MONDAY

Today's card is one I created for my oldest grandson who turned 18 this week.  Where does the time go??  He loves his drums, thus the theme.

I used the retired Cake Soiree  framelit to get the base of the drum.  I cut off the top of the cake and drew some lines to create the drum image.  Not perfect, put I was happy with it.  I used retired brads and some twine for the front and matches for the drumsticks.

He always appreciates my cards, which I try to personalize for my grandkids, so it is fun creating one for him.

Happy Birthday, Colton!  He is a winner.

FUN FOLD/PROJECT FRIDAY

Today's post is a frame that I made for an auction gift for Sweet Grace Ministries.  I have mentioned this organization before.  It is a local organization that supports families who have experienced an infant loss.  In October there is a walk to remember and several auction items will be available to help raise money for the organization.  Part of their theme includes a butterfly.

I CASED this from a project made by Patricia Preston.  It is basically the same as hers, but with a few changes.

I know some of the supplies are retired, but we know we all have those items.

Supplies:

Botanical Butterfly Salebration DSP 2019

Black, Whisper White cardstock

Butterfly Duet Punch

Gingham Gala DSP (retired)

Stamp Sets: Hold Onto Hope pg 45 AC; Beauty Abounds pg 87 AC; message from retired set Trust God

Pear Pizazz, Momento, Highland Heather, Balmy Blue, Grapefruit Grove, Daffodil Delight Ink

Stitched Rectangle Framelits

 9 x 9 Frame from Michaels

Gingham Gala Sequins pg 178 AC

WEDNESDAY

Today's card is another one using the Harvest Hellos stamp set that we made at stamp camp.

This is an easy card that can be used for any occasion during the fall.

Supplies:

Harvest Hellos stamp set and punch (sold as a Bundle on pg 49 of HC)

Whisper White, Mossy Meadow cardstock

Mossy Meadow, Early Espresso, Pumpkin Pie Ink

Come to Gather DSP

Stitched Nested Label Dies pg 91 AC

Magnolia Lane Ribbon Pack pg 174 AC

Retired Message from Sincere Salutations

Dimensionals

MONDAY

Today I am sharing one of our stamp camp cards for the month of September.  I love the Harvest Hellos Stamp Set.

This is a perfect "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" get well card.  I love that you can make this background stamp any color that you want.

Supplies:

Harvest Hello stamp set pg 49 HC and matching apple punch

Buffalo check background stamp pg 156 AC

Stitched Rectangle Die

Circle Die

Stitched Shapes Die

Basket Weave Embossing folder (can't see it here, but it is on the Crumb Cake rectangle)

Momento and Lovely Lipstick Ink

Crumb Cake, Whisper white, Black cardstock

Enamel Dots

Blender Pens

Dimensionals

FRIDAY

So, I missed the Wed post so I am going to show you a bunch of things today.  Last Friday I showed you a fun frame and a link on how to make it.  I promised I would share some other projects I made using the technique.  Here they are:

There are so many possibilities.  Have fun creating some of your own.

TUESDAY

I'm posting today because I forgot to yesterday.  This is another Harvest Hello card.  This is a perfect get well card at this time of year, especially, with the apple theme.

 Easy to do.

Supplies:

Real Red, Pretty Peacock cardstock

Petty Peacock, Momento Ink

Stampin' Blends 

Come Gather Together DSP

Dimensionals

Oval Punches (retired)

Of course you can use a current punch or die for the message, but I'm always glad I have some of my retired items (actually quite a few!) that work perfectly when I need them.  I'm sure you can all relate. 

FUN FOLD FRIDAY

Today's fold is one I found on Splitcoast stampers website.  The tutorial show you how to make a frame in almost any size you would want.  Here is the card I created using the frame.

I am including the youtube video here, created by Betty Tracy.  She will walk you through the steps to make this frame in a variety of ways.  Remember that whatever frame you choose to make will be 2" smaller the whole way around from the size of paper that you cut.  If you make the frame that pops up, your frame will end up to be 3" smaller that your paper size.  This is such a fun technique fold.

Supplies for this card:

Vanilla, Cajun craze ink pad

Colorful Seasons Dies

Come to Gather DSP pg 48 HC

Subtle Embossing Folder

Pearls

Dimensionals  

Next week I will show you a couple of other projects I created using this fold technique.  Come back then.  In the meantime, try some of your own.

