The Accidental Stamper

Mojo Monday #227

2012-02-08T06:37:00.003-07:00

I went a little designer paper crazy with this week's Mojo Monday sketch. It's hard not to with all the lush choices in the Paisley Petals pack. Each design complements the others so well & the color pallet is so versatile. Ever since I saw the images as a preview on the demo website, this designer paper made me think of tapestry or upholstery. It's just lovely. Kindness Matters also grabbed my attention as soon as the catalog came out. It was one of my first orders. Silly me, had I but waited, I could have earned this set for FREE with Sale-a-Bration. At least I can save you the same mistake. These little butterflies can be yours when you place a $50 order during SAB. It's one of the regular catalog items that made its way into the Sale-a-Bration catalog. Just visit my website today and click on "shop now" to get your free set. Don't make the same mistake I did!

Color Throwdown #177/ Always Elegant Valentine

2012-02-05T20:39:00.002-07:00

It's time to bring a little love to this Super Bowl Sunday. Here's my try at this week's color scheme from the folks over at The Color Throwdown. Our very Valentine choices were Basic Black, Melon Mambo, and Whisper White. I'm a huge fan of all that co-ordinates in the stamping world (guess that's why I'm a Stampin' Up demo, huh?) and so I love how the lines from the Always Elegant stamp set go so well with those created by the Elegant Lines embossing folder. It causes an over all effect that just flows together. I feel like my card has its fancy pants on... perhaps a tuxedo? The organza ribbon along with the pearls add that dressed up feel as does the slight shine from embossing my black stamped images. Some times it doesn't take much to dress things up just a tad. It also goes to show that you don't need a whole bunch of stamps to make a really great card. Since all the stamps in a Stampin' Up set are designed to work together, you often just need one set to make a full project. It's just another way that co-ordinating products make my life easier. Now, if only the same applied to my closet... then my mornings would be easier too!

A Recycling Challenge

2012-02-01T06:29:00.004-07:00

A few weeks ago, one of my stampers gave me a bit of a recycling challenge. She has a whole bunch of little bitty tins and wanted to know if I could do something crafty with them. I think my mind has been chewing on this challenge ever since. Today I decided to experiment. I've created a mini magnetic shadow box with the tin and it was super fun. It's a tribute to Sale-a-Bration too! I used some of the Everyday Enchantment paper along with the butterfly brad from the Everyday Enchantment Ribbon & Brad Pack. The Everyday Enchantment line is available only though SAB and I'm very taken with it. Before the promotion ends in March I know I'm going to get my hands on more of both! When something this lovely comes as my free bonus, I know I'm dealing with the right company. :) If you want to make sure you get your Everyday Enchantment paper or accessories contact me today to place an order, or pop on over to my website and click on "shop now".

Mojo Monday 226

2012-01-30T20:04:00.002-07:00

It's been simply forever since I did a card challenge and I really wanted to get back into the groove of things today. So, I checked out what the folks over at Mojo Monday had to offer. Of course, I found a sketch that was just perfect to get my creative juices flowing. It's a "round or square" week over at MM and I went for the square option.

What a perfect way to show off some of my new Sale-a-Bration products! The square stamped image and the designer paper are items I got FREE thanks to SAB and you can too! Just place an order of $50 to qualify for a free item from the Sale-a-bration catalog. The more you spend, the more you earn for free. Each $50 in products earns you another free set, pack of paper, or other great SU item from the new Sale-a-Bration catalog. I love the Everyday Enchantment Designer Paper featured in this card (and not just because it was free). You'll be seeing way more of that soon. Contact me today to place your order or just head on over to my SU website & click on "shop now". Start collecting your FREE stuff today!!

Tospy Turvy Valentine

2012-01-22T09:34:00.003-07:00

Finally, here's the last card for our Valentines Theme class. Isn't it just too cute? When the Turtle and Co stamp set first came out, I saw a get well soon card with this little guy upside down & thought it was such a great idea. The sentiment from the Sale-a-Bration set Sprinkled Expressions was a perfect fit for a topsy turvy turtle friend! Remember that starting on the 24th (just two days!) you can get a free item from the Sale-a-Bration Catalog for every $50 you spend. The fun lasts through the end of March. There are so many great products in the SAB catalog that you'll want to stock up on all your stamping needs now. I love getting free stuff when I order my ordinary stamping needs like Whisper White, envelopes, & Stampin' Dimensionals. I'll need them all anyway, so why not buy in bulk when I can get fun toys for free? If you're one of my Colorado stampers, you can join in my Stamp Club as well. That way, your stampin' dollars can go even further! More details soon...

Gnome Valentine

2012-01-18T06:37:00.000-07:00

I told you things would get a little more silly with today's post. Isn't he just darling though? I knew I wanted to make a Valentine that combined both the Gnome Sweet Gnome & Gnomenclature sets (how could I possibly own one with out the other?) but I didn't really want to color my little friend in with markers. I thought about water colors, but we just did that on another card.... Then it came to me, how about a sepia tone Valentine? Add in just a little splash of color with a bit of Cherry Cobbler and my gnome doesn't require any coloring at all. The new Adorning Accents heart mini-folder created and fast & fun boarder and worked great on my Cherry Cobbler accent piece. Then, out came my new Cherry Cobbler Dazzling Details to add just a little bling. I added a little sponging to all my Very Vanilla pieces and was ready to go! He's clearly just looking for someone to love. And isn't the frog just the cutest?? More fun with Valentines in store for tomorrow...

Doily Valentine Easel

2012-01-17T20:27:00.002-07:00

I'm ever so excited about our Valentine Theme class this weekend. I think I'll even sneak in a couple of the cards to Thursday's class in Lakewood. I would hate for folks to miss out on these beauties! Today's example would do quite nicely as an anniversary card as well as a Valentine. The "white on white" embossing of the card front adds just the right amount of texture to complement the doily pattern from the Flirtatious Designer Series Paper. I love how the Wisteria Wonder cardstock makes the Pretty in Pink from the designer paper just pop! Easel cards are such fun because they're really made to display. That way you can show off the beautiful card while your personal inscription remains hidden. The best part is, now folks can score their own bases for this card in class using my Simply Scored. This new scoring tool makes making non-traditional folds a snap! This card is one of the more "serious" cards from the Valentine line up. Check in tomorrow to see the lighter side of the holiday when I let whimsy take over!

Sprinkling Happiness

2012-01-10T17:00:00.002-07:00

Today's post is my modification on the Mojo Monday sketch from yesterday. I really wanted to play with my new Gnome Sweet Gnome set. It has, as the name implies, super cute little garden gnomes but also great little accent stamps. The flowers, wheelbarrow, & watering can are all from this versatile set. Can you tell I'm having a bit of Spring Fever? Of course, they're predicting snow for tonight...no early flowers for me. The lage flower accent was great fun to make. It is made from the Blossom Builder kit available in the new Occasions Mini Catalog. The kit includes two pages of textured die cut flowers along with two sizes of Blushing Bride Rhinestones. Fast & fun just like the Create & Keep kit. Now I've captured a little spring for this January day.

Good to Great #5/ Create & Keep Class

2012-01-08T05:46:00.000-07:00

Last round for the Good to Great challenge. With the Create & Keep Simply Sent Kit you have everything you need to make ten cards & a box to keep them organized. In these posts, I've shown you how I made the cards & how I added just a few touches to change good to great. That's what I'm offering in my Create & Keep Classes. If you host one, you and all of your friends can make all ten cards & the box for just $25! I'll also toss in a free pack of Stampin' Dimensionals for anyone who places an order at your class. With all the benefits of Sale-a-Bration just around the corner, you and your guest could end up with all sorts of free goodies! Contact me today to learn how!

Good to Great #4/ Create & Keep Class

2012-01-07T06:25:00.002-07:00

There is just so much you can do with the new Create and Keep Simply Sent Kit. In this series of posts, I've given you just a few ideas. Don't worry, I still have a few more up my sleeve for the last post tomorrow! For today's card, I added a few specialized items in my second version. The boarder image on the card front reminded me of the doilies from the Flirtatious Designer Paper so I added one of those. I also thought it would be great fun to add a little paper daisy and pearl to the mix. The end result is simple yet elegant and it's all put together in a flash. The quick assembly of these cards was one of the things that inspired me to offer the Create and Keep classes where you can make all ten cards & their holder in just one sitting! Talk about instant gratification crafting. :) Contact me today to set up your date and make just a little time with friends to craft this new year.

Good to Great #3/ Create & Keep Class

2012-01-06T06:08:00.001-07:00

Round three in my good to great challenge...just two more to go. Remember that for this challenge I am making a pair of cards from the Create & Keep Simply Sent kit. In the first, I use only supplies from the kit, and then, for the second, I spiff things up just a bit. The spiffed up cards along with their storage box are all included in my Create & Keep Classes. You can host one of your very while new Occasions Mini catalog is available--- now to April 30th. Contact me today to reserve a date!

My second card this round required a switch in orientation, but kept the same basic lay out. I just added a little In Color Ruffled Ribbon along with a punch to back my sentiment. Very little changes, but they both make things pop!

Good to Great #2/ Create & Keep Class

2012-01-05T05:47:00.001-07:00

Time for round two! This time I used a bunch of the scalloped boarder self adhesive pieces from the kit all together on my card front. They make a fun effect, don't you think? Of course, I needed to take things a step further in my improved version of the card so I added some Whisper White grosgrain ribbon. I also used dimensionals to pop up my greeting along with a Framelit I cut out using the big shot. They are just small improvements, but they make a big difference. I would love to help you create a full kit of these Create & Keep cards when you host your own Create & Keep class. Contact me today to schedule your own card making adventure!

Good to Great #1/ Create & Keep Class

2012-01-04T06:06:00.001-07:00

Okay, here's the first round of "good to great" cards made with the supplies from Create & Keep Simply Sent kit. The kit comes with more than enough embellishments to create ten great cards. I just can't leave well enough alone, so I've added bits to each of the cards to make them even better. This is the first example. The pieces to form the card to the left are all from the kit. Nothing else is needed, not even adhesive. They stick all on their own! In the bottom card, I added just a few things. There is an extra strip of Whisper White, one eyelet, a couple of mini brads, & a Whisper White Wide Oval. Oh, and, of course, a couple of Stampin' Dimensionals. As an incentive for folks who attend a Create & Keep class, I'll throw in a pack of dimensionals for each person who makes an order at a Create & Keep Class. That way you'll be all ready to trim out another kit if you decide to order one! Stay tuned for more examples of how to turn these kit cards from good to great without using a single stamp.

Create & Keep Box

2012-01-03T13:32:00.007-07:00

This post is the first in a series. I've made them to introduce you all to one of the most exciting products from the new Occasions Mini Catalog, the Create & Keep box. This Simply Sent kit includes everything you'll need to make ten cards along with the box store them. As you can see, the box even comes with dividers to keep your cards organized. As with everything, I can't quite leave well enough alone, so I added little bits to the cards & the box. The Pearls on the box front are the first example. They're just a little touch that makes a big difference. For each of the five pairs of cards, I'll show you what you can make with the kit alone along with my improved version. It will be a sort of "good to great" presentation. It's also how I would like to introduce a new class that you can host! The Create & Keep class is a way for you & your friends to make the box and all the cards (including my additions) for just $25 each. That's just $2.50 a card not even counting the box or dividers! The cost will cover the purchase of the kit (along with shipping and handling) along with all the embellishments I'll provide to kick the cards up a notch. Contact me today to host your very own Create & Keep class. It will be a great way for crafters and non-crafters alike to stock up on cards for the new year or create a wonderful hand-made present! Keep checking in to see all the cards you can make with this great new product.

