SFYTT Button Buddies

Once again, I'm a terrible blogger. Even if I make projects, I don't seem to be very good at getting pictures and posting them any time soon! Unfortunately, I wouldn't expect that to change any time soon - I've been quite busy between work, getting stuff done around the house and now to top it off, my Grandma just passed away, so I'll be going away for her funeral in the near future. I'm having a hard time managing and processing this as my Grandma and I were quite close and she is the only grandparent I had.

Anyways, here's the card I made for this months SFYTT.

Since buttons don't come in the "in colours", I simply used the stamp and covered it in Crystal effects for some added dimension. I love the way this card turned out. I like the sentiment for this card to because it really could be used for just about anything.

Stamps: SU Button Buddies, Bring on the Cake
Paper: SU lucky limeade, ww, Berry Blossoms dsp
Ink: SU lucky limeade, calypso coral
Punch: SU corner rounder
Misc: SU crystal effects, circle cutter

SSSC132 Baby Boy

Again, I have not been a very good blogger and despite making cards, I have not been good at posting them!

Here is one I made over a week ago for the SSSC132.

I love this new "I Dig You" stamp set - it's so cute and versatile! The sentiment is from another adorable new baby set called "Little Additions." I stamped the truck several times in each of the colours and cut out the separate parts so that I could layer them up on dimensionals to create added dimension to each part of the truck - unfortunately it's not the easiest to see in the photo. The animals were all coloured using my Stampin' write markers and stamped write on the main panel.

Stamps: SU I Dig you, Little Additions
Ink: SU pear pizzazz, marina mist, basic gray, Versamark
Paper: SU ww, pear pizzazz, marina mist, nursery nest dsp
Brads: SU basic gray
Powder: SU whisper white embossing powder
Misc: SU dimensionals, heat tool, paper snips

SC345 Elebration

When the new catalogue came in July, I was sad to see the stamp set Baby Steps go, until I found my new favourite replacement for it: Elebration. It's not specific to babies, but the image is just so cute! This card was actually created for last weeks sketch challenge, SC345, but I never got around to posting it until now.

I stamped the image once in StazOn on watercolour paper (and used my aquapainter to colour it in) and once on whisper white cardstock. Once it was coloured, I cut out the elephant and adhered them on top of the image on the whisper white cardstock. It's hard to tell in this photo, but I also used my white gel pen to colour the nails really white! I wish that watercolour paper was white like whisper white. Because it isn't, I thought it looked funny since the background colour of the dsp is white, which is why I decided to cut it out and glue it.

Unfortunately, I realized after colouring, cutting all my cardstock and designer paper that I didn't ahve the correct colour of ribbon, so I substituted the colour I wanted, perfect plum, with wisteria wonder. I think it matches well with the papers, I just wished I had realized it when I coloured the balloon so in wisteria wonder too!

The background paper was created using the stamp set Dot Dot Dot and my stamp-a-ma-jig to line up the image since it doesn't actually span the width or length of the paper.

Stamps: Elebration, Dot Dot Dot, Petite Pairs
Ink: StazOn jet black, Versamark, SU basic gray, blushing bride, marina mist, so saffron, perfect plum
Paper: SU watercolour, ww, blushing bride, nursery nest dsp
Ribbon: SU wisteria wonder 3/8" ruffled
Punch: SU 1" circle
Powder: SU white embossing powder
Misc: SU dimensionals, aquapainter, stamp-a-ma-jig, uniball signo gel pen

New Blog Design and SFYTT

It's been a long time again since I last posted but this summer is just going by so quickly! I'm sure you all can relate.

Some of you may have already noticed that I changed up my blog design again! I thought I would change it to showcase items that are available in the catalogue too and not just in digital form. I love this new designer paper Domestic Goddess and it has my two favourite in colours: pool party and calypso coral. Hope you guys like it!

This months SFYTT was quite a challenge for me because it contains a panel that is just off kilter. Normally I always straighten these panels but I thought I should really try to stick to the sketch and keep it on the diagonal. I did decide though to use the flower image from the new set Button Buddies because I didn't know how to stamp the image if it actually had a true direction (should I stamp it straight or on the diagonal too).

I think this card actually turned out pretty well. If nothing else, I am at least pleased I managed to not straighten the panel and it didn't look awful!

Stamps: SU Button Buddies, Delightful Dozen
Ink: SU melon mambo, old olive
Paper: SU ww, melon mambo, old olive, old olive dsp
Button: SU old olive designer button from brights pack
Brads: SU old olive brads from brights pack
Ribbon: SU white bakers twine
Misc: SU dimensionals

Last Chance for July's SFYTT

Submitting this card for this months SFYTT just under the wire!

I really struggled with this sketch, mostly because of the three circles but I think it turned out okay. I don't love it but I don't hate it either. I wanted to use the new in colours but I couldn't think of what I would use in place of the buttons since there aren't any in those colours, but as soon as I was done I realized I could have used butterflies there instead.

Stamps: SU awash with flowers, fabulous phrases
Ink: SU basic black, wild wasabi, perfect plum, versamark
Paper: SU ww, basic black, perfect plum
Ribbon: SU 3/8" ww tafetta
Powder: SU ww embossing powder
Punch: SU 1" circle, corner rounder
Buttons: SU perfect plum designer buttons (subtles collection)
Misc: SU heat tool, sticky strip, glue dots

SC340 Get Well Embossed

Fabulous Florets is one of my favourite new stamps and it's perfect for embossing. This card was inspired by the sketch challenge SC340 and the ways to use it challenge WT329 to combine something old and something new.

In terms of something old, the challenge suggested something older than 6 months. So, I used retired ribbon from when melon mambo was an "in colour" and not yet in the brights collection. I also used the Thoughts & Prayers stamp set that I have owned since it was released at least a couple years ago.

In terms of something newer than 6 months old, I used my new stamp set Fabulous Florets, and two new embossing powders (melon mambo and wild wasabi).

There are four different heat embossed elements on this card:

• the larger flower is heat embossed on whisper white paper with melon mambo embossing powder
• the small flower is heat embossed with white embossing powder on melon mambo paper
• the stem is heat embossed using wild wasabi embossing powder
• the sentiment is heat embossed using black embossing powder.

I love the look and feel that heat embossing gives to cards and I used to do it much more so now that Stampin' Up! has some great colours of powders, I plan on trying to use it more often again.

Stamps: SU Fabulous Florets, Thoughts & Prayers
Ink: Versamark
Paper: SU ww, basic black, malon mambo
Embossing Powders: whisper white, basic black, wild wasabi, melon mambo
Ribbon: SU 1/2" polka dot melon mambo grosgrain (retired), white bakers twine
Button: SU basic black from neutral designer buttons
Misc: SU heat gun, dimensionals

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 to Everything Nice and Bugs & Kisses

Today, I'm sharing the retiring sets Everything Nice and Bugs & Kisses as well as the retiring dsp nursery suite.

This first card is for a baby girl and inspired by the sketch Mojo194. Finally, I found a great use for some of my buttons!

This card is for a baby boy, I wish I had a little dog set to go with it too!

Supplies

Baby Girl Card

Stamps: SU Everything Nice

Ink: SU chocolate chip, regal rose

Paper: SU ww, chocolate chip, so saffron, regal rose, nursery suite dsp

Button: SU so saffron from subtles designer buttons

Ribbon: SU 3/8" whisper white taffeta

Misc: circle cutter

Baby Boy Card

Stamps: SU Everything Nice, Bugs & Kisses

Ink: SU chocolate chip, baja breeze, pear pizzazz

Paper: SU ww, chocolate chip, baja breeze, pear pizzazz, nursery suite dsp

Misc: SU dimensionals, paper snips

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

SFYTT Finally

I didn't realize I haven't posted in a month! But there's been some good reasons - Grant and I went to Vegas, when we came home I just had no crafting mojo, then lately, I've been busy getting everything in order for my trip to Haiti. I will be going with Project Medishare to volunteer my nursing skills in Haiti, which is still suffering devastating effects from the earthquake over one year ago. I have chosen to go here as opposed to somewhere like Japan that recently had a tsunami or the US that has lost a lot due to recent tornadoes because unlike those two countries, Haiti does not have the resources or capacity to rebuild as easily. Not to belittle those events at all, but I just feel personally that my nursing skills would best serve those in Haiti. I am not going until July but I am already so excitedd.

Anyways, primarily because of those things, I have only just gotten around to creating a card for this months SFYTT. I'm trying to focus on making thank you cards especially to be able to send out to those who have helped donate towards my trip to Haiti.

This card uses a lot of items that are now retired, but I just had to use them because I hardly did when they were available. I coloured the floral image using my stampin' markers and then once it was stamped, I went over the petals to give a little more detail - it's hard to see in the photo. Although the yellow is actually a muted daffodil delight, I used so saffron cardstock and ink because I liked the way it looked better.

Stamps: SU Inspired by Nature, Tiny Tags
Ink: SU markers in melon mambo, regal rose, wild wasabi, so saffron
Paper: SU ww, so saffron, sweet stitches dsp (retired)
Ribbon: SU ww 3/8" taffeta
Punches: SU jewelry tag punch
Button: SU daffodil delight sweet stitches big button (retired)
Misc: SU circle cutter, embroidery thread

SC327 Daffodils

It's been a long time again since my last post mostly because I've just been lazy about taking pictures of my cards and then because I had to set up my new computer that acutally doesn't freeze all the time!

Here's a card I made using the idea shown here on Clare's blog for using the growing green stamp set to create daffodils for Easter cards. I didn't put a sentiment on mine so that it could be used for any occasion. The layout is from SC327.

Stamps: SU Growing Green, Watercolor Trio (retired)
Ink: SU daffodil delight, pear pizzazz
Paper: SU ww, daffodil delight, pear pizzazz, watercolour, sweet stitches dp
Punch: SU 1/2" circle
Misc: SU pearls, dimensionals, aquapainter, piercing tool, mat pack

Fabulous Florets - Summer Mini Preview

I know I have a million floral stamp sets but it seems I always find more that I need to have. The "fabulous forets" stamp set that will be in the upcoming Summer Mini Catalogue is one of those sets. As demonstrators, we get the opportunity to preorder some of the upcoming merchandise - I had to buy the digital copy of this stamp set and a fabulous matching designer series paper called "Beyond the Garden."

I took inspiration from this months SFYTT and came up with the following hybrid card (I printed the floral images and designer paper on whisper white cardstock on my home computer).

After making the hybrid version, I thought I would go ahead and make the same card in digital format too.

I can't wait until I get the clear mount set of this stamp set! I think it will definitely be one of my new favourites!

Supplies

Stamps: Fabulous Florets (digital)

Ink: SU pacific point, wild wasabi

Paper: SU pacific point, wild wasabi, ww, beyond the garden dp (digital)

Punches: SU 1/2" circle

Brads: SU whisper white 5/16"

Misc: SU dimensionals, paper snips, computer

SFYTT Birthday Cupcake

I finally got a chance to play along with this months SFYTT. I even actually kept the main image panel on the diagonal, unlike usual, where I always end up straightening it out.

I love the new cupcake stamp set and coordinating punch in the Occasions mini catalogue and I hope it gets carried over to next years Idea Book & Catalogue because it's so cute! I stamped the images, then punched them out and popped them up on dimensionals on the card. I also added Crystal Effects to the cupcake topping but it's a bit hard to tell in this photo. I love this set of designer paper too - it's so bright and pretty!

Stamps: SU Create a Cupcake, Bring on the Cake

Ink: SU tempting turquoise, regal rose, melon mambo, daffodil delight

Paper: SU ww, tempting turquoise, sweet stitches dp
Punch: SU Build a Cupcake punch
Misc: SU dimensionals, crystal effects

SC321 Baby Animal Squares

As soon as I saw the sketch SC321 last week, I knew I wanted to make a baby card using the retired Wild About You set using the squares like in this card by Miss Boo.

I love the way this card turned out. It will definitely have to be a card that I only give to someone in person as there is way too much dimension to it for mailing. The squares themselves, the elephant ear, lion's mane and lion's face are all raised up on dimensionals (the animal parts were cut using my paper snips - the best scissors ever for detailed cutting).

The "one" looks crooked in the photo for some reason but it doesn't in real life - I made sure by using my stamp-a-ma-jig to keep the words straight! This is one of my favourite "word" type sets in the catalogue because it's so versatile since you can make it say whatever you want!

I'll probably end up recreating this card using other paper and maybe other animal stamps (like fox & friends or animal stories) because I still need a few more baby cards over the next couple months!

Stamps: SU Wild About You (retired), Fabulous Phrases

Ink: SU bashful blue, pacific point

Paper: SU ww, pacific point, celebrations dp

Ribbon: SU 1/4" bashful blue grosgrain (retired)

Punches: SU 1 1/4" square, 1 3/8" square

Misc: SU dimensionals

No Stamp Holly Jolly Christmas Set

I know it's way out of season, but I only just got around to using my Holly Jolly rubons that I just had to have! I guess it's a good way to get a head start on Christmas cards (this past year was the first time we used all the Christmas cards I like to make because Grant used them for coworkers).

Here's a look at the 4 cards I made!

Happiest Holidays:

Merry & Bright:

Merry (based on February's SFYTT):

Season of Cheer:

These 4 cards were so cheap/affordable to make! Rubons are a fantastic way to make a lot of cards for less. These cards only used a couple sheets of cardstock, hardly any of the pack of designer paper and only a very small portion of the rubons. I could easily make dozens more cards with the amount of supplies left over. The rubons come with two sheets of each image set so I could even make doubles of each!

Rubons: SU Holly & Jolly

Paper: SU very vanilla, cherry cobbler, Jolly Holiday dp

Ribbon: SU 1/2" cherry cobbler seam binding, 3/8" old olive taffeta

Punch: SU 1" circle, scallop circle

Misc: circle cutter, dimensionals

Valentine Mojo CASE

When I saw the sketch challenge Mojo176, I had a hard time envisioning anything to create with the wavy line. Once I saw this card by Riley I knew I had to CASE it, but wanted to use more traditional Valentine's Day colours.

I initially made this version using retired basic gray dp and blushing bride but felt that the gray seemed to dark and made the pink look even more pale. When Grant told me he thought the same thing, I tried again and made this second version.

This uses gray paper from the retired walk in the park dp and rose red. Grant and I both liked the contrast between the papers and colours much better.

Notice my bows! Check out this tutorial by Mary Brown on how to make these beautiful and easy bows. These cards make me wish I had ordered basic gray brads - guess they'll have to go on my next order!

Both Cards:

Stamps: SU teeny tiny wishes, I {heart} hearts

Paper: SU whisper white,

Punch: Heart to heart extra large

Ribbon: SU white organdy (retired)

Brad: SU silver

Misc: SU dimensionals

Blushing Bride Card

Ink: SU blushing bride

Paper: SU blushing bride, basic gray dp (retired)

Rose Red Card

Ink: SU rose red

Paper: SU rose red, walk in the park dp (retired)

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

Another Thank You from Maggie

Here's another one of the thank you cards I made for gifts that were given to Maggie.

The card front was designed using the Pals Paper Arts Sketch Challenge 77 found here.

Here's a peek at the inside of the card too.

This card was made using MDS and the Stamp sets "thank you kindly" and "man's best friend." The colours are regal rose, so saffron and early espresso. These were printed on ww cardstock, trimmed down and attached to an early espresso card base.

Maggie's Thank You Cards

Of all the stamps I have, I don't own a dog stamp so I've been using MDS which comes with the dog stamp "Man's Best Friend" to make some thank you cards for people who gave presents to Maggie.

This first one uses the SCS SC316 as a starting point for the card.

Here's a look at the inside of this card.

This one uses the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge 100 which can be found here.

Here's a look at the inside of this card.

Seeing as I wanted to get these out in the mail relatively quickly, I just printed them on my home computer on ww cardstock. I trimmed them down and adhered them to the coordinating chocolate chip card base to create a border of chocolate all around the outside. I found that the only thing that didn't print well on my home computer was the chocolate chip grosgrain ribbon in the first card - it turned out just looking flat like a piece of chocolate chip cardstock. Everything else on both cards printed as they look but a bit darker(if you print through SU the colours will be true to the SU colour.

I'll be posting more puppy thank you cards soon!