My Last Graduation

I think it is my last graduation anyway. You never know! My youngest daughter is graduating from Cedarville University (Ohio) on Saturday and it is such a bittersweet moment for me. I am so proud of her and so happy she is reaching this milestone in her life but now our nest will truly be empty. She is going to remain in the Dayton, Ohio area with her 2 sisters (Cedarville alums). *sniff, sniff*. That's the sad part. The happy part is that all 3 girls are independent and establishing a life of their own - gainfully employed, active in their church, making good choices and surrounded by good friends. Plus they love being together and I love that!  

 This is the card I made for her. I think I overdid the brads! Lol. Cedarville's colors are Blue and Gold so I went with Brushed Gold cardstock and Brilliant Blue. The stamp is Happy Grad (Summer Mini). I just love this stamp because the saying says it all. 

To make the card I ran the card base through the Big Shot with the soon to be released embossing folder called Square Lattice. It makes such a cool background! Then I inked part of the image with Gold ink and the rest with Brilliant Blue. The gold embossing powder stuck to the gold ink but not the Brilliant Blue. Cool huh? And then I went brad happy! Brilliant Blue is retiring so I am trying to use up all of those Brilliant Blue brads I have. I almost succeeded with this card! lol.

The graduation cap: I just hand cut it, added a black brad and some blue hemp twine(retired) I had. 

All supplies are Stampin' Up!

• Happy Grad - Summer Mini
• Brilliant Blue, Basic Black, Brushed Gold, Shimmery White cardstock
• Gold and Brilliant Blue ink
• Gold embossing powder
• Brilliant Blue brads and 1 Black Brad
• Big Shot and Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder
• Dimensionals
• Blue Hemp Twine (retired)

It's Friday! Hope you have a good one!

Bouquet Bunch again

  A quick post today! I am lovin' this little stamp set available May 1st. I just used markers on watercolor paper and for fun I added some Apricot Appeal brads to the the flower bouquet. Again - photo frustration because I used one of our Brass Templates and paper pierced a circle around the buttons but you really can't see it! Trust me it is there. Since Apricot Appeal is retiring I added the aforementioned  Apricot buttons and Apricot grosgrain. I do like this color and will miss it - unless Stampin' Up! is comin' out with a new shade close to this. Now that I would love!

All supplies are Stampin' Up!

• Bouquet Bunch stamp set - Summer Mini
• Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set
• Apricot Appeal cardstock and marker - retiring
• Watercolor paper
• Really Rust, Gable Green, Creamy Caramel, Close to Cocoa markers - all retiring
• Black Stazon ink
• Apricot Appeal brads and grosgrain ribbon
• Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware
• Paper Piercing Tool
• Punches Plus Brass Template

Only 2 days left to order from the Occasions Mini catalog!!  To order online from me click Here.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Bouquet Bunch meets Stencil

   Today is another sneak peak at the Summer Mini catalog. I figured you must be tired of seeing Watercolor Trio by now! Ha! This card uses an adorable little stamp set called Bouquet Bunch. I love it! And since there is alot of stenciling going on in Stampin' Up! circles, I decided to try it using one of our stencils called Flourish! It was so much fun and adds a whole 'nother realm to my stamping!

   The card is pretty straightforward. Once again I chose colors or in this case one color that is retiring - Going Gray. First I stenciled the background with Going Gray and a touch of Rich Razzleberry ink. Note to self: Clean your stencil after each use so you don't get random ink smears on project. 

   The main image was stamped and then watercolored with ink and an aquapainter -  except for the vase. The vase was stamped on designer paper, cut out and mounted with dimensionals. I love how the swirly things in the vase compliment the swirls of the stencil.

  I have another confession (just keeping it real folks).  The button was added to cover up a smudge left by ink on the stencil. Grrr. It's my own fault cause I didn't clean my stencil, but I like the button and the look. Phew! 

All supplies are Stampin' Up!

• Bouquet Bunch - Summer Mini
• Flourish stencil
• Going Gray cardstock and ink - Retiring in June
• Rich Razzleberry and White cardstock
• Rich Razzleberry, Orchid Opulence (retiring) and Old Olive ink
• Dimensionals
• Basic Gray button
• Sponge daubers
• Aquapainter
• Scallop Border Punch and White Gel Pen

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you find time today to be creative!

