You're How Old CASE

I've been slowly working on CASEing some cards I've pinned on pinterest. If you've seen my papercrafting inspiration board, you know I have a lot to work with!

I wasn't initially very fond of this stamp set, but it very quickly grew on me as I saw others using it. This card is a CASE of Mary's card here.

Stamps: Just Sayin'
Ink: Crushed Curry
Paper: Whisper white, pistachio pudding,  crushed curry, confetti celebration
Accessories: Word Bubbles Framelits, Pistachio Pudding thick baker's twine, candy dots

Halloween SFYTT

Happy Halloween!

Here's my Halloween take on this months SFYTT.

This is a hybrid card - the image and sentiment were both printed on whisper white card stock after being created in MDS. The rest are actual materials I had on hand.

Stamps: Spooky Treats Designer Template (MDS), Piece of Poison (MDS)
Paper: SU ww, peach parfait, basic black designer series paper stack
Ribbon: SU basic black satin

Goodbye Lots of Bots

Here's a card to send of the retiring set Lots of Bots. The ribbon and celebrations dsp are also retiring.

The robots were first stamped in black ink on whisper white paper and coloured using the various ink colours and blender pens. The middle part of the robot was then stamped again but this time in StazOn ink on watercolour paper, then wartercoloured with my stampin' write markers and aquapainter. Once coloured, they were cut out with my paper snips and glued on to the original stamped images.

The sentiment on the stamp was initially not coloured when I stamped the robots. Instead, I inked it up alone afterwards and used my stamp-a-ma-jig to line it up at the top where I wanted it!

Check out the little rhinestones on the bags too!

Stamps: SU Lots of Bots
Ink: SU basic black, pear pizzazz, bashful blue, real red, basic gray, StazOn jet black
Paper: SU ww, real red, watercolour, celebrations dsp
Ribbon: SU 5/8" real red grosgrain
Misc: SU aquapainter, blender pens, paper snips, rhinestones

Goodbye Earthling

Time to say goodbye to the super cute set Greetings, Earthling before it retires.

This card is made using this months SFYTT. I stamped the aliens/monsters in Jet Black StazOn ink on watercolour paper, then used my aquapainter to paint them using the main colours in the also retiring celebrations dsp. I really enjoy watercolouring and have just started trying it out on stamped images that are not just flowers. I think it turned out quite well! The grass line was just made freehand using my basic black Stampin' write marker.

For my sentiment, I used a retired set from Sale-A-Bration several years ago, called Birthday Whimsy. For all the birthday stamp sets I have, none of the fonts seemed to suit this image, they were all too "pretty" looking! Guess I know what I'll have to buy from the upcoming catalogue!

Stamps: SU Greetings Earthling, Birthday Whimsy (retired)
Ink: Jet Black StazOn, SU real red, pear pizzazz, pacific point, bashful blue, basic black
Paper: SU watercolour, real red, ww, pacific point, celebrations dsp, in colour patterns pack (hostess)
Misc: SU circle cutter, dimensionals, aquapainter

Goodbye Paradise

Since posting the last chance lists on June 1, I have decided to make cards for this month that feature retiring items that are some of my favourites! Today, I'm sharing items made with the Paradise stamp set and Woodland Walk dsp. I also recently discovered The Paper Players challenge blog and found that this weeks challenge #50 coincides perfectly with my need to make thank you cards for people who have donated towards my volunteer nursing trip to Haiti! Click on the photo to enlarge it for clarity!

Some of you may recognize the layouts and designs here as I used them previously in this post (which also features the soon to retire set Eastern Blooms).

Here's a closer look at each of the cards individually. Click on any of the photos to enlarge them (they appear a bit fuzzy until they are blown up).

I'm sad to see this leaf set go - it was one of my go to sets for masculine cards, but at least I will still have the Autumn Splendor leaf set to use!

The background stamp on the main panels is the grassy image from the set Inspired by Nature. I also used the linen thread for a more natural look to go along with the leaves, grass and woodgrain (plus it keeps them a bit more masculine than ribbon).

It's also hard to tell but these cards have a lot of dimension. All of the leaves are raised up on dimensionals and all of the sentiment panels are raised as well.

