REALLY Razzled....

I sat down several times this week and looked at this card which was laying on my desk waiting to be finished. I just couldn't seem to get the thing right within the few minutes I had each time. SO today I decided to just get it put together so I could move on!
I'm still not 100% happy with how it turned out, but it's finished and I can get on with other projects! YAY! Again, I used my Shapeabilities pendants and Borderabilities dies for this project. By now, you've probably realized I was working with these amazing tools for a Product Focus review for Splitcoast. The review came out earlier this week and you can find it here.
Last weekend, Katie helped me organize my Spellbinders' dies. This was a project I was wanting to get done for a while now and I am so glad it's done. My 20+ sets of dies are now stored magnetically in CD cases within a small plastic crate ($1 at Big Lots) on my desk. The best part is they take up VERY little room. There are a few dies (the Borderabilities, Curved Rectangles & Foliage Frame) that don't fit in the CD cases, so I laid them on top. Does anyone have a different suggestion for those? I'd love to hear it.
That's all from me today. Can you believe I've got some CHRISTMAS projects started? Oh my!
Thank you for visiting!
Back to stamping~
Angel

Card Recipe:
Size~ 4 1/4" Square
Stamps~ Congrats (SU)
Ink~ Rich Razzleberry
Paper~ Melon Mambo, Razzleberry, White, Razzleberry Lemonade DP
Accessories~ "In Spades" Borderabilities & Shapeabilities Pendant by Spellbinders, Curvy Label and Modern Label punches (SU), flower punch (Michael's $1 spot), Pearls (Paper Studio), Ribbon (Offray)

A Mailing Tip

Do you worry about sending your bulky creations through the mail? Worry that the brads will pop through the envelope or that your pretty ribbons will be a shredded mess when they arrive at their destination?
Here's what I do:

Run a quarter sheet of any color cardstock through your crimper or corrugator.
(I believe Jen will soon be offering this tool at her awesome online store- The Coconut Scrapshop)

Place your corrugated panel in your envelope making sure it's covering the front of your card which should be facing the envelope flap.

Your design is cushioned under the crimped panel which adds a layer of protection. Cool, huh?

I can't take the credit for this tip. I received a card from someone years ago who had this brilliant idea. (I wish I could remember WHO!)

As far as mailing costs, I've found that it really depends on which postal worker serves me at the post office. I usually always take my cards to the counter and have them weighed and hand canceled.

Have a BLESSED day!

Stamping Easy

Good morning! I woke up at 5:00 am with an idea in my head that wouldn't go away, so here I am posting the idea come alive at 7:30.
I am still not tired of playing with my "Light of the World" set from Our Daily Bread Designs.

I keep telling Kelley how much I LOVE this set. I am NOT kidding. And wait until you see what else she has in store for you and I. Her concept of an image along with a handful of scriptures to go along with it is BRILLIANT! And I know there is a niche for it.
When I was at Target the other day, I found these plain red "Hot Hues" notecards and envelopes on clearance. [Well..... it was plain red anyway.] I used my Paper Studio border punch along the bottom and then my Fiskars "Cloud" scissors to make the scalloped edge. Then I ran it through my Cuttlebug with the "Swiss Dots" embossing folder {my first time sing this folder, but certainly NOT my last.... I LOVE it!}. For the verse, I simply stamped off with Rose Red (not a perfect match, but close) using the SU Musical Score background and then the verse with Palette Black Noir ink, punched it out with an oval punch and then mounted it onto a black scalloped oval punch. The Hobby Lobby sheer dotted ribbon adds the finishing touch.
{I took a picture of the scrap piece of paper I used to punch out my black scalloped oval.... just to show you how seriously I use my scraps! This is a leftover piece of black cardstock from a Set Sampler Header back when I was a Stampin Up demonstrator! Yes, there is a hole in the middle of the punched out piece, but I covered it and nobody will ever see it. If I didn't use my scraps like I do.... quite simply, I would NOT be able to afford this craft.}

I know I teased you earlier in the week...and I will be back later today with that blog candy I promised you!
Have a Fun day!

