Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Stawberry Birthday Card

Today's card is one that I've been thinking about for a few weeks after seeing a couple of cards with strawberries on them.  I can't take the credit for the strawberry idea though.  I got them from Barb Mann and Denise Willerton....thanks ladies!  I did have to change mine a little bit because I didn't have the DSP for the stem, and I didn't want to do quite as many flowers.  I was also looking through blog challenges I follow and was a bit bummed because I haven't been doing them as much as I like to.  Well, as I was looking through them I realized my card would fit with The Friday Mashup this week!



Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamp Set:  Flight of the Butterfly (words)
Card Stock:  Real Red, So Saffron, Old Olive & Whisper White
Classic Stampin' Pads:  Real Red & So Saffron
Embossing Folders:  Framed Tulips & Perfect Polka Dots
Bigz Die:  Scallop Circle #2
Embosslits Die:  Scalloped Heart of Hearts
Sizzzlets Die:  Little Leaves
Punches:  Boho Blossoms & Five Petal Flower
Jewels:  Basic Pearls
Crimper



Tuesday, June 21, 2011

For You

Today's cards are more 3x3's that I send out as thank yous whenever someone orders from one of my stamp a stacks.  I seem to be using Crumb Cake, Soft Suede and Very Vanilla a lot lately, but I love the color combo. 


Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamp Set:  Elements of Style
Card Stock:  Crumb Cake & Very Vanilla
Classic Stampin' Pad:  Soft Suede
Punch:  1 3/8" x 5/8" Oval
Embosslits Die:  Beautiful Wings
Jewels:  Basic Pearls

Monday, June 20, 2011

Happy Father's Day

Well, as you can tell I've taken a few days off from blogging.  I hope to post more things this week than I did last week, but we'll have to see how things go.  Now that we're getting nicer weather, I need to spend some of my time outside too.  Today's card is my last Father's Day card for this year, and the one I  made for my hubby.  


Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamp Sets:  Lovely as a Tree & Teeny, Tiny Wishes
Card Stock:  Soft Suede, Early Espresso & Whisper White
Classic Stampin' Pads:  Soft Suede & Early Espresso 
Embossing Folder:  Square Lattice
Punches:  Modern Label & Word Window

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

3x3 Elements of Style

Today's cards are 3x3's that would be nice to give away as a little gift set.  I just had the idea to use the flowers from Elements of Style and emboss them in white on some bold colors and this is what I came up with.  I'm not sure which one is my favorite, but one of my daughters said she liked the "pink" one the best. 



Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamp Set:  Elements of Style
Card Stock:  Melon Mambo, Tangerine Tango, Daffodil Delight, Wild Wasabi, 
Pacific Point, Elegant Eggplant & Whisper White (on the inside and stamped like the envelopes)
Classic Stampin' Pads:  Melon Mambo, Tangerine Tango, Daffodil Delight, 
Wild Wasabi, Pacific Point & Elegant Eggplant
Versa Mark
Stampin' Emboss Powder:  White



Monday, June 13, 2011

Purple Clematis

Here is my second clematis flower card that I said I would put on...with instructions at the bottom. :)  I loved making them, but they were a little bit of work!  I made this one as an anniversary card for my mom and dad and used Saturday Sketch Challenge 207 from Stamping 411 for my design...although I did have to make the card 5 1/4" x 51/4" to fit the flower.  Here is the flower that I got my inspiration from and Stamping 411's sketch challenge...



A picture of the whole card.


A close up of the clematis...nope, they don't have sparkles, but I like to add it anyway. :)


...and the inside with a little bit of embossing in here too.


Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamp Sets:  On Your Birthday & a retired Happy Anniversary stamp
Card Stock:  Elegant Eggplant, Marina Mist, Garden Green, Rich Razzleberry & Whisper White
Classic Stampin' Pads:  Elegant Eggplant, Marina Mist, Garden Green & Rich Razzleberry
Punches:  Blossom Petals (indirectly) & Decorative Label
Embossing Folder:  Elegant Bouquet
Ribbon:  5/8" Grosgrain in Marina Mist

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to make the flower with a few tips first.  I found that Whisper White does not hold it's shape as well because it's a thinner card stock.   I still used it, but it will tear easier so you'll  need to be careful especially when trying to get the ruffled edge look.  I also wanted my petals bigger so I traced them, then enlarged them and printed them out on my cardstock. You don't have to do that, I just wanted mine a little bigger. :)  

You need to punch (Blossom Petals) or cut out eight petals.


