Home » Card Swaps
Category Archives: Card Swaps
Case The Creator #7, Twisted Ribbon Card & Joy Meadows September 2022 Shoebox Cards
Hello Stamping Friends,
Let’s look at a technique called the ‘Twisted Ribbon Card Technique’! By cutting strips of designer series paper and laying them at diagonals it really looks like twisted ribbon.
.
Our creator is Karen Bouchikas of Karen’s Stamping Place. Here is a pdf of the card cuts with a link to the you tube by Karen.
Case The Creator #7 printable pdf file
Here is a screen print of the pdf file. Because the following is a screen print the you tube link will not work directly from the blog post. You need to click on the pdf file and then click on the youtube link — the link works from the pdf file. Thank you to the dear follower who left a comment to point that out! I do apologize for the confusion.
. For my card I used the Butterfly Kisses Designer Series Paper for the ribbon strips and the left side panel on a mat of Calypso Coral and a base of Thick Whisper White. The two little butterflies on the front are cut from one of the 6 x 6 pieces of designer series paper. The butterfly on the inside of the card is stamped with the Best Butterflies stamp set using Calypso Coral, Granny Apple Green and Fresh Freesia. The little flowers are from the Fun Flowers Resin Shapes.
I don’t recognize the labels you used for the Happy Birthday?!
They are punches, Sal. The Calypso Coral background is the Decorative Circle punch from the Annual Catalog and the top white shape is the Handmade Tag Punch. The ‘happy birthday’ greeting is from the Shaded Summer stamp set. The inside greeting is from Pansy Patch.
Check out another way I used the Handmade Tag Punch with the Handmade Wishes stamp set.
. No, Sal, that is part of the stamp set! Everything you see is part of the stamp set; let me show you:
That set is a must have set!
Let’s see what the rest of my amazing stamping group did for the Case The Creator card. For those of you who are new to following Stampalosopher, the fourth Tuesday of the month I hold a Zoom meeting at 11:30AM and we share our swap cards and what we made for that month’s Case The Creator card. I send out the instructions with the video link about two weeks in advance. Send me your email and you are welcome to join us!
Heather’s birthday card with balloons is just awesome! With light strips on dark strips the ribbon really looks like one piece folded all the way down.
. Jo’s card with the gold vellum and gold sequin trim was a card fit for a king!
. 
. Joy did a criss cross with her strips and put them on the left side – so unique!
. Sharon also crisscrossed her strips and had such fun she made three cards:
. 
. 
Send me a picture if you make a twisted ribbon card and I can add it to this post! That is the nice thing about blogs! I want to make a twisted ribbon Christmas card so check back next month to see if it is posted. I kept waiting to post hoping I would get it done but finally decided I had better just add it at a later date.
Joy Meadows hosted our shoebox swap and taught us how to fold paper to make a kimono! Aren’t her creations beautiful?!
For my swap card I used the Wonderful World designer series paper from the Sale A Bration free offering:
Except for the greeting and the inside, it is an exact case of Linda Bedinger’s card on Ink and Ingenuity. The flowers are fussy cut from the Designer Series Paper. I loved the little bitty flowers on the side matching the great big flowers on the main front. I would do this again if I had a large image and small images on designer series paper! I did several different inside greetings:
. 
. 
The front ‘A little hello…’, the ‘Happy Birthday’ and the ‘Thank You’ are all from Pansy Patch. The ‘Congratulations’ is from Happiness Abounds.
Recipe for Wonderful World swap card:
- Base: Thick Basic White, 8 1/2 X 5 1/2 scored at 4 1/4
- Front Mat: Pear Pizzaz, 4 across X 4 1/4 down
- Front strips and Inside Mat: Mossy Meadow
- 1/4 X 4 1/4, vertical strip on front
- 1/4 X 4, horizontal strip on front
- 4 X 5 1/4, Inside Mat
- Inside Layer: Basic White, 3 1/2 X 4 3/4
- Side Strips: Wonderful World Designer Series Paper
- 3/4 X 4 1/4 for the front
- 3/4 X 4 3/4 for the inside
- Flowers: Wonderful World Designer Series Paper, fussy cut each
- Ink: Mossy Meadow
- Stamp Sets: Pansy Petal and Happiness Abounds
- Embellishments: Various to go with the flowers
By using a generic greeting on the front, I could include both the Happy Birthday and Thank You in my swap so folks had a choice for their greeting.
That’s all for today! Come on back when I post the projects we did the next month.
SAL, Stamp A Lot , Smile A Little and always be Salt And Light to those you meet.
Karen. Click on little Sal in the computer to go to the online store
Paradise Palms for May Swaps, Sweet Songbirds Catalog Launch
Hello Stamping Friends,
Let’s take a moment to remember those who gave their lives for their country!
Jo Brooks sent a swap card that is so perfect for the day:
. 
.
The little red star is attached to the left and fits inside the blue star creating an awesome hinge. Opening up the stars, Jo has inserted ‘A Soldier’s Poem’:
May we honor their sacrifice by protecting our freedoms as best we can!
Jo’s card uses many Stampin’ Up! Dies– Celebrate You, Basic Borders, Cross of Hope, Scalloped Contours, and Stitched Stars. What a great card for Memorial Day! Thank you, Jo!
I have so much to share I hardly know where to start. Grab a cuppa and settle in for some wonderful inspiration from my group of swappers and the projects at the catalog launch.
You had better hurry! You have so much to share.
Catalog Launch Fun
Stampin’ Up!’s new annual catalog made its debut May 3rd and it was so hard to decide what to showcase. I love birds and wasn’t sure about the Sweet Songbirds stamp set until I saw a card made by Sue Vine of Miss Pinks Craft Spot with the bird in the air so I went with that idea and voila:
. 
. 
.
There are two different sets of eyes- open or closed- and two different feet -standing or walking- and a punch to punch out our little songbird! Laura Mellinger of laurasworksofgheart.blogspot.com designed the little nest which was perfect for a party favor!
I used the Tea Boutique Cards and Envelopes with strips of the new Tahitian Tide, Parakeet Party and Sweet Sorbet card stock adhered to the white side which I made the front. The clouds are from the Give It A Whirl Dies! The clouds have stitched edges for a fun look and there are hearts and circles and rectangles, a must for your collection, even if you never make a whirly card like I did here.
