Fabulous Folds Card!

Apparantly, I enjoy being ambitious, because I tried this card this month that was a HUGE undertaking... but it really paid off... because it's amazing! It is the biggest WOW card I have ever seen... however, I can't take the credit for the design, because I got that from the recent "Stampin' Success" Magazine that I get for being a demonstrator every month (another wonderful reason to join my team! I can't live without this magazine now!)
This is a video of how it turned out:
Once you start making these cards, you'll never be able to stop! The beauty is that the fold itself is so amazing, and as long as you stick with the same color scheme and basic ideas, you can change it over and over again to be a Christmas Card, a Birthday Card, a Valentine's Card... whatever you wish!
Here's the final card (I apologize for the strawberry shortcake DVD in the background, this was the quietest my house has been all week!)

The design is a little hard to get, so I took pictures step by step for you... I choose to make it a birthday card, and decided that my "theme" would be hearts and cupcakes.
A few thoughts about this card:
- make sure that you make precise and exact cuts and fold
- keep the same 3 or 4 color theme throughout the card, to have continuity
- have one or two "ideas" and stick with them (cupcakes and hearts)
- don't have anything too bulky on the card, like ribbons or other ornaments, or it will make it too hard to fold
- if you use a simple brad, have another piece of paper to cover it, as all sides of the cards will be seen at some point
- you need a paper cutter with 16ths

Here are the instructions:

Start with a half piece of 8 1/2 by 11 sheet of cardstock, cut lengthwise, to 4 1/4 x 11.

Next, cut it in half, so that you have two pieces that are 5 1/2 x 4 1/4:

Then, you score one of the pieces at 1 1/16" horizontally (this is the top picture) and the other piece at 1 3/8" vertically (the bottom part of the picture)

Next, you cut those each in half... the top one, you cut to 2 3/4" x 4 1/4" the bottom one you cut to 5 1/2 x 2 1/8"
Here's what they look like when you're done:

and

you now have all 4 pieces need to make this card.
Now, use sticky strip (it needs to be a very strong adhesive) on each of the two 2 3/4" pieces... see the above picture... use 2 strips, 1 inch or so (less than half way up) on either side of the score lines (each of the pen lines are a piece of sticky strip).
This is where it gets a bit dicey, but you can do it! Take the tape off of one of the 2 3/4" pieces, and place the two pieces of card stock that are 2 1/8" side by side, on the tape, making sure that the score lines match up.
Here's what it will look like:

now, take the stick strip off the other piece, and adhere it like this:

when together, it will look like this:

And then you are done!
Watch the video to figure out how to fold it, and decorate it one fold at a time! (Use your bone folder to get nice, crisp folds).
That's all for now, hope you enjoy making this card!
My card recipe:

Stamp Sets:
Party Hearty
Birthday Bakery

Colors:
So Saffron
Soft Suede
Regal Rose

Tools:
heart small
scallop oval extra large
small tag
large tag

That's all for now!

Clear Mount Stamps or Wood Mount Stamps... which is better?

Well, I had all these grand plans to blog this week, a bunch of things i've been working on... those things are going to have to wait...
I am leaving for Chicago tonight for Comic Con (more specifically, C2E2) ... yes, you read that right... for my husbands 30th birthday, I surprised him (with the help of lots of his friends) with a trip for C2E2... and it's this weekend!
I tried to explain to him that this is a very gracious gift on my part, and he didn't totally understand until I told him that it would be like him taking me to a Stampin' Up! Convention, and participating in all of the make n' takes, and lectures, that he 'got' it...
Anyway, that's what I'm doing this weekend.
This got me thinking to last month when I was at Stampin' Up! Vancouver Regionals... and they talked about the different advantages to wood verses clear mount stamps...
I'm going to share with you there thoughts, and mine as well!
First, the most important thing is that which ever you choose, you will enjoy high quality rubber stamps in both clear or wood options.  The rubber on our stamps is incomparable... it has even won awards!
Why wood?

