Sentimental Birthday

 
Stampin' Up's premiere promotion of the year has started!  Sale-A-Bration is here, and this card showcases one of the stamp sets--called Feeling Sentimental--that is available for free with a $50 purchase. 

I needed a birthday card for my grandpa, so I set to work with this stamp set.  I also wanted to participate in the SUO challenge--using your 'New Toys'. 

The image is inked with Early Espresso, and I also sponged (and distressed) all the edges with the same color.  I added some of the new Natural 7/16" Trim Ribbon and one of the new Silver Basics Designer Buttons.  I really like both of these products.  The buttons are nice because they are thin, they don't add too much 'up' to your card. 

Thanks for coming by!  Remember that there are several ways to party during Sale-A-Bration:

Shop:  With each $50 purchase you can choose an item (for FREE!) from the Sale-A-Bration catalog. 

Host:  Have a party with your friends and earn Sale-A-Bration freebies!  With a $150 order you get (in addition to all the normal benefits) a package of Silver Glimmer Paper.  With a $400 order you get the Glimmer Paper PLUS a product bundle. 

Join:  When you join the Stampin Up family during Sale-A-Bration, you get 25% more product for free in your starter kit.  Whether you are looking for a discount on your product or a new career, Stampin Up has a place for you! 

If you have any question, don't hesitate to ask.  :-) 

Stamps:  Feeling Sentimental, Essentials
Ink:  Early Espresso
Paper:  Very Vanilla, First Edition Specialty DSP
Accessories:  Natural Trim Ribbon, Silver Basics Designer Buttons, Linen Thread, Stampin' Distress Tool, Bitty Banners Framelits, Big Shot, dimensionals

Grad Gumption

I've been doing a lot of 'double dipping' lately--using cards for more than one purpose--and this card is no exception!  This is another one of the cards I designed for my Stamp-A-Stack class, and I also made some up to use as floor swaps for convention.  Floor swaps are the ones that you make up and just trade with other demonstrators as you meet them. . . . before a general session, before a class, at lunch, in the elevator. . . . or pretty much anywhere.  :-) 

This is another card that is pretty simple and also uses a layout that I've used before.  It shows off several new items.  The 3 main colors are all new In Colors: Midnight Muse, Summer Starfruit, and Gumball Green.  I think they look fabulous together!  I also used a little bit of the new Stitched Satin ribbon that is available in the 2012-2014 In Colors. 

The sentiment and graduation caps come from the set Pure Gumption.  I stamped the sentiment and then ran it through the Big Shot with an Apothecary Accents Framelits die.  I just hand trimmed off the second little 'bump' on the right side.  The texture on the Midnight Muse panel came from the new Argyle Embossing Folder. 

Stamps:  Pure Gumption
Ink:  Basic Black, Versamark
Paper:  Midnight Muse, Summer Starfruit, Gumball Green, Whisper White
Accessories:  Gumball Green Stitched Satin Ribbon, Whisper White Baker's Twine, black brads, Apothecary Accents Framelits dies, Argyle Embossing Folder, Big Shot, dimensionals

Manly Clockworks

Convention is in full swing and I'm having a great time!  This is a card that I originally designed for my Stamp-A-Stack class and then also decided to use for an organized "Masculine Swap" at convention. 

This card highlights the Clockworks stamp set that is brand new.  This card is pretty straight forward and easy to make.  The only part that was 'tricky' was stamping the clock face.  I knew I didn't want to try to line up the numbers inside the outline of the clock since they are two different stamps.  But instead of stamping on card stock and then puncing out, I decided to stamp the numbers and hands on a Window Sheet (acetate) with Black Stazon ink.  Next I ran it through the Big Shot (after it had time to dry) with the Circles #2 die.  Then the brad keeps it in place.  It also gives the clock face a shinny look, which I think makes it look more realistic. 

I stamped the outside frame (what is that called?) of the clock on Very Vanilla card stock with Early Espresso Ink.  I used Crumb Cake ink (first stamped off once onto scrap paper) on the base of the card as well as on top of the clock panel. 

For the bottom strip, I stamped the 3 small clock parts with Not Quite Navy.  Since I have this set in clear mount, to speed things up, I actually put all 3 of those pieces on the same block together so I could stamp them all at the same time. 



