Happy New Year! See the Amazing New Products in the 2011-2012 Stampin' Up! Catalogs

Hi Everyone,

Yes, it has been a long time and I apologize for being away so long. I was having some problems accessing my blog in June but I finally have things up and running again just in time for the launch of the new 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog and 2011-2012 Celebrando Creatividad.
The new catalogs are filled with amazing new products including new stamp designs, punches, Designer Series Paper packs, Sizzix products and so much more.
Plus, you will finally get to see the 5 brand new In Colors that will be available for 2011-2013 in addition to the 5 current In Colors that were introduced to you last July (2010-2012 In Color Collection).
To make life a little easier for you, I have provided icons in my Sidebar of my blog for you to click on to access both of the new catalogs. You have the choice of viewing the catalogs online by clicking on the corresponding image of the catalog you wish to view, or you can download a PDF digital copy of the catalogs by clicking the link below the corresponding catalog image.
I hope you enjoy exploring the new catalogs as much as I have and I can't wait to create and share new projects created with the new products that are now available. 
Please contact me if you have any questions or you would like to place an order. Don't forget, you can also place your order by visiting my Online Store on my Stampin' Up! website 24/7.
Until Next Time.
Happy Stampin',
Tricia Butts
 

Creative Card Share: Punch Bunch For You

Hi Everyone,
Today I thought I would share with you another card design created with the Sale-a-bration stamp set, Punch Bunch. This time I used the For You stamp with the 1 3/4" Scallop Circle Punch and the 1 3/8" Circle Punch.
I inked the stamp with Pretty in Pink Classic ink and then I used my Pear Pizzazz Stampin' Write Marker to color the stem and For You green using the brush tip. Then I took the Peach Parfait Stampin' Write Marker and using the pen tip, I traced the fine lines in each of the flowers and the center of the larger blossom to give it shading and definition. Both the Peach Parfait and Pear Pizzazz Stampin' Write Markers are In Colors and you can purchase the set of In Color Markers for just $14.95.

Once I had the stamp colored the way I wanted, I "huffed" on the stamp to moisten it and then stamped the image on a piece of Whisper White cardstock. Next, I punched out the center of the stamped image (the circle with the flower image) using the 1 3/8" Circle Punch, leaving the scallop circle edge behind.

I then used the 1 3/4" Scallop Circle punch to punch out a scallop circle from Pretty in Pink cardstock. Using Snail Adhesive, I adhered the circle with the stamped image to the center of the Pretty in Pink Scallop circle.

Once again I used the Pretty in Pink Designer Series paper (can you tell I love using this) and I used the Eyelet Border Punch to create a border along one edge. I then adhere it to the top half of my Whisper White cardbase and the narrow strip that was left over from punching the border, I applied to the bottom edge of the card.

Next, I centered the scallop circle with the image and adhered it to the card with Stampin' Dimensionals to create the focal point of the card.

To finish off the card, I used a piece of Certainly Celery 5/8" Satin Ribbon and I created a ruffled look by pulling a thread from each end of the piece of ribbon causing it to gather and ruffle. Once I had it the way I wanted, I trimmed the threads from each end and adhered it to the center of the top piece of Pretty in Pink Designer Series paper using Sticky Strip.

I really liked the way this card design turned out and how easy it was to put together, so I decided to make a set of 4 to use for Thank You cards. Don't you just love the pink and green combination? To me it looks very Spring like and very feminine.

I hope you have enjoyed today's Creative Card Share and I hope it inspires you to experiment with different color combinations for your Spring projects.

Remember, Sale-a-bration ends in just 7 days, so don't delay in placing your order and earning your Free Sale-a-bration product. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or you would like to place an order. Or you can visit my Online Store to place your order 24/7.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Supplies Used (Stampin' Up! Unless otherwise Noted):

Stamp Set: Punch Bunch (Sale-a-bration Free Stamp Set only available until March 31st)

Cardstock: Whisper White, Pretty in Pink

Ink: Pretty in Pink Classic Ink

Paper: Pretty in Pink Designer Series Paper (Subtles Collection)

Accessories: Eyelet Border Punch, 1 3/4" Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, In Color Stampin' Write Marker Set (Peach Parfait & Pear Pizzazz), Certainly Celery 5/8" Satin Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, Snail Adhesive, Sticky Strip.

