Clearance Rack blowout!

Oh my gosh....amazing deals on the SU Clearance Rack. Stampin Up added 200 items to the sale with some up to 80% off...OMG...you have to go see.  Buttons, paper, ink pads, ribbon, punches, brads--great stuff!

1. Go to my online store
2. On my SU site, click the link to Shop Now
3. click the link on the right-hand side for the Clearance Rack

Clearance rack items are only while supplies last and only available through an online order...check it out!  Happy shopping!

Perk Up for The Color Dare {CD79}

Hello everyone!  Today's card is for this week's  Color Dare combination:

CD 79

Wild Wasabi

Early Espresso

Marina Mist

So pretty together...do I say that every week?!  This little get well card is addressed to my stampin' mojo.  I don't know where it went but I hope it perks up soon.  I guess we all have creative slumps now and then, right?  Anyway, pretty simple layout today with stack of wonky teacups courtesy of the Stamp-a-ma-Jig and the Tiny Teacup stamp.  

I'll bet you're wondering how I made the scalloped Whisper White rectangle, right?  With the scallop square clear die!  First, I cut some WW cardstock with the scallop square die.  Next, I picked up the square I just cut and slid it over on the die so that some of the square was hanging off the edge and the scallops line up with the scallops on the die.  Run it through the Big Shot a second time to cut off the edge and you end up with a scalloped rectangle!  You can adjust the size of the rectangle by lining up as many scallops as you wish.

The little tag was stamped first with another Tiny Teacup inked in Wild Wasabi and stamped off once.  The sentiment from Puns from the Past was perfect for my get well/tea theme and was stamped in Early Espresso.  My 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" circle punches made the perfect sized tag to dangle from the retired Wild Wasabi striped grosgrain ribbon.

This is a really great color combination that could be used so many ways.  Check out the rest of the inspiration from the Color Dare design team and then head on over to the Color Dare blog to link up your creation.  We can't wait to come visit you!

• Riley - our leader
• Glenda - Papers, Scissors & Rocks
• Heather - Princess Scrapper Stamper
• Joan - JJ Creations
• Marisa - Rosemary Reflections
• Melissa - My Paper Obsession

supplies:

stamps: tiny teacup; puns from the past

ink: wild wasabi, early espresso, marina mist

paper: whisper white, early espresso, marina mist CS

xtras: 1 1/4" & 1 3/8" circle punches; scallop square clear die; wild wasabi ribbon [retired]; polka dots impressions folder;  baker's twine

Holly Jolly PPA {62}

Hello everyone!  Have you played at the Pals Paper Arts yet?  This week they have a fun challenge to use buttons!  I've recently discovered buttons in my own crafting and love the new color family packs of SU buttons that coordinate with all our paper and ink.  So once I figured out what colors & papers I was using for today's card, I knew I had a matching button in my Brights collection.  Here it is:

This is a pretty simple layout but features the bold colors of the Jolly Holiday designer paper: Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive and Very Vanilla.  What a deep, rich color combination!  The bottom half of the card base was embossed with the Polka Dot impressions folder and I used two strips of coordinating Jolly Holiday paper at the top.  Polka dots and stripes usually don't work for clothes but are always a winning combination on cards!  The highlight though was making the little ornament tag.

I inked one of the sentiments from Tags til Christmas first in Versamark, then Cherry Cobbler ink and stamped it onto Whisper White cardstock.  I sprinkled it with clear stampin' emboss powder and heat set for a shiny finish.  I punched it out with my 1 3/4" circle punch, added some gold elastic cord and finished it with an Old Olive button.  Makes a cute ornament, yes?  I had the luxury of a little time when working on this one so I was able to finish the inside as well:

I love this retro tree from Contempo Christmas--the little curly que branches and the stylized graphic makes me smile.  I stamped it in Old Olive and paired it with the sentiment from A Christmas Greeting, stamped in Cherry Cobbler.  Isn't that a nice thought?  Holiday neutral too which makes it good for all!

