Stampin up cards

Simply Marbleous!

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Simply Marbleous Designer Series Paper

If you’re looking for a versatile Level 1 Sale-a-bration choice, then the Simply Marbleous Designer Series Paper is the choice for you!  This marbled paper is so fun!  So many colors too!  There are 8 sheets each of 6 double-sided designs. Purples, pinks, blues, greens, grays and yellows!

I love this paper because the designs are simple and can be used in so many different ways. What comes to mind when you see these designs? I will admit that when I see the lighter gray piece I think “countertop”. Ha!

Awesome Otters & Simply Marbleous Paper

From this card you can see that the blue and green designs are perfect for creating water for the ADORABLE Awesome Otters. TSC! Too Stinkin’ Cute!

This is another swap card that I received. Rose-Ellen used the less busy side of the paper for her card and show how this side is perfect for stamping on. It could be pretty difficult to see stamping on the busy side depending on the color of paper and ink you were using.

I had to smile when I first saw Natalie’s swap card using the Simply Marbleous paper. Of course it’s absolutely perfect for scoops of ice cream! I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have come up with this use of the paper on my own. That’s why I love participating in swaps. I get so many great ideas to use and share!

With these cards you’ve seen two totally different ways to use the fun Simply Marbelous Designer Series Paper. What ideas do you have for using it? Let me know. I’d love to hear your ideas!

I hope your day is Simply Marbleous! Take care and Happy Stamping!

Who’s Feeling Island Vibes?

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Island Vibes stamp set

Island Vibes.  What a perfect name for a stamp set with a tropical feel.  What says tropical better than a pineapple and palm fronds?  The Island Vibes stamp set is one of Stampin’ Up!’s Level 1 Sale-a-bration items which means that you can choose it for free when spending $50 in my online store.

The two cards I’m sharing with you today are from another swap that I participated in with fellow demonstrators.  Both of these cards were made using the Island Vibes stamp set.  I have to admit that the stamp set didn’t do a whole lot for me when I first saw it in Stampin’ Up!’s Sale-a-bration brochure.  Of course, now that I’ve seen these two lovely cards, as well as many samples online, I’m going to have to put it on my next order

What I love about these two cards is how similar, yet different they are.  Both Katherine and Janet used the palm fronds in similar positions on their cards as well as using jewel embellishments to complete their card designs. Beyond those similarities their own styles take over. So fun!

There’s only a little over a month left of Sale-a-bration so don’t miss out! Put that order together!

We’re suppose to get snow here in Colorado tomorrow so I just may be thinking about that tropical sandy beach and umbrella drink. How about you?

Have a great day. Take care and Happy Stamping!

Valentines You’ve Got To Love

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Awesome Otters Valentine

How can you not love a valentine made with this adorable Sale-a-bration otter? This little critter is TSC! Too Stinkin’ Cute! I think I’m in love. 🙂

This card is another one that I made for a swap and it’s one of my favorites. This little critter’s outstretched hands are just crying to hold a string of hearts (or any other small item you may want on your card). The fun heart-filled designer paper from the Sweet Talk pack is the perfect compliment to this little valentine otter.

The Awesome Otters stamp set is a Level 1 Sale-a-bration award. When you spend $50 during Sale-a-bration (now through February 28) this is one of the items that you can choose. This cute stamp set was actually the first Sale-a-bration item that I chose.

Awesome Otters Valentine

When you’re making any type of card you don’t want to forget the inside. On my card I found the perfect way to include another otter from the stamp set. Since it’s a valentine card I used the Heart Punch Pack to punch out my second otter for the inside of the card.

“You make my heart happy” is the perfect sentiment for these little otters and their valentine. It’s from the Catching Butterflies stamp set which is another Level 1 Sale-a-bration item. It’s so fun to mix and match products on your project.

This post is about stinkin’ cute valentines and as I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I can’t get enough of the Nuts & Bolts robots! Like the otters, they’re adorable!

This cute valentine is a swap card I received and was made by Natalie Travis. She used the same Sweet Talk designer paper on her card. The fun little tag was die cut using the Tailor Made Tags dies. The sentiment and the robot fit on the tag perfectly! It’s hard to tell from the photo but the stamped robot is heat embossed with silver embossing powder before it was colored.

Have you started making valentines for your friends and family? I know I’ve given you some fun ideas recently. Have a great day! Take care and Happy Stamping!

My Blog is Being Hijacked!

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My blog is being hijacked….by me! I’ve recently participated in three different swaps and I’ve received (or will be receiving) lots of fun samples of many of the new products in the new January – June Mini Catalog and the Sale-a-bration Brochure. I’m going to enjoy looking at them all but I think you may enjoy seeing them too! Therefore, I am hijacking my usual weekly posts to share these swaps with you. I’ve been inspired by the ones I received so far and I should receive more this week. I want you to be inspired too!

Sweet Talk Valentine Card

Since Valentine’s Day is coming up pretty darn fast I thought I’d share a couple of Valentine cards with you today.

This first card is made using the fun Sweet Talk Suite of products. Carn used the Sweet Talk Designer Paper along with the Sweet Conversations Bundle. Look at all the different sizes of hearts that you can die cut with the Sweet Heart Dies! If you like Valentines, this suite of products is definitely for you. You can view all of the products included in this suite here in my online store.

Nuts & Bolts Valentine Card

The second card I want to share with you today is made with the adorable Nuts & Bolts stamp set. How can you not love these little robots! This one comes with it’s own valentine heart!

Mindy’s card uses a few new products. The stamp set is new as are the little hexagon embellishments. These are part of the Abstract Beauty Suite of products (which I just purchased and can’t wait to play with!). They come in Basic Black, Just Jade and Blushing Bride. The designer paper that Mindy used is the Simply Marbleous paper and is a Level 1 Sale-a-bration item that you can choose with a $50 purchase. Gotta love Sale-a-bration! 🙂

I hoped you’ve enjoyed these cards that I didn’t make. Check back later this week for some other great samples! Have a great day! Take care and Happy Stamping!

Pocket Fun Fold ValentineCard

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I love Fun Fold cards and the easier, the better! The complicated ones can be amazing but it’s so much easier to duplicate the easier ones. Last week’s fun fold was very simple and this week’s Pocket Card comes pretty darn close.

This fun fold makes a really cute valentine but just change up the stamp set, dies and designer paper and you can make any type of card. I’ve used this design for a sympathy card.

The pocket portion of this card is only one piece of cardstock!  4 1/4” x 11” scored at 1 ¼” and 5 ½”.  The insert for the pocket is 5” x 3 ¼” and you can choose to put a “handle” to grab on the top or leave it off. 

If you’d like to recreate this project you can view my step-by-step instructions for this Pocket Card Fun Fold here.  These instructions also include a complete supply list.

Have a great day! Take care and Happy Stamping!

Amazing Silhouettes Card Sketch

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I love the simplicity of today’s card sketch and how easy it was to work with.  I didn’t even have to add a layer although I did shift the focal point to the side. 🙂

I’ve been wanting to use the Amazing Silhouettes stamp set and this card sketch was perfect for it!  I’ve had this stamp set since this fall.  I either received it with my On Stage event registration or with the registration add-on that I purchased.  That’s the great thing about being a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator.  You’re able to get your hands on products ahead of their release!  (If you’ve ever considered becoming a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator please contact me so I can give you the whole scoop!)

The Amazing Silhouettes stamp set is one of Stampin’ Up!’s DistINKitive stamp sets.  DistINKtive stamps create different opacities in a single stamped image.  So beautiful!  The sentiment is from the Quiet Meadow stamp set.  I stamped it on the Mossy Meadow cardstock with the White Craft Ink and then heat embossed it with White Embossing Powder.  A little tip for you when heat embossing:  rub a dryer sheet over the cardstock before stamping the image.  This way the embossing powder will only stick to the inked image.  

I really like this quick and easy card.  I may have to make more of them!  Have a great day!  Take care and Happy Stamping!

Make-It-Mine: Awesome Otters Birthday

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I’m in love with Stampin’ Up!’s Awesome Otters Sale-a-bration stamp set!  These little critters are adorable!  This stamp set was one of my first Sale-a-bration choices. 

I was so excited when I saw this birthday card to copy.  Not only did it have the Awesome Otters Sale-a-bration item it but the designer paper, Simply Marbelous, is also a Sale-a-bration choice!  Thank you, Monika, for the inspiration!

As much as I loved Monika’s card, I just couldn’t get the angled cardstock to work for me.  I can’t do random and I’m not good at angles either.  I decided to go with my strength which is lots of layers (that line up).  Ha!

On Monika’s card it looks like she stamped the hat on the otter’s head before cutting it out.  I didn’t want to try to line up the hat on the head since the Awesome Otters is a cling stamp set.  I took the easier way out.  I stamped and colored the otter and hat separately, cut them out and lined them up when I put them on the card.

