Flowerbug's Inkspot

February's Card Club

When I found this awesome fold on Valita's Designs & Fresh Folds blog I knew it would be perfect for my Card Clubs to make. 

Isn't that fold fantastic?  The folded Vanilla card front is scored & folded in like a hanker-chief.  And you could choose to fold the bottom corners inside too - that is a whole new look!  Here's a link to her video on how to make it.

I used the Vintage Vogue stamp set & the Extra Large two-step bird punch.  The Mellow Moss leaves are also punched using the 2-step Bird punch & the swirls are from the Swirls & Scribbles sizzlit.  I stamped the flowers in Cameo Coral & So Saffron, cut them out & sponged them with more Cameo Coral ink. Then added a rhinestone brad & a dimensional between the flowers.

We added texture to the Mellow Moss & So Saffron layer with SU's Backgrounds 1Texturz plates & the Big Shot.

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And we never seem to have enough manly cards, so this month we did a masculine birthday card.

 

The colors are Dusty Durango, Not Quite Navy & Sage Shadow. The stars are from the set called 'Starring You' - another one of the Free SAB choices. 

Yes I did add ribbon to it, which when asking my husband opinion, he declared 'unmanly'.  But it passed once I added the hemp twine with it. 

Big Shot Class

Saturday, February 27th is another Big Shot Class - for those who have a Big Shot & also for those who just want to play with one!  Here's one of the projects we're doing. 

This card is a combination of techniques - mostly using the Big Shot.  I really like using the dies & folders in 'out of the box' ways & this card shows you two of them.

The basic idea of punching circles from card stock after it's been embossed with the Finial Press embossing folder is not a new one - I believe Kimberly Van Diepen first made one like this, but I thought the little butterflies from the Beautiful Wings embosslit would add the perfect touch to it.  Plus the little 'friends' tag from the Jewelry Tag punch & Tiny Tags stamp set. 

The colors are simple - Basic Gray & Whisper White.  Don't you find sometimes that keeping a card 'clean & simple' makes it really pop!?

But wait, there's more..... check out the inside of this card!

If you score SU's lattice die-cut in 3 sections you can make a simple pop-up inside your card.  No measuring or fancy cutting!  I used the rest of the Beautiful Wings butterfly die-cuts I got from just one cut.  You get 5 sizes & shapes die-cut all at one time!

The lattice & butterflies lay flat when the card is folded closed, but pop up when it's opened!  Here's how it looks from the side:

You only add adhesive to the outer most folds, not the inside two that will pop-up the butterfly.  And be sure when you adhere this lattice piece you have both the card & the die-cut laying flat.  ***The middle fold line of the lattice lays on the center fold of the card.  Flip up the two outer-most folds of the lattice die-cut & add adhesive (I prefer Tombow Multi Purpose adhesive for this) & then just press it flat onto the main card to secure. 

I'm accepting late RSVP's for this class - until Friday at 3 pm.  Please contact me ASAP to save your spot! 

Cost - $10 or 1/2 price for former Big Shot Club members or anyone who has purchased their Big Shot from me.

Hint: current Big Shot Club members are making this card on Sunday!  See you then. 

 

Punch Art Mallard Duck

I am so anxious to do some spring cards (which means flowers to me!), but am holding back on it for at least another week.  So today I did something for the men.

Punch art isn't hard to do, but creating 'the scene' for it is a challenge for me.  Sometimes it comes easily & others - not!  The scene below is not my favorite, but I decided to call it 'good enough' for now. 

• Card stock - Brocade Blue, Close to Cocoa, Whisper White, Sahara Sand, Hunter Green, Only Orange
• Ink - Soft Suede, Really Rust, Bashfule Blue
• Stamps - Autumn Days, Inspired by Nature
• Punches - 3/4 circle - head, Word Window - neck, Horizontal Slot - beak, Wide Oval & large oval - body, back wing - 5 petal punch, 1 1/4" & 1 3/8" circles to make the waves
  
• Accessories - sponge daubers, Top Note die, white gel pen, dimensionals
  

Eggcellent Eggs Basket & cards

I promised you the template to make this adorable spring basket with cards using the Eggcellent Easter kit found in the Occasions Mini catalog on page23.

It's so very easy to do.  Here's the template - sorry it's a bit messy!

You'll need a piece of card stock 6 X 9" in size.  Score 1" in on both long ends, turn it & score 4" in on both short ends.  Cut in to the 1" score lines at both 4" score lines.  Fold up & adhere the sides together. 

Then cut two Scallop Square dies or cut your own 4 1/2" square shape & adhere to the front & back of the basket.  I added polka dot texture to my Celery scallop squares with the Perfect Polka dot impressions folder.  And then I cut a length of ribbon for a handle & adhered it with brads.  

