Cyber Monday Give-Away!

On Cyber Monday this year you can receive a free set of stamps! Just spend $15.00 on any rubber stamp(s) in my catalog and you will receive Fiona's Flock, the set of four stamps I designed this year for my littlest Granddaughter Fiona Strong. This promotion ends on Friday December 5. Happy Holidays!

Blog Candy

Thanks again to all who participated in our Michael Strong Yahoo Group's 6th anniversary blog hop, it was fun! Here, as promised, is the digital stamp for you to download and print out. I made a card with this little Cloisonne Pumpkin to mark the changing of the seasons. Enjoy!

Happy 6th anniversary to us!

Can it be that we've been sharing our love of paper crafting together for six years already? I am humbled and happy to be a part of this lively group of artists! And I'm happy to share a small token of my appreciation to all who participate in this hop. So, because the traditional 6th anniversary gift is candy, I would like to send some blog candy to everyone who makes a comment here. After the hop is finished I'll post a special digital stamp for you to copy and print.

I am sure you arrived here from Laura'.s Blog with her contribution to the Anniversary Blog Hop.
Here is my contribution to the Hop, It's a card that's also a shadowbox using my new Cloisonne Dove Ornament stamp. Don't forget to visit the next blog on the list, which is Shelly's Blog. But if you happen to loose your way,you find all participants on  our fearless leader Hetty's blog - http://craftchaos.blogspot.com

Fish and Bubbles

Here are the images for those of you who would like to make my "Sushi Fisherman" card. Sorry for the delay - I forgot!

Something new is here

Penguins!

Some cards for my upcoming "For The Birds" classes.

Owl in the Hollow Log card

 Here's a cute way to use your Whimsical Owl stamp.

 Supplies:

Cardstock –

    Dark brown folded card 5 ½” x 4 ¼”

    Cream color card liner 5 ¼” x 4”

    Cream color panel to stamp on 2 ¾” x 5 ¼”

    Light brown scored panel 5 ½” x 4” scored at ½” on left and right as shown

    Hollow log template (print on light brown cardstock)

    Dark green for punching out leaves

Dark brown dye ink pad or StazOn inkpad as shown

Cream color pencil

Additional colored pencils or whatever coloring medium you like

Scissors

Adhesive

Leaf punch

MSRS Whimsical Owl stamp

Steps:

Print out the log template onto light brown cardstock. (Note: the size of the template may print differently than the size shown on the supply list depending on your printer. Resize the template or adjust the size of the card to fit the template.)

Use the brown ink pad to streak the log template as shown. Add some highlights with the cream colored pencil. Cut the left and right sections of the hollow log out with scissors.

Glue or tape the two sections of the hollow log onto the ½” tabs on either side your scored panel as shown.

Stamp the Whimsical Owl with the brown ink onto the 2 ¾” x 5 ¼” panel. Color the owl with colored pencils or whatever coloring medium you like. (Note: the two samples shown are both colored with the same palette of pencils, one lightly colored and the other deeply colored with shadowing added for depth.

Attach the colored owl panel to the center of the scored panel and fold the two halved of the hollow log down over the owl.

Determine where you want to put the leaves and glue them in place on the undersides of log as shown. (Note: the idea is to partially obscure the owl from view.)

Attach the completed piece to the center of the folded card. Add the liner for writing your message. I’ll be using this as a birthday card with “Hoot & Holler – It’s you Birthday!” as the message.

Enjoy!

Classic Cards for Men

For those of you who took my "Classic Cards for Men" class, here are some of the elements we used. Thanks for coming - enjoy!

Fiona's Flock has landed!

Here's a card I made with two of the four stamps in my new stamp set named for my new little granddaughter Fiona. So fun!

Easter Treats

Here's a cute and easy Easter favor. All you need is a box of bunny peeps, small Hershey bars and graham crackers. Put a bunny, a chocolate bar and a graham cracker in a plastic baggie or cellophane
bag along with the "instruction sheet" and let the fun begin! (print out the page of instructions below)

April 2014 Classes

Here's my schedule of classes for April. Copy and print if you would like to join in the fun!

April 2014 Classes

Saturday April 5

Card making classes at Scrampers – Torrance CA.

Call (310) 320-5476 to reserve your spot

AM Bling Bling & more Bling!

PM Hex marks the Spot (cards made with my

Cloisonné Hexagon stamp)

Saturday, April 12

Card making classes at Scrap N  Yap – Monrovia CA

Call 626-357-2727 to reserve your spot

AM card in shades of Blue & Gold

PM For the Birds (cards made using my new Sassy Little Bird stamps)

Tuesday, April 15

Card making classes at The Fallbrook Women’s Club – Fallbrook CA.

Call me at 619 660 8292 to reserve a spot

10:00-12:00 For The Birds

Thursday, April 17

Card making classes at The Stamp Addict – San Diego CA

www.thestampaddict.com

10:00-12:00 Tooled Paper Leather

2:00-4:00 same

6:00-8:00 same

Saturday, April 26

Card making classes at Pinecone Press – Santa Ana CA

Email Eva at www.stampinej.com  to reserve your spot

10:30-12:30 For the Birds (cards using my new Sassy Little Bird stamps)

2:00-4:00 Bling, Bling & more Bling!

Wednesday, April 30

Card making classes at The Stamp Addict – San Diego CA

www.thestampaddict.com

10:00-12:00 For the Birds

2:00-4:00 For he Birds

6:00-8:00 For the Birds

Spring stamps!

8 little birdies including me - coming soon!

More Nesting Squares cards

Have some fun with my new Nesting Squares stamp at Memories Live on in Cupertino March 28 & 29 (www.memoriesliveon.com)

Blue & Gold

Join me at The Stamp Addict this coming Monday March 10 for the first in a series of color combination classes. This one is Blue & Gold. (www.thestampaddict.com)

Wearin' O The Green

Fifty Shades of Green! Scrampers (www.scrampers.com)

in Torrance on Saturday March 1

Something new

Cloisonne Ponies ship today!

We have a winner!

Congratulations to Joyce Spear of Ohio who's name was chosen at random to win the Cloisonne Nesting Squares and the Seasonal Silhouettes Stamps. Thanks Joyce and thanks to all who made a comment. It was fun reading them all.  Please take a look at Joyce's blog StamperJoyce's Creative Corner
More MSRS blog candy coming in March!

New stamps are fun to play with!

First Blog Candy of 2014!

New stamps arrived on my doorstep today! Cloisonne Nesting Squares and Seasonal Silhouettes. These stamps work together to make a variety of seasonal cards including birthday cards. Just post a comment on this blog entry for your chance to win them. I will pick a name at random on Monday February 10 and send them out. Good luck!

Making Tooled Paper Leather

Materials

Cardstock (reddish brown works best to achieve the look of leather)

Embossing folder

Embossing machine (Cuttlebug or similar)

Dye inkpad (in a compatible color but darker than the cardstock)

Decoupage medium (such as Mod Poge)

Paint brush

Heat tool

Steps

1. Soak cardstock in warm water until pliable.

2. Carefully crumple soaked cardstock/uncrumple and lay it on a hard surface patting it with your hand to make it flat.

3. Place the damp cardstock inside an embossing case and run it through your embossing machine.

4.  Remove it from the case and allow it to air dry or use a heat tool to thoroughly dry it.

5.  Rub the surface of the dried cardstock directly from the pad with a dye inkpad.

6. Use a heat tool to set the ink.

7. Brush the surface with a thin layer of decoupage medium.  Allow it to dry before using.