Friday, December 31, 2021

AN ISLAND VIBE WELCOME TO 2022

HAPPY NEW YEARS EVE!

I've heard that the Pineapple is a symbol of welcoming and hospitality.  So today I am going to welcome 2022 with a Pineapple Card.


I'm hoping that 2022 will be more hospitable to us all than the last couple of years have been.  Like I'm sure you are, I am ready to get back to a more normal life -- or whatever we used to think was normal.

Today's card was made with another sneak peek product.  And, yes, this one is also a Sale-A-Bration choice.  It's called Island Vibes (Item 158096), and this is certainly the time of year when most of us would love to have some warm Island Vibes, right?

I used the large Palm Leaves stamped with Mossy Meadow to create a corner border.


Since I wanted to tuck the Pineapple into the leaves I stamped the four leaves on the right a second time and fussy cut them.  After I stamped and fussy cut the pineapple (sadly there are no coordinating dies), I created a little color wash at the bottom with my water painter and Mossy Meadow ink.  This makes it look like the Pineapple is sitting on something and not floating in the air.


After adhering the Pineapple with liquid glue at the bottom I put a couple of dimensionals towards the top to give it a little lift.  I did the same with the four fussy cut leaves.  At the left I adhered them directly to the image stamped below it and then on the right I lifted them up a bit with some dimensionals over the pineapple.

The welcome sentiment if from Wildly Adorable, and if you are curious how I created the 2022, I used a VERY OLD retired Stampin' Up! Item called the "Remember This and That Rotary Stamp."  I was cleaning out some old stuff a while back and found it in the back of a drawer, still in its original box.  I didn't remember I even had it, and I think this was the first time it ever even touched an ink pad!  When I was cleaning and organizing (and yes disposing of some stuff), I almost threw it out, but something told me not to!  I think the numbers on the stamp only rotate up to 2025 -- so it's going to need to go eventually.  But not today!

For the inside of the card, I decided to just add the palm leaves along with a couple more retired sentiments.  In all the stamps I have couldn't find a current Happy New Year sentiment.  Hint, Hint!  Stampin' Up!


In the above photo, you can see that I also decorated the front corner of my envelop with another Pineapple.  I first inked the Pineapple with So Saffron.  Then with a Mango Melody Stampin' Write Marker I added a little more ink to the stamp around the edges of the pineapple before I stamped it.  The leaves were inked with Pear Pizzazz, and I also added a little Pear Pizzazz color wash for it sit on.  Am I the only one that doesn't like to see "things" floating in air?

If you would like a tutorial for this simple card, one is available at this link.

As I mentioned above, I used the sneak Peek Island Vibes Sale-A-Bration stamp set for the majority of this card but the rest of the current products I used are listed below.


As we close out 2021 let's be grateful for the blessings and happy times this year has brought. Let's leave the difficulties and trials of the year behind and look forward with hope and faith to 2022.  

May God Bless You and Keep You in 2022!


Product List

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

FLOWERING BOOTS

Happy Hump Day!

I'm excited to share today's card with you.  This card is made with one of the new bundles available in the Spring Mini Catalog which launches on January 4, 2022.  I loved this set the moment I saw it, and I've heard from many other demonstrators that they love it also.  I hope you like it, too.


One of the many advantages of being a demonstrator is that we get to see what's coming before it is here!  Today's card actually has four sneak peeks on it.  The Flowering Rain Boots Bundle (Item 157691) are the obvious sneak peak, but what do you think the other three are?  


The detail on these Flower Rain Boot stamps really makes them pop off the paper when you stamp with them.  Don't the boots on the card look like they are shiny rubber Wellies?  I was amazed when I first used them and put ink to paper.  The detail on the tulips and the tulip leaves is also amazing in person.  I'm not sure the picture justifies the depth and detail these stamps create -- even the close-up!  But I think you can get the idea.

So, have you figured out what the 2nd sneak peek is?  It's the designer series paper of course!  If you love color, then this Sunshine & Rainbow Designer Series Paper is for you!


Just look at this huge pile of color and all these different designs!  And guess what!  This is another Sale-A-Bration FREEBIE choice when you order $50 of merchandize.  So between  Monday's cute Card, and today's card -- I bet I now have you up to $150 of purchases because if you are like me -- you want it all!  But no worries, once you see the new catalog, you are going to have a difficult time restraining yourself to spend ONLY $150!


The third sneak peek is not quite as obvious.  It is the embossing folder that created the Splatters behind the boots.  After all, where there are rain boots, there are usually splatters of mud or water right?  This embossing folder is part of a set of two called Stripes & Splatters (Item 157980).

And the fourth sneak peek?  Well, about the only thing left is the ribbon.  This is a new denim ribbon (Item #149590) that will be available in the new Spring Mini Catalog.  Even though it is called "denim" and it looks like "denim", it doesn't tie like "denim".  It is very soft and easy to tie which is always a plus for any ribbon, right?

This card came together very quickly because of the coordinating dies.  Every image in this stamp set has a coordinating die so no fussy cutting needed this time!  And, of course, using designer series paper for the background always speeds the creative process along because you can use the paper for your color inspiration.  The rainbow paper made it easy to choose, Granny Apple Green, Misty Moonlight, and Mango Melody.  What do you think?

I decided to leave the front of my card sentiment free!  I liked how it looked with the focus being on the boot bouquet.  So, I left the sentiment for the inside only.

I decided to carryover the background design of the card front to the inside by duplicating it in a small strip on the left.

So, I'm curious what you think about this Flowering Rain Boots Bundle?  I guarantee that you will be seeing it again!

Although I'm sure you could duplicate this card easily without a tutorial, I have one available at this link if you would like it.

I've already told you about 4 of the sneak peek products used to create this card.  The rest of the current products that I used are shown below.


Product List

Monday, December 27, 2021

CATCHING BUTTERFLIES

I hope that you all had a Blessed Christmas with those you love.  Are you relaxing and recovering this week after a weekend of celebrating, or do you continue the celebration right through New Year Day?

Last week I received my pre-order from Stampin' Up!, and I got so many new and awesome stamp sets that I couldn't decide which one to use this week.   I felt like a little kid at Christmas!  So many new toys, and I wanted to start playing with them all!  So that is what I'm going to do.  Well, sort of.  Definitely not all of them, but at least a few.

Today we are Catching Butterflies with the Stamp Set of the same name.

Isn't this little girl cute?  I think she's excited because she's almost ready to catch that butterfly that is trying to get away!  Look at her eyes!  She's got that little guy in her sights!

This cute stamp set is one of the FREE choices that you can select during Sale-A-Bration -- which starts on January 4!  (Item # 158108).  For every $50 you spend you get to choose a FREEBIE!  Yay!  We love FREEBIES!


Today, I used a technique that I often forget about.  It is called Paper Piecing.


To make her Poppy Parade dress, I just stamped the image a 2nd time on one of the Poppy Parade prints from the Brights Designer Series Collection.  Then I cut it out and adhered it with liquid glue to the image on my card.  This gives her a pretty little plaid dress, don't you think?

Have you noticed the pretty sky in the background?   Are you wondering how I made that?  I didn't!  It's Designer Series Paper and is another FREE Sale-A-Bration selection you can choose.


It's called Simply Marbleous (Item 158128) and look at all the great colors you get.  I used the Balmy Blue/Misty Moonlight combination, but you also get combinations of Smokey Slate/Basic Gray, Pool Party/Coastal Cabana, Bumblebee/So Saffron, Petal Pink/Magenta Madness, and Gorgeous Grape/Highland Heather.   And even more amazing is that you get eight 6" x 6" sheets of each color.  The above image shows the different pattern on each side of a sheet.


To make today's card, I first covered the Balmy Blue card base with the Designer Series Paper.  Then I used my Ornate Layering Dies to create the Balmy Blue die cut on the left.

Behind the little girl I added a very light color wash with my Water Painters so that she didn't look so stark on the Basic White.

For the inside of the card, I again used the same Ornate Layering die, but this time I only used a portion of it to create the edge along the designer series paper.


Mats of Poppy Parade on both the front and the inside of the card bring a little life to the Balmy Blue.  Honestly, I never would have thought to put Balmy Blue and Poppy Parade together, but my Color Coach said it was OK, so I decided to give it a try.  I think the Color Coach was right!  What do you think?  Do you like this color combination?

If you would like a tutorial for today's card, one is available at this link.  It includes all cutting dimensions and detailed, step-by-step assembly directions.

In addition to the Catching Butterflies Stamp Set and Simply Marbleous Designer Series Paper, the current products that I used are listed below.  The two new Sale-A-Bration item will be available in eight days!


Product List

Friday, December 24, 2021

SANTA PAWS IS ON HIS WAY!

Merry Christmas Eve!  I hope that all your preparations are complete and today you can take some time to relax and enjoy what you have worked so hard to create.


I wanted to share one last Christmas Card with you today.  I wish I could have mailed each of you who take the time to follow me this card, but since that isn't possible, this is your Christmas Card from me!

I invited my favorite Sweet Little Stockings furry friends to join me in wishing you Peace, Joy & Kisses.  

As they patiently watch and wait for someone this Christmas Eve, they each are glad to have their own window in this Bay Window Fun Fold Card.  



Who are they waiting for?  Well Santa Paws of course!  He's coming to town and sending lots of love.


As my furry friends wait for Santa Paws and hope he brings them treats and toys, I'm looking forward to celebrating the birth of Baby Jesus.  He is the Greatest Gift of all!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU!  



Product List

Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper
Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper
[135315]
Pink Pirouette Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack
Pink Pirouette Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack
[144604]