2023 Jan-April Mini Catalog

Sweet Citrus Sweet Treat

Ready for another Festive Friday challenge?   What is the Festive Friday challenge?  The Festive Friday challenge is a bi-weekly challenge that is inspired by a holiday/festivity.  An Inspo list of 10 items is created using the festivity as its inspiration.  To play in the challenge you need to use 3 items from the Inspo list on your project and enter it in the Festive Friday gallery.  We love seeing what you choose from the Inspo list and look forward to seeing what you create.

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I chose Kindness sentiment, Gift Tag, Blue, and Mini Treat Package from the Inspo list. 

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I found these lemon Mentos and knew they would be cute packaged using  the Sweet Citrus bundle.   The Festive Friday challenge #132 was a perfect time to use them and there is even blue on the label!  

The lemons were stamped in Daffodil Delight and then embossed and cut using the Sweet Citrus Hybrid Embossing folder.   I still find it a little scary to place the dies in the embossing folder but the results are so good!  I love all the details, it looks just like a juicy lemon.  The leaves were stamped using Parakeet Party and the flowers in Flirty Flamingo.  The sentiment is from the Pansy Patch stamp set.  This stamp set and dies will be available in the upcoming 2023-24 Annual Catalog but will not be available as a bundle.  If you have wanted this stamp set and dies get them now (by May 2 to save 10%). 

The tag behind the lemons is Starry Sky CS and embossed with the Sweet Citrus Hybrid Embossing folder.  To carry the Starry Sky color I also used the Starry Sky twine from the  2022-24 In Color Baker's Twine and the 2022-24 In Color Matte Decorative Dots in Starry Sky for the center of the flowers.   

The treat bag is a Peekaboo Treat Bag.   These cute bags come in both Kraft and white and are food safe.  These will be retiring soon so if you like to package little gifties be sure to get them before they are gone.  

Thank for stopping by and be sure to check out what the other members of the design team created for this challenge!


Easter Bunny Treasures

It is Thursday and time for another Create with Connie & Mary Challenge.  The challenge alternate between sketch and color challenges.  This week it is a color challenge.

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What a perfectly springy combination of colors!  Once again this is not a color combination I would have come up with myself.  I am slightly obsessed with the cuteness that is the Easter Bunny bundle (currently the Easter Bunny punch is not orderable but the stamp set is).  

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I stamped the bunny using Tuxedo Black Memento Ink on Basic White CS.  I added a little bit of Fresh Freesia to her using Stampin' Blends.  Her garland/lei was colored using Balmy Blue, Orchid Oasis and Fresh Freesia Stampin' Blends and then fussy cut out.  The carrots and eggs were also colored and fussy cut out.  I am not sure there are carrots that are actually colored that way but we are keeping with the color challenge.  I positioned the bunny and all her treasures on a piece of 2021-23 In Color DSP.  The texture on the Basic White background is from the Cane Weave 3D Embossing folder.  Isn't it a gorgeous texture?  I also added some Orchid Oasis Baker's Twine from the 2022-23 In Color Baker's Twine Pack.  I also added a few Iridescent Rhinestones among the Easter Bunny's treasures.

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Inside of the card I added a little strip of the In Color DSP and also a few more treasures.  

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out what the rest of the Create with Connie & Mary design team created for this challenge,

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Creativity Abounds Blog Hop...By the Bay

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Welcome to the Creativity Abounds Blog Hop!  We are a group of international Stampin' Up!® demonstrators.  We hop together on the third Wednesday of every month.  Our hops focus around a particular bundle, holiday, occasion or product suite.  Every month we create a tutorial bundle. The tutorial bundle is available as a gift with a qualifying purchase or can also be purchased. This month our theme is By the Bay Suite Collection.

We also offer a stamp camp three times a year.  The next stamp camp will be in July 2023 and will feature a suite from the 2023-24 Annual Catalog.  If you would like to be notified about the next camp, leave me a comment or send me an email and I will let you know as soon as I know.

