End of the Week Technique # 16 - Framelet Valentine Candy Holder

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Hey y'all. Happy Thursday! I hope you're having a good day. It's cold here in the DMV with flurries forecast for later today but for now the sun is shining.

I have to confess that this is not the EWT I had in mind for you today. I know... you heard that last week too. Truth is I had planned to do lots of stamping and crafting yesterday to get ready for this weekend, (like I said I was going to do in yesterday's post) and then a little miracle happened. Right as I was finishing that post and about to hit "publish" my Oh-So-Handsome Boyfriend, who I took the day off from work to be with (don't worry I got it covered early, all legit like) and who had a last minute schedule change at 5:55 yesterday morning and wasn't going to be able to get off work, was able to get off work! SCORE!!!!! He lives nearby but his work schedule is soooo crazy (we're talking 6 days/week 12-14 hour days) that our time together is at a premium, so I have to say, there was not a lot of design - creativity happening in my household after I hit publish yesterday.

That being said, the project I have for you is super cute, super easy and can be adapted to anytime of the year, not just Valentines Day. I was inspired to make a Valentine's Day Treat holder after going to a Stampcamp this weekend and using the "Pillowbox" Die and the Big Shot to make one. Since I didn't have that die, I needed to find another option. I could have used the TopNote and made one like THIS from Halloween, but I wanted to try something else. So I got out my thinking cap, looked around and what do you know, I found the inspiration I needed right in front of me on my table. It was on the cover of the new Occasions-Mini. I changed it a little, theirs is simply rolled (so I'm thinking it's probably not a treat holder) and mine is scored with the Simply Scored Tool. Do you have yours yet? I'm telling you it is a must have! I don't even fold cardstock for card bases anymore without scoring them on that first. It just makes the fold so much nicer.

Here's today's project-

Cute right? Wouldn't you love to find this on your desk at work, or on your pillow at home? It's so easy even your crafting-challenged significant others could do this or could help your little ones do it to give you a nice surprise. If they can crank the handle of the Big Shot, Score cardstock, Punch a hole, Tie a knot/bow they're home free. They get bonus points if they can stamp the image and punch it out! (:

I used DSP from my Brights pack and the largest Framelet and simply ran it through the Big Shot. So simple.  Next, I laid this on my Simply Scored Tool with the "points" in a channel. I then counted over 1/2 inch or 4 "channels" on either side and scored, and then reinforced those scores. Then, using my Crop-A-Dile I punched a hole through both sides at the top and took a length of about 12 inches of Pretty in Pink ribbon (although you could realistically get away with less) wrapped it around the outside and through the holes.

Here's what it looks like open-

As you can see 4 Kisses or Mini- Reese's Cups fit nicely, or 3 "Nuggets" You can use a little Snail to hold them in.

Once they were in, I tied my Pretty in Pink ribbon in a simple knot and flagged the ends. I stamped 2 of the images from the P.S. I Love You set in Real Red and Pretty in Pink on Whisper White and then punched it out using my Small Scalloped Circle Punch. A quick hole punched to the top and I tied some Cherry Cobbler Bakers Twine through that and around the knotted ribbon and easy as that my sweet treat is ready to bring a smile to someones face.

So what do you think? Will you be "accidentally" forwarding this link to someone you love so they can make  you something sweet for VD instead of buying something for you? I don't know about you, but I would rather get this, or something similar, that someone took the time to make for me than something from one of the big stores.

I hope you liked today's Quick and Easy EWT and I hope it inspires you to try something new and to remember that just because you don't have "exactly what someone else used" doesn't mean that you can't still make something your own. Just Try! If you liked today's project, I would love it if you left me a comment. It's great when I get to hear from you! Also, if you liked today's card, please feel free to +1 or Pin it. I've added the buttons to my side-bar for your convenience. Friends and Followers are also welcome. :)

If you need supplies to make today's project or one similar to it you can shop at my ONLINE STORE 24/7.
Today's Recipe-
Cardstock- Real Red Pattern Paper Brights Stack
Ink- Real Red and Pretty in Pink Stampin Write Markers
Ribbons- Pretty in Pink Grosgrain, Cherry Cobbler Bakers Twine
Big Shot- Labels Framelets
Stamps- P.S. I Love You
Accesories- Crop-A-Dile, SNAIL


It's not about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to Dance in the rain.

