Soft Summer Butterfly

Card/Paper: Pretty in Pink, Whisper White, Chocolate Chip
Ink: Close to Cocoa, Creamy Caramel, Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery, Apricot Appeal
Stamps: Soft Summer & Touch of Nature from Stampin' Up! and Greeting is a Hobby Art Stamp
Other: Flat backed Pearls
Card Size: 15cm x 10.5cm (approx 4" x 6")

Soft Summer is a two step stamp set. The outline was stamped with Creamy Caramel, and then I used my markers to colour different parts of the branch with Certainly Celery, Close to Cocoa and Pretty in Pink. I left the centres of the flowers blank, and then coloured them in afterwards with Apricot Appeal direct to paper. I just dabbed the colour on gently so as not to make the Creamy Caramel run.

The butterfly was stamped with Creamy Caramel on a scrap of Whisper White, and colour added with Apricot Appeal and Pretty in Pink markers. I cut it out minus the antennae, and marked it's position on the image. Then inked up just the body part with Creamy Caramel and used my stampamajig to stamp it onto the main image. Finally I stuck the body part of the cut out butterfly over the stamped body. The wings have foam pads on the back near to the body. The pads are only stuck to the wings - the backing paper is still on so that the wings are held up by the foam, but not actually stuck to the main image.

The base card has been stamped with the outline of the other image in the Soft Summer set using Pretty in Pink. The greeting is stamped in Close to Cocoa. The main image has the corners punched using a half inch circle punch and then matted on to Chocolate Chip - finished off with the flat backed pearls.

Little Pumpkin Butterflies

Ingredients:

Card/Paper: Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, Haiku designer paper
Ink: Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie
Stamps: Pocket Silhouettes, Live Your Dream, Fresh Cuts
Other: 1/4" Pumpkin Pie Grosgrain ribbon
Card Size: 9.5cm x 9.5cm (3.75" x 3.75")

Method:

This is the second of the make and take cards from our stampers ten meeting this month. Simply stamped across the Vanilla card with one of the Pocket Silhouettes stamps, alternating Pumpkin Pie and Old Olive - the Old Olive was stamped off once first on scrap paper to lighten the shade. A very quick card - even with cutting out the little butterflies!

Pumpkin and Vanilla Flowers

Ingredients:

Card/Paper: Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Very Vanilla
Ink: Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Black Stazon
Stamps: Cheer and Wishes, Canvas
Other: Black brads, 5/8" Old Olive Grosgrain, Linen Thread
Card Size: 15cm x 10.5cm (approx 4" x 6")

Method:

This is one of the make and takes from my last stampers ten meeting.

The base card was stamped with the Canvas background stamp. We scalloped the edge of the Pumpkin Pie card, and then scored two lines and pricked a design along the scallops. The ribbon is tied with a piece of linen thread which goes through two holes poked in the Pumpkin Pie layer and hidden behind the ribbon. The flowers are made using the scalloped circle punch, and two of the flower shapes from the Boho Blossoms punch.

Free Designer Paper Offer

During the month of May, Stampin' Up! have a special offer on their designer paper. If you buy three packs, you will receive a fourth one free. Click on the image above to see the details.

I am adding my own special offer, which is a flat rate postage of £2.50 if you buy three or more packs. If you buy six packs, thereby getting a seventh and eighth pack free, you will receive a Stampin' Up! Classic Ink Pad of your choice completely free.

There is also a great offer if you join my team during May. . . . . . a starter kit for only £99! Ideal if you already own a good selection of Stampin' Up! products, or if you are a scrapbooker. Some of the items in the kit can be swapped for alternative ones if you wish. Use the contact me tab at the top of my blog if you would like more details.

Space Monkeys

Ingredients:

Card/Paper: Bazzill Bling Handsome, SU Basic Black and Whisper White, water colour paper
Ink: Versamark, Stazon Black, Whispers Permanent markers in red, blue and orange, SU Chocolate Chip, Green Galore, Brocade Blue, Cameo Coral, Night of Navy, Bashful Blue
Stamps: Stampendous Changito in Space, Inca Dot Birthday
Other: SU Silver Embossing powder, Acetate, red and orange gems, aluminium drink can
Card Size: 13.5cm x 12cm (approx 5" x 4.5")

Method:

My son's birthday has come around for the second time since I started my blog, so those who saw his card last year may remember the comment about monkeys on cards. For the curious the post is here. As you can see - monkeys this year too!

