While Supplies Last means While Supplies Last...

I have been a smidge busy this week. With a workshop scheduled on Tuesday, I thought I was all set with a 6x6 scrapbook page and card all designed and ready to go. Well, as I mentioned when the Last Chance lists came out, the retiring accessories are only available while supplies last. Unfortunately, as the workshop got closer, most of the accessories I had planned to use were sold out! Here's my original page:

The Baja Breeze striped ribbon and Baja Breeze card stock are both sold out. When I last checked, the Baja Breeze ink pad and Walk in the Park DSP were still available.

I had even come up with a 12x12 page to show at the workshop--so people could see how to incorporate the 6x6 page into a standard sized album

Also retiring, but still available is the Big Deal Alphabet set. The Great Friend stamp set from the Occasions Mini will be coming back in the 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog!

SO, on the morning of the workshop, I went about designing a new page for the make-n-take:

This time, I used regular colors & accessories that aren't going anywhere and planned the page around a retiring stamp set (Seaside), which will be available to order right up until the end (June 30). In the end, I think it turned out to be a better page for the group. One person at the workshop said she was going to use her page as a gift for her dad for Father's Day. They had just gone to the beach and she had the perfect picture to add to the layout!

I did create a 12x12 page to show with this page, but I'm having technical difficulties with uploading it with the correct orientation. So I will have to upload it separately through my backup, the photo sharing site Flickr.com.

Happy Stampin!

Chipboard Picture Frame

I'd like to share another gift I made. This one is for my husband's grandma... Here's what she'll receive in the mail in the next few days:

You may recognize the wrapping paper and ribbon from last year's Holiday Mini... yes, I'm a hoarder. ;) The tag is made using the Fresh Cuts stamp set.

When she opens the package up, here's what she'll find:

Inside I've created a frame for my sons' school pictures:

I think this is a great way to create something extra special out of those little pictures.

The base of the frames are chipboard, layered with cardstock and Urban Garden DSP. The hinges are made using 2 strips of ribbon sandwiched in between the chipboard and outside layers of cardstock/paper. Here's a close-up:

The stamp sets I used are Inspired by Nature and Calendar Alphabets & Numbers.

To get the different colors on the floral image, I used the marker to stamp technique. Since the Baja Breeze color doesn't come in a marker, I use the edge of the ink pad to color the petals of the flowers before I colored the middle of the flowers with a Not Quite Navy marker. To get the textured look, I bounced the markers on the image to create a sort of pool of ink in those spots. Give it a try!

Happy Stampin!

Framed Notes: Dry Erase Board

I just have to share this fabulous idea with you! While browsing Splitcoaststampers.com, I found the awesome idea to create a dry erase board out of a picture frame!
Here's my version:

I found the 8" x 9" frame on the clearance rack at Target for less than $4! It was a little chipped up, so I sanded the edges to give it a little rustic look and used a sharpie marker to fill in the bigger chips. The paper I used is Juntos from the Celebrando Creatividad (Spanish Supplement) catalog--I just love the colors of this paper! The flowers are from the Inspired by Nature set (stamped in Always Artichoke). "NOTES" is cut out of chipboard and designer paper with the Serif Essentials dies and the Big Shot die cut machine. The dry erase marker is tied on with Always Artichoke 1/4" Grosgrain ribbon. It's a very easy project--wouldn't it make a great gift? This one happens to be a gift for myself... :)

Inspired by Nature - Brayered Scene

Would you believe it was the first day of school today for my boys?! I took full advantage of my first day of freedom and had a playdate at my stampin' friend, Jennifer's house! We tried a technique that Jennifer found on Michelle Zindorf's blog. Our rustic scenes were made using a brayer, sponges, and masking. It was a perfect technique to use with the Inspired by Nature set. Since we were playing at Jennifer's house and I wasn't quite done with my card, I waited until I got home to add my oval hinges & pewter brads. Here are our cards side by side (my not-quite-so-finished card is on the left).
We used Baja Breeze, Pacific Point, Basic Black, More Mustard, Barely Banana and Close to Cocoa ink on Whisper White cardstock and then layered on coordinating cardstock.

Here's my finished card:




Feel free to email me if you'd like more information about this technique.