Bye Bye Button Buddies–more class samples

I really need to do this more often… hold a class (or just challenge myself) to create a set of cards using each of the stamps in a stamp set.  When I did this for my All Occasions card class focusing on Button Buddies, I was stumped on one or two stamp sets but loved the challenge of trying to do something different with each of the images (especially with trying to not do a Halloween or Thanksgiving card using the pumpkin stamp!)

This was the card most people picked as their favorite from the class:

I had fun with the bright colors and I pulled out the Striped Organdy ribbon from the spring catalog to add a little extra in the middle.

And then there was the pumpkin card…  I was a bit stuck on fall and Thanksgiving and so I kept it in theme and made it a thank you card!

We colored in the pumpkin image with markers and then stamped 3 times without reinking.  So:

1. Color your image and stamp the center pumpkin
2. Immediately stamp the pumpkin to the left of your center pumpkin
3. Immediately stamp the pumpkin to the right of your center pumpkin
4. Clean the stamp

That gives you the stamped images but slightly faded for the main image.  Then add a matching button and you get that extra pop!

So if you decide to go for the stamp set…. don’t forget to grab the matching buttons too!  They are even 40% off!

See them online:  Button Buddies stamp set  |  Brights Designer Buttons

To Order Stampin’ Up! Products Anytime, click here!

See the Latest Availability & PDFs of all the retiring stamps and accessories here

Stampin’ Up! Supples Used
Stamps – Button Buddies, Delightful Dozen
Paper – Whisper White, Certainly Celery, Early Espresso, River Rock, Crumb Cake
Ink – Early Espresso, Daffodil Delight, Primrose Petals, Tangerine Tango marker, Gumball Green marker
Accessories – 1 3/4” Scallop Circle punch, Brights Designer Buttons, Glue Dots, Old Olive Striped organdy ribbon

Who Doesn’t Love a Whale on a Card?

I don’t normally have a thing for whales; but when I saw the Oh, Whale stamp set, I thought it was pretty darn adorable.  Sadly, this is one of those stamp sets that I got early on, used a couple times, and then got distracted and didn’t use it nearly as much as I planned.  So, to start showing it some love I started out making a card using scraps from around my craft table -

I also thought I’d share some cute swap cards I received using this stamp set too.  That way you can see some other ideas for this guy too!

card designed by Rose Marie Coleman

card designed by Kim Allen

I guess we all were also inspired by the coordinating Sunshine & Sprinkles designer series paper.  Which, I have to say, is a paper that when I opened the package, I didn’t know whether I liked it or not, but after using it some (like on this sunburst scrapbook layout) I really have been having fun with it!

So, what do you think?  Are you on board with the whale?

To Order Stampin’ Up! Products Anytime, click here!

See the Latest Availability & PDFs of all the retiring stamps and accessories here

Stampin’ Up! Supples Used
Stamps – Oh, Whale
Paper – Whisper White, Marina Mist, Sunshine & Sprinkles designer paper
Ink – Melon Mambo, Marina Mist
Accessories – Big Shot, Cloud Embossing Folder, Pinwheel sizzlit, Silver mini brads, rhinestones, Stampin’ Dimensionals

A Quinceanera Dancing Queen for CuteCardThursday!

Oops! I’ve totally fallen behind on my blog posting this week.  I’ll let you in on a secret – I’m working on a design refresh for my blog – and I’ve gotten so caught up with that and my monthly Stampin’ Up! team meeting this week, that I completely got behind on blog posts.

But, today is another challenge day at Cute Card Thursday, and so I have a fun card to share with you:

The theme for the week is  Dancing Queen and when I saw the theme, I immediately thought of the Quinceanera stamp set.  Sure, the image is for a coming out party technically, but doesn’t that usually entail some kind of dancing at the party?  

The other thing that I thought of was disco balls and so all that Silver Glimmer paper I received during Sale-a-Bration this year got put to good use as a sparkly trim to my card.  Plus, with all that sparkle, I had to add some glitter to her crown too.  I couldn’t quite figure out how to make a disco ball for her to be dancing to… but now I feel the challenge coming on to come up with something!

The one other detail that I just had to do was to add a Vellum overlay to the stamped image.  It gave her dress some dimension and softened the Strawberry Slush color that I used to color in the dress.  I used a dot of the Tombow liquid glue at the waist to help hold it in place and then let the rest of it float freely.

Now, it you were paying attention and looking closely, you may have noticed some new Sneak Peek items in this card. 

• The card base and pink cardstock used in the card are from the new 2013-2015 In Color collection.  I used Baked Brown Sugar (this may be displacing Soft Suede as a go-to medium brown) and Strawberry Slush.  Everyone has been raving about this pink color and just looking at the sheet of paper I didn’t think it was all that special.  But once I started pairing it with other colors, I’m feeling the love.  Definitely not too bright while still being a rosy pink.
• The sentiment is from a fun new stamp set called Really Good Greetings.  I think this will be a stamp set that is great for scrapbooking titles and accents as well as card making.  At least that is why I convinced myself I had to get it now.  hee hee .

