Manic Monday! Thank you card in Minutes...

Let me introduce you to a new little series here on the ol' blog:  Manic Monday - Made in Minutes.

A lot of times I think we dwell on the fact that we need to make these over the top, stunningly gorgeous cards.  And those cards take us well over an hour to make.  I know I'm not the only one that does this right?  Right???

If you think about it - if you were to pay yourself what you get at your "real" job, that card that took you an hour could easily cost what - $15-$30....  Crazy right.  You need to think about that a bit - and that's not including the cost of your supplies.  Yah - those 10 embellishments that you HAVE to put on there....those add up folks!

So, in this series, we're going to focus on cards that take 10 minutes or less to make.  They don't need to be lacking in style.  You don't have to diminish the cute factor.  And they can still be on trend.

Today's card took me about 7 minutes...start to finish.  No joke.  That includes cutting, etc.

Here's how this one goes. 
1) Cut card from Early Espresso cardstock
2) Cut a panel of Watercolor paper 4 x 5 1/4".  Heat emboss sentiment (from Another Thank You - #133454) using Versamark ink and Pewter Embossing Powder (EEK - I've broke free from Gold EP!!!)
3) Using a Aquapainter and Cherry Cobbler, Cajun Craze, and Crushed Curry ink pads, wash the ink over the top of the sentiment. (one of thee trendiest things to do right now!)  Allow to dry, adhere to card front.
4) Die cut leaves from Autumn Accents, curl with bone folder, attach to card.
5) Tie Linen Thread thru Naturals button, adhere to leaf stems...

DONE!!!

What are some obstacles you face when creating cards?  Leave me a comment - I'll help you find some solutions!


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Distressed Golden Chevron

Remember, I'm not a fan of gold.  Really, I'm not.  
Just because my last several posts have featured gold, doesn't mean I have to be a fan.  Does it?
Let's just say I have a crush on it right now, and we'll leave it at that for now.

Anyway - I was messing around with this darn ol' Gold Embossing powder and accidently ran my finger across it before I got it heated up.  It dawned on me then that it might not look so bad, a little distressed, grungy....I can handle that.  

So I tried it with the Positively Chevron stamp, and did it a little more deliberately.  Pure bliss I tell ya!

A couple of tips:
1) Start with a very clean stamp.  I even washed my Positively Chevron stamp with a little dish soap and water to get all the old ink off really well.
2) Then, sporadically ink up your stamp.  This is a little tricky with Versamark ink.  I found it easiest to lay my stamp face up, and ink lightly while twisting my wrist, pressing harder in some areas and skipping some all together.
3) Sprinkle on your embossing powder.  If you think you've got too much powder on, use your finger or a paint brush to get rid of some.  Don't worry - this is SUPPOSED to be grungy and distressed.  There is no exact science to this. 

What do you think of it?  I'd love to hear your thoughts - leave me a comment!
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Technical Tuesday is back! My Digital Studio page....

Now that the kiddos are all back in school, and hit the hay nice and early (most of the time), I figured it's time to start spending a little time with my laptop and My Digital Studio while hanging out 'til bedtime for momma bear!

Here's what I created last night!

I'm one of those people that will instantly fall asleep if I'm watching TV at night.  I have to have something to keep me a little more occupied.  Although, I have been known to fall asleep while typing a blog post - or two!  

MDS does help a bit, and hopefully I'll get caught up on some scrapbook pages, and possibly even get a book printed.

MDS is so easy to use, and I love that I can recolor objects now, to match what I've got going on in my pictures.

Plus, with new digital downloads released every Tuesday, it's easy to keep my pages fresh and fun and right on trend!  

Here are this week's downloads - be sure to check out the free download this week - a calendar for your desktop!

Cherry Cobbler Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon - Digital Download

135256

Price: $2.95 Christmas Banner Simply Created Kit - Digital Download 135255 Price: $6.95 Occasional Tags Designer Template - Digital Download 134983 Price: $4.95 Snowflake Season Kit - Digital Download 135257 Price: $2.95 Starlight October Kit - Digital Download 134988 Price: $9.95 Starlight October Wallpaper - Digital Download 134989 Price: $0.00 Wishing You Stamp Brush Set - Digital Download 135259 Price: $2.95

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Here's the list of supplies I used for today's page:
Background
     Designer Series Paper\_Designer Kits\Be Awesome Today - designer series paper\Be Awesome Today - 9

