Saturday, August 30, 2008

More Sonobe Origami Christmas Ornaments

Now that I'm getting the hang of these things, they're actually kinda fun. I figured out a little trick for getting them together. At first I was having a really hard time keeping the right shape. They kept ending up getting oblong. So what has really helped me is to start the top with 5 pieces together using THESE directions, then make several groups of 3's using THESE directions and just work the 3's in. So much easier than one piece at a time, and so much easier to keep the right shape.

So anyway, I wanted to make more, but I didn't want to use up all my DSP, and then it hit me! Remember that wrapping paper that SU had in a mini catalog last year? It works wonderful for this! Thinner paper is so so much easier to work with, and you don't end up with as many gaps that way either.
So after I made that one, I thought, well I have tons of other wrapping paper too! So at about midnight I decided to attack my closet and get out some wrapping paper. When I say attack my closet, I'm serious lol. It's a tiny little closet with everything packed in like sardines. My Christmas tree box in on one side, the wrapping paper box is in the middle and the other side is literally just piles of stuff, plus a whole bunch more stuff on top of everything else. So to get to the wrapping paper, I had to take all the junk off the top. Meanwhile the pile of junk to the left of the wrapping paper box is steadily squeaking and slipping. The majority is not boxes. Just loose stuff that just got crammed in there. Everything started to fall. I was trying to hold up the closet and hollering for my husband to come help me. We got everything back in though. It was pretty darn funny. Kinda dreading having to do this again when it's time to decorate for Christmas.
This one is made from foil wrapping paper. This was so much harder to work with. I don't think I'll do it again. The red was fine since it was just a little foiled, but the silver was like working with aluminum foil. I do like the result though. It's really shinywink.

Supplies used-SU wrapping paper (can't remember what it's called), I *think* all the other wrapping paper came from hobby lobby. They have great wrapping paper by the way.
1/4" grosgrain ribbon in White, Bashful Blue, and Silver (retired).

Friday, August 29, 2008

Stamp Something Challenge 17

Good morning! I hope your having a good Friday! This week's Stamp Something challenge theme is "Back to School". I was pretty lost at first as to what to do for this challenge, but then I thought why not an altered composition book with tabs. I mean who want's a plain one when you can have a pretty one mrgreen.-Stamps-Priceless
-Paper-So Saffron, Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, Rose Red, Basic Black and white cardstock; Cutie Pie DSP
-Ink-Versamark
-Accessories-Saffron and Bashful blue 1/4" grosgrain, Pewter HPH, and Round tab punch.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Origami Christmas Ornament

I saw one of these in gallery on SCS the other day, but with no directions. So I googled till I found them. It's modular origami called a Sonobe 20 point star.

You will need 30 squares of paper for this. I used 3 X 3, which I think makes a really nice sized ornament. Then follow THESE directions on how to make a Sonobe which is apparently what the individual folded pieces are called. It looks like there is actually a bunch of different stuff you can do with these aside from the star. VERY IMPORTANT...Make sure these are all folded the same way. If they aren't they will not go together. I ended up having to refold a bunch, because I had been folding mine both ways. I didn't realize it made any difference. Look at the 8th picture in the tutorial link above. If you fold the top left corner down, do them all that way. You can fold the the right down if you want too, just as long as they are all the same!! I hope that makes sense. There are a bunch of different websites telling you how to assemble these. I started off using one that was linked from the Sonobe tutorial. That one is HERE. But I found the visuals on THIS one much better. They are put together slightly differently too, and I had better luck with the second.

Here it is partially assembled. You can see that there will be several holes in this where they connect. I think this paper is just a tad too thick, so things don't fit quite as nicely. I used the biggest most obvious hole to put ribbon is so I can hang it on the tree.

And here it is all done!


The only supplies used white grosgrain ribbon and a bunch of DSP from the prints pack. If you are using 6 X 6 you'll need 7 1/2 sheets, or not quite 2 sheets of 12 X 12. I really wanted to use Dashing DSP for this, but there is now way I'm sacrificing so much of that gorgeous DSP. I've gotten very stingy with my Dashing since it has started to get low.

