Watercolor Roses

After seeing so many beautiful "roses", I knew I had to give this "watercolor" rose a try. You should check out Patty Bennett's video. You use Shimmery White card stock, emboss the rose from Fifth Avenue Floral and spritz  with water and use your Aqua Painter and your re-inkers to color in. After your rose is dry, just cut it out.  For the card I used Shimmery White Card Stock & Tea Party Designer Papers. I've been wanting to use the new Jumbo Grommets, so I tried them here. The ribbon is from the Sale-a-bration bundle. The "Thank You" is from All Holidays. This really looks much better in real life. Click to see the photo better.

Tulip Card from Oval Punches

Here is another card using punches. Check out Stacey's blog she has some amazing flowers using punches. I used the Wide & Large Oval punches for the tulip and the scallop edge punch in Close to Cocoa, also the Curly Label punch for the greeting. The tulip is punched from So Safron and sponged with Apricot Appeal. The leaves are Kiwi Kiss also sponged. I used the Walk in the Park in the Occasions Mini catalog. Click to see the photo larger.

Sizzix Pop Up Cake

I know I have been MIA again. I had a very busy week-end. Friday I was invited to host a table at the Girlfriends Unlimited, Extreme Makeover event. I had a table for everyone to make a Mother's Day card. We did Patty's dress cards and the Textured Impressions Die, Manhattan Flower card. I think they all had a blast. They had a fashion show from a local consignment shop, tips on how to organize, (who doesn't need that?), then a Bunco game and more. Plus a HUGE table of home made food. 

Saturday was Patty's, Stamp-a-rama at Fuddrucker's.  We learned how blogging, FaceBook, Twitter & YouTube can help with our Stampin' Up! business. So now I have to learn all this new computer stuff.......I've been resisting, but no more.

Then we had a shoebox swap and we made some wonderful cards, 3-D items. And then as if that wasn't enough we also got to do 5 fun free projects from Patty. I have so much to share with you. I will be sharing all week all the different projects we did.

On Sunday I had my Sizzix Pop Up Ball class. Two of my club gals came. I forgot to remind them to bring photos, so we couldn't completely  finish them. And since I just got the Pop Up Cake die, I decided we should try one of the cakes. OMG, they are so fun to put together.  I've seen beautiful wedding cakes, Noah's ark, chocolate cakes, cupcakes, flower pots, castles and more.  I am going to share with you the one I finished last night. This is what we will be making next Sunday for the Pop Up Cake class.

I wanted the photos on the bottom, but that didn't happen.....I used the Going Grey Textured card stock for the base of my card, Cameo Coral for the cake itself, and then Walk in the Part Designer Series Paper to decorate the cake. I did a belly band for this Pop Up card and it works so much better. On the Pop Up Ball I didn't realize that you need  ribbon or a belly band to keep it closed. I got my inspiration from Dawn at Dawn's Stamping Thoughts. I just changed it up a bit. She has a great video on how to put these together.  These are easier than the Ball Die. If you don't have the Pop Up Cake die yet, you'd better get it. So many possibilities. 

Top Note Purse

I saw on Gretchen's blog this cute little purse using the Top Note & Box #2 dies, and knew I had to try one. I also used a technique I've never done before, Faux Alligator.  You cover your card stock with Versamark ink, sprinkle embossing powder over entire piece and then use a bone folder to draw lines in both directions and tap off excess embossing powder and heat.  It really looks real in person. Not that I've ever seen a alligator up close and personal........Anyway I sent this to my customer who referred a friend. She loved it. I filled it with chocolate. Yum!

Top Note Quilt Cards

Well I told you I was doing everything in twos. I promise these are my last 2 Quilt cards. The first one I used the Walk in the Park DSP from the new mini and the Eight Great Greetings also in the mini. The second one is done with the Parisian Breeze DSP and several of the Sizzix flower dies. I also used the Chocolate Chip and Baja Breeze Corduroy buttons and one of the 5/16" Chocolate Chip brads for the center of the flowers. One of these went to a new customer, (thanks Julie) and the other one went to a customer for referring Julie, (thanks Paula).

