Lovely As A Tree

I absolutely love this stamp set. I think that I have used this stamp set more than any stamp set I have. I use it for my Fall cards, Masculine cards, Winter cards.... I think this is one of those stamp sets that you look at it that you don't realize all the different things that you can do with it. I used it on this card for a technique class I did a while ago. The technique that I used for this card is called "Faux Leather". It is kinda fun to do. You take masking tape and tear small strips and attach them all over a piece of cardstock. I then took Really Rust, Chocolate Chip, and Close to Cocoa classic stamp pads and rubbed them over the top of the tape. I then took
Versamark and rubbed it all over the cardstock with tape pieces and sprinkled Clear Embossing Powder over the Versamark. I then took the heating tool and embossed it. That is what gives it that shiny look. The tree was stamped with Staz-On and then I water colored the tree and ground using Watercolor Pencils. I made the layout very simple since it took more time to do the Faux Leather background. The supplies that I used for this card were:

STAMP SET: Lovely As A Tree

PAPER: Chocoalte Chip, Really Rust, Whisper White

INK: Really Rust, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Black Staz-On

ACCESSORIES: Vintage Brads, 5/8" Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon, Water Color Pencils, Brush, Masking Tape

This stamp set has been around a long time but it is one that a lot of people go back to. Hopefully this stamp set will not retire when the Last Chance List from Stampin' Up is released on Monday.

Midnight Madness Card

The other day I was looking at some of the comments that were on my blog and there was one from Priscilla who had asked me to join her on her blog which does a "Midnight Madness" sketch challenge. You can check it out by using my side button for Midnight Madness. I had just worked myself up to going out of my comfort zone and try the Mojo Monday cards sketch challenges. And then to be asked to try another challenge I was unsure at first. But after thinking about it for a few minutes. I thought maybe adding another challenge to my retired schedule might be just the thing I need. I never did them before but after trying a few I find that it really gets my creative juices flowing. I am finding that I am enjoying them and they are helping me grow with my stamping. So today I am going to post this card for this week's challenge. I think I did okay for the first time with them. I looked at their cards on the site and they are beautiful. I hope that over time I can stretch my creativeness so that I can make cards as creative as they do. The supplies that I used for this card were:

STAMP SET: Friends 24-7
PAPER: Bella Birds Designer Paper, Whisper White, Pink Pirouette, Bordering Blue
INK: Close to Cocoa, Pink Pirouette, Barely Banana
ACCESSORIES: Eyelet Border Punch, Hodgepodge Silver Hardware, White Satin Ribbon, Linen Thread, Soft Subtle Buttons- Pink (retired)

I love the look of this card. It is so soft and not a loud card. The colors helped to give it a mellow feel. On the Whisper White cardstock, I took the damask stamp from the set and stamped the damask in Barely Banana and Pink Pirouette. I used the bird from the set and stamped over the damask using Close to Cocoa. I then sponged the edges with Close to Cocoa to make it look more weathered. That detail is so hard to see on the picture but I felt that without it, the card didn't look as old. Well I am excited about trying this new venture. I hope you enjoyed this card. Go and enjoy the rest or your day.

Mojo Monday 88

When I looked at the layout for this weeks challenge, I was completely stumped! I came up with all different stamp sets I could use but the papers I had did not seem to coordinate. Then I tried combining different papers and that did not seem to work. I am not good with my circle cutter yet. (I have to practice more) So I was at a loss to come up with something that was a larger circle than the punches I own. I decided to stop thinking of the circle as a circle and turn it into an object. My first attempt was making a Dahlia Fold flower for the circle but no luck there. For some reason I kept picking up this whimsical stamp set "BUGS AND KISSES" and then it came to me to make it into a magnifying glass. I had seen someone make a magnifying glass on SCS a couple of years ago and thought I would try it. And for some reason everything then fell into place. Sometimes cards are hard to some up with the right combinations and sometimes they fall into place easily. This one was a challenge to me and I am glad that I kept at it until I got one I liked. The supplies that I used for this card were:

STAMP SET: Bugs and Kisses

PAPER: Whisper White, Yoyo Yellow, Green Galore, Tempting Turquoise, Only Orange, Basic Black

INK: Tempting Turquoise, Green Galore

ACCESSORIES: Bold Brights Brads, 1 3/4" Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Word Window Punch, Dimensionals, Big Shot, Polka Dot Texturz Plate

Although this was not what I had in mind when I started, I like the finished product. I enjoy doing the Mojo Monday because it has made me think more and stretch myself. I like that my cards are not coming out all the same. And I have started to use stamp sets that I had not used for a while. This has been good for me. Go and enjoy the rest of your day!

