Mother's Day - Guest Stamper

Last Sunday was Mother's Day and even though they couldn't be home to celebrate with me, each of my three girls did something special for me.  I had a nice Skype conversation with each of them.  My oldest sent me a beautiful bouquet of flowers, my youngest is actually going to visit us this coming weekend and my middle daughter, Kristen, sent a hand-stamped card.  I liked it so much that I wanted to share it with you.

She used a stamp set that both she and I really like, but she was the only one who ordered it.  It's called Cottage Window and you don't often see it used, but it has a lot of versatility!  Unfortunately, it's being retired this year so if you like it, best get your order in by the end of the month.  She also used a couple of other stamp sets to embellish the image.  The little balloon is from Collage Curios which is in the Spring Mini and will expire on May 31st.  The clouds are from Up, Up and Away, another retiring set, and the sentiment is from Itty Bitty Banners.

I like her choice of DSP from Comfort Cafe, because it looks just like wallpaper, and the strip of Victorian Crochet trim and the Basic Gray button are the perfect touches to finish it off.

I love how Kris so carefully hand cut all the elements including the center of the window and backed it with Marina Mist card stock before adding the clouds and the balloon.

The whole window frame is actually popped up on dimensionals, giving it a real 3D look.

Kristen is the creative person behind the blog, Honey Nutbrown, about life in a northern BC community.  She is also a knitter and came up with a project called My Year in Temperatures Scarf, that has taken off on knitting sites everywhere.  Here's a link.  Make sure you look at other posts,too, because you'll find all sorts of creative hand-crafting going on from Dandelion Wine to Hatching chicks!

Please leave a comment to let Kris know what you think of her card and to encourage her to do more! lol

Stamps:  Cottage Window (w127280; c127282)*; Up, Up and Away (w122755; c122757)*; Collage Curios (w129099; c129102)*; Itty Bitty Banners (w126255; c126257)

Paper: Pretty in Pink (100459)*, Marina Mist (119682) and Whisper White (100730) card stock; Comfort Cafe Design Series Paper (126898)**

Ink:  Classic Stampin' Pads in Early Espresso (126974), Marina Mist (126962) and Rich Razzleberry (126950)

Accessories:  Victoria Crochet Trim (118481); Neutrals Designer Buttons (119743)**; Rhinestone Basic Jewels (119246)

Tools:  Paper Snips (103579)

*Retiring product available until June 3, 2013

** Retiring product available while supplies last until June 3, 2013

Collage Curios Stamp Set

Comfort Cafe DSP

Cottage Window Stamp Set

Itty Bitty Banners Stamp Set

Up, Up and Away Stamp set

Time Flies!

Welcome to another busy week!  I can't believe how fast they are flying by these days.  In fact, it startles me when I see I need to do laundry or get groceries, because it feels like I just got them!  I feel like I should be good for another few days, but no!  Another week has passed.

So here we are at Monday again!  And time for some more challenges.  This time I have created a card that will fit two challenges:  The Paper Players #137 , a sketch challenge;   and Dynamic Duos #44, as always, a colour challenge.

Here's my card using The Paper Player's layout:

And Dynamic Duos' Colour Palette:

• I'm planning a Technique class coming up using Crystal Effects in different ways, so I wanted to try out some of the techniques I've seen using it.  
• So I flattened some of the large Soda Pop Tops using the Big Shot and stamped some 1" circles using  the Collage Curios stamp set.  
• I mounted them in the  Soda Pop Tops and added a thick layer of Crystal Effects......

Several hours later......

• Still waiting for them to completely dry! If I'm going to do this for Technique Night, this will have to be the first project and the layer of Crystal Effects will have to be a lot thinner!                                                                                                                                       

• I don't know if you can tell, but the bubble like things on the Soda Pop Tops are Rhinestones added before the Crystal Effects.
• I finally got to use one of the Needlepoint Borders Embossing Folders with the cross-stitch design, near the Basic Black Taffeta Ribbon at the top.
• The sentiment is from the Curly Cute stamp set.

SALE-A-BRATION ENDS THIS WEEK!!

