a pink princess card

I have two boys, so I don't create a whole lot of "girlie-girl" projects. I tend to overdo it with the pink when I'm making something for a little girl... just can't help myself! Today's card is very pink, but I toned it down a little bit by adding a layer of Brushed Silver card stock (dry embossed). 

I made this card for one of my neighbors to send to her niece. My neighbor, Fatima, has a sister who recently gave birth to twins. This has created the usual older-sibling tension for Fatima's niece, Amira. So I suggested that a pretty, girlie card would give Amira (who is affectionately called "princess") a little extra attention and cheer her up. I started with the You Rule stamp set, added lots of Regal Rose and Pretty in Pink, and finished with some bling to create the perfect card for a nice little girl. 

A fancy card needs extra special details. I used the Scallop Trim Border punch to create a delicate edge. Then I used the Scallop Trim Corner punch to create a pretty little ending on my 1/2" wide greeting strip. 

After adding some Rhinestones and Large Rhinestones, I spritzed the whole card liberally with my mixture of Frost White Shimmer Paint in rubbing alcohol. It only shows up a tiny bit in the photo, but trust me, it's super sparkly! I'm sure Amira will love it.   :}  

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a one-layer card???!!!

Those who know me "in real life" or who've been reading a long time, know that I love using tons of layers and embellishments on my hand-stamped projects. I'm happiest when fussy-cutting stamped images and playing with ribbons. So today's card should come as quite a surprise to you!

Yes, you can make a card using only one layer of card stock!!! I'd heard the rumors, but I needed to find out for myself.  ;)  And I am in love with the finished card! 
My Simply Scored Scoring Tool was hard at work to make this card. Using a half-sheet of Crumb Cake card stock (4-1/4" x 11"), I first scored a fold-line at 5-1/2". Then I scored three lines at 8-7/8", 9", and 9-1/8". The final three score lines are at 10", 10-1/8", and 10-1/4". 
I stamped my greeting (Greetings of the Season) in Soft Suede ink between the sets of scored lines. A Vintage Faceted Button holding a tiny Linen Thread bow is the perfect embellishment.

Oh my goodness, I wish you could see the shimmer on this card in real life! I spritzed the card front - a lot - with my shimmer mist (rubbing alcohol and a few drops of Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint in a spritz bottle). It is absolutely gorgeous!! 
For all you busy Moms out there... this just might be your Christmas card this year.  :}  You can finish one in seconds! 
 
Don't forget that today is the last day for the Online Extravaganza! There are so many good deals, including MDS2+ for half off... that's $39.98plus tax for over $500 worth of digital content. Oh, and be sure to check out the super bargains for today only!  Have fun shopping  :}

Vintage Ornament Christmas Card

My most recent class that I taught at the bakery was a Christmas card class. I wanted the participants to see a variety of styles they could try when stamping their own Christmas cards. So I brought cute, traditional, modern, and vintage cards. I already showed you the cute card, and today I'm sharing my vintage style card. 

I created the background using both DSP and embossed card stock. The Cherry Cobbler DSP layer is from the Be of Good Cheer package, and I used the Fancy Fan Embossing Folder to create that great texture on the Baja Breeze card stock.  

After stamping the ornament in Baja Breeze ink, I used a template in the Festive Paper Piercing Pack to help me add the pierced details. The Very Vanilla layer is adhered with Dimensionals so that those details stand out.

After tying on some Baja Breeze Seam Binding and attaching the focal point layers (more Dimensionals), I spritzed on my shimmer mist, a mixture of Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint in rubbing alcohol.  
 
I even whipped up a simple sketch for my card, so you can add it to your template library. And stay tuned... I'll be posting another card using this same template very soon!!  :} 

BLING!!!

Hold on to your stocking caps... I have a "wowza" card to share today. Remember last week when I told you about this cute blog I found? Well, the Cupcake Craft Challenges blog posted a sketch challenge for this week, and I love the sketch - I just had to whip up this card. 

