Stamping Impressions

Burlap Bliss

2012-01-28T12:12:00.000-08:00

Hi All! It's finally time to break out the hearts. I hope you're ready! I have been pinning away on Pinterest and have so many cute projects that I want to create and share. I just had a workshop this week, so I have at least three to share with you over the next week.

This first card, I couldn't help but recreate. It was inspired by this card from Ingrid Danvers. I fell in love with the Burlap heart. Since I had just gotten my new Heart Framelits, I figured it was the perfect time to try them out.

These Framelits are great! Not only do they cut through the Burlap but they cut through the Glimmer Paper as well. The glimmer paper is a bit too thick for my punches, so I haven't really been able to use it. If you want to be playing with different textures, they are a must have.

The background was created using my Music Notes wheel. I've had it a while and I think I've used it once. It's great for creating vintage-y themed cards--which is something I don't usually do. The sentiment is from a new stamp set in the Occasions Mini called Loving Thoughts. It coordinates perfectly with the banner from the new Take it to Heart stamp set. I love the font and it has a lot of great sentiments in it.

My husband joked that this card doesn't really look like my style. It really isn't, but I LOVE everything about it. I hope you do too. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Stamps: Loving Hearts, Take it to Heart and Music Notes Wheel
Paper: Baja Breeze, Crumb Cake & Very Vanilla Cardstock; Silver Glimmer Paper; Springtime Vintage DSP
Ink: Jet Black Staz-On; Vintage Photo Distress Ink
Accessories: Burlap, Baja Breeze Seam Binding, Vanilla Rik-Rak, Eyelet Border Punch, Designer Buttons-Subtles, Linen Thread, Sponge, Crystal Effects and Pop Dots/Dimensionals

Happy Birthday to an Amazing Kid!

2012-01-11T18:28:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

I hope your week is going well so far. Mine has been crazy busy at work...I think it may have something to do with the full moon! I'm glad it's almost over.

The card I have for you today is my son's birthday card. Once again, it's a CASE of a card designed by Nichole Heady.

I would have never thought to put Basic Gray and Riding Hood Red together, but they are fabulous. There's lots of color...but it's still very subtle. I also love the design. It seems like there's so much going on, but it all works so perfectly together.

On a more girlie note, I ordered up the new Heart Framelits, so I'll be playing this weekend. Be on the look out for some heart-themed projects in the near future. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Stamps: Boy Basics & My Hero, My Dad
Paper: Basic Gray and Crumb Cake Cardstock; Love Letter DSP
Ink: Basic Gray, Riding Hood Red, Crumb Cake and Basic Black Classic Pads
Accessories: Corner Rounder and Pop Dots/Dimensionals

Wishing You an Epic Year

2012-01-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

Before I move on and start filling blogland with all my gushy, romance-y, heart themed cards, I'm going to share a couple of masculine cards...of the pre-teen variety. The card I have for you today was made for one of my son's best friends. If you have or know any 11-year-old boys, you know they have one thing on the mind....video games. I had bought this stamp set knowing that I'd get plenty of use out of it. I did....I've made @ six cards already. It has paid for itself.

This card was inspired by a Nichole Heady card. I love the simple design and the colors that she used. For boys, that's really all you need: no razzle-dazzle, no glitter, no bling. I did get to use my Stripes Embossing Folder. That kind of fancies it up a bit, right??? I think it adds the perfect bit of dimension. Hope you like it!

Stamps: Boy Basics & Grunge Me
Paper: Tempting Turqouise and Whisper White Cardstock
Ink: Basic Black Classic Pad & Whisper White Craft Pad
Accessories: Stripes Embossing Folder, Corner Rounder, Fancy Scissors and Pop Dots/Dimensionals

A Sew Suite Friend

2012-01-08T05:00:00.000-08:00

This card is just the opposite of the last card I posted. That one I couldn't wait to post, this one may have never made it to Blogland had it not been for me and my dear friend Laura standing around chatting in my craft room. This card was finished but set off to the side because I just didn't think it was as good as the original. I guess it doesn't necessarily have to be...because someone sure liked it. Laura got it as her very belated Birthday card.

Last spring, I saw saw this fabulous card by Heather Klump. I loved the design and the colors that she chose. So...I set out one afternoon with my stamp pads and a few Netflix movies ready to play with colors. Of course, I wanted to put my spin on it, so I chose a few of my favorites to work with: Perfect Plum, Rose Red and Baja Breeze.

The spools were stamped with Stazon and colored with Blender Pens and Ink Pads. I love the soft look that it adds. A piece of gorgeous gray ribbon was added to the mannequin...which kicks up the cuteness factor quite a bit.

Have you had that card that 'almost didn't make the cut'? I'd love to hear your story...be sure to share. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Stamps: Sew Suite & Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: Basic Gray & Whisper White Cardstock
Ink: Perfect Plum, Rose Red & Baja Breeze Classic Pads; Black Stazon
Accessories: Blender Pens, Basic Gray Satin Ribbon, Pink Button, Paper Piercer & Mat Pack and Pop Dots/Dimensionals

Everyday Enchantment

2012-01-06T15:50:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year's Everyone! I had a nice little break over the holidays and finally sat down this week to start creating again. I really couldn't wait to get home today, snap some pictures and get this card uploaded. Have you ever been that excited????

I'm that excited because I get to share a Sneak Peek of one of the upcoming Sale-A-Bration products...the Everyday Enchantment Paper Pack. I know I say this ALL the time, but I think this is my new favorite paper. The colors are gorgeous and it's got the perfect vintage feel.

My card is inspired by a card that Nichole Heady had created. Her card had a simple design that showcased a couple different strips of paper. Perfect for my new papers, right??

I sat down, spread all the papers out and decided on these three prints. There are plenty that I could have used, but I love the contrast that these have together. The designs have a sponged edge already, so I sponged the Crumb Cake base and the focal image with a bit of Crumb Cake ink to blend everything together.

My photo allows you to take a peek inside the card. I never do this, but I even added a bit of the paper to the inside. Did I mention I love this paper???? Yep, having it on the front just wasn't enough ;-)

Keep your eyes open. This DSP and the beautiful Kindness Matters stamp set will be available for Free in the upcoming Sale-A-Bration catalog when you purchase $50 in product. They are both must haves! Hope you all like the card and enjoy your weekend! Thanks for stopping by.

Stamps: Kindness Matters
Paper: Crumb Cake & Very Vanilla Cardstock; Everyday Enchantment DSP
Ink: Poppy Parade & Early Espresso Classic Pads
Accessories: Oval Nesties, Linen Thread, Clear Rhinestones and Pop Dots/Dimensionals

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T12:57:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

Happy Holidays! I hope that each of you are enjoying the day with your family and friends. We got together with my family yesterday, so it's a nice quiet relaxing day at home for us.

I made sure to squeeze in a few minutes to upload my last card of the holiday season. It is a paper pieced tree. I saw this tree on a tag that Jennifer Timko had designed and just had to recreate it.

I loved the papers she chose to use, so I kept those the same. They are 1 3/4", 1 1/2", 1 1/4", and 1" squares cut in half on the diagonal and stacked. How clever is that? I paired them up with some Crumb Cake card stock, kept the design simple and added some seam binding. What a cute card that you could replicate with so many different Designer Series Papers.

Hope you like it and will file it away for your 2012 holiday card designs. Thanks for stopping by and hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend!

Pin It

Stamps: All Holidays
Paper: Crumb Cake Card stock; Frostwood Lodge DSP
Ink: Cherry Cobbler Classic Pad
Accessories: Corner Rounder, Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding, Early Espresso Quilted Satin Ribbon, Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine, Crumb Cake Button and Dimensionals/Pop Dots

Sweet Little Snowman

2011-12-22T15:57:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

What's winter without a few snowmen? They are just so cute, I can't resist! I've seen quite a few cards where this guy has been added to a tag. I did just that.

I decided to keep my snowman simple--no color. The little shading I did was with my Versamarker (which I bought for another project that I've never done.) At least I finally put it to use ;)

These tags are so easy to make. Just cut a rectangle to the size you want and use your Corner Rounder to round out the corners. Then punch out some cardstock with the Round Tab punch, add it to the top and you have a tag. I punched two holes in the tab and tied in some Linen Thread. Don't want to attach your tag to a card? Add it to a gift bag to spruce it up a bit.

Are you inspired by snowmen? If so, I'd love to see your project...just leave me a link! Thanks so much for stopping by!

Pin It

Stamps: Jolly Old Saint Nick & Four the Holidays
Paper: Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, Riding Hood Red & Very Vanilla Cardstock; Letters to Santa DSP
Ink: Early Espresso & Crumb Cake Classic Pads
Accessories: Scallop Trim Border Punch, Corner Rounder, Round Tab Punch, 1/16" Circle Punch, Versamarker, Petal Cone Die (Banner), Brown Rik-Rak Ribbon, Linen Thread, Sponges and Pop Dots/Dimensionals

One Shimmery Snowflake

2011-12-21T18:08:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

I have another fabulous CASE to share with you. I had just bought the Red Shimmer paper and ran across this little gem by Angela McKay over at North Shore Stamper. I kept the same general design, but switched up the sentiment, opted for Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding and added a couple extra rhinestones.

Is it not full of shimmery goodness...with a bit of bling thrown in??? I'm not sure about you ladies, but I think Crumb Cake just seems to work so perfectly with winter themed cards. I just love it! Hope you do too ;) Thanks so much for stopping by!

Pin It

Stamps: Bright Christmas
Paper: Crumb Cake Cardstock & Red Glimmer Paper
Ink: Real Red Classic Pad and Whisper White Craft Pad
Accessories: Snowflake Punch, Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding, Clear Rhinestones, Sponges and Dimensionals/Pop Dots

Peace Love Joy

2011-12-20T15:44:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

As you know, I've been designing for The Paper Players the last couple of months. It's been a focus of creating lots of original designs....but, I've also had my eye on a couple of great cards that I've been wanting to CASE.

My card today was inspired by Jen Sannes over at Simple & Sincere. Her cards are all Simply Fabulous. This one has a non-traditional color theme that is right up my alley: Soft Suede, Crumb Cake and Basic Black.

The colors and simple design are perfect for such an elegant card. And, who doesn't love snowflakes. There is truly something so serene about them. Jen, thanks so much for such a beautiful inspiration!

Pin It

Stamps: Serene Snowflakes & All Holidays
Paper: Crumb Cake, Basic Black and Very Vanilla Cardstock; First Edition DSP
Ink: Soft Suede, Crumb Cake & Basic Black Classic Ink
Accessories: Scallop Trim Border Punch, Black Satin Ribbon, Clear Rhinestones and Dimensionals/Pop Dots

PP76: Very Merry Snowflakes

2011-12-11T05:00:00.000-08:00

Hi All! As I'm typing this, I'm realizing that this will be my last card design for the Paper Players. It has been a great ride and I've truly enjoyed working with this wonderful group of ladies. Thanks so much for having me!

For our Clean & Simple challenge this week, Ann has come up with a beautiful color theme: Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla and Gold.
What a gorgeous color combination this makes--it's just perfect for the holidays. I looked through all of my DSP and couldn't find anything that would work, so I stuck with good 'ol cardstock and some gold paper.

Of course, I missed the Clean & Simple part till I went in to upload my card to the Paper Players blog, but luckily I kept it pretty simple. My favorite part...that Baker's Twine. I've had that in my stash for quite some time and was finally able to use it. These simple little snowflakes are one of my favorites. They can be found in the Season of Friendship stamp set.

Are you inspired with this color combo? If so, hop on over to the Paper Players blog and upload your card or project. While you're there, check out all of the other fabulous design that the ladies have created just for you. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Stamps: Season of Friendship and Short & Sweet
Paper: Cherry Cobbler and Very Vanilla Cardstock; Gold Paper
Ink: Cherry Cobbler Classic Ink
Accessories: 1" and 1 1/4" Circle Punches, Scallop Border Punch, Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine, Ivory and Red Buttons, Mat Pack & Paper Piercer and Gold Brads

PP75: Darling Dasher

2011-12-04T05:00:00.000-08:00

Hi All! I have had a delightfully chilly, rainy day here in AZ to create my project for this week. Nance has given us quite the challenge: Create a Holiday card using non-holiday stamps or colors.
I looked over all my stamp sets and nothing was really grabbing me...so, I went with Non-Traditional Colors. Was that the easy way out???? No judging girls!!

I tried to find a color challenge to work with online, but ended up using a paper pack that was still out on my table: Letters to Santa. This pink and green pattern is actually a sheet in the pack. I think that's about as non-traditional as you can get.

Once I got all my layers settled, I knew just want stamp would be perfect with this paper...Mr Dasher. There was just something about the plaid that called his name. I cut my image to size, added some more layers and a cute button with this fabulous pink ribbon to finish it off.

What do ya think? Would you like to get a super cute pink card for the holidays? I totally think it works. Are you inspired to create your own non-traditional holiday card? If so, hop on over to the Paper Players blog and get it uploaded. We'd LOVE to see it! While you're there, check out what the other talented ladies have created just for you. Thanks for stopping by!

Paper Players Design Team
Ann Schach
Ann Marie Hile
Jaydee
LeAnne Pugliese
Lesley Croghan
Nance Leedy
Rita Wright (December Guest Designer)
Tara Bilbao

Stamps: Dasher & All Holidays
Paper: Early Espresso, Blushing Bride, Old Olive and Whisper White Cardstock; Letters to Santa DSP
Ink: Early Espresso Classic Pad
Accessories: Pretty in Pink Satin Ribbon, Brown Button, Brown Brads, Scallop Edge Punch, Lots of Tags Die, Cinnamon Stickles and Pop Dots/Dimensionals

PP74: A Vintage Snowman

2011-11-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

Hi All! It's so good to be back. I took off last week to prepare for a workshop and I sure missed hangin' out with y'all. But, you were in good hands. Rita filled in for me and did a fabulous job. Thanks so much Rita!! The break must have done me some good, because my card this week came together pretty easily. It sure helps that Lesley put together a sweet little sketch for us to play with.

When I saw the oval shape, I immediately thought snowman. There are some really pretty prints in the Deck the Halls DSP that I thought would work perfectly on this sketch as well. I settled on a really pretty blue design and that was the inspiration for my card.

I went with a vintage-y look for my design...which is something I don't often do. I love the softened look that the sponging does for the edges and it works so well with this stamp set. I added a bit of snowflake embossing on the background and some Jingle Bells to my sentiment. Isn't he just adorable?

What do you think? Are you inspired by the sketch? If so, be sure to hop on over to the Paper Players Blog and upload your project. While you're there, check out all the other fabulous cards the Players have put together for you. I see that the Tiny Tags were popular this week ;) Thanks so much for stopping by!

Paper Players Design Team
Ann Schach
Ann Marie Hile
Jaydee
LeAnne Pugliese
Lesley Croghan
Nance Leedy
Susan Joyce (November Guest Designer)
Tara Bilbao

Stamps: Jolly Old Saint Nick, Tiny Tags & Season of Friendship
Paper: Not Quite Navy, Marina Mist, Crumb Cake and Whisper White; Deck the Halls DSP
Ink: Not Quite Navy, Crumb Cake & Basic Black Classic Pads
Accessories: Jingle Bells, Scallop Edge Border Punch, 1" Circle Punch, Jewelry Tag Punch, Snowflakes Embossing Folder, Blue Brads, Linen Thread, Sponges and Dimensionals/Pop Dots

PP72:Naughty or Nice?