WEDNESDAY

Today is another card using Harvest Hellos using more traditional fall colors.  This is another great fall card that can be used for most occasions.

This is another card made at our Proverbial Stampers Set Sampler meeting.

Supplies:

Harvest Hellos Bundle pg 49 HC (stamps and punch)

Early Espresso, Pumpkin Pie, Crumb Cake cardstock

Cajun Craze, Old Olive, Crumb Cake ink

Twine from Come To Gather Ribbon Combo Pack pg 47 HC

Come To gather DSP pg 48 HC

2 1/4" Circle Punch

Burlap Ribbon pg 175 AC

Dimensionals

MONDAY

Today's card is one that we made at the annual Set Sampler Day with the Proverbial Stampers. I am not sure who the designer is.  It is a great card that can be used for many different occasions at this time of year.

I love that the card uses some non traditional fall colors.

Supplies used:

Harvest Hellos Stamp Set and matching punch - sold in a bundle for a 10% savings

pg 49 of the Holiday Catalog

Momento, Early Espresso Ink Pads

Come to Gather DSP - pg 48 Holiday Catalog

Pretty Peacock, Early Espresso cardstock

Pinewood Planks Embossing Folder

Blender Pen to dip into ink pad lid and color pumpkin

Come to Gather Ribbon Combo Pack pg 47 Holiday Catalog

Ornate Frames Dies pg 53 HC

Noble Peacock Rhinestones pg 178 AC

Message from Gather Together Stamp Set pg 48 HC

FRIDAY

Today I am playing with the new Stampin' Up Watercolor Crystals.  I also used the Dandelion Wishes Stamp Set, which I finally ordered after thinking about it for a year.  Here are two samples.

The Watercolor Crystals are basically the same as Brusho, but I love the little bottles and that the colors are matched to Stampin' Up colors.  You get six bottles in a set and there is a color dot on the top to denote the Stampin' Up color.

With Brusho you have to poke holes in the lid before you apply.  With this new bottle the holes are already there and there is a flip top lid to open and close.  They also fit nicely in your hand.  Love it!

There are many videos on youtube to show the different ways to use this product.  You can search for Watercolor Crystals or Brusho because you apply them the same way you do with Brusho pigments.

For my project I lightly spritzed my Watercolor Paper first with water.  Then I sprinkled the crystals on.  I wanted it to spread a little more so I spritzed a little more water on top of the crystals.  This is so much fun to work with and you can get many effects.

You do want to be careful when applying because you may have rainbow hands when you are finished.  Have fun and be careful.

Supplies used:

Cardstock:  Very Vanilla, Night of Navy, Bermuda Bay, Poppy Parade, Daffodil Delight, Watercolor Paper

Watercolor Crystals and Water Spritzer

Ink Pads:  Versa Mark, Night of Navy

Black and Clear Embossing Powder

Pearls, Black Rhinestones

Heat Tool

Just in case you didn't know - You can make any color of embossing powder that you want by inking your stamp first with VersaMark and then inking next with your color choice.  Stamp that onto your cardstock and add Clear Embossing Powder.  Voila'!  You have a new embossing color.  This does not hurt your color pad to have some VersaMark on it.

WEDNESDAY

Another Magnolia Morning card - I love this set.

I actually CASDed this card from Francie Martin.  The only thing I changed was to add some sparkly black ribbon in the space between the two DSP pieces.  The message is retired, but I realized after I stamped it that there is a "thinking of you" I could have used also in the Magnolia set.

Supplies:

Magnolia Morning stamp set

Whisper White, Black, Petal Pink cardstock

Momento ink

Magnolia Lane DSP (pieces cut are 3 x 3 3/4 and 1 1/2 x 3 3/4)

Oval Framelits

MONDAY

Loving this set, Good Morning Magnolia, and using it for Stamp Camp.

Cut out your largest Stitched Rectangle Framelit for your pink layer.

Stamp your Magnolia on Whisper White and color with Stampin' Blends.

Lay your flower on the pink layer, turn over and trim off the pieces that hang over the edge.

Then glue your flower to the pink layer.

The bow and the Sympathy message are retired items.

FRIDAY

Today's card is a fun, manly card for any occasion with a few tips on how to make it with some paper saving techniques.

