Happiness Surrounds, Hello Friend!

Quick post today to show you the versatility of the limited release Happiness Surrounds stamp set. It is available, along with Snow Is Glistening, the Snowfall Thinlits (and more) ONLY for this month and ONLY while supplies last.

I haven't used Grapefruit Grove much, so I thought it should get some love on this card. Of course, Smoky Slate is the perfect neutral to show off G.G. and few little silver accents don't hurt, either!

Only three more sleeps until I hit the road to Orlando to hang out with 9,000 of my closest stamping friends!

Happiness Surrounds & FMS360

Playing along with this week's sketch from Freshly Made Sketches. They are up to number 360 now! I love that their sketches are CAS, because it makes it so easy to create a pretty card. Just pick a focal point (image) and/or greeting and some colors, and follow the "map!" This is the sketch:

Once again, I am using products from the Snowflake Showcase soon-to-be-released limited-edition products! The greeting is from the Happiness Surrounds stamp set, which includes some fun images and a variety of greetings.

Are you wondering where that lacy doily came from? It's the largest snowflake die, cut down to remove the points! I did borrow the stitched heart die from the Stitched Labels Framelits. I thought it was perfect for a friendship card.

With the exception of the card base and DSP background, this card was completely made from scraps. Organizing tip: I slit open one end of the plastic wrap that the cardstock comes in, and put most scraps back into the wrapper (tiny scraps go in the recycle bin). That way I can check to see if there's an appropriate-size scrap to use before cutting into a fresh sheet of cardstock!

Measurements
 Die cuts: scraps of Mossy Meadow, Old Olive, and Lovely Lipstick
 DSP: 3" x 4-1/2" Sahara Sand from Neutrals DSP pack
 Card base: Whisper White 5-1/2" x 8-1/2" scored & folded at 4-1/4"

Product List

Happiness Surrounds Photopolymer Stamp Set

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

Old Olive 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

Mossy Meadow 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Lovely Lipstick 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

Neutrals 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper

Jet Black Stazon Ink Pad

Big Shot

Snowfall Thinlits Dies

Stitched Labels Framelits Dies

Mini Stampin' Dimensionals

World's Most Expesive Jam

This is one of the cards we made in the stamp club this week. It was inspired by a similar card I saw on Pinterest by Monica Gale, from the U.K.

It's been a crazy couple of days here. Yesterday was our anniversary, and I thought it would be great fun to go to a U-pick berry farm and pick some raspberries and blueberries. Well, the early crop of blueberries was already done, and the mid-season ones weren't ready. Darn! However, the raspberries were in peak, and we picked a gallon so I could make jam, then headed home.

I was just turning onto the highway when my power steering quit working, all the idiot lights came on, and the car died. Fortunately, I had enough momentum to get safely over to the shoulder. So there we sat, dead in the water, fifty-six miles from home. And it was hot. And we weren't familiar with the area at all. And did I mention it was hot?

My honey walked to the Auto Zone store that was nearby, and got the number for a tow truck company (really nice owner/operator) who hauled us to the nearest Toyota dealer almost an hour away. The Toyota dealer got us hooked up with a rental car so we could get our berries home, and let the dog out to go potty. She'd been stuck in the house for over six hours by the time we got home!

Today I made seedless raspberry jam, and got four pints out of it. Between the cost for the tow truck, the rental car, and the repairs to my car, I figure each of those four pints cost us about $300 to make. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you The World's Most Expensive Jam....

My Inky Friends Fabulous at 30!

It's time to celebrate the new Stampin' Up! annual catalog AND 30 years of stampy goodness! Can you believe it's been thirty years that SU has been bringing awesome stamping goodies to us?! I'd have to say that they get better as each year passes, so thirty is looking pretty fabulous! And My Inky Friends agree, so we are sharing some of the fabulousness (is that a word?) with YOU!

Sara over at Lily's Ink Pad was before me. I just love her Enjoy Life projects, don't you? There are nine of us on this hop, so follow the links to see all the wonderful projects.

I was really taken with the design of the Accented Blooms stamp set and, with Memorial Day just past and Independence Day coming up, I was feeling rather patriotic, so I thought a red, white, and blue theme would be kind of cute. I really like the way it turned out! This set is available in wood-mount and clear-mount.

We don't have any "white stars on a field of blue" DSP, but the Blueberry Bushel polka-dots with the Lovely Lipstick stripes from the 2018-2020 In Colors DSP pack are certainly close enough!

I stamped off the Blueberry Bushel greeting once, so that the heat embossed B.B. cardstock piece would stand out more. The inside was dressed up with matching strips of DSP and the blooms from the front. They look like ball chrysanthemums, don't they?!

The envelope flap was covered with the striped DSP to give the recipient a little hint of what's inside. It's so easy to add that little extra! Just add some liquid glue around the edges of the envelope flap and adhere a 2-1/2" x 6" piece of DSP, making sure the top edge is even with the fold. Then trim off the excess - easy peasy!

That's all I have for now, but be sure to check back tomorrow. I have another Accented Blooms card to share, with a totally different look.Up next is Rhonda, The Stampin' Bunny, showing, what else.....Best Bunny!

Product List

Accented Blooms Clear-Mount Stamp Set

Accented Blooms Wood-Mount Stamp Set

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

In Color 2018–2020 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper

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

Sparkle Glimmer Paper

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad

Blueberry Bushel Classic Stampin' Pad

Lovely Lipstick Classic Stampin' Pad

Old Olive Light Stampin' Blends Marker

Old Olive Dark Stampin' Blends Marker

Daffodil Delight Light Stampin' Blends Marker

Versamark Pad

Heat Tool

White Stampin' Emboss Powder

Stampin' Dimensionals

Happy Friday!

And it IS a very happy Friday for me! I am on my way to Atlanta for Stampin' Up! OnStage with two stamping buddies. We plan to have lots of inky fun, and there may be an adult beverage or two involved as well. Not during the Stampin' Up! event, of curse, but afterwards. I'd post pics of the shenanigans, but incriminating photos are not allowed, LOL!

Anyway, I'm having a hard time containing my excitement because not only are we having a girls getaway and meeting lots of other like-minded stampers, but we are going to get to see the NEW ANNUAL CATALOG! Be still, my heart!

My card today is one that I made for a friend who sews beautiful custom aprons. She made this one for me to send to my daughter. It is so her stye, and I can't wait until she gets it!

Isn't it gorgeous?! Seriously, if you're on Facebook, you should check out her creations at Favorite Things Gift Collection by Pauletta. She's amazing!

Tomorrow I will share the swap cards I made. Don't want to post them before the swapping happens!