Time for me to go clean the houserolleyes. I haven't done a thing all day but mess around with this thing and playing around on SCS. Hope you all have a great day!

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Always

Sorry I haven't posted in a few days. I haven't been feeling that creative. I've got new SU stuff coming Tuesday though. New stuff always makes me feel more creative. I didn't order much this time, but I got Upsy Daisy (which I LOVE) and two of the new In Colors. I can't wait! mrgreen

Here is a card I just finished making for my husband. No occasion, just because I love him biggrin. This card was inspired by Markie's Mom on SCS. Faith has amazing attention to detail. You can see her card HERE. She used SC160 which I thought looked perfect with this set. I love the dots on her card too, but my signo gel pen only works when it wants to now, so I pierced instead.
-Stamps-Always
-Paper-Ruby Red, Blue Bayou, Soft Sky and white
-Ink-Soft Sky, Ruby Red and Blue Bayou
-Accessories-SAMJ, Paper Piercer, Mat Pack, Stampin' Dimensionals

Friday, August 22, 2008

Stamp Something Challenge 16

Good morning! Well today is Friday, time for another Stamp Something Challenge. The theme this week is Birthday Somethings, only things are a little different. The design team has the week off and the guest designers are filling it. They have out done themselves! Head on over to the Stamp Something blog to check out their awesome creations! Have a happy Friday!

Thursday, August 21, 2008

I did it!! Well sort of =)

So I've been lost in my own little world the past few days. I followed a link to Michelle Zindorf's blog. If you haven't been there before, go NOW! biggrin I'm almost positive I've been to there blog before, but I guess I must have lost the bookmark(I know I wouldn't have gone there and not bookmarked it), but now I've got in my google reader. Anyway, she makes the most incredible cards I've ever seen! She even has tutorials smile. I've spent most of the last two days at her blog and trying her techniques. I think I'm finally kinda getting the hang of it. I was having trouble not making my skyline a perfectly strainght line. You should see my trashcan lol. It's almost ridiclous the amount of paper I've went though. So worth it though! Unfoutunately I went through the last of my Whisper White when I was first trying this technique out, so by the time I had a small idea of how to do it, I was out, lol. I have some GP and PTI white also, but they don't seem to work. Not smooth enough I guess.

The first card is on glossy white. The paper did not want to take as much ink as I was giving it, so I had to keep heat setting, but I stilll kept smearing stufff. This one looks sloppy, but I thought I'd post it anyway. The second, I'm much happier with. The tutorial I used for these two cards can be found HERE. I drew on some shadows with a basic black marker like she shows in THIS tutorial.

This one is my most recent attempt. Hopefully I'll get the hang of this one of these days. Every time I try it looks a little better than the last, so I guess it just takes a lot of practice. I used Very Vanilla cardstock on this one. This card measures 4.25 X 5 BTW.


-Stamps-Happy Harmony
-Paper-Glossy White (first card), Very Vanilla (second card), Soft Sky and Not Quite Navy
-Ink-Not Quite Navy, Soft Sky, Black Staz-on
-Accessories-Paper Piercer, Mat Pack, sponges and Brayer.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Season of Joy

I love making Christmas cards! Well, for that matter, I love Christmas and everything about it. Am I the only one that listens to Christmas music while making my Christmas cards? I don't care if it's 105 outside, I'll be singing along with let it snow lol. I really need to get a move on! I make all my Christmas cards different, so it takes me forever!

Anyway, I was looking at the new catalog the other day, and noticed the card on page 52 where the bottom edge is folded up and torn. I LOVE that look, so or course I ran right to the stamp room. I cut my cardstock to 4.25 X 9, then scored at 4.25 and 8.5. I would recommend stamping on that little edge before you fold it up though. My first two attempts were very smeared! Then I just tore it and folded it up. I used mini glue dots to keep in in place, while still giving it a little bit of dimension. I'm gonna be so sad when I run of this gorgeous DSP cry.

-Stamps-Season of Joy, Crazy For Christmas (retired)
-Paper-Real Red, River Rock, Old Olive and Very Vanilla Cardstock; Dashing DSP
-Ink-Whisper White (craft), Real Red, Olive Olive and River Rock.
-Accessories-Stampin Dimensionals, mini glue dots, Real Red grosgrain, corner rounder punch

Friday, August 15, 2008

Stamp Something Challenge 15

Good morning everyone! You know what Friday means! Time for another Stamp Something Challenge. This weeks theme is "Summer Somethings". Anything to do with summer! The layout of this card was CASEd from Justbehappy on SCS. You can see her card HERE.

-Stamps-Tart & Tangy, Happy Everything and Straight up Alphabet & Numbers (retired).
-Paper-Old Olive, Real Red, Bashful blue and Whisper White cardstock; Summer Picnic DSP
-Ink-Real Red, Old Olive and Close to Cocoa
-Accessories-Bashful blue grosgrain, Corner rounder punch

Don't forget to check out Stamp Something and see what the other DT members came up with!

Monday, August 11, 2008

More Anni-VERVE-sary Sketch cards

Whew! I'm all done with the Verve sketches. I'm so glad I did them. They really got my mojo going! Anyway, here are the last 6 biggrin.


-Stamps-Fabulous Flowers, Much Appreciated
-Paper-Soft Sky, Groovy Guava, Whisper White and Purely Pomegranate
-Ink-Purely Pomegranate
-Accessories-Purely Pomegranate double stitched ribbon, hole punch, Stampin Dimensionals

I don't have nestabilities yet (or anyway to make an oval for that matter) but I got some in a RAK a while back. I didn't have the right colors, so I traced and cut them out in case your wondering why they look so bad wink.

-Stamps-PTI Take a Bough
-Paper-Old Olive, Real Red and Very Vanilla cardstock; Dashing DSP
-Ink-Close to Cocoa, Old Olive and Real Red
-Accessories-Corner rounder punch, Real Red grosgrain

-Stamps-Doodle This
-Paper-Soft Sky, Groovy Guava and Whisper white cardstock; Cutie Pie DSP
-Ink-Groovy Guava, Purely Pomegranate, So Saffron and Staz-on
-Accessories-Aqua Painter, Black Brads, Martha Stewart glitter, Stampin Dimensionals and SAB rub-ons

-Stamps-Tart & Tangy, Impression Obsession Cupcakes (sentiment)
-Paper-Real Red, Pumpkin Pie and Whisper White cardstock; Summer Picnic DSP
-Ink-Real Red, Pumpkin Pie and Old Olive
-Accessories-Pumpkin Pie ribbon, Stampin Dimensionals, 1 1/4 & 1 3/8 circle punches

-Stamps-Wild About You, It's Your Birthday
-Paper-Ruby Red, Old Olive and Whisper White cardstock; Certainly Celery and So Saffron Prints DSP
-Ink-Old Olive
-Accessories-, So Saffron Ribbon, 1 1/4 circle punch.

-Stamps-Seeing Spots
-Paper-So Saffron, Purely Pomegranate and Whisper White cardstock; Bali Breeze DSP
-Ink-So Saffron and Purely Pomegranate
-Accessories-Jumbo brads (not sure what brand), Stampin' Dimensionals 1 1/4 & 1 3/8 circle punches and Scallop punch.


Not sure what takes longer...making a card or posting itlol

Friday, August 8, 2008

Stamp Something Challenge 14

Happy Friday!! It's time to Stamp Something! Becky Carafa is our hostess this week. Her challenge is to make something using pink, green and blue. Your choice of shades. Multiple shades are fine too! Don't forget to head on over to the Stamp Something Challenge blog to see what the rest of the DT came up with!

-Stamps-Wild About You, Nursery Necessities and Polka dots & Paisley
-Paper-Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery and whisper white cardstock; Pretty in Pink prints DSP.
-Ink-Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery and Pretty in Pink.
-Accessories-Bashful Blue ribbon, Stampin Dimensionals.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Another Anni-VERVE-sary Sketch card

Man, I am lovin' these sketches!! I can't believe how many cards I've been making lately. Oh, BTW the sketches can be found HERE on SCS in the Verve forum. I've got to get some Verve stamps. They are so pretty!