When you cut out the green grass, cut it out of the middle of your Old Olive layer.  Your Old Olive layer gets covered up so you wont see the hole it creates, but you won't have to use another piece of Old Olive scrap.

When you cut your Stitched Rectangle Framelits lay the small one inside the larger one and cut both out at the same time.  This will give you the "frame" you need for the card.

Then when you cut out the small rectangle to be used for the message, cut it out of the inside piece you got when cutting the frame.  Once again this saves you using other scraps.

Supplies:

Very Vanilla, Old Olive, Crumb Cake, /soft Suede cardstock

Stamps: Best Catch (with thinlits), Crackle Paint Background, small stamp of your choice for message

Ink:  Soft Suede, Early Espresso for message

Dimensionals

Stampin' Blends, Wink of Stella

I used a a long retired punch to make the top of the cattails.

I love how the fish fins pop up in this set!

WEDNESDAY

I missed a couple of days again so I will share two cards today that we made at stamp camp.

The first card is very simple.

Supplies:

Night of Navy, Cherry Cobbler, Smokey Slate Ink

Night of Navy, Whisper White cardstock

High Tide, Bokeh Dots Stamp Sets

First stamp your Bokeh Dot image in the center.  I actually inked my stamp with an old roller that we sold because I think it gives this stamp a better inked image.  I LIGHTLY inked the roller then ran the roller off on scratch paper one time before I inked the stamp.

The lighthouse is two step stamping.  Stamp the more solid lighthouse first, then ink and stamp off the second lighthouse image before lining it up and stamping on top of the first image.

Stamp your birds and the message you want.  This thinking of you message is from Sincere Salutations, a very old favorite of mine, long retired.

The second card can also be used for any occasion and is another Simple Stamping idea.

Supplies:

White, Balmy Blue Cardstock

Bird Ballad DSP

Momento Ink

Circle Framelits

Braided Linen Trim

Free as a Bird Stamp Set and Good Morning Magnolia set for the message

Stampin' Blends

TUESDAY

I know I skipped yesterday, but I want to get this project posted so you can RSVP if you would like to get on my mailing list.  The project can be mailed to you, minus the frame, for the same $25.  That should cover postage.

We will be making this Summer Sampler and I am planning on having a class for a frame for each of the four seasons.  Here is the summer one we will be creating.  the frame is 9 x 9 and can either hang on the wall or is free standing in a holder.

For those of you who are local and would like to attend, the class is scheduled for Friday, July 19th at either 9:30 am or 6:30 pm.  Cost is $25 including the frame.  RSVPs are needed by July 10th.

RSVP for class or for mailing.  

MONDAY

I would like to think I am back to posting.  We will see how it goes.  I have had some health concerns I am dealing with, but, hopefully, things are moving in a positive direction.

Today's card is one I worked on using the Beauty Abounds Stamp Set for a birthday card.

I also used the Butterfly Duet Punch and a circle from the Stitched Shapes Dies.  The DSP is from Sale-a-bration.  I have a lot of that beautiful DSP to use up.  The message is from the retired set Golden Afternoon.

Sorry to use some retired items but don't we all have those products and need to use them?

Of course, new catalogs are here and you can see all the wonderful new products by clicking on the icon on the right or contact me so I can see that you get the real deal in your hands.  There's nothing like turning the pages of a new catalog!

For the first time ever Stampin' Up has added stamp sets to the Clearance Rack while supplies last.  Check it out by clicking on the Clearance Rack icon on the right.  Don't miss out.  There are some great deals.

When you come back it will already be July.  Where is the time going?  

MONDAY

Today's post is a little different, but something I have been working on.  These are some favors for Sweet Grace Ministries' get together before Mother's Day.  I made 30 of them.  It was a great way for me to use my DSP.  Their symbol is a butterfly and I try to design some kind of a favor each year for this event, featuring a butterfly in some way.

I cut out the butterflies with the Butterfly Beauty Thinlit Die using some retired DSP.  The DSP was white with glossy designs.  When you ink the paper it takes on a resist look.  So I colored each butterfly using a sponge dauber inked from the ink pad.  Then I took a tissue and wiped each butterfly off so that I could remove any ink from the glossy resist area.  I attached each one to the stick by adding a little Multipurpose Tombow to two areas on the butterflies.  I love how these turned out.

