More Fun with the Petite Purse Die

Well, of all the dies I have for my Big Shot (die cut machine), the most fun I've had so far has been with the Petite Purse die.  Not only does it make adorable teeny purses...

it makes all manner of cute containers.  Your imagination sets the limits.  I only wish I could think of these things before other people come up with them.  I posted the picnic basket I CASE'd from Lynda Lee a while back.

And my latest is CASE'd from a video tutorial by Dee Slater that I found on Stampin' Connections:

A watering can complete with a flower growing in it!  I can't believe how cute this project is!  I'll have to come up with my own idea. As Winnie the Pooh would say, "Think! Think! Think!"  Hmm!

Notes on Turning 60

60 is a freaky number!  Really!!  You can't call yourself middle-aged with a good conscience anymore.  You can't hide those laugh lines, no matter how much spackle you trowel into them.  You catch yourself shuffling a little when you first get up.  Walking as fast as you can, you get passed right and left by younger folk.  You're old.  I like to think of it more as "oldish"!  The "ish" just softens the physical trauma a little. Because getting old is definitely not for sissies.  It's darn painful and inconvenient, but there you are... we all have to do it, because think of the alternative!

But, that being said,  it is also a fun time of life.  You may be retired and now get to do what you love to do (in between doctor appointments).  You may have grandchildren that you get to play with and then hand back to your son or daughter to discipline and look after.  You probably have lost most of that disabling fear of what others think of you.  So it's not all bad! And many seniors are looking after themselves and enjoying this time of life for a lot longer than our parents did.  Really, inside we still feel we're 18, with 42 years of experience.

With these thoughts in mind, I set out to create a card for a good friend's sixtieth birthday.  I used the MOJO Monday sketch for the layout and picked the square option, going for a 5 1/2 x 5 1/2" card base.

Here's my take on the sketch:

I used Old Olive cardstock for the card base and added a panel of Basic Black.  The vertical panel is Tempting Turquoise which was embossed using the Big Shot and the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder.  I sponged it with some Soft Suede ink to bring out the embossing more and to distress it a little.  The flag is Old Olive run through the Big Shot with the Stripes embossing folder and again sponging with just a little Soft Suede.  The stamp sets I used were  Established Elegance, still available in the new 2012-13 Idea Book and Catalogue, and a retired hostess set called Happiest Birthday Wishes, available only until May 31st for those who host a workshop.  I punched out the typewriter with a 2 1/2" circle punch, newly delivered to me this week, and matted it with Pacific Point cardstock.  I used linen thread to attach the Trinket Key, a lovely little accessory that I've just discovered, but which will no longer be available after May 31st.

I added the 1952 to the ESTABLISHED stamp, a year that all of us 60 year-olds will recognize as a vintage year!

 I love reading your comments and getting to know more paper crafters!  Thanks for stopping by.

Not Too Shabby!

I found this card on pinterest the other day, and having many, many cards to make, and being a little short on designing mojo, decided to try to CASE it.  I really love the light blue, black and cream colours and the vintage look.  And I struggled with it - mostly with the border trims for the Pool Party pieces.  I still don't have that technique down pat.  Help, anyone?  Anyway, this is what I came up with, using SU products.

Not sure if I was entirely successful, but I'm really loving making those rolled roses.  I think there's too much Very Vanilla around the edges, but I did try some paper piercing and double bow tying... ahem.  I think that would have gone easier if I had not aged the ribbon first.   Oh, well, it's done.  Now to try something a little more clean and simple.  I'll post that tomorrow. 



Doing Pennants

Well, I'm not perfect, are you?  So sometimes one has to do "pennants"!  Anyway, that's what I've been doing when I had time this weekend.  I made this pennant garland as decor for my Stampin' Spectacular Drop In on Friday, June 8, at 7 - 9 pm.  This event features products from the new catalogue and is a kick-off for Stampin' Up's 2012-13 Idea Book and Catalogue!  It's going to be a lot of fun with lots of specials and give-aways and my Rubber Rummage Sale, where I sell some of my gently used and unused, in some cases, retired stamp sets at reduced prices.  Check it out on Facebook. 

