Stampin' Up!

Day 3 PREVIEW: Painted Petals

January 13, 2015 By Connie | 5 Comments

This is my second post for today…make sure to see my SUO Challenge card, too!

It’s DAY 3 of PREVIEW WEEK over on Create with Connie and Mary and we’re counting down the days until we start the new Spring Collection 2015! Preview Week is a chance for you to see what we are all about with our free tutorials! We are announcing another of our Design Team Member today…one of our long-time designers and we love her work! Head over and see who she is, see her card, AND get ANOTHER chance for BLOG CANDY…a FREE SUBSCRIPTION! While you are there sign up for our latest Collection…filled with projects and card sets from products in Stampin’ Up!’s Occasions and Sale-A-Bration catalogs! Save $5 off the regular price…only $24.95 for over 24 tutorials!

Another favorite set of mine in the Occasions Catalog is Painted Petals. I love the small blossoms and soft lines on the images. Here’s a quick card I put together using it!

The base is 4 1/4 x 11 Coastal Cabana cardstock, folded in half.
On the 3 3/4 x 5 layer of Pool Party, I stamped the trio of flowers diagonally with Coastal Cabana Ink.
On the 2 x 4 1/4 strip of Whisper White, I stamped the stems with Mossy Meadow Ink and the tops with Strawberry Slush Ink. The greeting was stamped with Tuxedo Black Ink, then the row of dots is Coastal Cabana again.
I thought it still needed a little “sumthin’ sumthin'”, so I tied a bow in the Coastal Cabana Thick Twine and added it to the flower stems with Mini Glue Dots.

See…really quick and easy…a great demo card for your classes, don’t you think? OK…make sure to stop by Create with Connie and Mary and see our designer’s work…and sign up for the Spring Collection 2015!

Oh yeah! Way to go BUCKEYES!!! Woohoo!

SUOC114 Petal Potpourri

January 13, 2015 By Connie | 2 Comments

This is my SECOND post today! Make sure to check out my Day 3 PREVIEW card here!

The theme this week on SUO Challenges is Dots, Dots, Dots…anything using Dots as a focus! Well, there are TONS of dots in the Stampin’ Up! catalogs! Your choice of Designer Papers, Embossing Folders, Large or Small Dots, Stencils, Stamps…the list goes on! I did a card using a technique that I’ve been wanting to try for a while…pretty simple, but I think it turned out FUN!

I think I’m a little obsessed with this Petal Potpourri stamp set right now from the Occasions Catalog. I’ve used it on several recent cards and projects. But, of course, it is a floral set and I do tend to get obsessed with them! I love that it has a matching punch! The background was done by embossing the White layer with the Large Polka Dots Folder, then adding 3/4″ punched circles of Neutral Backgrounds Designer Paper Stack! It’s hard to see, but the DSP is adhered on the raised dots! VERY cool look in real life! Only tip…make sure your embossing is straight and centered! lol! Here are the details:

The base is 4-1/4 x 11 Sahara Sand, folded in half.
The 4 x 5 1/4 layer of Whisper White is embossed with the Large Polka Dots Embossing Folder.
I punched many 3/4″ circles from the Basic Black polka dots pattern in the Neutrals Backgrounds DSP Stack and adhered them over the embossed circles.
I cut a 2 x 4 piece of Sahara Sand and stamped Happy Birthday with Tuxedo Black Ink at the bottom from the Big Day Stamp Set…one of the FREE Sale-a-bration sets! Then I cut the flag end.
I added 1 1/2 x 1 piece of Hello Honey cardstock under the pennant, cutting the flag end the same.
The Petal Potpourri flower image was stamped with Hello Honey on Whisper White, then punched with the Flower Medallion Punch and added to the banner with a Stampin’ Dimensional. I punched another 3/4″ Circle of Black Polka Dots for the center and popped it up with a Dimensional, too.
Finally, I colored the Rhinestone with Daffodil Delight Blendabilities (darkest color) and added it to the center circle.

Even my husband commented how striking it was! I always love yellow and black together! Make sure to check out what the rest of the Design Team did over on SUO Challenges!

Day 2 PREVIEW: Butterfly Thinlet

January 12, 2015 By Connie | 6 Comments

It’s Day 2 of Create with Connie and Mary’s PREVIEW WEEK to kick off the start of the Spring Collection next week! Today, Mary has a SUPER FUN project for you to check out…and guess what? The tutorial is FREE…just so you can see what our subscription service is all about! When you sign up, you’ll see a new project with photo tutorial posted EVERY DAY for FOUR weeks, except on Saturdays when we do our Blog Tour! So…that is over 24 projects for our Early Bird Price of only $24.95. But, don’t wait! That $5 savings goes away on Saturday and the price will be $29.95. Mary also has BLOG CANDY today…so check out Create with Connie and Mary to see where to go to leave a comment and a chance to win a FREE subscription to our Spring Collection! And, if you’ve already signed up, we’ll apply it to our next session!

So…in celebration of Mary’s project, I used the beautiful Butterfly Thinlet on my card today! I was going for a white tone-on-tone look, but I just couldn’t get away from putting some color on here. So, I think the soft Crisp Cantaloupe was a good compromise.

Here are the details:

The base is 4 1/4 x 11 Crisp Cantaloupe cardstock, folded in half.
On top is a 4 x 5 1/4 layer of Sahara Sand.
The next layer is 3-3/4 x 5 Something Borrowed Designer Paper…I LOVE that DSP…every pattern in that package is gorgeous!
I used a 3/4 x 4 strip of Whisper White and stamped the greeting from the Sale-A-Bration set, Simply Wonderful with Tuxedo Black Ink.
I cut the butterfly with the Butterfly Thinlet from Whisper White and added some of the flower trim in the Artisan Embellishments kit to the body!

Really…a very simple card, but the DSP and butterfly really add a lot of WOW factor to it!

Now, don’t forget to stop by Create with Connie and Mary and see Mary’s PREVIEW PROJECT and download the FREE TUTORIAL today!

Day 1 PREVIEW: Lotus Blossom

January 11, 2015 By Connie | 9 Comments

Today is DAY ONE of PREVIEW WEEK over on Create with Connie and Mary! We will be starting our Spring Collection 2015 next week and can’t wait to get started! Our design team is busy getting their projects done using both the Occasions and Sale-A-Bration catalogs. Today we are introducing one of our Guest Designers! So happy to have this talented lady on board! Make sure you go over to Create with Connie and Mary and see who she is and check back every day for more surprises and giveaways! And…while you are there, don’t forget to get signed up during our Early Bird Special, it ends on Saturday! Save $5 off the regular $29.95 price and get over 24 project tutorials…at $24.95 that’s $1 each! What a deal!

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I love the cards I’ve seen made with the Lotus Blossom Stamp Set…one of the FREE Sale-A-Bration products when you purchase $50 of Stampin’ Up! products right now. However, when I was working with it for one of my Create projects, I saw the red blossoms turned upside down on my desk. I thought they looked like strawberries. So…I added a few black dots and changed the bottom of the flower to green!!! Voila! Strawberries!

Here are the details:

The base is 4-1/4 x 11 Whisper White folded in half.
The 4 x 5-1/4 Hello Honey cardstock was embossed with the Delicate Dots folder.
A 1-1/2 x 5-1/4 strip of the striped pattern in Painted Blooms Designer Paper was placed along the left side.
I punched two Flower Medallion flowers from Mossy Meadow cardstock and cut them up into leaves.
I used the Petite Flower Punch with Whisper White cardstock to make the flowers and added 1/4″ Circles of Hello Honey cardstock inside.
The Lotus Blossoms were stamped off with Real Red, full strength Real Red, then Cherry Cobbler on top. Then I stamped them again with Pistachio Pudding, Wild Wasabi and Mossy Meadow, cut off the bottom of the blossoms for the top of the strawberries. I used a Basic Black Stampin’ Write Marker to make the seeds.
Finally, I stamped Thank You from Lotus Blossom Stamp set with Tuxedo Black ink on a 3/4″ strip of Whisper White, cut a flag end and added it under the leaves.