Not my usual style, eh? But this penguin needed to play on a FUN card, with fun colors!! She's such a cute little penguin, and she picked out her Melon Mambo stocking cap all by herself!  ;}   I like all the images in the No Peeking stamp set, but she's my favorite. And have you ever seen me use so much "bling" on a card???  The Rhinestones are perfect for this one! 

I used the Northern Flurry Embossing Folder to add some texture to the die-cut Gumball Green 3-1/2" circle. My little penguin sweetheart is stamped in black StazOn® ink onto Whisper White card stock. I stamped her again in Melon Mambo ink so I could snip out the stocking cap, and then I used markers to color her scarf. 
For my sentiment, I inked the stamp in Gumball Green. Before stamping, I used a Blender Pen to remove the green ink from a few letters, and then colored them with a Melon Mambo marker.  The Extra Large Oval and Decorative Label punches are perfect for dressing up this cute greeting. 

And of course a card this fabulous needed some shimmer mist! I added a liberal dose to both the die-cut circle and the punched greeting. If you don't already have a spritz bottle filled with rubbing alcohol and a few drops of Frost White Shimmer Paint, you need to make one... now! 
Well, that's it for today, stamping friends. May you all have a wonderful day!   :} 

leaves, layers, and shimmer... yeah, baby!

Sometimes you just need an "over the top," layered, shimmery card.

This was my favorite card we made in last night's class. I think that the ladies liked that it looked complicated, but actually went together rather quickly. 
For the background, I chose the Woodgrain stamp. With this large stamp lying on its back, pat the stamp using Soft Suede ink. Gently cover the stamp with the folded Soft Suede card stock. Press very gently in random spots to get the soft, partially-stamped look on the background.
After adhering the DSP strips to the front of the card, attach the Summer Starfuit leaf (Gently Falling). Then it's time to work on the focal point.  

Stamp the "THANKS a bunch" sentiment (Friendship Preserves) in Midnight Muse ink onto the same color card stock. Then die cut this image using the Window Frames Framelit.

Attach the Cajun Craze and Soft Suede leaves at the bottom, then punch a hole in the corner. Adhere the Crochet Trim to the back, and attach an Antique Brad through the hole.

Use several Dimensionals to adhere your focal point to the front of the card.

The last step is to spritz the whole card front with a "Shimmer Mist." This looks sooooo much better in real life - a photo just doesn't do it justice :(   To make the Shimmer Mist, mix rubbing alcohol and a few drops of Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint in a travel sized spray bottle or Stampin' Spritzer. Be sure to cover your spritzing area completely so you don't end up with a shimmery table  ;)

I'll bet you know someone who would love to get something pretty in the mail... a one-of-a-kind "over the top" card might be just what they need  :} 

more Christmas "mojo"

Today is one of those Mondays when I just didn't want to get out of bed. It was chilly this morning, and I'm so tired - a combo that makes me want to snuggle deep into the covers for hours. But, we all know life doesn't work that way  :( 
So, before I even got up, I went online to peek at today's Mojo Monday Sketch. LOVE it! So now I had an "incentive" to get my rear in gear (as if I really need one when I have two kids to get ready for school). I was already planning my card in my head, and anxiously waiting for my stamping time. It took every ounce of restraint not to speed home after my volunteer time at the school!

Ta Da!! Did you ever make a card you love so much, you don't know if you want to even send it to someone? How crazy am I?! Don't answer that. I really will have to make a second card to send, just so I can keep this one :}
It's not just the layout and the images (Ornament Keepsakes) that are really "speaking" to me... I love this color combo I ended up with - Baja Breeze, Cherry Cobbler, Island Indigo, and Very Vanilla. The DSP layer from the Festival of Prints Stack pulls it all together.

These ornaments are so pretty, and easy to use! And having the Holiday Ornaments Framelits to cut them quickly makes me a happy girl. Because the ornament images are the star of the show here, I chose a simple sentiment (More Merry Messages).

I was worried that the card base would be too plain, but I didn't want anything that would be too busy. "Shimmer Mist" to the rescue! Just mix rubbing alcohol with a few drops of Shimmer Paint in a Stampin' Spritzer or travel-sized spray bottle and spritz the mixture onto your card stock. I even added shimmer to the ornaments, because, well, why not??!! It's even prettier in real life  :} 
If you've never tried adding Shimmer Mist to your projects, I encourage you to give it a try - I think you will love the results. If you have any questions, feel free to ask  :}  Happy stamping!!
 

