Pun Fun Birthday Card Class

This Pun Fun Birthday Card set would be a great gift for someone, or as a gift to yourself! It includes 4 very cute hand colored and glittered cards that each open a different and clever way, the envelopes for mailing, and the sturdy holder to keep them all in place. The holder is reusable since the envelopes are attached to the colorful fold out tabs with temporary adhesive. Just remove the card and envelope and mail!

To really get a good look at the detail, you can click on the picture for a bigger version. And for more pictures of this cute set, visit this post. For storage, the cards slide right into the envelopes, the envelopes flip in, and the holder folds up and is closed with a Velcro dot.

To purchase a kit (the class has already happened), please click the appropriate "Add to Cart" button on the sidebar.

Michelle

Thanks Jenn H!

I won some stamps and got a really beautiful card from Jenn H. at Stamp-n-Scrap with Jenn!


Isn't her Fresh Cuts card beautiful?!!! I love it brown!

Thanks Jenn!

Michelle

Digital Ahoy Matey 3D Add-ons B4 & After

I keep showing you digital pages and telling you that I add 3D embellishments after I print them out. I finally took a photo of a finished page to show you the before and after.

Here's the before that I digitally created and printed out on my HP 8750 wide carriage photo printer that does 13" x 19" paper:



And here is the finished page (you can click on it and see more detail). I used Crystal Effects on the title to accent it and brighten it up. I added some Jolee's pirate stuff: the ship, map, outfit, sword, skull and swords, and treasure chest. I used my SU! Spiral Punch to make black cardstock look like a filmstrip and cut the squares out of it to fit over the photos that were printed directly on the paper. Lastly, I stamped the swirl (Autumn Leaves I believe) behind the ship in turquoise and again in silver pigment ink, then accented it with Signo white gel pen dashes.

I kinda did a trick with the photo part of the printed page: I digitally cut out and printed just the photo area with a little blue around it on a regular 8-1/2 x 11" piece of photo paper, then so as to not waste all that ink, I printed the rest of the digital page in the first photo on my matte 12 x 12" Epson scrapbook printer paper (I didn't want to use a 13 x 19" piece of photo paper). You might be able to tell if you click the second picture to make it bigger.

Enjoy your day!

Michelle

Another Inchie Monogram Pocket Card

I couldn't stop at making just one inchie pocket card...this one is virtually the same as this one, just with different DSPs.

I just a few minutes ago put up 2 of the 3 Decor Elements I ordered. One in the office at the chair rail stripe, and the other on my corner cupboard glass door. I really love the way they look, and they were super easy to put up. I have one more to place, but I'm thinking about putting it in the guest house...it has to audition several spots before I decide. I'll show some photos soon.

Thanks for stopping by,

Michelle

Mom's Fresh Cuts

When Mom was over last Saturday she made this Fresh Cuts card using So Saffron and Wild Wasabi inks and papers, plus a few Dew Drops, a Rhinestone brad, some decorative edge scissors and Wild Wasabi double-stitched ribbon...very pretty!

Of course I CASEd it! Thanks Mom!

By the way, if you're still on the fence about coming to Saturday's 5 for $5 Stamp Camp at my house, you can see what we'll be having fun making in this post! Call me today to RSVP so that I know I'll have enough kits made up.

Michelle

Inchie Pocket Card

I had time to stamp! Yay! I have been wanting to make some inchies, and I've also been admiring Michelle Wooderson's pocket cards (and everything else she does). So, I did both! You can find the directions on her blog post here.

I used Kraft, Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, and Western Sky paper, Really Rust Classic and Black StazOn ink, Chocolate Chip Taffeta ribbon, Anywhere Glue Stick, SNAIL Adhesive, and Stampin' Dimensionals. I colored the Wild West Alphabet monogram in with my new Koh-I-Noor pencils, a blending stump, and odorless mineral spirits, and the Silver Spica glitter pen. The stamp up the side is from the All in a Row set. Edited to add: I forgot to mention that I don't have any inchie tiles, so I made my own by just using my 1" square punch to punch 3 extra Very Vanilla squares to glue together with the monogram. That way it made it thick like a tile.

I could make a hundred of these (well, I would if I had time)!

If you are thinking about coming to the 5 for $5 Stamp Camp on Saturday, please visit this post for more information and a preview of the projects!

Thanks for visiting!

Michelle

5 for $5 Saturday Preview

Hi neighbors and blurfing friends!

