Thank You Card

Used two new-to-me Stampin Up background stamps for this thank you card.

The card stock base is Highland Heather card stock from Stampin Up cut and scored at the top. For the striped piece I used white/GP card stock. Using a light purple ink I inked the Stripes background stamp and laid the card on top that. Using my hands I pressed the card stock into the inked stamp to get it onto the white/GP piece. Set that aside.

For the floral piece in the front center of the card I decided what size I wanted that piece to be. I trimmed a piece of white/GP for that. I wanted to have a white border around the floral printed piece so I put painters tape on all four sides of the white/GP.  I used the light purple ink again and inked up the Floral background stamp and laid the taped white/GP onto the inked stamp. Once again I used my hands to press the card stock into the inked stamp pattern on the white/GP piece. Set that aside. Here is a photo of that stamp:

Cut the black card stock to the size I needed to fit behind the stamped floral piece. Wanted to have the "Thank You" to be on a black banner so I cut a piece of scrap black stock larger than the banner die I used. I used VersaMark ink and white embossing powder to emboss that. Die cut the banner out.

Using the ATG I put the stamped stripe piece onto the card stock base. I removed the painters tape from the stamped floral piece and put that onto the black card stock using the ATG. Used foam tape to put this piece over the striped card stock base. Using foam tape I put the banner piece on the left side of the floral image. Added holographic sequins to the card front to add some sparkle and shine. TFL.

Early bird gets the worm . . or the new craft products!

In April I received a copy of the new seasonal catalog from Close To My Heart. I flipped through the catalog and decided I would need to make a list. Ordering for this May-August 2019 catalog began on May 1st and I wanted to be sure to place my order before any of the products I wanted were on back order or sold out..... Made sure to order everything on May 1st and happy me my order arrived yesterday in the mail!!

Close To My Heart has a customer appreciation program where if a customer spends $50.00 they can choose from a variety of stamp sets to buy for $5.00 each.  Always nice when a company shows appreciation for their customers!

Here is a photo of this new catalog:

This is the 35th year for Close To My Heart and on the front of this catalog they used various products they sell lined up to make the "35". Clever cover design.  Inside the catalog are lots of products to buy but this is my first order and I am sure there will be another one made in the summer:

This first stamp set with a matching die set was the main reason I placed my order the first day of the catalog being active. It is the "Where Happiness Blooms" set. Here is a closer photo of the stamp set packaging to show the watering can with tulips as well as the single tulip have outlines around them. The outlines show which stamps have matching dies in the set:

Their stamp sets are in plastic envelopes with the photo packaging in front of the stamp set. Their dies arrive on small magnet sheets in clear envelopes in with the stamp set. This packaging makes it very easy to store them and they do not take up a lot of space. Other stamp sets I bought:

The background stamp set on the left is Timeless Textures and the stamp set on the right is Gillin' & Chillin" and I plan on using that for summer cards ahead.

This last stamp set I bought was for the confetti stamp and it will be perfect for a birthday card:

Next to the birthday stamp set is lace border die - $8.95. That will work well for cards and gift bags. Plus it has a lot of detail. Happy my order arrived from their new catalog already. I order my Close To My Heart products from this website:

donnaschaeffer.ctmh.com

First card I will be making using these new products is the Where Happiness Blooms with the watering can and tulips. Hope to have that posted this weekend. I like that it is a step-stamping stamp set and should be easy to line up using the stamp stamping tool.  Always a good thing when new products bring you new inspiration....

Horse trough and Mother's Day

Was taken out to breakfast this morning for Mother's Day and was given gift cards -- YAY!! One for Mikes and another for a restaurant.. Yummy.... But my DSD knows I am going to a big stampers sale in Chantilly, VA in June with my PIC (stamping Partner In Crime) so she designed and made me three tote bags for the show:

Each tote she has a key chain and tassle hanging off the handles. This first tote is nice because I also sew so she included that as one of my crafts. This next bag:

This tote has vinyl letters and they have a lot of shimmer:

This third bag is my favorite because of what it says:

This key chain is blank and she said she can put anything on it that I would want or I could leave it blank. These tote bags are thick and have a good sized gusset on the bottom/sides so they will certainly help at the Chantilly show!! ;0)     Happy me she made these for me!! She explained they are washable and should last me.... I am just happy she shared her crafting talents for me!!

Then I just finished working with the two horse troughs I had bought long ago to use as planters. DH drilled drainage holes on the lower sides and he put small rocks on the bottom and I planted some Geraniums, Zinnias, and Dianthus in them and topped them off with mulch. I only have two of them and they are round so once the flowers fill in there will be some pretty flowers for the backyard.

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers today and hoping you have a relaxing day!   TFL

May I remind you?

Yesterday I picked up two new to me Stampin Up die sets at a used stamping sale.  Decided to post how I store my Stampin Up die sets. Here is the photo of the two die sets I bought:

These are the Cups & Kettle and Garden Grown die sets. As with most Stampin Up die sets there are small accessory dies in the set and it is not easy to remember all the pieces in that set. Many times we buy these die sets and use them right away for a project and then they are put away for later use.  Working on other projects you may not remember which die set has what die pieces you may be able to use for a current project. Here is a photo to show how I store my Stampin Up die sets:

I store all my Stampin Up die sets on magnet sheets. I store the magnet sheet in a clear plastic envelope (the same envelopes I use to store my cling and clear stamp sets).  In the envelope with the magnet sheet of dies I store the paper packaging - this gives me the title of the die as well as how many pieces are in that die set. I also print out a photo of the die set pieces to put in these envelopes. With the die sets in the envelopes I store all my Stampin Up die sets in a bin together and they are filed alphabetically by title.

When I am needing a die set or maybe flipping through the die sets for inspiration I can see the die set pieces in each set on the front of the envelope so I know what pieces/shaped dies are in that set.  The die piece photo reminds me what pieces are in which die set. Here is a photo to show other dies:

For each die set that I buy I take it out of the plastic envelope it is sold in.  I use a label maker and clear label tape and make a label with the die set title on it. I put the clear label on the paper packaging that comes with the die set.  I peel off all the die pieces from the inside paper packaging and put them on a magnet sheet for storage. Then I print out a photo of the die set and trim that to fit inside the clear envelope.  I put the magnet sheet with die pieces in the envelope with the paper packaging in front of that and I put the photo of the die set in front of that.  Not only does this help to remind me what pieces are in a die set but also if a stray die piece ends up in my magnet bowl on my work table when I am finished with that project I will know which die set it came from.

As a new or new-to-me die set comes into the craft room I put them in these envelopes so the label and such is all done before it is put in the bin with the other Stampin Up die sets for the first time.  TFL