These pennants are all made with the new 2012-2014 In Colours and new Comfort Cafe DSP.  I used two stamp sets from the new catalogue as well:  A hostess set called  Four Seasons and another called Layered Labels, which coordinates beautifully with the new Apothecary Accents Framelits.  I know you're going to love the new products!

I'm also planning to use this garland to decorate my table/booth at the Annual Glenrosa Elementary Craft Fair and Garage Sale on Saturday, June 2.  Come out and support a wonderful school where I taught for many years before retirement.  I'll see you there!

Summer time!

Okay, I know I already posted once today, but I'm so excited to show you what I created this afternoon, that I can't wait until tomorrow.  Let it be tomorrow's post a few hours early.  Are we okay with that?  Good, because this is the cutest thing ever!  I wish I had thought of the idea first, but I didn't.  I CASE'd this amazing project from Lynda Lee on her blog, Lynda's Quiet Time.  This lady is a doctor and is a Stampin' Up demonstrator in her spare(?) time!  And this isn't the only amazing idea she has come up with using the Petite Purse Bigz L die.  Check out some of her other designs!  But enough gabbing!  Here is my project:

A Picnic Basket!

I don't know about where you live, but around here, summer has kind of overtaken spring

and we are getting temperatures in the high twenties. (That's Celsius, for all my lovely readers in the US. In Fahrenheit, it would be in the eighties!)  Just right for a picnic! 

What I like about this project is the amount of detail on it. The basket weave texture using the Square Lattice embossing folder, to the toggle closure (a toothpick with some linen thread, to the double layered reinforcement strips with the little nail marks on them. 

I actually made this as a hostess gift for my next workshop!  It's going to be hard to give it away, but now I know how to make it, I will be making several more, I'm sure.  To see how to construct this beauty, Lynda gives a great tutorial on the link above.

So get out there and enjoy this beautiful weather, and watch your "pikanik" basket carefully, as Yogi Bear would say!

Workshop Samples

I'm just preparing for a workshop this week, and I find it so difficult to choose card designs that will be best for a workshop.  This design is one that I will demo, just to familiarize people with stamping and with the catalogue.  It has a little bit of everything, but isn't so complex that it will take forever.  It features a stamp set that I am promoting with a Get Started Stamping package that will help people purchase what they need to create some cute cards without being overwhelmed by the catalogue choices.  The features of this stamp set, Kindness Matters, are that it has both images and sentiments and it is attractive and inexpensive - a good value.  Here's the card:

 



The colour palette is from an old Pals Paper Arts challenge using Calypso Coral, So Saffron and Baja Breeze - so pretty together.  The DSP is, unfortunately, discontinued, but I have so much Attic Boutique left, and it's the only one I could find that had some So Saffron in it.  Have I mentioned how much I LOVE Attic Boutique.  I can't believe SU didn't carry it over.  Do you think they would if we started a petition???  The ribbon is Baja Breeze seam binding ribbon and I tied a faux bow on it.  The sentiment is a clear mount stamp (so I can explain the difference between clear mount and wood mount) from the retiring Hostess Set, Happiest Birthday Wishes. 

So there it is....

Do you have any favourite demo designs you use?  Please share them with me.

Yikes!!!

I went to my demonstrator's website today and was graphically reminded that only TWO WEEKS remain for the retiring stamp sets and accessories.  If you haven't checked out what  will not be carried forward into the new 2012-2103 Idea Book and Catalogue, you'd best get on that.

 

I don't want you to be disappointed, and soo many stamp sets and accessories are being discontinued, that I wouldn't be far wrong if I said that at least one of your favourites will be gone for good after May 31st. 

The stamp sets will be available until the end of the day on May 31st, but the accessories are only available while remaining supplies last and many have sold out already.  Click on My Stampin' Up Store link to shop online any time of day or night, and have it delivered right to your door.  You can also call me with your order.

The good news is that I have seen the 2012-13 catalogue, and you're going to love all the new stamps and accessories that will be coming your way.  If you would like a copy of the new catalogue, just reply to this post or on my Facebook page,  and I will see that you get one. 

Here once again are the lists of retiring stamps and accessories, as well as the Definitely Decorative line.  Hmmm... I'd better get a couple of those decor blocks sets myself, before they're all gone!  See you!  Gotta shop!