Now that's using your noggin!

Sorry for my lack of posts recently.  Mom's been in and out of the hospital with an infection, so I've been running a little crazy these past few weeks.  Needless to say, my crafting mojo was at an all time low.  Now that everything is finally getting back to normal (or at least as normal as it can get with my family...lol), I'm feeling crafty again!

To transition myself back into creative mode, I thought that for this month's class we would concentrate on getting back-to-basics.  Fancy scrapbooks and pop-up cards are great, but what happens when you need just a plain old birthday or thank you card...and you need it pronto?!?  Just sit there staring at that blank paper until something comes to you?  Not any more!  In this class we will be using two basic card ideas (Gathered from a great blog called mojomonday.blogspot.com.  Props to those girlies!  They have great ideas that are easy to build on.) and turning each of them into three different cards.  We'll be making a total of 6 cards, all from two samples.  How is this even possible you ask?  By looking at each basic card idea and using a little creativity, we'll create three cards that all look different and unique, but at the same time require little effort and time.  Quick and dirty and you still come off looking like a pro!  What more could you ask for?

*For each class in the future I will be offering a kit and an actual class that takes place in Kailua, HI.  The class fee is usually $20 (Depending on the projects.  Please add $5 for shipping if you do not live on island or are not able to pick up your kit in person.) and includes the pre-cut pieces and supplies for the project.  Since I was so busy this month, I wasn't able to post this in time for my online readers.  The information only went out to my email subscribers.  Sorry for the delay, but don't worry!  There are classes every month.  Hooray!  The projects always vary, so be on the look out for info on next month's class...sneak peek: It'll be perfect for holding all your Easter treats!*

Here's a picture of the first Mojo Monday art and pictures of the cards that I created based on that design: 

 

I love the colors in this card.  Chocolate chip, Kiwi Kiss (RIP Kiwi Kiss...I wish that SU would bring you back.  I only have one pack left...sigh...I'll have to find a new favorite green.), Very Vanilla, and Teal...I love you all. :)  At first I wasn't really crazy about this stamp set, but now I totally love it!  The little baby birds are soooo cute.  

More birds...I know...I guess I was in a bird mood...lol.  This is what I thought the card would look like in the other orientation.  I used the new SU bird punch.  So easy and quick!  I used a dimensional under the wing to give Mr. Birdie a little more depth.  I also used the new scallop trim corner and edge punches on the green paper (Thanks Gretchen again for your great tips!).  I was going for more of a vintage look for this card and I think that the scallop trim border added a lot to that look.

Oh the Love Bandit!  He really did steal my heart.  I took one look at this little raccoon and thought "He will be mine, oh yes, he will be mine."...lol.  You can't really see it in this picture, but the bottom of the card is punched with the eyelet border punch.  This card is my favorite...of course!  Not only is it pink (Melon Mambo to be exact), but I used one of those super cute Sweet Pea felt stitched flowers.  I am so in love with those right now!

Here's the second Mojo Monday picture and pictures of the cards based off this design:

 

 

Thanks for Owl you do...cute, cute, and super cute!  (Going on a tangent...I love cartoon owls, but I think that real owls look totally creepy.  Am I right?  They have those weird beady eyes and the head that can turn around super far...maybe that's just me though.)

 

This card was made using the Good Neighbor Stamp set and the coordinating Good Neighbor Paper Pack.  I just love when everything matches together so easily.  I used some bling to bring some shine to the card.  Perfect card to greet a new neighbor with, accompanied by some yummy cookies of course!  (I think that I might be the only person in the world that still does that...lol.)  Or you could just use it as a thank you or a general occasion card.  I bought the clear stamp set version of this stamp set and I'm sure glad that I did.  I think that the clear stamps makes it easier to see where you are stamping each image in relation to the other.  Not nearly as much guess work as before...though I still do heart my wooden block stamps.

