SSINKspiration March Blog Hop: Sale-a-bration is Running Out!

Good morning!  With the last little burst of winter last week spring definitely charged in with a fury this week, and I love it!  With the arrival of March it’s also the last month of Sale-a-bration, our best and biggest sale of the year so time is running out to take advantage.  In honor of Sale-a-bration for this months Stylin’ Stampin’ INKspiration blog hop we’re focusing on all the great products you can earn for FREE with each qualifying purchase this month (and there’s no limit to how many FREE items you can earn).  During SAB is when I stock up on all my cardstock, adhesives, prepaid Paper Pumpkin subscription, etc. so I can earn free items for things I already use all year long!!

As you hop along, please be sure to comment and show some love on every blog! We are always excited to hear from our followers! You should have just left stop number #3 on the Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration Blog Hop - Kathy at Kathy's Stamping World. If so, you are in the right spot. If a link doesn't work or you get off track, you will find the full blog hop lineup below.

I decided to showcase the Wildflower Fields Designer Series Paper as my Sale-a-bration item and used this weeks Creativate Team challenge as the layout inspiration. I started with Lost Lagoon cardstock for the base (can’t believe this color is retiring in a few months, boo!) and then added a piece of the Wildflower Fields Designer Series Paper as a nice background and then used another pattern for the inset piece.  For the greeting I used the Greatest Greetings stamp set and was stamped on Hello Honey cardstock using Blackberry Bliss ink and then added a little piece of Watermelon Wonder  1” Dotted Lace Trim along the bottom (note, Watermelon Wonder is not one of the colors in the DSP but it’s close enough and coordinates well.  I also added one of the 2015-2017 In Color Blossom Embellishments on the greeting piece for fun.

I needed to add something to help dress this up so I decided in honor of spring to add some fun butterflies.  I cut 2 using the Elegant Butterfly Punch and then embossed them with the Big Shot and Elegant Dots Embossing Folder and then added rhinestones in the center for the body.  I wanted a smaller butterfly so I stamped one using Old Olive ink on Whisper White cardstock using the Kinda Eclectic stamp set (since I don’t have the coordinating punch I cut this little guy out with Paper Snips) and also added rhinestones for its body.  By carefully folding the butterflies and then using Tombow glue just down the center of the butterfly you can fold the wings up so there’s more movement on the card.

This card definitely screams spring and I’m sad I haven’t used this paper much so far during SAB, but I definitely have a supply to use on future projects (perhaps lots of birthday cards for #imbringingbirthdaysback). 

Below are easy ordering links for the products used on today’s project:

 Make sure to check out the rest of the blog hop for lots of other great ideas.  If you click the “Next” button, you’ll go to Leanne’s site but you can also access any of the hopper’s site from the full blog list below.

Blog Hop Participant List:

1. Darcy at Dj's Stampin Place
2. Jenny at Jenny G Paper Crafts
3. Kathy at Kathy's Stamping World
4. Diana at Stampin Fun with Diana
5. Leanne at Literally My Joy
6. Melissa at The Stamp Doc
7. Pamela at Stinky Tofu

Have a great day,

Diana

30 Day Gratitude Challenge: Day 16

Good morning and Happy Monday!  What a wonderful weekend full of family fun and beautiful weather to enjoy.  Unfortunately it's back to another work week and I can't believe it's less than two weeks before Thanksgiving.  We've reached the half way point of my November Gratitude challenge and I hope you're enjoying all the ideas I'm sharing to help let other's know how much we appreciate them.  For today's card I decided to take a different twist and used the Kinda Eclectic stamp set and it was one of the cards we made in card class yesterday and was a hit!

I started with Soft Suede cardstock for the cardbase and then used Whisper White cardstock for the cardfront.  I used Mossy Meadow and Old Olive ink to stamp the leaves in the background.  Next I added a piece of DSP from the Into the Woods Designer Series Paper and punched it out using the 2" Circle Punch.  For the greeting I used Soft Suede and Rich Razzleberry Stampin' Write Markers to ink the stamp and then stamped on Crumb Cake cardstock before punching it out with the 2 1/2" Circle Punch before attaching it to the cardfront.

