CDS Tuesday Tutorial

Would you like to know how I made this framed card holder?  Head on over to Clearly iStamp to get all of the details along with lots of detailed pictures!

Thanks for stopping in!

Clearly iStamp Tutorial

Happy Valentine's Day!  Do you want to see how I made this?

Then head on over to Clearly iStamp for a tutorial with all of the details :D

Thanks for stopping by!

Clear Dollar Stamps Tuesday Tutorial

Are you still working on Christmas gifts?  Sadly, I am, so I thought I would share with you a fairly quick and super easy gift card tutorial that I shared over at Clearly iStamp.  Go check it out. . .you'll be so happy to have this little baby in your arsenal!

Melt-in-your-Mouth Pumpkin Cookies

In the post before this, I mentioned making a dessert for a military function last night. I thought I would share it since it is a fall dessert. That, and they were soooooo darn good! They are called 'Melt-in-your-Mouth' for a reason, mmmmmmm. Anyway, I made about 60, and this is all that is left. My husband has staked his claim on the remaining cookies. Of course if he could have it his way, I'd make only pumpkin-type desserts, as pumpkin is his fave.If you click on the recipe you should be able to read it better, but it was relatively easy. I actually had all of this stuff in my pantry or fridge, so I didn't have to go out and buy anything. . .my kind of recipe if you know what I mean ;)

And here is the whole display from last night, minus a few cookies, hehe.

Here is the tag before I wrote on it. That set was a release from Clear Dollar Stamps last year called Let Us Gobble Together. I love that little turkey.

School is just about done here, but I have some running around to do so I best get going. Thanks for stopping in today. Come back tomorrow for more crafty goodness :D

A DIY Headboard

I know I usually only post about cards, but I just had to post this to show how easy it was. I am not much of a do-it-yourselfer, because time is never on my side. However, it was my daughter's 9th birthday the other day, and she really wanted a new bed with her room redone. We couldn't afford the 'new bed' she wanted, so I explained the alternative. She thought it sounded nice. Don't read on if you don't want, and be aware that this post is long with 11 pictures.

Supplies: Plywood

computer paper

drill

saw

quilt batting

stretching fabric

light weight cardboard

hole punch

thread buttons

staple gun

We started off with a 45" x 39" piece of 1 1/2" plywood that we had them cut at the local DIY store.
I taped some computer paper together to get the width of the plywood, and then folded it in half and cut my design.
I then traced the design with a Sharpie, so that my DH could cut it out.
Isn't he cute with a drill. . .
. . .and a saw, hehe?!
After the design was cut, I drew diagonal lines and where they crossed I drew my circles. This is where my husband would drill holes for the buttons.
Our dog, Lolli, wanted to be involved too ;)
At this point I had already stapled the batting down and was now stapling the fabric.
To make the buttons, I punched 1 1/4" circles out of light weight cardboard 5 times. The next step was to cover them in batting and fabric and sew that together. I cut off the excess, and then sewed them through the pre-drilled holes with some DMC floss. I ended up knotting them off on the back with button to make sure the floss didn't go right back through the fabric on the front.
After that I stapled the edges again to give it a more finished look on the back.
Here is her headboard in her newly painted room. Previously, her paint colors were more of an offwhite on the top and Peptobismol pink on the bottom. It was perfect for a little girl, but my little girl is 9 and wanted a more mature feeling room. So for only $60 she got a custom headboard. That was a far cry different than the $250 bed she had originally wanted, and she ended up being much happier with this.
Thanks for reading on and checking out my DIY project. Hopefully, I'll have a little time in my 'craft cave' today, so I'll have some more stamped goodies to share with you.

My First Easel Card

I'm hooked now! This is my first Easel card, and I just love it! I just noticed, while doing my normal blurfing (that word makes me giggle), that several challenge blogs had an Easel card as the challenge. I've seen so many around and thought I would just go ahead and take the plunge. I used one of my new favorite Clear Dollar Stamps sets called Bold Bouquet. I've been enjoying using the Rock and Roll Technique with it. I also decided to use up some more of my March KI Kit from Taylored Expressions.

Paper Sundaes -- Challenge #18 -- Easel Card

Corrosive Challenge -- Challenge #64 -- Easel Card

Creative Craft World-- Challenge #5 -- Easel card

CDS Stamps: Bold Bouquet & Psalm 3:5-6

Ink: Memento Hot Cocoa, Mellow Moss, Creamy Caramel, Barely Banana, Summer Sun, Bermuda Bay

Paper: paper from my March KI Kit, Neenah Solar White

Accessories: Loop punch from Martha Stewart, Liquid Pearls, Labels 4 & Large Labels Nestabilities, sponges, dimensionals, stick pin, brown ribbon, brown mini brads (CDS)

These cards were just a few that I made with the kit that I plan to put in my Etsy Shop. I had a recent order for a grouping of cards, and it inspired me to do it again. Head on over to the shop if you're interested or email me.

CDS Stamps: Bold Bouquet & Kids Encouragement

Ink: Bermuda Bay, Baja Breeze, Memento Hot Cocoa

Paper: paper from March KI Kit

Accessories: dimesionals & things from the March KI Kit

Clear Dollar Stamps Sneak Peeks Day 2

I have more Clear Dollar Stamps Sneak Peeks for you! This set is called Tea-riffic and is a set of 12 for $7.99. I had so much fun with this set as you'll see further down in my post. On this first one I wanted to use some bright fun colors.

Stamps: Tea-riffic

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Tempting Turquoise

Paper: Kaliedescope dp, Apricot Appeal, Pixie Pink, Neenah Solar White

Accessories: circle cutter, Dahlia Nestabilities, sponge, turquoise ribbon

My next sample is a little tea holder, and I even have a small tutorial to share with you.

Stamps: Tea-riffic

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper: Bashful Blue, Cameo Coral, Certainly Celery, Neenah Solar White

Accessories: Scor-pal, Swirls embossing folder, Flower Creations Nestabilities, Certainly Celery ribbon, tea bags

Markers: Cameo Coral, Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery

*************************************************************************************

Here are the supplies I used to make this fun little tea bag holder.

Score a 6 1/8" x 3" piece of cardstock at the 2 1/2" and the 3 1/2" marks.

Score two pieces of 4 1/2" x 2 1/2" cardstock at the 1/2" and the 1" marks going vertically.

Score those same two pieces of cardstock at the 1/2", 1", 3 1/2", and the 4" marks horizontally.

Cut both pieces where shown above.

Fold all pieces on the score lines and assemble as shown above using adhesive. You're now ready to decorate it from there!

I hope that was easy to follow, but please ask questions if you have any. If you'd like to see more samples from this set please go check out these amazing blogs: Angela, Trudy, Katie, Linda A, Tricia, Stacy, Candy, & Laurie.

There are still more sets to see for today. Here is the list of the goods:

Charlie Harvest: Angela, Trudy, Tricia, Stacy, Candy, & Laurie

At the Races: Kim, Katie, Sarah, Stacy, & Candy

All the sets that you've seen from today and yesterday will be available for purchase from Clear Dollar Stamps on September 1st. Thanks for stopping by today, and be sure to come back tomorrow for more sneaks. Don't forget that you can still get in on the Clear Dollar Stamps Blog Hop for a chance to win the grand prize. Also, you can still put your name in the hat for the Blog Candy I am offering to celebrate my Blogiversary!

See you tomorrow ;D

Embossing with Nestabilities

A friend of mine texted me last night and asked me to explain how to emboss with Nestabilities.  I texted her back and my directions were "as clear as mud", so she asked if I would make a tutorial.  To some of you this may seem like a "duh" tutorial, but it was not that long ago that I didn't get it either.  Yes, I'm admitting that.  I kept thinking that I had to run it through my machine a certain way in order to get it to emboss, but then the lightbulb went off :)

Cut out your image with your Nestabilities the way you normally would.  Don't peel it from the die,  just flip it over like you see in the picture.  

Using a stylus, press down next to the grooves of your die, and you'll be left with an impression.

  Remove your cardstock from your die and flip it over.  Taddah!  You have your embossed Nestabilitie shape and you are all the wiser :)

Stamps:  Spring Critters (CD Stamps)

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Riding Hood Red

Paper:  Rockabilly DSP, Riding Hood Red, Kiwi Kiss, Neenah Solar White

Accessories:  Scallop Circle Nestabilities, stylus, circle cutter, Stampin' Dimensionals, 

White ribbon, Kiwi Kiss courdoroy buttons, Copics, q-tip, paper piercer

Masking

I made this card for a sketch challenge for the Digital Stamp Oasis Design Team Call.  Along with a sketch, the challenge was to use Copics, which I dearly love even though I am still learning with them.  

Masking is a technique that I use a lot, probably because I love to sponge the background and color my images.  So I figured now was as good as any to show a tutorial on how to mask. 

This stamp set is called Charlie Daisy from Clear Dollar Stamps.  Stamp your image on your paper of choice and then stamp it onto a lighter weight paper.  The lighter weight paper will be your actual mask.  Cut out the masking image.

Once your image is cut out use a non-permanent repositionable glue on the back of the image.  I used the Zig 2-way Glue Pen.  You are now ready to place them over the images on your cardstock.

Once the image is covered, it is ready to be sponged.  When I'm done sponging, I save the green pieces and place them with the stamp set so that they can be used again in the future. 

Stamps:  Charlie Daisy (CD Stamps)

Ink:  Bashful Blue, Basic Grey, Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper:  Basic Grey, Eggplant Envy, Neenah Solar White

Accessories:  sponge, 2-way glue pen, Stampin' Dimensionals, circle cutters, Kiwi Kiss buttons, Kiwi Kiss ribbon, Swirls embossing folder

Copics:  W-1, W-3, W-5, W-7, G94, YG95, V15, BV17, Y38