Thankful Forest Friends

I fell for this set the first time I saw it in the new Holiday Catalog!  Those adorable animals and the thanks sentiments, the vines... love it all.  Today's card uses the cute bear - I think he might be my fave of the guys in the set, lol!

This designer paper has such beautiful fall colors in it.  Cut a strip 1-1/4" x 5" and layer it onto a 1-1/2" x 5-1/4" piece of Tangelo Twist cardstock.. 

Ink the sentiment stamp with markers and stamp onto Whisper White cardstock; punch out, then layer onto a 2-3/4" circle of Rich Razzleberry diecut with that Circle Framelit.  Layer both the strip and the circles onto a card base of 11" x 4-1/4" Mossy Meadow cardstock, folded at 5-1/2".

Just a little glimmer added with punched circles of Gold Glimmer Paper for some glitz!  Adhere them with Glue Dots and the card is ready to send!  Don't forget to decorate your envelope with these yummy colors!

Stamps:  Thankful Forest Friends
Inks:  Early Espresso ink pad; Rich Razzleberry, Mossy Meadow, Tangelo Twist, Soft Suede SU Markers
Paper:  Into the Woods Designer Paper; Gold Glimmer Paper; Whisper White, Mossy Meadow, Rich Razzleberry and Tangelo Twist cardstocks
Accessories:  1/4" Circle Punch, 2-1/2" Circle Punch, 2-3/4" Circle Framelit, Woodlands Embossing Folder, Dimensionals. 

Happy Weekend!  It's raining here today so great day for staying in and stamping!

Margaret 

Margaret Raburn, Stampin' Up! Demonstrator

Shop my Stampin' Up! Store

Golden Leaves CCMC375

Wow, Can you believe it is the first day of October?!!  And it must be Thursday because it's time for the Create with Connie and Mary Challenge!  I really like sketch challenges and  we have a fun one this week!  Here's my card:

• I chose to go with leaves for my three main elements; these are stamped with the smallest leaf stamp in the Vintage Leaves set on three colors of cardstock then embossed with gold and diecut with the Leaflets Framelits. 
• The base card is Rich Razzleberry, 8.5" x 5.5", folded in half.
• A piece of Very Vanilla cardstock cut 5" x 3.75" stamped with the Sheltering Tree in Tip Top Taupe, the ground in Sahara Sand  and the rake in Sahara Sand (all stamped off once before stamping on the Vanilla layer).  I colored the tiny leaf stamp with markers, stamped them off once then stamped onto the Vanilla layer then repeated this several times. 

 

• The sentiment was stamped in Mossy Meadow, again stamped off once before stamping on the Vanilla.
• Treated the top corners of the Vanilla cardstock with the new Curvy Corner Trio Punch.  Love that punch!
• I wrapped the Gold Cord around the Vanilla layer a number of times then adhered the diecut leaves with Dimensionals and adhered it to the Rich Razzleberry with Dimensionals.

I wanted the tree to fade into the background so the three main images, the leaves, would be the focus of the card; therefore I stamped off (also called "second generation" stamping) to make them lighter.

• Stamps:  Vintage Leaves, Sheltering Tree
• Inks:  Tip Top Taupe, Sahara Sand, Crumb Cake, Mossy Meadow, VersaMark.  Markers:  Tip Top Taupe, Rich Razzleberry, Tangelo Twist, Crushed Curry, Old Olive.
• Paper:  Very Vanilla, Rich Razzleberry,  Hello Honey, Old Olive
• Accessories:  Gold Cord, Gold Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Big Shot, Leaflets Framelits, Curvy Corner Trio Punch, Magnetic Platform, Fast Fuse, Dimensionals, Snail Adhesive.

  
Here is the sketch from Create with Connie and Mary that we are using this week.  Don't you think this is a cool sketch.  I like that it's rather different!

We would love to see what you would do with this sketch!  So play with it and see what you come up with then let us see your project also by uploading a link to your card to the challenge website at Create with Connie and Mary!  You'll also want to check out the creations of the other Challenge Team members; there's lots of inspiration going on over there!!  The Challenge Team will also stop by your card and leave you some comment love!!  How about it?!

