12/31/2009

Sketch Challenge-Flight of the Butterfly

Played along with the SUDSOL Chat & Challenge tonight for inspiration. This layout is very similar to the sketch we were given, and a Spring theme was suggested. With all the snow around here, I'm all over Spring!!

The card base is Chocolate Chip and opens from the bottom, not side. I like to do those on occasion to be different! The next layer is Pretty in Pink. I used the Eyelet Border punch across the bottom, and stamped the small butterfly along the edges in Pretty in Pink. A 1" Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon is around the Pretty in Pink layer near just above center. The main image is 2-step stamped on Very Vanilla. The solid is Pretty in Pink. The flowers were added using the Stamp-a-ma-jig for perfect placement in Chocolate Chip. I also used the stamp-a-ma-jig for the words to get them where I wanted. The edge of the Very Vanilla layer is sponged with Pretty in Pink. Lastly I added a new embellishment from the Occasions Mini Catalog. Felt accessories called Sweet Pea. It has a couple flower pieces, centers & leaves. Very cool!! and of course coordinates great with the other new items in the mini!

Happy New Year all!

12/30/2009

Another Party Hearty Birthday

Here is the second card using Party Hearty. It has just a little more detail than the previous one. I love how the colors worked together. This started with my looking through a box of some new goodies. The sale we had awhile back resulted in my acquiring some ribbon and buttons that I hadn't used previously.



Card base on this one is Basic Gray, with a So Saffron layer under the Whisper White layer. For the background on the Whisper White I used my Basic Gray & So Saffron markers to color the hats. I did not alter their placement on this one, I just repeated the pattern up the card. The corners are punched with the Ticket Corner punch on both the Whisper White & So Saffron layers. The edges of the White are sponged with So Saffron. The main image on this one was also colored using the marker in both Basic Gray & So Saffron, edges again sponged with So Saffron. On this one, I added a Basic Gray corduroy button in the center and layered over So Saffron Striped grosgrain ribbon.

Happy New Year all!!

12/29/2009

Party Hearty Birthday

Hello all, hope you all had a Very Merry Christmas!!! A little different here, we had another blizzard for Christmas. We started with ice last Wednesday, and then the snow started Christmas Eve accompanied by some SERIOUS winds. Our road is drifted as never before! We spent lots of time in the house, and did Christmas with just us. It was OK though, we got a 2nd Christmas today with family!

OK, on to stamping! I've made a resolution with myself to do more birthday cards this year! We'll see how long I hold up!! Got two made tonight and ready to mail tomorrow.

Here is the first, made with the Party Hearty set. I kept it simple and used just Bermuda Bay & Whisper White.

I stamped the hats image across the background, alternating the placement of the hats. The edge of the Whisper White layer is sponged with Bermuda Bay. A Bermuda Bay ribbon was tied around the center of the layer and the saying "Celebrate You" layered over with dimensionals. The image is designed to coordinate with the Scallop Circle punch so I used that, sponged the edges and added a Rhinestone brad to the center. Quick and easy!!

Back soon with a similar card, but a "stepped up version".

12/23/2009

With All My Heart!

NEW TOYS!!! Stampin' Up! has done it again and brought out some WONDERFUL things in the upcoming Occasions Mini Catalog. Redesigned punches, Epoxy Brads, Shimmery DSP and Clear-Mount Stamps. Yep, you read that right. Clear mount stamps. Now, the stamps are rubber just like they've always been, but they are unmounted to use with clear blocks. And the block set we have is fantabulous!!!! And SU! designed labels for the back of the stamp so you can see the image while stamping, just like with the wood block label. TOO COOL!! watch your mail for your copy of the mini-arriving soon!!!

More details on all the above items after January 4. Here though, is the card I created for my monthly swap using the new set, With All My Heart. Oh, one more note: SU! is not forcing you to go unmounted, we still have wood. You have your choice on all the new mini sets of Clear Mount or Wood mount. And wait til you see the cool storage cases for the clear-mount sets!!

OK, the card!


Two versions, the only difference being the brad. Each set of Epoxy Brads has two designs. The Real Red set measure 1/2" and has the two shown here, one heart, one polka dot. There are two other sets: Pretty In Pink (1/2"), and Chocolate Chip (1/4").

Card base is Real Red, background layer is Very Vanilla. I used a DSP piece for the bottom half, layered over the Very Vanilla. Notice the bottom edge of the red print-New Pinking Hearts Border punch. The DSP pack is called Sending Love Specialty and every page has something sparkly on it! The top of the Vanilla was stamped with Real Red using two of the flowery images. Edges are sponged with Real Red and I added Dazzling Diamonds glitter to the center of each using my 2-way glue pen. The friend image near the bottom was stamped on Very Vanilla, punched with the Large Oval, sponged and attached to a Real Red Scallop punch. The oval is layered on with Dimensionals. Very Vanilla wide grosgrain around the center before attaching the background layer, and the new Sending Love Epoxy Brad in Real Red.

Off to do some Holiday baking. The Boss called and told me to stay home today due to weather so I'm going to cook and clean. Merry Christmas!!

12/22/2009

Last Club Card-Lattice Graffiti

Wow, another week GONE! Most of mine was spent getting my Christmas cards done. The last of them went in the mail Monday morning. YEAH!! Shopping is done, baking in progress. Now, if only Mother Nature would cooperate! We do NOT need an ice/snow storm right now!!

