Four Frames with Strength & Hope...

I really love this Paisley Petals dsp with the Four Frames and Strength & Hope stamp sets. All of these items are available to purchase tomorrow (Friday, April 1). Hope you're enjoying our last day of March! I have been!!!

Melon Mambo Strength & Hope...

I was playing with faux tearing and rock 'n' roll techniques with the Strength & Hope card above. I stamped the butterfly in Pretty in Pink and rolled it in Melon Mambo. After looking at the photos, I think I could've added more Melon Mambo around the edges of the butterfly. I added 2-way glue and Dazzling Diamonds glitter and a few rhinestones for lots of added bling. You can see a close-up photo below.

For the Faux Tearing Technique, you simply tear a piece of paper and lay it down over the Whisper White (in this case). Sponge Melon Mambo up to it. Then when you move the paper you see a torn edge without adding another paper layer! I sponged all over the left side after stamping the words repeatedly.

Strength & Hope will be available to purchase Friday, April 1, throughout the month. Two dollars from every set sold will benefit Breast Cancer research. Email me if you'd like to get this set!

Sneak peek: Four Frames and Paisley Petals dsp...

Here's a look at another of the stamps in the Four Frames set, available to customers April 1-31 when you first purchase $20 in SU! products. This stamp set and the Paisley Petals dsp will both be in the 2011-2011 Idea Book & Catalog, but you can purchase both next month! For this card, I used a Night of Navy marker on the bird and Cherry Cobbler on the frame before punching it out with the Decorative Label Punch. The card also uses Cherry Cobbler seam binding.

New! Four Frames stamp set and Forest Friends...

As a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, I get to pre-order items from upcoming mini catalogs and the main catalog. I just purchased the Four Frames stamp set, which is a set of four stamps that fit perfectly inside the Decorative Label Punch. You can see the adorable polka dots in the image behind the bunny from Forest Friends. The rest of the card uses Play Date dsp, Early Espresso card stock, and a greeting from Teeny, Tiny Wishes. You'll have an opportunity to purchase the Four Frames set next month with a $20 purchase. It's a stamp set that will be in the upcoming 2011-2011 Idea Book & Catalog. Forest Friends, by the way, is a stamp set you may select for FREE with a $50 purchase by March 31 during our Sale-a-Bration Event.

Create-a-Cupcake card on embossed Big Shot layers...

I thought I was finished posting for today, but then I remembered this card we made at Susie's workshop Friday night. It's Pretty in Pink and uses both the Create a Cupcake stamp set, wit and the Build a Cupcake punch. I ran some Early Espresso card stock through the Scallop Squares Duo die to get the 3" square background, then cut a 2-3/8" square piece of Whisper White and ran it through the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder. We stamped and punched the cupcake pieces and adhered them with dimensionals.

BIG SHOT NEWS!

Still on the fence about buying the Big Shot? Well, I'm here to push you off! What are you waiting for? If you buy it from me by March 31 (that's Thursday for those of you who may be on Spring Break), you'll be able to choose two items from the Sale-a-Bration Mini Catalog and receive a special gift from me! Just call or email me and I'll get your order placed. Okay, my infomercial is over. Have a great day!

A kid's birthday card with Fox & Friends...

Dani's club members made this birthday card this month. It uses the Fox & Friends stamp set, along with a greeting from So Happy For You (a Sale-a-Bration set you may select for FREE with a $50 purchase thru March 31). I CASE'd the idea from Lisa Young at http://addinkandstamp.blogspot.com/. I used a Vintage Tag for the ring (popping out the paper middle), and I ran the Curly Label cart pieces through the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder before adhering them to the Very Vanilla strip.

I hope you're enjoying your Sunday! I've got some sneak peek looks at a couple of new stamp sets coming up this week, so come back soon!!!

Simple cards you can make in minutes...

These are the five cards we made at my stamp-a-stack on Thursday. Everyone made two of each (it goes faster that way!). The top one uses the stamp set Homegrown. Below, A Flower for all Seasons (a set you may get FREE thru March 31 when you place a $50 order) and a sentiment from Trendy Trees with Sunny Garden dsp.

The birthday card features Bring on the Cake, from the Occasions Mini Catalog, with pompom trim, piercing and the Scallop Border Punch. I CASE'd it from the mini! Below, Just Believe with pearls in Garden Green and Perfect Plum. The dsp is from the Woodland Walk package.

These Whisper White cards use Early Espresso ink, the Scallop Trim Border Punch and a strip of Greenhouse Gala dsp. You can see the flip side below. The bunny is from The Nicest Things stamp set, along with the words above. The "Happy Easter" is from Teeny, Tiny Wishes.

Blossom Petals Punch for candle flames...

Some of my club members made this card this month. It uses the Blossom Petals Punch in a different way - for the Daffodil Delight flames on these candles. We used a sponge dauber in the daffodil ink to darken the center of each flame. I CASE'd the idea from http://anewinkonlife.typepad.com/, changing the candles to Celebrations dsp, and the ribbon to 1/4" Daffodil Delight grosgrain. I love the little cog (punch) with the jumbo silver brad, which calls attention to the Word Play "Wish Big" (one of my favorite stamps in that set). We also used the Blossom Petals Punch to make the little dip at the top of each candle! Love it!!!

It's time to walk with the animals in zoo theme challenge

I picked penguins for a zoo theme challenge at A La Card Monkey. They're fun to watch. And what makes the movie Madagascar are the crazy penguins. I love them! So here we go - a penguin pyramid on a Top Note with Play Date dsp and 1/8" Old Olive taffeta with a big red designer button on top. This close-up shows that I stamped and cut out the top penguin and stuck him on with dimensionals for added interest.

The penguin is from a retired Stampin' Up! set called Wild About You. I stamped the birds in Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive and Real Red. I also distressed the Whisper White Top Note with a Cutter Kit. Oh, and the "Happy Together" is from Family Phrases.

Sew Suite Fun Flowers card with buttons...

I love this card! It has so many great details - like the fabric brad, the Sweet Stitches dsp, the Sew Suite stamps, buttons and faux stitching. I'd love to take credit for it, but I CASE'd it from Jackie Topa. I used Early Espresso ink on everything except the thread, which is Old Olive. The Something to Celebrate banner is from the Petal Cone die, but was shortened to fit on the card. My favorite part is stamping Pattern Pieces onto Fun Flowers die-cut pieces of packing paper (that comes in every Stampin' Up! box). Talk about recycling!

Sweet Summer Tiny Teacup...

Some club members this month got to make this Marina Mist and Real Red card. It uses the Tiny Teacup single stamp, along with Sweet Summer, a set you may earn for free with a $50 order (by March 31). I CASE'd this card from Chat at http://memystampsandi.blogspot.com/. On my version, however, I dropped the brads and one of the ribbon loops.

So Happy for You with the owl punch...

Every once in awhile, I like to have the demonstrators in my group play a game. It helps break the ice, create bonds, and is just plain FUN! At our last meeting, I placed identical supplies in two totes and split the demos into two teams. Supplies included the Sale-a-Bration stamp set So Happy for You, and the owl punch. I pulled the colors off of the Color Coach. Everyone had to give input into the making of this card, preferably creating some part of it too. They had 10 minutes. I think they did a wonderful job! And yes, it was fun!!!

American Ink swaps from Easter Blossoms to A Slice of Life...

Kimberly's swap using Easter Blossoms and Lap of Luxury dsp

Frankie's swap with So Cute and Something to Celebrate

 

Karen's swap used Easter Blossoms and Thanks for Caring.

 

Mary Ann used Teeny, Tiny Wishes

Our newest team member (and already a senior associate!), Purple, created her swap using Clearly For You and Faux Tearing Technique.

Michelle offers a sneak peek of a new stamp set (Four Frames) and Paisley Petals dsp available through a special offer in April.

 

And when I posted the make & takes a few days ago, I forgot Mary Ann's! Sorry about that. It used the Finial Press embossing folder and A Slice of Life hostess set.

Fun Flowers die and Elements of Style sympathy card...

I really like the look of Very Vanilla and Basic Black together. It looks sophisticated and "clean." This was one of the stamp-a-stack cards at Ginette's a few days ago. We stamped the largest stamp from Elements of Style on each layer of the Fun Flower (Big Shot die), adding dimensionals with each layer, and finishing it with a Neutral designer button (black, of course). The flower is adhered over a ric-rac strip I cut using the Tasteful Trim die. Finally, the sentiment is from the Thoughts & Prayers stamp set.

Quick cards from Party This Way & Sweet Summer, to On The Green & Clearly For You...

I had a 10-card class yesterday with these quick and easy cards. Everyone made two of each design. The top card uses the Level 1 hostess set, A Slice of Life, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Something to Celebrate, and a Scallop Border Punch. The colors are Early Espresso and Marina Mist, with the onesie pieced from Elegant Soiree dsp.

