Sail Away Again

Ooh, I can hardly wait until we sail away into the deep blue sea! I stamped this focal point 2 times, once on the
3 1/2" piece of Crumb Cake and again on Whisper White. I cute the sails out of the Whisper White. The card itself is Cherry Cobbler and the top layer is Not Quite Navy with the captains log stamped on the background. I used the Thinking of You from the Best Dad Ever set. How about the new Baker's Twine!

Perfect Punches

Another Q&E (quick and easy) card. This one features the designer paper called Greenhouse Gala. I used the colors on the paper to make the accents and the sentiment is from the Perfect Punches set.

Daisy Planter Tag

Oh, I planted my first ever garden last week. Now, I have to make some tags so I can know what kind of plant is what! This tag is so cute that I may have to case it and make it my own. Of course, being outside, I will need to laminate to protect it from the elements.

Stamps
• Greenhouse Garden
• Just Perfect Alphabet

Paper
• Bashful Blue card stock
• Kraft card stock
• Whisper White card stock

Ink
• Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Pad®
• Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad
• Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad
• Soft Suede Classic Stampin' Pad

Accessories
• Soft Suede polka-dot grosgrain ribbon
• Eyelet Border punch
• Wooden dowel

The Open Sea

This is the card that my Stampin' club made with me recently. I used The Open Sea and the matching designer paper. It was really simple as I only had a few minutes to put it all together. The colors used are Not Quite Navy, Whisper White and River Rock with a touch of Soft Suede on the ship. The ship stamp was colored in using the markers. I love the little game piece for the compass rose.

Happy Birthday Card

Why not keep enough birthday cards on hand so you never have to rush to the store and get it in the mail. That is what I like to do and this one is quick and easy.

Stamps
Broadsheet Alphabet Set
Teeny Tiny Wishes Set
Paper
Melon Mambo Card Stock
Whisper White Card Stock
Ink
Daffodil Delight Classic Stampin' Pad
Tempting Turquoise Classic Stampin' Pad
Accessories
Brights Brads
3/16" Corner Punch
Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pac

Fun Flowers Card

This die had been on back order for weeks and so when I finally got it I couldn't wait to play with it. I have seen so many wonderful projects using it. This card is Baja Breeze and I used a piece of the Elegant Soiree paper for the stripes. I first cut my flowers then ran them through the Big Shot again in an embossing folder to get the designs. I used Pear Pizazz on the edges and voila! I used a brad that was sitting beside me for the center of the flower, it is not Stampin' Up! so please forgive.

Sail Away

I am really loving the masculine sets in the new mini especially the ones with the nautical themes. As you may know, it is our plan/desire to live on a sail boat in a few years and retire there diving every day possible. This card and this set just called out to me! Got to love the white on white look.

No Stamping Card

Since I am going to be out of town for a few days I am blogging ahead. This takes quite a bit of discipline for me, especially since I have been running a fever of 101.3 all evening. If something doesn't make sense, just email me and we will get it straightened out after I get back.

This card is Pear Pizazz with a piece of the hostess designer paper on the front. I then used the Beautiful Butterflies and my Big Shot to make the butterflies. Got to love the little pearls! Sorry about the crooked pic!

Paper Punched Castle

I was blog hopping the other day and came across this great paper punched castle card. Since I am going to Disney World, (actually I am on my way now). I knew I had to share this card. This demonstrator does great things with her punches, way, way outside the box! Click here to see her full blog.

Another Sketch Card for Create with Connie and Mary - 149

I quickly put this one together once I got the idea. I love Cherry Cobbler and Basic Black! This was a sketch as seen here. Here is my quick take on it. I am working with a 101.3 fever so I hope it works! Any one can play along but they request Stampin' Up! only products be used to qualify.

Clearly for You

I made another quick card using the Clearly for You and one of my favorite color combos...Not Quite Navy and Old Olive. I used the Big Shot and the decorative label punch for the Old Olive features. Don't you just love the little pearls! Start to finish...10 minutes.

Sneak Peek of "Stamp Out Breast Cancer" Class

If you haven't heard, I am doing a "Stamp Out Breast Cancer" stamp event in a couple of weeks on the Saturday the 21st at 10 AM at my home. We will be making 5 projects using the Strength and Hope stamp set in the new mini catalog. The class will be $30 and that will include your own Strength and Hope stamp set (wood or clear). I need your RSVP by the 13th in order to be able to secure your stamp set by the event. If you are later with your RSVP you can still come, but your stamp set may not be here yet! As women, I don't have to tell you how serious breast cancer is. For every sale of this stamp set we will be donating $2 to the American Breast Cancer Association. Please consider your RSVP today. Don't delay, space is limited due to the size of my home.

Elements of Style

I was directly inspired to make this card when I saw it on another demo's blog. Creating cards is wonderful, but CASING is faster! This card uses the Elements of Style and the Four Frames sets. I used markers to color an a little of the vellum card stock to add the softness to this one. The roses on the Four Frames match the roses in the Elements of Style set perfectly!

Clearly for You

Another great set that is just begging to be used. Ok, let's face it. Stampin' Up! has just got to have the best stamps, card stock, papers and accessories out there! Well, I will get off my soap box and move on to my card. I started with Crumb Cake card stock. I accented with Cherry Cobbler and some of the Elegant Soiree designer paper. I stamped using Chocolate Chip and Crumb Cake inks. The ribbon is ties off using one of the vintage brads. How sweet it is!

Fifth Avenue Floral

Pretty is as pretty does. That is all I can say about this card. I used the Tulip embossing folder on Baja Breeze. I stamped the Very Vanilla using En Francois in River Rock. Then I stamped over using the Fifth Avenue Floral in stazon. I took my markers and outlined the flowers using Baja and Pumpkin Pie. The thanks is from the Perfect Punches set. I put a gathering stitch in my Baja ribbon and scrunched it up on the card.

Create with Connie and Mary Challenge CCMC148 - Color Challenge

 Is it Wednesday already? I haven't even had a chance to play with Connie and Mary. They did a color challenge again this week. You can see it by clicking their link. Here are the colors.

Ok, literally had no time to stamp this week and so I took the card I posted on April 14th and did a quick re-do using the colors for today's challenge. So, if it looked familiar to you, I probably cased it from you and then cased it again from myself! Great spring colors and a simple 10 minute or less card.

National Scrapbooking Month

May is national scrapbooking month and Stampin' Up! is having a special. Until the end of the month you can get up to 30% off select stamp sets and products for the My Digital Studio software and downloads.

Click here to get the whole scoop.

With Sympathy

As you may or may not know, I am a special education nurse working in the public school system and I take care of medically fragile students who need a nurse to escort them to school. Well, recently, my oldest student passed away after his 20 year fight with Cystic Fibrosis. I made this card to send to his family.

Because I Care

You can just never have too many of these types of cards. This is very soft and again I used the Paisley Prints paper. If you did not get it during the special, put it on your list for the new catalog. The colors and softness of everyone of these papers is wonderful. I pulled out my butterfly embosslit because it is butterfly season. Note the pearls, they are great on anything!

Four Frames and Nature Walk

Don't you just love the softness of the colors of this card? I used the Paisley Prints dsp from the sneak peek from the upcoming catalog along with the Four Frames stamp set (also a sneak peek).  The colors that are coordinated with this card are River Rock and Baja Breeze.

Butterfly Album

I found a great tutorial for this little album done by Robin Merriman. I believe she got it from a Leadership meeting? Anyway, I could not resist how beautiful it was and may be doing a class teaching this book soon.

This is how the opening page looks.

Middle opening of book.

Final opening of book. This book makes a lovely 7 page mini scrapbook.

Wedding Card in Black in White

Classic colors and a very classy card. There is just nothing like Black and White. This simple card is no exception. I used the Four Frames stamp set and the sentiment is from the All Holidays set. The pearls just add that special touch.

Strength and Hope

Love, love, love this card! I started with Baja Breeze for the card. Layered it with Cherry Cobbler and the new Paisley Petals which is on special sneak peek from the next catalog. I stamped Happy Mother's Day from the All Holdiays set using my markers and layered it on to Pumpkin Pie. I tied the ribbon and set it with the vintage brad. Finally, I stamped the butterflies with Pumpkin and added flecks of Cherry Cobbler. Not the pearls on the butterflies! Beautiful, huh?

Another Sketch Card for CCMC 147

Here is the promised card playing along with the sketch again.

Love that Springtime Vintage designer paper.

CCMC 147 - Sketch Challenge

It is time to play with Connie and Mary again. Their sketches are such fun and just the "kick in the pants" that I need sometimes to be creative. This was a sketch as you can see. You can see all the cards the team and others made by clicking here.  Here is the sketch. 

Here is my take on it. BTW, I will be posting another one tomorrow.

Four Frames

Remember, this set is a sneak peek from the upcoming BIG catalog. It is called Four Frames and the images are very nice! I used a piece of the Paisley Petals designer paper (also a sneak peek) for the main part of the Bravo Burgundy card. Now, this time I folded my Baja ribbon. The frame image on this stamp matched the design of the paper so well that it just had to be put together. I colored the flowers by hand using my wonderful stampin' write markers.

