DIY Paper Creations

Pals Paper Arts Challenge 38

 

This week we have another wonderful sketch done by fellow Pals Paper Arts Design Team member Margaret Moody!  Her sketch called for a trio of images and the first stamp set that came to mind was Eastern Blooms.  It’s kind of difficult to see in the photo, but I dry embossed each of the flowers using the Stampin’ Up! Classy Brass Floral Frenzy template which is made to coordinate with the Eastern Blooms stamp set.  There’s also a sneak peek of a new stamp set on this card ~ the sentiment is part of the Watercolor Trio which is in the new Summer Mini catalog and will be available on May 1st. 

 

  

DO IT YOURSELF TIPS!

 

·     Use Stampin’ Up! punches to quickly punch out perfect squares every time.

·     When I use a darker color as my card base I usually stamp a coordinating image on a piece of lighter paper and adhere that to the inside of the card so the message that I write is easier to read.

·     When is doubt just about any color coordinates with Basic Black and makes a striking combination.

  

 

Click here to order Stampin’ Up! product online 24/7!

Stamp sets:  Eastern Blooms (111626) and Watercolor Trio (117050 wood mount, 120084 clear mount Summer Mini catalog)

Paper:  Rose Red, Basic Black and Whisper White card stock; Rose Red Patterns Designer Series Paper

Ink:  Jet Black StazOn; Rose Red Classic Ink and Rose Red and Always Artichoke Stampin’ Write markers

Gear:  1 1/4” Square punch (104400), Large Oval punch (107305), Scallop Oval (114889), Classy Brass Floral Frenzy template (111807), Light Table, 102888), Empressor Stylus (100716), Paper Piercing Tool (116631) and Mat Pack (105826)

Bling: Black Vintage Brads (109109) and Black Gingham Ribbon (104832)

 

 

 

 

A Peek at the New Summer Mini and The Farewell Tour Begins

 

 

With everything that I have going on right now (my husband is still having health issues related to the staph infection that he developed a month ago) I decided to go back home to my card making roots – the Clean and Simple card for this week’s Pals Paper Arts challenge ~ PPA37.  When I looked at the new Summer Mini and was pondering which sets to buy there was one set that I knew I “had to have”…Bouquet Bunch.  The possibilities with this set are endless.

  

 

 

While choosing Barely Banana, Tempting Turquoise and Pink Passion as the color palette for today’s card my desire was to create a sunny card for my best friend who is celebrating her 50th birthday this month.   It is truly a coincidence that two of these three colors are being phased out by Stampin’ Up! in July.

  

  

 

DO IT YOURSELF TIPS!

  

 

·     The Stampin’ Up! Paper Cutter (104152) comes with both a cutting and scoring blade that are interchangeable and takes up very little space.  I used the scoring blade to score the two lines that my ribbon is nestled between and to score the fold for this card.

·     You can use VersaMark and Classic inkpads or Stampin’ Write markers to heat emboss.  Just dip your stamp in the VersaMark pad first and then use any color of Classic ink or Stampin’ Write marker that you like!  Sprinkle some clear embossing powder and use a heat tool.  Pretty cool!

·     For a crisp image or sentiment I always reach for Jet Black StazOn.

  

  

Click here to order Stampin’ Up! product online 24/7!

Stamp sets:  Messages for Mom (Occasion Mini Catalog 118580) and Bouquet Bunch (Summer Mini Catalog 120039)

Paper:  Barely Banana, Tempting Turquoise, Pink Passion card stock and Watercolor paper

Ink:  Jet Black StazOn; VersaMark; Always Artichoke, Pink Passion and Taken with Teal Stampin’ Write markers; Watercolor Wonder Crayons

Gear:  Paper Cutter (104152), Embossing Buddy (103083), Heat Tool (100005), Corner Rounder Punch (109047)

Bling: Tempting Turquoise Grosgrain Ribbon (109038), Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware (111325)

It’s a Color Renovation!!

Stampin’ Up! announced that with the release of the 2010-2011 Idea Book and Catalog on July 1 they will be reorganizing and reenergizing their color palette.  I know I’m sad to see some of the 30 colors retire, but the new color palette is fresh and vibrant and some of my favorite In Colors from the past will be staging a comeback as part of the permanent Stampin’ Up color collection.

 

 
  

 

Click to download Color Renovation Chart

 

Click to download Fond Farewell Chart

 

When you look at the new color palette the first thing that you will notice is there are fewer colors (40) and they are grouped into four collections:  Brights, Neutrals, Regals and Subtles; with 10 core colors in each collection.

