Build a {pretty} Birthday

Happy Tuesday! I hope all of my American friends had a wonderful Memorial Day long weekend.  My (regular length) weekend was hectic...lots of gardening going on around here!  There wasn't much time for stamping but I spent some quality time with ink and rubber last night and have a sweet project to show you.  I based my design on the current sketch challenge over at The Paper Players.  It has been a VERY long time since I had a chance to play along over there, but I couldn't resist this versatile sketch:

Here is my take on it using the new Build a Birthday stamp set, which will be available (ONE WEEK FROM TODAY!! {insert party horns here}) in the new 2015/16 Annual Catalogue...

Birthday card featuring the Build a Birthday stamp set...available June 2nd in the new 2015/16 Annual Catalogue

So?  How well do you know the new In-colours yet?  Can you name the soft green I used here?  It is Mint Macaron...such a lovely shade of green with lots of blue in it.  I paired it here with Blushing Bride, Soft Sky and Sahara Sand, along with Whisper White, of course.  I love the soft, girlie look of these colours together.  Of course, I had to add some bling with some silver glimmer hearts, punched with the Itty Bitty Accents pack, and a bit of 1/8" silver metallic ribbon.  As if that weren't girlie enough, I added a Tea Lace doily too!  Sometimes its fun to make a truly feminine card...I don't do many like this, living in a house of boys!

There is lots of texture on this one.  The Blushing Bride layer is embossed using the new Boho Chic TIEF and the background panel is double embossed using the Large Polka Dot TIEF (you can get this look by embossing the card stock once and then flipping it over in the embossing folder and running it through the Big Shot again...kinda cool, no?).

Inside view with sentiment from the Endless Birthday Wishes stamp set.

On the inside I created the sentiment using several stamps from the Endless Birthday Wishes stamp set.  I am SO excited that this set is in the new catalogue.  It was one of my all-time-favourite photopolymer releases!  I used Mint Macaron and Sahara Sand inks to stamp the sentiment and added a little silver glimmer heart.

Now here are your Weekly Deals for this week!  There are some AWESOME products from the Occasions Catalogue here!  Remember, prices are good until Monday at midnight.

Aquamarine Colorbox Chalk Ink Pad Price: $7.25   Sale: $5.44	Birthday Bash Designer Washi Sheets Price: $11.95   Sale: $8.96	Build A Bouquet Project Kit Price: $30.95  Sale:  $23.21
Hello Honey 5/8" (1.6 Cm) Quilted Cotton Ribbon Price: $8.95   Sale: $6.71	Large Kraft Grid Journal Price: $4.95  Sale: $3.71	Painted Blooms Cotton Twine Price: $8.95   Sale: $6.71
Painted Blooms Designer Series Paper Price: $13.50  Sale: $10.13	Sweet Dreams Designer Buttons Price: $7.50   Sale: $5.63	Yellow Citrus Colorbox Chalk Ink Pad Price: $7.25   Sale: $5.44

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!!

Some Gold for the Girls

Yesterday I showed you a Man-card that featured the oh-so-trendy use of gold.  Today its the ladies' turn!  Here is a project I designed using the Gold Soiree specialty DSP:

Birthday card featuring the Endless Birthday Wishes stamp set and Gold Soiree DSP.

This is another simple design that I featured at last month's card buffet.  The background DSP is from the Gold Soiree specialty pack.  Every sheet in that package has metallic gold accents on it!  The focal image, from the Endless Birthday Wishes stamp set,  is stamped in Calypso Coral ink.  I added a brush stroke from the Work of Art set in Crisp Cantaloupe  to add some colour to the cake.  I coloured some rhinestones with the darkest shade of my Daffodil Delight Blendabilities...they look almost gold...and added them to the flames on the candles.  I die cut the starburst circle using the Starburst Framelits. 

The sentiment, also from the Endless Birthday Wishes stamp set, is heat embossed in gold on gold foil paper.  I love the look of that and will definitely be using that idea again!  I added a little green button from my stash along with some Calypso Coral baker's twine. 

On the inside of the card I added a little strip of DSP and the sentiment from the Endless Birthday Wishes set.  That, along with the Endless Wishes set for Christmas, is fast-becoming my go-to set for sentiments!  If you don't already own those two you should!

Mambo Birthday

Well, I'm into day three of my week-long Blog-aversary celebration.  It's been four years and I'm in the mood to party!  Be sure to check out my post from Monday and leave a comment to be entered into my draw for some awesome loot!
Today I have another birthday card that features Blendabilities.  Did you know you can use them to colour more than just flowers???

Birthday card featuring the Endless Birthday Wishes stamp set.

See?  I used my Blenda's to colour a birthday cake!  Teehee :)  I used the Melon Mambo and Smokey Slate collections to colour the cake and stand.  I used the Scalloped Tag Topper punch to cut the Whisper White and Melon Mambo tags and then stamped and coloured my cake on the white tag.  I also added some Irridescent Ice confetti to add texture and shine around the cake...not sure it shows so well in the photo.

The rest of the card is a piece of cake (pun intended)!  The DSP is from the Neturals DSP stack.  I used Melon Mambo 1/8" Taffeta ribbon, a Vintage Faceted button and some glimmer stars for embellishment.

On the inside I created a sentiment with words from the Endless Birthday Wishes set and added another little glimmer star.  Easy peasy!

Emerging Flower Patch

Well?  How was your long weekend?  Mine was good, but yesterday I discovered a leak under our kitchen sink which led to replacing the entire sink.  The new sink was larger than the original one, which led to cutting a larger hole in the counter top which led to a big mess...oh and did I mention that all of this started at 3:00 pm yesterday?  I was vaccuuming sawdust and wiping down kitchen cabinets at 11:00 last night!  Ah well, the new sink looks great and I'm glad there is no more leak.
Today I have one of the projects I designed for my upcoming Fabulous Flower Patch class. 

Birthday card featuring the Flower Patch and not-yet-released Good Greetings Hostess set and using the Emerging Colours technique.

Kinda funkadelic retro, no?  I have to say the photo doesn't really do it justice...the colours really pop!  So how'd I do it?  I started by sponging Crushed Curry and Melon Mambo ink in random splotches all over a piece of Whisper White card stock.  The cool part it that where those two colours overlap I got a shade remarkably close to Pumpkin Pie!  Once the ink had dried (important to allow time for this!)  I rubbed my embossing buddy all over the inked surface (this is also a VERY important step).  Then I stamped various images from the Flower Patch stamp set using Versamark ink all over the sponged card stock.  I sprinkled on clear embossing powder and the heat embossed it.  Then the magic happened,  I sponged Blackberry Bliss ink over the entire surface.  The ink adheres to the card stock, but not to the embossed images, making those colourful flowers just pop.

The rest of the card was pretty simple.  To do the background stripes I cut 3/4" wide strips of Melon Mambo, Pumpkin Pie and Crushed Curry card stock and adhered them to a 2-1/4" wide strip of Whisper White card stock.  Then I ran the whole thing through the Big Shot with the Arrows TIEF.  I glued the strip to a Black Berry Bliss card base at a 45 degree angle and trimmed off the excess.  The sentiment is from a new set called Good Greetings that will be part of a Host promotion for the upcoming Holiday Catalogue.  I punched it out with the Curly Label punch and adhered it to the stamped piece, adding a wee Vintage Faceted button and some Crushed Curry baker's twine.

Inside view with sentiment from Endless Birthday Wishes.

On the inside I stamped several of the same flower images in Melon Mambo, Crushed Curry and Pumpkin Pie ink and then added a sentiment from the Endless Birthday Wishes set.  I love how this one turned out!

Now since its Tuesdaym here are this week's deals:

Alphabet Press Textured Impressions Embossing Folder Price: $9.95  Sale: $7.46	Bermuda Bay Classic Stampin' Pad Price: $7.25   Sale: $5.44	Delicate Designs Textured Impressions Embossing Folder Price: $10.95   Sale: $8.21	Hearts A Flutter Framelits Die Price: $30.95   Sale: $23.21
Oh Baby Photobook Template - Digital Download Price: $19.95   Sale: $11.97 Wisteria Wonder 3/4" Chevron Ribbon Price: $12.50  Sale: $9.38	Pear Pizzaz Classic Stampin' Pad Price: $7.25  Sale: $5.44	Smoky Slate Classic Stampin' Pad Price: $7.25   Sale: $5.44	Travel Log Kit - Digital Download Price: $10.95  Sale:  $6.57

Endless Birthday Wishes Make-n-take

On Monday evening I did a card party for a fellow teacher and her family.  It was a fun girls' night where we did two projects and enjoyed being creative together.  Here is one of the projects we made:

Birthday card featuring the Endless Birthday Wishes Photopolymer stamp set and the Work of Art stamp set.

Now this is a CASE of a card I found on Pinterest by Chiaki Haverstick.  I kept most of the elements of her design but changed out the stamped images.  I love the combination of Hello Honey and Blackberry Bliss...such a rich duo! 

I also added a hint of gold by using the Gold Metallic Encore ink to stamp the confetti.  The DSP is from the Moonlight DSP stack and I used the Large Polka Dot TIEF for the backgound, leaving space at the bottom to stamp my sentiment.  The brushstroke image in the background is from the Work of Art stamp set and the cake and sentiments are from the Endless Birthday Wishes photopolymer set.  I added a bit of bling with rhinestones (coloured with the Daffodil Delight Blendabilities) as the flame on the candles.

On the inside I stamped the confetti in gold and the brushstroke in Hello Honey.  I stamped the sentiments in Blackberry Bliss.  This was a quick and easy card to put together and easily converted to a more masculine design by omitting the doily and rhinestones...gotta love versatility :)

Heroic Man-Card

Well it's Monday again...where did the weekend go?  I hope you enjoyed yours and had some time to stamp :)  Today I have a Man-card for you...perfect for the superman in your life...that I made with this week's challenge over at The Friday Mash-up in mind.  Here is the challenge:

And here is my project:

Birthday card featuring the Calling All Heroes photopolymer stamp set.