Till next time-

Be Safe,
Shan Pin It

A Triple Challenge and A Little Holiday Cheer OWH #99, SQSC #17, PPA #124

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Hey y'all.

Friday is finally here! Woo-Hoo! The cold is coming quickly here in the DMV and we are expected to drop nearly 20 degrees during the day today and maybe even some of the white stuff. YUCK! But, I'm doing a Christmas lunch with my co-workers and counting down to the weekend. I hope you have some fabulous plans for this last weekend before Christmas. Holy Cow, it's so hard to believe it's almost here!

No Christmas card today though, I'm looking ahead to V.D. (Ok, I hope you all went back to High School with me on that one.) Of course, I meant Valentine's Day. Operation Write Home is sending Valentine's Day cards overseas to our troops and they need to be sent out by Dec. 31st. Have you heard about this group? They send cards to our troops so they have beautiful handmade cards to send home to their loved ones. They also send cards to our Hero's from us, to thank them for the Amazing Job they are doing. Check them out. Here's their Sketch Challenge for this week-

It doesn't happen often for me, but as soon as I saw it I knew what I wanted to do. I just needed to flip the whole card on it's side and I'd be in business. This really doesn't happen often for me so I was really excited. One of the things I also really liked about the challenge sketch is it gives dimensions on it. What a big HUGE help that is, especially to someone like me. This of course meant I didn't have to do any math to try and figure out my dimensions. Thanks OWH!

However, While I was waiting to get a chance to stamp, I saw this sketch over at Stampin Queens-

I thought "It's kinda similar to the OWH one, just flip it on it's side too, skinny up the middle layer and stretch out the top one." Are you seeing it?  Now if you  have followed me at all, you know I usually don't see these kinds of connections. I'm usually a very literal interpretation kind of girl, so I was really excited that I might be able to do 2 challenges with one card. The only thing it didn't have was the little accents in the corners. I hope they'll forgive me for not using them.

And then I saw this sketch over at Pals Paper Arts and thought "No Stinking Way! 3 challenges from 1 card?" Here's the PPA sketch-

Here I thought "If I just flip the layout of the top layers side-ways, ( a quarter turn counter-clockwise) I think it will work."  And you know what? I think it does!

What do you think? Here's my card-

Can I just say, it turned out just like I saw it in my head, and it came together so quickly too. I'm really happy with how it turned out.

I started with a base of Real Red and then a layer of Pretty in Pink for my strip, which I adhered with Tombow. I then used my LOVE Letterpress Plate and my Big Shot to create the center panel. I inked it up with Real Red classic ink (although I do believe it probably does work better with the Craft Spots) and ran it through. This was, sad to say, the first time I had used this plate, but I will definitely use it more. I popped this up with dimensionals and then added my large Red Glimmer Heart which was left over from my Valentines Day swap a few weeks back. I used a few dimensionals on this too.

It's kind of hard to see in this picture, but there are embossed hearts on the pink layer. I made a Textured Plate with the backing from our DSP packs and my small heart punch. I did an End of the Week Technique on it a while back. You can check it out HERE if you haven't seen it yet. The hearts are all turned randomly on 3 lines (yeah, random was really hard for me here, because there are a lot of hearts!) and then glued down. Here's a look at what the strip looks like-

Ooops, it looks like I  showed the debossed side :-)

Here's a closer look at the card-

Just a little added touch of the unexpected and since I made it myself, I know no-one else will have one just like it.

Here's the inside of the card-

As I currently own just one Valentine's set that's what got used even though it's from last year and is retired. I used Real Red for my ink and let Tink do her thing at the bottom. Now, if this card was actually being shipped to OWH I wouldn't have been able to use the Dazzling Diamonds, I would have just used a small Glimmer heart instead.

