Stampin' Up!

Bloggers Sketch Challenge

May 21, 2010 By Connie | 19 Comments

Today's Bloggers Challenge is a sketch! As you know, I LOVE sketches! This card came together pretty quickly using it. I used Watercolor Trio again as it is one of the three sets we are featuring this week over on Create with Connie and Mary…Watercolor Trio, Bouquet Bunch and A Little Bit of Magic from Stampin' Up!'s Summer Mini.

I decided to turn the sketch on its side so my flowers would fit a little better. I started with a base of Certainly Celery cardstock and layered on Cameo Coral, one of the retiring colors! I used a strip of the Sahara Sand Polka Dot pattern from Thoroughly Modern Designer Paper in the background. On the Very Vanilla cardstock, I stamped the three flower/leaves images randomly in Certainly Celery, Sahara Sand and Cameo Coral Classic Inks.

I wrapped some Certainly Celery Satin Ribbon around and tied a bow. In the lower right corner, I used three 1/2" circles in Sahara Sand, Very Vanilla and Certainly Celery for the accents. I stamped Birthday Wishes from Watercolor Trio on Sahara Sand and punched with the Large Oval Punch, then layered on a Certainly Celery Scallop Oval punched piece. It was popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals! I love this color combo…will be sad to see that pretty Cameo Coral go away.

It certainly is not too late to join Create with Connie and Mary Summer Edition! At $24.95, it is certainly a bargain for all the ideas you'll get to make gifts or host stamp camps or classes for your customers. There is a new project posted every day and we have a minimum of two fabulous tutorials each and every week. Our site stays up long after the session is done, so you will plenty of time to access the site and refer back to the tutorials. For more information and to see our Preview Week projects please visit at Create with Connie and Mary!

May Tour de Freaks!

May 19, 2010 By Connie | 19 Comments

Woohoo! It's here! The May Tour de Freaks! I can't wait to see what these fabulous girls have done…what about you? You've just arrived from my friend, Lisa Martz's Blog…aren't her projects wonderful? LOVE that Tropical Party set and Island Oasis paper!

Stampin' Up!'s Sweet Scoops is a favorite of mine from the Summer Mini! My Technique Class did this card earlier this month using an old favorite technique…SHAVING CREAM! Doesn't the background just remind you of some melted ice cream? And…a double scoop of Vanilla and Strawberry ice cream on a sugar cone! Yummy!

If you haven't done the Shaving Cream Background, it is very simple! I use an old cookie sheet, spread regular shaving cream on it (I use unscented) and then place a few drops of 2-3 complimentary reinkers in the shaving cream, swirl around with a spoon and then place your Whisper White cardstock on top of the mixed shaving cream. Lift off the cardstock, take a spatula and scrap off the extra shaving cream…it leaves behind a beautiful marbled look on the cardstock! I used the reinker colors of Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink and Barely Banana. Let it dry, then layer on the base card of Pretty in Pink. I stamped the Cone with Creamy Caramel Classic Ink on Whisper White and the first scoop with Pretty in Pink. I stamped the Barely Banana scoop of ice cream on scrap paper, cut it out and adhered on top of the bottom scoop. I layered it on Pretty in Pink cardstock, then Certainly Celery. Across the top I used the Scallop Edge Punch on a piece of Barely Banana cardstock, and wrapped Pretty in Pink Taffeta Ribbon around it and tied with a knot. I finished by stamping the greeting with Chocolate Chip Classic Ink.

You may remember for March's Tour de Freaks, I did a carrot made from the Large Scallop Circle Die. I decided that I could use the same thing to make an Ice Cream Cone! I cut the large Scallop Circle die from Creamy Caramel cardstock, then ran it thru the Big Shot with my Square Lattice Impressions Folder to give it a waffle look. I wrapped it into a funnel and secured with Sticky Strip. I used some of the left over Shaving Cream paper I made above and punched the Scallop Circle from it. I also punched So Saffron and Pretty in Pink Scallop Circles. I adhered them to the inside. I added the Pretty in Pink Satin Ribbon in a box on the front. Then used my Chocolate Chip Stampin' Write Marker to stamp the "Have a sweet celebration" on Whisper White and punched with the Wide Oval punch. I highlighted the sweet with So Saffron marker and sponged the edges with Pretty in Pink. I think this turned out CUTE! I haven't seen an ice cream cone done with the Scallop Circle. Inside I filled with Tropical Jelly Belly candies! FUN!

Next stop is the fabulous, Mary Brown! I know you'll love her projects!

Watercolor Trio

May 19, 2010 By Connie | 2 Comments

I combined two challenges today…the sketch challenge (SC281) on Splitcoaststampers and the color challenge on Color Throwdown! I loved both of them and this card came together really quickly! The colors of the Color Throwdown 93 (CTD93) incorporate two colors that are being brought out of retirement with the new Stampin' Up! catalog in July…Baja Breeze and Pink Pirouette! WOOHOO! I'm glad to see them return!

