Stampin' Up Fancy Folds

I attended a fancy fold class with two of the local demonstrators. We did 3 cards, all supplies are SU and other than doing them on the other side pretty much they were the same as the samples.

This first card was a Tri-shutter fold card, they called it different but that's how I know them. This is how it looks for mailing

and this is all open

This second card was quarter fold card which was Splitcoaststampers.com project of the week I believe about 3 weeks or so ago

this is how it looks in the inside

This last card was a side step card. It folds flat for mailing

other than the steps being on the other side I also stamped the 3 circle twice one for the front and one for the back as I don't like the glue dot showing on the acetate :0) even if its the back I personally don't like it

Crafter's Companion

Remember I told you about the kits I got from Crafter's Companion/Spectrum Noir that I was disappointed? well they contacted me to see what I thought of the service and product as it was the first time I ordered online...I used to buy things at the show that I thought I was buying from them BUT I was just buying from a company that sold all their products...that happens when you assume :0) anyway I received an awesome customer service from Bindy. They replace the bad product. How awesome was that!?

I made these cards with the images they resend me. I couldn't decide what I wanted to do but I wanted a different card fold...didn't want to do the side step as the original kit but something different.
So I decided to play with the Brother Scan N Cut to see if I could come up with something I didn't have to cut by hand and this is what I came up with. I couldn't get the border cut along with the rest of the card on the machine but with all the punches I have guess I could do a little work :0). So other than the the border punch that is EK everything else was cut with the machine...from the Crafter's Companion image to the card base and layers

I just love being able to do this kind of cards with out guess work and mostly without having to tired my hands :0) the base card is ONE whole piece, I did added a insert piece first to make the border pop and also to add a message that can be read easier. 

Craft room

Now that I feel better have so much to share BUT today I will just share with you my craft room as I had some request of how my room looks like now. I just love it!

My room is about 12' x 10' to me seems  pretty small but since I started with a small area in the closet I can't really complain with what I have now even though I would be happier if it was bigger :0)
Snoopy always welcomes me and anyone that goes in :0) (yes until now I saw I forgot a little of Christmas decoration LOL)

These punch holders are not available any more and has the punches I should get rid of as I don't use them. They're too hard for my hands and even though Bret bought me a press drill I seem to break the punches :0(
The box that you see on the floor right at the entrance is my scrap cardstock. I have them on a filing box with file hangers they're by color and pieces are no smaller than 3x5 anything that is smaller than this goes into the recycle bag

This would be the right wall when you go in. When we added to the house we remove the window so instead of wasting this space I got Bret to do some book shelves as at the time it was Jacob's room. Now I still have some books...mostly dictionaries and the paper backs books that I tear for cards. Also that's where I put all my ribbons, they're at plain view and easy access...even though I seem to forget to make cards with ribbons :0)
The stamp storage is from Best Craft Organizers and I love them. The drawers are 1" tall ( a few are 2") and 12 x 12 so holds lots of stamps ON ONE layer perfectly. You can remove the drawers if you want to take them to another area, or to see the stamps all the way to the back.
All the shelving was from Lowe's and it holds one layer of boxes to make it easy to access the box without having to move anything although I have been stacking some things on some of the boxes :0) but all I have to do is slide to the next box
The CD/DVD boxes are from JoAnn Fabrics the first 4 shelves top to bottom holds card samples of the almost all cards I  have made over the years (since late 1998) by theme or company and they are mostly by date, each card has it's recipe card which includes what material I used, technique, if need of explanation it also has it and to whom I send the card to, and for many years now, it also tells me not just to whom the card went to but why. I used to add that information to PageSage but since I can't use that program I have to have it manually.
The other boxes are stamp by company mostly, and a couple boxes with prestamped images so I just have to pick and color. On top of this boxes I have my small ribbons and washi tape holders. One of the boxes has the big Sizzix, Tim Holtz & SU dies. The stamp boxes are numbers so I can just check my cheat cheat and get to the box I need

Bret added a hook so I can hang my reusable bags they're out of the way but still "easy" to access. The fancy scissors and hand held punches are also in plain view so I can use them but doesn't seem to happen often :0)

The frappucchino bottles that you see in the photo boxes holds my flower soft and some embellishments. They do take a bit more room but at least I have one for each color and they're all the same :0) they're all label on top for easy pick.