Stamps: SU Thank You Kindly, Inspired by Nature, Paradise
Ink: SU chocolate chip, garden green, wild wasabi
Paper: SU crumb cake, garden green, wild wasabi, very vanilla, Woodland Walk dsp
Ribbon: SU linen thread
Punch: SU scallop border punch
Misc: SU dimensionals, paper snips

More Masculine

Some of you may remember this card that I made for a workshop. I thought I would take that exact same card and only change the flower to make it a more masculine card.

I think it turned out quite well. I stamped the autumn splendor leaf in early espresso on top of garden green cardstock and heat embossed it with clear embossing powder.

Stamps: SU Thank You Kindly, Autumn Splendor
Ink: SU early espresso
Paper: SU early espresso, crumb cake, garden green, woodland walk dsp
Ribbon: SU 1/8" early espresso taffeta
Punch: SU corner rounder
Misc: SU dimensionals, paper snips, clear embossing powder

MOJO193 Wishes

It's been a while since I participated in any of the Mojo Monday sketch challenges but I really liked the Mojo193 sketch so I gave it a try.

I love the way this card turned out. The colours are so bright but also make a perfect masculine card. I only used a little strip of ribbon and decided to use a corduroy button instead of making a bow to keep it a bit more masculine. Maybe I'm the only one that thinks bows make it more girly!

I really hope that SU brings back this cupcake stamp set in the new catalogue available July 1! SU did carry over the build a cupcake punch so it is still currently available but unfortunately this stamp set isn't. Check out this flyer to see other items from the Occasions Mini Catalogue that are carried over and still available for purchase.

Don't forget to check out the last chance lists in the post here.

And be sure to stop by this post to see the first card I posted since my month long hiatus!

Stamps: SU Create a Cupcake, Short & Sweet

Paper: SU ww, bashful blue, pacific point, celebrations dsp

Ink: SU real red, wild wasabi, pacific point, bashful blue

Ribbon: SU 1/8" real red taffeta

Punch: SU Build a Cupcake
Button: SU real red corduroy button (retired)
Misc: SU dimensionals

Father's Day CASE

I saw this card on SCS that used the "paradise" stamp set, that I love but haven't used much, and was totally inspired by the masculine feel it has to it. As a result, I came up with this take on it for Father's day.

Normally, I don't really like when the stamp doesn't stamp really solid but I really liked the way the leaves looked like they had texture by not having a solid ink transfer. I also used my SU mat pack and piercing tool to space the brads exactly.
Stamps: SU Paradise, Something to Celebrate (hostess)
Ink: SU basic black
Paper: SU basic black, basic gray, ww
Brads: SU whisper white (from neutrals pack)
Embossing Folder: SU square lattice
Misc: SU mat pack, piercing tool

Bliss Step-it-Up Cards

I saw this card a while back on Mary's blog and wanted to re-make it. I thought I would start really basic and then show you how changing one or two things can really make it pop!

This is the most basic version. The bliss stamp is stamped in crumb cake on crumb cake dp using my stamp-a-ma-jig to line it up.

This version adds the extra detail of an extra layer of early espresso dp and the button/threadcombo tied around the ribbon rather than just applied on top.

Stepped up again, this version adds a vanilla layer and swaps the button and thread for a brad and bow.

This final version, swaps the espresso satin ribbon for vanilla and adds an extra layer of espresso taffeta ribbon.

I think the third version is actually my favourite, but it just shows how much you can change a card by changing very few details.

Also note that for my bows, I again used Mary's tutorial here.

Stamps: SU Bliss (SAB), Bring on the Cake

Ink: SU crumb back, early espresso

Paper: SU crumb cake, early espresso, very vanilla

Ribbon: SU 5/8" early espresso satin, 5/8" very vanilla satin, 1/8" early espresso tafetta, linen thread

Brad: SU very vanilla 5/16" jumbo brad

Mojo177 Love card

I just got my new Stampin' Up! order right before the new mojo monday sketch (Mojo177) came out this week and had to use a bunch of the new items I got in it. I took inspiration from this card by Mary at Stampin' Pretty and came up with this card.

To create the long XOXO panel, I stamped the image on whisper white cardstock once in Versamark and heat embossed it with silver embossing powder. Once that was dry, I used my stamp-a-ma-jig to line the stamp up just below the previous and stamped and embossed it again.

Stamps: SU XOXO, Something to Celebrate (hostess)

Ink: SU Versmark

Paper: SU whisper white, basic black, brushed silver, red glimmer paper

Punches: SU 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" circle punches

Brads: SU black brads, red glimmer brad

Misc: SU dimensionals

Masculine Valentine Challenge Card

This card isn't the most traditional coloured Valentine card but I wanted to try to make it more masculine and incorporate several SCS challenges into it.

It uses the colour challenge CC308 (river rock, basic gray and whisper white), the sketch challenge SC318 and the ways to use it challenge WT308 (hearts).

I used my large heart punch to create a mask and sponged river rock inside of the mask to create the heart. Before removing the mask, I stamped the flourish in basic gray.

Stamps: SU teeny tiny wishes, flourish (not sure what company)
Ink: SU river rock, basic gray
Paper: SU ww, river rock, basic gray, ginger blossom dp (retired)
Ribbon: SU 3/8" basic gray taffeta
Misc: SU heart punch, sponge daubers, dimensionals

SFYTT Thinking of You

Grant got some unfortunate news over the weekend that the mother of one of the little boys from the school he was at last year passed away. He asked me to make a "thinking of you" card using some leafy images so it wasn't too girly. I used Jen's January SFYTT as a starting point.

The leafy image was stamped in StazOn ink on watercolour paper and coloured using my garden green marker and aqua painter. I love the dimension that it gives to the image.

Stamps: SU Teeny Tiny Wishes, Growing Green

Ink: Jet Black StazOn, SU garden geen

Paper: SU watercolour paper, very vanilla, garden green, woodland walk dp

Punch: SU 1" circle

Ribbon: SU linen thread
Button: SU Very Vanilla designer button

Thank You Cards

Grant and I wanted to give small thank you cards to the two salespeople that we worked with throughout the home building process. I knew I wanted to use the fabulous "Good Neighbors" stamp set that is now retired from the Sale-A-Bration promotion earlier this year and then I saw the front card here and decided to make my own version of it using some of my favourite retired items from Stampin' Up!

This first card is for our direct sales person. We dealt with her on at least a weekly basis from March until getting possession at the end of October. She helped us to pick out what things we wanted to build our dream home.

This second card is for another sales person that we dealt with quite often when we came to check up on the progress of our house and she was just as willing to help us out with any questions or concerns we had. On both cards the houses and roofs are raised up on dimensionals.

We're still getting settled in the house, unpacking has been on hold because we both have bad colds right now so our heads just aren't up for it! It doesn't help that they are digging the lots up on either side of our house to finally put up houses! We were hoping it would have been at least started by them time we moved in but no such luck; at least they are doing both lots at the same time so the noise is all at once! 

Here's a peek at our house for those who are interested!

Supplies:

Heartfelt Gratitude Card

Stamps: SU good neighbors (retired), fabulous phrases

Ink: SU not quite navy, old olive, bashful blue, chocolate chip

Paper: SU not quite navy, ww, maine blueberry dp (retired)

Button: SU old olive corduroy button (retired)

Punches: SU 1 1/4" square

Misc: SU dimensionals, embroidery thread

Kind Thanks Card

Stamps: SU good neighbors (retired), fabulous phrases

Ink: SU regal rose, pretty in pink, so saffron, chocolate chip

Paper: SU regal rose, ww, georgia peach dp (retired)

Button: SU old olive from playground designer buttons (retired)

Punches: SU 1 1/4" square

Misc: SU dimensionals, embroidery thread

Dad's 50th Birthday

Yesterday was my Dad's 50th birthday! Unfortunately, I couldn't be there to share the day with him but I hope he had a wonderful day. Here's the card I made to go along with the gift we got for him.

