HSS Inspiration Challenge 6

Good Morning Stampers! I am so thrilled with this weeks Inspiration for the Hand Stamped Sentiments Inspiration Challenge. I thought not only is it such a beautiful picture which makes me LONG for spring and ultimately SUMMER and days by the pool. I thought the color palette was perfect for a St. Patty's Day card.

Unfortunately today I won't have a ton of detail, I am fighting a cold that came on yesterday- and I don't feel so hot. I promise that I will add details and product info tomorrow in hopes that I am feeling much better. Here we go and I hope you enjoy.

This simple design I think is so classic and festive. I used Holiday Blitz stamp set, which is one of my FAVS!!! Every holiday is in that set, and they are super cute images.

I used Kraft card stock for my base and added texture by scoring a crosshatch pattern using my paper cutter and stylus. I used Very Vanilla card stock for the stamped images and Soft Suede card stock for the accent piece below punched with the spiral punch.

I used Old Olive (stamped twice to give a darker and lighter image), Certainly Celery, Summer Sun (stamped twice for two tones), then used the Crushed Curry Stampin' Write Marker to write the sentiment on the card. Then I used So Saffron 5/8" grosgrain ribbon layered under neither the Old Olive Taffeta ribbon.

Here is a close up of the texture I created, and then accented with my white gel pen in the centers.

I also went over the center spots in the image with the gel pen so they were more visible. Stamping light colored images on the vanilla card stock can make small details harder to see, but the gel pen works great for touching those up.

I hope you enjoyed today's project and stay tuned for additional details in the next day or two. Thanks for stopping by and be sure to head over to Hand Stamped Sentiments to play along, and until next time~ TTFN

HSS Color Splash Challenge 5 & MORE!!

GOOD MORNING STAMPERS!!

So sorry for the delay in getting things up today...it's been a few of the craziest days here in my home but I am thankful for each and every one of them! So onto our project for today, this one I admit was a serious challenge for me. Check out all the details over at Hand Stamped Sentiments, and check out the FREE GOODIES that they are giving away too!!!

Today the challenge uses some colors that I had to think hard in order to make this card. I had the design in my head and knew that I wanted to do something with sewing with Taffeta ribbon but it was definitely a challenge for me. :)

I started out with using Glorious Green as the card base, then layered it with a 4"x5.25" piece of Old Olive card stock. I added some texture to the card by scoring/dry embossing the stripped pattern to the card stock before layering it to the card base.

I then took a 2.25"x2.25" piece of Brilliant Blue card stock and used that as a mat for the center piece of Bashful Blue card stock. I used my Cutter Kit to rough up the edges of my center piece to add even a bit more of texture to the card.

I made this flower the first time at a Stampin' Up! Regional event here in San Antonio almost 2 years ago, and we made these flowers with Taffeta Ribbon and I thought it was so simple and beautiful. I used the Crop-A-Dile to create the holes I needed for the ribbon to run through. I will show you in a bit more detail how I made the template for the design in a minute.

Here you can see that I added a dimensional to the 3/4" circle punch of Kiwi Kiss card stock that is mounted to the back of the Bashful Blue flower button from the Sherbet Designer Button Pack. This gives some height to the center of the flower so that it all POPs a little more than normal.

Here you can see how I made the template for my flower design. I used the eyelet template that comes in the Mat Pack to make my design. I used the circles that made a diamond shape first, then rotated the template and ran the dotted lines over the center of the circles I had traced onto the card stock and then repeated the diamond shape again to give me a evenly circular look to my flower. I traced out the center circle and then skipped one (moving outward) and then traced the third circle moving outward from the inside of the flower.

I used my Not Quite Navy Stampin' Write Marker to color my White Taffeta Ribbon for my flower. Give it a few minutes to dry and then feed the ribbon through your holes of the template you create. You do have to fidget with the ribbon a bit each time to get the ribbon to lay properly for the "petal look".

I hope you enjoyed this weeks challenge project. I would love to see you give it a try as well, head over to Hand Stamped Sentiments and submit your project this week. Have fun and thanks so much for stopping by, and until next time~ TTFN

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PAPER: Glorious Green, Old Olive, Kiwi Kiss, Brilliant Blue, Bashful Blue

INK: Not Quite Navy

TOOLS: Crop-A-Dile, Mat Pack, 3/4" circle punch, Cutter Kit, Stylus, Paper Cutter

ACCESSORIES: White Taffeta Ribbon, Sherbet Designer Buttons

Disemboweled Easter Bunny!??

