Sunday, August 19, 2012

Our 1st Challenge--ANYTHING GOES!

Happy Sunday everyone!! Today is a special day for us at Yumi and Fumi because TODAY starts our very first official challenge. Here at the Yumi & Fumi Handmade Crafts Blog, we will be having bi-weekly challenges, and YES, there will be some prizes involved, HIP, HIP HOORAY!! :)

Prizes will be available during blog hops and challenges that start at the beginning of the month only. However, because this is our very first challenge, there is a prize up for grabs!!
The lucky winner will receive 1 Y&F Rubber Stamp of our choice!

Our challenge for the next two weeks is an easy one!

ANYTHING GOES!!

Since this is our very first challenge, you can use any image you want!! Told ya...EASY PEASY!!

But please take the time to review all of the challenge rules HERE to make sure you qualify (the rules are under "Challenge Info" at the top tab). You have until Saturday, September 1st, 11am PST to link up your new project below (one entry per blog). We will pick one Prize Winner and 3 Top Picks.

Starting with the 2nd challenge on September 2nd, you WILL have to use a Yumi & Fumi Handmade or Sister Stamps image to qualify for the prize drawing.

Also, you'll definitely want to come like our Facebook Fan Page so you can stay up-to-date, get your challenge reminders, and share your creations!

Here are the AWESOME samples from our fabulous Design Team to help get your creative juices flowing! To see details of each project, you can click on the DT member's name to head directly to her blog.

Eva Uyeunten using Fumi with Gift

Kim Yu using Yumi with Fan


Rachel Parys using Yumi Peace Sign


Renate' Winter using Fumi from Yumi & Fumi

Leanne Poe using Fumi with Umbrella


Rosie Bridges using Fumi with Gift

Sandie Dunne using Fumi with Gift

I think you'll agree, these creations are Ah-MAZING! Now, for a chance at the prize drawing don't forget to link up your creations below (please provided a direct link to your project, not just to your blog...thank you bunches!!).

We hope you have a great time creating and we can't wait to see what you do!!

Hugs!!
Rosie & the Y&F Design Team

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Y&FH debuts at Carson Rubber Stamp Show

Hey everyone!!
It's Leanne and I'm here to share some new things happening at Yumi & Fumi Handmade.  Our very first challenge is starting on Sunday, hope you will all play.  The website/store is almost done and boy is it looking amazing!  Zach & Renate' are working really hard to get it just right for everyone to enjoy. Also wanted to share some of the pictures from our debut at the Carson Rubber Stamp Show in July.  This might be kind of lengthy, but pretty fun.


Did you know that we now have a Facebook page?  Just type in Yumi & Fumi Handmade in the search box and become part of our group.  We would love for you to come by and say hi and maybe upload some pictures of your Yumi & Fumi creations.  We have pictures from our show and will in the future have lots of fun shares from our team and hopefully you.  So come on by and let us know you're out there.
We are also gearing up for our next stamp release.  Look for it soon!
Here are some pictures from our debut as Yumi & Fumi Handmade at the Carson Rubber Stamp Convention back in July.  We received a warm welcome and people were really excited to see us showcasing our new stamps and business.  I think everyone recognized our yellow walls when they walked in.  They didn't recognize the logo but they did recognize the merchandise.  Once we explained that we were the same company that was there in early March just a changing of the guard so to speak they were relieved and very happy to see all of us again. 
A really nice crafter said , "I had to find your booth!!" which totally made my weekend!  What was really nice and surprising to find out was we were one of the booths that people were looking for.  Not just looking for but hoping would be there.  How can the weekend not be great after hearing that compliment? 
We were blessed with our spot at the show this time around.  We took advantage of that back wall and set up our booth with all four walls next to each other.  Then we had our set up with La-La Land Crafts at the far left, next to them were our Sister Stamps displays, in the center were our Y&FH stamps and samples, next was Sparkle stamps and last on the far right were The Greeting Farm stamps and samples.  Tons of gorgeous samples by DTs who make me drool when they create things.  I wish I could show you the close ups of some of the samples but that would be cheating, and our DT wanted to reveal them in later posts.  Believe me when I say, they are gorgeous!!

The other nice thing was that it was a smaller show than the March or November shows.  Less vendors so it was more intimate.  We partnered up with Pixie Boutique and first timer Sesame Bijoux and had a pretty terrific weekend.  Kathy from Pixie Boutique was there selling the adorable TGF stamps and Jenny from Sesame Bijoux (Bee-joo) was there selling her gorgeous handmade jewelry.  Anyone that passed our booth did double takes because all they saw were sparkly gems.  They were pleasantly surprised and pretty excited.  Jenny was also making dragonflies made out of pretty yarn.  She had a lot of ladies asking if she was doing a make and take but no she was only making more to sell as keychains or accessories.

We had our usual make & take table. Saturday we did a tag featuring Ukulele Luka of La-La Land Crafts and a choice of two cards featuring Do-Si-Do Anya and Miss Anya Shine from The Greeting Farm.  Check out Kathy's blog for pictures of the cards.  They were super sweet and fun to make.


On Sunday we debuted our first Y&FH make & take. The ladies got to create a circular card featuring either Yumi or Fumi from the Yumi & Fumi stamp set.  We kept the base of the samples the same, they just had to choose which image of the two they wanted to use.  We had a really good stream of crafters who came in early on Sunday to sit and chat while coloring up our characters.  Here are a few fun shots and if you would like to see all the pictures, just head on over to our FB group page.

  Lots of smiles that weekend and we hope a lot of happy new friends.  Everyone was so nice and they all did such a terrific job with their coloring and adding their special touches to their cards.  We especially loved that everyone wanted to stay at our table and just color and create.  They said the images were so cute and made them happy.  How could they not leave without a smile, and a few stamps to get them started?  One of the fun things that people were excited about was receiving a limited edition Y&FH tote bag.

Here are more pictures of some visitors who came just to support us and also share who else was in our booth helping Yumi & Fumi make their debut.

As you can see everyone was having a great time!  We were having a blast and wished the day didn't end so soon.
Our debut was way better than what we could have expected. The warm welcomes, excitement for the new adventure as well as seeing the old stamp lines was pretty awesome.  The best part was the smiles people had coming in to our booth and of them leaving with those same smiles.  We'd like to say Mahalo to everyone that visited us, purchased from all our stamp lines and gave us those memorable moments on our debut. We hope to see you all back in November!!

I would like to thank everyone that helped us make it to this day.  Without their help not sure it would have been successful. Thanks to Zach, Renate's parents Mr. & Mrs. Winter, my momma Cynthia Poe, Masako, Mike, Kathy, Jenny, our amazing DT for their gorgeous samples.  Thanks Sandie, Rosemary, Rachel, Eva & lastly to Kim who not only got us samples for Yumi & Fumi, but also for our Sparkle Creations table. Thanks to Irina for all the La-La Land Crafts samples and Jenny from Sister Stamps for her samples.  Samples truly do make our booth a happy place. I can't tell you how many people were in awe..

Okie dokie, I'll stop now. hehe
I hope it wasn't too boring! :)



Don't forget to check out our first challenge on Sunday. 

Mahalo for stopping by!
Take care!!
*:)
Leanne

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Fun Yumi Gift Card Holder Tutorial!

Hello to all you Yumi & Fumi fans!!  These stamps have been a lot of fun to work with, and today I have some more Y&F fun for you!

I have put together a picture tutorial for a sweet little gift card holder, and I have used the Yumi from the Yumi and Fumi stamp. (the stamp with both girls on it.)  You can use whatever Y&F stamp you wish!

Finished Project.

Materials needed:

One piece of 4" x 7 1/2" double sided patterned paper  (this paper is Basic Grey's Konichiwa)
One piece of 4 1/2" x 5" patterned paper (double sided optional)
7 1/2" inch piece of ribbon
two brads
score board
sewing machine

First you will need to score the 4" x 7 1/2" paper at 1" and 3"


Fold according to which pattern you want showing the most.


After you have folded and creased, you can use your fav tape runner to hold all of the flaps down in place. (I ran mine down along the outside edges.)




Next, we will attach this pocket to a bigger base.  You will need your 4 1/2" x 5" patterned paper.


I just did a little line down each side to hold it in place until it is stitched into place.

Now I am going to draw myself a few light lines with a pencil so that I can be sure I will have straight stitch lines.



I chose to only stitch the length of my pocket, not going from edge to edge of the green base.

Now that I am finished stitching, I will clip my threads and erase any pencil marks that may be visible.

Next I am going to attach my ribbon to the top.  I am going to make a small hole with a yarn needle going through my base piece, and one end of the ribbon placed behind my base paper.

 After I made my hole, I inserted the brad and bent the arms into place.
Repeat for the other side. (I lined my hole up with the stitch line.)



Now it's time for fun/cutsie stuff!! (images, embellies, whatever sounds good to you!)

Ta-da!!

Copics I used on Yumi.

I hope you like my project!  I made one for my niece's birthday and she loves it!  After she used the gift card, she can use it for other little notes/keepsakes.

TFL!!




Thursday, August 2, 2012

Lollipop Crafts Blog Hop Celebration

Hey everyone!

Wasn't Eva's 2-part tutorial amazing?!!  Your sewing basket isn't just for sewing anymore. hahaha!! Great job Eva!  :)

Just poppin in real quick to let you know we are one of several sponsors celebrating Lollipop Crafts 2nd Anniversary.  Make sure to head on over for a chance to win some prizes.  Who knows you might be the lucky one to win our prize.

They are having a blog hop so start at the beginning by clicking HERE.

Hope you are all having a great week!

Hugs,
Leanne

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

hb2u -- part 2

Hello everyone!  It's Eva again!  Today I get to show you what is inside the card I shared with you last week.  I'm excited to finally share it!

Just a refresher of what the front of the card looked like.

The inside holds a giftcard!  But it is different in that you have to pull (actually rip) the little strip to get the card out.  I'll explain more in the photos below.

I started by finding a rectangle nestability that fit around my giftcard.  If you don't have a rectangle nestability, you can measure your giftcard and add a quarter inch above, below and to the left of the giftcard and cut it to that size.

I then used my circle punch.  I think it is a 5/8 inch circle.  Sorry, I'm not sure but any small circle punch or even a small circle nestability would do.  I punched a little half circle notch.

Then I took my serrated tracing wheel which is a sewing tool but it's great to perforate little holes in paper (it's harder to use on cardstock which is why I used paper).  And it's not too expensive, just a couple dollars or so.  I placed my rectangle onto my scoreboard and used the wheel to make holes almost all the way down.  I did this on both sides of the little notch I made in the previous step.  Make sure you don't move the wheel too much up and down cause then it'll just rip the paper.  I moved the wheel down once and then took my piercer and poked the holes again to make sure the holes went through.

This is how it looks on the back.  I then traced the gift card on the back of the rectangle with the giftcard flush to the side with the notch.

At this point, I realized I don't wanna rip my cute paper so I did the steps again with paper I wouldn't mind tearing to show you as an example.  And I also cut out a scalloped rectangle nestability just larger than the rectangle from cardstock.  Also, added 1/4 inch double sided tape near the edge of the rectangle.  Use the pencil tracing from the previous step as a guide.  No tape on the side of the notch!

Then tape the rectangle onto the scalloped cardstock.  This is how it will look.  I slid the gift card through.  And it'll be snug but slide it in slowly without bending the paper.  You want it snug so the giftcard doesn't fall out! 

See, the little giftcard peeking through the notch?  Once you put the giftcard through, it's difficult to pull out with your fingers.  I had to use tweezers.  So it's probably best to have your giftcard ready and in the holder and then place on your card.

The recipient can then lift from the notch and rip it open!  Fun and interactive!  I know, maybe actually ripping the paper might give some of you heart palpitations.  But hopefully the recipient will enjoy it!

I added a little handcut arrow and stamped the word pull (from PTI's simple alphabet stamp set).

I was inspired to make this because I had seen a die that did something similar.  I wanted to get the die but thought I could challenge myself first by using tools I already have.   Hope you'll all try this out!  It might be especially fun for the kiddies or those who still act like kiddies!

Happy crafting and thanks for reading!

eva