Monthly Archives: January 2009

two new sets and blog candy!

cookie-oven-and-card-1-diane-zechman.jpgCookies are in the oven!  Mmmmm……….. 

cookie-oven-and-card-1-diane-zechman.jpg

Today the ATS design team is previewing my 2 new sets….”Cookie Jar” and “Cookie Jar-gon”!  I just *had* to do a cookie set, dontcha think?  :0) 

These sets, along with 2 others, will be available Monday night at 10 pm on the All That Scraps website.  And as usual, there will be a chat starting at 8 pm in the message board

My first set, Cookie Jar, has seven different cookies, 2 girls and several other cookie related images.  The second set, Cookie Jar-gon, has lots of cookie sentiments.  The images come in a tin and the words will be in a baggie.  BUT…if you get both sets, once they are trimmed they will both *just fit* perfectly in the tin!  It is packed full!  :0)  *scroll to the end of this post for info on the blog candy*

Here are some separate pics of the card and box…you can click on the thumbnails to make them bigger.

cookie-oven-and-card-2-diane-zechman.jpg   cookie-oven-and-card-3-diane-zechman.jpg

For my project today, I have to say that I was inspired by Lauren Meader’s oven here.  I didn’t make mine the same way though.  I started out with one of the cupcake boxes from All That Scraps.  And when it was completed, I filled it with some Peanut Blossoms….one of my favorite kinds!

This box is for the mini cupcakes and the window is on the top and front of the box.  So I just needed to make a stove top to cover the top part of the window.  I scored and folded a tiny edge onto the front of the stovetop and then scored and folded the back section up.  See the close-up pic below for more details.  

The box sides were folded together opposite from the way they normally go.  I folded the solid flap to the outside and attached it with Scor-tape so that the inter-locking flaps would not show. 

I framed the front window by die-cutting a piece of cardstock with the Mega Curved Rectangle Nestabilities.  Then I cut a window in it by trimming out the center with my Fiskars paper trimmer.  This could also be done with just a ruler and a craft knife.          

Here are some close-ups of the oven. 

cookie-oven-and-card-4-diane-zechman.jpg

All of the paper used (except the white and the dp on the oven mitts) is from the DCWV Summer Glitter stack, so this oven really sparkles!

The “knobs” on the back were made with some old mesh heart eyelets that I found in my stash.  It’s amazing what you can find when you start searching, isn’t it?  LOL. 

The burners were made by cutting circles with the circle Nestabilities.  Then I attached some circle clips onto each one with a brad.  This was the hardest part of the whole box….trying to figure out how to attach the “coils”!

The cookie tray and spatula are images from the Cookie Jar stamp set.  They were colored with Copic markers.  And the words are from the Cookie Jar-gon set.  I lightly stamped the heart cookie overtop of the words in pink.   

The oven mitt that is in some other pics is also from the set.  It was stamped onto patterned paper and attached to the front of the stove.

cookie-oven-and-card-5-diane-zechman.jpgIn this pic you can see that the box lid opens from the back of the oven.  I wanted to cover and support the area where the back of the stovetop meets the box flap, so I attached an additional piece of pink paper.  Then I decorated the back a bit with the heart cookie and another sentiment from Cookie Jar-gon.

I hope you liked this project!  I thought it would be a fun way to give a gift of cookies.  I didn’t talk about the card, but I think it’s pretty self-explanatory. 

Here’s the recipe for the card & box.  Scroll down for more info on the blog candy!  And be sure to check out all of the great samples by the ATS design team!  You can see them on the ATS blog and also in the gallery.

stamps- Cookie Jar and Cookie Jar-gon by Cookie Crumbs; paper- white, dp- DCWV Summer Glitter stack and Blossoms & Butterflies pack; ink- Chocolate Chip, Pixie, Memento Black; accessories- mini cupcake box from ATS, Scor-Pal, Scor-tape, Nestabilities- Circle, Double Ended Tags and Mega Curved Rectangles, mesh heart eyelets, snaps, Copic markers, circle clips, brads, Word Window punch, Large and Small Oval punches. 

