Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Hello, Baby!


I put together yet another baby gift this weekend - and while I can't share what's inside this bag (which is a simple drawstring bag I sewed myself with some wide ribbon as a closure) since its recipient may very well be reading, I can tell you about the tag I made for it.


In fact, I liked the tag so much that I used the entire Animal Stories stamp set to create a set of tags to stash away for the next baby gift.  Because you know there's lots more to come!


Gift tags are such a useful thing to have a stash of, don't you think?

The ink colors I used for the images were More Mustard, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Pacific Point.  I inked the sentiment and edges of the circles in Early Espresso, and used the 1 3/4 inch circle punch and the XL scallop circle punch with some hemp twine to create the tags.  The "hello baby" sentiment is from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set.  Purchase all of these products and more on my Stampin' Up! website.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Quick Birthday Card & Wrapping

One of my customer's and friends, Kim, had a birthday party for her daughter Zoe this weekend.  Zoe comes to stamp a stacks with Kim and loves to stamp - so I thought it was only fitting that I sent a little hand stamped card and gift over for her.  It was a great excuse to play with a pink and girly design!


I used the Birthday Bakery stamp set, which is a level one hostess set, on pretty in pink cardstock with melon mambo ink.  I colored in the cupcake with blender pens and of course, some glitter applied with a 2-way glue pen.  To finish, I used some raven lace trim from the Holiday Mini Catalog.


I stamped an image inside the card, in the bottom right corner.  I almost never stamp images or sentiments on the inside of a card, I just leave it blank.  I think I was having too much fun and wanted the opportunity to add more glitter!


I had a lunch sack style pink paper bag that I put some little treats in and used the same lace ribbon and stamps (and yes, more glitter!) to coordinate it with the card.




It's not often I get to design a card for a child - so this was extra fun.  Come to think of it, it's not often I get to design a card that's not for a workshop, stamp a stack, or other stamping event.  This was a lot of glittery fun!  Happy Monday!

To order any of the Stampin' Up! products shown here, head to my online store and click on "Shop Now"  To find out how you can earn the Birthday Bakery hostess set for FREE, contact me about hosting a workshop at joanneroehm@yahoo.com

Friday, October 22, 2010

Christmas Stamp A Stacks / Open Studios

It's never too soon to be thinking about Christmas Cards! I'm hosting four Christmas card making events in November and December to help you get your cards done before the holiday madness sets in.

Each event will last four hours (come for some or all of the time), I'll have snacks and beverages on hand - and you have two card assembly options:

1) Stamp A Stack: Create 16 cards for $20 or double up and make 32 cards for $35 - envelopes included. I'll have four sets of four designs of cards for you to choose from ahead of time, and everything will be cut and prepped ready for you to stamp and assemble. Bring your own adhesive, everything else is included.

2) Design your own cards: Order your Christmas card materials ahead of time and come use my space, Big Shot Machine, inks etc. to make your own. I'll be on hand to help with design ideas and choices. Bring your own cardstock, accessories, and adhesive.

Let me know if you have any questions.  Early RSVP's are very much appreciated to joanneroehm@yahoo.com. Group orders with FREE SHIPPING will be going in every two weeks or so between now and the holidays if you need me to order anything for you.

I'd love to help you create beautiful handmade cards that will be the envy of your friends and family! See you soon!
  • Stamp A Stack 1 - Grand Rapids - November 6th from 10:00am to 2:00pm
  • Stamp A Stack 2 - Tecumseh - November 19th from 6:00pm to 10:00pm 
  • Stamp A Stack 3 - Grand Rapids - November 21st from 12:00-4:00pm
  • Stamp A Stack 4 - Grand Rapids - December 3rd from 6:00-10:00pm
Stamp Set Option 1:  Northern Flurry


Stamp Set Option 2:  Cute Christmas


Stamp Set Option 3:  Sparkly & Bright
Stamp Set Option 4:  Season of Joy

 

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Pumpkin Patch & Halloween Decorations!

Happy Thursday, folks!  Just one more day until the weekend!  There hasn't been much time for crafting this week (boo!) but we did carve out time (no pun intended!) to do a couple of fun fall things.  On Tuesday night we headed out to the pumpkin patch to pick pumpkins, and then last night we did a little Halloween decorating.  I thought I'd share some photos with you.

For the past three years we've headed to a local farm to pick our pumpkins with our good friends the Hill Family.  Usually we go on a weekend, but our schedules were extra packed this year so we ended up doing a weeknight.  It was actually a lot more relaxed, and very beautiful.


Anthony is always in charge of the wagon.  Thank goodness!  That sucker gets heavy with seven peoples' pumpkins in it!


We played on the playground and checked out the farm animals while we were there...


And of course we couldn't leave without two things:  1)  Sitting down and gorging on delicious homemade donuts and apple cider...


And flagging someone down to take our annual group photo.  Maybe I'm jinxing it by saying so, but somehow we ALWAYS end up getting a good picture of EVERYONE!  : )  Such a wonderful memory to keep each year!


I've never really decorated the exterior of our home for Halloween before.  Still being relatively new homeowners we don't have a lot of either Halloween or Christmas outdoor decorations, or the money to spend a lot of cash to buy them.  My Mum always says that you accumulate holiday decor over the years, so I'm kind of going with her philosophy and building our collection as we go along.

We have an enclosed porch and I change the tablecloth of our table out there for each season, so I've got the Halloween table cloth on now...


I picked up a box of orange lights for $3 and we hung them on some preexisting hooks in our front porch.  It took all of five minutes!  I figure I'll try to grab some more lights on clearance after Halloween for next year.  We then hung some ghosts from the lights - I was worried they wouldn't show up from the outside but you can see them really clearly, and at night the orange lights case a spooky glow over them!



A couple of $1 bags of cobwebs cover our bushes below the porch windows.  I need some big plastic spiders or something to put in them...


Our pumpkins from the pumpkin patch.  Pleas disregard the extreme need for our front steps to be painted!  Next year...  : )


To finish it off I'd really love some of those fake gravestones in front of the bushes.  Again, maybe I can get some on clearance after Halloween for next year.  All in all, we decorated (minus the pumpkins and mums, which will stay until closer to Thanksgiving) for about $7.  Deal!


I hope you're enjoying the fall season as much as I am!