Pomegranate ink, then reinked on the botttom half with Chocolate Chip, directly over the base ink.  The ribbon is Purely Pomegranate double-stitched, and is simply knotted and adhered with glue dots.  This card is actually for 2 different challenges. 

I am really starting to like doing these challenges on SCS!  The link for this weeks "Inspiration Challenge" is HERE.  The photo for the bedspread from Target (my favorite store!!) is below.  You can go in any direction you like from the inspiration piece.  I pulled out the colors and the swirls and flower themes.  I also designed my card using a layout from Melissa Wohler.  Another challenge on splitcoast is to CASE someone elses work...she was tthe artist of the week.  You can view her gallery HERE.  She has a lot of cards with this layout, and this seems to be the one everyone else chose to copy too!  So go to the homepage for Split Coast Stampers and scroll to the far right of the page.  There you will find a list titled "Current Conversations".  Under that is a list of Weekly Challenges.  They are fun and inspiring, especially when you are in a rut!  HAppy stamping and thanks for stopping in!

In Color Markers Tutorial

I have been promising this forever, and I am finally getting around to it, as I have a terrible case of insomnia going!  I first saw this at Regionals I think, but I don't know who to credit as the genius behind the inspiration.

First, gather your supplies: You will need new Blender pens, Ink refills, and a plastic surface to work on.  Hint: Each year there are 6 new In Colors.  You get 3 blender pens with dual tips in a package, which gives you 6 new markers!!  Just remember to label the ends as they kinda look alike!

Next, drop about 6-8 drops of reinker onto a plastic (non-absorbant) surface.  I use the inside of an empty stamp box.  Then you simply roll the end of the blender in the ink puddle.  You may want to let it absorb, then repeat the roll a couple of times.  (You can also pull the tips of any of our markers or blenders out with the tweezers in the Tool Kit and apply the ink directly, but I prefer this method...I think the ink absorbs better)

 

Finally, swipe the new marker across some scratch paper to get off the excess, then you are ready to roll...you have a New In-Color Stampin' Write Marker!

SCS Sketch Challenge

Here's my card for the sketch challenge on Splitcoast Stampers this week.  I've just started doing some of these challenges, and I have really enjoyed the creative process it inspires.  I get out of my box on color, layout, stamp sets, etc.  For this sketch I knew I wanted to use the Boho Friend wheel on the skinny strip, but had no intentions of using these colors on thios set.  I had scraps of Cutie Pie paper on my desk and felt inspired.  For the border, after I wheeled the main image, I then stamped the small medallion from True Friend and then punched out the center with the 3/4" circle punch, then adhered those to the centers of the swirls.  The background was created by repeatedly stamping that same image, each touching the last, to form a cool pattern.   The background is stamped in Certainly Celery on Certainly Celery, inked on the edges, then layered onto a piece of Groovy Guava, also inked around the edges.  The sentiment is also from the True Friend set, stamped in Purely Pomegrante.  Thanks for stopping by!

Love this color combo!!

I decided tonight to play along with a few SCS challenges, and made a really cute card for the sketch challenge, but decided I need to change one little thing thats bugging me before I post it.  But in the meantime, I had these colors and this set out, so why not make another?  I love the way the color combo turned out!  And I originally had no intentions of putting this set with these colors, but its funny how the plan totally changes once you get going!

All supplies are Stampin' Up!: True Friend, Holidays and Wishes stamp sets; Groovy Guava, Purely Pomegrante, and Certainly Celery ink; Groovy Guava, Purely Pomegranate, and Very Vanilla cardstock; Certainly Celery Desinger series Paper; Ice Rhinestone brads; and Pomegranate Double stitched Ribbon.

Its hard to see from the photo, but the flowers are actually stamped in Guava, and then I tipped the edges and centers with my Pomegranate marker.

Some New Layouts

I was cleaning up piles on my desk today and rearranging pages in some of my books.  I found a couple of layouts from last year (before I started blogging) that I thought I would share.  They aren't Stampin' Up!, in fact I don't remember what the supplies are for the first 2, they were in a kit a long time ago!

The last page was also made from supplies out of a kit, but I do remember the paper and accents are Daisy D's.  The buttons are from Autumn Leaves.

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Awesome Organization Ideas!

Here is a link to Nancy Riley's Blog, iStamp.  She has a fabulous pegboard system behind her stamping desk.  All of her punches are hooked on a curtain rod for easy access...very cool.  This is the bane of my stamp room right now, I don't know how to store my punches on my island!!  ANyway, she has a few neat tips for those like me always looking to improve upon  organization, or lack-there-of!

Blogging Beyond the Basics

No stamping tonight, but I did add a few links today!  First of all, I updated my albums for cards, scrapbook pages, and class pages.  Then I FINALLY figured out how to add the Stampin' Up! webring to my Blog.  For something that turns out to be soooo easy, it sure was hard to figure out, LOL.  The image still doesn't show up properly, but it works (I think!)  Lastly, in my effort to tidy up some maintenance issues, I have my In Color Combo link up and running, WOOHOO!  That was another thing that turned out to be pretty easy after all...I just had to add a page.  Now if I can just figure out how to do a pretty watermark and then save it on my Adobe; and design my header, I'll be a happy camper!

