Altered State of Mine » Projects

Assembly Line Birthday Cards

Candy — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 00:53:24 +0000

You want to know my favorite way to make several cards? Assembly line style! Make one card, then replicate it. Once you have your card design, the hard part is over.

I break down the steps of making the card into several phases. I stamped the patterned paper, then cut to size. I punched the front of my card bases. Then I stamped all the insides and adhered the patterned paper.

I make cards for my church’s card ministry and as a group, we’ve gotten smarter over the months. Assembly line card making is what keeps us going. This card was the one I made for July’s feminine birthdays.

I used one of my favorite CTMH sets – Friendship Blessings – for the patterned paper. Yes, I made my own! Not hard to do, just a bit of random stamping and two step stamping. And let me tell you, two step stamping is a BREEZE with clear acrylic stamps.

I also used CTMH Cupcake Sprinkles for the "Celebrate" and obviously, the cute cupcake image. And I used my all time favorite sentiment stamp set – CTMH’s For Every Occasion – for the "Happy Birthday". Colors were Garden Green and Hollyhock – both first and second generation colors.

Yeah, see that punch detail? How cool is that? It’s one of Fiskars newer punch releases, the Fiskars Embossing Border Punch Eyelet Lace. Yes, it embosses as well as punches. Pretty nifty. Makes a big impression with very little work.

So, there you have it – lots of cards in a short amount of time. The secret? Assembly line card making.

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What a Great Father’s Day Gift!

Candy — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 03:11:30 +0000

I only wish I’d thought of it first.

Got some of these??

You HAVE to check out AlphaMom’s post on altered Altoid tin toolboxes – absolutely so stinkin’ cute!! What a great idea for all those tins I have wandering around the house!

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My Altered Planner

Candy — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 20:11:57 +0000

Yes, finally – here is my 2009 planner/calendar/datebook…whatever you call it. I LIVE by my planner every year – its my brain. Truly – even my kids know what it is and that Mom needs it. My sweetie, Tim? He knows if its not in the planner, it ain’t happening. It’s essential to making sure we all get where we’re supposed to be, WHEN we’re supposed to be. Seriously. It’s important.

And I ADORE making my own. I’ve made my own for most of the last few years. 2008 was the exception – I just couldn’t get motivated. And I lived with it for the year, but I was not happy. This year, I’m happy. And creative. And using my planner.

Okay, the planner itself is Close To My Heart’s weekly calendar. Really fun to work with! The cover paper is a previous (no longer available) Heart of Winter Special (and one of my most favorite packs) "Serendipity". LOVE that paper!!

I popped the flower with some 3-D Foam Adhesive.

For each month, I used some of my favorite CTMH papers and the retired E Sized "Friendship Alpha". (There are lots of other E sized alphas currently available – I love the Chocolate alpha too!)

Hope you enjoyed! Let me know if you have questions about anything!

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Happy National Paper Crafting Month!

Candy — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:57:28 +0000

Close To My Heart has done it again!!

Click on the picture for more details!

January is National Paper Crafting Month, and CTMH is celebrating with this special collection called Key To My Heart. It includes 12 patterned papers, 10 coordinating cardstock papers, and an E sized stamp set! And there are 5 great ways to get this kit!

Purchase the kit outright for $47.90
Spend $75 and receive the kit for $20
Spend $130 and receive the kit for FREE!
Host a $400 party and receive the kit for FREE!
or the best way yet – Sign up to be a Close To My Heart Consultant in Jan and receive the kit for FREE!

Contact me for more information or become a CTMH consultant!

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Altered AOL Mailer

Candy — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 03:59:59 +0000

Okay, so this is an oldie – but I think a goody! AOL (and other Internet service providers) periodically send out mailings to entice me to sign up. I have never signed up through them, but I like to confiscate their boxes and CDs. The CDs make fabulous paint palettes. And the boxes were just calling out to me to alter them. So, I did.

Here’s a picture of the "before" product.

Altering this was very simple. I first did a quick coat of paint, to cover the edges and designs. Gesso is ideal for this. I chose some favorite patterned paper (SEI’s Aunt Gerti’s Garden) as well as coordinating embellishments. **Candy’s Tip** To make any project easier, use paper and embellishments from the same line – it takes away all the guesswork and makes it a snap to coordinate your project.**

Another tip? What if you have a favorite paper and it’s several years old? Use it anyway! In 10 years, are you going to remember what year it was released? Do your children care? if you like it, use it! I know I personally have enough patterned paper to wallpaper the Biltmore house – I need to use it up.

I then adhered the paper to the box with an aggressive adhesive (mod podge, ATG, etc.). The accordion album inside? Simply some cardstock folded and adhered to each other in accordion fashion. Just secure one end of it to the inside of the box.

I embellished the box and tied it all up with a ribbon. Cute and easy!

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The 12 Days of Christmas – a Ring and Run

Candy — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:54:28 +0000

[I've had several people ask me about this, so I figured it would be easiest to put the poems and information here, so everyone can access it.]

Our family has a fun Christmas tradition! We call it "12 Days" for short. And before I get started, yes, I am fully aware that the traditional 12 days of Christmas actually start after Christmas Day and end on the Epiphany. Our family chooses to celebrate with our friends on the days preceding Christmas. After Christmas, we're in full tax season mode in our house.

Okay, on with the explanation…every year, we choose another family to spoil during the bustling pre-Christmas time. Beginning on December 13, we deliver a little goodie package every evening to our "victims". We base our goodies very loosely on the song "The 12 Days of Christmas". VERY loosely – keep that in mind.

I've gathered this information from various sources over the years, tweaking it to fit our families and our needs – sometimes we have a hard time finding certain parts of the rhymes.

Okay, here are the rhymes and items we do every evening for our chosen family. I usually print these on cardstock and use my Sizzix Super Scallop die to cut them into cute shapes. Then I stamp and embellish, depending on the family we've chosen. If they know I tend to be a little crafty, they get fewer embellishments to try and conceal our identity.

This glad Christmas season is so full of fun.
We're happy to share with your family, then run.
How grateful we are that you're playing our game.
You'll now find that Christmas won't be the same.

The song that we sing twelve days in a row
Won't get tiresome with treats from friends you know.
But to keep up the mystery and the fun,
You won't know who we are until we're all done!

Each night we'll bring something
Please don't watch for us coming.
If you catch us too soon,
It will spoil the fun that's coming!

Tonight calls for a partridge for your pear tree,
But partridges are tough catches, you see.
Now, how about some canned pears, instead of the bird.
They taste very good, or so we have heard.
[Canned Pears]

Tonight we have turtles & doves coming your way.
Eat all the chocolate you may.
Because in your family you have quite a few,
We've left on your doorstep more than just two.
[Turtle and Dove Candy]

Hens are chickens
If they are French or not!
Here is chicken soup
To heat in a pot.

Four calling birds, we can't pay the fare,
For all we have is a purse full of air.
As Christmas approaches, and calls you must make,
Don't use these gold coins or the phone you may break.
[Gold chocolate coins]

On the fifth day of Christmas with things rather tight,
It's important to us that we all travel light.
Gold rings are too heavy (and so are gold buckles),
So please be content with sweet rings on your knuckles.
[Ring Pops]

*OR*

On the fifth day of Christmas with things rather tight,
It's important to us that we all travel light.
Gold rings are too heavy (and don’t have much flavor)
So please enjoy these tasty Lifesavers.

*OR*

Only five golden rings?
There really are more
Of gold pineapple rings
I got from the store.

Six geese-a-laying– an interesting sight.
One of them squawked and they all took flight.
What they left in their nest, you'll just have to look,
But with these you won't want to cook.
[eggs, plastic swan cups with chocolate inside, chocolate eggs]

The 7th day of Christmas and we are half way done,
Remember no peeking or you'll spoil the fun.
On this day of Christmas, how nice it would be,
If seven swans a swimming your family could see.
The pond was quite empty since the swans have gone south,
We only found goldfish to put in your mouth.
[Goldfish crackers]

On the eighth day of Christmas, we're busy as a bee.
Eight maids-a-milking, no where do we see.
But there in the barn we spy a tasty sweet,
Milk Maid caramels, what a treat.

Nine ladies dancing would be too big a crowd,
Besides their music is way too loud.
We have for you Christmas songs,
That you can listen to all season long.

Ten lords a leaping would be an awesome gift,
But they got stuck while jumping through a white snowdrift.
We had to be content, you see, to watch the popcorn fly.
So we've added a sweet topping to it for you to try.
[Caramel popcorn, popcorn toppings]

Those eleven pipers piping reminds us of our plumber,
To leave him on the doorstep would be a real bummer.
Now make your water piping hot, and fill your cups with care.
We're giving you some hot chocolate we know you'll love to share.

We simply can't believe this game is almost through.
We've had a jolly time bringing these gifts to you.
With only one more night, don't you wish you knew,
Just exactly who we are and why we're doing this for you?

Christmas Eve has arrived, and on this our last night,
One dozen drummers would be a grand sight.
But the noise of their drums would hurt your head,
So eat all these cookies we bring you instead.

The thing to now remember, if you've had lots of fun
When next December rolls around you make the nightly runs.
Make sure you pick your family with tender, loving care
‘Cause its fun to get to spoil them at this special time of year.

And so we wish you a joyous Noel,
We know that you're hoping our name we will tell.
But our name stays a secret, we just cannot share.
It wouldn't be right, no it wouldn't, so there!

Merry Christmas!

So, that's it. I hope I explained it well. Let me know if you have any questions about any of the items or the rhymes or anything else. And if you have some new ideas, I'd LOVE to hear those too!!

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Post-It Note Keychains

Candy — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:02:42 +0000

Have you ever had one of those days? Where you think you’ve done something, only to find out you haven’t? Well, this project is one of those "days". I was sure I’d already shared this project with you, but I don’t think I have. That’s a sure sign of getting old, isn’t it? Oh well, I’ll just call it too much on my plate. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Okay, so moving on…this is such a cute little project! It’s perfect for a little ‘happy-happy’ (just a gift for no good reason) or for a tag on another gift. Two of these little beauties will go to my 2 Secret Sisters. Two, you ask? Yes, one of our group moved out of state and I’ve taken on her Secret Sister as well. So I get to make 2 persons happy – blessed me! Several of the keychains pictured were made as thank you gifts for a recent Close To My Heart order. I like to give everyone who orders a little something to thank them for supporting me and my business.

Honestly, these post it note keychains couldn’t be easier. Simply pick up your favorite sticky notes from the store – they come in so many colors! Section the sticky notes into smaller chunks – 25-50 sheets each. No need to count, just estimate. Use a little snippet of cardstock to cover the smaller notes. I scored my cardstock twice in the middle, to make a spine.

Secure the sticky note pad into your cover with a strong adhesive. I know this will be a shock, but I used my ATG. LOVE that thing! Use your Crop-A-Dile to punch a hole in the corner and thread a loose leaf binding ring through it. I find so many uses for my binding rings – stay tuned! I’ll write more about them later.

Okay, now is the time to embellish! You may want to use a monogram, flowers, or other stamped images. Something three- dimensional would be fun also! Tie a little ribbon on the ring and you’re done! A quick and easy ‘happy-happy’ for someone special in your life.

Thanks for stopping by! Go alter something!

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Standing Cards, part 2

Candy — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 14:00:26 +0000

So, to continue with my previous post on standing pop up cards , here’s the second standing card I made. This was for my "not-so-secret" sister’s birthday (hi Rach!). Yeah, I stink at keeping secrets. But she loves me anyway.

Okay, back to the card. I used CTMH’s September Stamp of the Month "Treasure Life". I think this set is so versatile! If you missed it, I’m really hoping it will show up in a future catalog. I adore the silhouette images on it. I took lots of pics of it, so you can get a better idea of how I put it together.

I hope you enjoyed this card! It was fun to make and totally impressive.

Thanks for stopping by! Go alter something!

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A Standing Card

Candy — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:37:56 +0000

Okay, so what is a standing card? Its a card that stands on its own. I’ve also heard it called a pop-up card, a free standing card, or even a surprise card.

Whatever you call it, I absolutely adore this way of making a card! It looks so impressive with very little work on your part – a winner every time in my book!

I am *such* a visual learner, so I used the fabulous free standing card tutorial from Split Coast Stampers. Why reinvent the wheel when I can use that time to create?

I’ll be sharing 2 cards I made using that tutorial. This one is the first one I ever made, so you know it’s easy. I made it to celebrate my son’s 13th birthday. (How on earth did I get old enough to have a teenager?? Impossible!!) Anyway, I used the retired (and hard to find) CTMH set "Rock-n-Roll". I LOVE that set!

He really loved receiving this card, so it was well worth my puny effort. And I really love him, so you know, it all balances out.

Thanks for stopping by! Go alter something!

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Calendar Templates

Candy — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:46:45 +0000

Okay, if you’ve read my post on my planners, you may be wondering where to get a calendar template from. I happen to have a wonderfully talented husband who can make any size calendar for me (he did all the work on the "guts" of 2 different planners for me – thanks Tim! Love you, babe!)

If you don’t happen to have a computer genius in your home, I have a link to some calendar templates that will make your project SO much easier! And if you haven’t visited the About Rubber Stamping Forum, take a minute to peek in and say "hi" – we’re a new forum, but we’re growing everyday and would love to talk stamping with you!

Thanks for stopping by! Go alter something!

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