Wednesday, September 28, 2011

CANDY CANDY CANDY CANDY

This is a sample of some swag that will be part of the Fall for Stamping Class.
How much do you love Mini M&M's???

I know I do!  
 Because the M&M's come in such great colors and I had so much fun making the little tags for each treat bag... I had to make some cards to go with them!
So fun right?

And after that it was all over for the Reese's Pieces!
Not only are they delicious, they're also great inspiration!


I used: (Top Card)
* Spooky Bingo Bits stamp sets
* Pacific Point, Real Red, Tangerine Tango, Early Espresso and Whisper White
* Scallop Square Bigz Die
* Scallop square punch
* Real Red 1/4" grosgrain ribbon
* Polka Dots impressions folder


I used: (Bottom Card)
* Spooky Bingo Bits and Teeny Tiny Wishes
* Daffodil Delight, Tangerine Tango and Early Espresso
* 1 1/4", 1 3/8", Scallop Circle, Word Window, Modern Label punches
* Linen Thread
* Antique Wallpaper impressions folder

Friday, September 16, 2011

Fall for Stamping

Let's Fall for Stamping Together!

Thursday October 6th at 6:00 pm
or
Saturday October 8th at 10:00 am

Cost of Class: $20

Price includes all supplies and adhesives, treats/lunch, games and prizes!!!
(Special gifts for new friends and anyone who brings one!)



You'll make:

 Three of these charming little goody matchboxes (with chocolates!) perfect for Visiting Teaching, teacher gifts, a quick thank you...etc!



Two of these deceptively simple Trick or Treat cards. Great as a Halloween card, a party invitation,  an October birthday or even a creepy thank you card!

And look at the inside of the card and the envelope!!!

And lastly, two of these lovely autumn thank you cards. Beautifully easy to create with some cool techniques that are fun for beginners and experienced stampers.

No hand cutting OR coloring anything!

Space might be limited so be sure contact me if you'd like to come!

Call or text: 253-315-3701
Email: natdeckerAThotmailDOTcom
or
Leave me a comment!

Fall Friends


I made this card for Freshly Made Sketches, which is a brand new challenge blog and here is the sketch for the week:

I love square cards!!!

And I LOVE this Spice Cake designer paper!
I got the idea for this card here on Kimberly Van Diepen's beautiful blog.

I used:
* Tiny Tags stamp set
* Very Vanilla, More Mustard, Soft Suede and Pool Party card stocks
* Spice Cake Designer Paper
* Soft Suede and Pool Party inks
* Jewelry Tag, 1 1/4", 1 3/8" circles and Scallop circle punches
* Linen Thread
* Spice Cake Designer Buttons

Flashback Friday (September 2010)

While I love showing off all the stuff I've been busy making lately, I've been thinking a lot about all the projects that I've made in the past that are being quietly forgotten.
So...
One Friday a month I'm going to do a "Flashback Friday" post where I feature some of my favorites from the past.

Are you so excited? I know I am!



Wednesday, September 14, 2011

WINNER!!!

I did it!!!
 
I won the challenge at the Pals Paper arts!!!

Click here to see the original post!

I don't want to sound crazy or anything but I have been kind of obsessing about winning one of their challenges for, well, lets just say...a while.

And what are the odds that it would be today, after just winning the challenge at The Paper Players?

It's a good week!

Christmas Re-Mix

A couple weeks ago I posted this "Wish Big" birthday card for a sketch challenge. And while I really liked how it came out, there was something that just kept bothering me about it...
The circle/frame thingy looks like a wreath!

But who wants a wreath on a birthday card? Not I!

So I had to make it into a Christmas card:
So much better right!?!


It may not be the most traditional of Christmas cards (sorry Mom!) but the Baker's Twine and the glitter paper and the wreath sure get me in the mood for candy canes!

I used:
* Word Play stamp set
* Daffodil Delight, Old Olive, Island Indigo and Whisper White card stocks
* Old Olive, Real Red, Daffodil Delight and Island Indigo markers
* Red Glimmer Paper
* 1 3/4" circle punch
* Perfect Pennants Die
* Circle Scissors Plus
* Backgrounds 1 Texturz Plates
* Baker's Twine

Monday, September 12, 2011

A Note of Thanks


Here's another example of one idea, done two ways. Normally I have a favorite, but there are elements of each that I like so I'll let you decide for yourselves.

