Cajun Craze

Back in July, when SU announced the color renovation, I was worried that I might miss Really Rust as it was "replaced" by Cajun Craze. Once I saw Cajun Craze in real life... Rust who? Cajun Craze is such a beautiful color! It has a little less orange, and a bit more brown than Really Rust, and works well with so many colors.

The "Dynamic Duo" colors are Cajun Craze and Tangerine Tango. I'm not loving this card... I will admit I found this "Dynamic Duo" a challenge for me. I used the Just Believe stamp set and the Finial Press Embossing Folder on this card.


I made this pretty card back in the fall for a monthly SU contest. I didn't win... but I still love this card and feel happy that I made something "submission worthy." The "Creative Combination" colors are Cajun Craze, Old Olive, and Baja Breeze. I used the Very Vintage jumbo wheel for the background on both the Baja Breeze and Cajun Craze card stock. The sentiment is from the Occasional Quotes Hostess stamp set. The Chantilly Crochet Trim and Antique Brad are the perfect finishing touches.


This was one of the stamping projects I prepared for my Team meeting tonight :) I love coming up with new project ideas to share with my team!
This card features the "Sweet Set" colors: Cajun Craze, Perfect Plum, and Always Artickoke. The stamped flower petals are from the Build a Blossom stamp set, and punched out with the coordinating Blossom Petals punch. We used the Two-step Stampin' technique to create the petals with only Cajun Craze ink. (I will be teaching more on Two-step Stampin' at my Technique Tuesday class April 26th.) The punched petals are layered onto Cajun Craze card stock die cut from the Fun Flowers Bigz L Die. If you don't already have the Framed Tulips Embossing Folder, put it at the top of your wishlist! It's just so pretty :) The sentiment is stamped in Perfect Plum ink from the Afterthoughts Hostess stamp set.

Tangerine Tango

Tangerine Tango is another hue that was a previous "In Color". It made a return this July during the color renovation, and lives happily in the Brights Collection.

The Color Coach lists the "Dynamic Duo" as Tangerine Tango and Cajun Craze. I used the Circle Circus stamp set to create the background and the focal point. The sentiment is from the Family Phrases stamp set.


Wow! The "Creative Combination" colors are bright! - Tangerine Tango, Tempting Turquoise, and Old Olive. I had fun making this card :) The heart image is from the I {Heart} Hearts stamp set. After snipping the image, it layers nicely on a card stock heart punched using the Full Heart punch. The frame is made with a 3x3 square of card stock which has been punched in the center of each side using the Pinking Hearts Border punch. I LOVE how the background turned out. I made it by inking the Heart Pressed Letterpress Plate with Whisper White Craft ink, setting the Tempting Turquoise card stock on the plate, and then rolled it through my Big Shot. I know you're wondering where I got this fabulous ribbon, right? You can order the Tangerine Tango 5/8" Striped grosgrain ribbon (111371) from my online store in the Clearance Rack for only $3.49!!


The "Sweet Set" colors are Tangerine Tango, So Saffron, and Pacific Point. I used the Flight of the Butterfly stamp set for this card. And the pretty piece of So Saffron ribbon? Clearance Rack! You can get this as part of the ribbon bundle (114618) for only $3.49! Hmmm... time for some online shopping in your jammies?? ;)

Peach Parfait

When this color was introduced as 1 of the new "In Colors"... well, I was a little less than thrilled. I've never been a big fan of orange, and I already had Pumpkin Pie. Then I started using Peach Parfait in my projects... wow! How my feelings have changed. I kinda feel like asking SU if Peach Parfait could stay on down the road as a core color. Personally, I think it would play nicely with the other colors in the Subtles Collection. But, I'm not the boss, so I will enjoy using Peach Parfait until June 2012.


The Color Coach lists the "Dynamic Duo" as Peach Parfait and Cajun Craze. The Peach Parfait Designer Series Paper is from the Sale-a-Bration DSP and Accents package. Both sentiments are stamped in Cajun Craze ink from the Thank You Kindly stamp set. I used three Punches to create the flower layers: Fancy Flower, 5-Petal Flower, and the circle punch from the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack. I used the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch on a strip of Cajun Craze card stock. Since I couldn't decide which card layout I liked better, I made both. Which orientation do you like better?


This is a card from my Spring/ Easter card class held in March. We used the Sale-a-Bration DSP and a stamp from the Sale-a-Bration set Punch Bunch. Peach Parfait, Pear Pizzazz, and Not Quite Navy - the "Creative Combination" - markers were used to ink the stamp.