Here are the 5 projects we will be doing this Saturday for the 5 for $5 class. If you click on the picture you can see a larger version with more detail and some glitter sparkle. I hope you can come! We'll be trying several techniques, and you get to take home 5 projects! Please RSVP to my number on the postcard you got in the mail from me, or email me at 2stampis2b@gmail.com so that I know how many kits I need to make up for us. I am excited for us to get together!

If you'd like to keep up on my daily projects, you can either subscribe in a reader like Google Reader (my preference, since there is no time lag), or you can input your email address in the FeedBlitz "Get email updates" box on my sidebar and the updates will come right to your email inbox. I try to post at least once a day, usually with photos of finished projects to pass on some stamping inspiration!

Hope to see you Saturday morning at 9:30 am...we'll be stamping in the guest house next to our new one. I'll have lemonade and iced tea ready...and we can do a tour of the "new" house and my craft room afterwards if you'd like.

Please come!
Michelle

Glue Dot Glitter Test

I made this card to test an idea I had in response to Andrea Walford's glittered glue dot problem of her pencil marks showing from under the glue dot. My idea was to use a Blender Pen and pick up some matching Classic Ink to mark the glue dot spacing with the Mat Stack template. I couldn't get the glue dots to stick! Maybe I didn't let it dry long enough, and maybe the glue dots don't like to stick after the paper gets a little "fuzzed" up by the blender pen action. So, I used 2-Way Glue Pen instead and applied the Dazzling Diamonds that way! I used Wild Wasabi and Bashful Blue cardstock, Pumpkin Pie striped grosgrain ribbon and Classic Ink, then dotted the Sweet Dreams flower stamp flower centers with my Signo white gel pen, and added some paper piercing to the bottom with my Mat Stack template.

And now, I would like to introduce you to my new birder kindred spirit and new customer, Charlie. She does some wonderful artwork with her painting and embroidery cards. Please visit her website! She sells hand-painted soaps, hummingbird feeders, gourd necklaces, glassware, ornaments, earrings, candles, etc. It's beautiful work!

Enjoy the day,

Michelle

Prints DSP Swatch Club is here!

I am pleased to offer you the Prints Designer Series Paper Swatch Club for sale by mail or for local pickup/delivery. These monochromatic printed papers are available in 16 of the most popular colors Stampin' Up! offers.


You will get 96-6"x6" swatches including each paper in the Prints Designer Series Paper in the Stampin' Up! catalog on page 171, featuring a total of 16 sets of Prints DSP, each with 6 large swatches of double-sided designs!


The Prints DSP Swatch Club allows you to own all of the beautiful monochromatic Prints DSP papers available in the current Idea Book & Catalog! The 6x6 papers are perfect for making cards and other projects, and if you are a scrapbooker like I am, you will have a quick 6x6 page base to use! I was inspired to make a 6x6 album after I demonstrated this page, where I converted a 6x6 page to a 12x12! The other nice thing about having this tall stack of papers: it's already cut, so you won't feel so bad about actually using it! Don't save it, use it!


When a total of 8 people have paid for the Prints DSP Swatch Club, I will place the order. When I receive the order, I will promptly prepare the swatches for immediate mailing.

The cost of this kit is $24.00 plus $4.80 Priority Mail if you are not local to anywhere in the US only.

Please choose the Kits by Mail "Add to Cart" button on the sidebar: $24.00 if you are local and can pick it up or get it from me when I am in your area, or $28.80 if I should mail it to you via USPS Priority Mail.

Enjoy!
Michelle

Wednesday Night's eScape sample

This Wednesday at 6:30 pm, I am celebrating eScape, the Stampin' Up! event designed to unplug, unwind, and reconnect through handmade cards. We will be making 5 cards for $5 at my house. I hope you can make it! Call me at 388-0381 or email me at 2stampis2b@gmail.com to RSVP...I have room and supplies for 10 people.

Here is an example of 1 of the 5 cards we'll be making. I used the Spring Solitude stamp in Brilliant Blue Classic Ink for 2 flower impressions and then glittered with Dazzling Diamonds using the 2-Way Glue Pen to make it look more like fireworks! I think it does, especially in person! Real Red striped ribbon threaded through two horizontal slot punch holes, and the greeting stamped in Basic Black add to the patriotic color scheme.

"Put the phone down, turn off the computer, and break from the 'e'" with me this Wednesday evening!

Michelle

I Won This, Too!

I won this cool scrapbook kit from Lisa Bearnson's blog. It's the Creating Keepsake's June Kit of the Month by Stacy Julian and it is really cool! I might do the ten years from when my husband and I met...

