Today's article is fully loaded with quick tips and ideas, using three cards that showcase some of my retired stamps for sale (all prices and stamps updated 2/19/08). Kick back and get ready for some fresh ideas for jazzing up your stamping projects.
Project #1 features the retired stamp set "Blooming With Happiness." The card base is Very Vanilla with a layer of Ginger Blossoms Designer Series Paper. The right corner of both papers is snipped with a Corner Rounder Punch for a little asymmetry. The horizontal banner paper is a coordinating stripe from the Ginger Blossoms series. It's accented with Groovy Guava Double Stitched Ribbon.
TIP #1 LAYERED SENTIMENTS: Using a variety of punches and Stampin' Dimensionals creates a real "wow" 3-D sentiment. A Groovy Guava slide was created using the Designer Punch and the Horizontal Punch on each side (to make openings for the ribbon). I then layered a 1 1/4" Close to Cocoa Circle on top. TIP #2: What's my favorite difference between Craft and Classic Ink? Craft can be heat embossed. Classic cannot (unless you use Versamark with it . . . but that's for another day). The sentiment is inked in Close to Cocoa Craft and embossed with clear for a sassy sparkle. It's on Very Vanilla card stock and pumped up on three Stampin' Dimensionals.
TIP #3 EMBOSSING MAKES COLORING A BREEZE. Close to Cocoa Craft Ink was used again for the cake and candles. Once I embossed with clear embossing powder and a Heat Tool, I had an easy time bringing the flowers to life with color because you have a tiny lip within which to work. I used a Blender Pen dipped in Groovy Guava and Ruby Red to color. TIP #4: You can either use Ink Refills with your blender pen or squeeze your closed ink pad to create a little pool of ink on the inside lid for coloring. TIP #5: If you are using a blender pen for one color, I suggest using it for the second, even if you have the marker. That keeps the level of saturation consistent . . . on the other hand go for it if you want more contrast and pow.
I then layered my cake on Ruby Red, Groovy Guava and Close to Cocoa. Four eyelets tag the corners (courtesy of my Crop-A-Dile) and a little paper piercing (with a template, of course), brings a wee twist to the Ruby layer.
Stamp Set: Blooming with Happiness (Retired For Sale)
Paper: Ginger Blossoms Designer Series (110697), Very Vanilla (101650), Close to Cocoa (101341), Groovy Guava (108643), Ruby Red (102030)
Ink: Close to Cocoa Craft (100549), Groovy Guava (109012), Ruby Red (102259)
Cool Tools: Crop-A-Dile (108362), Designer Punch (107590), 1 1/4" Punch (104403), Large Oval Punch (107305), Corner Rounder Punch (109047), Paper Piercer and Template (Crafter's Tool Kit, 104310), Heat Tool (100005), Blender Pens (102845)
Perfect Touches: Groovy Guava Double Stitched Ribbon (109063), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), Clear Embossing Powder (109130), Non SU Eyelets
Project #2 highlights "Too Terrific Tags" and was put together in short order using Stampin' Up! punches. I chose some simply wild and wacky colors, all inspired by a J Crew catalog (see below). I began with Green Galore as a card base and then stamped the Print Pattern Background Stamp stamp (in Basic Gray) on Pink Passion Card Stock.
The horizontal banner is a layer of Pink Passion on Basic Gray cardstock. TIP #6: Using a 1/4" square punch makes a simple and accurate zigzag border. Just angle the punch 90 degrees so that you have a little triangle where you punch and keep moving to the opposite side). 
TIP #7: When in a rush, grab your punches. The rest of this card is pretty much a "punching" bag of tricks. The tags were each a chomp of the small and large tag punches (they layer perfectly together) with the Word Window Punch for the "clasp." I added a bright green snap with my Crop-A-Dile to each. The "sparkle" sentiment is from Warm Words and is Basic Gray ink on Whisper White. I used the small oval to carve it out and layered it on a large oval of Green Galore. I added a couple deep pink snaps (with the assistance of Mr. Crop-A-Dile) for interest and the whole thing landed on several Stampin' Dimensionals. Done!
Stamp Sets: Too Terrific Tags (Retired For Sale), Warm Words (107123), Print Pattern Background (105167)
Paper: Green Galore (101768), Pink Passion (102762), Basic Gray (108692), Whisper White (100730)
Ink: Basic Gray (109120)
Cool Tools: Crop-A-Dile, Large (105934)and Small (108264)Tag Punches, Word Window Punch (105090), Large (107305) and Small (107304) Oval Punches, 1/4" Square Punch (104943)
Perfect Touches: Non SU Snaps
Project #3: The final project puts "Love Ya Bunches" back on the front line in a layout that can be done in a flash. I layered Linen Prints Designer Paper and Cameo Coral on an Old Olive cardbase. I then wrapped Old Olive 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon and Very Vanilla 1/4' Grosgrain around the Linen Prints Layer. 
TIP #8: Try using a marker (I used Cameo Coral) to carefully color the raised edge of ribbon. I did this once with the large tip (not a good idea--it bled) but had great luck in my second attempt with the small tip. My Very Vanilla ribbon gets a charming, custom coral accent. Cool. I then plucked an Olive felt flower from my new Flower Fusion tin and popped in a Stampin' Up! Rhinestone Circle Brad (Fire Collection). TIP #9: When you add a brad, try to push it through to the deepest layer of paper (or on this case ribbon), short of exposing the little metal pieces (someone let me know if they have a name for the little spikes) on the inside of the card. This keeps them nicely buried and avoids "show through" on the outside, too.
I used Close to Cocoa Craft Ink with Clear Embossing Powder (and a Heat Tool) to stamp on watercolor paper (same reason as project #1 above, to help keep the color in . . . especially when watercoloring). Markers fill in the tiny details and shade in the entire wheel barrow in Cameo Coral. Using an Aqua Painter, I removed a bit of the coral color to give it a quick watercolored touch.
Hope you learned something new today. Please let me know with a the comment what was the most helpful (and that you survived the long blog article). I would love to hear from you!
Hugs and Pretties, Mary
Stamp Set: Love Ya Bunches (Retired for Sale)
Paper: Linen Prints Designer Series (retired), Watercolor Paper (105019), Old Olive (100702), Cameo Coral (100475)
Ink: Close to Cocoa Craft (100549), Stampin' Up! Markers: Pink Passion (100053), Cameo Coral (100074), Old Olive (100079)
Cool Tools: Heat Tool (100005), Aqua Painter (103954), Marvy Giga Scallop Circle and Mega Circle Punches (available at Create for Less. Link in the bottom right corner of my blog)
Perfect Touches: Flower Fusion (110720), Old Olive 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon (109054), Very Vanilla 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon (109026), Circle Rhinestone Brads (Fire, 109110), Clear Embossing Powder (109130)