Creating a Card with the Stained Glass Technique

Hi Everyone,
I am so excited to share with you how I created the card from the previous past using the Stained Glass Technique on Vellum. This technique is created when you stamp an image onto vellum and then apply color using markers or ink to the reverse side so that when it is turned back to the front, it appears to look like stained glass. I hope that you will love this technique as much as I do.
Now because I created my original card for a swap, I didn't take photos of the steps along the way, so I chose to make a new card and took photos of the different layers (although I still forgot to take a photo of the colored vellum layer).

Here is a photo of the completed card I created. This time I decided to use orange and yellow for my flowers and although I like the color combination, next time I would switch it so that my roses were yellow and my blossoms were orange.

Ok, so to create this card I started with a card base of Very Vanilla cardstock because I wanted a vintage feel to my card.

Next I took my En Francais background stamp and using River Rock Classic ink, I inked the whole stamp. Then, with my background stamp on the table facing up, I carefully placed the front of my card face down onto the stamp and gently rubbed the back to transfer the image evenly. Carefully lift the card straight up to get a clean, crisp image.

This is how your card front will look when you are done. This will provide that soft background script that will add dimension to your card design. Put your card base to one side ready for the next step.

Now we will work on the top layer by cutting a piece of White Vellum Paper, 4 1/4 x 5 1/2. Place your piece of vellum on top of a clean piece of white typing paper to protect your surface and your image. This will make it easier to work on this part of the card.

Using the large rose floral image from the stamp set Elements of Style, I stamped this image on my vellum. Now I used Crumb Cake Classic ink but looking back at my card I wish I had used an ink that was darker so that the image stood out a little better. I would suggest trying Chocolate Chip or perhaps even Early Espresso Classic ink for a more defined stamp image that will allow it to show through when colored with the Stampin' Write Markers.

This is how it will look once you have stamped your image. As you can see, it has a very soft, sepia look to it. Allow the ink on the vellum to dry completely before moving onto the next step to avoid smearing.

While you are waiting for the vellum to dry, start choosing the colors that you want to use to color the elements of your stamped image. Remember that you want colors that will not be too dark so that you can still see the original stamped image through the color. I chose to use Pear Pizzazz (New In Color) for the leaves, Peach Parfait (New In Color) for my roses and Daffodil Delight for my blossoms. All three of these are brand new colors just released this month, and I am having so much fun coming up with new color combinations.

Once your stamped image on the vellum is dry, flip the vellum over so that the reverse side is facing up. Starting with the leaves and stems, color them in using the brush tip of the Pear Pizzazz Stampin' Write Marker to add soft subtle color to your leaves. Be careful not to smudge where you have colored with your hands (I find rotating the vellum as you color helps with this).

Next I colored the roses with my Peach Parfait Stampin' Write Marker. Now, when I first started I realized that it was a little too dark and my stamped image was not showing through as I would have liked. So then I tried just outlining the stamped areas with my marker and gently smudging the color with my finger tip which gave it a softer look. Another alternative would be to use a sponge dauber to carefully add color to the image. Play around with this to come up with what works best for you.

Using my Daffodil Delight Stampin' Write Marker to color my blossoms with just a touch of the Peach Parfait to add depth to the centers. When complete, allow it to dry to prevent the colors from smudging.

The sentiment on the front of the card is created using the new Level 3 Hostess stamp set, Occasional Quotes. I love having lots of different sentiments to choose from and this set has a wonderful variety that work for many different occasions. I used Pear Pizzazz Classic ink to stamp the sentiment onto Very Vanilla cardstock and then I punched it out using the Modern Label Extra Large punch and then sponged the edges with Pear Pizzazz Classic ink. The scalloped oval that mattes the sentiment is actually created from two halves of the Extra Large Scallop Oval punch from Pear Pizzazz cardstock, so that it evenly frames both sides of the sentiment. To add a little sparkle, I applied Dazzling Diamonds using my Two Way Glue Pen.

So now it is time to assemble my card. If you have any experience with vellum you will know that using adhesive with it can be a little tricky. Most adhesives will show through the vellum which is not a desirable look. I discovered that my Two Way Glue Pen worked great with the vellum without showing through, yippee!

Before you glue your vellum on your card, flip the vellum over to the right side and place it on top of your card front. Check and make sure that everything looks the way you want it and fix anything before the next step. Once you glue the vellum in place there is no going back.

