#positivethoughts

IM121 – Positive Thoughts

April 27, 2020 By Connie | Leave a Comment

Happy Monday! It’s time for our Create with Connie and Mary Inspiration Monday challenge! This week’s inspiration is a feather corsage! Wouldn’t this be pretty and unusual for a wedding or dance corsage?

I love the Positive Thoughts stamp set! If you didn’t get the coordinating Dies, I’m hoping they will be in the new catalog!!! Cross your fingers!

Stampin’ Details:

- The base is 4-1/4 x 11 Crumb Cake cardstock, scored at 5-1/2 and folded.
- On top the 4 x 5-1/4 layer of Crumb Cake cardstock was embossed with the Coastal Weave Embossing Folder, then sprinkles from Label Me Bold added to the top left and bottom right with Early Espresso Ink.
- A frame was made with two sizes of the Stitched So Sweetly Dies (or use the Rectangle ones!) cut from Terracotta Tile cardstock and adhered to the front.
- The fern was stamped twice with Petal Pink Ink on Whisper White cardstock, then hand-cut (or use Nature’s Thoughts Dies if you have them).
- The feathers were stamped twice with Pool Party Ink on Whisper White cardstock and also hand-cut (or use the dies).
- The ferns and feathers were added towards the top portion of the rectangle.
- The greeting from Positive Thoughts was stamped with Early Espresso Ink on 1 x 4 piece of Whisper White and added across the front.
- Some Linen Thread was doubled, then tied in a bow and added to the stems with Mini Glue Dot.
- Finally, a trio of In Color Faceted Gems were added to the front for a little bling.

OK…check out what Mary did with the Inspiration Monday Challenge over on Create with Connie and Mary!

Use HOST CODE: NGDW6GPR

The star-shaped Santa, Mrs. Claus, and gingerbread man images from Stampin' Up!'s SWEETEST STAR PUNCH BUNDLE are adorable to use on your holiday cards, tags and paper projects. They are a wonderful take on some classic Christmas icons. Show your creativity with your favorite coloring technique, punch out the plump star, and add a holly jolly sentiment! We've paired the SWEETEST STAR BUNDLE with the TAKE A BOW 6x6 DESIGNER PAPER for a fun holiday look. Our SWEETEST STAR COLLECTION includes step-by-step tutorials for SIX projects...FOUR cards and TWO paper ornaments...perfect for teaching a class, giving as a gift, or for selling at craft shows! See more details HERE!

Aren't these just the CUTEST animal faces in Stampin' Up!'s CHRISTMAS FRIENDS STAMP SET? Pull out your coloring tools to bring these winter critters to life, or stamp them directly on colored cardstock, cut them out with the dies, and you're ready to go! There are gifts, ribbons, stars, a tree, word bubble, music notes and bowtie to further embellish them! We've paired the CHRISTMAS FRIENDS BUNDLE with the TAKE A BOW 6x6 DESIGNER PAPER that has fun, small Christmas prints. Our CHRISTMAS FRIENDS COLLECTION includes step-by-step tutorials for SIX projects...four cards and two fun favors...perfect for a little gift or for selling at craft shows! See more details here!

Create with Stamping Friends' next Collection features Stampin' Up!'s beautiful religious stamp set called SHEPHERD'S CARE that represents the story of the birth of Jesus. Build a scene by combining the watercolor inspired images with special coloring techniques for endless creative possibilities. We've paired the SHEPHERD'S CARE STAMP SET and the SEASON OF ELEGANCE SPECIALTY 12x12 DESIGNER PAPER with its rich gold foil accents. Our SHEPHERD'S CARE CARD COLLECTION includes step-by-step tutorials for SIX cards...four regular size and two larger 5x7 size to send to someone special for the holidays! See more details HERE!

IM119 – Positive Thoughts

April 13, 2020 By Connie | Leave a Comment

Happy Monday! It’s time for our Create with Connie and Mary Inspiration Monday challenge! This week’s inspiration is a beautiful necklace! Isn’t that stunning?

They looked like feathers or leaves to me, so I went with feathers! I followed the layout of a “circle”, too!

Stampin’ Details:

- The base is 5-1/2 x 8-1/2 Garden Green cardstock and scored at 4-1/4 and folded.
- The 4 x 5-1/4 layer of Whisper White cardstock is embossed with the Coastal Weave embossing folder and added to the base.
- The embossed feather from the coordinating Nature’s Thoughts Dies was cut twice from Crumb Cake, Pear Pizzazz, Garden Green and Soft Sea Foam cardstocks.
- The small feather in Positive Thoughts stamp set was stamped once with Crumb Cake, Pear Pizzazz, Garden Green and Soft Sea Foam Inks on Whisper White cardstock, then cut with the feather outline die in Nature’s Thoughts Dies.
- All the feathers were arranged in a circular shape on the front of the base card.
- The greeting from Positive Thoughts was stamped with Garden Green Ink on Whisper White cardstock and punched with the Label Me Fancy Punch.
- It was adhered to another Label Me Fancy punched from Soft Suede cardstock and added to the front with Stampin’ Dimensionals.
- The sprig die image was cut three times from Sparkle Glimmer Paper and tucked under the label on top of the feathers.
- A couple Gold Glimmer Dots were added to each side of the label punch.

So this turned out kind of whimsical and fun, don’t you think? OK…check out what Mary did with the Inspiration Monday Challenge over on Create with Connie and Mary!

Use HOST CODE: NGDW6GPR

Saturday Blog Hop – Technique Cards

February 29, 2020 By Connie | 1 Comment

Happy Saturday! It’s time for the Create with Connie and Mary Saturday Blog Hop and our theme this week is Technique Cards! I remember when I did technique cards ALL the time! I even ran a Technique Class every month for over six years! But, I stopped doing a lot of techniques on my cards. May have to jump back in!

POSITIVE THOUGHTS

This technique has always been one of my favorites. I don’t know if it has an official name, but I call it “Acrylic Block Watercolors” and it is SO quick and easy to change up with whatever colors you want to use! I also pulled out my new Positive Thoughts and Nature’s Thoughts Dies for this card!

Stampin’ Details:

The base is 4-1/4 x 11 Soft Sea Foam cardstock, scored at 5-1/2 and folded.
The 4 x 5-1/4 layer of Whisper White cardstock was embossed with the Parisian Flourish Embossing Folder.
A 1 x 4 piece of Shaded Spruce was added across the front.
Another 3-1/2 x 4-3/4 piece of Whisper White cardstock was used for the technique…I wanted an Ombre effect. The E sized Acrylic Block was colored along the bottom third with Garden Green Marker, the middle third with Granny Apple Green Marker and the top third with Soft Sea Foam Marker, scribbling directly on the block with the marker. It was spritzed with water, then stamped onto the Whisper White cardstock and let dry.
The Whisper White was then cut with the Nature’s Thoughts embossed rectangle…can you see the dotted scallop it cuts? SO pretty!
After dry, it was stamped with the large fern from Positive Thoughts stamp set using Shaded Spruce Ink, then added to the front with Stampin’ Dimensionals.
Another technique used was “omit stamping”. I inked up just the word “Prayers” with the Basic Black Marker and stamped on a 1/2 x 1-1/2 piece of Crumb Cake cardstock, then cut one end at an angle. It was added to the front.
A trio of Holiday Rhinestones (still available to order!) in the dark green color were added in the background!

I really LOVE this card!!! You need to try this technique, ok? Next up on our blog hop is our Create with Connie and Mary website, then on to creative Mary Brown, or head backwards to see Melissa’s fabulous technique card and see what everyone did with this challenge!