Sister Stamps Release #13 - Shin Shin

 Thanks for stopping by for day three of Sister Stamps Release #13. Today my project features Shin Shin the panda bear.  I've been seeing different types of pocket cards while walking the isles of card stores and it inspired me to make this pocket card with a window. I kept it clean and simple to allow Shin Shin to shine.

Here's what the card looks like when you pull it out.

The stamps I've featured over the past 3 days will be available from tomorrow. To find out where you can purchase them, see the official Sister Stamps blog here.

For more ideas and creativity, check out the Sister Stamps blog here and guest designer, Eva here.

Sister Stamps Release #13 - Haruyo

Welcome to day two of Sister Stamps Release #13!  Today, I'm introducing Haruyo with her pretty hat and beautiful wisteria flowers. To be honest, I had no idea where this card was going when I started.  No grand plans but as I went along it turned into a card/gift card holder. I recently got some new Graphic 45 "Secret Garden" paper so I decided to try it.  I also tried my stamps from Hot Off the Press called "Stamped Stitches" and I love how they work. This is the perfect way to add some faux stitching without the hassle of taking out a sewing machine.

I'll be back tomorrow with one more project so hope to see you here! Also, be sure to check out the Sister Stamps' blog here and Eva's blog here for some great projects!

Sister Stamps Release #13 - Meet Li-Li

Hello there!  It's day one of my projects for Sister Stamps Release #13 and this is Li-Li!  She is so sweet carrying panda and it reminds me of a friend I had as a kid.  My favorite stuffed panda kept me company and listened to many of my stories as well as my dreams and secrets. This image brings back so many memories.

The project I want to share with you was inspired by an idea I saw at a local packaging store. I love this variation of using a cellophane bag to create a fun favor.  I used the Sizzix Box #2 die to create the box and a 4" x 9" printed cellophane bag.  Below are the instructions.  Sorry the lighting on my photos aren't the best.  I decided to add photos at the last minute to hopefully make these instructions easier to understand.

Put your box in the cellophane bag and pleat it back and forth like an accordion.  Start closest to the box and work your way up.  This way, you get the pleats tighter to the box.

Tie a ribbon around the center.

Bring up the two sides of the fan and adhere it together with double stick tape. Tie your tag on to complete.

You can use any size box and cellophane bag. I discovered that boxes with flat tops work best because it allows the ribbon to stay tight for the fan effect.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out the official Sister Stamps blog as well as this month's guest designer!

See you tomorrow for more Sister Stamps mania!

Birthday Shakers

I love making shaker cards because they're 3D and fun to fill with all sorts of things.  But most of us know, they're a bit time consuming to make with the foam tape and all.  My CBFF Jenny told me about these washi tape shakers and they're so fun and simple to make.  I'm hooked and as you can see below, I went to town and made a few! You can find Julie Ebersole's video tutorial here.

I tried it in pink and red...

...and purple, too!

Give it a try - you'll find them addicting, too!

Sweet Jar

There are a lot of stamp companies out there that have stamp sets with cute jars but I found a 12" x 12" sheet by American Crafts "Dear Lizzy" that already has some on them.  I just cut this one out, stamped the butterflies and embellished the top with twine and a flower.  You can fill them with just about anything you can imagine and that's the beauty and fun of these jars!

Hope you're enjoying your weekend!

Hello "Studio Calico"

Studio Calico has recently really caught my attention and today I decided to give their "Classic Calico" line of papers a try.  It's a little modern for my normal taste but after some experimenting, I have to say I love its clean, fresh look.  I also like the look of the wood frame and how it adds dimension to the sentiment. All supplies are from Studio Calico except for the sentiment (SU Elementary Elegance), rhinestone (SU), black pearls (Kaiser).

Vintage Notebook

I had this dollar notebook from Ben Franklin in my stash for awhile now and finally decided to do something with it. Orange is not a color I use frequently but the notebook already had orange in it so I went with it.  With some Distress inks and various sprays, this came together pretty quickly.  The teacup charm from SU added a cute final touch on this notebook.

Here is a simple gift card made from an adorable SU set called A Fitting Occasion.  This set has the most adorable elements that can easily be layered. I love all the different possibilities and with SU's "in colors" of ink and cardstock, it made playing with the color combos a lot of fun.

These 3"x3" cards are simple to make and make my heart sing!

Here's another sample

And another

Have a great day!

It's Release Day! - Sister Stamps #12

It's release day for Sister Sister Stamps and these stamps are available today!  Check out the Sister Stamps blog for the list of retailers and get stamping today!