June Card Class cards

Hiya all! Back today with the cards from my last card class. This month's focus was Father's Day and masculine cards. I know we all need more masculine cards at the ready! We used Close To My Heart's "Lucky" paper pack and this awesome vintage set also from CTMH. I absolutely love the bicycle! Everyone had fun doing some good old fashioned wet embossing. In fact, they loved it so much that they wanted to emboss the clock on the other card! The embossed bicycle is the one I gave my dad. He got all mushy when he called to thank me. ;)

Enjoy your Monday. I'm meeting up with my good friend Josie and we're going out to Dim Sum for lunch with some of her chef friends from the restaurant she works at. Yummy!!

Materials: All CTMH. Lucky L2 pp, Your Life ss, Say It In Style ss, Olive ink, Outdoor Denim ink, Chocolate ink, Sunset ink, Goldrush ink, Desert Sand ink, cocoa ribbon, hemp, badge buttons. AC buttons

February Card Class samples

Good morning! Here today to share samples from my Card Classes this month. And since it's February, I of course I had to use the *NEW* Sweetheart paper from CTMH and the *NEW* "Affection" stamp set. "Love" it!! Haha, get it?! (I know, I'm corny)

All of these samples are CASE'd from the Spring/Summer Idea Book, I just changed the paper and stamps. This first one I cased from the card on page 51. I modified it to a standard A2 card and incorporated the new button brads.

The next one is a take from the scrapbook page that's on page 21. Totally love the new spray pens! Just masked the card base with a circle and sprayed away! So fun!

This last one is my favorite of the three. It's a take on the sample from page 47. Again, I modified the size. The cross-stitch marks are made with a black gel pen I got in the Target $1 bin as a set of three! Always find cool stuff in there!

Enjoy your Tuesday. Happy hour tonight with the girls! And then race home to watch the new Glee episode! :D

Materials: All CTMH. Sweetheart L2pp, Affection ss, button brads, spray pen, cotton candy re-inker, cotton candy ink, black ink, blush ink, tulip ink, ribbon spool.

Other: EK punch, gel pen

January card class samples

We had fun last week at my monthly card classes. I showcased one of the *NEW* CTMH paper packs, "Wings" with matching stamp set, and the super fab Stamp of the Month set, "Find Your Style" (which is my fav ever!)

This first card they loved, but grumbled when they had to make the fan-fold flower and cut out the butterfly. It was all better once they were made and all put together!
This next card was more simple to give them a "break". I showed them how to use the awesome new spray pens that CTMH came out with. You can fill it with your favorite ink and water solution and create some cool effects!

The last is my personal favorite! Love, love this dress form from the SOTM set! The ribbon bow add the perfect element, and this damask print from the pack is my fav. I sprayed some more ink solution on the background to the image since I chose a more plain section of this paper.

Materials: All CTMH. Wings L2pp, Find Your Style SOTM, Wings stamp set, Opaques pearls, Juniper ink, re-inker and ribbon,. Vineyard Berry, Black, and Sweet Leaf inks, sanding kit, spray pen, button brad

Other: EK border punch

November Card Class

Good morning!

By the time you're reading this, I will "hopfully" be safely at work. We had an Artic blast here in the Seattle area yesterday that really made the roads a mess. First snowfall of the season. Hard to navigate in an area that has loads of hills and overpasses. Thankfully I have all major streets to travel to and from work.

So here are the cards I created for my November Card Class that was the first part of the month. Finally got around to photographing them! Haha! We used the beautiful Olivia paper pack. I had a couple of new customers at this class, so I started off with this simple card:

Then came a masculine card. I'm trying to incorporate more of these....

And then finally, a clear card! Some of my customers have been curious as to how to use these clear cards from CTMH. It's actually pretty easy. The hardest part is trying to figure out how all the paper pieces will cover the glue marks of the other. I used an example from the CTMH Autumn/Winter Idea Book for the layout and just tweaked it a bit to use this stamp set.

This is the outside (can you see the reflection of my camera?!)

