Happy Thursday with a New Creation!

Apr 4, 2013 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

What a busy but wonderful week!  I participated in a two day golf tournament and am feeling a bit delayed. However, I have been able to take a few breaks and create a couple of cards.  The card created for “Creation Thursday” uses the Secret Garden Stamp and Framelit set.  This has become one of my favorite sets and I’ve enjoyed using it to create a variety of cards.  Below is this week’s creation and details on how you can create it.

Secret Garden: Melon Mambo Embossed

1. Cut Whisper White CS: 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″.  Score card at 4 1/4″, fold and score using bone folder to create card of  5 1/2″ x 4 1/4″.
2. Cut Melon Mambo DSP: 5″ x 3 3/4″.  Using SNAIL Adhesive attach to Whisper White card base.  Set aside.
3. With pieces of Whisper White CS, use VersaMark to stamp 3 medium flowers, 2 small flowers and 2 leaves using the Secret Garden Stamp Set.  Apply Melon Mambo to wet VersaMark and heat set using heat tool.
4. Use Big Shot and matching dies from Secret Garden Framelit Set to cut flowers and leaves.
5. Refer to photo for flowers and leaf placement.  Attach leaves using Anywhere Glue Stick, allowing leaves to “fall over” edge of card.  Turn card over and with scissors following card edge, trim excess from leaves.  Using Stampin’ Dimensionals, adhere the 3 large flowers first and as with leaves, allow one to “fall over” card edge and another to touch edge. Trim excess. Lastly, use Stampin’ Dimensionals to attach remaining small flowers, overlapping other flowers to create a bouquet effect.
6. To create the label for the Friendly Phrase “you are simply wonderful”, take piece of Whisper White CS and place 2 of the Adorning Accents Edgelits together until the wave section of the framelit touches.  This creates an elongated oval shape.  Use removal tape to prevent the edgelits from separating and slipping.  NOTE:  this is easiest done by putting paper onto cutting pad of Big Shot and then placing edgelits.  Run through Big Shot to cut shape.  After cutting, take scissors and make straight cut to remove the extra edge piece.  Refer to photo of card to see the shape.  
7. Use VersaMark and Melon Mambo to stamps and emboss phrase onto elongated oval. 
8. Attach to card using SNAIL adhesive and on each elongated side, place a rhinestone basic jewel for a bit of “bling”.
9. For an added touch, emboss a flower on the lower edge of the Whisper White Medium envelope.  When mailing with jewels, place a scrap piece of folded card stock over the raised area to prevent damage to the card and envelope from postal service machinery…I’ve found this seems to work.

Hang on to your 25-year proof of purchase sticker, and adhere it to your Stampin’ Up!® collectors card,which is included with each stamp.  For each 6 sets of the Best Of purchased, you can send in your collectors card for a FREE set of your choice valued up to $14.95.   Must be redeemed by April 30, 2014. To order your set, click here. This week has also been a busy week at Stampin’ Up! Headquarters.  Lots of announcements have been released and I’ll be posting the exciting information over the next couple of days…so stay tuned!!!

It’s April Fools’ Day…

Apr 1, 2013 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

Hope that you’ve not fallen prey to the pranksters today!   Instead of pulling pranks, I have decided to offer rewards!!!  During the month of April for each purchase over $50 (excluding tax and shipping), you will receive a “$5 off certificate” which you can redeem on a future purchase.  The certificates will be sent electronically or through US Mail, your option.  If your purchase is over $100 (excluding tax and shipping), you will receive two certificates, and so forth.   

This week for “Monday Mishmash”, I had planned to show you a card using a combination of traditional stamping and MDS2.  However, the April Fools’ Gremlins have been playing havoc with my printer so instead I’ve created a Gift Card Holder using a Medium Envelope.

Gift card holder made from Stampin’ Up Medium Envelope

1. Cut 2 pieces of Midnight Muse CS: 4 5/8″ x 3″ and 1 3/4″ x 2 1/4″ (use corner punch to clip edges of this piece.)
2. Fold medium envelope in half and crease using bone folder.  Open and cut a “V” shape in the flap.  Seal the left size of the envelope flap. See photos below:
   
   
3. Use Midnight Muse Stampin’ Write Marker to color stamps.  Stamp images onto envelope and “Happy Birthday to You” on a scrap piece of Very Vanilla CS.  
4. Use scissors to trim the birthday greeting from the cardstock and use Stampin’ Dimensionals to adhere to the Midnight Muse CS.  Adhere this tag to stamped envelope base with Stampin’ Dimensionals.
5. Attach the folded envelope to the 4 5/8″ x 3″ Midnight Muse CS using SNAIL adhesive.  
6. Insert gift card!  It is not shown but you may also use a hole punch  to create small opening to run ribbon through.  Tie closed after inserting gift card.

psst…it’s a Secret Garden

Mar 28, 2013 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

This week’s “Creation Thursday” is a card prepared for the Freebee Friday incentive drawing being offered by my Stampin’ Up! team leader.  The challenge is to prepare a card featuring an item from either the Spring Catalog, the Best of Monthly Stamp Series or any current Stampin’ Up! special offer.

Since Spring has arrived and despite the unseasonably cool weather, buds are opening and peeks of early bloomers are starting to show.  These snippets of Spring were the inspiration for using the Secret Garden Stamp and Framelits to create this card.

Perfect for a quick note to a dear friend!

  

Materials:

Paper Cutter
Scoring Tool and Bone Folder
Clear-Mount Blocks
Embossing Buddy
Heat Tool
3/16″ Corner Rounder
Stamping Sponge
Stampin’ Dimensionals
SNAIL Adhesive
Scotch Brand Removable Tape

Steps to create card:

1. Cut Whisper White CS – card base: 4 1/4″ x 11″ and card layer:  3 3/4″ x 5″
2. Score card base at 5 1/2″, fold in half and use bone folder to create card of 4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″. 
3. Use corner round to soften the front and back card non-folded edges.  Set card base aside. 
4. On card layer, stamp leaves using VersaMark and emboss using Wild Wasabi Emboss Powder.  Refer to photo for placement.
5. Stamp “hey there friend” onto card layer using StazOn Jet Black.  Refer to photo for placement.
6. On a scrap piece of Whisper White CS, use VersaMark to stamp 3 flowers from Secret Garden stamp set (two of one flower style and one from another). Emboss one with Melon Mambo and the other two with Tangerine Tango. 
7. With stamping sponge and Marina Mist ink, use a circular motion to apply a light blue background to the entire card layer. 
8. Attach card layer to card base using SNAIL adhesive.
9. Cut embossed flowers using Secret Garden Framelits and Big Shot.  Hint:  use removable tape to secure framelit on cutting board of Big Shot.
10. Attach flowers to card layer using Stampin’ Dimensionals.

To purchase any of the items used in the project, click here.

While on the subject of gardens and flowers, have you checked out the Best of 25 Years Stamps Collection for March?  It’s “Best of Flowers” and perfect to use for all your paper crafting needs.