FROGS.....

In August we had a Back-to-School Carnival and Marionette Show at our church.  We decorated for a carnival0like atmosphere and had games and afterwards had a marionette show about a prince who was turned into a frog.  We decided our carnival's theme would be Fully Rely On God (FROG) and would give frog finger puppets and other frogs to the children as a reminder of this theme and admonition.We asked church members to sign up to bring food, to host games, to decorate, etc.  I wanted something that would catch members' eyes for sign-up so I made these frog to add to the sign-up charts. 

Here is a close-up of one little fellow.  I used various punches (and I think you can tell which ones) to punch his parts.  Three of those shown have their legs in place, so they aren't mobile.

For this fellow below, I added brads as the joints for his arms and legs, so that I could pose him in many ways.  Look at him all streched out and you can see one in the picture above waving.  If you need to make frogs for any event, you can use this one as an idea.

We had a great carnival.  I think all the kids enjoyed taking their frogs home with them!

Smiles, Laura

Out on a Limb....

I want to share a Halloween card with you today.  I don't send alot of Halloween cards, but each year try to make a few to send to my grandchildren, sisters, etc.  This one uses the Out On a Limb stamp set.

I was inspired by this card my friend Rose Kerry sent me.  She does such beautiful work!!  I loved the layout on her card and decided I'd use it for my card.

OK, so back to my card.  (You can ooohhh and aaaahhh over Rose's at your leisure then back to mine.  Hee hee.)

My card takes its colors from the Frightful Sight Designer paper pack.  I used Old Olive for the card, then layered on Basic Black. I cut squares and rectangles of designer paper patterns to layer on top of the black.

The silver stripe is the new Silver Glimmer Paper in the Holiday Mini.  I LOVE how bright it is.  It's so fun to use.

For the focal point, I cut from Cajun Craze and Basic Black using the Perfect Pennants die.  I stamped the cat, limb and moon from the Out On A Limb set onto white cardstock that I had cut using the Circles #2 die.

The sentiment is from the Delightful Dozen stamp set, stamped in black.  I stamped the limb the kitty is on with Basic Gray in.  So how did I get the cat on the limb so perfectly?  Well, I used the Stamp-a-ma-jig stamp positioner.  This tool is a MUST.  I even used it to stamp the moon in the correct place. 

This card will be going to my sisters for Halloween!  Sorry, girls, no surprise now!

Hope you will all visit my blog again soon!! Smiles, Laura

Stockings, stockings.....

I know you've seen the new Stocking Builder Punch!  Well, I have found it's so much fun to play with.  No, I didn't get the coordinating stamp set, but have had fun using designer paper and card stock to make my own stockings.  Here is a card we made this month in class.  We punched two stockings from designer paper and one from Cherry Cobbler cardstock.  I used the Cobbler marker and my Uni-Ball white gel pen to "stitch" the stocking tops, toes and heels.  I used the mat pack to punch holes around the white cardstock so I could "stitch" with the cobbler marker.

Here is a close up of the top of the card.  I put linen thread at the corner of each stocking and "hung" them using silver brads.  And Merry Christmas is from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set. 

This card would be fun to write kids or family member names on the tops of each stocking (or even pets).  Oh, my, I've already bought some Christmas gifts and am beginning to get in the Christmas spirit!!

Come back again, OK? 

Smiles, Laura

Simply Soft....

I love this Simply Soft Hostess set!  The card I am sharing today is made from Elegant Eggplant cardstock, layered with Wisteria Wonder on top.  I'm not sure if you can tell it, but I stamped the flower all over the Wisteria Wonder cardstock.  I layered a Wisteria Wonder designer sheet piece from the Patterns stack onto Elegant Eggplant and put that over the solid Wisteria Wonder.  I used the 1/2" Scallop Dots Ribbon in Elegant Eggplant around the card.

