Ready for spring!

It was such nice weather this weekend that when I went down to my stamp room to create, I couldn't help but play with flower stamps and bright colors - I am so ready for spring!

I decided to play with my new single, wood stamp - Blessed Easter - that is featured in the Occasions catalog.

I kept seeing and "pinning" cards that just stamped the image in black ink on top of the "wash" stamp from Happy Watercolor. I like that because you didn't have to color - it just added color instantly. So I set out to do that.... I didn't want to out right copy a card. There's no need -  there are so many endless possible color combinations. I reached for my handy-dandy Color Coach and there it was - the cover!

Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry, and Not Quite Navy (retired) on a Sahara Sand background. I knew right away that's what I wanted to do, especially since I had some Rich Razzleberry taffeta ribbon!

I made my card but I didn't particularly care for the "flatness" of the colors on the Sahara Sand. So, I stamped the flowers again on Very Vanilla card stock and cut it out - using the paper piecing technique- to match the Vanilla card base. I made the tulips and the leaves stand out by using Dimensionals.

I used the Tulip Frame embossing folder  for the Big Shot on one of the layering pieces, and the card was finished!

For my second card of the day, I decided that I probably have enough Easter cards on hand, so I just wanted a spring-time card. Something I could use during the next few months, but not necessarily at Easter. The tulips on that stamp were just what I needed!

I stamped the tulips repeatedly, using a black ink pad, careful not to ink up the sentiment. I highly recommend using a black marker for this purpose but mine, right now, is MIA. I colored in the tulips using a variety of colors: Tangerine Tango, Calypso Coral, Strawberry Slus,h Pink Pirouette, Dafodill Delight and Wisteria Wonder. The leaves were done in Pear Pizzazz with Old Olive highlights.

The card base is a piece of Pink Pirouette textured card stock. 

The stamped piece was cut out with the Top Note die for the Big Shot and trimmed at the perforated line that borders the die cut. That made it just a tad smaller so was able to layer it on the Wisteria piece, with it "peeking" out from behind.

Pretty bows of Pear Pizzazz thin taffeta ribbon were added on each side of the Top Note. I also added a sentiment from Pretty Petites (from last year's Sale-a-Bration) and punched it out with the matching Petite Curly Label Punch.

I still wasn't satisfied with it. 

It needed to something... but what? 

Then I saw it....

The sign that I bought a couple of weeks ago-

I was in "doubt" so I added glitter!!

Here's a closer look:

Those really are words to live by!

Spread a little glitter wherever you go!

Have a sparkling day!

Sneak Peek 2/5/15!

This month's card class (the 2/5/15) is going to feature cards made with stamps and accessories from the new Occasions and the Sale-a-bration mini catalogs.

Today was the cut-off for registration, so I could start cutting paper and creating the samples. I do this class every month, so if you like what you see, be sure to attend one! 

$15 will get you 10 cards; two each of five different designs. Envelopes are available optionally - 10/$2.

Cards are simple in nature. Most people make all 10 cards in about 1 hr. 15 min. This is a great class for beginners and seasoned stampers alike!

This is the first card that I have come up with:

I used the new stamp called Vivid Vases. It is a single stamp on wood. I stamped it on the white card in StazOn black ink. Then, I stamped it again on the Watercolors Wonder Designer Series Paper. I cut out the individual vases and glued them on the coordinating images (paper piecing).

I finished the card off with some quick coloring using my Crisp Cantaloupe marker and a few rhinestones.

I love this stamp and I've seen different things you can do with it. It lends itself well to using markers to omit parts of the stamp, and watercoloring. I'm hoping to make a few more samples with this stamp soon so that you can enjoy it as much as I do!

Here is the second card that I did today:

This card features two projects that you can get free during Sale-a-bration: The Banner Blast stamp set and the small banner punch. 

Remember, when you spend $50 (until the end of March) you can choose one item free from the Sale-a-bration mini catalog!

Back to the card.... I stamped three of the banners Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight and Bermuda Bay inks. Cutting them out was a breeze with the new mini banner punch! I glued them all to a strip of Bermuda Bay card stock.

Above that is a piece of washi tape from the Gingham Garden collection. Stampers will have their choice of sentiment from the Four You stamp set, and there will be black ink out for them to use.

That was all done on a smaller piece of Whisper White card stock. I used Dimensionals to adhere it to the card base.

Done!

To view the Occasions mini catalog, the Sale-a-bration mini  or the annual Catalog & Idea Book ,please visit my website and click on "products":

http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/dandyspandy/

3-D paper piecing "addendum"!

I was finally going through the Christmas cards that we received this year - yeah, I know - tomorrow's Valentine's Day... but sometimes our house is like "the time that stood still".... but anyway, I came across this handmade card from my  friend Jenny B., who is a stamper in Dover, PA. 

Look at this great example of 3-D paper piercing! How convenient that I just talked about it on my blog the other day!

Notice how she cut out different pieces of paper for Mary and Joseph's robes. Closer inspection revealed that she has not just one layer, but two layers, and they are popped up with Dimensionals. By doing so, she was able to add a blue textured piece for Mary's robe and the patterned "many-colored-coat" for Joseph. Awesome!

Notice, also, the stained glass window pane behind them. That was stamped on vellum paper and colored to give it that "frosty" look.

I love this card! Thank you Jenny for sending it at Christmas time! I am just so sorry that it took me this long to finally appreciate it.