FMS86: Sunshine Summer Card

 This card was inspired by the Freshly Made Sketches Challenge (#86).  The sketch was very simple and I decided to keep it simple to focus on the sentiment.

When I saw the sketch I knew that I wanted to use the Feel Goods Stamp Set on the main panel of the sketch.

I simply love all the sentiments in this stamp set.  I decided to use the Sunshine one, so I went with green and yellow for the colors.  Makes me think of the upcoming summer.

The bright colors give a happy feel and make this card great to give to anyone who needs a little pick up, which made this fun to make since it is rainy here today.  The small green dahlia helps bring the green onto the panel and adds dimension.

Since I move the sentiment from the original sketch, I added a few brown rhinestones to the bottom edge of the card.  I love that I can make my rhinestones any color by simply coloring them with a Sharpie marker.  I have a very large set of multiple colored pens for just this purpose.  What is your favorite technique to dress up a card?

Papers: Whisper White (#100730), Gumball Green (#126840), Patio Party DSP (#126916, retiring)
Inks: Chocolate Chip (#126979)
Stamps: Feel Goods (#129684)
Other Supplies: Summer Starfruit Stitched Ribbon (#126846), Rhinestones (#119246), In Color Dahlias (#127556), Big Shot (#113439), Stripes Folder (#123128)

Show & Tell: New Photopolymer Sets and a NEW Online Class!

If you haven't tried our photopolymer stamp sets yet, now is the time! We've got two more for you: Show & Tell 1 and 2. Together these sets feature more than 60 versatile images that you can mix and

match to create personalized backgrounds, patterns, layers, and dimensions to make any project stand out.

And even better, these sets are featured in our new Seeing the Possibilities Class! Take this class to discover how quickly and easily you can line up the stamped images for precision placement, achieve just the right
ink coverage, combine images together exactly where you want them. . .well you get the idea. The possibilities are endless!

See the flyer by clicking here.

Technique Tuesday: Faux Cloisonne

I have always loved the look of Cloisonne.  I saw this technique for Faux Cloisonne many years ago, but never got around to trying it until now.  I LOVE IT!  So much so, that I made not one card, but three.

For the first card, I used a magazine page of a flower cake.  I love the monochromatic color scheme.  Simply use your VersaMark ink and gold embossing powder to emboss your image over the magazine page.

Once the image is embossed and cut out you can not tell what the original image is, but you have a wonderful spectrum of colors.

For the second card I wanted to make something simple that would really show off the Faux Cloisonne technique.  The Secret Garden bundle is great for this because you do not have to "fussy cut" the embossed image.  The matching framelits make cutting multiple images very simple.

The page is used for this card was a magazine photo of a strawberry shortcake (yes, most of my magazines have to do with baking).  You can see above where I cut one of the flowers out of the page.

The red and gold remind me of traditional Cloisonne and make for beautiful flowers.  The strawberries are somewhat noticeable if you look very closely, but if you did not know it was a magazine page it would be hard to guess.

This final card is my absolute favorite and I will be using the Swallowtail stamp for this many times in the future.  The original magazine page was (of course) another cake.  This one had rainbow icing which makes a wonderful color scheme for the butterfly.

The photo does not do justice to how wonderful this turned out.  I know we all have a few magazine sitting around.  Instead of just recycling them, try upcycling them into a beautiful Faux Cloisonne card.

Papers: Whisper White (#100730), Real Red (#102482), Pumpkin Pie (#105117), Bashful Blue (#105120, retiring), Wild Wasabi (#108641)
Inks: VersaMark (#102283), Real Red (#126949), Daffodil Yellow (#126944), Pumpkin Pie (#126945), Midnight Muse (#126860)
Stamps: Lacy & Lovely (#122887), Curly Cute (#120510, retiring), Secret Garden (#129144), Swallowtail (#129216)
Other Supplies: Gold Embossing Powder (#109129), Neutral Brads (#119736, retiring), Secret Garden Framelits (#129372)

Paper Pumpkin - SU! Monthly Craft Kit

Paper Pumpkin is your very own paper fairy godmother (without the white hair).   It's the total package:

• Each kit includes all the stamps, ink, paper, and accessories (everything except adhesive) to create projects like cards, journals, décor, and more!
• The kit comes with all you need for your project cut, measured, and ready—with instructions included. 
• The kit will ship on or around the 15th of the month.   You need to sign up for a kit by the 10th of the month to get that month's kit.  If you sign up on the 11th of the month, your first kit will come the next month. 
• And a free gift in your very first kit!  The Welcome Kit is the very first Paper Pumpkin you will receive in your first month of membership, and it includes a free gift - a clear acrylic block!
• Please list me as your demonstrator, so I know you are getting your goodies.

MDSM14: Travel Card

MDS Monday has started doing weekly sketches, including some card sketches.  This means we can use more features of MDS and really get into what the software can do.