2011-11-13T05:00:00.000-08:00

Hi All, Happy Sunday! The weekend is almost over, but the new Paper Players challenge is just beginning. LeAnne has a nice, cozy holiday palette for us to play with this week: Riding Hood Red, Always Artichoke and River Rock.

I love River Rock, so I couldn't wait to pull it out and play. I actually didn't have Riding Hood Red, so, surely, I had to add it to my collection. It's funny how some colors have been around forever...but you just never get around to buying them ;)

Along with my new order of Riding Hood Red, I ordered up the Letters to Santa DSP. There happens to be a print in there that has all of these colors. I used it as my background and drew from it as my inspiration.

If you can believe it, there are no stamps on this card. These are all prints in the paper pack that I cut out and used to make a bit of a collage. I did cheat and add a bit of Early Espresso to my color combo. I think it adds a nice balance to the card. And...since we're talking Naughty and Nice...I finished it off with a little bling. It just seems fitting!

Are these colors talking to you? If so, be sure to hop on over to the Paper Players Blog and upload your project. While you're there, be sure to check out all of the other fabulous cards the Players have put together for you. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Paper Players Design Team
Ann Schach
Anne Marie Hile
Jaydee
LeAnne Pugliese
Lesley Croghan
Nance Leedy
Susan Joyce (November Guest Designer)
Tara Bilbao

Stamps: None (Can you believe it?)
Paper: Riding Hood Red, Always Artichoke, River Rock and Whisper White Cardstock; Letters to Santa DSP
Ink: None
Accessories: Scallop Border Punch, Clear Rhinestones, Jumbo Brown Brads and Pop Dots/Dimensionals

PP71: Let's Get Cooking

2011-11-06T05:00:00.000-08:00

Hi All! I sure hope you're having a great weekend. We are actually getting some cooler weather here in AZ, so we headed out to a Salsa Festival in Chandler. I had never been to one before, so we thought we'd try it out. We got our own little bag of tortilla chips and a ballot. I'm a 'foodie' so it was fun to try all of the different salsas and vote on my favorites. Just yummy!

Anne Marie has a fun challenge for us this week at the Paper Players: Let's Get Cooking. You'd think this would include food, but it doesn't. It just calls for a whole 'recipe' of goodness to play with.
For a clean and simple girl like myself, I thought I'd have trouble with this one, but I didn't. As usual, I just played with a lot of color.

First on the recipe was to use (3) different patterned papers. I kinda cheated on this one...as I couldn't keep it at 3. I couldn't get a balance going with the design I wanted to use, so I actually used (5) different designs. Shhhhh....we'll try to keep that our secret from Anne Marie ;)

Next up, two different ribbons. When I was organizing my panels, I added a pop of More Mustard. I chose a More Mustard Grosgrain for my first ribbon to coordinate with this paper. My second ribbon is a shear brown. I wanted to offset all the color and go a bit more neutral.

My punches were incorporated into the flower. I used the Scallop Circle punch and the 1" Circle punch. I layered four different scallops and scrunched up the edges. The Antique Brad just finishes it off.

Where is the glitter you might say? Well, it's hard to tell in this photo, but I used a bit of Copper Stickles in the center of the flowers on the bottom panel. This color is actually pretty close to More Mustard and adds just the perfect amount of sparkle.

What do you think...can you work all of these elements in to a design of your own? If so, be sure to hop on over to the Paper Players and get it uploaded. While you're there, be sure to check out all of the beautiful projects the other Players have put together for you. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach
Ann Marie Hile
Jaydee
LeAnne Pugliese
Lesley Croghan
Nance Leedy
Susan Joyce (November Guest Designer)
Tara Bilbao

Stamps: Kindness Matters

Paper: More Mustard, Pool Party & Early Espresso Cardstock; Spice Cake DSP
Ink: Early Espresso Classic Pad
Accessories: Scallop Circle Punch, 1" Circle Punch, Petal Cone Die, Paper Piercer, Antique Brads, More Mustard Grosgrain Ribbon, Shear Brown Ribbon and a Glue Dot

PP #70 & Fall Blog Hop 2011

2011-10-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

Hi Everybody! What an exciting weekend it has been. The Paper Players hosted a Blog Hop and I got to be a part of it. Thanks to all of you that stopped by and left so many sweet comments. I truly do appreciate it! We will be leaving the links up, so feel free to start hopping if you haven't seen all of the design team's great projects. There's still some fun Blog Candy out there to be won.

We also have a challenge this week at the Paper Players. It's 'Anything Goes'! Just add a Fall element.

My card comes to you straight out of the Holiday Mini Catalog. It is the main reason I just invested in the Island Indigo suite: paper, pad and marker. It's just gorgeous!

If you follow my blog, you know that I LOVE to make this card size. I just think it so stylish and sassy! It is 6 1/2" x 6 1/2" scored at 3 1/4". This card has so many fun details, it's hard to know where to start. There's stitching, fabulous color, trimming, a great design and so much dimension that the focal image almost jumps right off the card. My favorite part...the stitching around the edge. I don't have a sewing machine, so I paper pierced the border and used some embroidery floss and a needle to stitch them all together. What a great look!

**Some of you asked where to get envelopes to fit this size card. I'm not sure who else carries them, but Stampin' Up definitely does. They are Item# 107286. Their dimensions are 6 3/4" x 3 1/2" and, yes, you can mail them. They are available through your SU! Demo or you can order them through my SU! Website by clicking the link in the top right hand corner.

The other Players have many more projects to share. LeAnne Pugliese is next, so be sure to hop on over. Thanks for stopping by!

Julie Marshall (You are Here)

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Nance Leedy

Rita Wright

Tara Bilbao

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile
Cindy Hall

Jaydee

Stamps: Always Thankful
Paper: Soft Suede, Island Indigo, More Mustard and Very Vanilla Cardstock
Ink: Soft Suede, Basic Gray, Pumpkin Pie, Dusty Durango, Crushed Curry and Pear Pizzazz Classic Pads
Accessories: Scallop Border Punch, Mat Pack & Paper Piercer, Linen Thread, Scissors, Needle & Embroidery Floss and Dimensionals

PP69: Give Thanks

2011-10-22T21:23:00.000-07:00

Hi All! Are you ready for a sketch challenge this week? Nance has put together a great flagged banner sketch for us.
I was so excited when I saw this as I've been wanting to try a design like this for some time. For me, this design is all about color and paper. So, in preparation, I placed a little order and got some new goodies. Among my goodies was the new Spice Cake DSP. When I say this pack is gorgeous, it is no understatement. Every single print is worthy of being on a card.

With the new DSP came some new colors to add to the collection. Pool Party is the first one I used as it was in these prints I picked out. As you can see, it pairs up beautifully with Soft Suede. The flowers are new too. They are the Floral Fusion Sizzlets Die. Some of the other Paper Player girls have been using them and I was sold. I figured they'd be perfect for this sketch. At their centers are the new Polka Dot Brads. A-dor-a-ble!

The papers and design came together so easily, but I could not pull together a focal image on the banner. That's always my problem...finishing it off. Maybe something will hit me and I'll get it added. Until then, we'll let the papers be the stars of the show.

Is this sketch calling your name? If so, we'd love to see your design. Be sure to stop by the Paper Players and check out the other fabulous cards and upload your own. Thanks so much for stopping by!

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Ann Marie Hile

Jaydee

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Nance Leedy

Tara Bilbao

Cindy Hall (October Guest Designer)

Stamps: Holiday Best
Paper: Pool Party, Soft Suede and Very Vanilla Cardstock; Spice Cake DSP
Ink: Soft Suede Classic Pad
Accessories: Floral Fusion Die, Patterned Brads-Pool Party, Mat Pack & Paper Piercer and 1/16" Hole Punch

PP68: Elegant Bells

2011-10-15T22:22:00.001-07:00

Hi All! I sure hope you're having a great weekend so far. I started mine off by packing up what seems like half of my craft room to head to my sweet friend Nicole's house for an afternoon of card making with our friend Mary Beth. We all had the same theme as we sat down to create: Christmas cards. It just so happens to be our challenge this week at the Paper Players.

Create a Clean and Simple card with a Christmas theme using Red & Green. I took all of my Christmas sets, but ended up using one of my friend's sets that I don't yet have...although I think it will soon become part of my collection.

This gorgeous stamp set is called Bells & Boughs. My friend Mary Beth made a beautiful card with this set using Old Olive. Since I needed a red, I paired it up with Cherry Cobbler. Together, this trio makes a beautifully elegant card.

I have to tell you...I am truly inspired by these two ladies every time we get together. They find new ideas in the catalogs or online and they make it their own. They get excited about tearing paper or trying a new card style and that is what makes our hobby so fun to share.

I sure hope you'll share with us this week. I know many of you have a Christmas card goal that you're trying to reach. Add to that collection by joining us over at the Paper Players. We would love to see what you create. Thanks so much for stopping by!

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Ann Marie Hile

Jaydee

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Nance Leedy

Tara Bilboa

Cindy Hall (October Guest Designer)

Stamp Sets: Bells & Boughs and Four the Holidays
Paper: Cherry Cobbler & Very Vanilla Cardstock
Ink: Old Olive & Cherry Cobbler Classic Pads
Accessories: Top Note Die, Old Olive Satin Ribbon, Corner Rounder, Rhinestones and Pop Dots/Dimensionals

PP67: Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Fall

2011-10-08T23:41:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone! This week at the Paper Players, Jaydee has a wonderful Color Challenge for us: Bravo Burgundy, More Mustard, Cajun Craze and Very Vanilla.

They scream fall to me, so that's the direction I took. I immediately thought of the leaves from the French Foliage set. I originally tried the Rock 'N Roll technique, but the leaves didn't have enough color for me, so I decided just to stamp the leaves in these three colors.

I guess I went CAS again this week, as I have lots of white space. Bravo Burgundy is the color that really popped out for me, so I used that as my pop of color in the added layer and the sentiment. The leaves are cut out, so they add a nice dimension to the card. Lots of white space = paper piercing to me, so I added a bit of that to finish it all off.

Have you started your Thanksgiving cards yet? Maybe this color combo will inspire you to do so. If so, be sure to pop on over to the Paper Players to see what the other talented designers have created for you...or better yet, to upload your own project. We'd love to see it! Thanks so much for stopping by.

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Jaydee

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Ann Marie Hile

Tara Bilbao

Nance Leedy

Cindy Hall (October Guest Designer)

Stamps: French Foliage & Falling Leaves
Paper: Bravo Burgundy & Very Vanilla
Ink: Bravo Burgundy, Cajun Craze & More Mustard
Accessories: Mat Pack & Paper Piercer, Yellow Button, Embroidery Floss and a Glue Dot

PP66: A Note of Appreciation

2011-10-02T08:44:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone! This week at the Paper Players, LeAnne has a fabulous theme challenge for us: Music. It can be literal with music notes, it can be interpretive of a song...or just a tune that gets stuck in your head.

I was inspired by literal music notes. The Music Notes wheel was added to my collection not too long ago, so I was very excited to finally ink it up.

It has been a crazy, busy week and weekend for me, so I went CAS with this design. I was inspired by a card in the catalog where they used the same color scallops layered over the music note wheel...no ribbon, no colored layers, no piercing! I tried to just really focus on colors. I wish I would have had a Cherry Cobbler print to layer on the butterfly, but I was surprised to find that I don't...hmmmmm. So, I added some bling.

Are you inspired by a favorite song or have this same wheel that you haven't inked up yet? If so, be sure to stop by the Paper Players blog and see what the other ladies have cooked up for you...or better yet, upload your very own project. We'd love to see it! Thanks so much for stopping by!

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Jaydee

Leanne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Tara Bilbao

Nance Leedy

Cindy Hall (October Guest Designer)

Rita Wright (Ms. Sassy Substitute)

Stamps: Music Notes Wheel & Picture This
Paper: River Rock & Cherry Cobbler Cardstock
Ink: Cherry Cobbler Classic Ink
Accessories: Beautiful Butteflies Die, Scallop Border Punch, Standard Wheel Handle and Rhinestones

PP65: Happy Hoot-y Halloween!

2011-09-24T20:35:00.000-07:00

Hi Everybody! This week at the Paper Players, we have a fun sketch to play with: three panels and a focal image. The sky's the limit. You can use any DSP, mix DSP, add in some layers, you pick.

So simple right? Not so much for me this week. I couldn't find inspiration in anything...especially all of my packs of DSP as I sat and went through them. I then thought about all of the owls you guys have been using over the past couple of weeks and I decided to go with a Halloween theme.

For this card, I started with my owl and worked backwards. Once he was built, I knew I wanted to perch him right on top of a medallion. I hadn't made one in some time and I was surprised how easily it went together. I remember times when I had to wrestle with the medallions to get them to stay put. Have any of those moments????

I saved the panels till last. It actually took some time to decide which colors/prints should go where. I think having the grid design on the base really ties everything together.

Are you lovin' this sketch? If so, hop on over to the Paper Players and see what the other girls have cooked up for you...or better yet, to upload your very own project. We'd love to see it! Thanks so much for stopping by!

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Ann Marie Hile

Jaydee

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Tara Bilbao

Sandie Conner (September GD)

Rita Wright (Sassy Substitute this Week)

Stamps: All Holidays
Paper: Old Olive & Perfect Plum Cardstock; Love Letter & Cast-A-Spell DSP
Ink: Basic Black Classic Ink
Accessories: Owl Punch, Scallop Edge Punch, Modern Label Punch, Circle Nestabilities, Lots of Tags Die, Green Brads, Black Rik-Rak, Sponge, Pop Dots/Dimensionals and Large Glue Dots

PP64: thanks {so much}

2011-09-17T20:25:00.000-07:00

The challenge this week at The Paper Players is to use a Plant or an Animal in a Clean & Simple Design. Plant...easy, Animal...not so much. Yes, I took the easy way out--no judging! (And, shhhhh, I think I missed the 'Clean & Simple' part when I checked out our next challenge ;)

Living here in Arizona, we still have quite a bit of heat, so I haven't quite made the switch to fall and darker colors yet. As you can tell by this card...I'm still using plenty of color.

The first new In Color I bought was Calypso Coral. Quite a few of my girls were heart broken when SU! retired Cameo Coral, so I wanted to show them that we have a fabulous new alternative. Calypso Coral is just a tad bit darker than Cameo Coral...and can you believe that it pairs so well with Baja Breeze. Would have never guessed it! I found this combo in no other place than my Color Coach.

I also got to pair up two fun accessories new to my collection: Crochet Trim & the Tiny Safety Pins. The Crochet Trim adds just the perfect touch of femininity and the Tiny Pins are great for attaching these Tiny Tags. I love how it all came together.

Need some more inspiration? Be sure to hop on over to The Paper Players blog to see what the other girls have cooked up for you...or better yet, to upload your very own project. We'd love to see it! Thanks for stopping by.

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Ann Marie Hile

Jaydee

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Nance Leedy

Tara Bilbao

Sandie Conner (September GD)

Stamps: Field Flowers & Tiny Tags
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze & Very Vanilla Cardstock; First Edition & Walk in the Park DSP
Ink: Calypso Coral, Pear Pizzazz & Chocolate Chip Classic Ink
Accessories: Crochet Trim, Vintage Trinkets, Jewelry Tag Medium Punch, Curly Label Punch, 1/16" Circle Punch, Brown Brads and Dimensionals/Pop Dots

Queen for a Day

2011-09-13T16:45:00.000-07:00

Well, who doesn't want to be a Queen for a Day??? Admit it, there's a bit of princess in each of us. I thought that sentiment was perfect for the card I have for you today. As soon as I saw this on the cover of the 2011-2012 Catalog, I knew I had to make it. My favorite part....that fabulous frame that is the focal image of the card.

It is one of the new Designer Frames embossing folders that SU has introduced. This oval also comes with a rectangular frame. I have seen them used so many different ways and I will definitely be sharing them with you.

I must admit that this DSP also steals a bit of the show. Yep, I pulled out the Mocha Morning again for this card. Between all the fussy tearing, ribbon and feminine details, I do believe this card is fit for a Queen! Hope you like it.

Stamps: You're a Gem, Tiny Tags & Elements of Style
Paper: Soft Suede, Early Espresso & Very Vanilla Cardstock; Mocha Morning DSP
Ink: Early Espresso & Regal Rose Classic Pads
Accessories: Designer Frames Embossing Folders, Antique Brads, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Punch and Crumb Cake Seam Binding

PP63: My Dear Kind & Wonderful Friend

2011-09-10T22:08:00.000-07:00

This week at the Paper Players, Nance has challenged us with a stunning color combination. These are not colors that I would naturally throw together, but they work together so perfectly. We actually made this card at my workshop on Thursday. My girls didn't know it...but, they got a sneak peek ;) I must say...this was one of their favorites of the night:

I think my favorite part of the card is the layering of these colors. The gray on the focal image and the postage stamps brings it all together with the gray card base. Those cute postage stamps were some of my new goodies that I pulled out: the Pretty Postage stamp set and the Postage Stamp punch. Can you see a theme here? This card originally started out as a postcard design....but, you can see that it transformed itself.

Have these colors inspired you to hit the craft room and create a project? Be sure to pop on over to the Paper Players blog to see what the other talented ladies have created...and better yet, upload your creation. We'd love to see it!

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Ann Marie Hile

Rita (for Jaydee)

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Nance Leedy

Tara Bilbao

Sandra Conner (September GD)

Stamps: Pretty Postage, Because I Care & All Holidays
Paper: Basic Gray, Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive and Whisper White Cardstock
Ink: Basic Gray, Rich Razzleberry & Old Olive Classic Pads
Accessories: Postage Stamp Punch, Rich Razzleberry Polka Dot Ribbon, Green Rhinestone Brad and Pop Dots/Dimensionals

Paper Players Challenge #62 Just for You

2011-09-04T10:41:00.000-07:00

I'm just so excited! This is my first week as Guest Designer at The Paper Players and boy have the girls come up with some fabulous cards. It's a Theme Challenge this week: Birthdays. Who doesn't need Birthday cards?

I had just gotten a new SU! order and in it was the gorgeous Mocha Morning Specialty DSP. I knew I wanted to cut this up and get it on a card. All I needed was a sketch. I came across this one at The Sweet Stop.

I had envisioned lots of layers, so this was perfect. The DSP has Soft Suede, Crumb Cake and Very Vanilla. I wanted a pop of color, so I threw in some Melon Mambo. Melon Mambo and Soft Suede were In Colors together, so I thought they would pair together beautifully . Here's the card I came up with:

The colors and layers came together so easily...but, the hardest part for me is finding that perfect finishing touch. After much deliberation, I punched out the banner from the Petal Cone Die, cut it apart and trimmed it down to size. I added a button to each end and I think it adds the perfect balance to the card without being too much.

What do you think? Are you inspired to create a card for that special girlfriend, husband, sister, brother or maybe even a coworker? Well, if you need some inspiration or want to upload your design, be sure to pop on over to The Paper Players and check us out. We'd love to see your creation!

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Ann Marie Hile

Jaydee

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Nance Leedy

Tara Bilbao

Sandra Connor (September GD)

Stamps: Simply Soft (Hostess) & Hodgepodge Happiness

Paper: Soft Suede, Melon Mambo, Crumb Cake & Very Vanilla Cardstock; Mocha Morning DSP
Ink: Melon Mambo Classic Pad & Timber Brown StazOn
Accessories: Petal Cone Die, Scallop Border Punch, Paper Piercer & Mat Pack, Embroidery Floss, Blender Pens, Seam Binding-Crumb Cake, Pink Buttons, Stickles

Hot Off the Press!

2011-09-03T09:14:00.000-07:00

Have you heard the news??? There's a new Guest Designer in town...and it's me! I applied to be one of the Fall Guest Designers over at The Paper Players and what do you know-I got picked. I am just so excited to be chosen and can't wait to share my designs and hopefully spark some inspiration.

For those of you that may not know, The Paper Players is a Challenge Blog to get you inspired in making your own creations. There is a new challenge every Sunday. It could be a Theme, Color or Sketch Challenge. I hope you'll pop in and see what the Design Team has come up with. I feel very lucky to be working beside so many talented ladies.

My first guest appearance is this Sunday, Sept 4th and I'll be there weekly through December. Be sure to stop on by!

http://thepaperplayers.blogspot.com/

Lavender Lace Butterflies

2011-08-27T09:54:00.000-07:00

This is another version of the card in my previous post. I designed that one with pink, this one in purple. Which do you like better? I must say, I usually prefer the more subtle colors, but I love the brighter Lavender Lace and So Saffron combination here. It's just pretty.

I don't have much more to add about this card, but I will share that one of my other cards was featured over at My Crafty Picks this week. Stop over and check out all the work by the other lovely ladies.

I have also been keeping a very exciting secret that I can't wait to share with you guys. Check back in next week to see what it is! Enjoy your weekend.

Stamp: Kindness Matters, Short & Sweet
Paper: Lavender Lace, So Saffron & Very Vanilla Cardstock; Shades of Spring DSP
Ink: Chocolate Chip Classic Ink
Accessories: Postage Stamp Punch, Scalloped Edge Punch, Petal Cone Die, Pearls, and Yellow Tulle

Pretty Pink Butterflies

2011-08-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

Is this not the sweetest little card ever? I got a request for a personalized Baby Girl card and immediately thought of this stamp set. It's called Kindness Matters and is one of my new favorites. The butterfly images are just precious.

I got the design inspiration right out of the catalog on pg 121. I thought it would be perfect for highlighting the baby's name. The name was printed on vellum and cut out with the Petal Cone Die. After I took the picture, I decided to add baby pearls before and after the name. It gave it the perfect finishing touch.

I love all the layers that this card creates. I hope you like it too! Thanks for stopping by.

Stamps: Kindness Matters
Paper: Pretty in Pink, So Saffron and Very Vanilla; Shades of Spring DSP
Ink: Chocolate Chip Classic Ink
Accessories: Postage Stamp Punch, Petal Cone Die, Scallop Border Punch and Yellow Tulle

{thanks}

2011-08-19T21:03:00.000-07:00

Happy Weekend Everyone! It is finally here. If you would have asked me an hour ago if I'd be updating my blog tonight...the answer would have been a resounding no. I was ready to lay down, pull out my Nook and retire for the evening.

But, I got my second wind on the way home from dinner. We were rockin' out to the new Chili Peppers song: The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie. It's amazing how music can have that affect on you. Just this week, I was driving to work, listening to the 80s, and landed right back in 1984. Apache Junction, AZ....7th Grade...Billy Ocean singing Loverboy. I don't think I've heard that song since then, but I caught myself singing it all day with a smile on my face. You gotta love those moments & memories!

This stamp set brings back lots of memories for me too. I think that's why I love it so much. I grew up in the country with lots of wild flowers. This image reminds me of all the flowers that grew in the fields around our house. I think it inspires a feeling of peace.

My new 'Color I Wish I Had' is Tangerine Tango. I think this set would be beautiful with it. For this card I settled for my vintage Only Orange stamp pad. I had it tucked away and forgot I even had it till I went looking for a brighter orange. I love the look of it stamped on the First Edition DSP. Got the idea from Ilina Crouse's card here. I may redo it and sponge the edges a bit, but for now, it works. Hope you like it!

Stamps: Field Flowers & Pretty Postage
Paper: Early Espresson, Only Orange and Very Vanilla Cardstock; First Edition DSP
Ink: Garden Green, Only Orange and Early Espresso Classic Pads
Accessories: Scallop Edge Border Punch, Large Oval Punch, XL Oval Punch and Linen Thread

Rustic Field Flowers

2011-08-13T15:44:00.000-07:00

Well, this is truly a record. I haven't even had my new SU! goodies for 24 hours and I have a card made. I've been excited for orders in the past, but I think this was one of my favorite boxes to receive. It has all my favorites from the new catalog.

The focus of this card is the stamp set: Field Flowers. For this card, I was inspired by a card on the front of the new catalog. The orange and brown pair so nicely together...and that pop of green is just perfect.

I distressed just about every layer on this card using my distressing tool. Just run it around the edges, rough them up a bit and you're done. I then finished it off by sponging on a bit of Chocolate Chip. Hope you like it!

Stamps: Field Flowers, French Script & Short & Sweet
Paper: Peach Parfait, Chocolate Chip Textured and Very Vanilla Cardstock; Woodland Walk DSP
Ink: Peach Parfait, Pear Pizzazz, and Chocolate Chip Classic Pads
Accessories: Modern Label Punch, Distressing Tool, Rik-Rak, Green Brads, 1/16" Hole Punch, Paper Piercer and the Mat Pack

Pretty Pink Bouquet

2011-08-07T11:15:00.001-07:00

My card today is a CASE of this beautiful card by Vicki Burdick. There was something so very feminine about her card.

I don't have the Fabulous Florets stamp set yet, so I substituted the Fifth Avenue Floral set. I think it works just as nicely.

The flowers were colored using a Pretty in Pink stamp pad and my Blender Pens. They are colored lighter toward the center and darker at the tips. Before adding pearls to the center, I colored in some brown accents using my Chocolate Chip marker.

One of my favorite parts of her card, is the stitching she did randomly around the border. I pierced the holes with my mat pack, then stitched them with a needle and some pink embroidery floss I had on hand. It adds the perfect touch.

I had such fun recreating this card and love how it turned out. I hope you do too. Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Fifth Avenue Floral, Nature Walk, Short & Sweet
Paper: Pretty in Pink, Crumb Cake and Very Vanilla Cardstock; Shades of Spring DSP
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery and Chocolate Chip Classic Pads
Accessories: Mat Pack & Paper Piercer, Pink Embroidery Floss, Designer Buttons-Subtles, Linen Thread, a Needle, Basic Pearls, Dimensionals/Pop Dots and Glue Dots

Fabulous Flower

2011-07-23T10:22:00.000-07:00

Hi All! It's good to be back. I took a little hiatus for my brother's wedding in California and then just took the rest of the week off from crafting altogether. I feel so refreshed and ready to go.

This card was inspired by Vicki Burdick's seen here. She used a bit of embossing on the Flower Fest stamp set. I don't have this stamp set, but felt pretty confident I could create something similar. The first thing that came to mind was my Nestabilities. I cut three different sizes and stacked them. I recreated her embossed edge by sponging the edges with some Whisper White Craft Ink.

I needed a Mom Birthday card and a Petal Cone to match, so it was fun to try out a different style on the cone. I did the same flower and added the Little Leaves Die Cut. So feminine...so pretty. Hope you like it! Thanks for stopping by.

Stamps: Bring on the Cake & Non-SU Alphabet Set
Paper: Regal Rose, Certainly Celery and Whisper White Cardstock; Sweet Always DSP
Ink: Regal Rose & Basic Black Stamp Pads; Whisper White Craft Pad
Accessories: Petal Cone Die, Little Leave Die, Scallop Circle Nestabilities, Half Back Pearls, Certainly Celery Satin Ribbon, Light Green Rik-Rak, Corner Rounder Punch and a sponge

A Bit of Beach

2011-07-10T09:13:00.000-07:00

Yes, this is really me...I'm not incognito, nor have I stolen this picture from someone else. This picture was snapped in my craft room one night, so it doesn't have the normal background image you're used to seeing.

I needed a birthday card for someone who loves the beach. I soon realized that I do not have one stamp set that is beach themed. I think I have everything but.

So, I started brainstorming. What reminds me of the beach? I immediately thought of color --- blues! I chose three different shades to represent the different colors of water: Not Quite Navy, Marina Mist and Bashful Blue. They are gorgeous together.

I then began to peruse all of my mom's die cuts (which happen to be on vacation in my craft room.) I came across a sand dollar. This just happens to be one of my favorite things about the ocean. I thought it would be a perfect addition to the card.

I think there is something very peaceful about this card...and reminiscent of the beach. It makes me want to be there right now ;)

Stamps: Happy Harmony
Paper: Not Quite Navy, Marina Mist, Bashful Blue, Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake and Very Vanilla Cardstock
Ink: Chocolate Chip & Crumb Cake Classic Ink
Accessories: Petal Cone Die, Fun Flowers Die, Sand Dollar Die, Scalloped Edge Border Punch, Brown Buttons, Linen Thread, Brown Sheer Ribbon, Sponge and Glue Dots

Strength & Hope

2011-07-09T08:03:00.000-07:00

Happy Weekend Everyone! I, for one, am glad it's here. Next weekend is my brother's wedding, so I am using this weekend to primp and check off those last minute items before we head to CA. Of course, there's always time for card making and a quick little post.

My card today is a CASE of Teneale Williams' beautiful creation seen here. Her card is pure gorgeousness in purples. I switched it up and used pinks.

This stamp set is great. Not only will it help you create some super pretty cards, but for every purchase of this set, Stampin' Up is donating $2 to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Those are two great reasons to add this to your collection. It is available till August 31st in the Summer Mini. But don't wait....get it now and put that cute butterfly to use.

Stamps: Strength & Hope
Paper: Melon Mambo, Crumb Cake and Very Vanilla Cardstock
Ink: Melon Mambo & Crumb Cake Classic Ink
Accessories: Petal Cone Die, Fun Flowers Die, Half Back Pearls, Very Vanilla Satin Ribbon, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Glue Dots and Dimensionals/Pop Dots

Happy Graduation

2011-07-05T18:35:00.001-07:00

My card was inspired by this card made by Mary Fish over at Stampin' Pretty. I loved the clean design and the different colored arrows that she created.

I needed a masculine Graduation Card, so I pulled out the Travel Journal DSP. The recipient likes greens and blues and I knew this pack would be perfect.

I made yet another masculine Petal Cone to go with it. I kept the focal image neutral with circles and kept the same design as the card.

I love how these turned out...I hope he does too! Thanks for stopping by.

Stamps: Word Play
Paper: Night of Navy, Old Olive, Crumb Cake and Whisper White Cardstock; Travel Journal DSP
Ink: Night of Navy Classic Pad
Accessories: Petal Cone Die, Circle Nestabilities, Old Olive Marker, Mat Pat & Paper Piercer, Green Brads, Crumb Cake Seam Binding, Hole Punch and Pop Dots/Dimensionals

Sweet 16

2011-07-02T17:26:00.001-07:00

Ohhh...to be 16 again! I so couldn't wait to be 16, and then it was 18, and then everyone's favorite 21. I've had just a couple more since then...*wink* *wink*

I needed a card for a larger-than-life 16-year-old. My first thought was rhinestones...and lots of them! She also likes pink and purples.

My super cute pink polka dot panel came from the Shades of Spring DSP. I paired it up with Concord Crush and Pear Pizzazz. As if this card wasn't girly enough already, I added a bit of stitching to the side of the panel.

I don't have a sewing machine, so I had to improvise. I used my mat pack to pierce alternating holes and then I took a needle with some embroidery floss and stitched away.

I usually don't tie big bows on cards, but this time it seemed fitting. I think it all works together perfectly. Hopefully she likes it!

Stamps: So Very
Paper: Concord Crush, Crumb Cake, Pear Pizzazz and Whisper White Cardstock; Shades of Spring & Lap of Luxury DSP
Ink: Concord Crush Classic Ink
Accessories: Petal Cone Die, Fun Flowers Die, Circle & Scallop Circle Nestabilities, Mat Pack & Paper Piercer, Rhinestones, Embroidery Floss, Green Ribbon, Designer Buttons-Subtles, Hole Punch and Glue Dots

Best Wishes

2011-07-01T18:12:00.000-07:00

I needed a wedding card that would 'Wow'. What do you think...does it work? When I think of wedding cards, I always think elegant. In this case, I used the Bella Blue DSP.

The prints in this pack are pretty and sophisticated. I played around with the prints until I got two that would work together. In this case, I did not use the coordinating prints on the sheet-front/back. I usually do.

My brother is getting married in two weeks and we're all pretty excited for him. Lucky for us, we'll be going to CA and getting out of the 110+ degree weather here in AZ. I'm looking forward to a little beach time.

Do you have a wedding card that you've made that you'd like to share? If so, I'd love to see it. Be sure to leave me a link! Thanks for stopping by.

Stamps: Bella's Bloom & Vintage Labels
Paper: Crumb Cake & Very Vanilla Cardstock; Bella Bleu DSP
Ink: Early Espresso Classic Ink
Accessories: Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder, Top Note Die, Paper Piercer & Mat Pack, Early Espresso Taffeta Ribbon, Half Back Pearls and Dimensionals/Pop Dot

The Tree of Life

2011-06-29T20:34:00.001-07:00

I had a request for a set of masculine Sympathy cards. I kept them very simple and focused on color.

I was picking through my stacks of paper and pulled out the Walk in the Park DSP. Both of the patterned pieces are from this pack.

The leaves on the Old Olive print were a perfect match for the tree. Old Olive pairs nicely with Chocolate Chip, so I used that as the base.

The gray print that I used on this card is one of my favorites. I know gray is a neutral color, but I love to use it when designing. It's so pretty!

It's often during sad times that we need to send a sympathy card, but sending one that is handmade with your personal thoughts or memories may be something the recipient cherishes. Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Thoughts & Prayers
Paper: Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Basic Gray, Going Gray and Whisper White Cardstock; Walk in the Park DSP
Ink: Chocolate Chip & Basic Gray Classic Ink
Accessories: Lots of Tags Die, Paper Piercer and Mat Pack

Puppy Love

2011-06-28T18:25:00.000-07:00

When you think of puppies, what do you think of? Puppy breath, toys, lots of licks and...lots of newspaper. Carrie Gaskin over at Artistic Avenger ran with the idea of newspaper and incorporated the Newsprint DSP into her card.

How cute is that? Of course, I needed to do my own version ;) I took her basic design and switched it up a bit. That scalloped square in the middle? I made that using my Scallop Edge Border Punch. So, if you don't have the die, you can still make it work.

I love all the little pieces of this card and how they come together. Hope you like it too! Thanks for stopping by.

Stamps: D is for Dog
Paper: Poppy Parade, Crumb Cake & Very Vanilla Cardstock; Newsprint DSP
Ink: Chocolate Chip Classic Ink
Accessories: Petal Cone Die, Scallop Edge Border Punch, Circle Nestabilities, Brown Gingham Ribbon, Brown Brad, Sponge and a Hole Punch

D is for Dog

2011-06-25T21:03:00.000-07:00

If you've ever had a pet and lost one, you know how hard it can be. Having a great vet and vet hospital is helpful during this difficult time.

One of my customers has just gone through this and wanted a thank you for her vet and the hospital that helped her. I came across this card from Carris Gaskin over at Artistic Avenger and thought it would be perfect.

If you noticed, I actually stamped on this petal cone. This stamp set has little paw prints and I thought they would add the perfect touch. Hope you like it!

Stamps: D is for Dog
Paper: Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip and Whisper White Cardstock; Sweet Pea DSP
Ink: Crumb Cake & Chocolate Chip Classic Ink
Accessories: Petal Cone Die, 1/16" Circle Punch, Green Brads, Circle Nestabilities, Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon and a Hole Punch

Pumpkin Spice & Something Nice

2011-06-24T20:34:00.001-07:00

Orange is not one of my favorite colors...it's often just a bit too bright for me. It was definitely not so in this case.

I saw a card similar to this one, where the designer trimmed down a sheet from the Sweet Pea DSP Pack. (Unfortunately I didn't save the link.)

This button is a Designer Big Button. They are quite larger than a standard button, but as a focal point on a card, they work. I pulled my ribbon through the holes and tied a knot. Love the look! Hope you like it too ;) Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Afterthoughts
Paper: Chocolate Chip & Sweet Pea DSP
Ink: Chocolate Chip Classic Ink
Accessories: Petal Cone Die, Fun Flowers Die, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Designer Big Buttons-Sweet Stitches, Brown Button, Sheer Brown Ribbon, Orange Ribbon, Linen Thread, Hole Punch and a Glue Dot

A Pixie Pinwheel

2011-06-23T21:28:00.000-07:00

OK, enough of all that masculine stuff! Here's a fun summer card using the pinwheel technique that I've seen popping up everywhere.

Although it looks very tricky to make, it's actually so easy. The hardest part for me, was finding a patterned paper that I liked the front and back of for the pinwheel design.

1. You're going to cut a square the size you want your pinwheel to be. This one is 3"x3".

2. Next, you take a pair of scissors and cut toward the center from each of the corners-Do Not cut all the way to the center. You want to leave some uncut paper.

3. Fold one corner toward the center and press on the back edge. Continue this clockwise until all of the ends overlap in the center.

4. Lastly, grab your paper piercer, pierce through the edges in the center of the pinwheel and add a brad. This holds everything in place.

These are so fun to make and you can make them different every time! My design kind of resembles a present. Too cute! I would love to see your pinwheel if you decide to make one, so be sure to leave me a link. Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Bring on the Cake
Paper: Crumb Cake & Sweet Always DSP
Ink: Chocolate Chip Classic Ink
Accessories: Scissors, Paper Piercer & Mat Pack, Brown Brad and a Glue Dot

I have a great dad!

2011-06-22T21:08:00.000-07:00

This is the card my son gave to my husband for Father's Day. These images were the reason I bought these stamp sets. My husband isn't really into golfing, hunting, boating or most other themes that masculine stamp sets come in.

What my husband does have an appreciation for is art. We both enjoy abstract art, so these images are perfect for creating mini works of art. You could make the same card in different colors and it would have a totally different look.

I promise this will be my last masculine card for a while. I have some super pretty girls stuff coming up! Thanks for stopping by.

Stamps: My Hero, My Father (Non-SU!) & Grunge Me (Non-SU!)
Paper: Wild Wasabi & Whisper White Cardstock
Ink: Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive, Garden Green & Basic Gray Classic Ink
Accessories: Corner Rounder & Dimensionals/Pop Dots

The Best Dad

2011-06-22T20:49:00.000-07:00

This is the card I gave my husband for Father's Day. It is a CASE of another Nichole Heady card. The simplicity of the card is perfect for a masculine theme.

My colors on this card: Pear Pizzazz, Old Olive, Baja Breeze and Not Quite Navy. These all pair up so nicely together.

I'm not sure if you noticed or not, but I pulled out my Scorepal and scored a couple of lines on the bottom of the card. It's perfect for a masculine card in the sense that it adds some dimension without adding ribbon ;)

Hope you like it!

Stamps: My Hero, My Father (Non-SU)
Paper: Not Quite Navy & Whisper White Cardstock
Ink: Pear Pizzazz, Old Olive, Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy & Basic Gray Classic Ink
Accessories: Scorepal & Dimensionals/Pop Dots

Pop Art Dad

2011-06-19T21:36:00.000-07:00

Doesn't this look like a piece of Pop Art? I think so...all the fun colors and a bit of grunge! This is another CASE of a card made by Nichole Heady. She has such a great sense of style.

Although the stamp sets used on this card are not SU!, all the paper and ink are. I originally went with more muted earth tones for the different colors, but ended up with these brighter ones: Real Red, Only Orange, Daffodil Delight, Green Galore, Basic Gray and Tempting Turquoise. I love the pop they give against the Basic Gray.

Hope you all had a great Father's Day!

Stamps: Grunge Me (Non SU!) & My Hero My Dad (Non SU!)
Paper: Real Red, Only Orange, Daffodil Delight, Green Galore, Basic Gray, Tempting Turquoise and Whisper White Cardstock
Ink: Basic Gray Classic Ink
Accessories: Alpha Blocks Die (Non SU!) and Dimensionals/Pop Dots

You Rock!

2011-06-19T09:04:00.001-07:00

Who says Petal Cones are only for girls? I think this one proves that theory wrong. I got a request for a male teacher thank you card and petal cone. There are no buttons or bows...so it's perfect.

This is one of the few non-SU! stamp sets that I have. I saw all the fun geometric images and had to have it.

This is a CASE of a Nichole Heady card. I kept the design exactly the same, I just changed the colors. I settled on Marina Mist and pulled out my trusty Color Coach to see what would coordinate. Old Olive was one of the 'Getting Started' combination colors. Pair it up with Basic Black and you have a masterpiece.

I had fun playing with all the designs in this set. Hope the teacher loves it!

Stamps: Grunge Me
Paper: Marina Mist, Basic Black and Whisper White Cardstock
Ink: Marina Mist, Basic Black and Whisper White Classic Ink
Accessories: Petal Cone Die, Paper Piercer & Mat Pack, Circle Nestabilities, Hole Punch and Black Satin Ribbon

Simple Beauty

2011-06-18T09:21:00.000-07:00

Well, I think I saved the best for last. This set was my favorite of them all.

It was inspired by this card that Jen Sannes made over at SCS. I kept the same simple design, but gave it a couple Julie touches.

What drew me to this card was her subtle use of color. She had used Dusty Durango for her pop of color, but I chose to use Rose Red. I adore this color and as you can see, it works perfectly with the Soft Suede and Very Vanilla. They are a match made in heaven *swoon*.

A button finishes off the card. I have never had much luck securing buttons over the ribbon, so luckily, this button lended itself to being tied with my ribbon. I ran the ribbon up through the holes and tied a knot. Love it!

This card would be great for any occasion, but for me, it's definitely the perfect wedding card. I just happen to have one coming up, so I see myself making another.

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Warmest Regards
Paper: Soft Suede, Rose Red & Very Vanilla Cardstock; Thoroughly Modern DSP
Ink: Chocolate Chip Classic Ink
Accessories: Petal Cone Die, Fun Flowers Die, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Paper Piercer & Mat Pack, Brown Buttons, Chocolate Chip Satin Ribbon, Very Vanilla Satin Ribbon, Linen Thread, Hole Punch and Glue Dots

Packed with Polka Dots

2011-06-17T07:33:00.000-07:00

What girl doesn't love some polka dots? I sure do and when I saw this cute little ensemble, I knew I had to recreate it.

I was talking to a girlfriend last night and she's considering buying some basic supplies to get started with card making. It got me thinking, what are the necessities?

I made a few teacher thank you cards last year with a friend who had grabbed what she had and headed over: cardstock, ribbon and flowers. She had gotten all of these for free at a Bazzill warehouse clearance and didn't know what to do with them. We put together a simple design similar to this one and they were a hit. All she really needed from me was a little guidance and a stamp.

If you are considering card making, look around your crafty space and you may already have some of these basic supplies. You may just need that go-to stamp set. SU! has plenty of those and I'd love to help you pick one out. Feel free to email me if you need a creative director. I'm your girl! Thanks for stopping by.

Stamps: Afterthoughts
Paper: Basic Black & Very Vanilla Cardstock; Love Letter DSP
Ink: Basic Black Classic Ink & Vintage Photo Distress Ink
Accessories: Petal Cone Die, Fun Flowers Die, Scallop Border Punch, Black Satin Ribbon, Linen Thread, Fabric Flowers, Clear Rhinestone Brad, Red Button, Sponge and Glue Dots

So Saffron Savvy

2011-06-16T08:20:00.000-07:00

My card was inspired by this beautiful creation by Mercedes Weber. The simple design and color scheme define sophistication.

This print is from a sheet in the Sweet Pea DSP pack from a while back. Many of us have it, but how many of us use it? It is full of fabulous prints, both masculine and feminine. Many of the sheets, like this one, can be trimmed up and used as the base for your card.

I would have never thought to pair up So Saffron, Basic Black and Crumb Cake. Thank you Mercedes for inspiring me to try something new. I hope you all like my take on it. Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Clearly for You
Paper: Crumb Cake & Basic Black Cardstock; Sweet Pea DSP
Ink: Basic Black Classic Pad
Accessories: Petal Cone Die, Fun Flowers Die, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Corner Punch, Hole Punch, Paper Daisy, Designer Buttons-Subtles, Black Satin Ribbon, Linen Thread and Glue Dots

No 147: Bashful Bird

2011-06-14T19:17:00.000-07:00

I got the inspiration for this card from the fabulous Jackie Wright. You can see her card here. She made her card in about 64 seconds, mine took a little longer.

First, I switched up the base color and went with Bashful Blue. It needed a vintage-y look, so I inked it up. For this technique, I opened up my stamp pad and just started dropping it on the cardstock in different directions. I did the same for the petal cone before I assembled it. This gives it a different look that what a sponge does. I think that worked better for coordinating with this piece of DSP.

Next, I stamped the bird from the Nature Walk set and cut it out. It was then popped up with pop dots to give it some dimension. Finally, I added a layer of Early Espresso, some Rik Rak and it was done.

Once again, this print is from a whole sheet of the Botanical Gazette DSP that was just trimmed down to a portion that would fit a card. It doesn't get much easier than that ;)

Hope you like it!

Stamps: Nature Walk & Because I Care
Paper: Bashful Blue, Early Espresso & Very Vanilla DSP; Botanical Gazette DSP
Ink: Early Espresso Classic Ink
Accessories: Petal Cone Die, Fun Flowers Die, Large Oval Punch, Hole Punch, Brown Button, Linen Thread, Shear Brown Ribbon, Brown Rik Rak, Dimensionals/Pop Dots and Glue Dots

The Cherry Cobbler Gazette

2011-06-13T20:35:00.000-07:00

This card is a CASE of Ilina Crouse's card seen here. The design was simple and the colors were gorgeous! See those yummy red raspberries, that print is trimmed down from a full sheet in the Botanical Gazette DSP.

To go along with the card, I created a coordinating petal cone. The vanilla was a little plain, so I spruced it up by stamping a butterfly on the cardstock before putting it together. It's adds a nice little touch.

On a final note, did you notice anything different about the flower on the petal cone? There's a brad in the center and it's one I've never used before. It's taken a year, but I finally ordered the Antique Brads. This brad added the prefect vintage-y feel to the design.

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Nature Walk & Because I Care
Paper: Cherry Cobbler & Very Vanilla Cardstock; Botanical Gazette DSP
Ink: Cherry Cobbler Classic Ink
Accessories: Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch, Petal Cone Die, Fun Flowers Die, Antique Brads, Cherry Cobble Seam Binding, Mat Pack & Paper Piercer and Glue Dots

SC336: Shades of Spring

2011-06-12T17:59:00.000-07:00

I got a request for (6) teacher thank you sets: one coordinating card and petal cone. So, I sat down and went through all my papers to find patterns that would work for both.

This first set uses the Shades of Spring DSP.
The colors are fun and fresh and work
perfectly for my customer's request for something Spring-y.

My inspiration for the card was this sketch challenge over at SCS. This was an easy one. I just needed a pattern that would work on its own.

If you follow my blog, you know I LOVE to make these petal cones, so I am enjoying making them with different colors and DSPs. I hope you like them...thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Swirls & Curls Verses
Paper: Orchid Opulence & Very Vanilla Cardstock; Shades of Spring DSP
Ink: Orchid Opulence Classic Ink
Accessories: Petal Cone Die, Fun Flowers Die, Mat Pack & Paper Piercer, Purple Buttons, Linen Thread, Very Vanilla Satin Ribbon, Hole Punch and Mini Glue Dots

Nursery Suite-Baby Girl

2011-06-11T20:07:00.000-07:00

This is the companion to my Nursery Suite set for a Baby Boy that you can see here. I had a request for a Baby Girl Altered Composition Book and this is what I put together.

I love playing with papers and colors and making these books allows you to do both. This is made with the Nursery Suite DSP that includes this Regal Rose Circle Doily and a Baja Breeze Square Doily.

If you are a scrapbooker, this paper pack would be a perfect addition to your pages. It is currently on the Last Chance list and will be gone once it's out of stock. Email me or check out my website to order this item. It works perfectly with feminine or masculine projects. Hope you like it!

Stamps: Whimsical Words & A New Little Someone
Paper: Regal Rose, Barely Banana and Very Vanilla Cardstock: Nursery Suite DSP & Sweet Stitches DSP
Ink: Regal Rose Classic Pad
Accessories: Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, Slim Jim Sizzlets, Scalloped Edge Punch, Paper Piercer & Mat Pack, Yellow Brads, Pink Rik-Rak, Yellow Tulle and Dimensionals

My Sew Pretty Butterflies

2011-06-06T19:05:00.001-07:00

It finally happened, I got together with my sweet friend Nicole and we broke out her sewing machine. How fun! I think I could be hooked. I also think I know what I want for my next birthday present (psst...hint to the hubby ;)

I went through all my card samples to gather some ideas, but I settled on a card I saw in the Occasions Mini. That card used various sized hearts that were stitched up the middle. I switched it up and used butterflies. I think they worked perfectly with this DSP.

This was also the first time I used River Rock on a card. Up until now, I considered it a neutral color, but now I see it as a really pretty light green.

Have I inspired you to add some sewing to a project? If I have, I'd love to see it. Be sure to leave me a link. Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Tiny Tags
Paper: Always Artichoke, River Rock, and Rose Red Cardstock; Springtime Vintage DSP
Ink: Always Artichoke Classic Ink
Accessories: Sewing Machine, Thread, Scallop Edge Border Punch, Jewelry Tag Punch, Beautiful Butterflies Die, Buttons, Embroidery Floss, Linen Thread and Small Glue Dots

SC335: All Pieced Together

2011-06-05T15:29:00.001-07:00

I promise that my next post will have different colors than green and brown...ha ha! What can I say...when you're inspired, you gotta roll with it.

I saw this sketch challenge over at SCS and was up for the challenge. You needed to take three patterned papers and piece them together to create a frame. I chose the Woodland Walk DSP because the whole pack has the same color combo, so it would be easy to coordinate.

I created my frame first and then worked on the rest
of the card. This one did not come together easily. I sat down with it on three different occasions over a
couple of days.

I struggled the most with the focal image. I was going to stamp it, but couldn't find anything I liked. I tried the owl punch, that didn't work either. I finally pulled out the XL Fancy Flower Punch and that was the ticket. I think it pulls everything together. The sentiment is from Bella's Bloom. This has truly become one of my favorite all-time stamp sets because it is so versatile.

I love how it turned out and I hope you do too. Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Bella's Bloom
Paper: Early Espresso, Wild Wasabi and Very Vanilla Cardstock; Woodland Walk DSP
Ink: Early Espresso Classic Ink
Accessories: XL Fancy Flower Punch, Paper Piercer & Mat Pack, 3/4" Circle Punch, Brown Button, Linen Thread and a Small Glue Dot

SC333: A Greenhouse Thanks

2011-05-31T19:08:00.000-07:00

Well, the creative juices seem to once again be flowing. I actually sat down yesterday to create. As I mentioned in a previous post, I am totally hooked on the Greenhouse Gala DSP. The colors and print are fabulous.

Using that as inspiration, I went in search of a sketch. I stumbled upon this one over at SCS. It was perfect for what I had to work with.

I had saved all the scraps from the Fun Flowers I cut out for the Petal Cone dies I had done. There's not enough for a full card, but when trimmed up, I had enough scraps for the small portions of this design. It just goes to show...never throw away those scraps, especially of paper you love ;)

Hope you like it & thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Swirls & Curls Verses (Hostess)
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze and Whisper White Cardstock; Greenhouse Gala DSP
Ink: Chocolate Chip Classic Ink
Accessories: Fun Flowers Die, Mat Pack & Paper Piercer, Brown Button, Linen Thread and Glue Dots

Wedding Favors II: Greenhouse Gala

2011-05-24T17:47:00.000-07:00

If you saw my previous post, you know that I've been busy making these Petal Cones. I needed to make 90 of them for a wedding.

This is the second set that I made. I chose to use the Greenhouse Gala DSP for these. The colors in this pack are gorgeous and just perfect for summer.

I decided early on, that since I had to make 90, I would keep it simple. All the Petal Cones are Chocolate Chip. Each flower is made with a half sheet of the DSP. I used one side of the sheet for one layer and the other side for a layer. It's amazing how these are designed to coordinate. It made my job super easy.

These die cuts are both a must have. They have become my favorites. Hope you like them!

Stamps: None
Paper: Chocolate Chip and Pear Pizzazz Cardstock; Greenhouse Gala DSP
Ink: None
Accessories: Petal Cone Die, Fun Flowers Die, Pear Pizzazz Seam Binding, Buttons, Glue Dots and a Hole Punch

Wedding Favors I: Woodland Walk

2011-05-23T19:28:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone! Remember me....Julie Marshall. Yes, I'm still here. It has just been a busy quarter at school and I've had very little free time. Of course, that can't happen for long, right????

About 2 1/2 weeks ago, I got an email inquiring about these Petal Cone Dies. They were interested in about 90 for a
wedding. My first thought: can I make 90 of these? My second thought: do I have time to make 90 of these?

Well...I made 90 of these and it actually wasn't that bad. After being given the color scheme, I decided on the Woodland Walk and Greenhouse Gala DSPs. They had the majority of the colors we needed. Then it was off to decide on cardstock, ribbon and buttons. I loved playing with all these goodies and pairing them together.

The Woodland Walk DSP didn't jump out at me in the catalog, but the colors are gorgeous. This pack produced some of my favorite cones in the project. The greens and browns are fabulous together. Which is your favorite? Be sure to leave me a comment...I'd love to hear.

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: None
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, Wild Wasabi & Garden Green Cardstock; Woodland Walk DSP
Ink: None
Accessories: Petal Cone Die Cut, Fun Flowers Die Cut, Very Vanilla Seam Binding, Chocolate Chip Taffeta Ribbon, Linen Thread, Buttons, Glue Dots and a Hole Punch

Baja Bliss

2011-04-29T17:19:00.000-07:00

This color combination is one of my absolute favorites. I love Crumb Cake, Baja Breeze and Very Vanilla together...and, these prints from the Springtime Vintage DSP are just perfection.

The Fun Flowers Die Cut is the newest addition to my collection. I LOVE the (3) different flower designs and how they layer together. In addition to these three flowers, the die cuts two different size circles that could also be layered and used instead of/in addition to a button.

I've also seen this die used with fabric. I just happen to have some and can't wait to play. Hopefully I'll have a card or project soon to show you that. In the meantime, I'd love to see how you've used these two dies if you have them. Be sure to leave me a link and share!

Stamps: None
Paper: Crumb Cake & Very Vanilla Cardstock; Springtime Vintage DSP
Ink: None
Accessories: Petal Cone Bigz Die, Fun Flowers Bigz Die, Big Designer Buttons-Springtime Vintage, Baja Breeze Seam Binding, Linen Thread, Glue Dots-Medium and a Hole Punch

Springtime Flowers

2011-04-29T16:59:00.000-07:00

This is the second Petal Cone Die that I put together for the Fabulous girls that run the front office of our school.

When run through the Big Shot with two sheets of cardstock, this die will cut all the supplies needed to put this together. You get (2) Main Body pieces, (2) Scalloped Half Circles and (2) Banners. Everything is then glued together in less that 2 minutes. It's that easy.

There have been plenty of times that I've hand cut these banners for other projects, but this die does the perfect cut for you. You could probably even use the Scalloped Half Circles as well...I just haven't given those much thought yet ;)

These Petal Cones are very versatile and could be used for Baby Shower or Wedding Favors, Teacher's Gifts and can even be hung on hooks as a decoration. They are so fun and can be done in so many different ways. Hope you enjoy them!

Stamps: None
Paper: Pear Pizzazz & Rose Red Cardstock; Springtime Vintage DSP
Ink: None
Accessories: Petal Cone Bigz Die, Fun Flowers Bigz Die, Big Designer Buttons-Springtime Vintage, Rose Red Grosgrain Ribbon, Linen Thread, Glue Dots-Medium and a Hole Punch

Petal Cone Perfection

2011-04-29T16:47:00.000-07:00

A while back, I offered to swap some die cuts with my sweet friend Jamie over at Shabby Horse. I had the super cute Mini Milk Cartons and she had the gorgeous Petal Cone Dies. How nice to share with fellow crafters ;)

I wasn't sure if I wanted to buy this die cut, so I was glad to try it out. I am now quite certain, that this is a must buy. They go together so easily and you can decorate them up in so many ways. I had just gotten my Fun Flowers Die and decided to finally sit down and put these together.

It is Administrative Professionals Week, so I made these for the Fabulous girls that work in the front office of our school. They truly do keep everything running smoothly, so I wanted to make them feel special. I filled these with some Hershey Kisses and they were a hit!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: None
Paper: Rose Red & Baja Breeze Cardstock; Springtime Vintage DSP
Ink: None
Accessories: Petal Cone Bigz Die, Fun Flowers Bigz Die, Baja Breeze Seam Binding, Designer Buttons-Subtles, Linen Thread, Glue Dots-Medium and a Hole Punch

Note: Spoil Yourself Today

2011-04-18T22:14:00.001-07:00

Wouldn't you love to do that everyday...spoil yourself? I sure would. One way I spoiled myself...pretty much buying everything in the Occasions Mini. Anyone else out there spoil themselves this way???

I think this is the last stamp set from the mini that I have to share. The 'Note' image and composition lines are from the Notes & Details stamp set. Not only is the font super cute, but the set is so versatile.

I actually did get to use the Springtime Vintage Fabric on this card. I used it as ribbon and also die cut a matching butterfly. I think they make quite the ensemble ;) Have you used any of the fabric? If so, I'd love to take a look. Be sure to leave me a link in the comments.

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Notes & Details (122022 or 122060) and Bring on the Cake (121899 or 121958)
Paper: Very Vanilla Cardstock (101650); Springtime Vintage DSP (121782)
Ink: Pear Pizzazz Classic Pad (119784)
Accessories: Designer Fabric-Springtime Vintage (121817), Big Designer Buttons-Springtime Vintage (122301), Beautiful Butterflies Die (114507), Linen Thread (104199) and Anywhere Glue Stick (104045)

A Springtime Friend

2011-04-18T21:37:00.000-07:00

This card is a CASE of Ilina Crouse's card here. I love how she combined all of these elements. I did change out some of the accessories on my card. I don't have the Beveled Windowpanes, so my focal image is just stamped and layered. A simple approach, but just as effective.

My favorite part of this card...the Springtime Vintage DSP. I love this paper pack! It is everything feminine and in just the perfect way. I got the matching fabric and hope to have a project to share with you soon. Hint: Think Fun Flowers Die ;)

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: You're a Gem (122268 or 122270) & Bella's Bloom (Retired)
Paper: Crumb Cake (120953), Not Quite Navy (101722), Early Espresso (119686) and Whisper White (100730) Cardstock; Springtime Vintage DSP (121782)
Ink: Not Quite Navy Classic Pad (103008)
Accessories: Framed Tulips Embossing Folder (121809), 1/2" Baja Breeze Seam Binding (122331), Big Designer Buttons-Springtime Vintage (122301), Not Quite Navy Marker (100059), Old Olive Marker (100079), Linen Thread (104199), Paper Piercer (116631), Mat Pack (105826)

A Year Better

2011-04-18T20:49:00.000-07:00

"Not just a year older, but a year better." That's the sentiment on this card. Fabulous huh? This is one of the many sentiments from the Bring on the Cake stamp set. It truly is a must have set.

This card is a CASE right out of the Occassions Mini. I would have never put these colors together, but they truly do work. I think this may also be the first time I've used Marina Mist. It's such a pretty shade of blue.

I needed a third card for my last workshop and my creativity just wasn't flowing. When all else fails, pick up a catty and take a look. It works every time!

Stamps: Clearly for You (121911 or 121976) & Bring on the Cake (121899 or 121958)
Paper: Marina Mist (119682), Old Olive (100702), Cherry Cobbler (119685) and Whisper White (100730) Cardstock
Ink: Marina Mist (119668) and Cherry Cobbler (119669) Classic Pads
Accessories: Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch (119275), 3/16" Corner Rounder (119871) Mat Pack (105826), Paper Piercer (116631) and Sending Love Epoxy Brads

PPA89 & SR#67 Bella's Parisian Bloom

2011-04-17T20:49:00.000-07:00

It's everywhere...Spring is in the air! Pals Paper Arts challenged us to use flowers in a design and Stampin Royalty says 'Spring has Sprung', stamp anything from birds, blossoms and babies to baseball. My inspiration was this bloom from Bella's Bloom.

I love the simplicity of this flower and paired it with the french images from French Foliage. I thought the water droplets were a perfect representation of the April Showers that many of us are/will be getting.

The hint of DSP is from one of my all-time favorites: Raspberry Tart. I paired it up with Rose Red and Old Olive. What a pretty spring combination. I hope you like it ;) Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Clearly for You (121911 or 131976), French Foliage & Bella's Bloom
Paper: Rose Red (102544), Old Olive (100702) and Whisper White (100730) Cardstock; Raspberry Tart DSP
Ink: Rose Red (101778), Old Olive (102277) and Early Espresso (119670) Classic Pads
Accessories: Scallop Edge Border Punch (119882), Modern Label Punch (119849), 1/16" Circle Punch (101227), Mat Pack (105826), Paper Piercer (116631) and Sending Love Expoxy Brads.

Monkey 52: I Like it a Latte

2011-04-15T21:03:00.000-07:00

There's a new kid on the block: A La Card Monkey. Shirley and Terry just kicked off a new Challenge Blog at the beginning of April and they are off to a great start. You should definitely pop on over to check them out for some inspiration!