For my card, I started with a piece of Whisper White cardstock and randomly stamped the flowers from Watercolor Trio in Baja Breeze, Pink Pirouette and Melon Mambo Classic Inks. LOVE this stamp set in the Summer Mini! I layered it on Melon Mambo cardstock and wrapped Melon Mambo Polka Dot Ribbon around it and tied. For the background on the right, I used a piece of printed paper from Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Paper and layered that on Pink Pirouette cardstock. I stamped the greeting that is also in Watercolor Trio stamp set in Basic Black on Pink Pirouette and punched with the Large Oval Punch, then layered it on a Scallop Oval of Baja Breeze. Finally, I stamped the butterfly in Melon Mambo Classic Ink and added a small clear rhinestone that I removed from the setting and added to the body of the butterfly. Pretty quick and easy card to pull together! I'll be using this sketch and color combo again!

Remember, tomorrow is the 20th of the month and time for the Tour de Freaks…brought to you by the fabulous Control Freak Swappers! You won't want to miss out on the fabulous projects you'll see featuring the Summer Mini! See you tomorrow to take the tour!

Bouquet Bunch – TSSC122

May 18, 2010 By Connie | 4 Comments

I loved Mary Jo's Technostamper Lunchtime Sketch this week, so I had to find some time to make a card up real quick! Stampin' Up!'s Bouquet Bunch stamp set is still sitting out on my desk, so I grabbed it for this card.

I started by cutting the Whisper White oval with the Ovals #2 Bigz Die, I used the largest one. I made a mask of the flower pot, so I could slightly stack them behind each other. I stamped the pots in Chocolate Chip Classic Ink. Then I stamped the long stem, leaves and flowers to fill the pots. I used my Sponge Daubers and colored the flowers with Summer Sun and Pumpkin Pie in one pot and Regal Rose and Ruby Red in the other pot. The pot with leaves I colored with Old Olive and Garden Green.

Then I used Kaleidoscope Designer Paper for the background behind the Oval element. I layered the print pattern on Garden Green Cardstock. I wrapped some So Saffron Striped Ribbon around and tied with a knot. I stamped Thank You from Stampin' Up!'s Teeny Tiny Wishes in Chocolate Chip on So Saffron, then punched with the Curly Label Punch. All this was placed on a layer of Regal Rose Cardstock and then the base of So Saffron cardstock.

Finally, I stamped the leaves again with Chocolate Chip Classic Ink four times and colored with the Old Olive and Garden Green Classic Inks. I punched them out with the 1" Circle Punch and adhered them in a row at the bottom of the card.

A fun sketch! I hope you have a wonderful day!

If you haven't checked out the Create with Connie and Mary site yet, now is the time to do it! We feature new Summer Mini products every week. There is a new project posted every day and there will be a minimum of two fabulous tutorials each and every week. We like to have lots of fun so we have challenges and prizes for our subscribers. Our sites stay up long after the session is done, so you will always have access to the site and the tutorials. For more information and to see our Preview Week projects please visit at Create with Connie and Mary!

Bouquet Bunch

May 17, 2010 By Connie | 3 Comments

Well, it's Monday! The weekends go so fast, don't they?

I found a sketch challenge on Get Sketchy this week (GS37) that looked interesting! I knew I wanted to use Stampin' Up!'s Bouquet Bunch from the Summer Mini, too (we are featuring Bouquet Bunch, Watercolor Trio and A Little Bit of Magic this week on Create with Connie and Mary)!

I started with a base of Orchid Opulence cardstock. I ran a layer of Whisper White thru the Big Shot with the new Square Lattice Impressions Folder, it was layered on Rich Razzleberry Cardstock. I added a piece of Cottage Wall Designer Paper and layered it on Orchid Opulence. I also added the little strip of Rich Razzleberry on the right.

I stamped the bouquet from Bouquet Bunch with Old Olive Classic Ink on the stems and Basic Brown for the tops on Shimmery White Cardstock. I used my AquaPainter and Rich Razzleberry, Orchid Opulence and Old Olive Classic Markers to watercolor. I punched it with the 1 3/8 Circle Punch, then layered it on the Scallop Circle.

At the bottom, I added the Rich Razzleberry Polka Dot Ribbon, then stamped Kind Thanks from Stampin' Up!'s Thank You Kindly stamp set in Rich Razzleberry Classic Ink on Orchid Opulence, then punched with the Modern Label punch. I added two Pewter Mini Brads along the sides. Finally, I added a little sparkle with Tombow Multipurpose Glue and Dazzling Diamonds to the flowers.

