Flower Sparkle

Poinsettia Season's Greetings Card - 52 CCT Sketch Challenge Card

2012-02-09T17:06:00.000Z

Here is this week's Christmas card for the 52 {Christmas}Card Throwdown challenge. We had a really great sketch to work with this week, I like the layout so much that I'll probably make a few more cards with it. I'm thinking that if I rotate it, the layout will work as a Z Fold card - I'll have to put that theory to the test!

I thought my poinsettia stamp would work really well for the square panel so I started off by stamping that in Early Espresso ink - twice onto Cherry Cobbler CS and twice onto Real Red CS. I cut the layers out and joined them together with a gold glimmer brad. I rootled through my Christmas patterned paper and decided I wanted to use my flocked holly paper - it's so gorgeous - and I decided my sparkly red glimmer paper would be a great contrast to that. I found the Season's Greetings stamp fitted perfectly inside the smaller Hero Arts Small Tag Frame die and I've popped that up over the red glimmer strip. I finished off by adding red metal nailheads to the corners of the vanilla panel. Metal, shiny glimmer paper and matte velvet flocked paper - I have to say I really like how the different textures look together on this card!

I simply stamped the poinsettia a few times in Cherry Cobbler ink inside the card and on the envelope and added the sentiment to finish off.

Supplies:
Stamps: Poinsettia from Creative Expressions, 'Season's Greetings' from SU! Four the Holidays set, inside sentiment from Hero Arts Very Merry Christmas clear set
CS: PaperMania cream square card blank, SU! red Glimmer Paper & Cherry Cobbler, Real Red & Very Vanilla CS
Patterned paper: Making Memories flocked holly paper
Ink: SU! Early Espresso & Cherry Cobbler
Tools: Hero Arts 'Small Tag Frame' Frame Cuts die, paper piercing tool
Embellishments & accessories: SU! gold glimmer brad, red metal nailheads, 3d foam tape, glue dots

Touch Of Nature Happy Birthday Grid Card

2012-02-07T14:05:00.001Z

I never got into inchies when they became popular but I really liked the grid sketch featured on the Simply Stampin' challenge blog a couple of weeks ago. It occurred to me that it would be a great way to use multiple stamps from a set. I thought my neglected Touch of Nature set would be a good choice and I decided to make it a square grid card with 9 squares. I also chose to go for a distressed and shabby look to the card.

I started off by stamping images in Early Espresso ink onto Very Vanilla CS and I cut out the squares. I then stamped a dotty stamp from the Itty Bitty Backgrounds set on the squares with Crumb Cake ink, applied So Saffron ink with a sponge dauber and edged each square with Early Espresso ink. I stamped a framed sentiment for my centre panel of the grid and I added tiny punched leaves and flowers. I made a 5 3/4" square More Mustard card base and I arranged the squares on the front, popping up the centre panel. I've put a tiny pearl in the centre of each flower. I used a Nestie die to cut my squares and they measure 1 6/8" (4.5 cms) square.

I glued a Very Vanilla panel inside the card after stamping and sponging the corners and edges. I then added the framed Best Wishes sentiment. I really love the leafy stem stamp in the Touch of Nature set and I used it for a circular element to go on the flap of the envelope to finish off.

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! A Touch of Nature, Frames with a Flourish & Itty Bitty Backgrounds set, 'Happy Birthday' from Waltzingmouse Stamps Say It With Style clear set, 'Best Wishes' & frame from Hero Arts Luscious Frames clear set
CS: SU! More Mustard, Very Vanilla, Always Artichoke & So Saffron
Ink: SU! Early Espresso, Crumb Cake & So Saffron
Tools: Square Nestabilities die, circle punches, flower punch from SU! Itty Bitty Shapes punch pack, tiny Woodware leaf punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig, sponge daubers
Embellishments & accessories: pearls, 3d foam pads

CAS-ual Fridays CFC38 Movie Inspired Challenge Card

2012-02-05T16:52:00.000Z

This week at CAS-ual Fridays the challenge is 'On the Red Carpet' and you're to make a card inspired by a movie.

What a fab challenge, it should produce some very interesting results! I've chosen my favourite film, Moulin Rouge. I loved Baz Luhrmann's Strictly Ballroom and Romeo and Juliet films and couldn't wait to see Moulin Rouge when it came out, the 3rd film in the so called 'Red Curtain Trilogy'. I met hubby after he finished work one evening and we went to see it. I was completely blown away by the sheer joyous madness of it! Spectacular, spectacular indeed! After the film ended I got up, walked out the exit and walked straight back into the cinema foyer and bought tickets for us to see the film again at the next showing later that night. I saw Moulin Rouge about 6 times in 2 weeks as I went with various friends to see it. It was so funny, so sad and utterly entertaining, I fell completely under its spell, I loved that film so much - and I still do!

Come what may, I was determined to make a card for this challenge inspired by my favourite film and when I went to my craft room to make my card I put the soundtrack CD on to inspire me further. The first song is Nature Boy and that gave me the wording for my card. I computer generated the words using the 3-DGoldRush font. I used that gorgeous heart stamp from the SU! You Are Loved set again. I wanted the heart to be black and I wanted to emboss it but I couldn't find my black embossing powder - nor could I find a black pigment ink pad. However, the show must go on, so onto plan B - I inked the stamp in VersaMark ink, then in VersaFine Onyx Black ink, stamped and then heat embossed the image with clear powder. I used square Nesties for the mat and layer. I glued a strip of red glimmer paper to the card before attaching the square. I then cut the sentiment apart, applied the strips, stamped the Love image, cut it out with an oval punch and popped it up. The character Satine in the film was known as the Sparkling Diamond of the Moulin Rouge and the film features the song Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend so adding some clear rhinestones to the card was a must! "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love...

...and be loved in return." So for inside the card I finished off the sentiment by gluing my die cut onto a black CS strip. I then added a red, sparkly scalloped border and a punched sparkly heart with a rhinestone. I wasn't entirely sure how my scallop punch would handle the SU! glimmer paper but it worked fine - phew! For the envelope flap, I stamped the heart and punched part of it out with the SU! Full Heart punch.

Right, I'm off to make a cuppa, grab the tissues and load up the DVD player!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! You Are Loved set
CS: PaperMania square white card blank, SU! Real Red, Basic Black & Whisper White, SU! Red Glimmer Paper
Ink: VersaMark, Versafine Onyx Black, SU! Real Red
Tools: Square Nestabilities dies, SU! Scallop Edge Border, Full Heart & Large Oval punches, X Cut heart punch, Hero Arts 'Small Tag Frame' Frame Cuts die
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Basic Rhinestones, clear embossing powder, SU! Dimensionals

Heart Thinking Of You Card - Simply Stampin' Challenge #45

2012-02-04T08:00:00.000Z

This week it's a 'Heartfelt' theme challenge at Simply Stampin'. I hope you will come along and play with us this week, it will be lovely to come and see what you create! I really fell for the You Are Loved set in the mini catalogue when I saw it and even though I knew it wasn't wholly practical with it being a Valentine's set I decided to buy it anyway, that heart is just so gorgeous! My fab demo Joanne delivered my goodies to me on Tuesday afternoon and I dashed upstairs to my craft room immediately to use my new set. I thought that beautiful heart stamp would be ideal for my Heartfelt challenge card.

I decided to colour the heart with various colours so I got out my markers. After a minute or two I was thinking maybe just one colour would have been a wiser choice LOL! Then after I'd stamped the image and I saw how pretty it came out I was so glad I'd made the effort! I wanted to let the heart take centre stage so I've kept to a very simple layout. I've used Old Olive for the 5 1/4" square card base with Perfect Plum, Rose Red and Marina Mist for the mat layers. I cut around the heart and added a few rhinestones. I stamped the sentiment and used the 1 1/4" square punch to make the banner shape at the end of the Whisper White strip. I added a Perfect Plum brad to the banner, attached it to the heart and then popped the heart and banner up on the Marina Mist mat - I also popped up the Rose Red mat.

I came to decorate the inside of the card and envelope as I usually do and then kicked myself for not having ordered the matching Love Blossoms wheel 'cos it would have been perfect - never mind, I'll get it next month! I inked the flower stamp with Old Olive and Rose Red markers, stamped it on the white panel inside the card and stamped it again to make a circular element for the envelope flap.

We got a note card from Julie, Owen's cousin, just recently and she said "I wanted to write and thank you for the lovely cards you always send at Christmas. They are so lovely Ruth and admired by everyone". Awwww, that was so nice, I was chuffed to bits! She went on to say she'd had to have a knee operation and was convalescing and it would take quite a few weeks for her to recuperate fully. So I'm sending this card to Julie to say we're thinking of her and wishing her well - hope she likes this card too!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! You Are Loved set
CS: SU! Old Olive, Perfect Plum, Rose Red, Marina Mist & Whisper White
Ink: SU! Old Olive, Perfect Plum, Rose Red, Marina Mist & Basic Black
Tools: SU! square & circle punches
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Basic Rhinestones, SU! Perfect Plum brad, SU! Dimensionals

February Card Group Projects - 3 Masculine Cards

2012-02-02T18:30:00.000Z

Wait - 3 masculine cards?! I hardly ever make male cards but once I'd made the first one I decided to keep the masculine theme going. The ladies at card group were surprised LOL!

I made this flower card a little while ago, I love the popped up negative shape layer and I really wanted to make a masculine version using my PTI leaf dies. The 3 largest dies in the set have such nice shapes, perfect for this technique. The leaf dies are bigger than the flower dies so this card has a more CAS feel as there wasn't room for a mat layer. CAS for masculine cards is good though - and I left off the butterfly LOL! I started off by choosing patterned paper to go underneath the popped up layer - it's interesting how some papers look so much better than others for this, it's worth taking the time to select the right pattern! The reverse of this paper is a large houndstooth design which looked awful behind the leaves! I glued the paper to the card base, cut a square of Chocolate Chip CS and cut out the 3 leaf shapes. I've popped up the Choc Chip panel and added the sentiment to finish the front.

I didn't want to discard the 3 positive leaf shapes so I used one of them for inside the card and another for the envelope. I know it's hard to see in the photo but both these leaves were embossed with the Victoria embossing folder to add some texture.

I kept the 3rd leaf shape plain to use on our second card. I spritzed the leaf with water, scrunched it up, unfolded it, scrunched it up again and then I ended up with a rugged textured leaf. While the shape is wet it's really soft and pliable but once dry it becomes hard so keeps its texture and shape nicely. While the leaf was drying I tore the patterned paper, applied mustard ink to the edge, glued that to the card front and added an artichoke strip. I stamped a woodgrain stamp on the More Mustard Wonky Square panel with mustard ink, mounted that onto an Always Artichoke Wonky Square and stamped the sentiment in Early Espresso ink. I attached the leaf to the Wonky Square panel with glue dots.

I saw this fab card made by Lisa on Pinterest and it just tickled me no end that a flower stamp had been used on a masculine card as part of a tree - very clever! Of course, you know that meant that I had to buy the flower stamp LOL! I used my tree trunk stamp, grass punch and cloud dies to make a little scene for my card and added a sentiment. I inked the stamp with Pear Pizzazz ink and then added Old Olive ink around the edges with a sponge dauber. I cut out the tree with a circle Nestie die, debated whether to leave the circle plain but in the end opted to fussy cut round the shape and I popped it up. I sponged Baja Breeze ink around the clouds and the largest cloud is popped up.

Supplies for 3 leaves birthday wishes card:
Stamps: birthday wishes from SU! Wow Flowers set, inside sentiment from Hero Arts Friends are Treasures cling set
CS: PaperMania square white card blank, SU! Chocolate Chip & Whisper White
Patterned paper: Echo Park Green Damask
Ink: SU! Chocolate Chip, Adirondack Lettuce
Tools: PaperTrey Ink Leaf Prints Collection dies, SU! Word Window & Modern label punches, Cuttlebug Victoria embossing folder
Embellishments & accessories: 3d foam tape

Supplies for textured leaf best wishes card:
Stamps: Hero Arts Designer Woodgrain background stamp, Best Wishes from Hobby Art
CS: PaperMania cream square card blank, SU! More Mustard, Always Artichoke & Chocolate Chip
Patterned paper: SU! Haiku DSP pack
Ink: SU! More Mustard & Early Espresso
Tools: Wonky Square Nestabilities dies, PaperTrey Ink Leaf Prints Collection die, Stamp-a-ma-jig
Embellishments & accessories: glue dots

Supplies for tree great day card:
Stamps: Hero Arts Small Solid Flower & Tree Trunk stamps, sentiment from Penny Black
CS: SU! Pear Pizzazz, Bashful Blue, Creamy Caramel & Whisper White
Ink: SU! Soft Suede, Pear Pizzazz, Old Olive & Baja Breeze, Memento Tuxedo Black
Tools: Circle Nestabilities die, Memory Box Puffy Clouds die, Martha Stewart Grass border punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig
Embellishments & accessories: 3d foam pads

Sunset Spirit Of The Season Card - 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown Embellishment Challenge

2012-02-01T19:13:00.001Z

My friend Kelly sent me a link to a Christmas card challenge blog - the 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown challenge blog. I really like the idea of getting a head start on Christmas cards this year and making one a week is easily achievable. Every year I say I'll carry on making Christmas cards after it's all over but I've never managed it yet - I'm usually sick of them by then and really can't face making any more!

Another idea that appeals to me about this challenge is that I will use what I have in my Christmas stash rather than being seduced by new goodies. The theory is that come September when the new Christmas stuff is hitting the shops I won't need to buy any of it 'cos I'll have the majority of my Christmas cards made. That's the theory anyway - we'll see the reality later on LOL! I'm certainly not going to make any promises after I said I wasn't going to buy any Christmas stuff in 2011 - and failed miserably! I think taking part in this weekly challenge is a step in the right direction though and I hope I can be disciplined to keep at it!

Kelly sent me a beautiful easel card for Christmas, I just fell in love with it and had to buy the Kanban Enjoy the Spirit of the Season set immediately. It's such a lovely set, the frame stamp has so much detail - gorgeous! I stamped the frame, sentiment and Santa onto white CS and then got inky with various Tim Holtz Distress Inks. I used a craft mat and the foam applicator tool to apply the inks, swirling them on in a circular motion. After I'd finished inking I trimmed the panel to size and applied a generous spritzing of Champagne Mist alcohol spray for lots of sparkle. I matted the panel onto black CS and attached it to a Riding Hood Red 5 3/4" square card base. I used the Sizzix 'Brackets' On the Edge die to cut a black decorative border and I applied the negative piece to the card base. This week's challenge is an embellishment challenge and you must use at least 3 sparkly rhinestones. I added 3 rhinestones to my bracket edge and applied more to my sentiment frame. Some ribbon finished off the card front.

I stamped a white panel for inside the card and stamped the Santa, sleigh and reindeer image on the envelope flap to finish off.

It is so hard to capture the sparkle of the Champagne Mist spritz in a photo - here's a close up so you can see a bit of the sparkle at least!

Supplies:
Stamps: Kanban Enjoy the Spirit of the Season clear set, PSX Snowflake Medley, sentiment from Penny Black
CS: SU! Riding Hood Red, Basic Black & Whisper White
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Distress Inks in Scattered Straw, Wild Honey, Fired Brick & Dusty Concord, SU! Riding Hood Red
Tools: Sizzix 'Brackets' On the Edge die, Ranger foam ink applicators & tool, craft mat, Stamp-a-ma-jig
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint in an alcohol spritz, black satin ribbon, black & white gingham ribbon, SU! Basic Rhinestones

Faux Metal Top Note Butterfly Thanks Card

2012-01-31T15:27:00.000Z

Faux Metal is a technique I haven't done in years. When I first did it I'd build up several layers of embossing and then press a stamp into the molten powder. I recently saw Diana's Faux Metal Tin Ceiling video tutorial on YouTube and it made me keen to have another go at the faux metal technique using an embossing folder. It's a lot less fraught - embossing a cooled piece with a folder as opposed to putting a stamp into molten powder LOL! While I really liked the tile effect that Diana produced I decided to use a Top Note die cut shape as my faux metal piece.

I die cut the Top Note from Sahara Sand CS, covered it with VersaMark ink and embossed with silver embossing powder - and I did that twice. After the piece had cooled I ran it through my Big Shot with the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder and I got this wonderful looking faux metal shape as a result - fab!

I didn't want to cover it up too much so I went with a die cut butterfly and a sentiment on a Night of Navy side opening A6 landscape card. I chose the gorgeous patterned paper for the butterfly first and that led to me using navy and vanilla as my colour combo. I scored lines on both sides of the butterfly body so I could put 3d foam pads under the wings to pop them up. I used some Night of Navy ribbon as antennae and added 2 silver glimmer brads. I used a Memory Box label die for the sentiment but cut off the outermost end parts and added rhinestones. I sponged Night of Navy ink around the butterfly and the label before attaching them to the card.

Here's the inside and the envelope where you can see I used more of that gorgeous paper! I really enjoyed making this, it was fun to revisit an old technique but use new tools with it. Embossing folders hadn't been invented when I last did the technique - how on earth did we manage without them?!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Thank You Kindly set
CS: SU! Night of Navy, Sahara Sand & Very Vanilla
Patterned paper: Prima 'Spring Tide' from the Madeline Collection
Ink: SU! Night of Navy, VersaMark
Tools: SU! Top Note & Beautiful Butterflies Bigz dies, SU! Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, Memory Box Bistro Label die
Embellishments & accessories: silver embossing powder, SU! Night of Navy grosgrain ribbon, SU! glimmer brads, SU! Basic Rhinestones, silver nailheads, 3d foam pads

Lemon Sugar Hand Scrub

2012-01-29T16:33:00.001Z

While on Pinterest a while back I came across a recipe for a homemade lemon sugar hand scrub and decided I'd have a go at making some. It's so easy to make, Stephanie gives the recipe and instructions on her blog post here.

After I'd made it I must admit I found it a bit too oily for my liking. So I scooped it all out of the jar, discarded about half of the mix and then I added more sugar and stirred in some Vaseline. I will try using half olive oil and half Vaseline for the next batch I make up. I also added a few drops of lemon essential oil and some lemon zest. Once I was happy with the texture and consistency I placed the mix back in the jar. I've been using it for the past couple of weeks and I really like it. It's a lovely pampering treat if I get dry, chapped hands from being out in the cold or have had my hands immersed in water a lot. It's perfect to use after I've got inky too!

I plan on making more scrub to give as gifts and I wanted to be able to decorate the jars. I realised the fruit slice from the SU! Tart and Tangy set would be the perfect thing but I didn't buy that set when it was available. So I had a look at eBay and picked up a used Tart and Tangy set for under £5 - marvellous! I can now decorate my scrub jars! I stamped my 3 slices with Memento Dandelion ink, punched them out with a 1 1/4" circle punch and added Dazzling Diamonds to the edges. I attached the slices to a Crumb Cake circle which I'd stamped with the Victorian Lace background stamp in Soft Suede ink - popping 2 slices up. I layered the Crumb Cake circle onto a larger Barely Banana circle.

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Tart & Tangy set, SU! Victorian Lace background stamp
CS: SU! Barely Banana, Crumb Cake & Whisper White
Ink: Memento Dandelion, SU! Soft Suede
Tools: SU! 1 1/4" circle punch, circle Nestie dies
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Dazzling Diamonds, Dimensionals

Two Cards for the Simply Stampin' Challenge #44

2012-01-28T08:00:00.000Z

This week's challenge at the Simply Stampin' blog is a colour challenge and the colours are Not Quite Navy, Early Espresso, River Rock and Very Vanilla.

This sounded quite sombre and I'm usually drawn to bright and cheery colour combos. Also River Rock is not one of my fave colours as I said in my post yesterday so I was definitely feeling a tad daunted by this challenge! I pondered a bit, opened up drawers, looked at stamps, papers, punches and dies and then gave that up when inspiration failed to strike. So on to plan B - get the SU! catalogue out with the aim of selecting a stamp set to use which would mean at least I had a starting point. I ended up wanting to use the Ornate Flowers and Trendy Trees sets and rather than choose between them I decided to make two cards.

My initial reaction to the colour combo was it appeared to lend itself to masculine cards so I was surprised when the Ornate Flowers set leapt out at me when I was browsing the catty. Anyway, I decided to go with it and see where it led me. I remembered seeing a Not Quite Navy patterned paper when I'd rummaged earlier so I dug it out, cut it to the size I wanted and then realised the background was white rather than vanilla. Hmmm, I decided I still wanted to use the paper so I set about shabbying it up a bit to tone down the white. I stamped the Texture wheel on it a few times with River Rock ink and then added River Rock ink with a sponge dauber. I knew I wanted to use the rectangular solid flower stamp from the set as my main image so I stamped that in Not Quite Navy ink. I stamped the flower twice - once in River Rock and again in Early Espresso and cut the flower and centre out. I was just getting ready to cut the vanilla panel when I wondered if the stamped image would fit within the rectangle frame in the Textured Impressions Embossing Set - woohoo, it fit perfectly! So after embossing the frame I cut it out, popped it up onto an Early Espresso mat and then layered that onto a larger River Rock mat. Before adhering the River Rock panel I stamped the sentiment, added the Early Espresso ribbon and three brads. Lastly, I popped up the flower and the flower centre.

