Stampin' Up! Peachy Keen

Another stamp club project today, using Stampin' Up's Peachy Keen stamp set.  The coordinating camera image and film accessories are so fun to play with!

The arrow and camera embellishments are stacked with a couple layers of chipboard for fun dimension.  This card uses Mojo Monday sketch #335.

Peachy Keen Clear-Mount Bundle (#135225)

Stamps: Peachy Keen; Paper: Tangerine Tango, Coastal Cabana, Baked Brown Sugar, Very Vanilla, Whisper White, Retro Fresh DSP, Gold Foil sheets, Chipboard; Ink: Tangerine Tango, Baked Brown Sugar; Accessories: Gold baker's twine, Crystal Effects, Arrows EF, On Film framelits, Big Shot, Dimensionals.

Stampin' Up! Happy Day & More

Today I have a stamp club project to share using the starburst technique and Happy Day stamp set.

This card gave us an opportunity to try a new technique and also play with the Simply Pressed Clay as well.

Stamps: Happy Day; Paper: Crushed Curry, Coastal Cabana, Smoky Slate, Whisper White, Eastern Elegance DSP; Ink: Coastal Cabana; Accessories: Pool Party baker's twine, Coastal Cabana ruffle trim, Simply Pressed Clay, Houndstooth EF, Big Shot.

Weekly Deals - Here are the Tuesday updates, starting with this week's Weekly Deals.  Wonderful paper is on sale!  I recommend the Core'dinations paper, which not only is fun to emboss and sand, but also makes great texture paper for backgrounds and bases.

Brights Core'dinations Cardstock Price: $23.95 $17.96 Cajun Craze 8-1/2X11 Card Stock Price: $6.95 $5.21 Champagne Glimmer Paper Price: $4.95 $3.71 Silver Glimmer Paper Price: $4.95 $3.71 Soho Subway Designer Series Paper Price: $10.95 $8.21 Subtles Core'dinations Price: $23.95 $17.96 This And That Epic Day Designer Series Paper Price: $10.95 $8.21 Wonderful You Board Book Template - Digital Download Price: $14.95 $8.97

Paper Pumpkin - Don't forget to sign up for Paper Pumpkin by March 31.  Why do you want to not miss out?

• They have added more choices to the past Paper Pumpkin kits you will be eligible to purchase, only available to current Paper Pumpkin subscribers.
• By subscribing by March 31, in addition to receiving a FREE acrylic block ($8.50 value), you will also receive FREE 2012-2014 In Color markers in the Welcome kit ($14.95 value).
• As an added incentive, if you sign up by March 31, I will send you a FREE gift (or two) from the recent grab bags I have received.  I have $500 worth of grab bag items, so there is plenty to share!
• Already a Paper Pumpkin subscriber?  Refer a new member, and receive a FREE Paper Pumpkin stamp case to hold all your stamps and ink spots.
• How much does it cost?  The monthly subscription is $14.95 plus $5 shipping, and you can cancel anytime.  More than double the value in your first kit, so why not give it a try?

Ready to sign up?  Click HERE to get started today!

MDSM59 John Pennekamp State Park

Hi Everyone! It's my turn to bring you this week's MDS Monday page sketch challenge. I've had a page, created with traditional scrapbooking, on my digital to-do list so I can include it in the next round of photobook printing.  Why not share it for everyone to play with?

I'd like to see some layered trim on your pages.  You could use a scallop border punch, or in my case, a string of larger circles.  What else can you think of?

Here's my page of our snorkeling trip in the Florida Keys.

Some tricks I used for this page:

• I created a separate page with Crumb Cake card stock and Splatter stamps to create the sand.  After exporting as a .jpg, I could import into this page as a photo box and apply ripped edges.
• I copied the .svg seahorse stamp image file over to a punch directory so I could add the seahorse punch and fill with patterned paper.
• The shell was colored with a freeform layer.
• In the original page, I heat embossed the title.  Here I chose a color a bit darker than the background and applied a light shadow to give the embossed effect.

