One More Valentine

Here's the Valentine I mentioned yesterday.  It uses the Confetti Hearts Border Punch as an actual border.  It also uses the Sealed with Love stamp set and matching Love Notes Framelits Dies from the Occasions Catalog )p. 14-15.)  I also used the Sending Love Designer Series Paper Stack (also on p.15 of the OC) which has a great collection of Real Red and Whisper White designs to choose from.  I had a difficult time deciding which ones to use!

Thanks so much for visiting the Blog this week and allowing me to share my Valentine projects with you.  Hope to see you again sometime!

Stamps: Sealed with Love
Ink: Real Red, Basic Black Archival Ink
Paper: Real Red, Whisper White, Gold Foil Paper, Sending Love Designer Series Paper Stack
Accessories: Confetti Hearts Border Punch, Big Shot, Love Notes Framelits Dies, Mini Glue Dots, Stampin' Dimensionals, SNAIL Adhesive

Ooh! Bear!

My parents always tell the story about my first trip to the zoo as a 2-year-old.  As they tell it, they were pushing my twin brother and me in our stroller and rounded a corner next to the Bear's Habitat.  Apparently, I stood up completely in the stroller, pointed at the wonderful animals and said "Ooohhh!! Bears!!!"  However things happened that day, I have to admit I've always had a soft spot for Bears.  And I love to make Valentines with animals on them, too.  So that's the inspiration for today's card.

This Bear is from the Bear Hugs stamp set in the Annual Catalog (p. 107, to be exact).  He's stamped on Crumb Cake card stock in Soft Suede Ink and cut out using the Bear Hugs Framelits.  He's popped up with dimensionals in front of a Blushing Bride Heart that's cut from the Sweet and Sassy Framelits Dies.  Again, I used the sentiment from the Sealed with Love Stamp Set (Occasions Catalog p. 15).  I attached a few red hearts leftover from a Confetti Hearts Border that I punched on another card (check back tomorrow to see the card!)   The Soft Suede background piece is run through the Big Shot using the Hexagons Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (see p. 47 in the OC).  I love the deep dimension this folder gives a background.  It creates a bit of an optical illusion if you look at it just right.  I hope you've enjoyed this week of Valentines.  We have one more tomorrow, so be sure to stop in and see how I used the Confetti Hearts Border Punch.  Thanks for taking the time to read through.  See you soon.

Stamps: Bear Hugs, Sealed with Love
Ink: Soft Suede, Blushing Bride, Crumb Cake
Paper: Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Whisper White, Real Red, Blushing Bride
Accessories: Big Shot, Hexagons Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Bear Hugs Framelits Dies, Sweet and Sassy Framelits Dies, Confetti Hearts Border Punch, Stampin' Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots, SNAIL Adhesive.

A Break from Tradition...

Every so often I need to break away from traditional Holiday color schemes and go a bit rogue.  When you have a color palette that includes Sweet Sugar Plum and Emerald Envy, why not?  Even better to pair them with an adorable Monster (Yummy in My Tummy, p. 16 in the Occasions Catalog.)  This makes a really quick and easy Valentine Card.  The string of hearts are from Sealed with Love stamp set (p. 15 in the OC).  I stamped them twice in Black Ink on Sweet Sugar Plum card stock and cut them out using the matching Love Notes Framelits dies.  Such a fun-loving Monster must be artistic, so I chose a brushstroke-like background paper from the Playful Palette Designer Series Paper Stack (p. 174 in the AC).  I can picture the creative chaos now!

The Valentine's sentiment is from the January 2017 Paper Pumpkin Kit Adoring Arrows.  It fits perfectly inside a circle or in a Monster Tummy.

Enjoy your Wednesday!

Stamps: Yummy In My Tummy, Sealed With Love, Adoring Arrows (Paper Pumpkin)
Ink: Sweet Sugar Plum, Basic Black Archival Ink
Paper: Sweet Sugar Plum, Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Playful Palette Designer Series Paper
Accessories: Big Shot, Love Notes Framelits Dies, 2016-2018 In-Color Enamel Shapes (Emerald Envy)

Valentine Fun Continues

This is another of the Valentines we're doing in today's (Mostly) First Tuesday Card Making Class.  I really like the Falling Petals Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (p. 51 in the Occasions Catalog) for Valentines.  I know, the name says "Petals"  however, they sure look like hearts to me!  Very fitting for this simple Valentine.  The sentiment is from the Sealed with Love Stamp Set (OC p. 15) in case you wondered.

The little dangle of hearts is actually very simple to make.  I used the Confetti Hearts Border Punch on a piece of Blushing Bride Glimmer Paper.  One punch gives you 8 large hearts.  I used 6 of them to make the dangle.  Place a glue dot on one and lay a piece of Whisper White Bakers Twine (the thinner one works best) on top and add a second heart on top with another glue dot if you want to secure it on top of the first.  Space two more of the pairs of hearts evenly down the twine and then secure the twine to the Whisper White Organza Ribbon that is across the card front.  Thanks for stopping in today.

Stamps: Sealed with Love
Ink: Rose Red
Paper: Whisper White, Pink Pirouette, Rose Red, Blushing Bride Glimmer Paper
Accessories: Big Shot, Falling Petals Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Layering Circles Framelits Dies, Sweet and Sassy Framelits Dies, Confetti Hearts Border Punch, Whisper White Bakers Twine, Whisper White Organza Ribbon, Mini Glue Dots, Stampin' Dimensionals, Snail Adhesive

More Expressions of Love

Here's another Valentine card.  This time, I used the Jar of Love stamp set and it's matching Everyday Jars Framelits Dies.  Rose Red and Pink Pirouette make the seasonal colors a bit softer and I added the "Love" from the Sunshine Wishes Thinlits Dies for visual interest.  This same card layout could be used for many different occasions.  A friend and I recently designed a card that used shamrocks instead of the hearts.  That has wonderful possibilities for Saint Patrick's Day cards.  I can also see putting small flowers falling into the jar and sending it as a Get Well Soon card.  Here's what I used:


Stamps: Jar of Love
Ink: Pink Pirouette, Rose Red, Basic Black Archival Ink
Paper: Whisper White, Pink Pirouette, Rose Red, Basic Black
Accessories: Big Shot, Everyday Jars Framelits Dies, Sweet and Sassy Framelits Dies, Sunshine Wishes Thinlits Dies, Mini Glue Dots, Fine Tip Glue Pen, SNAIL Adhesive

Valentine Preview!

Many of you know that I teach a card making class one Tuesday a month in our area.  Here is one of the cards we'll be making in our February class "Valentines and Cards of Love"  How about a bright Red and White "Love You Lots" card to bring a smile to someone's face?  I have seen lots of samples with the Sealed With Love Bundle from the Occasions catalog, and I really love them all.  This is my take on a card using the products in the Sending Love Suite (see pg. 14-15 in the OC).  The Love Notes Framelits have so many fun shapes to play with.  I'm sure you'll see many more of them in the next month.  The Designer Series Paper is from the Sending Love Designer Series Paper Stack.   Lots of options with this set of products.  Thanks for visiting.

Stamps: Sealed With Love (p. 15 OC)
Ink: Basic Black, Real Red
Paper: Whisper White, Real Red, Sending Love Designer Series Paper Stack
Accessories: Big Shot, Love Notes Framelits Dies, White Bakers Twine, Fine Tip Glue Pen, Mini Glue Dots, SNAIL Adhesive.

Welcome to the Scot's Tour at the Curling Club

More Gift Bags to welcome visitors to the Curling Club this week.  This is the Bag I designed for the visit of the Scot's Tour which rolls into our Club on Wednesday this week.  I really enjoy making these bags (as you probably can tell from my past posts).  The Scot's Tour is a group of curlers from Scotland who are visiting the US and doing a lot of curling at many different clubs around the country.  I hope we provide them with a fun time at Potomac.  The bags were great fun to make using a combination of Stampin' Up! products, fabric and some printed logos.  I had to include my curling stone stamp that I made years ago (yes, it's still going strong!)  The "thistle" was made using the single stem from the Flourish Thinlits Dies paired with the sawtooth-edged circle from the Baker's Box Thinlits Dies cut down to make the blossom. Not bad for improvising.  The banner is from the Banners For You Stamp Set and Bunch of Banners Framelits Dies.  Welcome and Good Curling to all visiting and curling today!

