Thank You Haruyo!

We made it!  Wowee!! Sure had fun posting all these projects. Really had to push myself this time to come up with new things.  Love all the inspiration out there- please check out You Tube fore more inspiration!

On to my last project....  I really wanted to use this new paper I got from my LSS.  Not sure why, but the flowers look a bit asian to me.  I love the muted look and wanted to use it for the front of my card.

Decided to make a belly band around the card out of a frosted gold cardstock and decorated it with a prima burlap leaf and rosette trim and some flatback pearls.

When you take off the belly band and open up the card you see this...

I finally used my Sizzix Pop 'n Cuts die!  Yay!  Geez, that took awhile since I purchased it last year!  At least I'm using it and not just hoarding!

Decided to cute out the flowers from the paper to tie it in to the front of the card.  Used the platform over the "Thanks" as a stage for Haruyo.  Behind her, I used some scrap acetate to create the brace to keep her standing up.

I know, wisteria not normallly pink, but I wanted it to match the paper.  Even though it's not traditional colors, I kind of like it!

I hope you enjoyed all of our projects for this release!  Thank you so much to Eva for assisting us with this release!  And of course to my girl Debi for all her help!  You guys did a great job!

Smile Li-Li!

Did you have a nice weekend?  I had a blast visiting some crafty friends and catching up.  A much needed mini getaway!

Before I left on my trip, I managed to finish up my Release #13 projects.  I showed this little bag I made out of washi paper that was cut from a Lifestyle Crafts die I picked up at an LSS earlier.  The size is good- enough to slip in some goodies for RAKs. I like the fact that I could cut the bag out of paper of my choice.  Since you never see washi paper mini bags, I love the fact that now I can make my own!  This particular washi paper was given to me by my friend Susan- Thanks Susan!  She brought this all the way back from Japan.  So nice of her to share with me. :)

So After I put the bag together, I thought that it was nice to fold down the top and then punch holes to hold a ribbon.  Since the top of the bag is curved, it looks really finished.

Its hard to tell from the photo, but the heart was cut from a frosted metallic red cardstock ,which goes so nicely with the washi paper.  After coloring and cutting out Li-Li, I added a little pin flag that says "Smile".  I found a bunch of these Bella Blvd flags at my LSS on sale.  Good find!

After I showed this project to my husband, he told me it reminds him of those little jewelry bags his sister used to get all the time. I guess it does sort of remind me of those too!

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to stop in and say hello to Debi and Eva!  Be sure to drop by tomorrow for our last day of sneak peeks before you can pick up your stamps!

Shin-Shin Chest

So, did you enjoy the introductions?  Hope so!  Now I have some fun news to share... It's time to announce who our guest designer is for this release!  Yay! This talented gal has an impressive DT resume, so we are totally stoked to have her join us for this release!  Please show her some love and welcome her to the Sister Stamps family!  Check out her blog here...

And don't forget that my CBFF Debi is also joining us.  Can't wait to see what our two designers have come up with!

So I got really ambitious this time around and one thing led to another... my project kept expanding and expanding and finally I felt it was done...  Here's what I came up with....

I've made a smaller version of this before, but it was only one layer of drawers.  I wanted to see if I could make a mini chest by adding more layers to the project.  I stopped at three, but I think I might try making this again later around Christmas time.  I have some ideas that I think might work out well!

In the meantime, here's more views of my project.  I took photos from all sides to help illustrate what the chest looks like.  The finished size is 6x6. I think its also 3" high?  Sorry, didn't measure that yet.  When I first put together the drawers, I thought it was too plain just using the kraft paper, so I added strips of paper by Prima. I love this paper!!!  It's pretty but has a white washed look, so it doesn't overpower your project.  The mini brads were from Wild Orchid Crafts.  The middle layer is a mini pearl brad and the other two are moonstone brads. Now I wish I bought more of those!

Here's the view of the top when its closed.  I followed a tutorial by Muriel on YT- Mscooperscoop channel.  She has some great tutorials- hope you check them out!

Anyway, I had some of these petaloo daisies leftover that I haven's used in awhile and made them into a puffy daisy.  I then cut out a heart from burlap.  The burlap that I got from Walmart frays a lot, so I used a fabric stiffner to help with that.

Here's a better look at Shin-Shin.  Since it's on an easel card, the flower sits up when you open it up.

As you can see, I added a piece of my chalkboard that has an adhesive backing.  To accent it, I added some lace trim and flat back pearl trim.  I used a chalk marker to write "Sister Stamps", but you can also use regular chalk.  I thought this would be fun to write notes/messages to someone.

Here's a side view of the side when the easel is opened.  You can see that there are three drawers on each side of the chest.

And this is a view from the back.

And the last side...

Hope you liked this project!  Don't get scared, but it took me 2 days to make.  I think it's mainly because I ran out of kraft cardstock. If I had enough on hand, I would have probably finished it in one night.

Don't forget to check out our Guest DT and Debi!!

Here's Haruyo!

I'm back!  One last intro for this release... meet Haruyo!  Haruyo is named after my aunt who was born in the spring, so I'm guessing that's why part of her name is "Haru" or spring in Japanese.  Anyway, I thought it was fitting since she is holding wisteria, which often blooms in the late spring.  

Wisteria flowers are so pretty!  I just love how they hang down from the trees!  I fell in love with this flower after I saw these photos....  I never knew how beautiful these blooms could be!  Dang!  Japan just has everything that I love!  Visiting the Wisteria Tunnel in Japan is definitely on my bucket list!

Ok, so by now you know about my You Tube addiction right?  Well, my friend and guest DT member, Linda of lfundoo on You Tube is partially responsible for my addiction.  She turns me on to all kinds of  crafty goodness.  So while checking out her channel, she posted a video on her entry to the My Scrap Room challenge.  Now I am a member of My Scrap Room too, but I'm too chicken to join the swaps or challenges.  If you aren't a member yet, go check it out here!  I think Gina runs the site and hosts challenges and swaps. 

One of Gina's challenges was to make a desk organizer. She has a tutorial on how to make the boxes here...  And you can see Linda's Hello Kitty version here...

So of course I had to give it a go and put my Sister Stamps twist on it.. Here's what I ended up with...

OK I know it's not using typical asian colors or papers, but I really wanted to use my new Graphic 45 Secret Garden paper pack from Linda!  Thanks girl!  I love it!

Since the colors in this collection are soft, I decided to color up Haruyo using my favorite purples. S he matches nicely since she's carrying a wisteria stem.  Doesn't that match in the Secret Garden?

I decided to go with only 8 boxes. It was very easy to make!  I trimmed down the front row of boxes so that they were different sized.  After I taped them all together, I binded them using lace trim around the edge.  I think it gave it a more finished look.  Then I added some flat back pearl trim over the lace and then went to town using prima, wild orchid crafts and i am roses flowers.  Also used a couple of prima butterflies on the front and back.  Here's a shot of the back of the organizer.

I hope you give it a try!  If you do, please let me know either by leaving a comment here or on facebook.  I'd love to check out your creation!

So earlier I told you about one thing on my bucket list right?  Well, if you want a chance to win Haruyo, just do the following:
1.  Leave a comment on THIS POST by 04/30/13 11:59 HST.
2.  Tell me about one thing on your bucket list!  I'd love to hear about it!

Don't forget to stop by tomorrow to find out who our guest designer is for this release!! I'm so excited to tell you!

Here's Shin-Shin

Do you love pandas too?  Hope so, cause I have another panda image to share with you today!  Meet Shin-Shin.  Recently, our family visited Japan to go to the Sapporo Snow Festival.  It was an amazing experience, especially coming from Hawaii where we don't really have snow (unless you count Mauna Kea).  Part of our trip included going to Tokyo.  This time we decided to check out the Pandas at Ueno Zoo.  I'm soooo happy we were able to see them this time.  They are really cute!  Here's the link to my trip report if you want to see some pics from the zoo.  

So now that we are finally releasing our panda image, I wanted to name it after one of the Ueno Zoo pandas!  They currently have 2 Giant Pandas, who are definitely the zoo's pride and joy.  You can read more about their names here...  I chose Shin-Shin for this cutie pie... and find it really funny that they decided on Lee Lee for the other panda... Isn't that ironic considering that we also have a Li-Li image that I introduced to you yesterday!  

So apparently when I tried to find the link to the panda's names above, I kept getting links show up about the two Ueno Zoo pandas mating!  Even had videos, which I don't really want to watch, but I'm hoping that means a baby panda will be there soon!

Back to my project..  I was totally inspired by Ms. Donna Mikasa when I saw her post here... She made a shaker card using washi tape to seal up the sides!  Genius!  She references a tutorial by Julie found here...  Thanks Ladies for the inspiration!

OMG- you have to try this easy peasy shaker card!  Now I love shaker cards, but hate having to use foam tape to seal up the section that encloses all the beads.  This makes it SOOOOOOO much easier to make a shaker!  I'm on a shaker card roll!

In this particular example, I used more Graphic 45 paper from the Bird Song collection.  I figured the bamboo print was fitting for a panda right?  Instead of using washi tape, I chose to use my black glitter tape.  It works the same as the washi tape, but has more sparkle.  Plus I didn't have any solid colored washi that matched my project, so the glitter tape was a fun alternative.

I filled the shaker using Martha Stewart microbeads, which were just gathering dust in my drawer.  Now I'm half way done with my gold bottle.  May need to stock up on this now that it's so easy to make!

I also added in some Island Scrapbooking mini sakura laser cuts.  Love to have the sakura's floating around inside the shaker.

This is how easy they were to make.. I made several samples to give to the stores.  Cranked them out pretty quickly.. had to stop cause I ran out of glitter tape!  Trust me, it's easy as pie.  Hope you try it out soon too!

So enough jabbering... I guess I had a lot to say today!  I know the real reason you came to visit to see if I was giving away any blog candy right?  You came to the right place!!!  Here's all you have to do to enter:
1.  Leave a comment on THIS POST by 04/30/13 11:59 HST.
2.  Tell me if you'd like to see more pandas in the future.  We have some ideas, but want to hear from you if you are even interested.  Be honest!

Ok one more day of intros left!  See you tomorrow!

Meet Li-Li!

Hi Stampers!  Can't believe it's time for our next release!  So excited to bring you some new images that have been in the works for awhile now.  The next image in our kids with pets series is Li-Li!  Li-Li has been hanging out waiting for her turn to be released for quite some time now, and her turn has finally arrived!

As a kid, I was drawn to pandas... not really sure why I liked them but I recall liking them more than your average bear.  Pandas were not that popular when I was growing up, so I was happy to see them become popular now!  

I was so happy to receive this image from my sis!  Doesn't every girl want her very own panda?  Since this cutie is dressed in Chinese clothes, I decided to give her a Chinese name.  Hmmmm... already named two images after my nieces, so those names were out.  Then it donned on me that my sister-in-law who is Chinese must have a Chinese name right?  So I asked her what her Chinese name is.... to my surprise, her Chinese name is actually her American name!  I totally did not know that "Lilly" was the American version of her real name which is Li-Li.  Love it!  And that's how Li-Li got her name...

Now that you know a little bit more about how Li-Li got her name.. on to the project!  I am still on my You Tube addiction and stumbled on Bona's (Live Love Scrap) innovative use of Tim Holtz dies, or any dies for that matter!  Now when I first saw this "Tick Tock" die by Tim Holtz, I thought to myself... who would want that die?  For one thing, it's big.  Only good for scrapbook layouts.  Secondly, what would I do with an alarm clock?  Then I saw Bona's project that turned the alarm clock into a shaker/shadowbox!  She's so smart yah?  Thanks Bona for all the inspiration!

So I finally got my hands on that alarm clock die and came up with this shaker...

In order to accomplish the deep shaker, I cut multiple layers of chipboard using the Tick Tock die.  Then adhered them together and sealing it off with some acetate.  Before closing it up, I added in some cherry blossoms from Wild Orchid Crafts, gold dew drops and an asian coin from my stash.   The background paper used was from the Graphic 45 Bird Song collection- totally my favorite of the set!

Here's a closer look at Li-Li...

It's giveaway time!!!!  Isn't that the funnest (is that a word) part about our introductions?  Here's the deets:
1.  Leave a comment on THIS POST by 04/30/13 11:59 HST.
2.  Share any innovative way you've used dies or other tools to make a project!  I love hearing new ideas!

Check in tomorrow for more Release #13 fun!

Release #13 Coming Soon!

Wow!  This month has flown by!  Can't believe its time for another release!!  It's been awhile since we released some girls, so I thought I'd sneak this release  in between our Zodiac releases.

Here's a sneak peek at the images scheduled to arrive on 05/01/13...

Be back tomorrow with introductions!!

Lookie Lookie!

Hey!  Just popping in to let you in on a secret.... We're slipping in another release!

Join us soon to find out who will be joining our family of images...

Happy (belated) Easter and Blog Candy Winners!

First of all, Happy belated Easter everyone!  I guess it was a busy Easter for me, so I didn't get a chance to pull names till now.  Thanks for being patient!

Here's the winners for this Release:

Akira:    Gela
Yoichi:  Kimberly S.
Rooster:  Amy
Dog:   Fay

Congrats to the winners!  Please email me at [email protected] with your mailing address.

And for those of you who frequent our blog hops, you'll notice that Debi did not host a blog candy this release.  We decided to do something different this time and pull a name from our Facebook fans.  For those of you who either commented or liked any of our release posts, you were entered into a secret drawing.  The winner for our Facebook giveaway is:

Pam Kiyoi-Segawa!  Congrats Pam!  Please email me with the stamp of your choice from this release!

And thanks to all of you who played along and left us some really cool comments!  I enjoyed reading all of them!!  Sometimes I wonder if anyone is out there reading this stuff, so its nice to get comments every now and then!