Thanks for stopping by!  Happy Stamping!

Margaret

September Tour de Freaks!

 It's time for the September Tour De Freaks!  We're primarily featuring products reflecting this time of year ... FALL & Holidays!  We love the items in the Stampin' Up! catalogs related to this time of year so grab a cuppa' and take the tour!  We have ten 'tourguides' this time so be sure to go all the way around the tour to see everyone's creations until you end up back where you began! Welcome also to all of you who have arrived from my very talented friend Debbie Henderson's blog.  Didn't you just LOVE her projects and artistry?!!

 One of my favorite things about fall (other than losing the 100 degree temps!) is the beautiful colors of the trees and shrubs.  When I saw the Vintage Leaves set in the Annual Catalog, I could imagine them in rich fall colors and knew right then that I "needed" this set! : )

The new Leaflets Framelits are fabulous to diecut these; lucky us, we now have TWO sets of leaves that coordinate with these framelits!

Stamps:  Vintage Leaves, Endless Thanks (sentiment)
Inks:  Hello Honey, Tangerine Tango, Mossy Meadow, Rich Razzleberry
Paper:  Delightful Dijon, Mossy Meadow, Cajun Craze cardstocks; Timeless Type DSP
Accessories:  Leaflets Framelits, Lots of Labels Framelits, Washi Tape Punch, Gold Sequins, AquaPainter, Gold Thread, Boho Chic Embossing Folder

I love cute little 3-D projects that are quick and easy to make; I was really excited to see the new Square Pillow Box Thinlits in the Holiday Catalog!  It is so easy to whip up these pouches that can be decorated any way that makes you happy; you can use it for treats, small gifts and even a gift card!   

I used my Bohemian Washi Tape to decorate this one (finally!  what took me so long to use it?!)  This pouch reflects some of the richness of fall colors that are so appealing:

Stamps:  Acorny Thank You set
Inks:  Rich Razzleberry
Paper:  Bohemian Designer Paper; Delightful Dijon, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla cardstocks; Gold Glimmer Paper
Accessories:  Bohemian Washi Tape, Bitty Banners Framelits, Acorn Punch, Gold Button, Bermuda Bay Twine, Woodland Embossing Folder.  

Your next stop is the artistic Wendy Weixler.  She makes the most delightful things..you'll see!  Just click below:

Happy Stamping!
  
Margaret

Grateful for You times Two!

Happy Day before Thanksgiving!  I have my last fall creations to share today:  a card and a Curvy Keepsake box all decorated for sharing your gratitude! 

Stamps:  Merry Everything (Grateful for You - Tag), For All Things (leaf and oval grateful sentiment)
Inks:  Soft Suede, Blackberry Bliss
Paper:  Crumb Cake, Mossy Meadow, Blackberry Bliss, Tangelo Twist, Gold Glimmer Paper
Accessories:  Autumn Accents die (diecuts), Burlap Ribbon, Note Tag Punch, Curvy Keepsake Box Thinlit, Big Shot, Woodgrain Embossing Folder, Large Oval Punch, Dimensionals, Glue Dots.

Thanks for dropping by today!  I want you to know that I am very thankful for your visits, comments and encouragement as we share our enjoyment of stamping and papercrafting!

Have a lovely holiday!
 

Margaret

Fall Fest! CCMC330

Hello!  Today we have a very colorful combination for our Create with Connie and Mary Thursday Challenge!  The In Colors of Hello Honey, Tangelo Twist and Blackberry Bliss make for a delicious creative combo!  Yum!

I love these pumpkins from the Fall Fest set and the Fun Fall Framelits to die cut them in a snap!  I thought I might be about to put them away to work on Christmas but they were just too perfect for these colors.  I made a card that could be used for a personal thank you note or for a Thanksgiving card to let someone know how grateful you are for them.

The pumpkins were inked with Hello Honey then the edge sponged with Tangelo Twist before stamping.  The "thanks" stamp was sponged in the center with Tangelo Twist then the edges with Blackberry Bliss; where the colors overlapped gave a lovely bronze-like color and when the pumpkins were added, you really don't even see the pure Tangelo Twist. Hmm.  This layer was added to layers of Tangelo Twist and Hello Honey.

The "Thankful for" was diecut with the Bitty Banners and backed with a Blackberry Bliss diecut banner which was cut in half and added to the back. Some Blendability-colored Rhinestones add the final touch.

Stamps:  Fall Fest (pumpkins), Seasonally Scattered (background), Truly Grateful (sentiment)
Inks:  Hello Honey, Tangelo Twist, Blackberry Twist. 
Papers:  Moonlight DSP Stack; Hello Honey, Tangelo Twist, Blackberry Twist, Whisper White cardstocks
Accessories:  Rhinestones, Fun Fall Framelits, Bitty Banner Framelits, Stampin' Sponges, Blackberry Bliss Ribbon

Here again is the Color Challenge from Create with Connie and Mary this week: 

Be sure to check out the cards the other Challenge Design Team members made with these gorgeous colors!  Just go to Create with Connie and Mary and while you're there also see the guidelines for joining us in this challenge!  It's fun and also helpful to give one a starting place for a project!!

Thanks for visiting... and keep on stamping! : )

 Margaret

Seasonally Scattered Thanks!

At last months demonstrator meeting we made a trio of fall projects; one was this card made with the Seasonally Scattered set.  We used the same "thumping" technique that I used on the "Merry" card posted Sunday.

The "thanks" stamp was inked with Crumb Cake and stamped onto the Very Vanilla cardstock (3"x4.5") then using the Thumping technique, additional colors were added with Cajun Craze, Tangelo Twist and Blackberry Bliss Markers.  We had previously  diecut three sheets of cardstock (Blackberry Bliss, Tangelo Twist and Mossy Meadow) and one sheet of Gold Glimmer Paper all at once using the Autumn Accents die and used these leaves an all three of our Make 'n Takes that day.  Yarn from the Burlap Ribbon was then tied around the card.

Behind the Very Vanilla piece a 5" x 3.5" layer of Blackberry Bliss was adhered and this was then layered on a standard card (8.5" x 5.5") of Soft Suede cardstock.  The leaves and acorn were adhered together with Glue Dots then tucked underneath the knot of burlap yarn for the finishing touch!  

Such a simple but lovely fall card, AND easily duplicated for multiple cards!  Great Make 'n Take too!

Have a great day!

Margaret

Check out Stampin' Up!'s current WEEKLY DEALS right HERE!   

Available Nov. 4 - 10, 2014 only.

Gently Falling CCMC276

There's a lovely Color Challenge over at Create with Connie and Mary today:  Real Red, Coastal Cabana and Smoky Slate.  I had the Gently Falling set out on my stamping desk so decided to go with a non-traditional fall get well card for a friend who just had surgery.

 

The larger Smoky Slate background was stamped with the lines from Gorgeous Grunge using Whisper White Craft Ink.  

The smaller Smoky Slate layer was stamped with the woven chevron stamp from the Truly Grateful set then lightly stamped with Coastal Cabana and the splatter stamp.  Whisper White cardstock was stamped with Coastal Cabana lines then the sentiment in Real Red.

The more solid leaf was stamped with Coastal Cabana and the outlines with Real Red then quickly heat embossed with Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder for some sparkle (which you can just barely see in the above picture)!  The narrow Real Red Ribbon and Rhinestones complete the card.

Stamps:  Gently Falling, Gorgeous Grunge, Express Yourself, Truly Grateful

Papers:  Real Red, Smoky Slate, Whisper White cardstock

Ink:  Real Red, Coastal Cabana,  Whisper White Craft

Accessories:  1/8" Real Red Taffeta Ribbon, Paper Snips, Rhinestones, Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder, Heat Tool.

Here again is the color challenge this week:

Be sure and visit the Create with Connie and Mary website to see all the great challenge cards made by the other Challenge Team members!  How about you trying this challenge yourself...are you game?   Come on.. it's fun!

Thanks for visiting today!  Happy stampin'!

Margaret

...currently in progress, but not too late to join and have it all!

Truly Grateful for Fall!

I'm so thankful that we are enjoying a bit more of cooler fall weather here in Oklahoma! !!  Cool nights and sunny days that still have a nice cool breeze... just about perfect!!  And I'm also thankful for the group of InkDemos that "adopted" me because my upline is five hundred miles away!  We had a meeting this last Saturday and this card designed by Beverly Kissler was our Make 'n Take! 

Stamps:  Gently Falling (leaves), Truly Grateful (sentiment)
Inks:  Chocolate Chip, Cajun Craze, Crushed Curry, Crumb Cake
Paper:  Sweater Weather DSP; Cajun Craze, Crumb Cake and Very Vanilla cardstock
Tools:  Big Shot, Stylish Stripes TIEF, Apothecary Accents Framelit, Paper Snips, Stampin' Sponge.

Truly Grateful set   #131730 wood     #131733 clear-mount  Pg. 19, Holiday Catalog

Apothecary Accents Framelits     #127003    $24.95   Pg. 187  Annual Catalog

All items used here are from Stampin' Up!  You may purchase these and all Stampin' Up! products from my online Stampin' Up! ordering website HERE.   
If you are ordering online, the current Hostess Code is RTYSBTAY.
 
If the total amount of everyone ordering with this code goes over $150. I will draw a name from those ordering to win FREE Hostess Benefits!  This number is valid through Thursday, Oct. 24, 2013, but your online order using this code will be packed and shipped shortly after you finalize it!
 
Hope you enjoy!  Happy Monday!

Margaret

Autumn Accents Birthday

There's a great color combination over at Create with Connie and Mary that I wanted to use for an early fall birthday card;  the challenge is to use Soft Sky, Chocolate Chip and Crushed Curry.   I saw a card in a magazine that inspired me so when I saw these colors, I combined the ideas and came up with this card:

The leaves were diecut from the wonderful Sweater Weather Designer Paper in the Holiday Catalog.  Very Vanilla cardstock is the card base as well as the next layer, which was textured with the Big Shot and the Woodgrain Textured Impressions Embossing Folder.  The Soft Sky leaf was folded in half then textured with the same folder.  Cool, hum?

Crushed Curry ink was very lightly applied on the edges of the woodgrain layer as well as very lightly on the layer itself in places; the framelit circle and sentiment banner edges were also sponged with the same color for definition.  I added a little splattering to the background with Soft Sky and a splatter stamp.  The Rhinestones were colored with yellow and orange Sharpie makers to match the Crushed Curry.

Here is the color combo  for the challenge:

Stamps:  Express Yourself (hostess set), Gorgeous Grunge
Inks:  Chocolate Chip, Crushed Curry, Soft Sky
Papers:  Sweater Weather DSP; Very Vanilla cardstock
Tools:  Woodgrain TIEF,  2-3/4" Circles Framelit, Big Shot, Stampin' Sponge
Accessories:  Rhinestones, Linen Thread, buttons from the Neutrals, Regals and Subtles Collections.

All items are from Stampin' Up!  You may purchase these and all Stampin' Up! products from my online Stampin' Up! website HERE.  Once there just click on the "Shop Now" link.  Thank you so much for your support! 

While there, you may also wish to check out the Clearance Rack since new items were just added by Stampin' Up!  Great products for great prices!

Thanks for visiting today!  How about you trying out the color challenge yourself!  It's fun to see what you come up with!

Blessings,

Margaret

Blooming with Kindness in Curry and Brown

Here I am again with one of my favorite sets, Blooming with Kindness!  I like it anytime of the year, but since we're approaching fall, I find myself reaching for it even more often!

I had this Oval Accents Die cut out of Baked Brown Sugar cardstock sitting on my stamping desk already embossed with the Chevron embossing folder; just a great background waiting to be used!  The polka dot background is Chocolate Chip and Whisper White from the Neutrals Paper Stack.  I just love the Paper Stacks because you get all this wonderful DSP in every color of a given color family;  I am so glad I recently ordered this because the Chocolate Chip was just perfect for this card!  The card base is Crushed Curry.

The flower image was inked with Crushed Curry then I used the "thumping" technique (which is also called by other names which I can't remember right now...).  This is done by randomly tapping my (Calypso Coral) marker on the inked stamp and then stamping; this adds "flecks" of color to the image and gives it a cool look.  I then cut it out with a Window Frame Framelit and used the Festive Paper Piercing Pack template and piercing tool for the piercing around the edge.

A strip of Crushed Curry Chevron Ribbon was added to the left end and a Calypso Coral Button tied with Linen Thread adorns it.  The "Thanks" sentiment, stamped in Chocolate Chip, is part of an image from the Harvest of Thanks set. 

I never thought about putting these colors, Crushed Curry, Baked Brown Sugar and Chocolate Chip, together before I started this card, but I really like how they look in person! 

Thanks for visiting today!  Hope you enjoy the card!   Remember to come back tomorrow as I'll have my card up for the next Create with Connie and Mary Challenge, #268!  See you then!

Blooming with Kindness

Window Frame Framelit Dies   #129021

Oval Accents Clear Bigz Die    #127005

Chevron Texture Impressions Embossing Folder  #127749

Any or all of these items can be purchased through my secure online Stampin' Up! store website here:  http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/margaret/   Once there just click on the "Shop Now" button.   Thanks for shopping with me!

Warmly,

Margaret

Pumpkin Happy Birthday CCMC266

Time for another Thursday challenge from Create with Connie and Mary, and today it is a color challenge:  Chocolate Chip, Tangerine Tango and Crushed Curry!

I recently got the Perfectly You Hostess set and the Halloween Happiness single pumpkin stamp from the Holiday Catalog and thought what with the colors this week, this would be a great chance to combine all these for a fun little banner on a card.  

The Sweater Weather Designer Series Paper was used for two of the banners as it has all three of these challenge colors.  The two pumpkins on the ends are from the Halloween Happiness set and were colored with markers, stamped then punched out with the Hexagon Punch.  The center pumpkin is from the Perfectly You set.  Linen Thread with Glue Dots holds the banners.

The card base is Crushed Curry.  A layer of Chocolate Chip Core-dinations cardstock was dry embossed with the Woodgrain embossing folder and the Big Shot then sanded to reveal the lighter core.   The Happy Birthday greeting is stamped onto another Crushed Curry print from the same Sweater Weather package. 

Here again is the color scheme for the Create with Connie and Mary Thursday Challenge this week: 

Check out all the other cards from the fabulous CCMC Design Team members on the CCMC blog!  Also, check out the challenge guidelines while you're there then create your own card using these colors!

Stamps:  Bring on the Cake, Halloween Happiness, Perfectly You.

Inks:  Chocolate Chip, Tangerine Tango; Tangerine Tango, Old Olive and Soft Suede Markers

Papers:  Sweater Weather Designer Series Paper; Crushed Curry and Very Vanilla cardstock; Chocolate Chip Core-dinations from the Neutrals Core-dinations Pack.

Accessories:  Linen Thread, Hexagon Punch, Hearts a Flutter Framelits (two banners), Brights Designer Buttons, Neutrals Designer Buttons, Candy Dot, Sanding Block, Big Shot.

Thanks for joining me today!  Hope you enjoy all the designer's cards for this challenge and give this challenge a try yourself!

Margaret

Blooming with Kindness Tango

Today is the last day to sign up for the Fall Collection Early Bird Special at Create with Connie and Mary and also Blog Candy! All week we have been celebrating fall stamps, colors and other fall-inspired products from the new Holiday Catalog!  Here's one of my favorite stamps that, although not new, looks great in fall colors and combined with new Fall products from the Holiday Catalog!!

What a great flower is this chrysanthemum bloom!  I stamped it in Tangerine Tango ink onto Very Vanilla cardstock and added a few speckles of Crushed Curry.  It was diecut with a Deco Label Framelit.

