Sunday, January 31, 2010

Creative ABC’s

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I invite you to join me every day through the month of February for a creative look at the alphabet. Each day will feature a project, card or technique that draws inspiration from the letters of the alphabet. I’ll begin with the letter “A” and work my way to the letter “Z”.

It has been an extremely fun challenge for me to do this and I have a long way to go before I reach the end of the month.

I do hope you’ll join me every day. I’d love to hear your comments. Your comments are a great source of encouragement for me. Let the fun begin!!

Hugs,

~Leslee~

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

CAS Teal Valentine

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Today’s card was created for SCS’s CAS Challenge #50.This is a very non-traditional look for a Valentine’s Day card.  However, I love just how it turned out!  After the Christmas holiday, the lack of ‘red’ is a welcome sight.  I really like the Taken With Teal paired with the Basic Black.  I used the sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes.  The large heart and flourishes are found in the Priceless set.  The trio of smaller hearts are in Love You Much and then punched out using the Heart To Heart punch.  I used the Taken With Teal and Basic Black Markers to color directly on the rubber before stamping my hearts.  The large heart is up on Dimensionals.  A length of Black Gingham Ribbon around the main panel and I’m done!  A quick CAS card.  BTW, CAS stands for clean and simple.  This would be a great card to mass produce in any color combo. 

Thanks for stopping in today.  I hope you are inspired to try a little non-traditional color on your cards and projects.

Hugs,

~Leslee~

All products are current from Stampin’ Up!  You can purchase them HERE!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Haitian Relief

CM708B Stampin' Up! Online

Stampin’ Up! will donate $2 to the American Red Cross from the sale of every I {Heart} Hearts set sold!  What a wonderful way to help make a difference.  Order your set today!  Perfect time to get your Valentine’s Day projects started too!

Contact me directly or order through my website HERE!

Hugs

~Leslee~

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Wishin’ for Snow

I don’t know why but shades of green just don’t photograph well for me.  I got a new OTT lamp for Christmas and I just haven’t figured it out for photos yet.  Perhaps I’ll try colored card stock for the background next time.  Anyway, I apologize again for the lousy pictures.

I am still utilizing the pieces and parts that I have laying about on my desk.  You must think my desk is a total mess.  Actually, I have an old candle holder that unused pieces and parts get thrown into.  I, also, have a small box that catches all the small-but-usable pieces of card stock.  My objective is to use these pieces up first…whenever possible. 

Before the holiday, Jesse was kind enough to crank out a bunch of small snowflakes using the Big Shot and Snowflakes Set #2.  A few of the flakes found their way into the holder and I’ve found use for them on the cards I have to show you today.  I always hope for snow!!  Now, before you boo me and close your browser, let me 100_9558explain.  I’m from Ohio and winter meant snow and ice and gross dirty snow piles on the roadside for as long as it was cold.  I’m now on the Virginia coast and we get cold without the snow.  It’s just plain old depressing.  At least in the snow, you can send the kids out to play in it.  Around here, a little snow means schools are closed and businesses shut down.  It’s actually totally hilarious!  But I love the snow!  First thing I do in the occasional snowfall is catch a flake or two on my tongue.  Yes, I love to see it snow, dance in the snow, make snowmen and watch my boys play in it.  Now that you know where I’m coming from, let me get to the deets.  Both are very simple cards.  100_9560The main panel is Sage Shadow.  The first card is mounted on a Whisper White card base and the second is on Sahara Sand.  The swirl is from the Baroque Motifs set stamped in VersaMark.  DSP is from the retired Wintergreen pack (I love that paper).  A length of Close to Cocoa grosgrain ribbon on both and a quick sentiment and we are done!  ‘Let it Snow’ is from Punch Pals set and ‘Happy New Year’ is from Teeny Tiny Wishes.  Both stamped in Basic Black ink.  Easy!

I’m not ready to give up on a good snowfall just yet.  We usually get at least one good one each year.  My father-in-law says it is always when the circus is in town.  That’s usually in February.  I can wait until then =)  Thanks for stopping in today.

Hugs,

~Leslee~

All supplies are Stampin’ Up!  All but retired items can be purchased through the website HERE!   

Monday, January 18, 2010

A Challenge Stretch

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(Before I get to the deets of this card, let me apologize for the terrible photo.  I just couldn’t seem to get the colors to look right.)

  This color combo (Bermuda Bay, Handsome Hunter and Certainly Celery) is not one that I would have put together myself.  It is inspired by a SCS Tuesday’s Color Challenge #252.  You can see the challenge here.  The challenge says that you can use any shade of pink as a bonus.  I felt the Perfect Plum colored bloom (found in the retired Heartfelt Thanks) could fit as a shade of pink.  Yes, it’s a stretch but I already had the bloom stamped and sitting on the desk and it had to be used.  I just added the sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes.  I tried every which way to add pink…pink brads, pink ribbons, pink pieces and parts…it just wasn’t going to happen.  So, with the stretch of the Perfect Plum bloom already against me, I figured that no one would toss me in the fire if I went with the yellow brads.  Guess what?  No one did.  Ok, so maybe I didn’t stick to the challenge and you could say the challenge kicked my butt.  However, it DID inspire me to create and that’s what it is all about!

