Encre, papier, ciseaux

Sparkly Santa

I was so happy to get the new hostess set from the mini called Voeux festifs (Christmas Wishes). It's just so CUTE!! I wanted to get it inked right away and thought I could make a tag with the Santa. Along the way, the tag wasn't working out to my liking so the project evolved into a card. And I'm glad it did because I love the final result!

I had a piece of Cherry Cobbler Core'dinations cardstock that had already been embossed with the Holiday Frame embossing folder. I wheeled the whole background using the Music Notes wheel then I sanded the embossed pattern using the Stampin' Sanding System (and my trusty Dust Buddy to pick up the dust).

The Santa was paper pieced. I stamped him in Basic Black on White cardstock, then I stamped him again in Versamark and embossed his hat in Cherry Cobbler embossing powder. I stamped the Santa a third time in Black StazOn on Silver glimmer paper and paper pieced his mustache and eyebrows. I filled in the edge of his hat with Dazzling Details.

On a Basic Grey cardstock strip, I embossed a sentiment from the Happy Hour set in Cherry Cobbler embossing powder and added a strip of silver glimmer paper to ground it on the page.

I like the Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive and Basic Grey color combo. It's a nice departure from traditional Christmas colours and gives the card a modern edge.

 

 

 

Color Combo: Basic Grey + Old Olive + Cherry Cobbler

 

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Voeux festifs (Christmas Wishes), Music Notes wheel
Cardstock: Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler, Basic Grey, Whisper White
Inks: Cherry Cobbler, Basic Black, Versamark
Accessories: Holiday Frame embossing folder, Stampin' Sanding System, White envelope,
Silver glimmer paper, Cherry Cobbler embossing powder, Dazzling Details, Stampin' Dimensionals

 

Convention Display Sample #24 - Chock-Full of Cheer - The Stockings Were Hung

And this is it! My final convention sample for you today. Below is the 3D project I made with the Be of Good Cheer suite. I used the Stocking die to make a pocket in which you can slip any kind of gift - money, gift card, small treat... I embellished it to my little heart's desire, using Silver glimmer paer, ribbons, pearls, Red Dazzling Details... The two candy canes at the top were stamped using the Chock-Full of Cheer stamp set.

I wanted the stocking to have the recipient's name on it. As I mentioned in previous posts, the only current alphabet I had left (dies or stamps) was Broadsheet Alphabet, so out it came again. Only problem it that it is quite big so the first name I tried to write (Sam) wasn't fitting on it!! I tried again with Seb, since I already had the S cut out and those letters were narrower than the M.

To create the tag, I folded a piece of Crumb Cake cardstock in half before running through the Big Shot using a Framelits from the Apothecary Accents set. I stamped the mitten in versamark on the front and added "To: For:" over it, and added a rhinestone in the corner. Inside, I stamped "Merry Chrismas" in Gumball Green.

The rickrack trim was created using the Tasteful Trims die. The pinking trim around the toe and heel of the stocking are the leftover pieces I had from cutting the rickrack. It was malleable enough to follow the rounded shape of the toe and heel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Y'a d'la joie (Chock-Full of Cheer),
Cardstock: Crumb Cake
Designer paper: Be of Good Cheer
Inks: Gumball Green, Cherry Cobbler, versamark
Big Shot: Stocking die, Tasteful Trims die, Apothecary Accents Framelits
Accessories: Red Dazzling Details, Markers, Gumball Green satin ribbon, Silver glimmer paper,
Neutrals Designer button, Cherry Cobbler baker's twine, Rhinestone basic jewels,
Cherry Cobbler scallop polka dot ribbon

 

Convention Display Sample #23 - Chock-Full of Cheer - Coming Apart at the Seams

Almost done with the convention samples. Are you getting tired of it already? 

Today's card features the Chock-Full of Cheer set. I had this idea that I wanted to try and create a mitten that was unraveling. I thought I could use the baker's twine to recreate that idea so I cut part of a mitten off with my scissors and glued the baker's twine down using Tombow glue.

The frame around the card was created using the row of dots from the stamp set. I stamped it various times in Cherry Cobbler and Gumball Green, then punched pieces out with the 1/2-in Circle punch.

 

 

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Y'a d'la joie (Chock-Full of Cheer), Voeux mignons (Teeny Tiny Wishes)
Cardstock: Gumball Green, Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla
Designer papers: Be of Good Cheer
Inks: Gumball Green, Cherry Cobbler
Accessories: Cherry Cobbler baker's twine, Circle punch, Scallop Square Duo die,
Stampin' Dimensionals, Pearl basic jewels, Cherry Cobbler seam binding,
Word Window punch, Brads, Simply Scored



Convention Display Sample #22 - Chock-Full of Cheer - Christmas Mittens

This is another sample I prepared for Convention. I kept this one fairly simple, it is mainly just showcasing the products from the suite without any particular techniques to go with it.  To get the two-tones mitten, I stamped it twice, once in Cherry Cobbler and once in Gumball Green, then handcut the stripes and paper pieced them on the first mittens. I held the two mittens together using some Baker's twine and added the smallest pearls on the design.

 

 

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Y'a d'la joie (Chock-Full of Cheer)
Cardstock: Gumball Green, Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla
Designer paper: Be of Good Cheer
Inks: Gumball Green, Cherry Cobbler
Accessories: Scallop Trim border punch, Scallop Circle punch, Circle punch,
Houndstooth embossing folder, Modern Label punch, Pearl basic jewels,
Cherry Cobbler seam binding, Paper Piercer, Cherry Cobbler baker's twine,
Regals Designer buttons, Stampin' Dimensionals

Convention Display Sample #21: Chock-Full of Cheer - O Christmas Tree Page

For the Chock-Full of Cheer page, I decided to go the 8½ x 11 route for a change. I used a picture I had taken of my mom's Christmas tree (notice the vintage ornaments I was telling you about yesterday at center left?). She's a Christmas nut and she puts so many ornaments in her tree that my dad has to tie the tree in the corner to keep it from tumbling. I kid you not! It always look gorgeous, though. Each Christmas, I always spend time gazing at all the beautiful ornaments she's put up and trying to spot the ones she's added to her collection!

