Playing with new toys...

...and getting rid of old ones!  You may have noticed the new tab at the top of this page that says "Retired Stamp Yard Sale".  I need to get rid of more of my retired stamps, so I've posted them for sale on my blog.  Check out the list and if there is something you're interested in, make me an offer.  A paypal account is needed to complete the sale.

Now on to today's post!  I've been playing with the new Established Elegance set and came up with this card...see what you think.  It is based on this week's sketch at Stamping 411.  Here is the sketch:

...and here is my card:

Card for SSC214 using Established Elegance stamp set.

Close up of images

I took a few liberties with the sketch, rotating it and moving the three buttons from the edge and onto the focal image. The colour scheme was inspired by the Timeless Portrait Suite.  I just substituted the river rock for sahara sand on this card.  I really love the way the island indigo just makes everything pop.  Here is how I put this together:
Starting with a piece of very vanilla cardstock, I ran it through my Big Shot with the Top Note die.  I also took a piece of island indigo cardstock and ran it through with the scalloped square die and I ran a sahara sand cardbase through with my Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder.  Now that the Big Shot work was done, I set to stamping!  Laying the scalloped square on my card, I decided how much I wanted to offset it and trimmed it accordingly.  I then layered the top note diecut on top of the square and trimmed it to size as well.  Taking the trimmed top note, I stamped the various images in basic black, cherry cobbler and island indigo ink, stamping off some images to give depth and interest to my collage.  Then I sponged the whole thing using the tea stain ink from my distressing kit.  Setting this aside, I took my scalloped square and distressed it using my bone folder to break down the cardstock.  I adhered my stamped top note to the scalloped square, ensuring the left edges were aligned.  I then took scraps of black striped ribbon and Chantilly lace trim, layered them and adhered them to the right edge of my focal piece.  I took a piece of cherry cobbler seam binding, crumpled it and then tied it into a bow using an antique brad and adhered it to the upper left corner of my focal piece.  Taking my embossed card base, I sponged the edges in sahara sand ink and then adhered the focal image along the left edge.  The final touches were a bit of Timeless portrait fabric gathered on a safety pin from the vintage trinkets and three little buttons that I had sitting around the house.
Gotta love vintage...so easy to put a bunch of elements together and make them work!

Where does the time go?

How is it the end of July already?!?  I feel like summer just got started and here it is half over!  The month of August spells an end to my care-free days and the beginning of ramping up for another school year.  Somehow my brain knows all this and the back-to-school dreams start, like clock-work, on August first...ugh!  Good thing I have my Holiday Mini pre-order to distract me!  I get to place my order for new goodies starting on Monday and boy, do I have a wishlist!!  I'm going to have to pace myself!  In anticipation of all my new Holiday goodies arriving in the next week or so, I've been working on planning my classes and workshops for August and September.  It's been fun to pull out some sets that haven't seen ink in a while and give them a workout.
Today's card is one that uses a brand NEW set...one that I've fallen in love with:  Field Flowers.  It is a two-step-stampin' set that allows you to get multi-coloured images with amazing depth without watercolouring or using markers.  Gotta love something that gets gorgeous results this quickly and easily!  Check it out:

Card using the new Field Flowers and Clearly For You sets with sentiment from Nature's Pace set.

Aren't those flowers pretty???  And SO easy to do...anyone with a couple of colours of ink can do it!   Here is how I put it all together:
Starting with a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" piece of First Edition DSP, I stamped the stems twice using always artichoke ink.  Then, using perfect plum, I stamped the solid flower image three times and a fourth time on a piece of scrap DSP.  Following that, I stamped the outline flower image in elegant eggplant right over top of the solid images, not worrying about exact alignment (no Stamp-a-ma-jig for me!).  Finally, I stamped the solid centre image using more mustard.  I then cut out the flower that was stamped on the scrap and adhered it to the larger stamped piece using dimensionals. Then I tore the edges of the stamped piece all the way around, trying to ensure I tore an even amount from each side.  Using the mahogany ink from the distressing kit, I sponged the torn edges.  I then took a 4" x 5 1/4" piece of elegant eggplant cardstock and crumpled and distressed it.  I ran my distressing tool from the cutter kit around the edges and then applied mahogany distressing ink using the rubber applicator to highlight the wrinkles in the paper and the rough edges.  I then adhered the stamped DSP piece, folding down the top left corner and securing it with an antique brad that I had threaded with a little Victoria Lace trim.  I adhered the entire thing to an always artichoke card base that I had also roughed up with my cutter kit tool.  On a piece of scrap very vanilla cardstock I stamped the sentiment from the Nature's Pace set in always artichoke ink.  I punched it out using my large oval punch and then stamped the butterfly and ladybug from the Clearly for You set in elegant eggplant and more mustard respectively.  I sponged the entire oval using the tea stain ink from the distressing kit, added a little library clip and adhered it to my card using dimensionals.
I really like this card!  It may be one that never gets given away...but then again, I have A LOT of cards that I say that about...I only have so much storage space!

