Colorful Seasons Father's Day

I'm late to the party this year...not only in sharing my Father's Day card with you, but getting new products from the newly released SU! Annual Catalog. I didn't do a pre-order this year like I always do because I knew I didn't have the time to actually use it last month, so figured I would wait until I could order anything I wanted. My birthday is at the beginning of June, so I always have a built in excuse for placing a large order! ;-)

This card uses a few new items along with the Colorful Seasons stamp set. The leaves are stamped using one of my favorite new colors...Granny Apple Green with Old Olive. The lighter small leaves are also Granny Apple Green just stamped off once.

This year, some of my favorite new products are the embossing folders. Check closely to see the beautiful texture added to this card using the new Subtle Embossing Folder. It gives the effect of linen cardstock...and I just love this one! Don't overlook this one in the catalog just because the texture is hard to see...trust me, you NEED this one!

The little label is from the Stitched Label Framelits...which is my pick for favorite new dies. It is stamped using Timeless Textures and Thoughtful Banners stamp sets.  I layered it on top of Linen Thread and Copper Trim.

This masculine card could be used for any occasion, not just Father's Day. I hope that yesterday you all had a GREAT day celebrating the fathers in your life!

You've Got This Collage

You've Got This is such a pretty set, but I haven't used it in a while. Since it is on the retiring list, I figured I would get it out and play. I only knew that I wanted to use a couple of my favorite colors that will be returning to the Stampin' Up! palette in the upcoming new catalog. Here's what I came up with.

I started by stamping the large peony onto Whisper White card stock using Black Archival Ink because I planned to watercolor the image. I masked the flower and used the large crosshatch background that is included in this set inked in So Saffron with a bit of Soft Suede on the edges. I stamped it over the flower not worrying about the leaves because I knew I was painting those using Mossy Meadow (a returning favorite) and the yellow would add a nice compliment to the green of the leaves. Using my Aqua Painter I painted the petals using my favorite returning color...Blackberry Bliss and with a bit of Fresh Fig as well.

Using the Timeless Textures and Butterfly Basics sets I added a collage look to my background with several of the stamps from these sets. The butterfly is from a really old retired set called Natural Beauty. I just kept adding elements until I was happy with it. When I was done stamping, I felt it still needed something so I used a Tim Holtz stencil and applied some Blackberry Bliss ink with a Sponge Dauber. I think this added the perfect touch!

Now that I had my stamped panel all water colored and stenciled it was time to finish the card. I used some retired Blackberry Bliss Stitched Satin Ribbon layered over some Lace Trim. I planned to make a bow, but didn't like the way that looked so after searching for some ribbon charms that I thought I still had in my stash and coming up empty handed, I decided to die cut and embellishment using the Flourish Thinlit Dies.

I cut out Blackberry Bliss and Gold Foil and finished it off with a pretty Gold Faceted Gem. This card was a series of trial and error, that I almost gave up on...but I love the way it turned out! I bet I probably couldn't duplicate it if I tried!

If you don't already have the You've Got This stamp set, be sure to order before the end of the month. As of yesterday, there are now many discounted items on the Retiring List as well...check them out!

Painted Autumn Pumpkin Patch

Happy Halloween! Instead of an autumn scene, like on this card, I have more of a winter scene going on outside my window right now. That white stuff is coming down like crazy! Luckily, so far, it's not sticking, but melting as it hits the ground.

This is a card created mainly with Designer Series Papers...all but the spooky cat are part of the Painted Autumn pack of papers. I created the "Happy Fall" sentiment using the Labeler Alphabet and then added some texture using the Timeless Textures stamp set.

Don't forget...today is the last day of the Designer Series Paper Sale!

Colorful Season Beach Chairs

With Labor Day Weekend being the last official weekend of the Summer, I thought this fun, beachy card was a good one to share today.

I used the Timeless Textures stamp set to create the sandy beach & water background and then sponged the sky using some die cut clouds as masks. The frame of the beach chairs are stamped over the background using Basic Black ink. Next the colorful part of the three chairs was stamped using the kissing technique.

To do this, ink up your solid image real well in a lighter color, in this case that is the canvas chair image from Colorful Seasons, and set it aside. Next, ink up a textured image in a darker color...I used both the polka dot image from Timeless Textures and the chevron pattern image from Work of Art. Use the inked, textured image to "stamp" or "kiss" your solid image stamp before using it to stamp onto your paper. This creates a fun, patterned chair instead of the plain, solid ones.