So, speaking of new products – I am getting ready to mail out the new 2013-2014 Annual Catalogs (you know, that 200+ page book of products and project ideas) and want to make sure everyone who wants a copy will get one!

*** If you would like a copy of the new catalog mailed to you, shoot me a message at jennifer@nwstamper.com or fill out my catalog request form.

Thanks for stopping by and don’t forget to visit Cute Card Thursday to enter your take on the Dancing Queen theme for the week.  I promise it is a fun one!

To Order Stampin’ Up! Products Anytime, click here!

See the Latest Availability & PDFs of all the retiring stamps and accessories here

Supples Used
Stamps – Quinceanera, Really Good Greetings
Paper – Whisper White, Baked Brown Sugar, Silver Glimmer Paper, Strawberry Slush, Tea for Two designer paper**
Ink – Cardstock Vellum, Early Espresso, Strawberry Slush, Blush Blossom marker**, Gumball Green marker
Accessories – Tombow multipurpose liquid glue, 2-way glue pen, Dazzling Details glitter, Stampin’ Dimensionals
**Retiring item

A Watercolored Sympathy Card Sneak Peek

Like I mentioned last Thursday, I had the privilege of being tapped to be a guest designer for Cute Card Thursday!  They have some really fun themes and challenges each week, and I love that they are so open that you can really get inspired based on anything you have in your stash.

This week the theme is:

Something Blue

I mean, there are so many ways to interpret that and believe me, I went through a number of different ideas myself.  But in the end, I ended up coming back to this card.

I just got this new stamp set – Simply Sketched as part of my preorder from the new Stampin’ Up! catalog that comes out at the end of the month.  This is actually a hostess set, but I LOVE the sketched images in the set and the font of the sentiments, that I had to get it early. 

Anyway, the flower from this set is what started it all!  I knew I wanted to watercolor it and make it blue and then I started grabbing other supplies from around my craft room that went with the blue theme.

So, my stamp is a sneaky peek… but the rest of the card is an homage to the retiring items.  I grabbed one of my last few scraps from my Comfort Café designer paper for the patterned papers in the card.  I used the retiring Certainly Celery paper for a mat and then added one more shade of blue with the retiring Marina Mist scallop dotted ribbon (the dots are on the backside ).  Oh, and retiring ink colors for my stamped image too!  Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue, and Baja Breeze.

That is a LOT of blues!

The nice thing is that they all went together and, while thankfully I don’t have an occasion that calls for a sympathy card right now, I now have a card that I would feel good sending out to a friend or loved one who needs a personal note of support.

But if you have a different idea (or even something similar) that you have bouncing around in your mind for the challenge this week – Something Blue – hop on over to Cute Card Thursday and join in the challenge fun!

To Order Stampin’ Up! Products Anytime, click here!

See the Latest Availability & PDFs of all the retiring stamps and accessories here

Supples Used
Stamps – Simply Sketched
Paper – Watercolor Paper, Crumb Cake, Certainly Celery**, Comfort Cafe designer paper**
Ink – Stazon, Baja Breeze**, Certainly Celery**, Bashful Blue**
Accessories – Aqua Pen, Large Oval Punch, Scallop Oval Punch, Marina Mist Scallop Dotted Ribbon**, Stampin’ Dimensionals
**Item retiring June 3rd or when supplies run out

5 Minutes to Cute–Thank You Card

You would think that the fact that I have two toddlers running around my house would mean all the cards I make are super fast cards…. Nooooooo, that would make too much sense!  ha ha!

But when I was working on cards for a recent card class, I came up with this simple design that is quick to make and still totally cute and pulled together (if I do say so myself!)

This stamp image is from the Easy Events stamp set.  Of course they are retiring this stamp set on me!  I love having stamp sets that have images and sentiments for a bunch of different occasions.  Sure there is For the Birds and Embellished Events… but I have a soft spot for Easy Events.

Anyway, I kept the overall design of the card simple and instead focused on little touches here and there

Some piercing around the circle (using the Essentials Piercing Pack) and a Designer Build a Brad for an extra accent.  And if you are curious, I just stamped the flower image again and then colored it in with the Certainly Celery marker and punched out just the flower head to go in the center of the designer brad.

Add some sponging and you are done!

To Order Stampin’ Up! Products Anytime, click here!

See the Latest Availability & PDFs of all the retiring stamps and accessories here

Supples Used
Stamps – Easy Events
Paper – Whisper White, So Saffron, Very Vanilla
Ink – Basic Black, So Saffron, Pretty in Pink marker, Certainly Celery marker
Accessories – Designer Build a Brad, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Bitty Punch Pack, Essentials Piercing Pack, Paper Piercer, 2 1/2” Circle Punch, 1 3/4” Circle Punch