A Few Cuties From My Upcoming Buffet

Pin It Now! Here are a few cards we'll be making at my house this Sunday!

This one uses the new stencils offered in the new prelease from the 2012 Idea Book, from the Summer Smooches Collection. It was designed by Patty Bennett.


This one is a super cute peek-a-boo card featuring the soon to retire Furry Folk.  I learned this pocket style card at an upline meeting last week.  Love new info and ideas!

oh. my. gosh. that little guy is cute, no?  what is that, a hedgehog or a porcupine?

And how about this cutie? This was featured in the latest issue of Stampin' Success as an Art Contest Pick. I can't wait for someone to have a baby girl now!


If you would like any of these cards either as a kit, or complete, please email me. Each completed card is $2 and each kit style card without the stamping is $1.

Have a blessed & creative day!
Erika. www.erikaclark.stampinup.net

Wonderful Mother Floating Twist Card HSSTC113

Pin It Now! Hi Friends!  I'm SO excited this week to be playing with Hand Stamped Sentiments' Weekly Challenge, more even than usual because they have chosen me to be a NEW Design Team Member!!!  I have been a huge cheerleader for them for some time now, and I'm so honored to be part of the inspiration that I've enjoyed.  :)

This week's challenge is All About Mom!






I decided to try a new fancy fold technique this week, because if your momma doesn't deserve something special, then who does?!  It's a Floating Inset Twist Card, and I learned this technique from Ustamp With Dawn and Friends Cards With Cool Moves Event. It is a very impressive fold!  I have to say, it's tedious at first, but once you realize which end is up (LOL) it goes together quite easily.  It's hinged in the middle so it pops out when opened.






Here's the bird's eye view of the opened card.






...And here is the back view.





This is the front of the card when closed.  I used that sweet tree image from Forever Young, I just love the little girl sitting on the swing.  Stamped with Marina Mist, and dotted with pink rhinestones from the Blossom Builder Designer Printed Kit (#125410) from the Spring Occasions Mini.  This die cut kit is worth the purchase just for the bling, and it's only available till the end of April!  I know somebody who has another kit coming from the UPS man this week!

After the tree image is stamped and blinged, it's tied with a length of Whisper White Organza Ribbon, and a Heart Trinket is tied on with a single strand of Linen Thread.  I like to pull the layers apart when the project is more delicate looking, like this one.

The sentiment banners are from Delightful Dozen.





Here is the back of the card, when closed.  The same tree from Forever Young is used, just stamped around the edge of the Top Note die.  Then a bunch of Whisper White butterflies cut from the Beautiful Butterflies Embosslit, and my last three tiny pink rhinestones!






Some close up detail of the front and back.  I really love the pink "blossoms" on the tree.






I hope you've enjoyed my first DT card!  Please play along with HSS this week, so I can leave you blog love!

SUPPLIES:
STAMPS: Forever Young, Delightful Dozen
CARDSTOCK: Whisper White, Marina Mist
DSP: Beau Chateau
INK: Marina Mist, Soft Suedes
ACCESSORIES: Whisper White Organza Ribbon, Top Note Die, Big Shot, Simply Scored Tool, Clear Window Sheet, bling from Blossom Builders Designer Printed Kit, Linen Thread, Heart Trinket, Sticky Strip

Here's my sweet mother, with me on the beach, circa 1970-something! 

Have a blessed & creative day!

Side Note Memories {Mini Album}

Pin It Now! So, this week's Friday Mashup Challenge #51 is "When Life Throws You Scraps..."  We're encouraged to make a project using a quilted technique, or using something from your stash that's been forgotten about/sitting around.  So I went digging, and found this packet of die cuts that coordinate with the Beau Chateau suite, called Side Notes.  Love the look of them, but only used them once.

I took some artistic license, and mashed em up with Everyday Enchantment DSP.  I cut and pieced and layered (much as i would when making a quilt, right?!!), and turned them into this minibook.



Here's the front.  The 'Memories' die cut wraps from the front to the back cover.



It makes a cute little spot to fill in the occasion for the minibook.



Here's the long lost stash!  Did you buy these?  did you use them?!  They're nice, thick, sturdy & pretty.



The base of the minibook is made up of only one 8.5" x 11" sheet of patterned paper!!!


I got the minibook base tutorial from Sandy's Space.  She lays out the base very nicely.


Here's how it looked with just the one-sheet base, a small scrap of paper to cover the spine, and a piece of ribbon glued into the spine.  It's nice all by itself.

Here are all the insides...











The 'friend' word art and quote were part of a large die cut that I cut up to place in a mini fashion.



Same with the 24/7.  I left the 24 hanging off the side, and colored the exposed  backside with a Stampin' Write Marker in Marina Mist.



I made a little tiny banner with leftover flower punches and butterflies!  More layering with paper, ribbons, and an abandoned Designer Frame window.



The little banner was easy-to-do, just pierced holes into die cuts on a Mat Pack, and strung them together with a needle and Linen Thread.  I'm going to try this on a large scale too!



Here's the finished product. To keep it uniform, I used only green and blue mats, alternating them on every other page, and tried to put a splash of Calypso Coral or Poppy Parade on each page to carry through the theme.  But all in all, this came together with just a few scraps of paper, and the Butterflies Embosslits.

Best of all, this is my second project made with my Travel Stash!  Just a few supplies in a 12x12 box.  You can read about my little traveling supply box here.



Here's the challenge...Friday Mashup has great themes that engage papercrafters, with a great variety!  Go give it a try!



Have a blessed & creative day! Erika.

Don't leave home without it!

