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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:
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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:
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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.
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. 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!
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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
Gather Together with Nuts About Squirrels
Hello Stamping Friends,
This card is a case of one made by Lezards de Cilou. Hers was made as a much larger card but the idea was great so I made a normal A2 size card,.
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Recipe:
Woodtone Designer Series Paper (DSP) is either ‘In Good Taste’ or ‘Beauty Of The Earth’ (Both are in the Annual Catty) or just use Early Espresso and Emboss with the Bark 3D embossing folder.
Stamp Sets: Nuts About Squirrels and Pretty Pumpkins
Inks: Soft Suede- squirrel outlines; Cinnamon Cider for stamping the color of the squirrels; Pumpkin Pie for greetings and one inside little leaf; Cajun Craze for a leaf; Crushed Curry for a leaf; Early Espresso for branches and veins on the leaves.
Blender Pens: Ivory for shading on the squirrels; Bronze for the top of the acorn; Lt Cajun Craze for bottom of acorn.
Marker: Pumpkin Pie to add dots to greetings
Dies: Layering Diorama Dies, Tailored Tag Dies
Embossing Folder: Cracked Paint
- Base: Bumble Bee, 4 1/4 X 11, scored at 5 1/2.
- Back Piece for a background: Woodtone DSP, 2 1/4 X 3 5/8, this is to be a background for your cutouts. Glue to base.
- Middle layer: Woodtone DSP, 3 5/8 X 4 5/8, die cut with smallest Layering Diorama Die, emboss with the Crackled Paint embossing folder and then distress and sponge the edges with Early Espresso- Turn this layer upside down so your openings are different.
- Very Top Layer: Woodtone Designer Series Paper; 3 7/8 X 4 7/8. Cut with the second from smallest Layering Diorama Die centering about 1 1/2″ top and bottom. Emboss with the Crackled Paint Embossing Folder. Sponge the cut out to add shadows and glue to the back piece you glued on the base.
- Tree Branches at top: DSP from Beauty Of The Earth, 1 3/4 X 4, fussy cut the edges
- Inside Layer: Basic White, 3 7/8 X 4 7/8, Stamp greeting, then the little leaves in bottom corner. The stamp set has a two time stamping for the leaves- the leaves are stamped and then the veins are stamped over top, I used Pumpkin Pie ink, Cajun Craze Ink and Crushed Curry Ink and then stamped the veins in Early Espresso.
- Squirrel, acorns and tree branch – Basic White, 3 3/4 X 5
- Stamp the squirrel outline in Soft Suede twice with the Stamparatus
- Stamp the two step coloring of the squirrels with Cinnamon Cider stamped off once, reinked and stamped off a second time
- Color in the squirrel with Ivory Stampin’ Blends
- Stamp two additional acorns and color with Bronze on the top and Lt. Cajun Craze on the bottom
- Stamp the tree branch with Early Espresso and fussy cut
- Greeting: Basic White, 1 1/2 X 3, Mask half the greeting with sticky note, ink, remove mask and then stamp. The inside gets the other half of the greeting doing the same thing. Then add three little dots with the Pumpkin Pie Marker. Cut the front with the smallest Tailored Tag Die. Hide the circle under the squirrel’s head.
After making a couple I determined the best way to add the layers was dimensionals around the opening of the middle layer and gluing the sides with glue runner or Tombow. Then the top is popped up with adhesive strips.
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. Using the Layering Diorama Dies is not as complicated as it looks and there are so many creative applications online. The Nuts About Squirrels carries over to next year so that is good news for you demonstrators wanting to use it for your classes.
. That was cool! I bet the others sent you great swap cards as well!
They did and we should take a look so we have a scrapbook of ideas for the future!
Cindy’s card is a wonderful Thanksgiving greeting that you must see even though it is not a swap. Look at the many lovely Designer Series Papers she used and the Pretty Pumpkin stamp, linen thread and gold gems! The pumpkin is glossy and beautiful in real life. I think she used the baby wipe technique for the colors and then embossed with clear embossing powder. It sparkles!
Ann’s beautiful card uses the Beauty of the Earth Designer Series Paper, Scalloped Contour Dies and Beautiful Trees dies.
Lori’s helping me with Christmas cards with her swap using the Playful Penguin Designer Series Paper and Misty Moonlight card stock, Layering Diorama Dies, Curvy Christmas sentiment, Christmas Whimsy card kit for star stamp, and fussy cut little creatures from the Designer Series Paper. So cute!!
