Retired Stamps

Well Stampin' Up! came out with their retired stamp set list. This year the list has come out earlier because the new catalog will be coming out a month earlier (June 1). It's a very long list. Stampin' Up! is redesigning the catalog and all the new stamp sets will be available in wood or clear mount! The accessory list will be coming out on the 25th, but be advised that this list will also be long! They will be retiring the Decor Stencils, Decor Elements, Simply Adorned, and the In Colors introduced in 2010. So get them while they're still here.  As in year's past the stamp sets were available until the end of the calendar year (May 31, 2012) and the accessories were only available while supplies last. So if you want anything, order it now, before it's too late!

Sympathy Card

Well a co-worker just lost one of her dogs so I had to make a card for her. I felt so bad since I just lost one of my dogs early January. I don't really have any dog stamps, so thought something like this would be just as appropriate. Our pets can be such an important part of our lives and when they're gone, it can leave such a hole in our hearts. I used some of the ideas right from the cover of the Occasions Mini. I got this stamp set but haven't used it yet and think it's such a beautiful one. Hopefully I'll get time after taxes are done and my plants are in to do more stamping. Wanted to get this in before more time goes by between posts. Have a blessed Easter and Passover.

Cyndy

April Showers

Well here's another card I actually did at least a week ago, but just now getting a chance to post. I was very over due to give one of my nephews a birthday card and thought it would be fun to use the maze games in the Occasions Mini. It was real simple to use, our 2 1/2" circle punch works great with this. You can use the piece of cardstock that comes with the maze or punch or own and stamp as well. There is also a stamp set that coordinates with the mazes but I didn't purchase that. If you do use these mazes be careful not to loose the tiny beads that come with the game piece. I'm in the process of making some of those baskets for my nieces & nephews for Easter and putting together a couple of door prize baskets. A local Girl Scout troop will be holding a Tricky Tray in May I believe and I'm donating a basket for that event. I'll post more details when I get them. I'm also participating in a crop run by a local church and need to put together a doorprize basket for that event.

Here are the details for the "Crop for a Cause" event. First of all, it's a fundraiser for the Ignite Student Ministries for their summer mission trip to Black Mountain, Arizona. It takes place on April 28 from 8am to 8pm. Cost is $35 per person before April 15 and $40 after 4/15. It will be held at the Evangelical Free Church of Blairstown, 11 Lambert Rd, Blairstown, NJ. They will have a tool area with the CriCut, Ellison, & Sizzix machines, large comfortable area for cropping, various workshops, vendors, doorprizes, goody bags, continental Breakfast, lunch & dinner along with beverages & snacks available throughout the day. If you're interested and would like to pre-register, please contact me and I can send you a registration form.

March Technique

My upline Tina has asked a couple of us to monthly post a technique for us to share. Debbie Modrowsky and I are going to be taking turns posting a technique. I volunteered to  do the first month. I have a monthly technique class so I'll be posting mine after my class. Don't want to spoil the surprise for my students! I thought it appropriate to do something you could use for the spring. It's a basket. You could use it for Easter or put paper flowers in or however you'd like to decorate it. I found this basket on several other people's site, so I'm not sure who exactly made the first one, so I'll mention the two that I adapted my basket from. I initially found this basket in a larger version on Michele G gallery, who is also a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, the other was on Lisa Lynne's. If you go to either site they have their directions with pictures. I didn't go through the picture thing, so hopefully my alternate instructions will make sense. If not, click on their site & the pictures will probably help. I know I do much better with pictures, so maybe next time. Here is a picture of the finished project.

