Swingin' Monkey and Great News!

First I have a fun card, and then some great news! Ever since I learned the trick of ribbon gathering (from Shelli at Convention a few years ago) I've used it here and there on cards. (See another example of ribbon gathering and a tutorial HERE.) A while back it occurred to me that you don't just have pull the ribbon from the center. It was from that realization that this card originated.

Combine the ribbon gathering with this cute monkey from the stamp set Fox & Friends in the Occasions Mini Catalog, and what could be more fun! It took a little while to gather enough ribbon for all the vines, but I think the effort was worth it in the end. :-)

The monkeys and sentiment were stamped with Chocolate Chip Craft Ink and embossed with Clear Embossing Powder. The leaves were punched out using the Extra Large Two-Step Bird Punch. And then lots of dimensionals and pop-up glue dots keep everything together!

Stamps: Fox & Friends, All Holidays
Ink: Chocolate Chip Craft Ink
Paper: Kraft (Crumb Cake), Always Artichoke, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla
Accessories: Always Artichoke grosgrain ribbon, Heat Tool, Embossing Buddy, Clear EP, Extra Large Two-Step Bird Punch, pop-up glue dots, dimensionals


And now for the good new! About a week ago, I received an email from Kyrstal (known in the online world as skdeleeuw) asking if I would like to be on a Design Team for a new website called Stampin' Celebration that she and Candace Lawlor were starting. Of course I told her I was honored to be asked! I am so excited for this opportunity to stretch my creativity and to rub shoulders with some very talented stampers.

To see the other members of the Design Team, go visit Stampin' Celebration. And make sure to check back next Thursday, May 6, for the first Inspiration Challenge. You won't want to miss it!