Bear Hugs

So I recently shared my son-in-law's birthday card with you, which I made using the Bear Hugs set and matching framelits.  Here's some other ways to use this adorable set:



Bear Hugs can be purchased here...don't forget, purchasing the bundle (stamps and matching framelits) saves you 15%!  And who wouldn't want the framelits to make this stamp set so versatile? 

A Manly Birthday Card

I always seem to struggle when making a birthday card for a guy.  Why is that?  Just because I like pretty colors and ribbons and embellishments...and most men don't?

Somehow though, when I saw Bear Hugs, I knew that I could make something kinda "natural" with it.  And here's what I came up with:

Isn't that fun?

My son-in-law is a fisherman.  He loves to fish.  So what could be better than wishing him a "day full of sunshine and a lake full of fish"?

This card starts with a Soft Suede Base and a layer of the Neutrals Color Collection Designer Series Paper.  I cut a Whisper White layer and stamped the sentiment in Soft Suede ink.

My fish were stamped with Soft Suede and cut out using the matching Bear Hugs Framelits Dies (can't get much easier than that!).  Then I colored them all using the Wink of Stella in gold--catch that first fish--see all the sparkle?

I knotted a piece of Linen Thread on each side and stuck it down with a Glue Dot; my fish were added with Glue Dots or Dimensionals.

Of course there's a matching envelope--so easy to add a piece of the DSP to the flap and trip around the edge!

Happy Birthday to my son-in-law!  May your day be full of sunshine while you catch a lake full of fish!


All items can be purchased here.

The Wacky Watercooler Gang Celebrates Occasions!

Yes it's time for another blog hop of the Wacky Watercooler Gang.  This month we are all about celebrating occasions--and there are SO many to celebrate!  What's your favorite?

Our hop is circular; jump on anywhere and follow around to see what 11 artists have prepared this month.  You may have just come from Leanne Johnson's blog.  Leanne is new to our hop, and I'm so glad she has joined us!  Her creations are wonderful, don't you think?

A BIG occasion for me right now is knowing that I am expecting a new grandbaby--yippee!  My son and daughter-in-law are adding to their clan sometime in August, and I so look forward to a new little one in our family.  So here is the card I sent them to say "congratulations":

As soon as I saw Bear Hugs in the Occasions Catalog (with matching framelits!) I knew it had to be mine.  And this was perfect to welcome a new member of our tribe, especially when paired with the phrase from Suite Sayings (also in the Occasions Catalog):

My bears were all stamped and cut in record time; I embossed some Early Espresso card stock with the Woodgrain Embossing Folder and hand cut the "tree".  A hole was cut with the Ovals Collection Framelits, so a baby bear could be placed inside:

And of course a matching envelope (this is a large, square card), made easy with the Envelope Punch Board and the In Color Envelope Paper:

Needless to say, I'm looking forward to this Occasion!

Now, for another occasion we all celebrate (at least until we no longer want to):  Birthdays!  Here's a Party in a Box that can help a recipient be ready for three birthdays:

I saw this cute idea by another Stampin' UP! demonstrator who made a 3" x 3" box full of small cards.  I decided to cut this down a bit, and after a number of failed experiments, came up with a 1-5/8" x 3-1/4" box.  It's decorated with one of my favorite Designer Series Paper from the Occasions Catalog, It's My Party, and the stamp is from a brand new Sale-A-Bration (read  as "FREE") set called Party Pants.

And here is what this little party in a box holds:

Three 3" x 3" cards with matching envelopes and gift tags.  Here is each one:

Party Pants will put anyone in a party mood, and it's available now!

My final occasion is an upcoming one - Easter:

Here's a sweet little Easter basket (made from the Berry Basket Bigz L die and Coaster Board topped with Birthday Bouquet Designer Series Paper) and a couple of Easter friends.

And check out the special treats for the Curvy Keepsake Bunny--a "carrot" made from the Polka Dot Cone Cellophane Bags stuffed with orange Jelly Bellys (I shamelessly stole this idea from the Occasions Catalog). 

And sweet little chick has some pretty Easter eggs, decorated with the Birthday Bouquet DSP in her basket.

Well that's all the Occasions I can celebrate right now.  So it's on to our next artist; go check out what Gail Allen has for you--she always comes up with such creative projects!  Thanks for stopping by!

Sending Hugs

When I attended the Stampin' UP! On Stage Local event in San Diego last month, I won a Prize Patrol featuring a new set from the upcoming Occasions Catalog (only 3 more days until it's debut!).  Bear Hugs has matching framelits and I couldn't wait to make something to send my grandsons.  (Save by purchasing the Bear Hugs Bundle--stamp set AND framelits for 15% discount)

I stamped the bear with Chocolate Chip ink, cut it out with the framelit, turned it over and stamped it again--this gave me the "arms" that could be folded around the heart.  Totally adorbs!

The heart is popped up on THREE Dimensionals, and then the "hands" are attached to the heart with more Dimensionals.

The card base is a Whisper White Note Card, with a layer of Mossy Meadow and then a piece of some new Designer Series Paper--Birthday Bouquet is the yummiest collection of soft colors and pretty prints.

My sentiment wraps to the inside of the card...

...where two little bears are all decked out in their fancy bow ties.

Of course there's a matching envelope, cut with the Envelope Punch Board and In Color Envelope Paper.  (The Note Cards come with envelopes, but because of all the dimension of this card I had to make one that was a little bigger--thank goodness for the Punch Board!).  And the little butterflies?  To cover a mistake--somehow when I was working on the inside of my card, the card touched my Mossy Meadow ink pad!  Aargh!  Have you ever done that?  But as I always tell my stampin' friends, "It's not a mistake; it's an opportunity!"

You can get your own set of Bear Hugs starting Tuesday, January 5th.  Place orders here.

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