March Card Ministry

 Here are the cards we're making this week for Card Ministry at St. John's Methodist. I have two sets of cards and envelopes from Stampin' Up! that we're using. These are so much fun, because they have prints that match and since that part is done for you, it makes the construction time a bit shorter. The first card is made from one of these cards and envelope sets. I used the smaller cards (woodgrain) as a layer in the card. I got this set on the clearance rack a couple months ago for a couple bucks:) The last card made with the Soft Seedlings stamp set uses the other cards and envelopes set. That set was featured in last summer's SALE-A-BRATION as a free offering.

Materials:

• Grassy Stamp Set

• Christian Birthday Stamp Set

• Art Gallery Stamp Set

• Stylish Shapes Dies

• Card and Envelopes

• Cardstocks: Basic White, Gray Woodgrain, Night of Navy

• Ink Pads: Mossy Meadow, Pear Pizzazz, Soft Suede, Night of Navy

Preparation:

• Striped Card Base and Blue Envelopes

• Gray Woodgrain 3-1/8 x 4-1/4

• Night of Navy 2-1/2 x 3-3/8

• Basic White 2-3/8 x 3-1/4 stamped layer

• Basic White 1-1/4 x 3-3/4 greeting

• Night of Navy 1-3/4 x 4 greeting layer

Assemble Card:

1. Basic White 2-3/8 x 3-1/4 stamp grass in Pear Pizzazz ink, trees in Mossy Meadow Ink with trunks resting on the grass line. Stamp Deer in Soft Suede ink with feet on grass line.

2. Layer stamped piece on top of Navy piece.

3. Adhere wood grain paper at an angle, then glue stamped layer and navy mat on top.

4. Stamp greeting in Night of Navy ink on 1-1/4 x 3-3/4 Basic White cardstock, then diecut with banner from Stylish Shapes Dies

5. Diecut larger banner with Stylish Shapes Dies for Night of Navy cardstock.

6. Inside: Stamp deer and trees or grass

Materials:

• Two-Toned Flora Stamp Set

• Christian Birthday Stamp Set

• Art Gallery Stamp Set

• Fancy Flora Designer Series Paper

• Cardstocks: (Basic White, Pool Party, Orchid Oasis) (Basic White, Pale Papaya, Calypso Coral)

• Ink Pads: (Orichid Oasis, Pool Party, Fresh Freesia) (Calypso Coral, Daffodil Delight, Pale Papaya)

• Stampin' Dimensionals

• Baker's Twine or Metallic Woven Ribbon

• Classic Label Punch

• Glue Dots

Preparation:

• Pool Party or Pale Papaya 5-1/2 x 8-1/2 scored @ 4-1/4

• DSP 4-1/8 x 5-3/8

• Basic White 3 x 4-1/4 stamped layer

• Basic White 1 x 3-1/2 greeting

• Orchid Oasis or Calypso Coral 3-1/8 x 4-3/8 under stamped layer

• Inside: 4 x 5-1/4 Basic White

Assemble Card:

1. Adhere 4-1/8 x 5-3/8 DSP to (Fresh Freesia) (Pale Papaya) card base: 5-1/2 x 8-1/2 scored @ 4-1/4

2. Stamp two flowers one facing bottom left corner, one facing top right.

   Color Group One: Stamp background in Pool Party Ink, detail in Orchid Oasis. On either side, stamp small flower in Fresh Freesia ink, second generation for background and 1st for the detail.

   Color Group Two: Stamp background in Pale Papaya Ink, detail in Calypso Coral. On either side, stamp small flower in Daffodil Delight ink, Pale Papaya for the detail.

3. Glue stamped layer to Orchid Oasis or Calypso Coral mat, then to card front.

4. Tie ribbon in a bow and adhere at an angle where the two flowers meet.

5. Stamp greeting in Orchid Oasis or Calypso Coral ink, punch out and adhere to card front with stampin dimensionals.

6. Inside, stamp large flower as on card front, and greeting

Materials:

• Soft Seedlings Stamp Set, Christian Birthday Stamp Set, Itty Bitty Birthdays Stamp Set

• Card and Envelopes

• Cardstocks: Pool Party, Soft Sea Foam, Vellum

• Ink Pads: Pool Party, Soft Sea Foam

• Stylish Shapes Dies

• Leaf Punch

• Wink of Stella

• Frosted Pearls

• Stampin' Dimensionals

• Watercolor Pencils

Preparation:

• Soft Sea Foam or Pool Party 2-3/4 x 4 (for stamping)

• Pool Party or Soft Sea Foam 2-7/8 x 4-1/8 (layer behind stamping)

• Vellum Cardstock 1-3/4 x 4 (leaf punch)

• Pool Party 1-1/4 x 2-3/4 (banner greeting)

• Soft Sea Foam 1-1/4 x 2-3/4 (banner greeting layer)

Assemble Card:

1. For blue card base: Ink and stamp the main leaf image in Soft Sea Foam ink directly onto the Soft Sea Foam card stock. 

