Time is running out to order this set–Elementary Elegance–as it is a limited edition Sale-A-Bration 2012 set as well as the designer paper ‘Everyday Enchantment’ (#128154).  Sale-A-Bration ends March 31st and so do the awesome products you earn free with each $50 in orders.

I freehand cut the swirly frame and the inside *just* perfectly fits the Curly label punch!  Using the textured background compliments of the Sizzix embossing folder ‘Vintage Wallpaper,’ this card was quick and inexpensive to make.

Elementary Elegance SAB Free (#125120 wood; #125122 clear)
Accessories:
8 ½ x 5 ½ Very Vanilla cardstock
3 ½ x 5 ½ Very Vanilla cardstock
4 ½ x 1 5/8 Everyday Enchanted DSP (SAB free, #126154)
1 7/8 x 5 Crumb Cake cardstock
12 inches Crochet Lace Ribbon
1 3/8 inch square punch
Dimensionals™ #104430
Basic Pearls #119247
Soft Suede Classic ink #115657
Sponge, Curly Label punch #119851, Decorative Label punch #120907
Basic Pearls, Basic Rhinestones
——-Big Shot———
Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder #120175
Sizzix Die Cutting Machine, Multi-purpose platform
Two clear cutting pads

I totally love this set (do you notice I am stuck on a roll with it)… and isn’t the cardstock awesome?!  The Stampin’ Up! Occasions Mini Catalog has a new card and envelopes set ‘Designer Cuts‘ which features four each of two stunning laser cut vanilla cards.  My TOTAL favorite is this lacy bottom… I sponged it with Crumb Cake ink to give it an antique look.

I did a video here on how to watercolor which will show you my watercolor techniques.  I used the Watercolor Wonder crayons and a blender pen.  I usually use the Aquapainters with the crayons, but I wanted more controlled coloring on the fine details.

I have included the sets and accessories that I have used:

Apothecary Art Set (wood #125525, clear #125527); Loving Thoughts (wood #125843, clear #125845)
‘Designer Cuts‘ Cards & Envelope Set #125414; Rose Red cardstock #102544
Black StazOn #101406; Watercolor Wonder Crayons (Subtles & Neutrals)
Jewels – Basic Pearls #119247; Crochet Trim ‘Victoria’ #118481
‘Labels Collection‘ Framelits Dies #125598, Sizzix Big Shot (with multipurpose drawer)

This is one of the FREE cards you receive from my for your online order this month… so, how did I do?

This is a very easy gift card holder made with Pennant Parade set and coordinating ‘Pennant Builder punch’ #122361) and the ‘Cupcake Builder punch’ (#121807).

The card holder itself is 5  x 8 1/2 and scored on the 8 1/2 side at 3 3/4 and 7 1/2.

The set and coordinating punch make an easy and festive ‘dimensional’ money holder!

Set(s):
Pennant Parade (#122740 W, #122742 C)
Create a Cupcake (#121915 W, #121982 C)

Accessories:
5  x 8 ½  Delightful Daffodil cardstock (scored at 3 ¾ and 7 ½)
4 ½ x 3 ¼  Lucky Limeade c/s & 4 x 2 ½ Whisper White c/s (for the front)
2 ½ x 3 ½ Delightful Daffodil c/s ; 2 ½ x 3 ½ Lucky Limeade c/s ; 2 ½ x 3 ½ Pool Party c/s
5/8 x 3 in. Whisper White strip (for stamping the greeting)
1 inch strips of Soft Suede & Pink Pirouette (for punching the cupcake pieces)
Petite Pennant Builder punch #122361 & Cupcake Builder punch #121807
Soft Suede Classic Ink, 1/16th inch hole punch, White Bakers Twine #124262
——Sizzix————
Perfect Polka Dots textured embossing folder #117335
Sizzix Die Cutting Machine with Multi-purpose platform

This gift card holder is so easy to make and so much fun to look at–it almost makes me hungry!

The ‘card’ part of it is actually only 5×7 to allow the giant cupcake to peek over the edge.  I used the ‘Perfect Polka Dots’ embossing folder on the Real Red background.

