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| How many more times do I have to shovel it? |
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| View from my office while I'm composing this note. What a sight! |
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| View from my office window to my upper deck. |
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| My back yard.............. buried under a foot of soft fluffy snow! |
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| While I'm stamping he's puzzling. What a great way to spend a snowy day! |
Here's my first Birthday Card of the day. This little floral number was made with the following products: |
I've kept the inside of this card pretty basic, by just adding a 5 1/2" strip of Lacey Border punched out of Perfect Plum card stock. The "A Little Bit Late" birthday wishes sentiment is one of eleven fabulous birthday greetings from the Hostess sets called "Happiest Birthday Wishes". Ask me how you could purchase or earn this wonderful Birthday Greeting set for Free. |
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The Fabulous Florets flower image that is featured here was stamped on Whisper White cardstock with Versa Mark Ink and then heat set with White Embossing Powder. Both layers of Whisper White Cardstock on the front of the card were stamped randomly with the same image and embossed. You have to look close to see the fine detail of the embossing on the white card stock. The flower image was sponged with Perfect Plum Classic Ink. The Whisper White tag was stamped with the "hello" image from the Tiny Tags stamp set, and then punched out with the Jewelry Punch. The three tiny tags were mounted with dimensionals to give some definition from the plum tag. The floral image from the Bird Builder punch was punched from Always Artichoke card stock. A medium sized basic pearl was added to the center of the flower. This floral arrangement and Jewlery Tags were mounted with dimensionals to the Perfect Plum tag which was die cut using the Bigz Two Tag Die. |
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Here's a closeup of the floral image and tags. |
My second card is made with the Just Believe Stamp set. Here are the products used to complete this card:  |
Here's a close up of the detail of the details on the front of the card. The Framed Tulips Textured Impressions Embossing Folder has created the perfect 5 1/4 x 4" frame for this floral image. To create the 2-toned floral image I used Soft Suede and Baja Breeze markers to colour the image and stamped it on a 3 x 4 1/4" piece of Naturals Ivory card stock. Two-way glue was then applied to the flowers and they were sprinkled with Dazzling Diamonds for a glittery effect. The Happy Birthday sentiment from Perfect Punches was stamped on a piece of Naturals Ivory Specialty card stock and then fussy cut around the inner oval. A piece of Baja Breeze was cut out with the Extra Large Oval punch and the sentiment was adhered with dimensionals. Before mounting the sentiment to the floral image, 3 jewelry tags in Soft Suede, Naturals Ivory and Baja Breeze were sponged, stamped with sentiments from the Tiny Tags set, and mounted to the main sentiment with a silver brad. The jewelry tags were fanned out and layered with dimensionals to make them stay in place. |
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The inside of the card has been stamped with one of the images from the Happiest Birthday Wishes - Clear-Mount Hostess Stamp set. SAB set "Fresh Vintage". You can earn this set for FREE during the upcoming Sale-A-Bration sales event starting January 24, 2012.............ask me how? |
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My card base is Crumb Cake cardstock. The next layer of Very Vanilla and Soft Suede cardstocks together only form one layer, because they're split into two separate pieces and adhered at the same level. The Very Vanilla piece measures 4 x 2" and was embossed with the Stripes Embossing folder and sponged in Crumb Cake. The Soft Suede piece measures 4 x 2 1/2" and is stamped with images from Fresh Vintage in Rich Razzleberry ink and heat set with Clear Embossing powder. Before securing these two layers with adhesive to the card front, I stamped another image from the Fresh Vintage set which is a smaller version of the "Chamomile Wheel" on page 19 of the Occasions Mini. |
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Here's a closer view of the detail on the main tag. I die cut a second tag from Very Vanilla and then cut a 1/2" piece off the bottom, sponged it with Crumb Cake ink and adhered it to the bottom of the Rich Razzleberry tag. I didn't emboss this piece. The main tag is adhered to the card front with dimensionals. The ribbon and small bow are Very Vanilla 3/8" Taffeta Ribbon (which I wished I had stocked up on before it retired). Three tags were punched out with the Jewelry Tag and stamped with sentiments from the matching Tiny Tags stamp set (118592 pg 136 IB&C). They were tied on with some gold cord and popped up with dimensionals. |
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I love these Rich Razzleberry Buttons. They're from the Brights Collection of Designer Buttons #119747 on page 197 of the IB&C. The buttons are attached to the card with large glue dots, and I've used very thin strips of Soft Suede cardstock instead of thread or ribbon for the centers of the buttons. Tip: Originally I was going to make buttons using my Buttons #5 sizzlet die cut. To do this you simple die cut at least 3-4 layers of buttons. Glue one layer to the next until you have a button sized stack and then do a wash of Crystal Effects over the top to make them all shiny. The sentiment is from the hostess set "Happiest Birthday Wishes" #122617 on pg. 10 of the IB&C. It was stamped in Rich Razzleberry on Very Vanilla cardstock and then punched and layered with the Extra Large (#119866) and Large Tag Punches (#119876) sold on page 209. For the base tag, I cut a piece of Rich Razzleberry cardstock using the Bigz Two Tags Punch #115954 pg. 222 IB&C. This tag was run through the Big Shot in the Perfect Polka Dots Embossing folder (#117335 pg 219) to give it some extra texture and the edges were sponged with Rich Razzleberry Ink. The corner element was punched with the Photo Corner punch (now retired), sponged with Rich Razzleberry and then Basic Pearls were added. I coloured them to match the cardstock with a non SU alcohol based ink marker. In the background you can see a little more detail of the three stamps I used from the Fresh Vintage SAB set. |
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Here's the inside of my card which I stamped in Rich Razzleberry Ink. The floral element is from the "Fresh Vintage" SAB set (#125117). The birthday sentiment, one of my favourite, is from the 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalogue and it's called "Perfect Punches" #120516. I can't say enough about this 6 piece stamp set that coordinates with the Round Tab, 1 3/4" Scallop Circle, Scallop Oval, Curly and Modern Label punchs and the Extra Large Oval punch. Check it out it's great value for your money and is on page 140 of the catalogue. |
