January 31, 2011

Hi everyone!  I had a busy weekend with the baby's birthday, but it was a nice day and she had a great time.  It's hard to believe that she's 2 years old now.

Today I'm sharing a thank you card I needed to make and I right away thought of this stamp set.  All I did was stamp the flower butterfly image using my pretty in pink ink and then I stamped over that using the dotted outline butterfly stamp and my perfect plum ink pad.  The stamp-a-ma-jig makes matching up the two images and my sentiment so easy.

Next, I stamped my sentiment and the second smaller butterfly.  I used my perfect plum marker to add the dots in the center of the flowers on the larger butterfly and the center of the dots on the smaller butterfly.

My pink background paper is a retired pp from SU and my perfect plum background paper is actually card stock that I've added a few white dots to using my white gel pen.

And finally, for my embellishment I decided to add a silver spiral clip with a small piece of white ribbon and I also added some dazzling diamonds glitter onto the flowers of the larger butterfly.  I hope you like my card!

Tomorrow it looks like my kids will have yet again, another snow day.  I'll try my best to get a card posted tomorrow with the kiddos home.  Have a great day!

Stamps: Flight of the Butterfly
Card Stock: White, Pretty in Pink, Perfect Plum, SU DP
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Perfect Plum
Supplies: Ribbon, Spiral Clip, Dimensionals, 2 Way Glue Pen, DD Glitter, Stamp-a-ma-jig, SU Perfect Plum Marker, White Gel Pen
Technique: 2 Step Stampin'

January 28, 2011

Hi everyone!  I have some exciting news to share with you all!  I'm now a SU demonstrator!  I've been thinking about signing up for some time now and I'm so excited.  I'm in the process of updating my blog and I will post a link to my Stampin Up Demonstrator website within a few days.

Today I decided to take a break from my valentine cards because I needed a thank you card for a friend who sent me a birthday gift last week.

I used my Fifth Avenue Floral stamp set and I stamped the flower three times.  I colored them and then cut them out and then placed them onto my black card stock.  Once my card was assembled I decided to add glitter into the center of the flowers.

Both of my black card stock layers have the edges punched using my SU scallop trim border punch.  My white card stock with the black polka dots on it is not pattern paper.  I made that pattern paper myself by using the holes in my SU mat pack as a guide and my black marker to make the dots.  It turned out pretty neat- another great use for my mat pack!

Well, that's about if for today!  I hope you all have a great weekend.  I'll be back again on Monday because this weekend I will be busy planning a birthday party for my little girl who will be 2 already.  How fast they grow up!

Stamps: Fifth Avenue Floral
Card Stock: White, Barely Banana, Black
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Real Red, Bashful Blue, Chocolate Chip
Supplies: Ribbon, Scallop Trim Border Punch, SU Markers, 2 Way Glue Pen, DD Glitter, SU Scissors, SU Mat Pack

January 27, 2011

Good afternoon!  Well, so far I spent an hour shoveling snow again, but now I'm caught up with my house work and the baby ate her lunch and now she's taking her nap so I figured it was a good time to update for today.

I love all the hearts that I have seen lately and so today I decided to make another Valentine's Day card using the I (Heart) Hearts Stampin Up stamp set. 

I began making my card by first stamping the tree image from SU's Season on Friendship stamp set.  Next, I sponged my background to create the clouds and I did this by taking a scrap punched scallop circle and using that as my template and I sponged my clouds using bashful blue ink.

Then I proceeded to create the hearts.  I only used the small heart stamp from this stamp set, but I stamped it using real red and pretty in pink.  I stamped the small hearts and then I punched them out using my heart to heart punch and I glued them onto my tree image.  Some of my hearts were not stamped and I just punched them from real red and pretty in pink card stock.  I even added some white dots to a few of those hearts using my white gel pen just to give a few of the hearts a different look.

And the last thing I did was to add my ribbon.  I love the way this card turned out, so cute for 'I love you day' and I hope you like it too!  Thanks so much for stopping by. I love sharing my stamping work with everyone and I'd love to have you become a follower.  Have a great evening!

Stamps: I (Heart) Hearts, Season of Friendship
Card Stock: White, Pretty in Pink, Real Red
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Real Red, Bashful Blue, Chocolate Chip
Supplies: Ribbon, Heart to Heart Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, Sponge, White Gel Pen
Technique: Sponging

January 26, 2011

Hi everyone!  I hope you are all having a great day so far.  It just started snowing here (again) and we are supposed to be receiving a few inches of snow, not much but enough to make the roads messy.