I stamped a Very Vanilla panel for inside the card. For the envelope, I stamped the flower three times without re-inking using Not Quite Navy ink and cut them out. I popped the front flower up with Dimensionals. I love stamping a frame onto an envelope as somewhere to write the recipients name and I thought the bird frame from the Four Frames set would be a good choice for this card.

So onto the second card which is more masculine - actually I think it would work for either sex really - but as there are no flowers, scallops, decorative edges, ribbon or bling I would probably stick with this being a card for a man! I made a side opening Not Quite Navy A6 landscape card and kept to a very simple CAS layout. After stamping the trees I cut them out with the 1 3/8" circle punch and I layered them onto 1 3/4" Early Espresso punched circles. I cut my Very Vanilla panel and decided it looked too stark as it was. The Texture wheel stamped in Not Quite Navy ink after stamping off once first put paid to that issue and I added Early Espresso CS strips. I stamped the sentiment onto River Rock CS and punched it out with the Word Window punch. I adhered the tree circles to the Very Vanilla panel, popping up the centre circle.

The Funky Forest wheel simply stamped in Early Espresso ink on the front of the envelope and on a Very Vanilla panel for inside the card finished off nicely. Considering I felt quite daunted by this colour combo I'm fairly happy with how these cards turned out!

I hope you'll play along with us at Simply Stampin' this week - you don't need the exact colours, you can substitute for a similar SU! shade if you need to. Just remember to use at least one SU! stamp, punch, die or patterned paper in your creation - and have fun!

Supplies for Best Wishes card:
Stamps: SU! Ornate Flowers, Sincere Salutations & Four Frames sets, SU! Texture wheel stamp
CS: SU! Not Quite Navy, Early Espreso, River Rock & Very Vanilla
Patterned paper: SU! Rose Red Prints Designer Series Paper pack
Ink: SU! Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Rose Red & Chocolate Chip
Tools: Rectangle frame embossing folder from SU! Designer Frames Textured Impressions Embossing Set, SU! Mat Pack & Paper-Piercing Tool, sponge dauber
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Early Espresso 1/8" taffeta ribbon, SU! Vintage brads, SU! Dimensionals

Supplies for Thinking of You card:
Stamps: SU! Trendy Trees set, SU! Texture & Funky Forest wheel stamps
CS: SU! Not Quite Navy, Early Espresso, River Rock & Very Vanilla
Ink: SU! Not Quite Navy, River Rock & Early Espresso
Tools: SU! 1 3/8" & 1 3/4" circle & Word Window punches, Stamp-a-ma-jig
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Dimensionals

Two Vanilla Spice Cake Birthday Cards

2012-01-27T15:35:00.000Z

Mmmmm, Vanilla Spice Cake sounds rather nice! These are two cards I made from a project pack my SU! demo Joanne put together for us for our last Stamper's Ten meeting. I was chuffed to be using some new goodies from the Mini catty! Oh my goodness, the Spice Cake papers are so gorgeous and I couldn't wait to try out the new Blossom Party die seeing as I'm such a flower lover!

Both cards are side opening A6 size made with Very Vanilla CS. For the first card I die cut the flower shapes, sponged the edges with Soft Suede ink, used the Paper-Piercing Tool to add some shaping and layered the bloom together with a Glimmer Brad. Before attaching the blossom to the card I added Little Leaves die cuts that I'd also sponged. The scallop border and Little Leaves are made with River Rock CS - the first time I've used this colour as it's not been a fave up to now. It's taken 5 years for me to warm up to More Mustard so maybe I'll get to like River Rock at some point LOL! I have to say it does go rather well with Very Vanilla and the Spice Cake papers.

I finished the insides and envelopes of both cards at home and as I was sitting down ready to do just that the doorbell rang. It was the postie delivering some new Hero Arts stamps - so I just had to use those for my sentiments inside! I added a strip of the yummy Spice Cake paper and another scalloped border. For the envelope I stamped the leaves and then added a flower cut out from a piece of Spice Cake paper.

This second card really showcases the gorgeous Spice Cake papers - it really is hard to choose between all the patterns, each design is so lovely! The More Mustard panel was embossed with the Polka Dots folder and cut at an angle so the circles could overlap the edge at a sloped angle. Each circle was sponged with Soft Suede ink before being glued to the card.

Here's the inside and the envelope. For my previous card I used a non SU! envelope with a diamond flap. For this card I used an SU! envelope and they don't have diamond flaps so I usually decorate the front of the envelopes. This time I glued a strip of patterned paper along the edge of the flap - and I rather like it!

Supplies for blossom & leafy card:
Stamps: SU! Happiest Birthday Wishes set, Hero Arts Luscious Frames clear set, SU! Best Blossoms set
CS: SU! Very Vanilla, Pear Pizzazz, More Mustard, Pool Party & River Rock
Patterned paper: SU! Spice Cake DSP pack
Ink: SU! Soft Suede & Pear Pizzazz
Tools: SU! Blossom Party die, SU! Little Leaves die, SU! Scallop Border punch, SU! Paper-Piercing Tool, Stamp-a-ma-jig
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Glimmer Brad, glue dots

Supplies for patterned circles card:
Stamps: SU! Happiest Birthday Wishes set, Hero Arts Luscious Frames clear set
CS: SU! Very Vanilla, More Mustard & Pool Party
Patterned paper: SU! Spice Cake DSP pack
Ink: SU! More Mustard & Soft Suede
Tools: SU! Circle punches in various sizes, SU! Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Stamp-a-ma-jig

Penguin Thanks So Much Shaped Card

2012-01-24T21:38:00.001Z

Oh my word, just look at that adorable penguin - cute or what?! I received the PaperTrey ink stamp set and matching die - amongst other fab goodies - from Michelle from the Card Grotto as a Christmas gift. I squealed in utter delight when I opened the package LOL! I just had to use the goodies to send sweet Michelle a thank you card.

It's been a while since I made a shaped card so I decided to use my new Sizzix Flowers Framelits dies to make the card base and layers. To make the card base I cut two black flowers plus a white one and I glued the white one to one black shape so I had somewhere to write my message. I joined the two shapes together by punching a hole through both shapes and tying them together with Pumpkin Pie ribbon and some silver cord. Even though the card isn't joined apart from being tied together at the top it still stands up! I stamped the penguin, die cut him and added some colour with marker inks and a blender pen. I stamped the sentiment, punched it out with the Word Window punch and attached it to the white layer with a Pumpkin Pie brad. I popped the cute penguin up with 3d foam pads. I simply embossed the envelope flap with a dotty embossing folder to finish off the card.

Supplies:
Stamps: PaperTrey Ink Winter Penguin set, sentiment from SU! Trendy Trees set
CS: SU! Basic Black, Whisper White & Brushed Silver
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, SU! Pumpkin Pie & Basic Gray
Tools: Sizzix Flowers Framelits dies, PaperTrey ink Winter Penguin die, SU! Word Window punch, Crop-A-Dile
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Pumpkin Pie grosgrain ribbon, silver cord, SU! Pumpkin Pie brad, 3d foam pads

Medallion To You From Me Card - CAS-ual Fridays CFC #36 Challenge

2012-01-23T12:17:00.001Z

Here is my second card made for the CAS-ual Fridays Penguin Suit challenge which was to make a black and white card with no other colour allowed. I so enjoyed making the first card I just had to make another!

I used a 5 1/4" square white card base again. I stamped the SU! Medallion stamp, trimmed the white panel and mounted it to a black mat. I die cut the Memory Box Woven Circle shape and mounted that to a larger white circle. I stamped the sentiment, die cut it out and I popped it up over the Woven Circle. I added clear rhinestones for a touch of sparkle to finish off the front.

I don't normally add mat layers inside white card bases but when I opened the card I found some black marks - goodness only knows how they got there! Anyway, I added a black mat with a white panel stamped with a part of the Medallion image in the bottom corner. I stamped part of the image again in the corner on the front of the envelope to finish off. I think the SU! Medallion stamp is gorgeous - so elegant!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Medallion stamp, sentiment from SU! Best Yet set
CS: PaperMania square white card blank, SU! Basic Black & Whisper White
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Tools: Memory Box Woven Circle die, circle Nestabilities dies
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Basic Rhinestones, 3d foam tape

Black & White Just A Note Card - CAS-ual Fridays CFC #36 Challenge

2012-01-23T11:45:00.000Z

I came across the CAS-ual Fridays Penguin Suit challenge this weekend.

You have to make a black and white card - no other colour allowed, not even a smidgen. I love black and white cards and I had the perfect stamp in mind - on loan from my crafty friend Lesley - so I had to join in. I started off by stamping the image, trimming it and mounting to a black layer. I then stamped the sentiment in the bottom corner of my 5 1/4" square card blank, added the image panel, added black grosgrain ribbon tied in a knot and rounded the right hand corners.

Inside I stamped just a part of the stamp in the bottom corner. Lastly I added a circle element to the envelope flap.

I really don't think you can go wrong with a black and white card, they seem to come together quickly, especially if you keep to a CAS design. I found after making this card I was really keen to make another one so stay tuned for another post today with another card for the CFC #36 challenge!

Supplies:
Stamps: Penny Black 'Berry Red, Snow White', sentiment from Waltzingmouse Stamps Say it with Style clear set
CS: PaperMania square white card blank, SU! Basic Black & Whisper White
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Tools: Crop-A-Dile Corner Chomper, 1 1/2" & 1 3/4" circle punches
Embellishments & accessories: black grosgrain ribbon

Very Vintage Friends Grid Card - Simply Stampin' Challenge #43

2012-01-21T08:00:00.000Z

This week's Simply Stampin' challenge is a sketch - and it's a good one, so versatile! You could use stamps, patterned papers, die cuts or punches and this layout would suit many different card styles. I really hope you'll play along - please just remember to use one SU! image or sentiment in your creation, thank you!

I decided to challenge myself a bit further and use three colours I don't use a lot - More Mustard, Cajun Craze and Soft Suede. Teamed up with Crumb Cake and with a hint of Old Olive it turned out quite well I think! I used the Vintage Vogue set and the matching Very Vintage wheel. I stamped the wheel on Very Vanilla CS 3 times using More Mustard, Cajun Craze and Soft Suede inks and I cut tiles measuring 1 3/4" square. I stamped the friends stamp in Cajun Craze ink, cut out the tile, stamped the Texture wheel over the top in Crumb Cake ink, stamped the friends stamp again in More Mustard ink and cut out the F.

Using markers and a blender pen I added some colour to the images here and there. I stamped the flowers in More Mustard and Cajun Craze inks - stamping off once first and then rock and rolling - and I cut them out. I edged each tile with Soft Suede ink using a sponge dauber. I then placed the tiles, flowers and F in a shoe box and gave everything a very liberal spritzing with Champagne Shimmer Mist alcohol spray. I cannot capture that in the photo - you'll have to take my word for it that this card is a very sparkly little number in real life! I added brads to the flower centres and popped them, and the F, up with Dimensionals.

I stamped a Very Vanilla panel and sponged the edges with Soft Suede ink for inside the card. I added a bit of colour again to the image and a More Mustard CS strip. I stamped the envelope with the wheel in Cajun Craze ink and added another Mustard strip to finish off. Please do join in with us at Simply Stampin' this week and make a card with this fab sketch, I'd love to come and see what you make!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Vintage Vogue set, SU! Very Vintage & Texture wheel stamps
CS: SU! Crumb Cake, More Mustard & Very Vanilla
Ink: SU! Cajun Craze, Crumb Cake, More Mustard, Old Olive & Soft Suede
Tools: SU! Blender Pen, SU! sponge dauber
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint in an alcohol spritz, SU! brads, SU! Dimensionals

Button Buddies Flowers Thank You Card

2012-01-20T13:56:00.000Z

This is the card I made to give Jan and Alan to thank them for our Christmas gifts. I forgot to take a photo before giving them the card so I had to get it back from Jan to snap a pic! Jan gave me the Button Buddies set - and some buttons - for Christmas so I had to use those on the thank you card!

I stamped the flower in Pretty in Pink ink several times to make a background and I then stamped the flower 3 times in Rose Red ink, punched them out and popped them up. I threaded thin Rose Red CS strips through the buttonholes and attached the buttons to the flowers with glue dots. The sentiment labels are made with Memory Box die cuts and I added Certainly Celery brads to match the buttons.

Here's the front of the envelope. The leafy stamp from my In Stitches wheel made great stems for my flowers! I stamped one flower in Pretty in Pink, one in Rose Red and the third one again in Rose Red without re-inking. I stamped Celery dotty centres, punched them out and popped the flowers up. I love using that gorgeous shaped frame on envelope fronts!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Button Buddies, Thank You Kindly & Frames with a Flourish sets, SU! In Stitches wheel stamp
CS: SU! Pretty in Pink, Whisper White & Rose Red
Ink: SU! Pretty in Pink, Rose Red & Certainly Celery
Tools: SU! 1 3/4" Scalloped Circle punch, SU! 1/2" circle punch, Memory Box Chadwick Label & Bistro Label dies
Embellishments & Accessories: SU! Subtles Designer Buttons, SU! Subtles brads, 3d foam pads

Collage Background Butterfly Friend Card

2012-01-19T16:30:00.000Z

This is a card I made using the Hero Arts/Sizzix 'Collage Background' stamp and embossing folder combo set. My friend Jan and I were at the Glitter Pot together a few weeks back and we both liked this combo set very much when we saw it. There was another combo set we liked as well - in the end we bought one set each and agreed to share them both!

I stamped the whole image in Early Espresso ink on Very Vanilla CS, embossed using the matching folder and stamped and embossed the large butterfly separately. The embossing folder in this set embosses only the flowers, large butterfly and the 'friend' portions of the image. I added colour to the image and butterfly by sponging various coloured inks on with daubers. I've also added some shimmer by using a clear Stardust pen to highlight some of the flower petals, the 'friend' and the butterflies. I trimmed the Vanilla panel, sponged the edges with Espresso ink and mounted it on an Espresso mat which I layered on the front of a Rich Razzleberry card base. I glued the body of the butterfly flat to the card but put Dimensionals under each wing with the backing paper still on so the wings will stay popped up.

I cut a Very Vanilla panel for inside the card, stamped the Music Background stamp randomly in So Saffron ink and stamped a butterfly in the corner. I sponged colour on the butterfly and inked the edges of the panel with Espresso ink. I stamped, die cut and sponged a butterfly for the envelope flap as well. I also used the clear Stardust pen to add shimmer to the wings of the butterflies.

I took a close up photo of the popped up butterfly to show the shimmer you get from using the clear Stardust pen. So hard to capture in a photo but it's such a lovely shimmer in real life!

Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts/Sizzix Collage Background stamp and embossing folder combo set, Hero Arts Music Background stamp, butterfly from Hero Arts Antique Flowers & Butterflies stamps & dies combo set
CS: SU! Rich Razzleberry, Early Espresso & Very Vanilla
Ink: SU! Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Rich Razzleberry, So Saffron, Pumpkin Pie & Early Espresso
Tools: Embossing folder & die from Hero Arts/Sizzix combo sets, sponge daubers
Embellishments & accessories: clear Stardust pen, SU! Dimensionals

Yellow Flowers Birthday Cheer & Wishes Card

2012-01-17T13:16:00.002Z

Here is my CASEd version of this fab card I saw on Pinterest made by Maile Belles. I loved the raised panel with the die cut flower shapes and wanted to make my own version. You could use punches as well for this - but because most punches don't reach that far into a panel I think dies are the better option. I liked how Maile had used debossed CS behind her flowers but I fancied using some pretty paper instead. I went looking in my patterned paper stash for something to put behind my die cut panel and I came across this yellow and white flowery paper. I hardly ever use yellow, I just don't gravitate towards it. However, I thought as the pattern wasn't too busy it would be perfect to sit behind the cut out flowers. I've added a pop of dramatic black to offset the yellow and white.

I started off with a white 5 1/4" square card blank and I added the black mat layer. I cut a square of white textured CS, stamped the sentiment and die cut the 3 flower shapes. I glued the patterned paper square to the black mat and then popped up the white textured panel over the top. I threaded white twine through the buttonholes and attached the buttons to the flower centres with glue dots. To finish off the card front I added a teeny die cut butterfly with a rhinestone.

This photo shows the inside of the card and the envelope flap. I really like the design of this card, it's CAS but kicked up a notch. Earlier today while browsing Pinterest I saw a card pinned by my friend Kelly where a leafy branch die had been used instead of flowers - lovely - and another idea to try!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Cheer & Wishes set, inside sentiment from Penny Black
CS: PaperMania white square card blank & canvas textured CS, SU! Basic Black
Patterned paper: SU! Beyond the Garden DSP pack
Ink: SU! Memento Tuxedo Black
Tools: PaperTrey Ink Beautiful Blooms II #1 die collection, SU! Beautiful Wings Embosslits die, XCut small circle punch
Embellishments & accessories: black buttons, white twine, SU! Basic Rhinestones, glue dots, 3d foam tape

Clematis Happy Birthday Card - Sketch n Stash Challenge 78

2012-01-15T12:28:00.000Z

My sweet friend Michelle from the Card Grotto designed the sketch for the Sketch n Stash 78 blog challenge and I really wanted to make a card using it as it's a fab layout. I almost ran out of time, I just made it at the last minute! For some reason time seems to have just run away from me and it wasn't helped with me being poorly which meant no crafting for a few days.

Anyway, I've put together a simple card using Lasting Impressions papers which I have had in my stash for YEARS and my brand new stash item is the Clematis stamp from Woodware. When I went rootling among my buttons I found this big green one which was a great match to the green paper I'd used - the button has been in my stash for years also! I stamped the image onto the green paper first, cut the entire image out, stamped again onto the pink paper and cut just the flower out. I've popped up the flower with 3d foam tape. I used my EK Success Circle Scissor Pro to cut out the black circle. After gluing down the sentiment strip I was ready to position the main image and I realised it wasn't going to look quite right after I'd placed the button. So a little adjustment was in order - I snipped off a couple of leaves and repositioned one of them behind a different petal - much better! I threaded paper strips through the buttonholes, attached the button with glue dots and that was the card front finished.

I can't call a card finished until I've decorated the inside and the envelope but I shall do that later. I thought I better upload the card to my blog before the challenge entry time expired!

EDITED TO ADD:
Here's what I did inside and to the envelope.

Supplies:
Stamps: Woodware Clematis clear stamp, sentiments from Hero Arts Yummy Treats clear set
CS: Glitter Pot thick white CS
Patterned paper: Black Licorice, Kiwi & Raspberry papers from Lasting Impressions
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Tools: EK Success Circle Scissor Pro, XCut & EK Success flower punches, 1/4" circle punch, Crop-A-Dile
Embellishments & accessories: large green button, 3d foam tape

Die Cut Gift Packages - Simply Stampin' Challenge #42

2012-01-14T08:00:00.000Z

This week's Simply Stampin' challenge is To Die For - to create something using die cut shapes. I opted to make 3 little gift packages using 3 different SU! dies I had great fun putting these together using a mixture of old and new supplies.

First up is a gift pouch made with the Top Note die. I cut 2 shapes from Crumb Cake CS and stamped the leafy background in Crumb Cake ink. I stamped the cherry image in Wild Wasabi ink and then just inked the fruits with a Cherry Cobbler marker, stamped after stamping off once first and punched them out with a 3/4" circle punch. I added Crystal Effects to the fruits so they're raised and shiny. I added glue to the stalks but popped up the leaf and cherries. After adding the sentiment I punched holes for the ribbon and added Early Espresso hole reinforcers.

I scored a line on each of my Top Note shapes and glued them together to form the pouch. Then I added a Decorative Label on the inside so I could write a message. I inked the S.W.A.K. stamp with Cherry Cobbler ink and stamped off twice on scrap paper before stamping on the label. I wrote my message, wrapped my little gift in tissue paper and attached it to the bottom of the pouch with a few glue dots. I then tied the pouch closed with Cherry Cobbler seam binding ribbon. The little gift that went inside was a tube of Carmex cherry lip balm - hence the use of the cherries and lips stamps, very apt I thought!

Next I used the Mini Milk Carton die to make a gift box. The mini milk carton boxes are so sweet when they're assembled! I die cut the box from Early Espresso CS, assembled it and added Calypso Coral patterned paper and a punched Early Espresso Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border. I then inked up my new Triple Treat Flower stamp - I LOVE it! I stamped on Very Vanilla CS, inking once in Espresso ink, again in Calypso Coral ink, I punched out the two shapes and added an Antique brad to the Calypso Coral centre. I attached the Coral flower to the Espresso one with Dimensionals and then popped the flower up on the box. I wrapped a necklace in tissue paper, popped it in the box and then used a mini bulldog clip to keep the carton closed. I'm not sure why, but I find miniature versions of objects really appealing - the carton and mini clip are just so adorable!