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Is it a rabbit or a doctored up squirrel? I had such a laugh over this picture, first because of the little paw on the heart. That is just so darned cute! But then I looked closer and I thought wow, that paw's a little out of proportion to the body and look at those ears...........not typical cottontail ones. And whoa! What about that dear little face? You tell me rabbit or squirrel, I'd like to hear your take on it, maybe it looks like some other little critter. Maybe I had too much caffeine! Maybe I just want to see if you read my post! |
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I love this little image from the Take It To Heart Stamp Set, but I hadn't used it yet, so it's my something "new". I know this stamp will be one of my favourites "to go to" from the Occasions Mini. It just smacks of young romance, but I can also see it being used for friendship. I'm also in love with these hat pins and had to add one just "because" you can find them in accessories in the Idea Book and Catalogue. |
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Take It to Heart is a beautiful 5 piece stamp set that can be used in conjunction with the Hearts Collection Framelits and the Full Heart Punch. It comes in either a wood mount #12520 or clear mount #125522 set. You can find it on page 14 of the Occasions Mini Catalogue. |
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Here's my whole card. The card base is in Real Red card stock and I've layered that with Basic Black and then used a 1 1/2" strip of Red Glimmer Paper for the top layer and added a 2 1/2 " piece of DSP from the Holiday Mini that's in Very Vanilla and Glimmer Red, that I hadn't used. It matched perfectly. My sentiment is from a retired hostess set called "Something to Celebrate" #121955. The little bow is made with Gros Grain Red Ribbon |
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Here's a view of the inside of the card. I cut a piece of Red Glimmer paper with the Scalloped Punch and topped it with some of the DSP, then mounted it on a strip of Basic Black cardstock. I stamped the Hearts from the Take It To Heart set in Basic Black ink. It would have been better I think if I'd embossed them with Black Embossing Powder before adding the decorative strip as they were lighter than I intended. Oh well, I'll do that on the next card I make like this. Okay that's it for today. Hope you liked my entry even though I took a little license with the sketch design by using hearts instead of circles and changing up the size of the DSP. As always thanks for dropping by and let me know if you like it, or not. I love getting your comments, they make my day! |
It's been a while since I participated in a Saturday Sketch Challenge over at Stampin 411. Don't ask me why. I've been hit and miss with this group. I don't understand it because I absolutely love checking out their blog and all the beautiful cards made by the Design Team and other stampers, plus all the helpful suggestions, tutorials and colour challenges.  |
| Bordering on Romance #125480(w) or #125482 (cm) pg. 11 Occasions Mini Catalogue |
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| Edgelits Dies - Adorning Accents #125595 pg. 7 Occasions Mini Catalogue |
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Isn't this a cheery and colourful card? Just the thing to brighten a wet and dreary January day! The 5 1/2 by 4 1/4" card base is cut from Lucky Limade cardstock. The small floral image from the Bordering on Romance Stamp Set was stamped in Versa Mark Ink to create some background interest. To create the decorative edge, I used the brand new Edgelits Adorning Accents Scalloped Edge Die. What fun! These new dies are a little tricky to work with but they're not as fragile as they look. To keep the edge straight while running it through the Big Shot I attached the die with mini glue dots over the card stock edge to the plate and then rolled it through the machine. Voila a beautiful neat scalloped edge! Now the scallop looked really good as it was, but I decided it needed just a little more pop. To achieve this raised image of the scallop, I embossed about 1/16" behind the scalloped edge using the Adorning Accents Embossing Folder Scalloped Edge. It's one of three awesome embossing folders made specifically for edges. |
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| Adorning Accents Embossing Folders #125601 pg. 7 Occasions Mini Catalogue. |
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I hand cut the pointed ends of the banner from Poppy Parade cardstock and then layered it with the same beautiful Designer Series Paper used along the inner edge of the card. It's called Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Paper and will be available after January 24th when Sale-A-Bration begins. I changed my take on this sketch by moving the layered square to the right hand side of the card face, instead of centering it. Poppy Parade, Lucky Limade and Very Vanilla cardstocks were layered for the square element. Using Versa Mark Ink and Black Embossing Powders I heat set the larger floral image from Bordering on Romance to the Very Vanilla piece. Poppy Parade, Calypso Coral and Lucky Limeade inks were added to the floral image with an aqua painter. A 3/8" Ruffled Ribbon in Lucky Limade (122977 pg. 194 IB&C) was placed in the corner of the square. A printed designer brad was added to the center of the bow. Isn't it cute? It's from the Everyday Enchantment Ribbon and Brad Pack in the Sale-A-Bration catalogue. These amazing 3/8" printed designer brads come in 5 different designs and there are 5 of each type in the package.............can you say "Great Deal!!!". I |
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And finally, here's the inside of my card. As you can see I added a 1" strip of the DSP to the right hand side of the card. The Happy Birthday Sentiment is from a set called Perfect Punches. I've also restamped the floral image in Poppy Parade ink to the left hand side of the card. |
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| Perfect Punches (#117022(w) or #120516(cm) paged 140 IB&C) is an inexpensive and must-have stamp set simply for how easy it makes creating accents and focal pieces for your projects. Each image coordinates with a different punch, making stamped creations easy as 1-2-3—stamp, punch, adhere. And with a variety of sentiments, you’ll be set no matter what the occasion. |
Welcome to my site and Happy May everyone! Here is my new Hostess Code for the month: Every papercrafter needs stuff, but not everyone c...
