Oz-somestamps

Floral Notes Box - DVD case

I shared this project at the February Stamping Night Out - and it was a huge hit!  I wanted to make a case to keep a notepad in my purse out of the DVD cases we sell in the Amuse Studio Catalog.  I love having a notepad - but hate how they get tore up in my purse!

I started out with a Labels 8 Nestibilities and cut the largest die with Sugar cardstock.  I stamped my flowers with Memories Tuxedo black ink and colored it with Copic markers. 

***Copic Combos***
YR15, Y17, Y21

I then stamped my flowers onto regular paper and cut them out to make a set of masks for my flowers.  Did you know that our Tombow Multi Glue makes AWESOME masks?  You just apply some to your cut out mask pieces and let it air dry.  It dries as a repositional bond!  Then when you stick down your masks you can stamp away without slippage and remove them when you are done!  LOVE!

Once I had my masks in place I stamped my background leaves.  I used Sage ink and the Beautiful Botanicals stamp set.  I sponged on some Sage and Sky ink with Sponge Daubers.

Next I attached the label to a piece of Buttercup Petite Dot Cardstock.  I layered on a strip of sugar stamped with Sage ink and the Typeset Alphabet set.  I slipped my cover into the DVD case then wrapped a piece of Lime Chevron ribbon around the spine and tied a knot.

Inside my box I put a pen and a trimmed down Mini Legal pad.  I happen to have a big cutter that I can cut the pads with - but you can also have them trimmed at your local office supply store.  I trimmed about a half inch from the bottom edge and the right edge also to allow room for my pen!

We have just a few days left of 30% off retiring list - shop now before it is all gone for good!

Even more exciting - is the release of the 2013 Amuse Studio Catalog and Idea book!  I have seen it - and sneak peeks too - and it is awesome!  (email me and I can get you hooked up with a sneak peek too!)

I am looking forward to more studio time this weekend - so hopefully I will have more to share soon!

Cute little Easter Basket

 
Isn't it cute?  You can fit three little candy eggs in there (the fav around here are the Butterfinger ones which you can tell cuz mine are missing!!)  I wanted to play along with the Finally Friday Blog hop - Easter Treat with Michelle McDaniel - over on the TAC Savvy Projects Blog and I have been saving this little ditty just for that!  Be sure to check out all the other participants at the end of my post!

 

I used the Maggie Collections decorative papers and tags along with a little ribbon, Scrappers Floss,  flowers and buttons. 

I started with the largest die from the Petite scalloped circles large set.  I scored a box bottom out of it - just like you would if you had a rectangle or square.  I did 2 sides at 1 1/4 and 2 sides at 1 1/8 to accomodate for the scallops and circular shape.  Then just like a box bottom make the snips for the side panels and fold along the lines.

 

When you attach the sides - you want to leave them at an angle to create more of a basket shape.  I used Scor-tap for a little extra sturdiness.

Next I attached a blue ribbon to a strip of white CS and cut along both edges with my scallop scissors for a fun handle.  Then attach it to the inside of the basket with more Scor-tape.

 
I embellished my basket with a tag - nice that they are double sided!  I tied it on with a little Scrappers Floss and then added the flowers and buttons from the Lemonande Embellishment box to the ends of the basket.

I hope you get a chance to show us your Easter Treats and share your linky too! 

Watercolor Plants - shabby-licious!

Holly Mays is the guest designer over at the Savvy Projects blog today - and her featured stamp set is Watercolor Plants - one of my all time FAV's!   You have to go check out the 6 different cards she made using this set - such diversity of color and style!   They are hosting a blog hop (in which you can WIN BLOG CANDY!) so I decided to hop right along!  Be sure to join in the blog hop if you have the stamp set - do it by Sunday and you will be entered to win $50 in TAC products!  (join in at the bottom of this post)

I love to make calendars - especially mini ones!  I know January is already passed us by but I just gotta make one more!   Here is my shabby-licious creation...

 
 
 

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Like what you see? Click these links to shop my secure TAC website - and don't forget you can get ANYTHING for up to half price as a hostess with $100 in orders from you and your friends!