Missing Something?

Have you ever looked at a card or project and thought to yourself...."It's missing something!"?While sometimes less IS more.... sometimes it just isn't! SO... I have started to compile a list. My list encompasses little things you can "do" to add that finishing touch to your card. I have started the list hoping you can help me add to it! If you think of something to ADD, let me know!

• Round Corner(s)
• Distress Edge(s)
• Add Stickles
• Add Glitter
• Add a Photo Corner Punch
• Ribbon (tie a bow, staple a piece on, wrap around card)
• Air Art
• Sponge ink on card edge or run along the edge with ink
• Doodle a frame
• Paper Pierce a corner or edge
• Add button(s)
• Use a background stamp (or 2) such as Linen, Canvas, Sanded,
• Pop something up (even one word of your sentiment in another color)
• Hang a Tag

Can you think of anything else? Comment here and leave your idea(s) and I will update with your suggestions!

On the Subject of Scraps

I set up the poll recently because I was curious how many of you save your scraps. I am not surprised that most of you who took the poll save most of your scraps and use them often. Another popular answer was to save every scrap possible and use them on nearly every project. That was my vote as well. I truly believe that if I didn't save almost every scrap, I could never afford my hobby. And after many years of saving scraps, you would think I would have them coming out my ears. But, I don't. And the reason is I use them! And I use them because they are readily accessible to me.
I thought I would share all of the ways I have saved and organized my scraps over the years. I started out saving my scraps by color category. All of my blues were in one gallon sized Ziploc, all of my greens in another, etc. That bag started to overflow so I bought 4 of those pendaflex files and divided them according to color group and every color had it's own slot. That worked well after I added a folder inside to put the scraps in so they wouldn't get mixed up. They outgrew those files and I put them into 2 large plastic boxes made for files. Next, a good friend gave me a desk that had a HUGE drawer for hanging files and I put all of my scraps in that drawer, each color having a hanging file. They were at my fingertips and I enjoyed that desk immensely. But when we moved, I gave up the desk to downsize. Now, here we are in Georgia and I think I have the best scrap system yet!! I took pictures for you!

My cardstock is kept in those nice office paper organizers. Each color has a slot. The smallest size of cardstock I keep loose in the slot is 1/2 sheet and those are generally on top, then full sheets and then a file folder that has all of my scraps in it for that color.














This is great for my 48 colors. I have 2 more paper organizers on the other side of the room where I keep my neutrals, in-colors and retired colors.

I also have a little rolling wire cart that I keep some of my necessities in. It's right behind my desk.
This is where I have my neutral scraps... white, vanilla and naturals all are in plastic "envelopes" that snap shut. I rarely reach for a whole sheet of white cardstock if I don't need a very large piece. I use my white scraps a LOT! They are easily accessible!

Scraps of designer scrapbook papers are another story. I am still trying to figure out what the best way is to organize my DP. But, for now, I keep all of my larger pieces in 12x12 plastic drawers. Smaller than 1/4 of a sheet I throw in this plastic briefcase I picked up at a yard sale. I look through it before I cut into a new sheet!

And then I have this little case of what I call "elements". Most of them are stamped images or ideas that never got off the ground. Some day I hope to have an elements swap, so start saving yours in a shoebox or something!

When we lived in Kansas, I was so embarrassed because of the shape of my stamp room. I had a great room, which is more than I had ever had before. But I didn't utilize the space. Now, I feel like I know where everything is at and I have fun stamping! I clean off my desk between projects and put everything back in it's place. That makes it so much easier to make something. (pics of my stamp room are in my Splitcoast gallery here.)
What about you? Do you have any organization tips to share??? I would LOVE to hear them. I'll put together a little blog candy...ribbons, embellishments, flowers....all of that good stuff. Just leave your best tip here and I will draw a winner on Monday!

It's my birthday in 19 days... WOOHOO!!
~Angel