Stampin' Up!

Stamping 411 – Peace Within

April 23, 2010 By Connie | 8 Comments

I haven't used Stampin' Up!'s Peace Within stamp set for a long while, so I pulled it out today to use with the Stamping 411 Sketch Challenge! I don't always enjoy coloring, but today I was in the mood!

I started by stamping the basket of flowers image in Basic Brown on Whisper White and watercolored with my AquaPainter and Watercolor Crayons. I don't use those as much as I should either! I layered it on Regal Rose. In the empty corner, I used my Piercing Tool and the Mat Pack to make a punched design.

I ran the background Whisper White thru the Big Shot with the Square Lattice Impressions Folder that will be in the Summer Mini. LOVE the texture it makes! I wrapped some Regal Rose Grosgrain Ribbon around it and placed it on the Regal Rose base card. I added the punched Jewelry Tag stamped with Tiny Tags stamp set and Linen Thread. Pretty simple card…but then the sketch was simple!

I hope you try out the sketch and link with Mr. Linky over on Stamping 411. We'd love to see what you do with it! I know I'm always anxious to see what the other design Operators have done with the sketch!

Bloggers Challenge – Color Challenge

April 23, 2010 By Connie | 23 Comments

When I first heard that Lisa picked Blue, Orange and Moss for our color challenge, I hesitated. But, after playing with them, I really do like them! Two out of the three colors I chose will be retiring after this catalog is over…Brocade Blue and Mellow Moss.

I just recently purchased Stampin' Up!'s Simply Adorned charm and coordinating Chaming Stamp Set (available as a write-in item…it is not in the catalogs yet). I really love the small sized stamps in this set. I have plans to make a lot of these charm inserts! I think they are darling!

I knew I didn't have any coordinating designer paper that matched the colors we were suppsoed to use, so I created my own. I used the small medallion stamp in Chaming and used Pumpkin Pie, Mellow Moss and Brocade Blue randomly over the Whisper White cardstock. I layered it on a wide band of Pumpkin Pie and then a layer of Brocade Blue. I tied the white Satin Stripe Ribbon around and tied a bow. I used the word background stamp in Charming for the background of my circle element, then my Stampin' Write Markers to color in the floral vine. I punched with the 1 3/8 circle punch, then layered on the Scallop Circle Punch. I pierced the holes in each of the scallops with my piercing tool. The background Mellow Moss I ran thru the Big Shot with the new Square Lattice Impressions Folder. Then layered it on my base card of Brocade Blue. I repeated the process for my 1 x 1 1/4 charm insert. I like how these turned out!

Reminder that SUNDAY is the last day to take advantage of the Early Bird Subscription savings going on now! Save $5 off the normal $24.95! Check out the Early Bird projects on Create with Connie and Mary! Demonstrators and customers are welcome to join! You'll get lots of ideas using the upcoming Summer Mini Catalog stamps and accessories!

With All My Heart

April 21, 2010 By Connie | 5 Comments

I have TONS of this Sending Love Designer Paper left…I think two full packages! I know I won one package at Leadership and I've used up at least a couple more. It really is beautiful paper, and just not for Valentine's Day! Here I've used it for my MIL's Mother's Day card. lol!

The meets the Sketch Challenge over on SCS and also the Mother's Day card challenge over on LateNightStampers! A two-fer!

I stamped the flower image from Stampin' Up!'s With All My Heart in Pretty in Pink on Very Vanilla and punched it with the Fancy Flower punch, then sponged around the edges with Pretty in Pink Classic Ink. I stamped the small flower in that set in Real Red on Very Vanilla and punched with the 1/2 circle punch. I used an Antique Gold Build-A-Brad in the center. I haven't used those in quite a while! I added it to a layer of Very Vanilla that I stamped Wonderful Mother from Well Scripted in Chocolate Chip. I layered it on Chocolate Chip and did a piercing design in the upper right corner.

I added the Sending Love Designer Paper glittery flower pattern to a layer of Chocolate Chip cardstock and placed it on the Pretty in Pink base card. I used another strip of Sending Love small flowers pattern and wrapped the Very Vanilla Satin Ribbon around and tied. The flower and the Mother panel are all popped up with Stampin' Dimensions. This card is very sparkly in real life! I think she'll like it!

SUNDAY is the last day to take advantage of the Early Bird Subscription savings going on now! Save $5 off the normal $24.95! Check out the Early Bird projects on Create with Connie and Mary! Demonstrators and customers are welcome to join! You'll get lots of ideas using the upcoming Summer Mini Catalog stamps and accessories!

April Tour de Freaks!

April 19, 2010 By Connie | 20 Comments

Wow…another month has gone by and it is time for the April Tour de Freaks! You've probably just come from Lynn Put's Blog…weren't her projects fantastic? You can continue around the tour to see everyone's projects, we have 14 stops this time! The theme this month is FLOWERS! I know you'll see great ideas to help you enjoy Spring a little more!

My first project uses different sizes of circles to make some punch art flowers! I used the 1 3/4 circle punch and Regal Rose cardstock, 1 3/8 circle punch and Pretty in Pink cardstock and the 1" circle punch and So Saffron cardstock. I cut slits around each of the circles, then sponged them all with Regal Rose Classic Ink. I adhered them together and added a White Flower Button to the centers. The leaves are the wing from the Bird Punch (do you have that punch yet?) out of Certainly Celery and sponged around the edges with Certainly Celery Classic Ink. I used Tea Party Designer Paper in the background and cut it into strips (using the Bloggers' Challenge sketch from last week!) I added Happy Birthday from Stampin' Up!'s Well Scripted stamp set. LOVE how this turned out! The base of the card is Pretty in Pink cardstock.

I first saw this project over on Becky Robert's blog, but I adapted it to fit 4×4 cards instead of the tags she had used. I created the bottom of the box from So Saffron cardstock, then lined the inside with Chocolate Chip cardstock for the divider. Over the front is a piece of Medium Window Sheet that slides off to open. I wrapped the Belly Band of Chocolate Chip cardstock that I punched with the Scallop Edge Punch and Sweet Pea Designer Paper around the Window Sheet and then wrapped Very Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon and tied it in a bow.

Inside I made six 4×4 sized thank you cards from a base of So Saffron cardstock. I added the Stripe Pattern from Sweet Pea Designer Paper on top. In the center is Very Vanilla cardstock layered on Chocolate Chip. I used the Extra Large Fancy Flower punch and more Sweet Pea Designer Paper to punch the large flowers for the front. The inside is a punched 3/4 circle from Taken with Teal or So Saffron to coordinate. I added leaves punched from Sahara Sand with the 5 Petal Punch. I used Thank You Kindly stamp set with Taken with Teal Classic Ink in various thank you greetings. Although I didn't do it yet, I'll also include some 4×4 envelopes that I'll make to fit the cards.

Wouldn't it make a nice present for someone special? Here is a close up of a couple of the cards inside.

Next stop on the Tour de Freaks is Mary Brown's blog. I KNOW she has some marvelous projects to show you! She was telling me about it this past Sunday at our meeting! Thanks for stopping by and taking the tour! Hope you enjoyed my projects!

Stamping 411 – Elements of Style

April 16, 2010 By Connie | 11 Comments

This sketch was one of the more difficult ones I've tried with Stamping 411. Of course, when I see what the other operators have done, I'll be hitting myself on the head…duh…why didn't I think of that? But, you know how you get something in your mind and it won't let go. This didn't turn out how I anticipated. It's ok…just not my favorite! I like all the elements, just not how they came together, I guess! lol!

I did use one of the new sets in the Summer Mini, so you are getting a sneak peek! Stampin' Up!'s Elements of Style is a old-fashioned vintage style set, I think. I started with a base of Kraft Cardstock, then added Bella Bleu Designer Paper over top, I distressed the edges first with my Cutter Kit, then a sponge dauber and Brocade Blue Classic Ink. I added the Kraft print in the Bella Bleu Designer Paper to Very Vanilla cardstock and ran it thru the Big Shot with the Top Note die. I stamped over the Top Note with Brocade Blue Classic Ink and the Rose image. It kind of gave it a split negative technique look. I added Vanilla Satin Ribbon behind the points of the Top Note…then a Kraft Taffeta Ribbon bow in the corner. I tied on the greeting, Love, from Stampin' Up!'s Tiny Tags stamp set on Brocade Blue and punched with the Medium Jewelry Tag punch.

I can't wait to see what the rest of the Design Team Operators came up with over on Stamping 411! And, I hope you have a wonderful weekend. I have a downline meeting on Sunday…should be fun!

Bloggers Challenge – Sketch

April 16, 2010 By Connie | 21 Comments

Today's Bloggers Challenge is a really neat sketch! I decided to use a huge floral element for the center of the card, instead of the large rectangle. My Shades of Spring Designer Paper has been sitting there…I've been hoarding the large floral paper in that package. I decided to cut up a piece of it to use on my card.

I started with a base of Orchid Opulence. I cut the Vanilla/Plum polka dot designer paper from that package into 1" x 4" strips. Then I layered each of them on Certainly Celery cardstock and added it to my card.

I cut one of the large flowers out of the Designer Paper and slightly curled the edges inward. I added a large Vanilla Brad to the center of the flower. I first tried a variety of different punches in the center, but it just distracted from the pretty paper, so I left it with only the large brad. I also cut out two of the leaves from the pattern and placed them behind the flower. The flower is popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals.

I added the Happy Birthday greeting from Stampin' Up!'s Teeny Tiny WIshes on Very Vanilla and punched with the Word Window punch, then layered it on a Modern Label punched from Orchid Opulence cardstock.

Pretty simple card, but fun! I'm anxious to see what the rest of the Blogger Challenge gals did this week with this sketch!

Busy day for me…I need to get over to Macy's to pick up a wedding gift that is on SUPER sale today! I want to be first in line! lol!

Early Bird Subscription savings going on now! Save $5 off the normal $24.95 price! Check out the preview projects on Create with Connie and Mary!

Cute & Cuddly – PPA38

April 15, 2010 By Connie | 5 Comments

My friend and co-designer for Create, Mary Brown, let me know about a sketch challenge this morning over on Pals Paper Arts. I've played with their challenges before, but hadn't been over there for a while…it was a good reminder to check them out! Sketch PPA38 was really fun. I needed a baby card for a friend of mine who just had a new grand-daughter born a couple weeks ago. I bet she is thrilled (and I hope she doesn't see this before I get it mailed to her!) At least the inside will be a surprise…I'm not going to show it here! lol!

I started with a base of Pretty in Pink cardstock and layered on one of the prints from Pawsitively Prints Designer Paper from Stampin' Up! The one made for the Build A Bear dies! I love the small prints in it. I added a strip of Whisper White and added two Scallop Edge Punch pieces in Certainly Celery cardstock. I wrapped the Pretty in Pink Striped Ribbon around and tied a knot.

For the focal element, I stamped the Sweet Little Baby scallop square image from Stampin' Up!'s Cute & Cuddly stamp set three times on Whisper White with Basic Black Classic Ink, then stamped it again three times on Pretty in Pink cardstock. I punched out the Whisper White images with the Scallop Square Punch and then cut the centers 3/4" to fit inside the squares and capture the Sweet Little Baby words. Those are popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals on a piece of Certainly Celery cardstock and I layered that on Whisper White.

I think this made a very sweet baby card and it was pretty easy to put together thanks to the fun sketch!

Early Bird Subscription savings going on now! Save $5 off the normal $24.95 price! Check out the preview projects on Create with Connie and Mary!

A Rose is a Rose…

April 14, 2010 By Connie | 4 Comments

I love roses, and especially this color…Apricot Appeal with a touch of Cameo Coral on the edges. I think they are called the Peace Rose? I used to have a beautiful rose bush with these colors! Gorgeous! These are the two colors that I will definitely stock up on before they retire.

This challenge is also for No Time To Stamp's 3D Flower challenge (ssnotime137)! What a great idea! I've seen some beautiful 3D flowers out there and I'm always anxious to learn more ways to craft them.

I knew when I saw MOJO Monday's sketch #134 that I wanted to use one of the roses I made when teaching "everyone" how to do them at the stamping retreat in March! They have just been sitting in my studio waiting to be used. I use the XL Fancy Flower Punch to make mine. Last session, I did a little tutorial on how to make them over on Create with Connie and Julie, too! They are LOTS of fun and look so different when you use different colors!

I started with a base of Apricot Appeal cardstock and added a layer of Cameo Coral. On top of that I used the Kaleidoscope Designer Paper in both the green bubble print and the apricot stripe pattern. I added the Scallop Edge punches to the bottom of the stripe design pieces.

I made the Apricot Appeal Rose using the XL Fancy Flower punch in the Occasions Mini and layering it. I inked up the edges with a sponge dauber and Cameo Coral. The leaves are made with the 5 Petal Punch and Garden Green cardstock, then crimped with the Crimper Tool. I adhered the Rose to the card with Stampin' Dimensionals.

Finally, I stamped Happy Mother's Day stamp from Stampin' Up!'s All Holidays Stamp Set in Garden Green on Whisper White and layered it on Garden Green cardstock. I used my Piercing Tool and Mat to make the piercing decorations in the two corners.

I love how this turned out and think I'll give it to my mom for Mother's Day, since I can hand it to her with her gift.

Lots to do today. I need to work on my Control Freaks swap for the Summer Mini! I want to get that mailed out tomorrow. Have a great day!

If you haven't checked out the Create with Connie and Mary site yet now is the time to do it! There will be a new project using Summer Edition products 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 have access to the site and the tutorials. For more information and to see our Early Bird Preview projects, please visit at Create with Connie and Mary!