April Stamp Club Class...

For April's Hostess Club Meeting, I decided to go ahead and focus on a gift set that would work well for Mother's Day gifts next month. After tossing out many ideas, I settled on a bath set. What Mom doesn't need a nice, quiet bath? The candle holder includes a PartyLite tealight, and is wrapped with Rich Razz ribbon, and a scallop circle with initial. We had a few women use DSP scraps in the circle to give it as teacher gifts, etc. Great idea! The jar is a Starbucks Frap bottle, and is covered in CS and DSP, the lid is wrapped with white ribbon, and decorated the same as the front of the candle holder. We made Faux Suede Roses, using the Smooshed Flowers technique. They turned out lovely, and I think that was everyone's favorite part of the class! The jar is filled with Green Tea bath salts, which are wonderful! I kept the card simple using the Scallop Square Clear Die for the BS. Some Orchid Opulence CS, and Scallop Sq punches of DSP, we then added a sentiment (again, a few used a different one) to the Wide Oval, and finished off with the bird and branch from the 2-Step Bird Punch.

Complete project (aside from glass items) are SU only! There is also a white lunchbag altered into a gift bag to match the set! This was such a fun class, I think 'set' classes are my fave. And using the same products the whole time makes it easier to plan and clean up! Win, win!

---CS is Rich Razzleberry, Orchid Opulence, Whisper White, and Old Olive
---DSP is Cottage Wall
---Stamps are Whimsical Words and Lovely Letters
---Ink is Rich Razzleberry, and a White Signo Gel Pen
---Accessories are a few Circle Punches, Scallop Circle, Scallop Square, Wide Oval, 2-Step Bird. Also a Paper Piercer, Dimensionals, Glue Dots, R.R. Ribbon, Silver Brad.

I made 20 Mother's Day cards this year...

And here are a few of my favorites. This year I decided to make a point to send Mother's Day cards to the important moms in my life. I really wanted them to all know how special I think they are! I am happy with how they turned out. Only the card on the top left was made more than one of, all the other 20 cards were original, with no two alike. I did these in 2 nights!!!

After deciding that I must get some DSP out of my stash, I realized I had barely touched the SAB paper from this year. So, it's not pink and girly, but I LOVE the combos on these cards. I allowed myself ONLY this DSP, Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, So Saffron, and Kraft cardstock. The only stamp set I allowed myself to use is the SAB set, Polka Dot punches. I used the ribbon bundle from SAB (opened it when making these, it hadn't even been touched, I am a hoarder), and only allowed myself Whisper White grosgrain besides the bundle. Styled Silver HPH is the only embellishment I used, besides epoxy bubble stickers that I uncovered that must be 2 years old and never opened! Here are some close-ups of my faves....

Don't know why I love this one (above), it's simple. I scalloped down the open edge, lined the inside with a strip of DSP, and stapled the ribbon on. The circles are on Dimensionals atop Kraft circles. Small epoxy stickers are in the center to spotlight the center of the flowers.

And this one is for my sister (above), there is one other like it, just a different brad, I forgot about that earlier. This is a quilted Top Note with the Big Shot. Horizontal Slot Punch used for my ribbon holes. 5-Petal Flower punch made the flower in the bottom corner.

And this one for some reason is my absolute favorite!!! It's a simple concept, one I have never done. I lined the bottom of my card with the blue pattern in the DSP. Used the stripes with the Scallop Edge punch and adhered just above. Took my So Saffron Grosgrain (this is the most yummy ribbon EVER!), and pleated and sewed as I went down the card. I punched various size circles from scrap DSP and decorated the top portion. A couple are on Dimensionals to stand up a little, and the middle yellow piece is covered with a clear epoxy bubble sticker to shine and look nice. A very special friend is getting this one, and it was made with her in mind. I hope she loves it!

So, this year, more than ever, I hope the women in my life who are mother's know how much I love and appreciate them. We often don't hear how great of a job we are doing, and that's a shame! Motherhood is the best thing to ever happen to me, but it's also the hardest job I have ever had. I know other's feel the same way! So, to my 'invisible' friends who I couldn't add to my list or I would have been stamping forever, I want to wish you all a Happy Mother's Day, too!!!

Mother's Day Gift Set

This is the gift set that my hostess club made last week. We made the tag out of scallops from the Scallop Circles #2 with the Big Shot. The card is almost a direct CASE of the catalog example using this set, Always. The small square item is a Post It note holder we made to complete our gift sets! There aren't any special techniques on this one, just a lot of cutting!!!