Tuesday, May 26, 2020

First Zoom Craft Along!!

Well, it's been years but I'm finally able to get back to Stampin' Up!  A couple of my friends and I will be doing a Zoom craft class and I am so excited.  My first class does not use Stampin Up! product until I'm a demo.  I'm trying to use up my stash.  Here are the projects:

1) A2 cards (4 1/4 x 5 1/2)

Top card:

-White Card base:  5 1/2 x 8 1/2, scored on the long side at 4 1/4.
-Brown cardstock layer, 4 x 5 1/4.
-patterned paper layer, 3 3/4 x 5

Bottom card:

-White Card base:  5 1/2 x 8 1/2, scored on the long side at 4 1/4.
-patterned paper layer, 4 x 5 1/4

DIY envelope for both cards:

7 1/2 x 9 3/4
-Score on the long side at 3 3/4 & 8 1/4
-score on the short side, 7/8" from both ends


Of note in the picture is the DIY envelopes.  I LOVE making them!  I will be using lots of paper with these.  And that's my goal, use my stash!  No more hoarding for me.  I'm using it up and have lots of ideas to do just that.



2) Notecards (3 1/2 x 5)

Top card:

-White Card base:  5 x 7, scored on the long side at 3 1/2.
- green cardstock layer, 3 1/4 x 4 3/4.
-patterned paper layer, 3  x 4 1/2

Bottom card:

-White Card base:  -White Card base:  5 x 7, scored on the long side at 3 1/2.
-patterned paper layer, 3 1/4 x 4 3/4

DIY envelope for both cards:

7 x 8 1/4
-score on the long side at 3 & 6 3/4
-score on the short side at 7/8" from both ends

I'm looking forward to adding more fun projects to this blog.


Monday, February 4, 2013

Cathy's 2013 Planner

WHOA!!  It's been over a year since I've posted to my blog!  Actually, I've been trying to figure out how I wanted to pursue my Stampin' Up! business.  After a year I'm still not sure, but I am closer to figuring it out.  I haven't been idle though.  I've been crafting away!  I will post some of the projects I've been working on.  Let me start with my 2013 Planner; I am very proud of it!


After the holdiays, I saw these student planners (image on the left) on sale for $3 at Michael's.  I really liked them because of the clear vinyl on the front and back of it and the sturdy inside pages.  But I knew I could take it apart and fix up Stampin' Up! style!  The image on the right is the altered planner.  I used a mix of current and retired papers & embellishments.  It's a great way to use up supplies.  I may do this every year!

The first thing I did was remove the pages from the coils. Then, I embossed the clear vinyl with Stampin' Up!'s "Fancy Fan" embossing folder. I put Real Red cardstock underneath the covers to show the original and the embossed images more clearly.


Next is the inside cover.  The pages measure approx 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  Using glue stick I adhered Designer Series Paper (DSP) from SAB 2013 "Sycamore Street".  Then I cut out letters using the retired Big Shot Alphabet set "Go Go Boots ".  I also adhered them using glue stick (we'll see how well the letters stay as I use the planner during the year.  I figure with the clear vinyl covering, it should be ok).  I adhered contact paper to most of the DSP pages in the planner to add an extra layer of protection.


Here are pages 1 & 2 of the original planner:

Here are the altered pages:

I stamped the pages using the "Everything Eleanor" stamp set to jazz it up a bit.

The next page are the year calendar pages.  The original student planner had yearly calendars for 2012 and 2013.  I only needed 2013:




I covered the 2012 calendar with more paper from "Sycamore Street" then stamped it with the "Everything Eleanor" swirl.  I added words to the page from the "Loving Thoughts" set and punched them out with the "Word Window" punch and layered the words on top of cardstock punched with the "Modern Label" punch.

 The original student planner had calendar pages from Sept 2012 - Dec 2013.  Since I don't need Sept 2012 - Dec 2012, I used those pages for pockets.  The altered planner has 10 pages of pockets:







I used border punches on the top of the pockets.  I also added embellishments from retired "Simply Scrappin" kits.  They serve as journaling or doodling spaces.

Then I added tabs to the planner to label my pockets, months and contacts.  I used 'planner tabs' from an office supply store:


Then I typed my labels on the computer, cut them out with the "Word Window" punch.  Using repositionable tabs for the labels was a suggestion from my friend Connie.  It worked great because I can adhere the labels to the tabs (I used Snail adhesive) and reposition the tabs as necessary.  Here's how my tabs look:





I cut the tabs in half for the month and for the contact letter labels and punched them out with the "1/2" circle punch.  


I made the word  labels smaller to match the width of the tabs by re-inserting the punched pieces back into the "Word Window" punch on one side and punching again:


I am very proud of the next two features of the planner:  The pen holder and the page holder/planner closure!  I decorated the inside back page with the "Creative Elements" flower and the "Everything Eleanor" swirl.  I dyed a piece of elastic (regular elastic from the sewing aisle of the craft store) with "Pool Party" reinker and created the pen holder with a piece of chipboard, DSP, contact paper and the glue gun.