Chrysanthemum Made with the 5 Flower Punch- Amazing

I love when you can use a "tool" or "punch" another way than it was intended for. After surfing different blogs, I found Stacey King's blog. She has some awesome flowers made with punches. This one uses the 5 Petal Flower Punch. Doesn't this flower look like the flower in the now retired, Fabulous Flowers? I love how the shading totally makes the flower so beautiful. I still have some practice to make mine as fabulous as Stacey's flowers, but I think I'm on the right track. The card base is Rose Red, with Raspberry Tart DSP and Cameo Corral c/s. So check out Stacey's blog and make one of these flowers. You won't be sorry. My next one will be the tulip, so stay tuned........ 

Flower Pot Cards

I've seen so many of these cute flower pot cards that I had to try one, ok two. The first one I used the dsp from the new mini, Walk in the Park. The second one (told you I was doing everything in two's) in from my most favorite dsp, Parisian Breeze Specialty. I used the flowers from Petal Piazzazz and cut them out with the exception of the scallop. That one I used the scallop circle punch and then cut into each slice. The large flowers have the new Corduroy buttons on them for the centers, the others are from the Trio Flower Punch. I sponged the centers and also the other smaller flower that was cut out. The flowers actually are on the card that slides out. I forgot to take a photo with the card out.  Check out Stephanie's blog for the directions on how to cut the flower pot. She has photos, (which I need, being a visual person).

Pop Up Princess Ball Card

Here is my second Pop Up Card. This one is for my oldest granddaughter, Jocelyn. She loves everything princess & pink. This stamp set is retired, but for some reason I saved it. Jocelyn loves this set. I used it for some birthday treats she took to daycare as well. I just love all the "faces" of the girl's. It was fun to go and look for photos that are small enough for the ball. All of the photos for both of them are within the last 6-9 months. Jocelyn is 3 1/2 years old and Gianna is almost 2 1/2 years old.  Have you ever seen such a pouty face before? 

Pop Up Monkey Card

It seems this week, I have done everything in twos. I've made 2 more Pop Up Ball cards, here is the first one. My youngest granddaughter, Gianna, loves monkeys, so of course I had to put one on the front of the card. The monkey is done all in SU punches. The only thing that isn't SU is the palm tree. It is a sizzix die that I've had for many years. It just seemed to go with the whole monkey theme. I printed the "Our little Monkey" on the computer.  These are so much fun to make. Click on the photo to see it better.

Fifth Avenue Mother's Day Card

I saw on Julie Buhler's blog how she cut the flower and layered it, knew that I had to try one. I stamped the rose in Basic Brown 3 times on Pink Pirouette c/s and used my Pretty in Pink marker to add some shading. I think My MIL will love this card. She loves everything pink and roses. I also used the small dot texturz plate on the Whisper White. The ribbon is Pretty in Pink Taffeta. Thanks Julie for a great tutorial.

Another Quilt Card

Here is another quit card. Just love making them. I added a Sizzix Butterfly and the oval is from Oval All in the new mini. And of course I used the new scallop oval punch.

I'm off to go and pick up my granddaughters. They are spending the day with me and we will be dying eggs today. Mommy needed a break and Thursday's are my day with the girl's.

Dress Cards using the Large Scallop Sizzix Die

Patty Bennett had these cute card dresses on her blog and I knew I had to try them as well. I used the new DSP in the mini, Walk in the Park. The dress is actually the large scallop Sizzix die. You just cute the sides. Patty has directions on her blog. I thought these would make cute Mother's Day cards. Simple and cute, my kinda cards.

Sizzix Pop Up Ball Card

Okay, I finally got my first Pop Up card finished. The photos are of my newest grand-baby, Anthony. I started out with a piece of textured Kiwi Kiss c/s cut at 6 1/2 by 12 and scored in the middle. You have to have the 6 1/2" width or the ball hangs over the edge of the card.  The ball itself is cut from Baja Breeze Textured c/s. On the front I used the new set Choo Choo in the Occasions Mini catalog along with the train tracks wheel. I tried to make it look like Anthony's name was the smoke coming out of the train.  On the top of the ball I put all of Anthony's vital statistics. You can click on the photos to see it better.

Stamp-a-Stack Quilt Card

Here is another card we did this past week-end. I used the Pattern Pack from the Level one hostess. This is so easy to do, but looks complicated. You start with a 4 x 5 piece of Whisper White c/s. I used my 1 1/4" square punch and cut 2 of each design of the Regal Rose dsp in the Pattern Pack and adhered the squares to the Whisper White. Then you run it through the Big Shot using the Top Note die and you have your quilted Top Note. Pretty cool, isn't it? You will notice we now have a Scallop Oval punch, Yeah! I used my Old Olive marker and colored just the leaves from the Thanks so Much stamp in the Eight Great Greetings. Stamped it on w/w and punched out with the large oval punch. After cleaning my stamp I used my marker to color in the Thanks so much and stamped on w/w as well. Used my 3/4" circle punch to cut that out and layered it on Regal Rose punched with the 1" circle punch. The ribbon is from the mini too, 5/8" Whisper White Satin. It is so smooth and easy to work with. 

Garden Greetings

I love how this card turned out. We did this in my Stamp-a-stack this past week-end. I'm not really a fan of Summer Sun and Pacific Point, but I think it came together pretty good. (I'm trying to go out of my comfort zone). The daisy is from the Daisy die. It has 3 different sizes, so I ran it through twice to make it really full and then added the Summer Sun Corduroy brad.  I love those Corduroy Buttons. 

Movers & Shapers Curly Label die box

I was on Kerin's blog 

and saw this cute box she made with the Movers & Shapers Curly Label die. She turned it into a box. I love when you can use these dies for  something different. So this die went from a card to a box, how cool is that? I seem to be in a Baja Breeze kick these days. I do love how the Chocolate Chip goes so well with it. And besides I had to use my new Baja Breeze Corduroy buttons in the new mini. And my new dies, the butterfly, SU Little Leaves & the Flower Blossom Sizzlits. Love them! I put a piece of acetate for the window. So check out Kerin's blog for directions. So easssssyyyyyyy! Now you have to get this die, item #114506, $39.95. I love being an enabler...........My sister does this to me all the time. Do you know how hard it is to keep up? OMG, hard, but she has slowed down a bit, now I'm her enabler, hehehehe.

Sizzix Movers & Shapers, Bag w/Scallops & Top Note dies

Those are the dies that it took to make this neat little box/bag. The main piece is the Movers & Shapers die, the side pieces are from the bag w/Scallops, and the closure is the Top Note Die. I used a piece of acetate to go over the punched out Curly label. The bag/box itself is Basic Grey Textured C/S and the dsp is from Urban Garden. Pretty cool isn't it? I wish I could say that I was the original designer, but no, it was Jan Wakeland. Darn, I really want to be one of those people who thinks this stuff up........I should also mention I used my brand new Butterfly die and Baja Breeze Corduroy Button (Occasions Mini Catalog).

Sizzix Pop Up Dies

Stampin' Up! has got 6 great videos on their website. Go to this link

to view these great videos. You will see a video on the new Window Sheets in the new mini, Pop Up Cake & Ball dies, Decor Stencils, (did you know we have stencils now) these can be found in the Decor Elements brochure & of course a video on the Big Shot. If you don't have one of these babies, oh you are so missing out. These make a great addition to our stamps. The possibilities are endless. I use them on my cards, scrapbook pages (I know I haven't shown you any in a long time.....)and in most of the 3-d items I make. Take a minute (or more) and check out some of my older posts to see all of the cool things I have done with the Big Shot. Don't forget you can click on the images to make them larger.

Get Connected promotion

   Our new promotion for April is "Get Connected". For every $40 you spend in the Occasions Mini catalog, you are entitled to a FREE $10 or under item found on page 208 in the current Spring/Summer 2009 catalog. Also, any workshop of $150 or more is also entitled to a FREE item on page 208.

You will find 2 Mini Note Kits, that each include: 

4 Whisper White Gift Notes & Envelopes,        1 Chocolate Chip Stampin' Spot,  1 Double mounted stamp. All for $9.95. This would make a cute gift for someone say inside one of the Sizzix Envelope box. (go down to the bottom of the page).

You can also choose from 8 other single stamps. You can click on the Get Connected on my sidebar to take you to the Occasions Mini catalog.