Soft Rainbow Thinking of You - Stampin' Up! Good Feelings

  Do you have a ton of 1/2" strips of cardstock that you can't bear to part with?  This is a design that can use them in a fun way to help a make large sentiment pop!

  My stampers made this at my last Quick & Easy class and I love the soft rainbow effect.  I saw the color combo at Martin's Mayhem and it was so eye catching that I wanted to use it for a card of my own.  I did swap out Poppy Parade for Sweet Sorbet because apparently due to the low brightness setting of my phone it looked like Sweet Sorbet to me.  So thanks to Martin for the inspiration!

  Once the strips are adhered to the Basic White panel it's then adhered to a Basic Black card base.

  The sentiment from Good Feelings is stamped in Memento and then fussy cut.  We used the Stamparatus to ink up the stamp several times so we got a nice solid dark image.  It's then fussy cut and popped up with dimensionals with some Sweet Sorbet Metallic Woven ribbon added behind it.

  I used an old heart punch but any small heart die would work to punch out a glimmer paper heart to add to the edge of the sentiment.  The final touch is a few Iridescent Rhinestones add for some more sparkle.

  To see a quick video of this card being put together check out my Instagram at @didyoustamptoday 

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Good Feelings

Ink: Memento Black

Paper: Basic Black, Basic White, Bermuda Bay, Coastal Cabana, Daffodil Delight, Flirty Flamingo, Sweet Sorbet, In Color Glimmer paper

Accessories: In Color Metallic Woven Ribbon, Dimensionals, small heart punch/die, Iridescent Rhinestones

Fresh Look Tools - Stampin' Up! Vintage Tools

   Should I start a series of guy cards called Testosterone Tuesday?  At least for today it's all about the masculine card!  It can sometimes be hard to find creative ideas for guy cards with all the floral and cutesy stuff out there.  I admit that I also sometimes struggle to come up with what I think are well designed cards for the guys in my life.  Sometimes it all starts with a good color combination!

  I designed this card for my last Quick & Easy card class.  It starts with this fresh set of colors; Starry Sky, Smoky Slate and Pumpkin Pie.  Paired up with the Vintage Tool set I think it ends up being a fun birthday or special day card for men.

  This design starts with a Starry Sky card base.  I arranged most of the tool stamps from the set onto an 'E' block to create a small collage background and then stamped it all over the card front in Starry Sky ink.

  To create the triangle I first cut a 3.5" square of Smoky Slate and then cut diagonally to end up with 2 triangles.  The long edge is covered with a length of Pumpkin Pie glitter washi tape.

  The tools are stamped again onto a Stylish Shapes circle and then popped up with dimensionals.  The sentiment is stamped in Pumpkin Pie and trimmed down to a flagged end and is also popped on dimensionals.  

  The final details are the Starry Sky twine bow and the Starry Sky Matte Decorative dot.

  I'm glad I made a few of these to keep for myself when my brain is stuck for the next guy card idea!  Maybe doing a Testosterone Tuesday isn't such a bad idea; it might help me build up my card stash a bit!

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Vintage Tools

Ink: Starry Sky, Pumpkin Pie

Paper: Starry Sky, Smoky Slate, Basic White

Accessories: Stylish Shapes dies, Pumpkin Pie Glitter washi tape, dimensionals, Matte Decorative dots, baker's twine

Give Thanks with Nature - Stampin' Up! Ringed With Nature

   We made this fall/Thanksgiving inspired card at my last Quick & Easy card class.  There is definitely still time to make and send some Thanksgiving cards especially when they are really easy like this one!  The Sale-a-bration reward Rings of Love DSP makes this card come together really fast but you could swap it out for any other fall themed paper you have.  

  This one starts with a Crumb Cake card base, then the DSP, then a strip of Crushed Curry cardstock.  The wood cut and little branches were embossed/die cut with the hybrid Tree Rings embossing folder/dies.  They are tucked behind the stamped label.

  The stems of the mushrooms are stamped off once and the sentiment is stamped in full strength ink.  Any long time stampers remember what set this one came from?  It's been long retired and is called And Many More.  I have kept it for years and years because I love the variety of sentiments in it as well as the different fonts.  But any other thanks-giving sentiment would be perfect as well.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Ringed With Nature, And Many More (retired)

Ink: Soft Suede, Poppy Parade

Paper: Crumb Cake, Basic White, Crushed Curry, Soft Suede, Evening Evergreen, Rings of Love DSP (SAB)

Accessories: Tree Rings Hybrid embossing folder/dies, Seasonal Labels dies, dimensionals

Watercolor Flurry - Stampin' Up! Joyful Flurry

   I made this Christmas card several months ago when it was still hot and humid in my neck of the woods and it just wasn't Christmas card sharing season yet.  And then it got buried at the bottom of my "to share" folder.  Even though it hit 70 today and a tropical storm is on its way I guess it's time to share it before I run out of "days before Christmas".

  This was one of the first cards I made using the Joyful Flurry bundle and while I'm not 100% all in on this color combo taken from the catalog I can say that I love the the dies and and the beautiful snowflake images.

  The colors are used on samples on page 23 of the July-Dec. catalog and were a different color combo to try for Christmas. Pool Party, Shaded Spruce, Blushing Bride and Petal Pink.

  I started with a Pool Party base and then used the dies to cut the snowflakes into a piece of Shimmery White cardstock.  Then I used the water painter to "watercolor" ink over the snowflakes to make them pop.

  The sentiment is embossed in white on a Shaded Spruce Stylish Shapes circle. It's then popped up with dimensionals over a piece of Iridescent Trim.  

  I added a stamped and die cut Pool Party snowflake to the top edge and a small Blushing Bride snowflake to the bottom edge as well as a few Adhesive Backed stars.

  Looking forward to seasonally appropriate weather so sharing Christmas cards doesn't feel so out of place!!

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Joyful Flurry

Ink: Versamark, Blushing Bride, Pool Party, Petal Pink

Paper: Pool Party, Shimmery White, Shaded Spruce, Blushing Bride

Accessories: Frosted Flurry Dies, Stylish Shapes dies, dimensionals, adhesive backed stars, Iridescent trim

Waving Bear - Stampin' Up! Happier Than Happy

   I'm really late in getting this card shared that my stampers made in my last Quick & Easy card class.  The idea behind this class is the projects are cute but straightforward.  They don't use a ton of supplies or tools and any techniques are not time consuming because..."quick"!  This is a great class for the casual or beginner crafter but many of my experienced stampers like it too because it gives them starting ideas for their own stamping and also who doesn't want more stamping days on their calendar!!??

  Sometimes you just need a card to pop in the mail and this is a great all purpose design.  Some pretty DSP from the Happy Forest Friends DSP, a cute bear and some circle details are just the ticket for a 'just because' card.

  This layout is easily switched up with different DSP and images stamped on the circles.  See what you can come up with using this layout and maybe even make a set of cards to give as a gift.  Non-Stampers like sending out cards too!

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Happier Than Happy

Ink: Soft Suede, Pear Pizzazz, Calypso Coral

Blends: Crumb Cake light  (around the mouth)

Paper: Pear Pizzazz, Basic White, Happy Forest Friends DSP

Accessories: Stylish Shapes dies, dimensionals, Calypso Coral ribbon (retired)

Sweet Floral Hello - Stampin' Up! Full of Love

   I didn't get any stamping done over this past weekend as it was a soccer tournament weekend for the boys and I wasn't home long enough to get much of anything accomplished!  Luckily I had today's card already made and ready to be blogged about.  I designed this card as my customer thank you for the month of October.  I don't always create a thank you card that says 'thank you' since I leave the inside blank for my customers to be able to send it out on their own and I like to send a little variety.  

  This one starts with a Soft Succulent base, then a layer of Basic White topped by a layer of the retired 2021-2023 In Color DSP.  The sweet checked pattern is a perfect complement to the little flowers.

  I stamped the envelope/flowers in Basic Gray and then color with Blends markers (colors listed below) and then fussy cut it.  

 Using the Splendid Stems dies I die cut 2 sprigs in Soft Succulent and one in the Rose Gold Specialty paper and tucked them behind the envelope.  A bit of retired Petal Pink ribbon is also tucked in the back.

  The whole envelope element is popped on dimensionals on a piece of paper doily.

  The sentiment strip is added to the side and some adhesive backed sequins (you can find these on page 17 in the July-Dec. mini catalog) are sprinkled around the edges.

  Hopefully there will be more time to stamp this week because there are still Christmas cards to be made!

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Full of Love

Ink: Basic Gray

Blends: Soft Succulent light & dark, Fresh Freesia light & dark, SU1000, Calypso Coral light

Paper: Soft Succulent, Basic White, 2021-2023 In Color DSP (retired), Rose Gold Specialty paper

Accessories: Splendid Stems dies, dimensionals, Petal Pink ribbon (retired), doily, adhesive backed sequins

Soft Spruce Christmas - Stampin' Up! Spruced Up

   I'm continuing to roll through Christmas cards and I used the latest challenge over at Color Throwdown for today's card.  They want us to use mustard, pink and green.  I love the softer color palette and it's always a challenge to use pink! And I figured So Saffron was a Dijon mustard color and would count!

  I started with a Basic White thick base and then topped it with a piece of Blushing Bride.  I roughed up the edges and then embossed some white snowflakes in one corner.

  The trees are stamped in Soft Succulent; one on Basic White cardstock the other on Soft Succulent cardstock.  I cut them out and popped them up on a Basic White Stylish Shapes circle.  One tree is decorated with Blushing Bride stars and both have So Saffron stars as toppers.

  The whole circle is popped on dimensionals over a length of Evening Evergreen ribbon.  The simple sentiment is stamped in Evening Evergreen and added to the edge of the circle.

  A few subtle Polished Dots are added for a tiny bit of shine to finish off this design.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Spruced Up

Ink: Soft Succulent, Evening Evergreen, Blushing Bride, Versamark

Paper: Basic White thick, Blushing Bride, Soft Succulent, So Saffron, Basic White

Accessories: Spruced Up Outlines dies, Stylish Shapes dies, white embossing powder, dimensionals, Evening Evergreen ribbon, Polished Dots

  

Classic Christmas Cheer - Stampin' Up! Christmas Season

   The Christmas Season stamp set carried over from last year's July-Dec. mini catalog into the 2022-2023 Annual Catalog and it is what I would consider a classic Christmas set.  With berries, greenery and pinecones it is definitely a set that make gorgeous Christmas and winter cards in that traditional style.  I loved this set last year and I was so glad that it carried over.  

  I think I made this card for several long since closed challenges a few weeks back and I couldn't even tell you what the challenges were!  I love the rustic feel of this card with the use of the wood paper and the rich Christmas colors.

  The card front is a piece of Festive Foils Specialty paper and it has a very subtle snowflake/star pattern that is a great detail but doesn't distract from the focal elements.  The piece of wood grain paper is from the retired In Good Taste DSP.  I backed that with a layer of Evening Evergreen which goes so well with Cherry Cobbler.

  I stamped all the different pieces and arranged them to be tucked just behind the Christmas Cheer sentiment from the Sweet Candy Canes set that was die cut with a Stylish Shapes circle.  A piece of retired scalloped lace trim is added for more detail.  A few enamel dots that were left from a really old Paper Pumpkin kit are added to the sentiment.

  I love that this card is a mix of new (the Specialty Paper), old but current (the Christmas Season stamp set) and retired the In Good Taste DSP and lace trim.  Now if only I had a stamp room big enough to keep all of the retired things every year!

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Christmas Season, Sweet Candy Canes

Ink: Evening Evergreen, Soft Succulent, Cherry Cobbler, Soft Suede, Crumb Cake

Paper: Festive Foils Specialty Paper, Evening Evergreen, Very Vanilla, In Good Taste DSP (retired)

Accessories: Stylish Shapes dies, Seasonal Labels dies, dimensionals, enamel dots (retired), lace trim (retired)