New month, new specials!

Get an adorable set of Bitty Buttons when you purchase the Stampin’ Up! ‘Filled With Love’ bundle.

Yes, that’s right, Valentine’s Day is right around the corner! Need a special Valentine?  Come to my stamp classes this month… and make a beautiful valentine for your loved one (or your husband…<evil grin>).

I know that I haven’t set the world on fire this year with my Valentine ideas… but I have an idea that may help you (in the days before Valentine’s day!)

Click on the ‘Valentine Button’ that I made and view all my past posts and projects with the ‘Valentine’ theme.

You probably don’t know it but my middle name is Valentine and my favorite aunt has always given me heart shaped gifts (and jewelry).  I still do LOVE hearts.  And I really DO like Valentine’s Day.

This was a Valentine that we made at my last Stamp a Stack (and it was one of the Occasions class cards).  It really is a postcard with a smaller card on top, but it squeaked by as a card.

Materials Used:

A Happy Heart set (#111758)
5 ½ x 4 ¼ Basic Black Cardstock
5 ¼ x 4 Real Red Cardstock
5 ½ x 2 ¾ inch Basic Black cardstock
Two 2 ½ x 2 ½ Whisper White cardstock
Two 5 ½ x 4 ¼ pcs. White cardstock
This is for embossing and punching hearts
strip of White cardstock (for stamping red)
Real Red Ink pad, StazOn Black pad
Full Heart Punch (#113693)

Heart to Heart Punch (#113694)
Small Heart Punch (#117193)
½ inch circle punch
Finial Press textured impressions pad
Sizzix Big Shot die cutting machine, Multipurpose Tray, Two standard cutting pads

I received several samples of  ‘candy holders’ at Leadership and realized a new and adorable use for Stampin’ Up!’s exclusive Sizzix Bigz Die ‘Two Tags.’

The tags are just under 6 inches long, so they are not very big, but they are very versatile (see the screenshot of the die below)!

I used the new Occasions Mini set ‘I[Heart]Hearts’ (see below) of which $2 from the sale of each set will go to Haiti to benefit the survivors.

One of the things that I love about the ‘I[Heart]Hearts’ set, is that  they have a ‘trio’ of hearts that coordinate with the ‘Heart To Heart’ 3 heart punch (which you must purchase!).

Materials:

2 ¾ x 5 ½ inch Very Vanilla (to stamp the hearts)
3 inch x 6 inch ‘Sending Love’ Specialty DSP
Real Red ink pad
Close to Cocoa Ink pad
Full Heart Punch (#113693)
Heart to Heart Punch (113694)
Sticky Strip
Treat (mini Hershey Bar)
Stampin’ Up! Two Tag Sizzix die (#115954)
Two standard cutting pads
Sizzix Big Shot die cutting machine
10 inches 5/8 inch Wide Grosgrain ribbon Red
7 inches narrow grosgrain ribbon Chocolate Chip
½ inch circle punch

Really more like a ‘girlfriends’ Valentine Survival Kit!

DOWNLOAD the PDF of the Valentine ‘Survival Kit’ contents.

This set is the awesome new stamp set ‘Vintage Vogue‘ from the Occasions Mini Catalog.

The accessories I used were:

• Vintage Vogue stamp set (#117690) $23.95*
• Inks: Bravo Burgundy, So Saffron, Brocade Blue, Always Artichoke
• Paper:  Sahara Sand, Very Vanilla & Bravo Burgundy
• Medium flat clear bag (#102757) 50 for $4.50

Click on the image (left) to view the larger sized image.

I know, I know, this has been done over and over… BUT you haven’t seen MINE this year!  (See mine last year here)

Actually, since I put it in my header ‘slideshow’, I’ve been asked to publish the entire thing and so here you go!

To make the box ‘cover’, I shamelessly took a four inch by 12 inch wide piece of bond paper and wrapped it around the box, pinching each corner.  I measured each pinch and then scored a 4 x 8 piece of Riding Hood Red cardstock to cover the box (saving of course my scrap of bond paper for the Smithsonian for when they call…).

The ribbon is a little tricker (in how easy), I punched the top on both sides (you can see through both holes from the front) and then ran a ribbon straight through.  Push the box down into the box cover with the ribbon strand across the bottom and then tie what is left at the top.

If you haven’t gone overboard with the glue (come on… you know who you are…), the box will slide in and out by pulling the bow.

After that works, put the embellishments on the front.

Isn’t this card fun?! And it’s not too late to order the Valentine bundle and get my FREE gift!  This card uses very small pieces of three papers in the bundle, the punch and of course the set!

