tea-drinking stamper

Sometimes it's nice to just grab scraps sitting in my work area and put them together for a needed card. That's what I did for this card, a birthday card for one of my customers. That meant I couldn't use a card we have made in class before because she is one of my most faithful attendees. And this one also allowed me to use more of my departing In Colors!  I never liked Lemon Lime Twist, but since the gingham I have come to love it. And now it's leaving our book! These strips of gingham dsp were left after cutting the 6" x 6" pieces to fit the needs of other cards. The Healing Hugs stamp set is one of my favorites, probably because of the disINKtive stamp style. But there are many more appearing in the new annual catalog. The greeting on this card, however, is from the old Birthday Blossoms stamp set. Products Used: Healing Hugs cling stamp set (9), 148223, $21.00 Lemon Lime Twist 8-1/2" x 11" card stock (24), 144245, $8.50, retiring Whis...

This set of cards was made without the Press 'n Seal.  I do think that if I had made the card base Whisper White just like the frame, it would have looked more like it was floating. I believe it was an Australian demonstrator who demonstrated this technique using removable adhesive. And, no, Stampin' Up! does not carry removable adhesive, so you have to purchase it at a craft store. However, you could always use your SNAIL adhesive and rub away most of the stickiness, but if your pieces are fragile, you might tear them in the process. Yesterday's post used two of our retiring In Colors and today I'm using another. The Fresh Fig makes this card absolutely exquisite. At least I think so. With this set, I was able to die cut all the elements before attaching them to a 4" x 5-1/4" piece of card stock, using removable adhesive. I then used my Rectangle Stitched framelits Dies to cut a rectangle from the center. Next I peeled each element off, one at a time, ...

Although I don't make and send too many get well cards, I suddenly had a need for a number of them. The fact that I love the Healing Hugs stamp set helped. And the need was timed just right with my April stamp class. I am going to miss the outgoing In Colors, which I used on this card, especially the Berry Burst. There are years I love the In Colors more than other years, and the 2017-2019 colors fall in that category. To help us place all the stamped images, we stamped the rose on both the top layer and on a scrap. We then could stamp the leaves and other elements without worrying about overlapping the flower. After cutting out the rose on the scrap of Whisper White card stock, we added it to the card front with Stampin' Dimensionals. I also taught my class attendees how to make the flat bow, although I didn't put it on very straight. We fastened the ribbon around the top layer. Then we took a piece of ribbon and attached the ends with a glue dot forming a circle. A ...

I CASEd this card after seeing a video on how to use both sides of the Designer Series Paper, especially that of "Share What You Love" specialty dsp.  You won't see the reverse until you open the card. So I cut my card base at 5-1/4" x 5-1/2". Scoring at 4-1/4" gave me the standard size card. I then added a strip of Basic Black under the inch-wide portion of the card base before attaching a 4" x 5-1/2" piece of designer paper. When the card is opened, you see the reverse design. And remember, this particular paper has an extra special touch—a translucent, pearlized finish. Because I wanted to send an appreciation card to my "shepherd" at Community Bible Study, I added the letter I ("Make a Difference" stamp set) to the saying from the "Love What You Do" stamp set. The flowers on this card are also from the "Make a Difference" set. I was surprised when I discovered the "Stitched Shapes" framelit...

Cool Treats is another of those stamp sets that I wish I had used more before it retired. Granted, it's not gone yet, not until the end of May when our annual catalog expires. I guess  I have too many stamp sets to use them as frequently as I should. Makes me think I should be more conservative in my purchases, but there are just so many great sets I think I must have! Once again, this card was influenced by outgoing colors: Peekaboo Peach, Tangerine Tango, and Chocolate Chip. The Crumb Cake used for the popsicle sticks is a staple in our color families.

I am so glad I earned the Heartfelt Blooms stamp set! I have used it in so many ways, and this is  just one more example. I stamped the image using Basic Gray Archival Ink and then water colored over it using my Aqua Painter using four of our five latest In Colors. Over the dew drop on the daisy, I placed the palest pink Glitter Enamel Dot. Once again I did some fussy-cutting and then popped up the bouquet with Stampin' Dimensionals. I go through a lot of dimensionals because it seems I always pop up something on my cards. Products Used: Heartfelt Blooms rubber stamp set (4), Sale-a-Bration, Free with $50 purchase Powder Pink 8-1/2" x 11" card stock (24), 144244, $8.00 Whisper White 8-1/2" x 11" card stock (40), 100730, $9.00 Fresh Florals 12" x 12" Designer Series Paper Stack (40), 144131, $22.00 Watercolor Paper (5 sheets, 6" x 9"), 122959, $5.00 Basic Gray Archival Ink Pad, 140932, $7.00 Berry Burst Classic Stampin' Pad, 1...

In case you hadn't guessed, I have been buying an awful lot of supplies lately. In fact, to acquire this particular stamp set for free, I had to spend $100.00. When I used the various images in this set, I put them all on one clear block. I do wish the "anniversary" was a little higher up, but it still works. As I tried to decide on a background for this stamp, I decided the Fresh Florals designer series paper was perfect. Berry Burst is one of my favorite colors, so I chose to use those coordinating items for this card. Products Used: Happy Wishes rubber stamp set (16), W 147224; C 147227; free with $100 purchase Berry Burst 8-1/2" x 11" card stock (24), 144243; $8.00 Whisper White 8-1/2" x 11" card stock (40), 100730, $9.00 Fresh Florals 12" x 12" Designer Series Paper Stack (40), 144131, $22.00 Berry Burst Classic Stampin' Pad, 144083, $6.50 Berry Burst 3/8" Metallic Edge Ribbon (10 yards), 145489, $7.00 Lots of Lab...

The Hold on to Hope stamp set is more versatile than you would originally think. This is another card we made at my stamp class last week. I love the unexpected color combination! For this card, I used Stampin' Write Markers to color the rubber stamp before placing on the card. I think this is one of my all-time favorite cards. Although the set comes with framelits dies, I didn't use any of them. I hope you like it as much as I do. I sponged around the edges of the banner and popped it up with Stampin' Dimensionals. When using our sponges, I cut one large sponge into four pieces. I know of others who actually cut them into 6 pieces.  In all honesty, I didn't think I liked the Lemon Lime Twist color when it first came out, but I have come to love it since I've been using it. Products Used: Hold on to Hope rubber stamp set (10), W 145776, $29.00; C 145780, $21.00 Dapper Denim 8-1/2" x 11" card stock (24), 141414, $8.00 Fresh Florals 12" x...

At my recent class, I chose to show how we could make eight cards quickly by using one sheet of colored card stock and one sheet of Whisper White card stock to adorn eight card bases. We made our own designer paper and cut it into eight pieces that nestled nicely into eight pieces of colored card stock, Tranquil Tide in this case. After stamping all over the Whisper White card stock, we trimmed off 1/2 inch lengthwise. We then cut that paper in two, resulting in two pieces measuring 4" x 11". We then cut each of those halves into four pieces. We did the same thing, but keeping the 1/2 inch, with the Tranquil Tide card stock. The stamped pieces fit perfectly on the colored pieces. Of course, the idea was to keep the rest of the stamping simple, but I always struggle to keep things simple, constantly finding things to add to my cards. But they were still quick and eight cards were put together with minimal waste. Here is a picture of all eight cards. I will post the ...

I am delighted with the Daisy Delight stamp set and its coordinating Delightful Daisy Designer Series Paper. And I certainly can't forget the Daisy Punch! As much as I love this particular sheet of dsp, I have to admit I struggled with how to use it. When I used the Calypso Coral for the daisy, I found it to be too much for the paper, but the Blushing Bride just wasn't enough. So I combined them! Two daisies stamped in Blushing Bride and one in Calypso Coral, staggered and layered. I even used those two colors for the center of the flower. A strip of ribbon and some leaves finished it off. Yes, the leaves needed to be fussy cut. Products Used:  Daisy Delight photopolymer stamp set (16), 143669, $17.00 Delightful Daisy 12" x 12" Designer Series Paper (12), 144137, $11.00 Whisper White 8-1/2" x 11" card stock (40), 100730, $9.00 Tranquil Tide Classic Stampin' Pad, 144085, $6.50 Blushing Bride Classic Stampin' Pad, 131172, $6.50 Calypso Coral ...

I debated purchasing the Painted Harvest stamp set because I have so many flowers and I do have acorns and leaves... But I'm so glad I did. I really enjoy using this set in so many ways. I did some fussy-cutting when making this card, but I really don't mind doing that. I know others dislike it a lot and would rather have dies or punches. Stampin' Up! has a lot of both so you can choose your sets by what you prefer using. Since this set is designed as a "Two-Step" stamp set, it is very easy to add colors and shading. I raised two of the flowers with Stampin' Dimensionals, as you can see. I have also started raising parts of some stamped images. For example, I have glued down the stem ends of the leaves but popped up some of the individual leaves with more dimensionals. Products Used:  Painted Harvest photopolymer stamp set (13), 144783, $21.00 Crushed Curry 8-1/2" x 11" card stock (24), 131199, $8.00 Chocolate Chip 8-1/2" x 11...

Whenever I prep for a class, I find myself designing more cards than I will use. I wasn't sure about this one, but my attendees loved it. I combined the same paper and stamps with some Fresh Fig ribbon and ink. The card base is Lemon Lime Twist card stock. I love the fact that the paper stack used in this is no longer adhered as a tablet—just individual sheets. Products Used: Label Me Pretty rubber stamp set (6), W 143858, $23.00; C 143861, $17.00 Fresh Florals 12" x 12" Designer Series Paper Stack (40), 144131, $22.00 Lemon Lime Twist 8-1/2" x 11" card stock (24), 144245, $8.00 Fresh Fig 8-1/2" x 11" card stock (24), 144242, $8.00 Whisper White 8-1/2" x 11" card stock (40), 100730, $9.00 Fresh Fig Classic Stampin' Pad, 144082, $6.50 Fresh Fig 1/2" Finely Woven Ribbon (10 yards), 144132, $7.00

This card is essentially the same as in my last post except I used the reverse side of the Fresh Florals dsp. Completely different feel. Plus I used a different stamp in the Label Me Pretty stamp set. Such a different feel! You'll notice the stamped image is not colored in. Looks fine just like that. However, on page 27 of the annual catalog, you can see a sample of the same stamp that has been colored. Admittedly, I find it much easier to color the rubber stamps and have the ink stay than when I try to use the same technique on the photopolymer stamps. The thick Whisper White baker's twine is no longer available; in fact, we don't carry any thick twine anymore. However, you could always use the Whisper White Solid Baker's Twine (124262, 25 yards, $3.00). Or even the 1/4" Ombre Ribbon in Lemon Lime Twist (it was out of stock when I tried to order it; next order).  Products Used: Label Me Pretty rubber stamp set (6), W 143858, $23.00; C 143861, $17.00 Pret...

In all honesty, I didn't think I liked the new In Color Lemon Lime Twist, yet everyone else seemed to be raving about it. So when I designed my last class, I decided to use that color in the Fresh Florals Designer Series Paper Stack. And guess what! I decided I love the cheerfulness of this bright color and ended up with several variations using the dsp and the "Label Me Pretty" stamp set and punch. [Oh, dear! I discovered when viewing my blog after creating this post that the Lemon Lime Twist doesn't go well with my blog design at all! The colors clash. Sorry about that.] The one on the bottom is the one we made in class. Different bow, different center, additional color on one. And they are such simple cards! I was concerned I wouldn't be able to line up the saying in the middle of the upper label, but it was easy! I think the font is a type that will allow for some error. And the stamp set has enough variations to make it usable for so many occasions a...

Whenever I get new stamps, I find myself wondering how to use them, especially if I don't have the other sets used with the samples in our catalog. I was so excited about our Sheet Music background stamp but struggled with what stamp sets to use with it. So I had a pile of my newer stamp sets sitting beside me and decided the hostess set, Tranquil Tulips would work really well. Other than Basic Black and Whisper White, I used our new In Colors, Tranquil Tide and Berry Burst. The words come from the Flourishing Phrases stamp set. Products Used: Sheet Music background stamp, W 143967, $20.00; C 143970, $15.00 Flourishing Phrases rubber stamp set (18), W 141531, $49.00; C 141534, $37.00 Tranquil Tulips photopolymer stamps (22), $143767, $10.00 (hostess set only) Whisper White 8-1/2" x 11" card stock (40), 100730, $9.00 Berry Burst 8-1/2" x 11" card stock (24), 144243, $8.00 Tranquil Tide 8-1/2" x 11" card stock (24), 144246, $8.00 Berry Bur...