As previously mentioned, I was short on current alphabets when I put the samples together, so I didn't have much choice but to use the Broadsheet Alphabet on this page as well. Not that I don't like it - it's really pretty! - but I might have preferred a little more variety had I had the option.

Using stamps, inks, sponges and a punched-square mask, I made my own Christmas stamps. The bottom border was created using the Tasteful Trims die (yup, still going strong on that one!) with Silver glimmer paper and added punched circles that were stamped with the Chock-Full of Cheer set. I used the same die to create the rickrack from which I hung my ornament, which I decorated in the center with a In Color Dahlia.

For the journaling block, I took advantage of the striped paper and handwrote my journaling at an angle following he stripes.

 

 

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Y'a d'la joie (Chock-Full of Cheer), Broadsheet Alphabet
Cardstock: Cherry Cobbler, Gumball Green, Very Vanilla
Designer paper: Be of Good Cheer
Inks: Gumball Green, Cherry Cobbler
Accessories: Tasteful Trims die, In Color dahlia, Regals and Neutrals Designer buttons,
Silver glimmer paper, Markers, Labels Collection Framelits, Circle punches, Glimmer brad,
Square punch, Stamp punch, sponges, Cherry Cobbler seam binding

Convention Display Sample #20: Chock-Full of Cheer - Wreath Card

I got this idea from my grid paper after doing another project. I had stamped off the mitain a few times and I thought that if I stamped the image repeatedly in a circle, I could create a wreath. I liked the idea of using this set for something other than the obvious so armed with my Stamp-a-Ma-Jig and a Scallop Circle die-cut, I create this card.

I added a few Cherry Cobbler buttons and pearls here and there as ornaments, and a seam binding bow at the bottom. The center sentiment comes from the same set. It was embossed in gold powder and punched with a circle punch, then layered with Stampin' Dimensionals.

 

 

 

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Y'a d'la joie (Chock-Full of Cheer)
Cardstock: Gumball Green, Very Vanilla, Brushed Gold
Designer Paper: Chock-Full of Cheer
Inks: Versamark, Gumball Green
Accessories: Regals Designer buttons, Pearl basic jewels, Cherry Cobbler seam binding,
Scallop Circle die, Circle punch, Stampin' Dimensionals

 

Convention Display Sample #19: Chock-Full of Cheer - Ornament Card

For my final convention samples, I had to showcase a product suite. I was attributed the Be of Good Cheer one (which I was happy about because I love Christmas stuff).

On my first card, I wanted to try and creative the look of a concave opening in the ornament. My mom has some vintage ornaments she inherited from her parents that have "holes" like that in the center and those ornaments have always fascinated me. To recreate the look, I stamped the ornament twice: once in Versamark embossed in gold powder and a second time in Gumball Green. I punched a hole in the center of the green version and popped it up over the first ornament using Dimensionals so that the gold center would peer through the opening. I used gold embossing to create the hanger at the top as well, punched a hole in the center and threaded it with Cherry Cobbler baker's twine.

The Cherry Cobbler back piece was stamped repeatedly using the sentiment from the set, and I stamped off the ink on some of them to create two shades. I rounded the top corners using a punch and added a narrow strip of paper with a gold glimmer brad at the bottom.

The Vanilla background looks really cool and sparkly - but not in so much in the picture, unfortunately. I applied Versamark to one side of the embossing folder before running it through the Big Shot and I pourred Iridescent Ice powder on it to emboss the debossed part of the design.

 

 

 

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Y'a d'la joie (Be of Good Cheer)
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, Gumball Green
Designer paper: Chock Full of Cheer
Inks: Versamark, Cherry Cobbler, Gumball Green
Accessories: Gold embossing powder, Iridescent Ice embossing powder, Neutrals glimmer brads,
Circle punches, Cherry Cobbler baker's twine, Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder,
Cherry Cobbler seam binding, Corner Rounder punch, Scallop Edge punch

Peacock Pride

I bought the World Treasures set on my very first catalogue order. I just love that gorgeous peacock! I hadn't had time to play with him yet, though, and decided I would pull him out last weekend to make a birthday card, as I'm running low on those at the office. 

The peacock was stamped and embossed a few times in various colours and paper pieced to create the final version that you see. I added Dazzling Details and some rhinestones to some of the details on the body and tail.

The Wisteria Wonder background was created by inking the Fancy Fan embossing folder and adding Iridescent Ice powder after embossing. It is the perfect complement to the peacock image. I also added two glimmer brads that I have leftover from last year's In Color pack.

The bottom border was created by stamping the border from the stamp set repeatedly on Lucky Limeade cardstock. I added a sentiment from the Wacky Wishes hostess set embossed in white, and tied two layered ribbons (polka dot grosgrain and narrow taffeta) on top. The Island Indigo layer was stamped with the flower from the same set.

I think it turned out better than what I had first envisioned in my head.

