Graduation announcements - 4th card - and BLOG CANDY

This was the last card that I created.  It is a more traditional black and white graduation card.  I downloaded the stamp brush set for graduation from last year's Occasion's Mini catalog and added a bit of ribbon and a couple of punches.  It is simple, but sweet, just like Michelle!

Now that you have seen them all - which was YOUR favorite!  I will give away some BLOG CANDY to one random person who leaves a comment about which card was THEIR favorite.  Be watching tomorrow for the 2 cards that won~ and are being sent out to friends and family.

Graduation announcements - 3rd card

The next one I used my all time 'go to' stamp for backgrounds - Baroque Motifs.  I think that may be my favorite part of My Digital Studio - that I can get many of my favorite stamps in digital format to create wonderful projects.  If you are short on cash, you can buy a download and print off the stamped image!  What a great idea!

This card also uses the school colors for the stamps - I added a photo, a bit of text, and a stamp from my favorite Sale-a-bration stamp that I also got the digital format of - Bliss.  I really miss that set already!

Graduation announcements - 2nd card

The next card was very quick and easy.  I used the school colors of Michelle's high school to inspire me.  I added some punch shapes and of course ribbon and a bow to make it fancy and VOILA!

graduation announcements

So, I have another senior this year - Michelle will be graduating in just 3 short weeks!  Hard to believe.  I have always made the graduation announcements and invitations for my kids, so this would be no different, however this time around I was able to use the digital paper crafting software from Stampin' Up!   - My Digital Studio.  I created 4 different designs for her and we picked the 2 we loved.  I will share all of them with you, and then after you have shared which ones were your favs - I will let you all know which 2 WE picked.

Today's share is a very feminine pink card - I used the digital stamp brush of one of my favorite stamps - the Medallion stamp -

April club - technique card

For the technique card I taught the ladies how to do faux postage stamp cards.  They really enjoyed these and the subtle effects you can get with just a little effort.

The colors I used on this were So Saffron, Pear Pizazz, and Blushing Bride.  We used sponge daubers to get the background of the stamped areas, then stamped on top of them with the ink pad.  The stamp set is Funky Four - I got it FREE during Sale-a-bration!  (Gotta love FREE!)  We finished off the card with a bow using the Blushing Bride poly stitched ribbon.

Here is the template for the postage: Faux Postage 3x2 Sheet 42

April Club - mother's day card

This was a fun card to put together and the ladies were shown how they can use the clear stamps to stamp more than one image  at a time. I saw a similar card using different colors on Splitcoast Stampers. I used the DSP Sunny Garden as my inspiration for colors.  Poppy Parade and Daffofil Delight seemed so happy.

The stamp set is Messages for Mom and we accessorized with some Pear Pizazz poly stitched ribbon.  I have become a bit obsessed with the Scallop Trim Border punch (as my club gals will tell you!) We used it on this card again!

Farewell to BLISS

Sale-a-bration is over - and that means farewell to some loved stamps.  The stamp sets that are available during SAB are only available while the sale is on.  Once it is over, the stamps are retired- never to be seen again.  I am usually fine with that idea - but BLISS changed my mind - I nearly cried when I realized that it would not be back again!  I love this set....  I just can't get enough.  I am sure it will still get plenty of use at my stamp table.

This card was the card the ladies made at Annette's workshop in March.  They loved the feeling of creating something so beautiful!

The card was a direct CASE from Amy Celona. I saw her card and KNEW I had to make it. So, I realized I couldn't improve perfection and just left it as she designed it.  The color is Baja Breeze - a very nice shade of bluish green.  I just used Basic Black to keep it simple.  A little tidbit of Springtime Vintage DSP and inked edges and you have a very vintage looking card.

Farewell Bliss......................

Fancy Folds class - gate fold card

This was the easiest fold to make.  I needed a couple of birthday cards for some teenage nephews, so here it was.  I went to my favorite sets for teen boys - Extreme Elements and Grunge Rock; add a little Extreme Skater and you have a wonderfully cool card!  Some kids would even call it SICK!

The colors were cool for a guy - quite grungy... Basic Gray, Marina Mist and Basic Black.  I added a little silver embossing on the 'real' medal to hold it all closed.

Fancy Folds class - joy fold

Now after a brief commercial break for some other items, I am returning to the regularly scheduled programming of the Fancy Folds class from March.  this card is called a Joy Fold - this is another fold that is around all over the place.  I turned it to be a vertical card instead of a horizontal one.

The colors I used are Night of Navy, Pumpkin Pie and Garden Green.  The DSP is a retired one from last years Summer Mini - Travel Journal.  I adore the Bugs and Kisses set so it made the cut for a fun masculine card.  I finished the card off with some Pumpkin Pie Satin Ribbon.

Workshop card

I had a Stampin' Up! workshop a couple of  Saturdays ago and it was a LONG day - I got a speeding ticket, my hubby got left at the lake by the boy scouts so I had to go pick him up - 2 hours out of my way!  YUCK.  BUT, I had a wonderful time with Annette and her friends down in a gorgeous area of Southeastern Arizona.

