Life is Beautiful

So when I don't post regularly, you know I've been busy. (Good busy because its for my kids and their school.) But it also puts a little cramp in my stamping. So, I tend to CASE (copy and share everything) to help me get my stamping mojo back. Today's share is just that.

The original card was designed by Shelli Gardner (co-founder of Stampin' Up!) and her daughter Sarah. What I loved about it was how it incorporated our FABULOUS fabric and a new "technique" that I love (the swirled fabric center that looks like a lollipop).

You'll need to start with Crumb Cake Card Stock measured at 8-1/2" by 5-1/2".

1. Fold in half so it measures 4-1/4" x 5-1/2".
2. Ink the image with Early Espresso Classic Ink Pad and stamp in the center of the Crumb Cake card base.
3. Adhere fabric to the multipurpose adhesive sheet and run through Big Shot using the Beautiful Wings Die. Peel off the back and place on the center of the stamped image.
4. Stamp the greeting with Early Espresso onto the Watercolor Paper. Punch out with the Decorative Label.
5. Tear the Watercolor Paper along the top and bottom and center it above the butterfly.
6. Using a Piercing Tool and Mat Pack, poke a hole above the stamped image and place the glimmer brad in the center.
7. Cut a 1/2" x 3-3/4" strip of Baja Breeze. Then, tear along the bottom edge and place about an 1" from the center bottom.
8. Cut a 1/4" x 4-1/4" strip of Real Red Textured Card Stock and adhere above the torn Baja Breeze Card Stock.
9. Using a glue dot, stick the small Paper Daisy to the center of the Real Red strip. Then add the Rhinestone to the center of the Daisy.
10. For the center of the Butterfly, punch a 1" circle of scrap card stock. Cover the entire piece with Sticky Strip.
11. Take the coordinating fabric (5/8" x 10" strip), place one edge in the center of the 1" circle. Then, twist and twirl the fabric tight and stick along the circle starting from the center out until you get a coiled "lollipop". Tuck the end under the coil.
12. Using Snail or Sticky Strip, adhere the coiled "lollipop" to the center of the butterfly and voilà! 

{Project Details}
Stamp: Style Beautiful (116984-W/120483-C)
Ink: Early Espresso Classic Ink Pad
Paper: Baja Breeze and Crumb Cake Card Stock; Real Red Textured Card Stock, and Watercolor Paper.
Accessories: Big Shot and Beautiful Wings Die; Candy Cane Designer Fabric, Big Shot Multipurpose Adhesive Sheets, Piercing Tool and Mat Pack; 1" Circle and Decorative Label Punches; Glimmer Brights Brads, Paper Daisies, Basic Rhinestone Jewels; Sticky Strip, Mini Glue Dots, and Snail.

To order on-line 24/7 click here.

A Fresh Cut

Mojo Monday Sketch challenges are always fun but especially those at the beginning of the month. Why? Because the first sketch challenge of each month is Mojo Madness time and that means its contest time.  I haven't been able to participate for awhile so it was fun to get in on this challenge. 

I gave myself an extra challenge this time as well because I made myself use a stamp set that I am not particularly fond me. (I know...a stamp set that I don't like?). But I did it! When I originally stamped the main image, I did it in a single color. It needed something else! Then, I thought of using the Kiwi Kiss to highlight some of the image and coloring in the words with a basic black stampin' write marker to break it up a bit. I love how that came out. The addition of the butterfly gives it the extra touch and of course, no card can go without rhinestones! It adds the final classy touch to this card. 

{Project Details}

Stamp: Fresh Cut (111634)

Ink: Kiwi Kiss Classic Stamp Pad & Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker

Paper: Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze, and Whisper White Card Stock; Walk in the Park Designer Paper

Accessories: Big Shot; Beautiful Butterflies Bigz Die; Ribbon Originals; Ticket Corner Punch, Vintage Brads; Circle Scissors Plus and Clear Rhinestones (Pretties Kit). 

Thanks for looking!

Great Friend

Splitcoaststampers post daily challenges. Monday is techniques & scrapbook inspiration. Tuesdays is color challenges. Wednesdays is sketch challenge. (And so on and so on.) The color challenge I chose to do was to create a card using Pink Passion, Chocolate Chip, and Kiwi Kiss (colors from Stampin' Up). I love Kiwi Kiss and it seems to be a favorite of a lot of others too! I also combined this color combination with MOJO 82 sketch challenge. Pink Passion is definitely a bright pink. It gives the card that pop!

To make this card, you'll need:

Great Friend Stamp Set (113792)

Chocolate Chip Classic Ink Pad

8 1/2" x 5 1/2" Chocolate Chip Cardstock

3 7/8" x 5 1/4" Pink Passion Cardstock

3 1/2" x 5" Kiwi Kiss Cardstock

TWO 2" x 2" squares of Chocolate Chip Cardstock

1 7/8" x 1 7/8" square of Whisper White Cardstock

1 7/8" x 1 7/8" square of Raspberry Tart Designer Series Paper

2 1/2" x 2 1/2" square of Raspberry Tart Designer Series Paper

3" x 3" square of Raspberry Tart Designer Series Paper

4 1/2" of Chocolate Chip 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon

Pink Passion Stampin' Up Marker

Pretties Kit (3 white half pearls)

Stampin' Dimensinals

Scallop Edge Punch

Bigz Beautiful Butterflies Die

Texturz Plates (Stampin' Up! Backgrounds 1)

Big Shot

1. Score the 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" Chocolate Chip card at 4 1/4" and fold at the score line. You should have the base of your card at 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". 

2. Place the Kiwi Kiss Cardstock onto the Texturz Plates and run through the Big Shot Machine. (I used the large polka dots but you can certainly use what ever you'd like.)

3. Punch the bottom edge of the Kiwi Kiss Cardstock with the Scallop Edge Punch.

4. Next, wrap the Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon around the cardstock near the scalloped edge with the edges on the back side of the cardstock.

5. Trim the bottom of the Pink Passion Cardstock with the scallop edge punch and layer the Kiwi Kiss onto it.

6. Layer onto one of the 2" Chocolate Chip square pieces with a 1 7/8" square of the Raspberry Tart Designer Series Paper. Adhere finished product to the top center of the card with a corner facing the top.

7. Ink the sentiment with Chocolate Chip Classic Ink and stamp onto the 1 7/8" Whisper White Square and using the Pink Passion Marker, place stitches on the perimeter of the square.

8. Layer onto the remaining 2" Chocolate Chip square with the 1 7/8" Whisper White cardstock and layer the finished product onto the card overlapping the Chocolate Chip square with the Raspberry Tart Designer Series Paper.

9. Fold the 3" Raspberry Tart Designer Series Paper in half and place onto the medium sized butterfly die and place the 2" square onto the small butterfly. Run through the Big Shot Machine.

10. Place the larger butterfly onto the left hand side of the card with Stampin' Dimensionals.

11. Place adhesive to the center "body" of the small butterfly and adhere to the large butterfly. Fold the wings upward to give it more dimension.

12. Using the Pretties Kit, place three half pearls onto the center of the butterfly with glue dots.

(TIP: If you don't have the Big Shot, you can use the Kiwi Kiss cardstock as is without the texturz plates and you can use the butterfly stamp from the Great Friend Set and cut by hand instead of using the Bigz Beautiful Butterflies die.)