Packed for Dad

Hi Stampers!
I've been stamping up a storm lately but I've had a funny dilemma- the cards I've stamped have been for people/occasions coming up, the recipients may read this blog, and I don't want them to see the cards BEFORE they receive them in the mail!  It's made posting a little difficult!  So I stamped more!  That's not a bad thing.
I stamped a card for the SUO Challege #43, Occasions mini catalog goodbye.  It is time for a more masculine card so I used my Packed for Dad stamp for a father's day card.  This is a stamp that either stands alone, or if you want all four Packed for... stamps, you can get a 25% discount.  You can check these out here.  Here is the card I came up with:

I cased the layout from the card on page 90 of the catalog, but of course I gave it my own twist.  If you look closely  you can see that I used the Packed for Dad stamp as the background.  I usually go for random stamping but I thought is was important that the background look uniform so I used the Stamp-a-ma-jig to really line things up.  I used the SAMJ again to line up the "happy father's day" since I was on a roll.  This is such a great tool to use that maybe I will try to do a tutorial for you all to see how well it works later in the week.  Check back for that!
Now is the time to check out the Occasions Mini before it goes away- you can download it HERE, as well as the other catalogs.  Our 2011-2012 is retiring on May 30th this year instead of June 30th so you may want to check that out as well!  Did you download the retiring list yet?  You can get that HERE.
Thanks for stopping by!

Mom

Hi Stampers!
Today I wanted to join a challenge over at Hand Stamped Sentiments, HSS Theme Challenge #113, all about Mom.  Mother's day is coming up and I want to be prepared!  This card will be for my MIL so don't tell...
To add the challenge I used a new to me color combo.  A customer recently emailed me that she was in a bind- she was making invitations and ran out of So Saffron, Bashful Blue, and Perfect Plum.  She had placed an order but didn't think it would arrive on time.  Could I help her out?  I did, and Sarah, I'd love to see what you came up with using this color combination.  I thought I should try it out!  Here is what I came up with:

As an aside, I used the color spritzer tool with my Perfect Plum marker, and I think this marker, of the old style, dates back to when I first purchased my Stampin' Write markers back in 1998!  These are some great markers!
I wanted to go for a shabby chic look, which I achieved with lots of layering and distressing.  I have found a great way to efficiently use my distressing tool.  Line up your card stock along the edge of your table letting it hang over the edge 1/4 to 1/2".  Hold card firmly and run the distressing tool over the edge very quickly without bending your card stock!  Go ahead and try it- it really works!
I used Field Flowers, Creative Elements, and Family reunion for my stampsets.
Thanks for stopping by!
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Field Flowers stamp set #122760w 122762c
Family Reunion stamp set #122710w 122712c
Creative Elements stamp se #122645w 122647c
So Safron card stock #105118
So Saffron stampin' pad #105213
Bashful Blue card stock #105120
Bashful Blue stampin' pad #105209
Perfect Plum card stock #101889
Perfect Plum stampin' pad #101437
Perfect Plum Stampin' write marker #100035
Basic Black Stampin' pad #101179
Whisper White card stock #100730
Vintage Trinkets #118764
Antique Brads #117273
Color Spritzer tool# 107066
Stampin' Sponges #101610
Mat Pack #105826
Paper Piercing tool #116631
Cutter Kit #106958 
Square punch #119865
Stampin' Dimensionals #104430
Snail adhesive #104332

A Fan for Four Frames!

Hi Stampers!
I received a text this morning that looked like this:

I think someone is hooked on stamping- don't you?  Heather is a lovely friend of my daughter and these are for the consolation gifts favors for her wedding next month.  If she sends me a photo of the finished project I will post that as well!  (We, meaning I, have always called party favors consolation gifts because when the girls were very little it seemed like small children sat and watched the birthday child open wonderous gifts while they received (or gave) a small token in exchange.  I am grateful that my children learned quickly to be gracious guests and appreciative of, and not expectant of, anything that came their way, but really, isn't it heart wrenching to watch 3 and 4 year olds at a party during "gift opening" time, trying to contain their inner demons, not able to grab and play with the delightful offerings?  Is it me?  I one time lost the word for favor in my mind and replaced it with consolation gifts in my mouth where it has inappropriately remained!)

Back to Heather.  If she's texting me stamping first thing in the morning she needs to seriously start looking at the Demonstrator kit!  If you are like Heather please go HERE!

The funny thing about this text leads back to today's posting.  Guess what stamp set I used (prior to said text)?  Four Frames of course!  I couldn't of asked for a better lead in:

I loosely cased a layout of a card on page 156 of the catalog.  You may laugh trying to find the card, loosely being a key word in the phrase, but I want to give credit where it is due.  The catalog is such a vast and wonderful resource of ideas I love browsing and looking at the designs and ideas to use in my own work.  Let me tell you about this card.  I distressed all the background elements using the tool in the Cutter kit.  I especially like the way the scallop punch looks distressed- not quite so girly I guess.  I sponged and sprayed with the spritzer tool to further age the elements.  To give the bird a little more weight and impact I stamped and cut out the image and layered it on to the tag.  I finished with some seam binding and linen thread- I like the idea of making the label into a tag.
Thanks for stopping by!
Four frames stamp set#123440w 123442c
Family Reunion stamp set #122860w 122862c
First Edition specialty Designer Series Paper #121878
Garden green card stock # 102584
Garden green stampin' pad #102272
More mustard card stock #100946
More mustard stampin' pad #103162
Stazon jet black stamp pad #101406
Daffodil delight stampin' pad #119667
Chocolate Chip stampin' pad #100908
Chocolate Chip stampin' write marker #100071
1/2"  Crumb cake seam binding #122332
Linen Thread #104199
Blender Pen #102845
Color Spritzer tool #107066
Stampin' dimensionals #104430
Crop-a-dile #108362
Decorative Label punch #120907
Scallop punch #119882 
Cutter kit #106958
Snail adhesive #104332