Hostess Appreciation Make n Take cards

Hi there stampers! I am so excited about today's Hostess Appreciation Luncheon! I have so many fun things planned including drawings, games, prizes and my chocolate fountain! Plus my ladies will get their first look at the new Idea Book and Catalog! Woo Hoo!

Today I am going to show you the two cards the ladies coming can choose from to make. It uses the absolutely gorgeous stamp set called Fifth Avenue Floral. I LOVE this set (Ok, I love a lot of sets)it is so easy to work with and makes beautiful cards.
Both cards are pretty. I am letting the ladies choose between Urban Oasis DSP and Walk in the Park for the bottom panel and Kiwi Kiss or Baja Breeze Striped Ribbon. They can also choose which sentiment they would like from the Oval All set (yes this made it into the new catalog!!)

Pretty, simple and quick! Thanks for coming to visit!
Hugs,
Elizabeth

Sock Monkey!

Good Morning Stampers!
Today's card uses one of the most fun sets Stampin' Up makes the Sock Monkey set. He's is so cute and comes with many accessories to dress him up for any occasion. There is also an additional set of accessories to dress him up for the holidays including bunny ears and a graduation cap!

I've been going through my huge pile of card guts left over from workshops and stamp camps trying to use them up! This card uses the guts from a card we made at my masculine stamp camp HERE.

I started out by sponging Close to Cocoa on my Close to Cocoa mat and Sahara Sand on my Sahara Sand mat. I added the Manchester DSP to the Sahara Sand mat and layered that and the Close to Cocoa piece on my Sahara Sand card base. Next i stamped the sock monkey in Black Stazon, covered him with a mask I made and stamped the exposed parts with one of the stamps from the Itty Bitty backgrounds stamp set in Cloase to Cocoa. I colored him in with my Barely Banana and Real Red Stampin' Write Markers and used the Ticket Corner Punch to notched out the corners. I matted that onto a piece of Chocolate Chip cardstock and stamped the pennant image first on Very Vanilla and then an a scrap of Manchester DSP, cut it out and adhered it to his paw. The sentiment is also from the Sock Monkey set and is stamped in Black, punched out with the Word Window Punch and layered on a piece of Manchester DSP punched with the new Modern Label Punch available July 1st. I layered that on a piece of Chcocolate Chip cardstock punched with the Designer Label Punch.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a great day!
Hugs,
Elizabeth

Sweet Whale in Bermuda Bay

Hi there Stampers! Wow am I posting late or what?! All I can say is it is my new pillow's fault. I just could not get out of bed and going! But it's ok, it's summer!

Today's card uses the new Animal Stories stamp set and the new In Color Bermuda Bay. I started out with a Bashful Blue card base and stamped the background with the Polka Dot background stamp in the same color. I stamped my whale from the Animal Stories stamp set in Bermuda Bay on Whisper White and then "schmutzed" the edges of the stamp pad on the edges of the WW panel. I matted it on a piece of Night of Navy, added a thin strip of the same to the bottom and stamped my sentiment from the Matchbox Messages stamp set and cut it out. I mounted the sentiment onto the matching mat from the Matchbox Bigz XL Die and then onto a Night of Navy circle. Super simple.

I got my order of NEW IDEA BOOK AND CATALOGS!! If you need one email or call me! They are $5 plus shipping if you are out of the area! Believe me you NEED one! :)

Thanks for stopping by!
Hugs,
Elizabeth

Make and Take for Hostess Event

Good Morning Stampers! So glad you stopped by today!

Today I am going to show you a super cute little purse that holds a chapstick! I got the idea from Barbara Welch when I won her blog candy that included one. It was so stinkin' cute that I gingerly took hers apart and figured out to make one.

We are making a version this purse at my Hostess Appreciation lunch this Saturday. It's fairly easy to put together after you've cut out all your parts. It uses the Scallop Envelope Die and the Scallop Circles #2 Die, some cardstock, Ribbon and some DSP. I used the Rockabilly DSP with the cherries to go with the cherry flavored chapstick. I hope the ladies love it as much as I do!


Hope you have a super day and to see you again tomorrow!
Hugs,
Elizabeth

Sweet Sunday Sketch

Good Morning Stampers! Thanks for stopping by!

Today's card I made for a friend who has been feeling a little low lately. I used Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge and the retiring hostess set, Darling Dots.


I started out with a piece of Basic Black cardstock measuring 9 1/4" x 8" and folded it in half so it would fit in a business size envelope. I added a strip of Bella Rose DSP and stamped my ladybugs and beetles (we call the green ones junebugs but I know those are actually brown and yucky!)using my SU Markers. I punched them out with my 1 1/4" Square Punch and layered them on Real Red punched with the Square Scallop Punch. I stamped the top part of the card with White Craft ink and tied some Michael's ribbon around the card and adhered the bow with a Mini Glue Dot. The sentiment comes from the retired Best Yet hostess set. The final touch is the Dazzling Diamonds glitter I added with my 2-Way Glue Pen. Can't have "junebugs" without a little shimmer!
So sorry my photo is terrible. Seems like they are getting worse instead of better!

