Little Bearthday card

Here is a quickie little bearthday card I made just the other day for my daughter's friend. It used a few scraps of paper for the background and a stamped little girl bear on watercolor paper. I colored her using Melon Mambo and Soft Suede markers. I finished it off with just a touch of glitter. This set is just perfect for giving children presents! I always think it's funny, too, that all of our friends know exactly who gave them the present when they open the card! Oh, well....that's what sharing your passion is all about!!!

Gift card holders

Here are some different gift card holders I made. This particular gift card holder also doubles as a Ghirardelli chocolate holder. I found the fabulous idea and measurements for this little darling quickie on UStamp with Dawn and Friends - it's a great little website that gives you a project a day for about 30 days or so!!!! It is absolutely fantastic for quick and beautiful, innovative gifts. Check it out on the right side of my blog - there is a tan colored blinkie that will take you right there.
This is what I did with the inside of the holder. As you can see I used the Definitely Decorative ornament stamp and ornament punch. It is terrifically quick - just like this project. Although you can't see it, I mixed some Frost White shimmer paint with real red. I love all the sparkle it makes!

Here I have used Andrea Walford's idea to create a stocking that can double as a gift card holder and an ornament. The top of the stocking lifts up to reveal the gift card. It's very cute!

Getting ready for Christmas

At our club meeting this past week we played with the oh, so beautiful shimmer paints! We made our own shimmer paint color using ink refills and did a one-sheet wonder to use on all three projects. Here are two of the projects that we made. We did a simple little scrapbook page that you see above.

Next, we used one of my role model demonstrators, Andrea Walford's idea, to create these little folios in which you can put a set of 4 bookmarks. I know you can't see it, but the front of this is spritzed with my homemade shimmer mist, so it is very sparkly! I LOVE shimmery things!

On the inside are 4 magnetized bookmarks I created. These can be used as gifts or for yourself. As you can see, I added just a little bit of magnet on the fold to attach it to the front. Then you can use it again for something else cute!!!

My baby is 3!

Well, it took a while for me to get this posted, but I actually used Liz's sketch to create Halleigh's 3rd birthday card. I liked the sketch and needed something that wasn't too complicated, but had enough character to get a quick card done in time for the birthday party last Sunday.

Of course, it got tossed amidst all the wrapping paper and boxes...but Halleigh did like all the glitter and the popped up sentiment on the front. This, of course, is always verified by the need to re-stick the sentiment on after lots of playing with her glittery card! Here is the inside, also...why is it that I always see the crooked pieces AFTER I post my cards?!

Serene Snowflakes class kit to go!

Don’t have enough Designer Paper? No Problem. This class will solve that for you. These six cards are all created using a One Sheet Wonder technique. Stamp these beautiful snowflake images as your Designer Paper, add the co-ordinating matchbook and you have an amazing gift set!

Supplies

• Stamps: Serene Snowflakes, Four the Holidays

• Ink: Not Quite Navy and Sahara Sand Classic inks, Frost White Shimmer paint

• Paper: Kraft CS, Not Quite Navy CS, Very Vanilla CS, Medium Very Vanilla Envelopes

• Accessories: Sticky Strip, Snail adhesive, Paper Snips, paper-piercing tool, mat pack, Scallop Edge punch, Jumbo Snowflake punch, bone folder, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Stampin’ Scrub and Mist, paper trimmer and Scoring blade, pencil, Stamping Sponges, Sponge Daubers, grid paper, paint palette, paint brush, RSVP pen, Crop-A-Dile

You can purchase this class kit for $25 through Pay Pal OR you can get it for FREE with a $50 purchase on my Stampin' Up website.

Shop right now at http://valeriedurham.stampinup.net/

***This offer is not good for SU demos. Please visit demotodemo.com if you would like to purchase a class kit.

Tree of Life

I decided I couldn't do all of my Disney trip pics in an ongoing album, so I think I'm going to try an 8.5 X 8.5 album for them. So...this is the opening page of our trip - we went with some of our best friends. Thus, this is "friends for life at the Tree of Life." I cut out the birds in the Tall Tales DSP and set them on a few branches I cut out from the birds and branches sizzlits die cut. For the title letters, I smeared Old Olive craft ink all over some chipboard letters and embossed with clear powder (while they flew all over the place!!!) Finally, I dotted the little spots on the birds with glue and dipped it into green glitter because everything needs a little sparkle!