 

Five gorgeous colors are making their debut:  Daffodil Delight, Early Espresso, Cajun Craze, Cherry Cobbler and Marina Mist.  Kraft has been renamed to Crumb Cake and will be available in an inkpad, re-inker, Stampin’ Write marker and paper. 

 

Some past In Colors are coming back and some current In Colors will become regulars.  They are:  Baja Breeze, Pacific Point, Pink Pirouette, Riding Hood Red, River Rock, Tangerine Tango, Wild Wasabi, Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry and Soft Suede.

 

In July Stampin’ Up! will release 5 new In Colors ~ I’ll be giving you a sneak peek in June.  The new In Colors will be available for 2 years!  Every year 5 new In Colors will be released and after 2 years the oldest In Colors will be retired.  I hope that made sense!!

 

Does this mean that you’ll have to buy all new Watercolor Wonder Crayons and Stampin’ Pastels?  No.  Stampin’ Up! will be offering kits that you can purchase which will have new tins (for Watercolor Wonder Crayons) or plastic case (for Stampin’ Pastels) along with inserts and product in the new colors.  A new Color Coach will help you mix and match the new colors to get the most out of your card making and paper crafting.

 

Colors that are being retired:  Almost Amethyst, Apricot Appeal, Ballet Blue, Barely Banana, Blush Blossom, Bordering Blue, Brilliant Blue, Brocade Blue, Cameo Coral, Close to Cocoa, Creamy Caramel, Gable Green, Glorious Green, Going Gray, Green Galore, Handsome Hunter, Lavender Lace, Lovely Lilac, Mellow Moss, Only Orange, Orchid Opulence, Pale Plum, Pink Passion, Pixie Pink, Really Rust, Ruby Red, Sage Shadow, Summer Sun, Taken with Teal and Yoyo Yellow.

 

 

Pals Paper Arts Challenge 36

Think spring with this challenge and the beautiful combination of colors!

 

 

 

  

I’m so excited!  This cute little easel card that I made for my great-nieces’ birthday is my first project as a member of the Pals Paper Arts Design Team.  It is an honor to be part of such an amazingly talented group of Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators.

 

DO IT YOURSELF TIPS!

 

·     The Stampin’ Up! Build-A-Brad set makes it easy to create bards that coordinate with any project.  Just use the 1/2" Circle Punch to pop out the image of your choice, use adhesive to attach the image to the brad base and attach the acrylic bubble.  The perfect personalized touch for any project

·     Rub-Ons are a quick and easy way to add a sentiment or design to your project.  I think the Stampin’ Up! Rub-Ons works exceptionally well when used on textured paper.

·     Easel cards are fun and easy to make.  Click here for the Splitcoaststampers tutorial.  I increased the size of my card to a 5 1/4” square.

 

Click here to order Stampin’ Up! product online 24/7!

Stamp sets:  None

Paper:  Naturals White, Barely Banana, Certainly Celery and Lavender Lace card stock; Barely Banana, Certainly Celery and Lavender Lace Textured card stock; Certainly Celery Patterns Designer Series Paper; Shades of Spring Designer Series Paper (117160 Occasions Mini catalog)

Ink:  Basic Black Stampin’ Write marker

Gear:  Big Shot with standard cutting pads (113439), Stampin’ Up! Blossom Party Originals Die (115971), Extra Large Two-Step Bird punch (117191 Occasions Mini catalog), Scallop Trim Border punch (118402 Sale-A-Bration catalog), Trio Flower punch (109183), Chat Room Rub-Ons (117199 Occasions Mini catalog), Paper Piercing Tool (116631) and Mat Pack (105826)

Bling: Pewter Build-A-Brad (109128) and Whisper White Taffeta Ribbon (109070)

 

 

Happy Moments – going…going…

 

This versatile stamp set will not be available after March 31 and it’s free until then with any order of $50 or more!  You can place your order on line here.

 

DO IT YOURSELF TIPS!

 

·     I used Stampin’ Write markers to color my gift boxes so they looked like gift wrap

·     I love the clear mount stamp sets!  Because I can see where I’m stamping I didn’t need to use a Stamp-a-ma-jig to place the Happy Birthday sentiment exactly where I wanted it.

·     Using VersaMark ink you can add a little zip to background paper like I did using the Sprinkles stamp set (which is another one of the sets you can earn as a freebie until March 31) on Taken With Teal card stock

 

Click here to order Stampin’ Up! product online 24/7!  

