Elegant Bouquet Embossing

Have you seen the new Textured Impressions Embossing Folders in Stampin' Up!'s new catalog? They are wonderful! They give such deep embossing so quickly with just one pass through the Big Shot machine!

The card I'm posting today uses the Elegant Bouquet Embossing Folder. It has such a strong and elegant design that it stands alone quite well, even (or especially) in white! I only added a greeting and a butterfly in the same color as the card stock base for an accent. What impressive embossing and it was SO easy! One of the things I really like about this embossing folder is that there is a flat space on which you can stamp after you've embossed. Oh, the possibilities! Using these folders, you can make quick, easy and stunning cards!

The picture on the right is a close-up showing the embossing detail.

Stamps: Great Friend (butterfly), Sincere Salutations
Ink: Orchid Opulence, Old Olive
Paper: Whisper White, Orchid Opulence
Accessories: Elegant Bouquet Embossing Folder, Big Shot, Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Paper Snips.

I'm still working on swaps and other projects for convention! It's going to be fun! Wish you were going too!

Thanks for coming by for a visit! Come back soon!

Margaret

Parisian Breeze Box Purse

These little purses made with the Box #2 die are so much fun to make! I made this one for a Hostess gift this week and filled it with goodies for her. These Specialty Designer Papers are so great to work with because of the cardstock weight and nice texture! I was sad to see this Parisian Breeze package retire a few weeks ago but still enjoy using it!

I chose to use the plaid side of the DSP on the outside and the petite flowers make a nice "lining" and a pretty surprise for the inside. I also used some Kraft cardstock and the dainty floral for the embellishment and trim on the outside.

Coordinating Baja Breeze ribbon is used for the handle. The flap is cut with one of the dies from the Lots of Tags set of Sizzlits and it was layered

on Kraft cardstock. A Baja Breeze button centered with a silver mini brad is added to the flap; a hook and loop square is used for fastening.

No inks or stamps used!

Paper: Parisian Breeze Designer Series Specialty

paper; Kraft card stock

Accessories: Lots of Tags Sizzlits, Big Shot, Baja Breeze button, Silver Mini Brad, hookj and loop fastener

These boxes are easy and fun to make and give filled with small treasures or candy! I have a couple more to share another time!

Thanks for dropping by today! Welcome back soon!

Margaret

Blogger's Challenge 109 - Christmas in July!

This week's Blogger's Challenge is "Christmas in July"! So where are my Christmas stamps? Eeks! Under my swaps-in-progress somewhere?!

I'm in the middle of swaps for convention, I have my newest sets out on my worktable and I had this background I had done previously. Hmm... this could work! Taken with Teal would look good with Real Red for a Christmas card! I put these squares together in a whirly-gig pattern, attached them to white cardstock and zipped it through the Big Shot with the Top Note Die! The edges were lightly sponged with Real Red. Layer it on Taken with Teal with Dimensionals then on a Whisper White card; wrap it with the wonderful new Real Red 3/4" Polka Dot grosgrain ribbon! Okay! Now we're moving!

For the center image I colored the stylized flower image in the set with markers and stamped it on white cardstock. I rounded the corners then layered it on Taken with Teal. I added a medium red Fire Rhinestone brad and Dazzling Diamonds glitter. This was centered on the Top Note background and adhered with Dimensionals. Viola! It's a Razzle Dazzle Christmas card!! Christmas card #1 for this year!

I'm pretty happy with it. Some of the color in the image looks washed out but it's because of the glitter on it. Anyway, it was fun to make a Christmas card out of a set that wasn't necessarily intended to be Christmas-y. It looks a little Scandinavian or something to me! Do you think?

Stamps: Razzle Dazzle
Ink: Real Red, Taken with Teal (marker)
Paper: Whisper White, Taken with Teal
Accessories: Big Shot, Top Note Die, Real Red Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon, Corner Rounder, Circle Fire Red Rhinestone brad, Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds glitter.

Click here to see what the other participants did for this challenge today! I'm sure you'll find some wonderful projects and be inspired by their talent!

Thanks for dropping by for a visit! Leave me a hello so I know you were here! :)

Margaret

Swap Sneek Peek

Here's a little sneak peek for you of one of the swaps I've been working on for convention. I'm using the brand new Flower Folds Big Shot die; it has four sizes of these wonderful flowers on that die. The centers are stamped with a stamp from the Circle Circus set. I'll post the final card during convention :)

Remember the Stampin' Up! Deal of the Week is the beautiful Styled Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware for $18.99 instead of the usual $29.95! Order this fabulous deal by Sunday July 26.

More soon!

Margaret

Gone Stitching: Blogger's Challenge #108!

Today's challenge for us Blogger's Challengers is "stitching" on a project. It can be real stitching with a machine or by hand, or "faux stitching". I chose the "faux stitching" for my "faux purse". Is nothing real anymore? lol!

