Arrrrrrrrrr!

Looking for a great stampset for boys? This one is hard to beat.
Beware Pirates is on the retiring list and it has some fabulous images (the one stamped in Whisper White in the background reminds me of Capt Jack Sparrow!)
Having an 8 year old boy, this stamp set has been invaluable for Birthday cards, scrapbook pages and we’ve even stamped on butchers paper with it to make our own wrapping paper!
Here’s how I made this card –
Step 1 –  Using the Tearing Edge (also retiring) on the finer side of the ruler, tear down both the long sides of the piece of Basic Black cardstock.
Step 2 – Stamp Pirate/Skull image in Whisper White Craft ink randomly over Basic Black cardstock.
Step 3 –  Stamp Skull and Crossbones stamp on piece of Whisper White cardstock using Black Stazon ink. Run cardstock through Crimper. Adhere to Basic Black cardstock with Stampin’ Dimensionals.
Step 4 – Stamp “Beware Pirates” onto piece of Vellum cardstock.
Step 5 – Roll the edges, tear and distress the Vellum and adhere to Basic Black cardstock using Silver Brads.
Step 5 – Adhere Basic Black card to Poppy Parade card base.
And now for something to counteract all that testosterone……
These Mini Milk cartons are what we made at my eldest daughter’s birthday party a couple of weeks ago :

We used a mixture of Lap of Luxury and Sweet and Sour Specialty Designer Series Papers (both retiring in a week’s time!)
The girls made their Milk Cartons using the Big Shot and Mini milk Carton Die and punched out flowers with the 5 Petal Flower Punch to decorate the outside before filling them with Mini M&M’s –

The flowers are then layered and held together with a Rhinestone Brad before sticking them on with a couple of Mini Glue Dots –

Here is another version of the Mini Milk Carton which I have been making for my lovely Workshop Hostesses this month –

Instead of using the 5 Petal Flower Punch, I have used a couple of the circle punches to create a more modern flower to decorate the Milk Carton –

The brad in the middle is a Builder Brad (another retiring product) and I personalised each one with my hostess’s initial using the Calendar Alphabet and Numbers and punching the letters out with my 1/2″ Circle Punch.
The circle “flowers” are scrunched and distressed with the Cutter Kit 7-Sided Distressing Tool.
You still have time to email me with your Retiring List order and score yourself a FREE 2011/2012 Idea Book and catalogue.
I’ll be putting my very last orders thorough by close of business on Wednesday August 31.
I will be back soon with  some more inspiration as well as a sneak peek of what we will be making at my Catalogue Launch this coming weekend!