Stamping 411

Stamping 411 – Thanks for Caring

April 8, 2011 By Connie | 8 Comments

Well! We've had some excitement this week over on Stamping 411. If you haven't read about the announcement, Stamping 411 has gone Stampin' Up! Only! The Design Operators have always used Stampin' Up! only products…but now that means that those playing along with the challenge must also use Stampin' Up! only products when they upload their creations! We feel this aligns us more closely with the Stampin' Up! contract we've signed AND will give you even more ideas on how to use the Stampin' Up! products you've purchased!

So…on to my card! I've had Stampin' Up!'s Thanks for Caring set for a while, but this is the first time I've used it. I pulled it out to use with the Stamping 411 sketch this week!

I love the upcoming Designer Paper, Paisley Petals that will be in the new catalog. As you know, Stampin' Up! has a special Sneak Peek Special going on this month and it features this Designer Paper that you can get early, too! I cut into mine for the first time!

I started with a base of Pear Pizzazz cardstock. I added a layer of Peach Parfait that I ran thru the Big Shot with the Finial Press Impressions Folder. Then I added a piece of the Paisley Petals Designer Paper…that is how I picked my colors! For the stamped image from Thanks for Caring stamp set, I used my Bravo Burgundy and Pear Pizzazz Stampin' Write Markers and colored the image and stamped it on Whisper White. I used an AquaPainter and the Peach Parfait Stampin' Write Marker to color in the floral portion. I used a little Sahara Sand marker to "ground" the image. Then I stamped the "With Love and Caring" stamp in Peach Parfait. The Whisper White piece was layered onto Bravo Burgundy cardstock and I used the Scallop Edge Punch on the right side.

Along the right, I saved room for some ribbon…but not quite enough room for the entire 1 1/4 width of the Certainly Celery Striped Grosgrain. I cut down each side, then pulled the threads on the sides to give it a distressed look. I used Sticky Strip to ruffle it, then added a Vintage Brad in the center. I think that turned out pretty neat and I'll be using that little trick again! Oh…I should mention that I used the Distressing Tool on all the edges to rough them up a little bit!

Make sure to check out what the rest of the Design Operators have made this week over on Stamping 411. Then grab your Stampin' Up! products and play along! We love to see your work!

Sharing creativity one stamped image at a time!

Stamping 411 – Build A Blossom Iris

April 1, 2011 By Connie | 14 Comments

We have another fun sketch for you to try this week over on Stamping 411! OK…I'll admit…this is my second try…the first one bothered me…so I started over! I think I was just trying to rush too much to get it done. I let the card sit for a couple hours, came back and tore it apart to start over. Anyone else ever done that??? lol!

OK…here is my finished card. The iris was heavily inspired by a MDS card that I saw Sue Erickson do. I just knew I could use the Build a Blossom stamp set and punch to do mine.

I love Irises…I think they are my favorite flower…or tied with hydrangeas and lilacs. My grandmother gave me several starts from her garden when I was VERY young. I dug them up and moved them with us each time…but somewhere along the line I dropped the ball and don't have them any longer. Actually, I think the movers thought they were just a bag of dirt and threw them away during a winter move. I gave a neighbor some of my bulbs one year…maybe one day I'll knock on the door of the people who moved into their house and ask if I could dig up a couple! lol!

Anyway…onto my card. As you can see, I flipped the sketch and let the Iris be the scalloped half circle (I think that is what bugged me with my last card.) I used Concord Crush with the Build A Blossom stamp and stamped it 5 times, then punched them with the Petal Blossoms Punch. I used the small "leaf" for the Daffodil Delight tongues of the irises and added a Designer Button to the center. I curled the petals back with my fingers to make them more dimensional. The base of the card is Whisper White and I layered on Concord Crush and then the Hostess Level 1 In Color Designer Paper in Pear Pizzazz. I added a strip of Daffodil Delight cardstock and used the Scallop Edge Punch along one side.

To hide the seam, I cut a stem from Pear Pizzazz and hand-cut some leaves. I inked and textured them with Pear Pizzazz Classic Ink. Finally, I stamped You're a Gem in Concord Crush and punched with the Small Oval and layered on the Concord Crush Large Oval punch.

Now THIS card turned out the way I wanted! Make sure to check out the rest of the Stamping 411 Design Operators to see what they have done this week! Then play along with us! Have a GREAT weekend!

Sharing creativity one stamped image at a time!

Stamping 411 – Baby Blossoms

March 25, 2011 By Connie | 15 Comments

We have a NICE and easy sketch for you today over on Stamping 411! So, grab your stamps and play along! We love to see what you do!

And my card! I used Stampin' Up!'s Baby Blossoms stamp set in the Occasions Mini! It really is a NICE set to do quick and easy cards using the two-step stamping!

