A Purple Birthday

I think I have mentioned that March is a crazy month for birthdays in my family!  Six family members were born in March, so I spend a lot of time making birthday cards this month.  Here's another:

My granddaughter LOVES purple!  So I just had to make a purple card for her special day.  This one uses the starburst technique.  I started with an Elegant Eggplant card base, cut 5-1/2" x 8-1/2", and scored at 4-1/4".  To this I adhered a smaller layer of Wisteria Wonder. 

I cut 4 rectangles, 2 Wisteria Wonder and 2 of the Fancy Foil Designer Vellum in Silver; these were cut in half on the diagonal, and then the Wisteria Wonder pieces were run through my Big Shot with different embossing folders (Chevron, Sophisticated Stripes, Fancy Fan and Decorative Dots--a FREE Sale-A-Bration folder available only through Monday!), and they were all adhered to a piece of scrap paper in a fan design. 

A beautiful piece of Silver Foil cardstock was attached to the bottom, and a strip of (vintage) Elegant Eggplant grosgrain ribbon was tied in a knot around the card.

There's a little silver thread, pulled from the Silver Bakers Twine twisted through the ribbon--gives it a little sparkle.

Oh Happy Day, from Starburst Sayings, was embossed with Silver Embossing Powder on Whisper White cardstock; I sponged Elegant Eggplant ink over it all and then cut it out with the Starburst Framelits.  This was adhered to a circle in Eggplant and popped up on front.

What a happy card!

All items used can be purchased here.

And let's get creating!

Better Get Better

Ever need a Get Well Card?  I did...

I wanted something cheery, without being too cutesy.  So pulling out my beautiful Watercolor Wonder Designer Series Paper helped me choose a color palette that was just what I was looking for. 
A Crisp Cantaloupe card base was cut 5-1/4" x 8-1/2"  and scored on the long side at 4-1/4".  I then layered on a piece of Island Indigo which took a quick trip through the Big Shot with my Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder.  The Watercolor Wonder DSP came next, but was cut about an inch narrower than the Island Indigo, leaving a border on the left.  Before gluing this layer, I inserted a few Banner Blast images, punched with the Banner Punch (these are FREE through Monday, when Sale-A-Bration ends). 

And to highlight it all, I ran a strip of Island Indigo through the Big Shot with the Finishing Touches Edgelits.

The sentiment from Perfect Pennants was stamped in Island Indigo Ink on Cardstock Vellum and cut using the Banner Framelits dies; a second, larger one was also cut from Vellum and embossed with Perfect Polka Dots.  Some Island Indigo Bakers Twine was wrapped three times and tied in a bow,and this was all added to the card front.

I  jazzed up the envelope by adding matching DSP.

Wouldn't this brighten your day?

All items used can be purchased here.

Let's get creating!

My Anniversary

Yesterday was the anniversary of my marriage to my wonderful husband, Jim.  This guy has been around forever, supporting me through the ups and downs, fathering our kids, and letting me have this crazy hobby!  So I made a special anniversary card:

This is pretty different from any I've made him before--more playful and fun.  I had these left over people from a Paper Pumpkin a few months back, and knew I wanted to use them, but what to do?

I started with one of the Watercolor Wonder Designer Notecards, cutting one in half.  This was embossed using the Ampersand Embossing Folder.  A piece of Whisper White was sent through the Big Shot with the Framed Tulips Embossing Folder, and after tying a pretty White Organza Ribbon Bow around the Watercolor piece, I mounted it to the White.  This layer was adhered to the Gumball Green card base (5-1/2" x 8-1/2", scored at 4-1/4").

My little people were added, using Mini Glue Dots (aren't they the cutest?).  But what to do next?  I wanted a sentiment...my first choice was just a Happy Anniversary, but it didn't seem right.  Then I was looking at the stamp from Perfect Pennants--Me and You--but decided that needed to go inside.  Aha!  How about a word bubble with the Just Sayin' stamp telling him how I feel?

Perfecto!  Stamped in Gumball Green and hand trimmed, then mounted to a piece of Gumball Green cut with the Word Bubbles Framelits!  Love it!!!  Of course this needed a little heart (punched from the Owl Punch in Real Red) and it was all popped up with Dimensionals.

Done...and now for the inside:

Stamped in Gumball Green, cut out with the Chalk Talk Framelits and mounted on another layer of Gumball Green, with a Happy Anniversary from Hugs & Wishes (a vintage set) stamped below...Just what I wanted for my perfect hubby!

Items can be ordered here--you can even shop in your pj's.

Let's get creating!

Weekly Deals

Are you a paper-lover, like I am?  I have so much paper, it's actually quite funny.  And I tend to hoard it...like I'll never get any more, so I better keep it, just in case!

