It is Thursday and time for a new Create with Connie & Mary Challenge.  This week we have a color challenge. Honestly when I first saw this combination I was stumped.  

Hmmm,  then it dawned on me that these are the same colors in the Tartan Foil Specialty Designer Series Paper (DSP).  The Tartan Foil Specialty DSP is part of the Online Exclusives offerings and the colors in the DSP pack are...you guessed it, Copper Clay, Pebbled Path, and Lost Lagoon.  Once I figured that out it was much easier.

Not your traditional Christmas colors but I think it works.  The Tartan Foil DSP has a subtle foil shine-you can kind of see it in the photo.  If you like the full on shine of foil this isn't it.  On this card I used both side of the DSP.  The centers of the ornaments are the same color but with the addition of white.

The Handcrafted Elements dies was a standalone die set in the 2023 September-December Mini Catalog (page 21) and are currently 10% off, while supplies last.  I die cut each ornament in the corresponding card stock and then added the middle piece in the Tartan Foil.  The ornaments also have embossed designs on them in addition to the stitching.  They are so pretty!  I am going to make a few for my Christmas tree.

On each ornament I have a bow tied using the Silver & White 1/2" Sheer Ribbon.  I really like this ribbon.  Not only is it so pretty but it ties beautifully. The ribbon is on the Carryover List so you will still be able to purchase it.  YAY!  I also added a bit of sparkle to each ornament, the Adhesive Backed Glitter Sequins.   These sparkly sequins are not carrying over so you need to purchase them now.  The sequins can be used all year round and they come in blue, white (what i used), and Old Olive. 

The sentiment is from the Beary Cute stamp set.  Unfortunately the whole Beary Christmas Suite is on the Last Chance list.  You can see the Last Chance List here.   Items on the list are only available while supplies last and some items have already sold out.  Be sure to check out the list!

Thank you for stopping by and be sure to check out what the rest of the design team created for the challenge!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Product List

Beary Cute Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)

[162016]

$25.00

Lost Lagoon Classic Stampin' Pad

[161678]

$9.00

Lost Lagoon 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[133679]

$10.00

Tartan Foil 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Designer Series Paper

[162332]

$10.00

Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[159276]

$10.50

Handcrafted Elements Dies

[162330]

$38.00

Stylish Shapes Dies

[159183]

$30.00

Silver & White 1/2" (1.3 Cm) Sheer Ribbon

[162149]

$9.00

Adhesive Backed Glitter Sequins

[162029]

$8.00

It is Thursday which means it is time for a new Create with Connie & Mary Challenge.  This week it is a sketch challenge and it was such a fun one.

Isn't it a great sketch?  So many possibilities.  

I chose to use the adorable Fluffiest Friends bundle (stamp set and coordinating dies) for the focal point.  The Fluffiest Friends bundle is a part of the Online Exclusives.  This means they cannot be found in any publication/catalog just in the Online Store.  Online Exclusives are released in March, July, and  November.   It is always exciting to have some new stamp sets, dies, papers, and embellishments.  More to look forward to!

The Fluffiest Friends stamp set features 6 adorable animals, a nest, flowers, and bees.  The coordinating dies cut out all the animals and the nest.  The dies also include balloons, grass, leaves, tree branch, and a bee hive.  It is truly adorable set. The hardest thing about this set is deciding which image to use, they are all so cute!  Since I  haven't used the cat image I decided that was the image that was going to get inked up.   I colored the kitty using Smoky Slate, Bubble Gum, and Cajun Craze Stampin' Blends.   I mounted the kitty on a Stylish Shapes circle.  

Card base- Night of Navy 4-1/4" x 11" scored at 5-1/2"

Bubble Bath layer- 4" x 5-1/4"

Basic White layer 3-7/8" x 5-1/8" embossed with the 3D Basic Embossing folder, another Online Exclusive

Delightfully Eclectic DSP cut using the Stylish Shapes dies.

Sentiment is from the Go To Greetings stamp set

Sentiment cut using the Sending Dies.

It is a simple card and this layout is a good one to remember.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out what the other members of the design team created with this sketch,

Today is the last day of the Seasonal Sale!

Today I have another sneak peek of the Fluffiest Friends bundle.  This bundle is part of the next Online Exclusive release on November 7th.  

Isn't this little guy just too cute?  I just couldn't resist getting this new bundle.  The name of the bundle reminded me of that saying, I am not fat, I am fluffy and the animals in the set are indeed fluffy.  There is a bird, beaver, bear, cat, hamster ?maybe gerbil, and a bunny.  I used the bunny HERE.  The dies include lots of other fun images like a branch, balloons, bee hive, grass, leaves, and cave opening. Believe me it is so cute.  

Here are some basic measurements-

Pebbled Path CS-4-1/4" x 5-1/2"

Real Red CS- 4-1/8" x 5-3/8" , 3-7/8" x 5-1/8"(inside of the card)

Basic White CS-3-3/4" x 5"

Tartan Foil DSP Pebbled Path- 4" x 12" scored at 4" and 8"  Fold the front panel in and  secure it to the 2nd panel.  Cut a square using the Stylish Shapes die.  I was able to cut both layers at once.  

Product List

Sending Smiles Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)

[158701]

$22.00

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad

[132708]

$6.50

Pebbled Path Stampin’ Blends Combo Pack

[161658]

$10.00

Pecan Pie Stampin’ Blends Combo Pack

[161674]

$10.00

Real Red Stampin' Blends Combo Pack

[154899]

$10.00

Pebbled Path 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[161722]

$10.00

Real Red 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[102482]

$10.00

Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[159276]

$10.50

Tartan Foil 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Designer Series Paper

[162332]

$10.00

Stylish Shapes Dies

[159183]

$30.00

Real Red & Garden Green 3/8" (1 Cm) Ribbon Combo Pack

[159577]

$7.50

Thanks for stopping by and look for the next release of the Online Exclusives!

Have you tried embossing on Designer Series Paper (DSP)?  I have been seeing lots of  samples popping up  and decided i needed to try it.

I thought using the Snowflake Sky 3D Embossing Folder would look good on the One Horse Sleigh DSP.  The One Horse Sleigh DSP is an Online Exclusive and part of a larger suite of products,  One Horse Open Sleigh Collection.  What do you think?  I like the texture of the snowflakes on the DSP it makes the background a little more interesting.  I thought about adding the embossing to the front panel but decide it might be too much.  The front panel is also part of the One Horse Open Sleigh DSP.  The only stamping is the sentiment from the Merriest Trees stamp set.  The sentiment is on the smallest Stylish Shapes banner.  The Real Red ribbon is part of the Real Red & Burlap Ribbon Combo Pack.  The only sparkle comes from a retired Red Rhinestone.  If you don't have any in your stash you can always use a Real Red Stampin' Blend and color one of the Rhinestone Basic Jewels.  Do you see the tiny red border around the DSP?  If you look closely you will see that it is actually a piece of DSP.  It is the same piece that the focal point comes from.  Is there a cutout on the back layer of DSP that is hidden?  I will never tell.

Inside a sentiment from the Merriest Trees inked in Real Red along with a few snowflakes from the Beary Cute stamp set.   Here you can also see the red DSP a little better.  

Thank you for stopping by and remember the fabulous Starter Kit promotion ends soon!  I would love to welcome you on to our team,

Product List

Merriest Trees Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)

[162043]

$25.00

Beary Cute Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)

[162016]

$25.00

Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad

[147084]

$9.00

Pool Party Classic Stampin' Pad

[147107]

$9.00

Early Espresso 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[119686]

$10.00

Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[159276]

$10.50

One Horse Open Sleigh 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper

[162118]

$12.50

Snowflake Sky 3 D Embossing Folder

[162026]

$11.00

Stylish Shapes Dies

[159183]

$30.00

Real Red & Burlap Ribbon Combo Pack

[160386]

$9.00

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.

This was a tough list for me.  I finally decided on Copper, Vellum, and Animals.  

If you are wondering this stamp set and dies, Horse and Sleigh are from a new Online Exclusive release.  This release went live on July 6th.  The beautiful DSP is called One Horse Open Sleigh.  If you love scenery then be sure to check out this pack of paper.  It is SO good.  

The card base is Misty Moonlight, 5-1/2" x  8-1/2" scored at 4-1/4".   The DSP was cut 4" x 5-1/4" and the vellum 3-7/8" x 5-1/8".   I like how the vellum added some mistiness  to the scene. It made it look like it was foggy or snowing out.  The horse and sleigh were stamped using Misty Moonlight ink and colored with Stampin' Blends in  Real Red, Misty Moonlight, Granny Apple Green, and Smoky Slate.   The sentiment is also from the Horse & Sleigh stamp set and heat embossed with White embossing powder.

When I made my card I thought that it was animal not animals.  So I am counting the people riding in the sleigh as animals in addition to the horse.  After all we are the human animal.

Are you wondering where's the copper?  The snowflakes are copper!  This is another Online Exclusive called Adhesive-Backed Snowflake Assortment.  The snowflakes come in white, gold and copper.  There are 3 different sizes and 90 snowflakes in all.  

I used a strip of the DSP for the inside of the card along with 2 more copper snowflakes.  These are the 2 larger sizes of the snowflake.  

Thank you for stopping by and be sure to check out what the rest of the Festive Friday Design team created.

I had a plan to focus on one stamp set or bundle a week.  Well, that plan got derailed by the Stampin' Up!  Designer Series Paper Sale.  Instead of focusing on stamp sets I wanted to play with, I mean focus on all the pretty papers.  So this week will be a hodgepodge of projects and hopefully soon I will return to my plan.

This card was made using the Darling Details bundle, which was supposed to be the bundle of the week and the Hello, Irresistible DSP.   The Hello, Irresistible DSP is part of the Online Exclusives offering and is part of the DSP sale.   

I cut out the frame from one of the designs of paper and layered it over a piece of Basic White CS.  The paper is beautiful and I knew they would make lovely flowers and leaves.  I heat embossed the flowers and leaves using Versamark ink and White Embossing powder.

I cut the flowers and leaves out using the Darling Details dies.  It was fun playing florist and arranging the flowers and leaves on the frame.  I also added a few Brushed Brass Butterflies.  They were a fun accent flitting around the flowers.  The sentiment is from the Darling Details stamp set and inked in Pretty Peacock ink.

Inside I added a strip of DSP and more flowers and leaves.  

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out the Online Exclusive products!

Fresh As a Daisy Stamp camp

The Creativity Abounds Design Team is an international group of 13 Stampin' Up! demonstrators.  We do a monthly blog hop, a monthly tutorial bundle and 3 times a year we hold a stamp camp. 

The Fresh As A Daisy Stamp Camp will be held on July 7th and 8th.  To register all you need to do is purchase the Fresh as a Daisy Suite (161301) and the 2023-25 In Color Jute Trim (161637) and use the Host Code 7W94CTHJ.  If you already own the Suite and the 2023-25 In Color Jute Trim simply order $81.50 worth of products from my online store and use the Host Code 7W94CTHJ. It is important to use the Host Code, it lets me know you want to participate in the stamp camp.  

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. 

In addition to the 13 projects you will be invited to join a private Facebook group for the camp.  On July 7th & 8th each design team member will present another project using the Fresh As a Daisy 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.  

Product List

Darling Details Bundle

[161371]

$54.00

Pretty Peacock Classic Stampin’ Pad

[150083]

$9.00

Versamark Pad

[102283]

$9.50

Pretty Peacock 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[150880]

$10.00

Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[159276]

$10.50

Hello, Irresistible 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper

[161139]

$12.50

Basics Embossing Powders

[155554]

$18.00

Heat Tool (Us And Canada)

[129053]

$31.00

Brushed Brass Butterflies

[158136]

$10.00

 

 

It is Thursday and time for a new Create with Connie & Mary Challenge.  This week it is a sketch challenge and it is another sketch to remember, meaning it is pretty classic and lends itself to lots of different applications.

I am still a little sad that the Cottage Rose bundle will soon be retiring.  I reach for it a lot and also the lovely coordinating Abigail Rose DSP.  

You have probably noticed that I  like the color combination of Petal Pink and Early Espresso.  The card base is Early Espresso CS with a Petal Pink CS layer.  I colored the  Abigail Rose DSP pattern using Petal Pink Stampin' Blends and a Crumb Cake (Light) Stampin' Blend.  I thought coloring the DSP made the card look a little more cohesive.  The Petal Pink CS was embossed using an Online Exclusive -Basics 3D Embossing Folders.  The pretty Cottage Rose sits on a Basic White Stitched Rectangle.   The rose was colored using a Pale Papaya (Dark) and Petal Pink Stampin' Blends.  The leaves were colored using Old Olive Stampin' Blends.  The white outline around the image seemed a little stark so I colored it in using a Crumb Cake (light) Stampin' Blend.  The 2 gems on the Early Espresso strip are Elegant Faceted Gems.

