Happy Valentine's Day!

I have a core group of friends that I cannot live without! I made one of these Valentine "boxes" for each one. Once I got the formula down for the card base and decorated it with a lot of retired Valentine paper, I then set to work on how to "fill" it so that when it's opened, my girlfriends will be surprised that balloon hearts and good wishes greet them!

Here is a close up of how it looks with row after row of fun stamped images. You could even put three or four rows in if you have a lot of things you wanted to say! The last row, the heart "balloons" are floating on strips of Window Sheets. Some of the boxes I made also had Glimmer Paper hearts glued to the side and back flaps for some sparkle. There are so many ways you could decorate these cards and I'm loving figuring them out.

Stay tuned, I really AM working on my watercolor card and will post it over the weekend! Thanks for looking and I'd love to read your comments. 

What was your best Valentine ever? I'd have to say that mine was being taken to London for a few days! It was half business, but my husband took me along and it was a great trip back in the 90's.

For all of your Stampin' Up! products, I hope you will use my Online Store.

Workshop Valentine

A couple of weeks ago I made the CUTE baby card below and I LOVED how the Baked Brown Sugar polka dotted DSP looked with this beautiful Whisper White scalloped "lace." 

So, for a Workshop last week, we began with the same card base, but turned the card and added the lace along the bottom. Already the card is almost finished!

I added a small rectangle panel of one of the many prints in the Fresh Prints DSP stack from the Occasions Catalog. I framed it in Real Red card stock. The heart element base is Coastal Cabana card stock that is die cut using the Hearts a Flutter Framelits. Next, I ran the heart through the Big Shot again inside the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder. I stamped the sentiment in Red (it's from the Delightful Dozen stamp set) and punched it out with the Full Heart punch. The full heart is JUST large enough to get all of the sentiment in. I added a Small Heart punched from Real Red card stock and blinged it up with a Basic Rhinestone. I popped up this heart element using Stampin' Dimensionals and tied a Soft Suede knot vertically to the left of the heart.

I do hope you enjoyed looking and got some inspiration. Whenever you need Stampin' Up! supplies to get you started, please use my Online Store.

Valentine Card Supplies:

Card Stock: Whisper White, Coastal Cabana, Real Red

DSP: In Color Paper Stack, Fresh Prints DSP Stack

Stamps: Delightful Dozen

Ink: Real Red

Big Shot: Perfect Polka Dots EF, Hearts A Flutter Framelits, Large Scallop Edgelit, Delicate Designs EF

Punches: Small Heart, Full Heart

Embellishments: Basic Rhinestones, Soft Suede Taffeta Ribbon

PPA187 Color Challenge Changed Up A Bit

Pals Paper Arts Team 2 is on duty this week with a Color Challenge! I decided to play along-- you can, too! I changed out the Real Red for Cherry Cobbler to accommodate my embossing powder. Challenges are meant to be a starting place, so feel free to substitute as necessary, or as you feel the need.

The card base is Whisper White with a layer of Soft Sky card stock. Next I added a piece of Cherry Cobbler that was embossed with the Snowburst Embossing Folder (retired). I tied a Soft Sky Seam Binding ribbon around the embossed piece horizontally before adhering it to the Soft Sky.

On top of the ribbon, I added three hearts. The Largest Heart was Full Heart-punched from Whisper White card stock which was stamped with a Delicate Doilies image in Soft Sky ink. I matted it with the large scalloped heart from the Hearts a Flutter Framelits using Soft Sky card stock. Next, a heart die cut from Whisper White with a different Cherry Cobbler Delicate Doilies image using a Hearts a Flutter framelit. Lastly, a Small Heart punched out from Soft Sky and embellished with a Basic Rhinestone. All three hearts were popped up using Stampin' Dimensionals.

Under the ribbon, I added four "tickets" from the That's the Ticket stamp set. Two Whisper White tickets were inked with VersaMark and heat embossed with Cherry Cobbler powder. A third Whisper White ticket was inked with Soft Sky Ink. The Soft Sky ticket was inked with VersaMark and heat embossed with White Embossing powder.

I love all of the textures on this card! So much to touch and feel on this very special Valentine. I adore the Soft Sky/Cherry Cobbler colors together!

I hope you are inspired today to make your own creation, whether it be a card, a scrapbook page or a tag. Use what you have and be creative!! I'll eagerly look for your comments!

For all of your Stampin' Up! supplies, please use my Online Store.

