Another Friendship Friday

Hello Friends!  What?   You say it's not Friday?  You are absolutely correct.  I was having issues with my computer yesterday and couldn't get these two cards posted.  It's bad enough that these cards were posted a day late, but they missed out being on the last post too.  One of the cards came the next day in the mail, and the other card was sitting in another room so I could enjoy looking at it.  It's so simple, but such a cool design.  It just makes me happy when I look at it.  So of course, I need to share it with you all.  A little late, but so worth the wait!

created by Barb Eisenman

Isn't this just the happiest card?  I love it.  All the birds are fussy cut from the Flight & Airy DSP.  They look like they are sitting on a wire which is made from baker's twine.  Add the layering, sentiment, and spattering and it's done.  Wonderful!

created by Jean Mazurek

Another simple card, but what a WOW factor.  The die-cut layer is backed with gold foil.  The sentiment is also backed with a layer of gold foil.  Add ribbon and a few gems and you have a super WOW card!  Thanks for the postage stamps too, Jean.  You know I'll use them!  It's much appreciated.

I need to make a wedding card soon.  This design would be an excellent choice.  Just need to change the sentiment and keep everything else the same.  Gorgeous.

Okay, that's all the cards I have to share today.  Hope you enjoyed these two fabulous card ideas.  Have they inspired you to get out your stamps and create?  Hope so!  And many thanks to you wonderful ladies for the 'happy mail' you send.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary!

Wow! Can you believe it? Yes, today marks 50 years since I married my sweetheart, and we're still happily together. 

We've gone through our share of ups and downs through the years, but here we are - still in love and caring for each other.  Just where have all those years gone?  Since we moved across country 3 years ago, we cannot have our close friends together with us sharing this milestone.  And that kind of saddened me and got me to thinking.  Why don't we share the celebration with all my stamping friends?  Who better to share the excitement with?  Right?

So, after giving this some thought, I came up with this idea for my celebration.  For my stamping friends out there, if you place an order with me of $50 or more before the end of the month, I will send you not only a card, but a package of embellishments for you to enjoy using in your card making.  That's right - a current embellishment that is free as my gift to you for celebrating this milestone with me.

Come celebrate with me the remarkable milestone of 50 years with the love of my life. It's astonishing to think we've come this far. Here's to hoping to share many more years together.

When you place your $50 order, please use the Host Code at the top of this blog so I can keep track of your order.  Make sure your address is listed so I can get your free embellishment to you.  Thank you for being part of my stamping family and sharing our 50 years of marriage together.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Bronze Anniversary Card

Hello there.  It's been a while since I posted, and I apologize for that.   But I have a simply beautiful anniversary card for you today.  Of course, when you change up the sentiment, you could use this for so many other occasions.  It's an absolutely beautiful fall card.

These are just such rich and beautiful colors.  The base of the card starts with Copper Clay cardstock.  It measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It's scored and folded in half.

Up next is a layer of Bronze Metallic Specialty Paper that is retired.  I think any bronze or even copper-toned paper would be lovely.  The layer measures 5 3/8" x 4 1/8".  

A layer of the beautiful Nests of Winter Designer Series Paper that is an Online Exclusive is next.  It measures 5" x 3 7/8".  This is attached to the center of the bronze layer using adhesive.  These layers are then attached to the folded Copper Clay card base using adhesive for this too.  

An 11" length of Copper Clay Ribbon from last year's catalog was cut.  I know many of you purchased this and probably have some left, so let's use it!  The ribbon is wrapped around the entire front flap of the card.  The ends are attached on the front where they will be hidden.  I used pieces of Tear & Tape to hold them there.

The sentiment is on a Countryside Corners die.  It's cut from Basic White cardstock.  The sentiment is from the Layers of Beauty stamp set and is stamped in Copper Clay ink.  Like I mentioned before, just about any sentiment could be used here to fit your need.  

The oak leaves surrounding the label are from the Encircled in Nature Bundle.  I really liked the look of the bronzy leaves with the autumn looking pussy willows in the background.

The sentiment label is attached to the card front popped up on Dimensionals.  Three retired, amber-colored rhinestones were added to finish.

I love how this card turned out and I'll be happy to get it sent out next month.  I have an extra bonus for you.  My sister also made a card with most of these same components.  Thought you'd like to see what she made.

