Just Give Me Stamps...

Stamper's Anonymous...

Hi there!  Are you all ready for Thanksgiving?  I've still got QUITE a bit of cooking/baking to do today, but I'm looking forward to it!  Every year for Thanksgiving I make a cheesecake (along with an apple pie).  Well, actually I make a cheesecake for any Holiday that I can get away with it!  LOL!  I LOOOOOOVE New York style cheesecake, and have "forced" that love on my family as well!  Teehehee! 

Before I go and start my baking, I wanted to share this card with you...   

I fell head over heels the moment I saw this Floral Tatoo set (by Tim Holtz's Stamper's Anonymous line)!  I also knew that I wanted to do some tone-on-tone embossing as soon as I got my hands on it!   

Here's a close-up so you can see some of the details a little bit better.  The cream c.s. layer inside of the card is embossed with horizontal lines.  The flowers are embossed with Ivory embossing powder onto Buttercream c.s..  To get a slightly pink shade, I sponged on some Pretty in Pink ink to the center of each flower.  For the tone-on-tone embossing, I stamped one of the leafy flourishes stamps onto the black cardstock using Black Onyx Versafine ink and embossed using Clear detail embossing powder.  To finish it off, I added pink buttons, Ivory Crochet trim, Cream satin ribbon, and an embossed bird (also from the Floral Tatoo set) mounted on a black tag made from one of the Fancy Tags Shapeabilities.

I get a lot of questions on how I make my half circle curves on my cards.  Well, it's not very sophisticated...LOL!!  I just grab a plate or bowl from my kitchen that matches the size of curve I want and then trace around it!  SO not high tech...but it works!  LOL!

Yesterday while stamping this card, I was talking on the phone to my friend Tosh.  Of course I was telling her what I was doing...and what stamps I was using.  Well, she had JUST made a card using another set from the Stamper's Anonymous line (she used Urban Tapestry) and we thought it would be fun to post them together!  So make sure to click on over to her blog, Stamp Talk With Tosh, to check out her beautiful card!!

Well, I'm off to start all of my cooking/baking!  I want to wish all of my American friends a VERY Happy Thanksgiving!!! 
 

  
 And for all of you outside of the U.S.A., I hope your day is a blessed one!  Hugs, Laurie

A Rustic Merry Christmas...

Hi!  Can you believe it's only THREE days until Thanksgiving??  Well, technically two and a half...  Still, that's crazy!!  I mean, where did the whole month of November go?  I shouldn't be surprised...this happens every year!  Thanksgiving seems far off, then it sneaks up on me and before I can say "what happened" it's Christmas!!  LOL!  Okay, I might be a "bit" over dramatic here...but time sure does seem to go faster now that I'm older!  :-) 

One thing I am grateful for though...is my Christmas card stash is really growing!  Yay!!  :-)  For this one, I kept it simple.  Aside from the little bow on the button...it could almost be masculine.  Almost...  :-)

I noticed that Michelle has sold out of this Inkadinkado Snowy Cabin stamp, but the technique I used would work well with any of the "sketch" style of stamps (such as the Sleigh or Evergreen Branch stamps).  To achieve this soft look, I first stamped my image using just Versamark ink.  I then used some Pearlescent Chalks (both Pastel & Jewel Tones) to color my image in.  I believe the technique is called Poppin' Pastels...and that is exactly what happens!  The Versamark ink just 'grabs" the chalk and makes it "pop"...it's really quite fun!  What you can't see in this picture is the gorgeous sparkle the Pebbles Pearlescent chalks have...Mmmm, mmmmm! 

After the image was colored in, I embossed snowflakes (from Penny Black's Crystalline set) in white as well as making little white dots using my White Gel Pen.  The sentiment (also from Penny Black's Crystalline set) is stamped using Memento Rich Cocoa ink.  I created an embossed background by running a piece of Herbal Garden Dark Prism c.s. through my Cuttlebug (I used the new Holly Ribbons folder).

Well, that's all from me today!  Thanks so much for stopping by!  ~Laurie

 
Stamps:  Snowy Cabin (Inkadinkado), Crystalline (Penny Black)
Paper:  Rustic White (PTI), Herbal Garden Dark (Prism)
Ink:  Versamark, Rich Cocoa Memento Ink, White craft ink
Accessories:  Pebbles Pearlescent Chalks, Corner rounder punch, Oval Nestabilities, Holly Ribbons Cuttlebug folder, Rustic White string, Wood button (PTI), White detail e.p., White gel pen
 
 
 

Quick & Elegant Note Card Set...

What?  It's Friday already??  How in the world did that happen??  LOL!  Anyone else feeling very unprepared for the upcoming Holiday season?  I need almost hyperventilate just thinking about it...  I guess there goes my big plan of being completely finished by the end of November!  Teeheheee!

I've got a very quick little note card set to share with you tonight.  When I say quick...boy, I really mean quick!  And at the rate I'm going on completing my Christmas gifts...this is right up my alley!  LOL!

