Port Vintage Vogue

Climb aboard the Occasions Mini Catty Cruise! Make sure to visit each port where my talented crew mates are showcasing some wonderful projects using their favorite stamps and accessories from the Occasions Mini. I am delighted to share the projects I created using my favorite new set...Vintage Vogue.

Vintage Friend Card & Pillow Box

This card with the matching Pillow Box favor uses the matching jumbo wheel called Very Vintage. This wheel has so much detail, I just love it! The center of the flowers are adorned with the new Chocolate Chip Epoxy Brads. I also used the Scallop Trim Border punch available for free during Sale~A~Bration and Pretty In Pink Satin ribbon on the Pillow Box. The new 5/8" Satin Ribbon is so soft and easy to work with and it's available in 9 colors in the Occasions Mini.

Vintage Medallion Card

When I first saw the Vintage Vogue set I couldn't wait to try it with the Medallion Background stamp. For this one I used a color combo that I hadn't used in a while: Sage Shadow, Close to Cocoa and Blush Blossom...these colors have a very vintage feel to me. I stamped the Medallion three times and cut the centers from two and adhered them with dimensionals . The center of the flower is a pearl from the Pretties Kit. I saved my favorite project for last...

Framed Friends Page

This is an 8x8 scrapbook page that I created for a shadowbox frame. I used a small monotone print from the Bella Blue paper pack for my background. The print adds interest, yet doesn't over power the stamped images. This is a great stamp set for scrapping! I need to get busy and scrap the other photos I took during this weekend trip with friends touring the wine country in Northern Michigan.

I took the photo above before I inserted the page into the shadowbox frame because I figured the glare from the glass would make taking a good photo nearly impossible. Here's what it looks like framed.

I hope you like the projects I've shown you using this versatile set. Please cruise on to the next port where Becky Roberts is going to "tote-ally" blow you out of the water with her fantastic projects using the stamp set Tote-ally Tess!

Sending Love With All My Heart

Here's an easy Valentine card I created with all new stuff from the Occasions Mini and the Sale~A~Brations catalog.

I just love the Polka Dot Texture Folder and can't stop using it! I am also happy to say that even after tearing my hair out and having a few tantrums I am now really liking the Scallop Trim Corner Punch. Used along with the Scallop Trim Border Punch (available for FREE during SAB) you can created scallopped mats for all your projects. I have to thank Gretchen Barron for sharing her excellent instructions on how to get the perfect scalloped squares!


The large heart was cut out of the Sending Love Specialty papers. It is so pretty with it's embossed texture and sparkley shine.

Stamps: With All My Heart
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Card stock: Pretty In Pink, Chocolate Chip, Real Red & Sending Love Specialty paper
Accessories: Pretty In Pink Satin Ribbon, Real Red Corduroy Buttons, Polka Dot Texture Folder, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Scallop Trim Corner Punch, Modern Label & Word Window Punches.
Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to come back tomorrow to join me on the Catty Cruise!

Sweet Neighbor

Here's a bright, cheery card using the adorable SAB set Good Neighbors along with a few prints from the Sweet Pea paper pack.

The Curly Label punched tag with sentiment was created using the Vintage Labels set which is also available during SAB. I used two of my favorite new accessories...the Beautiful Wings Embosslit and the Polka Dots Textured Impressions Folder. I just {LOVE} both of these so much!

If you live near me and would like to try some of these products, then you should plan to attend my Sale~A~Bration Party this Sunday, January 31st. I have two time slots available: 11:30 - 1 and 1:30 - 3:00. There will be prizes and make & takes. You just need to RSVP by this Friday.

I hope you will all climb aboard the Catty Cruise coming up this Friday the 29th! We will be highlighting products from the Occasions Mini catalog. I will be showcasing my favorite set, Vintage Vogue. I'm excited to share what I've created with this awesome new set. Here's a little sneak peek of one of the projects I'll be sharing during the cruise. Hope you'll join us!

May Your Layers Be Many...

(...and your frosting be thick!) I think many layers decribes this card well! Yesterday was my Mom's birthday, and that called for a special card. Ever since my friend sent me an awesome tri-shutter card at Christmas, I've been wanting to try one. I used her card for my pattern and inspiration. (thanks Rach!) Here's what it looks like closed.

