Hello Life Valentine

A stamping friend (and new demo!) needed some ideas for Valentines using the products she already has on hand. She has a group of friends interested in making cards, so I got a list of what she has and went to work designing a couple of cards. It was fun and a bit of a challenge, because I wanted to use ALL THE STUFF I have, but that wouldn't have been very helpful to her.

I hope she likes the designs, and her friends do, too! I got my inspiration for this card from Deb Currier's card posted January 1st.

STAMPS: Hello Life
CARDSTOCK: Real Red, Whisper White, Basic Black, Stacked With Love DSP Stack, Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper
INK: Memento Tuxedo Black, Real Red

ACCESSORIES: Big Shot, Happy Heart T.I.E.F., Hearts Framelits Dies, Tea Lace Paper Doilies, White 5/8" Organza Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals

SUOC63, Are You Feeling the Love?

This week's challenge at SUO Challenges is to make a CAS (Clean And Simple) Valentine. There are so many great new products in the Spring catalog, that Hearts A Flutter bundle for instance, that it couldn't be any easier!

The scalloped heart die and stamp from that bundle were used on this card. The die cut was colored with markers to give the illusion that it was matted. Pretty neat, huh? A little embossed border with the Adorning Accents folder added just the right amount of texture.

Stamps: Hearts A Flutter, Loving Thoughts
Cardstock: Real Red, Whisper White, Basic Black, Red Glimmer Paper
Ink: Real red, Basic Black
Accessories: Big Shot, Adorning Accents folder, Hearts A Flutter Framelits, Stampin' Dimensionals

Simply In Love With This Color Combination

And simply in love with all the new Sale-A-Bration goodies. Love exploded is blooming all over my craft room. Today I made FIVE Valentine-themed cards! I guess once I started looking up funny Valentine's greetings the other day, I 'got in the mood', so to speak.

The is one of those great mailable cards.  The square knot on the ribbon was tied loosely enough that I could flatten in onto the glue dot, thus reducing the bulk.  So, no extra postage needed for that envelope!

No need for a greeting, since I'm pretty sure the intent of the card is clear. I love, love, love this color combination, don't you?! It reminds me of a Fifties diner, though I have no idea how I could possibly know what colors were popular way back then. (Heehee!)

Stamp: Madison Avenue (FREE Sale-A-Bration item)
Cardstock: Pool Party, Basic Black, Whisper White, Real Red
Ink: Wild Wasabi
Accessories: Big Shot, Hearts Framelits, Hearts A Flutter Framelits, Square Lattice Folder, Sycamore Street Ribbon & Button Pack (FREE Sale-A-Bration item)

So, what is your favorite color combination for Valentine's Day? Do you like the traditional red and/or pink & white? Do you go for a more dramatic combination like red, black, and white? Or are you totally into non-traditional combos, like orange and pink, or purple and black? Leave a comment about your favorite, and I have some blog candy for the winning comment. Winner will be announced Sunday evening.

Best Valentine's Greetings

Some of the best Valentine's messages (to me, anyway), are ones that make me laugh. Don't get me wrong, I like the mushy stuff as much as the next girl. But my husband's ability to make me laugh, and his warped sense of humor, are some of the things that first attracted me to him, so I'm not miffed if his card to me is humorous, rather than sappy. I know that he loves me - he shows it in a million little ways all the time.

In that vein, I thought I'd share a few that I've seen recently that cracked me up. (One of these is rated R......you've been warned!)

Card front:
Did you know it takes ONE HOUR of rigorous sex to burn off the calories from five pieces of Valentine's chocolates?
Inside:
Eat the whole box. I've got plans for you tonight, Valentine!

Card front (with illustration of heart from medical book):
You make my heart have premature ventricular contractions

Here's another great reason for making your own cards...
Card front:
Happy Valentine's Day, Sweetie
Inside:
If this card hadn't cost $6 you would have gotten chocolates, too.

So, you see, it is possible to get the message across without being too mushy. And, just so I don't lose street cred with my female friends, here's a sentimental-type Valentine.

Stamps: Affection Collection
Cardstock: Naturals White, More Amore Specialty DSP
Ink: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso (stamped off once)
Accessories: Big Shot, Adorning Accents Edgelits, Stripes embossing folder, Artisan Embellishments Kit, 5/8" Flower Trim, stapler (non-SU)

You can Google "Best Valentine's Greetings" and come up with a bunch of ideas for your own message to put on your handcrafted, special card to your love. And have enough left over for those chocolates!