As I promised yesterday I made a card using my Stampin Up I (Heart) Hearts stamp set.  I saw a few cards floating around in the splitcoast gallery that had hearts coming out of an envelope and I thought, I can do that and so I decided to give it a try.

It took me a few tries to get my envelope just right and this was the best measuremetn that worked for me.  I made my envelope by first cutting a square 3" x 3" piece of white card stock.  Then I scored three corners and 1 1/8" and the last corner I scored at 1 1/4" (this will be the bottom of your envelope).  Next, all I had to do was to fold up the scored 1 1/4" side (again this is the bottom) and then fold over the two sides which were scored at 1 1/8".  I simply used a glue dot to hold all three sides together.

My next step was to start filling my envelope with lots of hearts.  I used the trio heart stamp from the I (Heart) Hearts stamp set and I stamped the image and then punched out the hearts using my heart to heart punch.  I played around with the arrangement of the hearts until I got it to a point that I was happy with it and then I started gluing them in place.

My real red layer was cut at 3 3/8" x 3 3/8" square and I used my scallop trim corner and border punches to punch all along the border.  To achieve this look you first need to punch the corners and then use your border punch to punch in-between the corners.  It's easier to achieve this if you turn your card stock and punch over to line them up.

The rest of my card was easy.  My pretty in pink was embossed using my square lattice embossing folder and then I decided to add a small strip of lavender lace card stock which I punched using the same border punch. 

I have to start working on a few more Valentine's Day cards and I think I'll make another one to post tomorrow so be sure to come back and check it out.  Make it a great day!

Stamps: I (Heart) Hearts
Card Stock: White, Pretty in Pink, Real Red, Lavender Lace
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Real Red, Lavender Lace
Supplies: Ribbon, Dimensionals, Glue Dots, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Scallop Trim Corner Punch, Heart to Heart Punch, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Cuttlebug, Score-pal
Technique: Dry Embossing

January 25, 2011

Good morning!  I'm posting early today so that I'll have some time later to stamp a few more cards.  I figure I'd better stamp while I can because it looks like the kids might have another snow day on Thursday or at least that's what the weather forecast is at the moment, you know how that always changes!

This card I made for my clean & simple CASE card swap that I am currently hosting.  For my swap we were to CASE (copy and share everything) any clean & simple card we found in the card gallery (on splitcoast stampers) and I decided to case this card made by Crystal.

I kept the same layout and I used the same technique as she did, but I changed the colors, I used a different sentiment, and I used a different color ribbon.  Over all my card looks almost exactly like hers, but I really didn't want to make a lot of changes because I liked it so much.

First, I stamped the flower stems using certainly celery ink.  Next, using my stamp-a-ma-jig, I stamped the flowers using a technique called rock n' roll. 

I used my scallop border punch for the punched border along the top of the card.  I really like how the border punch was used along the top portion of the card rather than on the bottom.

I decided to use this sentiment (found in the same stamp set) because I thought it would make a really nice Mother's day card.  I simply stamped my sentiment, punched it using my circle punch, and then I placed it onto my card using dimensionals.  Lastly, I tied my ribbon in a knot and then I placed it just above my sentiment using a glue dot- what a great ribbon treatment!  Plus it's a great way to use of some of those ribbon scraps I always save!

Have a great day!  Tomorrow I'm planning on posting a card I made using my I Heart (Hearts) stamp set.

Stamps: For All You Do
Card Stock: White, Lavender Lace, Certainly Celery, Black
Ink: Lavender Lace, Perfect Plum, Certainly Celery, Black Stazon
Supplies: Ribbon, Dimensionals, Glue Dots, Scallop Border Punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig, 1 3/8" Circle Punch
Technique: Rock N' Roll, 2 Step Stampin'

January 24, 2011

Hi everyone!  I spent the day getting lots of things done around the house; it was a busy day, but a good kind of busy.  The weather here in Pennsylvania has been so cold and snowy lately and so I thought I would have some fun with this cute image and make a snow themed card.

I stamped the image and then I colored it using my SU water color crayons and a blender pen.  I love the soft look you can achieve using the water color crayons especially with this image.  I decided to add some dd glitter for the snowy bottom portion of the image.

On my certainly celery layer I decided to add two rows of faux stitching using my SU mat pack and paper piercing tool.  My dp is a retired pattern from SU.

Thanks so much for stopping by and be sure to check back tomorrow.  I have another card that I made for my clean & simple swap that I will be posting.  Stay warm and have a great rest of the day!