To adhere the vellum to your card front, flip the vellum to the reverse side again and using your Two Way Glue Pen, draw a thin line along all four sides of your vellum. It will look blue but once it dries it will be clear and will not show. Carefully place your vellum onto your card front starting with the top and lining it up as you work your way down. You can carefully lift the vellum as you work with it to make sure it goes on smoothly. Gently smooth the vellum to make sure there are no bubbles or kinks.

Once you are happy with how it looks, you can adhere your sentiment to the vellum using snail adhesive. For the finishing touch, I took a sponge dauber and gently sponged the outside edges of the front of the card with Pear Pizzazz Classic ink for a soft shadow look. Because the ink will be on the vellum, you will still be able to see the background script through the sponged color. Here is photo of the finished card again for you to see.

There are so many ways you can use the Stained Glass technique to design your cards and papercrafting projects. Think of how pretty it would look for a Christmas card design or to enhance a scrapbook page. Please contact me if you have any questions or you would like to place an order. Remember you can also place your order online through my Stampin' Up website by clicking Shop Now.

I hope you have enjoyed today's Creative Card share and I hope that it will inspire you to create your own works of art.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Supplies Used (All Stampin' Up):

Stamps: En Francais Background, Level 3 Hostess Set Occasional Quotes

Elements Of Style - Clear-Mount Stamp 120045 Price: $19.95

                                - Wood-Mount Stamp 118611 Price: $27.95 Set Quantity: 5

Stampin' Up Color Renovation - New Color & In Color Kits

Hi Everyone,
I hope that you are enjoying the new catalogs and are as excited as I am about all the new products.
One thing I am really excited about and wanted to share with you is the new colors that were launched today. With the new Color Renovation, Stampin' Up now has 4 Color Collections - Brights, Neutrals, Regals and Subtles. For those of you who are familiar with Stampin' Up and their colors, you will notice that the colors that are returning from the previous catalog may not be in the same color family they were in before. There are also 5 brand new colors:
Cajun Craze, Daffodil Delight, Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso and Marina Mist.
Plus, they decided to change Kraft to its new name Crumb Cake and now we not only have cardstock but we also have inks and a Stampin' Write Marker to match.
To celebrate these new colors, Stampin' Up has created an amazing New Color Kit Bundle so that you can add these wonderful colors to your collection:

Card Stock Bundle & Classic Pad New Color Kit 120950

Price: $34.95
Add our new colors to your existing collections with our card stock and Classic Stampin' Pad kit. It's like getting the card stock for free when you purchase this kit. Kit includes 6 new colors.

■ Colors included in kit: Cherry Cobbler, Cajun Craze, Daffodil Delight, Marina Mist, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake
■ Includes 24 sheets total of 8-1/2" x 11 smooth card stock: 4 sheets each of 6 colors
■ Includes 6 Classic Stampin' Pads, 1 each of 6 colors
Now the price of one Classic Stamp Pad is regularly $5.95, so when you multiply that by 6 you will realize that this is an incredible price, not to mention that you are basically getting the cardstock for Free!

The other great thing about the new catalog is the brand new "In Colors". This year there will be 5 new In Colors and they will be available for 2 years!  To celebrate the release of this year's In Colors, Stampin' Up has created a kit for the occasion:

Card Stock & Classic Pad In Color Kit   120952

Price: $29.95
Add our new In Colors to your existing collections with our card stock and Classic Stampin' Pad kit. It's like getting the card stock for free when you purchase this kit. Kit includes 5 new In Colors.
■ Colors included in kit: Poppy Parade, Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz, Concord Crush, Peach Parfait
■ Includes 20 sheets total of 8-1/2" x 11 smooth card stock: 4 sheets each of 5 colors
■ Includes 5 Classic Stampin' Pads, 1 each of 5 colors
This is a fantastic way to add the new In Colors to your collection and start creating fabulous new projects.
So you see, Stampin' Up has come up with some great ways for you to experience the new Color Renovation. Contact me today to place your order or visit my Online Store by visiting my Stampin' Up website and click Shop Now.
Until Next Time.
Happy Stampin',
Tricia Butts

P.S. Stampin' Up has more "RetroFit Kits" that will amaze you. Click here to view the details:

Saying Farewell - Of The Earth Tri-Fold Card

Happy Saturday Everyone,

Yes, I am back and on a weekend to boot. I just had to share this card I created today with you all. It is my way of saying farewell to some of my favorites before they disappear for good. Remember, the products listed on the Last Chance Retirement Lists will retire after June 30th, so don't wait too long.