-Stamps-True Friend
-Paper-Purely Pomegranate, Old Olive and Whisper White cardstock; Pretty in Pink prints and Summer Picnic DSP.
-Ink-Pretty in Pink, Purely Pomegranate and Old Olive.
-Accessories-Antique brass brads and corner rounder punch for the scallops. Tutorial HERE.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

More Anni-VERVE-sary Sketch cards

I got a couple more of the anni-VERVE-sary sketches done.
-Stamps- Season of Joy and Many Merry Messages
-Paper-Real Red, River Rock and Whisper White carstock; Dashing DSP.
-Ink-Old Olive, Real Red, Close to Cocoa and Summer Sun.
-Accessories- Pewter brads, 1 1/4 & 1 3/8 circle punches.

This one I'm really happy with. It looks a lot better in person. Well aside from the Bashful Blue moon. My ink pad is getting dry, and I keep forgetting to order a darn reinker for itrolleyes. The moon and star along with the Barely Banana panel are popped up with stampin dimensionals. The sentiment at the bottom doesn't really show up in the picture. It says welcome, little one.

This card measures 4 X 6

-Stamps-Nursery Necessities
-Paper-Barely Banana, Bashful Blue, Whisper White cardstock; Pretty in Pink prints DSP
-Ink-Pretty in Pink, Basful Blue and Barely Banana
-Accessories-Saffron grosgrain, Corner rounder punch, Stampin Dimensionals, paper piercer and mat pack.

Monday, August 4, 2008

Anni-VERVE-sary Sketch cards

Verve Stamps is celebrating their year anniversary, so they are doing 12 days of sketches, and let me tell ya, the sketches are great! I did three of them last night.-Stamps- PTI Take A Bough
-Paper- Real Red, Old Olive, River Rock and Very Vanilla cardstock; Dashing DSP.
-Ink-Close to Cocoa, Old Olive, Real Red
-Accessories-1/2" circle punch, Corner rounder punch and Real Red grosgrain.
-Stamps-PTI Papertrey
-Paper-Whisper White, Pumpkin Pie and Purely Pomegranate cardstock; Bali Breeze DSP and Bashful Blue prints DSP
-Ink-Pumpkin Pie
-Accessories-Pumpkin Pie grosgrain, Flower Fusion and Styled Silver HPH.
-Stamps-Priceless
-Paper-Soft Sky, Purely Pomegranate, Groovy Guava and Whisper White cardstock; Fall Flowers DSP
-Ink- Purely Pomegranate and Groovy Guava
-Accessories-Purely Pomegranate double stitched ribbon, SAB rub-on's.

Taylor's cupcake challenge

Good Morning! I hope you all had a good weekend. Mine was a little boring, but I did get some stamping done. I made this card for Taylor's Cupcake Challenge #27. I flipped the sketch so this image would fit. You don't have to use cupcakes, but I wanted to and these are the only one's I have aside from some small ones. My scallop is down too far too, but that's the only way it would fit wink. -Stamps-Impression Obsession Cupcakes
-Paper-Close to Cocoa, Creamy Carmel, Whisper White, Chocolate Chip and Pretty in Pink cardstock; Berry Bliss DSP
-Ink-Close to Cocoa, Creamy Carmel, Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink, Real Red and Old Olive
-Accessories-Pearl-ex, Chocolate Chip grosgrain, Blender Pen, Aqua Painter, Future floor way (used with the pearl ex) Scallop Circle punch, 1 1/4 & 1 3/8 circle punches.

Friday, August 1, 2008

Stamp Something Challenge 13

Good morning everyone! I hope you all had a good week. This weeks theme for the Stamp Something Challenge is "Thank you". I missed out out last weeks challenge. I waited till the last minute, and then couldn't come up with anything. I'm still hoping to give a try one of these days though. Better late than never I guesswink. -Stamps-Impression Obsession Cupcakes, Papertrey Ink Paper Tray
-Paper-PTI white, Pretty in Pink, Real Red and So Saffron.
-Ink-Real Red, Pretty in Pink, So Saffron, Old Olive and Going Grey
-Accessories-White grosgrain

Don't forget to head over to the Stamp Something Challenge blog so you can see what everyone else came up with and play along!