I am going to share the box I showcased the Big Shot with.  I love that thing!  I can use it on every project if I try hard!  It is an essential for me.  The colors were inspired by the Color Coach - Real Red, Old Olive, and Marina Mist.  It uses the Box #2 die.  The stamp set was easy... Circle Circus - a definite 'go to' set for me!  Finish it off with a quick run of the Butterfly Bliss builder wheel and a little Real Red 1/4" Grosgrain ribbon and VOILA!  instant great gift.  I can not take credit for this design; I think Angie Kennedy Juda came up with one of the origional designs of these boxes made using the Petal Cone die and the Big Shot.  But I saw this box on Dannie Graves' blog Dannie's Designs.

Annette loved it!  And of course I tucked some chocolate inside for her!

Fancy Folds class - tri-fold

The next card the ladies did was this tri-fold card.  These are all over the place, so I am not sure who to recognize for the work.  They look difficult, but they really are quite simple.  It takes more time to embellish and decorate than the actual making takes.  this used my favorite DSP right now - Springtime Vintage.  It is such a lovely feminine paper set.  I also taught the ladies how to make the great scallop circle punch flowers and they were amazed!

The sentiment on this card is from my favorite go to saying set - Word Play.

Stylish Blogger - - - - I feel so honored!

A fellow demonstrator, Kendra Richardson, chose me for a Stylish Blog award!  I feel so honored.  You can check out HER amazing blog at Kendra's Creative Corner.  There are some responsibilities that go with the honor.

1. Thank the person who nominated you and share their blog - THANK YOU KENDRA -
2. Share 8 things about yourself.
3. Pass the award on to 8 other stylish blogs!
4. Leave a comment to tell them you nominated them for a stylish blog award.

As for the 8 things about me - 

1. I have a love/hate relationship with chocolate - I can eat it all the time, but who should???  
2. I am Canadian by birth - American by naturalization.
3. Paper crafting is my mental release.
4. I love my Heavenly Father and his son, Jesus Christ - He is my everything.
5. I have a wonderful husband who tries to give me everything I could ever want and need - he works very hard for our family and takes over when I am weak and can't be SUPER woman.
6. I love mellow music - Seal, Michael Buble, Josh Groban, El divo
7. I am a Broadway junkie!  I can't get enough - - - 
8. If I could, i would eat pizza EVERY day :-)

Now to the most important part - the 8 stylish blogs I LOVE - -

1. Natalie at DoodleCraft - http://doodlecraft.blogspot.com/
2. Jan "Tink" at Stamps, Paper, Scissors - http://stampspaperscissors.typepad.com/stamps_paper_scissors/
3. Dawn at Dawn's Stampin' Thoughts - http://dawnsstampingthoughts.typepad.com/dawns_stamping_thoughts/
4. Ann at Ann's Creative Nook -http://www.annscreativenook.blogspot.com/
5. Julie at Paper Pleasing Ideas - http://paperpleasing.typepad.com/my_weblog/
6. Vimar at VS Paper Kreations - http://vspaperkreations.blogspot.com/
7. Melanie at Oops a Daisy Designs - http://oopsadaisy.typepad.com/oops-a-daisy/
8. Gretchen at Inspiration in Action - http://gretchenbarron.typepad.com/my_weblog/

CONGRATULATIONS ladies - enjoy the honor as well as I do!

April Calendar

Here is my calendar of Stampin' Up! events for April.  I always use My Digital Studio to create them... isn't it CUTE?!  I love that I can get stamp images digitally that I wouldn't normally get for paper stamping and still get to use them. If you want to attend any event, please let me know a few days in advance.

Click to enlarge the calendar if you need to.

Tiny Thanks -

I had this scheduled to post a while ago, but for some reason it didn't go.  SOOOO... here you go!

I couldn't seem to not do 4 projects with the club gals, so I picked a small project with these 3" x 3" thank you cards.  They were able to chose what color they wanted and we made matching envelope to match.  I think they are adorable!  And simple too!

The DSP is from a Hostess pack of In colors.  The stamp set for the sentiment is also a Hostess set - Cute by the Inch.  I embellshed the tiny envelope with a fun swirl from the set Priceless.  Monocromatic is so stunning!  I showed the gals how to make the Poly Stitched ribbon have 2 separate looks simply by fraying the ribbon.

The envelope I found on a blog - Deanna Perrault  You need a peice of CS cut to 7" x 4.25".  You will score 1/2" on the long edges and 1" and 4.25" on the short one.  Trim off the flaps on both ends and round the corners.  Sticky Strip the envelope together and you have a great little gift card!  Perhaps I will make my first tutorial post with photos of this???

Hmm... what do you think... would you like to see some tutorials with photos???

Fancy Folds class- March

For March, I had my Stampin' Up! stamp a stack with the ladies focusing on varieties of folded cards.  Typically a card is made with an 8 1/2" X 5 1/2" paper folded in half.  These cards all used different folds.  The first was a basket fold card inspired by one I saw on Janine Tinklenberg's blog Stamps, Paper, Scissors.  I already knew I wanted to use the set Awash with Flowers so the basket fold was an easy choice.  The colors are Melon Mambo, Pacific Point and Daffodil Delight.  I ran the card front through the Big Shot using the Square Lattice impressions folder.

The saying is from a hostess set - Afterthoughts. (you gotta love being a hostess and getting FREE STUFF!