The colors I used were Pool Party, Gorgeous Grape (I thought I had Highland Heather), Crushed Curry, Flirty Flamingo, and Pear Pizazz.

They can be used in a potted plant (indoors).

I have focused on Sweet Grace Ministries before, but it is always good to have a reminder about what this great organization is.  It was started by a local friend who lost her first child at birth.  The organization supports families who are grieving the loss of an infant.  They provide a basket filled with remembrance items, photography of the newborn, and continued support for the family through their support groups. It is such a worthy cause.  If you would like to learn more about this organization visit here.

FRIDAY

Today I am showcasing a few more retiring products.  Here is the card and then I will tell you what will be gone forever.

The two panels at the top of the card show the 2 retiring Embossing Folders - Dot to Dot and Oh My Stars.

The "celebrate" in the middle is from the Celebrate You Thinlits and they are retiring also.  This was made by using Brusho Crystals on Watercolor Paper and then cutting the thinlit out.

This is an easy card to make and can be used with many color combinations and/or combinations of embossing folders.  There is also Wink of Stella on certain areas of the folders but it is hard to see here.

Don't forget to order your retiring products.  Some are already gone.

WEDNESDAY

Our featured retiring set today is Golden Afternoon.

Other retiring product: Petal Pair Embossing Folder

Other supplies:

Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Whisper White cardstock

Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Momento Ink

Stitched Rectangle Framelits

Stampin' Blends

Braided Linen Trim

This card would be good for any occasion. Just change the message.

MONDAY

Showcasing another retiring set - Petal Palette.  I love this set, so, once again, I will not be giving this one away.  However, there is a beautiful new bird set coming out in the new Annual Catalog.  Can't wait to get my hands on it.  In the meantime, order your Petal Palette set before it is gone.

Retiring - Petal Palette stamp set; Lemon Lime Twist Ink

Already retired - Butterfly gala DSP from Sale-a-bration; White Organdy ribbon

Other products used:

Balmy Blue, Whisper White cardstock

Momento Ink Pad

Stampin' Blends

Stitched Shape Framelits

Oval Framelits

FUN FOLD FRIDAY

Better late than never.

Today's card features the retiring Half Full Stamp Set and the Wood Textures DSP.

To make the fold, just take a regular size piece of cardstock cut at 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 and score in the middle.  Then cut out a piece by cutting down the fold line until you have 2 1/4" left of cardstock.  This will form the flap that opens the card.

I used the Rectangle Stitched Framelits for the stamped image and then just layered two more pieces behind it.  You could use any shape you want for this piece - circle, oval, square - whatever works best with the stamp that you are using.

The message on the inside is from an already retired set.  

I used Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive and White cardstock, and Rich Razzleberry and Old Olive Stampin' Blends to color the images.

I love the versatility of this stamp set.  You can use it for Christmas, a general card or attach with a label when you gift someone with a bottle of wine.  I won't be getting rid of this set even though it is retiring.  there are some you just HAVE to hold onto.

MONDAY

I will be concentrating on retiring items the next few weeks.  Today's card uses one of the embossing folders from the Petal Pair, found on pg 223 of the Annual Catalog.  I always hate to see things disappear, but there is always something new and exciting to look forward to.

That is really the only thing on this card that is retiring.  The Healing Hugs stamp set will return as a cling set.  Other items used:

Calypso Coral, Flirty Flamingo, Whisper White cardstock

Calypso Coral, Pear Pizazz ink

Pearlized Doilies

Basic Adhesive-Backed Sequins

Diamonds

Dimensionals 

FUN FOLD FRIDAY

Today I have a couple of cute little Easter treat holders for you.  Of course, you can make these for any occasion.

This little box uses the Tiny Treat Thinlit.  It is now retired, but if you have it, it is the cutest and is very easy to put together.  The other thing I love about it is that you can get 2 boxes out of one 8 1/2 x 11 piece of card stock.  Love when that happens.

Just cut out the box with your Big Shot, fold on the score lines and adhere together with Tombow . For the tag I used the Oval Framelits and the Gingham Gala DSP.  I hate to see this DSP go away, but maybe they will bring it back with some new colors in the new catalog.

I colored the bunny with Stampin' Blends and popped it up on the oval with Dimensionals. 