(Note: Products on the Last Chance Accessories List are only available while supplies last and already many products have sold out. Check the List by clicking on the Last Chance Accessories Icon on my Sidebar to see the latest list of available products.)
Now normally in June we are all sad because we have to say goodbye to our 6 In Colors but this year things are a little different. With Stampin' Up's Color Renovation we will have changes in the core colors available and instead of 4 Color Families (with 12 colors in each family), we will have 4 Color Collections (with 10 colors in each).
As part of the Color Renovation, Stampin' Up decided to add 3 of this year's In Colors to the core color collection. This means that Rich Razzleberry, Melon Mambo and Soft Suede will still be available after July 1st.

Sadly, we will have to say goodbye to the remaining 3 In Colors of Bermuda Bay, Crushed Curry and Dusty Durango (Sniff, Sniff). I will really miss these 3 colors and I have found myself using them repeatedly over the past year. The good news is that we will have 5 brand new In Colors starting July 1st and I will have the chance to find some new favorites to play with.

Today's card is created using the Tri-Fold technique and I discovered this wonderful card design by chance when I was visiting one of my favorite blogs, Chic'n Scratch, which has all the wonderful creations of Stampin' Up Demonstrator Angie Kennedy Juda. She has an incredible library of videos that are easy to follow and will have you creating in no time. You can see her version of the Tri- Fold Card here.

The stamp set I chose to decorate my card is the Level 1 Hostess Set, Of The Earth, which is a beautiful stamp set and so versatile that I have found many uses for it over the past year. With this card design, I was able to use this set to create the background for the side panels, the focal design on the front as well as the soft shadow images on the inside of the card. Only the sentiment came from a different stamp set (Watercolor Trio Stamp Set in the Summer Mini Catalog).
The card base is Sahara Sand cardstock and I chose this neutral because I really wanted to showcase the Bermuda Bay color. The side panels were created using Bermuda Bay Classic ink on Bermuda Bay Cardstock for a pretty tone on tone effect.

For the main focal design, I used the In Color Markers and colored directly on the stamp with the brush tip. I used Melon Mambo and Rich Razzleberry for the flowers, Crushed Curry and Dusty Durango for the Butterfly and Bermuda Bay for the stems and leaves. Once I had colored the stamp, I huffed air onto the stamp to activate the ink and then stamped the image on Very Vanilla cardstock. Next I created a Faux Border by sponging Crushed Curry Classic Ink around the edges of the Very Vanilla cardstock with a sponge dauber.

For the inside of the card, I used Sahara Sand Classic ink to stamp the same image as the front of the card on to the Very Vanilla cardstock to create a soft shadow effect. The sentimet, funnily enough, was also stamped with Sahara Sand Classic ink but I must have forgotten to clean my stamp properly so it had a tinge of Melon Mambo to it, which I actually like.

So there you have it. A creative and colorful card that can be used for many occasions and is very simple to create. Now the Bermuda Bay cardstock has sold out in the individual packs of cardstock but you can still purchase the In Color Assorted Cardstock (while supplies last) that includes 6 sheets of each of the 6 In Colors in the 8.5 x 11 pack (total 36 sheets) and 4 sheets of each of the 6 In Colors in the 12 x 12 pack (total 24 sheets).

Plus, more good news. The 8.5 x 11 assorted In Color cardstock is 25% off the original price, as is the Dusty Durango, Crushed Curry and Bermuda Bay Classic Ink pads. Also the In Color Markers are also 25% off, so now is a great opportunity to pick up these wonderful products and get great savings at the same time.

As for the Of The Earth stamp set, you can earn this Level 1 Hostess set by hosting a party with a minimum of $150 in sales. This can easily be done with a Catalog party by sharing the news of the great savings going on now with the Last Chance Retirement Lists with your friends and family. Contact me for more details on how you can earn this wonderful free Hostess set and the additional free Hostess benefits.

Or host a party and invite your friends and I will show you how easy it is to create this stunning card that you will be able to create yourself plus other great ways to create with Stampin' Up products. Contact me today to select your party date.