Either one of these cards will be perfect for the next birthday on your calendar, especially if you like to color and fussy cut! Remember that you don’t have to do all of the fancy shading with your Stampin’ Blends if you don’t want to or don’t have the time. You can see that Monika did a much better job of shading on her otter than I did but that’s ok.

If you like my card you can click here for step-by-step instructions.

Now go get that Stampin’ Wish List started so you can choose both the Awesome Otters and the Simply Marbelous Designer Paper Sale-a-bration items on your next order! Have a great day. Take care and Happy Stamping!

It’s All About The Candy

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It’s all about the candy, right? I’m talking about Valentines Day. Where would Valentine’s day be with out the heart shaped box of chocolates or the fun little pink and red treats?

Valentines Day may be all about candy but so is this sheet of Stampin’ Up!’s Sweet Talk Designer Series Paper. This sheet of paper is perfect for this easy-peasy Fun Fold!

This card isn’t so much a Fun Fold as it is a unique card design. The cardstock portion of the card isn’t the usual 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ scored at 4 1/4″. The cardstock portion of this card is 5 1/2″ x 5 1/4″ with the score mark at 1″ on the 5 1/4″ edge.

The designer paper is cut at 5 1/4″ x 4″ and adhered to the 1″ flap of the cardstock. In the second photo that I’ve posted here you can see that the designer paper is not butted up against the fold of the cardstock. To get the designer paper lined up properly, I opened the cardstock and centered the designer paper on the large section. I placed my adhesive on the 1″ flap (being careful not to get it too close to the center fold) and then closed the cardstock so the adhesive adhered to the designer paper.

There are a couple of things you want to remember when working with the white insert for your card. First of all want to cut it slightly smaller than 5 1/4″ x 4″. You do this to make sure that none of the white shows when the card is closed.

The second thing to note is that you’re not going to just place adhesive on the back of the white cardstock and adhere it to the inside of the card. You’re going to place the adhesive on the back of the white cardstock and then center the front of the white cardstock on the backside of the designer paper. Once you have the white cardstock centered, you will close the card and your white cardstock should be perfectly centered on the inside of the card.

This card design will work for any of your favorite patterned papers. I’ve written up step-by-step directions for this card which include dimensions and supplies. You can view them here. Have fun creating your own Designer Paper Card Front Fun Fold card! Have a great day! Take care and Happy Stamping!

You Make Me Happy!

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Happy New Year! Yes, It’s been awhile since I’ve posted. Life got busy and I decided I needed a little down time. I have to admit it was wonderful not stressing about making samples and sharing them online. But, I’m back! Recharged and ready to go!

Stampin’ Up!’s January – June Mini Catalog and the new Sale-a-bration Brochure

It’s a January and in Stampin’ Up!’s world that means it’s time for a new Mini Catalog and Sale-a-bration! What a wonderful time of the year!

The Mini Catalog is full of fabulous new products that I know you’re going to love. You can view the online catalog here or you can head on over to my online store to view all of these wonderful products.

During Sale-a-bration you can choose a free Sale-a-bration product when you spend $50 or $100 (before tax and shipping). How often do you get to choose free products when spending money? Ha! There are some really cute items for you to choose from. You can view the Sale-a-bration Brochure online here or you can head over to my online store and view the items here.

Rainbow of Happiness Bundle Card Sketch

It’s Thursday so that means it’s Card Sketch Day! Today’s card is made using products from both the Mini Catalog AND the Sale-a-bration Brochure! How’s that for coordination?!

The sentiment is from the Rainbow of Happiness stamp set and the rainbow is die cut using the Brillian Rainbow Dies. The designer paper I used on the card is from the Sunshine & Rainbows package of Designer Paper that is one of the items you can choose for free from the Sale-a-bration Brochure!

This package of paper has some really fun designs that are perfect for coordinating with the Rainbow of Happiness Bundle or just using on their own. I chose one of the simpler designs that coordinated with the colors that I used in my rainbow.

Here’s the card sketch that I used. I really like using these sketches because they’re fairly simple. I have a hard time doing simple and this gives me practice with it.

This card came together pretty quickly. Click here to view a PDF that has supplies used, dimensions and directions on making the card.

Get those supplies out and create your own card using this sketch. I’d love to see what you create! You can either post your photo in the comments or email me your card at cindy@stampbystampcreations.com.

Have a great day! Take care and Happy Stamping! Don’t forget that you make me happy! 🙂

It’s Gorgeous!