So…what do you think? Do YOU see strawberries???

Don’t forget it’s PREVIEW WEEK over on Create with Connie and Mary! We’re giving away FREE Subscriptions, FREE tutorials and introducing our Design Team this week! Check us out EVERY day!

CCMC337 Snuggles and Smooches again

January 8, 2015 By Connie | 8 Comments

It’s time for another Thursday Challenge by the Create with Connie and Mary Challenge Team! It’s a fun sketch challenge this week! Grab your stamps and play along!

And here is my card:

Yes! I used the cute Snuggles and Smooches stamp set again! Here are the details:

The base is 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 Real Red, folded in half
On the 4 x 5 1/4 layer of Basic Black, I stamped the smaller swirl flower with White Craft Ink. Love that chalkboard look!
Along the right side, I added a 1 1/2 x 4 piece of Stacked with Love Designer Paper.
On the 2 1/4 x 3 1/2 piece of Whisper White, I stamped LOVE with Tuxedo Black Ink in the lower left corner. I stamped the heart on Real Red and punched with the Sweetheart Punch.
I wrapped Cherry Cobbler Bakers Twine around the Whisper White 3 times and adhered in the back. The heart was added to the front with Stampin’ Dimensionals.
I stamped Oodles of with Tuxedo Black on scrap Whisper White and cut around it, then added it to the heart.
Finally, I used some Gold Sequin Trim hanging down from the heart.

I think all the elements combined are SOOOO much fun! I love how it turned out! Make sure to check out what the rest of the Challenge Team did this week over on Create with Connie and Mary!

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Mark your calendar…Preview Week starts NEXT WEEK! That’s right…Preview Week runs January 12 – 17! During Preview Week we are offering our Early Bird Special…subscribe to Create with Connie and Mary Spring Collection 2015 for ONLY $24.95!

What do you get for that?

Featuring projects that can be completed in about 2 hours…perfect for classes and camps!
Features Occasions and Sale-A-Bration Catalog Products
24 EXCLUSIVE 3D project and card set ideas
Step-by-step downloadable PHOTO tutorials
Only available to subscribers – you will not find these projects posted on the Internet!
Our Spring 2015 website will be available for up to a YEAR after the session is over!

Demonstrators & Customers welcome!

Snuggles and Smooches

January 7, 2015 By Connie | 1 Comment

I was thrilled to see Stampin’ Up! come out with this new photopolymer stamp set, Snuggles and Smooches ($15.95 US)! Too cute…makes me think of my grandkids cause I love their snuggles and smooches! lol! I grabbed it this morning and made up a couple cards real quick!

Here’s one that I made…you’ll have to come back tomorrow to see the other one. This one I had some scraps of Stacked with Love Paper Pack sitting on my desk from making Valentine Kits, so I thought I’d use a few of them up.

The details:

The base is 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 Whisper White, folded in half.
The Real Red layer is 3 3/4 x 5.
I added 3/4″ strips of Stacked with Love Designer Paper Stack along the bottom.
Snuggles and Smooches was stamped with Calypso Coral and punched with the 2″ Circle Punch, then layered on the 2 3/8 Scallop Circle Punch piece of Basic Black. It is popped up on the front with Stampin’ Dimensionals.
LOVE was stamped with Tuxedo Black Ink Pad on the left side.
I added a couple Rhinestone jewel accents and a punched Red Glimmer Heart for some bling!

Super easy and fun! Oh, and I used an old Create with Connie and Mary sketch for my layout!

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Mark your calendar…Preview Week starts NEXT WEEK! That’s right…Preview Week runs January 12 – 17! During Preview Week we are offering our Early Bird Special…subscribe to Create with Connie and Mary Spring Collection 2015 for ONLY $24.95!

What do you get for that?

