A green Father's Day card

 

There's nothing like an oak tree and embossed wood grain to say "Happy Father's Day." This card uses Gumball Green and Chocolate Chip card stock and ink. The greeting is from Delightful Dozen, which is now retired, but the tree is from Lovely as a Tree - a longtime favorite. This design was one of the 10 at my last 20-card class. It's quick, since we used the 2-1/2" circle punch after stamping the tree, and paper snips to make quick work of the banner.

 

I have an opening in my Card Club. We're going to be starting another round in August, so if you're interested, please contact me. You'll get a free catalog, a few projects to make each month at my studio, and hostess benefits twice during the catalog year. You just commit to ordering $30 in SU! product every month that we meet. That's it! Please email me at ericandterry@comcast.net. Thanks!

Sweet Sorbet Easter bunny

 

When I saw this bunny in the Occasions Catalog stamp set Baby, We've Grown, I thought it'd be perfect for an Easter card.

 

This Crisp Cantaloupe card has a 2-inch banner of Sweet Sorbet (this is my favorite pattern in the package!). I used the 2-1/2" circle punch for the bunny layer, and a sentiment from Delightful Dozen.

It's been a busy week with a 10-card class yesterday and a card club today. I am also working on a scrapbook for my Lions Club for the year!

As always, if you'd like to place an order, I'd love for you to do it through my Online Store at http://therubberroom.stampinup.net. If you use this hostess code, UYVJTBEV, you'll also be entered into my drawing for free Stampin' Up! product of your choice. Don't forget the Weekly Deals and the new Clearance Rack stuff, as well as a free Sale-a-Bration item from that catalog for every $50 you order. Thanks!

Cute and simple valentines

 

At my most recent American Ink team gathering, two of my downline brought valentines. Mary Ann brought the card above for a make and take. I love that it uses the small heart punch and there's a little bling with the rhinestone.

 

This card was brought as a swap by Frankie. I took a couple of photos. It was hard to photograph because the red heart layers "peek" through the Full Heart punched out of the front. I think the little embossed hearts look adorable, and love the addition of the small glimmer red heart by the words.

 

The sentiment for this card comes from the Delightful Dozen stamp set.

The next American Ink gathering will be Saturday, April 12, at 11 a.m.

Create a candle birthday card; guess what kind of dog

 

This is a great go-to birthday card for someone of the male persuasion, or someone who doesn't like a lot of fluff. I CASE'd the card from our SU! demo magazine, Stampin' Success.

 

The candle flame is a punched piece of Polka Dot designer paper adhered with a dimensional. The punch is the retired Blossom Petals. I cut a 1/2" x 3" piece of Venetian Romance designer paper for the candle body, then tied a bow using linen thread. The sentiment is from Delightful Dozen and is stamped in Early Espresso. I used a Crushed Curry marker to color in "You're How Old?" and use an oval framelit to diecut it. The oval was sponged with Early Espresso ink, and the front of the Crumb Cake card was embossing with the Perfect Polka Dots folder. There's a Pistachio Pudding layer behind the Very Vanilla too.

 

Don't forget that when you place an Online Order through my store at http://TheRubberRoom.stampinup.net by August 31 you become eligible to win the hostess benefits AND be entered into a drawing for a Pretty Print embossing folder if your order includes the Tag It stamp set, which benefits Ronald McDonald House Charities. Thanks!

 

I came across this brass dog letter opener at a garage sale this weekend. It's a nice, hefty weight and very solid. Here's a close-up of the dog:

 

So does it look like a retriever maybe? Or what kind of dog would you say it is? Leave a comment, please!







Decorate a Daisy for mom

 

I'm ready for a quick and easy card after spending the weekend listing all of the older stamp sets and other items I've posted here the past couple of days. This one uses the Decorate a Daisy stamp set. I used retiring colors River Rock and Riding Hood Red, along with a pattern from Fan Fair. The flower stamp is large - larger than the largest scallop circle punch Stampin' Up! carries, but I used it anyway. Then I stamped the circle stamp and used the 1-1/4" Circle punch to punch that out and adhered it with dimensionals. The sentiment is from Delightful Dozen and punched out using the largest oval punch. This was a design at my last 10-card class.

 

Keep an eye out for the list of Retiring Items on Wednesday, April 24. I'll be having another Mystery Hostess Party, since I have a class that night, so grab the code here - C4GYTTZP - and use it when you place an order online at my website (http://therubberroom.stampinup.net) so you will be in the drawing for the hostess benefits (minimum amount: $25!).

