Stampin' Up!

Bloggers Challenge – Celebration!

January 1, 2010 By Connie | 18 Comments

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope you had a safe New Year's Eve and are enjoying watching all those football games today. Well, maybe you are stamping? I'll be doing a little of both. I hope to have my swaps designed, so I can sit and put them together while watching Ohio State play in the Rose Bowl.

The Bloggers Challenge theme this week is Celebrations! And, New Year's is a wonderful time to celebrate! I wanted to use something that indicated a the new 2010 year, so I pulled out Stampin' Up's Alphabet Simple Numbers Bigz dies! I've used the letters before, but not the numbers…I love them! Can you see how sparkly the numbers are?

I started with a base of Taken with Teal cardstock. I added a layer of Night & Day Designer Paper (in the Holiday Mini that goes away on January 4th!). I added a Top Note diecut of So Saffron. Then I added some Certainly Celery punched large stars on the Top Note. I wrapped 5/8 Certainly Celery Grosgrain Ribbon around the entire piece and tied a knot. I stamped Happy New Year in Taken with Teal Classic Ink on Whisper White cardstock and punched with my Modern Label Punch. On each end, I added a small Ice Rhinestone Brad.

The numbers I cut with the Big Shot and Simple Numbers Alphabet Set from Taken with Teal cardstock. I applied Versamark ink over them and sprinkled on Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder, then heat set it. SO pretty in real life!

Even my husband commented that my card was really "cool"! Great praise from him! lol!

Again, I wish for you a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

Last Chance for the Early Bird Special on Create with Connie and Julie Occasions Edition! See a sneak peek HERE! We hope you join us!

Elegant Bouquet

December 31, 2009 By Connie | 3 Comments

Here is a Clean and Simple Valentine's Day card for you to try! I think I'll be sending out a few of these myself!

I started with a base card of Melon Mambo Cardstock. I layered on Very Vanilla card stock that I ran thru the Big Shot with the Elegant Bouquet Impressions Folder. I highlighted the center of the flowers with the Melon Mambo Stampin' Write Marker.

I used the NEW Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslit Die and cut out the heart from Melon Mambo card stock. I LOVE how it embosses the dots along with cutting out the Scallop heart shape! I added a bow of Mellow Moss Taffeta Ribbon with a couple Mini Glue Dots. Finally, I stamped Happy Valentine's Day from Teeny Tiny Wishes in Melon Mambo Ink.

Like I said, clean and simple…and QUICk!

Don't forget, the Create with Connie and Julie special EARLY BIRD PRICE of $34.95 ends on Sunday, January 3! Make sure you take advantage and get your subscription NOW!

I (Heart) Hearts

December 30, 2009 By Connie | Leave a Comment

Well, I normally don't like to give out too many hints about the new mini before it actually is available, but the Occasions Minis and Sale-A-Bration brochures are just now hitting mailboxes! I think they were delayed in the postal system because of the holidays. Hopefully my customers will start seeing their copies arrive in a couple days. I sent one to myself, too, so I'll know when they get them.

This set, I (Heart) Hearts, is one that was immediately on my list to purchase. It has many different sized hearts. Of course, a couple of them match up to the Full Heart and Heart to Heart punches! The little checked heart is one of my very favorites in the set…and the Love one is my second favorite…so I combined the two of them. I also used my third favorite one, the filigree heart at the top in the background…can you see it?

I'm sad that Valentine Greetings is in the set, Grateful Greetings, in the Holiday Edition Mini. So, if you didn't get that set, you only have a few more days to purchase it before it is gone! I love the font they used for this greeting!

OK…now for the details of the card! It is sized 3×6 so it fits in the Open End envelope and can be mailed. I used the base of Rose Red, and layered Pretty in Pink on top. I stamped the Filigree heart in Pretty in Pink on the top half. I added a 1" strip of Rose Red cardstock, then lined up five 1" squares of Whisper White, stamped with the Love heart (well, 4 were stamped). The middle one I stamped the checked heart, punched it with the Heart to Heart punch, then cut out the Love Heart and adhered it over it. Those two hearts are popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals. Finally, I stamped Valentine Greetings with Rose Red under the center hearts.

Preview Week starts on Sunday! Time is running out to take advantage of the EARLY BIRD SPECIAL on Create with Connie and Julie Occasions Edition blog. For only $34.95 you'll get NINE full weeks of ideas, tutorials and challenges! We have three very talented designers joining us for this session. It is going to be even bigger and better than the Holiday Edition! Get the Early Bird Special NOW before it goes away!

Stamping 411 – Love Bandit

December 25, 2009 By Connie | 7 Comments

Hope you have a wonderful Christmas! I'm posting early, so I know we are still enjoying the holiday…

Here is my Stamping 411 Operator Challenge for this week! Loved the sketch!

And, here is a sneak peak of a new set in the Occasions Mini called LOVE BANDIT! Isn't that squirrel cute? It also has a raccoon in the set, which is why I purchased it…and for this darling tree!

