Cute and Simple

You have seen examples of  "clean and simple" cards.  Today's cards are "cute and simple".  Not only do the cards have clean lines, white space and minimal
embellishments, they are cute!  The Crumb Cake and Cherry Cobbler card is really cute and would be perfect to give to that someone you love for a special day or for no reason.  (Even a perfect little Valentine!) The birthday card was stamped in Early Espresso so as to match the Espresso Baker's Twine. My plan is to make a set of these cards using various sentiments from the Express Yourself  hostess stamp set together with smaller images from a variety of stamp sets. Each card would be stamped and wrapped with matching Baker's Twine and then packaged for gift-giving. I am thinking about a drop-in workshop:  6 cards for $10.  I would provide precut cardstock, ink, twine, envelopes (enough to create a group of cards of this design or similar) and a cellophane bag and ribbon for packaging the set of cards.  You would need to bring your adhesive and scissors. I am wondering if there would be much interest in doing this? If yes, let me know and I will plan it.  Have a good day and a great week!

Not My Idea...

...but I think these cards are really cute!  A number of top Stampin' Up demonstrators were invited to attend the Founder's Circle trip.  They made and posted a couple of cards and I thought they were so cute, that I had to copy!  How much easier can it be?  Adhere strips of washi tape to a card base of your choice, add a stamped banner and a little button with a bow and there is a perfect card!  The white card includes Gingham Garden washi tape from Stampin' Up and pink polka dot tape that is not SU.  The pink button was on my counter~~and I know that is not SU either.  Everything on the Crumb Cake card is SU including Epic Day and Halloween washi tape and a retired button.  The sentiments are from the hostess set, Express Yourself.  Have a great weekend and enjoy the Autumn air! 

Envelope Punch Board

I normally only post once a day.  But tonight when I logged into my SU demonstrator website, there was a notice regarding the Envelope Punch Board that: 

due to  an overwhelmingly positive response to the new Envelope Punch Board,  we have nearly sold through our supply weeks sooner than was anticipated!  We have already taken steps to restock our inventory, but the new supply will not arrive in the Distribution Center until mid-October.

If this is an item that you will want sooner than later, please let me know.  If there is enough interest, I will place an order tomorrow morning trying to keep the shipping to a minimum.  Give me a call or send me an email by 10:00 AM.  The sooner I get the order in, the more likely the chances of getting punch boards from current remaining stock~~but no promises.  The cost of the punch board is $19.95 plus tax and shipping.  Enjoy the rest of your evening.

Bite Me!

Okay, not exactly what I would name a stamp set, but the name is catchy!  This latest release from Stampin' Up is photopolymer, is very cute and includes 10 images. This set will go on my next order, that's for sure!   Have a great day and find yourself a little stampin' time! 

 

A Gift Box

One of our nieces is getting married and her bridal shower is coming up soon.  She lives out of state and although I will not be attending, I wanted to send her a gift card in something more than just a greeting card.   So I altered a Close to My Heart card box which is now personalized and can be used for little trinkets and miscellaneous memorabilia. Once I learned that her wedding colors are purple and fushia, I found that I also had the perfect CTMH paper, too!  It may not be the exact shades of purple and fushia, but hopefully it is close. I used the A Child's Year Cricut cartridge for all of the die cuts, one of my Cricut "go-to" cartridges.   I made a coordinating 3" x 3" card with a matching envelope--thanks to my envelope punch board and leftover paper!   Now I am off to the post office.  Have a great day!

  

Cards To Match

I have been making good use of the new Envelope Punch board.  I decided that I should start making some cards to fit into the variety of envelopes that I made.  Two envelopes (measuring 3-1/4" x 6-1/4") were made for 3" x 6" cards.  There is only one detail that I forgot about:  the minimum height of a mailable envelope is 3-1/2"!  Oh well,  I made good use of the yellow envelope for a birthday card for my brother-in-law which was hand-delivered.  The letters were cut on my Cricut while the balloons are an image from the Sketched Birthdays stamp set.  The red checked envelope was embellished using an image from the Tape It stamp set.  To match the card to the envelope, I could have used the same stamp, but decided to use a scrap of  black and white dotted paper instead.   Making envelopes are quick and easy with the Punch Board.  Making the coordinating card calls for a little more thinking!  Have a great day!

Quick Little Party Favors

Yesterday we celebrated John's birthday. I made favors using individual packs of candy Sixlets and a 4-1/2" x 5-1/2" piece of patterned paper.  Quick and easy to create, wrap the paper around the Sixlets using double-sided tape on the underside of one edge of the paper to make a tube-like wrapper.  Add a little Tombow Multipurpose Liquid Glue along the inside of each end and then roll the ends of the tube in a paper crimper.  I just tied a ribbon around the little package, but you can do so much more using tags or decorative punches.  I also made a Halloween version using black and orange paper and wrapping it in Glitter Tape from Close to My Heart.  We took advantage of the Fall day by sitting outside and playing Ellen Degeneres' game, Head's Up.  It was a riot and so fun!  My ribs still hurt from laughing.  Of course, that's because I am not too good at it~~lol!!!  If you can download the Head's Up app, do so and play it with your friends and/or family. And then, our neighbor/farmer was out picking sweet corn in the field behind us and he brought over a dozen ears of fresh-picked corn! Thank you, Marty!  It was a wonderful, happy day!  Hope today is a wonderful, happy day for you!

A Little Different

This is the last sponged card for a while--really it is!  As usual, I went down to my scrap room to clean and did not clean.  Instead I needed to try one more idea with sponging and stamping in sections.  I have been using pretty & soft or bright & fun colors.  But I decided to try something different~~black ink on red cardstock.  The flower in the center is from Flower Shop and the leaves and pattern are from Summer Silhouettes.  In order to make the grid pattern on this card, I only sponged in one direction, unlike when using two colors.  When everything was stamped in the appropriate sections (according to what was in my mind), I then took a very fine point COPIC pen and a ruler and outlined the sections along the sponging lines.  I first adhered the red to a black card base, but it was just too dark.  So I layered the red on black and adhered that to a white card base.  As I am looking at this, I am wondering how this would look on Crumb Cake.  (I am not doing any more, I am not doing any more--hahah!)  Have a great weekend! 

Card Box

Today's photos are  examples of a card box that you can make using the new Envelope Punch Board.  The spider on the Pumpkin Pie box was cut using my Cricut and the "Boo" was written on a black Chalk Talk tag using the Chalk marker in the Holiday mini. The Crumb Cake box was stamped using the leaf from the Best of Autumn stamp set and one of the images from the Label Love set.  The belly band was created using retired DSP.  These boxes nicely hold 4 cards with envelopes. When I get into the "Christmas spirit", I will create a box with a Christmas theme.  For now, I am just getting into Fall--lol!  There are so many ways to use the Envelope Punch Board that I think I should hold an Envelope Punch Board class!  Have a great day and find yourself a little stampin' time.

Two of My Favorite...

...examples of a sponging technique of which I recently became aware. Believe me when I say that I have attempted numerous colors, stamps, patterns, etc. Many of those were filed away and some were saved to share with you at class, but today's cards are the best in my opinion.  The images on the pink and Crumb Cake card include a retired stamp as the center point plus Postage Due, Flowering Flourishes and Hearts A Flutter.  I should have left well enough alone, but once I added the little hearts from Create  A Cupcake I couldn't take them away! Oh well.  The images on the Pool Party card include a butterfly from Papillon Potpourri, Postage Due and Flowering Flourishes.  At the next class, you will definitely be making one of these cards.  If you have the Postage Due stamp, please bring it.  If not, it is no big deal.   Have a great day!

Sponged Birthday Cards

A couple more sponged cards, these were fun to create. The images on both cards are from the Sketched Birthday stamp set and the "Happy Birthday" is from the Create A Cupcake set. The blue card is a 3x3 gift card and
needless to say, I did make a matching envelope.  I added a little yellow Dazzling Details for the flame.  By the way, the color of the white Dazzling Details can be changed by adding a  reinker.  I had a partially filled bottle of Dazzling Details to which I added a couple of drops of Daffodil Delight reinker.  Have a great day!

Sponging and More Sponging

Happy Monday and to my husband, Happy Birthday! Over the weekend I spent some time experimenting with various sponging techniques.  And actually, I am thinking that the next class will involve sponging.  The first card we will do is this blocked sponging card.  The leaves are from none other than my favorite Autumn set, Gently Falling.  The cute little tree in the center of the card is one of the images in the Best of Autumn set.  The colors I used are Always Artichoke, Cajun Craze and Soft Suede, although you can use a variety of color combinations depending on the theme you have in mind.  I have left enough space around the tree image so that I can add a sentiment later on.   Hope you have a great day!

Feels Like Fall!

Very cool outside (and inside) this morning~~definitely a Fall day!  Today's card includes an image from the Best of Autumn stamp set.  The image was stamped with black Stazon and then colored in using ink pads and a blender pen.  The card lacks a sentiment as I am not yet sure which one I want to use.  The polka dot envelope was created using the Punch Board and miscellaneous scrapbook paper I had in my collection.  On another note, the Magnetic Platforms are back in stock--YEAH!  I will be placing an order this weekend for those who have patiently waited for their magnetic platforms.  Also, new items have been added to the Clearance Rack which you might want to check out.  Those items are while supplies last.  If you want to add a Magnetic Platform, the new Envelope Punch board, or anything SU, let me know by tomorrow evening and I will include it.  Have a great weekend and find yourself a little stampin' time! 

Apple Cider File Folder

With so many choices due to my play date with myself on Tuesday, I wasn't sure what today's post would be until a short time ago!  Since I have posted cards with matching envelopes created using the punch board,  I decided that a very cute Fall favor would be good.  Once again, I must give credit to the Envelope Punch Board for this one~~and the many videos and tutorials out and about on the internet.  I used Crumb Cake cardstock, Cajun Craze DSP and ink and the Truly Grateful stamp set.  (On the file folder tab, I used a retired set but there are a number of sentiments that would work nicely.)  Inside the file folder is a packet of Apple Cider.  One of the nice things about this favor is that it will fit in a envelope and can be mailed.  That being said, extra postage and a "please hand cancel" on the front would be required, but it would be a nice little surprise for someone to receive in their mailbox! This is definitely one of the projects on the October card class agenda!  And since I have a class on Saturday, I better get organized for it.  Have a great day! 

No image on the email

I received my copy of the punch board post, but no picture or link to my blog post.  If you go to my blog at www.stscards.blogspot.com you will be able to see the video.

Envelope Punch Board

After working with the new Envelope Punch Board, I want to share the video SU released showing how the tool works.  The price of this product is $19.95 plus tax and shipping.  If you have any questions, please give me a call or send an email.  Now I hope the video works for you!

A Play Day!

So yesterday my husband was out and I had the entire day to play~~and play, I did.  I had more fun creating things using the envelope punch board.  I made card boxes, file cards, big cards, little cards and more!  I have a table with retired items for sale, including retired DSP.  After a little creating time, I figured out that I could put that retired DSP to good use.  Back into my scrap room the retired DSP came.  Today's card is one of the prettier cards I made.  Measuring 3-1/4" x 5-1/2", it is based on a home décor item I saw online the other day.  That particular item included a dark blue butterfly, black print and a word on it (which I cannot remember).  I chose a Pink Pirouette card base as I had created a pink envelope earlier.  I used the  En Francais background stamp, a butterfly from Papillion Potpourri and a Close to My Heart alphabet stamp set to create the word "dream".  You will be seeing more of my punch board creations over the next couple of weeks.  Considering I didn't see any need for this tool, I sure am glad my fellow SU demonstrators enable me!!  Have a great day and again, keep cool!

Best of Autumn

Yesterday the UPS man dropped off my Stampin' Up order.  Included in that order were three things I needed:  Best of Autumn Stamp Set, the new Another Thank You photopolymer stamp set and the new envelope punch board (which I said I didn't want or need!).  For today's card all three items were used.  Stamped directly on retired Crumb Cake DSP, the leaf image is from the Best of Autumn set.  Inked using the Cajun Craze ink pad and then adding Chocolate Chip using a marker, the image actually has a dimensional look.  The sentiment is from Another Thank You and the acorn from Gently Falling.  After making a matching envelope, I remembered that I should have thought about the direction of the pattern.  But no waste of DSP as I just turned the envelope inside out!  It is going to be a hot and humid day here so I plan on spending a lot of time in the house--playing in my scrap room.  Keep cool and have a great day!

