Apples and Red Checks

I thought I was over it, I really did and then..... I opened my new package of Stampin' Up!'s Bella Rose designer series paper and I knew. I knew that I still, after all these years, have a deep, bordering on obsessive, love for red checks. I immediately saw ways it could be used and this was one of them - with apples! Apples, autumn and red gingham. But first I had to cut it up!!
Seriously though, I really like how this card turned out. After layering and sponging and watercoloring, I added some paper piercing in the corners of the stamped image and some Jumbo Eyelets and ribbon for detail. I don't know yet who, if anyone, will receive this card! I just may keep it for myself!

Recipe.... all Stampin' UP!
Stamps: For Father (retired)
Cardstock and designer series paper: chocolate chip, riding hood red, Bella Rose dsp, watercolor paper
Ink: Black stazon, chocolate chip, riding hood red, kiwi green, close to cocoa and creamy caramel
Accessories: Jumbo Eyelets, chocolate taffeta ribbon, paper piercer and mat, aquapainter, sponge

Enjoy!

Ginormous Flowers

Well this card was alot more work than I anticipated! I got the color combination from my favorite stamping website Splitcoast Stampers. Every day they offer a challenge - color combo or layout, inspiration, technique, etc. I may have seen this layout over there but I can't be sure. The color combo challenge was Black, Kraft, and Rose Red.
I chose to make it a 5 1/4" square card. Yes it costs more to mail, but add any embellishments and it will cost more to mail!! Can I just say I LOVE Stampin' Up's designer paper! For this card I used current Kraft dsp and retired Rose Red paper from the Spring Mini catalog.
Make the circles with a coluzzle - adding paper pierced holes and sponge the edges.
I stamped all of the flowers with Rose Red and cut/punched and sponged them. HOWEVER, the two flowers in the corners were stamped with the 5 petal flower stamp from Ginormous Flowers. I then used the Boho Blossoms punch and with a simple rotation of the punch, I punched out the flowers! Too cute!! I added a 1/2" punched circle and a brad for a different take for a stamped flower!
So when the card was all stamped and assembled, I was thrilled with the way it turned out. Yes it was worth all of the work!

Stamps: Ginormous Flowers
Sincere Salutations
Cardstock and Paper: Rose Red cardstock and paper, Basic Black, Kraft cardstock and paper, White
Ink: Close to Cocoa, Rose Red
Accessories: Coluzzle, Kraft Taffeta Ribbon, Paper Piercer and mat
Dimensions, Boho Blossom, 1/2 inch punches, 5 petal punch, brads

Hope you enjoy it.
Lisa

My Girls and My Memo Holder

I already posted (Sept. 13) the picture and details of the memo holders I made and sent to my each of my 3 daughters. This is a picture of the one I made for myself! I added the photo to to show how it can be used as a photo holder as well as a memo holder. I love it cause I keep it on my work area as a visual reminder of my 3 girls!

I call them girls even though they are really young women now. To me they will always be "my girls" - oh and just in case you can't tell - I love em alot!

Details: same as other memo holders except I backed the flower with one of the chocolate chip felt flowers from Stampin' Up!'s new Flower Fusion II set. A brad in the center of the flower completes the flower.

Have a great day - what's left of it!

P.S. The photo was taken in a HUGE field of sunflowers near where they live. It is awesome (but full of bees)!

Sweet Autumn Clematis

Here is a picture of the arbor in my back yard blooming with Sweet Autumn Clematis. I planted it last summer so this is the first time it has bloomed and oh does it smell sweet - thus the name!

The arbor has an attached bench and I love to sit there, when I have the time, and read. Unfortunately, that is not too often. I didn't realize how hardy this vine is. I just may have to move it!

Happy Birthday to My Brother!

Today is my younger brother's birthday and I won't mention his age cause I am quite a few years older! I will tell you I love him alot which wasn't always the case (Those toddler years were not fun). When he was born, I thought he was the best. Then he became a nuisance - hey I liked being the youngest - and then as he grew into adulthood, he became all good again. He is such a funny guy, a great family man and fellow dog lover. Plus my girls adore him. So it is his birthday today and I sent him this card.







I used a stamp set from the Spring '08 Mini catalog. It is really a Father's Day stamp set but I used it for a masculine birthday card and I think it came out pretty good if I do say so myself!

What I think makes this card so unique is: the hardware on the side which is supposed to emulate the eyelets on the boots and the saying is a rubon. Love how they can be added to twill and ribbon! Try it, it is very cool.