Well, to answer my own question, my appreciation for the Big Shot is real and growing everytime I use it to make something fun, easy, pretty and/or that I would never cut out by hand! lol!

I made another box with my Box #2 Die! No surprise there! I was inspired by Julia Bettencourt's purses and wanted to try it myself so... what could be better for a purse than suede? Soft Suede, that is, one of SU's new In Colors for this year! And of course, we need stitching on our bag for that casual sporty look we love so I added it with the journaling tip of my new In Color Stampin' Write Marker (hooray!) in the same Soft Suede color!

I added a 3/4" strip of card stock onto the front flap that normally would be inserted into the box, then enhanced it with a Sizzix die cut from the Lots of Tags Sizzlet set (of 4). A nice thick small Circle Brad enhances the look. I added a 7/8" strip of cardstock for the handle and inserted a Silver Mini Brad on each side to secure it and add some more of that touch of metal we like on our purses.

Hmm, all that suede made me long for a little color so I added it in the form of a colorful lining! The beautiful Autumn Traditions Designer Series Paper was just perfect! Some of the designs incorporate Soft Suede in the color scheme and, even though this one didn't, it still complements it. Isn't that print gorgeous"!

As you can see, I did faux stitching around each panel on the "purse", the lid/flap and the piece on the front. You can't see the stitching on the handle, but it's there. The final touch of silver is the chain with a small Filagree Flower on it. You know every designer handbag has to have it's signature symbol thing-y! LOL!

Inks: Soft Suede Stampin' Write Marker from In Color Marker assortment of 6
Paper: Autumn Traditions DSP; Soft Suede card stock
Tools: Big Shot, Box #2 Die, Lots of Tags set of 4 Sizzlets dies.
Accessories: Circle Brads, Filagree Brads, Silver brads, key chain.

I hope you enjoy my "faux" stitching project. I feel a little bit guilty since I used to teaching sewing and clothing construction and went the "faux" route today but... naw, not really. :) It was fun!

Have a Happy Friday and a great weekend! Stamp a little.. it's good therapy!

Margaret

p.s. Everything is from Stampin' Up! but the key chain. All these products can be ordered directly from my Stampin' Up! website here or through me (funstampin @ cox.net). Thanks!

It's A Circle Circus!

One of the sets that demonstrators could pre-order from the new 2009-2010 Idea Book and Catalog was the one I used for this card today, Circle Circus. It is a set of ten stamps, all round and of varying sizes and designs. It's a greatly versatile set as you can make your own backgrounds in whatever colors you wish or they can be used for focal points on your cards too!

I used several of the new In Colors on this card and I'm really really liking them: Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry and Bermuda Bay. Don't those names sound yummy?! I also used one of our great standard colors, So Saffron.

I used several of the stamps and colors to stamp a background on the Whisper White card stock. You can stamp a whole sheet of cardstock like this and then cut it up to use on a number of cards...it's a great timesaver! I used a piece on the So Saffron card stock for the top of the card. For the bottom, I ran the Rich Razzleberry through the Big Shot with the new Perfect Details Texturz Plate. I love the lattice look it gives. The sentiment was stamped on So Saffron and punched out with the Word Window Punch.

For the focal point, I stamped one of the larger stamps from the set on So Saffron with VersaMark and heat embossed it with White embossing powder. This was punched out with the Scallop Circle Punch, a smaller punch added to the center with a Dimensional and the whole unit layered over the Bermuda Bay Polka Dot Ribbon which centers the card.

Stamps: Circle Circus
Ink: Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry, Bermuda Bay, So Saffron, VersaMark
Paper: Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White, So Saffron
Accessories: Scallop Circle Punch, Word Window Punch, Big Shot, Perfect Detail Texturz Plates (new), Bermuda Bay Polka Dot Grosgrain ribbon, Snail Adhesive.

This is a fun new set with lots of possibilities. Hope you have an opportunity to play with it soon!

Thanks for visiting today! Take care, and hope to "see" you soon!

Margaret

Today it's... Lions and Zebras and Owls, Oh My!

This cute little "tote" is made from two of the Box #2 Diecut boxes put together back to back. You'll remember that yesterday I used a single one of this same box diecut and decorated it as a purse. Today it's a double tote! What a fun little box this is and it's just right to hold small gifts, candy or other treats.

I chose the new Tall Tales Designer Series Paper as my theme and color scheme. (Tall Tales has a wonderful combination of colors and the most adorable animals on it: lions, zebras, elephants, alligators and owls. It's a very contemporary style that seems to be somewhat sophisticated also.)

