Patriotic Card - making do with what you have...

So life is still terribly busy, but I am trying to create and post as much as I can.  These days, I truly need the creative time to wind-down and step away from everything else for awhile.  Thank goodness for the monthly SWAP group I belong to, otherwise, I might go even longer without creating.  Our SWAP theme for May was a 4th of July card - we try to work a couple of months ahead on our themes.  My challenge was that I don't own any current 4th of July or otherwise "patriotic" stamps.  I saw a layout similar to the basic layout of this card on one of the many sketch challenges out there, and knew that with the small star punch, the built-in color combination of the Nautical Expeditions DSP available right now in the Summer Mini catalog, and the Baker's Twine also available in the Summer Mini, that I could pull off a "patriotic" card.  I think it turned out pretty well for a "make-do" card.

Supplies used:

Stamps:  Fabulous Phrases

Cardstock:  Cherry Cobbler, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White

DSP:  Nautical Expeditions

Ink:  Not Quite Navy

Other:  Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine, Word Window Punch, Small Star Punch, 1/4" non-SU circle punch, distressing tool and Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder (the stars are embossed with polka dots).

Thanks for stopping by and hope to see you again soon!



Mother's Day & Father's Day w/Paisely Petals

Hello, and Happy Saturday to all.  It has been awhile since I posted.  Between my new job and my Mom's illness, life is kind of crazy busy right now.  I am thankful for my creative time as it is a real stress reliever for me and I am anxious for my club ladies to arrive today.  I am ready to see them and have some stamping fun!

I love, love, LOVE the new Paisley Petals DSP that will be available in the new catalog in July.  Demonstrators and customers were able to pre-purchase some in March and April.  And, my April club used it in making a lovely set of cards and folder, which you can see HERE. 

In March, my Long Distance Swappers group theme was Mother's Day, and this paper is perfect for anything feminine.  In addition to the paper, I used the yummy Baja Breeze seam binding ribbon - this is the greatest ribbon to work with, so soft and smooth, it works great with the "ruching" technique.  This card was very simple to put together, using the beautiful paper, the seam binding ribbon, the Scalloped Border Punch to add a little interest.  The greeting was stamped and punched out with the Wide Oval Punch and then mounted on on of the tags from Lots of Tags sizzlet die set.  I use this set of sizzlets more than anything else - love them.


For April, our swap them was Father's Day, and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with how this card turned out.  Masculine cards seem to always be hard to make, and for the life of me, although I LOVE this DSP, I couldn't figure out what to do with that print that looks like amoebas.  But, I decided to give it a shot for background paper on a Father's Day card, thinking at least using large pieces like that would use it up quickly.  The base of the card is Tangerine Tango, with the amoeba paper layered onto that.  A strip of Tangerine Tango was paper pierced and sponged and laid across that.  I used the Circles # 2 die to cut out the circle from Sahara Sand, then ran that through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice Textured Embossing Folder.  The greeting panel was stamped from the Four Frames set which we were also able to pre-order in April and punched with the Decorative Label Punch.  Then the ever so versatile Teeny Tiny Wishes provided the sentiment - punched with the Word Window Punch then layered on top of the Decorative Label.  Additional Decorative Label Punches were punched from Old Olive and Tangerine Tango, sponged and layered behind the main greeting panel.  I used the Buttons #5 Sizzlet die to cut buttons out of Old Olive cardstock, tied linen thread through the buttonholes and then adhered with a dimensional in the lower right corner of the greeting panel.  A gold brad was added to the right of the greeting panel for just a little something extra.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoy these cards.

 

BIRDS!

I was so swamped with life, that I was unable to post our March club projects.  Considering that I have already posted April's, it seemed time to go back and address those from March.  March's club hostess wanted to see cards done with the bird and owl punches that were fairly gender neutral.  For this owl card I "sort of" used a sketch challenge to get the layout - "sort of" means I modified it a bit and I am sorry I can't remember which challenge it was now.  I used the Newsprint DSP, Basic Black, Real Red and Whisper White - a simple knot of the ribbon on the front gives it a little something, but not something too "girly".

There are lots of examples floating around out there on the Internet using the Inspired by Nature grass stamp and the retired horizontal slot punch to make cattails.  Combined with the bird punch, a simple layout and Chocolate Chip, Kraft and Very Vanilla - you have a nice gender-neutral card.  We used the Designer Label punch, the 1 1/4" and the 1" Circle punches to layer up the sentiment panel.  Sponging the edges of the bird and the wing really give it that little extra dimension it needs.  This was a super easy and quick card and one that could be replicated in multiples which could then be used for a number of different ocassions by switching out the greetings.

For this little owl card, I wanted to use my Woodgrain background stamp which I ordered some time ago and yet had somehow never gotten it out to use it.  The Kraft Panel was stamped with the Woodgrain background stamp in Chocolate Chip.  The hole in the tree was punched with the 11/4" Circle Punch, and a Scalloped Circle frame was placed around the outside of it.  A Whisper White panel was placed inside, and the blue behind the punched owl peeking out of the hole in the tree was sponged in Marina Mist.  The greeting, punched out with the Modern Label punch was, is from Teeny Tiny Wishes - love that set!

