Eager Anticipation

I've been reading the blogs that I have bookmarked, and looking at all the neat cards that demonstrators are making with the new stamp sets, papers and In Colors from the new fall/winter catalog. I SO want the new catalog, but since I'm but a lowly client (my friend Kate who's my demonstrator does all right by me so I'll be seeing some of HER stuff next weekend), I'll have to wait till the catalog actually comes OUT. I am SO getting inspired to create with the new stuff but that will have to wait. I have a couple of cards that I've made using the Sale-a-bration and Occasions mini sets that I got last winter/spring that I'll post later today (have to write up the deets first), and that will have to do for now.

Hope the rest of you are getting inspired too! Maybe I'll find your creations out there on Splitcoaststampers.

Happy Birthday Ruby Guava

I made this birthday card to go along with the previous one that I made for my husband’s boss. The boss’s wife is also having a birthday and they’re having a combined birthday party so thought she’d enjoy a flower card. I REALLY like how this one turned out!

I colored with markers (chocolate chip, ruby red, and yo-yo yellow) and then stamped the "Happy Birthday" sentiment from "So Many Scallops" (which was a Sale-a-bration set from this past winter) on Very Vanilla card stock. I punched it out then matted that on to Ruby Red and then a scalloped circle in Groovy Guava. I used yellow Stickles glitter glue to enhance the candle flames.

The patterned paper is the "Ginger Blossom" designer paper which I matted on to Groovy Guava and then Ruby Red which I’d punched with my Fiskars scalloped border punch. The card was finished off with the Groovy Guava Double Stitched ribbon. The medallion was attached with a large dimensional.

Recipe:
Stamp Set: So Many Scallops
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Ruby Red, YoYo Yellow markers
Paper: Groovy Guava, Ruby Red, Very Vanilla, Ginger Blossom Designer Series Paper
Accessories: 1 1/4", 1 3/8", scalloped circle and Fiskars scalloped border punches, Groovy Guava double stitched ribbon, yellow Stickles glitter glue, dimensionals

Manly Happy Birthday Soup

My husband's boss is celebrating his 60th birthday this weekend and I thought I'd give him this card. He'll be turning 60 and the theme is a 60's theme. You know, bell bottoms, tie dye, beads, etc. Since I don't have ANYTHING that fits THAT theme, I thought I'd go more with an "over the hill" card saying that "hey, you're turning 60, how are your eyes working?" I had a HECK of a time trying to get the paper colors to come together but I'm rather pleased with how this turned out.

I matted the image on to Chocolate Chip and then Pumpkin Pie. The striped paper was matted on Night of Navy and then the thread was wrapped around before it was attached to the main card. The photo corners are in Chocolate Chip.

Recipe:
Stamp Set: Alphabet Soup
Paper: Always Artichoke, Chocolate Chip, Night of Navy, Pumpkin Pie, Very Vanilla, Bitty Scrap Pad "The Den" by Provo Craft
Accessories: Photo Corner Punch, Linen Thread

Thanks for looking!

Fresh Apricot anad Chocolate

I wanted to try a a little something different with the new Fresh Cuts stamps. I had already done two with the die cut flower note cards and wanted to use the main image alone on a card. But what color combination to use? I had seen another card similar to this which had used black and yellow but didn’t want something with that much contrast. So instead, I settled on Chocolate Chip and Apricot Appeal.

I stamped the main image on Natural White card stock with Chocolate Chip ink and used makers to color in some of the flowers and leaves and used crystal glitter glue to add highlights. The image was then matted to Chocolate Chip. I ran the Apricot Appeal through my cuttlebug machine and then I used a Fiskars border punch to do the scallops AND the holes all in one step! Woohoo! The main element was attached to the Apricot which was then matted to Chocolate Chip and the ribbon was wrapped around and tied before the whole thing was added to a Naturals White card.

This card went to my store manager who’s been dealing with a lot in her life right now and she knows that I make cards. In fact, I’ve sold a few to her and I thought she deserved one of her own. She rewarded me with a hug today.

