Flowers For You...

Here's a card I designed and my club made this past weekend. It's a fun card to make! AND, it only takes ONE stamp, which is FREE when you earn it through SAB! I usually stay away from such bright layers, but hey, it's warming up a little and I am willing Spring to move in! In the end, I loved the simple, bright color combo. I paired Pumpkin Pie with Daffodil Delight, and Whisper White. The white layer is run through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice Impressions Folder. The large yellow scallop is cut with Scallop Circles #2. I cut this big, beautiful flower out of the Greenhouse Gala DSP, and loved the effect! The scallop in the top corner is one stamp, stamped once in Pumpkin Pie, and punched with the Scallop Circle. Then, I inked the same stamp in Daffodil Delight, used a Blender Pen to remove the ink from the flower center and stem, and used markers to add color to those areas. I then punched the center portion out with the 1 3/8" circle Punch, and popped it up over the scallop with a Dimensional. It's finished off by setting three Pumpkin Pie brads in the bottom corner using the Mat Pack. I hope you all like it! I LOVE when DSP has more uses, big bold designs (like this flower) are amazing cut out and used as focal points! NEVER be afraid to hack your paper up...great things sometimes happen;)

Paper: Pumpkin Pie, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White, Greenhouse Gala DSP
Ink: Pumpkin Pie, Daffodil Delight Stampin' Pads, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive Stampin' Write Markers, White Signo Gel Pen
Stamps: Punch Bunch (SAB)
Punches: Scallop Circle, 1 3/8" Circle
Big Shot - Square Lattice Folder, Scallop Circles #2
Accessories: Pumpkin Pie Brads (Brights Collection), Mat Pack, Dimensionals, Blender Pen

***Note::: The FOR YOU on the small scallop was done on my next card and club cards in Pumpkin Pie. We removed the Daffodil Delight ink with a blender pen and colored the words with a Pumpkin Pie marker. It made it stand out SO much more, and made the card look amazing. I didn't have one of those on hand to use in the picture.

A quick and simple Christmas gift...

 My hostess club met today and this is the project I designed for them this month. We made three cards, all the same, we just varied the colors within the Regal Collection. I LOVE that the SU collections work so well together, you don't have to stress about color combos! Here we used Elegant Eggplant, Cherry Cobbler, and Night of Navy. The base of the cards and the stamped block in the center is Sahara Sand, my new favorite neutral (well tied with Crumb Cake;). It's light and lends itself well to the Regal Collections deep, earthy, rich tones.

 And here is a close up of just the red card. For SU enthusiast (the best kind to be;), we used clear block 'D' inked with Sahara Sand to form the box in the center of the card. This technique adds great depth and interest, and is SO easy to do. Gone are the days of masking off these areas! Clear blocks are so versatile, I definitely use them for more than just clear stamps. We kept these cards very clean and open. I really like the feeling of simplicity and they match more personalities when giving as a gift.

And here is how we packaged them up. This is the Large Cello bag (SU, naturally) filled with 3 cards, and 3 envelopes, then excess folded back and ribbon and tag finish it off. I definitely think a set like this is going to be my teacher gifts this Christmas. Hope you all like it! We had fun making them, and I definitely think it's a nice gift for a party hostess, or someone that you like to give a gift to without really spending much! Supplies below. Thanks so much for stopping by! Remember to take a break this busy time of year, ink a stamp, and enjoy it all!

Happy Stampin',
Naomi

Sets: Welcome Christmas (on the tag...the family), Teeny Tiny Wishes, Holiday Wishes (retired), and Just Believe (flower)

Inks/Paper: Very Vanilla, Sahara Sand, Elegant Eggplant, Cherry Cobbler, Night of Navy

Accessories/Tools: Decorative Label Punch, Modern Label and Word Window punches, Sleigh Bells ribbon (retired), sponges, Dimensionals.

Santa's Sleigh...