It's a pretty simple card but I find that is the only way I can make masculine looking cards! Although, I can't take credit for the inspiration for this card - it's a CASE of the card here. For the center of the build-a-brad I printed out the "50" from the printer and made it chocolate chip colour to match using Marni's RGB values. For the leaf, I used the rock and roll technique to get the different colour along the edges.

Stamps: SU Paradise, Occasional Quotes (hostess)

Ink: SU garden green, wild wasabi, chocolate chip

Paper: SU crumb cake, chocolate chip, very vanilla, whisper white, woodland walk dp

Brad: SU pewter build-a-brad

Punch: SU 1/2" circle punch

Hopefully this will be the last...

...baby card that I have to make for several months. I'm getting pretty bored of them. This one is for another of Grant's coworkers that is due with a baby boy during summer vacation. The snail image was coloured with my markers, cut out with paper snips and adhered with dimensionals to stand out!

Stamps: SU everything nice, bugs & kisses
Ink: SU not quite navy, old olive, bashful blue
Paper: SU ww, bashful blue, not quite navy, maine blueberry dp (retired)
Misc: SU dimensionals

Grade 1 Graduation Cards

Grant had been wanting me to make cards to give to his grade 1 class for a little graduation celebration. When we both saw the hostess level 1 set "it's the thought" we knew it would be perfect for this! These 3x3 cards came together really quickly. I wanted to make them a very simple layout without lots of layers for this reason. I had to make 14 and they came together in only 1 hour. I made the 4 different styles as above and just made 4 of 3 of them and 2 of the last style.

Stamp: SU It's the Thought (hostess)
Ink: SU basic black, summer sun, old olive, chocolate chip, pacific point
Paper: SU ww, pacific point, summer sun, good morning sunshine dp (retired)

Baby Boy: Snips and Snails

On Monday night I had a combined baby shower to attend for 4 of the girls from work who had recently had babies. Half an hour before I had to leave I realized that I still needed one more card and came up with this (just because I make them doesn't mean I don't procrastinate writing in them). Despite all the layers it was very quick because the image/sentiment are a rubon from the SU rubons "so cool." The main panel is raised up on dimensionals - which I generally do on all of my cards. It's not the most "baby" looking card but I like the way it turned out and so did my co-worker who received it!

Rubon: SU So cool
Paper: SU ww, certainly celery, basic gray, spring fling dp (retired)
Misc: SU dimensionals

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day! I was checking out the SCS gallery recently and came across this card and decided to CASE it for the perfect Father's Day card. It's masculine but still really nice at the same time - and totally my style of cardmaking! I'm not used to using this few layers but I loved the original card so I didn't want to add more!

Stamps: SU pocket silhouettes, teeny tiny wishes
Ink: SU chocolate chip
Paper: SU ww, chocolate chip, kraft
Ribbon: SU 5/8" chocolate chip grosgrain, SU linen thread
Button: SU kraft corduroy button
Misc: ruler, SU white signo gel pen

Congratulations On Your Success

This has been a great year for Grant! Last year, right out of university, he got offered a maternity leave contact teaching grade 1. As a result of his work with his students he was nominated for the Edwin Parr outstanding first year teaching award. He won the award for his district and this picture is us on our way to the banquet. He was one of only 10 nominees for the overall province award but unfortunately didn't take that one home, but it's still very impressive and I could not be more proud!To top it off, with tons of cutbacks in teaching, Grant was hired on a permanent basis to teach grade 3 starting September! This is the card I made for him when he got the news! Stamps: SU Full of Life
Ink: SU basic black
Paper: SU basic black, ww, sweet pea dp (unavailable)
Punches: SU word window punch, corner rounder

Viva La Verve Challenge: Week 3

I skipped week 2's sketch of the challenge because I just wasn't inspired by it and moved right on to week 3's challenge and chose to work with the red/black/wood/white inspiration picture. I love the way this card turned out. It has an Asian sort of feel to it. I love how the red and black look on the kraft background. This is one of those few cards that turned out even better than I had imagined!

Stamps: SU eastern blooms, upsy daisy
Ink: SU basic black, real red
Paper: SU ww, kraft, real red, basic black, urban oasis dp (retired)
Brads: SU real red corduroy buttons