Another Monday {Sneak Peek}

Here's what's on tap for this week...

Stay tuned...  I've been pouring over the new 2012-2013 Annual Catalog online (it was released early to Demonstrators).  I get to place an early bird order and it's so much fun imagining what's on its way!

Can't wait to share all of the new goodies with you!

Happy November!

STUDIO SARA has a new look for fall!  I used My Digital Studio to create the banner and buttons.  I chose Always Artichoke, Cajun Craze and More Mustard (partly because they're fall colors, but also because they're found in the card I've spotlighted).

Here's the card that I included in my banner, up-close and personal...

It's simple to make (an easy one if you're in the market for a good number of "Thank You" notes, for example).  The card body is a half-sheet of Night of Navy, cut lengthwise and folded in half.  The Naturals Ivory card stock makes up the piece with the stamped leaves.  I used my corner-rounded to soften it.

The stamp set I used is French Foliage, which gives us this fun "button" in the lower left corner.  I inked it in Night of Navy Classic Ink and stamped it on Cajun Craze card stock.  Then I used my 3/4-inch Circle Punch...  Remember to stamp first then punch to make sure you've lined it up right!

So Saffron Taffeta Ribbon finishes the bottom edge...

Finally, here's the sentiment... I inked only the "thank you" part of this stamp from the With All My Heart set, stamped it on So Saffron and punched it with the Modern Label.  It's mounted on an oval punched from More Mustard and "popped up" with a Stampin' Dimensional.

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps:  French Foliage, With All My Heart

Papers:  Night of Navy, Naturals Ivory, So Saffron, More Mustard and Cajun Craze card stocks

Inks:  Cajun Craze, More Mustard and Night of Navy Classics

Accessories:  3/4-inch Circle, Modern Label, Large Oval, and 3/16-inch Corner Punches, So Saffron Taffeta Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, Paper Snips (makes cutting the ribbon so easy!)

Thanks for your visit!  I'm working on more {12 Week of Christmas} posts, so stay tuned!

Celebrating Designer Series Papers... Part Trois

With tomorrow being the Occasions Mini Catalog's last day, I thought I'd share some projects using the Sending Love Specialty Designer Series Paper... I'm off to the city today to show my aunt and uncle around (who are visiting from Toronto). Enjoy!

The card above was made for a DIY Challenge in which I was to glitter some flowers. I chose the Sending Love Designer Series Paper, as it's a Specialty Paper, which includes pieces with glittered designs. There's a delicate shimmer on the pink design of this Designer Series Paper and I just used my VersaMark ink and embossed a little Iridescent Ice embossing powder on the edges of the flowers I punched in Real Red card stock using my Trio Flower punch...

Next, this pretty card was made using the Petal Card die and my Big Shot. I adhered it to the Chocolate Chip card stock and used a little Chocolate Chip taffeta ribbon to hold it shut. It's a perfect little hiding place for a secret sentiment, photo, or embellishment. You choose! Shhhh... The stamp set I used with it is also an Occasions item: With All My Heart.
Nothin' like a White Space Challenge to force me to KISS (Keep It Simple, Stamper!) I just cut a piece from a scrap, used my With All My Heart set for the sentiment and mounted it all on some coordinating card stock (Real Red, Pretty in Pink and Chocolate Chip). The punches I used are the Scallop Edge, Word Slot and Modern Label. Wanna know how I got just the "thank you" sentiment, even though there's more to that stamp? Check last week's {Technique Video}. Voila! Simple!
Finally, I made use of my Extra Large Fancy Flower punch (which will be available after April 30, even though it's an Occasions item), Scallop Edge, Word Slot and Scallop Oval punches for this card. Tote-ally Tess is the stamp set I used for this little gal. I used the Paper Piecing technique to make her little tote bag and apron; I just stamped the tote and apron on pieces of the Sending Love Designer Series Paper and cut them out. A quick and easy way to add visual interest with a stamp!
Thanks for your visit today! I got my Summer Mini preorder in the mail and will be showcasing some of those items next week along with some Mom-worthy items. Take care!

{Technique Video: Masked Inking}

Here's another video for your viewing pleasure! I hope you find it useful!

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps: With All My Heart

Papers: Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip and So Saffron card stocks

Inks: Chocolate Chip Classic

Accessories: Large Oval, Scalloped Oval and Scallop Edge punches, Rose Red Double-Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, Paper Snips

Thanks for your visit!

For My Dear Friend...

Good morning and happy Monday! Despite the fact that we had a rare rain-free weekend here in the Pacific Northwest, I spent a ton of time in the studio stamping. Stay tuned! I've got a lot to show you over the next coupla days...

One of my dearest friends celebrates her birthday soon and so this was the card I cooked up to give her.

I love the richness of the colors found in Cottage Wall Designer Series Paper.

The body of the card is Very Vanilla and I've dry embossed the large piece of Elegant Eggplant using the "Flourish" Texturz Plate from the Stampin' Up! Backgrounds I set. That set of Texturz Plates, used with the Big Shot, is a bargain at $11.95. The set comes with four plates and each side has a different texture. That's eight textures for $11.95!

I dry embossed the Orchid Opulence flower that I created using the 5-Petal Flower punch with that same "Flourish" Texturz Plate. It's adhered to the Very Vanilla piece with a Stampin' Dimensional. I also used a Dimensional to attach the punched flower from the "With All My Heart" set that I inked on Elegant Eggplant on the same color card stock. I punched it out with the Trio Flower Punch, which fit it exactly! Using the Distressing Tool from the Cutter Kit, I roughed up the piece of Very Vanilla.

The Scallop Edge Punch finishes the bottom edge of the Elegant Eggplant piece onto which the Very Vanilla is layered.

The flowers and sentiment are both from the new "With All My Heart" set from the Occasions Mini. Given the option, I chose to purchase the clear-mount stamps (though wood-mount are still available). I'm thrilled with them -- that's a whole different post, though!

Other details in the card include Very Vanilla 5/8-inch Grosgrain Ribbon and a layer of Old Olive card stock. Since each package of Designer Series Paper comes with so many designs, it's easy and quick to design a card with eye-catching detail and interest! Once again, I'm turning to my

Big Shot to add touchable texture (dry embossing).

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps: With All My Heart (from the new Occasions Mini -- email me for your own hard copy or refer to the right side bar of this post for a PDF version)

Paper: Cottage Wall Designer Series Paper, Elegant Eggplant, Old Olive, Orchid Opulence and Very Vanilla card stocks

Ink: Elegant Eggplant and Old Olive Classics

Accessories: Big Shot, Stampin' Up! Backgrounds I Texturz Plates, Trio Flower, 5-Petal Flower, and Scallop Edge punches, 5/8-inch Very Vanilla Grosgrain Ribbon, Distressing Tool, Stampin' Dimensionals

Thanks so much for looking! I really appreciate your visit and hope you have a great start to the week!