The longest part of doing this card, was figuring out which Designer Paper to use for the "ruffles". I finally settled on Springtime Vintage since I had a lot of scraps the size I needed to run thru the Big Shot with Tasteful Trim XL Die! Isn't that a FUN technique?

I started with a base of Always Artichoke cardstock, then added a layer of Very Vanilla. I wrapped the Always Artichoke Seam Binding Ribbon with the BOW around to the back to secure. I cut the different Springtime Vintage Designer Papers with the scallop on the Tasteful Trim Die, then just adhered the top of each scallop piece, starting at the bottom, to the Not Quite Navy strip of cardstock. I slightly bent up the scallops on each row to make them look "ruffled". Once again, Stampin' Up!'s coordinating designer paper made it SO easy!

To finish, I stamped the word Thanks from Stampin' Up!'s Fabulous Phrases in Not Quite Navy Classic Ink above the ruffles. Then I added the two step floral bouquet from Stampin' Up!'s Baby Blossoms in Always Artichoke, and Not Quite Navy. (I did the stamp-off trick to get two different shades of each color!)

I added a little Beautiful Wings Embosslit Butterfly in River Rock cardstock above the greeting, with a tiny Pearl Jewel on his body. Then added three more Pearl Jewels to the top right corner.

I think it turned out pretty cool! Check out what the rest of the Operators did on Stamping 411!

Sharing creativity one stamped image at a time!

Stampin’ Up! Just Believe

March 18, 2011 By Connie | 11 Comments

We have a fun sketch for you this week over on Stamping 411! I love the angled layer on this sketch!

And here is my interpretation using Stampin' Up!'s Just Believe stamp set.

My color combination is Rich Razzleberry, Wild Wasabi and Sahara Sand…I love how it turned out! I inked up the Just Believe floral stamp with Rich Razzleberry and Wild Wasabi Stampin' Write Markers and stamped on Whisper White cardstock. I layered that on Rich Razzleberry. The base of the card is Wild Wasabi and a layer of Sahara Sand cardstock over top. I wrapped the Rich Razzleberry Taffeta Ribbon around and tied a knot.

I stamped the greeting "Some things…" in Basic Black on Rich Razzleberry and punched with the 1 3/8 circle. it is popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals. I also stamped the circle medallion in Rich Razzleberry Classic Ink on Whisper White and punched with the 1" Circle. There is a bit of bling with the Rhinestone jewel in the center of the flower. The diagonal layer is the green stripe in Pawsitively Prints II Designer Paper, layered on Wild Wasabi cardstock…although it didn't photograph well at all! lol!

Again, I loved the sketch! Check out what the rest of the Stamping 411 Design Operators did this week!

Sharing creativity one stamped image at a time!

Easter Blossoms

March 11, 2011 By Connie | 8 Comments

Stamping 411 has another fun sketch for you to try this week! Although, I must admit that I was stumped for a little bit! I'm not used to seeing a trio of elements set up this way! I'll be VERY interested in seeing what my fellow Operators have done this week. And, of course, I'll be slapping my forehead wondering why I didn't think to do that!

I wanted to use Stampin' Up!'s Easter Blossoms in a little different way. I hadn't inked up the egg yet in that stamp set, so decided to use it for my focal piece(s)!

I started by pulling out the colors (mostly) from the Sale-a-bration Ice Cream Parlor Ribbon and stamped the egg in Marina Mist, Daffodil Delight and Melon Mambo on Whisper White cardstock. I punched them with the Scallop Square punch. I placed them on a piece of Ice Cream Parlor Designer Paper with Stampin' Dimensionals and trimmed the DSP so that the flowery vine was across the bottom for a little more interest. The ribbon was wrapped around and tied with the Happy Easter tag greeting. I used the Decorative Label punch in Daffodil Delight cardstock with the greeting in Basic Black. I added a little bling with a trio of Rhinestones under the greeting. It is also placed on the DSP with Stampin' Dimensionals. I used the Crop-a-Dile to punch the hole for the tag.

The DSP was layered on Whisper White and then on the base card of Marina Mist. I like how the white layer makes everything POP a little more! Finally, I placed more Rhinestone jewels in the center of each egg for a little extra bling. I think it turned out to be a pretty FUN card!

Make sure to check out what the rest of the Design Operators did over on Stamping 411! Then make your own card with the sketch and upload it over there! We love to see what you do!

Stamping 411 – Build a Blossom

March 4, 2011 By Connie | 9 Comments

Time again for a FUN sketch from Stamping 411! This one came together pretty easily! Love it when that happens! When I first saw it, I immediately thought…which flower should I use in the center? Of course, I HAD to use Build a Blossom stamp set and Blossoms Petal Punch!

