Times a flyin'

All the stampy crafty people are anticipating the new Stampin' Up! catalog, but don't miss some beauties that will retire at the end of this month!

The Spring catalog has like a million options under ten bucks. Well, maybe a hundred.  This kit includes 8 die-cut boxes, buttons, ribbon, feather shapes, tags, borders and even dimensional adhesive. Everything shown here except the filter paper used for the flower. The kit is only $7.95, the filter paper is just $2.95 for 12 pieces,  plenty to make 12 of these flowers! This box is perfect for a little graduation gift-card, teacher gift or even a KitKat bar for an extra helpful sales clerk.

Don't let the fun stuff retire without stocking up!

Happy Stamping,
Dee Tollaksen

Get out of that Hallmark store!

Get out of that Hallmark store! You know that MDS (My Digital Studio) is only $19.95 and one card at that fancy store is over 5 bucks, right? So if you only even make 4 cards you will cover the cost of the software.

I have a darling nephew who made his First Communion this weekend, and my stamp collection doesn't have that specific sentiment. All I did was find a cute layout that came with the MDS software, made the color scheme masculine and added my sentiment. Then I printed it on Whisper White cardstock and mounted it on Night of Navy cardstock. Voila! A custom, event-specific, personalized card. And it took all of about 4 minutes. No muss, no fuss.

Just leave me a comment and I'll be happy to get you started, and soon you'll be a pro at digital scrapbooking and card design.

Happy stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Peek at the new products

Have I told you lately, there's a new catalog just around the corner? I don't usually like to wish away time, it is too precious a commodity, but I do love when the new catalog arrives and we have loads of fun new stamps and accessories!

June 1st, we can order from it, but it is actually here, if you want a copy, call me!

The beautiful DSP (designer series paper) on the banner is from the Epic Day This and That collection.  I was fiddling around with a negative space technique, trying to stamp on the inside of the card and have an opening on the front of the card. My opening was too big, and it made the front a flimsy mess, so I adhered the stamped sentiment to the front of the card and gave the Soft Suede cardstock support. Not my favorite ever, but it will certainly make someone's day when they receive a card that tells them they are AMAZING!!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Want a catalog?

I have to go to the post office today, but I won't be letting them see this card.  The new catalog arrived at my doorstep yesterday and I have a friend in Arkansas that is anxiously waiting for her catalog to arrive. It's coming, just have to get downtown.

This card has Stampin' Up!s gorgeous two tone ribbon on it, which will make a bit of a bulge in an envelope. We have to sneak a stamp onto it and drop it in a blue mailbox, don't let any humans Postal Workers touch it. If they handle it, they will want a bunch more postage. If the automatic machines can cancel the stamp, read the zip, sort the envelope, no one is the wiser. So put your bow up high on the card, drop it in a mailbox and let the machines do their job.

We were practicing our masking techniques here, using a post-it note to keep our sponging and stamping very precise and "in the box." Below the fancy ribbon we used an embossing folder to add texture and lots of hearts. The base card is Basic Black cardstock, so I get to use my silver marker to sign the card, one of my favorite techniques!

Happy Stamping! And if you need a catalog, just leave me a comment!
Dee Tollaksen

Flower time

Spending my time cruising Pinterest, found this gorgeous card by Paula Dobson, and immediately CASEd it! I love that there are beautiful cards that are reproducible, I have the right products and it actually works!

All I did is clear emboss on Crumb Cake cardstock.  I envision this as a wedding card, so Forever & Always seemed appropriate.

Now, back to Pinterest for more motivation!
Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

6 shades of pink

It took me a while to figure out this Swallowtail stamp, but now I can't stop! I wasn't sure if the butterfly should be a background image and how to build over it. It is so highly detailed, and it doesn't fit on the face of a card. . . but I think that is the idea. It needs to spill-over, to go beyond.

You may remember that my stamping group had an ombre challenge, this was the second idea that I offered. I had already cut all the circles and cardstock for the card I shared yesterday, so I brought this along for inspiration. This would have been much less work! But I am happy with both options.

This is one of those cards that I can't figure out how to put a sentiment on the face, so it won't get one. It is always such a shame when a lovely card is ruined by a sentiment forced into the design, so you can just write happy birthday on the inside!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Guilty as charged

You know I love my CAS (clean and simple) cards. But sometimes a challenge just forces me out of my comfort zone.
Our local demonstrator group meets monthly for a FUN evening of chatting, sharing and a shoebox swap. This month the challenge was Ombre: incorporate this trend into a card.

I went crazy with punches in pinks. Each card is supposed to be "demonstrate-able" and completed in 10 minutes, but every month there is some crazy demonstrator who brings a card that takes forever and could never be brought to a workshop. This month I was guilty. I have to say that I showed a couple other cards that work for the Ombre effect, but I was definitely busted on bringing the most complicated card.

Ask me about the bow. It is super cute and very simple. If you are interested, I will do a little tutorial for you.  The pretty flower is from the Artisan Embellishments kit in the Spring catalog--the entire kit of flowers, tickets, gorgeous buttons, lace and ribbon is under $10, a super great deal!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen