It’s the Little Things

Posted on September 21, 2017 by

It’s the Little Things

Mike & I watched the finale of America’s Got Talent (AGT) tonight. I don’t usually watch reality shows, but I had seen a few clips from this season and was really impressed with a couple of the contestants. Both were under 13. Both were amazing. When I found out my little singer/ventriloquist was in the finale, I had to watch – and I discovered the teeny tiny little girl with the huge voice (she’s about four feet tall and 10 years old) was also in the finale. These were the only two acts I had seen (thanks, Facebook!), but the other eight were impressive as well.

So many of the contestants had overcome overwhelming odds and made it to the top 10. In the end, the two littlest humans were the top two. And that made me think about the little things that bring me joy.

Of course, there’s my three year-old granddaughter. Amelia makes me smile every time I think about her or see a video or hear her voice. Wesley sent me videos of her dancing in a toy store tonight. She was so uninhibited and was having so much fun. (She’s going to be on AGT one day, I just know it.) She has amazing dance moves, but she can also sing – on pitch! And, of course, she’s brilliant. And kind. And imaginative. (Ok, I’m a grandma. I’m biased.)

There are other “little things” that we overlook, because everyone wants that one big break that will make them happy – winning the lottery, winning a talent show, getting that 10 minutes of fame. But there are every day things that are so much more rewarding in the long run.

A dear friend baked a cake for my mother-in-law’s 82nd birthday. LeAnn will never see the smiles on all the residents’ faces when they saw the beautiful cake she had baked or hear the “yummy” noises as they ate her delicious confection or know how much it meant to Shirley. But it was a “little thing” that made such a huge difference in so many lives, including the employee from Puerto Rico who hadn’t heard from his family yet after hurricane Maria devestated the island.

Two of the members in the choir I’m a member of take piano lessons. They’re older adults who are doing this to enrich their lives. When I found out, I asked them to let me know when their recital would be – and they did! When you’re a beginning student and you invite a more advanced musician to your recital, that takes courage. I was so honored to be invited, and I was thrilled that I was able to attend. And they were amazing! It was another “little thing” that brought me joy.

Watching the pride of a new paper crafter when he/she makes a beautiful project, or seeing one of my downline have a starring moment is priceless. One of my team members, Carol, designed a gorgeous card and posted it in a Facebook group. She got tons of likes and comments, and I felt like a proud mama.

Today, one of my aunts had surgery to remove some cancerous tissue in her body. Her mom (my grandmother) died from breast cancer, so hearing the preliminary news that she’s doing very well and the lymph nodes are clear is more than a little thing. It’s huge happy news.

There are so many more “little things” in life that eclipse the bad news we hear on TV every day. I have decided to focus on these little things instead of letting the big things cause me stress. There really is more good than bad in the world today; you just have to look.

So here’s a little thing for you. It’s another eclipse card that, I hope, will “eclipse” any bad things that you may have heard today.

I wanted to use “SHINE” for the eclipse letters, but they wouldn’t fit. HOPE would fit, but we used that on the last eclipse card. So, since I LOVE the beach, that’s what I used. I stamped the lighthouse in Real Red and Smoky Slate, and the water with Bermuda Bay and Pacific Point. I sponged some Sahara Sand around the beach (also in Sahara Sand), and added a little Soft Sky to the top of the card around the lighthouse and Crushed Curry light.

I hope you have something to love today – whether it’s big or little. But I do encourage you to look for little things that are spectacular – a beautiful sunset, a smile from a stranger, a child who can dance without any inhibition.

Thanks for stopping by Stamping with Buffy. Have a spectacular day!

Product List

High Tide Photopolymer Stamp Set

$26.00

Large Letters Framelits Dies

$99.00

Bermuda Bay Classic Stampin' Pad

$6.50

Pacific Point Classic Stampin' Pad

$6.50

Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad

$6.50

Smoky Slate Classic Stampin' Pad

$6.50

Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Pad

$6.50

Soft Sky Classic Stampin' Pad

$6.50

Sahara Sand Classic Stampin' Pad

$6.50

Stamping Sponges

$3.50

Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$8.00

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$9.00

Bermuda Bay 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$8.00

Big Shot

$110.00


 

 

Posted in High Tide | Tagged , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Merry Christmas Fun Fold

Posted on September 20, 2017 by

Merry Christmas Fun Fold

I had some requests on Tuesday’s post for the instructions for the fun fold dragonfly card. As it happens, I’m reading a really good book and didn’t go to sleep until after 1 a.m. Monday night (actually Tuesday morning). Amelia was in a very good mood Tuesday (she’s always in a good mood), so she didn’t quibble about taking a nap. Although I was very tired, I had a few “chores” to take care of, and I had promised to play with her after her nap. So instead of enjoying a short nap, I drank some coffee and finished my tasks.

I told you all that to let you know that while I was planning to post the instructions for this card on Thursday, I’m wide awake now because of my 4:00 coffee binge. So here’s my card.

Carols of Christmas, Teeny Tiny Wishes, Father Christmas, Stampin' Up!

I decided to make a Christmas card with this design. TheNight of Navy card base is 5-1/2″ x 8-1/2″ (a standard card). Using the largest square from the Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies, I die-cut the square from the front of the card, and then embossed the front with the Woodland Textured Impressions Embossing Folder.  Then I cut the next largest square in the Stitched Framelits Dies from Whisper White Cardstock. So far, so good.

I  thought the trees in the Card Front Builder Thinlits would be a good starting place for the front, so I die-cut both sets from Tranquil Tide Cardstock. I stamped the white square with the little snowflakes and splatters and diamonds stamp from Carols of Christmas Stamp Set (you can bundle this with the Card Front Builder Thinlits and save 10%) using Night of Navy and Perfect Plum Classic Stampin’ Pads, then adhered the trees. You want a little overhang so the card locks in place. It looked a little stark to me, so I added the Merry Christmas sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes in VersaMark, and embossed it with Silver Stampin’ Emboss Powder. (Hint: It’s worth it to use the Stamp-a-ma-jig here, especially if, like me, you add this at the end. I didn’t plan well.)

Next came the folded insert. It is 6″ wide by 5-1/4″ tall. Score the 6″ side at 2″ and 4″, then fold. The first fold on the left is a mountain and the next is a valley. The panels are matted with Perfect Plum (1-3/4″ x 5″) and then Whisper White (1-1/2″ x 4-3/4″). I stamped the greenery from Father Christmas on the Whisper White layers with the Basic Black Archival Stampin’ Pad, then colored them with Tranquil Tide and Cherry Cobbler Stampin’ Write Markers. (Note: Another bad planning move. I should have cut the Whisper White cardstock at 4-1/2′” x 4-3/4″  and stamped before I cut the panels, but it worked out ok just lining them up.) I added more splatters/diamonds/snowflakes with Night of Navy and Perfect Plum Classic Stampin’ Pads, using the same stamp from Carols of Christmas, and a sentiment from Brightly Lit Christmas. Here are the two “insert panels.”

All that was left was to glue everything together. The 6″ accordion-folded panel is glued right at the edge of the inside back of the card. Only put adhesive on the last 2″ panel (the one with the sentiment). The other two just hang out.

Close the card and place the die-cut stitched square in place. Get an idea of where your glue will be. Add adhesive about 1″ in on the back (and remember – although you’re adding adhesive to the right side, when you turn the square over, it will be on the left. If you add it to the right side on the back, you’re going to kick yourself later. Ask me how I know.)

I added the square panel back in with the card closed so it would be in perfect position.

Here’s what it will look like open.

Since the 5-1/2″ x 6″ panel is only adhered at the back right side, you can add your greeting behind the two 2″ panels. If your cardstock is dark (like my Night of Navy), you may want to add a layer of lighter paper or cardstock. I’d cut it at 3-3/4″ x 5″ so it will fit will with a little border.

I hope that makes sense. It’s really easy if you actually have the card in your hands, so if you don’t understand, leave a message and I’ll try to answer any questions you have. I can even send you a template if you send your address in an email to buffyc3 (at) hotmail (dot) com.

Thanks for stopping by Stamping with Buffy. Have a lovely day!