 

 

Color Combo: Wisteria Wonder + Lucky Limeade + Island Indigo + Bermuda Bay

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Merveilles du monde (World Wonder), Faites vos voeux (Wacky Wishes)
Cardstrock: Lucky Limeade, Island Indigo, Wisteria Wonder, Bermuda Bay, Whisper White
Inks: Lucky Limeade, Island Indigo, Wisteria Wonder, Bermuda Bay, Versamark
Accessories: White envelope, Rhinestone basic jewels, Embossing powders (White, Iridescent Ice),
Dazzling Details, Fancy Fan embossing folder, In Color glimmer brads,
Bermuda Bay Polka Dot grosgrain ribbon, Lucky Limeade taffeta ribbon

Wood and Greenery

This card came together in a snap because I "pulled an Angie" on this one and drew inspiration from the pieces that were lying on my work desk. We had a team meeting that focused on products from the new Holidays catalogue last week and I showed the girls the new Core'dinations cardstock. I had also shown the Framelits, so the tree was already stamped and die-cut. All I had to do to finish the card was create the card base (out of Cherry Cobbler Core'dinations cardstock left unsanded and simply used as textured cardstock), stamp and emboss with Early Espresso powder a sentiment from the Greetings of the Season set and added ribbon and a copper button. Then, I decided the tree would look mighty cute trimmed with a star die-cut out of Champagne glimmer paper using the Holiday Collection Framelits.  

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Scentsational Season, Voeux indémodables (Greetings of the Season)
Cardstock: Core'dinations (Gumball Green, Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso),
Whisper White, Bashful Blue
Inks: Gumball Green, Versamark
Accessories: Holidays Collection Framelits, Champagne Glimmer paper,
Embossing folders (Woodgrain, Brocart soyeux), White envelope, Early Espresso embossing powder,
Copper button, Cherry Cobbler scalloped ribbon

Un temps de canard

This cute card was inspired by the Color Throwdown colour challenge and the sketch from Create with Connie and Mary. I thought the mix of orange and red would work perfectly with this new stamp from the Wonderful Winterland set, which I love, by the way! How adorable are those winter images!

I made a card base out of Basic Grey cardstock and wheeled the edge using the adorable Nicely Knit wheel (from the Holidays catalogue). I added a piece of Vanilla cardstock that was embossed with the Northern Flurry folder and I rounded the edges with my Corner Rounder punch. 

The main image was stamped in Versamark and embossed with Pewter powder on watercolor paper and I used a blending pen with inks to color it in. I then matted the image using the Delicate Doilies Sizzlits L die. The sentiment reads, "Celebrate togetrher" and if you are wondering where it comes from, it was created using two images from the Happy You hostess set. With the two duckies in the image, I thought it worked wonderfully. I made sure to use the Stamp-a-Ma-Jig to line things up correctly and I used markers so that I could ink only the words and not the image.

 

Basic Grey + Poppy Parade + Pumpkin Pie





Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Wonderful Winterland, Quelle chance (Happy You), Nicely Knit wheel
Cardstock: Basic Grey, Very Vanilla, watercolor paper
Designer papers: Poppy Parade DSP, Basic Grey DSP (Neutrals Collection)
Inks: Pumpkin Pie, Poppy Parade, Bashful Blue, Basic Grey, Versamark
Accessories: Pewter embossing powder, Blending pen, Simply Scored and Diagonal plate,
Stampin' Dimensionals, Scallop Trim border punch, Eyelet border punch, Delicate Doilies die,
Pumpkin Pie striped grosgrain ribbon, Corner Rounder punch, Northern Flurry embossing folder, Pumpkin Pie satin ribbon, Glimmer brad

Convention Display Sample #18: Affection Collection - Gradient Card

This is the last sample I made with the Affection Collection set and I can't say I'm surprised that this one didn't make it up on the boards, as I wasn't sure how I felt about it myself. The starting point was this idea of stamping the cloud image repeatedly without reinking the stamp to create a gradient look.

The border at the bottom was created with the Scallop Ribbon punch and I added cross stitches in it using linen thread. The border on each side of the card was made using the tip of the square image from the same set.

 

 

Color Combo: Raspberry Ripple + Island Indigo + Soft Suede

 

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Affection Collection
Cardstock: Raspberry Ripple, Soft Suede, Island Indigo, Whisper White
Designer paper: Soft Suede (Neutrals Collection)
Inks: Raspberry Ripple, Soft Suede, Island Indigo
Accessories: Scallop Ribbon punch, Linen thread, Designer button, Rhinestone basic jewels,
White gel pen, Clear embossing powder, Silver glimmer paper, Owl punch,
White embossing powder, Pearl basic jewels, Stampin' Dimensionals

 

August Tour de Freaks - Back to School!

 

Psst... If you are reading this post on the 19th, please note that we are getting the tour ready and testing the links to make sure everything is working. The official tour begins on the 20th, so if you cannot make the whole round tonight, hang in there with us!

 

Welcome to our June Tour de Freaks! This tour is brought to you by the Control Freaks Stampers members and if you have been following the tour, you should have gotten to my blog by clicking on the link provided by Judy DiScipio on her blog. If you are just starting out, make sure to visit all seven blogs that are part of the tour today by following the links provided at the bottom of each post. Our theme this month is Back to School! That's right, parents - summer is almost over and it is time to get the kiddos ready for school!

So without further ado, here are my projects for the month!

 

 

My first project: Lunchbox Notes

This idea came to me as I was thinking back on my own school days. I come from a very small town and I was lucky enough that my parents and I all got to go back home for lunch. This means that brown-bagging it was a rare occurence for me growing up and the only time my mom had to pack lunches was when we were going away on school trips. She had gotten into the habit of always slipping a note in my lunchbox, which I LOVED. It wasn't anything fancy, just a handwritten note on white paper that pretty much always said, "Have fun, be nice with your friends and be careful." I'll always remember, though, that the first time we all went away for the day, I was the only one with a note in her lunch and the others looked really envious when I pulled it out of my lunchbox. Flash forward to the next school trip, where half of the students suddenly had notes in their lunchboxes as well! haha!

So I thought I would use the cute Storytime DSP to make some 3x3 notes that could easily be slipped in a kid's lunchbox or backpack. Just a fun way to let your children know you are thinking about them or to tell them to hang in there on their first school day!

