Stepping Up a Birthday Card

Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card and then "step it up."  I started with a very simple but cute birthday card. I love the versatility of the Build a Birthday stamp set.

I took the simple card and added lots of embellishments! First I changed the paper to include a fun pattern. A trick: this paper is from the 2016-2018 In Color Envelope Paper pack. The paper is a lot thinner than our regular DSP, but it makes for great layering pieces! I also added pearls, dazzling details, a piece of ribbon, and Wink of Stella. Definitely a stepped up version of the card!

Detail of the embellishments...

• Stamps: Build a Birthday
• Inks: Island Indigo, Rich Razzleberry, Mint Macaron, Blushing Bride, Sweet Sugarplum
• Cardstock: 2016-2018 In Color Envelope Paper; Rich Razzleberry; Sweet Sugarplum; Whisper White
• Accessories: Pearls, Silver Sparkle Dazzling Details, Sweet Sugarplum Ruched Ribbon
• Tools: Wink of Stella

Fun n Crafty Swap Cards

Every new catalog, our group of demonstrators, the Fun n' Crafty Stampers, have a card swap. This new catalog was no exception. I swapped with eight ladies receiving some great cards using a variety of stamp sets. Check them out below!

Pam Wu - Marquee Messages

Stacey Lane - Scenic Sayings

Monica Van Tassel - Painter's Palette and Bloomin' Love

Jennifer Blomquist - Swirly Bird and Thoughtful Banners

Carla Branton - Layering Love

Susan Schultz - Floral Affection Embossing Folder

Heather Green - Thoughtful Banners

Christine Szekeres - Love You Lots

SSINKCS34: Copper Accents

Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the sketch below.

I decided to have fun layering patterns from the Affectionately Yours DSP. The two pieces with copper foil accents are just gorgeous. They shine so much in real life. Instead of a flower, I decided to add a butterfly to tie the pieces together. After making this card, I'm kicking myself for not preordering the copper embossing powder. Guess what was added to my first June order...

It's hard to tell in the first pic, but I used Wink of Stella to give the butterfly a bit of shine.

• Stamps: Watercolor Wings
• Inks: Mint Macaron, Island Indigo, Night of Navy
• Cardstock: Affectionately Yours DSP; Night of Navy
• Accessories: Affectionately Yours Washi Tape
• Tools: Wink of Stella, Butterflies Thinlits

Sunday Haul #12

My first official order from the new 2016-2017 Annual Catalog arrived this week! I opened the box and immediately started creating!

Here's what I got:

• Blooms and Bliss DSP
• 2016-2018 In Color Envelope Paper
• 2016-2018 In Color Cardstock
• Jar of Love Bundle
• Peekaboo Peach Ruched Ribbon
• Dapper Denim Ruched Ribbon
• Copper Embossing Powder
• Rhinestones

My Favorite New Products!

With the launch of the new Stampin' Up Annual Catalog, you may have spent hours pouring over all the newness like I did. I am so in love with this catalog and all the new offerings. Today, I want to highlight my top 10 favorite new products! In no particular order, because there's no way I can pick a favorite:

Pop of Pink Washi Tape -- Oooh... pink, black, and white! I can't wait to get my hands on this set and add some fun to my cards. (141649  $8)

Jar of Love Bundle (Photopolymer) -- I loved this bundle so much that it was on my first official order. I had to have it. Look for some great example products coming soon on the blog! (Bundle 142342 $52)

Enamel Shapes -- I was so sad to see my beloved candy dots on the retiring list. Thankfully SU had a replacement, enamel shapes! You can get them in 2016-2018 In Colors, Regals, Subtles, Brights, and Metallics. These are definitely on my shortlist! (2016-2018 In Color 141410 $9, Regals 141681 $9, Subtles 141679 $9, Brights 141680 $9, Metallic 141678 $7)

Weather Together Bundle (Photopolymer) -- Digging this unique stamp set and dies. I am thinking of all the beautiful cards I could make with it! (Bundle 142319 $41.25)

Best Birds Bundle (Photopolymer) -- I don't usually go for the more delicate stamp sets, but this one is just too cute to pass up! Definitely need this. (Bundle 142315 $43)

Foxy Friends Bundle (Photopolymer) -- How cute is this? I need another baby/kid related stamp set and I think this one is a must have. (Bundle 142326 $40.50)

A Little Foxy DSP  (6x6 stack) -- This beautiful paper goes perfectly with the Foxy Friends Bundle. I need both! (141637 $10)

