January Stamp Club with a Valentine Theme

Valentine's Day was the theme for our January Stamp Club.  Our cards this month feature the all new XOXO stamp set, Valentine's Defined,  and Love Impression Specialty Designer Series Paper found in the new Occasions Mini Catalog.  We also used the Love Patterns DSP and Filled With Love stamp set, along with our free Bitty Buttons from the Valentine's Day Promotion. A touch of Red Glimmer Paper completd our cards.

Paper:  Pretty in Pink, Whisper White, Love Patterns DSP

Stamps:  Valentine Defined, Filled With Love

Ink:  Pretty in Pink

Misc:  Big Shot Movers and Shapers, Pinking Heart Border punch, Heart Small punch, Full Heart punch,  Basic Pearls, misc white ribbon

Earlier this fall we discovered that the Movers and Shapers pieces can be used to add a layer to several of the stamps and punches, perfect for an extra border! 

Paper:  Whisper White CS, Basic Grey CS, Real Red CS, Love Impressions DSP

Stamps:  Filled With Love, Valentine Defined

Ink:  Real Red

Misc:  Big Shot Movers and Shapers, Pinking Heart Border punch, Full Heart punch, Real Red Ribbon, Basic Rhinestones

Paper:  Basic Grey CS, Real Red CS, Pink Pirouette CS, Whisper White CS,

Love Impressions DSP, Red Glimmer

Stamps:  Filled With Love

Ink:  Real Red, Basic Grey, Versa Mark

Misc:  Love Impressions Rub-Ons, 1 3/8" Oval punch, 1 3/4" Oval punch, Heart to Heart punch, Heart Small punch, Heat and Stick Powder, Pink Glitter, Real Red Seam Binding, Basic Rhinestones

Paper:  Whisper White CS, Basic Black CS, Real Red CS, Love

Impressions DSP,Red Glimmer

Stamps:  Valentine Defined, Filled With Love

Ink:  Real Red, Garden Green

Misc:  Pinking Heart Border punch, Heart Small punch, Real Red Glitter Brad, black

 ribbon, misc. flower punch

Paper:  Very Vanilla CS, Cherry Cobbler CS, Basic Black CS, Love Letter DSP, Red Glimmer

Stamps:  XOXO, Filled With Love

Ink:  Cherry Cobbler

Misc:  Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslit Die, Full Heart punch, Small Heart punch, 1 3/8" Oval punch, 1 3/4" Oval punch, Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding

Paper:  Real Red CS, Pretty in Pink CS, Whisper White CS, Patterns Love DSP, Red Glimmer

Stamps:  Filled With Love

Ink:  Real Red, Versa Mark

Misc:  Pinking Heart Border punch, Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslit Die, Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, 3/4" Circle punch, Full Heart punch, Small Heart punch, Heart to Heart punch, Heat and Stick Powder, Pink Glitter

Paper:  Whisper White CS, Basic Grey CS, Pretty in Pink CS, Patterns Love DSP

Stamps:  Valentine Defined

Ink:  Pretty in Pink, White Craft

Misc:  White Embossing Powder, 1 3/8" Oval punch, 1 3/4" Oval punch, Eyelet Border punch, Curly Label punch, Basic Rhinestones, white ribbon

Paper:  Whisper White CS, Real Red CS, Pink Pirouette CS, Love Impressions DSP

Stamps:  XOXO

Ink:  Real Red

Misc:  Small Heart punch, Bitty Buttons, 1 3/8" Circle punch, Scalloped Circle punch, 2 3/8" Circle punch, White Gel pen

Love Letter DSP Desk Set With Note Cards

The elegance of Love Letter DSP is perfectly presented in this desk set which includes seven note cards and matching bookmark.  It would make an excellent gift for your favorite teacher or avid reader!
 

Nanci discovered that the retired stamp set, Note to Self, matches the paper pattern in Love Letter DSP to a tee of T if you prefer!  Take a look at the stamped edges of the post-it notes and the black patterned paper of the note card holder--they are exactly the same pattern!

