Happy Easter Everybunny!

In celebration of the upcoming holiday my next three posts will be Easter themed! Today's card is pulled from the archives; tomorrow I will be celebrating with my upline Mary Fish in a Pals Easter Parade; and Sunday I will be featuring the most adorable punch art bunny EVER (really) so please enjoy and remember to stop back or subscribe to my blog for updates delivered directly to your email!

I made this little gem last year and looking at it reminds me of how much I love last year's Sale-a-Bration paper Everyday Enchantment. While the paper may be retired, many of the colors are not so you could easily re-create this with the same colors and current Designer Series Paper. And if you still have a stash of this delightful paper, please feel free to CASE (Copy and Share Everything) it...I did! Unfortunately I do not know who the original designer was but there are many similar variations out there so we won't stress too much, okay? Okay!

These wonderful images are from a current set in the 2012-2013 Annual Catalog called Everybunny. I am not usually comfortable with water coloring so this card is a bit out of the box for me. I have some nerve damage in my thumbs which makes holding any writing type device difficult and my output shaky (at best) but I'm pretty satisfied with how this little guy turned out. It's actually very easy to water color. For best results, always stamp your image using StazOn ink. Other inks may bleed when applying the color. To color I simply applied some color from our Stampin' Write Markers onto a clear acrylic stamp block and then dipped a blender pen into the color and transferred it onto my stamped image. For a softer look, rub some of the color onto scrap paper before coloring your image. To change colors just scribble the blender pen on scrap paper until the color is gone. It is really that simple! To get the shadow effect on the egg and the bunny's ears and paws you can apply a heavier dose of color or color it with the fine tip of your Stampin' Write marker.

Add a little flower with a rhinestone center for jewelry and you are done! So easy!!

I hope you enjoyed today's project, please remember to check out the rest of my Easter projects this weekend! I know it takes a bit of extra time to leave a comment but should you be inclined, each and every comment is greatly appreciated!

Stampin Supplies:

Stamps: Everybunny (122707)

Paper: Whisper White (100730), Calypso Coral (122925), Lucky Limeade (122926), Pool Party (122924) Cardstock, Everyday Enchantment (Retired Sale-a-Bration) Designer Series Paper 

Ink: Black StazOn Ink Pad (101406); Crumb Cake (119703), Lucky Limeade and Calypso Coral (123002) Stampin' Write Markers (please note that these Stampin' Write Markers are only available in sets) 

Tools: Eyelet Border Punch (retired), Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack (118309), Blender Pen (102845)

Embellishments:  3/8" Ruffled Ribbon in Calypso Coral (122976), Rhinestone Basic Pearls (119246)

Thanks for stopping by!

A Note of Appreciation - FMS77

For this week's Freshly Made Sketches challenge I kept it simple and monochromatic!

Hello there and special welcome to those of you who are new to my little blog! Here is a peek at the wonderful sketch this week provided by designer Jennifer T:

 While I kept the colors simple, I was a bit free and easy with the sketch layout as you can see!

EZ Design Ideas: 

• Using just one color makes putting a card together quick and easy...less decisions!
• Let the products do the work for you! The Big Shot and new Ovals Collection Framelit Dies made easy work of punching out the sentiment, the new 1 1/4" Scallop Punch punched out a base for my Designer Builder Brad to rest on, and the circle punch from the Itty Bitty Shapes Pack quickly punched out a design element for the center of the Designer Builder Brad

• You may notice that my embellishment is not centered perfectly with the ribbon, I chose instead to make it a focal point of it's own, creating a 'visual triangle'
• I wanted this card to mail easily so I bent the prongs on the Designer Builder Brad back and forth until they broke off and just used a glue dot to adhere it to the card
• I trimmed a piece of Whisper White Cardstock to 4" x 5 1/4" (just slightly smaller than the card base) so I could wrap and hide the end of the ribbon underneath and then popped that layer up with Stampin' Dimensionals 
• The design element in the center of the Designer Builder Brad was just punched from the same Designer Series paper that was used for the background to tie in easily

 

I truly enjoyed creating today's project and hope that you are motivated to create something as well!

Thank you so much for visiting me here and for leaving such wonderful comments. They brighten my day and are very appreciated!

If you have left a comment on my previous post, March Pals Blog Hop, please check back on Friday to see if you have won blog candy! If you have not left a comment yet, there is still time, so scroll down and leave me a comment!!