Stamp sets:  Happy Moments (118671 wood mount, 119137 clear mount; Sprinkles 120241,  Sala-A-Bration catalog)

Paper:  Whisper White, Certainly Celery and Taken With Teal card stock; Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper (117161 Occasions Mini catalog)

Ink:  Jet Black StazOn; Taken with Teal, So Saffron and Certainly Celery Stampin’ Write markers

Gear:  Big Shot with multipurpose platform (113439), Standard Texturz Impressions Pad (114614), Standard Texturz Silicone Rubber (114615), Large Dots Stampin’ Up! Backgrounds 1 (114512)

Bling: Elementary Ribbon Originals (116231)

 

March Blog Hop!

 

If you've hopped over from Anne Beale Yancey’s Mukibug, I'm stop number 5 on the Pals Hop and I'm glad you hopped in!  I'll help you "hop along" from blog to blog where you'll find inspirational ideas for papercrafted creations from Mary Fish's Stampin' Pretty Pals!  We'll be showcasing all that Stampin' Up! has to offer!  Should you hop off course, simply click on any of the links in the PALS HOP LINE-UP below and you'll be back on track!  We're thrilled to have you visit and excited to hear what you think about our Spring and Easter themed hop!  Please feel free to leave as many comments as you'd like along the way!

  

 

  

My Stampin’ Club made this fun Easter card at our last meeting.  I love the Chocolate Bunny stamp; he’s just so sweet!  Dipping the stamp into Versa Mark and then in Chocolate Chip ink before embossing him with clear embossing powder really brings out all of the fine details of the stamp.  The unique way that we folded the card added a little extra fun!

 

I’m going to keep this post short…I’ll post the details about this card later this week when I have a catalog in front of me.  At the moment my husband is in the hospital in Phoenix, Arizona (we live in Ohio) with a severe infection in his leg.  It’s not every day that the passengers at Sky Harbor airport get to see the pilot of their flight get taken away via ambulance!  I’m hoping we can get him home or up to his mother’s house in Salt Lake City by Wednesday or Thursday of this week.  Hospital “appreciation” time just isn’t any fun.

 

More inspiring ideas await you at Mary Fish’s Stampin' Pretty, stop number 6 on the Pals Hop.   Hop over and see Mary’s wonderfully creative ideas.  Thanks for "hopping" by! 

 

PALS HOP LINE-UP

  

Click on any of the sites listed below to begin the Pals Hop. 

 

Regina Mangum -- The Stampin' Bean
Mike Funke -- Stampin-Style
Martha Stewart -- Seasons of Stamping
Anne Beale Yancey -- Mukibug
Liz Hughes -- DIY Paper Creations
Mary Fish -- Stampin' Pretty
Jason Casper -- Jason's Stampin' Pad
Melanie Collins -- Oops a Daisy
Kris Kilcoyne -- Kween Bee Kreations
Tricia Gillam -- Soul Stamper
Barbara Furlong -- The Love of Stamping
Gina Shaw -- Cards by Gina
Kim Lampone -- Stamp, Scrap, Get Kreative
Debbie Pierce -- Stampin' Sunshine
Ann Schach -- The Stampin' Schach
Kalshelia Lloyd -- Stampin' Fabulousity
Lourdes Torres -- Cozy Crafty Corner
Carla Bazhenow -- Carla's Scraps

Wood Mount vs. Clear Mount

 

 

So just how do they stack up against each other? 

 

Size & Storage:  There are 17 stamp sets in the Occasions Mini that are available in both wood mount and clear mount.  The stack on the left represents those 17 sets in their clear mount storage cases; while the stack on the right represents the same 17 sets mounted on wood and in their traditional storage cases.  I think the space savings is obvious!  Not only do they take up less space, but they are all the same size (the size of a DVD storage case) which makes storing and transporting them much easier. 

 

Cost:  If you were to purchase all 17 sets on wood mounts your cost would be $352.15 (not including taxes and shipping).  However, if you were to purchase the same 17 sets in clear mounts you would save yourself $89.00.  That’s enough to buy the complete set of acrylic blocks with money left over for some cool embellishments and paper!

