A Spooky Tale!

Hi everyone,

It's the Blog Hogger here, aka Kathy's slightly demented sister! lol

Recently, our carding group got together at my house. This is typically done on a bi-weekly basis and involves making cards, female chit chat and a whole lot of laughter. However, last Tuesday evening it took on a more sinister feel!

Wilhelmena, one of our close knit group, has moved away and it has proven difficult for the rest of the group to regain the carefree air which typifies our sessions. However, we are bravely trying to soldier through . . . and so we got together last week.

[Time to turn off the lights and shine a flashlight under your chin! Warning: This gets really, really creepy!]

It seemed like it was going to be just another normal card-making session. We were sitting around the table, innocently picking out our cardstock colours and stamp sets, when suddenly I heard a disembodied Voice calling my name!!!

I quickly looked around the room, but everyone was busy and it was obvious they hadn't spoken to me. I mentally shook myself, deciding I'd imagined it. (Hey, even I can admit that I'm a little wacky at times! lol)

However, the voice persisted. . . and this is the really creepy part . . . I realized by the startled expressions on the other ladies' faces, they were hearing the Voice also!!! Given that we are strong women, we shakily decided to continue making cards and made a concerted effort to ignore the Voice!

Throughout the next couple of hours the Voice muttered continually, calling our names, and at times even breaking into maniacal laughter!

After a tense couple of hours, we finally realized that our carding friend, Wilhelmena, had joined us via FaceTime on her iPad! lol

Turns out it was a great way to connect. She worked on her projects in her own house, while we worked on ours. We chatted freely, laughed ridiculously loudly . . . as usual . . . and generally had a wonderful time! It was just like she was a disembodied voice sitting right in the room with us. Although we also got to see her face so I guess . . . technically . . .she wasn't disembodied! lol

We made some cute cards that night but, in honour of the theme of today's blog posting, I thought I'd share a quick Halloween card I just made with you:

Supplies used:

• Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie and Whisper White cardstock
• Basic Black ink
• Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set
• Perfect Polka Dot Embossing folder
• Owl Builder punch (the body of the owl turned upside down, with feet cut off, to make the ghost)
• Word Window and Modern Label punches
• White Gel Pen
• Pumpkin Pie ribbon
• Ghosts and sentiment popped up on Dimensionals

And there you have it, a very simple card from a very simple mind! lol

Disembodied hugs,

Colleen, aka the Blog Hogger

Chocolates . . . Yum!!!

Hi there, everyone!

It's the Blog Hogger here with another Valentine's Day card.

Now I know I said yesterday that valentines were best in bunches, but that only applies when they are quick and easy cards to make! lol  Today's card took a lot longer to make, although most of that time was figuring out the details of the concept. If I had to redo it, I could do it much faster.

Anyway, the concept for this card was to replicate a box of chocolates and, after a fair bit of fiddling, I have a card I like! Yah! Although I'm using it for a Valentine's Day card, it could be put to use for pretty much any occasion since chocolate is always applicable!  Wait!!! I just realized I wouldn't use it for a "Good-Job-Losing-All-The-Weight" card unless the recipient had lots of willpower and a great sense of humor! lol

So, here's the card:

I used Chocolate Chip, Real Red, Very Vanilla and Crumb Cake cardstock (cs), and the only stamp used was a sentiment from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set. I also used the heart folder from the Adorning Accent Folders, and the Word Window and Modern Label punches.

I wish I could give you the template for the bottom of the chocolate box but I did it freehand and can't figure out how to make it into a PDF. Sorry! I can tell you the front of the box measures 3 13/16" and the side is 1 1/4".

However, I can explain how I made the chocolates:
(1) I used Chocolate Chip cs which, let's face it, just makes sense! lol
(2) I used a White Gel Pen to replicate the white icing.
(3) The rectangular chocolates were made using a 3/4" x 1" piece of cs. I attached a scrap of cs to the middle of the rectangle to use as a handle and punched the edges with the 3/16" Corner punch.

After doing this, I cut the rectangles in half and hand cut the bottom edges of the chocolates.

(4) The cherry chocolates were made using the 3/4" Circle punch. I put a piece of cs most of the way into the punch.

