Kathy's Stamping Niche

Quilted Rag Purse Using The Scallop Square Die Cut

2010-02-19T16:41:54-08:00

These Quilted Rag Purses are really fun to make! I had a wonderful time taking my sewing machine out of month balls and actually using it for something besides hemming!

This is my first purse.

The material was given to me by my friend Lucy. The one that helped me with the quilt square. Lucy was so generous with her fabric I also made this one.

I know, looks like the first one but the placement of the butterflies are different. I just couldn't stop at 2 so here's another one!

I had to go to the fabric store and purchase buttons and saw the printed pattern and had to buy some fabric to make the above purse. That's alright, because I really enjoy making them! I ended up making 4 of the blue Quilted Rag Purses. The fourth one is very similar to the first 2.

Black and red together are one of my favorite color combo's and here is one of the Quilted Rag Purses I made with some of the other fabric Lucy gave me.

I just LOVE these purses! This one is MINE!

Here's what the inside looks like.

Cool, uh? Your purse can be reversible!

Only one of the purses have been washed and I found out I did an awful job of sewing the handles so I took them off and re-did them. Live and learn.

If I can make them, you can too! Angie Kennedy Juda has a video tutorial HERE. Just follow her directions and you'll be home free.

Now if you don't have a sewing machine or just don't wanna' BUT would like a Quilted Rag Purse of your own, you can WIN one of the Blue Rag Purses by placing any order of $30 or more on my SU Website or emailing your order directly to me. All orders received from Monday, February 15 through Sunday, February 27 will be eligible. I will put all the qualifying names in a hat and draw a winner on March 1, 2010.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a great weekend!

Treat Cup with a Dial Opening - update

2010-02-19T12:02:17-08:00

Many of you have asked about directions for this card.

I have written a tutorial and you can download the free directions by clicking here.

I would love to see what you make with the instructions.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-13T22:18:00-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day to you all. My Sweetie has to work today so we will be celebrating on Monday or Tuesday, his days off. Not sure what we are doing, but we are planning on going out for dinner.

I wanted to share some of the beautiful swap and a project card from last month's demo meeting I attended.

This card was made by Alisa Purdie.

Mary Hetherington made this.

This was one of the projects we made. It was designed by Lori Robinson and is the card I made. Trust me, Lori's was much better!

Robin Rouch created this card.

Now enjoy the day for sweetheart and lovers. I'm trying to stay away from the television because the Olympics will suck me in and before I know it, the day is gone!

Valentine Express Love Train

2010-02-13T13:18:11-08:00

Valentine's Day is tomorrow and I meant to share this sooner. I purchased Gretchen Barron's tutorial for this Valentine Express Love Train and had a wonderful time making it. You can get purchase detailed instructions from Gretchen by clicking here.

Now how cute is that train!

Here's the front of the Engine.

This is the first car.

Here's the second car.

Bringing up the rear is the caboose.

I love how the Sending Love Specialty DSP adds the sparkle and how the Real Red Epoxy Brads adds a wonderful touch to the train.

Enjoy your weekend!

Valentine Heart Shape Treat Cup

2010-02-12T12:41:16-08:00

Well, I don't know what happened. The previous post is missing the front of the card. Guess that's what happens when you don't post! Here it is now.

Sorry about that!

Valentine Treat Cup Card

2010-02-12T11:38:03-08:00

Well, I thought I would take a minute away from sewing (I am SOOOOO hooked on making the rag purses and will share in a few days), to share a Valentine's Day Card using the Heart Shape Treat Cup. I don't know who to credit with the envelope back opening, but here is my version of it.

The front of the card uses the Sending Love Specialty Paper. I'm not a glitter person, but this paper is just wonderful!

To get to the candy without destroying the card, you open the tab!

How cool is that! I don't know who thought this up, but if you do, please let me know. I would love to give credit where credit is due!

Tomorrow I will share the Love Express Train I made with Gretchen Barron's tutorial.

Have a great day!

The Big Shot and Fabric

2010-02-05T11:34:43-08:00

I can't tell you enough how much I love my Big Shot! There is a list of items that can be used with the Big Shot, but until Leadership, I really never paid much attention.

Shelly Gardner gave every attendee at Leadership a quilted square that the people at the Manufacturing Facility made. They all brought in their sewing machines and made 1000 squares. Can you imagine?

This is me after receiving my quilt square. I believe there was at least 4 different color schemes but you didn't really get to choose. Not a great picture, but it's the only one I have of the quilt square.

We were given many suggestions on what to do with the square. Make an apron, pillow, purse and so on. There was even actual items made with the squares, but I decided to make it into a block and frame it. Eventually, it will hang in my stamp room.

Yesterday morning, I went to my friend Lucy Dean's house. Not only is Lucy an avid stamper, she is a great quilter and offered to help me out.

We went through 4 huge bins of fabric (better than going to a fabric store!) and chose a Garden Green printed fabric for the border.

I just love how it turned out! Lucy helped me every step of the way, measuring and cutting all the fabric and the batting for the border. She showed me exactly what I needed to do and let me use her fancy sewing machine to complete my quilt square. At first, I was just going to sewing the edge piece on, but after seeing how nicely it turned out, I hand stitched it to the back so there wasn't any stitching where it wasn't suppose to be.

Before I left Lucy, she let me go through the bins of fabric and I was able to take some to make the Ragged Scallop Purses I've been seeing. I'm hoping to start this weekend and I'll be able to share my version next week.

Big, big hugs and thanks to Lucy. Lucy, you have always been there whenever I needed any help and I so appreciate you. Thank you so very much!

Treat Cup with a Special Opening

2010-01-28T08:45:51-08:00

One of the many things I love about going to a Stampin' Up! event is the WOW demonstrations. At the Phoenix Regional, Donna Griffith, an employee of SU, demonstrated how to get easy access to the treats inside a treat cup.

This is the picture I took of the Jumbo tron showing us her card. From this picture and a few others I took, this is what I came up with.

As you move the Whisper White Circle around, an opening will appear in the back to release or put in candy.

Most of you know how much I LOVE moving cards, so when I saw this one, I went nuts! This is one of the cards we are doing in my Treat Cup Class. Oh, the actual candy inside this card was changed to the Juicy Pear Jelly Belly. Looks much better! LOL.

Thanks for stopping by!

I {Heart} Hearts will help the Haiti Relief Efforts

2010-01-21T11:34:58-08:00

I really am very proud to be associated with Stampin' Up! Today I learned that the home office put together 5000 hygiene kits to send to Haiti and as if that wasn't enough, they are allowing everyone that loves Stampin' Up! to help too.

From now until February 28, 2010, $2 from every I {Heart} Hearts stamp set demonstrators sell (or buy) will be donated to the American Red Cross’ Haiti Relief and Development Fund. The Red Cross is already well-established in Haiti, and this money will be used to provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need.

Product Name	Item #	Price
I {Heart} Hearts – clear-mount (block D recommended 118485 $8.50)	118571	$18.95
I {Heart} Hearts – wood-mount	117010	$26.95

This is a simple and straight forward plan; the more stamp sets we sell, the greater the difference we make. Often it is the simplest plans that work best!

I used this set for my swap card at Leadership. However, I BORROWED the set from a fellow Demo, Mary Hetherington. Thanks Mary. Now I will buy my own! Here's my card.

If you would like to order this set, you can place an order HERE at my Stampin' Up! website or email or call me. Don't forget that we are in SAB so for every $50 in product you order you receive a free SAB product.

Let's all do our part to help.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-21T11:17:14-08:00

Yep, can you believe it? I'm actually posting. LOL.

It has been crazy busy for me for the last 4 months.

My customers came over in November to make O Christmas Trees for SilverCrest. Santa passed them out in the beginning of December. The residents loved their trees.

I had a mini forest of 47 of these trees with Summer Sun stars on the top, unfortunately, I've lost the pictures.

I had a marvelous time in Phoenix Arizona at 2010 Leadership and the Regional Seminar. More information later. I will share my SUDSOL swap with you.

This is an easy card to duplicate and uses the Good Neighbor stamp set.

I am really rusty blogging so you can help me out if I forget to give you all the information.

Thanks for not giving up on me!

kathy