Get Carried Away with Balloon Festoon: Pumpkin Card

To continue the creativity with the Balloon Festoon bundle, I created this pumpkin card with the Painted Patch collection and with five of the next-to-the-smallest balloons to make a pumpkin.  

I added a sentiment from Scalloped Blooms in Secret Sea and die cut Secret Sea leaves from Sweet Words & Labels.  Using my Calypso Coral Stampin' Blends to add details to the dies really made this look like a pumpkin.  What do you think?

Get Carried Away with Balloon Festoon: Fish Card

Recently, I attended a team retreat in St. Louis with 99 other Stampin' Up! demonstrators from around the country.  I had a blast and have so many ideas to share!  I was invited to teach a make & take project, so I decided to get carried away with the Balloon Festoon bundle and see how many different, nontraditional ways I could use this party bundle.

I used the two smallest balloon dies to create these Calypso Coral fish paired with Whispering Woods DSP. 

Are you o-fish-ially a fan or not?

Thursday's Live: Card Sketch with Rectangles (Plus)

For last Thursday's Facebook Live (each Thursday at 7:30 PM), I used a simple card sketch and the beautiful All Wrapped Up DSP to get started on Christmas card creations.  (You can watch the YouTube replay HERE.) 

I fussy cut that beautiful bouquet from the All Wrapped Up DSP.  I used Secret Sea Two-Tone cardstock with silver hot foil and the Magical Christmas hot foil dies to create the sentiment.

The card base is Cloud Cover and the background rectangle is Peaceful Pine.  The adhesive-backed sparkle sequins are a beautiful addition to add more sparkle!

Have you started making your Christmas cards?  I'll have more ideas for you on tonight's Facebook Live at 7:30 PM!

September's Card Crafternoon: Falling for Autumn

Yesterday some lovely ladies joined me for the September edition of my monthly crafternoon.  This month's theme was "falling for autumn."  Here are the four cards we made:

I have three kits left for these four cards, so please let me know if you'd like one of them (mailing fee will be an extra cost if you're not local to me). 

You're invited to next month's Crafternoon, which will be held on 10/18.  We'll begin our holiday cardmaking with a Traditional Christmas class that will include some gift card ideas.

Thursday Live: Color Theory

Last Thursday's Facebook Live (each Thursday at 7:30 PM) explored color theory to help you create beautiful projects.  (You can also find YouTube instructions HERE.)  

Both cards use the same card design but have a different colored butterfly hot foil accent.  The first card uses an analogous color scheme of Crushed Curry, Cajun Craze, and Garden Green.  (Analogous colors are beside each other on the color wheel.)

The second card uses a complimentary color scheme (opposites on the color wheel) of Pretty Peacock, Night of Navy, and (neutral) Pecan Pie.

Which do you prefer?  I really like them both!  I think that the larger butterfly works better with the smaller flowers of the Sunflower Fields DSP while the smaller butterfly of the second card offsets the large sunflower well.  (There's also more blue-green leaves in that particular cut of the DSP.)  Let me know in the comments which one you prefer!

As always, I hope this inspires you to get inky!  See you at 7:30 on tonight's Facebook Live!

Thursday's Live: Diagonal Squares Card

Last Thursday's Facebook Live (each Thursday at 7:30 PM) card creation used scraps again to create a pretty card background!  (You can also find YouTube instructions HERE.)  

I cut 18 1" squares from all six Sunflower Fields DSP (which are two-sided) and I used 14 or 15 of them to create this fun diagonal squares pattern.

In my video, I show how you can use Scalloped Bloom dies to create the sunflower, and a Sweet Sentiments hot foil die and gold ribbon finished off this card.

Hope to see you tonight at 7:30 PM EDT!

The September-December Catalog & September Online Exclusives Are Here!

Today's an exiting day in the Stampin' Up! universe!  Every quarter, a new catalog launches, and in every odd month online exclusives go live.  Additionally, the September product of the month and two new kits are now available!

You can find them all at HERE! 

Thursday's Live: Fun Fold Half Card

Here is the Thursday before last's Facebook Live (each Thursday at 7:30 PM) card creation using the August product of the month, Glow of Autumn DSP, to create a fun half card!  (You can also find YouTube instructions HERE.)  

The first two cards both started with Crumb Cake cardstock and the third card uses Cajun Craze.  They all have sentiments from the Sweetly Sentimental hot foil dies with gold foil.

The first card uses acorn and leaf dies from the Silly Old Bear bundle with Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake, Pecan Pie, and Early Espresso cardstock.  I added stitching with a Pecan Pie Stampin' Blend.  