The last gift package is made with the Pillow Box die. I die cut the box from Lucky Limeade CS and stamped the Funky Forest wheel in Limeade ink across the die cut before assembling the box. I made a tag using plain and scalloped circle punches and a stamped tree from the Trendy Trees set. I punched a hole in the top of the scalloped circle, threaded the tag onto the white grosgrain ribbon and tied it around the box in a bow. I haven't got a gift in mind yet for this particular package - it's very nice to know I have a little gift box waiting in my stash when I need one!

So I hope you'll play along with us at Simply Stampin' this week and get cranking those shapes out to make something fabulous! I'm die-ing to see what you come up with LOL!

Supplies for cherry lip balm pouch:
Stamps: SU! Button Buddies, Growing Green & Just Believe sets, S.W.A.K. a la carte stamp
CS: SU! Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso & Whisper White
Ink: SU! Crumb Cake, Wild Wasabi, Cherry Cobbler & Early Espresso
Tools: SU! Top Note die, SU! Word Window, Modern Label , 3/4" & 1/2" circle punches, Crop-A-Dile
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Cherry Cobbler seam binding ribbon, SU! Crystal Effects, Dimensionals & glue dots

Supplies for mini milk carton:
Stamps: SU! Triple Treat Flower a la carte stamp
CS: SU! Early Espresso & Very Vanilla
Patterned paper: Calypso Coral patterned paper from SU! In Color DSP stack
Ink: SU! Calypso Coral & Early Espresso
Tools: SU! Mini Milk Carton Bigz L die, SU! Fancy Flower & 5 Petal Flower punches
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Antique brad, mini bulldog clip from SU! Clips Assortment, SU! Dimensionals

Supplies for pillow box:
Stamps: SU! Trendy Trees set, SU! Funky Forest wheel
CS: SU! Lucky Limeade, Rose Red & Whisper White
Ink: SU! Lucky Limeade & Early Espresso
Tools: SU! Pillow Box Bigz die, SU! 1 1/4" & 1 3/8" circle punches, SU! 1 3/4" Scallop Circle punch, Crop-A-Dile, Stamp-a-ma-jig
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Whisper White 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, SU! Dimensionals

Piggy Thanks Easel Card

2012-01-12T18:45:00.000Z

This is a thank you card I made for a friend who loves pigs. I just love how a button makes the perfect snout for this piggy! The Button Buddies set is such fun to use. I started with a white square card blank and added a scored line at the halfway point of one side of the card to form the easel card base. I covered the bottom panel with Bashful Blue dotty paper, added a punched Pretty in Pink border and popped up a Thanks Decorative Label. I stamped piggy in Pretty in Pink ink, applied some Regal Rose ink with a sponge dauber, cut him out and added the button snout and rhinestone eyes. I cut a rectangle of Bashful Blue CS, added a strip of torn Certainly Celery CS as grass and popped piggy up, tucking his back feet behind the grass. I die cut 3 clouds using the Memory Box Puffy Clouds die, sponged them with Bashful Blue ink, glued 2 flat and popped 1 up. To finish off the front I added some Certainly Celery grosgrain ribbon.

I stamped a frame and sentiment on the bottom of the card and added a Pretty in Pink punched border. I covered the envelope flap with some pink dotty paper to finish off.

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Button Buddies, Sincere Salutations, Live Your Dream & Frames with a Flourish sets
CS: PaperMania square white card blank, SU! Bashful Blue, Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery & Whisper White
Patterned paper: SU! Sweet Pea & Bashful Blue Prints DSP packs
Ink: SU! Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery & Chocolate Chip
Tools: SU! Top Note die, SU! plain and scalloped oval punches, SU! Decorative Label punch, SU! Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch, Memory Box Puffy Clouds die, sponge dauber
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Certainly Celery grosgrain ribbon, pink button from SU! Subtles Designer Buttons, SU! Basic Rhinestones, 3d foam pads

Red & White Wedding Card For David & Marie

2012-01-09T17:21:00.000Z

Kath, my very good friend and neighbour, asked me to make a wedding card for her son's wedding which was back in December. Whenever I'm commissioned to make a card I really want to make something special and I haven't made a wedding card in ages - so I found this a bit nerve wracking to say the least! The wedding colours were red and white and so I went with those colours for the card. Because I hadn't made a wedding card for such a long time I decided to look around the web for some inspiration. A lovely card made by Karen caught my eye on Pinterest and so I used that as my inspiration. Karen's lovely card can be seen here on her blog post.

I made a Real Red 5 3/4" square card base and added a black mat. I then decorated the white panel before adhering it to the black mat - making sure everything was perfect first! I stamped the Medallion in Real Red ink. I used the gorgeous heart stamp from the retired SU! Always set and the matching Always in Bloom wheel. The elegant Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder was ideal for a wedding card I thought so I embossed my red strip with that and layered it on a black mat. I embossed the hearts with white embossing powder and cut them out. I stamped the wheel in Real Red ink on Whisper White CS and punched out a circle which I matted on red and black layers to cover the Medallion centre. I computer generated the sentiment using the Nuptial BT font, stamped the wheel above and below the words, punched it out with the Decorative Label punch and added a red mat. I placed two punched butterflies on the circle and blinged them with Swarovski crystals. The sentiment and hearts were popped up and I used a ticket corner punch on the white panel before attaching it to the black mat. I then blinged the corners with more crystals.

I stamped the wheel and added a sentiment to a white panel before gluing that to the inside of the card. The envelope flap got the gorgeous heart image.

This last photo shows how I decorated the front of the envelope with the stamped wheel, a CS strip and a punched eyelet border.

I liked how the card turned out and I'm very happy to say that Kath liked it too, phew, what a relief!

Huge thanks to Karen for providing the inspiration for this card! I was a bit dubious about joining Pinterest at first 'cos I could tell I could waste huge amounts of time if I wasn't disciplined! However, I'm loving it now for getting ideas. I like how I can store stuff on boards instead of in favourites files which means I can always find the card instead of trying to remember the name of the blog I favourited or where I stored the card photo. If my computer crashes I won't lose anything 'cos it's stored on a website Plus the card is usually linked to the post on the original creators blog so I can give credit. It's a lovely surprise when I see one of my own cards that someone else has pinned - and when I see cards from other bloggers I know. If I need a chuckle the humor section is always worth checking out. As well as cards I've seen lots of other useful and interesting ideas - home decor, storage solutions and hand made gifts for example. I'm wanting to try a home made sugar scrub for sure! I have CASEd quite a few cards I've pinned on Pinterest so it seems to be working successfully for me so far. I've now added a Pinterest button to my blog sidebar - you'll see my boards if you click on it. I really enjoy it and would recommend it - with caution - it CAN suck a LOT of time if you're not careful LOL!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Always set & Always in Bloom wheel, sentiment from Penny Black
CS: SU! Real Red, Basic Black & Whisper White
Ink: SU! Real Red, VersaMark & Memento Tuxedo Black
Tools: Circle Nestabilities dies, SU! Decorative Label & Ticket Corner punches, SU! Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, Martha Stewart butterflies punch
Embellishments & accessories: Swarovski clear crystals, 3d foam pads

Thinking Of You Stepper Card - Simply Stampin' Challenge #41

2012-01-07T08:00:00.000Z

This week's Simply Stampin' challenge is a colour combo.

A really lovely combo I think! I have a thing for stepper cards at the moment so I made another one for this challenge.

I used Pool Party CS for the base, covered the front step with dotty Limeade paper, stamped the Petite Posies wheel in Pool Party ink on the back panel, added a Limeade strip underneath and a punched Dotted Scallop Ribbon border at the top. I stamped the large flower from the Printed Petals set, cut it out, threaded a Limeade CS strip through the holes of a pink button and added that to the flower centre. I cut the Swirls Scribbles die with Limeade CS, arranged the pieces on the Top Note shape and I popped the flower up with Dimensionals. I stamped the 'thinking of you' and punched it out with the Modern label punch and tied that onto the Whisper White organza ribbon.

I stamped the Petite Posies wheel twice onto Whisper White CS and cut them into strips to decorate the back of the card and the front of the envelope. To finish the envelope, I punched Pink Pirouette CS with the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch, cut the shape in half and glued one each side of the Pool Party strips.

I really like stepper cards and just like easel cards they're so easy to make. To make this one I cut a piece of A4 CS in half lengthways and scored one piece in half to form an A6 portrait card with the fold at the top. I then took the other half of the A4 CS and cut it so it was taller than an A6 card in order to get an extra flap piece. (A6 is a tad shy of 15 cms and I cut the piece so it was 18 cms tall). I made two score lines to form the front part and glued the two pieces together to form the complete stepper card. This photo shows a side view of the card and you can see where I've glued the two pieces of CS together.

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Printed Petals set, Petite Posies wheel, sentiment from Trendy Trees set
CS: SU! Pool Party, Pink Pirouette, Lucky Limeade & Whisper White
Patterned paper: Limeade dotty paper from SU! In Color DSP stack
Ink: SU! Pool Party & Lucky Limeade
Tools: SU! Top Note Bigz die, Swirls Scribbles Sizzlits die, SU! Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch, SU! Modern Label punch, SU! 1/16" circle handheld punch
Embellishments & accessories: SU! 5/8" Whisper White organza ribbon, marbled pink button from SU! Subtles Designer Buttons, SU! Dimensionals, white twine

Hot Chocolate Mix Jar

2012-01-06T17:40:00.001Z

We took the Christmas decorations down today and that always makes me feel a bit miserable. I think it's much worse packing the stuff away for another year than when you get it out in early December to put up for Christmas. I bought 4 lovely Christmas drinking glasses this year - well, we've only got 2 for next year as I smashed 2 while packing them away. Owen couldn't get into the cupboard under the stairs because the door knob came away in his hand! Yep, we both had that post Christmas feeling - some warm mince pies with some spiced plum and rum cream rallied our spirits a tad though!

Recently we spent a fun evening with some good friends and we took a couple of gifts along . I took a box of choccies that I knew Gill would love and I also made up a jar of Jamie Oliver's Epic Hot Chocolate mix for everyone in the family to share. The hot chocolate is SO delicious, and packaged in a nice glass jar I think it makes a great little gift.

I tipped the mix into the jar and added a bag of mini marshmallows. I tied some ribbon around the neck of the jar and tied on a Crumb Cake tag made using a die cut shape from the SU! Two Tags die. I computer generated the 'epic hot chocolate mix' wording using the Will&Grace font, stamped the dotty frame around the wording and punched out with the Decorative Label punch.

I generated more wording on the PC, this time using the Hank BT font to go on the inside of the tag. After gluing the white piece to the Crumb Cake tag I stamped the mug and marshmallows using stamps from an Elzybells set. Those stamps are just perfect for this tag! I tied the tag to the jar with some baker's twine.

Jamie's hot chocolate mix is seriously scrummy, we've almost finished our jar. I have all the supplies ready to make another jar though - and this time I'll be making a minty version - yum!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Four Frames set, Elzybells Tea for Two clear set
CS: SU! Crumb Cake & Whisper White
Ink: SU! Chocolate Chip & early Espresso
Tools: SU! Two Tags Bigz die, SU! Decorative Label punch
Embellishments & accessories: brown & white striped grosgrain ribbon, baker's twine

January Card Group Cards

2012-01-05T19:00:00.000Z

Today was our first card group meeting of 2012. I designed 3 cards for the ladies to make and I eased them gently into the new year - nothing too tricky for them to do! I had tons of frustration while prepping for today and I think I was very kind indeed to spare them the same frustration LOL!

The cause of the frustration? A new Woodware huge punch that cuts multiple shapes - a bird, owl, branch and leaves. I saw a card made with it at the Glitter Pot and thought it looked fun and would make a good card group project. You punch out the bird and fold down the wing which looks really effective if you use contrasting double sided paper. So I bought the punch and some paper and tried it out when I got home. Oh dear - not consistent results by any means. I can't say the punch is faulty, it's just a huge pain in the bum to use! I could see 10 very tetchy ladies wrangling with this punch come card group day so I thought I'd better punch out the birds and branches myself. It took AGES 'cos I'd get 3 good punch outs and then about 5 duff ones on the trot. It chewed up paper and CS regardless of weight or thickness, I couldn't find anything in my stash that I got consistent results with. I could have given up I suppose but I'd bought the thing to use at card group and I was determined I would use it! So I gritted my teeth, said a few choice words and carried on. But I have to say now I. Am. So. Over. This. Punch! It doesn't reside in my craft room any more. Let this be a lesson to me to avoid impulse buys - I had no business buying another bird punch when I already own the fabulous SU! one that works perfectly each and every time!

Anyway, a very simple card, just a Calypso Coral panel stamped with the Bella Toile background stamp, a branch, sentiment and a popped up bird with a rhinestone eye. I stamped the Bella Toile stamp on the envelope flap too.

I started this next card weeks ago to use at the December 2011 card group meeting. I knew I wanted to make a circle window card but everything I tried didn't look right and nothing gelled and I wasn't happy with it at all. So I put it away, made another card in its place for card group and then went back to it a few days later to try again. Much better that time I'm happy to say! I stamped the Bliss flourish on the card front in Lucky Limeade ink and punched out with a 1 3/4" circle punch. I punched a Calypso Coral 2" circle for inside the card and layered the stamped circle over the top. I stamped the flower from the Bliss set by inking with Calypso Coral ink, stamping off once and then rock and rolling and then cut them out and popped them up around the circle. Some Coral patterned paper at the bottom, a Limeade punched Scallop Ribbon border and a stamped sentiment finished off the card.

The third card all started with the gorgeous My Mind's Eye patterned paper. Island Indigo, Pretty in Pink and Regal Rose matched it really well so that was my colour combo sorted. I designed the rest of the card using my new Top Note die and Button Buddies stamp set - loving them both muchly! I love that my Button Button set works perfectly with the Button Buddies set too! I cut a whole Top Note from Island Indigo CS, cut half a Top Note shape from the patterned paper and layered that onto the CS shape. I stamped the Button Buddies flower in Regal Rose ink and then stamped again without re-inking and the third flower was stamped in Island Indigo ink stamped off once. I stamped the buttons onto Pretty in Pink CS, punched them out, placed them on the flower centres and popped the flowers up. The very pretty 'thinking of you' sentiment from the Swirls and Curls Verses set finished off the card.

Supplies for bird Best Wishes card:
Stamps: SU! Bella Toile bg stamp, Hobby Art Best Wishes
CS: PaperMania 4" square white card blank, SU! Calypso Coral & Chocolate Chip
Patterned paper: Echo Park Victoria Gardens Wild Rose/Bluebird
Ink: SU! Calypso Coral & Chocolate Chip
Tools: Woodware Huge Multi Owl punch
Embellishments & accessories: rhinestone, 3d foam pads

Supplies for circle window Happy Birthday card:
Stamps: SU! Bliss & Curly Cute sets
CS: PaperMania A6 white card blank, SU! Calypso Coral & Lucky Limeade
Patterned paper: Coral paper from SU! In Color DSP stack
Ink: SU! Calypso Coral & Lucky Limeade
Tools: 1 3/4" & 2" circle punches, SU! Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch
Embellishments & accessories: 3d foam pads

Supplies for flower trio Thinking of You card:
Stamps: SU! Button Buddies, Button Button & Swirls & Curls Verses sets
CS: PaperMania square cream card blank, SU! Island Indigo, Pretty in Pink & Very Vanilla
Patterned paper: My Mind's Eye Fine & Dandy Tickled Pink
Ink: SU! Regal Rose & Island Indigo
Tools: SU! Top Note die, SU! 1 3/4" scalloped circle punch, 1/2" circle punch
Embellishments & accessories: 3d foam pads

Ginkgo Thanks So Much Stepper Card

2012-01-03T13:32:00.000Z

A while ago I got the gorgeous PaperTrey Ink Harvest Berries set - I just love those ginkgo leaves! There are dies that match the stamps and Alex very kindly got the dies for me so I thought it would be fun to use the stamps and dies to make a thank you card for her.

I made a few Christmas stepper cards using PaperMania packaged white card blanks and I thought it was about time I made my own using coloured CS as a base. Because of the way stepper cards are made, the CS for the base needs to be quite long so if you make your own you need to cut and score two pieces of CS and glue them together to form the base. I made this card from Wisteria Wonder CS to fit into a C6 sized envelope.

I covered the back panel with some Wisteria patterned paper and added the sentiment. I stamped and die cut the leaves, glued the bottom portion only of the larger leafy stem flat to the front panel and popped up the smaller leaf clusters. I then stamped and die cut some flowers using a Hero Arts/Sizzix stamp and die combo set and popped the flowers up. I sprinkled on some rhinestones to finish off the front.

Here's the back panel and the envelope with stamped leafy loveliness!

Supplies:
Stamps: PTI Harvest Berries set, Hero Arts stamps from 'Floral' combo set, sentiment from SU! Trendy Trees set
CS: SU! Wisteria Wonder, Concord Crush, Pool Party & Whisper White
Patterned paper: Wisteria Wonder paper from SU! In Color DSP stack
Ink: SU! Lucky Limeade & Concord Crush
Tools: PTI Harvest Berries Die Collection, dies from Hero Arts/Sizzix 'Floral' combo set, SU! Modern Label & Word Window punches, Scor-Pal
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Basic Rhinestones, 3d foam pads

Emboss Resist Flower on Vellum Thank You Card

2012-01-02T11:18:00.000Z

Happy New Year!

Back in August I saw this fab card Kristina made and I fell in love with the flower stamp she'd used from a Hero Arts clear set. I have such a weakness for flower stamps and find it hard to resist them but on this occasion I held off and didn't buy it straight away. It remained on my wish list though and a short time ago I came across the set on eBay - and it was on sale! As the saying goes "good things come to those who wait!"

So here is my CASEd version of Kristina's card - I've changed the colours and I tucked leaves behind my flower. My colour combo is Baja Breeze, Perfect Plum and Rich Razzleberry. I started off with an A6 card base with the fold at the top. I cut the card apart and added a panel of CS weight vellum to bridge the gap and I added Perfect Plum CS strips. I inked the flower and leaves in VersaMark ink, embossed with white embossing powder, sponged on the inks and cut them out. I heat embossed the sentiment with white embossing powder also and added the dotty Rich Razzleberry ribbon. The finishing touch to the front was a rhinestone placed in the flower centre.

I left the inside of the card blank but stamped the front of the envelope. The stamps in this set are perfect for the emboss resist technique but look fab just stamped in ink too. I've noticed the vellum gap has buckled a bit on this portrait card so next time I'll use a landscape oriented card with the fold at the side and see how that works out.

Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts 'To From Petals' clear set, SU! Frames with a Flourish set
CS: SU! Baja Breeze, Perfect Plum & CS vellum
Ink: VersaMark, SU! Baja Breeze, Perfect Plum, Rich Razzleberry, Pear Pizzazz & Old Olive
Tools: sponge daubers
Embellishments & accessories: white embossing powder, SU! Rich Razzleberry dotted grosgrain ribbon, rhinestone, 3d foam pads

Bright Button Buddies Thank You Card - Simply Stampin' Challenge #40

2011-12-31T08:00:00.000Z

This week's Simply Stampin' challenge is a sketch challenge.

I pondered this sketch for a while before starting to create a card and I decided I would use circles in place of the bunting shapes on the sketch. I know card layouts are one area where things can go awry for me sometimes, I'm unhappy with a finished card if the balance seems off. I love sketches because they set the layout for you and you can use them as a starting point and then tweak a bit if you'd like to. They're a great resource for card makers for sure! Go on, join us at Simply Stampin' this week and make a card using this fab sketch, I'd love to come and see what you create!

I thought I would break out some new goodies that I received as Christmas gifts - the Button Buddies stamp set and some buttons. Oh my goodness, this set is fun to use, I love it! I knew from looking at the sketch that I wanted to use a panel of patterned paper on my card so my first step was to select the paper. That took a while but once I'd decided on the bright Big Top Birthday pattern I took my colour combo from the paper. I made a 5 3/4" square Old Olive card base and then decorated a Tempting Turquoise mat to layer on the base. I stamped the vase of flowers in Old Olive ink, stamped the vase separately in Tempting Turquoise ink, cut it out and layered it over the top. I threaded Tempting Turquoise CS strips through the holes of the sweet flower shaped buttons and attached them with glue dots. I used a square punch to make a flag shape to the sentiment banner and added more colourful buttons. I punched 3/4" circles from two patterns of Big Top Birthday paper, layered them on 1" Old Olive punched circles and I popped them up with Dimensionals.

I glued a white CS panel inside with a stamped vase and a strip of patterned paper. I used markers to ink the stamp. The flower buttons are lovely to add to this image but I really like just the stamped flowers too! I stamped just the stems, leaves and flowers on white CS, punched with the 1 3/8" circle punch and layered onto a Real Red scalloped circle for the envelope flap.

