Build a Blossom -- Love it!

Wow!  I so love the Stampin' Up set Build a Blossom.  It's great on its own, but pair it with the Blossom Petals Punch and the results are fantastic!

The first time I sat down to make a card with this set I was hooked.  That card is long gone (to my aunt), but this one is similar.  The flower, which uses the biggest blossom, really has an impact.  I can't even tell you how many different cards I've made with this flower and no matter what color I use for the flower it turns out great.

And this is just a one layer flower.  You can have multiple layers, using the same petal again or using a different shaped petal.  I'll show you some of those another time.

Believe it or not, the background on this card is Daffodil Delight Patterns Designer Series Paper.  Somewhere between my photophraphy and photo editing the colors became a little muted.  The flower is Perfect Plum and the leaves are Garden Green.  It's all on a Whisper White base.  The colors make a very cheerful combination in person.

There are 12 stamps in the Build a Blossom set. The Blossom Petals Punch punches four sizes of leaves/petals -- either all at once or feed in a smaller piece of cardstock to punch what you need. You can mix and match the stamps and punch parts to make a variety of flowers and leaves.

Both of these items are in the Occasions mini catalogue, so be sure to get them before they're gone.  You can order yours by contacting me at the e-mail address in the header or by leaving a comment on this post.

Did you notice the watermark on my card?  I used My Digital Studio to create it.  It was really easy to make.

Guess that's it for today.  Thanks for stopping by.  Be sure to leave a comment letting me know what you think about the Build a Blossom set and Blossom Petals Punch.

Sue Root, Independent Stampin' Up demonstrator

In Wilderness Wolf

I really like using Not Quite Navy with the Stampin' Up set In Wilderness.  This time I used the wolf to make a clean and simple, masculine, thank you card.

I used punches and the Circles #2 die (the Not Quite Navy circle under the wolf) to layer the elements.

In Wilderness Eagle

A clean and simple card is often the way to go when making cards for men.  This card using the eagle from the Stampin' Up set In Wilderness is just that -- no frills, just a nice, simple, masculine card.

The base is Naturals White and the strip down the side is Not Quite Navy.  Inks are Soft Suede and Not Quite Navy.



You can never have too much chocolate...

Here's another card using the Stampin' Up set Eat Chocolate.

See my last post for a discussion of the designer series paper I used.  The same holds true for this card.  I like the card, but will like it even more when I can replace the lighter brown dsp with my new Chocolate Chip Patterns dsp.  It's such a richer color for chocolate -- as you can tell by the top of the card, which is stamped in and layered on Chocolate Chip.



More Chocolate!

Today's card uses the Stampin' Up set Eat Chocolate.  The designer series paper is retired, but you can order the patterns paper stack in neutrals and get an even better brown for chocolate -- Chocolate Chip, Early Espresso (for dark chocolate) and maybe even Soft Suede would work.  Those colors, plus the rest of the neutrals family, come in the patterns paper stack.  I can't wait for mine to get here because I'm sure the new, darker browns will look much richer than this lighter brown.

I used Naturals White and Real Red card stock.  Again, while I like this card, I think the red will look even better with the darker designer series paper.  I also added three Real Red brads along the lower left side to give the card a little more interest.

Hope you have a great weekend!



In Wilderness

Here are two cards using the bison from In Wilderness.  The base for both is Crumb Cake.

In the top card, the layers are Chocolate Chip and Bravo Burgandy, with the bison stamped on Crumb Cake.  I ripped around the edges to give it a natural look.  Ink color is Chocolate Chip.

In the bottom card, the layer is Bravo Burgandy and the bison is stamped on Crumb Cake.  The ribbon is Night of Navy, though it looks a little brighter in this picture.

Hope you enjoyed today's post.  Thanks for stopping by my blog.  I'll be posting more samples with this set and also with Eat Chocolate over the next several days, so be sure to come back.

Sue Root, Independent Stampin' Up Demonstrator

Happy Valentine's Day

I hope all of you stampers have a Happy Valentine's Day!

This is one of my favorite Valentines that I made this year.  I ended up adding three little white half pearls vertically to the left of the tree.  It really bumped the card up a notch.  Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of it before it was sent.



In Wilderness

First of all, I'd like to say thank you to everyone who helped with the Preschool Fundraiser, either by attending one of the classes or making or purchase (or both), on January 26 and 27.  We had a fun time helping out a wonderful program.

I recently got this Stampin' Up set, In Wilderness.  I've been looking at it since it first came out in July and I finally bought it.  It's a fantastic set for masculine cards.

This card uses the three animal images from the set.  There is also a saying, which I'm sure you'll see in a future post.  The cardstock is Crumb Cake and Chocolate Chip.

Since it's a masculine card, I intentionally kept it simple.  You can use it as a notecard (either blank inside or with the nature saying from the set) or make it a birthday, thank you, anniversary, etc. card by adding an appropriate sentiment inside.



Eat Chocolate with Movers and Shapers

This card, made with Eat Chocolate, has a fun twist -- the heart is cut out using the Punch Windows Magnetic Movers and Shapers which is used with the Movers and Shapers Curly Label die for the Big Shot.

The die is called that because it comes with a Curly Label to cut out, but any of the movable pieces from the Punch Windows or Holiday Windows can be used with the die.  When you make a card with the Movers and Shapers die you also get a shape that is the perfect size for layering with the corresponding punch.

Valentine Defined with Holiday Best

A simple card using Valentine Defined, Holiday Best and Things I Love (the individual hearts).