Stampin Supplies:

Stamps: Feel Goods (129684)

Paper: Whisper White (100730), Melon Mambo (115320) Cardstock, Sunshine & Sprinkles (126922) Designer Series Paper 

Ink: Melon Mambo (126948) Classic Stampin' Pad 

Tools: Big Shot (113439), Ovals Collection (129381) Framelits Dies, Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack (118309),   1 1/4" Scallop Circle Punch (127811), Stampin' Trimmer (126889)

Embellishments:  Designer Builder Brads (129329), 3/8" Striped Organdy Ribbon in Melon Mambo (129293)

Thanks for stopping by!

March Pals Blog Hop

Thank you for joining us for the March Pals Blog Hop! Today the Stampin' Pretty Pals are excited to share new ideas and projects to get you ready for spring.

You should have just left stop number 23 on the Pals Hop - Amy Williams at Stampin' on the Range. If so, you are in the right spot.  If you get off track, the full blog lineup below will help you move along from blog to blog so you see all of the amazing creations.

I just love how Stampin' Up! is constantly providing wonderfully simple ways to decorate our homes and our lives...

My project today is a My Digital Studio download available for only $1.95 (Item #129889). I simply downloaded this template, printed it at home, and found a pretty frame to put it in! It doesn't get much easier than that!

I can't wait to display this in my home and bring in a touch of spring as winter makes it's retreat. But really, the colors are so cheerful, I think it could stay up year round!

I decided that this print would make a wonderful hostess or thank you gift so I added a few notecards in coordinating colors. One can never have too many note cards!

The notecards are simple 3 x 3 cards with a layer of cardstock in colors chosen to coordinate with the framed print. I added a layer of emobssed white cardstock and topped off with the flower image. I chose a flower image from the Button Buddies stamp set because it is sooo easy to punch out with the 1 3/4" Scallop Circle punch and then pop up with a Stampin' Dimensional for a bit of dimension. I couldn't resist (since the stamp set IS Button Buddies) adding a white button for a bit of jewelry. A tiny bit of cardstock threaded through the button holes provides a nice detail. Very simple but oh so cute!

I hope you have enjoyed my post today, simple and easy projects that you can do at home in an afternoon! And by the way...did you notice the Easter egg at the top of the post?? That's means I have blog candy to give away!!

My blog candy today is a sampler of items that you would normally only be able to earn with $100 purchase of Stampin' Up! product!

•  12 6" x 6" sheets of the Sycamore Street Designer Series Paper
• 6 buttons each in 3 colors: Pool Party, Tangerine Tango, and Rich Razzleberry
• 1 yard each of satiny ribbon in 3 colors: Island Indigo, Pool Party, and Tangerine Tango

Interested in receiving this blog candy? Please be sure to leave a comment by 6 PM CST on Thursday, March 14, 2013. One recipient will be chosen at random from the comments received. The blog candy recipient will be announced on Friday and the recipient will need to email me their mailing address within 24 hours. Blog candy can only be shipped to a US address -- thanks for understanding.}

Stampin Supplies:

Stamps: Button Buddies (1227374)

Paper: Whisper White (100730), Baja Breeze (111352), Calypso Coral (122925), Lucky Limeade (122926), so Saffron (105118) Cardstock

Ink: Baja Breeze (126960), Calypso Coral (126983), Lucky Limeade (126984), so Saffron (126957) Classic Stampin' Pad 

Tools: Big Shot (113439), Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder (117335), 1 3/4" Scallop Circle Punch, Stampin' Trimmer (126889)

Embellishments:  Neutral Designer Buttons (119743)

Thanks for stopping by!

The next stop is Amy L. Lazzell at Just a Thought...Cards by Amy, stop number 25 on the Pals Blog Hop! Thanks for visiting – and I hope to see you next month!

1. Dawn Tidd at tiddbitsfromdawn
2. Mary Fish at Stampin' Pretty -
3. Nicole Picadura at Scraps & Stamps
4. Shannon Hokanson at Paper Works 
5. Debbie Mageed at Scrappin' & Stampin'
6. Diane Roberts at Score at Four and a Quarter
7. Debbie Crowley at expressivelydeb...
8. Ann Schach at The Stampin' Schach
9. Katy McGloin at Just Fun Stamping
10. Nicole Watt at Impressions By Nicole
11. Kerry Willard Bray at stampgoodness
12. Brian King at Stamp with Brian
13. Maggie Mata at Maggie Made Cards
14. Jennifer Takacs at Stamped in Full 
15. Carmen Sublasky at The Creative Stamptuary
16. Debra Simonis at Deb's Stampin' Grounds
17. Linda Callahan at Stampin' Seasons 
18. Kim Czenszak at LiveLoveStamp
19. Susan Itell at Simple Stampin'
20. Julie Trevett-Smith at The Stampin' Affair
21. Rae Harper at Wild West Paper Arts
22. Ginger Toivonvn at gingerstamps.com
23. Amy Williams at Stampin' on the Range
24. Shannon Jaramillo at ezpeasycards
25. Amy L. Lazzell at Just A Thought...Cards by Amy
26. Penny Nichols at Sierra Stampin!
27. Sherrie Gross at Stampin' Sunshine
28. Peggy Noe at prettypapercards.com 
29. Maxine Conrad at Stamp to the MAX!