Hope you have a great day!
Hugs,
Elizabeth

Another Sneak Peak

Hi there Stampers! Hope your weekend was terrific!

So while I was stamping the other day using up my card gut collection of Pink Pirouette Pocket cards I made this card. I had the new Level 3 Hostess set called The More Merrier and wanted to stamp the birds. They are so cute!

I started with my Pink Pirouette Pocket, added a Scallop Edge Border of Regal Rose and stamped the birds in Black Stazon. I colored them in using my SU Markers and added hearts from the Heart to Heart Punch in Pretty in Pink and regal Rose to the bottom. The card inside is a Top Note piece of Regal Rose and Whisper White. I sponged the edges and added a Round Tab Punch of Pretty in Pink with an eyelet and some Pink Gingham Ribbon to make it easier to pull out.

I think I've used up all my Pink Pirouette Pockets! :)

Thanks for checking in with me! Have a great day and hope you'll come back again soon!

Hugs,
Elizabeth

The More The Merrier

Good Morning Stampers!

Today we are at the lake on the boat and camping for Father's day. I am sure we are having a blast on the tube we bought for Mother's Day and wake boarding.

Today is also my new recruit Jen's birthday! Happy Birthday Jen! I, of course, made her a birthday card!

I started out with a Pink Pirouette pocket and stamped it with one of the background stamps from the Itty Bitty Backgrounds stamp set in Pretty in Pink. I added a piece of Regal Rose punched with the Scallop Edge Punch and decorated with White Gel Pen doodle dots. The cupcakes are from a new Level 3 Hostess Set called The More the Merrier available with a qualifying workshop in July. I could not resist this set! Luckily as a demonstrator I could buy one in advance! One of the many perks of being a demonstrator!

I colored in the cupcakes with my SU Markers and stamped one more to cut out and put on the front of the card. I punched it out with the 1" Circle Punch, layered it on some Pretty in Pink punched with the 1 1/4" Circle Punch and then layered on a Regal Rose Scallop Circle. Time and time again I use these circle punches and the scallop circle punch-they are well loved!
For the inside I die cut some WW and Pretty in Pink cardstock with the Top Note die and trimmed the WW one to fit inside the Pretty in Pink. I sponged the edges and stamped the sentiment from the Birthday Hugs and Wishes stampset in Black Stazon. I added a Pink Pirouette Round Tab and some Pink Gingham Ribbon to make it easier to pull it out. All I can say is super stinkin' cute!

Hope you are having a terrific weekend!
Hugs,
Elizabeth

More Anniversary Cards

Hi there Stampers!

Yeaterday I showed you two of the cards I made for a customer celebrating her 10th wedding anniversary and promised to show you the other two today.

For this card I started out with a piece of Basic Black cardstock and stamped the sentiment from the Birthday Hugs and Wishes stamp set in Versamakr Ink. Next I sprinkled some White Embossing Powder over it, tapped off the excess and embossed it with my Heat Tool.
I ran some vellum through my Big Shot with the Manhattan Flower Textured Impressions Die and trimmed around the flower images. I added it to my card with regular adhesive but hid it with some pretty shimmery White Organza Ribbon tied into a bow. This was a simple card but just stunning with the embossed vellum. Sorry my picture is so crooked-seems like they always are! :)

The next card is my favorite! I am going to miss the Parisian Breeze DSP!
I started out with a Whisper White card base and added a panel of the Parisian Breeze DSP after punching the corners with the Ticket Corner Punch. Next I ran some whisper white and some more of the Parisian Breeze DSP through with the Butterfly Bigz Die and layered them together and added some gem stone brads in the center. I popped them up on Dimensionals and added the sentiment punched with the Modern Label Punch coming July 1st.

So which do you think she chose? I had no idea which she'd like best.

Hope to see you again tomorrow!
Hugs,
Elizabeth

Happy Anniversary Cards

Hi there stampers! Happy Friday!

One of my customers recently asked me to make a scrapbook to present to her husband for their 10 year wedding anniversary. She gave me three pictures from each year they've been married and gave me free reign to scrap as I pleased. It is done and I really like the way it turned out-simple, clean and pretty. But man, scrapping someone else's pictures has an abundance of pressure with it! I am so glad I am done!

To go along with her scrapbook I made a few Anniversary cards for her to choose from. After going through my ginormous pile of stamp sets I realized I only had one stamp that said "Happy Anniversary". So I used that one on all four as the sentiment. I'm going to show you two of the cards today and two tomorrow.

The first card is a pocket card. I had some "card guts" left over including some Pink Pirouette cardstock that was scored and ready for a pocket card so I used that to start my card. I stamped the entire pocket with the large rose image from the Fifth Avenue Floral stamp set in Pretty in Pink and tied some Pink Gingham Ribbon around the front of the pocket. I used my Top Note Die to cut a piece of Pretty in Pink and Bella Rose DSP and trimmed the Bella Rose DSP to fit inside the Pretty in Pink one. I added some Pink Piroutte punched with the Round Tab Punch to make a tab on the top of the Top Note Die, set a white eyelet and added some more Pink Gingham Ribbon to make it easier to pull it out. I stamped Happy anniversary from the Birthday Hugs and Wishes stamp set in Black Stazon on Pretty in Pink and punched it with the soon to be available Modern Label Punch and adhered it to the center of my card. The final touch was three Pretty in Pink hearts punched with the Heart to Heart Punch in the corner.

The second card I made started out with a Basic Black base. I added a panel of Whisper White run through with the Swiss Dots Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, matted on Basic Black then matted on Real Red. I stamped the main image from the Cheers to You stamp set in Versamark ink and then embossed it using Black Embossing Powder and my Heat Tool.
I colored the glasses with my SU Marker, matted it on Real Red and then matted that on Basic Black. I adhered it with Dimensionals after tying some White Organza Ribbon around the card. The sentiment from the Birthday Hugs and Wishes stamp set in stamped in Black Stazon and punched with the fabulous Modern Label Punch (available in the new catalog July 1st). Since my card is black I added a panel of Whisper White cardstock to the inside so you can write on it. :)

I appreciate you stopping by to visit! Hope you have a fantastic weekend-we will be on the boat again!

Hugs,
Elizabeth

Mojo Opus Throw Down- 3 in 1!

Good morning stampers! I am sooo happy summer has officially begun for us and it's been great so far! After my middle daughter got out of school, we ran up to the high school (YIKES!! HIGH SCHOOL!!)for a volleyball meeting for my oldest daughter and then I came home and STAMPED FOR HOURS!! No homework to worry about, what time we eat dinner, who showered and still needs to and making sure little kids are in bed and asleep by their school bed time!!!! Yippee!! I am sure this blissful feeling will disappear quickly after a couple days of bickering kids, but for now we are GOOD!

Today's card combines three challenges in one! Yes, THREE! It's a record for me! I combined the Color Throw Down colors of the week with the Mojo Monday sketch and the challenge over at the Order of the Opus Gluei is " How does your garden grow?"
I also managed to use another soon to be retired stamp set, Heartfelt Thanks. The Mojo Monday sketch this week is a longer rectangular card so I measured a business sized envelope and made my card just a little smaller so I have an envelope that fits.
I started out with a Whisper White cardstock base and added a panel of Raspberry Tart DSP and Tempting Turquoise stamped with one of the flower images from the HEartfel Thanks stamp set in Versamark ink for a light watermark look. I adhered a strip of Whisper White between the two panels and stamped my background piece in Cameo Coral and matted it with Kiwi Kiss.
My main image is stamped with Kiwi Kiss and Cameo Coral with Basic Black for the sentiment. The "congratulations" stamp is from Birthday Hugs and Wishes, another retiring stamp set (but one I will keep!)inked in Black Stazon and punched with the Sneak Peak Modern Label Punch. I layered that onto a piece of Kiwi Kiss punched with the Scallop Oval Punch (yes, that made it into the new catalog!) The final touch is two Kiwi Kiss Buttons from the Button Bouquet collection with teeny strips of Raspberry Tart DSP through the button holes adhered with Mini Glue Dots.

I wasn't sure at first about this card-Cameo Coral is not one of my faves! What do you think?

I hope you have a terrific day! Thanks for stopping by!
Hugs,
Elizabeth

Another Animal Stories!

Hi there Stampers! I'm so happy today is the last day of school for my middle daughter. My oldest "graduated" from middle school yesterday. I am so ready for a lazy schedule!

Today's card is another using the soon to be available Animal Stories stamp set. I started out with a Not Quite Navy card base, added an embossed piece of Pumpkin Pie and a layer of WW on Old Olive. I stamped my owls in Sahara Sand and colored in their beaks and added black dots for their eyes. I punched them out using my 1 1 /4" Circle Punch and matted them on Pumpkin Pie punched with the 1 3/8" Circle Punch. The center owl has an added Not Quite Navy Scallop Circle. The sentiment is from the new Level 3 Hostess set called The More the Merrier and is punched with another new item, the Modern Label Punch.


This card came together quickly because I used up some scraps and left over "card guts"-the materials used for another card layout. I am glad it went quick too because I am just wiped from all the end of the year hoopla! :)

Thanks for visiting! Have a great day!
Hugs,
Elizabeth

A Sneak Peak at Animal Stories

Good Morning Stampers! Thanks for stopping by!

Today's card is a sneak peak at one of the images in the new Animal Stories stamp set coming out July 1st in the new Idea Book and Catalog. It is so cute! There is a giraffe, whale, owl and an elephant and I don't know which image I like best.

My sister-in-law, Becky lives in Marina del Rey and recently took pictures of a baby whale that has been hanging out at the end of the jetty right near their complex. In honor of this little (ok, not really little) gray whale I thought I'd ink up my whale stamp but in blue.

I started with a Pacific Point card base and took a piece of Tempting Turquoise cardstock and used my Coluzzle to cut the oval hole. I stamped the whale using the rock and roll technique inking it up first in Tempting Turquoise and the rolling just the outer edges in Pacific Point. I added some waves by punching my cardstock with my Scallop Edge Punch and layering them. The sentiment is inked in Tempting Turquoise and is from the Matchbox Messages stamp set. I layered it on Pacific Point punched with the 1 3/8" Circle Punch and then onto a Tangerine Tango Scallop Circle with some Tangerine Tango Striped Ribbon poking out of the sides. What do you think?

My oldest graduated/promoted from the 8th grade today so now I officially have a highschooler. Oh man, how did that happen?!?

Have a terrific day!
Hugs,
Elizabeth

Diva Coffee Break Challenge

Good Morning stampers! Thanks for stopping by!

Today's card uses the Diva Coffee Break Challenge Sketch for the week. It was a fun sketch to play with and I love my card! I will surely miss Baja Breeze (but the new Bermuda Bay is beautiful too!)!

I started out with a WW card base and added my panels of Baja Breeze stamped with the leafy image from the Great Friend stamp set (YES!! It made the new catty!)and some Walk in the Park DSP. Next I stamped the same leafy image in Baja Breeze on WW and added the sentiment from the Wow Flowers stamp set and matted it on Not Quite Navy. I added a strip of Kiwi Kiss and used the Rock and Roll technique to stamp my butterfly. I inked it first in Baja Breeze and then rolled just the edges of the stamp in Not Quite Navy. I added a jeweled brad (Michael's)in the center, popped it up on Dimensionals and then added a Kiwi Kiss Corderoy Button in the corner. I love it!

Thanks for checking in with me! I hope you have a fabulous day!
Hugs,
Elizabeth

Just For You

Hi there stampers! Sorry for the later than usual post!

Yesterday was my new downline, Jen's first workshop and it was fantastic! She had a bunch of her friends come over and we made a masculine card and a matchbox with chocolates inside. A good time was had by all and it was very successful! Congrats Jen!! You did an awesome job!!

I forgot to take a picture before the workshop and gave my samples to Jen but had some card guts (the cardstock and embellishments to make a card, lovingly called card guts by the fabulous Diana Gibbs!) left over so I whipped up a couple this morning.
I didn't have any more precut Old Olive for the side so I used what I had for the second card and added some of my favorite shiny metalic stickers.We used one of my favorite stamp sets called Loads of Love, the Loads of Love Accessories and the Oval All stamp set. The main image is stamped in Black Stazon, colored in with SU Markers and the corners are punched with the Ticket Corner Punch. We matted it on Night of Navy and punched stars out of another piece of the same. The sentiment from the Oval All stamp set was stamped first on Old Olive with Old Olive ink and then punched with the Scallop Oval Punch. Then we stamped the same sentiment on WW with Night of Navy ink and punched it out with the Large Oval Punch and layered it on the Old Olive. Super cute if I do say so myself!!

Thanks for stopping by!
Hugs,
Elizabeth

Sneak Peak of a New Sizzix Die

Good Morning Stampers! Hope you are having a great weekend so far!




Today I am going to show you two graduation cards I made for my niece and nephew who had a fun graduation party last night. The cards are on the super simple side on the front but when you open them up...you see the new Stampin' Up! EXCLUSIVE Look Here Sizzix Bigx XL Die. I have to admit I had no idea what I was getting into when I pre-ordered this die but it is so fun to open the card and have it be exciting instead of just a gift card thrown inside.


Once I read the directions and made the second card it was easy to put the die cut on the inside of the card. Now I am sure I could do it without looking at the directions again so I will for sure use it next time I give a gift card!

Both cards use retiring DSP and the Say it With Scallops stamp set stamped in Chocolate Chip ink and punched with the 1 1/4" Square Punch. The Only Orange one uses Sweet Always DSP, Only Orange, Chocolate Chip, Pink Pirouette and Regal Rose cardstock. The more masculine one uses Manchester DSP, Sahara Sand and Chocolate Chip cardstock.

I am so looking forward to this afternoon when Jen, one of the new ladies on my team, has her first workshop!! It is going to be so FUN!!

Thanks for stopping by!
Hugs,
ELizabeth