I wonder. . .

. . .how far a piece or two of DSP will go. Well, actually, I thought about the one sheet wonder technique - you have all seen them. You take a sheet of cardstock and stamp all over with a variety of stamps from a set in a variety of colors - or however you want. Then you cut that sheet up into different sizes and create a ton of cards. Well, I didn't quite want to do that - though I have a couple PERFECT stamps sets that would work beautifully - so I decided to take a look at my DSP (and believe me, I have TONS of that!!) and do the same sort of thing. Now, I decided rather than cutting into a fresh piece of the 12 x 12 paper that I would start from the pieces I already had cut. So, yesterday afternoon I grabbed one of my packages of DSP - this one is called Springtime Vintage (retired). The colors that coordinate with this package are: Not Quite Navy, Baja Breeze, Rose Red, Pear Pizzazz, Crumb Cake, River Rock, Very Vanilla and Always Artichoke. I have several cuts of the different patterns, however, for this set, I chose the Rose Red and Always Artichoke with hints of Very Vanilla. I should have taken a picture of the papers BEFORE I started so you could see what I had to work with - it was less than half of a 12 x 12 sheet though. So, I started to cut a bit here and matte it there until I came up with designs that I liked. I just pieced things together last night and did start to adhere a few of the matted pieces - just so I wouldn't lose them or forget what the design was that I was trying to achieve by the time I got back to the spa this morning. When I had all my pieces cut the way I wanted, I cut some labels from the decorative label punch. I used the scallop trim border punch for some of the matted pieces. I also used the Weave and Distressed texture plates and the Framed Tulips textured impressions folder. I used Rose Red and Always Artichoke ink for my sentiments and I used these stamp sets: Afterthoughts (hostess set from the 2010-2011 catalog), Well Scripted, Filled with Love, Because I Care (another hostess set from the 2010-2011 catalog), and Whimsical Words (Sale-a-bration) set. Now, as many of you know, I like clean and simple designs, however, I don't like TOO much 'white' space, so I had to fill in (where I didn't use texture) and add pearls, rhinestones or ribbon. My supply of ribbon colors is fairly limited right now - well, at least for this color scheme, so I had Very Vanilla satin ribbon, Very Vanilla seam binding, Very Vanilla grosgrain ribbon (can you see a color pattern here?) and the Victorian crotchet trim - which just happens to be in - you guessed it, Very Vanilla!! I do have Crumb Cake seam binding, but for some reason, it just didn't look to me like it went well with the colors. So, when I was all done cutting, trimming, gluing on rhinestones and pearls, embossing, and tying bows, I ended up with 12 cards!!! Isn't that amazing? and if you could only see the SMALL amount of DSP that I started with, you WOULD be amazed. From this same package, I have several more pieces to cut up and make into lovely cards - and that is only ONE package of my DSP and it doesn't even use up the package - but it does take me down to 8 - 12 x 12 pieces from a package of 12. Now, how many more packages of DSP do I have like this you ask? Well, you will just have to stop by over the next millenium and find out! lol Let's just say that I don't have room in my bins for all the DSP like this, so I have to pare it down in this way so they either lay or stand flat, (or I use it all up, whichever comes first). Of course, while I am in the process of doing this, I am sure to buy MORE because I LOVE color and the different papers are SO pretty. I am thankful that I am not a big fan of Hobby Lobby or Michael's and where I live they lack good quality Scrapbook stores, so I am limited by what is in my Stampin' Up catalog and some of the designs I don't particularly care for - so, in the next year, I MIGHT just get the chance to use up all these lovely scraps.

I hope you have enjoyed my jabber today and my take on the One Sheet Wonder Technique. If there are any cards that you would like to take a closer look at, feel free to let me know and I will post them here.

Next up on my 'Wonder Plan' - Baja Breeze!

Have a wonderful rest of your day and thanks for stopping by the spa today - I hope you have enjoyed your visit.

