Quilling

Have you tried quilling? Have you even heard of it? We had a little hands-on demonstration at a recent stamping meeting, thanks to Pam!

This is the pretty flower I made, my very first quilling project. I see a bit of glue that missed the mark, but otherwise, a reasonable success.

What do you think? Like it? Not so much? Let me know if I should be working up some cards featuring quilling. Bear in mind that it is a great way to use up super skinny strips of card stock that would otherwise go into the recycling.

Happy Stamping,
Dee Tollaksen

Fourth & Final card of Stationary set

Bright and Cheerful! I love this card and the DSP used! Such a great flower in the Button Buddies stamp set, and it fits perfectly in the Stampin' Up! scalloped circle punch.

If you would like to try a stamping party at your place, and you want to make this stationary set, just leave me a comment or shoot me an email. Or a phone call! I would love to have you come to my place, or I can come to your place. OR if you live in Alaska, I can prepare a class "by mail." You would receive the Button Buddies stamp set and all the card stock cut and prepared for you and all your guests.

Here's another idea, maybe your office would enjoy a "team event" or your book club is reading a crafty novel and you want to try a small project or your Bible Study group likes to have a few encouraging cards  as a stash to send out: organize a gathering and I'll provide all the supplies! Button Buddies stamp set is only $29.95 in wood mount stamps and each kit would add $4 and include card stock for the folder and cards, one black mini-ink pad and one roll of double-stick tape. Drop me a line!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Stationary Set day 3

Sheesh, I think some cloud cover must have passed over my desk when I took this picture, a lot of shadow! But you can tell that the vase of flowers is stamped on Stampin' Up! glossy white card stock, adding a little shine and pretty-ness to this card!

We used the Button Buddies stamp set to make 4 cards and enclosed them all in card stock folder. These cards make a lovely and affordable gift set. What a nice way to say "thanks" for a thoughtful favor or for a teacher or coach! I know I will be employing this idea soon.

My husband has been dealing with the early spring by hauling out the lawn mower weeks early. He is very disciplined about getting the blade sharpened and changing the oil and all that maintenance stuff. And yet, he got half way through the yard and it quit. So he took it to the shop and borrowed the neighbors mower to finish our yard.

Brought it home, looking fresh and clean. Next weekend, pulled it out and same thing. Half the yard and it quit. The shop was able to replace the $1.69 spring and get it back in action quickly, but the neighbor's machine was borrowed AGAIN to finish our yard.  I think the least we can do for her is present a nice stationary set. And maybe a gallon of gas!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Stationary Set cover

Can you see the glare of the clear envelope on the cover of the Stationary Set cover? I actually have the card on top of the clear envelope, otherwise you wouldn't be able to enjoy the card at all. You would have to shield your eyes from the glare!

The clear envelope is adhered to the front of the folder. You can choose any card from the project to star as the cover art and when choosing which card to use, the cover card is one of the choices.

Button Buddies stamp set starred in this project of four cards that fit nicely into the card stock folder. If you are thinking, where is the Buttom Buddies image, check out the center of the flower. We were trying to have many layers, but not a lot of embellishments, because the folder is just right for 4 cards, but bulky embellishments would have limited the space. So we used the snail image to make a cute center for the card and just punched out the swirl of his shell.

More to come. . . tomorrow.

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Stationary set

 I attended a fun Demonstrator gathering this weekend. It is such a good time to gather with all the stamping ladies to hear about their successes, great ideas and plan for our next adventures.

After the meeting we get to switch gears and stamp together. Susan prepared a cool Stationary set with a folder made from one sheet of cardstock that holds four cards and envelopes.  Some of the brilliant aspects of the design are the clever cover and speed of assembly.

The cover has a clear envelope adhered to it. So if you made this folder as a gift, you would slide one of the four cards right into the clear envelope. Now it looks fabulous, but the card can still be used or switched out!  So smart.  And the cards have many simple layers so they have lots of dimension but not too much depth to fit nicely in the folder. So clever. Love it!

All the images are from the Button Buddies stamp set, a favorite of mine.  I love this set, it has very diverse stamps, but every one of them has a circle image that would be super cute if you put a button on it.  But they also look great without a button, so versatile.

I'll share the remaining cards over the next couple days. Come on back to see more. And leave me a comment below. This would be a great class to share with your friends. You could even arrange for a "class by mail." You would receive the Button Buddies stamp set, pull a sentiment set off your shelf and I would prepare all the card stock and DSP for the cards.  Just leave me a comment or shoot me an email and I'll explain the details!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Big Shot (near) disaster

 The Big Shot. Indispensable. Truly. When it was first introduced to the Stampin' Up! product line, many demonstrators balked at the $99 initial price and then adding all the fantastic dies and embossing folders. Could our stamp budget accommodate that? Oh yea!  And now, I can't make a card without it. I love it! I can't live without it. Order yours by clicking right here!

The ladies in my last class saw me freak out when it stopped working. It had been making a squeaky squeaky noise for a while, but everyone gets a little stiff when they age, right? I just gave it a little WD40 in the crank screw and hoped for the best. But suddenly it was unable to crank, and in the middle of a class!

So I was all over the internet, youtube, Stampin Connection (demonstrator website).  Very little help, one person said her crank shaft broke and her husband fixed it. So I obtained a new crank shaft from Sizzix and started to disassemble my Big Shot. Really freaking out at how deep into the machine I had to go to get to the crank shaft. Then I couldn't get the E clamp off the crank shaft. I had to take it to (my really good friend Tom) my computer repair specialist. He cheerfully removed the E clamp, cleaned out the RUST and installed the new crank shaft. Rust was actually the problem and some mineral oil was the solution, I didn't really need the new part. Tom offered to reassemble the whole machine, but I had only brought him the heavy skeleton of the Big Shot, so I had to come back home and do all the assembly myself. But it is back in action and ready to roll.

Update: November 2016 -- the BigShot is still working like a champ, never another squeak or stiff turn! No computer program to learn, no electronics to update, nothing has become obsolete and Sizzix and Stampin' Up! continue to produce outstanding dies and embossing folders every day! Click here to get yours today!

Thank you Tom.

So now I have dried my tears and I am happily stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

All Packed for Baby

I received the four-pack of "All Packed for . . ." stamps as a prize from Stampin' Up!, but I've been stumped on how to use them. Then I ran across a card that just sent me running for my craft room. I love the soft colors, the tag shape and the water coloring! I wish there had been a signature across the card so I knew who to thank for the inspiration. Let me know if you recognize your work!

We stamped the image onto watercolor paper using Stazon ink, because it won't bleed when wet. Then we used the watercolor crayons and an aqua pen (or paint brush) to paint. The aqua pen has a water chamber in the handle, so you never need to wet the brush. It makes painting so much easier.

 In the middle of this class, my Big Shot decided to seize up. No warning or anything. Unless you mean the squeaky crank or the stiff turning. I mean it had only been squeaking for a couple of months or so. I had been squirting WD40 into the handle and praying for relief. I turn that crank every day, about a jillion turns, so the squeaking was kind of annoying.

And now I have 5 ladies here and the card requires 3 turns through the Big Shot to emboss all those darling little hearts onto the stripes of card stock.

So we survived. But barely. The next day I called Sizzix, the Big Shot company. They are super nice and my Big Shot is way out of the 3-year warranty period. But they sent me a part for just $5.

Tune in tomorrow to see what happened to the Big Shot. And believe me, it will be worth it!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Gnome love for you!

So cute, so easy. This is a recurring theme for my stamping, cute and easy. I love a clean and simple card and it has to be easy to be fun.  These guys were cut out, which is detail work, but it is just the two of them, so it didn't take too long. The heart was cut with the new framelets that Stampin' Up! introduced in the current mini-catalog. Then I sponged some Early Espresso ink on the edges of the heart.  A strip of Night of Navy and another strip of cardstock that has been run through an embossing folder. Stick, stick stick and the card is almost done. The final touch is the sentiment stamped in basic black.

Easy Peasy!

I'm enjoying a quiet evening home alone with the dog. The DH is on a business trip = golf with his co-workers. Lucky him!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Precision required

Do you have this stamp set? It really could be any flourish, but this one comes from Artistic Etchings. This card was a mental challenge for me. I am a firm believer in "hand made." As in, "If it is hand made, it doesn't have to be perfect." But this design kind of demanded some precision, if not perfection. And I am not mentally equipped for precision. But I saw it in a magazine and I really loved it and wanted to CASE it (copy and steal everything).

So I dusted off the old Stamp-a-ma-jig and inked up the black ink pad so it was nice and juicy and went to town. How did it go? One try. I am proud to say this card is the first attempt! Whooo hooo!  I thought I would have trouble, but the stamp-a-ma-jig worked great and the flourishes just lined up nearly perfectly!  So for those of you who are just starting out, this card was made with one stamp, one basic black ink pad, one scrap of ribbon, one brad and basic black paper and whisper white paper. All basics. Plus the stamp-a-ma-jig, of course!

