Thanks A Bunch! {Have Stash, Will Travel}

Pin It Now! I love, love, love this new stamp set from the Holiday SU catalog, Friendship Preserves.  It's perfection in shape, cool lettering, and can be used in so many ways.  I plan to use it for homemade Christmas gifts in mason jars.  Who doesn't think mason jars are cool?!  Have you checked out Pinterest?  Here's my board, Mason Jar Makeover.  Can you not see this stamp set all over these jars?!

Ok, back to the subject at hand.  Here's a thank you card using Friendship Preserves...

There is a layered Framelits set that goes with this stamp set, but since I'm traveling, I'm limited to what I can fit into this box.  A small paper stack, random ribbon, and a few choice embellishments.  No Big Shot, no Framelits :) So I hand cut a couple layers around the stamped image, which was colored with Stampin' Write Markers.

A few of those awesome new Vintage Faceted Buttons and some Baker's Twine are all I added.  I curled the Baker's Twine to mimic the grapevines on the stamp.  Here's how I did mine...

Just rub a little Crystal Effects along the twine, wipe most of it off, and loosely wind it around a pencil.  I let mine sit overnight, but it takes a good 1/2 hour. Or you can use a hair dryer to speed it up!

I'm playing along with 2 awesome challenges for this card!  

Stamping 411 for the sketch - click on the sketch to visit their post...

...And Create With Connie & Mary for the color combo, although I may be disqualified for the pop of Gumball Green in there!  Still, the challenge was great, I think the colors are Fab-U-Lous!

Again, click on the pic to visit their site and join in the fun!

So glad you visited today!  "Thanks a bunch!"

SUPPLY LIST:

STAMPS: Friendship Preserves

INK: Basic Black, Real Red, Gumball Green

PAPER: Polka Dot Parade DSP, Whisper White, Basic Black, Sahara Sand

ACCESSORIES: Black 5/8" Satin Ribbon, 1/4" Taffeta Ribbon Real Red, White Baker's Twine, Vintage Faceted Buttons

Friends Let Friends Emboss Resist!

Pin It Now! Hi crafty friends!  This week's challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments is Embossing Resist.  It's a really pretty technique, where you stamp, sponge, or paint over a heat embossed image.  You can learn all about it here at Splitcoast Stampers.

My embossing resist sample is a bit more subtle than some, but I really liked the effect.  I die cut a butterfly from vellum with the Beautiful Butterfly Bigz die, and used the punched negative of it as a mask to press Versamark onto my stamped image (Friendly Words wheel with black Staz On). Then heat embossed with Melon Mambo Stampin' Emboss powder, and sponged the sentiment with Certainly Celery, Pool Party, and So Saffron.  The Melon Mambo stays nice and bright and shiny, and looks like a brilliant shadow under the vellum butterfly.


The other details are from the Flirtatious DSP. I cut pieces from the doily laser cut sheets to tuck behind the center image, and cut a bit of a doily circle to make the ribbon banner cluster pop a bit. Added a couple more ribbon bits, and a "Friend" banner. The Basic Rhinestones are colored with black and hot pink Sharpies.  

Here's a close up of the butterfly.  The Melon Mambo is just sheer enough that you can still see the print underneath, but allows all the pretty sponged colors to take over the Friends print.




The inside is blank, except for a punched butterfly, with another doily behind it.

I'm also using this template from Stamping 411, their fun sketch challenge made my work a little easier! Won't you check them out too?

Now, can you tell what my plans are for the evening? Yay!  My SU preorder, new Idea Book & Catalog, and my favorite scrapbooking magazine.  I need a day or so to myself now!

SUPPLY LIST:
STAMPS: Friendly Words Wheel
INK:  Melon Mambo, Black Staz On, Certainly Celery, Pool Party, So Saffron
PAPER:  Flirtatious DSP, Basic Black, Melon Mambo, Certainly Celery, Whisper White
EMBELLISHMENTS: RIBBON: So Saffron Organza 1/2", Certainly Celery 1/8" Taffeta, Basic Black 5/8" satin.  Basic Rhinestones, Vellum Sheets, Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, sponges.
OTHER: Sharpie Markers



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

Elegant Bird and Blossom

Pin It Now! I really should be doing other things today! But when there's a card challenge rolling around in your head, new supplies, and housework to be done, what are you going to do?  All I can say is, thank God for the washing machine.  I still look somewhat productive, having the mountain of clothes attacked, and still have time to fit in this card...