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Late last week I received my order that contained the absolutely GORGEOUS Ever Eden Specialty Designer Series Paper.  The only colors in this pack of paper are Evening Evergree, Soft Succulent, Basic White and Gold Foil.  Be sure to check out this paper here.  Did I mention that it’s gorgeous? 😊

Needless to say, I had to use it on today’s card.  Actually, I have a feeling you’ll be seeing a lot of projects made with this paper in the next three months.  I can’t seem to get enough of it!  Let’s get to today’s Make it Mine project.  It shows off one of the lovely patterns of this paper pack.

Ever Eden Card

The paper pattern on this card is one of the ones that has gold foil on it. It’s hard to tell but the little dots around the leaves are the gold foil. Working with this paper is so easy because there are only a few colors that you’re working with.

As you can see on both pictures, I used one of the dies in the Eden Dies to cut the leafy pattern on the edge of the card front. So pretty. The decorative edge really makes the card and ties in nicely with the designer paper.

Here you can see the card that inspired me. I definitely made it into a “Cindy card” with all of the layers I added. The things I did take from Jaimie’s card was the designer paper (although I did use a different pattern) and the decorative edge on the card front.

Both Jaimie and I used sentiments from the Eden’s Garden stamp set. The sentiments are one of the things that really drew me to this stamp set.

Jaimie stamped her sentiment on a label that was die cut using the Eden Dies. The labels on my card are from the Tasteful Labels Dies and a Layering Circle Die.

I’ll finish this post by once again telling you how much I love this Ever Eden Designer Series Paper. Don’t forget that this paper is only available through Jan 3rd or while supplies last!

Have a great day. Take care and Happy Stamping!

Full Panel Gatefold Card

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Full Panel Gatefold Card

Last Spring I started sharing Gatefold cards with you and there were many different types.  Today’s card is a slight modification to the original Gatefold card.  To see my post on the original Gatefold card just click here.

Today’s Full Pane Gatefold card differs from the original Gatefold card in that the front focal piece of the card is larger.  It’s also slightly easier to make because on the original Gatefold card you decorate both side panels with designer paper and need to place them so they align together at the center opening.  On today’s modification you just need to choose your favorite piece of designer paper, layer it on a coordinating piece of cardstock and adhere it to the left flap of the card.  Easy Peasy!  This card is a great way to showcase Stampin’ Up!’s gorgeous designer series papers while at the same time featuring a fun fold.

Here you can see the inside of this fun fold. The base of the card is the regular 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″. Instead of scoring in half at the 4 1/4″ you want the card folded at 2 1/8″ from each side. To make sure the edges of my card meet up perfectly in the center when closed I make one score mark at 2 1/8″. I then fold the card along that score line and then instead of scoring another mark I just fold the right side of the card closed and make sure the edges meet up and then just crease well. This way you know those edges will match up perfectly. Sometimes when you score you may not have the paper lined up exactly and the edges don’t meet up exactly. Just a quick little tip.

I used the same supplies on this card as I did on a Make-It-Mine card a few weeks ago. I love this pattern of the Beauty of the Earth Designer Papers and this color scheme. The sentiment is from the Time of Giving stamp set.

Have a great day! Take care and Happy Stamping!

It’s a Cat and Dog Card Sketch

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Are you a cat lover or dog lover?  Maybe you just love animals in general.  If so, then the Sweet Stockings suite of products in Stampin’ Up!’s July – December Mini Catalog is for you!   The stamp set and the designer paper are all about cats and dogs (and a few other critters)!  The designer paper is adorable and has some great designs on the sides that don’t feature animals.  I don’t have the stamp set/bundle but I do have the paper and decided I wanted to try for this card sketch.

Pretty darn cute if you ask me!  You’ve got to love the critters hanging out of their stockings!  To darn cute.  I paired that with one of the patterns and a sentiment to complete my card.

Enough about these cute critters! We’re suppose to be talking about card sketches today. Ha!

What do you think? Did I stick close to today’s sketch? I only added one extra layer and changed the orientation of the card. I think that’s a win! This sketch was perfect for highlighting cute designer paper. Give it a try with your favorite designer paper!

Have a great day! Take care and Happy Stamping!

Grateful

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Sparkle of the Season Fall Card

Grateful.  It’s something we should always be.  No matter how tough things can get there is always something, big or small, that we can be grateful for.  One thing I am grateful for is that I get to play with all of my crafting supplies and create things to share with you.

Today I wanted to share a Fall wreath with you using Stampin’ Up!’s Sparkle of the Season Bundle.  I’ve seen lots of cards made with this versatile bundle but the card that inspired me had pumpkins on it so that’s the direction I went this week.

When you view the card that inspired me you will notice that there aren’t a lot of similarities between the two cards. I took a lot of creative license with this Make-It-Mine project.

The first thing that I saw on this card by Karen that I wanted to use was the Cork Specialty Paper. It adds that special little touch to a project. The second thing I wanted to incorporate on my card was the double wreath. The second wreath adds another level of dimension to the card.

Instead of copying what Karen did, I combined those two points of inspiration into one. I die cut one of the wreaths on my card from the Cork Specialty Paper. I love how it turned out! When I set it against a Early Espresso colored wreath the cork really popped.

The only other thing that I really took from the inspiration card to my own was to include the three pumpkins on my wreath. Other than those few things there aren’t a lot of other similarities between the cards. That’s ok though. The whole point of Make-It-Mine Monday is to get inspired and find a starting point for my project.

Give it a try. Go get inspired! Maybe start with my card and move on from there. I’d love to see what you come up with! Have a great day. Take care and Happy Stamping!

The Colors of Fall Strap Fold Card

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Ah, the colors of Fall.  That’s what I like best about Stampin’ Up!’s Beauty of the Earth Designer Series Paper….the colors!  This Strap Fold fun fold was the perfect choice for highlighting this paper because I got to use two large panels of it.  Doesn’t this paper design remind you of a pile of leaves that you can jump in?  Ok….that your kids or grandkids could jump in?

This fun fold is pretty easy to make.  You just need to be a little strategic when adhering the strap so that you don’t see it when you open the card.  For the card itself, not including the focal point label and leaf and the inside piece for you message, you only need three pieces of cardstock and two pieces of designer paper.  Here are the dimensions:

Cardstock:  5 ½” x 4 ¼”, 4 ¾” x 3 ½” and 1 ½” x 4 ¼” scored at 1 ¼”

Designer Paper:  5 ¼” x 4, 4 ½” x 3 ¼”

The small section of the strap will be sandwiched between the large base piece of cardstock and the large piece of designer paper.  When you adhere the strap to the cardstock be sure to line up the folded edge of the strap with the left edge of the cardstock.

The large section of the strap will be sandwiched between the smaller front piece of cardstock and the small piece of designer paper.  To make sure I got everything lined up straight I used temporary adhesive to adhere the top piece of cardstock to the base.  A sticky note or two will work also.  I then folded the strap over the top piece of cardstock and used a pencil to lightly draw around the edges.  This showed me where to place the adhesive on the cardstock piece.  Once I had applied the adhesive I again “closed” the strap and then adhered the small piece of designer paper.  The basic card is now complete and ready to be decorated!

The label on my card is die-cut using the Tasteful Labels dies and the leaf is die-cut using the Stitched Leaves Dies.  Such a fun card!  The inside piece of Basic White cardstock is 4 ½” x 3 ¼”.  It needs to be slightly smaller than the front piece of cardstock so it doesn’t show when the card is closed.

Happy Fall Y’all and enjoy those colors!  Take care and Happy Stamping!

A Winter Wonderland Card Sketch

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Ah, Winter! Ok, I’m really not ready for Winter yet but I love this designer paper and it was perfect for today’s card sketch. Unfortunately, my photograph doesn’t do the card justice. Not only is there white snow on the trees, there is also silver snow on the trees to complete the gorgeous scene. I embossed the sentiment with silver embossing powder to coordinate with the silver on the trees.

The background is a piece of the Peaceful Place Specialty Designer Series Paper. (#156394 $15). This paper is gorgeous!  Grays, black, white and silver.  The sheet of paper that this scene came from had four different 6” x 6” sections with the same scene.  Perfect for those easy cards! The sentiment is from the Heartfelt Wishes stamp set (#156541 $21) in Stampin’ Up!’s July – December Mini Catalog. I love the font!

I wanted to use black ink on a strip of Basic White cardstock, but the background of the trees has a little too much gray in it and the white just didn’t look right.  My next choice was black, and it worked perfectly!

It is Card Sketch Day, so I should probably share with you the sketch I was trying to copy.  Did you notice that I used the exact number of layers on my card as the sketch shows? Unbelievable! Ha! The only thing I changed was the orientation of the card. I made my card in a landscape orientation so I could use the gorgeous Peaceful Place paper.

What supplies are you going to use to try your hand with this card sketch? Have a great day! Take care and Happy Stamping!