Stampin' Up!

Stamping 411 Sketch – Aviary

August 13, 2010 By Connie | 9 Comments

Time for another Stamping 411 Sketch Challenge! A really fun and easy sketch this week…it came together pretty quickly! We invite you to play along and upload your creation over on Stamping 411. And, check out what the other Design Team Operators did this week!

And here is my card using the fun Stampin' Up! stamp set, Aviary!

I started with a base card of Daffodil Delight. Then I cut strips of Pretty in Pink, Daffodil Delight, Wild Wasabi and Marina Mist and ran them thru the Big Shot with the Square Lattice Impressions Folder. I layered them onto Early Espresso cardstock. I cut another strip of Early Espresso used the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Punch, then placed it along the left side.

For the center, I stamped the Birdcage from Stampin' Up!'s Aviary stamp set in Early Espresso on Whisper White, then added the Marina Mist, Wild Wasabi and Daffodil Delight birds inked with Stampin' Write Markers. I punched it with the Wide Oval Punch and then I punched Marina Mist cardstock with the Modern Label Punch, cut it in half, and placed it behind the Wide Oval. I added two Rhinestone jewels to each side. I wrapped the 1/8 Taffeta Daffodil Delight Ribbon to the back and tied a bow at the top of the birdcage. Finally, I stamped "let's celebrate" from On Your Birthday stamp set in Early Espresso, then punched with the Small Oval Punch and placed on the front with Stampin' Dimensionals.

I had lots of fun playing with this Stamping 411 sketch…hope you do, too!

Create with Connie and Mary Challenge

August 12, 2010 By Connie | 6 Comments

This week's Create with Connie and Mary Thursday CCMC111 Challenge is a Back to School Theme! Back to School makes me think of chalkboards. I remember in elementary school that is was fun to be chosen for the assignment of cleaning the erasers! I used to make patterns on the sidewalks with them…hmmm, early stamping! OK…so I'm easily amused!

We invite you to play along with the Create with Connie and Mary Back to School Challenge this week, and to entice you, we are offering BLOG CANDY! Yes, by playing along this week, you could win a cool Stampin' Up! bag made from a nice vinyl with the Play Date Designer Paper pattern on it! Your creation could be anything…a 3D item, card, scrapbook page…whatever you want…just upload your creation to InLinkz over on Create and refer back to Create with Connie and Mary CCMC111 Challenge on your blog post or gallery.

For my Challenge card, I wanted to use the cool new apple in Stampin' Up!'s Level 2 Hostess stamp set, Apple Blossoms. I love the 4u that is written on it (sorry, the light caught it wrong!). I inked it up with my Real Red, Old Olive and Chocolate Chip Stampin' Write Markers, then cut it out. The books are punched with the Word Window punch and the stripes and MATH written with the Basic Black marker. I punched teacher owl from Early Espresso cardstock and the tummy from Crumb Cake cardstock that I ran thru the Big Shot with the Square Lattice Impressions Folder for texture. I made black eyeglasses by first punching the medium circle on the Owl Punch in Basic Black, then punching the larger circle around the medium to make rings (you have to do them separately because of how they are spaced). Then I just cut small strips for the ear pieces and the nose piece out of Basic Black. I layered the glasses on medium Whisper White circles, then the small circles for the pupils. The Owl and the Apple are popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals.

The numbers, plus sign, line and chalk were cut from the Timeless Type Junior Alphabet dies with the Big Shot and Whisper White cardstock. I cut the # symbol to make the plus sign, line and chalk.

For the rest of the card, I layered the "chalkboard" of Basic Black onto Marina Mist cardstock, then the base card of Daffodil Delight. I'm pleased with how it turned out with the new Owl punch!

Check out what the rest of the Create with Connie and Mary Design Team did this week! Their ideas are fabulous! And don't forget…play along for a chance to win BLOG CANDY!

Don't forget! Create with Connie and Mary is looking for FOUR new Design Team Members for the next session of Create with Connie and Mary, featuring the Holiday Mini! We'd love to have you apply! If you applied last time, try again! We had so many great applications last time it was very hard to choose! You can find out more information over on Create with Connie and Mary!

Punched Posies – CC283

August 10, 2010 By Connie | 1 Comment

Gosh…I haven't played along with the SCS challenges in quite a while! I was looking for a color challenge and decided to play along with them today! The colors are Baja Breeze, Poppy Parade, Crumb Cake and a Neutral. Very fun color combo!

