Projects » Rainy Day Creations

"Shady Tree Studio" Card Set

Jan 292009

The new Shady Tree Studio floral images that were recently released are so beautiful, and I couldn’t decide which one I wanted to craft with first. So, I chose all 5 and made a set complete with a matching gift box. (Sometimes indecision can be a fun thing!)

When you use designer paper (dp) do you often end up with lots of little bits and pieces of it which are then generally wasted. Well, to prevent any waste, I came up with a template not long ago that uses 2) 6″X6″ pieces of dp. This works well with all of the 6″X6″ paper pads available now. And all of the pieces of dp used on the box and the 5 Shady Tree cards came from those 2) 6″X6″ pieces.

Here are the templates.

I used ALL of the paper on both of the 6″X6″ pieces of paper. Even the little 1/4″ square was used on the box with the brad.

I have used this template before but made 6 cards with it rather than just 5. Instead of having corner pieces on the cards, I had 6) 3″ X 1-1/2″ panels. So only 2 corner pieces remained with that template.

Hope you can join me over at the CLASSroom for lots more pictures and details about the cards.

Thanks so much for dropping by today!!

Calendars For My Sisters - January

Jan 012009

It seems that every year I promise to take my 4 sisters out to lunch for their birthdays. However since we don’t live close to each other, it rarely actually happens. So this year I’ve decided that I will make them each a calendar instead. All of their birthdays are in the 1st quarter of the year, but the surprise will still be a little early as they receive this month’s page in a couple of days. I hope it will be a fun gift for them each month as the next month’s page arrives.

The calendar is a download from A Muse. 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the calendar benefit The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

SU! has an old retired set called “Flower of the Month” that has been sitting on my shelf gathering dust and patiently waiting for just such a project. I colored the image with markers and then lightly spritzed with water before stamping on watercolor paper. The stand for the calendar is an empty CD case.

Hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday season. Happy New Year!!

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Stamps: SU! “Flower of the Month”

Papers: SU! Whisper White, Basic Black, Garden Green, Watercolor

Inks: SU! Garden Green, Old Olive, Rose Red, Regal Rose, Pretty In Pink, Barely Banana, Bordering Blue

Accessories: Gingham Ribbon, Black Flatback Pearls, Clear Star Glitter Pen, Calendar Download from A Muse, Computer/Printer, CD Case

Wishing You a Blessed Christmas

Dec 232008

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given;
And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of peace.”
Isaiah 9:6

This project was made for Splitcoaststampers’ November 2007 Fan Club Gallery. It can be seen here. (You must be a Fan Club Member to view.)

Stamps: SU! Holy Triptych, Sleigh Bells Ring, Finials & Frames; Rosie’s Roadshow (Sentiment)

Paper: SU! Watercolor, Not Quite Navy, Brushed Gold, Basic Black

Ink: Jet Black Stazon, Bordering Blue, Versamark, SU! Markers, Sukura Glaze Pen (Gray)

Accessories: Blender Pen, Stickles, Gold EP, Heat Gun, Glue Gun, Brads, Miniature Screw Brads, Red Velvet Ribbon, Gold Cording, Ticket Corner Punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Dimensionals

Halloween Peek-a-Boo Treat Holder

Oct 202008

On Splitcoaststampers the Dirty Dozen/Dirty Dozen Alumni have a challenge each month. October’s challenge was to create a Halloween card or treat holder using googlie eyes but no pumpkins. So I decided to make this treat holder.

Both the fence and the goblins behind it are Stampin’ Up Jumbo Wheels. The fence was stamped first with VersaMark and then Clear Embossed. The spooky goblins were then stamped with Versafine Onyx Black.

Here is the inside of the treat holder. Beate Johns has done a tutorial for this holder over on Splitcoaststampers.

Have a spooky day!! And if you want to check out what the other Dirty Dozen and Alumni have done with this challenge, you can check out the entire gallery here.