(5) My favorite piece is the cherry chocolate that someone poked a whole in! Seriously, folks, it's pretty obvious that it would have been a cherry chocolate, so why poke it and let all that gooey goodness leak out! lol 

So, what I did was simply tear the side off one of the chocolates. Then I punched a 1/2" circle from Real Red cs and glued it to the back. The "gooey" part was made using Crystal Effects and a touch of Pretty In Pink ink. I mixed it together on a piece of waxed paper and put it on the chocolate using a toothpick. I left the rest of the mixture on the waxed paper overnight and scrapped it off with a sharp knife. It took on a slightly crystallized look which worked for this card.

(6) I finished the chocolates by sponging Chocolate chip ink around all the edges. (I also sponged the edges of the box.)

I'll finish this rather lengthy posting by giving you a few tips about using Crystal Effects:

1. Use & store it at room temperature.
2. Be careful to let it dry completely before handling. I often leave it alone overnight if I have used a thick layer of it. Let it dry for at least an hour if you've applied a thin coat.
3. Don't shake it up because that causes bubbles to form.
4. If the tip of the bottle becomes clogged, use a straightened paper clip to gently open up the hole. I always keep the paper clip in the hole between the times I'm using the Crystal Effects . . . while I'm working on a project. Once I'm finished that project, I put the cap back on. I keep the paper clip attached to the bottle with an elastic band so it's always easy to find. (I just took it off for the picture.)
5. Never use a heat gun to dry it! It will cause bubbles to form!

So that's it for now, all you crafty people!

Gooey hugs filled with chocolate and other sweet things,

Colleen

Valentines Are Best in Bunches!

Hi everyone!

It's the Blog Hogger, aka Kathy's sister, coming to you with three . . . count them, three . . . valentine cards! Woohoo!!! The extra good news is that they are fun and fast to do. In fact, I made all three of them last night . . . in one hour!

Hmmm, maybe I shouldn't have said that 'cause it might color how you look at them. See, if I'd said it had taken me three hours to make the cards you'd be thinking, "Wow! They took so much time to make that they have to be gorgeous!" But now that I've said it only took me an hour, you're probably thinking, "Seriously, an hour?! How good could they be?"

You know what? I think I'll stop my inner dialogue and just show you the cards! lol

Here's the first one:

This is for my daughter and her fiance. They have chosen to use mason jars for decoration at their upcoming marriage in July. So we have incorporated the mason jar theme into their wedding invitations . . . and I used it in their Christmas card . . . and now for their Valentine's card. Hmmm, hope they don't get sick of it before the wedding! lol

I used Chocolate Chip, Real Red and Very Vanilla cardstock. I also used the mason jar from the Perfectly Preserved stamp set, along with the coordinating Cannery Set Framelits Dies, which are still available by the way.

I embossed the Real Red section using the heart folder from the Adorning Accents Folders. I also stamped the sentiment from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set, and used the Word Window and Modern Label punches to make a small, but powerful, statement.

I finished the card by "filling" up the mason jar with hearts punched out from Red Glimmer Paper using the Owl Builder punch and the discontinued Heart to Heart punch. You could use the Fashionable Hearts Embosslits to achieve the same . . . and maybe even better . . . look!

And here's the second card:

This one was super-easy!

I used Chocolate Chip, Real Red and Whisper White cardstock. I embossed the Real Red section on the top and bottom using the heart folder from the Adorning Accents Folders. (So, no, it's not embossed behind the middle section.)

Then I punched out multiple hearts using the Heart to Heart punch and Red Glimmer Paper. I lined them up on the Whisper White cardstock, popping the bigger hearts up using Dimensionals.

And, BAM, the second card was finished! It's simple but I love the look!

Here's the last card I did:

Good news, ladies! This is a card suitable for the man in your life! Again, it's super simple!

I used Basic Black, Real Red, and Whisper White cardstock. I stamped the tree from the Serene Silhouettes stamp set and the sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes, using Stazon ink. I glued on two hearts stamped from Red Glimmer Paper using the Owl Builder punch.

I popped up the whole Real Red section using Dimensionals.

And that's it! I think it probably took you longer to read this post, than it did for me to make the cards! lol

Have a loving and laughter-filled Valentine's Day everyone!

Bunches of hugs,
Colleen

Happy Thanksgiving Day . . . in Canada!

Happy Thanksgiving Day, to all you inky people who live in Canada!

It's the Blog Hogger back with a Thanksgiving-themed card. This one highlights the Cottage Window stamp set. It's an adorable set that can be used year-round since it includes spring, summer, fall and winter elements.