As for the box, I was looking at my die to see what I could use to make a box that would fit 3x3 cards and found out that the Milk Carton die will work perfectly! Just die-cut two Milk Carton and fold on every other fold instead of each one and you end up with sides that are just a little wider than 3 inches. The only thing is that you will need to glue a 3x3 square at the bottom of the box to keep the flaps together. I added one underneath the box and one inside to make it sturdy. The top was die-cut using the Large Scallops Edgelits.

 

 

 

Supplies
Stamps: Voeux mignons (Teeny Tiny Wishes)
Cardstock: Wild Wasabi, Riding Hood Red
Designer paper: Storytime
Inks: Night of Navy
Big Shot: Milk Carton die, Large Scallops Edgelits, Lots of Tags die
Accessories: Brads, Vintage brads, Copper buttons, Taffeta ribbon (So Saffron, Riding Hood Red),
Simply Scored and Diagonal plate, Marker

 

 

My second project: An Apple for the Teacher

I was happy when I saw that the Perfectly Preserved set and matching DSP included apples because even though I don't have kids myself, I am always looking for ideas for teachers cards since those are requested a lot by my coworkers who buy cards from me at the end of the school year.

The apple image was stamped three times with colored ink on Crumb Cake cardstock and punched out with the Stamp punch. On the fourth panel, I created a sentiment using two stamp sets, which says "Thanks Teacher" (the last word is from the Family Reunion set) and embossed an apple with clear powder over the words. Some stitches were added using linen thread as well as two In Color polka dot brads. Those papers are just so sweet in person!

 

 

Supplies
Stamps: Perfectly Preserved, Notes de remerciement, Fête de famille
Cardstock: More Mustard, Lucky Limeade, Crumb Cake
Designer paper: Orchard Harvest
Inks: Lucky Limeade, Early Espresso, More Mustard, Raspberry Ripple, Versamarkm
Accessories: Clear embossing powder, Stamp punch, In Color polka dot brads, Linen thread,
Papier Piercer, Island Indigo ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals

  

 

And now onto your next step on the tour, to view Jan Tinklenberg's creations!

 

 

 

 

Convention Display Sample #17: Affection Collection - Banner card

As far as I know, this card didn't make it up on the boards at convention. I'm a little bummed because I really liked the colors and design of it. I might actually make this one again so that I have a sample of it to show my customers. Or maybe turn it into a class project...

 

Color Combo: Elegant Eggplant + Wisteria Wonder +
Lucky Limeade + Rich Razzleberry

 

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Affection Collection
Cardstock: Elegant Eggplant, Wisteria Wonder, Lucky Limeade, Rich Razzleberry, Very Vanilla
Designer paper: Wisteria Wonder (In Color Collection)
Inks: Elegant Eggplant, Wisteria Wonder, Lucky Limeade, Rich Razzleberry
Accessories: Silver glimmer paper, Owl punch, Lucky Limeade baker's twine,
In Color polka dot brads, Framelits and embossing folders, Dazzling Details

 

Convention Display Sample #16: Affection Collection - Amongst the Clouds

This is yet another sample from convention made with the Affection Collection set. I must have really liked this new color combo I had found because I didn't even realize that I used it twice on my projects and for the same stamp set, too!

If you look at a close-up of the project, you'll see the wings were embossed with gold powder and then I covered them with Dazzling Details. The Dazzing Details make the cardstock warp a little bit, which is perfect in this case because I wanted to give the wings some shape.

The background was created by stamping the cloud image in Versamark on a sheet of First Edition Designer paper and then sponging Wisteria Wonder ink. I then ran the sheet through the Big Shot with the heart border embossing folder and sponged the hearts lightly with a darker ink to make them stand out.

The sentiment panel was die-cut using the Bitty Banners Framelits and I added a Dahlia ornement at right. The sentiment was stamped twice: once in Basic Grey then a second time in Versamark embossed with gold powder to create a shadow look.

 

Color Combo: Primrose Petal + So Saffron + Wisteria Wonder + Very Vanilla

 

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Affection Collection
Cardstock: So Saffron, Primrose Petal, Wisteria Wonder, Very Vanilla
Designer paper: First Edition
Inks: Wisteria Wonder, Versamark, Basic Grey, Primrose Petal
Accessories: Gold embossing powder, Dazzling Details, Pearl basic jewels,
Scallop Trim border and corner punches, Bitty Banners Framelits, In Color Dahlias,
Corner Border embossing folder, Clear embossing folder, Victoria lace trim

 

Convention Display Sample #15: Affection Collection - Love Always card

This is another of the the samples I prepared for Convention using the Affection Collection set. Since this card was only going to be displayed, I was able to use a banner piece that was wider than the card and not have to worry about it not fitting in an envelope. If you choose to reproduce this card at home, I would advise cutting the card base a little shorter and making sure the banner is only 5-1/2 in. wide so that you can still fit your card in a regular envelope without bending the banner ends.

 

Color Combo: Wisteria Wonder + So Saffron + Primrose Petal + Very Vanilla

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Affection Collection
Cardstock: Wisteria Wonder, So Saffron, Primrose Petal, Very Vanilla
Designer paper: Wisteria Wonder (In Colors Collection)
Ink: Wisteria Wonder, So Saffron, Primrose Petal, Versamark
Accessories: Sponge daubers, Adorning Accents Framelits and embossing folder,
Elegant Lines folder, Pewter embossing powder, In Color polka dot brads, Pearls,
Wisteria Wonder baker's twine, Wisteria Wonder ruffled ribbon, Square punch,
Modern Label punch, Stampin' Dimensionals

Convention Display Sample #14: Affection Collection - Friend Box

My 3D project made with the Affection Collection set was a box. I used the Candy Wrapper die and modified the bottom to create a long, narrow box. The bottom part was wheeled with the Daydream wheel and the edges were punched with the Scallop Edge punch.