So what do you think? I think I pulled it off. I always wondered at how people could get 2 or 3 challenges out of one card. Most of them are sketches and color challenges or mashups, but I think I managed to get 3 different sketches out of one card. I'm enjoying this because I'm sure it will probably never happen again!

If you liked today's card, I would love it if you left me a comment. It's great when I get to hear from you! Also, if you liked today's card, please feel free to +1 or Pin it. I've added the buttons to my side-bar for your convenience. Friends and Followers are also welcome. :)

Today's Card recipe-
Cardstock- Real Red, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White and Red Glimmer
Ink-Real Red
Big Shot- Love Letterpress Plate
Punch- Large Heart
Accessories-Tombow, Dazzling Details, Two-Way Glue Pen

Now back to the holiday's for just a moment. Ever get a phone call and you look at the number and go???????

That happened to me yesterday when I looked at the caller ID and it was my home number. Now I know my studio assistants are pretty talented and Duecey actually likes to talk on the phone, but him calling me, well that would be one for the record books. And, as I'm an empty-nester, (except for Deucey and Bitty) I knew no-one was in the house unless my resident ghost had decided to call and there again, one for the record books. So I answered the phone to find my sis on the other end. *WHEW!* She was calling to tell me she was dropping off a surprise, but where could she put it so the babies wouldn't get it for the next few hours because Bitty was already playing with. We finally came up with a hiding location, but I was going bonkers trying to figure out what she possibly could have left for me that Bitty Kitty wanted so bad.

I got home and found this-

Ok, I actually found it in the spare bedroom so Bitty wouldn't play with it and brought it up so I could take a picture. Do you know what it is? It's the Charlie Brown Christmas tree! With the little red ornament and Linus' blankie around the bottom. You know what else? It plays the Charlie Brown theme.

My sis had got us both one and it was just in time for me to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas on t.v. last night. She is so AMAZING!!!! Really, Just the Best!

Here's the cute card that came with it too. Just right for my studio assistants-

I was laughing SO HARD! I loved my early gifts and just wanted to be able to share them with you all. I hope they bring a little joy to your day. Remember also, to Just Dance, and to dance like no-one's watching.

I hope you have a Great weekend filled with Family, Friends, Lots of Love and of course plenty of time for designing!

Till next time-

Be Safe,
Shan Pin It

I Love You Guys!

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Hey y'all! I hope you're having a great Monday! It's a bit overcast and drizzly here in the DMV but it just can't detract from the weekend I had and the week to come... I sure hope you feel the same way!

Now you know since it's Monday let's get the Football out of the way so we can get to the really exciting stuff, not that Football's not exciting, really exciting, but OH MY GOODNESS is the Stamping so EXCITING this week. So, here we go, College Ball, HELLO! The South Rose Again this weekend! Yes Sirree! All my southern teams showed up. LSU, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Miami, Auburn. FSU came to play but sadly lost in the final minutes in a hotly contested game against VA for the first loss to Va ever at home, but what a game!

In NFL play yesterday the biggest happiness maker was the Dallas-Washington game. The simple fact that Dallas won meant Washington lost and if you follow my blog at all you know that means I was doubly happy as I have 3 teams, The Cowbows, The Patriots, and anyone who plays the Redskins. Tonight, the Pats play so we'll see if tomorrow finds me as happy or just tired from staying up late to watch MNF.

Now, on to the really good stuff! :-)

The weekend started off on Friday night with the evening off from work (Score!) and me getting to go to a special team event for team members who had promoted in the past few months with my upline Robin, and Jan Wakeland. (Double Score!) What a treat!!!! We got to have dinner, chat, stamp and make a project. I walked in to hear, "Were your ears burning?", but more on that later in the week..... It was a fun evening, filled with laughter and friendship.

Saturday started bright and early and we had a huge meeting, with Jan, and people who drove almost 2 1/2 hours to come. We had swaps and contests and give-aways. It was Fabulous. Lots of great ideas and lots of tips, plus we got to do make and takes so really  a fun day. So many really creative people, I was just blown away by some of the talent, and getting to meet and connect with these fabulous ladies, what a bonus!

