love... and a new sketch!

Here's another card we made at the class I taught on Saturday: 

love... love... love...
I used Sahara Sand for the card base. The Strawberry Slush layer needed a little texture, so the Chevron Embossing Folder was put to work. 

After stamping the Positively Chevron background stamp in Bermuda Bay ink onto Coastal Cabana card stock, I used a Framelit from the Hearts Collection to die cut my focal point. Don't you just love that little stamped banner??!! This perfect little sentiment is from the Banner Blast (Sale-A-Bration) stamp set, and I punched it out using the Banner (Sale-A-Bration) punch. Three Basic Rhinestones add just the right amount of bling... love.  :}

P.S. - I love you... so here's my sketch. Enjoy!!

an anniversary card

I had so much fun today!!!! I got to spend the morning with some very fun ladies at my local library, and teach them how to create hand-stamped cards. We got to know each other a little bit, learn a few techniques, and create three cards.
The last card we made featured a background stamp, a technique called "masking," and the finished project gave my Big Shot quite a workout! 

After dry embossing the Raspberry Ripple layer with the new Decorative Dots Embossing Folder (a FREE Sale-a-Bration choice!), I adhered it to the Crumb Cake card base. The Very Vanilla layer is die-cut using the Top Note die. Then I used a large "sticky-note" to cover the bottom portion of this layer, and stamped the En Francais background stamp in Crumb Cake ink onto the top portion. After removing the "sticky-note," I stamped the anniversary sentiment from the Express Yourself (hostess) stamp set. There are so many great sentiments in this stamp set, and during class several other ladies chose a different sentiment to stamp onto the bottom of the die-cut. 

After attaching a strip of Crochet Trim, I attached the Top Note layer and started adding hearts. The DSP heart and the Crumb Cake heart are courtesy of our two heart punches. The stamped heart and the Raspberry Ripple heart were die-cut using the Hearts a Flutter Framelits. And a Basic Pearl adds the perfect "ta-da" to the finished card.  :}

a Valentine treat

Hello stamping friends!! I have a super cute Valentine treat bag to share today:

I was going to help a group of teachers make this treat bag and some corner bookmarks on Tuesday, but it snowed like crazy, so we had to reschedule for next month. (Is anyone else really sick of winter???) I'm sharing the treat bag today, and I'll share the bookmarks with a simple tutorial in another post.

First, I embossed the Gift Bag using the Adorning Accents Embossing Folder with the tiny little hearts. Then I attached the whole focal point with Dimensionals.
To create the focal point: I used the Circles #2 Die to die-cut the Red Glimmer Paper, and tied some Linen Thread around the circle for some extra "pretty." The Hearts A Flutter stamp set and coordinating Framelits, along with Real Red, Blushing Bride, and Soft Sky ink, create the three stamped pieces. I also stamped "love you" (from the Express Yourself hostess stamp set) inside the larger heart. The last heart is courtesy of the adorable Small Heart punch and Blushing Bride card stock.
Wouldn't this be the cutest packaging for a simple gift of candy or a gift card??  :}

On a personal note: I've really missed sharing with all of you, and a big "aww, thanks" to those of you who check in on me from time to time. I know I won't be posting every day again anytime soon, but I will pop in here and there to share a variety of projects.
If there's one thing I've learned in the past few months, it's that moving stinks even more than I already knew! I can't believe it's been a year since we closed on our house in Wisconsin... and I'm so dismayed at how slow the "settling in" has gone. Just when I think we are back on track, BAM - Aaron's asthma goes bonkers. Or BAM - plumbing leak. I know we'll get done, eventually... 
Being cooped up in the house with the unusually cold temperatures and extra snow this past month has been sort-of a good thing for me. It's given me a little time to focus some energy in my craft space - YAY!!! I'm having a hard time trying to fit everything in to a smaller space. I try things one way for a while, and when it doesn't work I move it all around again. Sigh... at least it's exercise, right???