This would be the center right wall. Again all shelves are for one layer box. All the photo boxes have a number and I have my book with what I have in each box very explicit. Before the redoing I knew where everything was and since I had to reorganize I did some changes and I needed to write where was everything so I didn't have to waste time finding what I needed. The craft photo boxes I got them mostly at Michaels when they had their 6 x $10 or 7 x $10 sale.
The CD/DVD boxes holds my embossing folders by theme, my dies by theme. 2 more boxes with card samples and one of card to give away with a holiday theme (Christmas, Reyes, Easter, Independence Mexico & US, Halloween, Thanksgiving) because I lost one hook in the top with the screws I couldn't move the second shelve higher so the bracket was in the way and couldn't fit a box so in that area but didn't want to waste the space so in each area I put something. I have my ink pads that I don't use (Vivid!, Ancient Page, Cats eyes) also, all the things for the Vagabond/Big shot as well as envelopes, one holder is A2 and the other is A6.
At the edge of the middle shelves I have my little Memento pads with their sponges and there are other boxes that holds the sponges for my SU pads and Distress ink.

This is the window wall. I decided not to put the blinds back as well as my cork board. I loved the light it was giving me without anything so we put some privacy window sheet and it's great!
On top of  the desk I have my scrapbook papers, cardstock and craft related documents. This was my computer desk so where the tower used to be I have my Christmas, Winter, Fall and Halloween scrapbook papers and well as any glitter papers. The file cabinet holds old magazines that I don't want to get rid of yet. Also I have my paper cutter by Zutter and heat gun. On the left side, the two organizers by the same company as the stamps one holds my 12 x 12 cardstock by color and the other holds some specialty cardstock but mostly embellishments and punches. This one has drawers of 3 sizes, 1", 2" and 3"
The shelves on top holds text weight paper, white cardstock, my Xyron refills as well as my mats and paper for my play days.
Also out of the way I have my light box for taking picture, easy access to move to the right spot when needed. The CD/DVD boxes under desk holds some more stamps and my Peel-off stickers I also have in that hole my vanilla cardstock and Tombow adhesive refills.
On the right side of the desk I have more cardstock (8-1/2 x 11) as well as my Copic Markers journals and the photo boxes holds small paper pads and any other paper related thing (doilies, etc)

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 On this last wall, I reorganized some of the caps we had. Bret collect them so all the ones I had plus a few that he didn't use at all stay in the room all the rest are in sort of display by the entrance. Over the closet door I have more hangers for reusable bags but this bags have stuff in them. The umbrella and tripod is for taking picture, out of the way unless I need something from the closet but easy to move to the right spot.
For my punches I got the racks from IKEA, having the punches on plain view has help me to use them; when they were in drawers out of sight out of mind.. Bret had made this long table for me to work on but I seems I was just stake things so this time I decided to make it more of a work area. On the right side I have all the SU catalogs since 1995, easy access if I want to check anything. On the left side I have my glue gun and my Brother Scan N Cut. This machine needs a lot of room when in use so decided not to block it at any time so I don't have to be moving things when I use it. Since the mats have to be store flat I  have them next to it and for the most part I don't put anything on top unless I have to take pictures as that is where I put my light box

Last but not least my working desk. This is also from the same company as the other organizers. The drawers are in 2 different sizes, 1" and 2". Only 2 drawers holds paper the rest is mainly tools. On the right side the first drawer I have my postage stamp book, it's a half size binder and I have my postage stamps like at the PO by denomination. So I don't have to be going to the PO unless I'm running out of stamps or is something that can't be dropped at blue mailbox. The next drawer has labels for the current and next month birthdays/anniversaries and some other labels of friends, family & yahoo group members so I don't have to be printing at the last minute. Another drawer has my Evo templates, another my Coluzzle templates, my label maker and the rest of the drawers has odds and ends plus small punches.
On the drawers to the left I have Tim Holtz Distress Ink and the big Memento pads. My adhesive guns (ATG and xyron) and ribbon cutter, some cardstock, PO scale and more odds and ends stuff.
I normally work standing up but there are times I have feel like sitting specially when I'm fixing images on the Scan N Cut machine so I have the stool which Bret cut to my size BUT lately I seem to be using it mostly as a step...I get on the little stool and then on that stool to get the things on top shelves :0) when you're short but want to use every spot available you have to make yourself tall :0)
My whole desk surface has cutting mat but then I also have a smaller cutting mat on top. I have my Vagabond ready to use at all time and my Copic Air Brush System as well as an Ott-lite when I can't see even with all the light in the room. Under desk I have garbage, recycle bag (paper bag) as well as my foam mat and scoring board. The file cabinet that is on back is not stamping related but had to go somewhere :0)