 

Enjoy the day! It's looking sunny and bright here.

Fabulous swaps from my American Ink team of demonstrators

 

Take Care was the stamp set I chose for my American Ink swaps this month. I had the idea to use the Woodgrain embossing folder on Pool Party Core'dinations paper (Spring Catalog - ends April 30!), sanding it so the woodgrain stands out. This is my tree trunk, then I stamped and cut out a limb, the nest and eggs separately, then adhered them over each other. The sentiment is from Take Care, as well. The only colors I used were Pool Party and Early Espresso inks. Now for the rest of my team's swaps:

 

 

Puddin' used the Forever Young stamp set with some spectacular sponging, Label Framelits and piercing, and a builder brad.

 

 

Mary Ann used a Best of Birthdays stamp, along with 2013 Sale-a-Bration items Sycamore Street dsp and button, and the Vine embossing folder.

 

 

Kim used Parker's Patterns dsp with Animal Talk and natural trim, as well as Windows Collection Framelits.

 

 

Ginette's swap used a handful of punches and the Fancy Fans embossing folder with Teeny, Tiny Wishes and rhinestones.

 

 

Butterflies ruled Frankie's Delightful Dozen and Papillion Potpourri swap with both sizes of butterfly punches and the scallop trim border punch.

 

 

Bonnie's pocket card hit four birthday candles and used the Best of Birthdays stamp set with the Modern Label and Scallop Trim border punches.

 

 

And finally, Barb A.'s beautiful swap used the Little Leaves Sizzlit with the Fancy Fan folder and Papillion Potpourri stamp set and coordinating small butterfly punch. Barb said she CASE'd this from fellow demo Deena Boos at My Home Grown Art.

 

My American Ink group gets together to stamp, eat, share business ideas, promotions, and stamping tips and tricks the second Saturday of every month at my studio at 11 a.m. Stray demos are always welcome. Please contact me if you need more information, at ericandterry@comcast.net. Thanks!











 



From a bunny butt to Easter Blessings, Happy Easter to you!

 

I hope you're enjoying a wonderful day. It was absolutely beautiful here. I got alot done - shopping for a big meal tomorrow, house cleaning, and more. I've been seeing these "bunny butt" cards, as I call them, on Pinterest and other blogs and had to join in the fun. I used the Woodgrain embossing folder on the Soft Suede card front, then used a variety of punches - 2-1/2" circle for the hole and bunny butt, wide oval for the feet, smaller oval for the pink part of the feet, and owl punch for the toes with the 1/2-circle for the heels. The sentiment is from the Delightful Dozen stamp set with a Subtles button with baker's twine. The sparkly pom-pom tail was purchased at a craft store years ago!

 



 

This Very Vanilla card was first embossed with the Framed Tulips folder, then sponged around with Elegant Eggplant ink. The Easter Blessings single stamp was also inked in eggplant, die-cut with an oval framelit, and adhered with dimensionals to Natural Composition paper, which already feels embossed. I added three flowers from Flower Trim after sponging them with eggplant.

 

If you'd like to purchase any of these products, please visit my Online Store at http://therubberroom.stampinup.net. Thanks!

Easter swaps highlight of American Ink gathering

 

This month's American Ink swaps were all about Easter. Mine, above, uses the single stamp Easter Blessings (Item 129183 for $8.95 in the Spring Catalog). I started with a Very Vanilla card and layered Wisteria Wonder and a Flower Garden Folder-embossed vanilla on that. I heat embossed the stamp in Whisper White ink and used the Oval Collections Framelits to diecut it. Final touches include the single flower from the flower trim, and ruffled Wisteria Wonder ribbon.

 



Frankie swap

Frankie's pink and brown card uses the Scallop Trim Border punch, Melon Mambo striped ribbon (Spring Catty), and Every Egg wheel.

Mary Ann swap

Mary Ann's Crumb Cake swap uses a pattern from the Print Poetry pad with a sentiment from Perfect Punches, and a flower from Secret Garden.



Ginette's swap

And Ginette's swap uses the Fancy Fan embossing folder, Oval framelits, Elegant Butterfly punch and basic rhinestones, and Spring Catalog items Secret Garden with coordinating framelits by the same name.

