Tag Archives: teeny tiny wishes

Great combinations with the Color Coach

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The new Stampin’ Up! Color Coach is a great way to jump start a project when you’re stuck for something new.  I’ve used this combination before, and liked it so well I tried it again:

Wisteria Butterflies Easel card

  • Flight of the Butterfly, 5th Avenue Floral, and Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp sets
  • Whisper White, Pink Pirouette, Cherry Cobbler and Wisteria Wonder card stock
  • Pink Pirouette, Cherry Cobbler and Wisteria Wonder Classic ink pads
  • Butterfly and Scallop trim border punches
  • Big Shot, Petal Cone Bigz L and Scallop Square Bigz dies
  • In Color Designer Printed brads
  • Stamp-a-ma-jig
  • Rhinestone jewels
  • Stampin’ Dimensionals

There are loads of tutorials for easel cards out there, so I’m not going to re-invent the wheel – just Google it (Easel card tutorial, not the wheel).  Trust me, this is another case of  “much easier than it looks”!

We did pull out the Stamp-a-ma-jig for this project.  If you’re picky – and I am the first to admit that I am – some things just can’t be done by the eye-ball method.  I need those little dots around that butterfly to line up Just Right.  Even if Flight of the Butterfly were available as a clear mount stamp set, I would still use the SAMJ.

When we did this in class, I was demonstrating the SAMJ to a newer stamper.  I cracked up when she pulled her stamp away from the positioner, looked at the results, and happily exclaimed, “It worked!”  I have to confess that I have that same feeling every time I use that tool to get perfect alignment – I’m just so happy it works.

There’s another Getting to Know the In Colors class featuring Pool Party on September 18th.  If you head on over to the calendar at my Online Store, you can see the details.  Did you know that you can RSVP on that calendar?  If you do, I’ll even give you a reminder.  Oooh la la!

Wow cards: Tre

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This final WOW card is based on a swap I received from Sacha Wilson at convention:

Bird house card

  • Woodgrain and Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp sets
  • River Rock, Soft Suede, Riding Hood Red, Always Artichoke, Basic Black and Pumpkin Pie card stock
  • River Rock and Soft Suede classic ink pads
  • XL 2 Step Bird, Medium Jewelry Tag, Bitty Flower, Wide oval and Scallop Border Trim punches
  • Stampin’ Dimensionals and Mini Glue dots
  • Stampin’ Sponges and Rhinestone jewels
  • Basic Black and Riding Hood Red Stampin’ Write markers
  • Unibal Signo White Gel pen
  • Riding Hood Red taffeta ribbon

We all got a little giddy with this card.  Cheryl said she was going to make this for her Christmas card, but Robbie and I convinced her that she should just make two – one for each of us.  We all started telling stories about the cards we had made that nearly drove us insane…Denny had us all cracking up about the Santa card with the bazillion little HAND CUT pieces.  What on earth makes us think we want to make dozens of cards like that?  I’ve done it too!

How could you not love this little bird at Christmas??

Bird house bird

Not gonna do it.  Nope.  Cheryl, I’m passing on the torch.

Stamp theory

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In theory, you only need a couple of stamp sets – change up your colors and your layout, and you have a completely different card:

It's Raining Concord Crush Flowers

  • Raining Flowers and Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp sets
  • Very Vanilla, Melon Mambo and Concord Crush card stock
  • Melon Mambo, Always Artichoke, Daffodil Delight and Concord Crush Classic ink pads
  • Eyelet border punch
  • Piercing tool, template and mat
  • Always Artichoke Seam Binding
  • Stampin’ Dimensionals
  • Big Shot and Fun Flowers Bigz L die
  • Crystal Effects

In THEORY, I said – after all, we all know there is no such thing as too many stamps.  Not enough room to store your stamps, yes, this is possible.

If you look closely and compare today’s card with the previous Raining Flowers card, you’ll see many of the same elements – the Fun Flowers Bigz L die, Crystal Effects, and Two-Step Stampin’ – but these are very different cards.  Of course, there are no pancakes in this post, so this card suffers by comparison, but that’s just the way the Ricotta and Mango Stuffed pancake crumbles.

I’ve gotta stop thinking about those pancakes.

Color you can learn to love

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Some things just need a little time to grow on you:

Best Friends Forever in More Mustard

  • Best Friends Forever and Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp sets
  • Whisper White, More Mustard, Lucky Limeade and Island Indigo card stock
  • More Mustard, Lucky Limeade, Cherry Cobbler and Basic Black Classic ink pads
  • Timeless Portrait fabric
  • Lace Ribbon Border punch
  • Linen thread
  • Regals Designer Buttons

I didn’t like the colors when I first saw this Make and Take card at convention – I’m not a real fan of More Mustard – and I wasn’t sure if I liked that fabric “flag”.  I didn’t finish it in Salt Lake, but brought it home to put together in the relative sanity of my studio.  As I looked at the separate pieces, and then started to put them together, I decided I not only liked the card but I loved the color combination.

