A Memory for Father's Day

So, I had so much fun creating the shadowbox card for my mom on Mother's Day that I thought I should probably do one for my dad as well for Father's Day. So, while I was going through some old pictures last week, I found one of my brothers and I with my dad that was taken, I believe, in 1963. I am pretty sure we are at my grandmother's cottage at Houghton Lake, Michigan. I have so many great memories from her cottage. We used to LOVE to go there because she had a pump outside and she kept a bucket of water just inside the door on the counter. Right above it hung a dipper that you had to use to get a drink. And believe me - we drank. Not always because we were thirsty either - just because it was fun to use the dipper :) But, back to the Father's Day card. This is what I came up with:






I had so much fun with this card because it is what I call a "hybrid" card. It is difficult to see behind the photo, but I created my own Designer Series Paper using My Digital Studio. I love using this program. You can do the absolute cooolest stuff!!! It's a must have for scrapbooking and card making. Anyway, I chose the Always Artichoke Script paper for my background and printed it on Very Vanilla cardstock. I matted the photo onto Always Artichoke cardstock. The card base and frame were made with Confetti Cream cardstock and the edge was done with the Pinking Hearts Border Punch. I cut the letters from Always Artichoke with my Big Shot (have you ordered yours yet???) using the Go Go Boots Alphabet dies and attached them using the 2-Way Glue Pen. The stamped image on the corners of the frame is from the Elements of Style stamp set - and no it really isn't the only stamp set I own, it's just that it is so neat that I always seem to choose that one :) The inside of the card is truly hybrid:






I had a really difficult time getting the color to look right with the way the sun was shining through my windows and the way things were reflecting. But, I chose the same Always Artichoke Script paper and just changed the opacity down to 80% which made it print a bit lighter. Then I added my own text - I just love this little quote. I have seen it on plaques and cross stitch pictures and tons of other things. This is what is so cool about using My Digital Studio. You can create whatever verse you want and just print it out. I could have printed 12x12 sheets of this Designer Series Paper by sending the file to the print company that has contracted with Stampin' Up. But, I just needed a couple of small pieces and it actually printed pretty close the actual Always Artichoke. The printer does guarantee they will match for you. I will definitely be using it more and more in the future.

But for this card, the supply list is:

Stamp Set: Elements of Style

Cardstock: Confetti Cream, Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla

Ink: Always Artichoke

Accessories: Big Shot with Clear Circle Die, Go Go Boots Alphabet die set, Sticky Strip, Stampin' Dimensionals, My Digital Studio, 2-Way Glue Pen

This was so simple and quick to do. I hope it inspires a trip down memory lane for my dad like it did for me :) I love it when a handmade card offers the opportunity to reflect and enjoy family. 'Til next time.....

Happy Stamping,

Laurie

Remember to get your mammogram!

Frolicking Fairies

There are times when we all need a little bit of magic in our lives. So, this stamp set - "A Little Bit of Magic" - came along at the perfect time. The images of frolicking fairies are absolutely adorable and work very well with so many techniques. One of my favorites is Dazzling Diamond Dust. It really makes a colored image pop!! I thought this set would be just what every little girl (or big girl) would want to have on a card. So, I started playing and this is what I came up with:

The little dots you see on the card base is actually "fairy dust" stamped on with Frost White Shimmer Paint. I applied the paint to my stamp using a sponge dauber and then stamped my cardstock. This is a closer look:

It so much cuter in person because you can really see the shimmer!! Toooo cute!! I love using that stuff. I stamped the sentiment over it using Glorious Green ink. I love how it happened that the "a" in magic is filled with shimmer paint :) I didn't even plan that!! I stamped the fairy image on Whisper White cardstock with Jet Black Stazon and colored it with markers from the Bold Brights color group. Then I added Versamark ink using the direct-to-paper method all over the piece of white cardstock. I embossed using Heat-and-Stick powder and then immediately coated the piece with Dazzling Diamonds glitter and heated it again to set the glitter. This technique was made for fairies. It adds so much to this image:

Just perfect for a little girl's birthday!!

The complete list of supplies:

Stamp Set: A Little Bit of Magic (Summer Mini Catalog)

Cardstock: Glorious Green, Pixie Pink, Whisper White

Ink: Jet Black Stazon, Glorious Green, Versamark

Accessories: Bold Brights Markers, Sponge Daubers, Frost White Shimmer Paint, Heat-and-Stick Powder, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Heat Tool, Whisper White Taffeta Ribbon, Mini Glue Dots, Pinking Hearts Border Punch

I just love this color combination. If you do, too, you should order them quickly. Both Glorious Green and Pixie Pink will be retiring soon. After June (and quite possibly even sooner) they will be gone forever!!! So many of the retiring colors are in backordered status and some are no longer available. If you have any of them on your wish list contact me today or go here to shop. I hope this card brought "a little bit of magic" to your day. 'Til next time......

Happy Stamping,

Laurie

Remember to get your mammogram!