The page holder/planner closure is my favorite feature.  I sandwiched a piece of chipboard with two pieces of DSP.  Before adhering the DSP to the chipboard, I measured two lengths of the planner with the elastic.  I dyed the elastic by putting re-inker directly on it and spreading it with a sponge dauber.  Note:  I find the lighter reinkers work better than the darker ones.  Color seems to be very muddy when I use the darker reinkers on the elastic.  But I like making these, so I may try again with the darker reinker.  Also, the elastic takes a while to dry.  I recommend either dying the elastic before you start the project and working on this part last, or heating the elastic with the heat gun after dyeing it (same with the pen holder above). I positioned the ends of the elastic side by side on either side of the center of the chipboard.  I recommend using the glue gun to adhere the elastic to the chipboard and the elastic to the DSP.  The glue gun provides a strong hold.    After adhering the elastic, I used tombow to adhere the rest of the DSP onto the chipboard on both sides.  Then, I covered both sides with contact paper. Since I knew I wanted to add the eyelet in the middle of the page holder/planner closure to provide extra security for the elastic, I punched a hole in the chipboard before adhering the DSP.  I continued to punch the hole after adding the DSP, then the contact paper.  I found that if I waited until the end to punch the hole, the layers were too thick.  I adhered the eyelet with the "crop-a-dile."  To use the page holder/planner closure, put the base where you want to mark your page and then wrap the elastic around both sides of the planner over the coils.  It works very well--I just love it.  If I can ever figure out how to do a video I will film how to make this little gem.


Well, my planner is complete and I couldn't be more proud of the job I've done.  




If there are any questions on any of the steps, feel free to email me at cathyagostini@hotmail.com

Enjoy!

















Friday, January 27, 2012

It's A SALE-A-BRATION!!

Good news everyone:  SALE-A-BRATION is here!!






 Click on the Sale-a-bration catalog to the right and see all the GREAT free product you can earn!       

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Calendar Gifts

I told you I have been a busy "Stampin' " bee.  I made these calendar gifts for my co-workers after the holidays.

The idea came from the Stampin' Connection website for Stampin' Up! demonstrators.  I was specifically inspired by calendar gifts shared by Sharyn Jensen.  She used the 2-step Owl punch for her calendars; I used the 2-step Bird punch.  the one on the left is for the women, the one of the right, for the men.  I also made a little treat pouch using the Scallop Circle Die to hold a Ghirardelli chocolate.  These were cute little gifts to use up retired papers. My coworkers were surprised and pleased.  I packaged each calendar gift into a clear plastic leave.


The packages looked very professional.  I even enclosed instructions on how to display the easel card...I think (or hope) they were impressed!

Cathy

Monday, January 16, 2012

Anniversary CASE

Hey guys,

I hope you are enjoying 2012.  I FINALLY have a moment to post.  As usual, its been busy!  But, I haven't been idle.  Friends of mine celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary yesterday.  It was a fun night!  I saw this card from Monica Gale, and had to CASE:  Monica's blog.  I loved everything about it...even the colors!  So I CASEd it with a few differences:



I believe Monica's card base is 4 1/4 x 11.  Mine is 5 1/2" x 8 1/2".  Monica used her top note shape vertically.  Mine is placed horizontally.  Also, I used the Frame It stamp set to frame a picture of the couple receiving the card.  I stamped the frame image on brushed silver cardstock and embossed it with black embossing powder, then I cut it out.  I also used a hobby knife to cut out the center for the picture.  Additionally, I punched out two jewelry tag shapes to hang off the ribbon.  (secret:  they don't actually hang...I used a mini glue dot to place and adhered them under the ribbon...lol)

I also made a custom envelope for my card:

 


I used a template from Paperwishes to create an envelope that accommodates larger greeting cards since my card is a little bulky.  I used Island Indigo Textured cardstock.  I also created a belly band.  The frame on the band is the same as used on the card.  This time, I embossed the image on whisper white with black embossing powder.  I printed the couples name on whisper white.  The flaps of the envelope have the scallop detailing from the card.  Here's the other side of the belly band:


The flower did not come out exactly as planned but I used it anyway.  I was trying to make a flower from the owl punch as so nicely explained by Valita on her blog, Valita's Fresh and Fun Folds.  I could have added more petals and made the center larger.  Anyway, I punched several leaves from the two-step bird punch and adhered them to the belly band with the flower in the center.  Overall, I like the way it looked.  I will do a better job next time.  Here's the inside of the envelope.



I lined it with the Island Indigo stripe pattern from the Designer Patterns pack. 

I hope my friends like the card!

Cathy








Sunday, December 4, 2011

Stationery Box Class

Hey Everyone,
I have a GREAT class for December.  It's a Stationery Box!  Check it out:


Isn't that cool?  This box has it all!  4 greeting cards with envelopes, 4 notecards (3x3) with envelopes, 4 tags, an address or note book, a stamp holder and a pen!  Everything you need to write that correspondence you never seem to get to;  All in a neat box!  Here are more detailed pictures of the contents:

Full sized greeting cards and decorated envelopes


3x3 notecards and envelopes
Tags
Address/notebook, stamp holder, pen holder
rear view


This class uses Stampin' Up!'s Simply Scrappin' Tea Time Kit:



The kit:   

■ Coordinates with Early Espresso, Lucky Limeade, Pink Pirouette, and Pool Party.
■ 3 sheets each of 12" x 12" double-sided Designer Series Paper.
■ 2 sheets each of 12" x 12" textured card stock.
■ 2 of each self-adhesive die-cut designs packaged on three total 12" x 12" sheets. (Two 6" x 12" sheets are connected to create one 12" x 12" sheet.)


Each Student will receive their own kit to personalize their box. 


Class details:

Thursday, December 29, 2011
1:00pm (you leave when your project is complete)$35.00  (payment due by December 12, 2011)
Silver Spring, MD (exact location will be given to class participants---call or email me with any questions)

This class is being offered now for $35.00. I will be teaching this class (using different papers) in the spring in a 4-week class for almost double the price.  So this is an exclusive offer!  You may pay right from my blog using the "Buy Now" paypal button (scroll to the bottom of this post).


If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.  HOPE YOU CAN COME!


Paypal