Star Card

 
Click on any picture to see close up.

 

This is such a fun fold card and really catches the eye. I used some retired cocoa cafe paper as my base. I usually use cardstock as a base, but this card has so many layers that I found I like the effect of using the patterned paper as the base and the card stock as the accent pieces. With the cocoa cafe paper it is patterned on one side and the other side is a plain color. I realized that I had not taken enough pictures to do this tutorial after I had sent this card so you will see a couple of different papers in the pictures.  This is a good size card, 6 inches across
I used my Martha Stewart scorboard and marked the center of a 12x12 paper and then using a stylus scored a line straight down the 6 inch mark about 2 inches.

then using a 12 inch ruler you want to measure exactly 12 inches on an angle from the bottom left corner to the center mark. Remember you will only be going up to that center mark (about 2 inches below the top of the paper). Now you want to do the exact same thing from the right bottom corner up to that center mark. You will be cutting out your triangle as shown.

Yours won't have the score lines yet for folding, but it is the next step. Put one of the straight 12 inch sides along the board and score at 5 1/4 line and on the 7 inch line. You will turn the triangle and do all three sides the same way. You will end up with a center triangle and 3 side wing triangles.

You will be making a mountain fold at the 5 1/4 fold and a valley fold at the 7 inch score lines.

Then just fold it up, fitting the flaps together to hold, kind of like closing the flaps on the top of a box.

To decorate let your imagination have fun. These were fairly simple but you can get as detailed as you choose. I used the extra paper from where I cut my large triangle and cut 3 strips 1.5x6 inches between the folds. I cut a 6 inch square of cardstock and 3 smaller 3.5x3.5 square to form the contrasting triangles using the exact same method as I did for the 12 inch one above. For the outer focal point, make sure when you adhere it to the outside that you only glue it to one triangle so that you can open your card.

Best Gift Ever - Key Chain with 2.5x4 pouch

I love my embroidery machine and I love the "In The Hoop" designs from Five Star Fonts . I have decided that this is probably one of my favorite projects that I have done in a long time. These quilted key chains with a pocket in the back make the perfect gift for everyone on your shopping list.

The back pocket is just right for your driver's license, a credit card, some cash or an ID. The pouch is held securely with a snap closure. Of course all letters are available and a wide variety of patterns and colors of fabrics , I just have a ton of people in my family with names that start with an S.
 Now who can use these: anyone who doesn't want to drag a purse around that just needs some ID and cash/credit card, and keys to car ie. trip to pool/beach, gym, beauty salon, spa, grocery store, zoo, site seeing, Mom's with baby/children in tow, bike riding, hiking, amusement park, movies, and best of all  use it as a gift card holder to give something that your friends/family will continue to use for years to come. Use as a luggage tag with contact info in pocket or a tag on your camera bag. Clip it onto your belt loop on your jeans and you would sure make it hard for a thief to target you. I'd love to have other ideas of where you think you would use this, if you were own one.
I will be taking orders for these, just email me with Key Chain in the title, Ja5Oaks@aol.com. The price is $7 (shipping included for US) and a portion of each sale will go to Juvenile Diabetes Reasearch Foundation to help fund a cure for T1 diabetes.

Baby Closet Dividers

I am going to be a Grandma/Nana again and I am thrilled. My baby is going to have a baby in January, their first and I have already started on projects that I've had in my mind for awhile. Here is one of the first ones, closet dividers. I remember how you get all these cute outfits and then they get all mixed up in the closet and before you know it, your baby has outgrown an outfit you never got to use. These make terrific shower gifts, and something that any Mom or Dad will appreciate for years to come. Even more perfect for those Moms and Dads that are having their 2nd or 3rd child cause they can organize the closet by size for more than one child at a time. When I showed these to my oldest daughter her comment was, "those are great, but I never bought any because they only went up to like 18 months". This full set of 10 dividers goes all the way up to 6x. They can be made in a variety of colors to coordinate with nursery or as these are, not gender specific.

I backed these with a bright and cheery fabric on the reverse side. I will take special orders for these, $15 a full set, your choice of colors and fabrics as available. This includes shipping to you. Just send me an email to Ja5Oaks@aol.com and put baby dividers in the title.

Pictures of retiring products

wonderful pictures done by  Tamytha Jenkins of all the retiring products available while supplies last until July 30, 2012.

Cricut Artiste Coming Soon

This wonderful new Cricut cartridge is one you will want for Hundreds of terrific designs including tons of boxes, 3D designs, cupcake wrappers, flowers, phrases and seasonal shapes. Available August 1st, this will include an exclusive stamp set and chipboard elements that will coordinate perfectly. Check out all the designs you will be able to cut with this new exclusive cartridge.
http://www.cricut.com/res/handbooks/artiste_handbook_web.pdf

Retiring List

Just a heads up, lots of new stuff and lots of stuff retiring this year. Big changes in colors, with special colors for a limited time coming up. I just copied this list from another consultant and wanted to give you all a heads up so if you really want or need anything you can order NOW as supplies will be limited and things will sell out especially INK COLORS, REINKERS usually go first, and CARDSTOCK so if you have a color you just love you may not want to wait to order at hostess night, since we don't send in orders until the last of the month, by then they will most likely sell out and I won't be able to get them for you..New Markers, similar to copics are coming with 2 markers per shade in a set either a lighter or darker hue than the named color.....new cricut cartridge....new colors....new mini stamp pads.....new storage cases....
I can't stress enough that if you have a color that you love you need to order the reinker to refresh you pad now, usually these go really really fast.


Please note, that I will not guarantee it is 100% accurate. I based it off what we've been told about stamps being available for one year, accessories being available current book only, etc. Basically, if it's not shown in the new book or the Spring/Summer book, I listed it here.

The products listed below are NOT listed in the new Autumn/Winter Idea Book, so it is a good guess that they will be retired as of July 31, 2012. As we’ve already found out with some of them, I would also venture to guess they are going to be while supplies last.

Z1163 Double Scrubber (Note: Being replaced with a new version.)
Z1006 Microfiber Cloth
Z1404 Quick Pic 12x12 Album - Dark Cranberry
Z1405 Quick Pic 12x12 Album - Outdoor Denim
Z1406 Quick Pic 12x12 Album - Dark Chocolate
Z4110 Snapease Album System
Z1323 Clear Cards - 4 1/4" x 5 ½" Asst.
Z1309 Clear Cards - 4 ½” Asst.
Z1383 Sweet Leaf Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon
Z1384 Designer Ribbon - Pink Collection
Z1397 Canvas Badge Buttons
Z1367 Bitty Brads Basic Asst
Z1368 Bitty Brads Metal Asst
Z1104 Clear Sparkles (Note: Being replaced with all round sparkles)
Z1698 Mini-Medley Accents - Pacifica
Z1320 Mini-Medley Accents - Tulip
Z1338 Mini-Medley Accents - Sunset
Z1488 Mini-Medley Accents - Honey
Z1403 Photo Hangers
Z1402 Hinges
Z1690 Bitty Buds Asst
Z1691 Bottle Caps
Z1693 Seaside Wooden Shapes (SOLD OUT)
Z1688 Comic Badge Buttons
Z1635 Heirloom Asst
Z1337 Dimensional Elements Ornaments (Note: Updated to coordinate with Cricut Artiste)
Z1224 My Creations All Sorts Mini Album
Z1334 My Creations Mix & Mingle Mini Album
Z1321 My Creations A-Door-Ables
Z1152 My Creations Cube
4275 My Legacy Writers
Z338 Euro Personal Trimmer (Note: Being replaced with Fiskars SureCut Deluxe Craft Trimmer)
Z339 Euro Trimmer Replacement Blades
Z340 Euro Trimmer Replacement Blade/Scoring
1766 Dotto Dots Dispenser
1767 Dotto Dots Refill

We have been told that our My Acrylix Stamp Sets are available for a period of one year - the current Idea Book and the one previous. Based on that, I have gone through the new AW 2012 book, SS 2012 book and AW 2011 book and believe these ones are going to be retired as they are NOT in the new AW 2012 book or the SS 2012 book.

A1095 Always Remember
A1099 Angel Sent
A1107 A Twinkle
A1108 A Flitter
A1109 A Sip
A1110 A Timber
A1113 A Game
A1115 A Holiday
B1356 St. Nick
B1359 Fright Night
B1361 Tannenbaum
B1362 Tag The Occasion
B1381 Holiday Cheer
B1393 Joyful Jar
B1394 John 3:16
C1379 Holiday Commentary
C1382 Holiday Commentary - Spanish
C1383 Holiday Commentary - French
C1401 Friendship Alphabet Small
C1408 Live Inspired
C1419 Harvest Home
C1420 Snow Days
C1423 Captured Moments
C1424 Nature's Gift
C1425 Month By Month
C1426 Thanksgiving
C1427 I Believe
C1429 Party Pennants
C1465 Unscripted
C1468 Winter Joy
C1470 Gnome Garden
C1471 Happy Clusters
C1472 Bundled Buddies
 
D1136 Giggle Caps
D1137 Giggle Lowercase
D1267 Rustic Numbers
D1306 Treasure Life
D1308 All Decked Out
D1373 Childhood Portrait
D1384 Snow Flurries
D1386 Save The Date
D1387 Made With Love
D1397 Save The Date - French
D1398 Save The Date - Spanish
D1401 Authentic
D1436 The Present
D1437 Party Animal
D1446 Adorn-able
D1449 Father Christmas
D1493 Fill In The Blank - Holiday
D1499 Live Your Style
E1002 Rustic Alphabet
E1006 Baroque Alphabet
E1011 Headline Alphabet Large
E1016 Friendship Alphabet Large


The following colors are NOT listed in the Autumn/Winter 2012 Idea Book.
The items numbers listed are for the 24 packs of cardstock where available.

Of course, with the color change, this also means that the Combo Packs will be retiring, as well as the Shade Packs. This will also mean the stamp pads, markers and re-inkers will be gone as well. If you need these, you had better hurry! They do have a tendency to sell out FAST!

My best guess (after being a consultant for almost 9 years) is these will be available through July 31, 2012, while supplies last.

Grey Wool (5571)
Grey Flannel
Vanilla Cream (X5646)
Parchment
Brown Bag
Baby Pink
Taffy
Sunkiss Yellow
Key Lime
Heavenly Blue
Lilac Mist
Amethyst
Holiday Red
Sunflower
Sunny Yellow
Dutch Blue
Moonstruck
Vineyard Berry
Tulip
Garden Green
Spring Iris
Petal
Garnet
Pansy Purple