My son's graduation is in the pocket!

I have to make this post a quicky.  My oldest son is graduating from high school this afternoon.  My, how time flies! 

I wanted to show you the graduation cards I've been making.  I'm getting lots of mileage out of the Pocketful of Posies DSP.  There are so many gorgeous papers in the pack that are good for all sorts of occasions--both masculine and feminine. 

The stamp is retired from a few minis ago.

Paper/Ink: Pocketful of Posies (RETIRING), Basic Black, Whisper White, Baja Breeze

Punches: Crop-A-Dile (RETIRING), 1 1/4" & 1 3/8" circle

Accessories: Eyelets (retired), Black Satin Ribbon (RETIRING)

It's the same pocket design as yesterday's card, just a little smaller.  I started with a 6" x 10" piece of card stock, scored at 3" & 6".  This size card fits in our Small Open-End Envelopes that are retiring from the current catalog. 

You can check out all the retiring products on my website!  Don't forget, all the retiring accessories and decor elements are only available while supplies last, so get them while you can!

If you're interested in getting a copy of the NEW 2012-2013 Annual Catalog, let me know! I can either have one mailed to you for $5 or you can pick one up from me (in Pensacola) for free!  It goes live at noon on June 1!   

Happy Stampin!

Brenda

850*466*3585

bbstampin.at.yahoo.dot.com

A Pocketful of...

Well, I stamped again yesterday... and the day before that and the day before...  You could say I'm on a roll!  It helps that there are so many card giving occasions in May and that I've scheduled a stampin' farewell party on May 24!  BTW, you're invited!  My house in Pensacola (email me for the addy) between 1-3pm!  The make-n-takes will be featuring some of the retiring Stampin' Up! products.  If you can't make it but would like to place an order, contact me or order online.

I'm not going to show you the make-n-take projects (yet), but I will show you the birthday card I made for my hubby...

Stamp Set: Delightful Dozen

Paper/Ink: Pocketful of Posies (RETIRING), Baja Breeze, Early Espresso, Night of Navy, Whisper White, Crumb Cake

Punches: 1 3/4" & 1 1/2" circle, Decorative Label

Accessories: Night of Navy 1/4" grosgrain ribbon (RETIRING), Mini Library Clips (RETIRING)

Big Shot Die: Timeless Type Junior Alphabet Sizzlits (RETIRING)

I didn't realize it while I was making it, but it's fitting that I used the paper I did on this card--Pocketful of Posies.  No, my hubby isn't a posy... what is a posy anyway?  No, because inside the card I made a POCKET!  See!

I needed to design the card around being able to fit an 8 1/2" x 11" folded piece of paper.  So I trimmed a 12" x 12" piece of cardstock down to 10" x 8 1/2" and scored it at 4 1/2" 8 1/2".  To create the window, I punched the Decorative Label punch twice, overlapping about 1/2" to create a longer opening.  The pocket edges are secured with eyelets (long retired), set with the Crop-A-Dile (RETIRING).  You could also use brads or staples.

Well, I hope you've been on a roll with stampin' lately too!  If not, come to my party next week and I'll do my best to inspire you!  I have a few other events scheduled for June & July too.  Check MY CALENDER for the details.

Happy Stampin!
Brenda

A Quick Gift Idea: Personalized Stationery Gift Set!

Happy New Year, my crafty friends!

I want to share a last minute gift I created last month. As the hours were winding down before we were to leave on our Christmas vacation to visit family, I needed to come up with a gift for my husband’s grandma. Knowing she’s one of the few people who still enjoy sending and receiving handwritten letters, I thought what better gift than to create a set of personalized stationery for her!

Having just received my preorder for new stampin’ goodies from the Occasions Mini catalog, I wanted to use the Framed Tulips Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (Pg 28/121809/$7.95). It would add the perfect touch to a set of monogrammed note cards.

I suppose I could have just wrapped the note cards in some pretty ribbon and left it at that. But I decided to make a little something to hold the cards, envelopes and coordinating pen instead.

The base of the notecard folder was created out of a single 8 ½ x 11 sheet of card stock.

• Score at 2” and 2 ¼” along one of the long edges, then turn 90 degrees and score at 5” and 5 ½”.

• Cut out the 2 ¼” x ½” scored section to create the flaps inside the folder. Cut at a slight diagonal along the inside edges of the flaps (see picture below).

• Secure the outer edges of the flaps with eyelets (brads or staples could also be used).

• Decorate as desired.

The monogram is stamped using the Lovely Letter Alphabet set and then punched out using the 1" circle punch.  That is then layered with a 1 1/4" circle and 1 3/4" scallop circle.  I snipped in between each scallop for the monogram on the cover of the folder to add a bit more texture.
 

 
I hope this inspires you to create a quick gift for someone special.  Before you do, be sure to tell me what you think!  Your comments are what motivates me to continue blogging!  Thanks!