Anyway, here's a card I made for a friend of mine:

By the way, do you notice how the card is lovingly displayed on my new card holder (see "Bluebird of Paradise" posting)? lol

Following are the details for how I made the card:

• I cut Cajun Craze cardstock (cs) at 5 1/2" and scored it at 4 1/4".
• The Crumb Cake layer is 5 1/4" x 4".
• The "wallpaper" is 5" x 3/4" and is some old Stampin' Up designer paper.
• I stamped the window image from the Cottage Window stamp set in Soft Suede ink onto some scrap Whisper White cs, and then I cut around the window so that I could pop it up on Dimensionals.
• For the image in the window, I used the leaf image from the Cottage Window stamp set and used markers to color the leaves in fall colors. The trees are from the Lovely as a Tree stamp set.
• I stamped, colored and cut out the pumpkins.

Here's a close-up of the window element:

• The sentiment is from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set and is stamped in Soft Suede ink and punched out using the Word Window punch. Backing it is a piece of Crumb Cake cs punched out using the Modern Label punch. I popped it up using Dimensionals.

And there you have it, folks, a simple Thanksgiving card!

Tomorrow, I get to give thanks that I will share in the joy around Kathy's table, especially since it will be Emily's first Thanksgiving . . . and she'll be celebrating it at her grandmother's house! While we have ham and the fixings, including pumpkin pie, she will be getting milk! Makes me glad I have teeth! lol

Thankful hugs,
Colleen

Bluebird of Paradise!

Hi everyone,

It's the Blog Hogger with a little story for you.

Once upon a time a beautiful older sister went to another land to help her daughter, who was with child. While the beautiful older sister's thoughts were centered almost solely upon the upcoming birth, she still thought lovingly of her younger, and also beautiful, sister whom she had left behind.

Now, it's important for you all to realize that the younger sister supported her older sister in all her many endeavors, including by posting on her colorful, creative and always slightly crazy blog.

"Hmmm", the older sister said to herself one day. "How can I possibly repay my younger sister's devotion and help." (Now if she had said this out loud to her sister, the younger sister would have readily replied that the older sister was the best sister in the world and constantly gifted her with Stampin' Up goodies. Therefore, no further recompense was necessary. However, she didn't and so the story continues . . .)

One day, while on an outing with her daughter and new grandbaby, the older sister saw the perfect gift! (It was perfect because, in our family, anything card-related is considered awesome! Have a look and see if you can guess what it's used for.)

Ah, yes, for those of you who are as bright as a bluebird, it's a card holder! It's quirky and cute and the younger sister loved it! The older sister gifted the younger sister with other tokens of her appreciation but the younger sister was most taken with the card holder!

She spend many minutes staring at the little metal bird before she exclaimed, "Ah ha!!! I have it!" The younger sister rushed into her craft room and feverishly flipped through cardstock, and then proceeded to cut, color, fold, punch out, run product through the Big Shot (pant, pant), and at last was happy with her creation! And here it is :

(TADA!!! Seriously, people, if you give me just one little idea I will run with it until I am so out-of-breath I can't even speak! Okay, well, that never really happens. I can always speak! lol)

Anyway, back to the story . . . no, wait, that's enough with the story! lol It would be way better if I just explained how I made the card;

1. I cut a piece of Baja Breese cardstock (cs) at 5 1/2" and scored it at 4 1/4".
2. Next, I cut a piece of Very Vanilla cs 5 1/4" x 4".
3. The Soft Suede section was cut at 5 1/4" and then I ran it through the Big Shot using an Adorning Accents Edgelit and the coordinating Folder. It ended up 5 1/4" x 2". I popped that section up on Dimensionals because I attached a curly metal thing with ribbon on it from a Hodgepodge Hardware kit.
4. The birds were made using the Bird Builder Punch. I put texture on them (in them?) using a flowery folder (which is discontinued but any folder with small designs would work). I sponged Marina Mist ink over the textured parts and around the edges. Then I used a Basic Black marker and a White Gel Pen to color in the beak and eye. The birds are popped up on Dimensionals also.
5. I finished the card with a saying from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set, using two sizes of oval punches.

And so there you have it, folks. It's a card holder that inspired a card, and gave a happy ending to a happy story!