Kind of sweet and simple, I think! Hope you have a wonderful week…mine is pretty busy, but what else is new? lol!

Create with Connie and Mary Summer Edition….$24.95 US

SUDSOL BLOG TOUR IS HERE!

May 15, 2010 By Connie | 18 Comments

Welcome to the SUDSOL Blog Tour! What is SUDSOL? It is a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator Only Online Group that has files full of patterns, templates, business ideas, business forms and a wonderful large gallery of cards and projects! A One-Stop-Shop for demonstrators! They also offer regular challenges and business chats to help you with your business. I've been a member for four years next month! You can start out with a FREE two-week trial membership, just to see what it is all about! Click on the badge above to take you to the Home Page to start your trial membership! And now…on to the tour!

This tour we are featuring products from the Summer Mini Catalog. We've made these projects demonstratable, so you can use the ideas in your workshops and classes! To go on to the next stop, click on the name at the bottom of this post!

My first project is a pencil/pen pocket holder made from two Top Note diecuts put together. This was a prize for one of my downline who promoted to Senior Associate at last month's meeting. I adhere the two Top Notes length to length and along the sides to form the pocket. I used Stampin' Up!'s Tropical Party stamp set and stamped the leaves in Tempting Turquoise Classic Ink on the Tempting Turquoise background. I wrapped two pieces Melon Mambo Polka Dot Ribbon around to help keep it secure. The ends meet under the oval in the front for a finished look. I cut two ovals from the Ovals die, larger one from Pumpkin Pie cardstock and the smaller one from Whisper White. I stamped the leaves with Old Olive on the Whisper White. I added a Melon Mambo 5-Petal Flower Punch, then stamped the large flower in Pumpkin Pie on Whisper White and the small flower in Tempting Turquoise on Whisper White, cut them out, and adhered them with Stampin' Dimensionals to the front of the ovals. The pens I purchased from Stampin' Up! at Convention (I believe) last year. I loved that the colors matched the Tropical Party stamp set I wanted to use.

My next card using Tropical Party is a gate fold style card. This was my Make & Take at the downline meeting we held last month. I started with a 5 1/2 x 12 piece of Pixie Pink Cardstock and scored it at 2, 4, 8 and 10 inches. I stamped the small flower randomly across the front in Pixie Pink ink. I cut a 3×3 piece of Whisper White and stamped the leaves in Old Olive Classic Ink on the front. I stamped the large flower with Pumpkin Pie and the two small flowers with Pixie Pink on scrap Whisper White and cut them out. I added a Rose Mini Brad to the center of the large flower and popped it up with Stampin' Dimensionals. I layered the Whisper White on a 3 1/4 x 3 1/4 piece of Old Olive. It was adhered on only the left half to the front of the gate fold card.

Inside I cut a piece of 3 3/4 x 5 1/4 piece of Whisper White. I stamped more leaves in Old Olive and the Coconut drink in Chocolate Chip. I colored the straw and umbrella with Stampin' Write Markers in Pixie Pink, Old Olive and Pumpkin Pie. I cut out another Pixie Pink small flower and adhere it with a Stampin' Dimensional. I stamped Live, Laugh, Love, Happy Birthday from On Your Birthday Stamp set in Pumpkin Pie in the center.

My last card I used Stampin' Up!'s Sentimental Journey stamp set, Travel Journal Designer Paper and In A Word Stamp Set. I started with a base of Night of Navy cardstock and layered on Pumpkin Pie cardstock. I added another layer of Confetti White cardstock. Over the top half of the Confetti, I adhere Bashful Blue cardstock with a piece of Travel Journal Designer Paper on it. (LOTS of layers!) I pierced the Bashful Blue with my piercing tool and template across the top. I stamped Marvelous with my Night of Navy and Pumpkin Pie Stampin' Write Markers in the lower right corner of the Confetti cardstock. For the focal element, I stamped the car from Sentimenal Journey in Pumpkin Pie Classic Ink on Confetti White and punched with the Wide Oval Punch. I adhered it to the Medallion of Pumpkin Pie cardtock made with the Lots of Tags Sizzlets die. I added the compass in Garden Green Classic Ink and punched it with the 1" circle punch. I placed a Vintage brad in the center and popped it up with Stampin' Dimensionals. Finally, I added a knot of Pumpkin Pie 1 1/4 Striped Ribbon to the upper corner and punched two 1/4 circles from Garden Green and placed them in the upper right corner of the Designer Paper for some added interest.

I hope you've enjoyed my projects!

SORRY – Blog Tour is over and links have been disabled! Stay tuned for the next one!

