Mmmmm... Cupcake!

I love cupcakes and the cupcake on this card looks so scrumptious! This card is pretty much a CASE off Pinterest from Kimberly VanDiepen.

Paper: Calypso Coral, Sweet Shop DSP
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Lucky Limeade, Wisteria Wonder
Stamp: Sweet Cake
Tools: Big Shot, Labels Framelits
Accessories: Pear Pizzazz Seam Binding Ribbon, Sweet Shop Brads
Dazzling Details

I know this card uses all retired products, but I still wanted to share. This card just screams Birthday! I love the bright colours of this card... they just make me so happy. I didn't have to do much with this card. Stampin' Up!, for one thing, does the work for you when they create lines of products that all coordinate together - stamps, paper & accessories. Plus, part of the DSP pack that I used included a piece of embossed paper (the polka dots), so I didn't need to use a folder for the effect. :) Love SU!

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

It's a Colour Challenge Over at Sunday Stamps!

I'm the host this week and I've got a great colour challenge waiting for you over at Sunday Stamps! There's also some fantastic inspiration, as always, from the lovely Design Team. We'd love for you to check us out and play along! Here's my creation this week...

Paper: Perfect Plum, Crumb Cake, Print Poetry DSP Stack
Ink: Raspberry Ripple
Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes
Tools: Big Shot, TIEF's: Perfect Polka Dots & Vintage Wallpaper,
Fun Flowers Bigz Die,
Punches: Heart to Heart, Word Window & Decorative Label
Accessories: Neutrals Brad, Crumb Cake Seam Binding Ribbon

With Valentine's Day around the corner, I had "love" on my mind when I chose this colour combo... and it just so happened that I needed an anniversary card, so that's what I created. I kept my card base a solid colour because I went bold with the DSP choices. LOVE the new Print Poetry DSP Stack in the Spring Catalogue!

For a little more texture, I added some Seam Binding Ribbon to the sides of my DSP panel and embossing to the card base, label & hearts.

Hope you like it and get inspired by the Design Team to play along this week! We can't wait to see what you design!

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

It's A Scrap Yard Series - Post #2

Back again today with another card I created from just scraps. If you missed my post yesterday, you might want to take a look at how I went about organizing my scraps and my first card in this series.

Now, I mentioned yesterday that I was going to get rid of all my die cuts and punches... but because I was actually going to (finally) use them, I held on to the ones I had so that I could created cards with them for my week-long posts on using scraps. Here's what I came up with:

Paper: Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White, First Edition DSP
Ink: Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler
Stamps: Established Elegance, Happiest Birthday Wishes (retired Hostess)
Accessories: Lace Trim, Crumb Cake Seam Binding Ribbon, Pearls

Believe it or not, I had all the Cherry Cobbler & Whisper White (but sponged them in Crumb Cake) pieces cut from a Christmas card I made. They were punch outs from the Window Framelits. I just cut the Whisper White pieces into squares. I also had a large piece of First Edition Specialty DSP that I thought would work great.

I glued all the Cherry Cobbler pieces in a pattern and then used the Established Elegance stamp set on each of the Whisper White pieces. I stamped in Crumb Cake and then sponged in the same colour. I love this stamp set because there are so many different images that it works well for a collage type card!

The sentiment is from the retired Hostess set Happiest Birthday Wishes. I thought it was perfect because it was vintage looking and seemed to fit perfectly with Established Elegance set. I cut out the center circle and popped up the rest for dimension. To finish off, I added some trim, ribbon and pearls.

This card took longer than others I've created because there were so many elements and pieces to put together... but I'm glad that I finally got around to using these scraps!

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

Christmas Wreath for Sunday Stamps

It's Sunday, so that means another challenge over at Sunday Stamps! This week is a fun sketch challenge from Haley, hope you'll play along. Don't forget that every time you do this month, you'll be entered in a draw for a chance to win one of two $25 SU! gift certificates!

Paper: Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Gumball Green
Ink: Early Espresso
Tools: Big Shot, Woodgrain TIEF, Lacy Brocade TIEF,
Punches - large & small Scallop Circles, 1-1/4" Scallop Circle
Accessories: Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding Ribbon, Jewels

As I was typing out the supply list above, I realized I didn't use any stamps on this card! WHAT?! Well, I guess I didn't need any. haha. When I saw the sketch this week, I immediately thought it looked like a door, so, that's what I created!

My card base is a gate-fold. I embossed the panels with the Woodgrain TIEF and then added my next layer with a Christmas wreath. The wreath uses all our scallop circle punches, including the NEW 1-1/4". I popped up one of the layers with Dimensionals and added some sharpie-coloured jewels for some holiday sparkle. The ribbon is dual purpose - adds some elegance and keeps my "door" closed. :)

What do you think?

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

Old and New

Boy has time gone by fast! A few days ago I posted some cards I made using Simply Scrappin' kits and accents. I challenged myself and others to try creating some too! Today I'm showing you some cards I made with the retired Christmas Lane Simply Scrappin' kit. To bring some new elements in, I used the new Joyous Celebrations stamp set.

Paper: Christmas Lane Simply Scrappin' Kit, Whisper White, Early Espresso, Wild Wasabi, Soft Suede
Ink: Early Espresso, Wild Wasabi
Stamps: Joyous Celebrations
Accessories: Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding Ribbon, Baker's Twine, Buttons, Dazzling Diamonds

As you can see, three very different cards, but all from the same line of products! I just love the possibilities. With a Simply Scrappin' kit, you can make up to 30+ cards depending on how you use the product.

What do you think?

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

Christmas Swap

I recently participated in and organized swap from Leena Girsa. The goal was to showcase products from the Holiday Catalogue. I chose to focus on Christmas, using the Merry Minis stamp set. Here's what I came up with:

Paper: Cherry Cobbler Core'dinations, Whisper White
Ink: Crumb Cake
Stamps: Merry Minis, Greetings of the Season
Tools: Big Shot, Vintage Wallpaper TIEF, Sanding Block, Window Framelits, Merry Minis Punch Pack
Accessories: Crumb Cake Seam Binding Ribbon, Glimmer Brads, White Bakers Twine

I just love the new Core'dinations card stock! Not only do you get texture, but get different colour tones too. I didn't think this card needed too much more when I featured the Cherry Cobbler Core'dinations card stock. It's just so beautiful on it's own.

I also knew I wanted my ornaments to hang, but didn't just want to glue them to the paper, so I got the idea to hang them in a "window" using the Window Framelits.

To finish off, I added a banner with a bow and my Swap was done. I hope the group liked it.

What do you think?

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

Mash It!

I'm back today with another challenge creation. I just love playing over at The Friday Mashup! It's such a fun challenge because you always have several options. The ladies always give you two options and then a third one to "mash it up" and mix both together. I usually decide to "mash it up" because it's like combining two challenges in one. :) Here's this week's theme:

You could choose to: 1. Make a project with a "party theme", 2. Make a "box in a bag" - Amanda Corbet was grateful to provide a tutorial for this! or 3. "Mash it up" and make a project with both. Well, you already know that I decided to "mash it up"! Here's what I came up with:

I actually was in need of a wedding/shower card and thought this challenge was perfect because I can use the "box in a bag" for a gift card or money. Adds a little something extra to the gift, I think. As soon as I saw the Fan Fair DSP in the new catty, I thought the bicycle pattern would work well with the Wedding Wheels stamp brush set in MDS. This is certainly not your typical wedding card! It kind of has a county/vintage feel to it I think...

I used the Labels Collection framelits for the image cutout & border, and also for the closure on the bag (but it's hiding behind the ribbon). I used MDS for the image, so I guess this is a bit of a hybrid card. I also discovered that one of the cute new labels from the Little Labels punch pack fit the "Mr. & Mrs." stamp from the set Tiny Tags. I accented the Bride with tiny pearls and the card with Crumb Cake Seam Binding Ribbon and some (retired) Hat Pins.

What do you think?

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

Battle of the Demos

Ok, not really. But our Demo group, lead by our fabulous leader, Leena Girsa of A La Cards had a "back to basics" challenge that I just loved! Here's what we were given:

• Two pieces of DSP:  4x6 and 2x6
• Whisper White CS 3 7/8" x 5 1/8"
• Rich Razzleberry 4 1/4 x 5 1/2
• Tempting Turquoise 4 1/4 x 5 1/2
• Daffodil Delight 4 x 5 1/4 and 2 x 5 1/4
• Island Indigo 4 x 51/4
• Real Red 2 1/2 x 5 1/2
• Tangerine Tango 2 1/2 x 5 1/2
• Card Bases in Real Red, Lucky Limeade and Whisper White
• 12" of Daffodil Delight stitched grosgrain ribbon
• 16" of Daffodil Delight seam binding ribbon
• 18" of Lucky Limeade baker's twine
• 5 brights buttons
• 2 glimmer brads

The goal was to create as many projects from the supplies - no BIG SHOT, but we could use any stamps and punches we had in our possession. I admit, I was stuck for a long while because I absolutely love using the Big Shot and just felt lost without it. I just didn't think I could create a "wow" factor without it. Finally, I told myself just to start cutting and it wasn't long before I got down to business.

Here's what I came up with:

What do you think? I'm sure you've noticed that humming bird again! :)

We had to make at least 2 full cards, and in addition to that, I made 2 bottle tags, 1 bookmark, 5 teeny tiny gift tags, 1 mini card, 2 mini tags and 1 "scrapling". That's 14 projects!

I urge you to give this a try. It's lots of fun and you'll be amazed at what you can accomplish when you go "back to the basics".

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