Downton Crabby

So one of my favorite things to do is browse Pinterest... Several months ago I saw a card that someone made using Lawn Fawn stamps: a cute little crab with a sand castle in the background and a sentiment that said something like "Happy Birthday from Downton Crabby". It was adorable - super super cute...

My first thought after seeing this card was "OMG - my Husband would love this!"  I loved the idea and wanted to see how I could replicate it with a few fun dies. 

 

I used the Circle accordion die and Rocky the Crab die from Elizabeth Craft Designs, the stitched hillside boarders from Lawn Fawn, and the sand castle die from Impression Obsession. Oh, and I put the crab on a wobble spring. Love it! 

Here are a few pictures!

Neenah Paper Comparison

Review time!   

So all the crafty video people (the ones I YouTube stalk - um pursue - stalking is a crime) are always touting the virtues of Neenah Solar White 110lb card stock.   How copic friendly it is and wonderful it is to color on, etc....  Well I couldn't find it at Michaels, and I couldn't find it at Joann's, so I thought I would try Office Max....And while I didn't see "Neenah Solar White", I did find this "Neenah Exact Index". 

A ream of the Neenah Exact Index, 110 lb. cost $17.43. I did wince a little at the price because THAT  is a lot for a ream of 250sheets. But I figured I would be using them in Quarter sheets, and I really thought this was the paper everyone was raving about.   

It turns out I was wrong! The paper everyone was really talking about was the Neenah Solar White, 110 lb (not the same as Neenah Exact Index!). A ream of 250 sheets cost $57.10. *jaw on the floor* I know, right?! That shopping trip was expensive! had to hunt down this ream of Neenah Solar White from The Kelly Paper Store. (FYI- after I made my purchase I found  it cheaper on the SimonSaysStamp website!) 

You're probably saying "Silly Amanda - both are white, both are 110lb, both have 250 sheets/ream, BOTH are Neenah brand! How different could they be?!* 

My answer is "Not that different at all...." Smh...

Yes, the Solar White is nearly 3 times the cost, and while the paper is the same weight, the solar white is actually thicker. I'm not sure how paper thickness and weight correspond.... 

ANYWAY - after a copic coloring test using some fantastic Lawn Fawn stamps and My Favorite Things Black Licorice Hybrid ink - the difference was so minimal - I don't think it would matter to me if I used the Exact Index as my primary coloring paper forever and always going forward...

I do feel like the markers blended better on the Solar White, but again...it was minimally better than the Exact Index. I think I will save $39.67 and use the Exact index. 

Because most of my coloring adventures wind up on A2 size cards, I usually cut down my 8.5x11 cardstock into Quarter Sheets measuring 4.25x5.5.  So naturally I had to breakout the cost my quarter sheet too... 

Cost per Quarter sheet: 

250 full sheets x 4 = 1,000 quarter sheets.

Neenah Exact Index: $17.43/1,000 = $0.017 per quarter sheet

Neenah Solar White : $57.10/1,000 = $0.057 per quarter sheet

Cost per A2 size card base:

250 full sheets x 2 card bases/full sized sheets = 500 A2 size card bases

Neenah Exact Index: $17.43/500= $0.035 per A2 size card base

Neenah Solar White : $57.10/500 = $0.114 per A2 size card base. 

 

So if you like math - the numbers might sway you one way or the other. 

Card Box Template

I put these together about a year ago when the box card craze hit the papercrafting community like a tsunami...    I decided to load it here so I don't "lose" it...  :)  You can also search my Pinterest Board for Box Card ideas - I have a bazillion samples pinned.  Super fun ideas!

Accordion Roses

My Mom is one of my favorite people.  If I only make one birthday card a year, it would be for her...  (sorry husband, but it's true).  

As my card ninja skills improve, I challenge myself to make a newer - better - more awesome birthday card for Mom each year.  This year, I pulled two things in my new bag of card tricks: Copic Coloring on Glitter, and an interactive Accordion Card.  I feel like I could have jazzed it up a bit more if I had like - 8 more hours of time.... but I am pretty happy with how it turned out.  Here are a few pictures, and a list of materials used for this card. 

Materials
Dies: Accordion Oval Card and the Oval Florish Frame Edges, both by Karen Burniston/Elizabeth Craft Designs. and the Happy Birthday Sentiment Die from Simon Says Stamp.
Glitter Paper:  homemade myself with Elizabeth Craft Designs Double Sided Adhesive and Warm Diamond Glitter
Peel Off Sticker: Roses in Oval by Elizabeth Craft Designs.
Paper: Scraps of DSP - not sure which brand, and Crisp Cantaloupe Card stock from Stampin Up


ps: Ooops! You can't see the DSP on this card!  Its on the back side of the ovals, so the back of the card is as pretty as the "front/inside"

Bad joke alert

I heard this one and had to share it with you. Or rather, share it with myself... Since I'm pretty sure I'm the only one that reads this...

Q: what does a nosy pepper do?




A: it gets jalapeño business....


I laughed so so hard when I heard this one. 😝❤️

A pretty cool thingy.

TOOL CRUSH ALERT

I am always looking for multi-purpose tools that are easy to use, well made, and portable. This crafty tool checked all three boxes on my wish list..... 

 

What is it??

It's called the Imaginisce Score N' Piercing tool. Its a scoring AND peircing tool in one clicky pen format. Love it! There are 4 points in this tool, three scoring sizes (2.0 & 1.5, and 0.5) and one piercing tool.

 

I've had it for about three months now, and I absolutely love it.  I didn't realize how often I would reach for it! I use this most often when I am trying to get stubborn little paper pieces out of intricate dies. Love it. 

There's nothing worse than a "crafty tool tease"...

So as I mentioned in my last post, the CHA 2015 show was last weekend....  I wasn't able to go myself because I'm not a retailer, a designer or super famous blogger (yet).  *tear*

Well, I did take advantage of the classes that were offered by Sandy Allnock and Copic.  I also lived vicariously through all of the Instagram and Facebook posts that filled my feed.  #jealous #greenwithenvy #craftytorture  Those are the mental hashtags that are going through my head as I think about everything I "missed". 

ANYWAY -  I digress. 

While at the CHA2015 show, Sizzix released a sneak peak of their newest Big Shot designs and I just about fell out of my chair with excitement.  What is it?  It's called the "Big Shot Plus", and the platform is 9 inches wide.  *DancingInMyDeskChair*  It does all the things the regular Big Shot does, but it can now accommodate a full 8.5 x 11inch piece of paper WITHOUT having to trim it down.  *MoreDancingInMyDeskChair*

Sizzix posted a sneak peak video on Facebook, so this is kinda where the "crafty torture" comes into play.  Now that I know this exists, I am super super SUPER excited and can't wait for it's release.  ...in May 2015.  So, there is over four full months of waiting is ahead of me.... I don't think companies should do this to people like me.  If I know it exists, I want it now!  like, RIGHT NOW.  *sigh*..

How exciting is it to be able to save time and maximize card stock by running the FULL 8.5 x 11 inch piece of carstock through the Big Shot Plus?!  I will never have to trim down my card stock again just to fit it through the machine!! HALLELUJAH!!  This is the best crafty news of 2015 so far.  However, shame on you Sizzix; you are being a Crafty Tool Tease!   

PS: Husband - I want one for my birthday. pretty please. *bats eyelashes*