Inspiration in Odd Places

   I love the wallpaper border in my bathroom! It reminds me of our beloved Cape Cod (the location, not style of house). So the other morning I was standing in my bathroom brushing my teeth, looking at the border, and thought, "This would make a great card"!

Here is part of my wallpaper border - the part that inspired my card!

   Translating this to stamps, paper and ink was a little daunting because there is so much going on in the wallpaper border. I had to sacrifice the leaves even though I tried to incorporate them at first. It just wasn't working. So basically I kept the butterfly, grasses and flowers.

Here is my card.

  The grasses, from Inspired By Nature stamp set, are done with Mellow Moss and Sage Shadow ink. I added some streaks of Really Rust with a marker because there is so much rust in the wallpaper border. Then I used the Watercolor Trio stamp set (Summer Mini) and added the flowers. Again I added some Really Rust to parts of the flowers using my marker. And finally I smooched it with Log Cabin Smooch Spritz!

  The butterfly is the All a Flutter stamp (Summer Mini). I stamped it on Very Vanilla cardstock and colored it in with ink and a blender pen. I love the contrast between the muted background and the vibrant butterfly!

  I had a leftover tag from the Lots of Tags sizzlit so I stamped the saying on that. I was going to add a brad in the lower left hand corner of the tag but I wanted the card to go through the mail with no additional postage so I left it plain.

All edges are sponged with Really Rust ink and then Basic Brown ink.

All supplies are Stampin' UP!

• Inspired By Nature stamp set
• Watercolor Trio and All a Flutter stamp sets (Summer Mini)
• Lovely Lilac, Sage Shadow and Very Vanilla cardstock
• Lovely Lilac, Lavender Lace, Pale Plum, Sage Shadow, Mellow Moss, Really Rust, Basic Brown Summer Sun ink - All of these colors will be retiring.
• Black Stazon ink for the butterfly
• Log Cabin Smooch Spritz
• sponge
• a tag from Lots Of Tags sizzlit

So there you have it! Thanks for checking in!

Sweet Sneak Peak

Woo Hoo! Only one week left until the Summer Mini catalog is official! In the mean time I have another sneak peak! This is a layout/idea I used years ago but I tweaked it to fit the, soon to be available, Sweet Scoops stamp set.

  So here is how I made it just in case you need to know. The base card is Close to Cocoa cardstock that I swiped with Close to Cocoa ink. It gives it a chocolaty ice cream kind of look! Yum!

  The ice cream scoops are from the Sweet Scoops stamp set. I stamped the Pixie Pink and Sage Shadow scoops directly to the cardstock. The Close to Cocoa scoop was cut out and adhered. And don't forget the cherry - stamped, cut out, and made glossy with Crystal Effects!

  The dish is just a Wide Oval punched from Barely Banana cardstock, trimmed and sponged.

  The spoon is a plain old wooden craft spoon. I stamped it with the saying from the same Sweet Scoops stamp set using Close to Cocoa ink. 

  And for an ice cream parlor kind of look I added gingham paper and a gingham ribbon. 

  This is a super easy and fun card to make. Enjoy!!

All supplies are Stampin' Up!

• Sweet Scoops stamp set - Summer Mini (May 1)
• Close to Cocoa, Barely Banana - both retiring 
• White cardstock
• Pawsitively Prints designer paper - Occasions Mini
• Pixie Pink, Sage Shadow, Close to Cocoa ink - retiring 
• Wide Oval punch and Corner Rounder punch
• Scallop border punch
• Crystal Effects
• Red gingham ribbon
• dimensionals
• craft spoon - non Stampin' Up!

Stampingly Yours,

White Roses

   I have really been trying to focus on the colors that will be retiring because I have so much cardstock that I would like to use up. But for today's card I digressed. I need some wedding cards for this summer and what better stamp set to use than Fifth Avenue Floral? Love those roses! I needed them to have a greenish tint so I used Certainly Celery which is NOT retiring thank goodness!

 And don't forget! This stamp set, as well as 3 others, are on sale until April 30th! Here are the details.

Plus, the new stamp set, Awash with Flowers, is available only until April 30th. After that you have to wait for the new catalog in July. Here are those details.

And here is my card.

   Yes it is another watercolored card  but it only uses 3 markers and a blender pen! That's it! The roses were then cut out and layered onto the card front.

