Sweet Pea

I made these using the Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper, available in the Occasions Mini Catalog. Only 5 days remain (including today) to get items from that catalog. Some items will continue to be available (punches, Build-A-Bear line, Simply Adorned line, Tiny Tags set, Vintage Vogue set and My Digital Studio). But everything else will be gone after this Friday!

One of the items I highly recommend is this big pack of paper! You get 48 (double-sided) sheets for $24.95. The colors are great and the designs are fabulous with feminine and masculine patterns. These cards were a cinch to put together.

Stamps: Oval All, Really Retro

Paper: So Saffron, Sweet Pea DSP, Pretty in Pink, Very Vanilla

Ink: Pretty in Pink, Old Olive and Chocolate Chip Stampin' Write Markers

Accessories: Scallop Oval and Large Oval punches, Stampin' Dimensionals

Stamps: Bitty Birthday

Paper: Old Olive, Sweet Pea DSP, Kraft, Very Vanilla

Ink: Taken with Teal, Old Olive, So Saffron and Chocolate Chip Stampin' Write Markers

Accessories: Word Window and Scallop Edge punches, Stampin' Dimensionals

Stamps: Sweet Scoops (coming soon in the Summer Mini Catalog - starts May 1st)

Paper: Old Olive, Sweet Pea DSP, Chocolate Chip textured, Whisper White, Pretty in Pink (scallop oval and ice cream), Close to Cocoa (ice cream), Creamy Caramel (cone)

Ink: Old Olive, Close to Cocoa, Pretty in Pink, Creamy Caramel

Assessories: paper snips for the ice cream and cone!, Scallop Oval and Large Oval punches

Embellishments: 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon in Old Olive and Chocolate Chip

Baja is BACK

I LOVE Baja Breeze! I am thrilled that it will be coming back in July. This card was a sample in the latest demonstrator magazine, Stampin' Success. I loved it for it's simplicity and because I love the For All You Do set. I did change the colors a bit as they made it all with neutrals.

Stamp Set: For All You Do

Paper: Kraft (soon to be Crumb Cake), Chocolate Chip textured, Baja Breeze, Very Vanilla

Ink: Sahara Sand, Chocolate Chip

Embellishments: Linen Thread, Buttons Latte

Accessories: paper snips (that's not a butterfly punch/die cut!), paper piercer

Summer Mini Sets

Good morning to you! We have another beautiful spring day. With a 2 year old who likes to play outside I'm afraid my card-making times will be quite limited to naptime, after bedtime and when Daddy's around to take over for a bit!

I was able to make a cute card yesterday with sets that are in the Summer Mini Catalog. If you are on my mailing list, you'll be getting the catalog in the mail pretty soon. I preordered Sweet Scoops and Rough Type. I have been wanting to make paper M&Ms for a while now, but didn't have the right size of letters. I was excited to see this set come out because I was able to get it in clear mount - in the mini's right now all sets are available as clear mounts. (See "Clear Mount" post to learn more!)

Sets: Sweet Scoops and Rough Type

Paper: Sahara Sand, Very Vanilla, Only Orange, Green Galore, Pacific Point, Real Red, Chocolate Chip, Yoyo Yellow.

Ink: Real Red

Embellishment: 1 1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon in Chocolate Chip

Accessories: 3/4" Circle punch, Silver Embossing Powder, Heat Tool

Clear Mounts

I wanted to talk about clear mount sets because I love them! Clear mounts are sets that come just the same as Stampin' Up!'s other sets except without wood blocks and the case is the size of a DVD case.

You can buy clear mount block from SU! or find them at a craft store. I recommend finding blocks with lines as that help assure straight alignment (such as for the "Have a sweet celebration!" line). For letter stamps the clear mount method is perfect, as you know exactly where your letter will end up!

The images adhere to the block and are secure for stamping. Then you peel it off again! If you're image isn't staying try a little moisture (lick your finger, or use a drop of water) on the back of the rubber piece. All sets come with stickers of the images you can put on the backs of each image/rubber piece. (As you would put on the tops of a wood block.) I chose not to use mine, as it is nearly impossible to put the sticker on to exactly align/match up with the image on the front. I just know I would then be inclined to place it according to the sticker because that's what I see and the image would likely turn out crooked. PLUS I think they adhere better without the sticker on the back. You can always try it without and put them on later. Or try them with and peel them off later!

Here is a picture of what the clear mounts look like - from the front putting it on the block and the back as when you stamp it.

The next picture depicts how a lined block helps you align it on the block itself. And below that how it helps align it on your project so that it's straight or as straight as possible!

Pictured below, assuming your word does not repeat letters, the clear mounts allow you to make an entire word at once instead of letter by letter as you would with wood blocks.

To show even more versatility: I made this "straight" sentiment (see above) "curvy!"

I may try my hand at posting a video using the clear mounts in the future! I don't think I'm actually supposed to post videos or even pictures :) of these until they are out in May. But I really wanted to show you the clear mounts and I did not get any from the Occasions catalog! So, come back next month to find a video of it!

Awash with Flowers

A demonstrator who is significantly "higher up" than I, invited demos in her downline to join in a contest/drawing. We submitted cards made with the Awash with Flowers set or any of the other 4 sets in the April special (see April's SU! Special post below). I thought you might like to see Awash with Flowers in action, so to speak, rather than just on the flyer page. None of these are my creations. I chose not to order the set because I didn't think I would like it.... now I'm changing my mind. The ladies who created these did fabulous work! I might have to host my own workshop and maybe get it for free! lol Enjoy:

If you have any questions about products used for the above cards, just ask me and I can send you an email. :)

One Color Card

I love when I can make a card that doesn't use a lot of supplies. This card is made of one color of ink, the same one COLOR of card stock, one NEUTRAL and one simple embellishment. I did, however, use 2 stampe sets. :) I found this card on Splitcoast - a card-makers best friend - and changed a couple of things. Her card is even simpler, as it has no embellishment and only two little flowers snipped out.

This card uses:

Card Stock: Very Vanilla and Bravo Burgundy - a color that is staying!

Stamp Sets: For All You Do and Heard From the Heart

Embellishment: Brads Filigree

I stamped the floral square from For All You Do, then stamped again without reinking it. That gave me the lighter shade. Obviously, I repeated that for the other squares. I don't have a square punch large enough to fit the square, so I just cut them with my paper cutter. I cut the larger, layered squares accordingly. I decided to take it up just a notch by stamping the little flower from the same set and snipping them out with my paper snips. Now I wonder if it might have looked a little better putting the lighter flowers on the dark squares and viceversa... Then a quick stamp of the sentiment at the bottom, which is slightly crooked :) and it was done!

Also, I chose this particular sentiment because it is appropriate for a birthday, a wedding, an anniversary, just because.... I love that this card is simple and versatile!

April's SU! Special

Stampin' Up! is offering spring specials!

What says spring more than flowers? Not only are some of our 2 step stamp sets discounted this month, but you also have the opportunity to purchase a sneak peak set, Awash with Flowers, that will be in the next catalog! Additionally, if you'd like to host a workshop and it totals $350 or more in sales you will receive the Awash with Flowers set for FREE!

2 step sets are sets with, say, outlines of flowers and images that fill the flowers.

You can purchase the following sets at 20% off: Greenhouse Garden (pictured), Flower Fancy, Trendy Trees and 5th Avenue Floral.

See the flyer below for more details.

COLOR MY WORLD!!!!

I have extremely exciting news! Stampin' Up! has announced a color overhaul that will launch with the new catalog July 1st.

Remember In Colors from the last 2 years that were so awesome.... Some of your favorites are returning! Wild Wasabi, River Rock, Pink Pirouette, Riding Hood Red, Baja Breeze, Tangerine Tango and Pacific Point are all back! Current In Colors that we would say farewell to this coming June are STAYING: Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry (love that one) and Soft Suede.

They are bringing in fresh new colors as part of the core colors: Daffodil Delight, Early Espresso, Marina Mist, Cherry Cobbler and Cajun Craze. These will be so much fun to play with (I can't wait to get them!).

Here is the complete list of colors/color collections:

There will be 5 new In Colors in July. They will stay "In" for TWO years. And next year they will introduce another set of 5 In Colors (after this first year there will always be 10 In Colors). So, while there will be fewer core colors, they are increasing the options with more In Colors that will be available twice as long.

Lastly, they will be retiring 30 colors. If there's a color you shed a tear for (for me, it's Cameo Coral), we can get you a few packs of card stock and a reinker. By the time you use up that stock you will have found a new color or two to love in it's place, I'm sure!

Give me a call or an email or leave a comment if you want to stock up on any of these colors!

New Blog!

First, I'd like to point out that posts may be few, but I'll do my best.

This will be a place where I can announce Stampin' Up! news - specials, new catalogs, etc.

I will also use it to post cards and the few non-card things I make. This will make it easy for you to get new ideas and see products in use - especially if you don't make it to workshops very often.

Hope you visit often (I will endeavor to post at least once a week...)

Ellen