   For the green card base: Ink and stamp the meain leaf image in Pool Party ink directly onto the Pool Party cardstock.

2. Use a watercolor pencil to highlight the leaf veins on green cardstock with Bermuda Bay pencil

Use a watercolor pencil to highlight the leaf veins on blue cardstock with Granny Apple Green pencil. 

3. Blend leaf image with Wink of Stella pen.  Allow to dry

4. Punch two leaf clusters from Vellum cardstock

5. Stamp "Happy Day" in Soft Sea Foam ink on Sea Foam cardstock OR Pool Party ink on Pool Party cardstock.

6. Adhere Pool Party layer onto the center blue card base OR Soft Sea Foam layer to the green card base.

7. Die cut sentiments and layers behind with banner die

8. Adhere stamped layer on top of larger layer to card front.

9. Apply a tiny bit of glue to the stem of the Vellum leaf clusters and glue to card front.

10. Glue two banner diecuts together -layering left end, then apply to card front with dimensionals.

11. Apply three pearls

12. Inside: stamp sentiment and seedling stamp

More SALE-A-BRATION Products Added

 

Wow! More to love, more to save! Below is a snapshot of what new products have been added to the SALE-A-BRATION offerings. Here is a link to the PDF file.

Traveler's Notebook

Have you ever heard of a Traveler's Notebook? I didn't until recently and I was immediately intrigued!!  I have always loved pretty stationary and organization items be they notebooks or boxes. Once I saw a video by Caroline Hamm on how to make your own... let me tell you I am utterly and completely hooked! I've made one with plans to make more. I want to give them as gifts and I may even make a few to sell at the annual Apple Fest at our Church.

Okay, so what are they you ask? Traveler's Notebooks are elastic planner systems that consist of leather fabric, cardboard, or other heavyweight material covers with a series of elastics running the length of the spine on the interior of the cover. These elastics allow for smaller thinner notebooks to be slipped under the elastics to hold them into the cover.

This style planner is organized by booklet. You can have a many styles of booklets: calendar, lined for notes or journaling, grid paper for project planning, or even sketchbook paper booklet for drawing, collage or art making.

The original TN leather covers are leather punched along the spine for elastics and punched in the back for a horizontal elastic to secure the cover closed. Very simple, minimal and unfussy. Since the launch of the original Traveler’s Company covers, many companies and makers stepped in to make covers that include interior pockets, more elastics along the spine and even non-leather options. See a video walk through of the one I just made below. 

One thing I loved about Caroline's style of Traveler's Notebooks, is that you can buy the refill booklets on Amazon. They are so much fun to decorate! I have a video walkthrough of my notebook below, and underneath the video you'll find links to some materials used to make it.

How to Use a Traveler's Notebook

Separate Notebooks for Notes on Different Topics

For Planning

Journal

Recipes

Bible Study

Bullet Journal *

Gratitude Journaling

Habit Tracking

Keep Track of Work Expenses or Hours

Health Journal

Financial Planner

One Notebook Can be a Calendar

Keeping Track of Big Projects

Fun and Functional List Making

Memory Keeping

Collecting Inspirational Quotes

Sketching

Art Journal

Travel Journal

*A bullet journal is a next-level diary for not only writing but also drawing. Instead of blank, lined pages, a bullet journal contains sections to log daily to-dos, keep a monthly or weekly calendar, jot down notes, track both physiological and mental health, and record both short- and long-term goals. It organizes scheduling, reminders, to do lists, brainstorming, and other organizational tasks into a single notebook.

My second Traveler's Notebook ... and it's even prettier! The paper collection is from Mintay, and the collection is called written Memories."

Caroline Hamm's totally awesome video tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzH0krTVhWQ

A walk through video also by Caroline showing a slightly different style of Notebook: https://youtu.be/fiOdmuYpkKQ

My Stampin' Up! Store Front for cardstock, adhesives, patterened paper and more https://www.stampinup.com?demoid=2109078

My Stampin' Up! Store Front for my favorite Paper Trimmer https://www.stampinup.com/products/paper-trimmer?demoid=2109078

Grommet Setting Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KF3C53F?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

Travelers Notebook Weekly Calendar Refills https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BJH1RPP/...