OK, back to your reason for being here! The last card from club last weekend. Wanted to try another Big Shot die that I hadn't yet: the Lattice die. Of course I threw in a few other fun things too!


Card base is Basic Gray. The Elegant Eggplant background layer is stamped in Elegant Eggplant classic ink with the Gratuitous Graffiti background stamp. The lattice die cut in Eggplant is layered over that. The large flower from the Pretties Kit is also stamped with the Graffiti background stamp in Eggplant. In the center is a Basic Gray Corduroy button with a Rhinestone brad in the center. Note: the brad does NOT go through the button, the prongs are too wide. So, we snipped them off with my Craft & Rubber scissors. Some of the girls chose to use a half pearl too and it also looked good. Attach with glue dots. The Basic Gray Taffeta ribbon is tied around the Eggplant background layer, under the flower.

Merry Christmas all! I hope to be back the next few days to share a recent swap I did using products from the upcoming Occasion Mini Catalog, and my Christmas card. But, the weather is not looking good so who knows. May not have power. Hope we have some fire wood...

12/15/2009

Next Club Card

This is the second card from Sunday. I hadn't used this die before for the Big Shot yet, the Scallop Square. I had a similar swap card and liked how the Pumpkin Patch set was used for the ornaments. The scallop square is cut from Night of Navy. Attached to the back is a folded piece of Confetti Cream for the card part that opens. The square measures about 4-1/4", so I cut the back part 4x8 so it folds to 4x4. The layers on the square are Old Olive & Real Red. Top layer is again Confetti Cream. Merry Christmas from the Teeny Tiny Wishes set is stamped in Night of Navy near the bottom. The ornaments (pumpkins) are stamped over that, the circle in Real Red, ovals in Old Olive. The tops are in More Mustard with a fine line string drawn in by hand with the Night of Navy marker. The ribbon is from the Holiday Mini called Sleigh Bells. Get it NOW before it's gone!

Simple, quick card! Enjoy!!

12/14/2009

Misted Serene Snowflakes

Here is the first card from club on Sunday. It's a wow card, but not overly complex to do!



The card base is Brilliant Blue and was made using the Movers & Shapers Die for the Big Shot with the Scallop Oval from the Punch Windows movers set. The basic die cuts the card stock to basic card size (11 x 4-1/4 folds to 5-1/2 x 4-1/4) AND scores the card for the fold!! Too cool. And, you can move the shape anywhere on the card front you would like it to be! The Movers & Shapers die comes with a Curly Label mover, but we have two other sets available right now. In the IB&C is the Punch Windows set. Those 4 shapes are size just larger than 4 of our punches. Note on the card above. The scallop oval punched in the cardstock is just larger than the white layer inside the card that was punched with the Scallop Oval punch. The 2nd set of movers is in the Holiday Mini, Holiday Windows. Those are just available for a few more weeks, so get them ordered NOW!!!

OK, the rest of the card! First, we stamped a background with the smaller two snowflakes. Well, one is the trio of flakes. All over in Brilliant Blue on the Brilliant Blue base. Next we took the next to largest, flower like snowflake and stamped it all over using the Frost White Shimmer Paint as our "ink". Very pretty!! & another item in the Holiday Mini that you NEED to order NOW!!! Lastly, we sprayed the card with a shimmer spray made from mixing 91% rubbing alcohol with the Frost White Shimmer paint. Too cool! Please do this in a well ventilated area! and with scratch paper under your card. The alcohol dries very quickly and you have a very shimmery cardstock. Works with any color cardstock, and there are three colors of Shimmer Paint available!

White Satin ribbon is knotted around the card. The Thanks was stamped in Brilliant Blue on Brilliant Blue first. Then we used (well, most of us!!) the Stamp-a-Ma-jig to offset a second Thanks using the Frost White paint. That is punched with the Large Oval punch and layered on a Shimmery White Scallop Oval. Those are attached inside the card to show through the oval cut through the front.

Enjoy! Hope all your Holiday preparations are going well. Not so well here, the snow last week set me way back and I'm always running behind anyway! Hoping for warmer weather in the next few days!!!

Still here!

Wow, where does time go?? Sorry for the absence! It's been a busy couple weeks, made even more complicated by rough weather! Here is one pic of what it looks like outside at my house:


This was taken last Wednesday am before any attempts at digging out. We have made it out and about, but there was at least a foot of snow, maybe more, and the wind blew so we have some mighty big drifts! And, today we have a coating of ice on top of it all with a little more snow! And high temps below 10 degrees. Fun!!

A few notes about things going on at SU!

First, there is a current sale going on: 12 Days of Holiday Sales featuring items for the Big Shot. Click HERE to go to my website, then click the Shop Now button top right. From there, click the top item in the listing on the left side and you'll see the items on sale. You can order through the site, or email me your list of needs!

While you're browsing around the store, note the Clearance Rack items as well. A number of items from past catalogs at reduced prices. Those items HAVE to be ordered by you through my website, I can't add them to a customer or workshop order. Check it out though, some great deals!!

Next, the Dormant List of stamps will be retiring on January 4th. Click the list and pull out your old catalog to see if there are any you need to add to your collection before they go away! I believe you can view them also in the online store by entering the item number in the search box.

Lastly, remember that the Holiday Mini catalog sales period ends January 4. We have no guarantee of anything continuing into the next catalog except for the Build a Bear items. Anything else, get it NOW!!

I will be back later today with a project from club this weekend! Have a few items to check off the to do list for the day first.