Two boxes were diecut from Brilliant Blue card stock, folded on the scored lines except for the lid and the backs and lids were joined with Sticky Strip. The brand new Modern Label Punch was used to cut the opening out of the joined lids for a handle. A strip of the colorful Tall Tales DSP was wrapped around the tote and the front was embellished with punches. An owl stamped with the coordinating set Animal Stories adorns the front. Fill it with your chosen goodies and it's an adorable gift for your special recipient!

Stamp sets: Animal Stories (owl), #116716, set of 4, $15.95
Ink: Rose Red, Chocolate Chip
Paper: Tall Tales DSP, #115678, $9.95; Brilliant Blue 12 x 12", #106540, $7.50; So Saffron, Whisper White card stock
Accessories: Box #2 Die, #114518, #34.95; Big Shot, #113439, $99.95; Scallop Circle Punch, 1 1/4", 1 3/8" Circle Punches, Modern Label Punch, So Saffron grosgrain ribbon (SAB, retired), Signo White Gel Pen, Dimensionals.

You can order any of these products on my Stampin' Up! website here. When you arrive there, just click on the "Shop Now" button in the upper right-hand corner under my name. Thanks!

I appreciate your visit today! Come back soon!

Margaret

New Stamps, New Paper, New Ribbon, OH MY!!

Have you seen the new 2009-2010 Stampin' Up! Idea Book and Catalog? If you haven't, contact your demonstrator to get your copy today! It is full of wonderful things to enjoy!

Today I'm featuring a little "purse" made with the Box #2 Bigz XL Die. It makes a little box about 1" deep, 2" high and 3 3/4" long. I die cut it out of Chocolate Chip 12" x 12" card stock using my Big Shot. I stamped it in VersaMark with the snowflakes trio stamp from the Christmas Punch Hostess Level II stamp set which, as a demo perk, I was able to pre-order before the catalog went "live". For the flap, I cut the larger Scallop Circle #2 die out of the snowflakes paper in the new Merry Moments Designer Series Paper ; I cut another one from Very Vanilla card stock to layer underneath for body.

A red button from the new Playground button assortment with a Jumbo silver brad inserted in the center is placed on the front with Velcro underneath which fastens the front of the "purse"; the wonderful new 3/4" Real Red Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon is attached for the handle. A gift tag was made using a stamp from the same Christmas Punch set then punched out with the Scalloped Oval punch and tied on with silver cord.

These little boxes (or "purses") can be used to hold small gifts of candy, jewelry (oh yeah!), or whatever you can come up with! The box can also be used for table favors for guests too!

Stamps: Christmas Punch (Level II Hostess set)
Ink: Old Olive, Real Red, VersaMark
Paper: Merry Moments Designer Series Paper; Chocolate Chip and Very Vanilla cardstock
Accessories: Playground buttons, Jumbo silver brad, Real Red Polka Dot ribbon, Scalloped Oval Punch, Big Shot, Scallop Circles #2 Die, Box #2 Die, Sticky Strip, Snail Adhesive, silver cord (retired).

This was fun and easy to make! The Big Shot and Dies do the hard work for you! Hope you will try one...you'll like it!

Thanks for visiting today! Be safe, and stamp some for enjoyment! (It's good therapy!) :)

Margaret

More Birthday Cards to Share

I have two more lovely hand-made birthday cards to share with you today! I love getting hand-stamped cards because they speak of the time and care someone took to make it so what a treat to receive these for my birthday!

These cards were made by two wonderful stampers, with whom I've gotten acquainted via on-line stampers groups. Both are Stampin' Up! demonstrators and we are in stamping groups that share ideas and information. What fun!

The first card on the right was made by Mary Jo Price-Williams. She is also known as Technostamper who does the Monday Sketch Challenges. MJ is a prolific, creative and adventurous stamper! She is fearless at combining colors, papers and stamps and they always turn out great! (At least the ones she shows us, LOL! Just kidding, MJ!) Thanks for the fun card using some gone but not forgotten and much-loved In Colors!

The card on the left was made by Angie Tieman. It looks like she tore the flower layers out but actually they are punched or cut-out circles which have been distressed by the Distressing Tool in the Cutter Kit. She stacked the circles, attached a button and laid them over a stem which is from the True Friend set. What a cute idea which I may just have to CASE!! : ) Angie has recently been chosen as one of the ten Artisan Award Winners for Stampin' Up! demonstrators for the second year out of three that it has been awarded! Fabulous!! And she is just as sweet as she is enormously creative! I've had the pleasure of meeting Angie in the Dallas area and also at Stampin' Up! Convention (coming up soon)!

Thanks ladies for the wonderful cards! You really brought joy and pleasure to my birthday!

Thanks for dropping by today everyone! Have a wonderful weekend and come back soon!

Margaret

Kind and Caring Thoughts, BC #107 and TSSC #76!

