Recycling Retired Make & Takes

I was cleaning out my craft lair on the weekend (don't die of shock! I didn't say I finished the job, LOL) and found a lot of old Make and Take packets from the past 12 months of classes, workshops etc. A Make and Take packet is a paper bag filled with cardstock and ribbon etc cut and prepared for someone to make a card in a workshop or class environment. I found a dozen I'd made for a workshop I did during Sale-A- Bration in the beginning of the year - I massively over-prepared. I decided to make up the cards for my own personal use throughout the year, as my store of cards has somewhat depleted.

I particularly thought I'd make some sympathy cards because when there is a crisis, the last thing you want to do is think about a card to make, yet it is so very appreciated by the recipient.

Because I'm a Gemini, I get bored easily if I'm doing a repetitive task. I challenged myself to make each card slightly different while using the same prepared cardstock and colours in all of them. Please note that the cards were made with Groovy Guava, Chocolate Chip and Very Vanilla. Groovy Guava is retired, and no longer available for purchase. I really love this combination, which is funny because I HATED Groovy Guava when I first saw it, and didn't even purchase any until it had less than six months to go.

Anyway, the main theme here is that even if you use exactly the same colours and sizes of cardstock, you can get completely different cards. Try it yourself sometime!

The ingredients are as follows (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise stated):

Stamps: Polka Dot BG, Sanded BG, En Francais BG, Organic Grace, Echoes of Kindness, Garden Whimsey, Best Yet, Really Retro, Sincere Salutations

Paper: Groovy Guava (retired), Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla

Ink: Groovy Guava (retired), Chocolate Chip, Versamark

Other: Groovy Guava ribbon (retired), Eyelet Border Punch, Scallop Oval Punch, Large Oval Punch, Sponges, Felt flowers, buttons, twine, half pearls, clear embossing powder, heat gun, pewter brads, large chocolate chip brads

I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth, I promise....!

I've just been busy with Life stuff! Holiday, packing for holiday, unpacking from Holiday.....you know the drill.

I have a couple of things to show you. First, a card I made for my parents' 40th Wedding Anniversary (do you recognise the layout and colour scheme from page 21 of the IB&C?)

Congrats, Mum and Dad!

Ingredients: (All Stampin' Up! unless otherwise stated)

Stamps: En Francais, Cheer & Wishes, Botanical Blooms (retired),

Paper: Certainly Celery, Garden Green, Regal Rose, Whisper White

Ink: Garden Green, Regal Rose, Rose Red, Certainly Celery

Accessories: Edge Distressing Tool, Pastels, Sponge Dauber, Nestabilities Oval and Scalloped Oval Dies, Cuttlebug Machine, pearls from Pretties Kit.

Next is a "Stepper Box" I saw on Sam Post's blog - the directions are from Stampin' Terri's blog here - it was quite easy, but looks hard. I'm going to make more of these, they are fun! I used Baja Breeze DSP, Baja Breeze cardstock, ribbon and felt flower, baja corduroy button, plus a flower from the Pretties Kit to decorate the lid.

Next is a double 12 x 12 page scrapbooking layout I did of our New Zealand holiday. It is based on a Becky Higgins' Sketch (from the US Magazine, Creating Keepsakes). I like using sketches on 12 x 12 pages, because I feel overwhelmed about where to start otherwise. Becky's sketches are usually for multiple photographs too, which I love, as I can never take less than 100 photos of any occasion. All paper and ink is Stampin' Up! Here's a detail of the accents and embellishments I used - a snowflake stamp from "Occasionally" and "Short & Sweet" with Kaisercraft adhesive rhinestones, and snowflakes I die cut out of vellum with my Cricut Expressions machine. I also used the Cricut to cut out the title.

Ingredients: Baja Breeze 12 x 12 Cardstock, vellum, Whisper White and Basic Black Cardstock, Stayzon Opaque White ink, Kaisercraft adhesive rhinestones, Accents and Elements Cartridge, Doodletype Cartridge, Cricut Expressions.

I have a few more things to show and tell, but that's for another post.

Have a wonderful week!

One more sleep until Spring Mini!

Last two sneak peeks for you:

Two totally different looks with the same stamp set. I've used Great Friend from the new Mini - love it!

The first card has a layer of vellum which I've edged with the Eyelet Border Punch. It reminds me of lace, so pretty. Tricky to punch through I must admit - I used a post it note for extra heft when punching the vellum. I think I saw the idea on Claire Daly's blog? I'll come back later and edit with a link when I check.

The second card is a CASE of one I saw on Splitcoasters (again I'll edit later to link to the original artist). It has emboss resist (the white flourish) and a lot of sponging, plus a subtle use of the En Francais background stamp.

I have to put children to bed now, so I'll be back later.

More New Aussie Catalogue Peeks

Here are a couple more cute new things featuring stamps from the NEW 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalogue. You might recognise some of the stamp sets from the 2008 Spring Mini or Summer Mini!

I used my Markers to ink up the pretty flower so the colours would echo the groovy "Good Morning Sunshine" DSP. I love the DSP in this new catalogue!

Here's a card using the pretty stem from Embrace Life which I stamped with Stazon then coloured with my blender pen using ink from the lid of the Pink Pirouette and Riding Hood Red ink pads, to match the PP and RHR cardstock. The sentiment is from Fresh Cuts, framed by some Styled Silver Hodgepodge (yes, it's in the new catalogue!) which perfectly matched the small oval punch. I have a few birthdays in the family this week, so I think this one will do the job.

