VC Challenge #1 - August 2014

Not sure how many of the challenges I will get done today (we have 6 today, with 1 card and 1 scrapbook page for each, making 12 projects total.  I have been soooo lazy about scrapping for way too long, so I will do my best to get them all done by our deadline of Monday, if not today.

Here is my first card - the challenge was to CASE (copy and share everything) from the catalog or mini.  I chose to make the card on page 56 using Blooming with Kindness stamp set.  It is a 1 layer card, which I almost never ever do.  So, to keep up with me being me, I trimmed the white and added a layer of Crisp Cantalope to the back for a card - what can I say, I like to add color!!

   

Here's my first scrapbook page for the day of challenges ... it is my first great-grandson Zaiden, who was born on May 2, 2014.  I continued my goal of using as much of my retired DSP as I can before moving (somewhere, God has not confirmed where - or exactly when - that will be, but I rest in His Word that He will take care of me.)

 

If you are not a 'collector' of things stamping and scrapping, you just cannot imagine what a challenge it is for me to use these papers that cannot be replaced.  The embellishments, etc. don't bother me much, but the papers do.  But I am down to one box now, instead of 2, so that is a good thing!  Onward I go .... 

Have a great day, and may God bless you and your family with lots and lots of love, peace and good health.  Hugs, Shirley

July Blog Hop 2014!!

It's here, it's here!!  Another Blog Hop for VC Rocks!!!  You can find the other participants' blogs by following this link to our VC Rocks Blog:   http://www.vcrocks.blogspot.com/ ... I'm not sure how many bloggers we have this month due to busy summer schedules, but however many, I promise you fun and lots of ideas for your own creativity!

This month our theme is "Rock Your Creativity with Fun Folds or 3-D Projects." ... even though I just got my swaps back with some  absolutely wonderful Fancy Fold cards, I am showing some card holders that I like to use for gifts or to give for drawings, etc.  Hope you like my ideas this month ... I am not home this week and sorry to say I forgot to bring the list of supplies I used ... and I even wrote them all down!  But I do know that all the DSP (Double-Sided Designer Paper), the ribbon and some of the cardstock is retired - that is one of my goals before I move, to dwindle down the stash of supplies I have been hoarding, oops, I mean saving  ... because, after all, once retired from Stampin' Up! they can't be replaced.  That's reason enough to keep them, isn't it??  I really think so, but .... now I'm thinking that I really don't want to pay to have everything moved so I'm trying to use some up.

My first project is a new one for me - an accordion card holder.  This one holds more than my usual (which holds about 4 cards plus envelopes).  I did not stuff my holder to see how many cards and envelopes it will hold, but I put in 8 and it looked good. 

I still love this ribbon - glad I bought some extra just for occasions like this .... 

 You can kinda see the accordion folds on the side (hey, does this make it a Fancy Fold project??  Nope, guess not .... lol 
I added dividers for the categories of the cards - this time I used birthday, friends and thanks.
I also added a magnet to both sides to keep it closed.

The next card holders are the type I usually make and give - they do hold 4 cards and envelopes very nicely.  If you would like the template, just let me know along with your email addy and I will send it to you.  It didn't want to show up here too clearly for some reason.  I have had the pattern for about a zillion years, give or take, and it has certainly proven its usefulness to me over the years!

 

In the first picture with the 3 holders, I used velco dots to hold it closed and the other two I made belly bands.  

Again, I hope you enjoyed my projects - I'm glad we have our blog hops during the summer so I do post something here once in a while anyway. Maybe I will have to get involved with another group for the other months too.  

Be sure to check out the other hops at http://www.vcrocks.blogspot.com

May God Bless you and your family and give you peace and love, Sassy Stamper Shirley

Happy Happy Blog Hop Time

Yes, indeed ... it's time for our second VC_Rocks Blog Hop.  Good thing I have these hops to participate in or I would neglect my blog for more than a month!  You can find everyone's blog addy at VC Rocks blog:    http://vcrocks.blogspot.com/2014/06/VC-June-Hop.html

This month's challenge is to create something using our 'cutting' tools - Big Shot and Framelits or Thinlits, etc., or Punches .... I still love my punches but I just cannot seem to get away from using my Big Shot for most of my projects.  

The first item I would like to share with you is a cute little Baby Shower Invitation a friend asked me to come up with.  My friend and the mother-to-be stopped over and looked at my products - cardstock colors, etc.  The mother-to-be could not believe I had a bunch of the retired color cardstock Apricot Appeal - it is one of the colors they are doing the nursery in!  And of course, I love being able to use my retired colors up!  In fact, most of the products I used on this project are retired.  I cut the stocking with the folded edge off the cutting area so it will open with the shower info inside. I could have made them with the info on the back, but this is what the honoree wanted.  The cuff and toe/heel parts were embossed using the (retired) Petals A-Plenty Embossing Folder and also on the white part behind the sentiment.  I applied Sticky Strip to the underside of the cuff part and ruffled some white Satin ribbon.  It's kinda hard to see in the picture, but I used the Jewelry Tag Punch on a piece of Apricot Appeal, punched Itty Bitty Shapes flower in white, glued a Pearl in the center and punched a small hole to allow me to insert some white Baker's Twine which I attached under a white grosgrain bow.  Happily, the mother-to-be was excited about the end result so I am making about 60 of them.  Glad I'm a 'collector' of all things SU sometimes so I had a lot of Apricot Appeal c/s leftover!  Now to find something to do with the stacks and stacks of other retired colors!!  Yes, I am an SU! Demonstrator, but don't have many parties/events, and since I 'need' to own all the new colors, etc. along with many of all new products, I always have a lot of products and tools leftover when the new catalog comes out. Plus, it only makes good economical sense to use what I have, right?!!!   

Next, I am showing a card ... I really do love the Label Classics Framelits shape, so it only seemed normal (well, to me anyway) to use most every size in the package!  I needed a birthday card for a friend who loves pink, so .... I used Pink Pirouette cardstock with a little piece of white.  I used the following embossing folders on the pieces: Vintage Wallpaper and Perfect Polka Dots and left every other one un-embossed.  The smallest one is stamped with Apothecary Art stamp set in Pink Pirouette.  

I have to show this too ... like the previous one but I embossed every layer and used Raspberry Ripple c/s and some other embossing folders.  Let me know which you like best and I will draw a name from those people and send you a card like the one you choose.

Be sure to go to  http://vcrocks.blogspot.com/2014/06/VC-June-Hop.html  to view all the blog stops this month.

I hope you enjoyed visiting my blog today - I will try to not wait until next's Blog Hop to post but .... I just get busy and well, yes, kinda lazy. 

May God Bless you, Sassy Shirley