For some fun embellishments I started by using Fast Fuse to attach a piece of Into the Woods 3/8" Cotton Ribbon along the bottom.  For the butterfly I stamped it in Tangelo Twist and punched it out with the Elegant Butterfly Punch.  Three small rhinestones make the perfect accent for the butterfly body and I used glue just in the center of the body so the butterfly wings could be raised off of the cardfront.

This stamp set has so many great images that work so well together as well as separately for whatever your needs and it make a really easy, elegant card and it was fun using more "fall" colors for a new twist.

Below are easy ordering links for the products used on today's card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Enjoy!

Diana

Kinda Eclectic Thankful Greetings

Happy Sunday!  I know Labor Day weekend is the official end of summer and it always makes me sad but I look forward to the cooler weather and pretty colors of fall, why can’t we have it all??  I’m taking a great from all the weekend fun to share the card I made using the awesome stamp set, Kinda Eclectic.  This set as some great designs that really work well together, even if I wouldn’t have thought of putting them together in the first place (does that make any sense?) 

 I started with Pool Party cardstock for the cardbase and then added a piece of Whisper White cardstock for the cardfront.  Along the bottom I stamped the little polka dots (they actually have letters printed in the dots if you closely) all along the bottom.  Next I used the big sunburst image and stamped it in the center using So Saffron ink.  Next I cut a 2” piece of Whisper White cardstock and punched on the top using the Ornate Tag Topper Punch and then stamped the sunburst again on the tag a little off center.  My plan was to line up the tag when I finished so it looks like one solid image over the two pieces of cardstock.  I stamped the greeting in Chocolate Chip ink and then stamp the larger butterfly on a scrap of Whisper White cardstock using Pool Party ink and punched it out with the Elegant Butterfly Punch.  I used a little Mono Tombo Adhesive down the center of the butterfly’s back to attach it to the tag so I could bend the wings up for dimension and then added some rhinestones for the body of the butterfly.  The final touch on the tag was a piece of Chocolate Chip ¼” Cotton Ribbon threaded through the hole.

Before attaching the tag to the cardfront I took a piece of Chocolate Chip Designer Series Paper (from the Neutrals Designer Series Paper Stack) and punched a circle with the 2” Circle Punch to go behind the tag and then loops some Silver Metallic Thread and attached it to the cardfront so it peaks out from behind the tag.  The tag was attached with dimensionals as the last step for a fun effect.

Now, my thought behind this card was it would be perfect to send to a special friend and then they could remove the tag and use it as a bookmark to get added enjoyment from the card.  I’ll admit I don’t know if someone would actually remove the tag and use it but it will be cool to find out. 

Below are easy ordering links for the products used on today’s card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

 

Have an enjoyable Sunday and Labor Day!
 

Diana

Can You Case it? Design Team - Sketch Challenge CYCI #77

Good morning!  Hope you had an enjoyable 4th of July.  We had a nice and relaxing day with the family and it was raining and cool compared to most years so it was really enjoyable when the rain cleared.  We don't have a lot planned for today and I'm hoping to get some time in the studio to start working on convention swaps.  This morning it's time for the Can You Case It? sketch challenge and Carolyn gave us this great classic sketch (maybe I'll use this as inspiration for one of my swaps, haha!!)

I started with Calypso Coral cardstock for the cardbase and then added a piece of Pacific Point cardstock.  I added three different patterns from the Pretty Petals Designers Series Paper Stack (the mix of graphic prints and soft feminine prints is a lot of fun!)  I also wrapped a piece of Gold Baker's Twine around the whole cardfront once I attached the DSP panels.

For the greeting I used the Something to Say stamp set and stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on Very Vanilla cardstock.  I stamped the small butterfly from the Kinda Eclectic stamp set in Calypso Coral ink (stamped off first so the butterfly was softer).  I cut out the greeting and the Old Olive mat using the Big Shot and Circle Collection Framelits before attaching it to the cardfront with dimensionals.

I love the different colors used in this DSP, it's not something I would have thought of but it does work, go figure?  This is also a great way to show off lots of different DSP prints for a quick card, which we all need at times.