Thanks for letting me know what you think of this one--I so enjoy reading your comments and appreciate the time you took to visit me today...have a great one!

supplies:

stamps: tags til christmas; contempo christmas; a christmas greeting

ink: old olive, cherry cobbler, versamark

paper: cherry cobbler, very vanilla CS; jolly holiday DSP

xtras: clear stampin' emboss powder; designer buttons (brights collection); gold elastic cord; scallop dotted ribbon border punch

Monochromatic for The Paper Players {PP18}

Happy Sunday everyone!  It's another week for The Paper Players challenge and I am so excited to continue on board as Guest Designer this month!  October finally brings some cooler weather to Florida--and by cooler I mean pleasant [think 84 instead of 94](!)--so that had me thinking of fall colors.  This week's monochromatic challenge at The Paper Players is the perfect opportunity to highlight the SU Neutral color family with Crumb Cake, Early Espresso and Very Vanilla.  

For today's card I used a technique called "emboss resist" or "emerging color" to highlight the designer paper beneath the flowers.  This technique works best with a stamp that has a lot a surface area for the paper to peek through such as the Upsy Daisy set that I've used here.  First, stamp your image onto patterned paper with Versamark ink, sprinkle with clear embossing powder and heat set.  Next, fill a brayer with a coordinating color that is darker than your patterned paper and roll directly over the whole thing--paper & your embossed image.  Keep going!  You want to completely cover your paper and get a deep color.  When it's to your liking, wipe the ink off your embossed image and watch your pattern emerge within your stamped image...such a treat to watch...I know it's the little things that make me happy.  :-)

In keeping with the monochromatic theme, a slice of a Very Vanilla top note peeks out underneath the daises, anchors the image and holds a kind sentiment from the level 2 hostess set, Occasional Quotes.  

 

I wrapped the whole piece with some [retired] Crumb Cake taffeta ribbon and finished it off with another Vintage Brad--love those!  For more inspiration, check out the rest of the Players design team and their fabulous holiday cards.  We hope you'll join us with your monochromatic creations--I can't wait to see what colors you pick!

supplies:

stamps: upsy daisy, occassional quotes

ink: early espresso; versamark

paper: crumb cake, very vanilla CS; bella bleu DSP [retired]

xtras: scallop dotted ribbon border punch; vintage brads; crumb cake taffeta ribbon; top note die; brayer; clear stampin' emboss powder

All a Flutter for the ColorQ {52}

I was delighted to see this week's challenge over at the colourQ and since it's been ages since I've played at the Q, I was determined to participate!  To celebrate colourQ's birthday, Arielle gave us this great sketch to work with:

 

and let us choose any past colourQ combination as inspiration.  What a great idea!  I knew right away which one I would choose because I missed it the first time around...#42:

I love these colors and that skirt is fantastic!  I was inspired by the pattern of the fabric and knew immediately that I would use the lattice die as a focal point.  So, here is my card:

I had a bit of indecision over which color to use for the lattice die and which for the background but I finally settled on this beautiful piece of So Saffron designer paper from the [retired] Sweet Pea stack and a Tangerine Tango lattice.  The Tangerine Tango lattice was also run through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice embossing folder to mimic the texture of fabric.  For the three elements in the top corner, I substituted some paper piercing because I just couldn't make brads or anything bulky work there!

The butterfly is a [retired] a la carte stamp called All a Flutter that was stamped on Whisper White with Timber Brown Stazon.  I stamped it in Stazon (which doesn't run) because I colored the butterfly with a blender pen and classic inks in So Saffron, Tangerine Tango and Real Red.  My friend Jaydee, of Jaydee's Stamping, created a wonderfully helpful video tutorial on this technique which gave me the courage to try my hand at coloring.  I still need much practice but it was my first attempt!  I hand cut the butterfly and popped her up on a 1 3/4" circle punched from a beautiful bronzey-brown glitter paper.  The body needed a little something so I added some brown adhesive jewels, from my stash, to pull the eye in.  I purchased the Hope Happens stamp set just so I could use this sentiment on butterfly cards.  I think it's just perfect!

Without a sentiment on the inside, it is suitable for any occasion.  But I couldn't just leave it bare so I added more of the same DSP used on the front and a Chocolate Chip butterfly to finish it off.

So, there you have it--Happy Birthday colourQ and congratulations Arielle on a full year of fabulous fun and inspiration.  I can't wait to see what the next year brings.

Thanks all, for stopping by tonight.  I hope you have a great evening.  Be sure to check back tomorrow for the next challenge at The Paper Players!