I designed the card base using a font called Pagoda SF, and Serif Draw, then cut it with my Silhouette (Robo). The stars and swooshes are from the Changito in Space set, and were stamped with Versamark and embossed in silver. The inside white part of the card is sponged around the edges with Bashful Blue, and stamped with the stars. It also has the happy birthday stamp in Night of Navy.

I stamped the rocket images in Stazon onto water colour card, cut them out, and just coloured in the monkey/cockpit parts using an aquabrush and the SU markers scribbled onto my Stamp-a-ma-jig sheet. I then cut out pieces of acetate to cover over the cockpit part, and extend a little below the cockpit. The part that extends below is the part that I stuck onto the coloured in image, so the glue won't show through the cockpit. I then stamped the images again with Stazon onto the back of an aluminium drink can, and cut them out - including cutting away the cockpit part. I coloured the rockets with the permanent markers, shaped them a little with a large embossing tool, and glued them on top of the coloured image with silicone. Then fixed them onto the card base. Finished off with little orange gems for the alien monkey ufo, and a red one on the top left space ship.

And I bet most of you will spend longer looking at it than he will! But at least I had fun making it . . .

Playful Petals Make and Take

Ingredients:

Card/Paper: Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink, Almost Amethyst, So Saffron, Whisper White, Tea Party Designer Paper
Ink: Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink, Almost Amethyst, So Saffron, Basic Grey
Stamps: Playful Petals, Birthday Cheer and Wishes
Other: 5/8" Certainly Celery Grosgrain ribbon, Pretty in Pink Taffeta ribbon, So Saffron brads, Silver Elastic Cord.
Card Size: 15cm x 10.5cm (approx 4" x 6")

Method:

This is the project that we made at our stamper's ten meeting on Monday evening.

All the flower parts were stamped onto the different coloured card using Basic Grey, and then different sections cut out to create the layers. Some of the design on each layer was coloured in with the matching marker, to give a two tone effect. The pieces were shaped before gluing together, and finishing off with a brad in the centre.

The flower is arranged onto a piece of the Tea Party designer paper, and matted onto Pretty in Pink card. The corners were punched with a 1/2" circle punch before matting. Wrapped the grosgrain ribbon around and then tied the taffeta on top. The greeting is stamped in Certainly Celery, and the three little yellow dots are 1/4" circles of So Saffron card shaped with an embossing tool.

The flower on the tag is made to match, with the base card stamped all over with the small flower from the set in Almost Amethyst. The tag is a petal fold envelope, and opens up at the back to a square of Whisper White matted onto Certainly Celery, and decorated with the little stamp. There is a small hole punched in the corner of the tag to thread the silver cord through, which is hidden on the inside by the message area, and the on the front by the flower.

Amethyst Potted Plant

Ingredients: All from Stampin' Up!

Card/Paper: Whisper White, Certainly Celery, Almost Amethyst, Tea Party designer paper
Ink: Certainly Celery, Almost Amethyst, Basic Grey
Stamps: Playful Petals
Other: Silver Hodgepodge Hardware, 5/8" Certainly Celery Grosgrain, So Saffron Striped Grosgrain
Card Size: 21cm x 10.5cm (approx 4" x 8.25") (DL size)

Method:

I stamped the flowers, leaves and stalks in Basic Grey ink onto Whisper White card, and coloured them in with markers. Cut out leaving a narrow border of white. Curved the flowers using a large ball embossing tool, and scored down the centre of the leaves to give some dimension.

The pot is made using my 1 3/8" circle punch to round the ends of a piece of card, then snipping out the corners to create the shape at the top. Stamped it with the small flower from the set withVersamark and embossed with clear powder. Sponged the edges of the pot with Almost Amethyst ink, and then shaped with the large embossing tool.

Everything is fixed onto the desiger paper background with silicon glue, matted onto Certainly Celery. The card base was scored across the bottom, and then the section between the score lines masked off whilst I stamped the flower head all over with Versamark and embossed with clear powder.

Cut a slit in the fold of the card, and wrapped the ribbons around between the score lines, having first threaded on the slider.

