An Amazing Anniversary!

My parents are celebrating 64 years of marriage today!  Isn't that amazing?  They obviously were made for each other...I salute them today for their love, their perseverance, and the wonderful example they set for my siblings and me!

And of course, I had to make them a card: (and I apologize for the lighting--trying to get it in the mail and just took photos on my kitchen counter!)

I decided simplicity was key this year.  My sister is visiting them on Cape Cod (where they live, 3000 miles from their California kids!) and will take them out for a nice dinner.

My card has a Whisper White base, cut 5-1/2" x 8-1/2", and folded in half.  I stamped "Happy Anniversary" (from a vintage set, Something to Celebrate) in Versamark ink and embossed it with Gold Embossing Powder--so elegant!

Using two half-inch strips of Gold Foil Sheets on the edges, I added a 1" strip of Gold Fancy Foil Designer Series Vellum (careful to only place some liquid glue under the gold hearts!).

I did the same gold embossing with the fabulous Four Feathers set (retiring on 6/2, so get it now) and cut them out with the Feathers framelits (love! sigh!). 

See that little squiggle of gold thread?

That was pulled from the Gold Metallic Bakers Twine and wrapped around my fingers to make a messy circle--Dimensionals on the back of the feathers holds it in place.

And see that cute little flower on the feathers?  That's a new (sneak peek) embellishment, 2015-2017 In-Color Blossom Accents in Watermelon Wonder--just a perfect pop of color on this gold-toned card.

I added a strip of retiring Stacked with Love Designer Series Paper to the envelope to pull in a little of the pink color, and called it "done"! 

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

All products can be purchased here.

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$8.50

Versamark Pad

$7.50

Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder

$4.95

Heat Tool

$29.95

Gold Foil Sheets

$3.95

Gold Fancy Designer Vellum Foil

$10.95

Four Feathers Clear-Mount Stamp Set

$10.95

Feathers Framelits Dies

$12.95

Stampin' Dimensionals

$3.95

Gold Baker's Twine

$3.50

2015-2017 In Color Blossom Accents

$8.00

Stacked With Love Designer Series Paper Stack

$6.95

Table by StampinBuddy. Try it FREE.

Saying Goodbye

Hard for me to imagine that just in this month of May I've had to say goodbye to two (TWO) good work friends due to retirement.  I guess when you've worked in one place for a significant amount of time (16 years for me!), and it's a good place to work, that you are bound to eventually have people retire after many years of service.   Maybe that's a good thing, but saying goodbye can be difficult.

So the most recent to retire is a nurse with whom I've worked for about 10 years.  We shared office space, and I constantly overheard her talking to herself while she did her computer work.  I used to ask if I was expected to respond, but she always declined my comment...LOL!

Using a template I had seen when the Butterfly Thinlets first came out, I created this card:

It's a really pretty, and somewhat dramatic, card in person.  The card base is Whisper White, 5-1/2" x 8-/12", and folded in half at 4-1/4".  Next comes a layer of Basic Black (4" x 5-1/4").

The top layer is Whisper White, with the medium butterfly from the Thinlets cut out and the greeting from Really Good Greetings (retiring next week!) stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black.  Behind it is a piece of Whisper White cardstock that I colored with alcohol markers in three shades--I just scribbled over the cardstock until it was a large enough area to cover the space behind the cut-out. 

Then the cool part:

I cut a piece of Basic Black with the same Butterfly Thinlet, and nestled the butterfly into the cut out in the Whisper White.  It fits perfectly and looks like the image is embedded into the white.

So  pretty!  I expect I'll make several more of these simple, almost-one-layer cards.  They are beautiful and can be used for multiple occasions.

And did you catch the matching envelope in the first photo?  Made that myself with the Envelope Punch Board and some retiring Neutrals Designer Series Paper Stack.  Then I cut the smallest butterfly from the same Thinlets set using Daffodil Delight cardstock, and layered it over a piece of Whisper White.  Easy peasy to make coordinated cards and envelopes!

Most products can be purchased here.

What have you created today?

Butterflies Thinlits Dies

$24.95

Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$6.95

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$8.50

Daffodil Delight 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$6.95

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad

$5.95

Envelope Punch Board

$19.95

Table by StampinBuddy. Try it FREE.

My Paper Pumpkin for May (and a special deal!)

WooHoo my Paper Pumpkin just arrived and it's so stinkin' cute!  Take a look:


Wanna play? Right now My Paper Pumpkin is 50% off!  That's right!  From now until June 10, you can play along for TWO MONTHS at half the cost!  Then when you're totally delighted, you can keep the fun comin' month after month for just $19.95.

Go to PaperPumpkin.com or click the link to the right.  Be sure to enter the promo code:  SAVE50

What are you waiting for?

