Masculine Cards

Happy Sunday everyone, I hope you are enjoying your day.  Today's card is a masculine one, I have such a hard time with these so when I saw this one in the catalog I couldn't resist.  I've already made about 8 of these LOL.

The greeting I used on mine is Happy Birthday, but it is such a versatile card you could use any greeting you wanted.

Supplies



Stamp Sets:  Lovely as a Tree, Something to Celebrate
Card Stock:  Soft Suede, River Rock, Baja Breeze, Cajun Craze, Crumb Cake, Textured Early Espresso
Classic Ink:  Early Espresso
Craft Ink:  Early Espresso
Stampin' Write Markers: Early Espresso
Accessories:  Gold Brads, Regal Brads, Neutral Brads, Subtles Brads, Paper Piercer, Mat Pack, Spritzer, Heat Tool, Clear Embossing Powder, SNAIL, Glue Dots, Embossing Buddy, Powder Pals

Tips

1. This isn't really a tip, just a thought; don't you love how Stampin' Up! has so many different supplies to meet your needs.  I used a Stmapin' Write Marker, Craft Ink, Classic Ink and Textured Paper all in the same color; what more could you want out of a company!
2. I embossed the tree with Clear Embossing Powder.  Craft Ink is an awesome way to be able to emboss in every one of SU!'s colors (except the in-colors ;-{).  All you need is Craft Ink in any color and Clear Embossing Powder and voila! 
3. When emobssing you always want to use your Embossing Buddy so that the embossing powder only sticks on the ink, and not the paper.
4. Once I stamped and embossed the tree I tore the paper around it free hand.

Well, that's all for today.  Bye for now.

Love and Care

I can't tell you how much I absolutely love the hostess stamp set Love and Care in the summer mini...it's right up there with Watercolor Trio.  There is so much you can do with this set, and believe me I've done a lot already!

See what I mean, isn't this gorgeous!

Supplies
Stamp Set:  Love and Care
Card Stock:  Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla
Designer Series Paper:  Newsprint (Retired), Love Letter (Retired)
Classic Ink:  Basic Black, Crumb Cake
Stampin' Write Markers:  Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive
Accessories:  SNAIL, Stamping Sponges, 5/8" Black Satin Ribbon


Tips

1. When I put the layers of this type of card together I use my grid paper to line it up, measure out the right size and attach the pieces before gluing it to the card base.
2. I cut all of my Stamping Sponges into 4 pieces each and have a sponge for every color...yeah I know (LOL)!
3. When sponging the edges of my card stock I rub the sponge on the ink pad and then rub off on a scrap piece of paper before applying it to the card stock, this way it is more subtle.

I CASE'd this card from one I found on Stampin' Connection and I apologize I don't know who made the original.  If you know who did please let me know and I will give them credit.
Thanks for stopping by.

Fabulous Florets

Sometimes the best things come in simple packages, and this card is a perfect example of that.  I CASE'd this card from what is obviously a talented demonstrator, but unfortunately I don't know who that is...if you do please let me know so that I can give them credit.

Supplies
Stamp Sets:  Fabulous Florets, Petite Pairs

Card Stock:  Confetti Cream, Early Expresso

Craft Ink:  Cherry Cobbler Craft Ink (great for heat embossing)

Punches:  Large Oval Punch, Scallop Oval Punch

Accessories:  Cherry Cobbler Embossing Powder, Embossing Buddy, Heat Tool, Powder Pals, Gold Glow Smooch Spritz, Color Catcher, Dimensionals

Tips

1. Whenever you are heat embossing the Embossing Buddy is a must, it helps keep your embossing powder stick only where it is supposed to.
2. When heat embossing you can used Versamark or Craft Ink, I used the Craft Ink.  Both of these inks take a little bit to dry so the embossing powder sticks to it.  Classic ink dries to quickly and the embossing powder won't stick.
3. The Heat Tool gets very very very hot, so be careful!
4. When using the Smooch Spritz you need to do it in an encolsed space so you won't get the Spritz all over every thing; I used the Color Catcher.
5. The closer the spritz bottle is to the card the more concentrated the Spritz will be, the farther away the more spread out.
6. When using the Smooch Spritz you may need to clean the nozzle before spraying because it can get clogged up, and be sure to shake the bottle well.

