Picture Perfect Sea Star

Picture Perfect is among my top sets from the Occasions Catalog. I love all the images, but I think the Sea Star is the simplest to use. Here, it is stamped first in Blushing Bride and second in Calypso Coral. Look for the white "lines" (no ink) as you line up the images. Gold Wink of Stella on the center ties to the gold patterned paper from the Neutrals Collection.

**************************

tams# 6831

Product List

Picture Perfect Photopolymer Stamp Set

[140520]

$27.00

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock

[140272]

$7.00

Designer Series Paper Patterns Stack - Neutrals Collection

[117157]

$21.95

Going Places Designer Series Paper Stack

[140581]

$8.00

Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pad

[126975]

$6.50

Blushing Bride Classic Stampin' Pad

[131172]

$6.50

Calypso Coral Classic Stampin' Pad

[126983]

$6.50

Gold Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush

[141898]

$8.00

Gold Metallic Thread

[138401]

$3.00

Venetian Crochet Trim

[134581]

$7.00

Very Vanilla Thick Baker’S Twine

[138411]

$3.50

Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

Paper Pumpkin Monday--Watercolor Gold

It's Monday, and that means Paper Pumpkin projects! This card was made with the "leftovers" of a gold flower from the February Paper Pumpkin kit--Hello Sunshine.

To make the watercolor wash background, just cut your watercolor paper to size, brush a little plain water over it, then dip your Aquapainter or paintbrush in ink and add as much color as you like. I did a little spattering for this one--I like how it looks like it's rain-spattered. Just tap the brush on your finger over the paper.

To use the remnants of this gold blossom, I used Frog Tape for Delicate Surfaces, but other people are using Press N Seal with great success! Try what you have first. Press your sticky material of choice over the leftover bits of the flower, then rub gently to help the sticky stuff pick up all the pieces. Pull up gently, re-doing any parts that don't come up correctly.

Lay your homemade rub-on on your card surface, then carefully rub till all the parts are adhered where you want them. This particular flower was a bit tricky, as it had so many tiny parts. The Coral flower in this post was easier to manage.

Is your March Paper Pumpkin on its way?? Don't miss another month of Paper Pumpkin fun! Subscribe here or order a pre-paid subscription here.

***************************

Stamp from February Paper Pumpkin kit.

tams# 6279

Product List

Watercolor Paper

[122959]

$5.00

Crumb Cake 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

[120953]

$7.00

Calypso Coral Classic Stampin' Pad

[126983]

$6.50

Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pad

[126975]

$6.50

Venetian Crochet Trim

[134581]

$7.00

Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

Lighthearted Maple

I'm so in love with Lighthearted Leaves. It's my favorite leaf set in a LONG time. It's so intricate and textured, and so on trend right now with all the Zentangling art!

This was a simple card to make. I stamped the maple leaf from Lighthearted Leaves in Versamark on Early Espresso cardstock, then added gold embossing powder and heated it to set. The dies in the Leaflets Framelits set cut it out perfectly for me.

******************************
Click the links to view or purchase items used on this card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Sparkly Season Watercolor Pencils

At first glance, the "little" images in the Sparkly Seasons didn't seem that important, but I'm liking them more and more! I used my (cheap) watercolor pencils to color this Nutcracker image, and then went in search of a card to put him on. The Season of Cheer Designer Series Paper was a perfect match, even though I didn't plan it that way!


A Christmas card needs a little sparkle, right? So the Gold Metallic Thread and the Gold Cording helped me out there. I used the sketch from FMS205.

************************
Click the links to view or purchase items used to make this project:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Dove of Peace Marker Wash

This is another watercolor sample for my online watercolor class. For this card, I used Strathmore Watercolor paper and the Stampin Up Cherry Cobbler marker. I laid down some lines of marker, then began blending with water and a paint brush. I added ink along the way, but mostly I just blended. Dove of Peace seemed like a perfect addition to this background, but I never did get a photo that really captured the gold embossing the way I wanted it to.

*********************
Click the links to view or purchase the items used in this project:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Full of Thanks

I love leaf images, and these "doodled" leaves from the Holiday Catalog really captured me! The details and the texture make Lighthearted Leaves a definite "win" in my book.

For this card, I embossed the leaves in gold, which I think makes them very elegant.

*******************************
Click to view or purchase items used to make this project:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Introducing Tip Top Taupe!

The new 2015-16 Catalog is live! Click the photo of it in the sidebar -------------> to see the pdf, or scroll down to the Shop Now button -------------->  and browse it in my online store!

I thought it would be fun to show you the new In Colors. Of course, there is no such thing as a "new" color, but tints and shades and all that technical stuff can make a color seem fresh and bright and trendy! Stampin Up chooses the In Colors based on the Pantone projections for hot new colors--the ones you see in home decor, clothing, paper supplies, and more.