Or, you can place an order of at least $150 either online through my Online Store or by contacting me to place your order. You will also qualify for additional benefits to earn free Stampin' Up products. Contact me today to learn more.

But remember, you only have until June 30th. All orders must be placed by 11:50pm on June 30th, and I recommend that you don't wait until the last minute. 

Now, there is one last way that you can earn this stamp set for free. I have one "Of the Earth" stamp set that you can have the chance to win. All you have to do is place an order of $30 (not including S&H and taxes) or more with me either through my Online Store or by contacting me to place your order by June 30th. For every $40 (not including S&H or Taxes) you will receive an additional chance, so if you purchase is $40 in Stampin' Up products you will be entered once in the draw. If you purchase $80 you will be entered twice and $120 will give you three chances. I will draw the winning name on July 1st from the qualifying entries.

Don't forget to download the Last Chance Retirement Lists from my Sidebar on my blog or visit the promotions page on my Website here for the links. Remember that there are selected products on the Last Chance Accessories List that are discounted 25-50% and the Decor Elements Last Chance List contains products with discounts of 25%. Now is the perfect time to purchase fantastic Stampin' Up products and save!

Contact me if you have any questions or problems and I will be happy to help you. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Until Next Time.

Happy Shopping,

Tricia Butts

P.S. Don't forget to check out the Clearance rack for more great savings! Up to 60% discount on discontinued Stampin' Up products that available in limited supply. These items can only be ordered online through my Online Store on my Stampin' Up website here:

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/ Just click Shop Now to get started.

Supply List:

Stamp Sets: Of The Earth (Level 1 Hostess Set), Watercolor Trio (Summer Mini Catalog)

Cardstock: Sahara Sand, Bermuda Bay, Very Vanilla

Ink: Sahara Sand, Bermuda Bay, Crushed Curry

Accessories: In Color Markers, Dimensionals, Sponge Daubers, Fiskars Paper Cutter, Bone Folder

Stampin' Up announces its Color Renovation

Hello Everyone,
Well, I had planned to share a project with you today but that has been bumped for some exciting breaking news from Stampin' Up.
Starting with the new 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog, Stampin' Up will launch its new Color Renovation consisting of 4 Color Collections. Each collection will consist of 10 colors to give us 40 core colors.
Here is the list of the 4 new color collections will be available July 1st, 2010. The new collections consist of 25 current colors, 10 returning In Colors (including current In Colors Melon Mambo, Soft Suede & Rich Razzleberry) and 5 new colors. (Click download to save this file to your desktop or click print to print a copy).
In addition, July 1st will also see the release of the new In Colors and the great news is that they will be available for 2 years instead of one! Stay tuned for further updates as we get closer to the new catalog!
Sadly, this also means we must say goodbye to some of our old favorites.
Here is the list of the colors that will be retiring June 30, 2010. (You can save this PDF file to your desktop by clicking download or print out a copy by clicking print.) In addition to this list, Basic Brown and the three remaining current In Colors: Crushed Curry, Bermuda Bay & Dusty Durango will also be retiring.
The retirement of these colors means that any inks, reinkers, cardstock, embellishments (ribbons, brads, buttons etc), Stampin' Write Markers, Water Color Crayons and Pastels in these colors will retire June 30th.
These colors will be available while stocks last, so if you see any colors that you would love to own, contact me to place your order before they disappear. Also, if you have any questions about this new development, please contact me and I will be happy to help you.
With all of these exciting changes, I will be posting projects in coming weeks that will feature some of the current colors that will be retiring so that you can get a chance to say goodbye to them and decide if it is something you would like to add to your collection.
I hope you are all as excited as I am about the new changes that are coming to Stampin' Up! This will provide you with new, updated colors that are in keeping with current trends and wonderful new options for your creative projects.
Until Next Time.
Happy Stampin',
Tricia Butts

The Birds are Back!

Hello Everyone,
I hope you all had a wonderful Easter with family and friends. I am sorry I have been AWOL the past few days but I what I thought was just allergies has turned into a nasty cough and my voice has practically disappeared. Let me tell you, it has made life challenging with my 4 kids, lol.
Today I thought I would share with you a card that I created with Stampin' Up's new Extra Large Two-Step Bird Punch and the stamp set, Vintage Vogue, both from the Occasions Mini Catalog. Did you know that April is the last month to order from the Occasions Mini? Time really has flown by (sorry, bad pun) and I can't believe that we will soon have to say goodbye to all the wonderful products available in this catalog.

