Field of Birthdays

This was supposed to be a sympathy card. I really thought it would make a nice sympathy card. But I think it is too cheery...So I decided it would be better suited as a birthday card.

 I am back to outlining again. It almost adds another layer to those limited layer cards. That ribbon is part of the offerings in the Sale-A-Bration brochure!! ♥ it!

•  Stamps: Field Flowers, Happiest Birthday Wishes
• Paper: Pretty in Pink, Lucky Limeade, Naturals White
• Ink: Old Olive, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose
• Other: Big Shot with Adorning Accents Edgelits and Labels Framelits, Lucky Limeade 1/8" Organza ribbon, Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz, Clear Coat Accent Ink, Frost White Shimmer Paint, sponge, Signo white gel pen, Stampin' Dimensionals

 Everything got a little layer of shimmer in some way or another. The white strip on the side was spritzed. The label and banner with shimmer painted, and the main flowers were accented. Wow, that's a lot of shimmer! Too bad it doesn't show up in the photos :(

I've gotten pretty good at getting the 2 layers of the flower lined up without really trying! I need to use this stamp set more. So, do I need to add a little bit of stem to this flower?

Grassy Sympathy Card

There is just something about the image of tall grass swaying in the wind that makes me think of peace and contemplation. Both of these thoughts together make me think of sympathy cards. We are trying to convey peace to the bereaved, and are often contemplating the life that has passed, and how our lives will now be changed. Some passings are a thing of peace, and that in itself is something to celebrate. So says the ER nurse who has seen death in all kinds of forms.... I no longer fear death like I used to, and I am pretty sure it has more to do with my job than my age :)
Wow, these are pretty deep thoughts for a stampin blog! Better get to the Happy!!

I decided to use the  Adorning Accents Edgelit in the opposite direction this time, offering a peek at the cardstock beneath. It feels more masculine this way, don't you think? Really, what makes something masculine? It is sometimes not quite definable. But this feels like it. I was going to add some kind of embellishment to the right side of the oval, but decided I liked it this way just fine :)

• Stamps: Inspired by Nature, Thanks for Caring (retired)
• Paper: Always Artichoke, Early Espresso, Naturals White
• Ink: Always Artichoke, Early Espresso
• Other: Big Shot with Adorning Accents Edgelits and Labels Framelits, Wide Oval punch, Always Artichoke Seam Binding ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, Sticky Strip

 You can almost hear the wind softly blowing, can't you. This would make a great masculine card for any occasion, not just a sympathy card.

I wish the Thanks for Caring set had not retired. It has such a wonderful sentiment, very timeless. If you have one, you have quite a little treasure in your stash!
And here is hoping that no one I know, including myself, needs a sympathy card any time soon....

Elegance in Blue

This was my first attempt at a swap with Elementary Elegance but it didn't feel quite right. I do like how the small elements fit on the Jewelry Tag punch.

 I used some Cherry Cobbler embossing powder and then sponged over it to add more depth. I did stamp the little elements first and then punched them out.

• Stamps: Elementary Elegance
• Paper: Baja Breeze, Riding Hood Red,  Pear Pizzazz, Naturals White, Twitterpated DSP
• Ink: Baja Breeze, Riding Hood Red,  Pear Pizzazz, Versamark
• Other: Big Shot with Adorning Accents Edgelits, Curly Label punch, Jewelry Tag punch, Stampin Dimensionals, sponges, Signo white gel pen, Cherry Cobbler embossing powder, Embossing Buddy, Heat Gun

I did a little bit of fussy cutting around the main image and the sentiment is also embossed.
I hope to find just the right person to give this to!

Don't forget, Sale-A-Bration starts tomorrow and you can ear this stamp set with a $50 purchase (before shipping and tax) !

Hearts & Snowflakes

I saw some cute Valentine's banners today while pottering around on my newest obsession, Pinterest. You girls have created a monster!! You all know who I mean. My family of stampin friends is a wonderful source of joy....and new ways to waste time, lol! Seriously though, if you haven't tried Pinterest yet, you need to go check it out. It is like having a favorites button for the whole internet!! Love it!

Now, I realize this pic is a little yellow. Sorry, couldn't get that fixed with my humble Photoshop skills. But, I thought I would share with you how I made this beauty. It is NOT Glimmer Paper. It is Poppy Parade with Romance Red glitter (retired) applied with Versamark and Heat & Stick powder on both sides!! This was the first time I used the Heat  Stick powder with a satisfactory result. I think I was trying to do too fine a detail work before, but it works fab like this!

This is simply the First Edition DSP die cut with two of the Heart Framelits. Fun way to use up some scraps and I just can't get enough of this paper :)  It is dangling on some Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine and held on the string with a Mini Clothespin.

This is my favorite part of this little banner. I used some of the brown packing paper that comes in my shipments from SU and die cut it with the biggest Heart Framelit. Them I stamped it up and outlined it!

• Stamps: Distressed Dots BG, I (Heart) Hearts, PS I Love You
• Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip, Blushing Bride
• Other: Big Shot with Hearts Framelits and Snowflake die, Signo white gel pen, Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine, Mini Clothespins

One more fun pic of the banner. Loving this, even if I did hang it up a little early :) We have actually been going through a rough spot with our daughter. She is dealing with some heavy issues, and hit bottom over the holidays and is getting the help she needs. Actually making some wise choices again! She is a beautiful young woman and has a personality as big as the world. She can warm the heart of a scrooge! Yeah for my girl! I felt the need to "show a little love" today, so here it is :)

Layers of Shimmer Wedding Card

 I am surprised to say that I never really considered February to be a popular wedding month, but I just now realized that I know 3 family members who were married in February . Wait, make that 4! I guess Valentine's Day trumps frigid weather and many inches, if not feet, of snow in Minnesota, lol!

I was on a Letterpress kick again. They add such a touch of elegance to a card. Who van resist the word love in so many different fonts? The Blossom punch makes a very nice fluffy flower with the Waffle paper, which is just gorgeous!! How about the flowers spilling down the side of the cake? Yummy! and the layers of the cake are highlighted with the Clear Coat Accent ink. Why oh why did I wait so long to get that stuff! It is amazing!

• Stamps: Love & Laughter
• Paper: Naturals White, Whisper White, White Waffle Paper, Pink Pirouette, Twitterpated DSP
• Ink: Basic Gray, Pink Pirouette
• Other: Big Shot with Hearts Framelits, Adorning Accents Edgelits and Embossing Folder, and Lots of Love Letterpress Plate, Corner Rounder punch, Blossom punch, Basics Glimmer Brads, Clear Coat and Silver Fox Accent Ink, Stampin' Dimensionals, Paper Piercer and Mat Pack

 

This was a really hard card to photograph. I tried 3 different methods, and still the colors seem washed out and off. In real life, it is quite lovely.

Even the inside of the card got some bling! I had to add shimmery centers to all of the flowers. Now I need to make a pile of anniversary cards!

Tea Thanks 3x3

 

The new Tea Shoppe set is so scrumptious! And irresistible to me, since I drink tea all day everyday! There is just something so soothing and centering about making a cup of tea and enjoying it during the hussle bussle of life. 

 I know it is hard to see, but I used the Fancy Fans Letterpress Plate to add texture to the Baja Breeze layer of the card. Looks great in real life of course :) And more of the Twitterpated DSP. I didn't think I was going to like it, I only got it because it came in a preorder bundle at a discount (one of the many reasons to be a demonstrator!) and didn't realize I had changed my mind until I had used it on 3 cards!

• Stamps: Tea Shoppe
• Paper: Naturals White, Baja Breeze, Riding Hood Red, Whisper White
• Ink: Baja Breeze, Riding Hood Red, Whisper White
• Other: Big Shot with Adorning Accents Edgelit, Labels Framelits, and Fancy Fans Letterpress Plate, Marina Mist 1/8" taffeta ribbon, Large Oval punch, Modern Label punch, Pearls Basic Jewels, Stampin' Dimensionals

I seem to be a dimensionals kind of gal lately. All kinds of poppin action going on here :)  Don't you love this DSP?! So fresh and fun!

Inside the card, I could not resist adding a little tea cup and accenting it with dots of Riding Hood Red marker.

This was another of my swap cards that I made before Christmas, and I am trickling them out over this month.

Blooming Corsets!

Who is ready for a little support?! I love this stamp set, and these 2 stamps in particular!

 I could not resist making a shaped card with the Labels Framelits. I had to some more texture to the River Rock layer to make it work with this card. I also inked the emossing to set it off more. The Coral card base is also stamped with the corset image.