The note card holder contains seven note cards.  The stamp "just a little note" is from the Apple Blossom stamp set.

There are ten different book markers to choose from.  Each with their delightful "bookworm" sentiment which is also from the Apple Blossom stamp set. 

This set will be available for sale at the 29th Annual Oktoberfet Craft Show at Marion Catholic High School on October 10, 2010 in Chicago Heights, IL.  We hope to see you there!  Happy Crafting!

Love Letter DSP Squash Book

Earlier this week I was watching videos on YouTube, one of my new obsessions, and I came across a tutorial called Squash Book with Dawn.  I had never heard of a Squash Book.  This project is fast, fun, and completely awesome!  Dawn Griffith's video tutorial is at the end of this post.  Here's my cover!  

I used Very Vanilla to construct the pages and Love Letter DSP for the background papers.  These DSP papers have a vintage quality to them, so I inked the edges to age the Very Vanilla card stock.  Journaled with my stampin' write basic black marker and added a miscellaneous black ribbon and Martha Stewart birthstone gem stickers to give the cover a simple old world look.

When you untie the ribbon and fold back the cover, the first page of your squash book is revealed.  

Open the squash book further and you will find an amazing amount of space for photos, journaling, and embellishment!  

What's more you have even more room on the flip side of this paper album!

The finished album is 4.25" square.  I decided to print my photos in black and white to go along with the aged look.  If you decide to cut your photos on the diagonal to fit the triangle shaped folds--lay your photos out first!  I ended up repositioning a few of my square photos so the photos all flowed the same direction.

As promised here is Dawn's video!  I hope you try this project out! :) Happy Crafting!

Presto Pattern Projects

The ideas for two of these cards came from Gina K. of Stamp TV and Linda Walsh, Stampin' Up! Demonstrator in Massachusettes.  I had watched both of these two video tutorials and thought that the techniques used were excellent.  

The "you're too kind" card uses the altered Presto Patterns DSP panels from my post on August 17th.  

The '"thinking of you" card features a stamped image that has been quartered to offer a window effect also.

The "Bonjour" card is my own design.  I stamped the white cardstock with Versamark and clear embossing powder to create my own presto pattern paper.  I used a dauber to apply Red Riding Hood ink to the surface and sprayed it with Silver Smooch spray just like the panels in the "you're too kind" card.  I wiped the excess ink from the surface with a paper towel to pop the white resist areas.  I cut the Bonjour and the telephone on the Cricut Expression using the Sentimentals cartridge.  

Products used are Stampin' Up! unless noted otherwise.  The list of materials used is as follows:

Papers--Presto Patterns Specialty Paper, Love Letter DSP

Cardstock--Red Riding Hood, Basic Black, Whisper White, Basic Gray

Inks--Red Riding Hood, Basic Black

Stamps--Teeny Tiny Wishes, Whimsical Words, Stain Glass Window-The Stamp Mill, Background K-3219-unknown

Punches--Scallop Oval, Oval, Scallop Circle, Circle

Embellishments--JoAnne Woven Edge Ribbon, White gel pen, Stampin' Dimensionals, Unknown Crstals

Sure Cuts A Lot 2 Review

I finally had some time to try out the Sure Cuts A Lot 2 Software by Craft Edge that I purchased at CHA Summer 2010.    I purchased the SCAL software from JoeR@createNcraft.com.  He offers support to anyone who purchases Sure Cuts A Lot 2 from him.  The software was really easy to load and use.  I found free .svg files on the internet at http://svgcuts.com/blog/ that I could download and use within a minute!

Here are the results!

I did not experience any paper tears or areas that weren't cut through.  Here is a closeup of the details from both cards.

I found the SCAL easier to use than Design Studio.  Both Cards are made with Stampin' Up! Love Letter DSP, Red Riding Hood Classic Ink, and Martha Stewart birthstone gem stickers.   Happy crafting! :)