Punch Art Montage!

Believe it or not . . . Nanci's daughter painted her room Basic Gray with Black, White, and Melon Mambo accents!  So Nanci created this montage of punch art to hang on her wall.  Yes, with the exception of the Melon Mambo button all the decorations were punched or cut with an embosslit die!

Here is a picture of the 12" X 12" page before it was framed!

This project is fast, fun, and fabulous!  Happy crafting! 

January Stamp Club with a Valentine Theme

Valentine's Day was the theme for our January Stamp Club.  Our cards this month feature the all new XOXO stamp set, Valentine's Defined,  and Love Impression Specialty Designer Series Paper found in the new Occasions Mini Catalog.  We also used the Love Patterns DSP and Filled With Love stamp set, along with our free Bitty Buttons from the Valentine's Day Promotion. A touch of Red Glimmer Paper completd our cards.

Paper:  Pretty in Pink, Whisper White, Love Patterns DSP

Stamps:  Valentine Defined, Filled With Love

Ink:  Pretty in Pink

Misc:  Big Shot Movers and Shapers, Pinking Heart Border punch, Heart Small punch, Full Heart punch,  Basic Pearls, misc white ribbon

Earlier this fall we discovered that the Movers and Shapers pieces can be used to add a layer to several of the stamps and punches, perfect for an extra border! 

Paper:  Whisper White CS, Basic Grey CS, Real Red CS, Love Impressions DSP

Stamps:  Filled With Love, Valentine Defined

Ink:  Real Red

Misc:  Big Shot Movers and Shapers, Pinking Heart Border punch, Full Heart punch, Real Red Ribbon, Basic Rhinestones

Paper:  Basic Grey CS, Real Red CS, Pink Pirouette CS, Whisper White CS,

Love Impressions DSP, Red Glimmer

Stamps:  Filled With Love

Ink:  Real Red, Basic Grey, Versa Mark

Misc:  Love Impressions Rub-Ons, 1 3/8" Oval punch, 1 3/4" Oval punch, Heart to Heart punch, Heart Small punch, Heat and Stick Powder, Pink Glitter, Real Red Seam Binding, Basic Rhinestones

Paper:  Whisper White CS, Basic Black CS, Real Red CS, Love

Impressions DSP,Red Glimmer

Stamps:  Valentine Defined, Filled With Love

Ink:  Real Red, Garden Green

Misc:  Pinking Heart Border punch, Heart Small punch, Real Red Glitter Brad, black

 ribbon, misc. flower punch

Paper:  Very Vanilla CS, Cherry Cobbler CS, Basic Black CS, Love Letter DSP, Red Glimmer

Stamps:  XOXO, Filled With Love

Ink:  Cherry Cobbler

Misc:  Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslit Die, Full Heart punch, Small Heart punch, 1 3/8" Oval punch, 1 3/4" Oval punch, Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding

Paper:  Real Red CS, Pretty in Pink CS, Whisper White CS, Patterns Love DSP, Red Glimmer

Stamps:  Filled With Love

Ink:  Real Red, Versa Mark

Misc:  Pinking Heart Border punch, Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslit Die, Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, 3/4" Circle punch, Full Heart punch, Small Heart punch, Heart to Heart punch, Heat and Stick Powder, Pink Glitter

Paper:  Whisper White CS, Basic Grey CS, Pretty in Pink CS, Patterns Love DSP

Stamps:  Valentine Defined

Ink:  Pretty in Pink, White Craft

Misc:  White Embossing Powder, 1 3/8" Oval punch, 1 3/4" Oval punch, Eyelet Border punch, Curly Label punch, Basic Rhinestones, white ribbon

Paper:  Whisper White CS, Real Red CS, Pink Pirouette CS, Love Impressions DSP

Stamps:  XOXO

Ink:  Real Red

Misc:  Small Heart punch, Bitty Buttons, 1 3/8" Circle punch, Scalloped Circle punch, 2 3/8" Circle punch, White Gel pen

Quilt Much?

My grandmother made us quilts when we were little.  I still have mine.  I enjoy quilting and have seen several quilted top note cards on different blogs and wanted to try my hand at quilting a card. 