3D Basket

By Michele G & Lisa Lynne

Adapted By Cyndy Ponczek

SUPPLIES

5 ½” square piece Cardstock

5/8” x 7 ½” matching piece cardstock

embossing folder or texture plate

1” circle punch

Big Shot or other embossing machine

crop-a-dile

coordinating brad

coordinating ink

Simply Scoring tool

Bone folder

scissors

adhesive

DIRECTIONS

1.   With 5 ½” square piece of cardstock, score at 5/8”, 1 ¼”, 1 7/8”, 3 5/8”, 4 ¼”, 4 7/8”

2.   Mark center of same side you just scored (2 ¾”)

3.   Turn cardstock and score at 1 ¾” and 3 ¾”.

4.   Now mark diagonal lines from the center mark you made in step 2 to the score lines next to them (1 7/8” & 3 5/8”). Do this on both sides.

5.   Cut away that triangular piece you just made in step 4.

6.   Now fold all your score lines and cut the score lines you did in step 1 up to the score lines you did in step 3.

7.   Ink texture plate or embossing folder, place scored piece of cardstock, handle, & 2 one inch punched circles on plate & run through Big Shot.

8.   The center of the basket is the triangular piece, bring one of the strips nearest the triangle & match point to point, trim off the excess on the one side. Repeat with other side, adhere down.

9.   With the next strip to center match points & adhere.

10. With top strip, match both sides and adhere or use grid paper to square basket.

11. Fold 1” circles in half and adhere over center sides of basket, covering up the overlaps.

12. Using a crop-a-dile, punch a hole in the center of the half circle & bottom of handle and attach with brad.

13. Ready to fill with goodies!

February Swap

Well March has turned out to be a busy month. I was finally able to go to a meeting that my sidelines have been having. I missed February's meeting & got my swap made late, so I brought it to the March meeting. I did copy this from Jacqueline Lostritto. She didn't stamp the box, so I changed that. I used the Wisteria cardstock. This would make a great little hostess gift or a "thank you" to someone.

Hope you've enjoyed this. Still learning how to use this site. I finally learned how to make a watermark, so hopefully I'll be putting that on my creations! Next step is to make a signature. I was able to have some help update my blog and now have a link to my Picasa gallery and other links as well. If you have any suggestions or comments, please let me know. I'm also hoping to get my retired stamp sets and accessories online soon. My basement is getting a bit full and need to make room. 

Octoberfest 2011

Well I realized I never posted this stuff. This was from the Girl Scout Octoberfest I do every year. We have such a good time. After the basket pictures are pictures of the class I taught. I did two classes. One was making a wreath using paper rosettes and the other class was making a banner for the fall. The last picture was of a group that came and played for us Saturday evening after dinner. They were there the year before and really enjoyed them, so I guess Hook invited them back.

We had a great time this year. Got to see some old friends and make new friends. The weather was fabulous too. Here is this year's basket. This will be perfect for collecting all the veggies from my garden. I even finished the handle! After it was done, Debbie sprayed an oak stain. I just love it! It gives it that vintage feel to the basket.

 This is Debbi Zvanut our basket instructor. Debbi is a great teacher. She had been Camp Director of Hoover a while back and also had been a sailing instructor. She and her husband have a sail boat and go sailing as well. She made up 2 sizes of baskets. I had asked if we could do this basket and most of those in the class did the medium size which was really a larger size basket. Class was 3 hours, but some worked on their basket in the afternoon and then again after dinner. 

Here is Debbi helping Dot work on her basket.

Fall Fest Samples

 Here are some close up samples of the projects we did at Fall Fest. This first one is using the milk carton die. This would make a great favor for a party.

This next project is using one of the clear stamp cases. We made a case to hold note cards. How cute!

 Here is what the inside of the case looks like. Don't you just want to send a card now!

This is a mini album. It's about 2" square, great for a tiny brag book to carry around in your purse!

 This next project uses our cork sheets and has magnets on the back so you can stick it on your frig.

 This last project is great for holding a project sample you're working on or pictures.

Hope you enjoy today's samples. Tomorrow is my support group meeting and we will be working on cards for patients at the cancer center at Hackettstown Hospital. Keep a look out for those! Enjoy this wonderful sunny warm weather! See you soon.
Cyndy