New Year Resolutions

2012-01-01T06:11:00.000-07:00

It's a brand new year which means it's time for New Year Resolutions. I got a bit of an early start on mine. I really really really wanted to add more organization to my stamping studio. Do you know the feeling? So, I let the Clearance Rack help me out. There I found Ribbon Keepers. I ordered both the small and large sizes & they have turned my mess of ribbon shelves into a MUCH more organized space. Each order of Ribbon Keepers comes with two keepers that are designed to stack with this great snap system. I didn't have the space to stack them, so I used them separately. They're super easy to put together and make a huge difference. It's the best organization that $4.79 can buy! The keepers shown here are the "small" size. Visit my webstie today to get a start on your New Year's organizational goals!

Many Heart Valentine

2011-12-31T09:23:00.002-07:00

This is what happens when I find myself with LOTS of time to craft. :) I've always wanted to make some of the projects I see in my Stampin' Success magazine that involve a zillion little pieces all put together. But, honestly, I never have the time to both create the zillions of pieces & put them together. It was a super fun cahnge of pace! All the little hearts were made with the smallest part of the Heart to Heart Punch. I was able to keep the shape of a large heart by adhering them all to a punch made with the Simple Heart Punch. With a focal image as complex as this one, I really didn't want to distract with a busy card front. So, instead, I kept things simple with just the frame & sentiment. This project will appear in my Valentine's Class in January. Don't worry, I've already punched all the little hearts out for you! I thought we could all benefit from my time off. :)

Blossom Punch Butterfly

2011-12-30T09:09:00.003-07:00

I love to look through the Stampin' Up catalogs not only to get a glimpse of all the fun new products coming our way, but also to get inspiration for new projects! When I saw the new Blossom Punch used to create a simple yet elegant butterfly, I couldn't wait to try it myself. I went back to my favorite image from the new Mixed Bunch set & punched it out with the Blossom Punch. Then, I trimmed off a couple of petals & curled the wings a bit to make the butterfly. The body for my little friend came from the left over bits after using my Lattice Die. I've saved them knowing that they would come in handy eventually! To color in my flowers, I took out my Aquapainter and just dabbed ink off the lid of my Elegant Eggplant ink pad. Did you check out the ribbon in my little bow? It's a pre-view of the great things to come in the 2012 Sale-a-Bration promotion! One benefit of being a demonstrator is that Sale-a-Bration started early for us! Jealous? There's no need, just ask me about how to join the team so you can take advantage of great promotions too!

Pig Post It Holder

2011-12-29T09:14:00.002-07:00

Tee Hee! I had such fun making this one. Winter Break is a great time for me to just play up in my studio. I've been wanting to make a Post It holder from an acrylic frame for years. It's so simple!! I just cut some Flirtatious Designer Paper to fit the frame, stamped & cut out my piggy, used my new Framelits Dies to make my sentiment snappy, and added one of the specialty doilies. Then, on the outside, I added the pig's google eyes & button nose. Taking the back sheet off the Post It pad makes it able to stick to my frame. As a last minute detail, I added a bit of bling with some rhinestones. Fast, easy, and a super good time. I have to admit, I giggled while making this one. It just makes me smile! So, pop on over to the dollar store to get a little frame and start making your own. It's good for us to remember that we can make more than just cards with our paper crafting skills! I think I'll take this little guy to work, so he can make me smile day after day...

What do you do with Waffle Paper?

2011-12-28T06:55:00.000-07:00

I'm not ashamed to admit that I pre-ordered the new White Waffle Paper primarily so I could figure out what the heck to do with waffle paper. I've never used it before and thought this would be a good opportunity to give it a try. I can't talk about products if I have no idea how to use them, right? So, I got my roll of waffle paper and got started. Here's what I came up with on my first attempt. I cut the waffle paper into a 3" strip and then folded it fan-style. Once I finished folding, I tied a bit of Baker's Twine around the center & opened it up. Ta dah! A no worries focal fan flower for the center of my card. Waffle paper is super thin & collapsible so it should go through the mail just fine. The center of this creation provided a chance to pre-view yet another super cool product from the new Occasions Mini Catalog: In Color Baker's Twine! This is the Island Indigo version. We'll be able to get all 5 of the latest In Colors as baker's twine with this new catalog. Sales start on Jan 4th and I'll have a baker's twine share to go along with my Satin Pleated Ribbon share soon. I'll get details to you ASAP. Meanwhile, keep checking back for more Occasions Mini pre-views!

Faith In Nature Framed Flower

2011-12-27T06:46:00.000-07:00

Time for more previews! This card is a mix of old and new for me. The focal image is one I stamped & chalked months ago. Then I set it aside to create a card with at a later date. Little did I know it would be a MUCH later date! I'm glad I had it on hand though. It provided a great reason to create my first frame using the new Framelits Dies. This one is the Labels Collection and it appears along with a Hearts Collection in the new Occasions Mini Catalog. Check it out, they're super easy to use and go so nicely with the new Edgelits Dies too. I decided to use the bracket edge die on this card to complement the frame. It works beautifully. So much of what I pre-ordered from this new Mini Catalog is tools. There are new dies, punches, and folders. Don't worry, you'll get to see them all here & I'll teach you how to use them in classes too. Another fun addition in this catalog is the Pleated Satin Ribbon. Here, I've used the Pear Pizzazz version of the new ribbon. I love the extra texture this fancy ribbon brings to the project. I see a ribbon share in our near future! Stay tuned for even more pre-view projects. I'm excited for all these new toys, can you tell?

Embossed Mixed Bunch... A Preview

2011-12-26T06:36:00.000-07:00

This card is one of my all time favorites! The photo did a pretty good job of capturing it, but it's even better in person. It used to be that I would have ideas for cards bouncing in my head all the time. Lately, that hasn't been the case. So, it was super exciting when this one started to haunt me the other night. It's even more exciting when the idea in my head turns out in real life! I experimented a bit with this one. It was so nice to have the luxury of time to fiddle with it. I ended up going embossing crazy with a little sponging added in too. The stamped images come from the Mixed Bunch set in the brand new Occasions Mini Catalog as does the Blossom Punch. Don't worry, you won't have to wait much longer to get your hands on the great new products. The Occasions Mini Catalog sales period starts Jan 4th! For my Blossom layer, I embossed the image using Versamark & Clear Embossing Powder. Then, I sponged & brayered Early Espresso ink over the top. Finally, I just used a paper towel to take the ink off the embossed image. It turned out great! None of my brads had quite the same shine as the gold embossing powder. So, to get that effect, I took one of my silver brads (I have a TON of those) and coated the top with my Gold Smooch Accent Ink. For good measure, I dry set the Smooch using my embossing tool. It was out already, so I may as well put it to good use! No doubt you'll be seeing this little beauty at my classes this month.

Merry Christmas from Mom & I

2011-12-24T06:50:00.000-07:00

Okay, so it's the first time I've published "contraband" on my blog. By that, of course, I mean non-Stampin' Up items. However, I couldn't resist. My mom and I made these little beauties while I was visiting over Thanksgiving. I thought I would share it with you especially since I didn't actually get my own cards out! Oooops! There's always next year... sigh! We had a great time making this simple but ever so cute little card together. And isn't that what crafting is all about? Punching 120 of the little snowflakes from Glimmer Paper may have been a little painful (I sure came to really appreciate our SU punches!!) but well worth it. Notice the Stocking Punch had to play a major role. I'm still bummed that it won't be around after this catalog ends. :( I hope this finds you all enjoying the season in whatever way you celebrate. Keep a little bit of the magic from this time with you all year and remember to Believe...

It's All About the Details

2011-12-23T06:39:00.000-07:00

Getting ready for your Christmas or Christmas Eve gatherings? Do you have everything ready? I know we often get caught up in the stress of getting our holiday get togethers actually together and forget to have fun while doing it. Add a little fun to your prep work and a great detail to your table by creating this simple project. Just take a scrap of designer paper (mine was two inches wide by three inches long) and a binder clip. Adhere the paper, add a bow, and you're done. They make great place card holders or an easy way to label the food on a buffet. I use mine to give folks a way to identify their cookies at our annual cookie exchange. I've also seen folks use them as photo holders. If you use a non-holiday designer paper, then you can give them as little gifts holding photos. Folks can have them out year round! I'm sure you can come up with tons of ideas to use this little trick. I hope you will & that you remember to add a little fun to your holiday preparations! Make merry!!

A Little Snowman for a Snowy Day

2011-12-22T11:19:00.002-07:00

I wasn't going to post this little guy, but with the foot of snow outside this morning he just had to make an appearance. We made him at our team Xmas party (thanks again, Cindy!) and then I added his sign & attached him to the cool long cello envelopes from the Holiday Mini catalog. Of course, we also filled those cello even lopes with M & M's at my class this month. A little extra holiday chocolate is always welcome. The tiny little mini brads make him completely collapsible. Fun huh? Where did his arms come from? The Simple Snowflake Punch! However, I struggle with that punch. Does anyone else find it super hard to use? Worth it for those perfect little arms though. Hope this finds you warm and snug!

Stocking Punch Baby Bootie

2011-12-21T14:15:00.002-07:00

I know, I know... it's just days before Christmas and this is so bot a Christmas card. I do have a good reason to insert a baby card in the midst of my Christmas projects though. Yesterday Stampin' Up told us that the wonderful Stocking Punch from the Holiday Mini Catalog will not be in the new catalog some summer. It's gone for good after Jan 3rd. Well, one of the things I love about this little punch is that it can be used for more than just Christmas cards. I've used it for gift tags and the like, but I hadn't had the chance to make anything totally non-Christmas with it yet. I had to make the card while I still could! So, out came my Stocking Punch to make this super cute little baby bootie. Wouldn't it make a great congrats card or a super fun baby announcement? I even made my own little pom-pom out of bakers twine. Aren't you proud? If you've been thinking about how much you like the punch, but were going to wait to get one to use for next Christmas, please don't wait! It will be gone after the Holiday Mini Catalog sales period ends & I know I'm still holding on to mine even though it will be retired!

Christmas Collage Matchbox

2011-12-20T08:23:00.002-07:00

Time for more fun with the big dies for the Big Shot. This time I made a Christmas matchbox perfect for wrapping a pair of earrings or other small gift. It's too bad that that Early Espresso stamping on the Bravo Burgundy doesn't show up as well in this photo as in person. The Christmas Collage stamp provides a great background/wrapping paper. It covers the whole piece of Bravo Burgundy so that it appears as designer paper. Fun and easy...just what crafts need to be as the holidays approach & time becomes more and more scarce. It's hard to believe we just have a few more days until Christmas! The snow here yesterday helped out a bit, but there is still much to do. Not to panic though, I've decided that what gets done is great and the rest will be okay too. I think sometimes we get so attached to the idea of perfection that we forget to appreciate and enjoy what we're doing. So, remember to take some time today and just enjoy!