If you haven't already, be sure to check out the NEW Occasions Mini Catalog!  Click HERE to start shopping!

Happy Stampin!
Brenda

Sweet Baby Rag Quilt

Our extended Bromen family is growing by leaps and bounds.  The newest addition is my sweet baby niece, Elizabeth.  Here's the flannel rag quilt and tag I made for her.

The pieces of the quilt were cut out using the scallop square die and the Big Shot, which happens to be what I also cut the tag out with. The quilt is 10 x 10 rows and measures just under 36".

If you've never made a rag quilt, you basically sandwich a smaller piece of batting (3 1/2" square for this project) in between 2 layers of fabric and sew diagonally in both directions (creating an X).  Once you have all of your pieces X'd, sew them together into rows with a 1/2" seam allowance.  Then sew the rows together to create the final quilt.  You'll have one side that has the raw edges and the other side that is smooth.  So that the raw edges will fray and create the cool ragged look, you will then need to clip all the edges every 1/4", which works out to be in between each scallop and then in the middle of edge scallop.  After you've clipped all the edges (being careful not to clip through the seams) wash the quilt with some jeans (not towels or they'll end up with lots of fuzzies).  Be sure to check your dryer's lint trap because it gets quite full. 

In case you were wondering about the tag, I used Pick a Petal, Fabulous Phrases & Just Perfect Alphabet stamp sets.  The designer eyelet in the center of the flower is from a retired kit from awhile back.  You could definitely use one of the many designer brads in our current catalog to get a similar look.  And finally, the ribbon is tied around one of Stampin' Up!'s cool library clips. 

Another baby is expected to make his or her grand entrance into the world in the very near future.  I'll be back to share another handmade baby gift with you very soon! 

Not sure if you can tell, but I love crafting for babies!

Happy Stampin!

Brenda

Personalizing Birthday Cards

We were invited to a new neighbor's birthday party a couple weeks ago.  It was actually for a little boy turning one.  I sat down to make a birthday card and quickly came up with this fun monkey card:

But then I remembered the invitation we received had a sealife theme with a crab and decided to stash the monkey card away and make a new card with the crab from the Summer Mini hostess set, It's a Thought.  If you've seen this set, you might be wondering how a frowning crab with the saying "sorry i was crabby" could be useful on a birthday card.  Well, I used the marker to stamp technique to ink just his body (not his frown or the words).  Then I drew in a smile and cut him out.  Here's the card I came up with:

I also used the Tropical Party and Fabulous Phrases stamp sets.  Oh, yeah... and the Calendar Alphabet set to spell Eli's name.  Cute, huh!

Well, about 30 minutes before the party, I was putting the gift in a gift bag and got to thinking... this bag looks pretty boring.  It needs something!  So I came up with this cool crab tag:

The crab tag was made up of a lot of punches and attached to a scallop circle die.  His name was stamped using Just Perfect Alphabet set.  What do you think?  I think it turned out super cute! 

Okay, so fast-foward to a my workshop last week.  Eli's mom, Kristina, came to the party and was browsing my sample table.  When she came across the monkey card, she picked it up and just had to say how cute it was!  I laughed and told her how that was the original card I made for Eli.  She told me that she had been going back and forth between the crab theme and a monkey theme.  How funny is that?! 

Happy Stampin!

Brenda

Handcrafts + High Tech = Happy Birthday Boy!

My son, Nicholas turned 13 years old today. Thankfully he still enjoys receiving my handmade goodies... meaning, he doesn't think they're not cool... or sick... or whatever slang they use these days. Here are the party favors I made:

Stamp Set: Just Perfect Alphabet

Accessories: 1 3/4 Circle Punch, Crimper, Crop-A-Dile, brads (retired), large cello bags

and his birthday card...

Stamp Sets: Nature's Nest & Celebrate Everything

Accessories: 1 3/4" Circle Punch, 3/4" Circle Punch, 1/16" Circle Punch, Slit Punch, Designer Circle Brad, Large Polka Dot Texturz Plate, Big Shot, Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Versamark Marker & Basic Black Craft Ink

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I was so excited that Stampin' Up! came out with a new turtle stamp in the 2009-10 catalog! Nick LOVES turtles! I didn't want to go with the traditional colors with this birthday turtle, so I decided to use some bright cheery colors. First, I stamped the turtle in black craft ink and heat embossed it with clear embossing powder. Then I colored him in with our Stampin' Write Markers and let him dry a little... I got impatient, so I dabbed off the excess ink before I used a Versamark marker to color over the entire turtle to be able to emboss him with more clear powder. Had I not dabbed off the excess color from the markers, I would have smeared my work of art. Then I cut him out and attached him to the card front with dimensionals.

