Shana Gaff
(260)897-3911
stressfreestamping@gmail.com
Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

IT'S A GIRL!!!

9 months has finally passed and a good friend of ours had her baby.  Like many of the pregos that we know of lately, she was unsure if she was having a boy or a girl.  Every time one of our friends has a baby,  I quickly start thinking that I want one too.  The thought soon disappears when I am reminded of the days when school is cancelled and I am at home watching my kids and the babysitting kids.  What a madhouse! 

Not knowing if our friends were having a boy or girl, I have been making gender neutral cards.  In my earlier post, I had requested that someone please have a girl...and she did!  So instead of using one of the many baby cards I have already made, I just had to break out the pink!  I used the colors from Color Throwdown and the sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch!   


Okay, technically there is brown and blue in there, making it not TOTALLY a girly card, but it satisfied me much more than the previous cards I had created. :) This is what I specially made for Kelsay and Ryan to celebrate the birth of sweet Willow Faye:


I just cannot get enough of these little banners! The best part is that you can earn the punch for FREE during Sale-a-bration, but it will also be available for purchase in the new Annual Catalog.  You know what that means to me?  There will probably be a new little banner set to coordinate with it since this one will no longer be available!  Yay!  :) You know, no matter how much new stuff I have, I am always thinking about what will be coming out next!  Stamping is such an addiction! lol

Stamp Sets Banner Blast, Countless Sayings 2, Hello Lovely, Sweet Essentials
Cardstock: Baked Brown Sugar, Soft Sky, Strawberry Slush, Whisper White
Ink: Baked Brown Sugar, Soft Sky, Strawberry Slush
Tools: Banner Punch, Fancy Fan Embossing Folder
Accessories: Rhinestones, White Baker's Twine, Dimensionals

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

ATSM-Photo Inspiration

It's time for another photo inspiration at Addicted to Stamps and More!   This week is a really fun photo.
I hate those candy hearts but they sure are fun colors!  I picked a large selection of pastel colors and was inspired by this card made by Erica for my "New" challenge over at Addicted to CAS
I don't use these tiny words very much but they worked perfectly on my conversation hearts!  I used a ton of Dimensionals on the back of the white cardstock to make the hearts look like they have some depth to them. This was a really simple card to create but I had a lot of fun with it!

Stamp Sets: Delightful Dozen, Fabulous Phrases
Cardstock: Blushing Bride, Crisp Cantaloupe, Coastal Cabana, Pistachio Pudding, So Saffron, Wisteria Wonder, Whisper White
Ink: Blushing Bride, Crisp Cantaloupe, Coastal Cabana, Pistachio Pudding, So Saffron, Wisteria Wonder
Tools: Hearts Collection Framelits
Accessories: Dimensionals 

Triple Time Stamping CASE

This month I am hostess at Technique Time Tuesday :) One of my duties is to choose one of the entries and CASE it. There are so many fabulous variations to this technique, as I have witnessed from perusing through this month's entries! WOW, was it ever hard to decide with card to CASE!  Each and every card has something special about it that I just love!  I decided to go with this lovely card created by Chrissie.

I love the way Chrissie just used a small part on her card that included the Triple Time Stamping. I always think it has to take up the entire card!  Her sentiment also looks so cute on it's own little tag.  


On my card, I tried to keep my focal image fairly small. It's hard with Framelits because the layers are pretty thick, but I still really like how it turned out!  I also did my sentiment on a little tag and did a panel behind my Triple Time Stamped image as well!

Stamp Sets: Itty Bitty Banners, Wildflower Meadows
Cardstock: Coastal Cabana, Strawberry Slush, Whisper White
Ink: Coastal Cabana, Crisp Cantaloupe, Pistachio Pudding, Strawberry Slush
Tools: Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, Circles Collection Framelits
Accessories: Crisp Cantaloupe Stretch Ruffle Trim Ribbon, Dimensionals 

CONGRATULATIONS to Chrissie!  Make sure you hop on over to give her some love on her beautiful card! And if you have not linked up with us yet this month, don't worry you still have a few days left!!! We would LOVE to see what you have to share - PS: there is a FABulous prize up for grabs too!

Monday, January 27, 2014

Snowed in...AGAIN!

This is the second time this year we have been snowed in. Blah!  I love living out in the country, but not during times like this!  Being stuck inside is really getting to me. Our house is not too big, so being here for four days with four kids and a husband is getting kind of rough! We had tickets to the circus on Saturday and were not able to go because of the snow-drifted roads. Of course it was the ONE time that we decided to splurge and get the good seats! :( The only thing that has been keeping me sane is making cards. I am thinking I need to get a door put on my stamping room though. :)

Today I used the beautiful colors from Hand Stamped Sentiments and the sketch from Pals Paper Arts.
PPA189_Jan_23
I've only had two weeks to do the color challenge and decided to make my card in the last hour of the challenge. Sometimes I work best under pressure!  My favorite style is pretty simple though, so I'm pretty good at pulling off a quick card fairly quickly. :) 
I just love Swallowtail and I think it makes a really good, quick background.  I thought it looked really pretty with this sentiment from Perfect Pennants.  I love coloring this particular stamp with my Stampin' Write markers. I love the different fonts on it.  I thought my Decorative Label Punch needed something, so I backed it with a Scallop Circle Punch that I cut in half so I could fit it perfectly behind my sentiment. Of course, I had to add some bling on there. No card is complete without some bling!

Stamp Sets: Perfect Pennants, Swallowtail
Cardstock: Coastal Cabana, Wisteria Wonder, Whisper White
Ink: Coastal Cabana, Strawberry Slush, Wisteria Wonder
Tools: Decorative Label Punch, Scallop Circle Punch
Accessories: Wisteria Wonder Chevron Ribbon, Rhinestones

Sunday, January 26, 2014

One layer, 10 minutes...what could be better?!

I just love making 10-minute cards, but they are difficult to achieve!  The challenge at CASology is Contrast, so I knew I wanted to do a mostly black and white card with some pink sponging. The sketch at Nacho Average Challenges worked perfectly for the idea I had in my head!  
The two squiggles inspired me to use two shades of pink, Blushing Bride and Primrose Petals. I masked off the top and bottom of my sentiment and sponged the two colors, one starting on the top and the other on the bottom, blending them together in the middle.
I finished it off by adding some little Primrose Petals hearts. This is one I might have my kids duplicate for their Valentine's for their teachers. It's so simple but they will have a ball sponging the colors on!

Stamp Set: Countless Sayings 2
Cardstock: Whisper White
Ink: Black StazOn, Blushing Bride, Primrose Petals
Tools: Sponges

Happy Birthday, Marcus!

This weekend we have been babysitting my cousin's little girl, Sophie, while her parents go snowmobiling in Michigan for her daddy's birthday.  It's practically a blizzard here in Indiana and they said it's just as bad where they are. I know I wouldn't want to be outside in it! lol I decided to spend my day inside in the warmth making Marcus a birthday card. :) I used the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches and the color combination at Color Throwdown. I also added some stars to join in on the star challenge at The Friday Mashup!
I was reading a discussion from demonstrators about whether they use the Chevron Embossing Folder or Background Stamp more. I definitely use the embossing folder more, so I decided to dust off the stamp and use it on my card today. I think it's a great masculine stamp!
I used my Stampin' Write markers to color in the chevrons and stamped it on my banner. It has almost a rustic look the way the ink transferred, so I decided to sponge Crumb Cake around the edges of all of the elements on my card to mimic that look.  The Squares Collection Framelits (that I got during one of Stampin' Up!'s fabulous sales!) make a perfect mat for the Window Frames Collection Framelits.  I textured the Basic Gray square with the paper-piercing tool and used the backside of it so it was bumpy on the front.  I love this look!

Stamp Sets: Perfect Pennants, Positively Chevron Background Stamp
Cardstock: Basic Gray, Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Gray, Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake, Daffodil Delight
Tools: Paper-Piercing Tool, Squares Collection Framelits, Window Frames Collection Framelits, Sponge
Accessories: Rhinestones, Dimensionals 

Friday, January 24, 2014

A new challenge!