Travelers Notebook Lined Paper Refills https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M4NM4ES/...

Travelers Notebook Grid/Graph Paper Refills https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N2QT50V/...

Kraft-Tex Paper Fabric Sampler Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MT8NFYW/...

Elastic Cord https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G3JDLTV?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

Valentine in Blue and Green

 I've adapted this design from fellow Demo, Mary Ann Cowan. Don't you just love this paper? I really like the idea of making Valentines with blues and greens, especially for a guy in your family. I have tip for  you. I recently discovered that if you use a sponge dauber to apply ink to this style of Dis-ink-tive stamps, you will get more even distribution of ink. It's more clear and even looking.

MATERIALS:

• Stamps: Country Bouquet

• Paper: Cardstocks: Thick Basic White, Balmy Blue, Mint Macaron, and Country Floral Lane DSP

• Ink: Balmy Blue, Mint Macaron

• Embellishments: Balmy Blue Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals

• Tools: Country Bouquet Punch, Stylish Shapes Dies

PREPARATION:

• Thick Basic White 11 x 4-1/4 scored @ 5-1/2. Cut off 2-1/8 from score line to edge.

• Mint Macaroon cs 4 x 5-1/4

• Mint Macaroon cs 2 x 5-1/4

• Blue striped DSP 3-7/8 x 5-1/8

• Blue striped DSP 1-7/8 x 5-1/8

• Balmy Blue die cut using the 3^rd from the largest Stitched Rectangle Die

• Basic White die cut using the 3^rd from the largest Stitched Rectangle Die

• Blue & Green Heart DSP 4-1/8 x 2-3/4

• Mint Macaron from 2^nd largest circle in Stylish Shapes Dies

• Basic White from 3^rd largest circle in Stylish Shapes Dies

ASSEMBLE CARD:

1. For the card base, cut Thick Basic White cs 11 x 4-1/4 scored @ 5-1/2. On the score line, cut from the edge to 2-1/8, which is the middle.

2. For the front flap: adhere Blue striped DSP 1-7/8 x 5-1/8 to Mint Macaroon cs 4 x 5-1/4

3. For inside, adhere Blue striped DSP 3-7/8 x 5-1/8 to Mint Macaroon cs 2 x 5-1/4

4. For the front, adhere Balmy Blue die cut using the 3^rd from the largest Stitched Rectangle Die to the bottom front flap only so that the card will still open.

5. Adhere Blue & Green Heart DSP 4-1/8 x 2-3/4 over top of the Balmy cs.

6. Stamp two large and two small hearts in Mint Macaron ink on Basic White cs, then punch out

7. Stamp one large and one small hearts in Balmy Blue ink on Basic White cs, then punch out

8. Cut two circles from the Stylish Shapes Dies: Mint Macaron from 2^nd largest circle, and Basic White from 3^rd largest circle.

9. Stamp sentiment on the white circle diecut, then adere to the Mint Macaron circle. Secure to the middle of the card front with Stampin' Dimensionals.

10. Adhere heart diecuts with Stampin' Dimensionals and ribbon with glue dots.

11. Adhere the Basic White Stitched Rectangle diecut to the inside – making sure to align it with the rectangle on the front so that it won't show through.

12. Stamp the inside and envelope with sentiment and hearts

New Projects For A New Year

 It's a Happy New Year at our house, we finally got high speed internet out here in the country!! We've been streaming movies, watching  YouTube videos and..... I can create videos to show how I made something! Of course, I now have to master video making! I need to learn how to set the White Balance on my camera phone. I've got some short videos uploaded to my YouTube channel to show a few Mini Albums that I made this month.

Directions for this envelope mini album is found below.

This is the video I watched to learn how to make a star fold book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EW__mrz9UfE

So... I'm not very experienced making videos, The color is off a bit, and the picture is not as clear as I'd like. I'm working on it! Take a look at those awesome stickers that look like stained glass! I hope you can see in the video there's one on the cover and then a couple more on the last two pages. They are the cutest things. I found them in Hobby Lobby and they're made of plastic but they really look like stained glass very cool for $2.99 -40% off!! To make this mini album, I watched this awesome video by Caroline Hamm.   https://youtu.be/yrSVWniZL4I

Envelope Mini Album

All measurements in Inches

6 Envelopes 4-3/8 x 5-3/4

3 Card Bases 4-1/4 x 5-1/2

6 DSP mats for card bases 4 x 5-1/4

6 DSP mats for envelopes 4 x 5-1/2

4 cardstock for inside envelope pockets 3-7/8 x 5-1/4

4 DSP mats 3-5/8 x 5 for cardstock inside envelope pockets

Front and back cardstock mats 4 x 5-1/2

2 DSP for front and back 3-3/4 x 5-1/4

Glue

Gue dots

Magnets

1 inch Hole Punch

20 inches Ribbon

Remember the envelopes are a bit larger than the card bases.