Here's a closer look:

As I said before, Nick LOVES TURTLES! So when he requested that the laptop he gets for his birthday be different from the rest of our laptops (yes, we're a laptop family), I immediately thought...

A DECOR ELEMENTS TURTLE!

What a fun day!

Happy Stampin!

Brag Book... this one's for a Grandma.

The daughter of a friend of mine (from one of my stitch groups) just recently had a baby. When she was asked if she had pictures to share, my friend gave all sorts of excuses as to why she didn't have any... even though her new grandson was several days old and she was actually at the birth! Knowing that I was going to be seeing her again at a luncheon a few days later, I quickly whipped up a clear envelope Grandma's Brag Book:

Boy, was she surprised! Coincidentally, she had actually just gotten pictures back from the printer before coming to lunch and there were just the right number of pictures for the pages I included in the book! So, instead of people fingering all of her precious grandson's pictures, she was able to pass around this book. I have to say, it was a proud moment for both of us. :)

Here's a closer look at the tag. Notice the new punch I used, it's called Modern Label. It's new in the 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog and will be available for you to order on July 1! I also used the Billboard Decorative Strip Die (& the Big Shot) for the title on the book. It's not a new die, but I don't think I've shared a sample of a project I've used with that.

Happy Stampin!

Hello and Good-Bye...

As you may know, Stampin' Up!'s new catalog is coming out on July 1. As a demo, I have the opportunity to pre-order some fun new stuff before the catalog goes live! My box of pre-ordered goodies arrived last Wednesday, but I had a lot going on personally last week. So, I am just now getting around to sharing one of my new catalog creations with you.

I used 2 new stamps sets (Circle Circus and Teeny Tiny Wishes) and 3 of the new In-Colors (Bermuda Bay, Crushed Curry & Soft Suede). The Modern Label Punch and Soft Suede Polka Dot 1/2" Grosgrain Ribbon are also new.

You may be thinking, "Hey, this card layout looks familiar!"... Well, I actually came up with this card before I came up with the card for the class that I showed you in my last post. I just liked it so much, that I changed it up with different stamps and accessories.

I prefer to keep my blog-o-creativity upbeat and happy. But that's hard to do when someone important in my life has passed on. I feel I should share the news... my cat, Daisy (16 yrs) went to kitty heaven last Saturday. It was fitting that on the morning of her passing, she enjoyed one last time in a box (one of her favorite things)... I guess it's a good thing I paid to expedite my pre-order... this is priceless:

You may think she looks fine in this photo, but what you don't see is the fact that she could hardly breath and she was wasting away. She weighed a whopping 5 lbs 8 oz at the end. She was a sweet kitty and will be missed terribly.

But don't worry, I'm not lonely... I have another cat to keep me company:

I have to tell you that Punkin did not start doing this until after Saturday. Curious, huh?!

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Happy Stampin!

Brag Book... a great Mother's Day Gift!

With Mother's Day just around the corner (May 10), I recently held a class for this project:

Stamp Sets: Great Friend, Baroque Motif, Define Your Life, All Holidays
Accessories: Big Shot, Serif Essentials Alphabet die, Scallop Circle die, Background 1 Texturz Plate, Jumbo Eyelets, 5/8" grosgrain ribbon and sanding block.
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Using clear translucent envelopes for the inner pages gives you a place to simply slip in 4x6 photos for a wonderful Mother's Day gift that any mom or grandma would LOVE to show off! You could even step it up a notch and create mini scrapbook pages. If you'd like to give this project a try, check out the tutorial for the basic brag book construction on SCS.

If you haven't noticed the April Special flyer to the right, be sure to check it out. When you order at least $40 in products from the Occasions Mini catalog (before s/h & tax), you will get to choose a stamp from page 208 of the Spring-Summer Idea Book & Catalog--up to a $9.95 value--for FREE! You can also earn a free stamp from that page if you host a workshop with $150 in sales (along with the usual hostess benefits)! If you'd like to place an order or host a workshop (in your home or via catalog/email), please give me a call or shoot me an email... or order online through my website. This offer ends April 30!

Happy Stampin!

Easter Sampler Projects

Here are the projects we did at my Easter Sampler class last night:

I have to admit, none of these projects were my original idea. In my exhaustive search for the perfect projects, while spending quality time with one of my best friends (the computer), I found them. As most creative demos do, I then in turn, made them "my own" and shared them with my customers.

The basic idea of the paper-pieced sheep came from a fellow demo on SCS. Unfortunately, I don't recall her name. I can't wait to share this cute little guy... or girl with my knitting friends! Making the carrot out of the pennant die was something Lyssa posted on her blog earlier this month--what a clever and oh so easy idea!

Here's a closer look:

Occasions Mini Sneak Peek Stamp Set: Forest Friends

Other Supplies: Frames with a Flourish, All Holidays, Eyelet Border punch, Brads, SAB Ribbon Bundle & DSP, Dimensionals and Stamp-A-Ma-Jig (a real crowd pleaser!)

