April Scrapbook Pages

I really love the way the pages for this month turned out!  I used the Everything Eleanor stamp set to create these pages and they were really just absolutely perfect for this album!  I cut borders using the Border Trim die cut and my Big Shot.  The rest of the page was literally stamped and fussy cut with scissors!

Well, I guess I did use the 2 3/8” scallop circle punch for the journaling spot.

Just look at how lovely those flowers look in Cajun Craze and More Mustard!  They fit perfectly on that flourish.

And here is the finished project altogether.  Tada!

Stamps:  Everything Eleanor

Ink:  Midnight Muse, More Mustard, Cajun Craze

Paper:  Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Pool Party

Accessories:  Border Trim diecut, 2 3/8” scallop circle punch

Special Delivery

I made this card recently for our club meeting.  This card packs a powerful punch without taking a huge amount of effort to make it look good! 

The two hardest steps to this card were coloring the airplane stamp with markers and cutting out the Pool Party arrow.  I think I can handle that!!

Remember, these Sent with Love stamps and designer series papers are only available through the end of the month!

Stamps:  Sent With Love

Ink:  Real Red, Calypso Coral, Pool Party, Island Indigo

Paper:  Island Indigo, Whisper White, Sent with Love DSP

Accessories:  Pool Party button (SAB), Calypso Coral Baker’s Twine

April Showers bring May Flowers!

So, I’m gonna’ be honest, no April showers were required to make this darling little project!  But a significant amount of chocolate was consumed in checking the consistency of the project!    Just kidding!

Look how sweet and easy peasy this project is!  Only 3 ingredients – chocolate (LOVE!), paper, and the blossom punch!!

I punched 3 blossom punches for this – one in Pink Pirouette, one in Regal Rose, and one in Certainly Celery.  I just cut two petals out of the Celery flower to use as leaves. 

Are these not just great little thank yous for the end of the year!?  Only 19 school days left!!!  Yippee!!!!

Paper:  Pink Pirouette, Certainly Celery, Regal Rose DSP

Accessories:  Blossom punch

Guest Designer: Carol Manning–Best of Butterflies

Carol, my lovely downline, has shared some gorgeous cards with us today.  Well, actually, she sent these to me the other day, but it has been a bit of a whirlwind week!  So, without further adue, here are some outstanding butterfly cards!

Carol has this to say about her cards:

I used Melon Mambo and Rose Red card stock.  My ink color were Melon Mambo, Rose Red, River Rock and Not Quite Navy.  I was inspired by some that I saw on the internet but changed them a bit.   I am into making my own dsp after I purchased some  1 Sheet Wonder tutorials.  I used the color coach to determine the colors.  Hope you like them.

Carol has been busy making some beautiful cards as you can see!  I just bought this stamp set and can’t wait to try it out!  I love the butterfly embossing holder behind the image, too!

Oh, look at this ribbon on here!  I evidently have missed this ribbon in the catalogue – isn’t it gorgeous!  I love the layered butterflies and the sentiment, too!

I love how these butterfly images look all together in this color scheme – Carol has definitely inspired me to go play – I think I will break open this stamp set tonight!

I saved this card for last because I love how the butterflies pop off the page – it makes them look so realistic – not to mention the images are so realistic looking!

Thanks, Carol!  Sometimes I think Carol inspires me more than I could ever inspire her! 

Paper Pumpkin: My Creativity Carriage, My Way

Don’t forget FREE SHIPPING on everything until Monday night!

Here are the pictures of the cards I made using my first Paper Pumpkin kit.  Let me start by saying that these cards were inspired by Ilina Crouse, another demonstrator.

Okay, so this is the basic card suggested in the instructions in the Paper Pumpkin kit.  Very simple to follow.  Very basic – and a cute card!  Not too girly, I think this is actually a great guy card!

Again, everything you need is in the kit – Basic Grey ink, the two stamps (which I absolutely LOVE, by the way!!!), Enough stickers, cards, yellow dotted mats and buttons for the cards, and you also get a clear block that will fit the stamps.  The only thing I provided for this card was adhesive!

Now, because I like to be different….here is the same card – I just moved stickers and placement of the stamps.  I did add a tiny bit of Baker’s Twine, also.

Did I mention that the Basic Grey cards are white on the inside?  I love that!  No need to add a mat or find a white gel pen for these cards!

And what fun would it be if we didn’t try to do the same card in a landscape version?  I kind of like this sideways look!

And, for baker’s twine lovers…here is the card for you!  I wrapped it around the dotted mat piece BEFORE adhering it to the card.

So, as you can see, these are no nonsense cards that ANYONE can make!  This is just my opinion, but as a busy working mom and wife with two children, this Paper Pumpkin kit lived up to my expectations. 

The creativity coach arrived on my doorstep with simple instructions that were easy to follow, I have the creative freedom to let myself stay within the boundaries of those instructions or I can let that creativity coach take me away into stamping blissdom!  When those heavenly moments start becoming few and far between, this little creativity coach provided me with a refreshing 30 minutes of me time that I can eventually share with others! 