Well, this week's Weekly Deals is made for someone like me.  Cuz now, I can use all my paper and still get more--AT A DISCOUNT!  How great is that?


Look here:

This And That Epic Day Designer Series Paper Item # 130814 Regular Price: $10.95 US/$13.50 CAN Discounted Price: $8.21 US/$10.13 CAN Soho Subway Designer Series Paper Item # 130140 Regular Price: $10.95 US/$13.50 CAN Discounted Price: $8.21 US/$10.13 CAN Silver Glimmer Paper Item # 124005 Regular Price: $4.95 US/$5.95 CAN Discounted Price: $3.71 US/$4.46 CAN Champagne Glimmer Paper Item # 127885 Regular Price: $4.95 US/$5.95 CAN Discounted Price: $3.71 US/$4.46 CAN Cajun Craze 8-1/2X11 Card Stock Item # 119684 Regular Price: $6.95 US/$8.50 CAN Discounted Price: $5.21 US/$6.38 CAN Brights Core'Dinations Cardstock Item # 129953 Regular Price: $23.95 US/$29.95 CAN Discounted Price: $17.96 US/$22.46 CAN Subtles Core'Dinations Item # 129954 Regular Price: $23.95 US/$29.95 CAN Discounted Price: $17.96 US/$22.46 CAN Wonderful You Board Book Template - Digital Download Item # 130103 Regular Price: $14.95 US/$16.50 CAN Discounted Price: $8.97 US/$9.90 CAN

Head on over to my website, HERE, where you can place your order for all this great paper!  AND THEN...USE IT!

And let's get creating!

Oh Happy Day!

Yet another March birthday in the family, so yet another birthday card needed!  My what a busy month...

I finally broke down and bought the Starburst Sayings set, after having seen so many cute cards made with it.  This stamp seemed to shout "FUN", and looked to be the perfect sentiment for a wonderful niece.

I embossed the stamp with black embossing powder, after stamping it in Versamark ink on Whisper White card stock.  I then sponged Pool Party ink all over it, going off the edges.  The image was then cut, using the Starburst framelits, and layered on a circle of black cardstock, cut with my circle framelits. 

And speaking of "bursts", I used the beautiful FREE Sweet Sorbet Designer Series Paper (get some of your own for FREE with a $50 purchase during Sale-a-Bration!) to make this fun sunburst background.  I cut four rectangles of the DSP, cut each of them in half on the diagonal, and then layered them on a scrap piece of paper.  This was then layered on Basic Black cardstock, and I wrapped some Pool Party Ruffled Ribbon around it, tying a little bow.

The whole layer was adhered to a Pool Party base.

And not forgetting the inside:

Some Pool Party dots were stamped across the bottom using Border Banter, and the birthday sentiment from Bring on the Cake was added, using Staz On Ink.  The a coordinating piece of DSP was adhered to my envelope, tying it all together.

Happy Birthday, Abby!

Let's get creating!

Free Markers--Time's Almost Up!

  There's still time to cash in on the offer of FREE 2012-14 In Color Stampin' Write Markers, but time is short! 

Sign up for My Paper Pumpkin before March 31, and the set is yours...FREE!   This stretches your creativity a little further, and is a great addition to our monthly stampin' get-away!

Don't delay...time's a-wastin!  Go here to sign up for your monthly Paper Pumpkin delivery and a FREE set of markers.  And please choose me as your demonstator!

Thanks...and let's get creating!

Weekly Deals

Look what Stampin' UP has on sale this week!  Great items to add to your collection at GREAT prices!  Go here to order:

	Pewter Stampin' Emboss Powder Item # 124114 Regular Price: $4.75 US/$5.95 CAN Discounted Price: $3.56 US/$4.46 CAN
	Silver Glass Glitter Item # 120995 Regular Price: $3.95 US/$4.95 CAN Discounted Price: $2.96 US/$3.71 CAN
	Tempting Turquoise Stampin' Emboss Powder Item # 122950 Regular Price: $4.75 US/$5.95 CAN Discounted Price: $3.56 US/$4.46 CAN
	In Color Boutique Details Item # 130938 Regular Price: $8.95 US/$11.50 CAN Discounted Price: $6.71 US/$8.63 CAN
	Vintage Trinkets Accents & Elements Item # 118764 Regular Price: $5.95 US/$7.50 CAN Discounted Price: $4.46 US/$5.63 CAN
	Scallop Trim Border Punch Item # 118402 Regular Price: $15.95 US/$20.95 CAN Discounted Price: $11.96 US/$15.71 CAN
	Crisp Cantaloupe 3/8" Ruffle Stretch Trim Item # 130021 Regular Price: $8.95 US/$12.50 CAN Discounted Price: $6.71 US/$9.38 CAN
	Grad Party Ensemble - Digital Download Item # 129877 Regular Price: $9.95 US/$10.95 CAN Discounted Price: $5.97 US/$6.57 CAN

