It's the Berries...

We had our last Stamp Club meeting tonight for this round. I'm always so excited when we start a new club, but always ready for a break when they are over. But I miss seeing everyone each month.

This month was Debbie's turn to be hostess and she fixed one of my very favorite desserts. I don't even know what it's called, but Debbie has been with me since I started my first club 5 years ago and has fixed this dessert several times.

It has Angel Food cake, ice cream, strawberries and I think pudding in it. Al I know for sure, it is good! So since Debbie usually makes this dessert for me, I made her this strawberry basket with some strawberry covered chocolates in it. You heard me right - strawberry covered chocolates - the strawberries have chocolate kisses on the inside.

So thanks Debbie for the dessert (and your dip was pretty darn good too) and a big THANK YOU to all the ladies who participated in club this year.

Thanks for looking,

Kim

April Stamp Club (part 3)

When I first started Stamp Club this time around, I had the ladies fill out a survey on the type of projects they would like, what things I could do differently, and where I could improve my stamp clubs. They were all very nice with their comments and for the most part liked the way I conducted my clubs - aren't they sweet - but they did give me a few suggestions.

One of the suggestions were for some simpler, flat cards that could by easily mailed. I tend to put ribbon or brads on almost all my cards, which can add to the cost of postage. So here was a simple, flat card. Just Stamps, Ink, and Paper (SIP Card). Ok, I did add just a little glitter even though my husband banned glitter from the house. We even used Stampin' Up's notecards and envelopes, so that really makes this a fast card

Thanks for looking,

Kim

April 2010 Stamp Club (part 2)

For my Stamp Clubs, I usually do two cards and a 3-D project of some kind. Here is April's project. This cute little bag is made from the Sweet Pea Designer Series paper that was available in the Occasions Mini. If you really like this paper, you can still get it as a My Digital Studio Download. Then you won't ever have to worry about running out.

This bag is the perfect size to hold a set of A2 cards.

Thanks for looking,

Kim

Well it's bright....

I'm not sure what else to say about this card. I saw the layout I think in the Papercrafts magazine and decided to make one. It did use up scraps which is a good thing and it is bright. There's not really much else to say about this one.

Thanks for looking anyway,

Kim

Graduation Card

I just finished taking pictures of my Stamp Club projects for this month to insert into my instruction sheet and realized that yet again, I had forgot to post my projects from the April Stamp club. So here goes...

This card was cased from Jackie Topa. She had posted a similar card but hadn't posted any instructions as she said that she just created the card as she went. After trying to figure it out myself, I realized what she meant. So I needed to simplify mine a bit so that I could have specific instructions for this card. You can't very well tell your stampers "Well just trim a little here or there until it looks about right". They want specific instructions. And this is what I came up with.

Thanks for looking,

Kim

Another Hymnal Card

Here is another Hymnal card that I made. I think the music makes great backgrounds. I did use a different kind of flower on this card and I also stamped on the hymnal page with the swirl image from Baroque Motifs. Otherwise it is pretty much like the one I posted yesterday.

Thanks for looking,

Kim

Hymnal Card

For lack of a better name, I called this a Hymnal Card because it is made from - you guesssed it - a hymnal. It used two of my now favorite retiring colors, Creamy Caramel and Close to Cocoa. I haven't used these colors much until recently, then I find out they are retiring - go figure.

This is a very simple and easy card to make. I've seen several cards like this, but some people were using pages from a Bible. Since I couldn't bring myself to rip pages out of a bible - not even for a card - I decided to use an old Hymnal that I had.

The flower is made from Regal Rose cardstock, so glad that color is staying, the Five Petal Punch and the Flower Fusion die. I also added a brad that was in the Occasions Mini. That mini is over and I am just now getting around to using some of the products that I had ordered from it. I'm always just a few steps behind the times.
I also sprayed the card with Shimmer paint, but it doesn't show up in this picture.

Thanks for looking,

Kim

Paper - Creamy Caramel, Close to Cocoa, Regal Rose

Ink - Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip

Accessories - Flower Fusion die, Modern Label punch, Five Petal Punch, Ribbon, Shimmer paint

I Love Black Magic...

Did that title catch your attention? I am not talking "voodoo" black magic, I am talking about the stamping technique Black Magic.

To do Black Magic, you simply stamp an image in craft Whisper White ink on dark cardstock and let it dry or heat set it with your heat gun. Then color over it with some kind of colored pencils. For this card, which I cased from Karen Barber, I used black cardstock and Stampin' Up's watercolor pencils. Stampin' Up's retired Pure Color Pencils work great also.

Thanks for looking,
Kim

Refuge and Strength

The sun finally came out this afternoon, so I was able to go out and take some pictures of the cards I had made recently. The only problem is although it is sunny this evening, it is also pretty breezy so my cards were blowing all over the place. I finally got the hanging basket that one of my daughter's bought me for Mother's Day and put the cards in front of it so it would block some of the wind. That worked pretty good, but you also see some of the flowers from the basket in the picture.

Anyway, back to the card. This is my attempt at an "aged" card. If you click on the card, you will see a little sparkle in the card. It is very sparkly in real life. I used the Champagne Shimmer Paint mixed with rubbing alcohol to get that effect. Remember that the Shimmer Paints are still available for order. The rest is just stamping and sponging.

You may have noticed (or not) that I have finally updated my blog. And I don't mean just that I have finally posted a card, but if you look on the side bar, you will see several new buttons. You can download the .pdf files of the new core colors that will be in the new catalog coming out July 1st or you can download a file of the retiring colors. I have also posted a link to the new Summer Mini Catalog. For those of you in my Stamp club you will receive your mini at this month's meeting, but incase you can't wait that long, you can view it online. We also have a special this month in honor of National Scrapbooking Month. You can receive a package of Designer Brads free with the purchase of a qualifying stamp set. For all the details, just click on the image.

My posts the last few months have been sporadic at best, and I apologize for that. I just need to either be more committed to this blog or just remove it altogether. I am still trying to decide what to do. The problem is I like looking at everyone else's blog more that I like posting to mine LOL! Although I do thank everyone who has stopped by to visit me, and especially those who take the time to leave a comment. It really makes my day.

Thank You
Kim

Stamp Set - Refuge and Strength
Paper - Barely Banana, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip
Ink - More Mustard, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip
Accessories - Crystal Effects, 2 Step Bird Punch, Distressing Tool, Shimmer Paint/Rubbing Alcohol