Embellishments
    Paper Doilies\Paper Doilies - gumball green
    _Designer Kits\This And That Epic Day - embellishments\This And That Epic Day - tickets
    _Designer Kits\This And That Epic Day - embellishments\This And That Epic Day - tickets
    _Designer Kits\This And That Epic Day - embellishments\This And That Epic Day - cloud
    _Designer Kits\This And That Epic Day - embellishments\This And That Epic Day - arrow with star
    _Designer Kits\This And That Epic Day - embellishments\This And That Epic Day - chevron 1
    _Designer Kits\This And That Epic Day - embellishments\This And That Epic Day - chevron 3
    _Designer Kits\This And That Epic Day - embellishments\This And That Epic Day - chevron 4
    _Designer Kits\Days to Remember - embellishments\Days to Remember - label 2    

It's my Harvest Party! @ Craft Project Central

Time for my project for this month!  I was in need of some new, refreshing decor for my home for the fall and harvest season, and so that's what I've created for you this month.  What I really love, tho, none of these things were very complicated to create, just a lot of fun.  So grab your best girlfriends and tell them it's time to get crafting!!!

The banner in this project now hangs in my kitchen window and is one of my favorites in this ensemble - but I will admit - I am a sucker for JARS!  So, these jars - one used as a treat holder (there are no longer treats in it - my kids discovered them!) and the other as a Gratitude Jar, to write your messages of thanks - I'm in love with them!

                 

Aren't they stinkin' cute???  

Be sure to subscribe to Craft Project Central so that you can get all of the instructions for this month's projects!

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Feelin' like there's a GOLD rush!

So - I said I'd share another Golden card, right.  This one I happen to think is super cool!

It's basically the same card as yesterday, but with a single flower.

What I happen to think is super cool, tho, is that I used my Versamark pad to ink the edges of the card panel.  You know, like you would if you were distressing the edges.  Then sprinkle your embossing powder on and heat it up!

It's hard to capture how neat it really is - in person, it's much better.

What do you think?  

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All that glimmers REALLY is GOLD!

Let me start off by saying this.  I'm not a huge fan of anything gold.  Seriously.  My wedding ring, it's not gold.  The hardware (cabinet pulls, etc) in my house, not gold.  I just don't really care for it.  

Until. Today.

Today I played with gold embossing powder, and some fall colors.  

Guess what?

I felt my heart go pitter. patter.  And then thumpity thump. thump. thump!

 Initially, I was going to emboss the image in black.  But then I remembered that we (Stampin' Up!) have Early Espresso Embossing Powder (EP). 

Except, I don't.  I could use Pewter EP.  But that Gold jar of EP just kept staring me in the face.  All unopened; still in the wrapping.  
So, I stamped the flower image from Regarding Dahlia in my Versamark ink, and then opened the Gold powder, generously sprinkling it over the images.  

I snickered to myself and curled up my nose.  Coming out of the jar made me dislike Gold even more.  It was a horrible color.  But fine, it was on my card already, I just as well heat it up.  

And, yes.  That did help - a TON!  It had a nice gold sheen.  But once I added the rich fall colors to the flower - WOWZA!  I about fell off my chair.

So guess what?  I didn't stop with this one card.  I made 5 cards embossed with Gold.

You'll have to come back tomorrow to see them tho!  I'm heading out to see John Michael Montgomery with a bus load of my gal friends!  "She's an 8, she's a 9, she's a 10 I know.  Got ruby red lips, blond hair, blue eyes......"

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A Variety of Flurries!

Have I ever shared with you the fact that I have a hard time deciding things?  Just ask my husband.  It drives him nuts.  He asks, "Where should we go for dinner?"  My response, "Oh, I don't know....you decide!"  But this anti-decision making is sometimes harder than what's for supper....

Let's take this card for instance.  I wasn't happy with the first one that I made, so I tried it again, and again!  

This is where I need your help!  I can't decide which one I like the most...can you help me out?

The first sample is above.  You'll notice in the close up that the card base was embossed with Stampin' Up's Stylish Stripes embossing folder, then spritzed it with Vanilla Smooch for a sparkly look.  The snowflakes are from Festive Flurry and were embossed using Iridescent Ice.  

Here's the next card!  My photo isn't real great - I tried to edit, but it just wasn't working!

Here it is in full form:

I just left off the sentiment in the upper left corner and put it across the card.....

And finally the next card!~~~~

Now - before you tell me which one you like the best, or what you'd change, let me share one more thing with you.....

I noticed when I was heat embossing my snowflakes, when I used Versamark, it had some "color" to the snowflake.  I was really going for a white on white look.  So I grabbed my Whisper White Ink Pad.  So in the following photo, you are looking at them side by side.  One with Versamark, then sprinkled with Iridescent  and the other with Whisper White Ink and sprinkled with Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder.  Can you tell the difference?

