Purse and Briefcase

I've been wanting to make one of these ever since first seeing the one on Becky Roberts' blog. You can find the instructions on her blog. I made my just like hers except I used cardstock for the handle since I didn't have the right ribbon. I think it turned out okay. I used the half pearl from my Pretties Kit.

I thought about making a masculine version for Father's Day. Instead of using the scallop circle for the cover, I used another Top Note Die. I also used a shorter piece of cardstock for the handle.

For the enclosure, I poked a couple of holes and inserted a piece of elastic cord which I tied on the back to secure it. To hide the holes, I used one of the labels from the Matchbox Die and placed a sentiment on it. The cord goes around the large brad and keeps the case closed. You could also use a large button, but this was all I had.

Here's a picture of the back and top. Everything I used for both projects are from Stampin' Up except the large brad on the briefcase.

Stamps: Matchbox Messages

Papers: Bella Rose, Autumn Vine, Riding Hood Red, Kiwi Kiss, Chocolate Chip

Tools: Top Note Die, large Scallop Circle Die, circle cutter, 5-petal flower punch

Other: mini brads, Pretties Kit, elastic cord

My Markers Collection

I did it! I finally succumbed and bought my first set of Copic Makers! I got the Sketch Copics. My favorite brown truck delivered them yesterday and I got to play with them today. They are awesome! Now I know why people love using these markers. There are usually 4 different sets of 72. I found this Papercrafting set at icopic. I love them!

Here's a picture of my main set of markers.

I love Stampin' Up products because the papers, cardstock, stamps, inks, markers...everything coordinates which makes it easy to create. So, if you use Stampin' Up papers, you really should get the entire set of markers. Actually, even if you don't use Stampin' Up stuff, these markers are great for stamping multi-colored sentiments. Just color directly onto the stamp with different colors, breathe on it, and stamp! The results are awesome.

In the back are my Prisma markers. I bought this set at Aaron Bros. using a 50% off coupon. I think Michael's sells Prisma too, but they didn't have this larger set. I would recommend the Prisma's for someone who is just starting to dabble in blending. They have a variety of colors and tones and the price is a lot less than Copics, especially if you use a coupon. The tips aren't brushes like the Sketch Copics, but they still do a great job. My goal is to get the rest of the sets of Copic Sketch markers by the end of next year. It's time to start saving!

Mini Backpacks

I had so much fun making these mini backpacks. You can find the tutorial here on Splitcoast Stampers. That is such an awesome board! I made this one first. I love how it turned out. Here's a picture of the back. I love it!

I had so much fun making the first one, I decided to make another.

I had to add this little flower because my youngest child went into my room and got a hold of my snips. She also found the pieces of this backpack on my desk and decided to "try" the scissors. I was not a happy camper, but I improvised.

I'm sure I'm going to make many more of these. They would be perfect for holding gift cards to give to teachers at the end of the school year or for giving friends who are graduating.

The papers I used are from the K&Company stack Sparkly Sweet. I just used embellishments that I had lying around. Thanks for stopping by!

DCBD Sketch Challenge

I am sooo late with this challenge. I still wanted to make something because I really want to support this site. This was the sketch two weeks ago. Here's what I made.

I really like the color combo of this paper.

Since recovering from the flu, it's really taking me a while to start feeling creative. First, I had to catch up on all the work I didn't do while I was sick. I'm still not quite caught up, but I needed to have some creative time. This was a nice sketch to get me motivated.

Everything is from Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Cheep Talk, On Your Birthday (sentiment)

Papers: Good Morning Sunshine, Kiwi Kiss, Pacific Point

Ink: Pacific Point, Kiwi Kiss, Chocolate Chip

Tools: Scallop punch, scallop square punch

No posts for a week!

What a terrible week! The flu bug caught me and wouldn't let me create anything all week long! I really missed all the challenges and creative time. I'm starting to feel better so I'm going to see if my mojo has recovered. I'm hoping to get some projects done this weekend so I'll have plenty to share next week.

Thanks A Latte

I didn't get much sleep last night, but I still wanted to do something crafty. I really like The Fresh Batch's sketches. They keep the sketch simple and leave the rest up to the designer. Here's this week's sketch.Being tired, I had to keep my card very simple. My creative energy was a bit low today. Still, I liked my card. I used one of my new stamp sets from My Favorite Things.

I love the swirly steam that's coming from the cup of coffee! That's probably what I need right now...a nice hot cup of creative caffeine! Although, a good night's sleep would be great too. The bummer is I submitted this card too late for the contest. Oh, well! At least I had some fun! Have an awesome weekend!

Free Standing Pop Up Card

This week's Project Tuesday challenge was to make a free-standing pop up card. I'd seen this template on SCS before. Now, it's my turn to give it a try. This was a challenge for me. I had to make several adjustments to my card. My first image was on white cardstock with the sentiment on the bottom. When I attached the tag, I realized that my sentiment was too low and would not show when free standing. So, I had to cut off the image portion and trim it. I actually like it better trimmed with the oval behind it.

I love this mermaid. She's from Shirley's 2 Girls.

I kind of ran out of gas by the time I put the card together so I kept the embellishments to a minimum. Thanks for stopping by.