 As unbelievable as it is, Christmas is really sneaking up on us this year! Stores are already shelving Christmas goodies, and I have yet to begin my 'mass produced' family card that will go to our family list. I know, I better get on it! I did get in the spirit a little bit for one of the projects that my Hostess Club made this month! I created (saw a basic sample online) this sleigh from the Top Note Die from SU'! I just cut, freehand, the swoop, and it made a perfect sleigh! The runner and legs are Brushed Silver CS, and the legs are cut with the Scribbles & Swirls Sizzlet, with the Big Shot for SU!. We used some scrap DSP, Ski Slope and cut different size packages to fill the sleigh with. This is a wonderful card for using up those scraps!!! The bows are made with the Beary Girl Essentials Sizzlet. Just goes to show, the Build A Bear line can be used for many things! I created a tiny wreath to decorate the sleigh with the tiny scallop from Itty Bitty Punch pack and the 1/4" Circle punch. Made tiny berries with the pen tip of my Real Red marker. The white background is spritzed with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch and shows up VERY well when the light hits it, the pic below shows some of that. Hope you like it!

Supplies:
Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: Old Olive, Baja Breeze, Real Red, Whisper White CS - Ski Slope DSP
Ink: Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad and Stampin' Write Marker
Tools: Big Shot, Top Note Die, Beary Girls Sizzlet, Scribbles/Swirls Sizzlet; Work Window, Modern Label, 1/4" Circle, Itty Bitty Punch Pack
Accessories: Dimensionals, SNAIL, Mini Glue Dots, Tombow Multi, Silver Cording, Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz

Eek You're Sweet!!!

Who doesn't love Halloween goodies? This is one of the three projects I designed for my Hostess Club this month. I LOVE using the Sweet Treat cups, and for just $2.95/dozen, they are very affordable to use on your projects! We created a little 'door' behind the candy and the EEK tag pulls up to open the candy area. We had a lot of fun making these and this is what I am giving to my girls before we head out to Trick or Treat. I won't make them smell my feet, but I will give them something good to eat :) Below is a picture of the candy area empty with the tag up so you can see how the door works.

Supplies:

Stamps: Sweet Centers

Paper: Basic Black, Tangerine Tango, Whisper White Cardstock

Tools: 1 3/8" Circle, 1 3/4" Circle Punches

Accessories: Sticky Strip, Sweet Treat Cups

A little more sponging, and more to believe in...

So, the sponging kick continues! This is another card I made for my Aug club meeting. The sponging is done using a piece of paper as a mask, and a 1 3/8" circle punched out of it. We kept it light by using Sahara Sand CS, and Sahara Sand ink for the sponging. The only other color is Rich Razzleberry for the ink, and the yummy Satin ribbon! I love the simplicity of the design, and one layer cards are a challenge for me, so I love trying to make them. I think this would make a really nice sympathy card, or even encouragement through a hard time.

Stamp set is Just Believe
Ink is Sahara Sand - Rich Razzleberry
Sponging, masking

Blogger notes: To the "Inky Ones", I caught up last night making my rounds to visit all of you.

Happy Stampin'!

Something to Believe in...

I am on a Fall kick lately! If you can't tell, I am way past done with summer! I cling to the belief that Fall can't be too far off:) This card features a beautiful new set from SU, Just Believe. I used this card for my August club meeting, and used it for a Fall swap as well. The new color, Cajun Craze, is really growing on me! Kind of Really Rust meets Dusty Durango, it's the perfect fall color. It's simply paired here with a Basic Black base and layer, and sponging with More Mustard, Pumpkin Pie and Cajun Craze. I used these rusty colors to create a fall sunset. The flower is stamped with Jet Black StazOn. I love the deepness of this black! I also ran the Cajun Craze layer through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice Embossing Folder.

This is such a simple card, and could easily be changed up using different colors. I want to try it with an Early Expresso base, Marina Mist background and sponging with Bashful Blue, Marina Mist and maybe Not Quite Navy. I am stuck on sponging lately, which makes it easy not to spend money on manicures:)

Hope you all like it!

Happy Stampin'!

Make Your Own DSP with Collage Stamping! (Tutorial)

This little beauty is another card I designed for my Hostess Club for our July meeting. It's another one of the 4x8 cards I just recently starting making with a 2" pocket inside. Aside from the ribbon, all product is current SU, the ribbon retired:( My other card using this fold was posted on 7/3, check it out if you didn't see it! What I love about this one, is I decided to make my own DSP! (SU's term...Designer Series Paper). I have stamped my own patterned paper before, but not as quickly or as easily as this. Keep reading!

