Open Sea

The Summer Mini can't end without one more post using the Open Sea stamp set. These are two more AMAZING swaps I received at Convention. I love all the fantastic detail on this card. It's beautifully embossed and the sponging in the background is fantastic.

Now this next card might be my favorite swap that I received at Convention. One thing I love is that even after some of the stamp set and accessories aren't available any more, they are still available in a digital image. This card is created using My Digital Studio. The ship image is enlarged and then printed off on watercolor paper. It's colored in using the aquapainter and reinkers.
Order your supplies here.

Strength & Hope

Only two more days left to order from the Summer Mini. The Strength & Hope stamp set is a special set that is making a difference. Stampin' Up! is donating $2 from the purchase of this set to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. BCRF is dedicated to preventing breast cancer and finding a cure in our lifetime by funding clinical and translational research worldwide. Here are some of the Strength & Hope swaps I received at Convention:



This is a stamp set that effects me directly. My mom is a breast cancer survivor. She was diagnosed in 1999 with Stage 1 Breast Cancer. Because of the amazing research and development that has already been done to date, my mom is now in remission. Order your supplies here.

Summer Splash

Just a few more days left to get stamp sets from the Summer Mini! This is one of the very cute sets available in this mini. Perfect for all of those beach trips and summer water fun! This is a swap I received at Convention. Love the color combo and the card sketch this demo used. Order your supplies here.

Thursday Technique Night

Tonight I stamp anxiously awaiting the release of the retiring stamp sets. Here are the cards will be creating Thursday at Technique Night.

You'll love using these new punches from the Summer Mini!

Thank You Swap

Christina swapped this bright card at our demo meeting this month. Love the cutting detail on the stamped flowers. Great use of the fabulous set "Fabulous Florets" and the beautiful paper "Beyond the Garden" both from the Summer Mini.

Thank You

Sorry, friends, I've been busy with life lately. I've been stamping...I just haven't had time to post them to the blog. I'm hoping to get caught up and stay caught up for a bit :)

We created this card at May's technique night. This card was created using the new "Strength & Hope" stamp set in the Summer Mini. I wanted to use this set to just make a regular card (even though I chose to use pink as my color palette for this card). This really is a versatile set. I'll show you another card I created with this same design tomorrow :) Order your supplies here.
Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Melon Mambo, Whisper White
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Melon Mambo
Stamps: Strength & Hope, Thank You Kindly
Accessories: Eyelet Border Punch, Big Shot, Top Note Die, Dimensionals

The Open Sea

I'll admit...it took a bit for the Summer Mini to grow on me. I was in a desperate need for some new masculine style stamps so...those were first on my list. I'm LOVING "The Open Sea" stamp set. I'm really enjoying creating with it. I created this card this week for our demo group meeting. This was my swap. Can't wait to keep playing with this stamp set to see what other possibilities are out there!!!
Order your supplies here.
Cardstock: Not Quite Navy, Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla, Regals DSP
Ink: Not Quite Navy
Stamps: The Open Sea, All Holidays
Accessories: 2 1/2" circle punch, dimensionals

Happy Birthday Builder Wheel

Have you checked out the new builder wheels in the summer mini? So much fun. For this card, I used two wheels with a spacer in between to leave room for the ribbon. Order your supplies here.

4th of July Centerpiece

Getting a head start on one of the next holidays...July 4th! Wouldn't these make fun centerpieces for your 4th of July party? Order your supplies here.
Cardstock: Night of Navy, Real Red, Whisper White
Ink: Real Red
Stamps: Red, White, and Blue Jumbo Wheel
Accessories: Big Shot, Stars Die, Bag w/ Scallop Die, Sticky Pages, Red Bead Duo, Sticky Strip

Watercolored Presto Patterns

When I was prepping for my technique class for the month, I decided to try out watercoloring on the Presto Patterns paper. What a fun technique. It was neat to see how fun the paper looked after adding color. Order your supplies here.
Cardstock: Pale Plum, Pretty in Pink, Presto Patterns Specialty Paper DSP
Ink: Pale Plum, Pretty in Pink, Apricot Appeal, Mellow Moss
Accessories: White Organza Ribbon, AquaPainter

Welcome, Little One

I knew I would love the "Presto Specialty Paper" in the Summer Mini. It's very similar to the Bridal Speciality Paper so I used my brayer to ink up the bottom half of this card to create instant Sage Shadow Designer Paper :)
Order your supplies here.
Cardstock: Sage Shadow & Barely Banana (RETIRING), Whisper White, Presto Specialty DSP
Ink: Sage Shadow & Barely Banana (RETIRING)
Stamps: Nursery Necessities
Accessories: Brayer, Sage Shadow Grosgrain Ribbon, Cutter Kit

Happy Graduation

I love the new builder wheel available in the summer mini. The "So Many Stars" wheel added the perfect touch to this graduation card.
Order your supplies here.
Cardstock: Bordering Blue & Going Gray (RETIRING), Whisper White
Ink: Bordering Blue & Going Gray (RETIRING)
Stamps: So Many Stars Wheel, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Accessories: Spiral Punch, Paper Snips, Dimensionals, Paper Piercer, Vintage Brads, Dimenisionals

Presto!