The "Sweet Set" colors are Peach Parfait, Baja Breeze, and Riding Hood Red. I used those colors of markers to ink this image from the Cute by the Inch Hostess stamp set. The DSP on the bottom of this card is also a Hostess choice :)
Now, you are surely wondering where I got that super cute shape cut from Riding Hood Red card stock, that layers nicely behind the Scallop Square???... from my scrap drawer, of course ;)
This neat shape was leftover from a treat pouch I made using one of the Holiday Windows (116821 $29.95 - set of 4) and the Movers and Shapers Bigz XL Die (114506 $42.95). This shape is the "window" that was cut out. And you can't toss something that cute out... I knew that "someday" it would come in handy! :)

Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Pie has always been an easy color for me to use... then I met my match with the Color Coach. For some reason, I struggled with the combinations suggested on the Coach. It took me a while, but in the end, I created two cute cards that I was really happy with. Once again, the Color Coach is winking at me saying, "see, I told you those colors would go together!"


When I sat down to work on a card using the "Creative Combination" colors, I was really stumped. I pulled out a ton of products... stamps, ribbons, buttons, etc. Nothing was working for me. So I looked around my stamp room hoping for inspiration. My eyes settled on a card my 7yr-old made for me a few weeks ago:
So the card my son made, became my inspiration for this card:
I really like how it turned out :) The "Creative Combination" colors are Pumpkin Pie, Pacific Point, and Real Red. The images are from the Choo Choo stamp set and the Right on Track wheel; the sentiment is from the Family Phrases stamp set.



The "Getting Started Combination" colors (Pumpkin Pie, Early Espresso, and Daffodil Delight) were a little bit easier for me to work with. I am super happy with this card layout! I will definitely be using this layout in a class I am teaching in June for Carthage College's alumni event. If you don't already have the Create a Cupcake stamp set (wood 121915 $22.95 or clear 121982 $16.95) and the coordinating Build a Cupcake punch (121807 $16.95)... well, you need to get them! They are on p22 of the Occasions Mini Catalog, which ends April 30th.

More Mustard

I have a tendency to mainly use More Mustard in the Fall. So, it was good to challenge myself to use this color for other times of the year. My Woodgrain background stamp and Silhouette Sentiments Hostess stamp set have not seen enough ink, so I used them on today's cards.


The "Dynamic Duo" colors are More Mustard and So Saffron. The sentiment is punched from the 3/4"x15/16" Oval punch.


The "Creative Combination" colors are More Mustard, Night of Navy, and Cajun Craze. After stamping the background with More Mustard ink, I used the Color Spritzer Tool and the Cajun Craze marker to add another "layer" of ink. The frame embellishment is from the Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware.

A bonus project using the "Creative Combination" colors! I made this scrapbook page in the Fall. The title and leaves are stamped from the Harvest Home stamp set. I created the flower images using More Mustard & Cajun Craze ink, a stencil from Elegant Trio (118262 $9.95) and Sponge Daubers.


The "Sweet Set" colors are More Mustard, Old Olive, and Bravo Burgundy. The image is punched using the 2"x1-3/8" Oval punch (119859 $16.95), and matted onto an oval cut from the Ovals Originals Die (114525 $15.95). A scrap of 1-1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon adds the finishing touch.

Daffodil Delight

Today's card from the Color Coach is Daffodil Delight - a fabulous yellow that made its debut in July. The next time you are stamping on a gloomy day, make a project with Daffodil Delight... it will brighten the room :)

The "Creative Combination" colors are Daffodil Delight, Early Espresso, and Cherry Cobbler. These are all newbies in Stampin' Up!'s color palette. The image is stamped from the Fast & Fabulous Hostess stamp set. The sentiment is stamped from the Matchbox Messages stamp set.


The "Getting Started Combination" colors are Daffodil Delight, Night of Navy, and Old Olive.
You might think I am having an affair with the Fun Flowers Bigz Die. Well, ok, just don't tell the other Dies ;) I LOVE this Die and the many projects I can create with it! This bookmark was super fun to make. It turned out so cute... I think I will be keeping this gift for myself :) Each flower layer is stamped using the A to Z background stamp (115711 $9.95). A Springtime Vintage Big Designer Button and 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon finish off the front.
I kept the back a little more simple by die-cutting a piece of Night of Navy card stock and topping it off with an Old Olive brad.

So Saffron

Today's card from the Color Coach is So Saffron, which is in the Subtles Collection.