This man card uses the single On The Green stamp, along with Woodland Walk dsp, Word Window Punch, and jumbo eyelet (added with the Crop-a-dile tool). The colors are Garden Green and Crumb Cake, and everyone could select sentiments from Teeny, Tiny Wishes.

This birthday card uses the Party This Way stamp set, as well as the In Color pad of paper and a Basic Black marker.

This Crumb Cake card uses the Clearly for You stamp set with Early Espresso ink and a piece of 1-1/4" Early Espresso grosgrain ribbon. Punches used include the Decorative Label and 2-1/2" Circle.

I love the bright colors of this Sweet Summer card. We stamped whichever words from So Happy for You, along with the stem and flowers from Sweet Summer in Basic Gray. Then we used an aqua painter with Old Olive and Tempting Turquoise to color the images, adding a bit of Daffodil Delight with a marker. The designer paper is from the Pawsitively Prints II pack.

Sew Suite sketch challenge

I chose an easy sketch for this Friday's Mashup! challenge #36 with two friends. I used the bright colors in the Sweet Stitches dsp and the Sew Suite stamp set, along with Melon Mambo pompom trim, silver brads and a gorgeous fabric brad (I even took a close-up photo so you can see the beauty and texture these brads bring to a project).

I used only Early Espresso ink. For the measuring tape, I stamped on Daffodil Delight card stock and cut out a length. I added the silver brads for the wheels on the dress form, and paper-pieced the dress form with another pattern in the Sweet Stitches dsp pack.

I used mini glue dots to adhere the pompom trim to the designer paper. The "thanks" is a stamp in Trendy Trees.

Awash with Flowers make & take

Barb brought the Awash with Flowers card above. I love that she used the crimper to add texture to the card front. The sentiment is from the Bold Blossom stamp set in the Occasions Mini.

Bliss card from Kimberly...

Kim made this beautiful card for me using the Bliss Sale-a-Bration stamp set and Sanded, in addition to Concord Crush and Crumb Cake. I love the distressed edges, the crochet trim and the Crystal Effects on the butterfly (see close-up below).

So Cute bunny for polka-dotted Easter card...

This morning, I'll be taking this card to swap at my American Ink team meeting. I started out using Mary Jo's sketch at http://technostamper.blogspot.com/, but lightened it by a couple of layers. I've included the sketch below so you can compare. I ran the Marina Mist layer through the Polka Dots embossing folder, cut a Top Note of Play Date dsp (the one with the big flowers on the bottom) and then cut that in half. The So Cute bunny is stamped in Basic Gray and colored in with a blender pen and Sahara Sand and Real Red inks, then I added an Itty Bitty punched Real Red flower with the largest rhinestone in the center. The Easter greeting comes from the Easter Blossoms stamp set. Have a wonderful Saturday!



From Easter Blossoms to Punch Bunch, more stamp-a-stack cards...

In addition to A Slice of Life card yesterday, these are the four other cards we made at my Spring Stamp-a-Stack last night. Above, Punch Bunch "For You" card with Greenhouse Gala dsp, CASE'd from Angie Juda. Below, Build-a-Cupcake Punch with Scallop Square Duo die for the Big Shot. The sentiment is from On Your Birthday.

Above, this Pear Pizzazz card uses First Edition dsp, the main image from Clearly You, and the sentiment from the Level 2 hostess set, Something to Celebrate. This was CASE'd from Angie Juda, though I changed the colors. Below, Easter Blossoms with Springtime Vintage dsp and pearls for the eggs in the basket. I borrowed this idea from Dawn Griffith.

Here's a quick shot of everyone doing their thing last night. I sit on this end on the right, and on the left, Kathy swung around so I didn't take a photo of her backside.

Sweet Stitches dsp for sketch challenge with FYI...

I'd love to have someone send me a card that says "you are awesome," wouldn't you? That sentiment is from the FYI stamp set. I made this card for a sketch challenge.

Stamps: FYI;

Ink: Early Espresso;

Paper: Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, Sweet Stitches dsp;

Accessories: 5/8" Very Vanilla satin ribbon, Tasteful Trim die (for scallop), Sweet Stitches Fabric Designer Brad.

A Slice of Life birthday card...

This is one of the cards we'll be making tonight at a 10-card class at my studio. It uses A Slice of Life hostess set (in the Occasions Mini), as well as a sentiment from So Happy For You (a stamp set you may get for FREE with a $50 purchase) with Real Red and Bashful Blue papers and markers. The cake and candles were stamped in Basic Gray.