Stamps: Merry Crittermas
Card Stock: White, Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, SU DP
Ink: Black Stazon
Supplies: Ribbon, SU Mat Pack, Paper Piercing Tool, SU Water Color Crayons, Blender Pen, 2 Way Glue Pen, DD Glitter, White Gel Pen
Technique: Paper Piercing, Water Coloring

January 12, 2011

Hi everyone! As I mentioned the other day I'm currently hosting a card swap in which we were to case and CAS card in the Splitcoast gallery and I decided to create a card for my swap. This is the card that I decided to case.

I really like the way Deb incorporated the punched hearts into the stamped image. Mine didn't turn out as nicely as hers did, but I'm still happy with my results. I stamped the image and then I colored it using my SU markers. Next, I punched a few small hearts using my SU heart to heart punch and then I glued the hearts over the flower image and in the center of the O.

I added my background decorative paper. Next, I layered a piece of white ribbon onto my wider pink ribbon and then I placed that on the background of my card. I sort of liked that my card doesn't have a knot or bow; it makes for easier mailing with less postage.

And finally just along the bottom of my card I've added a few rows of paper piercing using my SU mat pack and paper piercing tool.

Thanks to you all for being so patient with me these past few weeks while I've been MIA! Have a great rest of the day!
Stamps: Love You Much
Card Stock: White, Chocolate Chip, Real Red, Pixie Pink, DP- from Target's $ spot
Ink: Brown Stazon
Supplies: Ribbon, Heart to Heart Punch, SU Mat Pack, Paper Piercing Tool, SU Markers, 2 Way Glue Pen
Technique: Paper Piercing, Ribbon Stacking

January 9, 2011

Hi everyone!  I know it's been awhile since I've posted, but I'm still here and planning on getting back into my regular updates.  I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year holiday!  Mine was perfect and now that the kids are back in school, I will have some more stamping time.  Well, they did go back to school last week, but they missed two days of school due to bad weather and a water main break.

I have one quick thing to mention.  I have a card swap that is still open if anyone would like to join.  Here is the link for more information.  Cards are due to me by Feb 1st and it's an easy CAS card swap.

Have a great night and I'll be back again tomorrow afternoon.  I have some new punches I got for Christmas and I wanted to try them out.

December 10, 2010

I just can't seem to get enough of snowmen lately, maybe it has something to do with the snow that we've receive here so far. It hasn't been a lot, but enough to keep the ground so pretty and white.

My card is also for today's free for all challenge on splitcoast in which we were to create a holiday card in 15 minutes or less.  This was a real easy challenge for me because honestly with three kids I really don't have a lot of time to spend making my cards.  Aside of my coloring the rest of my card was easy and quick to makek.

This snowmen image is from one of my very first stamp sets I ever purchases. It's from an older SU stamp set called Best Borders. This set was perfect for one of my first sets because back then I didn't have a lot of tool or supplies so basically all I needed was to color in the snowmen, which is what I did here. I colored in their scarves and hats and then I added a little bit of glitter along the ground beneath them.

My background was embossed using my cuttlebug snow dots embossing folder- I don't use this folder nearly enough! My snowflake border punch is another item that I've hardly used and I thought it would be a perfect addition on my card. I punched some white card stock using the snowflake punch and then I layered it over my decorative paper. Next, I placed my finished image (layered onto the light blue card stock) over top of my white snowflake border card stock.

All I needed to do next was to add my silver elastic cording and my card was complete.  I'm sorry that my photo didn't turn out as nicely as I would have liked, for some reason the snowmen seemed a bit blurry, but you get the idea of my card (I hope).

Well, I have to run.  My son turns 6 years old today and I have to make him his birthday cake and get ready for his party!  I'll be sure to share a photo of him with you next week!  Have a great weekend! 

Stamps: Best Borders
Card Stock: White, Light Blue- (not sure where this card stock came from, sorry), DP is from DCWV Sweet Glitter Stack
Ink: Black Stazon
Supplies: Silver Elastic Cording, Cuttlebug, Snowflake Dots Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, 2 Way Glue Pen, DD Glitter, SU Markers, EK Success Snowflake Border Punch, Glue Dots
Technique: Dry Embossing

December 9, 2010

I keep seeing several threads where people are commenting about the stamp sets that they hardly ever use or sets that they've never used, and so that got me to thinking that I should start inking up my unloved stamps as well.

This snowman image is from an older SU stamp set called Stitched Santa.  I'm glad I kept this set because I was going to trade it on one of the PIF (pay it forward) threads a few years ago, but then I didn't.

