Hooray It's Your Day and Creative Blog Hop

Hello Crafty People!

To those of you who are following the Creative Blog Hop, welcome, and thank you for visiting! I was asked by Lisa Tyndall to participate in this hop and I thought it sounded like fun because its different in that you don't go in a circle! She is also a very talented and sweet lady, so make sure you check her out at www.lisatstamps.blogspot.com if you haven't just come from there.

Today I wanted to show you a little more of what I demonstrated last week at the My Stamping Friends event that I attended. OK...my mission was to show you what ELSE you could create with one of the 5 kits Stampin' Up! has featured in the Occasions Catalog. I chose the "Hooray It's Your Day" kit because it's designed for making birthday cards and I think birthday cards are a) the best type of card to go rogue with-they should be created to suit the person for whom they are intended, and b) something that is very EASY to change up just a bit, so there's no re-creating the wheel.

So here's what the kit is INTENDED to create...TWENTY (5 each of 4 designs) super cute, fun, embellished cards, with envelopes. Guess what: all the supplies needed to make these little beauties are included! Easy peasy, right?

Well, what if you don't want to make all 20 of the cards? I made one of each design, and then went to town with the rest of the supplies from the kit. Here is one of the cards I came up with, using a few simple add-ons like linen thread and the Stacked with Love designer series paper stack. I also used the Big Shot and the Alphabet Press embossing folder to add a little interest to the Pumpkin Pie piece.

I used the coordinating stamp set and one of the star clips from the kit, plus a bit of linen thread messily wrapped and stuck down behind the sentiment banner. (This messy wrapping of thread/twine and sticking it down in what appears to be a random manner seems to be quite the trending technique. I've seen it done quite a lot, but this was my first attempt.)

For this Hop I need to answer the four questions below….so here goes!

  
1. What are you working on?  I’m working on projects for a fundraiser crop at my kids' elementary school that is coming up in a couple weeks. I provide a make and take project and also usually create a home decor art piece to be raffled off. I attend the crop every year, though I always get more socializing than scrapbooking done. LOL

2.  How does your work differ from others in your genre? Well, truthfully, it probably doesn't. I create what I am inspired to create, and that inspiration can come from anywhere...a magazine photo, Pinterest, I even once created a card set that looked like a tshirt my daughter was wearing that day.

3.  Why do you create what you do? It may sound selfish, but I create for ME. Creating makes me happy, and is one way that I take care of myself, which enables me to take care of everyone else! (I am married to an angel, and have 4 amazing kiddos and without crafting, I wouldn't have my sanity! Hence, the blog name!) I do also love to create something that will make another person smile, or empower THEM to use crafting to bring a little extra happiness into their own life. CREATE. SHARE. EMPOWER. REPEAT. 

4. How does your creative process work? I am a very big fan of the whole CASE idea which you may remember reading about on Lisa's blog. Copy And Share Everything!  I often struggle with coming up with an idea on my own so I will re-create one or more projects I have seen or heard about until my creative juices get flowing. Then the next few projects are usually a little closer to "original" work. That's another reason I like the kits we offer...it gives you a jumping off point, but still allows you the freedom to stray whenever you get ready.

So, to keep the hop going, I will nominate two people who will post next week. You should head over to each of their blogs now and subscribe, and then you'll have the next link on the blog hop delivered right to you as soon as they post...like clues in a scavenger hunt!

First, I nominate Rose-Ellen Eastman whom I met when she hosted her first Stampin' Up! style Regional Event a little over a year ago. She and I are alike in that (I suspect) creating is how she also manages to keep herself in the right state of mind for handling the any challenges AND blessings that are always being thrown her way. You can find more information on her and see all her beautiful work by clicking HERE to head over to her site, My Stamping Friends. 

My second nominee, I met on the very same day as I met Rose-Ellen, although I had been a follower of hers for quite some time before and didn't realize until that day that she and Rose-Ellen were best buds. Small world, right? So please also show some love to Michelle Suit by clicking HERE to visit her site, Suitably Stamped. P.S. If you love Disney, OR punch art, or heaven forbid DISNEY PUNCH ART, you might wanna pack a lunch before clicking that link! She does some unbelievable things with punches!

Well, I hope you made it to the end of this much-longer-than-usual post. Thanks for stopping by!



Ready to order? Go to www.angelakhan.stampinup.net
Have questions? Email me at sakina716@gmail.com

Challenge 225 - Party Time!