Story-telling hugs,
Colleen

Squares, Ovals & Leaves

Hi everyone,

After all the colorful cards I've made lately I thought I'd mix it up with a stark black and white look.

[SCREECH!!! (That's the sound of wheels coming to an abrupt halt!!! lol) This blog has been temporarily stopped in order to bring you an update on the card I will feature below! It started out black and white but, even tho' I had tagged it as a sympathy card, it was just too severe for me. Therefore, I added some color and a flower to it. I'll post the updated card at the end of this post. You may now continue reading! lol]

I like the clean lines and felt comfortable mixing square and oval shapes, although I don't normally do that.

Anyway, take a look and see what you think:

I used the leaves from the Bird Builder punch, punching them out of Basic Black cardstock (cs) already punched out using the 1 1/4" Square punch. Then I glued them onto Whisper White cs punched out using the 1 3/8" Square punch. I popped up the leaf sections using Dimensionals.

I also used one of the Adorning Accents Folder and the accompanying Adorning Accents Edgelit to make the curved section on the bottom. I used the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set and Oval punches to complete the card.

[Okay, here's the updated version:

It's a subtle change but I think it makes a big impact! I just added a bit of Marina Mist, punched out with the same punches but glued to give a shadow effect. The flower with the rhinestone center came from my Pretties Kit, which I got a while ago from the Clearance Rack. I'm much happier with the card now!]

Updated hugs,
Colleen, aka the Blog Hogger

Little Bitties!

Hi everyone,

It's the Blog Hogger again, eager to show you my latest creation. I'm thinking pretty soon Kathy will be telling me to stop taking over her blog, but as soon as Tuesday comes I'll be passing the "Blog Baton" back to her anyway. Why on Tuesday, you ask? Well, that's when children in Newfoundland and Labrador return to school and, therefore, I return to work! That will give me less time to play with cardstock. (Okay, everyone, let's all breath a loud, sad sigh. S-i-g-h! lol)

Luckily I enjoy my job and the people I work with, and the following picture is proof of that:

Seriously, why else would I make 35 little bitty cards? lol The cards measure 2 1/2" x 5" and were fun and easy to do! They will be popped into everyone's mailboxes along with a sweet treat! Yum! lol

Here's a close-up of one of the cards:

I got six cards out of each 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of cardstock (cs). The following three pictures show how I cut the Whisper White cs. (However, for the pictures I used a sheet of Pumpkin Pie cs 'cause I thought it would show up better.)

First cut the 8 1/2" side at 5" & 7 1/2". That will give you a 1" scrap piece along the side. Here's another look at it:

Then cut the 11" side at 5" &10". That will automatically give you #5 & #6 cards. Cut the two 5" x 5" squares into two pieces each, thereby giving you #1, 2, 3 & 4 cards. Hopefully that makes sense to you. Well, the pictures show it pretty well . . . I hope! lol

Once I had my cards cut out, I stamped one of the four images from the Pocket Silhouettes stamp set onto the front. I used all four images and four colors of ink: Certainly Celery, Garden Green, Old Olive & Always Artichoke. (The Pocket Silhouettes stamp set in no longer available but any stamp set with small images would work just as well.)

Then I used my Simply Scored Scoring Tool to made a little border around the edges.

I stamped the "just for you", from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set, onto scrap cs with Chocolate Chip ink and punched it out with the Word Window punch. I backed it with Chocolate Chip cs punched out using the Modern Label punch.

That's it for the "male" cards. I just added some color and fun to the "female" cards by using some little butterflies I had left over from some projects I'd done using the Beautiful Wings Embosslit. The wings are bent forward and glued only in the middle to give some dimension to them.

Last year I made little cards shaped like old-fashioned slates with a little apple on the side for everyone. Now those were a lot of work!!! lol This year I just don't want to let go of summer, hence the shades of green and the butterflies.

Summery hugs,
Colleen

Soap Dish Card!

Hi everyone,

It's your friendly neighborhood Blog Hogger here bringing you yet another card! I'm on a roll! lol

Like the last card, the colors for this card have been inspired by my recent trip. In this case, however, I actually brought back a small soap dish I fell in love with in Le Castellet, France. Actually, I fell in love with Le Castellet! :) It is a small hillside village, complete with a medieval castle! What a beautiful little gem of a place!

