Flutterby

Anyone who knows me will tell you I'm obsessed with butterflies.  I have them on my walls, in frames, on the back of my laptop, on my back :)  Those same people will also tell you, I can't stand the cold weather.  Chicago is a great place for me, huh??  Butterflies always make me feel happy, especially butterflies in bright, happy colors like the Stampin' Up! In Colors!

Super Set Sunday in February is just what I'll need for a little happy pick up on what I'm sure will be another cold winter day.  Inspired by a card design I learned at one of Jackie B's stamp camps in Michigan, this set of 6 matching cards and envelopes come in a quick and easy storage box.  Each card comes with a special surprise for the recipient.  What's the surprise, you ask?  You'll have to come find out!!

Super Set Sunday is February 21.  Cost for non-club members is $13.  Please bring your own addhesive.  I recommend Tomo Multi for this project.  Email me to register for your spot today.  Can't make the class?  This class is being offered as a Kit To Go.  $13 includes shipping.  You provide your own stamps and ink.

Here's hoping we'll be seeing the real things fluttering by our windows sooner rather than later!!

Happy Stamping!!

Special Guest Stamper!!

I have the distinct pleasure of introducing a special guest stamper on my blog today...my son, Dahlin!  Through a little coercing, he decided to stamp a card for a special friend for her birthday.  This Build-A-Bear is stamped on watercolor paper and colored with markers.  I'm not 100% sure of the marker colors. There were quite a few out on the table.  I do know there is some use of Bashful Blue and Pumpkin Pie...since those are the colors he chose for his background.  Notice the Crystal Effects he used on the balloon??  I have to say, his card turned out better than I ever expected!  I think he was pretty impressed, too.  Now if only I could get him interested in Mom's hobby more often :)

Everything Always

Everything - defined in one of my favorite stamps sets as Define Your Life as "All things that are meaningful to you. All that you know; the whole world".  With Valentine's Day approaching, I start thinking about my Everything. 

Inspired by the love of my children, this Valentine's Day card was so much fun to make.  Using a mix of my favorite pinks and reds - Pretty In Pink, Pixie Pink, Ruby Red, and Bravo Burgundy, the background of the card was brayered and sponged to get that cool graded effect. The White Organza ribbon was "dyed" to match the graded color by adding a touch of all colors.

The stamp sets used for this card are Always and Baroque Motifs.  Both have become great go to stamp sets for me whenever I'm feeling a need for some loving inspiration.  What inspires you?

Technique Thursday was a hoot!

I love simple water color projects.  This past Thursday, I introduced a class full of students to some simple pencil and crayon projects.  Using Stampin' Up!'s Watercolor Wonder Crayons and Watercolor Pencils makes watercoloring your favorite images a breeze!

Everyone in class did a great job making these three quick and easy cards.  I was even lucky enough to welcome a new student to class.  HE did a great job!!  The ladies were pretty impressed that this new stamper was able to come to class and catch on to everything we were doing.  I have a feeling we'll be seeing lots more of him :)

Happy Stamping!

Vintage Versamark

Ok...I'd admit this up front.  This card is a total CASE from Leadership.  It was shown in the Workshop Elements class I took and I totally fell in love with it.  It uses both the Watermark and Versamark Resist techniques (see my brief tutorial here).  The one thing I changed between my card and the one I saw is the bottom border.  Instead of using the vine stamp from Vintage Vogue, I used the Very Vintage roller in Versamark.  Same concept, tho.

I would love to give credit to the originator of this card but I can't find my materials!  If you know who created this card originally, please email me so I can update this post to give credit where credit is due.  I think this is just too totally cool to go unnoticed!

Happy Stamping!!

Shabby or chic?

Ok...feel free to click on the picture to get a bigger view.  I'm torn.  I've now made several fabric flowers but I don't know which version I like better.  On one hand, I like the ease and simplicity of the "chic" version on the left. On the other hand, I really love the "shabby" frayed and currled edges of the version on the right.  The kids aren't any help to me today.  They're being just as indecisive as I am!

Bonus on the "chic" version...once it's done, it's done.  No waiting on the wash/dry factor.

Bonus on the "shabby" version...I'm getting a lot of laundry done!  It would be a crime to just wash a couple fabric flowers.

What do you think?  I'm really looking for some opinions here.  I have a pile of flowers that I either need to wash or walk away from.  Actually, I'm not even sure what I'm going to do with all of the pins I've made so far!   Oh what to do, what to do.  Opinions, please!!  :)



**Note to yesterday's blog readers...I tried the folded vs. stacked version in the washer and have decided I like them both, unfortunately!  I will probably continue to use the stacked version when I have 3 fabrics to use as opposed to 2 or 4.  Easy way to distinguish at least that part of my flower pin dilema :)

You're right. I don't sell fabric, but...

I do have this fantastic flower die for the Big Shot that makes the coolest fabric flowers you've ever seen!

While I was at the SU leadership conference last week, I saw tons and tons of fun flower pins and embellishments made with the Stampin' Up! exclusive Bigz XL Die Flower Folds.  Who knew you could cut multiple layers of fabric with the Big Shot?  I've had a very good time cutting fabric.  So much fun that I really want to place an order for just about every die in the catalog :)

These flower embellishments are actually quite simple to make.  The purpleish pin on the left is made using all four flowers from the Flower Folds die.  I cut three coordinating fabrics in each size and layered them all together.  I hand stitched the middle and added some Stampin' Up! clear buttons to the center.  I threw it into the washing machine then dryer to get the frayed and currled edges.

The pink pin was made without fraying the edges and using a pretty simple folding technique to get the flowers placed just right.  The buttons in the center are from the Playground Designer Buttons and Button Latte.  They work really well with this project, don't they?  I can't wait to make pin in this particular style and throw it into the washer just to see what happens!  I really like the shabby chic style of the frayed edge but i also love the clean edge of the folded look.  At least I know I have options!

The Flower Folds Bigz XL Die is exclusive to Stampin' Up!  If you'd like to learn to make these shabby chic flowers on your own, shoot me an email!  I'll happily give you a free Flower Folds pin class with the purchase of the Flower Folds die!

Don't forget, Sale-A-Bration is going on now!  Purchase the Flower Folds die plus an additional $7.05 in merchandise and you will qualify to receive an item from our exclusive Sale-A-Bration catalog!  Can it get any better???  A great die, a free class, and free "stuff"!!  Email me today to reserve your die, schedule your class and pick out your free stamps!

Happy Stamping!