Stampin' Pretty - Mary Fish - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator

Stampin' Pretty Butterflies

It's a blast to be back stamping after a few days of vacation.  There's so much I want to try (new techniques, layouts, color combos).  Plus, I plan to be posting sneak peeks of Stampin' Up!'s new Fall/Winter stamps sets as soon as my demonstrator order arrives.  Stay tuned!

Today's card combines some fun colors I saw working together in a home decor book.  I chose Soft Sky, YoYo Yellow and Going Gray ink for each of the butterflies from Stampin' Up!'s Kind Thoughts stamp set.  It looked a tad bare, so I added the two small flowers in Going Gray.  Alignment of these guys could never have been accomplished without a Stamp-a-ma-jig.  Click here for my Stamp-a-ma-jig tutorial.

I then clipped the corners with a Ticket Corner Punch and adhered it, using Stampin' Dimensionals, to some Textured Soft Sky card stock.  A yellow micro brad dots each corner.  The YoYo Yellow mat is pierced using a Paper Piercer and Template.

I whipped some Whisper White through my Cuttlebug using the Birds and Swirls Embossing Folder.  TIP:  White or Vanilla look very chic when embossed.  It's layered on YoYo Yellow and a Textured Going Gray card base (4.25" x 11"-- scored at the top, 5.5"). 

The sentiment was inked in Going Gray and stamped on Whisper White.  A couple more yellow micro brads pump things up along with a base of Soft Sky Textured card stock. TIP:  I adhered the sentiment taking care to expose the embossed bird in the bottom left corner for a little charm.

Hugs and Pretties . . . Mary

Stamp Set:  Kind Thoughts
Paper:  Going Gray Textured, YoYo Yellow, Soft Sky Textured, Whisper White
Ink:  Going Gray, YoYo Yellow, Soft Sky
Cool Tools:  Ticket Corner Punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Paper Piercer and Template (Stampin' Up!'s Crafter's Tool Kit), Cuttlebug
The Perfect Touch:  Stampin' Dimensionals, Cuttlebug Birds and Swirls Embossing Folder, Yellow Micro Brads

Wonderful Neutral You

Sometimes simplicity rules.  Today's post not only qualifies for my Stampin' 911 category (can be created in less than 10 minutes), it is basic enough to be a "boy" card.  TIP:  Neutrals take the guess work out of deciding on masculine colors.

Using the Wonderful You stamp set, I inked the stem in Basic Black and stamped it multiple times on Kraft card stock.  I then matted it on Whisper White and a Basic Black card base (4.25 x 5.5). TIP: Nipping the bottom corners on all three layers with a Corner Rounder Punch is a classy touch.

A pop of pattern in a black and white gingham ribbon lends a little interest.  The sentiment (also from Wonderful You), was inked in Basic Black and stamped on Whisper White.  It's punched with the small oval punch and layered on a large oval of Basic Black.  Some Stampin' Dimensionals both adhere and heighten the two layers. TIP: Stampin' Up!'s Large and Small Oval Punches compliment each other perfectly and always look sensational with sentiments.

Hugs and Pretties . . . . Mary

COMING UP!  A sneak peek and special offer on the first stamp set to be released ("Fresh Cut") from Stampin' Up!'s Fall/Winter Catalog 2008

Stamp Set:  Wonderful You
Paper:  Basic Black, Whisper White, Kraft
Ink:  Basic Black
Cool Tools:  Large and Small Oval Punches, Corner Rounder Punch
The Perfect Touch:  Black and White Gingham Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals

With Sympathy

Unfortunately, we all need sympathy cards.   A handmade card for an occasion of sadness is, in my opinion, all the more thoughtful and sincere.  This particular card is for a male friend (whose wife passed away last week).  I took inspiration for my colors from this week's Splitcoast Color Challenge (CC 161), believing they conveyed a masculine feel.

The card base is Night of Navy with layers of Glorious Green and Real Red on top.  A couple Real Red brads accent the corners.  I used the Stems & Silhouettes Jumbo Wheel, rolled it on my Versamark pad and gave it a ride on Night of Navy.  TIP:  You don't need a wheel cartridge if you are only "driving" a short distance.  Inking it up on the pad should do the trick for 4 to 5" inches.  TIP:  Don't miss Stampin' Up!'s Free Wheelin' Bundle Specials for a terrific offer on Jumbo Wheels!  Heat embossing with white embossing powder provides a striking contrast against the navy.  I then matted on Real Red.

The "Wonderful You" line stem was inked in Real Red and stamped on Whisper White.  It, too, was matted it on Real Red card stock.  For the final touch, I used a Papertrey sentiment, inked in Glorious Green and stamped on Whisper White.  The words were cropped with a Large Oval Punch and the edges sponged in Glorious Green.

Hugs and Pretties . . . .M

Stamp Set:  Wonderful You, Stems and Silhouettes Jumbo Wheel, Papertrey 1st Anniversary Set (sentiment)
Paper:  Night of Navy, Glorious Green, Real Red, Whisper White
Ink:  Glorious Green, Real Red, Versamark
Cool Tools:  Large Oval Punch, Heat Tool, Sponges
The Perfect Touch:  White Embossing Powder, Bold Brights Brads (Real Red), Stampin' Dimensionals