Stamps: Banners for You, handmade curling stone
Ink: Real Red, Pacific Point, Basic Gray marker
Paper: Emerald Envy, Lavender Lace (retired), Whisper White, Basic Black
Accessories: Big Shot, Flourish Thinlits, Baker's Box Thinlits, Bunch of Banners Framelits, Squares Collection Framelits (retired), Tartan Fabric (unknown source), Fast Fuse Adhesive, Stampin' Dimensionals

Birthday Bonanza, Part 2!

As I mentioned yesterday, my Mom's birthday is two days after my Dad's.  I was lucky enough to have time to spend with both of them on their special days.  Mom turned 86 this year and she always enjoys a card.  For this card, I used the Detailed Dragonfly Thinlits dies and the Butterfly Basics Stamp Set.  Colors are Pear Pizzaz, Tip Top Taupe, and Delightful Dijon.  The ribbon on the card is the retired Tip Top Taupe Lace Ribbon.  I'm still trying to "use what I have" as often as possible.  I think this card would work with many different sentiments.  I think that's why I like these sets so much.  Have a wonderful Tuesday!

Stamps: Butterfly Basics
Ink: Pear Pizzaz, Tip Top Taupe
Paper: Whisper White, Tip Top Taupe, Delightful Dijon
Accessories: Detailed Dragonfly Thinlits Dies, Big Shot, Metallic Enamel Shapes, Mini Glue Dots, Tip Top Taupe Lace Trim (retired)

Birthday Bonanza!

This past week, my Dad turned 90!  What a milestone.  It was great to be able to share it with him.  He's amazing.  Likes walking, researching our family history and baking.  Since my Mom's birthday is two days after his, he made her a cake, too.  I hope I'm still baking things for people when I'm 90.

Anyway, a special day deserves a special card, so here's the card I made.  It's a large one, measuring 5-1/2" x 8-1/2".  I used the wonderful new Cake Crazy stamp set from the Occasions Catalog (p. 7) plus the cake stand image from Build a Birthday (p. 25 in the Annual Catalog).  The "90" is die cut from a retired Sizzlit Alphabet set from a long time ago.  Any larger size numbers would do.  Color scheme was mostly the Brights, plus Cucumber Crush and Crushed Curry.  I even stamped on the inside of the card which looked like this:  I used the Stylized Birthday (p. 16 in the AC) and the Letters for You stamp set (p. 137 in the AC).

Again, I stayed with a brighter color scheme.  Because the card is so large, I needed an envelope to match.  Luckily, the Envelope Punch Board (AC p. 184) came to my rescue as did the Star Blast Edgelits Dies (OC, p. 11)  and the Large Letters Framelits Dies (AC p. 193).  The stars are the cut-outs from the Star Blast Edgelits.  Just used them up as decorations on the Envelope.  The Oval is from the retired Ovals Collection Framelits, but any shape behind the letters would work.  Many thanks for visiting today.  Enjoy!

Stamps: Cake Crazy, Build a Birthday, Stylized Birthday, Letters for You
Ink: Versamark, Tempting Turquoise, Crushed Curry, Cucumber Crush, Real Red, Bermuda Bay, Tangerine Tango, Rich Razzleberry, Pacific Point, Daffodil Delight
Paper: Whisper White, Tempting Turquoise, Cucumber Crush, Pacific Point, Real Red, Envelope Paper 2015-2017 (retired, but you could use this year's paper from p. 176 AC), Daffodil Delight,

Accessories:  Silver Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Big Shot, Large Letters Framelits Dies, Star Blast Edgelits Dies, Ovals Collection Framelits (retired), SNAIL Adhesive

A message we all have in common...

What a weekend!  I had the honor of spending time with people from many different places with many wonderful ideas the past few days.  I saw old friends and made some new ones.  (Thanks Marlene, Tonya, Shari, Alex, and Ann!)  I hope that those of you visiting this blog today and the rest of the week had as wonderful a weekend.  Whether you spent time making your voice heard, taking action or celebrating, I hope you all had experiences to treasure.  I know I did. The one thing I think we all value from this weekend is the need for Kindness in the world today.  I shared these pins with my friends and now share a photo and the recipe with the blog-o-sphere, as well.  Let's all find some ways to "Be Kind" this week!  Thanks for visiting.  Enjoy.

