Finally, a Little Time to Play!

I have been so busy lately with important stuff like moving into our new house, celebrating my 40th birthday :), and having a HUGE retired SU garage sale, that I have had almost no time to "PLAY!" with all my new fabulous stampin' stuff! This morning, I decided, "The heck with all there is to do... I am going to spend some time in my craft world!"  So, here I am!

This is the new stamp set, "Fabulous Florets".  It is such a gorgeous set for watercoloring.  Just love these roses!  I also tried a new technique on this card -- inspired by a card I received from a friend in Seattle.  I inked my clear acrylic block, size D, with Crumb Cake ink, then spritzed it with water, and stamped it on Watercolor paper.  Let that dry, then stamped the rose stem with Olive craft ink over top.  I stamped the roses on scraps of water color paper in Basic Black ink, and colored them with my precious water color crayons and an aqua painter.  I then cut them out (oh, how I hate to cut!, but these weren't too bad!) and put them on dimensionals for that certain "pop".

Finally, I spritzed the whole card liberally with my shimmer mist -- made with rubbing alcohol and champagne shimmer paint.  It is so sparkly and shimmery in real life!  You can't see it too well, but I also used a new embossing folder -- houndstooth -- for the background Cajun Craze panel.  I also used the new polka dotted cherry cobbler scalloped ribbon!!!!! It is gorgeous!  I love that color, anyways, so ribbon to match made it a must-have.

Supplies:
Card Stock: Cajun Craze, Cherry Cobbler, water color paper
Ink: Crumb Cake, Old Olive Craft, Basic Black
Accessories: Cherry Cobbler dotted scalloped ribbon, shimmer mist, aqua painter, water color crayons, Houndstooth embossing folder, basic pearls

Brand New Treasures!!!

I've finally had a little time to play with my new Stampin' Up! goodies from the new catalog.  I'm especially excited about the new In Colors this year.  Pool Party is a lovely robin egg color of blue -- just gorgeous!  And, Calypso Coral is a nice happy color of coral -- MUCH prettier (in my opinion) than the retired cousins from the past -- Cameo Coral or Groovy Guava.  It goes perfectly with Poppy Parade.  Wisteria Wonder is the much needed pale purple that we've been lacking in our color collection.  It looks so great with Concord Crush -- a vibrant purple from last year's In Color addition.  Lucky Limeade is a really rich lime color -- much less "split pea soup" looking than Kiwi Kiss was.  Again, my opinion! :)  Finally, Island Indigo is a brighter version of Not Quite Navy.  It goes nicely with the Pool Party.

Here are a few creations using a new stamp set -- Delicate Doilies.  The thing I love about this set is that it's so versatile.  I created some lovely summery cards as well as a simple, sparkly Christmas card.  There is also a new background stamp called Hello Doily that will be awesome paired with this stamp set.

So, without further ado, here you are!!!

The first two cards were inspired by a card I saw on Splitcoaststampers -- http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/1994991?cat=fav.  I love how easy this was to create and show cases the new colors perfectly -- Calypso Coral with Poppy Parade, Wisteria Wonder with Concord Crush, and Island Indigo with Pool Party.
Hope this inspires you to create something lovely of your own!!! :)

Paisley Petals Journal

Hello, hello! :)  I've been missing in action for a while, because we have been moving into a new (to us) house!  My husband and I have been married almost 15 years, and this is our very FIRST house to purchase, so it is exciting news indeed!  (Note: My husband has been in school for about 13 of those 15 years, and is finally done and working a "real job".)  Anyways,..... that's why I haven't posted for a while.

This beautiful journal is made with the "Paisley Petals" Designer paper that will be in the new catalog coming out July 1st.  It is a lovely collection of papers, and has almost a Basic Grey feel to it, I think.  I love the variety of the papers -- AND it has a stamp set that matches it!!!!!  Woo Hoo!!!

Bryn's kindergarten teacher this year, is indeed one of THE kindest, sweetest people I've ever met, so when I set out to create a gift for her, this sentiment (from the "Define Your Life" stamp set -- retiring June 30th) seemed perfect.  IMPORTANT! the Spiral punch used to punch the paper to slide over the spiral binding, is retiring June 30th, so if you want to re-create this project, get your punch now!  Also, for the dimensions of how to cut the paper to put over your journal, see the previous journals posts on my blog.

 The colors in this designer paper are an interesting combination -- Marina Mist, Baja Breeze, Peach Parfait, and Bravo Burgandy, but they do work together nicely.  I used the Fun Flowers die to make the big flower.  I spritzed the petals with my favorite homemade shimmer mist (Champagne shimmer paint mixed with rubbing alcohol in a spritzer bottle), so it is really sparkly in real life.  The leaves are made using a punched oval, folded in half, and then put through the crimper at an angle.  For the center of the flower, I used a retired Baja Breeze corduroy brad.