• Stamps: Rue Des Fleurs
• Paper: Calypso Coral, River Rock, Very Vanilla, Lucky Limeade, Watercolor
• Ink: Calypso Coral, River Rock, Very Vanilla, Lucky Limeade, Poppy Parade, Sahara Sand, Early Espresso, Jet Black Stazon
• Other: Big Shot with Labels Framelits, Wide Oval punch, Pear Pizzazz Pleated Satin ribbon, Blender Pen, Moonlight Pearlized Accent Ink, Pearls Basic Jewels, Sticky Strip, Stampin' Dimensionals

I made a few extras of this one to take to work to sell, but I wonder if that is the right crowd, lol!

Full of Love

My Big Shot sure got a work out with this card! It is another of the swaps I made and one of my favorites! I wish I could make Valentine's Day cards all the time. I like making them more than any other kind of card! Call me a romantic :) I do see my favorite Valentine everyday!

Remember how exciting the Beautiful Wings embosslit was when we got it? Well, there is a new sensation on the block, the Fashionable Hearts embosslit! Lots of hearts on this card. I made my own DSP with a bunch of stamps.

• Stamps: PS I Love You
• Paper: Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, Blushing Bride, Whisper White
• Ink: Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, Blushing Bride
• Other: Big Shot with Heart Pressed Letterpress Plate, Adorning Accents Edgelit,  Scallop Heart embosslit, and Fashionable Hearts embosslit, Whisper White Satin ribbon, Modern Label punch, Word Window punch, Large Heart punch, Signo white gel pen, Sticky Strip, Stampin' Dimensionals

 I was going for a more rough edge kind of look with the ribbon on this one. I am thinking I should have frayed it a bit, that may have added an interesting bit of texture.

Isn't it wonderful how Crumb Cake takes ink?! I had no problem using almost every stamp in this set on this card. I may have to give this one to my sweetie :) GOod thing I haven't shown this one to him yet!

Box Full of Love

This is the last of the Blog Hop projects. I did add a little something more on this post. I didn't have any nuggets in the house when I made this project originally so I didn't have anything to fill this little box with!

After I got some nuggets, I was able to add the It's a Wrap Holidays stamped address labels to some nuggets and toss a bunch in the box. I only decorated the top 3. I have had too many people tell me they were too pretty to eat when I gave them away. Not the goal!! Eat the chocolate, people!
You do have to cut your white paper to size and score it before die cutting the doily, then I just put the doily on a piece of scrap paper and quickly zig-zag my liquid adhesive over the back of it. Then I glue it to the inside of the box. 

Love that you can use just portions on the doily , like the Early Espresso piece here. I spritzed it with the Blushing Bride Smooch Spritz.

• Stamps: PS I Love You, It's a Wrap Holiday
• Paper: Blushing Bride, Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso, Whisper White, Red Glimmer
• Ink: Blushing Bride, Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso
• Other: Big Shot with Box #2 die, Hearts Framelits, Paper Doily Sizzlet, Large Heart punch, Small Heart punch, Stampin' Dimensionals, Sticky Strip, address labels

The box is Spritzed with the Vanilla Smooch Spritz. Loving this stuff again! 

Look at how that Smooch Spritz even looks pink on the Early Espresso!!   ♥ ♥ ♥

OK, now I can stop worrying about getting the Blog Hop stuff better explained. Good thing too, it is almost time for the next hop!!

Strawberry & Doily

I am still trying to get all of the Blog Hop stuff caught up, for anybody that wanted more details :)
This one has the center of the doily cut out and the doily is popped up.

The cardstock base is stamped with Distressed Dots BG with Frost White Shimmer paint, then the Whisper White 2½" circle is stamped with Distressed Dots BG in Blushing Bride. I have been trying to use up my scraps of Cherry Cobbler.. I made 150 matchbox books for a wedding last spring and have a TON of scraps of Cherry Cobbler about 2½" wide.... good for punches! That is what I matted the Strawberry with.

