Last Minute Sneak Peek

 Hi everyone!  So excited today.  Yeah, I know - today's the August 3rd so it's not a sneak peek anymore. Just got a little confused there for a minute as I'm getting this set up to post ahead of time.  By the time you're reading this, we'll be in Charleston doing a little sight-seeing for a couple of days.  This is someplace I always thought would be an interesting place to visit, so yes! I'm really excited to be going.  Oh but, that's not really what you're here for today, is it?  Ok, I do have some new goodies on cards to share with you today.  They use both a new stamp set and a Sale-a-bration freebie!  In case you haven't figured it out yet, I thoroughly love those little penguins and friends on the Penguin Playmates Designer Paper!  And it's even free!  Yes, I'm just a little bit excited here.  And talk about taking a little bit of this, and a little bit of that, and then throwing everything together,  That is exactly what ended up happening with these cards.  

When I was planning this card, I couldn't decide on which of the two cardstock colors to use, so I just went ahead and made two.  You can never have too many Christmas cards, right?  These cards each used a strip of Designer Series Paper that is 5 1/4" x 2".  I switched back and forth between Fresh Freesia and Soft Succulent for the card base and the accent strips.  Both of those colors are listed as matches on the Penguin Playmates paper, so either should work just fine.

On the top one, I started with Soft Succulent cardstock, cut in half and folded in half.  Next a layer of Basic White cardstock to build the card on is cut at t 5 1/4" x 4".  Figuring out the placement of the sentiment, I stamped the HAPPY from the Biggest Wish stamp set using Fresh Freesia ink.  It worked out great using the Stamparatus for this in case the word didn't get quite enough ink (which is exactly what happened).   Then I lined up the Merry Christmas from the new Sparkle of the Season stamp onto the Stamparatus for stamping right over the happy.  I had to carefully ink up only the Christmas to get the look I wanted.

After getting the stamping out of the way, the strip of Penguin Playmates paper is attached at the bottom of the white cardstock layer.  A strip of Fresh Freesia cardstock cut 5 1/4" x 3/4" is attached right above the DSP layer.

For accents, I thought snowflakes would be perfect, so I dug out the So Many Snowflake dies that are a carry-over from last year.  I really liked the smaller detailed snowflake for this, so I die-cut three from both the Soft Succulent and the Fresh Freesia cardstocks deciding which ones to use.  Since I made two cards, I just decided to use the color that matched the card base.

Even though the cards are basically the same, because of the color switching they tend to look somewhat different.  The real difference between the two are the type of bling that was added.  On the first card, I used the retired Artistry Blooms sequins in a really light blue shade on the snowflakes.  For the Fresh Freesia one, I used Opal Rounds in the center of the snowflakes.  Again, a different look, but both are pretty.  It really is worth it to check in your stash of goodies every once in awhile to see what's hanging out there and could be used on that project you're in the middle of.  *grin*

Now I have three more cards to share with this same layout.  This one is actually the first one made.  I wanted to use the Biggest Wish set and play around with it a bit.  Loved how this one turned out, so kept on coming up with more cards.

This uses a Poppy Parade cardstock base, You're A Peach DSP, Old Olive cardstock strip, White Crinkled Seam Binding, and Poppy Parade and Petal Pink ink pads. 

This version uses a card base of Pool Party cardstock, with a 1 3/4" strip of Bird Ballad DSP (miss it so much!), a 1" strip of Old Olive cardstock, and the White Crinkle Seam Binding again.  The ink used are Pool Party and Old Olive.  Totally different look.

Lastly, this has a card base of Poppy Parade again with a 2" strip of the retired Peaceful Poppies DSP.  I also used the 3/4" strip of Old Olive on this card.  The ribbon in Mossy Meadow striped was used to give a darker definition between the layers.  The ink colors are Poppy Parade and Flirty Flamingo.

Whew!  That was a lot of sharing today.  Hope you see how you can take a simple card layout and do so many different things with it.  Just change out the colors, DSP, ribbons, wording, etc and you can use the layout over and over again - even for Christmas cards!