Supplies: Scallop Circle Die, Big Shot, Wide Oval Punch, Heart to Heart Punch, Rhinestone Brad, Gingham Ribbon, and SAB Ribbon Bundle.

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Supplies: Pennant Die, Big Shot, Sanded BG, Sponge, Grosgrain Ribbon, Eyelets and Crop-A-Dile.

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If you'd like to come to one of my classes, check out the calendar of events on my Stampin' Up! website and give me a call! Do you have a special class request, let me know!

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Don't forget, Sale-A-Bration will be ending in less than a week! Be sure to take advantage of this awesome promotion before it's too late! Either place your order online through my website or give me a call and you'll be...

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Happy Stampin!

Get Ready for the New Year: Make A Calendar

Here's a calendar I made for my sister:

This was one of those last minute projects that I added to my to-do list and was able to complete in about a 3 hour span of time. I somehow forgot to take a picture of November (hopefully I didn't forget to make November). ;)

I used the Create-a-Calendar kit from the Holiday Mini catalog by trimming the calendar section to a 4" square and using the designer paper side of the leftover pieces to decorate the pages. The pages are 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 (half of a regular piece of cardstock). The pictures are wallet sized prints (2x3). I left some of the pages blank so my sister could add her own pictures.

Once I completed all of the pages and covered a piece of chipboard with cardstock for the base, I used the Crop-A-Dile to punch holes for the binder clips (being sure to line them all up). Because the pages had several layers, I punch the holes on each page separately. For re-enforcement of the holes on the base (chipboard), I attached jumbo eyelets.

You can't see the very top of the calendar, but I created a hole for hanging in the center of the chipboard base. Measuring carefully, I marked a 1/2" line in the center so I could punch a series of smaller holes along the line to create an oblong hole. Then I punched a large hole in the top center, so the calendar would hang straight--just like you find on a lot of hanging packages from a store.

Happy Stampin!

Brenda

Bag it and Tag it!

Here's a Bag-A-Lope we made at the Packages & Tags class:

What'a "bag-a-lope" you ask? It's a bag that you make out of an envelope by cutting off one end, scoring it on the other 3 sides (on this bag, we scored 3/4" in from each edge) and puffing it out into a bag. Click here for a basic tutorial.
Here's a close up of the tag. We used Little Felt Flurries & Filigree Brads.


And finally, a gift card tag made with Moose You (which is also retiring... sniff, sniff... I just LOVE this set!):

I got the idea for the layout of this card from my blogger friend Tracy.
And here's a close-up of Rudolph's nose:

Tip: to prevent the ends of the brad from catching on the gift card, I taped over them with a piece of scotch tape.


Thanks for looking! And, as always...

Happy Stampin!

Ornament Exchange & Gift Bag

I sure hope my friends at Stitch & Gab aren't reading my blog today. If you are and you don't want to see my ornament for our exchange, stop reading right now! :)
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I couldn't wait any longer to share the ornament and gift bag I made for our ornament swap that's coming up next week, so here here it is:

Here's a close-up of the tag:

The ornament is knit and felted. I used a pattern for a man's boot sock as a guide for the shaping of the sock--I cut the stitches from the pattern in half and got the perfect size for an ornament.

The gift bag is a Bag-A-Lope, where you tranform an envelope into a bag. If you are interested in learning how to do this technique, I have a class scheduled on Thursday, Dec. 11, called Packages & Tags where this will be one of the techniques I'll be teaching. Contact me to sign up!

Well, I can't promise this will be the last of my holiday gift postings. I've always had a difficult time with surprises... yes, I'll admit, I used to search the house for Santa's stash as a child. I've even been known to blurt out someone else's surprise (sorry, Sis!). It's not that I don't like surprises... I actually LOVE them! I just have a REALLY hard time knowing something really cool is coming and either not knowing everything about it or not sharing it with someone! I will try to keep my gift postings to projects I have made for my loved ones who I don't think check my blog. :)

Happy Stampin!

Blast Off with Another Surprise Pop-up Card!

Who doesn't like surprises? I have another pop-up card that is sure to surprise and impress anyone! I used the Surprise Pop-Up Card tutorial found here.

Here it is closed and ready to fit in a standard envelope.
















Here it is popped up and ready for a special message for that special someone.
















The rocket stamp came from Pun Fun and the sentiment came from Family Phrases. If you have questions about any of the products I used or need help while making your own surprise pop-up card, feel free to contact me.

BLOG CANDY ALERT: This is my final call for you to leave a comment and be entered in my first drawing for BLOG CANDY! The deadline is tomorrow (Friday, Sept. 5th). I will announce the winner on Saturday! Good luck!