Serene Silhouettes and butterflies

I made this card last night with a few of my new stamp sets.  I started with my Serene Silhouette stamp set.  I colored the flower with my Stampin' Write markers - for the flowers I used Baja Breeze and Not Quite Navy.  For the grass/stems I used Pear Pizzazz and Garden Green.  I got both of those color combinations from my Stampin' Coach - love that thing!!!!

So....for the rest of the card.  I started with a 4 1/4 X 5 1/2" base and laid a piece of the new Natural Composition specialty DSP across the base.  This paper is so thick and has pre-embossed images - very glossy!  It's gorgeous and great heavy paper!

I added some retired Baja Breeze satin ribbon and tied it in a knot to the side. 

Next, I made 2 more bases - a 3 3/4 X 3 1/4" base that I stamped with En Francais in Soft Suede.  I sponged that base with not Quite Navy.

Then, the 3 1/2 X 3" base that I used for the flower image.  I sponged that with Not Quite Navy.

For the accents, I just used the leftover pieces of cardstock! 

Did I mention that I LOVE the new butterfly punch?!  It's a good thing I'm already married....otherwise, I might propose to it!  ;)  Just kidding!!!!

Stamps:  Papillion Poutpourri, En Francais, Petite Pairs, Serene Silhouettes

Ink:  Soft Suede, Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy, Pear Pizzazz, Garden Green

Paper:  Crumb Cake, Natural Composition specialty DSP

Accessories:  Basic Pearls, Butterfly punch, Apothecary Accents framelits, Baja Breeze satin ribbon (retired)

I just couldn't wake up!

Mommy Confession.....

On Easter morning this year I didn't watch my daughter rip through her or her brother's Easter baskets.  (Yes, she opened both!)  Our baby was only about 2-3 weeks old at the time and so I was getting very little sleep.  Needless to say....I couldn't wake up!   And what do I have to show for it.....not so great pictures!  So, these are pretty much the only pics I have of my dear daughter on Easter morning...but that's okay!  I got some sleep and we're all still happy!

So, on to the page.  I have been using up the retired Simply Scrappin' kit from the spring mini catalogue.  It was full of great colors - especially for Easter pictures!  On the Melon Mambo piece, I stamped the Distressed Dots background stamp all over the top. 

I cut two more doilies from the Flirtatiouse DSP (retired) and used some of the Flirtatious material to make a little tiny flower center and pennants under the doily.

Stamps:  Distressed Dots, Springtime Wishes

Ink:  Melon Mambo, Basic Grey

Paper:  Melon mambo, Basic Grey, Pear Pizzazz, Flirtatious DSP (retired), Simply Scrappin' DSP (retired)

Accessories:  Flirtatious material, Simply Scrappin' stickers (retired)

Pinwheels on parade

All my friends who know me know I am a scrapper first and a card maker second.  So last night I went to town using a few of my Simply Scrappin' kits!  I must say that I love these kits because you can literally just use what's in the kits and not add anything else and turn out with a pretty decent page!  I only added a few embellishemnts to this page!

Here you can see one of the pinwheels.  To create this effect, I layered a sticker (red), next sticker (yellow) with dimensionals, sticker (blue), and sticker (red) with stampin' dimensionals.  By the way, I'm in LOVE with the new in-color dahlias!!!!  I am going to have to buy another pack!

Here is a little bit more of  the same - more pinwheels and dahlias.  The photo mat at the top is made with the Top Note die cut.  I cut it once, turned it clockwise lined up with the points, and then ran it back through the Big Shot.  A neat little use for one of my favorite die cuts!

Paper:  Baja Breeze, Pinwheels on Parade DSP

Accessories:  Pinwheels on Parade SS kit, In Color Dahlias

Project Life in the new page protectors

I am happy to report that the dance recital went quite well and our daughter was immensely proud of herself!  She loves dancing and all things girly, so she had a wonderful time last night!

After we got home and put the kids to bed, I made this layout using an old Simply Scrappin' kit and the new page protectors.  I love the ease with which you can create scrapbook pages in this style!  While I can't say that I want to create all of my scrapbooks using this style of pages, I started doing a week in review album called Project Life (idea of Becky Higgins). 

To keep up with it, I have been journaling our daily activities through Cozi, a free app that is very handy!  When I am ready to scrap a particular week, I copy/paste the journaling into a word document that I made to have the size I need for the album - this week I needed 6 X 4" journaling spots.  After printing on Whisper White, I usually use a few strips of scrap paper or stickers to accent these and give them some color.

This 4X4" size is great to include a lot of pictures.  Or here I mixed pictures with little accents for a nice balance.  I did add a few non-SU items (Jolee's Boutique) that I found on clearance in the big box store (HL).  I also added a few Springtime Wishes stamps for accents. 

By the way, did you notice my ribbon on my Easter tag?  It is an additonal scrap of paper that I folded and cut to look like a piece of ribbon!

I hope you'll give these new page protectors a try - these are so easy to use and make scrapbooking such a quick breeze!

Stamps:  Springtime Wishes

Ink:  Basic Grey

Paper:  Certainly Celery, Whisper White, retired Simply Scrappin' DSP

Accessories:  Retired Simply Scrappin' stickers, stickers (Jolee's Boutique)

Our first dance recital

Tonight is our first recital, so since we had a t-ball game this morning, I figured it was pointless to try and roll my daughter's hair with curlers before a hot, sweaty game!  We did it this afternoon....we'll see how that goes!  ;)

Here she was at practice last night - all frilled up in her tutu and leotard!

And here is a card we are going to give to her dance instructor.  The sentiment is another one from the One in a Million stamp set....I think I like that one!

The flowers that are stamped came from the Decorate a Daisy stamp set - In added some tissue paper flowers in between the layers to fancy it up a bit.

To make these flowers, I just simply took a piece of old tissue paper (the kind you don't want to reuse!) and punched out 8-10 flowers with my blossom punch.  I stuck a brad through the stamped image and the rest of the flowers to hold them together.  I attached them with a Stampin' Dimensional.

Easy peasy!

Stamps:  Decorate a Daisy, One in a Million

Ink:  Pool Party, Basic Grey

Paper:  Pool Party, Basic Grey, Whisper White

Accessories:  Glimmer Brads neutrals, vintage wallpaper embossing folder, pool party baker's twine, pool party ruffled ribbon, blossom punch

My pony's got talent....and a card!

My husband sent me this picture of my daughter.  I'm home taking care of the baby, so here is my daughter at Icthus (a huge music festival in Kentucky) with him.  I was asking how she was doing.....she was playing My Pony's Got Talent.  According to him it was more talk than talent....but I know her well enough to know she can put on quite a show all by herself!  She's a creative one, that girl!

So, since she's one in a million, what more appropriate card to share than this one?!

I took a design made by Becky over at Inking Idaho and switched it up a bit to make this card.  I was quite pleased with the results - since it's birthday season, it won't last long around here!

I used the Patio Party DSP for this card. It pairs perfectly with the Make a Cake stamp set.   To create the cake, I stamped the cake once in Midnight Muse and then again on 3 separate pieces of DSP.  I cut each part of cake out and adhered them with Stampin' Dimensionals.  I finished it off with the birthday sentiment from One in a Million.

Stamps:  Make a Cake, One in a Million

Ink:  Midnight Muse

Paper:  Whisper White, Midnight Muse, Patio Party DSP

Accessories:  Baja Breeze satin ribbon (retired), 2 3/8" scallop circle and 1 3/4" circle punches, Delicate Designs embossing folders

One in a Million shaped card

I took a few moments to create this lovely shaped card yesterday.  When I say a few moments....I mean it!   The thing that took the most time was tying my bow.   I had it tied perfectly....and then I decided I wanted it to go the other way.....stupid mistake!  I'm sure you've never done that.  I don't know why I ever decide that.  Once I untie the perfect bow, I usually have to retie it 20 times to get it to look halfway decent again!

