Simple one-layer card and a giveaway!

Happy Friday!  Thank you for all the comments on the embellished tee I posted yesterday.  I always cherish your comments!

This month marks my first blog-iversary!  Yay!

To celebrate, let's have awesome giveaway!  You'll have to read on to find out, though, what it is... :)  First, I have a simple, one-layer card to show you:

See what an impact even one piece of cardstock can make?  All I did was take a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock, and folded it to make a 3" x 3" card.  I then inked up a clear block with River Rock Classic ink, then stamped off on scratch paper before stamping on my cardstock.  Then I just stamped various images from the French Foliage stamp set, and tied a piece of Linen Thread around the top.  Very easy to do, and you could definitely increase the size of the card to make a standard-sized 4-1/4" x 5-1/2" card.

Simple Fall card supplies:
Stamps:  French Foliage
Ink:  River Rock, Cajun Craze, Early Espresso
Paper:  Very Vanilla cardstock
Accessories/Tools:  Linen Thread

Ok, I made you wait long enough!  :)

Drumroll, please...

Here's something that is fabulous for if you want to get into making cards, and you don't know where to start. This kit has everything you need to make 10 cards, 5 of each style you see on the front of the instruction booklet there.  You could also just go your own way of course, and just use the materials on whatever you'd like!  There are no rules in creativity!

Included in the kit:
Sending Happy Thoughts stamp set (set of 6)
Old Olive Classic Stampin' Spot
Pumpkin Pie Classic Stampin’ Spot
Real Red Classic Stampin’ Spot
Zig Zag Twill Tape
Pewter Brads
2-Way Glue Pen
Dazzling Diamonds Stampin’ Glitter
Stampin’ Dimensionals
Mini Glue Dots®
Card Stock Assortment
12 Very Vanilla Envelopes

There are rules, however, in the giveaway. ;)  Please leave a comment telling me what fun plans you have this weekend (even if it's just relaxing!) before 11:59 PM EST Sunday, October 31st, and I will pick a random winner on Monday morning.  Unfortunately, I can only do this in the U.S... sorry!  Be sure to check back, because the winner will have to email me to claim their prize!  :)

Good luck!!  And thanks for stopping by!

Embellished tee

Hello, hello!

Today I decided to be brave and cut into a shirt of mine.  :)

I've been wanting to try embellishing a tee for quite some time, and I was SO excited to snag some Sizzix flower dies from the Stampin' Up! Clearance Rack.  (You got yours, didn't you??)  I was inspired by Elizabeth Kartchner's tee here.

Well, I've had this black tee for a while, and I felt it was time to spruce it up.  I took a deep breath, and cut up a light gray knit shirt I had gotten on clearance a while back, then ran the fabric through my Big Shot several times (I used about half of the gray shirt) with the Flower Layers die.  After cutting all of my pieces, I hand-sewed them onto my shirt.  I actually washed my shirt too, after sewing, to see how it would look day-to-day.

Here is is...

I am quite proud of it, and I'm sure Seth knows it since I was pretty much happy-dancing around with it on. Haha!

Here's a closer view of the neckline:

LOVE IT!!   ♥  :D

As you can see, I had sewn quite a few flowers on there, using the different sizes cut out with the die.  Periodically as I was sewing, it helped to hold the shirt up and see how the flowers would hang.  I also tried it on when I was almost done, to see if there were any gaps.

This was so fun, and it didn't even take me 2 hours from start to finish!  I snagged a couple of other flower dies, and can't wait to embellish some more clothes!  (If you have the Flower Folds Bigz XL die, that would work perfectly too.. I just don't have that one yet. :) )

Well, thanks for stopping by!  Let me know if you find any good sales on some solid-color knit shirts!  ;)

Sweet and Shabby Fabric card

Happy Friday!

I tried something new this week - ripping fabric!  I tore a strip of our gorgeous Deck the Halls Designer Fabric... and I have to say, it felt almost liberating!  LOL

Here's my card...