~Paula~

T is for Tissue and Tealights and Top Tip Tuesday

Today over at Top Tip Tuesday we have a FABULOUS challenge for you and some lovely sponsors. Our sponsors this week are:

Crimson Cloud

Pizzazz A Plenty

Simon Says Stamp

Make sure you check them out and see what goodies they can entice you with. I also want to encourage you to play along this week for a chance to wind one of the sponsored prizes.
So, I had to think about our challenge - T is for ? - use the letter T to inspire you - with a technique like the tissue paper technique. Have you tried this one? It is really quite simple - and you know me - I like clean and simple. So, I got out my white tissue paper - though you can really use whatever color you have - even printed tissue paper would work. Stamp your image all over it - like this picture shows. Then take a candle - I used a small medium sized candle - though you can really use any size you like - it just depends on the image that you want to put on it. I bought my candle in a three pack from Hobby Lobby. I had planned to do this technique with a friend around the Christmas Holdays and we just never got the chance to do anything - we will though - Christmas in July is coming - and I will grab her to do something fun during that time. Anyway, after your image on the tissue is as you like it, then you want to place in on your candle and hold it very tight - so that it is smooth - then take your heat gun and heat it until the tissue melts into the candle. If the edges are torn (rather than cut) it makes a smoother looking candle. Can't you just see this candle on a Spring Decorated Table with all the beautiful flowers? I used the Fabulous Florets set that I have been using the last few days and used melon mambo, pacific point, tangerine tango, daffodil delight and wild wasabi for stamping. You could even take a citronella scented candle and decorate it and put it out on your back deck so that you can enjoy the beauty without all the bugs!
As I continued to think about the letter 'T', I thought about a technique that I had learned many years ago - but couldn't quite remember how to do it, so I went in search of it and found another project that I thought was just too cute for words, so I HAD to make one of these adorable Tealight Cakes. I found the tutorial over at Splitcoast Stampers under their resources tab (I think). I went in search of my tealights - which I had from when I made my luminaries earlier in the year. I couldn't find the box with them, but did find one of the luminaries, so I grabbed the tealight out of it and went to work decorating this little cutie. It is REALLY another simple technique and SO fun to do. I added some mulberry roses (from Wild Orchid Craft) to the top as well as some pearls. You can't see the paper in this picture real well, but I used a retiring DSP called Sunny Garden. It is very similar to a favorite DSP that I have from a couple of years ago - except in a different color scheme. I have hardly used this one though. When I was done with the tealight, I decided tomake a little card to go with it. I just took a strip of the DSP that I used on the side of the tealight and added it to my card and then added some more of the roses and pearls - stamped the sentiment in Poppy Parade and the card is done and the little tealight is ready to give to my daughter for her birthday in August, (if I can wait that long!!)
It has been fun making these projects and I am SO happy to be crafting once again on a more regular schedule - though my work schedule continues to be crazy. This week I am getting lots of crafting in.
Thanks for stopping by the spa today - and do make sure you stop by the Top Tip Tuesday blog today and see the tip that I have left and the projects that my teammates have made for this challenge. Then, take the list that you will find there - or think of your own 'T' and go make a project.

~Paula~

Nothing better than coming home to a CRAFTROOM!!

