Pinwheel Spinner Card with June Paper Pumpkin

Happy Monday! I'm winding down here with the last lot of my June Paper Pumpkin projects. Today's post will be short because I will just guide you to Dawn's awesome video tutorial!

I followed her tutorial exactly... but I must say that it was extremely hard for me to find some pennies!! (FYI, Canada removed the penny from its currency last year.)

To create a smaller pinwheel from those given in June's kit, I just cut a 2" square from the center and punched four more holes.

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

Baby Boy for Sunday Stamps SSC79

Welcome to another two weeks at Sunday Stamps! This time around we've got a colour challenge - Wild Wasabi, Marina Mist & Basic Grey... what a yummy combination!

I wanted to use my Baby's First Framelits - the onesies & hangers are super adorable! To hang them, I just wrapped some White Baker's Twine around my card base and then randomly hung my onesies that I popped up with a couple of Dimensionals. I embossed each onesie with a different TIEF and the sentiment in Silver Embossing Powder.

We hope you'll play along with us this round. Don't forget to check out the other DT members to get more inspiration. You have until Friday, July 11th at 6:00 p.m. to link up!

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

RECIPE:
Paper: Basic Grey, Wild Wasabi, Marina Mist, Whisper White
Stamps: Cuddles & Kisses, Something for Baby (inside of card)
Tools: Baby's First Framelits, Scallop TIEF (retired), Square Lattice TIEF (retired), Perfect Polka Dots TIEF, Heat Tool
Accessories: Baker's Twine
Challenge: Sunday Stamps

Even More Paper Pumpkin Examples!

Are you getting sick of these yet? Don't worry, tomorrow you'll get a break with my Sunday Stamps post. ;) Here are two more cards I created with the June Paper Pumpkin kit.

For this first card, I just cut one paper straw (included in the kit) into thirds and then hand-cut some "flames" to create candles. The included stamp "celebrate" was the perfect sentiment for this card!

I forgot to jot down the sizes for these mini pinwheels on my second card... I'm guessing about 1-1/4" squares though. I creased them flat and added a bit of bling with some Red Glimmer paper that I punched with the retired Punch Pack.

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

More with Paper Pumpkin!

I've got so many projects created with the June Paper Pumpkin kit that I thought I better double up on some posts... otherwise I could be blogging about this for weeks! ha.

Yesterday, I showed you my sheets of punched out shapes. These are a couple of cards I made with some of the pieces.

These colours are definitely boyish, but I think they could work for older boys/men too. I love them because they're super simple and really quick to put together. The first one I just stamped some blocks with my ink spot and then the sentiment. The stars are popped up. The second card features some popped up banners on top of the included Baker's Twine.

I hope you're still loving my projects...

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

Flower Card with June Paper Pumpkin

Today I'm sharing another project I created with the June Paper Pumpkin kit. I didn't have use for 24 pinwheels, so I told my brain to think outside the box and see what else it could come up with. This card is similar to the one I created yesterday, but in order to create it, you would need some additional tools.

As in yesterday's post, I used my ink spot to "draw" on my flower stem and leaves. I stamped the stars to create "grass"... very abstract I suppose. For a step-by-step photo tutorial on the flower, see below.

For the next few posts I'm sharing with you, I used elements that I punched from the three different pinwheel papers you receive in the kit (that are double-sided). Here, you'll see the shapes I punched from each, in total, I was able to punch 12 flowers, 24 stars and 12 banners.

For the card above, I made the flower with 6 layers... but I only used 3 punched out pieces. Here how I did that!

Step 1: choose three designs.

Step 2: crumple up each flower so the paper becomes softer and the layers start peeling away.

Step 3: the crumpled flowers break up the paper fibers and you can gently pull them apart - 1 flower will now give you 2. :)

Step 4: layer the flowers in the order you want, pierce a hole through the center and use the brad that's included with the kit.

Hope you're liking my alternative Paper Pumpkin projects. I'd love to hear your comments!

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

Spiral Flowers with June Paper Pumpkin

So, I've been hyped coming up with alternative projects with June's Paper Pumpkin kit (the one with all the pinwheels). I love what I was able to do on this card, but I'm still getting used to the super simple look!