Product List

Father Christmas Wood-Mount Stamp Set

$28.00

Father Christmas Clear-Mount Stamp Set

$20.00

Brightly Lit Christmas Photopolymer Stamp Set

$17.00

Teeny Tiny Wishes Clear Stamp Set

$27.00

Teeny Tiny Wishes Wood Stamp Set

$37.00

Carols Of Christmas Clear-Mount Stamp Set

$20.00

Carols Of Christmas Wood-Mount Stamp Set

$28.00

Carols Of Christmas Clear-Mount Bundle

$45.00

Carols Of Christmas Wood-Mount Bundle

$52.00

Card Front Builder Thinlits Dies

$30.00

Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies

$30.00

Versamark Pad

$8.50

Silver Stampin' Emboss Powder

$5.00

Heat Tool

$30.00

Woodland Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

$8.50

Posted in Big Shot, Fancy Fold, Framelits, Holidays | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Another Birthday Card

Posted on September 19, 2017 by

Another Birthday Card

I love getting cards in the mail, don’t you? Now that we send birthday greetings on Facebook, I don’t get as many cards, and that’s sad. I try to send as many as I can, because there’s nothing like getting an envelope in the mail with a beautiful card inside (especially handmade!). Because my birthday is early in September and often falls during the Labor Day holiday in the US, I celebrate all month. I know people are busy getting kids back to school and celebrating the end of summer, and I don’t want anyone to feel badly because they missed my birthday. So, as far as I’m concerned, my birthday celebration begins around the beginning of August and continues through the end of October. That way, if people are like me and are a tad late sending the cards, they don’t have to feel guilty. (How sweet am I, right?)

Here’s a card I got from my friend Christy. It’s gorgeous!

Dragonfly Dreams, Stampin' Up!, Detailed Dragonfly

How beautiful is that dragonfly The full dragonfly was diecut using the Detailed Dragonfly Thinlits from Whisper White Cardstock, then colored and covered with Clear Wink of Stella. You can’t see it well in the photo, because Stella is a little shy, but it’s so magical and sparkly in person. Then the detailed dragonfly was layered over it in Basic Black. (Sadly, the little Petite Flower Punch has retired. It was such a wonderful punch for layering flowers or for a little extra embellishment. A moment, please…Ok. I’m fine now.) But there’s more.

Stampin' Up!, Dragonfly Dreams

It’s a super “fun fold” card with more dragonflies using the Dragonfly Dreams Stamp Set. There’s a window for the dragonfly that was created with the Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies, and a “Z-fold” insert. So cute!

This would make a gorgeous fall card using the Painted Harvest and Gourd Goodness stamps. You can see I’m really loving those two sets! The Painted Harvest is especially versatile, because you can color those sunflowers any color you want. If you don’t have this set, you really need to add it to your next order! It’s in the 2017 Holiday catalog. If you don’t have a copy, let me know and I’ll send you one. Just send an email with your address to buffyc388 (at) gmail (dot) com. In the meantime, you can see the products here. Or you can see the entire catalog here.

Thanks for stopping by Stamping with Buffy. Have a wonderful day!

Product List

Dragonfly Dreams Photopolymer Stamp Set

$21.00

Clear Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush

$8.00

Rhinestone Basic Jewels

$5.00

Detailed Dragonfly Thinlits Dies

$31.00

Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies

$30.00

Posted in Dragonfly Dreams, Fancy Fold | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Never Say Never

Posted on September 18, 2017 by

Never Say Never

When I was in college, Dr. Tom Albert, my theory professor, used to say, “There is almost never a ‘never’ or an ‘always’ in music.” He was right (of course; he was the professor), but I’m not going to nerd out and give you examples. The point was, don’t use extremes when you’re discussing music, because there are always exceptions.

The same is true in life. My mom announced on a national radio program in the 50s that she would never marry an “apple knocker.” My dad is an orchardist, so technically not an “apple picker,” although he has picked an apple or two. Or 2000. He and Mom celebrated their 61st anniversary in August.

I vehemently told my younger brother in 1981 that I would never marry a minister. A year later, I married Mike, who has been in the ministry for about 40 years now.

Recently, the “card in a box” was very popular. I mentioned (several times) to my friends that I would never make one, because it looked like a lot of work. Well, that was true. I didn’t make one. I made two and have ideas for a few others.

