Hearts class - project #1

Hi stampers,
Well, here we go again!  We are expecting more bad weather tonight and tomorrow..this time ice!!  Yikes!   So dangerous!
Tonight I want to share the first project from Sunday's stamp class.  This card is based on the one I made for my husband who had his last day of work on Friday...he is now enjoying retirement.  Lucky dog!!  Those of you who know us, know that we have a dear miniature schnauzer who is absolutely smitten with my husband.  He is a great and loyal dog but is absolute NUTS! when he sees strangers.  But of course we love him.  When I saw the scottie dog in the Friends Furr-ever set, I thought I had to use this set for Dave's retirement card.  Our dog has longer legs but it is a close resemblance to a schnauzer.  You will notice that I used the new tulip border textured impressions folder.  Those folders showed up in this class several times...I am hooked!

Idea was that he should pack up all his stuff and come home to enjoy his retirement.  His card was abit different but similar.  Enjoy!! 
Peggy

Penguin March!

Hi Stampers!!
Today we had a gathering of fun ladies who came to make cards featuring hearts... we were sorry that Patty was not able to be with us to stamp.  Although she was the stamper who suggested the topic, at the last minute, her health kept her from joining us.  Bummer!  We will plan a "re-do" for her when her health permits.  I will be posting those project pictures beginning tomorrow - if you like what you see over the next week, and you want to join Patty and I to make the projects, just drop me an email and I will included you in the re-do class...date to be announced.
In the meantime, I thought I would show you the staff treat I made for the folks at my two schools for January.  You may recall that I have been using the owl punch to make the treats since the Owl is the mascot of one of the schools.   Here they are....

Actually this top photo only shows about half of the total ..I did about 160!!

 Can you see the owl punch in this project?  too cute, huh?

Come back tomorrow to see the first of the heart card projects...and contact me with your SAB order.  There are so many great options for your free gift for each $50 you purchase.

Peggy

Shout out to June!!

Want to send a quick  shout out of "hi" and "thinking of you" to my friend June who made the mistake of breaking her ankle!!!!!  Man!!! do I know what that is like!  Only bone(s) I have ever broken were the tibia and fibula after sliding on the thinnest piece of ice ever.  ouch!  there is something kinda funny that, in the midst of all this snow and ice we are having (will we ever get back to school?), June broke her ankle inside her house.  Yikes!!  She always has been unconventional!!
Hope she is up and about in no time.  June is a clever lady...I know she will fill her down time with interesting and novel experiences.
Also welcome to my newest unnamed follower who must own a golden doggie.  Welcome!

Fun Fun Fun!!

This afternoon I finally got some time to stamp...I made several projects for my class on Sunday.   One of the cards I made was inspired by an idea I had for a card for my husband - Today is his last day of work as he is now retiring.  Lucky guy!!  I am relieved that he will no longer be driving two hours one way to work.  He has been doing that drive for nearly 20 years.  Yes I do think he was nuts and I am thrilled to have him safe and sound at home.  Can't begin to imagine how having him home will change our routines though...will be interesting I'm sure!!  Once he has opened his card and I have gotten a picture of the class version, I'll post it for you to see.
Peggy

Cabin Fever?

Hi all
Don't know about you, but I have had enough snow and cold for one year!! You would think that living with three men would keep me from having to shovel snow, but when two of them go off to work, I end up on the wrong end of the shovel.  Ouch my aching back!!  I was pleased to see that my old muscles handled the job well - no aches there.  Must be from lifting my school gear carts in and out of the car daily! 
Are you stuck at home and feeling cabin fever?  Come join us on Sunday for a card making class with hearts as the focal point...not Valentine's so if you don't have a sweetie to send Valentines to, you are still going to find uses for these cards. 
Did you know that Saleabration (SAB) started on Jan 25th (my husband's birthday!).  With each $50 purchase you get to choose a free item and there are LOTS of items to choose from....some special to SAB and some from the current catalog. 
If you hostess a $300 (subtotal) workshop you also get a free SAB choice!  Let's book your workshop now!!
And better still, get 15% off your starter kit (only $148.75) and a free product bundle worth $50 (a Simply Sent kit, a punch, the Color Coach, and a stamp set) when you join between Jan. 25 and March 31, 2011!  Join my group of stampers now....easy to do today online at peggyouten.stampinup.net


Love to hear from you...comment, email me, or call!
Peggy
410-256-6772

Sunday greetings!

