Sometimes dark cardstock is just too dark....

Black, Night of Navy, Elegant Eggplant....You can write your message on them in white gel pen, but for some occasions that can seem a little strange. For example, when creating a sympathy card, I prefer the method everyone is doing lately of lining the card with a layer of another color of cardstock. Many stampers are making these almost as fancy as the front of the card which can be a lot of fun, but for this card a more subdued approach is tasteful. Carrying a simple main image from the front to the inside can provide a nice bit of continuity as the light grey cardstock gives you a nicer contrast when you write with a black pen.

Very Versatile Stamp Set, Texturz dies and the new scalloped oval punch shown.....

Manhattan Flower and Fifth Avenue Florals

I love the new Impressions die from SU!....especially on vellum. I stamped the Whisper White cardstock under the vellum with the rose from the Fifth Avenue Florals set and included a ribbon rose as shown by SU! at recent regional events for a trifecta of roses....I plan to give this card to my mom for Mother's Day.

Old School Stationery Folio

This stationery folio uses the Cheep Talk stamp set, Good Morning Sunshine Designer Series Paper and the technique from SCS TLC212....a ribbon frame. I wanted mine too look fluffy, and that may not have been the neatest way for it to look, but I'm okay with that.

A stationery folio was today's 3-D challenge on Stampin' Addicts. Holly made a lovely and detailed folder to inspire us. I was inspired to make pear themed cards and envelopes with less details than Holly used, but still a cutesy result I think. Check out her challenge here: http://www.stampinaddicts.com/forums/monday-3d-challenges/225-3d002-3-16-09-stationary-portfolio.html#post26091

Parisian Breeze Matchbox

I love the Parisian Breeze Cardstock weight Designer Series Paper from SU! I am also enjoying the tiny cuteness of the new Matchbox Die for the Bigshot which will be available on April 1.

I used the new scalloped oval punch to punch a window in the box and then a window sheet to allow you to see the matching jelly beans inside. Since I couldn't punch the oval exactly in the middle of the top, I used the taffeta chocolate chip ribbon and a circle punch from the new Matchbox Messages set to create some needed embellishment.

Card Made from a Scrapbook Sketch

Happy Weekend!

This little card using the Cheep Talk set was made using Designer Series Paper from the Sunshine Garden SU! Simply Scrappin' Kit and a sketch I found on the Scrapbooks etc., website. I used the So Saffron Striped Grosgrain and the trio punch....a snippet of Celery Wide Grosgrain accents the top left corner of the main image.

4-1/4 square card plus Scrapling Bookmark

I finally decided this will be the fourth project at Class on March the 6th....We will start with a regular-sized card, and cut off the one inch scrapling for a bookmark. It is easy to do, and it is perfect for the green/recycling theme of the class :). Kind of a giggle that it is a tree too...save a tree! I love this set...Branch Out is a lot of fun to stamp and almost as impossible to "mess up" as the retired set Roses in Winter!

My card was inspired by the square cards posted last week by Beate and JanTInk (listed in my blog roll), but they really aren't CASEs. Using a rounded tab punch for the top of the scrapling bookmark (which is what delayed my designing) came from Inking Idaho/Becky Roberts. TFS ladies!

Projects if you're interested....

Things I made as gifts for my Swappers Anonymous Cupid Chipper.

I chose this tiny Baja Blue vase because I CASE'd the idea from my Christmas Elf Liz (ececsy on SCS). Both my cupid, Ellen, and I love Baja Breeze! I enjoyed finding a branch from an elderberry bush in my yard to replicate the branch in the run-ons. Tied a bow and add the butterfly from Simple Friendship for a little more interest.

This new Parisian Breeze paper is so pretty, so I included a version of Beate's Ghirardelli square box--no need to wrap it in designer paper when it is made of the new Cardstock weight double-sided paper....it is pretty inside and out!

This is a Genie bag (named for Genie1314), and the new Big Shot Texturz plates are the perfect size (a bit larger than a card front) for covering a white lunch bag as a gift bag.