Stamps: Watercolor Plants- FREE Hostess set stamp from The Angel Company
Ink: Ballet Blue Palette Ink, Cote D'azure Pallette Ink Pad, Burnt Umber Palette Ink Pad
Papers: White Cardstock
Accessories: Giga Scallop Square Punch, Brites Board Clips, Polo Mini Blossom Mix, Zip Dry Glue, Sponges, Doily, ribbon

Be sure that if your order totals $30 or more youtake a look at the Purchase with Purchase stamps!

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I have been stockpiling cardboard.  It feels like the right time to confess.  I have been drooling over the projects that Donna Salazar makes with it - and then when I laid my eyes on the cutest shabby ornament project by Kim Sears that did it.  I broke down and started obsessively peeling cardboard.  No box was safe.  I peeled every box I could get my hands on - til my finger tips were sore.  But not I have a pile of cardboard - perfectly sized to go thru my big shot.  And I have been hoarding it - big surprise right?   Actually I did make ornaments with a picture of my kiddos in it for Christmas, so I did use SOME.  (just a little though!)

So Stamping night out is tonight - and I want to really knock their socks off with a cool project.  I already have 2 cards so I wanted to do SOMETHING.  Thus my shabby calendar!  I have used the Mini Calendar download for TONS of projects.  If you have the Giga Scallop square punch it is just a dream to punch them out and go straight to your project.  For this one I printed them out double sided!  SO my stack of months would not be as thick.  Then attach them all with the Brites Boards clips - LOVE!  Especially when you dress them up a bit with the Polo Mini Blossoms!

I wish  you all could come tonight and make one!   I hope you get a chance to join in the blog hop - but I hope I win the prize!  LOL!!!  (I think I am stir crazy from 3 snow days people!)

Holly Gift bag

Every year I participate in a holiday gift bag swap - I just LOVE that Avis' hosts this every year!  I was very excited to use the new holly stamp set that is in the fall supplement - which I just ADORE!    I started out with a regular white lunch bag - you can get them at walmart usually!  I put a cardstock panel on the front and back of the bag - and added ribbon handles.

 

Versamark on the olive CS with the Holly and Season's Greetings stamps for the bottom, and black with the music background for the top on Scarlet cardstock.  I scallop cut the edge with my scissors and pierced a hole in each scallop with my paper piercer.  Edged this part with Noir ink and a sponge - for a little rustic edge.

For the tag I stamped the Holly with memories Tuxedo black and then colored it with my Copic Markers.  To make it really polished I went over the whole thing with my Glossy Accents. 

I have been filling up my box today with LOTS of goodies from my craft room - stamps, scraps, mini books, containers, ribbons and fibers, gel pens and more stamps!  Be sure to leave your comment by midnight to YESTERDAYS post here - to be in the running for my goodies!

TAC has come out with some FABULOUS new specials - you do not want to miss!

Keepsake Album Idea - Pocket Album

A week or so ago I got a call from our Head Pastor at church.  Here is how our conversation went...

Heather, you know Diana is leaving us and we are having a going away luncheon for her next week?  Well we were talking in the office and some one said we should collect all the cards and notes for her and put them in some kind of book or something.  A Keepsake Album of sorts.  Then someone said 'If she had time I bet Heather Scott could do something cool!' 

And I said "Ya I bet if she had time she could!"  LOL!!!

I mean seriously - isn't summer supposed to be relaxing and laid back time?  Where is my time to chill by the pool and drink frozen Margheritas?  I want a refund! 

I was actually thinking though when she asked me, well VBS doesn't start til next week, and I have Stamping night out on Thursday.  Could I use the album as my Stamping Night out Demo?  Yep!

Yes Pastor Kay - I do have time and I will do something cool!

So off to figure out what to do for a keepsake album, a pocket album of sorts.  A book to keep notes and cards - which would be great for graduations, milestone birthdays, retirements, job transitions.   It will be a great gift idea for any of those occasions.