I've done a lot of pastel colors with this stamp set, but nothing really BOLD. Then the Houndstooth pattern from Love Letter Designer Paper caught my eye… Yeah! That will work! And, of course, Riding Hood Red looks GREAT with that pattern!

My base card is Basic Black. When I go to use it, I will add a Very Vanilla piece of cardstock inside so I can stamp a greeting…but I'll save that for when I actually use it. I cut a layer of Riding Hood Red cardstock and placed the Love Letters Houndstooth pattern on top of it. I added a strip of Basic Black Taffeta Ribbon across the seam to hide it. AND, I added one of the new Trinket Keys on the ribbon hanging off the right side! At the top left, I added three Basic Black Mini Brads.

For my flower panel, I cut a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock and stamped Live, Laugh, Love on the bottom in Riding Hood Red (this is one of the greeting sets you can get for FREE with Sale-A-Bration!) Then I layered it on Basic Black cardstock. It is popped up off the card with Stampin' Dimensionals. On scrap Very Vanilla, I stamped one of the small blossoms from Build A Blossom in stamped off Riding Hood Red Classic Ink, the added the full strength Riding Hood Red color with the coordinating stamp in the center. They were punched with the Blossom Petals Punch. I made 8 petals and placed them on a 1 1/4 circle to help them stay in place while I was working with them. In the center, I added a Basic Black Neutrals Button with Linen Thread tied in a bow.

I really like how this turned out! Make sure to check out what the rest of the Stamping 411 Design Operators did this week! I'm SURE there will be some FABULOUS ideas!

Sharing creativity one stamped image at a time!

Stamping 411 – Sew Suite – what else?

February 25, 2011 By Connie | 10 Comments

Time again for the Stamping 411 sketch challenge! Another fun one for SSC192!

I, of course, had to use Stampin' Up!'s Sew Suite again! I'm having fun with this set. I also used Stampin' Up!'s Pattern Pieces for the first time! That one is pretty fun, too! It coordinates so well with Sew Suite! (Hmmm, I wonder if I've been calling it Sew Sweet in the past! I think I'm mixing up the names!) Anyway…do you like this color combination? I got it off the new Color Coach and I REALLY like it!

I started with a base of Cherry Cobbler cardstock. I ran the In Stitches Jumbo Wheel over the bottom of the Crumb Cake layer with Early Espresso Ink Cartridge. The top I fed thru the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots Impressions Folder only across the top couple inches! I tied some Daffodil Delight Satin Ribbon around and tied a knot.

I stamped the Pattern Pieces image in Early Espresso Classic Ink on the Sweet Stitches Designer Paper, then layered it on Early Espresso. It is popped up on the front of the card with Stampin' Dimensionals. I stamped the spool of thread with Early Espresso on Crumb Cake and Daffodil Delight, cut them out and placed them on top of a Cherry Cobbler punched with the Decorative Label Punch. I added some Rhinestones and stamped You're A Gem from You're A Gem stamp set with Early Espresso Ink.

I like how the brightness of Daffodil Delight is mellowed with the Early Espresso and Crumb Cake! I'll be using this color combo again!

Make sure to check out what the rest of the Design Operators did this week over on Stamping 411! Then grab your stamps and play along! Have a great weekend!

Stamping 411 – Nature Walk

February 18, 2011 By Connie | 12 Comments

Over on Stamping 411 we have another easy sketch for you to try this week! Isn't it FUN looking? I can think of lots of stamp sets that this sketch would easily work.

And, I'm SO excited about my card! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the little Scallop Oval detail with the Vintage Brad! Now…someone may have done it before, but I've never seen it, so it was a completely new idea for me! I love it hanging off the wide 1 1/4 Stripe Ribbon, too!!!

This color combination is new for me, too. I picked it up off the new Color Coach. I started with a base of Pink Pirouette and added a layer of Bravo Burgundy. On top of that is the Crumb Cake print from Elegant Soiree Designer Paper. I used Old Olive and Bravo Burgundy Stampin' Write Markers to ink up the floral image from Stampin' Up!'s Nature Walk and stamped on Very Vanilla. It is layered on Bravo Burgundy and then Pink Pirouette.

I wrapped the Pretty in Pink 1 1/4 Stripe Ribbon around to the back and secured. I stamped "it's the little things" from Stampin' Up!'s You're a Gem stamp set in Bravo Burgundy on Pink Pirouette and punched with the Large Oval Punch. That was layered on the Scallop Oval punch. I added a Vintage Brad to the top and then wrapped it around the ribbon and secured. I love it!

Make sure to check out the rest of the Stamping 411 Operators to see what they have done this week! I'm sure they will have some FABULOUS ideas…we really have some talented designers!