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Stamps: SU! Haunting Jumbo Wheel, Frightful Fence Jumbo Wheel; Cobweb from Michael’s Dollar Spot; Sentiment from American Art Stamp

Papers: SU! Elegant Eggplant, Only Orange

Inks: SU! Elegant Eggplant, VersaMark; Versafine Onyx Black

Accessories: Googlie Eyes, Clear Embossing Powder, Gingham Ribbon, SU! Scalloped Border Punch, McGill Super Giant Punch Flower, Cuttlebug, Oval Nestabilities, White Gel Pen, Chocolate Candies

Box Template and Tutorial AND Coming Soon... Blog Candy!

Oct 172008

I just love making these little miniature boxes. Aren’t they cute!

Last week I made one for a door hanger project and promised a template for it this week. So here it is.. more or less. lol

I tried to make it such that the template actually printed to the size/measurements shown on the template. However, I could not get it to be exact. Sorry I’m so computer challenged. However because of the angles and shape of the template it is relatively easy to tell where the folds and cuts go without doing any measuring.

So the easiest thing to do is simply print the template, cut it out and then just trace around the outside of it. As long as the proportions are kept the same, the template will work fine to make a smaller or larger size box. When I printed it out the longest measurement (which shows as 9″ on the template) was just over 8″ in actuality. So it printed a little smaller. The picture of the boxes at the top of this post shows this smaller box in front (“friend”) and the actual measured to scale box is shown in back (“thanks”).

If you do want to make a box the exact size as the template and you want to measure it, I have all the measurements on the template in a 1/16″ scale, ie 4/16″ instead of 1/4″. This was just to keep it consistent.

Here is the template: 4blog115boxtemplate.jpg

Here are some pictures of the box construction. Just a note.. on the “Flap” I used a corner rounder punch to round the corners. On “Bottom B” and “Bottom D” I used scissors to snip off a small triangular shape at the angled corners as shown in the pictures below.

All folds are in the same direction.

The Glittering Christmas paper on the green box is from Flourishes.

And it’s done! If you have any questions, just ask. I will answer them as soon as possible which will most likely be next week. Got a big weekend planned. Tonight is a craft night of sorts at our church, and I will be teaching a couple of ladies how to make a few cards. And then tomorrow is my 17 year old son’s homecoming dance. There are 14 couples in his group. He has organized the whole thing, has everyone showing up at our home for pictures to start the evening off (14 couples and parents) and then 2 huge limos will come to take them to dinner and the dance, etc. Plus they are all returning here around midnight after their haunted house adventure to watch a movie in our little home theater. Should be some crazy fun. He is my last of 4 sons and I am cherishing every minute of it. They grow up so so so fast…

Finally… the BLOG CANDY! A Muse has just released the coolest set called “Hero Mail”. $2 from the sale of each set goes to Operation Troop Aid. Well I just love the set, and so I bought 2… one for me and one for you if you are the winner! I’ll have it up on my blog sometime next week. It’s a perfect set for Veteran’s Day!

Hope everyone has a great weekend. Oh and if you do make a box or two and post them somewhere, PLEASE leave me a link. I would LOVE to see them!!

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Stamps: SU! Everyday Flexible Phrases

Papers: SU! DSP Autumn Vine, Really Rust, Sage Shadow; PTI White

Inks: SU! Really Rust Classic

Accessories: SU! 1/2 inch Striped Grosgrain; McGill Leaf Punch

Flourishes Release - "All That Glitters"

Oct 102008

My project today features the Flourishes “All That Glitters” set. The stamp I chose to play with is the beautiful bird ornament image.

Because of the delicate detailing on the different ornament images in this set, I think they are very flexible as to how you can use them. Here I have simply stamped and heat embossed in gold on red card stock. But these images could completely lend themselves to coloring from just a little to as elaborate as one desired.

At Christmastime gift wrapping at our house generally takes place in the room where all of the ribbons, bows, tags and wrapping papers are stored. I thought that it would be fun to have a warning for the door for those times when everyone really must stay out!