That's all for today, and please STAY COOL today.

Triple Treat

The first stamp in the new catalog that I knew I just HAD TO HAVE is called Triple Treat Flower.  It is just an a la carte stamp, not a set just a single lone stamp.  This is what it looks like

So whats the big deal right?  Well it's one small single stamp that you can use 3 punches on and all of a sudden this stamp has so many possibilities.  I made 2 different yet similar cards to show you what I mean.

Supplies
Stamp Sets:  Triple Treat Flower, Petite Pairs
Card Stock:  Whisper White, Pool Party, Wisteria Wonder
Classic Ink:  Pool Party, Wisteria Wonder and Pretty in Pink
Punches:  Large Oval, Scallop Oval, Flower Fancy, 5-Petal Flower and 1/2" Circle
Accessories:  3/8" Wisteria Wonder Ruffled Ribbon (I LOVE this ribbon), Basic Pearls, Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, Dimensionals, SNAIL

Tips:

1. I used Pool Party Classic Ink to stamp the images on the Pool Party Card Stock making my own DSP
2. To make the flower first I stamped it in Wisteria Wonder and punched it out with the Flower Fancy Punch, then I stamped it again in Pool Party and punched that out with the 5-Petal Flower Punch, and finally I stamped the flower one last time and punched the center out with the 1/2" circle punch.
3. Once I was done with all of the stamping and punching I layered it using SNAIL and then placed it on the Pool Party Card Stock using Dimensionals and then I placed a Basic Pearl in the center of flower.

So now lets check out the second card I made.

Supplies

Stamp Sets:  Triple Treat Flower, Thanks for Caring

Card Stock: Whisper White

Designer Series Paper:  Flirtatious Speciality

Ink:  Wisteria Wonder, Pool Party, Pretty in P

Punches:  Moder Label, 1/2" Circle, Flower Fancy, 5-Petal Flower, Scallop Trim Border

Accessories:  3/8" Wisteria Wonder Ruffled Ribbon (did I mention I LOVE this ribbon), Dimensionals, SNAIL, Polka Dots Embossing Folder, Basic Pearls

Tips

1. I stamped the Triple Treat Flower in Pool Party first, then Wisteria Wonder and Pretty in Pink.
2. This card is essentially the same layout as the first one, I just switched the colors around a little and voila!

That's it for today, I hope you enjoyed my cards today.

Strength and Hope

This is a cad I made a long time ago, and it is a CASE, I'm just not sue who I cased it from.  I made this cad using the Strength and Hope stamp set, which is part of Stampin' Up's! Making a Difference Campaign; for every one of these stamp sets sold during the summer mini period (until August 31st, 2011) Stampin' Up! will donate $2.00 to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.  It's a great set, I especially love the butterfly in it. 

Supplies
Cardstock:  Very Vanilla, Perfect Plum
Stamp Sets:  Strength and Hope, En Francais
Classic Ink:  Perfect Plum, Soft Suede
Accessories:  Cutter Kit, Stampin' Sponges, Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, 1/2" Chantilly Crochet Trim, SNAIL, Paper Snips

Tips

1. This is the vintage look, so there is lots of tearing, and sponging going on.
2. The butterflies are cut out using my Paper Snips.
3. Don't you just love the purple gems on the butterfly, that was done with my I-Rock, a Christmas gift from my oh so sweet nephes.

I hope you enjoy today's post, and be sure to check back soon because I have a very large order of all brand new product that will be delivered today and will be digging in and start creating as soon as the UPS man drops it off.

Bye for now.