This bright and breezy little number was sent off in the post to thank Kelly for this very special Christmas gift she made for me. A personalised notebook in fabulous colours with butterflies and bling - I LOVE it! Thank you so much Kelly!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Button Buddies & Curly Cute sets
CS: SU! Old Olive, Tempting Turquoise, Real Red & Whisper White
Patterned paper: SU! Big Top Birthday DSP pack
Ink: SU! Old Olive, Tempting Turquoise, Pumpkin Pie & Real Red
Tools: SU! 3/4", 1" & 1 3/8" circle punches & SU! 1 3/4" Scallop Circle punch, SU! 1 1/4" square punch
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Brights Designer Buttons, SU! Dimensionals

On Sharing & Thank You

2011-12-29T15:20:00.004Z

I love making cards and one thing better than making them is receiving them! I want to share three hand made Christmas cards I received. First up is this gorgeous easel card made by Kelly. Oh my word, it had such an impact on me when I took it out of the envelope, it has a real "ooooh" factor! Easel cards are a fave of mine, I love the colours and the sponging and I have a soft spot for Santa, sleigh and reindeer stamps so this card ticked all the right boxes!

I get blamed by a few people at card group (and some of their husbands!) for parting them from their money. Most unfair, but apparently I'm responsible for them buying stamps, punches dies etc. after I've shared my creations with them. Well, that's what happened with this card, I just HAD to have these lovely stamps. I haven't inked them up yet, I can't decide whether to make one card ready for next Christmas or to keep the set, pristine in its packaging, for me to ink up next year! Thank you so much Kelly for the fabulous card!

Jan gets a few mentions here on Flower Sparkle. I've known her for a few years now and she never fails to make me smile. It's a standing joke between us that I have to make not one - but three Christmas cards for her. I give her a card at card group, then a card from me and Owen to her and her hubby Alan and then Alan asks me to make a card for him to give to Jan. I, in return, get two cards from Jan. We were at one of Joanne's Stamper's Ten Make and Take evenings and one of the cards she had designed featured the Pines and Poinsettia set and used the stamps to make a wreath. Well, I took one look at it, absolutely loved it but thought "hmmmm, that's going to be a lot of work, I don't think I'll bother making that one". But I could see Jan was admiring the card and I knew she had the Pines and Poinsettia set so I cheekily said to her "I hope you'll make one of those wreath cards for me!". You know what? Bless her heart, she did make one! This is the card Jan gave to me at card group.

I borrowed Jan's Pines and Poinsettia set to make a Christmas card for our friends Debbie and Mike so I know how much work went into this card. Inking the stamps repeatedly with markers is time consuming in itself - without the added stress of perfectly positioning the stamps in a wreath shape! I will treasure this card for many years to come.

This second card from Jan also features the Pines and Poinsettia set. Jan based this on a card we made at card group in September. She loves taking an idea and then making it her own and what a fabulous job she did! This is the card Jan gave to Owen and me for Christmas.

A few years ago I placed an advert in a local shop that sold some crafty goodies. I ran two hour card making sessions in my home and I first met Jan when she answered the advert and she became a regular visitor. A bit later on I had set up my monthly card group and Jan became a member. It turns out that her confidence had taken a battering when a sales assistant from the shop had remarked to another customer in a very dismissive manner "oh Jan loves making cards but she can't stamp!" Jan left the shop feeling really terrible - as well she might! How cruel some people can be when they don't consider feelings at all.

It has been wonderful to witness her coming out of her shell, seeing her confidence develop and to receive gorgeous stamped creations like those cards above. I've been happy to share knowledge, tips and techniques and to encourage Jan along the way.

I've come to realise that I love the sharing aspect of this hobby so much. I love running my card group, I love sharing supplies and I love sharing stuff on my blog. If I do happen to part you from some money because of something I shared here, it's OK to go ahead and blame me - I'm used to it LOL! Anyway, after all this talk about sharing, now seems a perfect opportunity for me to say a heartfelt thank you to all you readers for visiting Flower Sparkle - I'm looking forward to sharing lots more stuff with you in the future! Ruth x

Sparkly Country Landscape Voucher Holder Card

2011-12-28T11:10:00.000Z

As part of Owen's Christmas gift I printed off an Amazon gift voucher for him. I wanted to make a card to put the voucher in and I thought my newly purchased Memory Box 'Country Landscape' die would be perfect. Oh, this is such a lovely die, I loved it as soon as I saw it but it was never in stock whenever I was at the Glitter Pot. A few days before Christmas they got a delivery of the dies so I hotfooted it down there to snap this die up!

I made a side opening black card base, die cut the shape using silver glitter CS and glued that to the card front. I layered two gorgeous Memory Box label dies for the sentiment and after adding brads I popped the label up. Yes, I'm afraid to say I didn't come home from the Glitter Pot with just the Country Landscape die!

I then die cut the landscape twice more using black and white CS. I glued the black shape to the envelope front. I put 3d foam pads just at the bottom and sides of the white shape and popped it up inside the card to act as a pocket and that's where I put the voucher. Owen really loved this I'm pleased to say. At least this voucher holder is a bit more classy and sophisticated than his Christmas card LOL!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Season of Joy set
CS: SU! Basic Black & Whisper White, Doodlebug silver glitter CS
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Tools: Memory Box 'Country Landscape', 'Bistro Label' & 'Chadwick Label' dies
Embellishments & accessories: silver brads, 3d foam pads

Some Christmas Gift Packaging

2011-12-27T15:42:00.000Z

I hope you all enjoyed a lovely Christmas day! We've spent a couple of relaxing days, full of food and fun!

I thought I'd show some of the gifts I made for Christmas. These are just little somethings that I created packaging for. I sent Kelly this Christmas card after she left such a sweet comment about it. So I packaged the little somethings I sent to her using the same colours I'd used on the card and I used the mistletoe stamp. The larger package was an envelope pouch I created, I punched two holes and threaded the ribbon through to keep it closed and added a tag. The smaller package was made with two tag die cut shapes from the SU! Two Tags die. I trimmed them down to size before joining the two tag pieces together as I didn't want this holder to be too wide. I adhered a lip balm inside with a glue dot before tying the package together with ribbons.

My friend Debbie had a cup of Christmas tea at my house a week or so before Christmas and she really liked it. I said I'd pick some of the tea bags up for her next time I went shopping but unfortunately, the shop didn't have any left so I've shared mine with her. Instead of just bunging some tea bags in a plastic bag though, I made an effort and altered a jar to present them in! I wrapped patterned paper around the body of the jar and decorated the lid. I found some long neglected metal snowflakes in my stash and I added one to some ribbon I tied around the jar in a bow. I added an aqua rhinestone to dress the snowflake up to finish off.

This photo shows the jar and the decorated lid. This jar contained peanut butter originally, I must say it looks so much posher now!

A few days before Christmas I watched Jamie Oliver's Christmas with Bells On TV programme. He featured Epic Hot Chocolate and showed how to make the mix up in a jar. (You can check the recipe out by clicking here if you'd like to). I made some for hubby and me and we absolutely loved it, oh my word, it is SOOOO good! So I decided to make some for Debbie and Mike as part of their Christmas gift. I put the Epic Hot Chocolate mix into a Kilner jar and added a bag of mini marshmallows on top. To decorate the jar I tied round some gingham ribbon and added a cinnamon stick and some jingle bells. So simple - but it was very well received! This is a very easy but delicious gift - I will make more next year for sure!

Top Note Bag Gift Card Holder - Simply Stampin' Challenge #39

2011-12-24T08:00:00.000Z

It's a theme challenge at the Simply Stampin' Challenge blog this week and the theme is Christmas. I needed a gift card holder as a Christmas present so that's what I made. I'd just received some new SU! goodies among which was the Top Note die and so I just had to use that to make my holder! I saw this idea for a bag gift card holder and I just adapted it to make a Christmas version.

I die cut two Chocolate Chip Top Notes, I left one whole and scored it a little way down from the top and I cut a portion off the second one and glued the two shapes together. I die cut a Wasabi scalloped circle and then cut a plain circle out of some lovely Holly Berry Bouquet paper. I scored and folded the Wasabi circle in half and then folded the paper in half over the Wasabi circle and glued it down. Before gluing it to the bag, I punched two small holes, threaded Early Espresso taffeta ribbon through as a handle and I taped down the ends inside. After gluing the circle I punched a Riding Hood Red ornament, embossed it with the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder and sponged the edges with Riding Hood Red ink. I added the 'just for you' Word Window sentiment, three tiny rhinestones and I popped it up. I die cut just a portion of the Top Note die twice - once in Chocolate Chip CS and once in the patterned paper. I glued the paper to the CS and applied Dimensionals just at the bottom and sides and popped it up inside to form a pocket to slide the gift card into. What a sweet way to package a gift card!

I'm relieved to say that was the last Christmas project I needed to make! I still have some Christmassy bits to show on the blog but I at least got everything made in good time this year!

I wish you all much happiness and a wonderful festive season! I hope Santa leaves some lovely crafty gifts under the tree for you! Eat, drink, be merry - and hope you can get inky too!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Just Believe set
CS: SU! Chocolate Chip, Wild Wasabi & Riding Hood Red
Patterned paper: SU! Holly Berry Bouquet DSP pack
Ink: SU! Chocolate Chip & Riding Hood Red
Tools: SU! Top Note die, plain and scalloped circle dies, SU! Ornament & Word Window punches, SU! Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, paper piercing tool, sponge dauber
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Early Espresso 1/8" taffeta ribbon, Basic Rhinestones & Dimensionals

Telescoping Circles Snowman Card

2011-12-23T14:38:00.000Z

I saw a fab telescoping circles snowman card on this blog post a while ago and knew I wanted to make one myself but then it slipped out of my mind. Well, after I'd written out and posted or delivered all my cards I came across this card again in my faves folder and was disappointed that I hadn't got round to making one this year. However, I always leave my hubby's Christmas card 'til last and I hadn't made it yet so I decided he would get a telescoping circles snowman card!

I used circle Nestie dies for the snowman, a square Nestie die for the hat - trimmed and top corners rounded, a Labels Trio die for the hat brim, a trimmed Petite Pennant shape for the nose and small circle punches for the eyes and mouth. This photo shows him telescoped up ready to be popped into the envelope.

This photo shows him open ready to be hung up. I sponged each white circle with Baja Breeze ink, added some Pretty in Pink sponging to give him rosy cheeks and I sponged the edges of the nose with Cajun Craze ink. For his twiggy arms, I used a Marianne die cut, trimmed the shapes and glued them behind the white circle before gluing that down to the black circle. I added ribbon and punched snowflakes with a rhinestone to dress up his hat. I gave him red buttons and stamped the bottom circle with snowflakes and the sweet "snowmen fall from heaven unassembled" sentiment. I formed a loop out of silver cord, punched two 3/4" black circles, sandwiched the cord between the circles and glued it to the back of the hat so we could hang the card up for display. Alternatively, you could add some magnet tape to the back for another display option.

I glued a white scalloped circle behind the black one so I could stamp a sentiment and write my message there.

Of course, I had to stamp the envelope! I also added some snowflakes punched from brushed silver CS to finish off. I had so much fun putting this card together! It certainly isn't the most sophisticated card I've made for Owen, I did think it was probably more suited to a child than a grown man - but I love it anyway and so does Owen!

Supplies:
Stamps: Stampendous 'Heavenly Snowmen', PSX Snowflake Medley, SU! Button Button, Four Frames & Best Yet sets
CS: SU! Basic Black, Whisper White, Riding Hood Red & Pumpkin Pie
Ink: SU! Baja Breeze, Cajun Craze & Pretty in Pink, Memento Tuxedo Black, white gel pen
Tools: Circle & square Nestabilities dies, Spellbinder's Labels Trio die, Marianne garden branch die, SU! Petite Pennants punch, small circle punches, Woodware snowflake punches, Crop-A-Dile Corner Chomper, paper piercer, sponge daubers
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Real Red grosgrain ribbon, rhinestone, brads

Pine Cones Peaceful Wishes Stepper Card

2011-12-22T10:52:00.001Z

This is the Christmas stepper card I made for Jan and Alan using the gorgeous SU! Peaceful Wishes set. For me, this set is right up there with Lovely as a Tree in being a set that is just classic, timeless, versatile and never to be parted with! I used a 6" x 6" stepper card and remembered what a struggle it was to get the last one I made into the envelope so I cut a tad off the side! I covered the front and back panels with Three Bugs in a Rug patterned papers. I added a Riding Hood Red strip at the top that I die cut with my Sizzix Brackets die and I tied Very Vanilla ribbon around. For the stamped panel, I inked the pine bough with Wild Wasabi ink, stamped that randomly onto the Very Vanilla CS, some full strength and some stamped off and I added red berries and the sentiment. I stamped the pine cones on a separate piece of Vanilla CS, inking in Ginger ink, stamping off once and then rock and rolling in Early Espresso ink. I cut each pine cone out, added Dazzling Diamonds and popped them up. I used a ticket corner punch on the Vanilla panel, edged it with Riding Hood Red ink and popped it up on the Wasabi layer and added red metal nailheads. The Wasabi mat is layered onto a Riding Hood Red mat.

I glued a Vanilla panel to the back, inked the edges and added a strip of patterned paper and a sentiment square. The red square was cut with a Lacy Square Nestie die. I used markers and a blender pen to colour in the holly.

I punched patterned paper holly for the envelope and added red nailhead berries. Lastly, I stamped and punched the dotty frame from the Four Frames set.

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Peaceful Wishes & Four Frames sets, Stampendous Christmas Cheer
CS: PaperMania 6" x 6" stepper card blank, SU! Wild Wasabi, Riding Hood Red & Very Vanilla
Patterned paper: Three Bugs in a Rug Deck the Halls papers
Ink: SU! Wild Wasabi, Riding Hood Red & Early Espresso, Adirondack Ginger
Tools: Sizzix 'Brackets' On the Edge die, Nestabilities square & Lacy Square dies, Woodware Ticket Corner punch, SU! Decorative Label punch, Martha Stewart Holly Branch punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig, blender pen, sponge dauber
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Very Vanilla grosgrain ribbon, red metal nailheads, 3d foam pads

Two Velvet Christmas Stocking Cards

2011-12-20T18:56:00.001Z

Here are two Christmas cards I made with the fab Sizzix stocking die with matching embossing folder. I just love using velvet papers with this die, you end up with such a fuzzy stocking! First up is the card I made for Alan for him to give to his wife Jan. The card is 7" x 5" and was made with Wild Wasabi CS with a Real Red layer plus a mat of Holly Berry Bouquet paper. I die cut the stocking from CS and then cut again using the green and cream velvet papers, embossed them and I glued the velvet paper pieces to the CS stocking. The embellishment I used is from a pair of Christmas earrings. They're rather large and I decided to re-purpose them as craft embellishments rather than keep them as earrings as I haven't worn them in ages. So the great thing is that I have another of these embellishments in my stash waiting to be used next year! I sewed the embellishment on before popping the stocking up with 3d foam tape. I added photo corners and a flat bow to the ribbon strip and popped on some rhinestones.

Inside I stamped the lovely Stampendous 'Snow Brackets' sentiment and added a strip of the holly paper with part of a punched Lace Ribbon Border peeking out over the edge. I added another flat bow to the strip on the front of the envelope to finish off.

This next card is much more CAS and contemporary and I chose purple velvet paper for the stocking as the card was made for Michelle from the Card Grotto and I know she loves purple! The 5 3/4" card base was made from SU! Brushed Silver CS. I sewed a pale purple felt snowflake onto the stocking and added three tiny jingle bells. The other snowflakes on the card are also felt and I added rhinestones to the centres. I faffed about for ages with different ribbons and in the end decided on narrow Eggplant ribbon tied in a knot over a wider strip of white.

I stamped a sentiment and snowflakes inside and added a circle element to the envelope flap.

I also stamped the front of the envelope. I really like using a frame from the Four Frames set for the recipients name!

I sent a little package to Michelle along with the card and wrapped it in silver tissue paper and added a tag tied onto Eggplant ribbon. I used the SU! Two Tags die for the tag, stamping snowflakes as a background and then I added the sentiment oval. This tag folds in half and tucks into a little slot - I added a white panel inside for me to write my message on.

Supplies for Jan's card:
Stamps: Stampendous 'Snow Brackets'
CS: SU! Wild Wasabi, Real Red & Very Vanilla, dark green & cream velvet papers
Patterned paper: SU! Holly Berry Bouquet DSP pack
Ink: SU! Real Red
Tools: Sizzix Stocking die with matching embossing folder, SU! Photo Corners punch
Embellishments & accessories: red grosgrain ribbon, SU! Basic Rhinestones, earring for embellishment, 3d foam tape

Supplies for Michelle's card & gift:
Stamps: Hero Arts Very Merry Christmas clear set, SU! Patterned Pines, Four Frames & So Many Scallops sets, Rollagraph Snowflakes wheel stamp, PSX Snowflake Medley
CS: SU! Brushed Silver, Elegant Eggplant & Whisper White, purple & white velvet papers
Ink: SU! Elegant Eggplant
Tools: Sizzix Stocking die with matching embossing folder, SU! Two Tags die, SU! plain & scalloped circle punches, SU! plain & scalloped oval punches, SU! Decorative Label punch
Embellishments & accessories: Hero Arts felt snowflakes, mini metal jingle bells, white grosgrain ribbon, SU! Elegant Eggplant ribbon, SU! Basic Rhinestones, 3d foam tape

Pine Cones & Poinsettias Stepper Card

2011-12-19T16:59:00.000Z

This is the Christmas card I made for our fab friends Debbie and Mike. I know Debbie loves pine cones and I wanted to try out the SU! Pines & Poinsettias set so I asked Jan if I could borrow her stamp set to make this card. Jan very kindly lent me the stamps and it is a beautiful set. I was pleased how the card turned out!

I started off with a 7" x 5" white stepper card base and I covered the back panel with some Holly Berry Bouquet patterned paper. For the front panel, I stamped a background using the holly flourish image from the set onto Wild Wasabi CS in Wasabi ink. I then got out the stamps and markers and got inky! I used Wild Wasabi, Always Artichoke, Riding Hood Red, Cherry Cobbler and Chocolate Chip markers to ink the images. I stamped the poinsettia and rose on a separate piece of CS, cut them out and popped them up and I added Dazzling Diamonds to the pine cones. I stamped the Christmas banner and then added the 'merry merry' label which I attached with brads. I layered the Vanilla panel onto a Cherry Cobbler mat and layered that onto a Vanilla mat. The stamped Vanilla panel is popped up. To finish off the front I taped down a strip of Very Vanilla ribbon, tied a separate bow and attached that to the strip with a glue dot.

Here's a close up photo of the stamped panel. It's a real labour of love inking these stamps with the markers but absolutely worth the effort when you see the finished result! I couldn't make a lot of these cards though, this set is to make cards only for very special people who would appreciate the effort! I have to say Debbie and Mike showed due reverence and appreciation LOL!

I added a Very Vanilla panel to the back of the card, stamped the pine cone cluster a couple of times and added a stamped sentiment panel.

Lastly, here's the envelope, with another pine cone cluster and strips of patterned paper and Wasabi CS..

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Pines & Poinsettias set, 'merry' from Pennant Parade set, sentiment on back from Stampendous
CS: PaperMania 7" x 5" white stepper card blank, SU! Wild Wasabi, Cherry Cobbler & Very Vanilla
Patterned paper: SU! Holly Berry Bouquet DSP pack
Ink: SU! Wild Wasabi, Always Artichoke, Riding Hood Red, Cherry Cobbler & Chocolate Chip
Tools: Stamp-a-ma-jig, Spellbinders Labels Trio die, square Nestabilities dies
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Very Vanilla grosgrain ribbon, Real Red brads, Dazzling Diamonds & Dimensionals, glue dot

Inky Snowflake Merry Christmas Card

2011-12-18T16:59:00.000Z

Another aqua and purple Christmas card! I had great fun getting inky with my distress inks to make this card. I started off by patting Tumbled Glass, Broken China and Dusty Concord inks onto my craft sheet, spritzed the inks really well with water and then smooshed my piece of white CS into the inky mess to make a coloured background. I gave the CS a blast with my heat gun to dry it, stamped the music background stamp over the top and inked the edges of the panel with Dusty Concord ink. I stamped the large snowflake with VersaMark ink, heat embossed it with white embossing powder and then spritzed the whole panel with Perfect Pearl mist. I attached a die cut snowflake to the centre of the stamped snowflake with a silver glimmer brad. I couldn't decide what to do about adding a sentiment and I pondered for some time. Then I remembered my alphabet embossing folder which I bought a couple of months ago but hadn't got around to using. So I dug the folder out, embossed Pool Party CS with the lower case letters to spell 'merry christmas', punched them out and attached them to the panel in a higgledy piggledy fashion. I then mounted the inky panel to a Pool Party A6 sized card blank.

Here's the inside and the envelope.

Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts Big Snowflake & Music Background, Stampendous 'Snow Brackets', SU! Patterned pines set
CS: SU! Pool Party & Whisper White, medium weight white CS
Ink: Tim Holtz Tumbled Glass, Broken China & Dusty Concord Distress inks, VersaMark, SU! Pool Party
Tools: Crafts Too 'Small Alphabet' embossing folder, Sizzix Sizzlits snowflake die, circle punches, Crafts Too craft mat, Ranger mini mister, sponge dauber
Embellishments & accessories: Perfect Pearls 'Perfect Pearl' Mist, SU! glimmer brad

Vintage Vogue Best Wishes Easel Card - Simply Stampin' Challenge #38

2011-12-17T08:00:00.000Z

This week's Simply Stampin' challenge is a colour combo. These are the colours:

Great colours for a Christmas card but I really wanted a break from Christmas stuff so I made a Best Wishes easel card instead. It's been far too long since I inked up the gorgeous Vintage Vogue set, it's one of my favourite stamp sets, I love it! I also used the matching Very Vintage wheel stamp.

My Chocolate Chip easel card base is A6 sized. I used Cherry Cobbler and Wild Wasabi CS as layers for my Very Vanilla stamped panel. I stamped the leafy flourish in Wild Wasabi , some full strength and some stamped off. I used Cherry Cobbler ink for the flowers, I stamped off twice and then rock and rolled in Cherry Cobbler ink. I cut the flowers out, added some shaping and put gold brads in the centres. The sentiment was stamped in Choc Chip ink, I edged the Vanilla panel in Choc Chip ink and added gold brads to the corners. For the bottom of the card I inked the Very Vintage wheel stamp with VersaMark ink followed by Cherry Cobbler ink so that I could heat emboss the image with clear embossing powder. I punched a Lace Ribbon Border from Vanilla CS, cut it in half and attached it to the Cherry Cobbler embossed strip. I added punched Wasabi circles behind the border and then popped the whole strip up to act as the stop for the easel. I added two small flowers to the strip.

I added a Vanilla message panel to the back of the card and stamped the Very Vintage wheel in Cherry Cobbler ink on the front of the envelope to finish off. I really like this colour combo, it's so warm and rich. I hope you play along too as I'd love to come and see what you create!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Vintage Vogue & Sincere Salutations sets, Very Vintage wheel
CS: SU! Cherry Cobbler, Chocolate Chip, Wild Wasabi & Very Vanilla
Ink: SU! Cherry Cobbler, Chocolate Chip & Wild Wasabi, VersaMark
Tools: SU! Lace Ribbon Border punch, SU! Mat Pack & Paper Piercing Tool
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Clear Stampin' Emboss Powder, SU! gold brads, SU! Dimensionals

Snowflake Twisted Easel Card

2011-12-15T15:56:00.000Z

Another Christmas card using my new fave colour combo of aqua and purple. This time I've made an A6 size twisted easel card. The card base was made with Elegant Eggplant CS. I brayered a snowflakes embossing folder with Elegant Eggplant ink and then embossed a piece of Pool Party CS. I stamped the large snowflake in silver pigment ink and heat embossed it using Star Dust embossing powder and it is incredibly sparkly! I attached a pale purple felt snowflake to the centre using an aqua shimmer brad. I used the SU! Modern Label punch for the sentiment. I popped up a circle element to act as a stop for the easel and added some Elegant Eggplant ribbon.

I glued a white panel to the bottom of the card and added a sentiment. I stamped a snowflake 'celebrate the season' circle element for the envelope flap to finish off.

Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts Big Snowflake, Hero Arts Warm Wishes to You, 'Season's Greetings' from Personal Impressions Christmas Messages clear set
CS: SU! Elegant Eggplant, Pool Party & Whisper White
Ink: SU! Elegant Eggplant & Pool Party, Encore silver pigment ink
Tools: Circle Nestabilities dies, circle punches, SU! Modern label punch, snowflakes embossing folder from Cuttlebug Winter Wonderland set, Scor-Pal
Embellishments & accessories: Stamp 'n Stuff Star Dust embossing powder, SU! Elegant Eggplant grosgrain ribbon, Hero Arts felt snowflakes, PaperMania shimmer brad, gem, 3d foam pads

Sparkly Trees Merry Christmas Stepper Card

2011-12-14T11:25:00.000Z

This is the card I made for our good friends Gill and Brett. A while ago Gill rummaged in my Christmas card box and told me which cards she liked and her fave card was a blue sparkly tree card. She wasn't backward at coming forward at telling me the cards she didn't like either LOL! So I knew a blue sparkly tree card was what I'd make for their card this year. I bought a couple of packs of PaperMania stepper cards a while ago and I thought it was time to break one out.

I covered the front stepper panel with a piece of white CS I'd embossed with snowflakes and I covered the back panel with Pool Party dotty paper. For the main image panel, I stamped the bare trees in Pool Party ink and the pine tree in Night of Navy ink, patted VersaMark over the image, applied Heat and Stick powder, heated it, sprinkled on Dazzling Diamonds and lightly heated the panel again to set the glitter. I didn't have any Night of Navy ribbon but I'd kept the ribbon bookmark that fell out of our 2011 diary a few weeks ago - I knew I'd be able to use it at some point! I taped a strip to the corner, tied a bow, added a rhinestone brad and attached the bow to the strip with a glue dot. The white panel is popped up. I used a bookplate die cut for the 'Merry Christmas' sentiment and added two more rhinestone brads.

For the back of the card, I stamped a row of bare trees and the pine tree and added a sentiment panel. I stamped the bare trees only on the envelope front. These stepper cards come with gusseted envelopes which is great 'cos the cards are fairly bulky. I think PaperMania should have made the envies for the square steppers a tad larger - oof, it was a tight squeeze getting this card inside the envelope! Next time I use a square stepper card I hope I remember to chop a tad off.

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Lovely as a Tree set, 'Merry Christmas' from SU! Four the Holidays set, Woodware Wishing You clear stamp
CS: PaperMania white square stepper card, SU! Pool Party, Night of Navy & Whisper White
Patterned paper: SU! Pool Party dotty paper from In Color DSP stack
Ink: SU! Pool Party & Night of Navy, VersaMark
Tools: Sizzix Bookplates die, SU! Ticket Corner punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig
Embellishments & accessories: Navy blue ribbon, SU! Heat & Stick powder, Dazzling Diamonds & rhinestone brads, 3d foam tape

Medallion Warmest Greetings Card

2011-12-12T15:38:00.000Z

I joined the Pinterest web site a few weeks ago and have spent many happy hours browsing the lovely cards and papercraft items on there. I realised pretty much straight away what a time sucker it could be and that I could easily spend far too much time on there. So I'm trying hard to be disciplined about the amount of time I look. I'm pinning some cards that I'd like to CASE and I'm hoping to be disciplined about that too - to actually make my version of the cards rather than forgetting all about them! I've made a few so far but it's early days - I'll have to see how it goes. I like that when I see something that catches my eye while browsing the web I can save it to Pinterest and I'll know where to look to find it again!

I saw this wreath Christmas card made with the SU! Medallion stamp and I liked that the sentiment was in the centre of the wreath. I have a couple of large, circular Christmas sentiments and I thought it would make a change to have a greeting be a big part of the main focal image. I started off with a square cream card blank and I added a Riding Hood Red mat layer. I stamped the Medallion in Old Olive ink and I stamped the greeting in gold pigment ink and heat embossed it with Jeweled Gold embossing powder. I love using this powder at Christmas, it is SO sparkly! I've sponged the edges of the Very Vanilla circle with Riding Hood Red ink and glued it to the centre of the Medallion. Some red pearls and a red bow finished off the card front.

As there is a large sentiment on the card front I haven't added another one inside the card. I simply stamped a few snowflakes and that has left lots of room for a personal message. I stamped more snowflakes on the envelope to finish off. Huge thanks to Jan who has passed her SU! Scandinavian Season stamp set onto me, I love that snowflake!

Supplies:Stamps: SU! Medallion background stamp, Stampendous Warmest Greetings, SU! Scandinavian Season set
CS: PaperMania cream square card blank, SU! Riding Hood Red & Very Vanilla
Ink: SU! Old Olive & Riding Hood Red, Encore metallic gold pigment ink
Tools: Circle Nestabilities die, sponge dauber
Embellishments & accessories: Stamp 'n Stuff Jeweled Gold embossing powder, red grosgrain ribbon, red pearls

Purple Poinsettias Merry Christmas Card - Simply Stampin' Challenge # 37

2011-12-10T08:00:00.000Z

Purple poinsettias? Not in real life but in card making anything is possible! This is the card I've made for this week's Simply Stampin' sketch challenge - and it's a fab sketch to work with.

I've taken the small liberty of moving the bottom strip down and I've tied Elegant Eggplant ribbon round the card for that element of the sketch. I hope you'll join in with our sketch challenge this week, I want to check out your creations!

One of my fave colour combos for Christmas cards this year has been aqua and purple so for this card I've teamed Pool Party with Elegant Eggplant and added some white and brushed silver. The card measures 5 3/4" square. I embossed the brushed silver CS with the Vintage Wallpaper folder and then brayered Eggplant ink over the top. I stamped the Medallion in Pool Party, trimmed it to a square panel and then added the circle sentiment element and the punched Eyelet Border. I stamped the three Poinsettias in Elegant Eggplant ink, one is full strength and the other two are stamped off once. I cut them out, popped them up and added rhinestones to each flower centre. I added a plain strip of Elegant Eggplant CS before adding the white square panel over the top with Dimensionals. I couldn't resist putting some sparkly rhinestones on to perk up the plain strip!

Inside, I've added an Eggplant Eyelet Border with a brushed silver CS strip and I've added the multi sentiment stamp from the Season of Joy set. I stamped it twice and cut some Eggplant elements out and glued them over the Pool Party stamped image.

Here's the front of the envelope with part of the Medallion, more poinsettias and a punched frame ready for the recipients name to be written in. Not a very traditional combo for Christmas cards I know - but I just love these colours together!

Supplies:Stamps: SU! Season of Joy, Contempo Christmas, Four Frames & Autumn Days sets, SU! Medallion background stamp
CS: SU! Pool Party, Elegant Eggplant, Whisper White & Brushed Silver
Ink: SU! Pool Party & Elegant Eggplant
Tools: SU! Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, brayer, Eyelet Border punch, circle punches, Decorative Label punch
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Elegant Eggplant grosgrain ribbon, basic rhinestones & Dimensionals

Snow Globe With Santa & Snowman Card

2011-12-09T17:55:00.001Z

I've wanted to make a scene inside my snow globe stamp that included Santa and his sleigh flying across the moon for some time and I finally got round to making it happen. I stamped the globe on white CS first, added a circle as a mask for the moon and sponged blue and purple inks inside the globe. I masked off the Santa and sleigh stamp so that I only had 1 reindeer in my stamped image. I stamped the small snowman, coloured him in, cut him out and glued him inside the globe. I stamped the globe base on a piece of Crumb Cake CS, cut it out, sponged the edges with Early Espresso ink and popped it up. I added some punched silver glitter stars and some glitter jewels to the bottom of the globe. The snow globe is popped up on the card. I've added a stamped sentiment, punched photo corners and stars, a CS strip and some ribbon to finish off the front.

I've added an oval sentiment piece inside with some more punched silver glitter stars and I stamped snowflakes on the envelope flap.

Supplies:
Stamps: Penny Black 'Sending Love' (snow globe), All Night Media Santa & Sleigh, snowman from Hero Arts, 'Merry Christmas' from SU! Four the Holidays set, inside sentiment from Stampendous Christmas Wishes clear set, PSX Snowflake Medley
CS: SU! Riding Hood Red, Marina Mist, Basic Black, Crumb Cake & Whisper White, Doodlebug silver glitter CS
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, SU! Riding Hood Red, Marina Mist, Early Espresso, Bashful Blue, Not Quite Navy & Elegant Eggplant
Tools: SU! Photo Corners punch, star punches, circle punch, Petite Oval Nestabilities die, sponge daubers
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Marina Mist grosgrain ribbon, Cosmic Shimmer Iced Crystal Glitter Jewels, 3d foam pads

Two Pine Cones Peaceful Wishes Cards

2011-12-07T16:16:00.001Z

Here are two Christmas cards I made using the lovely SU! Peaceful Wishes set. For the first card, I stamped the pine bough a few times on white CS, stamping a couple of times before re-inking. I coloured the berry twig image with markers and stamped those over the top of the pine boughs. I stamped the pine cones on a separate piece of CS and cut them out. I inked the cones in Chocolate Chip ink, stamped off once and then rock 'n rolled in Early Espresso so the cones have darker edges. After cutting all the cones out I sprinkled some seasonal sparkle on each cone with Dazzling Diamonds. I stamped the sentiment - what a beautiful flowing font! - inked the edges of the card plus the white oval and added a Cherry Cobbler oval mat. I popped all of the pine cones up and added an Old Olive bow to the oval.

Inside the card I stamped the Mistletoe wheel, three more pine cones and added the Peace, love & joy sentiment oval. I stamped the Mistletoe wheel on the front of the envelope and added some berry twigs.

For the second card I stamped the sprig of mistletoe all over the card front as a background and I've used plain square and lacey square Nestabilities dies for the layers. I stamped the pine bough repeatedly on the white panel, again stamping twice before re-inking. This time, I just inked up the berries with a marker leaving the twig uninked. I added Crystal Effects to each berry so they are raised and shiny. I stamped three cones using Adirondack Ginger ink, stamping off once and rock 'n rolling in Early Espresso ink and I cut each cone out. I added a strip of Rich Razzleberry ribbon, popped up the cones and then added a bow with a gold jingle bell over the top. I rounded the corners of the white and Old Olive squares and the white square is popped up.

Inside this card I stamped the mistletoe image after stamping off once first and then stamped the sentiment over the top. A simple stamped mistletoe sprig on the envelope flap and I was finished.

I fell in love with the Peaceful Wishes set a few years ago when I saw it in an SU! catalogue sent to me from the USA. It went on my wish list and I finally acquired it this year. I also decided I must have the matching Mistletoe wheel but I found that seemed to come up for sale quite rarely on eBay so I had to be patient for that. My patience paid off eventually and I got my wheel a couple of months back. I am SO glad I got these stamps, there's a timeless quality to them that I just love. I hope I can be making cards with these gorgeous stamps for many years!

Supplies for Peaceful Wishes card:
Stamps: SU! Peaceful Wishes set, SU! Mistletoe wheel, Hero Arts Very Merry Christmas clear setCS: PaperMania square white card blank, SU! Cherry Cobbler & Whisper WhiteInk: SU! Lucky Limeade, Chocolate Chip, Early Espresso & Cherry CobblerTools: Petite Oval Nestabilities dies, Stamp-a-ma-jig, sponge dauber
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Old Olive taffeta ribbon, SU! Dazzling Diamonds, 3d foam pads

Supplies for jingle bell card:
Stamps: SU! Peaceful Wishes set, Stampendous Christmas Wishes clear setCS: PaperMania square white card blank, SU! Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive & Whisper WhiteInk: SU! Lucky Limeade, Rich Razzleberry & Chocolate Chip, Adirondack GingerTools: Square & Lacey Square Nestabilities diesEmbellishments & accessories: SU! Rich Razzleberry taffeta ribbon, SU! Crystal Effects, gold jump ring, gold jingle bell, 3d foam pads

Monochromatic Mistletoe Warm Wishes Card

2011-12-05T12:36:00.001Z

Back in 2008 I took Julie Ebersole's fabulous 'Simply Great Card Design' online class. One of the cards Julie featured in the class was this green monochromatic card using the mistletoe stamp from the SU! Peaceful Wishes stamp set. I really loved the card and the Peaceful Wishes set was already on my wish list so I knew I'd CASE the card one day. I got the stamp set a few months ago and I've finally got round to making my version of Julie's card.

The A6 card base was made with SU! Certainly Celery CS and I added a strip of Celery CS that I'd embossed with the Cuttlebug Holly Ribbons folder. I stamped the SU! French Script stamp onto Very Vanilla CS using Crumb Cake ink and stamped the mistletoe over the top in Old Olive ink. I cut out the panel with a Sizzix ticket Framelits die and sponged the edges with Crumb Cake ink. I added the sentiment tag and Certainly Celery and Very Vanilla ribbons and popped the panel up on an Old Olive rectangle. To finish off the card front I put clear rhinestones at the ticket corners and a few on the mistletoe.

I cut a Very Vanilla panel for inside the card which I first stamped with the French Script stamp in Crumb Cake ink after stamping off once first. I really love this French Script background stamp, I think the reason it appeals to me more than the En Francais stamp is because it has a less formal, handwritten look to it. I love my old, retired SU! stamps just as much as my current ones! I added a sentiment, mistletoe at the top and bottom and sponged the edges to finish the inside. I stamped the mistletoe image repeatedly on the envelope flap, only re-inking after three stampings. I think the paler celery with the darker olive makes a lovely combo for Christmas cards, I'll have to make more methinks!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Peaceful Wishes set, SU! French Script background stamp, Warm Wishes from Personal Impressions Christmas Messages clear set, inside sentiment from Stampendous
CS: SU! Certainly Celery, Old Olive & Very Vanilla
Ink: SU! Old Olive & Crumb Cake
Tools: Holly Ribbons Cuttlebug embossing folder, Sizzix Framelits ticket die, SU! Word Window punch, sponge dauber
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Certainly Celery & Very Vanilla grosgrain ribbon, basic rhinestones, 3d foam tape

Sparkly Snowflakes Peace On Earth Card - Simply Stampin' Challenge #36

2011-12-03T08:00:00.001Z

This is the card I've made for this week's fab Simply Stampin' challenge. It's a theme challenge this week and the theme is 'Snowflake Sparkle'. Well, that was right up my alley 'cos I love snowflakes and I love sparkle! I've chosen a cool toned colour combo of Pool Party, Marina Mist, Wisteria Wonder and Whisper White with a hint of silver and I've used the Serene Snowflakes set.

The side opening A6 card was made with Pool Party CS and I've rounded the top right corners. I used Platinum Shimmer Paint to stamp the background snowflakes. I shook the paint bottle so some paint got into the lid, removed the lid, patted a sponge dauber inside the lid to pick up the paint, dabbed off the excess onto scrap paper and then inked the stamp with the dauber - and repeated as necessary. The Shimmer Paint takes longer to dry than dye ink does so if you use Shimmer Paint to ink stamps remember not to smudge your images!

For my sparkly snowflake panels, I stamped the snowflake image in VersaMark ink first, then stamped in the coloured ink, applied Heat & Stick powder, melted that with a heat gun and sprinkled on Dazzling Diamonds. I lightly heated the panel again and also patted a clean piece of kitchen paper over each panel to set the glitter. I stamped one snowflake in Wisteria Wonder, one in Pool Party and the last one in Marina Mist ink. I cleaned the stamp after stamping with the coloured inks each time so that I didn't contaminate my VersaMark pad. I edged the panels with the 3 inks also. More sparkle was added with a rhinestone placed in each snowflake centre and I popped each panel up. The sentiment, from 'Something for Christmas' was stamped in Wisteria Wonder ink. I've performed surgery on my stamp and have cut the three sentiments apart so I can use them separately. I used a square punch on the end to make a flag banner shape, sponged the edges with Marina Mist ink, added a glimmer brad and popped the banner up.

I've made this card with a pocket inside so I can use it to give money or a gift card. I covered a piece of Whisper White CS with dotted Wisteria Wonder paper and attached it to the card with Dimensionals just at the bottom and sides to form a pocket. I stamped the 'Merry Christmas' in Marina Mist ink, edged the panel with Wisteria ink and glued the panel flat to the pocket. I stamped 3 snowflakes on the front of the envelope and applied a strip of the dotted paper to finish off.

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Serene Snowflakes set, SU! Something for Christmas a la carte stamp
CS: SU! Pool Party & Whisper White
Patterned paper: SU! Wisteria Wonder dotted paper from In Color DSP stack
Ink: SU! Pool Party, Marina Mist & Wisteria Wonder, VersaMark
Tools: SU! 1 1/4" square & corner rounder punches
Embellishments & accessories:SU! Platinum Shimmer Paint, U! Heat & Stick Powder, SU! Dazzling Diamonds, SU! Basic Rhinestones, SU! Basics Glimmer Brad, SU! Dimensionals

Thanks for popping by and please do join in with the Simply Stampin' challenge, I'd love to come and see your sparkly, frosty creations! Ruth

December Card Group Projects

2011-12-01T18:57:00.005Z

Today was our last card group meeting for 2011, I can't believe a year has flown by! I only designed two cards this month as we get busy with other things on our Christmas get together - like swapping Secret Santa gifts, merriment and eating scrummy goodies LOL!

First up is this card that uses two Hero Arts and Sizzix combo sets. The Artistic Fern stamp comes with a matching embossing folder and the butterfly is from a set that has matching dies. I inked the fern stamp completely with Crumb Cake ink and then added some Old Olive and Soft Suede inks using sponge daubers before stamping. After embossing, I cut the Very Vanilla panel to size (3 1/2" x 5 1/4"), inked the edges with Crumb Cake ink, added the ribbon and matted it onto a Marina Mist layer. I stamped the butterfly in Soft Suede ink onto Marina Mist CS, die cut the shape and inked the edges with Marina Mist ink. I scored lines either side of the body so that I could pop the wings up - I glued the body flat to the card and then added 3d foam pads with the paper still on under each wing. I absolutely love this fern image and couldn't bring myself to add a sentiment to the card front, I didn't want to cover any more of that leafy loveliness up!

So I stamped a birthday sentiment and frame inside the card as well as a small butterfly in the corner. I took various sentiment stamps so the ladies could choose what occasion to use their cards for.