Hi all
Just a quick hello and a giggle before I hit the hay! 
What a day!...absolutely freezing (still is, I just came in from getting something out of my car...brrrrr!) and the Steelers won  :-(   bummer!
But, I had a fun repeat class today with a soon to be first time mom (though we all agreed, she didn't look that far along!), and a new friend (and she isn't a newbie to stamping!!) and an old friend (it is always great to see our long time friends!) and my dear friend and downline, Em.  Now Em presented me with a little (actually not so little, at all!) treat at the end of class.  A pair of scissors - the lllloooonnnngggggeeeesssstttt pair of scissors you ever saw....think Edward Scissorhands!  We had quite a few laughs over those amazing scissors and there was consensus that my schools wouldn't even let me bring them there ...tooo lethal!!!!  I put the scissors in a safe place and began to clean up my stampin playroom.  As I was straightening up, I realized I needed to put address labels on some mini catalogs that I am delivering tomorrow.  Well I seem to be a bit short on labels but I did find a sheet of labels from a while back.   Only problem was, one of the phone numbers on the labels was from a pager I no longer have (does anyone even remember having a pager?)  No problem.  Being a tree hugger, I figured I could just cut off the error and use the rest of the label with the accurate info.  I started to cut off the phone number but it was tiny print and I felt like I was hacking it up a bit and then I thought.....my new edward scissorhands scissors!!   They cut across that sheet of labels perfectly!!!!  Only had to cut twice (one really long cut and one short one) and voila!  labels.  So Em thanks for the very useful tool...It is already "in service".
Notice  -  I am having a stampin class next Sunday - Jan 30th at 2 PM.  We will be making cards and hearts will figure prominently in the designs but the cards will NOT NECESSARILY be valentines.  They will be good for "thinking of you" and "happy birthday" or "happy valentines" if you choose.  I need to hear from you by Thursday night if you plan to attend.  Fee is $20 and you need to bring your scissors, snail and sticky strip adhesives and a bone folder if you have one.  Questions?  call or e-me.

Peggy

Tissue box - face three and four

Hi all
Hope you are enjoying whatever weather is in your area.  At this time of year I cannot decide if I want beautiful weather (so I can get out and about) or icky weather so I am forced (ha ha) so stay inside and stamp! yes!!

Wanna see the other two sides of the tissue box/cards for class on the 23rd? Here they are....this is my favorite!!!

and last but not least...

Hope to see you on Sunday...remember to contact me today!!
Welcome to my latest follower, Elizabeth!! Thanks for joining us!!

Peggy

Tissue box - face one and two

Hi all
As promised, here are two of the sides of the tissue box cover...

This one was using markers directly on the stamp with the aqua painter to color the bird.

Face two is...

This picture came out a bit lighter than the actual card, but you know I am not a photographer!!  This was also done with the aqua painter.
Hope to see my stampin friends at the class on Sunday...whether you are a bird lover or not!  Let me know by Wed if you plan to attend and whether you want to make eight cards or four cards and the tissue box cover.

Peggy

FAB - U - LOUS PROJECT!!

Hi all!!
I don't usually like to say "fabulous" about my own work but this project turned out soo nicely!  I am thrilled!

You have to understand that this project started out as just a vague idea....a tissue box cover (a request of one of my customers)...no details. So I did what I usually do...I "percolated" on the idea.  I really like the new textured impressions tulip border folder from the new mini catalog so I wanted to use it as a layer ...but mine had not arrived yet so I did not have the exact dimensions of the outside or the inside of the design of the folder.  Even without  those dimensions, I started thinking about what I wanted the face of the box to look like.  I thought chipboard (the DSP layer with the oval hole is adhered to chipboard) would add dimension to the project but I also like to be thrifty in my use of my materials (and by doing that, to show YOU how to be thrifty with yours, too).  That led me to decide to cut out the center of the chipboard, thus revealing the center of the tulip border layer rather than adding another layer on the top.  Then I began to choose my images - of course, they had to fit inside the cut out oval.  To my surprise, the first two images I choose were birds.  Funny...because I am not usually drawn toward bird images.  Having chosen two birds, I decided to go with the flow.  Thus, all four sides show different birds.  As I was making the project model, I felt that each side of the box really could stand on its' own as a card front, so I decided to invite each lady to also make a card to match each side at the class (the class was not advertised to include cards).  The ladies made the tissue box cover and four cards.  Today, I am going to show you the box and I will post closeups of the four sides of the box over the next few days.
Unfortunately, one of the stampers who signed up for the class had a last minute situation which prevented her from coming to class.  I want her to have a chance to make the project in a comfortable situation so I have decided to offer the class again, with a special option, next Sunday, January 23 at 2 PM. You have a choice between making  a) the tissue box and four cards or b) two of each of the four cards.  If you are looking at this work and wishing you had come to join in the fun, contact me by Wednesday night (19th) and be sure to say whether you want to make 8 cards (2x4) or 4 cards and one tissue box cover. The fee is $20.  There is a possibililty that some of the DSP patterns/embellishments might be slightly different than the model - it depends on how many stampers sign up.  Hope to see you there.
One last thing ...a shout out to Martha, my newest follower!! Welcome to my blog...hope you enjoy what you see here!
Peggy