   The background is plain white cardstock spritzed with water then run through the Big Shot with the Background Texturz Plate. THEN for an added elegant look I spritzed with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz which is beautiful in real life but sooo hard to capture in a photo. This fabulous product will soon be available on May 1st! It's comin' soon!

All supplies are Stampin' Up!

• Fifth Avenue Floral stamp set - on sale for $19.96!
• Certainly Celery and White cardstock
• Watercolor paper
• Black Stazon ink 
• Old Olive, Certainly Celery and Sahara Sand markers
• Blender Pen
• White Organza ribbon
• Big Shot and Backgrounds Texturz Plate
• Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz - available May 1st in Summer Mini

   Enjoy your Friday! Thanks for stopping by!

A Sunny Day!

   Today's post is not my typical fare.

   I am so blessed to have received this blog award from the EXTREMELY talented Robin Merriman. Thanks Robin! Check out her wonderful blog Trinity Designs. You will be glad you did!

I, in turn, am passing on this award to other stampers who bring Sunshine into my blogger world because that is how we spread the Sunshine! 

But there are rules attached:

1. Put the award on your blog

2. Pass the award to other bloggers who bring you sunshine.

3. List the Nominees in your post.

4. Let the Nominees know you nominated them by leaving a comment on their blog.

5. Share the love and link to the person who gave you the award!

My list of stampers in no particular order.

1. Anne Matasci aka The Maui Stamper

2. Melissa Hule at Stamping with Melissa

3. Mary Brown aka Stamper Camper

4. Dawn Olchefske at DoStamping with Dawn

5. Kay Kalthoff at Stamping to Share 

6. Melanie Schulenerg at Pockets of Inspiration

7. Kathleen Hopperstad at My Happy Stampin' Place
8. Karin Menghini at Two Friends Stamping

   I hope you will check out their fabulous blogs - you will be inspired! And if you feel like giving them a little sunshine, leave a comment! 

I do have some card candy to share - but I'll save it for another day. 

Leftover Butterfly With Style

  I had one little vellum butterfly leftover from yesterday's card, and I just couldn't throw it away now could I?! Of course not! I used it instead to make a very clean and simple card. At least for me it is very clean and simple! The truth is I was really short on time so I made this card very quickly! I'm just keeping it real here. Lol.

   The butterfly is the stamp, All a Flutter and the flowers and saying are from the set Elements of Style. Both are in the Summer Mini and will be available May 1st! It's coming soon! 

   After I stamped and embossed the butterfly I colored the back with a Crushed Curry marker. The rest of the card I left black and white. I wanted the contrast so the butterfly would be the focal point. 

All supplies are Stampin' Up!

• All a Flutter and Elements of Style stamp sets - Summer Mini
• White and Vellum cardstock
• Black and Versamark ink
• Crushed Curry marker
• Black embossing powder
• dimensionals
• Corner Rounder punch

   Off to work I go! The schools are closed this week (April vacation) so our Library is a busy place - hope I'll have enough energy to stamp tonight!

Vellum Butterflies

  I liked yesterday's sketch from Pals Paper Arts so much I decided to make another card using it! I wanted to use my new butterfly stamp, All a Flutter from the Summer Mini so I did. And because I am trying to use up the colors that will be retiring I chose Brocade Blue.

   Here is how I did it. First I punched a square from a scrap of cardstock and then used it as a stencil! The blue squares are stenciled with brocade blue ink and a sponge. After I made the squares, I stamped and embossed 3 butterflies on Vellum cardstock. Then I cut them out and bent the wings before I adhered them to the cardstock. 

   I kept the card clean and simple so all of the attention goes to the vellum butterflies. Hope you like it!

All supplies are Stampin' Up!

• All a Flutter stamp - single stamp in Summer Mini
• Thank You Kindly stamp set
• Brocade Blue, Basic Black and White cardstock
• Vellum cardstock
• Brocade Blue and Versamark ink
• Black Embossing Powder
• Brocade Blue grosgrain
• Black Jumbo Grommet
• 1 1/4" square punch
• Sponge and dimensionals

   It's been fun! Thanks for stopping by!

Watercolor Trio and Smooch

   I am playing at Pals Paper Arts this week and here is the sketch I followed.

  After I stamped my card I decided it needed a Smooch so I sprayed it with some Log Cabin Smooch Spritz! This will be available in the Summer Mini on May 1st and it is awesome! I had to practice a little before I was ready to spray it on my card - love how it turned out. This is a close up but it doesn't do it justice at all. It has a metallic look to it in my opinion.

