She Believed . . . All Dressed Up Card

I am having so much fun with the All Dressed Up Bundle in the Stampin' Up! Spring Catalog!  I just love all the different possibilities for creating great projects with these products -- and especially all the different dresses you can create with the Dress Up Framelits.  Here's a card I created for a recent swap.  For the outside, I started with a Sahara Sand base, which I cut using the Card Base Pop 'n Cuts.  Then, I cut a liner for the card using Very Vanilla and the Dress Form Pop 'n Cuts inserted in the Card Base.  Stampin' Up! has a great video, showing you just how to do this here.  

Before I adhered the card base and liner, I used my new Borders Scoring Plate for the Simply Scored Tool, and embossed a scalloped border near the bottom of my card front.  I added a layer of Very Vanilla and on top of that a piece of Fan Fair Designer Series Paper, on which I stamped a sentiment from the Feel Goods stamp set (Spring Catalog, page 21).  The ribbon is from the Sycamore Street Ribbon and Buttons Pack (Sale-a-Bration).

 

However, my favorite part of this card is on the inside:

I die cut a dress from Red Glimmer Paper, gave it a satin ribbon sash (with the Sycamore Street ribbon again) and a flower (Pink Pirouette punched with the flowers from the Itty Bitty Punches Pack, and secured with a mini silver brad):

The dress is on a Basic Gray dress form, and I layered another piece of Fan Fair Designer Series Paper between the card liner and base to look like a fancy wallpapered background.   I also stamped the Very Vanilla with the wreath image from Collage Curios.  I used Pink Pirouette, so the color is very subtle, but I think it really helps dress up the card.   

The sentiment is from the All Dressed Up stamp set, stamped in Island Indigo, and punched out using the Decorative Label Punch.  It is adhered to the card with Stampin' Dimensionals; however, I also sponged very lightly around the edges with Island Indigo for even more dimensional effect.

Thanks for visiting my blog!

- Michelle

I Heart Digital Download Day with a Free Box of Chocolates!!!

It's Tuesday, and there's a fresh bunch of digital downloads available from Stampin' Up!  -- including a freebie!!!  Click here to see all of them, and grab your free Box of Chocolates February Wallpaper Download (although you may want to wait until you've read through the rest of the post before you click over -- please!)

Since it's Digital Download Day and it has been a while since I have shared any digital creations, I thought I would share a special thank you note card I created last month.

Front:

 Inside pages:

Back cover:

I printed these out through the Stampin' Up! print service, and love how they turned out!  Hopefully the recipients of my thank yous enjoyed these, too!

Here's the supply list from My Digital Studio in case you are interested:

Page 1 Supply ListBackground
     Color = POOL PARTY 169,221,199

Embellishments
    _Designer Kits\Attic Boutique - embellishments\Attic Boutique Embellishments - flowers 1
    _Designer Kits\Attic Boutique - embellishments\Attic Boutique Embellishments - border 2
    Soft Blooms - embellishments\Soft Blooms - 1 very vanilla
    Soft Blooms - embellishments\Soft Blooms - 5 very vanilla
    Soft Blooms - embellishments\Soft Blooms - 5 blushing bride (re-colored)
    _Designer Kits\Attic Boutique - embellishments\Attic Boutique Embellishments - doily
    _Digital Kits\Everyday Enchantment Brads\Everyday Enchantment - brad 1

Stamps
    _Designer Kits\Christmas Jingle - stamps\Thank You Kindly\Thank You Kindly - thank you, Color = SOFT SUEDE 124,103,74

Punches
    Oval Punch, Fill Color = 195,228,215

Photos
    Designer Series Paper\_Designer Kits\Book of Birthdays - designer series paper\Book of Birthdays - pattern 4

Page 2 Supply ListBackground
     Color = VERY VANILLA 254,249,232

Embellishments
    _Designer Kits\Attic Boutique - embellishments\Attic Boutique Embellishments - border 2
    _Designer Kits\Attic Boutique - embellishments\Attic Boutique Embellishments - flowers 2

Photos
    Designer Series Paper\_Designer Kits\Book of Birthdays - designer series paper\Book of Birthdays - pattern 4

