I started with a base of Garden Green.  I layered on Certainly Celery that I ran thru the Big Shot with the Houndstooth impressions folder.  I used a piece of Garden Green Patterns Designer Paper and cut the bottom into a pennant shape.  I used the Designer Label Framelits in two sizes with Basic Black and Certainly Celery cardstock. 

The St. Patrick's Day greeting was stamped in Garden Green on Whisper White along the right edge and put on the front.  The Labelits were popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals along the left side of the greeting.

I stamped Kiss Me three times with Garden Green on Whisper White and punched with the Small Heart Punch.  I put a Rhinestone Jewel in the center and handcut the stem from Garden Green cardstock.

Do you like?  I think it was my favorite of the 5 cards we made!

It's not too late to join!  Create with Connie and Mary Occasions Edition 2012 is in the middle of Week 3!  You get daily step-by-step photo tutorials, challenges and PRIZES and haven't missed a thing!  We've had some FABULOUS projects to use in your classes or for gifts…with lots more to come! 

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!

Today we have a color challenge for you on Create with Connie and Mary Thursday Challenge!  Here you go:

So…you can see I was challenged to use Mixed Bunch (one of the sets we are featuring this week on Create with Connie and Mary Occasions Edition!) with this color challenge…but I think I did it!

I started with a base of Confetti White cardstock.  I layered on the polka dot pattern from Patterns DSP in Crushed Concord.  Then I embossed the block of Sahara Sand with the Finial Press Impressions Folder.  I stamped the block of Pool Party with the filigree flower in Mixed Bunch with Pool Party Classic Ink.  Both the Sahara Sand and the Pool Party were layered onto a mat of Crushed Concord cardstock.  I added a Scallop Trim Border of Pool Party along the pattern paper. 

I stamped the flower on Whisper White with Crushed Concord Ink and punched with the Blossom Punch.  I stamped the flower center again with Pool Party and punched with the 1" Circle Punch and placed a Pool Party Pattened Brad in the center.   I added two "leaves" from the Blossom Punch and Pool Party cardstock, embossed with the Finial Press folder.  The flower is popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals.  Finally, I added a greeting from Teeny Tiny Wishes.

Make sure to jump over to Create with Connie and Mary to see what the rest of the Challenge Team did this week!  And…grab your stamps and play along!  We love to see what you create!

As you can see on my card, I took the sketch very literally…I think I'll also use this sketch and change up the elements…the new Designer Label Framelet would be perfect in the center…didn't think of that until my card was finished!  lol!

With the warm weather we've been having in Ohio, 50s in JANUARY!…it reminds me that spring is the next season!  As the card image reads…this stamp is so sweet!  I picked my colors from the Just Add Cake Designer Paper and started with a base of So Saffron.  It is layered on Early Espresso cardstock.  I wrapped some Peach Parfait Ribbon around the center and adhered it in back.  I stamped the flower image in Early Espresso, then used my Stampin' Up! Markers to color them…So Saffron, Daffodil Delight, Peach Parfait, Pear Pizzazz and Wild Wasabi.  In the center of the flowers, I made some small dots with a White Gel Pen…following Karen Barber's wonderful coloring skills.  I added some grass along the bottom so the flowers didn't look like they were levitating in the air!  lol!

I cut some butterflies with the Beautiful WIngs embosslit and So Saffron and Early Espresso cardstock, then added pearls to their bodies.  I also did a trio of pearls along the bottom according to the sketch and the greeting A Note of Thanks from Thank You Kindly stamp set.

Things are progressing in the basement…new carpet was installed yesterday in the Family Room area!  My room…still waiting for the design information on the cabinets…I can't believe it is taking SO long!  The laminate is sitting in the warehouse ready to go for my studio, but can't go in until the cabinets are installed.  Grrr…

It's not too late to join!  Create with Connie and Mary Occasions Edition 2012 has just started Week 3!  You get daily step-by-step tutorials, challenges and PRIZES and haven't missed a thing!  We've had some FABULOUS projects to use in your classes or for gifts…with lots more to come! 

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!

Since I'm in LOVE with the Everyday Enchantment Sale-A-Bration Designer Paper, I took my colors from the floral print.  The base of the gift certificate cover is Peach Parfait, cut 5 1/2 x 7, and scored at 4 1/4.  I used Sticky Strip to close up the sides.  I stamped Celebrate from Outlined Occasions in Black Stazon, then used my Versamarker to color in the letters…it gives a really neat tone-on-tone look.  I stamped the Fresh Vintage floral image in Peach Parfait in the corner and on the envelope.

I cut a piece of the floral DSP and used the Adorning Accents Edgelit Die to cut the front and back edges.  I used a piece of Pear Pizzazz cardstock to line underneath the DSP for more stability and used the Edgelit die and embossing folder along the front edge.

Inside, the pocket holds the gift certificate.  The corner of the certificate is also stamped with the Fresh Vintage image.

It's not too late to join!  Create with Connie and Mary Occasions Edition 2012 has just started Week 3!  You get daily step-by-step tutorials, challenges and PRIZES and haven't missed a thing!  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!

And, to finish the week, we are celebrating with a Color Challenge for subscribers (although anyone can play along, only subscribers will have a chance to win PRIZES!)  The colors were perfect for Sale-A-Bration…Lucky Limeade, Pool Party, Poppy Parade and Calypso Coral.  I liked the card I did for this challenge so well, that I had all my Club members make it this week!  I think they loved it, too!

