This is one of my favorite cards in a long time.  And with Mother’s Day just around the corner, wouldn’t this make a fabulous card for that special woman (with a different greeting, of course!).

This is made with the ‘Noteably Ornate’ stamp set from the Stampin’ Up! 2010-11 Idea Book & Catalog.  I have included all of the materials below, but I am pulling a ‘blank’ on what set the ‘Friend’ stamp is from.  Leave a comment with the name of the set and one of you will receive a card from me!

And as you can see by the shot on the left, I didn’t back the entire main element with cardstock, I cheated and put one torn piece on each side.

Set: Noteably Ornate (wood: #117098, clear: #120561)
Accessories:
5 ½ x 8 ½ Baja Breeze
5 ½ x 4 ¼ Very Vanilla cardstock
2 ¾ x 4 ¼ Very Vanilla (for stamping & cutting)
1 x 2 inch Baja Breeze (for stamping & punching)
2 x 4 inch Soft Suede cardstock (for tearing)
1 ½ x 2 ½ DSP Vintage Springtime (for scallop oval punch)
Baja Breeze Classic Ink, Soft Suede Classic Ink and sponge dauber
Scallop Oval XL punch #119856, Oval XL punch #119859, Modern Label Punch XL #119849
7 inches Chantilly Crochet trim ribbon #118480
5 inches & 3 inches Sticky Strip, Basic Pearls #119247, Vanilla Rosettes #118774
Framed Tulips embossing folder #121809
Sizzix Die Cutting Machine, Multi-purpose platform
Two clear cutting pads, Dimensionals

I am SO going to miss this designer series paper!  Before April 30th, I’ll be stocking up on the Springtime Vintage papers, you should too.

Since this was one of the stamp festival projects, I have the step by step photo instructions for download (image left).

Set(s): Nature Walk
(Wood #121925, Clear #121997)

Accessories:
5 ½ x 8 ½ Very Vanilla Cardstock
3 x 4 DSP Springtime Vintage #121782
1 x 4 Baja Breeze cardstock
4 inches & 10 inches of Chantilly Crochet Trim #118480
3 ¾ x 2 ¾ Baja Breeze cardstock
3 ½ x 2 ½ Very Vanilla cardstock
Black StazOn #101406
Old Olive, Baja Breeze, and So Saffron marker
Two 3 inch pieces of Pear Pizzaz Seam Binding Ribbon #122330
Vanilla Rosettes #118774
Scallop Trim Border Punch #118402
Vintage Wallpaper embossing Folder
Sizzix Multi-purpose platform & cutting plates
4 inches Sticky Strip, Glue

Can you believe that I didn’t really like this set the first time I saw it?  Well, I got over that!

This simple geometrical layering and side tied bow make a faster card than you think.  Cut a bunch of the layers and you can put together 10 of these pretty quickly!

This set, Easter Blossoms, from Stampin’ Up!’s Occasions Mini Catalog is available through April 30th.

Below are the materials and supplies and the dimensions of the layers… let me know what you think!  Happy stamping!

Sets:  Easter Blossoms (wood: #121905, clear: #122057)
Accessories:
5 ½ x 8 ½ Rose Red
5 ¼ x 4” Vanilla Cardstock
3 ¼ x 3 ¾ Rose Red
3 x 3 ½ Springtime Vintage DSP (large rose floral)
2 ½ x 3 Not Quite Navy
2 ¼ x 2 ¾ Crumb Cake
2 x 2 ½ Very Vanilla
Crumb Cake Classic ink
1/8th inch punch
Dimensionals™, Basic Pearls #119247
Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder #120175
Sizzix Die Cutting Machine, Multi-purpose platform, clear cutting pads
15 inches Rose Red Seam Binding Ribbon #121884
5 inches Always Artichoke Seam Binding Ribbon #121000
Vintage Flower Adornments (1 vanilla rose) #121879

And really… THANK YOU…

I simply LOVE hydrangea… and I have one beautiful bush outside my stamp room window that I was inspired by.

