Stampin' Up!

Always Thankful again

October 7, 2011 By Connie | 4 Comments

I was really on the fence on whether or not to purchase this set, Stampin' Up!'s Always Thankful. But…I am really "thankful" that I did! Even though I'm not really a "coloring book" type of stamper, I do enjoy it once in a while. These images are easy to color and you can really get a variety of looks from them. I made this card for a special person. I know she will see it here first, but at least she knows I'm thinking of her and do appreciate her!

I started with a base of Early Espresso cardstock and layered on Pool Party, taking my colors from the two Spice Cake Designer Papers that I used. I added the Scallop Border Punch along the bottom of the horizontal DSP. I stamped the image in Black Stazon on Very Vanilla and watercolored with Pool Party, Old Olive, More Mustard and Sahara Sand (for shadow) Stampin' Write Markers and my trusty AquaPainter. I layered the Very Vanilla on more Early Espresso and popped it up with Stampin' Dimensionals on the front of the card. I added the greeting from Petite Pairs with Early Espresso Ink on Pool Party and punched it with the 1" Circle Punch. I hope she likes it!

I have a LONG to-do list today. Hubby is home on vacation for a week, plus today. Several honey-do projects that I know I'll get roped into "helping". Main one is to paint our bedroom…but that it kind of scary. Every time we finish decorating our master bedroom, we end up MOVING! I do NOT want to move again! So…hoping we don't jinx ourselves! But…I really am tired of my bedding and wall color in there!

I have several Ribbon Shares that only need 1-2 spots left before I order, including the Scallop Dots, Ruffled and 1 1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbons! With the holidays coming up, you will definitely want these for your cards and gifts! I offer THREE yards so you have PLENTY for your crafting and class needs! See the Ribbon Share details HERE!

CCMC170 – Sunflower

October 6, 2011 By Connie | 8 Comments

Another Thursday Challenge over on Create with Connie and Mary that anyone can play along and this one is a sketch challenge! LOVE those! Make sure to check out what the Challenge Team did with this sketch…there is a HUGE variety!

I decided to use the Sunflower stamp in the background on mine! I just got this stamp and I love it!

I don't make these often, but I kept the Square shape and made a 5 x 5 sized card. For the Sunflower, I inked it up in Daffodil Delight, then took my markers and added More Mustard and Pumpkin Pie to the petals and Early Espresso in the center, then stamped it on Whisper White. I layered the White on Early Espresso with a base of More Mustard. I used the Tasteful Trim die and cut the rope trim from Early Espresso cardstock, and added two More Mustard Brads on the ends. I stamped Happy Birthday Wishes from Petite Pairs in Early Espresso on More Mustard and punched with the 1 1/4" Circle Punch, then layered it on 1 3/8 Circle of Early Espresso. Finally, I added a little embossed Beautiful Wings butterfly with small pearls for the body. I also added pearls up in the right corner. I think I'll give this to my mom for her birthday this month!

It's not too late to join Create with Connie and Mary Holiday Edition! This week we are featuring the Card Keeper…using it for something OTHER than cards! You'd be amazed at the variety the designers have created!

Another Folded Tree

October 5, 2011 By Connie | 9 Comments

I can't believe the popularity of these Folded Trees! Thank you to all who left such nice comments on my card from two weeks ago you can see HERE. I also have the FREE TEMPLATE for the larger one I did last year HERE. Since each circle makes two trees, I had a few of them on my desk left over from a couple weeks ago (messy desk!). When I saw SCS sketch challenge today, it looked like a frame to me, so I had the idea to "frame" one of my folded Christmas trees!

This card came together pretty easily! The base is Real Red cardstock. I ran the Wild Wasabi layer thru the Big Shot with the Snow Burst Impressions Folder and layered it on Early Espresso. I cut a stripe of the glittery red dots in Stampin' Up!'s Holly Berry Designer Paper. I hand cut the embossed Rectangle Frame Folder from Early Espresso cardstock and layered the rectangle of Real Red inside. I added one of the Folded Christmas Trees and topped it with the small Silver Glimmer Star from the Stars Die. I also added a little tree trunk of Early Espresso. The Rectangle Frame is popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals. Finally, I stamped the word Merry from Stampin' Up!'s Pennant Parade stamp set, then punched with the Small Oval Punch. It is popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals, too.

It came together really quickly because I already had the Folded Tree done. I just took my colors from the Designer Paper. Enjoy!