CASE another Blogger's Challenge member is our Blogger's Challenge #107! We can use their layout, color scheme, or some other aspect of their card, or basically be inspired by it. The definition of "CASE" varies: Copy And Steal Everything, Copy And Share Everything or Copy and Stamp Exactly! The stampers in this group are tremendously talented so it was easy to be inspired but difficult to choose just one thing to "case"!!

I decided to case this beautiful card that Claudia Perry had done for Technostamper's Challenge on Monday. Since this was Mary Jo Price-Williams' layout sketch, it seems I cased Mary Jo also! (Plus I didn't get my Technostamper Monday Sketch Challenge #76 done Monday so this takes care of that too!) :)

I had recently purchased the Scalloped Oval Frame die for the Big Shot and even though I had wanted it a lot, I just hadn't had the opportunity to use it yet so this was a perfect time! I also have new In Colors, stamps and Designer Paper that I wanted to work with. Hence I came up with my card!

I used the very same stamp set that Claudia did; however, instead of the flower I used the stamp that looks like gingko leaves and stamped it once, then stamped it gently again twice without reinking. I love this stamp set and it has some great words included in it; you can earn this by booking a party with your demonstrator, and you'll be so glad you did!

Stamps: Kind and Caring Thoughts (Hostess Level 3 set), Great Friend (butterfly)
Inks: Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, Orchid Opulence
Paper: Cottage Wall Designer Paper; Vellum; Whisper White, Rich Razzleberry and Orchid Opulence card stocks
Tools: Big Shot, Scallop Oval die, 1 1/6" hole punch, Paper Snips, Distress Texturz Plate
Accessories: Ice Circle Brads, Stampin Sponge, Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter (on butterfly)

Check out what the other members did with this challenge; click here to see a list of the stampers in the Blogger's Challenge group, then click on their individual name to view their blog.

Thanks for coming by today! Have a great weekend and try to stay cool. It is to be 103 degrees here today and continue through next week; we are under heat warnings! Me? I'll be inside today, hopefully stamping on my swaps for convention the first of August! lol!

Margaret

Birthday Cards

I was so excited to receive some lovely handmade birthday cards for my June birthday! What a treat! I want to share a couple of them them with you today! (I finally got them photographed, etc.!)

The first one is a girly dress card made by Susan Timmerman. I adore these cards made with the Big Shot and Scallop Circle Die and cut into a dress shape! Love the belt and embellishment too! I haven't gotten around to making one yet and I'm so tickled to have one of my own now! Thank you so much, Susan!

The second is a Top Note Die card stamped by Jane Giggy with the wonderful Fifth Avenue Floral set! Do you have it yet? If not, you need it! It's so much more versatile than you can imagine! New 2009-10 In Colors were used for this card, and the background is gorgeous new Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Paper... doesn't that name just make your mouth water?! lol! This DP is in the new In Colors also Notice the gorgeous Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon....again new and in the In Colors!

Did you notice that both of these cards use die cuts made with the top die cutting machine, the Big Shot?! There are many new dies and folders for the Big Shot in the new 2009-10 Catalog and I'm eager to get some of them! The Big Shot and dies just exponentially increase your options when stamping, scrapping or crafting!

Thanks, ladies for the lovely cards! I've have more birthday cards to post soon.

Thanks for visiting today!

Margaret

Blogger's Challenge #106 The Red White & Blue!

Happy Fourth of July, everyone! Happy Birthday, U.S.A.!! And Happy Canada Day on July 1st to our Canadian neighbors!

This week's Blogger's Challenge is to Wave the Flag, the Red White & Blue!! Since I don't have any current patriotic sets, I chose to use the new Razzle Dazzle set out of the new Stampin' Up! Idea Book and Catalog! I love using this block stamp that has all the cool pattern stripes as my background. I trimmed these blocks then attached them to a piece of Whisper White card stock in a rotating pattern then layered that onto Real Red card stock.

The large floral image of the set was stamped in Brilliant Blue ink onto the Brilliant Blue card stock then punched with the Large Star Punch. This was layered onto white cardstock, trimmed and accented with a Clear Rhinestone brad.

Brilliant Blue was used for the card base; this was stamped in Brilliant Blue with the same floral image as was the star. Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon was layered over White Organza Ribbon and attached off-center to the card then the red image block was attached with Dimensionals. Three white dots were added with the Signo White Gel Pen using the Mat Pack and Template.

Stamps: Razzle Dazzle

Inks: Brilliant Blue, Real Red

Paper: Whisper White, Real Red, Brilliant Blue

Accessories: Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon, White Organza Ribbon, Dimensionals, Signo White Gel Pen, Mat Pack and Template, clear Rhinestone Brad

You can see what the other BC players did with this weeks challenge by going here, then clicking on their name.

I hope you have a fun and safe July Fourth!! Thanks for dropping by and have a great weekend!

Margaret