Designing for my stamp class when also needing a special anniversary card for my daughter and son-in-law, I chose to use the "Best Birds" stamp set. I had long admired it in our previous catalog and was thrilled to discover it was carried over into the new catalog. So I quickly ordered the bundle while I could. I think this is one of my very favorite cards! No designer series paper on this one - I made my own using the new In Color, Powder Pink, along with last year's In Colors, Dapper Denim and Emerald Envy. Blender pens for coloring, Basic Black Archival Ink for stamping and Soft Suede for stamping on the background. I painted all items before cutting them out using the Birds & Blooms Thinlits. I thought mounting the birds so the female was leaning into the male made this card especially appropriate for an anniversary card. I originally planned to use the In Color Bitty Bows but had misplaced them; so I used the Dapper Denim ruched ribbon from last year's ...

I've come to love the Foxy Friends stamp set for fun cards. And they're not just for kids! When I started to work on this card I planned to make it at my upcoming card class featuring the Foxy Friends stamp set. However, I did so much fussy cutting that I decided it would be a display card rather than a class card. I began by embossing a 4" x 5-1/4" piece of Whisper White cardstock using the Woodland Textured Impressions Embossing Folder. I lightly sponged the trees with Chocolate Chip ink. For the grass, I crumpled a piece of Emerald Envy cardstock to give it texture and cut the curvy top edge with my paper snips. Products Used: Foxy Friends photopolymer stamp set (29), 141549, $27.00 Sheltering Tree photopolymer stamp set (14), 137163, $25.00 Whisper White 8-1/2" x 11" cardstock (40), 100730, $9.00 Emerald Envy 8-1/2" x 11" cardstock (24), 141415, $8.00 Emerald Envy Classic Stampin' Pad, 141396, $6.50 Delightful Dijon Classic St...

Sometimes I leave pieces of used card stock sitting around hoping for inspiration for future designs. That's how I came up with this card. The Flirty Flamingo card stock had been used to cut out the Flourish and just sat there begging to be used. I also had a scrap of Mint Macaron sitting on my table and decided the colors would work well together. Then there were the extra flowers I had cut from the Whisper White that worked nicely on the layers. I added the pearls and still thought the card needed a little something extra. So I grabbed a small scrap of Watermelon Wonder to cut out just the flowers using the same Flourishing Thinlit and slipped those into the openings on the flourish. A bow of Thick Whisper White Baker's Twine added the finishing touch. Products Used: Flourishing Phrases Bundle, W 142322, $70.00; C 142323, $59.25      Flourishing Phrases rubber stamp set (18), W 141531, $49; C 141534, $37.00      Flourish Thinlits (10 die...

When a friend ordered the Wondrous Wreath stamp set from me, I decided I wanted to show her how it could be used for other seasons and designed this card. I just love this card! Products Used: Wondrous Wreath photopolymer stamp set (9), 135047, $26.00 Wonderful Wreath Framelits (7), 135851, $25.00         Bundle (stamp set and framelits), 137624, $43.25 Cottage Greetings stamp set (12), W 138940, $26.00; C 139962, $16.00 Hardwood Background stamp, W 133032, $20.00; C 133035, $15.00 Whisper White 8½" x 11" cardstock (40), 100730, $8.50 Watermelon Wonder 8½" x 11" cardstock (24), 138425, $7.00 Blushing Bride 8½" x 11" cardstock (24), 131198, $7.00 Crumb Cake 8½" x 11" cardstock (24), 120953, $7.00 Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pad, 126975, $6.50 Chocolate Chip Classic Stampin' Pad, 126979, $6.50 Mint Macaron Classic Stampin' Pad, 138326, $6.50 Cucumber Crush Classic Stampin' Pad, 138324, $6.50 Watermelon Wonder Class...

My last stamp class included one Thanksgiving card along with three Christmas cards. The stamp set, For All Things, makes such simple yet beautiful cards. I actually made this card again as a Fall birthday card. Sponge daubing made the greeting pop, especially as the whole piece was raised with Stampin' Dimensionals. A little Dazzling Details on the acorn caps provided extra bling. My just-turned 6-year-old granddaughter joined our class, demonstrating how easy it is for anyone to stamp and make cards. She's such a bubbly little girl that she added lots of fun to our class. Here she is holding up the cards she made: She attended the class and then stayed the night with me, which is why she's in her nightgown for the second picture. We had such fun! Products Used: For All Things stamp set (8), W 135152, $25.00; C 135155, $18.00 Very Vanilla 8½" x 11" cardstock, (40), 101650, $8.50 Tangelo Twist 8½" x 11" cardstock (24), 133677, $7.00 Tang...