Stamps: Layered Letters Alphabet, Crazy About You, Project Life by Stampin' Up! Point & Click (retired)
Ink: Pacific Point, Real Red, Versamark
Paper: Whisper White, Cardboard (or Chip Board)
Accessories: Big Shot, Hearts Framelits Dies (retired), Heat Tool, Pewter Stampin' Emboss Powder (retired), hot glue gun, pin backing

Elegance for a Birthday Card

Here's an elegant take on the Coloring Book craze.  Best thing about this one is that you can get it for FREE!!!  As I mentioned earlier in the week, there is a Sale to Celebrate or should I say Sale-a-brate?  Yes, it's Sale-a-bration time at Stampin' Up! and that means a select collection of products are FREE with a qualifying order.  That's where I got the floral paper on this card.  It's a piece of the Inside the Lines Designer Series Paper.  This beautiful paper is perfect for using the new Watercolor Pencils.  It's thick enough to withstand a bit of water (either from a Blender Pen or an Aqua Painter) and also works with the plain pencils and markers.  They also get a little shimmery blend using the Clear Wink of Stella (p. 181 AC)  The best thing is, when I purchased the Dragonfly Dreams bundle (stamp set and dies, see Tuesday's post) and the Watercolor pencils together on an order, the paper was Free! Here's what I used on this card.  Hope you have a great weekend!


Stamps: Dragonfly Dreams (p. 26 OC)
Ink: Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry
Paper: Whisper White, Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry, Inside the Lines Designer Series Paper (p. 11 Sale-a-bration Brochure)
Accessories: Big Shot, Detailed Dragonfly Thinlits Dies, Watercolor Pencils, Blender Pens, Wink of Stella Clear, Pearls Basic Jewels

Hugs all around!

Nothing says Happy Birthday like a big Hug!  And this one is so cute!  I love the monster.  He's from the Yummy in My Tummy stamp set on page 16 of the Occasions Catalog.  I stamped him in Early Espresso Ink on a piece of Kraft cardstock (see page 175 of the Annual Catalog).  Then I used the new Watercolor Pencils (p.24 of the Occasions Catalog) to give that fuzzy look.  I layered some circles from the Layering Circles Framelits Dies to fill his Tummy.  And I added a heart from the In Color Enamel Shapes.  Birthday! is stamped in Emerald Envy ink.  It's from the Window Shopping stamp set on p. 43 (OC).  Thanks for stopping by today!

Stamps: Yummy In My Tummy (OC), Window Shopping (OC)
Ink: Early Espresso, Emerald Envy
Paper: Whisper White, Early Espresso, Emerald Envy, Kraft Cardstock (AC)
Accessories: Big Shot, Layering Circles Framelits Dies, Watercolor Pencils,  2016-2018 In Color Enamel Shapes, Stampin' Dimensionals

When software causes delays...

What a week!  I've been trying to get this blog post written for over a week now.  However, my laptop had other ideas.  Here it is almost 2 weeks into the month and there's a new catalog and a BIG sale to celebrate and what happens?  Technology...ah we love it and we love to complain about it.  Well, I think my particular issue is fixed now, so here are some fun projects using the New products from the Occasions Catalog.

 Let's start with my favorite Bundle of the Occasions Catalog.  Found on page 26, it's the amazing Dragonfly Dreams Stamp Set and Detailed Dragonfly Thinlits Dies.  They really are as beautiful as all of the samples you see on Pinterest and elsewhere.  In this card, I've paired one of the detailed Thinlits with the Serene Scenery Designer Series Paper Stack (p. 174 in the Annual Catalog.)  The background stamping is from Timeless Textures and the sentiment comes from a carry-over favorite from the Holiday Catalog: Basket of Wishes.  A few of the Metallic Enamel Shapes ad a bit of bling to to card.

Stamps: Timeless Textures, Basket of Wishes
Ink: Old Olive, Delightful Dijon
Paper: Whisper White, Old Olive, Delightful Dijon, Serene Scenery Designer Series Paper Stack
Accessories: Big Shot, Detailed Dragonfly Thinlits Dies, Metallic Enamel Shapes