VC's June Blog Hop - Stampin' Up! Punches and Sizzix Dies!

I am so excited to be able to participate in our June Blog Hop! This month we're rockin' our creativity with projects that feature either Stampin' Up punches or dies. I focussed on the framelit dies this time, although I did also use some punches, too.

I had so much fun making these two cards. They were made with my wonderful demo a little while ago and I saved them to share during this hop. We actually made three cards that night; I will share the third one next week. 

The first one is a really cute Stair Step card using the new baby set. I wasn't sure I liked this set at first, but I have fallen in love with it. There are so many versatile baby themed images and I don't have to hand cut any of them! the framelits are wonderful. Now, I know you can tell that a few of mine are not cut perfectly.. that is purely operator error on my part. The table we were using was a tad high for me and I didn't quite realize that I hadn't lined up the ducky correctly. If I had more time I'd have trimmed around them with a pair of scissors to tidy them up. Although I did most of the work with the framelits, you'll notice I also used a few punches too - the oval sentiment, the scallop border punch, and the circle framing one of my ducks (strategically placed to hide a tear in my border)  give this card extra pop. 

My second card, while not nearly as time consuming, is equally effective. It uses Here, I used the Banner Framelits, which debuted in the Spring Occasions catalogue and was then carried over into the current 2014-2015 Idea Book & Catalogue. Love all the new In Colours in this card... I think this designer series paper may be my favourite for the year.  On this night, I was trying to make my own cards, plus do the stamping for a friend of mine who couldn't make the club that night. As a result, I did a few things differently that the 'right' way - in this case, for example, I cut out my white banner before I stamped. I will not do that again! 

Please head over to VC Rocks! to see what the other participants have done! 

Card Details: All Products Stampin Up

Welcome Baby

Cardstock: Baked Brown Sugar, Crisp Cantaloupe, Whisper White, Coastal Cabana

Stamps: Something for Baby, Teeny Tiny Wishes

DSP: Lullaby

Ink: Hello Honey, Coastal Cabana, Pistachio Pudding

Other: Something For Baby Framelits, Scalloped Border Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, Scallop Oval Punch

Make A Wish

Cardstock: Blackberry Bliss, Hello Honey, Basic Grey, Whisper White

Stamps: Perfect Pennants

DSP: Moonlight Paper Stack

Ink: Blackberry Bliss

Other: Banner Framelits, Star punches, ribbon 

Flip fold/swing cards

It wasn't by design that I took such a long break from blogging. Life has just been really busy lately. I've been doing a lot of volunteering. The Women's Centre here in town does free art classes in April and May and I taught an art journalling class a few weeks ago. I'm doing a scrapbooking class this weekend and cardmaking in May. I've been doing a lot of stuff to prepare for that. 

These two cards are NOT in any way connected to what I'l be doing. I made the first one last year in Parksville. We had a template and a great teacher, but I just wasn't comfortable with that much precision cutting. 

I was really excited when Stampin' Up came out with their dies to make these cards. I haven't purchased them yet, but I am going to do so in June. I wanted to practice with them a few times. I still find it a bit tricky to figure out how to get easily apply a layer of patterned paper and get an even mat, but I've found a few tutorials that make it easier. I had trouble this night because the table I was using was a little high for me. 

When I first saw the Petal Parade set I didn't care much for it but I fell in love with all the great samples so it was the first one I got during Sale a Bration. I didn't get the Sweet Sorbet dsp, though my friend did. We may do some trading at some point. 

I have entered the world of high technology... my parents and I are on a family plan for our cell phones & we finally had to get rid of our very, very old flip phones. We are now proud owners of smartphones. I have fallen in love with texting to the point that I don't quite know what I did prior to the time I had it. I also love having a camera on my phone. I can't see giving up my regular camera, but it is sure nice to have the option to just use my phone if it's not a special occasion, or if my main camera is charging. With Easter and my brother/sister in law visiting with their little girl, plus my cousin & her husband coming down to visit for their daughter's fourth birthday, I have got a LOT of photos that need editting! 

Until next time - hopefully Sunday - have a great week! 

Card Details:

Happy Birthday

Cardstock: American Crafts

Patterned Paper: American Crafts

Stamps: Unknown

Sweet Baby - all products Stampin' Up

Cardstock: Whisper White

DSP: Sweet Sorbet

Stamps: Petal Parade, Itty Bitty Banners

Other: Framelits, punches, Silver Glimmer paper, Pistachio Pudding ruffled ribbon

LIM Week 155 - New Baby

Happy Friday!

I got to go out and make cards last night. It was wonderful I relaxing. I'll be sharing those cards soon. Today I just want to get a card posted quickly for the challenge at Less Is More.  I have a busy day ahead, so if I don't get it done now, I won't be back in time to get it posted after lunch. So looking forward to a crafty weekend starting tonight. I'm going to a crop tonight and then tomorrow is the grand opening celebration at the scrapbook store that moved to town. A friend is coming down from the town where it was previously located. She'd like to go to the stamp store, too, so we'll get to both.

