Butterfly in the sky

Here is the second of four cards that we did the other night at my "Sale-a-bration Soiree".  I CASE'd this card from one I saw on Pinterest.  You can follow me on Pinterest to see this card....click on the icon on the sidebar to link to my Pinterest page.

I was SO excited when I saw the new "Bitty Butterfly" punch in Stampin' Up's Spring Catalogue.   I already loved the Butterfly punch and Papillion Potpourri stamp set and this, of course, goes perfectly with both. 

The other stamp set I used on this card is another one of my favourites, "Itty Bitty Phrases".  Right now you can get this stamp set FREE through Sale-a-bration.  Contact me for more details or to place an order.

Here are the card details:

Stamp Set:  Papillion Potpourri, Itty Bitty Phrases

Ink:  Raspberry Ripple, Primrose Petals, Summer Starfruit, 

Paper: Midnight Muse, Baja Breeze, Whisper White, Patio Party DSP

Tools:  Butterfly Punch,  Bitty Butterfly Punch, Dotted Scallop Edge Punch, Simply Scored, Fancy Fan TIEF and Bitty Banners Framelits

Other:  Glue Dots, Basic Pearls

Sweet Threads Cross-stitch cards

When I saw the "Sweet Threads Simply Sent" kit in the Spring catalogue I knew that I HAD to have it!  I really like to cross-stitch but don't do it very often because, honestly, I wouldn't hang one in my house.  So I was very excited to be able to create a simple cross-stitched image and then put it ON A CARD!!!!!  Sweet!!!

Okay....so here's the confession part of this post....I get really lazy in the evenings. There, I said it! I'm much more likely to sit on the couch then sit at my messy desk after the kids are in bed. So this is a great way to sit on the couch AND craft....AT THE SAME TIME!!! SO, I was able to watch football AND craft. Sweet!!!  Check it out:

Aren't they cute?!  And so simple!  The cross-stitch cards come already punched and with instructions (just in case you need them).  The suggestion from Stampin' Up is that one use the entire thread to create the image but I found that that was too bulky.  When I was learning to cross-stitch my mom always told me to separate our a few strands of the thread first and then stitch the image.  So that's what I did here.  I took 3 threads (of 6) of each colour and was very pleased with the look of the image.   

I got the Simply Sent kit as part of a bundle (so I could save 15%!!!) and got the "Essentials" stamp set with it.  Then all I needed was some ink...Primrose Petals and/or Lucky Limeade will do the trick.

Check out this kit on page 22 of the Spring Catalogue....click on the icon at the side to download the Spring Catalogue.

Happy Stamping....or Cross-stitching!

Sale-a-bration card for TSOT

I don't know if I've admitted it before but I have a really bad habit of leaving my stamping projects to the very last minute.  I had a big workshop to put on last night and wanted to show off some of my Sale-a-bration stuff but just couldn't get it "right".  Yet again, Try Stampin' On Tuesday saved the day!!!  They always have great sketches and wonderful examples.  I particularly liked this sketch because it allowed me to show off a whole lot of DSP and other Sale-a-bration items in one card.

Here is the sketch.....be sure to see what the blog contributors and challenge participants have come up with by clicking on the image:

And here is what I came up with:

A Patterned elephant on Sycamore Street

I just LOVE this little elephant from the "Patterned Occasions" Sale-a-bration stamp set.    It's just so cute and can be very versatile.  It lends itself so well to selective colouring with Stampin' Write markers.

I also really like the DSP in the Sale-a-bration brochure....it is called "Sycamore Street".  It's got a great colour combination and is really quite fun....if you can call paper "fun"!  And to make things even better, there is matching ribbon and buttons!!!!  That's why I love Stampin' Up!  Everything matches!  Remember, you too can have these items FREE ....contact me TODAY to learn how.

Here are all of the details of the supplies I used for this card:

Stamp Sets:  Patterned Occasions
Paper:  Tangerine Tango, Island Indigo, Sycamore Street DSP (SAB)

Ink:  Island Indigo, Pool Party, Summer Starfruit, Tangerine Tango....Stampin' Write Markers

Accessories:  Ribbon and Buttons from the "Sycamore Street Ribbon and Button Pack"

Happy Stamping!

Faux Patina for Sketch Frenzy Friday

While preparing for my monthly technique's class a couple of week's ago I came across this sketch at Sketch Frenzy Friday:

I really liked the simplicity of it and thought it perfect to highlight my technique of the month, Faux Patina.    I've been meaning to post this card up on this blog and the Sketch Frenzy Friday blog for 2 weeks and today is my last chance....leave it to me to leave it to the last minute, again!