This altered tin uses the Rockabilly Designer Series paper....I am surprised how quick it was....Perfect for holding chocolate candy!
This next one is a take-off from Candy Bar or Popcorn sliders....It is made to fit our Ribbon Originals though...

Pull the bow and the ribbon originals appear....I love that sweet bird from Cheep Talk and the Good Morning Sunshine designer series paper.

Please scroll down to see the gifts Chipper gave to me...they are so fun and wonderful....We just happened to have each other...that isn't usually the case.

My Brilliant Cupid is....Chipper/Ellen Pruett!

Day 3 Gifts

What a gorgeous gift again! My sweet cupid is Chipper/Ellen Pruett! (Hee! I had Chipper too! I'm so not worthy of your generosity girilie!)

I got Pear (yum!) shower gel, vanilla sugar hand sanitizer, mandarin shower gel and tons! of Swirly die cuts and Peace Love Hope and Joy diecuts! Amazing!

Now about the gorgeous Tea Party box........DH and my girls were looking at it, and I said hmmmm, we really don't give anyone wine as a gift.....and DH said....she put the strips in so you'd know to store the Big Shot stuff that size in it dontcha think?

Oh my! How stinkin' smart is that? Even the thick/tall piece fits with the lid slightly lifted....see?!

Amazing! Thanks so much Chipper/Ellen! I LOVE it and all your great gifts!

Cupid Day 2 Gifts

Wow! What a gorgeous Card Tin in the Raspberry Tart paper. And it was sooo full!!! (EEP! I'm having swappers anxiety now.......I hope my cupid isn't disappointed!)

I have 7 bags of adorable Billboard Big Shot alphabets, rainkissed leaves Bath and Body works lotion and shower gel, B&BW lip balm and hand sanitizer, Cinnamon Jelly Hearts, Godiva Truffles and a BIG Blueberry Almond (I love fruit and chocolate) Dove bar! See why I have swapper's anxiety!

You were too generous cupid! Wowie!

WT205 Fabric.....

I was so excited when I saw this cute hinged card idea from Stampin' Up! I immediately CASE'd it for the WT205 on Splitcoast which was to use fabric on your card. I think this is a pretty print, and it happened to have some squirrel-like brown as the background color, so I frayed the edges and glued it with mono liquid glue in the green bottle. It also coordinated with the Simple Friendship set I think so I stamped the flower on the top in Versamark on Celery. I needed to make my 3 year old daughter a Valentine so I used the Squirrel from the Animal Crackers set for the main image....fun and fast to make!

Cupid Gifts Day 1

We Swappers Anonymous demo friends are having a cupid exchange. (My gifts to my cupidee will be posted on Sunday.) Today was the first day to open, and I have a rockin' cupid!

I just munched a Godiva chocolate-topped shortbread cookie! It was in this gorgeous cone made of Raspberry Tart paper and embellished so delicately and with my inital too! (It also matches my dining room, so I'll have to display it there for a while!)

That isn't all--Look at this adorable little wooden handle box covered in the Tea Party striped paper with a Playful Petals flower on the front! How stinkin' pretty is that?!!
Inside? Inside was Bath and Body works shampoo and conditioner in mango mandarin scent. yummy!

Thank You sweet cupid!!!!

IC166 SC213 Inspired by a Pink Pear

For today's Inspiration Challenge on SCS, I chose the pear and apple lampshade shown here http://www.hunkydoryhome.co.uk/hunkycat/retro-fruit-pendant-drum-p-590.html as my inspiration. I found a recent Sketch Challenge (#213) for the layout and used Cheep Talk for the stamp set. I enjoyed using the pears in versamark on the Certainly Celery to repeat in a slightly different spacing from the shade, but used similar colors omitting only the red. I rock and rolled the edges of the pear in Pixie Pink after inking it with Pretty in Pink. The pink pear is unusual, and I love this fun set!

Workshop Ever After Valentine

I wanted to show off Poppin' Pastels, but I wanted a heart on the card too, so I just stampedthe heart in Versamark as a background on the base of the card. It does make the card look quite different and yet the same as the layout I used on the Real Red and Mellow moss card on my events blog.