And then here's what the inside looks like. It was a lot of fun, and everyone was able to make them fairly easy!

Enjoy the rest of your day! I'm going to be frantically making more items for my Trunk Show this Friday. Hopefully the snow and ice leave so people come shop!!

Materials: All CTMH. Olivia L2pp, For All Occasions ss, Nature's Gift ss, Captured Moments ss, Say it in Style ss, clear cards, cocoa ink, sunset ink, pear ink, smoothie ink, hemp, glitter brad, button, sanding kit.

Other: Stazon, Signo white pen, EK corner punch, foam tape.

October Card Class

Good morning everyone. Just wanted to share the cards I designed for my two card classes this Wednesday and Thursday. Halloween theme. I used the new CTMH Hooligans paper pack along with some cool new stamps and embellishments. The technique this month is how to alter embellishments.
So for this first card, the layout and concept is pretty easy. I always like to start out with a simple card to get them back in the groove, and for new attendees to get a feel of how things go. So tearing paper isn't new, but it adds to the Halloween feel. We're using the new Captured Moments stamp set on this. LOVE this new set. Comes with two other scenes for fall and winter. Makes for quick and pretty cards.

The "altered" embellishment on this one are the brads I used to spell out "Boo". They're regular white CTMH brads that I simply took a Sharpie to create eyeballs and then glazed them with Liquid Glass. Pretty cool, huh?

Next is this cute little guy. He's part of the coordinating felt monsters for the Hooligans line. Now this one is one of the "less cute" ones that I used for my sample. Had to keep the cuter ones for the customers! The altered embellishment here is a clear CTMH button that I dipped in glue, and then in MS glitter.

And lastly, I made this birthday card to show the versatility of the Hooligans paper. Since most of the pack is geared toward Halloween and the cute monsters on the dp and felties, I used the more adaptable paper to create this fun birthday card. The altered items here aren't really true "embellishments", but created embellishments. The box-ruffle is just a strip of dp folded, and the banner in the top corner of the main image is actually cut from the dp. Can you see where I cut it from seeing the same dp on the bottom of the card? Neat-o! (I actually "stole" that from the CTMH Idea Book).

Enjoy your Tuesday. Glee tonight!! Plus I get to catch up on Hawaii Five-O since it's on so late on Mondays. I'll be back tomorrow with another Lil' Lolita Boutique Challenge!

Materials (all CTMH)

Stamps: Captured Moments, Thriller SOTM, Friendship small alpha, Say it in Style, For All Occasions

Paper: Hooligans L2pp, Black and White Daisy cs

Other: Inks, brads, Glitz, Liquid Glass, clear button, Opaques pearls, Hooligans felties. MS glitter

September Card Class

Hello all! Quick post to share the three cards my classes will be making. Well, technically one class already made them this last Thursday, and they LOVED these cards. They all use the *NEW* CTMH Magnifique paper pack, Circle of Love stamp set, and A Posy stamp set.

The first one is inspired by Tresa Black's "Joseph's Coat" technique from her UStream channel. Check it out! It's super "fabulous"! Since the peacock image is so large, I kept the layout simple so not to take away from the image. I added the *new* Sparkles in blue/green. LOVE them!


Here's a close up of the embossing with the ink showing through underneath:

This next one was something that just "happened". I knew I wanted to create a versitle card that could be feminine or masculine. I really like how it turned out.

The last uses the A Posy stamp set. This was a set that at first I wasn't too hot about, but after seeing multiple creations using it (including from my CTMH sistah, Vicki) I caved....and I'm sooo glad I did! This set is only $7.95 and worth every penny! It includes all the flower parts and this cute sentiment. Did you notice that I did absolutely NO distressing on this card?! That's a first for me! The layout is from the CTMH Wishes Card Confidence book.