There is nothing in the middle, (the crate shouldn't be there :0) so I could have one person playing with me in the craftroom without problem but seems like whenever I have play mates we do it in the dining room. Also no more booby traps (sp?) so anyone can go in and out without trouble :0)
My desk is pretty clean as lately I have been only working in the bedroom so I drag my stuff to the bedroom and then I bring it back when done and TRY to put everything away, with the way I have my storage now I should be able to put everything away without fuzz but laziness sometimes gets the best of me and I just set things by the box it should go in :0(

Hope you enjoy the tour to my craft room

Stampin' Up Club

I couldn't attend August's SU Club but was able to work on the cards during last week's play day. These are the cards we did.

On this one I use Wink of Stella glitter brush clear on the flowers

This one the technique was using markers on clear block then spritzing with water then stamp. This is a technique I had tried in the past and TO ME is messy so didn't like it :0) but when doing workshops normally I do work on whatever the technique is as long as I can handle the mess :0)

Other than noted all supplies were SU

Shoebox Thursday

Today was my turn to do the shoe-box project so I did the step block card. To make things easy for everyone I had everything cut, stamped, punched and score. All they had to do was cut off the "t", the flaps & glue.

This is the first card I made with this card fold so it's just as all the tutorials I saw. After this card was when I started making the changes on the others :0)

Other than using 4-1/2 x 12-1/2 paper everything else is pretty much the same. I did figure out the measurements for a 12 x 12 paper so now I'm able to make any size cards...using 12 x 12 or 8-1/2 x 11 or the original measurement.

The stamp and punch is by SU same as one of the cards I posted yesterday

This is the front

This is the back view

This is top view

Front flat to add in A6 envelope

Back flat to add in A6 envelope

Independence

I have been wanting to try this card fold and I had fun making several of them. This one is almost like all the tutorials I saw except that I decided to just score where I was adding layers the rest of the card is clean :0)
Like all tutorials it's for an A6 envelope. Since our independence is next month I made it as a "Mexican theme" All images are by The Rubbernecker colored with Copic Markers cut with Brother Scan N Cut. The message is computer generated and I used one of the Splitcoaststampers tips/project of the week or whatever is call :0) to to the banner

This is how you would be it in the envelope

This is is the top view 

and this is viewing from the front

Christmas

This card is similar to the independence card EXCEPT it's for an A2 envelope. I didn't see any tutorials on making this size card so I decided to play. I'm sure someone out there had figure out the same as I did but I didn't find any posting :0)
I use mostly A6 envelopes so didn't need to change the size BUT I wanted something I could do with any paper I have and without the hinge piece. The other card the base was 4-1/2" x 12-1/2" most tutorials called for 4-1/2" x 12" and a piece for the hinge as hardly anyone has cardstock bigger than 12x12.

This Christmas card is with a  base of 3-3/4" x 10-1/2". I seem to collect stickers just as anything else LOL so this one I did using background/scrapbook papers and stickers. I did do as everyone else did...scoring each square, I should have decorated the back as I really don't like the marks of each square

 This is how it will be in the A2 envelope

This is front view

and this is top view

Petite flowers

This last card of the day is again for A6 envelope. The size is 4-1/2" x 12-1/2" I only score the long way and couple of the squares. Instead of using a bunch of squares I decided to do the "step" length. I used a SU stamp set and punch

This is how it comes in A6 envelope

Front view

Top view

Shoebox Thursday

When we were at Candee we did this simple little bag as the shoe-box project. We use SU's scallop tag punch. We got to pick the paper we wanted as well as matching ribbon. I didn't attach the ribbon the way everyone did as it wouldn't keep the bag close so I did it my way :0)

   

  

Washi tape

Do you ever feel there is not enough hours in the day to do everything you want? I have been wanting to redo my recipe book which of course will be a never ending job as before I can finish I have to make most of the recipes to decide if they will be in there or not.