Valentine Card Supplies:

Card Stock: Whisper White, Soft Sky, Cherry Cobbler

Stamps: Delicate Doilies, That's the Ticket

Ink: Soft Sky, Cherry Cobbler, VersaMark with White and Cherry Cobbler Embossing Powder

Big Shot: Snowburst Embossing Folder (retired), Hearts a Flutter Framelits

Punches: Full Heart, Small Heart, Ticket Duo

Embellishments: Soft Sky Seam Binding Ribbon, Basic Rhinestones

Dark Chocolate Leaves

Today's project is brought to you by my Scrap Tray! It's a very shallow antique paper box that I keep on my desk top. I put all of the little 'extras' that don't make some of my projects. Later when I'm in a big hurry to complete a gift card, tag or goody bag, I can usually find something in there and complete a card! Here's what the tray looks like:

It's kind of fun to see what I'll come up with! I began the project by tracing a leaf from the Thankful Tablescape Simply Created Kit. I cut it out from a piece of Pumpkin Pie Designer Series Prints Paper Stack. That's when I knew I needed to go to the Scrap Tray for some finishing touches! The "celebrate" was already stamped and matted using the Bitty Banners Framelits, and the little flag was already embossed with polka dots and cut from the Hearts A Flutter Thinlits Dies. Done! 

Thanks for looking today. I hope you have been inspired. Please leave your comments--I love to read them!

For your Stampin' Up! supplies, please use my Online Store.

The Stampin' Pretty Pals are having a Blog Hop today! I hope you will have fun visiting many of their blogs to see their creations! Start here with Mary Fish--she is the Fearless Leader of the Pretty Pals.

PPA Preview and Creative Crew Holiday Focus

Come by tomorrow and see the rest of the above snippet that I made for the Pals Paper Arts Challenge! We'd love you to play along!

Happy Wednesday! Here is another Creative Crew card I designed for September. The challenge was called Holiday Focus using the Big Shot.  I made this to remember my favorite day -- the day I first admitted to my husband that I loved him way back in September of 1978. This card will be given to him on the anniversary of that date. We were in the parking lot waiting to get out from a Barry Manilow concert--quite romantic! He had been telling me he loved me for weeks, but I took a little longer to admit that I was in love. We've been married 33 years now and I still do love him! 

I chose Hearts a Flutter stamp set because that is how my heart is for him--still fluttering! I used it to make the Crumb Cake flag topper you see here under the Hardware Clip. "Best Day Ever" is stamped in Crumb Cake onto a Calypso Coral "flag" that I made. The stamp is on the "Remember This and That" Rotary Stamp. My Daffodil Delight background, embossed with the Framed Tulips Embossing Folder reminds me of the sunshine of that summer we met and fell in love. Thanks for looking! Please leave your comments below--I really love to read them all!!

Remember This and That Rotary Stamp  130133 $5.95 Lots of bang for your buck!

If you would like to play along with this challenge, just upload your card to CCREW0913HF in the Splitcoast Gallery.

Holiday Focus Card Supplies:

Card Stock: Whisper White, Calypso Coral, Daffodil Delight

Designer Series Paper: Epic Day This and That

Stamps: Hearts a Flutter, Remember This and That Rotary Stamp

Ink: Crumb Cake

Big Shot: Hearts A Flutter Framelits, Framed Tulips Embossing Folder

Embelilshments: Hardware Clips

For all of your Stampin' Up! supplies, please use my Online Store.

Flags and Artisan Labels- Just For You

Happy Friday! I'm sorry I've been so inconsistent lately! I've been working hard at getting ready for my daughter's baby shower this weekend and time is precious. So here is a card I whipped up trying to use some sneak preview items and some current products. You can see the Stampin' Up! 2013-2014 Catalog Live on May 31st!

I created these flags by taking a strip of Whisper White paper, cutting it to the desired length and width, and covering it with the *new* Gingham Garden Designer Washi Tape. These are all three colors in the collection and they are SO cute and easy to use. I've already covered clothespins in Washi Tape (you'll see my baby shower items later this week) and used the tape to close a wax bag or to help keep an envelope closed. They add a little pattern to anything!

Here's a tip for making your flags from Mary Fish, leader of our Stampin' Pretty Pals:  Click Here for Video

Other new products used are Strawberry Slush card stock, and Label Love stamp set.

I hope you enjoyed seeing my card today. Won't you please leave a comment below?

For all of your Stampin' Up! supplies, please use my Online Store.