Jo used the Days To Remember stamp set with the Brushwork Alphabet and lovely Designer Series Paper and sequins:
Joy used a Pale Papaya card base with a layer of Blackberry bliss (love that combo) and then weaved strips of the Beauty of the Earth Designer Series Paper on a Pale Papaya layer embossed with the Tasteful Textile embossing folder. She used the Pretty Pumpkins Stamp set with the bundled Detailed Pumpkins dies for the pumpkins and the greeting is from the same set.
. Sharon’s card uses fun table name markers from her stash to make a cute Thanksgiving card:
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Lucille’s card is lovely with lots of sparkle and stitched leaves on a Bumble Bee base with an Old Olive layer. The ‘hugs’ is die cut and the oval is a stitched oval.
‘A pinch of creativity to spice up your crafting life!’
SAL, Sending A Lot of cards to inspire you
Karen. (Click on little Sal to go to the online store)
Whirly Wednesday for October Swaps and Mystery Card #17
Hostess Code: ZRTHHK33
Use this code before you check out online if your order is under $150 and our club hostess will get credit so no dollars are left on the table.
If you are opening this blog post in your email be sure and click a second time on the header to go to the full blog. If you would like to receive an email when I add a new post be sure and put your email address in the box at the right on the blog.
For those of you who have followed me for years, it seems repetitive to say these things every time I post, however my circle of followers keeps growing so I need to help those who are new to blogs and such. Thank you for your patience!
So where are you going to start today with so many cards to show everyone?
Well, Sal, I had better start with my swap since I have two youtube videos to upload. I had trouble when I did an unscheduled Facebook Live. Facebook cancelled me when they decided I had gone long enough and I had to start a second Facebook Live.
The first video is the long one showing the coloring and cutting. The second shows the assembling.
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. Recipe:
- Stamps: Pretty Pumpkins, Delivering Cheer
- Dies: Give It A Whirl Dies, retired Pillow Box Dies for small leaves
- Inks: Tuxedo Memento Black, Old Olive, Early Espresso
- Tools: Small Brad, 1 3/4″ circle punch, Foam Adhesive Strips and Stampin’ Dimensionals, Masking Paper, Purple Tape, Cut and Emboss Machine, Stamparatus, Scissors, Tombow adhesive, Picker Upper Tool
- Stampin’ Blends:
- Lt Misty Moonlight (coat)
- Dk & Lt Pumpkin Pie(pumpkins)
- Lt Cinnamon Cider (gloves)
- Lt Cherry Cobbler (two sprigs, stocking stripes and scarf)
- Lt Mango Melody (stripe on sock)
- Lt Daffodil Delight (two outside branches & one stripe on sock)
- Lt Shaded Spruce (one sock stripe, four spruce branches)
- Lt Old Olive (two branches)
- Lt Soft Succulent (Pumpkin Leaves)
- Black Marker for drawing the arrows and adding detail between circle and the top layer
- Base: Cajun Craze, 8 1/2 X 5 1/2, scored at 4 1/4
- Layer: Beauty Of The Earth Designer Series Paper (DSP), 3 7/8 X 5 1/4, cut with large rectangular Give It A Whirl Die
- Top Layer: Basic White, 2 3/4 X 4 1/4, Cut with 4th smallest Stitched Rectangle Die
- Inside Layer: Basic White, 4 X 5 1/4, Cut with largest Stitched Rectangle Die
- Circle for the Spin: Basic White, 3 3/4 X 3 3/4
- Copy Paper: 5 1/2 X 5 1/2 for masking the die cut opening and a scrap to die cut a second circle for positioning foam strips
- Little Leaves: 2 1/2 X 3/4, punch three little leaves for embellishments (I used the retired pillow box dies)
- Circle Punch: Basic White, 2 X 2, punch with 1 3/4 circle punch
- Greeting: Pumpkin Pie, 3 1/2 X 1 1/2, stamp with greeting and pencil draw around the stamp to fussy cut
Tips:
- Mount the Delivering Cheer coat stamp on one stamparatus plate and mount the greenery stamp on the second stamparatus plate to stamp in line with the coat. Keep the greenery stamp in place. Once you have the pumpkins stamped on each opening, you will mask the pumpkins and stamp the greenery over the masked pumpkins.