Kissing Fishes

Sorry I have missed a couple of days posting. As you may have read in my previous post, my cousin's wife passed away this past Sunday. Today we gathered to lay her to rest. A sad day, but a good one, too because she is in a far better place and no longer suffering.

But, on to happier moments. This past weekend was also my 28th wedding anniversary. Yes, my husband is a very lucky man :) LOL!!! And, of course, I am pretty lucky, too. I have never made many anniversary cards and with all of the events of the weekend, I decided to just dig through my boxes and see what I had. I found this one:





Don't you just love these little kissing fishes? They are actually made with the Ornament Punch - tooo cute!!! Their fins are the Scallop Oval Punch layered on the back. I added them to the card using Stampin' Dimensionals and put the Small Heart piece in between. Awwww - true love :) I used the small heart punch on the corners of the Taken With Teal cardstock to give a bit of a framed affect. And I really loved the Kisses Notes from the Occasions Mini catalog. So easy to make a layered mat for a card front.

The complete list of supplies:

Stamp Set: Delightful Decorations, With All My Heart

Cardstock: So Saffron, Taken With Teal, Rose Red, Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper

Ink: Taken With Teal, Rose Red

Accessories: Ornament Punch, Small Heart Punch, Scallop Oval Punch, Stampin' Dimensionals, Kisses Sending Love Notes, Black Journaler

Super simple and easy but oh so cute!! It is so fun to use Stampin' Up punches. I have seen so many amazing ideas - wish I could come up with some on my own :) There are some very talented people out there with creative imaginations. Punch cards are fun and easy and always like an added treat - and we all love treats. 'Til next time......

Happy Stamping,

Laurie

Remember to get your mammogram!

With Heartfelt Sympathy

Today I am posting the kind of cards none of us likes to make - only because of the reasons behind them. Sadly, my cousin's wife passed away yesterday at the very young age of 50. Her son will graduate from high school in just a week or so, her youngest daughter is still in high school and her eldest daughter is in college. We lost her to breast cancer that was gone and came back in her brain. It was just a few short months since her latest diagnosis, but we know she is in a much better place with no more suffering or pain. So, I pulled out a couple of cards that I made with my monthly card class in the past so I could choose just the right one. The first one I found is this:





This is just a simple card using the following supplies:

Stamp Set: Close to a Memory

Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Orchid Opulence, Shimmery White, Cottage Wall DSP

Ink: Certainly Celery, Orchid Opulence

Accessories: Ornament Punch, Orchid Opulence and Certainly Celery Markers, Stampin' Sponges

Isn't the little vase too cute? It is made with the ornament punch and then you just cut the point off to form the flat bottom.

The next one I found is most likely the one I will give to them. It really describes the way you feel with this kind of loss and the whirlwind of activity leading up to the silence when everything settles:





It is so wonderful knowing that God is always near and hopefully that will bring them all some comfort. The supplies used are:

Stamp Set: Refuge and Strength

Cardstock: Orchid Opulence, Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White, Cottage Wall DSP

Ink: Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry

Accessories: 5-Petal Flower Punch, Filigree Designer Brads, Stampin' Dimensionals

Anyone who has ever lost a loved one knows that any amount of encouragement and love they receive from family and friends is what gets them through these first few days and God is what will keep them going beyond that. I hope my card will help them to know peace in their hearts and love in their lives. 'Til next time.......

Hug your family and tell them you love them,

Laurie

Remember to get your mammogram!

Altered Tin

Yesterday, I was trying to figure out a new project to show at the Vendor Show this Saturday that perhaps I could turn into a class. So, I started going through all of my supplies and pulled these out:

The next obstacle was coming up with something that would be both useful and appealing. I worked all day on this - mainly because I kept changing my mind about what I wanted to do. If I simply made the project, it most likely could have been finished in a couple of hours. But, there was coffee to be made and chocolate to be eaten along the way - one must have priorities :)

Anyway, I think I finally came up with something pretty cool:

I purchased a gazillion of these tins (well, actually only 30) when Stampin' Up put them on clearance but I know there are websites where you can purchase them. They work perfectly with the Pendant, Fresh Cut, and Elegant Note Cards in our regular catalog. I put 3 cards with envelopes inside which I decorated to match the theme. These notes, unfortunately, do not meet the postal requirements for mailing but they are perfect to put in a friend's mail slot at church or to include with a small gift to brighten someone's day. I just love them!! Once those note cards have been used, the tin can be stood up and used as a bi-fold frame:

The background mat is already furnished. All you have to do is add your photos. This is really cool to sit on a shelf or a mantle and a perfect way to display vintage photos of grandparents and beyond. Here are the note cards I put inside:

I layered a piece of Not Quite Navy on the inside of the note card after removing the little punch-out pieces. I also layered that with a piece of the DSP just to tie the inside to the outside. I stamped the floral image from Elements of Style on the front of the notecard with Sahara Sand and then sponged the edges of everything with Soft Suede. Then I matted the back of the tin so if it was sat up on a coffee table where it could be seen from both directions, you could also mount a picture there. And, it just seemed so unfinished without it:

The complete list of supplies:

Stamp Set: Elements of Style

Cardstock: Not Quite Navy, Very Vanilla, Bella Bleu Designer Series Paper

Ink: Not Quite Navy, Sahara Sand, Soft Suede

Accessories: Big Shot with Floral Fushion sizzlit die, Pretties Kit, 2-Step Bird Punch, Kraft Taffeta Ribbon, Scallop Trim Corner Punch, Fancy Flower Punch, Photo Corner Punch, Stampin' Sponges, Stampin' Dimensionals, Sticky Strip, Mini Glue Dots, Pendant Note Cards, Tin (approx. 5" x 5 1/2")

Of course this does not necessarily have to be done in the vintage style. There are so many possibilities for this little gem. It would be great decorated for graduates with note cards that could be used for special thank you's, or for a child's birthday, Mother's Day, Father's Day.....so many ways it could be decorated and displayed. And don't forget baby showers or bridal showers.... the list goes on....If you would like to order one done for your occasion, the cost is $10 and you can contact me at gibby@cmsinter.net Supplies are limited so order today!! 'Til next time.....

Happy Stamping,

Laurie

Remember to get your mammogram!

The Benefits of Stamping

Last month, I told you I had made a new friend in Australia through the UStamp group that I joined. She made me some amazing gifts for our swap. I was totally excited about the little candy bars she sent to me and posted about them here. Well, one of the benefits of being a stamper and joining these groups is definitely the friends that you make. I have never met Linda in person, but it is fun to e-mail back and forth and to share things with each other. But, that particular session of UStamp has ended, so imagine my surprise when I pulled a package from her out of my mailbox today! And just look what was inside:

She read my posting and found out I love the vintage style. She had never done it before, but took the time to try it on this beautiful card!! And the pouch is awesome! And when I opened that pouch I literally squealed with excitement!!!!LOL!!! It held this awesome candy bar!!!!!

I had posted about how I LOVED these when she sent me some small ones so she sent me a big one - just for me!! :) I LOVE HER !!!! I have looked and looked for these and cannot find them. How awesome that she would do this for me! And, so I would not appear to be too stingey, she even sent a bag of the snack sized ones for me to share :)

ISN'T SHE AWESOME!!!! I thought this was one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me. She sent this all the way from Australia!!!

I love to stamp and making friends is the best kind of fringe benefit. I have a wonderful group of ladies who come to my home every month to make cards, a great group of demonstrators that I meet with occasionally for training and motivation, an amazing company to work for, and now a friend from across the globe. I have a stamp that says "The best business is that of making friends" and that is the truth!! I would not have any of these friends had I not gotten started stamping. So, it truly does bring more benefit than a little bit of profit every month - because friendships last forever! Thanks so much Linda - my ladies will enjoy their candy this Thursday :) 'Til next time......

Happy Stamping,

Laurie

Remember to get your mammogram!

A Very Special Graduation Card

I received a graduation announcement this past week from a friend whose youngest daughter is graduating this year. I just love the design her class chose:






So, I thought it would be neat if I could design a card special for her that resembled the invitation. It is a variation of a tri-fold card so I figured it couldn't be too complicated. I just wasn't quite sure how to do the shiny silver strip. Our Brushed Silver cardstock just wasn't quite the look I was going for. So, I thought maybe the Platinum Shimmer Paint might work - and I was right:





It is difficult to see how shiny it is because of the shadows - I wish I had better lighting in my house. All of my windows just seem to face the wrong direction :) Saves on air conditioning, but lousy for taking indoor pictures! Anyway, it does look really neat in real life :) I used the Groom Specialty paper for the card base. I wanted something with some texture to it and I didn't have any of the Basic Black Textured cardstock - but this fit the bill perfectly :) I embossed the verse and the Varsity Numbers with silver emboss powder to add some elegance. Then I layered them both onto Real Red cardstock. Vestaburg's school colors are Black, Red, and White so I wanted to incorporate each color. And, because of the relationship that I have had with this young lady for the many years I have known her, I knew we needed that element of humor as well:





Here is another close-up of those feet - I LOVE them!!! And, just like my son, I believe she would prefer those flip-flops (LOL!).





The complete list of supplies:

Stamp Set: Happy Grad, Go Graduate, Varsity Numbers

Cardstock: Groom Specialty Paper, Whisper White, Real Red, Basic Black

Ink: Jet Black Stazon, Versamark

Accessories: Platinum Shimmer Paint, Stampin' Sponges, Silver Emboss Powder, Heat Tool, Real Red Marker, Stampin' Dimensionals

I has so much fun putting this together for Nicole. It is pretty cool when you can make something that ties perfectly with an invitation. That is the beauty of making your own cards - I am positive I could not have found this at any card store :) 'Til next time.....