Oh, I also added links to some more awesome blogs!  Check the sidebar for more great artists...

Had to share another page!

OK, I can't stand it!  I had to share another page from the upcoming fundraiser.  (Next weekend, yikes!!)  This one turned out so stinkin' cute, I can't stand it!

I had wanted to do something with "FAbulous Flowers", and was so frustrated.  Any idea I came up with was going to be too complicated for 50+ people.  So I finally caved and pulled out "Ginourmous Flowers", which I really wasn't in the mood for at the time.  But when I started thinking of layout options I remembered one from a few years ago that we had used.  I copied the basic layout, but switched up the title area quite a bit.  The color inspiration is from the "Cutie Pie" Designer Paper series...love it! All supplies used are Stampin' Up!:Ginourmous Flowers, Typeset alphabet lower stamp sets; Purely Pomegranate, Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, and So Saffron inks; Corner Punch; Purely Pomegranate Stitched Ribbon; Soft Subtles and Rich Regals brads.  Now I have to convince my girls to put on something girly and let me get their picture!

Simple Card

Here's a really easy card I put together a few nights ago.  Its a "z-fold" card.  The base is Sage Shadow, a color that was living at the bottom of the pile until this year.  It goes really nicely with many of the new In Colors.  The main image is stamped in Blue Bayou on Whisper White then matted multiple times...sage, a print from the Wintergreen Designer Series paper, and finally Blue Bayou.  The left panel is stamped with the small snowflake in the same set as the main image, "Seasonal Whimsy".  The greeting on the inside is from the same set and is covered by the panel on the center of the card.  The Blue Bayou ribbon is looped through a punch under the center panel and tied around the outside of the card.  Very simple, but I just love this set!  It was a complete impulse purchase, LOL. 

Thanks for visiting my blog!  -Cyndi

Stamp Club Fun

OK, So I saw this post on Mary Smith's awesome blog where she said "Stamping is so easy, you can even do it blidfolded!"  She then proceeded to blindfold her Open Houe attendees and have them stamp with the direction of another stamper.  Too funny!!  So, when my long-time (6 or 7 years??) stamp club came up from an hour away to visit at my new house (thanks guys so much for helping to break in the room!), I thought it would be fun to try this as a game.  Who else besides your best friends can you blindfold and tell them what to do??

We divided into 4 teams of 2, one stamped blindfolded, the other told them what to do.  The stamper had no idea what the card would look like in the end.  The person directing was not allowed to hand them anything, just tell them where to pick stuff up, etc.   This turned out to be such a hoot!  These guys know I took pics, but I don't know if they really realized what I would do with them, LOL!!  I will make a page of course, but I had to share!  The first pic is of the actual stamping, the 2nd is of the clubbers who came that night (we were missing 4 ), then the next 2 are samples...

   

Quick Post

I stamped a few cute things today but didn't have time to get photos, so tomorrow!  In the meantime, here's one I did at the beach last week and forgot to post, silly me!  Actually I wanted to change the main image, but never got around to finding something to put there when I got back.  This was a card for Beate's weekend challenge last week (I'm so behind!!)

Materials used: Groovy Guava, Sahara Sand, and Whisper White cardstock; Tres Chic stamp; Fall Flowers Designer Series paper; Really Rust and Old Olive markers; Circle scallop punch; 1 3/8" circle punch;Old Olive wide grosgrain ribbon.

More New Designer Series Paper

I just LOVE this new paper!!  OK, I admit, I love all of the new DSPs, but this group has got to be my favorite of this seasons's releases.  Its called Fall Flowers, and its gorgeous!  The pieces I used for this card are in the colors Sahara Sand, Old Olive, and Soft Sky.  But there are other pieces that include Really Rust and Groovy Guava!  This card is actually way easy (its hard to get very creative when you only have one box of supplies along at the beach).  The strips of the Designer Paper are layered on a Sahara Sand background (card measures 5 1/4 x 5 1/4.  Tied around that is a piece of that new wide grosgrain ribbon in Olive.  The greeting is from the set Dotted Autumn and is stamped on white and layered on olive then soft sky punched with the new Scallop Circle punch.  More tomorrow!

Tres Chic Christmas

I've been at the beach for a few days with the kids, baking in the 104 degree heat!  I actually took stuff along to get caught up and thought I might have some down time during naps, LOL.  I did have one evening where the little guy went to bed early  and I got to play with my new Holiday Mini stamps.  I made a few cards and had this one ready and had a long post ready to upload, but the hotel server blocked me. (whats that about??)  Of course when I went back a page it was all gone!  I was so ticked I didn't start to retype until tonight.