I used the SU Finial Press embossing folder for the Old Olive back ground of this card.  Before I stuck it down I rubbed my gold stamp pad over the raised parts to give it a little shine and richness.  This card steered the most away from the original design.  After awhile there is only so much that one can do with three vertical lines for a background, so I opted for one on the background (the crushed Chocolate Chip cardstock) and one a little closer to the foreground (the stain ribbon on the Rich Razzleberry cardstock).  It's a rich and regal card for a birthday Queen or King. :) 

Hope that you enjoyed my cards and that I see you all at next month's class!  Happy almost Friday!

Funny Hubby comment of the week...

Getting ready to go out with friends on a Thursday night...

Me:  "Hey, hun, how do I look?  Is this outfit okay?"

Him:  "Yeah it looks good.  You look really thin...like you're going to break a leg."

I don't know whether that's a complement or dig, but it sure did make me laugh.  At least thin was in there somewhere...lol.  Hope you all are enjoying your Monday!  Look out for a post on the next class soon. :)

Great things come in 6"x8" packages!

Are you ready for the cutest darn little scrapbook ever?!?  Well here it is.  It's called a Tri-fold Scrapbook.  Why do we call it that?  Because it folds out into three sections, of course!  When a regular scrapbook doesn't pack enough wow, this one steps up to the plate!

Here's a pic of scrapbook from the front.  Closed it measures only 6"x8", but wait 'til you see inside!  

I opted to my make scrapbook out of SU Love Sparkles Simply Scrappin' Kit (113918).  I just love that pink and brown combo!  (Well pink and anything is fine with me.  Hell, pink and pink is great!  If you can't already tell, my love for all things pink rivals closely with my stationary addiction.  My poor husband probably has nightmares about coming home to an all pink house...*insert evil laugh here*.  Personally, I think that pink makes the world a better place.  It's just such a happy color!)

Each Scrappin' Kit can make two books, give or take a paper or two, if you're not a super careful cutter.  Here's a pic of the book fully opened:

Props have to go out to Andrea Walford for the original idea and design.  She's a Stampin' Up demonstrator in Canada and she totally rocks my socks!  She deserves some major paper diva points for this one.

Hope that you are all having a great week so far...and if you're not, don't worry tomorrow is Friday!

Finding my inner Scallop Edge...punch that is!

Stampin' Up just recently came out with a new Scallop Trim Border Punch and Corner Punch, featured in the Sale-A-Bration and Occasions Mini catalogs.  Like a superhero duo, their forces combine to make squares and rectangles that are completely surrounded by a scallop edge!

I took one look at them in the catalogs, squealed with delight, and just had to buy them!  I busted them out as soon as they came and then thought "Oh crap.  How am I going to figure out what size squares and rectangles make the scallops align perfectly?".  The thought crossed my mind to do the old guess and check, but that would require a huge waste of paper and probably an equally huge glass of wine...lol.  So being the savvy searcher that I am...I Googled it.   (When in doubt, Google it out!)  Low and behold, I found a woman with the patience of a saint!  She toiled until she figured out the exact measurements for each square and rectangle.  So now I share with you the work of Gretchen Barron.  My hat goes off to you Gretchen!

My edges will no longer remain straight. :)

Hello world. It's me, Arielle.

All right people.  After numerous requests...I am on the web. 

For those of you who don't know me personally, allow me to introduce myself.  Hi my name is Arielle and I have a serious passion for stationary...or at least that's how my husband nicely describes my addiction to paper and all things related.  I know that I am not alone and I frequently remind him that there are others, just like me, walking around out there in the world.  His response?  Smile and nod.

So here it goes.  My blog is to be a safe haven for other addicts, I mean those impassioned by stationary, out there in the big world.  A place where we can all gather to share our passion without judgment from those who do not understand.  I have a dream...okay sorry, I'll stop now before this gets ridiculously long.

What now, you ask?  I have no idea...lol.

Arielle