Party Hearty in Pacific and Chocolate!

Party Hearty is such a good set for fun cards! A number of the stamps in this set (#111532, set of 11 stamps) can be used on projects with themes other than birthdays too, making it even more versatile.

The card today is one I made at the SSUS (an online group of stampers) Shoebox Swap 2008 at the Stampin' Up! Convention in July/Aug. It was designed by Rose Kerry who chose such a great layout and color scheme. Rose chose two new In Colors, Kiwi Kiss and Pacific Point, to highlight and combined them with the adorable Chocolate Chip and Kiwi Kiss dots patterns from the Bella Rose Designer Paper. At the time of Convention, we didn't have the new InColor ribbons, so I replaced the original white grosgrain with this coordinating Pacific Point grosgrain.

I love the big "Celebrate You" round image which can be punched out with the Scallop Circle punch! So quick and easy. On this card, it is stamped with White Craft and embossed with White embossing powder.. The gift was done the same way then punched out and layered in the center with a Dimensional. TIP: Remember to use your Embossing Buddy on the cardstock before you stamp your image; this reduces the static electricity which makes those annoying little out-of-place specks of embossing powder stick to your cardstock in unwanted places!

The top part of this cupcake, the icing you might say, is also embossed. TIP: Since there are no Craft Inks in the In Colors, the trick for embossing with them is to ink your stamp well with the VersaMark pad then ink it with the colored ink pad by tapping, not rubbing (or you could rub off the VersaMark) on a well-inked pad. Stamp then emboss with clear ep. Another way to do this is to stamp your image with the Classic Ink, let it dry well for a minute, go over the image with a VersaMark pen then emboss; you would probably only want to do this on small images, because this dries fairly fast and must be embossed immediately. The icing is then cut out and layered on with a Dimensional. Love the shine the embossing provides!

Cupcakes are so cute and so popular now! Combined with some of the other images in the set, you can make a wide range of fun and appealing projects! This set is one of eight birthday sets on pages 62 through 65 in the Fall - Winter Catalog that you may purchase at 20% off with a $20 purchase during this month of October to celebrate Stampin' Up!'s 20th Birthday! How cool is that?! We get the presents! lol!

Stamps: Party Hearty
Inks: Pacific Point, VersaMark, White Craft
Paper: Bella Rose DSP; Whisper White, Baja Breeze, Kiwi Kiss, Pacific Point cardstock
Accessories: Clear EP, White EP, Close to Cocoa and Yo Yo Yellow Markers, Pacific Point grosgrain, brads from Earth Elements pack, Ticket Corner Punch, Embossing Buddy, heat tool.

Happy Friday everyone! Hope you get to stamp this weekend!

Margaret