Featuring projects that can be completed in about 2 hours…perfect for classes and camps!
Features Occasions and Sale-A-Bration Catalog Products
24 EXCLUSIVE 3D project and card set ideas
Step-by-step downloadable PHOTO tutorials
Only available to subscribers – you will not find these projects posted on the Internet!
Our Spring 2015 website will be available for up to a YEAR after the session is over!

Demonstrators & Customers welcome!

Hello Life!

January 5, 2015 By Connie | 2 Comments

Yeah! It’s 2015 and hopefully everything will get back into its’ routine this week! Although I love the holidays, it feels good to wake up and know that I need to get working on my business again! I do like organization and structure after all! I have all this week blocked off to be creative! Woohoo! AND…this the LAST DAY to order from the Holiday Catalog and get any of the Year End Clearance Items! Tomorrow we have the NEW Occasions and Sale-A-Bration catalogs to order from! Can I hear a DOUBLE Woohoo???!!! I’m excited!

When Mary and I decided to do the Create with Connie and Mary Valentine Mini Collection, we wanted to keep the projects using two stamp sets, Hey Valentine and You Plus Me. But…I LOVE the Hello Life stamp set in the Occasions Mini, too! It’s just not for Valentines! Those script words are darling…and that big greeting, too! But, here’s what I did for today!

This card came together SO easily it is almost embarrassing! lol! I had the two cut pieces of Stacked with Love Designer Paper on my desk and the Calypso Coral layer and Whisper White card base was already cut, too! Stamping and punching a couple times and it was done! Here are the details:

The base is 4-1/4 x 11 Whisper White, folded in half.
The Calypso Coral layer is 4 x 5-1/4.
The bottom hearts Stacked with Love DSP layer is 2-1/4 x 4 and adhered to the bottom. The linen DSP is 1/2 x 4 placed across the top of the DSP to hide the seam.
Above the DSP I stamped the script LOVE with Tuxedo Black Ink.
I stamped the two different hearts with Calypso Coral on Whisper White cardstock and punched with the Sweetheart Punch (love that new shape heart!). You could use the Heart Framelits, too!
I added a few little Rhinestone jewels for some bling.

SOOO simple! But yet has a lot of style! So…ready, set, GO! Leave a comment and tell me what YOUR favorite Valentine set is in the new Occasions Catalog! I’d love to know!

CCMC336 Snowman Love

January 1, 2015 By Connie | 14 Comments

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Wishing you a wonderful year! And, it’s Thursday and time for the Create with Connie and Mary Challenge! We have a beautiful color combination for you this week! Hope you grab your stamps and play along!

And here’s my card. It kind of took off in a direction all of it’s own…nothing like what was in my head! I knew I wanted to do a New Year’s card, the colors are Valentine-y looking, and I’m on a snowman kick right now…so this was “born”! lol! Isn’t it cute?

Here are the details:

The base is 4-1/4 x 11 Calypso Coral cardstock, folded in half.
On the 4 x 5-1/4 layer of Basic Black, I stamped the Dotty Angles confetti with Versamark, then embossed with Silver Embossing Powder.
I added a 3/4 x 4 strip of Whisper White cardstock at the bottom and stamped Happy New Year from Teeny Tiny Wishes with Tuxedo Black ink.
I cut the Real Red Heart with the Heart Framelits, then added 1-3/4 circles of Whisper White for the snow people heads. The eyes are the Cupcake Punch confetti from Basic Black, I drew on eyelashes for the snow lady with the Black Marker and highlights with the White Gel Pen. The noses are the tip of the Tree Punch from Calypso Coral cardstock.
I used the Extra Large Oval and Owl Punch Vest for the man’s hat and the lady’s headband is the tip of the Extra Large Oval from Basic Black. I added two Owl Punch hearts for the Calypso Coral bow on her hat, with a rhinestone in the center.
The bottom needed a little something, so I made a small bow with the new Bow Punch from Calypso Coral, adding the Red Glimmer Small Heart in the center.

Change the greeting and make it a Valentine card, wedding or anniversary card, too! So fun!

Make sure to check out the rest of the Create with Connie and Mary Challenge Team and see what they did with this color combination!