Fancy Wedding

Sometimes I create cards that are truly unique and "one of a kind" because for one reason or another, I wouldn't be able to create an exact replica. Today's card is an example of that (and you'll see why below)... Check it out:

Paper: Very Vanilla
Ink: Soft Suede, Baja Breeze
Stamps: Sweet Essentials, One in a Million
Tools: Big Shot, Fancy Fan TIEF, Decorative Label Punch
Accessories: Pleated Ribbon (retired), Antique Brad

The beauty of this card is that the flower is created from some tulle I saved from another wedding (that had mints in it). I reused the piece of tulle by punching out some scallops and folding them in fourths to create my flower. I then simply added some pleated ribbon and the sentiment and the card was complete.

This card will never be created again because I do not have the tulle anymore and although I managed to punch some scallops from the tulle, it was a real pain & wasted a lot of it trying to get good punches. I love how this card turned out, but it's not worth it to try and recreate it. :)

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

A Two Fer

I had a small moment to craft last night... (I've got a sickie toddler at home) and decided to make a card for two challenges that caught my eye. The Friday Mashup and Retro Sketches, which is a new one to me. Here's my card:

Paper: Sahara Sand, Whisper White
Ink: Raspberry Ripple, Black
Stamps: Hello Doily, Fabulous Florets, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Tools: Decorative Label Punch
Accessories: Masking Tape, Vintage Brads, Mini Stars (from stash)

So, over the weekend I was perusing the web and came across a Blogger who said she used the "masking tape technique". I had no idea what that was, so I did a little Google search. There were many great ideas, but I decided to ink up a stamp and then use masking tape to transfer the image to the sticky side and tape it down to a sheet of whisper white.

Before gluing it down to my card base, I sponged it with Raspberry Ripple and stamped some of the floral images from Fabulous Florets in the same colour. I added a fussy-cut flower with a Vintage Brad a sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes.

Hope you like my card... why don't you play along with the challenges too?! They're tons of fun and get your creative juices flowing!

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

Never Done This Before...

I created a card that works for THREE challenges this week! Now that's a challenge! :) The card I designed works for the sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches, the colour combo at The Paper Players and the picture inspiration over at Stampin' Royalty. Here are the details:

For my card, I switched the sketch layout from Freshly Made to portrait instead of landscape and shifted the focal box slightly to one side. I kept within the colour scheme from The Paper Players and from the picture inspiration at Stampin' Royalty, I went with the floral and vintage/cottage feel. Here is my card:

Paper: Whisper White, Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade, Everyday Enchantment DSP
Ink: Lucky Limeade, Calypso Coral, Daffodil Delight
Stamps: Fabulous Florets
Accessories: Vintage Brad
Tools: Big Shot, Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder, Dimensionals

I started by embossing the Whisper White card base with the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder. I choose two patterns from the SAB Everyday Enchantment DSP pack and mounted them on Calypso Coral card stock. Next, I stamped the large leafy image from Fabulous Florets in Lucky Limeade, once, on Whisper White card stock. The rest of the images are also from the same stamp set. I stamped each on Whisper White as well and fussy-cut them all out. I layered them using Tombow and Dimensionals so that certain parts would pop-up to give added texture and dimension. To add even more depth to the flower I stamped in Calypso Coral, I cut it out three times in different sections of the image. I popped up each layer with Dimensionals again to give it a 3D look. I added a Vintage Brad to finish things up - perfect fit, I think!

What do you think?

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

Mash It Up!

I love playing with the ladies over at Friday Mashup! so I had to post again today. Lucky you! This week's challenge was to use the sketch, incorporate birds in your design, or to "Mash It Up" and use the sketch AND birds. Again, I just had to mash it. :)

Here's the sketch:

 

And here's my creation:

 

What do you think?

As I mentioned in a previous post, I just recently inked up Elements of Style and I've been using it a lot! Since this stamp set has a humming bird in it, I thought it would work well for this challenge.

First, I stamped the floral image in Soft Suede ink on a piece of First Edition Specialty Paper - love that stuff! I created a frame by nesting two framelits from the Labels Collection to create kind of an abstract window. Seam Binding Ribbon in Daffodil Delight and Crumb Cake add some texture - the first I scrunched across the card and the latter was used to create a rosette. The white daisy and hat pins are retired SU! product, but thought they added something to the card. Lastly, I accented my flower with a lovely Vintage Brad and added my cut-out Cherry Cobbler humming bird in order to "Mash It Up".

Until next time, stay crafty!

Steph

Mother Dearest

Mother's Day is only a few short days away, so today I'm featuring a Mother's Day card instead of a sneak peek... although I might come back later with one of those. :)

This is a step-fold card. The middle section is embossed and then the rest of the panels are covered in FABRIC! Isn't it sweet? The flower is also made entirely of fabric and then accented with one of my favourite vintage brads!

What do you think?

These were a hit at the craft show last weekend and I think I might just have to make some more.

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

For Elizabeth

Today's card is for my mother's birthday. Her name is Elizabeth, so it only seemed fitting to use the soon-to-be-retired À la Carte stamp called Elizabeth. Her (BIG) birthday isn't until May, but this card also showcases some product from the current Occasions Mini. So I felt it was important to show it off as some product you'll only be able to purchase until April 30th.

What do you think?

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

Supplies

Stamps:
- Elizabeth #117120 - retiring May 31st
- Teeny Tiny Wishes, #115370 - one of my go-to sets because you get 24 greetings! Plus every greeting coordinates perfectly with two punches (Word Window, #119857, Modern Label, #119849)

Paper:
- Beau Château Designer Series Paper (DSP), #122357
- Very Vanilla 81/2 x 11 Card Stock, #101650

Ink:
- Soft Suede Classic Stampin' Pad, #115657
- Marina Mist Classic Stampin' Pad, #119668
- Blushing Bride Stampin' Write Marker*
- Pear Pizzazz Stampin' Write Marker*
* part of the 2010 - 2012 In Color marker set, #119801, these will be retiring colours

Accessories:
- Antique Brads, #117273 - love these!!
- Victoria Crochet 5/8" Trim, #118481
- Blushing Bride 3/8" Pleated Satin Ribbon, #125570 - Occasions Mini, available until April 30th.
- Big Shot, #113439
- Framelits Dies - Labels Collection, #125598 - Occasions Mini, available until April 30th.
- Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder, #120175