Retired DSP

A Very Special Invitation

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

I know I used a bunch of retired product, but I still love it too!  The wonderful thing about tools is that you can use them again and again no matter how long you have them.  This stamp set and coordinating embossing folder are retired Christmas product.  I think they are still beautiful and perfectly wonderful for this project.  So there, use the product you have and love!

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These were special handouts for a Sunday church lesson I taught to a group of 14 & 15 year old girls.  They are so dear to my heart, I can’t help myself but make them something special every time I teach.

I embossed my card front after I did my stamping.  The stamp is photopolymer, so exact placement was super easy.  Then I centered my folder just where I wanted it to be.  I traveled through my framelit collection to find one that had the shape to match the background stamp and my sentiment stamp.  Of course it was the last one I looked at.  But it was a perfect fit.  A touch of sponging on the diecut piece and it was done.

I did get the cording out and do a few loops of it behind my card front.  After I had placed my dimensionals behind my diecut, I looped the cording and set it on the exposed sticky side.  I added a couple of glue dots over the top and stuck it down on the card front.  No problems there!  The cording wants to loop because it is stored on a spool.  Even better!]

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Getting Ready for a St. Patrick’s Day Party!

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

It has been a busy few days getting ready for a large youth etiquette dinner.  This one won’t be all about the perfect manners, but more like what do you do when things don’t go quite right.  Those tend to have the best memories anyway.

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The invitations were pretty darn basic, which was great when I needed to make sixty rather quickly.  The dinner menu was just printed on card stock to coordinate with the invitation. The names of the menu items are in a kind of St. Patrick Day code.  All of the items, from the food to the utensils, are going to be a mystery to the kids.  When they are served what they “ordered” they might end up with odd and end food items and maybe a straw or toothpick to eat with.  After a some laughs and efforts at etiquette, they will be sent through to fill their plates properly and do their best.

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Part of the table decorations will include these adorable favors with rainbow fish crackers in them.  The stamp comes from a long retired stamp set that went with the ever adorable milk carton bigz die.  I could have made those forever.  I still have it, because I don’t think I can part with it.

It should be an evening filled with good friends and even better laughs.  I can’t wait!

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Press Forward

~ moanaj ~ 2 Comments

When it is time to make a set of invitations, I usually struggle to keep them simple.  That was needed this time around though, and I managed to pull it off.  I even got to put some retired product to use.  Love that.

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The invitations are basic and only one sided.  The graphic was provided, I do love it though, and I put it to work.  I got a little digital for this project.  I opened the image in InDesign and started picking fonts.  It didn’t take long to decide, I made it white and placed it as an overlay on the image.  Then I included the basic details below in a softer gray because black looked too stark.

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I used the full graphic, including the title with supporting scripture reference, for a water bottle wrap.  I think these will look adorable.  When digging around, I came across another retired product I could use.  First, ribbon for the invitation, second, bakers twine for the bottle wraps, and third, paper to make a box for the invitations.  Everything gets used eventually, and I love having it on hand for quick project work.  This one wasn’t that quick, but took a good portion of the day from conception, design, prep work and assembly.  All done and ready to go though!

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Treats for My Boys

~ moanaj ~ 1 Comment

More little thank you treats for my wonderful TA’s.  They put up with a lot, even getting bored when I make them just sit and do homework when things are caught up.  Who doesn’t like a little treat now and again, right?

Treats for My Boys

I absolutely love this embossing folder with the retired coordinations paper.  I think they missed their calling together.  I have a ton of the early espresso coordinations paper from when it was retired and put into the clearance rack.  I think I will just make lots of fun things with these two products.

Treats for My Boys

Funny little floating heads, or moons, or pumpkins or whatever you want to call them.  They are adorable and they look great.  I really think these bags are great.  They came together really quick with scoring, folding, and sponging.  Just my kind of fun.

Treats for My Boys

Have a creative day!

Moana

Birthday Jar Wishes That Last

~ moanaj ~ 2 Comments

It isn’t my usual project to share, but I do make these particularly often.  The idea is lovely and I get to put a lot of retired product to good use.  I do hate to ignore it, so I thought I would share  a way to use it differently.

Birthday Jar Wishes That Last

I bought some of those washi sheets having no idea what I would do with them.  Until this fun series of projects came about.  I work with the young ladies in my church, along with several other ladies, and we come together as a team in a large variety of events from large to small and everything in between.  Of course we celebrate birthdays!  And that is what this is.

Birthday Jar Wishes That Last

I decorate jars and vases with washi paper punches to the mood I am in.  Sometimes I use framelits, or punches, or both.  I have a large collection of last springs sale-a-bration ribbon, so it always goes together.  You know how I love to coordinate as much as possible.  So these jars are created for each young lady or woman in our group.  We all then write inspirational wishes, birthday wishes, and just kind words in general to fill the jar.  Then, the recipient can read them all at once, or read them one at a time, or open them over time when a bad day happens and they need a pick me up.  Something sweet for whenever you want them.  So, try something different with the awesome product you have, either current or retired, it is all wonderful!

Birthday Jar Wishes That Last

Have a creative day!

Moana

Just a Little Sumthin’ Sumthin’

~ moanaj ~ 1 Comment

Today is all about quick and simple.  I was able to attend a girls camp planning meeting last night and of course I had to have something to share with the girls.  Imagine this set times four.

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It only took about an hour to whip up twenty handouts!  How about that!  I got into my stash of retired designer series paper and pulled out these awesome colors.  I cut the squares 6×6, put adhesive on two perpendicular sides, rolled into a tube and squished one end together.

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Fill with candy and staple shut!  Really, it was just about that simple.  I used the other side of the paper to give a more solid pattern to frame my stamped phrase.  It was so quick.

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It makes people feel special when they know you made them something, even a little something like this.  What a great use of awesome products, right?

Have a creative day!

Moana