I used DSP Patterns Stack Regals Collection and the 1 1/4" square punch to make my squares.  I adhered my squares to a piece of cardstock and then ran it through the Big Shot with the Top Note die.   I used my paper-piercing tool and mat pack to create the pattern for my stiches.  Luckily, I had some gold embroidery floss that matched the More Mustard ribbon.  I used a cross stich to add stability to the paper pieces (some of them ended up quite small) and to add more texture to the quilted layer.  The card base is Night of Navy card stock layered with More Mustard DSP Patterns Stack Regals Collection and Very Vanilla.  The senitment is from Inspired by Nature and stamped in Night of Navy Ink.  I used the cutter kit distressing tool to distress the edges of the Very Vanilla and Night of Navy layers of the sentiment.  I loved making this card.  I hope you will try this technique too!

Jolly Holiday Revisited and $99 Overnight Retreat Special

Oops!  I forgot to post these cards the other day with our Have a Jolly Holiday DSP post.  If you need a few quick and easy card ideas these are very simple.  We made them at our beginner's card class at our Ladies Night Out Retreat.

 We ran the Very Vanilla card stock through the Big Shot using the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder.  Our wreath stamp came from the Northern Hearts set stamped with Old Olive.  Our sentiment is from Many Merry Messages stamped in Cherry Cobbler.  We've adorned our wreath with red crystal stickles!

 The idea for this card came from DOStamping with Dawn (Olchefske)'s blog.  She used the French Foilage stamp set to create a holiday wreath with the "stamping off " technique which she explains in the same post.  We loved her card, but wanted to give it our own look.  Our sentiment is from the Scenic Season stampset.  We inked the stamp with VersaMark and Cherry Cobbler inks and heat set it with clear embossing powder.

 This card uses the Scallop Edge Border, 5-Petal Flower, and Two-step bird punches and Holly Jolly DSP to create a fast and easy card!  Our sentiment is from the Bright Christmas stamp set inked with Cherry Cobbler.

We have 6 spaces left for our $99 Overnight Retreat Special February 19, 2011.  Check-in will begin at 11:00 AM on Saturday.  Your overnight will include:

*Lodging at Lake View Lodge on Saturday Night

*Free Make n' Take

*Full use of our Craft Room and Tools

*Saturday Lunch & Dinner

*Sunday Brunch

*All Beverages and Snacks

Check out is at 12:00 PM on Sunday!  Located on Dewey Lake, the address for Lake View Lodge is:

50650 Garret Road

Dowagiac, MI 49047

Space is limited!  Place your reservation today!  E-mail us at info@crafthavenretreats.com, for additional information or check out our Facebook page.  Happy Holidays and Happy Crafting!

Craft Show Recovery!

We survived the craft show!  Sunday, October 10, 2010, we participated in the 29th Oktoberfest at Marion Catholic High School.  What a great experience!  

The event is run as a fundraiser for the band.  The band members help the vendors with set up and tear down before and after the event.  They also bring coffee and donuts around in the morning and provide a lunch menu pick up and delivery service.  Everyone was so helpful!  We had a great time!

Nanci's son-in-law and husband built this great display for us!  It folds in half and we can change all the  shelving around to fit the display each time we exhibit.  At the craft show we were invited to three other events.  We will be participating in two other craft shows in November, Miss Nikki's Craft Fair and Ladies Night Out 2010 at the Chicago Height's Country Club! 

We sold out of one item at the craft show--our Thanksgiving hostess gift wrapped chocolates.  Luckily we took pictures of them before the show.  We love the Autumn Spice DSP.  It really has the flavor and feel of Thanksgiving! :)

Nanci's Turkey Treat Bags were popular also!

Nanci's stamp club is meeting on Tuesday, so we will have some sneak peeks for you tomorrow! :) 

Boo! We're Back!

Five days to the craft fair and we're counting!  Here are a few more "crafty" items for Halloween!