The punch with the message is also discontinued, but it works perfectly.  I attached a Gingham Gala Adhesive backed flower sequin onto the message.

The message and the bunny are from the Fable Friends Stamp Set.

I made 40+ of these little boxes using different colors of cardstock and DSP.  Each one is filled with crinkle paper and a couple small pieces of Easter candy. 

The second project is an easy peasy envelope that you could use for many different occasions.  Rather than post all the dimensions and pictures here, just visit Pootles here

https://pootles.co.uk/2016/03/14/watercolour-chick-treat-bags-tutorial/ and she will show you how to make the bag.

I used all retired products to make this - DSP, ribbon, stamp set, and punches.  Sometimes you just have to pull out that "old" stuff to complete your projects.

Each envelope is filled with crinkle paper and a personal size bag of M & M's.

Praying that everyone has a wonderful Easter and that you are able to spend time with your loved ones.  

Thanks be to God and the gift of his son Jesus Christ in our lives.

WEDNESDAY

I am so sorry to have been gone away for so long.  I have been dealing with some health concerns.  Although they will continue, I now know the direction I am going and hope I will be able to resume normal posting.  Welcome back!  Hope you will stick around.

Here are two cards I created for Easter.  Since that is only a few days away, I will share both.

This card idea with the draped ribbon was inspired by Jackie Bolhuis

 Supplies for the above card:
White, Basic Gray card stock
Pool Party Ink
Cross of Hope Framelits
Butterfly Beauty Thinlits
Flourishing Phrases Stamp Set - I didn't use the swirl from the Hold Onto Hope stamp set because I ordered the wooden stamps by mistake and need to return them - so I substituted this set.
Silver Foil Paper
Silver Embossing Powder
Retired ribbon

Supplies for the above card:

Mossy Meadow, Smoky Slate cardstock

Cross of Hope Framelits

Woodgrain Emb Folder, Subtle Emb Folder

Petal Promenade DSP

To make this card I cut out one of the rectangle garlands from the DSP and fussy cut around the edge of the flowers so that they would overlap the cross.  I like how it turned out.

MONDAY

Better late than never!

Unfortunately I needed a BUNCH of thinking of You and Sympathy cards last week.  I usually try to make a different card for everyone, but since I needed so many I decided to crank out a bunch that were the same.  Here is what I came up with. I forgot to take a picture of an individual one so here is the whole pack at one time,

Supplies used:

Golden Afternoon Stamp Set

Whisper White, Basic Gray card stock

Momento, Basic Gray, Crumb Cake Ink

Blender Pens

Lemon Lime Twist Ombre Ribbon

Stitched Rectangle Framelits

Gingham DSP

MONDAY

Sorry I missed Friday.  I have some health concerns going on and my mind has been pre-occupied.

Today's card is one we made at our Joyful Hearts  quarterly meeting.  It was designed by Cindy Fodor.  I'm not sure if she cased it from someone else or not.

I love the colors and the clean lines of this card.

Supplies used:

Whisper White, Lemon Lime Twist card stock

Lemon Lime Twist, Black ink

Gingham Gala DSP

Butterfly Gala, Beauty Abounds Stamp Sets

Butterfly duet Punch

Wonderful Floral Framelit Dies

Dimensionals

This card combines several stamp sets to make a beautiful card.

Remember that you have only 13 days left to shop during Sale-a-bration and get your FREE rewards.

Just to let you know that 3 of the Coordination dies are old out - Lily Framelits, Hop Around, and Call Me Cupcake.  They were, obviously, very popular.

There are still some great  FREE items available, so don't wait!

WEDNESDAY

Sometimes we get so caught up in the new stamp sets or the Sale-a-bration sets that we forget about some of the tried and true products that we have in the annual catalog.  Today's card is one we made at our Joyful Hearts quarterly meeting this past Saturday.  It was designed by Cindy Fodor.

This card is simple, yet has some different elements to make it pop.  To make the punched end on the green strip, you cut your piece just wide enough that it fits into your punch.  Slide just the end into the punch from the bottom of the punch so that you are not punching out the whole punch design.

Use your Banner Triple Punch to make the cut out end on the message piece.

