Pumpkin Spice Plus

 There is a neat packet of paper called "Pumpkin Spice".  Here are the 3 double page layouts.

After every set of pages there are always left over pieces.  What does one do?  I used to keep it with the pages and then when I used them in an album, if I needed more pages, I would have the paper and make them.  Then I started taking the done pages and putting them together with other done pages with the pieces in labeled in bags but.... when I needed more pages I couldn't find the bags with the scraps.  

How I am trying something else.  Because we have pocket pages, I am making 4x6 , 6x4 and 3x4, 4x3 pml cards and putting them with the done pages.  Here is what I have done so far.

I found the matching stamp set and I still have a few more cards to make and I am going to use the stamp set to finish off more cards.

Leave a message about what you do with your scraps.  I know some people make cards with them, but the card I make are samples for my classes and I need more than scraps to work with.  

Make unique calendar gifts for Christmas that give a wonderful touch all year long

 Each year, Close To My Heart has done a calendar special that is easy to put together.  It is like the Cut Above in that you don't stamp anything.  You have preprinted base pages, you add stickers and punch outs and then you put your photos on.  

I sometimes will put 3x3 photos by the month if there are more images I want to do that month.  Some people make the calendar and put on photos from the year rather than just photos from years before.  You can also just get the 13 pages (12 months and a front cover) and make an album.  These are great pages.  Check out the video to see what they look like.  You have until December 31 to order or as long as supplies last.  

I customize the calendars with the birthdays and anniversaries that each family has.  Each time there is a  unique stamp set to help you stamp, if you wish, on the calendar part.  There is plenty of room to write on the squares as it is up on the wall.  

Let me know if you are interested in doing a crop with me for the calendars.  I make 5 calendars a year and would like the company.  It takes about 3 - 4 hours to complete so it can be done in one setting or several. 

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Christmas Card Buffet

 It is almost time for the Christmas Card buffet.  This is coming to my home and making whatever number of cards you would want.  Please let me know if you want to come and how many cards you think you would make.  There will be cards that are easier to make and some that time more time.  They will be marked.  There are two groups meeting but if those times don't fit your schedule, let me know.  

Here are some cards.  I haven't decided yet which cards will be part of that workshop.  Some of these may show up but I wanted to show you how you can change the saying to fit your needs.  Most people can make about 8 cards in a 3 hour time slot.  It is $15 for the first 4 and $3 for every card after that.  There will be a limit to how many of one type you can make so there will be a variety left for others.

More will be posted later. 

What do you do with scraps and leftovers?

 When I did all the shaker cards, I was left with glitter rectangles. I also have left over pieces from many projects. CTMH now sells white cards only but I have some of the Colonial White (ecru) left over. I also have made many thin cuts for people to choose from with their shaker cards.  I decided to try and use them up as well - as best as I could. I decided to play with ideas that I want to use for my Christmas Card buffet.  Here is the result of the play time:

What is left after the smallest rectangle shaker size is a small solid piece which fits on the bottom of the tag and shows through the heart as a glitter heart.  

I still have scraps left but it is fun to see what you can make.

Share what you can do with your left overs and scraps.  

Halloween Cards

 I love the 4 girls and 4 boys stamps and thin cuts that are Halloween!  I was playing with the Distress Dioxide inks for backgrounds and got carried away.  It was fun to just play and make 18 cards in combinations of all the stamps/thin cuts.  If anyone is interested in making these cards, let me know and we can Zoom or get in person.

I am having great fun with the Distress Dioxide inks.  They are fun to blend and get wonderful backgrounds for all sorts of cards.

Card groups for September, October and November

 Card groups are starting up again.  There will be Zoom and in person.  If you are vaccinated we can use my house or yours for a small group.  You can sign up for the group you have time for.  We will make 4 cards per month and in late November early December we will have a Christmas Card buffet where you can make your Christmas cards. 

If you choose to sign up for just 1 month,  is $15 if you are new or $13 if you have done cards before.  If you sign up and pay or 3 months it is $36.  If you bring a paying friend each of you will get $1 off  per month so $1 for 1 paying month or $3 for paying for 3 months.  

The cards on Zoom classes will not be exactly as the cards in person.  You can see Septembers ideas and some of October.  There has been a delay in getting materials and my times have been full.  

These are the Zoom classes.  The Gnomes are birthday cards. The flower cards can be any sentiment. You can ask for the stamped sentiment you need: thank you, thinking of you, sympathy etc. 

The cards for the in person classes will be shaker cards. You will have choices what to put in the shaker cards and the sentiments you stamp.

The fourth card has other sentiments to stamp in the middle if you are in person.  I also have different color stickles that you can use.  For those who will be on Zoom and stay on Zoom, I suggest you go to my website: barbarapagekell.ctmh.com and choose a stickle gold or silver color.  I have found that the embellishments can make you pay extra for a card to be sent in the mail.  Stickles are not that bumpy but make a card look elegant.  I have used water colors for this months cards.  You can use markers or colored pencils as well.

The Zoom October cards will be a choice of one of these 2, two other slimline cards that are for the September special.  I will also be making some Halloween cards you can choose to make.  There will also be a "waterfall" birthday card option.

The in person classes will be using Distressing Dioxide inks.  You can choose what color you wish to make things.

Call me 608-370-0156 and lets get you signed up for classes.  

National Stamping Month - Slimline Collection

 I have fallen in love with the Slimline cards!  This collection is amazing.  You can get the stamps, stamp and thin cuts, background thin cuts separately or as a bundle and you have the workshop guidelines you can download.

The bundle of stamps and thin cuts and papers can be found on my site.  Here are just the stamps and thin cuts.

Each of the cards can be full of sparkles.  The directions tell you how to put the cards together.  If you look at the cards, each of the images are thin cut.  When I do this over again, I am going to just get 2 sheets of  4 x 12 Daisy White and cut them all at once by looking at the cards and doing the double sets a second time.  I did mark zip lock bags and put the thin cuts in their appropriate numbered bag.  There is a good amount of work to cut, stamp outline and then color each of the thin cuts.  This is however the National Stamping Month collection.  You will get your stamping muscles a good work out. 

I love that they give you both vertical and horizontal sayings to stamp on the inside.  These can be used on a variety of cards past this collection.

You also have a variety of saying on each stamp set.  The workshop guidelines gives you a suggestion but you can really make these your own by choosing a variety of things.

 

After I follow the directions, I always decide to play and see what I can do.  The following are the cards I made.  The guidelines gives you 2 cards per design which is how I have the saying next to the front.  I only did 1 of each design I came up with.

You can make a variety of cards using a variety of paper.  Share your creations and see what joy you have working with this great National Stamping Month collection.