I am always so excited about finding new challenges!  You would think I have nothing better to do than sit around and make cards all day. lol This one is a color challenge site, and they use Stampin' Up! colors. Yay!  It is called Colour Me...and each week is a different theme. So, it looks like this week is Colour Me...Playful!  The color combination is a new one for me and I had a lot of fun with it!
I never would have put these colors together, so thank goodness for challenge sites to keep me on my toes! I chose the layout to work with from one of my favorite challenge sites, Create with Connie and Mary
CCMC287
I just LOVE that sketch, don't you?!  I am definitely filing this one to use again.  
I kept my card fairly simple. It's hard for me to use so many colors if I get too detailed, so I included a lot of white to balance all of those fun colors.  I used too different fonts for the "Happy" and "Birthday" to keep the playful theme, and Candy Dots were the perfect embellishment for some birthday fun!

Stamp Sets: Countless Sayings 2, Sassy Salutations, Oh Hello
Cardstock: Gumball Green, Blushing Bride, Whisper White
Ink: Blushing Bride, Gumball Green, Pumpkin Pie, Pool Party
Tools: Chevron Embossing Folder, Ovals Collection Framelits
Accessories: Subtles and Brights Candy Dots, Dimensionals

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Create with Connie and Mary...Guest Designer

I am continuing as Guest Designer at Create with Connie and Mary and this week is a sketch challenge.
Spring14-01
I decided to use the color combination from the Fresh Prints Paper Stack in the Occasions Catalog. I don't actually have the DSP, but the colors in it were a good starting point!
My Real Red background is Core'dinations Cardstock that I embossed and sanded. I just love this look!  The Chalk Talk Tag is sponged with Crumb Cake ink and the little band is two rows of the Gold Sequin Trim. I love this stuff. I wanted a small little flower, so I used only half of the Spiral Flower Die and added a pearl in the center with some hot glue so it is sure to stay in place.  The scallops are actually an oval punch that I layered in between the Real Red and Crumb Cake cardstock. The card opens up right at the edge of the scallops, so the Crumb Cake you see on the right of my card is actually the inside of the card.

Stamp Set: Perfect Pennants
Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Pool Party, Real Red Core'dinations, Whisper White
Ink: Crumb Cake, Pool Party, Real Red
Tools: Ovals Collection Framelits, Chalk Talk Framelits, Oval Punch, Argyle Embossing Folder, Spiral Flower Die, Sanding Block
Accessories: Gold Sequin Trim, Large Pearl

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Crafting with Mama Sheila

Last Friday I got a call from my Mama Sheila (who is not actually my mom, but a mother-like figure that goes to my church and has become one of my dearest friends in the world!  My kids love her too and call her Grandma Sheila. She loves stamping too and recently signed up to be a demonstrator again for the second or third time. Love you, Mama!).  Anyway, she called to see if she could come over to play. Well, of course!  So we spent the whole afternoon creating a card box and a card to go in the box. I had the brilliant idea for each of us to create two more cards for the box so we would have a total of five cards for our beautiful boxes.  I will share our box and first card later, but today I have my second card to share. I used the sketch at Mojo Monday.  I'm also adding my card to SUO Challenges where they are playing with new toys this week!  Yippee!
It was an afternoon of sharing.  She gave me some beautiful DSP from the Sale-a-bration catalog and I gave her a crafting tote so she can take more of her stamping goodies with her when she travels the country with her hubby for the next two months. Sniff, sniff. :( I didn't think I really liked this DSP, but it is gorgeous in person, and SOOO difficult to decide which of the papers to use. 
I had a lot of fun layering everything on this card!  This is one of my favorite sentiments and I think it looks so striking when you color it different colors with the Stampin' Write markers. That is one of my favorite things to do with our markers!  They stay wet long enough that you can take your time to color everything in, huff on it a bit, and stamp your heart out!  

Stamp Sets: Feel Goods, Betsy's Blossoms
Cardstock: Whisper White, Pistachio Pudding, Calypso Coral, Pool Party
Ink: Summer Starfruit, Pool Party, Calypso Coral, Pistachio Pudding
Tools: Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, Labels Collection Framelits, Festive Paper-Piercing Pack, Sweet Sorbet Accessory Pack and DSP, Subtles Collection Button

Simplicity at its Best

The challenge at The Paper Players required very little supplies!  This is great when you go to put everything away. :)
I found a cute card from demonstrator Ginger Rabesa where she had sponged inside the bird punch to make her birds. I thought this was a fabulous idea and wanted to use that technique. For some reason it will not let me link to her card directly, but if you enter Mojo304 in her search box it will take you to her lovely card!  I love the black and white and all of the layers she used.  No layers for me though!
This was so simple to make!  I just punched out my bird and cut out a heart with a framelit and used the negatives to sponge inside.  I really wanted to add some bling on there, but I restrained myself to keep it as CAS as possible.  Hard to tell, but I did a little bit of dry embossing at the bottom too.  


Stamp Sets: Countless Sayings 2
Cardstock: Whisper White
Ink: Blushing Bride, Rose Red, Strawberry Slush
Tools: Bird Builder Punch, Hearts Collection Framelits, sponges, Simply Scored Borders


Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Look Ma, No Stamps!

I don't know about you, but that doesn't happen very often on MY cards! lol I actually didn't realize that I didn't use and stamps until I went to edit my card.  I made this card for the challenges at The Friday Mashup! and retro sketches.
The challenge at The Friday Mashup! is to use Real Red, Coastal Cabana and Crumb Cake and mash it up with hearts and arrows. I have been having a lot of fun making Valentine's cards this year. You might have also noticed that I switched up the background on my blog with a heart theme!  Love is in the air, I guess. :)
This is the first time that I used these thinlits from the Label Card Thinlit and I really like them!  It's nice to have a little sentiment without having to do any stamping. When I looked at the sketch I thought it would look nice laced up, kind of like a corset.  After I tied the bow at the top I tied each end in a knot and ruffled the ends a little bit.  Of course, it needed some bling so I added the rhinestone and the Red Glimmer Paper.  The background is Core'dinations cardstock that is embossed and sanded. I really like the look it gives, especially in person!  The Crumb Cake is sponged with ink to distress it a bit, quite possibly because I got a smudge on it and needed to cover it up. Shhhh... :) 

Cardstock: Real Red Core'dinations, Coastal Cabana, Crumb Cake, Whisper White
Ink: Crumb Cake
Tools: Label Card Thinlit, Chevron Embossing Folder, Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, Sanding Block, Paper Piercing Tool
Accessories: Large Rhinestone, Red Glimmer Paper, White Baker's Twine

Addicted to Stamps and More...CAS style!

It's time for another CAS challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More!  Our guest designer is Karen. Make sure you visit her blog to check out her card. I just LOVE her work!  She is great at making CAS cards and her coloring is fabulous.

I decided to use the color combo at Dynamic Duos for this week's card. Is is so soft and subtle. Haha, kind of like what our color families used to be called, the Soft Subtles!
Janae was making with cards with me and had Hearts a Flutter out so I decided to use it too.  I also CASEd her layout sort of!  She was so proud of her card...I will try to get a picture posted later if I remember so she can get full credit! lol For now, here is my card:
I never think to use this alphabet on cards, just scrapbook pages.  That was all Janae's idea too!  I guess I should let her in my Scrap Room more often. ;)

Stamp Sets: Countless Sayings 2, Hearts a Flutter, Notable Alphabet
Cardstock: Pool Party, Whisper White
Ink: Pink Pirouette, Pool Party
Tools: Hearts a Flutter Framelits
Accessories: Pool Party Baker's Twine, Subtles Candy Dots

Sunday, January 19, 2014

The Stamp Review Crew: Chalk Talk Edition



Welcome back for another round of inspiration from the Stamp Review Crew! This time, we are featuring a beautiful set that is images and sentiments all in one. It coordinates with the Chalk Talk Framelits, so you can have perfect, fast, and beautiful die-cuts in a flash! This set is also available as a digital download, which some of us will be using. And as always, if there is a set you would like to suggest, please leave a comment here and we will add it to our list of potential sets :)  Now, on with the hop!