Supplies used:

Cardstock:  blackberry bliss, mossy meadow, whisper white, sahara sand, vellum (on the inside)

Ink:  blackberry bliss, mossy meadow, soft suede

Rooted in Nature stamp set

Detailed Dragonfly Thinlits

Subtle Embossing Folder

Punches:  Everyday Label, Triple Banner

Copper Trim

Gold Faceted Gems

Dimensionals

Thanks, Cindy, for a great card!

And if you don't have the Rooted in Nature Bundle yet purchase it now and get some Sale-a-bration rewards. #148353  pg 143 Annual Cat 

MONDAY

I know I have been saturating you with tea cards, but I am still creating tea cards to sell so here is another one.

Supplies used:

Flirty Flamingo, Whisper White card stock

Blender Pen dipped in ink to color (Flirty Flamingo, Petal Pink, Pear Pizazz)

retired doilies

retired punches

retired Embossing folder

Botanical Butterfly DSP (SAB item)

FUN FOLD FRIDAY

I was just playing with some of the Painted Seasons products and a different fold for today.  Here is the card I came up with.

And here is what it looks like when you open it up:

I did not have a square framelit large enough for the front so I needed to cut out a square.  First I cut out a 3 1/4" square out of a piece of copy paper, laid it on the front of the card and traced around it to get the square shape where I wanted it on the front of the card.

Then I used my paper cutter to cut out the square following the traced lines.  Save the piece that you cut out because you will need that.

 Cut out pieces:

One 3 3/4" square of DSP - cut out an inside square of 3 1/2" to make your DSP frame

Inside white layer measuring 4 x 5 1/4.

Green 3 1/4" square (this is what you cut out of the front of the card).

White piece cut out to be 1/16" smaller than the green 3 1/4" cut out square.

One green piece measuring 3 x 5, scored at 1" on the short side.

In the picture below, I have already stamped on the white layered piece and adhered it to the 3 1/4" square.

Adhere the 1" scored section to the inside layer of the card using Tombow, Fast Fuse or Sticky Strip.

Then put Tombow on the back of your green square piece (only on half) and attach it to the large folded piece.  When you do this, close your card so that you can see that the square will line up perfectly with the square hole on the front.

Randomly stamp any image you want on the front of the card around the edge of your cut out square.  Then attach your DSP frame around the square hole. 

Supplies:

Shaded Spruce, Whisper White card stock

Shaded Spruce, Pool Party, Petal Pink, Lemon Lime Twist ink

Painted Seasons DSP, framelits, and stamp set

This card is not hard to make and goes together quickly.  I actually adapted it from a swap card I had received that had a larger inside piece with more folds.  I decided this would work, use less paper, an give me more space on the inside to put my message.

WEDNESDAY

I have been making some cards to sell in a local Tea House so I have another tea card for you.

I really love this set - Tea Together.  You can order the stamp set and get the matching framelits as a Sale-a-bration FREEBIE.

Supplies used:

Tea Together Stamp Set

Tea Time Framelits (FREE with a $100 order)

Layered Leaves Embossing Folder #143704

Petal Promenade DSP #146913

Stampin' Blends

MONDAY

Welcome March!

We are having a snow storm here where I live.  Supposed to be 4-8 inches by the morning.  We'll see.  March always seems to be good for snow, just when you are ready for spring to get here.

Along with March comes a Third Release of Sale-a-bration Products from Stampin' Up for our last month of FREEBIES.

Check out the link to the right of the blog so you can see the new items plus all the "old" items that are still available.  And don't forget the Coordination products.  In love!

Today's card is one using the Country Floral Embossing Folder that is FREE with the Second SAB release.  It coordinates with the Painted Garden stamp set and DSP.

I combined the folder with the Tea Together Stamp Set and Framelits.  I apologize that my pics do not seem very crisp and clear.  I'm not sure what is going on, but I can't get them to show any better.  I used the Stampin' Blends to color the images on the folder piece.  The white cardstock really soaks up the ink from the Blends.  Tomorrow I am going to try and use watercolor paper and see if there is a difference.  It looks good, but the lighter colors do work a little better because the cardstock does not get so saturated.

Supplies used:

Pool Party, Calypso Coral, Mossy Meadow, Whisper White cardstock

Stampin' Blends

White Thread left over from a Paper Pumpkin Kit

Subtle and Country Floral Embossing Folders