A bit of blocking for the Divas

It's inspiration challenge day to day on the Divas blog. You should check it out.

When I saw the blocks, I new I wanted to share the card I had made for one of my classes:

I started off with a Gumball Green base (I made variations in More Mustard and Raspberry Ripple too) and added a layer of Whisper White, onto which I stamped the sentiment.

The images from Merry Minis were stamped and punched. They were added to 1" squares which were then added to the Postage Stamp punched squares. I attached the squares to the card front using Dimensionals (of course!)

What do you think?

STAMPS: Merry Minis, Petite Pairs
INK: Gumball Green, More Mustard, Raspberry Ripple
PAPERS: Whisper White and Gumball Green Cardstock
ACCESSORIES: Punches, Stampin' Dimensionals

Happy Stampin'!

A little Aviary for the Creative Crew

When I first saw this card, it practically imprinted itself on my brain! Of course, now that I want to share my version of it with you, I can't remember for the life of me where I first saw it. *sigh* This getting old business is NOT for sissies! Please let me know if this card idea was originally yours, because I wholeheartedly believe in giving credit where credit is due.

Our "global" theme this month at the Creative Crew is "sewing" in some way. You can expect to see a lot of projects in the Creative Crew gallery at SplitCoast and on my blog that will use fabric, the paper piercer and paper piercing pack, linen thread (must remember to order more!) and other things related to thread and sewing.

Within the global theme, we also create projects with a "focus". Today's project focuses on "fall" or "autumn" if you prefer.

I just LOVE fall - the colours, the beauty, the temperature, the fact that I can wear sweaters, etc. Yes, it's true. I'm a sweater JUNKIE! There was a time when if I brought home a sweater, DH would make me donate TWO to goodwill. It was THAT bad!

Here are my fall cards:

Now, I know that blue isn't traditionally a fall colour, but I just loved the look of Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip and Not Quite Navy together. Plus, the colour coach said it was a good idea. And really, you can't argue with the colour coach. See why here.

In this up close shot of the sentiment (from Petite Pairs), you can see I went a little nuts with the Colour Spritzer tool. I particularly like using the Colour Spritzer on Very Vanilla Cardstock, because it almost looks like our Naturals White Cardstock, which I'll be featuring in a later post. So, be on the lookout for that!

Yes, my little bird friend (as well as this cage) is fussy cut. You'll remember how much I LOVE doing this (NO sarcasm inserted here - LOL!) from this post...and this one too. It's no secret that I'm a fussy cutting freak and that fussy cutting is my "happy place".

THAT is great news for you! Why? Because if you come to any of my classes in which fussy cutting cutting is involved, I do it all for you! Some of my students might tell you that I'm fibbing because, on RARE occasions, I make them do it for themselves. That doesn't happen often though!

I'm sure you've noticed how straight and perfectly placed the cages are. No? Go ahead and look at the first picture again. I'll wait here...

I used my stamp-a-majig for stamping all the cages so I could get them "just so". If you don't own a stamp-a-majig, I suggest you attend one of my classes. It will quickly become your best friend as it's ideal for two step stamping and scene creation.

What do you think?

STAMPS: Aviary, Petite Pairs
INK: Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip, Not Quite Navy, Riding Hood Red
PAPERS: Very Vanilla, Not Quite Navy, Riding Hood Red
ACCESSORIES: Punches, Colour Spritzer, Stamp-a-majig, Stampin' Dimensionals

Happy Stampin'!

Inspired by Lyssa

Today's card was inspired by my dear friend, the lovely and talented Lyssa Zwolanek. Lyssa had a piece published in Stampin' Success (yes, it's THAT magazine again!) that she submitted for the Art Contest and this card is a result of my interpretation.

Check it out!

I started off with a little note card - SUCH a FUN size! - and then decided on a layer of Crumb Cake Cardstock around which to wrap my buttons.

I started off stringing the buttons on a L-O-N-G piece of Whisper White Bakers Twine and then wrapped the buttoned twine around the Crumb Cake layer. When I had all the buttons where I wanted them, I tied a knot in the back and attached the buttons with glue dots so they wouldn't move around.

Before attaching the layer to the card, I added the sentiment from Petite Pairs stamped in Night of Navy.

Here's a close up of the NEW (from the 2012-2013 Catalogue) wood look buttons:

Is that not the CUTEST? They come in three sizes/styles and are just $6.95 (#127554).

What do you think?

STAMPS: Petite Pairs
INK: Night of Navy
PAPERS: Whisper White Notecards; Crumb Cake Cardstock
ACCESSORIES: Buttons, Bakers Twine

Happy Stampin'!

Best Wishes

Today's card is brought to you courtesy of Stampin' Success!

What *IS* Stampin' Success you ask? Well, it's the EXCLUSIVE demonstrator magazine that gets delivered to my mailbox EVERY month as just one of the demonstrator perks I receive.

I decided that I liked one of the cards enough to CASE it. Wanna see?

I started off with a Baja Breeze base and added a piece of the Twitterpated Designer Series Paper to it. The next step was the Pear Pizzazz "flag" onto which I tied a length of linen thread.

Then it was time for the sentiment. I stamped one of the Four Frames onto Whisper White cardstock using Island Indigo Ink and then I added the sentiment from Petite Pairs in Baja Breeze. I stamped it a little off centre (OOPS!), so I added the two Riding Hood Red flowers embellished with Basic Pearls.