I worked the early morning shift - and it was busy and went quite fast - and when I was done, I came home - took a shower and then headed upstairs to my Paper Spa. It is SUCH a relaxing place. I have my computer up here, so I looked at emails and then got busy with some skeetch challenges. This first one is for Operation Write Home Stars and Stamps challenge. This is sketch #75 and it is a great one for using up bits and pieces of scraps. I chose to use Sunny Garden DSP which has wonderful colors such as Daffodil Delight (I love daffodils!!), Poppy Parade, Pear Pizzazz, and Peach Parfait. The last three colors are the 2010-2012 In colors and they are still available for another year. I haven't played with them alot this past year - but this paper certainly encourages using them. It is such a bright and cheery package. I had a roll of the Pear Pizzazz seam binding which was perfect to add the bow and then I added the mulberry rose which nearly matched the Peach Parfait card base. The little peach color pearls gave this simple fun card the finishing touch.
My next card was another sketch challenge - this time using Stamping 411 Saturday Sketch challenge #209. I decided rather than using DSP, I would showcase a few of the NEW In-Colors that will be coming out July 1st. I started with a Whisper White card base and then added Cherry Cobbler as my matte. I then took Wisteria Wonder, Pink Pirouette, and Lucky Limeade and ran them through the Big Shot using a variety of texture plates (all of them will be retiring at the end of the month). I added these to the cherry cobler matte and then added the cherry cobbler seam binding ribbon before adhering to my base. My sentiment is cut from whisper white, mounted on cherry cobbler and then stamped with Wisteria Wonder. I added the butterfly from the Beautiful Wings Embosslits cut out of Coral Calypso. There is one other color that I have not shown yet - but tomorrow is another day - and I don't have to work, so that means I can spend the better part of the day in the paper spa. There is SO much to do and make - I have my tutorial coming up for my Design Team over at Top Tip Tuesday in a couple of weeks, so I have to get busy with that.

Do stop by tomorrow to see my samples for the challenge over at Top Tip Tuesday.

Until then - have a wonderful evening whever ever you are in the world.



~Paula~

Yesterday's Creations

Yesterday I had the day off from work, and after my kids all left for their activities - I had the house to myself and with the quiet, it was easy to create. I decided to stick with one theme - I used the Fabulous florets - in the Summer Mini Catalog and the gorgeous DSP that coordinates with it. For these cards I used ONE 6" x 6" piece of DSP to make all three cards. I didn't want to have any waste, so I used the cut pieces from the first one to create the other cards. But first - My background cardstock is Wild Wasabi and I used my Scallop Trim Border punch to create the border - cut from Whisper White. I added a piece of the Beyond the Garden DSP over the border and then adhered this to my cardstock. I used my decorative label punch to cut the melon mambo and then used the curly label punch for the whisper white. I added a piece of satin whisper white ribbon behind my sentiment. Te sentiment is part of a phrase from the Vintage Vogue set. I just used my marker to color the letters I wanted and then stamped it. The sentiment wasn't quite complete, so I added a little bit of the fabulous florets stamped images to complete it and then added a single rhinestone.
For this next card, I used the strip that I had cut from the first card and added it to a piece of whisper white cardstock and then stamped the sentiment from the Fabulous Florets set. I then stamped some of the flowers from this set onto whisper white and fussy cut them out and then created my own flower collage with them. When I got the look I wanted, I glued them altogether and then added it to my card using dimensionals. Here is a close-up of the design. For my last card, I turned the DSP over and used the Pacific Point and Wild Wasabi color theme. I used the Pacific Point for my base and then adhered the DSP to the whisper white cardstock and added this to my base. I took a piece of whisper white and played with stamping the image until I got it the way I wanted. I inked up my image and then off stamped it once, then stamped on my cardstock and then stamped again for a shadow affect. I used Marina Mist satin ribbon to add the finishing touch to my card. I REALLY like the way this one turned out - but it might just be because I am not a real fan of hot pink but I do love blue, any shade!! If you could see any of these cards IRL, I think you would like them better than what these pictures show.
So, that is what I was able to accomplish in an afternoon alone. Now, this week ahead - I have tomorrow off, however, Sunday's are usually not a very good day to work on cards since my sweetie is usually home and we like to do things together - however, I will be working on my DT project for Top Tip Tuesday - but it will be a secret until Tuesday, so you will HAVE to stop by then to see what I am creating - all I can say is it is something that starts with a 'T'. The rest of the week looks good for crafting as well, so I am thrilled to be working in my craft room again and making wonderful cards to send to friends, family and the troops overseas through Operation Write Home. Check out their site and see how YOU can help this fantastic organization.
That is all for now - unless I find some time to create something worth posting later. :)

Thanks for stopping by the spa today - have a wonderful rest of your day where ever you are in the world.
~Paula~

Crafting in my NEW Craftroom!

I am SO excited to FINALLY be able to do some crafting in my new craftroom. Although I must say that the bright room makes it more difficult for me to use my computer as it is hard to see the screen when the sun is shining in the window - but I DO love my new space!! Today is my day off from work - YAY!! My middle daughter has to work this morning, so I will have to take her to work and my two youngest are going off to camp for a week - so when I return from taking them to catch their ride to camp - I will have the house to myself for the afternoon - and since I have nothing pressing that NEEDS to get done - I plan to spend it right here in my Paper Spa relaxing and creating! I may have to bring my waterfall up here, so I have 'music'. I have taken advantage of the little time I have this morning though to make a card. Over at Top Tip Tuesday this week one of my NEW teammates - Annette - has written a wonderful tutorial on doing a criss cross card. Now, I am a bit late in posting this but decided to give it a try and it is SO easy. I made a square card - as did Annette in her tutorial. I decided to seal off the bottom and have a pull out card to write your special message on. I am using some FAB new papers featured in the new summer mini catalog. I LOVE flowers!! If you could see my garden - you would know - however, don't come to see it QUITE yet, as it is still a work in progress! :) BUT, I love this new DSP and the matching stamp set. I even have the Digital set. I actually bought the digital set first - I had some earlier posts using this set on some digital cards I created - and after using the digital set, I decided I HAD to have the rubber set and the real paper! Not only is this set in the summer mini - but you will be HAPPY TO KNOW that it is in the new catalog coming out in July as well. So, if you LOVE Stampin' Up! and HATE it when they retire something just after you got it - rest assured, this one will be available for quite awhile. Anyway, back to my card. I chose to use the bright and sunny Daffodil Delight and Tangerine Tango for my colors on top of Whisper White. I didn't like the way the edges weren't quite right on the criss cross - so I covered it with Daffodil Delight Grosgrain Ribbon. Don't you just LOVE crafting - a mistake is NOT really a mistake, but an opportunity for enhanced creativity. I was SO thrilled with the Grid card I had made for my daughter's graduation - but as you know, I didn't have the large butterfly and had to improvise. WELL, I got the butterfly - and LOVE it!! Here I used it on the front of the criss cross and then topped it with the smaller butterfly in the same die set. I used one of my RETIRING :( texture plates to lightly emboss the top butterfly and then added the rhinestones. I had stamped on the inside of the card, but didn't place the stamping correctly - so you can barely see the flower stem that I had stamped - so I stamped again. the sentiment was also cut off, so I stamped that again as well. I wasn't real pleased with that, but decided that it would be covered up anyway with the insert.
I stamped the corners of the insert (Daffodil Delight) with the Fabulous Florets set using Tangerine Tango and Daffodil Delight. I decided that the insert needed a 'pull' so I punched the Tangerine Tango with my curly label punch and scored it at the half way mark and then adhered it to the top of the card. I added the rhinestones for added bling. I finished the card off by adding the taffeta Daffodil Delight ribbon (which is retiring). The card allows plenty of room to write a message to the recipient - even if you just want to use the back of the insert so you don't mess of the beauty of the front of the insert. This was really quite a simple and QUICK card to make - it just takes me longer because I agonize over what paper to use, what stamps to use, what color and what design. Since this set coordinates so well together - the first three are more or less taken care of and then I just have to search ideas for the design. Using the Criss Cross pattern idea really helps with that too - so quick simple and FUN!!
I hope you will hop on over to Top Tip Tuesday and see the tutorial and gain inspiration from the other members on the team.
Thanks for stopping by today. I will have more for you to see later this evening after I have spent an afternoon creating!!
~Paula~