Want to make this card with me? Just leave me a comment or give me a call and we can schedule a class for you and maybe a friend or two!

Happy Stamping,
Dee Tollaksen

Butterfly Punch starring today

The list of stamps that will retire in June is available. I hope that these cheerful butterflies will distract me from the wipe-out that will occur on my stamp shelf. Boo hoo.

But aren't these guys cheerful? Just grab your favorite DSP (Designer Series Paper) and punch a variety of designs and colors, then back them with the solid color card stock that matches each. Wade through all the embellishments you have been hoarding and you are in business. I chose Cameo Coral for the base of the card, and a panel of Whisper White. Then when I adhered each DSP butterfly, I only glued down the center, so the wings have some lift.

Pearls, buttons, brads and sentiment finish it off. This cutie might not go through the mail unless you give it a thin sheet of padding or bubble wrap. But if you are handing the card to your loved one, it is awesome!

Today is the first day of the 29th year of marriage to my DH. We are off to Morton's Steak House for dinner to celebrate. Most people might have celebrated ON their anniversary, but there was a hockey game. And that is only important to one of us. And that one. . . is not me. So we are going out tonight, and I won't have to eat fast so he can get home to watch the game! The husband is the young guy on the Left, the young guy on the right is our son. What a couple of good lookin' Norwegians!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

New catalog coming soon, many retiring stamps!

Stampin' Up! and I are bringing you an all new catalog with tons of new stamps sets and embellishments, but first we have to clean house!  If there is a set that you have been postponing purchasing, better check the list! The new catalog starts June 1, so all retiring stamps will be gone forever by then. Don't wait for a garage sale or ebay if you want the set, there are no guarantees! If you order before June 1, there is a guarantee, you will get the stamps and they will be perfect and warrantied.

Just click on the "going going gone" image at right (on my actual blog, in the right margin) to be redirected to the retirement list. Order on-line or email me your order if you want to save a smidge on shipping.
I have a couple cute cards coming, so check back later today!

Happy Stamping,
Dee Tollaksen

Spring Shoebox Swap

I am so excited about the annual Spring Shoebox Swap. We have so many great door prizes and a new lunch planned – just as good, just something new and different!  We have nearly a full class list, just a few openings, so if you are available on Saturday May 19 and you haven’t already reserved your spot, please let me know that you are coming. As usual, we will be at the Arlington Hts Historical Museum from 10 am until 2 pm. We are aiming for 20  participants plus your two hosts, Dee and Catherine. If we get swamped with requests, maybe a couple spots past the 20 mark. That still gives us 10 minutes per card which is the goal!

Remember we use Stampin’ Up! products so that we know the ink will dry and not smear, the paper is top notch and the embellishments are the best on the market . . .and everything matches perfectly!

There is no theme at the Spring event, anything goes, birthday, sympathy, anniversary, wedding, whatever strikes your fancy.

If you want to get together to plan your card or if you need to order supplies, earlier is better. We are here to help, so feel free to email or call. My ESP is out of order, I am sending out good vibrations and my receiver is a buzzing, but email or phone work much better!

Happy Stampin!

Dee Tollaksen

Hoppy Easter

My family will be celebrating Easter tomorrow. In addition to the Bible study and preparation of the soul that goes into this yearly event, there is the practical preparation.

The trip to the special ham store. The phone calls to invite family to dinner. The negotiating with schedules to have a successful egg hunt. The trip to the special chocolate store. The menu planning.

And of course, some crafting!

If only I was the kind of person who really planned ahead, I could have shared these with you earlier. But since I was punching card stock this morning to create these, this is the earliest I could manage!

I used the Big Shot to cut the ovals and the medallions. They are on two different dies, of course, but I own them both already, and this is how we crafters get our money's worth!

The medallion is in the pennant die, there are two different medallions and I have really used them often in a wide variety of projects.  The egg shape is faked with a perfect oval. Since you have Easter/Spring on the brain, your brain cheerfully accepts the oval as an egg.

And the silhouette of the bunny is super easy too -- 3/4" circle, 1" circle and the 5-petal punch, in Early Espresso, then a bit of trimming to make the ears. . . 2-petal punch!  Then use a little circle or flower and a scrap of the silver glimmer paper for the tail. Couldn't be easier!  I wrapped a bit of the DSP from Everyday Enchantment (I can't believe Sale-a-bration is over and Everyday Enchantment is no longer part of my catalog).

There will be 4 children visiting for egg hunt and dinner tomorrow, plus my own grown daughter (who will get the one dark chocolate package) so I made a few bunnies.  You can too, they're quick  and easy.