Anyway, I digress.....I made this using the Oval Accents Clear Bigz die in the new catalogue.  Basically I took a card base and ran it through the Big Shot....I just didn't put the folded edge all the way to the top of the die - I left it about a centimeter below where the top of the die is.  When you do that, it leaves the crease and creates a shaped card!

After that I stamped the Distressed Dots background stamp in Midnight Muse on the card. 

Next, I cut a piece of Daffodil Delight DSP with the Apothecary Accents framelit and sponged the edges with Midnight Muse. 

I stamped the sentiment from One in a Million on the front and used some scraps to stamp these butterflies and punch them out. 

See?  It really was that easy (minus my imperfect bow!)

Stamps:  Distressed Dots, One in a Million, Papillion Potpourri

Ink:  Midnight Muse

Paper:  Daffodil Delight, Daffodil Delight DSP, Old Olive

Accessories:  Oval Accents die cut, Apothecary Accents framelit, Old Olive satin ribbon, butterfly punch

Baby - 1 in a Million set

Our youth minister and his wife just had a baby girl, so I thought the sweet little lamb in the Storybook Friends stamp set and the baby stamp from the One in a Million stamp set were a perfect match for a card. 

I found the sketch for this card at the Creating Pretty Card Challenge #12.  I originally was going to go with the banners, but when I was almost finished I realized I needed the word baby on there, so I put it in the place of the banners!  I was very pleased with the final result of the card.  I just hope they like it, too!  :)

Stamps:  Storybook Friends, One in a Million

Ink:  Basic Black, Pear Pizzazz

Paper:  Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz, Whisper White, Nursery Nest DSP (retired)

Accessories: 1 3/4" circle and 2 3/8" scallop circle punches



A Father's Day present

Here is my dear husband and our two little munchkins on Father's Day.  My daughter wanted to make her daddy a present for the special occasion. 
Side note:  She filled it with m&m's....of course, he had to share when he opened his present....hmmmmm.....was that really for daddy?!  ;)

This is actually an old American Crafts container that originally held snowflakes.  I think old containers like this make great little present holders- I really don't ever buy gift bags anymore - it's just as easy to reuse or upcycle other things!

My daughter helped make this - she picked the paper and helped tape it onto the container.  She also sprayed the chipboard letters with some barnwood colored spray (non-SU).  For the background, we used the new Apothecary Accents framelits and a fun new technique.  This is the shaving cream technique - she was in the mood to get messy, so we had lots of fun with this one!

To make this background:

1.  Fill a plate or platter with shaving cream and spread it so it is flat.

2.  Drop little droplets of re-inker randomly around the surface of the shaving cream.  (Here I used Sahara Sand and Real Red)

3.  Take a popsicle stick and swirl the re-inker spots as desired.

4.  Dip the selected paper into the shaving cream.

5.  Set on a craft mat or wax paper and blot with paper towel until no shaving cream remains.

6.  Repeat as desired and allow to dry.

And here she is with her finished product - she selected the ribbon and button at the top also (I did all the hot glue gun work, though!)

So clean and simple a 5 year old can do it!!

I was having fun with the Betsy's Blossoms stamp set.  I wanted to change up the original design and make it a little different.  I stamped my image first and it went crooked, so what did I do?  Strategically decided a white on white banner was needed in that very spot!!!  I kind of like the effect!

I fussy cut around the little blooms - time consuming, but very delicate in the end!   I still really like this card - it is very simple, yet very powerful.