   Tip: In order to wrap the twine around the front of the card I used my hobby blade and cut a small slit in the fold of the card. Works great!

All supplies are Stampin' Up!

• Watercolor Trio stamp set - Summer Mini
• Kraft and Taken with Teal cardstock
• Taken with Teal, Orchid Opulence, Mellow Moss Ink- retired in June
• Close to Cocoa ink for sponging - retired in June
• Natural Twine
• 1 1/4" square punch
• dimensionals and sponge
• Log Cabin Smooch Spritz - Summer Mini

Here in Massachusetts it is Patriots' Day so everything (except retail stores) is closed, including the Library. It feels good to have the day off!

You Made My Day!

  While I wait for hubby to get home from church (I went to first service. He, of course, has to do both services) I decided to post this card I made using 2 challenges from Stampin Addicts. The first challenge is the SKETCH challenge found here. These are always fun to play with!

   The second is the COLOR challenge found here.

These are the colors: Ruby Red               They are all retiring in June.

                                  Cameo Coral

                                  Apricot Appeal

                                  Close to Cocoa

                                  Sage Shadow

Now THAT is a challenge! I don't usually deal with more than 3 colors plus a neutral so FIVE was a stretch for me. And THAT is why I like challenges!

Here is my card.

And a close up of: the butterfly that I cut out and the panel I raised up just a tad.

   I love how this card shows the different textures of our Textured Impressions Embossing Folders including the newest one, Square Lattice (the one done with Cameo Coral) that will be available May 1st in the Summer Mini Catalog. 

   The stamp set, Watercolor Trio, is also from the Summer Mini. Rest assured you will be seeing that one used alot by me! The saying DOES NOT come with it - the set has 3 of its own. I used this saying from the set, Stem Sayings because I wanted it to "ground" the flowers so to speak. To do that I stamped the saying, made a mask with scrap paper, and then stamped the flowers over the mask. When I removed the mask, the flower stems stop right at the saying. 

   The brads are Ruby Red and are from the Earth Elements collection. The ribbon is Sage Shadow. All are retiring so I need to use them up!

All supplies are Stampin' Up!

• Watercolor Trio stamp set - Summer Mini Catalog available May 1
• Stem Sayings stamp set
• Close to Cocoa, Cameo Coral, Apricot Appeal, Sage Shadow and Vanilla cardstock
• Close to Cocoa, Cameo Coral, Apricot Appeal, Sage Shadow and Ruby Red ink
• Ruby Red brads
• Sage Shadow grosgrain ribbon
• Big Shot
• TIEF:  Square Lattice - Summer mini - May 1
•            Perfect Polka Dots - Occasions Mini - ends Apr. 30
•            Final Press
• Sponges and dimensionals

Have a blessed day!

Awash with Pink and Sahara

  Do I choose Clear Mount or Wood Mount? That is a good question. Of course it is a personal choice but there are some things to consider when making the choice. One of the things I consider is placement of the image when stamping. And for the Two Step stamp set, Awash With Flowers, placement is important. An added bonus to clear mount is the way certain images, such as flower stems, can be bent when mounted to the clear block! That is what I did with this card.

   After I stamped the images I used SU markers to add and blend the color. Then I added some Dazzling Diamond Glitter for some sparkle! And now I have a confession.

   See that big flower on the left? Look closely. Can you see the smudge of black ink in the center? I did that - not on purpose of course! I pressed the stamp too hard into the Black Stazon stamp pad and the rubber in the center of the stamp picked up black ink. Then when I stamped I got this ugly smudge of black ink on the Watercolor paper. Oh boy that really annoys me when I do that! 

    I was going to stamp another flower, color, cut it out, and adhere it right over my original stamped image but I thought, "Hey this can be a teaching tool!" So, DO NOT DO WHAT I DID!! When using these outline stamps with a large inside area, be careful not to press too hard into the stamp pad. The End.

All supplies are Stampin' Up!

• Awash With Flowers - April promotion
• Three Little Words stamp set
• Regal Rose, Rose Red and Sahara Sand cardstock
• Watercolor paper
• Thoroughly Modern designer paper
• Black Stazon ink and Sahara Sand ink
• Various SU markers and blender pen
• White Satin Ribbon
• Tag punch and Button
• Dazzling diamond glitter
• Big Shot and Clear Circle die

That's it for today!

