End of the Year Teacher Gifts

Need an idea for a class teacher gift? I made two 8" x 8" albums for my son's first grade teacher and her aide. The room mothers went into the class & for each child, took a photo, had them press a thumbprint (pink ink for girls, blue for boys) onto two scrap pieces of cardstock & gave them two 6" x 6" piece of (cheap) cardstock on which to write a thank you message to each teacher.

Then, they passed everything on to me to assemble into the album. I ordered the simple black "SEI" albums & cheap cardstock off JoAnn's (all the supplies, including what I used of mine came to $20). I couldn't bear to give the kids my good SU! cardstock to write on...what can I say? I'm very protective of it :)

I loved these albums because the black matte covers immediately made me think of chalkboards & you can stamp on them. So, I used SU!'s retiring ABC Alphas, Images & wheel sets to create the cover. I stamped everything in Versamark, sprinkled white detail embossing powder & heat set to get the bright white chalk look. I colored in the images with Watercolor Crayons, covered in Versamark Marker and clear embossed to protect the images. (The apple die-cut was a thrift store find!) Tip: When using Alpha stamps, if you don't have punctuation stamps, just write them in with Versamarker and then emboss--I did that here and I think it worked out well.

On the inside, I just adhered the kid's messages in the middle of the page. Then I but 6" x 3/4" scraps on each side (more work but saves your supplies & money). In each corner I stamped a little image. I used the Wide Oval Punch to punch out each thumbprint and drew little arms & legs on them. I'd printed each kid's headshot cropped into a circle so I didn't have to use much ink. Then I could easily punch out each "head" with a 1 1/4" circle punch (blacked out in the photo above). Then I adhered each little "person" onto the page.

Hope they like them!

End of the Year Teacher Gifts

Changes to the Last Chance List

There have been slight changes to the Last Chance stamp and accessories lists. The following stamp sets have been removed from the Last Chance stamp list and will be available for purchase from the dormant list during the 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog sales period.

113732: Central Park (added June 8)
113688: Wonderful Watercolors (added June 8)

114494 Forever
114492 Beautiful Baby
114486 Birthday Wish
114490 Glad Friends
114498 Flowers in Silhouette
114496 Celebrations
114488 Fun Flowers
114032 Acurelas Maravillosas

Also, the following items were added to the Last Chance accessories list and are available for purchase while supplies last.
116209 Note of Thanks
116210 Birthdays Count

Changes to the Last Chance List

Last Chance List is Here!

Stampin' Up! is breaking out a new (year-long) catalog on July 1 so some things are leaving us to make room for the new. Here's the list of accessories (& below that, decor elements--at 25% off!) that is going the way of the dodo bird. Once the accessories sell out, they are gone. Stamps (click on picture above) should be available right up until July1.

ACCESSORIES
Some items are for sale while supplies last!
Item # Product Description Price Discount Sale Price Availability
112735 RUB ONS HIDDEN GARDEN 10.95 0.5 5.48 Available
112970 LO MEJOR DE TODO 19.95 0.5 9.98 Available
105143 DAYS TO REMEMBER 6X6 FR 9.95 0.5 4.98 Out of Stock
113888 RUB ONS MANY OCCASIONS 10.95 0.5 5.48 Available
109044 PUNCH SNOW BLOSSOM 10.95 0.5 5.48 Available
111364 RIBBON POLY TWILL SO SAFFRON 7/8"8.95 0.5 4.48 Available
106961 STAZON REFILL WHITE 4.95 0.5 2.48 Out of Stock
114341 COURDUROY BUTTONS PACIFIC POINT 9.95 0.5 4.98 Available
114316 RIBBON ORIGINALS PIG TAILS 13.95 0.5 6.98 Available
111414 RUB ONS HIDDEN GARDEN 10.95 0.5 5.48 Available
114351 DESIGNER HARDWARE HOORAY 4.95 0.5 2.48 Available
114338 COURDUROY BUTTONS KIWI KISS 9.95 0.5 4.98 Available
114019 ACCENTS & ELEMENTS FLEURETTES 9.95 0.5 4.98 Available
114317 RIBBON ORIGINALS DRESS UP 12.95 0.5 6.48 Available
102875 HEMP TWINE RED 2.95 0.5 1.48 Available
101259 HEMP TWINE BLACK 2.95 0.5 1.48 Available
113979 ACCENTS & ELEMENTS CANVAS CUTS 7.95 0.5 3.98 Available
114350 DESIGNER HARDWARE SOHO 4.95 0.5 2.48 Available
111363 RIBBON GROSGRAIN PINK PIROUETTE 1 1/4" 7.95 0.25 5.96 Available
111365 RIBBON TAFFETA RIDING HOOD RED 6.95 0.25 5.21 Available
111847 RIBBON DOUBLE STITICHED BAJA BREEZE 1" 8.95 0.25 6.71 Available
111371 RIBBON GROSGRAIN STRIPED TANGERINE TANGO 5/8" 9.95 0.25 7.46 Available
111373 RIBBON GROSGRAIN STRIPED PINK PIROUETTE 5/8" 9.95 0.25 7.46 Available
111372 RIBBON GROSGRIAN STRIPED KIWI KISS 5/8" 9.95 0.25 7.46 Available
113884 RUB ONS FASHION DISTRICT 10.95 0.25 8.21 Out of Stock

