Administrative Assistants Week - Fab Friday 40

 It's another Friday...time to celebrate with us at Fab Friday!!  We have a color challenge this time around.  Check it out:

Now don't do what I did...I used Basic Gray instead of Smoky Slate!  Call the challenge police!  Maybe that's why I had a hard time getting the Basic Gray to work in my design!??  Next time I'll be sure to double check my colors before adhering everything!

I made this card at the request of my husband.  He wanted to give his administrative assistant a special card along with a gift for Administrative Assistants Week.  I tried to make it special for her and hope she likes it.

 Since Betsy's Blossom's is on the retirement list I wanted to give it a little more love before it's gone for good.  The bird is heat embossing using Early Espresso embossing powder.  I did the bird twice, once on Whisper White and then again on Crisp Cantaloupe using just the Crisp Cantaloupe wings to layer on the other bird with dimensionals.

I prettied it up using a healthy sprinkling of rhinestones, ruffled stretch ribbon and a twine bow.

For my layout I used the current challenge over at Freshly Made Sketches as well.  So many things to do with that center panel!

 I hope you'll play along with us at Fab Friday.  Check out what the rest of the Design Team came up with and add your creation to the gallery!

Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Betsy's Blossoms (retiring June1)

Ink: Crisp Cantaloupe, Versamark

Paper:  Early Espresso, Basic Gray (should be Smokey Slate for the challenge!), Whisper White, Sweet Sorbet DSP (retired SAB)

Accessories: Early Espresso e.p., Circles Framelits, rhinestones, Summer Starfruit twine (retired SAB), ruffled stretch trim, dimensionals

Saying Goodbye! Stampin' Up! 2014 Retirement List

  Well it's finally upon us!  Stampin' Up! released the retirement list today.  It's a bittersweet time for us demonstrators.  On one hand we're excited to be getting a new catalog soon and see what new products they have in store for us but we're also kind of sad since some old favorites will be going away for good.

  Check your wish lists and put your orders in this week to have the best chance of getting what you want.  Stamps and Accessories are only while supplies last so you don't want to wait!  It's also FREE SHIPPING this week April 21-25 so that's an even better reason to get your order in!

  I've set up a hostess code to use when ordering online.  HOSTESS CODE: JWHGXNRX  If you place your order of at least $25 (before tax/shipping) you will have your class fee/order obligation waived for my May 27th class.  If you're not local to me but still place an order using the hostess code I will send you a special gift as a thank you!

  Check out my online store HERE to see the retirement list and place your orders!  Click "Show All" to make it super easy to scroll through all the products!

  If you would like to have the PDF files of the retirement lists just send me an email and I will get that out to you!

  Let me know if you have any questions about the hostess code or retirement list!

     And here is a card using one of the stamp sets that is retiring: Delightful Dozen.  This set is so useful...I used it on every other card!  So many great sentiments in a fun mix of fonts!  I will certainly miss this one!  It's also a great set for a new stamper since it covers so many occasions!

  

Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today? 

  Stamps: Delightful Dozen - soon to be retired!

  Ink: Versamark

  Cardstock: Elegant Eggplant, Very Vanilla, Howlstooth & Scarringbone DSP (retired), Basic Gray

  Accessories: Island Indigo button, Island Indigo & Very Vanilla satin ribbon (retired), chalk marker, white embossing powder

Cantaloupe Poppy Birthday - FabFri39

  You know you want to start your Friday off with some stamping right?  Well Fab Friday is the place to go to.  We have a great sketch for this challenge!  So many ways to go with this one!

  I needed a card for my grandma's birthday next week and I thought some fresh spring colors would be a good start.   I was looking at a home magazine and saw a cool color combination so I matched it up with as close as I could get with Stampin' Up! colors.  I ended up with Pear Pizzazz, Blushing Bride, Crisp Cantaloupe and Early Espresso.

 
  The card base is Pear Pizzazz and then I stamped a piece of Very Vanilla Core'dinations with the Hardwood stamp in Pear Pizzazz ink.  Stamping right on the Core'dinations gives a really nice texture.  I also roughed up the edges with the distressing tool and sponged a bit of Early Espresso ink.

Next, I embossed a piece of Early Espresso Core'dinations with the Decorative Dots embossing folder.  I sanded the pattern as well as used the distressing tool.  Seriously, if you haven't gotten any of the Core'dinations cardstock yet put it on your next order.  You can thank me later (if you don't already have a demonstrator you can start shopping in my online store.  The link is over on the side bar ---->! ) I'm trying to be a good girl and use up some odds and ends so I grabbed a scrap of retired Pear Pizzazz seam binding ribbon  to use as the little skinny piece from the sketch.

  I had some fun embossing the the poppy from Happy Watercolor on watercolor paper and then coloring them in layering first the Blushing Bride and then Crisp Cantaloupe.  The Aquapainter was the perfect tool to lightly layer on the colors.  The centers are colored with Early Espresso for a bit of contrast.  It was fun just sitting and coloring and seeing how each flower turned out just a bit different.  I stacked dimensionals 2 deep for one poppy, then another I used just one layer, the third one is just adhered with SNAIL so I could layer them all at different heights.

  The sentiment from Petite Pairs is embossed in Early Espresso to finish off this card.  I hope my grandma likes it!  She used to do some stamping and card making before her eye sight got poor so I'm pretty sure that she'll appreciate the effort at least!

  Check out what the rest of the Fab Friday Design Team came up with and then get yourself to your stamping supplies and play along!

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Happy Watercolor, Petite Pairs

Ink: Pear Pizzazz, Blushing Bride, Crisp Cantaloupe, Early Espresso, Versamark

Paper: Pear Pizzazz, Very Vanilla & Early Espresso Core'dinations, watercolor paper

Accessories: white embossing powder, Early Espresso embossing powder, Decorative Dots e.f., dimensionals, distressing tool, Aquapainter, seam binding ribbon

 
 

 

 

Burlap & Blooms Wreath Kit

  Now that the spring weather has finally arrived it's time to put up some fresh new spring decorations to celebrate!

  I bought the Burlap & Blooms wreath kit way back in December when demonstrators got to preorder from the Occasions Spring catalog...super nice perk right?  Anyway since it was cold and Christmas time I didn't even look at it until about February.  And then it was really just to open to the package and see what all was in it.  We were still in the midst of crazy snow days and single digit temps so I put everything from the kit back in the package and there it sat until about 2 weeks ago.  I wanted to have the wreath complete so I could show it at stamp club to see if anyone would be interested in it for a class.

  It was so easy to put together and all together probably didn't take more than and hour or 2 once I got rolling and just started putting it together instead of just looking at it!

  It looks wonderful hanging in my front hall and adds such a nice pop of spring colors!

  Here are a few close ups...

 

 For my local ladies I've gotten my act together for April and have scheduled a few classes!  Check your email (or spam folder!) for details!  One of the classes is to make the Burlap & Blooms wreath!  

  If you are local to Glen Allen, VA and would like to join in the fun please send me an email at mandysurovy (at) yahoo (dot) com for all the details.  

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp (or create!) today?

Supplies: Burlap & Blooms wreath kit, glue gun, paper piercer