OK, I just couldn't resist this one...I was asked to make some Easter cards for a client using the Sweet Treat Cups and this is what I came up with. I thought is was a great idea until I started to assemble, and then almost wet myself as I started to think about what it looked like to me taking out the candy from the Bunny's treat cup (or tummy). :) My husband came into my office and asked what I was so hysterical about, then I showed him and was laughing so hard I was basically crying...sometimes my sense of humor is just so wrong, OK so it is like that ALL the time. :)

The other reason why I thought this card was so funny was that my bunny looks high as a kite or drunk as a skunk. I still can't keep it together as I look at this little guys face. I just think it is so funny...I think I will try and make him look a little more endearing for my client and not so inebriated.

I guess I should tell you what I used huh? I made this dude with nothing but punches. I used the large oval, small oval, 1/2" circle, Crop-A-Dile, Heart-to-Heart, 1-3/4" circle, 1-3/8" circle, Modern Label punches, and the Circle Scissors Plus cutting system for this card. This little guy is a rough draft and needs some tweaking and shading which I will fix on my actual cards for the client and when I get those done i will show those in all their glory.

I LOVE using that little heart punched shape for his nose- I just used my Marvelous Marker to draw on his mouth and whiskers. I used a dimensional for the nose to which makes it look even cuter!! For the feet I used the Crop-A-Dile to punch out the feet pads, since I used the smallest hole on that tool I punched the holes directly onto the White large oval shape. When a Crop-A-Dile punches out paper it curls the small pieces of card stock. I thought it was easier to simply do a reverse and place a Pretty in Pink oval punch behind the White foot and then you have the little feet pads. I then punched out a 1/2" circle punch for the larger piece of the foot pad.

Here is a better view of how the feet are layered to create the look i wanted. I used some snail adhesive and attached it to the treat cup. If you filled the cup with a soft pink candy it would look just like his belly would if it were a stuffed animal. Awe...

Of course what Bunny is complete without a little grass, and no this isn't the grass that made him high...HAHAHA- sorry I couldn't resist myself.

I made this with a piece of Old Olive card stock and my paper snips, easy peasy!

I used the modern label punch to complete his arms and curled them in to give some dimension to the little guy. Then at the very bottom is the trap door escape. We will see more of that in a minute.

Simply pull on the ribbon and it opens the trap door. It is nice since your recipient doesn't have to destroy the card in order to get to the candy inside, which makes me feel A LOT better knowing that my creations won't get destroyed so quickly. :) I used the Horizontal Slot punch for the ribbon to feed through and placed a Circle Designer Brad to hold the tab together.

Here is the inside view of the card front, I would place my Easter sentiment on the inside of the card since the Bunny takes up the majority of the front of the card.

I hope you enjoyed today's project. I plan on including a tutorial for this fella when I have my ACTUAL Easter card completed and ready for delivery, so stay tuned for that. Thanks for stopping by and DON'T FORGET to visit Hand Stamped Sentiments and submit your entry for this weeks Sketch Challenge- so much fun!!! Thanks for stopping by and until next time~ TTFN

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HSS Sketch Challenge 4

This weeks Challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments is all about Sketches (HSSSC4)! We took a very simple sketch, provided to us by the creative souls at Stampin' Up! When you become a Demo you get a ton of support and great publications that can help you in getting your business going as well as give you unlimited amount of inspiration. For those Demo's that love this company simply for the wonderful products they offer these publications are a wealth of inspiration, and for other Demo's that choose to work Stampin' Up! as a business these also prove to be a great training tool as well.

I know what you are thinking...I have seen this somewhere before- and you would be right. If you are a Stampin' Up! Demo and you have received your March Stampin' Success, then this template looks familiar, right? Oh- and the fact that this is the card that we made for my "Girls Night Out" event on Sat. night...but it was probably the first one right? :)

I loved the making of these flowers, not many supplies needed for this card, but the ones you do need you will use mostly on this element here- did I mention it was fun to make!!

First I took my scallop circle punch and with Pumpkin Pie card stock I punched 4 scallop circles out. I crinkled them all up until the card stock became soft and playable. Then using my paper piercer and my mat pack I put 2 holes in the 4 scallop circles (this is for the pretties kit pin to go through later). I finished off the center of the flower with an old olive button and another element from the Sweat Pea stitched felt pack using a glue dot.