. 
. All the attendees got to see the new In Colors up close and personal as they made their color chart:
. Sweet Songbird In Flight Recipe
–Sweet Songbirds stamp set, Songbird Builder Punch
-Base, Tea Boutique Cards and Envelopes
-Basic White, 2 3/4″ X 4″; stamp the songbird and then punch out. Stamp and punch an extra belly to make the larger wing. Helpful Hint: Punch the songbird out of scrap to make a template for positioning the stamps on the Stamparatus. Save your template with the stamp set.
-Side Strips X2, 5 1/2″ X 3/8″ in one color for the songbird and one color to match your choice of card
-Basic White scraps, various sizes to die cut clouds with the Whirly Dies
-Baker’s Twine, 12″ and 3 Opal Round embellishments (There is Baker’s Twine to match the In Colors)
-Inks, Memento Black, Soft Suede, Old Olive, Tahitian Tide, Crushed Curry, Sweet Sorbet (Poppy Parade)
Sweet Songbird Favors
-Nest box, Soft Suede, 3X3, score at 1″ and 2″ on both sides, cut from one score line to the other on opposite sides 
-Nest, Soft Suede, 2 1/2 X 3, stamp two nests and fussy cut
-Bird, Tahitian Tide 2 X 2 1/4, punch – no stamping, Basic White scrap for belly, Daffodil Delight scrap for beak
-Sign, Basic White, 2 X 2, stamp the post full strength and then the rectangle after stamping off (2nd generation) so the greeting stamps nicely over top, stamp the notes in memento black and fussy cut
May Swaps
I chose the Paradise Palms stamp set and Palm Dies on a background of New Horizons Designer Series Paper (retiring June 30) with a Pale Papaya Base and Basic Black accents. The greeting and birds are from the retired Beautiful Moments stamp set. The coconuts are from the Pebbles Enamel Shapes . I added the setting sun and sponged a bit of extra colors in the sky.
I made a vertical book fold with the same palm tree design and a different piece from the same DSP for the inside of the card that looks like a beach with sea foam just coming in!
. 
.
Horizontal Paradise Palms Recipe
- Base, Pale Papaya, 8 1/2 X 5 1/2, score at 4 1/4
- Layer, Basic Black, 5 3/8 X 3 3/8; 1/16 reveal top and sides
- Top Layer, New Horizons DSP, 5 1/4 X 3 1/4
- Designer Strip, Basic Black, 3/4 X 5 1/2, die cut with Palms Die and center 1/8″ up from bottom and 1/8″ from black layer
- Palm Tree, Basic Black, 2 5/8 X 3 3/8, die cut with Palms Dies
- Greeting and birds, Memento Black Ink; stamp set – Collect Beautiful Moments
- Sun, use a sponge dauber to make a circle in Crushed Curry with a little extra sponged in the sky
- Embellish with Pebbles Enamel Shapes for coconuts and 3 In Color gems on DSP
- Inside Layer, Basic Black, 2 5/8 X 5 3/8
- Inside Top, New Horizons DSP, 2 1/2 X 5 1/4
- Inside Greeting, Memento Black, Paradise Palms Stamp set
Vertical Book Fold Paradise Palms Recipe
- Base, Pale Papaya, 8 1/2 X 5 1/2, score at 4 1/4; Turn 180 degrees and score at 3 3/8″ and 3 3/8 + 1/16, (7/16) for a decorative extra score line
- Layer (X2), Basic Black, 3 1/8 X 5 1/2, this will be flush with top and bottom with 1/16 reveal right and left
- DSP Top Layer (X2), New Horizons, 3 X 5 1/2; Hint: with 3″ in width you can make two from a 6 X 6 which is the goal if you are making multiples. Obviously, a different DSP used for inside.
- Designer Strip, Basic Black, 3/4 X 5 1/2, die cut with Palms Die and center 3/16″ from side and 3/16″ from black layer
- Palm Tree, Basic Black, 2 5/8 X 3 3/8, die cut with Palms Dies
- Grass, Basic Black, 3 1/2 X 1
- Greeting and birds, Memento Black Ink, Stamp set – Collect Beautiful Moments
- Sun, use a sponge dauber to make a circle in Crushed Curry with a little extra sponged in the sky
- Embellish with Pebbles Enamel Shapes for coconuts
- Inside Greeting, Memento Black, Paradise Palms Stamp set
Do you crafters really measure to the 1/16 of an inch?
Well, Sal, we often just eyeball the placement but that doesn’t make for very good instructions.
Let’s look at the swaps from the rest of the group. We saw Jo Brooks’ swap up top so now let’s look at Sharon’s swap using a tea cup very similar to our new tea cup in the Tea Boutique Suite. She uses three layers for the butterfly- a Fresh Freesia base, a Blushing Bride die cut and then tops her butterfly with a vellum die cut and a unique oval gem.
Heather used the Flowering Fields DSP (retiring June 30) and a greeting from the Flowering Tulips stamp set in beautifully layered circles on a gold foil circle. The base is Poppy Parade and she used a corner rounder punch on opposing sides of the DSP for a unique look.
Ann’s swap used embossed strips of the new In Colors on a Crumb Cake base and the greeting from Biggest Wish stamped in Parakeet Party with the ‘happy’ stamped over in Starry Sky. The ribbon is the 1/8″ Metallic Woven ribbon in Orchid Oasis
Lucille Kearin used the DSP with butterflies (retired) and a fun ‘hi’ Die. She embellished with white ribbon and Paper Studio Flowers.
Joy’s card uses the new Nature’s Prints stamp set and Natural Prints Dies. She used the Gray Granite side of the Sun Prints DSP, the Layering Circles Dies, a doily and beautiful gems. You would love the sparkly Wink of Stella she used on the branch but the camera didn’t capture the sparkle. Her gems really sparkled!
You must see the other card she made using the Nature’s Prints Dies! I love the shape of the greeting and had to go look up the dies since I hadn’t even noticed that die. She used the new Fern 3D embossing folder on a base of Starry Sky and then sponged the top lightly with white craft stampin’ ink.
Lori Moore made a slimline card on a white base with Design A Daydream DSP for her first layer and then a layer of embossed Basic White, a layer of Blackberry Bliss with the top layer of Basic White stamped with the Art Gallery stamp set flower in Berry Burst and Rich Razzleberry. The leaves and ribbon are Soft Succulent. The greeting is from the Floral Gallery Dies.