Each signature consists of two envelopes glued together at the flaps, with a card base glued over the flaps: envelope page – card base page – envelope page

1. Glue two envelope flaps together, do this in three pairs, creating 3 “signatures” for your book.

2. Trim the unglued side of each envelope down 1/8 inch. One side will be the flaps glued together, and the other side will be open, creating a pocket.

3. Place adhesive on all four sides of the two 4 x 5-1/2 DSP mats to the envelopes of the signature, making sure to leave the flaps out...flowing in the breeze lol!

4. Adhere the card base to the envelope flap in the middle of the signature, applying glue to all four sides of the inside of the card base.

5. Adhere a 4 x 5-1/4 DSP mat to each side of the card base page.

6. Use circle punch to make a semicircle thumb hole on the matted side of the two envelope pages.

7. Repeat the process for the other two signatures.

8. Glue the three signatures together front to back – envelope page to envelope page, be sure to leave a quarter inch space at the spine to allow for expansion of completed book.

9. On the back, attach 10 inches ribbon with Tear & Tape, then adhere 4 x 5-1/2 cardstock panel and 3-3/4 x 5-1/4 DSP panel over top allowing the ribbon to hang out.

10. Adhere ribbon, cardstock and DSP mats to front cover in the same manner.

11. Place 3-7/8 x 5-1/4 cards inside each envelope. Dry fit to see if they need to be trimmed. Adhere 4 x 5-1/4 DSP trim if necessary, then adhere to one side, leaving the other side plain for journaling.

Jan. to April Mini Catalog

 The new Mini Catalog is live and ready to go! I have four samples to share with you today. 

The first two were created with stamp sets that coordinate with punches, which I find so easy!! 

The Country Floral Lane DSP even has images that can be punched out, which I did for the second sample.

The third card has a what's called a "drapery fold."  Click on the image below to enlarge.

The last card was such fun to make with coordinating stamps, diecuts and DSP, in fact TWO different packages of DSP!

Stamps	Lucky Clover Stamp Set
Paper	Garden Green, Basic White, Old Olive, Granny Apple Green, Dainty Flowers DSP (SALE-A-BRATION)
Ink	Garden Green, Granny Apple Green, Old Olive
Embellishments	Stampin' Dimensionals
Tools	Clover Punch, Stylish Shapes Dies, Painted Texture Embossing Folder

Stamps	Country Bouquet Stamp Set
Paper	Country Floral Lane DSP, Basic White
Ink	Sweet Sorbet, Mossy Meadow
Embellishments	Stampin' Dimensionals
Tools	Country Bouquet Punch, Eden Dies

Stamps	Two-Tone Flora Stamp Set
Paper	Orchid Oasis, Basic White, Fresh Freesia
Ink	Orchid Oasis, Old Olive Fresh Freesia, Pool Party
Embellishments	Crinkled Seam Binding
Tools	Two-Tone Flora Dies, Sponge Dauber

Stamps	Desert Details Stamp Set
Paper	Delicate Desert DSP, Dry Brushed Metallic DSP, Calypso Coral, Basic White
Ink	Calypso Coral, Pale Papaya, Soft Succulent, Petal Pink
Embellishments
Tools	Desert Details Dies

Spring Mini Sneak Peeks

 

Here are two more sneak peeks from the New Spring Mini! The first one is using a stamp set called Lucky Clover and it's paired with some DSP that can be earned for free with purchases from SALE-A-BRA-TION. I used Old Olive and Garden Green inks to make this happy St. Patrick's Day card.

The second card is made using the Two-Tone Flora bundle. This design is from fellow Demo, Tami Hewlett. Using the 2nd largest Stitched Rectangle Die, I ran it through the machine a second time to cut off some of the width, leaving a skinnier piece. The background flower images were stamped in Pool Party ink, then I used a Sponge Dauber to add Orchid Oasis to a few places then stamped it on Basic White cardstock. The detail flower stamps were stamped in Starry Sky ink.