Great Nephew's First Birthday!

So... Felix's First Birthday is today! 
This little guy is my great nephew and is just as cute as a bug! 

 My first and only creation was to be this card below.  Then, after I looked through the Cricut booklet, I saw the sign (shown above) and just had to make it for the party!

This shows just the sign I made, and the card...  we definitely will shower him with many gifts! 

Happy Birthday, Felix!  We love you!

Painted Blooms DSP One Sheet Wonders

When I first saw this paper, I fell in LOVE LOVE LOVE!

As I've said before,  I went back to the classroom full time, and it really put a CRAMP in my crafting time! That said, when I saw this paper, I really wanted to have a class and let others learn how amazing this paper is!

I don't do many classes...  this was my 2nd one, I believe.  Maybe it was the third.  I can't remember, it's been so long! 

 The story behind this Designer Series Paper is that this sheet was painted by a designer, and then used as 2 of the sheets in our 12x12 paper pack.

There was a tutorial on Pinterest, and I thought this would be a wonderful class for card-makers of all levels.
Above, I put the cards back in the same order as the original sheet.
Below you can see all 6 cards made with this one sheet of paper with some additions and embellishments.

More in the next post using other sheets from the DSP pack.

Happy Birthday Card - to Me!

Happy Birthday Card

So yes, it's TERRIBLY tacky to make a birthday card for yourself....  HORRIBLE!

But, I did it.

I saw a version of this card on Pinterest, and CASE'D it pretty closely.

Coastal Cabana is the base, and Bermuda Bay makes up the top layer.
The flowers are stamped in Bermuda Bay, Coastal Cabana, and Crisp Cantaloupe.  I used another flower from the set stamped in Wild Wasabi to make the leaves.

This is the 2nd one I made.  The first one - I chose a center stamp that was too large.  This Birthday stamp fit perfectly!

I gave it to my husband and he finished it out and presented it to me at dinner.

Card Refills for Mom (Part 1)

I was quite upset to find out that one of my very favorite stamp sets, Stippled Blossoms is retiring.  It is not continued in the Stampin' Up 2015-2016 catalog.

I guess Ms. Shelli didn't hear me when I told her this was my very favorite stamp set... and we had a quiet moment together with no one else around in Dallas.  Oh well.  I will continue to use it! 

 The last time Mom and Dad came to visit, Mom brought her envelope holder from a Christmas ago saying it was empty, and showing me how empty and lonely it was. 

 After some searching and thinking - the thinking part of the creative process always takes me the longest.  How do I want the cards to look?  What embellishments?  What colors?  Composition?  Placement?  Oh, so many thoughts!!! 

 SO, this is the first of two sets she received.  If you know the Stippled Blossoms set, you know it's a 2 step stamping set with a flower base, and the piece I used for these cards is actually the detailed top piece.

 All I did with these cards was to take the top piece and stamp it as close as I could with some overlapping going on.

 I used coordinating card stock for matting and stamping the Happy Birthday on the white card stock.  From each mat, I punched two flowers to add to the center piece.

 So now you've seen each of the six cards with its envelope flap stamped as well.  I left the individual cards quite large so if you click on them, you'll see a very large image indeed.

 I haven't yet mentioned colors.  Pacific Point,  Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo, Blackberry Bliss, Bermuda Bay, and Tangerine Tango.  I'm not sure why the Blackberry Bliss photographs so muddy.  It's quite a pretty purple in person.

As any stamper does, I am most critical of my work, and will make the mat pieces smaller next time I make a version of these cards so more of the background shows.  Just thought I'd put that out there.

Mom's Birthday

I saw a version of this card on Pinterest, and since Mom's had so many different versions of cards, I thought she'd really like this one.

Use the scalloped circle punch and 2 shades of blue ink to sponge in the clouds.

Use Wasabi green for the grass, and stamping the scrolled pieces at the end.
I really love that Happy Birthday stamp, and even though it's retired, I'll use it for a long time!  It's so pretty!

Stampin' Up Card Club April/May

Our April Card Club date got moved one week later, so Kathy, Robin, and I could attend the new catalog launch event during our regular club time.

It was AWESOME!  New craft items to play with, new stamp sets, new product!  We received our catalogs for 2014, and 2015... and a free stamp set!  I've already had fun using it.  You'll see a post in a few days on that card.

Two amazing cards this month for Card Club!  The top one uses lots of technique!  Sponging the card background with a fade from dark to light, hand-embossing the vellum (which I didn't do very well), some die-cut flowers, and an embossed Happy Birthday.     A very pretty card!

