Stampin' Celebration #39

It's a good thing I have the Stampin' Celebration challenge to keep my blog going. :-) Another great inspiration piece this week! Pink, brown, and Valentine's Day! 

This week I used the inspiration piece to create some little valentines that my 3 year old daughter could take to her preschool class.  She was excited about the pink, and her only other request was 'sparkles'.  I also pulled some inspiration from  a one-layer swap card that I received from my sweet friend Donna a few years ago at Leadership. 

I used the stamp set I {Heart} Hearts.  I stamped the dotted heart with Early Espresso, and the smaller heart with Pretty in Pink (the specific color isn't actually important).  After I stamped the little heart, I used my Tombow Multipurpose Liquid Glue and went over the little heart.  Then I poured Pink Stampin' Glitter (from the Fine Supernova collection) over the top.  The Liquid Glue held the glitter really well and dried quickly.  

The sentiment is from the set Teeny Tiny Wishes and stamped with Versamark and heat embossed with White Stampin' Emboss Powder. 

These are really very simple to make little matchbook treat holder.  I used a piece of 8 1/2" by 3" piece of Soft Suede--getting 3 per sheet of 8 1/2" by 11".  I scored one end at 3/4", then flipped it around and scored from the other end at 4 3/4".  Of course depending on the type of treat you put inside, you may need to alter those measurements.  The staple also helps hold the treat in place.  

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Make sure to head over to Stampin' Celebration to see the other designs for the this week.  Then make sure to play along as we celebrate life's special moments!  

Stamps:  I {Heart} Hearts, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink:  Early Espresso, Pretty in Pink, Soft Suede and Pretty in Pink markers, Versamark

Paper:  Soft Suede, Whisper White

Accessories:  Pretty in Pink taffeta ribbon, Fine Supernova Stampin' Glitter, Heat Tool, White Stampin' Emboss Powder, stapler, candy

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 #37

I can't believe it's already Thursday again! Thanks to everyone who played along with the Stampin' Celebration challenge last week.  We had so many fantastic entries that there were 4 Picks of the Party--we just couldn't narrow it down to 3.  :-)  If you haven't seen them already, go take a peek--you'll be glad you did. 

Once again I love the inspiration piece this week.  I took the cupcake and scallop circle theme from the bottom left photo.  I used my new (from the Occasions Mini Catalog) Create a Cupcake stamp set and Build a Cupcake punch for this card. To add the dots to the Cherry Cobbler layer, I repeatedly stamped the 'sprinkles' image with Versamark ink.  

To add the Dazzling Diamonds glitter to the frosting, I used the Multipurpose Adhesive Sheets found in the Occasions Mini Catalog.  I peeled one side off of the adhesive sheet (1" by 1 1/2" piece), stuck it to the Whisper White paper, and then punched.  Next I peeled off the other side of the adhesive and poured glitter over the top.  A simple way to add sparkle to your project.  :-) 

The cupcake also shows off some of the cute new Daffodil Delight Pompom Trim found on page 35 of the Mini Catalog. 

Thanks for stopping by!  Make sure to head over to the Stampin' Celebration blog to check out the other projects from the Design Team!  And then make sure to play along.  We'd love to see what you create!  

Stamps:  Create a Cupckake

Ink:  Early Espresso, Versamark

Paper:  Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso, Whisper White

Accessories:  Multipurpose Adhesive Sheets, Build a Cupcake punch, 2 3/8" Scallop Circle punch, 1 3/4" Circle punch, Daffodil Delight Pompom Trim, dimensionals

Stampin' Celebration #36

Thanks to everyone who participated in our special Stampin' Celebration challenge last week!  We loved seeing all of the amazing creations, and congratulations to the winners who will receive some fun blog candy.  :-) 

This week I just love the inspiration piece--of course pink and brown have always been a favorite combination of mine.  I think each picture could easily be an inspiration piece on its own.  

I pulled out my Eastern Blooms set which I really like even though I haven't used it in awhile.  I used Pink Pirouette and Chocolate Chip markers to color directly on the stamp, huffed on the stamp, and then stamped on Naturals White card stock.  I stamped the sentiment with Chocolate Chip ink.  By the way, the sentiment comes from the set Thank You Kindly which is a set that you can earn for free during Sale-A-Bration--which starts on Jan 25th! 