This was so much easier than I thought it would be. The design was featured in a magazine I bought yesterday, so I thought, “Oh, why not?” One of the measurements, though, was 1.875″. Seriously?? What is that? My ruler goes 1″, 1-1/6″, 1-1/8″…There’s no 1.875″ marking on my ruler. I think it was a joke on us crazy US citizens who are diehard Imperial Measurement System users. So I just made up my own measurements with a little help from a friend. (Note: I just asked my dear husband, “What is 1.875″? That’s weird.” He answered, “It’s 1-7/8.” SERIOUSLY????? “How do you know that?” Mike: “It’s how you do stocks.” I should have known. Still – ignore that and keep reading.)

I used a card base of Soft Sky and decorated it with the Painted Autumn Designer Series Paper. All that was left was to decorate – and, of course, I used the Painted Harvest and Gourd Goodness sets. I love the realistic pumpkins, and those sunflowers are gorgeous. My pumpkin colors are Pumpkin Pie (duh) and Crushed Curry, and my sunflowers are Cajun Craze and Crushed Curry. The sunflower centers are Soft Suede and Early Espresso.

I have two sets of leaves. The Leaf Punch leaves are from Painted Harvest in Garden Green stamped on Lemon Lime Twist Cardstock. Oh – you can bundle the punch with the Painted Harvest Stamp Set and save 10%! And who doesn’t want a leaf punch? Punches are so quick and easy, especially if you’re doing multiples. The leaves from Gourd Goodness are stamped in Cajun Craze and Lemon Lime Twist.

Here’s a little tip for you. I know the two- and three-step photopolymer stamps come with numbers, and you’re supposed to stamp in that order. For most of them, the first step is the lightest color. I have learned to ignore that. I find it much easier to stamp the darker colors first. It’s much easier to line up the images that way. But feel free to do whatever is easiest for you.

The final step for this “card in a box” was the sentiment from Celebrate You. I stamped the Happy Birthday in Garden Green on Lemon Lime Twist.

If you haven’t tried this technique/fold yet, give it a try. There are lots of tutorials out there so I’m not going to “recreate the wheel,” but the easiest (in my opinion, anyway) is my friend Heidi’s. It’s super easy to follow, and Heidi has some beautiful creations.

Thanks for stopping by Stamping with Buffy. Have a wonderful day!

Product List

Gourd Goodness Photopolymer Stamp Set

$17.00

Celebrate You Wood-Mount Stamp Set

$25.00

Celebrate You Clear-Mount Stamp Set

$18.00

Painted Harvest Photopolymer Stamp Set

$21.00

Painted Harvest Photopolymer Bundle

$33.25

Leaf Punch

$16.00

Painted Autumn Designer Series Paper

$11.00

Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies

$30.00

Stampin' Trimmer

$30.00

Simply Scored

$30.00

 

Posted in 3-D and other projects, Holiday Mini Catalog | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Colorful Seasons Card Set & Gift Box

Posted on September 17, 2017 by

Colorful Seasons Card Set & Gift Box

Is your craft room getting full of too many stamp and die sets? Do you find you don’t get enough use out of your products? Here is a card set using the same stamp and die sets, paired with different techniques. The cards can be easily reproduced to make a number of sets. The coordinating box is also very easy to make and can be reused as a small gift bag. This is a fun card set showcasing the beautiful images of Colorful Seasons Stamp Set, the coordinating Seasonal Layers Thinlits Dies and the sets versatility.

Colorful Seasons, Stampin' Up!, Craft Project Central

This beautiful set was designed by Monika for Craft Project Central. To get the instructions, simply subscribe to September, or select a 3-, 6-, or 12-month subscription that includes September.

Thanks for stopping by Stamping with Buffy! Have a wonderful day.

Posted in Colorful Seasons, Craft Project Central | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Miracles Happen

Posted on September 15, 2017 by

Miracles Happen

Thursday night was our monthly Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator team meeting. Although most of the ladies who attend are my downline, all area demonstrators are invited. We talk about business tips, current promotions and other stamping news, enjoy a make & take, and have snacks. Liz’s snacks were a total “WOW!”, as were Christy’s drinks. As my Amelia would say, “they were so yummy!”

We also have a challenge each month. We’ve done color and sketch challenges, tic tac toe, “chopped,” and more. September’s was a sketch, and all the cards were beautiful. We do a random drawing to select one card as the winner. I usually don’t put my name in, because a) I forget to bring my card or b) I brought the prize, so I don’t want to draw my name. This time, though, I entered. And I won! That in itself is a miracle, because I’m not usually a “random draw” pick for anything. Carol brought the challenge prize and it was awesome.