My NEW Craft room

As you may have read, my oldest daughter moved out a couple of weeks ago, so about a week after she was gone, I started moving my crafting stuff into her room. She had a queen sized bed in there, so to make more room for my stuff, (and to also leave it open for over night guests) we moved the queen into my middle daughters room and moved her twin bed into the craft room. also makes a nice resting place in case I get tired crafting. :) So, I am going to take you on a tour of the room - it isn't large - maybe 10 x 12 (I honestly don't know as I didn't measure).
So, here we go - are you ready for the tour?When you first walk into the room - this is what you see. I plan to get a bed cover that will match the room - once I have decided what color I want to paint it. Right now it is an ugly tan color - NO inspiration in TAN!! You will also notice as we 'walk' around the room that there is nothing on the walls. I haven't finished the decorating of the room - so in the future I will show you what I do - but thinking that some Stampin' Up! Definetly decorative elements might just work - they have some new ones in the new catalog that comes out in July, so I may just have to finish off the room with a few of those - something like CREATE! Or IMAGINE! Or who knows. Anyway, moving along - to the left of the bed (looking at it) you will see my shelf unit with doors. I got this at Wal-Mart and it is actually three two-cube units stacked and bolted together. I have another door to put on the one cube, but then I would have to find another place for the box that is sticking out. This unit holds (and hides) alot of items - many of which I need to go through and parse out. I have WAY too much stuff!! On top of the unit is a basket that holds all my retired stamp pads from Stampin' Up! I also have my 'spray booth' which is an item I picked up at a local craft store. Next to the unit I have one of two oak bookshelves. On this one I have my cricut cartridges, the current Stampin' Up! stamp sets (top shelf only) and then retired sets. On the bottom shelf are old idea books, and other idea notebooks that I have filled with ideas from off the internet from years back. Next to the bookshelf I have cubes that I bought from Michael's. There is no rhyme or reason as to the way I stacked them. These were the first things to go into the room and when I decided where I wanted to put them and how I wanted them placed, I just started stacking. The trays in the cubes on the bottom and the one on top are FILLED with wood mount stamps. these are double stacked in there too!! The drawers hold CD's I plan to make into books, my cuttlebug folders, and other miscellaneous stuff. I really need to get another cube or two to hold more of my DSP. So, here is a wide view of the whole side of the room. This picture actually makes the room look really small - but if you count the inches in those cubes - my estimation is probably not far off. Now, I wanted to give you a closer look at my stamp pad holder. This is a nice holder - although it is not the original one that I saw many years ago, but it is close enough and it works nicely for me., So, moving around the room we pass the large window. This window gets the morning sun, so it makes the room bright all day. The view is not the most exciting as I look out on the neighbors house and can see into their backyard where the children play in the above ground pool, and jump on the trampoline! I could have chosen my middle daughters room (much smaller) and looked out on the back of our property which is filled with trees and the sound of birds singing is everywhere. BUT, I gave up the view for a larger room. :) So now that takes us to the wall opposite where we have just been. Starting in the corner, you will see a cd/dvd tower (I purchased this at IKEA). I have more of my Stampin' Up stamps stacked on this. I also have my Big Shot dies and Stampin' Up embossing folders. Next to the tower I have another two-cube unit from Walmart. I have my prisma color pencils in a case on one of the shelves along with my pad cleaner and scor-pal. In the drawer I have my smooch and spritz as well as the new fabrics that Stampin' Up came out with last year. I still haven't decided what I want to do with those fabrics. Next to the unit is my sewing cabinet. I still have to organize my sewing stuff, most of which is still downstairs. I will show you what is behind that door in a little bit, but walking further over, you will see the other oak bookshelf. On this book shelf I have the books from my favorite author (Fern Michaels), scrapbooks from Creative Memories - still waiting to be finished from YEARS ago!! And on the bottom shelf I have most of my sewing books and more idea books from Stampin' Up! Now, you can see we have made it all the way around the room, but I did tell you I would show you what is behind the door. It is a nice walk-in closet. Right now I just have more papercraft items in there wiating for me to sort through them all. I also have some sewing items in there waiting to be put into the cabinet. I also have a file cabinet in there that I put all my 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock in. You can see on the floor another box - this has sewing threads and the racks are sitting on top of the box. those will be nailed to the wall above the sewing cabinet when we get some time to do that. I have to decide if I want them all in a straight line (not very pleasing to the eye) or if I want a couple about the sewing cabinet and a couple somewhere else in the room - maybe above the shelf by the door. You can also see my bind-it all box (it is in the box) as well as my cricut (in the box) sitting on the floor in the closet too. There is ample room for my sewing items - once I bring them upstairs - later this summer perhaps. As you can see, my room lacks one very important item - A table on which to craft. I could use my sewing cabinet for now - as the door swings open and there is plenty of room for my knees, however, the top is not very big and I like to really stretch out and leave things set up - and if I wanted to sew - well, you can see the problem with that. So, I looked at tables today at Wal-Mart and may have to pick up one there - in a couple of weeks when the money isn't quite so tight.