Also I need to finish my address book making sure all the info is up to date so I don't do more mistakes of sending to an old address :0)

Last but not least is finish updating all the cards I've made over the years! yeah too many cards
The down side of all these things are they're all things to do on computer which I'm not supposed to spend lots of time on :0(

Anyway not a lot of card making in the last few days due to my neck pain so these are two cards I did before. I wanted to play with my washi tape again as I have a big collection :0) seems I keep finding more I can't live without

This one I got the washi tape at Office Max, the flowers are SU punches same as the message

This one the washi tape I found at JoAnn fabrics, I think both of them were from there or maybe the light green was Michaels. The butterfly is a die from The Stamp Doctor and message SU

Shoebox Thursday

Today's shoe-box project was something we had done in the past, for the most part it really doesn't matter what we do as project as well and the supplies we use. But of course doing something different each times is best :0)

Just like with any shoe-box project, must supplies are ready for us just to put together. Which means most of the time the die cutting, embossing and even the punching is done and the stamping is minimal to save time, none of us have duplicate supplies and we're 6 most of the time so it takes time to go around with one thing. We could always ask the others if they have what we'll be using so there would be extras, but the whole purpose of the hostess is the one doing the project is so we don't have to hauler stuff...other than our stamping kit and whatever we want to work on. In our group we have an hour to work on the project then we have lunch and we spend the rest of the afternoon doing our own thing...or just visits :0)

We were doing the triple time stamping technique. Kathy had been working on this technique with different themes and Linda wanted to do a card from start to finish. Is my understanding that only Kathy and I have done this technique...from start to finish. The rest only have done the one we did months ago or none. I like this technique but I don't do it often as I have a little problem with the image not stamping well right where the layers end, so I have to work fast stamping and adding the layers so I don't see that little boo-boo :0) 

The stamp we used is by Stampendous and the inks were SU...we got to pick between pink, greens and purples, rhinestones from her stash as well as the papers

Crafter's Companion card kit

My girlfriend told me about Spectrum Noir Crafter's Companion card kits so decided to look into to them and got 3 kits but probably won't be getting more that these as I made one and wasn't impress. Guess MY EXPECTATIONS were more. The kit arrived pretty quick which I thought was great but when I open the first kit the base card and one of the layers were wrinkled which I didn't like, maybe other people don't care but I did, so had to cut them to work on the card...when buying a card kit you should have to cut your own paper There was enough main images for two cards but not enough supplies for a second card. Yes after working on the second card I realize that probably the second main images was in case I screwed up or to add to sketch book not for a second card but was too slow to think that way LOL. There was 3 markers and instructions on how to color, and finish card. The images were in their paper but not sure how it was stamped/printed as the ink was bleeding when coloring which was very frustrating also even though I followed their coloring instructions I had a hard time blending...probably it was me not the paper

The sunflower was colored with the markers the kit came with BUT the leaves I use the marker that came in the kit plus two of my markers. Yes this card was all done with Spectrum Noir markers even though I wanted to use my Copic markers :0) rhinestones and ribbon were colored with the kit markers

Since I had the extra image I made the second card. Message is by Heartfelt Creations, ribbon from my stash...unfortunately this ribbon also bled when coloring :0( 

I do like the card just wasn't totally happy with the ink bleeding when coloring and wrinkled papers.

Stampin' Up Blendabilities

I took a class using the Stampin' Blendabilities Markers. We got some images to practice the 3 coloring technique she was showing us and then we had 2 images to color and make cards. With the class we got a set of marker our choice of color,  along with a blender or as SU calls it color lifter and a memento pad.

This first image was color dark to light to dark

This one was dark on the outside and light in center on each petal

And this last one was dark to light

On the first card, I love the result but won't be doing it any time soon as I HATE embossing and you can't get the same result without the embossing part :0)

and last project was coloring with our favorite technique. I didn't  like how it came out as the tones of markers are so close to each other than it was hard to blend the way I normally blend with Copics, For what she showed us and on tutorials I've seen online they use the color lifter to achieve a lighter tone. I'm not used coloring with all markers and then go over with blender to achieve the different tones

Anyway here is what I did. I didn't like all the white around the ornament

So I put it in my Brother Scan N Cut machine and cut leaving a small border and use twine as if the ornament was hanging