Aaahhh!

I am really enjoying visiting with my red rubber, inky friends.  How I've missed them so!  I was able to get a card made today for my DIL, who just graduated at the TOP of her accounting class.  It's about two weeks late, but I know she understands I was under a lot of work stress.  I'm so happy to have her in the family!  She's really a remarkable woman, and my son is happier than I've ever seen him.

Her favorite color is blue (I knew there was a reason I liked her, lol), so I pulled out my favorite SU blue, Pacific Point.  Colored direct-to-stamp with the markers, then matted the stamped image twice, on Wild Wasabi, and Pacific Point.  The pearls, in three sizes, are in the new Idea Book & Catalog - woohoo!  I love the new bling!!

That's a fork bow tied in the ribbon.  You can find .pdf instructions for making it HERE.  Note: I used a meat/salad serving fork to make a larger bow.  The DSP peeking out at the bottom is some Pacific Point (retired) that I've been hoarding (she's worth it!).  I don't know why it looks different than the Pacific Point on the rest of the card.  It matches perfectly IRL.

Stamps: Friends Never Fade (118750), Well Scripted (from Occasions Mini, not available)
Cardstock: Very Vanilla (101650), Pacific Point (111350), Wild Wasabi (108641)
Ink: Pacific Point Classic Stampin' Pad (111837) plus Stampin' Write Markers - Pacific Point (120968), Wild Wasabi (120976), and So Saffron (105114)
Accessories: Very Vanilla 5/8" Satin Ribbon (117291), Basic Pearls (119247), Ticket Corner Punch (119867), Scallop Trim Border Punch (118402)

Congratulations, Shawn!

This card was made in celebration of our daughter moving into her new apartment, and into a new chapter in her life.  It went with the KitchenAid stand mixer we gave her for a house-warming present.

To be perfectly honest, I kind of had an ulterior motive in giving that gift.  Shawn makes the best bagels, and has always had to knead them by hand.  I'm hoping the mixer will take some of the work out of them, and I'll be the lucky recipient of fresh bagels in the near future.

STAMPIN' ADDICT'S BIRTHDAY BLOG HOP!

Greetings, welcome to the hop, and a big thank you for stopping by today!  Stampin' Addicts, a forum of friendly folks dedicated to all things Stampin' Up!, is celebrating its one year anniversary with this birthday blog hop.  We hope you are enjoying the tour so far, and will take the time to visit Stampin' Addicts after you finish the tour, and maybe even participate in the Stamp Jam this weekend!

This is stop #8 on the tour, and if you are following the tour in order, you just left Holly's blog, InkPaperStamps, where she showed some manly birthday items.  Wasn't that grill amazing?! If you happened to stumble on the hop through my blog, just keep clicking the links at the bottom of each blogger's post until you get back here.  I assure you, you will be amazed and inspired by the creativity!  The hop starts Saturday (2/20) at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time and runs until Sunday (2/21) at midnight.

Today I am featuring some feminine birthday cards, and an altered box.  (A complete list of materials used in each project will be at the bottom of this post.)  The pink striped paper in the first card, shown above, is from the 'Welcome Neighbor' Designer Series Paper Pad, which is a FREE item you can get with a qualifying purchase during Stampin' Up!'s Sale-A-Bration, through March 31st.  There is an awesome variety of designs in that 72 sheet pad!  The image stamp set, and the sentiment stamp set, as well as the Scallop Trim Border Punch used to make the mat, were also freebies from the Sale-A-Bration catalog.  Do you see a pattern here?  Free is GOOD!

Up next is a 3D flower card.  I've seen these flowers on several blogs and, being a gardener, fell in love with them!  One can't help but feel that Spring is just around the corner when you see them.  They're easy-peasy to make, too, using the Scallop Circle Punch!

The third card, above, is meant to be given with the gift box, below.  The Water Lilies were made with the flower dies in the Birds & Blooms Sizzlits Die set.  The box was a clearance item (only a buck!), which was altered with Designer Paper and the same Water Lilies.

I hope you have enjoyed your stop here at Heart's Delight Cards.  If you have any questions or comments, I'd love to hear from you!!!  Up next on the Birthday Blog Tour is Sara's Lily's Ink Pad.  She has an "announcement" to make!

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First Card, Birthday Cake
Stamps: Happy Moments (FREE Sale-A-Bration item) and Whimsical Words (another FREE Sale-A-Bration item)
Cardstock: Whisper White, Rose Red, Welcome Neighbor Designer Series Paper (FREE Sale-A-Bration item)
Ink: Black StazOn, Barely Banana Stampin' Write Marker, Regal Rose Stampin' Write Marker, Pretty In Pink Stampin' Write Marker, So Saffron Stampin' Write Marker
Accessories: Scallop Trim Border Punch (FREE Sale-A-Bration item), Scallop Trim Corner Punch, Big Shot Die-Cut Machine, Perfect Polka-Dots Textured Impressions Die

Second Card, 3D Flower
Stamp: Well Scripted
Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Black, Certainly Celery, Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Series Paper
Ink: Basic Black
Accessories: Scallop Circle Punch, Scallop Trim Border Punch (FREE Sale-A-Bration item), Scallop Trim Corner Punch, Big Shot Die-Cut Machine, Perfect Polka-Dots Textured Impressions Die, Certainly Celery 5/8 inch Satin Ribbon

Third Card, Water Lily
Stamp: For All You Do, Vintage Labels (FREE Sale-A-Bration item)
Cardstock: Melon Mambo, Pretty In Pink, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: Melon Mambo, Certainly Celery, Basic Black
Accessories: Big Shot Die-Cut Machine, Elegant Bouquet Textured Impressions Die, Birds & Blooms Sizzlits Die, Word Window Punch, 1/8" Circle Punch, 1/4" Whisper White Grosgrain Ribbon (dyed with Certainly Celery Classic ink pad), Pretty In Pink Corduroy Button, 2-Way Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds Stampin' Glitter

