A Touch of Romance Tin

Here's another project from Andrea Walford's online class "A Touch of Romance". Scroll down to the previous post if you missed the first project. If you are interested in registering for the class check out this page on Andrea's blog. This was the first project that Andrea shares in the class and it's my favourite of all the projects. For this project I really stylized it my own way to make it exactly the way I wanted and Andrea encourages you to do so. Also, if you don't have the tin, she offers a different but similar project/template. I combined the two different projects to create this one. I am actually going to be giving the completed project to Grant later so I'm not sharing much information on what goes inside other than these little inserts. I'm trying not to let him see it "in person" until he gets it because I always find that pictures don't do projects justice (especially 3D items when you can't see all angles).

Stamps: SU A Happy Heart, Lots of Thoughts
Ink: SU Versamark, pretty in pink, chocolate chip, pink pirouette reinker (retired)
Paper: SU very vanilla, chocolate chip, pretty in pink, chocolate chip dp, sending love specialty dp
Ribbon: SU 5/8" pretty in pink satin, 5/8" chocolate chip satin, silver elastic cord
Punch: 1/2" circle punch
Misc: SU pretty in pink cordoroy button, build a brad, paper snips, crystal effects, band-aid tin

Sick and Somewhat Productive

Make sure you scroll down to see today's first post!

I've been sick since Tuesday wtih a bad cold and unfortunately it conincided with my days off of work. Since I work nights there's only so little I can do while I am awake that won't disturb the neighbours or my pounding headache from the cold. As a result, I've made a couple of great projects that I want to share.I registered for Andrea Walford's (my upline) online class "A Touch of Romance" and this is one of the five fabulous projects she gives instructions for. In actuality it seems like more than five projects because she offers ideas and templates subsitutions should you not have the supplies for the original project. You can check out this post on Andrea's blog to read more about the class and register if you are interested! This is the wider of the two hearts: Here is the skinnier of the two boxes:Andrea gives the templates for both sizes of box to fit different sized treats! I just love how they open by the center heart flap. These were so easy to create too!

Stamps: SU Sweet Little Sentiments (retired)
Ink: SU real red
Paper: SU pretty in pink, real red, sending love specialty dp
Ribbon: SU 5/8" real red grosgrain, 5/8" pretty in pink satin, 1/4" real red and pretty in pink grosgrain
Misc: paper snips, hobby blade, Andrea's template

Make a Difference!

Help make a difference in the lives of those who continue to suffer the effects from the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti January 12. From now until Feb. 28 Stampin' Up! will donate $2 from the sale of every I {Heart} Hearts stamp set to the American Red Cross' Haiti Relief Development Fund. The money will be used to provide immediate relief and long term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need.

I just ordered myself a set. Are you able to help too? What a great way to continue your own passion and help those in need.

Sage and Pink Floral

Just got a new batch of goodies from Stampin' Up! and I couldn't wait to try out the little leave sizzlit die! I love the way it looks when combined with the flowers from the fifth avenue floral set. I did a lot of heat embossing on this card. I created the polka dot paper by stamping the dot dot dot stamp set on pretty in pink and embossing it in white. I also heat embossed the flower in white before cutting it out.

PS. The sizzlit dies work in a cuttlebug. If you don't want to invest in the big shot you can still use some of the dies if you own a cuttlebug!

Stamps: SU Fifth Avenue Floral, Dot Dot Dot
Ink: SU Versamark, sage shadow
Paper: SU ww, pretty in pink, sage shadow
Ribbon: SU 5/8" pretty in pink satin
Dies: SU little leaves sizzlit
Misc: SU white ep, paper snips, 1 1/4" square punch

Inspired Wishes

It's been a while but I finally participated in another of SCS's Sketch Challenges, SC263. I'm not a big oval fan, so I substituted a circle instead.
I coloured the flower with SU white stamp pad, sage shadow and chcolate chip markers. I let the white blend into both because I liked the way that it looked (rather than wiping it off). I'm not sure why the ribbon photographed funny but I opted for two 1/4" ribbons instead of hte 5/8" just becuase it seemed a bit brighter this way.

Stamps: SU Inspired by Nature, Heard from the heart
Ink: SU white, sage shadow, chocolate chip
Paper: SU sahara sand, sage shadow, chocolate chip, to the nines dp
Ribbon: SU 1/4" chocolate chip grosgrain
Misc: circle cutter

Butterfly Sympathy Set

Once I decided which card I liked better (from the post yesterday), I created a 5 piece set for my Mom using 5 out of 6 of the new "in colours." Not too much to say about it since I explained it all yesterday! Here's a close up look at each of the individual cards.

Melon mambo - my favourite of the bunch Dusty durango Crushed curry Rich razzleberry Bermuda bay I love this layout. I think I'm going to keep it in my mind to use for other quick cards!

Stamps: SU teeny tiny wishes, Verve fluttering by
Paper: SU ww, melon mambo, dusty durango, crushed curry, rich razzleberry, bermuda bay, urban garden dp (retired)
Ink: SU melon mambo, dusty durango, crushed curry, rich razzleberry, bermuda bay
Ribbon: SU 1/4" white grosgrain
Misc: SU dimensionals, scallop edge punch

This or That?

I was going through the cards I've marked as favourites and came across this gorgeous card by annascreations and decided to CASE it for a set of sympathy cards for my Mom to use.

When I was picturing it how I wanted it to look, I couldn't decide if I wanted the "with sympathy" embossed in white or stamped on the white cardstock in the featured colour - so I stamped both so I could decide once they were created.

Here's the sympathy card with the white embossing: Here's the card with the sentiment stamped in the feature colour bermuda bay: Once they were both made, I decided I definitely liked the coloured sentiment more. So that's what I will be going with. The butterfly image is from Verve Stamps and was stamped on white cardstock twice so I could cut one of them out. Once it was cut out I adhered the body of the butterfly on top of the uncut butterfly and bent the wings upward to make it more 3D. I love the look of this and will definitely try doing this more often! I had the supplies to add the details of the brads and jewels but wanted to keep it simple to be able to create multiple cards quickly!

Stamps: SU Teeny Tiny Wishes, Verve Stamps Fluttering By
Ink: SU bermuda bay, versamark
Paper: SU ww, bermuda bay, urban garden dp (retired)
Ribbon: SU 1/4" white grosgrain
Misc: SU white ep, stampin' dimensionals

Floral Sorrow

My Mom asked me to refill her stock of sympathy cards so that is what I have been trying to work on. I find sympathy cards really difficult to make because I find myself overthinking things, especially the colour. I don't want it too dark because that seems negative and depressing but I don't want it too bright because then it seems fake. I don't know maybe I'm the only one who thinks about all that!Anyway, I finally bought SU Thoughts & Prayers set in December and love this flower image from it. I coloured it using my SU markers. To get a bit more dimension, I coloured the center of the flower with orchid opulence then went around the edges of the flower with rich razzleberry. I also purposely cut the green dp to have the two butterflies above the flowers because of the symbol they have for life after death. I have to get my hands on the new butteflies die that SU has so I can use it for cards like this!

Stamps: SU Thoughts & Prayers
Ink: SU rich razzleberry, orchid opulence, old olive
Paper: SU ww, rich razzleberry, cottage wall dp

Baby Thank You Set

One of the girls at work is having her first baby and so as a little be-lated Christmas gift (because I haven't seen her yet) I am going to give her this little baby thank you card set. I had to keep the colours gender neutral as she is keeping the gender a surprise! This set features two of the new stamp sets available in the new occasions mini catalogue that starts today (see the post below for more details) - "Fox & Friends" as well as "A to Z." It seems no matter how many animal sets I own, I always want more because they are too cute and fox and friends was no exception!

This little monkey is what drew me to the set! Check out how cute this little turtle is too! This is the third giraffe stamp I own, they are all so different! I love the little heart coming out in the spray of the whale - such a cute little detail! Finally, here is the lion (my second lion stamp)! There is also a fox and owl in this set but I opted for the above five as they are my favourites! If you like these images a lot, they are also available as part of the Definitely Decorative line of vinyl images that can be applied to walls, blocks, etc. - great for a child's bedroom or playroom!

To create the background using the A to Z stamp, I inked the image in old olive and stamped it on certainly celery paper. According to the SU Colour coach these two colours are a "dynamic duo" meaning they pair together to create the most coordinated monochromatic look. The colour coach is a valuable resource that also contains great information on colour combinations.

As you can see from the photos, I also created coordinating envelopes for each card, stamping the animal in either certainly celery or so saffron.

Stamps: SU Fox & Friends, A to Z, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink: SU Versamark, certainly celery, old olive, so saffron
Paper: SU ww, certainly celery, delicate dots dp (retired)
Ribbon: SU 5/8" so saffron grosgrain
Misc: SU white ep
Punch: SU 1 1/4" square

SAB Promotion and New Products!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Years! Stampin' Up! is off to a great start this year so I have three bits Stampin' Up! information to tell you about that all start today!

Today marks the start of Stampin' Up's greatest yearly promotion - Sale-A-Bration (SAB). Click here to view the SAB catalogue. From now until March 31, there are the following fantatic Sale-A-Bration deals:

• Customers: For every $65 CAD that you spend, you earn one free SAB item of their choice. Items in the SAB catalogue are available for only the limited time that the promotion occurs. This year, Stampin' Up! has sweetened this promotion even more and is allowing stamp sets in the Idea Book & Catalogue that are valued at $20.95 CAD or less to be earned for free for every $65 spent.
• Hostesses: For every $395 CAD you earn one free SAB product in addition to the regular hostess benefits.
• New Recruits: Join the Stampin' Up! team and choose a free stamp set from the Idea Book and Catalogue (valued at up to $63.95 CAD).

Today also marks the start of the new Occasions Mini Catalogue. Click here to view this catalogue. Items in this catalogue are available from now until April 30 only. Check back to see a post later today, featuring two new products from this catalogue!

Finally, new items have been added to the Definitely Decorative line of products. Click here to view the new items available.