Today's card:

I realized later I wanted to cover the seam with ribbon. I'll still do that before I send it. At the time I was making it, I didn't have my ribbon with me. Because of the loose way the paper is down, plus how I attached the circular panel, I can cheat and get it under. I'll be using it for a baby shower will be having for a friend who just had her first, a little girl.

Card Details - All products SU
Cardstock: Melon Mambo
Ink: Melon Mambo
DSP: Razzleberry Lemonade
Stamps: Sweet Celebrations

Another challenge card

I did up a quick baby girl card today, as I have a bunch of new little ones that have either arrived or that will be on their way soon! One of the challenges I had planned to enter is closed, so I am submitting it to the following:

Simon Says: Anything Goes!
SUO Challenges: Welcome Baby
A.R.T Challenge 16 - Anything Goes

Card Details - All products SU!
Cardstock: Meon Mambo
Ink: Rich Razzleberry
DSP: Razzleberry Lemonade
Stamp: Sweet Celebrations

Life around here is really busy; I'm looking at downsizing a wee bit and moving into the apartment across the hall. There's lots of work to be done to get ready! Still negotiating with my landlord in terms of when I'd move in.

The fall tv season is upon us, and I've started watching some new shows that I really like. I think in the next week or so I'll either bring back my other blog, which I originally started years ago as a way of talking about politics and pop cultural stuff, or add a new page to this blog that will be non-crafting related. I need to do some research as I don't quite understand the whole 'add a page' concept.

Have a great day! Back with more on Saturday.

LNS 191

Sorry I've not blogged in a couple of weeks again. Life has been very busy, though sadly, not with much that's blog worthy. Some of us have been having an interesting 'How early is too early for Halloween decoration?' debate on Facebook. I'll share my thoughts and what spurred the conversation later this week when I finish putting together some Halloween themed items. 

Today I'm posting some cards for a Late Night Stamper's challenge The theme is dots/stripes. I love both, so it was tough to decide which to choose. Ultimately, I couldn't decide so I did both. The first two will be birthday cards. I made these ages ago as cards for two of the girls from my church to celebrate their accomplishments at dance festival in the spring. I liked them enough that I made two more. Ok, it was more the fact that the scraps and the stamp set were easily accessible and I needed a couple birthday cards in a hurry than any great love for the design. They need bling! I didn't have time, though.

The baby cards are older ones I forgot to post, so I am not technically submitting them for the challenge. We made these at card club  in the spring. I love the set we used, though I resisted the temptation to buy it. That, and realized my friend was buying it so I could just use hers. ;)

In the first version, the main part of the buggy is paper pieced. For those who haven't tried paper piecing, it is super easy! You just stamp your image twice, once on the neutral base (in this case, the white) and once on the coloured cardstock or patterned paper of your choice. They cut out the coloured version and adhere it right over top of the other one. What I as worried about was being able to cut it along the lines properly so it fit just right and it worked without any trouble. And I am NOT a great cutter, so if I can do it, anyone can!

Sorry about the glare on the second card; the only difference between the two is that the second one is coloured with markers.

Card Details - All products Stampin' Up!

Birthday cards:

Cardstock: Concord Crush, Wisteria Wonder, Tangerine Tango

Patterned paper: Cheerful Treat DSP (top); In colour collection pad

Stamps: Mixed Bunch; Perfectly Penned

Baby cards

Cardstock: Baja Breeze, So Saffron

Stamps: Baby Bundle, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Other: Border punch, ribbon, Big Shot embossing folder

Have a wonderful night! See you later this week with some Halloween projects.

Baby Thank yous and Father's Day cards

These cards are totally CASED from the One Sheet Wonder Sketch Challenge Julie Tilman from Verve stamps posted on SplitCoast.

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=379728&highlight=verve+sheet

CS: SU Pixie Pink, Wild Wasabi (or Kiwi Kiss, I don't remember, I confess), Soft Suede

PP: KI Memories My Girl

Ink: SU! Chocolate Chip

Stamps SU! A New Little Someone, Lexicon of Love, and unknown (the word 'grateful')

The details:

Brown/green card.

PP: Possibly a now defunct (?) company called A2Z

CS: Stampin Up Soft Suede for base, Bazzill for torquiose colour and bright green

Brads: Hot Off The Press (from a kit I was given ages ago)

Ink: SU! Chocolate Chip

Stamp: SU! Lexicon of Love (retired)

Red card... this is actually a card for J's ball coach; I learned a lot watching him that will help with floor hockey this coming season:

PP: Unknown. A friend gave this paper to me.

CS: SU! Riding Hood Red and Soft Suede

Brads: Making Memories

Ink: SU! Chocolate Chip

Stamp: SU! Lexicon of Love (retired)

While making these cards I learned that I use Chocolate Chip ink a lot and I'll need to invest in a reinker with my next order.