LOVE this card!  This technique is called an Emboss Resist.  We used the Gorgeous Grunge (one of my current favorites) and clear embossed the image on paper, sponged with Coastal Cabana and Bermuda Bay ink.  Then cut and adhere the squares, stamp the sentiment... punch holes using the templates, and add a butterfly!

A relatively simple card, but so stunning! 

February Stamp Club - March!

 Our February Stamp Club meeting was cancelled because of a "snowstorm" here - lots of precautions, and icy roads, so it was just better for everyone to move it one week later.  What a difference a week makes!

Instead of 2 cards this month, we had some that were quick assembly, so there were 3 designs. 

 This one is my favorite by far - LOVE the design and colors!  So vintage with the color scheme - Rich Razzleberry and Crumb Cake with lace embossing, and lace over the darker ribbon.  Even the pearls are 'treated' with Razzleberry.

The next two cards use the Sale-A-Bration paper selection called Sycamore Street.  The apothecary label is a nice background for the butterfly.  I chose not to use a stamp on this so I could customize it as I choose.

I really love this Happy Birthday stamp.... so pretty!


Please leave a comment. Thanks so much!

Triple Time Stamping with Measurement How-To

I found this technique searching around online, and wanted to really play with it.  I already posted the two Christmas Cards I made using the Triple Time Stamping, and now the "regular" cards using two different stamp sets.

You could use almost any stamp set using this technique... your imagination is your limitation!!

This card, I used the Stippled Blossoms Stampin' Up set.  It's a Two-Step Stamping, and I've recently decided to buy these from now on in the wood so I can make a permanent Stamp-a-ma-jig template saving lots of time and hopefully, frustration!

 This card uses the Everything Eleanor stamp set I've recently started to appreciate (Thanks, Kathy!!).

 So....  HOW is this technique done??  Here it is - you won't believe how easy it is!!

First, cut your base card from 8 1/2 x 11" cardstock and fold to make 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 card.

These are the measurements for the mats:

5 1/2 x 4 1/4 - card base
4 1/2 x 3 1/4
3 1/2 x 2 1/4

Now, your white/vanilla, etc cardstock for stamping:  This actually uses only 1/2 of a sheet.
5 1/4 x 4  (turn sideways after this cut to get the rest)
4 1/4 x 3
3 1/4 x 2
**Cut the 4", 3", and 2" pieces first, then cut to length.

Line up the white/vanilla cardstock, and use a repositionable/temporary adhesive while you do your stamping.

After you are finished with the stamping, put the layers together, adhere, add ribbon and other embellishments, and you have a very pretty, quite impressive card!


Your comments are always appreciated!
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A Proud member of The Lime Light. Click on over to see what we are doing.

Stampin' Up's New Catalog Card Night!

So these are the two cards I designed for our "New Catalog Stamp Night" we held on Friday, June 15, 2012. It went from 6 - 9 p.m., and we had 20 ladies show up!!!

We showcased the 5 new colors of ink and cardstock as well as new stamp sets.

They made two of each cards, Robin and Kathy also made two cards, so for $12, everyone left with a dozen cards!
What a DEAL!!!

The Butterfly card was an easy one since we had some new stampers come and join us.
It uses all new products except the blue cardstock, Marina Mist.

Products used: Butterfly Birthday
Cardstock - Raspberry Ripple, Gumball Green, Primrose Petals, Marina Mist, Summer Starfruit, and Marina Mist Whisper White. All new, except the Marina Mist and Whisper White, of course.
Ink: Raspberry Ripple, Midnight Muse
Stamp Sets: Papillon Potourri, Beautiful Birthday
Punches: Elegant Butterfly
Other products: Sponges used to ink the white cardstock edges.

I made this card a little more detailed so the new stampers that attended would see that even a more involved card just takes a little more time, but isn't any more difficult.

Products used: Blissful Bird Thank You
Cardstock: Raspberry Ripple, Summer Starfruit, Primrose Petals, Gumball Green, Midnight Muse
Ink: Primrose Petals (bird) Raspberry Ripple (wing), Whisper White Craft Ink
Marker: Gumball Green (for inking branch and accents on leaves)
Die: Perfect Pennants Bigz L, Little Leaves Sizzlits
Stamp Sets: Blissful Bird, Blooming with Kindness
Punches: Bird Builder, Boho Blossoms
Other: White Embossing powder, heat gun, rhinestones, sponge for adding color to leaves



Your comments are always appreciated!

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A Proud member of The Lime Light. Click on over to see what we are doing.