We used the Texturized Spider Web embossing folder on the brown treat bags.  It embosses the pattern onto all 4 sides of the bag at one time!   You can also emboss paper napkins with the embossing folders too!  Give it a try!  Here's a close up of the detail on our treat bag.

Our treats bags are stuffed with candy--don't tell anyone! 

We hope you are enjoying all the "owl" art on the internet!   There are so many creative people out there.  Nanci saw a mini lunch sack on Stampin' Connection posted by Shauna O'Donnel with this image on it and couldn't resist turning it into one of the card projects for the September Stampin' Club.   Everyone at the club meeting enjoyed making this card.  Thanks for the inspiration Shauna! 

Owl Punch Playdate Desk Set

Don't cha just love that owl punch and Playdate DSP?  We do!  The Zutter binder is hiding extra large post-it note pages.  Stamps and sentiment are from the Apple Blossom stamp set.  Paper clips are hiding out in our mini-milk carton.  We will be selling this set at the 29th Annual Oktoberfest Craft Show at Marion Catholic High School in Chicago Heights, IL next Sunday from 10 AM to 4 PM.  We hope to see you there!  Happy crafting! :)

Haunted Handbags!

Check out these cute gift bags with coordinating cards! Stuff with purple or orange tissue paper and add some candy flavored chapsticks and you are ready to trick or treat your BFF!

These cute handbags were part of a Tres Chic Handbag tutorial that we purchased from the creator and designor, Becky Roberts!  Becky is a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and she creates, designs, and sells her tutorials from her blog, Inking Idaho.

Want to really trick or treat your BFF?  Suprise her with a Craft Haven Retreat weekend at Lake View Lodge!  Our fall special, $199 per person, ends October 31, 2010.  Contact us for information at info@crafthavenretreats.com.

Project Recipe:

Papers: Wicked Fun Specialty DSP, Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, and Basic Black card stock

Stamp sets: Wicked Cool and Batty for You

Inks are Cajun Craze, Basic Black, and Rich Razzleberry

Punches: Scalloped Border Punch, Scalloped Cricle Punch, Oval Punch, Circle punch, Modern lable punch

Textured Spider Web Embossing Folder

Big Shot Original Blossom Party

Happy Crafting!

Boo!

Halloween is right around the corner!  We hope you are gearing up to "treat" your neighborhood visitors!  Stampin' Up!  has such a variety of crafting materials for the Halloween season!  Light a path to your door--take a look at these luminaries which we made with the Wicked Fun Specialty DSP!

Here is a close up of the black luminary! 

We embossed the vellum with the Spider Web Textured Impressions Embossing Folder!

Got Treats?

 
This stamp set is made to coordinate with the Mini Milk Carton Bigz L Die for the Big Shot!  Filled with your favorite candy--PUSH UP HERE . . . TO OPEN--and pour--we're sure they will be a hit at your home!

Nanci and I have been preparing for the 29th Annual Oktoberfest Arts & Crafts Show at Marion Catholic High School in Chicago Heights, IL.  The craft show will be held on Sunday, October 10, 2010.   Craft Haven Retreats will have a display at the craft show and we will also be selling paper-crafted items.  Doors open at 10 AM and close at 4 PM.  We hope to meet you there!

Big Shot Hero Video Contest Winner!

This video is the winning entry for the Stampin' Up! Make Your Own Commercial Contest produced by Matt and Linda Heller. Nanci and I both thought it was pretty entertaining! If you are receiving this post via e-mail, click on the article heading, you will be redirected to the blog to view the video! :) Hope you enjoy it!



By the way, we have a Big Shot and a lot more crafting space in our craft room at Lake View Lodge. Make your reservations today and you can roll out your own die-cuts and embossed images--soundtrack optional. Happy Crafting! :)

Holiday Mini Projects from Studio1Stampers Meeting!

In my blog yesterday I mentioned that we had been to a Studio1Stampers meeting with Laura Barto.  She had four projects we could make--all using items from the Holiday Mini catalog. 