I distressed the edges of the Naturals White and Pink Pirouette layers using my Cutter Kit, and then added a little bit of Hemp Twine on the Pink Pirouette layer.  

To give a little more dimension to the flowers, I added a drop of Crystal Effects to the center of each flower.  Then I added Dazzling Diamonds.  After that dried, I finished adding Crystal Effects to petals of the flowers.  

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  Make sure to head over to Stampin' Celebration to see the Pick of the Party from last week and what the other members of the Design Team have created for this week!  We'd love to have you play along too!  

Stamps:  Eastern Blooms, Thank You Kindly

Ink:  Chocolate Chip, Pink Pirouette and Chocolate Chip markers

Paper:  Crumb Cake, Pink Pirouette, Chocolate Chip, Naturals White

Accessories:  Hemp Twine, Cutter Kit, dimensionals, Crystal Effects, Dazzling Diamonds

Tying Up Loose Ends

Today I just have a few loose ends that I need to take care of:

When I posted THIS project, I had several requests for my Toffee Recipe.  So here you go!  By the way, this isn't really MY recipe, my mother-in-law taught me how to make this family-favorite, yummy toffee.  And I do have to say it is easy.  I can with all confidence say that if I can make it, so can you.  :-)  

Almond Crunch

1/2 Cup Butter

1/2 Cup Margarine

1 Cup Sugar

1/4 Cup water

1/2 Cup Sliced Almonds

1 Large Hershey's Bar

Melt butter, margarine, sugar, and water together.  Add almonds and boil on high heat until it is toffee colored and shoots up puffs of smoke.  Pour onto a greased cookie sheet.  Break Hershey's bar into pieces and put on the candy while still hot.  Spread the chocolate after it starts to melt.  Cool until hardened.  Break into pieces.  Yum! 

Another tip my mother-in-law taught me was to watch the toffee as you stir it.  When it is almost done, you'll notice that as you stir it you see the bottom of the pan because it is starting to stick together a little more.   

AND, I never did post the link for the tutorial to make the square embossed border on this card from the Stampin' Addicts Occasions Mini Blog Hop.  To see my other projects from the hop, click HERE. 

I found a fantastic tutorial with all sort of tip and hints over at Sharon's blog Created By You.  To see her tutorial click HERE.  

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great weekend! 

Stampin' Celebration #35

What an exciting week over at Stampin' Celebration! With a new blog design, blog candy, and TWO new members on the Design Team, there's a lot to celebrate! A warm welcome to Marlene Peters over at Hands On and Cori Kozak over at My Creative Chat.  Both are very talented stampers, so go check out their blogs!  I'm excited for the opportunity to work with them on the design team!   

Now back to the challenge this week. . . . I liked the bright colors, and it reminded me of a summer birthday party, and for some reason ice cream.  :-)  I used the cupcake 'frosting' shape from my new Build a Cupcake punch (from the Occasions Mini Catalog) to create the ice cream scoops.  The cherry also comes from the same punch.  The So Saffron and Chocolate Chip layers are from the Play Date Designer Series Paper pack.  I took my Smooch Illuminate Pearlized Top Coat and added a little bit of glitter around the edges of the ice cream scoops and on the cherry.  

I hand-cut the triangle for the cone, and then ran it through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice Embossing Folder.  I used my Cutter Kit to add distressing to the edges of the Wild Wasabi layer, and then tied around the Linen Thread.  The sentiment is from the set Crazy for Cupcakes.  

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Make sure to head over to Stampin' Celebration to see the projects the other Design Team members have created.  And then play along with us--you'll definitely want to this week as there is awesome Blog Candy for those who are chosen as this week's "Pick of the Party"--formerly known as the Top 3.  :-)  Have a great week!  

Stamps:  Crazy for Cupcakes

Ink:  Wild Wasabi and Chocolate Chip (for sponging on cone)

Paper:  Baja Breeze, Wild Wasabi, Melon Mambo, and Play Date DSP

Accessories:  Build a Cupcake punch, Smooch Illuminate Pearlized Top Coat, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Big Shot, Linen Thread, Cutter Kit, dimensionals