I was more than happy to help out when they asked me to be a Guest Designer. It has been quite some time since I've been creative in my craft room, so it was time to get back in the saddle.

The challenge was a coffee or tea card with this sketch. Since I only have one coffee set, it was easy to get started. I had seen a card some time ago by Laurie Schmidlin that used microbeads on the coffee cup. That's what I did here. The cup is stamped in Black Stazon, smeared with 2-Way Glue and dusted with Clear Microbeads. I love the effect that it gives and how it works perfectly with this DSP.

I think this will make the perfect Thank You card and I can't wait to send it. Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Like it a Latte (Retired) & Tiny Tags (118091 or 118592)
Paper: Basic Black (121045) & Very Vanilla (101650) Cardstock; Love Letter DSP (117162)
Ink: Jet Black Stazon (101406) & Vintage Photo Distress Ink
Accessories: Jewelry Tag Medium Punch (117190), 2-Way Glue (100425), 5/8" Black Satin Ribbon (117285), Basic Black Brads (119736), Sponges (101610) and Clear Microbeads

SCIC45: Simple Elegance

2011-03-24T11:44:00.000-07:00

Hi All! Is this photo full of inspiration or what? I was asked to be a guest designer over at Stampin Celebration and upon seeing it, I was immediately drawn to the colors, those beautiful polka dots on the cupcakes and the punched heart images.

I decided to work with the color combo, as I LOVE Crumb Cake and Basic Black together. I tried to work in some Very Vanilla, but decided against it. I wanted to keep the card simple with clean lines and the Fifth Avenue Floral set immediately popped to mind.

The flower images on the left came to me naturally, but I really struggled with the right half of the card. One flower in the bottom corner didn't see like enough to balance it, so I improvised and added a flower in between. The line is a bit straight to me, but I think it works.

Do you see the flowers peeking out from the back panel on the card? I popped up the front panel and added these to give the card a bit more dimension. Love the effect!

If you've found inspiration in this photo, I hope you'll join us in sharing your creation. I would love to see what you do. Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Fifth Avenue Floral (113734) & Because I Care (118384 or 120118)
Paper: Crumb Cake (120953) & Basic Black (121045) Cardstock
Ink: Basic Black Classic Pad (101179)
Accessories: Modern Label Punch (119849), Movers & Shapers-Punch Windows (115953), 5/8" Black Satin Ribbon (117285), Rhinestones (119246) and Dimensionals/Pop Dots (104430)

Visions of Spring

2011-03-18T15:54:00.000-07:00

From the first day that I received my Occassions Mini in the mail, I have wanted to recreate this card. My card is a CASE of the card on the front cover. I fell in love with the bright colors and of course, this stamp set: Nature Walk.

I had to be patient, as I knew I wouldn't be ordering these goodies until the end of February. Yes, I do plan ;) So, when I finally got to play with them this week, this is the first card I made.

If you are currently comparing my card to the SU card, you may see some differences. I kept the Melon Mambo, but swapped out Pear Pizzazz for the Orange/Pink they used. I switched up the First Edition DSP and alternated it with my torn cardstock at the bottom. My favorite addition...the Yellow Tulle that I added to the card. I would have never even thought of it, but this is one of the few Yellow ribbons that I have and I thought the shear look would be perfect. I think it was the final detail to bring everything together.

This card just yells spring to me and I absolutely love it! I hope you do too ;)

Click here to order any of these Fabulous products.

Stamps: Nature Walk (121925 or 121997) & You're a Gem (122268 or 122270)
Paper: So Saffron (105118), Pear Pizzazz (119795), Melon Mambo (115320) & Very Vanilla (101650) Cardstock; First Edition DSP (121878)
Ink: Pear Pizzazz (119784), Melon Mambo (115656) & Basic Black (101179) Classic Pads
Accessories: Lots of Tags Sizzlet Dies (114508), Paper Piercer (116631), Mat Pack (105826), Yellow Tulle and Dimensionals/Pop Dots (104430)

Framed For You

2011-03-18T15:27:00.000-07:00

This card is a CASE of Deb's beautiful card seen here. I loved everything about it.

The pretty antique frame around this card is embossed from the Framed Tulips Embossing Folder. It's hard to see here, but it is sponged with some Crumb Cake ink to age it up a bit.

The frame is paired up with this raspberry twig image from the Clearly for You stamp set. I was lucky enough to grow up around blackberry bushes as a child and this reminds me of them.

For my card, I switched out the butterfly image and used Rik Rak instead of ribbon. I love the simplicity of this card!

Stamps: Clearly for You (121911 or 121976)
Paper: Cherry Cobbler (119685), Old Olive (100702) and Very Vanilla (101650) Cardstock
Ink: Early Espresso (119670) & Crumb Cake (121030) Classic Pads
Accessories: Framed Tulips Embossing Folder (121809), Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die (118138), Cherry Cobbler Stampin Marker (119681), Pear Pizzazz Stampin Marker (119801), Stamping Sponges (101610), Oval Nestabilities, Vanilla Rik Rak and Dimensionals/Pop Dots (104430)

Click here to order any of these Fabulous products.

Rich Razzleberry Bliss

2011-03-18T14:55:00.001-07:00

I saw these fabulous cards on Splitcoaststampers and just had to recreate them. Thank you dbarry for the inspiration!

I love the simple color combination and design that she used. Her Pear Pizzazz version is my favorite, but I went with Rich Razzleberry on mine. We made these in my last workshop and I had already used Pear Pizzazz on a card, so I needed to switch it up. I also had the Rich Razzleberry ribbon on hand to use.

The original designer created these in all the current In Colors and gave them as a gift. What a great idea! I love Crumb Cake and can't wait to pair it up with all these different colors.

Stamps: Bliss (121851 or 123217) & Warmest Regards (Retired)
Paper: Rich Razzleberry (115316), Early Espresso (119686) and Crumb Cake (120953) Cardstock; First Edition DSP (121878)
Ink: Crumb Cake (121030) & Early Espresso (119670) Classic Pads
Accessories: Rich Razzleberry Grosgrain Ribbon (119957), Scallop Trim Border Punch (118402), Rhinestones (119246), Embossing Buddy (103083), Clear Embossing Powder (109130), Sponges (101610) and Dimensionals/Pop Dots (104430)

Click here to order any of these Fabulous products.

Liebster Award

2011-03-14T21:29:00.000-07:00

To say that I'm in the company of some fabulous ladies is an understatement. Last month, I got three different awards from three very talented ladies. I am truly flattered to be recognized by each of them.

Miss Lesley Croghan awarded me the second of my three awards. Her wonderfully creative work can be seen here at her Always Playing with Paper Blog. Lesley, thanks so much for sharing this with me. I am more than happy to pass it on!

The Liebster Blog Award is given to bring newer blogs to light and originated in Germany. It's a great way to share blogs that might not otherwise be seen or ones you want to share with others. They should have less than 150 followers.

As a recipient of this award, I must share the love and pay it forward by:
1. Creating a post where I blog about the Liebster award & reveal my 3 blog picks
2. Let the honorees know that I selected them
3. Copy and past the blog award on my blog

My picks are full of inspiration. Be sure to stop by and check them out!

1. Tara at Tara Bee Ink - I actually just discovered Tara's blog very recently. I saw her beautiful quilled flowers and I was sold. As I spent more time on her blog, I fell in love with her soft subtle use of color.

2. Jackie at Jackie's Blog - Jackie's Blog is also a newer blog to me. Her approach to card making is very simple, but her cards are full of style. The way she brings together different textures is true perfection.

3. Deb at Artfelt Impressions - I was drawn to Deb's blog because of the wonderfully clean lines that her cards have. She takes simple images and makes them big. She is also great at showing you different looks for different sets. Her creativity is endless.

Ladies, be sure to grab the award for your blog. Thanks for being an inspiration for us all!

Many Lucky Shamrocks

2011-03-13T15:23:00.000-07:00

The rainbow colors of this card remind me of my last day of work on Friday with a class of 1st Graders. They had propped up a little box in the back of the room with a note on it: 'Pot of Gold Inside'. This little trap was to help catch a Leprechaun over break. How cute is that???

Well, this card would surely attract a Little Leprechaun looking for his pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. I was inspired by this super cute card made by Erica Cerwin. She does rainbow colors so perfectly.

Since you never see this much color popping up on my blog, you know it was a bit out of my comfort zone...but, I enjoyed creating it and I love the colors!

Stamps: So Happy for You (121853 or 123220) & Afterthoughts (118388 or 120121)
Paper: Daffodil Delight (119683), Cherry Cobbler (119685), Peach Parfait (119794), Pear Pizzazz (119795), Marina Mist (119682) Concord Crush (119792) and Whisper White (100730) Cardstock
Ink: Cherry Cobbler (119669), Peach Parfait (119783), Daffodil Delight (119667), Pear Pizzazz (119784), Marina Mist (119668) and Concord Crush (119785) Classic Pads
Accessories: Scallop Edge Border Punch (119882), Curly Label Punch (119851), 3/4" Circle Punch (119873), Paper Piercer (116631) and Mat Pack (105826), Dimensionals/Pop Dots (104430) and Green Rhinestones

Click here to order any of these Fabulous products now.

Got Green?

2011-03-13T14:04:00.000-07:00

Since hearts seem to make the most perfect little shamrocks, I pulled out my I {Heart} Hearts Set. With so many options, it was hard to choose, but I settled on this dotted heart image. It's also cute if you stamp another heart inside of these ones, but that's not the route that I took.

I needed something to tie everything together and this Fabric Brad does the job perfectly. I love these brads and they are a must have from the Occasions Mini. They would also be fabulous for flower centers as well.

I had already made a card with a ribbon bow, so I wanted something different. I had seen where someone had broken down the 'Got Green' sentiment and punched both images with the Jewelry Tag Punch. I tied those with my next go-to accessory: Linen Thread. I love the darker green color of this card and the simple design. Sometimes less is more ;)

This card also works perfectly for the challenge over at Stampin' Celebration. They are celebrating St Patty's Day, so if you need some last minute inspiration, check them out here. Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: I {Heart} Hearts (117010 or 118571) & Got Treats (119114 or 120627)
Paper: Garden Green (102584), Early Espresso (119686), Crumb Cake (120953) and Very Vanilla (101650) Cardstock
Ink: Pear Pizzazz (119784) & Garden Green (102272) Classic Pads
Accessories: Paper Piercer (116631), Sweet Stitches Fabric Designer Brads (121880), Jewelry Tag Punch (117190) and Linen Thread (104199)

Click here to order any of these fabulous products now.

3 Lucky Shamrocks

2011-03-10T14:21:00.000-08:00

This card was inspired by one of the hundreds that I have saved in my files. It was made by Julie Smith here at Paper and Such. First, I loved the colors...Secondly, the Rik Rak. This was before I had my own stash of Rik Rak and I was drooling over everyone else's.

The colors were perfect for a St Patty's Day card and the challenge over at Hand Stamped Sentiments. There were some elements I just couldn't make work, so I switched it up a bit. For instance, I loved her little green banner at the bottom, but I opted for just a stamped image. I think my card was already busy with ribbons and buttons, that it was just too much for me.

These shamrocks are from the Got Treats set. I was actually amazed when I looked through all my products to see so many options I could use for this holiday. Check out your stash and see what you have hiding out ;)

Stamps: Got Treats & Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: Crumb Cake & Whisper White Cardstock
Ink: Pear Pizzazz & Chocolate Chip Classic Pads
Accessories: Corner Rounder, Green Rik Rak and Stitched Ribbon, Designer Buttons-Subtles and Linen Thread

So Lucky

2011-03-10T13:25:00.000-08:00

Ahhhh...it feels so good to be posting...it's been too long!!! I just haven't had the time to squeeze in any creative time for myself. Luckily, with this being the week before Spring Break...there's no homework...which means I'm not tutoring after school....Yay!!

A friend of mine requested some Saint Patty's Day cards. I think these are the first St Patty's cards I've ever made. I've seen different ideas over the years, so I at least had some starting points.

This card is actually very simple. I pulled out some Old Olive prints from the Autumn Spice DSP and punched out (3) hearts with the Full Heart Punch. Put together, they make the cutest little shamrock. The 'Lucky' image is from the Lucky You, Lucky Me for Knowing You stamp from the Afterthoughts Hostess Set. I just used a Stampin Marker and colored that part of the image. The font just works perfectly...love it!

Hope you like it. Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Apple Blossoms & Afterthoughts
Paper: Very Vanilla and Old Olive Cardstock; Autumn Spice DSP
Ink: Old Olive Classic Pad
Accessories: Full Heart Punch, Old Olive Satin Ribbon and Paper Piercer & Mat Pack

Stylish Blogger Award

2011-02-26T10:17:00.000-08:00

Tuesday morning started like every other...until I sat down to read my emails. Imagine my surprise when I saw that my sweet friend Jamie Pierson had given me the Stylish Blog Award. She's just fabulous and I'm quite flattered that she thought of me. Her blog is Shabby Horse and if you haven't been there, you need to hop on over. Thanks so much Jamie!

When you receive this Award, you are to Pay it Forward and follow these rules:

1. Thank the person who gave you this award and link it back to their blog
2. Share 8 things about yourself
3. Pass this award on to 8 other individuals that you have discovered
4. Leave them a comment so they can pass along the recognition

It wasn't easy coming up with 8 things to share, but I think I got some good ones. Here we go:

1. I L-O-V-E Ice Tea...the sweeter the better! Homemade with Lemon is pure perfection, but the next best thing: a Venti Iced Black Tea Sweetened from Starbucks. I once got it 3 times in one day. What can I say...it's hot in AZ!

2. In 1991, I was the Mt Pleasant Glass Festival Queen. Oh yes, this is vintage footage from the Wilkins archives. And, hubby just mentioned that this gown is still hanging in our closet. Do you think it still fits???

3. I love Math. I'm probably one of the few people who enjoyed taking the AZ Certification test for Middle School Math. Now I just have to figure out how to work these skills into my card making....hmmmm.

4. I've traveled to 37 of the 50 states. With the exception of Hawaii, I've traveled by car to all of them. Most recently, we drove to Oregon, where I got to see Goonie's Beach. (Yep, I'm an 80's girl at heart)

5. I would go to a concert weekly if I could. I love live music, pretty much everything from Alt Rock to Country. I would love to learn the electric guitar...so, I love listening to it being played. A few years ago, I was in the Pit for Motley Crue. That was awesome!

6. I love to read. If it's a great book, I have no problem staying up till 2-3 O'clock in the morning...which is why I have to wait till Friday to start a much anticipated new book. My favorite read lately: The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. One of my faves!!

7. I'm pretty sure I've seen the movie Titanic more than anyone. If it's on TV (which it is a lot) I have this compulsion to watch it. It's pretty much the perfect movie: great story, beautiful costumes and endless love. I'll be going to see it in 3-D in 2012, which would make it the 4th time I see it in the theaters ;)

8. Finally, I've had as many different hair styles as I've seen Titanic. I would love to scrapbook it one day to see the evolution of Julie.