The top was tied shut using a piece of Pool Party ruffled ribbon and I added a matching polka dot brad in the middle of the bow. The sentiment block was created by stamping the cloud image in Crumb Cake on white cardstock and handcut. I then stamped the word "friend" on So Saffron cardstock and punched it out using the Modern Label punch (which matches with the stamp set). I punched the same shape out of Pool Party Designer paper as well and matted the first piece with it. The banner was stamped in Pool Party, handcut and added to the box using mini silver brads. Those are the perfect size for small details like the banner!

Color Combo: So Saffron + Crumb Cake + Gumball Green + Pool Party

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Daydream Wheel, Affection Collection
Cardstock: So Saffron, Gumball Green, Whisper White
Designer paper: Pool Party (In Color Collection), Crumb Cake (Neutrals Collection)
Inks: Gumball Green, Crumb Cake
Accessories: Mini Silver brads, Candy Wrapper die, Scallop Edge punch,
Pool Party ruffled ribbon, In Color polka dot brads, Stampin' Dimensionals

Convention Display Sample #13: Affection Collection - Love Always Page

Today's project is a page I made for convention using the Affection Collection set. And boy, do I have a story for you!

So this is what the page looked like originally after I was done and how it looked when I sent it in to SU!:

 

  

Now, this is what the page looked like up on the board (bottom center):

  

Notice anything different? I couldn't for the life of me figure out why SU! had added a panel to my page. I thought maybe it was because they thought my page needed a title? (Although it did have one, "Love always").

Anyway, the other day, I was looking at the Artisan Awards finalists' blog hop projects and I came upon this card by Sandie Connor. Her card looked vaguely familiar and I realized it looked an awful lot like the title block that had been added to my page. Then I read what she had written underneath her card: "At convention, this card was missing most of the front main panel.  I don't know what happened to it, it was a bit disappointing seeing it miss such a main part of the card."

Then I realized what had happened: her card panel fell off, somebody picked it up, looked at the boards and tried to figure out where it was coming from, then stuck it on my page!! It had a wedding picture, plus black and red on it and white space, so I guess the person figured that's where it went!

So funny that I happened to read Sandie's story and see her card, or else I would have forever wondered why SU! had changed my page!

  

Here are a few details about the "original" page. I used the Simply Scored to score a frame all around the page, then stamped "always" repeatedly using a Stamp-a-Ma-Jig to line the words up. For the title block, I stamped the square from the Affection Collection set and embossed it in black powder on Basic Grey cardstock. I rounded the corners and matted the piece with a vellum scallop square that was die-cut using the Scallop Squares Duo die. I scored a square frame on the vellum piece and added small pearls in all four corners. I then stamped the word Love with Real Red ink on Whisper White cardstock and punched it out using the Modern Label punch, and I added a pearl in the "O."

I glued two banners in the upper left corners, one of which was stamped with an image from the set and embossed in black. The red heart was punched out of red glimmer paper with the Owl punch.

The left piece was created by running a strip of Whisper White cardstock in the Houndstooth embossing folder (I used that one on a lot of my convention samples, didn't I?) and then I overstamped the Netting background stamp on it with Real Red ink to highlight the houndstooth pattern.

Although it is hard to tell in the picture, I also stamped the flourish from the Everything Eleanor set under the title block and embossed it with Iridescent Ice powder.

  

 

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Affection Collection, Everything Eleanor, Netting
Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Grey, Vellum, Real Red
Designer paper: Real Red (Brights Collection)
Inks: Versamark, Basic Grey, Real Red
Accessories: Embossing powders (Black, Iridescent Ice), Designer buttons,
Simply Scored, Rhinestone basic jewels, Scallop Squares Duo die, Corner Rounder punch,
Red glimmer paper, Owl punch, Scallop Ribbon punch, Stampin' Dimensionals,
Basic Black marker, Houndstooth embossing folder, Cherry Cobbler polka dot scallop ribbon,
Modern Label punch, Pearl basic jewels

 

 

Convention Display Sample #12: Daydream Medallions - Polka Dot Boot

This is another one of my favorite samples that I sent in for the convention display boards. I just have a soft spot for that adorable polka dot boot! I was playing around with my Color Coach trying to find ideas on how to use the new In Colors and when I saw Summer Starfruit paired with Soft Suede, I thought it looked so elegant! I also knew I wanted to use one of the Daydream Medallions to frame a watercolored image, so the polka dot boot from the Happy You hostess set. I stamped the boot on watercolor paper and colored it using ink and a blending pen.

The card background was created with a piece of Designer paper from the Neutrals collection and I stamped one of the medallions repeatedly all around the edge, using the Stamp-a-Ma-Jig to line the images up. Three glimmer brads from the Metallics pack were added as well.

The frame itself was stamped on Summer Starfruit cardstock and I punched the center out using a Circle punch, and added mini pearls on each "flower" of the medallion.

Color Combo: Soft Suede + Summer Starfruit + River Rock

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Daydream Medallions, Quelle chance (Happy You)
Cardstock: River Rock, Summer Starfruit, watercolor paper
Designer paper: Neutrals collection
Inks: Soft Suede, River Rock, Summer Starfruit
Accessories: Circle punch, Pearl basic jewels, Glimmer brads, Blending pen

Convention Display Sample #11: Daydream Medallions - Apology Doily Card

It would have been great to have the Floral Frames Framelits to use with the Daydream Medallions but since I didn't have them, I decided to look at what I had that could make a stacked flower. The back piece was made using the Paper Doily die. I used a Circle die for the center piece and two flowers in the center, one from the Fun Flowers die and the second one made with the Blossom punch. I added a medallion punched with a circle and embossed in silver then dotted with a Summer Starfruit Dahlia in the center.

I dry-embossed a grid on my background piece using the Simply Scored and the Diagonal plate, then I stamped a small medallion in the center of some of the squares, and added rhinestones where the grid crossed.

At the bottom, I added a border punched with the Scallop Trim border punch and trimmed with a small strip of Silver glimmer paper. A sentiment that reads "Forgive Me" from the Teeny Tiny Wishes was stamped in Elegant Eggplant.