Enjoy your Sunday!

Michelle

I Won, I Won!

I am SO lucky! I won this set of 37 stamps designed by Alli Miles with Papertrey Ink, called Mailbox Greetings! I have seen some great things made with this set and hope to get some time to make something with it soon! It even came with the clear CD case to store them all in!

Thanks for offering this wonderful blog candy, Alli! I am thrilled to have won!

Michelle

New Baby

I CASEd this design from SCS. Everything is Bashful Blue and Whisper White. The stamp sets I used were Just Celebrate and Short and Sweet. The argyle paper is from the Hostess Set of Prints Papers, and the shapes (inside and out, which is not pictured) were cut with the Circle and Rectangle Nestabilities. The elephant's ear has Dazzling Diamonds applied with a 2-Way Glue Pen, as do the diaper pins. And I couldn't resist adding Swiss Dots with a Cuttlebug embossing folder to this card intended for my hubby's coworker and his wife upon arrival of their new baby!

Michelle

Project Manager

Here's another digital page. I added 3D construction equipment stickers to each step over the pictures before I added it to my scrapbook album, and I applied Crystal Effects over the "LEGO" title on the side to brighten it up and accent it.

Thanks for looking!

Michelle

Simple Spring Solitude

These cards are very simple: Whisper White cardstock, the Spring Solitude stamp set, Real Red and Pumpkin Pie Classic Ink and Striped Ribbon, and Basic Black Classic Ink. I used my Stamp-a-Ma-Jig to position the solid flower color in the lineart flowers.

This design was CASEd from somewhere, but there was no watermark so I'm sorry I don't remember from where! Didn't the original designer create a nice layout?

Thanks for looking,
Michelle

Christmas in June

This was the digital page I sent out for our Christmas Greeting for 2007. Needless to say, since I am now a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, this year's cards will be handmade and actually sent in the mail! It's been a few years since I went digital, so I may have to get busy soon!


Keep cool,
Michelle

Tell 'Em to Give You a Gift Card!

Did your Wish List just get twice as long like mine did with the Retired Stamps List announcement yesterday? Why not drop a big hint to your significant other or loving family member that has been asking what you want for your birthday/anniversary/early Christmas present and tell them to come here and buy a Gift Card from me, Michelle Tech, your Independent Stampin' Up! demonstrator?!!!

They can buy any amount from me, and I'll send them a gift card similar to this one that they can gift to you so you can use it on any Stampin' Up! merchandise purchased through me.

All they have to do is email me and I'll create and email them back a paypal button for them to pay with!


Make it easy for them!


Michelle

Stampin' Up! Retired List - Get 'Em Before They're Gone!

The Retired List for Stampin' Up! stamp sets came out today. Quantities are limited, so call or email me today to order before they are gone forever! I don't know about you, but there are several on that list that I have on my Wish List! Yikes! Must...order...now...

Here is the list, one alphabetical, and one by item number:

Retired Stamps List, Alphabetical
Retired Stamps List, Numerical

Thank goodness I already ordered All in a Row and Office Accountrement, but Here, Kitty Kitty, Tagger's Dozen, and Unfrogettable are going to be gone forever, along with several others on my list! I'd better hurry!

Don't miss out! If they aren't sold out of these limited quantities by then, the deadline is August 10! You can flip through the online catalog to view the sets if you haven't purchased your own catalog or earned it for free by being a hostess: Stampin' Up! Spring/Summer 2008 Catalog

Hurry!
Michelle

Closet Chaos

I walked into my son's room a few years ago to a closet completely torn apart! I'm not sure what he was looking for, but he sure did create a mess!

The alphabet and background paper is part of the "Tween Boys" digital set I got from www.pchugclub.com. I printed this 12x12 page on matte paper and thought it could have been brighter (it would have been if I had had any glossy paper at the time), so I used Crystal Effects on the letters in the corners to accent them. What a difference that made! I have since used Crystal Effects on a lot of my digital pages to make things stand out.

Happy Sunday!

Michelle

Monster Trucks

I finished this digital page a few months ago, again using an alphabet from http://www.letteringdelights.com/ and also a matching journaling delight set from them for the photo corners and journaling tag. I added similar 3D monsters from (I think) Jolee's to the page to finish it off and put in my 12 x 12 book.

Enjoy your Saturday!