The projects we are featuring on this hop were demonstrated and presented in a private Facebook group as a part of the By the Bay stamp camp.  This is why you will not find measurements or a tutorial for these projects.

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This is the card I demonstrated in the By the Bay stamp camp private Facebook group.  I think this Collection (stamps, dies, and By the Bay DSP) all coordinate so beautifully to make a peaceful beach scene.  In addition to the By the Bay Suite I also used the Basic Borders dies, Stylish Shapes, Wink of Stella and the Faux Sea Glass Shapes.

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Thank you for stopping by and enjoy all the fantastic projects on this month's Creativity Abounds Blog Hop!

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2023 January Roundup

I enjoyed looking back and doing the 2022 Year in Review posts.  I am going to try and remember to do it monthly.  Here goes the first 2023 Month in Review.  I tried to pick a card using products from the different catalogs, 2022-23 Annual Catalog, 2023 January-April Mini Catalog and the 2023 January-February Sale-A-Bration Catalog.

My first favorite used the Sale-A-Bration stamp set, Beautifully Happy  and the pretty die from the Tw0-Tone Flora dies.

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More information about the card can be found HERE.

The next favorite was made for the Festive Friday Challenge.  This was so much fun to make.  

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You can read about this card HERE.  

The last card was a tough one for me to decide on.  I really liked coloring the Abigail Rose DSP and creating the card on this post.  It also was a different layout from what I usually make.  It ultimately it came down to 2 cards using the Hues of Happiness DSP.   I decided to choose both since they are different from each other.

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This card uses the flowers from the DSP, the Split Card Textures die and Fine Shimmer Paper Pack (in Fresh Freesia).  You can read more about the card HERE.

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This card also uses a flower from the Hues of Happiness DSP and also another pattern in the pack.  This card is pretty simple and  quick to put together.  We all need some quick and easy cards.  You can read about this card HERE.

Are these the same cards you would have chosen?  Let me know if you have different favorites from January 2023.

Thanks for stopping by,

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Easter Bunny Galentine's Day

Ready for another Festive Friday challenge?   What is the Festive Friday challenge?  The Festive Friday challenge is a bi-weekly challenge that is inspired by a holiday/festivity.  An Inspo list of 10 items is created using the festivity as its inspiration.  To play in the challenge you need to use 3 items from the Inspo list on your project and enter it in the Festive Friday gallery.  We love seeing what you choose from the Inspo list and create.

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Whether you celebrate Galentine's Day or not, this Inspo List is a fun one!  I used from the list Friendship sentiment, Pink, Flowers, and Pearls.  

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I wasn't sure what I was going to make but I have Hawaii on my mind and wanted to make a garland/lei.  I thought about a little window so I cut out a circle using one of the Stylish Shapes dies on a 4" x 5-1/4"  Basic White CS piece.  The little flower swag in the Easter Bunny set has also  been on my mind so I started stamping with it. The flowers and leaves were colored in using Pale Papaya, Parakeet Party, Flirty Flamingo, Daffodil Delight, Sweet Sorbet, and Tahitian Tide Stampin' Blends.  The card base is a Tahitian Tide Tea Boutique Cards & Envelopes .  I used a Layering Circle die to cut out the circle on the card base.  

On the Basic White circle I stamped the sweet little Easter Bunny and gave her a floral headband.  I swore I saw this idea in the Mini Catalog but when I looked, the garland in the sample is actually around the bunny's neck.  Just another idea for another card.  I fussy cut the floral swag and used Dimensionals to pop it up.  Isn't she so sweet?

Check out the sentiment.  Are you wondering where it came from?  I am proud of this.  I used a Black Stampin' Write Marker and colored in the Happy Valentine's Day sentiment from the Love For You stamp set except for the V and stamped it on Basic White CS.  I then colored in the G (Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker) from the Congratulations sentiment and stamped it where the V should be and voila Galentine's!  I am not usually very good at doing this and so am very happy that it turned out on the first try!  I probably won't push my luck and attempt it again!  I used a banner from the Stylish Shapes dies and cut it out.  The 2 little hearts are Heart Pearls colored using a Sweet Sorbet Dark Stampin' Blends.

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In addition I added a sentiment from the Country Bouquet set.  Love this sentiment which can be used all year long!  Be sure to check out how the rest of the design team used the Inspo List.

Thanks for stopping by and please join in the challenge,  we would love to see your creations in the Festive Friday Gallery,

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Hues of Happiness and the Split Card Texture Die

On Thursday I shared that I cut out all the flowers from the Hues of Happiness DSP.  Why did I do this?  One thing I realized when I packed up my craft room was I had a LOT of paper especially patterned paper.  I mean a lot.  I love paper and honestly I am not the best at using it.  I love certain designs so much that I don't want to use it.  Huh?  Sound familiar?  Well, I am trying to change my ways and am now making more of an effort to use and enjoy my paper and not save it.  I thought that if I cut out the flowers from the Hues of Happiness DSP I would use it.  This was a good decision.  I have made a bunch of cards using the flowers and have been thinking about the flowers and other ways to use them.  The flowers are color sorted and waiting patiently for me to use them.  Today's card was on my mind and I had to make it even though there were lots of other things I needed to do.

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I used the Split Card Textures dies and added the Hues of Happiness flowers along the split.  Since the flowers and leaves were already cut out, this card came together easily and it made it easy to make other decisions like color.   I used the Gorgeous Grape and Fresh Freesia flowers which made me think about the Fine Shimmer Paper Pack which has a Fresh Freesia paper.  I cut the Fresh Freesia Shimmer Paper a little larger than the Split Card Texture so it would show through behind the cutouts and also act as a layer.  Everything is layered on a Gorgeous Grape card base.   The dots look black in this picture but they are actually Gorgeous Grape Glossy Dots.

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Inside of the card I added a strip of the Fresh Freesia Shimmer Paper and another flower from the Hues of Happiness DSP.  The sentiment is from the Framed Florets set stamped in Gorgeous Grape ink.

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I hope in this picture you can see the shimmer of the Fresh Freesia Fine Shimmer Paper.  This paper is so pretty and in the pack there are 6 sheets (2 each of Fresh Freesia, Soft Succulent and Gold).

Thanks for stopping by and if you would like your own pack of Hues of Happiness DSP you can shop online with me,

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I am starting to cut the make and take packets for the Creativity Abounds By the Bay Stamp Camp.  Be sure to register soon for the camp.  Want more information?  GO HERE for all the details.

 

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Love fun folds? Place a $50 order through my online store and receive this bundle (13 tutorials!!)  as a thank you.  You can also purchase the tutorial bundle for $15.00.  Please contact me ([email protected]) if you would like to purchase the tutorial.

 


Country Bouquet Heart

It is Thursday which can only mean one thing...it is time for a new Create with Connie & Mary Challenge.  The challenges alternates between a sketch and a color challenge.  This week it is a color challenge.

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I have been playing with the Country Bouquet bundle and thought the beautiful floral heart would look pretty in this color combination.

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The Night of Navy looks pretty dark here but I assure it is Night of Navy.  The heart is Two-Step stamp which means you need both stamps to create the image.  It was very easy to line up the two images to create this pretty heart.   The gems are Night of Navy Solid Faceted Gems.  The sweet little bow was made using the dies in the Mini Pocket Envelope dies.  I forget about this adorable bow and need to use her more often.  

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Do you recognize the DSP?  If you guessed the Tea Boutique DSP in the Annual Catalog you would be right!  I sometimes forget about all the lovely DSP in the Annual Catalog.  

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out what the rest of the design team created for the challenge,

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Creativity Abounds Blog Hop...Fun Folds

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Welcome to the Creativity Abounds Blog Hop!  We are a group of international Stampin' Up!® demonstrators.  We hop together on the third Wednesday of every month.  Our hops focus around a particular bundle, holiday, occasion or product suite.  Every month we create a tutorial bundle. The tutorial bundle is available as a gift with a qualifying purchase or can also be purchased. This month our theme is Fun Folds!

We also offer a stamp camp three times a year.  The next stamp camp will be in February 2023 and will feature a suite from the 2023 January-April Mini Catalog.  The suite we have chosen for the next stamp camp is…By the Bay!  More information about the stamp camp can be found HERE.

Fun folds are just well fun.  It is amazing what a cut here or an extra fold there can create.  My card requires just 2 extra cuts from a 5-1/2” x 8-1/2”(14.9 cm x 21 cm) card so it is simple to make so you can spend more time figuring out how to decorate it. 

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I used the lovely Two-Tone Floral bundle, Fancy Flora DSP, and the Iridescent Pastels Gems.  These are all part of the Fancy Flora Suite Collection. 

The colors I used are Calypso Coral, Pool Party and Evening Evergreen.  The flowers in the Two-Tone set  are 2 Step stamping.  This means there are 2 different stamps used to create the beautiful shading on the image.  For the larger flowers I used Calypso Coral.  I found it easier to stamp the darker lined/definition first and then the lighter solid image on top of that.  I thing everyone has their own preferred way.  The lined/definition stamp was stamped full strength and the solid image was stamped off (stamped first on another piece of paper) and then over the the definition image.  This creates the beautiful flowers.  You could also use 2 different colors to create the flower.  The Evening Evergreen leaves were stamped off  once. I wanted the color to be a little more muted.  The flowers and leaves were adhered on to a Basic White Layering Circle and then on to a Pool Party circle using the Stylish Shapes dies. The sentiment is from the Days to Remember set.  

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Here are the details of the card.

  • Pool Party Card Base- 5-1/2” x 8-1/2” (14.9 cm x 21 cm folded in half) scored at 4-1/4”.  Cut a slit from the fold to the bottom of the front of the card 1-1/4” (3.5 cm) in from the side.  Repeat on the other side. These are the “arms”.
  • Cut a 1” x 4-1/2” (2.5 cm x 13 cm) piece of Window Sheet.  Attach the ends of the window sheet to the “arms” 1/2” (1 cm)up from the edge of the front of the card.
  • Cut four 1” x 4” (3 cm x 10 cm) strips of the Fancy Flora DSP  for the arms and inside of the card.  
  • Adhere a 2-3/4” x 4” (7.5 cm x 10 cm) piece of Fancy Flora DSP to the center panel.
  • Stamp and die cut the flowers and leaves.
  • Die cut a Pool Party Stylish Shapes circle (2-1/2” circle/6.5 cm)
  • Die cut a Basic White Layering Circle (2-3/8”/6.3 cm)
  • Stamp the sentiment and adhere the flowers to the Basic White circle.
  • Attach the circle to the “arm” portion only with Stampin’ Dimensionals.
  • Attach Calypso Coral Iridescent Pastel Gems as shown.
  • Stamp Happy Birthday on Basic White CS and die cut using the Stylish Shapes banner die.
  • Adhere the Happy Birthday banner to the center panel only, positioning it to show through the Window Sheet.
  • Stamp and die cut Pool Party flowers and adhere it to the banner only.
  • Attach the remaining DSP strips to the inside of the card so it mimics the look of the front of the card.
  • Cut a 3” x 4” (7.8cm x 10 cm) Basic White piece and attach it to the inside of the card, between the 2 arms. This piece should be hidden behind the center panel.  Adhere a 3/4” x 3” (2 cm x 7.8cm) piece of DSP to the bottom. 
  • Stamp and die cut a flower and leaves and attach it to the DSP strip.

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Time to keep on hopping!

 

Thank you for stopping by and be sure to check out below how you can receive the Creativity Abounds Fun Fold tutorial.