Lisa's Pretty Favor Bags

Back in June, I posted cute little favor bags under the title  "Clothespin Closure".  When the ladies came for card class, I had the bags sitting on the counter.  At that time Lisa was in the midst of getting ready for her mom's surprise birthday party and mentioned that the red, black and white bags would make perfect party favors.  So, she ordered the Modern Medley DSP which she would use to make the clothespin bags.  Yesterday Lisa shared a photo of the bags she created and I think that these bags are so darn pretty!  Lisa used the Modern Medley DSP on black bags and layered red banner flags on either white or black cardstock depending on the paper pattern.  Another creative touch she added to the favors that would be given to the ladies were little flowers and pearls.  These are a WOW!  Thanks for sharing, Lisa.  Have a great day everyone!

Inked Sunburst Card

A few months back we made a sunbust card using DSP.  Today's card is also a sunburst card, but rather than using DSP ink was used for the sunburst.  The sunburst was created using Pool Party ink for the lines and then shaded in with Soft Sky ink.  The Early Espresso layers and stamped image are a nice contrast to the Pool Party and Soft Sky.  And the little bird image (For the Birds stamp set) is just adorable!  Have  a great weekend and find yourself a little stampin' time.

Frosted Scrapbook Layout

During Cricut Sunday last month, I was working on a scrapbooking kit I purchased from my friend, Regina, a Close to My Heart consultant.  Since I didn' t make a card yesterday, I decided to post one of the two-page layouts I made using the paper, cardstock and embellishments that came with that kit.  In the past when I have ordered a CTMH workshop on the go, I didn't need my Cricut.  But the directions for this particular kit included the size, handbook page and shape to be cut.  I did not make it exactly as the directions, but between the colors, the bling and the Cricut cuts, this layout is beautiful.  Once I add the photos of Jen, Syd and Matt, the pages will be perfect!  Hope you have a perfect day!

Another Pretty Plaid

Yesterday was an absolutely gorgeous day here!  The temperature was about 72 under sunny skies.  You could feel Fall in the air~~which is what led to today's post.  After lunch yesterday I went downstairs to play and decided to make a quick card using the Gently Falling stamp set and Sweater Weather DSP.  I inked up the leaf stamp using Crushed Curry ink and then added touches of Tangerine Tango directly to the stamp using the Tangerine marker.  By the way, the leaves were hand cut and in a couple of places I cut off too much of the leaf outline.  To remedy that, I used the Chocolate Chip marker and ran the edge of it around the edge of the cut out leaf filling in those little areas.  There is no sentiment on the card as I am thinking that a sentiment from either the new Best of Autumn stamp set or the new photopolymer stamp set will be perfect on this card, both of which are scheduled to arrive here on Monday.  Have a great day! 

Summer Starfruit. . .

. . .is probably my least liked color in  Stampin' Up's current color palette.   I rarely use it~~although I have used the ribbon on a card or two.  During a conversation with a friend, she mentioned that she liked Summer Starfruit and Smokey Slate.  I told her making  a card using that color combination would be a challenge but that I would come up with something.  It took me an entire afternoon to come up with a "something" I liked, but I did make a card that I will share with her on Sunday.  Last night I was in my scrap room and decided to use Summer Starfruit again.  This time I paired it with Raspberry Ripple and as you can see, it looks pretty good.  The flowers and leaves are from the Secret Garden stamp set and die cut using the coordinating framelits.   The flowers  embellish the frame that was cut using a Labels framelit while the "hello" is from the Four You stamp set.  When you have a little stampin' time, see what you can create using your least favorite color.  In the meantime, have a great day!

Happy Labor Day!

Today is about celebrating the people of the USA who have contributed to the strength, prosperity and well-being of America through hard work.  Both my husband and I grew up in families in which good work ethics and hard work were a way of life.  In turn we passed those things down to our children and grandchildren and we see them doing the same.   As you picnic, party or have a stay-at-home day, enjoy the celebration of you.  And to our service men and women, thank you for your contribution to the strength and well-being of our USA.  Today's card is a "My Hero" card which I will send to Operation Write Home.  In turn they will send it to a person serving our country to let her or him know they are appreciated.  Happy Labor Day!