Vintage Vogue with Flutterbyes

I am really liking the combination of black and white and gray, "popped" with a single additional color. (See the April Stamp Club post for another example.) It easily adapts from elegant to whimsical, and it's so easy to work with!

I began with a standard size naturals white base (8.5 x 5.5", folded). Whack off about 1/2" from the front panel and then run the Scallop Edge punch along that edge, starting from the center and working out to each side. Open the card so you can work from the back side, and use the scoring blade on your paper cutter to score three lines 1/8" apart, the uppermost falling about 3/4" below where the card hinges.

Adhere a 1 1/4" strip of real red card stock along the bottom edge of the inside of the card. It will make a nice contrast to show off your scallops. Space a series of holes with a 1/8" hand held punch for threading the black and white gingham ribbon. Using the leaf and vine motif from the Vintage Vogue stamp set (current mini catalog, available through April 30!), stamp across front of card in going gray classic ink.* Stamp inside the card as well, as an anchor for your sentiment.

I stamped both my sentiments in real red classic. They're from the Level 3 hostess set Kind & Caring Thoughts. If you haven't had a workshop to earn this set for yourself, what are you waiting for?! Kathy

*This one's retiring, so make sure you have plenty of this beautiful, cool gray.

All supplies Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Vintage Vogue, Kind & Caring Thoughts 2009-10 hostess level 3
Ink: Real Red, Going Grey classic
Paper: Naturals White, Real Red CS
Accessories: Beautiful Wings embosslit, scallop edge punch, 3/16" black gingham ribbon, Tombow Multi-Purpose adhesive

Goodbye, Cameo Coral

By now I expect you've heard about the Color Renovation going on at Stampin' Up! I've seen some of the new colors and they're luscious. Still, it will be hard to let go of favorites. I've decided to show you some projects featuring retired colors while I still have them to work with! Cameo Coral is a color that I didn't warm up to at first. It's a strong color, but so fresh and tropical feeling. Here's a super simple card you might like to try.

The card is a standard 8.5"x5.5", folded. I stamped the flower from Embrace Life three times in Versamark ink, starting in the center and allowing the stamp to overlap the original image and hang off the bottom edge of the card to anchor all the images. I then drew a line using my clear ruler and the fine point of the Versamark pen (Yes, Virginia, there is a Versamark pen!). Working quickly, I applied white embossing powder, then got rid of any stray granules. I set the embossing powder with my heat gun.

Next, I used a watercolor pencil in Real Red to fill in the areas where there were "double lines". I smoothed these areas by brushing on good old H2O with an aqua painter. Finally, I stamped my title sentiment with the set Heard from the Heart using Real Red classic ink. I especially liked this sentiment because I can put a more specific message on the inside as needed - it would be a great birthday, wedding, anniversary, Mother's Day, or "just because" card.

Hope this helps you imagine new possibilities. We'll take a closer look at more retiring colors in the weeks to come. Kathy

All supplies Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Embrace Life, Heard from the Heart
Ink: Versamark & Versamark pen, Real Red classic
Paper: Cameo Coral
Accessories: white Stampin' Emboss powder, powder pal, heat tool, watercolor pencils, aqua painter

Sweet Pea Mother's Day

Hello again,

I saw this posted on the Stampin' Connection by C. Weeks and thought it was sooo sweet. I just love the color combination. The Sweet Pea DSP made it come together so quick and easy I have a nice little stash ready to go, all I need to do is add the appropriate sentiment. Hope it inspires you like it did me. Thanks for stopping by!

M.

Materials: All materials are Stampin' Up!.
Paper: Rose Red, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White and Sweep Pea DSP.
Punches: Scallop Oval and Large Oval.
Misc.: Sweet Pea Stitched Felt, Chit Chat Rub On's.

More Candles

Good Morning,

I created this card for a shoebox swap for the April meeting with my 'Cool 'n the Gang' girls. Quick, easy and cute! Hope you like it.

Also, time is quickly running out (April 30th) for the spring Occasion Mini Catalog so if you haven't placed an order, now's the time! Just give me a hollar, I'd be happy to help.

Have a great weekend!

M.