SUO Challenge #38 - Valentine's Colors!

Wow, I nearly forgot! I've been so busy making cards for Stampin' Addicts swaps, Valentine mailboxes (commissioned work), and starting my swaps for the Stampin' Up! Regional in Phoenix this Saturday, that this post nearly slipped my mind.

The theme this week at SU-Only Challenges is a Valentine with two colors, plus a neutral or two. I've always liked red, pink, and white together, or red, black, and white together, so I decided to combine them on this card. The DSP is Real Red with pink stripes, so there's the two colors, and the black and white are the two neutrals.

The ruffle around the large Framelits heart is made from the new White Waffle Paper (pg. 28 in the Occasions Mini).  Love that stuff! I want to try stamping on it and maybe embossing it, too.  Oh! And maybe the Faux Silk technique would work, too! (Hmmmm, the wheels are turning in my head...too many ideas and not enough time!)

Stamps: Take It to Heart, Loving Thoughts
Cardstock: Real Red, Whisper White, Basic Black, Real Red DSP (Brights Collection Paper Stack)
Ink: Basic Black
Accessories: Big Shot, Hearts Collection Framelits, Pearls Basic Jewels, Large Pearl Basic Jewels, Whisper White 3/8" Taffeta Ribbon, White Waffle Paper, Stampin' Dimensionals

Yesterday was the best birthday! I stamped ALL day, and then my sweet husband took me out to dinner. Life doesn't get much better than that!

Simply Thanks

Sometimes, simple packs a more powerful message than elaborate, and that's what I really hope this card conveys. This card on Pinterest was the inspiration when I sat down to make a bunch of Thank You cards. One of my (many) goals this year is to send more cards, especially ones that express my gratitude. I really must stock up on them so they will be handy when I need them, since I am blessed with so many people in my life to which I know I'll owe a debt of gratitude, in one way or another, this year.

Shelli Gardner's theme for this month's So Shelli Challenge is a "Simply Stunning" Creative Challenge, so I think this qualifies. Well, it's simple, anyway......don't know about the stunning part. Maybe if it whacked you on the head you'd be stunned. ;-)

The name of the card is "Simply Thanks" because I used my Simply Scored Scoring Tool to highlight the embossed hearts from the Adorning Accents embossing folders set. Zip, zip and done!

I LOVE creating cards (no surprise there, right?) but the problem in the past has been actually sending them, once they were made. Operation Write Home has helped find good homes for many of them, but I want to spread more RAK around.

So don't be surprised if, out of the blue, you find a little something in your mailbox (that is, if I know your address, lol)!

Stamp: Pocket Silhouettes (inked just the 'thanks' on the sentiment)
Cardstock: Whisper White Textured, Rose Red, Melon Mambo, Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink, Pink Pirouette
Ink: Rose Red Stampin' Write Marker
Accessories: Simply Scored Scoring Tool, Big Shot Die-Cut Machine, Adorning Accents Textured Impressions Embossing Folders, Heart to Heart Punch, Tombow Mono Multi Adhesive

I {Heart} Hearts

This card on Pinterest (so many great ideas, so little time to do them all!) inspired me to make something similar. The way the Heart-to-Heart punch was used was so clever.

Not having red cardstock with white polka-dots wasn't a problem - I simply used the Dot-Dot-Dot stamp and made my own!

Stamp: Sweetheart, Dot-Dot-Dot
Cardstock: Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White
Ink: Cherry Cobbler Classic, Whisper White Craft
Accessories: White Stampin' Emboss Powder, Heat Tool, Big Shot, Stripes embossing folder, Cherry Cobbler 1/2" Scallop Dots Ribbon, Heart-to-Heart Punch, Oval Punch (retired), Large Oval Punch

SNEAK PEEK - WAHOOOO!

Mr. Brown brought my 2012 Occasions Mini catalog and 2012 Sale-A-Bration preorder last night, and even though I should have been doing other things, I couldn't resist trying out some of the new goodies (yes, I am weak....I admit it), and using as many as I could on this card without letting it totally out of hand.

*Crickets chirping*

Well okay, maybe I could have toned it down a little bit, but I really wanted to show as much as I could on this one card! We Stampin' Up! demonstrators aren't allowed to post the products themselves ahead of time, but we CAN make something with 'em, and share that. (Have I mentioned lately how much I love being a demo? Getting to preorder new things and create with them, before everybody else, is one of the MANY great perks of being a SU demonstrator!)

