USA Eagle

This is the other stamp from "The Free & the Brave" stamp set. This eagle could also be used for Boy Scouts or 4th of July items.

I colored the stamp with Not Quite Navy and Chocolate Chip markers. Stamped it on Whisper White card stock and then colored in the beak with 3 shades of orange and the body feathers with Creamy Caramel. The alphabet is actually "Define Your Life". I colored the uppercase only from each stamp with Not Quite Navy. The ribbon strip underneith is chocolate taffata.

Ahhhhh! NOOOO!!

I love my son. He loves my embossing powders. I do not love him playing with my embossing powders as this is what happens.

The camera was right there so I took a picture of this tragedy. He spilled it all over the new fabric chair someone just gave me to put in my stamp area.

Target $1 Spot

Like many others I have also found these great mailboxes at Target. I made this one for an army wife who led our FRG for the last two years. They are getting ready to leave for a new assignment. It was a great chance to use the new Berry Bliss Designer Paper. The chocolate and pink work wonderfully together. I also finally got the "Boatloads of Love" stamp set to do my Valentine's with. The front is stamped on Glossy White card stock. I used sticky strip to hold the paper to the mailbox and mini glue dots for the flag pieces. "friend-ship" is embossed in white EP.

A couple of thanks

I have two simple thank you cards for you to see today.

The first I made for my customers. I wanted to slip a little thanks and reminder of our next club meeting into their bags. The card is 3x3 and uses the new felt flowers. The picture doesn't do it justice. The new felt flowers are too cute. I know it said 130 pieces in the catalog, but I was still surprised when I open the little tin. There was a nice stuffed bag inside. The colors are fabulous. I wasn't sure at first how I would like the pumpkin, but it is a lovely color. I used the Rose Red ones for the cards. The larger flower layer is the 5 petal flower punch. I tipped the edges in my ink pad. I also used the punch to make some leaves to put behind the flower. I put a rhinstone brad in the center. A little strip of designer prints paper and some ribbon. DONE!! Quick card. I stamped the swirl after I made the bottom part. Next time I would stamp it first so it is tucked under a little more.

The second card is for a special friend. She came over and watched my kids while my DH took me to the hospitol for an IV and some meds. She is a blessing. I wouldn't have made it through the night without her. The sentiment is from "All Holidays". The butterfly is from "Priceless". I did use my cuttlebug on the background. I got the layout for this card from Jan Tink. I saw her card on her blog a month or so ago. Mine is a little simpler, but I really like the postcard look to the main image area.

Pull-tops tins

Here is another tutorial I promissed. We made these tins at the open house I had a couple of weeks ago. We also made candy bar wrappers, but those are fairly self explanatory (just wrap cardstock around them and decorate).
*Materials Needed:
*Tin with Pull-top tab--anything that has a lip on the bottom, not a beveled edge will work. Most Del Monte cans have a pull-tap and a lip to the can.
*Something to fill the tin with
*Crystal Effects
*Cardstock or papers to cover the tin with
*Sticky Strip

1.) Cut off the bottom of the can with a safe edge can opener. You want to be able to replace the bottom of the can. Wash out the can of any food and dry thouroughly.
2.) Fill the can with your special treat. Glue the bottom back on using crystal effects. Just a little bit in the rim of the can will do. Wipe off any excess with a tissue.
3.) Sit that aside to dry for a few minutes. Make any extra tags or such to decorate your can.
4.) Measure the can height. Mesure in between the lips of the can. Cut your cardstock to fit around the tin. For mine the cardstock is cut 1-13/16" x 7-3/4". I also cut a pattern paper piece 1" x 7-3/4".
5.) Place sticky strip at the end of each strip of cardstock you plane to wrap around the can.
6.) Wrap the can with the paper. Very carefully pull off the red protective strip and adhear the paper to the can.
7.) Decorate the can as you wish.
8.) Give the tin away and watch as your friends wonder how you got the candy in there.
These are perfect party favors or gifts for a class. I buy the cans in bulk at Sam's Club and then empty the contents into a tupperware style container.
You can do the same thing with just about any size can. If there is no pull tab, they simply cut open the can to get out the surprise. Candles fit nicely into larger cans. Pack with a little tissue and you have a special unique gift.