I just love that little froggie stamp from the Flowers For All Season set and the fun colorful patterns in the Sweet Pea Paper Stack. With 48 different designs, it sure was hard to choose which ones to use! I think my favorite new accessory has to be the Beautiful Wings Embosslit all the cute little embossed butterflies make great accents. Here's what the card looks like opened up:

I may have gotten a little bit carried away, but it sure was fun to play with some new stuff and decorate this festive card. Along with A Flower For All Seasons I also used the Birthday Bliss stamp set. Both of these sets can be selected for FREE during SAB. I love that SU! added the "choose any catalog set under $15.95" as an option this year!

The blank circle with the "make a wish" tag is where I wrote a greeting and signed the card. The little cake image dangles freely from a bit of fishing line. I got that great idea from my inspiration card created by my friend Rachel. Isn't it cute?

Stamps: A Flower For All Seasons, Birthday Bliss, Lots of Thoughts (retired)

Card stock: So Saffron, Taken With Teal, Rose Red, Whisper White & Sweet Pea DP

Ink: Black Stazon, Taken With Teal & Rose Red

Accessories: Pretty in Pink Satin Ribbon, Rich Regal Brads, Beautiful Wings Embosslit, Tag Punches, Latte Buttons

If you think you would like to make a tri-shutter card for yourself, you should sign up for my Valentine Class on February 6th. We'll be make one with a Valentine theme.

Have a great day!

Cracked Glass Floral Sympathy

Here's a sympathy card I made last week for some dear friends. I used the cracked glass technique for the image. After cracking, I sponged on some reinker to the edges. The ink highlights the cracks and makes it look more antiqued. Using Crystal Effects, I glued on some small seed beads to the center of each of the flowers to add more dimension. Here's a close up look:
Stamps: Thoughts & Prayers, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink: VersaMark, Always Artichoke, Rich Razzleberry & Soft Suede
Card stock: Always Artichoke, Rich Razzleberry, Soft Suede & Thoroughly Modern DP
Accessories: Scallop Trim Border Punch (SAB), Glassy Glaze EP, Artichoke grosgrain, Word Window, Ticket Corner, Scalloped Oval, Small & Large Oval Punches, Mat Pack & Paper Piercer

Yesterday a big box of SU! goodies came for me, so today I plan to forget about everything until dinner time and do nothing but stamp! Hopefully I'll have some fun new creations to share with you tomorrow. Enjoy your day!

Inspired by Butterfly

Hope you're enjoying the weekend! Quick post to share a card I made a couple days ago, but just got around to photographing. I hadn't used my Inspired by Nature set in a while, so I thought I'd pair it up with some pretty Bella Blue paper.
Stamps: Inspired by Nature
Ink: Versamark
Card stock: Bordering Blue, Basic Gray, Whisper White, Bella Blue
Accessories: Beautiful Butterflies Bigz Die, White Embossing Powder, White Organza Ribbon, Adhesive backed Rhinestones

Vintage Friendship

Bold & bright, cheery colors always perk me up on a cold wintry day, so I picked out a few of my favorite colors (Rich Razzleberry, Melon Mambo, Pumpkin Pie and Summer Sun) and paired them with a couple of my favorite stamp sets to create this card.
I used the sketch featured as this weeks challenge at Stamp Something. I also gave myself a little challenge of my own as I reached for my patterned papers...use only my stamps and ink to create my own patterned paper. The pretty stamps included in the new Vintage Vogue set from the Occasions mini made that challenge pretty simple. The bird image is from the Level 2 Hostess Set Wings of Friendship. I used a Summer Sun Corduroy Button and a bit of Crystal Effects over punched 1/4" circles of card stock for the centers of the flowers.

Working with these colors and stamps this afternoon helped warm up my cold, wintry day. Enjoy your day!

Snowy Branch Out

Yesterday was my wonderful husbands birthday. I had been sick for several days prior and didn't have a card ready for him. Luckily, while enjoying my morning coffee I was inspired by a beautiful, snowy sunrise I admired from my kitchen window.
I didn't actually have the ambition to run outside in my jammies and take this photo, but instead I took my mug of coffee downstairs and created a card for him using the newly retired Branch Out stamp set. I knew I had a photo saved that I had taken last winter of the same glorious view, and when I searched for it for this post I found kind of a funny coincidence...I took this photo last year on the exact same day...1-9-09. The snowfall we have right now is almost exact...nature is an amazing thing. Anyways, onto my card...
I started with a piece of glossy white card stock, and stamped my trees in Basic Gray ink...the one in the foreground was stamped first, the one directly behind it next, and the one on the right last. All three trees were stamped with only inking the stamp once, and huffing on the stamp in between stamping each image.