Below are easy ordering links for the products used on today's card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Diana

Sketch Frenzy Friday: Flowery Birthday Wishes

Good morning and Happy Friday!  It's also a holiday Friday for some of us so I'm so excited for the 4th of July holiday and long holiday weekend.  For this weeks Sketch Frenzy Friday sketch challenge we were given a fun challenge with lots of potential.  I have a dear friend who's birthday was this week so I decided to us this weeks sketch as the inspiration for a fun card.

I started with Crumb Cake cardstock for the cardbase and then added a piece of Pretty Petals Designer Series Paper.  In the top right corner I added a butterfly that I stamped from the Kinda Eclectic stamp set in Calypso Coral ink and punched it out with the Elegant Butterfly Punch then added some pearls along the center for the body of the butterfly.  I used adhesive only in the center and bent the wings up so the butterfly looks like it's flying.  I also added a couple flowers that I punched out of Old Olive cardstock with the flower from the Itty Bitty Accent Punch Pack, embossed it with the Lovely Lace Embossing Folder and I curled up the petals added a Calypso Coral candy dot from the Subtles Candy Dots for the center of each flower.

Along the bottom of the card I added a piece of Old Olive cardstock that was embossed with the Big Shot and Modern Mosaic Embossing Folder.  To the back of the cardstock I added some Fast Fuse and used some Watermelon Wonder 1" Dotted Lace Trim and ruffled it up for a fun trim.  I also added a  piece of Gold Sequin Trim for just a little more bling.  The greeting is from the And Many More and it was punched out with the Word Window Punch and then matted with a piece of Crumb Cake cardstock that was punched out with the Large Oval Punch.

I must admit, I just kept adding little embellishments to this card which may have been a little over the top but my friend loved it, so that's all that matters.  And I love how the colors pop against the black.




Below are easy ordering links for the products used on today's card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Diana

Paper Players Card Sketch Challenge: Kinda Eclectic

Good morning!  I can't believe we're half way through the week and July is almost over.  We've got a break from the heat and humidity here I Northern Virginia and I'm loving this more comfortable weather (perfect for outdoor workouts).   Today I decide to play along with the Paper Players card sketch challenge, it's been awhile since I've played along so this was fun.  One of the stamp sets we received at convention was Kinda Eclectic and I had fun stamping with it so I decided to use it for this sketch and really show off a lot of the different stamps that are included in the set (they work so well together).

The cardbase is Sahara Sand and I added a layer of Whisper White cardstock that's matted with Lost Lagoon Cardstock.  On this layer I stamped the sun image with Hello Honey and the dots for the border along the bottom with Sahara Sand.  Next I took the leaf image and stamped on another piece of Whisper White and stamped multiple times without reinking to get different levels of ink strength for the image.  This piece was then matted with Blackberry Bliss cardstock.

For the main stamped image I stamped the sun image again and then punched it out with the 2" Circle Punch.  The greeting (also from the same stamp set) in Blackberry Bliss ink.  I matted this with a piece of Sahara Sand cardstock that was cut out with the Big Shot and Window Frames Collection Framelits and then embossed it with the Perfect Polka Dot Embossing Folder.  The final touch was to add some ribbon flags with the Hello Honey 3/8" Stitched Satin, Blackberry Bliss 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon, and the Natural 5/8" Chevron Ribbon.

I love how well these new In Colors work together and this stamp set is so versatile.  I know I've said it before but sketch challenges really are a great way to get you going on a project if you're a little stumped and you can make it work for lots of different project types.

Below are easy ordering links for the products used in this project:

Kinda Eclectic Clear-Mount Stamp Set

$19.95

2014-2016 In Color 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

$6.95

Blackberry Bliss 3/8" Satin Stitched Ribbon

$8.95

Hello Honey 3/8" Satin Stitched Ribbon

$8.95

Big Shot

$99.95

Window Frames Collection Framelits Die

$26.95

Natural 5/8" Chevron Ribbon

$6.95

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$8.50

2" Circle Punch

$16.95

Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

$7.95

Table by StampinBuddy. Try it FREE.

 

Have a great day and enjoy!

Diana