The Free & the Brave

Page 33. That is the first thing I say when I hand the new catalog to someone. Everyone in my stamping club is also an Army Wife, so this stamp set was a big hit with them. My DH looks at the new catalogs and normally just rolls his eyes when I get excited about something. He saw "The Free & the Brave" stamp set and asked when I could order it.

I started with the saying stamp first. I wanted to highlight the main words of the phrase. I also wanted a good 'ol Red, White & Blue card. I had seen several cards where the focal image was surrounded by a dry embossed shape. I tried it using some chipboard I had, but just couldn't get it to work just yet. I need a larger stylus. I did like the idea of a scallop panel to set off the phrase. I used a piece of chipboard and traced it onto the cardstock. I had to add a scallop to make it wider to fit. I simply stopped before the end and moved the piece over one loop to make it bigger. I cut the scallop out with my sissors.

The stars at the bottom are heat embossed with silver EP. I would like to have all the words embossed also, but don't have the patience to do that in three colors and make it all line up perfectly. I used my markers to color the stamp in the three colors, huffed and stamped on Whisper White cardstock.

I then sat down to color my soldier image. I pulled out my stampin' pastels and my blender pen. For the flag I used Brilliant Blue and Rose Red. There are only 11 stripes on the flag and the lower left hand side is a little tough to determine where the stripes are. I decided that the flag was curled up there and the stripes were going more up instead of across. Choosing colors for the soldier was a little more difficult. The new uniform colors are not really found in SU! pastels. I first used Black and colored in his goggles and end of his riffle. With some Mellow Moss I randomly colored in his uniform leaving many blanks. I used grey to fill in the gaps. For his face I used Apricot Appeal with some Caramel and grey to dirty up his face. Since the flag was to be tattered a little I lightly went over the stars and stripes with some grey to take the brightness off. For the large area left behind the image I used my finger and rubbed in some Creamy Caramel chalk.

The main card base in Creamy Caramel, stamper with the background "Sanded" in Basic Brown. The Mellow Moss panel is stamped in Mellow Moss with the word "Liberty" from the saying stamp in the set. The stars are also from the stamp set. I stamped them in versamark to give them some texture and then punched them out with my small star punch. It fits perfectly.

Long time no post

It feels good to be back to blogging. The Christmas break was just what our family needed. Time away from Oklahoma. Time together. Time..... How precious it is. Just as DH was going back to work and I was ready to start on some of those tutorials I promissed, BAM!! I got very sick. If you have had any part of that bug going around you know what I mean. Ruthless little bugger. Hits you like a ton of bricks. I landed in the hospitol after my first full day with it. When you can't even keep down water for more than 15 minutes you need help. A few drugs and some IV's later and I was feeling better. Then DH got hit with it, BAM!! Luckily the kids didn't have near anything what we had. They basically slept for 3 days and were good to go.
So a week more has passed since break, I got some new toys and I have been stamping all day. So lets get to it. This tutorial is for my Aunt. She asked weeks ago how to make some of the boxes pictured in the catalog. Many of you have probably already done these before, but it never hurts to review.
It is called a 2,4,6,8 box and is similar to the box pictured on page 17. The one in the catalog is scored to have the front wider than the side. I am guessing they turned the paper horizontal and scored at 2,5,7,10. With a bottom score of 1.75.
Materials: 8.5"x11" sheet of cardstock, sissors, sticky strip, paper trimmer with scoring blade -black blade (optional--additional materials or stamps to decorate box)
Step 1: Turn the paper vertical in your paper trimmer. With the scoring blade -black blade- score the paper at 2", 4", 6", & 8".
Step 2: Turn the paper horizontal. Score the cardstock at 1.75". This will form the bottom. I like to score mine at 1/4" less than the smallest side width.
I have drawn over all the score lines so you can see them easier.
Step 3: Cut from the bottom edge to the bottom score line on each vertical score line. Also cut the small piece of cardstock at the bottom corner. I like to trim a little from the edge of each bottom flap so the box will close nicely and not show the bottom cardstock over the edges.
(OPTIONAL) If you wish to stamp directly on the box, now is the time to do that.
Step 4: Attach sticky strip as shown in the picture.
Step 5: Determine how tall you want the box and either cut or tear the top edge.
Step 6: Fold on all score lines. Peel the side red tape and close box. Peel the bottom pieces and close box.
Step 6: Finish box as desired with ribbon, tags, etc. Fill and give away.
These are perfect for party favors or little trinkets for a special friend.