Page 3 Supply ListBackground
     Color = VERY VANILLA 254,249,232

Embellishments
    _Designer Kits\Attic Boutique - embellishments\Attic Boutique Embellishments - border 2
    _Designer Kits\Attic Boutique - embellishments\Attic Boutique Embellishments - flower frame

Photos
    Designer Series Paper\_Designer Kits\Book of Birthdays - designer series paper\Book of Birthdays - pattern 4

Page 4 Supply ListBackground
     Color = POOL PARTY 169,221,199

Embellishments
    _Designer Kits\Attic Boutique - embellishments\Attic Boutique Embellishments - border 2

Photos
    Designer Series Paper\_Designer Kits\Book of Birthdays - designer series paper\Book of Birthdays - pattern 4


Don't forget to go check out today's downloads!  Thanks for stopping by!

- Michelle

Oh Happy Day! -- Another Bloomin' Marvelous Card

I'm so excited that it's Sale-a-Bration time, so just had to share another bright and happy card today using lots of Sale-a-Bration products!   Fans of my Facebook Business Page have already had a sneak peek at this one, so if it looks familiar, that's might be why:

    

This card has an Island Indigo base, with a layer of Whisper White on top of it.  The designer paper layer is from the Sycamore Street Designer Series Paper pack.  The Summer Starfruit layer above that is embossed with the Vine Street Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, and die cut with the Large Scallop Edgelit.  The greeting and butterfly stamps are from the Bloomin' Marvelous stamp set.  The greeting is stamped in Island Indigo, and the butterflies in Summer Starfruit, Tangerine Tango, and Pool Party Classic Ink.  The butterflies are punched out using the new Bitty Butterfly punch from the Spring Catalog.

The greeting was stamped on a separate piece of Whisper White, then punched out with the Curly Label Punch.  I used the coordinating template from the Essentials Paper Piercing Pack to pierce around the punched piece after adhering it to the card front.  

For the finishing touch, I added a Tangerine Tango designer button from the Sycamore Street Ribbons and Button pack.  I tied a bit of Pool Party Baker's Twine through it.  The buttons are actually double-sided, but I think the notched side is the best -- love the texture it adds!  Don't you?

And, here's the inside, finished simply with a layer of Whisper White and a Summer Starfruit border (the negative side left after cutting the piece on the front), plus a Tangerine Tango stamped flower image from the Bloomin' Marvelous stamp set:

Hope you are having a happy day, too!

- Michelle

Oh, Hello -- It's Sale-a-Bration Time!!!!!

Yeah!!!  Sale-a-Bration started yesterday!!!  I had fun kicking Sale-a-Bration off right with a wonderful group of ladies and a gentleman at a workshop!  I'll show you some of the projects we created at the workshop later, but today I have a fun card to show you created with a combination of the Oh, Hello stamp set from the Spring Mini and the Bloomin' Marvelous stamp set and the Sycamore Street designer paper from Sale-a-Bration:

I'm having so much fun with the new Ovals Collection Framelits -- I used them here to cut out the chevron-patterned piece from the Oh, Hello Stamp set.  That was stamped in Pool Party on Whisper White, and the greeting was stamped on top of that in Island Indigo.  I layered that piece onto another piece of Whisper White, cut out with the next-size-larger framelit.  Then, I added the fussy-cut flowers (stamped in Tangerine Tango) and the hummingbird (stamped in a combination of Summer Starfruit and Tangerine Tango):

There is Dazzling Details in the center of the flowers.

The card base is Island Indigo.  Above the piece of Sycamore Street Designer Series Paper is a piece of Pool Party card stock, cut on one side with the Large Scallop Framelit, and then embossed with one of the Needlepoint Border Embossing Folders.

If you haven't check out all the great Sale-a-Bration choices (you get to pick one free for each $50 in merchandise you purchase from Stampin' Up!), you can click here to see the brochure.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

- Michelle

Loving Hearts a Flutter!

The challenge over at Late Night Stampers Challenge Blog this week (#206) is to use hearts on your project -- very timely, with Valentine's Day coming up before we know it!  I thought this challenge was a great excuse to ink up the Hearts a Flutter Stamp Set to use along with the More Amore Specialty Designer Series Paper and some other fun new goodies from the Stampin' Up! Spring Catalog.   Here's the card I designed:

I started with a Pool Party card stock base, then added the designer series paper layers.  The largest die cut heart is cut out from the laser-cut sheets in the More Amore paper pack.  On top of that, I layered two images stamped using the Hearts a Flutter stamp set and cut out using the coordinating dies.  The scalloped heart image is stamped in Primrose Petals on Very Vanilla, and I sponged Primrose Petals ink around the edges for a softer look.  The smaller heart is stamped in Pool Party ink on Whisper White, with Pool Party ink sponged around the edges.

The "Love You" greeting is from the Itty Bitty Banners stamp set.  It is stamped in Midnight Muse, and die cut using the Bitty Banners Framelits.  Primrose Petals is sponged around the edges of the banner.  And, one of the new Large Rhinestone Basic Jewels adds some sparkle.

Next to the hearts, I added some of the 5/8" Flower Trim roses, which I had sponged with Primrose Petals ink.  There are a couple of smaller Rhinestone Jewels tucked in around the roses.

I also added some pieces of Tea Lace Paper Doilies, which I had pleated and sponged with Very Vanilla.  And, for the finishing touch, I added a Pool Party button from the Sycamore Street Buttons and Ribbon pack (available as part of Sale-a-Bration).  In the center of the button is a heart image from the Itty Bitties stamp set, punched out using the circle from the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack.   I love how it fits perfectly in the button!

Hope you are having a wonderful weekend!  We had beautiful weather today and spent most of it playing outside.  I'm looking forward to settling in tonight and doing a some more stamping!


Happy crafting,
- Michelle

Bloomin' Marvelous Mojo

Yeah!  I actually had some time to stamp yesterday, and one of the cards I made used this week's fabulous Mojo Monday sketch (#276).  Here's my card:

I had fun using some new Sale-a-Bration goodies as well as products from the Spring Catalog to create this card!  I started with an Island Indigo card base, then added a layer of Pool Party card stock.  On top of that is a layer Summer Starfruit, die cut using the Large Scallop Edgelit, and embossed with one of the new Needlepoint Border Textured Impressions Embossing Folders (Spring Catalog).  Around that is some of the gorgeous, satiny-feel Tangerine Tango ribbon from the Sycamore Street Ribbon & Button Pack (Sale-a-Bration).  Next to that, I layered a strip of paper from the Sycamore Street Designer Series Paper (Sale-a-Bration).

For the circle in the sketch, I decided to start with one of the beautiful new Tea Lace Paper Doilies (Spring Catalog).  Then, I added the greeting, which is from the Bloomin' Marvelous Stamp set, stamped in Midnight Muse on Whisper White.  A little hard to tell under all the flowers, but the greeting is punched out with the Curly Label Punch.  The flowers are from the Bloomin' Marvelous Stamp set, and were stamped in Pool Party, Tangerine Tango, and Summer Starfruit, then fussy cut.  I adhered some using dimensionals for a more 3D effect to the wreath.  For a the finishing touch and a little extra sparkle, I added some Dazzling Details to the center of each flower.

We've been having colder than usual temperatures here lately, and just looking at the bright, happy spring colors on this card makes me feel warmer.  I hope it brightens your day, too!

Now back to the craft room for more stamping . . .

- Michelle

SUper Friends Ornament Swap

I couldn't resist one last Christmas post!   Right before Christmas, a few of my SUper Friends and I gathered for lunch and an ornament swap.  My SUper Friends are so creative -- just had to share their creations!

First up are some beautiful flower ornaments created by Charlene.  She made two different versions -- one, pure white with Raspberry Ripple Stitched ribbon, and the other alternating Whisper White, Candlelight Christmas Designer Paper, and I think Gumball Green.  The flower layers are die cut with the Fun Flowers Big Shot die or punched using two sizes of scallop punches.  Charlene finished the ornaments with a beautiful Big Pearl Jewel in the center:

Agnes, who is both a stamper and jewelry maker, created these amazing beaded ornaments:

And, Renate created gorgeous angels using Designer Paper, a bead, button, and ribbon:

I also received this beautiful medallion from Renate:

(You can also see more of Renate's creations on her blog!)

For my swap, I created more of this spinner ornament:

To read more about how I created it, you can check out this blog post.

Now I'm off to play with my new Spring Catalog and Sale-a-Bration goodies -- hoping to complete some challenges and do some design work for upcoming classes and parties today!

- Michelle

Marlene's Christmas Creations!

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you know that I regularly swap with my amazingly talented friend Marlene Caravello.  We swapped cards, tags, and 3D items for Christmas.  And, when you see what I received in the package with these goodies from Marlene, I am sure you will agree that her artwork was a pretty awesome Christmas present!!!  

There are lots of photos to enjoy in this post, so I'll try to keep the commentary to a minimum! 

Here are the cards Marlene created:  

Don't you love the Red Glimmer Paper ornaments, the music notes (from the Natural Composition Designer Specialty Paper -- brayered Cherry Cobbler or Real Red), and the wonderful ribbons!?!!  Beautiful!!!

For the next card, Marlene die cut a candy cane window, then added Real Red and Whisper White stitched ribbon behind it to create a candy cane:  

I love the sparkle and shimmer she added, plus the fun textures paired with the Candlelight Christmas Designer Series Paper.  Even the inside is finished beautifully:

Here is the first of the tags I received:

The technique used to add color around the snowflakes is so soft and pretty, and the Silver Glimmer Paper adds such wonderful sparkle!


The next tag is this beautiful bird, which graced my Christmas tree through this holiday season, and will be a cherished addition from now on:

The third tag is a very clever Christmas tree -- decorated with strips from the Festival of Prints paper stack, cute trims, and ornaments from Scentsational Season (candy cane and gingerbread man) and Sweets for the Sweet (peppermint):

The tree is a notecard die cut using the Perfect Pennants die.  Here's how it looks open:

Marlene also created this adorable family of candy cane elves, one for each member of my family:

Here's a close up of one of the boys:

And, here's my adorable elf:

  And, there were a couple extra goodies in my box, decorated with these beautiful tags, made using the Four Seasons hostess set:

I feel so blessed to be the recipient of these!!!  Thanks so much, Marlene!  

- Michelle

Counting Down to Sale-a-Bration!!!

Happy New Year!!!  I can't believe it's already halfway through January!  We were away for a family vacation at the beginning of the year, and it feels like it's taken me a while to get back into my routine!  Getting settled in now and have lots to share!

For starters, Sale-a-Bration is almost here . . . it starts next Tuesday, Jan. 22nd!!!  Can you tell I'm excited?!  Demonstrators were able to receive Sale-a-Bration items with our orders this past month, and I'm loving everything!   So many amazing stamp sets, papers, digital discs, and more to choose!

This year marks Stampin' Up!'s 25th Anniversary, so in addition to the free gifts you can choose for each $50 you spend (before tax and shipping), hostesses get special bonuses -- a free pack of silver glimmer paper in addition to the $25 hostess dollars for a $150 workshop.  And, there are even more bonuses for a $400 workshop!!!  If you'd like to know more, please leave a comment or click the button in the sidebar to send me an email.

You might notice that I have a new blog header (and a new coordinating header for my Facebook business page, too).  Well, it is a sneak peek, created with the Lemonade Stand Digital Disc, which is one of the free products you could choose during Sale-a-Bration!  Here are the banners I created for Facebook:

(There are a couple of items on these banners from the One Big Sale-a-Bration 2013 Digital Disc as well.  Specifically, the button with white Baker's Twine bow and the pleated Island Indigo ribbon to the left of the flower.)

I'm planning to make some cute little thank you cards with this design, too.  The Lemonade Stand Digital Disc comes with a 65-piece stamp brush set, 7 Designer Series Papers, 14 embellishments, 12 greeting card templates, and 12 one-page templates.  So, this disc comes with lots of options for digital creativity!!!  You'll want to be sure to add it to your collection!

There's lots more exciting Stampin' Up! news this month -- watch for more information on that here soon!  And, I still have a few Christmas projects to show you that are too good not to share . . . as well as some projects using new products from the Spring Catalog and Sale-a-Bration!  Stay tuned!!!

- Michelle