Leafy Layout

What a beautiful Fall day!  Here's a fun leafy layout to go with this gorgeous day.  We made this at our last Hostess Scrapbook Club Crop.

The color palette is taken right out of the Orchard Harvest DSP.  The leaves were cut with our new Autumn Accents leaf die.

We used a special technique on the leaves to make them really unique.  I think they look fabulous!
It's really simple to do it, too.  Here's how:

• You crumple the leaf --- a lot --- in your hand.  
• Open and crumple again several times.  You want a lot of creases and wrinkles.
• Spread it back out, but not too flat.
• Lightly pat it with the VersaMark pad.  
• Go around the outside edges lightly with the ink pad.  
• Emboss with gold EP.  It's gorgeous.

Tips:

• The lighter your touch with the ink pad, the better your leaf will look.  You want your leaf to look like it was brushed with gold, not dunked in gold.
• Lay your leaf in an old cake pan to emboss, so it won't scoot off your work surface while you're heating it.  This works for embossing any small pieces and keeps you from burning your fingers, too.
• Let your embossed leaf cool before picking it up.
• Attach the leaves with dimensionals and overlap them for a beautiful look to your project.
• You'll notice that I like to leave my layout open whenever possible.  This allows you more possibilities for  sizes and placement of your photos.

Here's another card I made using this same brushed gold technique for the leaves.  We made this one at my last Team Meeting ...  and here's another card I made with the Autumn Accents leaf die.

Have a great day.

Another leaf card? Yes!

Here's another leaf card, one that we made at my last Team Meeting.  I used my brushed gold technique on the leaves.  Check back tomorrow and I'll give you all the details on how to do my special technique.

I used the coordinating Bitty Banners stamp set and framelits.  The button accent adds a nice Fall touch to the card.  I threaded it with our linen thread.

Have a beautiful day and a beautiful weekend!

An apple a day...

I don't know if the old saying really works, but an apple is a thing of joy, especially this time of year.  Here's a card that, while it may not keep the doctor away, it will surely bring joy to the lucky recipient.

This card is an apple version of the pear card we made at my Team Meeting.

The raspberry ripple/crumb cake color scheme works well for this card.  I added squares to the background and embossed the entire layer with the square lattice embossing folder, to give added texture and the feeling of a warm quilt.  As you can see, I'm getting into the mood for cooler weather.

A pair of pears...

Here's a fun card I designed for my Team Meeting for September.  Using the coordinating stamp sets and framelits makes it easy to create such a card and using the color scheme from the coordinating DSP just adds to the fun.

I distressed the edges of the Early Espresso layer under the embossed 'quilt' layer, so there's lots of texture to this card --- a fun element for Fall.

Butterflies and Punches: Sneak Peek!

I've been playing with punches again!  Here's a sneak peek at one of the cards for my next Friday 3-4-5 Card Buffet (Oct. 5).  I used punches to make it quick and easy:

Here's how the Card Buffet works:

• You pay $5.00 (at least 2 days prior to the class) to hold your spot.
• When you get here (6:00), you choose from at least 9 card designs.
• You make 3, 6, or 9 cards for $5.00, $10.00, or $15.00. (fees for additional cards paid during class, if you decide to stay and make more than the 3 cards.)
• These cards are designed to be quick and simple, so you're home early to enjoy some family time to start off your weekend.

I hope you'll decide to join us.  Remember, your payment holds your spot.

Postage Due

I've actually been using 'snail mail' quite a bit lately, so I hope today's post won't jinx my mailings.  If there's a stamp set that jumped out at me from the first time I saw it, Postage Due is one of those sets.  I used cherry cobbler for my card base.  Here's my card:

Using the stamp set and the postage punch made it very easy to create this fun card.  I wanted just a touch more to accent my card, so I added a 'sprig' of crochet trim, crumb cake and cherry cobbler seam binding.  The 'stamps' are on dimensionals.

I had a fabulous time at the Chattanooga Regional.  My ears are still ringing a bit with the delightful southern accents of my table mates.  They talked so fast at times, that I could hardly keep up with them.  They were all from South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama.  I think I was the only one from Illinois!  Everyone was so nice and we had a lot of fun together.

I'll be sharing photos soon from the event, as well as our Aquarium trip.  I didn't get any photos on the boat trip because we were going pretty fast and it was a little crowded when we went up on deck.  I didn't want to risk losing my camera.  The scenery was gorgeous and every part of our day was fabulous, ending with grilled tuna and followed by sharing warm chocolate cake and vanilla bean ice cream, drizzled with a caramel sauce.  Yikes!  Back to Atkins today, for sure!!!

Don't forget:  Today is the last day to enter into my '500' blog special.  I'll be notifying the winner by email tomorrow.  Good luck!  Maybe it will be you!!!

What's Coming Up Next!

I had a fabulous time at the Stampin' Up! Regionals yesterday.  Today, we're staying in Chattanooga to go to the Aquarium, IMAX, and then take a River Tour on an awesome boat.  I can't wait.

Speaking of can't wait, I have a LOT of fun packed into October for us.  Here's a sneak peek.
 
But wait... don't forget about my Fall Frenzy class this Friday.  You will get to make 10 projects --- 5 cards and 5 3-D projects OR 10 cards OR 10 3-D projects --- choose the way that's best for you!  You absolutely must sign up by Wed. --- pay to register ($25.) to hold your spot.  Class size will be limited and no late registrations can be accepted.

OK, so here's the sneak peek for October. 

See what I mean?  Lots of fun going on in October!

Watercolor Winter

Here's a quick post from Chattanooga, TN.  I made this card with the Watercolor Winter stamp set.  The set is designed to be a 2-step stamping design but it also lends itself to stamping just the outline and then coloring it in with colors of your choice.  I used my favorite coloring method:  using an Aqua painter and stroking it directly onto the ink pad to pick up colors.  You can add subtle shading using this method.  It's really a very easy way to color.

My colors are gumball green and cherry cobbler.  The 'Noel' is from the Greetings of the Season stamp set.  I stamped the poinsettia, cut it out and attached it with dimensionals, to let it 'pop' right off the card.  I seem to have a lot of cherry cobbler going on lately... and that's a good thing.  

I'm here in Chattanooga for the Stampin' Up! Regionals tomorrow.  I hope I learn a lot and have lots to share with you.  After a long day of traveling, I'm ready to call it a night.  Add to that, we lost an hour in changing time zones and then, once we reached the hotel, I realized that I'd left all my makeup at home and had to make a trip to WalMart.  Yikes!  I hope what I grabbed won't be too horrible.  I'd rather be stamping than hunting for makeup.

Christmas Springy Card

I have a great little tutorial for you today.  A while back I did a tutorial on how to make a diamond fold (springy card) and now, thanks to our new diagonal plate for our Simply Scored Tool, the job is even easier --- actually, it's amazingly simple and really fun.  Here's my new card:

Before you start, decide which pattern of your DSP you'd like for each side.

Basic directions at a glance:

• Start with a 4 X 12" piece of CS or DSP. 
• Score as marked.
• Crease folds with a bone folder.
• Fold into a springy card.
• Decorate as desired.

When you've finished scoring, simply decorate as you like.  Be creative!

See the faint fold line down the center of the diamond?  You do NOT need to make this fold now because you can make the diagonal score lines using the diagonal score plate on the Simply Scored Tool.  I was used to folding it like this previously and just forgot to leave it out.  It's nice to not have that line in the middle of your project:)

I hope you'll give it a try and make your own version of a diamond fold card.  They're a lot of fun.  Actually, if you're making more than one, score the entire 12 X 12" sheet of CS or DSP and then cut it into 4" strips.  It will save you a little time.  You can still decorate each one differently.

Have a great day and don't forget to check out my '500' blog special! 

500!!!

Wow!  I cannot believe it, but this is actually post number 500 for me!  I enjoy sharing my work with you so much.  I'd like to do something to celebrate my '500' today, so here it is!  I want to work in fives, so how about this...

• For every $5.00 you order from me --- online from my website or directly from me in person --- I will put your name into a drawing for a free stamp set.  It is our Moving Forward (W) stamp set to help support the Ronald McDonald House Charities.  For every Moving Forward stamp set that is sold, Stampin' Up! donates $3.00 to this important charity --- to help support families with children who have serious illnesses. 

• To keep with my 'fives' theme (I didn't think you'd go for ordering $500. from me:), I will give you until Sept. 25 to participate in this little drawing.

• Also, if you leave a comment of five words or more, I will add your name to the drawing. 

• If you sign up as a new follower, I will put your name into the drawing five times!!!

Here are 3 cards I made using this set.  I think it's my favorite of all our Ronald McDonald stamp sets yet!  Notice the little 'sprigs' of ribbon on the cards.  Don't forget that, for every $40. you order right now, you also get a free spool of ribbon from Stampin' Up!  It's their Back to Spool promotion.

So... sound like fun?  Come on and show me that you appreciate my sharing of ideas with you.  I love hearing your comments, gaining new followers and sharing new ideas and inspiration with you.  In the world of blogging, I am still a baby, but I am growing and I love being here.  I look forward to hearing from you!

Merry Minis

You don't have to be big to make a big impression in the world of creativity.  The Merry Minis stamp set is living proof!  To make it even more fun, it has a coordinating Punch Pack of the cutest little punches ever!  Here is just one of many cards I plan to make using this great set.

What makes this card so much fun to make is that there is absolutely no cutting.  It's all done with stamps and punches.  How fun is that?  But wait!  There's more!!!  I added texture to the Very Vanilla layer using the Stripes Embossing Folder.

With a color combo of Cherry Cobbler and Gumball Green, you can't miss.  The DSP is our Be of Good Cheer --- one of our Christmas papers.  I do believe it's my favorite.

If you look closely, you can see that I have an extra layer of Cherry Cobbler on the front of the card --- just to give it yet a little more texture.  I added a touch of bling with a rhinestone and a teeny, tiny brad to complete my card.

I'm working in my studio most of the day today, with a little laundry and cleaning sprinkled into the mix.  I hope you have a great day.

A Christmas Ornament

Here's a quick little Christmas ornament that can double as a card, complete with a message on the back.  You could even put a photo on the back.

All the pieces are cut on the Big Shot, so it's quick and easy to make it!  I added a little sprig of our new sweater trim to the top of the ornament, for a unique look.  Linen thread is pulled through a tiny hole, so you can hang it on your tree.

Have a great day and a great week!

Warmest Wishes

Here's a card I made using a triple stamping technique.  It is surprisingly easy and a lot of fun.

I used First Edition DSP and Early Espresso CS.  I stamped directly onto the cotton ribbon and finished it off with a tiny brad.

NEW CLASS:
I have a new class starting this Monday, September 17.  It's Cards and Prayers.  We'll have a brief devotion and sharing time and then create 6 cards, 2 each of 3 designs.  It's just $10. and includes everything you need to make the cards, even the envelopes!  Pay to register at least 2 days prior to the class.  Come and join us!

Serene Silhouettes

Once again, I find myself needing to make a bunch of special cards --- sympathy and praying for you cards.  These are difficult to design because you want them to be the most special of all the cards that you make.  They have a big, big job to do --- that of bringing comfort to friends and loved ones.  To me, they should have a simple elegance that sets them apart from the other cards you make.  For today's version, I turned to the most elegant color combo that I know --- black and white.

I embossed the focal piece with black EP.  The sentiment is embossed with Platinum EP.

The white satin ribbon is tied all around the card, with a 'sprig' of black taffeta caught into the knot on the front of the card.  

Because the card base is black, I attached a white layer to the inside of the card.  I added an image and text still have room to write a message.

I hope today's post will help you when you need to make special cards for friends and loved ones.  It is always so difficult to know what to say.  I think a beautiful card can really help to send the message that we care and to bring comfort at a difficult time.

Core'dinations

I love our new Core'dinations Card Stock!  I hope, if you haven't tried it yet, I hope that you'll check it out soon.  Here are some cards that I've made using it.

This one is a quilt card, using Comfort Cafe DSP.  I used the Lacy Brocade embossing folder (with Early Espresso Core'dinations CS) and then lightly sanded over the raised embossed areas.  The text is stamped directly onto our new 7/8" cotton ribbon.  I added an antique brad to the center.  This is one of the projects we made at my last Team Meeting.

I actually used the same embossing folder for this card, with our Cherry Cobbler Core'dinations CS.  After the card was finished, I spritzed it with my Frost White Shimmer Paint/alcohol mixture so it has a really nice sparkle.

For this card, I embossed Gumball Green Core'dinations CS and attached it to a Cherry Cobbler card base.  I used our new snowflake die for a snowflake to top off the medallion.  I used the Holiday Frame embossing folder and then lightly sanded the raised image.

Here are a couple more cards using the Early Espresso Core'dinations CS.  Remember these?  I hope you'll give this new CS a try.  I think there will be endless possibilities for using it.  Have a great day!

Thanks for Your Service

I made this card for one of our church members, to thank him for his service to our country.  He is a WWII vet and is going to be taking a trip to Washington to see the memorial.  It was an honor to make this card for him.

God bless America!

Remember

Today is a day to remember ...

... to pray (a gorgeous view of the interior or our sanctuary)...

... to honor those who serve or have served our country ... 

... to remember our heroes ...

... to remember those we lost ...

to be proud to be an American ...

 God bless America!

Frosty Friends

Meet some of my coolest friends --- my Frosty Friends!  

It's really difficult to photograph the sparkle, but the top layer of this card is covered with a beautiful shimmer.  To create this effect, I embossed it with Iridescent Ice EP and VersaMark.  It creates a gorgeous sparkle.

I added a sprig of Cherry Cobbler seam binding and crochet lace to the top corner.

I'm off to finish my prep for my Scraps and Prayers class tonight.  Have a great day!