The ‘Because I Love You’ set is a new Level 1 Hostess Set that you MUST have (book your workshop online with me for an extra gift).

All the coloring was done with an Aquapainter and four watercolor crayons – Night of Navy, Elegant Eggplant, Always Artichoke and a touch of So Saffron.   The front of the card has the main panel folded back in the center for a cool ‘stand up’ look.  The set comes with the elegant ‘Thank You’ stamp, but I think this would make a beautiful ‘Mother’s Day’ card.

Set(s): Because I Care, Stampin’ Up! Level 1 Hostess Set

Accessories:
8 ½ x 5 ½ Basic Black cardstock
4 ¼ x 3 ½ inch Basic Black cardstock
4 x 3 ¼ inch Artichoke cardstock
3 ¾ inch Very Vanilla cardstock
2 x 5 ¼ Very Vanilla
6 inches Vanilla satin ribbon
Black StazOn™, Sticky Strip
Night of Navy, Elegant Eggplant, Always Artichoke & So
Saffron watercolor crayons
Aquapainter, Bone folder
Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, Sizzix Big Shot, Multipurpose platform and clear cutting plates.

ON ANOTHER NOTE… I am sad I was unable to attend Stampin’ Up!’s convention this year but completely astounded that I earned the ‘Demonstrator of the Year’ (#52) award.

Well, somewhat astounded at first by a call at around midnight from a friend who was freaking out that my name was called and WHERE WAS I?!!   Clearly I don’t completely understand the criteria because if I thought I would rank so well, I would have totally been there.

I DO KNOW THIS… it is an algorithm that adds up to being SO fortunate to be able to work with WONDERFUL people.  And ‘work’ quite isn’t the right word… ‘If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life’ is so true.  So, I’m not ‘top sales’ or ‘top recruiter’ nor are my sales in the stratosphere that some gals are… Stampin’ Up! is looking for a balance of these numbers and come up with the Top 100 demonstrators who achieve the balance they determine (READ: Okay, so I have no idea how).

So, I want to thank with all my heart fabulous gals who chose me as their upline and the amazing ladies who promoted this year as well as my awesome customers who chose me as their Stampin’ Up! demonstrator.  I’ve just been sitting here doing what I love to do… and I got an award for it.

On the other hand:  laundry happens sporatically, dinner is on the fly and there is glitter on everything in my kitchen… my family tried to be happy for me, but the most I got out of my husband is ‘um, that’s great… but does this come with any money…?’

I LOVE this set!  And I want to call to your attention that the Beautiful Wings die (die cut/embossed butterflies) and the set ‘Vintage Vogue’ are retiring with the end of Stampin’ Up!’s Occasions Mini Catalog on April 30th.

I think that this would make an awesome Mother’s Day card, for that special person–whether your mother, or a special ‘mom’ that you know.

You can download the step-by-step PDF now and for a short time more, the full PDF with all four projects I’ve made is available for your $50+ online order.

Clearly I have a thing for this set ‘A Rose is a Rose’ (#111560, set of 14 stamps – $37.95).

UPDATED:  Since it was not a class, I don’t have a detailed handout, however in response to many requests, this was made with a 12 x 12 piece of Riding Hood Red cardstock, scored at 3 inch intervals.  I free cut the tops of each panel to appear to be bookmark.  I used a 12″ strip of the Candy Lane DSP inside and tacked it down, leaving space to use it as pockets.  I cut the inside bookmarks from scraps of vanilla and decorated the entire thing with stamped/cut images of the Rose is a Rose set.

This bookmark card was my ‘backup’ Mother’s Day card that I didn’t need to use.  At my April Stamp a Stack, my friends made a wider ’2-fold’ accordion fold bookmark card for the sake of saving time.

But nothing beats the four fold!  Accessories:  Riding Hood Red & Vanilla cardstock, Riding Hood Red, Pink Pirouette, Kiwi Kiss & Baja Breeze inks, Candy Lane Designer Series Paper and some grosgrain and tafetta ribbon.

I didn’t realize until after I photographed how much more striking this would be with ribbons at the top of each bookmark section… oh well… next time!

