Thank You...Merci...Grazie...Danke....and more

In my younger life I worked with high school youth from many different countries.  So, you can imagine my delight when I saw Stampin' Up!'s new A World of Thanks stamp in the 2015-2016 Annual catalog on page 15.  I had to have it!!!  Not to mention how easy would be to make a thank you card with just one big stamp.
Here is the first card I made using the stamp.




The card base is a 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored at 4 1/4" piece of Basic Grey.  The background is a 4" x 5 1/4" piece of Blackberry Bliss card stock.

I used the wood-mount stamp but it is also available in clear mount.  Ink the large stamp with Blackberry Bliss.  Remember when you use a large stamp, you want to tap the ink pad onto the rubber stamp, not the stamp onto the ink pad.  I hope that makes sense.  I used the Stamp-a-ma-Jig tool to stamp onto a 4" x 5 1/4" piece of  Whisper White card stock.  Yes, that is the same size as the Blackberry Bliss background.  What???  Well, here is a tip.  The stamp is large, it covers all of a 3 3/4" x 5" piece of card stock.  For easier placement, even with the Stamp-a-ma-Jig, I stamped it and then shaved off the edges closer to 3 3/4" x 5".  You need to cut to the very edge of the "t" and "y" on the left side and almost lop the top of the dot over the "i" and the top of the "t" in arigatou on the right to make it fit this card size.  Top and bottom are also trimmed, but, it is a more generous trim.

Another tip is to stamp on a sturdy surface like a kitchen counter or hard wood table.  Hold the stamp to the card stock for a few seconds and gently rub the entire back of the stamp to evenly and completely transfer the ink to the card stock. 

For the embellishment, I used two of the Flower Shop stamps on page 126 of the Annual catalog because they coordinate with the Pansy Punch, on page 167.  I was not in the mood to fussy cut.  Some days I am and some days I am not.  You could use any flowers, butterflies, dragonflies, or whatever suits your fancy.  Of course, I wanted to use butterflies; but, one must use variety!  Add your embellishment with Stampin' Dimensionals to make them pop.

Adhere the stamped Whisper White card stock to the Blackberry Bliss card stock and then both to the Basic Grey card base.  I like to use Tombow Multipurpose glue because it slides a little and makes it easier to get the pieces evenly placed.  As I heard a demonstrator once say, "It is really good for old people 'cause you can slide it around."  Love that gal!!!  Yes, I am "old people" and proud of it!   Try it even if you are "young people"!

I made the same card without the flowers and added silver ribbon with a bow along the left side.  If you use the ribbon, attach it behind the Blackberry Bliss card stock before you adhere it to the Basic Grey card base.  You can save on ribbon if you cut a length just a little longer than the card stock.  Use tape to adhere the ends to the back of the card stock before adhering to the card base.

Such a quick and easy card to make using many different color combinations.  Leave me a comment on which color combination you used.  

Here are the Stampin' Up! products I used to make this card.   Happy Stampin'!

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Build A Birthday Cake

Stampers, this is the easiest birthday cake you will make. However, it still looks like you slaved over it for hours.  Grab some card stock, ink and the Build a Birthday stamp set, seen on page 11 of the Annual catalog or see it here.

As a tent card I started with a piece of 11" x 4 1/4" pink pirouette card stock.  I backed a 3 3/4" x 5" piece of Whisper White card stock with 3 7/8" x 5 1/8" piece of Blackberry Bliss card stock.

The cake plate is stamped with Tip Top Taupe ink.  The bottom layer of the cake is stamped with Delightful Dijon, middle layer stamped with Blackberry Bliss and the top layer is stamped with Mint Macron.  The banner is stamped with Pink Pirouette.

I stamped birthday wishes on Pink Pirouette with Blackberry Bliss ink.

I wanted to use the doodle stamp from the Tin of Cards stamp set so I added it to the sides of the greeting using Mint Macron ink.  Without the doodle, you can make the card with just the Build a Birthday stamp set.  See it here.

The sequins are retired but you can add any "bling" you have on hand.

See the supplies needed for this card below:

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I'M GOING TO STAMPIN' UP! CONVENTION!!

Well, I guess I am really going to the 2015 Stampin' Up! Convention in Salt Lake City next week because my credentials arrived in the mail yesterday.  Yahoo! 

This is the last Convention of this type so I did not want to miss it!  Stampin' Up! has a new format beginning in November but I'll tell you more about that later.

I look forward to meeting many other Demonstrators, many whom I have been Facebooking with for a year.

It is exciting to learn new techniques and new ways to use our top notch products. When I get back I hope to have many new things to share with all of you.

And, last, but certainly not least, I can hardly wait to get a sneak peak of the fall and holiday items in the upcoming catalog.  You know I am a butterfly freak - well, right up there with butterflies is Thanksgiving and Christmas! 

I feel like I can fly without the plane!  I'll take lots of pictures to share with all of you.

Dresses from Doilies!

Four different dresses for four different occasions - all made from a Stampin' Up! 4-inch doily.

When I saw a card on Pinterest using a 4-inch doily to make a dress, I just had to try it.  The doily folding directions are from Angie at paperpaws.blogspot.com. Thank you, Angie!

I had fun taking her folding directions and making a white dress with the doily from the package on page 148 of the Annual catalog.  I used Mint Macron card stock for the base and to back the "so sweet" greeting that is stamped on whisper white card stock. Card base and ribbon sash is the 2015 - 2017 In Color mint macron.  Basic Pearl Jewels adorn the sash and bodice with just the right bling - classy and feminine.

Then I added 8 drops of Pink Pirouette to half a spritzer of rubbing alcohol and dyed the doily before folding the pink dress.  The spritzer was easy to fill and use.  You get two of them when you order at my on-line store.  Card base and bodice backing is pink pirouette.  "Blinged" with Basic Pearl Jewels.

On a roll, I tried to use a piece of 2014 Trim the Tree Designer Series Paper for the skirt.  The DSP was a little too thick so I cut part of the folded back triangle before adhering the bodice of the dress.  I used more of the doily on the side of the card for accent.  Card base and ribbon are Cherry Cobbler.  A white iridescent snowflake from my stash is on the sash.

My fourth card was made with the Santa Maria Black and White Ball in mind. I used the white doily from the package and mounted the bodice onto Basic Black card stock.  The black ribbon from my stash has a Basic Rhinestone Jewels on the "tie".

I hope you enjoyed seeing these doily dresses.  The current items I used to make these cards are listed below.

Thanks for stopping by.  See you next time.

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