Know That I Care

   This card could be used as a sympathy card or just a card of encouragement. I really don't have anyone in mind to send it to - I'll just keep it for the right time.

   The base of the card is White cardstock. Everything else is Watercolor paper. For the background I did a wash of color using Certainly Celery ink with a touch of Barely Banana at the top. The flowers, from the stamp set, Fifth Avenue Florals, were stamped with Black Stazon, colored with Stampin' Up! markers, cutout and raised up with dimensionals.

All supplies are Stampin' Up!

• Fifth Avenue Floral and Thoughts and Prayers stamp sets
• White cardstock
• Watercolor Paper
• Black Stazon ink and SU Markers
• Aquapainter
• White Satin Ribbon
• Rhinestone Brads
• dimensionals

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day!

April Birthday Wishes

   My sister in law is an amazing young woman. She lives in Pennsylvania (with my brother) so I don't get to see her as often as I'd like, but I am always impressed every time I am with her. She is one of the most patient people I have ever met - always kind and gentle - a wonderful wife, mother and daughter-in-law. 

   It is her birthday this month so here is the card I made for her using the stamp set Awash With Flowers.

   I wanted to try something different so I got out my trusty watercolor paper and Black Stazon ink and stamped the outline of the daisy flower several times in a circle to make a complete flower. I found by using my stamp-a-ma-jig, I could line it up easier. I use the Clear Mount version by the way.

   After I stamped the image I colored it with....markers! Sorry I am in a marker mood these days!! The leaves were stamped, cut out, and layered on separately. And if you look closely you can see some fine, misty looking Old Olive speckles on the background surrounding the flower. That was done with the Color Spritzer and a marker that must be going dry cause it just wasn't giving me anything but a mist of color.

  So there you have another way to use Awash With Flowers!

All supplies are Stampin' Up!

• Awash With Flowers stamp set- available this month only 
• Full Calendar, On Your Birthday stamp sets
• Chocolate Chip and Vanilla cardstock
• Watercolor paper
• Certainly Celery dsp
• Black Stazon, Chocolate Chip ink and Su Markers
• Chocolate Chip brads
• Color Spritzer 
• Big Shot and Lots of Tags sizzlit
• Sponge 

Have a happy stamping weekend!

A few things that make me smile

   I had storytime yesterday at the library. The children in my group are 4 and 5 year olds and they are so funny! Did you know that lobsters live in ponds? So do octopus! And baby skunks are born white? (that one is true I think). Every week they make me smile!

  Speaking of smiling, my SU markers make me smile! Seriously! I just love their vibrancy and ease of use. So today's post is another card using markers.

  But what REALLY makes me smile, and it was purely accidental, is the background on this card. I wanted to create a background with words, and not having a background stamp like that, I used the Define Your Life stamp set and my Stamp-a-ma-jig to create my own! I love how it turned out. "Smile!"

   After I made the background I didn't want to cover it up so I just added some simple pieces here and there including the flowers colored with markers! 

  All supplies are Stampin' Up!

• Country Morning stamp set - Hostess
• Define Your Life and Thank You Kindly stamp sets
• Kraft and Really Rust cardstock
• Really Rust designer paper - Hostess
• Watercolor paper
• Black Stazon and Chocolate Chip ink
• Various markers and a blender pen
• Designer Label, 1 3/8" circle, and Large Oval punches
• Rhinestone brad and Designer Filigree brad
• Big Shot and Beautiful Wings Embosslit - Occasions Mini
• Stamp-a-ma-gig
• sponge and dimensionals

Enjoy your day and thanks for stopping by!

It's A Color Renovation!

   BIG NEWS!! 

Stampin' Up! is adding 5 new colors and bringing back 10 of the former "In Colors" plus retiring some of the Core Colors!! 

This is so exciting! And it all takes place July 1st when the new Catalog is released.