 Take your mat pack (you need the cushion underneath) and using your paper-piercing tool run a few lines down the center of your leaf.


I used an older, small (and dull!) pair of scissors to curl the leaf up just like you do to make ribbon curly for a present.  I would start at the bottom of the petal and pull it to the top, repeating it until I got the look I wanted.


Now it's time for sponging.  For the white clematis petal I pinched a sponge until it was nice and thin so I could get a small stripe down the middle and not anywhere else on the petal.  Note:  When I sponged the white petal I had the side that I used the paper-piercing tool on facing up, but on the blue/purple petals I wanted them bumping up so I turned it over. :)



 I sponged the outside of the petal first...


then did the middle, pressing and dragging from the bottom of the petal to the top.  If the groves don't stand out, use your piercing tool again because you want the stripes down the middle to be noticeable.


This is what they should look like when you have eight of them done. :)


Next I punched out a 1/2" circle, then a 1" circle and sponged it to match the petals.


I attached the petals using adhesive.  You can use whatever you're comfortable with.  I just didn't want to use any sort of glue for this part because the petals would slide all over for me. :(


Once you have the petals where you want them, use your paper piercing tool to poke holes all around the center of your flower...


turn it around and pierce some more if necessary and then pull it out so you have about a 1/2" hole.


I cut a piece of rich razzleberry card stock 7" x 1 1/2" and made close cuts around 1/2" long.  I also added a small Whisper White piece to make it as close to the real flower as possible.  Make sure you add it on the correct side to get the right effect.


After I got all the slits cut in I trimmed it down a little and added adhesive.


I used the paper-piercing tool to start folding it in keeping it tight!  Sorry, guess I don't have a picture of that. :(  I did not start on the end that has the white.  I wanted that on the outside.  


It should look something like this when you are done. 


You need to fan some of the outer pieces out...


and push the inside down so it folds in a little.


It should fit right in the hole you put in your flower. :)


Turn it upside down and glue.  I used the multipurpose liquid glue (Tombow) and let it dry over night.


To make the leaves you use the same size piece as you did for the petals.


Use the mat and paper-piercing tool to draw the veins on the leaves.


Turn it over and sponge around the edges and over the "veins" to get this look.


Cut a few thin strips of card stock, sponge them a little and curl them with your scissors.


Now put everything on your card however you think it should look and viola! you'll have a clematis!  

I hope you enjoyed looking over my instructions.  It's a little bit of work to make, but after you've done it once, it's not so hard to do the second time around. :)  Find a picture of a clematis that has colors you really like and give it a try!  

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Happy Wedding Day

Today's card is for a wedding I just went to.  I made a white on white card pretty similar to this a little while ago, but this one I made square and added a touch of color so it would match the wedding colors.  


...and a view of the inside


Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamp Sets:  On Your Birthday 
(not sure about the stamps on the inside...they are long retired!)
Card Stock:  Whisper White
Classic Stampin' Pads:  Marina Mist & Pacific Point 
(sponged together to get a new color)
Versa Mark
Punches:  Boho Blossoms, Scallop Trim Border & Scallop Trim Corner
Big Shot Texturz Plates:  Backgrounds 1
Emblosslits Die:  Beautiful Wings
Ribbon:  3/8" Taffeta in Whisper White
Stampin' Emboss Powder:  White
Jewels:  Basic Pears

I stamped the words with Versa Mark and put white embossing powder on it.  Then I sponged over it with two colors and wiped the ink off the words with a Kleenex.    










Friday, June 10, 2011

Flower Garden Clematis

Today's card is one I've been thinking about for awhile...the flower part of it at least. :)  I love to take pictures of my flowers.  I get more of the same thing every year, and when I was taking a picture of my clematis flowers I though to myself "Why not try and make one of these to put on a card?"  So I did!  I love the design for this weeks Mojo Monday and thought the flower would go perfectly on it. :)  I also made this card for a fellow stamping friend whose b-day happens to be today.  We'll see if she sees this post before she gets her card later tonight. ;)  So first off is a picture of one the the flowers that gave me my inspiration...