Hey there Crafty People!

This week's challenge is all about the PAR-TAY!  We want to see your party projects...invitations, decorations, thank yous, whatever you've created for your special events!

To check out the awesome projects the rest of the design team has created, and to upload your own projects, click HERE to visit the LNS Challenge site!

The project I have for you today is a bundle of the stuff I've created and printed for my son's birthday party.  I used the Under Construction Birthday Ensemble Digital Download that came out a while back.  

(Here's the stock photo)

Since my little guy is turning 4, and I'm not sure how much longer he'll be into cars and trucks and digging in the dirt, I thought this was a perfect time to use it.  The ensemble comes with a TON of stuff that you can just add your party info to and print.  Decorations, including banner pieces, water bottle labels, treat containers, candy bar wrappers and signs for things like the "Gift Loading Zone" are all included as well as the invitation template, a thank you postcard template, a HUGE stamp set, and more...all coordinating!  I haven't cut out the banner pieces and other decorations yet, so I am just showing you the invites and thank yous (inside and out...front and back).

If you haven't tried My Digital Studio yet, don't forget, you can always get a 30 day free trial from my website!  Just click HERE to get started today!  Plus, don't forget-until June 15th, there's a 25% discount on all print products...so whatever you decide to create, you can print it for less!  

During your 30 day free trial, you have access to:

full design and print capabilities

ALL of the Stampin' Up! colors-current and not-so-current (NOTHING EVER RETIRES IN MDS!)

ready-made card, photo book, subway art, home decor and other templates

stamp sets

punches

designer paper

embellishments, and more!  

I love to use it for laying out my projects so I don't cut up a whole package of paper before I figure out exactly what I want to make. 

Ok...as always, thanks for looking!  Comments and suggestions welcome!

Ready to order? Go to www.angelakhan.stampinup.net
Have questions? Email me at sakina716@gmail.com

Challenge 211 Happy Birthday!

Challenge 211 Happy Birthday!

Hey there!  This week, over at the Late Night Stampers Challenge Blog, we challenge you to create a project with a Birthday theme.  It can be a card, a scrapbook layout, or a 3D item...anything you're imagination can dream up!

My creation for this week is a card, though I am going to start mixing it up a bit as I am getting back to my own scrapbooking soon (or that's the plan anyway).

I used some new-to-me product...things from this year's catalog that I only recently got around to ordering, and am now in love with!

Stamp Set:  You're Amazing

Cardstock:  Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake, Daffodil Delight, Midnight Muse

Ink:  Cherry Cobbler

DSP: Parker's Patterns

Accessories:  Big Shot, Woodgrain TIEF, Silver Brads, Apothecary Accents Framelits, Floral Frames Framelits, Designer Buttons-Neutrals, Daffodil Delight Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals

I hope you're able to play along with us this week!  We look forward to seeing your artwork!

  

Need some inspiration? Check out the design team samples HERE

Once you get your creation made you can add it to the blog HERE

Thanks for stopping by!

Ready to order? Go to www.angelakhan.stampinup.net
Have questions? Email me at sakina716@gmail.com

Kind & Caring Birthday

Hello there,


Today has been an absolutely beautiful day here in Northern Virginia. So beautiful that I was able to sit outside and watch my kiddos play for about 3 hours, and since I have ZERO tolerance for heat or humidity, that is saying something!


What I have for you today is a couple pics of a gift I made for a neighbor who's birthday get-together is this weekend. It is a simple set of cards, using some fun, bright colors, and then paired with a lunch-box style tin that I picked up at my local craft store and altered to match the cards. Now, I wanted to make this card square, but I also wanted them to be able to be mailed, so that means they had to be at least 4x4. In concentrating too much on them being mail-able, I ended up making them too big to allow the tin to close. Oh well..it's decorative anyway, so I hope she doesn't mind sitting it on her desk with the cards peeking out a little bit.


So, please leave a comment and tell me what you think.

Supplies used:
Paper: Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry, Pumpkin Pie, Crushed Curry and Whisper White cardstock; Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Paper

Stamps: Kind & Caring Thoughts (Level 3 Hostess Set)

Ink: Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry, Pumpkin Pie, Crushed Curry

Accessories: Crushed Curry Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon, Mini-Glue Dots, Stampin' Dimensionals, Oval Punch, Scalloped Oval Punch, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch