Fall STAMP CLUBS!

My goodness!

It seems as though I have so many pictures on my phone from fall stamp clubs and I haven't blogged about them!

It's time to play catch-up and delete those babies! They are taking up valuable storage space!

I still have early December classes (punch class and packaging class) and clubs, and I know I will be sure to do fun projects there, so I have to do these now!

I won't post everything we did because some are as old as Halloween! But... I'll be sure, though, to share with you things that you can still make like Thanksgiving goodies and Christmas ideas...

-------

SEPTEMBER STAMP CLUB:

Paper: Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler and Brushed Gold card stocks, Typeset specialty DSP

Stamp set:  Bright and Beautiful (Holiday catalog)

Ink: VersaMark 

Other: Star framelits for Big Shot, gold baker's twine, gold and white emboss powders , rhinestones, Cherry Cobbler Blenabilities marker 

OCTOBER STAMP CLUB:

This months meeting was fun because I was able to enhance our learning experience by using a projector! By doing so we were able to watch a video about the "Zentangle" process (see card below), and also view several samples of projects using our featured stamp club sets!

After watching a great video by "Understand Blue" http://youtu.be/KYAGeSeGZww . Here's the card I created:

Here is a close-up:

Stamps: Blended Bloom, Petite Pairs

Paper: Basic Black and Whisper White cardstock, Back to Black DSP

The beauty of this project was that no two people have the same doodles within their Blended Bloom flower! 

Here is Pam A. showing her creation:

.... And Lisa B. (being "photo-bombed" by Patty D.!

We found that the journal pensfor Project Life by Stampin' Up! were perfect for this project!

--------

By far, my favorite project of this whole season was the "caramel apple"!

This was a case of a project I originally viewed on Pinterest!

It is made with the Curvy Keepsakes Box thinlits for Big Shot, and filled with caramel candies.

The apple and leaf come from the Fun Fall framelit set, also in the Holiday catalog.  The apple is actually a circle tag! We just hand cut a curve in the bottom of it so it resembled an apple.

Finishing touches were a doily, black baker's twine, a banner greeting and a fun straw/stick leftover from the June My Paper Pumpkin patriotic pinwheels kit!

NOVEMBER STAMP CLUB:

This month my catalog coupon is for a free pack of gift card enclosure envelopes when you purchase any kit. 

Of course they are made to hold the ever-popular gift card, but I wanted to show you something else you could do with them:

By scoring 1/2 inch away from three of the creases, we were  able to fold it into a dimensional, small pouch! We decorated it with a belly band made of the Nordic Noel DSP and a tag featuring the Santa Stash stamp set (with matching mustache framelit).

Embellishments on this project included Real Red cotton ribbon and the new Frosted Sequins (shown in the Holiday catalog)

------

We made this cute little box tote:

Is made by gluing two of the Tiny Treat Boxes together (with lids open)!

To decorate we used:  the convenient Under the Tree Tag a Bag accessory kit, Santa & Co. DSP, Visions of Santa stamps (and on mine) the 12 Days of Christmas stamp set(Holiday SUPPLEMENT).

------

Last but not least, we prayed with my many Merry Stars kit from the holiday SUPPLEMENT.

Holy smokes! You get so much stuff in this kit!

Each club member was invited to choose a star of their choice to create. We had fun using various embellishments that came with the kit!

Here are some of our creations:

Stampin' Up! also gives other creative uses for the kit:

Small stars used as place settings...

A lighted garland....

Tree-shaped stacked boxes....

I could go on! I am sure you can use your imagination (or search Pinterest!) for ideas to use the kit contents to create cards, lidded boxes etc.

Have fun!

We did!

------

We are always having fun as we create what are Stampin' Up! product!

For more information about stamp clubs or to purchase any of the SU! products please contact me!

Email: Dandyspandy@sbcglobal.net

Website/online store: http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/dandyspandy/

"Card in a box" Challenge - First Results

In a couple of previous posts I showed you the two projects that I had made named "card in a box".

 I also provided a link for directions. 

They are all the rage right now - you can find tons of them on Pinterest.

At stamp club I showed them how to make the box itself. We didn't complete the project because there are just too many options! If you going to spend time to make an elaborate card such as this, you may as well make it to be the way you want not what I want!

So, I issued a challenge to all participants of my stamp clubs: finish the box!

I asked them to either bring it to the next club or email me a picture of their completed box and I would put it on the blog to share with everyone.

Here are the results so far:

Ronnie P.'s box:

And here is one from Lisa B:

See what talented stampers they are?

I love both projects! Don't you?

I hope I get some more to share!

"Throwback Thursday"- Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Since Monday is the annual Irish holiday of St. Patrick's Day, I thought I would feature this cute box for "Throwback Thursday":

Behind his smirking Leprechaun face is a little gift box!

In the past, I have offered two classes called "A Year of Big Shot Boxes". We used Big Shot dies to make two different kinds of boxes (If memory serves me correctly, they were called "box #2" and "scalloped- top bag"). Most of the designs were made from the Top Note shape and punches, (like the one you see here).

Over the years I have presented small gifts in the boxes so many are now gone.

Here's what I have left:

Aren't they cute?

The designs came from several sources.

If you took one of these classes you know that we made a box for every month, January through December.

The ones that I have used  -that are now gone - include: a Thanksgiving turkey, a fall pumpkin, a Halloween mummy and Frankenstein, a sunflower and "baby New Year" on a clock with the hands on 12 o'clock.

Here is a closer look, from left to right, at the boxes that we made for December, June and December (the second time around):

The Leprechaun box was, obviously, for the month of March during the first class.

Here are some boxes representing April, May and July:

They all look so dear when presented with a cellophane bag filled with seasonal candies.

Remember, it doesn't have to be a big gift when you're doing a "random act of kindness" but my motto is: "presentation is everything"!

Throwback Thursday!

Closer examination of the pictures I posted last week of my stamp room resulted in this:

You know how sometimes you don't even notice anything anymore that's right in front of you? He is on the shelf and I even forget he's there!

This cute little snowman was made at least 6 years ago!

My friend Carol A. and I used to do an after school stamp club during the winter at St. Joseph School in Bristol. This was one of the projects that we did with the kids.

Isn't he cute? He is especially adorable when you fill him with a cello bag of blue/ silver wrapped candies and give it as a gift! What better way to get someone out of the recent-snowstor -doldrums!

Let this serve as a friendly reminder that all of those little packages we make with the Big Shot, filled with a few goodies, even though small- brings a smile to someone's face!

So go do a random act of kindness, and make someone smile today!