Here's a better view of the cards for those who like to case exactly.

Remember, I used SU's pre-packaged note cards with envelopes.  You get 20 in a package for $5.95 & are 5" X 3 1/2" in size. 

See my original post for one more photo of the cards & basket here. 

Holiday products & Hearts for Haiti update

SU has announced that we can still order a few products from the Holiday mini catalog that ended in early January.  So if you missed ordering something there's still hope!  Here's the list:

Item #	Description	Price
116794	Ornament punch	$15.95
116806	Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint	$5.95
116854	Frost White Shimmer Paint	$5.95
116807	Platinum Shimmer Paint	$5.95
116829	Décor Elements Blocks	$9.95
116824	Stampin' Up! Textured Impressions Folder Petals-A-Plenty	$7.95
116821	Stampin' Up! Holiday Windows Magnetic Movers & Shapers	$29.95
116819	Stampin' Up! Table Setting Bigz XL die	$42.95
116820	Stampin' Up! Embosslits Merry die	$11.95
116823	Stampin' Up! Sizzlits Merry Details die	$5.50
116822	Stampin' Up! O Christmas Tree Pop-Up Bigz XL die	$42.95
118140	Stampin' Up! Tree Decorations Sizzlits die	$5.50
118108	My Digital Studio	$79.95
116519	Charming stamp set	$19.95

My favorites.....?  If you don't have these yet; I'd sure get 'em! 

• Ornament punch
• Petals-A-Plenty impressions folder
• shimmer paints
• Merry Details sizzlit

And here's the news on Hearts for Haiti:

There are just a few days left to participate in Stampin′ Up!’s Haitian relief efforts! Until February 28, 2010, Stampin′ Up! is setting aside $2 from the sale of select stamp sets to be donated to the American Red Cross’ Haiti Relief and Development Fund.

******So far, demonstrators around the world have sold 11,895 sets, which equates to over $20,000 to be donated to this fund!

There are still six days left to participate in this effort and join Stampin′ Up! in making a difference in lives of those who continue to suffer in Haiti.

February's Scrapbook Club layout

Since we've had another abundance of snow this year, I was asked to do a 'Snow' layout for Scrapbook Club.  This is what I came up with.

 

Isn't this snowman cute?  I hand cut the bottom of him using SU's Cutter kit & used a 3" circle for his head.  The nose is the solid stamp from 'Pick a Petal' stamped in Only Orange on Whisper White card stock & cut out.  Then sponge some White craft ink on the top.  His eyes are 1/2" circle punches in black with a bit of White gel pen for the shine. The buttons are plain black buttons glued on with mini glue dots.  His scarf is just a wrapped piece of Blue striped grosgrain ribbon held down with mini glue dots. 

The bottom snow hills are a 4 X 12" piece of Whisper White card stock torn in half - one for each page.  I sponged the torn edges first with Bashful Blue ink & then brushed the edge with the Versamark ink pad & embossed it with Iridescent Ice embossing powder.  I prefer to emboss for scrapbooking rather than have glitter on my pages.

The background snowflakes (Serene Snowflakes) are stamped on the Elegant Eggplant cs using white craft ink.  The snowflake embellishments are ones I picked up last year at a local discount store - sorry; they are not SU.

An easy, but eye catching page layout.  Thanks for stopping by!    

Tour 'de Freaks!

Yes, it's another awesome Control Freaks blog hop.  We're keeping it short - only 2-3 projects per person, so you'll scroll through all of the gorgeous projects quickly. 

We're focusing on products in the Occasions mini catalog - you're gonna be amazed! 

You may have just arrived from Melanie Schulenberg's blog - oh my gosh - she blew me away with that dress card!  So pretty & feminine - so incredible & artistic!

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This first project of mine uses the 'Eggcellent Eggs' kit featured on page 23 of the Occasions mini.  This kit makes easy & unique decorated Easter Eggs. 

But instead of just eggs, I wanted to show another way to use it - how about a basket of cards? 

 

I made a box to hold the cards by making my own template (I'll post that next week along with a close-up of the cards).  Then I adhered two of our Scallop square die-cuts to the box & embellished the front with a Pretty in Pink Top Note die-cut that I cut once, turned 90 degrees & cut again to get that wonderful curvy square piece. 

The flowers are die-cuts included in the kit as are the little leaves & those awesome adhesive-backed rhinestones I used for stems!  Here is a view of the cards:

 

I used SU's wonderful package of note cards & envelopes, which always make easy & fast cards. 