Now that my youngest is 17, something like this might actually work! I wouldn’t have counted on it years ago, though. In fact this would have probably had just the opposite effect! “Oh look, Mom’s wrapping our gifts. Let’s go help” *chuckle*

To start I used Mod Podge on a chipboard door hanger. I adhered this GORGEOUS Glittering Christmas paper to the hanger and then Mod Podged again right over the top of it. The result was wonderful because the glitter still showed, but it was now permanently sealed to the paper instead of getting all over everything everywhere!

I used my Circle and Scalloped Circle Die Cut Nestabilities to cut and make the holly and scalloped rings around the hole for the door handle. The holly ring image is from the new JustRite “Christmas Stamp Ensemble”. The lettering is from two different JustRite Fonts “Curlz” 50 pt. size and “Times Roman” 50 and 95 pt. size. May Arts velvet ribbon and lots of Kaiser rhinestones along with some gold cording and a miniature bow (store bought.. sh-h-h-h-h don’t tell anyone) finish out the project.

Oh yes and the box… I made the box with PTI white card stock and adhered strips of the Glittering Christmas paper to the top and sides. I love this little functional box. It measures approximately 1-1/2″ X 2-1/2″ and is the same-ish size as the metal tag/frame on my yesterday’s “Sleigh Ride” card. I am putting together a template and tutorial for it and hope to have it ready to share in a few days.

Flourishes All That Glitters – Set of 12 Stamps

Last month Flourishes offered a discount on the new releases – this month they’re offering you an even better deal! From now through Monday, October 13, get 10% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER!!! So, now is the time to load up on that great Basic Grey paper and matching brads, or perhaps some luscious ribbon. To get the discount you must put this code in the promotion code box at checkout: RSC88 Now, because you have to put that code in the promotion code box, you will not be able to enter the code for which design team member inspires you. So…just send Flourishes an e-mail at [email protected] and they will reward your favorite designer!

To see more cards or projects made with this week’s new releases, check out the other Flourishes Design Team and Friends of Flourishes blogs:

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Stamps: Flourishes “All That Glitters”; JustRite “Christmas Stamp Ensemble”, “Font Set – Curlz”, “Font Set – Times Roman”

Papers: Flourishes “Glittering Christmas”; SU! Whisper White, Garden Green, Real Red; PTI White

Inks: SU! Real Red Craft, Real Red and Garden Green Markers; VersaMark

Accessories: JustRite 3-1/4″ Circle Wood Stamper; May Arts Velvet Red Ribbon; Kaiser Rhinestones; Cuttlebug; Circle and Scalloped Circle Die Cut Nestabilities; Gold Embossing Powder, Gold Cording, Imaginations Chipboard Door Hanger, Bow, Corner Rounder Punch (box flap); Mod Podge

Peony's Bugs, JustRite Fun and a Balance Beam

Oct 012008

I couldn’t make up my mind what to title this post so I just went with a little of everything! LOL

This week Flourishes has asked their designers to feature the Peony set. Chances are they wanted us to do a card or project with… well… the Peony image. But I just couldn’t take my mind off of the bugs in this set. I’ve mentioned before that I love the bee. So I decided to combine the bee image with some of my JustRite Stamper’s Toys to make a gift card and wrapping paper. Oh yes, I also used a small flower image from Flourishes Fantasy Floral Garden set to stamp the tissue paper. Here is the finished project.

Using SU!’s Whisper White wrapping paper I stamped and masked and stamped some more with one of JustRite’s new borders in their 2-5/16″ Harmony Classic Circle II Stamp Ensemble. And aren’t those bees cute! I added Twinkling H2O’s in Lemondrop to give each bee a pretty shimmer.

For the gift card I also used the flower border from JustRite’s 1-5/8″ Curlz Monogram Stamper Kit. It is embossed with black embossing powder. The letters are Times Roman Font.

Click on photos to enlarge.