 

Performance:  Both types of stamps are die cut; which means you can start stamping with them right away.  Clear mounts are made of the same high quality rubber as the wood mounts so the images are just as clean and crisp.  The one advantage that the clear mounts have over the wood mounts is you can mount multiple images on an acrylic block and reposition them into any configuration you desire.  And, because you can see through the acrylic blocks, you can see where you’re stampin’ so it reduces the need for a Stamp-a-ma-jig!  The acrylic blocks feel good in my hands and are a dream to work with.  All it takes to clean the acrylic blocks is warm soapy water, so no more stained wood blocks!

 

My Conclusion:  When it comes time to place your order the choice is up to you, but I hope that everyone gets a chance to take the clear mount stamps out for a test ride.  As for me, I’m clearly on the side of the new clear mount stamps.  From here on out I’m going to purchase whenever possible 100% clear mount stamp sets.  Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think of the new clear mount stamp sets.  I’d love to here your thoughts and opinions!

 

P.S. ~ I really need to get a new yard stick.  The one used in this picture refers to S&H Green Stamps and the phone number on it only has 5 digits!  Yikes!!!

PPA32 - Spring Flowers

 

Ah, Spring!  The time of year when “Let it Snow” turns to “Let it Melt”!  The theme for the PPA challenge this week is spring or anything that makes you think “spring”.  I chose to use the spring stamp from the A Flower for All Seasons stamp set.  During Sale-A-Bration; you could earn this set for FREE with any order of $50 or more! 

 

DO IT YOURSELF TIPS!

 

·     The Perfect Plum mat was easy to make using my 1 3/4” Circle punch and one of my favorites; the Ticket Corner punch.  I used some Stampin’ Dimensionals to give it some lift.

·     I water colored my image on watercolor paper.  I love the texture of it and it doesn’t “pill” as easily as regular card stock does.

·     To give the colors more depth I placed a drop of each color from my re-inks on a small dish and then I used a Blender pen as my paint brush.  Doing it this way makes it so easy to control the amount of color!

 

Click here to order Stampin’ Up! product online 24/7!

Stamp sets:  A Flower for All Seasons (111592) and Teeny Tiny Wishes (115370)

Paper:  Water color paper (105019); Whisper White and Old Olive card stock; Perfect Plum Textured card stock and Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper (117161 Occasions Mini catalog)

Ink:  Jet Black Staz-on; Re-inkers in Creamy Caramel, More Mustard, Old Olive, Perfect Plum, Pretty in Pink, Bashful Blue and So Saffron

Gear:  Blender Pen (102845), 1 3/4” Circle Punch (112004), Ticket Corner Punch (107214), Small Oval Punch (107304)

Bling: Old Olive Ribbon from the Elementary Ribbon Originals package (116231) and Pewter Mini Library Clip (109857)

Go Green!

 

There’s no doubt that this card is GREEN! But I love the look of Kraft paper with Always Artichoke and the Mellow Moss Designer Series Paper which is in the Patterns Pack Designer Series Paper III and is a Level 1 Hostess gift.  Add a little masking and embossing and I’m sure this cards recipient will be charmed.

 

Do It Yourself Tips

 

• Use the smallest heart in the Heart to Heart punch to punch out 4 hearts to make your shamrock.  To pop the shamrock up off the paper I used a SNAIL to adhere the hearts onto a 1/2” circle and then used Stampin’ Dimensionals to attach the circle to my card.
• The branch made with the Extra Large Two-Step Bird made the perfect stem for my shamrock after I snipped of the leaves.
• To remove the Rhinestone from its setting I just opened up its “legs” and then lifted up the two prongs that hold the Rhinestone in its setting.

 

Click here to order Stampin’ Up! product online 24/7!

Stamp sets:  Go Green (117074, Occasions Mini catalog)

Paper:  Kraft, Mellow Moss and Always Artichoke card stock, Always Artichoke Textured card stock and Mellow Moss Designer Series Paper (Patterns Pack Designer Series Paper III)

Ink:  Versa Mark and Always Artichoke

Gear:  Big Shot with Multipurpose Platform and Standard Cutting Pads (113439), Standard Texturz Impressions Pad (114614), Standard Texturz Silicone Rubber (114615), Large Dot Texturz Plate (114512), Heart to Heart Punch (113694), Extra Large Two-Step Bird Punch (117191 Occasions Mini catalog), 1/2" Circle Punch (104390), Word Window Punch (105090), Double Rectangle Punch (105088), Embossing Buddy (103083), Heat Tool (100005), Clear Embossing Power (109130), Powder Pals (102197), Paper Piercing Tool (116631), Mat Pack (105826)

Bling:  Whisper White Organza Ribbon (114319) and Green Rhinestone Brad (Circle Ice Brads 109111)

Lucky Number 13!