Pin It Now! Your scrap supplies, that is!

I'm leaving to fly to Southern Parts Unknown this morning, and normally I drive and bring with me three bins of craft product in my family Suburban. It goes in before food. And the cats (2 of them). But since we're flying commercial air, momma had to pack light. And by light, I mean I didn't even want my husband to know its in the suitcase!



So I came up with this brilliant solution. I grabbed a Priority Mailer from the post office. Covered it with patterned paper to make it pretty. Then packed it with the bare basics to scrap a mini album while I'm gone! I have some fun goodies tucked in, including an entire Simply Scrappin' Tickets & Tags kit, mini album starter from my stash, trimmer, stapler, adhesive, and a clear wood mount case full of embellishments. That should do just fine ;)



Here's a quickie on how to dress up an unattractive repurposed box...



I'll be posting the creation of the mini album on my limited supplies over this coming week. Wish me luck & lots of crafty time!

Have a blessed & creative day! Erika. www.erikaclark.stampinup.net

Fabric Flowers, anyone?

Pin It Now! Howdy, Y'all!

I've been busy creating a few new project tutorials for the current round of UStamp With Dawn and Friends.  I want to share my latest with you...

It's a fabric wrapped wreath with four kinds of handmade fabric flowers.   Matching mini cards and box, all with beautiful Beau Chateau fabric from Stampin' Up. 

The full 6 page tutorial for this project, plus over 40 others, is available right now at the live UStamp With Dawn and Friends Big Shot Roundup, click here to join in!

Hot Chocolate Bar {Thriftypinkies}

Pin It Now! Hi friends! I had a nice workshop this weekend, and I always have a theme to my workshops...and I always manage to decorate using dollar store items. {More money left for Stampin Up! supplies}

I set up a cute hot chocolate bar with dollar store food items, glass containers, and Stampin' Up! Decor Elements.



A dollar glass container for each item...hot chocolate mix, mini mallows, candy canes, cinnamon sticks, sprinkles.



Yum!



I applied SU vinyl appliqués to a couple of the glasses. Quick and easy! And washable & reusable.



My little guy sampling the goods.



Our work table, mid way thru the workshop. My classes are always a fun mess.



Rose showing off her make @ take. I'll feature this later in the week.



Our finished product! Six cards and a box using Beau Chateau.
You can find a tutorial like this on Ustamp With Dawn & Friends I Heart the Holidays. I followed her templates, changing up the cards a bit to use what I have on hand.



Have a blessed & creative day! Erika. www.erikaclark.stampinup.net

Beau Birthday Cards

Pin It Now! Today was a great day...I got to (1) make cards (2) with a dear, sweet friend (3) at home, huddled up in my cozy little craft room. We made birthday cards for another mutual friend.  Here's what JoAnn came up with:



Paper: Beau Chateau DSP, Marina Mist, Pink Pirouette, Confetti White
Ink: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso
Punch: Curly Label
Embellies: Dotted Scallop ribbon in Early Espresso, Build-A-Brad, Pink Pirouette 1/8" taffeta ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals
Stamp Set: Tagtastic



Isn't it pretty, pretty, pretty?  We saw a similar sample on Splitcoast, changed up the DSP and added a few embellishments.  I love repetitive shapes, and I love mulitple patterns.  This one turned out very nicely.

Here was my birthday card:

Paper: Beau Chateau, Whisper White
Punches: Decorative label, misc scallop punch, Modern Label, Round Tab
Embellishments: Antique Brads, Basic Rhinestones
Ink: Marina Mist, Pink Pirouette, Crumb Cake

This one is a dresser sidestep card, and I learned how to form the card on Jackie Topa's website.  There are a lot of super cute punch-cut dress designs out there, and I love how the scallop punch makes a feminine, swingy dress.  I used the flip side of the pink and white DSP to add a wide sash to the waist, and made a flower sprayed with smooch spritz and reinker.  I will definitely be making more of these!  Easier than they look.

Hope you enjoyed my pink & blue cards!  If you'l like to order any of these supplies, head on over to my Stampin' Up! Store!

*TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS MONTH'S SPECIAL ON STAMPIN' UP! PAPER PACKS!

Mix and match any of Stampin' Up!'s gorgeous Designer Series Paper

Buy three and get a pack of your choice FREE!  Yay!

I recommend checking out all of the wonderful holiday packs...

Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and then a pack to tickle your fancy on us.

Have a Blessed and creative day!  Erika

French Country Friend SSC212

Pin It Now! Q: Can I make a card at 70 mph?

A: Oh, yeah.

I tackled this Stamping411 challenge in my motorhome today across two states (Ohio & Michigan)!

Beau Chateau die cuts, miscellaneous flower punches, ribbon scraps, almost everything here is a leftover. 
I'm so glad I have my little box of random bits!

Armed with my tote and a boxful of random scraps, this is what I felt like today, and this was my guide...




There were a few sudden stops and a couple broad turns that had paper, ribbon, and tiny embellishments sliding away. Then there was the overhead light that worked loose and crashed down on my table, scaring the dickens out of me and scarring my treasured paper trimmer!

OUCH!  Road Rash!

But you can't frolic in papercrafting without sometimes having to do battle.

I am claiming victory on this one :D

Supplies:
Stamps:  Cherish Friendship, Notably Ornate
Paper: Beau Chateau, Soft Suede, Watercolor Paper
Punches: Bird Punch, Boho Blossoms
Ink: Crumb Cake, Pink Pirouette, Certainly Celery

Have a blessed & creative day! Erika. www.erikaclark.stampinup.net