Colors of ink used:
Background: Crumb Cake, Pool Party & Bermuda Bay
Chairs: Berry Burst/Fresh Fig, Pumpkin Pie/Berry Burst & Bermuda Bay/Tranquil Tide

I hope you enjoy the last weekend of summer, whether it's squeezing in one last trip to the beach or perhaps a BBQ with family and friends...Autumn will be here before we know it. Yet again...Summer flew by way too quickly!

Stepped Up Masculine Colorful Seasons

Hope you had a great weekend! Today I have a couple cards to share using the Colorful Season Bundle.

The card on the left is a little more simple to create and the other has a few more details.

Both cards use Thick Very Vanilla cardstock for the base, Old Olive for the main panel and a die cut square using the Stitched Shapes Framelits. The intricate leaf cut from Copper Foil using the Seasonal Layers Thinlits shines beautifully. 

The stepped up version has added texture to the Old Olive background piece created using the Pinewood Planks Embossing Folder. The die cut sentiment piece also has a subtle texture created using one of the stamps from the Timeless Textures stamp set inked in Crumb Cake. 

1/4" Copper Trim layered over Burlap Ribbon along with a bow tied in Linen Thread finish off the card. Stepped up or clean and simple, both cards are sure to be well received by whoever you are to send them to. 

Special Reason Sweet Baby Girl Page

I've been busy doing a little scrapbooking this past week. Why is it that every time I get busy with a project (especially scrapbooking!) it looks like a tornado went through my studio!?

I swear....every flat surface is covered with a pile of supplies. Because I just have to pull out everything that could possibly work on my pages, and then decide nope, don't need that! I even had to drag in an extra table for my DSP!

Look at my messy desk...I end up with just enough space to barely work. Then I spend way too much of my precious stampin' time searching for things that I misplaced. It drives me nuts!  Please tell me I'm not the only one who does this! OK...rant over, and my space has been cleaned, so time to share my page.


I had a  "special reason" in mind when I purchased the Special Reason Bundle...creating some pages featuring our new grand daughter. I decided to use one of my favorite photos I took of her during our first official photo shoot for my first page. She was wearing a little purple headband...so I wanted to use purple on my layout...off to a good start!

I thought so...until I searched through stacks and stacks of beautiful paper (part of the reason for mess!) looking for the perfect print to use with the photo...only to realize I'm seriously lacking in DSP featuring a shade of purple anywhere near close to the headband! How could that be? Purple is one of my favorite colors, and I have enough pretty patterned paper to open a scrapbook store! (Don't tell my husband!) So I decided I needed to make my own Designer Series Paper.

Right now the closest shade that Stampin' Up! carries to the headband is Wisteria Wonder. I like the way it looks with Sahara Sand...which is featured in the lace printed paper from the Falling In Love pack, so I went with those two colors for this page.

In addition to the Special Reason stamp set I used Timeless Textures, Gorgous Grunge and Jar of Love (tiny flower and leaves) to create my own patterned paper. The tiny flower from Jar of Love is a smooth, solid image so I used the kissing technique with the burlap image in Timeless Textures to add some texture so they better coordinated with the flowers in the Special Reason stamp set. I die cut some of the leaves from the Mint Macaron Glimmer Paper that was available during SAB to add a little sparkle. I love that this set has a stamp and framelits to create layered labels, used here to record her name & age.

I used the retired Pennent Punch to create part of the title. I stamped the word "sweet" using the retired Occasions Alphabet set and punched them out with 1/2" Circle Punch. I made the bow using Wisteria Wonder Seam Binding Ribbon. I miss having the seam binding ribbon in the catalog...sure glad I stocked up on that before it retired.

Speaking of retiring...today is the day we find out which items in the current catalog will be retiring. Even after so many years as a SU! demo, I still have a hard time saying goodbye to my favorites. That's why I end up keeping most of my old sets!

Dragonfly Dreams Thank You

I shared a card very similar to this one a few weeks back. I had created several of the background panels at that time, but I decided to add the beautiful intricate die cut dragonfly to this one.

