Best of...Mother's Day Roses

Happy Monday!  Today I have a nice watercolor Mother's Day card to brighten your day.  This card is from my Best of Flowers class a while back and uses colors that are retiring this year.

One of my favorite parts of this card is the double embossing!  First I embossed with the Honeycomb folder and then embossed with the Oval Frame folder.  A bit of the honeycomb flattens a little, but you don't notice it too much on the card.  And, the image was stamped on Watercolor Paper and punched out with the Wide Oval punch (which fits perfectly in the oval frame....love that!).

I love using some ribbon scraps and a fancy brad to embellish cards!

Head on over to my online store with the shopping list to get what you need to re-create this card.  Since I typed up and scheduled this post some of our products have been retired and may have sold out.

Shopping List

• Stamps (Best of Flowers, Teeny Tiny Wishes)
• Ink (Bravo Burgundy, More Mustard, Old Olive, StazOn Black)
• Cardstock (Bravo Burgundy, More Mustard)
• Watercolor Paper
• Ribbon (Crochet Trim, 1/8 Taffeta Ribbon-Old Olive)
• Big Shot
• Embossing Folders (Honeycomb, Designer Frames)
• Punches (Word Window, Modern Label, Extra Large Oval)
• Aqua Painters
• Antique Brads
• Stampin' Dimensionals
• Snail

Have an inspired day!

Lacy & Lovely....& Simple

All right peeps!  Today I have a super SIMPLE card for you with a LOT of bling!

I did use a retiring color (Certainly Celery) for this card, but if it's sold out, you can easily substitute with Pear Pizzazz when it's available!

Count them...9, that's right, 9 rhinestones span the front of this card!!!!!  There's some simple collage stamping on this card and it's jazzed up with the rhinestones and the scallop layer.

The beauty of this card is you can do this with ANY stamp set, in ANY color combination and easily have a quick card to fit ANY occasion!

Everything you need to re-create this card is available in my online store.  Head on over there with the shopping list to place your order today!

Shopping List

• Stamps (Lacy & Lovely, Bring on the Cake)
• Ink (Certainly Celery, Raspberry Ripple, Primrose Petals)
• Cardstock (Certainly Celery, Raspberry Ripple, Whisper White)
• Big Shot & Tasteful Trim Die
• Basic Rhinestones

Have an inspired day!

Papillon, Anyone?

Don't I sound sophisticated and french with that title...LOL!!!!!  I have always liked the Papillon Potpourri set and now that we have 2 butterfly (that's right, 2) punches that match with the set I love it even more. 

Recently I did a Birthday Stamp-A-Stack and one of the cards we made was pretty and feminine and included some super pretty butterflies!

Isn't it purty?  I went for a softer look with the Wisteria Wonder.  Notice how I layered an embossed piece over the base...both the same color.  A little strip of some Tea for Two DSP (from the Spring Catalog), a small scallop punched layer courtesy of the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch), some Linen Thread and it's all finished off with some beautiful butterflies!

There's a simple trick to coloring the butterflies this way.  Stamp them on some scrap cardstock and use sponge daubers to rub ink over them (blending if you're using multiple colors).  THEN you punch them out.  The wings on mine are curled a bit which was partially done with the addition of some shimmer mist and partially done with my finger.  They are attached to the card with a line of glue where their bodies are and finished off with some pearls.

LA Stamper's Shimmer Mist Recipe:  In a Stampin' Mister, pour about 1 inch of Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint, add 2 inches of Rubbing Alcohol and top it off with water.  Screw the lid on tight and shake well before use.  If you want colored shimmer mist, you can add a couple drops of ink refill...color of your choice!

As always, everything you need to re-create this card can be found in my online store.  So, head on over there with the shopping list to place your order today!

Shopping List

• Stamps (Papillon Potpourri, Create A Cupcake)
• Ink (Early Espresso, Wisteria Wonder, Certainly Celery, So Saffron)
• Cardstock (Wisteria Wonder, Certainly Celery, Very Vanilla)
• DSP (Tea for Two)
• Linen Thread
• Punches (Elegant Butterfly, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border)
• Basic Pearls
• Big Shot & Honeycomb Embossing Folder
• SNAIL & Multi Purpose Adhesive

Have an inspired day!

Happy Retirement!