Just For You Card Supplies:

Card Stock: Strawberry Slush, Whisper White, Daffodil Delight, Island Indigo, Rose Red

Stamps: Label Love, Hearts a Flutter

Ink: Rose Red, Strawberry Slush, Daffodil Delight, Island Indigo

Big Shot: Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, Hearts a Flutter Framelits

Punch: Artisan Label

Embellishments: Gingham Garden Washi Tape

Kindness Matters for the PPA

Happy Spring again! I love these colors--they match my blooming Iris'! I got SO jazzed when I tried out the Designer Build-A-Brad! Just by putting a piece of Wisteria Wonder card stock under the clear "blob" I added a beautiful, matching designer touch to this week's Pals Paper Arts Sketch Challenge. How will YOU interpret the sketch? You can see that I flipped the sketch on it's side for my card.

This will be a card that is hard to give away. I don't know what it is about this brad, but it mesmerizes me and I love to look at it. It's like a lustrous jewel! I added some teeny Basic Pearls around the brad and they just look so sweet.

Peeking out from under my Top Note Die piece are some banner shapes I cut from Polka Dot Parade Designer Paper and Whisper White card stock, the latter having gone through my Big Shot with the Polka Dot Embossing Folder. So simple, but they really add to my card quickly. 

I hope you enjoyed my card today and that you will leave a comment below. Thanks everyone for your kind comments, I really do smile when I read them.

Tomorrow is the LAST DAY for Sale-A-Bration, so get your online orders in right away by using my Online Store.

Kindness Matters Card Supplies:

Card Stock: Old Olive, Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Wisteria Wonder

Designer Series Paper: Polka Dot Parade

Big Shot: Polka Dot Embossing Folder, Hearts a Flutter Framelits, Top Note Die

Stamps: Kindness Matters

Embellishments: White Tea Lace Doily, Designer Build-A-Brad, Basic Pearsl

Punch: Itty Bitty Shapes (for the brad)

Hearts a Flutter PPA151 Sketch!

Good Day! Thank you for checking our our Pals Paper Arts Challenge for this week. You will have TWO weeks to make your project and upload it to be eligible to be chosen as an Artist Pick! You can even upload more than one project if you are so inclined. We love to have you play along.

This sketch was fun! I loved substituting my hearts for the circles on the sketch. The small heart is stamped using the Hearts a Flutter stamp set and then die cut using the perfectly matching Hearts a Flutter Framelits! These sets make crafting a card so easy!

Thank you for looking today. I love to read your comments, so won't you leave one below? If you have any questions about my cards, please email me.

Hearts a Flutter PPA151 Card Supplies:

Card Stock: Very Vanilla, Gumball Green

Designer Series Paper: Tea for Two

Stamps: Hearts a Flutter, Collage Curios, P.S. I Love You

Ink: Calypso Coral, Soft Suede for daubing edges

Big Shot: Bitty Banners Framelits, Hearts a Flutter Framelits

Stampin' Up! has Never-before-seen Single Stamps!

See my Promotions Page for the details!

Happy B-Day for Deconstructed Sketch

Happy Monday! I made this card for Deconstructed Sketch challenge. This is my first time entering their challenge. I just found it over the weekend.

I used the new Tea for Two Designer Series paper as my starting point and for choosing colors. You will see that I used *new* items that go together: Pretty Petites and Petite Curly Label Punch. Both will be available beginning January 22nd. Each time you spend $50 on Stampin' Up! merchandise, you get one free item from SAB brochure. There is no limit to how many items you can earn free!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed seeing what I created. I LOVE your comments. You are all so sweet, and I'd like to give a shout out to Eileen, who left an especially sweet comment yesterday!

Happy B-Day Supplies:

Card Stock: Very Vanilla, So Saffron, Sahara Sand

Designer Series Paper: Tea for Two

Stamps: Pretty Petites (available Jan 22 with Sale-A-Bration benefits)

Ink: Calypso Coral

Big Shot: Large Scallop Edgelit, Hearts a Flutter Framelits, Designer Frames Embossing Folder, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Delicate Designs Embossing Folder, Bigz Scallop Oval

Embellishments: 3/8" So Saffron Ribbon, In Color Printed Designer Brads, Crochet Trim

Extras: Petite Curly Label Punch (available Jan 22 with Sale-A-Bration benefits)

*NEW* Subscribe to My Paper Pumpkin! Stampin' Up! has a new option for paper crafters! My Paper Pumpkin is a monthly kit that is delivered to your door for $19.95 including shipping and handling! It includes everything you need to create in a box! (All the stamps, ink, paper, and accessories for cards, journals, decor and more!) 

The Paper Pumpkin is the perfect introduction to Stampin' Up!-designed for crafters who want to create a project each month, but aren't quite ready to build a stamp collection-yet!

(you may cancel at any time, or skip a month if you want to)

Bonus: The Welcome Kit is the very first Paper Pumpkin you will receive in your first month of membership. The Welcome Kit includes a *free* gift- a clear acrylic block!

