Welcome Little Cutie

I have finally gotten around to this past Monday's Sketch challenge. Mojo 84 is the card that I will be giving to my husband's colleague who just had a baby boy! First babies are so special, aren't they? So small and so new, you just don't know what to do with all the excitement. That is how I feel about this card. I just wish I could squeeze it . . . so cute!

I love the artwork from the "Animal Crackers" stamp set (113395). I also love the versatility of the stamp set. It comes with short phrases with each character but I omitted the verse that comes with this birdie. By using a Chocolate Chip Stampin' Up Marker and coloring on the little bird image, I was able to stamp only the image that I wanted onto my Whisper White card stock. Then, I used phrases from the "Nursery Necessities" stamp set (113506). 

Using the small floral buttons from the Button Bouquet, I adorned the sides of my focus trying to tie in with the Kiwi Kiss background. Colored in the birdie with "Barely Banana" Stampin' Up! Marker and went over the edges for a more highlighted image. The beak was colored in using "Apricot Appeal" Stampin' Up! Marker.

Unfortunately, you can't tell in this picture very well that the brown with white polka dots is a textured paper. I have been playing around with the Big Shot and the Texturz Plates. I saw a great idea from Patty Bennett. Please click on her name for a link to her blog. I decided to show you a few pictures on how to achieve the look on on the plain side of "Chocolate Chip" designer series paper. 

Using the small polka dot Texturz pattern and my handy, dandy Big Shot, I ran my "Chocolate Chip" Designer Series Paper through to get this embossed look. (TIP: Use an extra cardstock underneath the texturz plate as a shim to get a deeper embossed look.)

Then, you can sand the raised image with the sanding block to highlight the embossed pattern.

(TIP: Using a plain paper helps the sanded image pop and a light touch is all you need.)

Finally, I punched out a scallop circle to place my extra sentiment on. Hope you'll become a fan of the Texturz Plates like I have!

STAMPIN' UP BLOG TOUR

Do you have your ticket yet? Don't miss out on this great opportunity to take a tour of amazing projects and ideas from Stampin' Up Demonstrators. Starting May 15 at 8 a.m., we'll travel across the United States and take flight to other parts of the world and end at MIDNIGHT (May 16).  The best part of this trip, the site-seeing is FREE and you can come and go at your convenience! Just remember to mark your calendars and leave me a comment at the end of my post on May 15 to win some blog candy! $25 gift certificate for Stampin' Up products. (Sorry, only U.S. Residents are eligible for the drawing.) And who knows . . . there might be even more blog candy as you go along the trip. Bon Voyage!

Tip *Top Note* worthy Purse & Card

Its another special event for Mother's Day at the Ronald McDonald House. And as always, I got a little help from my friends to make a Top Note purse (which will hold a mini manicure gift set) for the mothers. The original idea of the top note purse came from Becky Roberts, please click on her name to see her blog for directions and many other wonderful ideas she has. Our group changed the dimensions to fit our purpose but as you can see, its GORGEOUS! I love the weight and texture of the new Parisian Breeze Specialty Designer Series Paper. And once again, I used my handy dandy Big Shot machine, Top Note Die, and the Scallop Circle Die. There is so much you can do with the Big Shot machine! 

To accompany the gift, we made these Mother's Day Cards. I've seen similar ideas for making the dress but you can read Patty Bennett's directions on how to make this dress from the BIGZ Scallop Circle #2 Die. I couldn't resist making one of my own. I then stamped a Happy Mother's Day greeting from the "All Holidays" stamp set (114916) to the inside of the card. It was quick, easy, and turned out beautiful! The simplicity of it makes this so versatile. You can make it more elegent or casual by the accents you add. Try one of your own and have fun!

Thank you to Jag, Nida, and Julie for helping me make these beautiful gifts!

Additional info. :  chocolate chip, baja breeze, riding hood red, and whisper white cardstock; very vanilla hodgepodge hardware (antiqued by using chocolate chip craft ink); kiwi kiss/very vanilla  satin ribbon, riding hood red taffeta ribbon, and chocolate chip grosgrain ribbon; circle scissors plus, jumbo eyelets, crop-a-dile. and velcro dots* (not  SU!). 

Blooming Dress

This past weekend, I was invited to a bridal shower honoring one of my cousins. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend so I wanted to make her a special card and send her my very best wishes. Although I love the current sets available for making a bridal shower card, I wanted to use an old Hostess Set ("Blooming with Happiness") that I had. 

I love the details of this dress. Using a blender pen and a water color crayon, I filled in the stamped image. I wanted to bring more of the flower details in the dress out by adding more dimension; therefore, I stamped the dress image twice on another Whisper White cardstock and water colored just the bottoms of the dress. Trimmed the whole bottom of the dress and attached to the existing stamped dress with stampin' dimensionals. But that wasn't enough for me! I used the second image and cut out individual flowers to glue to the dress.

(This picture gives you a better close up.)

When I was finished, I added my favorite Dazzling Diamond glitter to the whole dress. I love the Dazzling Diamond glitter because it gives it just the right amount of sparkle and makes everything you put it on . . . magical!

(Additional products used: "heard from the heart" stamp set; chocolate chip classic ink pad; chocolate chip and pink pirouette card stock, pink pirouette ribbon)

Gift Registry

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Matchbox Messages

 

I wanted to share a few items we did at a workshop last weekend. The inspiration for the matchbox came from a "Stampin' Success" publication. "Stampin' Success" is a monthly publication that Stampin' Up distributes to each demonstrator for inspiration and ideas to share with our own customers but also connects us with other demonstrators throughout the world. This is one of many ways that Stampin' Up supports their demonstrators. 

  

(Sample made by Gladys, hostess of workshop)

I chose this demonstration because its quick, easy, and oh so cute. Look how simple it is to dazzle up a chocolate nugget with Stampin' Up So Saffron Designer Series Paper! Four of these chocolates fit perfectly into the Matchbox (made by using Stampin' Up's exclusive Matchbox Bigz XL Die with the Big Shot). Then using Kiwi Kiss cardstock, we made a belly band.  We chose to use this shaped tag, which is one of three tag dies found on the same Matchbox Die. And wouldn't you know, Stampin' Up has a stamp that matches perfectly with that tag! ("Great Friend" 113792) (TIP: to get a perfect image on your tag/card, you can use the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig Tool.)

(Sample made by Gladys, hostess of workshop)

We used this stamp from "Matchbox Messages"(113800), which also coordinates with the Matchbox Bigz XL Die, to stamp onto Very Vanilla cardstock with Close to Cocoa Classic Ink Pad. Using the 1 1/4" Circle Punch, the image was punched and placed onto the scallop circle punched Sweet Slumber Designer Series Paper. We used Stampin' Up markers to highlight the flower image, but you can also use the markers on the stamp itself to get a colorful image. The finished product was then placed on top of a peppermint patty. To complete the party favor, we placed another scallop circle punched Sweet Slumber Designer Series Paper onto the back. Delicious to eat AND look at!

Rockabilly Specialty Thank You Card

My brain has been working on trying to come up with different ideas for BBQ party favors so the color scheme I have had on my mind is the classic of Red, White, and Black.  I also love the cherry print from Rockabilly Specialty Designer Series Paper; therefore, I wanted to use that in this card sketch, which works perfectly with my color scheme.

I used Loop to Loop rub-ons from the Hostess Level 3 set (Hand Drawn Bundle) as my sentiment on the scalloped punched trim. Then, I used my favorite die machine, the Big Shot by Sizzix, and the Scallop Envelope Die for my focus. I folded the flap backwards to leave a "pocket" for the additional surprise note.

 

Can't leave a card without some sparkle so I added a gemstone (sorry not Stampin' Up!) to make it look like a clutch. Added a jumbo eyelet and threaded Riding Hood Red Taffeta Ribbon through  for my accent and pull for the surprise note. I had fun with the MOJO 83 sketch challenge. 

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.)

Hello Kitty Princess

Remember the Hello Kitty Princess Invitations that I shared for my youngest daughter's birthday? If not, folllow this link. Well, I am finally posting the pictures of the party favors that I made to go along with it. The princess wand was topped with the same Hello Kitty die (using my Big Shot) and layered with the different colors of cardstock. Then, I added some bling with Stampin' Up's dazzling diamonds! (Which unfortunately, you can't see in this picture.) It was finished off with wrapping the stem with pink ribbon and a pink feather boa! 

The bag was accented with the face of Hello Kitty (another die from Sizzix) and used my Big Shot to cut faux leather to make that. Then, what girl doesn't love little sparklees (as my daughter would say)? You can never have enough! (Sorry that the close up is a little grainy). And of course, the bag was then stuffed full of Hello Kitty goodies fit for a princess! I couldn't have done this without my Big Shot, my favorite die cutting machine. IF you want to invest in one (and this Big Shot is really reasonable compared to some of the other die cutting machines out there), click here. It not only cuts through paper and fabric but a million of other materials.  You need to get one if you don't have one!

Fun Flowers

Only 10 more days and then no longer! Get connected and purchase $40 worth of products from the Occasions Mini Catalog and receive a free gift from the "Under $10" section in the Spring/Summer Idea Book & Catalog.  Here's a sample of what I did with Fun Flowers (114488) that I received as my free gift. 

Simple yet oh so cute! Don't you think? Its a thank you for a special friend who made dinner for us when she found out my husband had to have surgery for his torn achilles tendon. That's why I've been MIA from my blog! Thanks for understanding and hope you'll enjoy the many upcoming blogs to come this week! (I've got lots that I'm making up for!) And please remember to leave a comment after reading! Thanks for looking!