Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Bella Rose Box


It's Tuesday! Time for my Pals Paper Arts submission, anything BUT a card. I made this special box before Christmas, just in case I needed an extra gift to give. Needless to say, I didn't need an extra gift, so I get to use it today. I love to make these wonderful origami boxes. They make perfect gift boxes. You can fill it with chocolates, jewelry and anything that measures less than 4" x 4". I found the tutorial for this wonderful project here. I absolutely adore Stampin' Up's Bella Rose DSP. I wish I would've stocked up on more before it retired. It works perfectly for girls of all ages, big and small. One great aspect of these little boxes is that they can work for anyone. With the right DSP, boys of all ages could enjoy. Who doesn't love decorated boxes to store stuff? Thanks for stopping by today.

My Stuff:
Ink: riding hood red, basic black
Stamps: dreams du jour, fundamental phrases
Paper: bella rose dsp, kiwi kiss, pink pirouette, riding hood red, whisper white
Tools: round tab punch, 5 petal flower punch, vintage brad, jumbo pewter eyelets, crop-a-dile, pink pirouette grosgrain ribbon
Big Shot: top note die, little leaves

Monday, January 18, 2010

PPA25 and Cards for St. Jude

I must say that I am glad the weekend is over. Sometimes, it's nice to get back into a routine. The kids had several social and sports activities. People used to tell me that parenting got harder as the kids got older, not easier. I was skeptical, but now I understand. Trying to keep up with busy social lives and sports schedules, is hair wrenching at times, but at least the older ones sleep through the night. A good trade off, in my book. I did get out and do some stampin' and socializing with fellow Stampin' Up demonstrators this weekend. I always enjoy making projects and talking with friends. I now understand the attraction of quilting guilds.
I made this card yesterday for the Pals Paper Arts Challenge 25. I also wanted to make a Valentine's Day card for the children at St. Jude's Hospital (Cards for St. Jude's), so I needed the card to appeal to little ones. Unfortunately, I found out this morning that they have reached their goal of 200 cards to send to St. Jude's. Instead, I may look into sending some cards to the children's cancer center at one of our nearby children's hospitals. I think these special children could use a nice "pick-me-up" on Valentine's Day. Cards for St. Jude's was such a great idea, why not spread it locally?
Onto my card - my base card measures 4-1/4" x 5-1/2 (Whisper White). I used Basic Black, Real Red and Kraft for the layers. I stamped the adorable skunk from the Pun for Fun stamp set onto the Kraft paper, using Basic Black Classic Ink. I used the masking technique, if I felt the skunks may overlap. The red skunk was stamped separately onto Whisper White and heat embossed using the black embossing powder. I then colored him in using a Real Red marker and cut him out to add over a previously stamped image on the Kraft paper. This gives him a 3-D look, so cute. I colored the flowers in with the Real Red marker and I also outlined the stamped skunks with the black journal marker to give them more depth. My red skunk got a 3-D pink heart, instead of a flower, to make him even more special. I added some Real Red polka-dot ribbon around the top, to hide the "lack" of images underneath. I absolutely LOVE embellishments. The amount of embellishments I have on a card, usually equals the number of mistakes - hee, hee. I finally stamped Mr. Skunk's sentiment, I stink you are sweet!, onto Real Red using Basic Black ink. I punched the sentiment out with the Modern Label punch and used black brads to adhere to all the layers. Voila! I must admit this is not one of my favorites. I don't know if it goes outside my comfort zone or what, but no matter how much I did to it, I still wasn't happy. I guess there just comes a time when one needs to stop, accept it and move on. I got the idea from a card I viewed on SCS, but I must say her card seemed much more appealing. I wanted to use the skunk because kids get such a giggle out of the sentiment, I stink you are sweet!, and these children definitely need a good laugh.
Thanks for checking out my card today and please say some extra prayers for those still suffering in Haiti.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

PPA24 Challenge & KWerner Color Inspiration

HERE GOES NOTHING. . .

WOW, my first blog post ever. Welcome to the 21st century, Kelli. Here is my entry for the PPA24 Challenge at Pals Paper Arts and the Color Inspiration Challenge at KWernerdesign.

This is my first sketch and color challenge and I must say it's more daunting than I would've initially thought. I assumed I would lay out the colors accordingly and cut, paste, distress, etc. . ., but then I tend over analyze, making a project tougher than it should be. Thanks for stopping by and checking out my new site. Wherever you are, I sure hope you are staying warm. . .

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My Recipe: all products are Stampin' Up
Paper: Kraft, Baja Breeze, Cameo Coral, Riding Hood Red, and So Saffron Card Stock
More Mustard DSP
Ink: Baja Breeze, Riding Hood Red, So Saffron and More Mustard
Bling: Flower Designer Brad
Tools: Modern Label Punch, Hemp Twine, Big Shot w/ Daisies #2 die-cut, sponges, Distressing Tool, Paper-Piercing Tool w/ Mat Pack, and Signo Gel Pen.
Stamps: NONE - Chit Chat Rub-On
Technique: sponging, faux-stitching