Stamps:  Clockworks
Ink:  Early Espresso, Not Quite Navy, Crumb Cake, Black Stazon
Paper:  Riding Hood Red, Not Quite Navy, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Window Sheet
Accessories:  Metallic Brads, Early Espresso Stitched Grosgrain ribbon, sponge, dimensionals

Blue Ribbon Birthday

 

Hi all!  I'm back today with another one of the cards that we made at my Stamp-A-Stack class.  The idea for this card came from HERE.  I changed the colors just a bit and a few of the smaller details but I really loved Aimee's card so I kept it pretty much the same. 

This card shows off the new Blue Ribbon stamp set.  This set has, of course, the blue ribbon image and then different things that you can add to the center of the ribbon.  Other new items on this card are the Wild Wasabi Stitched grosgrain ribbon and the Chevron Embossing Folder on the Bashful Blue layer. 



Stamps:  Blue Ribbon
Ink:  Marina Mist, Wild Wasabi
Paper:  Marina Mist, Bashful Blue, Wild Wasabi, Whisper White
Accessories:  2 3/8" Scallop Circle punch, 1 1/4" Circle punch, Chevron Embossing Folder, Big Shot, stapler, dimensionals

Father's Bow Ties

I can't believe that Father's Day is almost here!  Where has the year gone?  It's a good thing that I saw THIS adorable card over on Stampin' Connection (website for Stampin Up demonstrators) by the talented, Artisan Award winning Heather Klump, to get me going.  I liked this idea of creating bow ties and tried a couple different combinations.  With my husband's suggestion that it was a little more masculine, we made the gray and yellow one for club this month. 

The bow ties were created using the Pennant Punch, and the 3/4" circle punch.  I used the paper piercing tool and mat pack to go around the edge of the white layer.  For the banners I stamped, (from the set Delightful Dozen) colored in with the coordinating color using the very fine end of my markers, and then hand cut the shape. 

The buttons are from the Brights Designer Buttons collection, and both of the cards use a combination of papers from both the Twitterpated DSP set and the Summer Smooches DSP set (Daffodil Delight paper and Real Red polka-dots). 

Remember all the fathers in your life this coming Sunday the 17th! 

Stamps:  Delightful Dozen
Ink:  Basic Black, Real Red marker, Basic Gray, Daffodil Delight marker
Paper:  Daffodil Delight, Basic Gray, Real Red, Baja Breeze, Whisper White
Accessories:  Brights Designer Buttons, 3/4" circle punch, Petite Pennants Builder punch, Paper Piercing Tool, Mat Pack, Hemp Twine, dimensionals

Captain America Birthday

This year I made a goal to send birthday cards to all of our family members.  Grandparents, parents, siblings, and nieces and nephews.  I'm happy to say that so far I'm still on track!  A few of the cards have been a little late :-) but I don't think I've missed anyone yet.  During a year this adds up to just over 40 people, or about 3 or 4 cards per month.  Not really too much to ask a 'card maker' to do when it comes down to it! 

I'm not necessarily sending a unique card to each person, but I am trying to get a good variety and at the very least not send the same card to two people in the same immediate family.  :-)  The hardest cards to design are the ones that are for the brothers and brother-in-laws.  Fortunately this year my husband came up with a great idea!  I showed him THIS card and asked what he thought.  "Sure, but can you change the colors to make it look more like Captain America?"  (He and his brothers are all huge comic book fans--even before the recent Hollywood revival.)  So I asked him to show me a picture of what the Captain America shield looks like and created then the card as closely to that as possible.  Hopefully the guys will notice and appreciate!  :-)

The Pacific Point (blue) layer and the Whisper White circle are up on dimensionals.  The larger Real Red circle is actually the card base showing through the 'window' on the Pacific Point layer.  The sentiment was stamped with Versamark and then heat embossed with White embossing powder.  I distressed the edges of the Pacific Point layer using my Cutter Kit. 

Have a great day!

Stamps:  All Holidays (discontinued)
Ink:  Versamark
Paper:  Pacific Point, Real Red, Whisper White
Accessories:  1" Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, 2 1/2" Circle Punch, Star Punch (random from my kids' collection), Big Shot, Circles #2 Die (for the white circle--2nd largest circle on the die), embossing buddy, heat tool, White Stampin' Emboss Powder, Cutter Kit, dimensionals

Open Sea Thanks

With all of the excitement of the new catalog, don't forget that we have great Summer Mini Catalog too.  :-)  This is a card I've made with all of my stampers clubs, and it features The Open Sea stamp set.  I really like this stamp set as it works perfectly for masculine projects as well as travel-related projects. 

