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Watercolor Trio

This card was one of the projects my Stamp Clubs did last month.  I always like to do one card with a special fold or something unique.  This folded frame is fun to do and a great use of Designer Paper!

I used the Old Olive Patterns Designer Paper to make my frame.  Inside, I stamped the Watercolor Trio images in Rich Razzleberry, More Mustard and Old Olive on Whisper White cardstock.  I layered the frame on Rich Razzleberry cardstock, scalloped the top edge with the Scallop Edge Punch and stamped Thanks So Much from Watercolor Trio at the bottom in Basic Black.  I wrapped some White Satin Ribbon around and tied a knot.  I layered the Rich Razzleberry element on Old Olive that I ran thru the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots Impressions Folder.  That was layered on More Mustard for the base card.

I used the stamp All A Flutter butterfly and stamped it in Basic Black on Cardstock Vellum.  I turned it over and used my Stampin' Write Markers in Rich Razzleberry, More Mustard, Old Olive and Close to Cocoa to color the butterfly.  When you turn it back to the front, the markers give it a pretty stained-glass look!  I cut it out and placed it on the front of the card with a Stampin' Dimensional.  I think it turned out to be a pretty elegant card!

Don't forget about my 50th Birthday Celebration and my gift to YOU!  Check out the details HERE!

It’s My Fifty & Fabulous Birthday!

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scroll down to see the newest posts!

It's my 50th BIRTHDAY! 

And, to celebrate, I'm giving YOU a Gift!

Take 50% off ANY stamp set!

Place a $50 or more Customer Order ONLINE thru my website between NOW and midnight on Saturday, June 19th and take 50% OFF any Stamp Set! 

Again, you must first purchase $50 and THEN select your 50% off stamp set and place it on that same order.  You'll pay the full price indicated and I'll write a check to you to refund the 50% price difference after the celebration week is over!  U.S. residents only, please.

 Retiring stamp sets, accessories and Decor Elements all count, along with anything in the 2009-2010 Idea Catalog or Summer Mini.  Don't forget to check the CLEARANCE RACK, too!  Lots of great stuff there!

And remember, when you order $150 or more, you also get the HOSTESS BENEFITS! 

 Make sure you are logged in correctly to my website (www.iluvstamping.stampinup.net) and click on Shop Now in the upper right corner.  You'll see greater savings and save on shipping costs.

Only one 50% off stamp set per person.  Full price tax and shipping apply to 50% off stamp set.  Offer valid only thru Connie Babbert and thru my Online website.  Sorry, not valid on previous orders, class or club orders.  Unfortunately, I will be unavailable to answer questions during this week, but will thank you when I have access to my computer again!

Stamping 411 – Island Floral Bigz Die

Today is the Stamping 411 Sketch Challenge again!  This sketch was pretty fun to play with.  I like the large focal element.

Instead of the heart, I thought of the new bigz die, Island Oasis.  It was one of the FIRST things I wanted to order when I saw the Summer Mini.  I've used it a lot on projects!  I think it is because the size is SO great for putting on a card or bag…it fills the space! 

Of course, I had to pull out my Island Oasis Designer Paper, too.  I just love the bright colors in it!  I've already finished up one pack and starting on a second one!  For my card, I started with a base of Rose Red cardstock.  I layered on the polka dot pattern from Island Oasis across the top.  Instead of using ribbon to hide the seam, I added strips of cardstock in Pumpkin Pie and Tempting Turquoise, then the Eyelet Border Punch strip from Old Olive cardstock. 

The flower is cut using the Island Floral Bigz Die with So Saffron for the large flower and Tempting Turquoise for the small center flower.  I used the large triangle petals for my "leaves' with Old Olive in the background.  I ran all the cut pieces thru the Big Shot with the Square Lattice Impressions Die for some added texture.  The center is a Pumpkin Pie Corduroy Button (on the retired list!) and I thought it finished it off perfectly!  Finally, I stamped Celebrate from Fundamental Phrases in Rose Red and punched with the Word Window Punch, then layered it on an Old Olive Modern Label punched piece.

Make sure to check out what the rest of the Stamping 411 Design Operators did this week!  I know they will have some fabulous cards, they always do!  I hope you play along this week.  Post your creation over on Stamping 411 with the InLinkz program!  It's easy!

Thanks for stopping by!

Bloggers Challenge – Father’s Day

Today's Bloggers' Challenge theme is Father's Day…it IS right around the corner!  Of course, June is FULL of men birthdays in my family.  I feel like I'm making all kinds of masculine cards this time of year!  I decided to use the Holiday Blitz set that is retiring in a few weeks.  I'm sad because it is one of those fun sets that has a lot of little holiday images.  When you are stuck, you can always turn to it for inspiration!  If the layout of the card looks familiar, it is because I designed it for a Sketch Challenge on Create with Connie and Julie's Occasion Edition!

I started with a base card of Night of Navy and added a layer of Bashful Blue on top.  I took my colors from the Travel Journal Designer Paper in the Summer Mini.  To me, that stripe looks like a tie!  I added the strip of striped Designer Paper, then added the horizontal Pumpkin Pie strips of cardstock.  Then I stamped the tie from Holiday Blitz in Night of Navy, Bashful Blue and Pumpkin Pie on Whisper White, then punched with the 1 3/4 Circle.  I layered it on a 2" Circle cut with the Circle Scissors.  Can you tell what the Pumpkin Pie Designer Paper is cut from?  If you said the Basket & Blooms XL Die…you are right!  It is the base of the basket!  I know…I used another package of Designer Paper, Island Oasis, but it just matched too perfectly with the colors I was using!  And, I adhered the polka dot designer paper to light weight chipboard before I cut it with the die, so it is nice and chunky on the front of the card.  Finally, I stamped Dear Dad from Holiday Blitz with Night of Navy on Whisper White, then punched with the 1" circle and layered on a Night of Navy 1 1/4 Circle.

What do you think?  This will be my father in law's card this year.  We always tease him on how many ties he has in his closet!

Create with Connie and Mary is looking for three Design Team Members to play along with our Thursday Creative Challenges each week!  You'll need to use Stampin' Up! only products, have a blog where you can post your Thursday Challenge card, and love to use sketch, color or inspiration challenges as a starting point in your creations!  See more details over on Create with Connie and Mary!  We'd love for you to join us each week!

Create with Connie and Mary Thursday Challenge

Today Create with Connie and Mary's Thursday Challenge is a color challenge!  We've always had challenges for our subscribers, but now every Thursday we will offer a sketch, color or inspiration challenge for EVERYONE to try.  Just check to see what the challenge is for the week, then submit your entry via INLINKZ over on the Create with Connie and Mary blog.  Please state in your post that it is a Create with Connie and Mary Challenge and the corresponding challenge number (CCMC102 is today!)  Come play with us!

We are challenging you to use the colors of Bermuda Bay, Brilliant Blue, Green Galore and Summer Sun!  Bright…but fun!  If you don't have the exact colors, use those as close as possible.  Mary found a fabric with these colors and wanted to use them. 

Now…Mary and my cards are TOTALLY different!  I immediately thought of something with water and I needed a card for my son's birthday…yes, the one getting married.  He birthday is a few days after the wedding.  Here is what I came up with!  You can see Mary's card over on the Create with Connie and Mary site!

I started by stamping the Extreme Surfboard image in Versamark on Bermuda Bay cardstock and embossing with Black Embossing Powder.  I layered it on Basic Black, then Brilliant Blue.  I ran the Green Galore thru the Big Shot with the Texture Plate.  I added a strip of Summer Sun and tied Bermuda Bay Polka Dot Ribbon around it.  I added a Green Galore Small Star (retiring!) and a Brilliant Blue Mini Brad in the center.  The greeting is from Stampin' Up's Family Phrases.  Even though it is bright, I thought it makes a very cool card!  Hope my son likes it!

Create with Connie and Mary is looking for three Design Team Members to play along with our Thursday Creative Challenges each week!  You'll need to use Stampin' Up! only products, have a blog where you can post your Thursday Challenge card, and love to use sketch, color or inspiration challenges as a starting point in your creations!  See more details over on Create with Connie and Mary!  We'd love for you to join us each week!

Punched Posies

I really LOVE the Hostess Level 2 stamp set, Punched Posies, in the Summer Mini!  The images match Stampin' Up! punches…what could be easier than stamp and punch!  And, of course, it is FLOWERS! 

When I made this card, I felt I was channeling Mary Brown, my Create partner!  It looks similar to her style!  She loves using flowers in trios.  When I finished it, I emailed her to tell her I made a "Mary card" today!  lol!  This card is basically a remake of the first card I made here.  At that time, i wasn't happy with it, so after I posted the picture, I took off the luggage, greeting and scallop oval to start over with just the base.  Here is my re-do!

Using the base card of Melon Mambo, with layers of Crushed Curry, Whisper White and Pretty in Pink (run thru the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots Impressions Folder), I added another strip of Melon Mambo in the background.  I stamped the three scallop flowers in Crushed Curry on Whisper White and punched with the Scallop Circle Punch.  I stamped the small flowers in Melon Mambo, then cut out with my Paper Snips and adhered to the centers.   I used the Itty Bitty punch to make the center flowers in Crushed Curry and added Bitty Buttons in the centers (sorry they are naked, Mary!)  I added leaves with Old Olive ink, cut them out and placed them around the flowers.  Finally, I stamped For You from Fundamental Phrases in Melon Mambo on Whisper White, punched with the Small Oval and layered on the Large Oval of Old Olive.

What do you think?  I think it is a HUGE improvement over the last card!  It is funny how you can let things sit, then redo them into something better…or at least that is how my mind works!  The Designer Paper was throwing me off the original card.

Do you love challenges?  Create with Connie and Mary is looking for three Design Team Members to play along with our Thursday Creative Challenges each week!  You'll need to use Stampin' Up! only products, have a blog where you can post your Thursday Challenge card, and love to use sketch, color or inspiration challenges as a starting point in your creations!  See more details over on Create with Connie and Mary! 

TSSC125 – Island Oasis

I just got a new camera for my early birthday present.  I want to have time to play with it a little before vacation.  It is much more compact than my other camera, but I wanted one I could just slip into my purse when I'm on the go!  Hopefully it won't take too long to learn all the new settings!

I decided to play along with Technostampers Monday Lunchtime Challenge!  It looked like a fun sketch!  I ended up only stamping the greeting, though…the rest is diecuts and designer paper!

I started with a base of Tempting Turquoise and added a layer of Rose Red.  I cut the leaves pattern from Island Oasis Designer Paper and layered it on Pumpkin Pie cardstock and then on the Rose Red.  I cut the large flower with the White Polka Dot pattern from Island Oasis DSP and the center floral from the Pumpkin Pie Polka Dot with the Island Floral Bigz Die.  I added a Rose Red Scallop Circle under the smaller flower and a Pumpkin Pie Corduroy Button in the center.  The flower is popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals.  Finally, I stamped the greeting from the stamp set in the Summer Mini Catalog called Favorite Thoughts in Rose Red on Whisper White and placed the edge under the flower. 

It's a fun, simple and quick card that shows off the Island Oasis DSP and Island Floral Bigz Die!  Fun!

And…if you like challenges!  Create with Connie and Mary is looking for three Design Team Members to play along with our Thursday Creative Challenges each week!  You'll need to use Stampin' Up! only products, have a blog where you can post your Thursday Challenge card, and love to use sketch, color or inspiration challenges as a starting point in your creations!  See more details over on Create with Connie and Mary! 

Stamping 411 – Watercolor Trio

Ok, ok…I know…I've been using this set a LOT…but can I say that I really LOVE it?  It just is SO easy to use!  I saw this color combo done somewhere and decided to use it with my Stamping 411 sketch this week.  As you can see, I flipped the sketch on the side to make my card.

I inked up the floral image with my Stampin' Write Markers in Always Artichoke, Real Red and Bravo Burgundy in the centers.  I stamped it on Whisper White.  I added the Birthday Wishes greeting in Chocolate Chip.  I layered the Whisper White on Chocolate Chip cardstock.  I added a little Certainly Celery butterfly from Beautiful Wings Embosslit over the greeting.

My base card is Certainly Celery.  I ran a layer of Always Artichoke thru the Big Shot with the Square Lattice Impressions Folder.  I cut a piece of Real Red cardstock and ran it thru the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots Impressions Folder and adhered to the Always Artichoke.   I wrapped Certainly Celery Satin Ribbon around and tied a knot, then added the focal element.  Finally, I used my Bitty Buttons…I thought this flower one looked like an X and punched with the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch then adhered to my card with Mini Glue Dots.  I love how these colors look together!

Make sure to check out what the rest of the Stamping 411 Operators have done this week!  And, play along by using the sketch as inspiration for YOUR design, then add it to the Linkz program over on Stamping 411.

And, please, say a quick prayer for one of our Stamping 411 Operators, Tiffany, and her daughter, Jordan, who was in serious ATV accident and is in the hospital.  Jordan is doing better, but has a long recovery.  She can use the prayers!

Have a great weekend!

Bloggers Challenge – Grads

Today's Bloggers Challenge theme is graduation cards or projects.  It is hard to believe the kids around here will be out of school next week.  Of course, high school graduation was last week.  We only had a couple grads in the family this year, and NO parties since they live some distance away!  I think this is the first year in AGES we haven't had at least ONE graduation party!

Well, originally I had another grad project done and ready to go for this week.  Do you think I can find it now to photograph it?  I don't know WHERE I put it!  I cleaned up all the scraps in my work area, and it must have been placed somewhere "safe".  When I find it, I'll share it with you…so frustrating!  I'm also in the midst of changing out my paper racks and redoing all my cardstock based on the new colors coming in.  It is there somewhere.

I think Owl Together Now works well for a non-traditional graduation card!  I got this set free for something…can't remember what now.  Although I haven't used this set a LOT, I definitely like some of the greetings in it, so it is another that will stay on my shelf.  Sometimes you just need those whimsical sayings!  Of course, I had to line up the owls on the branch stamped on Whisper White.  I watercolored them with Stampin' Write Markers and my AquaPainter, then cut them out and placed them.  I added a balloon that was cut out, too.  I wanted a little more greenery, so I stamped another branch and cut it out to place below the stamped one.  I used the My Way Punch and Chocolate Chip Corduroy Button (BOTH retiring accessories!)  I added some Linen Thread in the Corduroy Button to finish it off.

The base card is Certainly Celery cardstock and I used some of my retiring Flock Together Designer Paper in the background.  I added three strips of Not Quite Navy cardstock along the one side.  I didn't want to use a bow or ribbon since I wanted a more masculine feel to the card.  The Whisper White element was layered on Chocolate Chip cardstock.  Finally, I stamped Congrats from Fundamental Phrases in Not Quite Navy in the lower corner.

Don't forget to check out the Retiring Accessories, Stamp Sets and Decor Elements!  Click on the sidebar to see the PDF files.  Some GOOD sale prices available on accessories and pick up some of the retiring cardstock or ink refills before it is too late!  Click here to place an ONLINE ORDER!

Bloomin’ Beautiful – CCMC101

Today is the premiere of Create with Connie and Mary's Thursday Challenges!  We've always had challenges for our subscribers, but now every Thursday we will offer a sketch, color or inspiration challenge for EVERYONE to try.  Just check to see what the challenge is for the week, then submit your entry via Mr. Linky over on the Create with Connie and Mary blog.  Please state in your post that it is a Create with Connie and Mary Challenge and the corresponding challenge number (CCMC101 is today!)

Mary was nice enough to put together a WHOLE bunch of sketches for us to try over the next few months using the awesome MDS (digital scrapbooking) program that Stampin' Up! offers.  Here is one for today's challenge. 

And here is my card using Bloomin' Beautiful, one of the stamp sets that will be retiring at the end of the month.  I also used one of my favorite designer papers, Tea Party…also retiring this month.  LOVE the colors.  This pot of Hydrangeas reminds me of my Hydrangea bushes out front.  They are LOADED with buds and just starting to bloom!  They are always gorgeous.  Here is a picture of last year's…and this year we have even more blooms!  We have people stopping and knocking on our door all the time asking what we use.  My husband says HydraBlue fertilizer…doubling the recommended dosage!  OK…sorry…got off tangent there.

I started by stamping with Craft Black Ink on Watercolor Paper, then embossing with Clear Embossing Powder.  I used my Bashful Blue and Pretty in Pink Stampin' Write Markers and outlined the blossoms.  Then I took my AquaPainter and moved the marker ink to color in the rest of the blossom.  I used Certainly Celery for the leaves and So Saffron for the pot in the same way.  The Watercolor Paper was layered on Basic Gray (a little softer than Black).  I used a base of Certainly Celery cardstock and layered on the circle Tea Party Designer Paper, then overlapped the right side with the stripe Tea Party Designer Paper.  To hide the seam, I wrapped around a piece of Pretty in Pink Satin Ribbon and secured in the back.  On the front I tied a separate bow out of the same Satin Ribbon.

Above the bow, I stamped Happy Birthday from Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set in Basic Black on Whisper White, then punched with the Small Oval punch.  I layered it on the Pretty in Pink Large Oval and a Scallop Oval punched from the Saffron dotted paper in Tea Party.  Finally I added some butterflies from Beautiful Wings Embosslit that I had sitting on my desk to finish it off.

Mary and I hope you play along with the Create with Connie and Mary challenge this week!  We'd love to see your card inspired by our first sketch!