Garden in Bloom Convention Swap

Hi, everyone!  Happy Friday!  Here is the final swap card I created for Convention:

This card uses the Garden in Bloom stamp set as well as Tin of Cards.  The base and first layer are Bermuda Bay, and the other colors are Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight, Crushed Curry and Cucumber Crush (stamped off once to get the lighter tones).  I placed one of the new metal rimmed pearls in the center of the butterfly to dress it up a bit.

Here are a couple other versions of the card I created:

And, here's another version, created using the stamps from the June Paper Pumpkin kit (as well as the butterfly from Garden in Bloom . . . you know me and butterflies!):

I used Crystal Effects to add some dimension to the flower centers on this one:

And, I used white gel pen and Crystal Effects on the butterfly:

The inspiration for these cards came from a card in last year's catalog that was in my Catalog Favorites class last year (you can see that cupcake card in this post).

Thanks so much for visiting!

- Michelle

Here is the supply list for these cards.  You can purchase the supplies in my online store by clicking through the links below.

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Watercolor Wings Convention Swap

Happy Thursday!  I'm back with another of my Convention swaps today!  Those who follow my Facebook Business Page saw this sneak peek as I was creating these cards:

Here's the card:

The card base is Mint Macaron, and there's a layer of whisper White on top, which I stamped with the Watercolor Wash background in Mint Macaron.  I also stamped some of the leaves from Butterfly Basics in Cucumber Crush.  The butterflies, from Watercolor Wings, are stamped in Watermelon Wonder, Crushed Curry, Delightful Dijon, and Tip Top Taupe (I stamped off to get lighter values of the colors).  The little blossoms' centers were stamped in Watermelon Wonder and Delightful Dijon using the flower center from Summer Silhouettes and were punched out using the flower from the Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack.  I added some Crystal Effects in the flower centers for extra dimension.

Here's a close up of the greeting (actually two different versions, but created in the same way:

To create this, I started by stamping an image from Build a Birthday in Watermelon Wonder ink on Whisper White Paper.  I punched that out using the Washi Label Punch.  Then, I added a strip of the Crushed Curry design from the Cherry on Top Washi Tape to a piece of Vellum, and punched that out with the Washi Label Punch.  I adhered the vellum piece to the stamped piece, and stamped the "just for you" on top of the vellum with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.

Oh, almost forgot, there is a length of the beautiful Mint Macaron Lace Trim wrapped around the Whisper White layer as well.  Love that stuff!

Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

- Michelle

P.S.  If you'd like to see more of my photos from Convention, please visit my Facebook Business Page (and be sure to like the page while you are there so you can see more of what I post there as well!)

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Thanks a Bunch Quick Wow Swap for Convention

I'm finally back from Convention and a visit with my parents!  That was all so much fun, but the time went by way too quickly!!!  Hard to believe that this time last week I was taking a tour of Stampin' Up!'s offices in Riverton.  Some of my favorite moments from that were goofing around with Rach and Sarah while taking photos at the Stampin' Up! rock, finding my card on display among the cards donated for Ronald McDonald House Charities, and meeting Margery, who lives practically down the street from me!  

I'll post photos from Convention soon (have more than 1000 to go through between the pictures my friend Rach and I took!), but in the meantime, have another of my Convention swap cards to share.  This card was designed for an organized "Quick Wow" swap I participated in:

It's a double-dutch fold card, and was inspired by this card, which happened to be on my desk about to be filled out and given to a friend.  For this card, I decided to use the Market Fresh stamp set and Farmers Market Designer Series Paper.  Here's a close up of the main stamped image:

After I stamped the grapes in Memento Tuxedo Black ink, I masked them, and sponged the Crumb Cake background through a circle mask.  While the masks were in place, I also inked up and stamped the Hardwood background stamp.

I added color to the grapes and leaves using cotton swabs and Blackberry Bliss and Old Olive inks, respectively.

For some extra pizzazz, I added one of the Very Vintage designer buttons, with a cute little linen thread bow in it on top of a piece of designer paper that I'd cropped using the Washi Label Punch.

Here's a glimpse of the inside of the card:

The cute doodle-y line is from the Tin of Cards stamp set.

Well, the UPS man just brought my special box of Convention preorder goodies, so I'm going to stop typing and go open that!

Thanks so much for visiting my blog!!!

- Michelle

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Off to Convention!

Hi everyone!  Have a few minutes for a quick post today!  I'm so excited to be heading out soon for my very first Stampin' Up! Convention!!!  I've created several different card designs to swap while I'm there, and have one of those to show you today:

This card features the Sprinkles of Life stamp set, Cherry on Top Designer Series Paper, and Cherry on Top Washi Tape.  The bubbles on the Whisper White background are stamped on using stamps from the Perpetual Birthday Calendar set (I also used that to stamp the dots in the centers of the flowers, which also have a dot of Crystal Effects on them for some added dimenstion).  Punches used on this card are the Tree Builder Punch (which perfectly coordinates with the Sprinkles of Life stamp set!), Washi Lable Punch (such a fun way to create a greeting), 2-3/8" Scallop Circle Punch and 1-3/4" Circle Punch.  I also sprinkled on some sequins from the Bermuda Bay sequin trim (adhered with Crystal Effects so the glue dries clear and without stickiness).

New Weekly Deals are up today, so be sure to check them out!

Thanks so much for visiting!

- Michelle

SUper Friends June Swap Cards

Hi Everyone!  The countdown to Convention is on here . . . only 6 days away!!!  I have my swap cards and projects pretty much finished, so am excited about that!  I'll show you those later, but in the meantime, I thought I'd share the wonderful cards and projects my SUper Friends group created for our June gathering.  Our swap theme was cards using items in the new 2015-2016 Annual Catalog.

Connie created this gorgeous card with the Butterfly Thinlets die, Butterfly Basics stamp set, and the Triple Banner Punch (on the inside);

Agnes used the same set to create another stunning card:

She created the tag for her greeting with the Note Tag Punch.

Nancy used the splatter images from Gorgeous Grunge to create this super-fun, clean and simple beauty:

Cheryl created this awesome gift-card holder, perfect for enclosing a gift for the special grad in your life:

Jana created this yummy cupcake card with the Sprinkles of Life set and Bohemian designer paper:

And, I created this notecard, also with Sprinkles of Life, plus the Triple Banner Punch and the 2015-17 In Colors:

We also did a project together -- we all made a 2015-17 In Color bookmark, using the Triple Banner Punch, Ornate Tag Topper Punch, Perpetual Birthday Calendar stamp set, flower from Itty Bitty Accents, and Watermelon Wonder (or Tip Top Taupe) Lace Trim:

Hope you enjoyed these!  Which is your favorite of the new In Colors?  I'm loving them all, though I think if I had to pick just one, it would be Watermelon Wonder!

Thanks for visiting!

- Michelle

Stacking Up to be a Good Day

Hi Everyone!  Taking a break from preparing for Convention to pop in and say hi!  Hope all is well for you.  We're doing well.  Keeping busy with the boys' summer activities and getting ready to travel.  And, I have a bunch of swaps ready to go for Convention now, so that feels good!  Just a few more projects to finish up this week, and then I'll be set!  Do have a sneak peek for you of part of one of my Convention swaps:

Wonder what I could be making with these?  

And, I do have a card to share with you today as well.  This is one I prepared for a WOW swap actually a month or so ago (time flies!!):

 The new Sprinkles of Life set is so much fun to use (and so wonderful that Stampin' Up! donates money from the sale of it to support Ronald McDonald House Charities!).  I decided to make a cone with mint chocolate chip ice cream (used Mint Macaron card stock and Chocolate Chip ink for the stamping on that layer), then strawberry (Watermelon Wonder card stock and ink on that layer), and finally good old vanilla with sprinkles (Whisper White card stock, stamped with Delightful Dijon and sprinkles in all the 2015-17 In Colors -- used the markers to ink the stamp, and some Crystal Effects on top to make them more dimensional).  Here's a close up of the ice cream:

For the card above, I used a Bermuda Bay button embellishment on the greeting banner.  Here, I used one of the 2015-17 In Color Blossom Accents (in Mint Macaron).

Here's a close up so you can see it better, and see the Pearl Jewel I glued in the center:

I also trimmed some of the Watermelon Wonder Lace Trim to use as an accent for the banner.

The patterns peeking out from under the Bermuda Bay card stock are strips of the Cherry On Top Washi Tape, which I layered onto a piece of Whisper White card stock.  The burst image behind the ice cream cones is from the Kinda Eclectic Stamp set.  The smaller burst images in Bermuda Bay on the Bermuda Bay card stock and Delightful Dijon on the greeting banner are from the Perpetual Birthday Calendar stamp set.

Thanks so much for visiting!

Michelle

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Summer Blooms Wreaths

Today's projects are two wreaths I recently created, using the new Cotton Paper Assortment and Bouquet Bigz Die to create the flowers.  (I created the flowers the same way I did for the Build a Bouquet kit from the Occasions Mini -- you can see my blog post about those here -- except I stamped on the petals with images from either Gorgeous Grunge or Flower Patch to add detail and depth.)

The ties and bows on the wreaths are made with the gorgeous new Watermelon Wonder 1" Dotted Lace Trim.  

Here are some close ups of the flowers, so you can see the stamping and other details:

Hope this brightens your day!  Thanks for visiting!  And, don't forget to check out this week's Weekly Deals here (there are bonus deals again, while supplies last!)

- Michelle

Marvelous Marlene Monday

Hi, everyone!  Happy Monday!  Hope you had a wonderful Fourth of July weekend!  I have some fabulous projects to share with you today from my amazingly talented friend Marlene Caravello.  We recently swapped projects using products from the new catalog.  It's so much fun to open a box of goodies from Marlene -- literally like Christmas in July (or June! ;)  ).

Here's a gorgeous goodie bag Marlene created using the Treat Bag Thinlets:

She created a cute topper and tag as well:

Marlene made this beautiful goodie box with the new Gift Box Punch Board, English Garden Designer Series Paper, and Mint Macaron Dotted Lace Trim:

Don't you love the rich colors and bargello pattern Marlene created on this card using the new Bohemian Designer Series Paper?

Here's the inside, decorated perfectly using stamps from the Tin of Cards stamp set, and embossed on the left side with the new Boho Chic folder:

Marlene also used the Envelope Liners Framelits to jazz up the envelope for this card:

This card, Marlene CASED from Lana S. Horton (Marlene found Lana's card on Stampin' Connection, but I also discovered this blog post about it on Lana's blog here).  What a clever way to show off all the new In Colors on one card!

The bows were created with the Bow Builder punch, and the "birthday wishes" greeting is from
the Build a Birthday stamp set.

Speaking of the Build a Birthday set, here is a fun center stair step card Marlene created with that:

I think this is also a fun way to showcase the new In Colors, don't you?

And, here's the inside of the card:

And, a close up that also shows off the perfectly coordinating envelope Marlene created using the new In Color Envelope Paper (Mint Macaron, in this case) and the Envelope Punch Board:

Marlene also made a coordinating envelope with the In Color Envelope Paper (this time Watermelon Wonder) and Envelope Punch Board for this next card:

This is a corner flip card, using the You Got This stamp set, and was inspired by this card by Dawn Olchefske:

Marlene's card pairs Watermelon Wonder and Tip Top Taupe card stock (with some Very Vanilla as well).  The beautiful lace is the Sahara Sand 7/8" Lace Trim.

Here's the inside of Marlene's card (beautifully finished, of course!):

Thanks again Marlene for sending these beauties to me!

And, thank you for visiting my blog!

- Michelle