From the Scrap Drawer

Because it is so unseasonably cold (32 degrees!) today in my part of Florida, I spend this afternoon clearing out some of my pack rat stash of miscellaneous bits and pieces of card making and scrapbook projects leftovers. I have several other cards on the work table to finish.




Our local newspaper is seeking people who are 'shop-aholics' for a future feature about getting out of credit card debt. If they were looking for people who cannot pass up a sale or a 40% off coupon offer from the craft stores, I'd be #1 on their 'to be interviewed' list.

Perfect Plum Loop-de-loop

This card was made using Perfect Plum cardstock and ink pad from Stampin' Up, two sheets of paper from a Mat Stack which I've had for a few years, and the base and small and large loop-de-loop templates stacked from the Fold-it Ribbon Swirls template from Hot Off the Press (#HOTP 7332). I sponged the back of the paper with the Purple Plum ink pad as I don't have any two-sided paper. Then I used the sponge again to highlight the edges of the loops.

Templates

These three cards are made using the same elements; i.e., Bo-Bunny's Back to Basics Concord Dot Reversible Heavy Weight Paper (#12CDD677), pretty matching paper,jewel brads, and Around the Block Lace No. 2 Frame Tape (#06057). The flowers were made by using Hot Off the Press' Fold-it Ribbon Swirls (#HOTP 7332) and Fold & Stack Flowers (#HOTP 7336). The paper I used for the flowers was not printed on the back and as I was unable to find a coordinating double-sided paper, I used a sponge and ink pad to create my own.

Newest Cards

These are two of the four cards some friends and I got together and made last week. I'm trying to learn how to take a photo and load it from the camera (Kodak Easy Share C643) to the computer then to the blog instead of scanning it into my computer which causes it to sometimes be too large for the blog to upload and some of the embellishment depth is lost.

These two cards were scanned into my computer then uploaded. I can't tell the difference...maybe the first ones are more blurred? Anyway, do you recognize the silver/grey background I used?

A Neat Trick

Over Christmas I noticed the Postal clerk was demonstrating to another customer that her cards were not too thick - over 1/4 inch - by using a cutout that was also cut to the widest an envelope can be without paying extra postage (every penny counts!). I had decided then I would somehow make my own and today I finally got around to it by using a piece of cardboard and carefully cutting an opening to slide my cards through to make sure I won't have to pay that extra 17 cents.

According to the USPS web page, envelopes must fit within these guidelines:

First-Class letter dimensions:

Rectangular
At least 3-1/2 inches high X 5 inches long X .007 inch thick
No more than 6-1/8 inches high X 11-1/2 inches long X 1/4 inch thick
Maximum weight is 3.5 ounces
Letters that are considered nonmachinable are subject to a surcharge.
Length is the dimension parallel to the address.


You may notice that the counter is now gone. It failed and the web site where I got it won't let me have another one because they show I already have one for each of my blogs. Oh, well, it was nice while it lasted.

Welcome, Baby!

Any day now, my nephew and his wife are expecting their first. We won't know if it's a boy or girl until it arrives which was their decision. When I was having babies in the 70's, we didn't have that option. My children have opted to wait until the baby is born to find out.

This card is a money/gift card holder and was made using the self-adhesive paper lace from Around the Corner and punches used are from the Paper Studio and Paper Shapers. I used a stiletto to punch holes in the white medallion.



This card was made with the help of the Coluzzle cutting system which made it so easy to get the edging exact.

Christmas Money Holder Card

As we usually give the children money as their Christmas presents, this year I decided to try making money holder cards.