Jar of Thanks!

Yes, I really have been enjoying playing with the Jar of Love stamps and coordinating Everyday Jars framelits.  So here's another sample I made:

This card started as one for the blog hop I participated in last week, but I got stuck when thinking about "stepping it up".  So I put it aside and concentrated on another idea, but then went back to completing this card.  And I love it!

The base is Whisper White Thick, 4-1/4" x 11" and scored at 5-1/2", with a layer of Fruit Stand Designer Series Paper. There is a tiny punched circle at the score line on one side, through which I fed some (gorgeous!) Peekaboo Peach Ruched Ribbon and tied it in a knot over some pieces of Burlap Ribbon.

Tempting Turquoise is the next layer, and then comes the Whisper White with the jar stamped in Smoky Slate.  I stamped the "Thanks" in Basic Gray, and the water with Tempting Turquoise.  There are also some Old Olive leaves.  And a thin strip of Peekaboo Peach "grounded" my jar. 

Then I went to town stamping and cutting out flowers--large ones in Peekaboo Peach and Tangerine Tango, small ones in Tempting Turquoise (stamped off once, with the centers in full-strength), and leaves in Old Olive.

The flowers and leaves were layered, with some popped up with Dimensionals, and then I added some tiny Pearls Basic Jewels to the centers.

A pretty thank you card, which has already been given away, a thanks to my parents neighbors, who graciously allow me to stay in their pretty little cottage when I visit Cape Cod.

If you don't have Jar of Love and Everyday Framelits, I encourage you to think about this bundle.  The upcoming Holiday Catalog includes more stamps to coordinate with the framelits, and I know you'll be tickled to see what's coming!  I'll have samples for you next week, when I return home and have time to play.  Can't wait!

A Sneak Peek at an Adorable Project

The Holiday Catalog is coming, and here's a little peek at an adorable kit that can be yours in less than 10 days!  Take a look:



Want one of your own?  Contact me for your Holiday Catalog (if you are a current customer, I already have one with your name on it!).  And let's get started!

Baby Card

Yesterday I shared that we have a new addition to our family.  Today I'll show you the card I made for my son and daughter-in-law.  I will also apologize in advance for the fact that I used "vintage" stamps--sometimes I get a stamp set and I just know it's an absolute keeper, one that I'll use again and again for my own use.  This is one of those sets, but know that the layout and idea for the card can be easily duplicated using many of our current Stampin' UP! stamps.

So here it is:

As you'll recall, the colors my kids chose for the baby's room is apple green, navy and white.  Unfortunately apple green is not a current Stampin' UP! color, but I was able to find a piece of cardstock in just the right color at a local crafting store.

So this card is 5" x 5".  And it all came together because of the wonderful new Layering Squares Framelits.  This terrific set has a TON of framelits that all nest--some are plain squares and others have scalloped edges.  Just wonderful!  And so worth the investment!

The base is Whisper White Thick cardstock, with a skinny layer of Night Of Navy, and then a layer of the apple green.  It's topped off with another layer of Whisper White...and then there are those squares.

I stamped the images in Basic Grey and then colored them using Marina Mist, Smoky Slate and Crushed Curry with Blender Pens.  The baby was colored using Pink Pirouette, watered down (with an Aquapainter).

Each stamped image was cut with a plain square framelit, and then the layers were cut using the larger scalloped and plain squares (apple green and Night of Navy).

Once the squares were all adhered, I added a retired "Congrats" (wooden element).  And then I added a little Wink of Stella to my bath bubbles.

I'm really loving all the Layering Framelits--squares, circles and ovals.  Now I just need to save up for the hearts!

Most items can be purchased here. 

Stampin' - Not Just for Cards

How about a little home decor sample?

I recently had an addition to my family, with the adoption of a new baby boy by my son and daughter-in-law.  This was such a welcomed occasion!

My son and his wife spent the last month decorating a nursery for their new son.  As little Declan came 3 weeks early, they really didn't have much time to prepare, and when they brought him home (2 days old), the kids knew they wanted something special.  So Evan put up some beautiful white, Shaker-style wainscoting, and they painted the top of the walls an apple green.  Christy had found an adorable quilt on Etsy--the colors were navy blue, grey, apple green and white, with little zoo animals.  And they purchased a navy blue crib, and white dresser with navy knobs.  It's a lovely room!

But they needed some things to hang on the walls.  So I went to work...and this is what I made:

I found the frame at a local craft store--it is one of the "floating frames" (so I was able to write a special note to my new grandson on the back).  I also had to purchase a piece of apple green paper (I found both plain and green/white chevron papers), but everything else is Stampin' UP!

The letters are from Letters for You, and I stamped them in Night of Navy, then cut them out with the matching framelits.  I also cut some just in Navy to made a shadow behind the stamped letters.  Then I stamped zoo animals from the retired Zoo Babies set, using Night of Navy and Basic Grey inks.  These were cut out.

I did pull out some "vintage" goodies--the Tasteful Trims die, along with the Zoo Babies stamp set, but I loved how this came out.

I used a piece of Neutrals Designer Series Paper Stack in Basic Grey for my base, and then placed a piece of Night Of Navy Cardstock on top.  Then I just built layers, of the apple green and the chevron papers, adding the letters and zoo animals along with the trims.

We gave this to Evan and Christy the other day, and as we left them, they were looking for just the right place to hang it in Declan's room.

Stamps are not just for cards--try using them for some home decor too!

Most items can be purchased here. 

Stepping it Up with the Wacky Watercooler Gang

It's time for another blog hop by the Wacky Watercooler Gang.  And this month we're stepping it up: One, Two, Three--one card three ways.  You'll see an easy, quick card, one that's a little more elaborate, and then a sample where we've pulled out all the stops!

Our hop is a circle; you may have just come from Gail's fabulous blog - don't you just love her samples? - or you may hopped on here.  However you joined us, thanks for visiting, and please continue on the journey by clicking on the "next" button at the bottom of this post.

I began my projects with an idea I had for my third card.  I purchased the Jar of Love set, and while playing with it I had an idea to combine it with Swirly Bird...so here are my end results.

First up, a simple card you could complete in minutes:

A base of Dapper Denim with a layer of Whisper White, and then a layer of the beautiful Serene Scenery Designer Series Paper Stack.  This paper can be the star of your cards; all you need is a little embellishment or sentiment.

I merely stamped the boat from Swirly Bird (using Soft Suede for the boat and Mint Macaron for the sails), snipped it out and added it to the front of my card.

A simple sentiment from Places You'll Go, in Dapper Denim ink, finished my card.
Easy peasy!

So let's step it up a notch:

Same boat, same scene, but it took a bit more work.  This time the card base is Whisper White Thick cardstock, with a layer of Marina Mist.  The top layer is Soft Sky.

The boat was stamped in Dapper Denim and Marina Mist with a Cucumber Crush flag.  Then it was all snipped and ready for the card.  The waves were created with the Swirly Scribbles Thinlits dies and Marina Mist cardstock.   And the boat was added with Dimensionals.  The sentiment from Cottage Greetings was stamped with Marina Mist.

The sun was stamped with Crushed Curry on Crushed Curry cardstock and cut out with the thinlits, and then I just cut some white clouds using the Umbrella Weather Framelits.

Boom--a card in 20 minutes.

And now it's time to step it up even more...a card that took me a few days to perfect, but was the original idea for these cards:

As I was planning a trip to Cape Cod, Massachusetts (lots of beaches and retired people!) and I was playing with my Jar of Love set, I had an idea to put a boat in a bottle.  And I wanted a neutral color scheme with a pop of color.

The boat is the same one used above, Swirly Bird, stamped in Basic Gray and Smoky Slate, and once again snipped out.  I stamped Hardwood in Basic Grey on Smoky Slate cardstock and then sponged it heavily with more Basic Gray.  Then I just cut a strip of the "wood" to make a "table".

The jar was stamped in Versamark ink on a Window Sheet, and embossed with Silver Embossing Powder, as was the lid (on Whisper White paper).  Then it was cut with the Everyday Jars Framelits dies.  I used some REALLY skinny strips of Dimensionls to pop it up over my boat.

The layers:
Whisper White Thick cardstock
Basic Gray
Neutrals Designer Series Paper Stack
Silver Thread, scrunched up and added with Dimensionals
Whisper White, stamped with Timeless Textures and sponged with Basic Gray
Strip of Hardwood
Jar

The sentiment from Wild About Flowers was stamped in Real Red.

And it's finished with Real Red Brights Enamel Shapes.

Whew!  I really liked how it came out, but I must say that this card will have to go to someone very special!

So that's it for me!  I hope you liked my stepped up cards and will try this yourself.  Now on to see what Marie has created; I often find myself CASEing her work, so I know it will be wonderful!

Thanks for stopping by!

A New Paper Pumpkin

Look at this month's Paper Pumpkin!



Not a subscriber yet?  Now's the time--buy one month and get the second month FREE!  Click here and use the promo code "BOGO" to get your "party in an orange box" started!

Look What's Coming

Here's a sneak peek of something new, coming September 1st!



Want a new Holiday Catalog?  My customers get one for FREE!   Contact me for your copy.

Flitting Fireflies in a Field

I had an idea.

I know, you're thinking, "so what?", right?  But really, I had an idea and I decided to run with it.  Take a look:

A jar of fireflies in a field.  And I love it!

When I was a kid on the east coast, we sometimes would be allowed to stay outside WAY after dark, while the adults were enjoying a barbeque (and probably a bottle of beer).  And sometimes, we would be given a jar and told to "go catch some fireflies".  And we did!  (and just for the record, we ALWAYS let them go before going in the house - yep - no fireflies were injured in the making of this blog post!)

So when I saw Jar of Love in the new Stampin' UP! catalog, I knew I wanted to try "catching" some fireflies in a jar.

But then I had an idea...

Just what if I was able to drop that jar in the grass...

So I got out my Serene Scenery paper stack and found a meadow in the twilight (well, maybe it's a sunrise, but let's go with the evening idea, OK?)

I cut the paper with the medium-sized jar with the Everyday Jars framelits (I LOVE these!).  And I saved the cut-out jar.

Then I stamped the jar on Whisper White card stock, using Smoky Slate ink.  And cut it out.  But I  needed to get the inside cut out...what to do, what to do...

Well, happily there is a die for that...except it's for the larger jar...rats!

But what if I used the die and cut just the top half of the inside, stopping my Big Shot before getting to the end?  And then suppose I pushed the die THROUGH the cut out part and centered the bottom on the bottom of the jar and cut out the rest...do you think that would work?

Y.E.S.!

Then I backed my jar with a piece of Window Sheet and nestled it into the cut out piece of my Serene Scenery paper.

I carefully centered this on a piece of 5" x 10" Whisper White Thick cardstock, but before adhering I placed the original cut out (from Serene Scenery) under my jar. Then I added Foam Adhesive Strips around my jar to prepare it to become a shaker card.

After stamping and cutting out my fireflies (with the matching die, of course!) I colored the "light" on their bottoms and added some Wink of Stella for a subtle shimmer.  I dropped all of the flies in my jar and carefully adhered it to my card base.

Then I just finished it off with a few extra flies, a jar lid with a tag and a ribbon.

And I smiled...

This card is going to my very special daughter-in-law for her birthday.  I hope she likes it.

All supplies can be purchased here.