Center Step Card

Here's a couple of examples I made of a Center Step Card. They are fun and easy to make

and give such a cute 3-D effect. Let's see if I can remember the dimensions:

10 1/2 X 5 1/4" cardstock

Cut a slit 1" in on either side of the cardstock from 1"-6 1/4"

Turn the cardstock 90 degrees and score from the edge down to the slit at 1", 2",and 6 1/4"

Do the same on the other side.

Score between the slits at 5 1/4"

Fold at the score lines and ta da, you've got a center step card.

This fits into Stampin' Up's square envelopes.

Just a reminder that these are the last few days to get the retiring items. Kimono kids and Just Buzzin By and a couple of the stamp sets going into retirement at the end of this month.

Concord pizzazz inspiration

Here's a leadership swap I received from Lisa Hirsch. I thought the colours were so striking and I never would have thought to put pear pizazz and concord crush together but it looks so great. I also love the three bright squares: tempting turquoise, daffodil delight, melon mambo.
The stamp set is called "Easter Blossoms" and it is on page 17 in the Occasions mini. It's perfect for spring and Easter occasions.

Chinese New year is coming up. My mom has organized a big dinner with her friends and some family. Since my daughter's birthday is around the same time, she told everyone that if they wanted to buy a gift for a little girl, that would be fine. Grandmothers can be shameless! Anyway, I figured I would be prepared with handmade Happy New Year cards to give to everyone. It will make me feel less overwhelmed if everyone does show up with gifts for my daughter. I plan to attach a Tim Card to the back of the pull out card.

Using the swap card as my inspiration for colour, here is the card I made. It is a simple pocket card.

I expect there will be many comments about how it's chinese new year and clearly it's a japanese girl on the card. What shall I say? Sorry, I don't own any chinese girl stamp sets? Oh well, I love my kimono kids set. It's so darn cute. The sentiment is from the level 2 hostess set: Apple Blossoms.

Now to make many, many more...

Kimono for New Year's

I have done 32 swap cards using the Valentine Defined set. Then I ran out of Regal rose paper. I feel like 32 cards is too few for a big event like the Stampin' Up! leadership conference but I don't know if I have time to make more. I thought I would play with the Kimono kids stamp set since I want to make some Chinese New year treat bags/cards and I figured if I came out with something acceptable I could use it as a swap card too. I'm thinking I could cut all the paper before heading out Wednesday morning and colour and assemble on the plane? Here's what I came up with tonight. The top card is me trying to use up all my jolly holiday dsp but I decided the colour was too dark. So the bottom card uses the lighter colours of blushing bride and pear pizzazz. I used the square lattice embossing folder and added colour with the markers.

Couldn't resist trying other colours

I enjoyed making my kimono kids card so much that I couldn't resist sitting down and making another one today but I wanted to try other colour combinations. This one is peach parfait, concord crush and pear pizzazz. (I got this combo from the new colour coach). I realized when I was colouring in the kimono girls that the concord crush was too dark so I switched to perfect plum (another idea from the colour coach). The dsp is the level one hostess freebie: 6X6 in colour dsp. I added the sentiment punched out with the word window and some glitter for the flower in the hair.

I love the sentiment in this set. It's a riot. Speaking of phrases that are funny, I have to tell you what my son said today. We were in the van driving in the pouring rain today. Outside we saw a couple holding hands walking leisurely. My son says: "love is like an umbrella". I thought this was so...funny. What a witty thing to say from the mouth of a 9 year old kid.

Just Because Stamping

I'm getting ready to go back to work and had the kids in camp/care today. I finished what I wanted to accomplish today in terms of work so although there is dishes to be done etc. I treated myself to a quiet moment stamping. I"m not preparing for a workshop project, or a club project or I don't have to make something for the kids friends...I"m stamping just because I want to. Ha! The markers were great for this project. It added some bright easy color. Cherry Cobbler, Marina Mist and Pear Pizazz are the colours I used.

Kimono Fun

I got my catalogue stuff last week but didn't have time to crack it open until this weekend. Finally!!!! I've been dying to play with the new set I got which caught my eye right away: Kimono Kids. I thought it was soooo darn cute. I knew I wanted to try a top note die card. Did you know that if you fold your cardstock as you normally would for a card, then put it on the die slightly below the shape outline, it will cut out the shape but maintain the fold line. Ta Dah! Your card is the shape of the die. I used the blender pens and ink pads to colour in the cute image. The colours I used were wild wasabi, pretty in pink and melon mambo.