With this project, I wanted to showcase that you could make something else without any other tools or stamps. All I needed was a pair of scissors & some Whisper White Notecards & Envelopes. For the petals for my flowers, all I did was take my ink spot (you get one with every kit!), hold it on an angle and "paint" the flowers on. Just a few quick strokes.

And if you like what I did above, you'll love the picture tutorial I've included below! Hope you enjoy.

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

Gift Bow Tutorial!

Received June's Paper Pumpkin kit? Great! If not, you can still do this project by cutting yourself a square and cutting into the center (but not right to the middle) from each corner. Here is a step-by-step tutorial for creating a bow.

Step 1:
Cut off one of the top "triangle".

Step 2:
Fold the top portion down as shown here:

Step 3: Curl your paper points to make it easier to bring them into the center. Place a glue dot (or a couple) to hold the 4 points in the center of the bow.

Step 4: Flip the bow away from the soon-to-be tails and poke a hole so that you can place the brad through. While you've got the bow flipped, cut your tails as shown.

Step 5: Flip your bow back on top of your tails. Optional, adhere the back of the brad to your tails with a glue dot.

Now you have a bow that you can use to decorate a gift with and all you've used is 1 "pinwheel" square from the kit, a brad and a couple of glue dots. :)

Hope you've enjoyed this quickie tutorial. I'd love to hear your comments!

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

June Paper Pumpkin

I'll be first to admit that I was skeptical about joining Paper Pumpkin, but I decided to give it a try for a several reasons:

1. Stampin' Up! has really made an effort to increase the quantity and quality of the products you receive each month, making it well worth the money.
2. You no longer receive a "welcome kit"... you receive the same monthly kit as everyone else for the month you sign up. If you're a new subscriber, you receive your clear block inside your first kit.
3. It's perfect for the newbie crafter to the avid one. It also takes up very limited space as everything fits inside one tiny box!
4. You receive a new ink spot & stamp set each month... so if you signed up for a whole year, you'd have 12 ink colours and 12 stamp sets to build a collection or add to one!
5. You receive full instructions, but don't limit yourself to that. Use the products differently, or in addition to what you may already have.

Let me tell you... I'm especially glad to have joined because this month's kit has really got my mojo going. I wasn't particularly excited about the kit contents (mainly because I'm partial to card making), but I thought outside the box and have come up with 14 alternative projects (so far) and I haven't even used half the kit contents yet!! Check them out:

For the next week at least, I will be displaying some of the projects in greater detail, including some step-by-step tutorials. Yippee!! Also, because I have enjoyed this so much, I want to get you excited about Paper Pumpkin too! I've decided to offer a contest!!!

Contest Details:

1. Share this post with all your Facebook friends and be entered in a draw to win a gift pack of cards & envelopes that I've created with June's kit.
2. Sign up for at least a 1-month subscription to Paper Pumpkin (new subscribers only), and receive 5 Whisper White Cards & Envelopes so that you can create additional projects with your kit(s). Sign up for Paper Pumpkin by clicking here (you will be choosing me as your Demonstrator). 
3. Sign up for a 3, 6 or 12 month pre-paid subscription and receive a package of 20 Whisper White Cards & Envelopes for every three months you buy (3 = 1 package, 6 = 2 packages & 12 = 4 packages!!). Check out the prepaid subscriptions here. You will have to purchase the subscriptions from me (Stephanie VanDorp) in order to qualify for this offer.

Contest closes June 30, 2014 at 6:00 p.m.
Open to residents of Canada only.

Until next time, stay crafty!

Steph

Sunday Stamps SSC78 - Late Again!

Well, I don't know what to tell you. I've been seriously ignoring my Blog!! Now that the weather has been better, I just want to be outside... and at the end of the day, I'm exhausted from following my two munchkins around. ha. I will try to be better. Promise!

A week and a day ago, we posted a new challenge over at Sunday Stamps. It is a great sketch challenge and one I think I will be using over and over again!

