Minecraft Birthday Card In A Box - 13th Birthday!

Pin It Now! Want to see something cool I made for my 13 y.o. son's best friend's 13th birthday?   A Minecraft card-in-a-box!

My son LOVED it!  I simply found images online that I liked, resized them to work together, and hand cut each one.  The bricks were a challenge, I had to layer them row by row!  Added a "13" to Steve's shirt!

Added some birthday stamps from Starburst Sayings. 

Folded flat to fit in a standard envelope...

And the backside for the birthday message.  The sentiment here is long retired. 

This was a stretch in my style, but so fun and worth the smiles it got.   Thankfully, I saved the digi files for the Minecraft portion of this card, so I can make more if I get the urge!

Thanks for stopping by, have a blessed and creative day!

Flip-it Circle Card for Dad - Peek at new stamps!

Pin It Now! I spent a little time working with my new products from the upcoming catalog tonight, and created a Father's Day card using an upcoming stamp set Traveler, with the latest sketch from Hand Stamped Sentiments.  I thought I would give my Circle Card Thinlits a little workout!

Here's the sketch. I flipped it portrait style. 

I did the little trick of extending the card to provide a flap to write inside by cutting the cardstock to 5-1/2" x 8-1/2, and sliding the long edge over the non-cut side of the Thinlit to score an extra panel.  

Then it was time to decorate!  The new Lullaby DSP has some patterns that I think work well with masculine cards. To take the bright edge off, I sponged the corners and splattered a little gold here and there. 

I used every stamp in the Traveler set!  A suitcase, train, ship, book, map, camera, luggage.  This is one cool set!  I was instantly drawn to it. Sentiment is from Look Up to Father, from the spring mini, only available for a few more days!

Here you can see how the card sprawls.  The "dad" stamp is from Family Reunion. And a little background action from Dictionary. 

So yay, I have a card for my FIL!   One down, a couple more to go in the dad department.

Go take a peek at the other designers' cards for this great sketch challenge at HSS!

Have a blessed and creative day!

SUPPLIES:  

Stamps:  Traveler (available June 2), Dictionary, Grunge, Look  Up to Father (spring 2014 mini)

Ink:  Gold Encore, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Bermuda Bay

Paper: Lullaby DSP (available June 2), Baked Brown Sugar, Bermuda Bay, Very Vanilla

Embellishments: Natural Chevron Ribbon, Basic Metal Buttons, Linen Thread

Big Shot, other: Circle Card Thinlits, 2-1/2" circle punch

Beautifully Baroque Mother's Day Card

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Hey crafty friend!  I wanted to share with you the card I made for my Mom this Mother's Day! I know it's late, but this would work for any occasion. 

She loves pink and green (like me) so I went heavy on the pink.  Beautifully Baroque is the dark background stamp (retiring), the flowers are Papaya Collage (also retiring!), and Dictionary for the light background. 

A couple of blossoms are stamped and fussy cut.  The lighter flower is just stamped off (the same ink stamped a second time without reinking), and fussy cut leaves scattered about for depth.  "Mom" banner is stippled with a little Chocolate Chip ink to grubby it up a bit.  The lace is a scrap from my room, and linen thread anchors it down.

Inside, more stamping, and the sweet sentiment from Feel Goods.  I love this one, and it's nice for a Mom card.  That wheel stamp is Chamomile and I believe it's been retired for a while, but you could surely substitute!

Having lighting issues!  Ugh.

This card was CASEd from Teneale Williams, via Pinterest.  

Thanks for stopping by!

The Secret of Life is...

Pin It Now! ...enjoying the passing of time.  What a poignant sentiment from James Taylor, and the focus of my card today.  I think I'll make a bunch of these up in varying color themes for loved ones!  I think it'll make a great card for birthday, thinking of you, anniversary, even sympathy.

This one features our color combo from the latest challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments. 

I love this stamp - as I was fussy cutting the layer in the center I was marveling at the elegant swirls and wishing I had the graphic talent that the artist that created this stamp has! 

The color combo had me scratching my head a little - a lot of brightness here!  But once I decided on a rather rustic theme, I think the blue and orange were nice touches.  The Tangerine Tango in a trio across the front is a nice little punch of sunshine!

Do you see potential in this color combo?  Head on over to HSS to get some inspiration and play along!  Thanks for stopping by!  