Happy Stamping,

Laurie

Remember to get your mammogram!

Graduation Time

Well, it's that time of the year, again - Graduation! A time for young people to explore new adventures and go deeper in debt by borrowing money to go to college! So, we all must do our part by making a small donation to their futures :) Such is the law of open houses. I remember when our son graduated from high school and then from college. They were such proud moments for us as parents and I know he appreciated all of the encouragement he received from friends and family members.

So, I thought it only fitting for my card class to include a graduation card this month. I love the single "Happy Grad" stamp in the Summer Mini catalog. It offers little bits of encouragement and motivation for graduates to embrace their futures rather than fearing them. I kept the card simple and to the point:

Since I used a dark cardstock for the card base, I added a piece of Whisper White to the inside. You can't see it in the picture, but the ribbon wraps around the top half to hold a check, cash, or gift card in place. And, knowing that graduation is a huge step in life, what was more fitting than this image from the "Go, Graduate" set also in the mini catalog:

I just LOVE these feet!!! LOL - my son would have been the one wearing the flip-flops if he could have been!. I like the way the image represents the individual characteristics of every graduate - no two are ever the same. And, it also adds some humor to a pretty emotional time in their lives. Here is a closer look at those feet:

They are just toooo cute!! I kept the colors generic because - let's face it - we could all end up using a different color on each of our cards if we only chose the local school colors. That would be way too much for me to sort out :) So, good ol' black and white to the rescue.

The complete list of supplies:

Stamp Set: Happy Grad, Go Graduate

Cardstock: Basic Black, Whisper White

Ink: Jet Black Stazon

Accessories: Basic Black Satin Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, Tag Corner Punch

Today's world is pretty tough for our graduates so please do all you can to encourage any of them that you may know. 'Til next time....

Happy Stamping,

Laurie

Remember to get your mammogram!

Road Trip

I've been a little intense with my cards lately so I thought it was time to do something simple. Mainly because if I don't, we will never get finished with my card class before midnight :) I just make them work too hard!! Seriously, though, we like to have a good combination of cards that offer extra embellishments and cards that are simple and quick. Gives us more time to eat chocolate :)

So, with June fast approaching, I thought it would be good to do a card for Father's Day. I love the single stamps offered by Stampin' Up. You can get just the right image you need for under $10. Who doesn't love a bargain??? Well, my hubby and I used to own a Honda Goldwing Interstate - a motorcycle complete with a stereo. We spent many weekends riding with friends and touring California and Arizona. I miss those days and I know he does, too. But, low and behold - the perfect stamp is in the Summer Mini catalog. It is simply called Motorcycle and it ended up here:





I know - those of you who know motorcycles know this is definitely NOT a Honda Interstate but it's the thought that counts :) The designer series paper I used for the background is called Travel Journal and is also in the mini catalog. It really took me back to the days of our road trips. I am going to have to dig out some pictures for a scrapbook - and I really wish I had taken more of them than I did. It's fun to look back and remember :) I always show him my cards as I get them finished and when I showed him this, he said "is it mine?" I said - "it will be next month :)" Now I just have to get my son home to sign it for him! :)

The complete list of supplies:

Stamp Set: Motorcycle, King of the Grill

Cardstock: Wild Wasabi, Night of Navy, Naturals White, Travel Journal DSP

Ink: Jet Black Stazon, Wild Wasabi

Accessories: Jumbo Eyelets, Crop-a-dile, Dusty Durango Marker, Dusty Durango Polka-dot Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals

Even if the "dad" in your life doesn't ride a motorcycle, this is the perfect "guy" card. Let's face it - they just don't enjoy flowers the way we do.....'Til next time.....

Happy Stamping,

Laurie

Remember to get your mammogram!

Tri-Fold Card

Before I show you a card today, I have to share the bridal shower table decorations I made with one of my customers last night. First, I must apologize for the skewed colors. It was late and I had to turn on the dining room light which always causes a wierd yellow-ish glow to everything :( They really did turn out very cool!! We got the idea from my Aussie Mate Linda Craven. She had made one of these as a swap item for me. Well, the ladies in my card class loved it so much that one of them decided it would be just the thing for her daughter's bridal shower. So, using Bella Bleu DSP, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, and Not Quite Navy cardstock, we came up with these:




We made them using empty brad containers. She is going to fill them with blue and brown M&M's. Toooo cute!!! So, onto the card.

I got this idea for a Tri-fold Card from June Switzer. Many of you know her as my mom :) She had posted some of them on her blog and thought we should make one this month. I totally agreed !!! I am so excited about Pink Pirouette coming back so I thought I would take advantage of that and this is what I came up with:




I used Basic Gray for the card base. Since we really have no Designer Series Paper that goes with Basic Gray and Pink Pirouette, I decided to create my own using the Presto Patterns Paper. I just sponged it with the pink and gray and then went all over it with Platinum Shimmer Paint. While that was still damp, I sponged all over with more Pink Pirouette. It looks cool in the photos but is absolutely gorgeous in real life! I carried the theme of the cover to the inside as well:




These cards are made using a 4" x 12" base and are really neat when you open them. You have to add the ribbon as a way to close them up:




Here is a closer view of the DSP I created with the Presto Patterns Paper. You could also add something to the upper portion of the base that is not covered - even a photo would be neat since this is National Scrapbooking Month and graduations are coming up..... endless possibilities :)




You can get a full tutorial for this card on Splitcoast Stampers. They really are quite simple to put together and are very versatile for all occasions...perfect for a wedding!!