This card is a great reminder that Spring has returned with the two cute little birds perched on the card so cheerfully. I chose to use Melon Mambo cardstock for the card base and stamped the large flower from the Vintage Vogue stamp set all over the card front with Melon Mambo Classic ink for a tone on tone pattern.

The birds were created using Pretty in Pink cardstock for the body of one and Barely Banana cardstock for the body of the second bird. The wings I punched from Whisper White cardstock and then stamped them using the vine stamp (from the Vintage Vogue stamp set) using Sage Shadow Classic ink on one wing to coordinate with the Barely Banana bird and Real Red Classic ink on the other to coordinate with the Pretty in Pink bird. Both of the branches were punched from Soft Suede cardstock.

I took a strip of Whisper White cardstock and stamped it with the vine stamp and Sage Shadow to create an all  over pattern. I then punched one edge with the Scallop Trim Border punch (sorry, now that Sale-a-bration is over this punch is no longer available). I matted the Whisper White strip onto a piece of Barely Banana cardstock.

Last piece of the puzzle, I stamped the F friends stamp (also from Vintage Vogue stamp set) with Sage Shadow onto a piece of Whisper White cardstock and matted it onto a piece of Sage Shadow cardstock.

Now, the fun part - assembling the card. The important thing with this card is to work out your placement before you apply the adhesive. This way you can plan out your layout the way you want it.

The first layer to adhere to your card is the Whisper White-Sage Shadow stamped cardstock that we matted with the Barely Banana cardstock. I positioned it so that it was approx 2/3 of the way down the card and adhered it with Snail Adhesive.

Next I positioned the F friend stamped cardstock piece so that it overlaps the top part of the Melon Mambo card front and the Barely Banana/Whisper White patterned piece. Apply Snail adhesive around the edge of the piece but when you place it on your card, don't apply pressure to the left edge (this is so that you can slide your branches underneath).

Take the two Soft Suede branches, apply Snail adhesive carefully to them and gently slide the end of each branch under the Friend piece to hide it. Gently rub the branches to adhere them to the card and then gently rub the edge of the Friend piece to adhere that to the card.

To assemble your birds, use Snail adhesive to glue the wing to the corresponding body and then using the Soft Suede Stampin' Write Marker draw a dot for the eye on each bird. Then using the Dusty Durango Stampin' Write Marker I colored the triangle for the beak.

Finally, I adhered both birds to the card using Snail adhesive to complete the card.

This card is a great combination of stamping and using punches to create a great card for a friend. You could also add a sentiment to personalize it for a birthday, thank you, thinking of you or get well card.

Hope you have enjoyed today's card share. Don't forget, April is the month to take advantage of the great Stampin' Up products from the Occasions Mini before they disappear (last day to order is April 30th).

Please Contact Me to place your order or visit my Online Store by visiting my Stampin' Up website and clicking Shop Now in the top right corner.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

Products Used (All Stampin' Up):

Stamp Set:  Vintage Vogue - Clear Mount Stamp 118598  Price: $17.95

                                                    Wood Mount Stamp 117690 Price: $23.95 

Set Quantity: 8

Cardstock: Whisper White, Barely Banana, Melon Mambo, Soft Suede, Sage Shadow, Pretty in Pink

Inks: Melon Mambo, Sage Shadow, Real Red

Accessories: Extra Large Two-Step Bird Punch, Scallop Trim Border Punch (currently not available), Soft Suede and Dusty Durango Stampin' Write Markers (from set of 6 In Color Stampin' Write Markers), Snail Adhesive

Easter Blessings

Hello Everyone,
It's a beautiful, sunny day here in Colorado and the flowers are bravely starting to poke their heads above the earth's surface in search of the sun.
Today's card is a reminder that Easter is only a few weeks away and now is a good time to get started on your Easter cards for friends and family. I chose the stamp set, Abundant Hope, which can be found in Stampin' Up's Occasions Mini catalog (p24). I love the elegance of this stamp set and while it is technically meant for Easter, I think it would also be perfect all year round for birthdays, Anniversary, Thinking of You, Get Well and Sympathy cards. The flower image can be colored using a wide range of techniques including watercoloring with watercolor pencils, watercolor crayons, chalk pastels, and inks. It would also make a lovely tone on tone image.

For my card, I decided that I wanted my flowers to be the main focus of my card design. I wanted the colors to capture your attention, so I chose to color the image with my Stampin' Write Markers.

Using Stazon Jet Black ink, I stamped the floral image onto a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock. Next, I colored the image using Old Olive for the stems and leaves, Crushed Curry for the flowers and added detail with the fine tip of the Dusty Durango marker.
I then matted the image onto a piece of Crushed Curry cardstock. My card base I created from Very Vanilla cardstock and I added a piece of Dusty Durango cardstock that I had embossed with the Finial Press Textured Impressions Folder using my Big Shot.
I wrapped a piece of Very Vanilla Satin ribbon (also available from the Occasions Mini Catalog) around the middle of the Dusty Durango cardstock and adhered the ends to the back and adhered the Dusty Durango cardstock to the Very Vanilla card base.
For the sentiment, I once again chose Jet Black Stazon ink and stamped it on a scrap of Very Vanilla cardstock. I then punched it out using the Modern Label punch and matted with an oval cut from Crushed Curry cardstock using the Large Oval punch before attaching it to the card.
Simple, but classically elegant and perfect for the occasion. You could use this card design to create a set of Thank You cards for someone as a lovely gift. Change the colors of the cardstock and flowers for a new look for a different occasion. There are so many possibilities that would make this a wonderful stamp set to add to your collection.
I hope you enjoyed today's card. Please contact me if you have any questions or you would like to place an order.
Until Next Time.
Happy Stampin',
Tricia Butts
P.S. This was the final card from Saturday's card class. Stay tuned for new card shares.

Products Used (All Stampin' Up):
Stamp Set:  Abundant Hope - Clear Mount Stamp   118547  Price: $13.95
                                                      Wood Mount Stamp  117054 Price: $17.95

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Crushed Curry, Dusty Durango

Ink: Jet Black Stazon ink

Accessories: Big Shot, Finial Press Textured Impressions Folder, Stampin' Write Markers Crushed Curry, Dusty Durango (from the In Colors set of 6 Markers) & Old Olive, Modern Label punch, Large Oval punch, Very Vanilla Satin ribbon, Snail adhesive.

Card Share: Things I Love

 Happy Tuesday Everyone,

I am back with a Card Share for you today, using one of the stamp sets you can earn for free during Sale-a-bration. The stamp set, Things I Love (which can be found on p54 of the 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog) is one of 77 sets listed on p11 of the Sale-a-bration Mini Catalog (the inside back cover) and is fast becoming a new favorite with me and my two daughters. How can you not love a stamp set that features chocolate!

I decided to use Stampin' Up's In Colors to give my card a little kick, so to speak. I used Soft Suede for the card base and embossed it with my Sizzix Finial Press embossing folder using my Big Shot. 
I then added a piece of Melon Mambo cardstock to the lower section of my card, after I stamped the background using the Sweet Swirls wheel with Melon Mambo Classic ink.  Before adhering the Melon Mambo cardstock to the base card, I wrapped a piece of the Soft Suede Polka Dot 1/2" Grosgrain ribbon across the top edge of the cardstock, so that it will give the card a seamless look. Then with a shorter piece of the Soft Suede ribbon, I tied a knot to give the appearance of a bow. I adhered the Melon Mambo cardstock with snail adhesive to the Soft Suede card base.
Next I stamped one of each of the images from the Things I Love stamp set ( shopping bag - Bermuda Bay, Chocolate - Soft Suede, Heart - Melon Mambo, and new shoes in Rich Razzleberry, all In Color Classic inks) on Whisper White cardstock.
Using the 1" Circle punch, I then punched out each of the images and matted them on 1 1/4" Circles punched from Bermuda Bay cardstock.  I arranged them on the upper half of the Soft Suede card base using Mini Glue Dots.
The Happy Birthday sentiment is from the stamp set, Well Scripted (available in traditional Wood Mount or the new Clear Mount option), which can be found in the Occasions Mini Catalog. I stamped it on Whisper White cardstock using Soft Suede Classic ink and then punched it out using the Wide Oval punch. To add a little fun to the card, I embellished the sentiment with a cute little brad from the Chocolate Chip Sending Love Epoxy Brads (also in the Occasions Mini Catalog p13). The little flower on the brad fit perfectly with the theme of the card without overpowering the sentiment. I adhered the wide oval to the Melon Mambo cardstock with dimensionals to finish off the card.