Quickly, the base is Sahara Sand, with a strip of two different Designer Papers out of the To The Nines Paper Pack. The tree I used Garden Green and Chocolate Chip markers, with a little Real Red heart. The squirrel was stamped with Chocolate Chip and colored with Creamy Caramel. I stamped "I fancy you" with Chocolate Chip on Whisper white, punched with the Small Oval, and layered on the Large Real Red Oval. Finally, I added a Chocolate Chip Corduroy Button in the upper left corner!

Hope you enjoy my sketch challenge card. Make sure to check out the rest of the Stamping 411 Operators and play along this week!

Bloggers Challenge – Merry Christmas!

December 24, 2009 By Connie | 12 Comments

Hi everyone! Merry Christmas!

For today's Bloggers' Challenge, I thought I'd share this year's Christmas card with you. Love that Bride Designer Paper, Ornament Punch and Rich Razzleberry card stock!

Hope you and yours have a safe and wonderful holiday!

Ohio State Christmas Cards

December 23, 2009 By Connie | 1 Comment

This will be VERY quick! I'm feeling VERY behind this year on everything! I'm still wrapping the last couple gifts! I never am this late. I've just had one thing after another going on and still trying to catch up. Still have one more run to the grocery store for dessert ingredients for Christmas dinner (here!)

My son asked me to make two special cards to go with his bosses' Christmas gifts. They are former Ohio State golf players, so I quickly put together a couple Ohio State themed cards. He says they loved them!

You can see they are basically the same supplies, but by turning the orientation and sizes of the layers, they look different! I used the Block O and Buckeye leaf and nut Quickutz dies and ran them thru my Big Shot. The Real Red Patterns Designer Paper is from a hostess pack last year (?) The Scarlet/Gray ribbon I found at my LSS. I stamped Merry Christmas and Seasons Greetings in Basic Black.

Card stock colors used were base cards of Real Red, Basic Black, Going Gray, Garden Green, Chocolate Chip and Creamy Caramel.

Merry Christmas! I have a post ready to go Friday and Saturday, you may or may not get a post from me tomorrow!

Hope you have a wonderful holiday!

Bloggers Challenge – Sketch

December 18, 2009 By Connie | 15 Comments

I'm back! I've been hit or miss on the Bloggers' Challenges the past month. Just too crazy busy, I guess! I love sketch challenges, though, so couldn't let this one go by without doing up a card real quick!

Here is the sketch for today's challenge. I decided to turn it on the vertical to make my card.

The Stampin' Up! stamp, A Brand New Year, is one I really purchased for future use. I knew that I wouldn't be making New Year's cards THIS year, but I loved this stamp! I figure sometime in the future, I can use it on scrapbook pages or for invitations. I don't have anything like it in my stash!

I started with a base of Shimmer White cardstock and layered on Brushed Gold cardstock. I ran the Soft Suede layer thru the Big Shot with the Petals A Plenty Impressions Folder and highlighted each of the flower centers with a blender pen and Encore Gold Metallic Ink. I stamped the A Brand New Year image in Versamark on Shimmer White and embossed with Gold Embossing Powder. I colored in the champagne glass with Sahara Sand Stampin' Write Marker. This was layered onto Basic Black for some drama! As a final touch, I added three clear round Rhinestone Brads along the left side and a strip of Groom Designer Stripe Paper along the top!

I think this card has a lot of impact! What do you think? I hope you have a wonderful weekend and finish up everything you need to do to get ready for Christmas!

INKspired Treasures Blog

Serene Snowflakes

December 17, 2009 By Connie | Leave a Comment

Another card that fits the non-traditional color theme over on Latenightstampers! My upline received a similar card from her upline and I loved it, so had to CASE it! It uses the Tulipe Bigz Die (ON SALE NOW CLICK FOR DETAILS HERE !) as an accent. The Tulipe is cut and the center part and Melon Moss part opens up and the Bermuda Bay flap folds down. Great to hold a gift card!

The base is Sahara Sand at 4 1/4 x 11 and scored at 1 3/4 and 7 1/4. The designer paper is Thoroughly Modern. The large snowflake from Stampin' Up!'s Serene Snowflakes was stamped in Bermuda Bay on Whisper White, then the trio snowflakes stamped in Melon Mambo. I layered the Whisper White on Melon Mambo card stock. Peace on Earth from Four Holidays Stamp Set was inked with Soft Suede Classic Ink. I added a pink Ice Circle Rhinestone brad in the center. The Tulipe Bigz Die was cut on the Big Shot with Soft Suede.

I used the Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint and a sponge dauber all around the edges of the layers, on the snowflakes and on the Tulipe diecut! It is so pretty in real life. (AND, good news!…Shimmer Paint will continue to be available as a write-in item in our catalog! Yeah! I love that stuff!)

In the second picture, I left the bottom folded up so you could see how the Tulipe diecut was placed, but the flap actually folds down.

Isn't this a fun card? I'll be using that Tulipe die again that way!

Well, still trying to catch up on everything for Christmas. I did get almost all my shopping done…only one more gift to get. Yeah!

Don't forget to visit us over on the Create with Connie and Julie Occasions Edition blog. Our Early Bird Special for only $34.95 is a fantastic deal for NINE full weeks! We have three very talented designers joining us for this session. It is going to be even bigger and better than the Holiday Edition! See a sneak peak preview over there, too!

INKspired Treasures Blog

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