Wow…another month has gone by and it is time for the April Tour de Freaks!  You've probably just come from Lynn Put's Blog…weren't her projects fantastic?  You can continue around the tour to see everyone's projects, we have 14 stops this time!  The theme this month is FLOWERS!  I know you'll see great ideas to help you enjoy Spring a little more!

My first project uses different sizes of circles to make some punch art flowers!  I used the 1 3/4 circle punch and Regal Rose cardstock, 1 3/8 circle punch and Pretty in Pink cardstock and the 1" circle punch and So Saffron cardstock.  I cut slits around each of the circles, then sponged them all with Regal Rose Classic Ink.  I adhered them together and added a White Flower Button to the centers.  The leaves are the wing from the Bird Punch (do you have that punch yet?) out of Certainly Celery and sponged around the edges with Certainly Celery Classic Ink.  I used Tea Party Designer Paper in the background and cut it into strips (using the Bloggers' Challenge sketch from last week!)  I added Happy Birthday from Stampin' Up!'s Well Scripted stamp set.  LOVE how this turned out!  The base of the card is Pretty in Pink cardstock.

I first saw this project over on Becky Robert's blog, but I adapted it to fit 4×4 cards instead of the tags she had used.  I created the bottom of the box from So Saffron cardstock, then lined the inside with Chocolate Chip cardstock for the divider.  Over the front is a piece of Medium Window Sheet that slides off to open.  I wrapped the Belly Band of Chocolate Chip cardstock that I punched with the Scallop Edge Punch and Sweet Pea Designer Paper around the Window Sheet and then wrapped Very Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon and tied it in a bow.

Inside I made six 4×4 sized thank you cards from a base of So Saffron cardstock.  I added the Stripe Pattern from Sweet Pea Designer Paper on top.  In the center is Very Vanilla cardstock layered on Chocolate Chip.  I used the Extra Large Fancy Flower punch and more Sweet Pea Designer Paper to punch the large flowers for the front.  The inside is a punched 3/4 circle from Taken with Teal or So Saffron to coordinate.  I added leaves punched from Sahara Sand with the 5 Petal Punch.  I used Thank You Kindly stamp set with Taken with Teal Classic Ink in various thank you greetings.  Although I didn't do it yet, I'll also include some 4×4 envelopes that I'll make to fit the cards. 

Wouldn't it make a nice present for someone special?  Here is a close up of a couple of the cards inside. 

Next stop  on the Tour de Freaks is Mary Brown's blog.  I KNOW she has some marvelous projects to show you!  She was telling me about it this past Sunday at our meeting!  Thanks for stopping by and taking the tour!  Hope you enjoyed my projects! 

I pulled out my Shades of Spring Designer paper because I knew it contained that color combination.  I love the paper, the designs on it are HUGE however, so I'm always hesitant about cutting it.  I must admit, it wasn't so bad!  lol!  I figure I can always order more!

I started with a base of Certainly Celery, then layered on the bold multi floral pattern from Shades of Spring.  I ran the second Certainly Celery pattern of Shades of Spring DSP thru my Big Shot with the Top Note die, then turned it and ran it thru again to make the medallion under the bird!  I punched the bird from the new Two-Step Bird punch in So Saffron and sponged the edges.  I punched the leaf/vine several times from Certainly Celery, then sponged the edges, and placed them under the bird.  I added floral buds by punching the bird's wing several times from Orchid Opulence cardstock.

Between the Certainly Celery and background DSPs, I used a strip of Orchid Opulence cardstock that I ran thru the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots Impressions Folder.  Finally, I stamped Happy Easter from Well Scripted Stamp Set on So Saffron with Orchid Opulence Classic Ink and punched it with the Scallop Oval punch!

Pretty busy….but I like how it turned out!

Supplies:

Sets:  Well Scripted

Inks:  Orchid Opulence, So Saffron, Certainly Celery

Cardstock:  Certainly Celery, So Saffron, Orchid Opulence

Accessories:  Perfect Polka Dots Impressions Folder, Big Shot, Scallop Oval Punch, Top Note Bigz Die, Sponge Daubers, Two-Step Bird Punch, Shades of Spring Designer Paper

Check out to see what the rest of the Design Team Members did this week with the color challenge:

Julie Dinn

Mary Brown

Kerin Sylvester

Monika Davis

It really isn't too late to sign up for the Create with Connie and Julie Occasions Edition subscription!  There is a new project posted every day and there will be a minimum of two fabulous tutorials each and every week. We like to have lots of fun so we have challenges and prizes for our subscribers. Our sites stay up long after the session is done so you will always have access to the site and the tutorials. For more information and to see our Preview Week projects please visit at Create with Connie and Julie.

For this week's challenge the theme is Easter Cards!  Our focus was on Stampin' Up!'s stamp set Eggcoutrements, Chocolate Bunny stamp, Spring Floral Wheel and the Eggcellent Egg Kit.  I chose to feature the Chocolate Bunny for my Easter Card!  I LOVE him!

I started with a base card of Certainly Celery, then used two different patterns from Tea Party Designer Paper.  I used the Scallop Trim Border Bunch along the top and the bottom.  I stamped the Easter Bunny in Vanilla Craft Ink, Close to Cocoa Craft Ink and Chocolate Chip Craft Ink, then embossed with Clear Embossing Powder and cut them out.  Of course, they represent the three types of chocolate…white, milk and dark!  Yummy!  They look real!   I wrapped some Pretty in Pink Taffeta Ribbon across the top and added the Scallop Oval punched tag stamped with Happy Easter from Well Scripted.  I highlighted the word happy with my Certainly Celery Stampin' Write marker!

Supplies:

Sets:  Chocolate Bunny, Well Scripted

Inks:  Vanilla Craft, Close to Cocoa Craft, Chocolate Chip Craft, Certainly Celery Stampin' Write Marker

Cardstock:  Certainly Celery, So Saffron, Whisper White

Accessories:  Tea Party Designer Paper, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Pretty in Pink Taffeta Ribbon, Scallop Oval Punch

Make sure to check out what the rest of the design team did this week and be inspired for your own Easter cards!

Julie Dinn

Mary Brown

Kerin Sylvester

Monika Davis

It really isn't too late to sign up for the Create with Connie and Julie Occasions Edition subscription!  There is a new project posted every day and there will be a minimum of two fabulous tutorials each and every week. We like to have lots of fun so we have challenges and prizes for our subscribers. Our sites stay up long after the session is done so you will always have access to the site and the tutorials. For more information and to see our Preview Week projects please visit at Create with Connie and Julie.