The complete list of supplies:

Stamp Set: Greenhouse Garden, Sincere Salutations, Wonderful Favorites

Cardstock: Basic Gray, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White, Presto Patterns Specialty

Ink: Pink Pirouette, Basic Gray

Accessories: Platinum Shimmer Paint, Stampin' Sponges, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Scallop Trim Corner Punch, Pretty In Pink Satin Ribbon, Sticky Strip, Bone Folder (for scoring)

I am sure I will making a lot of these in the future. New styles are always fun to explore and expand on - and I LOVE a challenge :) I will be sure to share some more of them with you. 'Til next time......

Happy Stamping,

Laurie

Remember to get your mammogram!

A Tropical Vacation

Well, it is another cool cloudy day here in Michigan so I decided I needed some tropical inspiration. But, it is way too early in the day for a Pina Colada or some other fruity drink with an umbrella in it, so I looked to my stamp collection instead :)

Seriously, in the new Summer Mini catalog, we have access to a full line of tropical products. A stamp set, designer series paper, a new die for the Big Shot, a designer photo album, and the cutest little party favor boxes! I just love this line! Having grown up just outside of San Diego, I have a spot in my heart for palm trees and balmy ocean breezes topped off by amazing sunsets on the beach.......can you tell I am seriously in need of a vacation?????

But, back to reality and this card I put together last night:

I wasn't quite sure if I liked it at first - a little busier than I am used to - but the more I look at it, the more it grows on me :) It is so fun because everything in this line coordinates with each other. The Island Oasis DSP includes the same images as the Tropical Party stamp set. Those were the only two products I used with this card but check back again as I will be using the others as well.

I really like the little flowers in this stamp set. They offer versatility beyond simply stamping them. I stamped the large flower from the set twice onto Whisper White (great way to use up some scraps) and then cut them out. The image has an outline around it so for the bottom layer I left the outline there but then cut the other without the outline. I put the smaller image on top, hooked them together with a colored brad and curled the edges of the top flower upward using my bone folder. Too cute!!

:

What a fun way to add some dimension to a flower :) The stamp set is only images so I chose a verse from the Full of Life stamp set to give meaning to the card. Simple and fun - my kind of card!!

The complete list of supplies:

Stamp Set: Full of Life, Tropical Party

Cardstock: Whisper White (also used as the card base), Tempting Turquoise, Pumpkin Pie, Rose Red, Old Olive, Island Oasis Designer Series Paper

Ink: Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Rose Red, Tempting Turquoise

Accessories: Old Olive Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, Earth Elements Brads, Bold Brights Brads, Rich Regals Brads, Stampin' Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots

The brads I used on this card will surely be on the Last Chance list that will be published on June 1st. So, if you want any of them (they each come in a package with 4 different colors) you should order soon. We are already seeing a rush on the discontinuing colors so I know the supply will deplete quickly in June. You can order yours by going to my Online Store or by contacting me at gibby@cmsinter.net

I hope you enjoyed our visit to the tropics and I look forward to having more of them. 'Til next time.....

Happy Stamping,

Laurie

Remember to get your mammogram!

WE HAVE A WINNER !!! :)

Congratulations to Vena!!! Her name was drawn from those who left a comment on my Blog Candy post! Vena will receive two stamp sets - Itty Bitty Backgrounds and Holiday Best Level 1 Hostess Set. She is a member of my monthly card class and a very good friend. I am so happy to be able to give her these sets.

I appreciate all of you who visit my blog and I will have more candy in the future - so be sure to keep checking in :)

Lovin' My Big Shot

I am just loving my Big Shot these days so I thought I would show you a couple of cards that can be created with it.

The first one is a card that we did at one of the very first meetings of my monthly card class last year. I can't believe we have been meeting that long already!! But, we have and I have had the honor of becoming friends with a phenomenal group of women. This card was very fitting at the time and still holds true today:





The ladies that meet with me every month are my "fabulous friends." We made this card using the Scallop Circle die. We cut the circle from the Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Series Paper. We had a template that we traced around to cut the sides away to form the dress. Then we added some ribbon to the waistline (wish mine was that small :) ) and then accented it with a flower and pearl from the Pretties Kit. We stamped the sentiment from the Oval All set and colored it with markers. Then we added a bit of Crystal Effects to the large flower for some dimension. We punched it out with the Large Oval Punch and then layered it onto a piece punched with the Scallop Oval Punch. We used the Scallop Border punch along the side of a piece of Rich Razzleberry cardstock and layered that onto a Crushed Curry card base.