Recipe:
Stamp Set: Fresh Cuts
Paper: Apricot Appeal, Chocolate Chip, Naturals White
Ink: Chocolate Chip ink pad, Apricot Appeal, Pumpkin Pie, Certainly Celery, Old Olive Stampin’ Write markers
Accessories: Fiskars scalloped border punch, crystal glitter glue, orange organdy ribbon, Cuttlebug embossing folder "Birds and Swirls"

B G and Pomegranate

Here's a card which uses another one of my favorite color combinations - Basic Gray and Purely Pomegranate. I wouldn't have thought to put these two colors together but found my inspiration in another card that I found on Laura's blog. You can check her out here. She has such GREAT inspiration!

This card used the Fresh Cuts stamp set and note cards. I stamped the main image on the front part of the note card, and then removed the die cut petal portions, as well as the back part of the card. Those pieces will be used on a future card (or two). Since I don’t have the 5 petal flower punch yet (that’s going on my next order!), I made a template out of heavy card stock using my SU! demo's punch, traced and cut out the vellum flower (which might be a little bit hard to see) which I then put behind the cutout. (sorry if it looks a bit uneven). I used my Boho Blossoms punch to do the small flower in Pomegranate and then used a pink rhinestone brad to attach it in the center. This image was adhered to a mat of Pomegranate and then attached to a top folded Basic Gray card with dimensionals. A piece of Pomegranate satin ribbon and the gray twill bow finish off the card.

Recipe:
Stamp set: Fresh Cuts
Paper: Basic Gray, Purely Pomegranate, Fresh Cuts note cards, pale pink vellum
Ink: Basic Gray
Accessories: Handmade template for 5 petal flower (until I get the punch), Boho Blossoms punch, 5/8" Pomegranate Satin Ribbon, 3/8" gray twill ribbon, pink rhinestone brad

My sister will most likely get this card. Either her, or my mom.

Fresh Cuts - Bayou and Guava

This is my first card made with the new Fresh Cuts stamp set and Fresh Cuts note cards. This was being sold during the month of June as a preview to the new Fall/Winter Stampin' Up! catalog, and my best friend who is also my Stampin' Up! demonstrator, gave them to me! This is going to be the thank you card that I send to her because she's so busy I'm not sure when she'll get to using her OWN stamps and note cards.

This has got to be one of my favorite color combinations! It's part of the In Color series that will retire when the new catalog comes out. I'll be sorry to see these colors go, but I'm told the new colors coming out in the new catalog are all must haves too.

This card is pretty self explanatory. I don't have the 5 petal flower punch (yet, that will on my next order!), so made a template using my demo's punch, and traced the Groovy Guava flower that goes behind the punched out portion of the note card. The small flower is stamped with Groovy Guava, cut out and attached to the front with a blue brad. The punched out flower piece is backed with a square of Blue Bayou to add some color and then the whole thing is matted on to Groovy Guava. That piece is then attached to a side folded Blue Bayou card. Three brads on the top and the sentiment made using the two oval punches, with a sprig stamped in Blue Bayou ink, and the card is done! Pretty easy.

I only used the front of the note card for this particular version. The other part will be used on some other card when a piece of white is called for.

Thanks for looking!

God Bless America

Just in time for the 4th of July!

This is another easy patriotic card which uses only one stamp. It was a special edition stamp that came out in 2001. I know a lot of people bought it because I’ve found several cards online using this stamp. It’s too bad that it was a one time deal.

This card was very easy to make. I made up several of them to send to soldiers deployed overseas. I colored the flag with Night of Navy and Real Red markers and stamped it on to Whisper White card stock. The bottom was torn and it was layered on to a Brilliant Blue piece of card stock and that bottom was also torn. The card base is Brilliant Blue onto which was layered Whisper White and then Real Red. Before the red was applied, two rectangle holes are punched to accommodate the red, white and blue grosgrain ribbon.

Recipe:
Stamp Set: God Bless America
Paper: Brilliant Blue, Whisper White and Real Red card stock.
Ink: Real Red and Night of Navy markers.
Accessories: Two hole Rectangle Punch, striped grosgrain ribbon from Jo-Ann Fabrics