Shining Stars

When I saw similar cards on my sister's blog I had to give these stars a try. I love them paired with this stamp from the Banner Blessings stamp set.
Don't forget about Sale-A-Bration and the new Occasions catalog products. I'll start posting some cards with those products starting next week. So check back in!

Baby Shower

One of my nieces is expecting her first baby so I needed a shower card. Here's what I came up with using the Banner Blast stamp set from last year's Sale-A-Bration.

The expression over the heart is from the Zoo Babies stamp set. I used the Decorative Dots embossing folder and then pulled out a piece of the Old Olive dotted paper from the Brights color pack I have. You can still get the color packs of DSP but the patterns are different. They are handy products to have on hand. I also used the Sweetheart and Banner Punches and Bitty Banners framelits to make this card. 

A Round Array

I finally though I was all done with my Flirtatious Designer Series Paper pack until I lifted my paper trimmer off the table and there were two large strips of the DSP underneath. I just couldn't throw them away, especially since I had so many matching scraps of card stock already laying there right in front of me. So these are the two cards I made with those scraps. Yes, even the card bases were laying right in front of me. I did have to get up and pull down my A Round Array stamp set look through my DSP to find some paper to line the envelopes. But that search went pretty quickly as I just looked on the package label for packs with Melon Mambo as one of the colors. I was pleasantly surprised to find this pattern in the retired Floral District pack.

And that is it for my cards from the Flirtatious DSP... hope you have enjoyed viewing them.

A Different Fold

When I had used up all the Flirtatious DSP I still had some of the laser cut doilies left. So I dug in some more of my retired DSP to find some Peach Parfait paper and made these cards. The base is a piece of 4.5X8.25 card stock. You can use the 2-3/4 piece you cut off the 4.5x11 piece to cut out Deco Label #3. You'll need another scarp of card stock to cut out Deco Label #2 for the inside.
The embossing folder I used is retired but there are so many cute ones you won't have trouble finding a substitute and the same goes for the doilies. You could either use your scallop punches or starburst or floral framelits.

Quick Anniversary Cards

These are the wedding anniversary cards I made with the larger scraps of DSP that were on my work table. I just pulled some "love" stamps out and then used Big Shot embossing folders to dress the card stock up a bit. Quick and easy cards!

Remember the Border Lace Punch?

 These three cards were an adaptation from another on Linda Heller's site. I used paper from the Flirtatious pack and the laser cut doilies layered with card stock. Linda's cards were square. Since square cards require added postage I try to avoid them. Linda had used the retired Border Lace Punch on the inside of her card so that gave me the idea to add the border of it on the outside of the card and place the stamped sentiment on top of it. I used some buttons and pearls to finish off the cards.

I don't put my liners in the envelopes until I'm ready to mail the cards. So, I just fold the flap over at the correct position to fit in the envelopes and then tuck them inside the card for storage. Then when I'm ready to send them the liner is already cut and I just have to run some adhesive along the flap edge and the envelope is all dressed up! Someone asked me if I get my A4 envelopes from Stampin' Up! I do. I have found them to be the best quality envelopes, especially if I want to stamp an image on the envelope. They have a nice texture and seem to pick up the ink the best of any envelope I've tried. And of course, the envelope liner framelits fit perfectly. Envelopes and adhesive are usually on every order I place with Stampin' Up!

Crocheted Flower

I've used lots of retired product on this card but the layout could be used with scallop punches or any number of framelits as substitutes. The Designer Series paper in the background gives you a nice layer to work on.

Delicate Doilies

These two cards use the same layout but different color schemes. Quick and simple to make with the Flirtatious laser cut doilies and the Delicate Doilies stamp set.

Less Fuss

I used the same layout as yesterday's card but fewer layers and elements. The pink side panel is stamped with VersaMark and then sprinkled and heat embossed with clear embossing powder. The doily is cut from one of the laser cut doily sheets in the Flirtatious Designer Series Pack and layered over one of the patterns from that pack. That same pattern is used to make the envelope liner. I used the Deco Labels framelits to cut out the image from the You're Lovely set from last year's Sale-A-Bration.
Speaking o Sale-A-Bration... there are so many great sets in the new Occasions catalog that it's no problem to earn some free items from the Sale-A-Bration brochure. Or if you have been waiting to get Blendabilites from the Annual Catalog you can use your Sale-A-Bration earnings to get them. It's a great deal!

Retired Products

I always wind up with some retired Designer Series Paper because you get so much in a pack. Last week as I was online searching for a card layout/design I saw a sample on Linda Heller's Stamping School site that used the Flirtatious pack from several years ago. I knew I had some of it. When I pulled the pack I realized I had never used a single sheet of the paper. I'm that way sometimes when something is especially pretty; I can't decide how to use it or want to save it for something really special. It's a habit I'm trying to break!
So, since my card inventory is at an all time low. I challenged myself to use the entire pack of paper. Two days and 40 cards and envelope liners later I thought I was done. But on the third day when I was cleaning up my work space I found two more good sized scraps of DSP under my paper trimmer. So, I got a sat down and made two more cards and cut liners to coordinate. I don't put my liners in envelopes until I'm ready to send them.
If you don't make liners for your envelopes you can get a lot more cards out of a pack of DSP.