Thinking about what to do - I wanted to make pockets to slip cards and notes and pictures into.  It had to be able to be added to if necessary and the pockets needed to accomodate full sized greeting cards.  I started with a regular linen 8x8 album.  You can get the just about everywhere - I happened to have had one left over from way back when The Angel Company carried linen albums.  Yeah! 

I printed the words onto vellum and embossed them in gold.  The red center of the flower is a piece of scarlet CS that I stamped and then added crystal lacquer on top. 

Now for the pockets...

I took a sheet of Kraft 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock and trimmed off a little off the long side - my page protectors actually heldp 8 1/4 x 8.  I then scored the piece at 8" along the short edge and folded over.  Then I used my corrugator to crimp just that flap.  When inserted into the page protector the flap acts to close the pocket - so nothing slips out.

 I REALLY like how it turned out.  I didn't want to do too much because it will be very "busy" once you get all the cards and notes added to the pockets.  I think it will serve the purpose of collecting all the notes and cards - and if she wants to she can also add pictures and journalling to the back side of the pockets.

So what do you think?  Won't that make the perfect keepsake album?  What a great gift idea for graduations, milestone birthdays and retirements too!   I am very excited and am pondering offering them on etsy for sale - made in custom colors.   How much would you pay for an album like that - or a better question how much would you see one for sale at?  :-) 
  
  

Perpetual Calendar - FREE download!

Today (1/15/10)  is the last day to leave a comment to be added to the pool for my blog candy!   Just leave a comment before midnight - I hope YOU win!  :-)

I was surfing around one day on etsy and I ran into this little cutie.  I love the concept of this calendar and wanted to make one myself - of course!  So into Publisher I lept - and after hours  of tweaking and printing and adjusting I finally figured it all out and got it lined up! 

Here is how mine turned out :

    
 
 There are 13 cards - they print double sided and double ended - so you just flip and turn each card to change the dates.  I put magnets on the back of the pocket - to hang my calendar on the file cabinet next to my desk - but you could also add an easle instead so that it stands on your desk instead. 

I stamped the brocade with Victorian Elements (shown below) and Noir palette Ink - and I used Black and Scarlet Cardstock.  I just love those images in black on Scarlet cardstock!  They also look great embossed in clear on Scarlet - it is so luscious!  Click on any of those links to be taken to my secure shopping site - where you can purchase those and other products online anytime!  (e-mail me your order instead and I can include specials and freebies too!)

Download Perpetual calendar to print out your own.  They print double sided on 13 pieces of paper (I used cardstock) and then you just cut them down - starting at 1/4 sheet - then trim the number and month pieces to cascade correctly.  So with 13 pieces of cardstcok plus whatever you use for your pocket - you have 4 calendars!  I can never just make one!

Here is my step by step:

• To make the pocket I used a 4 1/2 x 7 3/4 piece of black cardstock.
• Score the piece at 1 3/4 and 1 7/8 to give the bottom a little room for all the pieces to slip in.
• Layer a piece of red 1 1/2 x 4 1/2 onto the flap and scallop cut the black along that edge.
• I tied a piece of ribbon around the whole thing to keep it closed and form the pocket. It was easiest to tie it with the pages in place to allow for the right amount of room.
• Trim your calendar pages by first cuttiong to 1/4 sheets - 4 1/4 x 5 1/2.
• Trim month pages down to 4 1/4 x 4 3/4 and number pages down to 3 1/2 x 4 1/4.

Voila!  Simple and functional - love it!

Can't wait to share - Deco Ornament video!

I could not force myself to do my card sketches today - because I wanted to share this ornament first!

They are so much fun - and will make a great gift or even a package ornament - to dress it up and be a gift too.  The stamp I used is theNovember Stamp of the month - so it is only available during november with a $30 purchase. 

Fun little Halloween treat - How to video!

Today I wanted to share with you a treat idea I made for this month's Stamping Night Out. 

I used the Miss Moxie Collection of papers and coordinating ribbons, The Gelly Roll Glaze Pens, and my wishblade to cut the treat container - which is actually a Petal Card!  You can download the FS petal card file for wishblade.  This shape is also available as a Die cut shap for the Big shot too.  If you do not have either of those Download the petal card pdf and print it out and cut it yourself with good old fashioned scissors!

