Four Ways Friday #9 - Contempo Alphabet

Thanks for your patience in awaiting this week's Four Ways Friday!  This Four Ways Friday focuses on how to use your alphabet sets!  It was hard to not turn this into an Eight Ways Friday since there are so many ways to use your letters!  I used the Contempo Alphabet set, but you could use these ideas for any alphabet set that you have.

Alphabet sets lend themselves perfectly to making anything with a monogram!  For this first project I decided to make a monogrammed card.  I first stamped the floral image from the Charming stamp set at 1/3 strength in Ruby Red ink onto Very Vanilla card stock and followed that by stamping the "M" in full strength right over it.  I punched it out and layered it onto the scallop circle punch and a larger circle that I cut from my Big Shot and the Circles #2 die.  Of course, I sponged the edges of both the circle and the card.  I stamped the floral image on the card at both 1/3 and 1/2 strength to create the floral background.  The Very Vanilla satin ribbon finishes the look.

You can also use your alphabet letters to create great backgrounds for your cards and paper projects.  Who doesn't love receiving hugs and kisses?! :)  I stamped the "x" and "o" stamp numerous times in Pink Pirouette all over the card.  The edges were sponged with Chocolate Chip.  I sponged the chipboard frame with Chocolate Chip ink as well.  The heart was punched using the Full Heart punch.  I punched both a piece of card stock and a piece of sticky sheet.  I sprinkled chunky glitter and fine glitter over the heart to make it sparkly!  Using the Sticky Sheets is a great way to adhere glitter without making a huge glue mess!  I adhered a piece of sticky strip directly to the card and ruffled the organza ribbon by adhering it down to the sticky strip.  Finally the tag was made using the Tiny Tag punch along with the Tiny Tags stamp set and attaching it with linen thread.

This clean and oh-so-simple card is another demonstration of an easy way to use your alphabet letters to spell words.  If you look closely you'll notice I used the Contempo Alphabet set to spell "oops" and also used the Rough Type set to spell "belated!"  This card is simply stamp, paper and ink...with a few punched shapes and dimensionals thrown in!  I LOVE the Happy Everything stamp set and am sad that it will be retiring at the end of the month :(  Don't forget to get the set for yourself or a friend while supplies last!

As you know, I've been traveling quite a bit lately, so I decided to make my last project something I can use on the road!  A great way to use your alphabet sets is to incorporate them into other word/greeting stamps.  I took the journey image from the In A Word stamp set and decided to highlight the "J" by using the "j" from the Contempo Alphabet stamp set, punching it out and adhering it to the beginning of the word.  The Kraft card stock was stamped with images from the Sentimental Journey stamp set, using Soft Suede ink at 1/3 strength (I stamped the image twice on a scrap piece of paper before stamping it onto my tag).  I also cut out words from an old book - I thought they worked really well with this theme.  On the back of the tag I stamped the compass image a number of times and then used the Soft Suede marker to write my contact information.  I ran the tag through a laminating machine.

I hope you like these fun projects!  How else can you use your alphabet sets?  I already have more ideas...maybe we'll have to revisit alphabets in a future Four Ways Friday! :)

Four Ways Friday...still on its way!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Sometimes You've Gotta Do What You've Gotta Do!

I remember a little notepad I had when I was younger.  I don't remember where I got it, but I definitely remember the image and the saying at the top.  There was a little cartoon guy who was being squeezed and squished by a clamp/vice that was around him - both on his head and his feet.  His expression was priceless - his face all mushed and sweat coming off his forehead.  And then the saying, "Oy the pressure!!!!"  Too funny...and sometimes it is exactly how we feel.  This blog can make me feel that way sometimes - I so want to connect with all of you even if sometimes I don't even know if you are there.  I feel a responsibility to you and to your creativity.  I also feel a responsibility to myself and sometimes those 2 things come into conflict with one another.  Maybe "conflict" is a strong word - sometimes I so want to get my posts done and my samples posted and, at the same time, sometimes all I want to do is sit in the yard and stare at the seedlings that are starting to sprout in the garden...especially when I have been traveling and am worn out.  Ahh, the ultimate question - how to take care of yourself, while at the same time taking care of and looking after others.  The best answer I've been able to find so far is "sometimes you've gotta do what you've gotta do" to take care of yourself - if not, you can't be there for others and, even worse, you start to resent them even though the choices are yours to make.  So, this morning, I have done what I had to do - I rested, went for a run and decided to write to you to let you know that Four Ways Friday is going to be here later today.  However, this morning, I just had to do what I had to do :)  Hope to see you later today!

Four Ways Friday...coming later today!

I'll be back a little later today with Four Ways Friday!  See you soon!

Slide Jewelry - Side 2

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Sit And Eat

It is far too easy to eat on the run these days.  You look at the car next to you and the person driving is munching on some fast food snack.  You walk through an airport and people are walking, eating and talking all at the same time!  Today, as I sat outside on the patio and ate breakfast with friends and family, I realized how pleasant it is to sit down and eat.  To stop all other activity and focus on nourishing your body and giving your mind a rest.  If you're eating while reading this, that doesn't count!  Turn away from the computer and head for the kitchen, dining room or patio table, and enjoy the taste of what you are eating.  I'll be here when you get back :)

Today I wanted to share side 2 of my soldered slide jewelry.  My mind is racing with all of the collage ideas I can make with this technique!  If you aren't into soldering that is GREAT - you can create the same effect with Stampin' Up's! wonderful Simply Adorned jewelry line!  You can create a small collage to wear for every day of the week!  To see the line and purchase some of these great jewelry items, shop HERE now! :)

Soldering Slide Jewelry

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Patience Is Definitely A Virtue! :)

I have been reading an incredibly inspiring craft book by Giuseppina Cirincione called Collage Lost and Found.  She is so talented and provides step-by-step instructions for making some great projects.  Of course I fell in love with a project that involved having to solder - something I hadn't done before.  What did I learn?  That patience is definitely a virtue!  Trying to solder something well on my first try was a bit optimistic...although the good thing is that solder melts when heated, so you can go back over mistakes and try to correct them.  I thought I would share with you the first soldered creation I made - this is one side of the pendant.  I'll show you the other side tomorrow :)  I hope you like it - I used a variety of stamps, papers, ephemera, fibers...see if you can tell which Stampin' Up! products I used :)