This uses the tulip from Garden Whimsy, and the sentiment from Fresh Cuts. The background is En Francais. I used the new in colour Riding Hood Red and Chocolate chip ink and cardstock. Love this red! In fact, I have a large collection of red shoes, handbags and lipsticks - so it isn't really any surprise that I'm drawn to this colour.

This card is a CASE from the SALE-A BRATION catalogue - but I've used pink pirouette , Kiwi Kiss and Riding Hood Red cardstock and changed the sentiment. The buttons are unfortunately retiring Earth Elements buttons. I've embossed the flowers in white and stamped the middle panel with Versamark. It is a little hard to tell that the pink panel also has a white embossed flower - in real life it is quite easy to see.

This is another CASE from the SALE-A-BRATION catalogue with Polka Dot Punches. I love the soft combination of So Saffron and Bashful Blue. Because I've made this card as a New Baby Card I also used the "Congratulations" set from Sale-a-Bration on the inside, as shown:

I sometimes forget that one of the best sources of ideas is in fact the catalogue - which is WHY it's called an "Idea Book and Catalogue". Duh.

Now to make some co-ordinating wrapping paper and mail out the birthday cards!

Makeesha's Challenge #4

Boy, do I have a lot to show you guys!

First, here's my submission for Makeesha's inspiration challenge (click on her name):

And here are the bookmarks in the nude!

Aren't they sweet? I CASE'd them from a talented lady by the name of Patti Lee - her blog Creations by Patti is a wonderful source of information and inspiration. Check it out!

I used Eastern Blooms on their kimonos, the round tab punch and 13/8 inch circle punch to make the bookmarks, and So Many Sayings (level 1 Hostess set) on the bookmarks.

Next I have to show you these cards from the Starter Swap I was involved in a couple of months ago - 6 new Demonstrators swapped cards. Here they are:

They are by: Melissa Sharp, Chantell Randall, Bronwen Cornish, Louise Sutton (ME!), Christie Wallace and Lisa Beard

Aren't they lovely? I think that we newbies are pretty darned clever!

Here's the card we made as a make and take at the workshop I did on Monday:

This was CASED from a card by the fabulous Stephanie Pike. I used Groovy Guava cardstock, ribbon and ink, Chocolate Chip cardstock and ink and Very Vanilla Cardstock. Mmmmm, anyone else hungry now? The flower stamp is one of the FREE SAB sets, Botanical Blooms. The background is the ever-faithful En Francais. (I use that a lot!)

Last of all is a card with matching wrapping paper for a little girl's 4th birthday last weekend, using Polka Dot Punches (FREE SAB set). I was trying to do the Bandanna Technique, but don't think I got it quite right. I still liked the effect, so I thought I'd include it - keeping it real, folks!

I've also been playing with some OSW (One Sheet Wonders) but I'll have to make that a post for another day as my children keep banging on the study door demanding my attention.

Eureka!

I'm on a roll!   I've made a pretty bag to hold some cards - check out the styled silver hodgepodge big brads there.  Cute, huh?

       

Note also the Say it with Scallops stamp punched with the co-ordinating Scalloped Square punch, and Ginger Blossoms DSP from the Summer Mini.  

I also made a matching card (Hodgepodge, again!  This frame perfectly matched the small oval punch).  

So satisfying when it all goes together easily.

I  will be back to edit with the credits for the design of the box, as I don't have them handy just now and I'm squeezing in a post between bathing the kids and cooking dinner.  I will have to have another play with the box as the measurements are for US standard sized card & envelopes, which is slightly smaller than ours.  Edited to say it looks like the fabulous Sandi Dailey adapted this box from a design by Melissa Roberts.  I will do another dig around to find the blog address.

I realised I'd never made a card with this gorgeous Level 1 Hostess set before - Oh So Lovely.  I used my markers to colour the stamp.  The Pale plum base card was stamped in pale plum ink with the En Francais background stamp, and the yummy wide vanilla ribbon was part of the December special.   These flower images are so delicate, and they are really fine and crisp when stamped - beautiful!

This is a card I made a while ago but hadn't finished - all it needed was a largish sentiment to balance it out.   The card sat on my desk, mocking me with its large empty space until I happened to be cleaning up my craft room and re-discovered this stamp, from "All Occasions" (I think).  Eureka!

I again used my markers to ink up the sentiment.  It has some of the Bali Breeze DSP, and the Eastern Blooms flower - with Chunky glitter from the Summer Mini.  I think the background flower is from the Three For You Punch Box set. 

I have to take the kids shopping for school stuff tomorrow and may need intensive therapy afterwards.  

Some wedding cards

This past weekend, a former work colleague of mine, was married - and it reminded me of my own wedding nine years ago on the first Saturday in October. Beautiful weather, a gorgeous dress and a wonderful day. My Mother in law also needed a wedding card, so I decided to duplicate my card in a different colour. I'm quite pleased with the result. The vellum reminded me of a wedding veil.

I first stamped the background stamp (En Francais by Stampin' Up!) on the Lavender card with Lavender ink and sponged around the edges, then heat-embossed the vellum layer in white with the swirl from the Baroque Motifs stamp set (also SU!) and attached it with adhesive and brads. A bit of celery ribbon to match the celery base card, and the sentiment and it was done. The apricot card was done the same way, but obviously used different colours - Blush Blossom card stock stamped with Apricot ink this time. I really love that colour combination! The beauty of these cards is that they were actually really simple and quick to make. Deciding which colours to use took longer than the time it took to make them!

I rarely get to make wedding cards, so I enjoyed the change from birthday and Christmas cards!

Thanks for looking.