Materials: All materials are Stampin' Up!
Paper: Whisper White, Pretty in Pink, Rose Red and Sweet Pea DSP.
Ink: Rose Red.
Stamps: Whimsical Words.
Punches: Scallop Edge.
Ribbon: Pretty in Pink Satin.
Misc.: Stampin' Dimensionals.

SAB 2010 Class Project Peek

I thought I'd post a couple of the projects we made in the class I taught for those who took advantage of Sale-a-bration this year. It was so nice to be able to earn one of the new style punches for free, as well as having the option to acquire sets from the big catalog like Forest Friends and Birthday Bliss.

I'm always looking for new ways to use ribbon and to ease the pain for those of you who say "I can't tie a bow no matter how hard I try!" The bow on the Birthday Bliss card is made using staples. Sneaky trick #605... Kathy

All supplies Stampin' Up, of course! (except for the button from grandma's button box)

April 2010 Stamp Club

Hi there, stamping friends! For club this month our hostess chose a wedding card and memento. I thought it would be the perfect time to try out the "Bride" specialty paper (tucked away on page 158 of the catalog), and of course since I love the Fifth Avenue Floral stamp set AND it's on sale this month, that was the obvious choice of image. (By the way, if any of you are flower buffs and are wondering what this one is supposed to represent, it's a Cosmos. I made a positive ID while sorting through my seed packets last week!)

We began with the card, keeping it simple so we could complete two projects, and utilized the characteristics of the paper to do a resist technique. That paper is just hands down classy! The little accordion book would be a perfect thing to take along to the reception to collect advice, blessings or well-wishes for the newlyweds, or you could do some advance prep and tuck in his/her photos from birth to present day. The concept would be a sweet way to collect those amazing things children say for a proud grandparent, too - maybe illustrated by the speaker. How about famous sayings of Mom or Dad, or words of inspiration? As with all good projects, there are endless possibilities. Kathy

Fifth Avenue Floral

One of the stamp sets on special this month is Fifth Avenue Floral. I wanted to show you these two designs to give you some idea of the flexibility of this set - it works equally well for contemporary and classic designs. I love the way that the open lines of the images lend themselves to layering, and if you emboss them they make great little "dams" for techniques such as the "reinker float" used on the second card during a stamp club meeting last year.

Stampin' Up! is offering four springy sets at 20%OFF through April 30th- no additional purchase necessary! Qualifying stamp sets are pictured below. Lori, Monique or myself will be happy to help you with an order!

Hope your world is blooming, Kathy

Item Page Description Discount Price:
113824 94 Greenhouse Garden $20.76
113734 98 Fifth Avenue Floral $19.96
111578 101 Flower Fancy $29.56
113258 112 Trendy Trees $14.36

113824 Greenhouse Garden $20.76

113734 Fifth Avenue Floral $19.96

111578 Flower Fancy $29.56

113258 Trendy Trees $14.36

Mother's Day

This is the swap I made for our April's "Cool and the Gang" challenge using a watercolor technique. Instead of using the Aqua Painter to apply the color, I used the watercolor crayons and colored directly onto the stamp itself, misted with water, and stamped onto the paper. Lots of fun! Keep an eye out "Coolie's" I'll be using this technique again! :) Thanks to Tonya Treat for the idea!

Monique

Material's: All materials are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted.

Paper: Whisper White, Regal Rose, Old Olive and Regal Rose DSP (Ret.).

Ink: Old Olive and Versa Mark.

Stamps: Well Scripted, Friends 24-7, and Great Friend.

Punches: Scallop Edge.

Ribbon: White Satin. *

Misc.: Regal Rose and Real Red Watercolor Crayons, Stampin' Dimensionals.

Wonderful Mother

Hello again,

I saw this layout in the Stampin' Up! IBC and thought it was so pretty. I tweaked it a little using a different stamp set and sentiment but just love the color scheme! Hope you do to!

Thanks,

Monique

Materials: All materials are Stampin' Up!
Paper: Bashful Blue, Real Red, Whisper White and Old Olive.
Ink: Real Red, Old Olive and Versa Mark
Stamps: Echos of Kindness (Ret.) and Well Scripted.
Punches: Eyelet Border