I used the clear buttons and backed it with the red poka dot paper… a bit of mono held it on! Close to Cocoa and Riding Hood Red paper are the perfect complement to the palette.  I have touched it up with Pretty in Pink marker and believe it or not Rose ribbon… how many companies have pinks & reds that work together?!

VIDEO UPDATE: I am working on a polished stone video but I am apparently suffering from an OC need for perfection and keep re-recording it.  I am putting a deadline of TODAY for myself and you will see it finally (with all my ‘um’s’ and ooops… (let it go, let it go…). I may need professional help (no shocker there…but where would we begin… ?)

This is the card that my previous post was based on… this time I am posting the card recipe!

Of course I used the Love You Much Valentine Bundle with the addition of the Bella Toile Background stamp and the Scalloped Edge punch.

The card is Close to Cocoa with the Bella Toile stamped in Chocolate Chip ink.  The strip of Chocolate Chip cardstock down the middle of the card is also stamped in Bella Toile. 

The Candy Lane Designer Series paper (Cocoa print with pink diamonds) has two sides punched with the Scalloped Edge punch and then sponged also in Chocolate Chip. I punched and sponged the heart punch outs (I LOVE my 3 heart punch!!!).

Due to popular demand the Love You Much Bundle can only be ordered through me (you can’t order it online directly).  So I am extending my online ordering special  to all orders that include this bundle (and therefore can’t be ordered online). Click here for more information about placing an order.

I am leaving tomorrow morning for Leadership… I’m so excited!  I will have my trusty laptop and responding to emails.  I hope to be back with some fabulous samples!

Enjoy this card!

I’ve been asked for my candy recipes so I decided to work it into Valentine’s day! 

Again, I am working with the awesome Love You Much Valentine ‘Bundle’ Promotion (Item #115405).  Due to its popularity, you must order it directly through me (it can’t be ordered online), see my ordering specials and more details here.

I love candymaking and I have been doing it for years. I got my start taking classes at The Chocolate Duck in Farmingdale, Long Island, NY where I lived when first married.  They are still there with an awesome website and the *exact* chocolate house mold I use! CLICK HERE for the exact mold I use for the houses I make (see article here). I still have some that are 20 years old from there!

Homemade Buttercrunch.  I never could find a recipe for buttercrunch candy, but it appeared to be toffee inside chocolate and almonds.

So, I use the toffee recipe (below) then dip it in melted chocolate and roll in roasted, chopped almonds.  I buy my almonds raw and roast them.  After cooling, I chop them (I do use my Cuisinart).  Warning about candymaking: everyone is suddenly your ‘friend’, children and husbands aren’t to be trusted alone with finished product and plan your hiding spots carefully.

Hope that satisfied my chocolate loving friends out there!  Enjoy the recipe.  I usually burn myself a few times making toffee, so be careful!

The holidays are coming and you don’t want him to make a mistake that can cause  holiday unhappiness!  Believe me when I tell you that I’m thinking of only your happiness here when I suggest my online Gift Registry.  

Your love one(s) will receive a message from me (handstamped if you give me their mailing address), assuring them of their place as ‘most important’ in your life’ if they are generous with what you would most enjoy as a gift–stamping stuff!  I can ship the product anywhere they would like (so you don’t steal the box by accident and hide it from him) keeping it a big wonderful secret!

Help your loved one(s) out by registering with me for the things that you most especially want to have for the holidays (or your anniversary, or birthday).   If you register now and then make a purchase with me that includes those items, I will ensure that they are not purchased again!  The gift registry is an easy online process HERE.

Contact me if you have any questions or would rather register by phone!

This is a very quick valentine idea… and just in time!  My 9 year old has to make a valentine for all (or none) of her classmates.  I think this is a good idea in theory (that way everyone gets them) but she has 20+ classmates and wants to make them herself.

The red cardstock is cut 2 3/4 x 8 1/2 (you get 4 per sheet of 8 1/2 x 11) and scored at 1", 4", 4 1/2" & 7 1/2".  The mouse from Stampin’ Up!’s "Have a Heart" set was punched with the 1 3/8 inch. circle and then matted on black cardstock that was punched with my favorite new scalloped circle punch (as was the "window"). 

After making this one (it was one of my "Stamp a Stack of Stuff" projects this month), I realized that you can fit a greeting under the window… and stamped "for someone with a big heart" from the same stamp set BEFORE punching the window.  Black gingham ribbon ties it up after punching with the double rectangle punch.  The chocolate heart is held on with a ‘Pop Up Glue Dot’ (Stampin’ Up!) which REALLY holds a solid piece of chocolate on.  

Well, it’s Ash Wednesday and this chocoholic will give up chocolate for Lent.  Lucky you guys aren’t living with me, LOL… as I go through the shakes in a few days.