SUNFLOWER

This card is REALLY REALLY pretty in real life!

Stamp: Pursuit of Happiness
Cardstock: Daffodil Delight
Ink: Black Stazon
Accessories: 2 1/2" circle punch, white detailed embossing powder, sponged with Tangerine Tango and dimensionals.

CASING - MY WAY

When I got my package of DSP Mocha Morning, I was telling my friend all about it. Which pages were flocked, which sheets had metallic on it etc. Then I told her that I didn't like the HUGE polka dotted page at all!!! She sent me link to Mary Fish's website called stampinpretty.com which had this BEAUTIFUL, GORGEOUS card made with the HUGE polka dotted DSP. So OK, I had to admit, it was stunning as well!!! So I tried (that's the key word here) to CASE it, but I didn't have a lot of items with me so I had to improvise! Mary does take better pictures than I do as well. But in real life my card is pretty too! : )

Here is Mary's card:


Here is mine:


Here is the recipe:
Stamp: Pursuit of Happiness
Cardstock: DSP Mocha Morning, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Soft Suede
Ink: Soft Suede
Accessories: 2 1/2" circle punch, Antique Brad, Crochet Trim Victoria, Heart (from the Owl Punch) and dimensionals.

LAST OF THE SUMMER STAMPING AT TAFT

This summer I have been so fortunate to have been able to stamp with a group of ladies who live here in CT. They are wonderful, creative and they love to laugh!

Here is my crafting area BEFORE the girls arrive:


Here is my table after stamping for almost 5 hours! From left is Lois, Donna, Rhonda and Pat.



Here are the girls with a card they made:







Thank you Rhonda for bringing the techniques and supplies for us to make the above cards! I'm going to try them when I get home!



Pat tried the new letterpress folder called fancy fan. AFTER we tried it once, we decided to read the directions!! Evidentally you are supposed to use CRAFT ink, oh well!!! It sure looks good to me!



Rhonda brought this beautiful arrangement of flowers made of designer paper! They are soooo beautiful!!!


I'm going to miss you all!!!! mmmmmwwwwwaaaaaaaa

EASEL CARDS

I had some fun making these cards. What do you think of them?



Stamps: Turtle & Co., Create A Cupcake (Salutation)
Cardstock: In Color Pool Party, Whisper White
Ink: Black Stazon, In Color Pool Party
Accessories: Embossing Folders, Perfect Polka Dots, Designer Frames, In Color Pool Party Ruffled Ribbon, eyelet border punch, In Color Markers Pool Party and Wisteria Wonder



This card is a mini version of the previous post.

Stamp Set: Turtle & Co., Create A Cupcake (salutation)
Cardstock: Baja Breeze, Very Vanilla, Elegant Soiree (retired)
Ink: Baja Breeze, Soft Suede, Black Stazon
Accessories: Embossing folder designer frames & perfect polka dot, Rhinestone Brad, Baja Breeze seam binding, eyelet border punch, blender pens, sponging, dimensionals

CASING

If you have been stamping for a while, you will have heard of the word CASE which means Copy and Share Everything. I found a beautiful card on SplitCoastStampers, that Sandy Mathis had made and I had to try to make something like it, hence CASING.

Here is her card, gorgeous just does not even come close to describing it.




Here is my attempt:




My next attempt will be a little better!!!! But I do like it A LOT!!

STAMPING WITH PAT HUNTOON

I am in Connecticut and have had the fortune to spend a lot of time with Pat Huntoon this Summer. She came up here (over an hour away) a couple times already. And as always she was kind enough to share ideas and teach this old dog some new tricks!

So without further hesitation (I know you wanna see them) here are the cards we made.




These techniques can be found in the June/July Technique Junkies newsletter. Click here to find out more.

Then we all had a "stamp off" and made a card using Pat's new stamps from Stampin' Up!

Here are the results:

Pat and her card.

Donna and her card.

Me and my card!!!

Please let me know what you think!!!!

MALE BIRTHDAY CARDS

As you can see I have pulled out some retired DSP called Elegant Soiree. I just love that DSP!