Holly Berry Bag

2011-12-19T05:50:00.002-07:00

Sometimes it's the little presents that make a big impression. This little bag made out of a half sheet of Holly Berry Designer Paper is perfect for holding just a couple of treats & for bringing a big smile to a special someone. At class, we filled them with two shortbread cookies stamped with the snowflake Sweet Pressed Cookie Stamp. Using these new stamps is super easy and fun! Be careful though, I attempted to use them with a ready-made roll of sugar cookies and that didn't work at all. As my cookies baked the snowflake slowly disappeared. I've been told you can stamp these ready-made cookies just as you take them out of the oven, but haven't had a chance to try that yet. I do know that the shortbread cookie recipe that comes with the Sweet Pressed Stamps works great! It's a simple way to add an extra touch to a heartfelt gift. Right now there are stamps for Halloween, Winter, & Valentines and soon there will be even more! What a great way to combine baking & stamping, especially since they're dishwasher safe to make clean up a cinch!

Thanks, Cindy!/ Owl Punch Turned Penguin

2011-12-15T06:38:00.003-07:00

My dear upline, Cindy, held a holiday team party just a couple of weeks ago. It was a great time to get everyone together and craft. We made a couple excellent make and takes that inspired me to have a Christmas Crafts class after all. This little guy is simply too cute. I've made a penguin from the Owl Punch before, but I love the idea of adding a little extra show with the Peppermint Bark square. The package for the candy acts like designer paper. Do you recognise the little guy's beak? It's one of the flower centers from my Triple Layer Punch. Clever, huh? Of course, I couldn't leave well enough alone. I added the little "merry" tag as well as the button/jingle bell combo. Ever since I saw the tiny little bells in the Holiday Mini catalog I feel like no winter project is complete without at least one! Tonight we'll make this little fellow along with other projects perfect for gifting. I can't wait & I'm so excited to be back to blogging. Winter break will be a great chance for me to create a back log of projects to share with you. Just two more school days left...

Not Just for Xmas/ Mojo Monday #215

2011-11-15T06:13:00.003-07:00

I find myself feeling a bit frustrated when I look at the number of holiday stamp sets & toys I have. They're all wonderful, but I hate that I can only use them for a few months out of the year. To make it all better, I like to find different ways of using them in non-holiday projects. There are TONS of ways to use our Ornament Punch for example. Well, this card uses two typically holiday products in a very non holiday way. First off is the Holly Berry Bouquet designer paper. One of the reasons I was attracted to it in the Holiday Mini Catalog was because several of the "B Sides" of the paper are floral--- a far cry from most Christmas paper. I don't know about you, but I often don't use up all my Holiday Mini paper before Christmas is over. Then, I'm sort of stuck with it. Sometimes I can add a little red & white to my Valentines projects, bit it's often a stretch. Not so with Holly Berry Bouquet! The second product featured in this card is actually the Northern Flurries Embossing Folder. Can you see where I used it? Look closely. The wonderful little flowers near the sentiment were a happy accident I discovered when trying to make small snowflakes for my last card. If you punch out the center of the small snowflakes on Northern Flurries using the Scallop Circle Punch Pack punch, you get these charming little guys. Whew, now my snowflake folder isn't just for the winter months! Maybe we can make this card next month as a sort of New Year's card. The sentiment works & it's great to be reminded of how versatile our holiday toys really are!

Not Your Typical Christmas Card/ Color Throwdown #167

2011-11-13T15:28:00.002-07:00

I can always count on the folks at the Color Throwdown to provide inspiration. This week's colors (Lucky Limeade, Pool Party, Pretty in Pink, & Riding hood Red) make for a fun Christmas card! I've been wanting to ink up the cute little snowman from the Button Buddies set and this color combo seemed playful enough for him. Of course, it doesn't show well, but I added an extra bit of sparkle by spraying my Pool Party background with Shimmer Mist before adding the Rhinestones. This card would be a quick and easy one to mass produce for a long Xmas card list. The Tag Punch for the sentiment & Northern Flurries Folder for the background keep everything fast & simple. Add a few Rhinestones for bling & round some corners to create a finished appearance. Time is always scarce this time of year, so I'll take all the short cuts I can get!

Gift Bag Time!

2011-11-08T05:09:00.001-07:00

This project is an example of my "creative opportunity" or "happy accident" style of crafting. First I put together these lovely little pannels using my Easy Events stamp set. I layered them with Always Artichoke & even wrapped a little bit of Real Red ribbon around them to finish things off. Heck, I went so far as to attach a Mini Jingle bell. And THEN I decided to try to fit them all on a card front. Ooops! That wasn't happening. They were way too big. :) So, I decided it was high time to create a holiday gift bag. Ah, a perfect fit afterall. I just didn't know what project I was working on at the time! See, I'm called the "Accidental Stamper" for a reason!

Stocking Mojo/ Mojo Monday #214

2011-11-07T15:31:00.002-07:00

I've been looking forward to making this card for days! I knew the last project for my upcoming "Wintry Mix" class needed to use both the Stocking Punch and Holly Berry Bouquet paper, but I wasn't certain what it would look like. Then, I checked in with Mojo Monday this morning and saw a perfect sketch! There's a whole lot of texture going on here. I stamped both the Wild Wasabi background & the So Saffron circle first & then ran them through the Big Shot using different folders. Next, I decided that the designer paper needed a little something too. So I ran it through as well. After all the texture was added, I knew it was time to take out my sponges and get to work. I love the effect the sponging has on paper. I'm especially fond of what it did to the already distressed Designer Series Paper. Great fun. Finally, I added the little flower & rhinestone (colored in with a Sharpie). At first I thought a little bow was needed, but that really wasn't working with this card. Thanks again, Mojo Monday, for getting my wheels turning first thing on a Monday morning!

Color Throwdown #166: Love Birds

2011-11-06T12:35:00.002-07:00

Never fear, there are more Christmas projects to come. However, I wanted to take a little break today to do the Color Throwdown challenge. As part of my return to the wonderful world of stamping, I want to get back into my challenge routine! As soon as I saw the colors for this week were Crumb Cake, Old Olive, and Baja Breeze I thought of the little love birds from Easy Events. There aren't any weddings going on in my world for a bit, so I thought they would make a lovely old time Valentine instead. There's nothing too fancy here although I did use stamps from several sets. It was fun just to play around to see what would work together. I also thought it was a great time to bring out my Victorian Crochet Trim to accent my little birds. We'll enjoy these feathered friends today while the sun still shines & return to wintry thoughts with the snow that's predicted for tomorrow!

M is for Merry

2011-11-04T06:17:00.003-06:00

I know Thanksgiving hasn't happened yet, but in the stamping world you can't wait until after Thanksgiving to start your Christmas cards. If you do, they'll never get done on time! Trust me on this one--- I've tried. :) So, I hold myself to a different standard than the rest of the world. Granted, they've already begun to play holiday music in some stores. Sigh.

This little card is super fun and simple. I tried to spice things up with a different textures for the lights and background, but simple really worked best. You should see how much the Silver Glimmer Paper sparkles! My little lights come from the Stocking Accents die. I'm using the same shape on another project (to be posted soon) as tiny ornaments, but thought they made perfect little lights too. I can't wait to see what folks do with this card at my Wintry Mix classes this month!

Rubber Duck Punch Art Fun

2011-10-20T14:04:00.005-06:00

Whew! Sorry I've been gone so long. Our fabulous trip to the Sea of Cortez was followed with a very busy time filled with unexpected developments including a new job for me. I start it next week & hope life will find some sort of "normal" eventually. :) Meanwhile, I haven't stamped at all for WEEKS. That's simply no good. So, today I finally decided to break my stamper's block by creating a birthday card for a friend of mine. She's a huge fan of rubber ducks. In fact, I've even baked her a rubber duck cake. How could I not create a card to go with that cake?

That's why I decided to transform the XL Bird Punch into a ducky. Such fun! After I had the card assembled, I decided the big duck needed a little friend & so I punched out one wing from the XL Bird Punch & combined it with a candle flame from the Cupcake punch. Isn't he a little cutie?

My bubbles all sparkle thanks to a quick spritz of Shimmer Mist (Shimmer Paint mixed with rubbing alcohol) and I used the edge of my ink pad to outline them all. For the inside, I inked up the little duck from Easy Events & left off his hat, umbrella, & sentiment. He's perfect inside! I hope my friend likes her ducks as much as I do!!

Paper Daisy Sympathy/ Color Throwdown # 160

2011-09-21T17:34:00.002-06:00

I was excited to see the opportunity presented by the folks over at The Color Throwdown this morning. You see, I tend to get stuck in a bit of a seasonal rut. So, I expected to break out more pumpkin and fall stamps today--- following my recent seasonal trend. However, there's just no way to make the color combo of Regal Rose, Early Espresso, & Very Vanilla work with leaves or pumpkins! That was great because I means I got to do something totally different. That's where this sympathy card came from. I've been wanting to use the Paper Daisies that came with one of my Convention projects for months now & this seemed the time to do it. In order to soften the Regal Rose a bit on this card I sponged it all with Early Espresso ink. In fact, I sponged darn near everything on this card! That trend wasn't stopped at all. :) For the background, I also added extra texture with the Color Spritzer tool & a trip through the Big Shot with the Finial Press folder. I find myself spending more time and attention to my backgrounds than my "featured" images lately. Perhaps yet another trend for me?

Spice Cake Mojo/ Mojo Monday #207

2011-09-20T09:09:00.006-06:00

The ladies over at Mojo Monday took a couple of well deserved weeks off & I've had so little time for stamping lately, that creating for this sketch felt totally fun and new! I changed things up a bit, but so needed the starting point that the sketch provided. Looking at it yesterday, I knew that I wanted to feature the Spice Cake designer paper in my large rectangles, but had no idea where to take things from there. So, I just started prowling through my stamps. Then I realized that my Warmest Wishes hostess set from the new Holiday Mini has never seen ink! I couldn't let that last. :) All of us were given this set as one of several +one perks at convention in July. Now, it's finally the right time of year to use it. The leaf wreath from this set is so lovely & fits perfectly in the 2 1/2 " Circle Punch. Then, the you can easily punch out the center with the help of a 1 1/4" Circle punch & a post-it. Perhaps you're smarter than me & remember to punch out the center first. Then you don't even need the post-it note trick! The oak leaves from the wreath called out for the super cute acorn from Gently Falling. I was just talking with folks at class on Sunday about how much I love this little stamp. It's one of the main reasons I love the set so much! The folks at class will also attest to the fact that I've gone a bit sponging crazy. Don't be surprised to see at least one sponge in each bin at class from here on out. You see that I sponged most of the pieces on this card with Soft Suede. It was an important touch to the wreath and the sentiment. Otherwise they just really looked incomplete. I hope you are enjoying the start of fall. I plan on taking this day away from substitute teaching to focus on stamping. It's already off to a great start!

