My Little Valentine

I have had more fun preparing for today’s post than almost any other.  I have giggled and laughed.  I have emailed friends to share my creation.  And then giggled some more.  The reason I’m giggling about this project?  The complete absurdity of it all!  Let me give you a little bit of the back story.  I have a real problem – I cannot help but to play around with stamp sets and products I don’t like.  I just keep playing with them until I change my mind about them.  It’s crazy and somewhat obsessive.  

I have never liked teeny tiny things – the Tiny Tags stamp set, the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack, the Little Labels Punch Pack.  Not for me.  They just don’t work well with my big fingers.  BUT when I earned a big discount on Itty Bitties, a set of 56 really small stamps offered in the Spring Catalog, I couldn’t turn down the offer.  Another case of crazy and somewhat obsessive.  

Here are two cards I made with my Itty Bitties:  www.stampwithbrian.com - My Little Valentine

www.stampwithbrian.com - My Little Valentine

So, what is so absurd about these cards?  Perspective.  To give you a point of reference for the size of the cards, each is positioned on a piece of card stock that was punched with the Curly Label punch.  How small are they?!  Want an even better view of just how small these are?  Here’s a picture of one of them resting on a baby’s hand:www.stampwithbrian.com - My Little Valentine

OK, so it’s not really a baby’s hand.  It’s my hand.  Either way, that’s a small card!  Since Stampin’ Up! doesn’t make custom envelopes for this size of card, I’ll have to make an envelope with my Simply Scored Scoring Tool, but how do I find a postal stamp that would fit?  Can you imagine me running across the yard to deliver this card to my postman?  The card would would barely be visible between my thumb and my pointer finger!

What did you just say?  You want to make these, too.  Well, let me tell you how I did it.  I scored a piece of card stock and lined up my Petite Curly punch along the edge of the fold (letting it overlap just a bit).  When I punched it across the two layers, it created a nice base for my card.  I stamped, I punched, I glued (with tweezers).  And…done!  

Stamp sets:  Itty Bitties  Papers:  Pool Party, Whisper White, Very Vanilla, Primrose Petals, More Amore Designer Series Paper, Cherry Cobbler  Inks:  Primrose Petals, Cherry Cobbler  Accessories:  Petite Curly punch, Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack, Little Labels Punch Pack

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Brian
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Post Office Update:  Remember my post where I shared Jude and Jonas’ birthday cards?  How excited I was for each of those boys to receive their very own cards in time for their birthday celebration on Saturday.  Well, Jonas’ arrived.  As of Monday AND TUESDAY, Jude’s is still in route.  Ahhhh!

40 Comments

  1. How cute is that, Brian! Just the sort of thing you could make and slip into hubby’s wallet for him to find later in the day… or is that just a bit too slushy?!

    • They ARE too cute! And Lorraine – not too slushy (Phil would love it) But I don’t think Ted would notice if I put one in his….. 🙁 Maybe I could leave some around the house?! 😀 ooh think I might have to do that now! X

    • Brilliant idea, Loz! I was going to suggest that you not write anything “slushy” on the card (in case it unknowingly falls out of his wallet), but there’s only room to write one initial – presumably a beautifully scripted “L”.

  2. Oh, Brian, you are so funny and talented! Love these little cards…don’t exactly what I would do with them but they certainly are cute!! Maybe they would be a cute embellishment to the front of a fru-fru card…ummm, may just have to try that.

  3. These are the perfect size for my Granddaughters to make for their American Girl Dolls!

  4. Oh Brian, I haven’t LOL like today since you posted your blooper video. Every morning when I come here I always read what you write first, I don’t go to the picture right away, so this morning, when you mentioned that you put the card on a baby’s hand, I knew it was going to be little but, when I saw it resting on your hand that’s when I lost it. This are super cute, I think this little images will fit perfectly in the Peekaboo Frames, don’t you think? Thank you for sharing this totally adorable pettite cards.