Wow, you will have lots of samples to show at your next party!
So true! Thank you everyone for participating in our monthly swaps!
Hopefully, I will have some cards from the May Paper Pumpkin to show you soon.
Now, now, Sal, be kind! Though you make a good point and I think I even missed the April swaps.
Thank you for spending some time with me!
SAL, Sharing A Lot of inspiration
Karen
June Mystery Card #14, June Swaps and more
Hello Stamping Friends,
Hostess Code: ZBP7XPBT
For 24 hours only 12:00 AM to 11:59 PM on tomorrow June 24 you can get free shipping on orders $50 and more. Running out of Basic White cardstock, glue dots, stampin dimensionals, …… ?? Order now and if your order totals $50 or more you won’t pay the shipping. Of course the JJ (Jan-June) mini has some amazing items that are retiring and some are even up to 50% off. You can order all you want and not pay the shipping. Click in the Last Chance Box to visit the store and see what is left:
And remember, Stampin’ Up! has a new line of kits and as they sell out, new ones are added so check back often to:
Wow – there is a lot going on!
Yes, Sal, and it just gets better! July 1 Stampin’ Up! will have a sale on select Designer Series Papers (DSP), and in August the new mini catalog and second Sale A Bration (SAB) promotion go live! If you ordered from me this past year, or are a member of club, you will receive both the mini catalog and the SAB brochure in your mailbox! Or contact me if you would like the catalogs and I will send you one. Email: [email protected] or text to 303-815-0838
Let’s look at Mystery Card Challenge #14:
Mystery Card Challenge #14 printable pdf file
Whoo hoo – it’s a Faux Pinwheel Card!!
Well, the true pinwheel cards are made with triangles and one edge folds in to the middle for a fancy fold. Our’s lies flat.
I made one just to make sure the dimensions worked:
. 
I used the Dandy Garden DSP (retiring in 7 days-just saying). The greeting and the inside vine are from Very Versailles and I embossed the front with the Ornate Floral Embossing Folder. I used a 3/4″ circle punch for a scrap embossed piece. Can you guess where the stitched shape for the greeting comes from? No? Well, it is one of the shapes that you die cut with the Messages die. I cut several for use with other greetings like this one! I had truly overlooked this greeting in the Very Versailles set. I love scrolly images and this one is so nice!
Here is the second faux pinwheel card that I made during the Zoom as I instructed others how to construct the card:
I used the True Love DSP which is also retiring with the JJ Mini Catalog. The greeting is from Many Messages which was introduced in the JJ Mini Catalog and carries over to the new Annual Catalog – but wait — it has a second set of greetings in the new catalog:
. Think how nice it would be to have all those shapes cut out blank or stamped to use!
Check out Ann’s bright and pretty faux pinwheel using DSP from Sale A Bration and the Tasteful Textile 3D Embossing Folder. The greeting is another in the Many Messages stamp set.
Sharon’s Pinwheel is unique with amazing trinkets and an embossing folder with anchors!
Jo’s pinwheel card uses the birds from a previous DSP and pool party for a soft subtle look! Her greeting is one I know I will use often; it comes from the Welcoming Window stamp set.
Joy’s card uses black and white DSP from the hostess Pattern Party DSP with a pop of yellow to brighten it up! She embossed the yellow with the Ornate Floral embossing folder
Such fun cards! Thank you Ann, Sharon, Jo and Joy for participating. Send me a picture if you make one yourself and I can add it to this collection of Faux Pinwheel Cards.
June 2021 Swaps
I made my June swap using the Curvy Dies and the Quite Curvy Stamp Set. If I were in charge this set would carry over for years like the Lovely As A Tree set that was in for many years. But it isn’t; it retires June 30 with the JJ Mini. The dies are on sale for 50% off and you would get free shipping tomorrow- ju..
So sorry, I do repeat myself! This card is a case of one that Jenny Moore of Stamping Moments made except I changed the flowers and the DSP. The DSP is from the hostess Pattern Party paper in Misty Moonlight layered on a Just Jade base with a bridge fold design. The yellow flowers and inside greeting are from Hand Drawn Blooms and the daisy is the medium daisy punch.
Recipe for Curvy Bridge Fold Swap Card
- Base: Just Jade, 8 1/2 X 5 1/2, Score at 2 1/8 on each end of the 8 1/2 side
- Right hand side Layer: Pattern Party DSP, 5 1/4 X 1 7/8
- Inside Layer: Basic White, 5 1/4 X 4
- Curvy Cut Left Layer: Basic White, 3 1/2 X 5 1/4, die is placed about 1″ from right hand side with flourish facing left
- Vine, bird, & 2 medium daisy punches: Basic White, 4 1/4 X 5 1/2, stamp then die cut the vine and bird
- Yellow Flowers: Bumblebee, 3 X4, stamp six with Memento Ink and flower in Hand Drawn Blooms; cut the middle out of three of the six and layer on top of the other six with a folded glue dot, ( when you roll a glue dot on itself to use, you get a slight pop up a little less than the depth of a Stampin’ Dimensional.
- Branches of leaves: Just Jade, 3 X 2 1/2, Cut three full branches with the Curvy die and one partial branch for the right hand flower
- Greeting: Misty Moonlight, 3 1/4 X 1 3/4 die cut with a Tasteful Label Die
- Bling on flowers: Ephemera pack sequins
- Faux Felt for Middle of Daisy: Use a scrap of Bumblebee and use a bone folder over and over to distress the cardstock and break the fibers until you can pull apart the two layers of the cardstock. Voila – faux felt.
- Stamp sets: Quite Curvy, Hand Drawn Blooms
- Ink: Versa Mark with white embossing powder for front greeting, Misty Moonlight for inside greeting
- Dies: Curvy Dies, Banner Bloom Dies (yellow flowers) Tasteful Labels Dies
- Punch: Medium Daisy Punch
- Stampin’ Blends: Light and Dark Shaded Spruce for vine and Light and Dark Seaside Spray for birds
Jo’s swap card was so delightful! She used the Dressed To Impress stamp set with a Melon Mambo ‘compact’ on a layer of diamond embossed Basic White on a Basic White base. For the mirror she used silver foil and she used the Layering Circle Dies to cut the folded Melon Mambo, and then sparkled it up with Bright Enamel Shapes.
. Ann used the Back On Your Feet stamp set with Paper Blooms DSP and Old Olive cardstock embossed with the Checks and Dots embossing folder on a Basic Black base. She die cut the scalloped square with the Layering Square die and Crumb Cake card stock. The greeting uses the Double Oval Punch. She has Opal Rounds and Black Matte Dots for bling. She colored the turtle with Old Olive and Soft Suede blends- for a truly perfect ‘blend’ of colors.
Joy made an arrow fun fold card for a striking card-pun intended. She even made specially sized envelopes to mail them. Wow! She used the Expressions in Ink DSP, Artistically Inked Stamps & Dies, Soft Succulent Ink, and Pale Papaya Cardstock. I love that large die cut and the gold foil in the DSP. This card took my breath away!
. Sharon’s card uses the Honey Bee stamp set and the Hey Girlfriend stamp set with the Honey Bee DSP and a Honeycomb embossing folder and Bumble Bee dies. So darn cute!!
Lori’s card is another beautifully colored card using the Daisy Garden stamp set, the Create With Friends outside sentiment and the Best Year stamp set for the inside sentiment. Her layers are Fresh Freesia, Basic Balck and Whisper White with the top layer cut with the Rectangle Stitched Framelit Die. She colored with Magenta Madness, Mossy Meadow, Bronze and Granny Apple Green Blender Pens. Gorgeous card! I love black as an accent and daisies – ahh be still my heart.
It is a good thing that our cards aren’t in a contest. It would be impossible to pick a winner!
I had three other cards that I wanted to show you just for fun.
Sharon was in a seaside mood and made this additional card:
Joy was using more black and white and made a beautiful card:
And Lucille gave me this thank you card after spending a weekend with me as her house was being shown:
Amazingly talented stampers- each and every one!
That is it for today! Tomorrow Stampin’ Up! will let demonstrators know what DSP will be 15% off starting July 1 so stay tuned.
July we will be traveling to Glacier National Park for a long vacation so there will be no event on my standard second Tuesday of the month but we are swapping in July and I will have those cards at the end of the month.
You told everyone you would be posting the cards from the pansy product class. Yes?
I did say that and yes, I will post those sometime soon!
In the meantime, stock up with free shipping and check out the retiring items.
Hostess Code: ZBP7XPBT
SAL, Still A Lot of items in the sales
Karen
Easter Swap Cards
Hello Stamping Friends,
HAPPY EASTER!! What a joyous time as we celebrate that Jesus is alive and He provided the sacrifice for all our sins!!
I will share my Easter swap card and the swap cards from the club. Jo and Sharon sent their April swap cards early so I have extra cards for you to enjoy!
The lily is the inside petals of the Poinsettia Place DSP we had in the last mini catalog.
I used several retired and retiring products knowing the message was more important than product presentation.
The base is Purple Posy which will retire May 3 but the Ornate Layers Dies do not retire so that is good news.
Recipe:
Note: DSP is an acronym for Designer Series Paper
- Stamp Sets: Easter Message, Teeny Tiny Wishes, His Grace.
- Ink: Gorgeous Grape, Memento Black.
- Dies: Ornate Layers, Stitched Rectangle Framelits, Detailed Bands (oval), Banner Blooms (stem).
- Embossing Folder: Tasteful Textile 3D or Subtle.
- Base: Purple Posy, 8 1/2 X 5 1/2, Scored at 2″, 3″, 5 1/2″ and 6 1/2″. Note: This is 3/8 inch more than a standard card but I found it was easy to fold our standard envelope just 3/8″ more to send the card. This size allowed the card to have a nice background for the Ornate borders without the lacy edges hanging over.
- Side Layers (X2): Plain Oh So Ombre purple, 2 (minus a hair) X 5 1/2. The score line creates the need for just a hair less than the 2″ side. I used the darker at the bottom and cut 1/2″ off the dark bottom of the 6 X 6 DSP to start (you will use part of this piece later so don’t toss it).
- Side Ornate Border (X2): Very Vanilla, 2 X 5, Die cut with Ornate Border.
- Inside Layer of Side Ornate Border (X2): Oh So Ombre circles on purple DSP, 1 X 4.
- Top Ornate Border: Very Vanilla, 5 3/4 X 2 3/4, Die Cut with Ornate Border.
- Inside Layer of Top Ornate Border: Plain Oh So Ombre Purple DSP, 3 5/8 X 1 1/2, Cut this piece in half lengthwise (3/4″) for each side of cross and then place both halves in your paper cutter at the same time to cut 1″ off the lighter end so that you have two matching pieces that are 1 X 3/4 and two pieces that are 2 5/8 X 3/4. Glue these 4 pieces to the edges of the wood tone paper leaving a 3/8″ cross.
- Cross: Natural Touch Specialty Paper, 1 7/8 X 4, glue this to the Ornate Border.
- Base of cross: Plain Oh So Ombre, 1/2 X 1 7/8, Use a piece of the dark end that you cut off, glue this piece to the Ornate Border leaving the same border as the top.
- Once all your pieces are glued to the Very Vanilla Ornate Border, run the layer through an embossing folder. I used Tasteful Textiles for this one but switched to the Subtle 3D embossing folder for the others I made to make the texture more — well — subtle! Glue this directly to the middle.
- Greetings: Very Vanilla Strip, 1 3/4 X 8 1/2, stamp the dove and John 3:16 from His Grace stamp set, He Is Not Here from Easter Message Stamp Set, and Happy Easter from Teeny Tiny wishes on the vanilla strip. Fussy cut the dove, and use the Stitched Rectangle to cut the two side greetings and the oval from the Detailed Bands dies to cut He is Not Here.
- Lily: Poinsettia Place DSP, fussy cut the inside petals of one of the poinsettias or cut one of the small poinsettias in the paper and add an extra petal since lilies have six petals.
- Greenery: Garden Green, 1 1/2 X 2, Die cut two stems using the solid stem in Banner Blooms. Attach to the back of the lily and then pop up the lily in the middle of the cross.
- Dove: Very Vanilla, fussy cut from the strip shown at greetings, color the branch green and pop up above cross.