- Cut the shape for the opening in the DSP and Basic White top layer (after stamping the coat), lining up the little circles
- Place a template of the large die cut circle on the back of the DSP to know where to put strips of foam adhesive so the circle will not touch the adhesive and get stuck
- The brad goes through the middle circle cut by the big circle die and then through the middle of the punched 1 3/4 circle (in which you created a little circle in the middle with the Take Your Pick tool or a hat pin). Place Stampin’ Dimensionals around the brad and mount to the base, temporarily holding the DSP in place to position the circle
- Summary of Layers:
- Base
- 1 3/4″ punched circle attached with Stampin’ Dimensionals after attaching to large circle with brad
- Large Circle attached to little punched circle with the brad
- DSP cut with the rectangular Give it a Whirl die with the opening cut, mounted with foam adhesive strips to base after mounting the whirly circle
- Stitched Rectangle stamped with coat and cut for opening, adhered with Tombow glue to the DSP
- Greeting attached with Stampin’ Dimensionals
. I think you may have gone over your word limit just like you went over your time limit on Facebook
It was really hard to explain in words and so much easier to show in the video. I make it sound complicated and I don’t want to scare people off when the Give It A Whirl dies lend themselves to so many fun cards and just making one shows you how easy it can be.
Let’s look at some of the other’s swaps:
Joy made a fabulous friendship card using Blackberry Beauty DSP, Be Dazzling DSP, and a Blackberry Bliss base. The circle is cut with the Encircled In Beauty dies and the leaves are cut with the Intricate Leaves dies. The stamps she used are Gorgeous Leaves and Quiet Meadow. I love how Joy used the background stamp with the little dots especially on the inside behind the little leaf.
. I have four fun Halloween swap cards; let’s take a look:
Jo made this fun monster card with the retired Stampin’ Up! Hallows Night Magic Stamp set (inside stamps), the retired Stampin’ Up! Boo To You, and the Peek A Hoot Dies from last year’s mini catalog. Love those googly eyes!!
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Heather used the Clever Cats stamp set, Frightful Tags Dies and the retired Spooky Bats Punch with nested circle dies for the card. The stars are from a Paper Pumpkin set, the blue layer is Island Indigo with miscellaneous scrapbook paper on top. I must show you the inside so you see how she stamped those bats around the greeting:
. Ann used the Frightfully Cute stamp set and the Textures and Frames stamp set with witches embossed with black embossing powder! She used Rectangle Stitched Dies, Black Glitter Paper, Cute Halloween DSP, Cute Stars Sequins and Old Olive Ribbon. The greeting is Zing! Leaf embossing powder and look at her bats on the inside flying toward you!
. Sharon’s card uses almost every one of the Frightful Tags Dies with a 3D sticker spider from her stash:
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. Lori is getting a head start on Christmas cards with a card made with the Whimsical Trees Bundle in the mini catalog. The blue DSP is part of the Whimsy and Wonder Specialty DSP – special because it has lots of foil embellishing the paper. The dies have six different sizes of Christmas trees and then fun embellishments to die cut.
. Why are the pictures of your cards not focused?
Well, Sal, I am cutting corners by sizing the cards for the blog with the tools in Word Press. If I size them using Gimp they are focused a little better but I would be here much longer and I have a Mystery Card to show everyone!
Mystery Card Challenge #17. Click on the blue to print
Mystery Card Challenge #17 printable pdf file
. It is a full pleated front card! I used the Expressions In Ink DSP and Artistically Inked stamps and a Pretty Pumpkin stamp. Which do you like better the one with dots of gold foiling on the Pale Papaya or the gold bling?
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The pleated DSP can go pointed to the bottom as I did, to the top as Sharon did or horizontally as Joy did.
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. That should be enough to spice up someone’s crafting world!
So true, Sal! If you would like to be a part of club or join with friends to create a club of your own, contact me by text at 303-815-0838 or email [email protected]. We have club on the second Tuesday of the month or an event here at my home if it is an off month for club. November 8th is the next club!
It’s time to think Christmas cards! I can help with that. Paper Pumpkin has a set in November that can help as well just subscribe by November 10th:
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Nine treat packages – three each of three designs. Hmmmm….. so the snowman is only one of the three. Sounds perfect for a small classroom or for a few neighbors. You can always adjust your order to get extras or buy refill kits.