The next card uses a fave technique of mine - white on white embossing. I saw a card recently made with the Elegant Bouquet embossing folder and cherry blossom punched shapes with pearl centres and I just loved it. I decided to add just a touch of colour by sponging the edges of the embossed panel and the tips of the flowers with Pretty in Pink ink and I used pale pink pearls for the flower centres. The punched flowers are popped up and I stamped the sentiment in Early Espresso ink. A simple card but very sweet I think.

I put a monogrammed bookmark in each Christmas card. I used the SU! Two Tags die to cut the bookmarks from Rich Razzleberry CS and I embossed them with the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder. I inked the flourish stamp from the Vintage Vogue set with Marina Mist ink, stamped off twice on scrap paper before stamping on white CS, stamped each letter in Razzleberry ink and punched them out with a circle punch. I inked the edges with Marina Mist ink, matted onto Marina Mist circles and then matted those onto Old Olive scalloped circles. After adhering the scalloped circles to the top of the tag, I punched a hole for the ribbon and tied white twine around the ribbon in a knot. Here's my 10 bookmarks all finished waiting to be put in the envelopes. I love that Two Tags die!

Supplies for fern & butterfly card:
Stamps: Hero Arts Artistic Fern from combo set with Sizzix embossing folder, butterflies from Antique Flowers & Butterflies stamp & die combo set, SU! Frames with a Flourish & Sincere Salutations sets
CS: SU! Crumb Cake, Marina Mist & Very Vanilla
Ink: SU! Crumb Cake, Old Olive & Soft Suede
Tools: embossing folder from Hero Arts & Sizzix Artistic Fern combo set, butterfly die from Antique Flowers & Butterflies Hero Arts & Sizzix combo set, Stamp-a-ma-jig, sponge daubers
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Marina Mist grosgrain ribbon, 3d foam pads

Supplies for white embossed card:
Stamps: sentiment from Hero Arts
CS: PaperMania A6 white card blank, SU! Whisper White
Ink: SU! Pretty in Pink & Early Espresso
Tools: SU! Elegant Bouquet embossing folder, Woodware small & medium cherry flower punches, sponge dauber
Embellishments & accessories: pale pink pearls, 3d foam pads

Supplies for bookmarks:
Stamps: SU! Broadsheet Alphabet & Vintage Vogue sets
CS: SU! Rich Razzleberry, Marina Mist, Old Olive & Whisper White
Ink: SU! Marina Mist & Rich Razzleberry
Tools: SU! Two Tags Bigz die, SU! Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, SU! plain and scalloped circle punches, Crop-A-Dile, sponge dauber
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Marina Mist grosgrain ribbon, white twine

Two CASEd Stamp & Die Combo Cards

2011-11-29T17:55:00.000Z

I absolutely love the Hero Arts and Sizzix stamp and die combo sets - not forgetting the stamp and embossing folder combos too! I saw this lovely card made by Julie Ebersole using one of the combo sets I didn't have. I told myself I didn't need that set, I could just as easily make a version using a set I did have so that's what I did. I started off with a card base made with SU! Confetti White CS and I made a tag with Crumb Cake CS. I stamped using Calypso Coral and Old Olive inks, die cut the shapes I wanted and arranged them on the tag. I also added a punched sentiment circle. I'm not a lover of orange generally but I love the Calypso Coral and Old Olive combo!

Here's the inside and the envelope.

Of course, you won't be entirely shocked to know what happened later on - yep, I bought the combo set that Julie had used on her card, what a big surprise eh?! I decided I absolutely had to have it and I'm so glad I did buy it, the set is SO lovely - I mean - flowers AND butterflies, what's NOT to love?! I'm finding myself drawn to botanical images recently, I've not always liked them before but I'm really attracted to them at the moment. Anyway, I made this version of the card using the butterflies set.

Here's the inside and envelope. That dogwood image is gorgeous! I'm sure there will be more combo sets on the way from Hero Arts and Sizzix and I'm equally sure more will end up in my stash!

Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts & Sizzix 'Floral' & 'Antique Flowers & Butterflies' stamp & die combo sets, Hero Arts 'Paper Art' background stamp, 'Have a Wonderful Day' Hero Arts clear stamp, 'Happy Birthday' from Hobby Art, 'for you' from SU! Fresh Cuts set, 'Best Wishes on your Birthday' from Hero Arts 'Friends are Treasures' cling set
CS: SU! Confetti White, Crumb Cake and Calypso Coral
Ink: SU! Calypso Coral & Old Olive, Adirondack Cranberry & Espresso
Tools: dies from combo sets listed above under stamps, SU! Ticket Corner punch, circle punches
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Old Olive grosgrain ribbon, SU! Linen Thread, brown & white striped ribbon from stash, 3d foam pads

Two Punched Holly Christmas Cards

2011-11-28T10:01:00.007Z

I thought it was time to switch from a wintery blog template to a Christmassy one seeing as it will be here in a few short weeks! These are two cards I made using my Martha Stewart Holly Branch punch. I wanted to make them both gap cards but I couldn't make that work with this first card due to how I'd positioned the punched shapes, the gap just didn't look right at all - so the holly is hanging off the edge. Actually, I really liked how this card turned out and I prefer it to the gap card! The side opening A6 card was made with Cherry Cobbler CS and I cut 2 3/8" off the side. I stamped a music background, heat embossed the sentiment with white powder and added white ribbon. I punched 6 holly shapes and glued them front and back to add some strength and then I added some red pearls as berries.

Inside I stamped a sentiment onto a panel of My Mind's Eye paper and added a couple of Cherry Cobbler CS strips. I stamped a sprig of mistletoe on the envelope flap to finish off.

So this next card is the gap card. Again I used Cherry Cobbler CS to make an A6 side opening card and added a white embossed sentiment. I used snowflakes as a background on this card and the ribbon is Chocolate Chip taffeta. I cut the card apart and then re-joined two pieces of CS with the punched holly bridging the gap. Again I glued the shapes front and back for strength. As I used a large sentiment on the front of the card I didn't stamp a greeting inside. The aqua patterned paper you can see through the gap has been glued to the inside back panel of the card and I've glued the red pearl berries onto the aqua paper. I stamped the envelope flap with the lovely mistletoe sprig again.

Supplies for card 1:
Stamps: Hero Arts Music Background, Hero Arts Very Merry Christmas clear set, mistletoe from SU! Peaceful Wishes set
CS: SU! Cherry Cobbler, Core'dinations Amazon
Patterned paper: paper from My Mind's Eye 'I Believe' collection
Ink: SU! Cherry Cobbler & Pear Pizzazz, VersaMark
Tools: Martha Stewart Holly Branch punch
Embellishments & accessories: white embossing powder, white grosgrain ribbon, red pearls

Supplies for card 2 (gap card):
Stamps: snowflakes from Butterfly Kisses Snowy Christmas clear set, sentiment from Stampendous, mistletoe from SU! Peaceful Wishes set
CS: SU! Cherry Cobbler, Core'dinations Amazon
Patterned paper: paper from My Mind's Eye 12 Days of Christmas collection
Ink: SU! Cherry Cobbler & Pear Pizzazz, VersaMark
Tools: Martha Stewart Holly Branch punch
Embellishments & accessories: white embossing powder, SU! Chocolate Chip taffeta ribbon, red pearls

Festive & Fruity Merry Christmas Z Fold Card - Simply Stampin' Challenge #35

2011-11-26T08:00:00.041Z

What a zingy colour combo for this week's Simply Stampin' challenge! Apart from Whisper White, the colour names are all fruity but I decided to pair festive with the fruit and I made a contemporary Christmas Z fold card. I've loved Z fold cards for ages and thought it was about time I made another one. The card measures 5 3/4" square and I used Lucky Limeade CS for the base and added some Concord Crush ribbon. I used Lucky Limeade ink for the trees - full strength for the central tree and stamped off once first for the outside trees. I used a Melon Mambo marker to ink the stars and all three trees were cut out and applied to the white panel - the central tree is popped up on Dimensionals. The poinsettias were stamped with Melon Mambo ink, the darker flowers were stamped full strength but the paler ones were stamped off twice. I've put 3 rhinestones in the centre of each poinsettia and popped them up. I stamped the swirl from the Season of Joy set onto white CS after stamping off once, stamped the 'Merry Christmas' over the top in Concord Crush ink, punched it out with the plain oval punch and matted that onto a punched Concord Crush scalloped oval.

Inside I've added a strip of Concord Crush patterned paper, stamped swirls and 3 more poinsettias. The envelope flap has more swirls and a poinsettia too. This is such a fun, vibrant colour combo and I really hope you'll join us this week at the Simply Stampin' challenge 'cos I want to see what gorgeous creations you come up with!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Season of Joy set
CS: SU! Lucky Limeade, Concord Crush, Melon Mambo & Whisper White
Patterned paper: Concord Crush paper from SU! In Color Patterns DSP pack
Ink: SU! Lucky Limeade, Concord Crush & Melon Mambo
Tools: SU! plain and scalloped oval punches
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Concord Crush Stitched Poly ribbon, Basic Rhinestones & Dimensionals

Snowflake Windows Season's Greetings Card

2011-11-24T17:48:00.000Z

I made a daisies window card at a Make and Take evening at Joanne's a while back - the card can be seen on this post. I really liked it and fancied making a Christmas themed card with the same technique. I've used some Sizzix Sizzlits snowflakes dies to go in my windows - they are absolutely gorgeous but they give me fits when I'm cutting them - they are SO spindly and delicate! Each time I get these dies out I'm reminded of what a pain they are and remember why I don't use them that often - so this card is a definite one off creation!

I started off with a side opening Marina Mist A6 size card and I punched out my square windows using the template I created back when I made the original daisies window card. I glued the snowflakes behind the windows and then punched another set of windows in a Marina Mist panel and adhered that behind. That way the snowflakes are neatly sandwiched in the windows. I rounded the top right corner of the card, added a season's greeting's sentiment, some punched snowflakes and rhinestones and that finished off the card front.

On the inside I added a snowflake embossed Night of Navy panel, a Marina Mist strip and a Whisper White panel. The lovely Warm Wishes sentiment is from Hero Arts, I love that it combines warmth with icy snowflakes and I thought it was the perfect choice to go inside this card! I used my fave snowflake cluster stamp on the envelope flap.

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Curly Cute set, Hero Arts Warm Wishes, PSX Snowflake Medley
CS: SU! Marina Mist, Night of Navy & Whisper White
Ink: SU! Night of Navy
Tools: Square punch, Sizzix Snowflake Sizzlits dies, Spellbinder's Labels Trio die, snowflakes embossing folder from Cuttlebug Winter Wonderland set, Woodware small snowflake punch, Crop-A-Dile Corner Chomper
Embellishments & accessories: clear rhinestones

New Forest Inspired Little Acorns Card

2011-11-23T14:24:00.000Z

We stayed in the New Forest last weekend with our fab friends Debbie and Mike. They have stayed in a lovely New Forest B&B several times and they always rave about it. Oh my goodness, I can quite see why, we had such a wonderful time! A lovely couple, Chris and Reg run it together with their gorgeous Cavalier King Charles spaniel called Willow who completely steals your heart!

The garden is huge, stunning and full of wildlife. Badgers regularly visit the garden at night and Debbie and Mike have always seen them when they've visited - they saw 7 together one time! Debbie had more or less promised us that we would see badgers. Chris said they had been visiting much later though, in the early hours of the morning and the first two nights we didn't see them. On our last night though, a badger came up to feed and we got a brilliant view - magical!

Chris makes cards and we got chatting about supplies etc. and Chris said she couldn't get kraft card blanks. I said I'd send her a few PaperMania ones which she'd be able to order online if she liked them. Of course, I had to make a card to send with the package and as the B&B is called 'Little Acorns' I had to make a little acorns card!

I've used the SU! Day of Gratitude set and a colour combo totally inspired by some of the beautiful forest colours we saw over the weekend. I inked the medallion in Pumpkin Pie ink and then added Cajun Craze and Early Espresso with sponge daubers. I cut out the shape, added an Antique brad and popped it up on the circle layers. I then used the same inks to stamp the leaves but I used just Cajun Craze and Early Espresso to ink the acorns. I then cut them all out and arranged them on the card, popping some of the acorns up. To finish the front I added some raffia tied in a knot.

I stamped two leaves on a Very Vanilla panel, masking the first one off with a Post It note, added the sentiment and glued the panel inside the card. I stamped and cut out 3 more acorns for the envelope flap.

I think it's wonderful that Chris and Reg are willing to share their beautiful New Forest home. We loved our peaceful and relaxing stay there and I hope Chris liked her card as much as I enjoyed making it for her! Here's a photo of part of the garden - * sigh *

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Day of Gratitude set, sentiment from Waltzingmouse Stamps Say It With Style clear set
CS: PaperMania 13.5 cm square kraft card blank, SU! Cajun Craze, Early Espresso & Very Vanilla
Ink: SU! Pumpkin Pie, Cajun Craze & Early Espresso
Tools: Circle Nestabilities dies, sponge daubers
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Antique brad, raffia, 3d foam pads

Triangle Trees Season's Greetings Card

2011-11-21T14:23:00.026Z

This is a Christmas card I made using my Plain Pennant Framelits dies to make trees. I started off by stamping my Hero Arts Tree Trunk stamp onto Creamy Caramel CS, cut out three trunks and glued them to the card behind a torn CS snowbank. I stamped the sentiment and sprinkled glitter along the top of the snow. I then die cut three triangles using different patterned papers, sponged the edges of each triangle with inks and popped them up over the trunks. I added blue punched snowflakes with rhinestone centres to the card front and added red pearls to the tree in the middle.

A stamped sentiment and more punched snowflakes are inside the card and I stamped a cluster of snowflakes on the envelope flap.

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Curly Cute set, Woodware Wishing You clear stamp, PSX Snowflake Medley
CS: PaperMania cream square card blank, SU! Whisper White & Creamy Caramel
Patterned paper: old Basic Grey papers, Bo Bunny Avocado Dot paper
Ink: SU! Early Espresso, Adirondack Cranberry, Tim Holtz Peeled Paint & Fired Brick Distress Inks
Tools: Sizzix, 'Banners, Plain Pennants' Framelits dies, Woodware small snowflake punch, sponge daubers
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Dazzling Diamonds, red pearls, clear rhinestones, 3d foam pads

Sparkly Ornament Merry Christmas Card - Simply Stampin' #34 Sketch Challenge

2011-11-19T08:00:00.016Z

This week's challenge at the Simply Stampin' blog is a sketch challenge - and a very nice sketch it is too.

I do hope you'll play along, I'd love to come and check out your creations! When I see what others have made I find it so fascinating that everyone comes up with such different designs, that's what is so great about this hobby!

I've enjoyed making blue and green Christmas cards this year so I went with that combo again. I decided to rotate the sketch, I love versatile sketches that lend themselves to being tweaked! My card is a side opening Marina Mist A6 sized card. I've used two sides of a patterned paper from the Nursery Nest pack for two strips and then I punched a Lucky Limeade strip with the Dotted Scallop Ribbon border punch. For my main image panel I stamped the beautiful Baroque Motifs swirl and the sentiment in Lucky Limeade ink. I stamped the ornament in Marina Mist ink, punched it out, patted VersaMark all over it, sprinkled on Heat & Stick powder, blasted it with my heat gun until the ornament was tacky and then applied Dazzling Diamonds so the ornament is super sparkly. I gave the ornament another light blast of heat to set the glitter and I pressed a piece of kitchen paper over it - I find these two steps ensure the glitter stays put and doesn't shed. The white panel and the ornament are popped up on Dimensionals. This simple design could be used to whip up multiple cards I think. It would be really quick to make if you omitted the sparkle - but then Christmas cards are definitely more fabulous with sparkle in my humble opinion!

I cut a panel of Whisper White CS, stamped the swirl a couple of times and glued the panel inside the card. The envelope flap also got a couple of beautiful swirls to finish off.

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Contempo Christmas & Baroque Motifs sets
CS: SU! Marina Mist, Lucky Limeade & Whisper White
Patterned paper: SU! Nursery Nest DSP pack
Ink: SU! Marina Mist, Lucky Limeade & VersaMark
Tools: SU! Ornament punch
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Heat & Stick powder, Dazzling Diamonds & Dimensionals

Joyous Christmas Tag Card

2011-11-18T19:30:00.023Z

A couple of weekends ago this John Lewis Christmas catalogue was included with our newspaper.

I was immediately drawn to it and kept it to one side to use as inspiration for a card. I really love kraft, red and white for Christmas cards, I think it's very homely and cheery - and always makes me think Scandinavian! I took some elements featured on the catalogue front cover - gingham, tag, button, snowflakes - and combined those with the colour combo to make my card.

I started off with a square PaperMania kraft card blank, trimmed a bit from the right hand side and added a punched snowflake border and white strip. I stamped the sentiment on a piece of SU! Crumb Cake CS, added the heat embossed snowflake and cut the piece into a tag shape. I punched a hole and made a re-inforcer ring by punching a 1/4" circle from Real Red CS and then punching that out with a 1/2" circle punch. I put a Real Red brad in the centre of the snowflake, added twine to the tag and popped it up on the card front. I wrapped gingham ribbon around the card, threaded on a natural coloured button and tied a knot. To finish off the front I added some punched snowflakes. Normally I add rhinestones to snowflake centres but I resisted here - I didn't think rhinestones went with the rustic vibe LOL!

Here's the inside and the envelope.

Supplies:
Stamps: snowflake from SU! Patterned Pines set, sentiments from Penny Black
CS: PaperMania recycled kraft square card blank & envelope, SU! Crumb Cake, Real Red & Whisper White
Ink: SU! Real Red, VersaMark
Tools: EK Success Snowflake slim edger punch, circle punches,
Embellishments & accessories: red & white gingham ribbon, button, SU! Linen Thread, 3d foam pads

Merry Patterned Pines Trio Card

2011-11-17T19:02:00.000Z

A Christmas card I made using the lovely SU! Patterned Pines set. I stamped the trees in Old Olive, Riding Hood Red and Always Artichoke using markers and the trunks were inked with an Early Espresso marker. I cut each tree out and popped them up behind a glittered torn CS snow bank. I embossed the red background panel with the Sizzix 'Sugar' embossing folder and added the Old Olive taffeta ribbon before gluing the red panel to the card front. I added mini gold brads to the corners of the image panel and I popped the panel up. I stamped 'merry', punched it out with the Word Window punch, trimmed it, punched a tiny hole and tied it to the ribbon knot with white twine.

The Patterned Pines set includes a lovely small poinsettia flourish stamp which I used inside the card to frame the sentiment. That gorgeous snowflake on the envelope flap is also from the set.

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Patterned Pines & Pennant Parade sets, Hero Arts Very Merry Christmas clear set
CS: PaperMania A6 white card blank, SU! Riding Hood Red & Whisper White
Ink: SU! Old Olive, Riding Hood Red, Always Artichoke & Early Espresso
Tools: Sizzix 'Sugar' embossing folder, SU! Word Window punch, 1/16" circle punch
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Old Olive taffeta ribbon, mini gold brads, SU! Dazzling Diamonds, 3d foam pads

Flowery Birthday Card

2011-11-16T14:17:00.001Z

This is the card we made at our card group SU! workshop last week. This was such a tonic for me, to have an afternoon crafting away from the mayhem going on at home while the new boiler was fitted! What an unusual, striking colour combo Joanne chose! Now orange is not a favourite colour of mine but I'm pleasantly surprised by how much I like the Calypso Coral colour - and it looks fab here with the Pool Party. I used it recently with Old Olive and I loved that combo.

We used Post It notes to mask the very bottom of the Whisper White panel and then repeatedly stamped the outline flowery stem image from the SU! Simply Soft hostess set. I stamped my row of flowers too low down so I stamped another row of flowers above, making sure to stamp off once first each time. The Curly Cute sentiment was stamped on the dotty Pool Party paper in Calypso Coral ink and a Dotted Scallop Ribbon punched border was added at the top. At the bottom, we added some Calypso Coral ruffled ribbon (we cut the ribbon in half length ways before gluing) and a Pool Party Scallop Edge border. We rounded the bottom corners of the base card and the Whisper White panel. A Whisper White panel was glued inside with a couple of stamped sprigs - you won't be surprised to learn that I stamped a couple of sprigs on the front of my envelope too! - I didn't take a photo of those though.

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Simply Soft & Curly Cute sets
CS: SU! Calypso Coral, Pool Party & Whisper White
Patterned paper: SU! dotty Pool Party paper from In Color Paper Stack
Ink: SU! Calypso Coral
Tools: SU! Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch, Scallop Edge Border punch, Corner punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Calypso Coral 3/8" ruffled ribbon, Post It notes

Two Snowman Cards

2011-11-14T19:53:00.004Z

Here are two Christmas cards I've made using the fabby Hero Arts/Sizzix Snowman stamps and dies combo set. The first card was made using a new embossing folder - it's got snowflakes and a gorgeous brackety frame - what's not to love?! I've been naughty this year with embossing folders, I just can't seem to resist them! I embossed the front of the A6 card first and then embossed a piece of Pool Party CS and cut out the frame piece. I stamped and die cut the snowman, stamping his scarf separately and trimming it. I tore CS for snow banks, added glitter and popped up the snowman. The 'be merry' sentiment was the perfect size for the SU! Modern label punch. I popped that up too and added nailheads.