Not ready for monthly kits? Try it for one month, (starting in March) then continue if you like it! 

I've ordered mine already! Sign up today!

Get it Here

Sparkling Love

More items from the Artisan Embellishments Kit ($9.95) are on today's card. I am LOVEing that kit! You will, too. You can use the elements on many projects, making it a very good deal!

The Designer Series Paper I used is from the Print Poetry Stack. Again, this stack is such a bargain at $6.95 for 48 sheets that measure 4.5" x 6.5"--perfect for as many as 48 card fronts--unless you mix the patterns, which all coordinate. Decisions, decisions!

I hope you enjoyed looking and that you are inspired! Thank you in advance for your comments--I love to read each one!

For your Stampin' Up! products, order through my Website.

Sparkling Love Card Supplies:

Card Stock: Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake

Designer Series Paper: Print Poetry DSP Stack

Stamps: Hearts a Flutter

Embellishments: Artisan Embellishments Kit, Basic Pearls, Champagne Glitter, Dazzling Details

Ink: White Craft

Extras: White Embossing Powder, Paper Piercer & Mat, Paper Piercing Pack Essentials

Big Shot: Adorning Accents Edgelits, Hearts a Flutter Framelits

L-O-V-E for January Pals Blog Hop

Thank you for joining us for the first Pals Blog Hop of 2013! Today the Stampin' Pretty Pals are excited to introduce you to *new* Stampin' Up! products that are available in the Spring Catalog. We hope you find inspiration and ideas for using the new stamps, paper and accessories.

You should have just left stop number 19 on the Pals Hop, Brian King at Stamp With Brian. If so, you are in the right spot. If you get off track, the full blog lineup below will help you move from blog to blog so you see all of the amazing creations.

I dreamed up this banner a couple of weeks ago, but only got a chance to make it one day before the Hop! I was inspired by a Christmas Doily banner that a friend made for me a couple of years ago. 

Basically, if you fold doilies in half over any kind of ribbon or string, then add some fun elements to each doily half, you have yourself a banner in no time! 

I could not fit the banner into my light box, so I had to rely on natural lighting. The only surface big enough for my display was a white door, so I decided to use Diptic to put all four photos together (top photo) and you can now see that my banner spells out L-O-V-E in a special way!

"L" supplies: Doily (pg. 5), snippet of white stitched grossgrain ribbon, button from Artisan Embellishments Kit (pg. 10), Print Poetry Designer Series Paper Stack (pg. 16) die cut using Hearts a Flutter Framelits dies (pg. 11)

"O" supplies: Doily (pg. 5), resin flower from Artisan Embellishments Kit (pg. 10)

"V" supplies: Doily (pg. 5), snippet of lace from Artisan Embellishments Kit (pg. 10), Primrose Petals card stock, stamped and embossed with heart from Hearts a Flutter stamp set (pg. 11)

"E" supplies: Doily (pg. 5), Primrose Petals card stock punched with Large Scallop Circle, then cut in half, "E" paper-pierced (freehand) onto Pool Party card stock, then punched out using Petite Curly Label Punch (available *free* during Sale-A-Bration, 1/22 to 3/22, with any $50 Stampin' Up! order), Primrose Petals Resin Dahlia

My banner is held together using a length of Natural 7/16" Trim Ribbon (pg. 20)

I hope you enjoyed my project, featuring Spring Catalog items! 

I'd love to read your comments below! 

The next stop is Kerry Willard Bray at Stampgoodness. Thank you for visiting! See you next month!

       

Dawn Tidd at Tiddbits from Dawn

Sherrie Gross at Stampin Sunshine

Naki Rager at ...notes from Naki

Peggy Noe at prettypapercards.com

Beth Beard at My Little Craft Blog

Nicole Watt at Impressions By Nicole

Nina Dee at Deesigns by Nina Dee

Jennifer Takacs at Stamped In Full

Diane Roberts at Score at Four and a Quarter

Kim Czenszak at Live Love Stamp

Rae Harper at Wild West Paper Arts

Linda Callahan at Stampin' Seasons

Lori J Martin at The Rejoicing Papercrafter

Claire Crotteau-Hutt at Stamp Paper Scissors

Maggie Mata at Maggie Made Cards

Angela Curry at Kindred Stampers

Maxine Conrad at Stamp to the MAX!

Debbie Crowley at expressivelydeb...

Brian King at Stamp with Brian

Patti MacLeith at Papercrafts By Patti

Kerry Willard Bray at Stampgoodness

Nicole Picadura at Scraps & Stamps

Mary Fish at Stampin' Pretty