It's not too late to join the Holiday Edition of Create with Connie and Mary! This week we are featuring the Card Keeper…in ways that aren't made for cards! It is FUN to see all the different uses we've come up with for the Card Keeper box! You won't miss a thing if you sign up now, you can refer back to all the projects we've already made using products from the Holiday Mini…and you'll see new ones EVERY DAY throughout October! A total of 36 step-by-step tutorials! Join us…there are chances to win prizes, too! At $34.95 US, that is less than $1 per tutorial. Check out the Preview Projects at Create with Connie and Mary to see what our tutorials are all about!

Gently Falling – FMS4

October 3, 2011 By Connie | 7 Comments

I wanted to try the Freshly Made Sketch (FMS4) again this week…I liked the tag element in the background. However, it wasn't as easy to use as I thought!

One of the things my Stamp Club did last week was the Baby Wipe Technique with the Gently Falling stamp set. Since I had the "ink pad" made up, I went ahead and stamped a bunch of leaves in Pool Party, More Mustard and Soft Suede Classic Inks. You'll probably be seeing a LOT of them over the next few weeks. This card I made for a very special online friend. We've met several times at various Stampin' Up! functions and she truly has a kind heart!

I started with a base of Early Espresso. I added the Pool Party print from Spice Cake Designer Paper, then a strip of the stripe design in Spice Cake, too. I cut the Two Tags die from Confetti Cream cardstock and place it on top. I cut out two of my leaves and adhered them over the tag and wrapped some Early Espresso Quilted Ribbon around and tied a knot. I stamped the acorn in More Mustard with Early Espresso two-step on top, then punched with the 1" Circle punch and layered it on 1 1/4 punch of Early Espresso. I added the Thinking of You Curly Cute greeting in Early Espresso on Pool Party cardstock.

Another busy week for me! I have a lot of "partially started" projects that need to get finished up before my husband is off on vacation next week. I know I won't get much stamping stuff done when he is home. I'm going to try to get him to do some of those "honey do" projects like cleaning carpets and closets! What FUN! lol! Plus, we may just take off for a couple days to go see some pretty fall leaves.

Have a great week!

Gently Falling

October 1, 2011 By Connie | 1 Comment

WOW…October 1st! Where did the summer go? Well, it certainly feels and looks like Fall today. Cooler, rainy and the leaves are dropping quickly! Just starting to turn the lighter yellow colors and a few reds. Football weather! So, my card reflects the "falling" leaves. Although, I really do not notice any "blue" leaves hanging around, I still love the colors in the Create with Connie and Mary Holiday Edition Saturday Challenge for subscribers this week! Every week we have a challenge where subscribers who play along are entered into a drawing with win one of TWO $75 gift certificates or one of two free subscriptions to the next edition of Create with Connie and Mary!

Here is my card using Soft Suede, Pool Party and Pear Pizzazz:

I used a sketch from The Paper Players a few weeks ago. The base of the card is Pear Pizzazz and I layered on Soft Suede. I used the Pool Party print from Spice Cake (what else???) and wrapped the Crochet Trim around it to tie a knot. I placed the panel of Pear Pizzazz off center on the front and added a layer of Soft Suede and three leaves from Gently Falling stamp set. I used the Rock N Roll technique…stamping in Pool Party first and rolling in Pear Pizzazz…love that look. What you CAN'T see is the Champagne Shimmer Paint that I touched on the leaves…gives them a nice sparkle! The greeting, So Very Sorry, is from Three Little Words.

Well, stay warm this weekend…it is supposed to continue to be cool and rainy here! Make sure to check out what the rest of the Create with Connie and Mary Design Team did this week!

Gently Falling Deja Vu?

September 30, 2011 By Connie | 7 Comments

I must say (and maybe I already have?) that Stampin' Up! really rocked the fall sets this year in the Holiday Mini! I love both Gently Falling and Always Grateful! They are so easy to stamp and make nice looking cards! I can't say I feel that way about some stamp sets! A few are a little more challenging to use! lol!

I have two cards for you today…both use the same format, just changed up the colors and DSP that I used! Inspiration for my cards comes from Kelly Powell for a Control Freak swap that I received. I've changed up the flower and greeting, but I liked how she ran the background and DSP thru the Square Lattice Impressions Folder! I've gone thru an entire package of Spice Cake…really…just a few scraps left…except for the sheet of green paisley print! I decided to use it to make up a few cards. So, here is my first one…

I started with a base of Soft Suede cardstock and layered on Pear Pizzazz. On top of that is River Rock with a piece of the green paisley print from Spice Cake across the bottom. That was run thru the Big Shot with the Square Lattice Impressions Folder. I wrapped the Crochet Trim around and tied a knot. (Oh, make sure you stamp your greeting from Lighthearted stamp set with Soft Suede ink BEFORE you run it thru the Big Shot…ask me how I know! lol!) I cut the flower from Blossom Party Die, added the Spice Cake Designer Button with the medallion punched from one of the other patterns in Spice Cake. There is a pearl adhered in the center. I stamped two of the leaves from Gently Falling stamp set in Pear Pizzazz and the outline in Soft Suede, then cut them out. The flower is popped up on the front with Stampin' Dimensionals! I think it makes a wonderful monochromatic look to this card, even though I did use different shades of cardstock, they all have a green hue to them.

Here is the second one:

I just changed up the color scheme…I used Early Espresso for the base, Pool Party for the first layer, River Rock with the Spice Cake DSP at the bottom. Then used Pool Party for the flower with the More Mustard Spice Cake Designer Button! Gives it a totally different look, doesn't it?

So…which color do you prefer?

We are finishing up Week 2 of Create with Connie and Mary Holiday Edition. But…if you join now…you won't have missed a thing! You can scroll back thru all the posts that we've shown so far…plus get to see the new projects as they are posted! We still have FOUR more weeks to go! Next week we will be featuring the Card Keeper box…using it it MANY different functions! You'll be amazed at what the design team came up with using it for other than cards! After that we have THREE full weeks of Christmas ideas from products in the Holiday Mini! Join today…at $34.95 US for over 36 step-by-step tutorials…that is less than $1 per tutorial!

Gently Falling

September 29, 2011 By Connie | 7 Comments

Today on Create with Connie and Mary's Thursday Challenge, we have a Color Challenge for EVERYONE to play along with! I LOVE these colors…that Pool Party is one of my favorites, especially with the warm colors of fall! Make sure to check out what the rest of the Challenge Team did with these colors!

This week in the Holiday Edition, we've been focused on the Fall and Thanksgiving sets in the Holiday Mini! It's not too late to join, you still have access to all the projects we've done so far, and will see the new ones as they are revealed every day!

I used Stampin' Up!'s Gently Falling stamp set for my card.

I started with a base of Pool Party and layered on Basic Black. On top of that is Sahara Sand. I layered on the Pool Party print from Spice Cake, then added the First Edition newsprint…all the corners were rounded. I wrapped around the Pool Party Ruffled Ribbon and tied a knot. It is hard to see, but the Basic Black oval was cut with the Ovals Die and embossed with Vintage Wallpaper. I added a banner of Pool Party with the You're Fantastic greeting from the hostess only set, Perfect Words. Finally I stamped the long leaf in Gently Falling twice with Sahara Sand and outlined it with Basic Black, then cut them out.

I love the dramatic look of this card with the Basic Black, Sahara Sand and Pool Party combination. I'll be using it again soon! Don't forget, check out what the rest of the Challenge Team did over on Create with Connie and Mary. You will find details on signing up over there for the Holiday Edition, too! Join us!

Gently Falling & Spice Cake

September 28, 2011 By Connie | 9 Comments

I checked out The Paper Players sketch this week (PP65) and decided it would be perfect for a Spice Cake Fabric Flower I made when I was playing around last week prepping for a class.

Here is my card, using some of my favorite colors this fall!

I cut a large scallop circle with the Big Shot, then gathered the fabric in the center and stitched a Spice Cake Designer Button in the center with White Bakers Twine. I layered it with Stampin' Dimensionals on a Very Vanilla 3" circle cut with the Big Shot. The base of the card is Pool Party with a layer of Soft Suede over it. I added three different patterns of the Spice Cake Designer Paper on top…what a great way to use up those scraps! I decided my flower needed some leaves, so added two More Mustard and Early Espresso leaves stamped from Gently Falling (LOVE IT!) along the side. The greeting, Thanks, is from Kind Thanks Stamp Set by Stampin' Up! and punched with the Large Oval Punch.

Now, you'd definitely need to send this in a padded envelope, or give it in person…it is quite bulky with the button on there, but I really like how it turned out and my mom's birthday is coming up soon! I know she'll like it!

Create with Connie and Mary has just started the six weeks of the Holiday Edition 2011! Make sure you sign up…we have some fabulous projects by some FABULOUS designers! Join us! You have access 24/7 and we leave our site up for over a year so you can refer back to the projects we've done! Click on the Buy Now button on my right sidebar! At a price of $34.95 US for over 36 step-by-step tutorials of FUN projects you can use in your classes and stamp camps or to make gifts for the Holidays, you can't go wrong!