Author Archive
Retiring Stamps
I haven’t had much time to stamp lately, but I’m still sad to see the list of SU’s retiring stamps. They must go to make room for the new ones in the catalog release on July 1st! I’m excited to see what’s in the upcoming catty because the new “in-colors” will be released along with a ton of new products. SU is also moving to a single catalog per year instead of two, so stamps will be hanging around for a little longer. Yay!
Here is a link to the list of retiring stamps from the Spring/Summer catty (stamps available through June 30th): Going, going, gone
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Christina’s Bridal Shower Invitations
Summer is wedding season and it’s keeping me quite busy with creative projects. Christina, my FSIL (or future sister in law for the non-wedding obsessed), is getting married to my little brother this fall. All of the bridesmaids decided to host a ultra fab Hawaiian themed bridal shower for her. Since I’m widely known for my paper obsession, I was commissioned to make the invitations. I picked some fun and spunky colors, representative of the cheerful Hawaiian islands. I designed a quick invitation on Illustrator and printed it on my Gocco, inspired by Miss Gloss on Weddingbee who kindly shared her font resources. Coral envelopes were made from scratch out of sheets of 8.5″ x 11″ card stock. I texturized them using a Sizzix embossing plant and my Sizzix machine. Those cute little blue flowers were cut and embossed out of turquoise paper using a Sizzix embosslit die (they emboss and cut a shape out in one pass through the machine).
Tutorial on the coral pocket to come! I’ll share the photos for now. 
The Husbin Needs Your Help
Hello dear readers. I need your help! The Husbin asked me to ask blogland for a little help on his statistics project. He needs your input on a question:
Loading ...Hubs promised I could get an iPhone if I get enough people to respond, so your assistance is much appreciated! (Although he’ll probably cave and get me an iPhone anyway. LoL) Thank you!
Stampin’ Up Occasions Mini Catalog
Ok, so today I already admitted I’ve been a bad blogger. I have to confess that I’m a bad demonstrator too. I haven’t yet posted the release of Stampin’ Up’s Occasions Mini catalog, despite the fact that is has already been out for two weeks! It has a ton of adorable stuff in it and I’ve already spent a good chunk of change on the products, although I haven’t yet had a chance to use them. I love the adorable Matchbox Bigz die and matching stamp set (page 16-17). I’m already planning to make some super cute party favors.
Click to open the Occasions Mini Catalog
Also, there’s a promotion going on too! From SU’s website: The Get Connected Campaign: Connect with family and friends when you make them beautiful cards and gifts using products from the Occasions Mini Catalog. Until April 30th, when you buy $40 in products from the Occasions Mini, you’ll get one item from the “Under $10” page (p. 208) in the Spring-Summer 2009 Idea Book & Catalog–free!
Happy stamping!
Tutorial: Top Note Die Box
I love blogging. I’ve kept an online diary in various forms for at least ten years now. Blogging is a part of my everyday life that I doubt I will ever give up. Unfortunately, when life gets busy, blogging is also the first activity to fall by the wayside. It takes a chunk of time to craft a project, photograph it, edit pictures, and then write up a post–anywhere from one to three hours. I love sharing info. I just wish I had more hours in the day to blog more consistently.
That long paragraph is my excuse for blogging less regularly than I usually do. I hope you’ll forgive me!
Today’s post is a belated one for Justine, who requested a tutorial for the Top Note die box that I made a few weeks ago. Sorry for the delay! I hope you (and everyone else) find this useful.
Start out with a 9″x6″ sheet of paper. Score one inch in on each side. Then, along the 9″ side, score at 4″ and 5″. Cut the folds 1″ to the score line along the middle score line and on one side.
Next, cut away the two scored sides of the opposite box end. This portion will be the box lid.
Fold the box into shape, tuck the little tabs that you sniped along the inside, and adhere with sticky strip. For my box, I also rounded the edges of the box lid to finish it off.
You can use whatever you like to keep the box closed. Here, I used a magnet that I purchased online. You can use a bit of Velcro too, which is easy to find in craft stores.
Now, cut four Top Note die shapes using the Sizzix. Two of the shapes should be with normal card stock because it’s thicker and two should be cut with patterned paper, if you want to decorate the outside of your box. The two layers will give the cover a little more strength. Then, adhere these covers to the top and bottom of the box that you made.
You can stop here if you like, but if you want to create dividers for the box, those can be easily made. To divide the box in half, cut a 3″x6″ sheet of paper. Score and fold at 2″, 3″ ,and 4″. Insert into your box.
Here’s the box divided into two sections. You can adhere sticky strip to the divider to keep the center from puckering up.
Now, for the other dividers. Cut two sheets of 2″x5″ paper and score at 1.5″, 2.5″, and 3.5″. Fold and insert into your box.
Voila! Finished box.
SMART Goals
Anyone that has worked in the corporate world has probably heard the cheesy term, SMART goals, overused and abused. SMART goals are all the rage at my workplace. The acronym stands for goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant (some people use Realistic here), and Time bound. A SMART goal would be something like this: I will create and sell ten cards by March 31st. The goal is very specific and measurable (I can tell if I achieved it or not), attainable, relevant to my interest, and time bound (has a deadline).
Although I think SMART goals are as Office Space as it gets, I’m going to set some for myself in my pursuit of photography. You see, I’m not really a go-getter type of person. I’m a sit-on-the-sidelines type of gal. I like to take things easy. I’m very cautious and even insecure when it comes to my abilities. Unfortunately, sitting on the sidelines and bemoaning my insecurities will not help if I truly want to start a business. I need to stop letting my fears take the best of me and just go for it.
Easier said than done! One thing I’m so grateful for is the full, unwavering support from Hubs. He believes in me a thousand times more than I believe in myself. Just yesterday, he came home and found me sitting on our kitchen floor with a frown on my face; I was upset because my mind was racing through the list of all the things that could go wrong if I pursue photography and fall flat on my face. What if I invest thousands of dollars in equipment and fail? I have zero professional training, what gives me any idea I can pull this off?
Hubs smiled and picked me up, gave me a huge bear hug, and told me he believed in me and that he wouldn’t encourage me if he didn’t think I could be a photographer (and a good one too). Of course, I think he’s biased. He has to believe in me–he’s my husband! But, Hubs also reminded me that God is the one guiding me on this adventure. And, if He’s the one leading, I have nothing to worry about. He always provides. I don’t know how I would stay grounded without Hubs. Seriously. He is my rock.
So, I’m taking a practical first step in the direction of my dreams. My first SMART goal is to learn to shoot (and feel comfortable shooting) completely in manual mode with my camera by July 31st. I signed up for a photography class, but it doesn’t start until June. So, I’m not actually sure if this goal is attainable or not. At least it’s a start!
Project Recipe (all supplies SU unless noted): Owl Together Now stamp set, card stock in bashful blue, whisper white, pumkin pie, ink in kiwi kiss, chocolate chip, ruby red, designer paper in Good Morning Sunshine, On Board So Tweet (for the chip board owl cut out–in the current catty), stampin’ dimensionals
Catherine & Mark’s Beachy Wedding Invites
I’m back after a week away from the blog! I spent the week in San Jose for HR compensation training. It’s actually much more interesting than it sounds. But I missed you guys, so I’m back and ready to blog.
Today’s post is a repeat for those of you who follow Weddingbee. Since I received some requests last week about the invitation Gocco project I worked on, I thought I’d share the finished product here also.
The design for the inside cards was done by the lovely Emma & Bear while I designed the colors, folder presentation, and also completed the hand printed them on my Gocco. It took approximately three weekends of my life away, but the final product was worth it!
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