This idea came from one of the Stampin' Success (for demonstrators) magazine.  Although I generally like to create my own projects, I'll admit it is nice to have fantastic ideas provided by Stampin' Up so that if I am short on ideas or time I still have great projects.

This card actually uses every single stamp that is part of The Open Sea stamp set--kind of fun.  :-)  Minus the ship that is on the card base, they are all stamped on a piece of Whisper White card stock.  I sponged around the edges and lightly everywhere with Crumb Cake ink.  That piece is layered on a piece of Designer Series Paper from the coordinating Nautical Expedition DSP pack.  

The finishing touches are a Mini Library Clip with a bit of the new Early Espresso/White Baker's Twine tied around. 

Stamps:  The Open Sea, Thank You Kindly (sentiment)

Ink:  More Mustard, Basic Gray, Not Quite Navy, Crumb Cake

Paper:  Nautical Expedition DSP, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White

Accessories:  Mini Library Clip, Early Espresso/White Baker's Twine, dimensionals

Father's Day Treats

 

At church I work with the children's organization, and I usually try to have some sort of little treat/gift for the teachers on major holidays just to remind the teachers and staff that we appreciate them and all their hard work.  So, these are the Father's Day gifts I made up for this year to appreciate all the men who teach classes or work with the Cub Scouts.   

I used some Designer Paper that was in my stash--I believe it was from the Summer Mini last year--and just wrapped the mini candy bars.  I used a tiny bit of Snail adhesive between the bars to help hold the stack together while I tied on the ribbon and tag.  

The tags use the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set.  I stamped and then punched out using the Word Window punch and the Modern Label punch. 

I quite enjoyed making up these little treats since they were very quick and simple.  Just by altering the Designer Paper that you use, I think these would be great for party favors too (birthday, baby shower, etc).  

Have a great Father's Day weekend!  

Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink:  Night of Navy, Bashful Blue

Paper:  Designer Series Paper, Night of Navy, Bashful Blue, Whisper White

Accessories: Word Window punch, Modern Label punch, linen thread, Night of Navy grosgrain ribbon, mini candy bars

Father's Day Wallet

As you've noticed my blog has been neglected lately.  :-)  Ironically I have a whole stack of projects to share--so it's not for lack of stamping on my part.  I've been keeping busy getting everything ready for the baby to come.  If all goes as scheduled, we'll have a new baby girl join our family next week!

Father's Day is right around the corner.  This wallet card is a fun way to present money, gift cards, pictures of the (grand)kids, or coupons.  This is an idea that has been around for many years so I can't claim credit for it.  This is also a great idea for graduation! 

Here's a view of the inside:

Measurements:

9" by 3 1/2"  --scored at 4 7/16" and 4 9/16" (sounds scary, but it's just on either side of 4 1/2")

8 1/2" by 3 1/4" --scored at 4 3/16" and 4 5/16" (just on either side of 4 1/4")

4 1/8" by 2"  --TWO of these pieces

The measuring is by far the hardest part!  The next step is sponging with Soft Suede--the edges and all over to give the soft leather feel.  On the largest piece, I used my Mat Pack to paper pierce the edges and a corner rounder punch to round the edges.  I used the fine tip end of the Soft Suede marker to 'connect the dots' where I had paper pierced to make it look like it was sewn.  Then stamp/embellish as desired.  Here I used Plane & Simple (no longer available).  Monogramming your wallet is a fun idea too!   

Note:  When assembling the wallet, make sure to not adhere the 'tops' of the pockets--just the bottom and sides.  You'll want to be able to slip in money, gift cards, etc.

Thanks for stopping by!  If all goes as planned, I'll be scheduling some posts for the next month or so.  

Stamps:  Plane & Simple

Ink:  Soft Suede (and marker)

Paper:  Crumb Cake

Accessories:  Mat Pack, Paper Piercing Tool, sponge

Stampin' Celebration #51

It's time for this week's Stampin' Celebration Challenge!  This week the colors really drew my eye, so I pulled out Old Olive and Marina Mist (a suggestion from the Color Coach) and went to work using my new Summer Splash stamp set from the Summer Mini Catalog.  

This is the 'card' and 'envelope' all in one.  This crimped envelope idea is one I learned a long time ago, and haven't used forever.  The best part is it's really simple.  :-)  Start with an envelope--here I used a Crumb Cake envelope--seal, and cut off one of the short ends.  I cut off 1 3/4" on mine.  Then take the bottom half of the envelope and run it through your crimper.  (When was the last time you pulled out your crimper?)  By crimping just the bottom half, it is now just narrow enough for the top section to slip over easily.  

To embellish my envelope, I sponged with Crumb Cake, tied around Marina Mist taffeta ribbon and Hemp Twine, and added some surfboards. When you take off the top section, it looks like this:  

I used my 1" Circle Punch to take out a little notch--that lets the recipient know there's more inside.  And here's a look at what's inside:  

 

So there it is!  I kept it pretty simple and didn't do a lot of embellishment.  I used my markers to color the surfboards different colors before I stamped.  I distressed the edges, sponged Crumb Cake, and matted onto Old Olive.  

I think this would be an adorable invitation idea for a summer birthday party!  It would also work great for almost any occasion such as birthday or 'hi'.  As a side note, this style of card also works really well as a way to give a gift card. 

Thanks for coming by!  Make sure to head over to Stampin' Celebration to see who the Party Guest Designer is this week as well as the work from the other Design Team members. 

Stamps:  Summer Splash
Ink:  Marina Mist, Old Olive, Crumb Cake

Paper:  Old Olive, Whisper White, Crumb Cake envelope

Accessories:  Crimper, Cutter Kit, 1" Circle Punch, sponge, Marina Mist Taffeta Ribbon, Hemp Twine

Nautical Expedition Tins

Today I'm back with some more photos and details for the second project that I posted during the Stampin' Addicts Summer Mini Blog Hop.  You can see my original post HERE.  Today I'll show some close ups of the Mini Scrapbook Tin that I made showcasing the Nautical Expedition Designer Series Paper that is found in the new Summer Mini Catalog.  

Above you see the outside of the tin. These tins can still be purchased from Stampin Up--but only on the Clearance Rack in the online store--meaning only while supplies last.  I added a belly band to the tin with a 2" strip of Basic Gray card stock, a 1" strip of Nautical Expedition DSP, and some White Baker's Twine.  The center globe image is from the stamp set The Open Sea--a coordinating set.   I hand cut around the globe image and then layered it onto a Cherry Cobbler circle I punched out with the 2  1/2" Circle Punch.  

When you slide off the belly band and open the tin, this is what you see:  

I think that ship image--again from the set The Open Sea--is one of my favorite.  I love how much detail is has, and yet how crisp it is.  Notice the little Tab Pull in the top right that is a small piece of Twill Tape looped.  When you pull on that you see:  

And a closer look at the pages of this mini scrapbook: 

The pages are 4 3/4" tall and 4" wide.  I started with two pieces of Whisper White card stock that were 4 3/4" by 12" and then scored at 4" and 8".  I accordion folded them and adhered the last section of one to the first section of the next to make a continuous accordion fold.  I used Sticky Strip to adhere the card stock to the tin.  

Thanks for coming by!  These little Mini Scrapbook Tins are easy to make and make great gifts.  I hope this gave a better look at this project.  You should be able to click on any of the pictures for a closer (enlarged) look at the projects. 

Stamps:  The Open Sea

Ink:  Early Espresso, Basic Gray

Paper:  Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler, Basic Gray, Whisper White, Nautical Expedition DSP

Accessories:  Tin, White Baker's Twine, Early Espresso/White Baker's Twine, Cutter Kit, 1 3/4" x 7/8" Oval Punch, Round Tab Punch, 2 1/2" Circle Punch

 

Nautical Expedition Cards

I'm finally back with some more photos and details for the projects that I posted during the Stampin' Addicts Summer Mini Blog Hop.  You can see my original post HERE.  Today I'll show some close ups of the Card Set that I made showcasing the Nautical Expedition Designer Series Paper that is found in the new Summer Mini Catalog. 

Above shows the outside of the folder that holds the cards and envelopes.  The outside measurement is 5 1/4" wide by 6" tall.  Below is a close up of the Antique Brad and Early Espresso/White Baker's Twine that I used as a closure.  There is a matching brad on the back side of the folder.

 

When you open the folder, you see this:

Each side holds two cards and two envelopes.  It's hard to distinguish the envelopes since I used Crumb Cake envelopes (same color as the folder and the card bases).

To make the folder, I started with an 8 1/2" by 11" sheet of Crumb Cake.  I scored at 5 3/8" and 5 5/8".  Then along the long side I scored at 2 1/2" (folds up to make the pockets).  I hand cut a little slice out in the middle of the two pocket sections to help the folder close easily.

Note:  The strip of Designer Series Paper across the top of the pockets adds interest, but also hides the back of the brads that you see on the front.  The brads are what keep the pockets in place--I didn't use any other adhesive.

And some pictures of the cards:

The squares were punched out using the new Postage Stamp Punch that can be found on page 10 of the Summer Mini Catalog.  Here's a close up of how I tied the squares together using the White Baker's Twine for the card on the left (above). 

And the other cards in the set:  

Note: I used dimensionals to pop up all of the postage squares of the Nautical Expedition DSP.

Other than tying the postage squares together for the one card, this was a really easy set to put together.  I'm planning to choose some various Designer Papers and make up some more coordinating card sets to give as end of the year teacher gifts.  

Thanks for coming by!  I hope this gave a better look at this project.  You should be able to click on any of the pictures for a closer (enlarged) look at the projects. 

Stamps:  Trendy Trees (for thank you sentiment)

Ink:  Early Espresso, Crumb Cake (for distressing of folder edges)

Paper:  Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla, Nautical Expedition DSP

Accessories:  Antique Brads, White Baker's Twine, Early Espresso/White Baker's Twine, Postage Stamp Punch, Word Window Punch, Modern Label Punch

Stampin' Addicts Blog Hop: Nautical Expedition DSP

 Welcome to stop #3 on the Stampin' Addicts Summer Mini Blog Hop!  This Blog Hop features 22 Stampin' Addicts members who are sharing their creativity with us. Each stop will feature products from the Summer Mini Catalog that goes live May 1, 2011!

If you are following the hop in order, you just came from Holly's blog Rubber Redneck where she showcased gorgeous projects using the stamp Hello Blossoms. I just loved Holly's adorable projects! 

Today I am showing some ideas using the Nautical Expedition Designer Series Paper.  I love working with Stampin' Up's DSP, and I was especially drawn to this pack of paper since it lends itself easily to both masculine and travel projects.  

My first projects is a set of cards.  I thought this could make a fun gift for a guy in your life or someone who is leaving for a vacation or moving. I kept the cards pretty simple and let the Designer Series Paper be the star of the show.  I also used the new Postage Stamp Punch that is found in the Summer Mini Catalog.  I almost didn't pre-order the punch, but now of course I'm so happy I did.  :-)  Another new product I used is the Baker's Twine.  If you follow my blog regularly, you know I use a lot of Linen Thread and Hemp Twine--so of course I knew I would love the Baker's Twine! 

The very top right of the above photo shows the folder that holds all of these cards.  When the cards are all tucked away inside this is what it looks like:  

My next project is a scrapbook in a tin.  These tins can be found on the Clearance Rack in the online Stampin' Up Store.  For the outside of the tin, I created a belly band with Not Quite Navy card stock, a strip of Designer Series Paper, some Baker's Twine, and an image from the stamp set The Open Sea (also new in the Summer Mini Catalog). 

When you open the tin, you pull out a little 'paper accordion' with plenty of room to add pictures and journaling.  

I think this would be a fun mini scrapbook for a special vacation or even to give as a Father's Day gift with pictures, love notes, etc. Using the DSP and the coordinating card stock colors made this an easy project that came together quickly.  I also added a few more images from The Open Sea stamp set and some more of the Baker's Twine.  

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope you've been inspired by these projects.  I will be back later with more info on these projects and well as a closer look at some of the details.  Note:  you should be able to click on any of the pictures to see an enlarged image.  

Next on the Blog Hop is Carmen over at  Stamping Addiction.  She will be showcasing the stamp set The Open Sea.  Go check out her awesome projects, and then continue on in the Hop to see more projects showcasing products from the Summer Mini catalog.  

       <----Previous Blog                    Next Blog---->

Manly Plane

Just a reminder that there are only a few days left to order from the Occasions Mini Catalog!  This card features one of the stamp sets, Plane & Simple, that can be found in the Occasions Mini Catalog (page 40).  The idea for this card came from CAutrey over on Splitcoaststampers.  See her card HERE.  

The background is Very Vanilla run through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice Textured Embossing Folder and then sponged with Chocolate Chip.  The smaller Chocolate Chip layer was scrunched into a ball and then flattened to give a little texture.  The 'button' on the banner is actually a brad from the Vintage Trinkets collection.  I stamped the plane image with Chocolate Chip and then punched out with the 2 1/2" Circle Punch.  I also sponged and distressed the edges of the circle.  

And as a final touch, I added a thin layer of Crystal Effects over the plane.  

It's always hard to make masculine cards, but I liked the way the way this one turned out.   I'm planning to make up a few extra of these to use as Father's Day cards for this year. 

Thanks for stopping by!  

Stamps:  Plane & Simple

Ink:  Chocolate Chip

Paper:  Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla

Accessories:  Vintage Trinkets, Crystal Effects, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Big Shot, 2 1/2" Circle Punch, cutter kit, sponge, dimensionals

Stampin' Celebration #38

It's Thursday and another fantastic challenge over at Stampin' Celebration!  I love the bold colors of this inspiration piece as well as the texture of the corner pictures.  So here's what I have to share this week:

I usually have a really hard time coming up with cards for my husband.  But, I think this one may work ok.  I tried to keep it fairly simple, and I thought the distressed look on the hearts may be a little 'manly'.   For the hearts I punched them out using my Full Heart punch, crumpled and then opened them, and put them on top of my Basic Black ink pad.  I carefully walked my fingers over the hearts so that they would pick up a little of the ink.  It's a fun, simple technique that you should try if you haven't already! 

I tied around the Basic Black grosgrain ribbon and added the three hearts using dimensionals.  The sentiment is stamped on the inside and then I used my 1 3/8" by 5/8" Oval Punch on the front layer so that the sentiment shows through.  The sentiment is from the set Three Little Words, which is a set that you can earn for free during Sale-A-Bration!  

Thanks for vising today!  Head over to Stampin' Celebration to see what the other member of the Design Team have created using this same inspiration piece!  Then hopefully you will feel inspired to play along.  :-)  We'd love to see what you create!  

Stamps:  Three Little Words

Ink:  Real Red, Basic Black

Paper:  Real Red, Whisper White

Accessories:  Full Heart Punch, 1 3/8" by 5/8" Oval Punch, Basic Black Grosgrain Ribbon, dimensionals

Stampin' Celebration #26

Yep, I'm finally back.  :-)  I won't go into a lot of excuses, but it has been an interesting week and a half!  Without further ado, here is my project for the Stampin' Celebration challenge this week:  

I really liked the cake in the top left photo, so I used that as my main inspiration.  And somewhere along the way my cake became a stack of presents.  :-)  But I liked that I ended up with a masculine birthday card--usually those are so hard for me that to end up with one without meaning to is quite a treat!  

The center present is Designer Paper from the Play Date pack.  The top present is Tempting Turquoise, and I ran the edges of the present through my Early Espresso pad to add a little definition.  The bottom present is Old Olive, and I stamped with Very Vanilla craft ink and my Dot, Dot, Dot stamp.   

The sentiment is from the set All Holidays, and the presents are tied up with a bit of Early Espresso grosgrain ribbon.  The presents and the So Saffron panel are up on dimensionals.  

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Make sure to hope on over to Stampin' Celebration to see what the other Design Team members are up to this week.  :-)  

Stamps:  All Holidays and Dot, Dot, Dot

Ink:  Early Espresso, Very Vanilla craft

Paper:  Play Date DSP, Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive, So Saffron, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla  

Accessories:  Early Espresso grosgrain ribbon, mini glue dot, dimensionals 

 

Birthday Star

Today I have a masculine card to share.  Is it only me, or is it hard to make cards for guys?  I really wanted to add more to this card (at least some sparkle to the center star) but I tried to leave it simple.  

I used my Big Shot and the Movers & Shapers die to cut the star from the Not Quite Navy layer.  Next I added some Paper Piercing and distressing around the edge of that layer.  I punched a More Mustard star with the Extra Large Star punch and a Cajun Craze star with my (retired) star punch.  The entire Not Quite Navy layer and the More Mustard star are up on dimensionals.  

I stamped the sentiment (ironically from the set Messages for Mom) with Jet Black StazOn ink directly onto the Twill Tape and added the More Mustard brads.  One of my club members had the wonderful idea to add the star (extra from when we used the Movers & Shapers die) as the closure on the envelope.  

Check back tomorrow to see what I created for the this week's Stampin' Celebration challenge!  

