SUMMER RETREAT - Chocolate Box

I had this box made all except for the "Chocolate" die cut that i wanted to add.  This was one of the projects we made from the Summer Retreat.  It holds 4 Hershey's Nuggets.  Open the box.......

and out pops a surprise message.  I'm not sure who will get this but it was a really fun project.  I'm going to try to make one for each of the grandchildren - maybe for one of the holidays.

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CASING MYSELF

Recently a lady here in our town learned that I make cards and she ordered some.  She called again and asked if I would make cards for three of her sisters who are all celebrating birthdays in August.  One of her sisters loves plants so this is the card she chose.  I had made one just like it last year and posted it but decided to show it once again.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MOTHER

Today my mother will be 98 YEARS OLD!!!  She certainly deserves a card that is more special than the ordinary cards I make otherwise.  Mother survived a fall on Palm Sunday in April and spent 3 months in a rehabilitation center trying to get back to her apartment.  It was a struggle! She had to be tested for Covid-19 before being allowed to go back to her apartment and the day before she was to be released.......she tested positive.  Thankfully a week later she tested negative and was allowed to leave.  The roller coaster of ups and downs had finally come to an end.  Her memory has failed some with all of the disruption in her routine. She has slipped physically a lot since her fall but we are sooooo happy to still have her with us.

When I saw one of these made on the Summer Retreat I took part in, I really wanted to give it a try.  It's a card that really takes some planning.  The first one I made was not something I was happy with.  The second one was just OK but not what I was aiming for. When I finally got the die set to make the flower on the front of the card, I knew what I was going for and I had the designer paper already.  I hope she likes the card as much as I do.  

The independent living center where my mother lives had just begun allowing scheduled outdoor appointments for 15 minutes with our loved ones. Then the Derecho hit our area and I lost total communication with my Mother for nearly 2 weeks. They were able to get some power back through generators and finally the power was restored. Phone service to my mother didn't happen until late Saturday. What a blessing it was to be able to talk to her Sunday afternoon.  Ridgeview is making an exception to their visitation schedule and I am going to get to see Mother this morning.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!!

STAMPIN' UP! - Avant Garden

Recently I watched a video by Brandy Cox, a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, and she made a card like this.  Since I have that stamp set, and loved the color combination, I watched the video a second time and followed along to make one like it.  

The flower is stamped and then fussy cut.  A second "bloom" was stamped and set at a slight angle to the first one.  The dotted background is made with a small stamp and then just rotated around the outside edge of the white layer.  I love how it really sets off the entire design.

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THREE CARDS FROM SCRAPS

 I almost forgot to post something today.

While I was trying to clear off some pieces from my craft table a few days ago, I was determined to find a way to use some of these scraps.  They were odds and ends from some other cards that I had made some time ago.  Some had all actually been added to the matting so it was definitely time to get them on cards!

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STAMPIN' UP! - Birthday Bouquet designer paper #5

When I made the decision to pretty much use up the last of these papers, Pinterest was where I went to find ideas to make the process much quicker.    I didn't want to spend a lot of time "thinking" how to best use what I had left.  

NOTE:  I had someone ask about the measurements for the Double Z-Fold card I posted on Wednesday.  You can see a video here.

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STAMPIN' UP! - Birthday Bouquet designer paper #4

This is called a "Recessed Panel Card".  I've made them before and I really like them.  The directions I saw wasted an entire 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" piece of designer paper attached to the front of the card base.  I didn't have that much left but by laying it diagonally across the card base I was able to use a pencil to draw lines for the space I wanted to show open.

Next I took a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" piece of white card stock and made cuts that coordinated with the piece of designer paper.  Instead of following the directions for the Old Olive pieces, I simply cut long strips, trimmed of the excess, added them under the white triangles and then attached them over the designer paper.  

It's a little hard to describe the way I did mine.   If someone knows the name of this style, please post it in the comments.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, EMMA and SU Birthday Bouquet #3

I've made several of this type of card lately and saved this one for one of our granddaughters who is celebrating her 19th birthday today.  Since it's her Golden Birthday I should have done something with that theme but I did write something inside to acknowledge it.

With the other cards I made like this I put a white piece of card stock on the middle section that shows when it is open.  That gives a little more space for a stamped design or message.

I had the piece of Pool Party card stock with the two triangles of dp already attached and it had been on my table for too long.  It was time to give it life.  The triangles were only attached around the edges so I could have used it as a pocket but decided to add the stamped white piece and added it with glue instead.  The entire piece was then added to a white card base.

