So Grateful

I had so much fun playing with yesterday's card that I thought I would switch and try using the negative space for my blending.  I used the same mask but this time I just used my Versamark pad to ink up all the open areas on the stencil and then embossed with white embossing powder.  After that was dry (don't look too close as you will see where I was holding the card...lol) I used the same blueberry bushel, lemon lime twist, grapefruit grove and daffodil delight inks to blend over the card front just like yesterday.  Once I was done adding ink I just took a tissue to clean the unwanted ink off the embossed areas and this is the end result.  This greeting is also from the Country Home stamp set that I used yesterday.  Love these fun summery colors!

Don't forget to check out the Last Chance products as once they are gone they are gone.  Be sure to stock up on your favorites.

Simply Thankful

Love this technique!!!  Super easy and super fun!!  I used one of our retired masks but you can find the current ones here.  I basically just washi taped my card base down on my grid paper and then taped my mask over it.  Then I sponged blueberry bushel, lemon lime twist, grapefruit grove and daffodil delight on it and this is the beautiful result!  What a fun end result and oh what fun to make!!!  I used the sentiment from the Country Home stamp set and stamped it in blueberry bushel.  I cut it out using the stitched oval from the Stitched Shapes framelits and used the next size up and cut one in blueberry bushel yardstick to layer together.  That's it!  I wish I could take credit for this but I saw a video by Gina K this morning that inspired this.  You can watch her video here.  

If you haven't already be sure to check out the clearance rack as there were some items added to it recently and there are some awesome deals but they are selling out quickly.  

Paper Pumpkin

This month's paper pumpkin is AMAZING!!!  I truly think this is my favorite paper pumpkin ever.  Love this gorgeous flower stamp that came with it!  I'm sure you will be seeing more projects with that one.  I made this kit exactly how the designer meant it to be and it was so quick and easy!  Included in the kit were 3 each of the 3 designs you see above plus the nice acrylic box and belly band supplies so that they can be packaged up as a really nice gift.  I saw a sneak peek at next month's kit and it is going to be so fun, too!  It is designed by Shelli Gardner (cofounder of Stampin Up) and I love her style!  It looks like it is going to be really pretty and "earthy" from what I have seen!  If you would like to join in and be part of the fun and start receiving your kits in the mail, just sign up here.  You can also sign up by going to my stampin up site (just click the order now button and it will take you there) and purchasing a prepaid subscription.  As long as you sign up before May 10th you will get the May kit!  If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to let me know.  If you live here locally and would like to sign up, I am looking at starting a group so that we can get together to assemble our kits together each month!  Just let me know if that is something you are interested in!

Butterfly Gala

For those of you who missed out first round, the Butterfly Gala bundle is back in stock!  This is a wonderful bundle for a new stamper!  It comes with a large stamp set (lots of different butterflies) and a punch that cuts out the small and the large butterflies!  I love that the small and large butterflies are together on one stamp....meaning that both are attached making it super easy to stamp and then punch them both out at once.  I have layered my little butterfly on the larger one....like it is catching a ride!  I colored these in with my blends but you could just as easily use colored pencils or water color!  There are 5 different sentiment stamps in this set!!  If you zoom in on my greeting you see some pink....I did that on purpose using my Wink of Stella pen and it gives a watercolor background as it picks up the ink.  I used it on my butterflies also but you can't see the glitter in my photo but I promise you it is really pretty!

Happy Crafting!

I just receive my April DistINKtive Paper Pumpkin kit and I LOVE it!!!   We just got a sneak peek of May's kit and it is going to be AMAZING!!!  Check it out in the video above!

If you have not signed up yet and you would like to, I would love to have you sign up with me as your demonstrator.  You can sign up here or you can purchase a prepaid subscription on my Stampin Up store site and save a few dollars by paying in advance.  Plus....if you are placing an order for other supplies also this will help you earn stamping rewards.  If you have any questions at all, please contact me!

Happy Crafting!

Crafting Forever

Talk about a simple card to make but how cute!!!  This idea, again, is not my original and I can't remember where I saw it but love it!!!  These images are from the Crafting Forever stamp set.  I was upset when I saw this in the last chance items as those items are retiring but....then I realized that the wood mount and the clear mount versions are all retiring, however, some stamp sets are coming back and will be in the new catalog in cling mount form!  This is one of them!!  If you see something that you are concerned is retiring but can't order right now, just message me and I will let you know if it is coming out in the new cling with the new catalog.  It's a little confusing!

I was really surprised to see the envelope and gift bag punch boards on the retirement list!  These are amazing tools!  They are very likely to sell out fast so if you have thought about adding those to your tool box you might want to consider ordering them sooner than later.

Happy Crafting!

Retirement Time

It's that time of year.....sad to see some favorites go but excited to see the new catalog, too!  You can see the items that are retiring here.  I haven't seen the new catalog yet but I have read that some items on the retirement list might be showing up in the new catalog in the new cling or photo polymer stamps, too.  Our trimmer is retiring and there isn't a new one available just yet but one is in the works.  Also, the big shot is retiring but something new is coming that we can still use our dies that we have now with.  More information will come as soon as I get it!  I was really surprised to see the envelope and the gift box punch boards on the retirement list!  Be sure to check these items out as they will go fast!

Piece of Cake

I had fun today playing with this awesome bundle Piece of Cake!  This set includes the stamp set with several different varieties of cakes that you can add plus the awesome punch to cut out the cake and the cake stand!  It also includes several sentiments including the one I used on this card.  I apologize for the shadow but I am so glad to see the sun!  I used the Rectangle Stitched Framelit dies to make the frames.  They make it so easy!  The background print paper is from the Brights Designer Series papers.  These include 40 sheets of papers that are double sided in the different color families.  I love them because they are nice conservative patterns that work with any theme you have going on in your project!  I colored the cake and stand with my favorite Blends and even used one to give the sentiment some "border".  If you purchase this stamp set and the punch together using the bundle code that I've linked to then you save 10%.  This bundle has been extremely popular and was out of stock for quite a while so if you are interested you might want to consider placing your order sooner than later.