 5 New Core Colors: Cajun Craze (Rusty orange), Cherry Cobbler (Rich red, Daffodil Delight (beautiful yellow), Early Expresso (Deep brown), Marina Mist (Blue with a hint of green)

10 Former In Colors: Baja Breeze, Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry, Riding Hood Red, River Rock, Soft Suede, Tangerine Tango, Wild Wasabi

25 Carryover Colors from the originals: Always Artichoke, Bashful Blue, Basic Black, Basic Gray,  Bravo Burgundy, Certainly Celery, Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake (Kraft), Elegant Eggplant, Garden Green, More Mustard, Night of Navy, Not Quite Navy, Old Olive, Perfect Plum, Pretty in Pink, Pumpkin Pie, Real Red, Regal Rose, Rose Red, Sahara Sand, So Saffron, Tempting Turquoise, Very Vanilla, Whisper White

  How awesome is this?! Stampin' Up! has done extensive research and has come up with these new trendy colors plus the colors that we have loved but only had a year to enjoy. Now they are all part of the  Color Collection - (no more color Families). 

  Oh did I forget to mention that they will also add 5 In Colors? That's right!! In the new catalog there will also be 5 new In Colors added to the 40 Core Colors stated above. I love that Stampin' Up! is always looking for ways to keep up with the trends and stay fresh and exciting! These In Colors will be temporary.

   

Stampin' Up! has kept track of sales and popularity of all 48 colors over the past 2 years. With that in mind they will be discontinuing some colors.

Retiring (as of June 30th) Colors: Almost Amethyst, Apricot Appeal, Ballet Blue, Barely Banana, Blush Blossom (except the Marker), Bordering Blue, Brilliant Blue, Brocade Blue, Cameo Coral, Close to Cocoa, Creamy Caramel, Gable Green, Glorious Green, Going Gray, Green Galore, Handsome Hunter, Lavender Lace, Lovely Lilac, Mellow Moss, Only Orange, Orchid Opulence, Pale Plum, Pink Passion, Pixie Pink, Really Rust, Ruby Red, Sage Shadow, Taken With Teal, Summer Sun, YoYo Yellow


Now I know, I know. There are probably some colors on this list you think you can't live without. I have to admit I will be sad to see Mellow Moss retire.

And that's why Stampin' Up! is giving us time to stock up on all of our favorite colors!! 

Don't forget, you can order online Here anytime.

So as of July 1st: 40 Core Colors                          
                             5 new In Colors (in addition to the 40 core colors)

                             4 Color Collections (instead of 4 Color Families)

I tried to make this as clear and as accurate as I could. I am so excited about this refreshing renovation, I may have inadvertently made an error. Please feel free to bring it to my attention!

Happy Stamping!

Way to Go!

    Not sure what it is, but when I have been thinking color combinations recently, the colors yellow, orange and red keep coming to my mind! I love red. Yellow and orange? Not so much. So I am not sure why this color combo?! But I decided to try it on a birthday card. And for good measure I threw in some Chocolate Chip as a neutral color.

  First I made the card with the distressed designer paper (Pumpkin Pie) from the Razzleberry Lemonade designer paper.  Then I used the stamp set Starring You because it goes so well with the color scheme! After I stamped a row of stars down the side I added the punched sayings and some embellishments - buttons, brads, ribbon, and a star punched from the aforementioned Razzleberry Lemonade paper.

  This was a great card to showcase punches and embellishments. lol! And it will be perfect when I need a non girlie birthday card.

All supplies are Stampin' Up!

• Starring You stamp set
• Real Red, Chocolate Chip and White cardstock
• Razzleberry Lemonade dsp
• Chocolate Chip ink
• Real Red Polka Dot grosgrain ribbon
• Large Oval punch
• 1 3/4" Circle punch
• Word Window punch
• Large Star punch
• Star punch
• Corner Rounder punch
• Corduroy button
• Flower designer brad
• Real Red button and Linen Thread
• Silver brads
• Sending Love Chocolate Chip brad - Occasions Mini
• Sponges and dimensionals

   Thanks for looking. 

Just for all of you

Nothing to show today. I just want to say Happy Easter!, or as I prefer, Happy Resurrection Day!

I hope you have a wonderful and blessed day no matter what you call it.

It's Good to Dream

   Today's post is another card design that has been floating around in my head for a few weeks. I had seen these rolled paper flowers in a craft magazine and just had to try them myself! They were easier than I thought! For the background, I used the stamp set Razzle Dazzle because I felt the main image complimented the rolled paper flowers.

   First I made the flowers using the same piece of Razzleberry Lemonade designer paper. I punched 3 circles with my 1 3/4" circle punch from 3 different areas of the dsp. Then I cut the punched circle into a spiral, rolled it up and adhered it with crystal effects. The 3 flowers look different from each other, color-wise, because of the different coloration in the piece of dsp and one of the flowers was rolled with the opposite side of the paper facing out. Hope that makes sense.