MDS Elements: Stamps: Anchors Away - anchor, Morning Post Alphabet, By the Seashore - shell 2; Paper: Tea for Two DSP, Sycamore Street DSP, Well Worn DSP; Accessories: Very Vanilla - Stitching Straight, Natural Chevron Ribbon, Antique Brads - brad 4; Font: Palace Script MT.

Thanks for stopping by!

FM152 Nautical OLC

This week's Friday Mashup, Lisa is challenging us with a single layer, a.k.a. one-layer card (OLC).

Photo Source

Here's your Mashup Challenge:

1. Create a project using a "Nautical Theme".
2. Create a "One Layer Card".
3. Or mash it up and create a project with the "One Layer Card with a Nautical Theme".

Single-layer cards aren't so easy.  Mess it up, and you're starting over.  I did mess up in a minor way, but I forged on.

I started with stamping the ship, and then some masking and sponging with a past Connie & Mary color combination, Summer Starfruit and Pistachio Pudding.  From there, I watercolored the ship, added some Pistachio Pudding sponging with drywall tape, some embossing paste with a stencil, and then splatter a couple different ways.

Obviously a one-layer card is light on paper, so create details with all the different ways you can think of adding ink.  Create texture with overlapping layers, dry embossing and scoring, and stencil techniques.  Masking is also a big part of single-layer cards.  I hope that gets you thinking and you give it a try!

Stamps: The Open Sea, World Map BG; Paper: Very Vanilla; Ink: Summer Starfruit, Pistachio Pudding, Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, Black Stazon, Summer Starfuit marker, Pistachio Pudding reinker, Black Fine Sharpie; Accessories: Aquapainter, Sponges, Color Spritzer Tool, Build A Banner stencil, Embossing paste, Drywall tape, Paint brush, Post-It Notes.

Easter & Spring Control Freaks Blog Tour

Welcome... I'm so excited to be participating in my first Control Freaks Blog Tour!  What a fabulous group of stampers to hop with!  You've probably arrived here from Connie Babbert's blog.  She is so creative!

For my first project, I took a look at the Good as Gold card kit, free with a $50 purchase during Sale-a-bration.  It creates 8 festive cards with lined envelopes.  Often with kits and freebies, we love the little project it was designed to make, but what else can we do with it?  As an alternative, you could create this adorable little birdhouse using the Mini Milk Carton die, perfect for filling with little goodies as a favor at the Easter dinner table.

This little carton gets almost all its supplies from the Good As Gold card kit, except the bird punch-out, window sheet, and clothes pin.  The clothes pin is removable for easy access to the candy.  ;)

I got to thinking about a table center for Easter dinner, and all this gold led me to golden eggs.  I blew the yokes out of three medium eggs, covered them with gold glitter, and nestled them in a little bird's nest.  I love crafting with egg shells, because the projects will last a long time (if the kitten doesn't get to them, of course).  I also created this for Mix-Ability challenge #40, Stick It To Me, Darling!

A (not-so-funny) kitty story... even after cleaning up after the glittering, the photo session left a puddle of glitter on the table. Before I could clean it, two kitties were rolling and wrestling through the puddle, and now my entire house is on the gold trend.  Sigh.  Definitely make sure you shake off any excess glitter after drying, before using as a center piece!

Paper: Crisp Cantaloupe, Sahara Sand, Window sheet from Quatrefancy DSP; Accessories: Good as Gold kit, Metallic mini clothespins, Gold Stampin' Glitter, Bird Builder punch, 1" Circle punch, Argyle EF, Adorning Accents edgelits, Mini Milk Carton die, Big Shot, Decoupage glue, Dimensionals.

Fast forward to spring flowers.  We are still pretty much buried in snow here, but one can dream.

This is a fun Mother's Day card with the sentiment reserved for the inside.  Up to now, I hadn't opened the Simply Pressed Clay.  :o   It is so soft and fun to play with, as well as pliable.  I rolled out a thin layer with a rolling pin and let it dry.  After it firmed up for about an hour, I stamped the backside and let it dry overnight.  After trimming, I colored the vases with both an aquapainter and a sponge.  Awe-some!  The shelf brace was created by trimming the 4-petal shape from the Itty Bitty punch pack.