Here it is:

Faux Patina using gold embossing powder
 

 The layout provided by the sketch really allows the Faux Patina panel to shine....although the shiny nature of the gold embossing powder doesn't really show up here.  This is a technique that is new to me and I love the versatility of it.  It's amazing how one can change the look of it simply by being more or less aggressive with applying the layers of ink.  You can see the difference in the card below:

Faux Patina with Pewter embossing powder
 

I used the same four colours; Crumb Cake, Marina Mist, Always Artichoke, and Early Espresso; but was less aggressive with the sponging and it makes the card looks so much more delicate.  Of course, I changed the TIEF (Lacy Brocade here vs. Vintage Wallpaper above) and used Pewter Embossing Powder rather than gold but I love the contrast of the two. 

Here are all of the supplies I used:

Stamps: Tiny Tags

Ink:  Crumb Cake, Marina Mist, Always Artichoke and Early Espresso

Card stock:  Midnight Muse, Pool Party, Whisper White (for the Faux Patina), Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake

Big Shot:  Lacy Brocade TIEF (see back of the Spring Catalogue) and Vintage Wallpaper TIEF

Accessories:  Sponges, Vintage Brads, Chantilly Lace, Tiny Tag punch, Gold and Pewter Embossing Powder

Happy Stamping!

CAS Love for the Paper Players

I love Clean and Simple (CAS) cards.  They are the easiest to make and often, in my opinion, the prettiest.  I don't know about you but I often find myself "planning" my cards in my head during the craziness of the day.  Yesterday was no exception, but this time I actually pulled myself off the couch and acted on my ideas : )

I wanted to make something with clean lines and monochromatic and I wanted to use some of my Sale-a-bration stuff.  With Valentine's Day quickly approaching I couldn't resist the little heart stamp in the "Pretty Petites" stamp set.

Pretty "Pretty Petites" monochromatic card

Then I realised that this card fits with this week's Paper Players challenge:

Sweet!  To create the "block" I used Primrose Petals and stamped the image four times before re-inking.  I used stamped images 1, 2 and 4.  I really like stamping off to create monochromatic cards because I know that the colours will match exactly.....because it's all the same palette....that made more sense in my head than in writing, sorry : )

Stampin' Up, of course, has made things even easier by having a coordinating punch, the Petite Curly Label punch, to go with the Pretty Petites stamp set.  The "love" from the "Fabulous Phrases" stamp set fit perfectly between the little brackets and I couldn't resist adding a little bling in the form of a Rhinestone Basic Jewel.

Remember, you can get the Pretty Petites or the Petite Curly Label Punch FREE with a $60 purchase...or get both when you spend $120!

Happy Stamping!

Sale-a-bration is here!

Yay!!!!  I LOVE Sale-a-bration!  Stampin' Up's best promotion of the year!  So great!  And, of course, the artistic staff at Stampin' Up have outdone themselves again with fabulous new (and exclusive) products!

I have to admit, I've been in my post-Christmas slump and have found it very difficult to get back into the swing of things.  But this week I forced myself to clean up my work space and pull out some of the new products that have been sitting begging to be used.  This little elephant has been calling my name and finally saw some ink a couple of days ago.

Patterned Occasions on Sycamore Street DSP

Isn't he (or she) cute?!

So cute! I particularly like the flower he's holding.  And he was FREE!  That's the best part!!!!  There are 3 ways to take advantage of Sale-a-bration:

1. Purchasing power -- for every $60 of Stampin' Up product you purchase you'll get to choose one Sale-a-bration item FREE! There are many exclusive stamp sets, punches, designer series paper packs and more for you to choose from. And the more you purchase the more you get free!!!! Check out the attached brochure or go to http://lauragardiner.stampinup.net for more info.

2. Host a party! Every hostess will receive a package of Silver Glimmer Paper and have a chance to earn an exclusive Sale-a-bration bundle. Contact me to book your workshop!!!!

3. "Join" the Stampin' Up family! Don't worry, you won't be signing your life away....but during Sale-a-bration if you purchase the fully customizable Starter Kit you will get 25% MORE product. That's right, for just $125 (NO SHIPPING OR TAX) you will get $194 in product! Pretty great!!!! Contact me for more details.

 

Here are the products I used for this card:

 

Stamps:  Patterned Occasions (Sale-a-bration)

 

Ink:  Island Indigo, Pool Party, Summer Starfruit and Tangerine Tango

 

Paper:  Pool Party, Island Indigo, Whisper White, Tangerine Tango and Sycamore Street DSP (Sale-a-bration).

 

Other:  Stripes TIEF

 

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!