WOW it's been a looooong time!

Ok, so I take longer than some to get back into the flow of things after the Holidays! I'm just very blessed that you all haven't given up on me!

I can honestly say my Mojo went into hibernation so I needed some inspiration to get back at my stampin' desk. I'm loving the products in the new Occasions Mini , the Sale-a-bration flyer and the updates for the Definitely Decorative catalogue! So with new products in hand and the Mojo Monday sketch #121 I set out to get a start on the projects for my Stampers Club this month.

This card actually came together quite quickly. I based the color scheme all on the colors used in the new Sending Love Specialty designer series paper. The card base is Chocolate Chip card stock. The next layer is a piece of the Sending Love Specialty paper cut to 51/4 x 4". I love that this paper has glitter hi lights on it! I used a piece of Pretty in Pink card stock for the base of the focal image. The main image on the card is actually one of the new decor stencils from the Love U stencil set. It matched well with the pattern on the designer paper so I decided to try it. I held the stencil in place and then using a sponge dauber and Real Red ink, I stenciled it onto a piece of Very Vanilla card stock. I kept up the glitter by using the 2-way Glue pen and sprinkling Dazzling Diamonds Embossing powder on the glue. The sentiment is from the Great Friend stamp set and is stamped in Real Red classic ink as well. I love, love, love the new punches being introduced in the Occasions Mini as well! I used the Pinking Hearts Border punch for along the bottom. To finish the card off i used some of our new 5/8" satin ribbon in Pretty in Pink.

So there it is, my first creation in 2010. Hope you enjoy it, and as always feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you think!

Until then...

Happy Stampin'

Getting My Mojo On!

Hi Everyone!

I never used to be a big fan of Mondays - that is until I started playing along with the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge ! Now I really look forward to Mondays to see what the new sketch is and how I can interpret it.
So here is my submission for this week. I needed another Birthday card as my Aunt's is on Thursday. The color inspiration actually came from my Aunt's home. She lives in a beautiful one bedroom bungalow with lots of windows so it's sunny and bright just about all the time and her color scheme is brilliant blue and sunny yellow. I opted to use the new Crushed Curry card stock for this card because I LOVE this color and I like it very much with our Brilliant Blue card stock and the new Soft Suede card stock. My Aunt also has a beautiful blue and yellow floral print on one wall, so I knew I wanted to have floral elements on her card. So here is how I made this card...

• Cut a piece of Whisper White card stock at 51/2" x 81/2" ; score at 41/4" for you card base


• Cut a piece of Brilliant Blue card stock to 51/4 x 4" and 13/4 x 37/8"; set these aside


• Cut a piece of Soft Suede card stock to 11/4 x 37/8", 11/8 x 21/4", 23/8 x 33/8" and 21/4 x 23/4" ; set these aside


• Cut a piece of Crushed Curry card stock to 51/8 x 37/8". I inked up my French Script background stamp (retired) in Crushed Curry and stamped the card stock *HINT* When using the large background stamps I ink them and lay them on the table rubber side up and place the card stock on the rubber and use my brayer to press the paper onto the image for a nice even transfer.
  
• I chose the large flower image from the level 3 hostess set Kind & Caring Thoughts, and I colored onto the image using the new In Color markers in Dusty Durango, Crushed Curry and Soft Suede; I misted the image lightly with some water, stamped it onto Whisper White card stock (21/4 x 31/4"), inked the edges slightly with Soft Suede and layered it onto a piece of Soft Suede card stock


• Next, take the 21/4 x 2 3/4" piece of Soft Suede and run it through the Big Shot with the embossing folder of your choice ( I used Swiss Dots)


• To make the band on the front, take the 11/4 x 37/8" piece of Soft Suede card stock and punch the edge with the Eyelet Border punch and the adhere it to the bottom of the Brilliant Blue card stock ( 13/4 x 37/8") using the Snail adhesive


• Take a piece of Soft Suede Polka-Dot ribon (~51/2") and make a simple knot about 1 1/2" from one end; adhere the ribbon across the front of the band but not all the way around ; set aside
  
• I wanted to continue with the floral motif so I inked up the small flower in Crushed Curry and stamped it randomly on a piece of Whisper White card stock (1 x 21/8"), then I stamped the greeting with Brilliant Blue ink *HINT* To make sure your greeting is perfectly placed every time, I use my Stamp-a-ma-jig


• Layer the greeting onto the final pieces of Soft Suede and then Brilliant Blue card stock


• The layering of the elements is what makes this sketch a bit tricky - start by placing the embossed piece of Soft Suede on the Crushed Curry front, next layer the large flower image


• The Brilliant Blue band is next, once this is adhered across the front, you can the bring the ends of the ribbon around the Crushed Curry card stock and adhere it to the back of that


• Add the greeting panel to the front using Stampin' Dimensionals for effect


• Once this is done, layer it all onto the Brilliant Blue and then onto the Whisper White card base - decorate the inside as you like and enjoy!
  

I hope you get a chance to try out this card. I'd love to see any of your interpretations, and as always feel free to leave me a comment and let me know what you think!

Until then...

Happy Stampin'

My Mojo's Running a Little Late!

Hi Everyone!