 

 

Color Combo: Elegant Eggplant + Basic Grey + Baja Breeze + Summer Starfruit

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Daydream Medallions, Voeux mignons (Teeny Tiny Wishes)
Cardstock: Summer Starfruit, Basic Grey, Baja Breeze, Elegant Eggplant
Inks: Basic Grey, Ekegant Eggplant, Versamark
Accessories: Paper Doily die, Circle die and punch, Blossom punch, Scallop Trim punch,
Silver glimmer paper, Regals brads, In Color Dahlias, Simply Scored and Diagonal plate,
Fun Flowers die, Rhinestone basic jewels, Silver embossing powder, Stampin' Dimensionals

 

Convention Display Sample #10: Daydream Medallions - Ornament Box

Today's project was the 3D I made using the Daydream Medallions set for the convention display boards. I created a box out of a sheet of 12 x 12 cardstock, making my own pattern as I went along.

I used the 3-in. Circle die to create an opening in the front, and glued a piece of window sheet behind. Using the pearls strips, I lined the outside of the window with pearls. The Daydream Medallions were stamped and embossed with Pewter powder on all four sides of the box, and I decorated the three panels without a window using a punched circle with a green button in the center.

The bow on top was created using strips of Designer paper (Be of Good Cheer) that I glued in a loop and adhered on top of one another, creating a circle. I added Vanilla seam binding in between and a stamped and punched medallion on top, decorated with a button threaded with Cherry Cobbler baker's thread.

Inside the box, I placed an ornament that I had decorated a few years ago. It was made with a clear glass ornament in which I pourred red reinker ink and red glitter. It's a fast and easy way to make ornaments in any color you'd like. I created a platform out of cardstock to put at the bottom of the box and punched a circle in the center to hold the ornament up inside the box.

 

 

 

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Daydream Medallions
Cardstock: Gumball Green
Designer paper: Be of Good Cheer
Inkm: Versamark, Gumball Green
Accessories: Regals Designer buttons, Vanilla seam binding, Circle punches, 3-in. Circle die,
Pearl basic jewels, Window sheet, Pewter embossing powder, Stampin' DImensionals,
Simply Scored, Cherry Cobbler baker's twine

 

Convention Display Sample #9: Daydream Medallions - Love Connection

This is one of the cards I made for convention that features the Daydream Medallions set, which I paired with the Affection Collection set (from the Holidays catalogue).

I cut a circle out of vellum using the 3-in Circle die and I embossed one of the medallions with white powder on it. I backed it with a circle punched out of Brushed Silver cardstock using the 2½ Circle punch. Then I embossed the word "Love" in silver powder in the center and dotted the O with a Basic Grey flower button topped with a pearl. The word "always" was stamped in Versamark on Baja Breeze cardstock, embossed with silver powder and die-cut using one of the Bitty Banner Framelits.

The Primrose Petal (one of our new In Colors) cardstock was embossed with the Houndstooth folder. I punched the edge of the Baja Breeze cardstock with the Scallop Trim border punch and ran it through the BIg Shot with the Perfect Polka Dot embossing folder. I embossed a smaller medallion with silver powder on Brushed Silver cardstock and punched it out, tne added small pearls all around it and a In Color Primrose Petal Dahlia in the center.

The background doesn't show too well in the picture, but I used Shimmer White cardstock and embossed small medallions on it using White powder. Then I spritzed the background with my Silver Foil Smooch Spritz. Finally, I threaded a white Designer button using a bit of cardstock and added it at the bottom of the card.

This is another card I haven't found in Display Board pictures so I don't think this one made it up either.

 

 

Color Combo: Baja Breeze + Primrose Petal + Basic Grey + Silver + White

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Daydream Medallions, Affection Collection
Cardstock: Shimmer White, Basic Grey, Primrose Petal, Baja Breeze, Brushed Silver, Vellum
Inks: Versamark
Big Shot: 3-in. Circle, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Houndstooth embossing folder,
Bitty Banners Framelits
Accessories: Silver Foil Smooch Spritz, Embossing powders (White, Silver), In Color Dahlia,
Neutrals Designer button, Scallop Trim border punch, 2-1/2 Circle punch, Pearl Basic Jewels,
1-3/4 Circle punch

 

Convention Display Sample #8: Daydream Medallions - Watercolored Background

For this one, I thought wastercoloring the Daydream wheel would be fun. I rolled it in Versamark on watercolor paper, embossed the pattern with gold embossing powder and used ink and an AquaPainter brush to color the background. I added an embossed and punched circle in the middle of two of the flourishes, then accented them with the beautiful In Color Dahlias in the middle.

The sentiment was created using the Teeny Tiny Wishes and the Number It set.

 

Color Combo: Elegant Eggplant + Raspberry Ripple + Daffodil Delight

 

 

 Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Number It, Voeux mignons (Teeny Tiny Wishes), Daydream Wheel
Cardstock: Raspberry Ripple, Elegant Eggplant, Whisper White, watercolor paper
Inks: Daffodil Delight, Elegant Eggplant, Raspberry Ripple, Versamark
Accessories: Aquapainter brush, Gold embossing powder, Daffodil Delight stitched grosgrain,
Stampin' Dimensionals, In Color Dahlias, Word Window punch, Brads, Scallop Edge punch

 

Convention Display Sample #7: Daydream Medallions - London Eye Page

I am moving on to the second convention set that was provided to convention-goers for their make 'n takes: Daydream Medallions. Did you know that this set match the Floral Frames Framelits perfectly? It's too bad that I did not have those on hand when I created my samples...  You'll see a lot of circle punches and dies instead.