Here is a close-up of the flowers.  I stamped them frist in Eggplant.  I stamped the solid image over them in Wisteria Wonder first and then with Perfect Plum.  I love these folowers.  I can see using them in lots of different colors.  I colored the stems with the Certainly Celery marker.

The sentiment is from the Blessing From Heaven set.  That set has a BUNCH of great stamps in it.

This is a simple card and quick to make.  But it would be useful for any occasion.  I like cards that can be used for many occasions.

I know my postings have been sporatic.  I wish I could post more regularly, but we are still busy with gardening things, trips to the doctors, etc. I'll do better in a bit.  Thanks for sticking witih me!!

Smiles, Laura

Milk can of rye....

Here is a card I made recently using the Always Thankful set.  This is a great set to play with.  This card is More Mustard, layered with Always Artichoke.  I have a layer of non-Stampin' Up! designer paper over that.  I stamped the can of rye on Vanilla cardstock ad layered that on Cajun Craze.  For that little accent, I punched an Artichoke circle with the 1-3/8" circle punch and another from Mustard with the 1-1/4" circle punch.  I added 3 gold brads for interest.

Here is the sentiment.  I stamped the sentiment from the Teeny Tiny Wisher stamp set using black ink.  I punched that our with the Scalloped Oval punch.  I punched an oval using the large oval punch and cut it in half to go behind the sentiment.  I  layered it onto a wide oval from Artichoke and put that onto a mustard Curly Label that I cut in half to show on each side.  I love multiple layer sentiments on cards!

You can see the Mustard Scallop Dots grosgrain ribbon I tied around it with the dots facing the back.

I have shown you this layout before, but I find it's one I can use over and over. 

Thanks for visiting today!!  Smiles, Laura

I'm back...

I am truly sorry it's been so long since I posted.  Hubby and I went to visit my sister at Isle of Palms, SC, last Thursday, returning Sunday.  It was a very restful time, especially for him.  He is still recovering and needed the rest and change of scenery.  Charleston was having their Restaurant Week and many, many restaurants were offering specials on their dishes, so we ate our Friday and Saturday night.  Friday we ran into Charleston from Isle of Palms (IOP) so of course I had to snap pictures of the Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge that goes into Charleston over the Cooper River from IOP.  I  never get tired of riding over this bridge!!

                          

And of course here is an "official" photo of it from a distance.  It is a beautiful bridge and replaces the old Cooper River Bridge we went over as children.

If you get to Charleston, be sure to take a ride over this bridge.  My sister has done the local "run" over it that they hold each year and she suggested once we "walk" it but, hey, even walking it would be more than I could do.  ha!  No, I'll enjoy it by car!

OK, I'm going to close out this explanation of where I've been and show you some stamping!! 

Smiles, Laura

Love and Sympathy

Today I wanted to share with you another card we made recently in class that uses the Love and Sympathy stampset.  For this one, the shape is alittle different.  I cut a piece of CS 8.5" x 5.".  Then I cut 2.5" off one end, leaving the card \6" x 5.5".  Folded in half, this made a card 3" x 5.5".  With the piece I cut off, I cut the length to 4.25" (toss that little bit cut off) and laid it across the card.  I cut a "notch" into the end that extends over the side of the card.  So the card is still 5.5" x 4.25" and will still fit into a regular size #2 envelope.  I love having a different layout/shape but being able to use the regular envelopes I keep on hand.

This card is Lucky Limeade and is layered with Rich Razzleberry. You cane see that I stamped the flower from Love and Sympathy onto the Razzleberry in Rezzleberry, to decorate the cardstock a bit.

I used paper from the Pocketful of Posies suite to layer onto the Limeade, also cut out with a "notch".  I layered Certainly Celery taffeta ribbon on to that.

I used markers to color the flower and stamped it on a circle cut with the Circles #2 die.  I punched smaller circles from Limeade and Razzleberry using the 1-3/4" and 1-3/8" circle punches.  The circle with the flower is popped up with dimensionals.  And I stamped the sentiment  from the Perfect Words hostess set in Razzleberry.

