Welcome Fall!

After a very hot, humid, rainy and socially-distanced Florida summer, it will feel so good to welcome the cooler temps and breezes of fall! What are your favorite aspects of autumn?

I created this little gift ensemble using the Create Sunflowers stamp set and dies. 

The gift bag in the center was made from two pieces of cardstock that were cut and scored to form the bag.  The top was trimmed with pieces of DSP and punched for the ribbon for the handles.  I added a little stamped sunflower for the tag that I colored with the Stampin' Blends and die cut.  I also die cut another sunflower in Crushed Curry CS and adhered it to the back of stamped image (to cover the "bleed through" from the Blends). 

On the right is a small gift box with a small tube of Bath and Body Works  "Sunflower" hand cream. I die cut the sunflower from Crushed Curry paper and the flower detail from the new InColor, Bumblebee.  It was attached using the adhesive sheets. The centers were die cut using Cinnamon Cider and Early Espresso.  Leaves were die cut using the same process - outer leaf die cut and leaf detail die cut with adhesive sheets.

The card on the left was created employing the same methods as the gift box, using a piece of the InColor DSP for the front of the card.

If you would like more information, I would be happy to share. 

Bella Makes a Snowman

According to the calendar winter officially commenced on December 21st.  Living in Florida, you sometimes lose track of the seasons or what other areas of the country have to deal with - freezing temps, snow and ice to name a few! While I do not miss the snow, I do love to watch a snowfall and decorate our home for the holidays with my collection of snowmen. 

Each year for Christmas I create a special card for Barney's groomer and friends at Woofgang Bakery and Grooming and this year was no exception.  I love the "Bella and Friends" stamp set from ©Stampin' UP! because the little white dog looks just like Barney (or any other little white dog for that matter!)

I covered the front of a 4-1/4 by 5-1/2 card with the Snowman Season DSP.  Next I punched out a snowman and top hat from the DSP using the Snowman Builder punch and fussy cut the other snowman also from the DSP.  I stamped "Barney" and fussy cut it as well and gave him a little hat and muffler from the embellishment kit.  I placed the top hat and stick arms(embellishment) on the ground next to "Barney" so that he could complete the snowman!  Very talented little pup, IMHO!

Barney joins me in wishing all of our friends and family a very Happy and Healthy 2020!

Online Extravaganza! November 20-22, 2019

STOCK UP AND SAVE!

Get ready for three days of savings with the Stampin’ Up! Online Extravaganza! For three days only, you can get these deals from Stampin' Up!:

15% off Ink pads and Cardstock in:

• Neutrals Collection
• Regals Collection
• 2018–2020 In Colors
• 2019–2021 In Colors (except Purple Posy)

Take Additional 5% off the original 10% discount:

• 8 bundles
• Neutrals Classic Stampin’ Pads Assortment
• Regals Classic Stampin’ Pads Assortment
• 2018–2020 In Colors Classic Stampin’ Pads Assortment

Online Extravaganza Details:

• Dates:  November 20–22, 2019
• Order Deadline:  November 22, 2019; 11:50 PM (MT)
• All order types qualify for this promotion!
• Promotion includes items from the 2019–2020 annual catalog only.
• Discounts apply to promotion items only.
• Ordering information can be found in the flyer below.
• No limits apply.
• Discounted pricing for items featured in this promotion will be available ONLY during the sales period. No exceptions.
• If you purchased a product offered in the promotion prior to the sale, we will not be offering exchanges or credits.
• In the event that we run out of any item offered, promotional pricing will be honored on items backordered, up to the point it reaches the backorder limit. If you try to order an item that is not available, you will receive a notification informing you it is currently unavailable. Once an item reaches the backorder limit and is not orderable, it will no longer be available during the promotion and will not be available to order until additional inventory arrives.

Click the image below to open up the full size flyer with all of the discounted items and the pricing:

Open if You Dare!

(Cue the scary organ music...) 

I am "ghoulishly" excited to be participating in the SU Sunshine Demo's October Blog Hop. We are a group of current Stampin' UP! Demonstrators that live in Florida either full time or part time.  My entry features Halloween's "Spooktacular Bash".  This is such a fun suite, that I will be using it for a Halloween Sampler class I have scheduled!  

So read on to learn more, but only if you dare...

The card features a "gate fold" with a belly band to secure it in place.

Inside panel

Card recipe:

Supply List:
Stamps:  Spooktacular Bash 
Ink: Memento Black, Smoky Slate
Blends of your choice
Paper:  Whisper White, Basic Black, Monster Bash DSP, Silver Foil
Tools: Ornate Frames Dies
Embellishments:  Ribbon of choice

Directions:
1. Cut Basic Black 5-1/2" x 8-1/2"; score each side at 2-1/8" to meet in the middle
2. Cut two pieces of DSP 2" x 5-3/8" and adhere to front panels.  Cut a piece of WW for the inside.
3. To make the "Belly Band", wrap a 1" x 9" piece of Basic Black ad glue down just at the ends so that it can easily slide on and off.  Glue a ribbon around the belly band.
4. Stamp the "Count Dracula"  & "Open if you dare" images on a piece of WW.  Color with blends; I also used dauber on the little sign add "grunge" to it.
5. Die cut the images and also the matching ornate frame for the Count.  Add to the belly band with dimensionals.
6.  For the inside, I used the sentiment  & "laboratory" jars from Spooktacular Bash and cob webs (retired Spooky Fun) and mouse (retired Spooky Cat).

Thanks for stopping by!  And remember - create something beautiful every day!

Please visit the other blogs in our Blog Hop. 

Who Says Friendship is for the Birds?

The "Free as a Bird Bundle" is turning out to be a favorite of mine in the new Stampin' Up! catalog.  This set includes the Free As Bird Cling Stamp Set and the Stitched Nested Labels Dies.  Pair that with the Bird Ballad DSP and your possibilities are limitless! I am certain that your friends would love to receive a card like this!

 
Here for measurements and instructions if you would like to create this card.

Measurements:  

• Old Olive: 5-1/2” x 8-1/2”" score at 4-1/4" 
• DSP:  5-1/2" x 4-1/4" 

Instructions: 

• Cut a piece of the Bird Ballad DSP using largest Rectangle Stitched Die
• Cut a piece of Old Olive CS using Rectangle die that measures 3" by 4-1/2".
• Cut a piece of Bird Ballad DSP using Rectangle die measuring approx. 2-1/2" by 3-3/4".  (Note:  I cut the smaller piece of DSP from the center of the larger piece of DSP!) 
• Adhere the pieces of DSP and CS to the card base. 
• Cut a piece of Old Olive using one the Nested Dies.
• Cut a piece of Whisper White using a smaller Nested Dies. 
• Stamp the bird image on a scrap of WW.  Color with Stampin' Blends and fussy cut the bird.  I purposely cut off its feet.
• Stamp sentiment on small WW die cut
• Mask body of bird and stamp its feet on the small WW die cut to the left of the sentiment.  Color the shadow with the Blends.
• Using mini-dimensionals, position and adhere bird over the stamped feet.
• Glue Nested die piece to card. 
• As an afterthought, I stamped, colored and punched out the leaves and flower bud. I thought that it needed "balance!

If you are interested in purchasing any of the products used to make this happy card, I have listed them below and would be happy to help you.

Thanks for stopping by! And remember - create something beautiful every day!




Product List

Free As A Bird Bundle

[151123]

$51.25

Free As A Bird Cling Stamp Set

[149468]

$22.00

Stitched Nested Labels Dies

[149638]

$35.00

Stitched Rectangle Dies

[148551]

$35.00

Old Olive 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[100702]

$8.75

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[100730]

$9.75

Bird Ballad Designer Series Paper

[149592]

$11.50

Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad

[147090]

$7.50

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad

[132708]

$6.00

Petal Pink Light Stampin' Blends Marker

[146866]

$4.50

Crumb Cake Dark Stampin' Blends Marker

[144581]

$4.50

Crumb Cake Light Stampin' Blends Marker

[144582]

$4.50

Daffodil Delight Dark Stampin' Blends Marker

[144585]

$4.50

Mini Stampin' Dimensionals

[144108]

$4.00

"Welcome Baby" Sampler

Recently, we were blessed to add a new baby girl to our family!  My niece and her husband became first-time parents and my sister and brother-in-law -- who eagerly awaited her arrival -- became Nana and PopPop! 

As my group of stampers can attest, I love to make samplers -- for the different seasons, special holidays and occasions.   My patriotic sampler was previewed in my May 30, 2019 blog post.  So, with that in mind,  I set out to create a baby sampler for our little girl.  This will fit a 9 x 9 shadow box frame. The design elements for the squares are 2" x 2" and rectangles are 2" x 4-1/2".  

I used a combination of current and retired stamp sets:  Little Elephant; Sweet Baby; Made with Love; First Steps, and Moon Baby. I chose the ink and paper colors of Gray Granite and Blushing Bride and some current and retired DSP.  

To give additional dimension to some of the elements, such as her name, the letters were die cut in DSP and then in Blushing Bride and glued together and mounted with dimensionals.  The little elephants were punched out twice (one in DSP and then in pink).  I offset the pink CS when they were glued together.  

When I started to put the pieces together, some looked a little "naked" when mounted on the WW CS; so using one of the Gorgeous Grunge stamps, I stamped off once in Blushing Bride before adhering the various elements.  I added some embellishments here and there and a little bow, and it all seemed to come together!

If you would like more information on this sampler, please leave me a comment along with your email. 

Thanks for stopping by!  And remember to create something beautiful everyday!

Sailing Home Birthday Wishes

Today marks the anniversary of my husband's birth.  To protect is his privacy, but mostly to humor him, the actual year will remain open to speculation! 

After so many years together, finding or creating the perfect card can be a daunting task.  We love the ocean and boating, so when I saw the "Sailing Home" stamp set in the new catalog, I knew I had to have it!

The result: a "Double-Z Fold Card" using the Sailing Home bundle and some sentiments from other sets.  Using Night of Navy and Balmy Blue CS, I created the two "Z" folds.  I then added the "Come Sail Away" DSP on the various panels.  All images were stamped in Night of Navy and the sailboats, anchor and rope images were die cut and adhered to the panels with dimensionals. 

Card Recipe:

1. Long Panel:  Cut CS 4-1/4" by 11"
2. Shorter Panel:  Cut CS 3-1/4" x 9-1/4"
3. Place large panel LANDSCAPE (long side along the top) in trimmer and score at 2-3/4" and 5-1/2"
4. Z bone fold - Valley for the center fold and Peak for the front fold
5. Place shorter panel trimmer (landscape) and score at 2-3/4" and 5-1/2"
6. Z bond fold - this time peak of the front (larger panel) and valley for the smaller panel

DSP Measurements:

1. 2-1/2" by 4" (front stripe panel)
2. 5-1/4" by 4" (back compass panel on navy CS)
3. 3-1/2" by 3" (compass panel with boats)
4. 2-1/2" by 3" (stripe panel with anchor)
5. 2-1/2" by 3"(whisper white panel for sentiment)

Before gluing the two panels into place, lay it flat and think about how it will fold.  I adhered the back sentiment panel first and the only applied glue to just about half of the front panel with the boats.  

This is a fun card to create and measurements can easily be adjusted for different sizes. 

Please join me in wishing my husband Bill a very Happy Birthday!