You can order the subscription directly, just click on the picture above or go to the store and order one, three, six or 12 months so you can add paper and other supplies you need. Click on little Sal in the computer to go to the online store:
SAL, Sharing A Lot this fine fall day
Karen
September Swaps and Mystery Card #16-Origami Frame Card
Hello Stamping Friends,
It is almost over- September – and summer – and ….. boo hoo
. And only 86 days until Christmas! Just sayin……
We will be ready!!
Mystery Card Challenge #16 printable pdf file
It is an Origami Frame Card (also called Shadow Box Technique, Folded Paper Frame, and Origami Window Frame)!
This is the one I created with the specific instructions. I used the wintry 3D embossing folder and since it is made for the mini machine, I just rotated the folder 180 degrees so there were no half embossed images and ran it a second time. I used the Baby Wipe Technique for the greeting from the Frosted Gingerbread stamp set by placing a baby wipe on our largest acrylic block and then drip dropping red and green ink from the reinkers on the baby wipe to create my own mixed color ink ‘pad’. The base is Cinnamon Cider and the DSP is Gingerbread & Peppermint DSP from the mini catalog.
- The 4X4 DSP is folded lightly in half and then opened up and folded lightly in half again to find the middle point, or use a pencil and a ruler to draw diagonal lines from each corner to corner to find the middle, then erase the pencil mark.
- Unfold and fold each corner with its point exactly in the center. Burnish well with your bone folder (1st folds)
- Fold back the corner points to about 1/8″ over the 1st folds and burnish well.
- Place at least two glue dots underneath the frame folds at the very edge of the 1st fold, you want the folds to pop a little at the second fold but be held in place at the first fold. Glue dots were less visible than when I used the mini dimensionals.
There are several different ways to place the frame on your card. In the card above, I used the 3X3 square offset from the frame to make added points to the frame but in this card I placed the 3X3 exactly under the frame for just a border:
I used an extra layer of Old Olive since I was using DSP from the Gingerbread & Peppermint DSP which was a bit busy.
- Old Olive Layer, 4 1/8 X 5 3/8
- DSP Layer, 4 X 5 1/4
- Basic White for stamping the greeting, 2 3/4 X 2 3/4 (I had fun with all the dies in the Gingerbread Dies!)
This next card uses the 3X3 for a border again instead of extra points since the back of the DSP that folds out is the same blue and got lost when I looked at having the extra points with blue on blue. This uses the Back On Your Feet stamp set.
Differences from the original:
- Beauty of The Earth DSP, 4 X 5 1/4
- Cinnamon Cider, 3 3/4 X 5, embossed with Painted Texture 3D embossing folder
- Basic White for stamping the greeting, 2 3/4 X 2 3/4
The Origami Frame would also fit on a card with a horizontal alignment.
Sharon used the 3X3 for extra points and made a stunning card with the Sale A Bration Peaceful Prints DSP, Cherry Cobbler and Basic Black:
Joy’s card uses the Hand Penned DSP and Gorgeous Grape with the Timeworn Type 3D Embossing Folder:
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Ann made two cards in differing colors and two different embossing folders- the Ornate Floral 3D on the left and the Timber 3D on the right:
Thank you for participating in the Mystery Card Challenge and sharing your cards!
We Zoom on the 4th Tuesday of each month at 9:30 to share our swaps and do a Mystery Card Challenge. Hop on by some time, just send your email address to me at [email protected].
Don’t go until you share those swap cards!
Oh dear, I almost did. This was my swap and if you click on the picture you can go to the blog post with all the directions and even a video:
Sharon’s card celebrates the beauty of fall with gorgeous die cut leaves on fall DSP and she used the Autumn Wheelbarrow Dies from last year’s holiday mini, Pierced Blooms Dies, Seasonal Layers Dies, and Autumn Wishes from Close To My Heart.
Jo’s Card uses Stampin’ Up! Reflected In Nature stamps on Thick Basic White with a full panel of brown embossed with the Wood Grain embossing folder. The shiny strip is Stampin’ Up! Rose Specialty Paper:
I wish you could see the sparkle on Joy’s card. She used the Triple Time Stamping Technique with the Stampin’ Up! Daisy Garden and Vine Design stamp sets with a border between her layers of Blackberry Beauty DSP. The little dragonfly is punched in black and then sparkled with the gold!
