Colour Me Challenged!

Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms out there...I hope you are being suitably spoiled today!

It is time for a new colour challenge over at Sunday Stamps.  I LOVE the rich combination of shades in this challenge:

Here is my take on it:

Thank you card featuring the Choose Happiness stamp set with sentiment from Painted Petals.

I began with a piece of Basic Black card stock on which I heat embossed the leaf image from the Choose Happiness stamp set using clear embossing powder.  (It doesn't show up well in this photo...check out the one below!).  To create the patterned blue panel, I began with a piece of Tempting Turquoise card stock, on which I heat embossed the flower image from the Choose Happiness set using clear embossing powder.  Then I sponged the entire surface with Island Indigo and Smoky Slate ink.  I love the depth that combination gives the images.  I wanted a silver accent, so I heat embossed a Tea Lace Doily using silver embossing powder.  

The focal image is a 2-1/2" circle stamped with the border, bird and flower images from the Choose Happiness set.  The sentiment, from the Painted Petals stamp set, is heat embossed in silver.  I also sponged the edges of the circle in Smokey Slate ink before adhering it to the card front.  I added some long-retired black lace trim, a Vintage Faceted Button and some rhinestones coloured with my beloved Blendabilities (not ever gonna give those up!) by way of embellishment.  The entire panel is adhered to a card base in Island Indigo.

On the inside I stamped the leaves in Smoky Slate ink and the flowers in Island Indigo.  I added a bit of colour by sponging the flowers with Tempting Turquoise ink.
This colour challenge is a great one to get your creative juices flowing.  Be sure to check out the rest of the Design Team's samples and then give it a go!  Have a happy Sunday!

Flower Patch Ghosting

Happy Tuesday!  I hope your week got off to a good start :)  My son started his baseball season last night, so summer mustn't be too far off!

Today I have a sneak peek at one of the projects we'll be making in my monthly techniques class next week.  This one uses the ghosting technique.  Check it out:

Thank you card featuring the Flower Patch stamp set with sentiment from Work of Art.

I just love the fresh, spring-like colour scheme on this one.  I began by stamping several  images from the Flower Patch stamp set using Whisper White craft ink on Crumb Cake card stock.  Once that was dry, I stamped over top of the white images using the three Colorbox Chalk inks from the Occasions catalogue: Aquamarine, Rose Coral and Yellow Citrus.  While it isn't necessary to use chalk inks for this technique, I like the soft colour they offer.    You'll notice I didn't quite line up the images exactly, but that is part of the charm of this technique.

The sentiment is from the Work of Art set.  I stamped "thank" in Crumb Cake ink and "you" in Coastal Cabana.  I punched the sentiment with the 1-3/4" circle punch and then layered it on a 2" circle in Coastal Cabana.  (What will I ever do without that colour??? *sob*)  I added some pearls that I coloured with my Blendabilities as well as a bit of thick baker's twine in Coastal Cabana.

On the inside I stamped several of the flower images again using the same inks I did on the front, leaving plenty of space to write.

I'm pretty excited that I get to pre-order my new Annual Catalogue Sneak Peek products today!  With any luck they'll be here by the weekend and I'll have lots of new surprises for you next week!

Now, here are this week's new Weekly Deals.  As always, prices are good until Monday at midnight:

1/16" Circle Handheld Punch Price: $11.95  Sale:  $8.96	1/8" Circle Handheld Punch Price: $11.95   Sale: $8.96	2" Circle Punch Price: $22.95   Sale: $17.21
Gift Box Punch Board Price: $24.95   Sale: $18.71	Gold Baker's Twine Price: $3.95  Sale:  $2.96	Soft Sky 1/2" Seam Binding Ribbon Price: $9.50   Sale: $7.13
Sweet Taffy Designer Series Paper Price: $13.50   Sale: $10.13	Wisteria Wonder 1/2" Seam Binding Ribbon Price: $9.50   Sale: $7.13

Grungy Thanks

Happy Tuesday!  I hope your week is off to a good start.  Today I have another take on this week's sketch from Sunday Stamps.  In case you missed it on Sunday, here is the sketch:

...and here is a completely different take on it:

Thank you card featuring the Gorgeous Grunge and Sassy Salutations stamp sets.

I kind of went a little wild with this one!  I love playing with my Gorgeous Grunge stamp set and once I got started, I just couldn't stop!  I began by stamping the larger splatter in Crushed Curry ink, stamped off once to get a slightly lighter shade.  Then I used Bermuda Bay to add the large spots and finally Memento Tuxedo Black for the smaller spatters.  I added some Washi Tape from the Beach House and Stacked with Love bundles and the Everyday Adventure Project Life Accessory Pack. 

The sentiment, from the Sassy Salutations set,  is stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  I added some Baker's Twine in Basic Black, Bermuda Bay and Crushed Curry, as well as some Itty Bitty Accents Epoxy Stickers for texture.

On the inside I stamped more spatters, as I did on the front.  Gotta love getting grungy!