- Embellshments: Heart Charm, use Tombow on the flat side and let it sit to get good and tacky then attach. I also added three rhinestones here and there.
The three greetings, the lily, and the dove are all popped up with dimensionals, all the other pieces are glued down. Try not to get glue on the sides of the ornate borders so they look a bit lacy. I put Tombow glue in the middle back of the ornate pieces and then use a scrap piece of cardstock to spread the Tombow glue just to the edge of the middles.
How did something that looks so simple turn into so many words?
I know, Sal, but I like to add all the little tips that can help someone else make the card; especially knowing that I am that someone and might want to make half a dozen more.
Let’s look at some swaps.
Jo Brooks used Mountain Air and His Grace stamp sets with the Majestic Mountains dies, the Cross of Hope Dies and the Word Wishes dies. I love how she sponged the background!
.
Sharon Fincham used the Wreath Builder dies for her Easter card swap, the dies make perfectly shaped eggs!
Lucille’s swap is the cutest little bunny!
Joy Meadow’s swap card looks quite springy with the Hydrangea Hill Designer Series Paper. She said this fun fold is quite easy to make; we will have to try it someday.
Jo Brook’s March swap was an adorable St. Patrick’s Day card using the Word Wishes Dies and a fun gnome/leprechaun!
Lori Moore’s swap uses the Pretty Perennials stamp set in the JJ mini. The set has the big ‘happy’ word and then little words you can use with it- ‘birthday’, ‘mail’, ‘for you’, ‘you make me’, ‘sending lots of’.
Suzi Walker used the Pretty Perennials set, as well, with the matching Perennial Petals Dies. The DSP on the white is embossed with the Tasteful Textile 3D Embossing Folder. I am longing for spring flowers like these:
Sharon Fincham did an amazing card with a fun pop up center. She used the ‘Hey Girlfriend’ stamp set in the JJ mini:
.
Great job everyone! All the cards are beautiful and such an inspiration.
And now do we get to see the Mystery cards you all made yesterday?
Well, Sal, I think I will start a new post so we don’t overwhelm our readers.
Thank you for spending some time with me and some of my club members today. Would you like to join a club or create one for you and your friends. Our club rotation starts again in May and we would love to have you join. Contact me by text at 303-815-0838 or email [email protected].
The hostess code for today and April is: DJRYFBKM
The retired list has been posted and the best way to see what is still available is to go to my online store – click on little Sal in the computer – and click on specials. The list is already outdated with things that have sold out so best to just head to the store!
Have a wonderful day and a blessed Easter!
SAL, sharing a love of Jesus
Karen
February Club Swaps
Hello Stamping Friends,
March’s hostess code is: A3VBV4QZ
Check out these beautiful swap cards made by the club members and come back tomorrow to see the Mystery Card #10 that is a fun part of being in club. Each month I make cards and deliver kits to the club members; then we gather on the second Tuesday of the month at 9:30 via Facebook Live to construct the kits. On the last Tuesday of the month we meet via Zoom to share our swap cards, chat a bit, and do a Mystery card challenge. I send the instructions for the card and then each person gathers the supplies and we put the cards together on the Zoom meeting. Each person chooses their own color of cardstock and designer series paper and it is so fun to see all the different cards made with the same set of measurements.
Before you show and tell February, shouldn’t you tell them about March?
I almost forgot! We are ready to celebrate and get together again. Since March is a non-club month I am having my first in-house stamping event to stamp two cards with the Hey Birthday Chick bundle and two cards with the Butterfly Brilliance Bundle – (available to purchase March 2). Space is limited to four people but there are four sessions. Stampers will each be seated on one side of a large table so we are still distanced from each other. Cost is $15. Text me at 303-815-0838 if you are interested. I can take Paypal, Venmo, Cash or Check.
- Tuesday, March 9, 1:00 PM. —Full
- Wednesday, March 10, 10:00 AM. — Open
- Wednesday, March 10, 1:00 PM — Open
- Saturday, March 13, 10:00 AM —Full
How many of the members swapped?
We had six members swap and myself. Let’s start with Lori’s ‘Everything Is Rosy’ Gatefold Card. There was a ‘Rosy Suite’ that you could purchase last year and after it retired, the whole suite was in the clearance rack. I hope some of you were able to get this amazing set of products. The outside sentiment, flowers and Everything Is Rosy DSP are all from the suite. The inside sentiment is from the current ‘So Sentimental’ stamp set. Night of Navy is the base cardstock.
Next we have Jo’s card using the Flight of Fancy and Heartfelt stamp sets with gray for the base and a sponged white Layering Oval as well as Stitched Shapes and Be Mine Stitched Framelits. Inside has “so lucky to have a friend like you” in pink.
Suzi used the current JJ Mini Flowering Cactus Product Medley for her swap card on a layer of white card stock embossed with the Dainty Diamonds embossing folder. This medley has dies, twine, DSP-designer series paper, a lovely cactus stamp set and die-cut felt sheets. See page 9 of the JJ mini. There is also a refill kit!
Joy used the oh so beautiful heart from the Stitched Be Mine Dies which carried over to the Annual Catalog! If you were in club a couple years ago you will remember this beautiful DSP. Hopefully you have some in your stash.
Lucille’s card uses paper that is quite similar to our Forever Greenery DSP. The sentiment is from Stampin’ Up’s Quite Curvy Stamp set and the hearts are from her Framelits Heart Collection.
. Sharon has outdone herself once again with the Wreath Builder Dies and the Arrange A Wreath stamp set. I didn’t notice that little heart with the love cut out until I saw her card. I had to go see those dies (pg. 173).
. My card uses the ‘Floral Heart Dies’ In the JJ MIni page 12 and is a case of Kylie Bertucci with a bit different pink. The sentiment is from the ‘Always In My Hear’t coordinating stamp set. I die cut the floral heart in basic black and then cut another in Flirty Flamingo, popped the pink heart up with dimensionals over top of the black heart and then ‘paper pieced’ the little flowers with the Flirty Flamingo sections. The key is to use the double back adhesive on the card stock and a dryer sheet to keep the pieces together. Stay tuned for a future video on paper piecing.