Here's a picture I took when I was there:

It shows where the local women used to clean their laundry! Just makes you long for the "good old days", doesn't it? lol

Anyway, back to the soap dish . . . I just loved the vibrant colors, so thought, "Hey, I wonder if it would translate into a pretty card?"

Here's the soap dish:

And here's the Soap Dish Card:

What do you think? Personally, I am as happy as a cicada in a tree! (It was the constant background sound in Le Castellet. There had to be thousands and thousands of those insects everywhere! lol)

Here are the details;

• I used Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Marina Mist and Whisper White cardstock (cs).
• I dragged my Daffodil Delight ink pad over the Daffodil Delight cs, which was cut at 4" x 5 1/4", thereby mimicking the brushstrokes you see in the soap dish.
• I used Whisper White Organza Ribbon on the Marina Mist strip.
• Both the Marina Mist strip and the backing for the sentiment were run through the Big Shot using the Square Lattice Folder.
• The main image is from the Serene Silhouettes stamp set. I colored the stamp using Wild Wasabi, Garden Green and Real Red markers.
• After I stamped the image on Whisper White cs, I used the Basic Black marker (the pointy end) to color the center slightly, and added some dots using a White Gel Pen.
• I used the 3/16" Corner punch to round off all the edges.
• I glued everything together and popped up the main image using Dimensionals.

I had a lot of fun CASEing the soap dish, folks, and am really pleased with how it turned out!

Noisy insect hugs,
Colleen

Blue Poppies!

Hi everyone,

It's the Blog Hogger back with a card I made today because I wanted to use my new Stampin' Up stuff . . . and because it was cool and rainy today so I needed something to occupy me and keep me out of mischief! lol

The color combinations for today's card came from a bowl I brought back with me on my recent trip. Now, those of you who know I just returned from Europe will be excused if you immediately assume it was bought in some exotic foreign country. However, it was actually bought in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada! lol

The colors in the bowl remind me of the doors in Mykonos, Greece, so there is a connection to my trip. It's just a connection I made at Stokes when I returned to Canada! lol

Here's a picture of one of those doors:

Pretty, huh? The doors were painted a variety of beautiful colors which popped against the whitewashed stone!

Anyway, here's the bowl that inspired the card (and there were doors painted in every one of these colors which is why the bowl was bought):

The colors matched beautifully with Cajun Craze, Marina Mist, Wild Wasabi and Night of Navy markers. So here's the card that was inspired by the colors in the bowl:

And here are the details:

• I used Cajun Craze, Night of Navy, Marina Mist and Whisper White cardstock (cs).
• The image is from the Pleasant Poppies background stamp. I stamped a portion of the stamp using Black Stazon ink. 
• I colored the image using Marina Mist, Night of Navy, Cajun Craze and Wild Wasabi markers and a Blender Pen. (And, yes, there are blue poppies in real life. I know because I googled it! lol)
• The Whisper White cs is cut at 3 1/4" x 4", the Marina Mist cs is 3 3/8" x 4 1/8", and the Night of Navy layer is 3 1/2" x 4 1/2". 
• The Night of Navy strip on the bottom is 1" x 4 1/4" and was textured using the Square Lattice Folder. (The texturing is kinda hard to see in this picture.)
• The sentiment is from the Teeny Tiny wishes stamp set and is punched out using the Word Window punch.
• The Marina Mist cs is punched out using the Modern Label punch.
• The main image section and the sentiment are popped up on Dimensionals.

Hope you like this card. When I make it again (so obviously I like it lol) I'm going to use Black Emboss Powder instead of Black Stazon ink to define the poppies better. Well that's it for now, everyone!

Mediterranean hugs,
Colleen

Summer Afternoon

Hi everyone,

It's the Blog Hogger here, taking up some slack for Kathy while she's still in babyland, aka Ottawa. Gosh, I'm a nice sister, aren't I? lol

Isn't the title for this posting evocative of lazy, hot summer afternoons?  I just love the hostess stamp set, Summer Afternoon, which is available when you either host a workshop (and place at least a $200 order) or order at least $200 yourself . . . which I do on a regular basis, thereby granting me the title of Kathy's favorite sister! Oh, did I type that out loud? lol Note to our other sisters: I gave myself the title, so that makes it okay, right?

Anyway, you can buy the stamp set (found on page 205 of the catalogue) for just $12 in hostess dollars for the clear mount set (in the Canadian catalogue).  Don't you agree that it's a great deal?