Here's the inside of the card showing the pocket with the insert pulled out. I left my flowers colorless on the inside, but had some club members color theirs! It was pretty both ways. I love the way this DSP uses the colors I wanted, I didn't have to work around a pre-printed paper! Now, don't get me wrong, I love DSP as much as the next stamper, but sometimes I want it in exact colors, that's where this comes in!

This set is new to the 2010-2011 IBC, it's called Awash With Flowers, and I purchased it Clear Mount. The Block in the picture is 'E'. This set comes in two DVD boxes, one for the outlines, one for the solid images. I took the flowers from the outline case and arranged them on the clear block. I am showing the example on a 2.5x8" strip. This is quicker to do on a full sheet, then cut it down, I am thinking OSW!!! (One Sheet Wonder) Once you have the stamps arranged to your liking, ink them up all at once, here using Basic Gray), and stamp away! So quick! It's easy to continually stamp an exact pattern! No randomness unless you want it!

Once the paper is stamped, I then took each individual solid and inked the colors! I will definitely be making more of my own paper with this set! It would be wonderful to sit down and do a few sheets of Whisper White CS with the outlines and fill in with color when you were ready for it! Talk about a great use of the Clear Blocks and the stamp sets!

*

I hope you'll all try out this method of Collage Stamping!!! It's fun, easy, and what better way to get the most bang for your buck!

*

This card uses:

CS---Whisper White, Basic Gray, Melon Mambo and Daffodil Delight

Ink --- Basic Gray, Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight, Wild Wasabi and Marina Mist

Stamps---Awash With Flowers, clear block 'E', and A-D

Scallop Trim Border Punch, Melon Mambo Dotted Ribbon

SUO!

Pink and Brown are made for each other!

We all know pink and brown are beautiful together! Yes? Ok! It's true, there's just not too many other two color combos that can evoke such a feminine air, yet also lend themselves to vintage, shabby chic, and more! They are amazing! Like peas and carrots...LOL! However, until this month, the darkest brown we SU'ers had the option of was Chocolate Chip, and our lightest pink was Pretty in Pink. Now, those two are nice together, and I still love Chocolate Chip, just not as much as I used to:) Early Expresso is so rich, and much darker. I couldn't believe how amazing it looked with Pink Pirouette (a former In Color joining the SU family!). It's so decadent! I paired these colors with a Crumb Cake (formerly Kraft) base, and Very Vanilla for my neutral paper. I also used Very Vanilla HodgePodge Hardware, and ribbon.
*
This is the new hostess set, Because I Care, which I have posted here before, and find myself reaching for often! This set is definitely a keeper! I stamped the image on the cardstock and also on copy paper. I trimmed closely around the flower on the copy paper and use the negative to layer over the flower, leaving the flower portion open and protecting the rest of the paper. Then I used daubers and Pink Pirouette ink to lightly color in the flower. I also stamped the small bloom image lightly all around the sentiment to add a little depth under the hardware frame.
*
I designed this one last night for my club meeting today. I know...I was behind, our house has been ruined from floor damage...it's done now, but ate a whole month of our lives! I will post pics of the completed floors another day, after I have time to sweep:) All the ladies really seemed to like this card. I now have a new favorite pink/brown combo, and a sneaking suspicion I will use it often.
*
Thanks for visiting!

April Stamp Club Class...

For April's Hostess Club Meeting, I decided to go ahead and focus on a gift set that would work well for Mother's Day gifts next month. After tossing out many ideas, I settled on a bath set. What Mom doesn't need a nice, quiet bath? The candle holder includes a PartyLite tealight, and is wrapped with Rich Razz ribbon, and a scallop circle with initial. We had a few women use DSP scraps in the circle to give it as teacher gifts, etc. Great idea! The jar is a Starbucks Frap bottle, and is covered in CS and DSP, the lid is wrapped with white ribbon, and decorated the same as the front of the candle holder. We made Faux Suede Roses, using the Smooshed Flowers technique. They turned out lovely, and I think that was everyone's favorite part of the class! The jar is filled with Green Tea bath salts, which are wonderful! I kept the card simple using the Scallop Square Clear Die for the BS. Some Orchid Opulence CS, and Scallop Sq punches of DSP, we then added a sentiment (again, a few used a different one) to the Wide Oval, and finished off with the bird and branch from the 2-Step Bird Punch.

Complete project (aside from glass items) are SU only! There is also a white lunchbag altered into a gift bag to match the set! This was such a fun class, I think 'set' classes are my fave. And using the same products the whole time makes it easier to plan and clean up! Win, win!

---CS is Rich Razzleberry, Orchid Opulence, Whisper White, and Old Olive
---DSP is Cottage Wall
---Stamps are Whimsical Words and Lovely Letters
---Ink is Rich Razzleberry, and a White Signo Gel Pen
---Accessories are a few Circle Punches, Scallop Circle, Scallop Square, Wide Oval, 2-Step Bird. Also a Paper Piercer, Dimensionals, Glue Dots, R.R. Ribbon, Silver Brad.

March Club Projects...

This month for my hostess club, I created some fun Easter projects. These were so much fun to make, and each one is really simple! We made a gate fold card with the Kisses notes and Well Scripted stamp set, both from the Occasions Mini. The little basket in the front is made with DSP strips, that's it! The larger basket in the back is actually a 6x6 piece of CS, scored at 2" all the way around, then snipped on two sides at the middle section, as if cutting to fold a box. Then, instead of folding the sides all the way up, you angle them. This one is held together with brads, and a nice flower made with a few punches and a Clear Rhinestone brad decorate the front!

---The best part is the Reeses Eggs inside the baskets...I ate quite a few while filling these! They started out a little more filled, I LOVE Reeses!

I am finally ahead of the game on making things for Easter! We've had a really busy couple of weeks here, and I am just glad to have still had time to stamp at all. (Though it happens around midnight...)

We are really ready for Spring to make its grand entrance, and these colors certainly feel springy to me! Hope you like my Easter projects. My wonderful club members seemed to.

CS is all Soft Subtles...DSP is all Tea Party

My January Club Projects....

Hey, friends! It's great to be back in the blogging loop! The holidays were wonderful, and I enjoyed them immensely, but am glad to be back to the routine of everyday life! My Jan hostess club theme was 'Be My Valentine'. I generally focus on a Holiday coming up the next month so my club members have time to plan and order for it. This card is our 'Man' card for Valentine's Day! I used the NEW set from the Occasions Mini, called I (Heart) Hearts. I am the proud new owner of ALL the SU Clear Blocks and am blown away by their beauty and quality! So, I have this set in the Clear Mount. This is a wonderful heart set! The sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes.

CS--Real Red, Soft Suede, Whisper White
Ink -- Read Red, Soft Suede
Punches -- Modern Label, Word Window, 1/4" Circle, 1 1/4" Square
Stamps -- I (Heart) Hearts, Teeny Tiny Wishes

I like including a 3D item, gift, or package idea at each meeting. This month we did paper bows made of out Designer Series Paper. They were a huge hit! They are easy to make, and seeing how you can make 24 large ones out of a $9.95 pack of DSP, you can't even buy NICE bows for that price at the store! This tutorial is on SCS. However, it is only for the large size. I created the small size by switching from 6x12 paper to 3x6, and making my cuts at 1/2" instead of 1". It worked well, but is a little harder to hold together before using the brads. I cannot wait to make more of these! This particular DSP is retired, it is called Bella Rose.

And this little one was lots of fun! These are the NEW Hugs Notes from the Occasions Mini. The Whisper White CS is already cut into the scalloped rectangle! They sell in packs of 20 for $4.95! What a deal! I think I will buy extra packs to use as focal points on card fronts when I am too lazy to pull out my Big Shot ☺ The vase is the Ornament Punch, with the bottom point cut off.

CS -- Real Red, Hug Notes, DSP from a retired Hostess Pack, Whisper White

Ink -- Read Red, Garden Green (marker)

Stamps -- I (Heart) Hearts

Punches -- Ornament, Heart to Heart

-- Dimensional -- under the checkered heart

I hope you all enjoy these! I loved making them, and my club seemed to really enjoy these projects! I love Valentine's Day!