Today was the day that Stampin' Up! released the retiring lists for stamps and accessories!  I love this time of year...out with the old and in with the new.  And, this year, we have lots of new...new colors, new stamps, new accessories, a fun new look to the catalog!  I can't wait to be able to show it all to you at the end of May!

There is something for everyone on the retiring lists and here are the links to the lists so you can see what's going.

Stamps

• available until June 3, 2013
• while hostess sets will be retiring, they are still only available to order with hostess rewards when you host a par-tay!  I do have some dates open near the end of May if you're interested!

Accessories

• available while supplies last until June 3, 2013 (once they're gone, they're gone!)
• some products are discounted
• the list will be updated frequently so check back to see what's sold out
• I recommend ordering retiring accessories through my online store so you can make sure you get what you want

Happy shopping!  And, watch for news on the upcoming catalog...I will have info about my Catalog Club, Rubber Garage Sale and some other fun events coming soon!

Have an inspired day!

Make a Wish!

I can say I kind of overlooked the Make a Wish set in the Spring Catalog at first.  I was lucky enough to get it free at an event, so I figured it should see some ink (because in my head free sets are presents from Shelli so they need to be loved more than other stamps!).  After searching the web for some inspiration and putting stamp to ink to paper I can confidently say this set is fantastic!

And, that's what I came up with!  I loved the way Heather Summers used the cake and sentiment on a card she did, so I started with that and ran with it.  I love, love, love this layout for a card and use it a lot (like here...where I showed two different cards with it!).

It's a pretty simple layout with a strip of DSP, a strip of embossed cardstock and some ribbon this time around.  Check out what I did around the circle....

Can you see the piercing?  I love the Stampin' Pierce Mats this year...so many shapes and so many possibilities!

Everything you need to re-create this super easy and fun birthday card can be found in my online store.  So, head on over there with the shopping list to place your order today!

Shopping List

• Stamps (Make A Wish...spring catalog)
• Ink (Night of Navy, Tangerine Tango, Old Olive)
• Cardstock (Night of Navy, Old Olive, Naturals White)
• Tangerine Tango DSP (from Brights Stack)
• 2 1/2" Circle Punch
• Denim Ribbon
• Big Shot & Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder
• Stampin' Sponges
• Stampin' Dimensionals
• SNAIL

Have an inspired day!

Best Of...Congratulations

Wedding season is sneaking up on us, so it's good to be prepared with some quick and easy wedding cards.  The Best of Love set is perfect for helping with the need for quick and cute wedding cards.

It's hard to see in the picture, but I stamped the heart from the Best of Love set with Pink Pirouette ink on the Pink Pirouette cardstock.  Then I finished off the card with some of the luscious Basic Gray ribbon from the Spring Catalog.  For a little visual interest I tied a button onto the ribbon with some Whisper White Baker's Twine.  I love tying my buttons into ribbon...quick, easy and no adhesive required! 

This is a perfect quick and easy wedding card and you can change up the colors easily to match the wedding colors.  I think it would also make a great engagement card, congrats your pregnant card or even a baby card.

All the supplies needed to create this card are available in my online store.  Head on over with the shopping list to place your order today!

Shopping List:

• Cardstock (Basic Gray, Whisper White, Pink Pirouette)
• Stamps (Best of Love, Delightful Dozen)
• Basic Bray Ribbon
• Subtles Buttons
• Whisper White Baker's Twine
• Ink (Basic Gray, Pink Pirouette)
• SNAIL Adhesive

Have an inspired day!

First Edition Thanks

Ok, so how much do you love the First Edition Speciality DSP?  I really LOVE it, and I have a sneaking suspicion that we will see it on the retiring list due to come out soon (I don't know for sure, but something in the back of my mind is telling me so!).

Check out the super awesome vintagey thank you card I did using the First Edition DSP

I love the combination of Basic Black and Crumb Cake...it's perfect for vintage type cards.  On this one, I stamped a butterfly image with Crumb Cake on the DSP.  Have you ever done that?  I love the way you can enhance your DSP with just some ink and a stamp!

The focal of the card is the big 'ole T which is from the Letter It set.  It's funny, I had the T and the thanks stamped and punched out sitting on my desk for quite a while before this card came together.  I gotta say, I'm super happy with how it turned out when it finally found a home on a card!

Remember, you can find everything you need to re-create this card in my online store (unless it's on the retiring list and has sold out), so head on over there with the shopping list to place your order today!

