Techniques

Ombré means shaded or graduated in tone.  I used a simple ombré technique on today’s card.  I used my ink pads and sponge daubers to make may graduated tones.

I first stamped the flower image from the So Very Grateful stamp set on Whisper White card stock with the Basic Gray ink.  When you’re working with multiple colors it’s always best to start with the lightest color.  I started my ombré effect with Blushing Bride.  Crisp Cantaloupe is the middle color and Calypso Coral is the darkest color.

For the background I stamped the flower image randomly on the Crisp Cantaloupe card stock with the Crisp Cantaloupe ink.  I used my favorite ribbon coloring technique to get the Basic Gray ribbon.  I filled my spritzer with rubbing alcohol and Basic Gray ink and spritzed the ribbon until I had the shade I wanted.  The Whisper White Taffeta Ribbon that I use with this technique is retiring so I am kind of bummed about that but there is some new ribbon in the upcoming catalog that might work just as well.  I can’t wait to try it…

Have a great day!  Take care and Happy Stamping!

We don’t have to say this often here in Colorado but it’s a dreary day.  Usually the sun is shining bright but not today.  Cool and dreary.  Let’s brighten the day up with a beautiful card.

Stippled Blossoms is one of those stamp sets that has been sitting on my shelf FOREVER!  Sad to say, I had never used until I was working on cards for my Flower Card class.  I thought I’d give it a try.  A lot of the samples I looked at for this stamp set had the flower or flowers cut out and I knew that wouldn’t go over well in my classes.  I had to come up with a card that you didn’t need a pair of scissors for.  This was it.  I think it turned out pretty good.  I do love the details you get when you do Two Step Stamping and it’s so easy when the stamps are made that way!  🙂

My Pink Pirouette ink pad was another item that had been gathering dust on my shelf.  Doesn’t it work perfectly with the Strawberry Slush?  This will probably be my Mother’s Day card for both my mom and MIL.  I guess I need to figure out what to get them for a gift now.  Hmmm…….

I hope you have a bright and sunny day!  Take care and Happy Stamping!

It’s time for another “Best of” card.  Don’t forget that March 31st is the very last day to order these fun, exclusive stamp sets.  You can check them all out here.

I used the Best of Love stamp set on today’s card.  This image always reminds me of my friend Beth.  This was one of her favorite stamps.

Isn’t this card cute with all of the olives on it?  The Small Oval Punch and the circle punch from the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack are perfect for the little olives.  I adhered all of the little olives to the Whisper White card stock and then ran it through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice Embossing Folder to “embed” them….thus the technique Embedded Embossing!  🙂

I think I’ll have to save this card for next Valentine’s Day for my husband.  He does like olives in his dirty martinis!  Although….Father’s Day is just a few months away, right?

Have a great day!  Take care and Happy Stamping!

Two birds with one stone.  Yep…you get another “Best of” card today as well as a technique today!  Aren’t you lucky?  🙂

Today is my niece Abbey’s birthday so I thought I should share a birthday card.  Isn’t this one fun?  “Best of Birthdays” is another great “Best of” stamp set.  Check out all of the images here.  I love this little cupcake and the cute saying with it.  Too fun!  When I first saw a card similar to this on-line I knew I had to copy it.

Isn’t this technique of stamping with the clear blocks a fun one?  I know I’ve shared it with you before but it’s worth sharing again.  The great part of this technique is that you can’t really screw it up!  You’ll never get the same look twice when stamping with your clear blocks.

I especially like the three different sizes of blocks and the three different colors used on this card.  How can you go wrong when you use my favorite Melon Mambo?!  🙂  And of course, the Melon Mambo button finishes off the card perfectly!

Happy Birthday Abbey!  Have a great day!  Take care and Happy Stamping!

How about a fun shaker card for my special day?  It’s my 10 year anniversary with Stampin’ Up! today!  Woo Hoo!  I can’t believe that I’ve been a demonstrator for 10 years!  I’ve LOVED every year of it!  I’ve met tons of great friends and have learned so many great things.  I can’t wait to see what the next 10 years will hold!

Today’s card is one that I designed for one of my upcoming classes.  It’s perfect for my anniversary isn’t it?  One of the presenters at Leadership Conference showed us how to make these fun shaker cards.  I couldn’t resist making my own. The shaker frame is made using the On Film Framelits Dies (#132969 $29.95) and a large Cello Bag (#102210 50/$4.95).  The new cello bags are perfect for this because they don’t have a seam in the back like the old ones.  I die cut the “polaroid frame” from a Silver Foil Sheet (#132178 2/$3.95).  Then what you do is attach your cello bag to the back of the frame with Sticky Strip.  You can either cut Stampin’ Up! Sticky Strip (#104294 $6.95) in half or you purchase narrow sticky tape online or from your local craft store.    Adhere the tape to the bottom and  two sides on the back of the frame.  Line up the cello bag just below the opening of the frame and along one side edge.  Your cello bag is bigger than the frame so you’ll have to trim it.  Fill your cello bag and then use your Sticky Strip to close up the cello bag.