When I saw the "Presto Patterns Specialty DSP" in the Summer Mini, I was very anxious to try it out. When I taught the Smooch class last week, I tried this new paper with the Gold Glow Smooch Spritz. I LOVE the subtle effect of the spritz. Spritz it on the paper and then buff with a paper towel. This paper is going to be fun to create with! Order your supplies here.
Cardstock: Taken with Teal, Presto Patterns Specialty DSP, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Gray, Taken with Teal, Handsome Hunter, So Saffron, Pretty in Pink, Rose Red
Stamps: It's the Thought
Accessories: Uniball White Gel Pen, 1 3/4" circle punch, dimensionals, AquaPainter, Gold Glow Smooch Spritz

Stencil Smooch

I got the new stencil in the Summer Mini (my first stencil), and I love the possiblities! I paired it with the new Smooch Spritz. The secret with this card is less is more! Just two squirts did the job. Order your supplies here.
Cardstock: Very Vanilla
Accessories: Mostly Vintage Decor Stencils, Silver Foil Smooch Spritz, Basic Gray Taffeta Ribbon

Happy Mother's Day

Have you sent your Mother's Day cards out yet? Tonight we will be making this card at technique night! I love the shimmer effect the smooch spritz gives this card. Do you see anything else from the summer mini on this card?? Check out the bitty flower button and the itty bitty flower that's punched out behind the button! LOVE the new Bitty Buttons and the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack! Order your supplies here.
Cardstock: Rose Red, Regal Rose, Whisper White
Ink: Old Olive, Rose Red, Regal Rose
Stamps: Thoughts & Prayers, All Holidays
Accessories: Bitty Buttons, Itty Bitty Shapes, Big Shot, Top Note Die, Vanilla Shimmer

I Scream, You Scream,

We all scream for ice cream! I love this fun new set in the Summer Mini. I know that will be my go-to set for the next little while. Order your supplies here.
Cardstock: Kraft, So Saffron, Very Vanilla, Tall Tales DSP
Ink: So Saffron, Close to Cocoa (retiring in June)
Stamps: Sweet Scoops
Accessories: Dimensionals, Choc. Chip Grosgrain Ribbon, Hemp Twine, Mini Library Clips

Dreams with Cracked Glass

This morning as I stamped, I pulled out an oldie but a goodie technique...cracked glass. After stamping the image in Handsome Hunter, I added Apricot Appeal ink with the AquaPainter. I began making layers of Glassy Glaze enamel embossing powder over my stamped image and got my "Sanded" stamp ready to lay on top and inked it with Close to Cocoa. As I applied my last layer, I stamped on the stamp and....

...OBVIOUSLY, the stamp wasn't cleaned well before I put it away...so we have some shade of red rather than Close to Cocoa. Oh well, I decided it added a distressed look as well so I continued on with the card. The cutter kit created the fun edges you see and of course I had to spray some "Gold Glow" smooch spritz on it. I finally tried out the color catch....AWESOME! Now I don't have sparkles all over my desk. Happy Stampin'! Order your supplies here.
Cardstock: Apricot Appeal, Handsome Hunter, Very Vanilla (yes, the first two colors are retiring the end of June)
Ink: Handsome Hunter, Apricot Appeal
Stamps: Dreams du Juor, Sanded
Accessories: Cutter Kit, Glassy Glaze Enamel Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Gold Glow Smooch Spritz, Color Catcher, Apricot Appeal Grosgrain Ribbon, Dimensionals

Girly Birthday

Last night as I was stamping, I had a great urge to use retiring colors. I must admit out of these colors, I only frequently use Barely Banana. But I LOVE how this card looks with these colors! The sketch came from the current IB&C...my favorite inspiration book :) And of course I had to try out some more of the smooch spritz. After I colored the cupcake with the Watercolor Crayons and an Aquapainter, I spritzed the whole cupcake with the smooch spritz...love the instant sparkle! Order your supplies here.
Cardstock: Pixie Pink, Orchid Opulence, Barely Banana
Ink: Basic Brown, Pixie Pink
Stamps: Crazy for Cupcakes
Accessories: Watercolor Crayons, Aquapainter, Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz, Paper Snips, Scoring blade w/ Paper cutter, Dimensionals, Mat Pack, Paper Piercer, Scallop Edge punch
Last day to order for the Occasions Mini is FRIDAY! :)

A little Razzle Dazzle

This card came together quickly. These colors were chosen from a piece of DSP just sitting on my desk....Rich Razzleberry and Crushed Curry. After layering the CS and DSP together, I spritzed it with the new "smooch spritz" from the Summer Mini. Join me for Technique Night on May 6 for projects using the smooch spritz! Order your supplies here.
Cardstock: Rich Razzleberry, Crushed Curry, Very Vanilla, Razzleberry Lemonade DSP
Ink: Rich Razzleberry
Stamps: Dreams du Jour
Accessories: Rich Razzleberry Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon, Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz, Dimensionals