Thanks so much for stopping by and come again soon!

. 

Paisley Petals Card Portfolio and Cards

Stampin Up! will be featuring this new Paisley Petals designer paper in the new Idea Book & Catalog due out in July.  As a special during April only, customers who ordered at least $20 in merchandise also had the opportunity to pre-purchase this great paper as well as a new stamp set - Four Frames - that will also be available in the new catalog in July.  April's club hostess wanted to make card sets that could be given as gifts, and use the Paisley Petals paper, so this card portfolio w/4 cards fit the bill. 

Now, having been called away to Texas to be with my Mom for some medical issues, and returning home just the night before club, I had NO time to prepare, so when I saw the card portfolio and cards  on Lisa Freeman's blog HERE - I knew I had my folder as well as two of the card designs - one thing I so love about the stamping community is the way most everyone shares so freely - and I would like to thank Lisa for sharing so many wonderful ideas on her blog - if not for her share on this - I would have been lost for my April club project. 

This stunning butterfly card designed by Lisa also uses the Big Butterfly Sizzix Die, the larger of the two butterflies were also run through the BigShot to give it some additional texture.

Lisa's flower card used the scalloped circles to make the flowers, since I had the new Fun Flowers Bigz die, I used it instead.  The antique brad in the middle gives it just the right touch.

The following other two cards were also composites of sketch challenges, various projects seen and of course, this wonderful paper. 

Thanks for stopping by - come back soon!

Hello again!

Wow, it's been over two months since I last posted.  Between the new, more than full-time job, a family illness and being a wife and mom, the time has simply evaporated.  I really did (and still do) have good intentions of posting more often.  Without further ado, and in order to post something quickly, here is our family Easter card for this year:

Supplies used:

Cardstock and paper:  Marina Mist, Window Sheets, Botanical Gazette

Stamps:  Thoughts & Prayers, All Holidays

Ink:  White StazOn

Accessories:  Framed Tulips Embossing Folder, Marina Mist Satin Ribbon, Pearls

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you and yours had a very Happy Easter yesterday.



So Happy For You Shoebox SWAP

Considering it was very close to whiteout conditions here most of the day today, I thought I would share a bright and cheery card with you.  This card was the Shoebox SWAP of one of my fellow demonstrator's and friends - Georgia Mitchell.    She used the bright and cheery colors of the Ice Cream Parlor Ribbon & Button pack from the Sale-A-Bration brochure  - Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight, Old Olive and Pacific Point.  In fact, her card is a CASE of the So Happy for You card on page 4 of the Sale-A-Bration brochure and it really is a pick-me-up type of card. 

Remember that during Sale-A-Bration, you receive 1 Sale-A-Bration item free for each $50 in Stampin Up merchandise purchased.  There are new, exclusive and adorable sets available only during Sale-A-Bration and in addition to these new and exclusive items, Stampin Up has also made a selection of stamp sets from the Idea Book & Catalog available for selection as Sale-A-Bration rewards - you can see a listing of these sets on the inside back cover of the Sale-A-Bration brochure.

Thanks for stopping by today, come back again soon!

Sew Suite Shoebox SWAP

On February 3rd, I attended a Shoebox SWAP at my upline's studio.  For the Shoebox SWAP we were to design a card or project using either a Sale-A-Bration set or a set from the Occasions mini catalog.  Of course, due to my renewed interest in sewing, I knew right away that I would design a SWAP using items from the Sew Suite set of products from the Occasions mini.  The Sew Suite products can be found on pages 32 thru 37 of the Occasions mini.  I followed the color scheme in the Sweet Stitches DSP, and incorporated my favorite base card color - Crumb Cake - it just goes with everything and it's strong enough to stand up.

I stamped the sewing image from the Sew Suite stamp set (page 33) in Melon Mambo onto a circle I had cut with my Big Shot and the Circles #2 die.  I also stamped a portion of the sewing machine in Daffodil Delight and punched the circle out with a 1/4" circle punch and layered that onto the main image.  The greeting below the sewing machine is from the ever so versatile Teeny Tiny Wishes set available in the main IBC.  The scalloped layers of DSP were cut using the Tasteful Trims XL die which was in the Holiday mini and is still available.  The Melon Mambo piece was textured using the Square Lattice texture folder.  I stamped the measuring tape from the Sew Suite set onto Daffodil Delight and then cut it out with my paper snips.  The measuring tape piece made a great layer to cover the "seam" where the DSP and Melon Mambo layers met up.  The circle with the main image was then layered on top with dimensionals. 

I also used this card for the Long Distance Swappers January SWAP where our theme was to use a set from the Occasions mini.  So this SWAP did double duty for me!

Thanks for stopping by and come back again soon!