Here's the inside and the envelope.

For the second card, I made a side opening A6 size card from SU! Bashful Blue CS and stamped some snowflakes as a background in Bashful Blue ink. I stamped and die cut two trees and a snowman - the front tree and the snowman are popped up. Again I used torn white CS as a snowbank and added glitter to the torn edge and then I stamped the sentiment. I've added nailheads to the trees and I added glitter to the centres of the background snowflakes to finish off the front.

Here's the inside and the envelope. Another two Christmas cards to add to the box, I really do feel I may be on track this year!

Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts Snowman stamp & Sizzix die combo set, 'be merry' from SU! Warm Words set, Hero Arts Very Merry Christmas clear set, PSX Snowflake Medley
CS: PaperMania A6 white card blank, SU! Pool Party, Bashful Blue & Whisper White
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, SU! Pool Party, Bashful Blue, Always Artichoke, Basic Gray & Riding Hood Red
Tools: Crafts Too 'Snowflake Banner' embossing folder, dies from Hero Arts/Sizzix Snowman stamp & die combo set, SU! Modern Label punch
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Dazzling Diamonds, self adhesive metal nailheads, 3d foam pads

Tinsel Tree Merry Christmas Card

2011-11-13T13:45:00.000Z

I bought some Olive Tinsel embossing powder a while ago, it's a gorgeous sparkly green colour but it seems very temperamental. It took me several attempts to get a decent coverage of powder over my VersaMark stamped image, the powder wasn't sticking in several places so the image was patchy. I was very happy with the image in the end but I can't be doing with it taking several tries to get it right, you don't need that when you're making Christmas cards! I'm not the most patient person and I get frustrated if a product doesn't work well, I want things to be consistently reliable. I shall try it again at some point and if it still frustrates me I shall let it go.

After finally getting an image I was happy with I cut out my ovals and sponged the edges of both white ovals. I made a 5 3/4" square Cherry Cobbler card and added some embossed lines as a subtle decoration. I added 3 die cut snowflakes, popped on some rhinestones and popped up the sentiment oval.

Inside the card I stamped a sentiment and used markers to colour in the holly. I stamped a snowflake cluster on the envelope flap to finish off.

Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts Branch & Flourish Tree, SU! Contempo Christmas set, inside sentiment from Stampendous, PSX Snowflake Medley
CS: SU! Cherry Cobbler, Garden Green & Whisper White
Ink: VersaMark, SU! Cherry Cobbler, Riding Hood Red & Garden Green
Tools: Oval Nestabilities dies, Cuttlebug snowfake die, Scor-Pal, sponge dauber
Embellishments & accessories: Stampendous Olive Tinsel embossing powder, clear rhinestones, 3d foam pads

Boxed Set Of Four Leafy Cards - Simply Stampin' Challenge #33

2011-11-12T08:00:00.011Z

This week's challenge over at the Simply Stampin' blog is a Leafy theme challenge. Well, that's right up my street as I love leaves! I really hope you'll join in with this lovely seasonal theme challenge as I'd love to come and check out what you create!

I'm sure I can't be alone in keeping packaging with the idea of "doing something crafty with that one day". I have quite a collection of items and I finally dug something out - a square acetate box - and re purposed it to hold a set of four cards and envelopes.

To decorate the front of the acetate box, I cut a square of Old Olive CS, embossed one half with the Square Lattice folder and added some lovely glittery striped paper from the Holly Berry Bouquet pack to the other half. I then tied some Chocolate Chip satin ribbon around the join in a knot. I used the gorgeous fern stamp from the Growing Green set - I absolutely LOVE this leafy image - to stamp two images in Cajun Craze ink on Very Vanilla CS and I cut them both out and attached them to the embossed Old Olive panel with glue dots. I stamped a leaf from the French Foliage set in Early Espresso ink onto Cherry Cobbler CS, cut it out and mounted that over the ferns with linen thread tied round the stem in a bow. I then glued the whole panel to the front of the acetate box with Sticky Strip. Here's the box:

5 1/4" square envelopes were the perfect size to fit the box so I made four cards measuring 5 1/8" square. I used Cajun Craze, Chery Cobbler, More Mustard and Old Olive CS for the card bases and added a rectangular panel of Early Espresso CS that I'd embossed with the Square Lattice folder to each card front. I then stamped each square Very Vanilla panel with the fern using the same colour ink as the CS and stamped the image three times without re-inking. I then stamped a different Curly Cute sentiment on each panel in the matching ink. The Cajun Craze card got Happy Birthday, Cherry Cobbler got Congratulations, More Mustard got Thank You and the Old Olive card got Thinking of You. I stamped the French Foliage leaf in Early Espresso ink on each of the four CS colours and cut them out. Before gluing the vanilla panels down I wrapped linen thread around each panel, popped up a leaf and tied a bow around each stem. Here's a photo of the four cards:

I stamped a fern on the Very Vanilla panel inside each card and on the front of each envelope.

This last photo shows the box together with the four cards. I kept the layout very simple, did everything in stages and then assembled at the end so it didn't take long at all to make the set. The cards aren't too dimensional either so they fit really nicely in the box.

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Growing Green, Curly Cute & French Foliage sets
CS: SU! Cajun Craze, Cherry Cobbler, More Mustard, Old Olive & Very Vanilla
Patterned paper: SU! Holly Berry Bouquet DSP pack
Ink: SU! Cajun Craze, Cherry Cobbler, More Mustard, Old Olive & Early Espresso
Tools: SU! Square Lattice embossing folder
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Linen Thread, SU! Mini Glue Dots, Sticky Strip & Dimensionals, square acetate box from stash

I'm Back - Hooray! Plus Two Snowflake Cards

2011-11-11T17:40:00.000Z

What a week - I shall be so glad when it's over! Firstly, we lost our internet connection and I spent a long and very frustrating time on the phone to our ISP. At one point I was speaking to a supervisor and he suggested I Google something - erm, how on earth am I meant to do that with no internet connection?! The upshot was we needed a new router so we couldn't get back online until we'd received that. I know it's only a few days but I really, really miss the web when I can't access it - no blog surfing, Splitcoast Stampers, eBaying or Pinterest for heavens sake, what's a gal to do?

On Tuesday we were scheduled to have a new boiler fitted into our airing cupboard - which is in the spare bedroom I use as my craft room. So I had to move most of my stuff out and try to craft in our tiny sun room. After a good start the installers hit a few snags which delayed things. On Thursday night hubby turned on the hot water tap at the kitchen sink and then we couldn't turn it off - and we couldn't turn the stopcock off either! The tap was on full and gushing at quite a rate as our water pressure has gone up a lot since having our new boiler system installed. So an emergency plumber costing an arm and a leg had to be summoned to sort us out. All done now but to say the week has been stressful is rather an understatement! The bright spot was on Thursday afternoon when I attended a Stampin' Up! workshop - it was so lovely to escape for a few hours!

Anyway, here are two snowflake cards I made a while ago. I wanted to use a die cut snowflake as a mask and spritz Blue Smoke Perfect Pearls mist over the mask. I carefully peeled the mask away when I'd done spritzing and was chuffed to find it came away perfectly intact so I decided to use that on a second card. I love the "A snowflake is winter's butterfly" sentiment and I have one in wood mount and a larger version in a clear set so I used both. I haven't added a Christmas sentiment to either card so that I can use them as winter birthday cards or after Christmas thank you cards. This first card measures a tad under 5 1/4" square but needed a larger envelope to accommodate the overhanging banner. I fixed two blue felt snowflakes to the centre of my masked snowflake with a rhinestone brad. I punched a decorative snowflake border on the white panel and added some Marina Mist ribbon. A snowflake border was stamped on the front of the envelope - and inside the card too.

The second card is a standard C6 size made with SU! Perfect Plum CS and I used the thoroughly gorgeous Brushed Silver CS to add a strip and a decorative punched edge. This time I attached a pale purple felt snowflake to the centre of the large snowflake with a metal snowflake brad. I popped a rhinestone on the centre of the brad and on the punched silver snowflake. Again, I stamped the snowflake border on the front of the envelope and I stamped the same border on a white panel inside the card also.

Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts Winter's Snowflake wood mount stamp & Winter's Butterfly clear set, snowflake border from My Cute Stamps Let It Snow! clear set
CS: PaperMania square white card blank, SU! Night of Navy, Perfect Plum, Brushed Silver & Whisper White
Ink: SU! Night of Navy & Perfect Plum
Tools: Sizzix Snowflake #2 die, EK Success Snowflake border punch, SU! Eyelet Lace border punch, Woodware small snowflake punch
Embellishments & accessories: Perfect Pearls Blue Smoke mist, Hero Arts felt snowflakes, SU! Marina Mist grosgrain ribbon, rhinestone brad, snowflake brad, rhinestones, 3d foam pads

Computer Problems

2011-11-06T19:26:00.000Z

Just to update to say I am having PC issues and it could be a few days before they are sorted out! Will post again when I'm able to. Ruth

Pinwheel Happy Birthday Card - Simply Stampin' Challenge #32

2011-11-05T08:00:00.027Z

This week's Simply Stampin' challenge is a colour combo - Daffodil Delight, Peach Parfait, Soft Suede and Very Vanilla.

I've got to admit I was a bit daunted when I saw this combo 'cos I'm not drawn to yellow and orange - plus Soft Suede is not a fave of mine either! However, I pulled out all the different coloured CS, went looking for some pretty DSP and it all came together after that! Actually, I think it's really good for me to go out of my comfort zone every now and again!

I started off with a side opening A6 size card made with Peach Parfait CS and I trimmed 3.5 cms off the side. I seem to enjoy chopping bits off cards nowadays! I used the Petite Pennants Builder punch and punched 4 plain pennants to make a pinwheel. I curled the pennants round to make the required shape and glued each one to a small punched circle at the back. I added a circle to the front with a Daffodil Delight brad in the centre. I then attached the pinwheel to a cocktail stick.

Going back to the card front, I added a strip of patterned paper and a Soft Suede strip and I rounded the top right corner. I got busy punching Daffodil Delight and Soft Suede Eyelet Border strips and I glued them to the inside of the card and I added Very Vanilla Ribbon tied in a a knot. I then stamped the Curly Cute 'Happy Birthday' onto a strip of Very Vanilla CS and made a banner by notching one end. I used the 1 1/4" square punch to make the notch - it's a very easy way to get a banner look! I attached a Soft Suede Eyelet Border to the banner, adhered the pinwheel to the card front and then popped the strip up at the bottom with Dimensionals. To finish off the card front, I used the circle Itty Bitty punch and added 3 Daffodil Delight circles to the sentiment banner.

For the inside of the card I put a strip of the patterned paper at the bottom, stamped the 'Just for You', punched and matted the ovals and then layered them on a Soft Suede punched Decorative Label. I put a strip of the patterned paper on the front of the envelope and added lines with a Soft Suede marker. I stamped and punched a label and that's where I'll write the recipient's name.

Please do join in this week with the Simply Stampin' challenge, I look forward to coming to see what you come up with!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Curly Cute & Ovals All sets
CS: SU! Peach Parfait, Daffodil Delight, Soft Suede & Very Vanilla
Patterned paper: SU! Beyond the Garden DSP
Ink: SU! Peach Parfait & Soft Suede
Tools: SU! Petite Pennants Builder, Eyelet Border, plain & scalloped oval, 1 1/4" square, Decorative Label, Itty Bitty circle & Corner rounder punches
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Very Vanilla grosgrain ribbon, Daffodil Delight brad, Dimensionals

November Card Group Cards

2011-11-03T19:05:00.070Z

I can't believe we've only got one more card group get together for this year, where has the time gone?! We made three more Christmas cards today and that's all the Christmas cards for this year, next month we're doing flowery - lovely! The first card was made using the fabulous Hero Arts/Sizzix Snowman stamp and die combo set. The card is a small, tall size and is textured - as the sentiment has quite a fine font I turned the card inside out and stamped on the plain, non bumpy side. I stamped the tree with Always Artichoke ink, wiped it off at the very top and inked just that part with a Riding Hood Red marker. I stamped the snowman and used markers to add a touch of colour. I stamped his scarf separately with Riding Hood Red ink, trimmed it and glued it over the top. I tore a piece of white CS to use as a snow bank and added some glitter. The snowman and tree are popped up and I added red nailheads to the tree. The 'snowmen fall from heaven unassembled' sentiment is one I've had for years but I love it, it's one of my all time fave stamps. To finish off, I punched some snowflakes and added rhinestones to the centres.

Jan saw this card I made for the Simply' Stampin Swirls and Pearls challenge and asked if we could make it at card group. So I made this card, it's almost identical to my original but I've used a different sentiment and rhinestones instead of pearls.

Here's the inside - a paper insert with a stamped ornament and a hand drawn string.

I wanted to make the third card quite simple and easy, less time consuming than the first two. The thing about making square cards from A4 CS is that you get a lot of strips left over. I decided to use the leftover Marina Mist strips and Wild Wasabi CS pieces from the previous card to make scrapling cards The Marina Mist strip was scored and folded in half to form the card base. I stamped the tree in silver pigment ink and embossed with Stardust embossing powder. I LOVE the gorgeous sparkle you get from this powder, it's so beautiful! After layering onto a Wild Wasabi mat, I glued the piece onto the card so it hangs over the edge. I added the sentiment and two scored lines as a subtle embellishment.

Supplies for snowman & tree card:
Stamps: Hero Arts Snowman stamp & die combo set, sentiment from Stampendous
CS: Craft Tonic cream small, tall card blank, white CS
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, SU! Always Artichoke, Riding Hood Red & Basic Gray
Tools: Sizzix Framelits dies from Snowman die & stamp combo set, Woodware small snowflake punch
Embellishments & accessories: red nailheads, clear rhinestones, crystal ultrafine glitter, 3d foam pads

Supplies for ornaments Season's Greetings card:
Stamps: SU! Delightful Decorations set, swirl from SU! Baroque Motifs set, sentiment from SU! Four the Holidays set
CS: SU! Marina Mist, Wild Wasabi, Pacific Point & Whisper White
Ink: SU! Baja Breeze, Marina Mist, Pacific Point & Wild Wasabi
Tools: SU! Ornament punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig, circle punches
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Marina Mist grosgrain ribbon, clear rhinestones, 3d foam pads

Supplies for tree scrapling card:
Stamps: Hero Arts Branch & Flourish tree, sentiment from SU! Best Yet set
CS: SU! Marina Mist, Wild Wasabi & Whisper White
Ink: Encore silver pigment ink, SU! Night of Navy
Tools: Scor-Buddy to make the embossed lines
Embellishments & accessories: Stampendous 'Stardust' embossing powder

Embossed Squares Cards

2011-11-02T22:21:00.000Z

Recently I came across this card which had white embossed inchies on it. I'm always drawn to white on white cards, there's something about them and embossed white is even more appealing. After seeing Tilly's fab card I got the urge to try something like that myself. I have quite a thing for embossing folders and often find it tough to pick one from my growing collection to use on a card. I really liked using several folders for just the one card!

I used a square white card as a base and then got busy with my Big Shot embossing white CS and then I punched out my tiles with a square punch.. I decided I would stick to all white squares but add a pop of colour with some black. I stamped the sentiment, added ribbon and a brad to one square and then popped all the squares up.

I thought it would be fun to carry the embossing through to the inside of the card so I used my Happy Birthday Cuttlebug folder. I mounted the panel over a strip of the striped ribbon. I then embossed the envelope flap to finish off.

As I was making the card I remembered I've recently got some gorgeous SU! Brushed Silver CS and I thought that would look fabulous embossed. I decided to make a Christmas card this time, still using a white card base but with silver squares. I opted to punch a window at the bottom right of the card. I stamped a sentiment onto Island Indigo CS, heat embossed it with silver embossing powder, punched out a circle and popped it up on a Brushed Silver square. The Brushed Silver CS does emboss beautifully but I still think I prefer the embossed white CS, it just has the edge for me!

I added a circular sentiment element inside the card and a punched snowflake circle to the envelope flap. These cards were fun to make - I've never used so many embossing folders in one day!

Supplies:
Stamps: Penny Black 'Great Day', Hero Arts 'Warm Wishes', Stampendous 'Snow Brackets' & snowflake Celebrate the Season stamp from SU! So Many Scallops set
CS: PaperMania white square card blanks, SU! Brushed Silver, Island Indigo & Whisper White CS
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, SU! Island Indigo
Tools: various embossing folders, 1 3/8" square punch, circle punches & circle Nestabilities dies
Embellishments & accessories: silver embossing powder, pink & black striped grosgrain ribbon, black brad, 3d foam tape

3d Tree Christmas Cards x 2

2011-11-01T15:37:00.000Z

Joanne gave us a choice of several lovely cards to make at our last Make & Take evening. They were all so nice it was hard to choose! She gave each of us a pack containing CS, papers, envelopes and embellishments plus printed instructions and photos of the cards she'd made. These are two ~~Breezy Bunting~~ Pennant Parade cards I made from my pack - and I still have lots of goodies left to make more cards! I love the word bunting so I call this set Breezy Bunting LOL!

Here's the first card - made just as Joanne designed it - more or less! I have to admit to using a tiny punched star at the top of my tree instead of the star stamp from the Pennant Parade set! I love the embossed dots on one side and the 'merry' element. You need 3 scalloped pennant punched shapes to make the 3d tree. Fold each shape in half, ink the edges, glue the shapes together and then glue the tree above the stamped pot.

I used my new Something for Christmas stamp for the inside of the card. I've wielded my craft knife and performed rubber surgery again - I've cut the stamp apart so I have 3 separate sentiments and I'm using them as unmounted cling stamps. I feel I'll get much more use out of the stamp this way, I don't think I'd have used the stamp with all 3 sentiments together. I LOVE this sentiment where you can colour the baubles, I'll definitely use this one the most!

For my second card I made another 3d tree but this time I used the sweet holly patterned paper from the Holly Berry Bouquet pack. My first card was made with Cherry Cobbler CS but for this one I chose Real Red. I used the Season's Greetings sentiment from the Something for Christmas stamp - stamping in VersaMark and embossing with the Wild Wasabi Stampin' Emboss powder. I trimmed a tad off the side of the card because I wanted my banner to go off the edge. I only needed to cut off a smidgen for the card to fit in a C6 envelope still. The Wasabi rectangle and the sentiment banner are both popped up.

Again, I used the Merry Christmas with baubles stamp for the inside of the card. I stamped and punched 3 trees for the front of the envelope and overlapped them at different heights. I cheated and used the star punch again!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Pennant Parade set, SU! Something for Christmas a la carte stamp
CS: SU! Cherry Cobbler, Real Red, Wild Wasabi, Garden Green, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White & Very Vanilla
Patterned paper: SU! Holly Berry Bouquet Specialty DSP pack
Ink: SU! Wild Wasabi, Chocolate Chip, Real Red, VersaMark
Tools: SU! Petite Pennants, Word Window, Modern Label & Eyelet Border punches, SU! Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Crop-A-Dile, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Woodware tiny star punch
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Wild Wasabi Stampin' Emboss powder, SU! Garden Green grosgrain ribbon, SU! clear rhinestone brad, SU! Real Red brad, SU! Basic Rhinestones, SU! Dimensionals

Bunting, Butterflies & Birdie Birthday

2011-10-30T17:12:00.000Z

Last Friday was Kelly's birthday and this is the card I made for her using the SU! Pennant Parade set. I wanted a DL size card but the thing I don't like about DL cards is that they don't always stand up well, they have a tendency to flop down. So I cut two pieces of Pool Party CS, one longer than the other, added a score line to the longer piece and then glued them together to make a side opening DL card. I sponged the Whisper White panel with Bashful Blue ink and stamped the sentiment. I then got busy stamping and punching out the bunting. I've used white baker's twine for my line, I popped the bunting up and then added different coloured brads. I thought the birdie from the Sweetheart set would look good perched on the line of bunting so I stamped, cut him out and popped him up. I then added a trio of teeny embossed butterflies. To finish off the card front I added bling here and there.

Then I decorated the inside of the card and the front of the envelope.

I wanted a birdie holding a flag for the envelope flap - pennant and Word Window punched shapes attached to a cocktail stick saw to that - simple but sweet I think!

I sent Kelly some SU! ribbon as a little gift. My fab demo Joanne ran a ribbon share and I received it from her packaged so nicely in a cello bag with a lovely stamped and punched topper. All I had to do was wrap it in tissue paper and add a tag. I had such a sweet thank you email from Kelly, bless her!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Pennant Parade, Curly Cute, Sweetheart, Broadsheet Alphabet & Vintage Frames sets, SU! Dot Dot Dot background stamp, Hero Arts Sending Smiles Messages & Designer Alphabet clear set
CS: SU! Pool Party, Melon Mambo, Marina Mist, Chocolate Chip & Whisper White
Ink: SU! Bashful Blue, Marina Mist, Pool Party, Pear Pizzazz, Melon Mambo & Chocolate Chip
Tools: SU! Petite Pennants, Decorative Label, Fancy Flower, 5 Petal Flower & Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punches, SU! Beautiful Wings Embosslits die, SU! Square Lattice embossing folder, Wonky Rectangle Nestabilities die, Crop-A-Dile
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Marina Mist, white baker's twine, assorted colour SU! brads & an SU! rhinestone brad, blue rhinestones, 3d foam pads

Simply Stampin' Challenge #31 - Tree Trio Merry Christmas Card

2011-10-29T10:12:00.001+01:00

Oooh, what a lovely sketch to work with for this week's Simply Stampin Challenge!