Enjoy your family and your weekend!

Happy Stamping,
Dee Tollaksen

Final Stamp-a-Stack sample

I believe that the pineapple represented hospitality, in olden days.  It is a vague memory I have from my Social Studies classes in grammar school, but I believe these images of the pineapple were used in decor as a welcome symbol.  Which makes me like it even more!

We used Crumb Cake cardstock for this card, which allows me to be OK with the sketchy ink result.  If it was on Whisper White, I would have wanted it to be perfect, crisp, dark and complete, but on the texture of any colored cardstock it is impossible to get that kind of image with this style of stamp. So enjoy the imperfection and include it as a design element!

Then we stamped the sentiment onto DSP. Because there isn't a lot of other pattern or texture going on, the DSP offers a little bit of interest. A couple of oval punches complete the interesting sentiment. The ladies played with this design a bit, moving the image and the sentiment around on their card, turning the card from horizontal to vertical, etc. I think the simplicity allowed them to feel like they could make it "their own."

I hope you enjoyed this trip through our 10 Stamp-a-stack cards. Now it is your turn! Just pick a date on your calendar and invite a couple friends to your place or mine and I'll do all the rest.

Happy Stamping,
Dee Tollaksen

Stamp-a-Stack #9

Starter Kit: one ink, one stamp set, one roll of ribbon, one pack of paper = one really cute card!

This card does have a glue dot holding the ribbon onto the card, but you could use a bit more ribbon and go around the card and it wouldn't need any adhesive at all.

If you are thinking about how to gather supplies that let you make a really nice card, with success every time, but not break the bank, here is a great example!

I love the clear-mount style of stamp, so I have the clear acrylic blocks and put both stamps onto one block (the floral piece and the Hello sentiment). Then inked it up in cherry cobbler ink and stamped onto Whisper White card stock. Adhere the ribbon and the card is done. Want to amp it up? Make the card base in Cherry Cobbler and add the white panel as a layer. Want to do more? Add rhinestones to the centers of some of the flowers, tie a bow and add a longer length of ribbon to go around the card.

We have just about completed the tour of 10 stamp-a-stack style cards. Call me to schedule your party and let your friends create some or all of these easy, beautiful cards!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Stamp-a-stack #8

If you are just getting started with stamping or scrapbooking, here is a big tip from me to you: invest in adhesives. Tapes and glues are cheap and they make a world of difference in creating a card that goes together easily and stays put together!

This card uses glue dots to hold the buttons onto the top of the hats. It is very sticky, it will hold plastic, fabric, paper or anything! And it never lets go!

The ribbon is held on with sticky strip or red-line tape. Again, it is very sticky and holds everything, but it is on a roll so it works great for ribbon. The focal point circle is held onto the card with dimensional adhesive dots. They are foam pieces with adhesive on both sides, just peel from the wax paper and remove the backing and they give your project dimension.

And finally, the hats are held in place with SNAIL or mono-adhesive. Double-stick tape in an easy to use applicator.

Could we have done this with just one kind of adhesive? Maybe, but none of these costs more than about $5 and all of them come with a generous supply, many feet, many dots, many applications. So go ahead, load up your craft room with 4 or 5 kinds of adhesive so you have the right thing to make your card easy!

Happy Stamping,
Dee Tollaksen

Stamp-a-stack #7

I love this frame in a Sale-a-bration stamp set. I am going to miss using it, now that it is retired.

I love the Crumb Cake card stock, keep the composition simple and use beautiful embellishments, and everyone will appreciate the card!

We had a little fun with the spritzer tool, everyone had a completely unique card because the spritzer is pretty random!

Are you getting a feel for the evening? 10 cards, 2 of each, 20 total, and everyone of them is really good looking!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Stamp-a-stack #6

Safety first, even when stamping. Now seriously, that ORANGE shade is super enhanced by the afternoon light. In real life, the color is subtle and beautiful. Just like the card. This one involves the high-end technique known as "sponging." The special tools required are: ink and sponge. You may have a sponge already, in the kitchen or on your makeup table, and if not, I can sell you one. Then you vigorously rub that sponge on your ink pad, then just flap the sponge against the edges of your cardstock. That's the high-end technique widely known as sponging.

Seriously. I know it is April Fool's Day, but that is all true! Sponging around the edges of a panel of cardstock kind of softens the look. When placing a white or very vanilla panel against a deep color of cardstock, it helps the eye if there is a transition and sponging provides that.

Want a sponge? Leave me a comment and I'll give the first 6 commenters a sponge next time we stamp together. Promise.

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen