Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Field Trip: The Paper Cafe and Stampadoodle

So I really love it when my husband says let’s go for a drive. You might remember my last field trip to Shipwreck Beads. This weekend was a gorgeous PNW weekend and off we went in the opposite direction, North, and ended up in Bellingham, WA.

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First I had a panic attack because we went to the location of an incredible stamp and paper store I’d previously visited and it was GONE! A quick phone search and my heart went back into its place. They’d moved. Whew!

The Paper CafĂ© and Stampadoodle is a must visit place if you’re ever in the Bellingham area. If you’re in the Vancouver BC area, it’s worth a trip across the border!

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Basically, they have EVERYTHING a stamper, scrapbooker, mixed media artist could ask for. An array of handmade imported papers that will make you drool ( not on the paper of course!).

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Rows and rows of stamps of every theme and design. Wood mounted ( shown here) and a wall of cling stamps. And what are stamps without 12x12 papers and embellishments? They’ve got you covered there too with the BEST selection of Graphic45, and Canvas Corp papers I've seen at any of my local stores.

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The best part is that the owners and team know their products. While it’s true you can score deals at the big box stores and not gonna lie, that’s where I do a lot of my shopping, it is wonderful to be in a space where you know people are truly using the stuff they sell. A lot of the artwork on display in the store is done by the owner Wendy. I do wish I lived close enough to get to some of their many classes and workshops.

They have the biggest collection of Cuttlebug embossing folders I’ve seen anywhere and a fantastic selection of Tim Holtz products:

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I just loved wandering throughout the store, taking in all of the incredible products in one place! When my go to place for basics like card stock and envelopes closed earlier in the year, I stocked up but have been looking for where I’d get these once I run out. Stampadoodle to the rescue! They are now carrying a lot of these same products. Yeah!!

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I introduced myself to Wendy and told her I was a blogger but I am blogging about Stampadoodle because I am in total love with this store. Wendy and Steve have put together not only a great mix of products but a wonderful space where groups of creative people can come to create ( or spouses can sit and read while their creative other half tries to show some restraint in buying stuff!).

This is a must stop place if you’re anywhere nearby!!
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Like a kid in a candy store. OK like me in a chocolate store! 

Monday, April 9, 2012

BFF Open House Link Party #47 Wrap Up and Features

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter and Passover weekend. Thanks so much for a great turnout at Friday’s party and as always some inspired ideas. Here are just a few:

From the department of YUM, Back for Seconds linked up this incredibly tempting Banana Fudge Brownie Pie:


Who wouldn’t be back for seconds, thirds, fourths of this?


This time of year seems to kick off a run of parties…end of school, graduation etc. I love this creative and inexpensive party favor idea from Shaken Together that has so many possibilities:


Keri has a great tutorial and love what she used to make the  “popcorn”. Wouldn't this be fun for a movie themed or Oscar party?

I’m always in awe of the thrifty finds you all discover. Jamie from The Creative Imperative scored BIG for $15 and then did an even bigger transformation. Take a look at this piece:


And from big to little but with big impact, Janet from Janet of All Trades made the most adorable ribbon straight pins which I definitely need to make because I am forever losing pins!


Plus I can see these as great card, scrapbook, altered art embellishments.

Thanks to everyone who linked up and hope to see you again on Friday. Make it a creative week!

Thursday, April 5, 2012

BFF Open House Link Party #47: Eggs and Bunnies and Peeps Oh My

Confession time. I don't like Peeps. (ducking, imagining a barrage of incoming Peeps being thrown at me). I know...that seems somehow un American or un Easter-like or un-something. The little gooey things are everywhere and  I can't escape them. I think they exceed Twinkies in shelf life.

Easter kinda snuck up on me this year and I even heard an ad on TV for MOTHER'S DAY! OK please slow down 2012.

Let's see what everyone's been up to this week. There were such great links last week you all have to top yourselves! I don't think that will be a problem. I really want to thank you for choosing to come play at my little party. I know it's not the biggest, but I kind of like this smaller more intimate gathering .

Rules are simple. If you made it , link it. Papercrafts, scrapbooking, cards, jewelry, upcycle, thriftcycle, DIY, recipes ( especially chocolate!), home dec, etc. Please just no ads or shops. Other than that...PARTY ON!






Easter Scrapboxsket: Easter Basket In A Box

So, even though College Boy aka Chocolate Chip aka our son will spend his first Easter away from home ( sniff sniff, waaaaah) , he still needed to have an Easter “basket” right?

Bunny Box

Shipping costs being what they are, I had to get creative. I wasn’t about to ship an actual basket.  I looked around and had an old box from some photos I ordered from Snapfish. Perfect. Re-use, re-purpose, recycle…especially during April which is “Earth Month”.

Of course I couldn’t just leave it plain, so  I scrapped the inside of the lid!

I took a piece of green Core’dinations cardstock and some coordinating paper from my stash and measured to fit inside the lid. Then tore the patterned paper and adhered to top and bottom as shown. What’s an Easter basket without a chocolate bunny?

Chocolate Vinyl Bunny

This bunny is melt proof since it’s from chocolate colored vinyl. I found a bunny image in the Silhouette online store and dressed him up with a swirly ribbon bow tie, and a rhinestone tail.

I took a scrap of the green cardstock and freehand cut some “grass” for the bunny to nestle in.

Hoppy Easter

I cut the words “Hoppy Easter” from the same chocolate vinyl and embellished with more rhinestones. Son will understand that when it comes to his mom “it don’t mean a thing, if it ain’t got that bling”.

Oh and what’s inside?
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A real chocolate bunny, and lots and lots of “eggs”.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Gold, White, And Sparkly Bunny Easter Cards

Back when my favorite paper store was going out of business, I found this gorgeous handmade paper that I knew immediately I would use for either Easter or Mother’s Day cards.

Easter Cards Handmade Paper

The pic doesn’t do this justice but it’s a gorgeous rough silk like texture with metallic painted flowers.

So that was a couple of months ago when I thought I had tons of time until either of these holidays, then the calendar sped up and life happened and EEEK! It’s time to make Easter cards!

Thankfully, printables can be re-sized so I used my HOP printable as my card focal.

Gold and White Easter Card

I used a cream cardstock for the card, then a gold speckled vellum for the background paper. Layered my handmade paper on top and then my re-sized printable, mounted on a coordinating panel.

Easter Cards Stickles

Since everything looks better with glitter, I went over my little bunny with Stickles glitter glue so Mr. HOP would pop.

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What’s a bunny without a little adhesive pearl cotton tail?  Other embellishments include punched flowers and more Stickles dots of glitter.

Gold and White Easter Card


Gold and White Easter Card

Hippity Hoppity Easter's on its waaaaaayyyyyy.

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Monday, April 2, 2012

BFF Open House Link Party #46 Wrap Up and Features

Happy Monday everyone. Can you believe it’s April already? Thanks for a great party on Friday. So much creativity! Here are a few of the  ideas that caught my eye but as always, everyone who linked up shared something wonderful.

If you’ve got a little one in your life who’s into cars and trucks, then has Michele at The Scrap Shoppe got a party idea for you!


I can’t do this party justice with just one pic so you really need to pop over to see the whole thing including the spectacular orange creamsicle cake. I love how bright and Spring-y this party is.

Another bright sign of Spring is this pillow from Katie at Creatively Living. Simple but bold at the same time.



You’ll never guess what she used for the flowers.

Who doesn’t love a new pair of shoes? Look no further than your own closet to transform a pair a la Anthropologie. Caroline from c.w.frosting did an amazing transformation. Here’s the adorable end result:


Who wouldn’t be in a good mood wearing these!

Being the huge fan of black and white that I am, I fell in instant love with these next two projects. Just love them!

First, Maggie from Midwestern Sewing Girl shared a high impact low cost project that looks straight out of PB, Ballard, or West Elm. Check out this tissue paper and stamped canvas:



I am on a hunt for the tissue paper she used.

Finally, with Easter coming, you have got to check out this wonderful take on decorating eggs. Jenn at Rook No. 17 shared these stunning silhouette eggs.



Again, thanks to everyone who linked up. I will get back on track w/ a blog feature starting next week. If you know a new or emerging crafty blog w/ less than 500 followers or are one and would like to be featured, shoot me an email!

Make it a creative week!