Saturday, October 30, 2010

Simplicity

Pleasing to look at, quick and simple!

When planning a stamp-a-stack, these are all important. The card has to be pretty and pleasing to look at, or why bother to make it at all? And it has to be quick, by definition, stamping a stack of cards can't take too long, or it becomes tedious. And simple, because we are making 10 different cards, I can be explaining a bunch of stuff for every card! Self-explanatory is important. This card seems to fit the bill, and it was one of the pretty cards we made last week.

Be sure to sign up for my Christmas stamp-a-stack happening in November. This is a class I would love to offer at your location, or at my house with you as the hostess. Bring a couple friends and spend 2 hours stamping, go home with 20 cards to use as gifts card holders or to send to friends this Christmas season.

Happy stamping,
Dee Tollaksen

Monday, October 25, 2010

Paisley Prints

I received the Paisley Prints stamp set as part of the convention package and I'm using it lots more than I expected! This simple card was part of the Stamp-a-stack I offered last week. Sharp in River Rock and Rich Razzleberry. And it would work for a nice masculine card, don't ya think?

This set is available for a limited time, as it appears in the mini catalog, so don't wait too long to add it to your collection.

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Card kit for sale

Rose Red is such a beautiful combo with Crumb Cake, formerly known at Kraft. This is one of the quick cards we made at last week's Stamp-a-Stack.

I have one kit leftover, if you're interested, it is 20 cards for just $25. I can mail it out to you or you can pop in my studio and do the stamping.  We completed the 20 cards in about 2 hours, no extra charge for the laughs and camaraderie!

Happy Stamping,
Dee Tollaksen

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Golf Trip Journal

My husband commissioned a project! Wow!  I made a Golf Trip Journal for a friend of his and it turned out so cool. I have to admit, right up front, that I used a swap card from convention for the cover. It is perfect, absolutely perfect! And I wasn't provided enough time to order the stamp so I could make it myself, so thank you, so much, to the stamper who swapped with me! I hope my card was useful to you!

The front is a 5 1/2 by 4 1/4" card front, adhered to chipboard with the Stampin' Up! glue stick. This is the perfect adhesive for chipboard to cardstock adhering.  Then I covered the inside of the cover with cardstock as well, and made a back cover the same way. I own a Bind-it-all machine which punches the holes and attaches the metal binding .

Inside I printed Whisper White cardstock with some journaling starters and trimmed the sheets down to quarter page size, perfect for the inside of the journal. I also included a clear envelope for the golfer to store any score cards or pictures he might want to save with his journal. Then on the front I included a small clear cellophane bag that we put a golf pencil and a couple tees as a kind of embellishment.

My husband was very pleased! When he presented the journal to his buddy, the golfer was pleasantly surprised to see how compact it is. He thought it was going to be some big ol' scrapbook thing that he was going to have to pretend to enjoy. So, he was happy with his little present.

Maybe this will inspire you to make a journal for an upcoming life-event, a wedding, vacation, scout campout or even a golf trip!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Holiday Sale from Stampin' Up!


click here! Stampin' Up! has put together a couple great bundles to help you make your holiday projects and save a "bundle" of money!

Start your holiday shopping from the comfort of home, with a product you know and love! Let me help you make this a "handmade holiday!"  Just leave a comment or shoot me an email and I'll be happy to be your crafting partner.

Happy Stamping,
Dee Tollaksen

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Perfect Pinwheel

These pinwheels are so easy to make, and they just jazz up a card like nobody's business!

Just a square of Designer Series Paper (DSP) and snip from each corner toward the center, bend the points into the middle and adhere. I have used a brad for the adhere step, and I do know that this is the kind of thing that has to be seen. So, come to the stamp-a-stack tomorrow! On Wednesday we will make this card and a whole pile of other cards! $25 for 20 cards, what a deal. If you can't make this date, just shoot me a comment and we can schedule an event for you and your friends, your place or mine, at your convenience!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Embossed Butterflies

Good morning! Looks like Chicago is blessed with another phenomenal weather day, sunny, warm, beautiful leaves and it is all happening on the weekend! Awesome!

I am cutting and prepping for Wednesday's Stamp-a-Stack. These butterflies will be making an appearance. I wish you were too!

You can schedule your own Stamp-a-stack at your place or mine for your friends. At 20 cards for $25 it is the bargain of the season! Choose your own theme or choose All Occasion, and fill your card stash for many weeks to come!

Leave me a message or an email or friend me on Facebook!