Well Worn Monogram

2011-09-18T07:54:00.002-06:00

This is the last card for today's Fall Theme Class. Granted, it's not super fallesque, but it does use the right pallet of colors. I found the idea for the basic layout while cruising around Stampin' Connection (it's sort of like Facebook for just SU demos & just about stamping...one more perk of being a demo!). I love the combination of this pattern from the Well Worn DSP along with the image from Best Friends Forever & the Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder. The three work so well together. Then I decided to take the vintage look a step further & added Log Cabin Smooch Spritz. Fun! I was stuck about what to put as my central image though. I wanted to keep the vintage/elegant feel so my Black Satin Ribbon was a must. While looking through my stamp sets to find just the right thing to feature, I saw my Occasions Alphabet set. Perfect! I didn't need any of the super cute quips for this card, but inking just the letter means that it's a great monogram set too! My very fist monogram card! It always feels good to try something new...at least in stamping. :)

The CASE of my Favorite Swap

2011-09-14T07:06:00.002-06:00

Can you tell I've been reading too many mystery books lately? Well, this isn't a detective type "case". Nope, instead it's a case of Copy And Share Everything. :) At convention I got a bunch of wonderful swaps, but my very favorite provides the inspiration for this card. Unfortunately, the creator didn't put her name on the back so I'm not even sure who to thank for this lovely card! I'm pretty sure she was the lovely demo in front of me while we waited in line for Memento Mall. I send out my heartfelt thanks!

It's such a fun, yet simple card. Just stamp the grass from Inspired by Nature & then cut up the image into the little rectangles. I think the sponging around the edges really makes the whole thing pop. That sponging is continued on the ovals that make up our little pumpkin. Add a tiny bit of Old Olive ribbon to the ovals & you have a classic fall addition to any card. I simply couldn't resist getting out my Quilted Satin Ribbon for its first use on this card. You're going to love it in both Cherry Cobbler & Early Espresso. It's a winner for sure. :)

You just need to see this one in person...

2011-09-07T12:10:00.003-06:00

I know that sort of defeats the whole purpose of a blog, but really it looks much better in person! It seems like forever since I've made a card and so I just started to play around with my Faith in Nature stamp set this morning. I'll create a few cards out of the chalked creations I made a bit later. For now though, the embossed leaf image will create an excellent addition to my Fall classes this month. Stamping the background wheel with Cajun Craze & then sponging the edges with Chocolate Chip created a sort of bronze effect on the background piece. The sponged edge of the Brushed Gold piece really makes it pop too. Then, the Chocolate Chip satin ribbon seals the deal with a rich finishing touch. Can you tell, I really like how this one turned out? I hope many of you can check it out in person at our next class. In fact, you'll be able to make one of your own!

Nothing is Safe from my Big Shot

2011-08-31T06:28:00.003-06:00

I can't even remember where I saw or heard that you can texturize felt in an embossing folder if you just spray it with starch first. Perhaps at convention? Where ever I heard about it, that was the inspiration for my Holiday Mini swap card. There are sixteen of us participating this swap so I'll get lots of practice at making this little gem. I started off using my typical fall pallet: More Mustard, Bravo Burgundy, Cajun Craze and the like. That just felt too dark for this one though. So I lighted things up by using Pear Pizzazz, Peach Parfait, & So Saffron instead. The leaves from Gently Falling are great 2 Step stamps and even include the little maple tree helicopters! That's my favorite bit about the set, so I had to include one on the card. I was even dedicated enough to cut it out. :) There is gold Smooch on there too, but hard to see in the photo. I think it will be more clear on some of my others for swap. A couple of times I got a little carried away. :) Now, I just have to finish the rest!

Button Snail Birthday

2011-08-28T08:15:00.002-06:00

At long last, here's the final card for today's Birthday Card Theme Class. Goodness knows I need plenty of belated birthday cards. You would think with as many cards as I make that I could get them out to people on time! It often doesn't happen though. For some reason the post office just seems so far away. :) Now I'll have this little number on hand...just in case. The Button Buddies set makes it so fun to put together a quick and easy little card like this one. It's instantly made that little bit extra cute with the addition of a button. Perhaps quick & easy is even more important when you need to send off a belated card. Remember: Better late than never!

Nuggets Cake

2011-08-22T14:39:00.002-06:00

This one is a CASE from Convention. Of course, I changed things up a bit. In fact, looking back at photos from Salt Lake, I'm pretty sure I even changed the candy I used. Mine are Hershey's Nuggets just wrapped with a little DSP. One inch strips work great! The cake stand was super simple to make thanks to the Lace Ribbon Border Punch & the Large Oval Punch. You cut both in half so it's fast and easy to make two of this card at one time.

This isn't a card to put through the mail, but would be great to give in person or put inside a gift bag. I attached the little chocolates using removable glue dots, so they can just pop off and make an extra birthday treat. I loved how the tag punch from Happiest Birthday Wishes went with my little cake, but didn't really want a tag on this card. So, I just colored it in with markers & left off the tag frame. One more project ready for the Birthday Theme Class on Sunday. That leaves just one more to go...

Not So Seriously Birthday

2011-08-21T09:20:00.005-06:00

When I got my first look at the 2011-2012 SU catalog, one set really caught my eye. It's called Not So Seriously and it just cracked me up. Truly a stand out among all the offerings, it has a great sense of humor. I've been itching to use it and thought my Birthday Theme Class would be incomplete without it.

The fold on this card is a little fancy so that you can see most of the "inside" while you look at the card front. Then, if you open the card, you can see that the fabulous gift is masking a bit of a sassy sentiment inside. Fun, huh? I think we'll have a hoot with this one at class.

Paisley Petals Mojo/ Mojo Monday #204

2011-08-20T10:28:00.003-06:00

Talk about being a bit behind schedule! I usually like to create a Mojo Monday card first thing Monday morning to get my week started. Not this time around. Here it is, Saturday mid-morning and I finally have one to share.

The layout for this week's sketch seemed a great opportunity to use some of the Paisley Petals designer paper that I absolutely love. I'm also still coming up with designs for my birthday theme class at the end of the month. So I decided that my circle image had to be this elegant one from Happiest Birthday Wishes. My very favorite hostess set & favorite DSP all lined up in this card! I stamped the image in three colors and then punched each one out to create the layers you see here.

I gave the Bravo Burgundy background just a bit of texture with the Fancy Fan Letterpress Plate and used the leaves from the XL Bird Punch to create my corner accent. No longer having the Photo Corners Punch really made me think outside the box to fit the sketch. As a finishing touch, I added little accents with my Dazzling Details glitter glue. It's such a great addition to the catalog! I think you'll be seeing lots more of it used here. :)

Birthday Present Window/ Color Throwdown #155

2011-08-19T06:18:00.008-06:00

This was just way too much fun to make! I'm getting ready for my birthday card theme class at the end of the month. My plan is to feature at least one stamp from the Happiest Birthday Wishes hostess set in each card. There are so many to choose from that it shouldn't be hard. For this card I took a look over at the Color Throwdown for this week: Early Espresso, Rose Red, Barely Banana, & Kiwi Kiss. Since the last two colors are retired, I substituted So Saffron & Lucky Limeade. I've been playing with all the seam binding I bought for the ribbon share & having a blast. Isn't this bow with the crinkled ends super fun? I'll show you how to make it in class--- it's fast & easy! My favorite part of the card is it's little sneak peak. I used the Peekaboo Frames die from the Holiday mini to make my little door/window. Now the card is like two in one! You can open up the Rose Red flap to reveal a little sentiment & tiny present inside & then there is a larger sentiment & stamped gifts inside the card. The three worked so well together that I just couldn't resist!

Punch Art Fairy

2011-08-17T08:04:00.002-06:00

Yesterday I was stuck. It was my niece's fourth birthday and I had no idea what to do for her card. She's having a fairy princess themed party today, but I don't own a single fairy or princess stamp. What's a girl to do except consult the punch art goddesses out there? So, I did what any resourceful stamper would do and did a google search. She's a case of double CASE (Copy and Share Everything). I found her on Amanda Mertz's blog and it looks like Amanda found the idea from Ellen Kemper. Thanks for the inspiration, ladies! In the true spirit of CASE-ing, I modified my little fairy to fit my style. I also gave her a bit of bling thanks to a couple of sneak peak products from the Holiday Mini Catalog. Her wings are outlined with Dazzling Details glitter glue & her shoes and wand center are made out of silver Glimmer Paper. Fun! The Dazzling Details is like no glitter glue I've ever used. It is so easy to put on a precise location because of the skinny tip & after about a month of no use (I was lucky enough to get some at Convention), it wasn't clogged at all. I just opened it up and started to use it. Here's a breakdown of the punches/embosslits I used in case you are also in need of a quick and fun fairy: Face- Ornament Punch, Ears- XL Bird Punch, Hair- Large Ovals, Wings- Blossom Petals Builder, Arms/Legs/Neck/Shoes- Word Window Punch, Dress- Scallop Oval Punch & Beautiful Wings Embosslit, Wand- Lace Ribbon Boarder Punch & 1/4" Circle Punch with Cupcake Punch for the handle.

Birthday Roses/ Color Throwdown #154

2011-08-14T19:39:00.002-06:00

I don't think we'll be making this guy at classes any time soon, but I may show you how to make these super fun tiny roses. Each one is made from the outline that you create with the Blossom Triple Layer Punch. Just snip it in one place & then wrap it around something round and skinny. I used my Paper Piercer for most of them, but then had the great idea to use the end of my tweezers. That worked even better! It's a hand delivered type of card for sure. I don't think the little 3D roses would like the journey via USPS.

Sorry that my photo quality isn't quite up to snuff. I tried to use a different camera tonight & I don't think I have all the settings worked out quite yet. Perhaps a little more experimentation is in order. :)

Thanks to the folks over a the Color Throwdown for this color combo: Basic Gray, Daffodil Delight, So Saffron, & Old Olive. Don't they work well together?

Button Buddies Flower Tent

2011-08-10T06:58:00.003-06:00

Last one! This is the fifth project for the Buttons, Ribbon, & Paper Oh My classes. Simple and cute. It shows off two of the new In Colors: Pool Party & Island Indigo as well as the new Ruffled Ribbon that I fell in love with at Convention. Never fear, I have a ribbon share available for this one too. :) The little flower button is part of the Brights button assortment. The fun part for class will be that all the colors of the flower will work great on this card. That way there are plenty of buttons to go around. Since the card is so nice and cheery, it could work well as a "get well" or just a friendly little "hello". We haven't made a tent card in class since the Build a Roo Valentine and I thought it was time to switch things up a bit. An easel & tent card all in the same class, do you think we can handle it? It just struck me that this is the THIRD card for this class that uses Bakers Twine. I guess that's another thing I discovered at Convention, huh? It's just so versatile for adding a little accent! I can't wait for classes. :) The first one is in Longmont tomorrow--- such fun we will have!