Ok, that's it for today.  I've probably got you on total overload right now.  But I just want to remind you, if you're placing an order this month, please use the Host Code shown here.  And yes, you can order from the new catalog today!  And don't forget to choose your free Sale-a-bration item(s) that you qualify for.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me  Even though I'll be in Charleston, I'll still have my phone with me.  *grins*

Happy shopping, creating, and stamping,,,,,

Hugs,

Sharon

Pampered Pet Sympathy

 It's so hard to lose a pet that has been part of your family for years and years - sometimes even longer than the kids!  My daughter has a family friend that just lost their little dog who had been a lifelong friend to their children.  So this has been a real loss for the whole family.  So I made her a card to get in the mail.  I had gotten the Pampered Pets stamp set awhile ago, but hadn't done anything with it yet, so this was the perfect opportunity.

When I was working on my last post, I had a few more pieces of the  Forever Greenery DSP cut at the 2 1/4" x 3 1/2" size that I didn't use.  I thought they would make a good background for this little guy to rest easy on.  

I stamped the dog and the food bowl on Basic White cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  Then before die-cutting them with the coordinating dies, I did a bit of coloring with my Blends.  I used Light Smoky Slate for a little shading on the dog, and Light Just Jade for the collar.  For the dish, I used a bit of Just Jade and then colored over this with a swish of Wink of Stella.  

To make the card, I started with a base of Just Jade cardstock cut 11" x 4 1/4", scored at 5 1/2" and folded in half.  The layer of Soft Sea Foam cardstock was cut at 5 1/4" x 4" and was attached with adhesive.  The 2 pieces of DSP were attached with with adhesive also to keep it fairly flat.  Both the dog and the dish were attached with Dimensionals.

The sentiment is from the Pampered Pets stamp set and was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  The inside of the card has a layer of Basic White cut at 5 1/4" x 4".  This has a 1/2" strip of one of the DSP prints added to the bottom before attaching inside of the card.  That's it.  So simple when you have a card template to work with and you know exactly what you need to put it together.

Well, here it is another month and that means another Host Code for you.  Please use this new one if you're placing an order this month.  

Remember, you can still order the 9 Designer Series Papers that are on sale.  You have until August 2nd to get in on that deal.

And yes, the July - December Mini Catalog is really going to go live on August 3rd!  Woo Hoo!  If you've been patiently waiting, your waiting is almost over.  You can place your first order right away on the 3rd.

One last thing - don't forget about the 2nd round of Sale-a-bration this year!   That also starts on August 3rd!  For every $50 you spend, you may choose one of the $50 Sale-a-bration items for free.  There are also some awesome items in there that need a $100 order to qualify. So many good things going on.  Whew!  I think that's everything.  If you have any questions, you can always call or text and I'll be happy to help you.  Enjoy your summer!

Stamping hugs!

Sharon

Another Christmas in July Card

Hey!  Thanks for stopping by today.  Things are a little different today.  I was working with a layout that I hadn't used in a while and couldn't remember the sizes I needed.  So I was playing with retired DSP for the first card just to get a handle on the size I wanted to cut the layers.   Since there was nothing wrong with the papers and the size I cut, I decided to make up this card first and then go on to the Christmas card I wanted to share.  Here's the prototype:

The card base is Shaded Spruce and the DSP is from the retired Forever Greenery.  The plant pot is from the current Plentiful Plants, and the greenery is from the Forever Fern set.  I used the dies that coordinate with the stamp sets.  The ink used for the plant pot is Soft Suede, and Shaded Spruce & Granny Apple Green were used for the plants.  I tied a double Linen Thread bow as an accent.

Cutting for Layers:  2 different DSP prints 

each cut at   2 1/4" x 3 1/2"

This is a very simple layering technique and I've used it so often in the last 20+ years I've been making cards.  It's also a great way to use up some of those bits of DSP that are left over from all the other projects you've made!

Ok, that's nice enough, but let's get to making the Christmas card and using NEW stuff!

Again the DSP layering is a focal point and but those weren't  the color choices I actually used.  This card has a base of Early Espresso with a layer of Soft Succulent cardstock over it.  This is just attached with adhesive to lay flat.  

The two pieces of designer paper are from the lovely Painted Christmas 12" x 12" Designer Paper.  These both are more on the subtle side of the prints in the pack, but all of them are just really gorgeous!   Even though there is an extra layer of cardstock on this card, the two pieces are still cut at 2 1/4" x 3 1/2".  Decide which one goes under and which over, then attach with adhesive so it is still flat.