This sketch is simple and fun.  I thought it would be fun to make a generic card that I could use for any occasion. This could easily be customized for a child's birthday party or a new baby card.

Most of the card was designed with the On The Go kit.  I love the coloring tool in MDS.  It allows you to color different parts of the stamp different colors.  I love the way the boat adds some color and brightness to the card.

I also colored the sentiment on the inside to give it a little more interest and continue the color theme inside.  I think that the boat and the adventure definition would be wonderful to give to my kids before our upcoming vacation.  Something special to make them smile!

Supplies: On the Go Designer Kit, Square Punch, Scallop Circle Punch , Circle Punch, Flag Punch, Travel Log Stamp Brush Set

Show & Tell: New Photopolymer Sets and a NEW Online Class!

If you haven't tried our photopolymer stamp sets yet, now is the time! We've got two more for you: Show & Tell 1 and 2. Together these sets feature more than 60 versatile images that you can mix and

match to create personalized backgrounds, patterns, layers, and dimensions to make any project stand out.

And even better, these sets are featured in our new Seeing the Possibilities Class! Take this class to discover how quickly and easily you can line up the stamped images for precision placement, achieve just the right
ink coverage, combine images together exactly where you want them. . .well you get the idea. The possibilities are endless!

See the flyer by clicking here.

Friday Focus: Flowering Flourishes Stamp Set

Today's focus is on the Flowering Flourishes Stamp Set.  I have been looking at this stamp set for quite a while and finally bought it.  I love the spirals and floral pattern of this set.

There are three stamps in this set (small, medium, and large) that have flowers and spirals.  Those of you who have been following along know how much I love to make my own DSP, and that is exactly what I thought of when I saw this set.

Using the largest stamp it was very easy to cover the cardstock quickly.  This card is a CASE from a card I saw in SplitcoastStampers (by gails).  I jazzed mine up a little with some pearls to give it some dimension.

The second card uses the In Color Markers to color the smallest stamp.  I love coloring stamps because it makes the image more interesting and makes people ask, "How did you do that?"  This card was left clean and simple and could be used for any occassion.

This third card uses the very popular Ombre coloring.  Ombre is the gradual lightening of a single color.  The largest stamp was then embossed on top of all three layers.  A few rhinestones and a small twine bow keep this card simple but add interest.  This card was inspired by snowmanqueen on SplitcoastStampers.

The last card uses both the medium and large stamps.  The medium pattern was stamped in black first and then the large stamp was embossed in white on top.  The super cute dahlias add just the right touch of color and really stand out.  I love the graphic look of this card which was inspired by Itsapassion on SplitcoastStampers.

Papers: Whisper White (#100730), Certainly Celery (#105125, retiring), Summer Starfruit (#126839), Pink Pirouette (#111351), Regal Rose (#105130, retiring), Rose Red (#102544), Primrose Petals (#126841), Baja Breeze (#111352, retiring)
Inks: Certainly Celery (#126958, retiring), 2012-2014 In Color Markers (#126856), Basic Black (#126980), StazOn (#101406), VersaMark (#102283)
Stamps: Flowering Flourishes (#126367), Sweet Essentials (#126457), Lovely Little Labels (#126262), Teeny Tiny Wishes (#115370)
Other Supplies: Elegant Butterfly Punch (#127526), Large Oval Punch (#119855), Extra-Large Oval Punch (#119859), Modern Label Punch (#119849), Word Window (#119857), Corner Rounder (#119871), Adorning Accents Edgelits (#125595), White Embossing Powder (#109132), Pearls (#119247), Rhinestones (#119246), Whisper White Baker's Twine (#124262), In Color Dahlias (#127556)

Show & Tell: New Photopolymer Sets and a NEW Online Class!

If you haven't tried our photopolymer stamp sets yet, now is the time! We've got two more for you: Show & Tell 1 and 2. Together these sets feature more than 60 versatile images that you can mix and

match to create personalized backgrounds, patterns, layers, and dimensions to make any project stand out.

And even better, these sets are featured in our new Seeing the Possibilities Class! Take this class to discover how quickly and easily you can line up the stamped images for precision placement, achieve just the right
ink coverage, combine images together exactly where you want them. . .well you get the idea. The possibilities are endless!

See the flyer by clicking here.

Technique Tuesday: Vitalized Vellum Tutorial

Technique Tuesday is about Vitalized Vellum.  This technique creates a subtle pattern in a multiple colored background.  I used this great technique to make a Mother's Day Card.

The first step was is to ink up the vellum.  Starting with the lightest color you use the Direct To Paper technique to apply ink to vellum.  Then add a second color in different areas.  Finally, you sponge the darkest color to fill in all the white spaces.

You need to work pretty quickly because you want the ink to be wet when you start stamping.  Using a clean solid image stamp, you press it into the wet ink removing the ink in the stamp image.  Continue to clean and remove ink until you like the design.

