Donuts are good!

I'm really digging the new Cherry on Top DSP stack. Instead of the old 4.5" x 6.5" size, the new DSP stacks come in 6" x 6" size. Not sure how I feel about the size change, but I'm really loving the colors and patterns from this particular stack.

I saw a cute donut card on Pinterest and knew i had to create my own card. I love the layered patterned paper and fun colors. The donut pattern is the cutest! To make the donut I layered a piece of DSP on top of Chocolate Chip cardstock. I used the smallest circle framelit to cut out the donut hole. Too cute!

• Stamps: Hello There (retired)
• Inks: Watermelon Wonder
• Cardstock: Cucumber Crush; Chocolate Chip; Whisper White; Cherry on Top DSP
• Accessories: Cherry on Top Washi Tape
• Tools: Circles Framelits; 1 3/4" Scallop Punch

Retiring Series: Hello There and Flowerpot

The new catalog is coming... But before we get there, I'm highlighting some of my favorite retiring stamp sets and retiring DSP. I love both this stamp set and this paper. It just makes me happy! I knew I wanted to feature all the different patterns on this card. Because of all the layers and patterns, I kept the sentiment very simple. I inked up the big sentiment in Garden green and layered the DSP all around the sentiment. So pretty! And the small flowers really stand out in person.

• Stamps: Hello There
• Inks: Garden Gree
• Cardstock: Night of Navy; Flowerpot DSP
• Accessories: Candy Dots
• Tools: Ovals Framelits; Petite Petal Punch

Use Your Scraps

For May I am featuring a class called Use Your Scraps. We all have a ton of scrap pieces of paper lying around. What to do with them? Here are three ideas for you:

Card #1 Long Banners

A simple way to use scraps is to make them into various length banners. For this card, I took some random pieces of Moonlight DSP and cut them into random lengths. The banners fill most of the card. Adding a punched sentiment and some candy dots completes the look.

• Stamps: Hello There
• Inks: Lost Lagoon
• Cardstock: Basic Gray; Moonlight DSP
• Accessories: Brights Candy Dots
• Tools: Scallop Punch; Hexagon Punch (banner ends)

Card #2 Hexagon Punch

The second card features my favorite scrap technique: hexagons. I love the repeat of patterns and colors in this card. A simple sentiment finishes the card.

• Stamps: Label Love
• Inks: Midnight Muse (retired)
• Cardstock: Gumball Green (retired); Summer Starfruit (retired); Print Poetry DSP (retired)
• Accessories:
• Tools: Artisan Label Punch; Hexagon Punch (banner ends)

Card #3 Short Banners

Lastly, I have a cute rainbow colored card featuring short banners. I love the play of patterns on this one.

• Stamps: Petite Pairs
• Inks: Rich Razzleberry
• Cardstock: Rich Razzleberry; Random scraps
• Accessories: Gumball Green Ribbon (retired)
• Tools: Banner Punch; 1" Circle Punch; 1 1/4" Circle Punch; Decorative Dots Embossing Folder

Modified Notebooks

Last Sunday, I held a modified notebooks class at my house. I've held the class once before, but decided it was such a great project that they needed to be featured today.

For my examples, I used a mix of SU and non-SU products.  This is a great project to use up scraps and random embellishments.  For the big notebooks, I glue on a full sheet of DSP using sticky strip. I then cut around the notebook to get the perfect fit. I add a 1" strip on the binding. Lastly I re-enforce the small strip and cover the rest of the binding with washi tape. From there I embellish.

• Bases: Mead Compositions Books (bought one super sale during Back to School); $1 journals from Michael's/Joann's/etc
• Paper: SU DSP (mostly retired); Coordinating Recollections Patterned Paper; Kraft paper (cover smaller journals)
• Stamps: Hello There (Hostess); Kinda Eclectic
• Ink: Night of Navy; Chocolate Chip; Blackberry Bliss; Baked Brown Sugar; Gumball Green (retired)
• Embellishments: Mambi alphas; Various washi tape; Recollections fabric flowers; scrap paper; SU Candy Dots
• Tools: Ovals Framelits; Starburst Framelits; Floral Frames Framelits; Butterfly Punches; Decorative masks

I love how my class attendees customized their notebooks. They picked their favorite colors and patterned paper. For the small notebooks, they changed up the decorative masks and and butterflies.

For the upcoming mom's retreat, I decided to make modified notebooks for the participants. Each one of the ten notebooks uses different paper combinations and washi tape. My plan is to let each participant chose their notebook and then add an initial sticker. I think my personal favorite is the hot pink and green notebook.

Modified Notebooks

I recently hosted a modified notebooks class.  I had seen so many cute ideas on Pinterest that I had to try some for myself.  In class we transformed two composition books and two of SU's small Kraft Journals.

Notebook #1

For this notebook I wanted to play around with patterns.  I grabbed one of my huge coordinating 12x12 stacks and pulled patterns I enjoy.  From there, I layered on the paper with my floral framelits until I had filled most of the cover.  The back has the light blue paper with a strip of yellow and washi tape.  For both of the comp notebooks, I added a few strips of washi tape at the binging to give them more visual interest.

• Stamps: Hello There
• Inks: Chocolate Chip
• Cardstock: Random scraps
• Accessories: Washi tape
• Tools: Floral Frames Framlits

Notebook #2

For the second comp book I wanted to be bolder and simpler.  I went with a pack of SU's Confetti DSP as my base paper.  Added in some fun washi tape and a glitter initial to complete the notebook.  Simple but very cute.