I love the new Elegant Bird Die.  I plan to make some fabric projects with it very soon!  Today, she was cut with Crumb Cake and embossed with Vintage Wallpaper, inked with White Craft. Her wings are actually from the Two Step Bird Punch, not the die cut that exactly matches.  However, I thought it played well with the blossom as both leaves and wings. 

I stamped up the Crumb Cake base and the inside of the card with images from Sale-A-Bration,  Fresh Vintage.  Just enough to shabby it up a little!

The center square and bird are spritzed with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz, I took a pic in the sunlight to catch the sparkle...

 You can see how I make flower rosettes on this earlier blog post.  I used white waffle paper (from the 2012 Spring Mini) for this rosette, and spritzed it with Blushing Bride Smooch to give it a little shine and color (also from the mini).  Fabulous stuff!  I love when you can make something truly unique from Stampin' Up!'s basics. 

 Here's the sketch  posted today on Stamping 411 with The Operators.  So many possibilities here with that lovely circle in the middle.  I really love what the designers have done, you have to check it out. All sorts of creations in the center...medallions, squares in the round, doilies, a maze, and die cuts.  Fantastic!

 SUPPLY LIST:
PAPER:   Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla
STAMPS:  Fresh Vintage, Kindness Matters
INK: Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Blushing Bride
ACCESSORIES: Elegant Bird Bigz Die, White Waffle Paper, Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder, Smooch Spritz, Blushing Bride Pleated Ribbon, Victoria Lace Ribbon, Bird 2-step punch, Pink Rhinestones from Blossom Builders Designer Printed Kit.
OTHER: Sewing machine, scotch tape

Go Fly A Kite! {how to}

Pin It Now! This month's Stampin' Success magazine features some beautiful paper pieced kites. So pretty, I had to make one too.



Chock full of Sale-A-Bration goodies! Everyday Enchantment DSP and Ribbon & Brad pack make up the kite. New from the Spring Mini are the Edgelits Dies and Textured Impressions Embossing Folders to match.



Peeking from behind the Square Lattice is the beautiful tree image from Forever Young.



These new border treatments make a huge impact and are so easy to use!

TRY IT! Here's the basic How-To...
Start with 2 small pieces of patterned paper:
One at 1-1/4" square
One at -1-1/4" x 2"
Then cut and assemble like this:

Connect your four pieces of the kite with a 1" square of paper covered with glue or tape runner.
Use Sticky Strip around the back border to adhere the scalloped border.  Pictured here is SU's Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch.
Add ribbon to kite's tail as desired. The sky's the limit!

I'm playing with a sketch from Stamping 411...



I just turned it left 90 degrees.

Have a blessed & creative day! Erika.

Apothecary Pretties...

Pin It Now! No, I haven't had enough of these gorgeous Framelits Labels yet!




I love this sketch from Stamping 411 that I thought I'd try it one more time!  It's definitely going into my permanent template archive.  Very easy and elegant!

I stamped the image from Apothecary Art onto watercolor paper using black Staz-On, colored with Stampin' Write markers, and started blending with the blender pen.  The inner ring of Pool Party adds a nice dimension to the label, and frames those flowers very nicely.  Just blend in circles, gently and steadily, from the outside toward the center. 


The butterflies are cut from Beautiful Wings Embosslits, they're one of my all-time favorite tools.  One large butterfly from Everyday Enchantment DSP, and another with vellum sheet.  Layer and adhere with Sticky Strip folded in half lengthwise to make it nice and thin.  Add a few Basic Pearls and pop it off with a dimensional.

The ruffled ribbon makes a nice banner across the label, and fills in the spot where a sentiment might go.  Love that Ruffled Ribbon!
Below is the inside, simple but done :)



I'm playing along with HSS's challenge to use pleats or ruffles.  Click here to join the challenge!  I really enjoy their challenges as well as their inspiration projects.