Wow!  I love the impact of the big, shabby bow, don't you?  And it was so easy to create!  The strip was torn lengthwise along the fabric, and is approximately 1" wide.  I folded my length of fabric in half, and actually snipped about 1" into both layers of the fabric ends, then held the layers together as I tore the strip.  Hope that makes sense!  I feel that helped me in trying to keep the width even throughout the strip.  Then I just tied a nice, big bow and attached an Antique Brad to the center.  I folded the ends of the bow in half and snipped at an angle to create a "V" shape, then roughed up the edges a little by pulling some fibers from the fabric.

I did a little bit of collage stamping for my focal piece, and stitched around the perimeter.  (You can tell which stamp sets are my current favorites, right?  Just checking!)  And of course, I felt that the rhinestones added the perfect touch of bling!  The embossing in the background stands out nicely with the help of Soft Suede ink sponged over it.

So there's another project created using the fabric for something other than Christmas!  I tell you, I'm going to have to buy a few more packages of it... I'm scared to run out; it's so beautiful and versatile!

On another note... I have to share that I am the lucky winner of Donna's Funky Junk giveaway!  YAY!  I can't wait to put the items to use!  Thank you again to Donna!

And thanks for stopping by!  Hope you have a fabulous weekend!

Sweet and Shabby Fabric card supplies:
Stamps:  French Foliage, Notably Ornate, Artistic Etchings
Ink:  Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso, and Soft Suede Classic ink
Paper:  Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla and Pink Pirouette cardstock
Accessories/Tools:  Deck the Halls Designer Fabric, Antique Brad, Rhinestone Basic Jewels, Cutter Kit, Stampin' Sponge, Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Folder, Big Shot, sewing machine and thread

Mini Notebook Cover with Designer Fabric

Happy Friday!!

I started this project a few weeks ago, and then put it aside for a while.  I finished it today!

I thought it would be cute to use Stampin' Up!'s beautiful new Designer Fabric to create a cover for a notebook.  Well, I had some mini composition notebooks laying around that I found on clearance last year, so I created this...

I love how it turned out!  I actually used the Deck the Halls Designer Fabric from the Holiday Mini Catalog... so as you can see, the fabric is more than just for the holidays!  The mini notebook slides into the cover (like those old textbook covers you used to make out of paper bags for school), so it's replaceable when you fill up the notebook.

To start out, I measured and cut a piece of Crumb Cake cardstock to make a "folder".  This just covers the outside of the notebook, leaving excess space around the edges to allow for the sewing.  I attached some of the fabric to the front of the Crumb Cake cardstock using the Anywhere Glue Stick, then created a pocket on the inside to hold the notebook.  I attached the Chantilly Crochet Trim, then sewed around the edges with my sewing machine (you can see a little blooper there on the bottom edge where my needle kind of skipped a little... oops!  Hey, adds to the homemade look, right?).  The edges of the fabric on the inside are finished, not left raw.

Here's the inside:

And here's the back, which I left pretty plain:

To create the tag, I first punched a piece of Naturals Ivory cardstock with the Decorative Label Punch (love this new punch!), then stamped the Music Notes wheel across twice with Crumb Cake ink.  I then stamped "notes" in Early Espresso with the Sweet Shoppe Lowercase Alpha set (my new favorite alpha), and distressed the edges with Crumb Cake ink.  Next, I adhered it to the front with Multipurpose Liquid Glue, and hand-sewed it to the front.  Tip: It was so easy to create the straight line of holes with the Mat Pack and Paper Piercing Tool before sewing!  I also hand-sewed the buttons.

Aren't those flowers sweet?  They were created using the Floral Fusion Sizzlits die, and Always Artichoke and Early Espresso cardstock.  I curled the edges to give them a little extra dimension.  A gorgeous Antique Brad finished off the bigger flower.  :)

And of course, I had to add one of my butterflies.  They seemed like the perfect finishing touch!

Well, I have to go cook dinner.  Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you have a great weekend!

P.S.  Don't forget that the Clearance Blitz ends on Monday, 10/18!