Don't forget about Paper Pumpkin.  If you haven't signed up yet and you want to get in on this month's DistINKtive kit, you need to sign up by April 10th.  As always if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Happy Crafting!!!

Stampin Up's New Modular Storage!! No fooling!!!

Starting today, you can order this awesome new modular storage system from Stampin Up!  I'm so excited about this as it is so versatile to any space!  You can add to it as you add to your crafting supplies and reconfigure it for whatever space you have available.  You can see more here.  As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions you might have!

Happy Crafting!

Healing Hugs

I was just playing around this afternoon with the Healing Hugs stamp set and I wanted to try out a layout I saw on our Stampin Up demonstrator page (at least I think that is where I first saw it).  I would love to give credit but I can't find it again so if you are the person that made the card with the pretty spring colors and the Painted Seasons stamp set please let me know.  I thought I saved it but it isn't there now. Hers was much more beautiful than mine but I am still happy with the results.  If you enlarge the picture you can see the ever so subtle embossing that is done with the Subtle Embossing Folder.  I think it gives the illusion that it is raining.  This is one of the DistINKtive stamp sets and I LOVE how much depth these images have.  They are so fun to work with.  I'm excited to share that we have a sneak peek about April's Paper Pumpkin kit:

If you sign up for Paper Pumpkin by April 10th then you will get this kit!  I can't wait to see it!  If you are new to Stampin Up and/or Paper Pumpkin, it is a monthly kit that comes in the mail and it is always a surprise.  We have seen all sorts of projects, gift bags, gift boxes, cards, home decor, calendars, etc.  It always comes with everything you need to make the projects and more.  Your first kit will include a stamp block that you will use on future kits, too.  Each month you get a stamp set, project materials, a stampin up ink spot and even adhesives.  You just need your scissors possibly to cut any ribbons that might be included.  You can start and stop your monthly kit whenever you want as there is no minimum obligation.  The kits are just $19.95 and that includes shipping.  You will have the projects that your kit makes, plus extra supplies, and the stamp set and the ink spot to use over and over to make more projects.  There are even Paper Pumpkin groups on facebook that even post alternative ideas on how to use the "parts" of your kit.  If you are here local to me I'd love to host a Paper Pumpkin get together each month and we can assemble them together.

Here is another card I did like the one above, however, I used a leaf from a different stamp set, no embossing but added some pearls and a different sentiment from the same Healing Hugs stamp set.  I did a little water coloring on this one.  Don't forget if there is anything you want from Sale-A-Bration, it ends Sunday night (the 31st).  No fooling!

Happy Crafting!!!

Celebrate!

Angie from Chic n Scratch made this cute fun fold card today and I couldn't wait to try one!  You can see her tutorial here.  I used the Hello Cupcake stamp set again.....love stacking that icing!!  The sentiment is also in this stamp set and it will only be available until March 31st.  You can choose it as a freebie with your $50 order.  The sweet little heart embellishments are some left overs from a Paper Pumpkin kit.  As demonstrators we have been given a "clue" to the April kit and it is going to include a DistINKtive type stamp or maybe two or even more!  To get the April kit you need to sign up before April 10th.  If you purchase a 3 month or more prepaid subscription before the end of this month then you can also get this cupcake stamp set for free or anything else you choose from the level 1 Sale-A-Bration items.  These kits are so fun and include everything you need to make the projects for that month plus you will have the stamp set and the ink to use on future products plus there are usually many other "extras" you can use also!  Makes a great gift for a crafty friend or even a friend who doesn't see herself as crafty as all the instructions are included!

Here is a view of this card open.  You can put your message on the panel directly behind the image.

Happy Crafting!

Stamping Up New Storage Options!

YEAH!!!!  April 1st Stampin Up will offer this new modular storage system!  It is sold piece by piece so you can design it to fit your needs and your space!

Can't wait to see how you design your crafty spaces!!!

Happy Crafting!

Hold on To Hope

I wish I could take credit for this design but I saw something like this done in browns and golds on pinterest and it is gorgeous.  You can see it here.  I wanted to see what it would look like in silver and blueberry bushel and I LOVE it!!!  This card uses the Hold on to Hope stamp set and the Cross of Hope framelits.  This gorgeous set definitely has a lot to offer!!  Look at those sentiments!  They are awesome and could make the focal point of a card all by themselves.  Those framelits are amazing, too!  There are 4 different crosses!  You will see that I stamped one and then die cut it and another slimmer one to layer!  There is also an amazing banner!  You might overlook some of the extras as there are dies for the little flower and butterfly and that amazing floral vine!  That alone could be used with so many different projects!  I can't believe I have overlooked but I plan on using it more for sure!!  If you haven't taken advantage of Sale-a-bration yet, or even if you have, this stamp set along with the die set comes within $1 of earning a freebie!  Sale-a-bration ends on March 31st and those stamp sets will be gone.  The embossing folder is going to carry over so that it can be purchased in the new summer catalog but the stamp sets do not carry over.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Happy Crafting!

Fable Friends Bunny Love

Have I told you how much I love this little bunny image in the Fable Friends stamp set?  He is so cute!!!  The lower patterned paper is from the brights collection. I used the sprinkles stamp from the Hello Cupcake stamp set which you can get free until March 31 or until supplies last with a $50 purchase to make my background on the Coastal Cabana card stock.  I layered the Coastal Cabana with the gray granite and I'm loving that color combo!  Again I used my favorite tulle ribbon!

Happy Crafting!