This next card is one that I created back in January of 2009. I was so honored to have it featured on the Stamper's Showcase with Stampin' Up. Now that Pink Pirouette is returning, I can have my card class make this using the same color combination I originally created it with:

This card was so fun to create. I really like this die. It also has a bird on it that works really nice for wedding cards (but, that is another post for another day). For the background effect on the Whisper White layer, I used saran wrap that I wadded up and spounced (I love that word) onto my ink pads and then onto the cardstock. It creates an effect almost like granite - very coool!!! I love cards like this because you can use very simple sentiments and not have to use more than one stamp set to create a very nice card. And, since we are in desperate need of some SPRING here in mid-Michigan, I thought this would be nice to make this month.

My complete list of supplies for this one:

Stamp Set: Spring Song

Cardstock: Old Olive, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White, Chocolate Chip

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Pink Pirouette

Accessories: Big Shot (you know you want one now), Bird w/Leaves die, Ticket Corner Punch, Mini Glue Dots, Saran Wrap (non-SU)

Pretty simple and yet elegant. I love this kind of card and so do my ladies who come to class. It allows us a little extra time to make one or two that involve a bit more technique. Hopefully, by the time we meet on the 20th, we will be more familiar with Spring. Hope you have enjoyed your stop today. 'Til next time.....

Happy Stamping,

Laurie

Remember to get your mammogram!

Fun With Scrapbooking

Since I had a lunch date with a friend today, and some small projects to catch up on, I decided to try my hand at My Digital Studio. Wow!! This is such an easy program to work with - I LOVE it!!!

Last year, I spent a couple of months in the San Diego area with my parents and I took a ton of pictures. One Sunday, we went to Balboa Park to listen to the Organ Concert. The weather was absolutely beautiful and so was the park:

I started with a textured background in Basic Gray. Then I added a strip of Baja Breeze striped Designer Series Paper and matted it with a thin line of Not Quite Navy. I put a strip of Basic Gray Satin Ribbon across the bottom and added a bow in the same color. Then I added my photos of the Ornamental Pear trees and matted them with Not Quite Navy. It is so cool because you can choose the width of your mat for each object. Then I added a drop shadow to give the effect of using dimensionals to mount the matted photos.

I literally put this page together in less than 15 minutes! I plan to do a bunch of pages with my pictures of Balboa Park and then I will send them off to the printer that Stampin' Up has provided for us. In return, I will receive a bound book of my pages that are guaranteed to match the Stampin' Up colors. I also have the option to have single pages printed that I can add my own embellishments to for "hybrid" pages and then add them to my own albums. So many options!!!! You can purchase your copy of My Digital Studio here by entering my Online Store.

You can also receive My Digital Studio in the MDS Starter Kit offered from now until June 30. You get the program, stamp sets, paper, markers, and other supplies to get your started with any form of scrapbooking. AND, there is no obligation for you to hold workshops. You can simply join to purchase all of your scrapbooking products at the demonstrator discount. Contact me today at gibby@cmsinter.net for more details. 'Til next time.....

Happy Stamping,

Laurie

Remember to get your mammogram!

BLOG CANDY!!!!!!

Oh my gosh! I never expected to reach 1,000 hits so soon!!!! So, to thank all of you who visit me regularly, I am offering some free stamp sets!!

I have Itty Bitty Backgrounds and the Holiday Best Level 1 Hostess sets that are brand new, in the box, and unmounted!

All you have to do is leave a comment to this post by noon on Tuesday, May 11th. I will put everyone's name in a box and draw one at random. (Be sure to just click on the word "comments" and not on the little envelope next to it) I will post the winner at 12:30 pm on Tuesday so be sure to check back to see if you are the lucky winner.

Good Luck and thank you so much for visiting my blog!! 'Til next time.......

Happy Stamping,

Laurie

Remember to get your mammogram!

Pansy Power!!

As those of you who know me well are very aware - I can kill an Air Fern (and I have done so in the past). So, when I saw so many blog entries that included these super cool pansies, I decided I had to give them a try:

Don't you just love them?! And, believe it or not, they are made with a Butterfly Punch. Too easy!!! You simply punch the butterfly from Shimmery White paper, mist it with water, and then add the color of your choice using Reinkers and an Aqua Painter. Then you let them dry and hook them together with a brad in the center. Easiest paper flower I have made yet!! They work well with the Shimmery White paper because the water beads up nicely on it and it adds a little sparkle to your flower as well. You can really see it up close:

I see a whole garden of these in my future :) My thumb is getting greener everyday - LOL!! And, who wouldn't want to receive flowers when they are feeling "under the weather?" And they are awesome when layered onto the Vellum Cardstock that has been embossed with the Square Lattice embossing folder and the Big Shot. The color of the cardstock it is layered onto shows through in a muted shade through the centers of the raised squares. I saw this on a swap card I received and knew I had to add that to a project of my own. So unique!!

