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Dragonfly Candy Favor

I'm in a Candy Wrapper Swap at Leadership and made these for my group.  I thought they were lots of fun!  They are filled with M&Ms.

I used the Valentine M&Ms, so I need to find some designer paper that would work with those colors.  Nope…we don't have any.  So…I went back to the basics and made my own!  Remember Doubletime stamping?  I used the flowers and centers from Stampin' Up!'s Mixed Bunch stamp set and the colors of Pink Pirouette, Melon Mambo, Basic Black and Real Red on Whisper White cardstock and made up my own "designer paper". 

Can you tell what the bodies of the dragonflies are made from?  If you guessed a clothespin…you are right!  I covered both sides with silvers of the DSP I made, after I textured it with the Square Lattice Impressions Folder.

The body of the dragonfly is the Mixed Bunch flower that I cut off the bottom petal and trimmed the top petal so only two antenna remained.  I colored them in with my Basic Black marker.  I punched the 1/2 & 3/8" Circles from Basic Black, then added two small pearls for the eyes.  I used the small cello bag, filled it with M&Ms, taped it shut, then wrapped some Bakers Twine around the center to hold it in shape of wings.  The clothespin is holding it, too.

These were TONS of fun to make!  Hope you like them!

We're almost at the end of Week 1 of Create with Connie and Mary Occasions Edition 2012...but it's not too late to join!  You'll be the first to see the new projects AND still have access to the ones we've already shown!  Sign up today!

CCMC185 – Candy Conversations

Well…I hope our subscribers are enjoying WEEK 1 of Create with Connie and Mary Occasions Edition 2012.  It's not too late for you to join!  You'll still have access to all the tutorials we've done so far AND be the first to see the new ones posted!

It's Thursday, and time for our Create with Connie and Mary Thursday Challenge!  I must say that I REALLY like my card today!  lol!  We have a color challenge for you to play along with this week.  Yummy, bright colors of Peach Parfait, Calypso Coral and Lucky LImeade! 

Well, the colors made it a little challenging for a Valentine card, but I wanted to use the sets that we are featuring this week on Create with Connie and Mary Occasions Edition 2012…PS I Love You, Take it to Heart and Candy Conversations.  So here is my card!

I think I met the challenge, don't you?  I started with a base of Peach Parfait.  I added a neutral layer of Crumb Cake that I ran thru the Big Shot with the Finial Press Impressions Folder.  I added a strip of Everyday Enchantment Designer Paper (coming up in the SAB brochure!) and layered it on Lucky Limeade cardstock.  I punched a Full Heart from Calypso Coral cardstock.  I added three of the candy hearts from Candy Conversations, stamping them in Peach Parfait, Calypso Coral and Lucky Limeade and punch with the Small Heart Punch.  I tied a bow with the Everyday Enchantment Ribbon and attached the hearts to the streamers.  I added one more heart to the center of the bow.  The Full Heart punch is popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals.  Finally, I stamped the greeting in Basic Black on Very Vanilla and cut out the portion to tuck under the Designer Paper at the top.  Isn't this a FUN card?

Make sure to check out what the rest of the Thursday Challenge Team did this week over on Create with Connie and Mary.  Then get busy and make your own card using the challenge colors…upload it over on Inlinkz!  We love to see what you do!

Fashionable Hearts Flower Punch Art

Here is a sample of my swap card for Leadership.  I only got about 20 of them done.  In fact, I had to make them on the plane!  I just ran out of time to do more because of the basement situation.  I finally did get the carpet and laminate ordered.  Still need to order cabinets for my room…so it will be torn up for a while longer.  I just couldn't get it all done before I left.

I started playing around with the Fashionable Hearts and this arrangement came to me!  I thought it looked like a flower!

I used a base of Very Vanilla cardstock, then layered on Poppy Parade that I ran thru the Big Shot with the Houndstooth Impressions Folder.  I cut a label from Designer Labels Framelits of Very Vanilla.  I made up a bunch of the Fashionable Hearts Embosslits in Daffodil Delight, Calypso Coral and Poppy Parade and mixed and matched the hearts to make the flowers.  The leaves are the largest heart cut in half and trimmed a bit to make them smaller.  I stamped Imagine from Loving Thoughts with Basic Black on Old Olive and punched with the Modern Label punch.  In the background is Designer Paper from the SAB brochure, Everyday Enchantment.  LOVE it!  Oh, I added a Rhinestone jewel for a little bling…you know me and BLING!  lol!

PS I Love You

Here is a card that my Technique Class did last week.  I showed them Scored Edges…using the Simply Scored tool to dress up the edges of your card!  Pretty simple idea, but it does add impact!  They may notice it is a little different…I went back and added a black silhouette of the cupid over the Crumb Cake that I originally had there!  He is popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals.

As you can see, I did double score lines around all the edges of the Crumb Cake layer.  It is mounted on a 6×6 piece of Real Red cardstock, folded to 3×6.  I like this size of card!  I stamped the heart in PS I Love You in Real Red and punched with the Full Heart Punch.  I also punched a heart from Real Red cardstock.  In the center, I added the greeting from PS I Love You and held it in place with a Red Mini Brad.  In each of the corners, I placed the smallest heart from the Heart to Heart punch for some added interest.  Another pretty simple Valentine's Day card…

We are LIVE!  The Create with Connie and Mary Occasions Edition 2012 has officially started!  We are SO excited…and know our subscribers are, too!  You can still join us for daily step-by-step tutorials, challenges and PRIZES!  Our website stays up to a year after the edition is over, too…so you can refer back to our projects 24/7!  At $34.95 for over 36 project ideas…that is less than $1 per tutorial!

Hearts Collection Framelit Die

TODAY is the LAST DAY for Preview Week over on Create with Connie and Mary.  We have ONE more opportunity to give away Blog Candy…check it out!  It is also the LAST DAY to take advantage of Early Bird Savings for the Create with Connie and Mary Occasions 2012 Edition!  Save $5 of the regular $34.95 US price for 6 weeks of daily step-by-step tutorials and challenges on Saturdays!  That is over 36 tutorials for only $29.95!  But…hurry…you need to sign up now! Only our subscribers will get to see these fabulous projects…no sneak peeks.

I made up a Clean & Simple card for you today using the fun Hearts Collection Framelit Die in the Occasions Mini!  Really…this was SO easy to make!  It's going to take me longer to type this post than it did to make it!

I started with Whisper White card base.  I used my Simply Scored Tool and score three lines at 1/2, 3/4, and 1" along the left side.  While it was still in the tool, I took my Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker and used the Fine Tip to draw black lines down the scored lines.

I cut out 6 shades of red and pink (Cherry Cobbler, Real Red, Melon Mambo, Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink and Pink Pirouette) with the smallest of the Hearts Collection die.  I ran them thru the Big Shot with the Snow Burst Folder (still available to order!)  I attached them to the card with Stampin' Dimensionals and added a Rhinestone Jewel to each one.  Finally, I stamped Be My Valentine from Delightful Dozen stamp set in Basic Black.  I had a Real Red small heart from Fashionable Hearts Embosslit laying on my desk and I added it to the heart in the greeting with another Rhinestone.

Remember…it is the LAST DAY to sign up for the Early Bird Special…save $5!  Check out all the NEWS over on Create with Connie and Mary today!

Countdown to Kisses – FREE Tutorial and BLOG CANDY!

Yeah…it is FINALLY my time to share my FREE Tutorial for Preview Week over on Create with Connie and Mary AND to give away Blog Candy!  Tomorrow (Saturday) is the LAST DAY to take advantage of Early Bird Savings for the Create with Connie and Mary Occasions 2012 Edition!  Save $5 of the regular $34.95 US price for 6 weeks of daily step-by-step tutorials and challenges on Saturdays!  That is over 36 tutorials for only $29.95!  But…hurry…you need to sign up now! Only our subscribers will get to see these fabulous projects…no sneak peeks.

Leave a comment on my blog today to be entered in the drawing for BLOG CANDY…a free subscription to the Occasions 2012 Edition!  We'll announce the winners on Sunday.  But…don't worry if you sign up to take advantage of the Early Bird pricing…we'll either apply it to the Summer 2012 Edition or refund your money!  The Occasions 2012 Edition starts SUNDAY!

I've seen several of these signs done in wood with vinyl lettering.  I just knew that I could recreate it with Stampin' Up! products!  It came together pretty easily!  Instead of numbers, I used the hearts from Stampin' Up!'s Candy Conversations single stamp set to decorate the bottoms of the Hershey Kisses.  Yummy…they are the pink ones with Caramel inside!  Start the countdown to Valentine's Day on February 1st…there are 14 sweet treats for you to enjoy!

The full step-by-step photo tutorial is available for you over on Create with Connie and Mary!  But…before you go…remember to leave me a comment HERE on Friday for the BLOG CANDY…how do you like this project?  I think it turned out darling!  And…if you haven't signed up to join us…do it NOW so you don't forget!

CCMC184 – PS I Love You

It's time for the Create with Connie and Mary Thursday Challenge again!   We have a fun sketch for you to try and invite you to play along!  And…we have a SPECIAL Guest Designer Announcement over there, too!  Make sure to stop and check her out!

Now, I'm sure that at times you struggle with a card.  I had intentions of tearing this apart and starting over, but ran out of time.  Don't know what it is that is "off" to me…but I'm just not wild about it!  What do you think?  Maybe the color combo?

I started with a base of Calypso Coral and added Wisteria Wonder that I ran thru the Big Shot with the Tulip Frame Impressions Folder.  I added some Sweet Shop Designer Paper and layered it on Whisper White.  I added the Calypso Coral Ruffled Ribbon and did a little gathering in one portion of it.  I punched 5 of the Small Heart Punch from Calypso Coral and used the Square Lattice Impressions Folder on them.  I also added some bling with the rhinestone jewels.  For the sixth element of the sketch I stamped Sent with Love greeting from PS I Love You in Calypso Coral on Whisper White and punched with the 1" Circle Punch.

Well anyway, make sure to check out what the rest of the Challenge Team did with this sketch!  And…upload your creation to InLinkz over on Create with Connie and Mary…we love to see your work.  Make sure to sign up for the Occasions Edition 2012 while you are there!  We have some FABULOUS projects for you this time…you won't want to miss it!

PS I Love You again!

OK…I'm totally hooked on this stamp set, Stampin' Up!'s PS I Love You.  I love all the different elements in it!  For my card today, I totally cased myself from a flower card that I did here:  FLOWER CARD

This time I changed it up to use variegated shades of pink and red using the fun heart in PS I Love You.  I love that I can use my Full Heart punch with it!

OK….here are the details!  I started with the base of Poppy Parade and layered on Whisper White that I ran thru the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots Folder only 3/4 of the way embossed.  I stamped the greeting (again from PS I Love You) in Poppy Parade at the bottom.  I added the Riding Hood Red Pleated Ribbon…LOVE it…and secured in the back.  Then I added the Hearts stamped in Blushing Bride, Regal Rose, Poppy Parade and finally Cherry Cobbler.  The bottom one and second from top are popped with Stampin' Dimensionals.  For a little bling, I added a White Designer Button and Cherry Cobbler Bakers Twine tied in a bow!  Fun, fun, fun…quick and easy to mass produce, too!

OK…did you check out Create with Connie and Mary today?  Yes…another designer has BLOG CANDY on her blog…go see who it is!  And remember, time is almost running out to take advantage of the Early Bird Special pricing of $5 off the regular $34.95 US price!  Anyone can join…we have subscribers from Australia, France, England, Netherlands…all over!  Just remember that all measurements are in US inches and written in English!  Join us TODAY at Create with Connie and Mary for over 36 step-by-step tutorials…that is less than $1 per tutorial!

Fashionable Hearts

Oh my GOSH!!!  I'm SO excited!  I found out last night that Shelli (our CEO of Stampin' Up!) chose my Fashionable Hearts frame and card for her "Love is in the Air" Creative Challenge!  I had made it for the December Tour de Freaks…if you haven't taken that tour…you should!!!  It was pretty awesome!  You can see my winning project again HERE...

A coincidence because today's card uses some leftover hearts from the Fashionable Hearts Embosslit, too!  It is certainly getting a work out in my studio!

I started with a base of Crumb Cake cardstock and ran the front thru the Big Shot with the Stripes Impressions Folder.  I added the 1 1/4" Daffodil Delight Striped Ribbon in the background.  I cut one of the new Labels Collection frames from Very Vanilla.  I stamped the LOVE from one of the Sale-A-Bration selections coming up soon…Outlined Occasions Stamp Set!  Yours FREE with a $50 purchase starting January 24 (or select from any of the other Sale-A-Bration products!)  Then I started adding the embossed hearts in Pool Party, Calypso Coral, Poppy Parade and Daffodil Delight.  I added some Rhinestone Jewels for bling…and a large Red button tied with White Baker's Twine.  I think it is LOTS of fun and pretty simple…great for a class!

WOOHOO!!!  It's PREVIEW week over on Create with Connie and Mary…and you know that means BLOG CANDY, right?  Go check out where it is today and go leave a comment on her blog!  We know you love Elizabeth Price's work and we are THRILLED she is back as one of our full Design Team members!  I adore her card today! 

We have LOTS of surprises this week over on Create with Connie and Mary, make sure to stop by often for Guest Designer Announcements, Blog Candy and Preview Projects!  This week is the last chance to sign up and save $5 off the regular $34.95 US price for a six week subscription!  With over 36 step-by-step tutorials featuring products in the Occasions and SAB Minis…that is less than $1 per day for some GREAT ideas!  Click on my right sidebar to join TODAY or check us out on Create with Connie and Mary!

Take it to Heart 2

Did you check out  Create with Connie and Mary today?  We announced our SIXTH Guest Designer for the Occasions 2012 Edition and she has an awesome Valentine card for you to see, full of products from the Occasions Mini!  We have LOTS of surprises this week on Create with Connie and Mary, make sure to stop by often for one more Guest Designer Announcement, BLOG CANDY and FREE Preview Projects!  This is the LAST WEEK to save $5 off the regular $34.95 US price for a six week subscription!  With over 36 step-by-step tutorials featuring products in the Occasions and SAB Minis…that is less than $1 per day for some GREAT ideas!  Click on my right sidebar to join TODAY or check us out on Create with Connie and Mary!

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My card today uses Take it to Heart set.  I love that it is adaptable to Anniversary cards, just saying I love you cards…all types of occasions…not just Valentine's Day!

This card came together from pieces of paper that I had already on my table…love that!  Stampin' Up!'s Take it to Heart image was already stamped with Basic Black on Whisper White, then cut with the Heart Framelit Die.  The background heart Sweet Shop Designer Paper was already cut into this piece, I just added the Basic Black cardstock mat around it.  I already had the sliver of Red Glimmer Paper…I like how the Calypso Coral color pulls out the lighter shades in the Red Glimmer Paper…I just notched the ends and placed it on the front.  I even had the little flower already made from Calypso Coral and Whisper White cardstock, punched with the BoHo Flower Punch and a little pearl inside.  The only thing I did "make" today was the Whisper White background that I ran thru the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots folder.  I also stamped the greeting from Stampin' Up!'s PS I Love You stamp set.  Everything was placed on the base card of Calypso Coral…also left over from another project!  Love it when I can use up my "starts" off the table!  lol!

Have a great week…and don't forget to check out our NEW Guest Designer over on Create with Connie and Mary!  We're so happy to have her on board this session!