New challenge blog - Treasures from Scraps

How would you like to win a $20 gift certificate to 2 Peas in a Bucket?
Well, you may have noticed a new little gadget to the right side of my blog...I was selected to be on a brand new design team for a great new challenge blog called Treasures from Scraps. You can click right on the banner to go directly to the website. If you would like to join in on the challenge, you could be the lucky winner of a $20 gift certificate to 2 Peas in a Bucket!!!
So, here in this post you get to see my first creations for the design team! The challenge was for items that would help you decorate your home for fall and since the leaves are falling everywhere around me, I was quite inspired!
Above you will see the scrapbook page I made to put some lovely pictures of my sweet daughter who is turning 3 on Sunday (boo hoo - she's not a baby anymore!) If you notice the little Curly Label punch on the left side, it pulls out to put journaling underneath the picture spot.

Here are a few closeup shots. The one above shows the letter. I don't know who makes these chipboard letters, but they were a natural woodgrain color. I didn't mind the color, but I decided to mix a little shimmer paint with Soft Suede re-inker to create some shimmery brown paint. It didn't take much - just a few drops of each. Next, I painted the letters using a q-tip - it was nice and easy to smear and really quick to just throw away when I was finished.

Now you can see the image on the page. I put a definition on the page - Gratitude and used some chocolate chip buttons to accent that definition. Next, I stamped the above image from the Wandering Words stamp set onto some Very Vanilla paper. I used some More Mustard and Really Rust stampin' spots to twist some color onto the leaves and swirls. I say twist because that is the best way to describe it! I wanted it to resemble the changing colors of the leaves in the fall. Then I took a Chocolate Chip Stampin' Write marker and colored the sentiment with it. After stamping the image, I spritzed the image with my homemade shimmer mist for a final touch of glimmer.

Here is a lovely and simple card to make for a thank you note in the fall. I used the same stamping technique on this image and accented it with a mini library clip and some chocolate chip taffeta ribbon. Now, you may think the picture looks grainy, but it is actually my homemade shimmer mist again! I love this shimmer paint - and I especially love the simple addition of mixing it with alcohol to spritz across things! (Just don't spritz too much or you might get a little too spritz happy!!! Or stinky....) At least it dries really quickly!!!

Here is a little turkey for your table that doesn't have to worry about getting eaten! I made this out of chipboard and cardstock. I wanted it to stand up on it's own, so I made a stand for the back so you could place a notepad or even your salt and pepper shaker behind it.

The feathers are made using the Sweet Centers stamp set - they are actually meant to be flower petals, but I used them for feathers. Inside the Sweet Treat cup is the center of an artificial sunflower. I often take apart artificial flowers to use on other projects, so since I hate to throw things away (yes, I admit I'm a packrat...) I end up finding a new use for them later on! For the legs, I crimped some More Mustard and let his legs dangle in the front.

So, here is my humble little ensemble - hope you like it!!! Join the latest challenge at Treasures from Scraps - you might just be the lucky winner of $20 from 2 Peas in a Bucket!

Stamps: Wandering Words, Define your Life, Sweet Centers

Ink: More Mustard, Really Rust, Chocolate Chip

Paper: Taken with Teal, Very Vanilla, More Mustard, Really Rust, Chocolate Chip, Autumn Meadows

Accessories: Chocolate Chip taffeta ribbon, mini library clip, chipboard letters, chocolate chip buttons, curly label punch, Sweet treat cup, sunflower center from flower

Purse sized Christmas planner

Here is a (crooked picture) sneak peek at the project we are going to make for our club meeting this month. We are making a purse sized Christmas planner to take with you when you go shopping. It has Christmas card lists, wish lists, gift lists, a calendar, and even a thank you list! What a handy little item to take with you in all the holiday buzz that is already starting!