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STAMPIN' UP! - Birthday Bouquet designer paper #2

I saw a card on Pinterest using this layout and liked the layering.  Thank you for coming by today!

STAMPIN' UP! - Birthday Bouquet designer paper #1

I am preparing posts for this whole week on Sunday the 16th.  As of today we are in Day 7 of no electricity.  Posting cards today is possibly only because we have a good generator.  National media has barely given Iowa a blip of news so in case you hadn't heard a storm called a Derecho started in South Dakota and moved SE into part of Nebraska but then East all the way through Iowa into Illinois.  The Derecho produced Category 2 and 3 Hurricane winds and rain. The wind damage through Iowa is devastating.  Thousands of trees, farm buildings, corn crops flattened and hundreds of homes losing the roof and other damage.  No "storm surge" only because we aren't near the coast.

Personally our home was spared and no tree damage since previous storms took all of  what we had.

In an effort to continue using up retired Stampin' Up! designer paper, this week I will be showing cards made a couple of weeks ago from the "Birthday Bouquet" pack.   I have used all but a couple of pieces that approximately 6 x 6.

The designs in the pack coordinate nicely.  This card includes three of the designs.  I'm starting with the one I like the least. Hopefully you will agree that the rest are better.  :)

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STAMPIN' UP! Designer Paper - Sunflower

I saw a video of a card using this idea.  The card base is 5 1/2" x 11".  A added a 4" x 5 1/4" piece of white card stock to the front of the base and cut the piece of designer paper diagonally corner to corner and then again the other angle as well.  (To make that second cut I made markings on the paper so that I could get the proper angle.)

The lady who made the video showed using the top and bottom pieces of designer paper. I made that one as well but accidentally deleted the picture.   This was an easy card to make. I may add a small sentiment on one or both of the white areas.

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SUMMER RETREAT CARDS

The first card is one of my favorites of the set of six she showed.    I only made five of them......#4 is below.

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TWO CARDS FROM SCRAPS- Flowers for Every Season

One of the Stampin' Up! Demonstrators for the Summer Retreat gave a presentation using scraps.  I used the same papers as she did since it made it so much easier to come up with the right combination. This first one is very simple. I like the one below better.  There are two more cards I'll show you tomorrow.

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STAMPIN' UP! Magnolia Lane DP - Fancy Fold

Outside

The papers from this package of designer papers are so petty and work so well together.  I've had the card made for quite some time but was waiting to get the stamp to do that little flower bud.

Opened

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SUMMER RETREAT PROJECT - Gift Bag

This was actually a pretty easy project.  I'm not sure if or when I will use it but I thought it turned out nice.  The designer paper is from a long retired pack.  It such a pretty color.

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SU "A Cherry on Top" #5

This last card (for now) using the designer paper is basically a CASE of a card I saw on Pinterest.  Some of the paper from the 6 x 6 pack had been used previously and now 5 more cards have been made.  

Since it is group of papers I have had for a long time, I wish the paper had all been used up.  However, there are still some sheets left.  If anyone wants what is left, I'd gladly give it up for the cost of sending it to you.

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SU "A Cherry on Top" #4

Another very simple card using strips of the designer paper.

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2 BIRTHDAY CARDS - SU Vases & "A Cherry On Top" #3

In the summer after my 6th Grade year of school, I attended a church camp for a week.  One of the girls from another town and I quickly formed a friendship. For several years our parents would arrange for us to stay at each other's homes for a few days.  I was in her wedding three weeks after I got married.  Along the line we lost touch when she moved out of state but Facebook reunited us.  Today is her birthday and although I didn't get it sent off in time, I'm in hopes she'll get it the day after.

The vases and the tulip blossoms are popped with foam dimensionals.

This card was made using strips of the "A Cherry On Top" designer paper.  Very quick and easy!

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STAMPIN' UP! - A Cherry on Top #2

I had some small scraps of this designer paper so I used them to make the candles.  The flames are actually the "bird wings" from the SU punch.  When I bought this designer paper, I also got Washi Tape with the same designs and ribbons in three of the colors.  I've hardly used any of the ribbon but tied a knot, trimmed the piece and tucked it behind the sentiment banner which was popped with two dimensional foam squares.

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A WEEK OF STAMPIN' UP! "A CHERRY ON TOP" Designer Paper

Recently I watched a video of Lisa Curcio making a card and stamping her own background on a birthday card.  This is my version of what she made.  I didn't have the same banner she used so I made my own.  I liked her suggestion of stamping at an angle multiple times.

There are several family birthdays during August so one of my family members may likely be the one to receive this card.

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