Swallowtail Butterflies on Vellum

Sometimes I make a card and just fall in love with it; this would be one of those!  I first made the darker purple Thank You card, shown here:

However, I stamped the En Francais background in the Elegant Eggplant and I thought it was a bit dark, and I adored the color combination that inspired this card to begin with from Deliaspaperworld's Blog....so I tried again:

 And then my daughter wanted a pink one:

  And I wanted to try one with the lighter En Francais stamped background:

Want to know how to make one too?

  

First, I stamped the Swallowtail stamp in Versamark onto Vellum Paper, along with several smaller butterflies from Papillion Potpourri.  Then, I heat embossed them with white embossing powder.  I also stamped and embossed several smaller butterflies on a separate piece of vellum.  I punched those out with the Btty Butterfly Punch.  

On the back of the vellum, I used sponge daubers to color in the butterflies.  It actually was fairly forgiving, so exactness was not necessarily required!  I used the darker colors of Elegant Eggplant, Not Quite Navy, and Rose Red because they are lightened through the vellum paper.  

I stamped the card base with En Francais, using the stamp-off technique to make it even lighter.  

I added the smaller butterflies with dimensionals, and topped them all off with jewels.  The final part of the card was adding the So Saffron ribbon.

So tell me, is this one a new favorite of yours as well?   

Stamps:  En Francais, Swallowtail, Papillion Potpourri

Inks:  More Mustard, Elegant Egglplant, Not Quite Navy, Rose Red

Paper:  Whisper White, Vellum

 Other:  So Saffron 3/8 inch Taffeta Ribbon, Jewels, Bitty Butterfly Punch, Dimensionals, Sponge Daubers

Bright Birthdays with Pretty Postage

These two cards remind me of those "how many differences can you find?" puzzles, since they both feature paper from the Brights color family.  More importantly, did you notice the beautiful ribbon?  It is available now in the Spring Catalog.  Did you notice the little pearl added to the button?  I love that extra special little touch!  

Stamps:  Pretty Postage
Inks:  Melon Mambo/Rich Razzleberry
Paper:  Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry, Tempting Turquoise, Brights DSP
Other:  Brights Buttons, Pearls, 1 3/8 inch square punch, Postage Stamp punch,  3/8 inch striped organdy ribbon in Melon Mambo

Thanks to SU! demonstrator Mary Fish for inspiring this card!

Thank you using Oh, Hello

Stampin' Up! gave this stamp set, Oh, Hello, to all Leadership attendees!  :)

Stamps:  Oh, Hello
Ink:  Pool Party, Rich Razzleberry, Lucky Limeade, Tangerine Tango (markers)
Paper:  Whisper White
Other:  Lucky Limeade 5 3/8 inch Ruffled Ribbon, Elegant Butterfly Punch, Bitty Butterfly Punch, Dimensionals

Inspired by a card created by SU! demonstrator Diana Gibbs.  

Birthday By the Tide

Growing up spending summers at the Jersey Shore left me having a deep love for the beach.  So I knew I had to have this stamp set when I saw the new Spring Catalog.  I've been following the recovery efforts of the Casino Pier after the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy.  Follow the link if you would like to see their hard work! 

Stamps:  By the Tide, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Inks:  Always Artichoke, Riding Hood Red, Soft Suede, River Rock, Baja Breeze
Paper:  Always Artichoke, Baja Breeze, Very Vanilla
Other:  Label Punch, Modern Label Punch, Sponge Dauber, Stampin' Distress Tool, Natural Trim Ribbon

Thank you to Brenda Keenan and Sandy Mathis for the inspiration for this card!  

Sale-a-bration Card is Bloomin' Marvelous

This card is a contrast to my current weather; outside, we are in the midst of a snowstorm, while inside springtime flowers are blooming on this card!   This stamp set is called Bloomin' Marvelous and is one of the sets you can get for FREE with a $50 purchase during Sale-a-bration.

Stamps:  Bloomin' Marvelous
Ink:  Rose Red, Bashful Blue, Wild Wasabi
Paper:  Rose Red, Bashful Blue, Whisper White
Other:  baker's twine, Vintage Faceted Designer Button, glue dot

Beer Mug Birthday Card

Need a special card for a beer-loving person?  First, I started with a rectangle of So Saffron.  Next, I layered on a slightly longer rectangle of vellum that had been run through a Paper Crimper (retired product).  You can use a circle or oval die or punch (try the new oval framelits dies for the Big Shot available from the Spring Catalog, 129381) to create the handle.  I also used the stamp set Perfect Punches and coordinating punch for the birthday sentiment, but any birthday stamp would work.  Emboss the gray background using the Houndstooth Embossing folder.  Finally, add just a bit of foam at the top using a scallop punch.  

Stamps:  Perfect Punches

Ink:  So Saffron

Paper:  Basic Black, Basic Gray, Whisper White, Vellum

Other:  Oval Punch, Oval Framelits, Scallop Punch, Paper Crimper

Doilies Design

If you recall my Leadership swaps, posted here and here, then you will recognize this design.  This was actually the first card I started with when I was trying to figure out what to take for swaps.  Don't you love the sentiment?  It comes from the stamp set Vintage Verses, one of the 2013 Sale-a-bration items!  Order $50 today, and the stamp set is yours for FREE!

Stamps:  Delicate Doilies, Vintage Verses
Inks:  Rich Razzleberry, Tangerine Tango, Garden Green
Paper:  Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White

Easter Blessings Double Time Stamping

The triple time stamping technique becomes double time stamping on this Easter card.  I started with the Whisper White rectangle and card base.  I used Dotto adhesive to temporary attach the smaller rectangle to the base.  Next, I stamped with the background stamp, Hello, Doily (122847) in Wisteria Wonder.  Stampin' Up!'s new ink pads are great for stamping larger images like this one because it is so easy to get complete coverage.  I removed the rectangle and layered it onto a piece of Elegant Eggplant card stock.  Stamp the cross in Elegant Eggplant.  Adhere the piece back to the card base, carefully lining up the doily image.  Stamp Easter Blessings (129183) in the corner, and add a jewel to the center of the cross.

Stamps:  Easter Blessings, Hello, Doily; Crosses of Hope
Ink:  Wisteria Wonder, Elegant Eggplant
Paper:  Whisper White, Elegant Eggplant
Other:  Jewels, Dotto Adhesive

Sale-a-bration Starts Today!

It's the greatest sale for Stampin' Up! customers--Sale-a-bration!  Here are the details you need to know:

• Spend $50 (before tax and shipping), and choose a FREE product from the Sale-a-bration brochure.  
• The FREE products keep adding up; for every $50 you spend, you choose a FREE product.  For example, spend $100, choose 2 FREE products.  
• Spend $150, choose 3 FREE products, PLUS you get a FREE pack of silver glimmer paper to help us celebrate our silver anniversary, PLUS get $25 in Hostess Dollars to choose even more FREE products! 
• Host a workshop with $400 in sales (or spend that much yourself), and you get the FREE silver glimmer paper, PLUS a free product bundle (stamp set, ribbon, buttons, designer series paper), PLUS $65 Hostess Dollars, PLUS 50% off any full priced item. 
• Join my team during Sale-a-bration and you can choose 25% more!  Pay only $99 and choose $156.50 worth of products!  Not to mention you would be getting all of the great benefits that come with being my team member! 

What are you waiting for?  Get shopping now!  

Personalized Stationary and Holder

For a few special Christmas presents, I ordered personalized name stamps (item #126565).  Then, I set about making some personalized stationary and a stationary holder to give each recipient, along with the stamp.  Each holder had different colors and stamps, but I forgot to take pictures of the others!  This holder used the following:

Stamps:  World Treasures
Paper:  International Bazaar DSP, Lucky Limeade, Pacific Point, Whisper White, Tangerine Tango
Ink:  Pacific Point, Chocolate Chip
Other:  3/8 inch Ruffled Ribbon in Lucky Limeade, Windows Frames Collection Framelits, Finishing Touches Edgelits, Stampin' Write Markers, Jewels

Poinsettia Pencil Present

 

Looking for a perfect present idea for a teacher?  As a teacher myself, I can fully endorse this one--only if Dixon Ticonderoga pencils are used; they are the best!  Another bonus--it is super easy to create!  Simply punch two flowers from the red glimmer paper for each poinsettia using the 5 Petal Flower Punch.  I used a regular hole puncher to make a hole for the eraser.

To finish the project, find any container and put a piece of flower foam inside.  After inserting the pencils into the foam, use some sort of filler (tissue paper, Easter grass, etc.) to cover the foam.  Add a ribbon, and the gift is ready to give! 

Stippled Blossoms Swap in Wisteria Wonder

Remember the design from this card?  I applied the same design to this card, but used the Stippled Blossoms two-step stamping set.  I applied the background stamp of the flower and leaf by inking them up, then stamping them "off" on scratch paper, before stamping on the Whisper White cardstock.  I next added the top layers in full strength ink.

Stamps:  Friendly Phrases, Stippled Blossoms
Ink: Wisteria Wonder, Wild Wasabi
Paper:  Wisteria Wonder, Whisper White

Snowflake Soiree Swap and other Leadership Pictures

I had a wonderful experience attending Stampin' Up! Leadership Conference this past week with my several of my team members (see more pictures below).  Being in sunny Orlando, Florida was only one of the perks; bringing home creative inspiration, meeting other demonstrators, winning prizes from the Prize Patrol, being the first to see new products, walking across stage for my promotion, and of course SWAPPING cards are just a few of the others!


The card pictured above is similar to one of the cards I made to swap.  The final card was also embossed with the Snowflake embossing folder on both the top and bottom pieces.  Also, although it doesn't show in the picture, the words and darker snowflakes were heat embossed with iridescent ice, which gave a nice sparkle to this card.  Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture before I traded them all away!

Tip:  You might notice that this card follows the same layout as this card from my Christmas Stamp Camp.  If you find a design style you like, you can use it with different stamps and colors to create various cards.  You will see this in my next few posts! 

Stamps:  Trust God, Snowflake Soiree
Inks:  Marina Mist, Bashful Blue
Paper:  Bashful Blue, Whisper White
Other:  Iridescent Ice, heat tool, Snowflake embossing folder

Here are some other pictures from the trip. Captions are above the photos. 

Waiting for the trolley outside in beautiful Florida. 

Prizes galore!   

I know it is blurry, but it is my walk for my Senior Supervisor promotion.  And look--I'm on the Jumbotron!

Stampin' Up! makes a difference in lives everywhere; for a service project, 

we filled bags like these with TONS of Stampin' Up! supplies to be 

donated to elementary teachers in Orlando!

Good times on the trolley!

With my roomies, Beth Tanner and Debbie Kittle.  

Are you sensing a theme here...trolley ride again! 

Our group was lucky; we had winners during almost all of the Prize Patrols!

Glitter tattoo.  Closest I'll ever get to the real thing. 

So nice to see flowers in bloom!

One of the many display boards with ideas.

The hotel to which we were "relocated" served us warm, chocolate-chip cookies, and even gave us extra on the morning we left!

 

Valentine Specials at Stampin' Up!

Are you ready to show your special ones some love this Valentine's Day?  Let Stampin' Up! help with 2 sweet offers. 

1.  Want to give someone some sweet treats?  With the Valentine Treat Bundle (item number 132771), you get the brand-new Happy Valentine Heart stamp and and a package of 1" x 8" cellophane bags, perfect for adding M&M's or the treat of your choice.

2.   During the My Little Valentine promotion (item number 132242), you will get the Sealed with Love Simply Sent Kit FREE-a $7.95 value-when they purchase the brand-new My Little Valentine Set. This four-piece set was created exclusively for this promotion and will not be available again after January 21!

Act now--these offers are only good until January 21st....one week from today!  

Click here to shop now!