Button Ornaments #2

I somewhat CASEd the idea from a card I created last year (found here). Really, the only thing that is the same is the use of buttons.

Paper: Smoky Slate, Basic Grey, Whisper White
Ink: Gumball Green, Old Olive, Basic Grey
Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes, Watercolour Winter (Retired)
Accessories: Glimmer Brads, Silver/Gold Flowers (non SU!), Buttons (various), Baker's Twine

OK, I really went over the top with this one, I know. But those flowers have been sitting on my shelf for years and I thought I should finally do something with them! Although it's over the top, I do like how it turned out. Certainly lots of different textures on this card...

What do you think?

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

It's A Scrap Yard Series - Post #4

Another simple card today using all my scraps! I debated adding a sentiment or not, but sometimes I like to keep it open until I need a card for a particular occasion. I think this will eventually become a birthday card, but you never know...

Paper: Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive, Melon Mambo,
Pumpkin Pie, Daffodil Delight
Accessories: Buttons, Linen Thread

Like yesterday's card, all my pieces were already cut and die cut with my Big Shot using the Finishing Touches Edgelits. It was after I glued all the pieces down that I thought I needed some dimension. I just so happened to have flower buttons in all the colours! Three were from the Ice Cream Parlour Ribbon & Button Pack from SAB a few years ago (but you can purchase on the Clearance Rack currently!) and the other two are from the Brights Buttons, I believe.

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

CAS, Easy Peasy Cards in Minutes!

Today I'm showcasing some simple cards I made as a thank you gift set for a client. It doesn't take much to create handcrafted cards for someone - sometimes less is more. Check them out:

Paper: Simply Sent Kit (retired), Old Olive, Whisper White
Ink: Real Red, Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, Early Espresso
(Stampin' Write Markers used)
Stamps: Button Buddies
Accessories: Various Buttons

All I did to create these cards was use a (retired) Simply Sent Kit that came with buttons and ribbon - I used the ribbon but opted to use different buttons I had in my stash - some extra paper and one stamp set. I knew that my client loved the button cards I had done for her in the past and also that she often preferred "blank" cards so that she could use them for any occasion she needed them for.

I created six (two of each style) for her in a matter of minutes. Provided envelopes (that came with the kit also) and wrapped them up nicely. Why not give it a try - there are some great kits that just came out in the NEW Spring Catalogue... and starting January 22nd, you can even earn one for FREE during Sale-A-Bration! Contact me for more details... I'd love to chat with you about it!

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

Button Buddies Harvest

Even though Thanksgiving is long gone for us Canadians, the US will be celebrating in just a couple weeks. As I mentioned in my last post, I had to create some Thanksgiving cards for a client for her US friends and here is another one I made:

Paper: Pumpkin Pie, Harvest DSP, Very Vanilla
Ink: Early Espresso
Stamps: Button Buddies, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Tools: Postage Stamp Punch, Modern Label Punch
Accessories: Buttons, Linen Thread

This one didn't require much thought because Button Buddies does the work for you. Our buttons coordinate so nicely with this stamp set! I love the Harvest DSP too and the colours are just so festive for this time of year.

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

Ribbon Stem Flower

Today's card was inspired by some ribbon weaving I saw online. Thought it would be nice to create a flower stem with it. Have a look:

Paper: So Saffron, Whisper White, Island Indigo, Calypso Coral
Ink: Calypso Coral, More Mustard, So Saffron
Stamps: Fabulous Florets, Petite Pairs
Tools: Big Shot, Apothecary Accents, Paper Piercing Pack, Modern Label, Blossom Punch
Accessories: Ribbon (retired), Brights Button

The base and layer with the Apothecary Accents Framelit is pretty self explanatory. For the flowers, I stamped the flowers from Fabulous Florets in Calypso Coral ink on Whisper White. I then used my Blender Pen with Calypso Coral, More Mustard and So Saffron ink to get the desired look I wanted. To make my flowers larger so that the proportions would look right with the stem and the card, I punched two flowers in Calypso Coral using my Blossom Punch. Placing the punch behind my stamped flower, I started to bend and fold the petals to align better with the image. For the smaller flower, I cut each of the five petals and glued them behind. I think I achieved the look I was going for.

What do you think?

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

Cherries Please!

I know Button Buddies has been around for a while now, but it's been on my wish list since the beginning and I finally got my hands on it. I kept pushing it down the wish list as new stuff came out. I hoard buttons because I love 'em and yet, don't use them too often. I bought this stamp set to get me using all my buttons! Here's my first card with my newly acquired set:

Paper: Whisper White, Real Red
Ink: Early Espresso (marker), Old Olive (marker)
Stamps: Button Buddies, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Tools: Big Shot, Designer Frames EF, Modern Label Punch, Word Window Punch
Accessories: Buttons

This is probably the cleanest and simplest card I've ever done. I usually like lots of layers and embellishments, but I was feeling the "less is more" vibe for this one.

All I did was start with a Whisper White note card and emboss it with one of the Designer Frames Textured Impressions Embossing Folders. After that, I inked up the cherry stamp from the Button Buddies set with my Early Espresso and Old Olive markers, stamped it and added the buttons with glue dots. I popped up the sentiment with Dimensionals and viola!, a CAS card done in less than 5 minutes.

What do you think?

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

Colour for The Paper Players

This week I had the opportunity to play with The Paper Players! It was a fun colour challenge because the colours are fabulous and they just look so great together! Here's the colour scheme:

Banners are all the rage now... especially so since SU! just released some Bitty Banners Framelits in the recent catty. They are so adorable! Well, I didn't use them on this card, but used them as inspiration. I cut all my banners by hand using a mix of card stock and ribbon.

For this card, I used the Basic Gray Striped Ribbon (that just retired). I haven't used it until this card... so it was time to create something with it! Then I added Melon Mambo & Lucky Limeade card stock in different widths. I embossed all the hand-cut banners with different embossing folders and my oh-so-loved Big Shot!

I accented with a Melon Mambo button (retired) and the Lucky Limeade Organdy Ribbon that I stocked up on from the last SAB. :) I thought it added a little something extra treading it through the button and fanning it out.

What do you think?

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

Mojo Monday!

When I saw today's sketch over at Mojo Monday, I immediately thought of the new Bitty Banners Framelits that are debuting in the 2012 - 2013 Stampin' Up! Catalogue. Here's the sketch:

See that banner at the top? Well, that's what inspired me to create this birthday card using LOTS of Bitty Banners - that's a lot of rolling through the Big Shot!

What do you think?

It's pretty bold & busy, but I think it works! I cut out 1 banner in a sheet of whisper white cardstock, then glued 45 (!!) banners around that point. Once all was dry, I ran it through the Big Shot again using the Top Note Die. I popped that up to give the card some dimension, added a few other accessories (notice another banner used, folded, behind the button?!) and added some layers of DSP & coordinating cardstock and my card was complete.

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

Reduce & Reuse!

I'm a big fan of recycling, and even better, to reduce & reuse waste. What better way to reduce & reuse than to create something crafty & pretty!

I've been collecting wine corks from various sources for years and together with fabric and a bamboo cutting board, I created a pretty and functional cork board. This would be perfect for the kitchen, or home office where wall space is limited.

What do you think?

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph