ENVELOPE SOLUTION FOR LAW FIRM INVITES

The invitations for the law firm (PREVIOUS POST) are completed and delivered !!! WOOHOO !!!

A HUGE thanks to all of you who left comments and e-mails to solve my envelope dilemma!!!! (The dilemma was to find an attractive, mailable solution for these 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" Triangle Tri-Fold Invitations). I knew I could count on my creative readers to help me out with this one ... all the ideas were great! Ultimately, MAGGI's suggestion is the one that suited my needs for this invitation the best. Thanks, Maggi!!!!This is what I did: I took 1" x 4 1/4" Basic Black CS strips, rounded one corner, added Sticky Strip to each side, and adhered inside at each end of the rectangular 5 3/4" x 4 3/8" envelope. The strips of CS act as spacers so the invitation doesn't float around the envelope. I found this to be the fastest and most attractive solution.

LAW FIRM 10TH ANNIVERSARY INVITATIONS

A few weeks ago, I was hired by a local law firm to create invitations for their 10th Anniversary Celebration Dinner. The event will be semi-formal at a pricey restaurant located at a high-end Scottsdale resort. This was probably one of the most challenging projects I've ever tackled. Trying to make formal, elegant invitations without making them look like wedding invites was difficult! I gave them several samples to choose from, but ultimately, they chose this first sample; a triangle tri-fold card inspired by stampinbrenda on SCS. See stampinbrenda's original HERE.

I'm in the midst of putting the finishing touches on these invites so I can deliver them within the next couple of days. I have a dilemma that I was hoping my crafty, creative readers could help me with ... the envelopes for these 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" tri-fold cards. These will be mailed, and the United States Postal Services' minimum size requirements for mailing a square envelope is 5" x 5", and minimum size requirements for mailing a rectangular envelope is 3 1/2" x 5". I could put these invites in a larger envelope, but I'm thinking that is going to look unprofessional. Any ideas for an attractive, professional-looking envelope/mailing option? If you have any ideas, PLEASE leave a comment!

RECIPE
Stamps: Baroque Motifs, Fundamental Phrases
Paper: Basic Black and River Rock CS, River Rock Prints DP
Ink: Jet Black Staz-On, Versamark
Embellishments: Basic Black 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, Gold Brad, Black Stampin' Emboss Powder
Tools: Tag Corner Punch, Embossing Buddy, Heat Tool
Supplies: Sticky Strip
Tutorial for Triangle Tri-Fold Card by Beate Johns.

This next card is a CASE of Nancy Morgan's original found HERE and HERE. The only things I did differently from Nancy's original is flipped the card and used self-adhesive rhinestones in place of brads.
RECIPE
Stamps: Baroque Motifs, Fundamental Phrases
Paper: Basic Gray, Basic Black, Real Red, and Whisper White CS
Ink: Jet Black Staz-On, Versamark
Embellishments: Basic Gray Taffeta Ribbon, Self-Adhesive Rhinestones (non-SU), Silver Stickles, Clear Stampin' Emboss Powder
Tools: Photo Corners Punch, Horizontal Slot Punch, Embossing Buddy, Heat Tool
Supplies: Stampin' Dimensionals
Note: Card measures 5 1/4" x 5 1/4"

This next card was inspired by Dig This Stamper on SCS. You can see her gorgeous original HERE. RECIPE
Stamps: Baroque Background Stamp, Fundamental Phrases
Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White, and Silver Metallic CS
Ink: Jet Black Staz-On, Versamark
Embellishments: Basic Gray Taffeta Ribbon, Self-Adhesive Rhinestones (non-SU)
Supplies: A Cuttlebug Tag Die-Cut was used to make the sentiment label. Stampin' Dimensionals

This next card is a case of THIS CARD by newmomat39 on SCS. The only things I changed were the sentiment, and added a silver Stickle to the (for lack of a better word) "tulip bud".
RECIPE
Stamps: Baroque Motifs, Hugs & Wishes
Paper: Basic Gray, Basic Black and Whisper White CS
Ink: Jet Black Staz-On
Embellishments: Silver Stickles

IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY

I'm posting this at the risk of showing you my sick and twisted Stampin' Up! mind ! Yep, I'll admit it ... my mind works in Stampin' Up! stamp set designs and Stampin' Up! 48 colors + 6 In Colors, and you'll see that it doesn't take much to make me happy!

When you look at this bucket, what Stampin' Up! stamp set do you see?Do you see what I see? .... the Stampin' Up! stamp set Merry & Bright! See how the tree image is very similar to the one in the Merry & Bright stamp set? Do you also see Old Olive and Real Red?

How convenient for me that I found these little buckets at the Walgreen's on the corner! It just so happened that I had ordered a few Merry & Bright stamp sets for a few stampin' friends for their December birthdays, and had these Merry & Bright Wish Lists already made up with Dashing DP (in the colors of Old Olive and Real Red). I also included some coordinating Real Red/Old Olive 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon, chocolate and red shred. I just dressed up the bucket by adding the snowman image in the scallop medallion with ribbon. I was so excited to give these to my stampin' friends! Note: Bear with me here readers ... I'm in Christmas mass assembly mode and obviously desperate for anything new and remotely interesting to post!

RAK FROM CYNDI BUNDY, TIME WELL SPENT

When I was a little girl, I was thrilled to receive greeting cards and handwritten letters in the mail. I remember receiving handwritten letters from my Aunt Diana, and handwritten postcards from my Mom while I was away at bible camp (for a whole week!). It is just as thrilling in my adult life to receive a greeting card, handwritten letter, and better yet ... a hand stamped card! Yesterday, I received this happy card from Cyndi Bundy. Please visit Cyndi's blog, The Scrappy Chick ... it is filled with inspiring ideas! Cyndi used the stamp set, Time Well Spent. Another perk of being a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator .... all demos received this stamp set a few weeks ago FREE as a gift from Stampin' Up! This stamp set will appear in the new Spring Summer 2008 Catalog & Idea Book as a Level Three Hostess Set.

ELF RAK FROM JACKIE PEDRO

I am one spoiled girl, I tell ya'! Look what my ELF on SCS, Jackie Pedro, sent to me! Jackie is a new blogger with oodles and oodles of talent! You've GOT to check out her blog, The Scalloped Edge, and her SCS Gallery (strappystamper) !!! Click HERE for all the details about Jackie's CUTE card she sent to me using Punch Pals!I just had to take a photo of Jackie's gifts all packaged together with ribbon that coordinates with her card and nugget tin. The photo below shows all the goodies ... two bottles of Stickles, Making Memories Pebble Brads, and the adorable nugget tin that matches her card! Oh, I love it all! THANK YOU, JACKIE!!!!

ALTERED CHRISTMAS WISH LIST TUTORIAL & GIFT IDEA

One evening last week, I whipped up these altered Christmas Wish Lists using jr. legal notepads for my fellow SCS'ers/Bloggers/Stampers/Friends, Nancy Morgan and Fran Sabad. There was a little "ELFing" going on on SCS, and I surprised Nancy and Fran with a bucket of Christmas goodies that included these altered notepads. These notepads were completely inspired by Heather Nichols' Holiday List Book HERE. Nicole's Wish Lists are adorable!!! Keep scrolling down for the tutorial on how to make these notepads, and a photo of Nancy and Fran's elfing goodies.These notepads were so easy to make that I'll be mass assembling many of them next week to give as gifts through the Christmas season! It would be very easy to alternate designer papers too ... I have big plans to use Wintergreen DP too! The notepads in these photos use Dashing DP.SUPPLIES NEEDED AND RECIPE:
* The notepad itself is a Junior Legal Pad purchased at my local office supply store (Staples or OfficeMax). They have a copy center, and all you do is ask them to cut the pads in half vertically. My office supply store charged me $1.00 to cut the entire package of pads.
Stamps: Merry & Bright, "HOLIDAY HAPPINESS" from So Many Sayings
Paper: Real Red and Old Olive CS, Dashing DP
Ink: Jet Black Staz-On Ink Pad, Real Red & Old Olive Markers
Embellishments: Dazzling Diamonds applied on snowman's body with 2-Way Glue Pen, Button and Embroidery Floss
Tools: Paper Piercing Tool/Mat/Template, Word Window Punch, Scallop Punch, 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" Circle Punches
Supplies: Sticky Strip, Glue Dots (for button), Stampin' Dimensionals (for main image)
Note: In my examples, there is paper piercing along the Old Olive horizontal CS strip above and below the Real Red horizontal CS strip, and on each scallop of the scallop circle. Stamp the snowflake image from Merry & Bright on random pages of the notepad. I did use Pumpkin Pie marker to color in the snowman's nose, and Blush Blossom marker to give the snowman rosy cheeks.

*Cut Real Red CS base 5 1/2" x 8 1/4", score at 2 5/8" and 2 7/8".
* The outside DP panel measures 2 1/2" x 8", then cut at 5" and flipped with the opposite side of the DP on the bottom.
* The inside DP panel measures 2 1/2" x 8".
* The flap that goes around the top of the legal pad measures 1 7/8" x 2 1/2", and scored at 7/8" and 1".
* I used Sticky Strip to adhere the notepad to the cardstock.