Black & White and Red All Over

2011-08-09T07:21:00.002-06:00

What's black & white and red all over? A zebra with a sunburn. Sorry, couldn't resist. I'm very excited to share this card with you today. It's one of my very favorites from the "Buttons, Ribbon, Paper Oh My" classes that start this week. It looks even more striking in person, but my photography skills (and my camera's low battery) weren't totally up to the challenge this morning. It's super simple but still has lots of panache! The card is a compilation of left over Make & Take bits from one of my convention projects. I decided to decorate my Card Keeper using Spice Cake rather than the Timeless Portrait provided at convention. That left me with some bits to tinker with & you know I can't have anything go to waste! I'll have to admit, I wasn't drawn to the Timeless Portrait paper at first, but I just didn't look at it right. All I saw at first were silhouettes & clocks and I missed the bold red, black, and blue patterns. Silly me! Making the flower for this one was my favorite part. I took six of the largest petals from the Blossom Petals punch & one Fancy Flower punch and spritzed them with water. Once they were wet, I crunched them up into little balls, uncrunched them, and let them dry. I adhered the individual petals to a small circle to keep them together & added the flower on top. Doesn't it create a great effect? Of course, the flower still needed a center. Hmmmm... time for one more trick learned at convention. Out came my Lace Ribbon Boarder Punch and my 1" Circle punch. When used together, you get this great little detailed circle. Add a pearl, some satin ribbon, and a hounds tooth background to complete the card. Love it. Playing with scraps can be such fun!

Flirtatious Doily/ Mojo Monday 203

2011-08-08T08:13:00.003-06:00

I set myself a bunch of challenges this morning. I wanted to do Mojo Monday since I haven't in a very long time. Also wanted to make sure I included one of the laser cut doilies from the Flirtatious Specialty Paper AND and wanted to use some scallop polka dot ribbon. That was a bunch to squeeze into one card, but I gave it a try!

I had to modify the sketch a bit to make things work,but Mojo Monday provided the inspiration. As for colors, I wanted to be careful that what ever combination I picked could work with either the Melon Mambo doilies or the Pumpkin Pie doilies equally well. That way, if I run out of Melon Mambo pieces for class, the Pumpkin Pie bits work just as well. So Saffron with Marina Mist should work great for either. At least that's the hope!

Color Throwdown #153

2011-08-07T10:01:00.002-06:00

Aren't these colors fun together? The ladies over at The Color Throwdown put together yet another great pallet this week: Whisper White, Old Olive, Pool Party, & Crumb Cake. I've been wanting to make a "custom ink pad" card to demonstrate at an upcoming workshop & thought this would be a great chance. All you need are re-inkers & a baby wipe. It's so simple! Just dot your "ink pad" with the different colors and you can create your very own designer paper. You get a unique result each time. (Hint: I find that you need to clean the stamp between each inking otherwise all the colors start to blend.) I think this one will be a crowd pleaser for even experienced stampers.

I was busy yesterday designing cards for my "Buttons, Paper, Ribbon Oh My!" classes and I can't wait to share them all with you. It's great fun to have time to spend crafting again!

Project Sneak Peak

2011-08-06T14:13:00.003-06:00

I'm not in the habit of making projects, but I hope to do many more of them. In fact, I think it would be great fun to have project classes in addition to my card classes. This will be my first attempt! It's a bit of a pre-view because it uses all sorts of goodies from the Holiday Mini Catalog. The base for this project is the new Stampin' Card Keeper. It's a box perfectly sized for storing your handmade cards & even comes with six dividers to keep you organized. Also, it includes patterns for covering the whole box (or bits like I did) using designer paper or designer fabric. The fun little hardware on the box front is also included. My plan is to fill these little boxes with cards & give them as Christmas gifts!

I had such fun decorating my box with The Spice Cake designer fabric & designer paper. How did I make those excellent little flowers? Great question--- by using my brand new Simply Scored! This toy is Stampin' Up's answer to all our scoring needs. I can't wait to share how easy it is to use with all of you. Never fear, you'll see it at class soon & you can order your very own starting September 1st. Look for my example box at classes this month & let me know if you would like to sign up for or host a Card Keeper Class.

Time to get a bit fancy

2011-08-05T07:33:00.002-06:00

I've been a little heavy on the cute & a bit light on the pretty lately, so I decided to make a little bit of a switch for today's card. It's another for my "Buttons, Paper, & Ribbon Oh My" classes and it features both Baja Breeze Seam Binding as well as Paisley Petals designer series paper. Thinking about DSP in August is super important because SU is offering a buy 3 get one FREE sale this month. Make sure to include Paisley Petals on your DSP wish list. It's simply lovely.

This card also let me play with a few new toys. The elegant background is thanks to one of my new Texturz Plates & a little Pear Pizzazz ink. My other new toy let's this card become super versatile: the Occasions Alphabet. With sentiments ranging from "I is for ick, sorry your sick" to "N is for newlywed enjoy the having & the holding" you can find something to fit every occasion just as the name implies.

One thing that doesn't show as well as I would like is the Shimmer Mist I used on the velum layer of the little butterfly. You'll have to check it out in person to get the full effect!

Mini Clothespins!!

2011-08-04T14:21:00.002-06:00

I'm afraid that sometimes my mind is just a little too literal. The tiny little clothespins from the new catalog will look great on all sorts of projects. However, as soon as I saw them, I just had to make a clothesline. What better to put on a clothesline than a little onesie? My classes this month follow the theme of Buttons, Paper, Ribbon: Oh My! So, I want to feature lots of the new accessories. Now I've got two of them covered, the Flirtatious Specialty Paper & the Mini Clothespins. I also got to use my Bakers Twine to create the little clothesline. Such fun! At first I attached the twine using the little pins, but that didn't show them off quite as well. Attaching them via glue dots works better to show off their full shape. I think they're perfect for an easel card that's intended for display, don't you? There's still plenty of room to write on the part that gets hidden by the "stand", no worries! Hope to see you at classes this month so you too can play with our little clothespins. :)

Hip, Hip, & Hurray

2011-08-02T07:05:00.003-06:00

I just couldn't help myself. Once I made one card with my little frog friend, I just needed to make one more. :) My plan was to create a few cards using the same bits of paper, so folks can have their pick of which cards to make at my Ronald McDonald House events without me having to cut a ton of random pieces.

If I had to do it all over again, I think that the little brad in the party hat is just a bit too big & I would leave it off. Other than that, they're just too stinking cute! I was able to pop little party hats on their heads with no problems thanks to the wonders of clear stamps. Cute, fun, & easy. You just can't go wrong with that combination!

Hello Froggie!

2011-07-31T11:03:00.003-06:00

Darn near as cute as the pig, isn't he? This little fellow is going to help me with my "Stamping for a Cause" workshops. Each year SU creates one stamp set which benefits the Ronald McDonald House Charities. They're a great organization that helps out families with severely ill children by giving them a place to stay during treatment. This year, the RMDH set is a real winner: Turtle & Co. It's full of super cute little critters that put a smile on my face & I bet on yours too. For August & September, I'm asking folks to host a workshop that features these stamps. Everyone who attends will make a "make and take" as usual, but also has the chance to make extra cards to donate to the Ronald McDonald Houses. My goal is to make 100 cards to donate. I'm going to need your help! Please contact me if you would like to host one of these special workshops. I know we'll have a great time & brighten up the lives of others too! This card is perfect for folks who are new to stamping. The images are stamped in Versa Mark & then covered with chalks. Fast, fun, & easy--- my very favorite type of card. Of course, you could aways add google eyes if you needed to...

Color Throwdown #152

2011-07-29T13:34:00.002-06:00

It's been a super long time since I've participated in the Color Throwdown. I miss that extra stretch I have to take when using colors that I would have never put together on my own. I guess that's why they call it a color "challenge". This week's choices were no exception: Rose Red, Mellon Mambo, Soft Suede, & River Rock. I NEVER use River Rock. In fact, all my colors have a file folder with full sheets & a paper protector with scraps. Most have a full pack with a few extra sheets & a whole bunch of scraps. However, when I took out my River Rock folder, all I found was a sheet and a half. Period. That shows you just how little attention I pay that color!

Since I have all sorts of new toys to play with, I started getting them out to see what would happen. My very favorite of the new hostess sets, Happiest Birthday Wishes, (it's HUGE) came out first. Then my Fancy Fan Letterpress Plate had to come out of its package too. I actually read the directions on that one, aren't you proud? I just kept fiddling until I came up with something that works. All my Soft Suede bits found their way through my crimper while the River Rock pieces were treated with my Color Spritzer tool. A few scrap buttons & I was finished! Now, I have the rest of my new toys to experiment with...stay tuned...

Some Pig

2011-07-28T20:17:00.002-06:00

Okay, what's not to love about this priceless little porker? I saw the Button Buddies set in the new catalog & knew right away that I just loved this little guy. Then, I got a bacon dip swap with him on it at convention & fell in love all over again. Of course I couldn't resist adding some google eyes in addition to the great button nose. The very best part about my little pig? He came to me for FREE! Yet another benefit of being a SU demonstrator. I had the chance to participate in a focus group for SU while at convention and they gave me a set of my choice as a thank you! You can join the SU team for just $99 during July. Let me know ASAP so we can get you signed up before this great deal goes away on Sunday. There are so many benefits that you can enjoy while also getting 20% off all things SU.

I was super lucky that my Button Buddies arrived the same day as my new Brights Buttons. That way I could make sure my paper & button matched perfectly. Where did I get the little colored rhinestones? Just add Sharpie to our normal ones! My pig clearly called out for bling; he's got style. :)

Triple Treat Flower Swap

2011-07-26T06:46:00.002-06:00

This weekend I spent a whole bunch of time in my studio while my husband was away. Most of it was spent reorganizing, but I decided to treat myself to a little creative time too. I'm part of a group of SU demonstrators that participate in a new catalog swap. It's a great way to get new ideas for new products! This will be my contribution. It highlights my favorite of the new a la carte stamps: Triple Treat Flower. This great little stamp fits not one, not two, but three of our punches. That makes you able to create great layered effects! I had lots of fun with it here to make the focal image & much of the background. I also went distressing crazy. After stamping the background with the Triple Treat Flower & a fun border from Borderlines, I then ran it through the Big Shot using the Square Lattice Folder. I sponged both my Lace Ribbon punched piece & the So Saffron circle. Torn & distressed edges finished the effect. I hope the other demos in my group like this one as much as I do!

Adding a Bit of Beauty to the Ordinary

2011-07-24T15:23:00.002-06:00

One of my very favorite things to do is to add just a little bit of beauty to ordinary objects. My day planner is no exception. Each year I get the same simple day planner. I started this back when I was still teaching full time, so it's always an academic calendar. This means I have to switch to a new one in the midst of summer. In the past, I've stamped on them with Staz-on, used some of SU's Rub Ons, & added Decore Elements. Decore Elements are my very favorite way to personalize them becuase they are so easy & last so well. When the only color I could find this year was a deep grey, I decided on a bright Decore Element. The Wildflower element from the new catalog was the perfect choice! It fit almost exactly & added just the right amount of color. I've used these great vinyl stickers to decorate all sorts of things including my living room wall. Those have earned all sorts of compliments and inquiries on who painted them. Ha! :)

You Learn Something New Every Day...

