Sympathy in Pink

Recently a friend of mine lost her mother, and it all happened just so suddenly. She wasn't feeling well, they went to the ER, she was admitted to the hospital, and just continued downhill. I don't think they know yet why. I can't even....there just aren't words.

Typically I would make a card with more somber colors, but her favorite color was pink, and it just seemed so appropriate to make the card pink.

Here's the "How To"
Image panel: Watercolor Paper 2-3/4" x 4"
Mat: Basic Black 2-7/8" x 4-1/8"
DSP: Pink Pirouette (retired) 4" x 5-1/4"
Mat: 4-1/8" x 5-3/8"
Card Base: Whisper White Thick 5-1/2" x 8-1/2", scored and folded at 4-1/4"

1. Adhere DSP to Basic Black mat and then to card base. Set aside.
2. Rub Embossing Buddy over smaller Whisper White cardstock. Stamp flowering branch from Touches of Texture using VersaMark ink, cover with gold embossing powder, tap off excess and heat with Heat Tool until melted. Do the same for the greeting.
3. Color branch with Blender Pen, then stamp Pink Pirouette spatters from Gorgeous Grunge.
4. Adhere to Basic Black mat. Wrap ribbon around and fasten to back. Attach matted image to card base with dimensionals.
5. Tie a bow and attach with Glue Dot.

Product List

Touches Of Texture Clear-Mount Stamp Set

Gorgeous Grunge Clear Stamp Set

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock

Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

Watercolor Paper

Subtles Designer Series Paper Stack

Versamark Pad

Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad

Wild Wasabi Classic Stampin' Pad

Pink Pirouette Classic Stampin' Pad

Blender Pens

Gold 1/4" (6.4 Mm) Natural Trim

Glue Dots

Stampin' Dimensionals

Hello, Sea Turtle!

Here's a cute card that would work for a male or a female friend! This is number three of the four cards we made in my very last class in San Diego.

We first stamped the turtle (From Land to Sea) in StazOn on watercolor paper and used Blender Pens to color it. After stamping the card base in Pool Party with the coral image from By the Tide, we cleaned it off and stamped it again (in Soft Suede) on coaster board. The spatters from Gorgeous Grunge were added on the top half of the card base. Pool Party and Bermuda Bay were sponged around the coaster board, leaving the center lighter. The turtle was then cut out and popped up on dimensionals, and the greeting was stamped in StazOn. Two mats were used behind the image, Soft Suede and Bermuda Bay. To finish it off, we added a line of tiny pearls to look like bubbles coming from the turtle.

Recipe:
5-1/2 x 8-1/2" Pool Party cardstock, scored at 4-1/4" for card base
2-7/8" x 4-1/4" Bermuda Bay cardstock, for mat behind
2-3/4" x 4-1/8" Soft Suede cardstock, for mat behind
2-5/8" x 4" Coaster Board
Scrap Watercolor Paper to stamp turtle

Using Pool Party ink, stamp By the Tide coral on bottom of card base front and Gorgeous Grunge spatters on top.
Sponge Pool Party lightly over coaster board, adding Bermuda Bay around edges. Stamp coral at bottom of coaster board with Soft Suede ink.
Adhere coaster board to Soft Suede, and then Bermuda Bay mats, then fasten to card base.
Stamp turtle in black StazOn, color with So Saffron, Pear Pizzazz, and Soft Suede using blender pens. Cut out and use Stampin' Dimensionals to pop turtle up on left side of coaster board. Stamp greeting on lower right.
Add tiny pearls for "bubbles."

STAMPS: From Land to Sea, By the Tide, Gorgeous Grunge, A Dozen Thoughts
INK: Jet Black StazOn, Pear Pizzazz, So Saffron, Soft Suede, Pool Party, Bermuda Bay
CARDSTOCK: Pool Party, Soft Suede, Bermuda Bay, Coaster Board
ACCESSORIES: Pearl Basic Jewels, Stampin' Dimensionals

Carrie's Thank You

One of the stamp sets we were given at the Stampin' Up! Catalog Premiere was the new Ronald MacDonald House Charity stamp set. It's called Flamingo Lingo, and my pink-plastic-yard-flamingo-loving hubby is going to love it. It's so awesome that SU donates $3.00 from the sale of every RMHC stamp set to Ronald MacDonald House! Besides a flamingo, it has a cute flower the fits the Petite Petals Punch. LOVE it!

I did use a stamp from Work of Art for the left panel, as well as Gorgeous Grunge for the gold splattered background, and Lots of Thanks for the greeting. Wow, four stamp sets on one card!

This is the Thank You that I sent to Carrie Cudney for her presentation. She showed us how to put together a stamp pad that has come apart, and then she had a contest with Brian Pilling to see how many times they could take apart and put together their stamp pads in a set time. Needless to say, it was hysterically funny, and their hands were very inky when they were finished.

Tomorrow I'll show the card I made for Shannon West using ALL new products, including the Blended Bloom stamp, Back to Black DSP, Stitched Satin Ribbon, and the new Blendabilities alcohol ink markers! Oh. My. Heck. They are so easy to use, and the results are fabulous!

STAMPS: Flamingo Lingo, Work of Art, Gorgeous Grunge, Lots of Thanks
CARDSTOCK: Whisper White, Gold Foil Sheets
INK: Lost Lagoon, Hello Honey, Blackberry Bliss, Gold Metallic Encore
ACCESSORIES: Petite Petals Punch, Modern Label Punch, Decorative Label Punch

Swappin' with the Freaks!

The theme this time was "Flat and FABULOUS"! Since we've all run into problems mailing our multiple-layer, highly embellished cards, Lisa challenged us to make cards without bulky knots or bows, buttons, or brads. We could use the smallest Basic Jewels (pearls or rhinestones) or Candy Dots (without the brad bases).

I love me a good challenge, so I set out to create something without too many layers, but with plenty of texture and visual interest. Nothing too CAS (clean and simple). I immediately thought of the loose sequins from the Gold Sequin Trim.  Can't get much flatter than that, right? And I wanted to use fresh, Spring-y colors, since everyone has had more than their fill of Winter.

I really liked the design I came up with and then set to work making 24 of them. And that's when it struck me.......what was I thinking?! What looked so good as a single card became somewhat more of a challenge than I had planned. I mean really......punching and sponging 72 of those tiny flowers wasn't my most brilliant idea, lol. But I think the result was worth the pink fingers I had for two days. Plus, it was a good reminder to myself that when Convention rolls around in July, plan something a wee bit less time-consuming for swaps! (Yeah, right. Like that'll really happen. *snort*)

STAMPS: Flower Shop, Gorgeous Grunge, Regarding Dahlias (greeting)
CARDSTOCK: Whisper White, Pool Party, Pink Pirouette
INK: VersaMark, Melon Mambo, Pool Party, Bermuda Bay
ACCESSORIES: Big Shot, Fancy Fan folder, Heat Tool, Embossing Buddy, Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder, Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack, Dazzling Details, Gold Stampin' Glitter, Pearls Basic Jewels, Gold Sequin Trim, Stampin' Dimensionals