• Stamps:
• Inks:
• Cardstock: Confetti DSP
• Accessories: Glitter letters; Washi Tape
• Tools: Starburst Framelits

Notebook #3

For this small kraft journal, I knew I wanted to use the gold leaves I just acquired from Michaels.  I built the rest of the notebook from those leaves.  I love how the stars are sprinkled in the background.  They also appear on the backside.

• Stamps:
• Inks: Blackberry Bliss
• Cardstock:
• Accessories: Color Me Autumn washi tape; Alphas; Gold leaves; Jewel
• Tools: Stars Decorative Mask

Notebook #4

The last notebook is a modification of a notebook design from SU's convention in July.  I added the fun blue washi tape all the way around the notebook.

• Stamps: Kinda Eclectic
• Inks: Baked Brown Sugar; Mossy Meadow; Midnight Muse (retired)
• Cardstock: Whisper White; Random scraps
• Accessories: Brights candy dots; Washi tape
• Tools: Ovals Framelits; Sponge daubers

Orange and Yellow Floral Card

For my September swap card, I grabbed a few DSP sheets that called to me and then went from there.  The end product is full of bright colors and florals.  Not my go-to colors or patterns, but I really like how this all came together in the end.

I started with the Tangerine Tango floral paper and then pulled the Daffodil Delight paper for a contrast.  Once I had my patterns set, I decided to add a colored in stamp from the I Like You Hostess Set.  The greeting comes from the Hello There Hostess Set, but works so well with the design that I had to use it.  Using the circles collection framelits and starburst framelits, I created a nice layered effect with my papers and sentiment.  I hope my swap recipient likes the end product!

• Stamps: I Like You; Hello There
• Inks: Baked Brown Sugar; Tangerine Tango; Daffodil Delight; Night of Navy, Garden Green, Perfect Plum, Calypso Coral, and Cameo Coral Markers
• Cardstock: Crush Curry; Whisper White; Flowerpot DSP; Park Lane DSP
• Accessories: Brights Candy Dots
• Tools: Circles Collection Framelits; Starburst Framelits; 1 1/4" Circle Punch

Unite and Excite Swaps: The Rest of the Pretties

We had a great swap time at the Livermore Unite and Excite event on Sunday.  Here are the rest of the great swap cards I received:

Sara Grafton @ 1200 Some Miles

Vinnie Cespedes

Margery Chen

Alicia Valdez

Janet Smith

Deidre Wong

Denise Zachariah

Sarah Camarillo

Patti Mizutani

Paula Frieders

Maria Esther Fennelly @ Maria's Creative Place

Jeannie Barron

Raberta Gannon @ Inkabella Crafts

Carrie Vermazen @ Crafty Carrie

Cary Farruggia @ Cary's On Your Case

Colleen Becker

Sharon Tong-Robinson

Fresh Prints Patterns

I pulled out my new I Like You hostess stamp set with the intention of creating a great background pattern for a card. I started working and things took a slightly different turn.

Card Inspiration from Cards and Scrapping

I wanted to recreate the inspiration card, but then my hands went in a slightly different direction.  I did use the I Like You stamps to create a background pattern for the card.  But I added a lot more layers and a different sentiment style.  Overall this card looks much better in person.  You can actually see the layers in person.  The photo looks too flat.  But I promise this does look nice.

• Stamps: I Like You; Hello There
• Inks: Crumb Cake, Real Red, Coastal Cabana
• Cardstock: Kraft; Whisper White; Fresh Prints DSP (retired)
• Accessories: Coastal Cabana Ruffled Trim Ribbon (retured)
• Tools: Starburst Framelits; 1 1/4" Circle Punch

Feathered Flower Take 2

For my August swap card, I decided to modify the Fall Feather Flower from yesterday.

I choose the 2013-2015 In Colors as my swap recipient loves those colors.  I cut down on the number of petals (feathers) to decrease the bulk of the card.  This worked much better.  I added some sparkly feathers throughout to give the flower a bit more visual interest.  The sentiment stayed the same, but was inked in a coordinating color.  After I finished, I thought there was just too much white space.  Adding a punched up silver sparkly butterfly completed the card.  I hope she likes it!

• Stamps: Hello There
• Inks: Strawberry Slush
• Cardstock: Crisp Cantaloupe; Silver Glimmer Paper; Whisper White; 2013-2015 In Color DSP
• Accessories:
• Tools: Feathers Framelits; Bitty Butterfly Punch; 1 1/4" Circle Punch

Fall Feathered Flower

Holiday Catalog Sneak Peek! I found a sample card on Pinterest using petals and various DSP to make a layered flower.  I knew i wanted to create a similar card, but using some of the new Color Me Autumn DSP.

I spent a ridiculous amount of time die cutting all those individual feathers from the Color Me Autumn DSP.  I then attempted to vary the patterns and colors in a layered feather design.  Unfortunately the layers ended up creating quite a bit of bulk.  It worked, but made it difficult to add the circle sentiment at the end.  This definitely looks better in person as you can distinguish the patterns better.  Overall, an interesting design.

• Stamps: Hello There
• Inks: Blackberry Bliss
• Cardstock: Whisper White; Crumb Cake; Color Me Autumn DSP
• Accessories:
• Tools: Feathers Framelits

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