August 2015 Paper Pumpkin Alternative Project

First off, I need to share this fantastic deal on new Paper Pumpkin subscriptions now thru September 10, 2015! If you haven't tried it yet, now is a great time to do it. Click on the banner above and it will take you straight to the Paper Pumpkin subscription site :)

Here is a video of my alternate card idea for this set. I needed some wedding/anniversary cards, and the luscious gold foil stripes were just begging to be used for that!

I cut each of the card bases in the kit in half, then cut the striped paper down to 3-1/4" x 4-5/8" to fit on a 3-1/2" x 4-7/8" cardbase. I found that with the extra layers I put on this card, it fit better in the envelopes from the kit. Watch the video for the full instructions, and the list of supplies is at the end of this post.
I hope you enjoy the video, please click "like", and share it everywhere!

This is the official video for this month's kit Chalk It Up To Love. Just in case you want to see the whole kit and the projects as Stampin' Up! designed them :)

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Stamp Review Crew: Awesomely Artistic Edition

Wow, is August really half over?! I feel like I have just gotten settled into summer and it will be over in just a few short weeks! But, I am happy that it is time for another edition of the Stamp Review Crew :)  This hop features Awesomely Artistic which is another of those little black dress kinds of sets, like Gorgeous Grunge. You can do some much with this set, and accent other sets so well with it.

If this is your first time hopping with us, then I should tell you that we are an international group of Stampin' Up! demonstrators that gets together every first and third Monday of the month to feature a single stamp set. We share lots of ideas for that set to get you excited and inspired :) You can check out the master blog roll on our home blog, and find all of our past hops, and all of the links will take you directly to the posts you are looking for!

If you are hopping along in order, then you just arrived from Mike Funke's wonderful blog!

My first card was actually one of my swaps for convention. Not a last minute project for the hop, but it was definitely a multi-tasking project, lol! This is meant to be a sympathy card, and it has some watercolor techniques going on. I started out with a 3¾" x 5" piece of watercolor paper, sponged Sahara Sand and Tip Top Taupe in a roughly triangular blob with the flat, wide end on the left and the point of the right- if that makes sense, lol. Then I spatter water onto the paper with a large wet watercolor paintbrush. Let the water sit for a few seconds, then absorb with a clean, dry clothe. Repeat as needed to get the look you want. I created a mask for the foliage stamp so I could stamp once, then mask that image, and stamp two more times, without re-inking, above and below the masked image. There are a whole bunch of tiny pearls on the foliage too. Ann Schach must be rubbing off on me, and who wouldn't love that?!

Inside was stamped with the foliage image again, in Sahara Sand on the Crumb Cake cardstock.

This was my first attempt at the swap card, but it just did not feel right for the picture in me head. I like it though. The ribbon is the Tip Top Taupe lace trim folded over and a piece of 1/8: Gold ribbon. There is sponging and water spattering on this one too, but it is less dramatic, and there is no masking of the foliage.

Inside is stamped with Mint Macaron on Mint Macaron paper.

That's all I did for this hop, hope it was inspiring!

Now it's time to head on over to Linda Callahan's blog where I am sure she will delight you with her creativity :)

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Stamp Review Crew: Crazy About You Edition

It is Stamp Review Crew time again and the excitement of Stampin' Up! Convention has past. We still have about a month before the new Holiday Mini starts. Sounds like the perfect time to be reveling in the wonderful stamps still available in the Annual Catalog! This time we are featuring a stamp set that should be a staple in everyone's stash. It has something for EVERY occasion you could think of, and lots of coordinating dies and punches :) I am talking about Crazy About You of course!

If this is your first time hopping with us, then I should tell you that we are an international group of Stampin' Up! demonstrators that gets together every first and third Monday of the month to feature a single stamp set. We share lots of ideas for that set to get you excited and inspired :) You can check out the master blog roll on our home blog, and find all of our past hops, and all of the links will take you directly to the posts you are looking for! If you are following along in order, then you just arrived from the fabulous Lisa Young's blog!

For my project this time, all I could think about was citrus fruit, limes in particular! I love a slice of lime in lemon-lime sodas, diet coke, and of course, in a margarita! And at the Brazilian grill, Tucanos, in Salt Lake City, they serve a delicious Lime lemonade that I adore. So I had to make a lime card :) The embossing folder is a sneak peek at one of the new goodies from the Holiday Mini, which you are going to LOVE! In this card, it has that effervescent feel of a cool, refreshing, carbonated beverage.
I embossed the round flower image in clear embossing powder on Cucumber Crush cardstock, then cut them out with the 1-7/8" circle die. You could use the 1¾" or 2" circle punches just as well, they all fit nicely. Then I used a sponge dauber to ink the edges with some Cucumber Crush ink for the rind. I cut the circles in half with a scissors. This was a blessedly fast card! LOVE fast and cute, don't you?

 Inside I inked just half of the stamp in Cucumber Crush and stamped a few slices along the right edge.  What do you think? Is it making you thirsty, lol?

Next up is Deb Currier, and I am sure that she will amaze you with her clean and gorgeous creation!

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Weekly Deals July 28th

Check out what is on special this week! Gotta love a good deal :)

Basic Black 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon [138430] $9.00 $6.75	Happy Patterns Decorative Masks [138313] $6.00 $4.20	Hearts Border Punch [133784] $16.00 $11.20	Lost Lagoon 5/8" Striped Cotton Ribbon [138418] $7.00 $5.25
Melon Mambo 1/4" Cotton Ribbon [134566] $6.00 $4.50	Melon Mambo 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon [138431] $9.00 $6.75	Metallic Foil Doilies [138392] $4.00 $2.80	Pacific Point 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon [138427] $9.00 $6.75
Sweet Li'l Things Designer Washi Tape [138387] $5.00 $3.75	Very Vanilla Thick Baker’S Twine [138411] $3.50 $2.63

Guy Greetings and a Convention Update

So, I am at Stampin' Up! Convention, and I am having a wonderful time connecting with a bunch of my stamping friends! We have such a great time, talking, laughing, eating, and seeing/learning new things. And swapping. Lots and lots of swapping!

 Here I am with a few of my friends! Angie Pegram, Rhonda Griffin, and Paula Wright. They are all fabulous ladies, and a blast to hang around with :)

And here is a card using some of the product from the Holiday Mini that will be starting on September 1st. I can't wait to get my hands on some of these lovelies!!

And this one.... I love the tree trunk embossing folder soooo much!

This is one of the cards I made for an organized swap at the Stampin' Addicts Meet & Greet. I had decided to only do a few small organized swaps this year. Time was definitely a factor, I only have so much of it, lol!

1. I embossed several images from Guy Greetings in clear embossing powder on watercolor paper. 
2. Then sponged on some Mint Macaron and Tip Top Taupe. I also masked off all but the right 1" edge of the inside of the card (the new Whisper White Thick cardstock-love!) and sponged it also. I stamped the sentiment in both colors also.
3. Then spritzed the paper with some water to soften and blend the ink.
4.  I let that air dry, then stitched around the edges. Adhere this panel to the card base.
5. I then took a 2"x4½" strip of Tip Top Taupe and stamped the manly man in the same ink, then cut a dovetail in the end with my scissors. Then outlined the banner in white gel pen. 
6. Next I stamped the "world greatest" sentiment on watercolor paper in Mint Macaron, then fussy cut it out. 
7. Cut a 5¼" piece of Naturals Chevron ribbon and dovetail one end, adhere to the right side of the card, about 1" from the edge, then adhere the manly banner with Tear & Tape, and adhere the "world's greatest" banner with liquid glue.  
8. Done!

Here is the inside. I can think of a few people to give this card to, can you?

If you want to create this card, or something like it, here is the supply list. Any questions, I am happy to help, just email me or leave a comment.

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Weekly Deals July 21st

Check out what is on special this week! Gotta love a good deal :)

Blackberry Bliss 5/8" Striped Cotton Ribbon [138421] $7.00 $5.25	Fuse Fast Adhesive Refill [129027] $7.50 $5.25	Fun Frames Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [133727] $8.50 $5.95	Go Wild 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock Assortment Pack [139000] $7.00 $5.25
Hello Honey 5/8" Striped Cotton Ribbon [138417] $7.00 $4.90	Little Numbers Thinlits Dies [138278] $20.00 $15.00	Schoolhouse 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock Assortment Pack [139009] $7.00 $5.25	Smoky Slate 5/8" Chevron Ribbon [138403] $7.00 $5.25
Stars Framelits Dies [133723] $27.00 $20.25	Tangelo Twist 5/8" Striped Cotton Ribbon [138420] $7.00 $5.25	Updated Essentials Paper-Piercing Pack [138371] $8.00 $6.00

Stamp Review Crew: Watercolor Wings Edition

For those who have just found us, I will give a quick intro to who we, the Stamp Review Crew, are and what we do. We are an international group of Stampin' Up! demonstrators and every first and third Monday of the month, we feature a single stamp set with many different ideas. Who wouldn't want to see that?! The hops are always intact, so you can hop any time. Check out our blog for the master blog roll for this, and all of our past, hops!

July is hot, hot, hot in my part of the world, and butterflies are a welcome sight. The Stamp Review Crew is ready to wow you with this gorgeous set from the new Annual Catalog! There are 2 matching sets of framelits that work with this set, can you believe it?!

If you are following along in order, then you arrived from Heidi Baks' blog. Doesn't she do amazing work?!

My first project is a soft trio of butterflies on watercolor paper. I had dampened the paper before stamping the middle butterfly to add to the softness factor. I also took the coordinating dies and used them to make impressions, without cutting, over the butterflies. The bottom one slipped while I was running it through my Big shot with my very warped Premium Crease Pad. I may have used it a few times in the past ;) But I decided that it looks ok with the wonky impression. The sequins are from the Watercolor Wishes card kit, I just could not resist using them for this card!

Inside got a few more butterflies, and a thanks from the Another Thank You set, and isn't that a fun font!

One more shot, because it turned out so nice :) Can't waste a good picture!

Shhhh, don't tell, but this is one of my swaps for an organized swap at convention! I went a little crazy with the Iridescent Ice and the flutter of butterflies.

Interesting fact: a group of butterflies can be called a swarm, rabble, kaleidoscope, or flutter of butterflies! I don't know why there are so many choices, but there you are :)

I love how this stamps and looks on vellum. I skipped the biggest layer of the butterfly and instead let the vellum be the base color of the butterfly. It make the butterfly so vivid!

This is the version I maybe should have done for the swap, but I came up with it after I finished the swap. There is far less work to it and it has a cleaner look. Which one is your favorite?

This is the inside of both of the cars. I am going to be sending one of my copies to my daughter, I think she will like it very much :)

And this is the last one I have for you this time. It is a tea light or Hersey's nugget or jewelry box. I am sure you could come up with a few more uses for it :) I did a tutorial for these a while back, here is the link. I still make these a few times a year. There are so many ways to decorate them and so many things to use them for. I made this for a swap too, and there is a butterfly and a sentiment that says you warm my heart  from the Sheltering Tree set on the inside of the box, but I forgot to take a picture of that.


You can see all the supplies that I used for these projects below the previous and next buttons.

Next stop, Lisa Young! Another incredibly talented stamper! I am so thrilled to be on this Crew with so many talented stampers!

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