Floral Fusion Hello - PPA154 Color Challenge

The Pals Paper Arts design team always has wonderful color combinations and this week is no exception...what a delightful color combination to work with!

I always start these projects by perusing the catalog for options in the challenge colors. Right away I spotted two of the three colors in the Print Poetry Designer Series Paper Stack and what a steal...all those pattern choices for only $6.95!! The patterns I chose were both from this paper stack and coincidentally, were flip patterns on the same piece of paper so I knew this was meant to be!

A friend recently posed a question about the flowers in the Floral Fusion die by Stampin' Up!. She wanted to know why the flowers were never offset in the style of actual flowers and I thought...good question! I told her I would pull the die out and make some flowers in each style and post pictures so when I started today, the plan was to make two of the same card, one with the flowers stacked, the second with the flower petals offset but I just couldn't do it! My orderly soul just could not cope with the flowers offset...sorry Terri!

Here is a close up shot of these pretty little flowers. The Floral Fusion die cuts three flowers of graduated sizes at once so all that is needed is to stack them on top of each other with a simple Crumb Cake button on top, assembled quickly wth glue dots. I did take an extra minute to curl the ends of each petal wth my bone folder to give the flower a bit of dimension.

I added some Calypso Coral Baker's Twine to compliment the Calypso Coral background layer as well as a sentiment from the Bloomin' Marvelous Stamp Set that I got for FREE during Sale-a-bration...I always love free and I think the sentiment is so sweet!

I really enjoy the subtle added interest that paper piercing adds to any project. Here I added a bit to two opposite corners of the card. I love the effect!

I think this card would be perfect to send to someone special just to show some apreciation for all that they mean to you!

I hope you have enjoyed today's project. Please check back next Tuesday for the Pals Blog Hop and some blog candy!

Stampin Supplies:

Stamps: Bloomin' Marvelous (129654) - free with $50 purchase!

Paper: Very Vanilla (101650), Calypso Coral (122925), Crumb Cake (120953) Cardstock; Print Poetry (129312) Designer Series Paper Stack

Ink: Raspberry Ripple (126859) Classic Stampin' Pad 

Tools: Big Shot (113439), Floral Fusion Sizzlits Die (115969), Essentials Paper Piercing Pack (126187), Stampin' Pierce Mat (126199), Paper-Piercing Tool (126189), Stampin' Trimmer (126889)

Embellishments:  Neutral Designer Buttons (119743), Calypso Coral Baker's Twine (125573)

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Yep! You guessed it, today is my mother's 70th birthday! What a milestone! Here is the card I made and sent to her as unfortunately she is on the opposite side of the country from me :(

I know my mother likes yellow roses so I used the color Daffodil Delight as my starting point. I found this delightful piece of Attic Heirlooms retired Designer Series Paper that I have been saving (hoarding) for a special occasion. Its cheerful color and print is just perfect for my mother. A very special paper for a very special lady!

I used the matching Adorning Accents Embossing Folder and Edgelits to add a soft edge to the piece of Baja Breeze Designer Series Paper. Baja Breeze is a nice compliment to the Daffodil Delight and lots of white space help keep the color combination from being overpowering.

I wish my mom the most wonderful birthday ever and I hope she enjoys her card (and the "gift" tucked inside!)

Stampin Supplies:

Stamps: Memorable Moments (126682)

Paper: Whisper White (100730), Daffodil Delight (119683), Baja Breeze (111352) Cardstock; Foral District (126919) and Attic Heirlooms (Retired) Designer Series Paper

Ink: Baja Breeze (126960) Classic Stampin' Pad 

Tools: Big Shot (113439), Fancy Fan (127751) and Adorning Accents (125601) Embossing Folders; Adorning Accents Edgelits (125595), Stampin' Trimmer (126889)

Embellishments:  3/8" Taffeta Ribbon in Daffodil Delight (Retired), Rhinestone Basic Jewels (11926)

Thanks for stopping by!