Stamps:  Messages for Mom

Ink:  Jet Black StazOn

Paper:  Not Quite Navy, More Mustard, Cajun Craze

Accessories:  3/8" Twill Tape, Regals Brads, Big Shot, Movers & Shapers die, Mat Pack, Paper Piercing Tool, Extra Large Star Punch, Star Punch, dimensionals 

Cajun Thanks

Another simple card using the single stamp So Many Thanks!  The color scheme for this card came directly from the Color Coach (the Pear Pizzazz page).  I used my Pear Pizzazz, Cajun Craze, and More Mustard markers to color directly on the stamp.  After stamping I punched out the image using my 1 3/4" Circle Punch. 

The 1" Pear Pizzazz circle was stamped with the Dot, Dot, Dot stamp.  Too add a little texture, I crumpled 1 3/4" the Cajun Craze circle and then smoothed it out again.  I used the Cutter Kit to distress the edges of the Whisper White and Pear Pizzazz layers.  To help keep the Mini Library Clip in place, I added a glue dot right behind it. 

Thanks for stopping by! 

Stamps:  So Many Thanks
Ink:  Pear Pizzazz, More Mustard and Cajun Craze markers
Paper:  Pear Pizzazz, More Mustard, Cajun Craze and Whisper White
Accessories:  1 3/4" Circle Punch, 1" Circle Punch, 1/2" Circle Punch, Mini Library Clip, Linen Thread, Cutter Kit, Dimensionals

Surf's Up

This week I'll be posting cards that we made last Saturday at a 10-10-10 class I hosted. This is one of the cards that we made, and I think it ended up being one of the favorites too! All of the cards we made at the class focused on stamp sets, colors, and accessories that are retiring.

The idea for this card came from Krystal over at Krysta's Cards and More. See THIS post to see her adorable surf card and matching ensemble. I love all the detail that Krystal had on her card, but I wanted to simplify a bit since this was supposed to be a card that you could make in 10 minutes.

This card uses the set Just Surfing. The surf boards were stamped and then cut out. To create the 'sand', I just tore the edge of the card stock and then added a little sponging. The hemp twine is two pieces tied together.

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Just Surfing
Ink: Only Orange, Green Galore, Soft Suede, Bermuda Bay
Paper: Soft Suede, Bermuda Bay, Whisper White
Accessories: Hemp Twine, sponge

Note: Items marked in red are retiring.

Stampin' Celebration #7

Another great challenge over at Stampin' Celebration! This week we are celebrating our fathers. I'm so blessed to have lots of wonderful fathers in my life. . . my husband, my dad, and my father-in-law. So, here is what I came up with this week:

I happened upon THIS post by Amy Celona, and thought I'd give it a try. Too cute! I did make my shirt a little bit bigger--I started with a sheet of 10" by 7" paper, so the finished card size is 5" by 7". I followed Amy's directions, other than changing up the measurements a bit. I scored along the top at 1 1/2". My pocket measures 1 1/4" by 1 1/4".

For the tie, I started with a 5" by 1 1/2" piece of card stock and then just free hand cut. I had the idea that the ribbon would make the tie feel and look a little more realistic. :-) I ran Snail adhesive along all the edges of the tie and then added grosgrain ribbon. I actually just used ribbon scraps, and would add one layer, trim the edges, add another layer and so on. It didn't take too long, and the end result is fun.

Here's a close up to get a better idea of what it looks like:


Hint: As I was working on the tie, I noticed that the edges of the tie started to fray a little bit, so I took my Crystal Effects and carefully ran the tip down the edges of the tie. It acted as a fray check to keep the ribbon from unraveling.

And here is a picture of the inside of the card. I actually used a couple stamps to create a custom sentiment. The "father's" word is made from the alphabet stamp set Rough Type that is found in the Summer Mini Catalog. I love the idea that you can create custom words with the letters, but still stamp them all at once using the clear mount stamps.

For the "happy" and "day", you'll see I used a"happy birthday" stamp in sections. I just markered the part I wanted, stamped, cleaned my stamp well, and repeated. It worked pretty well!


I hope you've enjoyed this card! Make sure to stop by Stampin' Celebration to see what the other Design Team members have created this week using the same inspiration piece. Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Rough Type
Ink: Brocade Blue
Paper: Whisper White
Accessories: Brocade Blue and Very Vanilla grosgrain ribbon, brads, Corner Rounder Punch, dimensionals