I like the wood stamps for several reasons:
1) You never have to worry about packing clear blocks, they are each individually and permanently mounted for quick stamping
2) For smaller images, they are easier to stamp with, and less likely to get lost
3) Background Stamps! I love using background stamps in scrapbooking, or as a textured layer for a background to my cards.. and they are only available in wood

I like the clear stamps because:

1) They are cheaper! (I went to a workshop almost 4 years ago, and I COMPLETELY fell in love with stampin' up's coordinated images... at this time, they didn't have the option of clear, and my husband and I each have a modest budget of what we are allowed to spend... and this makes me able to buy more for less money!)
2) I love being able to stamp multiple images at once... this is super fun, fast and easy... and it always allows straight images!
3) You can see through the blocks to placement, allowing perfect images 100% of the time
4) Way less storage! Our stamp sets come in DVD sized boxes, and the images are printed right on the side of the boxes, which is better if your storage is limited
5) You can reposition your images over and over again to suit your needs

Now, upon first glance, you may think I prefer the clear over the wood... when in fact, I prefer both! I have a giant wish list of stamp sets.. and I want some in wood and some in clear.  For instance, anything with really small pieces, I want in wood... except alphabet sets, or word sets, because you can combine multiple letters or words for easier and more precise work.

Now, if you've had the clear stamps, and they've fallen off, I've got a few suggestions:
1) My favorite suggestion is to use a little dotto directly on the cling side of the clear stamp sets, and this guarentee's the stamp to stay on... and it will stay on everytime you use it with every single block!
2) If you don't have dotto, just place the stamp rubber side down on the table, and apply medium pressure to create a good cling.  This should keep your image from sliding off.
3) For storage, keep the rubber that you take your stamps out of, and store them in there... that way you won't lose any stamps! Here's a picture of what I mean:

That's all the tips I have for now... which do you prefer, clear or wood? I'd love to hear your preference and your reason.

Aviary and Build a Bear Classes

I'm excited to show you some projects I'll be working on for some classes coming up...
Aviary Class:: $10 to make 3 cards, or $30 includes the clear stamp set, or $40 includes the wood stamp set:: Saturday, April 9th 1pm to 3pm
This is the stamp set:

 

I love love LOVE it! I can't stop using it... I'm not even that into birds, but I just love it!
We will be making 3 cards... here is the first... I saw this as a demo at Vancouver Reginals, and it totally blew my mind:
This is the front:

  This is the inside:

So fun!
Here is card number two:
(this is the first idea, I will have to change the colors and a few products to make them current... but you get the idea)

hehe, that owl is my FAVORITE!
lastly, a simple one:

Again, this is just the idea, I will be changing it slightly. But so cute!

The second class is my first Mommy and Me Class!

Mommy and Me Build a Bear Class:: Saturday, April 2nd 10am to 11am:: $10
Make a color matching game, here's an example (case not included):

and a felt bear to dress up (here's an example on a card... it will include a brown bear, and then 2 outfits to change the bear).

 Whew! That's all for now... if you're interested in either of these cards, email me to save your spot...there is limited room! (yummy_starbucks@yahoo.ca)

out of the box...

I've noticed that my cards tend to be bold colors, whimsical, and young as a general rule... a big reason for this is because I work with teenagers and children... and my club consists of mostly young people.
However, this weekend I was at Regionals downtown, and included in our package was the stamp set "Nature Walk".  Now, this is a stamp set that I wouldn't have purchased in a million years.  However, we made 5 projects with it, and some of them were completely stunning... (I will upload them this week).  Which totally threw me off.  So this weekend, I am attending a 12 hour scrap-a-thon and providing the make and take... so I thought I would surprise everyone (including myself) and try something a little more.... antiquey.  (is that a word?!)
This is what I came up with:

And I am pleasantly surprised! The colors are nothing new for me... early espresso, very vanilla, soft suede and cherry cobbler... but I used some things I hardly pull out... like the pearls (these are the BEST deal), my color sprizter, and the champagne shimmer paint... that I hadn't even opened! I am excited to do more with this stamp set... come back soon, there's more to come!