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 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!

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!!