Mojo with a Flourish

Today's card is another one I designed for a couple of online challenges:  this week's Mojo Monday sketch and the Flourish challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments.  First of all, here is the Mojo sketch:

...and here is my card:

Card for Mojo201 and HSS77 using the Creative Elements stamp set as well as a sentiment from Pursuit of Happiness

Close up of layering detail.

I have to say that as soon as I saw the challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments I thought of the new Creative Elements stamp set.  I just love the flourish image in that set; especially because it lends itself to colouring!  That is exactly what I did on this card.  I stamped the flourish and then coloured it using my markers.  I pulled my colour scheme from the Paisley Petals DSP:  cherry cobbler, always artichoke, marina mist and cajun craze.  That certainly isn't a colour combo I would generally choose, but it works so well in the paper I had to give it a go!  I do like the way the stamped image complements the pattern in the DSP behind it and the butterflies just add a touch of whimsy.  The sentiment is from the new Pursuit of Happiness set from the new catalogue...lots of great quotes and sentiments in that set! 
On a completely different note, I have been working on my class line-up for August!  Yes, summer freedom is nearly over and I have to get back to a more regular schedule.  In the next day or so I will post samples and details about two upcoming classes:  my monthly card class (featuring the new Easy Events set) and an introduction to watercolouring class.  Click on the Upcoming Events tab at the top of the page for more information.

Starter Kit Promo Ends Sunday!

Now is the perfect time to join (or come back to) Stampin' Up!  Until Sunday, you can get a mini starter kit for only $119!!!  That's half the regular price!  This kit is designed for those who already have a good  selection of stamping supplies and are ready to receive all of the benefits of being a demonstrator.  In addition to the kit, you will receive a specially designed Christmas keepsake box kit (a $50) value FREE!  I saw this box on display at convention and it is gorgeous!  Here is what comes in this mini kit:

• Easy Events Clear-Mount Set*
• Pennant Parade Wood-Mount Set*
• Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad
• Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad
• Pumpkin Pie Classic Stampin' Pad
• Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad
• Brights 8-1/2" x 11" Assorted Card Stock
• Just Add Cake Designer Series Paper*
• Chocolate Chip 1/2" Scallop Dots Ribbon*
• Note Cards (20)
• Clear-Mount Block C
• Blender Pen (1)
• SNAIL Adhesive
• Business supplies

REMEMBER:   the items in the kit are completely customizable, so you can tailor it to suit your own stamping style. 

Shelli Gardiner, our co-founder and CEO created this video about this promotion.  Check it out and see why you NEED to get in on this promotion before it ends on Sunday!

Signing up is easy!  Details are available by clicking the promotion graphic in the upper right corner of this page.  Then head over to my Stampin' Up website and click the "Join the Fun" tab at the top right of the home page.  If you have any questions along the way, give me a call and I'd be happy to answer them for you.
 Once you get signed up I will help you build your business every step of the way.  If you would rather just enjoy the discounted products and other perks of being a demonstrator without holding workshops and selling to others that's ok too!  I am here to help you get the most out of your demonstratorship...what ever you want it to be.

On a roll...

Hold on to your seats...two posts in one day!!  It seems the creative block I was suffering after I returned from convention was just a temporary case of inspiration-overload.  I am happy to say my mojo is back and working just fine, thank you very much!  Since I'm back in the stamping saddle again, I thought I'd try another couple of online challenges today.  The card I created actually works for two challenges this week:  The Paper Players and SU Only.  The challenge over at SU Only is to create a Get Well card...something we all need from time to time.  I chose to create mine using the this week's Paper Players sketch:

Here is my happy, CAS card:

Get Well Card for PP56 and SUO24 using the Ain't Love Grand hostess set.