Shopping List

• Stamps (Letter It, Fabulous Phrases, Papillon Potpourri)
• Ink (Crumb Cake, Basic Black)
• Cardstock (Crumb Cake, Basic Black, Very Vanilla)
• First Edition Speciality DSP
• Big Shot & Apothecary Accents Framelits
• 1 3/4" Circle Punch
• Ribbon (Taffeta-Crumb Cake)
• Stampin' Dimensionals
• Basic Pearls
• SNAIL
• Stampin' Sponges

Have an inspired day!

Dude...You're Welcome

At Leadership, Stampin' Up! announced they were releasing a super cool kit made by men for men.  This kit is called "Dude...You're Welcome" and includes an ink pad, some "man" stamps, cards and envelopes.

Well, I purchased one of said kits for my man and after showing it at some events, I gave it to him last week.  At first I got funny looks from him.  But, I persevered and made him open it up and check it out.  We both had a good laugh about the stamp in the kit that's my favorite, the "real men build cards" sticker and the instructions.  Then, he surprised me by using it and making me a card!

Awwwww!  His card brought a small tear to my eye...I'm not sure if it was because it's so sweet of him to recognize all that I do or that he actually used the kit!  Either way I'm excited about it!

Here's a video so you can see more about the kit.

The Dude, You're Welcome kit is a perfect gift for the man in your life...and there's lots of time to order it and have it come for Father's Day!  Or, the perfect kit to get and make man cards for the man in your life.

You can find the Dude, You're Welcome kit in my online store here. 

Have an inspired day!

Best Of....Simple Daisy

Hello there!  The March Best Of set was Best of Flowers and I had a blast creating with it for my Best of Class featuring it.  Today I'm going to share one of the cards we did...a simple daisy card.

It's a super simple card featuring the new image in the set (which also coordinates with one of our Scallop Circle punches).  Because it's so simple, I added a few things for extra interest...the layered ribbon (Basic Black Polka Dot Scallop...with the polka dots hidden) layered with some Regal Rose Taffeta ribbon.  And, some Dazzling Details in the centers of each of the flowers.

Everything you need to re-create this card can be found in my online store.  But hurry...I used a color (Regal Rose) that is retiring, so get it before it's gone!  Head on over to my online store with the shopping list to place your order today.

Shopping List

• Stamps (Best of Flowers, Sweet Essentials)
• Ink (Regal Rose, Basic Black)
• Cardstock (Regal Rose, Whisper White, Basic Black)
• Ribbon (1/8" Taffeta-Regal Rose, Scallop Dots-Basic Black)
• Dazzling Details

Have an inspired day!

Best Of Love...Olive You!

I think my favorite stamp from the Best Of Love set is the olive you one!  It's weird, because I HATE olives, but this stamp just makes me laugh! 

When using the olive you stamp, one MUST use Old Olive!  So, that's where I started with this card!  I stamped the olive image on some watercolor paper and watercolored it with aqua painters and ink (just squish the lid of the ink pad into the ink pad and then pick up the ink from the lid with an aqua painter).  The little red part of the olive was colored with a Stampin' Write Marker and so was the heart.  And, when it was all dry, I added some Cherry Cobbler Dazzling Details on the heart to give it a little bling! 

LA Stamper TIP:  When watercoloring, stamp your images with StazOn ink so it doesn't bleed when coloring.

It was a VERY exciting moment for me when I found out the olive you fit in the wavy pennant framelit!  However, you must cut the pennant and then stamp...I know, backwards from what I always tell everyone to do, but it doesn't fit if you stamp and then cut out.

I finished the card off by adding a layer of stamped Old Olive cardstock and some Cherry Cobbler baker's Twine. 

Being that it's April 1, the newest Best Of set is available!  April's set is Best of Butterflies and I LOVE it!  Check it out on the "Best of" page (click the tab at the top!).

Everything you need to create this card is available in my online store.  Head on over with the shopping list and place your order today!

Shopping List:

• Cardstock (Basic Black, Old Olive, Real Red)
• Watercolor Paper
• Ink (Black StazOn, Old Olive)
• Stampin' Write Markers (Real Red, Old Olive)
• Dazzling Details (Cherry Cobbler)
• Baker's Twine (Cherry Cobbler)
• Bitty Banners Framelits
• Big Shot
• Stampin' Dimensionals
• SNAIL Adhesive

Super simple and easy!  Have an inspired day!