I stamped the giant cupcake stamp twice, once on Regal Rose and once on Chocolate Chip, and cut the top out of one–and the bottom out of the other.  I dusted off my paper corrugator and ‘waffled’ the bottom of the cupcake for a more realistic feel.  I stamped the cherry in scraps of red left over and used Dimensionals to hold it to the cupcake top and the top to the bottom.

Finally, for the best part–the inside gift card holder–it is one long strip of white cardstock, 10 inches by 4 inches, scored along the 10 inch side at 3, 5 & 7 inches).  Fold it into a ‘W’ and adhere one side to the inside top of the red card and the other side to the inside bottom.  DO NOT put tape or adhesive in the middle, it will stay together by ‘force’ of the top and bottom being adhered down. Besides, the gift card won’t fit in if you glue it shut!

For the slit down the middle, I used the Word Window Punch, punching along the seam to make an opening and then to make it fancy, I punched the Designer Label punch HALFWAY in for a ‘finger’ grab area (otherwise it is hard to pull out the gift card).

Set(s) from the 2010 Idea Book & Catalog: Simple Birthday Thanks #111546  (Pg. 142); Perfect Punches #117022  (Pg. 131 ); Heard from the Heart #111644 (Pg. 156)
Accessories:
5 x 7 Real Red cardstock
10 x 4 White cardstock (scored at 3, 5 & 7 inches)
3 ½ x 4 Chocolate Chip cardstock
3 x 4 ¼ Regal Rose cardstock
2 ½ x 2 ½ Regal Rose (for scalloped circle)
2 ½ x 2 White c/s (for greeting)
2 x 2 ½ Real Red c/s (for cherry)
Black StazOn™
Satin Ribbon, Pink beads, Glue dots
Dimensionals™, Crimper
PUNCHES: Word Window, Designer Label (for inside)
Large Oval (for greeting)
Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder
Sizzix Big Shot, Multi-purpose platform, clear cutting pads

I just LOVE this new Summer Mini Catalog set ‘Sweet Scoops’ featuring ice cream cones and ice cream scoops as well as a greeting stamp, sprinkles and a cherry on top!

I added the pink beads as 3D sprinkles for effect.

This 5 1/4 x 5 1/4 square card is embellished with the square scalloped edge die for the Big Shot machine and a 4×4 square of Razzleberry Lemonade designer series paper.

The accessories that I used were as follows:

Set(s): Sweet Scoops (#117078 Wood, #120078 Clear)

Accessories:
5 ¼ x 10 ½ Whisper White cardstock
5 ½ x 5 ½ Melon Mambo cardstock
4 x 4 inches DSP ‘Razzleberry Lemonade’
3 x 3 inches Melon Mambo (for punching)
3 x 3 Crushed Curry (for punching)
4 ¼ x 2 ¾ Whisper White (for stamping/punching)
1 inch x 5 ¼ inch Crushed Curry
¾ x 5 ¼ inch Whisper White cardstock
15 inches Wide Grosgrain Ribbon ‘Vanilla’
Beads Duo “Pink”
Sizzix Scalloped Square Bigz Clear Die #115950
Sizzix Big Shot & clear cutting pads
Large Oval punch, Scallop Circle punch, Scallop Square punch
Inks:  Melon Mambo, Soft Suede ink, Glue Dots

I can’t believe that the end of Sale-A-Bration is here… kind’ve sneaked up on me–how about you?

This adorable (and easy) money holder birthday card was made with the FREE Sale-A-Bration set called ‘Happy Moments’ #118664 wood, #119125 clear mount.

I stamped the ‘outline’ image of the gifts on the Razzleberry Lemonade designer series paper twice… once on front and once on the back and cut out two gifts to make them look ‘wrapped’ in our designer paper.

If you missed the memo these last three months, you get one SAB set or accessory with each $50 in catalog purchases.