Lost?

Hi all
Nope, not lost!  Just trying to get ahead on the 40+ progress reports I have to write for school....and I have been playing some too ..... designing a boutique tissue box cover for my class tomorrow.  I am really excited about how it has turned out and I cannot wait to show it to you!   I have a little surprise for the ladies that are coming to class ...don't want to spoil the surprise for them, so I will show you the project starting tomorrow, after they have left!
Now I have to go get the TV set up so I can watch the RAVEN'S win today over the steeler's (lowercase intended)!!  Whoo hoo!
Hope you are thinking about a good date for your Saleabration workshop...give me a call and we can find you the perfect date!!
Peggy

How to...folded cash cup

Hi all
I have gotten quite a few requests for the directions to make my folded money cup....so here they are.... I am using a one dollar bill.

To determine the width of the bill that will fit in the cup, lay the bill on top of the cup with one edge up against the edge of the cup.   You will fold the bill at the point where the opposite edge of the cup meets the bill.

You can fold the bill forward or backward, according to what part or color you want to show.

You will want your folds to be crisp, so use your bone folder on all the folds.

Now you will want to determine how big to make your fan/accordian folds.  Insert the end of the bill into the cup and eyeball where you should fold according to the depth of the cup.

Accordian fold the length of the bill, using the bone folder on each crease.

 

Stick a jeweled brad over the folded bill - you will want to place it in the center - if you are a little off center it will show in the next step and you can adjust then.

This is a super close up to show you that I place a FOLDED mini glue dot on one corner.  I folded the dot so that only a minimal amount of paper was sticky.  I need the ends to stick together but I didn't want to tear the paper.

Bring the two edges together to form one side of the circle.

Do the same thing on the other side (see the folded glue dot on the left side?)

Now work with the folds to make the flower balanced and even.

Ta da!!!!   Hope these pictures help you with the process!
Peggy

Another great holiday card..received

Hi all

Today I found another hand crafted card that I had not posted last week.. so here it is.....a creation by Wendy

Now I have to tell you, Wendy is a smart stamper.  This weekend, each year, she attends a huge crop in another state with her scrapbooking mom.  Wendy says that every one else is scrapbooking but, she is not a scrapbooker so she takes her stamps to the crop and whips up her holiday cards for NEXT Christmas. Yep!!  by Monday she will have her cards made for next DECEMBER.  Wendy creates her own unique designs and they are great.  For this project, she also make a slider envelope.  Can't wait to see what she came up with this weekend but I'll bet she keeps it a secret....until December!
Just wanted to send out a "whoo hoo" for my most recent recruit, Beth, who had her first workshop today.  She was so happy with how it went and is excited for her next workshop later this month.  Congrats, Beth!!
Hoping that by the time you read this, the RAVEN's will have moved up in the play offs!
Peggy

Holiday Thank You's

Hi all
I was very fortunate to receive several lovely, generous gifts at the holidays from the families of some of my students.  I wanted to be sure to thank them so of course, I had to write my thank you's on hand crafted cards.  Here are pics of the more recent set of cards I made.... a group of five similar, but slightly different cards.  I used the owl because the school's mascot is an owl.

Here is a closer look at each...

The DSP and the kiwi kiss cardstock are both retired.
Hope these inspire you to try a card format ...and then tweak it a bit this way and that to make each card unique.
The calendar class has been postponed so that no one has to come out in the expected snow.  I will announce the new date soon.  Thanks for your understanding....safety first!!

Peggy

Birthday card with a treat #2

Hi all

Hope you saw my post from yesterday where I explained the demand for a pair of birthday cards..and the short time I had to get them made.  Here is the second shaker card I made...