For the second card, I used more Silly Old Bear die cut cardstock leaves and fussy cut the pumpkin from the Glow of Harvest DSP.  Timid Tiger Stampin' Blends worked beautifully on this pearlescent paper to color the focal pumpkin!

Die cut mushrooms from the Cute As a Bug dies are a fun fall twist.  Use a white gel pen to add details!

So which card is your favorite?

August's Card Crafternoon: Metallic Magic Card #4

The beautiful Valley in Bloom DSP is the highlight of the final card of August's Crafternoon with the tiniest Butterfly Flight hot foil butterfly as the perfect little embellishment. 

We added some Balmy Blue gingham ribbon and a stamped scallop from Scalloped Circles bundle with Lost Lagoon ink.

Don't forget to decorate the insides of your cards with paper scraps and/or stamped images/sentiments!

August's Card Crafternoon: Metallic Magic Card #3

For card #3, we used Valley in Bloom DSP (on sale 15% off through the end of the month) with the large Classic Greeting hot foil die and small Butterfly Flight butterfly.

The Garden Green foliage springs are part of the Butterfly Flight hot foil dies set.

Save the date for September's Crafternoon on 9/13!

August's Card Crafternoon: Metallic Magic Card #2

Thank you for a fun Metallic Magic Crafternoon!  For cards 2-4, we used a second hot foil Butterfly Flight panel, colored by blending Darling Duckling, Coastal Cabana, & Blackberry Bliss ink and then die cut with the coordinating cutting die.

The large sentiment is from the Classic Greetings hot foil dies and the background was dry embossed with the Floral Spray embossing folder.

My September Crafternoon will feature all things fall on 9/13. 

Thursday's Live: Torn Strips Card

Last Thursday's Facebook Live (each Thursday at 7:30 PM) card creation used scraps again to create a pretty card background!  (You can also find YouTube instructions HERE.) 

I used six 4" x 1"-2" Beautiful Ordinary Life DSP (and one Pool Party Two-Tone Cardstock 4"x 1 1/2"), tearing one long edge to create some fun texture.  The vase was fussy cut from Artisan Sketched Garden DSP and the butterfly was stamped/die cut from the Extraordinary Life bundle.

You can catch me Live tonight at 7:30 with some fall fun!

Another Strips Sketch Card

Someone I know turns 50 tomorrow, and we are showering her with some love today!  I made this card for her on my Thursday Live last week (8/6/26) using the Artisan Sketched Garden DSP.  (You can watch the replay on YouTube HERE if you're interested in learning how to make this card.)

Be sure to decorate the insides of your cards!

 You can catch me on my Facebook Live each Thursday at 7:30 PM!  Hope to see you there!

Thursday's Live: Strips Card Sketch

Last Thursday's Facebook Live (each Thursday at 7:30 PM) card creation uses scraps to create a pretty card (or two)!  (You can also find YouTube instructions HERE.)

My prototype uses the Valley in Bloom and Artisan Sketched Garden DSP (both on sale 15% off this month, while supplies last).  I also used my Scalloped Blooms bundle, Garden Green ink & Stampin' Blend, plus Pool Party Stampin' Blend.

If you're not yet decorating the insides of your cards, give it a try with scraps of paper or stamped images!  Tomorrow I'll post the card that I made live.

Get inky, friends!  Catch me tonight for my next Facebook Live at 7:30 PM! 

Hot Foil Silly Old Bear Card

Did you know that you can hot foil your regular dies?  I used three of the Sweet Words & Labels frame dies to make this Silly Old Bear card. 

I began by placing the smaller frame die (and the wood grain die for another project) on my hot foil machine following the instructions (except using a regular die cutting dies rather than specific hot foil dies).

They foiled beautifully (if I do say so myself)!

The die cuts are very thin, so you get very thin foiling.

I'm really looking forward to getting my reverse hot foil plate so that I can use the leftover pieces on other projects!

Being able to hot foil "regular" die cutting dies is going to add a lot more options to the hot foiling system!  Let me know if you'd like to learn more (and RSVP for my hot foiling Metallic Magic class this Sunday, 8/16 at 3 PM, by Friday).

Finally, I was inspired to play along with this week's Global Design Project challenge #GDP559 theme: Frames.

Washi Tape Card

Last Thursday's Facebook Live (each Thursday at 7:30 PM) card creation was a quick and easy card design that used the new Summer Happiness washi tape instead of DSP (Designer Series Paper).  (You can also find YouTube instructions HERE.)