2011-07-20T05:51:00.000-06:00

Or at least I sure did while at Stampin' Up Convention! The very first night of convention we had a SU "garden party". There were prizes, games, & (my favorite) demonstrations. While watching one of the incredible punch demos, I learned how to make this great flower using the 3/4" Circle Punch & the Large Oval Punch. Hint: punch those circles first. It makes life MUCH easier. As soon as I saw the flower, I knew I needed to create a card with it for this week's classes. I did a little fun trick with the Bitty Button too. Just a few rubs with a sanding block & your clear button is instantly frosted. Nice, huh? It's another tid bit I picked up from a convention demonstration. I have a feeling I'll be spouting new tips gleaned from my time there for months to come! Oh, and did you check out the new embossing folders? I used both the Hound's Tooth & the Stripes folders on this card. Love them! The overall card is pretty simple, but the little details here & there really make it pop! I love that there is always so much more to learn in the world of stamping. :)

New Stamps + New Ribbon + New Folder + New Color = Fun!

2011-07-19T06:44:00.004-06:00

I got to use all sorts of new toys on this creation. :) Yesterday I showed off one of my convention make & takes using the new Raining Flowers set. Today's card was my first attempt at using it here at home. At convention, I learned a fun new technique for making Stamp-a-ma-jig use even easier. Look for it in the bin for this card at class! In addition to using my new stamps, I got to use some of the super fun polka dot scallop ribbon. Isn't it just stinking cute? At first, I stamped the sentiment directly on the card front, but that just didn't feel quite right. So, out came one more new toy--- the Designer Frames Oval Folder. Add in a little Calypso Coral to make the flower pop & you have a card with a whole bunch of something new!

The Whole World Isn't Stamping?

2011-07-18T06:24:00.002-06:00

I'm finding it a bit of a harsh transition to reality after spending four full days at SU's Convention. Since I landed in Salt Lake, the whole world has centered on stamping. Now, there are all sorts of other things I need to do! As I get ready for work this morning, there is SO much I want to share with all of you that I learned over the last few days. I need to post pictures of my adventures too. But, most of that will have to wait...duty calls! I couldn't let the morning get going without sharing one of my Make & Take projects from convention. Of course, I switched it up just a little. I can never leave well enough alone. :) These super fun little flowers come from one of the sets in the new catalog we got FREE at convention, Raining Flowers. Aren't they darling? My favorite part of the card is the ruffled ribbon. We got to play with all the colors of this new ribbon and I love it! In fact, it's inspired me to organize another ribbon swap. I'll send along the details on that one soon. Right now, I need to scurry off to work...

Crimped Build a Blossom

2011-07-08T06:34:00.003-06:00

Well this one was sure a fun surprise! I wanted to play with the new in color, Pool Party. So, I just started playing around. I'm also excited that the Build a Blossom set made the transition from mini-catalog to the Idea Book & Catalog. Now I get to have all sorts of fun using it again! I experimented with a few flower ideas/combinations when I stumbled upon the Pool Party & Night of Navy combo. Love it! Thank goodness for clear stamps. They made stamping the second layer on top of the first a breeze! My stamped flower wasn't enough though...even with the two colors of layers. I started working on the center of the flower & tried at least three with no luck. :( Silly me! I just needed to add a few petals created with the coordinating punch for this set! I wanted to give them a bit more dimension so I ran them through the crimper before adhering them. Perfect! I did the same to the Night of Navy background square & lightened the whole thing up with a Whisper White background. Lots of experimentation for a simple card, but I'm pleased with the end design!

Doily Kissed Flower

2011-07-05T06:38:00.002-06:00

I just can't seem to get enough of the new Delicate Doilies set! When my sister-in-law (and fellow stamper) saw the set she said it just shouted out "kissing technique". Huh...I hadn't thought of that. So, of course, I had to try it out. My little Awashwith Flowers bloom looks great with doily details, don't you think? This card also features my favorite new In Color, Wisteria Wonder. It's lovely & coordinates so well with the stamped images in the classic Elegant Eggplant.

Now, if I can just shake the feeling that today is Monday, this work week will be off to a great start. :)

Happy 4th!

2011-07-04T09:44:00.003-06:00

Happy Fourth of July! I realized when I started making this card that I don't actually have a "happy 4th" stamp. Huh! Who knew? However, there are ways to make a themed card even if you don't have the holiday specific stamp. I thought I would start out with a few stars, but once I ran the paper through the Big Shot, I decided to keep the background & not worry about the stars I cut out. Then it was off to my scrap bag to find a bunch of red & blue strips to make stripes! Forgive me for the retired color & ribbon on this one, but they both just worked so well. :)
I hope you have a wonderful and safe fourth! It's one of my very favorite holidays. Have some watermelon for me. :)

Lace Ribbon Punch Frame/ Color Throwdown #148

2011-07-02T07:57:00.002-06:00

I've been playing with my new toys, especially the Lace Ribbon Boarder Punch. Last time, I used it to create a band around my Fancy Favor and this time I wanted to create a frame/pendant out of it. So, I started playing with dimensions. Truth be told, it works best with a 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" square. However, that doesn't fit on a standard card, so I decided to try it out on a 4 1/4" square. Not bad! The corners are a little different, but I still really like it. I also really wanted to play with some of the new In Colors, but I wasn't sure what to do with my color pallet. I turned to the Color Throwdown for some inspiration & there it was! They had Cameo Coral, Pacific Point, & Garden Green as their colors. A quick substitution of Calypso Coral & Island Indigo gave me a great selection that used two of my new colors! Thanks to Barbara over at Color Throwdown for picking "old" colors that I could make new again. :)

Look What's New!

2011-07-01T09:46:00.004-06:00

Happy July 1st everyone! I know it's not an official holiday, but it's a Stampin' Up holiday of sorts. Today is the first day for the new Idea Book & Catalog! There is so much great stuff inside...I know you're going to love it. Tomorrow I'm hosting a fun event to kick off the new stampin' year. It's an open house where you can make this great little bag using our new Lace Ribbon Boarder Punch, the fabulous Delicate Doilies stamp set, & two new colors: Lucky Limeade & Wisteria Wonder. Also, you can get your very own copy of the new catalog, sign up for door prizes, & shop my retired goodies. Sound like fun? Just drop by any time between 1-4pm. :)

Summer Basket

2011-06-25T13:08:00.002-06:00

Tomorrow is my "Say Goodbye" class where we'll be using all sorts of SU goodies before they retire at the end of the month. One of my favorite 3D dies is on the Last Chance List-- the Basket & Blooms die. I often use it for Easter, of course, but also for fun little gift holders or favors. This fun little guy is all ready for a summer time birthday party! It's so quick & easy. I just cut the Melon Mambo paper using the die & cut my flowers out of Tangerine Tango & Old Olive at the very same time. Then I stamped the basket with the Daisy Dash wheel (also soon to retire) & ran my flower through the Big Shot with my Perfect Polka Dots folder. Add a little bling & a glue dot to attach. That's it! I can't wait to make this with everyone tomorrow. Hope you can come make one too!!

A Little Perk Up

2011-06-22T06:25:00.002-06:00

Okay, this one is just too much fun. It struck me the other day that the "love you a late" stamp from Pun Fun is a perfect fit with all the tea/coffee stamps in Morning Cup. And since Pun Fun won't be around much longer, I just had to pair them up while I had the chance! This is a peek through card, so the cup & it's sentiment are stamped on the inside of the card. Then I punched through the layers of the card front to reveal just the cup & added a sentiment from Morning Cup. For the background, I just inked up a Texturz Plate before running it through the Big Shot. This plate is another of my retiring toys. I'll miss them! It took me so long to find my favorite way to use them, but once I started inking them up I thought they were great! I think we'll have great fun making this one in Sunday's class. There's still room if you want to join in the fun!

2011-06-21T07:10:00.002-06:00

I love to use punches to create new & fun shapes! Who says a leaf has to be a leaf when it so clearly makes a great candle flame? This summery little number could be a great guy or even kid card too. Tempting Turquoise, Pacific Point, Tangerine Tango, & Daffodil Delight team up to make a very bold color pallet. I needed just a sliver of my Sunny Garden designer paper to create the candle base. It's a good thing too because I'm almost out of it! That's what happens at the end of the catalog year. My designer paper supply starts to get thin. Never fear though, I've already got some from the new catalog and I can't wait to share it with all of you! Right now, I've got my focus on all the great sets that will soon go away (like Birthday Bliss), but soon I'll jump into the new stuff full force.

Forest Friends Sympathy

2011-06-20T06:32:00.003-06:00

There are just so many sets I want to use before they retire at the end of the month! Forest Friends is included on that list. The little critters (deer, bunny, & owl) are all super cute, but I'm even more drawn to this tree. So, I embossed it on a bit of Always artichoke. Excellent! You really do need to see this one in person for the full effect. My base/background sheet of cardstock is confetti white with lots of little natural bits spread through out. Both the Early Espresso & Always artichoke cardstock pieces are Smooch Spritzed with gold. In fact, the satin Very Vanilla bow was added when a glob of Smooch Spritz gave me a "creative opportunity". Those of you in classes know all about them! I hope to be back with some Mojo Monday action after work, but wanted to share this one with you too. Happy Monday!

Convention Swap

2011-06-15T06:14:00.004-06:00

We're quickly approaching my first ever SU convention. It's less than a month away and I know how fast that month will go! So, I sat down and tried to plan out a fun, yet simple swap project. I know my work schedule isn't going to leave me with much time for swap creation, so I thought I would stick to a bookmark rather than a full card or card front. I also wanted to make something that was really for my fellow demonstrators. My upline, Cindy, was kind enough to bring home a Statement of the Heart stamp from a past convention. That's what I used to create this little guy. I also took my triple layer blossom punch to several of my Occasion Mini Catalogs to make the frames for each flower. The end result is a little keepsake that I hope others will enjoy. Now, if I can just find the time to make them...

Not What I Expected.../ Color Throwdown 145

2011-06-10T07:08:00.001-06:00

I sat down this morning with a pretty good idea about what I was going to make. Last night, I checked out the Color Throwdown colors of the week: Baja Breeze, So Saffron, & Pear Pizzazz. I decided that these colors would work great with Pick a Petal. So, this morning I made a super cool butterfly using Pick a Petal. I cut out the wings (gasp! You know I so rarely cut things by hand), embossed the wings, & textured the body. You may notice that this card is oddly butterfly free. Who knew? As I made my "butterfly" card I experimented with the soon to be retired Flower Blossom Sizzlet & just loved how it layered with my flower punch. I added the elegant lines background and soon realized that there really was no room on this card for the butterfly! For a while I tried to force it, but that so wasn't working. Instead, I trimmed down my Whisper White background, tried a couple different options for the layer behind it, & ended with more Pear Pizzazz and a bunch of cheery flowers. I guess it just goes to show that you never know where you'll end up. Perhaps that lovely butterfly will show up on another card some time soon. :)

On The Grow Scooter

2011-06-08T05:57:00.003-06:00

Sometimes I think that SU could almost do the same sort of thing as movies do with product placement. I'm glad they don't, mind you, but it feels like the potential was there. I can't be the only person who saw the On the Grow set & started thinking about just how much fun it would be to have a little scooter of my own. Perhaps it is the warmer weather, or maybe seeing one at a yard sale really got me thinking. I'm pretty sure it was this little stamp though....