Materials (all CTMH)

Stamps: Circle of Love, A Posy, Simple Stitches, Say it in Style, For All Occasions
Paper: Magnifique L2PP, Grey Wool cs

Other: Embossing powder, Lagoon, Pacifica, Chocolate, Heavenly Blue, Grey Wool, and Black inks, colonial white brads, basic collections buttons, hemp, Sparkles, edge distresser, Coluzzle

Special Edition Card {Box} Class

These cool boxes are all the rage right now with all the Close To My Heart Consultants. Mostly thanks to my friend and Upline, Nona who posted her cute Kit of the Month on her blog. This is my take on them using Spledor paper and Hot Diggity stamp set, both a major hit with my last card class. I figured that after months and months of coming to my classes and making cards, they needed a fun place to keep them.

Enough space for the cards and the envelopes! This is going to be a fun class!

Materials are all CTMH. Splendor L2pp, Hot Diggity ss, Chocolate Small Alpha ss, Noted Backgrounds ss. Goldrush, Moonstruck, Topiary, and Crystal Blue inks.

Other: EK circle punches

June Card Class

Hello everyone! Wasn't the Sweet November Stamp previews fun?! That Amy is just amazing! Remember that they go live for purchase at All That Scraps TOMORROW at 10 EST!!

Now, on with the show! Haha!

This month's Card Class uses the NEW "Splendor" designer paper and some uber-cute NEW stamps from Close To My Heart! My first class is already full, but my class on Wednesday the 16th is still pretty open, so if you live in the Seattle area let me know if you'd like to come!

For this first card, I totally CASE'd it straight from the Summer Idea Book! When my customers first saw this example in the Idea book, they all "Ooooo'd" and "Ahhh'd" and wanted to learn how to make the fun flower. So easy too! Just use a circle punch to punch out 3 circles and fold them in thirds to make a cone shape. Then glue them together by using a scrap of paper behind them. Fun, fun!

This second card is another CASE from the Idea Book. I totally LOVE this card!! The "Over The Rainbow" stamp set is so great and versatile. I've been way into clouds lately too. Aren't those NEW Splendor Designer brads the perfect complement?! Love 'em!

This last one I had quite a bit of trouble with. I really, really wanted to show how to do "stamp kissing", but I just couldn't pull it off with this stamp. Oh well. But! for this card class, I asked the attendees to bring some supply or embellishment that they've had hanging around forever and don't really know how to use it, or how to give them a new life.

So for this card, I used the good-'ol metal rimmed tag that was the "had-to-have" item years ago and the often forgotten clear apoxy "bubble". I combined them together to give a nice focus on the sentiment and also add balance to the card. Can't wait to see what things everyone brings to share. I will take their items and try to make cards using them in fun ways. I hope that this will be a great learning tool for them to feel more comfortable with using "iffy" products.

Hope you all are enjoying your weekend! It was FINALLY sunny here! Bye bye rain!

Materials: All CTMH. Splendor L2 pp, Over The Rainbow ss, Hot Diggity ss, Noted Backgrounds ss, Simple Stitches ss, Splendor designer brads, corduroy brads, corner rounder. Topiary, Moonstruck, Heavenly Blue, and Goldrush inks.

Other: Metal-rimmed tags, apoxy circles, circle punches

May Card Class cards

So much for having these pictures up to show my card class attendees BEFORE card class! Haha! Things have just been to hectic for me lately. I actually designed and made these example cards just this last Tuesday night....when my first class was the next night! Yikers!

For this class I wanted to show the versatility of using only one stamp set for all three cards (besides sentiments) and how they can get very different looks. I chose the "You're Sweet" stamp set from the new Spring Idea Book. This is such a fun and cute set!

For this first card, I just showed an easy way to use the basic image of this pear. We used the "Rock & Roll" technique to make a "green" pear and a "red" pear. I also showed them the often-forgotten technique of dry embossing and then sanding to get the cool corner effect.

This second card is similar to the things I've seen with cherry images here in blogland with using buttons for the cherries. Nice and simple, yet super fun.

This last one, I really wanted to show them how they can get a completely different look from both the same paper pack and the same stamp set. We took a somewhat plain looking dp and added "dots" which is actually the cherry image from this stamp set. Then we did some more dry embossing and sanding on the sweet leaf cardstock. Then I showed them how to turn the strawberry image from the stamp set into a pretty flower. They had a lot of fun with all these cards. My far the cutest ones I've come up with!

