Birthday Blossoms Tent Topper

Do you belong to Splitcoaststampers? If you don't you should. It is probably the biggest and best source of papercrafting information and inspiration there is. I have an account there, but I haven't posted a card for quite some time. I just don't find the time. But I do use their tutorials extensively and I love their weekly newsletter! It's free to join and an invaluable asset, plus it's a place where you can display your creations and get lots of loving feedback. All this to say that I often google a technique or theme and I come up with either a SCS (Splitcoaststampers) sample or tutorial. When I searched Pinterest for some new fancy fold techniques, I came up with a sample on SCS using the Tent Topper fold and decided to use the technique for one of my own creations using the Birthday Blossoms Stamp Set from Stampin' Up!  I really like this stamp set for the blossom images and the great sentiments. I think it's going to get a lot of use!

• The base of the "tent" is a piece of Watermelon Wonder cardstock cut at 4 1/4" x 10" and scored at 5". I've added a 4" x 4" piece of Whisper White embossed with the Honeycomb embossing folder and a darling bow made from the Watermelon Wonder Dotted Lace Trim.
• Then I dug out my Floral Frames Framelits. I don't use them half as often as I should. They are really quite versatile and pretty. I used the second largest frame to make the Watermelon Wonder flower shape which is glued on to the card base, but extends at the top to bring the whole card to 5 1/2", so it will fit inside a standard envelope. I used the next smallest framelit to cut the Whisper White shape and stamped it with the spray of little blossoms in Tip Top Taupe ink and the sentiment, also from Birthday Blossoms.
• The flowers were stamped on Whisper White with Watermelon Wonder ink and punched out with the coordinating Pansy Punch. It is important to find out which orientation of the blossom stamp matches with the punch. I always mark a B for bottom on my stamp so I know which petal to have at the bottom of my page to make the punching out easy. The flowers are mounted with Stampin' Dimensionals to the Whisper White, which in turn is mounted with Dimensionals to the Watermelon Wonder flower shape.

Here's what it looks like from the side:

This is very easy to complete and just adds more variety to your card making.

Click on the links below to take you to my On-Line Store, where you can read about, look at, and purchase if you wish, the products used to make this card today!   

Product List

Birthday Blossoms Wood-Mount Stamp Set [139167]	Birthday Blossoms Clear-Mount Stamp Set [139471]	Watermelon Wonder 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [138334]	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730]	Tip Top Taupe Classic Stampin' Pad [138325]
Watermelon Wonder Classic Stampin' Pad [138323]	Watermelon Wonder 1" Dotted Lace Trim [138425]	Pansy Punch [130698]	Honeycomb Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [129378]	Floral Frames Framelits Die [127012]
Big Shot [113439]	Fuse Fast Adhesive [129026]	Stampin' Dimensionals [104430]	Liquid Multipurpose Glue [110755]

Beautiful Wings with the Curvy Keepsake Box

Today I have a couple of projects to share with you for an up-coming Mom and Me Class this Saturday. The moms and kids will work together to make a very fancy Curvy Keepsake Box covered in butterflies. Some are from the Beautiful Wings Embosslit that is retiring this year after gracing the pages of Stampin' Up! Catalogues for ever! The big butterfly on top is from the Butterfly Thinlit dies! There is another Top Secret project that I can't share yet because the kids will be making for their moms for Mother's Day while the moms work on this project:

This project was cased from Diane Ouellette, who in turn cased it from Connie Babbert. Thanks for your inspiration, ladies! You can see a butterfly theme happening! Let's take a closer look at the Butterfly Box:

• It has been awhile since I last played with the Curvy Keepsake Box, but I wanted a 3D project for the kids to enjoy. It would be great for candies or snacks, but also for keeping small treasures in.
• The colours I used were Melon Mambo, Basic Gray and Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper. I think they suit each other quite well in a dramatic way. I used the Butterfly Thinlits to die cut the butterfly out of the Glimmer Paper. I tried using the Dryer Sheet Technique to get all the little bits out of the butterfly wings, but due to the type of paper, it didn't work as well as it usually does. Oh, well, poking out all those little pieces will be a great job for the kids to do! 
• The Basic Gray cardstock really shows up the embossed design from the Beautiful Wings Embosslits well. As I mentioned they are retiring and are on sale for 50% off!

• On the sides, the labels are made using the Daydream Medallions Stamp Set, also on the Retiring List. The design was stamped in VersaMark Ink on the the Basic Gray cardstock and heat embossed using Iridescent Ice Stampin' Emboss Powder. Usually, it's hard to tell when the Iridescent Ice powder is heat set on White or Vanilla. But it turned dark on the Basic Gray and it was so easy to tell when it was set. Rather dramatic actually! I die cut the backing with the Floral Frames framelits.
• The center of the frames was stamped with an image from the Hello There Stamp set which is a retiring Hostess Set from the Annual Catalogue. I stamped it in Melon Mambo Ink and punched it out with the 1 1/4" Circle punch. It created a tiny border of white around the solid Melon Mambo which helped it stand out on the Basic Gray. I love how that worked out.
• As you can see the butterfly die cut on top was snipped in half, with each half mounted on one side or the other of the little handle once the box is closed. It doesn't interfere, however, with the box opening and closing.

If you have kidlets between the ages of 5 and 12 and live in the area, please let me know if you'd like to attend this event this coming Saturday from 1 pm to 2:30 pm.

