Stampin' Up!

CCMC-188 Love & Laughter

February 9, 2012 By Connie | 9 Comments

Oh my…I really LOVED the sketch this week for Create with Connie and Mary's Thursday Challenge! Even though it is square and I did a rectangle…it shows you how versatile the sketch really is!

I love combining Basic Black and Daffodil Delight…such a CRISP color combination, especially when put with Whisper White!

I started with the base of Daffodil Delight and layered on Basic Black. I ran the Whisper White thru the Big Shot with the Vintage Wallpaper Impressions Folder. I cut the large scallop circle from Scallop Duo Die out of Daffodil Delight. I placed the banner layer between the scallop circle and the focal element, then added Pearls around the scallops and Daffodil Delight Taffeta Ribbon at the top of the black banner layer.

The cake was stamped with Basic Black on Whisper White and punched with the 2 1/2 Circle Punch. I added a Boho Blossoms flower along the top, with a Black mini brad in the center. The circle is popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals on the front of the card!

I LOVE this card! Toot! Toot! lol! Make sure to check out what the rest of the Thursday Challenge Team did this week over on Create with Connie and Mary! Lots of great ideas with this sketch! Then grab your stamps and play along! And…have you signed up for the Occasions Edition 2012 yet? It's not too late to join! The set I used is one of our featured stamp sets this week! Join us! You still have access to all the projects we've done so far…and I must say they have been AWESOME!

St Patrick’s Day

February 7, 2012 By Connie | 6 Comments

I like using seasonal stamps for more than what they are intended. When I saw the Kiss Me greeting in Candy Conversations, I thought it would work for a St. Patrick's Day card! This was one of the cards my Candy Conversations class did last week!

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!

CCMC187 – Mixed Bunch

February 2, 2012 By Connie | 9 Comments

Oh…I love flowers and Stampin' Up!'s Mixed Bunch stamp set and punch are just right up my alley!!! I have SO many flower sets…you wouldn't believe, but I keep buying more…and I do use them…so I don't feel bad!

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!

Up in the Air

February 1, 2012 By Connie | 8 Comments

The whimsical look of Stampin' Up! Hostess set, Up in the Air, appeals to me! I couldn't wait to use it. The sketch over on The Paper Players seemed perfect for it!

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!

Fresh Vintage Gift Certificate

January 30, 2012 By Connie | 3 Comments

A friend of one of my Club members called to ask for a gift certificate for her. I have a stack of these gift certificates from Merrill, so I decided to design a gift certificate holder around it! I did trim the gift certificate to 5 1/4 inches wide so that I just needed to use a 1/2 sheet of cardstock and it would fit in a normal sized envelope.

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!

CCMC-OCC2 – Fresh Vintage

January 28, 2012 By Connie | 7 Comments

Well, we have come to the end of Week 2 of Create with Connie and Mary Occasions 2012…it's not too late to join us! You can refer back to all the projects we've done so far…and be one of the first to see the NEW projects coming up in the next 4 weeks! Click on my right sidebar to join!

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!!!

CCMC186 – Fresh Vintage

January 26, 2012 By Connie | 6 Comments

It's Thursday and time for another Create with Connie and Mary Challenge! Are you ready? We have a very fun sketch for you to try this week!

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!

Uh oh…

January 24, 2012 By Connie | Leave a Comment

Well…I've certainly had my string of bad luck lately! I went to turn on my computer this morning and got the dreaded BLUE SCREEN…oh no!!! Currently, I am working on my laptop, but it doesn't have all the "stuff" that my other desktop computer had saved, so I'm slowly trying to recreate everything I've loaded to it. I'm just CROSSING my fingers that the computer doctor will be able to recover my files. Seems like everything I go to do is on that computer! I am SO getting one of those backup systems…as soon as I'm recovered! Amazing how much of my life is on there! Hopefully, I'll be able to share some new cards tomorrow!

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).

ONLINE ORDERS: Choose one free product from the SAB brochure for every $50 you spend in my ONLINE STORE (before tax and shipping). In addition, when your online order totals $150, you'll receive Stampin' Rewards hostess benefits.

HOSTESSES: When your party total reaches $150.00 (before tax and shipping), you'll receive a FREE TOTE in addition to the already fabulous hostess benefits When your party reaches $400 (before tax and shipping), You'll receive a free Hostess Bundle (Fresh Vintage Stamp Set, Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Paper, Everyday Enchantment Ribbon & Brad Pack).

NEW RECRUITS: Join Stampin' Up! during SALE-A-BRATION and get your Starter Kit for only $125.00 ($50 off). Then starting with the month after you join, you can choose a free Designer Series Paper pack (or Digital Download) every month for the rest of the year. For more information on joining Stampin' Up! go to my website!

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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!