Well, that is all - I hope you have enjoyed taking a tour of my new crafting space. I am anxious to get in there and really create. Stop by soon so you can see what happens when space and creation meet! :)

~Paula~

Graduation Card

Last week, I shared a picture of my lovely daughter that just graduated from High School. I finally got the card that I made for her uploaded to my computer and I am sharing it with you today. It is hard to see, but the bottom says 'Congratulations'. I got the idea for this card from this blog. I didn't have the Big Butterfly die that she used on her card, so I improvised with what I had - and ordered the big butterfly die, so now I can make this card again - which was really fun to do. I used my daughters favorite colors and then used a new DSP from Stampin' Up! that was available for a short time - and now will be available once again in the new catalog coming out July 1. I am posting this card as my sample for the design team over at Top Tip Tuesday. This week we are introducing our new Design Team members and showcasing all the awesome talent on our teams. There are some GREAT tips and our wonderful sponsors this week are Robyn's Fetish and Stitchy Bear Digital Stamps. So stop on by to take a peek at what the design team has done - and enter for your chance to win one of our sponsors' prizes. It is an open challenge this week, so we are hoping to see tons of awesome entries this week.
On another most FRUSTRATING thought - Blogger is giving me complete fits! I can add new posts to my blog - as my dashboard sees me logged in, however, when I visit blogs or try to comment, I am unable to show blogger that I am truly signed in - SO, if I do not comment on your blogs - it isn't that I am ignoring you - it's the problem with blogger!!
I will have pictures of my NEW craft area up in a few days - could be a week - who knows - I work the next two days and then my sweetie and I are going to celebrate our anniversary - somehow, someway!!
Thanks for stopping by the spa - come back soon for a visit and bring a cuppa with you.
~Paula~

Tip Top Tuesday Tutorial

Yes, it is time for another tutorial over at Top Tip Tuesday. This time my teammie Heike has a fabulous tutorial. I just know you are going to love her easy to follow directions for this wonderful gift. Unfortunately, my life these last few weeks has been utterly crazy, so I have not had the chance to do this project. Perhaps later in the week things might slow down to give me a little time to craft. However, there are some fabulous samples from my teammates, so please, pop on over and see the creations - oh, and before I forget - the new Design Team members have been announced as well - so take a peek and see if perhaps your name is on that list

On another crafty note - my oldest daughter graduated a couple of weeks ago fromn High school. A few days later she moved across the country to go to school. I think she just wanted to get away from home and venture out on her own without all the parental control. I miss her, but I have taken over her room and I am moving all my craft stuff in there. It is taking a bit of time, since I have to take the items up a flight of 16 steps. I have gotten most of it up there, so now it is a matter of sorting through everything and putting it all where I want it. Then, I have to get a table up there to work at. I have left a twin size bed in there, for overnight guests. So, with all the crazy activity the last few weeks, and now moving all my stuff - I just haven't had time to craft, but I will soon and it will be nice since I won't have to put it all away when I am done, so I can go in and craft to my hearts content

Do stop by the Top Tip Tuesday blog and take part in the challenge this week. I might even post my creation later in the week, If I get a chance.

Thanks for stopping by the spa today.

~Paula~