Scrap Note:  I made this card using scraps and pieces that I had laying about on my desk.  I love it when I can utilize what I already have done.  It has been a challenge to myself and I think that I’m doing a pretty good job doing so.

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you can find inspiration to create.  Inspiration can be found everywhere!  You just need to look around you.

Hugs ~ Leslee~

All supplies are Stampin’ Up!  You can purchase all current items here!

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Large Note Tote

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Here is a note tote that will accommodate standard sized cards and envelopes (finished card size 4.25” x 5.5”).  This holds four each.  You can view the SCS tutorial here, Card Purse.  Again, I used the Bella Bleu Designer Series paper and coordinating card stock and inks.  The ‘thank you’ sentiment on the cards is Elegant Thank You (an under $10 item).  I used the square scallop punch as well as the scallop edge and eyelet border punches.  You can see a larger view of the four cards by clicking on them.

 

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If you should have any questions as to how I did something, just drop me a comment and I’ll give you more details.  It’s really pretty straightforward though. 

This was made for one of the boy’s teachers.  She loved it!  Of course, you could change the papers and theme to fit any occasion.

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope your day is blessed.

Hugs ~Leslee~

All supplies are Stampin’ Up! and can be purchased through my website here.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Teacher’s Note Totes

100_9393I found the tutorial for these adorable little note totes here on SCS and (pretty much) cased what was used.  These little notes are 3” x 3”, the perfect size for a quick ‘thank you’ or ‘get well’.  The 100_9407envelopes are the Mini Squares (3-1/8”) which can be purchased through Stampin’ Up!  I left these notes blank so the teachers can use them as needed.  I used the Bella Bleu Designer Series paper and coordinating cardstock: Kraft, Not Quite Navy and Naturals White.  I love that the coordinating colors are now listed with the DSP.  It takes out the guess work and gets you right into the crafting!  The stamp set used is Pocket Silhouettes.  A perfect set for quick and easy note cards.  The image size is perfect to use with 100_9396our punches.  The punches I used here are: Large Oval, Scallop Oval, Wide Oval, Scallop Border and Eyelet Border.  The sentiment on the tote is from Fresh Cuts.  As always, you can find all these supplies and more for purchase through Stampin’ Up! here!

These cuties can be made for any occasion or with any theme.  Valentine’s is right around the corner.  Thanks for stopping by today!  I hope you’ve been inspired to make a Note Tote!

Hugs ~Leslee~

Monday, January 11, 2010

Playing Catch Up…

I’m sure you are thinking that I fell off the face of the earth. There may have been a few times that I thought about jumping but I’m still here! =)

20091228_11 My family and I had a wonderful (and busy) holiday season! We took a week and headed to Ohio to spend Christmas with my parents. The boys had a ball sled riding down my parents hill. Yes, it brought back memories of my sister, brother and myself in our much younger years! We spent most of our winter days outside. Now, I’d prefer a hot cup of coffee, a cozy pair of slippers and to watch the snow fall from the warmth of indoors. It has taken me awhile to get back into the swing of things back in the office. Not only did I have to play catch up with both companies, but it is time for inventory and tax prep. I’ve got a pretty good handle on things now and my blog posts should be a little more regular. Thanks for sticking with me.

Since I’ve been playing catch up with everything else, I thought I’d catch you up on a few things I did for gift giving. Of course, you can alter any of these projects for gift giving at any time of the year.

I came across this adorable penguin card that Julie Pitta designed. I just had to case it and make it into a gift card holder.

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The card base is acetate and measures 5.5” x 5.5”. The penguin uses a circle cut with the Circle Scissor Plus, Wide Oval, 1/4” circle and Large Oval punches. The snowflakes are from the Sizzlits Snowflakes Set #2. The sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes (still love this set). The scarf is simply a length of the double stitched ribbon in the Mistletoe Ribbon Originals.

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Looking at the inside, the cluster of flakes is from Serene Snowflakes and they are stamped in Platinum Shimmer Paint on Not Quite Navy card stock. I had already purchased the card with the snow angel penguin so the penguin theme fit perfectly! The gift card is simply tucked into a corner wedge of Real Red. Whisper White, Pumpkin Pie and Basic Black card stocks were used on the card too. The recipient loved the card! Who wouldn’t? This penguin is just too cute!

All supplies are Stampin’ Up! and can be purchased through my website HERE! Thanks for stopping by today. I’ll have some teacher note card sets to share with you soon! I hope you’ve been inspired to punch a penguin or two =)

Hugs ~Leslee~