Circle of Friendship / Cute Layout

This is one of my favorite layouts ever! The main card is cut 4 1/4" x 9 3/4" and scored at 5 1/2". The top Designer Paper is cut 4x4" and the bottom is cut 4"x 1 1/2".

The circles are attached on the bottom half only, just to the back of the card, with 2 Dimensionals. Then I've punched a 1 3/8" half circle (a little more than a half circle) out of the top part of the card. That part of the card hooks behind the top part of the circle and stays in place by the top part of the circle.

Man - this is hard to explain with words! Easy to show in person though. If you have questions, leave a comment and I'll try to explain a little better. My friend Teri introduced me to this layout and we have used it to death! We love it! The stamp set I used for the polka dot background was Polka Dots & Petals. I used the Stamp-a-ma-jig to get it lined up perfectly.

Year after Year Birthday

Here is yet another simple card. I used the See You Around Jumbo Wheel in the background and colored the present with the Stampin' Pastels. I added a square rhinestone for a little dimension. This little touch of ribbon is a good way to go when you want to add something, but are someone who tends to hoard your ribbon, or you have lots of one card to make! ;) I was doing this card as a make & take at a beginner workshop, and wasn't sure how many people to plan on, so it worked out great.

I let them choose between using the present stamp or the flowers (also in the Year after Year set) and then they could choose which greeting they wanted from the Happy Everything set. (NOTE TO SELF: Pastels and lots of beginning stampers don't go well together!)

Thanks for Everything / Lots of Dots Wheel

This is kind of a simple card. It is just on a vanilla piece of card stock. NO layering......unusual for me! I used the Lots of Dots wheel from the Occasions Mini Catalog at the top and used the Wheel Guide to keep it straight. Next I stamped the "thanks" and the flower, which is from the Priceless set. I think I should've used something to keep the thanks straight! I wrapped the 5/8" olive ribbon around the card and held it in place with a little Sticky Strip, then added a Square Rhinestone, using the Crop-o-dile to punch the circle out. Don't you love that tool?

Wonderful You Smear

When Wonderful You went on special, I had been wanting it for a while. I ordered it right away. My friend Cindy was wanting some ideas for a class she was working on, so this is one of the ones I threw together quickly. I'm trying to remember how I inked up the flower. ?????? I think I did the bold stamp with markers and the line stamp with StazOn. After stamping it, I gave the card stock a couple of squirts with a water spray bottle, then let the card stock dry. That is where the smeared look comes from. Some guests at a workshop thought they had spilled something on it. Nope ~ that look was actually on purpose! The artichoke card stock has the big Paisley stamp on it with VersaMark ink. That stamp makes the best backgrounds! The ribbon comes from the Theater Ribbon Originals.

Wonderful You

I made this card when this stamp set, Wonderful You, was on special. I demonstrated it at a workshop and the crowd went wild for these colors! As all of you stampers know, everything always looks better in person. The Perfectly Pomegranate flower looks a little scary on the scan, but it does match the paper very nicely, I promise! The Designer Paper I used is Bali Breeze. I've had a hard time coming up with something to do with the large design on back of this pumpkin color, but folding up the corner works well.

With cards like this one, where I can use it for a variety of occasions, I like to leave the greeting off until I know what I'd like to use it for. I file it away in my Forget Me Not Keeper (page 193 of the catalog) under "Generic" cards until I need it, and add a greeting at that time. At the workshop, I stamped the greeting diagonally, on the Pomegranate paper, right next to the Designer Paper.

Phrases for a Friend

Thanks to Tanya, my downline and bloggin' buddy for guiding me through the Friday the 13th fiasco. It is all figured out and things are find now!

Don't you love this Designer Paper??? It is one of my favorite packages, and will only be available until June 30th. It is the Afternoon Tea DP and is featured in the Occasions Mini Catalog on the right hand side of my blog. The stamp set has four stamps in it and is called Phrases for a Friend. It has this stamp, plus Congratulations, Thanks So Much and Celebrate You. It also uses several of the In Colors: Soft Sky, Wild Wasabi and Groovy Guava. These will all be retired August 10th. For the phrase, I inked the whole stamp with the Groovy Guava ink pad, then used the Chocolate Chip marker to ink the "you" and also outline the "thinking of" a little bit. Sounds a teensy bit complicated but it wasn't really.

UGH!

I loaded a bunch of cards for while I was busy for a couple of weeks, but didn't take time to write up posts for them. So now when I just went to publish one of them (Purple Heart) it goes onto the day I loaded the scan (Friday), rather than the day I wanted it published (today)!

If I have any loyal viewers out there, you'll have to be jumping back to Friday the 13th (hmm - very interesting!) for a couple of weeks for the cards I have ready to go, yet any other posts will show up as new items on a current date. Sorry about that. I'm still learning this blogging stuff. If you know me, you know I try to be very organized and I thought I was really being on the ball! :) Lesson learned!