Did you notice that pierced pattern around the sentiment? Pretty neat, eh??

I used the new Paper Piercing Pack and TRUST ME on this one - YOU want it! It has ALL kinds of patterns for piercing, including shapes (like the one above) and circles! It's fantastic! And...I'll let you in on a little secret...there's ANOTHER pack coming in the HOLIDAY Catalogue available on August 1st. Yeah...it's gonna be a great year!

Would you like to get a Stampin' Success magazine in YOUR mailbox every month? I can make that happen! All you have to do is join my team!!! But DON'T do it now! WAIT! If you join my team on August 1st, you'll get everything you need to do this:

Is that not the CUTEST thing EVER??

Each and EVERY new demonstrator that joins my team in August will receive this complete kit (everything but the ink) and will get to join me and the rest of my team at a special demonstrator ONLY event where we'll create it TOGETHER!

What do you think?

STAMPS: Four Frames, Petite Pairs
INK: Baja Breeze, Island Indigo
PAPERS: Whisper White, Baja Breeze, Certainly Celery and Riding Hood Red Cardstock; Twitterpated DSP
ACCESSORIES: Linen Thread, Punches, Basic Pearls, Mat Pack, Paper Piercer, Stampin' Dimensionals

Happy Stampin'!

CAS...what??

Earlier this week as I was creating like a crazy person using the AWESOME Dynamic Duos colours, Melissa left a comment on this post thanking me for joining the challenge this week at CASology. You can imagine how that led to a little confusion since I hadn't even HEARD of CASology. Of course, I had to check it out and - FUN!!!

I was able to join in on their FIRST challenge and here's what I created:

I knew I wanted to use a "sun" and the ONLY one I have is from Every Little Bit. I was going to do ALL the suns in Daffodil Delight, but then I decided it would be more fun to do them in different colours. Would you agree?

So, I stamped one in Daffodil Delight, then the next in 1/2 Daffodil Delight and 1/2 Tangerine Tango and so on...

And then, to dress things up a bit, I added the bow from Daffodil Delight Seam Binding.

Since the sun was smiling, I decided to add the sentiment from Petite Pairs.

What do you think?

STAMPS: Every Little Bit, Petite Pairs
INK: Daffodil Delight, Tangerine Tango, Cajun Craze, Riding Hood Red
PAPERS: Whisper White Note Cards
ACCESSORIES: Daffodil Delight Seam Binding

Happy Stampin'!

Mary Brown CASE get a Dynamic Makeover

I've had this AWESOME card by Mary Brown sitting in my inbox for about a month now and this weeks Dynamic Duo colours seemed like the PERFECT time to CASE the card.

Rich Razzleberry and Old Olive are such a fantastic BOLD and BRIGHT colour combination. I'll probably be using them a few more times this week. *grin*

Since this card is a CASE, I started off with the same colour card base as Mary did, Whisper White. I ran the base through the Big Shot using the Tulip Frame Embossing Folder and then added the second layer of Whisper White which was adhered to the card base using Stampin' Dimensionals.

And you KNOW I had to fussy cut all the bits and pieces that I added to the card, right?? Although...the leaves/bird are not all THAT fussy compared to the little balloon tails on this card from last week.

The finishing touch was the Rich Razzleberry flowers punched using the four petal flower from the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack adorned with Basic Rhinestones.

What do you think?

STAMPS: Betsy's Blossoms, Petite Pairs
INK: Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive
PAPERS: Whisper White Cardstock
ACCESSORIES: Punches, Stampin' Dimensionals, Basic Rhinestones

Happy Stampin'!

Simple Sympathy

I don't know about you, but for me, a sympathy card has to be simple and elegant. For today's card, I chose Reason to Smile (available ONLY in July!). It's not that a sympathy card IS a Reason to Smile, I just think the images lend themselves to simple and elegant.

Want to see?

I stamped the outline in Garden Green and Cajun Craze and then filled it in with Tangerine Tango and Wild Wasabi.

I FINALLY bought Petite Pairs (I KNOW! What took me so long!) and used that sentiment and Wild Wasabi Ink to add it to the front of the card.

I added several wraps of Whisper White Bakers Twine.

Here's the inside:

No doodling here!

I don't know about you, but I find it MUCH easier to make a sympathy card when I DON'T need one. The reality is that sympathy cards are a necessity and I'd much rather make one ahead of time than have to think about making one when I (sadly) really need it.

We made this card and a spot-lighted card at my FIRST EVER Canadian Blossoms Team Meeting on Saturday evening. There were only a few of us, but we had a WONDERFUL time! If you ask nicely, maybe I'll share the spotlight card with you soon... :)

If the card looks a little smaller to you, it's because this is a Stampin' UP! notecard. The notecards (AND envies!) come in a pack of 20 (each) for just $7.50. You can't beat that!

And don't forget! The "Reason to Smile" stamp set is ONLY available until July 31st! You can get it for just $5 with an order of $60. You KNOW you want it! :)

What do you think?

STAMPS: Reason to Smile, Petite Pairs
INK: Cajun Craze, Garden Green, Wild Wasabi, Tangerine Tango
PAPERS: Whisper White Note Cards
ACCESSORIES: Baker's Twine

Happy Stampin'!