Yep - the one on the right was stamped with Whisper White.  I'm not exactly sure what was up with my Versamark Pad, but it could be one of two things or a combo:  My Versamark Pad has some staining to it, or my stamps weren't very clean.  

Okay - now let me know what you like, what you'd change, etc.... I'm ready for it!


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Things that go BUMP in the night! @ Craft Project Central

Here's another fab halloween project - this time from Regina for Craft Project Central:

Best of Halloween Treats – Regina Andari – www.workinouttheinks.blogspot.com 

Soon it will be time to create treats for those special little goblins in your life and, surely, one of these will suffice.  You might just need a festive card or a small test tube, but the decked out bag or box in this ensemble will hold plenty of goodies!  You’ll love the fact that any or all of these festive packages will leave you with plenty of time to select the perfect treats to put in them!

Be sure to head over to Regina's blog and let her know how fun this little project is.  Don't forget that you can receive all of this month's projects by subscribing to Craft Project Central.

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Lets get Joyful and Triumphant!

Howdy folks!  Let me start right off by saying, that I have CASE'd  (Copy and Share Everything) the outside of this card from one by Fran Sabad.....well and a lot of the inside too.  I loved this card so much, that we created it at my Stamp Clubs this month.  I'm pretty sure it was a hit with them too - wasn't it gals???  

I was searching online for ways to use a new die I hadn't played with yet (Pop-n-Cuts + Label Insert), and I just kept coming back to Fran's card. There was something about it that appealed to me - the sheer beauty of it, the bling, the card!  I did have to simplify the inside to make it doable for my clubs, but it's pretty similar.

I didn't use any DSP on the inside like she did, and I used less bling.  We did use silver embossing powder for the larger snowflakes; it doesn't really show up in my photos tho.  

I really am smitten with these interactive cards lately!

This card has a lot of depth to it, and I think that really makes it more special. 

Did you notice that we also used the envelope liner die?  However, we used the Winter Frost Designer Series Paper Stack to create the liner - the liner was slightly short (it's short on the inside tho), but this is a much more economical way to line your envelopes.  At a mere $6.95, you can line 48 envelopes!!!  Well worth it, and you know your recipient will think you went the extra mile. 


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Craft Project Central - Halloween Ensemble

Hey there!  You need to check out this fabulous Halloween Ensemble created for Craft Project Central by Amanda Corbet:

Halloween Party Ensemble – Amanda Corbet –www.kraftingkreations.blogspot.com – 

Get ready for a spooky Halloween party with this fun set! Complete with invitation, food labels for your treats table, party favor bag, luminary, and a decorated jar full of treats. You will be all set to surprise and scare your guests! Also, you’ll learn fun new ways to use the Card Base Pop’n Cuts die to make these projects!

Be sure to hop on over to Amanda's blog and let her know how adorable this set is!  You'll also want to be sure to subscribe to Craft Project Central to get all of this month's wonderful project instructions!

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Peaceful Quilted Card

I'm in need of a couple of Sympathy Cards here recently.  I wanted something simple and fallish, warm and comforting.  How about a card with a warm cozy quilt?  

Well, insert the Six Sided Sampler set, and all is good!  

For this card, I stamped 5-6 of the hexagon images in different colors - I took the colors that are used in Sweater Weather DSP.  That's a pretty easy way to figure out a color combo if you are stuck wondering what colors to use.  Just grab the colors that are in some of your fave DSP's.

Once I had them stamped, I punched them out and laid them on a Soft Sky panel, arranging them the way that I wanted.  Then, glued them down.  I trimmed off what was hanging over the edge.  Which got me thinking; if I'd stamped even more of the images, and filled a full sheet of cardstock, I could have simply cut the full sheet into 4 and had enough for 4 cards!  Would have been very easy.   

I'm pretty happy with the way this one turned out.  Was fun to ink up this set again with a variety of colors.  I think this set is accommodating to a wide variety of color schemes.  What do you think?  Does it remind you of Grandma's quilt?


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Gifty Notes with New Envelope Punch Board

I am in love with my new Envelope Punch Board from Stampin' Up!  It's a breeze to make thee cutest envelopes evahhh!  It even gives me a reason to make cards that aren't your average size; like this little 3x4" card that we recently made at my Stamp Clubs.  

I mean.  C'mon - it's adorable, right?  And, a great way to use up those little scraps that I never know what to do with.  This one is perfect to attach to a gift bag or packaged gift.  It looks like you really went the extra mile, and you kind of did, but it's oh-so-easy!

In other news - Stampin' Up! has added several things to the Clearance Rack!  The same great products, at a deep discount!  Just remember - once they are gone, they are GONE!  You can go shopping right here.


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Supply List: