Stamping 411

Stamping 411 – The Open Seas

May 13, 2011 By Connie | 13 Comments

Yes, another very cool sketch from Stamping 411 for you to try this week! I'm sure it will be very popular!

I knew immediately when I saw the sketch this week what I was going to do. I used Stampin' Up's awesome masculine set, The Open Seas, available in the Summer Mini This is a technique I used in my Technique Class this month…I called it Faux Parchment.

The base of the card is Soft Suede. I distressed the edges of the Crumb Cake layer and added the map print from Newsprint Designer Paper, sponging around all the edges with Soft Suede Classic Ink…and on the map DSP itself. I wrapped around the Basic Black 1 1/4 Stripe Grosgrain Ribbon, then tied on the Jewelry Tag with Linen Thread. It is stamped with 4 You from Tiny Tags Stamp Set in Soft Suede. I added two of the brads from Vintage Trinkets in the upper left corner and the safety pin above the Jewelry Tag.

I cut the larger Scallop Square from the Square Duo Die in Soft Suede and crumbled it up, then used Soft Suede ink around the edges. I added the Faux Parchment Technique square, embossed with The Open Seas ship over top. The ledger is stamped in the background, too. I love how real the "parchment" looks! Again, the edges were distressed with the Distressing Tool and sponged with Soft Suede! My Technique Class really loved this card!

I love the masculine look and feel to this card! Make sure to check out what the rest of the Stamping 411 Design Operators did this week! I'm sure you will be amazed!

Bitty Shopping Bag

May 11, 2011 By Connie | 7 Comments

ANOTHER surprise announcement today over on Create with Connie and Mary! Come JOIN the FUN! We're BIGGER and BETTER with MORE designers AND FULL tutorials on EACH project!

It's my turn to do Thrifty 3D Wednesday over on Stamping 411! I made up this DARLING little Bitty Shopping Bag from the Bitty Box XL Die! Inside the shopping/gift bag holds 1-2 Ghirardelli Chocolates…and it is just as sweet as can be!

Isn't it CUTE!!! And it really is very easy to make! Great for a ladies lunch, a bridal shower or a little gift for office workers to say THANKS! I used Stampin' Up!'s Touch of Kindness stamp set to decorate the outside along with a couple punches, of course! I used the Scallop Circle for the background scallop and the 1 1/4" circle for the greeting in front…popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals. The Thanks so Much tag is from Tiny Tags and punched with the Jewelry Tag Punch.

So, let me know what you think! Then RUN over to Stamping 411 to get the step-by-step tutorial!

Time is RUNNING OUT on the Early Bird Preview Price of $24.95…$5 off the regular $29.95 subscription price! Your subscription gives you DAILY projects for 5 weeks…GREAT ideas for your Summer Edition classes! But, you don't have to be a demo…customers can also subscribe and get the same great ideas for your own projects! We have another BIG announcement over on Create with Connie and Mary today! You'll want to CHECK out the news! We're very excited! And, while you are there…why not subscribe? We are BIGGER and BETTER with our SIXTH edition!

Sharing creativity one stamped image at a time!

Stamping 411 – Flower Fest

May 6, 2011 By Connie | 5 Comments

Yep…what else! Stampin' Up!'s Flower Fest is still out on my desk and I couldn't resist using it again on Stamping 411's sketch challenge this week! It's a fun one this week! Hope you play along!

So, you can see why Flower Fest was perfect for the sketch, right? Here is my card:

I used the textured cardstock and designer paper from Playful Polka Dots Scrappin' Kit that I had left over from another project to make this card. I LOVE the patterns in the kit! The base of the card is Old Olive. I layered on textured Daffodil Delight that I used the Scallop Trim Border Punch along the bottom. I also added small Rhinestone Jewels in between each scallop. Love that bling! On top of the Daffodil Delight I used the Polka Dot DSP. Then, for the accent piece on the sketch, I used some of the stripe paper in that kit. Aren't those colors great?

I stamped the large flower from Flower Fest in Rose Red on the Textured Rose Red cardstock and used the Fancy Flower Punch. I used a Pumpkin Pie large designer button in the center and tied a bow with the White Bakers Twine. I stamped the 5 Petal flower with Pumpkin Pie on Daffodil Delight and used the 5 petal punch. I added an Old Olive flower button tied with Bakers Twine in the center. Then I stamped the leaves with Old Olive on the textured Old Olive and cut it out. The large flower is popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals.

For my greeting, I stamped Just For You from Oval All Stamp Set in Pumpkin Pie on Whisper White and punched with the Large Oval. Then I stamped it again on Pumpkin Pie and punched with the Scallop Oval punch. I layered the White on top and added a couple more Rhinestone Jewels.

Make sure to check out what the rest of the fabulous Operators did this time over on Stamping 411! I can't wait to see their cards each week!

Stamping 411 – On the Grow

April 28, 2011 By Connie | 10 Comments

Yes, I am loving this new stamp set in the Summer Mini, On the Grow! I've used it again today for the Stamping 411 sketch challenge SSC201! We are SO happy that you enjoyed our little "game" last week! We had fun playing along ourselves!

And here is my card…I knew immediately that I would use Stampin' Up!'s On the Grow set and that the scooter would fit perfectly in the focal element spot!

I started with a base of Real Red cardstock. I layered on Bashful Blue that I ran thru the Big Shot with the Square Lattice Impressions Folder. I took my colors from the Celebrations Designer Paper…I love this polka dot pattern! I layered the DSP on Pacific Point cardstock. I stamped the scooter in Black Stazon on Whisper White and used my Stampin' Write Markers in Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Pearl Pizzazz, Basic Black and Bashful Blue, plus used the AquaPainter to watercolor it. I layered the Whisper White on more Pacific Point. I wrapped two lengths of 1/8" Real Red Taffeta Ribbon around to the back and adhered. I added an Old Olive button, tied with more 1/8" Real Red Taffeta Ribbon and adhered with Mini Glue Dots.

Finally, I stamped Celebrate from Fundamental Phrases in Black Stazon on Real Red and punched with the Curly Label Punch, cut it in half and placed it under the scooter focal piece. I think it is a fun card!

Make sure to check out what the rest of the Stamping 411 Design Operators did this week!

Sharing creativity one stamped image at a time!

Stamping 411 Reveal

April 27, 2011 By Connie | 2 Comments

Wow…that was a tough contest, wasn't it? The Stamping 411 Operators really changed things up. I thought I had a pretty good handle on whose card was whose…ended up that I only had THREE right! Not even the one that I had posted on MY blog! lol! Oh well!

So…HERE is the card that I posted last Friday…did you guess right? If you guessed GRETCHEN…you would be correct! I didn't…I thought for sure it was Kerin's card!

Anyway…here is MINE:

Since the Stampin' Up! Alaska cruise I'm taking in a few weeks has been on my mind lately, I thought of doing a "port hole" for my nautical card! Stampin' Up! has a wonderful new set called, The Open Seas, in the Summer Mini. I stamped the anchor from this set in Cherry Cobbler on Sahara Sand and punched with the 1 3/4 Circle punch. Then I punched the 2 1/2 Circle from Early Espresso. I measured top to bottom and side to side and pierced holes for the Vintage Brads to go around the circle.

The base of the card is Sahara Sand and I textured the front with the Square Lattice Impressions Folder. I placed a section of the Nautical Expedition Designer Paper (anchor print) on the front and the coordinating stripe print across the top. I used the Curly Label punch and made a row of scallops along the bottom, and placed one for the greeting above the Cherry Cobbler Bakers Twine that was wrapped around three times. The greeting is from Teeny Tiny Wishes and stamped in Early Espresso Classic Ink.

I had a lot of fun making my card. I hope you all had lots of fun playing along with the Operators this week! If you want to see whose cards were whose, you can see them all over on Stamping 411.

And…the winner of my Blog Candy is…………………

Mitzi Luttrull said:

My guess for this card is Gretchen. Thanks for doing this fun game.

She even guessed right! Congrats, Mitzi! Please EMAIL me with your address!

Stamping 411 – Mystery Artist

April 22, 2011 By Connie | 79 Comments

That's right! This is NOT my card! Why am I posting it then? Well, this week is Stamping 411's 100th Sketch! Isn't that amazing? What started out as a place for our customers to go for basic information and a challenge to play along each week, is now celebrating our 100th sketch! So, here is the sketch we were given. In return, we were given someone else's card to post on our blog. If you leave a comment on my blog (and each of the Operator's blogs) with your GUESS, you get a chance to win some BLOG CANDY to help us celebrate!

And…here is my Mystery Artist's card! Can you GUESS whose card it is?

OK…first the measurements of her card:

Base card – 5 1/2 x 8 1/2, folded to 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 size.

1st layer – 5 1/4 x 4

Strip layer – 5 1/4 x 2

Eyelet Border Punch layer – 5 1/4 x 1

1 3/4 Circle punch layered with the 2 3/8 Scallop Circle

She used some of the products coming out in the Summer Mini! Love the nice, bright colors! The Beyond the Garden Designer Paper and the stamp set, Fabulous Florets will be in there. And, the fabulous new Impressions Folder, Flower Garden. The phrase is from Happy Greetings! Ohhh, isn't it hard to wait?

Second…my guess is that this is Kerin Sylvester's card! Why? I know she does her bows like that…and she likes to add pearls and such. But…this is HARD! lol!

So…for BLOG CANDY…leave a comment on MY blog on which Stamping 411 Operator's card you think this is. Then go check out the rest of the Stamping 411 Design Operator's creations this week. Follow the links to the other chances for Blog Candy, too! Winners and matching the creators will be announced on Wednesday, April 28th.

Stamping 411 – Nature Walk

April 15, 2011 By Connie | 5 Comments

Wow…another week has flown by! It is time for the Stamping 411 sketch challenge for the week! I had fun with this one! Although…all week I've been running behind, thinking it was a day earlier than it actually is!

Here is my card using Stampin' Up!'s Nature Walk. I am really going to miss the Occasions Mini when it goes away at the end of the month! So many great sets in there!

I did manage to use the new Paisley Petals Designer Paper on this card…that is the DSP that is on Sneak Peek this month and will appear in the big catalog in July! I love the rich tones in this Bravo Burgundy leaf print. I started with a base of Always Artichoke and layered on Very Vanilla and then the Paisley Petals DSP. I wrapped the Early Espresso Striped Ribbon on a diagonal across the front of the card and secured it to the back. I took another piece and trimmed and distressed the extra ribbon to make the bow…I love how that looks!

For the focal element, I stamped the Nature Walk flower design several times with Bravo Burgundy and Always Artichoke Stampin' Write Markers on Very Vanilla. I stamped the bird, used an AquaPainter to blur the Early Espresso color for the body, added a little Pumpkin Pie to the beak and then cut it out. It is placed with Stampin' Dimensionals on the front of the flowers. That is my favorite way to use the bird and flowers in this set! The Very Vanilla cardstock was layered on more Always Artichoke. I stamped the greeting from You're A Gem in Bravo Burgundy on Always Artichoke and punched with the little Oval punch…then placed it under the knot of the bow.

I like how it turned out! Make sure to check out what the rest of the Stamping 411 Design Operators did this week over on Stamping 411! Enjoy!

Sharing creativity one stamped image at a time!

Fun Flower Bookmarks FREE Tutorial

April 13, 2011 By Connie | 12 Comments

Today is my monthly post for Thrifty 3D Wednesday over on Stamping 411! Over there, I have a FREE TUTORIAL for you on how to make these gorgeous Fun Flower Bookmarks yourself! Our SAMS gave us one at Leadership this year and I just fell in love with it! Wouldn't it look great on your coffee table book? Or, of course, your Stampin' Up! catalog!

The yellow one above is the one that my Stamp Clubs learned last month using Stampin' Up!'s Fun Flower Bigz Large Die. I love Peace Roses and tried to replicate how they look! I used Melon Mambo around the edges, but it actually looked more Tangerine Tango when dry…so I used that color Big Designer Button in the center with a Key Trinket and "for you" from Clearly for You stamp set! It is all tied with a Linen Thread bow!

I made the Melon Mambo (with Rose Red sponging) as a prototype for my son's wedding in their colors of Melon Mambo and Night of Navy. They have several people reading scriptures in the wedding and I thought the Fun Flowers Bookmark would look very pretty in the bible to hold their place. We'll see if it is a go…the bride-to-be hasn't seen them yet!

Make sure to check out the FREE TUTORIAL over on Stamping 411! Leave me a comment and let me know if you make one for yourself!

Sharing creativity one stamped image at a time!