As much fun as I have had with the bee, the cute little beetle in the Peony set had not been inked. That needed to change. See him peeking out from behind the panel of the new Sparkle DP from Memory Box. The sentiment is from JustRite’s Curlz Monogram Stamper Kit. It is one of their new centers.

I know exactly who I’m going to give this card to. My oldest son’s girlfriend LOVES bugs. She has been on expeditions/grants to Costa Rico to study butterflies and the Amazon to study ants. Well I have a deathly fear of spiders. The good news is that whenever she is around, if a spider decides to appear, I can call on her and she will just go over to the thing, pick it up and put it outside!!! So ya… she LOVES bugs and her birthday is next week. This one’s for her.

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that my 17 year old son wanted only one thing for his birthday and that was tickets to see Shawn Johnson in the “Gymnastics Superstars” at the Tacoma Dome. I had managed to get him 5th row tickets in the center section. I was very pleased with myself. WELL….. It was this past Saturday. He came home floating on air. It turns out that rows 1-4 are bleachers which they couldn’t set up because they had the gym floor elevated for the gymnasts. So… HE WAS IN ROW 1!!!! He told me that if he could have picked his seats out of the entire dome, he would have picked the ones he had. How cool is that. The balance beam was set up not even 10 feet from him! When Shawn finished her routine she came over and high-fived him!! So did Nastia. The funniest thing was his comment about Shawn’s floor routine. I guess after she finished with it, she once again came and high-fived him. Well he said that she was “a little sweaty” after her routine. So when she touched him he got some of her sweat on him. I thought he was going to say it was kinda gross. But no… his response? “It was great!!!!” Life is good.

Shawn Johnson (above) and Nastia Liukin (below)
Tacoma Dome – September 27, 2008

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Wrapped Box Project
Stamps: Flourishes “Peony”, “Fantasy Floral Garden”; JustRite “Curlz Monogram Stamper Kit 1-5/8″”, “Harmony Classic Circle II Stamp Ensemble 2-5/16″”, Times Roman Fon t
Papers: SU! Wrapping Paper, Really Rust, Whisper White; Tissue Paper
Inks: VersaFine Onyx Black; Memento Rich Cocoa; SU! Really Rust Classic and Yoyo Yellow, Summer Sun, More Mustard Markers, VersaMark
Accessories: LuminArte Twinkling H2O’s Lemondrop, May Arts Sheer Ribbon, Gingham Ribbon, Raffia, Cuttlebug, Nestabilities Circle Die Cut, Jumbo Eyelet, 1″ and 1/4″ Circle Punches, Ticket Corner Punch, Black Embossing Powder, Eclipse Masking Tape, Gift Box

Card
Stamps: Flourishes “Peony”; JustRite “Curlz Monogram Stamper Kit 1-5/8″”
Papers: SU! Kiwi Kiss, Tangerine Tango, Basic Black, Very Vanilla; Memory Box “Sparkle”
Inks: VersaFine Onyx Black
Accessories: May Arts Ribbons Polka Dot and Satin, Kaiser Rhinestones, Cuttlebug, Nestabilities Circle Die Cuts, McGill Super Giant Flower Punch, Photo Corner Punch

It's a JustRite Day

Jul 122008

In the past I’ve had to be content to just read about it. But this summer..THIS WEEK!.. I’m going! Where? I’m going to the Craft and Hobby Association’s (CHA) Summer Convention and Trade Show in Chicago!! And JustRite has asked ME to be one of their demos!! I can hardly believe it! Here is the little make ‘n take that I designed for the show.

They are a pair of bridesmaid’s dresses made with little table favor boxes cut on an AccuCut. I stamped Flourishes Damask background on vellum to create an overlay for the skirt. The scalloped hem is punched with one of Martha Stewart’s border punches. The dress bodice is Cuttlebug embossed with the Swiss Dots embossing folder. The JustRite monogrammed tags use new centers to be revealed at CHA!! The tags are cut and embossed with Spellbinders Circle Nestabilities. I used the Stardust Clear Pen to color in the rings and dot the centers of the little flowers on the border. The bands were first colored with a yellow marker. The Dotted Sheer Ribbon and Pearls on the prima and on the scalloped hem can be found at Flourishes.

