As The Ink Dries

Happy Greetings and Butterflies

It has been so beautiful here the past few days.  Anyone visiting would not believe that just a few days ago it was pouring rain.  I hope this means that spring is really here, I have been fooled before.  All the sunshine and blue skies has definitely influenced my stamping, right now I am all about bright colors.

 
Stamps:  Happy Greetings stamp set
Ink: Tempting Turquoise, Melon Mambo
Paper: Daffodil Delight, Whisper White,  Brights Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack,
Big Shot: Beautiful Wings Embosslit, Perfect Polka Dot TIEF
Punches:  Square Scallop punch
Ribbon: Daffodil Delight Tafffeta Ribbon
Bling: Basic Rhinestones
(bold and italicized items are in the Summer mini catalog)

Hope it is sunny where you are and if you haven't seen the Summer mini catalog drop me a line and I will make sure you get one.

Inspired by Nature

Did you know that the First Edition DSP is still available?   Yup, it is a carryover item from the Occasions Mini Catalog.   I find myself using this DSP a lot.   You know I like the Black and White/Vanilla look a lot so this DSP is just  perfect.  This DSP is a little different because it is lighter weight than the usual DSP and you get 24 sheets in a pack (4 each of 6 designs!)  I like that the font is small and pretty unobtrusive and yet adds interest. 

Stamps:  Upsy Daisy, Inspired by Nature, Friends 24-7, Happy Greetings
Ink: Black Craft Ink, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Riding Hood Red, Not Quite Navy
Paper:  Very Vanilla, Baisc Black, First Edition DSP
Punches:  Designer Label, 1 3/8" and 1-1/4" circle punch
Ribbon:  Black Stin ribbon, 1/8" Black Taffeta ribbon
Extras:  Black embossing powder and sponges

Pretty dramatic huh?  Love the black embossing with the bold stamp images. I  sponged on the colors and blended as I went along.   Easy and fun what could be better?

Simply Said Happy Mother's Day!

Wishing you a wonderful day!

Sew Suite Flashback Friday

When I first started stamping I loved cards that moved, you know something pops up or shakes etc.  I like a card with a gimmick.     Today's flashback is to one of those cards.  I am not sure what the correct name for this card is but I have heard it called a free standing card.   I think it is a fun one and I hope you will make one.

Stamps:  Sew Suite and Something to Celebrate
Ink :Black Stazon
Paper:  Black, Regal Rose, Whisper White and Sweet Stitches DSP
Punches:  Itty Bitty Shapes pack
Extras:  Crimper, Basic Rhinestones, Fabric Designer Brads, Daffodil Delight satin ribbon
The items that are in bold are in the  SU! Occasions mini catalog and April 30 is the last time you can order from that mini.

Are you ready to make one?  Here we go!

Base:  4 1/4" x 11  (scored from each end 1", 2  3/4", 3  3/4")  Your piece will look like this:

 
The red line is where you will cut your slit.  The slit is at 5 1/2" you can lightly fold the cardstock in half  or put your paper in the cutter at 5 1/2".   The easiest way to determine where to start cutting the slit is to  place your cutting blade so that the back edge  of the cutting blade lines up with the edge of the paper.  Remember you are cutting a slit and so you need to make sure you do not cut to the edge of the paper. 

Remember to stop cutting when the edge of the blade piece lines up with the edge of the paper.  I move this piece a micro smidge and run the blade again.  This allows the pop up piece to slide easier.

The measurement for the piece that pops up is 3 1/4" x 5 1/4".   Insert the pop up piece into the slit.  

It is all coming together now!  Apply some strong adhesive like Tombow glue or Sticky Strip along the edges.  Sandwich the pop up piece between the two ends.

  
Almost done!

This is how it will look when you are done.

Things to keep in mind.    The pop up piece needs to be pretty flat and smooth so that it can pass through the slit.  There is a small strip at the top that you can embellish but otherwise to make it slide easily it needs to be flat.   I make a light pencil mark on the pop up piece at 4 1/4".  This reminds me to not decorate below that line because you will not be able to see it. 

Here is the closed view of my finished card.

Like I promised another sneak peek at the Fabulous Florets set from the upcoming Summer mini. 

Stamps:  Fabulous Florets and Occasional Quotes
Ink: Old Olive and Black Craft ink
Paper: Basic Black, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White, and Old Olive
Extra:  Black embossing powder and the Embossing Buddy

Have a fantastic weekend and remember to get your order placed for products in the Occasions mini!

 

 

 

 

 

Four Frames and Elements of Style

Have you noticed that one of the stamps in the Four Frames set coordinates with the Elements of Style set?   Both stamps have the same flowers and leave.  Love it when that happens.  

Stamps:  Elements of Style, You're a Gem and Four Frames
Ink: Black Stazon, Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive, Daffodil Delight
Paper: Basic Black, Cherry Cobbler, and Whisper White
Punches: Decorative Label punch
Ribbon: Cherry Cobbler Seam binding ribbon

There's just a little over a week left to make your purchases from the Occasions mini catalog and the Four Frames set sneak peek special  The Four Frames set and Paisley Petals DSP will be in the main catalog due out in July but if you don't want to wait until July  place a $20 order and then you can order both the stamp set and DSP now!  You can do this on my online store or you can also contact me.

Tomorrow I will feature a project from the current  Occasions mini catalog and the Summer mini catalog so come back and check out Flashback Friday!

 

Hello Again

I have had this cute little set Hello Again (pg 110) for a while now and other  than the "hello" stamp have not inked it up.   I am a believer in  no stamp left behind so I had to play with it today.  After last weeks crazy cutting spree I also wanted to keep things a bit simpler. 

Just a little bit of stamping on the inside.
Supplies
Stamps: Hello Again
Ink: Basic Black, Tempting Turquoise, Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive< Rich Razzleberry,& Tempting Turquoise Stampin'Write markers
Paper: Rich Razzleberry, Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White
Big Shot:  Perfect Polka Dot TIEF
Punches: Scallop Edge punch, 1/2" circle punch, 2 1/2" circle punch
Extras: Rich Razzleberry grosgrain ribbon, Basic Rhinestones.

This card is a quick and easy one  and it will be great to have on hand since it can be used for lots of different occasions.   Have a fabulous day and pull out those stamps and get them inky!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Simple Sunday Share Blossom Bouquet Layer punch

What a mouthful of a title!  Are you wondering what the Blossom Bouquet layer punch is?  Well, it is a new punch that will be available in the Summer mini catalog.  The Summer mini begins in May and as demonstrators we are able to pre-order from the mini.  This new punch has a selector lever on it so you can choose 3 different layers to punch.   It is really a cool idea, you get more "punch" out of your punch. 

Isn't it a great looking flower?  I should have taken pictures of the other designs that get punched but I promise there will be more samples I will share using the different punch layers. 

Here's what the inside looks like.

Supplies:
Paper:  Red Glimmer paper, First Edition DSP, Basic Black, Real Red, Very Vanilla
Punches:  Blossom Bouquest Triple Layer punch, 3/4" circle, Dotted Scallop ribbon border
Bog Shot:  Naturally Serif strip die
Extras: Real Red satin ribbon, Glimmer Basic brads

Hard to believe there is no stamping on this card.  I was going to stamp "birthday"  but decided for now to leave it blank.   Have a happy one!

Flashback Friday

I was thinking the other day about coloring and  my favorite coloring method(s).  When I first started with Stampin'UP!, Stampin' Pastels were my favorite coloring tools.  I remember using  pastels with a blender pen but my favorite way to use them had to be Poppin' Pastels.  This started me thinking that I wanted to revisit some of these ideas and so Flashback Friday was born.

We are starting off with Poppin'Pastels.  Here is what the techniques looks like.

If you are into very  precise coloring then this probably will not be your favorite technique.  Let me show you the technique.  First of all  I think this technique looks best with a bold stamp vs a line image.  I chose Inspired by Nature.  The first thing you do is ink up your stamp with VersaMark ink.  Here I stamped it on So Saffron cs so that you can see the VersaMark.  When you use this with Very Vanilla or Whisper White cs it is very hard to see  the VersaMark.  However, it does add to the magic of this technique.