This is the first one I made and I really like how the Not Quite Navy has an old faded tattoo look to it. As if it used to be darker but has been bleached over the years. And I also love how the image stamped. With the larger stamps the centers sometimes don't ink very well and this is often a source of great frustration but here, it totally works.
This ribbon is retired but any ribbon would work and I like how the little pleats came out. Such an easy thing to do with a little sticky strip.

This card is almost identical except a little more framing and distressing.
But for some reason the ribbon pleats didn't look right here. Sad times.

I used:
* Ornate Blossom and Thank You Kindly stamp sets
* Not Quite Navy, Crumb Cake and Whisper White card stocks
* Not Quite Navy and Soft Suede Ink
* Distressing Kit
* Color Spritzer Tool and Soft Suede Marker
* Rose Red Ribbon (retired)
* Antique Wallpaper impressions folder


Saturday, September 10, 2011

WINNER!!!


Remember this post form earlier this week?

Well, guess what...my card won!!!
And I am soooo excited about it!

Nance Lempinen-Leedy, of Canopy Crafts chose my card as the winner of The Paper Players challenge for the week.

Here's what she said about MY card:


I love Natalie’s clean and elegant birthday card! The newsprint patterned paper is always a great touch but Nat has taken it to a whole new level by with her stamped and hand-cut flowers! They add such a bold graphic element and she’s balanced them perfectly with the embossed sentiment in the opposite corner. The pop of red in that gorgeous bow just adds to the sophistication of the whole project. Congratulations Nat…you’re my Cut Above!


Is that the nicest thing you've ever heard or what???

ThankYouThankYouThankYou!!!
To Nance and the design team at The Paper Players. You've made my day!
(And probably my week too!)

Friday, September 9, 2011

Halloween Party 2011

Now all I need is a costume and some friends!
The challenge over at Pals Paper Arts is all about Halloween this week. Yay!!!

Which is really great because I've had all this stuff sitting here waiting for me to think of something to make them into. Sometimes it takes a little nudge to get the creativity flowing, you know?
The moment I saw this skeleton stamp I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it. Dress it up and send it out Trick-or-Treating of course!
Hilarious right?


Ok, maybe its just me but still, I'm pretty happy with myself!
Here's the inside:

Here is a dressed up bottle of soda. I just can't help myself sometimes!

And after all that soda, my guests might need some poison. Of course.
How fun is it that these candies (Hershy's Special Dark Pieces) match the colors of the Frightful Sight designer paper almost perfectly!?!

Last but not least, my 'Boo' Banner!
This is pretty simple using the Perfect Pennants die, Frightful Sight designer paper and the Lace Ribbon Border Punch to add a gothic look.

I used:
* Piece of Poison, Spooky Bingo Bits and Lovely Letters Alphabet
* Basic Black, Old Olive, Basic Grey, Cajun Craze, Cherry Cobbler and Whisper White
* Basic Grey and Black Stayz On ink
* Cajun Craze, Basic Black and Old Olive markers
* Frightful Sight designer paper
* Lace Ribbon Border Punch, 1", 1 1/4", 1 3/8", Scallop Circle,
* Crop-o-Dile
* Old Olive 1/4" and 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, Black Striped ribbon, Baker's Twine
* Basic Rhinestone

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Turtles and Stripes


I love this stamp set!
Doesn't it make you happier just looking at it?

Do you see the cool texture on the background? I used the new Stripes embossing folder but instead of the regular once through the Big Shot like normal, I ran it through twice and LOOK! It made squares! Its like a texture-y plaid. I'm so happy with myself!
  

The rest of the card is pretty standard. I used Black Stayz-on ink and then I water colored the turtle image using Stampin' Pastels and my handy dandy blender pen.
The scallops coming from behind the turtle are just the Fancy Flower punch that have been bent up a little bit. It's all pretty simple, and that's just the way I like it!


I used:
* Turtle and Co. Stamp set
* Old Olive, Daffodil Delight, Tangerine Tango and Whisper White card stocks
* Black Stays On ink
* Tangerine Tango designer paper
* Stampin' Pastels and Blender Pens
* Fancy Flower and 1 3/4" circle punches
* Stripes embossing folder
* Brights Buttons
* Baker's Twine

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Fifth Avenue Bithday - Two Ways

Sometimes I get so excited to use all my new stuff that I forget about all the fantastic stuff I've had for a while, so today's card features some of my dustier items. I've loved my Fifth Avenue Floral set for a couple of years at least and there was a time when I didn't make anything without using my Top Note die and you know what? I still love them just as much after all this time!
The challenge for this week over at The Paper Players is all about birthdays, which is so nice because really, who doesn't need birthday cards? I know I always do!