2016-2018 In Color Ruched Ribbon -- I'm not usually one to buy a lot of ribbon. I just don't seem to use it all before it retires. But I'm making an exception for this gorgeous new ruched ribbon featured in the 2016-2018 In Colors. I bought Sweet Sugarplum during preorder and have already used over 1/2 of it!  (Dapper Denim 141424 $8 {shown below}, Peekaboo Peach 141427 $8, Sweet Sugarplum 141428 $8, Flirty Flamingo 141426 $8, Emerald Envy 141425 $8)

Ombre Ink Pads -- I love the look of ombre and now SU has released a stamp pad to recreate the effect! And we get three different color choices! (Calypso Coral 141611 $9 {shown below}, Rich Razzleberry 141609 $9,  Bermuda Bay 141608 $9)

2016-2018 In Color Envelope Paper -- I often buy the official In Color DSP packs, but this year I'm thinking that the Envelope Paper may be the perfect way to go. This paper is thinner to facilitate easy folding to make envelopes. But the thinner weight also makes the paper perfect for layering on cards. And the patterns are super cute! (141698 $11)

Those are my top 10 new items from the catalog. What are yours?

Purple Birthday Blooms

Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using your favorite returning stamp set. Ever since it arrived in the Occasions catalog, I've loved Birthday Blooms. Such an elegant stamp set! For this card, I decided to stick to my favorite colors: one old (Rich Razzleberry) and one new (Sweet Sugarplum). Add a few embellishments and I had a beautiful birthday card!

Close up to see the heat embossed sentiment. I love the shine!

• Stamps: Birthday Blooms
• Inks: Sweet Sugarplum, Rich Razzleberry
• Cardstock: Sweet Sugarplum, Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White
• Accessories: Gold Sequins, Sweet Sugarplum Ruched Ribbon, Bow Paper Clips
• Tools: Gold Embossing Powder

SSINKCC34: Flower Garden

Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the featured colors:

I had fun stamping and punching out flowers and butterflies. Before my big order of new products arrive, I wanted to play with some of my older yet still loved stamp sets. The butterfly set has always been a favorite. I had to pull it out and make a garden on the card. This would be great in a variety of color combinations.

• Stamps: Love and Affection; Flower Shop; Petal Potpurri
• Inks: Emerald Envy; Elegant Eggplant; Pink Pirouette
• Cardstock: Elegant Eggplant; Pink Pirouette; Whisper White
• Accessories: Pearls
• Tools: Pansy Punch; Bitty Butterfly Punch

5 on 5 June

1. The current state of my workspace... I've got planner accessories, a specialty album, PL embellishments, make n takes (for crop day), and items for design team cards... Getting a bit cluttered.

2. Finally ready to start working on putting together my Week in the Life album. I've started sorting the pieces from the kit. I've ordered my pictures (need to pick up tomorrow). All set to go!

3. Pulling retired and random items for sale at the crop day. I've gotten multiple bins tagged and ready to go.

4. Playing around with stepping up a card. Look for the finished product on June 15th.

5. My color palette for an upcoming Inspiration card. Bright and summery!

June 2016 Crafting Goals

June may look like a light goals month, but each of these are super involved.

• May PL Pages -- The usual
• Finish WITL Album -- I have some of the inserts prepped, but now I need to print, journal, and embellish!
• Catch up on twins' PL albums -- I got the pics printed last month, but never got around to actually doing the pages.
• Prep and hold my catalog launch open house -- June 11th! That's the day of my huge open house crafting and catalog launch party. I have a ton of plans and some surprises up my sleeves.

A recap of last month's goals:

• April PL Pages — Success! Love ticking off this goal each month.
• Prep WITL album and make a plan — Success! I decided to do WITL the week of May 16th and I actually stuck with it. Right now I am going through my pictures in preparation for printing.
• Prep May’s stamp club cards — Success! Loved my cards from this month. How do I top them for June?
• Attempt to fill stamp club for next round — Success! I have four ladies signed up for club which is perfect as this will be a mini round of club (June-Sept) due to the baby coming in October.
• Make a plan for new baby’s PL album — Success! I bought an album last week and pulled many of my current supplies. I also jotted down a few ideas about layouts, etc. I hope to start prepping the album during my open house.
• Finish posting any for sale items — Success! I photographed, tagged, and priced everything I have for sale. Some of it has been posted to FB already. The rest will be posted this week as items only retired on June 1st.

Woven Ribbon

Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the new Ruched Ribbon! I just love the look of this ribbon. I only bought the Sweet Sugarplum color during preorder, but you better believe I will buying the rest of the colors this month!

• Stamps: Suite Sayings; Botanical Blooms
• Inks: Sweet Sugarplum; Mint Macaron
• Cardstock: Affectionately Yours DSP; Crumb Cake; Very Vanilla
• Accessories: Sugar Sugarplum Ruched Ribbon; Pearls
• Tools: Botanical Builder Framelits