Stencil cards

I made these two cards using the Summer Smooches Decor Stencil. In the top card I used sponge daubers and classic ink pads to apply the color. In the bottom photo the reverse piece of the stencil was used to block the Island Indigo and Pool Party that was sponged around the flower image.  Then I used my Color Spritzer and Calypso Coral marker to add a little contrast all over the card. I haven't done much with stencils; it was fun to try some new techniques.

Masculine Birthday Mouse

A couple more masculine cards using some long retired Stampin' Up! stamp sets. One of my coworkers said she had some stamping things that she no longer used. She wondered if I wanted them; said to use what I wanted and find a home for anything I didn't want. These cards are made from two sets from her stash. I had fun making them. The little mouse just makes me feel happy. The expression that is on the stamp with it is "Hooray for You" so I just inked the mouse image and found this "Happy Birthday" in the same arc shape in another of her sets. The balloon also came from that set. I used markers to color in the mouse and the balloons. Coloring is so therapeutic for me!

Masculine birthday card

I realized last week my stash of birthday cards was low in the masculine category. So, today I came up with this design using some ribbon that I've had for a long time.

Curvy Verses

This is a Get Well card I put together using the Curvy Verses and Patterned Party stamp set. The ribbon is from my stash; suspect it came from the dollar bin at one of the big box hobby stores. I'm going to have to get better at photography... because what you can't really see in this picture is that the green balloon has the argyle print on it and that the lower half of the card base is dry embossed using the Stripes embossing folder with my Big Shot.

Do Good

I used the Raining Flowers and Pursuit of Happines stamp sets on this card. Sure glad they are not retiring!
The Pear Pizazz cs was embossed with the snowflake embossing folder. It's sure a pretty pattern and certainly can be used for more than just "snowy" cards.
I'm going to miss this set of retiring colors: pear pizazz, peach parfait, blushing bride, concord crush and poppy parade. But it will be fun to see what the 5 new colors will be!

Congratulations!

These cards use the same elements just varied them a bit. I can't decide which one I like better. Sometimes it's just fun to see where the scraps on desk top take you!

Sky's the limit!

I'm using some retired Not Quite Navy on this card. I paired it with Baja Breeze. Then added a little Wild Wasaba in the balloon images and along the bottom. I used the double scallop trim punch and just let the very edge of it show below the card stock.

Step it up...

Today, I made some more graduation cards. I started with the layout on the top card and decided to use the same layout and supplies and step it up a bit in the second card by adding a row of So Saffron trim on each side of the Cherry Cobber cs. I also ran the stars through an embossing folder after they were punched.

In the bottom photo I also ran the Cherry Cobbler cs through the snowflake embossing folder and then adhered it upside down on the card base.

More DSP scraps

And another card using some one inch DSP scraps. I ran the top square through the Big Shot with the Lattice Square embossing folder after I had adhered the DSP. It gives it more dimension and also helps to secure all those little triangles. They were made by punching with the one inch punch and the square in half on the diagonal.

One Inch Scraps

These two cards were made using some Designer Series Paper scraps and a one inch square punch. The punch was also used to make the notch in the sentiment banner. Punches really save time! The card bases were embossed using embossing folders and the Big Shot. The brads are pretty heavy so I hesitate to use them on cards that are going in the USPS mail. But I'll need some graduation cards for friends here at the seminary and they can go into the intra-school mail so no need to worry about the weight.

Graduation cards continued...

A bit of "fussy cutting" on the flowers from Raining Flowers stamp set for this one. Otherwise it's a pretty quick card.

Graduation continued!

Another graduation card; this time I used colors from on online color challenge:  certainly celery, chocolate chip and pretty in pink. At first I thought I'd try to see if I could come up with a masculine card using those colors. Gave up on that pretty quickly! Just couldn't come up with anything I liked. I used the new Diagonal Plate to make the embossed lines on the white background.

Graduation is just a month away!

In about a month there will be a need for lots of graduation cards in my family. We have high school, college and even one seminary graduation coming up! Woohoo!!! So, decided to get started on some graduation cards. This layout is inspired by this week's Mojo Monday sketch.

The last donation for the auction... a hand knitted tote back with journal, ink pen and candle. The journal is a composition notebook that has been covered with DSP and card stock. Used my Big Shot Tasteful Trim die to make the Pacific Point card stock rick rack.  I unscrewed the pen and put a piece of matching DSP inside the pen barrel. The candle is decorated with stamped images, too. It's really easy to do; you just stamp onto tissue paper and then use your heat embossing tool to adhere the tissue paper to the candle by melting just the top layer of wax.

The tote is knit using regular worsted weight yarn with a one inch strip of plastic disposable bag. I had to have something to do while watching NCAA Men's Semifinals!

Tart and Tangy Card Set

This is CASE from Dawn Olchefske. She's one of my favorite stamping bloggers. She has a real knack for creating clean and simple cards. This is the retired Tart and Tangy stamp set. The ribbon really dresses up these simple images. Dawn has instructions on her blog for making the cute holder on the left, too.

One Sheet Wonder Card Set

I've been working on donations for the seminary's senior class silent auction. This is a cute little box of 9 all occasion cards. The box comes from Angie Leach's Too Cool Stamping blog. Really easy to make with the new Simply Scored Diagonal Plate.

These three cards are birthday cards. I tried to make one each that was masculine, juvenile and feminine.

These 3 are thank you cards.

I then made one each for Sympathy, Get Well and Anniversary.  The Designer Series Paper is a retired pack. It has some really pretty images and goes with the Elegant Lines embossing folder. I could have gotten all the cards out of one sheet of DSP but wanted to use more of the prints. I think I'll be making another set of these cards to keep! 

Packed for Baby

I got the "Packed for Everything Bundle" free as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator incentive. I wasn't sure I would use these four stamps very much. But then I saw a post on Angie Leach's Too Cool Stamping blog and was inspired. I've used them a lot! And it's nice that you can either buy all 4 stamps as a bundle or buy each one individually. Here are 2 baby cards I made. I have friends who just had their first baby and another friend who has another grandchild. So, these went in the mail yesterday.

Got Birthday?

I made this card using left overs from a recent card making evening with friends at a retirement home here in Chicago. I go there 2 times a month and help a group of residents make 3 cards each. I cut all the pieces before going and then they stamp and assemble the cards. So, I come home with lots of left over scraps because I never know how many will attend. Then the challenge is to use those scraps for cards that I need. I heat embossed the icing with the vanilla embossing powder.

Just Believe

Finally had all the Easter cards I needed and still had a few pieces of this ribbon and some of the green and yellow scraps... so, rather than start another pile on my desk I made a couple cards like this. I always have a need for thank you cards! I used the Stripes Embossing folder for the background and turned it to get the checked look at the top and just the stripes along the bottom. There are so many ways to use the embossing folders! I just love my Big Shot... a really good investment! The stamped images are from the Just Believe stamp set.

Scrap Challenge

Still needed a few more Easter cards and decided it was time to use some of the "scraps" sitting on my desk. I had ribbon, card stock, vellum, even the die cut doily laying on my desks from past projects I'd done with the group at the retirement home. I'm pleased with how they turned out. It's amazing how quickly those scraps turned into lovely cards!

Stripes and Lilies

Yes, that's the same old ribbon... but really now I am done showing you cards made with it. I like it but now I can order some Stampin' Up! ribbon in colors that coordinate with my paper and ink! That's what I love about SU! It makes it so easy to create and be pleased with your finished project.  I've used my Big Shot again on this card to emboss the background with the stripes. The Easter lilies are from a retired stamp set. The expression is from Teeny Tiny Wishes... a set I use a lot!