Crafting Forever, Stampin' Up!How cute is that decorated pizza box? Carol used the Naturally Eclectic Designer Series Paper with the Pretty Label Punch and Crafting Forever stamp set. PLUS – she stamped some leaves from the Painted Harvest stamp set (from the Holiday Catalog) and punched them with the Leaf Punch (which you can bundle with the Painted Harvest set and save 10%). The crowning touch is the Butterflies thinlit in Lemon Lime Twist. So cute! Oh, did I mention the box was filled with Ghirardelli minis chocolates? YUM! I wasn’t sure I needed the Pizza Boxes from the Holiday catalog, but now? Totally enabled. These would be perfect for stocking stuffers at Christmas, don’t you think? You can add a few chocolates or other candy with a gift card. So fun!

Judy was in charge of the make and take, and she totally hit it out of the ball park with her Eclipse Card. I’ve been wanted to make one of these, but it was a little daunting. Judy made it so easy.

Painted Harvest, So Many Shells, Stampin' Up!

How gorgeous is this? We used the Painted Harvest stamp set (from the Holiday Catalog) with the Large Letters Framelits. The inspirational sentiment is from the So Many Shells stamp set (something else I didn’t think I needed, but it’s on my next order).

I’m so proud of our local demos. They’re so creative and fun. Thanks for stopping by Stamping with Buffy. Have a wonderful day!

Product List

Crafting Forever Wood-Mount Stamp Set

$28.00

Crafting Forever Clear-Mount Stamp Set

$20.00

So Many Shells Photopolymer Stamp Set

$26.00

Painted Harvest Photopolymer Stamp Set

$21.00

Painted Harvest Photopolymer Bundle

$33.25

Naturally Eclectic Designer Series Paper

$11.00

Large Letters Framelits Dies

$99.00

Butterflies Thinlits Dies

$25.00

Posted in Holiday Mini Catalog | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Special Celebrations

Posted on September 14, 2017 by

Special Celebrations

I can’t believe it’s Thursday already. This week has flown by, but that’s probably because I’ve spent most of it in my craft room. I’m working on a project for Craft Project Central for October, and I’m so happy with how it’s turning out!

Here’s another card I made using the same sketch as the Merry Music card in yesterday’s post.

Special Celebrations, Stampin' Up!

After I made this card, I changed the blade in my Stampin’ Trimmer. Wow – that’s a rough top edge. I should have distressed the others so it would look ragged on purpose! I hate changing my trimmer blade, because it gives me a fit every time. I know I’m doing something wrong and it’s easier than I’m making it. So…if anyone has a tip on how to easily change the blade, please let me know in the comments! I’ll send a fun prize to the person who posts an idea that works the best. You can write out your tip or send a link to a blog post or video (even if it’s not your blog or video). I seriously need help.

Back to the card. I used a Tangerine Tango card base, then stamped the sentiment from Special Celebrations in Early Espresso on a Lemon Lime Twist Cardstock layer. I love that color, and it coordinates with so many of the other Stampin’ Up! colors.

Before I stamped, I adhered the Painted Autumn Designer Series Paper (DSP) layer to the Early Espresso Cardstock, then tied the Crushed Curry Mini Chevron Ribbon around the entire panel. Without adhering, I placed it on the card so I’d know where to stamp the sentiment. Nothing is worse than stamping, then realizing as you adhere another element that you don’t have room. After I stamped, I adhered the DSP layer with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

And that’s it! A super simple little card, but it packs a lot of color, don’t you think? And I love the sentiments in Special Celebrations. We used that a lot today in class.

Hope you’re having a wonderful week! Thanks for stopping by Stamping with Buffy.

Product List

Special Celebrations Wood-Mount Stamp Set

$45.00

Special Celebrations Clear-Mount Stamp Set

$33.00

Painted Autumn Designer Series Paper

$11.00

Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad

$6.50

Early Espresso 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$8.00

Tangerine Tango 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$8.00

Lemon Lime Twist 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

$8.00

Crushed Curry 3/8" Mini Chevron Ribbon

$7.00

Stampin' Dimensionals

$4.00

Posted in Holiday Mini Catalog | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments