Fast Friday - Cotton Swab Eraser

It's Fast Friday again!  It's a snowy Fast Friday!

Today I have used the "Well Scripted" stamp set  and the "Happy Moments" stamp set.  This card is realllly fast.  Use a Basic Black inkpad to ink up the birdcage stamp.  Then, using a cotton swab, "erase" the black ink on the bird.  You may need to use a second swab stick.  Then, color the bird only with a Real Red Stampin' Write Marker.  Now, go ahead & press the stamp onto your cs.  Viola!  The bird is red & the cage is black!  Isn't that cool?

I layered the birdcage onto Real Red and Basic Black cs, adhered that image piece to a Whisper White card, then stamped a Basic Black "love you much" from the Well Scripted stamp set.

Reminder:  You can get the Happy Moments stamp set FOR FREE (yipee) when you make a $50 purchase.  Maybe part of that purchase could be the Well Scripted stamp set from the Occasions Mini Catalog?!?!  Feel free to email me for more information on our Sale-a-Bration.  We have just about a month left during our Sale-a-Bration sale!

Have a great weekend!

Linda

Think About Color Thursday - Elegant Eggplant, Ruby Red, Whisper White

 

This week's color combination is Elegant Eggplant, Ruby Red & Whisper White.

Notice how the white is "splashed" onto the dark colors?  I like how the white embossed messages really pop from the rich purple and red.

Give this color combo a try!  Keep most of your card dark & "splash on" some Whisper White!

Linda

Whatever Wednesday - Red & Black Medallion

 

Here's a card that I had intended to post last week.  It is a card from my Valentine Stamp Camp.  Though Valentines will wait another year, you certainly could make this card and substitute the Valentine message for another message, such as Thinking of You, Happy Birthday, Thank You, or even Happy Anniversary.  

It's that Medallion stamp again!  This time I stamped it in Real Red and embellished the card with Basic Black and Whisper White.  What a classic and classy style these colors give this card.

The punched message is the "wide oval" and layered behind it are two more wide ovals punched from Basic Black cs.  Fold and tuck some polka dot ribbon behind that & this card has some style!

Did you notice that behind the white cs with the medallion is red cs?  Repeating color on a card is what gives it a flow.  Dress up the left edge of the card with a punched border strip.

Linda

Tuesday Tips - Bug "a la carte"

My dear friend, Beverly, had a birthday last week!  This card is just like the card I made her.  I also added a birthday/friend message to it.  Cute, isn't it?  

This week's Tuesday Tip:

Try using the same background stamp on two layers on  your card.

The same image on the background and on another layer can give your card continuity.  Here I have stamped with a new background stamp called Fine Flourish.  It is shown on page 42 of the Occasions Mini Catalog.  It is one of several smaller-sized background "a la carte" stamps that can be used for the "kissing" technique or a unified background look, such as on this card.  And, they sell for under $10!  That's the best part!

Linda

Map It Monday - Bright Chirp Up

The card map this week is perfect for a large image stamp, such as this "Upsy Daisy" scene.   Layer some photo corners in one corner and layer a small message in the opposing corner.   The ribbon is run in between two of the five layers of punched shapes!  

Linda

Think About Color Thursday - Bermuda Bay, Elegant Eggplant, Whisper White

My featured color combo this week is:

Bermuda Bay, Elegant Eggplant, and Whisper White

You'll notice that there are quite a few textures and images on this card.  I also have used another of the "a la carte" small background stamps.  Remember yesterday's "a la carte" stamp?  This polka dot one, "Dot, Dot, Dot", is super cute for just about any occasion.

I also had fun with one of our new punches (see the scallops on the bottom edge AND on the white cs piece?) - have you seen this stamp & the matching corner punch in both the Occasions Mini Catty and the Sale-a-Bration brochure?!

Linda

Whatever Wednesday - Switching Simplicity

Did you see my blog yesterday (Tuesday, 2/16/10) about simplicity?  Well, here's something you can do to create even more masterpieces using simplicity....