Ann’s card is a fun Halloween card using Pumpkin Pie and Basic Black. She sponged the edge of the Pumpkin Pie with black for a smoky look. She used Stampin’ Up!’s Frightfully Cute stamp set, the Scalloped Contour Dies, the Frightful Tag Dies, the Cute Halloween DSP, and Black Glitter Paper. The star sequins and black and white gingham ribbon are the perfect embellishment!
Your blog is like a virtual scrapbook of cards!
So true! And for you travelers and out of staters who missed the Mystery card, you can still make one and send me the picture and I can add it to the ‘virtual scrapbook’. I think it really helps everyone see the amazing things we can do with a bit of paper, stamps, tools and ink. An added benefit of our card scrapbook is to go back and see a card that we may have already mailed out but now want to make one like it. Well, here is your place to go to see those past cards. My cards are in the recipe box because they are linked to the full directions but you can always do a search by “swaps” and find the others.
And the ‘scrapbook’ brings a pinch of creativity to spice up their crafting worlds!
Mustn’t forget to say that, Sal, so they see where you come in!
SAL, Share A Love
Karen (Click on little Sal in the computer to go to the online store)
Mystery Card #13 & May Swaps
Hello Stamping Friends,
Current Hostess Code: YQHHJA29
May showers bring June flowers? Ohh…wait that was supposed to be April showers. Silly Colorado weather. It was a very wet overcast Memorial day here in Castle Rock. I was glad we had gone camping the weekend before.
I hope your three day weekend was restful and you had time to reflect on the men and women who gave their lives that we might be free!
God bless America!
Jo Brooks’ swap card was the perfect card for Memorial Day! Jo used the Stampin’ Up! Mountain Air stamp for the trees and the Stampin’ Up! Glamper Greetings for the stars which she embossed with white embossing powder. She used an Aqua Painter and Real Red for the stripes and Night of Navy for the blue part of the flag. The Dark Basic Black Blender pen was used to darken the trees. Jo printed the front saying off the internet and cut it out with Stampin’ Up! Every Day Label punch. She sponged it with Night of Navy ever so lightly. She created the inside saying herself and printed it from the computer to her color printer. She cut it out with the largest Lots of Label die.
Thank you, Jo. We must never forget!
Let’s get caught up with May’s Mystery Card and the other swaps we exchanged.
Mystery Card Challenge #13 printable pdf
Drum roll…….
It’s a Mini Bendi Card! They lie flat in the envelope and then you pull them out of the envelope, give them an ever so slight pinch and they pop up to stand on their own. Check out this one that I made with the Pansy DSP:
Here are the ones my club members made:
We have had fun with Mystery Card Challenges. This one was a little more challenging than most. We zoom the fourth Tuesday of each month to share our swaps and do a Mystery Card Challenge. Wouldn’t you love to be part of a club? Contact me!
But your club already started!
Yes, Sal, but guests are always welcome for a $5 fee and RSVP, and if an interested party had three or four friends we could start a second club.
That’s the Mystery Cards, now let’s look at the other swaps.
Sharon’ s swap uses the Stampin’ Up! Hey Chick stamp set and the Heartland stamp set. She used the Farmhouse Framelits for a fence and the Gingham Gala sequins to bling it up. Her base is Basic White with Bumble bee and Mossy Meadow for the layers.
I love the barn in the background, it is so perfect for this scene.
Ann’s swap card uses a base of Basic White with a white layer embossed with the Ornate Floral embossing folder sponged in Highland Heather and two more layers- one of Highland Heather and one in Basic White. She cut out flowers with the Pierced Blooms Dies adding a center to some from the matching In Bloom stamp set. What a gorgeous layering of colors: Old Olive, Highland Heather, Bumblebee, Blushing Bride, Flirty Flamingo and Basic Black. The greeting is from Many Messages cut with the corresponding Messages die.
Joy’s card uses the Pansy Petals DSP and the Pansy Dies which cut out the flowers so beautifully. The DSP is part of the Pansy Petals DSP. She used the Double Oval Punch with its perfect layering and a sentiment from the Sweet Strawberry stamp set. The Genial Gems add beautiful sparkle to her card!
Lori’s card uses a Basic Black base with strips of Fresh Freesia card stock and a layer of Basic White cut with the Scalloped Contour Dies. The flower is stamped with the Color and Contour stamp set. Don’t you just love those little specks of color?! It’s a stamp in the set! And note those In Color jewels with the 2021-23 In Colors. When they are near the color they take on a rich depth of the same color! The ribbon is the Fresh Freesia open weave ribbon and it is available in all the In Colors – but Fresh Freesia is my favorite!
Suzi’s card uses the Simply Succulent stamp set and the Potted Succulents Dies! I love the background embossed with the 3D brick embossing folder. I looked at one of my past cards with the retired brick embossing folder and it doesn’t even compare to this 3D one with its incredible detail. The Polka Dot Tulle ribbon adds a lovely touch to her beautifully done card!
My card is another card with the Pansy Petals Suite. With the four we made at the Product Class, and the three shown here, you have seen almost all of the Pansy Petals Designer Series Paper (DSP), and all the techniques for making pansies. Joy and I cut out the pansies from the DSP, I stamped the pansies on one card at class, I used punch art with the dies to make a pansy at the class, and I sponged this pansy. Of all the pansies, I think I like the sponged ones best!
Will we get to see the cards from the Product class?
Yes, Sal, just not on this blog post. It will come next! For now this was my May swap, sort of casing one I saw by Windy Ellard of Windy’s Wonderful Creations.
It has a front flap that opens to the inside greeting:
And it has an easel on the back so it stands up! Who wants a card you can’t display?!
Recipe for a sponged Pansy card
- Base: Soft Sea Foam, 4 1/4 X 5 1/2
- Layer: Pansy Patch DSP, 4 1/8 X 5 3/8
- Flap: Basic White, 2 1/2 X 7 1/2, scored at 3 3/4; Note: for the flap to work it needs to be adhered as close to the top of the green striped DSP as possible w/o showing and popped up with a double set of dimensionals.
- Base for the Top of Flap: Pansy Patch DSP, 3 1/8 X 4 1/4, die cut with Stitched So Sweetly Die (largest scallop rectangle)
- Top Layer of Flap: Soft Sea Foam, 2 1/2 X 3 3/4, embossed with Seashells 3D embossing folder, we hide all but the vines with our pansy and petals
- Pansy parts, leaves, stem, buds: Basic White, 8 1/2 X 2 1/2, three leaves, one large pansy petal and two small pansy petals, one center, one stem, two bud parts, – 10 total cutouts
- Easel Back: Thick Basic White, 2 3/4 X 4, score at 2 3/8 and 1 5/8 and then die cut with Hippo and Friends largest oval, centering the middle of the score lines on the die
- Ribbon: Pale Papaya 3/8″ Open Weave, 8″- 5″ to wrap around the large DSP layer and 3″ to make a knot
- Middle of Pansy: Large Yellow in Playing with Patterns Resin Dots
- Greeting: Basic White, Many Messages stamped in Evening Evergreen and cut with Messages Die, sponged on edge
- Strip for the inside of the flap: DSP serendipity find. I cut the small striped DSP layer and then cut another right below it on the same piece and saw this cool little strip between the two die cuts so I used it on the inside.
- Inside Flower and bee on front: Fussy cut from the DSP
Inks for Sponging: Highland Heather Ink, Soft Succulent Ink, Daffodil Delight Ink; Using a sponge dauber, ink, ink off and then sponge around the edge of the large white pansy petal going just inside the edge, then sponge just the edge to get a darker purple. The small petals took four or more times of sponging to get them really dark. Be sure and sponge off for the yellow center so it isn’t too dark. You can always add more to darken. Can you believe that stem is sponged? It looks just like the Soft Succulent paper after sponging. Oh how I love that Stampin’ Up! has matching inks and paper! After the Pansy Product Class and the catalog launch, I didn’t have a scrap of Soft Succulent to use for a die cut but voila! sponging created the exact color.
Thank you dear Stamping Friends for your contributions to todays blog post!
If you are looking for a demonstrator, I would be honored to “Bring a pinch of creativity to spice up your crafting world!”
Click on little Sal in the computer to go to my online store where you can order retiring products from the JJ Mini – some at a nice discount, you can view the Clearance Rack or just browse around to see what we offer.
Thank you for spending some time with me!
SAL, Sharing A Love
Karen
Current Hostess Code: YQHHJA29
Mystery Card Challenge #12
Hello Stamping Friends,
I have a treat for you today with lots of cards. I haven’t posted for a long time as I prepared a catalog launch (next post) and then a pansy product class ( next after post)!
I have so much to share with a new catalog and new In Colors and new events and yet I need to catch up on April’s fun before I head into May and a new year.
We had a fun Mystery Card Challenge for April that required a little extra cutting but it used up our scraps. It is called a scrappy strip card! Mine uses the Dandy Garden DSP that is in the JJ Mini.
Mystery Card Challenge #12 printable pdf
You start with positioning your longest strip and then start putting in the smaller strips leaving about 1/16″ of the neutral in- between each strip. You will turn the card over to the back and cut off the excess of the strips and your neutral base gives you a nice straight line – from the back.
That would have made a cool picture to see all the scraps sticking out everywhere!
True, Sal, it was pretty strange and you can’t imagine that it will look like anything nice but like magic you cut off all the strips and turn it over and gasp at how it turned out!
Sharon and Jo participated in the Mystery Card Challenge and sent pictures of their creations:
Sharon just used the front and back of the Ornate Garden DSP and with all the different flowers it looked like she used many more sheets of DSP.
Jo’s card is a fun combo of striped and geometric DSP. It looks like she cut one of the medallions in blue to layer on the brown but she said the paper actually had the design.
April Swap Cards
April’s swap cards were phenomenal as always! Jo, Lucille and Sharon sent theirs early since they were Easter cards and I showed them in the last post if you want more detail but let’s look again at their cards:
Suzi used the Simply Succulents stamp set with the Potted Succulents Dies. She used the soft greens of Coastal Cabana, Sea Foam, Pool Party and Mint Macaron. She colored the succulents with combos of Magenta Madness, Mango Melody and Just Jade. The 3D Brick and Mortar embossing on white with Tasteful Textile on Grey Granite make the card stunning!
Joy used the Sale A Bration Berry Delightful Designer Series Paper (DSP) and the Berry Blessings Stamp Set from Sale A Bration. The Story Label punch and the Polka Dot Tulle Ribbon with Pacific Point cardstock are a beautiful combination!
Lori’s card uses Grey Granite, Whisper White and accent borders of Basic Black! She used the Tasteful Textile Embossing Folder, the Dragonfly Garden Stamp Set and the Dragonflies Punch. Her sentiment is from Brushed Blooms and she used the Banners Pick A Punch to create the flagged ends. The Whisper White rectangles were cut with the Rectangle Stitched Framelits. She embossed the dragonfly with white embossing powder and then added rhinestones for the finishing touch.
My card uses a different take on the Spotlight Technique to create a fun scene. I stamped the two children images from Silhouette Scenes and the trees with the beckoning trail from the hostess Summer Days. I attended Stampin’ Up! ‘s On Tour event and they sent us one of the new stamp sets from the upcoming catalog, Etched In Nature, and I used the bird from that stamp set. I masked the bird and then stamped around him with a stamp from the Forever Fern stamp set.
There are so many benefits to being a demonstrator! Let’s talk about it!
Recipe for Etched In Nature
- Base: Blackberry Bliss, 8 1/2 X 5 1/2 scored at 4 1/4
- Layer 1: Flirty Flamingo, 5 3/8 X 4 1/8
- Top Layer and Inside: (2) Basic White, 5 1/4 X 4
- Bird: Shimmer White, 3 X 3 1/2, punched with 2 1/2″ punch
- Ink: Tuxedo Black ( use the Stamparatus for good coverage on the silhouettes). Stamp the trees off a bit on the left so the path is visible.
- Old Olive to stamp leaves from Forever Fern
- Stampin’ Blends:
- Dk Flirty Flamingo and Dk Rich Razzleberry for bird
- Lt Soft Suede layered with Lt Mango Melody for beak and legs
- Dk Soft Suede for the branch
- Lt Seaside Spray to color in the sky around the bird and foliage
- Matt Black Embellishments
Yes, Sal, I am way behind and have two posts in between the end of the month post. We are headed camping this weekend so I had better get busy! I remember thinking how strange this one blog that I follow is because she frequently posts three or four times in one day. Now I need to do the same thing.
That is a risk. Your followers may not look at any of them since there are multiples.
It is a risk I will need to take, Sal, or I won’t have a record of what we have done. So please bear with me dear followers!
If you don’t have a demonstrator I would be honored to have you choose me to help you “bring a pinch of creativity to your crafting world!”
SAL, Stamp A Lot, Smile A Little, Share A Love and always be Salt And Light in the world
Karen Click on little Sal in the computer to go to the online store. The hostess code for May is NS2RB2WK if your order is under $150. At $150 you earn the hostess rewards yourself but any amount other than that must be combined or rewards are left on the table for no one.
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