Inside of card with sentiment from the Word Play set

I am really happy with the way this turned out...though it was a lot more involved than it looks!  First of all, I paper-pieced the umbrella...that is always tedious and takes time.  I also added Crystal Effects to the rain drops and puddles to give them watery dimension...you likely can't tell that from the photo!  Then I had the brainwave to simulate the background from the front of the card behind the sentiment on the inside...that took some figuring, but was worth the math frustration!  So this supposedly CAS card took me over an hour to make!  It was certainly worth the effort, though.  Now I just need someone I know to get sick so I can send them this cheery little pick-me-up (is it wrong to wish illness on my friends?!?)  If you're wondering, here are the colours I used:  poppy parade, calypso coral, daffodil delight, lucky limeade, island indigo and pool party.  Can you tell I love the new in-colours?!  I'll be back tomorrow with another card I did for a different challenge...like I said...I'm on a roll...

Forever Young

Last night I sat down to make a birthday card for a colleague and friend who is turning 40 in a couple of weeks.  I wanted to use the Timeless Portrait DSP from the new catty.  I just love the rich colours and bold patterns in that paper!  I also wanted to create something for this week's challenge at Friday Mashup because I haven't played along in a while and I miss it!  The challenge is to create a birthday card using the following colours:  cherry cobbler, not quite navy, always artichoke and sahara sand.  Well, the birthday card part wasn't a problem, but because I was using the DSP, I had to substitue some colours:  not quite navy became island indigo, always artichoke became river rock and sahara sand became very vanilla.  I also added black to make everything pop.  So, here is my card...

Birthday card for FM16 using the Forever Young, Word Play and Perfectly Penned stamp sets and featuring Timeless Portrait DSP.

This is an easel card that folds flat and fits in a standard envelope!

The Forever Young set is another one that I knew I just HAD to have when I first saw the new catty.  I love that image of the tree with the swing.  So calm and peaceful...I remember being that little girl, swinging away without a card in the world...Sorry!  I got a little nostalgic there for a second!  That's what I'm hoping happens when my friend opens this card on her 40th birthday:  a little nostalgia and happy memories.  I'm not going to go into detail about how to create this card (it took a while!), but I will list all the  new products I used:
Timeless Portrait DSP, lace ribbon  border punch, stripes embossing folder, island indigo in-colour cardstock, Forever Young and Perfectly Penned stamp sets.  Whew...that's a lot of new product on one card!  Can you tell I'm loving all the new goodies???
On a completely different note, don't forget to take my survey (link is at the top of the left-hand column on this page) for a chance to win a $40 gift certificate.  The survey closes this Sunday, so don't miss out!

Another Christmas card...in July!

Yes, I know...here we are in the middle of a heat wave and I'm making Chirstmas cards!  I have to get planning for my fall classes and, since Christmas is a big part of my fall crafting, I decided I had better get to designing some holiday cards.  This card was inspired by a swap card I got at convention.  I got so many amazing swaps...there are MANY talented demonstrators out there!  I plan to use this card in my Stamp-A-Stack line-up at some point:

Christmas card using the Perfect Punches stamp set and featuring the Petals A-Plenty embossing folder.

I love this embossing folder (actually, I don't think there is one I DON'T love!).  It adds so much to a card for such little effort (and expense!).  Here is how I put this one together:
Starting with a whisper white card base, I ran it through my Big Shot with the embossing folder.  I then cut a 2 1/2" x 4 1/4" strip of whisper white and punched one of the long edges using my scallop border punch.  I ran that piece through the Big Shot as well, ensuring the punched edge remained OUT of the embossing folder so that it would stay smooth.  I cut a 2 3/4" x 4 1/4"  piece of cherry cobbler cardstock, punched one of the long edges and glued the embossed white strip to it.  I then wrapped a piece of cherry cobbler polka dotted scalloped ribbon around and tied it in a knot.  I glued that piece to the lower edge of the cardfront.  For the focal image, I began by die cutting a cherry cobbler medallion using my new perfect pennants die.  I then cut a 2" circle from brushed silver cardstock.  On a scrap of whisper white, I stamped the focal image using Versamark ink and then heat embossed it using the new (and SOOOO exciting!) cherry cobbler embossing powder.  I punched the embossed image out using my small scalloped circle punch and adhered it to the medallion.  I then adhered the whole focal image to the card using dimensionals.  So fast and easy!  I could mass produce this card in a snap, which makes it a perfect SAS card!
Last night I managed to get the last of my convention Make-n-Takes done.  They are FABULOUS!  I need to get them photographed and I'll post them for you soon!