Friday Favorites: Barnyard Babies

TGIF!  It has been a long week and I am excited to share a very special swap I made for Convention.  It is a waterfall card and it uses a super cute new stamp set from the Annual Catalog, Barnyard Babies.  Check it out:

Super fun, right?  This was a special card that uses a lot of supplies.  One of my goals was to try to make simpler projects.  This doesn't quite fit that description, but it is pretty cute if I say so myself.  Here are the other panels opened up.

I can't wait to make more projects with this stamp set.  I think I needed to do the waterfall card because I just couldn't pick an animal, there are all so stinking cute!  Be sure to check out the other favorites from my favorite designers over at SSI!  Here is a supply list:

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Product Focus: Sequins

I love things that sparkle and shine.  And sometimes you just need a little bit of sparkle and shine for your card.  Sequins are great for this.  Coming on string in four colors as trim or in three shapes in the metallics and brights families, we have a sequin that will add that special touch to your project.  Here are two projects I made recently that use sequins. 

I used on of my favorite stamp sets from the Annual Catalog, Over the Rainbow.  Clearly I had to make a pot of gold with that perfect sentiment.  This card was fun to make!  Here is a supply list:

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I love how quickly this card came together.  I must be in a rainbow mood.  I love the Color Me Irresistible Paper because I can make it whatever color I want to, or in this case colors!  The sentiment is embossed on in black.  Here is a supply list:

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So here is a little secret.  These sequins were a real pain to adhere.  BUT something is coming in the new catalog that will make that SOOOOOOOOOOO much easier.  So stock up on these great embellishments now!  Check out the other ways to use sequins over at SSI.

Quick and Easy Welcome Baby Card

So I have quite the stash of tools, paper, stamps and accessories.  This means I struggle with simplicity.  I love layers and lots of extras on my projects.  But sometimes you don't need much for a cute card.  Here I created two cute cards, one for the arrival of a baby girl and the other for a baby boy.  One of my very good friends is expecting her first child and since they wanted to be surprised, I had to be prepared for both outcomes!  

I used the Something For Baby stamp set along with Happy Happenings and the Baby's First Framelits.  I love how these turned out!  Here is a close up of each:

I stamped the onesie and the sentiment in Marina Mist.  I sponged Soft Sky over the sentiment using a mask I made with the Label Bracket punch. And the hanger was stamped in Tip Top Taupe, which is quickly becoming a go to color for me.  Sorry Crumb Cake.  

Here is the little girl one.  I used Rose Red and Pink Pirouette.  

So there are two very simple, very cute cards.  Did you get a chance to check out the other creations over at SSI?   

No Bones About It

There are just so many must have stamps in the new Annual Catalog.  Today we are showcasing No Bones About It, a super cute kids stamp.  It is photopolymer stamp set which is great for two step stamping!  Here it is:

So fun, right?  I have a quick and easy card using this stamp set along with Circle Flip Card Framelit and the Go Wild DSP.  

I figure you could write a message on the back.  Thanks for checking out my creation today.  Be sure to look at all the other projects over at SSI!

Christmas in July

It is never too early to start thinking about Christmas!  Especially if you make your own Christmas cards.  Today is the first day of Convention for Stampin' Up! so we will be getting a look at the upcoming Holiday Catalog.  I can't wait to share it with you.  But until then I have some creations I made using the Holiday section of the Annual Catalog.  I was thrilled to see that they carried over some of my favorite sets from last year's amazing holiday catalog.  I am sharing cards made with a new set, Lots of Joy!  I created both of these cards to swap with other demos at Convention!  Check them out:

I just love the tree punch and having another stamp that goes with it is awesome!  The color scheme here is Real Red, Smoky Slate, Old Olive and Mossy Meadow.  And I had to add a tree punched from the Silver Glimmer paper.  I finished it off with some Real Red cotton ribbon.  