Gift Box
Stamp: Vintage Labels (FREE Sale-A-Bration item)
Cardstock: Melon Mambo, Whisper White, Basic Black, Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Series Paper
Ink: Melon Mambo, Basic Black
Accessories: Big Shot Die-Cut Machine, Elegant Bouquet Textured Impressions Die, Birds & Blooms Sizzlits Die, Swirls Scribbles Sizzlits Die, Wide Oval Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, 1/8" Circle Punch, 2-Way Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds Stampin' Glitter, Pretty In Pink Corduroy Buttons, gift box

Fifth Avenue Bleach

Did that title get your attention?  LOL!  I'm toying with a quick and easy card for an upcoming workshop.  This technique is kind of neat.  Heat emboss the image with clear embossing powder on Pretty in Pink, then paint bleach on the image, staying inside the lines.  Like magic, the rose turns a beautiful creamy white.  I used a blender pen with a Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad to highlight around the outer edges, and add some depth to the rose petals.

This one would be fun to do in a workshop, because it involves three techniques; heat embossing, bleaching, and watercoloring with the blender pen. 

Stamps: Fifth Avenue Floral, Well Scripted
Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: VersaMark, Basic Black, Melon Mambo
Accessories: Heat Tool, Crystal Clear Stampin' Emboss Powder, Horizontal Slot Punch, Pretty in Pink 5/8" Satin Ribbon, Blender Pens, paintbrush, Swarovski Crystal, bleach

VALENTINE VOTIVE TUTORIAL

The Valentine Votive has been very popular with the people I've given it to, so far.  If you want to make them for yourself, or to give as gifts, here's how I did it (and learn how you can use the Movers and Shapers Punch Windows without the Movers & Shapers platform!).  A complete list of materials and tools used is at the end.

Click on photos to enlarge.

1- On back side of DSP, score at 2 7/8", 5 3/4", 8 5/8" and 11½" from short edge.
2- Turn paper and score at 1½" from long edge.

3- Use Scallop Trim Border punch along top edge. (Yes, I know the photos below don't show it - I figured out after that it's better to punch the border first.)

4- Using the Big Shot Die-Cut Machine, cut the heart-shaped window (in the third panel from the fold-under tab) with the Heart Punch Window die.  Be sure to leave room at the top for the ribbon trim.  The sandwich I used is:

1. Texturz Impressions Pad on bottom
2. Clear cutting pad
3. DSP paper with design facing up
4. Punch window die facing down
5. Clear cutting pad on top. 
   

5- Punch heart in one piece of the smaller Real Red CS using Full Heart Punch, going in from short edge.
6- Using Real Red Craft ink, stamp "Love You Much" sentiment on Vellum CS; emboss with clear embossing powder.  (Hold the Heat Tool about 5" away to prevent vellum from warping.)

7- Place Sticky Strip around edge of heart window and remove backing.  Center the embossed sentiment and adhere. Trim excess vellum.

 8- On inside of DSP, place Sticky Strip around heart window and remove backing. With sentiment facing up on work surface, center in DSP heart window and adhere.

9- Using Scallop Trim Border Punch, punch both long edges of the remaining Real Red CS. Trim scalloped strips with Paper Cutter, aligning flat side of punched semi-circles with edge of metal plate, as shown. (The scallops should be just barely past the ¼" mark on the plate.)
10- Adhere scallops to bottom edge along score line using Tombow adhesive. You'll need to cut a short piece to complete it, so make sure it's on the back where it won't show.

11- Cut bottom flaps along short score lines and remove excess ½"x1½" tab. Place Sticky Strip along fold of remaining tab and assemble votive holder.  Adhere bottom flaps with Snail or Sticky Strip.

12- Stamp hearts using Real Red Classic Ink on Very Vanilla CS twice.  Using Small Heart Punch, punch out "Love" hearts.  Using Heart to Heart Punch, punch out remaining hearts.  Punch again (twice) from remaining small Real Red CS. Adhere as desired on sides using Tombow adhesive.

13- Use Snail to adhere 13" strip of ribbon to top of votive holder, with ends finishing on back. Trim so raw edges butt together. Tie loose knot in 6" ribbon and adhere to front with glue dots. Trims ends.

Materials:
Sending Love Specialty Designer Series Paper #117153, half sheet (6"x12")
Real Red Cardstock #102482, 2 pieces 2½"x3", and one piece 3"x11"
Very Vanilla Cardstock #101650, 3"x4"
White Vellum Cardstock #101856, 2¼"x4"
Real Red ¾" Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon #115608, 13" and 6"
Accessories and tools:
I {Heart} Hearts Stamp Set #118571 (plus Clear Mount Block C #118486, if CM stamps used)
Well Scripted Stamp Set #118601 (plus Clear Mount Block C #118486, if CM stamps used)
Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad #103133
Real Red Craft Stampin' Pad #101190 (I used a Spot, since that's all I had)
Clear Stampin' Emboss Powder #109130
Heat Tool #100005
Scallop Trim Border Punch #118402 free with qualifying purchase through Sale-A-Bration!
Heart to Heart Punch #113694
Full Heart Punch #113693
Small Heart Punch #117193
Paper Cutter #104152
Big Shot Die-Cut Machine #113439
Texturz Impressions Pad #114614
Heart Die from Punch Windows Movers & Shapers #115953
Snail Adhesive #104332 
Mini Glue Dots #103683
Sticky Strip #104294
Tombow Multi-Purpose Adhesive #110755

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