Inkspiration for Stamping and Scrapbooking

Gift for the Teacher

Oh so frustrating - I had this post done and went to save it and it disappeared, so here we go again!

Last minute Annie here spent the evening making this stationary ensemble as a thank you gift for Sarah's teacher.

This is a box with a pull-out folio, and the genius behind the design is Andrea Walford. She's brilliant when it comes to boxes and packages!

Without a template, I thought I'd give it a go.

I started with Elegant Eggplant cardstock, because Sarah said Miss Jackson loves purple. Do you realize we don't have any designer paper with purple in it? Well, we have one, but I don't own it. Not even in my stash of retired paper. So I went with the paper from Crew Cut Girls because it has a bit of gray in it that I thought would work with the Eggplant, and then the pinks and greens would brighten it up.

The set used is new - like out of the yet to be released new catalogue - new! It's called Fresh Cuts. All colouring was done with a blender pen and the Elegant Eggplant, Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink and Wild Wasabi inks.

When you tug on the ribbon handle at the right, this slides out of the box...

... well it's this when you flip it open once.

I thought the greeting was appropriate for a teacher:

May happiness touch your life today as you have so often touched the lives of others.

That sentiment comes from a set in the Occasions mini called For Father. See, it's not just for fathers. :-)

When you flip these pieces out, you get...

... this.

Each pocket holds 2 thank you cards and envelopes.

Unfortunately I don't have photos of the cards - they got lost in uploading. The joys of technology - it's only as good as the operator!

In addition to this boxed set, Sarah made a cardstock basket onto which she wrote all kinds of sentiments and memories of grade 3. She used some eggplant grosgrain to tie in a bag of Steeped Cherry Rose Sencha. We also added some Geronimo Stilton and Magic Treehouse books. I added my Tart & Tangy card using the chalkboard technique - you can see it here. So she's receiving something for herself and something for her classroom - I hope she likes it!

Upcoming Classes

Wall hanging class:

This class features both chipboard and simply scrappin' kits - in honour of National Scrapbooking Month.

Each of these wall hangings measures 7 1/2" wide and 20 1/2" tall (measuring from the knot in the ribbon to the bottom of the last piece of chipboard). And, you can string it to sit vertically rather than hang horizontally.

With Father's Day next month, this would be a great gift for Dad or Grandpa! You will have your choice of making a "boy" wall hanging (uses the Crew Kids Boy Simply Scrappin' Kit) or a "girl" wall hanging (uses the Crew Kids Girl Simply Scrappin' Kit).

When:  Wednesday, May 21st at 7pm
Where: My Home Studio
Who: You and your friends.  If you live too far away to attend you can take this class through the mail. 

What: You pick if you'd like to make the boy wall hanging OR the girl wall hanging.
Cost: $25 each (plus postage if needed).  You can choose to make both wall hangings for $45.

Registration Deadline: Friday, May 16th

Here's a photo of the horizontal version:

  Wouldn't that be nice on an end table or mantle?

Masculine Cards:

It's so much easier making pretty cards for our friends and mothers than the not-too-pretty cards for the guys in our lives, isn't it? Join me as we make 5 masculine cards to have on hand. I'll have birthday and father's day greetings out so you can personalize the cards if you wish.

When:  Monday, June 9th at 7pm
Where: My Home Studio
Who: You and your friends.  If you live too far away to attend you can take this class through the mail.

What: You'll make 5 different masculine cards.
Cost: $20 each (plus postage if needed). Ask about discount for club members and downline. 

Registration Deadline: Friday, May 16th

Photos of this class coming soon!

Check Out this month's SU! party cards

I enjoyed another stampin' Up! party late last week with another fabulous hostess and some really great ladies.

Most of these women have stamped before, but because there were three there who hadn't, I included this simple but striking card:

We made this card with Very Vanilla cardstock, and Old Olive  and Purely Pomegranate inks. The flourish stamp is the larger of the two flourishes in Priceless. The focal point is stamped on scraps and punched out with the Five Petal Flower punch, that co-ordinates so nicely with the stamp we used from In the Sjpotlight, a level two hostess set. We added some detail by using the Crop-o-dile and the mat pack to dry emboss the border. Even the experienced stampers were really "wow"ed with this card! I am sure the inspiration for this card came from a SCS gallery.

We also did this card. I am sure I've shown it to you before. This group hadn't seen it, so why not - it's gorgeous and they had fun doing the kissing technique with the flannel background and the small flower from the Pick a Petal stamp set. 

Our final card was this one - it took a little more work, but it was a huge hit. Again, I am sure that a SCS gallery inspired this one - actually I think I took one idea from one card and another idea from another card, and came up with this...

Here's my favourite little snowman again, from Merry & Bright. He's coloured in with blender pens and ink. The card uses lots of masking to set him in this setting - the tree and snowflakes behind him.

The vertical piece is the emboss resist technique using the "snow" wheel and Bashful Blue ink on glossy cardstock. It's mounted on Wasabi paper.

The background paper comes from the Winter Bright Simply Scrappin Kit. AND I have TONS of the kit leftover for more projects!

If you love incorporating patterned paper into your cardmaking and scrapbooking projects, you are going to LOVE the upcoming November special. Stay tuned!!! Meantime, don't forget that this month, Stampin' Up! is trying to help you simplify things by allowing you to create custom kits for your Christmas cardmaking. Click here for more info, or email me. These kits can be shipped anywhere in Canada.

Happy stampin'! - Ann