Isn’t that life?  I try very hard to be open-minded, but I often struggle with snap judgement.  Mr Maui Stamper, on the other hand,  seldom makes quick judgements.  I think that’s why we’re so fabulously compatible.  We’ll come home from an evening out together and have completely different perspectives on who we’ve seen and what we’ve heard.  It’s not as though we were at two different events, but we have different insights.

Marriage is a lot of work, but it’s a wonderful thing.  You can learn to love it, too.

 

Stampinella

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This summer has been so busy that I haven’t been able to set aside playing around time in my studio for a while.  However, the stars lined up and today was the day.

Mr. Maui Stamper likes to come by and see how “Stampinella” is doing.  It always cracks me up when he calls me that – I’m not sure if it’s because I’m covered in ink, or because my studio looks like the wicked Stepsisters came crashing through, tossing bits of paper everywhere.  What I really need are those cute little mice and birds from Cinderella that come in and finish her dress for her (they would clean up for me, thank you), but what I end up getting is an orange tabby with a shedding problem who wants to spread across my workspace.

Mice, birds, and cats aside, here’s one of the projects I finished today:

Best Friends Forever Crumb Cake

  • Best Friends Forever and Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp sets
  • Crumb Cake, Marina Mist, Naturals White and Soft Suede card stock
  • Crumb Cake, Marina Mist and Soft Suede Classic ink pads
  • Log Cabin Smooch Spritz
  • Antique Brads
  • Stampin’ Sponges
  • Big Shot and Fun Flowers Bigz L dies
  • XL Two Step Bird Punch

I am quickly falling in love with that Best Friends Forever stamp set, one of the sets we received in our convention bags.  I initially thought it would be more of a teen set with that “BFF” image but THOSE LEAVES.  Oh my goodness.  I love those leaves.  I put them on EVERYTHING.   I hope you like them because you are going to see a lot of them.

I wanted a more bronzed Antique brad but this was all that was left.  There are more on the way, but I didn’t feel like waiting.  Maybe I’ll change it out and maybe I won’t.   Sometimes the serendipity of the moment is just the thing, and I’m a big believer in Carpe Diem – Sieze the Day.  If I waited, who knows what those Stepsisters would be up to?  Letting the mice and birds in to torment the cat, that’s what they would do.

And how about that Smooch?  It’s been sitting on the side of my desktop just waiting to be noticed.  Good thing I looked.

 

Finding the right words

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Sympathy cards are a challenge for me.  It’s hard to get just the right balance, much less put into words those feelings that are really wordless.  There have been a couple of difficult losses in our community recently, and each called for something unique.  I made this card for a family who lost a brilliant, compassionate, loving husband and father after a long battle with leukemia:

Creative Elements Sympathy

  • Teeny Tiny Wishes and Creative Elements stamp sets
  • River Rock, Soft Suede, Naturals Ivory and Calypso Coral card stock
  • Paisley Prints Designer Series Paper
  • Soft Suede and Calypso Coral Classic ink pads
  • Stampin’ Dimensionals
  • 1 1/4 inch square punch

I chose these bold colors to convey life and vibrancy.  I’ve experienced my share of loss, and in for me it’s the emotion, not the words that convey sympathy.  When you can share in person, you can say so much with touch – a hug, a squeeze of the hand – and the wordless communication in your eyes.  I won’t be able to see my friends in person, and I hope this small token of my love brings some comfort to them.

A Paper Carrot for Peter

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I’ve been on a basket theme lately.  There was the basket class, and the basket club, and a few other baskets that I did just for fun.  Here’s one from the class:

  • Teeny Tiny Wishes, Woodgrain and Forest Friends stamp sets
  • Pumpkin Pie, Peach Parfait, Early Espresso and Whisper White card stock
  • Play Date and Ice Cream Parlor (SAB) Designer Series Papers
  • Pumpkin Pie and Early Espresso Classic ink pads; Versamark ink pad
  • 1 1/4, 1 3/8, 1 3/4 inch circle punches; 2 1/2 inch scallop circle punch
  • Crop-a-dile and Pear Pizazz Seam Binding
  • Embossing powder and heat tool; Pearl Jewels; Stampin’ Sponge
  • Big Shot and Petal Cone Bigz die

I’m still on my “carrot” kick, and I’ll confess I had a lot of fun with this project.  I thought the Woodgrain background stamp was perfect for carrot texture.

Looks like I need to find some tangerine Jelly Bellies to put in a cello bag and tuck into the cone.  Actually, I need to bring Jelly Bellies into my house about as much as I need the proverbial hole in my head.  I’m a nibbler, and little candies like Jelly Bellies or Dove Chocolate eggs (Dark Chocolate, please) or little snack size ANYTHINGS are my downfall.  I’ve actually purchased some Easter candy, but it’s well hidden.  I purchased it because when you live on a small island if you see something you want you’d better buy it Now.  Heaven forbid we arrive at Easter and the only things left on Mr. Safeway’s shelves are the yucky kind of jelly beans and Peeps.