   Once the flowers were made the rest of the card fell into place. I just used the colors in the designer paper - Crushed Curry, Rich Razzleberry and Melon Mambo! To get the 3 colors on the main image I did not use markers (Shocking I know!)! I used stamp pads, adding ink randomly to the image beginning with Crushed Curry cause it is the lightest color. And all of those little speckles? They were made with a Rich Razzleberry marker and the Color Spritzer Tool! 

All supplies are Stampin' Up!

• Razzle Dazzle stamp set
• Vanilla cardstock
• Razzleberry Lemonade designer paper
• Crushed Curry, Rich Razzleberry, Melon Mambo ink
• Big Shot and Swirls and Scribbles Sizzlit
• Corner Rounder, Scallop Oval, Large Oval punches
• Color Spritzer Tool
• Vintage brads
• Rhinestone brads
• Sponge and dimensionals

It promises to be a gorgeous day here in Massachusetts! Hope it is gorgeous where you are too! And I hope you are enjoying the weekend regardless!

A True Friend

   I have been having so much fun making collage type cards! It is a challenge to me to use scraps of paper and random punches, embellishments, etc. I did have a jump off point for this card by way of the Colour Q Challenge. The colors they challenged us to use are Lavender Lace, Lovely Lilac, Certainly Celery and Bermuda Bay. I added Vanilla as my neutral.

   The Lavender Lace cardstock is textured by the way. I rarely use it so I decided now is a good time! Then I just put together some different elements and called it a card. The challenging part was the colors (thus the Colour Q Challenge!) and trying to balance them!

So here is my lengthy list of supplies from Stampin' Up!

• Simple Friendship stamp set
• Lovely Lilac, Lavender Lace, Certainly Celery, Bermuda Bay and Vanilla cardstock
• Thoroughly Modern designer paper
• Lovely Lilac, Lavender Lace, Certainly Celery, Bermuda Bay ink
• Scallop Circle punch
• Wide Oval punch
• Curly Label punch
• Two-Step Bird punch - Occasions mini
• Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware
• Big Shot and Lots Of Tags Sizzlit
• Bermuda Bay ribbon
• Half Pearl
• Rhinestone Brad
• Flower Designer brad
• Sponges and dimensionals

Have a Blessed day.

No Foolin'

   Yeah it is April! That means warm weather is that much closer. lol! AND it also means a new stamp set for sale this month!! AND 4 other stamp sets are on sale!!
   The new stamp set is called Awash With Flowers and here is a card that I made to introduce it.

   It's a retirement card for a dear friend. She likes purple so I chose Lavender Lace for the card's base. As you can see Awash With Flowers is a two step stamp set which makes it all the more versatile! You can use all of the stamps with ink to add the color or just use the outline stamps and do your own coloring! I'll be showing that style another day.

  Here are the promotion details.You can also head over to my online store to see the new set. Click Here.

Promotion Dates: April 1-30, 2010
Promotion Details
Hostesses
Host a $350 workshop and receive the brand-new Two-Step Awash with Flowers stamp set FREE!

Item	Description
117062	Awash with Flowers (wood-mount)
120549	Awash with Flowers (clear-mount)

Customers
Two-Step into spring with a sneak peek from the 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog! Be the first to add the Awash with Flowers stamp set to your collection.

Item	Description	Price
117062	Awash with Flowers (wood-mount)	$39.95
120549	Awash with Flowers (clear-mount)	$27.95

Plus, purchase spring-themed Two-Step Stampin' sets at 20 percent off the retail price--no additional purchase necessary!
Qualifying stamp sets are listed below:

Item	Page	Description	Discount Price
113824	94	Greenhouse Garden	$20.76
113734	98	Fifth Avenue Floral	$19.96
111578	101	Flower Fancy	$29.56
113258	112	Trendy Trees	$14.36

This is a really fun stamp set!!

   All supplies are Stampin' UP!

• Awash With Flowers - found here
• Lavender Lace and White cardstock
• Black Stazon, Lavender Lace, Apricot Appeal, Barely Banana, Almost Amethyst, Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery ink
• Certainly Celery Grosgrain
• Rhinestone Brads
• Paper Piercer
• Dimensionals

   Gotta run! Enjoy your day!