Colors:  Real Red and Whisper White

Holiday Best is a retired hostess set, but I have one for sale if you want it.  It's a useful little set with a stamp for each of four different holidays.



Eat Chocolate - Regal Rose

It's hard to go wrong with chocolate, even if it is on stamps and therefore not edible.

This uses the Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack.  It's such a versatile pack of DSP -- four different designs in each of the colors in a color family for a total of 40 sheets in the pack.  Since the striped paper is Regal Rose, it came from the Brights pack.



Sale-a-bration begins today!

FREE GIFTS FOR EVERY $50 YOU SPEND!!!!

Between January 25 and March 31, 2011, earn a free gift for every $50 you spend.  Spend $100, get two free gifts.  Spend $150, get three free gifts plus hostess benefits!

It's a great time to have a party, because in addition to all of the wonderful hostess benefits, you can earn a free Sale-a-bration gift (with qualifying party) -- and each person still gets the free gifts they earn with their $50 purchase.

Extra party bonus:  Have a party with at least 6 guests and get a free stamp set (in addition to all of the other free items).  This offer is only available through Sue Root, Independent Stampin' Up Demonstrator.  (You can choose stamp set from among several retired sets that I have.)

Join Stampin' Up and save 15% on your Starter Kit and get a FREE product bundle worth $50.

As a demonstrator you can:

get a discount on your purchases

earn extra money

share your love of stamping with others

earn free stamp sets

buy new items before your customers can.

Sounds great, doesn't it?

Click on the link below to go to the Stampin' Up website so you can see the current catalogs:

http://www.stampinup.com/us/enu/16192.asp

You should be able to see the Sale-a-bration catalog out there, too, though at the time of this posting it doesn't seem to have been added yet.  If you go to the SU site and can't find it, let me know and I'll try to help.

Please contact me if you have any questions or want to take advantage of Sale-a-bration.  You can contact me by leaving a comment on this post or using the e-mail in the header.

Masculine Valentine

I'm very happy with this card.  It came out just how I wanted it to.

This card uses stamps from many different sets.  The letters are from Varsity Alphabet, the heart is from Simply Said, the word love is from Things I Love and the word you and it's definition is from Define Your Life.  I used a retired set on the Real Read cardstock, but Wonderfully Worn would give it a similar look.  I think Sanded would also work there.  The brads are from Hodgepodge Hardware.

Sew Suite - Melon Mambo

A fairly simple card made with Sew Suite

I used the Aqua Pen on the spool of thread to try to give it some highlights.  I can leave it the way it is or when I decide who I want to send it to and why, I can add a sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes under the thread.

Button Button

We made this card at the Open House today.  We had a good time stamping, socializing and sharing ideas.  If you missed this one, maybe you can make it to the next one or to one of my classes.  See the Classes page for information on upcoming events.

This is a variation of the previous card.  I really like the basic pearls in the button holes.  I used my white gel pen on the other Tempting Turquoise button (though it's kind of hard to see in this picture).



Accordion Album

I just made this 3 x 3 accordion album.  It's the first one I've ever done and there was definitely a learning curve involved! :)  I CASEd a design that was sent to me through Stampers X-press, a Stampin' Up! group.  If you sign up to be a demonstrator, you could be in this group, too.  They send lots of great ideas and provide tons of business support.  And, Sale-a-bration (which starts 1/25) is a great time to join SU!  Check back on 1/25 to see why.

Want to see how this accordion album works and what it looks like inside?  Come to my Open House on Saturday between 10:00am and noon.  I'll also have a make and take.  Need directions?  E-mail or leave a comment on this post.

Sew Suite and Button Button

This card uses two new sets from the Occasions Mini Catalog -- Sew Suite and Button, Button.  Each set is great on its own, but the two coordinate wonderfully, as well.  The So Saffron background was textured with the Square Lattice Embossing Folder.

See this card and many other samples Saturday at my Open House.  Details are on the Classes page.

Viewmaster Card

This is my version of a viewmaster card.  It's different than most, but that's because I kind of made it up as I went.  I had seen a viewmaster card a long time ago and filed the idea away in my head.  When I tried making it, this is what I came up with.

You start out with the punched opening at the top.

As you spin the scallop around, the opening reveals different items that are loved.

This is the last spot...



The stamp set used is Things I Love -- big surprise there, huh :)  The hearts were punched using the heart to heart punch and a rhinestone brad holds the scallop to the card and allows it to spin.

Another Valentine

One reason I love jumbo wheels is that it's so easy to make a background with them.  This card uses the I {Love} Love jumbo wheel, the tree from Valentine Defined and a sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes, all inked in Rich Razzleberry.  Card stock is Whisper White and Melon Mambo.

Valentines using the I {Love} Love wheel

 I've got two Valentines for you today, both using the the I {Love} Love jumbo wheel.  Both are Whisper White and Real Red.

The first card also uses 1/4" grosgrain ribbon and Holiday Best, a hostess set from last year.  Holiday Best is great because it has a stamp for four different holidays.  And, I happen to have extra available for sale or as a choice when I offer the chance to win a free hostess set.  Keep your eyes peeled because I do that often.  Or, contact me and I'll sell you a set -- no waiting, no leaving it to chance.

The second card also uses a stamp from Love You Much (the three hearts, which are punched out using the heart to heart punch) and one from Valentine Defined.  I also used the Full Heart punch and

dry embossed it with polka dots (they don't show up too well here, but they look cute in person) from the Backgrounds 1 Texturz Plates.

The bottom of the wheel design isn't that curved in real life.  Guessing it has something to do with my photography :)  Kind of like why sometimes the layers look crooked in the photo when they are straight on the card.