All of the stamping was done using black embossing powder so while you can't see it in the picture, it has a cool glossy look to it which I love.

Here's another version of basically the same card. I like the first one better, but I wanted to show how one idea can really be made into a number of different cards.


And here they are together...

I used:
* Fifth Avenue Floral and On Your Birthday stamp sets
* Not Quite Navy and Natural Ivory card stocks
* First Edition designer paper
* Versamark ink and Black embossing Powder
* Not Quite Navy Ink (for distressing)
* Top Note Bigz Die
* Framed Tulips impressions folder
* Real Red 5/8" grosgrain ribbon (retired)

Cat Card from Space for Janet! (and what's up with Basic Gray?)

Seriously, what is up with Basic Gray?
Stampin' Up! has 50 exclusive colors and all of them (except Basic Gray) have an
Adorably Alliterative name.

Think about it: Pink Pirouette, Bravo Burgandy, Old Olive...etc. Alliteration!

Why not Basic Gray? I know the history of the basic colors getting moved into the color families and all of that, but come on! Crumb Cake rose from the ashes of Kraft so I know it can be done. Is Basic Gray just so boring a color that it doesn't deserve the same treatment?

Maybe.

But the Pals Paper Arts design team doesn't think so or they wouldn't have chosen it as one of the colors in this week's challenge.

Ppa color 

Here are some name ideas I thought might spice up poor Basic Gray just a little.
I'll start slow with some nice simple "G" words:
"Galvanized Gray"
"Gallant Gray"
"Gray Granite"
"Grandpa Gray"
"Grizzled Gray"

Or here are some more colorful (haha) idears:
"Barnacled Battleship"
"Cool Cumulonimbus"
"Chubby Cloud"
"Only Overcast"
"Grizzled Grandpa"
"Bottled Brains"

Better right?

Please leave me a comment to help me choose the new name for Basic Grey!  I promise to call it by whatever name gets the most votes forever and ever...or until it really does get a new name.
Feel free to suggest any names I may have over looked or, you know,  just weigh in on which one you like best!

As well as slaving over the fate of Basic Blah...I also made a card!
A Cat Card for Janet, who loves Cats! I love that!
I love people who love things. REALLY love things. It makes the world a special and interesting place to live in. And it also makes me love cats too. So thanks, Janet for making the world a better place.  And HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!


When I showed this card to my husband (why do I still bother?) he said "It looks like The Cat From Outer Space."
The Cat From Outer Space - classic-disney
And perhaps he's not wrong, but who cares? I like the Cat From Outer Space AND he has an awesome collar. Whatever.

Here's the inside:
You may not be able to see it here but there is a very thin frame of Calypso Coral on the inside, similar to the frame on the front.
And one more picture of The Cat Card From Outer Space:
I'm loving the new Designer Frames impressions folders!

I used:
* C is for Cat and On Your Birthday stamp sets
* Cherry Cobbler, Calypso Coral, Whisper White and Basic Gray card stocks
* Basic Gray ink
* Polka Dots and Designer Frames impressions folders
* Whisper White 1/4" grosgrain ribbon
* Basic Rhinestones

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Word Play Birthday, Challenge and Camera Troubles

I've spent more time trying to take a good picture of this card than I spent making it! ARG!!!

Today's card is for The Paper Players sketch challenge. Its a really fun sketch, and not a normal layout for me, so when they say its a challenge, it really is!

The subtle polka dot texture on the white looks so cute in person! But in almost every picture, it totally disappeared so I ended up with this picture which, if I'm honest, doesn't really do justice to the card.

 Look! Same card, NO DOTS!!!
But still, not as cute as the original. Am I the only one having this problem?

Does anyone have any photography tips for me? Anyone???

I used:
* Word Play stamp set
* Calypso Coral, Island Indigo, Whisper White and Lucky Limeade card stocks
* Lucky Limeade, Calypso Coral, Island Indigo and Melon Mambo markers
* Perfect Pennants die
* 1 3/4" circle punch
* Circle Scissors Plus
* Linen Thread
* Basic Rhinestone