The HQ

Halloween Wedding

2010-09-27T20:59:00.002-04:00

My friend Stacey is getting married on Oct 31.; I was honored to have her ask me to create her invitations. I only had to make ten, but I had a lot of fun. The best part was that I didn't CASE the design -- I created it on my own, even the idea of using a gatefold design! I didn't know I had it in me.
At first her fiancee said that he wanted Jack O'Lanterns and leaves, but he switched it to bats against a gray background. I only had two papers that fit this criteria, we chose the one from the Spook Alley -- the only thing I don't like is the distressed look, if you don't know better it looks like I messed up the paper.

Here is the front of the card. I made the bats using the edge punch part of the Martha Stewart Around the Page bats set.

This is the inside of the card. I was glad that she only needed ten cards, because I was SO sick of that bat punch by the time I was done!! I had to redo the inside a few times because I decided I wanted to emboss the martini glass and I messed up the city.

She really likes them!

Supplies:
Stamps: Halloween Party by Impression Obsession (You're invited, martini glass); Inkadinkadoo (the bats on the inside)
Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White, MM Spook Alley DSP
Accessories: PTI Mat Stack 2, AC Moore $1 classy red pearls, Michaels grosgrain ribbon, Martha Stewart around the page Bats (corner punch and edger).

Sympathy Cards for Jan

2010-09-21T20:15:00.000-04:00

I made four sympathy cards for Jan, one for her Mom and one for her husband. I made two for my friend Stacey, as well. I somehow missed taking a picture of one of them, though.

I based this card on kristyscrap's Sympathy card.

Supplies:
Stamps: PTI Asian Fusion
Paper: Bitty Dots Basics and Beautiful Blooms DSP (PTI); Enchanted Evening (PTI); Spring Rain (PTI).
Ink: Enchanted Evening (PTI)
Misc: Michaels Ribbon, Martha Stewart edge punch, A.C. Moore pearls

I based this card on kmw's Deepest Sympathy card.

Supplies:
Stamps: PTI Beautiful Blooms, Everyday Classics
Paper: Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black, Regal Rose
Accessories: Prismacolor pencils, Gamasol

I made the following card based on one of Jan's favorite sketches, which I have done in multiple posts below.

Supplies:
Stamps: SU Thoughts and Prayers
Paper: SU Basic Black, PTI Black and White Basics, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black
Accessories: Scalloped Oval Punch, Large Oval Punch, Michaels Ribbon, A.C. Moore pearls

In Memory of Jan

2010-09-08T22:08:00.001-04:00

I've mentioned in a few posts below that I made cards for my friend, Jan, who has cancer and crocheted blankets for cancer survivors. Jan lost her fight with cancer on Monday morning.

Jan was in the hospital for five weeks, she was released for one day and then went back into the hospital for two weeks. On that one day, I made and gave her candy flowers and a card to cheer her up; she loved pink, so the card and the flowers were both pink.

I CASE'd this card from someone, either on a blog or on Splitcoast, but I can't remember where, I'm sorry!

Supplies:
Stamps -- PTI Friendship Jar, PTI Friendship Jar Fillers
Paper -- Whisper White, Regal Rose, Glorious Green, So Saffron
Tools -- Round Tab punch, Scalloped Border punch

I bought the flower pot at Michael's, painted it white with acrylic paint, then glued a styrofoam ball into the bottom and stuck the candy flowers (which we made using a mold and candy melts) into the ball. I used easter grass for the "grass", and I glued a ribbon around the pot.

I will miss her very much. She was a wonderful person, who I will never forget. She was always so positive in the face of everything the doctors told her.

I love you, Jan. RIP.

Second Praying for You Card

2010-07-14T21:24:00.001-04:00

My friend that makes the afghans for the cancer survivors/patients liked my In Bloom card so much she wanted one in yellow and blue. The DSP I had doesn't come in yellow and blue, so I chose different paper to meet those colors. Its not one of my favorites, but she said she still liked it.

Supplies
Stamps: PTI Scattered Showers
Paper: So Saffron, Bashful Blue, Whisper White, Delicate Dots DSP
Ink: So Saffron
Accessories: So Saffron grosgrain ribbon, 1 1/4 in circle punch, SU! Scallop Circle punch, adhesive pearls

First Christmas Cards of 2010

2010-07-14T21:18:00.001-04:00

I finally started making my Christmas cards this week also. I was looking for a card that I could CASE using My Favorite Thing's Merry Christmas? stamp set, and I found scoop71's No Stress Holiday card, which inspired me to create the card below.