For this card I wanted a simple look.  I stamped the tree from Season of Joy in Garden Green ink.  Its backed on white and Certainly Celery, but the celery looked too plain so I wheeled it with So Swirly.  The polka dot pomegranate ribbon (yummy!) from the Sherbert Designer Ribbons is layered on another piece of Celery.  The scallop border along the bottom was traced from the bottom of the Priceless Classy Brass template since I forgot to take a punch along.  The finishing touch (almost) is the greeting...I inked just the word "believe"  on the Tres Chic background stamp with my Pomegranate marker.  (Love this stamp because the fonts are gorgeous and many of the words are surrounded by pretty swirlies :)  Now all it needs is a green Ice rhinestone brad on the ends of the ribbon.  (I didn't bring that punch either!)  Overall, I think it turned out really pretty!

Fabulous Emerging Flowers

Emerging Color: This is such a cool technique.  I have of course embossed an image then brayerd over it to get a resist effect, but I had never heard of stamping the images first, then embossing over, then brayering...very cool indeed.   Beate has an awesome sample of this at her blog, here.  She also has a tutorial on Splitcoast Stampers.  I loved her colors with that huge flower so much, that I had to copy it, sort of.  Mine went more on the Earthy side: 

I started stamping the small flowers in Groovy Guava, River Rock, and Soft Sky.  After embossing with clear powder and the Versamark pad, I brayed over the top with really rust first.  It wasn't quite as dark as I wanted so then I went right over that with Ruby Red.  What a pretty color this combo turned out to be!  Its hard to see the result of combining those 2 from the photo, but its pretty!  I then stamped the swirl from Priceless in Chocolate Chip  while the rest was still wet, it made the Chocolate REALLY chocolate.  I didn't add the greeting til later, when it had dried, and you can tell the difference in intensity of the color!  BTW, don't forget to wipe off the excess ink over the embossed image after each layer!  I also pulled out some Hodge podge that Ive been ignoring lately.  The final result: I love it!

Retired Stamp Sets

I sold a bunch of sets at my Open House (but being in a new city I didn't have very high attendance), and sold a few on ebay, but I still have many retired Stampin' Up! sets still for purchase.  And then lo and behold I found another box I had packed away before I moved, LOL.  I'm going to give you guys all a crack at them for a week or so then list the rest on ebay.  So here goes the somewhat long list...

• Shore Thing  $15  (some stains on wood)
• Buttons, Bows, & Twinkletoes    $15   (almost new, most uncut)
• Buds & Blossoms    $15
• Sparkling Summer     $18
• Toy Box     $15  (some stains)
• Office Ephemera  $15
• A is for Adorable $12
• By Definition   $12
• Frolicking Frogs    $12  (stained)
• Paris in the Spring    $12
• DD Noah's Ark       $25
• Shapes & sHADOWS    $15
• Great Shapes    $15
• Bold Alphabet (upper/lower combo)  $25
• Define your life   $8
• Sweet on You    $8
• Lexicon of Love   $10
• Flower Filled    $15
• Roses in Winter     $15
• French Script    $12
• Groovy Lines   $10 (stained)
• Happiest of Holidays   $10
• Winter Play (LE hostess set 2001)  $20
• Vogue Verses  $12
• Bundle Up   $12  (some staining)
• Little Letters    $20  (stains)
• Pretty Princess    $15
• Riveting    $10  (mostly unmounted)
• Sassy Sayings   $12
• Power Up      $12
• Fun with Shapes     $15
• Fresh Fruits      $15
• Around the Block   $7
• Olive You       $10  (some stains, words mounted separate on ends)
• Slam Dunk  $10
• Suitable for Framing     $10
• Petite Patterns   $7
• Love is in teh Air      $12
• All Natural     $10
• Let's Party    $7
• Fresh Fillers    $7
• Beyond the Basics    $7
• Too Terrific Tags    $10
• Fantastic Foliage     $12
• Terrific Tags     $10  (just the stamps)
• Summer Fun    $12
• Autumn Leaf Prints      $12   (some stains)
• Perfect Party       $15  (some stains)
• Country Charm     $10
• Little LAyers       $12       (some stains)
• Little Layers II    $12   (stained)
• Little Layers Plus     $12
• Tender Toile     $10
• Baby Announcements      $14
• Memory of the Heart     $10
• Mini Messages    $10
• Mostly Flowers    $7
• Antique Collectibles   $10
• Year Round Cheer     $10
• Days Gone By     $10
• Rubber Ducky    $12
• Time For Fun    $12
• Bold Shapes     $10
• Animal Valentines    $10  (stained)
• Haute Couture    $10
• Party Time      $10
• Road Trip      $8  (missing wheel)
• Reverse Prints   $8
• Provencal    $8
• Elegant Ornaments     $8
• Wonderful Wings   $15
• Alpha Shadows    $7
• Thank You Blocks      $7
• Birthday Best     $7
• Nice & Narrow     $10  (some stains)
• Gifts from the Orient    $12
• Travels Abroad      $12
• Holiday Minis     $10
• Sweet of You    $10
• The Fine Print    $10
• Occasionally     $10
• Country Christmas   $8
• A Little Love  $8
• Quilted Quotes    $8
• Nice & Easy Notes    $10
• Serenity    $10

One set to ship priority: $4.50, I think 2-3 sets go for $6.  It depends on the size of the cases, but I'll be happy to combine shipping for lowest cost for anyone.  Please email me at [email protected] if you are interested in any.  Thanks!!