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Manhattan Flower

REMINDER:  It isn’t too late to order the March Card Kit.  Payment is due by March 24 (extended since I’ll be out of town).  CLICK HERE for more information and to see the Kit samples!  This is an excellent masculine Kit, so don’t miss out!

This was one of the cards my Stamp Club attendees made last weekend.  Everyone LOVED the new Manhattan Flower Textured Impressions Embossing folder that is now available!  It makes such an elegant impression, I hope the picture does it justice!  Together Forever is stamped from that stamp set in Basic Black on Very Vanilla and I wrapped Kraft Taffeta ribbon around the Very Vanilla layer.  The Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware is the perfect added touch to this card!  With the Embossing folder, you really don’t need anything else!

Inside, I used the matching Fifth Avenue Floral stamp set in Sahara Sand and Basic Black and added the welcome that is in the Sale-A-Bration stamp set, Congratulations!  This would make a perfect Wedding or Anniversary card!  In fact, I’m going to change the greeting inside, and change out the front to Brushed Gold cardstock for my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary card next month!

Hope you have a wonderful day!  The weather here is supposed to be GORGEOUS today, but then drop down 20 degrees tomorrow…  I’m SO ready for Spring and I see signs of buds on the trees and the crocuses are popping up their heads.  There was even a FAT Robin sitting in our tree yesterday.  Yeah!

Set:  Fifth Avenue Floral, Together Forever, Congratulations Sale-A-Bration
C/S: Very Vanilla, Basic Black
Ink:  Sahara Sand, Basic Black
Other:  Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware, Designer Label Punch, Manhattan Flower impressions folder, Kraft Taffeta ribbon

Baskets and Blooms

I had purchased the Baskets & Bloom die a few months ago for a downline meeting, but then didn’t use it.  I like the little cup shape, but the bottom can be a little fussy to put together and it doesn’t hold as much as I was hoping.  So, when I saw a picture of a container made with the sides of the basket and an extra piece of cardstock, I was so excited!  I could make the basket any size I wanted…to hold cards, or in this case some chocolate DOVE Easter eggs!  Yummy!  I made these for the participants of my Stamp Camp last weekend. 

I used the two ends of the basket diecuts and the Delicate Dots designer paper…trimmed off the tab, and then scored 1/4 inch from each side to adhere to the 3 1/2 x 8 cardstock center (score the 8" side at 2 3/4 in from each side).  Then I decorated the Certainly Celery sides with a Eyelet Border punch trim of Delicate Dots DSP and added the 5 petal flower from Polka Dot Punches in Bashful Blue and Certainly Celery for the leaves.  I added a 1/2 circle punch with the same stamp in the center.  Each of the baskets were filled with Easter grass and some Dove chocolates!  They looked cute sitting on the tables, but I forgot to get a picture of the entire group of them!  Oh well…

Set:  Polka Dot Punches
C/S:  Certainly Celery, Whisper White, Delicate Dots DSP
Inks:  Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue
Other:  Eyelet Border punch, 5 petal punch, 1/2 circle punch, Dimensionals, Basket & Blooms die

Eight Great Greetings

Wow…the weekend is over again!  They go by SO fast!  I’m excited for this week, though…we are headed out to see our eldest son in Kansas City!  He was transferred and moved into a new home in January and we haven’t seen him since Christmas!  Plus there is some huge car show out there this weekend…of course the guys will check that out…I’m going to go shopping! 

Here is a second Easter card I made using Eight Great Greetings.  That bunny is TOO much fun!  Remember, even though this set is in the new Occasions Mini (you should get yours in the mail this week!), you can order three of the sets now!  Click HERE to see the sets!

With this card, I started with a base of So Saffron and added a panel of Delicate Dots Designer Paper (blue dots).  I stamped the Easter Bunny with Basic Black on Whisper White and colored her in with my Blender Pen and markers.  That was layered on Bashful Blue.  I used another design, the hearts, from the Delicate Dots Designer Paper (Sale-A-Bration free gift with $50 purchase!) and layered that on Pretty in Pink and wrapped some new So Saffron striped ribbon around that layer.  I added a So Saffron Round Tab stamped with Happy Easter (I divided the greeting from the Easter Bunny for more versitality) and slipped it under the Pretty in Pink layer.  Finally, I used my Trio Flower punch with Pretty in Pink, then added 1/4 circle So Saffron punch centers to each flower.

Those small images are great to use with lots of designer paper!  I have some time today…I’m going to try to play with a few of the other stamps in that set!  It is great for beginners or more experienced stampers because of the variety of images in it!

I also need to prepare for my Punch Class this Wednesday!  If you are in the Columbus, Ohio, area…email me to attend!  I’d love to meet you!

Sets:  Eight Great Greetings
C/S: So Saffron, Pretty in Pink, Bashful Blue, Whisper White, Delicate Dots DSP
Inks:  Basic Black (Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery, So Saffron, Regal Rose, Bashful Blue Markers)
Other:  Trio Flower punch, 1/4 circle, Round Tab punch, So Saffron stripe ribbon

Bloggers’ Challenge 90 – Texture

It’s Friday!  Today’s Bloggers’ Challenge was to use Texture on our card.  I chose to do this in a couple different ways with my card.

The first texture was to use one of the Backgrounds Texturz plates from Stampin’ Up!  It is very hard to photograph, but the Kraft does have a floral background texturized on it. The dots are the centers of the flowers.  (Much prettier in real life!)  So, I started with a base of Pink Pirouette, added the textured Kraft layer.  Then I stamped the old-fashioned sewing machine from Puns from the Past…one of the FREE sets I earned during the last catalog…with Basic Black on Very Vanilla and sponged the edges with Basic Black.  I layered it on Pink Pirouette and then Basic Black and added it to the front of the Kraft piece…slightly off-center. 

A customer of mine (thank you, Cynthia!) gave me a big bag of lace a while ago that I’ve been wanting to use.  So, I used a pretty piece of ivory lace as my second texture.  I secured it to the Kraft cardstock with Sticky Strip and wrapped it to the back.  To hide the edge of the lace, I added my third texture…the Pink Taffeta ribbon which is very silky.  Finally, I added a trio of Pink Pirouette flowers punched from the Trio Flower punch and added three mini black brads for the centers…another texture on this card!

I like the shabby chic look this card has and I really like Puns from the Past!  I think I’ll make up a set of the cards for my mom and mother-in-law…they’d enjoy sending them to their friends!

Have a great weekend!

Set:  Puns from the Past
C/S:  Pink Pirouette, Kraft, Very Vanilla, Basic Black
Inks:  Basic Black
Other:  White gel pen, Texturz Backgrounds 1, Trio flower punch, mini black brads, Pink taffeta ribbon, Sticky Strip, lace (non-SU)

Eight Great Greetings

This is one of the little stamps from the set, Eight Great Greetings…one of the three sets available for you to order NOW instead of waiting until the new mini comes out on April 1st.  Stampin’ Up! did this so you could order this set with the CUTE little bunny in it and use it on your Easter cards this year!  Isn’t she sweet?  Order today so you’ll have it in time to make your cards!

I started with a base of Certainly Celery.  I added some So Saffron cardstock, textured with the flower Backgrounds #1 in my Big Shot, and tied some white taffeta ribbon around it.  I cut a strip of the striped Sale-A-Bration Delicate Dots and added a trim of white Eyelet Border punch (isn’t it lacy looking???)  Last, I stamped the bunny with Basic Gray ink on Whisper White and colored her with my Blender Pen and markers for a soft look.  I layered that on a square of the blue dot Delicate Dots Designer Paper and popped it up with dimensionals on the front of the card.  Last, I stamped the words, Easter Greetings from All Holidays.  CUTE if I must say so myself!  lol!

Well, I’m off to prep for my Stamp Camp on Sunday.  SO many cards and ideas I want to make…there is never enough time!  Have a great day!

Sets:  Eight Great Greetings, All Holidays
C/S:  Certainly Celery, So Saffron, Whisper White, Delicate Dots DSP
Inks:  Basic Gray, (Certainly Celery, Creamy Caramel, So Saffron, Pretty in Pink, Bashful Blue markers)
Other:  Blender Pen, White Taffeta ribbon, Texturz Background floral plate, Eyelet Border Punch, Dimensionals

Eight Great Greetings

Trendy Trees

Oops…I don’t know what happened yesterday.  I completely forgot to post!  I slept in again (still catching up from the Retreat), did some orders…puttered around the house, did some grocery shopping…and BAM…the day was OVER!  Anyone have days like that?  lol!

This card was designed when Lisa and I worked on some challenges via cyberspace way back at the end of January!  I’d forgotten I hadn’t posted it here.  After I finished this card, I did tweak it a little bit…got rid of the tag, but it still works.  I’m sure we used a sketch, but I couldn’t find the information on whose it was!  Sorry!

I started with a base of Certainly Celery and cut some of the Delicate Dots Designer paper…only available to those who place a $50 order…it is one of the free Sale-A-bration products!  Don’t have yours?  Place your order HERE and click on Shop Now in the upper right corner!  The designer paper is cut almost on the diagonal and both sides were used.  I stamped the tree leaves several times with Certainly Celery on Whisper White…to make the tree look fuller and then added the trunk in Basic Gray.  I cut a strip of Certainly Celery with my Cutter Kit to get a curved line for the grass.  It was layered on Basic Gray, then added layers of Certainly Celery and So Saffron.  I used the Eyelet Border punch on the So Saffron.  Last, I added some Bashful Blue Faux Diamond Dust 1/4 circles along the left side and some Bashful Blue Taffeta ribbon with the tag, "Thinking of You".

I hope to get back into my posting routine!  I have lots of pictures to take during the daytime of the cards I made over the weekend.  Some are made with retired product, so I hope you don’t mind too much!

Have a great day!

Sets:  Trendy Trees
C/S:  Certainly Celery, So Saffron, Basic Black, Whisper White, Delicate Dots DSP
Inks:  Basic Gray, Certainly Celery, Versamark
Other:  1/4 circle punch, Cutter Kit, Eyelet Border Punch, Tag Corner punch, 1/8 circle punch, Blue Taffeta Ribbon, Iridescent Ice EP

I’m back – Topiary punch card!

Wow…what an awesome time at the Retreat!  I love adding the extra day, because even with it, the time goes by SO fast!  I took almost my entire studio with me, so now comes the part where it all has to go back.  My sweet husband at least took it downstairs for me.  Last night I just wanted to do nothing but rest. I should have been smart and had something ready to post already because I slept in this morning, but I didn’t think that far in advance!  lol!

Here is a card that my Punch classes made last month, plus I took several with me to Leadership for swapping.  I got the idea from Sharon (sorry, I can’t think of her last name or Blog right now!) who had the topiary as part of the scenery for a Control Freaks card swap.  I took off on her idea and made it the focal point of my card.

To start, I used the Heart to Heart punch with three different colors of green cardstock…Old Olive, Always Artichoke and Kiwi Kiss.  I used a sponge dauber and inked Chocolate chip around each one and I layered the fat one on the bottom, then the long skinny one and finally the small one on top.  I hand cut a trunk and the base container is the Round Tab punch cut in half.  I added a second small heart on the container.  I used my fingernail to roll down the lip of the container, too.

The card base is Kiwi Kiss, with the next layer of Sahara Sand stamped with the Sanded background in Sahara Sand ink.  I added a strip of Kiwi Kiss Patterns Paper and used the scallop edge punch along the bottom.  I added some Artichoke Grosgrain ribbon, the Happy Birthday greeting from On Your Birthday and finally two 1/4 circle punches in the upper right corner.

Hope you have a wonderful day!  I need to get back into my routine!

Sets:  Sanded BG, On Your Birthday
C/S: Kiwi Kiss, Old Olive, Always Artichoke, Chocolate Chip, Sahara Sand, Kiwi Kiss Patterns DSP
Inks:  Sahara Sand, Chocolate Chip
Other:  Heart to Heart punch, 1/4 circles, Round Tab punch, Scallop Edge punch, sponge daubers, Always Artichoke grosgrain ribbon

Fifth Avenue Floral

Another set from this catalog that I LOVE!  I’m hooked on using Kraft, Black and White with this set.  I think it makes for a very elegant card! 

This card was my Control Freaks swap for the New Catalog Swap.  I started with a base of Basic Black.  Whenever I use a black base, I always include a 1/4 of Whisper White on the inside so I can stamp a greeting.  Then I stamped one flower randomly in Basic Black ink.  I used my embossing buddy and then Versamark with the large flower, adding White Embossing Powder and heat setting it.   I used Itty Bitty Backgrounds to add some black speckles in the blank areas.  The designer paper is from Urban Oasis and I was careful to just cut two lines of the spirals.  I added a tag cut from Lots of Tags Sizzix Die (LOVE it!) and used the greeting from Really Retro with two black mini brads to secure it to the cardfront.  I wrapped the Stripe Organza ribbon around the Kraft piece and layered it onto the Black Base.  I was so pleased with this card that I used it at my last workshop!  This group was very enterprising, though…I saw lots of awesome variations!

Hope you are having a great weekend!

Sets:  Fifth Avenue Floral, Itty Bitty Backgrounds, Really Retro
C/S: Kraft, Basic Black, Whisper White, Urban Oasis DSP
Inks:  Basic Black, Versamark
Other:  White EP, Lots of Tags Sizzie Die, Mini Black brads, White stripe organza ribbon

Bloggers Challenge – Brown, Sage and Neutrals

Quick post here, I’m headed out of town (Thursday) and getting ready for this to post on Friday for the Bloggers’ Challenge!  Our challenge for today was to use Brown, Sage and Neutrals.  I actually like this color combination!  This could also be considered a limited supplies challenge…cause almost everything in my studio is packed and ready to go!

I think Rustic Rooster is a great Hostess set…I was happy I finally earned it!  I knew as soon as I saw the challenge that I wanted to use this set.  Of course…it was still unmounted, so I had to spend time to do that first!  I started with the background script stamp and inked it with Sage Shadow Craft ink on Naturals Ivory cardstock.  Let it dry, and then stamped the Rooster with Chocolate Chip on top.  I layered it on Chocolate Chip.  Then I used a piece of designer paper from Autumn Vine (retired in the winter mini) and overstamped the swirl design on it with Chocolate Chip and tore the edge.  I layered the designer paper on Close to Cocoa and stamped the swirl on it and tore the edge of it, too.  I sponged around the edges of each piece with Chocolate Chip.  Finally, I tore the edge of the base card and sponged along it.  I added For You pennant stamped in Chocolate Chip on Naturals Ivory.  And added a Cocoa button with linen thread in it.

Well…got to run!  I’ll check out the other Bloggers’ creations when I return on Sunday!

Set:  Rustic Rooster, Fresh Cuts
C/S:  Naturals Ivory, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Sage Shadow, Autumn Vine DSP (retired)
Inks:  Chocolate Chip, Sage Shadow Craft ink
Other:  Cocoa button, linen thread, sponge dauber

Cheep Talk

I LOVE this set!  I think it makes the cutest cards!  So different from the flowers that I usually gravitate towards.  This card was a challenge card for one of my groups.  We were supposed to make a card to send with a bird on it!  I had a hard time chosing between this set and Good Friend…I LOVE them both!

I started with the Sale-A-Bration designer paper, Delicate Dots, to pick my colors.  (Get it FREE with a $50 order!)  I love the stripe in this paper!  I pulled out the So Saffron for the base of the card and layered Certainly Celery on top.  Then I used a piece of the stripe, matted with Bashful Blue.  I used the polka dot Bashful Blue and rounded the corners.  The focal point, I used my markers to ink up the stem and leaves with Chocolate Chip and Certainly Celery.  The little bird is inked with Bashful Blue, then I added Summer Sun on his beak and Chocolate Chip for his legs….sitting him on the branch.

The Scallop Circle punch fits perfectly underneath the curve of the branch.  I stamped Hello There and punched it towards the top of the 1-1/4 circle.  Then layered it on the Certainly Celery 1 3/8 circle punch, and the So Saffron Scallop Circle punch, that I pierced in each scallop.  Finally I stamped the flower and cut it out, placing it under the words.  I added a 1/4 circle punch from glittery Iridescent Ice Certainly Celery cardstock.  I think this card turned out SO cute!  I was sad to give it away!

I leave tomorrow afternoon for a LONG weekend stamping retreat!  I can’t wait!  I’m mostly packed, just need to load it in the car.  I feel like I brought my whole studio…actually, I probably did!  lol!

I’m going to try and get several things scheduled to post while I’m gone.  I’m going to try to do my Blogger’s Challenge card for Friday, if I can find something to stamp that isn’t packed!  lol!