I used sponge daubers and daubed  on  More Mustard pastel on the petals.

Cool huh?  It is  kind of magical to see the stamped image come to life!

Next I daubed on the Real Red pastel.

Next the Old Olive pastel. 

The last color I applied was Chocolate Chip.  What is really fun to see are the little "hairs" on the middle of the flowers get defined with the Chocolate Chip pastel.

As you can see there will be  pastel shadows on your cardstock.  I did a little erasing but not a lot.

Next I used the Color Spritzer tool ( page 195) to add some texture.

I also sprayed some Champagne Shimmer paint mixed with some alcohol to give it a champagne glow.  Wish I could capture how pretty the Champagen Shimmer paint spray is.

Here are the tools I used.

Supplies:
Stamps:  Inspired by Nature and Something to Celebrate (level 2 hostess set in the Occasions mini)
Ink: Early Espresso and Chocolate Chip marker (Color Spritzer tool)
Paper:  Very Vanilla, More Mustard, Early Espresso, and So Saffron
Stampin'Pastels:  Real Red, More Mustard, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip
Big Shot: Square Lattice TIEF
Punches: Scallop Edge punch
Ribbon:  Early Espresso grosgrain ribbon
Extras: Color Spritzer tool, Champagne Shimmer paint

Hope you liked Flashback Friday!  If there is an idea you would like to  flashback on send me an email or leave me a comment!

 

 

Jolly Holiday Quilt

Wouldn't you just love to have a quilt that looked like this one?

 
 
all images copyright SU.
This is one of the cards I received in a monthly card swap I participate in.  Rhea Hughes is the creator of this cute  top note quilt.    Here's what she used to  make her quilt.
Stamps:  Word Play
Paper:  Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive, Very Vanilla, and Jolly Holiday DSP (designer series paper).
Ink : Cherry Cobbler
Punches:  Scallop edge border, 2 3/8" Scallop circle , 1 3/4" circle punch, 1 1/4" square punch
Big Shot:  Top Note die
Extras: Vanilla satin ribbon and Basic Pearls

Here's how she made the quilt.  She punched out 12  1 -1/4" squares.  She glued them on to a piece of cardstock and then cut it with the Top Note die and Big Shot.  That's the easiest quilt you'll ever make.  Rhea also dyed the pearls so they were Cherry Cobbler.  Squeeze a few drops of Cherry Cobbler reinker onto a plate, brush some of the reinker over the pearls and then sprinkle clear embossing powder over the pearl and heat with a heat gun.  Now you have colored pearls!  Lots of fun tricks were used to make this card and now you know them too! 

If you need anything for Christmas please let me know or place the order online  before December 15th.  That is the day SU is recommending to insure delivery by Christmas. 

Paper Daisies and Shimmer

Seriously, I need to come up with some better titles for my posts!  The other day I was stamping and spraying everything with Champagne Shimmer Paint that was mixed with alcohol.  I love the look.   It iis subtle but adds a lot.  I bought the Paper Daisies on page 188 of the catalog and wanted to make some pink flowers that were shimmery.  I added a few drops of Pretty in Pink reinker to the alcohol and Champagne Shimmer mist combo and this is what happened.

 
Unfortunately it is hard to see the shimmer but you can see the soft Pretty in Pink daisies.  This was so quick and easy and resulted in a very even pink color and shimmer all with the same spray!   You know I love the Music Notes wheel so I rolled that over one of the daisies. 

Here is everything I used:

Wheel:  Music Notes
Ink:  Black ink cartridge and Pretty in Pink reinker
Paper:  Cardstock vellum, Basic Black, Pretty in Pink
Big Shot:  Elegant Lines embossing folder
Embellies:  Basic Pearls, Vintage brad, Paper Daisies, Champagne Shimmer paint, Pretty in Pink satin ribbon.

If you need to add some shimmery color to your life contact me and we will get some on the way to you!