I stamped my image using black stazon ink and then I colored it using my SU markers. It was my daughter's idea to make the birds red and I think she was right.  It really gives my card that sort of 'pop' that it needed.

My background was embossed using my cuttlebug snowflakes embossing folder (from the Winter Wonderland set).  I decided to add some SU light blue decorative paper that I found in my scrap bin and then I finished my card off with some sliver cording along the top and a little bit of glitter just along the bottom of the snowman.

Tomorrow I plan on sharing another snowman card I made from an even older SU stamp set that I have so be sure to stop on by!  Make it a great day!

Stamps: Stitched Snowman
Card Stock: White, Bashful Blue, Brocade Blue, SU DP
Ink: Black Stazon
Supplies: Silver Cording, Cuttlebug, Snowflakes Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, 2 Way Glue Pen, DD Glitter, SU Markers
Technique: Dry Embossing

December 8, 2010

I haven't played along with a splitcoast sketch challenge in a long time, so today I decided that's what I would do. I needed to make a thank you card and this is a new stamp set that I haven't used yet.

Like I normally do, I try to keep my cards clean and simple. After stamping the image I simply colored it using my SU markers and then in the centers of the flowers I added white dots using my white gel pen. After I finished coloring my image I decided to add a bit of glitter using my 2 way glue pen and SU's DD glitter. Glitter is such a quick and easy way to add that bit of pizzazz!

My background card stock is dry embossed using my SU Square Lattice embossing folder. Following the posted sketch I needed to add three smaller type additions to my card, so I decided to use the small flower that comes along with this set. I stamped the flowers, colored them, and punched them using my circle punches.

My sentiment was also stamped and then punched using my SU punches. Then just along the bottom of my card I added two rows of paper piercing- it seems as though I'm always adding some sort of paper piercing to my cards, but I really like that little bit of 'extra' on my cards without going overboard.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great rest of the day!

Stamps: Because I Care
Card Stock: White, Bashful Blue, Brocade Blue
Ink: Black Stazon
Supplies: Ribbon, Cuttlebug, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, 2 Way Glue Pen, DD Glitter, SU Markers, Scallop Oval Punch, Large Oval Punch, Small Oval Punch, 1/2" & 3/4" Circle Punches, SU Mat Pack, Paper Piercing Tool
Technique: Dry Embossing, Paper Piercing

December 6, 2010

Hi everyone!  What a busy weekend I had, but I did manage to set aside some time and make this card for this week's Designed2Delight progressive digi image challenge.

I also made my card for this week's Double Delight Challenge which is a 2-2-2 recipe challenge.  We were to use 2 card stocks, 2 designer papers, and 2 embellishments.  My 2 card stock colors are real red and old olive.  I have 2 designer papers on my card- one is from SU and the other is from the dollar spot at Target, and my 2 embellishements are:  the brads in the center of the poinsettia and my gold elastic cording.  This was a challenge for me because I rarely ever use two designer papers on my card, but I like the way it turned out.

After printing the digi image I colored it using my SU markers and then I cut the poinsettia image and my real red card stock layer using my circle nesties and scallop circle nesties.  I decided that I wanted the center of the poinsettia to be gold and I figured a few gold brads would do the trick.  I used my paper piercing tool to punch the holes through the center of the poinsettia for my brads and once my image was complete I used dimensionals to place it on my card.

My sentiment was stamped and layered onto old olive and real red card stock using my circle punches.  My gold elastic cording is from Offray.  And finally, I decided to use my EK Success Fleur De Lis border punch along the bottom of my real red and old olive card stock.  I first punched along the edge of my card stock pieces and then I staggered them and placed the old olive layer on top of my red layer (then I trimmed the edges- I just use my paper snips for this).  I love the look you can achieve from staggering border punches.  I often do this using my scallop border punch, but this is the first time I've done it using this border punch.

Well, I'm off to bed!  Thanks so much for visiting and have a great day!

Stamps:  Designed2Delight Digi Image Poinsettia, SU's To You & Yours- for my sentiment
Card Stock: White, Real Red, Old Olive, SU DP, and my other DP is from the $ spot at Target
Ink: Black Stazon
Supplies: Gold Elastic Cording, Scallop Nesties, Circle Nesties, EK Success Fleur De Lis Border Punch, SU Markers, Paper Piercing Tool, Gold Brads, 1", 1 1/4", and 1 3/8" Circle Punches, Dimensionals