    • Maria, Brian…. I am STILL laughing! I didn’t get to see this post until now, at the almost end of my day, so I will go to sleep thinking about how FUNNY you are Brian, and it’s a great way to end my day. This is also an adorable teeny tiny card, I supposed you could save them for when the munchkins visit. Oh yes, sorry, that was in the Wizard of Oz…well, Brian you ARE the Wizard of sorts! Peek a boo frames is a great idea too! 🙂

  5. 🙂 You made me laugh!

  6. Well this is just too cute…. I believe this registers high on the precious meter. I love this Itty Bitty stuff ! I don`t really give the finished product to anyone …it usually goes in my Smash Book. Here again it “goes to show you” that some of us really do collect . Now I have to add to my order again . I love it when you can do different things with your punches …. You are truly a wizard !! And how much did you pay Maria to mention the Peek A Boo frames???? I don`t have those yet either !!!!

    • Sonny, You figured out my business plan! I pay blog readers who aren’t my customers to comment on products you don’t have (I keep a list nearby at all times) so that you will feel obligated to add to your growing list. I didn’t realize the plan was so transparent. 🙂 Maria is rolling in cash as a result of my fully-sustainable business plan.

      • Darn!! I let the cat out of the bag, sorry!!
        Oh Brian, you are just to much. On a very cold and rainy and gray day, this blog is a ray of sunshine. There is always something to smile about. As an added bonus, I would say to everyone that, the Peekaboo Frames are amazing, the different shapes and the size of each are perfect for all kinds of cards, a fabulous investment indeed!!!!!

  7. oh my are those cute. Love the idea about putting one in my husband’s wallet….hmmmmm!!!
    Have a great day.

  8. Brian, you need a little tool that I learned about from Frenchie. I don’t know what to call it or I’d send you a link. Anyway, you put a glob of Tombow Multipurpose Glue (green glue) on the tip of a wooden BBQ skewer, let it dry and then you can use it to pick up and position small pieces without fumbling over your fingers. My club girls love theirs! You could also make these with toothpicks. And I think it’s funny that you are an accountant. I am too!

    • Hey Anna! That sounds like a really great idea. Consider it implemented in my Fungeon (that’s the name I give to my stamping basement). 🙂

    • I thought I invented “sticky toothpick”! I use these constantly because I’m obsessed with the perfect placement of elements. It sure helps to be able to see the whole field without my fingers and hands in the way. I actulally have a tiny drawer in my carosel organizer labeled “sticky toothpicks”. Sticky toothpicks rule

  9. When I was assembling my itty bitty stamp set, I got so irritated. I thought this is a set for your enemies, not that I have any. But you have changed my mind. I’m going to make some of these for my sweet valentines.
    Don’t even think about mailing these. The post office can’t keep up with a regular size envelope, let alone a tiny one.

  10. All you need to do is put a bunch of these on a card in a collage style and a brief message in each one. Notice I said brief, but could be really fun for someone to get alllll those messages in one card.

  11. Meg (aka madameplushbottom)

    Brian… those are darling. I think it would be perfect to make a dozen or so and then plunk them on top of a piece of string, glue the bottoms together and have the world’s cutest (and tiniest) holiday garland!!! I may have to do that for myself.

    I see that Gigi has mentioned that assembling the set can be challenging. a tip (but Gigi may be past this point already if she succeeded with assembly…) anyway, a tip is to keep the stamp set together as it comes, mount it on a wood block (a bigger one… not included in the set, but many folks have them lying around after they converted the wood ones to a cling mount) and then you can ink up the whole set or use a marker to get in and color the desired image and stamp away. It’s easy enough to punch out the desired image with one of the tiny punches and this way you don’t have to futz with mounting each one.

    Thanks for sharing Brian…. darling! (and I am glad I don’t have to feed the baby that belongs to that hand…. I suspect that baby has an appetite!)

  12. This has turned intoa forum …Love it ! There is a tool called Quick Stix that is great for these teensie items ..but thanks Anna for the tip on ones you can make yourself (and thanks to you also Frenchie) Another use for these little darlings is a collage frame ..oh the wonder of it all…!!! BTW Brian…Maria is mailing me samples of the Peek A Boo frames …Boy, you must pay her well !!

    • OMG!! Sonny, you and Brian are just making my day with this super funny comments. I just really love those Peekaboo Frames, so keep an eye on your mail box, my dear.

  13. You have quite the hand to show perspective. Such sweet little cuties (including you at 6’5″).

  14. This is too adorable. Feel like a giant, Brian? Hey, I think that could make a sweet desktop advent calendar! Tiny little photos or something in each one.

  15. Okay, so I have just the exact problem with tiny things, I want to be Alice in Wonderland! However, when those tiny stamps arrived, the thought of assembling rubber onto toothpicks was just so intimidating that I’ve sent them aside. But!!! This post was absolutely hilarious and it’s inspired me to make a whole set of cards for my Owl Punched buddy.

    Ah and the need for an envelope? I’m thinking they will probably fit inside the Petal Card Punch. 😉 Dude, you’re welcome! LOL

  16. Absolutely entertaining post, Brian! I have a Quix Stick and tweezers to work with tiny things. I think the little banner like Meg suggested would be darling layered onto a card would be perfect for these! How darling that would be! And you could spell out “I {heart} you” or whatever small sentiment you wanted. And our beautiful twine would be darling to string it across. What a nice teensy idea!
    Love laughing with you are the others each morning! Thanks for sharing!

  17. I recently rediscovered the movie “Hans Christian Andersen” with Danny Kay and am obsessed with it. Your cards would be perfect for Thumbelina.

  18. Hey Meg …great idea about multi mounting . Hey Brian …this could be the start of something here. We could have Tips Tuesdays (course this isn`t tuesday but, it sounds better ) The banner ideas are cute too. I`ll be back to see what else pops up …

  19. Good morning everyone – seems I’m late in reading the blog. I really love tiny things and I think making a bunch of these cards to use as embellishments is just perfect! I can picture 3 on a card front with a message inside spelling out – I (heart) U. Set that on the table so that when hubby has his Cheerios he will have something to read besides the box. LOL When I make my sticky sticks I just use toothpicks and the Scotch quick dry adhesive. I usually make a dozen at a time and have them dry on wax paper. Then I keep them in a small box and they last forever. If they stop being sticky just give them a quick blast with your heat gun and they will be sticky once again for a while.

  20. Thank you Suzanne for the great tip. My granddaughter’s McKenna and Kanani would surely love cards or other things made with these stamps. Thank you Brian for bringing together such a great group of followers. Now to make some sticky sticks! (I had never heard of them until today).

  21. Brian, What a great start to the morning. I want to get into my craft room and use these. Thanks for the idea. and the laughs.

  22. These little things are ridiculously adorable! That little kissy one makes me laugh. And I agree, this blog is getting to be addictive. Thanks for adding some humor to my morning, not to mention great stamping ideas.

  23. These would also be cute attached to a reg card!!! Well, at least I could get a stamp on that!

  24. Gosh, this has been so much fun Brian! You do the best parties!!! 😀

  25. I agree, too tiny for me.

    Perhaps a large chocolate bar wrapped in DSP would balance these tiny tags, and then I could accept it.

    😉

  26. You have inspired me to take a look at these stamps with new eyes!
    I decided to make a mini valentine of my own tonight after seeing yours.
    Pop round to my blog tomorrow to see it and I will link back to your blog as a thank you for the inspiration!!
    http://kraftsbykatemartin.blogspot.co.uk
    Kate Martin

  27. Here I am, really late again! But when I saw this adorable mini card, I just had to tell you how very much I love it…you are sooo creative and clever and I so admire your obsessiveness to play with things that you don’t care for…at first! Now I’m giggling! TFS!

  28. That amount of cuteness should be illegal! Thanks for the tut. I already have all the elements to make these so I’m off to tinker! 😉

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