Congratulations to Karen McAlpine who is the winner of the Sweet Pea Reusable Shopping Bag!  Karen, please e-mail me your address and I'll get your bag in the mail to you on Monday.

 

My sincere apologies to all of my blog readers for not posting the blog candy winner on Wednesday when I said I would.  I spent most of this week doing what I lovingly call “Waiting Room Appreciation Time” – in other words, I spent hours in doctor’s waiting rooms.  Nothing serious, just regular doctor visits for my dad that all happened to take place the same week.  Combine all those hours spent waiting around with my Stampin’ Club meeting this week and I haven’t had the opportunity until today to post the winner.  Thanks for your understanding!

 

Congrats again to Karen!

 

Hugs,

Satin Ribbon Sampler Package

Did you look at the gorgeous new 5/8” Satin Ribbon in the Occasions Mini catalog and say to yourself “I want it all!” only to have reality set in.  To purchase spools of all nine colors would cost you more then $80.  However, by purchasing my Satin Ribbon Sampler Package you will get 3 yards of each of the nine colors for just $24.95.   You can have it all!

 

o    Basic Black

o    Real Red

o    Chocolate Chip

o    Certainly Celery

o    Pretty in Pink

o    Bashful Blue

o    Old Olive

o    Basic Gray

o    Very Vanilla (sorry this color doesn't show up very well on my website so I left it gray)

 

The Satin Ribbon Sampler Package is available for immediate shipping and I’ll even pay for the postage (U.S. addresses only, please)!  I accept PayPal or checks, but your check will need to clear the bank before I’ll ship your ribbon out, so PayPal is the fastest method of payment.  To purchase the Satin Ribbon Sampler Package e-mail me

 

 

      

Some Sweet Pea Blog Candy

 

Today I’ve got a Sweet Pea Reusable Shopping Bag for one of my lucky blog readers (U.S. addresses only, please).  All you have to do is post a comment to my Let’s Get “Punchy” post and I’ll use a random number generator to pick the winner!  You have until 6:00 pm Tuesday, February 23 to post your comment.  I’ll announce the winner on Wednesday the 24^th.  Best of luck and have a wonderful weekend.

Let’s get “Punchy”

 

The theme for this week’s PPA30 challenge is KISS or Keep it Simple Sweetie.  What could be simpler then stamping an image and then using paper punches to pop it out and embellish it?  This spring there are definitely some hot color combos, but purple and yellow together is certainly one of the hottest!

  

DO IT YOURSELF TIPS! 

• Having a couple of punches really does save time and supplies.  They will even increase your creativity!  Start with a few that are good multi-taskers like the Large Oval, Scallop Oval, 1 1/4” Circle and the new Small Heart (117193) and Extra Large Two-Step Bird (117191).  Basic shapes offer more design options and in this tight economy that means more punch for your money!
•  Challenges are another way to boost your creativity.  Pals Paper Arts offers a variety of challenges every month.  From Margaret Moody’s awesome sketches to exciting color combinations; the PPA posts a new challenge each Thursday that will help you put “wow” into your paper crafting projects.

Click here to order Stampin’ Up! product online 24/7!

Stamp sets:  With All My Heart (wood mount 118134, clear mount 118623 Occasions Mini catalog), Whimsical Words (wood mount 118386, clear mount 119119 Sale-A-Bration catalog) and Tiny Tags (wood mount 118091, clear mount 118592 Occasions Mini catalog)

Paper:  Lovely Lilac, Summer Sun, Elegant Eggplant and Whisper White card

Ink:  Elegant Eggplant and Summer Sun

Gear:  Big Shot with Multipurpose Platform and Standard Cutting Pads (113439), Daisies Texturz Plate (114531), 1 3/8” Circle Punch (104401), 1 1/4” Circle Punch (104403), Trio Flower Punch (109183), Heart to Heart Punch (113694), Scallop Trim Border Punch (118402 Sale-A-Bration catalog), Paper Piercing Tool (116631), Mat Pack (105826)

Bling:  1/4" Elegant Eggplant Grosgrain Ribbon (109139) and Lilac Circle Ice Brads (109111)

 

Happy Birthday Wishes

 

 

  

I just can’t seem to get enough of this Happy Moments Sale-A-Bration stamp set!  The images are fun and fresh and they pair easily with other stamp sets including Whimsical Words or Well Scripted which are available for a limited time only.  Place an order of $50 or more and the set can be yours for FREE!