And don't I sound just like a real live Stampin' Up demonstrator? Also, I just realized I sound like a crazy person 'cause I keep asking questions to which I shall receive no reply . . . except maybe the question to my sisters! lol Oh well, I shall look at it as just another example of talking to your computer which, let's face it, everybody does!

And now on to my most recent card . . .

This card uses:

• the bicycle from the stamp set, Summer Afternoon (surprise, surprise)
• a sentiment from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set
• Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White and So Saffron cardstock (cs)
• So Saffron ribbon
• the Top Note Bigz die
• the Stripes Folder
• ink and a Blender Pen
• the Small and Large Oval punches
• a random (but still Stampin' Up) flower brad
• a Stampin' Sponge (used to put ink around the edge of the Top Note section)
• Dimensionals (to pop up the Top Note and the right hand side of the sentiment)

I wanted to use some of my ribbon, but decided to loop it instead of wrapping it around the edge of the So Saffron cs. See what I mean? (There I go, talking to myself again! lol)

Notice that the sentiment says "just for you". I try to pick sentiments I can use for almost any occasion when I make a card just 'cause I'm in the mood, as opposed to making one for a specific reason. That way I can put something on the inside of the card like ". . . on your birthday" or ". . . 'cause I was thinking about you" or ". . . 'cause I was bored one day and wanted to make a card and I decided to give it to you"! lol

Summer afternoon hugs,

Colleen

Serene Sympathy!

Hi there,

It's the Blog Hogger again. Oh, I am soooo sleepy! I haven't been able to sleep properly ever since I got my new product! After I go to bed my brain has been racing with card ideas! (I'm pretty sure this qualifies me as a Stampin' Up geek!  lol)

This time I used the Serene Silhouettes stamp set to make a sympathy card but it could easily be used as a birthday card (especially for a man), or for any other occasion.

Here's two pictures of the card. The first picture shows the card standing up but, with the way I did the front, the back section is kinda lost.

The next picture shows the card lying down so you can see the back section better.

What neither picture shows is that I used the Striped Emboss Folder to add texture to the side piece of Basic Black cardstock (cs).  Man, black is hard to photograph!  lol

So, here are the details:
(1) The main part of the card, the Marina Mist part, is cut at 6 1/2" x 5 1/2" and scored at 2 1/4".
(2) The front panel, again the Marina Mist part, is 3 1/4" x 4 3/4".
(3) Each smaller section is cut 1/4" smaller so there is a narrow frame showing. Does that make sense? For example, the Marina Mist side section is 2 1/4" and the Basic Black part that is layered over it is 2".
(4) I used Marina Mist (surprise, surprise), Basic Black and Whisper White cs.
(5) As mentioned above, I gave the Basic Black side section some texture with the Striped Emboss Folder.
(6) The main image is from the Serene Silhouettes stamp set and the sentiment is from the Teeny Tiny Wishes. (I really do have other sentiments I can use, but I just find myself coming back over and over to this stamp set.)
(7) I used Black Stazon ink for all the stamping.
(8) I used a black button for a bit of detail, a Mini Glue Dot to adhere the button, and the Large Oval and Word Window punches.


And there you have it . . . a simple and elegant card.  Oh yeah, and a very sleep stamper!  lol


Simply sleepy hugs,
Colleen

Thank You!

Hi there, all you inky people out there in internet land!  It's Colleen, aka the Blog Hogger, coming to you from beautiful, sunny, hot Stephenville, Newfoundland!

I know . . . you're asking yourself why I am blogging on such a beautiful evening, when I could be outside enjoying the weather.  I could say it's because I love making cards and sharing them with all of you.  And I do . . . but the real reason I'm blogging today is 'cause Kathy told me to pick up some of the slack while she's camping . . . and I'm scared of her!  lol

Actually, we were talking last night and I was bragging about what a wonderful day I'd had at work yesterday and a card was involved, of course, and so one thing followed another and she told me to post a picture of the card.  (Sorry for being so wordy but I'm still on a sugar-high from yesterday and can't stop talking.  It's comparable to the squirrel from the movie "Over the Hedge" . . . after he drank the Red Bull!  lol)

I'll try to give you the short version of why I got the card yesterday.  The people I work with love me!!!  (Okay, that was short but didn't explain it well. I'll try again.)  I am the head of our social committee.  It's a very small committee . . . consisting basically of one person, although I have a couple of wonderful helpers I can call on when I need to.