I used the Pennant Parade set to make a Christmas card - I love the pot and Christmas tree in that set! I started out by cutting a piece of Holly Berry Bouquet paper to go on the front of my Wild Wasabi panel. To make the scalloped edge I punched out Real Red circles with the 3/4" circle punch and glued them behind the patterned paper. I stamped the sentiment in VersaMark ink and embossed it with Wild Wasabi embossing powder. Before gluing the Wasabi panel to the front of the Chocolate Chip card base I added some Real Red grosgrain ribbon.

I stamped three pots in Real Red ink and then went over the trunks with an Early Espresso marker. I stamped three trees with VersaMark ink, embossed each one with Wild Wasabi embossing powder, coloured the garlands with a Daffodil Delight marker and punched them out. I stamped three Real Red stars for the tops of my trees and glued two tress flat to the Very Vanilla panel but I popped the centre tree up with Dimensionals. To finish off the front, I added a rhinestone to each star and added a row of rhinestones under the 'Merry Christmas'.

For inside the card I cut a piece of Wild Wasabi CS at an angle, cut a notch with the 3/4" circle punch and glued it to the card base just at the sides and bottom in order to form a pocket. I plan to put money or a gift card inside the pocket as a Christmas gift. Using the gorgeous Holly Berry Bouquet glittered stripy paper I added a contrasting strip and punched a tree. I cut a piece of Choc Chip CS for a trunk and popped the tree up. I cut a Very Vanilla message panel to insert into the pocket, rounded the corners, added the 'just for you' and a round tab. Couldn't resist putting more bling inside - on the tab and 'just for you' elements! I punched a circle out of a piece of Holly Berry Bouquet paper, matted that onto plain and scalloped punched circles and I popped that up over a strips of paper and CS on the front of the envelope.

I hope you'll join in with this week's Simply Stampin' challenge, this really is such a nice sketch to work with. It would work really well rotated too!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Pennant Parade, Season of Joy & Just Believe sets
CS: SU! Chocolate Chip, Wild Wasabi, Real Red & Very Vanilla
Patterned paper: SU! Holly Berry Bouquet Specialty DSP
Ink: SU! Real Red & Wild Wasabi ink pads, SU! Daffodil Delight & Early Espresso markers, VersaMark
Tools: various SU! circle punches, SU! Word Window, Modern Label, Corner Rounder & Round Tab punches, Stamp-a-ma-jig
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Real Red grosgrain ribbon, SU! Wild Wasabi Stampin' Emboss Powder, SU! Basic Rhinestones, SU! Dimensionals

Embossed Fern For You Card

2011-10-27T22:12:00.000+01:00

I love leaf and foliage stamp images and ferns are a favourite. When I saw this gorgeous Hero Arts Artistic Fern stamp I loved it immediately. To find it was in a set with a matching Sizzix embossing folder that embosses around the stamped image was doubly appealing! A gorgeous leafy image AND a matching embossing folder - what's not to love?!

Cajun Craze looks fab with Old Olive and I've added a dash of Early Espresso with some Whisper White for a winning colour combo. I inked the entire fern stamp with Old Olive ink and then added Cajun Craze ink here and there to the image using a sponge dauber. I was so happy how the stamped image turned out, I had an 'ooooh' moment. After embossing the image with the matching folder there was another 'ooooh moment'! The embossing around the image adds such a lovely touch. To finish off the card front I popped on a Cajun Craze butterfly and an oval sentiment. Some vintage brads were added to the butterfly body and the wings are popped up.

I really like that flowery frame stamp from the Ovals All set but I don't use it that much 'cos of the 'Fabulous Friend' wording on it. I'm a stamp surgeon these days though, quite happy to lop off parts of stamps I don't want LOL! My friend Jan has given me a couple of stamps to operate on too! So now I can use the lovely flowery stamp with any sentiment - or leave it as it is. Here I've added the 'for you' from the Fresh Cuts set. I coloured in the flower with the Cajun Craze marker and added another vintage brad to the centre. The scalloped oval is popped up over the ribbon.

I glued a white panel inside, added the sentiments and the fern image. I was so taken with the leafy loveliness that the fern had to go on the front of the envelope also! I really like how autumnal this card is, a great birthday card for this time of year!

Supplies:
Stamps: Sizzix/Hero Arts Artistic Fern stamp & emboss set, SU! Ovals All & Fresh Cuts sets, inside sentiments from Hero Arts Sending Smiles Messages clear set
CS: SU! Cajun Craze, Old Olive, Early Espresso & Whisper White
Ink: SU! Cajun Craze & Old Olive
Tools: embossing folder from Sizzix/Hero Arts Artistic Fern stamp & emboss set, SU! Beautiful Wings Emboslits die, SU! plain and scalloped oval punches, sponge dauber
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Early Espresso 1/8" taffeta ribbon, SU! Vintage brads, 3d foam pads

Velvet Stocking Merry Christmas Card

2011-10-25T16:53:00.000+01:00

I just couldn't resist the new Sizzix Stocking die that came out recently - with the bonus of a free embossing folder included! It's SO lovely, the embossing detail is gorgeous. I wondered what it would be like cut out from velvet paper and I also wondered if velvet paper embosses well or not. Oh. My. Goodness. The velvet paper embosses BEAUTIFULLY!

The stocking is quite large so I started off with a 7" x 5" Riding Hood Red card base and added a simple layer of dotty paper. I cut the stocking from crimson and cream velvet papers and embossed both parts. I brayered SU! Crumb Cake lightly over the cream part. I stamped the sentiment in VersaMark ink and embossed with Brown Sugar embossing powder. I was so taken with my velvet stocking I wondered if I could punch some velvet holly - and I could! So holly was added to the stocking and the sentiment strip. I added a Chocolate Chip bow to the stocking, used a jump ring to attach a small gold jingle bell and popped the stocking up. Red pearls act as holly berries on the sentiment strip and punched photo corners at the top left finish off the card front.

I glued a Very Vanilla panel inside the card and stamped a gorgeous Stampendous sentiment. I added a strip of holly patterned paper and drew lines on either side with a marker. I did the same for the front of the envelope.

Here's a close up of my velvet stocking in all its embossed glory! I love it - and can't keep from stroking it and jingling the bell LOL!

Supplies:
Stamps: 'Merry Christmas' from SU! Four the Holidays set, Stampendous 'Snow Brackets' cling stamp
CS: SU! Riding Hood Red & Very Vanilla, crimson, cream & dark green velvet papers
Patterned paper: Three Bugs in a Rug Deck the Halls 'Best Time' & 'Holly Jolly'
Ink: VersaMark & SU! Riding Hood Red & Crumb Cake
Tools: Sizzix Stocking Bigz die & embossing folder, SU! Photo Corners punch, Martha Stewart Holly Branch punch, brayer
Embellishments & accessories: Zing Brown Sugar embossing powder, SU! Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon, gold brads, jingle bell, jump ring, red pearls, 3d foam tape

Merry Christmas Ornaments Gap Card

2011-10-24T23:01:00.000+01:00

Another Christmas card made for my stash, I am determined to have enough cards made in time this year! This is a 5 3/4" square gap card made with the SU! Contempo Christmas set. My colour combo is Pear Pizzazz, Baja Breeze and Riding Hood Red - hmmm, I like this combo muchly! I started with a Pear Pizzazz card base and added a snowflake embossed Baja Breeze panel at the top. I inked inside the folder with Baja Breeze ink before embossing the CS. I cut the card apart, stamped and punched three ornaments, punched another three ornaments and then joined the card back together by sandwiching the ornaments with 3d foam pads. The gap measures 1 1/4". I sprinkled Dazzling Diamonds glitter on the front of the ornaments. I added the sentiment, a decorative punched border and a couple of red strips to finish off the front.

Then it was time to work on the inside of the card. I added a white panel with two coloured strips, stamped the sentiment and the three snowflakes. I absolutely love that snowflake from the Patterned Pines set and stamped in those three colours - even lovelier! It was so worth the effort of cleaning the stamp in between inkings to get the three colours! A stamped and punched snowflake circle element on the envelope flap and the card was completed.

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Contempo Christmas & Patterned Pines sets, Stampendous Christmas Wishes clear set
CS: SU! Pear Pizzazz, Baja Breeze, Riding Hood Red & Whisper White
Ink: SU! Pear Pizzazz, Baja Breeze & Riding Hood Red
Tools: SU! Ornament Punch, Martha Stewart Optic Dot border punch, snowflake embossing folder from Cuttlebug Winter Wonderland set, circle punches
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Dazzling Diamonds, 3d foam pads

Simply Stampin Challenge # 30 - Halloween Card

2011-10-22T08:00:00.057+01:00

How exciting - this is my first project as a member of the Simply Stampin' challenge DT! I'm also chuffed to bits that my friend Kelly is also on the Simply Stampin' DT! This week's challenge is Halloween and I don't normally make anything for Halloween. I've just taken part in a Stampin' Up! designer paper share and the fab Frightful Sight Halloween papers made things a lot easier. As I don't have any Halloween stamps, I combined patterned papers with a punch art bat.

I made a side opening A6 Basic Black card base to start with and then set to work making the bat. I know I've added vampire fangs to him but actually, he's too cute to be scary LOL! The body of the bat is obviously an upside down owl and then I used plain oval punched shapes to make the wings, trimming them with scissors to get some shaping. I then used the stem/vine part of the Elegant Bouquet embossing folder to add veining detail to the wings. After adding the eyes and drawing on the mouth I sponged Whisper White craft ink around the bat. Batty is hanging from the Two Step Bird punch stem and he's popped up. To make a moon I cut a circle from a piece of paper from the Big Top Birthday pack, it was perfect - yellow with clouds going across it!

Here's a close up photo so you can see batty's wings.

Then when the card is opened there's more Frightful Sight papers, a BOO made with the Broadsheet Alphabet set and a scalloped circle with a spider on it. The spider circle really does pop out at you 'cos it's mounted on a spring! I've had the springs in my stash for ages and finally got round to using one! I added a strip of the spidery paper to the front of the envelope.

I really enjoyed making this card! Please, please do join in the spooky fun of this week's Simply Stampin' Halloween challenge, I'd love to come and see what you make!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Broadsheet Alphabet set
CS: SU! Basic Black, Cajun Craze & Whisper White
Patterned paper: SU! Frightful Sight & Big Top Birthday
Ink: SU! Basic Black & White Craft
Tools: SU! Owl Builder, Bird Builder, Scallop Circle, 1 3/8" Circle, 1 1/4" Circle & Large Oval punches, SU! Elegant Bouquet embossing folder, sponge dauber
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Dimensionals, non SU! spring

Butterfly Birthday Card For Gill

2011-10-21T19:49:00.000+01:00

It's our great friend Gill's birthday today and this is the card I made for her. Gill doesn't do sombre, dark colours. A few weeks ago she and some other friends were looking at the Christmas cards I'd made this year. She was horrified by my black and white Christmas cards! Mind you, she did find a sparkly blue card she really liked and claimed that one for herself so I'll let her off not liking the black and white ones! Whenever I make a card for Gill I always make sure it's a bright little number.

I just got lots of SU! patterned papers 'cos I took part in a paper share my demo Joanne offered. I thought I'd start off with a butterfly die cut from a very pretty paper from the Flirtatious pack. I added a smaller embossed butterfly on top and joined the two together with a sparkly pink brad. I've added half dimensionals with the backing paper still on under the wings so they stay popped up. Before embossing the smaller butterfly I inked inside the folder with Pretty in Pink ink. I did the same with the Rose Red embossed panel - using Rose Red ink. I punched a Pretty in Pink border with the Lace Ribbon Border punch and positioned the Rose Red panel over the top so only part of the lace border showed. The sentiment is actually on one line so I masked and stamped twice to get the 'Happy Birthday' on two lines. To finish off the card front I added some clear rhinestones.

I stamped a sentiment inside, added a trio of embossed Pretty in Pink butterflies and popped on some clear rhinestones. A strip of the pretty paper, Rose Red CS strips plus a blinged butterfly added the finishing touches to the envelope.

Supplies:
Stamps: Happy Birthday from Hobby Art, inside sentiment from Stampendous
CS: PaperMania square white card blank, SU! Rose Red & Pretty in Pink
Patterned paper: SU! Flirtatious pack
Ink: SU! Rose Red & Pretty in Pink
Tools: SU! Beautiful Butterflies Bigz die, SU! Beautiful Wings Embosslits die, Craft Concepts Butterfly Kisses embossing folder, Cuttlebug Victoria embossing folder, Stamp-a-ma-jig
Embellishments & accessories: clear rhinestones, PaperMania pink glitter brad, 3d foam pads

Poinsettia & Holly Inky Card

2011-10-20T14:54:00.000+01:00

I've been playing with my distress inks and a water mister again so I've had very inky fingers! I started off with a Riding Hood Red A6 card base. I patted Wild Honey, Peeled Paint and Fired Brick inks on my heat resistant craft mat, misted with water and then smooshed a piece of Ranger manila CS through the inky mess. I blasted with my heat gun to dry the panel, trimmed it to size, inked the edges and then stamped the music background. Out came my favourite Fabulous Flourish stamp, I inked it with VersaMark ink and heat embossed it with Zing Brown Sugar embossing powder. Some spritzing with gold Perfect Pearls mist added some seasonal shimmer.

I'm puzzled as to why there doesn't seem to be a vanilla embossing powder for sale. When I decided I needed a vanilla powder I just couldn't find one out there. I followed a recommendation on Splitcoast Stampers to try the Zing Brown Sugar one so I went for that but I think it's a little more brown than vanilla. I like it but I'd still like to find a creamy vanilla one - Stampin' Up! need to add a Very Vanilla powder to their range!

I stamped the poinsettia on three different colours of red CS, cut the flower out in layers, inked the edges and joined the layers together with a sparkly gold brad. I then punched some holly leaves, inked the edges and added red pearls for berries. The poinsettia layers are all popped up.

That fab flourish made an appearance inside the card along with a gorgeous retro Merry Christmas sentiment. I stamped the flourish and inked the edges of the vanilla panel with Crumb Cake ink. I stamped the poinsettia on the envelope flap 3 times with Riding Hood Red ink to finish off.

Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts Fabulous Flourish & Music Background stamps, Creative Expressions Poinsettia stamp, 'Merry Christmas' from SU! Four the Holidays set
CS: SU! Riding Hood Red & Very Vanilla CS, Ranger manila CS, Core'dinations Barn Door, Cranberry & Fired Brick CS
Ink: Tim Holtz Wild Honey, Peeled Paint, Fired Brick & Brushed Corduroy Distress Inks, SU! Riding Hood Red & Crumb Cake
Tools: Martha Stewart Holly Branch punch, Crafts Too heat resistant craft mat, Ranger Mini Mister, heat gun
Embellishments & accessories: Zing Brown Sugar embossing powder, Heirloom Gold Perfect Pearls mist, PaperMania sparkly brad, red pearls, 3d foam pads

Foofy Flower Just For You Card - Simply Stampin' #29 Colour Challenge

2011-10-19T21:57:00.000+01:00

This week's Simply Stampin' challenge is a very interesting colour combo of Cajun Craze, Old Olive, Basic Black and Whisper White. I decided to use the lovely Medallion stamp and I layered black and olive circle mats and added a foofy flower in the centre. To make the flower, I punched 3 Cajun Craze Fancy Flower shapes, pierced a hole in the centre of each for a brad to go through, spritzed both sides with water and crumpled them up, unfolded them and crumpled them up again, repeating the unfolding and crumpling a few times. I joined the three layers together with one of the fabulous Antique brads. The sentiment was punched out with the Word Window punch and layered onto a Modern Label shape. I added punched photo corners to the top right and popped gems on the corner and sentiment.

Then there's a surprise when you open the card and see inside! It's a box card that folds flat to go in an envelope but it pops up when the card is opened. I glued a Whisper White panel inside, punched a Decorative Label aperture and added an olive piece of CS behind the aperture. I used the Boho Blossoms and Itty Bitty flower punches to make flowers to go on the piece of olive CS. I then added some die cut leaves, stamped the sentiment and stamped part of the Medallion on the envelope front.

I came across this type of card a few days ago. The one I saw was made using a 12" x 12" piece of CS but I wanted to use a piece of A4 CS. I cut an A4 piece of Cajun Craze CS so that the card was as tall as a normal A6 card. I then scored the CS on the long side at 3 1/2", 7", 7 1/2" and 11" and I had to cut a smidgen off the right hand side. The box part inside folds flat when the card is closed and the front of the card isn't wide enough to cover that. So I punched an Old Olive border with the Eyelet Border punch and glued it behind the card front. I think I may have avoided that if I'd glued the box shape differently, I'll have to try it again!

Here's a photo taken from the top so you can see the box shape on the inside of the card.

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Medallion bg stamp, Just Believe & Sincere Salutations sets
CS: SU! Cajun Craze, Old Olive, Basic Black & Whisper White
Ink: SU! Cajun Craze, Old Olive & Basic Black
Tools: SU! Fancy Flower, Photo Corners, Eyelet Border, Word Window, Modern Label, Decorative Label, Boho Blossoms & Itty Bitty Flower punches, SU! Little Leaves Sizzlits die
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Antique brad, clear rhinestones

Blue Sparkly Tree Merry Christmas Card

2011-10-16T15:49:00.000+01:00

Another sparkly Christmas card to add to the box. I started off with an A6 Baja Breeze card but I chopped some off the right hand side and used a snowflake border punch to add a decorative edge. I stamped the tree with Night of Navy ink and stamped the swoosh underneath to ground the tree with Baja Breeze ink. I used Heat and Stick powder before sprinkling on Dazzling Diamonds to make the whole panel sparkly. I added a thin mat of Night of Navy CS, stamped the sentiment and added a navy strip next to the snowflake border. To finish off the card front I added clear rhinestones to the snowflakes.

I glued a white panel inside the card but I felt that the part that was visible from the front looked too stark so I stamped the Texture wheel stamp in Baja Breeze. Much better, just takes that starkness away! I added a navy strip, stamped the sentiment, rounded the corners and added some punched snowflakes. I stamped a snowflake border on the front of the envelope.

Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts Branch & Flourish Tree, swoosh from Hero Arts Friendship Messages clear set, Merry Christmas from SU! Seasonal Wishes set, inside sentiment from Stampendous Christmas Wishes clear set, SU! Texture wheel stamp, snowflake border from My Cute Stamps Let It Snow set
CS: SU! Baja Breeze, Night of Navy & Whisper White
Ink: SU! Baja Breeze & Night of Navy, VersaMark
Tools: EK Success Snowflake slim edger punch, Woodware small snowflake punch, Crop-A-Dile Corner Chomper
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Heat & Stick powder, SU! Dazzling Diamonds, clear rhinestones

Going Giddy Over Ginkgo

2011-10-15T15:50:00.000+01:00

A while back a friend told me about a ginkgo leaf set that PaperTrey Ink were selling and she said the stamps were absolutely gorgeous. I said "they may well be gorgeous but I'm not looking!" I love leaves but I told myself I don't need any more leafy stamps. So I didn't look. For a while anyway I didn't look. Then one day I made the mistake of looking and it was all over, I fell in love with the Harvest Berries set immediately! Oh my goodness, the ginkgo leaves in the set are just beautiful, what a giddyingly gorgeous set - I'm not wild about the sentiment in the set but I can live with that as I love the leaves so much! I wonder why some images appeal so much more than others, it's fascinating.

I decided to make a birthday card but I ended up using a Christmassy colour combo! The white card measures 5 1/4" square. I die cut a large Sizzix ticket shape and layered that on green and brown mats. I stamped the ginkgo leaves on a separate piece of white CS in Memento Bamboo Leaves ink and cut them out. PaperTrey Ink actually sell a set of dies that match the stamps but until I get those I'm happy to cut them out with scissors. I popped up the cut out leaves, stamped a few berries with Adirondack Cranberry ink and then covered some of the berries with deep red metallic nailheads for a touch of contrast. I used the lovely SU! Dotted Scallop Ribbon border punch to cut a decorative strip of Cranberry CS, stamped the sentiment and then couldn't resist adding a small ginkgo leaf cluster over the strip to finish off.

More ginkgo leaves on the envelope and inside plus a birthday sentiment.

Supplies:
Stamps: PaperTrey Ink Harvest Berries set, SU! Curly Cute set, Hero Arts Yummy Treats clear set
CS: PaperMania white square card blank, Core'dinations Cranberry & French Roast, white CS
Ink: Memento Bamboo Leaves & Adirondack Cranberry
Tools: Sizzix Ticket Framelit die, SU! Dotted Scallop Ribbon border punch
Embellishments & accessories: deep red metallic nailheads, 3d foam pads