 This is my attempt at the card I found on Linda Heller's site. It is pretty but almost too many elements for me; so tomorrow I'll share another card I made by scaling back on the elements.

Dotty Angles

I haven't had much time to play with the Dotty Angles stamp set but it can be used in so many ways. I saw a layout where the edge of the card was dry embossed with polka dots. I decided I could stamp instead. The DSP is Lullaby. I wanted just the word "love" on the front. Do you think I could find a stamp of the right size? Of course, not. So I wound up using my marker and carefully coloring just that word in the God is Love stamp from the Trust God stamp set. The letters are all entwined on that stamp so I wasn't sure it would work. Turned out being easier than I thought.

Hearts, hearts, hearts

About this time of year we begin to see lots of Valentines on the Pinterest boards. I've found that many of those layouts make great wedding anniversary cards. The DSP is Flowerpot. The hearts were cut using the Hearts framelits and my Big Shot and I also used the Big Shot and Large Polka Dots embossing folder on the banner and the Zig Zag and Lucky Stars embossing folders on two of the hearts. CASE:  Jan del Muro

Anniversary card

This is the same card using two different techniques to edge the layered white card stock. On the top card I used my Simply Scored Scoring Tool with the Borders Plate to make the dry embossed border. On the bottom card I used Essentials pack to paper pierce the border. The hearts are punched using the Sweetheart punch. When I went to pull some scraps of Pink Pirouette I found some that were already embossed with an embossing folder in my Big Shot. I save everything! I like the way that embossing added a little something to this simple card. Happy accident!

Simple Sympathy card

This is a little simpler sympathy card. It's easy to create with the Postage Stamp. Word Window and Bitty Butterfly punches. I used a sponge to add some ink to the edges of the punched butterfly so that it wouldn't fade into the background. The expression is from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set. The DSP is Sweet Taffy pack.

Sharing in Your Sorrow

Sadly, I was in need of a few sympathy cards. We have had a few deaths in our parish and community. At about the same time our weather was gloomy and so I wanted a card that was more bright and hopefully a little uplifting. The butterflies were made using my Big Shot and the Beautiful Wings embosslit. The DSP comes from the Flowerpot packet and the expression is from the Thoughts and Prayers stamp set. I wanted to use this expression because I was sending this card to a dear friend whose mother, Helen passed away at the age of 102. Helen was just such a dear, sweet lady and you would never have guessed her age. The pearls add a little extra sparkle to the card just like Helen did to life.

Life's Adventure

This cake stamp is from the Life's Adventure hostess set in this year's Idea Book and Catalog. I did some fussy cutting and coloring with markers. I also used up two scraps of the Confetti Celebration DSP that were laying on my desk. Always love it when I can use up those scraps! The expression comes from the Remembering Your Birthday stamp set.

Seize the Cake

I love this layout. Actually the original was turned in the portrait position but I wanted to use the Seize the Cake stamp from the Something to Say stamp set so I wound up doing a little reorienting (or recalculating as our GPS would say).
The Designer Series Paper is from the Confetti Celebration Pack. I used my Banner Framelits to cut the banners. The little star was punched using the Itty Bitty Accents Punch pack. It's all topped off with some of the Tangelo Twist ribbon.

Enjoy the fuss

Here's another card using the Work of Art stamp set along with the Big News stamp set. I like the contrast between the burlap, twine and the sequins. 

Work of Art Snowman

I don't know who comes up with this ideas but I love finding them on Pinterest. This cute snowman is made using stamps from the Work of Art set. I just love his little heart nose and "charcoal" smile. This is a really quick card and since we are really in the midst of winter here it's certainly appropriate. Today as I headed out to quilt with the ladies at church it was minus 6 degrees and we had a beautiful new 4 inch layer of snow on the ground. So pretty! As the sun was making its way over the east there were beautiful layers of pink, purple and blue in the sky. Just glad I didn't have to be out in the cold for long!

Happy New Year!

What better way to celebrate the new year than with a birthday; especially since that is my birthday! Seriously, yesterday after worship we celebrated the 90th birthday which will be tomorrow of one of our dear members. Her great grandchildren sang Jesus Loves Me during worship. I'm guessing there were over 25 of them, two of the great granddaughters and a granddaughter played special music during worship with organ, flute and violin. So beautiful! Then her family hosted a cake reception after worship. That's celebrating!
Here's the card I made for her.

(CASE: Linda Heller). The box folds flat to insert in the envelope. I added the 90 to the original card design and adhered it to the front of the box using a stack of 5 dimensionals to give it a more "popped" look.
This is the same card I prepped for my niece's birthday (minus the 90). I say prepped because several family members and a friend decided to send her cards to put together. What fun we have teasing each other.