So, on this one little card, you will see five items from the Occasions Mini and two items from the SAB catalogs. The first thing you may have noticed are all the die-cuts. Yep, Stampin' Up! is coming out with Framelits - something akin to Nestabilities, only they're even better because you can see exactly where the die will cut, making image framing a piece o' cake!  We will also have Edgelits dies to cut fancy edges AND there are embossing folders for the edges to match!  And you might have noticed the two little embossed hearts. That's from the new Fashionable Hearts Embosslit - it's just like the Beautiful Butterflies Embosslit, only hearts! I {heart} hearts.


Stamps: Bordering on Romance, Sweetheart
Cardstock: Whisper White, Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Paper (FREE SAB item)
Ink: Calypso Coral, Blushing Bride, and Poppy Parade Classic
Accessories: Big Shot, Edgelits Adorning Accents, Framelits Hearts Collection, Embosslits Fashionable Hearts,  Large (8 mm) Pearl Basic Jewels, Pearl Basic Jewels, Calypso Coral Everyday Enchantment 1/8" Organdy Ribbon (FREE SAB item)

In 2012 Occasions Mini catalog, starts 1/4 
In 2012 Sale-A-Bration catalog, starts 1/24

Stars & Stamps Midweek Throwdown Challenge!

The end of October I was surprised and delighted to receive an email from Jan over at the OWH Stars & Stamps blog, asking me if I'd like to make a sample card or two for their December 1st Midweek Throwdown Challenge.  Um, let me think about that for a nanosecond... heck, yeah!  Are you kidding?!  I'm honored to be asked to do this!!!

The theme for this week's challenge is animals, and as soon as Jan told me what it was, I got all kinds of ideas popping in my head.  First up is a sweet birthday card for a little girl.  Most little girls I know are crazy for ponies and horses, so that was the stamp of choice.  Can you imagine her getting this card from her daddy or mommy who is away from home for her birthday?

The greeting is three different Clear Mount Stamps from the Fabulous Phrases set, mounted on one Clear Block.  I like the flexibility of building a custom sentiment - too cool!

Stamps: Pony Party (W-115217, C-120015), Fabulous Phrases (W-117002, C-120501)
Cardstock: Pink Pirouette (111351), Rich Razzleberry (115316), Melon Mambo (115320)
Ink: Pink Pirouette Classic (111838), Rich Razzleberry Classic (115658), Melon Mambo Classic (115656), Rose Red Classic (101778), Basic Gray Classic (109120)
Accessories: Scallop Trim Corner Punch (118870), 1/2" Circle Punch (119869), 3/4" Circle Punch (119873), 1" Circle Punch (119868), 1-1/4" Circle Punch (119861),small circle punch from Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack (118309), Rich Razzleberry Polka-Dot Grosgrain ribbon (retired)

The next card is near and dear to my heart, because my hubby and I joke about "love monkey" all the time.  I figured we aren't the only ones with that little joke, so this is sure to bring a smile to a deployed hero's loved one.  

The greeting was printed using my computer and printer, since I didn't have a stamp with that sentiment.  The heart background was inked up with Sahara Sand, then the solid heart wiped off with a Blender Pen and Real Red ink applied with a Stampin' Write Marker.  Huffed to re-moisten, stamped off once to lighten the image, and then stamped over the greeting (gotta love those Clear Mount stamps - so easy to position!).

Lots of layers going on with those hearts!  The Full Heart Punch fits inside the Scalloped Heart of Hearts die, which fits inside the Movers and Shapers Heart die.  If you look very, very closely (click on the image twice), you can see the embossed "dots" are really tiny hearts! 

Stamps: Fox & Friends (W-117020, C-118565), Filled With Love (W-120839, C-121154)

Cardstock: Sahara Sand (121043), Real Red (102482), Early Espresso (119686), Whisper White (100730), Sahara Sand DSP from Patterns Pack (retired)

Ink: Sahara Sand Classic (105208), Early Espresso Classic (119670), Real Red Stampin' Write Marker (100052)

Accessories: Real Red 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon (119251), Full Heart Punch (119883), Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslits Die (117332), Movers & Shapers Heart Die from the Punch Windows set (115953), Big Shot Die-Cut Machine (113439), heart border punch from Martha Stewart

Thanks for stopping by today, and don't forget to vote for Operation Write Home over at Joann's Craft for a Cause. 