Mini Notebook Cover supplies:
Stamps:  Sweet Shoppe Lower Alpha
Ink:  Early Espresso, Always Artichoke and Crumb Cake
Paper:  Crumb Cake, Naturals Ivory, Always Artichoke, and Early Espresso cardstock
Accessories/Tools:  Deck the Halls Designer Fabric, Linen Thread, Chantilly Crochet Trim, Music Notes wheel, Antique Brad, Neutrals Designer Brads, Beautiful Wings Embosslits die, Floral Fusion Sizzlits die, Decorative Label Punch, Big Shot, sewing machine and thread

Patience, grasshopper...

So I scored a bunch of goodies from the Clearance Rack, and they were due to arrive today.   Due to the influx of orders at SU!, it took a little extra time to ship... which was ok, I could wait.  Then you know how anxious you get on the day you're expecting something really fun to arrive?  So you can imagine me waiting, then finally seeing the message below.  Aww... :(

10/14/2010	8:17 P.M.	THE PACKAGE WAS MISSED AT THE UPS FACILITY, UPS WILL DELIVER ON THE NEXT BUSINESS DAY
10/14/2010	6:23 A.M.	OUT FOR DELIVERY

Kind of weird to "forget" a package, eh?   I just found it odd, but ah well, at least it's coming tomorrow . I can wait one more day!  And I promise to have something awesome to show! :D

Til then... have a good night!

Eternal Perfect Love

Hello!

I hope you have been having a great week so far!

Today's card uses this week's Mojo Monday sketch, and one of my favorite sentiments...

If you didn't know already, I simply ♥ this embossing folder, and you can get such a different look by doing what I did here - use the "debossed" side of the cardstock.  And that sentiment... isn't it just lovely?  I thought it deserved to be center-stage, with the beautiful flourish from the Elements of Style stamp set accenting it.  (To lighten the stamped flourish, I inked up my stamp in More Mustard, then stamped onto scratch paper before stamping on my cardstock.)

Another thing I am really loving right now is the Music Notes wheel.  Such a gorgeous accent on the left side there... can you tell I love how this card came out?  LOL

My dear friend Barb asked how I go about making a card.  Well, sometimes it is really just easier for me to start with a sketch... yes, I admit that sketches are your friend!  Some people may believe that sketches are too stifling.  Now see, this is where I think your creativity can really shine.  As you work with a sketch, you may decide you want something in a different place, etc.  Or, as I do very often, you can follow a sketch very literally.  Sketches can be very time-saving (and sanity-saving, hehe)... I encourage you to give one a try!

Here are some of my favorite sketch websites:

• Stamping 411
• Mojo Monday
• Stampin' Addicts sketch challenges
• Pals Paper Arts (they switch between sketch, color and inspiration challenges)

Sometimes I also will convert a scrapbook page sketch into a card.  PageMaps is a great sketch site that is updated monthly (Becky Fleck creates sketches for layouts as well as cards).

If you find yourself struggling with a color combo, I encourage you to check out one of my favorite challenge sites:

• colourQ
• Stampin' Celebration
• Stampin' Addicts color challenges

I know there are tons more, but these are ones that I try and keep tabs on, and feed into my Google Reader.

And sometimes I just go back and forth and change my color choices a lot while creating something.  It even helps to just walk away sometimes (sorry, I use this word a lot, apparently!), and come back later with a fresh(er) eye.  There are times when I, too, get a little frustrated with where my project is going, or just don't have any creative mojo.  When this happens, I may surf blogs and galleries for inspiration, or just play with some new products.

I am by no means an expert, but I hope that helps somewhat.  If not, feel free to ask more. :)  I love to help!

Well, thanks for stopping by!  I hope you have a great rest of the day!

Eternal Perfect Love card supplies:

Stamps:  Elements of Style, Occasional Quotes (Level 3 hostess set)

Ink:  More Mustard, VersaMark ink, Jet Black StazOn

Paper:  Basic Black, Crumb Cake, Perfect Plum, and Very Vanilla cardstock, Love Letter Designer Series Paper

Accessories/Tools:  Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Folder, Music Notes Wheel, Very Vanilla 1/2" Seam Binding, Crumb Cake Designer Buttons, Decorative Label Punch, Scallop Edge Border Punch, needle, sewing machine and black thread

October issue of Paper Crafters Sampler coming soon!

Hi!