Details of this card:
4 x 11 inch Melon Mambo cardstock (scored at 3 ¼ x 8 inches)
2 x 3 ½ White cardstock
2 ½ x 3 ¾ Crushed Curry cardstock
Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Series Paper
– 3 ¾ x 2 ½ striped designer paper
– 3 x 2 ½ tiny yellow/orange floral design
Silver brads, 1 1/16th inch circle punch
Eyelet border punch
1 3/8 inch Jumbo circle punch
Crushed Curry polka-dotted grosgrain ribbon
Melon Mambo marker

You can view the Sale-A-Bration mini catalog HERE… and remember to either place your order online or contact me!

This is a fun birthday card idea that I saw similarly done a few years ago.

It incorporates quite a few punches and the colors are taken from Stampin’ Up!’s  psychedelic looking designer paper ‘Kaleidoscope’.

The ‘gift bags’ were made from the coordinating 1 1/4 inch jumbo square punch and the 1 3/8 inch jumbo square punch, the handles are natural hemp.  I used a tiny square of white tissue paper for the tissue inside the gift bags.

I like to use the Modern Label punch over the Designer Label punch for the greetings.  The ‘On Your Birthday’ set is FULL of greetings including ‘belated’ greetings, and many of them fit on our punches.

Kaleidoscope Designer Paper Bermuda Bay cardstock
Pumpkin Pie cardstock  
Bermuda Bay ink pad
Whisper White cardstock
Kraft cardstock
Natural hemp
white tissue paper
1 ¼ inch Jumbo Square punch
1 3/8 inch Jumbo Square punch
Designer Label punch (#107590)
Modern Label punch (#116630)Sticky Strip, Dimensionals™
Eyelet Border punch (#113692)

Can’t view the video? CLICK HERE to view it on my site (it won’t go through via email).

I’m having fun with the Bigz XL Die ‘Pop Up Look Here’ die for the Sizzix Big Shot… so much so that I wanted to share a short video clip on putting it together (for those of us who won’t read the directions that came with it!).  It is very difficult for me to publish a video.  Besides from the obvious (being a video challenged individual), I am terribly ‘Type A’ person (READ: it must be perfect) before I will publish it.  I need to let go of that (I’m working on it!).

Check out my ‘Video Channel’ AmyTV for all my videos!  Be kind in your feedback!

The card was made with Melon Mambo (pink) and Crushed Curry (yellow) and the Razzleberry Lemonade designer series papers.  The sets are the new ‘On a Pedestal’ set (#113814, set of 7) and the (dormant) Big Birthday Candle.

Immediately below are two small shots of the cards and under that a cool slideshow of the card at several angles (click here if you can’t see the slideshow).

I hope you enjoy this… I had a LOT of fun.  I am designing a Christmas pop up card for a ‘Christmas In July’ workshop I am doing on Saturday evening for one of my FAVORITE customers.  Okay, don’t you need a ‘Christmas’ themed in-home workshop?  Contact me if you are in the So. Chester Co. PA/northeast MD/DE area!

So… how did you like it?!

I just absolutely love this set of seashells… and unfortunately it doesn’t appear to be being replaced in the new catalog…

Seaside #113512 features 5 shells and is $25.95.  You can view the set online in my post last week.

The card is whisper white and the pink toile print is from Bella Birds designer series paper (also retiring June 30th).

The body of the card is Bordering Blue and sponged with  White Crafter’s ink.  The shells on pink paper were embossed in white and sponged in Pink Pirouette.

The conch shell was embossed in white on Whisper White paper and sponged with daubers in Pink Pirouette and Bordering Blue inks.

The greeting and other shells were stamped in White crafter’s ink.

I earned Stampin’ Up!’s cruise as of last Friday and believe me, it has been *years* since I’ve earned it on them amount of sales.  So, the good new is that even in this tough economic times, my sales are higher than they’ve been in years.

Isn’t that one more reason to consider direct sales as a business?  You’ll LOVE your boss and you can’t be fired.

This is a money/gift card holder that I’ve done in the past but with an adorable ‘old fashioned soda shoppe’ type exterior!

I have seen the Candy Lane Designer Series Paper (#113980, $9.95) used as a window overhang like this and decided that it would be the perfect cover for a birthday money gift.

I had a lot of feedback about my post the other day (See: Rose Accordion Bookmark Card) and the dimensions for it.  I have updated that post to include more details, click here to view it again.