Birthday Butterflies CASE

Happy Friday!!  This week has been SO long...I couldn't be happier to see it end!  My poor boy has been sick with the stomach flu again and it has been a long haul.  Looking forward to the weekend and some R & R (and time to stamp!). 
Today I have a project I CASE'd at the request of a client who asked me to design projects for her upcoming Ladies Retreat at her church.  She found this project on Pinterest and asked me to make kits for the women on her retreat to make.  The original design is by Carol Payne...I changed the colour scheme slightly to accommodate the inks my client has in her collection...

Birthday card featuring the Gorgeous Grunge stamp set with sentiment from Express Yourself (retired)

I began with a piece of Whisper White card stock on which I stamped the spatter image from the Gorgeous Grunge stamp set using Lost Lagoon ink.  I also stamped the lines in the lower right corner using Lost Lagoon ink.  The sentiment, from the Express Yourself stamp set, is stamped in Soft Suede ink.  The stamped panel is mounted on a piece of Lost Lagoon card stock before being adhered to a Crumb Cake card base. 

The butterflies are punched from vellum using the Elegant Butterfly and the Bitty Butterfly punches.  I also layered the two larger vellum butterflies with smaller ones punched from the Moonlight DSP stack.  I added Linen Thread and some rhinestones for embellishment.

Inside view with sentiment from the Endless Birthday Wishes set.

On the inside I stamped the spatter image again using Lost Lagoon ink.  I added a couple more punched butterflies and the sentiment, from the Endless Birthday Wishes set, in Lost Lagoon ink.

In case you missed it earlier this week, the Retirement List has posted AND the online Clearance Rack was update.  Be sure to check out both this weekend for some great deals!  Have a good one!!

Time to say Good-bye

This a bittersweet day each year for those of us who love Stampin' Up!  The annual ritual of saying goodbye to beloved products is a difficult one...like losing dear friends...but at the same time it is exciting as we anticipate all of the fabulous new products that will replace them when the new Annual Catalogue goes live in June.  This year is no different.  Some of my go-to favourite products will be going away soon, which makes me very sad.  The good news is that, while supplies last, many of these products are being offered at a discount!  Be sure to click the image below to view the complete list of retiring products and then place your order as soon as possible, so as not to miss out on the items you want.

Click the image to view the complete list of retiring stamps and accessories.

 Now for a new project!  This is one of the make-n-takes we did at my monthly team meeting last week.  It uses the Guy Greetings and Gorgeous Grunge stamp sets:

Father's Day card featuring the Guy Greetings and Gorgeous Grunge stamp sets.

 I began by stamping a Smoky Slate card base with the splatter images from the Gorgeous Grunge stamp set.  I used Basic Gray ink for the larger splatters and Metallic Silver for the smaller ones.  The centre strip is Basic Black card stock that I embossed using the Zig Zag TIEF.  The DSP panel is from the Stacked with  Love pack and is sponged using Bermuda Bay and Smoky Slate ink.  I added three little silver mini brads.  The focal image, from the Guys Greetings stamp set,  is stamped in Basic Black ink, punched with the 1-3/4" circle punch and matted on a 2" circle in silver foil.

The sentiment, which is also from the Guy Greeting set, is stamped in Basic Black ink on a 1/2" strip of Whisper White card stock.  I used the Banner punch to create the pennant end and then wrapped the other end in some Basic Black Baker's Twine.

On the inside I stamped the wrenches again, this time using Smoky Slate ink.  The sentiments are stamped in Basic Black.  I added one more Bermuda Bay splatter, stamping off once before stamping on my panel.

Now, as if the retirement list wasn't enough excitement, here is a new round of Weekly Deals for you!  Sale prices are good until Monday at midnight.

Build A Bouquet Photopolymer Stamp Set Price: $41.95   Sale: 31.46	Handpicked Framelits Dies Price: $30.95  Sale:  $23.21	Label Card Thinlits Die Price: $40.95   Sale: $20.48
Ornate Tag Topper Punch Price: $31.95  Sale:  $23.96	So You Photopolymer Stamp Set Price: $30.95   Sale: $23.21	Sweet Dreams Designer Buttons Price: $7.50  Sale:  $5.63
Sweet Dreams Designer Series Paper Price: $13.50   Sale: $10.13	Sweet Dreams Designer Washi Tape Price: $9.95  Sale:  $7.46

World's Greatest

Happy April!  I know yesterday was the first, but things have been a wee bit hectic the past couple of weeks and I just didn't get a chance to post.  I can't even tell you how happy I am to say good-bye to March and hello to the promise of spring.  What's even better is that Easter is this weekend!  My favourite Holiday AND my sweet boy's 8th birthday all in the same weekend!  Yup...life isn't slowing down anytime soon!

Today I have a Father's Day card for those of you who want to get a head-start on projects for the men in your life.  This one uses the Guy Greetings stamp set...

Father's Day card featuring the Guy Greetings, Dictionary Background and Extreme Elements (retired) stamp sets.