Get inky, friends!  Catch me tonight for my next Facebook Live at 7:30 PM! 

Silly Old Bear Easel Card

The fourth and final card of July's Card Crafternoon was a Silly Old Bear easel card.

Here is the front opened up to make the easel.  Won't this be cute sitting on someone's desk?

I absolutely love all of the Silly Old Bear suite elements on this card from Pooh Bear to the honey pots to the bees!

Save the date for August's Crafternoon on 8/16: Metallic Magic!

Happy Birthday Basket Card

One of the things that I love most about being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator is the wonderful people I meet.  Recently, I celebrated my team member Lisa's birthday with this card.

In addition to being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator herself, she makes the most beautiful baskets (and teaches basket making)!  I combined my Easter Basket dies with the Balloon Festoon bundle and Valley in Bloom DSP to make this card for her.  I tucked flowers die cut with the Forever Floral dies on Beautiful Ordinary Life (Pool Party) DSP and then colored the leaves with a Garden Green marker.

A quick sentiment on the inside and strip of DSP finished it off!  Normally I don't glue paper to my envelopes, but I was planning on hand delivering so she got a balloon instead of a postage stamp!  The rest of the floral spray went on the envelope flap.

Happy {belated} birthday, Lisa!

Thank You Card

If you saw yesterday's scrapbook layout, then you'll know that this thank you card is for someone in the wedding party who went above and beyond to help make the day extra special for the bridesmaids (and everyone else involved).

I used the same color palette (Basic White, Cloud Clover, Balmy Blue, Azure Afternoon, and Blueberry Bushel) and mostly leftover pieces from creating the scrapbook layout.  I used my damask embossing folder on the front panel and the faux dry embossing (with die cuts) on the Azure Afternoon strip.

I couldn't resist adding Wink of Stella to the flowers on the right and on the same stamped image on the coordinating envelope.

I hope the art of writing handmade thank you cards never goes out of style!
 

Scrapbook Saturday: Always & Forever Layout

If you've followed me for a bit, then you'll know that our family attended the gorgeous wedding of dear friends recently.  I was so inspired to scrapbook our photos and memories from this special event!

You can see how the photos and wedding decor absolutely drove the colors and design of this scrapbook layout!  I used the palette of Basic White, Cloud Clover, Balmy Blue, Azure Afternoon, and Blueberry Bushel with touches of Old Olive.

The bridge & groom, the venue, and the flowers were absolutely breathtaking!

Now that you've seen the pages, I want to get technical about how this spread came together.  Sometimes I am able to find a sketch that fits my photos, but that was not the case this time.  When I'm not using a sketch, I grab two pieces of 12"x12" white cardstock and lay them on my workspace.  Then, I place (and rearrange) my photos until I have a design that I like.

I started adding the different die cut elements to see how they might work together.  Then, I snapped a quick picture so that I wouldn't lose my ideas.

The next step was to die cut a bunch of the Forever Florals dies in Basic White & Azure Afternoon.  (I ended up using 13 of the large floral cluster die cuts!)  I colored the leaves with my Old Olive Stamp & Write marker (retired), but of course a Stampin' Blend would work.  I new that I wanted a green background for the bottom row of flowers, so I used a blending brush to blend Old Olive and a little Mossy Meadow ink.

Here is the left page's border.  Once everything was secured, I cut off the edges hanging off and then completed the process on the right page.  

If you look closely, you can see that I also blended Cloud Cover and Balmy Blue ink on some of the die cuts to try to mimic the hydrangeas in the aisle flowers and arch.

When I created the monogram frame, I didn't like the look of solid Cloud Cover cardstock and wanted more of the glimmer paper to show, so I layered the white frame on the Cloud Cover cardstock and lightly traced the "oval" foliage and then cut out the center.  

It took several trims to get it just right, but I love how it turned out!  I colored the leaves and then added a few extra die cuts.

The G is a retired CTMH/Cricut cut.

Thank you for letting me share this special event and layout with you!  Please let me know if you'd like help scrapbooking your photos and stories!  It's what I LOVE to do!

Supplies used:

• Basic White, Cloud Cover, Azure Afternoon, Blueberry Bushel cardstock
• Blueberry Bushel glimmer specialty paper
• Forever Florals bundle (stamp set & dies)
• Fern & Floral bundle
• Basic Gray, Cloud Cover, Balmy Blue, & Blueberry Bushel inks
• Old Olive marker
• Watercolor pencils (Balmy Blue and Old Olive)
• blending brushes
• Cricut