114318 RIBBON ORIGINALS VALET 12.95 0.25 9.71 Available
111374 RIBBON GROSGRAIN STRIPED RIDING HOOD RED 5/8" 9.95 0.25 7.46 Available
111370 RIBBON GROSGRAIN STRIPED PACIFIC POINT 5/8" 9.95 0.25 7.46 Available
111415 RUB ONS GREATEST MOMENTS 10.95 0.25 8.21 Available
113887 RUB ONS BRIGHT DELIGHTS 11.95 0.25 8.96 Available
111416 RUB ONS CHATEAU BELLA 10.95 0.25 8.21 Available
111338 NOTES TEXTURED LOVE ASSORTMENT II 12.95 0.25 9.71 Available
111879 RIBBON SATIN KIWI KISS VERY VANILLA 7.95 0.25 5.96 Available
111277 RUB ONS A PERFECT DAY 10.95 0.25 8.21 Available
110730 DIE CUTS POCKETS & PIECES 8.95 0.25 6.71 Available
107272 PUNCH KEY TAG 15.95 0.25 11.96 Available
113980 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER CANDY LANE 9.95 0.25 7.46 Available
111375 RIBBON GROSGRAIN STRIPED BAJA BREEZE 5/8" 9.95 0.25 7.46 Out of Stock

112010 DIE CUTS BLOOMS AGAIN 8.95 0.25 6.71 Out of Stock
113991 TASTE OF TEXTILES 9.95 0.25 7.46 Available
101399 STIPPLE BRUSHES 6.95 0.25 5.21 Available
112092 BUTTON BOUQUET 7.95 0.25 5.96 Out of Stock
112139 NOTES CAROUSEL II 11.95 0.25 8.96 Out of Stock
111336 NOTES SCALLOP II 11.95 0.25 8.96 Available
111840 CLASSIC STAMPIN INK REFILL PACIFIC POINT 2.95 Available
111841 CLASSIC STAMPIN INK REFILL TANGEIRNE TANGO 2.95 Available
111843 CLASSIC STAMPIN INK REFILL PINK PIROUETTE 2.95 Available
11183 CLASSIC STAMPIN INK REFILL RIDING HOOD RED 2.95 Available
111842 CLASSIC STAMPIN INK REFILL KIWI KISS 2.95 Available
112161 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER PATTERNS KIWI KISS 9.95 Available
112042 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER URBAN GARDEN 9.95 Available
112156 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER PATTERNS PINK PIROUETTE 9.95 Available
112150 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER PATTERNS PACIFIC POINT 9.95 Available
112153 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER PATTERNS TANGERINE TANGO 9.95 Available
111844 CLASSIC STAMPIN INK REFILL BAJA BREEZE 2.95 Out of Stock
111836 CLASSIC STAMPIN PAD RIDINGHOOD RED 5.95 Available
111838 CLASSIC STAMPIN PAD PINK PIROUETTE 5.95 Available
113966 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER GOOD MORNING SUNSHINE 9.95 Available
109123 STAMPIN WRITE JOURNALER BASIC BROWN 3.25 Out of Stock
113981 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER BELLA BIRDS 9.95 Available
112157 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER PATTERNS BAJA BREEZE 9.95 Out of Stock

113975 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER RASPBERRY TART 9.95 Available
114037 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER SPECIALTY SWEET SLUMBER 11.95 Available
113978 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER URBAN OASIS 9.95 Available
112041 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER BELLA ROSE 9.95 Out of Stock
112468 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER SWEET ALWAYS 9.95 Out of Stock
111834 CLASSIC STAMPIN PAD TANGERINE TANGO 5.95 Available
114039 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER SPECIALTY ROCKABILLY 11.95 Available
108590 CARD STOCK NATURALS ASST 12X12 8.95 Out of Stock