Cheep Talk

I used some leftover pieces to create some little Cheep Talk cards for some friends....but my "talk" is from the Blooming with Love set :) I enjoy this set's easy style that is quick and cute.

Swappers Anonymous Swap Card

This is my swap card for our SA group....I LOVE the colors right now! I chose to use the new Petal Pizazz set that will be in the new Stampin' Up! Spring and Summer catalog.

Happy Healthy Pregnancy Wishes to my demo friend Alison!

I made this simple card for Alison using the new level 2 hostess set Goody Goody Gum drops and took a few cookies to her house to welcome her expected third little sweetie! She's a more energetic girl than I am! Goooo Alison!

Waiting in Line for the Mailbox!

I made this card last week and considered for a half of a second having my club members make one.....there's a lot of cutting here though! I used the stair-step fold from TLC190 on SCS as well as the Love Owlways and Happy Heart Day sets with plenty of paper piecing and grass cutting.

Stamp Club Last Night

Last night at Hostess Stamp club, we made several projects including a Coaster calender shown in this post from November: http://thestampinbunny.blogspot.com/2008/11/2009-coaster-calendar.html They chose their colors from the Hostess Level 1 patterns pack.

We also made an explosion card with a heart shape like Kelly Gettelfinger's shown here on SCS: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/1171937?si=kellyjg Open view: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/1171932 I've made explosion cards before, but adding the heart shape made this fold so useful for Valentine's Day or Anniversary cards! I simplified using just Kraft cardstock and layers of Very Vanilla and Ridinghood Red. I used the solid tiny heart from Big Bold Birthday in Ridinghood Red on the inside and the Lovely Letters set to spell LOVE on the front. The chocolate chip sponging made it a bit masculine to me....I wouldn't be afraid to give it to a man anyway :). Adding a few favorite things about the person to whom you are giving it on the inside and maybe a picture would step it nicely too.

I was stuck on the tiny heart from Big Bold Birthday and used it as the background in Versamark on Celery for the top of this card which was inspired by the Featured Stamper Challenge on SCS which was to CASE JulieHRR (Ebersole), a legend in stamping. Mine doesn't quite follow her style, but it made a card with which I was happy :). To follow the thin profile of Julie's card http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/779930?cat=500&ppuser=362, I cut the width of the card from 4-1/4 to just 4 inches wide for a change of pace. The polka dot stamp was used in Only Orange on the Pretty in Pink Cardstock. I punched one inch circles from Only Orange Cardstock for the large scallop edge look and used the heart from Priceless in Regal Rose with Only Orange Sponging. I thought the colors were fresh and cheery.

For a simple candy holder, this 3 inch wide piece of Close to Cocoa is simple and quick. (I think these were really popular last year, but I missed the trend with my group, and it is still cute I think.) They are simply 3 inches by 9-1/4 inches with scores at 3, 3-1/4 and 6-1/4. I used the Designer Series Paper from the Level 3 hostess bundle in Pink Pirouette for both the scalloped square layer under the main image and for the 2-1/2 inch layer under the candy on the inside. I simply used Whisper White cardstock and provided SU! markers in Old Olive and So Saffron as well as Pink Pirouette reinker and an aquapainter without water for coloring so that the cardstock wouldn't become warped or pilled. Pink Pirouette finished off the front for a feminine touch.

The inside is pretty self-explanatory, and I do love how the scallop circle is easy to use with a 3 inch square. Just slide the cardstock to the inside, center left and right by sight and punch. Easy Peasy!

Warm Up! to the New Catalog make and take

This card will be one of the make and takes at my Warm Up! to the new Stampin' Up! catalog party on the 22nd and 23rd. This uses the new Petal Pizazz set (available January 19th) as well as a sentiment from the new Level 2 Hostess set Goody, Goody, Gumdrops. I hope this is a card you would like to stop by and make!

Stamp A Stack design....

I like that this card is gender neutral and uses my favorite colors right now....Celery, Baja and Saffron! I made it for Limited Supply Challenge 201 on SCS. I kept it simple to use for my birthday Stamp A Stack on February 19th.