 

DO IT YOURSELF TIPS!

 

·     About 95% of the time I use Jet Black Staz-on for my watercolor images and sentiments because it produces a clean, crisp image every time and it won’t smear or run when I watercolor

·     Have you tried the Stampin’ Up! Watercolor Wonder Crayons yet?  They are easy and fun to work with.  All you do is color your image and then use a Blender Pen to create the shading that you desire.

 

Click here to order Stampin’ Up! product online 24/7!

Stamp sets:  Happy Moments (wood mount 118664, clear mount 119125 Sale-A-Bration catalog), Well Scripted (wood mount 117072, clear mount 118601 Occasions Mini catalog)

Paper:  Whisper White, Old Olive, Rose Red and Certainly Celery card stock; Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper (117161 Occasions Mini catalog)

Ink:  Jet Black Staz-on; VersaMark; Old Olive, More Mustard, Rose Red and Taken with Teal Watercolor Wonder Crayons

Gear:  Clear Mount Block “C” (118486), Big Shot with Multipurpose Platform and Standard Cutting Pads (113439), Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Folder (117335), Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die (118138), Blender Pen (102845), Heat Tool (100005), Clear Embossing Powder (109130), Embossing Buddy (103183), Scallop Trim Border Punch (118402 Sale-A-Bration catalog)

Bling: Old Olive Satin Ribbon (117292 Occasions Mini catalog)

 

 

 

The Tale of Three Vases

 

This card is the perfect example of my love for things that can multi-task.  The black vases are simply three Small Ovals that I cropped the tops and bottoms off of.  Does the flower look familiar? It’s the little flower from the Love You Much stamp set!   I put the “hello” sentiment on this card, but it could easily be a Birthday, Thank You or Thinking of You card that you can make year around.  Gotta love it!

 

DO IT YOURSELF TIPS! 

 

• Before stamping the flower image, clean the rubber on your stamp thoroughly and then let it dry so you don’t get a shadow from past projects
• When you are ready to stamp, simply use Stampin’ Write markers to color only the stem, leaf and flower portion of the stamp
• For this card I was going for uniformity so I used a Stamp-a-ma-jig to insure the flowers were evenly spaced and lined up

 

Click here to order Stampin’ Up! product online 24/7!

Stamp sets:  Love You Much (113756) and Tiny Tags (clear mount 118592 and wood mount 118091 Occasions Mini catalog)

Paper:  Whisper White, Basic Black and Ruby Red card stock; Basic Black Textured card stock; The Write Stuff Specialty Paper

Ink:  Basic Black Classic Ink and Stampin’ Write markers ~ Old Olive and Ruby

Gear:  Clear-Mount Block A (118487 Occasions Mini Catalog) Blender Pen (102845), Stamp-a-ma-jig (101049), Small Oval Punch (107304), Paper Piercing Tool (116631), Mat Pack (105826)

Bling:  Elementary Ribbon Originals (116231), Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware (111325) and So Saffron Brads (106953)

 

Valentine's Day card for the man in your life

 

Making masculine cards can be a struggle for some and I’m certainly no exception.  However, I figured I couldn’t go wrong if I added some of the gorgeous tone on tone Groom Specialty Paper and kept the bling to a minimum.  There’s something very classy about using red and black together.

 

DO IT YOURSELF TIPS! 

 

• I stamped the image in Real Red ink and then used a Blender Pen to remove the ink from the stem and leaf.  After that area was clean, I used an Always Artichoke Stampin’ Write marker to bring the stem and leaf to life.
• When it coming to making something that has a border punched on all four sides, size really does matter.  For this card I used a 3 13/16” square.  While holding the Scallop Trim Corner punch upside down in my right hand and the paper in my left hand I punched all four corners.  After the corners are done, line up two scallop corners with the guide that is printed on the Scallop Trim Border punch and press down on the lever to punch the paper.  Do this on all four sides and you’re done!

 

Click here to order Stampin’ Up! product online 24/7!

