This card is for the lovely Wendy who I see at Joanne's fab Stampin' Up! Make & Take evenings. Like me, she loves pink so that made choosing my colour scheme easy. I've added a fair bit of bling for some sparkle - well, it is a milestone birthday for her after all!
I got to play with some new goodies on this card - the Hero Arts Clouds stamp and the large pink Kaisercraft rhinestones. I bought the stones from Paper Arts while I was away in the Cotswolds and I've been itching to use them on a card!
The card measures 5 3/4" square and was made with SU! Pretty in Pink CS. I stamped the clouds in Bashful Blue ink and then cut the square and mat out with square Nesties. The butterfly is a Cuttlebug die shape cut from Rose Red CS. After die cutting the shape, I inked the embossing folder before embossing the shape and then applied Raspberry Sparkle Perfect Pearls. I've added pink crystals to the butterfly body, folded the wings up a bit for dimension and have popped the butterfly up with 3d foam pads. The clouds image panel is also popped up over the patterned paper panel.
I just had to include a 40 on there! That was made with a QuicKutz alphabet die set - and I added more crystals to the square. This 40 square is also popped up with 3d foam pads.
I hope Wendy has a wonderful birthday - and that she liked her card!
Supplies:
Stamps: Sentiment and Clouds DesignBlock background stamp from Hero Arts
CS: SU! Pretty in Pink, Rose Red, Chocolate Chip & Whisper White
Patterned paper: SU! Rose Red Prints Designer Series Paper pack
Ink: SU! Bashful Blue and Rose Red
Tools: Cuttlebug Butterflies die cut and embossing combo set, square Nestability dies, QuicKutz Katie Skinni Mini alphabet die set
Embellishments & accessories: Raspberry Sparkle Perfect Pearls, SU! Pretty in Pink striped grosgrain ribbon, large Kaisercraft pink rhinestones, pink Swarovski crystals, 3d foam tape
Today's CAS challenge on Splitcoast Stampers is a colour challenge - we were to use pink, green, blue, chocolate (optional) and white or cream. I remembered the gorgeous My Mind's Eye 'Be Merry' Christmas papers I bought last year and they fit the bill perfectly. I haven't been able to play in the CAS challenges - or any challenges come to that - for a few weeks and it's good to be back!
The tree and blue snowflake strip are die cuts from the Be Merry accessory sheet. I went rootling in my stash for something to put at the top of the tree and was chuffed to find this pink star that came in a bag of mixed buttons. The sentiment stamp has stars on it but I decided to break out the bling and cover the stars up with pink gems - you've got to have some festive sparkle! 
Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts Merry & Bright
CS: White CS
Patterned paper: My Mind's Eye Be Merry Snowball Fun and Be Merry accessory sheet
Ink: SU! Chocolate Chip
Embellishments: Pink star button, Kaisercraft and PaperMania pink self adhesive gems
This was one of the cards we made at Joanne's September Stampers Ten Make & Take evening. The robins are made using the SU! 1 3/8" circle punch and the 5 Petal Flower punch - clever! It's hard to see the detail in this pic, please click on it to get a larger view. The red breast was made by punching a Ruby Red circle and then punching that circle in half. The wings, tails and beaks were made by trimming the petals from the flower punch. We lightly sponged the edges of all the shapes to add some definition. A white gel pen dot was added to highlight each eye.
The card measures 8" x 3" approximately. We used the SU! Season of Joy set for the background on the vanilla piece, the sentiment panel and the swirls the robins are perched on. The legs and feet were hand drawn with a Close to Cocoa marker and my robins are popped up with 3d foam pads. Gold elastic cord was threaded through holes pierced in the beaks and on either side of the sentiment panel. I couldn't resist adding some clear gems to finish off! 
Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Season of Joy set
CS: SU! Ruby Red, Very Vanilla, Old Olive, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip and Basic Black
Ink: SU! Old Olive, Ruby Red, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip
Tools: SU! 1 3/8" and 1/8" circle punches, SU! 5 Petal Flower punch, piercing tool
Embellishments & accessories: Gold elastic cord, white gel pen, clear gems, 3d foam pads
Two more Christmas cards that we made at my September card group meeting.