Stamps: Vivid Vases, Woodgrain BG; Paper: Pistachio Pudding, Baked Brown Sugar, Basic Black, Very Vanilla, Modern Medley DSP; Ink: Pool Party, Real Red, Strawberry Slush, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Elegant Eggplant, Pistachio Pudding, Baked Brown Sugar, Black Stazon; Accessories: Simply Pressed Clay, White baker's twine, Itty Bitty punch pack, Aquapainter, Sponges.

Now bunny hop over to Patty Bennett's blog to check out the goodies she has made.  Thanks for stopping by!

5th Annual Hudson Valley Shoebox Swap

This past weekend we gathered for the 5th Annual Hudson Valley Shoebox Swap.

I can't believe we have been stamping together in the Poughkeepsie area for 5 years!  :)  I'll share my swaps with you.

3 x 3" Notecard Swap & Custom Envelope -

An elegant gold and vanilla notecard, perfect for a birthday or wedding thank you.  The card front is shorter than the card back, with the washi tape on the inside, to carry the design through to the handwritten sentiment.

Stamps: Four You; Paper: Very Vanilla, Gold Foil Sheet, Vanilla-colored copy paper; Ink: Versamark; Accessories: Gold embossing powder, Watercolor Wonder washi tape, Envelope Punch Board.

Green Bunny Shoebox Swap -

I was overflowing with button and brad containers, so it was time to re-purpose them.  This project uses the containers, as well as patterned paper from a past Sale-a-Bration special.  All free; don't you love how this project starts?

I used the larger hole from the crop-o-dile to punch the side of the container, and the lollipop stick is held in place with some hot glue.  A bit of punch art, and you have a cute little favor.  Best as I can tell, this idea originally came from Becky Roberts.

Paper: Pink Pirouette, Whisper White, Delicate Dots DSP; Ink: Pink Pirouette, Basic Black marker, White Gel pen; Accessories: Stitched ribbon, Burlap ribbon, Oval punches, Circle punches, Full Heart punch, Small Heart punch, Lollipop sticks.

Weekly Deals & More

Don't miss this week's Weekly Deals!  Lots of fun accessories!  I'm finding the weekly deals a great way to beef up my MDS digital content.

Crisp Cantaloupe 3/8" Ruffle Stretch Trim Price: $8.95 $6.71 Grad Party Ensemble - Digital Download Price: $9.95 $5.97 In Color Boutique Details Price: $8.95 $6.71 Pewter Stampin' Emboss Powder Price: $4.75 $3.56 Scallop Trim Border Punch Price: $15.95 $11.96 Silver Glass Glitter Price: $3.95 $2.96 Tempting Turquoise Stampin' Emboss Powder Price: $4.75 $3.56 Vintage Trinkets Accents & Elements Price: $5.95 $4.46

You + Us + March 26 = Awesome!

Have you ever wished you could stamp with the folks at Stampin' Up!'s home office? Your wish is granted--and your opportunity is coming soon! Here's the basic rundown.

• Who: You! And feel free to invite your customers, your downline, anyone who wants to play along.
• What: This is a live, streaming event where we will stamp with the All Wrapped Up Bundle on page 6 of the Sale-A-Bration brochure. Order the bundle in time to have it at the event. Our projects will also feature the Sweet Sorbet Designer Series Paper, so you may want to order that as the free Sale-A-Bration product. Then choose your preferred device--computer, tablet, smart phone, or even hook up your computer to your TV--and tune in to learn some fun new things to do with the bundle!
• When: March 26, 2014, at 5:30 PM, 7:30 PM, and 11:00 PM (all times MT). We'll demonstrate the same projects each time, so choose the one that's best for you.
• Where: You don't even have to leave home. Come to www.youtube.com/stampinupvideo at your chosen time, and be prepared to stamp! We'll also award door prizes to random participants.
• Why: So many occasions are coming--Easter, Mother's Day, graduations, and more--and we want to help you be ready.

All Wrapped Up Clear-Mount Bundle (#135340)

This fun, interactive event is based on this bundle.  Let me know if you need help ordering or getting this set up.  Should be fun!