Here is a close up view of the sweet, little flower brad I used for embellishment. This brad set contains two different designs and you get 8 of each design (a total of 16 brads) for just $3.25 and is a wonderful and very affordable addition to your paper crafting supplies. They would make a great addition to your cards, scrapbook pages and many other papercrafting projects.
My biggest challenge is that both of my daughters have fallen in love with this card and want it for their next birthday.

I guess there is only one way to solve this problem. I will just have to make another one, lol. 

I hope you have enjoyed this card share today as much as I had creating it. It really is a fun card and would be perfect not only as a birthday card, but also a Thinking of You or Friend card.

Until Next Time.

Stamping Hugs,

Tricia Butts

Products Used (All Stampin' Up): 

Stamp Sets: Things I Love 115229  Price: $15.95  Set Quantity: 6

* Free Sale-a-bration Reward with Purchase of $50 in Stampin' Up products (excluding S&H and Taxes) Use Item #120208.

Well Scripted Wood Mount 117072 $19.95   Set of 6

                          Clear Mount 118601 $14.95
Sweet Swirls Wheel 115523 $6.50

Cardstock: In Colors - Soft Suede, Melon Mambo, Bermuda Bay; Whisper White

Inks: Bermuda Bay, Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry, Soft Suede

Accessories:Big Shot, Sizzix Finial Press embossing folder, 1" Circle Punch, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, Wide Oval Punch, Soft Suede Polka Dot 1/2" ribbon, 1/4" Chocolate Chip Sending Love Epoxy Brads, Mini Glue Dots, Dimensionals, Snail Adhesive.

Clean & Simple With Circle Circus

Hello Again,
I decided to get in an extra post today to share with you all a simple card I created recently for a class. If I had to describe my style of cardmaking at the moment, I think I would have to say I tend towards clean and simple cards. With a busy family life, I don't get a lot of time to spend making cards, so when I do get the chance I like to create cards that are relatively quick to make but still have a little wow factor when you look at them.
Today's card is another one of those cards that would work for many different occasions as well as being suitable for a masculine or feminine card. I was inspired by a SU demonstrator, Janice Webb, who creates amazing cards. You can see the cards she created here. The stamp set I chose is Stampin' Up's Circle Circus. I love the geometric designs in this set as well as the variety of sizes of the circles.

Now I don't know about you but I am always needing birthday cards at the last minute and usually get caught having to throw one together at a moments notice because I don't have any on hand. So this year I am trying to do better and put together a supply of cards for birthdays and other everyday occasions to help take the pressure off.

For this birthday card I chose from Stampin' Up's In Colors to create this design. The cardstock I chose for the card base is Bermuda Bay and I layered a piece of Soft Suede to provide a contrasting matte for my Whisper White Cardstock.

The design is stamped in Bermuda Bay Classic ink using two of the circle stamps from the Circle Circus stamp set. I chose a large and a small circle of contrasting designs for my design but you could choose which ever stamps appeal to you. To add a little pop to my card I stamped the large circle stamp in Crushed Curry on a scrap piece of Whisper White cardstock and then punched out he center design with a 1 3/8" Circle punch. I then adhered them to the center of two of the large Bermuda Bay circles with snail adhesive, the circle on the outer edge I trimmed flush with the edge of the Whisper White cardstock.

Finally I stamped my sentiment in Soft Suede using the Well Scripted stamp set from the Occasions Mini Catalog.  Isn't this a beautiful stamp set? I see so many wonderful possibilities for card designs using this set in the future. Stay tuned for future posts.

So there you have it. A very simple card that is quick to put together but has a little wow to make it special. I can see this card design working well with other color combinations depending on the occasion and the person you wish to give it to.

Hope you have a great day. Until Next Time.

Stampin' Hugs,

Tricia Butts

Products Used (All Stampin' Up Products):

Stamp Sets: Circle Circus 115778  Price: $28.95 Set Quantity: 10

                    Well Scripted  Clear Mount 118601 Price: $14.95

                                            Wood Mount 117072  Price: $19.95  Set Quantity: 6

 

Cardstock: Whisper White, Bermuda Bay, Soft Suede
Inks: Bermuda Bay, Crushed Curry
Accessories: 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Snail adhesive