I just adore this little gingerbread man image! Although I was told at card group that I had to say gingerbread person - political correctness is everywhere LOL! I swiped Ruby Red ink around the main image and the white sentiment piece. The gingerbread person is popped up with 3d foam pads.
This next card measures just over 4" square. I had 2 packs of blue PaperMania DL sized card blanks, (the tall narrow ones) and I just wasn't inspired to make anything with those sized cards. Then I hit upon the idea of chopping the cards in half and it was much easier working with small square cards!
I scribbled Marvy pens on a ceramic tile and picked up the colour with a wet paintbrush to colour in the image. I love this ribbon treatment and don't use it nearly enough. Dawn uses it to great effect on lots of her fabulous cards!
Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts Cupcake Snowman & sentiment, Hero Arts Pine Bough, SU! Hung Up on the Holidays set, 'merry merry christmas to you!' sentiment from Penny Black
CS: White CS, PaperMania blue card blanks, SU! Real Red CS, silver CS
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black, SU! Ruby Red, Old Olive, Creamy Caramel & Chocolate Chip
Tools: Marvy Le Plume II pens, small snowflake punch
Embellishments & accessories: Silver brads, red grosgrain ribbon, black & white gingham ribbon
Here are a couple of simple Christmas cards I made using some PaperMania embossed card blanks. I thought they would be great 'cheats' for fast and easy cards! I have a thing about snowmen and snowflakes, they tend to be my favourite theme for Christmas cards.
I loved this cute Hero Arts cupcake snowman stamp when I first saw it but didn't buy it. After Christmas last year I saw it at half price - so then I couldn't resist and he came home with me! I just stamped the image, coloured with watercolour pencils, cut it out and popped it up with 3d foam tape. I added some ultrafine glitter for a touch of sparkle.
On this card I've used one of my new Labels Eight Nestie die shapes which I lightly spritzed with silver Glimmer Mist. It has a very subtle shimmer. The snowflakes are felt embellishments from Hero Arts. Actually, I might use this card as an after Christmas Thank You as it doesn't have a specific Christmassy sentiment. 
Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts Cupcake Snowman & sentiment, 'sparkle' from SU! Warm Words set
CS: White CS, SU! Bashful Blue CS, PaperMania embossed card blanks
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black, Encore Silver
Tools: Nestabilities Labels Eight die, watercolour pencils
Embellishments & accessories: Hero Arts felt snowflakes, Silver Glimmer Mist, Stardust embossing powder, ultrafine glitter, crystals, 3d foam tape
I've made this card to say huge thanks to our friends Kevin and Peter. We stayed at their beautiful home in the Cotswolds and they arranged for us to have a lovely meal to celebrate our Silver Wedding Anniversary.
I chose Bashful Blue, Old Olive and More Mustard and the starry theme based on the SU! Rock Star Card Elements pack pictured in the SU! catty. I used a Sizzix die for the stars, popping some of them up with 3d foam pads.
The sentiment is from a clear set. SU! Classic inks bead up on clear stamps so I use chalk, pigment or VersaFine inks with my clear stamps. However, Kristina Werner gave a tip on a recent video about using VersaMark ink on the clear stamp before using SU! inks. I tried it for the sentiment on this card and it worked beautifully I'm chuffed to say!
Talking of Kristina, it's down to her videos that I have the Crop-A-Dile Corner Chomper for rounding my corners! I love that I can round all the corners of a card.
Supplies:
Stamps: sentiment from the Hero Arts Thank You Messages set
CS: SU! Bashful Blue, More Mustard & Old Olive
Patterned paper: SU! Old Olive Designer Series Prints pack
Ink: VersaMark & SU! Old Olive
Tools: Sizzix original Stars #2 die, Crop-A-Dile Corner Chomper
Embellishments & accessories: Pebbles Inc. Baby Blue and Spring Green Candy Dots, 3d foam pads
I was delighted with the Go Kreate shaped dies I bought a while ago as I love brackety shapes. The only downside is that you can't make cards with them that stand up. I'm thrilled that cards made with the Nestability Labels Eight dies actually stand up, yay!
This card is for my SU! demo Joanne's August Stampers Ten challenge. She gave us some Choc Chip, Old Olive and Ruby Red CS, a piece of Holiday Treasures DSP, some Choc Chip ribbon and a stamped thank you element. This card will go to our great friends Debs and Mike to say thank you for our anniversary gifts.