Here I am known as the Blog Hogger but at work I'm known as Colleen, the Social Committee Queen!  (Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?  I picked out the nickname myself!  lol)  Anyway, we celebrated the end-of-the-school-year yesterday and gave gifts to our retirees, etc.  Oh yeah, and I ate lots and lots of sweets!

Unbeknownst to me, my boss (you remember her, the one I hated 'cause she made prettier Stampin' Up stuff then I did. . . and then tolerated 'cause she said my Mother's Day card tied with Kathy's . . . and now love to pieces 'cause she made me a be-u-ti-ful card) made me a card and presented me with flowers and a gift card from the staff in appreciation for what I've contributed social committee-wise.

It was so sweet . . . and totally unexpected!  And now, here's the card:

Isn't it beautiful?  I love the colors, the designer paper, the textured top section, the butterflies, the seam binding, and the pearls!  Madam Boss Lady did a wonderful job on it!

The colors are Night of Navy, Always Artichoke, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White, and Marina Mist.  She used the Beautiful Wings Embosslit run through the Big Shot and the Word Window punch.  The sentiment came from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set.

And now that your eyes are tired from trying to follow my rapid-fire typing, I'll just say to those of you who asked me to post soon . . . stating they missed my banter . . . be careful what you wish for!  hehehehehe

Sugar-high hugs,
Colleen

Emboss Painting Elegant Card

Hi there everyone,

It's the Blog Hogger coming to you with a picture tutorial of a technique Kathy taught me, called Emboss Painting.  It looks impressive but, using Kathy's tips, it isn't hard to do!  (Seriously, folks, isn't that what appeals to all of us card addicts? lol)

Although I've seen this technique elsewhere, it always ends up with mixing up some of your embossing powder, and that results in throwing it away.  Kathy's technique keeps each color of emboss powder in it's own container so there's no wastage!  She's a genius!  lol

First, here's the card:

The Emboss Painting technique will show you how to make the tree that's black, silver and gold!

Supplies needed to make this card:

• Basic Black and Very Vanilla card stock (cs)
• Black, Silver & Gold Emboss Powders
• One straw (Yes, I said "straw"!  lol)
• 1/4" Very Vanilla ribbon
• 1 3/8" x 5/8" Oval punch (which is the smaller of the two punches & is no longer available)
• Large Oval punch

First, cut the Basic Black cs 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" and score at 4 1/4".  Cut a piece of Very Vanilla cs 5 1/4" x 4".  Cut another piece of Basic Black cs at 3/4" x 5 1/4".  Cut a piece of ribbon approximately 7 1/2" long.

Referring to the picture below, rub your Emboss Buddy across the piece of Very Vanilla cs and, using Versamark Ink to ink up your stamp, stamp the long stamp from the Lovely as a Tree stamp set.  Do this twice, so that the image of the trees come off the ends of the card stock.  Emboss with Gold Emboss Powder.

Attach the ribbon to the narrow strip of cs, using Snail Adhesive to adhere the tape to the back of the cs.

Go ahead and assemble these pieces, using the picture of the completed card for placement.

Now comes the fun part!  Cut your straw in half, using a diagonal cut, so that each piece has a pointy end.  Look at the picture below to see what I mean.

Next, run the Emboss Buddy over a piece of approximately 2 3/8" x 4" Very Vanilla cs.  (I approximated the width of the cs because I rarely stamp an image . . . especially using a wood stamp . . . completely in the middle without using a Stamp-A-Ma-Jig.)  Stamp the tall tree from the Lovely as a Tree stamp set, using Versamark Ink.  Using the pointy end of one the straws to pick up some of the Black Emboss Powder, lightly tap some of the emboss powder onto random spots of the image.  (Good news!  Precision isn't needed here!  The completed image will look slightly different each time.)

Then flip the cs over the container you keep your emboss powder in (you'll see what I use in the next two pictures), or whatever you use to catch your emboss powder, and tap the back of the cs to knock off any loose powder.   (The trick here is to "flip", as apposed to sliding the powder off.)

Next, repeat with the Silver Emboss Powder.  Again, flip the cs over your container and tap the back.

Now you can use a spoon to cover the rest of the image with Gold Emboss Powder, sliding the excess off into your container and tapping on the back to remove any excess.

This is what your image should look like.  (Remember, each image will look slightly different.)