SUPPLY LIST:

STAMPS:  From My Heart, Hardwood

INK:  Baked Brown Sugar, Early Espresso, Tangerine Tango

PAPER:  Coastal Cabana, Very Vanilla

EMBELLISHMENTS:  Tangerine Tango brights buttons, 1-1/4" Burlap Trim, Linen Thread

OTHER / BIG SHOT:  Apothecary Accents Framelits

My first Card-In-A-Box! With retiring stamp set Tag It.

Pin It Now! I've seen so many beautiful versions of this seemingly complicated Card In A Box lately, and finally gave it a try!  After watching a video tutorial by Angie at MyChicNScratch, it looked a whole lot less intimidating. I pretty much CASEd her cute version of a box of balloons, changing out the papers and sentiments. This will go out to my dear friends grandfather, who will undergo brain surgery this week. 

I added an extra punch balloon to the underside of one of the flaps to decorate the closed backside. 

Isn't that little iguana from Tag It cute?!  It is soon to retire, and we'll be introduced to a new Ronald McDonald House fundraising set. 

I like this type of card for hospital patients, as it will sit upright at a bedside table and not fall over. I have a feeling ill be making lots of these!  

Hello! I must be going! Fun with retiring stamps {HSS184}

Pin It Now! I spent a portion of my morning going through all my stamps sets and marking my retiring stamps.  It's always bittersweet.  Is it silly to feel an attachment to stamp sets?  This fun fringe card was made with two retiring sets - Storybook Friends and Happy Day.

The layout of the card is from our latest sketch challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments.  I flipped the sketch, and took the liberty of leaving it upside down so that you can see how "right on" I was!  Haha. You are welcome to turn it back upright for your card, or sideways if that floats yer boat.

If you haven't tried using Stampin' Up!'s Fringe Scissors, you absolutely must!  They are SO fun and easy to use.  What a great dimensional effect, and it gives the card an ombre look with the graduated shades of pink.

Here are a few tips on creating an ombre fringe card:

1)  It looks best if the card base is long ways, i.e. opens from the bottom and not the side.

2) The strip of cardstock I used to layer this card are 4-1/4" x 1-1/2", and scored at 1" to mark where to stop cutting with the fringe scissors.

3)  It helps to open the scissors wide to make your cuts, and not to cut until the scissors close.  This prevents unnecessary twisting and tearing of the cardstock. 

4) The fringe cuts in the scissors seem to be spaced so that your 4-1/4" pieces will have perfectly spaced fringes, right up to both ends!  Neat!

I was tempted to color the little critters with an aqua painter, but let it go black and white, like an old cartoon.  

If you decide you can't live without Storybook Friends, there's time to order it before it's gone!  Contact me today to order!  Happy Day, too - available while supplies last!  Below are links to the retired lists.

SUPPLY LIST:

STAMPS:  Storybook Friends, Happy Day

INK:  Versamark, Black Stampin' Emboss Powder

PAPER:  Subtles DSP Stack, Pink Pirouette, Blushing Bride, Strawberry Slush, Pistachio Pudding, Whisper White

EMBELLISHMENTS:  White Organza Ribbon

PUNCHES:  1-1/4" circle, 1-1/2" circle

TOOLS:  Fringe Scissors

  

PS:  Here are a couple of the cards I made with Storybook Friends last year!

Retiring Stamp Sets

Retiring Accessories

If you plan to place an order, here is a HOSTESS CODE for your convenience!  TPQAW6RB

Have a blessed and creative day!

It's RETIREMENT season! Plus FREE SHIPPING this week! Oh, and a GIVEAWAY!

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I always have mixed feelings about Stampin' Up! retirement time.  I LOVE new stamps and the excitement that comes before the new catty launch, but I have to have old friends (stamp sets, that is) leave.  

Here's our last chance to get a stamp set or accessories that we've had our eyes on before they're gone forever.  Here are the lists:

Retiring Stamp Sets

Retiring Accessories

If you plan to place an order, here is a HOSTESS CODE for your convenience!  TPQAW6RB

ALSO!  Place an order this week with me, and not only will you get FREE shipping and a chance to be the hostess, but I'll be compiling my personal list of retiring stamps and will GIVE AWAY one of my personal retiring stamp sets.  

Email your order!  And stay tuned for the stack of stamps to choose from!