Now…I must admit that I didn't use Calypso Coral on the card anywhere…shhh, don't tell Mary.  I'm skating by thinking it is in the Everyday Enchantment Designer Paper…or at least that is what I'm claiming!  lol!  Don't you LOVE those new Adorning Accents Edgelits Dies and Embossing folders…they make ANY card a WOW!  Hey Stampin' Up!…we want MORE!!!

I started with a base of Pool Party.  I used the curvy Edgelit on the top of my Poppy Parade layer, then used the matching embossing folder.  I stamped the large floral image from Fresh Vintage in Poppy Parade Ink on top of that layer randomly.  I cut the larger scallop circle from Scallop Circles #2 Die out of the Everyday Enchantment Designer Paper.  Then I stamped the floral image in Poppy Parade on Very Vanilla and punched with my 2 1/2" Circle punch.  It is popped up on the scallop circle with Stampin' Dimensionals and I added a little Rhinestone Jewel on the flower for some bling.  I stamped the greeting from Warm Words in Early Espresso on Pool Party and punched with the Modern Label Punch.  Under the scallop circle, I did a little gathering of the Lucky Limeade Ruffled   Ribbon.

Hope you like it…for more inspiration check out what the rest of the Design Team did over on Create with Connie and Mary!  And…if you aren't a subscriber…make sure to sign up today!!!

I used Fresh Vintage, one of the Sale-A-Bration sets we are featuring over on Create with Connie and Mary Occasions Edition.  We are in Week 2 and have had some fabulous projects so far!  It's not too late to join!  Click on the Buy Now button over on my right sidebar, or check out the Preview Projects we did on Create with Connie and Mary…just to give you a taste of what our tutorials look like.  We are sharing over 36 step-by-step tutorials…that will not be seen or previewed anywhere else!  At $34.95 US, that is less than $1 per tutorial!

I love the colors in the Twitterpated Designer Paper.  This stripe, of course, is one of my favorites and I took the colors on my card from it.  The base is Pear Pizzazz.  I layered on two diffferent designs from Twitterpated and added them to a layer of Basic Gray.  I wrapped the Lucky Limeade Ruffled Ribbon around to hide the seam.  I cut two Label Collection Framelits…one in Whisper White and one in Cherry Cobbler.  I inked up the floral design with my Stampin' Write Markers in Cherry Cobbler, Pear Pizzazz and Basic Gray and then stamped on the White.  It is layered on the Cherry Cobbler, and I added pearls to accent the label.  Finally, I added some Beautiful Wings Embossed Butterflies with pearls for their bodies!  I tied a bow, added a Glimmer Brad and placed it on the front with Mini Glue Dots.

My husband even commented (without prompting) that it was a striking card!  Woohoo!

Make sure to check out the rest of the Challenge Team's ideas over on Create with Connie and Mary!  Some FABULOUS ideas as usual!

But…it's TIME!  Sale-a-Bration time!  Stampin' Up! is giving away free product with every qualifying order of $50…$100 get 2…$150 get 3…plus hostess benefits and a DARLING little tote!  ALL free with your order!

GUESTS:  Choose one free product from the SAB brochure for every $50 you spend (before tax and shipping).

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The Create with Connie and Mary Occasions Edition 2012 has just started Week 2…showing off projects featuring the Sale-A-Bration Catalog!  It's not too late to join!  You'll get daily step-by-step tutorials, challenges and PRIZES and haven't missed a thing!  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!

SALE-A-BRATION STARTS TOMORROW!!!

Thought I'd share a picture of my favorite peeps at Stampin' Up! Leadership Convention.  We went to dinner at Paesano Riverwalk Restaurant!

Left to right:  Lisa Pressley, me, Ann Lohmeyer, Kay, Valerie, Sylvia (aka Saliva) Meyer, Kerrie Snyder, Terry, Cassy Miller, Terri Meehan

More tomorrow!!!

And my card, using the products we featured during Week 1…PS I Love You, Take it to Heart, and Candy Conversations.  I decided to use my favorite…PS I Love You…in soft, non-traditional Valentine colors!

I started with a base of Lucky Limeade and added on Wisteria Wonder cardstock.  I cut the rectangle of Whisper White at 2 3/8" wide, then used my 2 1/2 Circle Punch to curve the top.  I stamped the greeting from PS I Love You in Basic Black along the bottom.  I also stamped the cupid on scrap Whisper White in Basic Black, along with the two hearts…one in Wisteria Wonder and the other in Lucky Limeade.  I punched with the Full Heart punch.  I layered the two hearts on the Scallop Heart Embosslits from Pool Party cardstock.  I also added a strip of Pinking Hearts Border Punch from Pool Party along the bottom.

I layered some Sweet Shop Designer Paper across the Wisteria Wonder cardstock, then wrapped the Pool Party Ruffled Ribbon around to the back and secured.  I placed the Hearts on top of the Whisper White with Stampin' Dimensions, then added the Cupid with another Dimensional.   Finally I added a white flower designer button tied with Wisteria Wonder Bakers Twine!  I'm so happy they came out with more colors in the Bakers Twine!!!

Check out what the rest of the Design Team did for the Week 1 Challenge over on Create with Connie and Mary!  I love their ideas!  And…while you are there…sign up to join us!

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!