Aarrghhh!

Two things are making me tear my (already thin) hair out - the first is Stampin' Up! has decided to stop selling the Blendabilities alcohol markers. The manufacturer just couldn't meet SU's high standards consistently, so rather than have unhappy customers returning defective merchandise, they've been proactive and stopped selling it. They do realize how popular the alcohol markers are, so they are going to try to find a solution. I certainly hope so, because I love coloring with them!

The second follicle-threatening thing is I keep making cards and sending them before I remember to take a picture! (That's probably due to the fact that I'm frequently rushing to get them in the mail on time.) Poor planning on my part, but I'm going to TRY to be better about planning ahead!

This was one of the cards we made at my stamping team meeting last night. I try to show my downline cards that are cute, but don't take too long to make, especially if there are a lot of stampers making the card. People could get impatient waiting for the stamp and ink pad to came around, ya know?

So this was perfect for the project. The Love & Sympathy stamp is great for using the "marker to stamp" technique and, while the stamp set is geared toward sympathy cards, the image can be used for just about anything. And BONUS - the All Abloom DSP Stack is one of the weekly deals this week!


STAMPS: Love & Sympathy, Simply Wonderful (Sale-A-Bration item)
CARDSTOCK: Whisper White, Crushed Curry, All Abloom DSP Stack
INK: Old Olive ink pad, plus Old Olive and Crushed Curry Stampin' Write Markers
ACCESSORIES: Texture Boutique Machine, Beautifully Baroque embossing folder, Crushed Curry ribbon from Best Year Ever Accessory Pack (Sale-A-Bration item)

Have I Mentioned I Love Butterflies?

Yeah? Well then, it should come as no surprise that I'm having way too much fun with the Butterfly Bundle!

I've been seeing the layered and/or inlaid butterflies all over, so I thought I'd give it a try. It was really not hard at all! After I die cut the butterfly, I used the "negative" from the Basic Black piece to trace the butterfly on the Bermuda Bay. It was fussy cut just inside the lines, leaving off the swallow tail bits. That produced the back layer. The body of the butterfly was glued to the background, leaving the wings free.

Then a 2" x 2" piece of Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper was placed under the butterfly die where I wanted pieces for the inlay. Those were just glued with multipurpose glue on the Bermuda Bay background, fitting them into the appropriate holes of the butterfly's wing. It really is a "Wow" effect in real life!

The green growth was stamped on the lovely Soft Sky sheet from the Painted Blooms DSP pack using Pear Pizzazz and Old Olive.

STAMPS: Nature's Perfection (SAB item), A Dozen Thoughts
CARSTOCK: Basic Black, Bermuda Bay, Painted Blooms DSP, Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer
INK: Memento Tuxedo Black, Pear Pizzazz, Old Olive
ACCESSORIES: Big Shot, Butterflies Thinlits Dies, Liquid Multipurpose Glue, Stampin' Dimensionals

Pretty Painted Petals

 

The new Painted Petals stamp set is just so soft and pretty.....I can see using it for so many occasions! It's in the new Occasions catalog that just started yesterday, and this is what the complete set looks like:

Best of all, this set is available in wood-mount, clear-mount, AND photopolymer!!! So whatever your preference of stamp type, we've got you covered!

The last of my local family left yesterday for Tennessee *sniff*. We hope to follow them as soon as DH can retire, but meanwhile we're stuck here while our kids are clear across the country.

STAMPS: Painted Petals (clear mount, wood mount, photopolymer)
CARDSTOCK: Whisper White, Pear Pizzazz
INK: Pear Pizzazz, Crushed Curry
ACCESSORIES: Stampin' Dimensionals, Crushed Curry ribbon (SAB Best Year Ever Ribbon pack)