And here's a picture of the card


...and the flower up close.  I know...flowers don't have all the sparkles like that, but I love the look of it and couldn't resist putting it on. :)


Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamp Set:  Vintage Labels
Card Stock:  Rich Razzleberry, Pretty in Pink, Pink Piroutte, Wild Wasabi & Whisper White
Classic Stampin' Pads:  Rich Razzleberry & Garden Green
Punches:  Blossom Petals (Used large leaf for petals), 1" Circle Punch & 1 3/4" x 7/8" Oval
Embossing Folder:  Elegant Bouquet
Shimmer Paint:  Champagne Mist


Instructions on how to make the flower...will be coming in a day or two. ;)  I have another card I'll be making with a similar flower.  Plus, I learned what to do, and what not to do on this flower and "perfected" it on my second one. ;)



Thursday, June 9, 2011

Friday Mash-up "Fan Favorite" Challenge

This post is going to be a little different for those of you who come on here looking for a card...you're only going to see an idea for a challenge that I am entering.  I saw it on The Friday Mashup challenge that I follow and enter as often as I can.  I thought it would be fun to enter...especially since I'm working on a couple of cards that inspired my idea for this challenge.  So, here's the challenge...


We love our Fans here at the Mashup and we want you to be a part of the fun creating a Mashup Challenge! Help us pick our first "Fan Favorite" Challenge!

Here's what ya gotta do...it is really easy!!!
  1. Write up a post on your blog with YOUR challenge idea with a link back to the Mashup Blog!
  2. Link up your idea post to the Friday Mashup Blog by June 22nd at noon (EST)

**Your Challenge idea should be written like this:



My Mashup Challenge, would be to:
1. Create a " FILL IN WITH YOUR IDEA" project. 

2. Create a project using "FILL IN WITH YOUR IDEA ".

3. Or "Mash it Up!" and create a " FILL IN WITH YOUR IDEA" project that uses " FILL IN WITH YOUR IDEA"!

I hope it's ok that I changed the wording just a little bit.  Here's my idea for the Friday Mashup Challenge...

Let's have a 3-D Garden Party!
   
1.  Create a card/project that has something 3-D on it.
2.  Create a card/project that's inspired by something in your own flower garden/from some one's garden that you love!
3.  Or "Mash it Up!" and create a card/project that has something 3-D on it that's inspired from your flower garden!

For those of you who make cards why not give this challenge a try.  It could be a lot of fun...and a "challenge" too! ;)  Check it out here.



Fabulous Florets Card Swap

Last week I posted a card that we made at my last stamp a stack, and said I would have a card sometime this week that was inspired from it.  I can finally show you the card...I just had to keep it a secret until the Red Hot Stampers did their card swap. :)    


I added a little more color and layers to this card, and instead of using Old Olive, I used Always Artichoke.


Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamp Set:  Fabulous Florets & Afterthoughts
Card Stock:  Always Artichoke, Rich Razzleberry & Very Vanilla
Classic Stampin' Pad:  Always Artichoke & Rich Razzleberry
Punch:  Decorative Label
Stampin' Emboss Powder:  Gold 
I used my scoring blade to make the lines on the Rich Razzleberry




Sunday, June 5, 2011

Trains and Trucks...

I'm finally getting another card in for the Friday Mashup challenge!  I seem to always miss the deadline for this one. :(  Anyway, I looked at the colors and theme and wondered if I could get them to work for my nephew who is turning two soon.  I don't have a lot of kids' stamps, so I had to dig through my retired stuff and came up with this set that I think is fun for the toddler age.  So I guess I did get something to come together...and pretty quickly too, so that makes it even better! :)


I had to show it with the envelope too.  I don't stamp on those very often and decided to give it a try once. :)


Just for fun I always hide a dollar for my nieces and nephews somewhere in their card.  I hear they're sometimes ready to pull the card apart to find it!  I wonder how long a dollar will keep them excited? ;)




Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamp Set:  Going Somewhere (retired)
Card Stock:  Daffodil Delight, Real Red, Tempting Turquoise & Pacific Point
Classic Stampin' Pads:  Daffodil Delight, Real Red, Tempting Turquoise & Pacific Point

Friday, June 3, 2011

Graduation Cards ~ Part 2

A couple of weeks ago I posted two graduation cards for a couple of open houses I had to go to.  Well, this weekend I have two more, so of course I had to make more cards.  I decided to keep the same general idea, but change the size.  I used the RGB codes for Night of Navy and Garden Green to put their name and class on the outside of each card.  


I put the same short note and verse inside...and of course a pocket to slide some cash or a check into.


Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Card Stock:  Night of Navy, Daffodil Delight & Whisper White 
Garden Green & Whisper White
The closed card measures 4.25" x 4.25".  
The first layer is 4" x 4" and the one with a second layer is 3.75" x 3.75".
The cap is three layers of card stock 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" with a brad put through the middle.
I got my idea for the tassels from my upline Glenda here