Materials: All CTMH. Cherry-O Level 2 paper pack, You're Sweet stamp set, Say it in Style stamp set, hemp, cocoa grosgrain ribbon, clear buttons, embossing stylus, corner rounder. Tulip, chocolate, cocoa, black, crystal blue, sweet leaf, buttercup, and blush inks.

Other: Foam tape, red buttons.

April Card Class

April Card Class. If you live in the greater Seattle area: Wednesday the 21st at 6pm, and Thursday the 22nd at 7pm. We make these three cards, and the cost is only $7! ...or FREE with a $30+ CTMH order! Space is limited, so if you would like to attend, please e-mail me via my sidebar.

I totally dig this "You Rock" paper pack from Close To My Heart! Isn't it cool?! Perfect for guy cards and teenager scrapbook layouts. The super-fun "Star Power" stamp set goes PERFECTLY with it too! So awesome!

This first card uses a layout design by Tresa Black. When I saw this on her blog, I knew it would be perfect for this card's layout design. I'll be teaching how to get cool color effects with your images by simply wiping ink off with a good-'ol baby wipe.


These next two card's layouts are loosely based off of examples from the Spring 2010 Idea Book. The first uses the NEW ""Rockin" Top Coat overlays for a cool effect. Wipe technique is used on this card too.

For this fun little square card, we'll be embossing copper powder onto the image and sentiment. Couldn't help but make the image mock a tattoo by writing "Mom"! Ha ha!

Materials: All CTMH. You Rock L2pp, Star Power ss, Say it in Style ss. Olive, outdoor denim, cranberry, black, and pansy purple inks, Rockin' Top Coat overlays, copper edge distresser, white daisy bigger brads.

Other: Coluzzle, copper embossing powder.

March Card Class!!

My March Card Class this time shows you how to use a waterbrush to color in images with your ink pads. We will be using my two must-have stamp sets of the CTMH Spring Idea Book: "Love You Forever" and "Togetherness". These cards also use the fun "Topstitch" paper that perfectly coordinates with the "Togetherness" stamp set.

If you live in the Seattle area, and you'd like to come to my second installment of my card class this month on Wednesday, March 31st at 7pm at my home, please e-mail me at skunamuffin@yahoo.com. The cost is only $7 for these 3 cards! Please RSVP by Sunday, March 28th. Feel free to invite a friend.

When I first saw this uber-cute "Love You Forever" set with the momma/baby combos of different animals and the quote from the children's book by Robert Munsch, I knew I had to have it. So perfect for baby cards and very fitting for Easter.

"Togetherness" is another great "stitching" stamp set. I really like the random look of the stitching used on the card below. The set also includes the fun flowers used on the last card.

January Card Class

Here are the cards we're making at Card Class today. The first two use the NEW Veranda paper (my favorite) and yes, that "Love Birds" stamps set again. Also used the Felicity stamp set that is part of the promotional kit for National Papercrafting Month.

I thought having a more masculine birthday card might be in order. I always tend to design girly cards, and since there ARE men in the world still it might be nice to make something for them every once and a while too. So on this first card, I used the Felicity set in a "manly" way. The main image is a stamp designed to be used as a bird like in my last card, but I thought if I just don't ink up the beak, then it looks like a paisley. That paired with the cool argyle stamp from the same set as well as the cocoa side of this dp, and everything is set for a dude's birthday card.


Told ya you'd be seeing this Love Birds ss again! It's just too cute not to! Same idea with the stamping as in Wednesday's card as far as adding dimension to the bird cage and having the music flow out of the cage. The sentiment is so fun!