Stamp set:  Love You Much (113756)

Paper:  Whisper White and Real Red card stock; Groom Specialty Paper (116478)

Ink:  Real Red Classic ink and Always Artichoke Stampin’ Write marker

Gear:  Blender Pen (102845), Scallop Trim Corner Punch (118870, Occasions Mini catalog), Scallop Trim Border Punch (118402, Sale-A-Bration catalog), Paper Piercing Tool (116631), Mat Pack (105826)

Bling:  Real Red 5/8” Satin Ribbon (117286, Occasions Mini catalog) and So Saffron Brad (106953)

The Wheel O’ Love

 

It’s time for PPA29 and this week’s challenge is based on another fabulous sketch by Margaret Moody.  I don’t think Margaret will mind that I turned her beautiful sketch on its side so I could show off more of the I {Love} Love jumbo wheel image.  Hand coloring the image with seven colors of Stampin’ Write markers provided a lot of color with very little effort.  The most difficult task for me was deciding which colors to use and where to use them.  Doesn’t the final image sort of looks like an event ticket? 

  

 DO IT YOURSELF TIPS! 

• You don’t need to rush while hand coloring a stamp or wheel with Stampin’ Write markers.  Take your time, just remember to “huff” on the rubber to remoisten the ink before stamping your image
• If you make a mistake while hand coloring, use a Blender Pen to clean away the unwanted ink
• To avoid crooked or overlapping images while using either the Standard or Jumbo Wheels use Stampin’ Around Wheel Guides ~ they will keep your project headed in the right direction
• Want your brads and buttons to all line up like a precision drill team?  Use the template that comes in the Stampin’ Up! Mat Pack.

Click here to order Stampin’ Up! product online 24/7!

Stamp sets:  I {Love} Love Jumbo Wheel (117084) and Dot, Dot, Dot (115332) both are in the Occasions Mini catalog

Paper:  Very Vanilla, Kraft and Real Red card stock; Very Vanilla Textured card stock

Ink:  VersaMark; Stampin’ Write markers ~ Green Galore, Only Orange, Real Red, Lovely Lilac, Chocolate Chip, Ballet Blue and Pretty in Pink

Gear:  Blender Pen (102845), Stampin’ Around Wheel Guide (104834), Scallop Edge Punch (112091), Paper Piercing Tool (116631), Mat Pack (105826)

Bling:  Red 1 1/4” Striped Grosgrain Ribbon (114579, Simply Sent Card Elements & More set), Real Red Corduroy Button (117268, Occasions Mini catalog) and Real Red Brad (113144)

I {Heart} Hearts

 

This is such a delightful stamp set!  Hearts can be used for nearly any occasion – just change the sentiment and let your creativity be your muse!  And remember, until February 28, 2010, $2 from every I {Heart} Hearts stamp set that is sold will be donated to the American Red Cross’ Haiti Relief and Development Fund.

  

 DO IT YOURSELF TIPS! 

• When stamping a random image like I did with this project, be sure to stamp some of the images off of the card stock to give your project that “random” look.
• Stampin’ Dimensionals are perfect for giving your card a little 3-D boost.
• Because there is so much detail and the cutting in so intricate with the Pinking Hearts Border punch it might take a little more oomph to squeeze, but the results are well worth the effort!

Click here to order Stampin’ Up! product online 24/7!

Stamp sets:  I {Heart} Hearts wood mount 117010, clear mount 118571 and Well Scripted wood mount 117072, clear mount 118601 – both in the Occasions Mini catalog

Paper:  Whisper White, Rich Razzleberry and Melon Mambo card stock; Rich Razzleberry textured card stock

Ink:  Jet Black Staz-on; Rich Razzleberry, Melon Mambo and Crushed Curry

Gear:  Full Heart punch (113693), Scalloped Heart of Heart Embosslits’ Die (117332, Occasions Mini catalog) and Pinking Hearts Border punch (117649, Occasions Mini catalog)

Bling:  Melon Mambo 1/2" Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon (115613) and Small Clear Rhinestone Brad (113144)

February Blog Hop

 
    
Welcome to the Pals February Blog Hop!  If you've arrived from Kris Kilcoyne’s Kween Bee Kreations, I'm stop number 12 on the hop!  Hop along with me and my fellow Hoppers and we'll direct you through the entire hop of wonderful papercrafted creations!  Should you become lost along the way, you may access the entire Hop Line-Up here!

  

The weather outside might be frightful, but Sale-A-Bration time is so delightful!  There are dozens of FREE goodies that are yours to choose from with every $50 order until March 31, 2010.  So grab your wish list!