The "Dynamic Duo" colors are So Saffron and More Mustard. I used the Elegant Lines Embossing Folder to dry emboss the More Mustard card stock. I stamped the sentiment from the Oval All stamp set using More Mustard ink. I love how the 1-3/4"x7/8" Oval Punch and the Scallop Oval Punch layer together to make projects easy :)


The "Creative Combination" colors are So Saffron, Rose Red, and Wild Wasabi. For this card, I wanted to use a Bigz Die that has been lonely the past few months. The Island Floral Die makes quick and pretty flowers, with the center hole already cut for your brad. I used the Woodgrain background stamp on the card base, as well as on the flower pieces. The Oval All stamp set and those two oval punches made another appearance to finish off the card :)


This was a card design from a workshop I did several months ago. The "Sweet Set" colors are So Saffron, Riding Hood Red, and Soft Suede. I used Soft Suede ink to stamp the image and sentiment from the Just Believe stamp set. The sentiment is punched from the 1-3/4" Circle Punch, and layered onto a piece of Riding Hood Red card stock which was cut on the Big Shot using the Circles #2 Originals Die.

Very Vanilla

One of my favorite Big Shot Dies is Fun Flowers. So for today's post, I thought I would make both cards using this Bigz L Die, but with two totally different looks :)


As I started playing around with the "Creative Combination" colors - Very Vanilla, Perfect Plum, and Rose Red - I started thinking about one of my upcoming classes. I ended up with this card, which is even prettier in real life (it's difficult to capture the shimmer on the flower in a photo). I can't wait to share this at the "Girlie Girl" card class!
I cut the flower from Rose Red card stock on my Big Shot. Then, I spritzed the pieces with water to make distressing them easier. After the pieces were dry, I sponged the edges with Rose Red ink and spritzed them heavily with my Frost White Shimmer Paint mixture. A Very Vanilla Vintage Flower Adornment is the perfect finishing touch.


This simple card went together quickly. The "Sweet Set" colors are Very Vanilla, Regal Rose, and Not Quite Navy. I used the Paper-Piercing Tool to add the border around the edge of the Not Quite Navy card stock. The flower center is a 5/8" Jumbo Brad.

River Rock

River Rock is a great neutral that was once an "In Color," but made a return when Stampin' Up! did the big color renovation (July 2010).


The Color Coach lists the "Dynamic Duo" as River Rock and Always Artichoke. I really like how these two colors work together. Try them on your next project :)
I used the Just Believe stamp set on this 3x3 card.



We made this card at my March "Technique Tuesday" class. The ric-rac is made by punching both sides of a strip of River Rock card stock on the Scallop Edge Border punch. We used the Apple Blossoms stamp set and the "Creative Combination" colors: River Rock, Cherry Cobbler, and Marina Mist.



This 3x3 card makes me giggle... it's stinkin' cute!
The "Sweet Set" colors are River Rock, Not Quite Navy, and Tangerine Tango. I used the Aviary and For All You Do stamp sets. The Tangerine Tango Pompom Trim just makes me smile :)

Certainly Celery

I can't believe how many days flew by since my last post! It's been crazy busy here... too many things to do, not enough hours in the day :(
On the upside, I had a super fun class Tuesday night, and a great visit with my Mother-In-Law this week. Now, if only I were ready for Friday night's class...


Certainly Celery is a "must have" color for your collection - It works well with so many other colors :) The "Dynamic Duo" listed on the Color Coach is Certainly Celery and Old Olive. What a great combo!!


This is a card from one of my Technique Tuesday classes. We used the Notably Ornate stamp set and the colors in the "Creative Combination": Certainly Celery, Soft Suede, and Pink Pirouette. I LOVE how these colors look together. The subtle background on the Certainly Celery card stock is dry embossed on the Big Shot using the Perfect Details Texturz Plate, and very lightly sponged with Soft Suede ink. The largest image is stamped onto Very Vanilla card stock with Soft Suede ink. To create a more vintage look, the image is torn out (rather than cut with Snips). The edges are slightly curled up and sponged with Soft Suede ink. After stamping the bird image in Pink Pirouette ink, the Color Spritzer Tool and my Soft Suede marker went to work. The sentiment is punched out with the Modern Label Punch, and matted on a scrap of Soft Suede card stock which was die cut - on the Big Shot of course ;) - using 1 of the Punch Windows and the Movers & Shapers Bigz XL Die.


This 3x3 card features colors from the "Getting Started" Collection: Certainly Celery, Whisper White, and Marina Mist. My Big Shot went to work for me on this one :) The dry embossed background on the Whisper White card stock is from the Square Lattice Embossing Folder, and the amazing butterflies are cut out and dry embossed at the same time using the Beautiful Wings Embosslit.