Also using this fab template that I already mentioned:  Click here for Stamping 411's weekly challenge!  They always treat you like one of the gang :)



SUPPLY LIST:
STAMPS:  Apothecary Art, Tea Shoppe ("Stay" sentiment)
DSP: Everyday Enchantment (Sale-A-Bration), Vellum
CARDSTOCK: Wild Wasabi, Watercolor Paper, Very Vanilla
ACCESSORIES:  Stampin' Write markers (Calypso Coral, Daffodil Delight, Wild Wasabi, Riding Hood Red.  Black Staz-On. Blender Pen.  Beautiful Wings Embosslits. Ruffled Ribbon in Pool Party.  Basic Pearls. 

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

True Scrap SSC236

Pin It Now! Being away for the holidays, I still have to drag supplies with me and play with paper!  I have downsized my travel stash quite a bit though, and am down to only 2 small totes.  So I'm limited in my choices.
I made this card following Stamping 411's sketch challenge using almost exclusively scraps.


There are some sneak peeks here!  The DSP, Everyday Enchantment, is my new favorite.
The die cut is the large doily from the Spring Mini.
Matching brad & DSP are Sale-A-Bration scores!  As well as the stamp in the center, Fresh Vintage.  Starts January 24...get 'em free with a $50 purchase!


I rolled a handful of scrap punches from the triple doily punch into cones, secured them with a bit of Sticky Strip, and made a medallion out of them. The doily border is a scrap from when I cut the middle out for another project.  Nothing has to go to waste!  I secured them to the card with Two-Way Glue.  Added a  little bit of Vanilla Seam Binding Ribbon and stamped tags from Fabulous Phrases. 
Here is my scrap stash...


I love going through it and placing different scraps around a card base. It's a great springboard for ideas.

What do you think of my True Scrap medallion? :)



Here's the sketch:


SUPPLIES:
CARDSTOCK: Very Vanilla, Lucky Limeade, Confetti White
DSP:  Everyday Enchantment
STAMPS:  Fresh Vintage (Sale-A-Bration 125117)
ACCESSORIES:  Very Vanilla Seam Binding ribbon, Paper Doily Large Sizzlits Die, Triple Doily Layer Punch, Tag punch, Everyday Enchantment ribbon & brad pack

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

A Sprinkle of Love

Pin It Now! Here's a versative sneek-peek set coming out in January's Sale-A-Bration.  It's bold and graphic, and so easy to love!

Now, do you ever set out to do a particular thing to a card, and mess it up?  But it turns out cute and you surprise yourself at the creative talents you didn't even KNOW you had?!!  Yah, that's what I did with the scalloped border at the bottom.  I thought I had it set so the scallops would line up perfectly, but I had it wrong. But it was exactly a half scallop off, so it looks right :D

I used the striped embossing folder for just the middle black square for added texture.
Carried the scalloping through top to bottom.
The stamp set is new for Sale-A-Bration, called Sprinkled Expressions.  So cute and easy to use, requires no coloring or fussiness.
The brad and organdy ribbon, and the DSP are also Sale-A-Bration, Everyday Elegance. 
The ribbon is easy to layer and super shiny, it really adds a nice punch.





I took on this week's Stampin' Up Only Challenge #35, Feeling Punchy.  Since I'm away from home this week, I only took a handful of punches, literally FIVE!  But I grabbed one and went to town anyway, and who would know?!
 
SUPPLIES:
CARDSTOCK:  Basic Black
DSP: Everyday Elegance, First Edition
STAMPS: Sprinkled Expressions
ACCESSORIES:  Organdy ribbon, Designer Brads, Scallop border punch, striped embossing folder



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

Saturday Snowman Fun SSC230

Pin It Now! I got up early, early this morning, before the rest of the house was up.  It's the time of day I can think most clearly, I'm most relaxed and not exhausted from the day.  I know some friends who stamp into the wee hours of the morning, but not me!  I like my coffee and the sunrise to get creative. 