I think JustRite is really going to have an exciting booth with lots of fun make ‘n takes.. 9 in all!!. They will be located in Booth #3309 and have 32 new products to introduce!! Here’s the schedule of events.

Friday, July 18 — 9 – 11 a.m. — MICHELLE WOODERSON (Mish Mash)

Friday, July 18 — 1 – 3 p.m. — SHARON JOHNSON (notimetostamp)

Saturday, July 19 — 10 – 12 noon — TAYLOR VAN BRUGGEN (tayloredexpressions)

Saturday, July 19 — 1 – 3 p.m. — JERRI JIMENEZ (Jerri Kay)

Sunday, July 20 — 10 – 12 noon — SUSAN ROBERTS (rainy) (ME!!)

And throughout the show the JustRite team will be conducting a bunch of fun projects. To see all of the projects and read about each designer, check out the JustRite blog. They have a ton of sneak peaks over there, too!!

So if you are at the show, I would LOVE to meet you. Please stop by to say “Hi” and have some fun playing with the fun new toys!!

Beautiful Girls and Looking Back #1

May 222008

Any respectable grandma shows off pictures of her adorable grandchildren… right? Here are mine… my beautiful twin granddaughters at age 3. If you live in the Colorado Springs, Colorado area you may want to look up Kim Harms if you need a photographer. I love this picture of the girls.

Here are a couple of shadow boxes I did for the Fan Club at Splitcoaststampers when I was on the Dirty Dozen Design Team.

I titled it: “Grandma’s Garden”.

(Click on it to enlarge.)

Today I am on a plane to go see my sweet girls. One of them is having her tonsils out tomorrow. Since she will not be able to go to her daycare for a couple of weeks, grandma will be taking care of her so that her dad (my son) won’t miss any school and her mom won’t have to take vacation to care for her. The last time I saw them was at Christmas. I’m sure that they will have grown considerably since then.

I don’t expect to be making any new cards or projects to show you until I get back home, but I do have some cards that I have made over the past couple of years to share with you. Most of these have been uploaded in some gallery or another on Splitcoaststampers. A few have not. I got this idea from Sharon Johnson. She will sometimes post some of her older cards and I just love seeing them. So I hope you enjoy “Looking Back” with me.

Let’s start with this card. It could almost pass as a card inspired by the photo of the twins at the top of this post! What do you think?

This was made with some of the first designer paper I bought. I remember being so intimidated by dp. I was much more comfortable using my background stamps. Now I have notebooks full of dp and have to remind myself about that stack of backgrounders! How times change!

Stamps: Long-Stemmed, Sentiment (?)
Paper: Close to Cocoa, Brushed Gold, Very Vanilla, Blush Blossom, DP K&Co.
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Certainly Celery, Apricot Appeal , Blush Blossom, Regal Rose
Accessories: Prima, Brad, GG Ribbon

Splitcoaststampers' Inspiration Challenge #128

May 172008

Each Saturday brings a new inspiration piece at Splitcoaststampers. This week our inspiration is to come from this En Fleur Candle.

Here is what I was inspired to make.

Those are “Rub-Ons” from American Traditional Designs on the candle and below the sentiment on the card. After transferring the rub-ons to the candle, I used my heat gun to slightly warm the wax. It seemed to set them into the wax quite well so that hopefully they won’t become “rub-offs”!

If you think you would like to play along in the challenges at Splitcoaststampers, you can find them listed on their homepage here in the right hand column under “Weekly Challenges”. But beware… it is VERY addicting! lol

Stamps: True Friend, Floral Backgrounder
Papers: Basic Black, So Saffron, Very Vanilla
Inks: Basic Black
Accessories: Candle, Rub-Ons, Organdy Ribbon, Brad