One Layer Valentine for PP179

Wow!  This was a difficult card to come up.  I didn't realize how much I rely on layers to create interest in my cards until I tried this week's Paper Players Challenge:  One Layer Valentine.  It was all I could not to punch something out or add ribbon!!!  It took me 3 tries to settle on something I really like and here's the result:

I did a lot of "masking" to create this look.  I stamped the Real Red heart first then placed a cut-out of the same heart over it and sponged the Coastal Cabana heart.  Finally, I covered the Coastal Cabana heart and stamped the "Gorgeous Grunge" lines in Smoky Slate.  I'm really happy with the way it turned out and the simplicity of the card.  Take a closer look:

Here are the supplies you'll need to make this card:

Stamp Sets:  Language of Love (Occasions 2014 catalogue), Gorgeous Grunge, Express Yourself (hostess set).

Ink:  Real Red, Coastal Cabana, Smoky Slate

Misc:  Stampin' Pierce Mat, Paper Piercing tool, Essentials Paper-Piercing Pack, "masks" -- mine were from various cut-outs using the Hearts Framelits dies.

Happy Stamping!

Fabulous Phrases

With spring upon us and my desk finally cleaned I feel as though a fresh breeze has blown through my brain and I can think, and therefore create, clearly again!  Isn't it amazing what an effect the change in season can have on us?!  Don't get me wrong, I love winter....and snow and cold....but come April 1st I sure am ready for it to warm up! 

Along with the change in season come new beginnings.  In the Stampin' Up family we've seen a "Colour Refresh" in the past couple of weeks and next week we'll get to see what's being "purged" in favour of new (and always exciting!) product. 

As we quickly approach the launch of Stampin' Up's new catalogue I find myself wanting/needing/desperate to use up some of my scraps and older supplies.  I am feeling the need to use Baja Breeze as much as I can now that it is being retired.  It has long been one of my favourite colours so I was thrilled to see it in this week's Paper Players Colour Challenge!  I paired the colours in this challenge with the "word" from this week's CASology challenge to create today's card.

Isn't that a great colour combination?!!  I have lots of bits and pieces of these colours from past Designer Series Paper packages and Sale-a-bration freebies that were put to good use on this card.

I have had the idea to make a "word collage" rolling around in my head for a few days now so the CASology challenge word ("word") was a perfect fit.  The "Fabulous Phrases" stamp set is so versatile and is really fun to use.  I picked out all of the words from it that made me think of a birthday and stamped them horizontally and vertically before punching out the Decorative Label. 

I took inspiration from a couple of cards that I saw on Pinterest (you can follow me there by clicking the link on the right of this page).  I had fun using my Paper Piercing Pack to pierce the circles in the backing white.

Happy Stamping!

Hope Blooms

Happy New Year!  To my faithful followers, my apologies for this is a long overdue post.  I have to admit I got really bogged down by Christmas preparations, workshops, and concerts and then I got really sick and passed it along to my family.  Thankfully, with the help of family members and some antibiotics we're all mended and ready to go for 2013.  This is the second year in a row that I've gotten sick just as I'm about to send out my own Christmas cards and I have to admit....it didn't really happen this year....along with many other things.  In prioritising, my blogging definitely took a back seat but I'm hoping to get back stamping and posting soon. 

In the meantime, here is a card that I made a couple of months ago for a dear family member who has been diagnosed with breast cancer.  This is the first time that cancer has touched our family and we are hopeful that the treatments will be successful.

 

 

I have really grown to love this colour combination: Midnight Muse and Summer Starfruit.  I liked Midnight Muse as soon as I saw it last spring but Summer Starfruit is very unique and has taken some time to grow on me.  I also really love the sentiments and font in the "Blooming With Kindness" stamp set.  Stampin' Up has so many versatile sets and this is one of them.

 

Here are the details for the card:

 

 

Paper and Ink: Midnight Muse, Summer Starfruit and Whisper White

 

Stamp sets:  Blooming with Kindness

 

Other:  Fancy Fan TIEF, Labels Framelits, Basic Pearls, Paper Piercing Pack

 

Happy Stamping!