STAMPIN' UP! Botanical Builder

Recently I received a swap card for our Yahoo group pink and gray color swap. My friend, Kris, used a horizontal striped cover plate and these flowers.  I had just purchased the Lawn Fawn diagonal stripe over plate so I cut it in black and adhered it to the white card base. Using the Botanical Builder dies, I cut the flowers and foliage to add.   It makes quite a bold statement with the black/white/yellow combination.  

I think I'm going to do it in black/white/red combination soon.  If I do, I'll show that one here too.

Thank you for coming by today!

PINK AND GRAY COLOR SWAP

Our Yahoo group color swap for July was to make a card using pink and gray.  This is the card I sent my partner.  The dies and card stock I used are all from Stampin' Up!

After some hot humid days we are finally in for at least one or two days of much more comfortable weather.  Some areas of our state received a lot of rain lately and some communities are experiencing flooding.  Weather in so many areas as really been violent.  I hope all of you are safe from floods and storms.

Thank you for stopping by today!

LAWN FAWN - Using 3 die sets

Lawn Fawn dies tend to be on the "cute" side.  This was a fun card to make and I look forward to sending it to someone in order to brighten their day.

The lattice background is made from the Lawn Fawn Stripey Background die.  I had to cut it twice to get the lattice look.  The sun is from the Spring and Showers die set, and the Grassy Borders die set made the grass, tulips and little butterfly.

Thank you for coming by!  Have a great weekend!

PENNY BLACK - Tulips

As I prepare this post, I cannot find this stamp in my "collection" of Penny Black images so I'm not sure of what the proper name of it is.

The card was made several weeks ago so I'm not sure if I spritzed the image after inking it or not.  The sentiment was stamped over the image using VeraFine Onyx Black ink.  I mounted the image on Old Olive card stock and then added it to a card base made of Stampin' Up! Elegant Eggplant car stock.  When I use a dark card base, I always add a piece of white card stock inside to use for a note or stamped sentiment.

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NOTE:  Since originally posting, I have found the stamp. It is called "First Waltz".

SIZZIX - Step Card Dies Set

So often I see a new stamp or die set that I "just have to have".  Having access to so many items through a wholesale company, I sometimes purchase and then don't use it.  This die set is one that I have had for a long time.  Over time I have seen so many really neat cards made with this style but was always skeptical about trying one.  When I saw this die set did all of the cutting and scoring of folds, I took the chance.

The set consists of 21 dies.  I received a step card like this for Valentine's Day using hearts, but the hearts are part of the main die and won't work for other designs. (See a picture below of the card I received from my friend.)

The dotted green pieces are all cut with dies that fit perfectly onto the white card base.  All of the colored papers used are from a lot of Lasting Impressions paper that I have.  I added the flowers to the card using toothpicks.  A flat toothpick would have been better, but  both would be difficult to send through the mail without extra precautions.  

The main pieces of this set are ones that I can easily use again with various embellishments.  What a fun set!

Thank you for coming by today!

PENNY BLACK - Effulgent #2

Using the same stamp as I did yesterday, I simply added more brown ink to the stems but didn't ink the blooms a second time.  I spritzed slightly and stamped it using a different angle on the card stock.  I really like this image!

Thank you for stopping by today!

PENNY BLACK - Effulgent #1

This is one of the latest Penny Black cling stamps that I ordered.  I inked up the image, spritzed it with water and stamped it.  I love how the stamp gives a variation in the color in the blooms without any extra effort.  I added three Stampin' Up! Candy Dots, matted it and added it to a Stampin' Up! Soft Suede card base.  A 4" x 5 1/4" piece of white card stock was added to the inside for stamping a sentiment at a later time.

Come back again tomorrow to see how pretty it can be to do a second stamping of the image without reinking the stamp.'

I have posted a variety of Penny Black stamp on my blog.  If  you like what you see, just let me know if you are ever interested in ordering Penny Black items.  I would be happy to get them for you the next time I order.

Thank you for coming by today!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOYCE!

Today my friend, Joyce is hopefully celebrating her birthday!  Joyce is a return member to our group on Yahoo.  It is so great to have her back with us again!

This is one of the several Penny Black cling stamps that I have.  It is called "Dreamy".  This flower looks like it is just blowing in the breeze.  I love the simplicity of it.  I inked the image with Stampin' Up! Night of Navy and Old Olive inks.  

Thank you for coming by!  Have a great weekend!  I hope you will come back again next week.

SELF-ADHESIVE FABRIC DIE CUT

A friend of mine had a strip of this pretty border and gave some to each one of us while we were in Des Moines.  Doesn't it make a lovely border?  And it certainly made a very easy card!

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PENNY BLACK - Peony Cling Stamp

Penny Black makes such beautiful floral cling stamps.  After I got this stamp, it took me a long time to give it a try because it was so large.  Sometime I just have to force myself to give it a try.  

Using my MISTI, I inked it up using some of my Memento Dew Drop inks, gave it a slight spritz of water and stamped it.  I was pleasantly surprised!  I added the Happy Birthday sentiment.  The sentiment would have been better if I had stamped it on a separate piece of card stock and then popped it up with foam dots.

I'll be using this stamp again using other colors for the blooms.  Thanks so much for stopping by today!

IMPRESSIONS OBSESSION DIE - 2 cards

This is another "must have" after my trip to Des Moines meeting with friends in June.  There was a card made like this on one of their sample boards.  They even had the same paper for purchase.  This die and paper made such an easy card.  I cut the design with white card stock first................

but he Stampin' Up! Blushing Bride card stock went well with the designer paper so I cut a second one and added it.  I like it done in white the best.

Thank you for stopping by today!

MEMORY BOX MEETS PENNY BLACK

A few days ago I posted a card using a portion of the Yupo paper that had been colored with alcohol inks.  I had cut it in half to get the most use out it since I really loved the color combination.  This piece was attached behind a die cut using the Memory Box Luciene Tile die (one of my very favorites).

The panel was attached to a white card base.  I thought about different ideas of what to add to the white portion of the card front.  The Stampin' Up! Lavender Lace card stock reallly went well with the lavender alcohol ink.  I used the Penny Black Iris die to cut the design.

Questions are always welcome.  Thank you for stopping by!

MEMORY BOX DIE?

I borrowed this die from one of my friends when we met in June.  I wasn't sure who made this die but I found it on a web site and it was listed as:  "Memory Box Floral Stem Collage Poppy Stamps Craft Die".  So I'm not sure if it is really Memory Box or if it is really Poppy Stamps design.

I placed the die at an angle for this card and simply mounted it on a piece of yellow striped paper from a Lawn Fawn paper pad and then stamped "Hi!"  The die has an extra piece for the petals which I added to the main piece using foam dots.

I like the yellow and white combination.  Thank you for coming by today!  Have a great weekend!

STAMPIN' UP! - Dragonfly #4

These dragonflies are from a single die and from the same set as the ones used on the previous cards.  I had a piece of Yupo paper on my table that had been colored with alcohol inks. (I think our youngest granddaughter had done this piece while she was here.)  I added it to a piece of white card stock slightly larger than the colored piece.

The Stampin' Up! Lavender Lace card stock worked perfectly with the colors in the background.

Thank you for stopping by today!

STAMPIN' UP! - Dragonfly die #2 and #3

This is another tri-fold card with a rectangle window.  The designer paper behind the opening is from Stampin' Up!

For this card I used a piece of designer paper from a paper pad that I have which gives a little softer look.

Thank you for stopping by today!  Hope you had a great holiday weekend!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!

Wishing you all a Happy, Safe 4th of July wherever you are celebrating!

STAMPIN' UP! - Dragonfly die #1

While in Des Moines with my card-making friends, I was able to borrow this die.  I cut out several from the die set in gold, silver, black and white.  When the set came out I didn't order it because i didn't think I needed it.  It does make a really neat piece to add to a card. 

This is a tri-fold card.  First I cut the circle "window" from the middle section and then I embossed that section with the Swiss Dots folder.  I added a piece of SU designer paper behind the opening.  

When looking at the entire front of the card open, I folded the right hand section back over the opening and taped it down to cover the designer paper.  I added the dragonfly with a glue dot in the middle section and left the wings free.

Over the next few days, I will be showing you additional cards that I made with the dragonflies.  Thank you for stopping by today!

STAMPIN' UP! - Thoughtful Branches

I borrowed this SU stamp set from one of our Yahoo Group when we were in Des Moines last week.  I love stamps with trees and this is such a cute set.  The "grass" is actually from another set.  I added a die cut cloud from pieces I had in my "parts" box.

Thank you for coming by!  I can't believe it but the next card I post will be in July!!!!!

USING VELLUM

This is another item we made using pre-cut items from one of the Yahoo members when we gathered in Des Moines last week.  I love the soft look the vellum gives to the image.

There is a small card which is added to the inside of the vellum card but the butterfly is added to the outside.

Thank you for coming by today!

TWO MASCULINE CARDS

For eleven years our Yahoo Group has met to enjoy sharing our stamps and dies, learn new techniques, eat and laugh together.  The owner of the store where we have been meeting for 10 years closed in February but was purchased and opened once again with a new name.....Inspire.  The picture above shows the new owner on the far left and one of the ladies (far right) who is continuing to work there under the new management.  We always have a picture of those present taken outside of the store.  One of our previous members surprised the group by coming one day and decided she wanted to rejoin the group. (Maybe the name of the store "Inspire" helped.)

One of our members brought the pre-cut items to make this card.  The main die is from Die-Namics.  It cuts the two openings and adds the stitching around the rectangles.  I chose to add a deer image to each of the cards I put together since I have some hunters in the family. 

Thank you for stopping by today!

ALTENEW - Iris

Altenew stamps are new for me.  Some of the ladies in our Yahoo Group have been making some beautiful cards with them.  The temptation was just too much.  

This particular design is done by stamping the stem and bloom in one step and then adding the individual leaves.  They also have some wonderful 2 or 3 step stamps where you layer colors to give a look of reality.  Altenew has sets of inks that have up to 4 shades of the same color so that makes it easy.

For this card though I simply stamped the pieces with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and then colored with my Copic markers.   In days to come I will be trying to put some cards together using the other stamps that I have.

Last Tuesday our group of ladies got together for our 11th annual gathering.  Ten of those years have been in Des Moines. We gathered at a stamp store in West Des Moines on Tuesday and started playing.  The store is so gracious to let us use the facilities on Wednesday and again until early Thursday afternoon. I will also be sharing some cards I made from parts that I cut and stamped there.  It is so much fun being able to share our supplies with each other.  

Thanks for coming by today!

STAMPIN' UP! - Hey Chick!

I rarely make a "fun" card.  I'm not sure why, but I don't have a lot of "fun" stamps.  When I placed my last order for Stampin' Up! items, I was able to get this stamp set FREE.  That certainly was incentive.  

I'd seen some cards where the designs were stamped, stacking the chickens so I gave it a try and then colored them with Copic markers.  One of the cards used a flat tooth pick for the banner.  I didn't know if I would be mailing the card so I just cut a very narrow piece of brown card stock.  I matted the image with Crumb Cake and Crushed Curry.....the two colors that seemed to match the Copic colors I had used.

Thanks for coming by today!

GROUP BRIGHT COLORS CARD SWAP

The last few days I have been in Des Moines for our annual Group Gathering.  We always have such fun sharing ideas, laughing and eating.  This is the card I made to give my "swap partner" using bright colors.  It is from the Stampin' Up! Awash with Flowers stamp set.  I love this set and it is fun to work with.  I like that the idea is not to necessarily line up the two layers perfectly.

There is room at the bottom of the card for my friend to personalize the card with a sentiment of her choice.

Thank for coming by today!

USING MEMORY BOX DIES

Pinterest was definitely the inspiration for this card.  I used the same die for the design across the white portion which allows the designer paper below peek through.  The butterflies are different and I made it my own by adding a second butterfly to the design.

I left the wings of the white die cut free from glue to let them "fly".  The small picture allows you to see this.

Thank you for coming by today!

IMPROVING A PREVIOUS POST

A while back I posted this card.  I love the flower with the polka dot petals although I think the stem is pretty skinny for the size of the blossom.  When I ran across a package of dimensional lady bugs in one of my baskets, I thought of this card and added one to it.  I like the card better now because I think the cute little lady but takes some of the attention away from the skinny stem.  What do you think?

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STAMPIN' UP! - Awash with Flowers #2

Unlike yesterday's card, I did CASE the card I saw on Pinterest.  This used the same stamp set as yesterday but used the outline portion of the set.

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STAMPIN' UP! - Awash with Flowers

Recently when I was browsing cards on Pinterest, I saw a beautiful card using this flower.  They had stamped the blossom portion with VersaMark and then heat embossed it with navy powder.  

I pulled out my embossing powders and decided to make a card using that method.  This time my card is definitely NOT like the one I saw but the flower was heat embossed.  The flower looks like it has a navy cast to it but it is actually a shade of purple....it just didn't photograph well.  I'm not sure if it was something I did but the embossing didn't turn out nice and smooth.

There was a piece of designer paper on my craft table that went well with the flower but didn't cover the entire front of the card base.  I matted the flower with two colors of card stock and then mounted it off to the right.  

Thank you for stopping by!

TWO-STEP STAMPS

I stamped this card a few days ago and put the stamp set away.  I'm sorry I can't remember what stamp set I used.  I think that's a sign that I have too many stamps.  The little butterfly is from Inkadinkadoo and the cute little sun is a 2006 Penny Black and is actually still available.  The sentiment is from Darcie's and goes perfectly with those little flowers.

Our Yahoo Group's June Color Swap challenge is to make a card using bright colors.  I originally planned to use this one but made a second card that will be given to my partner.

We have had a lot really HOT DAYS here and I don't do well with them.  I'm not an outdoors person and I'm extremely thankful for air conditioning!  Hope you are all staying cool and not experiencing any serious summer storms.

Thanks for coming by today!  Come back again next week and I'll have more new items for you.

MEMORY BOX DIES

When I'm organized, I sometimes have cards scheduled for two weeks ahead.  That's a clue.....I'm not feeling very organized right now.  I just realized that I had posted nothing yet for today.

A few days ago I had my two friends, Joanne and Carol, come and I showed them a couple of things they were wondering about.  Something was mentioned about the die that makes this floral die cut so I brought it out and cut it.  It has been so much fun after all these years of making cards to have two ladies right here that are coming here to have some fun!

After they left, I put the die cut piece on my craft table.  Normally when I cut out these pieces I use Stick-It (a double sided adhesive) on the back side of the card stock before cutting.  I hadn't done that with this one since I was quickly demonstrating something.

I managed to get it adhered to the front of a card base and then added the additional die cut which I did do with Stick-It.  It's a very plain card, but I just couldn't bring myself to throw the flowers away.

Right now I'll schedule something to appear on my blog tomorrow.  Thanks for checking out this simple card.

TUTTI DIE - Praying Hands

Previously I posted a card with a "Cross in the Vine" die from Tutti.  I ordered this one at the same time.  It is going to be a perfect die to use for get well or various religious events.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

STAMPIN' UP! - The Art of LIfe (again)

I made these cards at the same time as I did some of the previous ones I posted here, but I was saving one of these for a card swap and didn't want to reveal them ahead of time.  One of the cards went to my card swap partner.

In addition to the stamp set, the inks, designer paper and embossing folder used were all from Stampin' Up!

To obtain the lighter color, of the stamped image, I inked the stamp, stamped it once and then stamped it again without re-inking it.

Thank you for coming by today!