A Touch From the Heart

Owl Be at Your Party!

Is it possible to be addicted to googlie eyes?  If yes, I AM!!!!  They just give this adorable owl so much more personality!

We made this box at my recent Big Shot Bonanza class.

The box is made with the Bitty Box and Envelope Bigz XL die and my Big Shot.  Wanna know my favorite part of this box?  You put it together without using any adhesive.   

A piece of the yummy striped patterned paper from the Ice Cream Parlor dsp pack (which you can earn for FREE as a Sale-a-bration choice) adorns the top of the box).  All of the colors in this project were pulled from the stripes of this patterned paper.

Now, let's talk about the tag because that's my favorite part.  A tag essentially starts out with a scrap of cardstock.  When you use your punches on the corners, you magically (let me dream here) transform it into a tag.  My tag was made with some Daffodil Delight cardstock.  To make it even prettier, I added a Daffodil Delight layer punched with the Decorative Label punch.  I popped it up on dimensionals.  I think the same color layered on each other looks so striking!

Decorating my tag was a blast.  I wanted to play with the owl from Punch Bunch (one of the fabulous Sale-a-bration stamp sets).  I inked him up with Chocolate Chip ink and stamped him onto Whisper White cardstock.  I punched him out using the Two Step Owl punch and colored his belly with my Marina Mist marker.  Using my Tombow Liquid Glue, I added those adorable googlie eyes!

To finish my box I wrapped it with some Pumpkin Pie 5/8" grosgrain ribbon.  My tag is attached to the bow using some Linen Thread (I placed an eyelet in my tag).  A Pacific Point button (from the Sale-a-bration Ice Cream Parlor button and ribbon pack) is threaded on the Linen Thread and finishes off my box perfectly!

Do you care to guess what's in the box?  My friend Robin can guess because it's her favorite treat!  It's a Ghiradelli chocolate square!!!  YUMMY!

I guess I should've called this box my Sale-a-bration box because I've used three different Sale-a-bration freebies on this project:  the Punch Bunch stamp set, the Ice Cream Parlor Ribbon and Button pack and the Ice Cream Parlor dsp and Quick Accents pack.  

Speaking of Sale-a-bration, time is running out.  The biggest promotion of the year ends on March 31st.  Have you Sale-a-brated yet?????  

It's easy to Sale-a-brate!!  Just place an order (emailed to me or placed online through my demonstrator website).....for every $50 of your order, you get to choose ONE Sale-a-bration freebie.  YA GOTTA LOVE FREE!!!!

 

Holiday Tags Class

 

This year I sent an email out to my local ladies asking what kind of classes they wanted me to teach for the holiday season.  I want to make sure that I give them the best handmade holiday ever!!  I told you I like to give great customer service!!!

My stamping friends asked for a Holiday Gift Tags class.  Well, they ask......I deliver!  This week, we will be making lots of holiday tags.  In fact, we'll be making 10 holiday tags (5 designs.....2 of each design).

Here are the class "deets":

Date:  Wed. November 17th

Time:  1:00 or 7:00pm (choose which session works best for your schedule)

Place:  Patti's Stampin' Studio (Chaska, MN)

Class Fee:  $15.00 (class fee is only $5.00 if you place a $25 order at the class)

If you live near the Twin Cities and would like to attend, please email me by Tuesday morning so I can have your project pack prepared for you.

I hope to see you there!!!!!

Click here to order your Stampin' Up! products through my demonstrator website

 

Blogger's Challenge

It's been a few weeks since I've been able to participate in the Blogger's Challenge.  It feels SO good to be back.

This week was a color challenge:  black, white and a color of our choice.

I chose to make a holiday tag for this week's challenge:

 
I decided to use Baja Breeze as my third color.  I am so thrilled that this color has been brought back. 

Now, the patterned paper I used on this tag is retired.   But, there is some fabulous Baja Breeze patterned paper in the Subtles Patterns DSP Paper Stack.  It would equally as well.

Did you see my patterned paper and ribbon shares?  It's a great way to get a sample of each without having to buy full packs or rolls.

The little penguin comes from an adorable stamp set called Every Little Bit.  This stamp set contains 28 stamp sets with stamps representing different holidays, seasons, animals, girlie stuff, etc......  It's so stinkin' versatile!!!

The penguin is stamped with Basic Black ink, and then I shaded him like I used to when I painted ceramics.  Penguins have some yellow shading on their bellies.....so I used my aquapainter and So Saffron ink to add this special little shading.

Want to hear another trick about watercoloring?  Use your aquapainter and make a shadow outside the image.  I use my Sahara Sand marker (scribbled on a stamp case) to accomplish this!!

The little snowflake is highlighted with some of the Illuminate Smooch Pearlized Accent Ink.  This stuff is amazing.......it's clear with some gorgeous glimmer.  If you like glitter, but hate the mess.......this is the stuff you've been dreaming of!!!

Love Stampin' Up?  Me too!!!  Place your order for Stampin' Up! products through my demonstrator website

Tag Recipe

stamps:  Every Little Bit
paper:  Basic Black, Baja Breeze, Whisper White, Baja Breeze dsp (retired)
ink:  Basic Black, So Saffron, Baja Breeze
accessories:  3/4" circle punch, Scallop Square punch, Ticket Corner punch, Stampin' Write markers (Pumpkin Pie, Sahara Sand), aquapainter, Illuminate Smooch Pearlized Accent Ink, Metallic Eyelet, Silver Cord (retired), Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch, 1/4" White Grosgrain Ribbon

I Just Had to Try One

Have you seen the roses made with the Extra Large Fancy Flower punch?