I changed the element by punching a circle to get my flower centre and the thank you donut shape. The large flower is a QuicKutz Revolution die and I shaped the petals a wee bit for dimension. I got busy with my Cuttlebug embossing folders, I embossed the red and olive shapes and the flower too. I used an olive Felt Fusion flower inside the donut and popped on a clear crystal.
Supplies:
Stamps: I suspect Joanne is giving us a sneaky peek of a new SU! set!
CS: SU! Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive & Whisper White
Patterned paper: SU! Holiday Treasures DSP
Tools: Labels Eight Nestabilities dies, Cuttlebug Victoria, Spots and Dots and D'vine Swirl embossing folders, QuicKutz Revolution Flower die, plain and scalloped circle punches
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon, olive Felt Fusion flower, clear Swarovski crystal, 3d foam pads
Finally, I've managed to get back to my craft room and make a card! I was away for nearly 3 weeks and really missed my crafting. Then when I got back I decided my room needed some long overdue organisation so I spent a day or two sorting things out and it's much better now. Finally, I have my scraps under control.
This card is for Jan and Alan to say thanks for the Silver Wedding Anniversary gift they gave to us. I tried the faux embossing technique a while back, using this stamp, and really loved the effect so I thought it was time to do it again. I stamped the image with Brilliance white ink first, then using my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig, stamped the image again slightly to the right in Old Olive ink.
While I was away I did no crafting at all but at least I managed a trip to a craft shop, Paper Arts near Stroud. I had a very happy time there looking at their lots of treasures. I bought the spiral clips there - along with a few other goodies and a couple of magazines! I kept things simple, just a panel of Basic Grey Sultry paper, some Old Olive grosgrain ribbon and my layered piece put across the card at an angle. I added some brads and some gorgeous SU! Floral Fusion felt flowers to the main image piece which is popped up with 3d foam tape. 
Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts Silhouette Corner, sentiment from SU! Sincere Salutations set
CS: SU! Rose Red, Chocolate Chip & Old Olive
Patterned paper: Basic Grey Sultry 6" x 6" pad
Ink: Brilliance Moonlight White, SU! Old Olive & Chocolate Chip
Embellishments & accessories: Old Olive grosgrain ribbon, Choc Chip grosgrain ribbon, Floral Fusion felt flowers, brads, spiral clip, SAMJ, 3d foam tape
I saw this mirror image (also called reflection) technique shown on a video tutorial at Dawn's Stamping Thoughts blog. Please click here if you would like to view the video - the page will open in a new window. I loved the card Dawn made and really wanted to try it out myself. I don't have the SU! Lovely As A Tree set but I'm thinking about getting it, but I don't like all the stamps in the set. I think I would end up using just the winter trees stamp and I'm reluctant to buy a set just for the one stamp! Anyway, my friend Jan recently bought the set and she asked me to trim the stamps for her. As my reward for trimming the rubber, I got to play with the stamps!
I made two cards, one plain and one with a Christmas sentiment. Both cards measure 5 3/4" square. Hmmm, what are those unfamiliar metal thingies on the plain card? Oh yes, eyelets! I have a drawer full of eyelets and haven't used any in ages - but I recently got a Crop-A-Dile so I just had to try it out. Oh my giddy aunt, I'm kicking myself at not getting a CAD sooner - it's brilliant!
I stamped the trees at the top of the CS first and then stamped the image again in black StazOn ink on a piece of acetate. Then I flipped over the acetate, positioned it under the first stamped image and ran my brayer across to transfer the ink to make the reflection. I then used 2 punched circles as masks for the moons and sponged blue inks for the sky and green inks for the ground. I'm very happy with how this technique turned out and I think they make great masculine cards.
I reversed the colours on this card and added a Christmas sentiment. 
Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Lovely As A Tree set, Christmas sentiment from SU! Best Yet set
CS: SU! Whisper White, Not Quite Navy and Always Artichoke
Ink: Black StazOn, SU! Bashful Blue, Bordering Blue, Not Quite Navy, Mellow Moss and Always Artichoke
Tools: Crop-A-Dile, SU! plain and scalloped oval punches, circle punch
Embellishments & accessories: Silver eyelets, acetate, post-it notes for moon masks, sponges
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