Meet Geddy – Part 2

I recharged the camera battery and got a couple of cute photos of the puppies…

See – he’s starting to warm up already…

The Evolution of a Swap Card

In my last post, I showed you some swap projects that I made for Stampin’ Up! Regionals. I also made some general swap cards- although since I’m a helper, I don’t know how much swapping I’ll get to do. But I thought I’d bring around 25 or so and keep them in my apron pocket to swap when I can.

I wanted to keep them simple since I’ll be making so many of them, and I can’t use TOO many accessories since I’ll have to have enough for all the cards.

Many of you ask where I get my card ideas. Most of the time, they evolve. My unsuccessful card attempts lead me to better designs (or at least I hope).

Here’s an example…

I saw a scrapbook page on the cover of Creating Keepsakes the other day. The page had a sunflower and denim accents and it inspired me to create this card…

It turned out okay, but it wasn’t quite the look I wanted to do for my swaps. I really didn’t like inking the edges of the circle – it makes it look uneven.  And stamping with Vanilla craft ink was a PAIN! I had to heat set it to let it dry and I don’t really have time to do that for all those swaps!

So I scrapped that idea and moved on to something else…

I saw a pretty card in another magazine that was stamped right on to patterned paper. So I picked up a sheet of Soft Sky designer paper and stamped a flower from the Garden Silhouettes stamp set that I really like with Basic Gray ink. I also wanted to use my sewing machine on a card, so I came up with this…

But stamping the baroque background on the soft sky paper looked too dark against the main image. And I couldn’t find a ribbon that I liked to tie through the hardware piece…plus, I didn’t have enough hardware pieces to make that many cards.

So I scrapped that idea and tried this one:

I added some glitter to the flowers and some Pretties pearls on the bottom piece. I kept the sewing, but decided to eliminate the soft sky background piece. I also clipped the corners to add a little shape to the card.

But I still wasn’t happy with it. For one, it used too many pearls for that many swaps. And It was just a little too busy with the baroque background and the patterned paper. Plus, the flowers didn’t look as delicate as I wanted and I didn’t like the ‘cherish’ font with the rest of the card.

So I scrapped that idea and moved on to this one…

This one I liked for my swap! It includes the colors I wanted but with fewer accessories – plus, I don’t have to sew each card. I used a different flower stamp from the set and kept the glitter. I also used the flower stamp as the background instead of the swirl. And I liked the font of the ‘lovely’ sentiment. I kept the oval, but without the hardware – and I used less ribbon, too.

So if you see me at Regionals and you’d like to swap for this card, come find me! I’ll be the one with the black Stampin’ Up! apron… 🙂

Regional Swaps

As I mentioned before, I will be attending the Stampin’ Up! Regional Seminar in Philadelphia later this month. It’s tradition to bring some cards and other projects to swap with other demonstrators at our events, so I’ve been working on a few.

I signed up for one swap where we are exchanging fall holiday ideas. I chose Thanksgiving and decided to make gratitude journals for my swaps.

I made these using paper lunch bags and the new Apple Cider designer paper from the Holiday Mini Catalog. I bound the book using the Crop-A-Dile and twill tape, and added a few Wild Wasabi page inserts to fit in the book openings as well.

I also signed up for an ATC swap and I decided to make a card front-type ATC using the free stamp set, “So Much”, that we will be receiving at the seminar.

I stamped the flower image on vellum using white StazOn and then added some Dazzling Diamonds on the petals. I also used the Crop-A-Dile to emboss small circles on the textured Groovy Guava paper as done on one of the seminar projects.

How did I get the free stamp set and see the Regional Seminar projects, you ask? I am going to be a Make-And-Take helper at the seminar and received my goody package the other day!

Here are two of the scrapbook pages we will be making, modified slightly to include my photos and use other stamp sets I currently have (unfortunately, SU! didn’t provide us with ALL of the sets that will be available at the seminar).

I had SO much fun making these – I can’t wait to get there!

Meet Geddy!

Well…the crazy Torrences did it – we got another goldendoodle puppy!  His name is Geddy and he is about 4 1/2 months old.  Yesterday was a LONG day – we were in the car for more than seven hours! 

Poor thing – because he is an older puppy, he’s REALLY timid and shy.  We just picked him up yesterday, so I’m sure he’ll be okay in a few days, but for now, he spends most of his time hiding from us…

He doesn’t seem to be very well socialized around people and pretty much runs whenever we approach him, but I’m sure he’ll adjust quickly to his new home.

He does LOVE Daisy and they have been playing together quite nicely outside.  Although Daisy is treating him very much like the big sister she is – he follows her everywhere and she looks at him sometimes like, “Get lost, little guy!”.  But for the most part, she seems glad to have another dog to play with. 

Side note – I just missed such a CUTE photo!  The two dogs were cuddled up together sleeping and my darned camera ran out of batteries!!!!  But I’m sure there will be lots of other cute moments, right?

And interestingly enough, Geddy is actually from the same litter as Bella.  And Geddy, Bella and Daisy all share the same father, too.

 Wish us luck with our new little guy!