The complete list of supplies:

Stamp Set: Sincere Salutations

Cardstock: Elegant Eggplant, Summer Sun (retiring soon), Shimmery White, White Vellum Cardstock

Ink: Elegant Eggplant

Accessories: Elegant Eggplant and Summer Sun Reinkers, Crushed Curry Polka-dot Grosgrain Ribbon, Gold Brads, Mini Glue Dots, 3/16-inch Hole Punch, Big Shot with Square Lattice Embossing Folder

It is raining and a bit chilly here in Mid-Michigan today so these pansies were just what I needed. I hope they brightened your day, too. If you would like to "grow" some with me, just RSVP for my monthly card class on the 20th. We will be planting our gardens from 6 to 9 pm and always welcome new stampers! 'Til next time....

Happy Stamping,

Laurie

Remember to get your mammogram!

Memory Preservation

As some of you may already know, May is National Scrapbooking Month. So, I hope you don't mind if I share some scrapbooking projects this month. I love to do these! I have always been accused of taking too many pictures ---- but I don't care :) I love to save memories. And I have so much fun finding new ways to display those memories. After making the shadowbox frame of the picture of my parents, I got the bug to dig through some old photos that my mom had given me a couple of years ago. Here is one that I found:




This is a picture of my three brothers and I that I believe was taken in 1964. Wow, have we changed :) I decided it was the perfect picture for creating a scrapbook page. And, since all three of my brothers are grandpas, I had to stay with the vintage style :) So, I started by layering a piece of Soft Suede textured cardstock onto one of the pieces from the Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper pack that was in the Occasions Mini. I layered both of those onto a sheet of Not Quite Navy Textured cardstock. One of the really cool new products in the Summer Mini Catalog is the Smooch Spritz sprays. I used a sponge and the vintage stencil from the mini catalog and added this image in all four corners:

Then, I sprayed the entire piece with the Log Cabin Smooch Spritz. If you look close, you can see the copper-toned shimmer on the spots. It is absolutely beautiful in real life. These sprays take a bit of practice to learn to use at first, but they add a gorgeous shimmer to your project. I just suggest using them outdoors or at least in a space where you don't mind overspray. And, it does easily wash off your arm :) I also like to have a title for my scrapbook pages. This picture just couldn't be called anything but "family." So, I dug through the trenches of the craft room and found some onboard letters. The set is called Loads of Letters. The package had not even been opened!! Can you believe it??? :) Anyway, I picked the letters I needed and colored them in Not Quite Navy with sponge daubers. Normally, they recommend using craft ink to do this but I found the classic ink worked just fine if you put two coats on. Then I sponged around the edges with Chocolate Chip ink and it came out like this:

Tooo Coool!!!! Just love it. I mounted the letters using Mini Glue Dots onto a sponged strip of patterend paper layered onto Not Quite Navy textured cardstock. I didn't think I wanted extensive journaling with this photo so I looked through the stamp sets I have but just couldn't find anything that jumped out at me. So, I decided to make this a "hybrid page" and opened up My Digital Studio on my computer. This is Stampin' Up's AWESOME digital scrapbooking program. And you can do so much more than just scrapbooking but that is a post for another day :) I created my own design starting with a blank page and added a textured background in Soft Suede. Then I typed in my text and printed it. The textured border came out just the right size to also layer my photo onto, so it just made the journaling and photo connect with each other perfectly. It is so cool because it looks like textured cardstock but is totally smooth!! ....

I chose these words for us because I have met a lot of people who say they just don't get along with their brothers or sisters. My brothers and I have never been that way. Even though we all lead very busy lives and the youngest of us lives far away, we all keep in touch and try to see each other whenever possible. And we have made the choice to be friends. Family is important to all of us and I am grateful to my parents for teaching us that lesson in life. It is true that friends may come and go but your family is forever! And I am very thankful for mine. So, this is a look at the entire page when finished:

I finished it off by adding some 1 1/4-inch Chocolate Chip striped grosgrain ribbon hooked through a jumbo grommet with a couple of Chocolate Chip corduroy buttons. Super simple and easy! I am thinking this would be a great Christmas present for each of my brothers this year :) It's a good thing I scanned that photo and I may need to stock up on those 12x12 shadowbox frames.

I hope you have enjoyed sharing some memories with me today and hopefully gotten some inspiration for preserving your own. 'Til next time......

Happy Stamping,

Laurie

Remember to get your mammogram!