Here is my take on those colors!

For my card, I started with the Top Note die and cut the Whisper White with the Big Shot. I also knew I wanted to use one of the phrases in Stampin' Up!'s stamp set, Word Play…I love how large the font is on these! I picked this greeting with the thought that I'd use hearts some way…then saw my Punched Posies stamp set and decided Poppy Parade and Baja Breeze flowers was the way to go. I stamped the words in Poppy Parade on the Whisper White, then sponged around the edges with Baja Breeze ink.

I inked up the large flower in Poppy Parade and punched with the Fancy Flower punch. Then I stamped the smaller flowers in Baja Breeze and cut them out (they are really intended to use with the 1" circle, but I like them cut out better). I used Stampin' Dimensionals to place them on the bottom of the Top Note. I used a button tied with Linen Thread for the center of the large flower and the new adhesive 1/2 pearls in the centers of the smaller flowers…I LOVE these!

I decided to add the Crumb Cake color with a butterfly in the upper right corner, so I stamped her on Whisper White with Crumb Cake for the wings and Baja Breeze for the body , then used the Butterfly punch. She is popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals, too. Then I decided to use the itty bitt 1/2 pearls to define her flight pattern. LOVE how that looks! Since the punch cut off the antenna, I drew them back on with my Baja Breeze Stampin' Write Marker.

The base of the card is Poppy Parade and I layered some Sunny Garden Designer Paper onto Baja Breeze cardstock in the background. I think this worked out great for the SCS283 Challenge!

Well, I'm off to help move my youngest son's household today…could he have picked a busier week? lol!

Wedding Reception Favors

August 9, 2010 By Connie | 3 Comments

Thought you might like to see what I spent the weekend working on for the Wedding Reception (part 3) next weekend. As you may already know, my son was married in Cancun in June, we had one reception for her family in Wisconsin last month and the final reception is in Ohio next weekend. This is the one my husband and I are hosting! I decided (last minute!) to do some type of wedding favor. I made 60 of these over the weekend, unfortunately no stamping on them, but I thought you'd still like to see them!

I found some shell candy molds at my local store and asked my upline, Candy, to show me how to do molded chocolates. She ran over Saturday morning, showed me what to do, and I went to work. I ended up making 200 of the smaller shells and 60 of the large starfish in both milk and white chocolate on Saturday. Each Medium Cello Bag has a large starfish and 3 of the smaller shells.

Sunday I made the tags. Unfortunately, the Two Tags die was too large, so I ended up using a punch tag that I had. This was one of my favorite photos from the wedding in Cancun. I photoshop'd it to a smaller size and added the Adam & Beth, 6-18-2010 date on the front, then printed them out in 1 1/2 x 2 1/4 size. I layered them onto Crumb Cake punched tags, punched a hole in the top with my Crop-A-Dile, then tied them with the Kraft Satin Ribbon (non-SU)…same as I used on the wedding invitations. I think they turned out really fun and I can't wait for the kids to see them!

Oh…and while I was waiting for the candy to chill between fillings, I was able to roll all my silverware in napkins…so another project done! It was a productive weekend! Woohoo! Now if I could only find some short candles in their Cornflower color, I could finish up the centerpieces! lol!

Ribbon and Designer Paper Shares Available!

August 8, 2010 By Connie | Leave a Comment

Please EMAIL ME with your order and I will send you a Paypal Invoice for the total amount, plus shipping if necessary or direct you on other payment arrangements.

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RIBBON SHARES

With the new catalog, Stampin' Up! has introduced a lot of new ribbon colors! So, I thought it was time for more Ribbon Shares…

Each Group will be wrapped around 1-2 pieces of cardstock so your ribbon arrives wrinkle-free and organized.

First round orders will be placed on Friday, August 13th, then subsequent orders placed when rounds are full. Allowing 1 week for shipping, and then time for cutting and returning to you, I'd expect the first round to be in your hands by the end of August!

Let me know what ribbon groups you would like. If needed, add $3.00 shipping for one and $4.95 shipping for two or more.