Now...as if coming up with all of these wasn't hard enough...and getting these pictures just right on Blogger, I have 8 wonderful artists that Inspire me to share with you:

Joanne Leddy at Creative Stamping Ideas
Susie at Inspired by Nature
Julie B at Julie B's Stampin' Space
Jenny Peterson at Lakeshore Stamping
Emma Fewkes at Lady & the Stamp
Maureen Merritt at Mama Mo Stamps
Alison at Nice People Stamp
Robin Merriman at Trinity Designs

Spool 'O Ribbon

2011-02-21T09:50:00.000-08:00

I was lucky enough to get some card making time with a girlfriend this weekend. It was a nice rainy day to be inside crafting. If you're like me and heading somewhere else to craft, it's hard to narrow down what to take. That's when I'll usually print out a layout challenge or a CASE that I've been wanting to work on.

This time, I picked a CASE to work on. I saw this adorable card by Angie Tieman. I loved her spools of ribbon. The Spool is from the Sew Suite stamp set. I stamped it and cut it out. I then picked out some coordinating ribbon and adhered it to the spool. How fun is that???

Angie used real buttons for her card, but I went with some of my favorite designs from the Button, Button stamp set. I think they work just as well.

The challenge on this card for me, was using so much color. I usually use a lot of neutrals with a splash of color. This has no neutrals and is all about color. I turned to my trusty color coach and pulled out the Creative Combo of Pear Pizzazz, Rich Razzleberry and Tempting Turquoise. I must say, I do like them together and although this isn't my usual color style, it has grown on me.

Stamps: Sew Suite, Button Button & Afterthoughts
Paper: Pear Pizzazz, Tempting Turquoise, Rich Razzleberry, Basic Gray and Whisper White Cardstock
Ink: Pear Pizzazz, Tempting Turquoise, Rich Razzleberry and Basic Gray Classic Pads
Accessories: 1/2", 3/4" and 1" Circle Punches, Scallop Border Punch, Paper Piercer and Mat Pack, Basic Gray Satin Ribbon, Rich Razzleberry Grosgrain Ribbon, Green Stitched Ribbon and Pop Dots/Dimensionals

Oh Sew Suite

2011-02-19T19:24:00.000-08:00

This is a shameless CASE of a card in the Occasions Mini. It uses just about everything offered in the Oh Sew Suite: Sweet Stitches DSP, Sew Suite Stamp Set, Sweet Stitches Fabric and these Fab-u-lous Fabric Brads. They were the hit of the workshop.

Where's the fabric on this card you might ask? It is the Very Vanilla and Pretty in Pink strip on the right hand side. One of the prints in the fabric has different styles of stitching on it. Pick a stitch design that you like and cut it out. A secret for adding the fabric to the card, adhere it to a thin piece of cardstock first. I used the Anywhere Glue Stick (it was my first time using it.) If you want a clean edge to the fabric, adhere the edges to the back of the cardstock. If you want a rougher edge, leave the edges loose and pull the fabric threads off.

The sewing machine is two-toned. I stamped one machine in Daffodil Delight and the other in Melon Mambo. Trim all of the Pink machine and just the top half of the Daffodil machine. Adhere the Daffodil top to the back of the Pink machine. Cut out the Daffodil machine knob and add it to the front of the Pink machine. It adds such great dimension to the card.

Yes, this card is a lot of work...but it's worth the blood, sweat and tears. So many elements, but they all work so well together.

Stamps: Sew Suite and Short & Sweet
Paper: Pretty in Pink and Whisper White Cardstock; Sweet Stitches DSP
Ink: Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo and Pear Pizazz Classic Pads
Accessories: Sweet Stitches Fabric, Sweet Stitches Fabric Buttons, Curly Label Punch, Paper Piercer & Mat Pack and Pop Dots/Dimensionals

Pattern Pieces

2011-02-19T18:51:00.000-08:00

My mom will tell you that when I was little, I was a true girly-girl. Skirts and dresses only...for a very long time. I was lucky because she was a sewer and made a lot of my clothes. If I remember correctly, she may have even made some clothes for my Cabbage Patch Doll.

This stamp reminds me of the many patterns she would have laid out ready to cut. I didn't have time to play with colors and cardstock, but I'd like to try and find a combo that looks more true to the color of a pattern. Of course, I should go check one out, they may come in different colors now ;)

There aren't a lot of sentiment stamps that go with the sewing theme, but Tiny Tags has a handcrafted stamp that works perfectly. I tied the ribbon off with some linen thread and then added the two tags with a brad. Love the look!

Stamps: Pattern Pieces & Tiny Tags
Paper: Crumb Cake, Pretty in Pink and Very Vanilla Cardstock
Ink: Rose Red & Chocolate Chip Classic Pads
Accessories: Jewelry Tag Punch-Medium, 1/16" Circle Punch, Linen Thread, 1 1/4" Rose Red Grosgrain Ribbon, Pink Button and Mini Glue Dots

Buttons, Buttons

2011-02-19T17:07:00.000-08:00

I saw this card by Ilina Crouse and I was sold on all the new sewing themed products in the mini. This card features the Button, Button and Sew Suite stamp sets.

The Measuring Tape and 'Buttons' images are from Sew Suite and the cute little Buttons are from Button, Button. This set comes with 17 stamp designs in all different sizes. Some of the images even coordinate with the 1/2", 3/4" and 1" circle punches. It doesn't get much better than that.

Along with these stamp sets is the perfectly coordinating Sweet Stitches DSP and this adorable Melon Mambo Pompom Trim. This Trim is great because it has a flat surface on the back that allows you to adhere it to the card. I used Crystal Effects and it worked perfectly. I think I may need to get this in the two other colors as well. It's just so fun!

I was talking to a friend about these stamps and she asked if I was into sewing. I'm not, but it didn't stop me from buying just about everything in the Suite. It is all so feminine and perfect for any female in your life...even if they aren't sewers ;)

Hope you like...and thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Button, Button, Sew Suite & Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: Very Vanilla and Sweet Stitches DSP
Ink: Melon Mambo, Garden Green, Tempting Turquoise & Early Espresso Classic Pads
Accessories: 1/2", 3/4" and 1" Circle Punches, Melon Mambo Pompom Trim and Pop Dots/Dimensionals

Nursery Suite Gift Set

2011-02-13T11:35:00.000-08:00

This is a gift set I made for a friend of mine. She wanted an altered Comp Book for a Baby Boy, so I decided to make a matching Baby card. They'll be perfect together!

The Nursery Suite DSP has a couple of 'Doily' type sheets: (2) are square and (2) are round. I thought it would be cute to add the square one to the cover. The sheet is too big to carry the whole way around the edge, but trimmed down, it works.

This diamond print is my favorite in the pack. It would have been pretty in pinks or purples, but unfortunately, they only did blue/green. I paired it up with Baja Breeze and Marina Mist cardstock on the Comp Book and Bashful Blue and Marina Mist on the card. I think Marina Mist may be growing on me ;)

I have a workshop this week with all the fun new Oh Sew Suite goodies, so I'm off to clean up my train wreck of a craft room. Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: A New Little Someone (Retired) & Whimsical Words (Sale-A-Bration 2010)
Paper: Baja Breeze, Bashful Blue, Marina Mist and Whisper White cardstock; Nursery Suite DSP
Ink: Early Espresso (Bunny) & Bashful Blue (Card)
Accessories: Designer Buttons-Subtles, 5/8" White Brads, Old Olive Satin Ribbon, Scallop Border Punch, Paper Piercer & Mat Pack, Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, Sizzix Letter Dies and Dimensionals/Pop Dots

A Mambo Crush Wish

2011-02-05T11:06:00.000-08:00

It feels like forever since I last posted. I actually finished this card up two weeks ago, but forgot to take a picture last weekend. So, I am guiltily sitting here through a Glee marathon, working on my blog.

Do you watch the show? I haven't till now and am wondering where I've been. I just got through with the Madonna episode, and being an 80s Girl, it was great! I LOVE the music and can't wait to see what they do with Lady Gaga and Britney ;)

Since we have to, I guess I'll get on with my card. I had the urge to work with some purple and pink. This print from the Razzleberry Lemonade DSP immediately came to mind. I tried to pair it with a few different colors, trying to get something different, and ended up with Concord Crush and Melon Mambo. Love them together! It's so fresh and vibrant.

My focal image is from the Valentine Defined set. I think the little heart tips are just perfect. I'm already trying to think of other ways to use this stamp. As you can see here, it doesn't have to work with just Valentine's Day ;)

Well, that's it for today. I'm off to get ready for the big game tomorrow. Being from Pittsburgh, I'm rooting for my hometown boys, although I'm a thousand miles away. It should be a good game! Thanks for stopping by.

Stamps: Valentine Defined and Short & Sweet
Paper: Melon Mambo, Concord Crush and Whisper White Cardstock; Razzleberry Lemonade DSP
Ink: Concord Crush Classic Pad
Accessories: Paper Piercer & Mat Pack, Whisper White Satin Ribbon, Pink Rik-Rak and Dimensionals/Pop Dots

Got Love?

2011-01-22T12:43:00.000-08:00

I've made a few of these Mini Milk Cartons, but this one is by far my favorite. Could it possibly be the Love Letter paper and the Rik Rak I used? You bet. How fun are they together?

The Mini Milk Carton is a die cut that you can get through Stampin' Up!. It cuts and scores all the lines for this little guy. All you have to do is fold the lines and adhere together. So easy...and so cute.

The stamp on the tag is from the Got Treats stamp set. That wonderfully glittery heart was stamped and cut out of the new Glimmer Paper. It's a must have!

I made a couple of these and plan to fill with some sweet treats and give to a few of my teacher friends. It's a little something to brighten up their desks.

Stamps: Got Treats
Paper: Basic Black Cardstock; Glimmer Paper; Love Letter DSP
Ink: Basic Black Classic Stamp Pad
Accessories: Mini Milk Carton Die Cut, Mini Library Clips, Rik Rak Ribbon, Tombo Multipurpose Glue, Pop Dots/Dimensionals and Sticky Strip Tape

My Love Line

2011-01-22T12:08:00.000-08:00

For some very odd reason, we were looking at our love lines at dinner the other night. You know...the ones on our hands that we obsessed about in middle school?

Well, this is my version of the Love Line. This card is a CASE from the Occassions Mini for the Valentine Defined Stamp Set. I love to make this card size and the design was just perfect. Who doesn't love ribbon, buttons, tiny tags, and scalloped borders...all on the same card??? I surely couldn't resist.

The design was originally what drew me in, but once I was done, I fell in love with my newly found color combo: Baja Breeze, Rose Red & Chocolate Chip. They are just divine together.

I must say, the tiny tags on this card are pretty cute too ;) To make them, I used a marker to color and stamp each part of the image separately. I then punched them with the Tiny Tags Punch. If you try to stamp the whole image, you can't punch out each portion. The image will overlap on the punch outs.

Do you not just love this color combo? If you decide to give it a try, be sure to leave me a link. I'd love to see what you do with it.

Stamps: Valentine Defined
Paper: Baja Breeze, Rose Red and Whisper White Cardstock
Ink: Chocolate Chip Classic Stamp Pad
Accessories: Jewelry Tag Medium (Tiny Tag) Punch, Rose Red Marker, Designer Buttons-Subtles Collection, 1" Rose Red Double Stitched Ribbon, Linen Thread, Scallop Trim Border and Brown Brads

A Quilted Heart

2011-01-22T11:33:00.000-08:00

My inspiration for this card is Julie Davison's card here. I loved the simple layout and this fabulous heart. Her heart was a different take on the Irish Twist technique.

I tried a few different prints for my heart, but settled on some Sending Love DSP. The bolder colors and hints of glitter made a nice contrast. The options are endless with this. You could use any DSP scraps that you have laying around.

I'm loving all these heart themed ideas out there!

Stamps: Because I Care
Paper: Real Red, Crumb Cake and Very Vanilla Cardstock; Sending Love DSP (Retired)
Ink: Soft Suede Classic Stamp Pad
Accessories: Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border, Heart Punch, Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, Paper Piercer & Mat Pack

Valentine Defined

2011-01-16T12:21:00.001-08:00

Now, I ask you, how many layers can a card possibly have? I think I have maxed this one out. I do say, I believe it may take 3 stamps to mail this one ;)

It started out like this fabulous card made by Kimberly Van Diepen. Then it took on a life of it's own. I flopped the layout putting my focal image on the left and I added some ribbon instead of DSP.

Have you ever started out simply trying to CASE a card and found it impossible to keep it the same? We all have different card 'personalities' and I think mine is layering. It is nearly impossible for me to make a card without them. What is your card 'personality'? Is it paper piercing, layering, printed papers, ribbon, I'd love to know. Be sure to leave me a comment!

Stamps: Valentine Defined
Paper: Crumb Cake, Real Red and Basic Black Cardstock; Glimmer Paper
Ink: Basic Black Classic Ink Pad
Accessories: Top Note Die, Circle & Scalloped Circle Nestabilities, Lots of Tags Die, Modern Label Punch, Scalloped Edge Punch, Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, Rhinestones, 1/4" Red Grosgrain Ribbon and Red Polka Dot Ribbon

Friday Mashup #27 Guest Designer

2011-01-13T20:23:00.001-08:00

Well, I must admit, I was tickled pink to find out I was a Mashup Maven last week AND that I was going to be a Guest Designer this week. I was totally up for the challenge.

I got a sneak peek of this week's color challenge: Poppy Parade, Not Quite Navy and Sahara Sand.

Confession #1: My Poppy Parade Stamp Pad has never been used

Confession #2: I don't even have a Not Quite Navy Stamp Pad (thank goodness for SU Markers ;)

Confession #3: I had no idea how I was going to pair these three colors up

How many of you are like me...I tend to use a lot of Pinks, Browns, Black and some Light Blues. These were way out of my comfort zone. So, I pulled out my Color Coach and guess what I found. These colors are actually considered a Sweet Set. Who knew????

It turns out I love them together! I had no designer paper in these colors to draw inspiration from, so I created my own. I used a stamp from the Vintage Labels set with the Poppy Parade Ink and used that as my print. I added some crocheted lace...that just happens to match the Sahara Sand paper perfectly.

All in all, this card came together pretty easily, which for me is a triumph ;) If you are so inspired to give these a shot, upload your card to the challenge here. I'd love to see what you come up with. Happy Stamping!

Stamps: Afterthoughts (Hostess) & Vintage Labels (Sale-A-Bration 2010)
Paper: Poppy Parade, Not Quite Navy, Sahara Sand and Very Vanilla Cardstock
Ink: Poppy Parade & Not Quite Navy
Accessories: Circle & Scallop Circle Nestabilities, Crocheted Lace, Clear Button, Linen Thread and Dimensionals/Pop Dots

A Heart that Glitters

2011-01-03T13:08:00.001-08:00

I saw this challenge over at 365 Cards - The 3 G's: Green, Glitter and Grosgrain. I immediately thought of a technique I did a long time ago using Sticky Strip. You take a piece of sticky strip, add it to your cardstock/DSP, peel the top and add glitter. So easy!!!

As I was looking through my DSP, I realized that I do not have a lot of green prints. I did stumble across this sheet in the Sweet Pea DSP. The pink definitely works for Valentine's Day and I happened to have some green and pink glitter.

Blinging up the heart was easy...designing the rest of the card, not so much. I finally did what the DSP was telling me, "Cut on the Diagonal!" So, I did. I really like how it all turned out.

I'm back to work tomorrow *sigh* so I won't get to create as much as I have the past two weeks. I will miss it. Enjoy your week!

Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: Blushing Bride, Wild Wasabi, Garden Green & Whisper White Cardstock; Sweet Pea DSP
Ink: Pear Pizzaz Classic Pad
Accessories: Full Heart XL Punch, Paper Piercer & Mat Pack, Green Brads and Green & Pink Glitter

You're in My Thoughts, You're in My Heart

2010-12-31T12:37:00.000-08:00

What an adventure trying to get this picture. Winter just makes it difficult to get good sunlight, but add in cloud cover and it's next to impossible. I took about 25 pics today in two different locations to get this one shot. A sneak peek into the secret life of Bloggers ;)

This card covers two challenges: Mojo Monday 171 and the Friday Mashup #25 Sweet on Hearts.
The Mojo Challenge was perfect for this card because I just got this DSP from the 'Man in Brown' and it let me play with a few different papers in the pack. This sentiment and the hearts for the Mashup Challenge were the perfect finish.

If you don't have this paper yet, it's a must have. Not sure why I waited so long to get it ;)

Stamps: I {Heart} Hearts & Word Play
Paper: Cherry Cobbler, Basic Black and Very Vanilla Cardstock; Love Letter DSP
Ink: Jet Black Stazon & Tea Dye Distress Ink
Accessories: Paper Piercer & Mat Pack, Black Satin Ribbon and Linen Thread

TSSC154: Love, Circa 2007

2010-12-30T17:27:00.000-08:00

I took a walk back in time on this card. Do you still have some of this DSP in your stash? It's called Enchante and is one of the first paper packs I ever bought from SU! I also have the Carte Postale set that coordinates with it...but, I didn't break it out for this card ;)

This sketch comes to us from Mary Jo over at Techno Stamper. My inspiration was drawn
from some heart tags I had seen last year. Unfortunately, I saved the picture, but no link. Not sure how that happened, as I ALWAYS save a link to refer back to. Anyways...they had punched a heart, added some pretty patterned paper behind it and blinged it up. I loved the look and wanted to recreate it.

I used some new goodies on this card: Rik Rak and some new Buttons. I have always wanted some Rik Rak and finally got some in a few colors. That super cute Perfect Plum button (my favorite part) comes from the Subtles Designer Buttons. Lots of great colors to choose from with these and you get a ton. A great deal!

Take a walk down memory lane and pull out a stamp set or paper that you haven't used in a while. It reminds me not to hoard...as you never really use anything up completely.

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Tiny Tags
Paper: Perfect Plum, Old Olive and Very Vanilla Cardstock; Enchente DSP (Retired)
Ink: Perfect Plum Classic Pad; Old Paper & Peeled Paint Distress Inks
Accessories: Full Heart XL Punch, Small Heart Punch, Hole Punch, Subtles Designer Buttons, Vanilla Rik Rak, Old Olive Satin Ribbon, Linen Thread, Paper Piercer & Mat Pack and Sponges

SSD #57 Lucky You

2010-12-29T10:48:00.001-08:00

What do you do when the Mojo is flowing and you run out of adhesive??? Well, that was me last night. I called in the heavy duty back-up...Sticky Strip. Not as convenient, but it does the trick!

My card today is based on this Sketch Challenge over at Skipping Stones Design. When I saw the design, I immediately thought of these Flowers from Seeing Ink Spots. Thanks so much for being my Muse today ;)

The crowns are the star of this show. They were the perfect size to be my focal image. I couldn't find a sentiment to fit on the curly label punch, but I used something even better...the Top Note Die. The sentiment is from the Afterthoughts Hostess Set and fits just perfectly in the die.

Has someone inspired you? Be sure to let them know...thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Artistic Etchings & Afterthoughts (Hostess)
Paper: Baja Breeze, Very Vanilla & Basic Black Cardstock; Newsprint DSP
Ink: Stazon Jet Black
Accessories: Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder, Top Note Die, 1 1/4" & 1 3/8" Circle Punches, Sponge and Black Brads

CCCB#37: Congratulations

2010-12-28T10:48:00.000-08:00

The City Crafter Challenge Blog had an easy one this week: Stamp it Out! You can check it out here. No digital images allowed, just stamps. Easy for me since I've never tried a digital image.

My card is for my brother Brian and his new fiance Malia. We thought him a confirmed bachelor, so we were very happy to hear the good news. Malia is wonderful and we are overjoyed that she will be joining our family.

My inspiration for this card is the fabulous Jamie Pierson. I've been wanting to CASE this card of hers and this was the perfect opportunity. I switched up the colors and layout a bit, but kept the Presto Patterns DSP. This paper is so fun to play with. You can make it any color you'd like with some sponges or a brayer. I played around a bit and decided on Crumb Cake and Soft Suede. Love them together!

To finish off the card, I spritzed the sentiment and the medallion with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch. It added the perfect finishing touch.

This is in the mail this afternoon...hope they like it! Thanks for stopping by.

Stamps: Well Scripted (Retired) & Artistic Etchings
Paper: Very Vanilla & Soft Suede Cardstock; Presto Patterns DSP
Ink: Crumb Cake & Soft Suede Classic Pads
Accessories: Brayer, Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz, Very Vanilla Satin Ribbon, Linen Thread, Clear Button, 2" Circle Punch and some Pop Dots/Dimensionals

Sew Cute!

2010-12-27T12:41:00.000-08:00

This card started out as (1) a New Year's Card, (2) a way to use up some scraps and (3) a simple layout. I guess 1 out of 3 ain't bad ;)

I was inspired by this card at Jessica Witty's Witticisms Blog. She called hers a 10MSPC (10 Minute Scrap Pile Card.) I love it...however, none of my cards EVER turn out that way.

I have tons of little scraps from my Sweet Pea DSP pack that I love and just can't part with. This was the perfect way to put them to use. Initially, it was designed like her card, but for me, it just wasn't workin'. So, I flipped it on a vertical card and Bingo, there it was.

I couldn't find a stamp image that I liked so I pulled out these Stitching Templates I got earlier this month. You pierce your paper using the template and then sew away. I got some pretty fancy get-ups for the thread, but really, all it is is embroidery thread. Simply adorable! I want to make a boy card as well, but I have to wait on some boyishly blue buttons.

On a side note, I didn't have a border punch in this style, so I punched out circles and adhered them to the back of the base. Works perfectly ;)

Hope you like it & thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: None
Paper: Crumb Cake & Blushing Bride Cardstock; Sweet Pea DSP (Retired)
Ink: None
Accessories: Stitch Template, Needle, Floss, 3/4" Circle Punch, Button and Sheer Brown Ribbon

A Very Merry Banner

2010-12-24T21:30:00.001-08:00

Happy Holidays Everyone! Regardless of how you spend this time of year, I hope that you are enjoying it with family. My Aunt and Uncle are coming in from Pittsburgh tonight, so we are looking forward to spending some time with them.

My post today is a Banner that I made for a girlfriend. She had bought these (2) huge paper packs and we were supposed to get together to make a banner for each of us: a Christmas one for her and a winter one for me. Well, the weeks flew by and we still hadn't gotten together. Sound familiar to anyone???

Over the past week or two, I had been doing a bit here and there with it. First, I had cut out the banner pieces. Next, I worked on her accordian flowers (the most time intensive part.) Yesterday, I was in my craft room cleaning up, not wanting to start anything new, and decided to bite the bullet and just put it together for her.

I love how it turned out. The colors are by no means traditional, but once they were distressed, they took on a very vintage look. My inspiration for this banner is the Fabulous Kelly Lunceford. Her banners are like no other and she has wonderful instructions that make it sooo easy to do. You can find her posts here.

If you so happen to be inspired to make a banner, I would love to see it. Be sure to leave me a link. Thanks for stopping by!

FTL 120: Wish Big

2010-12-12T09:17:00.002-08:00

I whipped this birthday card together for my nephew. I went through my papers and found this sheet from the Travel Journal DSP. Before I trimmed it down, it looked very surfer-ish, but now that I'm looking at it, I hope it's not too flourish-y for a masculine card.

I went in search of a sketch and found this one at Clean and Simple Stamping. I must say, I enjoyed making this card. It seems that all of the holiday cards I've been making have been so complex. It was nice to get back to the basics of color and paper: two of the things that drew me to paper crafting.

I did have a sad moment on this card...this was the last of my Kraft Taffeta Ribbon. Why oh why did SU! not read my memo to keep it...hee hee ;)

This heads out in the mail this week. Hope he likes it!

Stamps: Word Play
Paper: Night of Navy, Bashful Blue, Crumb Cake and Very Vanilla Cardstock; Travel Journal DSP (Retired)
Ink: Night of Navy Classic Ink
Accessories: Circle Nestabilities, Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, Kraft Taffeta Ribbon and Pop Dots

Altered Comp Book - Shabby Chic

2010-12-11T20:29:00.001-08:00

Oh, I had a lot of fun making this comp book! So many different pieces and they all came together perfectly.

This design was inspired by a mini album made by Rose Blackburn that I saw in our October Stampin Success Demo magazine. She had layered multiple border punches and I loved the look it gave.

I used three border punches on my book: Eyelet Border Punch, Scallop Trim Border Punch and the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch. They layered just perfectly. I put them all together and then adhered to the Newsprint DSP.

Those fancy flowers in the corner are made with the Scallop Circle Punch. I punched 9 for each flower. Once they're punched, you stack them up and attach them with a brad. They'll be flat, so you start on the top layer and crinkle it up. You continue with that till all the layers are a bit crinkled. It's perfect for a shabby/vintage look.

Before I put everything together, all the edges were distressed with some Vintage Photo Ink. I love how it turned out...and it's probably my favorite of the three. Which one is yours? Leave me a comment...I'd love to know. Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: None
Paper: Cherry Cobbler, Basic Black and Very Vanilla Cardstock; Newsprint DSP
Ink: Vintage Photo Distress Ink
Accessories: Composition Book, Eyelet Border Punch, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, 1/16" Circle Punch, Sending Love Epoxy Brad (Retired), Black Satin Ribbon, Linen Thread, Button Latte (Retired) and Sponges

Altered Comp Book - Just Classy

2010-12-11T20:12:00.001-08:00

This composition book took on a more classy look. I love Black & White...I'm sure I've told you that before ;) This is the Night & Day DSP. It's retired from quite a few mini's ago and I will be very sad when my stash is depleted.

The big swirl in the bottom corner was perfect on it's own, but I couldn't leave it that way. I punched out scalloped circles from another print in the pack and then cut in to the center on each of the scallops. I then added a clear Rhinestone brad. You can't see it here, but this gives them a nice 3-Dimensional look.

Learning experience, these guys need to be adhered with something stronger that glue dots. I am going back to hot glue them on. We'll see how that goes ;)

These books would make great gifts for the holidays. They are inexpensive and pretty easy to make. If you design one, be sure to leave me a link. I'd love to see it!

TFL!

Stamps: Word Play
Paper: Night & Day DSP (Retired)
Ink: Basic Black Classic Ink
Accessories: Composition Book, Scallop Circle Punch, 1/16" Circle Punch, Clear Rhinestones, Black Satin Ribbon and Sticky Strip

Altered Comp Book - Just Sweet

2010-12-11T19:35:00.001-08:00

I got together with a girlfriend a few months ago and we made an Altered Composition Book. I got a little over eager and bought about 30 of these comp books. Will I ever make 30??? It may take 30 years, but either way, they were $.20 each and I couldn't resist.

I can't remember if I shared my first book with you guys, but this one is much improved. I added quite a few more embellies. This paper is from my Pre-SU days and was just sitting in my quite large patterned paper stash gathering dust. It's beautiful and just so girly.

The butterflies seemed like a natural addition. The large butterfly for the focal point is the Beautiful Butterflies Die. I cut 3 different sizes and layered them. The little tiny butterflies are from the Beautiful Wings Embosslits. Both are available through Stampin Up.

For the front and back cover, I just traced an outline of the comp book and cut them out. The binding is cut about 4 inches and added over the other papers. I also cover the inside front cover. You will definitely want to use a heavy adhesive for this. I used Sticky Strip, but a large adhesive gun would make this job a lot easier...and quicker.

These take some time to make, but are so worth it. They could be a fabulous inexpensive holiday gift. If you try one, be sure to leave me a link....I'd love to see your design.

TFL!

Stamp: Word Play
Paper: Whisper White Cardstock; Basic Gray LilyKate DSP
Ink: Lavendar Lace Classic Ink (Retired)
Accessories: Composition Book, Beautiful Butterflies Die, Beautiful Wings Embosslits, Paper Piercer & Mat Pack, Old Olive Satin Ribbon, Lavender Buttons, Linen Thread, Mini Glue Dots and Sticky Strip

Got Merry?

2010-12-11T19:05:00.001-08:00

Isn't he just the cutest little Gingerbread Cookie? This is another Milk Carton set I made for the holidays. Not sure where he'll end up, but I'm sure it will be one of my fellow teachers. Some M&M's and Reese's will be a perfect treat to get through this week before break.

For the Milk Carton Carrier, I used this tutorial put together by Kim Score. The milk jugs were put together using the Mini Milk Carton Die (#117310) sold by Stampin' Up. It works with the Big Shot and Cuttlebug. It cuts and scores your paper, then all you have to do is put it together and finish it off with the Got Treats Stamp Set. Soooo cute!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Got Treats
Paper: Garden Green, Cherry Cobbler, Chocolate Chip & Very Vanilla Cardstock; Merry Moments DSP (Retired)
Ink: Chocolate Chip & Basic Black Classic Ink
Accessories: Mini Milk Carton Die, Circle & Scallop Circle Nestabilities, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, 1/16" Circle Punch, Red & Green Brads and Sticky Strip

A Snowflake Resist

2010-12-05T10:53:00.000-08:00

I saw this Beautiful card by Lesley at Always Playing with Paper and just had to recreate it.

It uses an Emboss Resist Technique. Sound hard? It truly isn't. It's just a few short steps. First, you stamp and heat emboss your snowflakes. I used Versamark & White Embossing Powder. Secondly, you stamp over your embossed snowflakes. I used the large French Script stamp. Thirdly, once that dries, you sponge around the snowflakes. This gives the card such great dimension.

If you've never tried an Emboss Resist, live on the edge and give it a try...you won't regret it!

Thanks for stopping by.

Stamps: Serene Snowflakes, Tiny Tags and French Script
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake and Whisper White Cardstock
Ink: Chocolate Chip and Crumb Cake Classic Pads; Versamark Pad
Accessories: Heating Tool, White Embossing Powder, Snowflake Punch, 1/16" Circle Punch, Jewelry Tag Med Punch, Scalloped Edge Punch, Sponges, Tan Brad and Chocolate Chip Satin Ribbon

Candy Cane Wishes

2010-12-05T10:35:00.000-08:00

This Santa with his Bag Full of Gifts and the Wishing You a Merry Christmas Sentiment are the last images in the Jolly Old Saint Nick Set that I've been using. I kept him simple because I couldn't figure out how to bling him up. At my workshop, some of the girls added some glitter, so I may do the same. We'll see.

Really, the star of this card is the paper. I love the Candy Canes and Stripes together and, of course, all of those wonderful layers! Unfortunately, this paper is sold out, but you could create this look with any of our other DSP packs.

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Jolly Old Saint Nick
Paper: Cherry Cobbler, Blushing Bride & Whisper White Cardstock; Candy Cane DSP
Ink: Basic Black Classic Ink
Accessories: Scallop Circle & Circle Nestabilities, Mat Pack & Paper Piercer and White Satin Ribbon