Start with the card from yesterday's blog post.  Then, make some simple changes to the layout, embellishment, and positioning of elements on your card.  You can use whatever cs scraps and ribbon remnants that you have in your scrap box that fit your color combination.  You can create many different simple, yet striking, card ideas!  Keep it simple - just 1, 2, or 3 stamps, maybe vary it with some different punches or keep it even more simple as I have here & use the same punch!

Here are just a few that I made using this concept.  Give it a try!

Linda

Tuesday Tips - Simplicity

Well, my posts in the near future might be concise & short. My son broke his ankle & just the assistance that he requires eats up enough time so that my stamping is taking a back burner for a while. Poor baby - at an age when he wants to be so independent, yet a new challenge to get in the way!  Not to mention the ouch factor!  If only mothers could ask God to trade places with our children when they are in pain, to spare them the misery.  But, as we always tell our children as a family mantra......IF IT DOESN'T KILL YOU, IT'LL MAKE YOU STRONGER! 

I do have some cards and projects that I have made recently to post this week and maybe next week, so keep visiting my blog! However, there may be some days when I can’t make the time to post.

Here’s today’s Tuesday Tip: Simply Striking

Sometimes simple is best. A simple elementary-style card with just a pop of color & one eye-catching embellishment or image can be quite striking. This card’s polka dots forms a nice backdrop for the birthday wishes message (Dot, Dot, Dot stamp in the Occasions Mini Catalog that will be available through the end of April). Solid black & red cs sets the stage for the message that is adhered with dimensionals.

For additional interest & a pop of color on the white oval, add one of the new epoxy brads. They are soooooo cute & are available in pink, chocolate chip and real red in the Occasions Mini Catalog until April 30 as well. Make sure to get your hands on these while supplies last! A little piece of ribbon ties it all together.

If you like the epoxy brads or Dot, Dot, Dot background stamp, check them out in the Occasions Mini Catalog on the Stampin' UP website!  There is a link to the S U website here on my blog!

So simple, yet so striking!


Have a great day!


Linda

Map It Monday - Happiness Always Inspired by Nature

This map puts a message "front and center", with two backgrounds available for so many interesting idea choices.  I have heat embossed the images here, one of them in clear EP and the other two images in white EP.  Plug in several bright colors and this card really pops!

The stamp sets used are Inspired by Nature and Happiness Always.
 
Linda

Fast Friday - New Flower Punch

Have you tried the new Stampin' Up XL Flower Punch?  Here's my first XL flower on this card :).  I paired Tangerine Tango &  Ruby Red.  The Love Bug stamp set adds charm to any flower.  The "cute as a bug" message is actually stamped inside the card & I punched circles into both layers of cs so the messages peeks out from inside! 

A little layering of the flower center & coloring of the bug is done to make this card any cuter!  The Well Scripted stamp set from the Occasions Mini Catalog has this absolutely darling "love you much" stamp in it.  It's so curly & cute!

Well, that's my Fast Friday card for this week.

Have a great weekend!

Linda :)

Think About Color Thursday - Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Riding Hood Red, Whisper White

Did you notice the white stuff in the background of this card?  SNOW!  We are in the middle of a winter storm & everything outside is white!

So, last night I was sleeping like a baby - I must have been sleeping well because I was dreaming.  The funniest thing happened in my dream!  My dream morphed into me making a greeting card.  An even funnier thing that happened was that when I woke up at 3am, I remembered my dream in detail, especially the card that I had created.  It was a card that I do not recall ever thinking of or making (awake, that is).  Talk about strange!  So, I guess I can be creative even in my sleep. lol 

I really like the color combination:

Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Riding Hood Red, Whisper White

HERE is my dreamy creation!

Do you want to make this card too?  Here's how:

Supplies you will need:

cs:  Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Riding Hood Red, Old Olive

dsp:  Bella Rose (if you do not have the Bella Rose dsp or RHR cs or inkpad, just use either Ruby Red or Real Red & some dsp in the same color)

ink:  RHR

stamp set:  Vintage Labels (Sale-a-Bration FREE stamp set!)

punches:  3 Flower, 1/2" circle, scallop square, Crop-o-Dile, Top Note die

Here what you do:

1.  Die cut white cs with the Top Note die.

2.  Punch the Top Note white cs with the 3 Flower punch.

3.  Punch 3 dsp circles with the 1/2" circle punch & adhere behind the punched flowers on the white Top Note.

4.  Cut 3 stems, free hand, from Old Olive CS & adhere under flowers.

5.  Use trimming scissors/paper snips on a scrap of Old Olive cs to create little blades of grass.  Adhere grass over stems on Top Note cs.

6.  Fluff grass with fingertip.

7.  Use Crop-o-Dile to punch 3 small holes into flower centers.

8.  Punch wide oval from Chocolate Chip cs, scallop square from RHR cs, and half of a scallop oval from Old Olive cs.

9.  Stamp "Best Wishes" on Whisper White cs in RHR (or Ruby Red or Real Red), then punch message out using small oval punch.

10.  Cut off part of the scallop square & adhere to card front.

11.  Adhere top note to card front.

12.  Layer ovals, then adhere with dimensionals onto card front.

Have fun!  Sweet dreams!

Linda

Whatever Wednesday - Coffee Box with Peek-a-Boo Lid

Look at this amazing little peek-a-boo box that I made!   Wouldn't some pretty cookies or homemade baked goods look terrific in it?  If you attended my special Christmas camp, the box is made the same way as the gift boxes we made.  The lid and box bottom are both squares with four score lines.  Size and dimensions vary, depending on what you plan to use the box for.

This style of box is one of the simplest, easiest boxes with lids that you can make.  Before you fold and assemble the lid, cut a peek-a-boo window and a window sheet to fit inside the lid.

For the peek-a-boo hole, I used an oval template and exacto knife. You could make a circle, square, or whatever shape you'd like the window to be.  The window sheet, after cutting, should be the same size as the area inside the lid's four scored lines. 

 

Fold on the score lines, adhere & assemble your lid.  Then, apply adhesive to the underside of the lid & press the window sheet inside (see photo).

Linda

Tuesday Tips - Horizontal Slot Punch

The horizontal slot punch, believe it or not, is one of my favorite punches.

Recently in my blog post dated Thursday, January 28, 2010, I posted this card.

•  This is one use for the horizontal slot punch – to punch a hole for ribbon to slide through & tie through the side of a card.

What else can you do with the horizontal slot punch? Here’s some ideas:

• Punch directly into the fold of a card – it creates a slot that is somewhat hidden in the fold. You can insert a ribbon through the hole & tie the ribbon around the entire width of the card.

 

and

• This punch can put your ribbon exactly where you want it away from the edge of a card.....

other ideas for the Horizontal Slot Punch:

• Elongate a punched hole

• To add ribbon to a gift tag

• When you need a teeny, tiny piece of cs

• Punch two slots - one  on each side - of a paper bag to create a darling gift pouch through which you can run ribbon through & tie in a bow

• Punch into a fold of a card to hold ribbon in place without using adhesive - stays in the "track"

• Create a "ribbon slide" for anything - for small shapes, any size cs, or purchased embellishments

• to create punched art - make little eyebrows on a face or part of a punched animal

• Make the slot for a "pull treat" or "pullout" gift card holder

and, last on my list, but not the only idea......my favorite:

• Transform the Inspired by Nature stamp set's tall grasses into cattails!

Now we can certainly put our horizontal slot punches to work!

Linda

Map It Monday - Urban Gray

 

Two stamped images and a small message on a die cut tag - how simple, yet elegant, with this Urban Garden dsp!  Do you recognize the stamp I used for the flowers?  It is the flower from the Berry Christmas stamp set that was in the retired Holiday Mini Catalog!  I am finding so many uses for that Christmas stamp set besides Christmas cards!  If you own Berry Christmas, you can get creative and stamp with those stamps year round!