I knew I had a success on my hands when my DH came into my craft room, went right to this card and said "This is cool!  I really like this one."  That doesn't happen very often...actually almost never.  Anyhow, this one has the Manly "stamp" of approval (pardon the pun!).  The colours I used were Real Red, Tangelo Twist, Crushed Curry, Tempting Turquoise and Gumball Green, in addition to Basic Black, of course.

To get the 3D effect on the cityscape, I first stamped the buildings directly on the Gumball Green background using Basic Black ink.  Then, on a scrap of Whisper White, I stamped it again using Versamark and heat embossed it in black.  I fussy-cut it out and then adhered it to the original image with dimensionals, slightly off-setting it to allow the  other image to show behind it.

On the inside of the card I stamped the word "Super" using the letters from the Calling All Heroes set and "Hope it's" from the Endless Birthday Wishes set.

I love this fun set...so many possibilities...and not only for Man-cards...I know plenty of Superwomen who would love this set!  This one is available only while supplies last, so be sure to order before it's too late!

Calling All Heroes 138002  $31.95

Blooming Birthday

Happy Friday...and happy Fourth of July to my American friends!  I hope you are celebrating today with those you love.
Today I have a card I made a while back using the new Flower Patch stamp set and coordinating Flower Fair Framelits...

Birthday card featuring the Flower Patch stamp set.

I think this bundle is one of my favourite new products in the Annual Catalogue!  I love that the stamps are photopolymer, making it super easy to layer the different images to build my flowers.  I also love that there are so many different shapes in the Framelits set...lots of ways to create beautiful blooms!

I did lots of layering of colours here, working from lightest to darkest shade each time.  I also used my Daffodil Delight Blendabilities to colour the pearls in the centre of the pink flower...love that I can quickly and easily create perfectly coordinating embellishments!  The background on this one uses the new Large Polka Dot TIEF...a nice change from my go-to Perfect Polka Dots ;)

Inside view with sentiment from the Endless Birthday Wishes Photopolymer set.

 On the inside I added a few more blooms and a sentiment from the Endless Birthday Wishes photopolymer set (137553), which is once again available for order.  (If you've been thinking about purchasing this set I would suggest ordering it before they run out of stock again, as there is no guarantee they will be restocked a second time.  These photopolymer sets, which are not in the catalogue, are available on a while-supplies-last basis).

In other news, I've been busily working away on my new stamping studio.  It is so nearly ready to reveal, but not quite ;)  It is finally functional though, so I can get back to doing some stamping again this weekend!  Can't wait!!

Ninja Turtle Birthday

This past weekend my son was invited to a Ninja Turtle-themed birthday party.  Of course that meant that Mommy had to design an appropriate card for the birthday boy.  Here is what I came up with...

Ninja Turtle birthday card featuring the Alphabet Rotary stamp and the Age Awareness stamp set.

Best thing about this card?  I got to use some of my new toys from my first new catty order!  I used the Alphabet Rotary stamp for "Its Your..." and "Cowabunga" and the Age Awareness set for "Birthday".  I also used the Stars Framelits and the Triangles TIEF to do the inlaid embossing technique on the background.

To create Raphael (I'm told that's the correct name for "The Red Guy" as I typically call him) I used Ovals and Circles Framelits (though I can't tell you which ones because I forgot to write it down and, of course, I no longer have the card to check!) and some leftover Gumball Green Core'dinations card stock.  The tails on the mask are cut using the Bitty Banners Framelits (the curvy one).  The eyes and nostrils are from the Owl Builder punch and the mouth is done with the Large Oval punch.

Inside view with sentiments from the Endless Birthday Wishes and Alphabet rotary stamps.

On the inside I stamped a couple of stars from the recently-retired Simply Stars set (won't be getting rid of that one anytime soon!).  The "hope it's an..." is from the Endless Birthday Wishes set and "Awesome Day" is again stamped using the Alphabet Rotary stamp (such an awesome tool!!).
I guess Mommy done good...the card was a hit and my boy was happy :)  Once in a while, Mommy gets it right!

Hooray its your Birthday

Last night I held my monthly team meeting where we gather to discuss business ideas, encourage one another, eat some yummy snacks and, of course, stamp together.  This is one of the make-n-takes we did.  It is not my original design, but is a CASE of a card I saw on Pinterest from a blog called Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration.

Birthday card featuring the Work of Art and Endless Birthday Wishes stamp sets.

I wanted my team to have a chance to play with some new products, so I thought this card fit the bill!  I used the Endless Birthday photopolymer stamp set (temporarily unavailable until more get made!) and the Work of Art set.  I also used some So Saffron DSP from the Subtles DSP stack as well as some thick Baker's Twine in Baked Brown Sugar. 

I added a few Candy Dots in Blushing Bride and So Saffron as well as a bit of bling with some little glimmer stars.

I carried some of the elements from the front of the card to the inside and created the sentiment with the Endless Birthday Wishes set.