RIBBON GROUP #1 – 3/8” Taffeta Ribbon $32.00

13 Colors

3 yards of each color

82 cents per yard

39 yards total

Whisper White, Very Vanilla, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Pretty in Pink, Real Red, Rich Razzleberry, Night of Navy, Marina Mist, Celery, Old Olive, Early Espresso and Basic Black

RIBBON GROUP #2 – 5/8” Satin Ribbon $28.00

13 Colors

3 yards of each color

70 cents per yard

39 yards total

Whisper White, Very Vanilla, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Pretty in Pink, Real Red, Rich Razzleberry, Night of Navy, Marina Mist, Celery, Old Olive, Early Espresso and Basic Black

RIBBON GROUP #3 – 5/8” Grosgrain Ribbon $22.00

13 Colors

3 yards of each color

55 cents per yard

39 yards total

Whisper White, Very Vanilla, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Pretty in Pink, Real Red, Rich Razzleberry, Night of Navy, Marina Mist, Celery, Old Olive, Early Espresso and Basic Black

RIBBON GROUP #4 – In Color Poly Stitched Ribbon $18.00

5 Colors

5 yards of each color

70 cents per yard

25 yards total

Blushing Bride, Peach Parfait, Poppy Parade, Concord Crush, Pear Pizzaz

RIBBON GROUP #5 – 1/8” Taffeta Ribbon $28.00

13 Colors

3 yards of each color

70 cents per yard

39 yards total

Whisper White, Very Vanilla, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Pretty in Pink, Real Red, Rich Razzleberry, Night of Navy, Marina Mist, Celery, Old Olive, Early Espresso and Basic Black

RIBBON GROUP #6 – 1-1/4” Striped Grosgrain Ribbon $24.00

11 Colors

2 yards of each color

$1.07 per yard

22 yards total

Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Pretty in Pink, Real Red, Rich Razzleberry, Night of Navy, Marina Mist, Certainly Celery, Old Olive, Early Espresso and Basic Black

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DESIGNER SERIES PAPER SHARES

There are SO many fabulous Designer Paper offerings! Instead of you having to purchase all 16 new packages (which would cost over $190 with tax & shipping!), you can purchase a package share from me which will include a 6×6" piece** of every design in every pack, that's 96 different 6×6" pieces of designer paper, at only $25 per share, plus if needed, $4.95 priority mail shipping!

**Please note for the Nursery Suite Specialty paper – you will receive a quarter of each of the circle/square die-cut papers because they are not traditional sized pieces of designer paper.

Designer Series Paper Share

Only $25 per share plus $4.95 priority mail if shipping is required.

Includes (6) 6×6" pieces of designer paper from each of the following designer paper packs (total 96 pieces):

Presto Patterns Specialty
Sweet & Sour Specialty
Nursery Suite Specialty
Wicked Fun Specialty
Greenhouse Gala
Woodland Walk
Love Letter
Celebrations
Jolly Holiday
Lap of Luxury
Sunny Garden
Blueberry Crisp
Newsprint
Elegant Soiree
Build-A-Bear Workshop Pawsitively Prints II
Play Date

Patterns Paper Stack Share

Only $15 per share plus $4.95 priority mail if shipping is required!

Includes (1) 6×6" piece of designer paper in each of two patterns, in every color (total 90 6×6"* sheets)

*the edge of the pad needs to be trimmed off so the size may be slightly smaller than 6×6.

Stamping 411 – Cute by the Inch

August 6, 2010 By Connie | 6 Comments

Another week and time for Stamping 411's sketch challenge #SSC163! I sat down to work on my card and thought some designer paper would be awesome in the big block area of the sketch…but which one? So, I ruffled thru my Designer Paper Sampler and saw this one from Play Date! Perfect!

And here is what I ended up with!

I pulled my colors from the Play Date Designer Paper and used Tempting Turquoise for the base of the card. I ran the front thru the Big Shot with Finial Press Impressions Folder. I layered the 3×4 piece of Designer Paper on Espresso Cardstock, then placed on the front of the card. I wrapped Real Red Taffeta Ribbon around the So Saffron cardstock strip, then adhered to the bottom of the card. I stamped Eat Cake from the Level 2 Hostess Set, Cute by the Inch, in Real Red on Whisper White, punched it with the 1 3/8 Circle punch, then layered it on the Large Oval Punch. I added a Rhinestone Jewel to the frosting of the cupcake for a little bling! I think this will be a fun birthday card for my little nephew (ummm, great-nephew!)

