Thanks for a 'Reason to Smile'

Thank you for giving me a Reason to Smile...I am sorry to see you go! This is such a pretty two-step stamp set! After today it will no longer be available for purchase so I wanted to share it with you one more time...

 

I stamped the image using Cajun Craze, using both of the two-step stamps. I love the color but wanted to highlight the flower just a bit more so I used my paper piercing tool and the Essentials Paper Piercing Pack to add a circle around the flower. I think it added just the right touch and so easy to do!

Just a bit of Comfort Cafe paper and Old Olive Scallop Dots Ribbon and done!

If you are interested in purchasing this stamp set, it will be available for purchase until 11:00pm PST time today with a $50 purchase through my my online store.

Stampin Supplies:

Stamps: Reason to Smile, Kindness Matters

Paper: Old Olive, Very Vanilla CS; Comfort Cafe DSP

Ink: Cajun Craze, Old Olive Classic Ink Pads

Tools: Essentials Paper Piercing Pack, Paper-Piercing Tool, Stampin' Pierce Mat

Embellishments:  1/2" Scallop Dots Ribbon in Old Olive

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheers to You! - Freshly Made Sketches #44

Today I am sharing a project that I created from a sketch I found over at Freshly Made Sketches:

I was feeling festive birthday last night so I pulled out a great stamp set called Happy Hour and paired it a wonderful piece of banner from the Patio Party DSP. 

I also pulled out a scallop punch and a delightful shape from the Perfect Pennants Bigz Die. The background felt flat to me so I scored a few horizontal lines just above the banners, it was very easy to do with my Simply Scored and added just that perfect touch to the card background! I stamped an extra cocktail, cut it out, and popped it up on a Dimensional to give it a bit more visual weight.

I have noticed that I have been using a lot of banners lately. I chose a banner for my background paper so what's a girl to do but go with the flow and use a banner for the sentiment?! I normally cut my banners freehand. What works for me is to cut a long strip of cardstock using my Tabletop Paper Cutter (it's great for really straight cuts) and then I just eyeball the placement of the stamp. If that makes you uncomfortable, stamp the image on your grid paper first using those lines to give you a feel for placement. Then I just use my Paper Snips to trim one or both ends into a banner shape. This card felt better with a banner on just one end:) I added a Vintage Faceted Designer Button on the other end for a bit of bling (these buttons are just beautiful!)

Once I had the button on there I felt I needed to add a bit of something on the other side and I felt that our new 3/8" stitched satin ribbon fit that bill perfectly! So fun and cheery!

Stampin Supplies:

Stamps: Happy Hour

Paper: Raspberry Ripple, Primrose Petals, Whisper White CS; Patio Party DSP

Ink: Raspberry Ripple, Midnight Muse Classic Ink Pads

Tools: Big Shot, Perfect Pennants Bigz Die, 1 3/4" Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Simply Scored

Embellishments:  Vintage Faceted Designer Buttons, 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon in Primrose Petals, Dimensionals

Thanks for Stopping By!

Green with Envy!

Hi There! Today was the unofficial opening of the Stampin' Up! Demonstrator Convention and I was green with envy not to be there! So instead, I created a card that seemed to speak to why demonstrators go to convention!

To create my paper 'ribbon', I cut a piece of Twitterpated DSP 1" x 12" and then using my Simply Scored tool, I scored vertical lines at every alternating 1/4" and 1/2" and then folded the paper back and forth. I actually used about 18" of the DSP. The flower was created using a technique inspired by Brian King. Using the Blossom punch, I punched six flowers, two in the Twitterpated DSP, two in the First Edition DSP, and two in River Rock Color Collection DSP Stack. I layered the flowers and punched a hole in the center using my paper piercer and used an Antique Brad to hold the assembled flower together. I then sprized the flower with Stampin' Mist and scrunched the flower petals until I was happy. That's it!

So while I am sad not to be at Convention, I can still be happy creating memories in my own little stamping studio. And next year's convention will mark the 25th Anniversary of Stampin' Up! so it's sure to be a hoot! Please contact me to find out how to sign up to be a demonstrator so you can go too!! Whoo Hoo!

Stampin Supplies:

Stamps: Loving Thoughts; Fruit & Flowers

Paper: Very Vanilla CS; Twitterpated, First Edition, and the Color Collection DSP Stack in River Rock

Ink: Crumb Cake, River Rock

Tools: Scallop Edge Border Punch, Blossom Punch, 3/16" Corner Rounder Punch, Simply Scored

Embellishments: 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon in Very Vanilla, Antique Brad

Thanks for stopping by!

You're The Best

One of the wonderful ladies in my Pals Facebook Chat Group, a great place to get ideas and share information, (open only to Mary Fish' downline) posted a picture of a project she found on-line. it was just so beautiful that I jumped in and CASE'd (Copy and Share Everything) it. I didn't have all the supplies needed so I changed it up just a bit. I was very happy with the way it turned out and it just took a few minutes to put together! Hope you like it as well!

Stampin Supplies:

Stamps: Mixed Bunch, Friendly Phrases

Paper: Primrose petals, Whisper White CS

Ink: Primrose Petals Classic Ink Pad, StazOn White Ink Pad

Accessories:  Blossom Punch, Subtles Designer Buttons (Rose Red), Dimensionals

Thanks for stopping by!

July Pals "Summer Sunshine" Blog Hop

It's time for some fun in the sun with the Pals! Glad you could join us for the Pals Summer Sunshine Blog Hop! You've probably hopped over from Susan Lankford at Stamp and Scrap with Susan, I'm stop number 7 on the Pals Hop and I'm glad you hopped in! I'll help you "hop along" from blog to blog where you'll find great ideas for summer themed Stampin' Up! projects from the Stampin' Pretty Pals! Should you hop off course, simply click on any of the links in the Pals Hop Line-up below and you'll be back on track.

 When I read the theme for this month's blog hop "Summer Sunshine" the new in-color Summer Starfruit and the stamp set Reason to Smile came right to mind. The card just seemed to build itself from there :)

I recently added the 2 1/2" circle punch to my stash and was eager to use it on this project. When I punched a circle out just to get an idea of size I realized that the negative space left behind would make a great template for stamping my images! I used Soft Suede to ink up my images and used my Stamp-a-ma-jig (love this tool!!) to place the flowers in just the right spots. The flower image faces left so I inked up my image and then cleaned away the ink on the stem and turned the flower until I was able to face it to the right. The I inked up the stem, turned it upside down to get it to go the other direction as well. I couldn't have done this without my trusty Stamp-a-ma-jig! I just realized that the Stamp-a-ma-jig was in my first order I ever made and for good reason! Definitely a go-to tool!

The scallop circle is from Perfect Pennants Bigz L Die and I just love how the scallops just barely peek out from behind. The punch of color is a DSP from the Patio Party DSP collection and the sentiment banner is handcut. A few flowers in coordinating colors with just a touch of bling and there you have it--ezpeasy!!

Stampin Supplies:

Stamps: Reason to Smile, Curly Cute

Paper: Crumb Cake, Midnight Muse, Summer Starfruit, Whisper White CS; Patio Party and Comfort Cafe (envelope) DSP

Ink: Soft Suede, Summer Starfruit

Accessories: Big Shot, Perfect Pennants Bigz L Die, 2 1/2" Circle Punch, Scallop Edge Border Punch, Itty bitty Shapes Punch Pack, Rhinestone Basic Jewels, Dimensionals

Now hop along for more inspiring ideas from Rae Harper At Wild West Paper Arts, stop number 8 on the Pals Summer Sunshine Blog Hop! Thanks for "hopping" by

BLOG HOP LINEUP:

1. Dawn Tidd at Tiddbits from Dawn
2. Barb Furlong at The Love of Stamping
3. Angie Blake at AngiesMusings
4. Diane Roberts at Score at Four and a Quarter
5. Marian Kay at All Aboard the Crafting Train
6. Susan Lankford at Stamp and Scrap With Susan
7. Shannon Jaramillo at ezpeasycards
8. Rae Harper at Wild West Paper Arts
9. Mary Fish at Stampin' Pretty
10. Maggie Mata at Maggie Made Cards
11. Angela Curry at Kindred Stampers
12. Jen Takacs at Stamped in Full
13. Kimberly Deacon at Delightful Stampin
14. Nicole Watt at Impressions By Nicole
15. Mikki Sarkisyan at Mikki's Creative Corner
16. Nicole Picadura at Scraps & Stamps
17. Nina Dee at Deesigns by Nina Dee
18. Kim Luithle at Kims Stampin Stuff
19. Lori Martin at The Rejoicing PaperCrafter
20. Brian King at Stamp with Brian
21. Maxine Conrad at Stamp to the Max
22. Beth Beard at My Little Craft Blog
23. Kim Czenszak at Live Love Stamp