Linda

Fast Friday - Pink Polka Dot Friend & Clear Mount Stamps

It's Fast Friday again! 

This card showcases a scrap of polka dot dsp that just looked fun.  I stamped the message on a big polka dot too, otherwise, known as cs punched with a circle punch.

I punched a Modern Label from Riding Hood Red cs.  You could also use Ruby Red if you do not have the retired Riding Hood Red cs and inkpad.  I also punched the edge of the card with the Sale-a-Bration Scallop Trim Border!  Remember that you can get the Scallop Trim Border free now with a $50 purchase?!

The only thing that took an extra minute to do was piercing around the cs circle.  You could omit the piercing and the card would still look super cute!  The punched circle is adhered with dimensionals.

The Picture This stamp set from the Occasions Mini catalog is my first Clear Mount Stampin' Up stamp set.  It just arrived & I gave it a try!   I not only love Stampin' Up artwork, but I have always loved Stampin' Up's wooden blocks.  I am so pleased with the clear mount stamps!  They are easy to use, light weight, easy to store, space-saving, & the stamp images are the same superior image as the wood mount images.    The best benefit is that the price is even lower than the wood mount stamps.  Hmmm.....now I have another decision to make every time I purchase stamps - wood mount or clear mount.  Wow, it was difficult enough to decide what to buy when I always want everything in the catalog!

Linda

Think About Color Thursday - Rich Razzleberry & Yoyo Yellow & Whisper White

Get out your sunglasses to look at this card!  I made this card several weeks ago & sort of forgot about it.  I thought it might be nice for my blog since it sports some products that are in the current mini catalogs.  Take a look through the cattys and see if you can find the products I used here that are in the Occasions Mini catty or the Sale-a-Bration mini catty!  Vintage Labels in the Sale-a-Bration catty sure has been showing up a few times on my blog posts, and the polka dot stamp called Dot, Dot, Dot can turn any cs into a polka dot party!

Pairing the Rich Razzleberry Polka Dot Ribbon with the polka dotted card front really gets our attention!

Linda

Whatever Wednesday - Quick Cover

This is a little post-it note cover that I made in a hurry.  You can make a cover for nearly anything.  I found some retired designer series paper & paired it with a current stamp set.  I also added some stickers from a retired Simply Scrappin' Kit. 

Linda

Tuesday Tips - Computer Generated Message

A blog reader has asked me about a message on a particular card I posted last week. Remember this card from a prior blog post? (Friday, 1/29/10)

Teal and Cocoa Flowers

Well, the message on that card is not available as a rubber stamp.  Actually, it wasn’t a rubber stamped image at all.  It was a computer generated message.

Once in awhile I locate a pleasant saying or verse, yet I may not have a rubber stamp with that particular message. What do I do? I generate the verse on the computer in an appropriate font and color, print it out (usually multiple copies) & adhere it to a card! Yes, I know – ingenious, isn’t it?

There you have it. When Stampin’ Up cannot say what I am thinking (which is rare these days with the number of stamps that I presently own), I just go ahead and create it myself!

You may be wondering why that original post I referred to above was done on a Fast Friday. Computer generating messages AND creating a quick card should take more than 5 or 10 minutes, right? Right. It’s because I have some computer generated messages in inventory in my studio – I print out more than one when I create something. It sure helps when I need a Fast Friday card!

Linda

Map It Monday - Guitar Polka

I don't think a map even needs to be drawn for you today; just use an "outie" from one of your top note die cuts!  It becomes the frame for whatever large image you want to stamp inside!

Add any small message or word & a small embellishment beside it!  That little embellishment is a teeny tiny piece of cs that I punched inside the spiral punch.  The stamp is called Extreme Guitar (only $8.95!). 

Did I say "Guitar Polka"?  Now, that's funny.  Get it?  Polka dots & guitar. 

So, this card with the guitarist and the word "Escape" makes the perfect card for a young teen! 

Linda