I began by stamping the Dictionary background on a piece of Whisper White card stock using Sahara Sand ink.  Then I stamped several images from the retired Extreme Elements set using Lost Lagoon and Hello Honey ink.  The DSP is from the Moonlight DSP stack.  The focal image, from the Guy Greetings set, is stamped in Smoky Slate ink and then coloured with the Smoky Slate and Skin Tone Blendabilities (still love those markers!).  I die cut the focal image using the Ovals Collection Framelits and then stamped more of the images from Extreme Elements, around the edges.  I also inked the edges in Sahara Sand to add to the grungy look. 

The sentiments, also from the Guy Greetings set, are stamped in Basic Gray and Lost Lagoon inks.  I fussy cut the curvy banner and used the banner punch to trim the ends of the straight one. I added some Burlap Trim and a couple of gold sequins for embellishment.  The entire card is built on a Sahara Sand card base.

On the inside I stamped the sentiment from Guy Greetings in Basic Gray and added more images from Extreme Elements in Hello Honey and Lost Lagoon inks.

Have a truly blessed Easter weekend with those you love!

Last Day to Sale-a-brate!

Today is the final day of our biggest promotion of the year.  It is hard to believe that Sale-a-bration is already ending, but end it will, as of midnight tonight.  Don't miss out on this final chance to earn free exclusive products.  Be sure to place your order before the clock strikes twelve!

Today I have a wedding card I designed for my All-occasions card buffet that ran last weekend.  It uses one of my favourite colour combos:  Island Indigo and gold...

Wedding card featuring the Big News, Petite Petals and Creative Elements (retired) stamp sets.

I started by heat embossing the Island Indigo card base in gold using the flourish image from the Creative Elements stamp set (retired).  The DSP is from the Gold Soiree pack and is embellished using a piece of Island Indigo satin ribbon from Sale-a-bration a couple of years ago.  The sentiment, from the Big News stamp set, is heat embossed in gold and die-cut using the Apothecary Accents framelits.  I stamped the flourish around the edges of the die cut label using Island Indigo ink.

The flowers are from the Petite Petals stamp set, are heat embossed in gold on vellum and are punched with the Petite Petals punch.  The brad is one of the Antique Brads that I heat embossed in gold so that it matched my project.

On the inside I stamped another sentiment from the Big News set in Island Indigo ink and added another gold-embossed vellum flower.

Now for this week's TOTALLY AWESOME Weekly Deals.  The Magnetic Platform is on sale!!  Say goodbye to those sticky notes forever and get in on this deal while it lasts!  Do it today, before the end of Sale-a-bration and qualify for last-minute Sale-a-bration Freebies!

Big Shot Magnetic Platform Price: $49.95   Sale: $37.46 Chalk Talk Framelits Die Price: $30.95  Sale:  $23.21 File Tabs Edgelits Die Price: $13.50  Sale:  $10.13 Fun Frames Textured Impressions Embossing Folder Price: $10.95  Sale:  $8.21 Hearts A Flutter Framelits Die Price: $30.95   Sale: $23.21 Squares Collection Framelits Die Price: $32.95   Sale: $24.71 Word Bubbles Framelits Die Price: $30.95  Sale:  $23.21

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Lovely Amazing You

Sometimes one just wants to lift someone's spirit with a handmade card that lets them know how special they are.  Today's project is one that does just that.  It is another of the projects that will be available at my All-occasions buffet this weekend...

Encouragement card featuring the Flower Patch stamp set with sentiment from the Lovely Amazing You set.

I love the bright, happy colour scheme on this card!  I used Strawberry Slush, Daffodil Delight and Wild Wasabi...the perfect Springtime colour combo.  The background layer is embossed using the Decorative Dots TIEF.  I used DSP from Subtles Backgrounds DSP stack and ribbon from the Best Year Ever Sale-a-bration Accessory pack.  The flower images are from the Flower Patch stamp set and are stamped using Strawberry Slush, Melon Mambo, and Daffodil Delight inks.  The leaves are also from the Flower Patch set and are stamped using Wild Wasabi and Old Olive inks.

The sentiment is from the Lovely Amazing You photopolymer stamp set and is stamped in Strawberry Slush ink, punched with the 1-3/4" circle punch and layered on a 2" circle punched from Strawberry Slush card stock.  The entire card is built on a Wild Wasabi card base.

On the inside I stamped more flowers using the same colour combination I did on the front and stamped another of the sentiments from the Lovely Amazing You set in Strawberry Slush ink.  

A happy card to hopefully make somebody smile :)

Now for this week's Weekly Deals...as always, sale prices are good until Monday at midnight.

Artisan Label Punch Price: $21.95  Sale:  $16.46	Crushed Curry Baker's Twine Price: $3.95   Sale: $2.96	Epic Day Designer Washi Tape Price: $6.50  Sale:  $4.88
Fringe Scissors Price: $13.50   Sale: $10.13	Gold Fancy Designer Vellum Foil Price: $13.50   Sale: $10.13	Label Love Clear Stamp Set Price: $21.95   Sale: $16.46
Petite Petals Punch Price: $15.95   Sale: $11.96