We have two male birthdays this week so I put together these cards for them. This first one is used with a 8 1/2" x 11" piece of cardstock because he is a faculty member and there will be lots of people signing his card so I needed a big card!!!

Don't forget, if you want to see it up close, click on the picture.






Stamp Set: Sense of Time
Cardstock: Crumbcake, Soft Suede Baja Breeze, DSP Elegant Soiree
Ink: Soft Suede, Baja Breeze
Accessories: Square Lattice Embossing Folder, sponges, versamark, clear embossing powder




Stamp Set: Artifacts (retired), Salutation from Create a Cupcake
Cardstock: Baja Breeze, Soft Suede and Very Vanilla
Ink: Baja Breeze, Soft Suede
Accessories: Sponge

BOOKMARKS USING TWO TAGS BIGZ DIE

My friend, Patti, came over to stamp today and since she is a librarian, I thought it would be fun to make some bookmarks. I ran the DSP then the Very Vanilla through the Big Shot and applied adhesive to them. We also did not want the back of the brads to be exposed since it will be a bookmark, so we bent the brads till they popped off! The back of each bookmark is smooth!







Patti, you look so happy with your final projects!!!


Stamps: Salutation (friend to friend) from Pocket Silhouettes, Medallion stamp is from Artistic Etchings
Cardstock: DSP Springtime Vintage (retired), Baja Breeze, Very Vanilla
Ink: Baja Breeze
Accessories: Two Tags Bigz Die, Antique Brads, 2 3/8" circle punch Modern Label Punch, 1 3/4" circle punch, clear embossing powder, sponges, crochet trim ribbons Chantilly 1/2" and Victoria 5/8", punch mat

EMBOSSED MEDALLION

I've been inspired by Pat Huntoon. Go see her blog here. After visiting her I got out my embossing powder and heat gun and away I went!

This first card is Emboss Resist where I stamped the Medallion Background Stamp with Versamark on Very Vanilla cardstock, then used a clear embossing powder. Then I sponged it with Crumb Cake.

Stamp Set: Medallion
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Soft Suede
Ink: Crumb Cake, Versamark
Accessories: sponges, antique brad, eyelet border punch



This next card again uses the Medallion Background Stamp. This time I used the Rock and Roll Technique where I inked the new In Color Pool Party in the middle and added Baja Breeze on the outside. Then on a separate piece of paper I inked the center with the In Color Island Indigo. I then covered it with versamark and covered it in clear embossing powder. Then I used the 2 1/2" circle punch to cut it out. I added dimensionals and a rhinestone brad and attached it to the card. Then I used scallop trim border punch and white satin ribbon.



I hope you enjoy viewing these cards.

EMBOSSING RESIST

I haven't used this technique in a long time, but I really love it!

Stamp Sets: Because I Care (retired)
Cardstock: In Color Pool Party & Lucky Limeade, Whisper White
Ink: Pool Party, Marina Mist, Lucky Limeade (all sponged over the white embossed flower)
Accessories: Square Lattice Textured Impressions, White Satin Ribbon, Antique Brad, White Embossing Powder, Eyelet Border Punch, Dimensions

EASEL CARD

While trying to come up with a shoe box swap, I looked through splitcoast stampers to find some ideas. Then I remembered the Easel Card and found Beate's tutorial there.

So here is what I came up with, I hope you like it!





It's really a lot of fun to do, I hope you give it a try.

Stamps: SAB Bliss (retired), Salutation from Perfect Silhouettes
Cardstock: Rich Razzleberry, Blushing Bride
Accessories: Rhinestone Brads, Eyelet Border Punch, spritzed with rubbing alcohol and shimmer paint, dimensionals (for butterfly), sponging

My Visit With Pat Huntoon

We had the most marvelous day!!! We played with a few techniques which will be in the next Technique Junkie Newsletter. I can't post those pictures yet, but I can post one of the cards I made with her. We challenged each other by using the same hostess stamp set called Faith in Nature. I think my pear looked like a pear, but her pear looked like an Avacado or a Mango! We will leave it up to her stampers to decide which one they like the best!!! Check out the new ruffled ribbon....oh so lovely!!!

Here is my card:





I just can't think of anything more fun than stamping with a friend!!! Oh did I mention we laughed a lot as well???? Oh yeah!!! Laughing makes your imagination and your creative juices start flowing!!

After visiting Pat I decided to try this technique again only using sponges instead of water color! Just so you know, Pat doesn't play fair! She gave me regular paper to water color on and kept talking to me to distract me from working. Finally I saw that my markers were NOT blending like they should and the paper started coming apart. That's when I realized.....I've been sabotaged!!!! So I'm gonna post that picture so you can see what she did to me!!!






Oh and have I told you what a little rascal she is???? She didn't want her picture taken so everytime I tried, she would poke her head back behind her card....till I realized she was looking at the flash and then ducking back.....SO hehe, I turned off the flash and caught her!!!



Thanks Pat for a day filled with fun, laughter and creativity!!! Thank you for lunch too!!!

I'VE BEEN CRAFTING !!

My friend who is an art teacher came by to stamp and we created this beautiful masterpiece!!!


She did the rock and roll technique using the new In Color Pool Party for the center and Marina Mist around the outside of the flower followed by the In Color Lucky Limeade Marker. We ran the Crumb Cake through the square lattice textured embossing folder and layered it onto Marina Mist Cardstock and last year's In Color Pear Pizzaz. We used the Pear Pizzaz seam binding and covered it with the crochet trim and added the bling of the antique brads. She also used the blender pens in the middle of the flower. Nice huh???




These next two cards are the same design using different colors! Which one do you like?


I used the new In Colors: Lucky Limeade and Pool Party along with Daffodil Delight. Also Daffodil Delight Grosgrain Ribbon and Textured Back ground.



On this one I used the New In Color Calypso Coral and Lucky Limeade. Certainly Celery Grosgrain Ribbon, Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impression. Aren't they beautiful?


On both cards I used Perfect Silhouettes stamp set, 1 1/4" circle punch, modern label punch.

PEACH CUPCAKES

This card is for a young girl whose birthday is on the 4th of July, but she is from another country so I decided NOT to go with red, white and and blue!




Stamp Set: Create A Cupcake
Punch: Build A Cupcake, Scallop Border Punch
Cardstock: Peach Parfait, DSP In Color 2011
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Peach Parfait
Accessories: Versamark, Irridescent Ice

NAUTICAL BIRTHDAY

Love this Nautical Theme!



Stamps: The Open Sea, Sincere Salutations
Cardstock: Not Quite Navy, DP Nautical Expedition
Ink: Not Quite Navy
Accessories: Designer Buttons (neutral), glue dots, hemp twine

IT'S HERE! THE 2011-2012 STAMPIN' UP! CATALOG

CHECK IT OUT HERE!!

Also something to think about:

$99 Starter Kit

Friends, Fun, and Fabulous Products!

During July, you can join the Stampin' Up! family as a demonstrator for only $99! This limited time Starter Kit--valued at $185--comes with the following high-quality products:

• Easy Events Clear-Mount Set*
• Pennant Parade Wood-Mount Set*
• Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad
• Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad
• Pumpkin Pie Classic Stampin' Pad
• Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad
• Brights 8-1/2" x 11" Assorted Card Stock
• Just Add Cake Designer Series Paper*
• Chocolate Chip 1/2" Scallop Dots Ribbon*
• Note Cards (20)
• Clear-Mount Block C
• Blender Pen (1)
• SNAIL Adhesive
• Business supplies

*Brand new to the 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog!

Plus, join in July and get a FREE Christmas Keepsake project kit--a $40 value! Imagine an afternoon spent chatting with friends while creating something beautiful--isn't that what Stampin' Up! is all about? But act now because this special kit is only available as part of this limited-time offer.

As an added bonus, first-time demonstrators can get two free months of Demonstrator Business Web Services (DBWS) when they sign up during their first 21 days as a demonstrator. Subscribing to DBWS means having your own online store, blog, hostess portal, and much more!

Join Stampin' Up! in July and get brand-new products, including an exclusive project kit--all for just $99! Download the starter paperwork now! Contact me to get started today.