Curious Teddies CD & Money Holder Card

Ingredients:

Card/Paper: Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White, Creamy Caramel textured card, Washington Apple designer papers (all SU)
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Creamy Caramel, Pumpkin Pie, Pretty in Pink, White Gel Pen (all SU)
Stamps: One of a Kind (SU), Dot Birthday (Inca Stamp from the Glitter Pot)
Other: Pumpkin Pie brads, Boho Blossoms Punch (both SU), Classic Circle and Square Nestabilities, Digital Die Cut Teddies from Cut it Cute
Card Size: 14cm x 14cm/5" x 5"

Method:

These teddies are digital die cuts that I bought from Cut it Cute Digital Downloads. I cut them on my Silhouette out of Creamy Caramel textured card and then shaded them using Creamy Caramel ink and a bit of sponge. Pretty in Pink for the cheeks, and used my Chocolate Chip marker and white gel pen to draw in the features. As it was my first go at making them, I did copy Suzanne's teddy construction, and features, but there are different body parts in the set, so I'm looking forward to experimenting with making different teddies. The teddies on this card are about a fifth smaller than in the download file.

I cut a solid circle out of the Pumpkin Pie card using the largest Classic Scalloped Nestability die, put glue around the very edge and stuck it onto the designer paper background. Then I cut through both layers together with a plain circle to make the aperture. Another piece of designer paper behind the aperture, and all matted onto Pumpkin Pie. The flowers were stamped with Pumpkin Pie ink using one of the flowers from the One of a Kind set, punched out with the Boho Blossoms Punch. The flowers and brads were fixed to the corners before mounting on to the base card of Chocolate Chip. Finally arranged the teddies on top, having previously left an unglued section at the bottom of the aperture to insert one of the legs.

I designed the card to hold a cd and some money, so the left hand side on the inside has a pocket made to match the front. I cut a slit in the designer paper, and made an edging strip using a square Nestability die to match the circle aperture on the opposite side. The aperture was made in just the same way as the one on the front of the card, except it has a plain Whisper White backing, with the Inca Happy Birthday stamp in Chocolate Chip ink. It had to be ten pound notes in there - they are the only ones that match the colour scheme!

Popped Up Petals

Ingredients:

Card/Paper: Whisper White, Almost Amethyst, Textured So Saffron, Tea Party Designer Paper
Ink: Almost Amethyst, Pretty in Pink, So Saffron, Certainly Celery, Basic Grey
Stamps: Playful Petals
Other: Pretty in Pink Brad, Glue Dots, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, 1/4" Certainly Celery Grosgrain, Signo White Gel Pen
Card Size: 15cm x 10.5cm (approx 4" x 6")

Method:

Have been itching to ink up these stamps, and use the gorgeous Tea Party paper, and finally got around to it yesterday.

I stamped the images onto Whisper White using Basic Grey ink. Then coloured them in using the markers direct to the card. Cut everything out, leaving a narrow white margin around the edge. The dotted lines on the larger flower were just crying out to be cut with a knife - so I did that, and then curled the main part of the petals backwards, but the little cut out pieces forwards. I embossed a crease down the centre of the leaves to give them some dimension too. The brad in the centre of the flower is a Pretty in Pink brad, with a glue dot molded over the top, then dipped in Dazzling Diamonds glitter.

Used the scalloped edge punch on the textured So Saffron, and added faux stitching using a pricking tool, and the white gel pen. Wrapped with the grosgrain ribbon before mounting onto a base of Almost Amethyst.

Chocolate and Saffron Fresh Cuts

Ingredients:

Card/Paper: Fresh Cuts note card, So Saffron, Chocolate Chip
Ink: So Saffron, Chocolate Chip
Stamps: Fresh Cuts
Other: Flat backed pearl from the Pretties Kit
Card Size: 10cm x 10cm (approx 4" x 4")

Method:

I have had these note cards and stamp set for about a month now, and finally got round to using one of them!

I cut a square of So Saffron to fit behind the aperture, and stamped it with the background stamp from the Fresh Cuts set with Chocolate Chip ink - having first stamped off once on scrap paper. Used the Five Petal flower punch and punched a shape from Chocolate Chip card to lay behind the aperture on top of the saffron card. I sponged So Saffron ink on the five little petals around the centre of the aperture, then embossed a line down the centre of them, before sticking the Chocolate Chip flower and the stamped backing on behind. Stamped the little brown flower from the set onto Saffron card, cut out and embossed a line down the centre of the petals - again, I stamped off once on scrap paper to get a lighter effect. Finished off with the flat backed pearl.

I stamped the trailing leaf stamp around the edges using my Stamp-a-ma-jig for placement. Stamped off once on scrap paper first. Then sponged around the edges with So Saffron ink.