Cornflowers...

...that's what today's card remind me of.  I love the beautiful blue wildflowers that grow so profusely along country roads at this time of year...they are such a vivid splash of colour against the grass...dried, and dead after this summer's heat.   When one of my hostesses asked for a generic card for her workshop this week, I pulled out the Field Flowers set and put together this simple card.  See what you think...

Simple all-occasion card using the Field Flowers and Nature Walk sets and a sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes.

Inside of card

This card was so fast and easy to put together I don't think I need to give you any instructions.  I will tell you the colour combos for the two-step stamping on the flowers though:  marina mist and not quite navy for the blooms and so saffron and more mustard for the centres.  The stems are always artichoke.
My hostess and her guests were thrilled with this card and loved how easily it came together.  Two-step stamping is a great way to get multi-dimensional images without having to colour or shade.  This set is fast becoming my favourite two-step stamping set EVER!

Out-With-The-Old-Swap Cards

Last month I participated in a swap in which we were to use up our retired Stampin' Up supplies.  Since I have TONS of retired stuff hanging around, I jumped all over this one!  I entered a masculine birthday card category and here are the two cards I did...same layout but using different stamp sets:

For this one I used the Still-Current Nature Walk set, but everything else is retired!

This one even uses retired stamps!

I have to admit I was really sad when I found out Close to Cocoa and Creamy Caramel were among the colours being retired in last year's colour renovation.  Both of these browns were ones I used regularly on masculine cards and in punch art.  I bought up several packs of each colour so that I would have plenty for future projects.  Here's the thing...I haven't used ANY of it!!!  I just love the new colours so much I don't even miss the old ones!  This swap gave me an opportunity to dust off those neglected colours and some stamps that I love but rarely have time to use any more.  I also used up lots of bits of retired Hodgepodge Hardware sets that I still have as well.  Of the two cards, I have to say I like the second one best.  I kind of like the bike images that change as one matures...from a trike to a motorcycle!  Since both men in my life (my hubby and my son) are both fond of their respective bikes (motorcycle and new two-wheeler) I thought this was an appropriate set of images for a masculine birthday card.  I hope my fellow swappers enjoyed these cards!

Friday Mashup Challenge 2

I have only recently started participating in online challenges and I have to say they are such FUN!  One of my fav's is Friday Mashup.  Their challenges are always great to get one's MOJO working.  Here is this week's challenge:

 

The choices were to do the sketch, the colour combo or BOTH!  I did the former and the latter options because, well, I liked the sketch too much to just do one card!  Here are my creations:

MU2 Challenge Card using Nature Walk stamp set.  Sentiment is from the Thanks for Caring set from the Occasions Mini.

A second MU2 challenge card also using the Nature Walk set but featuring a different colour scheme taken from the gorgeous Botanical Gazette DSP.  The sentiment is from the Clearly For You set.

I am experiencing that sense of urgency I get whenever a Mini Catalogue is about to expire...a need to use up all of my DSP and get as much mileage out of the stamps for fear they will never be seen again.  I SOOOOO hope the Nature Walk set makes it into the IBC in July!  Are you listening SU?!?  The images in that set are too gorgeous to only be around for four short months!  Anyhow, as you can see, pretty much everything I used for these two cards comes from the Occasions Mini.  I really like the felxibility this sketch offers...into my sketch book it goes!  (Keeping a journal of sketches and layouts that you've used and like is a great resource...I use it when I am stuck in a rut or my mojo goes south for a while.  Try it...you'll be glad you did!)

On a completely different note, I have posted the photos for my May card class on the Upcoming Events page.  I will post them here tomorrow, but if you can't wait till then or want to check them out to see if you'd like to attend the class, click on the Events tab at the top of this page. 

Back to some stamping!

Ok, now that all the birthday hoopla is over for another year, it is time to get back to some stamping!  My summer mini pre-order arrived on Tuesday and I've been so darned busy I've barely been able to do more than look at it!  How frustrating!  Can't wait for the weekend so I can have some play time!  In the meantime, here is a card I designed for a new challenge blog called A La Card Monkey.  With a name like that, how could I not participate?!?  The challenge theme this week is Nature, so, for obvious reasons, I pulled out my fav stamp set from the current Occasions Mini:  Nature Walk.  See what you think...

Spring-inspired Easter Card for A La Card Monkey Challenge #50

Close-up of that cute li'l robin...I'm seeing more and more of these little fellows in my yard these days!

Inside of card...sentiment is from a retired set called Gifts of Spring.

I am SOOO ready for spring!  This winter has been horrible both weather-wise and illness wise.  Our family has been hit hard and often and we are all ready for the weather to warm up so we can get outside and get rid of these bugs for good!  Driving through our neighbourhood these days, one spots many a fat robin looking for bits of grass and twigs to build her nest.  One sure sign of spring!  When I read the challenge for this week, I immediately thought of this stamp set and, almost instantly envisioned this card!  Funny how sometimes one can sit forever waiting for inspiration to strike and others it is there before we are even aware of it!  In any case, here is what I did to create this card:

Starting with a baja breeze card base, I ran it through my Big Shot with my Framed Tulips embossing folder.  I then sponged the raised image and along with the edges of the card in soft suede.  I then inked my size D clear mount block with crumb cake, spritzed it lightly with water and then stamped it on a piece of very vanilla cardstock.  I then stamped several of the images from the Nature Walk set, taking care to stamp some full-strength and others stamped off once or twice to give depth and interest.  I distressed the edges using the tool in my cutter kit and then sponged the edges in baja breeze ink.  I then pulled out my distressing kit and sponged again using tea stain and mahogany ink.  The final touch was a spritz or two using my spritzer tool and crumb cake marker.  I wrapped a piece of crumb cake seambinding ribbon around the top of the stamped piece, securing either end with glue dots.  I created a bow by gathering another piece of seam binding in an antique brad (is there a project I don't use those on?!?) and then pierced it through the stamped piece, securing the brad at the back.  I then glued the whole thing to my card base using Tombow.  For the little robin, I stamped him in Staz On on watercolour paper and then coloured him in using my blender pen and poppy parade, crumb cake, soft suede and going grey (retired) ink.  I fussy-cut him out and adhered him to my card using dimensionals.  The sentiment, from the Level 2 hostess set in the Occasions mini called Something to Celebrate, was stamped at the bottom using the mahogany ink from the  distressing kit.
For the inside of the card I stamped the eggs in crumb cake.  I stamped the sentiment in soft suede on very vanilla and punched it out with my decorative label punch.  I added a bit of colour by stamping the flower image (stamped off two and three  times).  I lightly sponged the entire thing and then adhered it with dimensionals.
Gotta love it when a plan comes together.  (If you remember what TV show that line comes from leave a comment!)  Tomorrow I promise to have some sneak peek items from the upcoming mini for you!!

Sale-A-Bration Fun!

Yesterday I held my Sale-A-Bration Open House...and a good time was had by all!  There were two make-n-takes, which I'll share later in the week, as well as some games, prizes and yummy cake (after all, what's a party without cake?!?)  The three hours flew by and, before I knew it, it was over till next year.  If you missed the open house, it's not too late to get in on the Sale-a-Bration fun.  There are still almost 2 months to take advantage of this great promotion, so book your workshop and start planning which sets you would like for FREE!

Now, on to a card!  This afternoon I finally got around to opening up my Springtime Vintage DSP from the Occasions Mini.  I love that paper...so pretty and feminine!  As I looked at it I knew I just had to try a Mother's Day card!  I know, I know, I'm a little early, but it was nice to do something other than a Valentine's card for a change!  Here is what I came up with:

Easel Card using Nature Walk set and Springtime Vintage DSP

All images are from the Nature Walk set

Still in love with those Antique Brads...sentiment is from Tiny Tags set

Sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes set. 

 I created this card with my mother in mind.  She is a garden nut.  She lives on a lake in the heart of cottage country, near Parry Sound,Ontario.  They have several hundred acres up there and my mom as turned a large portion of it into gardens.  She spends the entire summer in her garden, battling the deer who like to nibble on her flowers and the weeds that seem to sprout over night.  And she loves every second of it.  So this card will most certainly be going to her come Mother's Day. 
The format of this one is a little different.  It is an easel card; really easy to make, and a nice change of pace.  The finished size is 4 1/4" square and it folds flat to fit in an envelope.  The nice thing about this particular design is that it could easily be a birthday card or even a sympathy one with a different sentiment.  I am going to use this one for my upcoming Fun Folds Class...check out the Upcoming Events tab at the top of this page!

Happy New Year!!

Hello 2011...glad you're here!  Can't wait to see what surprises this year holds!  I hope you all had a great evening doing whatever you chose to do to see out 2010.  My husband and I were in bed by 11:30!!  Ever since we had our son we prioritize sleep over fun anytime of the year!  Good thing, 'cuz our little darling was up at 5:00 am!!
Now on to something interesting...a card using new products to start the new year.  I made this one for my mom's birthday which is coming up this week.  I think she'll like it because she is a real garden/outdoorsy person.

Card for my mom's 68th birthday using the new Nature Walk set from the occasions mini.

Close up of the gorgeous images in this set!

Inside of card with sentiment from another new set called Create a Cupcake.

This card is LOADED with new products, all of which will be available starting January 4th...just 3 days away!  For starters, I used the new Framed Tulips embossing folder.  This folder is perfectly sized  for a cardfront, but also works with slightly smaller sized layers, as I did on this card.  After embossing the crumb cake cardstock I ran my distressing tool all the way around the edges and then sponged lightly with crumb cake ink to highlight the pattern.  I then stamped the floral image which I had inked using my marina mist and old olive markers.  I added the Chantilly lace trim and tied it in a knot.  I layered this piece on a slightly larger piece of early espresso cardstock and  then adhered the whole thing to a marina mist card base. 
The bird is stamped in early espresso on very vanilla cardstock.  I cut it out and then lightly sponged it with crumb cake ink to soften the image slightly.  I adhered it using dimensionals.  The sentiment, from a retired set called Watercolour Trio,  is also stamped in early espresso on very vanilla cardstock and then punched out using the large oval.  I sponged the edges lightly using early espresso ink and then  layered it on a designer label in marina mist and a wide oval in early espresso.  The entire thing is adhered to the card using dimensionals.  The final touch is one of the big designer buttons that I threaded with marina mist 1/8" taffeta ribbon and adhered over the knot in the lace trim using Tombow glue.
For the inside of the card I embossed another piece of crumb cake cardstock with the Framed Tulips folder.  I then sponged it using early espresso ink and adhered it inside the card.  I stamped another floral image and then stamped again without reinking to get a shadow effect.  The sentiment is from the new Create a Cupcake set and is stamped in early espresso on very vanilla.  I punched it out using the wide oval, sponged it with more early espresso ink and then layered it on decorative label punch-outs in marina mist and early espresso.  It is adhered to the inside of the card using dimensionals.
I hope my mom likes this card...now I need to get busy making a card with my son for her!  I hope your first day of the new year is quiet and relaxing!