Today I wanted to experiment a little bit with shapes. I find that I keep things varied by using color challenges or sketches but sometimes I just need to switch it up a bit in terms of the shapes I use. I saw a sample card that used the Decorative Label Punch on the bottom of a rectangle with a brad in the middle & decided to make a card based on that shape. I've been wanting to use my scooter stamp, so that was a natural choice for the inside of the rectangle. Then the challenge of adding some ribbon to the bottom without the need to wrap the ends around (I simply CAN'T have exposed ends on the inside of my card!). A knot bow was close, but not quite the thing. Out came my Antique Brads---perfect for the bow center. Then, I needed a layer to hide the brad back. Ah ha! An extra circle would be just the thing. The end result is another combination of shapes that I haven't used before. Pretty fun!

Quail Mojo/ Mojo Monday #194

2011-06-07T07:33:00.003-06:00

One of the worst part about the Last Chance list was that some of my last chance sets had never even seen ink! I'm determined to change that before I need to retire them. Happy Together is one of the sets I got through Sale-a-Bration this year that I had my eye on for a long time. Those little quail just make me smile. However, I just hadn't found the right opportunity to use them. So, I was ever so pleased that they worked well with this week's Mojo Monday sketch. Knowing I wanted to use them helped me narrow down my color pallet to Early Espresso, So Saffron, Cajun Craze, More Mustard, & Very Vanilla. Okay, perhaps "narrowed down" isn't the right term--- that's a pretty big color pallet! I even used two different colors of ribbon. Yikes! I think there is a lot of color without feeling too busy or disjointed though. They seem to complement each other well & I so rarely get to use More Mustard & Cajun Craze in the summer time. The four different textures also seem to work together well. They give the colors just a little extra richness. As usual, a fun sketch from the ladies over at Mojo Monday!

A Flower for All Seasons Farewell

2011-06-04T14:43:00.003-06:00

When I talk about the Last Chance List, I tend to focus on just the stamps. However, there are other things that disappear at the end of the month too. For example, the Photo Corners Punch & Build a Brads will both "retire" come July 1st. Also, there are a whole bunch of Stampin' Around Wheels. The one used on this card, Whimsy, was my very first wheel & makes such a fun & versatile background. So this card is really a farewell to much more than just A Flower for All Seasons! It uses four different products that are on the list. Whew! That's a lot of goodbyes. Yesterday I finally got my copy of the new catalog & I can assure you we're in for a whole bunch of fun hellos soon! No worries.

Crimped Little Leaves

2011-06-03T12:49:00.003-06:00

In class last month, we created a card with the Little Leaves Sizzlit and several folks wanted to know if we could do anything with the "frame" left behind. Of course we can! I decided to run mine through a crimper to give some extra dimension. I think dimension is the theme for this card...there are lots of Stampin' Dimensionals. Behind my Dotted Scallop Ribbon (laced with Hemp Twine), under my Confetti White layer, & under my crimped layer too. They combine to give this card a whole lot of depth! My large stamped image comes from Priceless, a set I will so miss! I've used the large & small swirls from this set for so many great cards & love all the little extras too--- the heart, butterfly, & flower. Of course, I will miss my seasonal & holiday favorites like A Good Egg & Autumn Harvest but I think I will miss the super versatile sets like Priceless even more! Remember, we need to order any of the Last Chance List sets before the end of the month...otherwise they are gone for good. No worries though, the more I see of the new catalog items, the more excited I become. I'll keep you updated!

Tart & Tangy Polka Dots/ Color Throwdown #144

2011-06-02T07:06:00.002-06:00

Sorry for the lack of post yesterday. It was the release day for SU's Last Chance List & I spent the morning figuring out which of my favorite sets will be gone at the end of the month. Well, that and celebrating all the fun new stuff that is coming our way in the 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog. I should have toys to make pre-view projects soon!
Today's card is a goodbye to two of my long time favorites: Tart & Tangy and Cheers to you. The fun summer colors from the Color Throwdown were a perfect match for a Tart & Tangy card--- Melon Mambo, Pumpkin Pie, & Certainly Celery. I love making Gate Fold cards with the little citrus slices from this set. For the background flaps on this one, I used Shimmer Mist on the Mambo polka dots & then ran the whole thing through the Big Shot after I adhered my dots. The natural sentiment for this card came from the Cheers to you set, so I'll include a photo of the inside too. Typically, all my retired sets end up in my big retired sale in July, but Cheers to You is one of those I'm not going to be able to part with...at least not for a good long while. Make sure you get yours while there is still time!

Razzle Dazzle Bird Mojo/ Mojo Monday 193

2011-05-31T07:40:00.003-06:00

Wow, it's almost June! For the last sketch of the month the folks over at Mojo Monday always have a Circle or Square challenge. I typically gravitate towards the square & this month was no exception. They did add an extra fun element with the background though. It's made up of a square cut on the diagonals to form four triangles. I then just flipped two pieces of my Blueberry Crisp designer paper before adhering them. Oh, and a tip, try adhering those to a square that's the same size as your original before gluing them down. Otherwise I found I had a hard time getting my spacing just right! The only stamp I used on this card was the one from Razzle Dazzle that matches the pattern on the designer paper. It adds a little something to my bird as well as my little Night of Navy square. Today's the day I start thinking about all my older sets & wondering which ones will appear on the Last Chance List tomorrow. Do you think Razzle Dazzle will be on there? We'll have to wait and see!

Moving Truck

2011-05-30T10:02:00.002-06:00

I know it's Monday, but I'm not going to even look at the Mojo Monday sketch until tomorrow. There's lots to do on this Memorial Day & I already had this little number ready and waiting. First off, though, may I wish you a happy and safe Memorial Day. I hope we'll all take a moment to remember those for whom today was dedicated. On our European Adventure I was struck by how much more real their war memorials seemed...somehow less forgotten than ours. Let us remember vividly as well.

In addition to the solemn reason behind this long weekend, it's also the start of summer! We kicked it off with a House Warming Party yesterday for our friends. Great fun was had by all. I created this card for them yesterday during our theme class. I never tire of the little Loads of Love set & have such fun loading it up with different bits from the Accessories pack. Too much fun. The colors were also a great fun surprise combo: Cajun Craze, Pear Pizzazz, & Bashful Blue. Have fun out there today & I'll try for a late Mojo tomorrow. :)

It's Graduation Time!

2011-05-25T06:36:00.003-06:00

It's that time of year again. It's time to celebrate the achievements of our graduates. This year, one of my dear friend's daughter is graduating high school. That's a bit of a shocker to me because we met when she was about seven! My how the time flies. :) A couple of years ago, another friend of mine gave me the great idea of using bits from the graduation invitation to create a card. They are such formal & lovely cards that it seems a waste to not use parts of them again. That, and I'll never have a stamp to match the crest of the school. So, there's no stamping on this one. I just punched out the school crest & created a backing layer for it. To make them stand out a bit more, I used my distressing tool around the edges of both layers. Then I cut out the year & punched a scallop backing for it from my Brushed Gold paper. All I had to do to finish up was run the card front through my Big Shot with the Vintage Wallpaper folder & add some gold Smooch Spritz. It's very simple (which is perfect for this busy time of year) but still looks elegant enough to fit the occasion. Now, if the rain will just hold off for the graduation on Saturday...

Crimper Flower Fest

2011-05-24T06:45:00.004-06:00

While my mom was visiting, I discovered that she had never used a crimper. Well, I just had to fix that! So I took out three of my favorite greens: Always Artichoke, Pear Pizzazz, & Wild Wasabi. I adhered them together & cranked them through my crimper. Then, I wanted to try out something new to me as well. Out came my Antique Brads & my embossing stuff! I just dabbed the brad with Versamark & embossed in white. It needed a little extra bling, but my Basic Jewels rhinestones made that no problem at all. Once I had the brad, I decided it would make a great center to the large flower in my Flower Fest set. From there, the Blushing Bride 5 Petal Flowers were needed to offset the Concord Crush. An Elegant Lines background in Whisper White seemed to work perfectly with my floral pieces. The bottom bits were added last. First came the punched strip courtesy of my Dotted Scallop Ribbon Punch, then the sentiment, & finally the little butterfly. I debated on the butterfly for quite some time, but after a survey of my artistic advisers (hubby & mom), I decided to add him. The Flower Fest set makes it so easy since the images coordinate with my punches perfectly. And who doesn't like easy?

Elegant Bouquet Embossed Mojo

2011-05-23T07:40:00.003-06:00

Happy Monday to all! This week, I'm celebrating a bit of a milestone. The Accidental Stamper reached over 10,000 all time page views last week! :) Thanks to all of you for visiting and taking a look at what I create. It's such fun to share with all of you.

Today, I took another shot at the Double Embossed Technique. Isn't it fun? I just inked up my Elegant Bouquet Folder using my brayer & Versamark ink, ran it through the Big Shot, & embossed with Silver Emboss Powder. Simple, but great! My mom wanted to see how this technique was done and she insists that you must see it in person. And if mom says so...

All of the stamped images for this one are from the Simply Said set--- one of my very favorites. Since it's Monday, the sketch comes from the excellent folks over at Mojo Monday. Must keep it short today, I need to take mom off to the airport. Happy Stamping!!

Color Throwdown 142/ Strength & Hope Wedding

2011-05-18T14:14:00.002-06:00

It's been a while since I've participated in the Color Throwdown & I would like to get back in the habit. This week's colors include Basic Black, Basic Gray, & Lime Green. For my green selection, I picked Certainly Celery. I knew I wanted to use the elegant butterfly from Strength & Hope & then the rest of the card just sort of flowed. :) Remember that for every Strength & Hope set SU sells they will donate $2 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Also, I'm going to enter everyone who buys one from me in May into a drawing for one of my unmounted stamp sets. It's really hard for me to create a wedding card, but the season is upon us! I wanted this one to be simple, but elegant. With fewer pearls, I think it could easily become a sympathy card as well. Odd, how those two can pair so well. I inked up my Texturz Plate with Basic Gray to form the background & sponged both the Certainly Celery pieces with Basic Gray after I embossed them. A little sticky strip let me play with my ribbon to create a fun layered look. I'm sure it wouldn't go through the mail well, but most of my wedding cards are put in packages or at least delivered by hand. Then I don't have to worry about mailing issues!

Double Emboss + Much More

2011-05-17T07:02:00.003-06:00

Well, today's card is sort of the opposite of yesterday's. If Monday was a study in simplicity, this one sure has a lot going on! I've been itching to try out the Double Embossing technique ever since I read about it in my demonstrator magazine last week. It's so fun! You ink up one of your embossing folders using a brayer & Versamark. Run it through the Big Shot like normal & then add embossing powder to heat emboss too. For this card, I started with Melon Mambo cardstock, ran it through using the Vintage Wall Paper folder, & added Wild Wasabi embossing powder. Then, I went a little crazy with my new Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer Punch & an Occasions Mini catalog. This card showcases all the fun shapes you can make with just one punch! I think it would be fun to create at classes because each one would be so very different. What do you think?