This is a SQUASH BOOK. A few years ago my upline and about 4 of my sidelines went to a Regional Seminar. My sideline who lives in Massachusetts made each one of us a squash book. I still have it and every once in a while I think that I will make one but I never do. Well, the other day I received my order from Stampin' Up. It had my order of designer papers (I took advantage of the promotion which is going on right now) and I fell in love with BELLA BIRDS. I used this on another project which was posted a few days ago. I thought this was a perfect paper for a wedding. My daughter's best friend is getting married next month and I thought that this was perfect timing to make a squash book for her. So I got the one my sideline gave me and cased it. Thanks Cindy Rae! The first picture is a picture of the front of the book. The bird is part of the design on the paper and I thought it was perfect for the front cover for a wedding. The second picture shows you all the pages inside the squash book and what the book looks like all pulled out. You would place the pictures, where the white squares are. After you place the pictures where they belong, you fold the pages back into the book form. Tomorrow is the bridal shower. I know my daughter will take lots of pictures. I think that when the pictures are printed, I will take some, place them in the book and give it to her. I am sure she will like it. She loves handmade gifts! The supplies that I used for this were:

STAMP SETS: None

PAPER: Bella Birds DEsigner Paper, WHisper WHite

INK: None

ACCESSORIES: White Organdy Ribbon, Adhesive

Here is another way to use the beautiful Designer Papers that Stampin' Up has. And with the special May promotion going on right now. How perfect!

Mojo Monday Week 87

Well, I finally finished my Mojo Monday card. It took me a while until I put things together that I felt looked good. When I work it takes me a long time. I start out with one idea and then as I go, I eliminate some pieces, add others, change colors..... So it never ends up the way it starts out in my mind. I end up with so many pieces of things that do not end up in the card I started. This card has tiny details that are hard to see in the picture. The cherries on the cupcakes were colored with Real Red marker and then I put Crystal Effects on top of the cherries to make them shiny. The cupcake papers were not colored in with marker but were stamped onto designer paper and then cut out and glued onto the stamped image. The icing on the cupcakes are sprinkled with Dazzling Diamonds. All in all, I think I am happy the way the card turned out. Here are the supplies that I used:

STAMP SETS: Crazy for Cupcakes, A Little Birdie Told Me
PAPER: Pacific Point, Green Galore, Whisper White, Apricot Appeal, Rainbow Sherbet
INK: Black Staz-On, Pacific Point
ACCESSORIES: 1- 3/4" Circle Punch, Scallop Edge Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, 1-3/8" Circle Punch, Cupcakes Wheel, Crystal Effects, Real Red Marker, Dazzling Diamonds

After I post this, I am going to finish cards that were leftover from last night's class. I always cut a few more to make sure I have enough. Afterwards I make what I have left over. That way I will always have cards on hand in case I need any. Go and enjoy your day!

Baby Girl

I have been trying to come up with designs for baby cards for a while now. Although it seems that my friends are all having boy babies, I figure sooner or later someone has to have a girl. So being a person who wants to be prepared, I started working on these cards last week. I used a similar layout for a boys card last week but changed the colors and used different designer paper. I still used "WILD ABOUT YOU" stamp set but used Pretty in Pink Classic ink. The designer paper is "TEA PARTY". I used this paper a lot for my Easter cards and Mother's Day cards. I absolutely love the spring like colors. I used a Texturz Plate with Barely Banana cardstock for the top right hand corner because I could not find a pattern in the color that I wanted to go along with the papers I already had chosen. I think that using the Texturz plate in a color that coordinated with what I already had works well. I really like this card. It has a soft, cuddly, and girly feel to it. The supplies that I used for this card were:

STAMP SETS: Holidays and Wishes, Wild About You

CARDSTOCK: Whisper White, Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink, Barely Banana, Tea Party Designer Paper

INK: Pretty in Pink

ACCESSORIES: Eyelet Border Punch, Oval Scallop Punch, Large Oval Punch, 5/8" Pink Grosgrain Ribbon, Big Shot, Eyelet Texturz Plate

I thought it was a quick and easy baby card. Just swap more boy colors and patterns if you want to do this card for a baby boy. I have to go and work on wedding cards now. My oldest daughter's best friend is getting married and I want to make a special card for her. Enjoy the rest of day!

Explosion Card

This is a card that we made in m technique classes in February. I found the tutorial for this card on Dawn's Stamping Thoughts blog and thought it was really neat. Although it looks very difficult to make, it is easy to do once you figure it out. I used to do Origami with my Kindergarten and First grade classes and the fold seemed very similar. I used "FLOWER FANCY" stamp set and the versatile "RASPBERRY TART" Designer Paper. I think it is a really cute card and one to give to a special friend or relative. The supplies that I used for this card were"

STAMP SETS: All Holidays, Flower Fancy

CARDSTOCK: 12' x 12" Whisper White, Kiwi Kiss, Raspberry Tart Designer Paper

INK: Cameo Coral, Rose Red Kiwi Kiss

ACCESSORIES: Kiwi Kiss/Very Vanilla Satin Ribbon, Adhesive

I love making different cards. Ones with different folds or anything that makes them a little more special. I think when people recieve a card that they see took a little more time, it makes them feel even more special. A reminder that this card was also used with Designer Paper which is on special until the end of May. If you want to see more information about this promotion, click on the May Promotion icon on the side of the blog. Have a great day!