Happy Stamping,
Dee Tollaksen

Thursday, October 14, 2010

We're "owl" stamping!

Ready to Stamp-a-Stack? Come join us on Wed Oct 20, at my home in Arlington Heights! Lots of different occasions, mostly "non specific" so you can be ready for anything!  Just $25 for 20 cards (envies extra). . . now come on, that's an unbeatable bargain!

This little fella will be there, waiting for you!  Give me a call and join us for an afternoon or evening of fun and stamping.

Happy Stamping,
Dee Tollaksen

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

D is for Dog

Thank you to the blogger who posted this darling pup!  This set was a bonus offer back during Sell-a-Bration, if you spent $50 you might have chosen this set as your free option. I did!  But I never inked it up, then I saw this cute layout and I was inspired!

We will be making this card during next Wednesday's Stamp-a-Stack at my house. If you are wishing to fill your card stash, make  reservation! We will be making 20 cards for just $25! What a deal!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Monday, October 11, 2010

Autumn card

Indecision. . . when making this card I knew it was going into the "stash" box, not meant for any special occasion. So, it has a blank oval for the sentiment, and when I need it, I can stamp it. It kind of looks like a good sympathy card, or a thank you, or thinking of you.  Easy card to pull out for any event, even a masculine color scheme!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Friday, October 8, 2010

Card request -- Sweet Sixteen




Sweet Sixteen? Whaddya think? A little bit pretty, a little bit edgy, perfect for a gift card presentation?

Hope so!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Any occasion

More often than any other, I need a card for "thinking of you" or a "no occasion" type of card, so I design a lot of my cards with no sentiment.  My class attendees are always asking for the "words" stamp, and I will let them add any words they like. But I send a lot of cards just because I heard some news and felt the person could use a card.  

Sympathy is a good example. I don't like to keep a bunch of cards on hand for sad occasions. Yet, sad occasions do occur and this card would work just fine for a sympathy card. But it would be fine for a get well, or a word of encouragement or of congratulations.

I used to send a ton of cards to the high school friends of my children, whenever I heard they did well on a huge test, or got their drivers license, or earned their Boy Scout Eagle rank.

So this pretty autumn card goes into the "any occasion" category, and will certainly be used soon!

Happy Stamping,
Dee Tollaksen

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Halloween cards

Truth be told, I don't send any Halloween cards.  I don't know, I just never have. So I don't own any Halloween stamp sets. Crazy, right?

Many of the sets that are multi-holiday have perfectly fun stamps that allow me to make a few holiday cards without intentionally investing.  Aren't these guys darling? Look through your sets and see if  you can't find something appropriate, and feel free to make a few Halloween cards. If nothing else, you can donate them to the Troops through "From Our Hearts" whose blog link is at right on my blog.

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Autumn class card

The first comment was, "cool colors, unexpected purple and green as the choice for a Halloween card."  I love having a critical eye from my daughter, after I have completed the card and just want a little positive feedback. She knows better than to say anything negative!  And then we had fun chatting about the cool scalloped circle behind the sentiment.  Dying to learn the technique?  Plenty of space for you in this Wednesday's class, at 1pm or 7pm, 5 fun cards for just $20!!

Hope to see you here! But remember, anything I teach in a class in my home, in Arlington Heights, will be twice as much fun with your friends in your home! Just shoot me an email, leave me a comment or give me a call, and we can schedule a workshop for you!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Concord Crush, yum!

Life is just buzzing along, wedding plans for my DS the Marine; college fun and social life highs and lows for my DD; conquering the hedges surrounding our property for my DH; quiet stamping time for me!  When I'm not rescuing my tools from the canines of my canine!

We made this pretty pink & purple beauty in last week's stamp class. Putting the Designer Paper through the Big Shot in an embossing folder makes a great texture for the face of the card. Fun!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Saturday, October 2, 2010

World Card Making Day


Who makes up these holidays? Did you know today is World Card Making Day? I hope you are enjoying a day off work, taking advantage of the glory Mother Nature has provided and maybe grabbing some delicious Farmer's Market bargains. And if you need a little relaxation today, pull out a beautiful stamp set, some lovely cardstock, and make a card!


I would love for you to block out some time in your calendar to stamp with me. On the right side of the blog screen you can see the classes I have scheduled and I would be thrilled to see you here!  If there is something special you would like to try, just let me know and I'll put it together for you!  Or if you like the sound of a class but the time isn't convenient, it is  no trouble for me to schedule a more convenient class for you.

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen