Notes for an Engineer

My niece Christie, is a Structural Engineer and she recently passed the exam that she had to take after working as an engineer for at least a year. She studied like the dickens for over a month in preparation for it - and passed it with flying colors! (she's such a wizz!). So at a recent family gathering she pulled out her official stamp to show us all and I immediately thought - I can stamp that and make some fun notes for her!!

So this is the little set I made for her. The papers are all Papertrey Ink. The box is one of Lauren Meaders Templates called Desktop Organizer. I used Smokey Shadow cardstock for the box and Black and White Basics designer papers for the strips on the notes as well as to decorate the box.

I stamped her seal, cut it out with a circle Nestability and then adhered a strip of designer paper to the 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" note and then the seal over the DP. I was able to fit 10 notes and 1o envelopes in the box. (the notes are not folded - they are just a single layer note)

She was thrilled with this personalized gift - and we are all so proud of her accomplishments!

Thanks for stopping by today - I hope you enjoyed this project!

I'm off to Stamping Around in VT this weekend but I have some projects all lined up to post. I'll be on line - and hopefully sharing some pics from the workshop soon!!

Lady Bugs and Buttons to the Rescue!

Here you see just a small portion of the giant ladybug army that has been dispersed to snatch back Ladybug Lou-La-Bella Rock-a-Fella from the dastardly evil thug, big bug. They are majorly pissed that any kind of bug would think they could get away with this kind of thing and they are growing larger and larger, even as we speak, as they fly to their destination - they are also gathering buttons along the way to throw at the evil thug big bug.....so come along - there will be a fun tea party celebrating the rescue in a very short time and we are ALL invited!!


To see what the heck I'm talking about?!?! You can check out Mothermark's Teapot Tuesday challenges on Splitcoast Stampers here !


My card was also made for this weeks Doubledog Dare Challenge that I do with some Split Coast friends - Fran challenged us to use buttons on our card. We'd love to have you join in on this DDC challenge too!


Stamps: Papertrey Ink: Little Lady
Paper: Papertrey Ink: White
Ink: Papertrey Ink: pure poppy, Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: glue dots, paper piercer, vintage buttons: Papertrey Ink

An Icky Spooky Boo!!

I made this card for two challenges over on Split Coast today - the CAS (clean and simple) challenge was to pop up something on your card using foam dimensionals. The Try a New Technique challenge was to make your own stamp using a piece of Fun Foam and a Cuttlebug folder.

On the left above is the 4"x5 1/4" piece of Fun Foam that I cut and then ran through my Spider Web Cuttlebug Folder (shown on the right). You can see the web impression embossed on the foam. I ran tape along the back of the roam and attached it to my acrylic block. Then I inked the foam with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and stamped it on my card.

I stamped three spiders and the BOO (Waltzingmouse Stamps - Halloween Party) cut out the spiders and punched the BOO and adhered them over the web using foam dimensionals. I originally only put one spider on the web - but multiplying by 3 increased the icky-scary-spooky factor don't you think???!!! LOL!!!

Thanks for coming by today - hope everyone who has Labor Day off is enjoying their day - I'm off for a walk with DH - I've been stamping all morning - time to get some fresh air (then I can stamp again) !!!

Stamps: Waltzingmouse Stamps - Halloween Party

Paper: PTI, Ripe Avocado

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Accessories: Spider web Cuttlebug folder, Circle punch, foam dimensionals, Fun Foam.

An Elegant Snowflake

Lori was our host this week for the inspiration challenge over on Split Coast and she showed us a fun Moyna Bags web site. I found this pretty beaded star bag that inspired me. I used a great bag template that I found From Mel Stamps for my project.

I embossed these pretty snowflakes from Waltzingmouse Stamps in silver EP. I outlined the sentiment shape with my Krylon Silver leafing pen and attached it with foam dimensionals. I knotted 4 different ribbons through the handle and filled the box with white paper shred. Hershey kisses or some other candy wrapped in silver would look super in this cute box!

This project also qualifies for the Moxie Fab World challenge to make an elegant card/project. Check out the fun challenges over there - you have until 9/7/09 at midnight to link your projects!

Stamps: Waltzingmouse Stamps: Very Vintage Christmas
Paper: Ballet Blue: SU
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Embossing pad
Accessories: Michaels: Blue and white gauze ribbons, PTI: silver ribbons, circle punch, Krylon silver leafing pen, SU: Designer label punch, Silver EP, hot gun, handbag template, white party shred, scor tape, foam diimensionals

Expect a Masterpiece!

I made this card for the sketch challenge over on Splitcoast this week as well as the Doubledog Dare Challenge I do with a group of friends (see my sidebar). Joanne (sleepyinseattle)was our hostess and her challenge was to use an apple on our card.

I clear embossed some apples on the black panel and cut out a red apple and attached it on the sentiment panel. The stamp set is from Papertrey Ink The panels are cut with Labels Eight Nestabilities. You can see all the DDC cards here.

Hot tip: check out http://www.ritzcamera.com/ for 20% off on all Nestabilities - click on the scrapbooking tab at the top right on the site - then look under Spellbinders - They have had this sale continue every month for several months now!

I appreciate your stopping by today!

Stamps: Papertrey Ink: Teachers Apple
Paper: SU: Basic Black, PTI: White, Pure Poppy
Ink: Memento tuxedo Black, PTI: Ripe Avocado, Pure Poppy
Accessories: sponge, nestability labels eight, foam dimensionals, modern punch: SU, script cuttlebug folder, SU: striped grosgrain ribbon, Clear EP, hot gun, Heidi Swapp Distresser

Zebra Tea Party in Africa

Phew!!! I think I just made the last flight to Africa - I thought I was going to miss it!