111337 NOTES GIFT ASSORTMENT II 9.95 Available
112471 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER RAINBOW SHERBET 9.95 Out of Stock
112464 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER MANCHESTER 9.95 Available
112006 ACCENTS & ELEMENTS FLOWER FUSION II 14.95 Available
111837 CLASSIC STAMPIN PAD PACIFIC POINT 5.95 Out of Stock
112461 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER WASHINGTON APPLE 9.95 Out of Stock
113993 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER SPECIALTY PARISIAN BREEZE 11.95 Available
112155 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER PATTERNS RIDING HOOD RED 9.95 Available
111353 CARD STOCK KIWI KISS 8-1/2 X 11 5.50 Available
111348 CARD STOCK RIDING HOOD RED 8-1/2 X 11 5.50 Available
112172 SIMPLY SCRAPPIN ROCK A BYE BOY 19.95 Out of Stock

100900 GIFT SACKS WHITE 2.95 Available
114605 SIMPLY SENT CARD KIT MORE THOUGHTS 42.95 Out of Stock

102264 COLUZZLE STARTER KIT 19.95 Out of Stock
111346 CARD STOCK IN COLOR 12 X 12 8.95 Available
111835 CLASSIC STAMPIN PAD KIWI KISS 5.95 Out of Stock
111350 CARD STOCK PACIFIC POINT 8-1/2 X 11 5.50 Out of Stock
105668 TATTOO KIT I 13.95 Out of stock
111349 CARD STOCK TANGERINE TANGO 8-1/2 X 11 5.50 Available
109231 SIMPLY SENT CARD KIT SENDING HAPPY THOUGHTS 54.95 Available
111351 CARD STOCK PINK PIROUETTE 8-1/2 X 11 5.50 Available
112165 SIMPLY SCRAPPIN ROCK A BYE GIRL 19.95 Out of Stock
113950 DIE CUTS BUILD-A-FAIRYTALE 8.95 Available
111345 CARD STOCK TEXTURED IN COLOR 12 X 12 11.95 Available
105669 TATTOO KIT II 13.95 Out of stock
111833 CLASSIC STAMPIN PAD BAJA BREEZE 5.95 Available
113936 SIMPLY SCRAPPIN HOPPY MEMORIES 19.95 Out of Stock
111347 CARD STOCK IN COLOR 8-1/2 X 11 7.95 Out of Stock
107288 ENVELOPE WHISPER WHITE EXTRA LARGE 5.50 Available
104310 CRAFTERS TOOL KIT 39.95 Available
111352 CARD STOCK BAJA BREEZE 8-12 X 11 5.50 Available
113943 SIMPLY SCRAPPIN 2 SWEET 19.95 Available
113925 SIMPLY SCRAPPIN SWEET NOTHINGS 19.95 Available
112179 SIMPLY SCRAPPIN LOVE STORIES 19.95 Available
113911 SIMPLY SCRAPPIN SUNSHINE GARDEN 19.95 Out of Stock
112054 SIMPLY SCRAPPIN BEST EVER 19.95 Out of Stock
111253 Blooms & Bulbs 6.50 Available
109684 Doodle 8.50 Available
111257 Happy, Happy Birthday 8.50 Available
109692 Love 6.50 Available
109568 My ABCs 6.50 Out of Stock
109682 Perfectly Pretty 6.50 Out of Stock
109687 See You Around 8.50 Available
109683 So Swirly 8.50 Available
111260 Something Fishy 8.50 Available
111262 Stems & Silhouettes 8.50 Available
105516 Watercolor Joy 6.50 Available

116209 Note of Thanks
116210 Birthdays Count

Last Chance Decor Elements

Last Chance List is Here!

"Pseudo Emboss Resist" Domino Magnets

I've been having a lot of fun recently with alcohol inks. I also love altering game pieces. Put the two together and you can make some pretty dominos! To make the two "white" ones, I stamped images from SU!'s Pocket Silhouettes in Versamark on the dominos, sprinkled with clear embossing powder & heat set. Then, I colored with different combinations of alcohol inks until I liked them. The cool thing about alcohol inks is that if you don't like the results, just dab with the blending solution to lighten or remove ink & try again. For the domino in the middle, I stamped the image AFTER coloring with inks, sprinkled with gold embossing powder and heat set.