Now for the blog candy….

Would you like to win these sets?  Just leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite cookie is!  On Monday afternoon I will pick a winner to receive both sets!  (one post per person, please)

Have a great weekend!  :0)

warm & cozy

warm-and-cozy-1-diane-zechman.jpgToday All That Scraps is starting the February stamp set previews with a new set by Amy Rysavy called Warm & Cozy.  It has several clothing images and sentiments for get well wishes.  The bunny slippers are definitely my favorite! 

I am late getting my card done and uploaded!  I planned to do that yesterday, but I slipped and fell on the ice…flat on my back!  I had to laugh at myself at the time but since then I have been stiff and sore!  (I think I need to send this card to myself…LOL). 

Stop by the ATS blog to see more samples of Amy’s set and if you stop by her blog, she has some candy to give away!

Check back tomorrow….I will have a preview of my new set.  :0)  And on Sunday we preview a set by Christine….another cute one!  

stamps- Warm & Cozy by AmyR Designs; paper- Barely Banana, White, dp- Making Memories purple speckle and checked by Paper Pizazz; ink- Memento Black, accessories- gel pen, pop dots, Primas, button, linen thread, Liquid Applique. 

ATS Wednesday challenge

sweetpea-cupid-1-diane-zechman.jpgThis week the ATS Wednesday challenge is “Brads Galore”.  The DT was asked to use lots of brads!  This sounded like a fun challenge and one that I needed. 

I love to use brads, but I hafta admit…I tend to use them sparingly.  Why?  I dunno!  LOL!  But I used 11 here…..hope that’s enough!  ;0)  There’s a flower brad in the center of the Prima and the rest are heart brads….3 at the top and 7 inside the cutouts made from the Martha Stewart Valentine Lace punch.

This *swweeeet* image is a digital image by C.C. Designs.  I love this Sweetpea Cupid, don’t you?!  I just had to add some Stickles to her wings!  And I used more of the fun My Mind’s Eye papers and Nestabilities dies.

Have a great Wednesday!

stamps- words from Hey Cupid! by C.C. Designs; digital image- Sweetpea Cupid by C.C. Designs; paper- White, Cranberry, dp- My Mind’s Eye; ink- Memento Black; accessories- Copic markers, Scallop Hearts and Labels 1 Nestabilities, Martha Stewart Valentine Lace punch, heart and flower brads, gel pen, button, Prima, Stickles.  

flamingo kisses and hugs

flamingo-1-diane-zechman.jpgA few days ago C.C. Designs released this cute flamingo as a single digital image.  Isn’t it darling?  Christine also just released all of her previous images as digital, so go check them out!  And while you are there, check out the *sale*sale*sale* category….there’s still lots of great deals on Cuttlebug, papers, and more!

When I first printed the flamingo, I goofed a bit and it came out huge!  So I guess I’ll use that one to make a special bookmark for a flamingo lovin’ gal!  LOL.  But that’s the great thing about the digi images….you can make them any size you want!  :0)

I used some fun papers by My Mind’s Eye on this card.  I also made another card with these same papers that I’ll share on Wednesday, so be sure to check back!

Before I get to the card details, here’s another quick pic of Riley.  She loves to lay on this old sleeping bag!  LOL. 

rileys-sleeping-bag.jpg

stamps- words from Hey Cupid! by C.C. Designs; digital image- flamingo by C.C. Designs; paper- White, Black, Cranberry, dp- My Mind’s Eye; ink- Memento Black, White Craft; accessories- Copic markers, Mega Curved Rectangle Nestabilities, gel pen, SU! small oval punch, Martha Stewart mini-hearts punch, American Crafts ribbon.

celebrate in style

leere-going-places-diane-zechman.jpgHere’s a picture of me from last night as we took Riley to the Vet for her shots. 

