Accented Blooms

Here is one of the new stamp sets from the new annual catalog.  Since they have brought back the Blends and I like to color, I got this set.  I can see using different sentiments with this set too.  I used the new Subtle embossing folder, it gives just enough texture to the background.

I found a free watermarking app for my phone and it makes it SO easy to do now!

Accented Blooms

Embossing Folder-Subtle

Assorted SU Blends

Whisper White, Basic Black and Coastal Cabana card stock

Have a great day!  Mary

Best Birds

I've had this stamp set and thinlits for awhile and decided to pull them off the table and make something with them.  Here is what I made!

I was so pleased with how it came out!  I colored the bird image in with my Watercolor Pencils and Aqua Painter.  I stamped the branch image onto a piece of Watercolor paper and also used the Watercolor pencils on it too.  The coordinating Birds & Blooms Thinlits was used to cut out the bird image.  Before I mounted my bird to the paper, I used a stamp in Sahara Sand to stamp the cross-hatching, then added some Gold Metallic thread to add just a bit more interest.  The sentiment is stamped in Soft Suede.  Then I mounted it onto a piece of Marina Mist.

Thank you to coming by and I hope you have a great day tomorrow too!  Mary

Weather Together Doodle Flowers

Oh my, I forgot to set up my blog post for today, so here it is a little bit late.

I was watching a video by Dena Rekow on how to do doodle flowers and she used a cute water can, but I don't have that stamp set, so I thought the flowers coming out of a upside down umbrella would make a cute holder for my flowers!  I do need to practice with this technique some more but really there is no right or wrong way to do them!

Pretty easy and simple to do as there is no right or wrong, just how you like it!!

Stamp set: Weather Together

Card stock: Night of Navy, Rose Red 

Watercolor Paper

Inks: Lemon Lime Twist, Bermuda Bay, Night of Navy, Rose Red, So Saffron and Peekaboo Peach

Black Archival Ink

Project Life Journaling Pen 01--retired

Be back next week!  Mary

Colorful Seasons

As you know, as a Demonstrator, I get to order new products a full month before the catalogs go live, woo-hoo!!  This was one of the stamp set and Thinlits that we were able to preorder!

I made this for our vet who just finished her last round of chemotherapy!  I've  been sending her a card each month to let her know we are thinking of her and praying for her.

I used the new In Color, Lemon Lime Twist, it is bright but goes so well with so many other colors too!  This stamp set is called Colorful Seasons, page 147 in the new catalog.  The Thinlits are called Seasonal Layers, on page 146 and 216.  I used our Card stock Vellum to cut out the flowers and turned them over and sponged them with Pink Pirouette ink.  The branches are cut out of Early Espresso card stock.  The drink was stamped in Daffodil Delight and a frame lit is included to cut it out too!  I watercolored the background with Soft Sky, Marina Mist and Pear Pizzazz.  I used Soft Suede ink for the sentiment.  I've seen a lot of cute cards made with this set, it is really a great bundle to have.

Hope your week if off to a great start!  Mary

Rose Wonder

Today I'm sharing a card that I made for a local news anchor.  The news anchor Mother is going through chemo and I asked her if it would be okay to send her a card, she quickly said yes!  So I made this card to send to the news station, so she could pass it onto her Mom.  I hope she enjoys it.

I found this idea at Julie Davison blog.  You use the Rose Garden Thinlits to cut out the largest rose with the leaves, using it as a stencil.  I then used a Aqua Painter and the ink from the lid of my Pink Pirouette to paint in the image, then did the same with Pear Pizzazz for the leaves.  I used the sentiment from Wetlands and added a few Basic Pearls.  The card base is Pink Pirouette, then retired Regal Rose, which is what I used to stamp the sentiment in.  Final layer of card stock is Whisper White. 

All in all, it is a pretty easy card to make!  Mary

Picture Perfect

I've been seeing a lot of cards being made using a watercolor technique where you make a small water puddle area on your card front and then add some ink, swirl the ink around, then letting it dry.  I tried two different ways to finish off the card front.  Here they are.

The one above I used a small mat around the watercolor piece.  I think this really helps it to stand out.

On this one, I didn't mat the watercolor piece.  Seeing them together, I really like the one with the mat, and wished I had used dimensional too.  I used one of the embossing folders from the Floral Affection group to add interest to the bottom of the card front.  I used two of the new In Colors, Flirty Flamingo and Dapper Denim.  The sentiment is from Picture Perfect.  The small image on the watercolor piece is from the March Paper Pumpkin 2016.  Then I added some Basic Rhinestones.

For under the watercolor piece I made some banner and cut a small Metallic Foil Doilies and some Metallic Silver Thread,

I used Whisper White card stock and Shimmery White card stock.

Thank you for stopping.  Mary

Swirly Scribbles

This frame lit, I believe, will be a hit with a lot of people when they see it.  There are some really cute cards being made using these framelits and the coordinating stamp set called Swirly Bird, which is also being offered as a bundle in the new catalog on page 152, #142353.

I found this card on Pinterest, Kelly Kent used the new In Colors and I decided to use the retiring In Colors.  For the sentiment we both used the stamp set called Thoughtful Banners.

I used different words and I also used a Whisper White panel to stamp on with the stripe from the Thoughtful Banners set, then cut out the swirly design, then I adhere the panel to a card base using the Thick Whisper White card stock.  I popped the swirl design up using small pieces of dimensionals to the back.  I stamped the words I wanted on strips of scrap card stock and then just snipped them out and aligned the words to that same color.  

A nice, clean and simple design which you could easily change the words to fit for the occasion you need one for.  Mary

Marquee Messages

As a demonstrator we get to pre-order selected stamp sets when a new catalog is getting ready to be release, a whole month in advance.  Well this stamp set was one that was in our OnStage bags, Marquee Messages, and I really like it!

There are a lot of great cards out on the internet using this set too.  I choose to do mine with the soon to be retired In Color 2014-2016, which I will miss.

I choose to use Blackberry Bliss for the card base, then Lost Lagoon, Tangelo Twist and Hello Honey card stock for the sentiment, yes I did have to fussy cut, but it really is not bad at all.  I use Dazzling Details in Silver for the lights, but you can easily use Basic Rhinestones too.  For the Whisper White card stock, I decided to run it through the Big Shot with the Brick Wall embossing folder and then lightly sponged it with Crumb Cake ink.  I stamped the "stars" on the back of Glimmer Paper and then hand cut those out too.  I used the White Gel Pen to fill in along the one side of the sign.

This would be a good card to send to someone who needs encouragement as the inside sentiment says, "no, really you are."

Well I'm off to get some work done, see you later in the week!  Mary

Painter's Palette

I wanted to share a new stamp set that is in the new Stamping' Up! catalog for 2016-2017.  They have some really nice things in this new catalog.

As a demonstrator, I can order some of the new stamps to share with all of you, oh what fun!!

Everything that I used on the card is in this stamp set, so many nice images to use.

I did use the soon to be retired In Colors for this card, Lost Lagoon, Mossy Meadow, Blackberry Bliss, Hello Honey and Tangelo Twist.  I masked the side of my card and used the splatter stamp to make a small border and then used Linen Thread to tie around the card.  The easel stand was stamped with Sahara Sand.  Oh, I also used Very Vanilla card stock, which I need to use more often.

Thank you for dropping in......Mary

Sunburst Thinking of You

Well today I'm going to show you the second card that I made with the Sunburst Framelit.  This one turned out so nice and it is a fairly flat card, so no extra postage is required!

I think using color card stock really helps this card out!  It is a bright and cheery card, I just need to finish off the inside now.

Here is what I used:

Sunburst Sayings

Sunburst Framelit

Card stock: Bermuda Bay, Crushed Curry and Whisper White

DSP: Cherry on Top

Black Memento ink

Silver Glimmer paper

Punches: 2' and 1-3/8" circle

Star from the Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack

Thanks for coming by, hope to see you soon!!  Mary

Picture Perfect Hummingbird

Well this week is going by fast!  I think I'm finally caught up on my sleep too.

Well here is one of the current two-step stamps that Stamping' Up! has for sale right now.  Actually, the hummingbird is four-steps but well worth the effort.  Now with this stamp I would highly recommend doing a lot of practice so that you get the hang of it and I also wrote down different color combinations too for future reference.  I found this over on Carmen Morris's blog.  Her's is so pretty, that I just had to give it a try!

Here is what I used,

Stamp Sets: Picture Perfect, Timeless Texture and Butterfly Basics

Card stock: Thick Whisper White, Blushing Bride and Whisper White

Inks: Pear Pizzaz, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Blushing Bride and Blackberry Bliss

Blender Pen

Silver Metallic Thread

Dimensional 

You all have a wonderful day!  Mary

Peek A Boo Card

Good Monday morning to all.  I hope you all had a wonderful week-end.  I'm trying to catch up from the fun couple days that I had in Salt Lake at OnStage.  It was fun to meet some of the top demonstrators and get to talk to them too!  If you live in or around the Kansas City, MO area, in November OnStage will be held here!!  I tell you, Stamping' Up! demonstrators have to be some of the most friendly, loving people I've even meet.

