Global Design Project: Birthday Perennials

The Global Design Project challenge is to use three of the brand new Stampin' Up in-colors.  Happily, they are the three colors that I have purchased so I took that as a sign that I needed to play along.

I used old and new on this card.  The sentiment is the new Stampin' Up Biggest Wish. There are multiple words in each font for layering.  You could layer right on top of each other but I offset mine so I could surround it with flowers.  The flowers are from my favorite set from last year's catalog - Pretty Perennials. 

I used all three new colors - but the Evening Evergreen is only on the sentiment.  Originally I had the diecut leaves in Evergreen but it just looked too strong for the look I was going for.

I'm going to like these new colors!  Of course, I've never met a green I didn't like!!  That sentiment set is definitely going to come out and play often!  And, retired or not, those flowers are going to stay in the easy-to-reach portion of my stash for regular use.

Thanks to Global Design Project for the inspiration.

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Stampin' Up Pretty Perennials, Biggest Wish

Dies: Stampin' Up Perennial Petals

Cardstock: Stampin' Up Soft Succulent

Ink: Stampin' Up Soft Succulent, Pale Papaya, Evening Evergreen

Other: Stampin' Up Meadow Moments Embossing Folders, Genial Gems

Freshly Made Sketches: Slimline Birthday

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Jen Timko and here’s what I did with it!

  

 

I needed a birthday card for my boss.  She's a tough one to craft for - she's definitely a "boss" so I don't know her well.  I do know she likes her adult beverages but as my boss I just didn't feel like I could give her a card with drinks. So I decided to focus on colors.  She likes patterned clothing and the colors tend to be rich and almost autumn-like.  So I did stripes, then I added a subtle pattern in the background. I'm sure I overthought it all - but I do like the results!

I love that I have a slimline-sized embossing folder.  I didn't think my main picture showed all of its detail, so here' s a picture with some shadows on it.

I hope to see you playing along with us this week at Freshly Made Sketches!

SUPPLY LIST

Dies: Hello Bluebird Happy Birthday Words, Honey Bee Stamps Slimline Thin Frame

Cardstock: Stampin' Up Mango Melody, Calypso Coral, Crushed Curry, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive

Other: Spellbinders Slimline Floral Embossing Folder

The Card Concept: Anchors Aweigh

There’s a new inspiration challenge at The Card Concept and the theme is Anchors Aweigh.

My Clean and Simple card was inspired by the colors, the stripes (especially the top pillow) and the general nautical theme.

I LOVE the sentiment.  Besides the meaning of it, it was perfect for the theme and it fit on the stripes to replicate the pillow.  I used a fabulous waves embossing folder and then the card just needed an anchor to finish it off.

This was so simple and totally inspired by the photo! I hope to see you playing along with us at The Card Concept.

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Be Encouraged 2

Dies: Paper Smooches Anchor

Cardstock: Taylored Expressions Blue Corn, Red Pepper

Other: Memory Box Waves 3D Embossing Folder, Trinity Stamps Silver Stones

You Are Amazing (and so much more)

I wanted to make a bright and cheerful card for my amazing niece who, at 16 years old, is heading off this summer on a mission trip to Costa Rica! I am SO impressed.  I have other cards planned as the trip gets closer - definitely cards to let her know God will watch over her - and that we are praying. But for today - I just wanted her to know she's amazing!

I got this stamp for just such an occasion and I'm thrilled to be using it. It fit on the the slimline with enough space on the side for some rainbow washi.  Then it needed a bit more decoration so I punched some simple flowers out of coordinating colors.

This was a quick and easy card - and it says exactly what I want it to say!!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Creative Expressions/Woodware Ode to You

Punch: Stampin' Up Small Bloom Punch

Other: Altenew Gradient Rainbow Washi Tape, Pretty Pink Posh Glossy Black gems

Poppystamps: You Are Jaw-some

I'm on the Poppystamps blog today using this charming shark (not words you would typically use together!)

I really love all of the Poppystamps Whittles.  The animals all have the cutest expressions.  Doesn't this whittle guy look like he knows that he's jaw-some!

There are many more details on the Poppystamps blog - check it out!!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Poppystamps Whittle Sealife Sentiments

Dies: Poppystamps Whittle Shark, Whittle Wave, and Word Balloons

Paper: Memory Box Madras Plaid Blue and Violet, Delicate Pastel Glitter Pad, and cardstock from these pads: Fresh Aqua, Lush Green and Earth Neutral

Other: Memory Box Fairy Drops

Freshly Made Sketches: Kite Greetings

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Jacquie and here’s what I did with it!

 

That curve immediately said "kite" to me! I was surprised to find that I had very few kite options in my stash. This is an older MFT die - it did what I wanted because it let me add a variety of colors.

Then I played around with the greeting for quite a while.  For some reason, I have a tough time visualizing - I have to see it for real - so I can't tell you how many curved panels I have with a variety of stamped sentiments before I remember this die from Frantic Stamper.  I though the style and the curves fit well with a kite!

I didn't originally have the gingham on the side but I didn't like the balance of the card after I cut the "greetings". And since I had already had a large stack of curved panels bound for the trash - I decided just to trim off some of the right side to get a better balance.  I ended up liking the look a lot so a happy mistake!

I hope to see you playing along with us this week at Freshly Made Sketches.

SUPPLY LIST

Paper: Stampin' Up Daffodil Delight, Blushing Bride, Flirty Flamingo, Mango Melody, Balmy Blue, various older dsps

Dies: Frantic Stamper Modern Greetings, My Favorite Things Fly a Kite, Simon Says Stamp Curved Edge

Other: Stampin' Up Dainty Diamonds Embossing Folder, Trinity Stamps Tic Tac Mix Heart Jelly Drops

Stampin' Up Season's Blessings

When a new Stampin' Up catalog comes out, I flip through it at least a dozen times and each time I flip through it, I try to focus on something else.  My first few times I just look at the new stamps and dies. Then I try to look at embellishments and papers.  Somewhere along the line, I totally focus on the samples that their fabulous team created. That's how I noticed the set I'm using today - it's called Season's Blessings along with the Seasonal Basket dies.

This set is found in the holiday section - not surprising based on the name - and I started out ignoring that section - I'm just not feeling Christmas yet.  But the beautiful samples show how well this set works for all seasons.  The samples include an autumn card and a card that I think is rich and summer-ish.  Once I noticed the full set, then I noticed that amazing basket die!!  It might all be worth it just for that.  All of the little pieces do punch out, but on my card I wanted the more filled in look.

I also have three new colors on this - Evening Evergreen (the sentiment and paper), Soft Succulent (leaves) and Pale Papaya (the flowers with a little bit of Mango Melody at the base of each). Then to keep it bright and cheerful, I added some of the new Loose Flower Flourishes in Polished Pink. 

LOVE this set!!  It'll definitely be out multiple times across the seasons!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Stampin' Up Season's Blessings

Dies: Stampin' Up Seasonal Basket

Ink: Stampin' Up Evening Evergreen, Soft Succulent, Pale Papaya, Mango Melody

Paper: Stampin' Up Evening Evergreen, Crumb Cake

Other: Stampin' Up Dainty Diamonds embossing folder, Loose Flower Flourishes

Freshly Made Sketches: A Button Note

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Judy and here’s what I did with it! 

Besides the sketch, my idea for this card came from cleaning out a large container of supplies that I kept because I might need them someday.  But they definitely haven't been used since my move to the new house around three years ago - and probably years before that.  One of the small containers was a box that I thought had a couple of punches - but it appears it was a button box.  It had punches and dies and some of the old Sizzlit Embosslits - all buttons. 

When the church card ministry was at its peak - real buttons were in style on cards and we used them a lot.  But people were complaining about the difficulty of mailing them. So I made an effort to get rid of some of the bulk with diecut buttons. Interestingly, it wasn't long after that before buttons became less of a thing - probably for the same reason - just too darn hard to mail! My stash disappeared into a box only to be found again in the last few weeks!

Obviously buttons - or even circles - weren't on the sketch, but I had a ric rac die which I could use to create a banner shape and it tied into the button theme beautifully. The sentiment was chosen mainly because it was the "shape" I was looking for, although I think the sentiment is charming.  (I'm more picky about my sentiments than about anything else on my card - the saying, font, style, shape, etc. - all have to be just right.)

I hope to see you playing along with us this week at Freshly Made Sketches!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: The Stamp Market Just a Note

Dies: My Favorite Things Vintage Buttons and Stitched Ric Rac

Paper: Stampin' Up Flirty Flamingo, Daffodil Delight and Mango Melody

The Card Concept: Garden Pleasures

There’s a new inspiration challenge at The Card Concept and the theme is Garden Pleasures.

The little house in the center of the photo looked exactly like a beehive in a stamp set that I love.  My Clean and Layered card uses that beehive (and the gorgeous bee in the same set) on a little green table surrounded by the same color flowers (even to the brown centers) as is in the inspiration.

Everything except the little table is by Stampin' Up.  (I had a die for the little table so I used it but it would be just as easy to hand cut the pieces).  I adore that bee - he's absolutely stunning.  The beehive looked exactly like the center house in the inspiration - I even tried to match the color.  There's nothing unusual about yellow and purple flowers - just not my normal go-to colors - and that's why I love inspirations! They inspired (and challenge) me to try new things! Even the brown gems in the center were inspired by the photo.

The sentiment was one of this year's Stampin' Up sale-a-bration sets.  I love the font. I don't have a lot of delicate scripty sentiments - I lean towards bold and unique

I hope to see you playing along with us this week at The Card Concept!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Stampin' Up Honey Bee, Heal Your Heart (the sentiment)

Dies: Stampin' Up Detailed Bee, Wreath Builder (the flowers) and Rectangle Stitched Framelits, My Favorite Things Cat and Plant Perches (made longer)

Other: Stampin' Up Tasteful Textile Embossing Folder, Little Things Bronze Mix Jewels

Inspired By: Hugs and Butterflies

I love both the Inspired By photo and the sketch.  So I was flipping through my stash for a wreath and saw this butterfly wreath.  The Inspired By wreath is all flowers, but these butterflies called my name.  So I was inspired by the wreath and I kind of used the colors although my green isn't as minty and there isn't as much of it. The sketch inspired me to put the sentiment in the middle although I offset mine a bit so the extra little butterfly stood out.