I stuffed the above treat with a Ghirardelli Square - yumm!  In the video I show it with a treat size Skittles package - so it is a versatile little treat holder.  I was also thinking it would make a great Thanksgiving Place holder - or even with a handle on a little Christmas Tree to use as an Advent type of tree!  I might just have to make up a few of those myself!

Check out the video to see how I made mine -  I also include some tips for coloring with the Gelly Roll Glaze Pens and how to get the nice spiral coil with your Scrappers Floss and Paper Piercer!

Today I am making massive amounts of Sloopy Joes to feed the varsity football team. Fun stuff right? Did anyone see Oprah yesterday? She had a lady and her husband that survived a plane crash on - and WOW!  Makes you rethink how you look at all the mundane tasks we do for our kids.  I need a big dose of that some days!

Christmas Countdown Clipboard Kits!

Gearing up for the holidays yet?  I know I am already planning my gift giving ideas and decorating strategy.  I will be offering the Christmas Planner kits next - so be watching for those too!  But for this week I have some kits available for this fabulous Christmas Countdown Clipboard.  It was inspired by a creation by my upline JoAnn Cisneros.

It is a 6x9 clipboard - and the places you check off or write on are Dry erasable.  So you can use this over and over again, year after year.  Featuring the Reece Collection from The Angel Company.  Clipboard has a standard clip at the top - making it easy to hang on a hook or nail on any wall.

I have 8 of these available - ready to ship out on Monday.  All pieces are stamped and cut - you just have to stick it all together!  Kit includes:

Painted clipboard
Ribbons
Cardstock and pattern Papers cut to size
Eyelets
Stamped elements with Transparency
Printed picture and step by step directions

Receive your Kit for just $10 plus $4.95 priority Mail shipping to you!

Choose One

Clipboard $10.00 Clipboard and Zip Dry $19.00

You may wish to distress clipboard further by sanding edges. You may also wish to edge the cardstock and papers with brown ink for a more distressed look as well.  I recommend Zip Dry Glue or YES glue for attaching papers to your clipboard.  Add a bottle of Zip Dry on to your kit for $9 (shipping and tax included).

We had SO much fun at our Crop and Christmas Card Camp yesterday - serious good times!  I got a jump start on more Christmas cards, got a set of swap cards ready to go, and put together those clipboard kits.   I think I even got a card for this weeks sketch and a start on the October Card kit done too!

I am in my studio today for a bit and then have to go play softball.  Fun stuff!

Christmas Planner Tutorial - free downloads!

This is a great planner - with room to grow because there are a few empty pockets.  You can leave them out or keep them in for extra space if you want.

  Download Christmas Planner Directions in a pdf to print the watch the video to see what I was really trying to say in the directions.  It is really hard sometimes to put into words what you actually mean!

First I will share the downloadable inserts. 

Download Xmas planner printables

Download Calendar pages 2010

Download My calendar pages 2011

Download My calendar page12

 I printed mine onto ivory cardstock and used Ivory envelopes - but you can use whatever works for your color scheme.   I was inspired by the pages at Organized Christmas - but I wanted more color to the pages so I made my own in Publisher.  (I goofed and left out this info and link in my original posting - thanks for the inspiration!) 

You will need:

Materials:

4 ¼ x 10 Card Stock – 8 pieces

Additional pattern and plain cardstock to embellish.

9 #10 envelopes (4 1/8 x 9 ½)

Printed and trimmed insert pages

Trasnparency /Acetate– 8 ½ x 11 – 2 sheets

2 Jumbo Eyelets

2 6” pieces  1 ½ “ Bind it All wires

Ribbon to tie closed and embellish spine

Adhesive

Tools:

12” paper trimmer

Scissors

Bind It All

Big Bite Cropadile

Stamps and inks of choice

 

So you asked for it on video - so here you go!

 

I reverted back to my ole faithful camera for that video - hopefully I can use the new one for any futer videos as that one was a pain and I do not think does as good quality!

here are some more pics of the book itself:

Enjoy!