Speaking of Peeps…I don’t eat them, my kids don’t eat them, but I generally buy a package for each kid and put them in their baskets just to be silly.  About 5 years ago, I took a group of high-school aged Girl Scouts to camp and at the last minute threw in a couple of boxes of Peeps with the marshmellows for our campfire.  Honestly, you have never seen anything so strange as a roasted Peep – except perhaps for the look on Cheryl’s face when she decided to eat one.  (I have no idea what posessed her to attempt such a thing.)  According to Cheryl, not only are roasted Peeps vile, but they do this kind of foaming thing.  I wouldn’t know.

Honestly…I’d better quit now.  Such a ridiculous story, and I haven’t even gotten to the part about the Roasted-Peep contest at my son’s birthday party.

 

 

 

Little Red Truck

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I’m a little worried that this truck may not make it into the next Idea Book and Catalog:

Masculine Birthday Truck

  • Loads of Love and Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp sets
  • Naturals Ivory, Basic Black, Real Red and Going Grey card stock
  • First Edition Designer Series Paper
  • Staz-on Black ink pad
  • Watercolor pencils and the Aquapainter
  • Real Red and Basic Black 1/8 inch taffeta ribbon

This little truck has been around for a long time, and although I know some people think it has outgrown its usefulness (you know who you are!) I still love it.  I like the rounded edges and the slightly chubby look of the fenders, and though I didn’t use them this time I also love the accessory images that come with it.

I’m also pretty crazy about that First Edition DSP.  Yes, I know I could tear up book pages and get the same look, but the paper quality isn’t the same and I’m a book lover and I just can’t bring myself to tear up a perfectly good book.  And no, I don’t have a Kindle…at least not yet.  My husband and son both have one and love them, and I suspect I’ll succumb to the convenience of an e-reader, but for now I really love the tactile experience of a book.

Did you notice I chose the Kangaroo pages, Carol??  Just for you, honey.  But this isn’t your birthday card.

 

Cone you be mine?

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Didja notice the new Bigz die in the Occasions Mini Catalog?  Didja???

Sweet Valentine Petal Cone

  • Teeny Tiny Wishes and Silhouette Sentiments (Level I Hostess) stamp sets
  • Pretty in Pink and Real Red Classic ink pads
  • Pretty in Pink and Real Red card stock
  • Patterns Designer Series Paper Pack
  • Real Red 1/4 inch grosgrain ribbon
  • Big Shot and Petal Cone Bigz Die
  • Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions folder
  • 1 3/4 inch Scallop and 2 1/2 inch Circle punches; 1 3/4 inch oval punch
  • Piercing Mat and tool (aka Pokie Doodle)

This Petal Cone die has been languishing (is that an awesome vocabulary word OR WHAT?) on my shelf while I worked on other projects.  It cuts out those scallop semi-circles and that fabulous banner, too.  The 2 1/2 inch circle punch makes perfect semi-circles to fit inside the scallops.

Sweet Valentine Petal Cone

We made these in Club the other night.  I made mine with the Happy Valentine’s Day sentiment, but Margie had a better idea.  She used the Sweet Treats sentiment – duh!  What’s going to go inside of the cone?  Treats!

Here’s a hint:  when you want to emboss die-cut pieces that have score marks on them, crease them with your bone folder before you run them through the Textured Impressions folder.  If you skip this little step, the score marks will be gone and you will be stuck trying to guess where they were.  Trust me.  I know this.

I think you need this die.  What?  You don’t have a Big Shot?  There’s no better time than Sale-a-bration to get it!

A most important birthday

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My favorite person in the world celebrated his birthday last weekend.

Morning Cup

  • Morning Cup and Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp sets
  • Whisper White, Riding Hood Red and Early Espresso card stock
  • Chocolate Prints Designer Series Paper (retired)
  • Riding Hood Red and Early Espresso Classic ink pads
  • Riding Hood Red Stampin’ Write marker
  • Stampin’ Sponge and Hemp Twine
  • Latte Buttons and Riding Hood Red Striped Grosgrain (both retired)

This might seem like an odd birthday card, but it makes sense to us.  My husband makes our coffee every morning.  Actually, it’s more than that – we have an espresso machine, and he makes my cappucino every morning.  He’s a morning person and I am always very grateful for that steaming hot cup.

He is also the Fix-It man in our house and that made him the Christmas Tree Hero this year.  He fixed the Charlie Brown Christmas tree!  You can imagine how happy I was to be able to straighten out my neck.    Every day he provides another reason for me to love him more and more.  Happy Birthday to my very best friend.