The Original Shadowbox

So, since my mom has now seen the card I originally created for her, I can post it :) I have already posted the one I made for my cousin but the first one was created as a Mother's Day card . And since Mother's Day is only a few days away, I thought this was a good time to share it with all of you:

I used the stamp step "Messages for Mom" that was available in the Occasions Mini catalog. I hope you were able to get one because it is perfect for your mom or someone who is like a mom to you. It was really difficult to choose exactly what I wanted to say to her so I chose the statement that fits her best:

My mom has always been my best friend and I wanted to make a really special card for her. I was so inspired by Jenn Picard's shadowbox card that I just had to play around with the idea and come up with one of my own. And as Sandi stated in the comments section on the previous one - I did win a card contest with this particular card. I was so honored to have my card chosen as the winner by my peers at the Spring Fling. This was the first time I tried the Floral Fusion roses and as you know, I have made many of them since - they are so simple and yet.. elegant!! I finished the inside of the card with a matching piece of Bella Bleu Designer Series Paper and used the back side of the circle I cut from the front to add a Mother's Day wish:

My complete list of supplies is:

Stamp Set: Messages for Mom

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Bridesmaid Specialty Paper, Bella Bleu Designer Series Paper, Sahara Sand

Ink: Sahara Sand

Accessories: Big Shot with Clear Circle die, Floral Fushion and Little Leaves Sizzlits, Pretties Kit, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Stampin' Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots, Stampin' Sponges, Sticky Strip

I love the way the card turned out and so does my mom - I am so glad!! This style of card looks difficult but is actually very easy to do. If you would like to learn how to make a shadowbox card of your own, go to www.ustampwithdawn.blogspot.com and purchase the Spring Soiree 2010. Thanks, Jenn for the inspiration.

I know that if you give these cards a try, you will become hooked - they are so much fun. And the cool thing is that you could add a photo for a baby announcement, engagement or wedding announcement or invitations. So many possibilities...... 'Til next time........

Happy Stamping,

Laurie

Remember to get your mammogram!

Presto Patterns Paper

This morning I was lying in bed listening to the radio and started thinking about what I could do for my card class this month. I thought about all of the wonderful new products in the Summer Mini Catalog and knew I wanted to do at least one more vintage card - and then it hit me. Why not use the Presto Patterns Paper! It has some super cool patterns that you make appear magically using a number of techniques. So, I got out of bed and set to work - this is what I came up with:




I started the card by adding color to the Presto Patterns Paper with Stampin' Sponges and Mellow Moss, Pale Plum, and Perfect Plum ink. I just sponged here and there with the Mellow Moss and Perfect Plum and then blended and covered the white spots with Pale Plum. As you sponge on the color, the pattern appears in white because it resists the ink. I used to do this technique by stamping a background stamp with Versamark ink and then using cotton balls and the Stampin' Pastels. This is much easier and doesn't smudge like the chalks sometimes do. And you get 6 different designs in each package! So cool! I wanted to do things a little different and "out of the box" a bit so I used the Scallop Trim Corner Punch on each layer plus the card base. The picture came out a bit blurred but I think you can see what I mean:

And, I love to incorporate my Big Shot each month on at least one project (or more) so I decided to use the Stampin' Up Exclusive Beautiful Butterflies die. I just love these! There are 4 different butterflies that you can cut from this die. I chose the large flat one. Before I cut it out, I stamped the flowers from the Elements of Style stamp set in Perfect Plum onto the Perfect Plum cardstock. I love the tone-on-tone when I want a more subtle appearance. After I cut it I added a strip of the adhesive rhinestones I had left from the Egg-cellent Egg Kit that was featured in the Occasions Mini catalog - just the right amount of bling without ruining the vintage effect:

Then I stamped the sentiment from the stamp set onto a small piece of Whisper White and mounted it onto a piece of Mellow Moss sponged around the edges with Perfect Plum and then onto a layer of Perfect Plum that I ran through the Big Shot with the new Square Lattice Embossing Folder. This folder is an absolute "must have" if you like the vintage style. It adds so much elegance to your cardstock and the texture fits right in with this style:

I like to put a layer on the inside of my cards as well, especially when using darker shades of cardstock for my base. I stayed with the same basic design by stamping the flowers onto Whisper White cardstock, punching the corners and sponging the edges with both Mellow Moss and Perfect Plum. This time I stamped one of the verses from Herb Expressions because I just think it really fits "Life's moments" with our friends:

The complete list of supplies:

Stamp Set: Elements of Style, Herb Expressions

Cardstock: Perfect Plum, Mellow Moss, Whisper White, Presto Patterns Paper

Ink: Mellow Moss, Perfect Plum, Pale Plum

Accessories: Scallop Trim Corner Punch, Stampin' Sponges, Stampin' Dimensionals, Big Shot with Beautiful Butterflies die and Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Egg-cellent Egg Kit (retired), White Organza Ribbon

I just love the way this turned out. Now if I can just bring myself to part with it :) I may have to enlarge it and add some more embellishments to fill a frame. After all, this is National Scrapbook Month........ I feel another project coming on!!

Well, I hope my ladies enjoy making this one as much as I did. If you would like to make one, too, and live in Central Michigan, please contact me at gibby@cmsinter.net to reserve your spot on May 20th. 'Til next time.....

Happy Stamping,

Laurie

Remember to get your mammogram!