Michelle

One Sheet Pocket Book Gift

An old friend of mine should be getting this in the mail in a few days. She has the cutest little baby and I thought she and her husband needed a brag book to put a few pictures and journaling in, and I got her started with 2 super cute photos in the front.

If you would like to purchase a handmade One Sheet Pocket Book, please see this previous post or click on the sidebar "Add to Cart" button after choosing your paper. I would love to make you one!

Enjoy!

Michelle

Pun Fun Class Reminder

Just a reminder that I am taking signups for my Pun Fun Class. (Edited to add: The class has already happened, but you can still order a kit.)



It's super cute and would make a great gift to give someone or to use yourself!


Your kit will include all of the precut cardstock and Designer Series Paper, ribbon, eyelets and brads, envelopes, and velcro dot for the wallet. You'll need stamps, ink, Crop-O-Dile, a blender pen, Dazzling Diamonds, 2-Way Glue Pen, Sticky Strip, SNAIL Adhesive, Stampin' Dimensionals, paper snips, and the My Way, 1-1/4" Circle, and 1/16" Circle punches. Instructions are also included, of course!

$20.00 + $4.80 Priority Mail (US Only)

Michelle

Please note this class is not available to Stampin' Up! demonstrators. If you are a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator please contact me for more information or click on the "Demo to Demo" box on my sidebar.

Meet My Pen Pal!

In 6th grade English, Mrs. Mooney had us all sign up for penpals. I wanted one in England and Ireland. Well, all these years later (I won't say how many!) my British penpal, Karen (that's her husband Tony), and I STILL write and now email each other! It has been so much fun keeping in touch and hearing how each of us has changed.


Karen, if you're reading, I hope you don't mind that I shared the digital page I made commemorating our friendship!

Michelle

Workshop Cards

For my second workshop last night, we did the cute Popsicle card that I showed in this post, and we also made this Lots of Love masculine truck card (just in time for Father's Day!) using the Western Sky DSP, Soft Sky double stitched ribbon, and blender pens with ink pads. The Kraft card base was stamped with the Sprinkles background stamp, and the other papers are Ruby Red, Close to Cocoa, and Whisper White CS.

Thanks everyone!

Michelle

6x6 scrapbook page converted to 12x12

Here is the scrapbook page I demonstrated last night. I started off with a completed 6x6 page using the Boho Blends Simply Scrappin' kit, a flower from the Blossoms and Basics chipboard set that was colored with Wild Wasabi and covered in Crystal Effects, a square spiral from Hodgepodge Hardware, and a piece of Basic Black 1/4" grosgrain ribbon.


Then I mounted that 6x6 page onto a piece of 12x12 cardstock, attached a border sticker and journaling sticker from the SS set (with a brad from the HH kit), and then stamped the Spring Solitude wheel in Versamark ink above the border strip, and titled and journaled the page using the Basic Black Stampin' Write Journaling Pen. That's it!

Next, I'll post the 2 cards that were the Make & Takes at the workshop.

Thanks for looking! We had a lot of fun at the workshop!

Michelle

Go Pokes!

Here's another digital page that I did this spring. This time, I didn't add any embellishments after printing it. The "Go Pokes!" lettering is another alphabet from http://www.letteringdelights.com/.

I have my second workshop tonight! I'm trying something different this time, based on some recommendations that I got from Debbie: 2 stations of make and takes and 1 station of snacks after I demo the 2 projects. I think will this will go a little faster and will give everyone more time to play.

I'll have photos of the projects (I'll also be demonstrating a 6 x 6 scrapbook page that is premade and converting it to a 12 x 12) over the next few days.

Have a great day!

Michelle

Look what I won!

I won this great set of Prismacolor pencils from Jenn at Stamp Your Heart Out! Now I'll have to learn how to color and blend with them!

Thanks Jenn!

Michelle

Let It Snow...

Maybe this page I did a few years ago in Photoshop will cool some of you off that are heating up! We, on the other hand, just had snow a few weeks ago!

The photo is from when we were down the road picking out a Christmas tree with our permit on Forest Service land. All I did with the photo was apply a filter (was it Conte crayon?), filled the edge with a blue gradient fill, and overlayed a Rhonna Farrer graphic. Easy peasy!

Michelle

Pun Fun Class

On June 21st from 9:30 am to about 3:00 pm, I will be having the Pun Fun Class at my place in the beautiful wildflower meadow for up to 9 lucky stampers! This cute birthday card set comes with its own holder and flip out/tear-off envelopes. Each card opens an interesting way and is so cute! The class price is $25 and includes all of the materials required to finish the project, plus lunch! I hope you'll learn some new things and neat tricks at this class! If you're local or will be in the area, please contact me to reserve your spot.