I love the rich colors here, I chose Mossy Meadow, Blackberry Bliss and Gold.  I embossed the ornaments and added a pearl to the center of each.  The Mossy Meadow stripe is a stamp from the set but the Blackberry Bliss is a piece of washi tape from the Bohemian Washi Tape set.  

I can't wait to show all the new stuff in the new catalog, I am sure it will be amazing.  But there are plenty of amazing things still in the Annual Catalog!  Check out the other projects over at SSI!

Watercolor Wishes

Stampin' Up! really knows how to make awesome kits!  I just love them all.  I have quite a few of them and I actually just followed the directions exactly, I might have to order some kits again and just play with them.  Today I am going to share the Watercolors Wishes kit.

The first thing you need to know about this kit is that you need it!  It is awesome.  The cards are cute and easy to make.  I did the whole kit one morning, not in my scrap room and with my kids running around.  It took me about 2 hours.  The kit comes with a block, two ink spots, a great stamp set with lots of sentiments and of course all the supplies to make great cards with envelopes.  There are even some extra accessories once you are done your card.  I am going to share my favorite three cards from the kits and then two cards I made with the extras.  

I love those sequins, they are so pretty!

The wood accents are awesome!  And you have quite a few leftover when you are done!

Aren't those flowers super cute?  

Here is a note card I made really quickly using the Watercolor Wishes stamp set along with the Work of Art set.

I made a quick 3 x 3 card that would be perfect tucked in my daughter's lunch.  I love love those wood accents.  

The kit is wonderful!  But let's be honest, all the Stampin' Up kits are awesome!  Check the other ones out over at SSI.  

Homemade Project Life Cards

I love Project Life style scrapbooking.  It makes it so easy. But I also love to make things more personal (and sometimes more complicated).  So I thought I would try my hand at making my own custom made project life cards.  I decided to use the From Land to Sea and By the Tide stamp sets for a beach/travel themed page.  Here is the page (sans pictures though):

And here is a close of of each card.  I used Mint Macaron, Tip Top Taupe and Night of Navy for a previous beachy card and loved the look so I decided to do that for my pages.

The Hello Life stamp set has some perfect Project Life card sentiments!  

I love using the white perfect accents as bubbles!

I just picked up the Ornate Tag Topper punch from a weekly deal  I can't wait to use it for cards as well!  

Here I covered the Night of Navy with the beachy script from By the Tide and then embossed the sentiment in white over it.  I love those big bold saying from Feels Good!

The Traveler and the Let's Get Away stamp sets came together to make this card!

Here I used Let's Get Away and From Land to Sea.  I love the tone on tone look of the ship's wheel. I finished it off with some Night of Navy seam binding!

Thanks for looking!  Now who is taking me to the beach so I can fill in the pictures?  Be sure to check out the other Project Life projects over at SSI!

Cotton Paper

So I always see fabulous creative people make these gorgeous paper flowers and I just wish I could do that.  Enter the new thin but durable Cotton Paper.  It comes in colors that match the Cherry on Top DSP, fun and bright!  With a few framelits and punches I was able to make some fun paper flowers.  Here are my projects using this cool new product!

Here is a close up of them individually:

Here is a quick tag I made with the Cherry on Top Washi Tape and You're So Sweet stamp set.  The flower was made from Crushed Curry cotton paper punched with all the scallop circles and stacked and stapled in the center.  So easy, right?  

This might be hard to see but I wanted to see if I could emboss the cotton paper.  I chose the Cucumber Crush paper and the Lovely Lace embossing folder.  Just a little DSP and a sentiment from Perfect Pennants and this card was done!  

And finally is my large flower adorning a Tag a Box filled with votive candles.  I used the Floral Frames framelits and cut the Watermelon Wonder cotton paper.  Just stack, staple, crumple and shape and you have a fun decoration for a gift!  

Thanks so much for looking.  Don't forget about all those fabulous specialty papers in the Stampin' Up Catalog!  Did you get a chance to see the other creations with the Cotton Paper over at SSI?  

Watercoloring

Today I have some fun watercolor and watercolor inspired cards to share with you.  I had purchased the Aqua Painters a long time ago and finally broke them out for this post.  And I will be using them again because they are so fun!   And I got to use some fun new stamp sets as well.  

Here I used From Land to Sea and By the Tide along with And Many More for the sentiment.  That turtle is so cute and I had so much fun coloring him.  I used my favorite color Mint Macaron along with Tip Top Taupe.  I decided to add some Night of Navy accents as well.  I love how this card turned out.  I made a few to swap with at Convention!!!!

I used that beautiful flower from You've Got This and colored it with Watermelon Wonder and Mint Macaron.  I added some of that Watermelon Wonder Lace on the side as well.  And this doesn't show as well in the photograph but I used my two way glue pen and then sprinkled Dazzling Diamonds on the flower.  Ooooo sparkly!

And finally here is my water color inspired card.  I used the Watercolor Wash background in Pool Party and added the sentiment from Watercolor Words in Tip Top Taupe.  Then in Calypso Coral, I stamped and fussy cut some seahorses from By the Tide.  I finished the card off with some Linen Thread and the White Perfect Accents.  This was a fun card to make!

So are you into watercoloring now?  Whether you actually watercolor with the Aqua Painters or Blender Pens or just use some of the fabulous watercolor inspired stamps, the sky is the limit...or should I say the ocean?  Thanks for looking!

A Fancy (and Quick and Easy) Gift Tag

I love being able to make a quick project from the scraps left over from previous projects.  And that is exactly what I did with this gift tag I created.  I used some scraps I had on my desk and was able to make a cute tag for a bag in about 10 minutes.  Of course, it helps that Stampin' Up! has so many great coordinating products!  Here is the gift bag:

I buy these big plain bags and use my stash to decorate them.  Much more personal and cheaper than the store bought bags.  I just added some of the Bohemian Washi Tape and some Bermuda Bay Sequin Trim.  Here is a close up of the tag:

I used the Bohemian DSP along with coordinating card stock and the Boho Chich embossing folder.  The sentiment is from Happy Happenings and I love how the Label Bracket layers on the Decorative Label punch.  I tied the tag on with some of the striped Blackberry Bliss ribbon.  I can't wait to be able to give this cute bag to someone special.  Did you check out the other gift tags over at SSI?

July Card Sketch

We have a fabulous card sketch for you today our at SSI.  Check it out:

I decided to use some framelits for that center part and an older stamp set that hasn't seen much ink.  Here is what I came up with:

I used my favorite pattern from the Cherry on Top DSP stack.  It look like confetti to me and the colors are so fun and bright!  I used my go to set of framelits, the Deco Labels and I had to emboss the Pool Party layer with the Lucky Stars embossing folder.  It went perfectly with my sentiment from the Pictogram Punches stamp set.  And of course I had to punch a little Crushed Curry star with the Itty Bitty Accents punch pack.  

This would be a perfect card for my daughter when she stars 2nd grade this year!  I might have to write a cute note inside and tuck it in her lunch.  Now if only I could remember that!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  Remember to upload your creation over at SSI!

    

You Always Need More Paper...

Okay so that title is a little bit tongue and cheek because I have more paper than I will ever be able to use.  But every time a new catalog comes out they have such awesome Designer Series Paper.  And then sometimes I don't think I need it but I see someone else use it and then I realize I have to have it.  I have several projects to share with you using DSP.    

For this card I just used a small piece from the Pretty Petals DSP stack and I layered it over some embossed Old Olive card stock.  I just love the Brick Wall embossing folder.  Then I did some triple step stamping with the Watercolor Wings butterfly stamp (I used Blushing Bride, Calypso Coral and Watermelon Wonder).  The sentiment also comes from the Watercolor Wings stamp set.  The DSP is not exactly center stage in this card, but works well with the stamped images.

For this card I cut small pieces from the Cherry On Top DSP stack and made a chevron by folding rectangles.  For a super awesome tutorial on this card check out this page.  I just added the Hi from the I Think You're Great stamp set stamped in Watermelon Wonder.  

Unfortuantely, for this card, the picture does not do it justice.  I attempted the cracked glass technique on this large piece of DSP from the Bohemian pack.  I covered it with Versa Mark and used clear embossing powder.  I embossed the entire sheet three times.  Then to completely dry it, I put it in the freezer for a bit and then folded it to crack the "glass" layer on top.  I added the Blackberry Bliss stripe ribbon and some Delightful Dijon punched with the Note Tag and stamped with a sentiment from the Tin of Cards stamp set.   

Likewise, this card does not photograph well.  I took the giraffe pattern from the Go Wild DSP stack and layered it on some Gold Foil.  I embossed the sentiment from the Hello Life stamp set in gold directly on the DSP.  I added some other gold embellishments to finish this card off.

Hopefully I have inspired you to get out your DSP and create with it!  Did you get a chance to see some of the other creations over at SSI?   

Anything Goes SSI Blog Hop

Welcome to July's SSI Blog Hop.  We have a wonderful variety of projects for you today because ANYTHING GOES with this Blog Hop!  Today I am featuring projects using our fabulous white vellum.  This specialty paper can add a fun and elegant touch to any project and you can use it in so many ways.  

As you hop along, please be sure to comment and show some love on every blog! We are always excited to hear from our followers! You should have just left stop number 10 on the Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration Blog Hop - Jennifer at Happy 2 Scrap 4 Life. If so, you are in the right spot. If a link doesn't work or you get off track, you will find the full blog hop lineup below.

First up I have an easy way to use vellum, layer it over a particularly busy piece of DSP to make a bold pattern a little more subtle.  

Here I used a piece of DSP from the Pretty Petals stack, layered on the vellum and added the large butterfly from the Butterfly Thinlits.  Of course I needed to add pearl to the body.  The sentiment comes from the And Many More stamp set.

Next up I tried my hand at embossing a piece of vellum.

My color palette here is Bermuda Bay, Tangerine Tango and Smoky Slate.  I embossed the vellum with the Boho Chic embossing folder and used the Watercolor Words set for the flowers and sentiment.  I added a little bit of Bermuda Bay thick twine under the sentiment.  I really do love how the vellum looks embossed!

Next up I used a small piece of vellum and heat embossed a sentiment on it.

Here I used some Pacific Point card stock and a piece of DSP from the Pretty Petals stack.  The sentiment comes from Friendly Wishes.  And how about that cute flower?  I was inspired by my fellow design team member Carrie!  I added an antique brad to the center of my Mint Macaron flower!

And finally I have little bits of vellum used from punches.

Apparently I was in a butterfly mood.  The DSP is also from Pretty Petals and its layered on Mint Macaron and Calypso Coral.  The sentiment is from Butterfly Basics and I added the net stamp in Mint Macaron over the Pacific Point text.  I punched the butterflies in card stock and vellum and then layered them and finished them off with some rhinestones!

Thanks so much for looking at my projects!  If you don't have any vellum, now you see a few cool ways to use it.  And if you have it, what are you waiting for?  Time to use it to add a special touch to your creations!  

Up next is Diana at Stampin Fun with Diana.  I can't wait to see what she has in store for us.   

Blog Hop Participant List:

1. Jenny at Jenny G Paper Crafts
2. Diana at Stampin Fun with Diana
3. Leanne at Literally My Joy
4. Kim at Stamping with Kim
5. Darcy at Dj's Stampin Place
6. Tobe at The Craft Sea
7. Melissa at Stamp Doc
8. Donna at Organized Chaos
9. Bree at Craft-Somnia Momma
10. Jennifer at Happy 2 Scrap 4 Life