Another day I'll share a Christmas card I made using this same layout.You know by now that I love finding layouts and using them in several different colors and stamps!

Thanks for stopping in!!

Smiles, Laura 

Three Leaves....

Today I thought I'd share a card we are making in class this month.  I'm feeling like fall and leaves!!  So I used the Leaves #2 die on this one.  It's a fairly simple card, but would be good for many occasions.  In fact, I made several and sent one as a birthday card to my sister Connie, one to friend Vicky for her birthday, one to welcome a new couple into our church fellowship, and one to say Thank You to Jackie for keeping Gabby for us while Frank was in the hospital.  As you can tell, it's versatile--just change the sentiment at the bottom!

For this card, I used Baja Breeze for the card itself, layered with Pear Pizzazz.  I cut two Pear Pizzazz leaves and one from Baja.  I also cut three more leaves from Pocketful of Posies Designer Paper and from the Patterns Stack DSP.  I free hand cut the designer paper leaves---not the cardstock ones. Then I glued the halves of the designer paper leaves onto the cardstock ones.   (Of course I sponged all the edges first with my accent color, Not Quite Navy.)  That's also a piece of Not Quite Navy behind the leaves and the stripe at the bottom is from the Regals Pattern Stack.

Here is  close-up of the sentiment. The sentiment is from the hostess set Perfect Words.   I punched two sizes of circles to go at each end of the sentiment and added a brad on each end.

Before making the card above, I had made this one (below) from non-SU paper, just playing with layouts.  That card is Perfect plum and uses Certainly Celery. 

Close-up of leaves.

Sentiment:
                                 
I'd say this card's pretty in just about any color combination you can think of .  I'm already thinking of some yellow and oranges for fall!!!
Thanks for stopping in!!

Card from Judy...

You've heard the saying, "the brain is the second thing to go and I forget the first one," right?  Well, last night my friend Judy said I had not posted her card to Frank and me on my blog and I insisted I had done so.  But I came home and looked and remembered that I had taken this picture of it and didn't like the sun shining on the table and had intended to take another shot and then share the card.  Well, the brain went and I forgot to take that picture and add it to my blog!!  So sorry, Judy, because yours was the first handmade card we got and we loved it!!

OK, so today I took another shot---in fact, several shots because it's a "two part" card.  Here is the card as it came out of the envelope. 

 Then you pull out the center (see the bow under the snap in picture above and then on the separate card below).  That "inner card" just slides inside the cover.

 And that inside part opens up to hold the sentiment inside of it.  Isn't this the coolest design and what beautiful colors, too.  I'm sorry I failed to take the picture over and include it the other day. 

 While I'm sharing cards by Judy, here is a card that she and I made (we each made a card) the other day when we were playing.  She designed this one.  It uses the Fabulous Florets set from the Summer Mini which was also included in the 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog.  I love this set.  Judy did a great job of planing the layout for this one. 

Great to have you stop by today!  See you again!   Smiles, Laura

You are a Blessing.....

Here is a card I made recently when my friend Judy was over playing.  No, that isn't Stampin' Up! designer paper, but the card stock is.  I used Riding Hood Red, Always Artichoke and Certainly Celery cardstock on this card.

This leaf is from the Autumn Splendor set---and isn't it about time to start thinking about autumn!  While we are still having hot days, you can tell that fall is around the corner.  I mean, how long can this summer last???

For the cut-out for the leaf, I punched a 3.25" square with the decorative punch.  I turned it 90 degrees and punched it again, being careful to line up the punch each time.  It make a neat cut-out, doesn't it?  The leaf is stamped on white card and colored.  I also sponged some color around the edges.

In the background of this shot, you can seen that I ran the card side-ways through the Stripes embossing folder.  This is a neat one that can be used either way.

Here is the sentiment.  It is from the new Blessings from Heaven stamp set.  There are lots of great sentiments in this set.  Check it  out.

I hope you liked this sample.  Come back my way soon.

Smiles, Laura