Update: There are 7 spaces left in this class. Email me today to reserve your spot! If you can't make it to class, you can pre-order a kit from me (US orders only).

Michelle

Please note this class is not available to Stampin' Up! demonstrators. If you are a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator please contact me for more information or click on the "Demo to Demo" box on my sidebar.

Singing in the Rain

Three years ago when just about to leave a restaurant after lunch with my folks, my Dad disappeared with my then 2-year-old. We came outside to this (luckily I had my camera)...Grandpa was encouraging his grandson to jump in the rain puddles! Grandpa can be mischievous sometimes...

This digital page got a treatment of real 3D acrylic rain drops before being placed into an album.

Michelle

Movie Time

I made this digital page a few years back. It's supposed to look like a movie poster. I like to add "real" embellishments to my digital pages after I print them, and this page got a 3D striped popcorn box and some paper movie tickets in the bottom corner. The "SNACK" alphabet is one of many that I purchased from www.letteringdelights.com The whole thing (I must not have had my wide-carriage photo printer, an HP 8750, yet) was mounted on a popcorn yellow mat, and then to 12x12 black paper.

I got to stamp ALL DAY! That hardly ever happens! I was busy working on preparing and making a sample of Andrea Walford's Pun Fun Class that I purchased for my first Stamp Camp, to be held in our guest house on Saturday, June 21st. It will be so beautiful here then...the wildflower meadow (basically our whole 10 acres) will be gorgeous!

The project turned out REALLY cute! Everything is cut and scored, I just need to package them up for a class of 9. There are some great ideas in her Class Planner. I even came up with a few myself (they probably aren't original, but at least I had a few light bulbs today). I'll post those soon.

Enjoy your Wednesday!

Michelle

DSP Swatch Club #1 Ships Today!

I was so lucky to have spent the afternoon fondling EVERY SINGLE Designer Series Paper that Stampin' Up! offers right now, including the 2 in the Mini Occasions catalog, 19 sets in all. They are all gorgeous, and I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite!

Group 1's DSP Swatch Club orders are being mailed out today!

Below is side 1 of each of those 114 6"x6" pieces:

And, very carefully, I turned the set over to show you side 2 of your set:

Enjoy your 19 sets of Designer Series Paper gals! All 114 pieces! Woo-hoo!

If you missed out, I have started a second group. There are 3 spots left, but we NEED to get it filled before the Mini Occasions catalog expires. We'll need to close the Club on June 26th to allow for paypal transfer time.

To get in on the DSP Swatch Club #2, click on the "Add to Cart" button on the sidebar.

I can't wait to start playing!

Michelle

RAK from Jeannie

My friend and cohort Jeannie sent this to me, made with the Merci and Wonderful Words stamp sets. Beautifully colored, Jeannie, and thanks!


Of note: I'm expecting the Group 1 DSP Swatch Club order today, and will hopefully have time to get it prepared for mailing on Tuesday. You all get the free gift since you ordered before May 28!

There are 3 of you in Group 2 that will also get that free gift. If you wish to get in on Group 2, please find the "Add to Cart" button on the sidebar to purchase.

Thanks!
Michelle

More Storage Methods

Here are my last 2 photos from my craft studio for now. In the Rubbermaid basket stand I keep other brands of punches, my long arm stapler, and a different cutter in the top drawer. The 2nd drawer holds mostly adhesives of all sorts. The 3rd drawer down holds mostly QuicKutz stuff, and the bottom drawer holds odd things like pizza boxes (for storing pages in progress) and project protectors. To the right of that you can see the tower my husband helped me build a long time ago when we lived in our little guest house (before we built this house next to it) so that I'd have some vertical storage for all of my stamps. It's made from the same runner system that the wire basket should hang from, but they are closely spaced and have hardboard pieces cut to fit that slide in and out to hold my stamps. I had a velcro'd fabric cover around the top surface to hang over the shelves so it wouldn't look so busy when it was in our little house, but have removed that now.

This is another corner of my closet in the craft studio. I hung a parts bin on the wall for my 3D stickers (also good for little boy lego sets!). The 12 x 12 plastic drawer sets from WalMart hold my paper scraps by small, medium, and large, unused stamped pieces, finished doodads, and paint chips. Zelda, one of my elinor peace bailey dolls I've made, watches over the *supply closet*.

Have a great Sunday!

Michelle