Post Cards are great ways to remind us of our vacations, memorable spots or even a quick way to send a note.  They are quick and easy to compose a “thinking of you while I’m here” and having the picture on the front of the post card with spectacular scenery, may have the receiver of the post card green with envy.

However, post cards can be sent to yourself if you are on some exotic vacation and you will have the stamps to add to your memorabilia stack.  How about adding them to your scrap book.

I like to use post cards in my scrap books, actually I call them my memory books, and the pictures are usually much better than what I can take even with all the fancy photo editing software.

So, when I was going through the new catalogue, I spied the Post Card stamp and then I spied the Postage Collection (hostess stamp set) and I thought, wow, couldn’t this be fun.  So I went past the thinking and purchased the Post Card stamp and created this card.

Stamps: Postage Due (c-126397, w-132064 p103 2013/14 Annual Catalogue), Post Card (c-130369, w-130366 p102 2013/14 Annual Catalogue), Postage Collection (c-129240, w-129237 Hostess p204 2013/14 Annual Catalogue), Best of Flowers (133342 – Online Only see below)

Paper: Naturals White, Smokey Slate, Crisp Cantaloupe, 2013-2014 In Colors DSP Stack

Ink: Crisp Cantaloupe, Pear Pizzazz

Accessories: Versa Mark, Stamp-a-ma jig, Subtle Candy Dots, Pear Pizzazz Seam Binding Ribbon (retired), Hole Punch, 1/2″ Circle Punch

The Smokey Slate panel is stamped using the large background stamp from Postage Due and Versa Mark to create a subtle background.

The Post Card is stamped onto Naturals White using Pear Pizzazz ink.  The cross-hatch effect came from pushing on the stamp too hard, and I left it because I liked it.  One of those oopses that turned into creativity. 

I took several stamps from the Postage Collection and inked them with Smokey Slate and stamped a collage.  The Happy Birthday stamp is inked with Crisp Cantaloupe and positioned using the Stamp-a-ma jig.

The daisies are from the Best of Flowers stamp set.  The stamp was inked with Crisp Cantaloupe and stamped and then moved over a smidgen and stamped again without reinking the stamp.  This gives a shadow effect.

Best of Flowers Clear Mount Only – #133342

Order this stamp set HERE and have a look at the other Best of…. stamps. 

The Post Cart panel corners were cropped from about 1-1/2″ from the center on each side, you just have to remember to get the same distance on the side of the panel when you cut your angles.  Punch a 1/2″ circle from Crisp Cantaloupe and adhere to the center of the post cart where the angles were cut and punch a hole in the center using the hole punch.  Thread your ribbon through the hole.

Don’t forget to mount the post card on the DSP before you punch the hole for the ribbon.  Attach everything to your card base.

Can you see the new product?  Candy Dots from the subtle collection.  They are simply adorable.  You can use them on their one or attach them to the Candy Dots Brad Bases.

Subtles Candy Dots #130933 – These come in all the collections except the In Colors.

Candy Dot Brad Bases #132293

Click on the images to view the details.

Next time you are on vacation, mail yourself a post card from one of your destinations.

Happy Stamping

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Creativity for some means create fear.  Why is that?  Some people think they do not have a creative bone in their body, some try and compare their work to others, some don’t know where to start, and still others think their creations need to be perfect.

Well, guess what.  These fears are myths and with a little bit of time and belief in yourself, creativity will open up a whole new world.

Creativity is an expression of who and what we are and comes in all sorts of packages. I still would like to speak to my Grade 8 instructor who would fail my art projects.  I couldn’t draw or paint to his liking and there is more to creativity than drawing or painting.  So enough with me and we will get back to you.

Sometimes the first thing that people think or say is “I am not creative”.  Well, yes you can be and it only takes a bit of your time and ingenuity to create something beautiful.

When I hold my classes and clubs, I also hear ” Sure doesn’t look like yours”.    My response is “it doesn’t matter that your card doesn’t look like mine, yours is unique to you and the person that you are giving it to will not know what mine looked like”. 

Another comment is “I made a mistake”.  Remember, there are  2 sides to every piece of paper, embellishments can help to cover up those mistakes and sometimes you can just add something to make it look like the mistake is supposed to be there. 

Perfection is a real myth.  I am not sure who invented that word, but trying to be perfect will not get us anywhere.  Life is all about imperfections.

So now, on to my card, which by the way is not perfect.  It has a mistake on it and it has been camouflaged and the recipient will never know.

Stamps: Mosaic Madness (c-130249, w-130246, p.123 2013/14 Annual Catalogue), Delightful Dozen (c-122652, w-128547 p.27 2013-14 Annual Catalogue)

Papers: Coastal Cabana, Calypso Coral, Whisper White, So Saffron, Quatrefancy DSP

Ink: Calypso Coral, Coastal Cabana, So Saffron

Accessories: Big Shot, Adorning Accents Edgelits, Large Scallop Edgelits,Modern Mosaic Embossing Folder,  Versa Mark, Whisper White Embossing Powder, Mosaic Punch, Stamp-a-ma Jig, Calypso Coral Bakers Twine, Sponges, Sponge Daubers

Can you spot the mistake?  It’s hidden below the banner and the person receiving this card, will never know it there.

So, get creative, book a workshop and just go for it.  You are unique.

To book a workshop, contact me by EMAIL.

Happy Stamping

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Whale, pink it is.   

What could be more fitting than a pink whale and purple umbrellas for Maya.  We all know how much little girls enjoy pink and purple.  I think that it is a given.  Maybe that’s why we ladies of a certain age can’t get enough purple in our wardrobe.

Before I continue though, I would like to boast a bit.  I wrote an article for Ezine titled, “Where do I start to design a hand-crafted card?” and it has now been published.  You can check out HERE

Now, back to the birthday whale. 

This card uses 2 stamp sets from the Spring Catalogue which will expire on May 31st.  So if there is something that you really want, hop on over to my ON-LINE STORE to order or send me an EMAIL.  I will be placing an order at the end of the month. 

Stamps: Rain or Shine (c – 126777, w- 126775, p30 2013 Spring Catalogue), Oh, Whale! (c – 129132, w- 129129, p29 2013 Spring Catalogue), Family Reunion (c – 122712, w- 122710, p138 2012/13 Annual Catalogue)

Paper: Whisper White, Marina Mist, Primrose Petals, Sunshine and Sprinkles DSP, Subtle DSP Stack

Ink: Marina Mist, Perfect Plum, Primrose Petals

Accessories: Big Shot, Happy Whale Clearlits Die, Tasteful Trim Bigz XL Die, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Pearl Jewels

The umbrellas from the Rain or Shine stamp set were stamped with Perfect Plum on Perfect Plum DSP from the Subtles Designer Series Pack and then fussy cut with the Paper Snips.  Both the umbrella handles and the water spouts ( ok one is an alphabet spout) were aligned to the whale with the Stamp-a-ma-jig. The Stamp-a-ma-jig is a handy tool for two-step stamping and can be used for both the clear mount and the wood mount stamps.

So that’s it for today, Happy 4th Birthday Maya.

Happy Stamping

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