Priceless Gift Box

My aunt asked me to make a set of cards for her, so this is the gift box and one of the cards in the set. All of the cards are different, and I included 4 friendship/all occasion, 4 birthday, 3 thank you, and 1 anniversary. Most of the other cards have already been uploaded here or in my gallery at Splitcoast, so I didn't include them all.

The gift box was made from a pattern I found on Splitcoast (I printed off the directions, so I'll have to do a search again later to find the link and give proper credit). It was designed to hold 20 cards, so there is a little extra room with the 12 I'm giving her. With the ribbon and other embellishments on my cards though, I probably wouldn't want to include more than about 15 so they wouldn't be squished.

The top of the gift box and card were created with the Priceless set, another new one from the catalog. I haven't gotten the matching wheel yet, so I created the background by stamping the large swirl randomly all over the page. I filled in small gaps with the little flower that is included in the set. I stamped both sides of the paper so the inside of the lid would be pretty as well. To finish it off, I stamped the butterfly and punched it with a 1 1/2 inch circle punch and layered it on the scallop circle.

The thank you card uses the same background as the gift box lid. The butterfly was punched directly with the scallop, and the thank you sentiment is from Fancy Flexible Phrases (I was really bummed when this one didn't make it to the big catty - oh well, I still love using it for personal cards).

Recipe:
Stamps: Priceless, Fancy Flexible Phrases
Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Whisper White, Basic Black
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Basic Black
Other: 1 1/2 in circle punch, scallop punch

Big Bold Birthday

I loved the Big Bold Birthday set when I first saw it in the new Stampin' Up! catalog. So, when I saw the article in Stampin' Success about the Scratch and Sniff technique, this set moved right up to the top of my list. I was excited to get it this week as part of my stamp club order and set out to try the technique. I tried a couple of different things but am not totally happy with the results so I need to keep experimenting. In the meantime though, I played around with the set a little bit and came up with these 3 cards.

This first card is done on Groovy Guava. The patterned paper was done with the polka dot stamp in the set. I randomly stamped it on Whisper White with Groovy Guava, Purely Pomegranate, Blue Bayou, and So Saffron. I then used my Basic Black marker to ink one dot at a time to add a few black dots throughout the piece. It was then layered on Basic Black.

For the focal image, I stamped the cupcake bottom in Guava and the top in Pomegranate. I then stamped them both again on a scrap and cut them out for some dimension. For the bottom piece, I also accordian folded it to look more like a cupcake cup. It just didn't seem right to be flat. This piece was then layered on Pomegranate and Basic Black. I used my ticket corner punch on the corners of the white and added black brads before layering. The doodling around the edges was an afterthought - it just seemed like it needed a little something else.

Recipe:
Stamps: Big Bold Birthday
Cardstock: Groovy Guava, Purely Pomegranate, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: Groovy Guava, Purely Pomegranate, Blue Bayou, So Saffron, Basic Black
Other: Basic Black marker, Black Brads

This second card uses the same colors as the first. It is pretty straightforward, but I am happy with the results. The Blue Bayou package was stamped directly on the card, and then I stamped another one on a scrap and cut it out for some added dimension.

This layout was inspired by a card I saw on Splitcoast. It used a different set and different colors but was the same basic idea.

Recipe:
Stamps: Big Bold Birthday
Cardstock: Groovy Guava, Purely Pomegranate, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: Groovy Guava, Purely Pomegranate, Blue Bayou, So Saffron, Basic Black
Other: Black Brads, Black Gingham Ribbon

This 3rd card uses the All About Birthdays jumbo wheel in addition to Big Bold Birthday. I wheeled it in Pretty in Pink on Whisper White and then added it to a strip of Creamy Caramel and Basic Black. The focal image was done in the same way as the first card, except this one was done with Creamy Caramel and Pretty in Pink. A little piece of Black Gingham Ribbon was attached with a black brad.

Before the focal image was added to the card, I stamped the Happy Birthday stamp above and below the wheeled image in Basic Black. I originally was just going to add a single Happy Birthday sentiment from It's Your Birthday, but I like how this smaller font frames that part of the card.