I just wanted to let you know that the October issue of Paper Crafters Sampler will be out on October 10th to all subscribers!  (Available Oct. 11th for single-issue purchase.)  It will be my first issue as a member of the design team, so I am excited!

(Remember to use my referral code if you subscribe -- PCSMH -- so they'll know I referred you! :) )

Here is a sneak peek!

Neighborhood Watch!

Good evening!

Of course, I didn't get too much done at the scrapbook retreat I attended, but I did have fun!  :)  Lots of laughs, and lots of memories.

I had mailed a bunch of things over so that I wouldn't have to check in a bag.  When packing my return box, of course I didn't think to set my most-used tools/supplies aside, and NOT pack them.  LOL

Dear Lisa was kind enough to take my things to the post office/UPS (thank you Lisa!!), and I will have them soon enough!  Yay!  (Ever realize how much you use something when you don't have it?  hehe)

Anyway, here's a page I finished at the retreat.. yes, journaling and all!  Maybe that's why I can usually get more done at a crop.. I usually save the title and journaling (and sometimes embellishing) for doing at home.

These pictures were taken at our temporary apartment.  We stayed in a 2-bedroom unit with a patio while our building (which is actually across the parking lot, and you can see it in the first photo) was being finished.  Fluffy loved being able to watch people and cars go by the window on the patio door.  She's so nosy!

Yes, she'll even see a dog or person all the way on the other side of the complex/neighborhood, and she will stop what she's doing and watch them.  It's quite possibly for this reason that she does so well when we have to leave her at the vet for her comprehensive exam... there's so much going on in front of her and she's too busy watching to miss us!  lol

Lots of die-cutting and punching on this one.  The little shapes at the bottom were created using the 2-3/8" Scallop Circle punch.  After punching them out of the Sweet & Sour Specialty Designer Series Paper, I folded them in half, and kept them closed with Stampin' Dimensionals.  I also attached them to the page with Dimensionals, and the white rick-rack (how do you really spell it, anyway?  Not knowing kind of bothers me..) is threaded through them as well.

I created the journaling spot by first die-cutting a circle with the Circles #2 Originals die, then drew lines with Old Olive and Rose Red Stampin' Write markers.  The scallop circle behind it is cut using the Scallop Circle #2 die, and embossed with the Elegant Bouquet Textured Impressions folder.

The journaling reads:  "Fluffy loves to people-watch and observe the world around her.  Our temporary apartment had a patio, and she absolutely adored sitting at the door!"

Here's a close-up picture of the journaling:

The rest of it you can probably figure out, but feel free and ask me about anything!  Thanks for stopping by!

(By the way... you can get the Beachfront Ribbon Originals and the Loads of Letters chipboard pack on the Clearance Rack in my online store!)

Neighborhood Watch scrapbook page supplies (12x12):
Stamps:  Punch Potpourri
Ink:  VersaMark ink, Old Olive Craft Stampin' Pad
Paper:  Pumpkin Pie, Basic Black, Old Olive, Whisper White, and Chocolate Chip cardstock, Sweet & Sour Specialty Designer Series Paper, Urban Oasis Designer Series Paper (retired)
Accessories/Tools:  Beachfront Ribbon Originals (retired), On Board Loads of Letters (retired), Basic Black, Old Olive and Rose Red Stampin' Write Markers, Neutrals Designer Buttons, Basic Black Brads, Raven 1/2" Lace Trim, Paper Clip from Clips Assortment, Linen Thread, Elegant Bouquet Textured Impressions Folder, Stampin' Sponge, Scallop Circle #2 Bigz and Circles #2 Originals dies, and Full Heart, Scallop Edge, Word Window, and 2-3/8" Scallop Circle Punches

Clearance Rack Blitz!

Hello!

I just wanted to let you all know that Stampin' Up! is having a Clearance Rack Blitz from now through October 18th.  They're adding over two hundred more discontinued items - some at up to 80% off - to help make room in the Distribution Center for new products!

To order from me, click on over to my website, http://melissahuie.stampinup.net, and click "SHOP NOW" in the upper right.  The clearance rack link can be then found on the left!  Happy shopping!  :)