I was commissioned to create a custom card for an 80th birthday. I thought this sketch would work well for what I wanted to do. I flipped the sketch on it's side and created away. I kept it pretty simple, but adding a bit of shimmer with some Gold Specialty Paper & Champagne Glimmer Paper. It was for a man, so I could't go overboard with it. ;)

We hope you'll get inspired with us this week. You have until Friday, June 27th at 6 p.m. to link up and play along. Hope you will!

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph


RECIPE:
Paper: Night of Navy, Gold Specialty, Champagne Glimmer, Very Vanilla
Ink: Midnight Muse (retired)
Stamps: Memorable Moments
Tools: Big Shot, Scallops TIEF (retired), Typeset Alphabet Bigz Die (retired)
Challenge: Sunday Stamps

Custom Retirement Card

As you may know, there's nothing better than a handmade gift &/or card. They're so thoughtful & personal and I like to add that touch whenever I can, at the very least, always with a handmade card! Well, one of the benefits of going handmade with me is that I can customize... and my customers love that! Here's my most recent custom order:

I was asked to create a custom retirement card for a Red Wings fan & car lover. Well, I think I accomplished that! Since it was a retirement card, I fancied it up with Glimmer Paper - red, for Red Wings - and sports cars that I heat embossed in gold & silver combined.

The card itself is 8" x 10", my customer wanted it large enough to have room for many people to sign. Working with bigger designs is always harder for me, but I really love how this one turned out, and the important thing is, my customer did too!

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

RECIPE:
Paper: Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla, Red Glimmer Paper
Stamps: Rev Up the Fun (retired)
Tools: Heat Gun, Big Shot, Typeset Alphabet Bigz Dies (retired)
Accessories: Silver Buttons (retired), Gold/Vanilla Bakers Twine

Sweet Baby Girl

Yesterday I shared with you the boy version I created and promised you the girl version today. You can view yesterday's post here, or get a glimpse of it peeking out from behind in the photo below. :)

I just love this new set (Something for Baby)! It launches today in the new catty. I kept the card CAS so that the focus is only on the onsie. All the elements are the same as the boy version, but I added a few flowers that I punched using the Itty Bitty Punch Pack (that retired, sniff sniff!).

Hope you like this version too. I'd love to hear what you think!

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

RECIPE:
Paper: Sahara Sand, Whisper White, Rich Razzleberry
Ink: Crisp Canteloupe, Sahara Sand, Silver Glimmer Paper (retired)
Stamps: Bitty Banners, Something for Baby
Tools: Big Shot, Perfect Polka Dots TIEF, Oval Framelits, Simply Scored, 7/8" Scallop Punch, Heart Punch (retired), Itty Bitty Punch Pack (retired)
Accessories: Hanger Clips (retired)

Sweet Baby for Sunday Stamps Challenge #77

Welcome to another challenge at Sunday Stamps. Love the colour combo we've got going on this time - Bermuda Bay, Pacific Point & Sahara Sand.

I am in love with my creation! When I started designing this card, I was just trying to get rid of some retiring products before the new catty launch tomorrow (hanger clips & Silver Glimmer) and am really pleased with the CAS look I accomplished.

I absolutely love the Something for Baby set (doesn't hurt that I earned if for FREE!!) that's launching in the new catalogue tomorrow AND, there are coordinating Framelits for them too! I opted to cut the pieces by hand though because I didn't want a border around my images.

Anyway, hope you'll be inspired by the colour combo and play along with us! You've got until Friday, June 13th to upload your design. We can't wait to see what you come up with.

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

P.S. Come back tomorrow to see the girl version I created of this card...

RECIPE:
Paper: Sahara Sand, Whisper White
Ink: Bermuda Bay, Pacific Point, Sahara Sand, Silver Glimmer Paper (retiring)
Stamps: Bitty Banners, Something for Baby
Tools: Big Shot, Perfect Polka Dots TIEF, Oval Framelits, Simply Scored, 7/8" Scallop Punch, Heart Punch (retiring)
Accessories: Hanger Clips (retiring)
Challenge: Sunday Stamps