Recipe.... all products are Stampin' UP!
Stamps: For Father (retired)
Cardstock and Designer Series Paper: Always Artichoke, Chocolate Chip, Not Quite Navy, and Watercolor Paper
Ink: Black Stazon, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Close to Cocoa, Baja Breeze, Creamy Caramel
Accessories: Twill, Hodgepodge Hardware (retired), Photo Corner Punch, Chit Chat Rub-ons

In the Mood for Autumn

I have been feeling autumn in the air this week so I decided to make a card in those lovely earth tones we associate with the fall.

I love those Wednesday card sketches over at Splitcoast Stampers. They are a great jumpstart to a card when you just don't know where to start!

And I love our (Stampin' Up!s) new In Colors! For this card I used Tangerine Tango and Kiwi Kiss - a perfect combination for fall. I love this stamp set but for this card I wanted the stem and vine to stand out so I inked the stamp with Kiwi Kiss first. Then I used the Old Olive marker and went over the stem and vines. This made those parts darker when stamped. And... to give it some dimension, I punched 2 flowers with the 5-petal flower punch, then added one of our new filigree designer brads in the center. But instead of the silver brad that should go in the center of the filigree brad, I added one of our rhinestone brads. I thought it added some extra bling! Can never have too much bling - right? Note the 3/4" chocolate chip circle behind the filigree brad.

Recipe....all products are Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Fresh Cuts

Cardstock and designer series paper: Tangerine Tango, Kiwi Kiss, Chocolate Chip, Vanilla

Ink: Kiwi Kiss

Punches: 5-petal punch, 1/2" punch, 3/4" punch, slot punch

Accessories: Filigree brad, rhinestone brad, silver brads, Kiwi Kiss/Vanilla Satin Ribbon

Well I hope you like it and thanks for stopping by!

Lisa

I Miss My Girls!

My 3 daughters are living far away right now. My oldest is out of college and working not far from her 2 sisters who are still in college. So all 3 are in the same area which helps when we want to see them! But, because they are so far away, we don't get to see them much. In the meantime, I use them as just another reason to stamp! "Having a bad day honey - here let me stamp something for you"! "Finals week? Don't fret - I'll send you a handmade gift"!

So I was in our local dollar store and saw these giant memo clips. Hmmm, they would make a fun gift to make for each of my girls. And fun it was!!

I added Stampin' Up!s designer paper, some stamped images, clips, brads and ribbon and voila! The saying says "you make my life a beautiful thing." and they sure do - my daughters, not the memo holders. The paper was lifting a little from the clip as you can see by the picture. If I were to do it again, I would lightly sand the paint on the memo clips before adding the ds paper.

Recipe....(all products are Stampin' Up, except the memo clip)

Stamps: A Beautiful Thing

Cardsock: White

Designer series paper:Afternoon Tea, Bali Breeze (both retired)

Ink and Markers: Rose Red, Soft Sky (retired) and Cool Caribbean (retired), Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Hodgebodge hardware, various ribbons, and mini glue dots

Hope this inspires you to reach out to someone you love.

Lisa

I love violets

I love violets - all kinds of violets but especially the purple ones that bloom in our lawn in the spring. David, my husband and official lawn caretaker, does NOT like them. See opposites do attract! And boy do I digress - must be the coffee I had.


Anyway - as I was saying - I love violets and when I saw this Stampin' Up! stamp set I just had to have it. That was all there was to it! So here is a card I made. I wanted it to look like it was on a table in front of a wallpapered wall. And if you look very closely, some of the flowers are "popped up". I did this by stamping and coloring the image twice and then cutting out the flowers on one image and adhereing them to the other. Lots of work?? Not really and I love how it came out!



The Recipe.... (all products are Stampin' Up!)
Stamps: Bloomin' Beautiful
Cardstock and Designer Paper: Orchid Opulence, Certainly Celery and Watercolor Paper
Ink: Black Stazon, Orchid Opulence, Lovely Lilac, Old Olive, Close to Cocoa and Really Rust
Accessories: Crystal Effects, Dazzling Diamond Glitter, Aquapainter, Very Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon, Circle Fire Rhinestone Brads, Ticket Corner Punch, Dimensionals



Thanks for stopping by,
Lisa

What's it all about?

I have been enjoying other blogs so much that I decided to venture out of my comfort zone and create one of my own! It should be an interesting, and hopefully enjoyable, process of sharing my love of stamping with others! And since this blogging stuff is all new to me (never knew what HTML even meant!), I ask whoever views this blog, to be patient - I am learning one step at a time!