I used some brushed gold cardstock to create a custom package for my note cards.

A little peek of what's inside!  :-)

Here's an inside view of my card box.  Very simple...yet it does it's job well!  :-) 

Now...don't fall out of your chair or anything...but I made a ONE LAYER card!!!!!  I KNOW!!!!!!  :-)  When I was in Missoula with Tosh, I picked up some notecards and matching envelopes at a little paper shop we stopped at.  I knew I wanted to keep my design simple (and easily mailable), so I thought a little embossing would be perfect.  I chose this beautiful swirly leaf image from the Celebrate Life set (Taylored Expressions) and embossed it using Gold Detail embossing powder and pierced a partial circle around it using the Dots All Around template.  The "Blessings" sentiment (from the Celebrate Life set) is also embossed in gold.  

To coordinate with the card, I embossed the same swirly leaf image on the bottom left corner of the matching envelope.

I didn't do a very good job capturing the the shine of the gold embossing powder...but in real life it is very regal looking!  :-)

One more Christmas gift finished....woohoooo!  :-)  So how about you?  Are you all finished making/buying your gifts?  If so, what's your secret?!!?  LOL!

Thanks for stopping by!  ~Laurie

 
Stamps:  Celebrate Life(Taylored Expressions)
Paper:  Notecard set (picked it up in Missoula), Brushed Gold c.s. (SU!)
Ink:  Versamark
Accessories:  Gold Detail e.p., Corner Chomper, Dots All Around stencil, Melon Berry satin ribbon

Thoughts & Prayers...

Hi!  I'm back with another card to share with you.  :-)

We have some friends that are going through a major crisis right now.  It used to be hard for me to write cards to those going through major struggles.  I mean, I wanted to show them how much I care about them...but finding the right words proved difficult.  After our own major struggle, I realized that it's not so much the words...it's just the knowing that someone cares!  So, this card is going out tomorrow to hopefully do just that...let them know we care!

At first glance, there doesn't appear to be any stamping here...but hold on, I'll show you the stamping in a second!  LOL!  The main reason there isn't any stamping visible is because I fell head over heels in LOVE with this new My Mind's Eye paper (from the new Life Stories Collection) and I couldn't bring myself to cover even an inch of it up!  This is truly my "dream" paper!!  Mmmmm, mmmmm!!  I kept the embellishments simple:  a butterfly punch with a flower attached, some ribbon tied with a button, some crochet lace trim, and a tag.

 See...I DID stamp!  :-)  I tucked a little tag (stamped with one of the sentiments and flowers from the Thinking of You set (from Flourishes)

Here's a close-up of the tag.  :-)

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you have a blessed day!  ~Laurie

 
Stamps:  Thinking of You (Flourishes)
Paper:  Kraft c.s. (PTI), My Mind's Eye (Life Stories Collection)
Ink:  Chocolate Chip craft ink (SU!), Aqua Mist Pigment (PTI), Antique Linen Distress ink
Accessories:  Clear detail e.p., Burlap string, button, Vintage Cream grosgrain ribbon (PTI), Flower, Butterfly punch (PTI), Sewing Machine, Crochet lace
 

Center of Attention Spotlight - Mini Binder Box...

Happy Monday!  Today part of the Baker's Dozen DT is sharing projects created with the Mini Binder Boxes from Taylored Expressions!  Not only are they perfect for storing your Taylored Expressions stamps, but they can be used for SO much more!! 

Because I love to cook & bake, I decided to create a recipe card holder! 

I chose some October Afternoon Paper to slide inside the clear protective cover and used the pie image (from Berries & Cherries), some Prima letters, a painted chipboard frame, and some rhinestones
to decorate my box. 

Of course I had to add ribbon!  :-)  I used some of my long unused eyelet setting tools (the anywhere hole punch) to punch through the plastic.

 

To make the pie look a little more realistic, I added some Glossy Accents glaze, then sprinkled on some clear chunky glitter.

For the inside, I decorated three 3 x 5 pieces of c.s. (the sentiments were printed on my computer).

I included 25 blank index cards for each section (Side Dishes, Main Dishes, & Desserts).

I have to say, that this project (sewing and embellishing included) too under an hour to create!  I LOVE that!!  I definitely plan on purchasing more of these Binder Boxes to create more Christmas gifts!

If you would like to purchase some of these Binder Boxes...make sure you check out the SALE that Taylor has going on!  For today and tomorrow only (11/16-11/17) the Binder Boxes are 15% off!

In the past, the Mini Binder Boxes have come with a customized Taylored Expressions Cuppie insert.  Now, Taylor is offering three different insert downloads...perfect for all three lines in the Taylored Expressions store (Sweet Impressions, Lasting Impressions, Whimsical Wishes)!  You can see them all here!

Make sure to check out what the other Baker's Dozen girls have created with their Binder Boxes:  Dawn, Denise, Jackie, Jami, Karen M., Sankari, & Taylor! 

Thanks for stopping by!  ~Laurie