Top 10 Reasons to Be A Stampin' UP Demonstrator

Yesterday I alluded to my list of Top 10 Reasons I LOVE being a Stampin' UP Demonstrator.  I thought maybe you'd like to see them; if any of them resonate with you, how about joining my team?  Right now (through March 31), new demonstrators get an extra $25 of products in their supply kit--and YOU get to choose what you include.  So if you already have lots of stampin' supplies, augment your craft goodies with things you want (ahem) NEED!

My Top 10:

10.  Participating in webinars
          Stampin' UP hosts webinars to introduce new products and techniques

  9.  Regularly getting to throw parties!
          I hold at least 3 parties every month!

  8.  Participating in swaps
          I sign up to "play" with my friends, getting samples and ideas

  7.  I'm able to order NEW stuff before it's available to my customers
          Demos get to order a month early, to play with new products and create
            samples and inspiration for customers

  6.  Making lots of new friends through parties and Card Clubs
          I get to meet new people every month!

  5.  Having access to thousands of samples for inspiration
          (See yesterday's post, here, to see what I mean)

  4.  Making extra money 
          (to spend on stampin' stuff, of course!)

  3.  Getting FREE stuff!
          Stampin' UP is very generous; there are contests and other ways to win 
            FREE product

  2.  Going to Convention!
          I go EVERY year!  Love being around thousands of people who LOVE what
            I LOVE!  So inspiring!

And the #1 reason I LOVE being a Stampin' UP Demonstrator:

          Getting discounts on all my stampin' stuff!

Wanna join me and have your own Top 10 Reasons to LOVE what you do?  Click here to join my Stampin' Amigos Team!

And let's get creating!

Out of Inspiration!

Do you ever get to a place where your creativity just sags?  You're totally out of ideas and you just stare at your card stock and stamps without moving...for hours?
Well, I'm not THAT bad...but sometimes I do have difficulty getting started.

On my top 10 list of Why I LOVE Being a Stampin' UP Demonstrator is "always having thousands of ideas at my disposal"...besides our fantastic private website, we demos get an exclusive magazine every other month with lots of ideas for stretching your creative muscles. 

So when I was fresh out of ideas for my monthly Card Club last month, I sat down with my Stampin' Success and a cup of tea, and perused until I came across this:

Now, this is MY sample, but I took it almost entirely from Allison Okamitsu, from
Calgary, Alberta, a Canadian demonstrator who was highlighted in our magazine.  I loved the use of gold--the Metallic Encore pad (comes in Gold and Silver), and the gold embossing (I added the gold sequins), along with my favorite "go to" color of Coastal Cabana, made ME happy!

The sentiment from Happy Watercolor was inked in Versamark and embossed with Gold Embossing Powder; then I inked up the water "splot" in Coastal Cabana and stamped right over the sentiment.  This was cut from my Circle Framelits; two Decorative Label Punched pieces of Coastal Cabana were added to the top and bottom of the circle, and a piece of Linen Thread was tied into a bow through the Vintage Faceted Designer Button:

I LOVE the texture of the Burlap Ribbon with a piece of Coastal Cabana Stretch Ruffle Trim under the Baked Brown Sugar layer (run through the Big Shot with Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder). 

Thanks, Allison for your inspiration!

If you'd like to join my Stampin' Amigos team, click here, and sign up today.  Through the end of Sale-A-Bration (March 31!) new demonstrators get extra goodies in their New Demo Supply box--$150 worth of products for just $99!  What a deal!

And let's get creating!

Spoiler Alert: March My Paper Pumpkin

So in case you forgot to sign up, I want you to see what you're missing.  And if you sign up now, you'll get a FREE set of 2012-14 In Color Markers to sweeten the deal!

What are you waiting for?  This is your 30 minutes of pure happiness each month!

Go here, and get your own Paper Pumpkin!  And please choose me as your demonstrator!  Thank you!

Young At Heart

I have an uncle who has just celebrated his 85th birthday.  I spent many years inviting him to various family celebrations, as he only had us for relatives.  When he moved across the country a few years ago, we realized that we were missing someone in our lives.  So not to be forgotten on his BIG birthday, I sent this card:

Taking a cue from the Birthday Basics Designer Series Paper (which has one with party hats all over it) I made a special hat just for him.  Using the Perfect Pennants Bigz XL die and my Big Shot, I cut a piece of Island Indigo card stock into a triangle.  This was embossed using the Sophisticated Stripes embossing folder (now retired, :( ). 

 I added a punched scalloped circle, using the 7/8" Scallop Circle punch, embossed with Perfect Polka Dots, and then added a little explosion of happiness--silver threads swiped from the Silver Bakers Twine!  How cute is that! (Easy to do--just unravel the thread by cutting a length, holding an end in each hand, and pulling the silver from one side and the bakers twine from the other.)

My card base is Island Indigo with a layer of the beautiful Silver Foil on top.  This was to highlight the "85" on the hat, cut using one of my favorite dies--Typeset Alphabet Bigz and more Silver Foil--and then came a layer of the Birthday Basics DSP.

"Celebrate" came from Best of Birthdays--available only until the end of this month!, stamped in Island Indigo and cut out using the Word Bubbles Framelits--can you say "adorbs!"?

All current items used for this card can be purchased in my online store, here.

Let's get creating!

Weekly Deals

Love this week's Weekly Deals!  If you've got a Big Shot, this is the right time to get some goodies at a great price!  I have just about everything being offered, and know you're gonna love them too:

	Dress Form Pop' N Cuts Item # 130100 Regular Price: $21.95 US/$26.95 CAN Discounted Price: $16.46 US/$20.21 CAN
	Circles #2 Originals Die Item # 114526 Regular Price: $15.95 US/$19.95 CAN Discounted Price: $11.96 US/$14.96 CAN
	3 Inch Circle Originals Die Item # 122125 Regular Price: $17.95 US/$21.95 CAN Discounted Price: $13.46 US/$16.46 CAN
	Chevron Textured Impressions Embossing Folder Item # 127749 Regular Price: $7.95 US/$9.95 CAN Discounted Price: $5.96 US/$7.46 CAN
	Set Designer Frames Textured Impressions Embossing Folder Die Item # 123130 Regular Price: $8.95 US/$10.95 CAN Discounted Price: $6.71 US/$8.21 CAN
	Peekaboo Frames Bigz L Die Item # 124587 Regular Price: $32.95 US/$40.95 CAN Discounted Price: $24.71 US/$30.71 CAN
	Argyle Textured Impressions Embossing Folder Item # 127750 Regular Price: $7.95 US/$9.95 CAN Discounted Price: $5.96 US/$7.46 CAN
	Ahoy, Matey Ensemble - Digital Download Item # 130078 Regular Price: $14.95 US/$16.50 CAN Discounted Price: $8.97 US/$9.90 CAN

Head over to my online store to purchase, here.

Happy Birthday, Holly!

Today is my sister's birthday!  More than a sister, she's my best friend, so here's a special card for her:

Lots of punches going on here (and no, I have never punched my sister, even though there were days when we shared a bedroom that I sure wanted to! *grin*). 
This started with the Chevron Punch, with which I made the lattice for the flowers.

Punch one row of chevrons, then a second one.  Layer them over each other, and "push" the top piece through the bottom layer, overlapping the points of the chevrons and creating a lattice.  It's fun to slide the two pieces back and forth, widening the lattice until you get the look that's just right for your card. 

The lattice was lightly (but securely) adhered to a layer of Watercolor Wonder Designer Series Paper from the Occasions Catalog.  I then cut several Little Leaves from the sizzlet and stuck them through the lattice.  Next came a lot of flowers from Petite Petals, stamped in Tangerine Tango, Crisp Cantaloup and Daffodil Delight, and punched with the Petite Petals Punch.  These were adhered with Mini Glue Dots.  This entire layer was adhered to another layer of Tangerine Tango.

Now the fun part of this card is the ribbon closure. 

This is made using the Scallop Tag Topper Punch.  It's easy to do, first making a light tick mark at the 1" mark, then sliding your card stock (Crushed Curry used here) all the way into the punch, using the tick mark as a guide at the edge of the punch.  Punch, and flip your card stock over; repeat.  Remove the excess tabs created when you punch, and score along the base of one of the scallops, then score your card at 4-1/4".  Easy peasy!  And makes such an elegant closure.

Another piece of coordinating Watercolor Wonder DSP (with flowers that go with my little punched ones) was layered on the Whisper White of the inside of the card, and some small butterflies were stamped (Papillon Potpourri) in Tangerine Tango on Crushed Curry, and punched with the Bitty Butterfly punch.  These are adhered with Mini glue dots. 

Enjoy, from Simply Celebrate, is stamped in Tangerine Tango on the inside, and the card is closed with a piece of vintage Tangerine Tango ribbon. 

An elegant, beautiful, and fun card for my special sis...Happy Birthday, Holly!

All products used can be purchased at my on-line store, here.

Let's get creating!