I'm loving the Christmas Season Bundle with the terrific hand-painted look to the images.  For the pinecone, I started with Crumb Cake cardstock and stamped the 1st image with Crumb Cake ink.  The detail stamp that goes over it was stamped with Early Espresso ink, then die-cut with the coordinating die.  

The larger bunch of leaves were stamped with Shaded Spruce ink and the smaller ones were stamped with Mint Macaron.  Like I mentioned, these aren't listed on the matching colors for the DSP, but I liked how they looked on the finished card.  The leaves were also die-cut with matching dies. 

 Let's put the card together now.  The pinecone is attached with a couple Dimensionals.  Both of the leaves were tucked in underneath and attached with Glue Dots.  A small knot of the Gold Fine Art Ribbon is tucked slightly under the pinecone also and attached with Glue Dots.  I liked the subtle shimmer of the ribbon to add just a bit of elegance.  If I were looking to make it more country in feel, I think I'd use Linen Thread, doubled and tied in a bow.  That would give the card a really different feel to it.  Three of the iridescent 2021-2023 In Color Jewels added just the right touch.  Both of the greens worked, but I chose the Evening Evergreen ones.

The inside of the card was finished with adding a layer of Basic White cardstock.  The bottom corner was stamped with a pinecone using the same colors as before, Crumb Cake first, then Early Espresso over it.  I masked this and stamped the smaller bunch of leaves using Mint Macaron ink.  

I love how simple this card was to finish and could see me making multiples of this for my own cards.  We'll see what else I can come up with before I make a decision on which card(s) to make for our family.  Decisions, decisions... but the sooner I get started, the better off I'll be.  Maybe I'll even get them in the mail early for a change.  Oh no, not a good idea - I have some friends who'd probably have a heart-attack if I mailed them too early!  *huge grins*

There's still a one day left to order some of the Designer Series Papers that are on sale.  It's a great bargain and I don't think you can ever have too much DSP!  shhh... But don't tell my hubby I said that!  If you are placing an order this month, please use my July Host Code.  I appreciate your orders greatly!

July Host Code

73KERJRP

Thanks so much for stopping by again today.  Are you ready for the new July - December mini catalog to start?  Just a few more days - August 3rd!  And don't forget about the 2nd around of Sale-A-Bration that also starts August 3rd.  Boy, good things are in store for you and I'll have lots of new ideas to share with you using the new products.  Have fun stamping this summer.  All this heat is a good reason to stay indoors and stamp!  *grins*

Happy creating!

Sharon

Dragonfly Birthday Card

 Hi there.  Glad you dropped by again.  Today's card is all about salvaging a really big oops!  I saw a fun fold card design that I really liked and thought I'd give it a try.  First cut I measured wrong, and it all went downhill from then on.  Or did it?!  Actually I love the finished card even though it really isn't the right size at all.  Maybe I need to make one using the correct dimensions.  But it's fun sometimes to see what you can do with those oopsies.  Come on now, you can't tell me you never have any mistakes, right?  This is how I salvaged my mistake, and I love it!

It has the look of a little square card, but it's really 4 1/2" x 4".  That's where I made my first mistake - it should have been cut at 5 1/2" x 11".  I cut it 1" too short at only 4 1/2".  That meant making adjustments to all the other dimensions.  Here are the dimensions I used for this card:

Card Base -  Bumblebee  4 1/2" x 11" 

scored @ 1 3/4",  3 1/2",  5 1/4", and  7"

Bumblebee  3" x 6"

DSP -  1st pattern   (4)  1 1/2" x 4 1/4"

            2nd pattern  (2)  2 3/4" x 2 3/4"

Basic White - inside - 3 3/4" x 4 1/4"  

                     - plus scraps

After scoring the long piece of cardstock, I did an accordian fold.  On the four sides that are 1 3/4" wide, I attached one of the strips of designer series paper.  For this card, I used the Dandy Garden 6" x 6" DSP.  Sorry, it was in last year's catalog so it isn't available anymore.  One of my friends uses this DSP so often, I keep forgetting it isn't current now.

With the DSP on all four panels, you get to see the pretty paper no matter which way you look at the card.  