The third card also uses the paper from the Felicity kit and you might recognize it from a previous post. I didn't really feel like designing another card, so I just decided to use what I already had. ;)
Materials: All CTMH. Veranda L2pp, Felicity promo kit, Love Birds ss, Fringed Phrases ss, desert sand and bamboo cs. Cocoa, juniper, barn red, olive, hollyhock, and garden green inks. Juniper, buttercup and olive markers, hemp, basic button collection, Wishes card template.
Other: foam tape

Christmas Card Class part 2

Sorry I'm late getting this post up. I'm starting to get in that phase this time of year where I just want to come home after work and veg. Working retail during the holidays really takes it's toll on me; which also equals no day off until AFTER Christmas. Grrrr!



This first card is a continuation from yesterday's post of my cards from this month's card class. The image is stamped in Bamboo ink and then colored over with colored pencils. I got this idea from Close To My Heart's website where they have cool video tutorials. I also wanted to show them how to make a "square" bow. This card was the favorite of the group.


This second card was inspired by my blogging friend, Michelle. She's an awesome artist and her version is definitely better than mine. ;) The class was a little confused when they were only given two pieces of paper for this card, but they were also amazed at what it created.


I'm just going to set up a stretch of auto-posts for a while so I don't neglect my blogging friends. On a brighter note....I found somewhat of a surrogate for my Glee vacancy. "The Sing Off" on NBC is kinda like if Glee and American Idol had a baby. It showcases a Capella groups that compete to be the best. So fun! Too bad it only last a week. It'll work until Glee comes out on DVD. ;)

Materials: All CTMH. Jingle L2pp, Heartfelt ss, Snow Flurries ss, Evergreen ss, Holiday Commentary ss. Juniper, bamboo, and crystal blue inks, cranberry brads, white daisy and juniper grosgrain ribbon, sponge.
Other: Foam tape.

December card class

Here are two of the items we made at card class this last Thursday. I'll share the other two tomorrow.....gotta extend the posts as far as possible, right? ;)

This first one is one of the 3 cards I designed for the class. "Snow Friends" was one of the favorites of those in the class, so I decided to have one of the cards to use an image from that set. Isn't he cute?! The juniper cardstock is stamped with white ink (which I found out CTMH discontiued the die-based white. BOO!) and the image is colored in with colored pencils.

This cool gift card holder is a super cool idea from Nona. She also has a video tutorial on how to make them. Super easy and fun to personalize! It was totally a hit at the class and I even had one member making more on her own at home. I love when they retain what they learn! ;)

Materials: All CTMH. Jingle L2pp, white daisy and juniper cs, Snow Friends ss, Snow Flurries ss, Just For The Holidays ss, Juniper, tulip, black and white daisy inks, juniper grosgrain ribbon, sponge, corner rounder.

Other: Crayola colored pencils, foam tape, staples.

Christmas Card Workshop examples

Here are examples of the cards customers made for my 2nd annual Christmas Card Workshop. They made eight of each design. It was a lot of fun watching some new customers find the joy of card making and learn how easy Close To My Heart products are to use.

Materials: All CTMH. Jingle L2pp; crystal blue cs; Heartfelt Christmas ss; Christmas Melodies ss; Holiday Commentary ss; juniper, olive, black, tulip, and crystal blue inks; cranberry brads; sparkles; liquid glass; paper piercer; edge distresser.

Other: Coluzzle.

Oct. Card Class round 2

Here are the two other cards we made for card class last Thursday.

For the first card, I really wanted to incorporate the new "Wonder" Heart-felt die cuts, so I chose a leaf for a fall-ish card. The layout is from the new "Wishes" card confidence book. Super simple and easy.

The second card of course HAD to be Halloween! I've seen different variations of the eyeball tree around on blogs and in magazines and had to try it out. Googly eyes are so fun! ....cutting out the tree on the other hand.... Most in the class whined about that, but they still had fun.

Materials: All CTMH. Grace L2 pp; goldrush and white daisy cs; Thoughtful Seasons ss, Playful Flourishes ss, Creepy Cobwebs ss, Grown with Love ss; cocoa, twilight, chocolate, and black inks; Wonder Heart-felt die cut; cocoa grosgrain ribbon; black collection ribbon round; embroidery floss. Other: Stickles, googly eyes.