 

  

  

Today I’m showing off four items from the Sale-A-Bration catalog ~ Happy Moments and Whimsical Words stamp sets, Welcome Neighbor Designer Series Paper and the new Scallop Trim Border punch.  The two stamp sets are so versatile and timeless – perfect for any occasion!  Welcome Neighbor Designer Series Paper has 72 sheets of double-sided designs that will inspire your Spring projects. There’s even a coordinating Good Neighbors stamp set!   But, I think the coolest of the bunch is the new Scallop Trim Border punch with its’ dainty, open look, its’ sleek new design for easy storage and matching corner punch.  The Pretty in Pink Scalloped square that I made for this card was SO easy to make using both punches.  Also, the Scallop Trim Border punch will be continued in the upcoming 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog!

  

Other items featured on this card are the gorgeous Pretty in Pink 5/8” Satin Ribbon and adhesive-backed rhinestones which are part of the Eggcellent Eggs Kit.  Both items are available for a limited time in the Occasions Mini catalog. 

 

The Hop continues with the next stop at Melanie Collins blog.  Hop over and see what exciting creations Melanie has in store for you!

 

Happy Stampin’,

Liz

 

Click on any of the sites listed below to begin the Hop.  We're thrilled to have you visit and excited to hear what you think of our hop.  Feel free to leave as many comments as you'd like along the way!

 

1.   Kalshelia Lloyd -- www.stampinfabulousity.com     Stampin' Fabulousity

2.   Ann Schach -- www.stampinchic.com     The Stampin' Schach

3.   Margaret Moody -- www.margaretmoody.typepad.com     Margaret Moody

4.   Debbie Pierce -- www.stampinsunshine.com     Stampin' Sunshine

5.   Carla Bazhenow -- www.carlas-scraps.com     Carla's Scraps

6.   Mary Fish -- www.stampinpretty.com     Stampin' Pretty

7.   Kim Lampone -- www.kjskorner.blogspot.com     Stamp, scrap, get kreative

8.   Gina Shaw -- www.cardsbyginashaw.com     Cards by Gina

9.   Regina Mangum -- www.thestampinbean.blogspot.com     The Stampin' Bean

10. Lourdes Torres -- www.cozycraftycorner.blogspot.com     Cozy Crafty Corner

11. Kris Kilcoyne -- www.kweenbee.typepad.com     Kween Bee Kreations

12. Liz Hughes -- www.diypapercreations.com     DIY Paper Creations

13. Melanie Collins -- www.oopsadaisy.typepad.com     Oops a Daisy

14. Mike Funke -- www.stampin-style.com     Stampin-Style

15. Anne Beale Yancey -- www.mukibug.com     Mukibug

16. Martha Stewart -- www.SeasonsOfStamping.com    Seasons of Stamping

17. Jason Casper -- www.stampindad.blogspot.com     Jason's Stampin' Pad

18. Barbara Furlong -- www.theloveofstamping.com     The Love of Stamping

19. Tricia Gillam -- www.soulstamper.com     Soul Stamper

 

 

 

C is for Cat – PPA28

 

As every person who has ever been owned by a cat knows; cats love to sit and look out the window – by the hour.  During the spring, summer and fall my sunroom is the favorite hangout for my cats Cera and Katie, but during the winter they use their lambs wool lined window sets that have been placed in various windows around the house.  They aren’t spoiled!

  

The PPA28 Color Challenge and Stamp’ Up! C is for Cat stamp set are a purrfect combination!  To play along with this week’s challenge click here.  Here are the beautiful colors that we have to play with:

  

 

 

Making the window was very easy to do using the 1 1/4” Square punch.  I just measured out my window panes, marked them with a pencil and voila! I love my paper punches; they are such a time saver!  The window is backed with a piece of Shimmery White paper and Snowflake Printed Window Sheet to mimic the current “Winter Wonderland” that most of us are currently dealing with.  However, the black kitty that was stamped in Basic Black and then snipped out is all warm and cozy indoors.  She is quite the glamour queen with her Pretty in Pink collar and Pink rhinestone which I popped out of its setting to reduce the size a wee bit.

 

I wanted to doll up the Scalloped Circle punch a little so I dipped the small tip of my dry embossing stylus in Frost White Shimmer Paint and placed a dot of the paint in the center of each scallop.  It’s fast, easy and looks pretty cool too!

 

During sale-a-bration you can receive this set for FREE with a $50 order!  Click on the sale-a-bration catalog cover on the right hand side of this page for a complete listing of FREE products that are available with every $50 order.  What a great time to treat yourself to some of those stamp sets that have been on your wish list!

 

Please visit my gallery to view all of the details about this or any of my other projects and cards

 

Happy Stampin’,

Liz