I'm sure you have all seen these cards floating around on the Facebook and Pinterest.  I finally decided to give it a try and it really is a very easy card to make.  I found my instructions over at Wanda's blog.

I used the Botanical Garden Designer Series Paper for the front panel.  I mounted it on some Hello Honey.  The sentiment is from Birthday Blooms, which I left the inside blank and can stamp whatever sentiment I need in the future.  

For the flowers I used the Botanical Builder Framelits using Hello Honey, Mossy Meadow and Cajun Craze, the same colors in the DSP.  I also lightly sponged the edges of the flowers to give them some depth.  For a nice finishing touch, I added some Rhinestones to the flowers centers.

I recommend you try making one of these cards!  Thanks for coming by to see me!  Mary

Rose Wonder

I received a e-mail awhile back that had this card in it.  It was posted by Connie Collins, and I just knew I had to make it too.  Connie took her Bloomin' Heart Thinlit and die cut out four of the heart shapes.  She arranged them on her card layer and placed her sentiment in the center where the die cuts didn't meet.  While she used a Easter greeting, I wanted to use the sentiment that is in the Rose Wonder stamp set.  Connie also used the Botanical Builder Framelits for the flowers at top.  You can see her beautiful card HERE.  As you can see, that Heart shaped Thinlit is not just for Valentine cards!

Here is what I used:

Card stock: Thick Whisper White, Whisper White, Wisteria Wonder, Daffodil Delight, Cherry Cobbler, Elegant Eggplant, Always Artichoke and Shimmery White

Ink: Elegant Eggplant

Basic Pearls

I used my old Color Coach to come up with the color combo for the Cherry Cobbler and Wisteria Wonder/ Elegant Eggplant scheme.

This card will be sent to a lady who is struggling with cancer right now.

I hope to see you again next week, have a great week-end.  Mary

Beautiful Ride

I really like this stamp set, Beautiful Ride, not only for the cute "Beetle" but also because it is versatile!  Lots of cute sayings and images.  When I was a lot younger, I had a red VW, it was a lot of fun to have too!

As you can see, I used three different stamp sets, Beautiful Ride, Sheltering Tree and Work of Art!  I love how you can create a scene with Stamping' Up! stamps!  I stamped the image on watercolor paper so that I could color it in and then fussy cut it out, not too hard.  Then I build my scene with with the tree placement, then the grass and road.  I use a hand-cut stencil for the clouds to add further interest.  Over all I really like how it came out!  I did leave the inside of the card blank, so I can add a sentiment on down the line, if I want too!

Card stock: Whisper White, Daffodil Delight and Water color paper

Inks: Daffodil Delight, Pink Pirouette, Rose Red, Soft Suede, Pear Pizzazz, Sahara Sand and Soft Sky

Markers: Real Red, Smoky Slate, Black and Crumb Cake

This is one set that will stay in my collection!  Thank you for coming by too!  Mary

Flowering Fields

I really like a lot of the free Sale-A-Bration stamps that Stampin' Up! designed this year, they do really make some sweet and beautiful cards.

For this card today I used Flowering Fields for the stamp.  I then used Blackberry Bliss card stock, which really makes a beautiful, rich looking card.  I then used Very Vanilla for my image, which I stamped in Stazon black ink because I wanted to color with my markers and a blender pen in some of the flowers.  The Hello Honey paper, is retired designer series paper from the Sweet Dreams.  Ribbon is Whisper White 5/8" Satin.  The sentiment is from Sheltering Tree.

I used my Old Olive marker and my Blackberry Bliss ink pad to color in the flowers.  

Have a great Friday!  Mary

Walk In The Wild

I needed a "thinking of you" card to send to my son-in-law dad.  While on vacation he had chest pain and had to have surgery.  Yup, he is in a hospital in Florida and will not be able to come home for at least two weeks!  The only good thing is, is that they have friends where they are at, so they do have some help close by.

I pulled out my retired set, Walk in the Wild, to make a quick card to send to him and to let him know that we are praying for him and his wife.  I hope that he is improving each day.

This is a pretty quick card to put together.  I stamped the image with Early Espresso ink, than too the swoosh image from Gorgeous Grunge to add Old Olive, Crumb Cake and Soft Sky.  I added a strip of Crumb Cake card stock that I use the Chevron embossing folder-retired-SU, to add some interest to it.  I wrapped some Linen Thread around the card front and tied it in a knot.  The card stock I used is Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla and Soft Sky.

I hope Gerry is healing and feeling better by the time my card reaches him.  Mary

Petal Pusher

As a demonstrator, I can order new items before it goes live for everyone else.  When I saw this stamp set, I knew I wanted to add it to my stamp collection.  It has some really nice sentiments included in the set too.

You will have to excuse my coloring.  The main bicycle body is in Wisteria Wonder and then I used my silver pen for some of the other parts, but in the picture it looks like I colored it all the same color.  You can click on the picture and it will enlarge the picture for you.  I used the cute little basket and the flower stamp for the bicycle too.  I then used a blender pen to add some Crumb Cake ink under the image to ground it.  Then I use my Gorgeous Grunge splatter to add some light color to the background.  To make the polka dot background, I use a sponge dauber and Wisteria Wonder ink and made dots on Wisteria Wonder card stock.  I cut a piece of Tea Doily and a piece of Wisteria Wonder Baker's Twine (retired) on the angle.

I highly recommend you get this cute stamp set, I think you will have a lot of fun creating cards with it too!  Mary

Hello

Sorry about this late post.  I had the stomach bug last week and now hubby has it, so not too much creating has been going on.

Today is the last day that you can order this Sale-A-Bration stamp set.  Tomorrow there will be two more new stamps and glitter washi tape to pick from!

For this card I used Wisteria Wonder, Whisper White and Pink Pirouette card stock.  For the background stripes I used the Dots & Stripes stencils which I lightly sponged with Wisteria Wonder ink, lightly on the bottom and more heavy at the top. I used a scrap piece of Wisteria Wonder and adhered a cut piece of Tea Lace Doily.  You may not see it but I did use some Metallic Thread in Silver behind the Petite Petals, leaves are from the Bird Builder punch for a pop of green.  I added a few Basic Pearls to the flowers to dress them up some.  Oh the sentiment is embossed with Silver embossing powder, which doesn't show up in the photo.

Thank you for stopping by, still working on my other Aunt's birthday card.  I will share it when done.  Mary

Awesomely Artistic

Well as promise, this is the last purple card, for awhile, anyway.  I forgot how nice it is to work with purple!

I really like this stamp set, you can make a really nice card with just this set, which makes it a quick and easy one to make too.

For the card base I used Very Vanilla.  In front of that is Elegant Eggplant, then I used another piece of Very Vanilla for my stamping canvas.  First you stamp the images you want on this piece, and color it in too.  On this one I used Mossy Meadow for the ferns.   I then used Black Stazon for the flower image as I was going to use my Stampin' Write makers to color that part in.  I used Elegant Eggplant and Old Olive as I don't have the marker in Mossy Meadow.  For the splatter, I used Crumb Cake, that I stamped off once, then stamped onto the card front.  Then I ran this thru the Brick embossing folder.  I used Crumb Cake again to lightly sponge it so the brick image would show up more.  I then stamped the label and just hand cut it out, but there is a frame lit from the Project Life Cards & Labels set that will die cut it too.  On another piece of Very Vanilla, I stamped the dragonfly with Soft Sky, fussy cut it out and then used my Two-way Glue pen so I could add some Dazzling Diamonds to it.  Overall, it's not a hard card to make!

I hope you enjoyed my card share today, thank you for dropping in to see it.  Mary

Butterfly Basics

Wow, have you all gotten the Powerball fever?  I hope whoever wins it will put all that money to really good use too.

I'm still making purple cards and promise I have only one more to share on Wednesday, then onto Valentine's Day cards.

For this card I used the Butterfly Thinlit for the focal point.  The card base is made using the Thick Whisper White card stock, very sturdy and nice.  I used Perfect Plum for the sponging and stamping the fern image from Butterfly Basics.  I stamped the image on the Irresistibly Yours Specialty Designer Series paper from 2015 Sale-A-Bration.  You stamp or sponge color on the paper and than take a paper towel and gentle wipe over the image to remove the ink from the resist areas and get the look above.  Pretty neat and a easy way to add interest to your cards.  The sentiment is from Petite Pairs.  A layer of Perfect Plum card stock was used behind the stamped areas.  The only embellishment I use was the white ribbon (non-SU), so that there would be no need of extra postage to mail.

Thank you for coming by to see me, I appreciate it so very much and if you like, please leave me a comment too!  Mary