LAST DAY!

FYI: Sale-a-bration ends today. (I just received an inquiry~~reason for this post.)

Stained Glass Technique

Today's card is another example of stamping on vellum. For this particular technique, you stamp the image on vellum using Versamark, cover with embossing powder and heat. Once that is done, you flip the vellum over and color in the image on the reverse side of the vellum. The photo on the right is the embossed flower which has been colored in using a Pretty In Pink marker (against white cardstock). You can see that the flower took on the color of the Melon Mambo when added to the card front. Had I used blue cardstock, the flower would be a light shade of purple; yellow the flower would be a shade of orange, etc. When I think of stained glass, I picture the stained glass my mother-in-law donated to her former church in Schaumburg. It is circular and a very beautiful piece of artwork. So when I decided to try the stained glass technique, I pulled out my old nesting circles (not SU) and Big Shot to make a frame for the flower. Before adhering the frame to the vellum, I embossed the frame with the Stripes embossing folder to give it a little texture. I adhered the frame to the card front, stamped and embossed the sentiment with white embossing powder and tied it all up with retired Stampin' Up ribbon. A little side note: adhesives show thru vellum, so add your glue/adhesive to the section of the vellum that will be hidden under the frame. The image is from Fifth Avenue Floral and the sentiment is from A Word For You. That's it for today! Have a wonderful weekend!

Here's To You

Yesterday I went down to my scrap room with the idea that I wanted to use a color that I rarely, if ever, use. As I flipped through my color ring, Sahara Sand called my name--lol! And I am thinking what I always think when I see Sahara Sand, "I really do not like this color!" But it looked pretty good next to Not Quite Navy so I decided that the color combination would make a good man card. A strip of DSP layered under a piece of textured Sahara Sand cardstock wrapped with linen thread added nice dimension to the card. But my favorite part of the card is the tag. By folding over a corner and adhering the tag with a navy brad a good focal point was created. I lined the inside of the card with Sahara Sand cardstock that was edged using a stamp from the Borderlines set. I now have a masculine card that can be used for a birthday, retirement or other occasion. When you find yourself a little stampin' time over the weekend, use the same challenge: use a color you rarely, if ever, use and see what you create. Have a great day!

Embossed

After a couple of wonderful and fun-filled days with our granddaughter this week~~thanks to Spring Break from school~~I needed to fill up some quiet time. I decided to do some embossing, something I have not done for a while. The image on the Perfect Plum card was embossed using Wild Wasabi and Perfect Plum craft ink spots and clear embossing powder while the image on the yellow card was embossed using Versamark and white embossing powder on vellum. Both images were colored in with my Stampin' Up markers. I especially like the look of the white embossing on vellum, so look for more cards using this technique in the future. Have a great day and find yourself a little stampin' time!

Happy Birthday With a Cherry On Top

That sentiment, from the A Word for You stamp set on page 165 of the IB&C, goes together perfectly with the cupcake paper that is included in the Sweet Shop Designer Series Paper from the Occasions Mini. I have a few birthdays coming up in the next couple of months and happened to get a headstart on the cards I will be needing. This particular cards is all about the cupcakes: cupcake paper, a cupcake made using the cupcake builder punch and the cupcake brad to match (Sweet Shop brad assortment). I normally would have a red cherry on top, but this paper shows a Calypso Coral cherry, so I followed suit when adding the cherry on the punched cupcake. I embossed the frosting and scored the "cake" and added some Crystal Effects on the cherry. Now, if only I had a real cupcake! Have a great day and find yourself a little stampin' time!

My Scrapbooking. . .

. . .has really fallen behind. I have decided that for the next couple of weeks I will be focusing on my scrapbook pages. Both of today's two-page layouts use papers from the Sale-a-bration Everyday Enchantment DSP. I used 2 inch squares of DSP, butting up one next to another in an alternating on Calypso Coral cardstock. The DSP blended so well into the Calypso Coral cardstock, that I added a Very Vanilla border using the Scalloped Border Trim punch to add a little pop to the pages. The bottom borders on the Pool Party pages were made using rectangles. I evenly spaced 1"x 3" rectangles along the bottom edge of the cardstock and then added 1 1/2" x 3" rectangles on top of that. Once again I felt as though the DSP rectangles blended a little too well into the cardstock. I took care of that by adding a Lucky Limeade strip layered with a decorative border created with Pool Party cardstock and the Dotted Scallop Ribbon border punch. To finish off the Pool Party pages, I added a quick and easy decorative border across the tops. I see circles and triangles in future scrapbook layouts! Enjoy the weekend!

Using Leftovers

Every so often I sort thru all of my scraps and leftovers and either save or pitch. I sort by categories: scraps that are just too small to keep (trash); pieces of cardstock that will come in handy in the future (filed in my "scrap drawer"); pieces of DSP that need to go back into the proper package; and last but not least, card layers that I have made mistakes on but can be used for something other than orignally planned. Yesterday I spent some time sorting accumulated leftovers. Once the chore was completed, I made today's card using pieces from the above categories. The previously textured Crumb Cake layer had rounded corners on one edge but the other edge was embellished with unwanted ink. So I trimmed off that edge, adhered the layer to a black card base and rounded the corners of the card base. The Crumb Cake layer was way short, so I just pulled out a couple strips of DSP to fill in that space on the left side of the card front. I rounded the corners of a previously stamped piece of Crumb Cake (don't know why I didn't use it), layered it on a black layer with rounded corners and centered it on the card front. Now all of the corners on the right edge of the card have rounded corners. I stamped a matching Crumb Cake layer and embellished it strips of DSP for the inside of the card and I now have a great card for a graduation or a promotion or a retirement. To finish it off, this card gets a coordinating envelope. Leftovers are a good thing!

Simple and ...

..pretty is how I would describe the "celebrate" card to the left. The color combination of Daffodil Delight, Lucky Limeade and White is striking, but for me this card is all about the ribbon/bow. I only hope it doesn't get too smashed when the card is put into an envelope. The Calypso Coral card is all about the presents. Use of Designer Series Paper for the presents and the Blossom Bouquet triple layer punch for the bows is what gives such a festive feel to the Happy Birthday card. Both cards took very little time to make and are appopriate for either gender. So grab your favorite colors and favorite DSP and create your own versions of these cards. Have a great day and find yourself a little stampin' time!

Fun & Fast

A friend of mine showed me the invite she made for her grandson's 1st birthday party--the theme being circles. The invites were very cute. In fact, so cute that I kept the idea of using circles as a focal point on a card in the back of my mind. Yesterday I decided to play with the circle theme and this is the playful card I created. The bright circles of varying sizes set against the white is very "fun". Punching the circles, adhering them to the white and embossing that with the Square Lattice folder was "fast". I stamped the sentiment on a little strip of coordinating cardstock, added a brad and adhered with dimensionals. I am looking at the card and thinking that in place of the sentiment banner, how cute it would be to have a birthday cake stamped and brightly colored on a white circle, layered on a larger circle and adhered using dimensionals. So thank you, Nancy for reminding me that something as simple as a circle could have so many creative possibilities!

Happy Spring!

Today is the first day of Spring and we will have another day of summer-like temperatures--85 degrees predicted! We have birds in the bird bath, buds on the trees and our Star Magnolia is in full bloom. It rained a little yesterday, so I ran out to get a photo of the Star Magnolia in our backyard in case it lost its flowers as quickly as it blossomed! Have a wonderful day and enjoy the sights and sounds of Spring.

Less Than Two Weeks Left!

There is still time to take advantage of Sale-a-bration, so if you have your eye on any of the "free" products in the SAB cattie, now is the time to place your order. I used the Elementary Elegance stamp set (page 15 of the SAB cattie) for these two cards, together with my Movers & Shapers die and Curly Label punch. On the full size card, the stamp gives the card a formal look while the gift card has a less formal, but pretty look. The stamp set also coordinates with the Everyday Enchantment DSP, another "free" choice item during SAB. I can see this stamped frame on a Mother's Day card, a card I will create and post within the next few days. Don't let SAB slip by. Get out your Stampin' Up Wish List and place your order before March 31st to take advantage of Sale-a-bration. Have a great day!

Cricut Sunday

Another beautiful day here, but since it was Cricut Sunday we did spend part of the day downstairs rather than enjoying the sunshine. It was quite funny to see the ladies dressed in shorts, capris, tank tops and sandals. We should be in the midst of a cold and snowy Chicago winter and we were all dressed for summer! Today I was in charge of the project and of course my projects had to do with Easter. The gift bag tag was made using the Baby Steps cartridge, while the Easter eggs on the 3x3 gift card were cut from the Art Philosophy cartridge. Have I mentioned how much I like the Art Philosophy cartridge? It truly is one of my favorite Cricut cartridges. And today's food was delicious, prepared by Kathy--Italian sausage and a chopped salad. Both were extremely yummy and the cookies Kathy baked completed our little Cricut "snack"! Speaking of food, time for me to cook dinner. Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Jonquil Inspiration

I have mentioned that our jonquils were popping out of the ground. Well yesterday morning my husband clipped the first of the mini jonquils, put them in this vase and gave them to me. I knew immediately that I was just given my inspiration for today's card. The card measures 6 1/2" x 3 1/4" and fits into the Small Open-End envelopes on page 182 of the cattie. The color combination of Daffodil Delight and Old Olive truly do match the flowers from the garden. (I should have used a little Tangerine Tango, too!) The flower image is from the Love & Sympathy set--an image that is suitable for a variety of occasions. When I purchased this set, it was because of the beautiful sentiment that was included in the set. Little did I know that not only would I be using the flower on Sympathy cards but that it was perfect for Easter cards, Mother's Day cards and so much more. The Daffodil Delight seam binding adds to the airy feel of this particular flower image and the Concord Crush butterflies add a little pop of color. Thank you, John for the pretty inspiration! Have a wonderful day and find yourself a little stampin' time!

A Little Watercoloring

I have posted quite a few cards using the Label Framelits, a favorite new SU product. I have also posted quite a few cards using Poppy Parade, a favorite SU color that will be retiring soon. This card uses both products together with the new Apothecary Art stamp set (Occasions Mini) which coordinates with the Framelits. I stamped the image using Black Stazon on watercolor paper and started coloring the flowers using Tangerine Tango and my aqua painter. To add a slight contrast to the flowers, I colored a few flowers using Poppy Parade ink with the aqua painter. Pear Pizzazz for the leaves and ribbon and it was perfect. Not really! There was one little area on the lower left side of the image where I went over the line! But not to worry --a little Poppy Parade butterfly is hovering over that--lol! I am truly going to miss Poppy Parade, so I am stocking up on the cardstock. But I am sure that when the new In colors appear, I will find that at least one or two will become my new favorite(s)! Have a wonderful day!

Is It Summer?

I know it isn't, but today's newspaper is calling for a high of 80 degrees! Yesterday's high was about 75--yeah! I had the patio doors open, listened to the birds singing and cooked chicken on the grill. This beautiful weather is inspiring my creativity too, as you can see from today's card. I used Tangerine Tango, which combined with the crispness of the white card base, flowers, butterflies and the touches of Pear Pizzazz, definitely says "summer". It is bright and cheerful and will make someone very happy--everything a pretty summer day will do for you. Enjoy this beautiful day!

Cricut Eggs

Another take on the sucker favors, I used my Cricut machine and the Art Philosophy cartridge for this version of the favors. I will say that these favors took a heck of a lot more time than the sucker favors in an earlier post. While those were made using embossed cardstock, these favors are made of cardstock that has been layered with some Easter paper. That was quick and easy enough and the favors were cute. But once I saw the eggs on the AP cartridge, I just had to take the favors one step further. The eggs were cut at 1 1/2", as were the decorative layer. Due to the little cuts on the decorative layer, I did have to use my paper piercer, but the final product is very cute and worth the extra time and effort. Hope you have a wonderful day!

Side View of Side Step Card

I received a couple, "What's a side step card?" So here is a photo of the side of the card. Hope this helps and hope you are havin' a wonderful day!

A Side-Step Card

I went down to my scraproom with a specific project in mind and actually completed the project without getting side-tracked! And here it is~~a side-step card! What started out as an Easter card rather quickly turned into a Mother's Day card. For a first attempt, it looks pretty good, but I can already see three-dimensional flowers and butterflies on the "steps". The color combination of Wisteria Wonder and Certainly Celery creates a gentle feel--just like a mom. I used a heart framelit and the Fashionable Hearts embosslit which is in the Occasions Mini together with a few stamp sets for the sentiments. I will definitely be including a side-step card in a future class. Have a wonderful day!

I am sharing two cards I created using the soon-to-be available Bright Blossoms set and one of the papers included in the new Summer Smooches DSP. The color combination of red and black is striking, plus it enhances the modern/contemporary feel of the stamp set. And thanks to the Simply Scored Diagonal Plate, I have a great way to use up my retired DSP~~make envelopes that coordinate with my cards! Now I will say that making envies using DSP can get a little on the expensive side, but look how cute the white with black polka dot envie coordinates with the 3x3 gift card. It is perfect! And that paper was just one of many sheets taking up room on my shelf. Speaking of perfect, we are having perfect weather here in the Chicago area. It is going to be around 60 plus degrees for the next several days and even a possible 70 degree day or two. So instead of finding yourself a little stampin' time, I hope that you can find yourself a little outdoor time this weekend! Enjoy.

Simply Scored Diagonal Plate Video

I wanted to share this "how to" video. I am having fun with this diagonal plate and the envelopes I now make. (And I wanted to see if I could embed this video into my blog--lol!!) I am wishing myself good luck on this one!!!

Petite Purse

Isn't this the cutest little purse? As a demonstrator for SU, I was able to preorder SU's newest addition to the Big Shot die collection~~the Petite Purse die. The UPS man dropped my order on the front porch and before he was back in the truck I had the die in my hand. I ran down to my scraproom and since the Twitterpated DSP was on my island that is what I used it for my first little purse. What a perfect favor at a wedding shower or tea party! Inside I have three Hershey nuggets and a little raffia with room for another nugget. It will easily hold 6 or 7 kisses. It is not big enough for a gift card, but how cute would this be as a money holder? I know for a fact that my granddaughter would love it~~if it was pink that is! This die will be in the new catalog which debuts on June 1st, but will be available for purchase on April 1st. Check back for new and improved versions of this purse in the near future. In the meantime, if you have any questions, give me a call. Have a great day!

Springtime Gift

We have been having "Spring" weather here in the Chicago area and we even have a little jonquil sprouting up in the backyard. My project for today is very Spring-like too, using the colors Pretty in Pink, Pink Pirouette and Certainly Celery. The little box on the left holds three 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" cards and envelopes. Once I finished the box, I needed the cards to put in the box. So the cards on the right are what I came up with. This is a perfect hostess gift or Mother's Day gift and once I decide what I am going to use it for, I will then add a stamped sentiment in a scalloped oval on the front lower left side of the box. This is a project we will be doing at a class on April 14th--so mark your calendars now. Have a wonderful day and find yourself a little stampin' time.

Delightful Dozen Stamp Set

I am so into the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set that I sometimes overlook the Delightful Dozen stamp set (pg. 167), which is one of my favorites. The set consists of what else--a dozen stamps-- including birthday, Christmas and Valentine sentiments. With Easter, Mother's Day and Father's Day coming up, this is a set you might want to consider adding to your collection as there are stamps appropriate for each of these holidays, too. The birthday greeting on this card was stamped twice on Very Vanilla, first in Soft Suede and then in Marina Mist. In order to have the "Happy Birthday" stand out, I cut out just the "Happy Birthday" section of the Marina Mist image and used dimensionals to adhere it over the Soft Suede "Happy Birthday". You can highlight any portion of your stamped words or images using this technique. For example, stamp pretty flowers in light pink and then stamp again in Wisteria Wonder. Cut out one of the Wisteria flowers or punch it out using a coordinating punch or circle punch and adhere that single flower over a pink one. You have added interest and a little dimension to your project. Go ahead and try this highlighting technique on your next card. In the meantime, I hope you have a great day!

A Sunny Feel

I had a great weekend and now I have a few thank you cards to make and send. After the UPS man left my package today, I got to work on the cards. I really wanted to share this one with you before I send it out. The embossed pattern on the lower portion of the card was made using the diagonal scoring plate which sits on top of SU's Simply Scored Scoring Tool. The diagonal scoring plate can also be used for making a variety of sizes of envelopes, a topic for another post. The ladies at Saturday's class were able to use the diagonal scoring plate. And thanks to my friend, Nikki, we found out at class on Saturday that the new SU diagonal scoring plate does work with the Martha Stewart score board--lol! If you are wondering what stamp set I used, it is Bright Blossoms, a set that will be in the new SU catalog which begins June 1st. The "thanks" is from Fabulous Phrases and stamped sideways because I didn't center the image properly and I needed to fill in the space to the left of the vase. Between the stamp and the Daffodil Delight brads, I think it looks just fine and adds interest to the card. But the best part of the card--in my opinion--the new Daffodil Delight seam binding! Another product that will be available come June 1st, it is bright and pretty and soft--all at the same time. Daffodil Delight and Night of Navy is a very striking color combination which I should use more often. Off to play a little more with my new "stuff".

Small Wonder

Today's card was made for a special little baby and her family. Emily, born prematurely at 20 something weeks, is now 7 weeks old. This precious little girl has a long road ahead of her but she has doubled her birth weight and is doing well. A retired stamp set (Whimsical Words) had the perfect greeting--Small Wonder. I also used retired paper and Regal Rose cardstock and ink. Normally when I make a Top Note quilt card, I do not ink the edges of each little square. Since all of the squares are one color, I could see white edging on some of them and was not happy with that look. So before adhering the squares to the cardstock I quickly sponged the edges of each square. A pretty pink ribbon and the scallop oval punch were the perfect embellishments. We all look forward to watching this pretty little "Small Wonder" as she continues to grow and develop. Have a great day and find yourself a little stampin' time!

Sucker Treats Dimensions!

I posted the dimensions for the original sucker favor I made. The original favor bulged a little, so I remade the favor. The dimensions I used and would use again are as follows: cardstock is 2 x 5 scored at 2 1/4 and 2 3/4.

Sucker Treats

While looking for pastel Skittles, I came across cute little Easter suckers at Target. I purchased the suckers as I thought they would be cute additions to the carrot favors we are making tomorrow. In addition to that, I thought the suckers would be cute if they just had little ribbons tied around the stick.

Once I took the suckers out of the bag I noticed that the wrappers on each have black writing (expiration date) on the back--as you can see in the photo on the right. I did not like that look so decided to make a little cover for the sucker. Aren't the favors too cute? I started with a 2 x 5 inch piece of cardstock, scored at 2 1/4 and 2 3/4. I used SU's Polka Dots embossing folder, the Tagtastic stamp set (hostess set), Teeny Tiny Wishes and ribbon to match. Now that I have the measurements, these will be quick and easy to make for just about any occasion--Easter, birthday, baby shower or just because you want to tell someone "I Am A Sucker For You" (kind of like the "I have a Crush on you" tag I typed on my computer)! Have a wonderful day!

Happy Day To You!

There are times when I need two birthday cards or two Easter cards for special people but I do not want to send the same card to both. By using the same tools but different colors and different layouts, I am able to create one of a kind cards for each person. In today's post I have included two quick and easy cards using the same products: Sweet Shop DSP (Occasions Mini), the Simply Scored scoring tool to add dimension, label Framelits and the same sentiment from the Friendly Phrases stamp set in the IB&C. The sentiment on the Calypso Coral card to the right shows through the open space left when I die cut the card front. The sentiment on the Wisteria Wonder card was stamped directly on a label which was adhered to the card. Horizontal scoring lines on one card; vertical scoring lines on the other. Twine or ribbon? Brads or not? Little things can make a big difference. So when you are making a card, why not make two? Not only do you have two one-of-a-kind cards, but you have made good use of SU items you purchased in the past. Happy day to you!