 Although the girls are twins, I did not want the cards to be too similar.  Obviously, I did use the same strategy to hold the gift.

I did not take a picture of the inside of the cards... which I just realized means that you cannot see how I handled the back of the cup.  If you peak at the Santa shaker card I posted on 12-8-10 you can see how I handled the inside of this card.  Worked great so why change a good thing!!
Hope you all are having a blast of a start to your new year!
Peggy

Birthday card with a treat #1

Hi all
Over the holiday, my younger son was invited to a New Year's Eve party which happened to be held in the neighborhood.  Usually, Dave and I prefer to stay home on new year's eve, so we were glad we didn't have to travel far to deliver/pick up John.  At the last minute, John found out that the party was a combination new year's eve AND birthday party for twin girls.  I always send my kids to non-birthday parties with a food contribution but suddenly had to shift gears from food prep to gift prep.  The standard gift around here is a gift card or cash so here is what I made for one of the girls.

 I really love to play with the shaker cups so I quickly zeroed in on one to hold our gift.  At first I tried to form a rosette but what I made did not fill the cup very well so I started folding this way and that.  I liked it but I wasn't sure how to clamp the center ...then I thought of the rhinestone brads.  Worked great!!!

It is a simple card but I was pretty satisfied with the way it turned out.  Notice that the folded white part of the card is 4 x 5 1/4" ..I did that so I could add the 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 layer on the bottom.  I think that layer gives it a bit more polished look.  The sponged clouds help define the setting of the card.
John said the girls kept asking, "How did your mom do that?"  Maybe they should come to one of my classes...maybe you should too!!!  Make 2011 the year you give yourself some stampin' fun!!

Peggy

Another great card!

Hi all
This card is from a dear old friend, Linda, who I haven't seen in a bit so it was especially nice to hear from her.  She and I go back to when I first started with Stampin' Up! ...that has been almost 14 years!

Linda used the holiday DSP as a layer with a stamped and sponged top note die cut (ooo! I love my Big Shot!!) on top.  There is a strip of the special gold metallic paper through the middle, and finally a lovely button accent on the top.  Because of the many hues in the DSP, Linda was able to stamp the detailed image monocromatically with just a hint of color added to the words.  Very nice!! 

thanks for all the great cards, greetings, calls and emails!!
Peggy

Greetings in the mail!!

Hi all

Today I am sharing a monocromatic card I received from my upline in California.

This is a lovely card with a dry embossed background.  Sandy used the oval scallop die cut frame in night of navy and stamped the image on plain white cardstock in night of navy ink.  I think the use of a monocromatic format for this card helps to set the tone for the subject of the card ..the arrival of the three kings...classic Christmas image. She really set off the whole card by adding a single rhinestone to the center of the star ... not loud and spashy bling but instead meaningful bling to complete the image.  This is a great card!!  She enclosed a really wonderful picture of the many generations of her family...her Dad, herself, her son and daughter, her son in law, and their three kids....and every one looks great.....sure hope she was lucky enough to catch everyone looking good...I kinda hate the thought of family photos being tweaked to be perfect!!  Thanks Sandy!
Peggy

gorgeous card received

Hi all
Hope you are ready to see another gorgeous card.  Peggy sent this regal looking card complete with gold embossing, dry embossing, metallic gold paper and layers galore.  Peggy always creates fabulous cards!!

Isn't it wonderful??  Looking forward to play dates this year!!

hugs
Peggy

Upcoming classes!

Hi all

Tonight I have posted two new classes to my Stampin' Up! calendar.  On SATURDAY (yes Saturday!) Jan 8th at 1 PM I am doing a session to make a four-faced desk calendar that shows three months on each face of the calendar.  We will also make 4 greeting cards.  You need to contact me by 6PM on Thursday, Jan 6th if you plan on attending.
I also posted a session for SATURDAY, Jan 15  at 1 PM to make a boutique tissue box cover.  
These sessions are being held on Saturdays out of respect for the many Raven's fans who hope to be busy cheering for our team on Sundays this month.  Go Ravens!

Peggy

Christmas cards received...#1

Hi all
Vacation is almost over but I am still enjoying the signs of the season.  Today I want to share with you one of the lovely holiday cards my family received this year.  Donna sent a fun card ...

...the polka dots sure make it cheerful!!  Including the ribbon, this card has 9 layers!!!  Thanks Donna for sharing another example of you handiwork!!  Wishing only good things for you in 2011.  Hope we get to play together often!!
hugs...
Peggy