I first saw them on Gretchen Barron's blog.......then saw them on Kerin Sylvester's blog......who both learned the technique from Julie William's blog

Well, I just had to give it a try......just to see what the chit chat is all about!!!!

Let me tell you, they are so much fun to make!!!

A few things to note:

• the leaves are made with punching a 1 3/8" circle and then punching a portion of that circle again to resemble a leaf
• leaves are folded in half and placed on a diagonal in the paper crimper

I decided to make a Mother's Day tag with mine.  I love the way it turned out!!!

All items used on this tag are by Stampin' Up! and available for purchase through my demonstator website

Tag Recipe

stamps:  Baroque Motifs, Teeny Tiny Wishes
paper:  Chocolate Chip, Taken with Teal, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip
ink:  Regal Rose, Taken with Teal, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa 
accessories:  Extra Large Fancy Flower punch, paper crimper, 1 3/8" circle punch, Paper Piercing Tool, Mat Pack, Color Spritzer Tool, Taken with Teal marker, 3/4" circle punch, silver eyelet, Chocolate Chip Taffeta ribbon, Ticket Corner punch

Is That My Bag?

 Imagine this:  1000 Stampin' Up! demonstrators invading the city of Phoenix for this year's Leadership Conference.

We don't need coffee......we don't need Diet Coke (well, actually, we do according to Shannon West).......we just need to stamp and talk about the awesome company we work for!!!

Well, imagine what it's like with 1000 demonstrators carrying the same exact bag all over town.  For goodness sake, don't put your bag down unless you've got a name tag on it because they all look the same!!!!

Well, this is my name tag for my Leadership bag. 

Isn't it cute??????

It started with a 4 3/4" square of Pixie Pink cardstock.

I used the Scallop Trim corner and border punches to create the awesome frame.

I stamped myself (yeah....I wish I was that thin) using the Totally Tess stamp set and Basic Black ink.

I did some paper piecing (my technique of the month from my latest newsletter).

What???  You DON'T receive my newsletter.  What are you waiting for?  Sign up for it now!!!  It's easy....there's a sign up box on the upper right of my blog!!!!  You'll get card sketches, tips, tutorials, techniques, color combos......all in one convenient place....emailed to you every month!!!

Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming........

The blouse is paper pieced with dsp from the Chocolate Chip Patterns dsp pack.

The pants are paper pieced with the dsp from the Welcome Neighbor dsp pack (this is a Sale-a-bration freebie).

Her hair is watercolored with my Close to Cocoa marker (scribbled on a stamp case) and my aquapainter.  After it dried, I used the fine tip of my Chocolate Chip marker to add some lines to show off my natural (um....well paid for) highlights!!

I cut the letters for my name using the Naturally Serif Big Shot die using Chocolate Chip cardstock. 

The rest of the tag is pretty self-explanatory!!!  I'll put the tag recipe at the bottom with all the ingredients.  Of course, you can always email me if you have any questions!!!

All products are from Stampin' Up!  You can order them anytime from my demonstrator website. 

Bag Tag Recipe

stamps:  Totally Tess
paper:  Pixie Pink, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White, Chocolate Chip
ink:  Basic Black, Close to Cocoa
accessories:  Scallop Trim border and corner punches, aquapainter, Stampin' Write markers, Photo Corner punch, Chocolate Chip 1/4" grosgrain, Naturally Serif Big Shot alphabet
  

More Holiday Tags

It was a pretty nice weather day in MN today.   The mercury hit 50 degrees which is kinda rare for these parts, but I'll take it. 

On the ride home from work I flipped the radio station only to find that the Lite FM station is already playing Christmas music.  HUH?  What happened to starting on Thanksgiving day?  Santa's already at Mall of America.  I still wish that Santa's helpers would show up at the mall the day after Thanksgiving.  Because we all know the REAL Santa rides on his float at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  He then high-tails it back to the North Pole for the final weeks of getting ready for the big day!!!!  Then he has all his helpers at all the mall to spread the Christmas spirit.  Am I wrong?????

All this holiday music got me in the mood to make some more holiday tags.  Yes, I know I have a tag class tomorrow, but I probably would have made them anyway!!!!

During my classes I like to have a variety of styles.....elegant, whimsical, cute, juvenile....I think you get the picture!!! 

I hope you enjoy today's tags.  If you're free tomorrow around 1pm, I still have a few spots left for the class.  Just let me know!!!

Until next time......Happy Stamping everyone!

Click here to place a Stampin' Up! order with me

Holiday Tags Class Preview

I am very excited for this week's class.  It's called "Holiday Tags" (original name....I know!!!) and it is going to be tons of fun.

We will be making 10 tags (5 designs.....2 of each design).  The class fee is $15.00. 

The elegant tag above is one of the tag designs we will be making.  It's incredibly sparkly with a combination of the gold embossing and the glitter.  I'm sure my stampers will oooohhh and ahhhh over this one.

If you live in the Twin Cities area and would like to take this class, I am offering two sessions:  Wed. Nov. 18th (1:00pm) and Fri. Nov. 20th (7:00pm).  You choose which session works best for your schedule. 

The best way to RSVP to the class is by emailing me at plchesky@comcast.net.  Just let me know which session you would like to attend.  Make sure you RSVP at least one day prior to the event.

Until next time.....Happy Stamping everyone!!

Click HERE to place a Stampin' Up! Online Order