Stampin' Up!

Asian Artistry

March 8, 2010 By Connie | 1 Comment

Hi everyone! I'm back from the LONG weekend stamping retreat, but still have my friend, Linda, here today. Wow…the time went by SO fast! I couldn't believe it! Seems like we just unpacked everything and it was time to pack it all pack up. I love getting together with this group of women! All so VERY talented. There were about 30 of us there this time. In the fall, there are always about 45-50!

I did get a lot done. I made up the Bridal Shower Invitations for my future daughter-in-law's shower in a few weeks. I also did a lot of sympathy cards for my mother-in-law since she told me she was out. I taught a lot of people how to make the paper roses that are so popular again right now. I remember making them so many years ago from the Carol Duvall Show!

Today's card is adapting one I found online using Stampin' Up!'s set, Asian Artistry. It is one of the Level 2 Hostess Sets you can earn. I've had several hostesses order this set recently, so here is an idea for them! Very easy to mass produce!

I started with a base of Dusty Durango. On top of that is a Whisper White layer that I ran thru the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots Impressions Folder. I added a strip of Always Artichoke cardstock and stamped Sharing your Sorrow from Thoughts and Prayers Stamp Set. I added a band of Black Satin Ribbon (goes perfectly with the Asian theme of the card!)

For the focal piece, I stamped the bamboo and bird from Asian Artistry in Always Artichoke on Whisper White and layered it onto Dusty Durango cardstock. This panel was popped up with Dimensionals. I watercolored the bird with my Dusty Durango Stampin' Write Marker and AquaPainter.

Not too bad for doing these at 2:00 AM in the morning, huh? lol! Hope you have a great week!

Stamping 411 – A Kind Word

March 5, 2010 By Connie | 5 Comments

Today's Stamping 411 Sketch challenge was really fun! I was able to pull out a set that I earned free with hostess credits and finally ink it up! Stampin' Up's A Kind Word is such a sweet set. I love the little faces on it and that basketful of kittens is why I really got it!

I started with a base of Almost Amethyst and layered on the So Saffron background floral from Tea Party Designer Paper. I used a strip of the small floral print from Pawsitively Prints and then made the Scallop Flower from the same print! I added a pink Rhinestone brad in the center to hold it in place and popped it up with Stampin' Dimensionals.

She was stamped with Basic Black on Whisper White, then I paper pieced her pinafore dress with the Yellow Gingham check from Pawsitively Prints Designer Paper. I watercolored her with Stampin' Write Markers and my AquaPainter. Finally, I added some Almost Amethyst butterflies from the Beautiful Wings Embosslit die.

I think it turned out SO sweet! Make sure to check out what the other Stamping 411 Design Operators have done this week! I'm sure their designs will be fabulous using this sketch. Make sure to play along this week and add your creation to Mr. Linky over on Stamping 411!

Bloggers Challenge – Happy Moments

March 5, 2010 By Connie | 13 Comments

Today is Friday and time for Bloggers' Challenge! This week's challenge was to use the color Green and a neutral! Wow! I had a tough time finding a stamp that I could just color in greens. Now…I'm sure all the fabulous ladies will find lots of ways to use the color green!

My card started with a base of Garden Green cardstock. I layered on the green print from Kaleidoscope (I know…I'm hooked on this paper!) I did the scallop rectangle with both the Scallop Corner Trim Punch and Scallop Border Trim Punch from Confetti White cardstock. Then I layered Garden Green and Certainly Celery in the center. I stamped the gifts from Stampin' Up!'s free Sale-A-Bration set, Happy Moments, in Basic Black on Confetti White and watercolored it with my Stampin' Write Markers and AquaPainter. Finally, I added the White Satin Ribbon in the background and added a pretty Satin White bow on the front!

Hope you have a great weekend! While you are reading this, I'm at a long weekend stamping retreat! I'm SURE I'm having fun!

Vintage Vogue

March 3, 2010 By Connie | 4 Comments

Since my Kaleidoscope Designer Paper was already sitting out, I decided to make up another card. I wanted to show Vintage Vogue dressed up for spring! I love this set! The piece I cut from the Kaleidoscope DSP was PERFECT to hold a circle in the center and make it look like an extra mat. Totally unplanned!

I started with a base of Apricot Appeal cardstock and layered the Kaleidoscope DSP on Basic Black to make the colors pop! I used one side with the print and the other side was the stripe at the bottom. I cut a circle with my Circle Scissors Plus in the 2" size from Certainly Celery cardstock and stamped the vine image from Stampin' Up!'s Vintage Vogue stamp set. I added the Thank You from Short & Sweet set in Basic Black Classic Ink. The flowers I stamped on Very Vanilla in Apricot Appeal and Pretty in Pink and cut them out. The smaller flowers, I placed Apricot Appeal Mini Brads, the large flower has a Pretty in Pink floral button! I stamped and cut out two of the small leaves for the large flower. Finally, I added a Pretty in Pink Satin Ribbon bow! Have I mentioned I LOVE the Satin Ribbon??? I'm still selling Ribbon Shares (in fact, I only need 1 more person to finish up the next order!) See more information HERE.

I'm starting on the countdown for my LONG weekend Stamping Retreat! We leave tomorrow afternoon. My girlfriend is coming in tonight! I can't wait to see her! But…I have LOTS to do before she gets here, so I'll cut this short!

Hope you have a great day!

CCJC8 – Color Combination Challenge

February 27, 2010 By Connie | 2 Comments

Today's Saturday Create with Connie and Julie Challenge is a Color Combination! We were to use Orchid Opulence, So Saffron and Certainly Celery in our project! Every week on Create with Connie and Julie, we issue a challenge for our subscribers. Last week's winners were Lisa Martz and Robin Gregor with Honorable Mention to Cynthia Stevenson! Congratulations, ladies!

I pulled out my Shades of Spring Designer paper because I knew it contained that color combination. I love the paper, the designs on it are HUGE however, so I'm always hesitant about cutting it. I must admit, it wasn't so bad! lol! I figure I can always order more!

I started with a base of Certainly Celery, then layered on the bold multi floral pattern from Shades of Spring. I ran the second Certainly Celery pattern of Shades of Spring DSP thru my Big Shot with the Top Note die, then turned it and ran it thru again to make the medallion under the bird! I punched the bird from the new Two-Step Bird punch in So Saffron and sponged the edges. I punched the leaf/vine several times from Certainly Celery, then sponged the edges, and placed them under the bird. I added floral buds by punching the bird's wing several times from Orchid Opulence cardstock.

Between the Certainly Celery and background DSPs, I used a strip of Orchid Opulence cardstock that I ran thru the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots Impressions Folder. Finally, I stamped Happy Easter from Well Scripted Stamp Set on So Saffron with Orchid Opulence Classic Ink and punched it with the Scallop Oval punch!

Pretty busy….but I like how it turned out!

Supplies:

Sets: Well Scripted

Inks: Orchid Opulence, So Saffron, Certainly Celery

Cardstock: Certainly Celery, So Saffron, Orchid Opulence

Accessories: Perfect Polka Dots Impressions Folder, Big Shot, Scallop Oval Punch, Top Note Bigz Die, Sponge Daubers, Two-Step Bird Punch, Shades of Spring Designer Paper

Check out to see what the rest of the Design Team Members did this week with the color challenge:

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.

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!