I am again starting out with a scrapbook page, which was my favorite sample done with this set. I really love the colour combo, which gives a modern look to my page. I was looking through my pictures, trying to find something that would pair well with the stamp set and I found this picture of the London Eye that my sister took on her trip. Perfect! A circular landmark to go with all those circle stamps!

I started by creating a border around the page by stamping one of the small circles repeatedly - using the Stamp-a-Ma-Jig, of course! After finishing, I noticed that the pattern looks like scallops - so cool! I emphasized the look by adding rhinestones between each scallop at the top and bottom of the page.

The title block was created by stamping one of the medallions in a die-cut Scallop Circle and then adding the word "London" in a circle using the Broadsheet Alphabet. It was a tight squeeze but I realized that after the major cut SU! did in the alphabet sets last June, that was the only current alphabet set I owned! Yikes! I stamped and punched two other circles from the Medallion set to create the second word of my title (Eye). I wanted to use the new Simply Serif Mini Alphabet but I didn't receive my first catalogue order in time to use it, so I resorted to using my own handwriting with a marker instead.

The long cardstock strips were all stamped with circles from the stamp set or the matching Daydream wheel. The idea behind the River Rock pattern was inspired by the pattern I noticed on my grid paper after I was done stamping the border on the page. I really like how by overlapping the circles, you got sort of a lace design, so I masked away as I was stamping and used the Stamp-a-Ma-Jig to line everything up. Lots of work for something that I'm betting people couldn't even see from afar, but it did look cool. I added matching buttons along the paper strips and a piece of Cherry Cobbler seam binding at the bottom.

 

 

 
Color Combo: Cherry Cobbler + Basic Grey + Baja Breeze + River Rock

 

 

Up on the board

 

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Daydream Medallions, Broadsheet Alphabet, Daydream wheel
Cardstock: River Rock, Cherry Cobbler, Baja Breeze, Basic Grey, Very Vanilla
Inks: River Rock, Cherry Cobbler, Baja Breeze, Basic Grey
Accessories: Cherry Cobbler seam binding, Designer buttons, Scallop Circle die,
Markers, Vintage Trinkets, Jewelry Tag punch, Circle punch, Baker's twine, Markers

 

Fresh Wishes

This is one of the projects we made at my "Hostess for a Day" class.  It features the A Cherry on Top set and some new accessories from the catalogue, including the Argyle and Delicate Designs embossing folders.

My favorite detail of this card is the vellum cake cover. I embossed the image in Versamark and embossed it with white powder before handcutting it and gluing it on top of my stamped sentiment and cherry. It looks really cool! This tip would work great with a window sheet as well, to give the cake cover that glass look. Or with Crystal Effects, if you don't mind the drying time.

 

 

Color Combo: Primrose Petal + Early Espresso + Perfect Plum

 

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: La cerise en plus (A Cherry on Top)
Cardstock: Primrose Petal, Early Esresso, Perfect Plum, Whisper White, Vellum
Inks: Primrose Petal, Early Esresso, Perfect Plum
Accessories: Argyle embossing folder, Delicate Designs embossing folder, Pearls,
White stitched grosgrain ribbon, White embossing powder, Brads,
Raspberry Ripple ribbon, White envelope

Pick Your Poison

I love Halloween stuff so much! This year again, SU! didn't disappoint. Lots of great stuff to choose from! The very nice thing about this year's Halloween Designer papers is that they can easily be used on non-Halloween projects. For those of you who always flip through the Halloween pages of the catalogue without a second glance (you know who you are!!), I urge you to take a second look this time around. We have a great striped satin ribbon that is super elegant and could work on any kind of project, and a great wheel called Etruscan Elegance that I will feature some more on upcoming non-Halloween projects.

But for the time being, let me indulge and show you my Control Freaks Halloween swap. I'm so in love with the Champagne glitter paper that I went through a whole pack before the preorder period was even over! I've also gone through a whole spool of that beautiful striped satin ribbon. (Again, could be used for much more than Halloween.) At right, I stacked two buttons together (Regals Designer button and Copper button from Holidays catalogue) and held them together with a black brad.

To create the main image, I embossed my image with black powder on vellum cardstock. I then die-cut a frame out of glimmer paper and glued to around the image, then die-cut the vellum. I used a Tango Tangerine marker to color the back of the image. It creates a very neat stain glass look because you get the color but you still see the stripes through the design. I used Tango Tangerine embossing powder to add my sentiment on the left side of that panel.

 

 

 

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Délices délictueux (Toxic Treats)
Cardstock: Tango Tangerine, Vellum, Basic Grey
Designer paper: Howlstooth and Scaringbone
Inks: Basic Grey, Versamark
Accessories: Champagne Glimmer paper, Copper button, Regals Designer buttons,
Neutrals brads, Striped satin ribbon, Labels Collection Framelits, Tango Tangerine marker,
Silver Smooch Spray, Spider Web embossing folder, Finishing Touches Edgelits

 

Vintage Ornament

I put together some quick samples for my team's Holiday Catalogue product training on Sunday. This was one of the cards I made using the Ornament Keepsakes set. I stamped the small ornament tone on tone in the background and "hung" them by adding pierced lines from the ornament to the top of the card (using the piercing templates). I used the templates to add piercing around the main ornament as well.

The main ornament was stamped in Elegant Eggplant, then die-cut using the matching Ornements Framelits die. (You are going to LOVE those new set-Framelits sets we've got going on! No more fussy cutting!) I then stamped the circle in Summer Starfruit and punched it out, then decorated it with a vintage faceted button and a rhinestone. I matching ribbon bow was added at the top of the ornament.

You'll notice my background is all shimmery. That's because I made my own shimmer spray using the spritzers we now carry and Champagne Mist shimmer paint. The beautiful sentiment is from the Greetings of the Season set. Love the fonts in this one.

The color combo was inspired by the Color Coach.