Supplies
Stamps: MFT Bunny Slippers, MFT Merry Christmas?
Paper: Whisper White, Real Red, Old Olive, Dashing DSP
Accessories: Large Oval punch, scalloped oval punch
Techniques: Paper Piecing

I also found LateBlossom's Glittery Christmas card, and made my own version:

Supplies
Stamps: Four the Holidays
Paper: Brilliant Blue, MS White Glitter
Ink: Whisper White Craft
Accessories; White ribbon, SU! Ornament Punch, MS Snowflake punch, MS Around the Page Snowfall punch

Two Cancer Cards, and a Sympathy card

2010-07-02T08:32:00.001-04:00

Unfortunately one of my good friends lost her brother at the young age of 25 this week. I made this card as a sympathy card for her. It is loosely based on Niki Este's Roses card. This picture doesn't really do it justice, it's much more yellow in real life.

Supplies:
Stamps: PTI Year of Flowers: Roses, Round and Round
Paper: Whisper White, So Saffron, PTI Vintage Cream
Ink: Basic Black, So Saffron
Accessories: Prismacolor Pencils, Gamsol, SU! Large Oval Punch, SU! Scalloped Oval Punch

I also make cards for cancer patients, my friend gives them out when she hands out blankets that she crochets.
I made another one that was also based off of Niki Este's Roses card (I made a whole sheet with the buds as a background, so I decided I might as well use it).

Supplies:
Stamps: PTI Year of Flowers, PTI Simple Little Things
Paper: Real Red, PTI Vintage Cream
Ink: Basic Black, Old Olive
Accessories: Prismacolor Pencils, Gamsol

The next one was based on Darhm's Pear Pizzaz and Greenhouse Gala card.

Supplies:
Stamps: PTI Scattered Showers
Paper: PTI Stamper's Select White, PTI In Bloom (Poppy
Red) DSP
Ink: Poppy Red
Accessories: White Ribbon, Scallop Punch, Circle Punch, Adhesive Pearls

Cherry Sweet

2010-05-17T20:43:00.001-04:00

This card was inspired by the Clean and Simple blog sketch 87.

Supplies:
Stamps: PTI Everyday Button Bits
Cardstock: Whisper White, PTI Pure Poppy
Accessories: 1 3/4 inch circle punch, 2 inch scallop circle punch, PTI Pure Poppy buttons, Cherry ribbon from Michaels.

Cards for Cancer Patients/Survivors

2010-04-26T23:37:00.002-04:00

I made both of these cards for my friend Jan. She crochets afghans for cancer patients/survivors, and she gives these cards with the afghans. I based the "hope" card on CathyMac's Easter Daffodil card.

Supplies:

Stamps: PTI Year of Flowers: Daffodil, SU! Hope Happens, PTI Everyday Button Bits
Paper: SU! Delicate Dots DSP, So Saffron, Whisper White, Old Olive, Certainly Celery
Ink: Basic Black, Old Olive
Accessories: Old Olive grosgrain ribbon, square punch, martha stewart lattice edge punch, prismacolor pencils, gamsol

Christmas 2009 Treats for Coworkers

2010-04-05T15:45:00.001-04:00

Okay, I know my post order is out of whack. Valentines Day treats, Easter treats, and then Christmas treats?? What can I say! That's the way I roll :).

Forgive the Pyrex container and the cardboard box. I made these Christmas treats for my coworkers, almost 80 of them (I tend to give every single person one for Christmas and only a few one for the other holidays). The great thing is I got commissioned to make some wedding favors from this!

Stamps: PTI Holiday Tags 2009, Holiday Tags 2008
Paper: Real Red, Glorious Green, misc DSP (SU!, DCWV, Martha Stewart etc).
Ink: Real Red, Glorious Green
Accessories: 2 in scallop circle punch, 1 3/4 in circle punch, red and green stickles, ribbon from Michaels, Sizzix Big Shot, SU! Pillow Box Die
Difficulty: 1 (besides from having to cut out 80 pillow boxes, it wasn't bad)

Easter Treats for Coworkers

2010-04-05T15:30:00.001-04:00

One of the main things that takes up my crafting time between roughly September - April is making treats for my coworkers for the holidays -- Halloween, Christmas, Valentine's Day, and finally, Easter. Easter is over now...and I get to craft for myself for a while. Oh, and begin Christmas cards at some point :). It's kind of exhausting so I am glad I get a break for a while. Everyone always really enjoys them, though!

I made 51 of these for co-workers. I used a tutorial from Nickole Chiasson, which can be found here (you have to scroll down, it's the Halloween matchbooks).