Next was the 3" x 6" piece of cardstock.  This was scored and folded to make a 3" x 3" piece.  Laying it flat, attach the two 2nd pattern pieces to this with adhesive.  From the pictures, I think you can see how it's attached in the middle of the front.  Then it's attached inside the card on the 4th panel.  When the card is folded flat, there is an even margin all around the 3" x 3" showing on the front (see the first picture).  

The sentiment is from the Peaceful Moments stamp set.  It was stamped onto a Basic White scrap using Night of Navy ink.  It is punched out with the Rectangular Postage Stamp punch.  The dragonfly from Dragonfly Garden stamp set was stamped on white using Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  I added some color with the Smoky Slate, Balmy Blue and Night of Navy Stampin' Blends.  The dragonfly was also given a brush of shimmer with the Wink of Stella.  It was punched out using the Dragonflies punch.  Both the label and dragonfly were attached to the card front using Dimensionals.

The inner panel is Basic White cardstock and stamped with one of the sentiments in the Dragonfly Garden stamp set.  This time I used Mossy Meadow ink.

Wasn't this a fun card fold idea?  Julie Davison showed this fun fold and I just loved it.  Of course, now I have to go back and actually try making it again using the correct dimensions.  I'm sure I'll love that one too.  But I've got to admit, there's just something special about these smaller cards.  I think they're just too cute.

And just in case you're wondering why I chose blues for the dragonfly body, well let me tell you...  We have a fish pond at our new home and I just love it.  I do spend much time just watching the fish and frogs.  But we also have a large group of dragonflies always flitting about.  And their bodies are almost a neon blue - just gorgeous!  So that my reasoning.  This card is a salute to my very own nature preserve.  It's not too big, but I love spending time communing with nature at it's finest.

If you're planning on ordering this month, please use the Host Code shown here.  And don't forget, the nine Designer Series Papers that are still on sale until the end of July.  You don't want to miss out!

Host Code

73KERJRP

Thank you for coming and hanging out with me for awhile today.  Love to hear from you, so leave me a comment and let me know what you're thinking about.

Happy stamping and have fun creating!

Sharon

Merry Monday

 Hey there!  It's almost the end of July, so I wanted to get a quick "Christmas in July" card in while it was still July.  The card today uses a new stamp set and die bundle that will be available in seven more days when the new July-December Mini Catalog goes live on August 3rd.  This is the first set that really caught my eye when I saw the new mini catalog.  The images are bold and look just like I might have painted them by hand.  And there's dies to match!  Oh heavens!  I love how quick and easy it is to make all the components for my card.

This is just my first card using the set, but it definitely won't be my last.  I decided to use the Tidings of Christmas 6"x6" Designer Series Paper as a backdrop for these gorgeous images.  This one is soft enough that it doesn't fight with the images, but is quite substantial on it's own for other ideas.  I've already got an idea for it floating around in the 'gray matter" .  *grin*

The card base is Real Red cardstock folded in half.  There is a skinny layer of Basic White cardstock separating the print paper from the bold red giving it a nice frame.  An afterthought is the 1/2" strip of Evening Evergreen cardstock going across the card front underneath all the die-cut pieces.

All the images are from the Christmas Season set, and the dies are all from the coordinating Seasonal Labels Dies.  (Think savings with bundles!)  The 2 sizes of pinecones were stamped on Crumb Cake cardstock first with Crumb Cake ink, then the detail stamp with Soft Suede was used,  The 2 sizes of holly leaves were all stamped in Shaded Spruce ink.  The berries were stamped in Real Red ink.  The sentiment comes from the Best Year stamp set that is a carry-over from last year's catalog.  It has eleven sentiments that cover many occasions and both the inside and outside wordage for your cards.  Very versatile!  All the pieces were die cut.  Quick and easy.  The sentiment was stamped with Real Red ink.  It still needed something on it, so I used a Real Red Marker to add stitching lines outlining it.  Much better.  

The sentiment label was attached with Dimensionals then everything was positioned around it.  A few of the items were just tucked under and attached with adhesive.  The larger pinecone, two larger holly leaves, and the berries all have Mini Dimensionals attaching them to the card front.  

At this point, I decided to add some Wink of Stella to the card by flicking it on.  Make sure the brush tip is pretty loaded with the Wink of Stella, then tap it against the cover so that the fluid flicks off.  This will kind of go everywhere - especially places you don't want it to.  So always move things out of the way, or flick into a box to contain it!

The last addition to the card was the teeny tiny Red Rhinestones scattered about.  These are really small (only 3mm) so I actually put four on the card.  I'm still deciding about adding another one or two.

I really like how the card turned out.  It actually took three days to finish because I kept changing my mind about positioning the die-cut images, whether to add more or take some away.  That means I now have several more pinecones, holly leaves, and berries all ready for the next project.  Woo Hoo!

Thanks for stopping by to see what's happening here.  We've got a lot of coughing going on around right now.  The boys were really worn out when they got back from church camp last Friday and that has translated into coughs all around - me included.  Hate those summer colds and coughs.  They seem to be the hardest to get over.  But so far it hasn't stopped us from having fun!

If you're planning on placing an order yet this month, please use the code shown here:

July Host Code

73KERJRP

Miss you all so much and love hearing from you.  Be sure to leave me a comment and let me know how you like my cards.  Or let me know what you'd like to see me make, or any special products to use.  Call anytime with questions or just to gab.  If I can't talk right then, I'll be sure to get back with you asap.  Happy stamping and creating!

Hugs,

Sharon

Simply Succulents

 Hi there!  Here it is, Saturday already.  This week has flitted by so fast, and July is easing toward the end.  We've had several of our families birthdays this month.  So many cards have been going out in the mail to all of the birthday people.  Today's card I'm sharing was one of those many cards that went out this month.  Hope you like it.  I wish I had better pictures of the whole card, but it was in the mail before I realized some of the pictures I took were all blurry and ugly.  I also figured out that I never took down measurements either.  Oh nuts!  (for those of you ladies at Guardian, you can ask Barb for the dimensions.  I think this card went to her.)  So this is what you get today...

This card marries two different Designer Paper packs from two different catalog years, but they look like they were made for each other.  At least that's what I thought when I was digging around in my papers looking for something to go with the alcohol ink look of the Expressions In Ink Designer Series Paper.  You know how it is when you know you want to use a certain paper on a project and it takes awhile to find just the right piece to coordinate with it?  That's what happened here.  I was so excited when I came across a bit of the Forever Greenery DSP from last year's catalog.  The colors went together perfectly and I was able to get this card made.

The card starts with a base of Shaded Spruce cardstock cut in half.  I'm guessing that I cut off about 1 1/2" from the right edge.  There's a layer of Basic White attached to the inside of the card with adhesive.  The inside sentiment was stamped with Shaded Spruce ink.  Now for the front of the card...  

The pretty leafy print from the Forever Greenery DSP was cut to 5 1/4" tall, and a 1/4" smaller in width than the front flap of the card.  The print has leaves in Soft Seafoam on a Shaded Spruce background.  It was attached using adhesive. 

The focal point was made using the Simply Succulents stamp set and dies.  The flower pot was stamped on Pumpkin Pie cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and lightly shaded with Crumb Cake Stampin' Blends.  I was trying to get the look of a clay pot.  The cactus flower was stamped on Basic White with Soft Succulent ink.  The coloring was done with Stampin' Blends also, Soft Succulent and Fresh Freesia.  Then these pieces were die-cut with the Potted Succulents die set.  The 'aloe plant' was die cut from Shaded Spruce cardstock.

The Expressions in Ink was cut at 2 1/2" x 4".  I used the backside of the paper with no gold on it.  This is layered onto a Shaded Spruce piece of cardstock cut 2 3/4" x 4 1/2".  Both the aloe plant and the flower pot were attached flat to this.  The little cactus flower was attached with a Dimensional.  This was attached to the card front lining up the edges so a little of the Basic White layer inside the card shows nicely on three sides.

The sentiment comes from the Sharing Sunshine stamp set and was stamped onto a Basic White strip using Shaded Spruce ink.  The ends of this were trimmed with the Banner Pick A Punch.  This is one of my very favorite punches and very handy to have around.  If you hate cutting those banner ends by hand and can never get them straight, then this is a must have tool.  The banner was then attached to the card front using Dimensionals.  

That's it for this card.  It's fairly simple, but because of the cut section on the front flap, it has a little more interest than a regular card.  Hope this gives you an idea for making little differences in your cards to make them just a little bit different and memorable.

If you'd still like to place an order in July, the Designer Papers are still on sale til the end of the month.  It's always a smart idea to pick up your designer papers on sale when possible.  They are so versatile and can be used for the main focus on your card, or just a snippet to add some interest.  Remember too that the new July - June Catalog will go live on August 3rd!  Woo Hoo!!  If you do place an order, please use the Host Code shown here.

July Host Code

73KERJRP

Thanks for stopping by today.  Hope you have a fabulous Saturday and can find some time to be creative, whether it's stamping, cooking, or gardening, etc.  It's good for the soul and makes you happy.

Hugs,

Sharon 

Penguin and Friend

Hi friends!  Are you ready for a little sneak peak?  Most of you have probably received your new catalogs in the mail from me.  Have you been drooling over anything?  I sure had my eye on some lovely new stamps and dies.  Oh yes, and gorgeous designer papers too!  I can hardly wait to get my hot little hands on some of them.  Being a demonstrator, one of the perks is being able to pre-order from new catalogs.  And that's just what I did.  The goodies came last week, and I finally had time to play.  I've had this idea in my head every since I saw the Penguin Place stamp set and punch bundle.  I usually go for the more traditional stamps, but this set was just too cute to pass up.  It makes me smile just thinking about it.  And when I saw there was a Sale-A-Bration designer paper that matched these little guys, I just had to get it too.  Here's my first card - and I didn't even really use the stamp set except for the words!  How funny!

Aren't these little guys just adorable?  Both the polar bear and penguin were fussy cut from the (free!) Penguin Playmates Designer Series Paper.  The cute little fox didn't make it onto this card, but maybe it will the next time.  The soft trees in the background are actually the backside of the paper the little guys were cut out from.  Fun paper and interesting colors to use for Christmas instead of the traditional red and green.

To make the card, start with a base of Misty Moonlight cut to 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored and folded in half.   Next a piece of Basic White cardstock cut at 4" x 3 1/2".  Using the Basic Borders Die set, I chose the curvy die and cut the two snowdrifts from this keeping the width at 4".  After playing around with the snowdrifts, I decided to cut the trees designer paper to 4" x 3 1/2" so there would be enough overlap when layered onto the card base.   I started with the trees dsp attached to the top of the card and centered nicely.  Next I guessed where the two white layers would be and attached them to each other.  Lastly, the two white layers were attach directly to the card front overlapping onto the trees dsp.

The sentiment was stamped with Misty Moonlight ink onto the skinny strip of Basic White cardstock.  It was then trimmed up into three separate pieces and layered onto Misty Moonlight bits and cut skinny to fit.  Both the polar bear and penguin were attached to the card front using Dimensionals.  And the three sentiments were scattered over the card and attached with Mini Dimensionals.  The 2021-2023 In Color Jewels in Fresh Freesia were added to give the card a little bling.

The inside of the card starts with a layer of Basic White cardstock.  This has the Christmas sentiment from the Banner Year stamp set stamped with Misty Moonlight ink.  Then the cute sentiment from the Penguin Place set was stamped below it also using Misty Moonlight ink.  The little sparkly snowflakes were stamped in Fresh Freesia ink to match the scarf on the polar bear.  You know how I love everything to match just so!

It was so much fun to make my first Christmas cards of the season.  It might be in the 90's outside, but I'm still thinking of snowy days and cold weather inside.  Hope this starts you thinking ahead to Christmas and the fall holidays ahead.  It's never too early to get started on all those cards, favors, tags, and all the rest.  Time always seems to have a way of slipping by too quickly.  So get those thinking caps on and start planning all your holiday stamping projects!  Make sure you look at all the possibilities in both the July-December Mini Catalog and also the Sale-A-Bration flyer.  There's sure to be some goodies that you're going to need.  If you'd like to order from me, please use this host code.  I'd really appreciate it!  

Host Code  

73KERJRP

Just want to thank you for stopping by to see what's new.  It's been fun doing a little holiday stamping.  Looking forward to hearing from you.  Thanks again.

Hugs and blessings,

Sharon