This type of card is always difficult to make

Pin It Now! The project I'm sharing today is a sympathy card. I never have any of these on hand & every time I have to make one I tell myself I need to make several at once so I have them. Well I never do; I guess I just can't make myself sit still long enough to "force" myself to get more than one done at a time. They are difficult to do: I don't want them to be all dreary & dull yet I don't want them to be all flowery & happy looking either. Do ya get what I mean? After trying to come up with something appropriate on my own (& struggling)  I went looking for inspiration & found a fantastic card on splitcoast stampers by Lisa Curcio. I fell in love with the simple yet elegant monochromatic card & decided to case it for my sympathy card.

I kept everything the same as Lisa's original card but changed the sentiment & I used a different ribbon. I even made a second one so I have one on hand. You could use this idea for a male birthday, thinking of you, thank you, or anything just by changing the sentiment. You can't really see it in the picture but the image is popped up on dimensionals. A simple but wow card. Sometimes it's the simple things in life, isn't it?

Thanks for stopping by today. Hope y'all have a great day.

Supply List:
Stamp sets: En Francais; Wonderfall; Petite Pairs
Ink: Crumb Cake; Early Espresso
Cardstock: Crumb Cake; Very Vanilla; Early Espresso Core'dinations; Early Espresso
Accessories: Big Shot; Woodgrain embossing folder; VersaMark; embossing buddy; white emboss powder;  Heat Tool; dauber; Soft Suede 3/8" taffeta ribbon

Please email me today if you'd like a catalog mailed directly to you.

Fall is definitely here

Pin It Now! Happy Friday! Another week is done & the weather has continued to cool off; I actually had to wear a scarf to the bus stop the past two mornings ;)  I've been inspired to create a few Christmas cards, after drinking a hot cup of coffee when I get back from the walk to the bus stop :) The card I'm sharing today makes me want to snuggle up with a cup of hot chocolate & watch a Christmas movie. Is it too early to start watching those...? ;)

I wanted to the steaming cup to be the main attraction & to help show it off so to speak I pulled out the Perfect Pennants Bigs L die to create the green background piece. The mug & steam were stamped first & then cut out using the Holiday Collection framelits. After stamping the sentiment I used the large oval punch to punch it out. I used the same punch on a scrap piece of Cherry Cobbler & off set the two ovals to give it just a touch of color behind the sentiment. This card was super quick & easy to put together thanks to the work out I gave my Big Shot :)

Hope you like the card today. Is it chilly enough where you are to snuggle up with a cup of hot chocolate, cider, coffee, or tea? Whatever your choice of beverage I hope y'all have a wonderful weekend. See ya next time!

Supply List:
Stamp sets: Scentsational Season; More Merry Messages
Ink: Cherry Cobbler; Gumball Green; Early Espresso
Cardstock: Early Espresso; Gumball Green; Very Vanilla; Cherry Cobbler
Accessories: Big Shot; Argyle embossing folder; Perfect Pennants Bigz L die; Holiday Collection framelits; Large oval punch; sponge; basic rhinestones

Please email me today if you'd like a catalog mailed to you.

I like a challenge

Pin It Now! Today I realized it's been a long time since I've done any creative challenges so I went looking online & came across this week's challenge over at Freshly Made Sketches. Oh how I've missed participating in these; they get ya thinkin that's for sure ;)  I had fun with this one  & am planning on making another card or two using this sketch to see what other ideas pop into my head.

Here is what I came up with:

I have always liked this color combo; I first found it in the Color Coach. It was a bit of a pain working with that ribbon getting it straight & lined up "just right". It still isn't perfect but I like it; adds character ;)  Once again I used the Big Shot for everything except snipping all the ribbon pieces. I don't know what I ever did with out my Big Shot! I can't remember when I've gone a full 24 hours without using it :)
Go on & head over to Freshly Made Sketches & try the challenge this week or take a look at their past challenges. I think I'm going to do that myself since I've been out of it for awhile :)

Hope everyone has a terrific Thursday!

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Supply List:
Stamp sets: Daydream Medallions; Itty Bitty Banners
Ink: Pool Party; Rich Razzleberry; Island Indigo
Cardstock: Rich Razzleberry; Pool Party; Whisper White
Accessories: Big Shot; Fancy Fan embossing folder; Floral Frames framelits; Bitty Banners framelits; Brights designer buttons; Island Indigo 3/8" ruffled ribbon; Pool Party 3/8" ruffled ribbon

Please email me today if you'd like a catalog mailed to you. 

The first Christmas card of the year

Pin It Now! I knew it wasn't going to take very long before I posted a Christmas card using the triple mat technique. See? I warned ya they're addicting! :)  I promise this will be the last triple mat card I'll post for awhile; I really do need to move on & turn off the part of my brain that keeps wanting to see different things using this technique. Now, how super cute is this?

And it smells yummy, too. Yes, I said smells. In case you haven't heard yet Stampin' Up! has scented emboss powder (Vanilla, Melon, & Cherry, all found in the Annual catalog) & came out with two new scents in the Holiday catalog; I used the Sugar & Spice powder on the gingerbread men. I used two different stamp sets: the mitten, sentiment, & candy cane are all in the same set. The gingerbread man is in a separate set that does have a candy cane as well (that candy cane is facing the opposite way as the one on my card & doesn't have as many stripes). I just wanted to clear that up so I don't have people emailing asking me why their candy cane doesn't look like mine :)

So have you started your Christmas cards yet? Please email me if you don't have a Holiday catalog or the Annual catalog & I will gladly mail it to you. :)

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Supply List:
Stamp sets: Chock-Full of Cheer; Scentsational Season
Ink: Cherry Cobbler; Gumball Green; Early Espresso
Cardstock: Very Vanilla; Cherry Cobbler
Accessories: Black StazOn; Embossing Buddy; Stamp-a-ma-jig; heat tool; VersaMark; Sugar & Spice scented emboss  powder

Please email me today if you'd like a catalog mailed directly to you.

Pin It Now!
Happy Monday! Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend & that it didn't go too quickly for y'all. The card I'm sharing today is a baby card for one of my husband's co-workers who's girlfriend just had twin girls. I hope they like it:

I love the background created with the Fancy Fan embossing folder; reminds me of a quilt. I was going to use the Perfect Polka Dots folder to coordinate with the dots in the baby buggy but was curious to see how the other folder looked; I haven't used it on a baby card. Doesn't it make ya want to reach out & touch the card? Looks like a comfy baby blanket :) This card went together in a hurry thanks to the help of a few punches, the embossing folder, & of course the Stamp-a-ma-jig to fit both girls in the buggy ;) A couple of markers & a blender pen made coloring a breeze. I am going to stamp several of the baby buggies & color some blue, pink, green, & yellow just to have on hand; the baby or any image can be added at a later time using the Stamp-a-ma-jig. It will be great having several on hand to make getting a card ready in a hurry :)

I hope you enjoyed today's card & find some time today to create a project of your choice :)  Have a wonderful day everyone! :)

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Supply List:
Stamp set: Baby Bundle
Ink: Perfect Plum; Pretty in Pink; Basic Gray
Cardstock: Watercolor paper; Early Espresso; Pretty in Pink; Very Vanilla
Accessories: Big Shot; Fancy Fan embossing folder; Black StazOn; Stamp-a-ma-jig; Blender pen; Subtles Designer buttons; White Baker's Twine; 1-3/4" Scallop Circle punch; 1-3/8" Circle punch; 1-1/4" Circle punch

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Another triple mat card

Pin It Now! I was driving home yesterday afternoon & noticed that a lot of the foliage have started to turn colors already. I saw a lot of light green, dark orange, reddish-brown, & yellow & was inspired to make a card using some of the colors I saw. I ended up pulling out a color I don't use very often: Bravo Burgandy. Since the triple mat technique is easy & addicting I "had" to create another card using it. :)

You can create so many different looks using this simple technique. Have you tried it yet? Why not grab a color you don't use very often or forget to use? Go on & get your fingers inky!  Have a fantastic day :)

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Supply List:
Stamp sets: Woodgrain background; Gently Falling; Wacky Wishes (Hostess)
Ink: Crumb Cake; Bravo Burgandy; More Mustard; Cajun Craze; Early Espresso
Cardstock; Very Vanilla; Bravo Burgandy

Please email me today if you'd like a catalog mailed directly to you.

A new technique

Pin It Now! I have seen a new technique showcased on quite a few other stampin' blogs & finally decided to try my hand at it. I don't know what the proper name of the technique is but the name I've heard in several different forums is Triple Mat. To be honest I was a bit intimidated when I first saw the technique & filed it away in the back of my mind with all those other "looks amazing but I can't do that; it's too much work" techniques/projects. Do y'all know what I mean? ;)  Well after watching an easy to follow video over at Stamp & Scrap with Frenchie I was determined to try it. She broke it down & had everything measured out so I went ahead & did one after the video was over. In fact it's a whole lot easier than I originally thought & now I'm addicted to making these! Here's (one of) the first ones I've done ~ so far ;)

All of the cards I've seen using this technique have all been with flowers & leaves; I have (as of this posting) not seen any that are kid-friendly so I wanted to see what one would look like. I'm really happy with the way it turned out & I can use it for nieces & nephews birthdays by just changing up the color combos.

I didn't take step-by-step pictures but if you'd like a visual Brian King has pictures walking ya through it. You can go check out Frenchie if you'd like to take a peek at the video that helped me get through it ;) Go on & give it a try but don't say I didn't warn ya: they're addicting! :)

Have a great day stampin'!

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Supply List:
Stamp set: Patterned Party
Ink: Midnight Muse; Raspberry Ripple; Summer Starfruit; Gumball Green
Cardstock: Whisper White; Gumball Green

Please email me today if you'd like a catalog mailed directly to you.