I used the the stained glass technique by cutting a solid piece from Vellum Cardstock and sponging it with a couple colors used on my background panel before adhering it to the back of the Rich Razzleberry dragonfly.

Using the Wink of Stella Brush I added some beautiful sparkle to the dragonfly.

The inside of the Sahara Sand card base along with the envelope were stamped with the Delicate Details stamp set (FREE during Sale-A-Bration).

I used many different stamp sets and colors to stamp the collage look background panel: Avant Garden (FREE during Sale-A-Bration), Timeless Textures, Gorgeous Grunge & Butterfly Basics.

Colors used: Mint Macaron, Rich Razzleberry, Sweet Sugarplum, Always Artichoke & Sahara Sand. 

Please visit my SU! Store to purchase the products you will need to create many amazing projects with the Dragonfly Dreams Bundle. When you spend $50 you can choose the Avant Garden stamp set, used here for FREE. (There are also many other great products you can choose from as well). I appreciate all orders, and make sure to send a hand stamped card, such as this one, to all who place an order with me.

Enjoy your day! We are finally seeing some sunshine here in Michigan today...it's been far too long!

Avant Garden With Some Delicate Details

This card used two of the great sets you can earn for FREE during Sale-A-Bration! Avant Garden has both solid 2-step floral images shown here as well as detailed line art to watercolor. Another plus with this set is the sentiment stamps in a pretty font...I used the birthday wishes for my card.

The Delicate Details is the other awesome SAB set used here. This stamp set has five borders that really add pretty detail to any card or scrapbook page. I embossed it in white right on top of the Cupcakes & Carousels DSP. This DSP comes in a 6x6 stack. I just love the colors and patterns!

For an extra detail I added a little dragonfly which was die-cut using the Detailed Dragonfly Framelits. I cannot get enough of these dragonflies! I just cut one loose from the bunch of five and sponged some extra color on the wings and added some shimmer with Wink of Stella.

Colors of ink used are: So Saffron, Peekaboo Peach, Pear Pizzazz, Emerald Envy & Pool Party.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Avant Garden Dragonfly Dreams

In my last post I stated if I could only purchase one bundle from the upcoming Occasions Catalog it would be the Lift Me Up Bundle...running neck and neck for that top position is the Dragonfly Dreams Bundle! After playing with both, now I can't really say which I would choose if I could only pick one...they are both pretty awesome!

I had some fun using several new products to create this collage look card. The left side of the panel is stamped with one of the beautiful lacey images from the Delicate Details stamp set. This is a FREE set during Sale-a-Bration! It includes 5 border images. The flowers stamped at bottom right are from another Sale-a-Bration set called Avant Garden...so is the pretty leaf stem.

I also used several old collage style favorites to complete this card...Timeless Textures, Gorgeous Grunge and Butterfly Basics. The dragonfly's wings were painted with Wink of Stella for some pretty iridescent shimmer.

While I was at it,  I also stamped a version using Very Vanilla cardstock instead of Whisper White. There are a few other slight differences as well.

I added the birthday sentiment as well as the distressed grid element from Timeless Textures to the background in a few spots.  

Both cards have a Sahara Sand base and used  Rich Razzleberry, Sweet Sugarplum, Mint Macaron, Always Artichoke & Sahara Sand inks.

Which version do you like best?

Thanks for visiting!

Find Your Inspiration

Happy New Catalog Day! It's June 1st and the awesome new and inspiring Stampin' Up! catalog is now live! Last week I had a "New Catalog Pick Up Party" where my local stampin' friends had the opportunity to stop by and pick up the new catalog and do some make & takes.

Everyone who attended received the above goodies created using the new In Colors. One make & take used all the new In Colors and the Thoughtful Banners & Flower Shop stamp sets. More info is here. The other make & take was created using the Sitting Here stamp set and I'll share more on that in my next blog posting.

This years In Color bookmark uses the Bitty Butterfly Punch and the Work of Art and Butterfly Basics stamp sets.

The bookmarks have magnets to keep them in place...I like to keep mine at the beginning of the Color Collection pages because I am always flipping to those pages the most.

To help mark favorite items in the catalog I made these post-it flag covers using the Thoughtful Banners set. The words Inspiring, Amazing & Fabulous describe so many of the new products found inside the pages if the new catalog!