I also didn't use a "mother" theme - however, this is destined for my mother-in-law as I have been sending weekly cards.  She is an extreme people-person and the isolation has been tough on her.  She's out more now since she has both vaccines, but not like she used to be.  I hope this cheerful butterfly wreath brightens her day.

Thanks so Inspired By for the inspiration to pull out this wreath, for the colors and for the sketch!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Reverse Confetti Butterfly Wreath

Dies: Reverse Confetti Butterfly Wreath dies and Along the Dotted Lines Cover Panel, Paper Rose Hugs Layered

Other: Caribbean Sea Doodadz

The Color Throwdown: Adulting is Hard

I had not used the wonderful retro-look set from Stampin' Up - Nothing's Better Than.  I need something fun to send to my sons as they go into finals week and the colors at The Color Throwdown had the perfect masculine/retro look.

(Forgive me for the tiny bit of green, but it just needed a lime!)

My oldest son is almost at the end of his long college career with his focus being on things like Physics and Applied Math so his finals week is just darned hard. My youngest is a sophomore and doesn't have particularly hard classes.  But he did just have a multiple hour surgery to repair a shattered thumb on his writing hand (a lacrosse goalie injury) - so having a timed essay as a final is not going to go well.  The poor guy is also recovering from a  major reaction to his second vaccination so he definitely wants this semester to be done.

This card will go to my oldest.  He's all about the coffee or tea.  And he really prefers what he terms "girly" drinks. He and his friends laugh about the fact that they go to bars and think they have to be macho with their drinks when they really want the fruity frou-frou drinks!!  

These are such fun stamps - they are fun to work and they are so fun on cards!  

Thank you to The Color Throwdown for the inspiration!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Stampin' Up Nothing's Better Than

Dies: Stampin' Up Love You More Than, Rectangle Stitched Framelits

Cardstock: Stampin' Up Crumb Cake

Ink: Stampin' Up Poppy Parade, Pool Party, Crumb Cake

Other: Stampin' Up Brick & Mortar Embossing Folder

To Email Subscribers

The standard email service used by my Google blog is being shut down.  I have transferred to a different service.  Today you may get emails from both services.  If not, check your spam to see if the new service got sent there.  The content is the same - it's just a different method of getting it to you!

This isn't something I've done before - it used to be almost automatic - so expect some fine-tuning as we go. For instance, I'm not currently thrilled with the image quality and am researching.  Just hang in there - I'll get it eventually!!

I'm sorry for any inconvenience. 

Poppystamps: Chin Up, You Goat This!

 I'm on the Poppystamps blog today using the charming Whittle Goat sending lots of words of encouragement.

This was such a fun card to make.  Those little guys have the sweetest expressions and they looked at me and made me smile the whole time I was making the card!!  I cut ten different word balloons and I spent some very happy time trying different sentiments and rearranging until I got the right flow. 

There are more pictures and many more details on the Poppystamps blog - check this card out here!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Poppystamps Whittle Wild Animals Sentiments and Whittle Love

Dies: Poppystamps Whittle Goat and Word Balloons

Paper: Memory Box Garden Folly 6x6 pad

Other: Poppystamps Bold Fairy Jewels

Freshly Made Sketches: Pig Time

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Amy and here’s what I did with it!

 

I'm not sure what got into me with this card.  I started with the idea of a critter instead of the leaf element. Then somehow the square became a barn! The barn is a giant die set that makes a full-size easel pop up card - it's absolutely charming.  But that didn't fit the sketch, so I just cut the top part down through the window - then I trimmed the edges so that I have a mini barn.  It's just the right size for my "Whittle Pig"!

The sentiment is actually a long sentiment.  I trimmed it very close so I could also cut it right down the middle.

I must have enjoyed making this. I very rarely make a card with no idea to whom I will send it but I have absolutely no plans for this one.  My 21- and 25-year old sons would die if they happened to open a card like this in front of their friends.  My nieces are girly teenagers - a pig really doesn't work. But I enjoyed every minute of making this - mostly because the pig made me smile every time I looked at it - so it will go in my stash and hopefully come out someday. 

I hope to see you playing along with us at Freshly Made Sketches!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Poppystamps Whittle Wild Animal Sentiments

Dies: Poppystamps Whittle Pig, Whittle Sun, Little Bits of Turf and Country Barn Pop Up Easel set (just the top), Memory Box Wrapped Stitch Rectangles

Paper: Memory Box Berry Red, Lush Green and Earth Neutral Cardstock Collections

Other: Wooden heart