Here are some more coordinating goodies that I sent to Nancy and Fran; an altered jumbo paper clip and altered Hershey's miniatures.
This next photo is of the completed buckets of elfing goodies with plenty of chocolate and a few stamping necessities. I've had these tins for quite sometime (thanks Leah!), and used Sticky Strip to attach the Old Olive 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon to it. The bow is separate and adhered with Glue Dots. The hanging pendant is the same image used on the notepads, and hung from the bow with Silver Elastic Cord.
Thanks for looking! I'm slowly getting over my annual "Christmas Freak Out"! I've been completely overwhelmed with to do's in my head the last few days, but am feeling better after getting the house decorated today! woohoo! One more thing to check off the list! As Joanne Basile told me last night, and Lorri Heiling told me this morning, "BREATHE IN, BREATHE OUT!".

got stamps?

If you're a local friend of mine, you know that on most days I'm a t-shirt/sweatshirt and jeans kind of gal. I found my favorite new t-shirt and sweatshirt on Margaret Blount's blog, StampMom. Her husband is a graphic designer and has come up with some really cute stamper designs! My favorite is the "got stamps?"! Other designs include "The Jolly Cropper" (with scissors instead of crossbones!) and "You can take my stamps when you pry them from my cold dead fingers." They offer not only t-shirts and sweatshirts -- there are also mugs, bibs, bags, hats, magnets, bumper stickers, and more!

You can see the stamper designs and make online purchases through this link: StampMom. I received my t-shirt and sweatshirt a few days ago ... the quality is exceptional, and the shipping was incredibly fast!

SCS FEATURED STAMPER CHALLENGE FS43 CUTTERCALLOUS

Today's Featured Stamper (FS43) on SCS is Rose Ann, aka CutterCallous on SCS. Rose Ann's blog, Paper Delightz, is one of my favorite sources of inspiration! Rose Ann's kind words that she leaves in her comments on my posts are always encouraging and uplifting!

THIS is Rose Ann's card I chose to case. The things I changed from her original: a) different color combination, b) different DP ... I used Cutie Pie, and Rose Ann used Petals & Paisleys, c) I opted for no sentiment, d) my flowers are punched out of Cutie Pie DP versus Rose Ann's stamped images from Polka Dots & Petals. There's NO stamping on my card (*gasp!*), e) I omitted the scallop border along the center striped strip.
RECIPE
Stamps: None
Paper: Cutie Pie DP, Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, and Whisper White CS
Ink: None
Embellishments: Bashful Blue Brads, Bashful Blue 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon
Tools: 1 1/4" Circle Punch, Paper Piercing Tool/Mat/Template, Cuttlebug Spots & Dots Embossing Folder
Supplies: Stampin' Dimensionals

STAMPIN' UP! RETIRED STAMP SET LIST REVEALED

When a new Stampin' Up! catalog & idea book is introduced, a list of stamp sets goes into retirement to make room for new stamp sets. Today, Stampin' Up! revealed a list of those stamp sets to gear up for the NEW 2008 Spring Summer Catalog & Idea Book coming January 1.

Click the links below to view the retired list of stamps sets which are still available through December:

Retired List (Alphabetical Order)
Retired List (Numerical)

Click here to view the dormant list. The dormant list includes stamp sets from the 2007 Fall-Winter Collection that are not included in the upcoming 2008 Spring-Summer Collection. These sets can be found online and are considered current Stampin' Up! product.

Items from the Holiday Mini will not appear on the dormant list, but they are not retired. Stamp sets and wheels from mini catalogs will not be included on the dormant list.

The retiring wheels and accessories list will be available online December 10. You can order items from this list through January 1, 2008 or while supplies last.

E-mail me today to place your Stampin' Up! product order... nrileycm@cox.net !

~Nancy Riley

RAKS FROM DOTTIE K AND WENDY BOND

I received my FIRST Christmas card a few days ago, and it was a HAND STAMPED one too!!! ... from Dottie Kinnear. I've crowned Dottie as the "QUEEN OF CHRISTMAS"! I think she's had her holiday shopping done since ... ummm ... October?! Dottie also sends e-mails to me with her helpful holiday planning tips! I tell ya', the girl's got it together!

I love the Bashful Blue paired with the Real Red and Wild Wasabi on Dottie's card! The snowglobe main image has 3-D snow and lots of bling that the photo just didn't pick up.
This next beauty came all the way from Canada from my friend, Wendy Bond. Wendy is also known as joelysmom on SCS. You gotta see her gallery ..... talent galore! I just love the way she used the Fall Flowers DP, the brads in the corners, ... and her ribbon is tied PERFECTLY!
Here's a close up photo of Wendy's unique and genius use of the Round Tab Punch ...Thank you Dottie and Wendy! Your handstamped creations are so meaningful to me!