I decided to add Mary Ann's make and take too. I stamped the sentiment before adding the oval and realized I'd stamped it too high. Oops! It's really pretty, though. I love that she used Bright Blossoms stamps on this card. I haven't used that set since last summer, I think.

If you still have items on your Wish List, you may want to consider ordering by March 22 because that's when Stampin' Up!'s Sale-a-Bration ends! The countdown begins - you have 12 days left to get something FREE from the SAB brochure for every $50 you order. Best of all, you may order 24/7 thru my Online Store at http://TheRubberRoom.stampinup.net.

Lucky 13th week of pumpkin blog hop & $50 gift certificate

 

This is it! The 13th and final week culminating in Halloween on October 31. When you add your project (card, scrapbook page or 3d item) you'll automatically be entered into a drawing on Oct. 31 for a $50 Stampin' Up! gift certificate from me. If you don't already have my badge (shown below) on your blog, add it this week because that gets you an additional ticket in the drawing.

 

 

 

I chose the single stamp Frightening Feline for this week's card. I stamped the cat in Basic Gray ink, then used the color spritzer to add specks of Tangerine Tango. I love the glimmer brad in the middle of the natural wood button - I just inserted the legs of the brad into two of the button's four holes to hold it tight. The button and banner - which uses a sentiment from Delightful Dozen - are adhered with dimensionals.

 

 

I used this sketch from Try Stampin' on Tuesday Challenge #89. That challenge started Tuesday (if it wasn't obvious by the name of the blog!). *smile*

 

Just add your Halloween creation to the blog hop, along with the code near the bottom of each post. When you add the code to your blog while you are in the edit HTML mode, your readers can play along, leave comments, and view the samples right from YOUR blog!

Four Father's Day cards for your special guy(s)

Happy Father's Day to dads everywhere! I hope you have a wonderful day celebrating.

I hosted a class on Friday where we made four cards for Dad's Day/birthdays:

Best Dad Ever is a must-have set. In addition to the row of ties stamp, you get Thinking of You, Best Dad Ever, and Happy Father's Day stamps. For this card, I used markers to ink up the ties (Cherry Cobbler, Daffodil Delight, Island Indigo and Early Espresso), adding a popped-up tie in the middle. The designer paper is from the World Spectacular pack.

I Dig You has been a favorite stamp set of mine because my dad and brother own heavy equipment. When my brother was here visiting over the past couple of days, he said he saved the card I'd sent him using this stamp set for his birthday in March. I CASE'd this card from Jen at http://www.simpleandsincere.com. The Chocolate Chip ric-rac came from the Tasteful Trim die for the Big Shot.

Lovely as a Tree is a great all-around stamp set you may use for many occasions from birthdays and Father's Day to Christmas. I CASE'd this card from Chat at Me, My Stamps and I. I used the new Argyle folder on the Sahara Sand card stock, with Neutral dsp below. The blue is Pacific Point.

The fourth and final card at my class used the Petite Pennants Builder and 3/4" circle punches to create bow ties from Comfort Cafe dsp. The sentiment is from Delightful Dozen (page 140 of catalog). I CASE'd this card from LeeAnn Greff at Flowerbug's Inkspot, who had CASE'd it from Heather Klump at Downstairs Designs. I used a Pool Party marker to fill in the sentiment after it was stamped in Basic Black.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

It's a blue, blue time for Monkey Challenge #106

I'm feeling a little blue. Probably because A La Card Monkey has Challenge #106: Something Blue + Sketch. I used the water pump from Countryside, along with a sentiment from Delightful Dozen.

I love monochromatic cards! This one is Bashful Blue, with a 2-1/4" x 5-1/4" piece of Beau Chateau dsp. I punched three 1-3/4" Marina Mist circles and ran them through the Square Lattice Embossing Folder, then added a knot of scallop dotted ribbon. The water pump was stamped in Marina Mist on Bashful Blue card stock and punched with the 2-1/2" circle punch.

You can see the sketch I followed below:

Have a wonderful day!

He is Risen Elegant Bird die card for Easter

This card has an easy elegance, thanks to the Framed Tulips embossing folder, the white organza ribbon and the Elegant Bird die. I CASE'd this card from Lisa Young. It also uses a label framelit that I embossed with the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, a pearl, eyelet border punch, and designer brad. The "happy easter" is from the Delightful Dozen stamp set.

I hope you have a great day! I'll be prepping for my 10-card class before going to my son's student-led conference this afternoon.