Chalk Talk is perfect for tags, and I wanted to dress up a box. I found this awesome tutorial for a Gift Card Box on Splitcoaststampers. I was able to make a belly band for my box and decorate the inside using Chalk Talk and the coordinating Framelits.


I wasn't sure how well it would work, but it was so easy to add some additional color to my tag after I stamped it in Smoky Slate.  I used the brush tip of my Stampin' Write markers to add some color to the words and the writing tip to add color to the tiny flowers in the corners.  I also stamped it again in Calypso Coral and fussy cut the banner to add some more dimension to the tag.  Here is the inside.  
I was able to use two more of the tags on the inside of my box, which I, of course, had to fill with some candies, just like in the tutorial. lol The tags are really fun to layer and they not only work well with the Framelits but with our circle punches and oval punches as well. 

Stamp Set: Chalk Talk
Cardstock: Calypso Coral, Daffodil Delight, Pool Party, Smoky Slate, Whisper White
Ink: Calypso Coral, Daffodil Delight, Pool Party, Smoky Slate
Tools: Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, Fancy Fan Embossing Folder, Chalk Talk Framelits, Circle Punches, Scallop Circle Punches, Wide Oval Punch, Decorative Label Punch
Accessories: Rhinestones, Subtles Collection Buttons, Pool Party Baker's Twine, Dimensionals

Thanks for stopping by!  Now hop on over to see the project the amazing Yapha Mason has to share with us!  
                  


If you get lost, here is the complete blog roll:
  1. Heidi Baks  runningwscissorsstamper.blogspot.com
  2. Cindy Beach stampspaperandink.typepad.com/
  3. Adriana Benitez  escape2stamp.com
  4. Tanya Boser   tinkerin-in-ink.blogspot.com
  5. Debra Burgin  heartfeltinkspiration.com/ 
  6. Jill Coleman  jillstamps.com/
  7. Mike Funke    stampin-style.typepad.com
  8. Shana Gaff   stressfreestamping.blogspot.com
  9. Yapha Mason   yaphamason.com
  10.  Mary Rindal   maryrindal.com/ 
  11. Ann Schach    stampinchic.com/
  12.  Martha Stewart  seasonsofstamping.com/
  13. Dawn Tidd   tiddbitsfromdawn.typepad.com
  14. Kerry Willard Bray  kerrywillardbray.com
  15. Paula Wright  paulastamps.blogspot.com/
  16. Nancy Smith iguanastamp.wordpress.com

Saturday, January 18, 2014

A NEW Challenge at ATCAS

And I am the hostess!  I have chosen this as my code word for the next two weeks.
We have a guest designer with us this week, Nancy Littrell. Make sure you visit the Addicted to CAS blog and link over to her beautiful card to congratulate her and give her some love!  I am in love with her card that she has made for the challenge.  I spy lots of Stampin' Up! on there and you all know that is my favorite! :) 

When I originally chose this code word, I was thinking of the new year, but when I went to make my card, it didn't feel right since we are a few weeks into the new year by now. So I instead decided to make a card for a new mother.  Of all of the women that I know that are pregnant right now, NONE of them are finding out if they are having a boy or a girl. I have been making gender neutral cards and scrapbooks for weeks now, and frankly, it's driving me a little nuts!  So would someone who is reading this please get pregnant and find out the gender to help my sanity? :)  I was inspired by this adorable tag that Mindy Backes made. I just love her work!  Zoo Babies has quickly become my go-to baby set. I am working on a scrapbook for one of my friends right now, and it has taken over the entire book!  Here is the most recent card that I made for the challenge:

The colors that I chose look so blah on my computer screen...hopefully they look better on yours. They looked really good on my camera and in person, so I don't know what the deal is.  The card base is Smoky Slate with Smoky Slate Gorgeous Grunge splotches and streaks stamped on it.

Stamp Sets: Gorgeous Grunge, Happy Day, Zoo Babies
Cardstock: Smoky Slate, So Saffron, Whisper White
Ink: Pear Pizzazz, Smoky Slate, So Saffron, Soft Sky

I decided to go ahead and do a stepped up version as well. It was actually my CAS card to begin with, but then I just started adding to it and it became not as simple.  In my opinion it's still pretty CAS, but I know some people are really picky about their "white space" being solid and not patterned. :) This is the one that will be accompanying the scrapbook that I made for my friend when we visit her at the hospital. The first card will be a better choice to send in the mail to a long-distance friend.


I just love the Watercolor Notecards that are in the Occasions Catalog, but I don't really make or give notecards so I cut them in half so I get double the use on a standard-sized card.  The animals are stamped on Whisper White and fussy cut out.  I just loved the button that Mindy used on her card, so I had to copy that as well!  I cannot wait to be able to deliver this card!

Stamp Sets: Happy Day, Zoo Babies
Cardstock: Smoky Slate, Soft Sky, So Saffron, Whisper White
Ink: Pear Pizzazz, Smoky Slate, So Saffron, Soft Sky
Tools: Adorning Accents Edgelits
Accessories: Subtles Collection Buttons, White Baker's Twine

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Happy Belated Birthday!

I can't believe we're only halfway through January and I have already forgotten to mail a birthday card to one of my dear friends!  I have been looking at this sketch from retro sketches and decided it would be really neat with the Envelope Punch Board.
Although the card is late, the sentiment does not mention that. I am not a fan of those belated birthday sentiments!
It's hard to tell from the photo, but I used 5 different colors on the telephone. It took forever to color all those little pieces, but I really like the outcome so it was worth it!  I also added a little surprise decoration for my friend to find when she pulls out the card. :)

Stamp Sets: Timeless Talk, Really Good Greetings
Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla
Ink: Calypso Coral, Crumb Cake, Daffodil Delight, Gumball Green, Pool Party
Tools: Itty Bitty Punch Pack, 1/2" Circle Punch, Cupcake Builder Punch, Envelope Punch Board, Ovals Collection Framelits, Sponge
Accessories: Epic Day DSP and Washi Tape, Gingham Garden Washi Tape, Subtles Collection Buttons, White Baker's Twine, Dimensionals

Spring Fever

We have been swimming in snow for over two weeks and I am soooo ready for Spring!  I needed to make an anniversary card for my grandparents and I found this beautiful color combination at The Paper Players.
So happy and springy! I thought they would be perfect for my big butterfly stamp, Swallowtail. It is so much fun to stamp and then watercolor.
Of course, when I was watercoloring, I got out of the lines. It never fails!  Luckily Janae was working on a card with me and she had the brilliant idea for me to cut it out instead of starting over. Duh! lol It's really easy to cut out too!  I added the splotches from Gorgeous Grunge and then glued the butterfly down.  I then drew the antennae on instead of trying to line the stamp up. I knew that would be a disaster for me! :)

Stamp Sets: Swallowtail, Teeny Tiny Wishes, Gorgeous Grunge
Cardstock: Primrose Petals, Coastal Cabana, Watercolor Paper
Ink: Black StazOn, Primrose Petals, Coastal Cabana, Pear Pizzazz, Crushed Curry
Tools: Word Window Punch, Modern Label Punch, Aqua Painter
Accessories: Rhinestones, Dimensionals

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Addicted to Stamps...Holiday!

It's time for a new challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More and it's a fun one...Holiday!  You can choose whatever comes to mind when you hear the word Holiday.  For me, this time of year I am only thinking of one holiday...Valentine's Day!  Although I hate the winter, this is the one bright spot for me.  We always have a Valentine's Day banquet at church that Brett and I get to go to and it is always a great time.  I got an early start on the card I will give him that night with this challenge.
I am in LOVE with Countless Sayings 2!  I love using my Aqua Painter to color in the big letters.  I hope we get more sets like this in the future!  I thought the big font looked nice in this framelit from the Apothecary Accents Framelits.  I stamped some small hearts in Blushing Bride around the outside of my sentiment and then pierced around the edges using the coordinating piercing pack from the backside to give it some extra textured. I then put sticky strip along the top and bottom of the back and looped the Raspberry Ripple ribbon to make sort of a frame around it.  The corners are punched with a small circle punch so I could add some rhinestones. Gotta have some bling! :) OH, and I also remembered to go ahead and finish the inside too!
It's very simple and leaves less room for me to have to write in...since I make so many cards for Brett I am sometimes short on words. At least when I write in a card I am. I think he might say differently about that when we are having a conversation! lol

Stamp Set: Countless Sayings 2
Cardstock: Early Espresso Core'dinations, Primrose Petals, Very Vanilla
Ink: Blushing Bride, Black StazOn, Primrose Petals
Tools: Honeycomb Embossing Folder, Sanding Block, Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack, Apothecary Accents Framelits, Aqua Painter, Essentials Paper-Piercing Pack, Paper-Piercing Tool
Accessories: Raspberry Ripple Stitched Satin Ribbon, Rhinestones, Subtles DSP Stack

Monday, January 13, 2014

Another Thank You!

I really liked the sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch! this week and needed to make a thank-you card for my dear husband for all of the help he has given me lately, so I pulled out one of my favorite Photopolymer stamp sets, Another Thank You.
Since Valentine's Day is right around the corner, I decided to keep it lovey dovey and use red and hearts. Oh, and brown too, because that reminds me of chocolate, which is one of my FAVORITE things to get for Valentine's Day. :) :) :) 
This is actually my second copy of the card, because I had the entire thing finished and decided to add Red Dazzling Details to the hearts. Of course, I had to smudge it and the red ink bled onto the Very Vanilla background.  Sometimes I can fix it, but not this time...it was everywhere!  I was smart on the second round and let all of the Dazzling Details dry before I assembled my card. :) 

Here is the inside. I love this sentiment but Brett is pretty much the only one I would EVER say that too, so it tends to get used a lot on his cards. He thinks it's cute though, so I'll keep using it. 


Stamp Sets: Another Thank You, Yippee Skippee
Cardstock: Early Espresso, Real Red, Very Vanilla
Ink: Early Espresso, Real Red
Tools: Envelope Punch Board
Accessories: Red Dazzling Details

Preview Week!

Don't forget that it is Preview Week at Create with Connie and Mary and your chance to sign up for the Spring Collection 2014 Tutorials at the Early Bird price of $24.95 US. Mary has an awesome FREE tutorial to share with us today, so hop on over there to see what she has created. Oh, and did I mention that she has blog candy too!!! You can get full details at Create with Connie and Mary.  Stop by here later tonight and I will have a card to share with you too. :)

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Exciting News!!!

I am beyond thrilled to announce that I have been invited to be a Guest Designer at Create with Connie and Mary!  They are getting ready to begin their Spring Collection 2014 and you can join now at the Early Bird rate of $24.95 US and save $5 off the regular $29.95 US price.  You will get tons of 3D and card ideas...make sure you hop on over to their blog to see all of the details and to sign up at this great Early Bird price!

This week is Preview Week at Create with Connie and Mary and I am sharing with you a sneak peek of the set I will be featuring for my Guest Designer project, Perfect Pennants.


This is such a versatile set and the first one I ordered from the Occasions Catalog.  I wanted to do something with a masculine touch, so I chose my colors first...Daffodil Delight, Gumball Green and Midnight Muse. I used markers to color in my "Make a Wish" stamp and cut it out with the coordinating Banners Framelits Dies.  I stamped the "a" again in Gumball Green, punched it out with the small circle punch from Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack and popped it up on a Dimensional.  The striped pennants were stamped on Whisper White cardstock and cut out so I could layer them between my Gumball Green and Whisper White banners. To finish my card off, I stamped the stars in Daffodil Delight and covered them with Dazzling Details.  I made sure they were completely dry before I cut them out and adhered them to my card with Dimensionals.  

I hope you enjoyed my preview card and don't forget to head on over to Create with Connie and Mary to sign up for the Early Bird special!  

Stamp Set: Perfect Pennants
Cardstock: Gumball Green, Whisper White
Ink: Daffodil Delight, Gumball Green, Midnight Muse
Tools: Banners Framelits Dies, Envelope Punch Board, Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack
Accessories: Dazzling Details, Dimensionals