Today's focus is Tip Top Taupe. It is featured in the fun new Designer Series Paper Stack "Cherry on Top," just to make it easier to love. I really think we will love this Taupe, as it goes with everything and makes a great neutral! I'm still mourning the retirement of Baked Brown Sugar, and Tip Top Taupe is helping to console me.

**************************
Stamps: Bravo
Paper: Tip Top Taupe, Soft Sky, Cucumber Crush, Bermuda Bay, Gold Foil, Cherry on Top DSP Stack
Ink: Tip Top Taupe
Accessories: Stars Confetti Punch, Gold 1/8" ribbon

Painted Beauty

Both the Painted Blooms DSP and the Painted Petals set will be gone by June 2! I love both of them, and the fact that the Painted Blooms DSP is on the Weekly Deals right now just makes it better!

*******************
Stamps: Painted Petals
Paper: Whisper White, Painted Blooms DSP, Blackberry Bliss, Gold Glimmer Paper
Ink: Mossy Meadow, Blackberry Bliss
Accessories: Doilies, Pearls

Blackberry Spattered Butterflies

I posted this card on my Facebook page already but wanted to share it here, too. It's one of my favorites I've made with the Butterflies Thinlits!

Use an Aquapainter and ink to make these spatters the old-fashioned way. The main butterfly is cut from cardstock vellum, with the smaller layered butterfly cut from Painted Blooms Designer Series Paper (DSP).

The gold filament is from Gold Baker's Twine--just unravel what you need! The card needed one other gold accent, so I used the "torn washi tape" thinlit from the Mini Treat Bag set to make a gold foil background for the sentiment. Isn't that a cool shape? I'll be using it more in the future!

*********************
Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: Whisper White, Blackberry Bliss, Cardstock Vellum, Painted Blooms DSP, Gold Foil
Ink: Blackberry Bliss
Accessories: Butterflies Thinlits, Mini Treat Bag Thinlits, Gold Baker's Twine, Aquapainter, Blackberry Bliss ribbon (retiring), Spring Flowers Embossing Folder

Moonlight Mini Treat Bag

These treat bags are easy and fast to make--great for school friend gifts or office gifts! This bag holds one mini-treat--Twix for the win!--so it's affordable to give out LOTS.

The papers in one of Stampin' Up!'s wonderful small Designer Series Paper Stacks (Moonlight in this case) work perfectly--no cutting! If you don't have one of these Stacks yet, you could cut your paper to 4 1/2 x 6 1/2.


1. Put short side of paper at the top of the scoring board.
2. Score at ½ inch down the left side.
3. Turn 180 degrees and put long side at top.
4. Score at 1, 1 ½, 2, 4, 4 ½, 5
5. Cut all but center tab off bottom of paper.
6. Use tiny amount of Tombo glue or Sticky Strip to adhere the sides together, then adhere the bottom flap to close.

Go ahead! Make a few! They're fun and addicting!

***************************

Stamps: Label Love
Paper: Moonlight DSP Stack, Whisper White, Gold Fancy Foil Vellum
Ink: Blackberry Bliss
Accessories: adhesive, Hello Honey ribbon, Banners Framelits, Artisan Label Punch, Simply Scored

Black and Gold Bravo for CAS299

I'm a little bit addicted to the Clean and Simple sketches! This card features CAS299.  Gold and black make for a dramatic color scheme, and this card gave me a theater sort of feel! What better sentiment than "Bravo" from the new photopolymer set to round it out? This very affordable set ($25.95) contains lots of BIG sentiments that make card design easy. 

I also wanted to use my very favorite Designer Series Paper (DSP) from the catalog, Back to Black! Don't forget that regular DSP is on sale this month, Buy 3 Get 1 Free! Lots of circle punches and dies made this design easy to execute. There will definitely be more cards coming from this sketch!

*****************************
Stamps: Bravo
Paper: Black, Whisper White, Back to Black DSP, Brushed Gold
Ink: Versamark
Accessories: Circle punches and dies, Gold embossing powder, Chalk Marker

Summer Sunshine for PPA 211

Yellow is my very very favorite color, so I couldn't resist the color challenge over at Paper Pals Arts, PPA 211. I combined 2 sets for this card--Kinda Eclectic and Ray of Sunshine. The Large Polka Dot folder and a few sequins helped add some texture. Here is the inside:

***************
Stamps: Kinda Eclectic, Ray of Sunshine
Paper: Night of Navy, Crushed Curry, Whisper White
Ink: Hello Honey, Night of Navy
Accessories: Large Polka Dot embossing folder, Gold Sequins, Crushed Curry Baker's Twine, Circles Collection Framelits, Starburst Framelits