I threaded 2 beads onto the top of the pin and then strung through my flower pieces through the holes. To hold the flower secure in place I used the leaf from the Sweat Pea Stitched Felt elements.

I ran the leaf through the pin the same way that I did the flower, making sure to feed it through in such a way that the leaf would end up on top of the pin and not to have the pin lay on top of the leaf.

I layered a 4-3/4"x4-3/4" piece of bashful blue card stock onto my 5"x5" brilliant blue card base. I then placed 2 coordinating pieces of Designer Series Paper on top of the bashful blue piece, 1/4" smaller to make a nice border. I used a 1/4" wide piece of Pumpkin Pie card stock that I paper pierced (using my paper piercer and mat pack) using the template that come in the mat pack, and fish tailed the one end slightly larger than the card. I attached the flower using a glue dot directly to the card.

Then using my FAV Sale-A-Bration clear block mount stamp set, Whimsical Words, I created my sentiment. I used my Bashful Blue and Brilliant Blue Marvelous Markers to color onto my stamp, then HUFFED on it and stamped it onto a whisper white piece of card stock. I punched it out using my scallop oval punch and mounted it onto a piece of bashful blue card stock shaped with my wide oval punch. I applied 2 dimensionals on the back and attached to the card.

And, BAM! You are done, I think it took my girls on Sat. all of 10 min. to make this card and most of them had never made cards before in their lives. A great, adorable, simple, and fast card. Can you ask for anything better? OK, well maybe a free sale-a-bration or occasions mini catalog...don't have one and want one? Contact me and give me your mailing info and it's on it's way!!

I hope you enjoyed today's card, and come on over to Hand Stamped Sentiments to play along and submit your creation using this sketch, it doesn't have to be a card- use it to create a scrapbook page or a 3-D item...the possibilities are endless!! Thanks for stopping by and until next time~ TTFN

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How Ya' Like the NEW Digs??!!

I hope that you like the new look of my creative spot- I used a few methods. I used for the most part My Digital Studio (which is amazing!!) to create this fun stuff to look at. Here is kind of what I did...

So I messed around and figured out the layout I wanted and what I wanted it to look like and since I am NOT a computer GEEK I then emailed my layouts to my cousin, Shannon, and she with her computer wizardry magically created my header for my using HER My Digital Studio.

I then created a draft for my background that I wanted and then of course shot it over to my CUZ!

I created my signature a well, BUT I didn't need to send this to my CUZ since it was a small and easy item to create. I made my layout then I exported it to my desktop. I opened it with Microsoft Picture Manager and cropped it to make it the right size, then saved it as a picture. So then I upload it to my posts when needed...I am sure there is an easier more technical way to do signatures for your blog but this is my version. :)

I just LOVE bright colors and really enjoy my new FUN GIRL look. Hope you enjoyed today's brief post and stayed tuned for tomorrow when the Hand Stamped Sentiment Challenge will be here, but until then~ TTFN

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Upcoming Event & Encouragment!!

Hello Stampers, I have been creating things for an upcoming event this Saturday. Girl's Night Out- which is a group of gals that like to get together and do fun things and they are coming to make cards on Sat. for their night of relief. Here is what we are going to make- 2 cards...

I am not giving a list of items for this project- yet, since it is a class I am holding off on the details of these projects. Here is a close up of the flower that we will create on our 5x5 card.

Cute, simple, and colorful- can you ask for more??

I love these treat cards, and a little close up of the "trap door" that you will get to see in action if you are coming to this event.

I love spring and absolutely adore the colors of this card, I am more of a vivid spring color gal- not so much the pastels...and who can resist a candy pouch?

Hope you enjoyed this quick sneak peek today and hope to see you over at the Hand Stamped Sentiments Challenge for this week- check it out and submit your creation, we would love to see you play!! Until next time~ TTFN

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HSS Technique Challenge 3- HSSTC3

Good Morning Stampers, and my apologies for the delay in my post this morning- the last several days have been interesting... but any way, on to the topic at hand- STAMPING!!! I am so excited about the project I have to show today, like usual I have been concocting this one in my head for a little while and today I finally get to share it and best of all I get to do it as part of our Hand Stamped Sentiments Technique Challenge- HSSTC3- Whoohoo!!!

I have a great stamping friend (Jeannette) that mentioned to me a few months ago that she needed something to keep in her bag that was hard (to stand up to the inside of a purse) and had sticky notes or something in it to take and jot down notes in...I immediately thought of this project. I have been meaning for almost over a year now to make a slew of these for my craft fairs and such, but time never seemed to be on my side...until now.

To start at the beginning, I embellished the front of the note tin using the Emboss Resist technique. I used a large piece of Whisper White card stock and stamped floral images in no particular patter around the card stock, I used the Fifth Ave. Floral stamp set- LOVE THIS SET!! I also stamped the word NOTES in the center using the Jumbo Outline Alphabet stamp set. I stamped those images using VersaMark ink (great for embossing cause it is SUPER sticky) and clear embossing powder. Then using a sponge dauber and Classic Ink pads (So Saffron, Certainly Celery, and Taken with Teal) I rubbed in a circular motion around the embossed areas. Then I took a paper towel and buffed the images to remove the ink from the embossed areas- cool effect, huh?
Here is a tip for you though, I have found that using really deep or dark inks don't seem to buff off the embossed areas as cleanly as the lighter inks do, see the word "NOTES" in the center...

Yep, another butterfly...can I just say that I love these Sweat Pea Stitched Felt embellishments!!! I combined two leaves together similarly to the way I did in last weeks project and created this adorable creature. Although this time my little friend has some SPARKLE!! I used the Circle Ice Rhinestone Brads to create this little guys body- so cute huh!! In a bit I will show you exactly how I made him...uhh, suspense. :)

I covered an adorable little pin that fits inside the container so you always have something to write with. You could always cover this with microbeads as well and then your pen would have a little SPARKLE as well...the pen is clipped onto the pocket inside the tin.

I covered this small note pad with a piece of coordinating Designer Series Paper, the note pad came in a pack of 3 together and it was slightly larger than the tin- so I trimmed about a 1" to 1-1/4" off the bottom, not too difficult, but if I was making several of these I would take them to Kinko's or staples to have them cut them.

I finished out the inside flap of the tin with another piece of that same Designer Series Paper and then cut a smaller coordinating piece for the pocket, and adhered the pieces inside the tin. Super simple and WAY cute and TOTALLY functional!

Ok, some deets on how I did it... here is what I started with, and I know from the picture above you can't tell that I reinforced the DSP piece with a larger piece of watercolor paper- this stuff is thick, textured and has a great weight to it. Then using sticky strip I attached the pocket to the larger piece of DSP that will finish the inside of my tin. I attached the larger piece of DSP inside using sticky strip as well. I used a small piece of DSP and more sticky strip to cover the pen also, and did the same for the flap at the top of the note pad- that sticky strip is sticky stuff!!

Once I had the two leaves in the position I wanted them I used my paper piercer to place a hole, carefully, in the center where i would put my first brad. I used this brad to hold the creature together.

This is a great tip too- I over-extended the prongs so that it would give the wings a bit of a lift and would appear as if it was coming off the page.

Then I made the second hole for the lower brad, again carefully with my paper piercer

Then I placed the piercer straight into the card stock where I wanted my butterfly to stay. Under the card stock is my foam mat from my Mat Pack. Then I removed the piercer and placed another brad into the felt leaves and through the paper as well to secure the object to the project. (can you see the blemish that this little guy covers up?)

I placed the third and final brad above his center brad, just through the card stock. I took my Old Olive Marvelous Marker and using the fine tip end I drew on the little antenna for this guy.

I hope you enjoyed this fun project and please come over to HAND STAMPED SENTIMENTS and play along, I would love to see what you come up with using this cool technique!! Until next time though~ TTFN

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STAMPS: Fifth Avenue Floral, Jumbo Outline Alphabet

INK: Certainly Celery Classic Ink, So Saffron CI, Taken with Teal CI, VersaMark Ink, Old Olive Marvelous Marker

PAPER: Whisper White Card Stock, Designer Series Paper, Water Color Paper

TOOLS: Sticky Strip, Sponge Daubers, Heat Tool, Clear Embossing Powder, Embossing Buddy, Paper Pericer, Mat Pack

ACCESSORIES: Sweat Pea Stitched Felt Embellishments, Ice Circle Rhinestone Brads