Christmas Collage is a large wooden background stamp.  Laura stamped an image of the stamp on a piece of vellum.  She cut it to fit inside the stamps plastic container and positioned it so you could see the stamped image through the box lid.  She then took 4 different Stampin' Spot inks and applied the ink (rubbed it around)  to the box's lid in the areas where she wanted the color on the stamped image.  Then she lightly spritzed the box top with water mist.  When the color on the plastic lid beaded up, she placed a piece of white glossy paper on top of the box.  Then she placed a sheet of copy paper on top of the box top and lightly rubbed the paper over the area covered by the glossy paper.  This process transfers the ink colors to the glossy card stock.  Carefully remove the glossy paper and allow it to dry for approximately 2 minutes.  In the meantime, we inked the Christmas Collage stamp with Early Expresso.

When the card stock is dry enough, place the colored side down on top of the inked stamp.  Rub lightly with the copy paper over the card stock to insure transfer of the Early Express ink to the colored side of the glossy paper.  Each image will be unique.

This matchbox chest is filled with Gift tags that were stamped and punched like the Dec. 25 tag on top of the chest.  The fabric ribbon is cut from the new Stampin' Up! fabric.  Notice the stripes in the fabric all match the cardstock in the chest.  The matchbox die-cut is for the Big Shot.  It cuts the shape, scores the fold lines and will even put perforations in to make the more difficult folds easier!

The Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder and the distressing tool where used to texturize this card.  The image was stamped in black and colored in with the Stampin' Up markers.  The rhinestones and ribbon dress the card up nicely!

This is the coaster from the Holiday Mini.  The die-cut for this shape cut all three layers at once.  I finished quilting the coaster at home tonight.  I did not have any white or natural quilting thread, so I decided to use the gold color--it makes the stitches easier to see.

Aren't these projects fabulous?  Thank you Laura for sharing these projects with us!

August Stamp Club Projects

Hi Crafters!

We had a really late night tonight!  Our August Stamp Club met tonight, so we could get the order in before midnight!  Here is our parade of projects!

Card #1--who doesn't love Play Date DSP and the Owl punch?

Card #2--Flower Pot Card--fast, fun, and fabulous! :)

Pick the flowers to reveal the sentiment!  The hardest part is deciding where you want to adhere your Old Olive leaves!

Card #3--Who doesn't like ice cream?  Design your own sundae!

Does anyone know what the wood grain looking square stamp is in this stamp set?  We cannot figure it out!

Card #4--is the Gala Greenhouse DSP sneak peek from our post on Tuesday 8-24-10.

Are you dazzled by our Dazzling Diamonds?

Card #5--Is a card we cased right out of the Stampin' Success.

Do you like this card?  Circle Yes  Circle No   . . . Circle Circus stamp set--we love it!  Hmmm, I wonder how many circles there are on this card?

Thanks for stopping by!  Happy Crafting!

Q is for Quinceanera!

1. Start with a lot of Bashful Blue card stock.

2. Add in some Whisper White card stock and a little Vellum.

3. Sprinkle with tons of Crystal Stickles and white gel pen dots.

4. Punch out hundreds of scallop and stamped circles.

5. Fold and cut paper for many hours.

6. Use every scrap of red line adhesive you can lay your hands on.

7. Run your Elegant Bouquet embossing folder through the Big Shot hundreds of times.

8. Quality control check each belly band for the perfect fit.

9. Keep plenty of foil and wax paper on hand to keep scallop border punch fine tuned!

The end result is 150 Quinceanera Invitations and envelopes!

That's a lot of paper, adhesive, and ink, but what a great project!

Happy Quince Anos and crafting!

DEMONSTRATOR SPECIAL

Welcome Stampin' Up! Demonstrators!  Have you ever dreamed of an entire weekend to do nothing but craft?  Well, we can make your dreams come true!

Craft Haven Retreats offers an all-inclusive weekend retreat for crafters of all types.  We specialize in card making and scrapbooking, offering the use of our craft room tools and equipment to compliment all of your Stampin' Up! projects!  We have the Cricut Expression with an extensive library of cartridges, Big Shot with dies, Zutter Binder and more.