Springy Bold Blossoms

I just love Spring and warmer weather...all the flowers, birds and well, you know, how everything is "twitter-pated" this time of year. This stamp set is in the current mini catalog and will also be in the summer mini. It is called Bold Blossoms and it is just too cute to sit on the shelf unused. This card uses Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery, So Saffron, Bashful Blue and Whisper White card stocks. Again, I gathered my ribbon on this card.

Clean and Simple Easter Wishes

Soft colors and a cross mean Easter and spring to me. I pray that everyone is having a special Easter and will take time to remember the reason for the season! Blush Blossom, Bashful Blue and So Saffron with the cross being made from Early Expresso cut from the Bigz Lattice die and my Big Shot.

Graduation is Coming

It is hard to believe that it is that time again! For us, there are only 28 days of school left for the year. It came as a real wake-up call when I got my first graduation invitation last week! I saw Sue Roots post making a cap card and totally copied it for my nephew.

Stampin' Up! Spring Is Blossoming Promotion

Promotion Dates:  April 1-30

The Stampin' Up! Spring is Blossoming Promotion offers customers the opportunity to purchase two sneak peek products from the upcoming 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog. You can get these brand-new products in one of two ways:

1)  Online Order

• Spend $20* on any Stampin' Up! products and become eligible to purchase both the Four Frames Set and Paisley Petals Designer Series Paper.
• Both items can be purchased once the $20 minimum is met; there is a limit of five per product once the $20 minimum is met. Ordering another $20 of Stampin' Up! products resets the limit and allows you to purchase another five Designer Series Papers and/or stamp sets.

2)  Host a Workshop

• Host a $350* workshop and get the Four Frames Set and Paisley Petals Designer Series Paper for FREE!  Email me for details if you would like to book a workshop, host a catalog/basket party or place a single order through me to earn these products free!
• There is a limit of one Four Frames Set and Paisley Petals Designer Series Paper per workshop.

*Net sales before tax and shipping

Quick Easter Card

Ok, I wanted to make a very simple Easter card and this one certainly fits the bill. I stamped the egg from the Easter Blossoms set using Craft white on Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink and Bashful Blue. I then used the clear embossing powder and heat embossed them. Now, punch out using the 1 3/8" square punch and put on white card. I used the Happy Easter from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set (a must-have) and used my pen to make the swirl under the words.

Bold Blossom meets Play Date

I just love the flowers and colors on this Play Date designer paper and when I got the Bold Blossom set it just called out to me to be used together! I used So Saffron for the card. Also used Whisper White, Old Olive, Real Red and the Play Date paper. The button was left over from the Holiday catalog Big Button Candy Cane. Added the hemp twine to tie it all together. The sentiment is from Simply Said.

Another Challenge Card for CCMC 146

Well, I saw this quilted card tutorial and decided to try it with the color challenge of the week. Not sure it is my favorite card ever, but it fits the bill.

CCMC 146 Card

I love a challenge to keep me on my toes. So often I end up casing the work of other very talented stampers but whenever the challenge comes, I have to do it myself. This week it is a color challenge and I made a card like one seen in this month's Stampin' Success (magazine for demonstrators) and substituted the colors of the challenge for the card. This card features stamps from the new Hope and Strength set.

A Regional Project

I got this idea straight from a Stampin' Up! regional, in fact, it was a make-n-take. You take a 7.5" square and fold it in half both ways. Then, fold like a kite and 2 sides. Use your bone folder to make tight folds on score lines. Now, stamp image on outside and make 4 3x3 cards to go inside and Voila...a great little note gift for anyone. The stamp sets I used were: Nature Walk and Teeny Tiny Wishes.

Sending Springtime Smiles Card

1. Create 2" x 2" card from Peach Parfait Textured Card Stock.
2. Punch scallop edge using Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch. Cut to 2". Adhere to top half of card front. Adhere strip of Peach Parfait Patterns Designer Series Paper (2" x 1-1/2") over scallop edge to cover holes. Stamp sentiment in Early Espresso ink on Designer Series Paper strip.
3. Punch blossoms from Baja Breeze Card Stock using Boho Blossoms Punch; distress flowers; ink with Moonlight Smooch Pearlized Accent Ink.
4. Punch blossoms from Always Artichoke Textured Card Stock using Boho Blossoms punch; cut petals to create leaves for flowers.
5. Adhere flowers and leaves to front of card. Adhere pearls to centers of flowers.

Bold Blossom

I just love the simplicity of this stamp set. It is very easy and yet very striking. For this card I started with Daffodil Delight card and stamped the flowers on it using the same color ink. I used Daffodil Delight, Pacific Point and Melon Mambo with Old Olive inks to make this card. I added a little glitter to the butterfly and the
rhinestone jewels in the center of the flowers.