In fact, I liked the card so much I decided treat bags would go perfectly with the card!  Look how easy these are!  A 3 1/2 X 5" cello bag with a topper.  The topper is 4 X 3 3/4".  I used all of the same materials for this - I just added some yummy coconut m & m's.  If you haven't gotten your hands on some of those.....what are you waiting for?  They are a perfect summer treat!  Then again, chocolate is a perfect treat any day!!!  ;)

Stamps:  Betsy's Blossoms, Delightful Dozen

Ink:  Primrose Petal, Baja Breeze

Paper:  Whisper White

Accessories:  Heart embossing folder, 1 1/4" circle punch, basic rhinestones

Just in case you were wondering....this card is so easy my 5 year old daughter can make it!  This is her version of the card!  Didn't she do a fabulous job?!

Open House Make -n-Take and More!

If you are interested, I am having an open house this Saturday from 1-5 (club members get to come early at noon!  This is my annual new catalogue open house where I hand out catalogues, sell retired stamp sets, punches, and die cuts and invite people to sign up for classes and clubs for the next year.  If you live in the Somerset, Kentucky area and are interested in coming, you need to let me know!  For every $10 you spend on my retired products you get $5 to spend on new products from the new catalogue!!!!  How fun is that?! 

 

So, anyway, here is one of the card I am going to use as a make - n- take for my guests.  This packs plenty of punch while not being too difficult for beginning stampers!    You get to stamp with ink, use punches, and even play with the Big Shot!

Here is the same card with a slight variation.

Just for fun, I made a little purse to hold my cards if I want to give it as a gift....or maybe even a door prize! 

By the way, if you bring a friend, you AND your friend get an extra chance at the door prize! 

And here is a peek at what the whole ensemble looks like together - now don't you love the embossed envelope?  How easy is that - and a great look for a plain envelope!

Stamps:  Betsy's Blossoms, Delightful Dozen

Ink:  Pool Party, Tangerine Tango, Primrose Petal

Paper:  Primrose Petal, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White, Floral District DSP

Accessories:  Basic Rhinestones, 1 1/4", 1 3/4" circle punches, 2 3/8" scallop circle punch, Daffodil Delight stitched grosgrain ribbon.

Original project idea came from Craft Project Central - I cased the card and box and took the idea from there!

Happy Stampin' Up New Year!

Happy Stampin' Up New Year everyone!  It is time for a brand new catalogue year with Stampin' Up!  How exciting is that?

Probably more exciting than this dreadfully slow internet connection I have at my hotel right now!  ;)

For that reason, I will have to refrain from posting the catalogue until I get home. 

I do have some exciting news for hostesses and new recruits to share!

During June and July, hostesses who hold a minimum $450 workshop will receive an additional $50 in hostess FREE merchandise dollars--that's in addition to the $65 they already receive for a $450 workshop!

Things to Remember

• Customer, demonstrator, and workshop orders qualify for this promotion. Online orders are NOT eligible.
• Orders must total $450 or more (excluding tax and shipping) to qualify.
• Hostesses may use their additional hostess free merchandise on any regular catalog/mini catalog merchandise. However, hostess dollars cannot be applied to 50 percent-off items.
• Orders larger than $450 are not eligible for additional hostess free merchandise dollars. For example, a $900 order will not receive an additional $100 in hostess free merchandise dollars.

During June, new demonstrators not only get to choose the products for their fully customizable Starter Kit, they'll also get products from the brand-new Patio Party Suite for FREE, including the Make a Cake Set, Patio Party Designer Series Paper, and the Patio Party Digital Collection DVD! That's up to $48 in additional FREE products!

Things to Remember

• Demonstrators who use paper IDAs will need to indicate on their order form whether they want the wood- or clear-mount Make a Cake Set.
• New demonstrators who join Stampin' Up! during this period are still eligible for any programs available to a new recruit, including, but not limited to, the Extra 10% Instant Income offer and Stampin' Start.
• The stamp set, Designer Series Paper, and DVD will be shipped with the new demonstrator's Starter Kit order.