Weekly Deals

It's time for more Weekly Deals, and I've featured many of these in past posts.  See this card and this one for some ideas, and then check out the great prices:

	Birthday Bash Specialty Designer Series Paper Item # 137783 Regular Price: $12.95 US/$15.95 CAN Discounted Price: $9.71 US/$11.96 CAN
	Stacked With Love Designer Series Paper Stack Item # 137779 Regular Price: $6.95 US/$8.50 CAN Discounted Price: $5.21 US/$6.38 CAN
	Bright & Beautiful Clear-Mount Stamp Set Item # 135029 Regular Price: $24.95 US/$30.95 CAN Discounted Price: $18.71 US/$23.21 CAN
	Stacked With Love Designer Washi Tape Item # 137789 Regular Price: $4.95 US/$6.50 CAN Discounted Price: $3.71 US/$4.88 CAN
	Spring Flowers Textured Impressions Embossing Folder Item # 137365 Regular Price: $7.95 US/$9.95 CAN Discounted Price: $5.96 US/$7.46 CAN
	Maritime Designer Series Paper Item # 133696 Regular Price: $10.95 US/$13.50 CAN Discounted Price: $8.21 US/$10.13 CAN
	Chalkboard Paper Item # 137786 Regular Price: $7.95 US/$9.95 CAN Discounted Price: $5.96 US/$7.46 CAN
	Rose Coral Colorbox Chalk Ink Pad Item # 138091 Regular Price: $5.95 US/$7.25 CAN Discounted Price: $4.46 US/$5.44 CAN

All products can be purchased here.

What have you created today?

Paper Pumpkin at Half Off!

 Right now new Paper Pumpkin subscribers can skip to the fun for less! Get 50% off your first two months of Paper Pumpkin when you sign up by June 10. Go to PaperPumpkin.com (or click the link to the right) and use promo code: SAVE50.

After your first two months, keep the creativity coming for just $19.95 USD/$24.95 CAD + tax per month (shipping included). Each month a fully designed project kit will arrive at your door with stamps, ink, and paper—everything cut and ready to go. 

It’s commitment-free! You can suspend your membership at any time. So, go on, sign up for Paper Pumpkin. You’ll love it—we guarantee it!

(For new subscribers only, not valid on prepaid subscriptions. Discount applied to one kit per month for the first two months of a new subscription. Offer ends June 10, 2015 at 11:50 pm (MT).)

Sign up now!  What are you waiting for?

Fun Fold Tutorial

Some time ago I posted this card and mentioned that I'd be back with a tutorial on how to make it.  And today is the day...I've been quite busy lately, and had not had time to go back and photograph myself making another one, but yesterday I found some time and here you go:

It's a girl this time, and I started with a base of Crisp Cantaloupe (one of my favorite In Colors, soon to be retiring).
Cut your card base to 4-1/4" x 11", but score it at 2-3/4" from each side:

I then took Calypso Coral, two pieces, cut to 2-1/2" x 4", and adhered 2-3/8" x 3-7/8" pieces of Lullaby Designer Series Paper on top:

These are adhered to the front of the card:

(this photo is actually side-ways, so I could hold it closed to show you the front; here is it the right way):

Set this aside, and cut cardstock (I used Crisp Cantaloupe again) using the Squares Collection Framelits--the large scallop one AND the next size square:

This will give you a frame like this:

which I ran through the Big Shot with my Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder (soon to be retired, sniff!).

Also cut one square (same size as above) of Whisper White:

This will fit inside your scalloped frame on the front of the card (it gives it a little more heft--since the frame "moves" you want the extra weight):

 Now here's the key to this fun fold:  add Tombow Multi-Purpose Glue to ONLY one half of your scalloped square:

(hard to see but the glue goes from 1/2 of the left, along the bottom, and up 1/2 of the right).

Now adhere this to the top front of your card (flip the frame over from the way it's pictured--the glue goes on the top half) and add glue to just the bottom half of the square middle square:

and place (with the glue only on the bottom) inside of the scalloped frame:

Decorate/finish your card:

If you choose to add a little banner ("it's a girl!") place it below the middle opening of the card AND be sure to only adhere it on the very edge (under the Candy Dot) or your card won't open. 

Matching cards for boys and girls!

Products can be purchased here.

Try one of these fun flip cards!  They pack an extra punch!

Calypso Coral 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$6.95

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$8.50

Lullaby Designer Series Paper

$10.95

Squares Collection Framelits Die

$26.95

Big Shot

$99.95

Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

$7.95

Liquid Multipurpose Glue

$3.95

Subtles Candy Dots

$5.95

Something For Baby Wood-Mount Stamp Set

$29.95

Something For Baby Clear-Mount Stamp Set

$21.95

Baby's First Framelits Die

$24.95

Table by StampinBuddy. Try it FREE.