Make sure to check out the rest of the Stamping 411 Operators to see what they have done this week. And play along! We'd love to see what you do with the sketch inspiration.

Artistic Etchings

August 6, 2010 By Connie | 8 Comments

Look closely! Can you believe it? No Big Shot, no Designer Paper, no Punches! What! Well…back in the day…I remember we didn't have huge selections of those things to make our card creating easy! We used SIP – stamps, ink, paper. Now…don't get me wrong…I LOVE my Big Shot, Designer Paper and Punches, but it actually felt good just to use my stamps to create a background with ink and cardstock. I didn't know it, but It happens that Stamping Royalty (SR 31) also has a challenge this week to create your own designer paper with stamps…so my card fits right in!

I took my color inspiration from this week's Curtain Call Challenge Act 41…love the blues in here and her inspiration of the shells.

Then I used Mary Jo's Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge TSSC133 for my layout:

The combination of the two gave me this:

I started by using the long medallion type stamp image in Artistic Etchings and my Stamp-a-ma-jig to create the Crumb Cake "designer paper" on the Whisper White in the background. I added some speckles with my Color Spritzer and Marina Mist Stampin' Write Marker. I roughed up the edges with my Distressing Tool and Marina Mist Classic Ink. It is layered on Marina Mist cardstock, also distressed and finally on the Night of Navy base card.

For the focal image, I stamped the Eiffel Tower from Artistic Etchings in Night of Navy on Crumb Cake cardstock, used my Color Spritzer and Distressing Tool again. Added a small piece of Whisper White along the bottom that I stamped with the circle Medallion stamp image, again from Artistic Etchings, in Marina Mist and Crumb Cake Classic Inks randomly. I used my Corner Rounder Punch (oops…I guess I did use ONE punch!) I wrapped the Marina Mist Taffeta Ribbon around and secured with Linen Thread, then tied on the Night of Navy Designer Button with a bow. I stamped Amour in Marina Mist and used more of the Color Spritzer on these layers, too. (Darn…I just noticed that I forgot to add my scallop along the edge! Oh well…not going to re-photograph it now! lol!)

I don't do Vintage a lot…I'm usually more of a "clean" type of stamper…but I did like how this turned out and how it fit the two challenges!

Create with Connie and Mary Thursday Challenge

August 5, 2010 By Connie | 3 Comments

I look forward to these challenges, hope that you do, too! Mary came up with this awesome sketch for CCMC110. I hope you play along and add your creation to Inlinkz on the Create with Conne and Mary website!

I continue to be excited about Stampin' Up!'s new Halloween set, Wicked Fun! I just love the stamp elements in this set! Here is this week's Create with Connie and Mary Thursday Challenge using this set!

Do you spot something NEW? How about that Spider Web folder? AWESOME! I thought the circle in the sketch would be perfect for a spider web. I used the Big Shot to emboss it on Basic Black cardstock, then used a sponge dauber and the Platinum Shimmer Paint to highlight sections of the web! I used the Clear Circle die to cut my circle, then layered it on the large Scallop Circle Die of Tangerine Tango. The polka dot designer paper is from Wicked Fun. I stamped Have a Wicked Halloween on Whisper White with Basic Black Classic Ink and punched with the 1 1/4 circle punch, then layered on the Tangerine Tango 1 3/8 circle punch. That was offset and layered on the 1 3/4 Circle Punch of Rich Razzleberry cardstock. I stamped the witches hat on Whisper White with Basic Black added Tangerine Tango and Rich Razzleberry to the hat band with my Stampin' Write Markers, then cut it out.

I wrapped Black Satin Ribbon around and tied a knot. The background Old Olive cardstock was run thru the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots Impressions Folder and layered onto the base 5 1/4 x 5 1/4 card of Rich Razzleberry cardstock. Boy…what did we ever do without the Big Shot! I think I use it on almost every card I make! Such a GREAT tool for cardmaking and scrapbooking! Finally, I punched two bats from Basic Black, sponged around them with the Platinum Shimmer Paint and popped them up with Dimensionals. I added some bling with Rhinestone Jewels on their bodies!

Make sure to go check out the rest of the Challenge Team's designs this week over on Create with Connie and Mary. AND…did you know we are looking for FOUR new Design Team members for the Holiday Edition of Create with Connie and Mary coming soon? We'd LOVE for you to apply! You can see the details HERE!