I took on the Stamping 411 Saturday Sketch Challenge, SSC230.  Had some fun with Frosty!

I had a blast making this! 

I used the XL Scallop Square Die, and made it into a shadow box with dollar store weatherstripping foam. It's about 1/4" wide and just the right depth. Cut the square out of the middle with a craft knife.

Then was the fun part! 

I stamped frosty twice, once on a square of Pool Party, and again on Whisper White.  Colored and cut him, and pieced him onto the Pool Party image.

I used Diamond Effects on his coal buttons,

A Jingle Bell on his hat.

Nestled him on layers of silver Glimmer Paper.

Added snow to the background with a gel pen.

Threw some mica flakes in for good measure!

Here's how he looks close up.

...and the inside of the card.

Here's the sketch...

I was also inspired by Lisa Foster's wonderful collection of snowmen from

U Stamp With Dawn and Friends.  Her choice of color was wonderful!

SUPPLIES:

CARDSTOCK: Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler, Island Indigo, Glimmer Paper, Whisper White

STAMPS: Snow Much Fun

ACCESSORIES:  Mica Flakes, Cherry Cobbler Quilted Ribbon, polka dot brads, jingle bells, snowburst embossing folder, window sheets, gel pen, crystal effects, Stampin' Dimensionals, sponges.

SIMPLY SPARKLING SSC229

Pin It Now! Help! I need an intervention! I should be doing SO many other things, but I'm hooked on making Christmas cards. I was actually dreaming about this sketch. Thinking about it during the sermon at church. While cooking bacon. So the only way to get it off my mind was just to do something about it!

The glimmer paper makes this wreath so dreamy! A few punches from the bird punch, a few glue dots, and some red glimmer holly berries from the owl punch. Finished off with a bow of Real Red 1/4" grosgrain & a rhinestone brad. I wish I had one like this to hang in my house!

The sentiment is from The Sounding Joy. I stamped it on a piece of Whisper White, then trimmed evenly around the word, leaving enough room around all 4 sides to run 2 score lines down each side. The Simply Scored tool makes it look so well finished.

Here's the Stamping 411 sketch...


Can you tell that I do my blogging on my iPhone?!

The main card base is from a Simply Sent kit. These kits are great! Precut, embossed, scalloped. Envelopes & sentiment trim included.


Here's the bird punch that the wreath leaves came from. The wrap & interlock so nicely.


Happy Sunday to all! I'm decorating for Christmas this weekend to leave more time in December for the good stuff.

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

NOEL SHADOWBOX FRAME SSC228

Pin It Now! I squeezed in a little scrapbooking time today between work, school, mom-taxiing, & laundry. It's framed, but still counts as scrappin', right?

I used a Dollar Tree frame and scrap burlap. Burlap is everywhere right now in the crafty world! Check out Pinterest for lots of ideas. Then I used Stamping 411's sketch challenge as a guide.




Here's the sketch...




I was able to tuck a lot of layers and texture into this little frame. Here's a piece of Stitched Felt Winter Wishes dusted with Galaxy Glitter (gold & silver mixed), trimmed with a Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding Ribbon bow and Jingle Bells. The backdrop of the wreath is from Delicate Doilies.




The Noel stamp is from Many Merry Messages. I backed it with a few scraps from Deck The Halls DSP cut into flags. I brushed a little glitter on the lettering for good measure! Glitter always helps :)




I love this photo, a sweet memory from last Christmas of going out after school to the paint-your-own-pottery store. If it's the only picture I scrap all season, it'll be enough to keep happy thoughts about!

I'd love to see you try the challenge, if you'd like to try, here's Stamping 411's site.  They not only offer fun challenges, but there are TONS of tutorials there. 

Supply list for shadowbox frame:
Stamps: Delicate Doilies, Many Merry Messages
Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake
Paper: Deck The Halls DSP, Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler
Accessories:  Stitched Felt Winter Wishes, Tasteful Trim Bigz Die, Big Shot, Jingle Bells, Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding Ribbon, Galaxy Glitter silver & gold.
Etc: Shadow box frame (dollar tree), burlap (JoAnn Fabrics)


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