A-B-C's for Spring

This idea comes from a March 2009 issue of Stampin' Success (Stampin' Up!'s magazine for demonstrators).
I've used the Best Year Ever Designer Series Paper and images from Butterfly Basics along with the retired Hello, Hello stamp set. The boxes can be made with the Gift Box Punch Board as I did with the "hello" box. For the square boxes I used the retired Itty Bitty Box and Envelope die I have for my Big Shot. The S-P-R-I-N-G letters were cut using the retired Timeless Type sizzlits and Big Shot.

More Petals!

Here are two cards using the same CASE of stampingpals blog I saw on Pinterest. The card on top uses a flower from Petal Potpouri and I added a button for the center and a few sequinsfrom the 2013-2015 In Color Sequins Assortment. I tied some Soft Sky cotton Twine along the bottom and threaded it in the button, too. The Designer Series Paper at the top is from the Best Year Ever pack.
The lower card uses the flower from the Crazy About You stamp set. I stamped it four times using a darker shade of ink each time (Blushing Bride, Crisp Cantaloupe, Calypso Coral and Cajun Craze). I punched the Blushing Bride flower out using the coordinating punch and then fussy cut the other layers of the flower out. I've used a Garden Green brad to hold it all together. The leaves on both cards use the stamp from the Crazy About You stamp set. The DSP on this card is from the Gold Soiree Specialty pack. It has a slick finish. Pretty papers! Crisp Cantaloupe thick baker's twine is tied at the bottom.

Happy Accident

I was working on a card using this Best Year Ever Designer Series Paper. I had made my cut for a 4"x5-1/4" piece of it and then my paper cutter blade fell down on the remaining 4"x6-3/4" piece and cut it diagonally. I hate when I do that! Usually I just put that piece back in the package and hope I will use it later. But this time I challenged myself to make something with it. I like how it turned out. 

The stamped image is from the Another Great Year stamp set. I stamped once on white and cut with circle punches and then stamped a second time on Crushed Curry and fussy cut the banner to layer.  I colored the candles with Blendabilities markers. More circle punching in Tangelo Twist and Crushed Curry and a strip of the Bermuda Bay Sequin Trim and all layered on a stamped piece of Tangelo Twist. The dots were made using a stamp from the Work of Art stamp set. (You gotta get it!) After everything was layered I had a few of the Bermuda Bay sequins laying on my work surface so I added them to the card and topped them with a little rhinestone. I love when little mishaps turn into happy accidents!

Mini Treat Bag

 I have been having fun with the new Mini Treat Bag Thinlits from Stampin' Up! There are a lot of pieces in this package of thinlits to use with your Big Shot. In the photo above you see the little treat bags I made for the Confirmation Class. They'll get them on Wednesday. So, keep it a secret! I used the Best Year Ever Designer Series Paper that you can get free during Sale-a-Bration. I have searched and searched for my little cello bags and couldn't find them. So, made do with the little cello wrap that dimensionals come in. Good thing I don't throw much away! This time it paid off.

See the little framelit in the card photo. That comes in the Mini Treat Bag set. I rolled a piece of white card stock through the Big Shot 3 times repositioning the thinlit each time to make the three rows of hearts. It was eaiser than I expected to get the rows lined up. The thinlit leaves a little impression and I just lined the top of the thinlit with the bottom impression. The ribbon is from the Best Year Ever Accessory Pack. And look at all the little hearts you get (see them scattered on the table surface)... I have hearts all over my work space! There is also a star strip thinlit; I'm thinking quick and easy masculine cards.
And here are some photos of some Valentine decorations I made for our Valentine Brunch at church.

I made little Valentines to sit on the tables next to the vases. The vases have little branches from our Red Twig Dogwood bushes in them. I used the scraps from the Valentines and some silver glimmer paper to punch hearts and hot glued them to the branches.
The two photos below are actually one project as it is two-sided. I used my Big Shot to make the smaller boxes; I had these precut and in my Melon Mambo scrap envelope. I honestly don't ever remember cutting them. Anyhow, I wanted to use the "B" and bumblebee stamp from the retired "Just Buzzing By" stamp set and needed a larger box; so I used my Gift Box Punch Board to make it. This was one of those late night, can't fall asleep ideas. Luckily I still remembered it this next morning!

You Brighten My Day!

This stamped image is from a cute free Sale-A-Bration set called You Brighten My Day. I also used the Best Year Ever Designer Series Paper from Sale-A-Bration. The banner was cut using Banner framelits and is embossed with the new Happy Hearts Textured Embossing Folder for the big shot and the Whisper White twine from the Painted Blooms Cotton Twine pack (Soft Sky and Wild Wasabi are the other two colors in the pack). I used Circle punches for the circles and the little heart from the Itty Bitty Punch Pack. Silver Glimmer paper adds to the sparkle. The bulb was colored with the Daffodil Delight Blendabilities.
I'll have some more ideas for the Occasions and Sale-A-Bration products next week. Check back in!