Stamps: Miscellaneous Michael's $1 stamps, Studio G stamps, Taylored Expressions, PTI Egg Hunt and Spring Tags
Paper: Bashful Blue, Lavender Lace, So Saffron, Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery. Various DSP from K&CO, unknown.
Accessories: Scissors, Word Window Punch
Difficulty: 2 (had to cut out and staple quite a bit)

Valentine's Day Treats

2010-03-30T02:19:00.002-04:00

I haven't posted in ages....I've been busy with the holidays, and traveling for work. I just got back from Hawaii on Saturday, I was there for a month. I'm finally getting around to posting some old items on SCS.

My husband's Vday card, which I think was my own idea:

Here's a picture of the treats I made for my co-workers for Valentines Day, which I case'd from Kelicat on Splitcoast Stampers.

What Cancer Cannot Do

2009-10-23T23:41:00.001-04:00

One of my friends crochets blankets for cancer patients/cancer survivors -- she is one herself. She approached me about making her cards to go with the blankets, so I make them for her when needed. I made these three, hoping to come up with a masculine design for at least one of them. They were based on bambi64's What Cancer Cannot Do card, found here. I have also decided that Rich Razzleberry is my favorite color ever!

Stamps: What Cancer Cannot Do

Paper: DCWV Fall Stack (from a couple years ago); Whisper White; Pacific Point; Creamy Caramel; Chocolate Chip; Rich Razzleberry

Ink: Pacific Point, Rich Razzleberry, Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Stipple Brush, Ticket Corner punch

Merry and Bright Poinsettia Greetings

2009-10-23T23:36:00.001-04:00

I love the old SU! set, Poinsettia Greetings; I was lucky enough to get it on webstore the other day! I made the following card based on dallirah's Fall Card. I really need to get a better lighting source!

Stamps: Poinsettia Greetings, PTI Signature Christmas

Paper: Real Red, Whisper White

Ink: Basic Black, Real Red

Accessories: Ribbon, Gamsol/Prismas, Nestabilities Label One (Love my Nesties!)

Snowflake Window

2009-10-19T21:09:00.001-04:00

I got part of this idea from Cardinspired's Embossed Snowflake card: Embossed Snowflake. I cut out the circles in the layers -- which was a lot harder than I thought, it was my first time doing this -- with Nesties.

Stamps: Serene Snowflake, PTI Signature Christmas

Ink: Bermuda Bay

Paper: Bermuda Bay Whisper White Cool Caribbean

Accessories: Nesties, Dimensionals, Scalloped/Large Oval Punches, Bermuda Bay ribbon, Snowflake embossing folder

Halloween Medallion Card

2009-10-19T20:59:00.001-04:00

Please be brutal and let me know what you think. I haven't seen any other Halloween Medallions so hopefully I'm the first! I inked the medallion with only orange first and then inked the edges with pumpkin pie so it would match the DSP.

Stamps: SU Medallion, Studio G Dollar Stamp

Ink: Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, Only Orange

Paper: Whisper White, Basic Grey Eerie DSP, Pumpkin Pie

Accessories: Circle Nesties, ribbon

Expecting Card

2009-10-13T20:43:00.000-04:00

A friend of ours from work told us his wife was expecting again last week; she is due next June. We are having dinner with them this weekend, so I wanted to make a card for her.

I based it on PSUKim05's Masculine Congrats card: Masculine Congrats

Stamps: A Little Birdie Told Me
Ink: Basic Black
Paper: So Saffron, Bashful Blue, Whisper White, Delicate Dots DSP
Accessories: Corner Rounder, Prismas, Gamsol

Serene Snowflakes

2009-10-12T21:21:00.002-04:00

Today is one of those days that reminds me why I like fall so much -- there is just a certain smell in the air, and it is chilly but not too chilly.

No snow here yet...except for in my cards (ha ha). Enjoy!

Card 1 was inspired by thewileycoyote's Seasons Greetings card on SplitCoastStampers, found here: Seasons Greetings. I changed the ribbon, colors, and sentiment.

Stamps: Serene Snowflakes, Christmas Greetings

Paper: Cool Carribbean, Bermuda Bay, Whisper White

Ink: Cool Carribbean, Taken with Teal, Bermuda Bay

Accessories: Scalloped Oval punch, Large Oval punch, Ribbon, Top Note Die

Card 2 was inspired by tjacoby98's Sweet Snowflakes, found here: Sweet Snowflakes. I changed the orientation, the colors (although I love her colors) and the sentiment.

Stamps: Serene Snowflakes, Christmas Greetings

Paper: Cool Carribbean, Bermuda Bay, Whisper White

Ink: Cool Carribbean, Taken with Teal, Bermuda Bay

Accessories: Ribbon, Stickles

Card 3 was inspired by carole_k's Card no. 8: card no. 8. I changed the colors, sentiment, punches.

Stamps: Serene Snowflakes, Small Script

Paper: Cool Carribbean, Bermuda Bay, Whisper White

Ink: Cool Carribbean, Taken with Teal, Bermuda Bay

Accessories: Ribbon; Word Window, Large Oval, Scalloped Oval Punches

Card 4 was inspired by Rosie Dog's Christmas SAS: Christmas SAS. i changed the colors and the stamps.

Stamps: Serene Snowflakes, Christmas Greetings

Paper: Cool Carribbean, Bermuda Bay, Whisper White

Ink: Cool Carribbean, Taken with Teal, Bermuda Bay

Accessories: Ribbon; Dimensionals; Ornament Punch

Christmas Poinsettia CASE

2009-10-08T21:18:00.001-04:00

I got the idea for this card from scraperwannabee's GKD Poinsettia card on Splitcoast Stampers, which can be found here. I changed the center by using the Labels One Nestabilities, I used a different cuttlebug background, and I used stickles in the middle instead of Pearls.

Stamps: Gina K. Designs A Year of Flowers
Paper: Real Red, Whisper White
Accessories: Ribbon, Prismacolors, Gamsol, Stickles, Nestablities Label One, Cuttlebug Swiss Dots

Stickles Ornament Card

2009-10-07T20:56:00.001-04:00

I saw a card on Splitcoast Stampers last night that I really liked, made by Stampin'Jen -- the original can be found here: Stampin'Jen's Ornament Card. I decided to make two versions, one with Stickles like she did and one with Crystal Effects.
This card is the one with the Stickles. I need to find better lighting to take my pictures, as I don't think you can see the CE glaze in the previous post -- hopefully this one at least looks a little sparkly.

Stamps: Fun with Shapes, Small Script

Paper: Real Red, Glorious Green, Whisper White

Accessories: Red, Green and Holly Stickles, Ribbon

Christmas Card Blooper

2009-10-07T20:49:00.002-04:00

I've decided I'm going to post bloopers also as a learning experience. I saw a card on Splitcoast Stampers last night that I really liked, made by Stampin'Jen -- the original can be found here: Stampin'Jen's Ornament Card. I decided to make two versions, one with Stickles like she did and one with Crystal Effects.
This card is the Crystal Effects. I definitely learned something from this card -- I had never used Crystal Effects before, but I wanted to use it as a glaze on the "ornaments" to make them shiny. I succeeded, but the problem is I should have waited for the marker ink to dry first -- as you will see, the red and green ink got mixed in the fourth ornament because it got on the tip of the CE applicator.
I'm not sure if I'm going to go ahead and send it out, or put it in the "oops" pile.

Stamps: Fun with Shapes, Small Script

Paper: Real Red, Glorious Green, Whisper White

Accessories: Crystal Effects, Markers, Ribbon

My Nails

2009-10-07T20:41:00.000-04:00

I got my nails done for the first time today, and it is very difficult getting used to normal functions (such as typing, zipping up my clothes, etc). I am finally starting to get the hang of it, but now my nails are starting to hurt a little, from all the prodding and polishing, I suppose. I had no idea it was just the tips that were fake, and the rest were some kind of wax/acrylic. Now I have to go back every two weeks to get them refilled, it will be interesting to see if I actually follow up....

Welcome!

2009-10-06T19:37:00.002-04:00

Welcome to my blog! I have been creating my own Christmas cards and cross stitching for about eight years now, but started to branch out into more papercrafts, as well as learning crocheting and knitting, within the last two years. I mainly use Stampin Up! products, but I have recently started using other companies, particularly My Favorite Things and Papertrey Ink.

This is the first time I have ever created a blog, so bear with me if I have technical difficulties. I've created this blog hoping to meet people with similar interests and share ideas. I also hope that it inspires me to create more often; now that I have my Bachelor's degree I have a lot of free time on my hands, and I need something to fill it! I don't think I will update on a daily basis, but hopefully at least on a weekly basis.

If you are wondering about the title of my blog, that is a work in progress -- it will probably eventually change. It is "The HQ" because my Splitcoast Stamper, Facebook, etc name has always been "hquinzelle" -- which is a shortened version of Harleen Quinzelle. Harleen Quinzelle, or "Harley Quinn", is a character from Batman the Animated Series, one of my favorite comics (I am a big kid at heart).

Once I think of a better title I will change it.