I can't believe that Sale-A-Bration is almost over either!  Where did those two months go?  Friday, March 22nd is the last day!  I hope you've been reading your emails or watching my Facebook posts regarding the last 10 Days of Sale-A-Bration Bundles, because there are some great opportunities to take advantage of Stampin' Up's free Sale-A-Bration products.  I will be featuring them in further posts this week!  

Make sure you email me before midnight, Thursday, Mar. 21st, so you don't miss out!  Everyone who orders $60 or more from me during Sale-A-Bration will receive an invite to my free Celebrate Sale-A-Bration party where I will spoil you with lots of free stuff! 

• There are other ways to get an invite.  If you join my team during SAB, I will send you an invite!  It's the best deal ever - $194 worth of product for only $125!  
• If you booked a private class with me during Sale-A-Bration, you are invited, but you could still book an event with me.  I have set a goal to book 9 classes during April, May and June, and I need you to help me achieve it!  If you call me before I call you on Thursday, with a date in mind during those months, I will see that you are invited to Celebrate Sale-A-Bration!

Make my little daffodil bulb grow - every 2 bookings will cause it to show new growth!  Help me turn it into a whole field of blooming daffodils!

Stamps: Collage Curios (w129099; c129102); Curly Cute (w117014; c120510)

Paper: Basic Black (121045) and So Saffron (105118) card stock

Ink: StazOn Jet Black (101406)

Accessories:  Soda Pop Tops (129388); 3/8" Taffeta Ribbon in Basic Black (119962); Rhinestone Basic Jewels (119246), Crystal Effects (101055)

Tools:  Curly Label Punch (119851), Scallop Edge Border Punch (119882), 1" Circle Punch (119868), Needlepoint Border Embossing Folders (129383) 

Mini Winners!

Mini-winners!  Say that 5 times rapidly!  Don't tell me what you ended up with at the end! 

I wanted to share some mini 3" x 3" cards that I made to include with my customers' orders.  I like to let them know how much I appreciate their orders and add some little personalized comments, so these little cards are the perfect way.  And, as I learned from my upline, if I just write on a post-it note and don't put their names on the envelope, they can re-use the card!

The colour palette is from Dynamic Duo's Challenge #40, a black tie challenge along with Tempting Turquoise.

I wanted to focus the design on the soda pop caps, new in the Spring Mini Catalogue, and I just learned how to squish them properly, and it actually worked!  WOW!  I punched out centers using the 1" Circle punch and stamped them with images from the Collage Curios stamp set, also available in the Spring Mini.  The stamped doily is from the Delicate Doilies stamp set, while the sentiment is from a lovely little set called Kindness Matters.  The black doily behind each squished soda pop top is created using the Delicate Doilies Sizzlets L.  It makes lovely die-cut doilies, but you must take the time to poke out ALL the little bits the die creates but doesn't fully liberate from the card stock. I use either my Paper Piercer or the stylus from my Simply Scored scoring tool.

With the little ribbon tails made from 1/2" Scallop Dots Ribbon in Basic Black, it looks like each medallion is a little awards ribbon for the winner, so I'm hoping my customers will feel like big winners!

I still may do a full standard-sized card for this challenge (so I can add the dessert option of clouds), but I will do some more work on that tomorrow!  See you then for a MOJO Monday design.

Stamps:  Collage Curios (w129099; c129102); Delicate Doilies (w122590; c122592); Kindness Matters (w122900; c122902)
Paper: Tempting Turquoise (102067), Whisper White (100730) and Basic Black (121045) card stock
Ink:  Classic Stampin' Pad in Tempting Turquoise (126952); Jet Black StazOn (101406)
Accessories: Soda Pop Tops (129388); Big Shot (113439); 1/2" Scallop Dots Ribbon in Basic Black (124145)
Tools:  Delicate Doilies Sizzlet L (126999); Simply Scored Stylus (125624); 1" Circle Punch (119868)

One Inch Circle Punch

Delicate Doilies Sizzlet L

Collage Curios Stamp Set

Kindness Matters Stamp Set

Soda Pop Tops