Snowflake Christmas Wreath - Stampin' Up! Wishes All Around

 I always like to throw in some non-traditional Christmas colors when designing for my classes.  I love some red and green and gold but I also love some bright unexpected colors on a Christmas card.  I used some of those colors on this snowflake wreath card.

  The base is Coastal Cabana with another piece of Coastal Cabana that is embossed with the Snowflake Sky embossing folder.  I made the embossed image stand out even more by dragging my white craft ink pad over the embossing.  If you try this be very gentle and try not to press down too hard or you'll get a white splotch.

  Next, using a piece of Shimmery White I blended Pool Party, Highland Heather and Berry Burst ink across it randomly.  Then I spritzed water on the panel with a Stampin' Spritzer and blotted it up with a paper towel.  This technique leaves a nice variegated look and adds a bit of visual texture.  Using a heat tool I made sure my panel was dried before die cutting the wreath and a few extra snowflakes.  

 Tip for intricate dies like this snowflakes and wreath: For my die cutter I use a thin cardboard shim on top of my cutting plates when cutting dies like this (I used the cardboard that comes in the DSP packs) and run it back and forth through the machine several times.  I always get good results doing this and all the little bits and pieces release easily.  Sometimes you just need a tighter sandwich to get all the cut crisp and clean.

  The wreath and individual snowflakes are adhered with glue dots.  The Berry Burst sentiment banner is embossed in white and has a bit of Iridescent ribbon added to the back for some shimmer (swap out a different sentiment if you need a thank you for after Christmas or a birthday sentiment for those winter celebrations).  The banner is popped on dimensionals.  A little more shimmer is added to the single snowflakes with a few adhesive-backed glitter sequins.

  All of the products used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Wishes All Around

Ink: Versamark, Pool Party, Highland Heather, Berry Burst, white craft

Paper: Coastal Cabana, Shimmery White, Berry Burst

Accessories: Wishes All Around dies, blending brushes, Stampin' Spritzer, white embossing powder, dimensionals, Iridescent ribbon, adhesive-backed glitter sequins

Fall Leaves in Copper - Stampin' Up! Autumn Leaves

   If you're a regular visitor here at Did You Stamp Today? you're probably thinking I'm a broken record with this design that I'm showing for the 3rd time!  I just loved this layout so much that I ended up making 3 different versions of it to show off just how different a card can look by changing the stamp set and colors but leaving the layout the same.  Check out the same layout HERE and HERE for a variety of looks.

  Today's version is a fall card with some gorgeous copper accents.

  The card base is Crumb Cake and then a layer of Copper Clay embossed with the Tree Rings hybrid embossing folder for a nice woodsy look in the background.

  Then I layered my 3 panels on another piece of Crumb Cake.  I started with a piece of Moody Mauve card stock stamped with the smallest leaf stamp from the Autumn Leaves stamp set.  I used the same color of ink but stamped off once for a lighter look.

  Next are 2 strips of All About Autumn DSP which is a fantastic fall themed pack of 6x6 designs.  One side of the sheets are real photographs and the other has cool patterns in a copper metallic print.  I used the real leaf pattern for the center strip and then a narrow strip in one of the copper patterns.  And this paper is so cool it's been in and out of stock since it was released.  It looks like it should be back in stock soon so keep an eye on my ONLINE STORE and grab a back when it comes back.

 For the oak leaf I stamped off once in Moody Mauve onto Very Vanilla card stock and added the veining in the Oxidized Copper then popped it on dimensionals.

 Finally, I stamped the birthday sentiment from Go-To Greetings in Copper Clay and cut it out using one of the label dies from the Autumn Leaves die set. I edged the bottom of the label with a piece of retired burlap ribbon and added a Copper Clay In Color Dot.

  So your Honor I rest my case that this layout can be used over and over again for a different look each time! :)

  Current products used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Autumn Leaves, Go-To Greetings

Ink: Moody Mauve, Copper Clay

Paper: Crumb Cake, Copper Clay, Very Vanilla, Oxidized Copper Specialty paper, All About Autumn DSP

Accessories: Autumn Leaves dies, dimensionals, In Color Dots, Tree Rings Hybrid embossing folder, burlap ribbon (retired)

Oh What Fun Lights - Stampin' Up! Merry & Bright

     So do you put up tiny Christmas lights or do you use the fat bulbs in your decorating?  Whichever way you lean, the Merry & Bright stamp set has you covered with your preferred bulb style!  I used the fat bulbs on this card and instead of stamping them in ink I used Stampin' Blends!

  I started with a Pool Party base then on a slightly smaller panel of Pool Party the 'Oh, what fun!' sentiment is randomly stamped across it in the same color of ink.  A punch circle in Basic White creates the base for the light bulbs.

  I designed this card for a class so instead of having everyone wait around for the one light bulb stamp to get passed around I brought a variety of Stampin' Blends markers and had them choose 2 colors.  The dark marker is colored first at the bottom of a piece of Basic White, then the lighter marker is layered and carried higher up the panel to create a gradient of color. That's repeated again with the second color.  Then the Merry & Brights dies are used to cut out the bulb shape.

  The filament stamp is then stamped in Daffodil Delight on the bulbs (it doesn't show up well on some of the darker colors).  A bit of Granny Apple Green foil is used to cut out the bases of the bulbs and then the parts are adhered together.

  I adhered the bulbs to my card front with the Melon Mambo one popped on dimensionals.  The finishing touch is a piece of Iridescent ribbon tied in a knot and adhered with a glue dot at the tops (bottoms??) of the bulbs.

  If you're interested in any of the items I used to make this card they can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Merry & Bright

Ink: Pool Party

Blends: Daffodil Delight light & dark, Melon Mambo light & dark

Paper: Pool Party, Basic White, Granny Apple Green foil

Accessories: Merry & Bright dies, dimensionals, Iridescent ribbon

Garden Walk Thank You - Stampin' Up! Petal Park

   I always love being able to combine products from different catalogs and seasons onto one project.  It really makes me feel like I'm getting my money's worth and it definitely shows the versatility of the supplies.  I used this same layout on a few cards recently to show how different it can look just by changing out colors and stamps.  There's no need to re-invent the wheel for every project!

  I designed this whole card around the center strip of Garden Walk DSP which you can find in the Stampin' Up! Sept.-Dec. 2023 mini catalog.  This pack is 6x6 and has a great set of colors that can be used for any time but lends itself to fall and winter cards with fresh color combinations.  I think this card ends up being an all-seasons card with the colors I used.

  I started with a Calypso Coral base, then a piece of Basic White embossed with the Distressed Tile embossing folder (gorgeous!).  Next I used a Basic White rectangle to line up the 3 different strips.  The first is Calypso Coral stamped in the same color ink with the little trio of flowers from the Petal Park stamp set (Annual Catalog). Next is the DSP and finally a narrow strip of Soft Shimmer paper in Pretty Peacock (also gorgeous!).

  The sentiment from Autumn Leaves stamp set is stamped in Pretty Peacock and die cut with a Countryside Corners die.  I edged it with a piece of Wild Wheat ribbon and popped it up on dimensionals.

  The larger flowers from Petal Park are stamped in Pretty Peacock and then colored with Blends markers.  I punched them out and added them to the card front with dimensionals.  

  A few retired milky dots are added to the centers of the 2 smaller flowers and that's it!  To see another card using this same layout check out my post HERE.

  All of the current products used to make this card are available for purchase in my ONLINE STORE.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Petal Park, Autumn Leaves

Ink: Calypso Coral, Pretty Peacock

Blends: Calypso Coral light & dark, Petal Pink dark, Wild Wheat light

Paper: Calypso Coral, Basic White, Soft Shimmer paper, Garden Walk DSP

Accessories: Distressed Tile embossing folder, Countryside Corners dies, dimensionals, Petal Park builder punch, Wild Wheat In Color ribbon, milky dots (retired)

Stampin' Up! Clearance Rack Refresh!

 

  Check out the new items added to the Stampin' Up! Clearance Rack this week!  Now is a perfect time to place an order to get supplies to make your Christmas projects and also get some great deals on stamps, dies and accessories!

  I'd love to be your Stampin' Up! demonstrator if you're looking for one!  I'm always happy to help with all kinds of stamping questions.

  You can shop with me, join my mailing list and check out my events calendar through my BUSINESS PAGE!  

Best & Brightest Stars - Stampin' Up! Stars At Night

    This card has gotten around a lot even before getting posted here!  I designed it for a private class I taught last weekend, then I used it last night on a Facebook Live (find me on Facebook at Did You Stamp Today and follow my page there for all the extra content!) and showed how to put it together and now it's here on my blog!

  Blue and gold is such a classic Christmas color combination and it's freshened up a bit with the addition of the In Color Boho Blue added to the Night of Navy.  

  I started with a Boho Blue card base.  Then a piece of Very Vanilla is embossed with the Stars at Night hybrid embossing folder.  Next I stamped a strip of Boho Blue in the same color of ink with the cluster of stars stamp.  I layered it on a piece of Very Vanilla along with a strip of Shining Brightly Specialty DSP in a gorgeous Navy and gold star pattern. And finally a narrow piece of Night of Navy.  The widths are 1.25", 1" and .5" all are 4" long.

  Next I stamped the sentiment in Boho Blue and die cut it.  I added a piece of Night of Navy and Gold glittered ribbon along the bottom edge and then popped it up on dimensionals.

  The last detail to finish this card is to add a few gold foil stars cut with the Stars at Night dies.  They are popped up with mini dimensionals.

  All of the items used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Stars At Night

Ink: Boho Blue

Paper: Boho Blue, Very Vanilla, Night of Navy, Shining Brightly Specialty DSP, gold foil

Accessories: Stars at Night Hybrid embossing folder/dies, dimensionals, Night of Navy & GOld Glittered ribbon

Pumpkin Patch - Stampin' Up! Pick of the Patch

   The weather has finally been feeling a bit like fall in the mornings when I walk the dogs and Saturday is the autumnal equinox so it's definitely time for more fall cards!  I saw the current CAS Colours & Sketches Challenge and that layout just screamed gourds and pumpkins to me!

  The challenge did state that we could use any shape we wanted to and it didn't have to be the squares in the graphic so I went with these fun shapes!

  I started with a Basic White thick base.  I adhered a length of Natural ribbon across the front.  Then I got to work on my colorful produce using the Pick of the Patch stamp set!  I stamped a pumpkin in Pumpkin Pie (of course!), a gourd in Crushed Curry and then a smaller pumpkin in Calypso Coral.  The pumpkins are punched out with the Pick of the Patch builder punch and the gourd is fussy cut.

  The leaves are stamped in Pretty Peacock ink and also punched with the Pick of the Patch punch.  The the stems for all 3 are punched from a piece of Pecan Pie cardstock.  After adhering the leaves and the stems to the pumpkins/gourd I popped them up with dimensionals across the card front.

  The last thing to do on this clean and simple card is the sentiment stamped in Pretty Peacock.  I probably should have done this step first so in case I goofed it up I wouldn't have to start over with the rest of the card.  I live on the edge though so I did it last!

  If you'd like to purchase any of the products used to make this card you can find them in my ONLINE STORE

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Pick of the Patch

Ink: Pumpkin Pie, Crushed Curry, Calypso Coral, Pretty Peacock

Paper: Basic White thick, Basic White

Accessories: Pick of the Patch builder punch, dimensionals, Copper & Natural Ribbon combo pack 

Wishes Wreath - Stampin' Up! Wishes All Around

   I designed this fun book binding fold card for a private class that I had over the weekend.  It's such an easy fold that it's perfect for beginners and veterans alike!  And it's also a great layout to show off 2 pieces of DSP!  

  To make the book binding fold just cut your base cardstock to 4 1/4" x 11" so you have a long skinny piece to start.  Then just score at 5 1/2" and again at 6 3/4".  Adhere the scored section so you have a square flap for the "front cover" of your card.  So easy!  I used Shaded Spruce for this card base.

  For this one I used 2 pieces of Joy of Christmas DSP.  The square panel is 4"x4" so you can get 9 panels out of one piece of DSP.  The greenery piece is 1" x 4" which is perfect to use up some smaller scraps.

  The wreath from the Wishes All Around stamp set is stamped in Shaded Spruce ink and then die cut.  The sentiment is stamped in Real Red and punched out.  The wreath is popped on mini dimensionals and the sentiment is adhered flat on the card front.

  A Real Red fork bow (tutorial HERE) is added as well as some gold sequins for the final details.  

   If you're interested in purchasing items to make your own version of this card you can find everything in my ONLINE STORE.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Wishes All Around

Ink: Shaded Spruce, Real Red

Paper: Shaded Spruce, Joy of Christmas DSP, Basic White

Accessories: Wishes All Around dies, dimensionals, gold sequins, Real Red ribbon, circle punch/die

  

Bright Christmas Bulbs - Stampin' Up! Merry & Bright

   Since I've shared some fall cards the last few days it was time to get a Christmas design in the mix. Christmas will be here before I know it and I need to get cracking on some Christmas cards so I have enough for every one on my list.  

  Freshly Made Sketches challenge always has a great layout and this week is no exception!  The 3 circle elements turned into Christmas light on my card but I think it works!

  I kept the background clean and simple so the brighter colors of the light bulbs would pop so I embossed a piece of Basic White with the Snowflake Sky embossing folder.  I added even more texture with a narrow strip of white Textured Shimmer paper.  

  The bulbs are stamped in Tahitian Tide, Flirty Flamingo and Lemon Lime Twist and the bases are stamped in Garden Green.  Once they were die cut I cut a "wire" and strung my bulbs along it and adhered it to the card front with dimensionals.

  The sentiment is stamped in Garden Green and cut out and then popped on dimensionals.  A little shine was added with some Pastel adhesive backed sequins.  The catalog lists the color as Balmy Blue but my pack definitely matches Tahitian Tide better.

  If you'd like to make your own version of this card you can get all the supplies in my ONLINE STORE.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Merry & Bright

Ink: Tahitian Tide, Flirty Flamingo, Lemon Lime Twist, Garden Green

Paper: Basic White thick, Basic White, Textured Shimmer paper, Garden Green

Accessories: Snowflake Sky embossing folder, Merry & Bright dies, dimensionals, pastel adhesive backed sequins

Pumpkin Patch - Stampin' Up! Pick of the Patch

   It's not almost fall if there aren't pumpkin showing up everywhere right?  I've already seen giant bins of pumpkins at the grocery store not to mention pumpkin decorations in stores like Target.  And in my world fall means pumpkins on cards!  I think I get a new pumpkin stamp set every year and this year Pick of the Patch is the winner.  It's got lots of fun pumpkin and gourd shapes and fun accessories like leaves and vines and even a cute crow!

  I had fun putting this card together as a thank you to my customers for their orders last month.  I used another great autumnal color palette with Pretty Peacock, Mossy Meadow, Wild Wheat, Cajun Craze, Copper Clay and Pecan Pie.  

  I started with a Very Vanilla thick card base then topped it with a piece of Pretty Peacock embossed with the Distressed Tile embossing folder.  I wrapped a bit of copper ribbon around the panel before adhering it to the card front.

  Next I cut a piece of Very Vanilla with one of the medium-sized Deckled Rectangle dies and used that as a base to create my pumpkin patch.

  I stamped directly onto the Very Vanilla panel the 2 images in the background; one gourd in Wild Wheat and one tall skinny pumpkin in Cajun Craze.  Next the other pumpkins are stamped in Wild Wheat, Copper Clay and Pecan Pie and then either punched out with the Pick of the Patch builder punch or fussy cut.  

  The stems, leaves and vines are all stamped in Mossy Meadow.  In the front the small pumpkin and the larger one in the center are popped on dimensionals and the Pecan Pie one is adhered to the Very Vanilla panel.

  The 'for you' is from the Layering Leaves stamp set and is stamped in Pretty Peacock and is die cut with a Stylish Shapes circle die. It is also popped on dimensionals. Finally I tied a little knot in the copper ribbon and added it to the side of the pumpkins with a glue dot.

  If pumpkins are your thing and you want to be able to re-create this card yourself all of the supplies used to make it can be order in my ONLINE STORE.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Pick of the Patch, Layering Leaves

Ink: Pretty Peacock, Mossy Meadow, Wild Wheat, Cajun Craze, Copper Clay, Pecan Pie

Paper: Very Vanilla thick, Very Vanilla, Pretty Peacock

Accessories: Pick of the Patch builder punch, Distressed Tile embossing folder, Deckled Rectangle dies, Stylish Shapes dies, dimensionals, Copper ribbon (Copper and Natural ribbon combo pack)

Rich Autumn Colors - Stampin' Up! Autumn Leaves

   So many of my favorite challenges are gearing up for autumn with wonderful challenges using gorgeous fall colors or leaves or pumpkins and all the rest of the fun seasonal elements we love designing with.  My friends over at The Paper Players have a color challenge that just has fall written all over it!  

  We are to use Copper Clay, Wild Wheat, Pretty Peacock, Pebbled Path and any color of your choice and I added Copper and Vanilla is my neutral.  I am so glad to have 3 of the 5 In Colors in this grouping!  I'm a seasonal stamper and tend to only use certain colors seasonally and this set of In Colors when first introduced to us in the spring definitely seemed more fall like to me so didn't get used a whole lot until recently.  

  See what I'm saying!? Great colors for fall!  I used the the All About Autumn Suite to make this richly colored and textured card.

  This starts with a Copper Clay base, then a layer of Very Vanilla is stamped with leaves in 3 of the challenge colors.  I stamped off once for each image for a lighter version in the background.  After I was finished stamping I used the Distressed Tile embossing folder to give the texture.

  Next I adhered a length of Natural ribbon to the card front using Tear & Tape (it holds ribbon really well where snail might not be strong enough longterm or glue might seep through).  Each leaf is then stamped again in full strength ink and die cut.  I added the veining/stem to the Pretty Peacock leaf using Oxidized Copper Specialty paper which gives the card a nice little shiny accent.

  Then the leaves are arranged under the stamped and punched sentiment which is popped up on dimensionals.  Since I didn't use a lot of Pebbled Path (or any really besides the sentiment) I added a bit more with an In Color dot on the sentiment circle.  And that's a wrap for this design!

  All of the products used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Autumn Leaves

Ink: Copper Clay, Wild Wheat, Pretty Peacock, Pebbled Path, Oxidized Copper Specialty paper

Paper: Copper Clay, Very Vanilla

Accessories: Autumn Leaves dies, Distressed Tile embossing folder, Copper & Natural Ribbon combo pack, 2023-2025 In Colors dots, circle punch/die, dimensionals  

Shining Star Christmas - Stampin' Up! Stars at Night

   My stamping time has been limited lately for one reason or another so I'm falling back on a layout I've used a few times lately.  It's a great one to use when you want to take care of some of those one inch wide strips that you've got laying around.  Or in the case of my card today trying to use some specialty paper in a way that doesn't break the bank if you have to make multiples!

  The strips on this card are 1" x 4" so for a 12x12 sheet of DSP or specialty paper I can make 12 cards with no extra paper leftover!  That's pretty good right?  

  I started this card with a Very Vanilla thick card base.  I used the new Shining Brightly Specialty paper for the strips.

  The sentiment is stamped in Night of Navy ink on Very Vanilla card stock.  Using the Stars at Night dies I cut the sentiment out and then cut 2 stars from gold foil paper.  The stars are layered and then popped up over a length of Night of Navy and Gold Glitter ribbon.  The sentiment is also popped on dimensionals.

  All of the items used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Stars at Night

Ink: Night of Navy

Paper: Very Vanilla thick, Very Vanilla, Gold foil, Shining Brightly Specialty paper

Accessories: Stars at Night dies, dimensionals, Night of Navy & Gold Glitter ribbon

  

Sleigh Ride Fun - Stampin' Up! Festive & Fun

  I've been having a terrible time lately creating anything that I like so I was just messing about yesterday trying to spark something with a variety of supplies and I created this card for the Freshly Made Sketches challenge. Can't say that I love the end results but hopefully I'm on my way to recovery because I didn't toss it right in the trash lol!

  I definitely struggled with all of that open space at the bottom of the sketch!  I started with a Lemon Lime Twist card base and stamped a few little stars in Granny Apple Green ink on the bottom portion to add something but keep it on the clean and open side per the challenge guidelines.  The star stamp can be found in the Merry & Bright stamp set.

  The animals are part of the Festive & Fun stamp set and are stamped in Memento black onto Basic White cardstock.  I stamped the image to the right side and up a bit from the bottom to leave room for the other elements of the sketch.

  I colored in the scene with Stampin' Blends markers trying to keep with colors that are in the Merry Bold & Bright DSP.  To tie the colors together with other parts of the card I used a narrow bit of the Merry Bold & Bright DSP along the left side of the panel and a strip of Pool Party along the bottom with the sentiment stamped on it in the same color ink (I would probably use black instead if I were to do this design again since the Pool Party is a bit light.)

  The last thing I added to the card front are a few Iridescent adhesive-backed discs sprinkled amongst the stars.

  All of the items used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE.  

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Festive & Fun, Merry & Bright

Ink: Memento Black, Granny Apple Green, Pool Party

Blends: Gray Granite light & dark, Pool Party light & dark, Poppy Parade dark, Pecan Pie light, Lemon Lime Twist light & dark, Daffodil Delight dark

Paper: Lemon Lime Twist, Basic White, Merry Bold & Bright DSP

Accessories: Iridescent adhesive-backed discs

Clean and Simple Star - Stampin' Up! Stars at Night

   I finally opened my new Stars at Night bundle to play along with the CAS Colours & Sketches challenge.  They want us to make a clean and simple card using Coastal Cabana, Lemon Lolly & Starry Sky.  I thought a nice detailed star on a clean background would be the perfect way to break in this set!

  I must have taken 20 photos of this card and this is the best I got!  The bright sun and stark white cardstock were working against me it seems!  I need to find that sweet spot in the day where the lighting is just perfect!  

  Anyway it is a clean and simple challenge so I kept the base white and then stamped the subtle starburst shaped stamp in Coastal Cabana right on the card front.  Next I stamped the large star in the fitting Starry Sky and then cut and embossed with the new Stars at Night Hybrid embossing folder/dies.  I colored in the open panels with my Lemon Lolly blends.

  Some mini dimensionals were the prefect size to pop the star up on top of the Coastal Cabana starburst.

  I wanted a small skinny sentiment right under the star and one from the Festive & Fun stamp set was just right.  I stamped it in Starry Sky and then added a few stamped off stars on each side in Coastal Cabana.

  And keeping with the CAS theme I added just a single tinsel gem in the center of the star for the embellishment.  

  This is definitely a design that would work for making multiples.  It's just detailed enough that it doesn't look plain but not so many steps that it's overwhelming!

  All of the products used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Stars at Night, Festive & Fun

Ink: Coastal Cabana, Starry Sky

Blends: Lemon Lolly light & dark

Paper: Basic White

Accessories: Stars at Night hybrid embossing folder/dies, tinsel gem, mini dimensionals

Soft Autumn Birthday - Stampin' Up! Autumn Leaves

   I was lacking a bit of stamping mojo the other day and the ideas just weren't translating to the cardstock like I wanted them too so I cleaned up my desk and decided to keep it simple and do a few challenges to get back on track.  I decided to combine 2 challenges for even less decision making! I used the CASE the Designer challenge at Inspire.Create Challenge and the colors from TGIF Challenges.  

  I started this design with a Crumb Cake base, then a layer of Blackberry Bliss and then a layer of Very Vanilla cut with a Deckled Rectangle die.  I did all the stamping around the edge of the Very Vanilla piece and stamped off once for each image to get a lighter version of the leaves.  

  Then I had a happy accident, as sometimes happens when stamping, my Blackberry Bliss ink must be a bit old because it wasn't drying very fast so when I went to blend some Pool Party ink around the stamped leaves it smudged a bit which I ended up liking even though it wasn't intended!  I think it softens the look even more but note to self to maybe order a new pad!

  Next I dug through some retired DSP to find a piece in Pool Party which took way longer than I thought it would and came up with this piece from the Pattern Party DSP in a polka dot pattern.  I cut a banner with the Stylish Shapes dies and then topped it with a circle cut from the same die set with the Happy Birthday stamped in Blackberry Bliss.  The sentiment is from the Beautiful Balloons stamp set.

  I popped the whole thing on dimensionals and added a linen twine bow and a retired Crumb Cake enamel dot.

  Not sure if this card ended my stampers block but it turned out cute and is a finished project which is more than I can say for some other attempts this weekend!

  All current products used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE.  Items marked with a * will be available for purchase started September 6, 2023.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Autumn Leaves*, Beautiful Balloons

Ink: Crumb Cake, Pool Party, Blackberry Bliss

Paper: Crumb Cake, Blackberry Bliss, Very Vanilla, Pattern Party DSP (retired)

Accessories: Deckled Rectangle dies, Stylish Shapes dies, dimensionals, linen thread, enamel dot (retired)

Zany Turtle Birthday - Stampin' Up! Zany Zoo - VIDEO TUTORIAL

   Today's card is the last of the projects my local stampers made this past week at class.  It's a super easy take on the Faux Shutter cards that are going around.  After researching several different ways one can go about making this style of card I decided that the one shown by demonstrator Colleen Magness was the way to go especially for a class setting.  I made a quick video tutorial below to show all of the steps so my local customers could refer to it when they wanted to make another one at home.  

  I used the fun Zany Zoo stamp set to create my version the Faux Shutter card.  I love that this technique really shows off a smaller image.  The way the small turtle is framed out by the Basic Black strips really makes it pop.

  Check out my tutorial on YouTube and learn how to make this fun card.

  All of the products used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Zany Zoo

Ink: Memento Black

Blends: Daffodil Delight light & dark, Lemon Lime Twist light & dark, Smoky Slate light & dark

Paper: Basic Black, Coastal Cabana, Basic White

Accessories: Stylish Shapes dies, dimensionals, Tinsel Gems 

Kindness in Fall - Stampin' Up! Timeless Arrangements

   If you saw the card I shared yesterday I said it was one that I was trying out to see if it would work for a class but it ended up being too much die cutting.  Today I'm sharing the design that I did end up using for class which is similar but also much more class friendly!

   I knew I wanted to use the Timeless Arrangements bundle and I loved the colors from yesterdays card so those were where I started with for this design.  Yesterdays card had like 10 different die cuts plus embossing and I cut that down to 6 cuts with all but one of of the die cuts being able to be run through the die cutter at one time.  So much easier for a class project!

  This one starts with a Lost Lagoon base in which we blended Lost Lagoon ink with a mask (stencil).  This design is retired but there are 2 current sets in the annual catalog that can be substituted.  I just haven't gotten either of them yet.

  Next I stamped the sentiment in Pretty Peacock onto Very Vanilla card stock.  Then I did all the die cutting of the leaves/sprigs with the different colors (listed below).  I did use some of the Pretty Peacock Soft Shimmer paper for those sprigs and I love how it's a subtle shine but is perfect for an accent on this card.

  After getting all the die cuts sorted I adhered them to the back of the sentiment label.  The Timeless Arrangement dies are so great because the a lot of the sprigs are attached to a little "bar" of cardstock so you have some place to put your adhesive and it's not just tiny little stems you're working with.  I hope this style continues for sets that have smaller shapes; it really makes them easier to work with.  And the "bars" are easily trimmed off if you want to use the sprigs separately.

  To jazz up the color palette I added a narrow strip of More Dazzle Specialty paper and then adhered the whole shebang to the card front with dimensionals.  The final detail is the In Color Dot on the corner of the label.  It's in the Copper Clay color but is a very close match to the Cajun Craze used on the card.

  All of the current items used on this card can be purchased through my ONLINE STORE.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Timeless Arrangements

Ink: Lost Lagoon, Pretty Peacock

Paper: Lost Lagoon, Very Vanilla, Petal Pink, Cajun Craze, Wild Wheat, Soft Shimmer Specialty paper, More Dazzle Specialty paper

Accessories: Timeless Arrangements dies, dimensionals, In Color Dots, mask/stencil (retired)

Framed Kindness - Stampin' Up! Timeless Arrangements

   Last week I had to buckle down and design my projects for class this week so I was browsing some challenges to just spark some ideas and see what I could come up with and I looked at the Tic Tac Toe Challenge.  They always have a great choice board giving 8 different combos of elements to use.  I started putting something together to see if it would work for a class card.  It ended up that I loved the results but I did so much die cutting to create it there was no way 20 people would be able to make it in a class.  Oh well.  But check back tomorrow to see how I used elements from this card on different design for class!

  I ended up using the middle down column: Frame it, gold or silver and leaves.  Can you see now why this wouldn't work for a big group class??

  I started with a Very Vanilla thick base and then another layer of Very Vanilla embossed with the new Distressed Tile embossing folder.

  The frame is made with Pretty Peacock cardstock and 2 of the Deckled Rectangle dies.  I popped the frame on dimensionals.  

  Next is more die cutting with the Timeless Arrangements die set to get all the leafy elements; 2 of each to go around the sentiment and the sentiment itself which is stamped in Pretty Peacock.  After arranging all the leaves I tore a strip of Distressed Gold Specialty paper to go behind the whole arrangement.  Finally a few dimensionals adhere it to the card front.

  My retired embellishment stash held a few faceted gold gems so I scattered them around the leaves for a bit of shine.

  All of the current items used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE.  Items marked with a * will be available September 6, 2023.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Timeless Arrangements

Ink: Pretty Peacock

Paper: Very Vanilla thick, Very Vanilla, Cajun Craze, Pretty Peacock, Wild Wheat, Petal Pink, Distressed Gold Specialty paper

Accessories: Timeless Arrangement dies, Deckled Rectangle dies, dimensionals, Distressed Tile embossing folder*, gold faceted gems (retired)

Autumn Layers - Stampin' Up! Layering Leaves

   I used the fabulous fall colors from the current Hand Stamped Sentiments challenge to design this card that my customers made in class this week.  These could also be great colors to base a masculine card on.

  I started with a Very Vanilla thick base and then embossed a piece of Very Vanilla with the soon to be released Distressed Tile embossing folder and adhered it to the card front.

  For the strips I used Midnight Muse, a piece of the new All About Autumn DSP in a Copper Clay/ metallic copper design and a piece of Pecan Pie.  The Midnight Muse and Pecan Pie are both stamped with the same color ink with stamps from the Layering Leaves stamp set.

  On top of the strips I added a tag made with the Tailor Made Tags dies.  The sentiment is stamped in Pecan Pie.  A bit of Copper Clay textured ribbon and vanilla bakers twine are tied on before adhering it with dimensionals.

  2 leaf sprigs are stamped; one in Misty Moonlight on Very Vanilla cardstock and the other in Copper Clay ink on the same color of cardstock.  Both are punched out with the Bough punch.  A bit of highlight coloring on both springs with Blends markers.

  Finally a tiny bough is punched from the new Oxidized Copper specialty paper and the 3 boughs are added to the side of the tag. A few mini dimensionals at the top of the sprigs help secure them to the card front.

  Final details is an adhesive-back speckled dot at the base of the stems.

  All current items used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE.  Items marked with a * will be available starting September 6, 2023.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Layering Leaves

Ink: Pecan Pie, Misty Moonlight, Copper Clay

Blends: Misty Moonlight light, Copper Clay light

Paper: Very Vanilla thick, Very Vanilla, Pecan Pie, Misty Moonlight, Copper Clay, All About Autumn DSP*, Oxidized Copper Specialty paper*

Accessories: Bough punch, Distressed Tile embossing folder*, Tailor Made Tags dies, dimensionals, Copper Clay textured ribbon, very vanilla twine, adhesive-back speckled dot*

Musical Bird Birthday - Stampin' Up! Bird's Eye View

     I'm playing along with Seize the Birthday and their fun topping theme of of "make it musical".  I had to combine a bunch of different products to get this one to be musical because I don't have a musical theme stamp set that I could focus on.  But it is called a challenge for a reason!

  I started this one with a Very Vanilla thick base which I've used a lot lately since it's now kind of the autumn season and that seems to be the only time I use Very Vanilla with any regularity.  It's like my fall version of white for some reason.  During the rest of the year Vanilla just isn't crisp enough for me so I rarely use it unless matching a DSP.  But it works for now right?

  I pulled out the little music note stamp from the Sweet Songbirds set and stamped it on a narrow strip of Pool Party and paired it up with a strip from Let's Go Fishing DSP, a piece of Very Vanilla embossed with the Merry Melody embossing folder and then finally a strip of Joy of Christmas DSP which is kind of a woodgrain and music notes pattern.  I adhered these onto a square of Very Vanilla and adhered it to the card base.

   Since birds sing and make their own kind of music I decided to use one of the birds from Bird's Eye View as the focal image o go with the theme a little bit more.  It's stamped in Pecan Pie ink onto Very Vanilla and then colored in with Blends markers.  It's then fussy cut and popped up on a bit of twine and a Tree Rings Hybrid die cut that I had in my orphaned card parts bin.

  The sentiment also comes from the Sweet Songbird stamp set and is stamped in pecan Pie under the strips.

  Finally I added a few retired Pale Papaya gems (they always looked more yellow than orange so they work well with these colors.)

  All of the current products used to make this card can be ordered in my ONLINE STORE.  Items marked with a * will be available starting September 6, 2023.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Bird's Eye View, Sweet Songbirds

Ink: Pecan Pie, Pool Party

Blends: Pool Party light & dark, Daffodil Delight light & dark

Paper: Very Vanilla thick, Very Vanilla, Pool Party, Let's Go Fishing DSP, Joy of Christmas DSP*, Crumb Cake

Accessories: Tree Rings Hybrid dies/embossing folder, Merry Melody embossing folder, dimensionals, twine, gems (retired)

Summer Fun Birthday - Stampin' Up! Silly Goose

   I pulled out a carry over stamp set from the spring mini catalog to use for my card today.  In my neck of the woods school has already started so the summer fun is over but the weather is still very much "summer" so I thought I would play along with the As You See It Challenge and give this carry over set  some love.   The Just Add Ink Challenge had a great layout that was perfect for this image.

    The Silly Goose stamp set is cute and super easy to color and since the theme is summer I went with the sweet little goose enjoying some time on the water with a friend.

  

  I started with a Blueberry Bushel base, then a piece of Bright & Beautiful DSP backed with a piece of Lemon Lolly.  The wavy pattern went perfectly with the water on the stamp and gave me a lot of colors to incorporate with my Blends markers.  I cut a second circle from a different pattern in the Bright & Beautiful pack and used it as the sky and added a few clouds die cut with the Zany Zoo die set.

  The sentiment is from a retired set called Itty Bitty Birthdays and was the right scale to fit with the sketch.  I stamped it in Berry Burst and cut it apart and popped it on dimensionals.  The "birthday" has a bit of Lemon Lolly sheer ribbon behind it for some detail.

  

  A few sparkle gems finish off the details for this summer birthday card.

  

  All of the current products used to make this card can be purchased through my ONLINE STORE.  

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Silly Goose, Itty Bitty Birthdays (retired)

Ink: Memento Black, Berry Burst

Blends: Azure Afternoon light & dark, Lemon Lolly light & dark, Berry Burst light & dark, Lemon Lime Twist light & dark, Bubble Bath light, Crumb Cake light, Daffodil Delight dark

Paper: Blueberry Bushel, Lemon Lolly, Bright Beautiful DSP, Basic White

Accessories: Stylish Shapes dies, dimensionals, Zany Zoo dies, Lemon Lolly Sheer Ribbon, Sparkle Gems

Colorful Tree Fun - Stampin' Up! Wishes All Around

  For my card today I was inspired by a new to me challenge site called Time Out Challenges and their current theme is "colorful".  A few of my stamping friends have shared cards inspired by this site and I thought it was high time to add it to my list.  You can never have enough inspiration right?  And it's 2 week challenge which is nice because sometimes I just can't do a one week turnaround lol!  

  I used the Wishes All Around bundle again today and I definitely love how this one came out but I think it might be a one and done kind of design lol!  It's a bit fussy and time consuming even with the 3 tree dies in the set (which I love, definitely makes things go faster but still...21 trees!).  For my local customers who attend my classes; don't hold your breathe, we won't be doing this one in class!

  The actual design is very simple with a Basic Black base topped with a piece of Whisper White embossed with the coming soon Snowflake Sky embossing folder.

  Next I stamped the trees 3 times in each of my 7 colors (listed below).  I was happy to use up a bunch of small scraps for the trees so that's always a good thing! Then comes the die cutting for the trees.  

  The sentiment banner is stamped with one of the sentiments from another new set; Merry & Bright.  I stamped it in Versamark and then embossed it in white on Basic Black cardstock.  One of the banners from Stylish Shapes dies cuts it out.

  Now I'm ready to assemble the card.  Not gonna lie here, I took a bit of time to arrange the trees and banner to get a feel for spacing and such.  I used my grid paper to help line things up and to try to maintain spacing.  Once I had everything set I added a mini dimensional to the back of each tree and some regular sized ones to the banner.  I started adhering at the bottom row and from the 2 outside trees in towards the middle to help maintain even spacing.  Then I worked my way up the card with the banner and 2 other tree rows.  I think I did ok and only see one tree that's a little wonky.

  After that it was just a matter of adding a few embellishments.  I added a Sweet Sorbet baker's twine bow and then some of the new Iridescent-Backed Discs.  They are actually more white but the iridescent pink tones showed up in the photo so it looks like they don't quite match.  And that's that, another Christmas card for the stash.

  All of the items used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE.  Items marked with a * will be available starting September 6, 2023.  

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Wishes All Around*, Merry & Bright*

Ink: Versamark, Mossy Meadow, Pretty Peacock, Pool Party, Sweet Sorbet, Flirty Flamingo, Daffodil Delight, Lemon Lolly

Paper: Basic Black, Basic White

Accessories: Snowflake Sky embossing folder*, Wishes All Around dies*, Iridescent-backed Discs*, Stylish Shapes dies, white embossing powder, Sweet Sorbet baker's twine, dimensionals

  

Merry Tree Wreath - Stampin' Up! Wishes All Around

   You can't go wrong with a wreath stamp set especially for Christmas cards.  I really liked the look of the Wishes All Around stamp set and especially the coordinating dies for having 3 different shaped wreaths to choose from.  I paired it up with the Color Throwdown challenge which has us using aqua, green and gray.  I translated those colors to Stampin' Up!'s Pool Party, Garden Green and Smoky Slate.

  I started this one with a Pool Party base, then embossed a piece of Smoky Slate with the new Snowflake Sky embossing folder.  Then I lightly drug my Whisper White craft ink pad over the raised parts to have them stand out a bit more.

  Next I stamped the tree wreath in Garden Green and cut it out with the matching die as well as another one in Garden Green ink.  I layered them with the Garden Green one in the back and offset and popped it up on dimensionals.

  I stamped the sentiment from the Wishes All Around set in Smoky Slate onto Pool Party then cut it out with a Stylish Shapes circle die.  I added a length of the new white iridescent ribbon behind it and also popped it on dimensionals.  

  Using the individual snowflake dies from the set I cut 3 out of Textured Shimmer paper and added them to the card front with a retired Pool Party gem in the center.

  All of the current product used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE.  Items below marked with a * will be available for purchase on September 6, 2023.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Wishes All Around*

Ink: Craft white, Garden Green, Smoky Slate

Paper: Pool Party, Smoky Slate, Garden Green, Basic White, Textured Shimmer paper

Accessories: Wishes All Around dies*, Stylish Shapes dies, dimensionals, White Iridescent ribbon*, Pool Party gems (retired)

Falling Leaves Thanks - Stampin' Up! Autumn Leaves Bundle

   I found some fantastic inspiration for my card today over at Global Design Project with their "CASE the Designer" theme.  We're to case the card shown which was made by Emma Goddard.  Her card is an adorable floral card in a straightforward layout.  I took the larger, popped up letters for the sentiment as well as the images behind the sentiment for my inspiration but made it a fall card.

  I went with a little bit of a non-traditional fall color combo but I think it works!  I started with a Very Vanilla thick card base then topped it with a panel of Petal Pink.  

  Using the smaller leaf dies from the Autumn Leaves die set I cut a variety in different papers and shapes.  I used Calypso Coral, Old Olive, Very Vanilla and Oxidized Copper Specialty paper.  I adhered them to the background panel similar to the inspiration card and then trimmed off any overhang.  The smaller sizes of some of the leaves in this die set are great to have on hand for accents on lots of fall projects.  The Oxidized Copper Specialty paper is just gorgeous and on a more simple looking card like this the pop of metallic is a perfect accent.

  The letters are made with Basic Black cardstock layered onto a foam adhesive sheet and the Alphabet a la Mode dies.  I took my time lining them up on the card front before finally adhering them and I think I got them mostly even!

  The final bit to this card is the smaller sentiment from the Autumn Leaves stamp set stamped on Very Vanilla in Memento Black and popped on dimensionals.

  All of the current items used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE. Items marked with * are available for purchase starting September 6, 2023.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Autumn Leaves*

Ink: Memento Black

Paper: Very Vanilla thick, Petal Pink, Calypso Coral, Old Olive, Very Vanilla, Oxidized Copper Specialty paper*

Accessories: Autumn Leaves dies, foam adhesive sheets, Alphabet a la Mode dies, dimensionals

Festive Giraffe - Stampin' Up! Festive & Fun

   Christmas stamping might not be in full swing just yet but I am definitely getting more than just my toes wet!  The Christmas products that I ordered in the demonstrator pre-order have been really fun to create with and the Festive & Fun stamp set is no exception.  The adorable animal images are perfect for those light and fun Christmas card designs.

  I used a now closed Christmas Challenge from 52 Christmas Card Throwdown for the layout inspiration.  This is a fantastic challenge site that gets you stamping all year round for Christmas so (theoretically) you don't have a mad scramble in December.  The long skinny panel on the righthand side was perfect for the tall giraffe!

  I started this one with a classic Real Red base, then I added 3 panels of Textured Shimmer paper in Shaded Spruce for a nice subtle effect.

  Next the giraffe is stamped in Memento black and then colored in with Blends markers and some accents of gold with a Wink of Stella.

  The sentiment is stamped in Real Red and cut into a skinny banner.  A bit of retired gold twine is added to one side before popping the banner on dimensionals.  A few gold sequins are added to complete the details.

  All of the current products used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE. Items below marked with a * will be available for ordering on September 6.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Festive & Fun*

Ink: Memento Black, Real Red

Blends: Daffosil Delight light & dark, Bronze, Pecan Pie light, Old Olive light & dark, Real Red dark, Shaded Spruce light & dark, Crumb Cake light

Paper: Real Red, Textured Shimmer paper, Basic White

Accessories: Wink of Stella gold, gold sequins, dimensionals, gold twine (retired)

Simple Jack 'O Lantern - Stampin' Up! Pick of the Patch

  It's always hard for me to resist a pumpkin set or a wreath set so of course I bought both in the demonstrator preorder and have combined them for my card today.

   I tried to keep this one clean and simple so I started with a Basic White thick card base and stamped the pumpkin directly onto it in Pumpkin Pie and added the stem and vine in Old Olive.  I embossed the face and the sentiment in black for a nice glossy accent.

  Next I cut the wreath using the Wishes All Around dies in Crumb Cake and colored the little berries with my Old Olive marker and adhered it around the pumpkin.

  Finally I embossed the crow in black and fussy cut it and colored the beak.  It's popped on a dimensional.

  All of the current products used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE.  Items marked with a * will be available starting September 6.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Pick of the Patch*

Ink: Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Versamark

Paper: Basic White thick, Crumb Cake

Accessories: Wishes All Around dies*, dimensionals, black embossing powder, Old Olive marker

  

Autumn Change - Stampin’ Up! Autumn Leaves

 I’m back to sharing fall cards in the heat of summer today!  The Autumn Leaves bundle will be seeing a lot of ink in the coming months.  I’m already planning out some birthday cards and a few designs for Thanksgiving.  The whole All About Autumn Suite is just gorgeous so if you’re looking for some great products for fall stamping definitely check them out in the new Sept.-Dec. 2023 mini catalog coming out on Sept. 6.

  I had noted this color combo in the spring and it seemed kind of a fresh take on a fall palette so having a lot of different leaves to work with in this bundle was a perfect time to try it out.

I started with a Cajun Craze card base and then topped it with a piece of Very Vanilla embossed with the new Distressed Tile embossing folder (I’ve used this one a lot already and I hope you don’t get sick of seeing it but it’s just so pretty I can’t help myself!).

  I stamped off each of the leaves for a lighter version with the ribs stamped in the full strength ink for a darker, contrasting look and then cut other leaves from card stock in all the colors and arranged them in a bit of a circle on the card front.  

  I cut 2 lengths of ribbon; a bit of copper and a bit of Pool Party and layered them adhering with a bit of Tear & Tape across the leaves.

  The sentiment is stamped in Cajun Craze and then die cut with one of the label dies in the Autumn Leaves die set.  It’s then popped on dimensional.  I found a few retired Pool Party gems and added those around the leaves.

  All of the current products used to make this card can be purchased in my ONLINE STORE.  Items below marked with a * will be available for purchase September 6, 2023.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Autumn Leaves*

Ink: Cajun Craze, Wild Wheat, Calypso Coral

Paper: Cajun Craze, Very Vanilla, Pool Party, Wild Wheat, Calypso Coral, Petal Pink

Accessories: Autumn Leaves dies*, Distressed Tile embossing folder*, Copper & Natural ribbon combo pack*, Pool Party grosgrain ribbon, dimensionals, Pool Party gems (retired)