Retiring Stamp Sets

You can now view the Retiring Stamp Sets for 2008. I also have a link on the right sidebar. These sets will be available through August 10th only. Consider hosting a workshop to earn them, but remember you can order anytime. You don't need to host or attend a workshop to place your order. The Retiring Accessories and Wheels list will be up on July 21st.

Wonderful Birthday

I made this card for a swap several months ago. I wouldn't even want to tell you how much it would cost to make! ;) I'm not sure how many different sets I used. I'm one of those who tries to use just one set per card for the most part, so a it seems like something you can duplicate, but I went a little wild with this one. I love how it turned out though! The colors are ones I don't use much: Taken with Teal and Basic Gray.

Purple Heart

This is a fun and easy card. Just one stamp! I used the cute heart from Time Well Spent. It is a hostess set this year, so if you like it, you need to hurry! :) Ooohhh! Looking a little closer, it looks like I also used the little flower and stamped it along the ripped edge a few times. I made a bunch of these and I think I only did that on this one. I'm not sure if I like it or not. It kind of blends into the Designer Paper, which is called Flowers for You. For the ribbon, I just tied a bow, and pulled one end through, so now it only has one loop instead of two. Easy!

Mr. & Mrs.

Check out this pretty card I made last night. I rarely make pretty cards! I used the same Together Forever set that I used on the black and white card below. It didn't turn out anything like I had planned when I started, but I like it so much better than what I had in mind! :) I stamped the Mr. & Mrs. in Chocolate Chip Craft Ink and embossed them with clear powder. The ribbon is from the Theater Ribbon Originals.

Inspiration Challenge

Beate has an Inspiration Challenge going on right now (you can try it too!). She chose this pillow for the Inspiration piece.

I've been wanting to play with this new set that I chose for one of Stampin' Up!'s demonstrator promotions. It is called Together Forever. I really like the wheel that coordinates with it too, however I didn't work it into this card. I just used White Craft Ink for the flowers and greeting. I tried embossing with white embossing powder, but that was a mess! I had white powder everywhere! I liked how bright it turned out though. This is a little dull, kind of gray looking, but it looks much crisper that my embossed mess did!

This card measures 4 1/2" x 11" and opens sideways. I used the white taffeta ribbon for the bow. I like to use the Horizontal Slot Punch for my ribbon. I slide it on the fold about half way and punch it out, then the ribbon slides through nicely and the card still opens like it should.

Since this is a very dark card, you can write inside with the white gel pen or for this particular card, I just cut a piece of Whisper White card stock 3 3/4" x 5" and attached to the inside. I stamped the same flower in black on the inside corner. I always stamp something on the inside corner that will coordinate with what I've done on the outside.

Hello Flowers

I made this card quite a while ago, but just came across it again. I used the Coluzzle to cut the circular flap, then the Crafter's Tool Kit to punch the stitching line, and finally, the Cutter Kit to rough up the edge a little bit. I love the Designer Paper that I used on the inside of the card. Unfortunately it was discontinued after the last catalog. The stamp sets used are Year after Year, Fundamental Phrases and Flowers & Flourish (now discontinued).

Sympathy Card

I made this pretty card for a swap group that I participate in each month. We always have three themes to choose from. One theme this month was Sympathy. If that is ever a choice, I go for it, because when you need a sympathy card, you need it right away, and you usually don't feel like sitting down and making one. I don't have a symapthy specific set right now, so I ran a sheet of River Rock card stock (I'm going to miss that color soooo much!) through the printer and used the SU Woodward Script Font for the greeting. I found that I really wish we had a 1" square punch when I was cutting those words out. I've been spoiled by my punches! The Designer Paper I used here is Porcelain Prints. Recently it was announced that the Hodgepodge Hardware colors of Aged Copper (used on this card), Antique Brass and Pewter will be discontinued. Get them while you can.....they sure do make cards and pages look nice!

Big Thanks

I'm procrastinating again! I seem to be doing more of that lately. Tonight is my card class for Scentsy Consultants and last night I was trying to finalize my last few things we'd be making. This may be one of the cards, but maybe not! I'm trying to keep things in "Scentsy colors" and this may be getting a little too far off. I LOVE this little thank you set called Thanks for Everything. I use the big "thanks" all the time. I'm trying to keep everything really easy because all of the girls that are coming have never stamped before. Addicting new people to stamping.......my specialty! ;)

eScape

eScape: what does it mean? Take some time this month to get away from the "e" meaning anything electronic! Take some time to stamp and rather than sending an email, send a handstamped card to those you love. It will absolutely make their day!

This little size of card is so fun to work with. It is 3x3 when finished. This is the size of card that comes in the eScape Bundle which Stampin' Up! is featuring this month. It's nice to include with a present......not too big! If you decide on this Bundle, you'll also want to check out our circle punches. The 1" Circle Punch fits the stamps in the Circle of Friendship set perfectly. I used the 1 3/8" Circle Punch for the Chocolate Chip circle on the card, and the cut-out on both the card and the envelope flap.