Click on the links below to take you to my On-Line Store, where you can read about, look at, and purchase if you wish, the Stampin' Up! products used to make this card today!

Product List

*Daydream Medallions Wood Stamp Set [131976]	*Daydream Medallions Clear Stamp Set [126467]	*Hello There Clear-Mount Stamp Set [133922]	*Hello There Wood-Mount Stamp Set [133919]	Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper [135315]
Melon Mambo 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [115320]	Basic Gray 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [121044]	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730]	Versamark Pad [102283]	Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad [126948]
Iridescent Ice Stampin' Emboss Powder [101930]	Embossing Buddy [103083]	Heat Tool [129053]	**Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die [118138]	Butterflies Thinlits Dies [137360]
Floral Frames Framelits Die [127012]	1-1/4" Circle Punch [119861]	Fuse Fast Adhesive [129026]	Glue Dots [103683]	Liquid Multipurpose Glue [110755]

*Retiring June 2

**Retiring June 2 and on sale for 50% off.

Fabric Frenzy

During the last week in March, Stampin' Up is offering 50% off all it's designer fabric!!!  But maybe you're not a sewer.  So what the heck do you do with a bunch a fabric, 50% off or not??  Well here are some ideas:

I've got some ideas to show you as well, for card making.  Remember this card? This card was made by cutting out the cloth with different Floral Frames Framelits, and layering them.

And how about this one?

These two cards use Rolled Fabric Flowers and I have a video tutorial to show you how to make them.

So, let me know if you want to take advantage of this amazing 50% off sale, and order some Stampin' Up Designer Fabric.  Look on pages 170 - 171 of this year's Idea Book and Catalogue, and then check out these prices:

Page	Item	Description	Retail Price	Sale Price
170	126892	Essentials Designer Fabric	$36.95	$18.48
171	126893	Floral District Designer Fabric	$12.50	$6.25
171	126894	Comfort Café Designer Fabric	$12.50	$6.25
171	125411	Summer Smooches Designer Fabric	$12.50	$6.25
171	125412	Twitterpated Designer Fabric	$12.50	$6.25
171	122337	Timeless Portrait Designer Fabric	$12.50	$6.25
171	122336	Beau Château Designer Fabric	$12.50	$6.25
171	124066	Spice Cake Designer Fabric	$12.50	$6.25
171	122335	Flirtatious Designer Fabric	$12.50	$6.25
6*	129308	Tea for Two Designer Fabric	$12.50	$6.25
13*	129307	More Amore Designer Fabric	$12.50	$6.25

*From the 2013 spring catalogue

Go ahead!  Have a fling with Fabric from Stampin' Up!

Fabric Floral Fun

So this week, my Technique Classes are all about fabric!  And it's been a steep learning curve for me, because I haven't used fabric (except for ribbon) a whole lot!  But the learning was SO much fun and something different to try out.  This was my first project!

  ( I am entering this card in two challenges, The Paper Players Challenge #135 to use sewing in my card, and Dynamic Duos Challenge #42 in Garden Green and Daffodil Delight.  There was no fabric available in Garden Green, so I had to use Old Olive instead.)

 Here are the challenges:

You've gotta try this!  Grab a cup of coffee and I'll show you how!

To be totally honest (yes, I'm nerdy like that), this fabric flower went through several changes as the afternoon wore on.  I even had a different version adhered to the card and photos taken, before I went back to the drawing board.  (Photos have a way of being brutally honest about your creations!)  What had looked cool and shabby-chic in real life, just looked oversized and messy on camera, so I removed some more layers and tried again.  Finally, I had it just the way I wanted it and I knew it would be much easier for my classes to complete as well.

You'll notice that the flower is the scene-stealer here.  The rest of the card is CAS (clean and simple).  The sentiment is from Fabulous Florets stamp set and the DSP is from Parker's Patterns. 

 Here's what you'll need: The Floral Frames Framelits and a Big Shot.








You'll also need a 5 1/2"  square piece of Designer Essentials Fabric and a 7" square piece in a different design, but same colour.

 

Thread a needle with some white or cream thread, and find a designer button in a coordinating colour and some linen thread.

Here's the Step by Step Instructions - Just for You!

• Using the second and third smallest framelits, cut out 4 each of each size using differently designed fabrics.

• Fold each piece in half so that you have four full petals.

Right way








                                       Wrong way

• Fold in half again so you have a heart-shaped piece.

• Place all four pieces, folded in fourths, overlapping each other in a circle.

• Sew together with two or three stitches perpendicular to each other.

• Repeat these steps with with second group of four smaller pieces, then sew to the first layer with a couple of stitches.

• Add a button, or whatever you would like for a center.  You can sew on the button with another couple of stitches, or use glue dots for another type of center.

And that's all there is to it.   Give it a try!  And let me know what you create!

Stamps:  Fabulous Florets (w123025; c123027)

Paper:  Whisper White (100730) card stock; Parker's Patterns DSP (131021)

Ink:  Classic Stampin' Pad in Old Olive (126953)

Accessories:  Designer Buttons- Brights Collection (119747); Essentials Designer Fabric (126892); 1/2" Seam Binding Ribbon in Daffodil Delight (125583); Linen Thread (104199)

Tools:  Floral Frames Framelits (127012); Big Shot (113419); Needle and thread