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 CLICK HERE to view my Flowerpot Accordion Card video (if you are receiving this via email, the video doesn’t come through).

Just in time for Mother’s Day!  This is my Mother’s Day card to my awesomely wonderful mother-in-law… don’t tell her!   Sets: A Rose is a Rose, Bella Toile backgound stamp;  Accessories: Creamy Caramel c/s, Vanilla c/s, Close to Cocoa ink, Riding Hood Red ink, Pink Pirhouette ink, Kiwi Kiss ink, Baja Breeze ink.

To the left, I have included the flowerpot template as well as the ‘map’ for stamping the roses for the inside of the card below as explained in the video (and in case you are crazy like me and wish to make the same exact card). 

Below are thumbnails you can click on for larger images of the flowerpot ‘accordion’ card from different angles.  This card isn’t as hard as it looks!

Enjoy this video… it seemed monotone to me, but I got up at 4am to tape so that the house would be quiet.  My voice sounds strange because I was trying to film and not wake anyone up! 

So, am I getting better at video?  I’ve created an ‘AmyTV‘ page (which will pull all my videos together in one place).  Enjoy!

What a better way to remember that special woman than a set of very cosmopolitan cards and unique stationery box featuring our new Kraft Corduroy buttons (see the Occasions Mini Catalog)!

My online special this month features a 31 page full color PDF of four card designs and the stationery box.  Directions are full color step-by-step with dimensions and diagrams.

This PDF is yours free with your $50+ order this month placed online.  For ease of ordering the following sets and accessories are required for exact execution.

SETS/ACCESSORIES:

• Stamps:  Fifth Avenue Floral (#113734, $24.95) , Thank You Kindly (#111700, $13.95)
  

• Ink: Basic Gray, Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze Classic inks

• Paper: Urban Oasis Designer Series Paper (#112042, $9.95), Whisper White, Kraft, Basic Gray, Baja Breeze, Kiwi Kiss 8 ½” x 11” CS, Medium Whisper White Envelopes

• Accessories: Sticky Strip, Snail adhesive, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Kraft Taffeta Ribbon, Basic Gray Taffeta Ribbon, Kraft Corduroy Buttons, Linen Thread, Window Sheet (also called acetate sheet or transparency), paper snips, wide oval punch, paper piercer and foam mat, large oval punch, bone folder, Stamp-a-ma-jig, blender pens, Stampin’ Scrub, Stampin’ Mist, Paper Trimmer and scoring blade, pencil and ruler, hobby blade and craft mat.

Read more about it on my Shopping Page.

The holidays are coming and you don’t want him to make a mistake that can cause  holiday unhappiness!  Believe me when I tell you that I’m thinking of only your happiness here when I suggest my online Gift Registry.  

Your love one(s) will receive a message from me (handstamped if you give me their mailing address), assuring them of their place as ‘most important’ in your life’ if they are generous with what you would most enjoy as a gift–stamping stuff!  I can ship the product anywhere they would like (so you don’t steal the box by accident and hide it from him) keeping it a big wonderful secret!

Help your loved one(s) out by registering with me for the things that you most especially want to have for the holidays (or your anniversary, or birthday).   If you register now and then make a purchase with me that includes those items, I will ensure that they are not purchased again!  The gift registry is an easy online process HERE.

Contact me if you have any questions or would rather register by phone!

The moment I saw this set on cruise, I have been waiting to get my hands on it!!!  At this point, this is going to be my founder’s circle swap (although my hand hurts just thinking about cutting out all those flowers).  This a 4pm the night before my monthly Stamp-A-Stack inspiration card.

The background is the new Bella Toile stamped in "Pretty in Pink", the flowers are Pretty in Pink & Regal Rose, the leaves are Certainly Celery and Always Artichoke and the accent flower is in the new Baja Blue… doesn’t that last color really set it all off.  I popped up the center flower and added a wide grosgain rose color knot!

I know, I know, the minute that I finished it, I realized that I should have used the new Pink Pirouette (but old habits die hard)!