Vote every day - you have until midnight Dec. 4th!

TREAT CUPS SLIDER WINDOWS

There have been a few requests for how to make the slider window in the Valentine's Treat Cup card seen on the blog hop, so here is the tutorial.

Click on pictures to enlarge

Punch the main focal point cardstock with the Full Heart Punch.

If you are using a mat under it, fasten the mat to the card front.  Position the punched cardstock on the mat/card front wherever you want it, and trace inside the heart.

Follow the directions for using the Movers & Shapers Punch Window found HERE to make the opening in the card.

Stamp, emboss or decorate the main cardstock as desired.

Apply sticky tape to the edges of the main cardstock as shown.  Be sure to leave an opening for the slider, and don't remove the backing just yet.

Don't remove the backing from the adhesive on the treat cup.  Using 1/8" sticky tape, adhere the Heart Treat Cup to the underside of the main cardstock.

Now remove the backing from the sticky tape and adhere the main cardstock to the card front, making sure your hearts line up.  It doesn't have to be exactly centered inside, as long as you can access the the cup from the inside to fill it.

The slider itself is 2" x 3", with a Round Tab punched tab attached.

Start by sliding the candy cover between the main cardstock and the mat/card front.  Open the card and add the candy, then slide the cover closed.

 

Stamps: I {Heart} Hearts, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Whisper White, Chocolate Chip

Ink: Pretty in Pink Classic, Whisper White Craft

Accessories: Heart Treat Cups, Full Heart Punch, Movers & Shapers Heart Punch Window, Round Tab Punch, Small Heart Punch, Big Shot Die-Cut Machine, Pretty in Pink 5/8 inch Satin Ribbon, Chocolate Chip 1/4 inch Grosgrain Ribbon, Sticky Strip, Tombow Multi-Purpose Adhesive, Paper Cutter

I {Heart} You, Friend

Here's another take on Valentine's Day, friendship, love, and in general sweetness!  I CASED the card style (loosely) from a commercial Christmas card I saw recently.  You just never know when or where you'll find inspiration. ;-)

I am sooooo loving these new stamp sets from the 2010 Occasions Mini Catalog!  I'm especially loving the new CLEAR MOUNT option!!!  Not only do you get the same high-quality red rubber stamps, but they come in a DVD-style case with the stamps' images on the front and thumbnails on the spine!!!  You can see at a glance what is in the case while it sits on the shelf.  Three sets can be stored in the space of one wood mount set (making room for more stamps, woohoo!), AND you'll never have to worry about stained wood ever again.  Clean up is a breeze!

Here's a peek inside the card:

Stamps: I {Heart} Hearts, Well Scripted
Cardstock: Rose Red, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White
DP: Tea Party Designer Series Paper
Inks: Rose Red, Pretty in Pink, Basic Black
Accessories: Scallop Trim Border Punch, Scallop Trim Corner Punch, acetate sheet, Mini Glue Dots, adhesive, Big Shot Die-Cut Machine, Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslit, Full Heart Punch

Heartfelt Thanks

As some of you know, I had surgery last week.  The doctor was great, but I didn't see him much, because I was unconscious (thank goodness!).  However, the nurses who took care of me when I got to my room were absolutely THE BEST I have ever had.  I truly don't think I could have gotten better care, even if it were my own mother caring for me!  I want to send them each a thank-you card.  (I will also be letting the hospital know how wonderful they were.)  This is one of the cards.  I have to finish some swaps and then I'll post the other card in a day or two.

Stamped sentiment: Kind and Caring Thoughts (Hostess Level 3)
Cardstock: Whisper White, Rich Razzleberry, Pink Pirouette (retired), White Vellum Cardstock

DP: Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Series Paper
Ink: Melon Mambo Classic
Accessories: Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslit Die, Full Heart Punch, Rich Razzleberry Polka-Got Grosgrain Ribbon, Scallop Edge Punch, Mini Glue Dots

One More Valentine

I just had to make one more Valentine to send to Operation Write Home.  You see, I had this scalloped heart that needed to be used.  :-D

Stamp: Grateful Greetings

Cardstock: Rose Red, Whisper White
Ink: Rose Red
Accessories/Tools: Big Shot, Finial Press Textured Impressions die, Spellbinders dies, Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint (mist), heart border punch, glitter brad