I packaged up the bookmarks and post-it flags along with a 1/2 sheet each of the new In Color cardstock in a Large Cello Bag with toppers stamped using the Timelesss Textures stamp set.

No party is complete without treats and prizes! I made these Ghirardelli square covers using Flower Shop and Thoughtful Banners in the five new In Colors. I invited each of my guests to chose one in their favorite color. After everyone had picked one I brought out my prize basket. Each item in the basket had a butterfly punched out from the five different In Colors. Each person could choose from the items marked with the color they choose. Here's my friend Amy looking super excited about her prize and make & takes.

Here are some of the rest of the ladies at my first session. (sorry I did not get pictures of everyone)

I tried a new recipe I found on Pinterest for these Salted Caramel Buttery Crumb Bars. Oh my!...they were rich, ooey gooey buttery caramely goodness!

It was so great to see everyone and share the new catalog excitement with you all!  If you were not able to make it my event but would like a copy of the new catalog, please contact me and I'll make sure to get one to you.

Enjoy finding your inspiration as you flip through the new catalog!

Timeless Textured Butterfly Basics

What a beautiful weekend we had here! I figured we are pretty safe from frost at this point so I got busy and started planting some of my flowers in pots. All the pretty colorful flowers brighten up the yard and make me feel happy...BUT unfortunately there is someone who isn't happy!

A dirty rotten squirrel (or maybe chipmunk?) keeps digging up my planted flowers each night! Yesterday after replanting what I could salvage, I sprinkled cayenne pepper around each plant. This morning I found that most were left untouched, but there was one area that the little vandal went crazy in. I can only hope that he jumped in there busily searching for nuts and instead got a snootful of hot pepper! As he tried to wipe it from his nose and eyes he just spread it around making it worse...because his filthy paws were covered in the red hot pepper! Ahhh...revenge is sweet! Hopefully he gets the message (tells his friends) and moves on ...or this is going to get very costly and even more frustrating.

Here's one pretty flower my nemesis can't mess with...

It's been a while since I used Butterfly Basics and I thought it would be pretty combined with some of the stamps from Timeless Textures. I used Mint Macaron, Perfect Plum and Pool Party to create a soft look perfect for Spring or any occasion. The Venetian Crochet Trim (retiring) tied with Linen Thread along with a Basic Pearl add the finishing touches to the card.

Thanks for visiting. If you have any good suggestions for keeping the squirrels and chipmunks from destroying flowers...please share!

Blissfully Sitting Here

In yesterdays post I mentioned being inspired by many beautiful color combos and samples in the upcoming new catalog. I thought it would be fun to pick a new color combo I was drawn to and use it on a card. The color combo I've chosen is featured in the new Designer Series Paper called Blooms & Bliss.

I used Bermuda Bay, Mint Macaron & Sweet Sugarplum...BUT as I started to write this post, I looked up the name of the DSP, and noticed I actually used the wrong color! LOL When creating this card I had just glanced at the swatches for the coordinating cardstock pack and thought it was Bermuda Bay when in actuality the color used in the DSP is Island Indigo. Oh well...I still love the colors together, and that's the point of pairing colors, right!? Pages 138-39 showcase the entire Blooms & Bliss Suite of products...such pretty samples!

I used the Sitting Here stamp set to create my relaxing scene. I watercolored the images using my Aqua Painter. The flower was die cut using the Botanical Builder Framelits and then stamped with burlap texture using the Timeless Textures stamp set. The banner was stamped using the Thoughtful Banners set and then punched using the awesome new Duet Banners Punch.

The other day when I shared my first card using the Sitting Here stamp set, I also shared a photo of Stevie, my kitty cat and "stampin' buddy". I learned that many of you that visit my blog are also cat lovers! A couple of you commented on finding your cats curled up in drawers and other strange places. I thought I'd show you one of Stevies's favorite spots to relax...

I have this planter that at one time had herbs in it. I moved the herbs outside and was going to replace them with some ivy. That's when Stevie adopted the empty planter as his. He wasn't quite a year old in this photo, and not yet fully grown. So as you can see, he fit into the planter with room to spare.

Now that he is fully grown (I think?), he still manages to squeeze himself into the planter! It doesn't really look that comfortable, but he just loves it! I catch him snoozing in there quite often, so I guess it's more comfortable than it looks. It always makes me smile when I see him lounging in the planter.