So, what are you waiting for?  Get signed up today!

Get your Paper Pumpkin today!

A simple card and Free Shipping this weekend!

Yippee!!! FREE SHIPPING on everything until Monday!
Shop here and enter code W9N96BZZ to get a chance to win $15 in free product!
http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/valeriedurham/

I had a few of these Daffodil Delight card bases left from the other day, so I stuck with the Daffodil Delight, Marina Mist, and Not Quite Navy color combo for this card. 

I stamped the flourish from the Everything Eleanor stamp set in Marina Mist.  The Thank You stamp comes from the Wishes Your Way stamp set and is stamped in Not Quite Navy.

Finally, I took a sponge dauber and sponged Not Quite Navy on the flower trim to add the cluster of flowers on the flourish. 

Quite simple, yet it makes a statement.

Stamps:  Everything Eleanor, Wishes Your Way

Ink:  Marina Mist, Not Quite Navy

Paper:  Daffodil Delight

Accessories:  Vanilla Flower Trim

Paper Pumpkin Try it Kit AND Color Refresh!

I got a chance to play with my Paper Pumpkin Try it Kit last night.  I am telling you what – I just adore the Paper Pumpkin kits so far!  They are perfectly easy to put together and just right to make it your own creative little project!

So, when you get your kit – this is the project you will make – a small journal that is just the perfect size for putting in your purse to jot down notes, grocery lists, funny little things that the kids say….whatever you would like.

Everything you need is in the kit – literally!  Even the instructions to make it look like this.

And just because I think it is interesting to note – this is the inside of the journal – it is small grid paper, so you could also use it for a sketch journal!

Now, the kit came with a brand new block, an Island Indigo ink spot, two stamps, two long pieces of Summer Starfruit baker’s twine, and 12 tiny butterfly stickers (LOVE THESE!).

By the way, you can order this Try It Kit and get FREE SHIPPING!!!! Saturday, April 6 – Monday, April 8.  Just go to my online store and enter hostess code W9N96BZZ

There is NO minimum order!  Plus, if you order $50 or more, I will send you a free tutorial to make 5 cards and a gift box using the Oh, Hello stamp set!

Now, I like to take what I have and let the inspiration flow, so this is the result of my own take on the journal with what I had on my desk.  I mostly used the kit, I just added the main image stamp from Million Dollar Moments and let the butterflies float above her hand.  I colored the main image with Gumball Green and Island Indigo.

Now, I couldn’t let those butterflies go to waste….so I saw a similar idea on Pinterest that inspired me to make these cards using some scraps on my desk.  The stamps on these cards are from the first Paper Pumpkin kit I received in the mail.  (I’ll show you that in my next post).

 

In the meantime, I’ll leave you with a little Color Refresh!  I love the new Color Refresh – I think it is invigorating and, as Carrie Cudney says, it exudes energy!  It’s an exciting time to be a Stampin’ Up demonstrator!

What does this mean for you?  If you want any of those discontinued colors, you had better grab them fast!  I  I predict many of the consumables (ribbons, buttons, etc.) will sell out before the new catalogue arrives!

Might as well get it when there’s free shipping!!!!   

Guest Designer: Jenny West

I nearly missed all of this awesomeness by Jenny West!  She and her sister, Carol Manning design gorgeous cards. 

I love all of the flowers and bright colors on these cards!

This satisfies every need for my butterfly addiction right here!  I can’t get enough of them! 

By the way, did you know that the Best of stamp set for this month is Best of Butterflies!!!!  Oooh!  I can’t wait to get it!

Yummy! Darling cupcake cards that have no calories!  How much better can that get?!

From the retired Because I Care stamp set – my favorite hydrangea stamp returned in a smaller size recently in the Best of Flowers stamp set.

And a few more lovely cards.  Can you believe Jenny makes all these cards while she is ON VACATION IN FLORIDA!??!  Now that’s getting some mojo going – way to go, Jenny!

And just in case you needed a little beachy inspiration, here are these cards from the spring catalogue.  Shhh….don’t tell Halleigh or Owen, but we might be going to the beach when school is out! 

Project Life: March 2013

Can you believe it is spring break and I have NOT picked up a single stamp, ink pad or glue runner?  What is wrong with me?!?!?!? 

Mount Laundry….nuff said.  It has been conquered.   Too bad the house is not immaculate yet.  For that matter, too bad I’m not superwoman!  Then it would all be sparkling and I wouldn’t be exhausted!

Such is life….and now I have finished my March pages for Project Life 2013.

I was trying to explain just how quick and easy these pages are to do with my relatives the other day!  I literally just created 95% of the finished project in just an hour! 

The page for this particular album is laid out, so all I have to do is add text and pictures and move around or change any embellishments that I feel need to be fixed.  It’s really that simple.  And really that fantastic for a busy mom of two! 

These pages were created using The Best Year Photobook kit for My Digital Studio by Stampin’ Up.