Stampin' Up!

Bloggers’ Challenge – Bags or Boxes

February 26, 2010 By Connie | 20 Comments

This week's Friday Bloggers' Challenge is the theme of boxes or bags! That worked out well for me, because this is the bag that my Stamp Club members made last night. I saw a card someone had made that was similar, and I thought it would be cute turned into a bag for a small gift. I love being able to papercraft a bag that matches a card that I'm giving the recipient!

I found these smaller white paper bags at a local paper store in Ohio and trimmed down the top a little. I used Rose Red cardstock on the front and back. I added a layer of the Chocolate Polka Dot from Sweet Pea Designer Paper on the front and punched the Wide Oval Punch at the top (actually, you do need to punch each layer separately). I added a strip of Rose Red cardstock I punched with the Scallop Trim Border Punch (a FREE option with Sale-A-Bration) and wrapped some of the yummy Chocolate Satin Ribbon around it before I placed it on the front.

I stamped the gifts image from Happy Moments stamp set (FREE with Sale-A-bration order!) on Whisper White with Basic Brown ink, then used my Stampin' Write Markers in Rose Red, Pretty in Pink and Chocolate Chip along with my AquaPainter to watercolor. It was layered on Pretty in Pink. Finally, I added the Sweet Pea Stitched flower and leaves to the front with Glue Dots.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend! I need to start thinking about what I'm taking to the stamping retreat next weekend. Well, besides the Bridal Shower invites and Wedding Invitations I need to make!

Vintage Vogue

February 23, 2010 By Connie | Leave a Comment

Well, did you enjoy the Blog Tour? Aren't those some TALENTED ladies? I'm so blessed to be part of the Control Freak Swappers, I get such great swaps each time. They are big…usuallly 30 or more, but well worth the extra effort!

I thought I'd bring out Vintage Vogue again dressed in some SPRING colors! I'm really wishing it here, aren't I? We are supposed to get MORE snow again tomorrow…luckily just an inch or so.

This actually is the same layout that the Bloggers Challenge used last Friday, I just switched a couple things around. I started with a base of Old Olive cardstock. Then layered on the Sweet Pea Designer Paper. I used the Scallop Border Trim Punch on some So Saffron, then wrapped my White Satin Ribbon around the center and added some "bows" and the Pretty in Pink Epoxy Brads on them! I like how that really dressed up the bows!

I stamped the F from Stampin' Up's Vintage Vogue in Old Olive on Whisper White and punched with the 1 3/4 circle punch, highlighted the Friends in So Saffron Stampin' Write Marker. I stamped the small flower three times with So Saffron on Whisper White and cut them out, along with some Old Olive leaves. Finally, I used the Eggcellent Egg Kit rhinestones and made a circle of them in each center of the flowers! VERY sparkly in real life!

Hope you have a great day. I'm hoping to get a lot of stamping done for the next couple weeks! The ideas are there (luckily), just need to get them down on paper!

It's not too late to get my Satin Ribbon Shares. I INCLUDE the Whisper White in my shares, so you get 10 different colors! Click HERE for more information!

Create with Connie and Julie CCJC7

February 20, 2010 By Connie | 2 Comments

Wow! Where does the week go? It's Saturday again and time for another Create with Connie and Julie Challenge! Every Saturday on the Create with Connie & Julie site we issue a challenge. Our subscribers are encouraged to enter the challenge to win fabulous prizes! Last week's challenge winners were Becky Graham, Lori Watson and Robin Gregor as honorable mention! Congratulations, ladies!

For this week's challenge the theme is Easter Cards! Our focus was on Stampin' Up!'s stamp set Eggcoutrements, Chocolate Bunny stamp, Spring Floral Wheel and the Eggcellent Egg Kit. I chose to feature the Chocolate Bunny for my Easter Card! I LOVE him!

I started with a base card of Certainly Celery, then used two different patterns from Tea Party Designer Paper. I used the Scallop Trim Border Bunch along the top and the bottom. I stamped the Easter Bunny in Vanilla Craft Ink, Close to Cocoa Craft Ink and Chocolate Chip Craft Ink, then embossed with Clear Embossing Powder and cut them out. Of course, they represent the three types of chocolate…white, milk and dark! Yummy! They look real! I wrapped some Pretty in Pink Taffeta Ribbon across the top and added the Scallop Oval punched tag stamped with Happy Easter from Well Scripted. I highlighted the word happy with my Certainly Celery Stampin' Write marker!

Supplies:

Sets: Chocolate Bunny, Well Scripted

Inks: Vanilla Craft, Close to Cocoa Craft, Chocolate Chip Craft, Certainly Celery Stampin' Write Marker

Cardstock: Certainly Celery, So Saffron, Whisper White

Accessories: Tea Party Designer Paper, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Pretty in Pink Taffeta Ribbon, Scallop Oval Punch

Make sure to check out what the rest of the design team did this week and be inspired for your own Easter cards!

It really isn't too late to sign up for the Create with Connie and Julie Occasions Edition subscription! 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 Julie.

February Tour de Freaks

February 19, 2010 By Connie | 36 Comments

It's time! The February Tour de Freaks is here…brought to you by your Control Freak Swappers! You've probably just arrived from Wendy Janson's blog, weren't her projects gorgeous? We have 16 stops for you today!

Our theme this month was the Occasions Mini! Well…that's a broad theme! I'm sure you'll get lots of new ideas!

My first projects uses…what else…Chocolate Bunny! What can I say…he just is a favorite of mine! I stamped him in Chocolate Chip Craft Ink on Close to Cocoa cardstock and embossed with Clear Embossing Powder, then cut him out.

Can you tell what the carrot is made from? Yep! The Large Scallop Circle Die! I received one of these carrots for a swap at Leadership, but I changed out the colors and added the bunny in the top. I wanted to use a real chocolate bunny, but the ones I bought were too big. That's when I figured that my stamped one would work even better!

The base of the carrot is from Pumpkin Pie cardstock and I sponged the edges. The leaves of the carrot are Old Olive and also sponged. I used some fancy shredded paper to fill it. I punched two holes to be able to tie the Old Olive Satin Ribbon and help hold the edges closed. Then stamped Happy Easter from Well Scripted with Old Olive ink and punched with the Wide Oval Punch. Isn't it FUN???

My second project uses the Big Shot again with the Fancy Favor Box. I cut it from Pixie Pink cardstock and ran the Spring Floral Wheel in Pixie Pink Ink Cartridge across the bottom of it twice. I used the Wheel Guide to help me keep it straight!

On the front I made a bunny from punches! The face is a 1 3/8 circle of Pretty in Pink, the cheeks are 1" Whisper White circle punches and 3/4 Pretty in Pink circles layered in top. His nose is a Pixie Pink 1/2" circle. The whiskers are Sahara Sand slivers of cardstock. The eyes are actually Small Ovals cut down to a smaller size with 1/4" circles of Basic Black and highlighted with the White Gel Pen. The ears are Scallop Ovals from Whisper White and the Welcome Neighbors Designer Paper punched with the Large Oval Punch. I gave him a bowtie made from the Old Olive Satin Ribbon and the Old Olive handle is attached with Clear Rhinestone Brads.

I kept the back simple with just the Easter stamp from Eggcoutrements stamped in Old Olive Classic Ink on Whisper White and punched with the Designer Label punch. It is popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals!

I filled it with some multi-colored shredded paper. I was going to fill it with Jelly Beans, but my husband ate them all! lol!

Well, you can continue on the tour by clicking on the button to go to Mary Brown's Blog! I'm sure she'll have some fantastic projects! Have fun taking the tour!

Stamping 411 – Garden from the Heart

February 19, 2010 By Connie | 7 Comments

It is time for another Stamping 411 Sketch Challenge! The weeks are FLYING by aren't they? You can tell it is a BUSY night/day for me with posts. Stamping 411, Tour de Freaks and Create with Connie and Julie Challenge will all post at the same time!

I didn't quite know what I was going to do with this sketch…the small narrow bands were throwing me off. But, I like what I came up with after it was done. Had to change things a couple times, but I think it works.

I started with a base of Dusty Durango and layered on Crushed Curry. I ran the Soft Suede thru the Big Shot with the Finial Press Impressions Folder. I took Crushed Curry and Dusty Durango Ribbon and made the criss cross element on the left side, securing it with a Vanilla Jumbo Brad.

I stamped the gloves and hand shovel with Soft Suede on Very Vanilla and punched with the 1 3/4 Circle Punch, then watercolored with AquaPainter and Stampin' Write Markers. Finally I stamped Happy Mother Day from Teeny Tiny Wishes in Soft Suede on Crushed Curry and punched with the Modern Label punch.

Make sure to check out the rest of the Stamping 411 designer Operators! I'm sure they will have some fun twists to this sketch, too!

Bloggers’ Challenge – Sketch

February 19, 2010 By Connie | 16 Comments

This week, Lisa challenged us with a sketch for Bloggers' Challenge. Of course, you know I can't resist a sketch challenge!

I knew I wanted to use the new XL Flower Punch for my focal piece. I punched it twice from So Saffron, added some Close to Cocoa Classic Ink around the edges, crumpled it up and then layered them together with a large Corduroy Button in the center. I punched the leaves from the new Bird Punch three times from Old Olive.

The yummy paper is the Sweet Pea Designer Paper (I LOVE it!). I used the Old Olive polka dots in the background, then a slice of the brown stripe in the front, layered on So Saffron. The base of the card is Confetti White cardstock. I added a Chocolate Cihp Jumbo Brad at the top and bottom and the words "Easter Blessings" from Stampin' Up!'s Abundant Hope Stamp Set.

Pretty easy card to put together with the Sketch figured out already! Photographing it actually took longer!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend. Come back tomorrow for the Tour de Freaks Blog Tour AND the Create with Connie and Julie Challenge! Busy day!

Fox and Friends

February 18, 2010 By Connie | 1 Comment

My Technique Class made this card earlier this month with the technique called Faux Paneling that I learned from Technique Junkies. It is hard to capture with the camera, but the Old Olive is the faux paneling look. Fun and easy way to use up some of those scraps!

Of course, I've used several products from the Occasions Mini, Stampin' Up!'s Fox and Friends turtle, the Way 2 Go from the Level 1 Hostess set, Picture This. The Sweet Pea Designer Paper and one of the darling Kisses Sending Love Notes! Those notes are so fun to quickly pull out and stamp on! I added 5/8 Chocolate Chip Ribbon and a small punched star, along with the Scallop Border along the side.

Fun card to send to someone to celebrate their accomplishment!

Had a fun punch class last night with several new people attending! Need to finish getting ready for another class tomorrow morning! Remember the Tour de Freaks Blog Tour starts on Saturday…don't miss it!

ONGOING Satin Ribbon Share still available! See HERE for more information!

Create with Connie and Julie Challenge

February 13, 2010 By Connie | 4 Comments

Every Saturday on the Create with Connie & Julie site we issue a challenge. Our subscribers are encouraged to enter the challenge to win fabulous prizes! Last week's challenge winners were Lisa Martz and Robin Gregor with Cynthia Stevenson having an honorable mention! Congratulations, ladies!

For this week's challenge, I created another sketch for all of us to use. This week's Occasions Mini theme included Happy Thoughts, Tote-ally Tess and Tiny Tags as our focus. For my card, I flipped the sketch to be horizontal.

I decided to make one of the rosette flowers out of Designer Paper. They are very easy to do! First, I cut a circle from Sticky Pages about 1 1/4 inch in diameter. You really don't want to use your punches because the tape will gum up your punch. I took a 1" X 12" strip of Sending Love Designer Paper, punched with the Eyelet Border Punch along the edge and ran it thru the Crimper three times to soften it. I took off one side of the Sticky Page liner and started gathering the strip into a circle around the edge of the tape, then moving towards the center until my paper was at the end. Pretty easy!

The center I added one of the felt buttons from Sweet Pea Stitched Felt with a Pop-up Glue Dot. For the card, I started with a base card of Pretty in Pink, then layered on the chocolate dotted mini flower print from Sending Love Designer Paper. I wrapped the Chocolate Chip Striped Ribbon around to the back and secured. I added two strips of Very Vanilla cardstock as required by the sketch, then removed the back of the Sticky Page and placed the paper flower. I added the felt leaves from Sweet Pea Stitched Felt. I used my Stampin' Write Markers in Chocolate Chip and Rose Red to ink up the Hello from Tiny Tags Stamp Set, stamped it on Very Vanilla and then punched with the Medium Jewelry Tag punch.

Supplies:

Stamps: Tiny Tags (w118091, c118592)

Inks: Stampin' Write Chocolate Chip (,100071) Stampin' Write Rose Red (100063)

Cardstock: Pretty in Pink (100459), Very Vanilla (101650)

Accessories: Sending Love Designer Paper (117153), Medium Jewelry Tag punch (117190), Eyelet Border Punch (113692), Sweet Pea Stitched Felt (117266), 1 1/4 Chocolate Chip Striped Ribbon (115617), Pop-up Glue Dots (104183), Sticky Pages (114300), Crimper (101618)

Make sure you check out the rest of the Create with Connie and Julie Design Team's projects this week!