Last Hurrah for Saleabration...

...yep...its almost over.  Sale-a-bration ends tomorrow at midnight *sigh*.  The good news is that you still have time to get in on the fabulous freebies available exclusively through this promotion.  Just visit my online store HERE and place your order...for every $60 you spend you'll get to choose a free item...but hurry.  The magic disappears tomorrow at midnight.
That brings me to today's post...one last card featuring Sale-a-bration product that celebrates the upcoming Easter season.  Actually, its two cards...same layout and design with two different colour schemes.  Have a look...

SAB Easter card #1 featuring the Fresh Vintage stamp set, Everyday Elegance DSP and cute butterfly brads, all of which I earned for FREE!  Sentiment is from the Delightful Dozen set.

SAB Easter card #2...same DSP...just the reverse side of the paper!  This one also uses the 1/8" organza ribbon.

So, I made the top card first and, not being entirely crazy about the peach parfait-pool party combo, decided to try the same card using the pattern on the reverse side of the DSP.  Now, I can't decide which one I like better...what do you think?  Leave me a comment indicating your preference and I'll add your name to a draw for a special SAB freebie of your own.  Comments must be received by midnight on Sunday, April 1st to be entered in the draw.  Then check back here to see if you've won.
In the meantime, I've got to get busy preparing for Max's big Angry Birds birthday bash next weekend...have a great weekend everyone!

Soft and Simple for Easter

While I'm in Europe, have a few Easter projects to get you in a Spring state of mind.  Today's post is a card I designed for a private class I did a couple of weeks ago.  I chose colours from the subtles family...very Easter-ly...

Easter card featuring the Fresh Vintage SAB set and sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes

 

Lots of texture here...I used the finial press embossing folder on the card base and then the perfect polka dots on the bashful blue panel.  The colour scheme I used included bashful blue, pretty in pink and certainly celery...soft and spring-like.  For the inside I chose a sentiment from the Pursuit of Happiness set.  I also stamped the same medallion from the front along the right edge on the inside, though it doesn't show up all that well in the photo.

I'll have more Easter-themed projects over the next few days...and hopefully an update or two from our trip!  in the meantime...live in the sunshine and enjoy your week!

Spring Card Buffet Preview

All this week I am going to feature the projects I've designed for my Spring Card Buffet coming up at the end of the month.  I am really excited about this new class format and want to show you the fun and versatile designs I've come up with.  The first is a pretty card featuring one of my favourite new stamp sets...

Pretty, feminine card suitable for a birthday, Mother's Day or just a simple Hello

I think what I like most about this card is the colour scheme.  The soft suede provides such a strong contrast to the rich, poppy parade.  I also really like the way the DSP works so well with the images from two different stamp sets.  The antique brad, as always, provides the perfect finishing touch and the filigree design works well with the stamped images.  Gotta love the antique brads...I think I've gone through at least 3 dozen packages of them!

Elegant Valentine

Happy Groundhog Day!  There was no sun in Cambridge today, so here's to an early spring!  Mind you, we haven't really had winter yet, so I'm not complaining, but an early spring sure would be nice!  I miss my flowers!
Speaking of flowers, today's post is one I designed for my Big Shot club meeting last week.  As I mentioned yesterday, we were focusing on the new Framelits and Edgelits from the Occasions Mini.  It turns out that this card also works for this week's challenge at Pals Paper Arts which is to use any shade of red in your design.  Well, this card certainly fits the bill!  Have a look...

Elegant Valentine for PPA128 using the Fresh Vintage SAB stamp set and sentiment from P.S I Love You

Inside view with sentiment from Word Play

I have to say I really like this card!  The best part of it is that it could easily be changed for just about any occasion (including Christmas!) by simply changing up the sentiment.  Since we are in the season of love I decided to make it a Valentine's card.  Now this one used my Big Shot to the max...I embossed the card base with the Elegant Bouquet folder. I cut AND embossed the label with my Framelits dies (more on that later) and I used my Edgelits and Adorning Accents folder to add the decorative white detail on the front and the inside of the card.  Talk about getting the most from my favourite tool!
Now, I'm sure you're all wondering how the heck I embossed the frame around the label.  SO easy, I tell you!  Here's the sandwich (from bottom up):  multi-purpose platform on tab 1, cutting plate, framelit die with knife side DOWN (against the cutting plate), cardstock, Texturz Silicone rubber, Texturz Impressions pad.  After you run this sandwich through your Big Shot, use the next size larger Framelit to cut out the embossed frame as usual.  Now, if you want to frame a stamped image as I did, you'll need to stamp first and then emboss the frame.  It is a bit tricky getting your stamped image centred when you have to put the cardstock on top of the die...just hold it up to the light and you'll see the stamped image through the cardstock.  Then just be very careful laying it down on the cutting plate.  My club members really liked this slick little trick!  I so love finding new uses for things! 
I don't know if I'll have time to post tomorrow...I have to get ready for my Sale-a-bration Open House on Saturday!  I SO love this time of year!

Another Hectic week in the books...

TGIF!!  This week has been SOOOO long!  I hate the first week back to work after a vacation...it is always a shock to the system and this week was extra-busy with my team meeting on Monday night, a parent meeting and an open house at school on Wednesday and Thursday nights.  Whew... I have worked some long hours this week!  So I'll say it again...THANK GOD ITS FRIDAY!!  (In fact, tonight at dinner while saying grace I did...thank God, that is). 
So...tonight I have the final card from my One-Sheet-Wonder class.  Today is the deadline to register and there is still room, so call or email to reserve your spot if you haven't already done so.  And now, without further ado, here is the card...

Card #6 in my One-Sheet-Wonder series using Fresh Vintage stamp set and sentiment from Occasions Alphabet.

I saved my favourite card for last.  I'm not sure why, but something about this one appeals to me.  It is really simple to put together...I actually CASE'd myself for a shoebox swap I did at our last team meeting, so it must be easy! 
I've been so busy this week I forgot to mention that I am a guest designer for this weeks challenge over at A La Card Monkey.  I will post my card for you tomorrow but you can get a sneak peek by checking out the challenge later tonight.  I also found out that I was one of the Artist Picks over at Hand Stamped Sentiments for last week's challenge...

for THIS CARD.  If you get a chance this weekend, why not try an online challenge?  They are fun and a great way to ignite your creativity.  Have a great weekend, everybody....TGIF!!

Spotlight on Fresh Vintage

How is it Wednesday already?  The week has flown by, as is typical of my first week back after the holidays.  Today I have two cards for you.  The first is a card I designed for one of my monthly groups and features a tried and true technique:  spotlighting.  I again used the Everyday Enchantment DSP from the Sale-a-bration catalogue...see what you think:

Thank you card using the Fresh Vintage stamp set and Everyday Enchantment DSP from the upcoming Sale-a-bration catalogue.

Inside view featuring sentiment from the Pursuit of Happiness stamp set.

I used a couple of techniques on this card.  The first is spotlighting where I highlighted a portion of an image stamped in a neutral colour by stamping in colour.  The second is distressing where I tore my cardstock and sponged using crumb cake and soft suede ink to give it an aged, vintage look.  As for the rest of the card, it is pretty straightforward.  I stamped the floral image in crumb cake ink on very vanilla cardstock, making sure I had one image fairly well-centred.  I punched the bottom edge with my eyelet border punch and then distressed all the edged with the tool in my cutter kit.  I tore the upper left and bottom right corners and then sponged as mentioned above.  I adhered this piece to a piece of Everyday Enchantment DSP.  To do the spotlight, I simply inked my stamp with markers, stamped it on a scrap of vanilla cardstock and then punched it out with my 1 3/4" circle punch.  I adhered it to the background using dimensionals, ensuring that the images lined up.  I added the lace trim and an antique brad as well as the little jewelry tags before adhering the whole cardfront to a crumb cake card base. 
For the inside I stamped the floral image, after first stamping off, in the lower right corner of a piece of vanilla cardstock.  I stamped the sentiment over top of the floral image in soft suede ink.  I adhered the vanilla cardstock inside the card.
The second card I have for you tonight is the next in my One-Sheet-Wonder set.  It is a simple thinking-of-you card...

One-Sheet-Wonder card #5 using the Elementary Elegance SAB stamp set.

The deadline to register for this class is Friday, so be sure to call or email to confirm your spot before then!  Till next time...have a great week...and happy stamping!

For a Friend

Today's card is the third in my One-Sheet-Wonder collection.  Just a reminder that the date for this class has changed from Sunday, January 15th to Friday, January 20th...if you haven't already done so please register by Monday, January 16th so I can be sure to have enough supplies on hand.  Now...on to the card!  Check it out:

One-Sheet-Wonder card #3 using a the Fresh Vintage SAB set and sentiment from the Occasions Alphabet set

Once again, I'm not going to tell you too much about how I put this together because I'll be teaching it in my class, but you can likely figure it out!  The DSP and brad are both Sale-a-bration items.  I used crumb cake seam binding ribbon for the bow.  The sentiment is stamped in poppy parade and is from the Occasions Alphabet set.
That's it for now...I'll be back tomorrow with another OSW card and another I made for a friend's birthday...till then, happy stamping!