Mount the vellum on light colored cardstock with the ink side down.  I used a heat tool to help dry the ink before putting it on white cardstock.

Here is a close up of the stamped and mounted vellum.  You can see the subtle flower pattern in the colored background.

I used the flower stamp because I wanted to make a Mother's Day card and every woman loves to get flowers.  The bright colors also lend a happy feeling to this card, which is perfect.

Since I am mailing this card, I kept everything flat and created a matching envelope.  I started by using the same Direct To Paper technique to cover the flap.

I then used the same stamp that I made the background with to decorate the flap.  The design and colors are repeated to create consistency.

Overall, I think this card will make my Mother-in-law smile. And hopeful it will also show her how appreciated she is to our family.  What are you making for Mother's Day?

Papers: Rose Red (#102544), Whisper White (#100730), Vellum Cardstock (#101856)
Inks: So Saffron (#126957), Rose Red (#126954), Wild Wasabi (#126959)
Stamps: Secret Garden (#129144), Four Frames (#123440), Teeny Tiny Wishes (#115370)
Other Supplies: White Organza Ribbon (#114319), Decorative Label Punch (#120907), White Envelopes (#107301)

STAMPIN' UP! COLOR REFRESH!   

Announcing the Color Refresh! I love all the different colors that SU! offers, but it is also important to stay up-to-date with the latest trends. I am thrilled to share the updated line of colors, and hope you will be as excited by the new possibilities as I am!

The upcoming 2013-2014 annual catalog will include 10 new colors (most of which are returning In Colors from previous years)! They are welcoming back some of your favorites, moving some colors around, and introducing one brand-new color, so take a look!  Also, starting April 4th, all retiring and discontinued color products will be sold while supplies last.  So, stock up now on your favorites before they are gone.

See the Color Refresh Flyer

See the Stampin' Up! Color Refresh Video

MDSM13: Remember Snowy Days

This week's MDS Monday challenge involved a sketch and a monochromatic color scheme.  I love these snowy photos that I took in Colorado a few months ago and thought that a soft blue scheme was perfect.

The sketch is a three photo layout that I followed almost exactly.  I love that you can use the two smaller photos to highlight the larger photo or just as accents.

The soft blue reminds me of the snow and clear sky from that day.  The snowflakes seemed to perfect to not use them as an embellishment.  I really liked the way the stamped title slightly overlaps the photo, too.  A beautiful page for a beautiful memory!

Supplies: MDS, Meant to Be Background stamp, Joyful Times Stamp Set, Bright Hopes Stamp Set, Word Play Stamp Set, On the Go DSP, Sycamore Street DSP

Paper Pumpkin - SU! Monthly Craft Kit

Paper Pumpkin is your very own paper fairy godmother (without the white hair).   It's the total package:

• Each kit includes all the stamps, ink, paper, and accessories (everything except adhesive) to create projects like cards, journals, décor, and more!
• The kit comes with all you need for your project cut, measured, and ready—with instructions included. 
• The kit will ship on or around the 15th of the month.   You need to sign up for a kit by the 10th of the month to get that month's kit.  If you sign up on the 11th of the month, your first kit will come the next month. 
• And a free gift in your very first kit!  The Welcome Kit is the very first Paper Pumpkin you will receive in your first month of membership, and it includes a free gift - a clear acrylic block!
• Please list me as your demonstrator, so I know you are getting your goodies.

NEW Photopolymer Stamps

Show & Tell: New Photopolymer Sets and a NEW Online Class!

If you haven't tried our photopolymer stamp sets yet, now is the time! We've got two more for you: Show & Tell 1 and 2. Together these sets feature more than 60 versatile images that you can mix and match to create personalized backgrounds, patterns, layers, and dimensions to make any project stand out.

And even better, these sets are featured in our new Seeing the Possibilities Class! Take this class to discover how quickly and easily you can line up the stamped images for precision placement, achieve just the right
ink coverage, combine images together exactly where you want them. . .well you get the idea. The possibilities are endless!

See the flyer by clicking here.

Show & Tell 1 Photopolymer Stamp Set - Item #133450, $13.95
Recommended clear blocks A, B, D and H.  Purchase separately.

Show & Tell 2 Photopolymer Stamp Set (#133481)  #13.95
Recommended clear blocks A, B, D and H.  Purchase separately.

Seeing the Possibilities Online Class (#134532)  $14.95
Includes written instructions, photos, instructional videos, and supply lists for 15 projects.  Covers the following topics:  Backgrounds, Building, Layering, Versatility, Gift Giving, and Memory Keeping.

Bundle and Save!  Show & Tell Bundle (#134533) $39.95

While supplies last, you can save 15% when  you order the Show & Tell stamp sets bundled with the Seeing the Possibilities online class.

To order, just visit my website here and click Shop Now!