Recipe:
Stamps: Big Bold Birthday, All About Birthdays
Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Creamy Caramel, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Creamy Caramel, Basic Black,
Other: Black Brad, Black Gingham Ribbon

Definition of Kindness

I just got my September Creating Keepsakes magazine today and saw a really cute card using the definition of kind and two other thank you stamps. Here is my version. Mine is a little simpler than theirs, but I wasn't getting it to work quite right so I went with this (and I had to pack all of my stuff for a crop tomorrow and needed to get moving on that instead of creating new things - I just couldn't help myself). Anyway, even though it's a very simple card, I like the way it turned out. I've always liked doing color blocks and Iove the Purely Pomegranate and Groovy Guava together.

I stamped the K from Headline Alphabet in Purely Pomegranate and then stamped the kindness definition from Define Your Life over it in Basic Black. The other two thank you stamps are from Much Appreciated. The card measures 4 1/4 x 4 1/4 square.

Recipe:
Stamps: Define Your Life, Headline Alphabet, Much Appreciated
Cardstock: Purely Pomegranate, Groovy Guava, River Rock, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: Purely Pomegranate, Basic Black
Other: Black Brads

It's All Good!

I just got my first order from the new catalog today, and I have to say that "It's All Good"! Of course you can probably tell that I got that stamp set along with Define Your Life and Priceless. The rest of my order was replenishing my paper stock and the scallop punch (it's backordered now so I hope it doesn't take long to figure out the problems with the punch. I was so looking forward to finally getting one!)

Anyway, I initially didn't give It's All Good a second look when I went through the catalog. But, as what happens with many of my purchases these days, I saw something on Splitcoast that made me look again. I'm excited about the little set now because I think it will go great with Define your life on both scrapbook pages and cards.

My first creation with my new stuff was this 6x6 scrapbook page using It's All Good and Define Your Life. I needed a 3rd project for a workshop I'm doing at a Relay for Life fundraiser on Saturday and wasn't happy with anything I'd come up with so far. I apologize for the poor picture, but I had a little trouble getting a good one of this page. I stamped the Happy from It's All Good and punched it with the 1 inch circle punch. The image is a little bigger than the punch, but that didn't really matter to me since I was going to layer it with the 1 1/4 inch punch. The Happy circle pulls out to reveal some hidden journaling. I thought this was a perfect picture for these stamps because the kids (my niece and nephew) couldn't have had more fun with those balloons!

I created the scallop border with the new corner rounder (oh yeah - I guess I got that today too). I didn't have one yet, so I was excited to try the technique that I've been seeing so much of lately.

Finally, I added the Happy definition from Define Your Life and layered it on Chocolate Chip. I used the rectange punch on the end, threaded a thin strip of paper through the opening, and attached it with a brad. I didn't want to use ribbon, so I thought this was a good alternative. I also sponged around the main white piece and the Happy definition and added some small dots with my Chocolate Chip marker.

Recipe:
Stamps: It's All Good, Define Your Life
Cardstock: Bashful Blue, Creamy Caramel, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Creamy Caramel
Marker: Chocolate Chip
Other: 1 & 1 1/4 in Circle Punches, Rectangle Punch, and Corner Rounder

Love Tote Bags!

One of my favorite things to make (other than scrapbook pages and cards) are these fun little tote bags. This is one of the workshop projects I'm doing at a Relay for Life fundraiser this weekend. (I hope the ladies like them as much as I do!)

It was created with Purely Pomegranate (my favorite In Color) and Seeing Spots (one of my favorite stamp sets). In addition to Pomegranate, I also used Groovy Guava and Basic Black ink for the accent panels. The tag was created with the tag punch. Since my tag stamps have been retired, I just stamped a few spot images on it with Whisper White and added the For You sentiment from Happy Everything. I used the rectangle punch at the top of the tag and the Word Window punch for the little tab that holds it in place (folded in half through the opening). The straps are 1/2 x 11 in strips adhered with black brads. I used my white gel pen for the faux stitching.

Recipe:
Stamps: Seeing Spots, Happy Everything
Cardstock: Purely Pomegranate, Whisper White, Basic Black
Ink: Purely Pomegranate, Groovy Guava, Basic Black, Whisper White (craft)
Other: Tag, Word Window and Rectangle Punches, White Gel Pen, Black Brads

Baroque Motifs

These are two of the first cards I created using the new Baroque Motifs set available in the Fall/Winter Collection. I did them prior to starting my blog, so I hadn't added them yet.