Pen/Pencil Holder Supplies:

Sets: Tropical Party
Inks: Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie
Cardstock: Tempting Turquoise, Pumpkin Pie, Melon Mambo, Whisper White
Accessories: Top Note Die, Sticky Strip, Melon Mambo Polka Dot Ribbon, Ovals Die, 5 Petal Flower Punch, Stampin' Dimensionals

Tropical Party Gatefold Card Supplies:

Sets: Tropical Party, On Your Birthday
Inks: Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Pixie Pink, Chocolate Chip
Cardstock: Whisper White, Pixie Pink, Old Olive
Accessories: Paper Snips, Rich Regals Mini Brads, Stampin' Dimensionals, Scoring Tool

Sentimental Journey Card Supplies:

Sets: Sentimental Journey, In A Word
Inks: Garden Green, Night of Navy, Pumpkin Pie
Cardstock: Confetti White, Pumpkin Pie, Night of Navy
Accessories: Travel Journal Designer Paper, 1 1/4 Pumpkin Pie Striped Ribbon, 1" Circle Punch, Wide Oval Punch, Lots of Tags Sizzlet Dies, Piercing Tool and template, Antique Mini Brads, Crop A Dile (1/4 circles)

CCMC3 – Color Challenge

May 15, 2010 By Connie | Leave a Comment

Over on Create with Connie and Mary's Saturday Challenge, we have a color combination challenge! It is the only day we share our cards/projects on our personal blogs along with on the Create site for subscribers. Our subscribers are invited to play along for a chance to win one of two $75 merchandise gift certificates or a chance at one of four free subscriptions to the next Edition!

This CCMC3 Challenge we were to use the colors of Bashful Blue, Night of Navy, Garden Green, Kraft and Pumpkin Pie. Hint…all these colors are in the Travel Jounal Designer Paper. We've been featuring it this week, along with Pedalling Past and Sentimental Journey stamp sets! It's not too late to join! You are able to see and download all the posts we've already done AND will still have two more full weeks of projects and ideas to look forward to getting! The Summer Mini is just FULL of great products!

I made a small sized square card for my challenge card. It is 4 1/4 square, so will fit in a Medium sized envelope without extra postage costs. I used Kraft for the base, then layered on Night of Navy cardstock. I used the printed map from Travel Journel Designer Paper, then used just a strip of the reverse side stripe to lay over it. Can you tell what the scallop is behind the car? YES! I used the small cog from the new Cog Punch in a scallop type pattern underneath the Pumpkin Pie circle. The car was stamped with Garden Green Classic Ink on Whisper White and punched with the 1 3/4 circle punch…then layered on the Circles #2 die, with the Kraft cogs behind it. I stamped Happy Graduation from Teeny Tiny Wishes on Garden Green and punched with the Modern Label punch. I added two Pewter Vintage Mini Brads on each side. I stamped the compass in Pumpkin Pie and punched with the 1" circle, then placed a mini brad inside and popped it up with Stampin' Dimensionals! It was FUN and I think makes a great Grad card!

Make sure to check out what the rest of the Create with Connie and Mary Design Team has done this week with the color challenge! I'm sure they will have wonderful ideas!

Mary Brown

Kerin Sylvester

Monika Davis

Create with Connie and Mary Summer Edition….$24.95 US

Stamping 411 – All Holidays

May 14, 2010 By Connie | 8 Comments

Time again for another Stamping 411 Sketch…#151…wow…the weeks just FLY by, don't they? This week's sketch challenge was fun. I actually did it TWICE! Long story…lol! Good thing next week's sketch looks similar to this one!

As you can see from my card, my shape is a rectangle instead of an oval. I wanted to use the Happy Father's Day greeting from Stampin' Up!'s All Holidays. This set is one of my favorite greeting sets! I will keep it in my stash even after it retires (whenever it does…no, I don't know anything!)

I started with a base card of Not Quite Navy. Then I used the Travel Journal Designer Paper…I cut it so that it looks like two different patterns are on the one background piece. Gives it a little interest. I wrapped the 1 1/4" Striped Pumpkin Pie Ribbon around the middle and secured it in the back. Since my greeting was a little plain, I stamped it once with Pumpkin Pie Classic Ink on Very Vanilla, then stamped it again with Not Quite Navy and cut it out, layering it over the Pumpkin Pie piece. I left room at the top for a couple Not Quite Navy brads.

My Cog Punch just came in my order yesterday. Have you ever SWORN that you bought something, then looked all over for it and couldn't find it? I just knew I had purchased it on my preorder last month. But, then remembered, that we couldn't preorder. So now it is finally in my possession! I punched three of the large cogs from Not Quite Navy and placed them along the side of the greeting.

Really, it is a pretty simple card! I just love the Travel Journal Designer Paper in the background! I can't wait to see what the rest of the Stamping 411 Operators have come up with this week! I'm always amazed at how different each of our cards are…even using some of the same elements! I hope you take time to make up a card of your own with the sketch and post a link over on Mr. Linky at the Stamping 411 blog! Have a great weekend!