. Recipe
- Base: Basic Black, 11 X 4 1/4 scored at 5 1/2
- Layer: Basic White, 5 1/4 X 4
- Floral Heart: Basic Black, 4 1/2 X 4 1/4, place the cardstock on a piece of double back adhesive sheet 4 X4 1/4, die cut with the Floral Heart Die
- Pink Heart and Flowers: Flirty Flamingo, cut a full piece of the Floral Heart Die and paper piece on top of the black or Die cut the heart with a 2 1/2 X 2 1/2 piece of Flirty Flamingo and (2) 1 X 1 pieces cutting just the flower portion. Use double back adhesive on the flowers and die cut on top of a dryer sheet to keep the pieces together.
- Greeting: Basic Black, 1 X 2 1/2, stamp the greeting in Versa Mark ink and heat emboss with white embossing powder. Hint: stamp your greeting at the top corner of your rectangle then fussy cut the bottom and sides.
- Embellish: Various, I used black ribbon, pink ribbon, or black ribbon on a Flirty Flamingo strip and three rhinestones
.
In the Floral Heart Dies is a cut out for just the flower so I cut it once in black and then again in Flirty Flamingo placing both on the adhesive sheets and a dryer sheet before cutting. The little hearts are in the coordinating ‘Always In My Heart’ stamp set. Purchased together, you would get a 10% discount. The Happy Valentines Day is from the ‘Heartfelt’ stamp set currently in the Annual catalog page 75. As catalogs retire, you can look at the date of the post and go to the catalog tab to find the catalog I refer to and see other examples.
Thank you for spending time with me today. Tomorrow we will look at Mystery Card #10 and the new Butterfly Brilliance Bundle that is being offered as a special in March.
SAL, Smile A Little – spring is coming!
Karen
Click on Sal in the computer to go to my online shop. March’s hostess code is: A3VBV4QZ
Thank You or Sympathy Cards
Hello Stamping Friends,
January’s Hostess Code: UEEZKD2D Use this if your order is under $150. At $150 you receive the hostess rewards.
. Lions and Dragons – Oh my! (Dandelions and Dragonflies-tee hee)
That image is a sneak peak of tomorrow’s Facebook Live to make January’s club cards. Join me at 9:30 AM at:
http://www.facebook.com/stampalosopher/videos
Not quite yet, Sal, I have a few more classes to watch to be able to have you join us. Soon!!
Thank You Cards
Are you wishing you had a quick and simple card layout for thank you notes? I have one from a Mystery Card Challenge in our Blended Stampers Group on Facebook. I used it for my club Zoom Mystery Card challenge #8.
I used ‘Feels Like Frost’ Designer Series Paper with coordinating bases, the Stitched Nested Labels and Metallic Mesh Ribbon.
‘Love & Thanks to a Dear Friend’ is from the Prized Peony stamp set with an inside greeting of ‘Your sweet friendship refreshes the soul’ also from Prized Peony. The ‘Thank You’ is from ‘Beautiful World’ using a Stampin’ Marker to color just the thank you of the stamp. Note: Always use a marker not a blend when coloring the back of a stamp since the blends are alcohol and would stain the stamp.
Here is a close up:
.
.
Now you can see the trick! You score at halfway-5 1/2 , and again at 6 3/4. Then you glue the 1 1/4″ section between the 5 1/2 and the 6 3/4 scores to the back half of the card. Punch out little notches on this glued section and you have a unique placement for your ribbon. I used the ‘Tailored Tag’ Punch.
Here are cards made by club members:
.
This was the Christmas card I made for the Blended Stampers group. We could use all our left over Christmas paper and make this year’s cards!!
For sure!
Did you overlook the beautiful ‘Touched My Heart’ hostess set in the back of the Annual Catalog? I used it to make Sympathy and Thank You cards in December casing Dawn Michels’ post on Pinterest.
.
. The base is Just Jade and the brick background comes from Tasteful Touches.
Base: Just Jade, 8 1/2 X 5 1/2 Scored at 4 1/4
First Layer (X2): Whisper White, 5 1/4 X 4
Top Border: Just Jade, 3 1/4 X 3 1/4
Top: Whisper White, 3 X 3
Bow: 8″ of 3/8″ Old Olive/Pretty Peacock reversible ribbon
Stamp the heart, the bricks and the greetings in Soft Suede and color the leaves with Just Jade.
The inside greeting is from the set ‘Kindness and Compassion’ which is retired.
What……Breaking your own rule of not using retired products?
Once in a while, what you want to say overrides the self imposed rule!
This was a swap card using ‘His Love’ stamp set. I made it months ago and it has been sitting on my desktop waiting to be posted. It seems a good place to post with these cards since it would be good for encouraging someone.
Base: Mint Macaron, 4 1/4 X 11, Scored at 5 1/2
Layer 1: Ornate Garden DSP in Mint Macaron with Gold Foil, 4 X 5 1/4
Layer 2: Mint Macaron, 3 X 4 1/2
Layer 3: Whisper White, 2 3/4 X 4 1/4, Embossed with Dainty Diamonds Embossing Folder
Ribbon: Pool Party Sheer 3/8″ Ribbon, 4″ to wrap the layer and 8″ to make a bow.
Medallion: Die Cut with Tasteful Labels a Large Circle in Gold Foil, 2 1/4 X 2 1/4 needed, a small circle with the Tasteful Labels Die, 1 1/2 X 1 1/2, in Whisper White, and punch a 1 3/8 circle from the matching DSP for the middle of the medallion.
Daisy: Punch a large daisy in the DSP and another with the Gold card stock. Use the small daisy punch with DSP for the top of the daisy and embellish with a Gold Gilded Gem.
For the inside: Stamp off the Bible and then stamp it on the card stock. (This is sometimes called ‘second generation’ stamping- you stamp off your freshly inked stamp on scrap paper before stamping on your card stock to create a lighter image.) Stamp ‘Always’ in full strength ink on top of the Bible.
I hope these cards have given you a ‘pinch of creativity to spice up your crafting world’.
That tag line is how I came to be!
Indeed! Thank you for your time in visiting today. If you don’t have a demonstrator, I would be honored to help you out with your crafting needs.
SAL, (So At Last – the new year begins)
Karen
January’s Hostess Code: UEEZKD2D Click on Sal in the computer to go to my onsite shop.
Have A Hoot Fall Card
Hello Stamping Friends,
Remember to click once to open your email and then click on the heading to open the blog post.
The ‘Have A Hoot’ stamp set is so cute!
For today’s card, I paired that set with the ‘Gather Together’ set with its awesome greeting- smiles & love for the season– yes, please.
At ‘Take A Break Tuesday’, I introduced the card and did a little advertising for the 15% off DSP sale and for my Color Cards that I am getting ready to make for a customer. At about the 16 minute mark the internet crashed.
Here is the intro:
It stopped right where I was adding a garland at the top of the Pumpkin Pie layer using the Ornamental Envelopes stamp set. So it is time for words: After stamping the garland in the middle, then the right and left sides, I used a Rich Razzleberry Stampin’ Marker to add little tiny berries to the garland. There is a stamp in the Ornamental Envelopes set with berries, but it is best used with the large leaf garland in the set.
The greeting and the two little pumpkins behind the smiling pumpkin are from the ‘Gather Together’ set which can also be bundled with ‘Gathered Leaves Dies’ for a 10% savings (and a die to cut out those two pumpkins among others).
For the inside I used the pumpkin stamp in ‘Celebration Tidings’ which can be bundled with ‘Celebration Labels Dies’ for a 10% savings. This set also has that unique little heart!
. Silly camera! This is the same Basic Gray base, same lighting, same time of day and yet this one looks like it has a purple base. Sigh….. the base is Basic Gray.
Recipe:
- Have A Hoot stamp set with Peek-A-Hoot Dies (page 62 of the Mini)
- Ornamental Envelopes stamp set (page 40 of the Mini)
- Celebration Tidings & Celebration Labels Dies for the heart and inside (page 58 of Mini)
- Gather Together with Gathered Leaves Dies for the pair of pumpkins and greeting (page 47 of the Mini)
- Stitched Shapes Circle Die & Rectangle Stitched Die
- Inks: Early Espresso, Memento Black, Rich Razzelberry, Smoky Slate-for sponging edges
- Stampin’ Write Rich Razzleberry Marker
- Stampin’ Blends: Mango Melody, Soft Suede, Pumpkin Pie, Smoky Slate
- Base: Basic Gray, 5 1/2 X 8 1/2 scored at 4 1/4
- Layer 1 (X2) : Cherry Cobbler, 5 3/8 X 4 1/8
- Layer 2 (X2) : Pumpkin Pie, 5 1/4 X 4
- Layer 3: Plaid Designer Series Paper (DSP), 1 3/4 X 5 1/4
- Inside Strip: Plaid DSP, 5 1/4 X 3/8
- Card stock for stamped Images: Whisper White, 5 1/2 X 4 1/4, Stamp and die cut the owl in the tree, the owl behind the pumpkin, the greeting and the pair of pumpkins. The pair of pumpkins is glued direct to paper and the three other images are popped up
- Ribbon: 6″ of the Early Espresso Faux Suede (page 161 of the Annual Catalog-AC)
- Embellishments: Gilded Gems X 3 (page 157 of AC)
Tip: When you use your Stampin’ Blends on very small areas like the tree trunk, just dot with the small tip, don’t try to color. The dots bleed together and you have less chance of coloring outside the lines- though we do have the Color Lifter Stampin’ Blend if you need to fix it. To make your Blends last longer, don’t use them like a color crayon with pressure on the point; they blend with very little pressure and your tips will last longer.
I sponged the edge of the circle and the edge of the greeting with Smoky Slate ink first and then Rich Razzleberry with both sponge daubers inked and then stamped off on the grid sheet before sponging- we call this second generation stamping or stamping off, sponging in this case. While designing the card, I sponged a practice circle with Smoky Slate first but that didn’t look cheerful so I sponged a different area with Rich Razzleberry but that was too purple. I noticed that where the two overlapped on my practice sheet, the color looked perfect!
Don’t overlook the Gilded Gems in the catalog! They are faceted and just beautiful. The catalog, page 157, doesn’t do them justice. This picture shows the larger gem as well as the sponging mix of colors.
. The faux suede ribbon is another product that the catalog, page 161, just doesn’t show the ribbon’s beauty.
Did you know you can look at previous catalog pdfs, clear back to the 2014-2015 annual catalog? That is the year I started blogging. When you see a reference to a page in a catalog, just look at the date of the post and then you can go to the catalog tab and find the catalog with the same timeframe as the post and view the product.
Last but not least, I need your order by November 1 if you would like a set of Color Cards. The set consists of 12 cards with one card for each of the color families including neutrals, one card for each of the In Colors, and a card comparing greens, comparing reds & pinks, comparing blues & grays, comparing oranges & yellows, and a card comparing purples and browns. I spotlight them in the video if you would like a better look. The cost is $1per card ($12) plus shipping. Email me at [email protected].
What a great tool the color charts are to help choose colors to match DSPs like the plaids!
They are predicting snow on Sunday here in Castle Rock! We finally stayed home and worked on the yard, cleaned out the garden and fertilized. It is looking so beautiful!
. 
. 
.
Thanks for joining and giving me some of your precious time! I hope I have brought a “pinch of creativity to spice up your crafting world” and helped you know me better as I let you have a peek into my world!
Sal, So A-Loving this season and my fellow crafters
Karen
Mystery Card #3 and July Swap Cards
Hello Stamping Friends,
August hostess code if your order is under $150: HKVNWPPX
Today is the last day to order and get a $5 coupon for each $50 you spend and then tomorrow is the big day when the new mini catalog goes live, you can spend your coupons and the new online store goes live!!
Demonstrators earn the same $5 for each $50 and can order right now from the new mini catalog so call quick and we can make that happen (or click the join button in the tabs above and just follow the instructions.)
Our club met by Zoom last Tuesday and we shared our swap cards and made a “Mystery Card” using the list of supplies I had sent them all earlier.
What happened to Mystery Card Challenge #2?
Hmmm….. I guess I was too excited to travel to Mount Rushmore and didn’t post. I will have to backtrack with a different post.
The cool 1″ fold of the base on the Mystery Card #3 lets you see and use both sides of a Designer Series Paper (DSP). So often we let our DSP sit on a shelf because we love both sides and don’t want to use one side and lose the other. Here is our answer to using both sides! I am using the Ornate Garden Specialty DSP on a Terracotta Tile Base.
I glued the DSP to the back of the 1″ flap and used the reverse side of one of the 3/4″ DSP strips. On the inside you have the full DSP showing on the left and a 3/4″ strip of the DSP with the front side showing on the right.
For the greeting I used the Stitched Nested Labels and the Ornate Thanks stamp set with Old Olive ink and Soft Suede ink. The ribbon is the Ornate Garden Ribbon Combo Pack and Terra Cotta Tile gems (retired). I wish I would have had the new In Color Butterfly Gems in the Terra Cotta Tile.
I received pictures from some of the club members who completed the card:
Sharon made three cards while we chit chatted and made one! She is preparing for Christmas and sends out 200+ cards so definitely time to get started!
I will be starting Christmas cards August 11 on Facebook Live (and it will be recorded if you can’t be there at 9:30AM). I will be demonstrating 3 Christmas cards and a Christmas gift box as I launch the new Mini Catalog. Kits are $10 for guests, free for club members. Contact me by Wednesday and I will deliver or mail your kits to you. You can create the cards at your leisure watching the recorded Facebook Live on the Stampalosopher Facebook page or right here on the blog.
July Swap Cards:
I promised in my July Facebook Live with the Banner Blooms Easel Birthday Card using the Rainbow Glimmer paper that I would make a card with the die cut colored so here you are:
Recipe:
- Base: Granny Apple Green 4 1/4 X 11 Scored at 5 1/2
- Border: Perennial Essence DSP 3 3/4 X 5 1/2
- Top: Whisper White 5 1/2 X 4 Cut with Banner Blooms Dies, colored with Stampin’ Blends
- Inside Layer: Whisper White 3 3/4 X 5 1/2
- Strips for Inside Layer: Perennial Essence DSP 1/4 X 5 1/2
Here are swaps from my creative stamping friends:
Swaps are so fun! We just mail our cards to each other throughout the month. If you are interested in August Swaps let me know ASAP and I will add your name and address to the list. Swaps are due to each other in time for the August 25th 9:30 am Zoom meeting.
Have a wonderful day!
SAL, So August Leaps into the picture
Karen
Meerkats “We’re in this together”
Hello Stampin’ Friends,
Do I have a treat for you!!! To stay sane (sorta), I had a card swap with my club members and seven people participated.
I can attest to the ‘sorta sane’.
For me or for you, Sal? I am going a bit stir crazy and not because I am bored. I listed all the projects I have started and all the cleaning and organizing I would like to get done and I could be quarantined for a long long time and not get them all done; but I am just not motivated. Sigh…….
I know, let’s run around the block and get your blood pumping.
There is lightening and rain out there, Sal. How about let’s show our friends the cards we’ve made and received.
March’s Paper Pumpkin was one of the best ever! It made three card styles x four each. I thought the boot one was kind of odd until I realized that it would perfectly represent the coffee club I have with my neighborhood ladies. I put the initials of each of the neighbors on the top of the boots and left one blank for our dear friend who moved away. I cut away the boot around the leggings and used a greeting from Fable Friends. The kit even had little raindrop embellishments (on the umbrella).
I changed the greeting on the second Paper Pumpkin card and once again used the ‘Fable Friends’ stamp set for the “Happy Spring”. The flower bling is from Frosted Flower Embellishments (#148782) and I covered the heart with Glittery Crystal Effects from the Holiday catalog- you do have some left don’t you? It dries to a beautiful glossy finish.
The third card I pretty much made per instructions:
Okay, not quite, I added rain drops which the instructions didn’t call for. Satisfied, Sal? The flowers have the little rain drop embellishments but they didn’t show up in the picture.
The lined envelopes are like icing on a cake!
Using the stamps in the Paper Pumpkin kit I created my swap card:
Paper Pumpkin had Meerkats????
No, Sal, those are from ‘The Gangs All Meer’. The “Miss You” greeting is from the ‘Enjoy Life’ stamp set. The tape measure is narrow silver ribbon from my stash. The boots were stamped on gingham paper and fussy cut. I loved the basket of flowers in the Paper Pumpkin stamp set. It was a two time stamping set so I stamped the entire basket in Soft Suede and then stamped Crushed Curry to color the flowers. What fun!! I colored the leaves with Call Me Clover Stampin’ Blends and the background with Balmy Blue Stampin’ Blends. If I made it again I would stamp the basket directly on the blue and then mask it to stamp the clouds and ground around it. That would have saved some coloring and fussy cutting.
Recipe
Base: Balmy Blue, 8 1/2 X 5 1/2 scored at 4 1/4
Border Layer: Soft Suede, 5 3/8 X 4 1/8 (make 2- one for the inside)
Top: Balmy Blue, 5 1/4 X 4 stamped with clouds, a ground stamp and raindrops
Inside: Whisper White 5 1/4 X 4, sponged just a tad with the sponge roller, then stamped greeting and meerkat in soft suede
Greeting: Whisper White 2 X 1 1/2 cut with the rectangle stitiched framelit to 1 1/4 X 1 5/8, sponged with Balmy Blue and decorated with raindrops from leftover pieces of the Paper Pumpkin. Pop this up with dimensionals.
Boots: 2 X 2 1/2 gingham paper in desired colors (note: the Designer Series Paper shown at the top of Page 168 has gingham in all the different color families.)
Meerkats and flower basket: Whisper White 2 X 4, stamped in soft suede and colored with Stampin’ Blends.
Ribbon: 3 3/4″, marked every 1 1/2 cm with a black journaler so it looked like a ruler. I attached each end under the meerkat arms with a glue dot.
I still smile every time I look at those little meerkats!!
I received another card from Jo that keeps me smiling:
The stamp is from the retired ‘Postcard Pals’ stamp set, isn’t it just the cutest?!
You’re not thinking of replacing me with an otter, are you?
Of course not! Let’s look at swaps.
Some swappers made differing cards so there will be two cards with the same name on some. Thank you, Heather, for putting the names on the card pictures and sending them to the group. We had fun talking about them during a Zoom meeting.
We could all use this one in a frame on our walls:
Aren’t all those beautiful cards wonderfully inspiring?! Such talented, creative crafters. Thank you, friends.
Text me if you have questions: 303-814-0838
SAL, Safe And isoLated
Karen
Click here to order:
Welcome to my blog!
Sal Window to Products