Ha ha!  I wish I looked this chic!  And wouldn’t that convertible be FUN to drive?  ;0)

 These images are from the new Leere Aldrich stamps which will soon be released at Stampavie….just after CHA!  Aren’t they FUN?! 

stamps- Leere Aldrich- Going Places and Sentiments B by Stampavie; ink- Memento Black, Regal Rose; paper- Regal Rose, Shimmery White, dp- Basic Grey Eva; accessories- Circle Nestabilities, Copic markers, Cuttlebug Sliders die and Houndstooth A2 folder, paper piercer, ribbon, pop dots, Stickles, Primas. 

a review, a challenge, and an update on Riley

snow-friends-3-diane-zechman.jpgToday All That Scraps is Review Previewing my new Snow Friends set!  Be sure to check out the ATS blog and gallery for some great samples by the ATS Design Team! 

I have 2 cards today that I made with the set.  The first one was also made for the SCS Dirty Dozen/Alumni January challenge.  This month, Jodi (Kharmagirl) issued the challenge.  Here’s the details:

This challenge is all about *feeling* the love…anything with texture will do the trick!

Challenge Focus: A Valentine’s Day/Love-y Dove-y card!!

Required Element: Texture!! Anything you can *feel*

Restricted Element: No RED!! Pink is ok…but no red.

Making a valentine card with no red is quite a challenge!  I decided to make a valentine card for a friend, rather than a “lovey-dovey” one.  And I used the image of the rabbit sharing his carrot because I was inspired by some of your comments (I love hearing your feedback!).  Tamrah said “…the image gives the extra touch=”love”.”  And Karen S.  said “…It is very endearing with the rabbit offering his food source to the snowman for his nose. Definitely depicts generosity …”.  Thank you, ladies, for these comments & all the others that were posted!  

For the required element of texture, I added dots of Stickles to the ribbon.  I also added it to his hat and scarf, a bit on the ground, the two tiny hearts and the center of the hearts on the corner piece of dp.  The corner piece was punched with a new Martha Stewart border punch, Valentine Lace.  That punch is so pretty!     snow-friends-4-diane-zechman.jpg

This second card evolved around the colors I chose.  

There were pieces left of the same dp used in the first card.  So I pulled the blue Copic marker that I used back out and looked for another one that would go well with it.  I chose one that is similar to SU!’s Cameo Coral color. 

The scrap of Cameo cardstock I found was punched with the new Martha Stewart mini-hearts border punch.  Once again I added Stickles…..gotta love Stickles!  ;0)

stamps- Snow Friends by Cookie Crumbs; paper- White, Cameo, dp- Heidi Grace; ink- Memento Black; accessories- Copic markers, Heart and Square Nestabilities, Stickles, Martha Stewart mini-hearts and Valentine Lace border punches, pop dots, Jolee’s Boutique snowflakes, ribbon.

And now for a Riley update!  I have had some requests for some new photos, so here you go.  Riley is doing great!  She is dragging off anything she can find to chew on and is just plain ol’ being a puppy.  LOL.  But we have had very few accidents!  She learned very quickly to ring her bell when she needs to go outside!  Yay! 

The first pic I took last night after I played with her.  She just wanted to lay down and sleep.  You can see her favorite toy to sleep with in the second pic….a bright pink stuffed puppy!  I took the last 2 pics in the evening too.  I found her a cute red sweater with a snowflake on it at the pet store (on Christmas clearance 75% off!).  :0)  I had to wait until she was tired, though, to put it on and take a picture.  Otherwise, she wants to chew on it.  LOL.  You can click on each of the thumbnail pics below for a larger view.

riley-1-19-09.jpg   riley-sleeping-2.jpg   riley-sweater-2.jpg   riley-sweater-3.jpg

Have a great day!

a blog award from Kelley…

award_spanish.jpgKelley sent me this blog award….thanks, Kelley!  That was so sweet!  :0)

Here’s what I found out about the award….

“This award is given to a blog that invests and believes in PROXIMITY – nearness in space, time and relationships! These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind of bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers!”The rule of the award is to now pass it on to another 8 people who demonstrate this spirit.”

So….here’s a few people who I chose to receive this award:

Lesa

Michele

Lisa

Cheryl

Michele

Jay Jay

Tracy

Tori 

Tracy

oops…I think that’s one too many…LOL.  How can you stop?  ;0)  You can check out more great friends in my blogroll!

cupcake wishes

cupcake-wishes-diane-zechman.jpgJust a quick post today with a cupcake card using my Cupcake Occasions set and some more DCWV Blossoms and Butterflies paper!  Is this bright or what?!  The photo doesn’t show all of the sparkle on the paper.  I added a bit of stickles to the flame so it would sparkle as well.  The sentiment used here is by C.C. Designs. 

It snowed again here…a few more inches.  :0)  I love to see the snow, but I don’t like the cold….brrr!

stamps- Cupcake Occasions by Cookie Crumbs, Sentiment Set by C.C. Designs; paper- White, Black, DCWV Blossoms and Butterflies; ink- Memento Black; accessories- Copic markers, Stickles, Oval Nestabilities, circle punch, sewing machine. 

rest in his grace

rest-in-his-grace-diane-zechman.jpgHappy Wednesday! 

Tomorrow at All That Scraps, Julie Buhler will be releasing her first set of digital images called Encouraging Verses.  They are all in a grayscale format but can be changed to the colors and size that suit your needs in your own computer program.

Here I paired one of the verses with one of Christine’s Gingersnap angels from her Hey Cupid! stamp set.  I thought they went together well!  And once again, I used some more of my DCWV Blossoms and Butterflies paper.  Love that paper! 

Before I colored my image with Copic markers, I stamped and cut out a mask.  Then I tried to make a blue “airbrush” effect around the angel.  My friend, Lesa, is an airbrush queen….I love how she airbrushes her projects with her Copic markers and an air compressor!  I don’t have a small compressor, though, and I am not about to trudge out to the garage and use DH’s large one!  LOL.  So I tried to make do with what I have….an Inkworx air art tool.  I got mine years ago…I can’t remember where.  Stampin’ Up! carried them for a while too.  Anyway, my Copic markers wouldn’t fit into the tool, so I grabbed my SU! Ballet Blue marker to make the background.  It’s not quite as nice as the Copics with the air tools but I think it will be fine with some more practice. 

stamps- Gingersnaps Hey Cupid! by C.C. Designs, Paper Pleasing Encouraging Verses digital image; paper- White, Regal Rose, Close to Cocoa, DCWV Blossoms and Butterflies; ink- Memento Black, Ballet Blue; accessories- Inkworx Air Art tool, Copic markers, Nestabilities, pop dots, gel pen, Primas, Stickles. 

so lucky…

leere-friends-diane-zechman.jpgI have a sneak peek for you today!  Isn’t this image just the bomb?!  I love it! 

These are new Leere Aldrich stamps that will soon be available at Stampavie!  They will start shipping to stores right after CHA, so keep your eyes out and your checkbook ready!  😉 

I was inspired here by all of the paper piecing that my friend, Michele, does.  I do a little here and there but not often enough.  Michele, on the other hand, is awesome with paper piecing!  And I just *had* to use my new Martha Stewart border punch!  I’m lucky to have found it last night!  Usually I miss out on the popular ones (like the Dripping Goo which I never found) 🙁   We went to a hockey game last night (lots of fun) and even though we were driving in a snowstorm, DH went a little farther so I could look for the punch.  He’s a keeper!  LOL. 

leere-friends-close-up-diane-zechman.jpgIn this close-up of the paper piecing, you can see how I added some Stickles to the girls’ glasses, heart on the hat, and a tiny drop on the necklace.  Then I added a drop of Stickles in the center of each heart. 

I hope you had a great weekend and enjoy the rest of your Sunday!  We had some more snow so everything is pretty & white! 

stamps- Leere Aldrich by Stampavie; paper- White, Black, Bravo Burgundy, dp- Basic Grey Eva; ink- Memento Black, Bravo Burgundy; accessories- Copic markers, Oval Nestabilities, pop dots, Stickles, Martha Stewart Valentine Lace punch.