• Stamps: PS I Love You, Distressed Dots BG
• Paper: Blushing Bride, Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White
• Ink: Blushing Bride, Cherry Cobbler, Lucky Limeade, Early Espresso
• Other: Big Shot with Paper Doily Sizzlet, 2½" Circle punch, 1¼" Circle punch, 1-3/8" Circle punch, approx 2" circle die (Framelit style), Signo white gel pen, Cherry Cobbler Scalloped Dots ribbon

This card could be used for a variety of things, thank you, thinking of you, birthday, party invite, valentine...

Can you see the shimmer pain polka dots a little better here? Shimmer Paint is still one of my favorite things to add a little bling with. I can tell you I have already gone through at least 1½ bottles of each color! It might even be time to order another of the Frost White and Champagne Mist.
You can also see a little better that the doily is popped up on dimensionals. I cut them really little to fit behind it.

I even stamped some Distressed Dots on the inside, but with Blushing Bride this time. and another strawberry. I had made a few strawberries for a different project and ended up using them up on this card :)
Well, I think I only have one more Blog Hop project to sneak in some time soon! Hope I am not boring you all with these :)

Elementary Elegance Swap Card

 I was a swapping maniac right before Christmas, and this is my Sale-A-Bration swap. I am so excited that SAB starts soon! SO many yummy new things, that you can earn for free!

I used a lot of the new things here. Love the Twitterpated paper, and the new Blushing Bride Smooch Spritz! It has amazing coverage. I accidentally ordered 2 bottles of it, but I don't think that is going to be a problem ;)

• Stamps: Elementary Elegance, Bordering on Romance
• Paper: Pear Pizzazz, Blushing Bride, Naturals White, Twitterpated DSP
• Ink: Soft Suede, Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz
• Other: Big Shot with Labels Framelits, Adorning Accents Edgelits and embossing folders, and Beautiful Wings embosslit, Curly Label punch, Signo white gel pen, Blushing Bride Pleated Satin Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, Frost White Shimmer Paint, Sticky Strip

 I am not really a girlie-girl, but I think I am channeling my inner girl with this mini!

SA Scrapbook Challenge- Christmas Scoobie

 

The new year has begun and it is time to get back to our Saturday Scrapbook Challenges over at  StampinAddicts! The first weekend of the month is my turn to come up with a sketch challenge, and here it is!

Lots of fun shapes and a definite winter feel.

And here is a page I made using the sketch. My kids won this great big Scoobie Do at the County Fair a couple years ago, and gave it to their Dad. I got tired of tripping over him and sent him out to the garbage cans to be thrown away. The kids threw such a fuss, I had to tell them they could keep him if they found a use for him. Well, Dakota went and found a chair for him to sit in, and started dressing him for the weather and the season and made him a kind of mascot for the front door..... I wonder how many people have a Scoobie guarding their front door! In this picture, I was actually testing spots for our family picture, the one I posted on Christmas day.

• Supplies: MDS - Christmas Jingle DSP, half circle punch, snowflake punch,  flag punch, antique brads, Digs My Hart font
• Colors: Crumb Cake, Real Red, Old Olive, Early Espresso, Whisper White

Let's see what you all come up with! Check out the challenge here.

Lacy Treats!

A little more follow up on my blog hop projects. I actually found some pretzel rods and made them up. I was hoping they would fit in the 1"x8" cello bags SU sells, but they are a little too big. Oh well...

For the embellishment on this one, I punched out a large Soft Suede heart and stamped the strawberry image in Soft Suede. Then I outlined the heart with Signo white gel pen stitches. Crystal Effects adds a lovely raised gloss to the chocolate dipped part, and the Cherry Cobbler Dazzling Details makes the top of the strawberry look so luscious!! There is also a Small Heart punch of the Red Glimmer Paper popped up on a dimensionals. I tied the top with a piece of Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine and adhered the heart with a dimnesional. This looks so yummy to me!! And the whole thing fits in a quart sized ziplock.

The Large Heart of the this one was stamped repeatedly with a stamp from PS I Love You in Cherry Cobbler and Blushing Bride, then punched out. The love you is also stamped with 2 different images from the same set in Blushing Bride and Soft Suede and die cut with the smallest of the Heart Framelits. The middle heart is punched using the Heart to Heart punch, then glittered up witht he Cherry Cobbler Dazzling Details. ♥ that stuff!! This one is tied with Early Espresso Baker's Twine.

One more shot of the yummy-ness. I am having a hard time keeping the guys out of these pretzels!! I gues salty and sweet is the combo for my guys :)