Inside of the card I added a strip of the Abigail Rose DSP.  To keep things cohesive I also colored the flowers and leaves.  I haven't added a sentiment to this card.  I think it can be used for lots of different situations so I will add a sentiment once I am ready to send it. 

Many of the products I used today that are retiring and are available at discounted prices.  All retiring products are available while supplies last so do not delay.  

Thank you for stopping by and be sure to check out what the other members of the Create with Connie & Mary design team created with this lovely sketch,

It is Thursday which can only mean it is time for the Create with Connie & Mary Challenge!  This week it is a sketch challenge and this sketch is a keeper.

I decided to use patterned paper/DSP for my card.  

This is from the Perfectly Penciled DSP.   The DSP is great to color but I decided to keep it very simple and leave it black and white.  I just looked and this paper is on the Low Inventory list so if you like it be sure to order it soon.  The sentiment is from the Irresistible Blooms set (Online Exclusive) and is heat embossed using white Embossing Powder.  The banner was cut using the Stylish Shapes dies.    The little pop of color is a Melon Mambo Glossy Dot.

Are you wondering where the black ribbon is from?  It is the actually the Balmy Blue & White 1/2" Variegated Ribbon in the 2023 January-April Mini Catalog.  I used the Dark Basic Black Stampin' Blends to color it.  I was happy with how well the Blends colored the ribbon.  One thing to note is that the ribbon seems a little bit stiffer once you color it.  This isn't a bad thing since it does make it easier to tie a nice bow.

Inside I added a strip of DSP layered with Basic Black CS.  It is an easy way to finish the inside of the card.

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

Product List

Irresistible Blooms Cling Stamp Set (English) [161140] $25.00	Versamark Pad [102283] $9.50	Basic Black Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [154843] $9.00	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock [159229] $8.75
Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [121045] $9.25	Perfectly Penciled 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper [159244] $12.00	Stylish Shapes Dies [159183] $30.00	Glossy Dots Assortment [158827] $8.00
Balmy Blue/White 1/2" (1.3 Cm) Variegated Ribbon [160448] $9.00	Basics Embossing Powders [155554] $18.00

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.

This is the card I made for the tutorial bundle.

It is Thursday which means it is time for a new Create with Connie & Mary Challenge.  This week we have a lovely sketch challenge.

Great sketch right?  Now the thing about sketch challenges is that it meant to inspire you.  I don't believe you need to follow it exactly but do need to stay true to the spirit of the sketch.

I used the beautiful Hello, Irresistible Designer Series Paper (DSP) for the strips that measure 7/8" x  5").  This pack of paper is part of the Online Exclusives release.  This release isn't in any catalog and items are available until they no longer are.  I know that sounds vague but some items will be re-ordered and others are available while the supply lasts.  The sentiment is from the Irresistible Blooms stamp set.  It was inked in Versamark and heat embossed using White Embossing Powder.  The 2 dots on the sentiment label are from the Loose Frosted Dots.  The Dots are currently unavailable (they went fast!) but are being re-ordered and should be back in stock in early May. The card base is Petal Pink and the layer is Soft Sea Foam.  The ribbon is the White Glittered Organdy Ribbon.  It definitely adds a little sparkle to the card.

I mimicked the layering of the CS and also added a strip of the Hello, Irresistible DSP.  I usually add a DSP strip along the bottom but this strip was left over from the front and I didn't want to waste it.

Thanks for stopping by.  Be sure to check out what the other members of the design team created with the sketch and also all the products in the Online Exclusives,

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.

I chose from the Inspo List-green, gold, and luck.  

The flowers and leaves are from the Irresistible Blooms bundle.  This bundle is part of the Online Exclusives that became available the first of March.  The flowers were stamped with Versamark ink, heat embossed with white embossing powder and die cut using the Irresistible Blooms dies.  The leaves were cut using the dies in Shaded Spruce CS and the Distressed Gold Specialty Paper.  The card base is Mint Macaron CS and the DSP is the Country Gingham DSP.  

The card base measures 4-1/4" x 11" scored at 5-1/2".  I cut along the fold line down 2" and then across.  

The sentiment is from the Framed Florets stamp set.  I used Versamark ink and then heat embossed with gold embossing powder.  Around the sentiment, flowers and in the centers of the flowers I added gold Festive Pearls.  The Festive Pearls were carryover items from the previous mini catalog.  

Thank you for stopping by and be sure to check out what the rest of the Festive Friday team created for this challenge.