The first is a square card created for my hubby for our 2nd anniversary. The card was done on River Rock and then mounted on a square piece of Chocolate Chip (so I didn't have to worry about adding a piece of light paper inside so I could write my message). The medallions on the left were stamped, cut out and layered on top of each other.

The Baroque Motifs set is so different from any others I have. I love the fact that you can create such simple cards that look so elegant.

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Baroque Motifs
Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, River Rock, Purely Pomegranate
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Purely Pomegranate
Accessories: Brad (unknown maker)



The second card also uses a River Rock base. I wasn't sure what I thought of the new River Rock color when I first got it, but I think it makes a great neutral and looks wonderful with both Chocolate Chip and Always Artichoke (among others!). The swirls were stamped on the card base and then on the center panel. It's a simple card to make, but I love how the swirls continue off the card. This one was also used as an anniversary card with one of the sentiments from It's Your Birthday stamped inside (Life is not a matter of counting years, it's a matter of making years count.) along with the Happy Anniversary stamp from Hugs & Wishes.

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Baroque Motifs (It's Your Birthday and Hugs & Wishes - inside)
Cardstock: River Rock, Always Artichoke
Ink: Always Artichoke, Purely Pomegranate
Accessories: Brads (I believe Karen Foster, but I'm not positive)

All About Gratitude - Layered Brayer Technique

The layout of this card changed multiple times before I finally settled on this one. My main purpose in creating it was to try the Layered Brayer Technique.

For the left panel, I stamped the posie from the All Occasions Hostess bundle with Versamark on glossy white paper. I then heat embossed the flowers with white embossing powder. After embossing, I inked up my brayer (which I haven't used in years) with Groovy Guava ink and rolled it all over the strip. While that was drying, I punched out several 1/2 inch circles from Post-It notes (from the sticky end). I covered the flower centers with the circles and then inked my brayer with Purely Pomegranate. I rolled that over the entire piece and let dry for a little bit. Once it was dry, I removed the punched circles and rubbed the excess ink off of the embossed flowers with a towel. I was then left with the Purely Pomegranate background and white flowers with Groovy Guava centers. The piece was layered on Basic Black cardstock.

The center panel was done with the All About Gratitude jumbo wheel (from the bundle). It was wheeled with Groovy Guava ink and layered on Basic Black cardstock.

After these pieces had been added to the card, I decided it needed a little more so I added a posie that had been stamped in Groovy Guava and cut out as well as the brads at the bottom right. I have a thing about not letting brads show on the inside of the card, but I broke my "rule" this time. I just felt like the card needed a little something in that spot and am happy with the end result.

Card Recipe:
Stamps: All About Occasions Hostess Bundle (Posie and All About Gratitude Jumbo Wheel)
Cardstock: Groovy Guava, Basic Black, Glossy White, Whisper White
Ink: Groovy Guava, Purely Pomegranate, Versamark
Accessories: Black Gingham Ribbon, Black Brads
Tools: Brayer, Embossing Heat Tool, White Embossing Powder

All About Gratitude

This card was made with the All About Gratitude Jumbo Wheel available in the level 3 All About Occasions Hostess bundle. (I received it free when I signed up as a demonstrator in May.) I don't have many ink cartridges for my wheels, so if I'm making a card I just ink the wheel on my ink pad. It's works great for the length needed for cards. This one was inked in Chocolate Chip, matted on the Chocolate Chip and Creamy Caramel strip and adhered to a Bashful Blue base. The top circle was punched with a 1 1/4 circle punch, and the other sentiment is from Much Appreciated. I started to make this card based on a sketch challenge I saw, but it ended up differently than I anticipated. Oh well - I think I still like it. I may have to try another one and play around with it a little bit.

Card Recipe:
Stamps: All About Occassions Hostess Bundle (All About Gratitude Jumbo Wheel and Flower stamp), Much Appreciated
Cardstock: Bashful Blue, Creamy Caramel, Chocolate Chip
Ink: Creamy Caramel, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Brads, Chocolate Chip Marker