I added just a bit of ribbon here & there plus two small pieces of card stock (Celery & Mellow Moss) that were not included in the kit.  Otherwise everything you see - the rub-ons, printed card stock strips, die-cut flowers & leaves, rhinestones - are all from this awesome kit!  In fact, I only used about 1/4 of the whole kit here.  You could make even more cards & still decorate your eggs!

Besides this adorable kit, all you need to make these are the note cards, some ribbon & one stamp set - I used the Whimsical Words from the Sale-a-Bration catalog.  

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Next up - I played with the cute Chocolate Bunny stamp.  He/she (mine's a girl!) is one of the single stamps in the Occasions mini & costs just $7.95 US!

She's so sweet!  You may need to click on the image to see the glitter & details.

Don't you just love the pink button tail?  Corduroy buttons can obviously be used anywhere!  I used Chocolate craft ink & then embossed her with clear EP.  Notice her collar?  I punched flowers from the Sending Love designer series paper using my Crop-o-Dile.  I also added a few of these on the side of the sentiment oval piece.

• Stamps - Chocolate Bunny, Well Scripted
• Ink - Chocolate Chip craft, Pretty in Pink for sponging
• Card stock - Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Sending Love designer series paper
• Accessories - Clear EP (embossing powder), heat gun, satin Vanilla ribbon, Pink corduroy buttons, sponge dauber, wide oval punch, Crop-o-Dile, Pretty in Pink marker to color her ears

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Now you're off to see Julie Buhler's Paper Pleasing ideas!  Enjoy!

 

February Tour de Freaks Blog Roll

 

1) Cindy Major

2) Wendy Janson

3) Connie Babbert

4) Mary Brown

5) Janine Tinklenberg

6) Robin Spinner

7) Dawn Olchefske

8) Lisa Martz

9) Gretchen Barron

10) Melanie Schulenberg

11) LeeAnn Greff

12) Julie Buhler

13) Erin Blair

14) Wendy Weixler

15) Dannie Graves

16) Patty Bennett

'Vintage Vogue' Four Sheet Wonder!

I did another of my One Sheet Wonders with the fabulous new Vintage Vogue stamp set in the Occasions mini catalog.  I'm changing the name to be the '4 Sheet Wonder' - see why below.

*****Speaking of the Occasions mini, watch for the next Control Freaks blog hop coming this Saturday!  Some of the best stampers out there will strut their stuff!  I know I've got some great ideas to show you! 

 

This type of stamp is so my style!  I like the solid, yet distressed & textured look to the images.  Since I love to 'rock & roll' or sponge which gives a two-toned color to a stamped image, this set is perfect for me.

 

This One Sheet Wonder (OSW) is a plan I came up with a few years ago.  It includes 4 templates you print onto card stock & just cut on the printed lines.  Each piece is numbered - there's no measuring at all!  Just stamp the neutral sheet & cut out, then cut out the three other coordinating card stock template/sheets & put all of the numbered pieces together. Super simple to finish & an awesome class project!  No prep for demonstrators - everyone cuts their own on the pre-printed lines.

This plan is available in a pdf file which is e-mailed to you upon payment of just $7.50

Click here to

If you've never made a OSW, you've just got to try it - the fast & easy way to get 10 beautiful, layered cards.   

I made a few others last fall with Snowflake & Fall sets.  You can see those here:

 

I used these colors - Rich Razzleberry, Pale Plum, Soft Suede & Whisper White. Gorgeous together!  I did add a few other sentiment stamps, punches & some butterflies from the Beautiful Wings embosslit.  The layering & measuring is done for you, but you can change things like punched the trim, adding sentiments & personalize them as you like.  The directions will include just exactly how I did mine.

For those who have already purchased my 4 Sheet Wonder (former OSW) plan, I would be happy to send you the directions for this bunch of cards too.  Just send me an e-mail.  lagreff at gmail.com

Sponge Bob punch art

Yes, it's cartoon punch art today - Sponge Bob has always been a favorite at our house.  Even though my youngest is now 15, we still watch it sometimes! The fact that my husband will never really be a grown up means we still watch cartoons here.

He looks a bit goofy doesn't he?  Well I think he's supposed to! And now that I look at him closer, one eye is a bit higher than the other - oops!

I used SU's cutter kit to cut his Yellow curvy rectangle first, then punched holes in the Yo Yo Yellow with the Crop-o-Dile & the 1/2" circle punch & placed More Mustard CS behind him.

• Eyes - 1 3/8" circle & 1/2" circles punches, plus the Crop-o-Dile for the pupils. We used a black marker around the edges.
  
• Eye-lashes - double rectangle punch
• Nose - Two-step bird punch
• Teeth - hand cut
• Shoulders - 1 3/8" circle punch partially cut off
• Arms - Word Window punch - cut in half
• Belt loops - Horizontal slot punch
• Lapels - hand cut & marker run along the edge