She has the same cardstock layers but changed the orientation of the card.  Instead of just using a few branches, she created a full wreath with these bronzy leaves.  She used a Basic White wreath from the Encircled in Nature Bundle as a base for the leaves.

Connie also used a sentiment from the Layers of Beauty stamp set, but you could use anything that fits onto the small banner that she tucked into the wreath.  There are three gems tucked around the wreath as accents and a small copper ribbon was tied into an accent bow and attached with a Mini Glue Dot.

There you have it.  Two designs that are very similar.  Hope this gives you an idea of how to alter ideas you see that catch your eye.  You can make things exactly the same, or just make a few minor changes and come up with something different that you love.  It's all about the creativity!

Only a couple more days of the Bonus Days sale going on.  That's over and done with at the end of the month.  Some items that were out of stock have become available again.  Don't miss out on anything!

Thanks for stopping by today.  And thank you so much for being patient with me.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Enduring Beauty Anniversary Card

Hello friends!  I'm so happy we made it through all the flooding that was going on in our area yesterday.  It was truly amazing how high our creek came up onto the yard and how swiftly the water was flowing.  To see large limbs just bobbing along in the water at such a quick pace gave me a real sense of the power of flood water.  Not something you want to be out in at all!  Thank God we have no damage here, but my daughter has some water seepage in their house that needs repairing.  Seeing how bright and sunny it is today, you'd never guess all this havoc was going on yesterday.  But on to the stamping portion of this report.  For today's card, I used the Enduring Beauty stamps and dies to create a lovely anniversary card.  Seems like there are a few anniversaries of family and friends that need cards this month, so I've been busy making them.

This is one of them.  To make this card, start with a card base of Lemon Lime Twist that measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored at 4 1/4" and folded in half. 

The front layer is Lemon Lolly that measures 5 3/8" x 4 1/8".  One of the Foursquare Decorative Masks (A.C. pg 136) was used with a Blending Brush to add the subtle background on this layer.  To hold the mask in place to the cardstock layer, a bit of Masking Paper (A.C. pg 151) was used.  Where it touched the cardstock, I made it less tacky by touching it to my jeans several times.  I used Lemon Lolly ink to keep the design unobtrusive.

After adding the inked background, the largest die in the Stitched with Whimsy set added the meandering stitched design into the layer for added interest.  

The large floral stamp from the Enduring Beauty set (2024 Jan - April Mini Cat. pg 38) was stamped onto Basic White cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  Using ink pads and both large and small Blending Brushes, ink was added to the flowers and leaves.

Flowers:  Lemon Lolly and Daffodil Delight with a tiny touch of Calypso Coral

Leaves:  Lemon Lime Twist and Granny Apple Green

A Lemon Lime Twist Dark Blends was used to color in the stems a little to keep them connected.

Because I wanted a much looser look, I did not use the Masks for coloring that are made to coordinate with this set.  I'll have to give those a try next time around.

After coloring, the coordinating die was used to cut the image out.  There are also open leaf dies that I used to die-cut some additional leaves to fill out the design.  These are cut from Granny Apple Green and Garden Green cardstock.

The sentiment comes from an old, retired set.  I chose this old sentiment because I was looking for an anniversary sentiment that would fit the card.  It was stamped on a 1/2" wide strip of Basic White using Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  It's attached across a corner with adhesive.  Then the ends were trimmed to follow the edge of the layer.

The floral images were attached to the card front with Dimensionals.  The leaves were tucked in around the image and attached with adhesive.  Then the whole layer was attached to the Lemon Lime card front using adhesive.  

The inside of the card had to be pretty to match the front.  A layer of Basic White that measured 5" x 3 3/4" was cut.  It's stamped with another really old sentiment that fit what I wanted to say.  There's just a little of the Foursquare Mask that's used in the top corner to match the card front.

A small group of leaves from a Sale-a-bration set - Softly Sophisticated - were stamped on the bottom corner using Lemon Lime Twist ink.  The flowers from the same set were tucked in to finish the little bouquet.  Lemon Lolly ink was used for the flowers.

The white layer was attached to a Lemon Lolly layer that measures 5 1/4" x 4".  Then this was attached to the inside of the card.

One of the last touches for this card was the little bit of ribbon tucked under the flowers.  You have to look at the pictures closely to actually see this.  The ribbon is the Gold & Vanilla Ribbon (A.C. pg 144) that seems to be one of my go-to embellishments lately.  I only used about 2 1/2" of the ribbon for this little touch.  It's tucked under the flowers with a Mini Glue Dot holding it under there.

The very last touch is the bling, as usual.  What I chose are the Blooming Pearls that are a carryover from the Winter Mini Catalog (pg 53).  They're kind of easy to miss - I did.  But it's worth finding this embellishment and getting it.  These are so pretty with the spring colors and a golden pearlized finish on them.  I used the Garden Green colored pearls, and they blend with all the greens used on the card.  

That's it for this anniversary card.  One down, several more to go!  I hope you enjoyed seeing all the different pieces of this card come together.  Sometimes it seems to be the little things on a card that you almost miss that truly make it special.  Don't be afraid to use stamp sets and dies that are old and new together.  Sometimes the older sets have just the right sentiment or accent that you're looking for.  That's why I keep telling my hubby I can't get rid of anything.  You never know when you might need just that very item.  😉

Did you notice the Sale-a-bration item tucked in there too?  You've got until either February 28th or whenever the freebies are gone to choose whatever it is you've got your eye on.  From previous years, I want to caution that some of the favorite items have been gone a week or two before Sale-a-bration is done.  If you'd like to place an order with me, I'd appreciate it very much.  Please use the Host Code shown on the blog post to help out.  Everyone that orders always gets a card from me and sometimes there's a fun goodie tucked inside for you.  Thanks so much.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Happiness Abounds Fun Fold Card

Hello friends!  Yikes!  It's still freezing cold weather around here.  Definitely winter!  So I'm still going to poke my head in the sand, keep stamping flowers, and wish for spring.  What about you?  Are you a warm weather person or do you love the cold weather and play at winter sports?  I used to love downhill skiing, but I gave that up years ago.  Now I have trouble staying warm enough to want to spend much time outside.  But I can stamp in any weather, and that's what I've been doing!  

I still had thoughts of the Hues of Happiness DSP that I used on my last card rolling around in my mind.  I wanted to play with that a little more, so I got out the Happiness Abounds stamp set and went to work.  I actually made a fun fold card for this.  It's not a new fold, but a card layout that I've used before that's nice and simple.  Besides I like the look of it!  So, we're going to use it again here.

The card starts with a Basic White Thick card base that measures 4 1/4" x 9".  This is scored at 5 1/2" so it's a regular size card when finished.  I next started with the Hues of Happiness DSP print that is covered with flowers in a rainbow of colors.  So pretty!  This is cut to 3" x 3 3/4" for the left side.   To contrast, I chose the "painted" backside of another print that has pinks, roses, and yellow/gold brushstrokes.  This piece measures 1 1/2" x 3 3/4" and is for the right side of the card.  Now, I need to be perfectly honest here and tell you I made a mistake in cutting the smaller piece.  You can see I cut it 1/4" too skinny, but I didn't have any more of that paper.  Boo hoo!  Since the card was almost finished by the time I noticed the problem, I went with the paper I did have.  So sorry!

Next, I decided on Melon Mambo for the framing layers.  These were cut to measure 3 1/4" x 4" for the left side, and 1 3/4" x 4" for the right side.  Now would be a good time to attach the layers together and then attach them to your card base to make sure you measured your pieces better than I did!  😁 

I die-cut several flowers from the DSP with the coordinating dies.  I didn't have enough leaves from the DSP, so I stamped the leaves with Granny Apple Green ink and also die-cut them.  The sentiment layer is a die-cut from the Labels Aglow Dies in the July - December Mini Catalog.  (only a few days left to order this!)  It's die-cut from Basic White and I used Melon Mambo ink to stamp the sentiment which is from the Artistically Inked set.  

Then I played around with all the pieces that I had ready.   I was struggling to get it where I liked it because the extra flowers just kept getting lost on the flowered print no matter how I positioned them.  Then I had an ah-ha moment!  I added a layer of vellum over the flower print and voila!  It worked out just as I had hoped.  Some sequins were added to finish off the look.

I had so much fun making this card and my card stash was a little on the low side.  So why not use this same fun fold and make a couple more cards that I needed.  So, here's a few more pictures for ideas on using this fun fold with whatever DSP you have sitting around.

Sentiment - Framed Florets

DSP - Fitting Florets

Die-cut pieces - Framed Florets

Bling - Festive Pearls

Flower stamps - Artistically Inked

Sentiment - Celebrating You

DSP - Expressions in Ink

Gold branches - Tree Rings Hybrid Embossing Folder

Sentiment Label - Labels Aglow Die

Bling - small gold rhinestones

Flowers & Leaves - Artistically Inked

Sentiment - Framed Florets

DSP - Expressions in Ink

Bling - iridescent sequins

Hope you have gotten some inspiration from today's post.  Rethink some of your favorite layouts and recycle them into something fresh and new by using different DSP or stamps.  Even color combos change the look of something that you do all the time.  

Looking forward to making many more posts in the new year!  Hope you'll come back often to see what's been happening here and visit on a regular basis.  Can you believe this year is pretty much over and done with?  In many ways it's been a rough one.  But God is still blessing us every day and God willing, I'll continue to walk with Him in the coming year.  I pray for God to bless you with His love and grace and fill you with His peace in the new year!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Wonderful World Take 2

Hey there!  I promised I'd be back today with another version of the Wonderful World stamp set and Designer Paper Bundle that Stampin' Up! is offering during Sale-a-Bration this month.  When you place a $100 US order, you can get these two items at no extra cost to you.  And they are really worth it!!  I think sometimes Stampin' Up! saves back some of its very best ideas to offer as freebies during Sale-a-Bration.  There are always a good number of items that I can't wait to get my hands on and play with.  Right?  Hope you've been able to get some "wonderful" items too!

For today's card idea, I took my cues from the DSP print for color and feel of the card.  This print gave off a vibe that spoke of vintage wallpaper to me.  Maybe you see it differently, but that was my inspiration for the card.  Note- there are some retired items used here.  If that's a problem, guess you need to quit reading right now.  😏 That said, let's move on.  This DSP measures 5 1/4" x 4".  It's attached to the folded Blackberry Bliss card with adhesive.   The Blackberry Bliss measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" that's scored and folded in half.

The iris used is of course from the Wonderful World stamp set.  The DistINKtive images in this set are so nicely detailed and easy to work with.  For this card, I used markers directly to the stamp, huffed, then stamped onto the Basic White cardstock.  Both Rich Razzleberry and Blackberry Bliss markers were used on the flower and an Old Olive marker was used on the stem and leaves.  This is a great way to get more than one color on a single detail stamp.  

After stamping the iris on the Basic White cardstock, I looked for a die that has a vintage feel to it.  I found this one from the retired Tasteful Label Die set.  It was the perfect size and shape for the iris.  To frame it, I chose the Layering Ovals Die set, which is also retired.  It makes a very nice frame of Old Olive cardstock behind the white.  These are layered together with adhesive.  

The sentiment is from the Peaceful Moments stamp set on page 29 in the Annual Catalog.  I love the mixed font look of the set, and wouldn't this be a wonderful anniversary card?  It's stamped to the right onto a 3/4" x 4" strip of Basic White cardstock using Blackberry Bliss ink.  It's backed with an Old Olive strip that measures 1" x 4 1/4".   It's layered together with adhesive, then attached to the card front about 1" up from the bottom edge.  This is attached with adhesive too to keep it flat to the surface.

Now it's time to add the iris layers.  They are attached with Dimensionals to the left side of the card front and slightly overlap the sentiment layers.  I used a Blackberry Bliss Blends to color the 1/4" White Crinkled Seam Binding.  It's tied into a sweet bow and added to the iris with Mini Glue Dots.  The last little bits are the pearls.  They had color added with the same Blackberry Bliss Blends.  Then three were attached in a row to the left of the sentient. 

There you have it - another card to add to my stash for the next rash of anniversaries.  I love having friends that are having anniversaries of 50 years and more!  What a testament to love and lots of compromise over all those years!  An inspiration to be sure!

Thanks for stopping back again to see what's new.  No telling where my next foray into stamping will take me.  It's time to go downstairs and have a look around and make a choice for the next card.  Hope you'll join me on my stamping journey.

Just a quick reminder that Sale-a-Bration is going on until the end of August.  You still have a couple of weeks to cash in on the free items you can get when you spend either $50 or $100 or more.  Stampin' Up! has added more choices to the Sale-a-Bration freebies since they were selling out so fast.  Click here to see what's been added for you.  If you have any questions, please feel free to call and I can place your order for you or walk you through doing it on your own.  Remember, if you order is under $150, please use the Host Code shown at the top right of my blog page.  It's much appreciated.

Happy stamping and creating!

Sharon

Wonderful World Take 1

Hello Friend!   Oh my!  How did we fly through July already and land in August? The summer has really flown by this year.  Time seems to be going by quicker and quicker.  Of course, it really doesn't, but it sure feels that way lately.  Since we're in August already, this is a gentle reminder that Sale-a-Bration is half over.  And two of the items are already gone - the Pool Party & Soft Sea Foam Cards and Envelopes pack, and the Tree Lot Dies.  I'm so bummed because I was waiting to get the Tree Lot Dies this month.  😞😢 Oh well, I'll have to set my sights on something else instead.  One of the items you can receive free with a $100 order is the Wonderful World stamp set and Wonderful World 12" x 12" Designer Series Paper combo.  Lovely?  Oh yes and make that a great big yes!  The stamp set is a 'DistINKtive' stamp that means lots of lovely detail etched right into the stamps.  So every time you stamp, you have great detail! And the DSP is a lovely mix of prints in a pleasing color palette that you'll love.  Those are the items I've been working with the last day or two.  Here's the first card idea.

I've been sending out lots of anniversary cards the last two months and I've totally run through my stash.  I made this one as an anniversary card to start filling up my stash again.  I guess June, July, and August were great wedding months!  

This card starts out with a Starry Sky base that's 11" x 4 1/4", scored at 5 1/2" and folded in half.  I love how the Starry Sky cardstock really enhances the colors of the Wonderful World DSP print that I chose.  The DSP measures 4" x 5 1/4" and is attached to the card base with adhesive.  

To stay with the rectangular card shape, I cut a piece of Basic White cardstock with the Stitched Rectangle Dies that just framed the Bachelor Buttons stamp.  To stamp it, the whole stamp was first inked with Rich Razzleberry.  Then I used Sponge Daubers with Old Olive ink on the stems and leaves, and Starry Sky ink to add color to the center of one flower and very lightly on the outer edge of the top flower.  Make sure you 'huff' on the stamp before stamping.  It's amazing how just a little extra ink on a Sponge Dauber can change the look of the flowers so dramatically!

You can get a good look at how the sponging of a little color really makes a big difference.  I didn't worry about getting the Old Olive color sponged right to the edge by the flower.  Just get it close and it works fine.  Any part that's still darker just looks like shading.

After stamping, the rectangle was attached to the card front with Dimensionals.  It's placed a little higher than the middle. 

The sentiment comes from the Celebrating You stamp set found on page 17 of the Annual Catalog.  This is a set of sentiments that cover pretty much anything you need throughout the year.  I love when you're able to go back to use a set over and over again.  Lots of different fonts too.  I stamped the anniversary one on a 1/2" strip of Basic White cardstock.  Starry Sky ink was used on this.  After stamping, it's trimmed shorter and then punched with the Banner Pick A Punch on each end.  To make it stand out even more, a skinny strip of Silver Foil that measures 3 1/4" x 1/4" was added.  This attaches behind the sentiment strip, then it's added to the card front with Mini Dimensionals.

A triple bow of the pretty Metallic Starry Sky Ribbon is attached under the sentiment using Mini Glue Dots.  For some extra bling (besides the Silver Foil and Metallic Ribbon), three Rhinestone Basic Jewels were scattered around the flowers.  

Last look at our card.  So pretty and perfect for the next anniversary that comes along.  Like I mentioned in the beginning, this paper is simply gorgeous!  Very feminine prints and the colors are lovely too.  That's it for the first card.  It's fairly simple and comes together quickly.  Tomorrow's card will be another look at this combo.

Don't forget to get your orders in as soon as possible so you don't miss out on your freebies!  Items do 'sell' out quickly and the stock won't be replenished on any Sale-a-Bration item.

There's a new special coming on September 1st that you'll love.  I'll have information coming soon for you.  So stay tuned for further info!

On a side note, I've been dealing with A Fib issues again and running a little slower than usual.  My meds are being adjusted to try to get it back under control.  Please pray.  I'd appreciate it!  Thank you, my good friends!!

Happy stamping and creating!

Sharon