This week Mothermark invited us all to come along to a teaparty/concert in Africa this week to help Mr & Mrs Zebralski tone down the wild ways of their aspiring rockstar teenager Zeke.


I'm hoping my Grevy Zebras (who swore to me that they are directly related to Zeke) will inspire them with their natural beauty and majesty to tone down his 'rock star' look a little bit while at the same time allowing him to find the space in the world that fits him!


This is an actual photo that I took at the Lewar Downs Wildlife Conservancy, at Lerai Tented Camps in Isiolo, Kenya when Kent and I were there on safari in 1998.


These are Grevy zebras - their stripes don't go around the whole body - they stop at the top of the belly which is white. There is another zebra called the Churchill zebra whose stripes do cover the whole body. I learned these little details from our guide, Joseph, on our trip!


I enlarged my photo 211% (didn't have a digital camera at the time so I just photocopied the print on my printer - Yikes!) and printed it on white cardstock - the card is a whopping 8 1/2 x 4 3/4. I stamped the sentiment directly on the cardstock. I didn't think it needed anything else added accept for the black framing panel.


I'll see you all soon at the Rock concert teaparty! If I'm late save some tea and music for me!!!!

Thanks for dropping by today!
Stamps: Wordsworth by Rubber Soul
Paper: white: PTI, Basic Black: SU
Ink: memento tuxedo black
Accessories: photo, printer

A Cutsey Pail, a Visit with a Friend & Some Birthday Wishes!

This is my third project made for the challenge contests going on over at Paper Crafts Moxie Fab World. You can see all my submissions here. They're asking you to make specific kinds of holiday cards/projects and link them back to their blog for a chance to win some fun prizes and to be featured on their blog.

I made this gingerbread cookie pail for the Fun & Cute challenge - to make a cute card/project! I thought this sweet little pail with Gingerbread men inside and out would fit the bill! I'm always looking for fun easy ways to give food items for the holidays. I got the pail at Michaels for $1.00 and decorated it simply with a stamped gingerbread man from Waltzingmouse Stamps . I cut the image with a Nestability oval and framed it with a scalloped Nestability oval. Then I just tied this pretty striped grosgrain ribbon from Stampin Up around the top. And look how perfectly it matched!

I also stamped the sentiment "Yummies for your Tummy" on a piece of More Mustard card stock and cut it with a Tags 5 Spellbinders, added a blue circle where it gets punched and punched dots to mimic the 'raisins' on the front of the gingerbread man. I hung in on the pail handle with a key chain that I got at Michaels. Of course then I just had to bake up a batch of real gingerbread men to pop inside the pail! (I'm afraid to say these guys are no longer available to be photographed!?!)

Stamps: Waltzingmouse Stamps: Oven Fresh & Half Baked.

Ink: Pacific Point: SU, Butterscotch: Adirondack

Paper: Vintage Cream: PTI, More Mustard, Pacific Point: SU

Accessories: blue pail: Michaels, hole punch, Tags 5 Spellbinders, key chain: Michaels, circle punch, foam dimensionals, glue dots, Scor Tape.

I also wanted to share a picture of me with my cyber stamping friend Anne Harmon. We have known each other for quite a while on Split Coast (she's jdmommy). We are both on the DoubleDog Dare Challenge team (see my sidebar). We live fairly close to each other but had never met. We finally set a date and that was last night at a local 99 Restaurant.

The waitress was kind enough to take a picture of us - it was pretty dark in there as you can see! That's me on the left and Anne on the right.

Displayed in front of us are two cards to me - one from Anne herself and one made by her 88 year old mother! The little red box was my gift to Anne. You can see close ups below. We spent about 2 hours together and I don't think we stopped talking once!! We were instant friends and plan to get together again in the near future! ETA: Anne had on a red jacket so I'd know it was her when I came in - but she had taken it off in this picture!

It's my birthday this Saturday (9/5) Whoo Hoo!!! - so the cards Anne and her mother made me were birthday cards.

The one on the left was made by Anne and the one on the right was made by 88 year old Evelyn! Anne says her mother has a stamping room just like Annes and she stamps every day! I just love both of these. I thought it was so nice that she made a card just for me!
The funny thing is that I used the same Stampin Up stamp set on this box as Anne did on my card! With 2 rooms full of stamps - what are the odds of that? I made this box using one of Laren's Timeless Templates from Papertrey Ink and I made it RED because that's Anne's FAVORITE color!
I filled the box with red and white mints!

Here is yet another card that Anne had sent me in the mail a few days earlier. Don't you love the pink and grey with the black framing?!?!

And finally - (sorry this post is SO long but I have a lot to share today!!) Today I received these wonderful things in the mail from my other good cyber stamping friend and fellow DDC team member - Anne Harada.

Just look at this adorable card with the inchie cake popped on top of a cuttled panel. She also made this cute box (which may be an SU die?) and LOOK at the cute cake she made and had tucked in the little box!!! She used one of those battery operated votive candles and covered it with a scalloped circle on the top, wrapped the sides, added tiny punched flowers on the top, some silver Happy Birthday stickers and dew drops around the scalloped bottom - HOW CUTE IS THAT!!???!?!?! I'm just gonna have to try making some of these myself!! ETA: if you click on the picture you can see the details on the cake!

What a lucky girl I am - thanks so much dear friends, Anne and Anne! - and thanks to all of you for stopping by today