Mojo Monday 191/Printed Petals Leaves & Dots

2011-05-16T07:33:00.003-06:00

Welcome to a brand new week! As usual, I get to start my week off with a great sketch from the ladies over at Mojo Monday. Today, I decided to keep things simple. No crazy new techniques or experiments for this one. I also decided at the start that I wanted to use Certainly Celery as one of my colors. So, with that & the sketch in mind, I started. Thinking about the lovely light green of Certainly Celery, I remembered the great leaf scallop from my Printed Petals set. I'm such a sucker for a great deal, so when SU put this set on sale for May (30% off!) I just couldn't resist. Now, I'm glad that I didn't show more willpower! It's very versatile. I also had some Certainly Celery ribbon from a ribbon bundle I snagged off the Clearance Rack. I guess the real theme for today's card is "what a bargain"! The designer paper is one of the more subtle sides of Sunny Garden. My leaf is the Little Leaves Sizzlit. Some days I have a bit of trouble getting that one off the die, but today it decided to cooperate. Perhaps it's a good omen for the week! It just went so well with the stamp that I had to give it a try.

Recycle Vintage Style

2011-05-14T07:21:00.002-06:00

Okay, I'm really excited about this one. Of course, it doesn't photograph as well as I would like, but that happens. I created it Thursday night during card class, but blogger wasn't working yesterday morning so I had to wait to share. Imagine my frustration! :) This card started because I wanted to play around with my new Triple Layer Punch. I'd only experimented once before and didn't have the results I wanted. Then I discovered that was because I tried holding the punch while using it just like I do with all my other SU punches. Once I put it down on a table top, all was well! I've also been trying to find a creative way to use up catalogs once their sales period is over. So, I took out an Occasions Mini and went to work. I kind of wish I would have photographed this card in stages. I assembled everything with curled up corners, the two brads, & the torn paper so I was well on my way to the vintage look. Then I added the two stamped images from Tiny Tags. We were getting closer. Next, out came my Color Spritzer Tool & I added the black splashes. Almost there. Then, I got really brave, and took out my Smooch Spritz. I spritzed the whole card, ribbons and all (thanks to encouragement from the folks at class!). I was so afraid it would ruin the whole card, but I love the effect it creates. You'll have to see it in person. My ribbon is so shinny & the whole card really feels complete. Mission accomplished! I think I'll play more with punching bits from my old catalogs this afternoon. Stay tuned to see how that experiment turns out. :)

It's Summer! (Almost)

2011-05-10T08:18:00.002-06:00

Wow! Doesn't this one just about shout "Summer"? I've been spending lots of time in schools the last couple of weeks and you can just feel the almost summer vibe. Perhaps that's where this card came from. I really wanted to experiment more with the new colored embossing powders from the Summer Mini Catalog & saw a great technique that showcases them inside our demonstrator magazine. It's how I made the multicolored central flower. You just mask parts of the flower while you add the different colors of powder. Super simple, but such a "wow" effect when you're finished. This set is a brand new one for me. I couldn't resist when I saw it was 30% off for the month of May. Little did I know at the time that it would be just a great fit for this new technique. :) My biggest challenge on this card was finding the finishing touch that told me the card was done. I had it all almost assembled before I realized it needed a Jumbo Brad in the center of the flower. That was it! It's always such a relief to find that last little bit that makes my design complete. I hope this one adds a little summer sunshine to your day!

On the Grow Flower Mojo/ Mojo Monday 190

2011-05-09T08:05:00.002-06:00

Welcome to a brand new week! I so love to start my stamping for the week off with a sketch from the folks over at Mojo Monday. It's just a great way to get everything going. :) This weekend finally felt like summer has found Colorado. We had a lovely day for the Horseshoe Market on Saturday and I was able to plant some flowers yesterday. I think that's why I was in the mood to play with this great little bouquet from On the Grow this morning. I used my Watercolor Crayons to color it in & then used Ultrathick embossing powder & my Versamarker to give the vase depth. Of course, that's kind of hard to see here, but you'll have to check it out at classes this month! My little extras are thanks to the Beautiful Wings & Sweet Buttons Embosslits. It's all simple but fun. Now I'm ready for my week to officially begin!

Cupcake Remake

2011-05-05T06:37:00.002-06:00

A while back I made a card that used both the Birthday Bakery set & the cupcake punch. You can check it out here. I liked it & thought it was great fun, but I really wanted to give it another go. So, here is round two. :) The colors on this one are just super rich & I love the added touch the textured Razzleberry gives my background. It doesn't overwhelm, but it really does add something. The little bling on the cupcake also makes things just a bit more sassy. I've found that the Elegant Lines folder is just right for frosting on a cupcake too. Then, the inside is stamped with the cupcake wheel and reminds us "you are what you eat, so eat something cute". I took my color pallet from those I used to color in the cakes. You'll find Pretty in Pink, Rich Razzleberry, Regal Rose, Rose Red, So Saffron, & Soft Suede---way more colors than I typically use but I love how they all work together on this one.

Fun with Embossing!

2011-05-04T08:37:00.003-06:00

It's always such fun to have a new catalog! Today's card features a product line I was super excited to find in the Summer Mini, colored embossing powders! Aren't they fun? Right now they come in Wild Wasabi, Tangerine Tango, & Melon Mambo. I hope that the list expands with the new Idea Book & Catalog. Fingers are crossed. :) Today's card was inspired by a pair of pants worn by a super well dressed three year old in the preschool class I worked with a few weeks ago. I giggled when I saw her pants exactly matched my new embossing color pallet & the Flower Fest stamp set. Too much fun. I kept things super simple this time around & just inked my images using Versamark. Then I embossed using my colored powders. It was like playing with puff paint on T-Shirts! Magic. Next time, I may try mixing in Iridescent Ice powder for a shimmery colored effect. There are lots of possibilities here!

Just had to Share...

2011-05-03T06:47:00.002-06:00

Typically I don't like to post cards that use products you can no longer order, but I just had to share this one. Yesterday afternoon I was busy cranking out cards for the Horseshoe Market this weekend when inspiration struck. This was the result. My hope is that the Thanks for Caring set will make its way into the new Idea Book & Catalog this summer (fingers crossed) & perhaps the Springtime Vintage paper will appear on the Clearance Rack one day? Then you WILL be able to get all the parts for this lovely card. I used my Scallop Edge Punch to create the fun medallion. You just need a 2 3/4" square of cardstock to make the dimensions work. Then I backed it with a bit of Baja Breeze. The base color is Not Quite Navy and I think this is my favorite use of it. I find ways to incorporate this color from time to time, but here it really is at its best. Embossing my butterfly in gold and adding just a touch of satin ribbon also make this card a stand out. Little bits of elegance make such a difference! So I hope you'll forgive the homage to the Occasions Mini Catalog here, but I couldn't keep this one to myself.

Mojo Of Hope/ Mojo Monday 189

2011-05-02T08:07:00.002-06:00

I'm back! Sorry I've been MIA lately. I'm afraid that the sniffles hit me with a vengeance. Last week, I was down for the count for most of the time. However, I'm back in the swing of things now. At least I hope so! What better way to get things started than with a Mojo Monday sketch?

I knew my design for today would center around the Strength & Hope set from the new Summer Mini. I'm excited about this set, not only because it's lovely, but because it's a set with a cause. For every one of these sets SU sells, they will donate $2 to Breast Cancer Research. Perfect for the month of may, don't you think? It's why I'm centering my May drawing around this set. Everyone who purchases Strength & Hope from me will be entered into a drawing to win a set from my hostess set grab bag. So, let's stamp and make a difference all at the same time!

Teacups Triangle Fold

2011-04-25T08:07:00.002-06:00

Ready for yet another tutorial from our friends over at Splitcoast stampers? Today's tutorial is on a Triangle Trifold card. It's super fun and easy. After Friday's project I really wanted to make another card using my Morning Cup set. It's such fun! And I need to use my Springtime Vintage paper while I still can. All of the Occasions Mini items will be no longer available after Saturday, so make sure to get your order for these great products in ASAP. Okay, I must cut this one short because I'm off to work. Happy Stamping!

Tea Bag Holder

2011-04-22T06:26:00.003-06:00

I have been itching to use my Morning Cup set, but didn't have a chance before I left on vacation. Then, I came across a great little tutorial yesterday on Splitcoast that taught how to make a tea bag holder. How could I resist that combination? So, I set to work. I tried to make sure the front of my holder will work nicely with any of the Springtime Vintage designer paper incase I decide to use this one in class. Next week will be the last time I can use that great pack of paper since the Occasions Mini catalog ends April 30th! The only challenge is that the insert that holds the tea bags requires a 6 1/2 x 7 piece of designer paper. It's a pretty big piece, but well worth it. If you're not into tea, you could always stuff the little side pockets with chocolate squares, folded up money, or whatever suits your occasion!

Bargello Woodland Walk

2011-04-21T07:24:00.002-06:00

I'm back! We had a lovely trip and now it's time to get into the swing of things back home. In some ways, that's harder than I thought. This morning I had a big case of "stampers block". Usually there are all sorts of card ideas bouncing around in my head, but I drew a total blank today. Yesterday, I tried to stamp a bit but ended up just cleaning up the studio. Nothing would come! So, when my pseudo jet lag had me up at 5:30am this morning I decided to take a look at Splitcoast Stampers for some inspiration. There I found a tutorial on the bargello technique. It's a great way to use strips of designer paper in a whole new way. This is my first attempt. I decided to go with a simple zig-zag using my strips of Woodland Walk designer paper. Honestly, it looked even more impressive before I used the Big Shot, but I wanted a slightly smaller piece for this card rather than a full card front of bargello. Do you recognise the texture on the Garden Green piece? It's from one of SU's Texturz Plates & makes a great wood grain effect. Whew! I think I'm almost back in the groove now. :)

Ginkgo Leaves

2011-04-15T06:01:00.001-06:00

I had lots of fun with this one. I've coveted the Leaf Lines set for a long time now. It's probably time for me to break down and buy it, but I'll admit that I stamped this little guy while at a friend's house (thanks, Marge!). I decided to try out the ginkgo leaf using Always Artichoke & Wild Wasabi ink. They make for a nice & natural feel, especially when paired with the hemp twine. I wanted a little more elegance for this one though, so the first layer of background cardstock is brushed gold. It goes to show you can be natural & elegant at the same time! The Always Artichoke layer is given a little something extra by adding the Sanded Background Stamp. Simple, but lovely.

Shimmer Butterflies from Scrap

2011-04-14T06:52:00.002-06:00

Ah, we've reached the end of my creations from January's Quarterly Quarter party. This one doesn't photograph as well as I would like, so you're going to have to trust me on it. The whole card base is sprayed with gold Smooch Spritz which makes it all shimmer. Unfortunately, all that really shows up here are the larger blobs. In reality, it brings out the shimmer from the brushed gold circle behind the heart. The whole focal image is from my jar of unused bits. I did add texture to the Always Artichoke circle, but everything else is straight from the left overs bin. :) I almost decided against pairing the So Saffron heart with the Brushed Gold circle, but some of the other ladies convinced me that it is a good match. It's ever so nice to have other opinions when your designing a project! My husband does the best he can, but I think even he grows weary of me asking if "this looks okay".