Next I punched a 1-1/4" circle from a post it note to mask the moon, and tore a piece of scrap paper to use as a mask for my snowy ground. Then I got busy sponging on my classic inks to create the sky. I used: Not Quite Navy, Perfect Plum & Pumpkin Pie. After I got the sky how I wanted it I moved the torn paper and created some snowy drifts at bottom by lightly sponging some more Not Quite Navy. Using my White Gel pen I added snow to some of the branches of my trees.

I used the set Wonderful Favorites for my sentiment, along with Punch Party (Retired Hostess Set) for the label I created. Some paper piercing and accessories - Basic Gray Taffeta Ribbon, Vintage Brads & Basic Gray Corduroy button finished off the card.

Have a beautiful day!

Time to Sale~A~Brate!

Woo Hoo! It's my favorite time of the Stampin' Up! year...Sale~A~Bration! This year SU! is giving us even more FREE options! In addition to the standard 6 FREE selections you may choose when you spend $50 on product, you may also choose from any $15.95 (or less) set from the Idea Book & Catalog! One of my very favorite sets is Spring Song, which could be yours for FREE during SAB because it is priced at only $15.95. How cool is that!?

See the detailed scalloped border on the Pumpkin Pie layer? That was created using the Scallop Trim Border Punch, which is also a FREE selection during SAB. This is the very first time that a punch has been offered as a freebie during SAB. There is also a coordinating corner punch offered in the Occasions Mini. Also available for free selections during SAB is: a 6x6 Designer Series paper pack and 4 stamp sets.

Stamps: Spring Song, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Card stock: Melon Mambo, Crushed Curry, Pumpkin Pie, Watercolor paper & Razzleberry Lemonade
Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Black Stazon & various Classic Inks to watercolor
Accessories: Rich Razzleberry Polka-dot ribbon, Pumpkin Pie Corduroy Button, Linen Thread, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Word Window & Modern label Punches, Aqua Painter, Movers & Shapers die

I'm very excited about all the new items, and they are now available starting today! Click here to get more info on SAB and view the brochure.

Sending Love

I've been excited to create something using the gorgeous new specialty papers from the Occasions Mini called Sending Love. One side of each of the 12 sheets is printed with embossed glittery designs to add extra shimmer to projects...it's really pretty paper!

I stamped the heart image from Framed With Love and punched it out with my Full Heart punch. I punched a second heart from one of the prints from the Sending Love papers and layered those onto larger hearts punched out using the Movers and Shapers die and my Big Shot. I used a Clear Button and a scrap of matching paper punched with the 3/4" Circle Punch to embellish my bow tied from Vanilla Grosgrain and layered onto Chocolate Chip Satin Ribbon. The Valentine sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes and I punched that using the Word Window Punch. The Pretty In Pink border at the bottom of the card was created using the new Scallop Trim Border Punch available for FREE during Sale~A~Bration.
Thanks for stopping by!

Something New

First off...HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU! Hope you all received some new crafting goodies over the holidays. I received a few things and I also treated myself to a few new toys. Using new goodies is the theme this week at Stamp Something...what a perfect opportunity to play with new stuff, right? I also used this weeks sketch from Mojo Monday for my card.
The new goodies I used were: Vintage Vogue stamp set from the upcoming Occasions Mini catalog (available to order on January 5th), Sweet Pea Stitched Felt, and Nestabilities Circles. I used the floral border stamp and my stamp-a-ma-jig to create my "scalloped" panel for the sketch. I used the rock 'n roll technique to ink my flower and friends stamps. For the flower I first inked my stamp in Regal Rose then r 'n r in Rose Red. The Friend stamp was first inked in Certainly Celery then r 'n r in Bermuda Bay. I also used the coordinating card stock for those four colors plus Whisper White.

My Certainly Celery layer was embossed using the small Polka Dot Texturz Plate and my Big Shot. I also used the Nestibilities Scallop Die and Bermuda Bay Polka-dot Ribbon.

Thanks for stopping by...enjoy your day!