Framelit Fun

Happy 1st day of March!! Even though we've had such a mild winter, I totally have Spring Fever... well, more like Summer Fever because Spring in Wisconsin isn't going to be much different than a mild Winter (sigh). So today I'm sharing a bright, pretty card perfect for Spring:

This is another card from my class on Tuesday  :}  The colors are Poppy Parade, Peach Parfait, and Pear Pizzazz. After stamping the large label image in Basic Gray ink, I used a Blender Pen to watercolor the flowers and leaves.

Before adhering the focal point with Dimensionals, I used my magic potion of Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint mixed with rubbing alcohol in a travel-sized spritz bottle to add some shimmer to the background layer. The golden sparklies look so pretty on the Everyday Enchantment DSP!

Well, thanks for dropping in today... let's all think warm thoughts and try to convince Spring to come early  :}

Mojo Monday 228

There's nothing like a good card sketch to get your stamping "mojo" going for the day... well, that and a few cups of coffee! For today's post, I used the Mojo Monday 228 sketch. 

I turned to my trusty companion - the Color Coach - for the colors on this card. I used the 'Dynamic Duo' of Always Artichoke and River Rock. Then I pulled in some white to lighten it up.
I wanted to add interest to the Always Artichoke background layer, so I dry embossed it using the Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder and the Big Shot. Then, I used a Sponge Dauber to brush on some Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint.
The Paisley Petals DSP takes its place in two spots on this card... once as a strip and once as a die cut. To make that nice little die cut, I used the third largest Framelit from the Labels Collection. Wanna see how??? Taadaa!! I have a short video for you today!

Here's a close-up of all those yummy details and layers on my card-

The Artichoke 3/8" Denim Jean Ribbon looks great on this card! I'm glad I finally used it - what a wonderful texture! This ribbon would work great on masculine cards... which is a good thing for me since I have a hard time not using ribbon  ;)
The leaves, from the Build a Blossom stamp set, are stamped in Always Artichoke ink onto the same color card stock, and then punched out with the Blossom Petals Builder punch. The sentiment is actually two stamps from the Fabulous Phrases stamp set - an excellent set to have on hand. I stamped them in Always Artichoke ink onto a scrap of River Rock card stock.
The Paper Daisies - which I really need to use more - look great on this card. To add interest, I spritzed them liberally with my mixture of Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint (in rubbing alcohol). I just {love} the look of it! A Basic Pearl in the center of the flower and a Large Basic Pearl add just the right amount of elegant bling to finish the card.

Thanks for stopping by - have a wonderful day!!  :}

Makeover Monday Challenge

So today I am patting myself on the back. Not only did I manage to get some stamping done while tending to a sick child who stayed home from school and a four-year-old whose energy knows no limits, I stepped outside my comfort zone and tried my very first challenge from a blog. Yay me!!
I decided to try the Makeover Monday Challenge #10 from the Paper Crafter's Library blog. Here's what I came up with:

I stamped the Woodgrain background stamp in Baja Breeze ink onto Baja Breeze card stock. Then I added a scrunched/ pinched strip of white Waffle Paper to the back before attaching it to a layer (3-5/8" x 5-1/8") of Island Indigo card stock. I adhered those layers to my Blushing Bride card base.
Next, I die cut Riding Hood Red card stock and Twitterpated DSP using the Beautiful Butterflies Bigz die. The card stock butterfly is adhered directly to the card; the DSP butterfly is attached with Dimensionals.
I stamped the sentiment from the new Loving Thoughts stamp set in Island Indigo ink onto a strip of Whisper White card stock. Then I spritzed it with the Blushing Bride marker / Color Spritzer Tool, as well as my mixture of Frost White Shimmer Paint in rubbing alcohol. After trimming the ends, I attached the sentiment with Dimensionals. The small card stock butterflies are die cut using the Beautiful Wings Embosslit, and then adhered directly to the sentiment strip.