For the inside of the journal, I stamped the scrolly image from "Elements of Style" and the itty bitty image from "Tiny Tags" set in Crumb Cake ink.

Finally, I embellished the designs using the Basic Pearls -- I LOVE those things.  They add such a nice touch for so little $. :)
Supplies:
Paisley Petals DSP, Vanilla, Bravo Burgandy, Marina Mist, Baja Breeze, and Pear Pizzazz Card Stock
Decorative Label punch, large oval punch
Fun Flowers die and Big Shot
Crimper
Marina Mist 5/8" satin ribbon
Spiral punch (retiring June 30th)
Basic Pearls

Enjoy, and be inspired!

2-4-6-8 Father's Day favor box

Needing a quick and easy favor?  Try this 2-4-6-8 box.  Simply take a 6 x 8 1/2" of card stock, score horizontally at 2, 4, 6, and 8 inches -- you should have a 1/2" tab sticking left on edge.  Now rotate 180 degrees and score at 2" on one long side.  Then, cut on the short score lines -- up to the long one -- so you can fold those tabs in at the bottom to form your box.  Next, crease on all score lines with bone folder.  Stamp design on outside of box -- here I used the Circle Circus stamp set.  Finally, take the scallop square punch and punch out a window on one side.  Adhere a 2x2 pc of Light Window sheets behind the window.  Fold the box together -- adhering the walls first, then fold up the bottom tabs, and glue all together with the Tombow Multi glue.  Fill with your Dad's favorite treats, fold together like a milk carton, punch two holes in the top with the Crop-o-dile, and thread a red 1/4" grossgrain ribbon through.  Add the little Happy Father's Day tag -- using the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set, the large oval, and scalloped oval punches.  Add the star with a silver brad in the center, to finish it off.

This is a great little box that can be adapted for any occasion.

Here are all three projects we will be doing at my upcoming Father's Day/Masculine cards Class.

A birthday card he'll love!

The next time you feel challenged trying to come up with a masculine card, try this Inlaid Embossing technique using just a bunch of circle punches and the square lattice embossing folder!  I punched a variety of circles out of More Mustard, Soft Suede, Cherry Cobbler, Cajun Craze and Early Esspresso and arranged them in a random pattern on an Early Esspresso panel.  After gluing them all in place, I embossed the panel in my Big Shot using the Square lattice embossing folder.  The result is so unique and interesting!  I then mounted this panel onto a folded Soft Suede card and added the Happy Birthday sentiment (from Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set) -- punched out with the Word Window punch, and then mounted onto the Modern Label punch out.  For the final embellishment, I added Basic Rhinestones to the sentiment -- coloring them with my colored sharpies, to match.

My inspiration for this card, came from this (http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/1807770?cat=500&ppuser=132623) card I saw on Splitcoaststampers.  I think this card could be easily adapted to a graduation card -- using the colors of the school -- or a baby girl card using a variety of shades of chocolate and pink.

We will be making this card at my upcoming Father's Day class on June 12th.

Happy crafting!

"Simple Friendship" #2

Another card show casing the "Simple Friendship" stamp set that's 30% off this month -- only $18.95 for this $25.95 set!
For this card, I embossed the small flowers on shimmery white cardstock, misted it with water and colored with an aqua painter and Real Red reinker.  (This is a water coloring technique I've been wanting to try for a while.  Not completely satisfied with the result -- need to play some more with it.) I then cut them out and mounted them with dimensionals.  Used the little flourish stamp for the flower stems.  I also watercolored the little flowers on the "friend" label.  The colors used here are Real Red, Basic Black, whisper white, Shimmery White card stocks.  In hind sight, the little flowers would have looked better embossed in black, but no time to re-make this baby, so this is it for now!

Enjoy! Happy Stamping!

"Simple Friendship" ideas

The stamp set, "Simple Friendship", had been on my wish list for a while, now, and when I realized it was 30% off this month (click on the "shop now" button to view the special -- sorry my sidebar button doesn't work), I just had to get it!  I challenged myself to use Concord Crush -- one of our current In Colors.  I really do like this color, just never seem to use it.  The butterfly in this set is lovely.  I haven't had time to play yet, but I also envision a card stamping this butterfly in Poppy Parade and layering black and poppy butterflies on top using the Beautiful Wings embosslit.  It would make a really elegant red and black card...  When I have some time to play, I'll give it a try. :)  Until then, these will have to suffice.  The colors used here are Concord Crush, Perfect Plum and Wild Wasabi.  I colored some of the Basic Rhinestones black for the butterfly's body, and purple for the flower centers.  A little paper piercing in the corner to add interest, and plenty of Dazzling Diamonds glitter accents -- applied with the two way glue pen.

Enjoy!