Finally, to remove the ink and get the clean, white image, simply heat the image again (after coloring) & wipe off with a clean cloth. The alcohol ink comes off. I discovered this while playing one day (was trying to do an emboss resist technique but the alcohol inks still stick to embossed images so it doesn't work like it would with water-based dyes--hence "pseudo emboss resist").

Stick a bit of magnet on the back, & I have pretty things to sell at craft fairs :).

"Pseudo Emboss Resist" Domino Magnets

Reverse Mask a Fish Bowl

For technique club this month, I wanted to show "reverse masking" and an image of a fish bowl popped into my head--I have no idea why. This technique is so simple! For this card, the first thing I did was stamp the fish in Cameo Coral craft ink, sprinkled clear embossing powder over it & heat set it with my heat tool. For the fish bowl, I cut a 2 1/2" circle out of some cheap cardstock with my Circle Scissors Plus to make the mask. I placed the hole of the scrap cardstock over where I wanted the fish bowl to be & laid a piece of post-it note over the very top. Then I sponged around the edge of the hole with Going Gray to get the outline of the fish bowl. After lowering the post-it note a little, I sponged the rest of the hole in with Baja Breeze. Then, I rolled the fish wheel right over the bowl in Night of Navy & wiped the coral fish clean of any ink. Then, I placed another piece of cardstock down right at the edge of the bowl and sponged Going Gray all along the bottom of the card so the bowl would be sitting on something. The base of the bowl is a Word Window punch.

This beautiful Christmas card was given to me at a swap probably two years ago and was the inspiration for my next reverse masking sample.


For my (more spring-like) sample, I first cut a rectangle out of a scrap piece of cardstock using my trimmer & placed the opening over a piece of Whisper White cardstock. Then I sponged Lavender Lace all over the open rectangle. Next, I took a flower from "Petal Pizzazz" & used the "step off" technique to stamp inside the rectangle. I'd stamp one time with all the ink, then stamp a second time without inking up again or I'd do the full ink on a piece of scrap paper & the second stamp inside the rectangle until it was completely covered in flowers. The last little touch was a full-on ink stamp over the boundary of the rectangle and then embellishing with 2-Way Glue & SU!'s Purple glitter. This technique is a great choice for one-layer cards!

Reverse Mask a Fish Bowl

Congrats Mini-Album

I love being able to make projects for a specific reason--like a gift! A friend of mine needed a gift for her friend who's graduating from college (in middle-age too--an impressive feat!) So, I whipped up this simple album using the Scallop Circle die & Big Shot. The outside covers are chipboard covered with the retired "Ginger Blossoms" paper. The inside pages are just cardstock--the retired Groovy Guava & River Rock. This album took four runs through the Big Shot, four punches with the Crop-a-Dile, attach Jumbo Pewter eyelet & assemble with a D-Ring. So easy! Totally gave me ideas for my craft fairs!

For the "Embrace Life" flower, I stamped in Versamark & then River Rock, sprinkled with Clear Embossing Powder & melted with my heat tool. Then I used Groovy Guava & Ruby Red inkpads & an aquapainter to watercolor. Any "overlapping" wipes off the embossing with a rag so the River Rock outline stays crisp. Used the the Circle Scissors Plus to cut out the circles (using serious adhesive on the back--otherwise, the paper moves around.)

The only embellishment I made to the inside was on the back inside cover with this sweet sentiment & punched flower. Otherwise, I punched & glittered a bunch of flowers & put in a baggie so the recipient could add them where she'd like (a great idea for craft fairs I think).

Congrats Mini-Album

New Pendants at My Etsy Store!

I've been really obsessed lately with making altered game piece pendants--from Scrabble tiles, Othello chips & mini dominos. I'm sure if I can find something else that works, I'll use that too! Hunting through thrift stores is just part of the fun. Of course, it's a lee-tle early for craft fair season, so I've started listing them in my Etsy store (see sidebar over to the left).

Yesterday I looked up how to make a light box to try to get better pictures of them but as you can probably tell, it's still a work in progress! I still don't think the pictures do them justice. My personal favorites to make are the mini dominos because the plastic surface lets me get my hands dirty with alcohol inks. I love combining the various colors and coming up with unique looks every time. Plus, while I've definitely seen others do versions of paper on game pieces to make the pendants, I haven't seen actual stamping so hopefully I'm bringing something a little new to the game :-)

& In case you're wondering, one bottle of Crystal Effects can seal about 100 of these puppies!

New Pendants at My Etsy Store!