At the bottom of the card, I wrapped White Baker's Twine around three times, threaded the twine through the center of a Filigree Brad, and tied the ends into a bow.

This card was a lot of fun to make, and I'm so proud of myself for trying something different! If you like it, leave me a nice comment... if you don't, well, leave me a nice comment anyway  ;)  Just teasing! Thanks for stopping by my blog - have a wonderful day!!

snowflakes

Well, the snowflakes are about to start flying here. We're expecting our first snowstorm for the winter, which is odd for Wisconsin. I can't say I've missed the snow at all... I'd really rather skip ahead to spring. But, since that will never happen, I might as well "go with the flow." So, I thought I would share a snowflake card today.

I used the new stamp set Mixed Bunch, which is a great flower set, and even has a coordinating punch. But you can't just have a "flower set!" It has to multi-task! I stamped the image in Marina Mist onto Shimmery White card stock and added a Basic Pearl. I layered that over Marina Mist card stock that I die cut using the Scallop Squares Duo Bigz die and my Big Shot. Using Dimensionals, I adhered it to a layer of Crumb Cake card stock, which has been spritzed with my mixture of Frost White Shimmer Paint and rubbing alcohol. The sentiment from Four the Holidays is stamped in Marina Mist.
Love it! - the card, not the actual snow  ;)  The only good thing about bad weather forcing you to stay inside, is getting to stamp the whole time  :)

Finishing Fall

I tell ya... I really could use a few more hours in the day. Ever feel like you are so far behind that you may never catch up??? That's exactly how I feel. And that's not a good way to be heading into the holiday season... yikes! Time for some stamping therapy, right?  ;)
Sorry I missed so many days posting. I wanted to share a few more fall projects before I put them away and decorate for Christmas.

All of these projects were part of my "Spice Cake" display. The colors are More Mustard, Soft Suede, Pool Party, River Rock, and Very Vanilla. While I am excited to start sharing my Christmas projects, I have to say I'm a little sad to be putting away the Spice Cake DSP and Gently Falling stamp set - I've loved and used them so much.  I hope you have enjoyed seeing my fall projects, and have found a little time to stamp some for yourself.
I'd better get to bed... it's already way past my bedtime, and it's another long day tomorrow. See you soon!  :)

September à la card

Every month I look forward to getting my Stampin' Success in the mail. Stampin' Success is a monthly magazine from Stampin' Up! exclusively for demonstrators. It's full of great project ideas & samples, business tips, product & technique instructions, and demonstrator recognition. Each issue has a card template (or two), for one (or two) of the cards featured in an article. And each month I challenge my team to make a card using the à la card template. Then we have a little "show and tell" time to start our meeting... you're never too old for "show and tell, right???
The September à la card proved to be a bit of a stumper, as it was a rather unique design with three larger elements on the front. (The sample card from the article had die cut letters for the word "boo.") So here's my take on the September à la card template:

The leaf and acorn images are from the Gently Falling stamp set; the sentiment is from Grateful Greetings. The More Mustard card stock has a top fold, and the folded card base measures 5-1/4" square. The 4-1/2" square layer of Pool Party textured card stock is crumpled and distressed, spritzed with my Soft Suede marker, and lightly sponged in Soft Suede ink.

Leaf on the left: I inked the solid image in River Rock, then I used a sponge dauber to apply random spots of Soft Suede ink before stamping onto Very Vanilla card stock. It's very subtle, but I think it adds depth. I stamped the outline image in Soft Suede.
Middle leaf: The solid image is inked in More Mustard, but stamped off one time before stamping onto the Very Vanilla card stock. The outline image is in Soft Suede.
Leaf on the right: I inked the solid image in Pool Party and very lightly stamped off first. The outline image is in Soft Suede.
Acorn: I used More Mustard and Soft Suede markers to ink the solid image, and very lightly stamped off first.
All of the images got a light spritz with the Color Spritzer Tool & my Soft Suede marker AND several spritzes of my rubbing alcohol / Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint mixture. Oh, how I wish the camera could capture the beauty of this shimmer.
Tip: the beautiful 2-step images in Gently Falling will not line up exactly - very close, but not precise. When you want to snip out the images, follow the lines of the outline image and you will have great results.