The card base is Chocolate Chip treated with the new Stylish Stripes Textures Impressions Embossing Folder (TIEF).. such a sophisticated design!  The banners are strips of the beautiful new fall designer paper, Sweater Weather.

The sentiment is from Itty Bitty Banners and cut out with the coordinating framelit from the Bitty Banners Framelits.  It is stamped in Chocolate Chip and a touch of Tangerine Tango added with the Marker.  A Chocolate Chip button tied with twine finishes it.  The entire card was spritzed with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spray, which is somewhat visible in the top photo; this gives it a pretty shimmer and sheen.

Stamps:  Blooming with Kindness, Itty Bitty Banners

Inks:  Tangerine Tango pad and Marker, Chocolate Chip

Paper:  Sweater Weather Designer Paper, Tangerine Tango, Very Vanilla, Sahara Sand card stocks

Accessories:  Neutrals Designer Buttons, Calypso Coral Baker's Twine, Vanilla Smooch Spritz

Tools:  Stylish Stripes TIEF, Big Shot, Deco Labels Framelits

Hope you enjoy the card today!  Don't forget to visit Create with Connie and Mary today, Saturday; you might win a free subscription to the Fall Collection which begins tomorrow, Sunday, August 24!

Gently Falling Leaves

Happy Wednesday everybody!  This is Preview Week over at Create with Connie and Mary so I wanted to make another fall card, this time using one of my favorite techniques, acrylic block stamping, and a favorite fall leaf set:  Gently Falling!

 

The multi-colored background is made by applying inks to Stampin' Up! Acrylic Block I, spritzing this with water then stamping it onto Very Vanilla paper (you can use other papers too).  Be sure and let the inks all soak in before lifting the block off.  Let the paper dry but not curl.  Then stamp onto it.

I chose to use the outline leaves from the set and stamped them in the same colors that I used on the background:  Rich Razzleberry, Bermuda Bay, Old Olive and Crushed Curry.  I used the splatter stamp from Gorgeous Grunge to add some specks and give it some depth; I did stamp the ink off once before stamping on the cardfront. 

 

I stamped a leaf on Bermuda Bay cardstock, cut it out and added some more colors with Sponge Daubers to give it some variation.  For the sentiment, I used the Bigz Autumn Accents Die, Crushed Curry and the Big Shot to cut out the leaf.  I stamped on it with Rich Razzleberry, sponged ink on the edges then added a few speckles.  I added this and the hand-cut leaf to the front with Dimensionals and Snail Adhesive then finished with a Rich Razzleberry button from the Regals Designer Buttons, double tied with Linen Thread.  I was quite happy with the way this color combination turned out for the technique and leaves; what do you think?

You'll want to go to the Create with Connie and Mary website today for sure!  There is another FREE tutorial available for download, plus blog candy!!  Sign up to win a free subscription to Create with Connie and Mary Fall Collection which will begin this Sunday, August 25th!   If you subscribe this week, you will get a reduced price for the Collection too, but only until Saturday night.

Here's my recipe for today's card:

Stamps:  Gently Falling, sentiment from Regarding Dahlias

Inks:  Rich Razzleberry, Bermuda Bay, Old Olive, Crushed Curry

Paper:  Very Vanilla, Rich Razzleberry, Bermuda Bay

Accessories:  Regals Designer Button, Linen Thread, Autumn Accents Die, Big Shot, Sponge Daubers, Dimensionals and Snail Adhesive.

Gently Falling set of 12   #128430  $39.95;   #123804c  $28.95

You can order these and any Stampin' Up! products through my online store 24/7!  Just go to margaret.stampinup.net, then click on "Shop Now" and start shopping!  : )  

The current hostess code is             CAQH9RZU

After you have entered your first item number , just enter this code in the lower left-hand area of the order screen, then continue entering the remaining items you are ordering, or finalize your order.  Thank you for shopping with me!

Thanks for visiting today!  Leave me a message and let me know you were here?  Thx!

Margaret