We're offering a DEMONSTRATOR SPECIAL - Demonstrators who bring 6 or more guests stay FREE! Our all-inclusive weekend retreats provide a perfect opportunity for demonstators to share their passion with customers, downlines, or friends! In addition to providing delicious home-cooked meals, snacks and lodging, we offer a craft room equipped with individual work tables, craft lighting, and the free use of our extensive tools and equipment.

Host your own workshops for the weekend - whether it be training, techniques, card making, scrapbooking or just playing with new stamps and accessories. We do the rest! We'll work with you to customize your Weekend Retreat to fit your needs.

We're located in the beautiful Sister Lakes Michigan area, just an hour and 45 minutes from Chicago. Our location in Michigan offers beautiful fall foilage with lots of side activities including apple and fruit orchards, antique and craft shopping, wine vinyards tours with taste testing, and just relaxing by the lake. Why not plan a Stampin' Up! getaway weekend now! We're offering a Special Fall Rate of $199 per person--remember--YOU STAY FREE!

Call or e-mail us for more information. We would love to hear from you!

Nanci 708-259-7482

Melannie 708-441-9531

July Stamp Club

At our July Stamp Clup we featured the gorgeous Bella Bleu DSP.  So sad to see this paper go!  We made a darling drawer box using Holly McMillen's tutorial found here at Split Coast Stampers.  Our 5 cards and envelopes fit perfectly inside. So nice for gift giving or display!

The paper flowers were made using this technique featured in Julie Buhler's Paper Pleasing Ideas tutorial found here.

Drawer top decorated with leaves from the Bird Punch and these fabulous paper flowers.

Border punches always add so much!

Everyone loved the new Elegant Lines embossing folder!

Elegant Bouquet embossed on Top Note Die.

Paper:  Bella Bleu DSP, Almost Navy, Craft (not SU, substituted because my Crumb Cake didn't arrive in time)

Stamps:  Vintage Vogue, Just Believe, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Embossing Folders:  Elegant Bouquet, Elegant Lines, Script (Cuttlebug)

Ink:  Crumb Cake

Misc:  Top Note Die, Bird Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, various Circle Punches, various Oval Punches, Modern Label Punch, Word Window Punch, Scallop Border Punch, Eyelet Border Punch, Dazzling Diamonds, misc. ribbon, twine and small brads

Thanks for stopping by!

Nanci

June Stamp Club

Craft Haven Retreats Stamp Club held its very first meeting this past week!  We made lots of fun summer cards featuring Stampin' Up!'s  Tropical Pary Stamp Set and the Island Oasis DSP.  Our theme for the evening was totally tropical, right down to the delicious Key Lime cookie bars provided by our June Hostess - Melannie! 

We started out with a quick and easy card inspired by Laura Barto at her May Stamp-a-Stack Buffet.  Be sure to check out all of Laura's great projects at http://www.papercraftingtrends.com/.

Our next card was CASE'd from Gretchen Barron.  Gretchen's  Flirty Little Sundress and Matching Purse was the perfect project for our tropical theme, and everyone LOVED it!  Thanks Gretchen for the dress pattern and directions, available here http://gretchenbarron.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/05/a-flirty-little-sundress-and-a-matching-purse.html . 

Our version of the Monkey Hut card came straight from the June 2010 Stampin' Success magazine.  How fun is this!!  Our Joy Fold tropical flower card was inspired by Oregon Stamper on Splitcoast Stampers SU Gallery and can be viewed here http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/1710919?&cat=19175 .

All supplies are Stampin' Up!, unless otherwise noted

Stamp Sets:  Tropical Party, One of a Kind, Warm Words

Paper: Island Oasis DPS, Tempting Turquise CS, Pumpkin Pie CS, So Saffron CS,

Rose Red CS, Old Olive CS

Ink:  Tempting Turquise, Pumpkin Pie, So Saffron, Rose Red, Old Olive 

Tools: Scallop Circle punch, Scallop Circle Bigz XL die, Round Tab punch, various size

Circle punches, Small Oval punch, Baskets and Blooms Bigz XL die, Big Shot,

Cuttlebug Herringbone Enbossing Folder

Accessories: Misc. buttons, twine, ribbons, brads, Stampin' Dimensionals