Stampin' Success is just one of the MANY perks of joining the Stampin' Up! family. There are still a few days left to join and get a FREE Big Shot. Click here for details on this promotion, watch a short clip, and to learn more about Stampin' Up!. You can even join my team right from my website. If you already have some of the goodies in the Starter Kit, you can swap for a different item - it's super easy to change when you sign up online. Click here to watch some short clips showing you projects you can make with your new Starter Kit.
If you have any questions, just email me (stamp_pad@wi.rr.com).

Hostess Stamp Club - August project

I had so much fun with my stamp club last night. They are the nicest ladies, and spending time with them always brings a smile to my heart. My club members get three hours of crop time, plus a project I provide for them. Last night we made this pretty little bookmark using the Clearly for You stamp set.

Ink colors: Island Indigo, Cherry Cobbler, Basic Black

Card stock: Very Vanilla, Island Indigo, Cherry Cobbler

Punches: 1-1/4" Circle, 1-3/8" Circle, 1-3/4" Scallop Circle, 3/16" Corner

The background image is inked with Island Indigo, and "stamped off" before stamping on the Very Vanilla card stock in order to make the background lighter.

The butterfly image is stamped first in Cherry Cobbler ink. Then, to give it a little extra sparkle, it is stamped a second time (right on top) with Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint. To do this, gently shake up your bottle of Shimmer Paint. Then dip a sponge dauber into the lid. Use your "inked" sponge dauber to dab directly onto the stamp. Then, using a Stamp-a-ma-jig® for placement, stamp right over the image.
I love using Shimmer Paint to add special little details to my projects. It is available in three colors - Champagne Mist, Frost White, and Platinum - in my online store.

Bravo Burgundy

Well, if you were to ask me to choose 1 SU color I could live without... it would be Bravo Burgundy. It's nothing against SU... I've just never been a fan of burgundy. It might have something to do with an old '79 Malibu station wagon in that color... but that's another story for another day ;)
Anywho... I challenged myself to use this color on both a masculine and feminine card. I'm really pleased with my results :)

The "Sweet Set" colors are Bravo Burgundy, More Mustard, and Crumb Cake. Since this is a masculine card, I wanted a lot of texture. The layer of Bravo Burgundy is crumpled and distressed, then I applied ink directly from the ink pad to the card stock. The layer of Crumb Cake is dry embossed using the Square Lattice Embossing Folder and the Big Shot. Can you guess where the square background on the Very Vanilla card stock came from? I inked my clear block (size D) in Crumb Cake ink and 'stamped' it onto the card stock! No uni-taskers in my stamp room ;)
The images are all from the Autumn Days stamp set. Like how the hemp twine takes the place of ribbon? I even added texture to the hemp twine by tying knots along the length.
*Note: if you are going to try the knotted twine at home, it takes more than you think. I used a piece of twine that was double the width of the Crumb Cake card stock.


You might have noticed there was no post yesterday. That's because I will admit I was really struggling with the "Creative Combination" colors: Bravo Burgundy, River Rock, and Baja Breeze. I started playing with this color combo on Thursday, but it wasn't until Saturday night that I found my burgundy mojo. But once I found my stampin' groove, I was a happy girl. In the end, I actually love how this card turned out :)
I used the Clearly for You stamp set, which I got for FREE at Leadership :) The square with the birds was inspired by one of our Leadership Conference 'make & takes'.
Each section is a 1-1/8" square. I used a layer of Bravo Burgundy card stock (4" x 5-1/4") and squares of River Rock, Baja Breeze, and Very Vanilla card stock, as well as squares of First Edition DSP (121878 $11.95).
The birds are stamped in StazOn ink, traced with a River Rock marker, and painted with Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint (116806 $5.95) and an AquaPainter. The crown image was first stamped in River Rock ink. Then I 'inked' the crown stamp with the Shimmer Paint and a Sponge Dauber, and stamped on top of the previously stamped image. Baja Breeze Seam Binding and two sizes of the Basic Pearls (119247 $4.95) add the perfect feminine touch.