Strength and Hope and a fun design, too;)

Hello!!

Warm weather seems to be setting in for good, and with it comes butterflies and lots of flowers! Here is a card I created after playing around a bit,for my May swap with some of my SU! friends:) I wanted to use some of the new stamp sets from our Summer Mini Catalog.

The 1st card is the actual one I am sending for my swap(hopefully you gals get it before my post;).

It uses our Strength and Hope set.  This set is not only gorgeous, but SU! is donating $2 from the purchase of this set (or the digital download version of it)to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Pretty and Awesome=Pretty Awesome;))

I used very vanilla card stock as my card base(4-1/4x5-1/2). The butterfly is on a piece of very vanilla embossed with our new 'Flower Garden' Embossing Folder,layered on peach parfait and baja blue.  The butterfly itself was stamped on glossy card stock in black staz-on ink.  I then mixed together a few drops champagne mist shimmer paint with a few drops of more mustard re-inkers. I used a piece of crumpled up plastic wrap and pounced it on the butterfly and allowed to dry.

  It is gorgeous! The photo does not pick up the sparkle,but trust me-Pretty Awesome;) !!  I sponged some peach parfait around edges and to the center,and pop dotted to my layered cs.

The 2nd card, uses the same set in addition to the new 'Flower Fest'.  This sets images match some of our punches so, OF Course I just HAD to have it :)!  

The base of card #2 is in soft suede.  Several of the flower images were stamped on whisper white cs.  I then watercolored with our blender pens and the following colors:so saffron,peach parfait,wild wasabi,and pacific point. I layered it on a piece of so saffron cs.  The flower was stamped on a piece of peach parfait cs in tangerine tango,punched out with our 2-3/8" scallop circle,and highlighted using white ink and a blender pen.  A pearl was added to the center. The leaves are stamped on pear pizzazz cs with always artichoke ink.

Now on to the fun design;))

This is an inter-locking design. I measured the half way mark of the 4-1/4 side of my card base, I mark it with a pencil or tiny score mark.  From there, I use my mat pack and measure towards the center of my card, approximately 2". I make a hole with my paper piercer  through the entire card(both top and bottom layers).  Using my cutter, I make a slit on the TOP piece of the card from the bottom corner to the center circle that was pierced.  On the BOTTOM (or inside) piece of my card i make a slit measuring from the top corner to the center circle.

This can be done either way,as long as your top and bottom slits are opposite and meet in the middle(hope that makes sense?)

You then inter-lock the two slits:

I decorated both inside pieces with the flourish from 'Strength and Hope'.  The 1st is in peach parfait and the 2nd is in early espresso ink.  The fronts were run through my big shot with the 'vintage wallpaper' embossing folder after I made the slits, I didn't want the grooves from the embossed front to make the slits off a little.  Well, I hope you enjoy this technique and that you will give it a try too!!

There are a couple little extras I ended up adding.  On the 1st I used our Four Frames Stamp set(sorry, this won't be available until our new catalog in July!!)and the decorative label punch. On the 2nd a strip of peach parfait punched(dotted ribbon scallop punch) ribbon was added underneath my flower layers.  I hope I got it all, if not-OOPS!

Until Next Thought,

Kris

'Always Elegant' Cake

Hey Stampers!  I am trying to get a card posted at least once per week.  So for this weeks card we have a three tier cake.  This could be a wedding or an anniversary cake, even a birthday cake!-just add candles;)

The card base is 4-1/4 x5-1/2 on whisper white card stock.  I have seen many cakes done this way and have had it in my mind to make one with my touches added to it=)  I cut three strips of whisper white cs each one a little larger than the last( I didn't actually use any measurements,just went with it)  I rounded the corners of the tops only.  I used blushing bride as my frosting. I stamped the design from Always Elegant SS and using the stamp-a-ma-jig for precise placement added the 'frosting'(also from Always elegant ss). I sponged a little around the edges.  For the cake stand, I used a strip of blushing bride cs.  I punched out the Eyelet Border Punch once in the middle of my cs.  I then slid it over to the place where I though would look thin enough to be a table leg.  I then did the same to the other side.  

I made three flowers out of  blushing bride also.  To do this, I punch 6 small flowers from the Itty Bitty Bits punch Pack(LOVE these!!)  Using my mat pack pad(you can use a mouse pad if you don't have one of these-but I suggest you get one!!) and my paper piercer, I push gently toward the centers of my flowers and roll at the same time.  This causes the flowers to roll up and gives them some depth. I sponged some rose red around the edges,and with a little mono adhesive sprinkled some Dazzling Diamonds glitter on my flowers.  I use a dab of tombo mono adhesive to place 2 of the flowers together.  I punch a couple of the leaves in Garden Green cs from our Bird Punch.  I layer these both on the top of my cake.  

I played around a little and added a strip of embossed whisper white to the base of the card and ran a piece of sticky strip along the top.  I sprinkled this with dazzling diamonds.

I stamped the saying 'Best Wishes' from our Sincere Salutations SS in basic black ink.  I made a little boo-boo by smudging my best wishes(OOPS!) so I added another leaf flowing over to the cake.  See there is always away to salvage a mistake;)

Well, I hope you enjoy your cake! I'd prefer a brownie myself;)

 

Until Next Thought,

Kris

Just "B"

Just b...

Just b... can stand for so many things!

I think it is the story of my life right now:

Just boys,

Just baseball,

Just because,

Just blah,blah,blah,

Just BLOG!,

Just begin (already!),(oh wait they may be your thought;))!!

Just BUSY!

So,anyway, I have been absolutely so busy that I haven't had anytime to play with my stamps and paper for weeks!

It is just un"B"elievable!

So on to my just butterfly card! I took out my paper and couldn't think what I wanted to play with first,so I went searching for a challenge.  I decided on SUO's butterfly challenge!  I don't know I guess I am not feeling very colorful today because I chose a neutral pattern. My card base is basic black cs.  I layered a piece of sahara sand on top.  This I stamped with basic black ink and some circles from the "circle circus" stamp set, in a random pattern. I also realized after I chose this challenge and had a thought in my head that I had lent my sister both my butterfly punch and my stamp set "flight of the butterfly"!!  LOL.It is always the way things go,just because;).So, on to plan "b" I moved onto the "punch potpourri"stamp set.  I stamped the butterfly and flower images on sahara sand cs in basic black ink.  To the flowers I added some darker lines with my sahara marker, and then punched out. My butterfly had to be hand cut out(the nerve!!)  I used a strip of sahara sand cs sponged with black for my saying "just b...".  This is from the set "notably ornate".  I used my marker to color in just the part I wanted,then center stamped it on my strip of sahara,and added three little dots with my marker. 
 

I adhered my flowers to the left of the strip.

I knew my butterfly needed something to make him standout.  I chose to make a rolled body for him. I used a piece of dsp from the neutrals paper stack, in sahara sand.  I trimmed a 12"strip, making 1 end larger and then coming to a point at the end.  I used my paper piercer and tightly rolled the paper around it, starting at the larger end. I used a dab (at both the beginning and the end) of mono glue to hold the roll tight.  This adhesive is awesome!!  I used a piece of twine folded over and threaded it through the rolled body.  I tied a small knot at the end to keep it secured.  Then the other end acts as an antenna.  I thought this turned out really cool-what do you think??

I added him to the right side of my strip and attached it to my card front.  Well my friends, I am sorry to have kept you on hold for a little bit, but I hope my card was worth the wait!

Until Next Thought,

Kris