Wow! What a fun/busy week this has been! I've had so much fun blogging almost everyday that I'm going to miss is when I have to slip back into reality next week and go to work. :(
I'm just getting around to posting my submission for this weeks Mojo Monday sketch challenge. For this week I used some of the retired Walk in the Park designer series paper. I really like this paper and will miss it - fortunately however, there are LOTS more beautiful papers in the New Idea Book & Catalogue!
The base of this card is made using Very Vanilla Cardstock. The first layer is a piece of the Walk in the Park designer series paper. I then cut a piece of retired Kiwi Kiss cardstock to 4 x 4" and scalloped the edges with our Scalloped Edge Punch (#112091). Hey! Did you know that the Scalloped Edge punch is on sale this week!? Yup! It's the Deal of the Week! Stampin' Up is offering a new deal each week in July, starting on Mondays. This week (July 1-5) the Scalloped Edge punch is only $15.99 (regular price $22.95). For more details and to order yours, click here.
I finally found a layout that was just right for trying out my new Kind and Caring Thoughts, level 3 hostess set. I inked the small bud in Pretty in Pink and then stamped the image onto a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock. I used a piece of Regal Rose 5/8" grosgrain ribbon (#109056) tied around a piece of So Saffron Cardstock and layered it onto the Kiwi Kiss scalloped square. I adhered the image of the bud over the ribbon and on the So Saffron using Mini Glue Dots. For the greeting I inked up Thanks from the Thank You Kindly (#111700) stamp set in Kiwi Kiss and stamped it onto a scrap of Very Vanilla and punched it out using the Large Oval (#107305) punch. This was layered onto a Kiwi Kiss scalloped oval that had been punched out using the Scalloped Oval (#114889) punch, and adhered using Stampin' Dimensionals. For the brads in the sketch I chose to make my own, using Regal Rose cardstock and the Trio Flower (#109183) punch and put on using the 2-way Glue Pen (#100425). I love using the glue pen as it goes on with precision on small items and because it allows you the chance to reposition it if you don't like where you first put the item (as long as you do it quickly). Something I don't usually do, but would like to get more in the habit of, is stamping the inside of my cards. So today I used a greeting from Full of Life (#111500) inked in Kiwi Kiss and stamped inside the card. It looked kind of plain, so I inked up the small bud again in the Pretty in Pink and stamped a couple of then on opposite corners. Much better. :)
And so there is my submission for Mojo93! I hope you like. Sorry to have used so many retired papers and inks - but I'm not quite ready to say good-bye to them completely. Hope you're having a great day wherever you are, and as always, feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you think!

Until then...

Happy Stampin'

It's a rainy Sunday....

...which makes it a perfect day to dwell in my stampin' room!

Hi Everyone!

Look at me with back -to- back posts this weekend! I'm kinda in catch up mode, and with the kids chilaxin' now that's it's summer break, Mommy has had a bit more time to be creative. This card is slipping in just under the wire for last Monday's Mojo sketch challenge #92. I have to admit I stumbled a bit with this sketch at first. I had wanted to use my Lovely As A Tree (#115026) set, but I just couldn't make it work the way I wanted. So I turned to my newly purchased Petal Pizzazz (#113417) and my ever favorite set of greetings, Full of Life (#111500), threw in some Bermuda Bay, Basic Black and Whisper White cardstock, ribbon and embellishments and voila! I am happy with how it turned out! I have to say, try as I might to make super embellished, lavishly layered, ultra-detailed cards - it's just not in me. I guess I'm just a simple girl at heart! I'm actually kinda proud of myself for using ribbon, brads and a piece of hardware all on the same card! LOL! I just love the 1/2" polka-dot grosgrain ribbon in the new In Colors! I used the Melon Mambo (#115611) and laced it through a piece of now retired hodgepodge hardware. I kept the layering effect of the Bermuda Bay on Basic Black with the 3 black brads from the Vintage set (#109109) in the bottom left corner. The flower element on the card is the scalloped petal flower from the Petal Pizzazz set, inked in Melon Mambo (#115656) and stamped onto Whisper White cardstock and then cut out. For the center of the flower I got a little creative and used one of the Whisper White 5/16" Jumbo Brads (#112534) and covered it with StazOn ink in Jet Black (#101406). I attached the flower to the card using Stampin' Dimensionals (#104430) for that added 3D effect. And that's it! My card for today.
I do have to make another and I have something else that I've been wanting to try, so if I get it finished, I'll post it as well. So have a great rest of your Sunday afternoon and as always, feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you think! OH! And don't forget about tomorrow! It's my Birthday - but I'm giving YOU the present! I will be posting a picture of the Birthday Goodie Bag tomorrow so you can see what you might be getting in the mail! Just leave a post on here tomorrow and I will draw the lucky winners name after Midnight EST.

Until then...

Happy Stampin'

Happy Monday!

Hi Everyone!

Today's card is doing double duty. It is my submission for Mojo Monday sketch challenge #90, and it is also another of the cards that we will be making at my Stampers Club this coming Saturday. I think this stamp set is so fun, and very usable for the men in my family! LOL! For this card I went again with the Manchester designer paper and it's co-ordinating colors in the cardstock and inks. I also added the corduroy buttons in the Kraft and Baja Breeze for that extra element in the sketch instead of a punch. I love the Baja Breeze and will be very sad to see it gone at the end of the month - that's why I'm stocking up! I hope you enjoy the card, and as always, feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you think!

Until then...

Happy Stampin'

Happy Holiday Monday!

Well, for my Canadian friends anyway it's a holiday. So I have to say I have enjoyed my long weekend at home with my family. We relaxed, painted my daughter's room and relaxed some more! And I squeezed in a little stampin' time! I'm really getting hooked on the sketch challenges from Mojo Monday - the Blog. This is the sketch for today, and this is my interpretation. I love these challenges because it really helps my work through my piles of scrap papers! This card uses all SU! products with the exception of the clear dew drops. I'll add the recipe below for those who are interested. Feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you think!

Until then...
Happy Stampin'!

"For You" Card Recipe:

• cardstock - certainly celery, regal rose, pink pirouette, chocolate chip, pumpkin pie


• designer series paper - Sweet Always


• inks - pink pirouette, regal rose, chocolate chip, pumpkin pie
• stamps - "Great Friend" in the Occasions Mini catalogue
  
• accessories - white gel pen, clear dew drops