Pocket Silhouettes Thank You

     Hello!  Today's card was inspired by a card that's been sitting in my "Favorites" folder over at SCS for years. Seriously, years (here).  The little nudge I needed to actually make this card came from my Stampin' Up! upline and the monthly card challenges we host on Stampin' Connection (a website only available to SU demos, just one of the perks of working for SU!).

     Our challenge this month was a thank you card with embossing and at least one embellishment.  Immediately this card came to mind.  I changed the colors to reflect my current favorite (Calypso Coral) and chose a different sentiment.
     In case you're wondering, the embossed part of my card is the stripes!  I used Natasha's Gingham Background technique over at her blog Diary of Two Crafty Girls (here).

Stamps: Pocket Silhouettes, Thank You Kindly
Ink: Calypso Coral, Early Espresso
Paper: Crumb Cake, Calypso Coral, Very Vanilla
Tools & Accessories: Big Shot, Stripes textured embossing folder, modern label punch, pearls, grosgrain ribbon, dimensionals

Thank You

     Hello!  Today's card was inspired by mandypandy's Fresh Vintage CAS card over at SCS (here).  I loved everything about Mandy's card so to make it my own I substituted  Elements of Style for the main image and changed the colors.
     I absolutely love the new Framelits dies and was so excited to hear the Stampin' Up! will be adding to this collection in the future! 

Stamps: Elements of Style, Thank You Kindly
Ink: Old Olive, Regal Rose, StazOn Black
Paper: Whisper White, Rose Red
Tools & Accessories: Big Shot, Labels Collection Framelits dies, Beautiful Wings Embosslit die, Stampin' dimensionals, pearls

A Little Thank You...

     Hello!  I decided to make a few 3x3 thank you cards for parents who donate items to my classroom. (You know you're a teacher when you get more excited about a container of bleach wipes than a bouquet of flowers... sad, but true).
     I can't take 100% credit for this card but I can't find my original inspiration... I think it was in the Idea Book & Catalog somewhere. I've tried to look for it but it seems I never get too far in the book since I'm always sidetracked by all the wonderful sets and samples and I keep adding to my wish list.

Stamps: Thank You Kindly, School Lines 
Ink: StazOn Black, Cherry Cobbler
Paper: Very Vanilla (smooth & textured), Daffodil Delight, Cherry Cobbler
Tools & Accessories: Brads, Boho Blossoms punch, dimensionals

Sketch Challenge 294, Take Two!

     Hello!  I had so much fun participating in Sketch Challenge 294 over at Split Coast Stampers that I thought I'd try it again!  For this card I dug out some retired DSP that I've been hanging on to for years.  While Stampin' Up! does offer DSP in So Saffron they no longer offer it in the patterns that I have.  I think I've been holding on to the paper for so long because I know once I use them up they're gone for good :(

     The card base is 5 1/4"x5 1/4" and fits in the medium square envelope.  It's hard to tell from the photo but the first layer of More Mustard was embossed with the swirl from the Backgrounds #1 Texturz Plates set.  These plates give a very faint embossed look - for a more prominent look spritz the card stock with water before running through the Big Shot.
     I should also mention that this is a very heavy card.  The extra layers and ribbon give it some bulk and I'm sure that it would require extra postage to mail.

Stamps: Great Friend, Thank You Kindly, Vintage Vogue
Ink: Old Olive, StazOn Black, More Mustard
Paper: Very Vanilla, So Saffron (CS and DSP), More Mustard
Tools & Accessories: Brads, crystals (non SU), dimensionals, black 5/8" grosgrain ribbon. Big Shot, Backgrounds #1 Texturz Plates

Catalog Inspired Card

     Hello!  Today's card was inspired by a card on page 201 of the 2010-11 Idea Book & Catalog.  I don't own the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack (pg 201) so I decided to use the Big Shot and my Buttons #5 Sizzlits Die (pg 210).   My original plan for this card was to make each button several layers thick so they popped off the card a bit.  To do this I would run card stock through the BS 3 times for each button then glue them together.  After several minutes of cutting buttons with the Big Shot, I realized that would take an awfully long time.  If I planned on having 18 buttons on my card that would mean that I would have to run card stock through my Big Shot 57 times.  Ummmm, no.  So each button was left as one layer.  It did take me a while to get the buttons lined up just so (that would be my OCD kicking in!) on the card front and although this is a simple card it is a time intensive one to make.  Maybe that's why I haven't given it away yet!

To make this card more of my own I changed the colors and used a different sentiment from the same stamp set.  I also added a Pretty In Pink button to the top row.

Stamps:  Thank You Kindly

Paper: Whisper White, Sage Shadow (retired), Chocolate Chip, Brocade Blue (retired)

Ink: Chocolate Chip

Tools & Accessories: Big Shot, Buttons #5 Sizzlits die, Subtles Designer Series buttons, hemp twine

A Note of Thanks

     Hello!  This is another card I made using the "dyed" brads technique.  I was inspired to make this card after looking through my embelishments drawer and seeing the 5 containers of Circle Designer Brads that I hadn't touched since I purchased them months ago!  Unfortunately, the circle brads have long since retired but Stampin' Up! does still offer the Flower Designer Brad (pg 187, $5.95 for 16).  I still have tons of the brads left so don't be surprised if they show up in projects for the next few months!

Stamps: Thank You Kindly

Paper: Very Vanila (textured and smooth), Cherry Cobbler, Riding Hood Red, Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy, So Saffron, More Mustard

Ink: More Mustard, Cherry Cobbler & Not Quite Navy craft ink, Stazon black

Tools & Accessories: Paper piercing tools, Circle Designer brads (retired), dimensionals

a CASE of a CASE...

Hello!
     What do you do when it's too hot to go outside?  Stamp!  Temps today are supposed to reach into the high 90's in NH which means it's much too hot to do much of anything outdoors.  I decided the best thing to do was turn on the A/C and enjoy a guilt-free day of stamping!  *Mental note: using a fan in your stamp room is not recommended (I'll leave the visual up to you!).
     Today's card was inspired by Chat's card over at Me, My Stamps and I.  Chat's card was inspired by Mary Brown's card over at Stamper Camper's Corner - so I guess you could say my card is a CASE of a CASE! 
     To make this card more of my own, I kept the base color the same but changed the accent colors and sentiment.  I also used the stamp set Solid Stripes.  To make the stripes stand out a bit more I embossed them with clear embossing powder.

Stamps:  Solid Stripes, Thank You Kindly
Paper: Whisper White, Ruby Red, Cameo Coral, Night of Navy, Brocade Blue (retired)
Ink: Night of Navy, VersaMark
Tools & Accessories: square punches, Bluebird grosgrain ribbon (retired), dimensionals, hemp twine, clear embossing powder