Now, use your Heat Tool to set the image and make the beautiful metallic colors shine!  Then you can cut the extra cs off, so that your image will be centered on the cs.  (My piece of cs ended up measuring 2 1/8" x 4".)

Add a Basic Black layer behind the image.  (Mine is 2 3/8" x 4 1/4".)

Attach the image to your card base using Dimensionals.  Stamp the greeting with Stazon ink (I used the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set), punch out and layer with a larger piece of Basic Black cs.  Pop the greeting up with Dimensionals . . . and you are finished!

Hope you enjoyed this photo tutorial!

Photographic hugs,
Colleen

Shadow Box Card Revisited . . . With a Twist!

Hello, all you crafty people!  It's the Blog Hogger, aka Kathy's sister.

After seeing Kathy's gorgeous Mother's Day card . . . and after experiencing serious card envy . . . I decided to make another card for my mother!  (I know, I know, I already had a beautiful one made but I just wanted to make mine prettier than Kathy's. After all, I've had such a run of luck in winning all the card contests Kathy and I have engaged in . . . not!  lol)

Anyway, here's my over-the-top card:

From the front, with the flash reflecting off the Window Sheet . . .

From the front, without the shiny spot (lol) . . .

From the top . . . (Can you see the "twist"?)

And from the back!  Now you can definitely see the difference from my other shadow box cards, can't you?

I added a Whisper White cardstock (cs) piece to the back so that I would have a place to stamp/write a comment!  Yah for me!  lol

The Whisper White cs is 7" x 4 1/4" and is scored at 3 1/2" along the 7" side.  I just glued it directly to the back of the shadow box card.  And, yes, the card folds flat for mailing!  lol

If you want the directions for making a shadow box card, click on the following link: http://inkinbythebay.blogspot.ca/search/label/Forest%20Friends

For a list of what I used . . . just keep reading!  lol

• The stamp sets used are Fast and Fabulous (but you could easily use any flower stamps) and Teeny Tiny Wishes.
• I also used the Labels Framelits for the "window" and "frame" on the front of the card.
• The cardstock is Pretty in Pink, So Saffron and Whisper White.
• The ink is Black Stazon.
• The accessories are Window Sheets, the Eyelet Border punch, the Beautiful Wings Embosslit Die, the Finial Press Embossing Folder, Basic Pearls, Pink Pirouette/Pretty in Pink/Certainly Celery Markers, Dazzling Diamonds, and Dimensionals (I popped up some of the flowers and the Mother's Day greeting).

After spending a ridiculous amount of time on this card, I can assure you my next one will be clean and simple!  lol

Shadowy hugs,
Colleen

Double Dutch Fold Card

Hi everyone,

It's your friendly neighborhood Blog Hogger here . . . for the third straight posing!  What's up with that?  :)

Anyway, here's a card I made for one of my sisters . . . a sister whose name is not Kathy.  There are four girls in our family.  (I know, I know, it's frightening to think there are more of us out there, isn't it?  lol)

I made the card using the instructions from splitcoaststampers.com for making a Double Dutch Fold card.  Here's the link: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/doubledutchfold/

And here's the card I made;

Brace yourself for a rather extensive supply list:

• Peace Within, Fast & Fabulous and Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp sets 
• random Designer Paper (dsp)
• Top Note Bigz Die
• Designer Frames Textured Impressions Embossing Folders Set
• Finial Press Textured Impressions Embossing folder
• markers
• Silver Glimmer Paper
• Whisper White & Rose Red cardstock (cs)
• StazOn Basic Black ink
• Blender Pen
• Clear Emboss Powder
• 5-Petal Flower punch
• Word Window punch
• Modern Label punch
• Paper Daisy
• Pretty In Pink Flower Brad
• a Basic Pearl (in the center of the brad)
• Frost White Shimmer Paint
• Rose Red brads

And here's what the inside looks like;

And now with the bottom flaps open;

And so the supply list continues:

• On Your Birthday, Greetings Galore and Four Frames stamp sets
• Pretty In Pink & Whisper White cs
• markers
• StazOn Basic Black ink
• Decorative Label punch

My only regrets are I didn't "fancy up" the top inside flap and I didn't stamp a flower or something on the bottom panel, rather than more words.  Oh well, as you've already guessed I'm the wordy type so it makes sense!  lol

Long-winded hugs,
Colleen