 

 

Color Combo: Elegant Eggplant + Summer Starfruit + Baja Breeze

 

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Ornament Keepsakes, Voeux indémodables (Greetings of the Season)
Cardstock: Elegant Eggplant, Baja Breeze, Very Vanilla
Inks: Elegant Eggplant, Baja Breeze, Summer Starfruit
Accessories: Shimmer mist, Ornement Framelits, Piercing template, Paper Piercer, Rhinestones,
Summer Starfruit ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, Circle punch, Vintage faceted button

 

Get Well Soon

The idea behind this card was born when a fellow demo asked on a forum was else with could make with the Googly Ghouls set. I thought the mummy would be terrific on a get-well card, so I put this idea on paper.

As I was working on it, I spotted the Crumb Cake tulle and thought I could wrap it around some cardstock to make it look like gauze. I'm really pleased with how it turned out! I also like how the piece of cotton ribbon I added at the bottom and held in place with the safety pins matches the mummy image as well.

The mummy fit really nicely inside one of our new Rococo metal frames. LOVE those! And of course, I HAD to add a googly eye on him! Those are a really fun, inexpensive way to add some whimsy to your cards. Think of all the critter you have in your stash that you could add googly eyes to...

The color combo came from the Color Coach. There are such good color combinations hidden in it! I am trying to use as many as possible and I add a check mark next to the ones I've used just to see how fast I can go through the whole thing...

The sentiment was embossed with our new Early Espresso embossing powder and punched out with the Tag punch. I added a little stamp from the Little Labels punch pack, held in place with a Cajun Craze brad. I roughed up the edges, then placed the tag amongst the tulle (with a little adhesive in the back to make sure it wouldn't fall off when the card was handled).

The background was stamped with the Woodgrain stamp and I added lines with my markers in the corners to mimick a frame. Since the whole card was quite bulky with the tulle and embellishments, I made a matching envelope out of Crumb Cake Designer paper (Neutrals pack) using the Simply Scored and I made it larger so that I could easily fit the card in it.

 

 

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Googly Ghouls, Douce douzaine (Delightful Dozen), Woodgrain
Cardstock: Garden Green, Cajun Craze, Very Vanilla
Designer paper: Neutrals Designer paper pack
Inks: Early Espresso, Soft Suede, Versamark
Accessories: Crumb Cake tulle, cotton ribbon, Regals Designer buttons, Vintage trinkets,
Early Espresso marker, pinking shears, Simply Scored, Rococo metal frame, Regals brads,
Blending pen, Bitty Labels punch, Early Espresso embossing powder, Tag punch

 

Convention Display Sample #6: You're Amazing - Banner Card

This is the last card I made with the You're Amazing set. I don't think that card made it up on the boards, as I haven't seen it anywhere in board pictures. It uses the Floral District DSP and the white stitched grosgrain ribbon. The hot air balloon image was colored with markers to achieve a multicolored look.

The mini banner was created by punching 3/4 squares out of DSP and snipping the corners off. I then used the mini silver brads to hold the pennants in place.

 

 

Color Combo: Lucky Limeade + Melon Mambo + So Saffron + Rich Razzleberry

 

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Tu es incroyable (You're Amazing)
Cardstock: Lucky Limeade, Whisper White
Designer paper: Floral District
Ink: Lucky Limeade
Accessories: Bitty punch, Rhinestone, Corner Rounder punch,
White stitched grosgrain ribbon, Markers, 3/4 Square punch, Mini silver brads

 

Convention Display Sample #5: You're Amazing - Birthday Elephant

This is the third card I prepared with the You're Amazing set and I really like how it turned out. I particularly like the color combo, which is very nice for a masculine card. Speaking of which, this stamp set is great for those elusive masculine cards because the designs aren't too flourishy and could definitely work for a guy.

The Soft Suede background was wheeled with the fun Ticket wheel (Tip: This wheel matches the Ticket punch!) and embossed with clear powder. I stamped the elephant in Black StazOn ink on watercolor paper and colored it with inks and a blending pen. I punched the image with the 2-1/2 Circle punch and I added three matching brads. I stamped the sentiment in Soft Suede on More Mustard cardstock, die-cut it using one of the frames from the Apothecary Accents Framelits and added button brads from the Vintage Trinkets pack, plus a button from the Regals Designer Buttons pack, threaded with Early Espresso baker's twine.

 

 

 

Color Combo: More Mustard + Soft Suede + Midnight Muse

 

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: You're Amazing, Ticket wheel
Cardstock: Midnight Muse, More Mustard, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla
Inks: Versamark, Midnight Muse, Soft Suede, More Mustard, Black StazOn
Accessories: Regals buttons, Apothecary Accents Framelits, Clear embossing powder,
Vintage Trinkets, Vanilla seam binding, Early Espresso baker's twine, Circle punch, blending pen

 

Convention Display Sample #4: You're Amazing - Collage

On this next card, I used one of my clear acrylic block to stamp the background in Marina Mist. You'll recognize the same colour combo I used on the previous bag. I just really loved it paired with this set!

I simply overstamped the hot air balloon and small ticket in Midnight Muse over the background and used the spritzer tool with the matching marker to add speckles to the card background to make the white less stark. I then stamped and handcut the large ticket (hadn't received the matching punch yet so I had to go old school!) and popped it up on DImensionals. I stamped the Happy Birthday sentiment underneath, decorated it with two rhinestones and wrapped a piece of Gumball Green ribbon around the card. To finish it off, I added two brads in opposite corners and a bitty button under which I added a matching shape out of Gumball Green cardstock punched with one of the Bitty punches.

 

 

Up on the display board

 

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Tu es incroyable (You're Amazing)
Cardstock: Midnight Muse, Whisper White
Inks: Midnight Muse, Marina Mist, Gumball Green
Accessories: Acrylic block, Gumball Green satin ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals,
Midnight Muse marker, Spritzer tool, Regals brads, Bitty button, Bitty punches,
Rhinestones basic jewels