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Place a $50 order through my online store and receive this bundle (13 tutorials!!)  as a thank you.  You can also purchase the tutorial bundle for $15.00.  Please contact me ([email protected]) if you would like to purchase the tutorial.


Country Bouquet Friends

So, what do you think of the 2023 January-April Mini Catalog?  I found this catalog to be very dangerous.  I love the suites and wanted to just buy them all.  See what I mean by dangerous?  The first suite I wanted was the very first one I encountered...Country Floral Lane Suite Collection.  It is so good!  I knew I had to have the DSP.  The Country Gingham DSP and the Country Floral Lane coordinate so beautifully together.  I enjoy mixing and matching papers between the 2 paper packs.  

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The Country Floral Lane DSP does all the heavy lifting on this card.  The only thing stamped is the sentiment from the Country Bouquet stamp set.  I really like this sentiment, it can be used for so many different occasions.  I am thinking Galentine's Day.  The cute heart and leaves were punched out from the DSP with Country Bouquet punch

The Basic White scalloped piece was cut using the Scalloped Contours die and the DSP in the middle was cut using the Stitched Rectangle dies.  The banner piece was cut using the Stylish Shapes dies.  In addition I used the Sweet Sorbet Baker's Twine from the 2022-24 In Color Baker's Twine Pack.

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Inside I added a strip of DSP and another punched heart and leaves.  

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Thank you for stopping by and be sure to check out the Country Floral Lane Suite Collection,

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CA-BytheBay-graphic

It is time for another Creativity Abounds stamp camp!  The Creativity Abounds Design Team is an international group of 13 Stampin' Up! demonstrators.  We do a monthly blog hop, a tutorial bundle and 3 times a year hold a stamp camp. 
Registration is now open for the By the Bay Stamp Camp.  Here is all the information regarding the camp.  Hope you will join in and thank you for your interest!
 
The By the Bay Stamp Camp will be the held February 10th and 11th.  To register all you need to do is purchase the By the Bay Suite (160450) and use the Host Code 3RTAZWY6.  If you already own the suite, simply order $87 of products from my online store and use the Host Code 3RTAZWY6.  It is important to use the Host Code which will let me know you want to participate in the stamp camp.  You are receiving a free stamp camp with the purchase of the Suite.
 
You will receive 13 kits which will include all the cardstock pieces necessary to make the projects.  You will  use your own DSP, stamps, dies and embellishments.   Both a written and video tutorial will be provided for you for each project. You will make these projects on your own, using the written and video tutorials provided.
 
In addition to the 13 projects, you will be invited to join a private Facebook group for the camp.  On February 10th and 11th each design team member will present a different project using the By the Bay Suite.  These lives will be spread out over the 2 days but they will be recorded so you can watch them when it is convenient for you.  (Please note these projects are not the make and take projects.)
Please  use this link to order.  I have attached the Host Code to the link.  Remember when you order you will also be eligible to earn a Level 1 Sale-A-Bration item!  

 


Country Floral Birthday

It is Thursday and time for a new Create with Connie & Mary Challenge.  Every week a new challenge is posted and the challenges generally alternate between sketches or color.  This week it is a sketch challenge, #CCMC749.

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Isn't this a great sketch?  I think it is a keeper.  I was in a keep it simple and clean mood when I made my card.  

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I think the Country Floral Lane DSP is so pretty.  I thought I would let the pretty papers take center stage.  I added the birthday sentiment which is from the Potted Geraniums stamp set.  I stamped it on a tag from the Something Fancy dies.  This new tag and label set  has some great shapes and will be used a lot.  I also added a few Petal Pink Solid Faceted Gems around the sentiment.

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I had a punched heart on the table and thought it would be a nice addition to the inside of the card, along with a strip of DSP.

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The ribbon is the Petal Pink Soft Polyester Ribbon.  

Thank for stopping by and be sure to check out what the rest of the design team created for this sketch,

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