Yesterday, I got to decompress, watch some ball and stamp. Silly me, I didn't take pictures of my swap, so I had to do another one so I could take a picture of it. SMH!!!!! Also, I did a card for another sketch challenge that I'll post tomorrow.  And on top of all that, as if that wasn't enough fabulousness, I got an e-mail from my momma, who follows me on here, that said she was proud of how I was doing with this. Well, it just doesn't get any better than that, now does it? So you see, it was a really good weekend. I hope yours was as good as mine!

So, are you ready for today's card? It's my swap from this weekend's event. We did Valentine's themed swaps. I know it seems a little early since it's not even Christmas, but you know it's never to early to show a little love and I Love You Guys!!!!!!!

It's really my first punch art card, although I didn't plan it to be that way. It also seemed a really simplistic idea until I had to do 32 of them.... I wasn't sure I liked the design so much then. Just kidding, I'm still in love with it. The only variance from the original idea was the addition of the polka dot embossing folder for the background. (Which was Robin Merriman's idea, Thanks Girl!)

The concept was being wrapped up in love's embrace, you know like a big hug.
I started with a card base of Whisper White cut at 4 1/4 x 8 1/2 folded at 4 1/4 to make a square. I then layered that with a piece of 4 inch square Whisper White cardstock I had run through the Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder. I adhered this to the front with Tombow.

I used my Word Window punch (I keep telling you how it's my fav) to make the arms out of Whisper White cardstock and angled them over the front of my Large Heart, punched from Red Glimmer Paper, and just folded them up the back. They fit perfectly, no trimming required. They overlapped slightly in the front and I adhered them there with Tombow. I then adhered the Small Punched Glimmer Heart with Tombow.  I used 3 dimensionals to raise it up and adhered it to the card front.

For the sentiment I used one of the sayings from the stamp set Three Little Words. I inked it in Basic Black, stamped in on Whisper White cardstock and punched it out with the Word Window Punch. I then threaded it back in (using scraps of cardstock) and trimmed the edges to make it smaller and layered it on Glimmer Red Paper I punched with the Word Window Punch. I Tombowed the two layers together and then finished it off with two little Rhinestones and then popped the whole thing up with two dimensionals.

Here's the inside-

I added another sweet little glimmer heart to the inside. Now all that's waiting is a hand written love letter. It's a simple design, but it got a good response at the swap. I hope you like it as well. Like I said, It's really easy to make, as long as you're not making them in bulk! LOL!

Well, that's today's bit o' love for today. I really do love and appreciate all of you for stopping by here! It makes my day. I hope I bring you just a little bit of the joy you bring me!

Don't forget today starts Online Extravaganza....
JUST ANNOUNCED!!!



Online Extravaganza, Stampin' Up!'s annual sale to kick off the holiday shopping season, will begin
Monday, November 21, 2011, and run through Wednesday, November 30, 2011.
You may place orders either through my Online Store or by e-mailing me directly at stampwithrobin@yahoo.com

You'll want to be sure to log in to my Online Store on
Monday, November 21, to take advantage of great savings!

-FREE digital downloads valued at $40 when you buy My Digital Studio Express,
-60 percent off select Designer Fabrics,
-30 percent off an exclusive ribbon bundle!

And WOW - look at this!
There will be two items on sale for 24 hours only (November 21, 12:01 AM - 11:59 PM [MT]) That's 2:01 AM - 1:59 PM EST
-so make sure you don't miss the first 24 hours of Online Extravaganza!

Today's card supply list
Cardstock- Whisper White, Red Glimmer Paper
Ink-Basic- Black
Big Shot- Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder
Extras-Word Window Punch,  Large Heart Punch, Small Heart Punch, Basic Rhinestones, Tombow, Dimensionals

That's all for today. Don't forget to check out the specials in the online extravaganza. I hope you'll come back tomorrow and see the card I have for you.

If you liked today's card, I would love it if you left me a comment. It's great when I get to hear from you! Also, if you liked today's card, please feel free to +1 or Pin it. I've added the buttons to my side-bar for your convenience. Friends and Followers are also welcome. :)

Till then,

Be Safe,
Shan

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