For the shaker portion of my card I punched out stars from Silver (#124005 2/$4.95) and Champagne (#127885 2/$4.95) Glimmer Paper using the star punch from the Merry Minis Punch Pack (#126882 3/$16.95).  You won’t find these little punches in any catalog but they are still available.

To finish off the card I ran the background piece through the Big Shot with the fun Decorative Dots Embossing Folder that you can get for FREE during Sale-a-bration with a $50 order.   FREE stuff!  Woo Hoo!

I will try to do a tutorial on the shaker card next week when I get back from the mountains.  It’s pretty easy and makes such a FUN card!  Have a great day!  Take care and Happy Stamping!

It’s here!  It’s here!  It’s Sale-a-bration time!  Are you ready?  Sale-a-bration is a stamper’s favorite time of year!  Woo Hoo!  What can you get out of it?  Well, let me tell you!

Shop:  Choose any of the Sale-a-bration exclusive products for FREE with each $50 purchase!  FREE stuff….Woo Hoo!  Have you made out your wish list yet?

Host:  Host a party or class.  You can earn $30 more in FREE products with a qualifying party.  Pick a date!  Let’s get that party planned!

Join:  Join my team of SASsy Stampers and receive $150 worth of product for just $99!  And as an added incentive….Stampin’ Up! will waive your registration for this summer’s convention!  That’s almost a $300 value!

Contact me today for more information on any of these fabulous Sale-a-bration opportunities!

Today’s card is made with a few of the fabulous items you can choose for FREE with a $50 purchase.  I used the You’re Lovely stamp set and the Sweet Sorbet Designer Paper.  Aren’t they fun?

I did mention that it’s Technique Tuesday so I suppose you’re wondering what the technique is.  Well, check out the ribbon.  It’s Crisp Cantaloupe but Stampin’ Up! doesn’t sell Crisp Cantaloupe taffeta ribbon.  Hmmm….how did I do that?  It was SO easy!  I put some 70% rubbing alcohol and some Crisp Cantaloupe ink refill in one of our Spritzers and spritzed some Whisper White taffeta ribbon!  Tada!  Crisp Cantaloupe taffeta ribbon!  Give it a try!  This is an easy way to get ribbon in any of Stampin’ Up!’s colors!

Have a great day!  Take care and Happy Stamping!

It’s Technique Tuesday and here’s a fun new technique for you:  Starbursts!

The great thing about this technique is that you can do it with stamping or designer paper or a combination of both!  Check out the Stampin’ Up! video below to see how you do this technique.  It’s pretty cool.

On my card I masked with the first pattern and spritzed the card stock with Bermuda Bay ink.  Then I masked with the second pattern and stamped Bermuda Bay snowflakes with the Festive Flurry stamp set.

Give this fun technique a try!  It’s pretty fun!  Have a great day!  Take care and Happy Stamping!

Technique Tuesday!  Have you ever wondered if your clear blocks can be used for anything besides holding a stamp?  Well, they can!  You can actually stamp with them!  Yep, stamp with them!

That’s what I did on this simple card.  I inked up the clear block with Soft Sky ink and stamped it directly on the Whisper White cards stock.  It makes the perfect background and adds just the right touch of color to this simple card.

The fun thing about this technique is that you never get the same exact look.  Each time you ink up the block you get a slightly different coverage of the ink.  Pretty fun!

Have a great day!  Take care and Happy Stamping!

It’s Technique Tuesday and I have a fun and easy technique for you.  Check out the flower on the card.  Beautiful, isn’t it?

I started by punching four flowers from vellum card stock with the Pansy Punch and adhering them together with Mini Glue Dots.  Then I took a piece of Crisp Cantaloupe 3/8″ Ruffled Stretch Trim about 10″ long.  I stuck a Mini Glue Dot on one end and just started rolling.  When I came to the end of the 10″ I stuck on another Mini Glue Dot to hold it together.  I stuck some more Mini Glue Dots on one of the flat sides and stuck it to my punched flower.  Smoosh it a little and you have a gorgeous rolled ribbon flower!

The sentiment is from the new A Dozen Thoughts stamp set and it’s die cut with one of the Chalk Talk Framelits.  Fun, simple and beautiful all in one!

Have a great day!  Take care and Happy Stamping!